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Rockland County DA Chief ADA Patrick Frawley Named Aide to the Grand Marshal for Rockland St. Patrick’s Day Parade

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4 months ago

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PEARL RIVER, NY – The 61st Annual Rockland County St. Patrick’s Day Parade is on March 23rd at 1:30pm. Chief Assistant District Attorney Patrick Frawley is a retired Detective with the Town of Orangetown Police Department. Pat went to law school while working full-time with the Orangetown PD graduating Cum Laude from Pace Law School in White Plains. Following his law enforcement career, he worked at Clarkstown Central School District as the Coordinator of Safety and Security and implemented many new safety initiatives. Some of his exhaustive credentials include completion of the F.B.I. Criminal Investigators course, NYPD Homicide Investigators School, NYPD Sex Crimes/Child Abuse School and also traveled to Israel in 2003 to train with the Israeli Police and Global ATS in anti-terrorism methods.

The parade leaves from the Pfizer parking lot, turning east onto E Crooked Hill Road, turning south onto N. Middletown Rd, turning west onto E Central Ave, turning south onto South Main Street, and ending in the area of the Pearl River Post Office. Roads in the Pearl River area are subject to closure up to 1 hour prior to the start of the parade. On-street parking is available in the Pearl River area, but please check for any full-time or temporary parking restrictions for that roadway before leaving your car. Any parked vehicles that are found to impede emergency response or endanger public safety are subject to be ticketed and towed. Please remember that The Town of Orangetown Town Code Local Law No. 2 Chapter 10 states that open bottles or containers in which there is an alcoholic beverage are prohibited by law. Please Note that the Orangetown Police Department has informed us that they will be closing the parade route to traffic at Noon. Crooked Hill will be closed at Dove St.; all vehicles must be in place before the closure. If you need to go to the parking lot after 12, you must approach from Nanuet.

Congratulations to all of the honorees:

Hibernian of the Year – Charles “Chuck” Parnow
Businesspersons of the Year – Bernie (Foley) Fitzgerald, Tara (Tonner) McDonald & Tina (Segatta) Murphy, The Gracie Rose (Pearl River, NY)
Parade Commander – Patrick Casey, Orangetown Police Dept
Grand Marshal – John W. McGowan
Aide to the Grand Marshal, NYC – John B. Kelly
Aide to the Grand Marshal – Patrick Frawley, Rockland County District Attorney’s Office

A message from Ancient Order of Hibernian’s Men’s County Board President Dermot Moore and Ladies’ Ancient Order of Hibernian County Board President Terry McGeever For the past 60 years, the men and women of the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians have been pleased to host their annual St. Patrick’s Day Parad. This eventt has become a Rockland County institution. The parade celebrates our pride in our Irish heritage, and we take equal pride in it also being an event that has brought in spectators from around the world, state, county, etc., and an opportunity to bring families and friends together in a day of wholesome recognition and celebration of the contributions of Irish Americans to our community and country. An event such as the Rockland County St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which draws tens of thousands of people, would be impossible without the hospitality of the Town of Orangetown, the hamlet of Pearl River, and the professionalism of its first responders, particularly the Orangetown Police department, who provide a friendly and safe environment for the day’s proceedings. One of the oldest Irish values is the custom of hospitality and the obligation of courtesy and respect that is incumbent on a guest to their host. In keeping with the spirit of the day and the celebration of our heritage, the Parade Committee asks all participants and spectators to honor this venerable Irish tradition and show the proper courtesy and respect to the residents and businesses of Pearl River, and to comply with all directions of the Orangetown Police Department, particularly observing regulations on parking and open containers. The Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians asks that all participants remember the true meaning of the day: to celebrate St. Patrick and the generations of Irish Americans who have dedicated and sacrificed themselves for America and not be part of the trivialization of the holiday into the “St. Patty’s Day” image of T-shirt makers and other 21st Century “Know Nothings” whose only respect of “the green” is the “the green of the till”. Keeping the parade the joyous yet dignified and responsible celebration that the day deserves will help ensure that we can keep this great tradition alive for years to come.

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Creating a More Inclusive Rockland – One Business at a Time By Rockland County Executive Ed Day

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4 hours ago

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May 31, 2025

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To our business leaders, healthcare providers, first responders, and community organizations that make Rockland County the vibrant place it is, I want to bring your attention to a new and FREE training that will create a more inclusive Rockland one business at a time.

Here in the United States, 1 in 36 children is diagnosed with Autism. And yet, many of our public spaces, businesses, and institutions remain unfamiliar with how to support them.
That needs to change—and here in Rockland, we’re leading that change.

It was with that in mind that in April, during Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month, my administration’s Department of Mental Health launched a new All-Abilities Training Program, created in partnership with the Anderson Center for Autism.
This training is available at no cost and is designed to educate the workforce, including our local businesses, healthcare providers, first responders, and community organizations. It’s a powerful tool to help you better serve all members of our community, especially those with Autism and intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD).

This initiative is more than just training—it’s a commitment to understanding, acceptance, and accessibility for individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities.

When we launched the Rockland Thinks Differently initiative in 2024, we committed ourselves to promoting inclusion at every level of our community. This training is a direct extension of that promise. It will help your team create more welcoming environments for all.

But this isn’t just about doing the right thing, it’s also smart business.

Many individuals with Autism are loyal, capable, and hardworking.

The training includes insight into how to make your workplace more accessible for potential employees with Autism and the many benefits of hiring from this often-overlooked talent pool.

I urge every business and organization in Rockland to take advantage of this fantastic and free opportunity. Doing so will show the community that your organization not only accepts differences but embraces and celebrates them. Let’s work together and continue creating a Rockland that truly thinks differently.

To sign up for the training or learn more, please contact the Anderson Center at 845-889-9616 or ACCT@AndersonCares.org.

* This is a weekly column by Rockland County Executive Ed Day.

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Government

Senator Bill Weber Honors the Late Clarkstown Councilman Mark Woods Jr. with Induction into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame

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1 day ago

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May 30, 2025

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ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY – This week, State Senator Bill Weber posthumously inducted Town of Clarkstown Councilman Mark Woods Jr. into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the State Capitol.

Mark’s beloved wife, Jeanne, his daughter, Maggie, his son, Ray, and his mother, Marie, joined the ceremony to accept the award on Mark’s behalf.

A Brooklyn native, Woods was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry after attending The Citadel. He served in Berlin at the end of the Cold War and deployed to Bosnia for peacekeeping operations. His civilian career included service as a corrections officer, border agent, and NYPD officer, where he was part of the Vice Squad and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. He returned to active duty in Iraq post-9/11 before continuing his public service stateside.

Woods later became Deputy Director of the Rockland County Veterans Service Agency and then Director of the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Program at BRIDGES, where he supported fellow veterans through mental health and crisis recovery work. His advocacy and compassion touched countless lives.

“Mark Woods Jr. exemplified the spirit of selfless service,” said Senator Weber. “His dedication to his country, his community, and especially to his fellow veterans, was unparalleled. This induction ensures that his legacy of compassion, leadership, and service will be remembered and honored for generations to come.”

“I can think of no one more deserving at this moment. Mark Woods is the purest example of a serviceman dedicated to his country and his community. He was humble, passionate and undeniably committed to seeing our community be better. I can’t think of a better way to pay tribute to a selfless man like Mark Woods and his enduring legacy than his induction to the NYS Veterans Hall of Fame.” said Carlos Martinez, LMSW, CEO and Executive Director of BRIDGES

Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann, a good friend of Mark Woods added, “I am proud to help honor the life and legacy of Mark Woods. From his service in the U.S. Army to the streets of NYC as an NYPD officer, to his compassionate work with our veterans and as Town Councilman, his unwavering commitment to helping others will always be an inspiration. Clarkstown and New York State will never forget his lifetime of service.”

The New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame honors the courage, sacrifice, and service of veterans who enrich their communities long after leaving active duty. Mark Woods Jr. stands among the finest examples of that enduring legacy.

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