Overcast 57°
News
'A Grave Injustice': GoFundMe Started To Help Fired High School Coach In Northern Westchester 'A Grave Injustice': GoFundMe Started To Help Fired High School Coach In Northern Westchester
'A Grave Injustice': GoFundMe Started To Help Fired High School Coach In Northern Westchester Supporters of a fired high school coach in Northern Westchester are taking it upon themselves to help him get his position back.  A GoFundMe has been started to raise legal funds for Coach Bill Swertfager, who coached varsity wrestling in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District at John Jay High School in Cross River. The fundraiser page was started on Friday, Nov.18.  Swertfager, who has coached for nearly 40 years according to the GoFundMe, was removed from his position by the Katonah-Lewisboro School Board and Superintendent Andrew Selesnick, the fundrais…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
News
Westchester High School Alum Receives Full-Ride Scholarship In Name Of Actor Chadwick Boseman Westchester High School Alum Receives Full-Ride Scholarship In Name Of Actor Chadwick Boseman
Westchester High School Alum Receives Full-Ride Scholarship In Name Of Actor Chadwick Boseman An alum of a high school in Westchester County has received a full-ride college scholarship in the name of deceased actor Chadwick Boseman.  Jayleen Seeburg, who graduated from Mount Vernon's Denzel Washington School of the Arts in 2022, has received the Chadwick Boseman Memorial Scholarship, which will cover her four years of schooling at Howard University in Washington, DC, according to the high school.  The $5.4 million endowed scholarship was created in Oct. 2021 by the university with the help of a donation from Netflix and is meant to honor Boseman, an alumnus of H…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Schools
Superintendent In Hudson Valley Resigns Just Over A Year After Taking Job Superintendent In Hudson Valley Resigns Just Over A Year After Taking Job
Superintendent In Hudson Valley Resigns Just Over A Year After Taking Job An openly gay Hudson Valley school superintendent has resigned amid backlash over his sexual identity by a small group of organized mothers.  In Orange County, Florida Union Free School District Superintendent Larry Leaven announced his resignation on Monday, Nov. 14 on the district's website, saying his resignation will take effect Wednesday, Nov. 30. "It has been a pleasure to practice my craft alongside some of the best in education," Leaven said. "I look forward to hearing great things about the Florida learning community and wish everyone well as they continue to connect, lea…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Obituaries
Teacher, Coach, Principal From Northern Westchester 'Known For His Unconditional Kindness' Dies Teacher, Coach, Principal From Northern Westchester 'Known For His Unconditional Kindness' Dies
Teacher, Coach, Principal From Northern Westchester 'Known For His Unconditional Kindness' Dies A beloved educator and coach from Northern Westchester known for making a lasting impression on his students has died.  Joseph Troy of Somers died on Thursday, Nov. 3 at the age of 83, according to his obituary.  Born in 1939 in New York City, Troy graduated from St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Barrytown in 1957 and earned his bachelor's degree in Biology at Catholic University in 1962 as well as his master’s degree in Education and Doctoral Studies from New York University, his obituary said.  Troy then continued his career in education at Pleasantville Hi…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Former School Board President From Northern Westchester Dies Former School Board President From Northern Westchester Dies
Former School Board President From Northern Westchester Dies A Northern Westchester woman passionate about volunteering for her community died on Saturday, Oct. 22.  Gail Wittkin Sasso of Croton-on-Hudson died at the age of 75, according to her obituary. Raised on Long Island, in Roslyn Heights, Sasso was heavily involved in her village, serving as a past president of the Croton Harmon Board of Education and a member of the Croton on Hudson Water Control Commission, her obituary said.  Sasso also co-founded the local chapter of CCoHope INDIVISIBLE, a political group.  In addition to her volunteering, Sasso was al…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
4 Accused Of Selling Drugs Disguised As Candy At 2 NY Stores, Including 1 Near School 4 Accused Of Selling Drugs Disguised As Candy At 2 NY Stores, Including 1 Near School
4 Accused Of Selling Drugs Disguised As Candy At 2 NY Stores, Including 1 Near School Four men have been accused of selling drugs, some disguised as candy bars, at two stores, including one near a school. Following community complaints on Long Island, Suffolk County Police executed search warrants at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Exit 42 Deli, located at 270 Spur Drive South in Bay Shore, and Legit 100 Smoke Shop, located at 165 Higbie Lane in West Islip,  During the operations, police seized large quantities of mushrooms with psilocybin, concentrated cannabis, marijuana, and cocaine. Additionally, detectives discovered narcotics package…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
This Locale Is NY's Lone Representative In Money Magazine's Best Places To Live List This Locale Is NY's Lone Representative In Money Magazine's Best Places To Live List
This Locale Is NY's Lone Representative In Money Magazine's Best Places To Live List New Yorkers searching for the sweet life need look no further than this Long Island locale, according to a new ranking from Money magazine.  On its list of the 50 best places to live in the United States, Glen Cove on Nassau County’s North Shore was ranked No. 37, the only New York locale to make the cut. To come up with its ranking, Money looked at several factors that matter most to people, including cost of living, diversity, economic opportunity, and education. Researchers also factored in health and safety, the housing market, income and personal finance, fun and amenities, …

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Schools
This Westchester High School Ranks Among Top 20 Statewide, New Report Says This Westchester High School Ranks Among Top 20 Statewide, New Report Says
This Westchester High School Ranks Among Top 20 Statewide, New Report Says A high school in Westchester County is among the top 20 in New York, according to a new ranking from the school review site Niche.  Scarsdale Senior High School, in the Scarsdale Union Free School District, was ranked No. 13 out of 1,255 public high schools in the state with an overall grade of A+. It was also ranked No. 1 in best public high schools in Westchester County. Scores are based on a variety of school statistics like math and reading test scores, in addition to reviews from students and parents, according to Niche. Scarsdale High earned top marks in several categories, in…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Politics
Poll Sheds Light On Highly Contested Race In New NY Congressional District Poll Sheds Light On Highly Contested Race In New NY Congressional District
Poll Sheds Light On Highly Contested Race In New NY Congressional District With just weeks left until Election Day, new polling shows that Democrat Josh Riley is leading his Republican opponent, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, in the highly contested race for New York’s new 19th Congressional District. The district covers several counties in the central portion of the state, including Sullivan, Greene, and Columbia counties. Riley holds a five-point lead there over Molinaro, 46 to 41 percent, according to a new Spectrum News/Siena College poll of likely voters. Among their parties, Riley garnered support from 83 percent of Democrats while 78 percent of …

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Schools
These Westchester Schools Named 2022 Blue Ribbon Winners These Westchester Schools Named 2022 Blue Ribbon Winners
These Westchester Schools Named 2022 Blue Ribbon Winners Multiple Hudson Valley schools were named 2022 National Blue Ribbon winners. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, a part of the United States Department of Education, announces hundreds of award recipients annually. The award was created to recognize schools that are considered outstanding, and the winners are honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, where schools receive plaques and flags. The following Westchester County schools were named winners: Croton‐Harmon High School in Croton-on-Hudson  Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua Bronxville Elementary School …

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
Schools
NY School District Responds To Teacher's Allegations Following Firing NY School District Responds To Teacher's Allegations Following Firing
NY School District Responds To Teacher's Allegations Following Firing A teacher from the region who was let go is making waves with allegations that he was let go for being a friend and ally to the school's LGBTQ community. The incident began playing out in public in Suffolk County on Long Island when Smithtown High School East teacher Josh Tilton claimed on Instagram that he was denied tenure because of his beliefs. Tilson, who worked closely with LGBTQ students, wrote on Instagram that a mural he created with his students was painted over once he was no longer at the building and pointed fingers at several administrators as "hating" the LGBTQ community…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Real Estate
Northern Westchester Town Cited For 'History, Horse Farms, Sprawling Estates' By NY Times Northern Westchester Town Cited For 'History, Horse Farms, Sprawling Estates' By NY Times
Northern Westchester Town Cited For 'History, Horse Farms, Sprawling Estates' By NY Times An in-depth profile from The New York Times has put the spotlight on a Northern Westchester town known for its history and impressive estates. The news outlet published a profile about life in the town of Bedford on Wednesday, Aug. 31. The report highlighted Bedford's "rural feel," with its characteristic stone walls, many miles of dirt roads, and horse farms, along with the "sprawling estates" some residents own. Evan Goldstein, a resident who moved to the town in 2020, told the publication that moving to Bedford with his family was "the best decision of our lives." The New York Times fu…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote