Author Archive for Rick Pezzullo
Family Gives Personal Account of Help Given by Support Connection
A few months before she died in 2012 from breast cancer, Marci Werner expressed her gratitude to the help she and her family received from Support Connection in a fundraising appeal to friends in advance of that year’s annual Support-A-Walk at FDR State Park in Yorktown. “As I continue to fight Support […]
All-Purpose Field Unveiled in Town of Cortlandt
A field of dreams for many residents and officials in the Town of Cortlandt became a reality last week. A grand opening ceremony was held September 15 for a lacrosse and all-purpose field on Sprout Brook Road, on the former site of a lightly used swimming lake and a popular water slide that was […]
Student Charged with Making Threat at Lakeland High School
A 14-year-old male Lakeland High School student was charged with juvenile delinquency Wednesday afternoon after school administrators reported to a police officer working on site that a threat was made against the school. Investigation by Yorktown Police revealed the student, who was not identified, allegedly made statements to two other students that he hated […]
Cortlandt Family to Appeal Feds Ruling in Lakeland’s Favor
A Cortlandt family is appealing a recent ruling from the U.S. Department of Education, New York Office for Civil Rights (OCR) that cleared staff at Van Cortlandtville Elementary School and Lakeland School District administrators of any wrongdoing regarding allegations of “intentional bullying” and discrimination on the basis of a learning disability against their now […]
Fallen 9/11 Heroes Honored with Bench at Peekskill Riverfront
Of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, more than 400 were emergency workers who rushed to the horrific scene attempting to save others. Three of the first responders who perished were members of the New York State Supreme Court Officers […]
Business Profile: KidsPeace, Buchanan
Founded in 1882, KidsPeace is a nationwide charity in 10 states that is dedicated to serving the behavioral and mental health needs of children, pre-adolescents, teens, young adults and families by providing specialized residential treatment services and a comprehensive range of treatment programs and educational services. Locally, KidsPeace provides services in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and […]
Lowe’s, Eateries Look to Replace Costco in Yorktown
Whispers of Costco Wholesale Club bolting Yorktown and Lowe’s coming in as a replacement were publicly confirmed this week. Breslin Realty Development Corporation was scheduled to appear before the Yorktown Planning Board Monday night to discuss an amended site plan application for an 18.75-acre site off Route 202 that formerly housed a motel and […]
Funeral Services Friday for Yorktown Man Who Drowned in Lake
Funeral services will be held Friday for a 28-year-old Yorktown man who drowned in Sparkle Lake Monday afternoon. Friends and family can pay their respects to Darrin Wayne Dyckoff at Yorktown Funeral Home in Shrub Oak from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. As of Thursday night, $2,800 had been pledged […]
Ossining High Freshman Already a Varsity Volleyball Team Veteran
Although she is only a freshman at Ossining High School this year, Mychael Vernon will be returning to the varsity volleyball team for her third season. When she was a seventh-grader, Vernon successfully made the varsity team as a middle blocker and performed well. In her second year, she led the team […]
Residents, Officials Unnerved by Pipeline Drilling in Cortlandt
Residents and officials in the Town of Cortlandt found another reason last week to hammer away at the gas pipeline expansion project taking place in Verplanck. Supervisor Linda Puglisi filed an official complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (F.E.R.C.) and Spectra Energy, the company constructing the controversial pipeline, after residents complained of nighttime […]
Coast Guard Plan to Anchor Barges in Hudson Remains Under Fire
Opposition to a plan by the United States Coast Guard to have commercial barges anchor off the shores of the Hudson River continued to expand throughout Westchester last week. Last Monday at Yonkers City Hall, a new organization of municipal officials called the Hudson River Waterfront Alliance was announced. The alliance includes the towns […]
Peekskill Chosen to Apply for Grant to Combat ‘Zombie Homes’
The City of Peekskill is one of 100 communities statewide that was invited by the state attorney general to apply for a $100,000 grant to help combat vacant and abandoned homes that are not maintained during prolonged foreclosure proceedings. Earlier this summer, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced $13 million was being made available from […]
Successful Solar Campaign Brings New Energy to Somers
Take a tour of Somers and you may notice a trend. Dotting the rooftops of homes, and even local community buildings, are new solar systems. 30 residents in the town signed up for new solar systems during the recent Solarize Somers campaign. It was one of the most successful campaigns in the Solarize Westchester […]
Support Connection Holds Kickoff for Annual Walk
Since opening its doors 20 years ago, Support Connection has helped thousands of women and their families cope with the many concerns, questions and fears that accompany a diagnosis of breast or ovarian cancer. Two of those women, Jane Crossley and Dottie McHugh, are the proud ambassadors for the 2016 Support-A-Walk being held Sunday, […]
Peekskill Residents Seek City’s Help to Fix Water Problems
Residents of a Peekskill apartment complex are reaching out again to city officials for assistance in fixing a persistent water pressure problem. A petition signed by 108 occupants of the 123-unit Peekskill Towers on Lakeview Drive was submitted to the Peekskill Common Council last week to “do whatever needs to be done” on the […]
Summer Trails Day Camp Named ‘Best of Westchester’
Summer Trails Day Camp, located in Somers, was recently named “Best Summer Day Camp” for Westchester Magazine’s “Best of Westchester” annual awards. This is the third year in a row Summer Trails won “Best Summer Day Camp.” “Summer Trails Day Camp is honored to have won ‘Best Summer Day Camp’ for the third consecutive […]
Mosquitos with West Nile Virus Found in Westchester
This season’s first batch of mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus has been confirmed by the Westchester County Department of Health. The area surrounding the positive mosquito batch in Yonkers has been inspected by the health department and nearby catch basins with standing water have been treated to protect against further mosquito breeding in […]
Yorktown Police Show Zero Tolerance in Goal to End Drunk Driving
This Labor Day weekend, families and friends will be celebrating the end of the summer. Sadly, this festive time has also become a dangerous time for America’s roads, as many drunk drivers get behind the wheel after celebrating. For this reason, Yorktown Police Department (YPD) and the Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK), are partnering with […]
Fallen 9/11 Heroes to be Recognized at Peekskill Riverfront
A day before the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, three members of the New York State Supreme Court Officers Association who lost their lives trying to rescue people in the World Trade Center will be recognized at a ceremony at the Riverfront Green in Peekskill. A park bench and plaque […]
Lakeland Grad Excels on U.S. Field Hockey Team in Olympics
The United States field hockey team may have fallen short in the quarterfinals at the Rio Olympic Games Monday, but Lakeland High School graduate Melissa Gonzalez played an integral part in the squad’s success. The 27-year-old midfielder from Mohegan Lake scored goals in consecutive games during the tournament and created several other scoring chances […]
Westchester Groups Take Anti-Pipeline Case to Federal Court
A coalition of 21 plaintiffs, including several environmental groups, have taken their case against the controversial Spectra Energy natural gas pipeline expansion project to the nation’s highest court. On July 29, a brief was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia seeking to overturn the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s […]
Murphy Brings ‘Shed the Meds’ Program to Peekskill
Throwing unwanted and expired prescription drugs in the household trash does not ensure that curious children will not get at them. There are an increasing number of incidents involving accidental poisonings from medicines in our homes – and children are the most common victims. In response to this issue, Senator Terrence Murphy (R/Yorktown) […]
Growing Cortlandt Rowing Club Starting to Make Waves
In 2012, Cortlandt Councilman Frank Farrell was visiting Poughkeepsie and he noticed a rowing race taking place in the Hudson River. It suddenly struck him that rowing would be an ideal sport to introduce in Cortlandt, especially with the immediate access to the Hudson in Verplanck. “I said to myself, ‘Why aren’t we doing this […]
Peekskill Man Gets 15 Years in Jail for Heroin Trafficking
A Peekskill man was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week for distributing more than a kilogram of heroin in and around Westchester during 2014 that led to the overdose death of a 23-year-old Buchanan man. Lakuan Rhyne, who pled guilty to felony charges in federal court in April, was also ordered by U.S. […]
Yorktown Marks Purple Heart Designation with New Signs
It took U.S. Army veteran Eugene Lang 44 years after he was wounded in combat in Vietnam to receive a Purple Heart. Many of those emotions associated with his time in service came flooding back for Lang last Wednesday at the unveiling of a sign in the downtown business district of Yorktown declaring Yorktown a […]
Opposition Grows to Coast Guard Plan to Anchor Barges in Hudson
Officials from throughout the region came together last week to voice their concerns about a plan by the United States Coast Guard to have commercial barges anchor off the shores of the Hudson River. At an August 2 press conference led by State Senator Terrence Murphy (R/Yorktown) on the shores of the Hudson in […]
Private Talks of Deputy Engineer Job in Yorktown at Issue
Discussions of hiring a deputy town engineer in Yorktown that have taken place by the Town Board behind closed doors several times in recent months should be held in front of the public, according to Councilman Vishnu Patel and former Supervisor and Councilwoman Susan Siegel. Patel and Siegel insisted the board was violating the […]
Cortlandt Opposes Coast Guard Plan to Anchor Barges in Hudson
The Town of Cortlandt is opposing a plan by the United States Coast Guard to have commercial barges anchor off the shores of the Hudson River. The Town Board unanimously voted July 19 to object to two of the 10 sites being considered by the Coast Guard: approximately 127 acres in the Montrose region […]
Ambassadors Announced for Support Connection Walk
Support Connection announced the selection of two local residents as Walk Ambassadors for its Annual Support-A-Walk, which will take place on Sunday, October 2, (rain or shine) at FDR Park, Route 202, Yorktown Heights. The Walk brings attention to the needs of people affected by breast and ovarian cancer and raises funds for Support Connection’s […]
Judge Reserves Decision in ‘Montrose 9’ Pipeline Protestors Trial
Cortlandt Town Justice Daniel McCarthy reserved decision Friday afternoon in the case of the “Montrose 9” protestors who were arrested last November for disorderly conduct for blocking access to Spectra Energy’s construction yard on Route 9A. With about 50 onlookers in Cortlandt Town Court anxiously awaiting a ruling, McCarthy promised to render a decision […]
