Yeshiva World News

Feds Settle With Kiryas Joel Slaughterhouse Over Pollution; Agree To Pay $330,000 Fine

Federal prosecutors say a New York slaughterhouse that supplies kosher chicken to Orthodox Jews discharged chicken parts and other waste into storm drains and sewers. The U.S. attorney's office announced a civil lawsuit and proposed settlement Thursday. It said the Kiryas Joel Poultry Processing Plant Inc. admitted violating the federal Clean Water Act between 2008 and 2012. The company agreed to pay a $330,000 fine, devise a corrective plan and record its future operations. An ...

State Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Election Inspectors in Kiryas Joel

The state Supreme Court rules in favor of voters to allow election inspectors into the Village of Kiryas Joel. The decision comes just three weeks before Election Day. The Orange County board of elections approved six inspectors at Kiryas Joel polling locations, after claims from the group United Monroe that voters were bullied at the ballot boxes, but the board later took back their decision, citing cultural differences. Voters then filed a lawsuit against the board. The court ...

PHOTOS: Massive Fire Destroys 16 Bungalows At Camp Shira In Sullivan County

[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] A windswept fire that broke out Monday evening quickly spread at Camp Shira in Sackett Lake in the Town of Thompson totally destroying 16 duplex summer bungalows. Sullivan County Emergency Services Coordinator Richard Martinkovic said a combination of the strong winds and the close proximity of the buildings, resulted in their destruction. Other buildings in the Jewish camp were saved. The cause of the fire is under investigation and may be difficult to ...

Kiryas Joel: Two Middeltown Women Arrested For Forgery At Check Cashing Store

The New York State Police at Monroe arrested Alexis Brown (18) of Middletown, NY for Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd and Forgery 2nd. Also arrested was Jessica Mohan (18), also of Middletown, NY who was charged with Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd degree and Conspiracy 5th. The arrests stemmed from an attempt by Alexis Brown to cash a forged check at AW Check Cashing in the Village of Kiryas Joel earlier in the day. Both suspects were arraigned in the Town of ...

Bloomingburg Dissolution Vote Results Sequestered

The results of a vote on Tuesday on whether to dissolve the Village of Bloomingburg will not be known for days. The tally of the votes will be reviewed by the courts following the filing of several legal challenges. Should the vote be favorable, the village would become part of the Town of Mamakating government. The vote centers on plans to double the size of the village population of over 360 with the development of a Hasidic community. (Source: MidHudsonNews)

Kiryas Joel Mayor Abraham Wieder Supports Grand Hudson Resort And Casino Project

Kiryas Joel Village Mayor Abraham Wieder announced support for the Grand Hudson Resort and Casino project in New Windsor because of “the unprecedented benefits the project will bring to Northern Orange County and the entire state.” He said on Tuesday the facility would revitalize Stewart Airport and create thousands of jobs. “Orange County’s overall economy is in dire need of an economic shot in the arm, its northern tier all the more so,” Wieder said. He said of all of the ...

Hasidic Groups File $25M Civil Rights Suit Against Bloomingburg, Mamakating Officials

A $25 million lawsuit has been filed in federal court seeking to block the dissolution of the Village of Bloomingburg as well as the September 30 referendum on the issue. The suit was filed Monday in US District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Village of Bloomingburg, Town of Mamakating and their officials by the land owners and prospective tenants of housing, a school and a ritual bath that are planned to be constructed in the village, alleges blatant discrimination ...

Woodbourne Shul Closes On Its Greatest Season Yet

Historic Congregation Bnai Israel on Route 52 in Woodbourne closed its doors – at least officially – last Sunday, August 31st, on its fifth and most successful season yet. While last summer saw 80,000 mispallelim pass through the shul’s doors, regulars at the shul insist that the volume doubled this summer. The shul, which had fallen into disrepair due to the changing demographics of the region, was revitalized in 2010 when Rabbi Mordechai Jungreis shlit”a, the charismatic Niklesburg ...

Catskills: Person Pulled From Swimming Pool At Vacation Village [4:50PM ET]

A person was just pulled from a swimming pool at Vacation Village in Loch Sheldrake. The incident happened just after 4:30 on Friday afternoon. Catskills Hatzolah was on the scene, and reportedly performing CPR on the victim - who is a 73 year old male. A Hatzolah Ambulance was taking the victim to the nearby Loch Sheldrake Firehouse, where a landing zone was established for a chopper to airlift the victim to an appropriate medical facility. The victim was in "post cardiac arrest" when he ...

Woodridge: 5-Year-Old Child Critical After Being Struck By Vehicle At Village Park Bungalows

A 5-year-old child is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in Woodridge. Sources tell YWN Catskills that the child was struck by a vehicle in front of Village Park Bungalow Colony on Tabaczynski Road just after 3:00PM on Sunday afternoon. Upon arrival, Hatzolah found the child not breathing, and a medevac was not used due to the critical condition of the child. Catskills Hatzolah Paramedics rushed the child to Catskill Regional Medical Center (Harris), with critical ...

Catskills: Near Drowning In Tara Acres In Hurlyville - Chopper Requested To Airlift Victim

1:40PM: A person has just been pulled out of a swimming pool in the Catskills, and Hatzolah is on the scene treating the victim. The incident happened at Tara Acres, located on Old Liberty Road in the town of Hurlyville around 1:30PM, Sunday. Sources tell YWN Catskills that thankfully, the victim was conscious when Hatzolah arrived. A chopper has been activated to airlift the victim to an appropriate medical facility. The Sullivan County Sheriff Department was operating on the scene as ...

Village Of Kiryas Joel Sues To Block Orange County Casino

A Hasidic Jewish village has mounted a legal challenge seeking to halt a casino proposed for upstate New York. The lawsuit filed by the village of Kiryas Joel in Orange County alleges that officials in two nearby communities offered support for the project without analyzing the impact it would have on the village. The lawsuit says the casino would burden the local sewer system and generate an "undesirable" level of traffic and other negative impacts. The suit seeks to halt the project and ...

PHOTOS: Yankee Star CC Sabathia Hits Home Run At Camp Simcha

[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] The children of Camp Simcha know what it’s like to be on the disabled list. Perhaps that’s why they and CC Sabathia, starting pitcher for the New York Yankees, developed an instant connection when the major league star visited the camp on Tuesday. Sabathia’s arrival was heralded by the lights and sirens of his police honor guard. But the sirens were no match for Camp Simcha’s children and counselors, who formed a human tunnel to welcome him to the ...

Tragic Fatal Fire Underscores Need For Smoke Alarms - Even In Your Bungalow Or Camp Bunkhouses

The tragic fire which claimed the life of 3-year-old Aharon Follman Z"L should be a wake up call to everyone about the importance of smoke detectors. Many people do not have working smoke alarms in their bungalows and other summer residences, and YWN is using this opportunity to stress the importance of having a working detector. The cause of Sunday night's fatal blaze remains under investigation, but Sullivan County Emergency Services Commissioner Richard Martinkovic said the tragic death ...

PHOTOS: Chopper Lands On Route 17 Near Kiryas Yoel To Airlift Victim In Overturned Vehicle

[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] A serious car crash on Route 17 westbound brought traffic to a standstill as a chopper was called to the scene. Hatzolah from Kiryas Yoel and Catskills along with local emergency personnel responded to the scene around 3:30PM Monday. The crash - which involved an overturned vehicle - happened between exits 128 - 129. A chopper was called to airlift the occupant of the overturned vehicle to a trauma center. The chopper landed on the median of the highway, as ...

PHOTOS: Two NYS Troopers Injured While Trying To Save 3-Year-Old Aharon Follman From Inferno

[PHOTOS BY JDN & YOEL GOLDSTEIN IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Two New York State Troopers were hospitalized after trying to save the life of 3-year-old Aharon Follman, YWN has learned. The following is a statement given to YWN Catskills by the NY State Police, following the tragic Petira of 3-year-old Aharon Follman: On Sunday August 17, 2014 at approximately 10:15pm, State Police at Liberty responded to a report of a fire at a bungalow colony on State Route 55 in the Town of Liberty. ...

TRAGEDY IN THE CATSKILLS: 3-Year-Old Child R"L Killed In Fire At Camp Mareh Yechezkel In Swan Lake [UPDATED 10:00AM]

[PHOTOS BY JDN IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] A fire in Camp Mareh Yechezkel has taken the life of a 3-year-old child R"L , and left other victims injured. Sources tell YWN Catskills that the fire started in a bungalow at the camp - located on Route 55 - around 9:50PM, Sunday evening. After receiving reports of victims trapped in the bungalow, the Swan Lake Fire Department raced to the scene as well as multiple Catskills Hatzolah ambulances. Tragically, 3-year-old Aharon Follman Z"L was R"L killed ...