The Chase family: Cydney, Emily, Alex Baglieri (Emily's partner), Chevy, Jayni, and Caley Chase. ROBERT J. CUMMINGS PHOTOS Daughters Cydney, Caley, and Emily Chase donated a bench in honor of their parents, Jayni and Chevy Chase, who are nature lovers and fans of the sprawling Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Murray Fisher and bench builder Christopher Hawver carry the bench to the scenic overlook The bench sits atop the Leatherman Overlook, which looks west towards the Cross River Reservoir and the Hudson Highlands in the distance.Park manager Taro Ietaka organized the event with the assistance of the Friends of Trailside Nature Museum. Other parks and county officials on hand included Director of Conservation Jason Klein, District 2 Legislator Erika Pierce, and County Executive Ken Jenkins.The daughters praised their parents who instilled the love of nature in them from an early age. Janyi and Chevy made remarks where Chevy said he was so proud of his daughters and they were their true legacy. The view from Leatherman Overlook.

Consider wildlife when you light the landscape To the Editor: Outdoor lighting is becoming increasingly popular in our town. While you may enjoy the lights in your landscape, or feel it improves safety, it is important to consider its contribution to light pollution. Satellite measurements indicate that the extent and brightness of artificial light at night are increasing globally by about 2% each year. This is not without consequences. Darkness is essential for birds, moths, bats, and other wildlife that rely on it for feeding and navigation. Tree uplighting is especially disruptive. Artificial light can trap moths around lights until they are exhausted, and interfere with their ability to feed and reproduce. Insect populations have already declined dramatically, with bird populations following. Although often unnoticed, moths make up the majority of butterfly and moth species (Lepidoptera), and only a few species of the many thousands cause damage to clothing. Moths are important nighttime pollinators and a critical food source for wildlife, yet many are showing troubling declines. Most bird chicks depend on caterpillars for food, and many caterpillars are the larvae of moths whose survival depends on dark nights. Disrupting these bird and insect communities also weakens the natural balance in our yards, including the regulation of insects and other organisms we often consider pests. So please, if lighting is desired, use motion sensors or low, downward-facing fixtures on timers. Softer, warmer light is also less harmful than bluish light. Limiting outdoor lighting not only protects wildlife, but also respects your neighbors and allows them to enjoy a natural starlit sky. Filippine Hoogland Bedford Lauding Cait Conley's lifetime of service and leadership To the Editor: As voters in New York’s 17th Congressional District consider who is best prepared to represent us in Washington, Cait Conley stands out as a candidate with a lifetime of service, leadership, and results. A fourth-generation Hudson Valley native from a working-class family, Cait understands the challenges facing local families because she has lived them. Her mother spent nearly five decades serving our communities as a postal worker, and her father worked in construction. Cait became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning admission to West Point after being inspired to serve following the attacks of Sept. 11. For 16 years, Cait served our nation as an Army officer, deploying six times to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan and earning three Bronze Stars. She later continued her service at the White House National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, where she worked to protect our country, our critical infrastructure, and the integrity of our elections. Today, families across the Hudson Valley are struggling with rising costs, unaffordable housing, aging infrastructure, and concerns about health care. Cait Conley has spent her career tackling difficult challenges and delivering solutions. She is not a career politician; she is a proven public servant who has led under pressure and understands how government can work for ordinary people. At a time when experience, integrity, and effective leadership matter more than ever, Cait Conley offers a compelling vision for the future of NY-17 and the ability to get results from day one. Chuck Newman Yorktown Get to know Mike Sacks before casting your ballot To the Editor: Did you know that there are five candidates in the Democratic Congressional Primary on June 23, 2026? A lot of people don’t. In the latest poll I can find (Global Strategy Poll sponsored by VoteVets Action Fund, May 7-12), Undecided won at 38%. Even after lots of money and endorsements have gone to two of the candidates early on, those candidates are still polling at 29% and 22%. This is a problem. Democratic voters appear to be seeking something else, but something else has been thwarted. There are reasons why you may not have heard of some of the candidates. Early on, candidates with lots of money flooded the field with ads and mailers, two other candidates were not invited to a large forum, and three candidates had objections filed against their nominating petitions, which are required to be on the primary ballot. There are rumors that Mike Sacks is not on the ballot. He is. Mike Sacks has run a grassroots campaign of integrity and has avoided bashing his competitors. Every signature on the nominating petitions for Mike Sacks was gathered by unpaid Democratic Committee district leaders or unpaid Democratic volunteers like me. The objection against his petitions was filed as a “placeholder” by a vice chair of the Putnam County Democratic Committee who was then unable to state a reason for her objection. Let’s get on to real business. The job of Congress is to write and analyze law to guide our democracy. All the candidates have good ideas but without the ability to navigate the nuances of Federal law, these ideas will not get done. Without media savvy, these candidates will not get to Congress. As a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who has covered federal law and the Supreme Court of the United States for decades, Mike Sacks combines a deep background in federal law with a deep understanding of media to avoid getting muddied in a vicious general election. That’s why Mike Sacks is my candidate for Congress. I hope he will be your candidate, too. Ellen Kearns Pound Ridge Beth Davidson is a cut above the rest of the pack To the Editor: Beth Davidson’s résumé, track record and ability to beat the incumbent make her the most qualified candidate for CD-17. Her experience holds up to the scrutiny of voters and showcases her values — that help all constituents no matter what their gender, color, ethnicity or religion. She delivers for her community by bringing together legislators from both parties. When the federal government and the current representative threatened the very livelihoods and healthcare of her constituents, Beth was instrumental in ensuring gaps were filled locally. Getting things done doesn’t happen simply by being inspirational or by assertion but by doing the work: Beth is deeply immersed in communitåy, understands needs, shows up for constituents at all hours of the day and night and legislates in a bipartisan way. It relies on being a team player, not a fighter. As a Rockland County legislator, she has proved in multiple elections her ability to garner votes across a diverse range of constituents, including Republicans and CD-17 can only be recaptured with strong support across the entire district, making Rockland County votes essential. With Beth, what you see is what you get — her record speaks for itself. Her ethical transparency makes her hard to go after on the merits. We’ve already seen the desperation of attacks from the Republican incumbent, tipping his hand that Beth is a threat. With so much at stake in the battle for CD-17, the way we recapture that seat is to have a candidate who is authentic, transparent, with the experience, track record, and the math to convert the votes. The only candidate that makes the cut is Beth Davidson. Lisa Schwartz Bedford Hills No hesitation, my vote is for Beth Davidson To the Editor: My past involvement in the political process has been limited to being a consistent voter. But this year, I felt the congressional campaign for NY17 required more of my attention and effort. And so I listened carefully to all the candidates. I paid attention to their demeanor, their positions, their voting record, and their background. After a year of listening and watching, in person and online, I decided, without hesitation, that Beth Davidson will have my vote in the Democratic congressional primary. Beth’s commercials inform us of her community service, her work in government, and her decades long dedication to the environment and women’s and worker’s rights. But those great contributions alone are not why I will be voting for Beth. More than her work, is Beth’s approach. She is a fighter without needing to go into battle. She is laser focused on the job at hand and transparent about who she is. She is a defender of Israel without defending the actions of Netanyahu. Beth has spent the last 20 years in NY17, raised her children in NY17, and consistently voted in NY17. She knows the area, not because of a childhood memory, but because her life has been here. The final consideration for me has been who will beat Mike Lawler in the general election. I have no doubt that Beth Davidson, more than any other candidate, can accomplish this. She knows Rockland and knows Lawler. She can speak with ease on any topic, and has the skill to take him on in real time. While I am a 30 year Westchester resident, I understand the importance of Rockland in this race. I look forward to voting for Beth Davidson in the primary, and hope that I can do so again in the general election. Dorothy Venditto Mount Kisco Please decide to vote for Beth Davidson To the Editor: The upcoming democratic primary in CD17 will be decided by you, the undecided voter. In fact, some say, the trajectory of our country’s future rests in your deliberative hands as we select the candidate who is most prepared to wake Congress from its slumber. I first met Beth Davidson on a cold winter evening on Feb. 18 at the Westchester County Democratic Convention, just months after the previous election. Long before campaign season was in full swing, she was organizing, listening, and building the coalition we need to win this seat. As I learned more about Beth Davidson, she continued to represent the candidate we will need in November. A proven local Rockland County legislator, who won the seat by connecting with all voters to capture over half the vote. An advocate for housing affordability, healthcare access, humane immigration reform, public safety, the environment, gun safety and government accountability, all while campaigning for CD17. At Manhattanville College, I watched Beth Davidson substantively debate her competitors on these topics. She was strategic, speaking truth without raising her voice to be heard, but firm in her conviction to replace Mike Lawler in the general election. From her legislative seat, she has assembled a public record on the issues that you can confidently carry to your neighbors. We will need your voice in the general election to inspire other undecided voters. I am asking you to prepare for those conversations in this primary by voting for Beth Davidson. Michael Kempin Katonah Lawler votes against interests of district To the Editor: Regarding “Boost or bust? Trump stumps for Lawler” (May 29, Page 1). I appreciate Mr. Wilbur’s attempt to showcase the president’s visit in support of Congressman Lawler NY CD17 while presenting “both sides” of the discussion. That said, I’d like to clarify and correct some points made in the article. At the rally, the president is described as “lauding Lawler for fighting for the reinstatement of a larger state and local property tax deduction,” known as the SALT cap. Readers should note that until 2017, with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by a Republican Congress and signed into law by then President Trump, the SALT deduction had been unlimited. The $10,000 cap was implemented in the 2017 law, to broaden the tax base and offset revenues lost by other tax cuts favoring the wealthiest. This cap disproportionately impacted states with high income and property taxes and disproportionately Democratic majority states. It is disingenuous for the president to “laud” Mr. Lawler for raising that very cap he put in place. Some remarks by the spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, Maureen O’Toole, reported in the article require clarification. One quote, “the congressman pushes against the president when warranted” was demonstratively inaccurate. Mr. Lawler votes along the MAGA party line consistently for items large and small and fails to rein in the president’s domestic and foreign policy actions upon which Congress has oversight powers. For example, Mr. Lawler did not oppose the unlawful tariffs that the president has levied, which cost Americans as well as our trading partners billions. Additionally, he has voted against the War Powers Resolution submitted numerous times to the House floor, which would allow for Congressional oversight of the Iran war. Nor has he demanded a formal declaration of war for the “anti-narcotic” strikes on small boats in the Atlantic and Pacific that have killed as many as 200 and which numerous legal and military experts believe to be unlawful. Most inaccurate are her statements referring to Hudson Valley families, that “Mike Lawler always puts their needs first” and “put thousands of dollars back into the pockets of hard-working families.” The OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) of 2025, which Lawler supported, has tremendous adverse consequences for his district. With this bill, thousands of children, low income families and elderly face the loss of health care coverage; removal of ACA subsidies increases health insurance rates for all; area safety net hospitals shoulder the massive surge in uncompensated care from these health care cuts; SNAP benefit reductions threaten food security for thousands of Hudson Valley residents; and cuts to the clean energy tax credits reduce clean energy jobs and increase household energy costs while promoting on-going environmental degradation. Just to name a few. Lastly, many of the effects of the OBBBA will not be evident until after the November elections — a clause cleverly included in the bill to shield voters from the repercussions of this damaging bill before casting their votes. Congressman Lawler has consistently voted against the best interests of this district. It is essential he be voted out this November. Judith Mason Katonah Why I'm supporting Cait Conley in CD17 To the Editor: I strongly urge you to vote for Cait Conley in the June primary as the Democrat to defeat Mike Lawler, incumbent, Trump pal, and self-dealer. Any of the Democrat candidates would represent us better than Lawler. Cait and the others understand and would address the challenges in providing health care, affordable housing and education. They recognize the essential role of science research for our country. They each are known to listen to and respond to the needs of their constituents. They do not focus on building their own businesses and wealth as Lawler and Trump have done. However, the unfortunate situation is that these are not normal times. President Trump and his incompetent pals Hegseth and Rubio have damaged the armed forces of the United States, through firing many in leadership, spending trillions on the still ongoing war on Iran, and enacting policies that hurt the troops. Cait is a decorated combat veteran and has worked at the highest levels on infrastructure security, counterterrorism and cybersecurity. No one wants war, and nobody understands the cost of war more than a veteran. Cait also understands the peril and the potential of AI. We need Cait Conley. Her knowledge, leadership experiences and skills are critical for the country. Primary Day is June 23. Early voting is June 13–21 at Mount Kisco Public Library or any other early voting site in Westchester. Jeanine Meyer Mount Kisco Beth Davidson “a proven fighter, winner” To the Editor: In this month’s primary, Democrats must elect a candidate who can beat Mike Lawler in the November general election. Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson is the only Democratic primary candidate who is an elected legislator who has repeatedly defeated Republicans in Lawler‘s backyard. In her last election, Davidson garnered 57% of the vote and helped flip the Rockland County Legislature to a Democratic supermajority. While in office, Davidson has worked to minimize the widespread damage caused by the pernicious Mike Lawler and this administration. Davidson helped forge a consensus to suspend the Rockland County gas tax and to protect Constitutional rights. Instead of merely talking about “fighting back,” Davidson is in the arena every day, successfully working to expand economic opportunity, empower our first responders, and protect her constituents in a place where she has deep community roots. Beth Davidson is a proven fighter and winner. She is experienced and prepared to do the work in Washington. No other candidate comes close to sharing her history of action, activism, and long-term commitment to the district. Beth Davidson has what it takes to beat Mike Lawler. The Democratic Primary for NY-17 is June 23. Early voting begins on June 13. Jennifer Saine Bedford

Edward Giobbi died May 9 of natural causes at his home in Katonah, just two months short of his 100th birthday. According to his daughter, Eugenia, “he was 99.10 and died while napping.” An accomplished painter and sculptor, he was also a well regarded chef and the author of four popular cookbooks, including “Italian Family Cooking” and “Italian Family Dining.” He was also a winemaker, gardener, and practitioner of martial arts. Outspoken and irreverent, he loved to tell stories, both verbally and through his works. He was born to Italian immigrants in Waterbury, Conn., on July 18, 1926. His father was a coal miner in Pennsylvania before moving to Waterbury and becoming a factory worker. His mother ruled the kitchen, and it is her recipes that he gathered in his books, and continued to use. He was a veteran of World War II. Trained as an artist in both New York and Florence, Italy, his aesthetic style reflected a dual American and Italian influence. According to Rita Baunok of Chroma Fine Art Gallery in Katonah, which presented a show of his works in 2023, there are references to Medieval and early Renaissance European art and architecture in his works, and he used a Mediterranean palette of sunbaked sienna, umber, and ochre. “His colors are gorgeous, so strong and bright,” said Baunok. At the time of that show, he spoke of his father being pleased that he wouldn’t have to work in a factory. “He always said, if you go to school, I’ll back you up as much as I can. You study what you want to study. But you have to either work or go to school. If you bum around the house, I’ll throw you out.” He said both his parents were very supportive, “no questions asked,” which made him very lucky. “I had friends whose wealthy parents insisted they had to take a job where they made a lot of money,” he said. “And they’d end up doing something they hated to do, but they had money. Big deal! If you’re miserable, what good is money?” As a student at The Art Students League in New York in the early 1950s, he was nourished and shaped by the New York art scene. Robert Taylor of The Boston Globe positioned him as “among the most compelling painters” in the United States. In 2011, Hurricane Irene brought a huge tree down on an annex to his Katonah studio, where some of his thousands of paintings were stored. Insurance covered most of the loss, but when the insurance company asked if he wanted them to dispose of the damaged works, he decided instead to cut the canvases into smaller sections, which he then pieced together into collages, recycling pieces of earlier works to tell new stories. He was the recipient of both a Ford Foundation Grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship. His work is in the collections of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze in Florence, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Boston Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., the National Academy of Design, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. He was predeceased by his wife, Elinor Turner Giobbi, who died in 2022 after a long illness. Elinor and Edward moved into their house on Croton Lake Road in 1961. They lived in Katonah their entire adult lives, where they raised chickens, rabbits, pigeons, numerous pets including peacocks and ponies, garden vegetables and flowers. He is survived by children Eugenia Giobbi Bone, Elizabeth Giobbi and Chambliss Giobbi, and five grandchildren, all of whom live in New York City and are involved in the arts. A private ceremony is planned. In lieu of a public memorial, neighbors and friends are encouraged to visit the Chroma Fine Art Gallery located at 194 Katonah Ave., Katonah, where Giobbi's work will be on exhibit this summer. — Jeff Morris

Cardinal Timothy Dolan is welcomed by Hawthorne School students. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who served as archbishop of New York from 2019-2025, recently visited the Hawthorn School in Bedford. Dolan’s day began at St. Patrick’s Church, where he celebrated the 9 a.m. Mass alongside the pastor, the Rev. Brian Graebe, parishioners, and families from the school community. During his homily, the Cardinal praised the close relationship between the parish and the growing school, commending Father Graebe for fostering a spirit of partnership and shared mission. “You can feel the vitality here,” Cardinal Dolan said during the Mass. “I have been watching the growth of The Hawthorn School from afar for many years, and it brings me great joy to finally be here with you today.” Following Mass, the Cardinal visited the school campus.

By JEFF MORRIS The Bedford Central School District budget for 2026-27 won big in the vote on May 19, but the final vote breakdown shows it won a lot bigger in some places than in others. Oddly, the numbers reveal that voters were more interested in casting ballots for the two candidates running unopposed for two open board seats, than in deciding whether or not to support the proposed budget. The total number of ballots cast for and against the budget was 1,026, while the total number of votes cast for the school board was 1,530 — a difference of 504 votes. To put it another way, fully a third of those who turned out to vote in the board election chose not to vote at all on the budget. Budget Overall, the budget was approved 755 to 271, 73.6% to 26.4%. Most notably, at Mount Kisco Elementary School, the vote was overwhelming: 196 to 20, or 90.7% approval. There were a total of 216 budget votes cast there. Conversely, the polling place where the most votes were cast was also where the budget got the least support. There were a total of 268 votes on the budget at Pound Ridge Elementary School, of which 166 were Yes and 102 were No. That’s an approval rate of 61.9%. West Patent Elementary School was second in approval but third in turnout, with the 197 votes cast divided as 159 Yes, 38 No — a winning percentage of 80.7%. Bedford Hills Elementary and Bedford Village Elementary had nearly identical vote totals, with 172 votes at the former and 173 at the latter. The budget, though, had a higher approval rate at BHES, where it was 123 for, 49 against, or 71.5% in favor, than at BVES, where 111 voted for and 62 against, for a 64.1% approval. School board Of the two school board candidates, Erin Hayes drew more support, with 775 total votes, while Leo Sposato had 757. Hayes was running for the first time. Sposato was already serving on the board, having come in fourth in last year’s seven-way race for four seats, which enabled him to fill the remaining year of an unexpired term. Both Hayes and Sposato have now been elected to full three-year terms. As with the budget votes, there were distinct differences between polling places, with Mount Kisco the one location where Sposato picked up significantly more votes than Hayes. Sposato is from Mount Kisco, and at MKES, he got 180 votes compared to 164 for Hayes. There were 344 total votes at that location. At West Patent Elementary, the tables were turned, with Hayes getting 166 votes while Sposato got 144 out of the 310-vote total. Sposato only outperformed Hayes in one other location, and there, just barely. At Bedford Hills Elementary, Sposato got 128 votes and Hayes 126, for a total of 254. The totals were also nearly equal in Bedford Village, where Hayes came out on top with 128 votes to Sposato’s 120. Pound Ridge was again the site with the biggest turnout. There, Hayes had 191 votes and Sposato 185, for a total of 376. The gap between total votes cast for the school board and those cast for the budget was reflected at every polling place. The biggest gap was at MKES, where there were 128 fewer votes on the budget than for board members, a difference of 37%. At other locations, the deficit ranged from 36% to 30%. The only polling place where the gap was less than 30% was Pound Ridge, where it was 29%, with 108 fewer votes on the budget than on the board candidates. An up-and-down pattern emerges when looking at the total number of votes on the budget each year. There were a thousand fewer votes on the budget this year than last year, when there were 2,025 budget votes cast. However, in 2024 budget votes totaled 1,091 — just 65 more than this year. Yet in 2023, there were a total of 2,584 votes. The budget passed in each of those years.

In partnership with the Suzanne Grant Foundation, 277 high school juniors and 30 staff members went out into more than 20 organizations to spend their morning giving back to the community during Fox Lane High School’s fifth annual Community Volunteer Day. The Suzanne Grant Foundation was started by Dave Grant in honor of his late wife, Suzanne, who was a Bedford Central School District parent, former Board of Education member and volunteer. “Today is a day when we continue her work,” Grant said. “We don’t just think about ourselves, we think about others. You’ll spend the day with people you don’t know, with a teacher you might not have had, doing something you haven’t done for people you’ll never meet.” The experiences students took part in were wide ranging. Students did some weeding at places like Muscoot Farm and Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship. Others played with kids at Neighbors Link, bagged food at Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, and interacted with community members while working food distribution and a clothing drive at the Community Center of Northern Westchester. Once they were back on campus, students were treated to pizza and ice cream before hearing some final words about the day. “People love to talk about changing the world,” Grant said. “I think that’s a rather daunting idea. But we can make our school a little better. We can make our community a little better. We can make ourselves a little better. You did a lot of good today. You made your community, your school and yourselves a little bit better — and that makes the world a little better.”

The Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce plans to hold its first Kisco Wellness Fair on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the Village Hall Green. Take full advantage of this free opportunity to gather expert advice and guidance from over 20 local wellness and fitness professionals. The Chamber says Mount Kisco has become a destination for health-related services with Northern Westchester Hospital as its anchor. The fair will focus on ways to incorporate health activities into everyday routines with a focus on movement, aesthetics, chiropractic, mental health and internal calmness, nutrition and weight management, better sleep, oral health and strength and conditioning. Businesses will share knowledge and information about their services and offer free samples, demos, raffles and Wellness Week incentives. The Kisco Wellness Fair includes opportunities to try free fitness classes. Bring your mat and towel to hop on any of the free morning exercise classes. The class schedule starts at 10 a.m., and runs throughout the morning on the half-hour. No experience is necessary to participate. Visit mtkiscochamber.com for the complete schedule.

The Village Board on Monday evening appointed a familiar name and face to become Mount Kisco’s new building inspector. William Seegmuller, who previously served as an assistant inspector in the village for more than six years, has returned to take over the top role. He replaces Peter Miley who recently retired. “I do like this town. I love this town a lot,” Seegmuller said at Monday’s board meeting. “Everybody here has been very instrumental in my career. I’m just honored and I’m proud to follow in the footsteps of Peter Miley. The guy is just amazing.” In addition to serving as an assistant inspector in Mount Kisco and North Castle, Seegmuller studied architecture, and in his previous time with the village had drawn up plans for improvements to village facilities. “He’s more than qualified,” Mayor J. Michael Cindrich said. “I’m grateful that he’s back, and we have a lot of work to do.” — Martin Wilbur

By NEAL RENTZ The Pound Ridge Library has introduced its new logo. The graphic, discussed at the library board’s May 27 meeting, shows a series of five connected buildings and a rooster atop a cupola. Library Director Jennifer Coulter said last week she will bring proposals for new exterior and interior signage and promotional materials to the trustees. “The design is inspired by the unique architecture and character of the Pound Ridge Library,” Coulter said in a follow-up interview last week. “Its muted, warm color palette reflects the natural landscape and historic charm of Pound Ridge and evokes the library’s role as a welcoming gathering place and its strong connection to the community it serves.” “The overall effect is intended to feel sophisticated, inviting, and timeless, giving the library a fresh identity that remains deeply rooted in its history,” Coulter said. Trustee Robert Bellhouse said at last week’s meeting the new logo represents the history of the library. Board President Richard Esman announced at the meeting that Richard Levan is leaving the board after two terms for personal reasons. His last meeting will be in July, and his seat will not be filled on an interim basis. This year’s library board election will be held in September. Reading from the board’s by-laws, Trustee Lexie Gallo-Cook said, “As vacancies occur, trustees shall be elected at the annual election provided for in these by laws to serve three-year terms.” Levan, who did not attend last week’s meeting, is in his sixth year as a trustee. Esman praised Levan’s service, saying he was “an extremely valuable member of the board.” Also at the meeting, Coulter provided the trustees with an update on the community survey, which was launched April 23. The library has received 50 paper responses to the survey so far and there have also been 27 online responses as of last week’s meeting, she said. Coulter is slated to report the survey results at the board’s June meeting. She also mentioned that the THRIVE Bedford-Lewisboro-Pound Ridge artwork is on display at the library through June 8. “Pieces of Mind,” is a collection of 42 acrylic paint and oil pastel works created by students from Fox Lane High School and John Jay High School in collaboration with the Katonah Museum of Art. The artworks have been placed together on a white background that reflect individual perspectives on mental health and substance use, according to THRIVE.

By MARTIN WILBUR Mount Kisco officials expressed frustration this week at the failure of the New York State Department of Transportation to notify the village of Con Edison underground work being performed at Route 133 and Croton Avenue that recently snarled downtown traffic. Mayor J. Michael Cindrich said that on the evening of May 27 he received numerous notifications that there were traffic backups stemming from the utility’s work near that intersection. He said DOT had issued a construction permit to Con Edison for infrastructure improvements to their system without notifying the village. The next morning Cindrich said he contacted Con Edison to suspend work, and by the afternoon the project was temporarily shut down. Parkway exit troubles Cindrich said he was told of traffic crawling on Main Street from Croton Avenue up to South Moger Avenue. The area is located near an entrance and exit from the Saw Mill River Parkway on the heavily used Route 133. Since local officials were unaware that work was going to be done at the site, there was no customary preconstruction meeting, the mayor said. “They were more than receptive to each and every demand that I made and the demands that the village manager set forth,” Cindrich said of Con Edison. A key demand from the village is for Con Edison to pay for police officers to direct traffic at the site while crews are working. Another important step was to wait for the resumption of work until after schools close for the summer later this month, a major contributor to vehicular volume in the morning and in mid-afternoon. The tentative completion date for the project is July 24, although work could extend beyond that date. “It’s going to happen and it’s going to be a disaster, but at least we’re aware of it now and we’re on the right course,” Cindrich said. “It’s not an emergency; it’s something that Con Ed didn’t have a problem delaying until the month of June, but it’s going to be a major conflict.” Late in the afternoon on May 27, the village posted on its Facebook page that Con Edison’s work “was planned for and began without the Village’s knowledge or involvement, as Route 133 is a New York State Road and NYS DOT issued the required permits.” Despite that post and Cindrich’s comments, the DOT appeared to shift blame for the lack of notification to the utility. In a response to questions from The Recorder, the department’s Region 8 Public Information Office in Poughkeepsie released a statement saying that Con Edison applied for and obtained a permit and is responsible for local outreach. “The work being performed along State Route 133 in Mount Kisco is being performed by Con Edison under a highway work permit issued by NYSDOT,” its statement read. “Questions about the project, including outreach efforts, should be directed to Con Edison.” Gas system safety Con Edison spokesman Allan Drury said the work is to improve the infrastructure of its gas system to ensure it is safe. The utility will also use flaggers to help with safety and traffic flow once crews return, he said. The evening complaints that Cindrich referred to was not the only difficult time period at the intersection on that day. At 10:43 a.m., Westchester County Police were contacted by a complainant informing them of a traffic condition. Police said that a sergeant responded and spoke with the crew to inform them that a workable traffic plan should be devised.

John Jay girls finish fourth Sloan Wasserman, left, outran the field in the 3,000 meter race, followed closely by Emma Barniv and Maya Serai. JIM MACLEAN PHOTOS By JIM MACLEAN A long day turned into a nice sunset as darkness fell on the track at Hendrick Hudson High School for the Section 1 Class B track and field championships on May 27, and the John Jay girls 4x800-meter relay team capped off a four-hour meet by running away from the field. It was the final Section 1 championship meet for John Jay senior Sloan Wasserman, and she dominated one last time. Wasserman won the 3,000-meter race, then she won the 1,500-meter race, and she capped it off by anchoring the John Jay 4x800 relay team to a victory as she claimed three more Section 1 titles. “It’s surreal, I’m sad, but I’m excited to go on to big things, it’s not over with states and hopefully the under-20 nationals in Oregon,” Wasserman said after her last Section 1 championship meet. “I just love competing, I’ve been training pretty hard focused on the next couple of weeks. The relay means so much, I was glad to help my team out, but they don’t really need me. Hopefully, we can get the relay team to states.” A very good day With Wasserman leading the way, John Jay finished fourth in the girls team standings with 65 points. “It’s Class championships, a good workout for Sloan, but the main goal for her is what is coming in the next couple of weeks,” John Jay coach Dey Dey said of Wasserman. “She did what she had to do, running by herself without anybody pushing her. Overall, it was a very good day for us. Hopefully, we can get the relay team to States with Sloan.” Elyse Hermanto clears the bar on her way to third-place finish in high jump. The John Jay girls had a number of top 10 finishers, especially in the distance events. In the 3,000-meter race, Wasserman won with a time of 10:00.01, followed by Maya Serai in third, Emma Barniv in sixth, Rylee Gaudron in seventh, and Brodie Albert in eighth. In the 1,500-meter race, Wasserman was first with a time of 4:33.93, followed by Mia Haimelin in third, Barniv in fourth, Serai in seventh, and Lila Rotter in eighth place. Haimelin was second in the 800-meter race with Rotter in seventh place for the Wolves. For the 4x800 relay, it was Rotter, Serai, Haimelin and then Wasserman teaming up for the win with a time of 9:41.74. In the 4x400-meter relay, Penelope Wein, Fidela Swana, Bluma Klein and Kelsey Topay teamed up for a fourth-place finish for the Wolves. A good showing Will Rebori lands in the long jump pit on his way to a sixth-place finish in the pentathlon. In the field events, Elyse Hermanto cleared five feet to place third in the high jump, and Sophia Calandros was fourth in the shot put, and Lorelei Schembri was fourth in the pentathlon. John Jay boys take sixth place The John Jay boys team also had a big day with a sixth-place finish overall with 41 points and a number of top ten finishers. Rohan Patel led the Wolves, as he was a champion in the 3,200-meter race. Patel won the race with a time of 10:12.02, with teammate Matthew Ebert right behind in second place. “I felt pretty good in the 2 mile, I was racing for the win, so I kind of chased them for the first mile and then with 1,200 to go, coach said pick it up and I went for the win,” Patel said of his race to win the title. “My first sectional title, it feels great. I was third in indoor season, so it’s good to get the win.” Rohan Patel celebrates as he wins the 3,200-meter race. Will George also had a big day for John Jay as the senior finished second in the 800-meter race, and finished third in the 1,500-meter race with Patel right behind him in fourth. Landon Goodman was fifth in the 400-meter race for the Wolves. Skylar Monasch was fifth in the shot put, with teammate Nicholas Candia in 10th place. Will Rebori was sixth in the pentathlon. Sophia Calandros was fourth in the shot put. Sectional title for Fox Lane's Ransom Fox Lane track competes in Section 1 Class A championship meet at Suffern: Fox Lane crowned a Section 1 track and field champion in the Class A championship meet on May 28, as Gabriella Ransom won the shot put event with a winning toss of 31 feet and one half inch. For the Fox Lane boys team, the Desforges brothers led the way as Jacques Desforges was second in the 800-meter race with a time of 1:59.82, while his brother Marc Desforges was second in the 3,200-meter race with a time of 9:36.95. Top ten Other top 10 finishers for the Fox Lane girls team included Victoria Ransom in third place in the 3,000-meter race. Lily Mazzuca was sixth in the 1,500-meter race, with teammate Natalie Desforges in eighth place. Amelia Agor was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles. Jillian Kurchack was eighth in the high jump, and Kalea Williams was 10th in the 200-meter race. Top 10 finishers for the Fox Lane boys included Ryan Nappi as he was seventh in the 100-meter dash and sixth in the 200-meter race. Joshua Morales was fifth in the triple jump and sixth in the high jump for the Foxes. Santo Cutri was seventh in the shot put, and Luke Sweeney was ninth in the 3,200-meter race. The quarter of Nappi, Antonio Gramaglia, Marc Desforges and Jacques Desforges teamed up to place fourth in the 4x400 relay event for the Foxes. Both John Jay and Fox Lane were set to compete in the three-day Section 1 State Qualifier meet from June 3 to 5.

Runners, joggers and walkers who made it to the finish line of the Pound Ridge Color Run on May 31 were rewarded with splashes of colored powder, reminiscent of the Indian Holi celebration. Hosted by the Pound Ridge Partnership in collaboration with the Human Rights Advisory Committee, the Pound Ridge Color Run is the town’s only 5K road race and fun run dedicated exclusively to celebrating Pride Month — with a splash of Holi-inspired color! Hundreds of runners and walkers from all over the tri-state area join every year to honor the LGBTQ+ community. Participants of all ages and abilities got involved, even kids in strollers. Photographer Ben Allen was on hand to capture the moment.