Wishing You a Joyous Eid al-Fitr! 🌙✨

Eid al-Fitr is a time of gratitude, joy, and togetherness.
For those who celebrate the end of Ramadan, may this day bring peace, happiness, and blessings to all.

Eid Mubarak! 🎉

Mayors Message

Looking Back & Moving Forward

As we end March, I got to thinking about the events of five years ago—when we were at the beginning of the COVID epidemic and just weeks into what would become a three-month total lockdown here in Nyack. Whenever we’re tempted to get down on ourselves, especially in this challenging political era, let’s remember that we made it through that unbelievably difficult time and came out the other side. If we got through that, we can get through this as well.

Transgender Day of Visibility Potluck at Pride Center Tonight!

Today is International Trans Day of Visibility, a day with particular significance as our transgender community faces growing intolerance and bigotry. To celebrate, the Phyllis Frank Pride Center is hosting a Potluck Dinner at 28 South Franklin from 7 PM – 9 PM.

All are welcome! Guests are invited to bring a dish, drink, or dessert to share if they can. Please RSVP to pride@rocklandpridecenter.org so they can plan accordingly. I’ll be there—and I promise not to cook, because none of you deserve that.

First Friday – Nyack Art Collective, Pride Night Market & More!

This Friday is First Friday, a special night in the Village of Nyack! We’re working on building regular programming for this monthly event—if you have ideas, let me know.

Here’s what’s happening this Friday:

• Nyack Art Collective – Free art exhibition next to Burger Loft on North Broadway, 7 PM – 9 PM.

• Pride Center’s Night Market – A new event where you can shop, socialize, and support the Pride Center. Located at 28 S. Franklin, 6 PM – 9 PM.

Make plans to grab dinner and hang out in Nyack this Friday!

Nyack International Film Festival – Tickets Still Available!

Congratulations to Richard Quinn and everyone at the Nyack International Film Festival on their premiere at Hotel Nyack! The festival runs through Saturday with films nightly from 6 PM – 11 PM.

🎟 View the full schedule here.
🎟 Buy tickets here.

Tickets are $24 per night ($20 for students/seniors), and an all-access pass for the week is just $60—the cost of taking a family to a blockbuster at AMC. Invest in local culture instead!

Cannabis Dispensary Update

Thank you to everyone who attended last Thursday’s Village Board meeting to discuss cannabis dispensaries. It was a spirited but civil discussion, just as it should be.

A few key points:

• The dispensary in the old Starbucks space is set to open this spring.

• Once open, state regulations prohibit another dispensary within 2,000 feet, effectively covering the rest of downtown.

• This means Nyack will have two legal dispensaries: the “Starbucks” dispensary near Main & Broadway and Treehouse Cannabis on Route 59.

• Any local smoke shops selling cannabis are doing so illegally—please don’t support them.

• The Village will hold a public hearing on April 24 at 8 PM to discuss a local law ensuring dispensaries don’t cluster too closely together.

For more on my thoughts about cannabis dispensaries, check out these blog posts on We Love Nyack:

📌 7 Facts You Should Know About Nyack Cannabis Dispensaries
📌 7 Reasons I Support Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in Downtown Nyack

“Being Frank” Podcast – This Tuesday

I’ll be discussing cannabis (and more) this Tuesday on the "Being Frank" podcast with journalist Frank LoBuono. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. If you have questions for Frank, you can post them here.

Village Board Opposes the "Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act"

At Thursday’s meeting, the Village Board passed a resolution opposing the "Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act" being considered in Albany.

While I support building more affordable housing, I don’t believe this legislation—allowing certain groups to override local zoning laws—is the right solution. You can read the full resolution and justification here.

Have a Great Week! As always, reach out with questions at joerand@nyack.gov.

JR

Upcoming Meetings: Nyack Village Board of Trustees Budget Workshop: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 6:00 PM, Village Hall. Meeting will be live streamed on Village of Nyack YouTube Channel

Reminder: Friday, April 4, 2025 is monthly bulk collection. Not sure about bulk regulations - click here!

You can contact us at (845) 358-0548, or visit www.Nyack.gov.