Local activists packed the Philipstown Town Hall for the Town Board’s Feb. 5 meeting to discuss proposed updates to the town’s “equal protection resolution.” The town originally adopted a version of the resolution in April 2017, but with the recent civil unrest throughout the country and Immigrations & Customs Enforcement officers making arrests, a local citizens group called Joining Forces has submitted a stronger 2026 version of the resolution to the Town Board for adoption

By Holly Crocco With the proposed Putnam County mental health crisis stabilization center that was planned for Stoneleigh Avenue having been voted down by the Carmel Planning Board earlier this month, the County Legislature is now scrambling to spend $2.5 million in American Recovery Plan Act funds that were tied to the project so that it doesn’t have to be returned to the federal government. “At this point, with the ARPA deadlines, the money has to be spent by the end of thi

A New York Police Department sergeant from Putnam County was recently found guilty of second-degree manslaughter after throwing a cooler at a fleeing suspect in August of 2023, leading to the man’s death. Sgt. Erik Duran, 38, pleaded not guilty during his bench trial, in which there was no jury – just a judge hearing the arguments and rendering the verdict. He was convicted Feb. 6 by Bronx Supreme Court Judge Guy Mitchell and faces up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing is sche

A Mahopac man was arrested last week following a road rage/menacing incident in which he allegedly aimed a loaded gun at a school bus driver. New York State Police at Hawthorne received a walk-in complaint Feb. 4 from a school bus driver who reported that, while driving on the Taconic State Parkway southbound near exit 3 in Mount Pleasant, the driver of another vehicle pointed a handgun at him. In addition to the driver, a bus monitor and three children with special needs wer

Kathleen Sutherland from Putnam AdvoCATS and Andrew Evans from Evans Septic Tank Service visit the animal five days after her rescue. Photo by Chloe Wareham-Gordon. By Holly Crocco When a Marshalls employee heard a cat’s cry coming from somewhere outside the Brewster store on a bitter cold day last month, they coul dn’t just keep walking. Instead, they called the Putnam County SPCA to report what they believed to be a trapped feline, likely in a storm drain, and what happened

Cornell Cooperative Extension-Putnam County Executive Director Stefanie Hubert explains the barn structure to Stephen Gnojewski and Nat Prentice of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, which has donated to the campaign to build a new home for CCE at Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster. Cornell Cooperative Extension-Putnam County last week welcomed supporters to celebrate the substantial progress on its new home now under construction at the county-owned Tilly Foster Farm

By Rob Sample After listening to several sessions of public comment, the Putnam Valley Town Board unanimously decided to withdraw a series of proposed townwide zoning changes during its Jan. 28 meeting. “We decided to withdraw the proposed changes based on public input and on the advice of our newly appointed town attorneys, the firm of Daniels, Porco & Lusardi,” said Town Supervisor Alison Jolicoeur. Dave Daniels, managing partner at Daniels, Porco & Lusardi, noted that the

From left are Fr. Dennis Polanco, SA, president and spiritual director at St. Christopher’s Inn; Fr. Alexander Reed, SA; and Fr. Damian MacPherson in the newly renovated bathrooms at the inn. Provided photo. St. Christopher’s Inn at Graymoor welcomed the start of 2026 by celebrating meaningful improvements to its Garrison grounds and facilities, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to the care and dignity of men overcoming addiction. “These renovations are not just about

Putnam County launched its community paramedicine program last week, providing needed care in patients’ homes, reducing unnecessary 911 calls and hospital transport for non-emergency conditions. Putnam’s community paramedicine/mobile integrated healthcare program will be administered by Empress, which has provided the county advanced life support services since 2023. “We are excited to collaborate to close healthcare gaps and deliver essential services directly to our communi

Here, St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac is cleared during the height of the storm. Whether you had to put on your, boots, hats, and gloves and brave the storm to shovel snow or head out to a job you couldn’t phone-in for, or if you stayed in your PJs and slippers and sipped cocoa while watching the snow fall from the great indoors, there was not a person in Putnam County who could avoid the dose of winter weather the region saw Jan. 25. A state of emergency was declar

Southeast Town Supervisor Nick Durante By Holly Crocco During an emotional testimony at the Jan. 22 Southeast Town Board meeting, Supervisor Nick Durante informed the public that he will be resigning from his post. “After many long and thoughtful conversations, along with a great deal of personal reflection, I’ve decided to step down and resign from my position as town supervisor,” he announced. “I’ll remain on for as long as needed to help my replacement move forward.” While

By Holly Crocco The Carmel Planning Board voted unanimously Jan. 28 to deny an application by People USA to develop a crisis stabilization center in the hamlet. “We spent several months analyzing data, challenging People USA with a lot of questions, listing to the public quite a bit,” said Chairman Anthony Giannico prior to the 6-0 vote. While some audience members applauded the outcome, after the vote, the applicant simply packed up and left the meeting. Throughout the past

Carmel firefighters at the scene of a fire Jan. 22 on Seminary Hill Road. More than $42,000 has been raised (as of Jan. 29) for a Carmel family that was devastated by a recent house. Shortly after 9 p.m. Jan. 22, the Carmel Fire Department, along with the Carmel Police Department and Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corps, were dispatched to a structure fire at the home of Police Office Anthony Bambach and Savanah Catucci on Seminary Hill Road. Officers who first arrived on scene c

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,