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Brewster High School

Police & Fire
School Shooting Threat On Social Media Prompts Police Response In Hudson Valley School Shooting Threat On Social Media Prompts Police Response In Hudson Valley
School Shooting Threat On Social Media Prompts Police Response In Hudson Valley Several Hudson Valley schools were put in lockout after authorities were alerted of a school shooting threat that was posted on social media and shared by students, police said. The police response resulted from an incident in Putnam County on Thursday, March 14 around 7:45 a.m., when the school resource officer assigned to Brewster High School learned of a threatening message regarding a possible shooting that was posted on social media, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said on Monday, March 18. Sheriff's deputies immediately responded to the school and enforced a lockout at all Bre…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Hudson Valley Student Admitted To West Point: 'Every Challenge Is Good' Hudson Valley Student Admitted To West Point: 'Every Challenge Is Good'
Hudson Valley Student Admitted To West Point: 'Every Challenge Is Good' A high school senior from the Hudson Valley will attend West Point after pushing through a rigorous application process in search of opportunities that his parents never had.  Senior Suhaan Akula from Brewster High School in Putnam County is one of the over 1,000 students across the US who was admitted into West Point for the 2023-24 school year, Brewster Central School District Communications Specialist Jessica Medoff announced on Thursday, May 18.  In order to attend the school, located in Orange County in the town of Highlands, Akula had to endure a competitive application proc…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Person Accused Of Making Threat Against Current Student At High School In Hudson Valley Person Accused Of Making Threat Against Current Student At High School In Hudson Valley
Person Accused Of Making Threat Against Current Student At High School In Hudson Valley A former student has been accused of making threats against a current student at a high school in the Hudson Valley. On Thursday, March 23 at approximately 12:30 pm, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into threats made on social media targeting a student at Brewster High School. The suspect, who resides outside the county, was quickly identified, located, and issued an appearance ticket for Putnam County Family Court, Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville said. Out of an abundance of caution, additional sheriff’s patrols are on the scene at all of the B…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
'It’s Like I Won The Lottery!': Hudson Valley HS Senior Wins $300K Scholarship 'It’s Like I Won The Lottery!': Hudson Valley HS Senior Wins $300K Scholarship
'It’s Like I Won The Lottery!': Hudson Valley HS Senior Wins $300K Scholarship A high school senior from the Hudson Valley is being rewarded for her hard work with a more-than $300,000 scholarship to her dream school.  Putnam County resident Franceska Drejaj, a senior at Brewster High School, won the four-year scholarship to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where she is planning on studying government and legal studies, according to an interview released by the Brewster Central School District.  Drejaj won the scholarship through QuestBridge, a nonprofit that helps high-performing low-income students attend leading colleges. She was o…

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Popular Business Owner In Hudson Valley Dies At Age 55 Popular Business Owner In Hudson Valley Dies At Age 55
Popular Business Owner In Hudson Valley Dies At Age 55 A lifetime Hudson Valley resident and owner of a local business has died at the age of 55. Putnam County resident William Henry Jr. died on Wednesday, June 15, according to his obituary. Henry was born in Carmel and was a lifelong resident of Brewster.  He graduated from Brewster High School and went on to work at Raichle in Brewster, his obituary said.  Henry later opened Bill Henry Tree Service Inc., serving Northern Westchester, Dutchess, and Putnam counties for more than 30 years, his obituary said. "Bill had many passions including traveling, boating, water-skiing, and dee…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Hudson Valley HS Student Who Saved Grandpa's Life Recognized For Heroic Actions Hudson Valley HS Student Who Saved Grandpa's Life Recognized For Heroic Actions
Hudson Valley HS Student Who Saved Grandpa's Life Recognized For Heroic Actions A high school student is being recognized for his heroic actions after he saved his grandfather's life in the Hudson Valley. In Putnam County, Brewster High School sophomore Timothy Kolka was presented with a certificate by School Resource Officer Joseph Sadowski in front of his family and Brewster High School staffers, the school district announced. Timothy was home alone with his grandfather, James Rea, when James had a heart attack. “He fell and then he was unresponsive,” Timothy said in the announcement. “I tried to get him up but I couldn’t. It was just pure adrenaline.” Timothy…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Man Indicted For Death Of College Student From Hudson Valley Man Indicted For Death Of College Student From Hudson Valley
Man Indicted For Death Of College Student From Hudson Valley The man accused of gunning down a college student from the Hudson Valley has been indicted on murder charges for allegedly killing the 21-year-old, authorities announced. St. Lawrence County resident Matthew Snow, age 31, of Massena in New York, is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, April 11 for his alleged role in killing Elizabeth Howell, a SUNY Potsdam student from Putnam County. Original story - Brewster HS Grad Killed In Upstate Shooting Was An Aspiring Educator It is alleged that Snow shot and killed Howell, a Putnam Lake resident from the town of Patterson, on Friday, Feb. 18 whe…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Kevin Bacon Gives Thumbs Up To Hudson Valley High School's Footloose Cast Kevin Bacon Gives Thumbs Up To Hudson Valley High School's Footloose Cast
Kevin Bacon Gives Thumbs Up To Hudson Valley High School's Footloose Cast Actor Kevin Bacon gave a thumbs up and encouragement to students at a Hudson Valley high school who are putting on a performance of "Footloose." Bacon, who starred in the original 1984 movie, gave the shout-out on Instagram to the Putnam County performing arts students at Brewster High School after hearing they were putting on the musical drama that helped launch him to stardom. "Break a leg, jump back, I know you'll be fantastic," Bacon said, referring to Brewster High School by name. The star also laughingly said, "You're probably wondering who this guy is." He ended with a "Knock Em De…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Police Release New Info On Fatal Shooting Of College Student From Hudson Valley Police Release New Info On Fatal Shooting Of College Student From Hudson Valley
Police Release New Info On Fatal Shooting Of College Student From Hudson Valley The 21-year-old SUNY Potsdam student from the Hudson Valley who was killed just off-campus was fatally shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting, according to new information released by police. Putnam County resident Elizabeth Howell, age 21, who was a senior at SUNY Potsdam, was struck by three bullets that were fired from a grey, four-door Honda Civic at around 5:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, investigators from the Potsdam Police Department announced. Original story - Brewster HS Grad Killed In Upstate Shooting Was An Aspiring Educator Police said that her alleged shooter, St. Lawrence C…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
College Student From Hudson Valley Killed In Upstate Shooting Was An Aspiring Educator College Student From Hudson Valley Killed In Upstate Shooting Was An Aspiring Educator
College Student From Hudson Valley Killed In Upstate Shooting Was An Aspiring Educator A female college student from the Hudson Valley who was shot and killed on a street just off-campus in upstate New York is being remembered  as an aspiring educator and talented musician. Putnam County resident Elizabeth Howell, age 21, was a senior at SUNY Potsdam, where she was a music education student at the college's prestigious Crane School. At about 5:50 p.m. on Friday, Feb.18, police in Potsdam, New York, located in St. Lawrence County, responded to a report of an unconscious female on College Park Road near the entrance to SUNY Potsdam. Responding patrols located Howell, of t…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
School Board Member Resigns Over Facebook Posts On George Floyd, Protests School Board Member Resigns Over Facebook Posts On George Floyd, Protests
School Board Member Resigns Over Facebook Posts On George Floyd, Protests The school member who sparked a backlash in Putnam County after Facebook posts about the death of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests has resigned. The Brewster Board of Education announced Saturday morning, June 13 that Krista Berardi had stepped down as a trustee. Berardi submitted her letter of resignation late Friday night, June 12, the board said. Brewster School Board President Sonia Mesika had called for Berardi to resign and members of the community held a protest over the situation after a Change.org petition started by Brewster High School student garnered tho…

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by Joe Lombardi
Obituaries
Mount Kisco Native Jason Hoffman, Brewster HS Grad, Dies At 33 Mount Kisco Native Jason Hoffman, Brewster HS Grad, Dies At 33
Mount Kisco Native Jason Hoffman, Brewster HS Grad, Dies At 33 Mount Kisco native and Brewster High School graduate, Jason Hoffman, has died at the age of 33. Jason was born on April 8, 1986 in Mount Kisco to Jeffrey and Helen P. Hoffman (nee) Lowry. Jason graduated from Brewster High School and was survived by his parents as well as his brother, Matthew Hoffman. Jason died Wednesday, Sept. 4 in Danbury. The Hoffman family will receive family members and friends at Beecher Funeral Home (1 Putnam Avenue) on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 11 at St. Lawrence O’Toole Church (31 Pro…

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by Valerie Musson
Schools
Brewster's Annual Math-A-Thon Draws Quite A Crowd Brewster's Annual Math-A-Thon Draws Quite A Crowd
Brewster's Annual Math-a-thon Draws Quite A Crowd Close to 100 members of Brewster High School’s Math Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, attended the district’s 10th annual Math-A-Thon to welcome dozens of third-graders from CV Starr while raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The event involves the math honor society students providing guidance and engagement in working with the third-grade students in various math-themed activities. Students had the chance to complete workbook activities and play interactive mathematics games. The event even included a scavenger hunt. Younger students also got the highly coveted chance to…

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by Valerie Musson
Schools
Brewster Students To Forgo Classes In Symbolic Walk Brewster Students To Forgo Classes In Symbolic Walk
Brewster Students To Forgo Classes In Symbolic Walk Students from Brewster High School are on a mission to take real-life action after being inspired by a piece of literature they read in a ninth-grade English class. A total of nine students will take a symbolic six-hour trek around the track on Friday, April 12 in lieu of attending their normally scheduled classes in an effort to raise awareness and money to combat the ongoing water crisis in South Sudan. The students were inspired after reading Linda Sue Park’s “A Long Walk to Water” in Jessica Juska’s freshman Honors English class. The book tells the true story of one of the Lost Boys of …

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Four Charged After Brewster HS Baseball Field Vandalized By Vehicle Four Charged After Brewster HS Baseball Field Vandalized By Vehicle
Four Charged After Brewster HS Baseball Field Vandalized By Vehicle Four teens are facing charges after the baseball field at Brewster High School was vandalized by a motor vehicle,  Putnam County Sheriff Robert L. Langley Jr. announced. Just before 5 a.m. on Sunday, March 10,  Putnam County Sheriff Deputy Shane Rossiter and Deputy Ryan Diskin of the Emergency Service Unit were dispatched to a report of a vehicle doing “donuts” on the Brewster High School baseball field.  Upon arrival, the deputies observed an occupied vehicle stuck on the baseball field. Subsequent investigation revealed that the driver of the vehicle caused approximate…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
Brewster High School Literary Magazine Gets National Attention Brewster High School Literary Magazine Gets National Attention
Brewster High School Literary Magazine Gets National Attention The literary magazine from Brewster High School, called Ursus, has received national attention after last year’s edition received a high rank from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The ranking came from the NCTE’s “Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines” (REALM) contest. Ursus earned a rank of “Nominated for REALM First Class” by NCTE members. “The mission of NCTE’s REALM Program is to publicly recognize excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers,” said NCTE Executive Director Emily Kirkpatrick. “REALM is designed to …

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by Valerie Musson
Schools
Brewster HS Three-Sport Standout Named Coca-Cola Scholars Semifinalist Brewster HS Three-Sport Standout Named Coca-Cola Scholars Semifinalist
Brewster HS Three-Sport Standout Named Coca-Cola Scholars Semifinalist A three-sport standout from Brewster High School has been named as a semifinalist for Coca-Cola’s class of 2019 Scholars Program. Brianna Sayegh was one of the 95,000 original applicants for the scholarship, and of these applicants, Coca-Cola chose 1,896 semifinalists based on academic achievements, leadership, and community support services. In the end, 150 semifinalists will be rewarded with a college scholarship worth $20,000. “We believe that identifying these young leaders throughout the country and encouraging their passion for serving others not only empowers the students but also li…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Teen Charged Following Threat To Brewster High School That Caused Lockout Teen Charged Following Threat To Brewster High School That Caused Lockout
Teen Charged Following Threat To Brewster High School That Caused Lockout A 16-year-old Brewster High School student was arrested for allegedly making threats against the school that led to a lockout on Wednesday, Dec. 19. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department responded to the home of the student who allegedly made the threats on social media accounts on Tuesday, Dec. 18. A security check of the student’s home and a home which is frequented was conducted, said the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. After an investigation, the student, who was suspended from school, was arrested on Wednesday and charged. He was released to the custody of his father. Earlier…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
These Are The Highest Paid Teachers In Dutchess These Are The Highest Paid Teachers In Dutchess
These Are The Highest Paid Teachers In Dutchess It’s no secret that the Hudson Valley is home to some of the state’s best schools, but those schools require well-compensated educators. Citing data from the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System, which makes the compensation of public school educators public, NewYorkUpstate.com released a report listing the top salaries. The report investigated all public high schools in upstate New York, with private, charter, alternative and religion-affiliated schools omitted. Only school districts from upstate - north of Westchester and Rockland counties - were used for the report. The compensati…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Missing: State Police Issue Alert For Area High School Student, 16 Missing: State Police Issue Alert For Area High School Student, 16
Missing: State Police Issue Alert For Area High School Student, 16 An area high school student has gone missing and New York State Police are asking the public's help in locating her. Karen Mejia Caceres, 16, was last seen at Brewster High School on Monday, Dec. 3. She is bused on school days from her residence in Hyde Park, but did not return to Hyde Park on Monday, police said. She is approximately 5-feet tall and weighs 95 pounds. No additional information of her description was available. If any person has information regarding the location of Karen Mejia Caceres, they are asked to please contact the State Police at (845) 677-7300. Reference SJS#…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
Support Pours In For Family Of Teen Drowning Victim Support Pours In For Family Of Teen Drowning Victim
Support Pours In For Family Of Teen Drowning Victim Related story: ID released for 14-year-old drowning victim Friends and even strangers are donating money to a GoFundMe account to help the family of a 14-year-old teen who drowned on Monday pay for funeral expenses. Oscar Gonzalez, who would have been a sophomore at Brewster High School, was reported missing in a 911 call around 9 p.m. when he was swimming with a group of friends off of a floating dock on Shore Drive in Southeast. The Putnam County Sherrif's office said the group had been on a paddleboard that turned over and Gonzalez, of Southeast, never resurfaced. Started by a group of…

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by Kathy Reakes
Obituaries
ID Released For 14-Year-Old Area Drowning Victim ID Released For 14-Year-Old Area Drowning Victim
ID Released For 14-Year-Old Area Drowning Victim The 14-year-old boy who drowned in Tonetta Lake in Southeast on Monday night has been identified. Oscar Gonzalez, who would have been a sophomore at Brewster High School when school begins Wednesday, was reported missing in a 911 call around 9 p.m. when he was swimming with a group of friends off of a floating dock on Shore Drive in Southeast.  When Putnam County Sheriff's deputies arrived they observed a group of individuals at the end of the dock and an adult male in the water. The adult male informed the deputies that he was nearby when he heard cries for help. He dove into the water to…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
New Rally Against Gun Violence Held At Old Putnam County Courthouse New Rally Against Gun Violence Held At Old Putnam County Courthouse
New Rally Against Gun Violence Held At Old Putnam County Courthouse Students and alumni from several area schools led a rally against gun violence held for two hours Saturday at the old Putnam County Courthouse in Carmel. Following the successful nationwide schools walkout on March 14 which saw more than a million students across the country protesting gun control in America - including hundreds of Carmel High School students - Carmel students arranged the second rally, and were joined by Brewster HS students. "Today proves that students will not lose interest, we will not give up, and we will fight till change happens," said Anne Pozner, a Carmel…

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by Daily Voice
Police & Fire
Man Found Dead On I-84 May Have Been Unknowingly Hit By Truck, Police Say Man Found Dead On I-84 May Have Been Unknowingly Hit By Truck, Police Say
Man Found Dead On I-84 May Have Been Unknowingly Hit By Truck, Police Say Connecticut State Police say the man found dead on I-84 may have been unknowingly hit by a passing truck or tractor-trailer. Daniel "Danny" Crawford Jr., 32, was found around 1 a.m. Saturday, Connecticut State police said. Crawford, a Brewster High School grad and avid fisherman, was found after state police received a 911 call reporting a person in the roadway near Exit 2 in Danbury. Once on scene, police located a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee on the right shoulder and Crawford's body, according to state police.  Lt. Chris Bartolotta said the department is working to get the word o…

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by Kathy Reakes
Obituaries
Brewster High School Grad Tara Ann Duffy Dies At 37 Brewster High School Grad Tara Ann Duffy Dies At 37
Brewster High School Grad Tara Ann Duffy Dies At 37 Tara Ann Duffy, a lifelong resident of Putnam Lake, died on Monday, Feb. 26. She was 37. Born on Aug. 16, 1980 in the Bronx, she was the daughter to the late Raymond Duffy and Catherine (Evans) Duffy of Somers. She was a Brewster High School graduate. Tara received a certificate in Drug Counseling. Tara was a cherished daughter, loving sister and beloved cousin and niece. She could strike a conversation with anyone who crossed her path. Tara is not only survived by her mother Catherine but also her aunts and uncles; Patricia Evans, Robert Evans and Thomas Evans, her cousins; Raymond, Kelly…

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by Daily Voice
Schools
Brewster HS Students To Join National Student Walkout Brewster HS Students To Join National Student Walkout
Brewster HS Students To Join National Student Walkout In the wake of the latest school shooting in Florida, some high school students in the Hudson Valley are organizing a walkout as part of a national campaign to raise gun control awareness. Students at Brewster High School are planning to join others throughout the country at 10 a.m. on March 14 as part of the National School Walkout, which is “to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods.” “We need action. Students and allies are organizing the national school walkout to demand Congress pass l…

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by Zak Failla