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Business
Restaurant Reopens Months After Fire Tore Through Building In Westchester Restaurant Reopens Months After Fire Tore Through Building In Westchester
Restaurant Reopens Months After Fire Tore Through Building In Westchester Nine months after a fire gutted a popular area, the owners have reopened the doors to the eatery, which is once again open for business. In April last year, on a rainy morning, firefighters were dispatched to the Lincoln Barbeque on East Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon, when a fire broke out in the ceiling and quickly spread to the rest of the structure. It took crews several hours to knock down the flames as they dealt with windy conditions and tight confines inside the building. For owner Burt Dones, the outlook was bleak.  “I didn’t know if I would be able to reopen,” he said. “I wa…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Work Underway At Memorial Field Work Underway At Memorial Field
Work Underway At Memorial Field At long last, work has resumed at Memorial Field, after years of bickering and debate about the once vibrant recreation hub, Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced. “Silly politics are behind us,” the mayor said. “What’s in front of us is getting Memorial field back.” Earlier this month, Westchester County officials unanimously voted to take over renovations at the once-vibrant recreation hub, which has stood vacant and desolate for years. The field has been a topic of consternation between Westchester residents, local and county officials. Previously, the city had taken over renovati…

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by Zak Failla
News
Westchester To Take Second Shot At Memorial Field Renovation Westchester To Take Second Shot At Memorial Field Renovation
Westchester To Take Second Shot At Memorial Field Renovation Is there hope on the horizon for the historic Memorial Field in Mount Vernon? Westchester County officials unanimously voted to take over renovations at the once-vibrant recreation hub, which has stood vacant and desolate for years. The field has been a topic of consternation between Westchester residents, local and county officials. Previously, the city had taken over renovation efforts, which came under fire when contaminated debris was illegally dumped at the field. The charge for change and the county taking over was led by Mount Vernon legislator Lyndon Williams, who said that the pa…

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by Zak Failla
News
Mayor In Westchester Picks Familiar Defense Team In Corruption Case Mayor In Westchester Picks Familiar Defense Team In Corruption Case
Mayor In Westchester Picks Familiar Defense Team In Corruption Case Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas is turning to a familiar defense team as his criminal trial for alleged corruption approaches. Earlier this year, the Mount Vernon mayor was charged following an investigation which exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree ordering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. He was also charged with two counts …

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by Zak Failla
News
Mount Vernon Reaches Agreement With Westchester County Over Memorial Field Mount Vernon Reaches Agreement With Westchester County Over Memorial Field
Mount Vernon Reaches Agreement With Westchester County Over Memorial Field There may be a light at the end of the tunnel that has become the Memorial Field debacle in Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced on Tuesday that he has signed an amended agreement between the city and Westchester County involving the restoration of the once vibrant, historic, Memorial Field. Thomas said that the amendment “reiterates the city and county’s commitment to a competitive  eight-lane track, a field, and replacement of the decayed grandstands.” It amends the previous agreement, signed in December of 2008, between the city and the county. According to Thomas,…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Westchester Business Owners Seek $1.5M From City After Being Shut Down Westchester Business Owners Seek $1.5M From City After Being Shut Down
Westchester Business Owners Seek $1.5M From City After Being Shut Down The owners of a popular Mount Vernon bakery that was forced to shut down temporarily over the summer continue to butt heads with local officials, and plan to file a lawsuit against the city seeking $1.5 million in damages. Lawyers from Lauren P. Raysor, who will be representing Miesha Stokely and Montika Jones, the co-owners of Cupcake Cutie Boutique, announced that they will be issuing a notice of claim, stating that the summer shutdown caused “harm to reputation, emotional distress and the loss of business.” The cupcake shop was ordered by the city to close its doors in August, with offic…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
$1.5M Lawsuit From Business Against City In Westchester Is 'Meritless,' Mayor Says $1.5M Lawsuit From Business Against City In Westchester Is 'Meritless,' Mayor Says
$1.5M Lawsuit From Business Against City In Westchester Is 'Meritless,' Mayor Says Hours after the owners of a popular Mount Vernon bakery formally announced plans to file a $1.5 million lawsuit against the city, Mayor Richard Thomas released a statement calling the action “meritless.” On Thursday, lawyers from Lauren P. Raysor, who will be representing Miesha Stokely and Montika Jones, the co-owners of Cupcake Cutie Boutique, announced that they will be issuing a notice of claim, stating that the summer shutdown caused “harm to reputation, emotional distress and the loss of business.” The lawyers were in Mount Vernon to officially announce the lawsuit at Cupcake Cutie Bo…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Play Ball! 12-Year-Old From Westchester Raises $20K For Youth Baseball Play Ball! 12-Year-Old From Westchester Raises $20K For Youth Baseball
Play Ball! 12-Year-Old From Westchester Raises $20K For Youth Baseball A big-hearted baseball fan from Westchester is making sure that all kids his age have the opportunity to “play ball.” Scarsdale resident Evan Schiff, 12, is donating more than $20,000 in brand new baseball equipment, including bats, balls, gloves, helmets, catching gear, and more to help build up Mount Vernon’s RBI youth baseball program.  “I want kids to be able to enjoy the sport as much as I do,” Evan said. “So, I teamed up with an amazing non-profit organization called Pitch in for Baseball and Softball. They’ve helped me locate teams in need of equipment and have supported my efforts i…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mayor In Westchester Scheduled To Appear In Court For Criminal Case Mayor In Westchester Scheduled To Appear In Court For Criminal Case
Mayor In Westchester Scheduled To Appear In Court For Criminal Case Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas is scheduled to appear in court for his first appearance since being arraigned in May on charges claiming he stole campaign funds and failed to disclose his use of inaugural funds during his initial run for office. Thomas is due in Westchester County Court on Friday, where he will answer charges that include grand larceny and filing a false instrument after being accused of stealing more than $12,000 from Friends of Richard Thomas, his campaign committee when he ran for mayor three years ago. He is also accused of allegedly failing to report nearly $50,000 t…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mayor In Westchester Fails To Have Felony Charges Dropped In Court Mayor In Westchester Fails To Have Felony Charges Dropped In Court
Mayor In Westchester Fails To Have Felony Charges Dropped In Court Richard Thomas will be heading to court for allegedly stealing campaign funds and lying about money he diverted from his inaugural committee for personal benefit. Earlier this year, the Mount Vernon mayor was charged following an investigation which exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree ordering a false instrument for filing, all felonies. He was also …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Westchester Mayor, Hip-Hop Star 'Diddy,' Discuss Historic Memorial Field Westchester Mayor, Hip-Hop Star 'Diddy,' Discuss Historic Memorial Field
Westchester Mayor, Hip-Hop Star 'Diddy,' Discuss Historic Memorial Field The battle over the historic Memorial Field in Mount Vernon has gone Hollywood. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas was in Los Angeles last week to meet with hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs to “continue collaboration talks to grow Mount Vernon’s sports and entertainment economy.” The meeting came following a similar get together with the mogul in Miami earlier this year. Thomas said that talks included restoring Memorial Field, “making it a premier east coast destination for Olympic athletes and local champions to train, compete and connect with the community.” "I thank Diddy for the in…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Westchester Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Westchester
Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Westchester With Mount Vernon facing millions of dollars in fines for violating the Clean Water Act, Mayor Richard Thomas has invited members of the federal government to appear at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. The City of Mount Vernon is facing a lawsuit from the EPA and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for allegedly discharging raw sewage and other pollutants from its storm sewer system into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. The fines may top $100 million. Officials announced the lawsuit last month, claiming that Mount Vernon has failed to comply with the Clean Water Act sto…

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by Zak Failla