MAY '09 - The Nyack Villager

An open community forum.
Letters
to the editor
Opinions expressed are those of each
letter writer, not necessarily
those of The Nyack Villager
Henry Was an Englishman
To e Nyack Villager—
You've probably had a dozen or more e-mails,
but here's one more: Henry Hudson, (page 4,
April 2009) was an Englishman, hired by the
Dutch.—Murray
[Editor’s Note: Blush blush.]
New Event for Nyack
To e Nyack Villager—
In the spirit of community, the merchants and
residents were looking for ways to keep the
downtown viable and create good will in
town. In speaking with villagers who frequent
Reality Bites, there have been many discussions
about events that might bring us all together
in one collaborative effort. e idea of
a Village-Wide Yard/Sidewalk Sale was developed
for that purpose. Residents, merchants,
the Keep Rockland Beautiful & Free-Cycle organizations,
and Nyack non-profits will all
benefit as a result of this new partnership.
When I asked for Village Board approval, May
2 was not my first choice. Due to other events
going on in town, that date was suggested to
me. A later date perhaps would have been
better, but this is the date I have to work with.
I can only presume, since I don't know all the
rules the Board uses to make their decisions,
that because many of the streets that are usually
closed during a street fair, would be open,
and that the amount of people coming to the
Sidewalk Sale would be a fraction of the number
that come to the street fairs, that the need
for the extra police and clean up was not required
based on volume. But again this is only
my assumption. As this is an event by our own
Village merchants, they have all agreed to be
responsible for cleanup of their own sidewalk.
Documentary Film on 9-11
To e Nyack Villager—
For the past two years, our group Rockland
Bergen 9/11 Truth has been showing documentary
films at Nyack Library dealing with the
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We
want to thank the library for giving our group
the opportunity to show films some people feel
are controversial. Nyack Library has recognized
our First Amendment right of free speech, one
of the pillars of our democratic republic.
It was my mentor and friend, Phil Greenspan,
4 The Nyack Villager May, 2009
Keep Rockland Beautiful organization is helping
with cleanup as well.
I would hope e Villager would do a story
about this wonderful collaborative effort to
keep people thinking positively about Nyack,
to make sure the stores and restaurants stay in
business and the residents feel we have their
best interest in mind. I am committed to
moving forward in this positive direction,
working with the people who have a vested interest
in the community with common goals.
—Sincerely, Patti Aagaard Reality Bites Café
and coordinator, Village Yard Sale
[Editor’s Note: ¡Brava! e Nyack Villager applauds
your effort to unite the community and
provide some fun. In future, though, we’ll need
notification a little earlier. Our deadline is the
15th of this month for next month’s issue.]
Friends’ Benefit a Success
To e Nyack Villager—
anks to those who attended our March benefit,
when we honored Gary Hecht and om
Kleiner. e well-attended, delightful evening
ended late, with enthusiastic dancing to the
wonderful music of Stevan Swann. e Rockland
County Legislature and the Village of
Nyack issued proclamations honoring both
awardees and the Town of Orangetown issued
a proclamation honoring Hecht.
Eyevolution Optique underwrote the dinner
at e Nyack Seaport. Funds raised will be
used to pay for e Friends’ Mostly Music
Concert Series. It’s not too late to contribute.
Work with Friends to make the concerts happen.
Donations in any amount are welcome.
Checks may be sent to Friends of the Nyacks,
PO Box 120, Nyack, NY 10960. All who are
interested in becoming a Mostly Music Sponsor,
please call Danielle Watson at 353-4701
or e-mail her at eyevolve@yahoo.com Contributions
are tax deductible.
—Friends of the Nyacks
Great Article on Catholic Church
To e Nyack Villager—
Jim Leiner wrote a great article on the history
of Nyack’s Catholic Church. Father Whelan
was the favorite of many. I believe if he were
a founding member of Rockland Bergen 9/11
Truth, who started showing these films. Since
his passing, I have taken on the job of coordinating
our public outreach program.
As a group we are committed to educating the
public on alternative research on 9/11, obtaining
a new independent investigation of the attacks,
and working to involve the wider public
in our effort. On May 3rd we will show the
documentary Fabled Enemies, that dares to ask
how and why our government failed to protect
its citizens on 9/11/01. is documentary explores
the latest evidence, which contradicts
still at St. Ann's, the bingo would be up and
running.
Father Whalen ministered to my mother (and
she is Protestant). She loved him and many of
the elders cried when he was transferred to another
Church. He officiated alongside Reverend
Greene at my young son's funeral, even
though my son was Christianed in the Protestant
faith. Father Whalen never cared as to
your religious affiliation and would take time
out of his busy schedule to minister to all,
paying a lot of attention to the sick in Nyack
Hospital as well as anybody in need. When
my son died I was nearly comatose; Father
Whelan broke through the barrier I had put
up around me. I will always be grateful for
how he showed me the way out and how to go
on with my life.
anks again for bringing back such wonderful
memories of the Nyacks. Your friend and
faithful reader,
—Harry Nolan
Somebuddy Flunnked Spalling
To e Nyack Villager—
Take a look at the parking sign at the South
Nyack DPW on Brookside Ave. I have photographed
and e-mailed it to you—or you can
go see for yourself. Yours,
—PH
[Editor’s Note to PH—it is impossible to thank
you enough! is gets the prize for the funniest
sign we have seen in years!]
the official account of the attacks on which
the Bush administration built the Patriot Act,
torture, warrantless wiretapping and two wars,
which cost the lives of 4,000 US troops, along
with tens of thousands of Iraqis and Afghanis.
Was the official narrative of the events on 9/11
correct? Come and see the film and decide for
yourself.
Again, we thank the Director of the library, its
board and staff for their commitment to the
First Amendment.
—Nicholas DeVincenzo, Northvale, NJ ✫