Pearl River Week in Review: Gun Control Debate Continues; Patch Puts Buddyball in Pictures

Gun control legislation and debate continued to dominate headlines on Patch and elsewhere over the past week, but that was just one topic covered on Pearl River Patch this past week.

Stu Bayer provided this look at Buddyball, the special needs athletic program currently a couple of weeks into its basketball season at Pearl River High School.

The Orangetown Mighty Midgets run the program, which sends more advanced players to Albertus Magnus High School during basketball. Buddyball also extends to track in the spring and returns to its roots in soccer in the fall. 

Here are more of the top stories n Pearl River Patch from the past week:

• New York State became the first to push through major gun control legislation, the NY SAFE Act, since the shootings in Newtown, CT with a package Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Jan. 15. Although the new laws included greater protection for the privacy of gun permit owners, it still drew criticism from those who feel their rights are being infringed upon, including the NRA. The then the Assembly voted for it and Cuomo signed it the next day. 
• Part of the response to the new legislation was a gun rally in front of the Rockland County Legislature building Saturday afternoon. Legislator Frank Sparaco and others spoke out against the newly-passed NY SAFE Act. 
• The Journal News released a statement questioning the restriction of gun ownership data, but also took down the interactive map showing details of gun permit ownership in Rockland and Westchester Counties. 
• Orangetown Police will be increasing their presence at schools in the town, with officers going into the buildings and meeting with principals more often in addition to driving by in regular patrols. 
• Three teenagers from Pearl River were among four people taken to Nyack Hospital for treatment after a brawl at Lake Nanuet. Six people were arrested in relation to the incident, which included the use of knives and baseball bats. 
• Four individuals were arrested after a three-month drug investigation in Nyack conducted by the Rockland County Drug Task Force, the Town of Orangetown Police Department and the Town of Clarkstown Police Department’s Street Crime Unit
• The early arrival of flu season left Rockland residents looking for places to get their flu shots. 
• in a follow up to Cuomo's state of the state address. This plan included increased time in the classroom and a focus on bringing in better teachers. 
• The East Ramapo School District made a $2.3 million payment to Rockland BOCES, less than half of the $5 million it owes, Jan. 18. East Ramapo Superintendent Dr. Joel Klein sent out a letter answering criticisms of the district and outlining its plans to pay the debt earlier in the week. 
• The Rockland County Fire Chief's Association honored Captain Wayne Werner, a volunteer with Tappan's Fire Department, for performing CPR to help save the life of a fellow fire fighter. Werner has also been honored by the Town of Orangetown and Rockland County Legislature. 
• The, on senior night Jan. 17. 
• The Pearl River girls basketball team suffered its second loss of the season at three-time state Class B champion Irvington. The game featured two state Hall of Fame coaches and long-time friends Lorraine Moylan of Pearl River and Gina Maher of Irvington. 
• For more on recent Pearl River sports, check out today's roundup.