By JEFF MORRIS  “A house is not a home” goes the old song, and that’s what a New York State Supreme Court judge told Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about his Katonah address on Monday. In her decision, Justice Christina L. Ryba said the address Kennedy used on his nominating petitions to appear on the ballot as an independent presidential candidate, 84 Croton Lake Road, was invalid and only used as a ploy to maintain a New York residency. The ruling, to which Kennedy’s campaign filed an appeal on Wednesday, means that his name cannot appear on the November ballot in New York. It may also jeopardize his appearance on the ballot in other states where he claimed the same address as his legal residence on nominating petitions. Questions about Kennedy’s claim that he lives at the house, which he also uses as his voting address, were raised in May in a New York Post story, which quoted several neighbors and local police as saying they had never seen him around. Tax maps show the property as a one-family residence with Parcel Number 49.17-1-14 and the owner as Barbara Ragonese Moss, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 434 in Katonah. According to the Post, Moss is the wife of longtime Kennedy friend Timothy Haydock, a Westchester doctor; Haydock and Kennedy served as the best man at each other’s first wedding, and Kennedy is the godfather of Haydock’s daughter. The Post also noted that U.S. Bank & Trust Company filed a foreclosure action against Moss, an interior and landscape designer, in state Supreme Court in March, claiming she owed $46,106 plus interest. A settlement conference was scheduled for June 7. Information available on the town of Bedford website shows all school and town taxes on the property, which is assessed at $73,495, have been paid, going back to 2009. A legal challenge to Kennedy’s residency claim had been filed by four voters, backed by the political action committee Clear Choice Action. In a trial that began Aug. 5 in Albany, they called Moss, who testified that Kennedy stayed in a spare bedroom when he came to New York. He regularly lives in California with his wife, actress Cheryl Hines. In her ruling, Ryba said, “The court finds Kennedy’s testimony that he may return to that bedroom to reside with his wife, family members, multiple pets and all of his personal belongings to be highly improbable, if not preposterous.” Ryba called it a “sham” address “that he assumed for the purpose of maintaining his voter registration and furthering his own political aspirations in this state.” In a statement on his campaign website, Kennedy said, “Judge Ryba’s ruling is an assault on New York voters who signed in record numbers to place me on their ballot.” He accused the Democratic Party of being “a party that uses lawfare in place of the democratic election process.” The campaign’s senior counsel, Paul A. Rossi, said that on Tuesday, the Democratic Party in Maine withdrew their challenge to Kennedy’s Maine petitions that used the same 84 Croton Lake Road address.

By HERB FOSTER “They are professionals.  This is what they do for a living.” That is how Bedford Police Detective Matthew Whalen warns residents about the gangs who create scams and cause innocent, unsuspecting people to fall into their traps. Whalen and BPD Sgt. Ahmad Warren led a seminar on “Scam Prevention” at police headquarters in Bedford Hills on Aug. 2. Over 30 people attended and learned how to best deal with phone scams, internet, mail fraud and more; and, most important, how to avoid getting caught in their traps.  The audience, mostly seniors, reported many instances of scam problems which they either experienced personally or knew about from relatives and friends.  The central message delivered throughout the seminar was clear: Be aware and be suspicious. The two speakers shared a number of preventive tips: — Don’t answer the phone if you can’t identify the caller. — Don’t click on an email link unless you are sure it is legitimate. Look for typos or misspellings that indicate it is not genuine.  — Do not share personal information, especially your social security number. — Change your passwords frequently. “The concept for this seminar came from the sheer amount of fraud the department has been dealing. It has been nonstop and escalating lately.” — BPD Sgt. Ahmad Warren The rise in reported fraud is not limited to our area. According to the FBI, elder fraud complaints increased by 14% last year and associated losses rose 11%. BPD detectives are responsible for following up on each complaint and seeking prosecution. However, the process is difficult and requires many steps, according to police. When someone reports a scam to headquarters, they need to request a subpoena from the Westchester DA’s office. When that subpoena is delivered, the case is referred to another office, which requires another subpoena, and on it goes.  “It is like peeling an onion,” said Whalen, “it takes a lot of work, over several months, even years.” Unfortunately, in most cases monies lost are not recoverable. The thieves typically use burner phones and fake internet addresses, and most operate from foreign countries that are nearly impossible for authorities to reach. Many work out of massive call centers continuously dialing possible victims, waiting for someone to answer the phone and establish a connection. Nevertheless, the department has been able to make some arrests. Recently, they recovered $100,000 from scammers who were using a courier to pick up money from a target. The police were able to get the victim and the victim’s bank to participate. They put an officer in the victim’s car when he went to the bank. During the entire operation, the victim was required to be on the phone while the scammers were able to monitor online that the transaction had been completed. When the courier showed up and the money delivered, arrests were made. Interestingly, the local victim had been asked to provide $50,000 but when the police got a search warrant to examine the courier’s car, they found an additional $50,000 which the courier had picked earlier from a victim. When that party was notified that the money had been had recovered, they were totally surprised — they did not know they had been a victim of a scam. One ongoing obstacle to addressing the growing problem is the lack of reporting. According to Warren, “Many people are embarrassed. They feel that they have been taken advantage of — that it is their fault and they see no recourse. They hesitate to put a spotlight on themselves,” he noted. However, there is an alternate way of reporting scams. The FBI runs the Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, a central hub for reporting cybercrime. Their website is  ic3.gov . They emphasize the importance of filing a complaint: “Your information is invaluable to helping the FBI and its partners bring cybercriminals to justice.” The police department urges residents to call them if they have experienced any issues or have questions regarding a potential scam. They stress that it is important that they know what is happening in the area, so they can partner with the town senior advocate and other agencies to provide support and guidance. To that end, the department plans to run similar seminars in the future to continue to build awareness of the problem. Chief of Police Melvin Padilla said after the event, “We were excited to see such a large turnout for this scam awareness and prevention seminar. By making our senior residents aware of the more common tactics scammers use, we may be able help them reduce their chances of becoming a victim.”

Suspicious vehicle just a contractor’s truck On Thursday, Aug. 1, at 11:04 a.m., a Horseshoe Hill Road West resident reported a suspicious vehicle on their road parked at the bottom of their driveway. On arrival, police determined it was a contractor’s truck working at a residence across the street. The operator was advised to move their vehicle across the street. No further action was necessary. Tuesday, July 30 3:46 a.m. — Police went to a home for a male feeling ill who was transported by Pound Ridge Ambulance Corps to Stamford Hospital along with Westchester medics for an unknown condition. Wednesday, July 31 3:50 p.m. — A suspicious male was reported on Horseshoe Hill Road West going door-to-door soliciting. He was advised of local ordinance and left without incident. Thursday, Aug. 1 12:20 p.m. — A female was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. Friday, Aug. 2 12:30 a.m. — A female was transported to Stamford Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps. No further information was provided. 8:50 a.m. — A car reported disabled on Lower Shad Road was located by an officer on patrol. The operator was assisted in moving the car to a safer location and said they had contacted AAA to come and assist them. 11:40 a.m. — A female, age unknown, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. Saturday, Aug. 3 2:08 p.m. — A male, age unknown, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Vista ambulance crew members for an unknown condition. 7:20 p.m. — A tree was reported blocking the roadway on Old Logging Road. While police patrolled the location, the highway department was notified. 7:35 p.m. — Wires down were reported on Woodland Road. On arrival, police also observed a down tree. The utility was notified. 7:59 p.m. —A female was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. Sunday, Aug. 4 4:23 p.m. — A tree was reported blocking the roadway on Salem Road. An officer was able to move the tree to resume traffic flow. Monday, Aug. 5 6:35 a.m. — A man was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. 10:29 a.m. — During a traffic enforcement detail on Westchester Avenue, a summons wasissued to a driver for speeding, reported traveling 49 mph in a marked 30-mph zone 12:40 p.m. — A traffic summons was issued to a driver on Westchester Avenue for driving while using their cellphone without a hands-free device. 1:45 p.m. — A female, age unknown, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. 4:23 p.m. — A man was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps after calling police to request assistance. No further information was provided. — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Pound Ridge Police Department.

Bears in the driveway Police went to a home on Church Tavern Road, South Salem, Wednesday, July 31, at 7:28 p.m., after a bear was reported on the property. On arrival, they saw a large black bear near garbage bins in the caller’s driveway. They shouted at the bear, causing it to run into the woods; two bears were reported running. The caller was advised to keep their dogs inside for the night and to relocate their trash cans to make them less inviting.  Monday, July 29 9:00 a.m. — A couple who recently moved from New York to Connecticut came to headquarters to report they had destroyed their New York license plates, unaware of the proper process required by the DMV. Police provided them with the forms to close out the old plates. 10:49 a.m. — An arrest warrant was issued for a resident of South Salem by a Lewisboro judge. Police picked the individual up at state police headquarters in Hawthorne where he was issued a mandatory appearance ticket for criminal court Aug. 19. 11:50 a.m. — Police went to an address in Goldens Bridge to conduct a welfare check on anindividual who frequently calls the police department and other law enforcement agencies and then hangs up; they were unable to make contact. Officers returned to the address that evening but no one answered the door. 1:59 p.m. — A man came to headquarters to report his daughter was driving his car when it was involved in a collision and totaled; he said he was unable to retrieve the plates, which were still on the vehicle. He was issued forms to provide to the DMV. No further assistance was required. 3:55 p.m. — Rims were reported stolen from a car parked in the Acme Markets parking lot, Goldens Bridge. The caller said he saw the car being lifted on a truck and the tire rims removed. Police spoke to an employee at the nearby Mercedes-Benz dealership who said their business had removed the cars and rims, and there was no problem. 6:00 p.m. — A resident of South Salem reported his home, which is under construction, was broken into overnight. It’s unclear what, if anything, was taken. No further information was provided. Tuesday, July 30 8:55 a.m. — While conducting a commercial vehicle inspection on a 2006 trailer parked on a street in Cross River, police saw a cracked rail frame and inoperable brakes, creating a hazardous condition. A load of timber was off-loaded to a tow truck trailer and the original trailer was impounded and towed from the location. 5:00 p.m. — Police attempted to serve a stay away order of protection to a South Salem resident but no one came to the door. Multiple attempts were made to contact the individual, but phone messages were sent directly to voicemail. 10:35 p.m. — Police went to a home in South Salem for an emergency medical situation. They found the male resident, age unknown, on the floor of his bathroom. He said he was a cancer patient and coughing up blood. He was evaluated on scene by Westchester EMS and transported to Norwalk Hospital by Vista EMS. Wednesday, July 31 8:04 a.m. — An officer helped a driver change a flat tire. The vehicle was located on Kitchawan Road, Pound Ridge.  8:30 a.m. — A town highway department worker reported they were trimming bushes on Anderson Lane, Goldens Bridge, when they were bitten by a dog being walked by its owner. The highway department worker suffered a laceration to their abdomen and went to an urgent care clinic. An animal bite form was completed. 1:55 p.m. — A visit was made at the Lewisboro Day Camp in South Salem by a Lewisboro police officer and his K-9 partner. Thursday, July 1 7:00 a.m.— Low hanging wires were reported on Cross Pond Road, South Salem. On their arrival, police saw wires blocking half the roadway. Verizon was notified and said they would send someone out for repair. Police cordoned off the area with flares to prevent cars from making contact with the downed wires. 2:05 p.m. — A South Salem caller reported a flag affixed to a mailbox on Smith Ridge Road was obstructing their view of the roadway. Police arrived and observed an American flag on a mailbox, but there was no obstruction of traffic view. 2:11 p.m. — A parking ticket was issued to an empty landscape trailer reported blocking traffic on Cross Pond Road. Police said there also was no registration tag. They said if the trailer was still there the next day, it would be marked as abandoned and towed. No further information was provided. 4:43 p.m. — Police went to a home in Goldens Bridge after a resident suffered an allergic reaction to a bee sting. The person was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital. 5:05 p.m. — Two brothers reported arguing by their mother at their home in Cross River were met by police. One son said he had recently been admitted to a college in Manhattan where he wanted to live. When the mother said no, both sons began screaming at each other and one of them called 911. A New York state domestic incident report was completed. 6:19 p.m. — An officer went to Quincy Court, Goldens Bridge, for a dispute between neighbors regarding a shared driveway. The issue seems to revolve around a property island owned by the condo board which had declined to post “no parking” signs. Police said there is ample room to park and also to pull in and out. No further action was taken. Friday, Aug. 2 8:12 a.m. — An officer was dispatched to Upper Lake Shore Drive, Katonah, for a report of a tree on wires. On their arrival, the officer saw the road was not passable and the utility was contacted. Goldens Bridge firefighters responded and cleared the roadway. Police left when the utility arrived. 5:36 p.m. — A transformer explosion was reported on Stewart Road, South Salem. On arrival, police saw a tree down, bringing wires along with it. The utility was notified. Saturday, Aug. 3 3:25 p.m. — An attempted larceny was reported by a Katonah caller. No further information was provided. Sunday, Aug. 4 7:17 a.m. — A resident of South Salem was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps after having an adverse reaction to prescribed medication which made swallowing difficult. 2:10 p.m. — While patrolling Route 22, Goldens Bridge, police saw a Chevy Tahoe with Connecticut plates pulled over on the side of the road. The driver said his vehicle had run out of gas. An officer gave him a ride to a nearby Mobil station to purchase a can of gas while his wife and children stayed with the car. The officer gave the man a ride back to his vehicle.  6:30 p.m. — Police received a report of a possible drunk driver who struck a mailbox on Route 123. An officer went to the location and observed a woman driving a car with Connecticut plates that had a one blown out tire. He pulled over the driver on Smith Ridge Road; she was not intoxicated but appeared confused, according to police. Her daughter was contacted by phone, and said her mother was in early-stage dementia. Police brought the woman to headquarters for her daughter to pick up. The car was towed. The officer later looked for the struck mailbox with negative results. — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Lewisboro Police Department.

Bedford Hills man charged after domestic altercation A resident of Chestnut Ridge Road, Bedford Hills, male, 28, was arrested Sunday, Aug. 4, around 6 p.m., at his home, charged with criminal obstruction of breath (strangulation). Police responded to a 911 call to the home where they spoke first to the man’s wife who said the couple argued about their young child. During the argument he began choking the woman and then elbowed her in the back of the head. Police saw marks on her neck although she refused medical attention. Her husband was placed under arrest and brought to headquarters for processing. He was arraigned in front of a judge and orders of protection were issued to his wife and child. The domestic hotline was contacted on her behalf as well as the mobile crisis team. He was released on his own recognizance and was expected to return to court Aug. 7.  Nuisance goats on the loose A caller on Meetinghouse Road on Wednesday, July 31, at 2:36 p.m., reported two goats on the loose, one brown, one black, eating their newly planted flowers. Police on arrival saw the goats in the road. The caller said they belong to a neighbor. Contact with the goats’ owner was unsuccessful and a voicemail was left. The code enforcement officer was notified about the loose goats, which is a violation. Monday, July 29 7:04 a.m. — Police went to a deli in Bedford Hills after a man was reported intoxicated and causing a disturbance. They spoke with the caller who said he had problems with his roommate whom he accused of being drunk. The roommate was on scene and did not appear intoxicated. Both men said their argument was verbal only. Police told them to avoid each other for a period of time to cool off.  9:17 a.m. — A man, 27, from Bedford Hills, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps after he showed up at police headquarters irate, intoxicated, and saying he wanted to go to the hospital. A police officer rode in the ambulance with him and he was turned over to hospital staff for evaluation. 3:48 p.m. — An elderly female at a restaurant on Bedford Road, Katonah, was reported throwing a tomato and French fries at her server after being told her meal would not be refunded just because she was unhappy with it. Police first spoke with the server who said customer left. The woman came to headquarters and admitted throwing the food. Police advised her not to return to the establishment or she would be trespassed. Tuesday, July 30 4:24 a.m. — A smoke shop on Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, reported their front glass window was broken. Police say an employee sleeping in the shop was awakened by the sound of breaking glass. He thought he heard three people but saw none and said the burglars fled in an unknown car. Money was grabbed from the register. Police said the employee waited an hour to report the incident. A report was made for the shop owner’s insurance company; they didn’t want to pursue the matter further. 7:56 a.m. — Smoke reported coming from under the hood of a truck on Old Post Road, Bedford, was caused by a backup battery malfunction. Bedford firefighters responding said there was no fire. Wednesday, July 31 8:23 a.m. — A resident of Hook Road came to headquarters to report social media and telephone threats to his wife due to an ongoing legal matter. He was advised if his wife wished to make a formal complaint, she would have to come to headquarters in person. No further information was provided. 8:21 p.m. — Two customers were reported fighting at a restaurant on Old Post Road, Bedford. Police spoke with an employee who said the first customer became angry regarding a mistaken charge on his bill. After the mistake was rectified, the customer continued to be angry. Another customer attempted to intervene and the first customer yelled at him and shoved him. Both parties were gone before police arrived. Thursday, Aug. 1 11:46 a.m. — A male, 45, homeless, was reported by someone on Church Street, Bedford Hills, to whom the man confessed he might self-harm. Police found him in an emotional state which he said was due to hardship regarding housing and lack of financial support. He was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps. 4:04 p.m. — A resident of Haines Road, Bedford Hills, reported an issue with a sanitation truck driver he said was in the wrong lane when he pulled into his driveway, nearly causing a collision. The caller followed the truck and spoke with the driver who apologized for his mistake. The caller, unsatisfied, began yelling. Nothing further happened and the incident was documented. Friday, Aug. 2 10:32 a.m. — A boy, 7, from Bedford Hills, was transported from the camp at the Bedford Village Memorial Park on Greenwich Road, Bedford, by Bedford firefighters to the Westchester Medical Center after falling off a park slide and possibly fracturing his arm. His mother accompanied him in the ambulance. 12:11 p.m. — A girl, 4, from Katonah, was transported to the Westchester Medical Center by Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps from her home after being reported unconscious. Police say she was awake on their arrival. The parents said she had received a vaccination earlier that day which might have caused her severe lethargy. Saturday, Aug. 3 4:07 p.m. — A man, 88, was pronounced deceased by the county medical examiner at his home in Bedford Village. Police say no foul play is suspected. He was found in his bedroom by his son-in-law who reported him unconscious. CPR and other lifesaving procedures were administered on a police officer’s arrival without results. 7:09 p.m.— A driver traveling on Cantitoe Street near Katonah Woods Road, Katonah, reported a large tree came down and fell on his car. He was uninjured but his car was towed from the scene. Sunday, Aug. 4 2:51 a.m. — A caller on North Street, Katonah, reported an unknown dog in their garage. They thought it belonged to a neighbor and advised police they would hold it in the garage until the morning in hopes the owner would claim it. They later called the police to say the dog — black without a collar — was still there. The Bedford dog control officer came to retrieve the dog and transported it to the Briarcliff shelter. 9:52 p.m. — Police went to a residence on Milan Avenue, Bedford Hills, for a domestic situation. Three officers were on scene, one Spanish speaking for translation. They spoke with an upset woman who said her step-grandfather, who lives in the home, argued with her about her boyfriend being there. No other family members said they had a problem with the boyfriend. She said her step-grandfather shoved her. He said he would leave and stay with his brother for the night. A New York state domestic incident report was completed. — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Bedford Police Department.

‘Bedford’s backyard preserve’ By JEFF MORRIS // The town of Bedford held a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 24, celebrating the culmination of a years-long effort to preserve and provide public access to the 87-acre Buxton Gorge property in Bedford Hills.  The property had been on the town’s radar for more than 20 years. It is a forested area that lies between Buxton Road, the Rome Avenue apartments, and state Department of Corrections property. It surrounds a spectacular natural gorge formed by glaciers and erosion over thousands of years.  Last November, the Bedford Town Board approved the expenditure of $1.5 million from the town’s open space fund for the Buxton Gorge purchase.  Town officials said the ribbon-cutting ceremony July 24 was held both to celebrate this significant recent addition to Bedford’s open space and to honor volunteers and community partners who contributed to the success of the acquisition and who will help secure its ongoing preservation and community benefits.  “With the property’s 22-year tenure on the town’s high-priority open space acquisition list, the Bedford Town Board has picked up the work of past supervisors, the Open Space Acquisition Committee, and dedicated community partners to realize this next piece in the puzzle resulting in an environmental treasure for residents to protect and enjoy now and in the future,” said Bedford Town Supervisor Ellen Calves.  She added, “This land is now protected for the benefit of the environment and the enjoyment of our residents, making Bedford an incredibly desirable town in which to live and underscoring the value we place on sustainability and wellness.”  Calves stressed that the preserve is in walking distance to the town’s most diverse neighborhoods, “illustrating the ability to provide inclusion, equity and access to all residents through open space acquisition. Buxton Gorge is Bedford’s backyard preserve, open for all to enjoy.”  According to town officials, the preserve is home to 16 species of mammals, 73 species of birds, 11 species of amphibians and reptiles and 193 species of plants and trees. The preserve is also “a lovely place for a shaded walk in the woods,” they noted.  In addition to existing Bedford Riding Lanes Association trails on the property, the Recreation and Parks Department has blazed a new family-friendly, moderate difficulty, 1.25-mile trail that loops around the preserve with views of the gorge. The department also plans to develop a trailhead area with six parking spots off Buxton Road. Parking is also available for hikers and horse trailers at the Bedford Community Church on Bedford Center Road.   After the brief ceremonial ribbon cutting, Bedford Recreation and Parks Commissioner Christopher Soi led a hike on the town’s new trail. W. Grant Gregory, chairman of Lakeover Development Company, hosted a reception after the hike and shared his vision for community collaboration and engagement in conservation.  Years in the making The first portion of the town’s purchase was negotiated in 2019 between then-supervisor Chris Burdick and  Gregory; Lakeover Development Company had acquired the property in 2003. Members of the town’s Open Space Acquisition Committee worked to encourage Gregory to make the sale. The town board approved the purchase of 56 acres that included the gorge in April 2020, and began efforts to establish a trail system with multiple trailheads that were safe, accessible and convenient to the public.  When Burdick, who was subsequently elected to the state Assembly, looked back on his time as supervisor in December 2020, he cited the purchase of Buxton Gorge Preserve as one of the highlights of his tenure —the largest open space acquisition in the town’s history.  Over the next several years, town officials and community members were able to work together to facilitate access to the property, including completing a four-party agreement in November 2020 between the town, the Bedford Community Church, the Westchester Land Trust and the BRLA. Jeff Osterman, then-planning director, said the BRLA trails provided “the first simple, easily available access into the park.”  In 2021 and 2022, Soi worked on further improvements, including additional access points, trailheads and a town trail system. Then in August 2023, George Bianco and Wendy Belzberg of the town’s Open Space Acquisition Committee asked the town board to consider purchasing additional parcels of land adjacent to the preserve. Bianco noted it had taken 18 years of negotiations to achieve the initial purchase, with the owner given the ability to subdivide three lots, and the committee having right of first refusal on those lots. The committee negotiated to buy the lots.  The Open Space Acquisition Committee was formed to advise the town board on potential acquisitions using funding provided by the town’s Open Space Tax Levy, which was approved in a referendum in 2000 and renewed in 2017. At the August 2023 meeting, Calves said the open space fund balance was roughly $2,450,000. Since the balance increases every year on account of the tax levy, “we don’t have to borrow too much to effectuate this acquisition,” the supervisor said at the time.  With the additional funds approved last November, the town was able to purchase 30 more acres to link the original parcel to the Bedford Hills neighborhood, which Calves said would benefit from being able to “just walk down the sidewalk into 80 acres of a beautiful preserve.”  At the July 16 town board meeting, Calves said the fund balance from the open space levy stood at $1.1 million.  Also at the meeting, the town board indefinitely tabled a plan to establish an additional land preservation fund using a graduated property transfer tax on sales above the county median price.

By JEFF MORRIS //  At the July 31 meeting of the Bedford Central Board of Education, the board met the new outside consulting firm that will be reviewing the district’s special education program.  Only four board members were present, but Superintendent Robert Glass said the date was chosen in order to get started because “we really want to get moving.” He said even though parents may be vacationing or paying little attention to the schools at the moment, there would be limited time available at later board meetings, with the next one not scheduled until Monday, Aug. 26, and this would give plenty of time for review of the materials.  Leaders of a team from Public Consulting Group, a Boston, Mass.-based firm founded in 1986, appeared virtually at the meeting to give an overview of the group and its detailed project plan. Mauria Uhlik, senior consultant and project director, said PCG has partnered with over 5,600 districts and 27 state agencies, and that 25% of all IEPs in the U.S. are managed in PCG systems. “We have a large breadth and depth of not only practitioner experience, but technology experience, and we’re bringing all that to the table as it relates to the project,” said Uhlik.  The study is the board’s latest response to years-long criticisms of Bedford Central’s special education program, which were exacerbated by incidents of abuse of special needs students that occurred at Fox Lane High School in the 2021-22 school year. Those resulted in an independent investigation that led to an administrative shakeup including the eventual exit of the Fox Lane principal. Though the abuse was not tied directly to the special ed department, it accelerated the demand for changes.  In September 2022, Glass had revealed that the district was looking to Arlington, Virginia- based Hanover Research to do an outside evaluation of the special education program.  “This report does nothing for us. It does not help us in any way. We already knew everything the survey showed.” – Trustee Steven Matlin By January 2023, Glass reported that Hanover consultants were in the middle of the special education program study, and that anything that would come out of it would be built into the 2023-24 budget “if there are any associated needs there.” But when Hanover delivered a culminating report in October 2023 on its year-long look at the special education program, it received a withering reception from the board.  “This report does nothing for us,” trustee Steven Matlin said at the time. “It does not help us in any way. We already knew everything the survey showed.” Then-board president Robert Mazurek called the presentation “almost overwhelming in its lack of precision,” and said it provided no specifics on what needed to be improved. And then-trustee Kristine Stoker, a longtime critic of the special education department who had pushed for an independent evaluation of the program before joining the board, echoed the criticism, saying, “We wasted a year in my opinion.” Stoker subsequently resigned from the board in May, citing personal reasons.  Gilian Klein, who is now board president, pointed out that Glass was new to the district when he picked Hanover, with whom he had worked previously, and not entirely familiar with the district’s special education history. She urged the board to learn from what went wrong and move forward.  In April, the district issued a request for proposals for “a qualified consultant or firm with experience in Special Education” to be awarded a contract for a 12-month period from June 2024 to May 2025. The requirements in the RFP called for an independent review with no conflict of interest to anyone involved or previous work undertaken for BCSD; a strong understanding of models of special education “which close achievement gaps, create a strong home and school partnership, and provide for unique learners through best practice programing for placement categories such as autism,” and a strong understanding of “legal requirements in paperwork, process, and timelines associated with best practice.”   Klein made clear that the requirements were developed in consultation with the Special Education Parent Teacher Organization and special education parents.  Those requirements were addressed by PCG, whose presentation also identified multiple areas to be studied in depth. “To PCG, a review is not just about identifying the challenges and offering recommendations,” PCG stated, “it’s about creating an intentional, ambitious, and urgent path forward for the BCSD community to improve the outcomes of students with disabilities.”  PCG presented a proposed timeline, which includes interview and focus groups, classroom observations, surveys and IEP file reviews in September. A draft report is scheduled for delivery in January 2025, with a final report in February, action planning in March and April, and a final action plan tentatively set for May. A board presentation would be made in June 2025.  New Board of Ed trustee Lisa Mitchell asked for assurance of linguistic diversity, especially for participation in focus groups. Uhlik responded that PCG engages in multiple languages. PCG’s senior advisor and qualitative content lead, Jennifer Baribeau, added that their forms are also accessible in those languages. Klein emphasized that ensuring multi-language accessibility was a priority in the district’s initial discussions with PCG.  Trustee Blakeley Lowry noted it was important to both the board and the community to have an action planning component. She asked if there would be the ability to implement some of the actions to be identified in March and April before the end of the school year. Uhlik said the PCG strives to identify initiatives that can be implemented quickly, particularly in conjunction with the district’s budget planning season.

By JIM MACLEAN // The Mount Kisco Memorial Pool Swim and Dive Team capped off a perfect season with a dominating performance at the Northern Westchester Swim Conference Division 1 championships, finishing 40 points ahead of the second-place team to win the crown. After going undefeated with a 5-0 record in dual meets, Mount Kisco entered the championship meet at Yorktown on Aug. 3, as the favorites and the team lived up to its top billing, scoring 303 total points to win the crown, 40 points ahead of second-place finisher Willowbrook. Pound Ridge finished fourth with 196 points, and Katonah was sixth with 134 points.  Mount Kisco followed up the championship victory on Saturday the next day with an impressive performance at the All-Star Meet on Aug. 4, at Briarcliff, coming home with 13 first-place finishes. Leading the way at both meets was Annabel Smith as she had another record-setting day in the pool at the All-Star Meet. Smith was a New York state high school champion last winter for her Fox Lane swim team in the breaststroke, and she set a new all-star meet record to win the 100- yard, 18-and-under breaststroke race with a time of 1:08.13. Smith followed that up with a first-place finish in the 18-and-under girls freestyle with a time of 56.34 to be a double-winner in individual races. She also anchored the Mount Kisco 18-and- under girls 200-yard freestyle relay team to victory as she teamed up with Molly Cosgrove, Madeline Oh, and Isabel Valenzuela for the win. Mount Kisco had another record-setting performance in the girls 14-and-under 200-yard medley relay as Cosgrove, Sophia Oh, Kelsey Grayson and Devin Pellow combined for the win with a time of 2:01.19 to tie the meet record. Jack Tsai of Lewisboro was also a double-winner in individual events as he won the boys 14- and-under butterfly race with a time of 25.82 and followed that up with a victory in the 14-and- under freestyle with a time of 51.22. In the diving competition, Samantha Mishier of Lewisboro was a champion in 13-and-under girls diving with a final score of 114.80. Clara Blackburn was an All-Star champion for Pound Ridge as she won the girls 10-and-under backstroke. Andi Staton of Mount Kisco won the girls’ eight-and-under backstroke race. Mount Kisco had four champions in the breaststroke races. In addition to Smith, Sailor Briar won the boys eight-and-under breaststroke, Sophia Oh won the girls 14-and-under breaststroke, and Vincent D’Eramo won the boys 14-and-under breaststroke. In the butterfly, Mount Kisco had three champions as Nico Lahre won the boys 10-and-under butterfly, Devin Pellow won the 12-and-under girls butterfly, and Kelsey Grayson won the girls 14-and-under butterfly race. Mount Kisco had three other relay teams take first at the All-Star Meet. In the boys 10-and-under 200-yard medley relay, Bobby Stauton, Isaiah Olk, Lahre and Beckett White teamed up for the win. In 12-and-under girls freestyle relay, Madelyn Sotherden, Olivia Oh, Sofia Valenzuela and Ali Pfluger swam for the victory. In the boys, 14-and-under medley relay, Hayden Justiniano, D’Eramo, Andrew Acocella and Colin Zissu combined for the win. Photo credit: Gregory Kaplowitz Pictured clockwise from top left, Patrick Regan, Waccabuc Country Club Lakers coach, readies his team at the Northern Westchester Swim Conference All Star Meet. Kelsey Grayson, 14, finishes after competing in the 50-yard butterfly for Mount Kisco Memorial Pool; Logan Zizic, 9, competes for Pound Ridge Swim and Dive team in the 50-yard breaststroke at the Briarcliff Law Park Pool; Clara Blackburn, 10, gives the thumbs up to her Pound Ridge Swim and Dive teammate. Divisional Swim Meet Analise Braddock competes for Katonah Swim and Dive Team in the 14 and under 50-meter breaststroke at Divisionals. Photo credit: Gregory Kaplowitz Kevin O’Donnell, 14, launches off the blocks for Katonah Swim and Dive Team at Divisionals. Photo credit: Gregory Kaplowitz

Ross M. Weale, 85, a 32-year resident of South Salem, died July 19 at his home on Lake Waccabuc. The cause of death was cancer.  He was born in Englewood, New Jersey, the only child of Gilbert and Margery (Ross) Weale. He went to primary school in Englewood and graduated from Trinity Pawling School in Pawling. He received his BA from Nichols College and took several graduate courses at Harvard Business School. In 1962, he married the former Carol Elizabeth Bowen. He is survived by his children, Ross M. Weale, Jr. (Denise) of Croton and Sara E. Weale of Katonah, and four grandchildren.   Weale entered The Bank of New York’s Executive Management Program after graduating college. He served in several senior management roles as president of a Bank of New York subsidiary in Syracuse and regional president of the Bank’s largest retail division, the County Trust Region of the Bank of New York. In 1985, he co-founded Country Bank in Carmel. Ross finished his career serving as president of the Putnam County Economic Development Corp.   He was involved in many community organizations. He served as council president for the Westchester Putnam Boy Scouts of America, trustee of Northern Westchester Hospital Center and chair of the Westchester Health Fund. Other affiliations included director of the ReliaStar/Voya Life insurance Co., chair of the New York State Small Business Advisory Board during the Pataki administration and chair of the Tompkins Mahopac Bank’s Business Development Board.    Family members said his interests included photography, nightly cocktail cruises on Lake Waccabuc, annual trips to Cape Cod and international travel.     Friends may call at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah, on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 1 to 3 p.m. There will be a brief service at 2 p.m.   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Guiding Eyes For the Blind, Inc.  611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, or online at  donate.guidingeyes.org

Robert William Strasser, 92, a former Pound Ridge resident and fire chief, died July 5 in Lenoir, N.C. Born in New York City to the late John and Elizabeth Strasser, he also lived previously in Pelham, New Rochelle, Eastham, Mass., and Morganton, N.C. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Carole Strasser; his daughters, Deborah Cukierski (Matthew) Stephanie Strasser of Southington, Conn., Janet Lasher (Fred) of Nelliston, N.Y. and Nancy LaMotte of Fenwick, Del.; his son, Robert B. Strasser-Leist (Laura) of Redmond, Wash.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His brother, Richard Strasser, and his sister, Mary Beth Rohrauer, predeceased him. Robert graduated from Iona College in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was employed by Sensitive Research Instruments, Litton Industries and Vicks Chemical Company, and in later years owned his own company, Fire Safety & Detection. He was a member of the Pound Ridge Volunteer Fire Department for 18 years, serving as chief in 1981. Following his retirement, he volunteered caring for the elderly. His passions included the Catholic Church, body surfing in the Atlantic, World War II history, 1940s swing music, old cars and movies, and rooting for the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, his family said. Memorial Donations may be made to Pound Ridge Fire Department, P.O. Box 129, Pound Ridge, NY, 10576, or Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, AMOREM, 902 Kirkwood St. N.W., Lenoir, NC 28645.

By JIM MACLEAN // Like most teenagers graduating from high school, Tyler Renz had some big life decisions to make. After graduating from Fox Lane High School in June, Renz was ready to attend St. John’s University in Queens this fall on a baseball scholarship, but then the Milwaukee Brewers made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Milwaukee selected Renz in the 18th round of the Major League Baseball draft in July. The Brewers then flew him out to headquarters in Milwaukee last week and put an offer sheet in front of him that made Renz change his mind. The Brewers did not want to risk the chance of Renz going to college, and presented him with an offer sheet that included an $825,500 signing bonus, a large amount for an 18th round pick. “Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith,” Renz said, elaborating on his decision to accept the team’s offer. “I really wanted to go to college, but the offer they gave was too much to turn down. It showed they really believe in me and they wanted me.” “This past week has been really hectic and chaotic, and my peers helped me get through it. It ’s a great honor and a great opportunity,” he added.” Just being drafted by Major League Baseball is a level of recognition achieved by few high school players, as Renz became just the fourth Fox Lane player to be drafted and the first to sign right out of high school. He had already committed to St. John’s before his senior season began, and his stock continued to rise after what he accomplished this spring to finish off his amazing Fox Lane career. Renz was named Section 1 Pitcher of the Year after compiling an 8-1 record with a 1.13 ERA and 88 strikeouts. In three seasons at Fox Lane, he compiled a 19-3 overall record, graduating as the Foxes career leader in victories and strikeouts with 224. Those career numbers and his performance under pressure have Fox Lane coach Matt Hillis believing that the Brewers made a smart decision to sign Renz. “At this stage of his career, he’s the best pitcher we’ve ever had come through Fox Lane and we’ve had plenty of really great arms,” said his former coach. “He burst onto the scene as a sophomore and you could see it coming. He has amazing composure, control of three pitches, and an unbelievable work ethic. He doesn’t get rattled, no moment is too big — just a fierce competitor who will keep getting better and better.” “He’s only 17 years old and his full potential is untapped. The ceiling for him, we don’t even know what that is right now. I think he has all the characteristics to be on the big stage, “ added Hillis. Last spring, Renz and the Foxes advanced to the Section 1 Class AA championship game but came up just short of the title. Renz did his part with three-straight saves to help the Foxes reach the final, and he admits it is an experience he will always treasure competing at Fox Lane with his friends from childhood. Renz is a lifelong resident of Mount Kisco and he has played baseball with many of his Fox Lane teammates as far back as he can remember. “I’ve known most of them since Little League; 10 years growing up learning the game with these guys means everything to me,” he said. “Our main goal was to win a Section 1 championship, I really wanted to go out with that, and we gave it our best effort.” Now, Renz gets the opportunity to continue his baseball career, though not at the collegiate level playing for St. John’s, as he planned. At this point in his life, the main goal for Renz is to be the best baseball player he can be, and the opportunity to join the Brewers organization gives him a path to focus on baseball and give it his best shot. He accepted the offer and is now headed for the Milwaukee Brewers training facility in Phoenix, Arizona, to start his professional baseball career. He knows this three-month session with the Brewers staff in Arizona is just the first step in his pro career; then he will be assigned to a minor league team for next year. He is a long way from making it to the ultimate dream of taking the mound for a major league game, but the future looks bright for Renz and he plans to make the most of the opportunity. “I love playing baseball and I love winning,” he said. “I just try to go out there and compete on every pitch. I still have a lot of room for growth and a lot of work to do. This is just the beginning and I have a long road ahead to get to where I want to be.”

By Jeff Morris// A new business, oHHo Botanicals, which recently opened at its new location in the old Bedford firehouse, gained approval from the Bedford Planning Board at its July 22 meeting to temporarily continue operating a portable pizza oven on the premises. The business’s application to the board was for a proposed site plan amendment seeking to “enhance the recently completed retail occupancy in the historic Ivanhoe Firehouse building by incorporating an interior accessory pizza bar area and the ability to accommodate an exterior portable pizza oven on the outdoor patio.” Because of the septic restrictions in Bedford Village, the business is not permitted to have a kitchen, and no food can be prepared onsite. “It is not possible to open a restaurant without a kitchen nor is it oHHo’s intention to enter into the restaurant business or defer focus from its core business,” according to oHHo owner Nicola Stephenson. It became clear early in the discussion that the planning board would split the application, putting a priority on permitting the outdoor operation while putting off a decision on the interior aspect until it can be studied further. “Is it possible to do this in a two-step thing?” asked Board chair Deirdre Courtney-Batson. “I don’t necessarily have a problem with the outdoor part of it on a temporary basis”, but, she said, she thought there were too many unsettled questions to approve the indoor portion. Joseph Thompson, the architect representing oHHo, confirmed the applicants were fine with delaying a decision on the indoor portion. “We weren’t seeking action on that tonight,” he said. The immediate issue needing resolution was a temporary approval from the Building Department that would only permit continued operation of the pizza oven through Friday, July 26. Town Planning Director Jesica Youngblood explained that the permit issued by the building department was a temporary extension equivalent to one for an event with a food truck. For the permit to continue, she said, the planning board would need to give its approval. The portable oven is currently located in the rear of the building, occupying a parking space. Thompson said the business owners would like to move the equipment to the garden dining patio in front of the building, but the building inspector had raised concerns because of the proximity to a tree. He said that problem should be solved because a spark arrester is required, and one is actually already installed on the oven. The oven itself, he said, is highly insulated and cool to the touch. The unit in question, a Caterer Napoli Quattro mobile brick oven, is owned and operated by Pizza Girls NY. According to papers submitted by Stephenson, the pizza oven is new, wood burning and compliant with all safety requirements. She said the business had previously opened the Old Firehouse for a pop-up weekend winter market in December 2023 and “invited our long-term collaborators, the Pizza Girls of Rochambeau farm, to make pizza under their license.” She said Pizza Girls has operated the oven at multiple Westchester locations including at John Jay Farmers Market; in December, the oven was situated in the front garden “and was well received.”  Stephenson noted that serving coffee and pizza at the new location encourages customers to stay longer in the store, increases browsing and invites return visits.  The board engaged in a lengthy discussion of details for the future indoor installation of the portable oven with a commercial exhaust hood. It considered location of the exhaust discharge and supervision of the oven during its three-hour cool down time. Time was also spent on the proposed location of the oven on the front patio and the implications of any tree trimming that might be necessary. An amendment to the site plan was approved, with conditions regarding the oven’s supervision and safe operation, and granting the building inspector leeway to make adjustments to its location on the patio. The board acknowledged it was attempting to ensure the oven’s continued operation during the height of the summer season, as there are no more planning board meetings scheduled until September. The approval will run through Dec.  31. Editor’s note: oHHo owner Nicola Stephenson is a member of The Recorder Working Group, comprised of volunteers who have helped launch the nonprofit local news organization.