No matter when it is, Nyack’s parade is always in the vicinity of election time, and this year’s was closer to the actual day than any I can recall. Oddly, I saw few candidates.

County executive candidates were there, of course. Incumbent C. Scott Vanderhoef’s crew carried signs, but I didn’t see anyone dressed up. Scott wore a Yankees jacket—kind of a costume, amid World Series Yankee mania. Many of challenger Thom Kleiner’s supporters were costumed, but the candidate himself wore a suit and tie. They marched one behind the other (Vanderhoef first).

I remember a couple years ago, the sheriff’s candidates went all out. Incumbent Rockland County Sheriff James Kralik and his mounted patrol rode their horses (there were other horses that year, too, I recall, but none this year. Odd). Challenger Tim O’Neill wore a Western Sheriff costume, with the chaps and the pointed star.

I guess it’s difficult to be running for public office and choosing a costume. I imagine the jokes could never end.

FILE PHOTO: This guy was at the parade in 2003, so it’s not a commentary on the  candidates’ boring costumeless Halloween this year.

One reader believed the hunter, or as many pointed out, poacher, should have stepped forward:

This “hunter” should be caught and prosecuted for poaching. A husky doesn’t resemble a deer or a coyote. What I find worrisome is that this person, whoever he is, did not come forward and say anything to the owners of the dog. Not “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t mean to do this.”

Sadly, a situation like this overshadows hunters, such as myself, who exercise great caution and consideration for the surroundings which enable us to enjoy our chosen sport.

The person who shot this dog was no more a “hunter” than a street drug dealer is a pharmacist. Since hunting is illegal in the town park, the shooter was a poacher, not a hunter.

Dr. Berezin was the first pediatrician to open a practice in Rockland, his family said. He retired just four years ago, at age 85.
Dr. Elliot Siegal, president of Clarkstown Pediatrics, said that he considered it a privilege to work with Berezin. “He was really an old-school doctor,” Dr. Siegal said today, between seeing patients. “He really loved what he did and did it very well.”

Dr. Berezin joined Clarkstown Pediatrics, one of the county’s largest practices, when he was in his mid 70s. That way, he could ease up on the night and weekend calls. In the guestbook for his obituary on LoHud, though, several remembered his house calls, and kindness (and lollipops).

One former patient wrote:

For many years as a child I was sick with asthma and had to make many trips to Dr. Berezin and every visit he made me feel better with just the way he used to make me laugh and his incredible way that he would calm my fears. ... My mother and I both cried today learning of his passing.

she’s a delegate to this year’s Education Project, which takes place in Bahrain and addresses the future of education around the world. She’s also a presenter, joining a discussion on “Empowering Students, Parents and the Community.” Right up her alley.

Penny launched ACT in 2002, wanting a place that matched mentors with young people, no matter their age or their history of trouble. She now leads programs throughout Rockland and has lined up the honors for her hard work on behalf of young people. (She was the state Senate’s  2008 New York State Woman of Distinction, and she’s also a member of the Rockland Community College Board of Trustees — she started her higher education journey there, and finished it this year with a Ph.D. from Northeastern University in Boston. She earned the Ph.D.—no kidding, commuting to Boston from Rockland—while running all ACT’s programs.)

Now, she’s on the world stage. While it’s an amazing feat, it’s not a surprising one for those who know Penny.

Tomorrow, the Spring Valley candidates get their turn. The mayoral candidates are at 11 a.m. and trustees at noon. Watch them live, or check out the sessions later, at www.lohud.com/editorialspotlight, or check out the session later.

I asked a couple days ago if anyone wanted to submit questions for the candidates. I received some ideas for Nyack, Clarkstown and the Legislature. Now, to Spring Valley. Want to help with questions? Post them here, or e-mail them to ncutler@lohud.com.

But wait, there’s more! We’ll continue the interviews through Oct. 21. Here’s the full endorsement schedule. (Rockland’s on the second page.)

Tuesday, Oct. 6

1 p.m. – Rockland County Legislature District 14 

 2:30 p.m. – Clarkstown Town Board 

3:30 p.m. – Nyack Village mayor

4:30 p.m. – Nyack Village trustees

 Thursday, Oct. 8

 11 a.m. – Spring Valley mayor

12 p.m. – Spring Valley trustees

Here’s the full endorsement schedule. (Rockland’s on the second page.) Tune in to LoHud.com when the interviews are being webstreamed live, or check the Editorial Spotlight archives at anytime to review the candidates in your county, town or village at www.lohud.com/editorialspotlight.

Last night, U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel sent out a press release announcing that the just-passed House-passed fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill contained $300,000 for RCC that the college plans to use to upgrade and replace six science labs supporting instruction in biology, engineering, and physics.

RCC President Cliff Wood said in the statement:  “It is very important for the college to have state-of-the-art science laboratories.  We have a large nursing program and it is crucial to have these upgrades in order to give them a quality education.”

The legislation is an extension of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s investment in scientific research education, Engel said in the press release.  “RCC plays such an important role in the economic development of Rockland County, as well as the educational development of Rockland’s youth,” he said.

That is true; that is what a strong two-college does for a community. It offers real access to higher education.

2004 FILE PHOTO:  John Butler of Verizon, left, talks to RCC nursing students Flo Leighton of Nanuet, and Mary Inniss of Spring Valley at the RCC Foundation leadership awards luncheon at the Holiday Inn and Conference Center in Suffern.

I learned a lot about rocks. Not the kind you find smashed up by Tilcon into gravel for roadways. No. Like the kind you look under for funding sources.

Seems financing discussions (especially when it’s about finding a base of $16 billion, let alone all the money on top of that to help with any debt service) brings out the comedian in everyone. Alas, it didn’t bring out any concrete answers on where the funding will come from. (Oh, no! It’s contagious! Look at that: concrete—rock… get it?) For those living under a rock, the TZB/I-287 Project will replace the Tappan Zee Bridge and revamp the 30-mile corridor between Port Chester and Suffern. The project will introduce a bus rapid transit system along the corridor, and commuter rail across Rockland to tie into the Hudson line and down to Grand Central Terminal. While the study for how to design and implement the project continues, so does the study of how to finance it.

New York State Department of Transportation Finance Manager Phil Ferguson started the rock talk rolling. During the morning session, he talked about looking under every rock for funding, talked about “the rocks we’ve looked at,” referring to traditional funding sources. At one point, when some suggestions were made for other funding approaches, he said, “Keep bringing us rocks.”

(He also made a crack about one graphic shown, an upside-down Isoscelese triangle showing how certain options were being narrowed. He called it the “Pink Floyd” chart.—I, of course, am too young to get the reference to the prism on the cover of the Dark Side of the Moon album.)

But the best witticism of the morning (and boy, we needed it) came from Chairwoman Cornell. After Joseph Ruggiero, director of strategic planning for the Office of New York State Comptroller, explained in excrutiating detail the financial struggles faced by the state (think phrases like “debt capacity”), he ended is talk by saying, “Sorry to rain on your parade.” Cornell returned to the podium and said, “Ushers from the State of New York will be passing among you with little caps.”

Lefkowitz, a butcher by trade, and others who perform kapparot, have said it is hard for those who do not ascribe to kapparot to understand the deeply moving ceremony’s importance. That may be so. But it is easy to understand the Rockland County Health Code, and those rules have to be met within the county’s boundaries. Given, it may be very hard to meet the guidelines with so many live chickens in such a small area, as Lefkowitz has pointed out, but they still must be followed, or violations—and fines—will ensue. And those fines should be paid.

Lefkowitz told staff writer Hema Easley the Rockland Health Department fines (in the thousands of dollars, similar to what he was fined last year and the year before) were “ridiculous.” He says he won’t pay. (He ’s only paid a portion of past fines.) But, last year, in a letter to the editor, he called the health department’s decision to fine him “fair,” and apologized for incurring the violations. He pointed out the health department’s hard job in dealing with the “unique requirements” of the “burgeoning” Orthodox community.

Here’s a letter to the editor from Lefkowitz published Feb. 6, 2008:

Apology for violations at kapparot site

I apologize to everyone: the county, the community, my friends and others who were discomfited and dismayed by the violations I received for the Kaporoth (kapparot) program several months ago. I am especially distressed that I was the cause of much discussion of the issue that had nothing to do with me and my failings, but with others who had nothing to do with my program.
The county government officials were fair in fining me. I respect them for their professionalism and what they did was correct. I am sad that anyone can be mistaken about that.
In the lengthy exile of the Jewish people few governments have been as kind as the Rockland County government. It is not easy for them to deal with the unique requirements of our burgeoning population. But they try. For this we must thank them and bless them.
I conclude by saying that no violations were found regarding cruelty to the chickens. The cleanliness issues were caused because of failed deliveries of certain items and because of other issues. But there was no violation because of cruelty to the chickens.
I thank you for allowing me to apologize.
Moshe Lefkowitz
Monsey
The writer organized a kapparot ceremony at the Rockland Drive-In. The Rockland County Board of Health fined him $3,000 for poor conditions left at the site.

Sad, sadder and saddest.

The New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief, headed by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi (his county’s again ranked No. 2 in median property taxes paid on homes) has called for a property tax cap, and mandate relief. The commission’s looking at various ways to curb school taxes (the largest share of a homeowner’s tax bill) including consolidation of tiny school districts (littler than what we have in Rockland) shared services (something Rockland districts already do, often with BOCES, but there’s room for more) and finding ways to curb special education costs without compromising education quality. It’s painfully obvious to everyone (maybe even our representatives in Albany) that something’s gotta give. Fifth place? Shouldn’t we at least get a medal?

See the report from the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has monitored fiscal policy at the federal, state and local levels since 1937 — it’s creatively named Fiscal Fact. No. 192.