By JEFF MORRIS  After a number of fits and starts, the Town Board has passed a revision to town code that will specifically limit the parking of recreational vehicles on public roads. The measure was prompted by one person parking an RV in Katonah. At the March 3 meeting, it took all of about three minutes to reopen and close a public hearing on the amendment, and then vote to pass it. The revised ordinance is intended to “clarify certain provisions relating to the parking of Industrial, Commercial and certain oversized Recreational Vehicles that are prohibited or restricted from parking on any public street or right of way in districts zoned residential or Town parking lots.”  Such prohibitions and restrictions are necessary, it says, “to ensure that Industrial and Commercial vehicles and oversized Recreational Vehicles do not create a potential hazard or safety issue on local roadways in districts zoned residential and in Town parking lots.” The prohibition applies to “Commercial or Industrial Vehicles over 20 feet in length (which shall include any attachments to such vehicle)” and specifically references recreational vehicles “if the Recreational Vehicle is Oversized, which for the purpose of this section means designated as ‘Class A’, ‘Class C’ or ‘Fifth Wheel’.” It makes an exception for “a vehicle parked temporarily for the purpose of loading or unloading or where temporarily authorized by the Town Supervisor or his or her designee.” Areas where such oversized RVs are permitted to park are town lots 2 or 3 or the town commuter parking area on Railroad Avenue, in accordance with posted regulations, for a period not to exceed three consecutive days. And it says any such vehicle that has been removed from a permitted town parking area “shall not return to the same Town parking area until at least 48 hours have elapsed from the time of removal, unless written authorization is granted by the Town Supervisor or his or her designee.” “This came about because of one individual,” said Supervisor Ellen Calves. “We said we couldn’t change the law for one individual, it had to be comprehensive, and this is how long it takes to do it right.”  She said there was “maybe one extra meeting” but that’s how long it took to legislate around one particular thing that would apply to everyone. “I think we did get it right,” she said. “Should large RVs park on our streets, now we have a law.” Complaints were lodged last year by a number of Katonah residents about an RV in which someone had been living and which had been parking in their neighborhood for months. According to board members, the person in the RV had rejected offers of any kind of services, and the presence of the oversized vehicle on the street was a safety hazard. Items pertaining to an RV parked on Katonah streets and the person occupying it had also appeared in police reports. The proposed code revision was the subject of board discussions and hearings at the Dec. 16, Jan. 20, Feb. 3 and Feb. 17 Town Board meetings, and was also referred to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals for their comments.  The law was to take effect immediately upon filing with the Office of the Secretary of State.

By MARTIN WILBUR Residents and regular visitors to Mount Kisco demanded this week that the Village Board address the exploding number of incidents of public drunkenness, vagrancy and other quality-of-life issues that have plagued the community. About a dozen speakers pleaded with officials at Monday evening’s board meeting to take action because the situation has gotten out of hand, making women and children feel unsafe and hurting the village’s reputation and potentially its businesses. “I think Mount Kisco is under siege. I think we have a serious problem. I think it’s becoming more and more unsafe,” said Sandra Nohavicka, a Chappaqua resident and social worker who regularly visits numerous seniors in the village. “Women are afraid to walk out in the community. There are blotter reports daily and even multiple times of dysregulated, inebriated, intoxicated people who are defecating and urinating in public. They are harassing other people. They’re very unhinged. They’re using a lot of resources and I think we have to come up with a humanitarian solution for this issue, but it’s serious.” Former Mount Kisco resident Lauren Torre, who still operates her public relations agency in the village, said the condition has deteriorated to the point that she instructs her all-woman staff who commute by train to no longer stop in Mount Kisco. They are now driven to and from the Katonah or Bedford Hills train stations to avoid Kirby Plaza. Torre also questioned whether she will renew the lease where her business is located on Dakin Avenue. Both she and her staff feel unsafe leaving after dark, something impossible to avoid in winter. “I certainly don’t want to be responsible for the people that I work with who feel unsafe, or God forbid something happens, and I just think when my lease is up, I’m going to be looking at other places,” said Torre, who now lives in South Salem. “I’m not the only business in town that feels this way. There are other female-founded businesses that are in the town. We are all feeling unsafe.” Bob Scopelitti, who lives in the village, said a major problem is the no-bail reforms, which handcuffs law enforcement and the courts by releasing offenders for what are considered minor offenses, even many repeat offenders. Without consequences, there will be no respite, he said. “I don’t know what the answer is, but I’ve sat here long enough and witnessed it over and over and over again, and it’s not right and it’s not new,” Scopelliti said. Former Deputy Mayor Theresa Flora, who said she has been accosted repeatedly by one individual with six warrants out for him, read a letter from an unidentified parent of a Mount Kisco Elementary School fifth grader. The woman’s son feels threatened by a group of men congregating at Lexington Avenue and West Hyatt Avenue on his way home from school. “Waiting until a child is physically harmed is not an acceptable course of action,” the letter read. “Our town has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for families. Residents of this community and I expect a prompt response outlining what specific steps will be taken to address the situation and prevent it from continuing. The safety of our children must be a top priority.” Statistics released by the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, which the village has contracted with to provide police coverage since 2015, appear to confirm the fears. There were 163 summonses issued in 2025 for five types of violations that deal with quality-of-life issues — consumption and possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, second-degree harassment, trespassing and urinating or defecating in public. Through Feb. 28, there were 58 summonses handed out, including 35 for trespass and 20 for public consumption and possession. There were eight trespassing summonses written for all of 2025. Department spokesman Kieran O’Leary said that there have been numerous businesses, including the laundromat on Lexington Avenue and the library, that have complained about people who are drunk or who are behaving badly. They are first issued a trespass warning if the business requests one, but are arrested if they defy an officer’s request to leave. Should the individual that has been given a warning reappear at that location in the future, they will be given a summons, he said. “We do have an increase in the first two months of this year in summonses for trespass, which is a violation,” O’Leary said. “The cold weather has resulted in a spike in complaints from businesses and other locations, such as the library, regarding persons on the premises who are intoxicated, sleeping or causing a problem of some kind. We respond to these calls and escort these individuals from the premises.” After Monday’s nearly hour-and-a-half discussion, Mayor J. Michael Cindrich instructed Village Manager Ed Brancati to provide Department of Public Safety brass with a verbatim transcript of that portion of the meeting. Along with other board members, he hopes to organize a meeting involving police, the county’s Mobile Crisis Response Team and the two village justices to address the dilemma and whether treatment can be part of sentencing.  The team was created a few years ago by the county to have trained personnel respond to individuals with mental health issues rather than solely involving police. An email detailing a Feb. 5 meeting with police representatives and David Warnock of the Mobile Crisis Response Team hoped to get the village justices involved to discuss sentencing options. Summonses typically offer no deterrent to people who need help, it stated. Cindrich said there have been numerous incidents, including several that have ended in death, that were “heartbreaking.”  “There are certain things that the police department can do better,” Cindrich said. “We think they can always do better, and when this verbatim record of what was said here goes, they’ll be another assembly where we can have people answer questions, including myself, of what’s going on here.”  He also warned that when the warmer weather arrives, the homeless population will likely be shifting to parks and greenspaces. However, a small percentage of people account for a disproportionately large number of the calls. Trustee Tom Luzio said that if a person has had multiple warrants against them for an arrest, they should be dealt with differently than someone with a persistent alcohol or drug problem. The quarterly meetings with Westchester County Police that seemed to lapse previously should help now that there is a desire to hold them consistently. “We have to have compassion for these folks, but we have to prosecute the ones that are prosecutable,” Luzio said. “For someone who has prosecuted 40,000 people in his career, there are definitely people that are worth prosecuting and there are definitely people worth saving, but whatever side you come down on, whatever that percentage is, they’re both going to cost tax dollars.”

Collections of photos from community events and happenings in March taking place in Bedford, Lewisboro, Pound Ridge and Mount Kisco. This page will be updated throughout the month as new photo galleries are added. Fly Paper, fly! Photos by Rob Cummings The Lewisboro Parks and Recreation Department hosted its first Paper Airplane Contest on Feb. 28. The event was inspired by an idea pitched by 9-year-old Aiden Kimparker-Kriger. Three divisions competed (Pre-K through first grade; second-fifth; sixth grade-adults) in three categories: distance, accuracy and creativity. Participants created their paper planes and then Michael Portnoy from Parks & Rec led everyone through the different phases of the competition.

Dr. Susan Rubin (Amy Sowder Photo) By AMY SOWDER  They call it “holy basil” for a reason.  Also called tulsi, or Ocimum tenuiflorum, this hallowed cloud-parting herb was considered sacred by Hindus, has many health benefits different from traditional culinary basil and originated in India. An anti-inflammatory and adaptogen, tulsi has evidence-backed metabolic benefits such as reducing blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, fatigue, stress and anxiety, according to the Cleveland Clinic. While it’s often used in teas, tulsi infused with apple cider vinegar makes a great salad dressing, said Dr. Susan Rubin, a dentist-turned integrative nutritionist. Rubin cofounded the garden and food program at Mount Kisco Child Care Center, and continues to work and teach there and around Northern Westchester as a community herbalist and a food and garden educator. She offers herbal apothecary pop-ups. “It’s got a fruity, pungent aroma,” Rubin said about her homegrown tulsi. “I call it ‘bubble gum basil’ for the kids.” After leaving dentistry, Rubin ran her nutritionist business in downtown Mount Kisco on East Main Street above what is now Exit Four Food Hall. Then Rubin worked and taught at a 4-acre kitchen garden called SunRaven, part of Dr. Michael Finkelstein’s Slow Medicine practice on Guard Hill Road in Bedford. Finkelstein was formerly the medical director of Northern Westchester Hospital before turning to integrative medicine. As a mother of three children, Rubin also pushed for local school districts to improve their nutritional standards at school cafeterias. She established Better School Food, a coalition of health professionals, educators and concerned parents, to reform school food programs. School food was the topic of the 2007 documentary film that she co-starred in, “Two Angry Moms,” featured in a number of national news outlets. “All along the way, I was into plants. Then when COVID happened, I got really into them,” Rubin said. Her dog, Wilbur, had spinal issues and lost the use of his back legs, and at the veterinary office, she learned that CBD could help him with his anxiety. So, Rubin grew cannabis and learned how to use it medicinally after earning her medical license to grow it which was required at the time. She infused the CBD into a salve, which she said helped her husband’s sore joints and muscles after playing paddleball. Word spread among friends, and now she sells her products, and also teaches people how to make it themselves at home. “My big thing is to share about plants and help people grow them and use them,” Rubin said.  Among the products Dr. Susan Rubin offers are tulsi-infused vinegars, herb-infused tinctures and salves filled with CBD and calendula flowers. For example, lemon balm is an herb that can ease anxiety and aid in relaxation. “And I don’t know who doesn’t have anxiety,” she said. “These herbs gently help, unlike alcohol or strong drugs, which can cause dependency.” Rubin doesn’t overly promise what the plants can do, and she is careful that her claims are backed by sound scientific evidence. “I have a higher B.S. meter than some,” said the Chappaqua resident. According to 2023 research published by the National Institutes for Health, tulsi is one of India’s Ayurvedic plants used for improving memory and rejuvenating brain cells since ancient times. Scientists also have discovered tulsi has anti-neurodegenerative or neuroprotective properties that may reduce symptoms of dementia.  “Tulsi grows happily here in our region. It’s very fragrant, so deer won’t bother with it,” Rubin said. “I harvested it in September. It grows all the way to the first frost,” she said, noting that she favors growing plans that do well in the region. Most recently, at the December 2025 holiday market at Thryve Thrift Store and Craft Studio in Mount Kisco, Rubin offered her herb-infused vinegars — selling out of her Fire Cider Vinegar with cayenne and ginger, along with herb-infused tinctures and salves filled with CBD and calendula flowers. These home-grown, handmade products are also sold locally at Mill River Supply, the lawn and garden store on Adams Street in Bedford Hills. “As a dentist, I saw tooth decay in all sorts of people. Health starts in your kitchen,” she said. “As a food educator, I want to help people plant more food, grow more food, cook more food. Herbs are a great starter plant.” To make tulsi or other infused vinegars, snip off the flowers and leaves of the plants and stuff it into a jar of apple cider vinegar, seal it, and let it infuse for three to six weeks. “Herbs are a fun thing for people to grow,” Rubin said. “Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers knew all this. We totally need to make friends with plants.” Visit  drsusanrubin.com for more information.

By MARC WOLLIN “It is what it is” has become our mantra when traveling on vacation. No matter how much planning we do regarding modes of transportation or reservations for dinner or tickets to events, we can only do so much. After that, fate will do with us what it will. And in the interest of trying to enjoy the experience, we try not to get too caught up when things don’t go as planned.  That meant that on our most recent trip to Andalusia we rolled with a closed restaurant where we had a confirmed reservation, as well as a cancelled train we had to reschedule, both with a minimum of fuss. Admittedly we (and read that as “me”) are not always so sanguine. When both foot entrances we tried to the Alhambra palace in Granada were closed due to high winds, and we had to summon an Uber and race to another lest we lose our tour slot procured 3 months in advance, I stood on the sidewalk howling at the universe. It was not pretty. Nowhere is this mantra more appropriate than with the weather. For most of us, we plan vacation or holiday trips fairly far in advance. As such we have only a general sense of what the weather might be when we finally arrive: it’s summer or winter, the rainy season or dry. But regardless of what the historical record might be, the story might be totally different when we finally step off the plane. In southern Spain at this time of year it was supposed to be mid-50s and 60s with a little rain mixed in. It was our misfortune for it to be a bit colder and wetter, so much so that the locals were as surprised as us. Thankfully we were prepared, with rain jackets, umbrellas and waterproof shoes. The result is that we didn’t need to change any of our plans in a major way, other than to sit out a short cloudburst with an extra glass of wine. It is what it is.  Turns out, however, there was another storm happening we didn’t even know about. The weather we’re all familiar with is of the terrestrial variety, i.e., the stuff happening on the surface of this planet. It seems that there was another whole system scrolling far above our heads, which was in some respects more potentially disruptive than the rain we tried to dodge. According to a post by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, on Jan. 18 an X1.9-class solar flare erupted, sending a burst of X-rays toward Earth, which was followed by an S4 severe solar radiation storm, the most intense radiation storm since 2003. The result was that just as we got on the plane to head to Seville, a coronal mass ejection hit Earth’s magnetic field much faster than expected, traveling at roughly 1,700 km/s. This triggered a G4 severe geomagnetic storm. Talk about a headwind. While that didn’t soak our shoes or turn our umbrellas inside out, it might have had other effects that we didn’t even realize. These include rerouting flights to avoid high radiation levels for travelers, and satellite noise creating mapping and GPS disruptions. We landed in Seville on time, so I have to assume that the airline was able to compensate for it. Indeed, in a similar storm back in November there was a blackout for about an hour on certain radio frequencies, and the Starlink system suffered increased losses as the orbits decayed on some satellites causing them to burn up in the atmosphere. So I guess arriving on time and in the right place was not a given. All this heavenly activity is on the downside of the so-called “solar maximum.”  This 11-year cycle of solar activity peaked in mid-2025. However, scientists say that the two to three years following the maximum are often when the most complex and damaging solar storms occur, as the sun’s magnetic field is currently in the messy process of settling down. As our world is ever more dependent on electronics, the internet and connectivity, it would seem that going forward we should all take this cycle into account in the same way we check whether we need to take an umbrella. The years 2029-2032 look to be quiet years, while the next peak is projected to be around 2035. So get your heavy ChatGPT usage in now while it’s calm, and aim to curl up inside with a good book next decade. The analog kind. Marc Wollin of Bedford hates to let rain slow him down. His column appears weekly via email and online on Substack and Blogspot as well as Facebook, LinkedIn and X.

A Shrike. PHOTO BY ED KANZE By ED KANZE To mangle the opening line of Tolstoy’s second most famous novel, happy birds are all alike, but every group of unhappy birds is unhappy in its own way. So we’ve observed in winter at our place.  Sometimes the birds around the bird feeder are unhappy because there’s a hawk in a nearby tree. This usually results in loud screaming by blue jays and a minor hullabaloo among the chickadees and a sudden lack of movement on the part of birds in general.  Sometimes the birds around the bird feeder express dismay because a barred owl has appeared, not at night but in daylight. The reaction in this case is usually a lower key response than to, say, a fast-flying sharp-shinned or Cooper’s hawk. By comparison to these bird-eating hawks, the barred owl is slow-moving and less deft in its swoops and pivots. Therefore, I suspect, it is less threatening. There may be a certain amount of fuss among the chickadees and a modicum of screaming by perplexed blue jays in the presence of a watching owl, but on the whole, the response, at least at our place, tends toward the low-key. Once, many years ago, a bobcat sauntered past our bird feeder. My memory (the accuracy does not come with a guarantee) is that all the birds went silent, then fled and disappeared. If I was a tender morsel encased in feathers and a bobcat appeared in my dining place, I’d go quiet and head somewhere else, too. When a shrike appears, the unhappiness of our feeder birds takes a unique form. Crests on the blue jays seem to fold. Suddenly all the birds glance around nervously, and if they move, they move with great caution, in a kind of slink. Voices go quiet, or mostly quiet. The birds don’t leave. They stay. But they stay in a state of great furtiveness. (I want to write furtivity, but every source I consult refuses to accept that collection of letters as a legitimate word.) Being very, very cautious is a good idea when you’re a small bird and a shrike, maybe not much bigger, is around. A shrike is a songbird by ancestry, but it’s evolved into what is essentially a bird of prey. It’s got a hook at the end of its bill, the better to rip you open with, when the time comes. They like to perch somewhere high and have a predatory leer, like a bandido in an old stereotype-cluttered Western movie. The black eyes are set in a black mask. It’s hard to tell where a shrike is looking, and that’s probably how the shrike wants it. I’m writing these words in northern New York. You may be reading them in southern, where northern shrikes are not so often seen. But keep your eyes peeled. Once when I was curator of the Trailside Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, my sharp-eyed, keen-eared colleague Richard Dyer spied and heard a bird outside the back door of the museum, and it was unfamiliar to him. I hurried to Richard’s side for a look. A northern shrike! It perched on a limb not far away, leering at us. I suppose it’s fair to say we leered back. That shrike spent the winter in the reservation. Bird enthusiasts came in hordes to get a look at it. The best story I have to tell about it came to me from my late, great friend Tom Meyer. One winter day, Tom was out in the park cleaning out a bluebird box. As was often the case, there was a mouse nest inside. Tom took no pleasure in evicting mice but he loved bluebirds more, so he reached in and scooped. Out came a bunch of debris, and out of the debris flew a mouse. It landed on the bark of the tree that held up the box. The mouse was inches from Tom’s face. In a flash something gray and white and black came out of nowhere and slammed into that stunned rodent. Then the slammer flew away. It was our visiting shrike, putting on a demonstration of exactly what shrikes can do.

By NEAL RENTZ The Lewisboro Town Board voted unanimously on Feb. 24 to apply for a New York State Department of Transportation grant for sidewalks and other pedestrian safety improvements in Cross River. If the grant is approved by the DOT, the town would be responsible for a 20% funding match. Supervisor Tony Gonçalves said at the Town Board meeting that the Transportation Alternatives Program, or TAP, is providing $97.4 million to municipalities statewide. The grants are available every two years. Aside from town funds, the grant match could be in the form of other grants or donations, Gonçalves said.  As stated in the resolution approved this week, in 2011 the town adopted a Complete Streets policy intended to improve the safety of all users of town roads. The town completed a Bike and Pedestrian Plan in 2014 and in 2024 the Town Board approved a revised Comprehensive Plan “that identifies various improvements to the town’s transportation infrastructure, including pedestrian safety improvements in Cross River at the Route 121 and Route 35 intersection in the vicinity of the John Jay Middle School and High School campus.”  The project calls for about 3,400 linear feet of new sidewalks and pedestrian crossings in Cross River. Gonçalves said in the initial stages of projects such as the sidewalk and crosswalk proposal, the costs are just estimates because there has been no design or engineering work and the project has not been put out to bid, he said.  According to the town’s detailed project estimates, which will be submitted to the DOT, the estimated total cost of the Cross River project is $4,018,629, the requested state assistance is $3,214,903, and the local match is $803,726. Gonçalves said he has spoken with an engineering firm, which provided estimates of their costs and the total cost of the project could be. If the grant is provided to the town, preliminary work could begin, Gonçalves said. Councilman Richard Sklarin said in 2023 he walked the Cross River area to research what the scope of the road safety measures could be taken.  “Shouldn’t we have a good faith estimate” of the project, he asked. For example, a per foot standard for sidewalks, he said. A calculation of the cost of the Cross River project should be done before applying for the state grant, Sklarin said. Lewisboro is at a disadvantage in seeking the DOT because of its lack of density, and lower traffic than other municipalities seeking the grants, Sklarin said. A specific road safety plan for Cross River could attract new businesses to the hamlet, Sklarin said. “It’s a marketing opportunity,” he said.  The grant application should consider how things are different in Cross River from when the town submitted previous applications for the grant, Sklarin said. Councilwoman Julia Hadlock said the Economic Development and the Transportation Mobility sections of the town’s revised Comprehensive Plan reference the need for sidewalks as a goal. “We can show that our Comprehensive Plan was very collaborative and involved a lot of community voices,” which would help the town obtain the grant, she said. “I think there are things that are definitely in our favor this time that may not have been present in the past.” The grant resolution mentions the 2011 Complete Streets policy, the 2014 Bike and Pedestrian Plan and the 2024 revised Comprehensive Plan, Gonçalves said. He said the grant application resolution has received support letters from Cross River businesses. If the town receives the DOT grant the next stage would be to refine the engineering of the project and do detailed construction drawings, Councilman Dan Welsh said. Seeking the grant is “the very, very earliest process,” he said. Without the grant the town cannot afford detailed engineering for the project, he said.  “Until we go out to bid, we’re not going to know what this thing costs,” Gonçalves said.

By JEFF MORRIS  The Bedford Town Board on Feb. 17 approved waiving building, planning and zoning application fees for three specific affordable housing projects, but said any wider policy will need further consideration. At its previous meeting, the board was asked to consider a request by Blue Mountain Housing Corporation to approve a waiver of standard permit application fees for any all-affordable building that is either owned by Blue Mountain or sold to a developer to facilitate construction or refurbishment of affordable housing. That request was met with questions from board members. Stephanie McCaine questioned whether fees should be waived completely when there are expenses associated with applications and approvals, and Bobbi Bittker volunteered to look into what other towns are doing rather than try to come up with some arbitrary amount. That resulted in the matter being tabled. On Feb. 17, the board resumed consideration of the request. Bittker said she found that just a flat waiver policy is not a widespread practice in the county. In New Rochelle and White Plains, for example, which she noted are cities, the waiver program is funded by an affordable housing fund, which is paid for by the in-lieu-of fees paid by developers who do not want to provide affordable housing. Bittker said that meant the fees are covered by a source other than the municipality. Bittker pointed out that Bedford already has an in-lieu-of-fee policy, with the proceeds going directly to Blue Mountain, though it has not been used in quite some time. She also found that town code gives the planning board the discretion to give a fee reduction or waiver if a plan includes 20% or more affordable housing, which she said should mean that 100% affordable projects get a waiver. The request from Blue Mountain specified that the waiver would apply only to 100% affordable housing projects that are sponsored by Blue Mountain. There are three projects in which it is currently involved. One is an extensive renovation of the Doyle House, a four-unit low-income building located at 5-7 Katonah Avenue. Blue Mountain has owned and operated this project since 1994, and is applying for a grant from New York state and hoping to receive $800,000 to completely renovate the units. An additional $100,000, provided by ARPA funds from the town, is earmarked for soft costs as well as the costs associated with moving existing tenants to alternate locations during the renovations. A second project is Bedford South, four townhomes planned for 12 McLain St., which is in the process of getting financing for construction. The third project is Valley Road Apartments, which Blue Mountain purchased in 2024. The 12-unit project is fully occupied and in good condition but the four buildings were built in 1970. Blue Mountain is working with Bedford 2030 and NYSERDA to explore funding for renovations and energy upgrades, with numerous improvements planned. In her request, Julie Stern, Blue Mountain’s board chair, noted that renovation, construction and operating budgets for these projects are very tight, margins are thin, and all dollars matter. She said the Building Department sets permit fees based on a scale of $15 per every $1,000 of construction. “Waiving these fees would provide significant relief, allowing us to cover other necessary expenses,” she said. Stern, who appeared at the meeting, said right now they are focused on those three projects and asked that those three be granted the waivers, though she thought a blanket policy for affordable housing would be good. “Maybe it could be limited to just Blue Mountain,” she said. “You guys have the discretion to do whatever you feel is best. I don’t know that a lot of 100% affordable not-for-profit-sponsored affordable developments are coming down the pike in Bedford.” She said there are some other parties, such as A-HOME, Fellowship Hall and Antioch, that would be worthy of consideration. Supervisor Ellen Calves made a motion to approve the waiver for the three Blue Mountain projects, saying they might want to consider adding it to the law in the future. McCaine recalled that she was the one who raised objections to a 100% waiver initially, but saw nothing wrong with moving forward with this. Bittker said moving ahead with it as a policy would be different than approving this recommendation, “although right now we’re approving a recommendation for something that we don’t actually have a dollar amount for, so that’s the only thing that’s giving me a little bit of pause.” She said it would be more fiscally responsible to approve something for which they had an actual dollar amount. Bittker said she would like to approve it pending the dollar amount, but neither Calves nor Stern could provide an estimate of what those amounts would be. “I appreciate that perspective on fiscal responsibility,” said McCaine. “On the other hand, I don’t know that knowing that is going to change what it is we’re trying to accomplish right now.” She agreed that if they want to implement a wider policy going forward, they should think about budgets and consider limits, but said they also know that Blue Mountain “doesn’t have a ton of money.”  Bittker said she just wanted a ballpark idea of the cost; Stern provided details about fees already paid for the projects, which supported an estimate given by Calves of under $50,000. Board member Tom Catoliato offered to work with Bittker on developing a wider policy moving forward. The board voted to approve the motion waiving fees for the three projects.

POUND RIDGE Wednesday, Feb. 18 4:15 p.m. — Two tickets were issued to drivers on Salem Road for failure to obey a traffic device.   Thursday, Feb. 19 10:00 a.m. — A deer reported injured on Old Stone Hill Road was dispatched by a police officer. The Wolf Conservation was contacted to collect the carcass.  10:30 a.m. — A driver traveling on Westchester Avenue was given a ticket for failing to obey a traffic device.   6:07 p.m. — A driver was given a summons on Westchester Avenue for an equipment violation for inadequate lighting.   Friday, Feb. 20 9:15 p.m. — A woman, age and condition unknown, was taken to Stamford Hospital by Westchester EMS.  Saturday, Feb. 21 1:00 p.m. — No violations were observed during a radar patrol on Westchester Avenue.  9:25 p.m. — A man, age and condition unknown, was taken to Northern Westchester Hospital by the Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Monday, Feb. 23 12:56 p.m. — Three parked cars were issued summonses for failing to get off the roadway on White Birch Road, rendering snow plowing difficult.  9:12 p.m. — Police assisted a disabled vehicle on Lower Shad Road stuck in snow. With their assistance the driver was able to be extricated without a tow.  10:30 p.m. — Police on patrol responded to a report of a transformer explosion on Upper Shad Road. No wires were down. The utility was contacted and said they would respond. BEDFORD ‘It’s over’  On Monday, Feb. 16, a resident of Bedford reported that a man she broke up with keeps attempting to make contact. She said that despite telling him “it’s over” he keeps showing up, and two days after Valentine’s Day left a box of chocolates with a sarcastic note on her doorstep. The man was contacted by police and told to stop. The woman was provided with information regarding orders of protection if he persists.  Monday, Feb. 16 3:07 p.m. — A three-car collision on Bedford Road, Katonah, resulted in two people being taken to Northern Westchester Hospital. Police said a car was turning out of a parking lot on Bedford Road when it was struck by another car, which then struck another car. A man, 49, from Port Chester, complained of pain to his hand, elbow and arm; a woman, 84, from Somers, sustained a head injury. Both were transported by the Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps. All the involved vehicles were towed. 7:38 p.m. — A South Salem woman walked into headquarters to report that her husband became irate and tried to block her path as she was trying to retrieve the children’s passports from their home safe. She was provided with resources and issued a New York state domestic incident report which was faxed to Lewisboro Police as the incident occurred in their jurisdiction.   Tuesday, Feb. 17 6:47 p.m. — Buffalo Biodiesel reported criminal mischief to one of their tanks holding used cooking oil on the property of a Katonah restaurant. The reporting party said the tank was tampered with. The complainant was unable to say how much oil was stolen. The driver was able to resecure the lid. A report was made for documentation only.   Wednesday, Feb. 18 3:54 p.m. — Another report was made by Buffalo Biodiesel about stolen used cooking oil, this time behind a restaurant in Bedford Village. Police received the call but the reporting party did not return calls to provide details of what was missing.  4:58 p.m. — A possibly rabid raccoon was reported by a caller in Bedford. Police looked for the animal but didn’t find it.  6:09 p.m. — Police assisted child protective services attempting to serve paperwork to a Katonah resident. There was no answer at the door and the paperwork was not served.   Thursday, Feb. 19 2:18 p.m. — Police went to a dental office in Bedford Hills after an employee reported an emotionally disturbed resident of Connecticut who had been barred from the office was banging on the door. She was gone when police arrived but not long after an adjacent pediatric dentist in the same complex reported she was seeking help from them. Police spoke with the woman and she said she understood she was trespassed and left. Connecticut Police were notified and said she had a history with them. They were informed of the trespass notice.   Friday, Feb. 20 10:53 a.m. — A property manager at an estate on Croton Lake Road, Bedford Hills, reported the day before a garbage truck left a long slick of oil on the driveway. The trash company told police they did have a mechanical issue with that vehicle but did not offer to clean up the spill. The property manager was given information on how to address this in small claims court.  3:15 p.m. — An employee of a painting company reported a fire in a light switch in the basement of a home undergoing remodeling. The employee extinguished the fire. Bedford firefighters were on scene and said it was caused by an overheated dimmer switch. The homeowner was not on scene and was unable to be contacted.    Saturday, Feb. 21 9:17 a.m. — A man, 94, from Bedford Hills, was taken by ambulance to Northern Westchester Hospital for an unknown medical condition. Police said he was disoriented and not fully aware of what was happening.  3:18 p.m. — A caller in Bedford Hills reported an unwanted man on the property. The caller called back shortly after to cancel the call and said the man was there to do work and they knew him.   6:58 p.m. — Police went to a residence in Bedford Hills for a welfare check after a Meals on Wheels volunteer reported the resident did not come to the door or respond to texts or calls. The man told police he’d been asleep and there was no problem.   7:22 p.m. — A woman, 28, from Bedford, was taken by Bedford firefighters to Northern Westchester Hospital after she accidentally mixed her prescribed medication with alcohol and felt unwell.   Sunday, Feb. 22 11:48 a.m. — A man who is involved in a divorce asked police to go to his former family home in Bedford to check on his children; it was unclear why he was concerned. Police spoke to the children’s mother who said they were sleeping and not able to respond to their father’s call.  5:41 p.m. — Oil was reported spilled in the basement of a Bedford home during a fuel delivery. Police spoke to the oil company who said they would respond immediately. Police say there was no hazard condition.  LEWISBORO Monday, Feb. 16 10:03 p.m. — Vista firefighters went to a home in Pound Ridge after a male, 81, was reported injured in a fall at his home. He was found upstairs and was taken to Norwalk Hospital. A paramedic rode with him in the ambulance.  10:27 p.m. — A South Salem woman reported to Bedford Police a domestic dispute with her spouse; she said she reported it to Bedford because she had driven to Bedford for another reason. Bedford Police wrote up a New York state domestic incident report for her and the information was shared with Lewisboro Police.  Tuesday, Feb. 17 4:55 p.m. — Police searched for a male, 26, reported to have run away from Four Winds Hospital. He was described as wearing a black jacket and orange sweatshirt when he left the facility dining hall and walked out. New York State Police joined the search as the man was described as bipolar with psychosis. The man was not located. State police say after studying his paperwork it appears he had not been committed to the hospital and left on his own accord.  5:47 p.m. — A landlord/tenant dispute at a home in Goldens Bridge escalated to the point where a phone was thrown. No one was injured. The tenants eventually left but there were a lot of hard feelings.  Wednesday, Feb. 18 11:46 p.m. — A South Salem resident came to headquarters to report they’d brought their Playstation to another person’s home four months ago to play the game but now the other party was refusing to return it and has cut off contact. Police said it was a civil matter and advised the complainant of various avenues to pursue to retrieve their property.  Thursday, Feb. 19 11:03 a.m. — Police went to a home in Cross River after a mother reported her daughter missing overnight after they argued over her use of her school computer to watch movies and YouTube videos. An officer found the girl hiding in the home’s utility room where she complained about her parents being too strict and treating her like a baby. All involved parties agreed to give each other space for the rest of the day.  1:10 p.m. — Police went to Briar Court, Cross River, for a report of a rabid raccoon in the area. Police could not locate the animal.  1:16 p.m. — A stray cat seeking shelter was reported in the garage of a home on West Road, Pound Ridge. Police got the cat out of the garage and advised the homeowner to contact the SPCA or a trapper if the cat continues to be an issue.  3:30 p.m. — A caller on Winterberry Circle, Cross River, reported a rabid raccoon in the area. Police could not locate the animal.  5:00 p.m. — A caller on North Salem Road reported a rabid raccoon near a shopping plaza. Police could not locate the animal.  5:35 p.m. — A caller on Harbor Place, South Salem, reported her son was damaging the house and was possibly intoxicated. Police spoke to the son who said he had been drinking and was sorry he’d made a mess. He said he would like to talk to a therapist but had no insurance. He was taken to Northern Westchester Hospital by the Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Friday, Feb. 20 1:34 p.m. — Police went to a home on Boulder Ridge Road, Pound Ridge, for an activated burglar alarm. A woman said she accidentally activated it.  4:00 p.m. — Police went to a residence on Elmwood Road, South Salem, after Vista firefighters requested police due to an issue with a neighbor. On their arrival, Vista firefighters were about to take a victim of a fall to Norwalk Hospital. The neighbor was yelling because the ambulance left tire tracks on his property. The neighbor later apologized and said they’d “lost their cool.”  5:22 p.m. — A resident of Katonal, female, 85, was taken by ambulance from her home to Northern Westchester Hospital after she said she fell and lost consciousness while carrying her cat.  Saturday, Feb. 21 4:37 p.m. — A person was taken by ambulance to Northern Westchester Hospital after falling in their home and sustaining a leg injury.  Sunday, Feb. 22 10:50 a.m. — A woman moving out of her daughter’s home requested police assistance retrieving some items. She said she wanted a police escort to avoid any conflicts.  4:20 p.m. — Police went to a home in Waccabuc for a male, 65, who said he’d had a stroke two weeks earlier and was experiencing some of the same symptoms after bending over. He was taken by ambulance to Northern Westchester Hospital.  MOUNT KISCO Sunday, Feb. 15 8:39 a.m. — Police had a report of a group of men refusing to leave a Lexington Avenue laundromat as requested by staff. The condition was corrected. 2:46 p.m. — A man arrived at the Green Street precinct to report that his  cellphone was taken outside Village Hall by a man known to him. An investigation is continuing. 7:48 p.m. — An officer responded to Home Goods on Main Street after a 911 hangup was received. Employees reported that two men had stolen several small appliances but they declined to make a report. 10:07 p.m. — An officer conducting an inspection in the Village Center parking lot observed a man sitting on a wall drinking a beer. The man was issued a summons for public consumption of an alcoholic beverage, a violation of a village ordinance. The summons is answerable in Mount Kisco Justice Court on March 5. Monday, Feb. 16 9:39 a.m. — An officer patrolling on Lexington Avenue observed a man that he knew had an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police. The officer took the 46-year-old village resident into custody and brought him to the Green Street precinct where he was booked on the warrant. The man was charged with fourth-degree larceny. MTA police responded to the precinct and took the suspect into custody. 10:30 a.m. — A woman reported that she had been verbally harassed by a man known to her as she walked on East Main Street near Armonk Road. An officer located the man nearby who denied the allegation. Statements were taken from both parties and the matter was forwarded to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for review. 11:03 a.m. — Loss prevention personnel at Home Goods on Main Street contacted police to report a larceny of $2,700 worth of merchandise that occurred the previous day. An investigation is continuing. 2:10 p.m. — A business reported that a man who rented a truck did not return it on the expected date. The customer is also not responding to phone calls seeking the vehicle’s return. Personnel from the business said they would press charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The Real-Time Crime Center determined the vehicle had been traveling in the Bronx in recent days. An investigation is continuing. Tuesday, Feb. 17 2:30 p.m. — An officer responded to Amuso Drive on a report of a past domestic dispute. A woman reported that her boyfriend took her cellphone after they had a heated verbal dispute. The woman said she called the police because the encounter made her fear for her safety. A New York state domestic incident report was prepared and lethality screening was conducted. She was advised to call police if the boyfriend returned to her apartment. 7:36 p.m. — Report of an intoxicated man on South Moger Avenue. The Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded and took the man to the hospital for evaluation. 8:35 p.m. — Officers responded to a Lexington Avenue laundromat on a complaint of a man throwing garbage in front of the premises after being told to leave. Officers recognized the man and were aware that he had been issued a previous trespass warning barring him from the laundry. The man also caused a disturbance during his interaction with officers. He was issued summonses for trespassing, littering and disorderly conduct. He is due to appear in Mount Kisco Justice Court on March 5. 9:55 p.m. — Officers responded to the 200 block of Main Street on a report of a disorderly patron at a local business. The man became confrontational when interacting with officers and was charged with disorderly conduct, a violation. He is due in village court on March 5. Wednesday, Feb. 18 4:56 p.m. — An officer arrived at an East Main Street business to respond to an attempted bank fraud report. The business reported that its bank had withheld payment on two checks totaling almost $7,500 because the checks appeared to have been altered. The business verified that it had not issued the two checks and was advised to report the fraud attempt to police. The report was prepared. The matter was turned over to detectives for continued investigation. 6:43 p.m. — Officers responded to a reported domestic dispute on Carpenter Avenue. A man told officers that his ex-girlfriend had come to his apartment and began screaming at him because he is dating other women. The ex-girlfriend was still on the scene and in a highly emotional state. The Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to take the woman to Northern Westchester Hospital for evaluation. A New York state domestic incident report was prepared and lethality screening completed. 6:46 p.m. — Report of an unwanted party refusing to leave a store on South Moger Avenue. The condition was corrected. 8:38 p.m. — Officers responded to a Grove Street residence after a woman called 911 to report a possible intruder. The caller stated she was in her bedroom and thought she could hear someone moving around in her living room. Officers searched the premises and determined there was no intruder nor were there signs of forced entry. 8:59 p.m. — Officers responded to St. Francis of Assisi Church on Green Street regarding a man arguing with staff and refusing to leave. The man, who was intoxicated, was removed from the church and taken to the hospital by the Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps for evaluation. 9:23 p.m. — A woman called 911 to report that she was in a verbal dispute with her boyfriend at Woodland Street near St. Mark’s Place. The woman reported that she was in her boyfriend’s truck but could not get out because the passenger-side door was not opening. Officers located the vehicle and verified that the dispute was verbal in nature. Due to inclement weather, the woman was transported to the Green Street precinct while the incident was investigated. A New York state domestic incident report was prepared and lethality assessment screening was conducted. At her request, a taxi was called to take her home. Thursday, Feb. 19 10:55 a.m. — Police received a report of four men gathered in a parking lot on the 600 block of Main Street drinking beer. Two men were observed with open cans and were issued summonses for public consumption of an alcoholic beverage, a violation of a village ordinance. The four men were told that management did not want them on the property and that they would face arrest for trespassing if they returned. 11:47 a.m. — Report of an intoxicated man refusing to leave the Mount Kisco Library as requested. The man told officers he wanted to speak with the Mobile Crisis Response Team. Officers escorted him from the library and waited with him as the unit’s members responded. The man was then turned over for response team care. 4 p.m. — Officers responded to the 100 block of Lexington Avenue on a report of a man causing a disturbance outside a local business. The man denied causing a disturbance, said he was homeless and requested assistance with finding shelter and obtaining help with a substance abuse problem. The Mobile Crisis Response Team was requested to respond to assist with connecting the man to the necessary services. 5:15 p.m. — An 18-year-old village resident was arrested following a traffic stop on Smith Avenue. An officer discovered that the man’s car had a stolen license plate on it after stopping him for a traffic violation observed on South Bedford Road. The man was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor, and was issued summonses for tailgating and having a broken windshield glass. He was released pending a March 5 appearance in Mount Kisco Justice Court. 6:08 p.m. — A resident of Diplomat Drive called police to report that he was followed all day by a man in a red car. He stated he believes the driver is a private investigator but wanted to ensure he wasn’t being followed for another reason. An officer located the red car in the parking lot and confirmed that the driver was a licensed private investigator. This report was made from official records provided by the Pound Ridge, Bedford, Lewisboro and county (Mount Kisco) police departments. Mount Kisco is compiled by Martin Wilbur, all others by Eve Marx.

By JEFF MORRIS It may be nearly three months into the year, but the Town Board continued making appointments at its Feb. 17 meeting. Members approved the reappointment of Peter Michaelis as chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals, for a term of one year. It also approved the reappointment of Deirdre Courtney-Batson as chair of the Planning Board, for a term of one year. In addition, it approved appointing Michael Mellin to the Planning Board as an alternate member, effective immediately, for a three-year term.  In January 2023, the Town Board was asked to consider a change to town law to allow for alternate members of permitting boards. Supervisor Ellen Calves said at the time that board chairs had expressed an interest in having alternate members.  Some disagreement had arisen over whether an alternate board member would be able to participate in discussion of matters before the boards. Michaelis said he had no objection to this, but noted that the ZBA and the Planning Board operate very differently. Courtney-Batson was more concerned about the ramifications of alternate members making comments on the record. Ultimately it was decided to revise the proposal to say it would be at the discretion of each chair whether to allow a nonvoting alternate to participate. The Town Board eventually approved the change, allowing alternate members in case of an absence or conflict in the review of an application and also to enable succession planning, but things did not go exactly as planned for the Planning Board. “We had an alternate, but then he moved, and it didn’t quite turn into a robust position,” Calves explained at the Feb. 17 meeting.  In her recommendation to the board, Calves said Mellin is an attorney, and “his professional experience will bring strong legal and analytical skills to the Planning Board’s work.” She described him as a resident of the town “who cares deeply about the sustainability of the community and looks forward to contributing.”  She said Mellin can learn how to participate and do the work, “and hopefully, eventually join the Planning Board.”

By MARTIN WILBUR The Mount Kisco Village Board has appointed several residents in recent months to start filling the large number of vacancies on the municipality’s volunteer boards and commissions, but there are still many boards with empty seats. Since December, the board has filled two of the open positions on the Economic Development Council and has conducted interviews for other vacancies with more scheduled. But the appointment of new members has been slow. A check of the membership of 15 of those boards on the village’s website this week, shows at least 27 openings. Mayor J. Michael Cindrich conceded that it’s been challenging to fill the vacancies, with citizens needed to help make the government function smoothly. The difficulties that families face today have never been greater, significantly limiting the residents who can volunteer. “These communities, the driving force is citizen government,” Cindrich said. “So, with the complex issues that we have today, two-income families and the lack of free time, time that they want to spend with the children, people want to spend time traveling, it’s a challenge.” Most glaringly, the Board of Ethics and the Tree Preservation Board are each listed as having three of five seats vacant, and the Leonard Park Committee has five of its 14 seats unfilled. While the Board of Ethics meets on an as-needed basis, most other boards convene monthly. Cindrich said that the village recently delegated some of the tree board’s responsibilities, which recommends which trees are protected as well as the replacement of others that were removed due to disease or development, to its professional staff. Despite the shortage of volunteers to fully populate many of the boards and commissions, Cindrich also explained greater time commitment and experience is preferred for some openings. “Some of the boards require a lot more work than others, and it also requires a certain degree of expertise, and then to compound the challenge also, many of the boards require continuing education components,” Cindrich said. “So, it’s not easy.” Trustee Tom Luzio said a common theme is families with extremely busy lives, which has made it difficult to fill the slots. While many people find more time once they have finished raising their family or have retired, they have also long postponed other activities that they enjoy, he said. “I’m very mindful that they get to a point in their life where they’ve been able to retire, they want to stop work and enjoy their life for a while,” Luzio said. “So, I’m very mindful of that, and hopefully there are folks out there that can find a nice balance and can contribute, oftentimes one day a month that it takes to make that kind of impact to help out Mount Kisco to become a little bit better place.” There has also been criticism and controversy. In December, 21-year Recreation Commission member Kim Terlizzi was denied another seven-year term to continue serving. At the time, Terlizzi accused the new board, which was seated on Dec. 1, of political retribution for her views, including some posted on social media. She renewed that accusation this week after interviewing more recently for one of the empty Leonard Park Committee slots. “It’s one thing if there’s no interest to fill those positions. That, obviously, the village has no control over,” said Terlizzi, who suggested the village make greater use of social media to advertise. “But you have to really question when there are people that are looking to be put on these boards and they’re not being put on. In my case, it seems to be political retribution and questioning free speech issues, and that has no place in their consideration for appointing people for these boards.” Another longtime volunteer, John Rhodes, said the village lost some volunteers with previous administrations, which seemed only to tolerate them rather than treating board and commission members with value and respect.  “It’s a problem generally. People are kind of disaffected with government generally,” said Rhodes, who serves as a Historical Society trustee and is on the Tree Preservation Board, Conservation Advisory Council and Complete Streets Task Force. He said the village could also do a better job at not only advertising the vacancies but explain more effectively what each board does. Trustee Tammy Brown said the village may need to do a better job in informing residents of the volunteer opportunities available on a wide range of boards. “I think that Mount Kisco has some wonderful residents here and they’re very concerned and interested in how our village is run,” Brown said. “I think we just need to let the residents know that there are openings and share that information on a regular basis so that they could see that there are opportunities for them to be in local government, and I think that will entice some of these residents to apply to these board positions.” Luzio said the new board has been making a greater effort to fill vacancies. But making sure the village is well-run and having residents aware of that could entice more people. “We show them good government, they’re going to want to be part of it,” he said.