26 January Free, Reliable Tax Preparation January 26, 2023 By Town Clerk . Community News, General 0 Free, Reliable Tax Preparation Related Articles Important Reminders in Preparation for the Impending Storm Important Reminders in Preparation for the Impending Storm. As Summer’s Latest Heat Wave Approaches, O&R Reminds Customers of Ways to Save on Bills CUSTOMERS CAN MAKE THIS SUMMER A SEASON OF SAVINGS AS ENERGY COSTS RISE As Summer’s Latest Heat Wave Approaches, Orange & Rockland Reminds Customers Of Programs & Tips to Conserve and Save on Bills PEARL RIVER, NY June 29, 2022 10 a.m. --- As we begin another hot summer season, Orange & Rockland reminds customers they can take advantage of energy savings opportunities in their homes and businesses to cushion against rising costs. The company offers robust energy efficiency programs to help customers stay comfortable and save energy. In addition, Orange & Rockland offers tips where customers can look in their homes and businesses to find energy savings. “Every home and business has the potential to reduce its energy usage,” said Charmaine Cigliano, O&R’s director of Energy Efficiency Programs. “We want to help our customers identify those opportunities, so that they can save money and lower their carbon footprint. Our customers are great partners in our efforts to reduce the amount of energy it takes to power our service area in New York.” Using energy wisely is more important at a time when energy costs are rising across the United States. Customers who conserve during the summer help Orange & Rockland keep its service reliable for everyone. O&R customers can stay cool and save all summer by following these money-saving conservation tips: Set your air conditioner to the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree you lower the thermostat increases costs; Close off rooms that are unoccupied while your AC is running. If you’re in the living room with the AC, close off the other rooms; If you run a business, keep your door closed while the AC is running; To reduce heat and moisture in your home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it’s cooler outside; When the AC is running, close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out; Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows; Even when using AC, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation; Turn off ACs, lights and other appliances when not at home and use a timer to turn on your AC about a half-hour before arriving home; Keep AC filters clean. For this summer, O&R is offering residential and small business customers discounts for buying an eligible smart thermostat and $85 for registering it with O&R's Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) Program. Replacing an old air conditioner with a new efficient heat pump can make your home more comfortable and more efficient, while helping you save on your energy bill year-round. Orange & Rockland is offering incentives for commercial and industrial customers. They include rebates and incentives for making your business more energy efficient, including high efficiency lighting, HVAC upgrades, and custom designed projects. Small and medium-size businesses can get a free, no-obligation energy assessment of their facility. O&R will pay up to 70 percent of the cost for qualified energy saving measures and customers can take advantage of our zero percent financing offer. Customers can follow Orange & Rockland on Twitter or Facebook for general outage updates, safety tips and storm preparation information. Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. O&R is a regulated utility that provides electric service to approximately 300,000 customers in southeastern New York State (where its franchise name is Orange & Rockland) and northern New Jersey (where it’s Rockland Electric Company), and natural gas service to approximately 130,000 customers in New York. Orange & Rockland is Ready to Respond to Potential Outages as Summer’s First Heat Wave Blankets the Region PEARL RIVER, NY July 1, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) is prepared to respond to any service interruptions or outages with 2026’s first major heat wave impacting the service territory ahead of the holiday weekend. The heat, coupled with intense humidity, could last through the Fourth of July. The increased demand for electricity to power air conditioners can pose challenges to the electric delivery system, and, in some instances, could also cause electrical equipment to overheat and lead to scattered power outages. O&R is reliable & ready. We make robust, strategic investments in our electric delivery system to prepare for extreme weather—investments that are increasingly important as extreme heat events become more frequent and severe. O&R urges customers to use energy efficiently. The company is providing some cool tips to help customers try to stay comfortable and save money on energy: Turn down or turn off air conditioning in your home while you are away or at work to help lower your energy bill. Set your air conditioner to the highest comfortable temperature to save energy and money. Fans help cool and circulate air so you can rely less on air conditioning to stay comfortable. Close all doors and windows in your home while the air conditioning is running to make things cooler. Cook, bake, or perform other household activities that produce heat during the cooler times of the day and night. Pull your curtains and shades closed to help block out the sun and the heat of the day. Hold off on charging your electric vehicle. Charge your EV or plug-in hybrid after 10 p.m., unless necessary. Take advantage of your smart meter by viewing your energy usage and customized energy savings tips located in your online account at oru.com/MyAccount. Consider upgrading your older thermostats and appliances to ones that are more energy efficient. Smart thermostats can control the temperature in your home from anywhere. You can find customer-exclusive savings and rebates at MyORUStore.com. For more energy efficiency tips, incentives, and rebates, please click here. If you experience a power outage, don’t assume that O&R automatically knows about it. You can report it and check to see when your lights will be back on through: ORU.com/ReportOutage from any computer or web-based mobile device. O&R mobile app from your iPhone, iPad, or Android device --- download via Apple Store or Google Play Text messaging by texting “OUT” to 678797 (ORUPWR) or Call 1-877-434-4100. The company also sends e-mails to customers to communicate energy-saving tips and information on reporting outages. Customer Protections During Extreme Heat Residential customers are afforded specific safeguards during periods of elevated temperatures. Service disconnections are suspended when the local heat index is forecasted to reach 90°F or higher. We will also pause disconnections for two additional days in areas designated as heat islands. More information can be found here. Cooling Center Availability If New York State officials activate cooling centers, find the latest information on locations and hours by clicking here. About O&R Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. O&R is a regulated utility that provides electric service to approximately 300,000 customers in southeastern New York State (where its franchise name is Orange and Rockland Utilities) and northern New Jersey (where it’s Rockland Electric Company), and natural gas service to approximately 140,000 customers in New York. STORM WATCH: WITH IMPACTFUL SNOW AND WINDS SET TO PUMMEL THE REGION, ORANGE & ROCKLAND READIES ITS EMERGENCY RESPONSE WORKFORCE: February 21, 2026 at 2pm PEARL RIVER, NY, February 21, 2026, 1:30 p.m. - The Hudson Valley is bracing for yet another impactful snow event, and with strong winds also expected to impact the region for an extended period of time, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) is preparing to mobilize crews. Beginning early Sunday, the O&R service area could potentially see over a foot of snow, with sustained winds of up to 25 m.p.h. and gusts of up to 50 m.p.h. The worst of the storm is expected to impact the region early tomorrow evening and last through early Monday afternoon. In addition to preparation for this storm, O&R prepares year-round for extreme conditions through regular training, emergency response drills, and continued investments to deliver resilient and reliable energy as extreme weather becomes more frequent. O&R has also secured 50 mutual aid workers to assist in its emergency response. They will join O&R's company and contractor overhead line crews, tree removal experts, customer service operators, and the rest of the members of the O&R emergency response team who are prepared to respond to emergencies throughout the duration of the storm. For the latest information about power outages, please view the Outage Map. For a brief video that provides a step-by-step guide to the Outage Map's basic operation: " In English " In Spanish O&R Warns For safety's sake, O&R warns the public not to touch or approach any downed wire. Assume the wire is energized and dangerous. Call O&R immediately toll-free 1-877-434-4100. Depending on the situation, you may also consider calling your local police to divert traffic from the downed wire's location until an O&R crew arrives. DEC Announces Free Fishing Day in New York State DEC Announces Free Fishing Day in New York State Freshwater Fishing License Not Required on National Hunting and Fishing Day, Sept. 27, 2025 New Yorkers Encouraged to “Get Offline, Get Outside” and Try Freshwater Fishing at No Cost The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced Sept. 27 will mark the next Free Fishing Day in New York State. “The September 27th free fishing day is particularly special because it coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day, a celebration of the incredible angling opportunities our state provides,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “Free fishing days are the perfect time for newcomers to learn to freshwater fish or for experienced anglers to bring others outdoors to enjoy the many abundant waterways across New York.” This annual Free Fishing Day coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day, which was designated by Congress in 1972. The day helps encourage people to experience, understand, and appreciate traditional outdoor sports and recreation and abundant natural resources, while also recognizing hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation. Free Fishing Days further support Governor Hochul's “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative that promotes physical and mental health by helping encourage New York’s children and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings. In addition to designated free freshwater fishing days, DEC and its partners also hold free fishing clinics throughout the year. Participants learn about local fishing opportunities and are taught about the fish they can catch, fishing safety, how to cast a fishing rod, aquatic resource stewardship, and New York’s fishing regulations. A full list of programs is available on DEC’s website. Check the list regularly as new events are added throughout the year. No rod? No problem. DEC partners with libraries across the state to provide a fishing rod lending program. Along with borrowing a book, library patrons can sign out a fishing rod. This affordable program provides an opportunity for people to try fishing before deciding to purchase their own gear. For more information on the program and a list of participating libraries visit DEC’S website. For beginning anglers interested in getting started, the I FISH NY Beginners' Guide to Freshwater Fishing provides information on everything from rigging up a fishing rod to identifying your catch and understanding fishing regulations. DEC's Places to Fish webpages are a reliable source of information for those ready to plan their next fishing trip. The “Tackle Box” feature in DEC’s official app, HuntFishNY, contains freshwater fishing regulations, boating access and stocking information within a map-based interface from the convenience of a smart phone. Other features include driving directions to state-operated boat launch sites and an offline feature that allows users to access information when cell coverage isn't available. The HuntFishNY app is available for download through Google Play or the App store. For more information visit DEC’s website. The final free fishing day for 2025 will take place on Veterans Day, November 11. On Free Fishing Days, New York residents and non-residents alike may fish for free without a fishing license. Free Fishing Day participants are reminded that, although the requirement for a fishing license is waived during free fishing days, all other fishing regulations remain in effect. When not participating in Free Fishing Days, anyone 16 years of age and older must have a current New York State fishing license to fish. Fishing licenses are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. More information on purchasing a fishing license can be found on DEC's website. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) provides advice to anglers about what fish are safe to eat and how often. Visit DOH’s website to search by waterbody location. https://dec.ny.gov/news/press-releases STORM WATCH - AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, O&R PREPARES CREWS WITH THUNDERSTORMS SET TO IMPACT THE AREA PEARL RIVER, NY, July 3, 2026, 7:00 a.m. – In the midst of the ongoing heat wave heading into the Fourth of July, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) has mobilized its emergency response workforce today as scattered thunderstorms are also forecasted to impact the service territory today and tomorrow. These thunderstorms, which are expected to roll into region during the afternoon, have the potential to be severe, and could pose a significant threat to electric service due to high winds, lightning, or downed trees and tree limbs. All these factors could interfere with the safe, reliable delivery of electric service. In addition to these potential storms, the summer’s first heat wave continues to blanket the Hudson Valley. The heat and increased demand for electricity to power air conditioners can pose challenges to the electric delivery system, and, in some instances, can overheat electrical equipment and result in scattered power outages. The company urges customers to use energy efficiently to stay comfortable and safe. O&R has secured 100 mutual aid members to assist with overhead line crews, tree removal experts, customer service operators, and the rest of the members of O&R’s emergency response team who are all prepared to respond to emergencies throughout the duration of the storms and heat, as needed. Customer Protections During Extreme Heat Residential customers are afforded specific safeguards during periods of elevated temperatures. Service disconnections are suspended when the local heat index is forecasted to reach 90°F or higher. We will also pause disconnections for two additional days in areas designated as heat islands. More information can be found here. For the latest information about power outages, please view the Outage Map. For a brief video that provides a step-by-step guide to the Outage Map’s basic operation: In English In Spanish O&R Warns For safety’s sake, O&R warns the public not to touch or approach any downed wire. Assume the wire is energized and dangerous. Call O&R immediately toll-free 1-877-434-4100. Depending on the situation, you may also consider calling your local police to divert traffic from the downed wire’s location until an O&R crew arrives. How to Report an Outage If you experience a power outage, don’t assume that O&R automatically knows about it. You can report it and check to see when your lights will be back on through: Report an Electric Service Problem | Orange & Rockland (oru.com) from any computer or web-based mobile device. O&R mobile app from your iPhone, iPad or Android device --- download via Apple Store or Google Play. Text messaging by texting “OUT” to 678797 (ORUPWR) or Call 1-877-434-4100. Comments are closed.