Author Archive for Rick Pezzullo
Proposed Sports Field in Cortlandt Divides Residents
A sports field that could be part of a proposed luxury housing project on Croton Avenue in Cortlandt has nearby residents at odds with community coaches and other recreation proponents. A third public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Hanover Estates, a 25 to 27-home development on the former 36-acre Croton Egg Farm, […]
Man Loses Part of Nose in Peekskill Scuffle
An unidentified man lost a large portion of his nose during a fight with a Spring Valley man in Peekskill earlier this week. Patricio Guartan-Jimenez, 30, of Spring Valley, was charged with assault following a report of an altercation at 623 Smith Street on March 2. Upon arrival, Peekskill officers found a male with […]
Peekskill School District to Reorganize Central Administration
The Peekskill Board of Education last week approved a plan to reorganize the district’s central administration, including naming Middle School Principal David Fine as the new superintendent of schools. Fine will earn $230,000 annually under a three-year contract that is effective July 1, 2015. At that time, he will replace current Superintendent of Schools Dr. […]
Former Somers Supervisor to Head Westchester Tax Commission
Less than two months after leaving her 16-year post as supervisor in the Town of Somers, Mary Beth Murphy has returned to the public sector. Last week, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino announced the appointment of Murphy as executive director of the Westchester County Tax Commission at an annual salary of $132,155. “I am pleased […]
Former NBA Pro Discusses Story of Addiction at Lakeland
By Neal Rentz Chris Herren seemed to have it all. Herren was a basketball star in high school in Massachusetts and at Fresno State. He was drafted by the Denver Nuggets and later played for his hometown Boston Celtics. But Herren’s life has been anything by idyllic. In fact, at the age of […]
Cortlandt Weathering Storms with Ample Fund Balance
The winter season has been a difficult and costly one for municipalities. The Town of Cortlandt has not been able to escape the brunt of the storms, but, unlike others, it has managed to withstand the financial onslaught by having a healthy “rainy day” fund. “We have saved funds in our highway accounts for these […]
Catalina Raises Concerns about Paramount Operators
Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina asserted last week the city’s historic Paramount Hudson Valley theater was “a leaking siv” that had him worried about the ability of the current management group to viably operate it. After analyzing a spreadsheet of expenses to the city over the last 10 years, Catalina maintained he was alarmed by the […]
Sober Living Retreat Owners Say They Strive to be Good Neighbors
The owners of a proposed sober living retreat facility on Underhill Avenue in Yorktown that has triggered opposition from some nearby property owners say they are looking to be good neighbors and help others in need. Tom McCrossan, who, along with his partner, Mark McGoldrick, is seeking a special permit from the Town Board to […]
Development Projects for Market Square in Ossining Presented
Two possible redevelopment projects for the Market Square section of Ossining were presented to the public and Village Board of Trustees last week. The enhanced urban design study looked at four parcels totaling about 1.5 acres at Main and Spring streets in what has been considered an underutilized historic section of the village. Ten different […]
Peekskill Principal Who Triggered Transcript Probe Stepping Down
The Peekskill Board of Education was expected Monday night to accept the resignation of high school Principal Fred Hutchinson. Hutchinson, who was hired by the district in June 2012 and uncovered transcript irregularities affecting 34 high school students last year that resulted in four guidance counselors and a social studies department chairperson being placed on […]
Peekskill Urged to Approve Property Revaluation
Peekskill’s city assessor is pushing the Common Council to approve the first revaluation of city properties in 56 years. City Assessor Michele Jordan told the council last week “inequities” have existed in Peekskill for decades with properties that are either over assessed or under assessed. As a result, over the last six years, Jordan said […]
Yorktown Man Suffers Head Injury in Taconic Crash
A Yorktown resident and active member of the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps suffered a severe head injury in a one-car crash last week on the Taconic State Parkway. Sam Lubin, 48, a father of two, was traveling south on the Taconic in Putnam Valley on February 3 at about 2:09 a.m. when his vehicle exited […]
Neighbors Lambast Proposed Home for Addicts in Yorktown
A proposed “convalescent home” on Underhill Avenue in Yorktown triggered emotional responses from neighbors and Supervisor Michael Grace during last week’s Town Board meeting. Several residents claimed Fourth Dimension Recovery was misrepresenting what its plans were for an 8,470-square foot, four-bedroom, seven-bathroom home at 482 Underhill Avenue, insisting a facility for drug, alcohol and other […]
Peekskill Out of Options to Needle Methadone Clinic
Construction has begun on a controversial methadone clinic on Corporate Drive off Highland Avenue as Peekskill officials appear out of legal options to stop it. Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina, an attorney, said Friday it’s a “very longshot” that the city has any valid legal arguments left to make to thwart the Renaissance Project from proceeding […]
Ethics Board Rules Grace Erred in Not Disclosing Tenant Ties
The Yorktown Board of Ethics found that Supervisor Michael Grace should have disclosed he was the landlord of the former town engineer who was awarded a contract last year by the Town Board to study sewer proposals for the Hallocks Mill section of town. A complaint was filed with the independent Ethics Board on March […]
Peekskill Man Charged with Heroin Possession
Peekskill Police announced the arrest of a city resident for possession of heroin following a surveillance check in the parking lot of the A&P Shopping Plaza on Welcher Avenue. On January 24, officers Matt Basso and Fabian Gonzalez were patrolling the parking lot, which police stated is frequently used for drug transactions, […]
Legendary Folk Singer Pete Seeger Dies at 94
Legendary folk singer/songwriter Pete Seeger, an environmental activist and founder of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, died Monday at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He was 94. Together with his late wife Toshi, Seeger founded Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., and the Great Hudson River Revival, the annual music and environmental festival that […]
Animal Defenders Blast Teatown over Plans to Kill Deer
An anti-animal cruelty group is calling on Teatown Lake Reservation to drop its plans to use trained sharpshooters to lure and gun down as many as 75 deer on its 875-acre nature preserve in Yorktown. More than 600 people have signed a petition initiated by Animal Defenders of Westchester opposing what they describe as a […]
Landlord Arrested for Forging Cortlandt Judge’s Signature
State Police in Cortlandt arrested Joseph Bene, 66, of Mahopac, Tuesday after receiving a complaint from the Town of Cortlandt Court that an eviction notice, bearing Judge Daniel McCarthy’s forged signature, was given to them by a Cortlandt resident. The investigation revealed that Bene had previously appeared in Cortlandt Court in an attempt to obtain […]
Peekskill Police Issue Warning about Door to Door Solicitors
The Peekskill Police Department has issued a warning to residents after responding to several calls of solicitors in the community who are going door to door in an attempt to sell residents various types of services/products. The City of Peekskill requires all itinerant vendors/solicitors to obtain a permit before attempting to conduct business and/or solicit […]
Salary Increases Approved for Cortlandt Employees
Twelve Cortlandt employees and elected officials will be earning six figures this year as part of the annual salary resolution approved by the town board last week. Cortlandt has 165 authorized positions in its 2014 budget and salaries amount to 37% of this year’s $37.54 million spending plan. Town Comptroller Glenn Cestaro is the highest […]
Peekskill Barber Shop Employees Jailed in Stabbing Death
Two men were sentenced to prison terms on Thursday in connection with a November 23, 2012 fatal stabbing outside a barber shop on South Street in Peekskill. Sunil Williams, 30, of the Bronx, was sentenced to 12 years in state prison, and Maurice Walker, 34, of Mount Vernon, was sentenced to two years in jail […]
Village Board Votes to Retain Buchanan Justice
Public outcry, along with a plea from the village police chief, apparently helped convince the Buchanan Board of Trustees last week not to abolish the Office of Village Justice as a cost saving measure. Only Buchanan Mayor Sean Murray, who was accused of trying to retaliate against Justice Jennifer Daly after she refused to fire […]
Positive Forecast Given for Lakeland Schools Budget
Lakeland Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Stone told the Board of Education last week he was “optimistic” about the 2014-15 budget. “For the first time in my four years I can say I’m excited this year to present and prepare a budget for 2014 and 2015,” Stone remarked at the board’s first monthly work session […]
Peekskill Ponders Increasing Parking Meter Fees
Peekskill officials are considering increasing parking fees to raise revenue by installing new meters. A proposal was presented to the Common Council Monday night to purchase new meters that would accept coins and debit or credit cards. Upping the hourly fee from 50 cents to 75 cents was estimated to bring in close to $35,000 […]
Knickerbocker, Donahue Express Interest in Buchanan Mayoral Seat
Two familiar faces appear headed on a collision course for the mayor position in the Village of Buchanan in the March election. With current Mayor Sean Murray having announced at a senior luncheon last month that he would not be seeing a third term, Deputy Mayor Theresa Knickerbocker and former Mayor Alfred Donahue have revealed […]
Borgia, Testa Given Leadership Roles on County Board
Two Westchester County legislators who represent northern Westchester municipalities have been selected to lead their respective parties for the next two years. Catherine Borgia (D/Ossining), who represents Ossining and parts of Cortlandt and Peekskill, was chosen to be the Majority Leader for the Democrats. “I am grateful for the support of my colleagues in […]
Fire Destroys Cortlandt Arts Center Building
A Friday morning fire destroyed a building behind Charles Cook Pool on Furnace Dock Road in Cortlandt that was home to the Croton Cortlandt Center for the Arts. About 100 firefighters from area departments responded to the 10:30 a.m. blaze. No one was in the building at the time and no injuries were reported. The […]
Claxton Named Deputy Mayor as Catalina Doesn’t Get Way
Peekskill Councilwoman Drew Claxton will continue to serve as deputy mayor after being unanimously selected last week by the Common Council. Claxton, the longest serving member of the council, was reelected to a new four-year term in November. Her fellow Democrats on the council pointed to the rules of the Order of Precedence that stipulate […]
Catalina Call for Independent Audit of Peekskill’s Finances
Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina hit the ground running by calling for an independent audit of the city’s finances just minutes after being sworn in before a throng of well-wishers at City Hall. During his campaign, Catalina was highly critical of the financial management of Peekskill under Mayor Mary Foster and vowed to eliminate […]
