The Journal News from White Plains, New York • Page 17

''TH' "I Hp "'iMj 'r "ri 1ti' "gj" igp -r -TrT "fir- -wf' www.thejournalnews.com Rockland The Journal News Friday, June 4, 2004 3B REGION 5 -140 1 Meaning of Juneteenth isn't recognized enough, s6me say 't 1 i btv nrr Events Tomorrow: Feature film "Sankofa." 6 p.m., Salvation Army Community Center, 179 N. Main Spring Valley. David McCalla, principal of Nyack Middle School, will moderate a discussion following film. June 13: Father's Day tribute, 2 to 5 p.m., Salvation Army Community Center. Event will include essay reading by students, a concert by Juneteenth Ecumenical Singers and lunch.

June 19: Prayer and healing service, First Baptist Church, 6 Spring Valley. For more information on events, call 845-3546591. For general Juneteenth information, visit www.juneteenth.com nAhizi i Peter CanThe Journal News Haverstraw village trustee candidate Ricky Sanchez stands among his campaign signs yesterday outside his home. HAVERSTRAW Candidate told signs violate village code Nash is organizing events during the next two weeks including church services and a film on slavery to commemorate Juneteenth. The local celebrations will emphasize education and empowerment, Nash said.

"We still, as people of color, don't enjoy all the benefits that this society has to offer and we have to fight for everything," she said. "It shouldn't be that we have to come to the NAACP to see about getting a job, or come to the NAACP to ask people to recognize us as full citizens." She also questioned why only a handful of states had official Juneteenth holidays or observances. According to the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, 15 states have official holidays or observances to commemorate Juneteenth. Several other states, including New York, have recognized Juneteenth through legislative resolutions and gubernatorial proclamations. In 1997, the 105th Congress passed Senate and House resolutions recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day in America Fawne Clay of Suffern has participated in several local Juneteenth celebrations, and has visited Rockland schools to discuss the holiday with students.

Clay said the experience of the slaves should not be forgotten. "We just felt that was just something that still needs to be known because it's not in our history books," she said. In its infancy in the late 1800s, Juneteenth was largely contained to a black celebration in Texas. As blacks migrated from Texas, June- Nyack has a law that restricts such signs from being up more than 30 days before an event said Walter Sevastian, village attorney for Nyack and Piermont Piermonf law doesn't say when signs can go up, he said, "liut it does say you have to take it down within 60 days." Sanchez's lawn is filled with signs. Signs are also in yards on Hudson Avenue, Fourth Street Hillside Avenue and State Street Hudson Avenue resident Ann Marie Crispino said she won't take hers down.

"I'm entitled to the First Amendment and freedom of speech," she said. Code Enforcement Officer Rafael Bueno Jr. went door to door yesterday asking residents to remove the signs. "Some took them down," Bueno said. "Others, when I drove by later, had put them back up." Reach Ron X.

Gumucio at rgumuciothejoumalnews.com or at 845-578-2440. 1 Former trustee faces fines, jail for putting banners up too soon If Vrw. mayor in the September 2003 primary. "IU wait for my summons, and IU have my date in court" Sanchez said he won't take his signs down and is asking his supporters to leave their signs up. "A judge is going to have to order me to take them down," he said.

Sanchez cited a federal court case in Missouri on a similar issue in which the judge found that the city of Ladue violated a resident's free-speech rights in 1994. Berrios delivered a letter to Sanchez at his West Broad Street home Wednesday after receiving complaints from residents. Sanchez, a Democrat began erecting signs in late May. Republican Mayor Francis "Bud" Wassmer, who has clashed with Sanchez over village issues, said the village law "is very clear." "This individual's actions are strictly so that he can get publicity and to try to embarrass the village with absolutely no care of the people whose property he has signs on," Wassmer said. "I'm sure he didn't tell them there was a village code and that putting a sign on their property was a violation." Wassmer said Sanchez's signs, which read "Vote Ricky Sanchez," don't indicate what they're for.

"He could be running for dogcatcher for all I know," Wassmer said. WE BUY DIAMONDS, JEWELRY, FINE DAMAGED Ml 0 1 ulj 1 15 Hours: Psora fi Emir GREENHOUSE IN BLOOM! We've got all the Spring flowering plants for indoor decorating. Come. your home a fresh new look. Calll-888-PAL-nlCH 845-638-3012 37 Coogf Ret Nw City Trotman: Holiday 'unchained a whole race of people' Suzan Clarke The Journal News As blacks prepare to commemorate Juneteenth, some residents say the holiday has not been accorded the value it deserves.

D. Anne Nash, a Pomona resident and organizer of local Juneteenth celebrations, said she was motivated to do so when she first learned about the holiday in 1992 after seeing it announced on a flier. Then a teacher of social studies at Nyack Middle School, Nash remembered reading the flier and not having any idea that Juneteenth marked the discovery by a group of Texas slaves of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. "I did some research on it and I was appalled that I did not know about it, having been born and raised in the South and attending all black schools," she said this week. The holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when a Union Army general went to Galveston, Texas, to inform the last slaves there that they were free, more than 2Vt years after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

The news had already spread through the rest of the South, in some places as early as June 14. The name "Juneteenth" refers to those days in the "teens" of June when the slaves learned they were free. (COM Flowering Baskets Impatiens, Petunias Begonias, New Guinea Impatiens Many More Annuals in Bloom 6" Pots Color for Sale! We've got Ihem all. Annuals for sun. Annuals for shade.

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and foliage Give YOUR GARDEN GOLD. SILVER, PLATINUM WATCHES COINS. JEWELRY OK Clarkstown teenth spread throughout the country. Since the mid-1990s, grass-roots organizers have intensified their efforts to bolster Juneteenth, but the day is still unknown by many Americans. Willie Trotman, president of the Spring Valley chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the impact of the holiday was lost on many.

Juneteenth "unchained a whole race of people, so that's very significant," he said. Awareness about Juneteenth needs to be increased, Trotman said. "If we do that, I think people will better understand it and better understand us as a people as well." Reach Suzan Clarke at snclarkethejournalnews.com or 845-578-2414. Perennials 2 3 gal. containers Bloom every year.

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to the Nanuet Mall Mon, Tues, Wed Fri Thurs Sat (845)623-7788 www.coin8-jewelry.com CPORTS 0 wcollectibles Ron X. Gumucio The Journal News Former village trustee Ricky Sanchez could face a fine $500 or lfijlays in jail if he doesn't remove campaign signs from his property. Building Inspector Reuben Berrios said yesterday that he had delivered a letter to Sanchez stat-ihg thfey were in violation of village c6de and must be taken down. "if they're not taken down, I will issue: a violation," Berrios said. "After that, there will be a court appearance ticket" Sanchez, who said he would run for trustee in the Nov.

2 election and would likely be in a Sept 14 primary, could see additional penalties each week that he doesn't comply with the village's code. Temporary signs, including those for campaigns, can't be displayed 45 days before an event, the law states. The primary is rnorethan three months away. "I guess I'm going to jail because, they're violating my First Amendment rights," said Sanchez, who-served on the village board eight years before losing a bid for PJERMGNT Bronx man gets 8 years in armed heist of millionaire 3 others convicted, await sentencing in 2002 home invasion John Kryger The Journal News A 22-year-old Bronx man was sentenced yesterday for his part in the June 5, 2002, armed robbery of a Piermont millionaire. -Daniel Soto was sentenced to eight years in federal prison by U.S., District Judge Stephen C.

Robinson in White Plains. He was convicted of participating in the break-in of the Piermont townhouse of Joseph Raso two years ago. Soto and co-conspirator Daniel Feliciano, 28, also of the Bronx, broke into the home and robbed Raso at gunpoint of jewelry and cash. Raso and two guests were then tied up with duct tape and neckties. Soto and Feliciano told Raso that he owed a debt and threats were made about one of Raso's children.

Raso then disclosed the location of jewelry in the house along with cash from his beer distributing business. Soto and Feliciano fled with more than $100,000 in cash and jewelry. The armed home invasion was reported to have been orchestrated by Raymond Accolla, 50, of Suf-fern, Preston Young, 65, of Palisades Park, and Michael Williamson, 31, of Manhattan, New York, as well as Feliciano and Soto Accolla, Young and Williamson were reported to have been waiting outside the Raso home in a car during the robbery and communicated with Feliciano and Soto by cellphone during the robbery. 1 Accolla, Young, Williamson, Feliciano and Soto divided the proceeds' of the home invasion shortly afJetFeliciano and Soto left the Raso apartment according to authorities. The suspects were identified af-tejvaa investigation by numerous law enforcement agencies, including the Piermont and Clarkstown police departments, and the FBI.

addition to Soto's, the investigation has, to date, resulted in the prosecution and conviction of Accolla, Williamson and Feliciano on. federal robbery and weapons charges, and all are awaiting sentencing by Judge Robinson. Young's trial is set for October before Judge Robinson. Reach. John Kryger at jKrygertheiournalnews.com or 845-578-2461.

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