In January, at the annual PCC meeting, over two dozen community members shared their concerns to Town officials about Palisades traffic. Councilwoman Nancy Low-Hogan has been extremely attentive to resolving our issues and has been pro-active in involving Police Chief Nulty and Superintendent of Highways Jim Dean. A dozen residents also attended the Town of Orangetown Traffic Advisory Board meeting in March to alert them of our concerns. In the last two months, traffic police have been visible on Oak Tree and other streets in Palisades, for three weeks a blinking speed sign was near placed near Jawanio and a traffic count was conducted revealing increased traffic and speed of motorists.

Budget Vote and Board Election Information

The outcome of the annual school budget vote and Board election affects all residents. Mark your calendars for these important informational sessions to learn more and make it a point to get out and VOTE on May 20.

Midnight Run – Friday May 23rd 10:00 pm.

The church will participate in a Midnight Run on Friday, May 23rd; this is part of our mission outreach - touching the lives of some of the homeless people who live on the cold streets of Manhattan. We bring food, clothing and toiletries to designated locations around the city. Midnight Run is a volunteer organization dedicated to finding common ground between the housed and the homeless. Our local Hudson Presbytery is one of several Presbyteries that support this organization, and many other churches, synagogues and schools contribute as well to these midnight missions that take place every night of the year.

Last fall a small group of older Palisadians began to meet to discuss ways of supporting each other as they age in their homes. Returns to a questionnaire sent out in January indicated that a number of people were interested in the idea of such a support group.

Here’s a surprising little gem for the light-footed set. Tucked into the dreary strip mall that used to house Food World, the Backstage Boutique is an easily overlooked shop carrying a comprehensive line of jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop and ballroom shoes, as well as leotards for gymnastics and ballet, flesh-toned undergarments, tights, legwarmers and all the paraphernalia dancers, ice skaters and cheerleaders need to practice in comfort and style.

Successful Marathoner

Avi Barak completed the Arizona Marathon (his 6th) this winter in 3 hours, 25 minutes (7:50 min/mile). Avi thanks all his backers for their generous support of his continued efforts to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. To date, he has raised over $20,000 to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma.

City Delights

The library has passes for the Guggenheim, Whitney, Natural History and Cooper Hewitt museums, as well as discount tickets for Broadway and Off-Broadway theater. Reserve the museum passes at the circulation desk. Pick up the discount tickets at the reference desk.

Riverspace Arts Center a New Presence in Community

There’s a phoenix rising in Nyack. Shaking off the dust of the now defunct Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center, Riverspace is a community-based performing arts center with a coherent strategy for the present, and ambitious plans for the future. The arts center is a joint effort between concerned citizens, and Friends of the Nyacks to ensure that high quality theater, music, film and dance have a presence in Rockland County. With one full-time employee (Managing Director, Dara Falco), a volunteer board of working professionals in the arts, a few techies, and a lot of smarts, Riverspace is tapping into an audience hungry for local live performance and quality entertainment.

I am writing in response to your article, “Aging in Place,” which appeared in the last issue of 10964.

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For more information about elections and your elected representatives, visit the Rockland County Board of Elections website. Know who your politicians are—Look it up!

PCC school building in 1918, from an old postcard.
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Welcome to our new PCC board members, Alice Buchanan and Jill Wecht.
We extend heartfelt thankyous to Linda Jouas (who served as our treasurer for 20 years), Henry Ottley (who provided much construction labor and our beautiful PCC sign), and Tony Gerard (who provided legal advice and support). They have recently stepped down from the Board.

The Disappearance of the Blinking Light Explained

At the Annual Town Meeting held at the PCC on January 30th, community members shared their concerns with Town Supervisor Thom Kleiner and new Council members Nancy Low-Hogan and Michael Maturo. Topics included zoning and setback laws, the Palisades school, and 9W development. However, the main focus of conversation turned to traffic.

On a pleasant weekend, it has become increasingly popular for bicyclists, many decked out head to toe in spandex, to head to Piermont or Nyack by way of 9W. While some respect the rules of the road, a growing number are inclined to ride three, four or even five abreast, causing cars to pull into ongoing traffic to pass. Here is what the New York Department of Transportation laws state:

Palisades Free Library

Member of the Ramapo Catskill Library System

19 Closter Road

Palisades, NY 10964

845-359-0136, Fax 845-359-6124, http://www.rcls.org/pal>www.rcls.org/pal

Hours: Mon-Thu 1-9, Fri 1-5, Sat 11-5, Sun 1-5

Closed Dec. 24, 25, 30, 31, Jan. 1, Feb. 19, Apr. 8

117 Washington Spring Road PO Box 687 Palisades, NY 10964 Phone:(845) 359-3147 Website: www.ppc10964.org

The Palisades Church will welcome the Christmas season beginning on the First Sunday in Advent, December 2nd.

Books and Greetings at the new strip mall in Northvale, NJ
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Before you point and click on Amazon.com, call Kenny Sarfin at Books and Greetings in Northvale, N.J. (OK – it’s not technically Rockland County, but it’s veritably perched on the border.) Better yet, take a quick spin to his well-stocked store, munch on some homemade cookies and enjoy a rare thing; congenial interaction with knowledgeable sales help.

Children build their own scarecrows at the Palisades Community Center
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Autumn brought twenty scarecrows to Palisades, all dressed up and ready to bring that special Halloween spirit to our hamlet. A huge thank you goes out to Larry Bucciarelli who provided the lumber, labor and homemade honey! Another heartfelt thanks to Carol Baxter who got this great idea going as well as Carol Knudson, Sheila Chin and Michèle Balm for working on covering the production aspects from clothing and stuffing for the crows to warm apple cider and donuts, to pumpkin carving tools. The event was a big crowd pleaser and sure to be repeated in years to come!

The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; nine of Lamont’s current scientists contributed work to IPCC’s most recent 2007 global warming assessment. This prestigious award clearly acknowledges that changes are now taking place that could threaten our environment, economy and social stability. Lamont Doherty has been involved in seminal climate work since the 1950s.

The term, “Aging-Place,” has appeared recently in news articles. It means continuing to live in your house and in your community as you grow older, as opposed to moving to an assisted living facility; moving away, perhaps to Florida; or moving in with your children somewhere else in the country. There are real satisfactions that come from continuing to live in the same community over a long period of time. But as people age, the many tasks necessary to maintain a household become more difficult, and sometimes additional help is needed. Different parts of the country have experimented with programs that provide assistance to older residents who want to continue living in their own homes.

The Palisades School
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The new Fred S. Keller School sign outside the Palisades School on Oak Tree Road is an indication that its possible sale has been tabled, at least for the moment.