Author Peter Meineck  By BRIAN KLUEPFEL  Masked defenders. Iron-clad warriors. Triumphant villains and conflicted heroes.  Since the cave-dwelling predecessors of homo sapiens etched legends in stone, humankind has required some sort of mythology or storytelling to explain itself. Peter Meineck, a rare combination of volunteer firefighter, theatrical director and classics professor, has been interpreting these stories for three decades. On Feb. 17, he drew a connection between ancient myths and 20th century Marvel Comics in a book launch at the Bedford Playhouse. Fittingly, the audience included some of his New York University students and fellow Bedford firefighters.  “Tony Stark, Odysseus, and the Myths Behind Marvel: Ancient Heroes in the Modern World” is Meineck’s latest book in which he draws parallels between several cultures’ mythology. After mentioning the Indian Vedic scripture and Homer in the same breath, he noted “it’s funny how all these things are linked.” He ventured, half-jokingly, that one could probably write 20 books on myth-making commonalities. During his South London childhood, Meineck didn’t read Marvel comics — they were too expensive, and he opted for the 2000 AD Judge Dredd series. But he was still drawn to the creators of the American strips, who in the 1940s, made a bold statement against rising global fascism with characters like Captain America. Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg on Manhattan’s Lower East Side) was among a cadre of first-generation American Jews who “were responding to real-world events,” Meineck said.  While the America First movement, headed by powerful figures like Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh, still backed Nazi Germany, “these sons of Jews (wanted) to galvanize the American youth … to create kids who are anti-Nazi,” Meineck said. Kirby’s son, he noted, said of the man who wore a Captain America costume to the Jan. 6, 2020 insurrection; “my father would’ve punched you in the face.” At the Playhouse lecture, Meineck’s Aquila Theater troupe presented scenes from different plays illustrating his book’s themes. In a rather gruesome scene where Odysseus gets Cyclops drunk and then stabs him with a flaming sword as “his eyeball crackled,” Meineck noted that the heroes of yore could be “problematic,” not dyed-in-the-wool goody-goodies. Indeed, the Aquila actors later showed prideful Agamemnon falling prey to the Black Widow’s flattery and a literal red carpet of welcome, only to be killed by a double-bladed axe to the head. Euripides is driven mad by jealous goddess Hera, his subsequent murder of his own family resulting from “a storm of insanity cracking against the rocks.” “It was shocking how the Greeks presented their heroes,” Meineck remarked.  He conjectured that Marvel’s Wolverine sprung from the loins of ancient Rome’s lupine-suckled twins, Romulus and Remus, and perhaps from the earlier Greek worship of Lykia, whose rites included werewolf transformation. Before presenting Act 1 of Julius Caesar, Meineck noted the scene’s connection to Lupercalia, Rome’s foundational holiday centered on “wolf boys” running amok.  The issue of the disabled superhero (“supercrip”) was discussed, as well. Meineck mentioned the Daredevil, a 1964 Stan Lee creation, as one of the exemplary representations of a hero who due to his or her disfigurement or injury develops a parallel “super-power” to somehow counteract the shortcoming. He noted that popular author Rick Riordan’s main character relies on this duality and indeed, a generation of students has signed up for Meineck’s class, influenced by ADHD hero Percy Jackson. The furthest extension of the supercrip, said Meineck, is Punisher, who suffers from PTSD and whose image has been taken up by far-right groups, police departments, and Navy SEALs as a symbol. Meineck, with his daughter’s help, immersed himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for research, and noted that his favorite films were “Black Panther” (“it spoke to a moment in American culture”) and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (whose protagonist is yet another “supercrip”).  In presenting the book Meineck said he was happy to step into the role of storyteller and away from the world of academia, where all points require proof. He also grew to appreciate the comics themselves, which he called “a wellspring of beautiful graphic art.”  To Meineck, ancient tales resonate into the 21st century, stories from the Maya, Greeks, Norse, and Egyptians being given second life through the pens of comic book artists and others.  “I see mythology alive and well, thriving on our movie and TV screens, and in the pages of our books and comic books,” he writes in the introduction to his new book. As we examine the daily events of the modern world, perhaps we too are faced with a question from Black Panther: “Hey, Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?” Marvel and its predecessors leave that question hanging.

Pound Ridge Library. Thane Grauel Photo By NEAL RENTZ For the first time in years, the Pound Ridge Library is planning to solicit town residents’ views through a survey. Library Director Jennifer Coulter proposed the creation of a community survey, which was last done five years ago, at the Feb. 18 library board of trustees meeting. Coulter said the state requires that each library have a long-range, community-based service plan. Libraries must conduct periodic evaluations of the effectiveness of their services, she said. Libraries’ budgets and services must address community needs in the long-range plan with documented input from the public and a survey could fulfill the state requirement for input, she said.  “It’s a future strategizing tool,” Coulter said.  She is proposing that a survey includes 15 questions, takes five minutes to complete and would be anonymous. Some of the questions could ask for personal information such as age, household size and how many years the survey-taker has lived in Pound Ridge, she said. The questions could seek such additional information as the respondents’ opinions on the library’s staff, collection, and hours, she said. In addition, questions could also address how patrons want to be informed of the library’s programs, how often they visit the library, which services they use, what new programs they want, what the library’s schedule should be and what new services it should provide, she said.  The survey could also seek what respondents value most at the library and what they would change, Coulter said.  Coulter said paper copies could be offered at the library and online surveys could be made available on the library’s website and through social media. The survey could be shared with schools, the town house, local businesses, and community organizations, she said.  The survey could be promoted via posters and bookmarks, as well as staff reminders at check out and at library events, Coulter said. Coulter is seeking to have responses to the survey returned over a four-week period beginning July 1, with survey results compiled and presented to the board of trustees.  Coulter has set a target of 200 survey responses or more. The survey results would provide data the board of trustees could work with for the 2026-27 action plan; create clear priorities for the budget allocations and grant proposals and provide documented evidence of community engagement for the library’s stakeholders, she said.  Some of the next steps for the potential survey, which will be a joint effort of the library board’s Public Relations and Long-Range Planning Committees, is to finalize the survey contents and determine how it will be distributed. Library director lobbying  Coulter told the trustees at last week’s meeting she participated in the Feb. 3 Library Advocacy Day in Albany.  In a Feb. 3 Facebook post, Coulter wrote participants in the Advocacy Day were library employees, trustees and other library supporters.  “What an inspiring day advocating for strong library funding, sharing our stories and meeting with New York State legislators to make sure libraries remain free, open and essential to every community,” she said. “When libraries show up together, our voices are loud — and impossible to ignore.” The New York Library Association has a series of requests for  2026, including legislation on such issues as intellectual freedom, book licensing reform, media literacy and civil service reform, Coulter said.  Coulter said library advocates from the local area met with state Sen. Pete Harkham and Assemblymember Chris Burdick.

Clockwise from top left, John Jay senior Brendan Asta tries to score off a rebound in the crease  for Horace Greely/John Jay. Henry Millhon makes a pass in playoff victory. Frankie Epstein clears on defense from behind the net. Jack Hartney looks to make a pass from the point. Emmet Geller makes a stick save in goal. Jim MacLean Photos By JIM MACLEAN  When you see an opportunity in the playoffs, you have to pounce on it and take advantage. John Jay senior Brendan Asta saw the opportunity and he started yelling loud and clear to make sure his teammate Henry Millhon saw it too. He did, and he made a perfect pass to Asta racing up the ice all alone at full speed. Asta raced into the zone on a breakaway and finished it off for a short-handed goal to turn the momentum. “I wanted to make sure he noticed me and he did and made a great pass,” admitted Asta when asked about his shout out to Millhon. “(Ryan) Marcus pushed it up to Henry, he batted it out of the air, sick play, and he saw me racing down the ice and I just had to finish it off.” Less than two minutes later, still killing off the penalty, the duo combined again in reverse order as Asta made a long pass to Millhon and he finished it off for another shorthanded goal. That proved to be the winning goal in a 4-3 victory for Horace Greeley/John Jay (HG/JJ) to advance. “Oh yeah, I knew he was going to make it, he doesn’t miss that pass,” Millhon said of his goal off the assist from Asta. “Our backs against the wall, that’s when we played our best. We persevered.” Every ice hockey team knows that anything can happen in the playoffs and all it takes is one hot goalie to pull an upset, and those two shorthanded goals would prove to be the difference. HG/JJ entered the game as the number-five seed hosting number eight-seed Cortlandt in the first round of the Section 1 Division 1 tournament on Feb. 19, at the Brewster Ice Arena. HG/JJ had defeated the Rebels twice during the regular season, but the first period was an omen that this was not going to be an easy victory on the ice as the two teams finished the period locked in a scoreless tie. HG/JJ struck first early in the second period as Brody Stogsdill scored a goal off assists from Asta and Freddie Gross, but the Rebels were able to tie it up two minutes later with a power play goal. Asta was able to break the tie with his first goal of the game off an assist from Stogsdill as HG/JJ went into the locker room at the end of the second period holding a 2-1 lead. However, Cortlandt was fired up by a strong game from goalie Brendan DiBenedetto as he came up with a lot of big saves in the first two periods as HG/JJ outshot the Rebels 26-11. The Rebels came out strong to start the third period and seemed to take control of the action, and with nine minutes left that one-goal lead was in jeopardy as HG/JJ would have to kill off a five-minute major penalty. That was when Asta and Millhon answered the call and rallied HG/JJ with a pair of shorthanded goals and a 4-1 lead as goalie Emmet Geller and the defense killed off the rest of the penalty. With time winding down after killing the penalty and scoring twice, the momentum seemed to be with HG/JJ, but the Rebels answered back. With two minutes left to play Nate Herbert scored to cut the lead down to 4-2 and give the Rebels life. Then 30 seconds later he scored again to make it a one-goal game with 1:28 left to play. Pulling the goalie for an extra skater, the Rebels tried to get the equalizer, but Geller and the defense was up to the challenge and closed out the victory. Geller was credited with 16 saves overall for HG/JJ, while DiBenedetto made 28 saves for the Rebels. “A one-goal lead is never fun, and then giving them a five-minute major, that was tough,” admitted HG/JJ coach Alex Lichorat. “Our M.O. has been trying to find a way to survive and we did that with those two shorthanded goals. Their goalie played a heck of a game and made it difficult. In the second period they took control and we lost the momentum. Starting out the third period with that major was not good and we were on our heels. Asta was the game-changer, he goes out there to kill penalties and he creates chances to score and that was great. They didn’t give up and they were in it the whole way to the end.” With the victory, HG/JJ advanced to the quarterfinals on the road to face number-four seed North Rockland on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Sport-o-Rama in Monsey.

From left, the Bedford Hills firehouse and 352 Bedford Road as they appeared in 2023. (GOOGLE MAPS) Demolition of 352 Bedford Road as it was taking place on Feb. 24. (BHFD PHOTO) All that remains of 352 Bedford Road following demolition.THANE GRAUEL PHOTO By JEFF MORRIS The historic building at 352 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, once home to Kicho Japanese restaurant, has been demolished. Owned by the Bedford Hills Fire District since 2022 and next door to the Bedford Hills firehouse, the structure had “significantly deteriorated” and was no longer considered safe, according to a Facebook post by BHFD on Feb. 24, when demolition took place. According to Bedford town historian, John Stockbridge, the building had received a Tier 2 designation from the Historic Building Preservation Commission, which oversees the protection and preservation of “certain properties that possess distinctive elements of the town’s historical, archaeological, architectural or cultural past” that are outside of the locally designated historic districts. Tier 2 properties allow all actions as-of-right, exclusive of demolition activities, which require an administrative permit from the town’s director of planning. Only Tier 1 buildings require preservation commission approval for demolition or significant alteration.  Stockbridge said the building had been occupied by several different restaurants and had received significant alterations and additions since its time as home to the Adams family. Part of the history of the residence was its connection to a man killed in a notorious 19th century crime. In 1896, the owner, Walker B. Adams, who was also the postmaster and town clerk, was shot and killed as four men attempted to rob his general store, which was adjacent to the railroad tracks. His son, William, shot two of the burglars and was then shot in the back as one of the injured men returned fire. William survived.  In announcing the demolition, BHFD said the structure “was removed only after the approvals were provided by the Town of Bedford” and that the decision to proceed with demolition “was made with thoughtful consideration, prioritizing public safety and the long-term needs of our community.” The Recorder reached out for confirmation of when a demolition permit was issued, but did not receive a response in time for this story. Though plans are still in development, “the District intends to utilize the site in the future to further enhance and expand the delivery of exceptional emergency services to the residents of Bedford Hills,” said the BFHD announcement. The building had most recently been used by BHFD for storage. In 2024, the Town Board passed a resolution supporting action by the state legislature to grant BHFD retroactive tax-exempt status for the property. The resolution noted that BHFD purchased the property on July 19, 2022, “for Fire Department purposes such as storage and other related activities” but that when an application for tax-exempt status was filed in 2022, it was denied, “because the application deadline for the 2022-2023 year was March 1, 2022.” Though the tax assessor granted an exemption beginning with the April 2024 county/town taxes and going forward, action by the state was required to grant retroactive reimbursement of town, county, fire, and school district taxes paid between the time of purchase and when the exemption was granted.

Prohibited tractor-trailer aside, safety improvements are planned for the pathway along Route 117. THANE GRAUEL PHOTO  By JEFF MORRIS The Town Board recently heard about the work needed to develop the Route 117 off-road pathway to connect the hamlets of Bedford Hills and Katonah. Planning Director Jesica Youngblood gave a presentation via Zoom at the Town Board’s Feb. 17 meeting. She had explained in a January memo that the New York State Department of Transportation made available Transportation Alternatives Program grants for various projects, including the construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities. She recommended submitting two TAP grant applications prior to the March 12 deadline. The board approved those applications earlier this month. In a Feb. 12 memo, Youngblood said continuing to develop the Route 117 off-road pathway to connect Bedford Hills and Katonah furthers implementation of the town comprehensive plan’s “Connect #1” recommendation, which is to “implement specific measures for pedestrian improvement strategies in working towards developing complete streets as well as expanding recreational opportunities.” The pathway had been included as one of the largest items in Comptroller Brian Kenneally’s overview of future capital bonding, listed as a $6.6 million expenditure. However, the town’s share of the cost would actually be $1.3 million, as the TAP grants will pay for 80%. Because those funds come in the form of reimbursement, the total cost had been included in the capital project list. Now, Youngblood requested that the board declare itself the lead agency for a SEQRA environmental review of the project and the Planning Department circulate the notice to all interested and involved agencies. She said that it would be advantageous to begin the review now, because it would mean “a few more points” in their grant application if they can demonstrate to the DOT they have started the process. “It gives them a little more confidence that the applicant is serious about the dollars they are requesting,” she said. Youngblood prepared for the board’s review a Short Environmental Assessment Form with accompanying plans for each phase of the project. She said after the 30-day notice period ends, the board can complete Part 2 of the SEQRA review and adopt a declaration of its findings. This grant opportunity, she said, dovetails with a $50,000 design grant obtained in 2024 through the Hudson River Valley Greenway for specific improvements along Route 117 from Haines Road to Harris Road. Safety enhancements sought Youngblood provided a brief summary of the components of each project phase, emphasizing safety enhancements. In Phase 1, construction at Exit 39N of Saw Mill River Parkway will include curb bumpouts, a realigned pedestrian island, installation of improved median and crosswalks, and new signage. At Exit 42 there will be a new asphalt pathway, new ADA ramps, drainage improvements, a new pedestrian curb ramp with crosswalk, and signage at Nottingham Road. Construction at the southern approach towards/at the Harris Road intersection will include installing a pathway and box-beam guide rail, travel lane reconfiguration with right turn and thru lanes to be combined with a separate left turn, and a new crosswalk and signage. Phase 2 includes design and construction of the pathway’s extension north from Harris Road, which is the end of the Route 117 designation, into downtown Katonah, with new sidewalk segments. It will feature creation of a 10-foot-wide multi-use path with guide rail along the east side of Bedford Road between Harris Road and Sunrise Avenue. From Sunrise Avenue to the Community Center of Northern Westchester, a new 5-foot-wide concrete sidewalk will be installed to replace the existing sidewalk, and there will be installation of “sharrows” — shared arrows on travel ways for dual usage of motorists and bicyclists — in the roadway. Youngblood provided estimated total project budgets from Hudson River Valley Greenway consultant Creighton Manning of approximately $1,953,000 for Phase 1 and $4,704,000 for Phase 2, making the town’s 20% share $390,600 for Phase 1 and $940,800 for Phase 2, for a total of $1,331,400. “It’s very helpful to get a sense of exactly what $6.6 million could get us,” said Supervisor Ellen Calves. Youngblood added that it could be less, if they decided not to go ahead with the sidewalks. “If that needs to come off, we could shave the budget back,” she said. “It’s going to be a lot of work,” said Calves, “but very worthwhile, a very long investment in our future.” According to Youngblood, the town would find out if it is awarded the grants later this year, which means they would not be able to do any contractual work until the first quarter of 2027. She estimates “anywhere from about 12 to 18-plus months” for all the permitting and reviews needed and the construction itself, “so really you’re looking at shovels in the ground later in 2027” stretching into 2028.  The board voted to declare its intent to be the lead agency for SEQRA.

By MARTIN WILBUR Lewisboro homeowners who want to create an accessory dwelling unit on their property are running out of time to apply for state financing to defray a large portion of the expense. Potential applicants for the Plus One ADU Program have until this Sunday, March 1, to submit their document on the Tarrytown-based Housing Action Council website to be considered for the funding, said Savannah Hoffman, the organization’s program manager. Hoffman said that the cutoff date was established by the state, but she encouraged interested homeowners to submit their applications because that date can be extended if enough aren’t received. Under a grant from the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, the council received $2 million last year to make 16 awards of up to $125,000 to each approved homeowner who is looking to build an accessory unit in three participating communities — Lewisboro, Pleasantville and Tarrytown. After a 10% administration fee, $112,500 is available to create the accessory residence. The money is part of $85 million that was distributed to participating communities statewide last year. As of Feb. 25, seven applications have been received from the three communities, including three from Lewisboro, and one application has already been awarded, according to Hoffman. Hoffman said applicants must fall within the maximum income thresholds of no more than 120% of Area Median Income and adhere to their town’s zoning requirements to be accepted. For a homeowner living alone, the maximum annual gross income must not exceed $142,800 while a household of four can have a maximum income of $204,000 to be eligible. There are no income restrictions on tenants, but it must be used as their primary residence. Work that would be covered is converting an interior space, attic, basement or garage into a separate unit. That includes design, permitting, project budgeting, environmental site review, contractor selection and scoping, construction oversight, landlord training and post-construction monitoring. Also included are technical assistance fees, land surveys and payments to architects and other vendors.  “It sounds like a lot of money, but ADUs are actually very expensive depending on what you’re doing,” Hoffman said. “So far, from what I’ve seen, everybody tends to go over budget, folks tend to go over it just because of costs that build up.” Hoffman said that so far applicants have either wanted to build an accessory unit for aging parents or a grown child returning from college who is not yet prepared to live on their own, or retirees who are hoping to supplement their income by renting out the unit. Lewisboro Supervisor Tony Gonçalves said that after being notified by the Housing Action Council about the pending grant money, the Town Board approved a resolution in December 2024 and a memorandum of understanding was signed the following month. With a regional housing crunch and older residents looking for extra money, it made sense to be part of the program, Gonçalves said. “We thought it was a good program for folks that wanted to be able to have an accessory dwelling unit and get help with things, focusing on the build-out of that accessory dwelling unit,” he said. “It gives folks the opportunity to gain some additional rental income. There’s a need for more housing in town, so the hope is that this would stimulate or contribute towards it.” This is the third round of HRC funding for the Plus One ADU Program, Hoffman said. In Westchester, the first two appropriations were entirely administered through Habitat for Humanity. But as more communities sought to get involved, Habitat for Humanity needed assistance and the Housing Action Council stepped in, she said. Hoffman is hopeful that the program will be renewed by the state but that depends on whether the legislature appropriates additional money. “Hopefully, that will get funded again,” she said. “It kind of depends on the performance of this $85 million, what happened, how many of these ADUs get built.” For more information on the Plus One ADU Program and an application that can be submitted online, visit housingactioncouncil.org and click on the “ADU” tab on the upper portion of the page.

AMY SOWDER PHOTO By AMY SOWDER Knobby, twisted and an unimpressive shade of beige, ginger is a prime example of why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Underneath that thin, bark-like exterior lies a hidden power to punch up the flavor of your food like no other.  And Brian Mansour grows it right here in Bedford.  “With baby ginger, it’s milder, super tender, not fibrous. The more mature the ginger, the more intense the flavor is. The late teen years is what the ginger is now,” said Mansour, manager of Turtle Rock Farm. “Our indoor methods and grow lights extend our season.” Mansour first imports the seed — which is just a knob of ginger grown for seeding purposes — from Hawaiian Clean Seed, also called Biker Dude Puna Organics. Then he germinates the seed for four to six weeks into a sprout that’s 6 to 8 inches tall.  “Meanwhile, we’re out prepping the soil in the greenhouse. We’re a little bit crazy about the quality of the soil, because good soil means good crops and generally means more nutritious stuff too,” Mansour said. Turtle Rock Farm uses organic amendments and no heavy fertilizers. They send out soil samples to a lab before the ginger goes in to see what the soil is missing. “It’s a little more intense than normal. I have a science background, and I don’t like to leave as much to chance if I can help it,” said Mansour, who studied regenerative agriculture while earning his science degree at University of Rhode Island. Mansour generally transplants ginger into his greenhouse’s raised nitrogen-rich soil beds in May to start harvesting in September. Keeping the soil moist with drip irrigation, Mansour usually harvests ginger through January.  But this year, the 2025 harvest should continue halfway into March. “We got the seed in [soil] really late, in May,” Mansour said. Mansour left The Farm at Cabbage Hill in Mount Kisco to manage Turtle Rock Farm from the ground up, an opportunity he relished. “I wanted to be part of the start of a farm,” Mansour said.  Founded in 2023, Turtle Rock Farm has a 4,000-square-foot greenhouse and a little less than an acre for outdoor field growing. The farm is in the early stages of selling its produce, including its baby ginger, at Mast Market and Truck restaurant in Bedford and at Bedford Farms market. The goal is to start selling at farmers markets by 2027. Besides ginger, he’s growing leafy greens, peppers, garlic, flowers, tomatoes, turmeric, eggplant and snack-size cucumbers. Soon, the farm will launch its website, turtlerock.org . “We’re not certified organic, but everything we do is with organic practices,” Mansour said. Ginger is a food not commonly associated with Hudson Valley agriculture. But greenhouses and hoop houses change all that. Referred to as a root, ginger is actually an underground stem called a rhizome that grows horizontally underground. The ginger rhizome contains 1% to 3% essential oils. The compound “gingerol” gives it that pungent heat. Dried ginger is generally less spicy than fresh ginger. Ginger is more of a spice than a vegetable. Its flavor profile depends on the variety of ginger and when it’s harvested, often characterized by notes of citrus, mustiness, soap, spicy heat and a little bitterness. When combined with green onion and garlic, ginger is considered part of the “holy trinity” of Chinese cooking.  For centuries, ginger has been part of healing strategies in Asia, India, Europe and the Middle East. In addition to medicinal uses, ginger is one of the most versatile ingredients, despite its intensity. Try it fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied and powdered or ground. Ginger is great in cocktails, teas, smoothies, as well as savory and sweet dishes, from curries, soups and stir-fries to jams, cookies and cakes. Anyone can grow ginger in a pot at home, he said. “You keep harvesting until the plant is gone,” Mansour said. “At home you can harvest one slice at a time. If you have friends over and want to make a drink with ginger, you can go to your patio and slice it off. It’s great in Moscow Mules.” But whether you buy it or grow it, the best way to store ginger is to keep it dry, let cool and place it on paper towels in the fridge’s crisper drawer. For long-term storage, put ginger on paper towels in a plastic bag in the fridge. In winter, ginger can sit out on the kitchen counter at the window sill. You can freeze ginger in a freezer bag, but chill it gradually, in the fridge first, then freezer, so condensation doesn’t turn to ice. For more information, visit turtlerockfarmny.org . Note from the writer (a big fan of fresh ginger): Try peeling your fresh ginger with a regular table spoon, rather than a peeler or knife. The spoon removes only the thin skin, minimizing waste, but it’s also a more efficient and safer way to navigate ginger’s knobs and curves.

By THANE GRAUEL A Nor’easter thrust upon an already winter-weary Westchester began in earnest late Sunday and piled up overnight. Virtually all non-emergency governmental offices are closed Monday, with the Westchester county executive declaring a countywide emergency and a travel ban from 9 p.m. last night until 6 p.m. Monday. Spotters for the National Weather Service reported more than 20 inches in some places in Westchester by 11 a.m. Monday. In the early hours Monday, New York State Electric and Gas had about three dozen customers in the area without power, in Mount Kisco and Lewisboro. Con Ed had more than 300 customers out, but none in The Recorder’s area. To report outages go to coned.com or nyseg.com . Together the utilities had hundreds without power around 1 p.m. Monday in Westchester, but none in Mount Kisco, Bedford, Pound Ridge or Lewisboro. Bedford All town offices will be closed Monday. Supervisor Ellen Calves reminded people in a Sunday afternoon email of the county’s travel ban. “Only essential workers, which includes snowplows, may be on the roads,” she wrote. She said snow was expected to be heavier and wetter than the last storm. “Heavy snow and wind may bring down trees and poles that could result in power outages,” she said. “Do not go near downed wires and check your outage status on your utility's website.” Lewisboro Lewisboro Supervisor Tony Gonçalves also told people, except non-essential workers, to observe the travel ban. “Staying off the roads will enable our Highway Department and NYS DOT to plow our roads, and allow our first responders to safely and quickly respond to emergency calls,” he said. All town offices are closed. Monday's Town Board meeting has been moved to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Mount Kisco Mount Kisco Village Manager Edward Brancati declared a snow emergency for the village and invoked emergency parking rules. There is no parking on-street parking until noon Monday. “Violators may be towed or ticketed,” he wrote in his declaration. People are also forbidden from throwing snow on plowed streets, and are responsible for contractors working for them who do so. Free parking is available in all municipal lots during the emergency. Pound Ridge The town’s Highway and Maintenance departments pretreated all town roads ahead of the storm, Pound Ridge Supervisor Kevin Hansan said in a Sunday email, and crews were ready for plowing and sanding operations as conditions worsened. On Monday, he reminded people to stay off the roads so plows could do their work. "Fortunately, we haven’t experienced widespread power outages in our community," he said in an update. "Most stores and businesses in the area are closed. Please stay home if possible until tomorrow and enjoy this snow day." He also had asked people to check on the wellbeing of their neighbors, "especially seniors or anyone who may need extra assistance during the storm.” The Town House and Town Court are closed.

By JEFF MORRIS  In a session on the non-instructional portions of the 2026-27 budget, the “elephant in the room” facing the Board of Education, in terms of largest spending increases, ended up being health insurance. But first, there were many other areas to get through. “In many ways, the non-instructional side of the budget is what allows our instructional mission to succeed,” said Lisa Herlihy, assistant superintendent for business, introducing the presentation at the board’s Feb. 12 meeting. Herlihy went into a bit more detail about the reasons for decreases in state aid than she had at the first budget presentation, revealing that the district’s aid had been reduced by $1,766,164 over two years. She explained that the district experienced a decline in enrollment from year to year, coupled with an increase in assessed value; this led to higher wealth ratios and lower state aid ratios. Under Central Administrative Services, one increase Herlihy mentioned is the addition of a full-time executive assistant to the business office. She said there had been one secretary reporting both to her and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Julia Drake.  “Julie and I used to share a secretary, and we wanted her to stay here,” she said with a laugh. “It was a lot to support two assistant superintendents, so we are now looking at bringing on another person.”  That results in a line in the Business Administration budget increasing from $896,373 to $996,753, a $100,380 or 11.2% increase. Superintendent Raymond Blanch noted there is a realignment of full-time equivalent positions across the organization, which will become more evident in two weeks when they do the instructional budget. He said there need to be reductions as well as realignment.  “Every time a position is open, we ask ourselves is this a position that needs to be replaced?” he said. “That needs to be replaced fully? Is it in the best place to support the organization?”  Blanch was referring to the need to reduce expenses in order to bring the budget in under the tax cap. At the first budget meeting in January, Herlihy noted that even under a best case scenario, expenses would exceed revenues by approximately $1.37 million, and under a more conservative assumption there would be a significant structural gap of approximately $6.7 million. The early estimate of the total budget if the district went to the tax cap anticipated a budget increase of about $4.4 million. Much of the presentation consisted of an enumeration of numbers of people working in different areas and descriptions of what they do, without any specifics about what the financial implications are for the budget. Neill Alleva, the assistant superintendent for human resources, pointed out the district has a total of 750 employees, with 98 new employees hired and brought on board thus far during 2025-26, and that employees include teachers, transportation, operations and maintenance, coaches, administrators, and support staff. There was a further drilling down into some areas, including operations and maintenance, which is proposed for an increase of 1.02%, or $85,665. Director Michael Lavoie listed all the areas within that portion of the budget, which include six school buildings totaling 661,125 square feet; 174 acres of land, including 11 athletic fields; two wastewater treatment plants; bus garage; transportation office; oversight of $49.5 million in bond work; continuous capital improvements, preventative maintenance and repairs; and a five-year building condition survey. Transportation Director Nora Beltran also appeared, describing a department with 93 district vehicles; school buses that travel over 54 square miles and approximately 818,000 miles per year, providing transportation for over 2,000 students daily. She said the average bus age is five years, and there are seven mechanics. The transportation budget is to increase $105,017, or 2.16%. Technology Services is planned for a 6.8% increase, or $253,132. While most of that budget is instructional technology — $2,638,143 out of the $3,976,687 total, versus $1,338,544 for non-instructional — for 2026-27, non-instructional will have a 61.65% increase of $510,470, while instructional will actually decrease, down $257,338, or 8.89%. Herlihy explained the discrepancy, saying the state and BOCES had reclassified their co-operative services, or “co-sers.”  “Where, for example, network manager and support and everything like that used to be on an instructional line, the state has come back and said that’s really a non-instructional thing,” she said. Also, said Herlihy, the district adopted a one-to-one device program in the spring of 2020, and regular replacement of those devices will continue to increase the technology line. As had been mentioned at the prior discussion, employee benefits are a significant portion of the budget, though it is a mixed bag, with most lines increasing and some decreases. Overall it is increasing 6.78%, or $2,664,092, with the largest single rise in hospital and medical insurance, which is increasing $2,398,215.  Both Blanch and trustee Marjorie Schiff called attention to that, noting that though the percentage increase on that line, at 10.61%, is seemingly on a par with other benefit increases, the amount from which it starts is larger than everything else by several orders of magnitude. “You’re talking about two thirds of the anticipated increase of about $4.4 million right there,” said Blanch.  “When you look back at that $4.4 million, right there the health insurance premium is accounting for 54% of the levy increase available to us,” said Schiff, agreeing with Blanch’s point that if you add in the entire benefits increase it is closer to two-thirds. “We’re not alone in experiencing this, and this is why we’re seeing so many districts in the region really struggle in this environment to come in under the tax cap,” Schiff said, adding that some mandates imposed by the state are “truly exorbitant and crushing districts.” A review of the instructional portion of the budget is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26.

Writer supports Harckham for reelection, citing pro-solar bill To the Editor: Planning to leave Earth for Mars? Neither am I. That’s why I’m concerned that the Environmental Protection Agency terminated the endangerment finding of 2009 on Thursday, Feb 12, 2026. The endangerment finding is part of the Clean Air Act in which six greenhouse gases were categorized as dangerous to human health. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated: “If Congress wants EPA to regulate the heck out of greenhouse gases emitted from motor vehicles, then Congress can clearly make that law.” Luckily, we have Pete Harckham, chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee in the New York State Senate. Harckham is the sponsor of the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power Act (ASAP) S.6570/A08758 in New York.  Rather than strangle commerce with regulations as Lee Zeldin implies, the ASAP act of New York state actually opens up the free market in three ways. First, by supporting reforms to the flexible smart grid interconnection process. Second, by letting utility companies do their own work to connect “distributed energy sources, such as solar and energy storage systems, into the electric distribution system.” Third, by saving $1 billion per year across all rate payers, not just people who install solar, because New York state will decrease purchases from the wholesale energy market (Synapse Energy Economics report). The ASAP act is supported by New York Solar Energy Industries Association employing 15,000 people in New York state. Solar power is scalable now, versus greater than 15 years for nuclear power. It avoids the pitfalls of gas price volatility, the disaster of nuclear accident, and the pollution damaging our lungs and planet.  Support sane government by voting for Pete Harckham for New York State Senate. Ellen Kearns Pound Ridge Writer: Give Conley the chance to ‘bring curtain down’ on Lawler To the Editor: In the wake of the recent brutality and cold-blooded executions by ICE of two U.S. citizens, CD 17 Congressman Mike Lawler saw his popularity beginning to wane. No one can accuse this most transactional politician of not reading the tea leaves. After his enthusiastic approval and vote for the “Big Ugly Bill” transferring multi billions of dollars from those most in need to ICE, he chose to pivot to his practiced role as a bipartisan moderate. While Mike is hardly bipartisan or any kind of moderate, he plays one when addressing the electorate, hoping they do not follow his voting record too closely. Hence his recent op-ed in The New York Times suddenly advocating for an embrace of a “new comprehensive national immigration policy.” Really, Mike? Perhaps you might have thought about that before once again demonstrating your fealty to Trump and voting to ensure this current campaign of domestic terror.   But I must point out that his cloak of moderation is slipping and the real Lawler emerges when his immigration plan provides “a path to legal status, but not citizenship, for long-term illegal immigrants without criminal records.”  I think he is saying we need your low cost labor, your tax dollars, the entrepreneurial spirit that has made you a dominant force within the Fortune 500 … and in return grant you squatters rights for the privilege of being here. How noble! Last week, Congressman Lawler voted for legislation that would require us all to provide proof-of-citizenship as the midterm elections approach. It is now up to the Senate to pass the most restrictive voting bill ever before them.  So on June 23, I encourage you to begin bringing the curtain down on Lawler’s act and casting your vote for Cait Conley, a different kind of Democrat — one who shares your values and will legislate accordingly. Jay Forbes Peekskill Purple Plains license renewal application questioned To the Editor: The Pound Ridge Town Board held a public hearing Feb. 17 seeking input from residents on an application by SMMB Inc., to renew its license to operate the Purple Plains cannabis retail store. Comments by Attorney John Nathan presented credible evidence that the original application by SMMB may not have been consistent with the legal requirements related to the award of licenses. The law gave priority to applicants with a prior conviction related to a marijuana offense. The law also required that such individuals own at least 51% of the stock of the applicant. Mr. Nathan and the town have sought without success to get a copy of the original application from SMMB. Published articles have referred to SMMB as having been formed by a father and his daughter with her fiancé also involved. In an article in the December issue of Bedford & New Canaan magazine, the daughter’s fiancé revealed in an interview that he had a prior conviction related to marijuana.  While this indicates he was the one fitting with the first requirement, there is no publicly available evidence that he owned at least 51% of the stock of SMMB.  This disclosure at the public hearing raises serious questions as to whether SMMB followed the law with their application. The rule of law is fundamental and important. It would be reckless for the Pound Ridge board to support the renewal of this license without knowing precisely what SMMB represented in its original application and confirming that it was in full compliance with the law. Transparency and good governance also require that the Town Board make residents aware of what position it will take on the renewal of SMMB’s license.         John D. McCown Pound Ridge

Chase Hamilton of Fox Lane makes a turn in giant slalom. Greg Kaplowitz photos ohn Jay’s Porter Bysshe (right) finished second in the overall Skimeister standings at the Section 1 boys ski championships. Derrick Crivelli (center) of Brewster, son of John Jay coach Paul Crivelli, was first. Jack Mooney (left) of Yorktown was third. James Bysshe of John Jay goes into his tuck at the finish line. By JIM MACLEAN  It was a long day of skiing as the top skiers from all around the area converged on Hunter Mountain for the Section 1 ski championships Tuesday, Feb. 10. The top 70 boys and 70 girls in the section earned the chance to compete, and in the end there were four local skiers from Fox Lane and John Jay that earned a trip upstate to compete in the New York state ski championships. John Jay has been among the top ski programs in Section 1 for the past couple of decades, and once again the Wolves were in the mix at the top as the boys team finished third overall with Porter Bysshe leading the way. Bysshe finished second in the Skimeister standings and earned a trip to the state championships. “Sectional championships was a great day for Porter Bysshe, he put together four really solid runs and skied exceptionally well,” said John Jay coach Paul Crivelli. “The level of competition was strong, and we’re proud of what he accomplished.” Bysshe was second in the slalom competition and third in the giant slalom as he finished with a combined time of 141.18 for his four runs. The only skier to finish above Porter in the skimeister standings was Derrick Crivelli of Brewster in first with a time of 139.79. He is the son of the John Jay coach. The Fox Lane boys team was led by Chase Hamilton as he finished sixth in the overall skimeister standings after four strong runs for a combined time of 145.42 to earn a trip to the state championships. The top 11 boys and girls from the Sectional finals will compete at the states. “Chase has had a fantastic season this year, placing in the top five in most races and I’m so proud of him for qualifying for states,” Fox Lane coach Jessica Anthony said of Hamilton. “He’s made so much progress, specifically in giant slalom to help get him there.” Fox Lane’s Brynn Anthony bounced back from an almost devastating mishap to earn a trip to the states. She has been one of the top skiers in the section and was on the state team last year, but her ski released and she could not finish her first giant slalom run, knocking her out of contention for the Skimeister title. She bounced back with a strong run to finish sixth in the standings to qualify for the state team. “It was a back and forth day for Brynn,” Anthony said of her daughter. “She was in third after the first run in slalom, but finished fourth. On her first run of giant slalom her ski came off towards the bottom of the course, so it all came down to her second run. She showed a lot of poise and experience and dropped the second fastest giant slalom run for run two to help solidify her spot for states. The support of the other female athletes at the finish line was just amazing to watch. John Jay will also have a girl representing the Wolves up at states as Willow Lutz finished 10th overall to earn her place on the Section 1 state team. Lutz had four solid runs to place sixth in the Skimeister standings. The John Jay boys almost had another state qualifier, as James Bysshe is an alternate for the state team. James was coming back from an injury and hoping to finish strong to return to states after qualifying last year. He had three strong runs on the day, but he had one costly run in the slalom that knocked him down to 18th overall. John Jay teammate Whit Degenhardt was right behind in 19th place. Nathan Fishkind of Fox Lane was 23rd, and Evan Templeton of John Jay was 35th overall. “For the boys team to compete the way they did and come away with a third-place finish speaks to the depth of the group,” Crivelli said of the Wolves. “They supported each other throughout the day. James Bysshe battled hard. He had a challenging first run in slalom, but showed a lot of character by coming back with a strong second run. Whit Degenhardt also had a solid day. His consistency has been a big asset to our lineup.” In addition to Lutz, John Jay had three other girls finish in the top 25 as the Wolves finished sixth overall in the girls team standings. Miriam DiPaolo was 13th, Gemma DelRosso was 17th, and Isabella Dziedzic was 25th for the Wolves. “On the girls’ side, it was a very positive day, qualifying four girls for sectionals highlights the depth of the program,” added Crivelli. “Willow Lutz did amazing, she locked in and earned her spot for states. Miriam DiPaolo, Gemma DelRosso and Isabella Dziedzic improved each week and the Sectional championships reflected that progress.” The Fox Lane girls finished 10th in the team standings with four Foxes qualifying to compete at sectionals. Grace Anthony was 29th overall in the Skimeister standings, while Charlotte Upton was 47th and Summer Yaggi was 49th. “Grace is only a freshman and we were so proud of her to qualify for sectionals in her first year,” coach Anthony said of her younger daughter. “It was a fantastic experience for her and the other girls and she looks forward to qualifying again next year.” John Jay’s Porter Bysshe and Willow Lutz, along with Fox Lane’s Brynn Anthony and Chase Hamilton, will now move on to compete with the Section 1 team at the New York state championships at Bristol Mountain in Canandaigua, N.Y. on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 23-24.

Pictured: On Sunday, April 19, cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Connie Shih will play works by Beethoven, Schumann, Fauré, and Boulanger. (SATOSHI AOYAGI PHOTO) Irish Quintet Goitse performs in the Rosen House Concert Series on Friday, March 20. (EDDIE KAVANGH PHOTO) Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, (Ari Magg photo) The Poiesis Quartet  (Ari Magg photo) The Anat Cohen Quartetinho  (Ari Magg photo) Guitarist Solomon Hicks concludes the 2025-2026 Rosen House Concert Series on Friday, May 8. (Contributed photo) Caramoor in Katonah continues its Rosen House Concert Series with eight performances featuring classical, jazz, and folk music from March 8 through May 22. The Rosen House Concert Series is held in the Music Room of the historic home of Walter and Lucy Rosen, a Mediterranean-style villa from 1939 filled with treasures from around the world.  Caramoor also announced expanded public programs billed as “Beyond the Music: Yoga, Teas, Talks and More.” The spring Rosen House Concert Series opens Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m., with the Schwab Vocal Rising Stars’ culminating performance, “To the Sea.” Tickets are free for audience members ages 18 and under. Every year, Schwab Vocal Rising Stars’s Artistic Director Steven Blier selects four promising singers and a pianist for a week-long Caramoor residency. The March 8 program is a hymn to the lure and menace of the ocean, and includes works by Elgar, Guastavino, Rachmaninoff, Pauline Viardot, and Debussy. This year’s Schwab Vocal Rising Stars are Shiyu Zhuo, soprano; Anna Maria Vacca, mezzo-soprano; Nathan Romportl, tenor; Will Kim, baritone; and Luis Villarreal, piano.  On Friday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m., Irish quintet Goitse performs. Born from Limerick’s Irish World Academy, the ensemble blends Irish tunes and their own fresh compositions. The musicians include Áine McGeeney (fiddle and vocals), Colm Phelan (percussion), Conal O’Kane (guitar), Alan Reid (multi-instruments) and Daniel Collins (accordion). Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson performs Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in E major, Op. 109 on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m.  The Junction Trio performs Sunday April 12, at 3 p.m. Formed in 2015, the trio features violinist Stefan Jackiw, cellist Jay Campbell, and pianist Conrad Tao. The musicians are known for interpreting classical masterworks as well  trailblazing contemporary works. At Caramoor they will perform Tao’s “Eventide” along with Piano Trios by Ravel and Schumann. On Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m, acclaimed cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Connie Shih will play works by Beethoven, Schumann, Fauré and Boulanger. Isserlis is known for a wide-ranging repertoire, from Romantic masterpieces to rediscovered gems. He has been honored with Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a place in Gramophone’s Hall of Fame.  The Anat Cohen Quartetinho performs Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m., presenting its signature blend of jazz, Brazilian rhythms, and chamber music. Following their Caramoor debut in the fall, which was named one of the best performances of 2025 by The New York Times, the Poiesis Quartet, the Caramoor 2025-26 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence, returns Sunday, May 3, at 3 p.m., with another program showcasing their fresh take on chamber music. The May 1 program includes Michi Wiancko’s “To Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores,” Eleanor Alberga’s String Quartet No. 2; and Béla Bartók’s String Quartet No. 5. Tickets are free for audience members 18 and under.  Presented in collaboration with City Winery, guitarist Solomon Hicks concludes the Rosen House Concert Series on Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. Hicks blends blues, jazz, and rock with soulful vocals. He has performed with top musicians such as Jeff Beck, Ringo Starr and Mavis Staples, and appeared at Caramoor’s 2024 American Roots Music Festival. ‘Beyond the Music’ As part of its “Beyond the Music” program, Caramoor presents Steven Blier in conversation with David Pogue on Thursday, March 5, at 7 p.m., in the Music Room. Blier will discuss his recently released memoir “From Ear to Ear: A Pianist’s Love Affair with Song.” Bleir’s memoir recounts his musical journey from impromptu piano gigs in the 1960s to a celebrated career collaborating with some of the greatest voices in modern times including Renée Fleming, Jessye Norman and Cecilia Bartoli. He also reflects on living and performing with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, sustained by determination, humor, and a lifelong devotion to music. David Pogue, a Bedford Hills resident, is an Emmy-winning correspondent for “CBS News Sunday Morning,” a New York Times bestselling author, a five-time TED speaker, and host of 20 NOVA science specials on PBS. On April 15 and May 20 at 7 p.m., Caramoor presents “Studio Nights: Art and Aperitifs in the Music Room.” On April 15, participants are invited to study form, pattern, and design while creating a watercolor painting based on Caramoor’s collection of vases and vessels. The May 20 class introduces the fundamentals of charcoal portrait drawing using busts from the Rosen House collection as reference, including portraits of Lucie and Walter Rosen, Caramoor’s founders, and other historic figures.  In collaboration with the Herb Society of America, NY Unit, Caramoor presents “What’s the Tea?” on May 7, at 6 p.m., in the Music Room. The program will feature a panel discussion with experts that will explore tea from root to cup. Following the panel, participants can continue the experience with guided tea sampling and an interactive tea-blending workshop, while creating custom tea to take home. Family programs In collaboration with The Rewilding School, Caramoor presents “Mystery of the Missing Music: A Caramoor Tabletop Adventure for Teens” on March 11 and 25, and April 8 and 22 at 4:30 p.m. Participants will unravel an imagined Caramoor mystery of Lucie Rosen’s missing theremin in an immersive role-play tabletop game series that weaves together historical detail, creative storytelling, and collaborative problem-solving. Recommended for teens ages 14-17.. Little Artists at Caramoor will be held April 15 and May 20 at 4:30 p.m., in the Music Room. In the April 15 class, young artists will learn basic watercolor techniques. On May 20, participants will learn the fundamentals of sculpting a bust using air-dry clay.  Tours and Teas New in 2026, every Friday and Saturday throughout spring, Caramoor will offer Rosen House Signature Tours at 10 a.m. Visitors will explore the historic Rosen House through a docent-led experience which shares the stories behind the House’s treasures, including Asian and Renaissance art, period rooms imported from European villas and châteaux, and architectural details. The tour will take visitors through key rooms of the House, offering insight into the personal history of the Rosen family and the cultural significance of the spaces they inhabited. Inspired by founder Lucie Rosen’s love of the English tea tradition, Caramoor continues its popular Afternoon Teas. On Feb. 22 at 11 a.m, Caramoor invites families to a special Teddy Bear Family Tea, a tea party for children and their favorite teddy bears, dolls, or plush companions, which will include hot chocolate and a Caramoor activity book. Afternoon Teas will return May 15, 22,and 29, 2026 at 1 p.m. For Caramoor’s complete schedule including Beyond the Music events, visit caramoor.org/events   For tickets and more information, visit caramoor.org . Caramoor is located at 149 Girde Ridge Road, Katonah.