Sound Shore

The members of the New Rochelle’s Union Baptist Church, whose building was lost to a ferocious Valentine’s Day fire, continue to regain their footing. On Sunday, June 5, they will host a 5K walk-a-thon beginning at 8 a.m. at Wildcliff Manor in New Rochelle. Admission is $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the walk. Since the fire, the church has raised $46,000 of its $250,000 goal. ShopRite Supermarkets, which is co-hosting Sunday’s walk, has contributed $6,000. For more information, go to www.ubcnr.org.

Good afternoon. Here’s a look at opinion content published in The Journal News today, Tuesday, Feb. 15:

Union Baptist Church
We comment on the massive fire that gutted the historic Union Baptist Church building at the corner of Main Street and Locust Avenue in New Rochelle. Though the congregation’s structure was badly damaged, we are confident its spirit was strengthened. We write:

”… As the fire raged and smoke billowed, congregants stood across the street from the church, bundled up, holding hands, swaying together as they sang hymns. Their presence was testament to what so many churchgoing people know, even when there are no fires, no floods or other threats to their spiritual homes: the church resides inside the people, and all their good works in the communities they serve. New Rochelle and its neighbors mourn the loss of a building; we are thankful that the church family has made its presence felt, time and again, throughout the city and beyond, and likely will continue to do so into the next century.”

Police, firefighter pensions: Commentary
Robert Buckley, president of the Westchester County Corrections Superior Officers Association, responds to a Sunday article that assessed a growing gap between pensions collected by retired municipal employees and retired police officers and firefighters. Buckley says there’s more to the story.

Double-dippers: Reisman
Phil Reisman examines the recent news that Susan Tolchin and Hugh Fox Jr., both retired public servants, collect both pensions and salaries in new public positions.

More opinion
Put the relief back in STAR: Editorial, Albany Times Union
Federal-budget game of chicken: Editorial, Newsday
New York needs a prison break: Editorial, Daily News
No new land for now: Editorial, Adirondack Daily Enterprise

On our main website we’ll be updating the story throughout the day of the overnight fire that has largely destroyed the Union Baptist Church in downtown New Rochelle. The historic church building near New Roc City and Monroe College dates to 1904, with Union Baptist having occupied it since 1972. Passers-by might remember it for its bright red door. Find a photo gallery of the fire here, and also don’t miss our video from the fire scene.

Photo above by Ricky Flores/The Journal News.