Recent Rockland Community College Achievements

Ramapo, NY – Recent performances, publications, presentations, awards and other notable achievements of Rockland Community College students, faculty and staff.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS 

Nursing Student Diane Spuler won the Rockland County Nurse Recognition Day Scholarship.

Max Tassy won the 84^th annual Golden Gloves Competition at Madison Square Garden.

Herve Alexandre won First Place in the May 25^th Amateur Night competition at the Apollo Theater in Manhattan.

John Nash won the "My Movie Pitch," contest, with his movie Mr. Stache.  The short film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.  The contest is sponsored by the Tribeca Film festival and American Express.

At the Beacon Conference at Lehigh-Carbon Community College, RCC students Chris Saffran and Laura Duran were named Best Overall Presenters in their categories. Saffran presented, "The Digital Natives are Restless," in the Social Sciences category. Duran presented "Shakespeare's Ariel and Caiban: The Others," in the Literature (Drama and Poetry) category. The aggregate of campuses sending students to Beacon represent 100,000 students. From this group, 66 students were invited to present at Beacon, and nine were from RCC.

FACULTY and STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS

Adjunct Nursing Instructor Christine M. Davies, RN, BSN, MA, CLNC was awarded the “Outstanding Student of the Year,” award at Pace University, where she has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her graduate studies while receiving a Master’s of Art in Nursing Education.   Davies was also inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society and was honored at Commencement. 

Legislature Approves Wolfe’s Request to Add Flood Remediation Study to Capital Projects Budget

New City, NY (August 3, 2011) –  The Rockland County Legislature approved the request of Legislature Vice Chairman Alden H. Wolfe by voting to add a revaluation and updated study for a proposed flood remediation project along the Ramapo and Mahwah Rivers in Suffern to the Capital Projects Budget.  For many decades, the Mahwah River, which runs through Suffern into New Jersey’s Ramapo River, has been the source of significant flooding in Western Ramapo, predominantly in the Squire’s Gate and Lake Antrim areas of Suffern, as well as the area of Lake Road in Montebello.

The project was originally authorized by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1990’s under the Federal Water Resource Development Act of 1986, but lay dormant until 2000 when the involved parties (States of NY and NJ, Village of Suffern, Mahwah, NJ Township and the County of Rockland) expressed interest in resuming the project.  The Corps completed a feasibility study and reauthorized the project in 2008 and advised that it was ready to proceed with a reevaluation study to report on changed conditions and the potential for new or alternative plans.  The cost of that study is shared by the federal, state and local government.  The local government share in 2010 was $344,000.  Wolfe had requested that the Capital Project be increased to $400,000 to take into consideration any inflationary increases.

“I thank my colleagues for recognizing the importance of this long-delayed update,” said Wolfe. “This project has languished for years while our neighbors continue to suffer financial and emotional losses.  I trust that this commitment will allow us to finally move forward with this critical study, in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers and the States of New York and New Jersey.”

Simple Meets Special for Summertime Brunch

(Family Features) Gathering with friends and family for brunch is a fun and budget-friendly entertaining alternative.  To transform a brunch celebration from average to outstanding, follow some simple tips from Hollywood chef and caterer Paul McCullough.

"Brunches are the entertaining solution for any occasion. They're great for baby showers, birthdays, family reunions, weddings, or just gathering for fun. There's something revitalizing about friends and family coming together in the late morning, enjoying great food, coffee and conversation," says McCullough.

To get started, plan the menu around one of McCullough's simple, yet crowd-pleasing recipes:

Coffee Granita: Brew two cups of double strength coffee. Pour into a bowl and stir in a quarter cup of sugar until dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Mix in one-half cup half and half. Place in an 8-inch square dish and freeze two to two and a half hours. After the first hour, use a fork to scrape up the coffee crystals; scrape again at the second hour mark. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve. For an upscale presentation, serve in a martini glass and top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

McCullough recommends using Starbucks Natural Fusions Vanilla flavored coffee for this refreshing treat because unlike other flavored coffees, it's made with natural flavors and real ingredients - like vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg - blended right in with the coffee.

Super Hero Scramble: Mix one pound sautéed spinach, one pound browned and crumbled turkey sausage, and one-half cup julienned sundried tomatoes, then set aside. Scramble eggs until almost done but still soft. Fold the spinach mixture through; then sprinkle with eight ounces of seasoned feta.

"A brunch should incorporate elements of breakfast and lunch with harmony. Contrast sweets like blueberry muffins and coffee-glazed scones with savory elements, like smoked salmon with capers and onions. Or try a scramble with new flavor combinations like chicken and asparagus or crab and avocado with a dollop of sour cream and chives," McCullough suggests.

Once you've decided on the menu, set the stage for a special morning with these fresh presentation ideas:

• Liven up bread baskets by lining them with fresh rosemary for added color and aroma.
  
• A cheese board makes for an attractive and functional display. Create the perfect mix of flavors with this twist on a familiar adage: Something old, something new, something smoked, something blue (e.g., aged cheddar, fresh bocconcini mozzarella, smoked Gouda and blue cheese). Water crackers and sliced baguettes will round out the presentation nicely.
  
• Create centerpiece arrangements using colorful veggies like Swiss chard, kale, parsley and bok choy. These beautiful and unique displays will cost less money than flowers, and can be incorporated into a meal in the near future.
  
• An omelet bar requires a fair amount of prep work for all the toppings, but it's a real favorite for guests and a sure way to satisfy picky eaters. Just remember to keep the guest list small or enlist a co-chef to handle all the enthusiastic orders. 

Owner of Paul's Kitchen catering business, McCullough specializes in classic American cuisine and is known for his simple and down-to-earth approach to cooking, resulting in upscale food that's not uptight. 

For more about Starbucks Natural Fusions flavored coffee, visit www.starbucks.com.

SOURCE: 
Starbucks

Welfare Fraud Leads to Charges Against Haverstraw Woman

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe today announced that Vanessa Sortano (DOB 01/21/47) of Haverstraw, New York has been charged with one count of Welfare Fraud in the Fifth Degree, a class “A” Misdemeanor.

Sortano is a licensed Family Home Provider, who allows needy individuals to be placed in her home, with 24-hour supervision and meals. In exchange for providing housing and care, the defendant received monthly payments from the Rockland County Department of Social Services. According to the charges, after receiving her payment for the month October, 2010, Sortano moved three handicapped residents to a location in Orange County without authorization. The move left the homeless tenants in deplorable conditions for eight days, without proper supervision and inadequate meals.

Because Sortano placed the residents outside her home for that period, she received benefits to which she was not entitled.

The arrest of the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Rockland County Special Investigations Unit and the New York State Police.

Sortano was arraigned in the Village of Haverstraw Justice Court by the Honorable Ronald V. DeCaprio on July 27, 2011. She was released on her own recognizance. She is due to return to court on August 10, 2011.

The defendant faces up to one year in state prison, if convicted.

Sortano is facing charges in Orange County of Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person, a class “A” Misdemeanor.