Letters to Orange County, Brandon Calore, and South Blooming Grove
What else does a journalist do besides fight with Nazis? They advocate for their readers. Here's a look at some recent examples.
Hi. If you don’t mind, this will be a short post. Well, it's short for me to construct anyway. It’ll be the usual length for you.
Journalism is an act of advocacy. When people want to exhibit their Big Snowflake Energy, they’ll tell you it’s not. But those people are dumb, and you shouldn’t listen to them. When you let dumb people lead, you get dictatorships.
Journalism is also exhausting. So, while I think about literally anything else for a bit, here’s a look into what I’ve been up to as an advocate.
FYI: I am looking to recruit a Woodbury resident to take over the Woodbury United Facebook group. If that person is YOU, get in touch.
Public Comment Submission to Orange County concerning Orange County Sewer District
While there is little dispute about the need for an upgrade and eventual expansion concerning Orange County Sewer District 1, this process has not been handled well. I am writing to ask for this vote to be delayed, and that the public be given the appropriate time and opportunity to speak on it.
This request involves holding public hearings and meetings of the OCSD1 Advisory Committee during times when the public can attend, and not in the middle of an afternoon on a work day.
The recent actions of OCSD1 Chair Peter Tuohy have also demonstrated that this committee is unresponsive to letters and comments received by the public; and that Mr. Tuohy actively assists in spreading disinformation concerning OCSD1's infrastructure failures. Therefore, any projections or estimates provided to you today for a vote should be met with extreme pessimism.
Further, despite overwhelming evidence and the threat of lawsuits, OCSD1 and OC ESF have informed municipalities of their intention to approve South Blooming Grove's deal with Simon Property. A scheme where SBG is providing its "excess" sewage to Simon, via OCSD1. This would allow Simon to build its Woodbury Common expansion. The evidence is clear: SBG does not have any "excess" capacity to give. Orange County knows this and proceeded to go ahead with the plan regardless, demonstrating that it does not listen to its constituents and that the decisions rendered by the county government, its ESF department, and OCSD1's Advisory Committee are arbitrary and capricious at best and potentially illegal.
(We mention this because of allegations of a promise made by County Executive Steve Neuhaus to drop Orange County's current lawsuit against SBG in exchange for SBG making a deal with Simon Property. This arrangement should be, and must be, investigated by the legislature.)
I will remind everyone who votes to approve this expansion and upgrade that elections have consequences. Given that you are about to saddle OCSD1 residents and other users with a potential bill of $1,000 per year, per household, this is absolutely something all of your opponents can and will run on. While County Executive Neuhaus likes to run on shrinking government and cutting taxes, what he fails to mention is that what Orange County residents "save" in taxes, they make up tenfold in fees like the one you're about to approve.
Finally, given that this project will cost up to $186M —if not more—by the time it's done, little discussion has been had about how much Simon Property Group will pay for it.
Alongside the Town of Palm Tree and South Blooming Grove, Woodbury Common is one of this project's primary beneficiaries. While the OCSD1 Committee has shared overly optimistic (at best) projections concerning the availability of federal funding, they have discussed little about how much Simon Property Group will pay for the expansion. It's worth noting that in 2024, Simon Property Group offered shareholders a $2B stock buyback. If Simon Property funded the OCSD1 project, they would still have over $1.8B left to offer their shareholders for the buyback program.
So clearly, Simon Property has cash on hand. Just ask the Simon Family, who are currently valued at $11B by Forbes. So, I will ask again, as will every resident of OCSD1 who is saddled with a bill for $1,000 a year for thirty years: How much is Simon Property Group expected to contribute to the OCSD1 upgrade and expansion project? The Committee has not said.
I think when Calore said “but only a blogger for a 100 people”, he meant 17,952 people.
(Our numbers have been low in January and February because I was sick for all of January, and didn’t post much in February. That’s why you see the sharp increase over the last thirty days.)
Who Is Paying Brandon Calore’s Bills?
Local Bigot Brandon Calore is running for mayor in Woodbury. Until recently, he was unemployed after “resigning” from the Town of Cornwall. The thing is, Mr. Calore has been spending money on campaign photos, flyers, and maybe even a campaign manager. (Mr. Elias Cunningham, at the time of this writing, has not replied to requests for comments concerning his role in Calore’s campaign. He has, however, loudly advocated for Mr. Calore without disclosing his connection to the campaign. So, just a thing to remember when you see Cunningham pop up on Facebook.)
The question of who is funding Mr. Calore’s campaign is important, given the story I’m currently working on. Hint: It involves Joel Stern and South Blooming Grove. Many residents in Woodbury fear becoming “The Next South Blooming Grove.” So, you’re going to want to pay attention to that one when it comes out.
Over the weekend, Mr. Calore was making some pretty loud legal threats about the Woodbury United Facebook group and its admin.
So, I decided to get in touch with him:
Mr. Calore,
I understand you spent today bullying and harassing people, which, I honestly assume is how you spend most days.
Today, you decided to make a bunch of false statements concerning myself and the Woodbury United Facebook Group.
You apparently want to sue the admin. Well, here I am.
My lawyer is copied on this email. Go ahead and get in touch.
But before you do, I want you to keep something in mind.
All those questions you haven't answered from the media? Well, when I counter-sue you — and I will — I'm going to make sure you answer all of them.
This includes:
-Your arrest in Florida for battery.
-Your alleged assault of a disabled teenager at an ice cream shop
-Whether or not DA Hoovler did you a favor in dropping those charges
-You spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories, including the one about the Fall 2024 election. That's the one where you insisted to everyone Vic and Sue only won because of "The Jews."
-Your "resignation" from Cornwall and the numerous threats of physical violence levied at your coworkers
-Your current relationship with COFFI, given that they're in court right now for illegal road construction that they may have done in South Blooming Grove
-Your relationship with State Senator Skoufis, since you're recycling his old tagline on your flyers
-Your relationship with the Committee to Elect Woodbury Democrats
-Basically, every screwy thing you have voted for while a member of the Woodbury Town Board
-Your relationship with Red Skull look-alike, Colin Schmidt. (Nice "Two Andrews" graphic by the way. I couldn't help but notice it's exactly like other stuff Schmidt's produced in the past.)
-Your relationship with Wayne Corts
-Whether or not you are a member of the Proud Boys
-Whether or not you think January 6th was a peaceful protest.
-Whether or not you had a "Let's Go Brandon" lawn sign on your front lawn (you did)
-Whether or not you think the 2020 Election was stolen.
-And, the question of who is currently funding your campaign.
I think you get the point.
But if not, let me add just one more thing: You know what happens with those court documents, right? They become public record. And I don't know about you, but if I was running for mayor? I would not want THAT testimony floating around in the ether.
Assaulting disabled teenagers at ice cream shops is the kind of thing that winds up on News 12, you know?
Me on the other hand? I'm happy to testify. I promise it'll be the funniest thing the judge reads, and all of it will be true and accurate based on my research and reporting of your behavior.
So it's your choice.
Because I promise you dude, I do not like bullies. I'm a consequences kind of guy. And way too many people around these parts have gotten comfortable saying and doing weird shit for way too long without being punched in the mouth. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Unlike you, I can factually say I've never assaulted anyone.
But legally, I absolutely will punch you in the mouth.
Pictured below: The court case wherein Brandon Calore sued the mother of the teenager after she told people on Facebook about what he (allegedly) did to her daughter. The alleged assault took place after Calore was asked to put on a mask at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Instead of apologizing, Calore decided to sue the mother instead. You can see the court filings here.
South Blooming Grove FOILs
If you’re wondering why I’ve been so quiet on South Blooming Grove, it’s because we’re waiting on FOILS. There are a ton of them. SBG is doing its best to delay these. We will probably wind up back in court, even if we prefer that not be the case. Here is the latest appeal they’ve received:
March 17th, 2025
FOIL Appeals Officer
South Blooming Grove Village Hall
811 Route 208, Monroe, NY 10950
foil@vosbg.com
mayor@vosbg.com
To Whom It May Concern (FOIL Appeals Officer):
On December 20th, 2024, we submitted five FOIL requests to the Village of South Blooming Grove. They went unacknowledged. Our attorney, Amy Lavine, re-submitted these FOILS on February 3rd, 2025, and those received a response on March 4th, 2025. The following letter concerns Isaac Ekstein and one of those five FOILs.
On December 20th, 2024, we submitted a FOIL that requested the following:
1. All Records (texts, whatsapp messages, emails) sent and received by Isaac Ekstein during the 12/20/24 10am Village Planning Board meeting. Mr. Ekstein was seen using both his personal and professional devices, and this record request encompasses messages sent on both devices.
On March 4th, 2025. The Village of South Blooming Grove responded with the following message:
“There are no records on file to fill this request. This FOIL is deemed complete.”
We responded on March 11th, 2025 stating the following:
“FOIL Response - "Isaac Ekstein". Be advised that we have uploaded video of the December 20th, 2024 Village Planning Board meeting, which can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FkDVU9HTf9bsfAQsHOVrYmA5jZsWlKid/view?usp=sharing
Mr. Ekstein can clearly be observed throughout the video utilizing both of his phones.
Now. Before we proceed any further, I also want to note that Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Gulfo have demonstrated, via the Village's response to the lawsuit brought by Orange County, to be able to access and produce WhatsApp messages from Mr. Stern and Mr. Ekstein with no problem when it suits them.
See here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JejDQ8DvKYMRWLoxeSfStM_YHG03-Osb/view?usp=sharing
Therefore, if you want to go ahead and claim that no responsive records exist, as you have done, please confirm by replying to this email that this is the village's stated position.
If that is your position, we will immediately appeal this decision.
Consider this your opportunity to again carefully review potential responsive records and produce them (or redact them, as needed). You will not be given a second chance.”
On March 14th, 2025, we received an email response from Clerk Dougherty clarifying the Village’s position on two other foils. No mention was made of our request for clarification concerning the FOIL described above concerning Mr. Ekstein.
Therefore, I am appealing this denial of my FOIL request to the still unidentified FOIL appeals officer.
We demonstrated visual proof that Mr. Ekstein was using both phones during this Planning Board meeting.
We have also demonstrated that the Village of South Blooming Grove, when it suits them, has no problem accessing archival text and WhatsApp messages, as it did in its litigation with Orange County.
So, we do not believe for a second that there are no responsive records, and we doubt a search was even conducted for them. (No evidence was presented by Clerk Dougherty, such as providing a signed POL89(3)(a) certification that a diligent search was performed.)
For all of the reasons provided in this email, we formally appeal the Village of South Blooming Grove's decisions regarding its continued non-compliance and other methods of obstruction in fulfilling FOIL requests. We request that this appeal be dealt with promptly and timely, which has decidedly not been the case thus far.
We also request that the “Mayor” George Kalaj write an acknowledgment of this appeal, assuming he is, in fact, the FOIL Appeals Officer. Since the Village failed to clarify this, we can’t say for sure that he is.
We are, for the third time now, requesting clarification on this matter as to who the appropriate FOIL Appeals Officer is.
We also wish to remind the attorneys who act as counsel of their professional obligations to report criminal behavior—such as potential acts of perjury—should they be found.
We will not hesitate to bring everyone to court for failing to comply with the applicable laws of New York State. And we will not hesitate to pursue the maximum penalty under the law to anyone found aiding and abetting criminal behavior.
Treat this appeal and the likely lawsuit that follows, with the seriousness it deserves.
No response from South Blooming Grove just yet, but I can confirm their attorneys received and read that appeal. So, while we hope not to go to court with them again, we will.
If you want the background on the December 20th meeting, as well as a picture of Mr. Isaac Ekstein clearly on his phone, you can read that here.
I’ll see you later this week.