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Politics
No Garbage Pickup In Mount Vernon As Mayor, Comptroller Spar Over Who's Not Paying Bills No Garbage Pickup In Mount Vernon As Mayor, Comptroller Spar Over Who's Not Paying Bills
No Garbage Pickup In Mount Vernon As Mayor, Comptroller Spar Over Who's Not Paying Bills Some essential services - including garbage pickup - were temporarily cut in Mount Vernon as Mayor Richard Thomas and Comptroller Deborah Reynolds continue their public spat. Thomas says that vendors are cutting off fuel from the city for non-payment as Reynolds refuses to accept signed checks, even as gas reserves continue to dwindle, leading to no garbage or yard waste pickup during the morning of Monday, June 3 as DPW trucks were grounded. The mayor alleges that Reynolds continues to refuse to accept invoices and the city is facing millions of dollars in unpaid bills and penalties. The r…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Suspect Apprehended After Fatally Stabbing Man in Mount Vernon Suspect Apprehended After Fatally Stabbing Man in Mount Vernon
Suspect Apprehended After Fatally Stabbing Man in Mount Vernon A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the fatal stabbing of a man in Westchester. Cortland Street resident Savian Kirton of Mount Vernon has been charged with manslaughter for his role in the homicide of Jermial Rose, who was fatally stabbed in the neck outside a deli on South 8th Avenue in Mount Vernon on Saturday, June 1. Officers from the Mount Vernon Police Department responded to 401 S. 8th Ave. shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday, where there was a report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers found Rose, 38, with a stab wound to the neck. He was transported to a nea…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Mount Vernon Man Cited For Illegally Dumping Asphalt In Public Parking Lot Mount Vernon Man Cited For Illegally Dumping Asphalt In Public Parking Lot
Mount Vernon Man Cited For Illegally Dumping Asphalt In Public Parking Lot Police caught a truck driver from Mount Vernon red-handed illegally dumping debris and asphalt in a local parking lot in Westchester. Officers from the Mount Vernon Police Department spotted the driver from a Connecticut company, Ruben Cruz, 57, on Thursday, May 30, dumping in the public parking lot 17, police announced. Cruz, a Third Avenue resident, was accused of littering and issued an appearance ticket to appear in Mount Vernon City Court on July 15. According to officials, the Mount Vernon City Code states that any person violating any provision of the City’s littering ordinance shal…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
City Council Demands Top Mount Vernon Lawyer Steps Down After Indictment City Council Demands Top Mount Vernon Lawyer Steps Down After Indictment
City Council Demands Top Mount Vernon Lawyer Steps Down After Indictment City officials in Mount Vernon are calling on their top attorney to step down after he was indicted for allegedly using Water Department funds to help pay for Mayor Richard Thomas’ criminal defense legal team and hire a public relations firm. Lawrence Porcari Jr., the city’s Corporation Counsel pleaded not guilty in Westchester County Court on Wednesday, May 29, to a felony charge of first-degree corrupting the government. He allegedly was involved in using $365,000 from the city’s water department to assist the mayor. Porcari was also charged with one count of grand larceny as a crime of p…

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by Zak Failla
News
Mount Vernon City Counsel Charged For Allegedly Misappropriating City Funds Mount Vernon City Counsel Charged For Allegedly Misappropriating City Funds
Mount Vernon City Counsel Charged For Allegedly Misappropriating City Funds One of Mount Vernon’s top lawyers was in an unfamiliar position in court on Wednesday when he was indicted for allegedly using city water department funds to help pay for Mayor Richard Thomas’ criminal defense legal team and hire a public relations firm. Lawrence Porcari Jr., the city’s Corporation Counsel pleaded not guilty in Westchester County Court on Wednesday, May 29, to a felony charge of first-degree corrupting the government. He allegedly was involved in using $365,000 from the city’s water department to assist the mayor. Porcari was also charged with one count of grand larceny as …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Battle Between Mount Vernon Mayor, Comptroller, Reaches Fever Pitch Battle Between Mount Vernon Mayor, Comptroller, Reaches Fever Pitch
Battle Between Mount Vernon Mayor, Comptroller, Reaches Fever Pitch The ongoing battle between Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas and Comptroller Deborah Reynolds has reached new heights. This week, Reynolds reportedly removed Thomas and Mount Vernon City Council President Lisa Copeland from the city’s bank-account signature card, which the mayor argues is a violation of the City Charter. Thomas stated that “ if Comptroller Reynolds were to become incapacitated or unable to fulfill her duties, there is no one empowered to officially sign the City's checks.” On Friday, Thomas went after Reynolds again, this time because the Comptroller’s office was clos…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mount Vernon Mayor Rejects Plea Deal In Criminal Case, Will Head to Trial Mount Vernon Mayor Rejects Plea Deal In Criminal Case, Will Head to Trial
Mount Vernon Mayor Rejects Plea Deal In Criminal Case, Will Head to Trial Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas will have his day in court. Thomas rejected the final plea deal in his criminal case on Friday and is scheduled to go to trial in July, according to lohud. At his latest court date, Thomas reportedly told Supreme Court Justice Barry Warhit that “I have faith in the system, your honor. I’m proceeding to trial.” The decision came following two hours of conferences between the judge, prosecutors and lawyers representing the mayor. Thomas has vehemently denied any wrongdoing since allegations arose claiming he misappropriated campaign funds. Jury sel…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Former Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis Battling To Get Back On Ballot Former Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis Battling To Get Back On Ballot
Former Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis Battling To Get Back On Ballot Former Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis, who is hopeful of taking office after being ousted by incumbent Mayor Richard Thomas is taking the Westchester Board of Elections to court in an effort to have his name on the ballot in June’s Democratic primary. Last week, Davis was notified that he was taken off the ballot after hundreds of signatures nominating him were deemed invalid on his petition. In total, more than 2,300 signatures of his 2,758 signatures were invalidated, which the former mayor called “suspicious.” Mayoral hopefuls who want their names on the June 25 ballot require 750 valid…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Fundraising Effort Launched For Funeral Of Mount Vernon Boy Struck, Killed Fundraising Effort Launched For Funeral Of Mount Vernon Boy Struck, Killed
Fundraising Effort Launched For Funeral Of Mount Vernon Boy Struck, Killed A fundraising campaign has been started for the family of 9-year-old Drew Faustin, who was struck and killed by a minivan in Westchester while crossing the street just days before his 10th birthday. Faustin, a fourth-grade student at Graham Elementary School in Mount Vernon was struck by the vehicle driven by 27-year-old Connecticut resident Janay Ruiz, 27, shortly after 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, while crossing South Columbus Avenue in Mount Vernon, officials said. The boy was transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx for treatment, where he was pronounced dead. In response, a …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Victim, Driver ID'd: Boy Dies After Being Hit By Minivan In Mount Vernon Victim, Driver ID'd: Boy Dies After Being Hit By Minivan In Mount Vernon
Victim, Driver ID'd: Boy Dies After Being Hit By Minivan In Mount Vernon Police have released new details regarding the tragic incident in which a minivan struck and killed a 9-year-old boy while crossing the street in Westchester. Drew Faustin, a fourth-grade student at Graham Elementary School in Mount Vernon was struck by the vehicle driven by 27-year-old Connecticut resident Janay Ruiz, 27, shortly after 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, while crossing South Columbus Avenue in Mount Vernon, officials said. The boy was transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx for treatment, where he was pronounced dead. Ruiz, whose place of residence in Connecticut was …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Chase Counters Claim Of Racial Profiling At White Plains Branch By Mount Vernon Mayor Chase Counters Claim Of Racial Profiling At White Plains Branch By Mount Vernon Mayor
Chase Counters Claim Of Racial Profiling At White Plains Branch By Mount Vernon Mayor JPMorgan Chase is refuting claims from a mayor in Westchester who is claiming he was the target of racial profiling for “banking while black” at a local Chase Bank in White Plains. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas said that police were called to a JP Morgan Chase office on Westchester Avenue on Thursday, April 25, while he was waiting to see a bank official. According to an email from one of Thomas’ spokespeople, bank officials summoned the police on him, his chief of staff, and a Mount Vernon Police detective as Thomas sought access to Mount Vernon’s online banking records. “The response…

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by Zak Failla
News
Chase Offers Differing Version To Incident Involving Mount Vernon Mayor Chase Offers Differing Version To Incident Involving Mount Vernon Mayor
Chase Offers Differing Version To Incident Involving Mount Vernon Mayor JPMorgan Chase is refuting claims from a mayor in Westchester who is claiming he was the target of racial profiling for “banking while black” at a local Chase Bank in White Plains. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas said that police were called to a JP Morgan Chase office on Westchester Avenue on Thursday, April 25, while he was waiting to see a bank official. According to an email from one of Thomas’ spokespeople, bank officials summoned the police on him, his chief of staff, and a Mount Vernon Police detective as Thomas sought access to Mount Vernon’s online banking records. “The response…

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by Zak Failla