Latest news with #GeorgeLatimer
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
$21M coming for flood protection projects in Westchester localities along Blind Brook
Some $21 million will go to flood protection in Westchester localities along Blind Brook, by replacing two undersized bridges and doing other work to guard against extreme weather's effects, Governor Kathy Hochul said Wednesday, June 25. The county will enlarge the Playland Parkway and Oakland Avenue bridges' spans to address problems anticipated from climate change, the governor's office said in a news release. The bridges are expected to allow better flow during heavy rains and alleviate flooding upstream. 'Providing funding and resources to help local governments get shovels in the ground for these projects is a top priority, and we'll continue working together to modernize our infrastructure and provide common sense solutions that best position our communities for the future," Hochul said. The money — part of 2022's $4.2 billion Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act — will support replacing the two county-owned bridges that cross Rye's Blind Brook. The county will also "daylight" — uncover — a channeled part of East Blind Brook in Rye Brook. The project includes creating a properly sized, multistage channel. "This is great news for Westchester County as we all work to plan for future extreme weather events driven by climate change," U.S. Rep. George Latimer, a Westchester Democrat and former county executive, said in the release. "It is critical that we invest in aging infrastructure to meet the current challenges due to rain events and flooding, and plan for future risks." Good to know: Are you ready for a flood? What to know, how to prep for flooding in Lower Hudson Valley Meanwhile, according to the release, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is studying flood-prone Westchester areas at no cost to villages, towns and cities. In addition to Blind Brook, studies of the Bronx and Hutchinson rivers, Mamaroneck and Sheldrake rivers, and Beaver Swamp and Grassy Sprain rivers, have been finished. The release said the DEC is also working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Mamaroneck and other partners in neighboring localities along Long Island Sound to carry out similar projects that aim to protect infrastructure from floods. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Westchester areas to get $21M flood protection funding boost from NY
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Where were you the day the April 5, 2024 earthquake shook the Lower Hudson Valley?
Where were you during the earthquake of April 5, 2024? Were you driving on the Hutch, or racing over to Indian Rock to see if the rumors it had split (even more) were true? Take a look back with us as we explore memories of the day that rattled Westchester, Rockland and Putnam — literally. A 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit the New York City area the morning of April 5, 2024, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter of the quake was just north of Lebanon, New Jersey, and had a depth of 6.2 miles. An hour later, an aftershock measuring at a magnitude of 2.0 occurred in the area of Bedminster, NJ. 'Understandably, this is an unnerving experience, but Westchester County appears to have no ongoing emergencies due to the earthquake," George Latimer, then Westchester County Executive, said after the quake. "While the earthquake was prolonged and noticeable, it is not dissimilar to what we have experienced in the past with other earthquakes." Indian Rock, a massive glacial rock formation, sits in a fenced-off area in the parking lot of Indian Rock Plaza on Route 59 and Hemion Road in Rockland County. While Indian Rock has always had a crack through its middle, rumors circulated online that the April 5, 2024 earthquake actually made the split worse. Even law enforcement was prompted to do an investigation after receiving phone calls. Ramapo police reviewed past and current photos and other documents and ceased their investigation. "There's no more damage of the rock," Det. Lt. Chris Franklin said that day. After the initial quake on April 5, 2024, a cascade of aftershocks shook areas of New York from the Lower Hudson Valley to Long Island, starting with a 4.0-magnitude aftershock 37 miles west of New York City in New Jersey. New York City's emergency notification system alerted residents to the aftershock minutes later, urging people to remain indoors and call 911 if injured. There were 22 aftershocks reported from 11:20 a.m. April 5, 2024 through 1:07 a.m. the next day. Contributing: Lohud's Alexandra Rivera, Nancy Cutler This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: April 2024 Lower Hudson Valley NY earthquake: Where were you?
