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PEEKSKILL, N.Y. -- Since launching on June 1 we've enjoyed bringing you all kinds of news stories from across the city. As 2011 draws to a close, our editorial staff put together the top 10 stories of the year. They aren't in any particular order but the top story was an easy choice:
Peekskill Feels Mother Nature's Wrath. Twice.
Our top newsmaker this year was none other than Mother Nature herself. The city got hit with Tropical Storm Irene, which cut power in Peekskill and across the tri-state region, and then again on Halloween with one of the biggest snowstorms in recent years that also left many city residents without power. While Peekskill fared better than some of its suburban neighbors, the two storms affected far more people than any other stories we covered this year and the slow response by area power companies became a hot topic after the snow melted.
The rest of the top 10 Peekskill stories that made headlines in 2011:
Democrats sweep 2011 election
Heading into the Nov. 8 election it was anybodys guess how city residents would vote in the common council race, with two new faces on the Democratic ticket replacing outgoing council members Joe Schuder and Patricia Riley. Republican candidates launched a barrage of harsh criticism at Mayor Mary Foster and Deputy Mayor Don Bennett. The GOP candidates, led by Mayoral candidate Tony Washington, accused the administration of mismanagement and being anti-business. However, when the smoke cleared Democrats not only swept the four seats to keep all seven seats on the council, but managed to pick up votes in parts of town they had previously struggled in. One bright spot for Republicans was in the District 1 County Legislator race, where incumbent John Testa handily defeated Democrat Michael Kane.
Rick Finn Resigns
In recent months City Manager Rick Finn had been the target of criticism by some residents for being unresponsive to their requests and had also been criticized by others of not taking recent accusations of racial discrimination in the city workforce seriously. The Daily Peekskill was the first to report Finns resignation due to family concerns on Dec. 4.
PHS Students Fight For Their Right to Pastrami
Maybe it was a sign of a backlash against a nanny-state government. Maybe it was seen by residents as a school district overstepping its authority, or maybe students just really like fresh-made deli sandwiches. Whatever the case may be, Peekskill High Schools re-assessment of its open campus policy for student lunch periods made headlines across the county and beyond, as students fought for the right to leave campus on their lunch break in the wake of having the privilege revoked at the start of the school year. In the end, a compromise was reached by school board trustees that let juniors and seniors in good standing keep the privilege at least until the end of the year.
Willis Takes Command of the Peekskill Schools
When former superintendent Judith Johnson abruptly announced shed be retiring last winter recess she left the district and its school board with the task of finding a replacement on short notice. Enter James Willis: a former U.S. Marine and previous superintendent for the large and very diverse Utica City School District. Prior to Utica, Willis was assistant superintendent for human resources in the South Country Central School District on Long Island, and prior to that he was assistant superintendent for human resources and administration in the South Orangetown Central School District in Rockland County. Willis has already made changes to the way the district operates some popular and some unpopular - see above.
Peekskill HUD Forced To Pay $1 million to Former Executive
A news wrap-up in Peekskill wouldnt be complete without an appearance by the Peekskill Housing Authority and, although things were relatively quiet this year, the federal court's jury decision in favor of former Executive Director Thomas Thankachan $1 million in November was the latest chapter in the saga that started with his firing in 2007. Thankachans lawyers argued in state court that the firing of Thankachan, an Indian Immigrant, was racially motivated and that he endured insults due to his ethnicity, while plaintiffs argued he was fired for mismanagement. In the end a jury agreed with Thankachan and awarded him $1 million, which the housing authority, which is run independently of the city government, must now appeal or find a way to pay out.
Bank Robbery
With the rise of the Internet, cell phones and security cameras on every corner, its a rarity to see a bank robbery these days, let alone at a busy bank on a main thoroughfare. Its even rarer that the robber manages to get away with it. But thats what happened on Nov. 4 when a man robbed the Chase bank on Main Street near the Beach Shopping Center. The person, who police are still searching for, is believed to have gotten into a car parked at a nearby daycare center.
Peekskill vs. Newburgh
When the mayor of embattled Newburgh referred to his city and nearby Peekskill as dying cities in a New York Magazine article, Peekskill Mayor Mary Foster took umbrage with the claim, releasing a statement saying her city was alive and well, thank you very much. The only problem was that Mayor Nicholas Valentine said the article took his comments out of context and that he was merely talking about the difficulties the two cities, among others such as Poughkeepsie, faced in the 1970 and 1980s. Valentine said he actually admired what Peekskill was doing to reinvent itself and draw in visitors and said he hoped to duplicate the results in his city. Well consider that a truce.
Peekskill Recognizes World AIDS Day
City residents gathered in Pugsley Park on Dec. 1 for a different kind of tree lighting in observance of World AIDS Day. Children from the Peekskill Youth Bureau put together a Tree of Life to mark World AIDS Day with the help of some area artists. The tree was made from driftwood gathered from the Hudson River. Area artists Wilfredo Morel, Lana Yu and Jim Taylor helped design and assemble the tree and dozens of people came to see it unveiled. Area residents were encouraged to collect a leaf at the youth bureau, which accepted dollar donations. Donations go to support the AIDS cause. Several dozen participants marched from the youth bureau down Main Street to the Park and were led in spiritual hymns by local musician Doug Smith to where the tree has remained for the rest of the holiday season.
Peekskill, Meet Stella
Its been decades since the city had a trolley rolling through its streets but earlier this year city resident Leslie Masson brought a trolley cross country from Washington State and had it refurbished with the help of Peekskill wood restorer Jeremiah Lawrence. Then in June residents and elected officials came out to celebrate the Christening of Stella, the first trolley purchased and put on the road by Massons newly formed Peekskill Trolley Company. Since then, Stella has become a regular sight on city streets and has taken part in several big city events such as parades and holiday celebrations.
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