Sunday morning driver charged with DWI  On Sunday, June 16, at 9:35 a.m., a male, 57, from Stamford, Conn., was arrested on Deer Park Road, Katonah, charged with DWI.  An officer on patrol observed the man traveling at a slow rate of speed and followed him from the Route117 Bypass to the Saw Mill  River Parkway and then onto Cross River Road; the driver was observed losing control and nearly striking the center median. A traffic stop was initiated and the driver was observed to have glassy eyes and slurred speech, and there was an exceptionally strong odor of alcohol on his breath, according to police. He told the officer he had consumed two beers. Numerous empty beer cans were observed inside the car.  The man was placed under arrest and brought to headquarters for processing. Due to a language barrier, a Spanish speaking officer was summoned from Westchester County Police.  Seven summonses were issued. The driver was scheduled to appear in court June 25. His car was towed by Pratow Towing and he left the police station in a cab.  Tuesday, June 11 12:49 p.m. — A recreational vehicle was reported as disabled and blocking traffic on Pinesbridge Road, Mount Kisco. Bedford Police arrived on scene and met with the operator who said they had stepped out of the vehicle to get directions and realized their keys were locked inside. A tow was requested to provide lockout service; the driver was assisted and was able to drive the vehicle away. 3:06 p.m. — Police met with a staff member at the Harvey School in Katonah, who reported another staff member said in a recent conversation that “the world would be a better place without them.” Police spoke to the person in question. She said there was a misunderstanding and she did not pose a threat to herself. She agreed to speak with a mobile crisis team. 6:28 p.m. — A caller on Christopher Road, Bedford, reported there were peacocks on their steps. An officer arrived and shooed them off the premises.   Wednesday, June 12 1:26 p.m. — A female came into police headquarters to report an argument with her husband; the couple are separated but live in the same home. She said he drove off with a car she owns which he has been driving. She wanted him to remove the plates but he refused. She told police their disagreement was verbal only, and a New York state domestic incident report was completed for documentation.    2:23 p.m. — A male, 62, from Bedford Hills, was transported from his home by Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps to Northern Westchester Hospital. Police said he was unconscious but breathing on their arrival.    Thursday, June 13 2:01 a.m. — A male reported vomiting behind an auto repair business on Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, told police he was fine. He identified himself as a 63-year-old from Wingdale and said he didn’t want any assistance.  Friday, June 14 10:45 a.m. — A dog was reported loose in the Katonah Shopping Center on Katonah Avenue. The dog initially evaded capture by the dog control officer. The officer was able to coax the dog out from under bushes where it was hiding, but before the officer could nab it, the dog took off. Police said the dog could not be located.   Saturday, June 15  10:31 a.m. — Two husky-type dogs were reported roaming unleashed on Beechwood Road, Bedford Hills. Police spoke with a neighbor who said he thought one of the dogs returned home and that the owner was looking for the second one. That dog was located by the owner with the help of police on Church Street. 2:52 p.m. — Police went to the Verizon Wireless store on Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, after a manager reported a female was in the store and refused to leave. The manager told police she argued with employees and had been asked to leave several times. She told police she was unhappy and wanted to speak with the manager. Police asked her to leave the store and she did as requested.  3:07 p.m. — A resident of Millbrook Road, Bedford, reported there was a bear on their property and that it went into the garage. The bear left the area prior to police arrival, and police were unable to locate it. 7:48 p.m. — A pair of peacocks were reported loose on South Bedford Road, Bedford Hills. Police were unable to locate them. 11:39 p.m. — Officers went to a residence on Harris Road, Bedford Hills, after a couple argued about walking their dog. The woman said the couple had been arguing about money and other domestic issues. They told police they would remain in separate rooms for the balance of the night. Sunday, June 16 11:35 a.m. — A male was reported entering an unoccupied home on Lakeside Drive, Katonah. Police spoke with the homeowner, who said he used a ladder to climb in a second-story window after accidentally locking himself out of the house which is under construction.   10:59 p.m. — A caller on Post Road, Bedford, reported an animal stuck under his car. He told police he had been driving on Interstate 684 and thought he hit an object that damaged the undercarriage. By the time police arrived he said he changed his mind and didn’t want them looking under his car and the man left the area. — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Bedford Police Department.

By Abby Luby // The possibility of establishing the Scotts Corners Water District was discussed in detail at the May 21 Pound Ridge Town Board meeting where several people, including many from the business district, voiced their support for the idea. A full house at the meeting had many contributing to a two hour discussion including Scotts Corners business owners who spoke of the dire situation created by inadequate water/wastewater solutions that has plagued their stores and restaurants for decades. A sense of urgency to form the district was due in part to the town’s application for a state Water Infrastructure Improvement Act grant whose deadline is June 14. The town reviewed all 13 pages of the grant application at the very beginning of the meeting. A public hearing on forming the Scotts Corners Water District was held at the Town House on June 11. Although water and wastewater issues have plagued the Scotts Corners Business District for decades, the problems are now compounded with new state and federal regulations lowering acceptable levels of dangerous polyfluoroalkyl substances that contaminate drinking water. PFAS contaminated water wells are linked with a myriad of illnesses and diseases. A report last month by the Laberge Group, the town’s engineering firm, planning what will be the Scotts Corners Water District, cited water samples that showed two PFAS chemicals,  perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid, were above the state regulated limit. The contamination was detected at two different properties, leading to violation notices from the Westchester County Department of Health. Groundwater contamination has long been a problem for Scotts Corners from previous chemical and petroleum spills whose byproducts were found in the drinking water. Experiencing the frustration of installing a county approved water filtration system was DiNardo’s restaurant owner, Mary Jane Salvi, who was at the May town board meeting. “We’ve been working relentlessly with the engineers at the Westchester County Department of Health and getting nowhere. – DiNardo’s restaurant owner, Mary Jane Salvi “I have been dealing with this issue for a very long time,” Salvi said. “We’ve been working relentlessly with the engineers at the Westchester County Department of Health and getting nowhere. My engineer has been working nonstop with them. He submits a plan and then they ask for revisions. This morning I was in court with the DOH for another revised plan. I’m due back in court in July.” Salvi said the financial burden of testing and producing engineering plans has been extraordinary, costing her business about $40,000. “This system will probably cost us over $150,000. Not including engineering, installing, excavation and revised plans. We’re a small business. We’ve been in the community for 50 years and this has taken a toll on us. And if this doesn’t get approved and if we don’t move forward I don’t know if DiNardo’s will be here. And it’s a shame. Do you want to see an empty space there?” Town board members were seen shaking their heads and saying “no” to Salvi’s last question. Owner of the Barnwell Center, Mark Gjelaj, echoed similar grievances. “We’ve been going through the same thing for over two and a half years,” he said. “Month after month engineering and testing costs have quadrupled. My expenses on water maintenance in my center for the past three years went from $20,000 to $60,000 a year which included maintenance and engineering costs and dealing with the health department. And we haven’t even gotten to the final plan yet which will probably cost over $100,000.” Gjelaj said that the health department’s requirements are becoming more strict for installing water filtration systems. “It’s just a matter of time before the DOH will require every establishment in the business district to test their water and once you test, you’re in for a long, multi-year process and a very expensive one.” Laberge Group has recommended that once the Scotts Corners Water District is established that a connection be made to the Aquarion Water Company and its existing treated water storage tank at the Pound Ridge Golf Club located on High Ridge Road. The proposed water district has approximately 39 service connections, servicing approximately 114 people. Some voiced their objection to forming a new water district and thought the town was being too hasty for what will be a very expensive project that might not be needed. “We are rushing headlong into a $50 million commitment,” said Pound Ridge resident Steve Kushner, “Is it because we are rushing to make a deadline for a grant that will be available next year?” Also at the meeting John McCown  voiced his concerns with the financial aspect of the project impacting the businesses at Scotts Corners. “We need to go in with our eyes open relating to the cost of the project. The cost will be paid by the business district and they deserve to know what the numbers are. It is incumbent upon the business district because they are the ones who need to know what it is and they need to know what their risk is.” Town board member  Alison Boak, who is also the chair of the Pound Ridge Water and Wastewater Task Force, warned of delaying the project as more information and studies have linked PFAS to a myriad of negative health impacts. “This is something you don’t want to wait around on because these chemicals [PFAS] are going to be found everywhere,” Boak said. “Right now, there’s federal funding coming through the state that’s available. Every community will need to fix this problem. Are we going to wait until they run out of money or are we going to take some initiative here and get our application in and get some money?”