All Entries in the "The Examiner" Category
Pleasantville House Fire Displaces Four Residents; None Injured
Four people were displaced but uninjured after a fire early Thursday morning at a three-family house in Pleasantville. Firefighters were called at 1:54 a.m. to an upstairs blaze at 15 Meadow Lane, said Pleasantville Fire Chief Manny Colmenares. The fire, which was under control in about 25 minutes, was confined to an upstairs bedroom, he […]
Pleasantville Likely to Exceed Tax Cap for 2014-15 Village Budget
By Janine Bowen Pleasantville village officials are prepared to exceed the state tax cap when the board votes on the municipality’s $13.8 million 2014-15 budget Monday night. The spending plan would carry a tax levy increase of 1.9 percent, exceeding this year’s 1.48 percent ceiling. A majority of the five-member board must vote in favor […]
Popular FrameWorks Series Returns to Jacob Burns
FrameWorks: Art on Film has been a popular series presented annually at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville. But if you can’t get to the theater during the next week to take in one of the four movies that comprise the series there will be plenty of other opportunities. Starting this year, FrameWorks will […]
Mt. Pleasant Lone Area District With Contested Board Race
Three of four local districts will have uncontested board of education election races next month. The only contested race locally will be for the Mount Pleasant Board of Education where current Vice President Eric Schulze and fellow incumbent Laurie Donato will be joined on the ballot by challenger Ed Barnes for two available seats. Chappaqua, […]
Rebounding Economy Spawns Commercial Development in Mt. Pleasant
More than five years ago, with the country in the throes of a crippling recession, the thought of new development in Westchester County seemed light years away. But in 2014, Mount Pleasant is the latest municipality in the area that is experiencing a commercial construction boom. There is the Pace University consolidation project, two new […]
Better to Give Than to Receive for Kisco Citizen of the Year
By Janine Bowen Joe DiMauro, owner of Mount Kisco Seafood on Lexington Avenue, has never been a big fan of awards. Each year, his wife asks him to sit down and watch the Oscars with her, but he refuses because he believes that awards should be given to people who do good in the world. […]
Shopping Center Proposed for Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant Town Board members expressed support last week for a new proposal from a town resident to construct a shopping center on a 5.1-acre parcel on Columbus Avenue. GH Kerry Ltd. has appealed to the board to rezone the parcel for the proposed Columbus Plaza, a 16,750-square-foot shopping center. The property is located in […]
Glass Onion’s Jaros to Be Honored as P’ville’s Business Person of the Year
By Janine Bowen Glass Onion Originals owner Matt Jaros has been named the Business Person of the Year by the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce. Jaros, who will be honored by the chamber on Apr. 23, opened the gallery gift shop in 2004 with his wife, Emily Wong. He has watched the business expand from a […]
New Castle to Cancel Several Specialty Camps This Summer
Five summer specialty camps that have been offered by New Castle’s Recreation and Parks Department and use Chappaqua School District facilities will not be offered this summer following a change in the district’s fee schedule. Robert Snyder, the town’s Recreation and Parks superintendent, said the $75 hourly rate that is in effect is too cost […]
Chappaqua Fire Displaces Seven Residents, Floral Shop
The house containing Whispering Pines of Chappaqua may have been irreparably damaged from last Friday’s devastating early morning blaze but the popular floral shop is expected to soon be back in business. Stetson Hundgen, the son of owner Beth Hundgen, said Monday his mother is in the process of searching for a temporary location in […]
Board Still Mulling Mount Kisco’s $20.7M Village Budget
There will be no service reductions in Mount Kisco’s proposed $20.77 million budget for 2014-15 despite its staying within the state-mandated property tax cap. Village Manager James Palmer told trustees Apr. 7 that the general fund would include a tax rate increase of nearly 3 percent. The spending plan also includes a tax levy increase […]
Hope’s Door Presents ‘Shining Star Scholarship’ to Westlake Senior
Hope’s Door, a Pleasantville-based charity that seeks to end domestic violence and to empower survivors to achieve safety, independence and healing, recently presented is second annual “Shining Star Scholarship” to Westlake High School senior Sarah Fiegura during the 30th annual Women’s Hall of Fame and Scholarship luncheon. Fiegura, awarded $2,000 toward her college expenses, was […]
Pleasantville Waits for Answers From DOT on Stone Wall Dilemma
Pleasantville officials are still waiting to learn from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) if a 800-foot-long stone wall must be moved 10 feet, which could significantly impact Benchmark Senior Living’s proposed assisted living facility. Village Administrator Patricia Dwyer said the agency’s engineer who sent out an eleventh-hour email regarding the issue shortly before the […]
Armonk Woman to Be Honored for Creating NWH Caregivers Center
Having a loved one in the hospital is often a harrowing experience. It doesn’t matter if the patient is receiving outstanding medical attention, the primary caregiver may feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of keeping a family going amid the stress, worry, and in certain situations, grief. Marian Hamilton knows that feeling well. Her husband, Ken, […]
State Board Closes Hearing on Chappaqua Affordable Housing Fire Safety
Public comments concluded Tuesday morning in front of a state panel that is weighing whether the Chappaqua affordable housing project would comply with fire safety codes. Representatives for Conifer Realty argued that the 28-unit Chappaqua Station slated to be built on Hunts Lane meets or exceeds all fire safety code requirements despite the need for […]
Revised Chappaqua Crossing Plan Submitted By Developer
The highly anticipated revised Preliminary Development Concept Plan for Chappaqua Crossing was filed last Friday featuring the previously discussed “traditional neighborhood design” for the project. Representatives of developer Summit/Greenfield submitted on Apr. 4 the reworked proposal to the Town of New Castle. The town board is tentatively scheduled to vote to refer the matter to […]
Regeneron Unveils Teacher STEM Training Program
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced a new program last week to promote and improve science, technology, engineering and math education in the region. During an education symposium it hosted at its Tarrytown headquarters on Apr. 3, company representatives announced the creation of the Hudson Valley STEM Teaching Fellowship program in collaboration with NASA, the Teachers College at […]
Mt. Pleasant Teacher Honored By Knicks for Work With Autistic Students
Last Wednesday was quite a night for Virginia Campbell. Campbell, a Mount Pleasant School District special education teacher, was honored at Madison Square Garden by the New York Knicks for her work with autistic children during the team’s Apr. 2 game against the Brooklyn Nets. The Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award, recognizing Nat “Sweetwater Clifton,” […]
County Lawmakers Step Up Call to Raise Age of Legal Tobacco Purchases
Democratic county lawmakers intensified calls on Wednesday to raise the minimum age to legally purchase tobacco products in Westchester to 19 years old citing evidence that smoking at early ages increases the likelihood of addiction. Democratic Majority Leader Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining) was joined by Chairman Michael Kaplowitz and Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson) outside Rocky’s Deli […]
Latino Community Benefits From Mt. Kisco’s Pair of Rising Stars
By Janine Bowen Bridging the gap between the local police department and the community it serves can often be a difficult task, but two members of the Mount Kisco community were honored recently for doing just that. Mount Kisco Police Officer Edwin Ramirez and Karine Patino, program coordinator for the village’s Police and Community Together […]
P’ville Assisted Living Facility Rezone Vote Postponed
By Janine Bowen In a surprising turn of events, the Pleasantville Village Board’s anticipated vote Monday night on a floating zone to accommodate Benchmark Senior Living’s assisted living facility near the United Methodist Church was postponed indefinitely. The sudden development came after the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) gave village officials new information […]
Byram Hills Celebrates its Diversity With Fourth Global Village Day
Westchester communities are sometimes thought of for their wealth and not for their riches of cultural and ethnic diversity. Over the past five years, however, the Byram Hills School District in Armonk has showcased the wide diversity within its community at one of the most enjoyable events of the year. Last Saturday was the district’s […]
Mt. Pleasant Rejects Second Group Home; Appeal Planned
For the second time in three weeks, the Mount Pleasant Town Board rejected a proposal to convert a private house into a group home. The board voted 3-1 against a plan from Yonkers-based Ferncliff Manor to convert a house at 330 Bear Ridge Rd. into an individualized residential alternative for six adults with developmental disabilities. […]
Agency Drops Mount Pleasant Group Home Appeal
The agency that sought to convert a Mount Pleasant house into a group home for autistic adults has decided against pursuing an appeal of the town board’s decision to block its proposal. Devereux New York Executive Director John O’Keefe, who threatened to ask the state to overturn the board’s decision after the March 11 vote, […]
P’ville Middle School Students Shine at Science Olympiad
By Janine Bowen A group of Pleasantville Middle School students are proud to be GEEKS. The acronym stands for Great Enthusiastic Educated Kid Scientists, a team that competed in the March 8 regional Science Olympiad at Scarsdale Middle School on March 8 and took home a fourth-place prize. Nearly 30 students from the school competed […]
Residents Blast Benchmark Proposal as Spot Zoning at Hearing
By Janine Bowen Neighbors of the proposed 87-unit assisted living facility in Pleasantville once again leveled a barrage of criticism against a possible rezoning to accommodate the project during Monday night’s village board meeting. At the resumption of the public hearing, opponents of the Benchmark Senior Living plan expressed concern about the concept of a […]
New Castle Starts Work on Public Outreach for Master Plan Update
Obtaining community feedback that accurately reflects public sentiment for New Castle’s Master Plan update may be one of the biggest challenges facing officials in their quest to update the town’s blueprint for the future. Last week, the town board and Master Plan Steering Committee sat down with two representatives from the Pace University Land Use […]
Swim and Tennis Club Site Sold for $2 Million in Chappaqua
By Tom Auchterlonie The Twin Oaks Swim and Tennis Club’s property in Chappaqua has a new owner. The site was sold on Dec. 23 for $2 million to 54 Kids LLC, according to New Castle property records. A transaction involving the deed was recorded by Westchester County on Jan. 29. The property, located at 348 […]
Pleasantville School Officials Mulling May Bond for District Repairs
By Janine Bowen Pleasantville School District officials are planning a May referendum to help pay for close to $4 million worth of repairs and upgrades to the district’s three schools. Architect John D’Angelo provided officials and the public with an overview of the work during a presentation at the Pleasantville Board of Education’s March 18 […]
Hearing on Second Mt. Pleasant Group Home Scheduled for Tuesday
Two weeks after turning down a proposal for a group home for four autistic adults, the Mount Pleasant Town Board will hold a public hearing for another proposed home on Tuesday night. The hearing, part of the board’s regularly scheduled meeting, is for Ferncliff Manor’s plan to operate an individualized residential alternative at 330 Bear […]
