The Mahopac School Board rose to its feet in announcing that it unanimously supported a member who works for ICE, and who some community members said should be removed. By Holly Crocco The Mahopac School Board was unanimous in stating last week that it would not be seeking to remove a board member due to his day job. “The board of education stands united behind Trustee Chris Harrigan and will not be entertaining his removal,” said President Michael Mongon at the board’s Jan.

By Holly Crocco While Cold Spring has long been a destination for tourists during the fall leaf-peeping season, visitors actually start flocking to the village months ahead of that, according to data assembled over the past two years through a computer-aided design system. Cold Spring Police Department Commanding Officer Matthew Jackson explained during the Jan. 14 village board meeting that since the CAD system was implemented by the county in December 2023, law enforcement

By Holly Crocco A number of lawmakers and residents voiced their opinions during a Jan. 15 public hearing on a charter change that was approved by the Putnam County Legislature in December that would allow the Legislature to hire independent counsel for both its majority and minority parties. The matter was before County Executive Kevin Byrne to either be signed into law or vetoed and sent back to the Legislature to be refined. (Due to anticipated inclement weather, this week

By Rob Sample Southeast residents aired their concerns at the first of what will be several public hearings on a proposal to build an office and retail complex at the corner of Danbury Road (Route 6) and Starr Ridge Road. Rraci Associates, a Westchester County real estate and property development firm, seeks to develop a retail complex consisting of four buildings, 130 spaces for parking, stormwater facilities, and a conceptual dog park. The parcel is 10.39 acres in size. As

Southeast Town Councilman Eric Larca has presented a concept to transform the former Garden Street Elementary School into a town and village municipal building, as well as community center. By Holly Crocco There’s no denying the former Garden Street Elementary School in Brewster holds a special place in the hearts of many village residents who either attended the school themselves, or whose children walked those halls. However, since its closure in 2012 due to building deteri

By Rob Sample The Garrison Union Free School Board voted unanimously Jan. 7 to approve an amended district-wide safety plan. The amended plan adds a special patrol officer for the district, through a contract with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a cardiac-response plan crafted in response to new state legislation. The newly adopted safety plan can be viewed at www.gufs.org . A special patrol officer is a retired police officer who is responsible for school secu

By Holly Crocco A former Lake Peekskill man who was convicted in 2010 and again in 2017 of the murder of a Philipstown man, and attempted burglary of his business, has again had his conviction overturned and will receive a second retrial in Putnam County Court. On Nov. 25, the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division reversed the 2017 conviction of Anthony Grigoroff, who is accused of killing John Marcinak, 49, on Dec. 31, 2008, outside the Garrison Garage on Route 9,

Legislature Chairman Dan Birmingham. Putnam Legislature Deputy Chairman Bill Gouldman By Holly Crocco Returning Legislator Dan Birmingham, R-Southeast, was nominated by his colleagues to serve as chairman of the Putnam County Legislature for 2026, during its Jan. 6 organizational meeting. In addition to serving as deputy county executive during the Bondi administration (1995-98), Birmingham served on the Legislature from 2004 to 2012, when he decided to forego seeking a fourt

The Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail would run along the eastern shore of the Hudson River between Beacon and Cold Spring. Photo courtesy of Scenic Hudson. By Holly Crocco With the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation having released the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the planned Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail, the Village of Cold Spring has acted quickly to request that State Parks hold a public hearing on the controversial matter. “

A missing person investigation has concluded with the discovery of a dead body, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Just before 6 p.m. Jan. 6, the sheriff’s office received a report of a missing person. While deputies and investigators conducted follow-up efforts to locate the individual, the next day at about 8:40 a.m., the body of an individual was discovered in a wooded area in the vicinity of Eastview Court in the Village of Brewster. At this time, the person

Matthew Paterson students show off their projects. Provided photos. Learning about the Middle Ages is part of the fourth grade curriculum at Carmel Central School District. To bring that curriculum to life, students at Matthew Paterson Elementary School recently showed one another what they learned about the medieval period. The students had to pick a topic – castles and knights, lord of the manor or serf, medieval village, etc. – and decide how to present it to the class. Th

By Holly Crocco After a few weeks of speculation, Republican Carmel Town Councilman Frank Lombardi has announced that he is running for Putnam County legislator in District Eight, since current Legislator Amy Sayegh, R-Mahopac Falls, is not seeking re-election in November. “As a 23-year resident of this town and specifically this legislative district, I have raised a family, paid the taxes, and pay a mortgage,” he said. “I know the difficulties families are having affording t

Last month, Putnam County had the highest rate of flu cases compared to all other counties in the state, according to the NYS Department of Health. For the week ending Dec. 20, Putnam’s rate was 918 cases per 100,000. This incidence rate was not only the highest in the state, but also 61 percent higher than the next highest county – Nassau, on Long Island. For residents with challenges accessing flu vaccines, the health department will offer the shots to both children and adu

Chabad of Putnam has been making the rounds across the county to celebrate the Festival of Lights. The menorah lighting on Lake Gleneida in Carmel kicked off Chanukah, and was well attended despite the cold. The community joined together through song and prayer, and enjoyed goodies. The menorah was lit in solidarity with the Jewish brethren in Australia. Rabbi Aviv Korer shared a powerful message of hope and resilience, reminding attendees that even a small flame can dispel g

By Holly Crocco The man who killed a teenager in a Somers apartment complex last year, also shooting the boy’s mother and brother, before leading police on a manhunt that ended in Putnam Valley, was sentenced to 37 years to life in prison last week. In a plea deal reached in October, Fernando Jimenez, 41, pleaded guilty to shooting his girlfriend and her two sons in their Baldwin Place apartment Oct. 28, 2024. One of the sons, 15-year-old Michael Raimondi, was killed. A Westc

By Holly Crocco A Carmel man was recently found guilty of the 2022 murder of a Putnam woman he allegedly thought was stealing drugs from him. According to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Philip Halpern, a jury found Dwayne Pulliam, 63, guilty of Travel Act murder, participating in a conspiracy with intent to distribute and possess heroin and 28 grams of crack cocaine, and possession and dis

By Holly Crocco Local elected officials have begun circling an open seat for Putnam County Legislature after it was reported that Legislature Chairwoman Amy Sayegh, R-Mahopac Falls, will not be seeking re-election next year. Sayegh allegedly notified party leaders Dec. 18 of her decision not to run again. Within hours, Mahopac School Board Trustee Tanner McCracken announced his candidacy “I’m a lifelong conservative Republican and a proven fighter for lower property taxes, re

Santos Vasquez Ramirez, 28, is escorted out of the Putnam County Correctional Facility following his arrest for the murder of taxi driver Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez. Photo provided by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. By Holly Crocco A Pawling man was arrested last week and charged with the murder of a Brewster cab driver whose body was discovered in the Croton Falls Reservoir five days earlier. Santos Vasquez Ramirez, 28, was arrested outside his residence by Putnam County sheri

Players, coaches, and parents of the Brewster Bruins 10U Football Team were recognized during the Dec. 4 Southeast Town Board meeting for another undefeated season. Provided photo. By Holly Crocco The Brewster Bruins 10U Football Team was recently recognized by the Southeast Town Board for another undefeated season – making three consecutive years that the team has not had a loss. “What I’ve been told about this team from more than one person is that they play together as a t

Eagle Scout Connor O’Reilly, far left, with members of Somers Boy Scout Troop 228, Putnam County Historian Jennifer Cassidy, Southeast Historic Sites Commission Chairperson Cathy Croft, former County Legislator Joseph Castellano, Southeast Town Supervisor Nick Durante, Southeast Town Historian Jack Alcott, and others at the sign unveiling. By Jack Alcott Connor O’Reilly’s Eagle Scout project celebrates the 1891 opening of the East Branch Reservoir and Sodom Dam in Southeast.