Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco may soon have a helipad to help transport patients with severe trauma and medical emergencies more quickly. Thane Grauel photo By MARTIN WILBUR Northern Westchester Hospital is seeking approval for a helipad on its roof that would allow for the transportation of patients facing serious injury or illness to and from the facility for life-saving care. Representatives for the hospital appeared Tuesday evening before the Mount Kisco Planning Board to present a conceptual plan that would allow helicopters up to 55 feet long and 16,000 pounds to land atop the eight-story Wallace Pavilion hospital building. It is anticipated that there would be about 12 flights a year ending or originating from the hospital at 400 East Main St. That is the average number of annual helicopter flights to a location at Leonard Park over the past five years, which Northern Westchester Hospital has been using when faced with major medical emergencies, hospital personnel said.  The choppers would be exclusively used for medical emergencies and would reduce the use of Westchester County Police and local fire department personnel that help clear the area of the park when a helicopter is needed. “This helipad will be a very important addition for the hospital and for the community,” said Leslie Snyder, an attorney representing Northern Westchester Hospital. “Right now, if you’re suffering trauma, God forbid, a stroke, a heart attack, the hospital coordinates with the police, the fire, and a helicopter lands in the park, which is about half a mile away. This rooftop helipad will eliminate that, so there will be a reduction in using community resources and also speed the delivery of all of the residents of Mount Kisco and the surrounding area that rely on the hospital, especially during these situations where there’s a health crisis such as a stroke or unforeseen instances.” Some of Northwell Health’s other hospitals in its network, such as Vassar Brothers Medical Center, North Shore University Hospital and Peconic Bay Medical Center, also have installed helipads, according to Snyder. Patrick Smith, Northern Westchester Hospital’s senior manager, operations, said the goal is to take care of more patients facing severe illness and trauma, in response to a question from board member Michael Bonforte. Smith said other types of care that the community has been familiar with at Northern Westchester for many years, such as its maternity services, will not diminish as a result of its quest to serve these patients more effectively. “So we are looking at increasing our ability to take care of more sick patients, more significant trauma … but that would not replace our lower acuity patients who still need that community-based care close to home,” Smith said. “This is simply to augment that care.” In the recent past, about 75% of the outgoing flights have been for emergency neonatal cases, he said. Northern Westchester sends patients to other facilities because a higher level of care is required. Planning Board members’ comments were strongly in favor of the idea, although their concerns centered on safety, noise and other potential disturbance to the community. “Obviously, saving lives, who’s going to argue with that,” said Chairman Michael McGuirk. “It’s a great benefit to the region and all of us. It’s a real positive. I think we just have to balance that with the possible impacts, and really to the degree that you can quantify that it’s 12 times. and maybe on the outside, it could be this high.” Bonforte, who also viewed the potential helipad as a strong positive, said the hospital should demonstrate that it’s far enough away from its own parking structure and nearby residences that it doesn’t pose safety threats or major noise disturbances. Board member Barbara Roppolo said there have been concerns voiced about noise and flight path, but those are some of the same issues that the village currently faces. “I live in the neighborhood and I’m all for this,” Roppolo said. “I don’t care because if it was my loved one, I would want speed to be the focus of this, and if you’re going to be landing in the park, you’re still flying over my home anyway.” In a Jan. 20 correspondence from McGuire Group Architects to the Planning Board, principal John McGuire referenced how the largest helicopter that would be used for transport would be the Leonardo AW139, which is measured between 70 and 80 decibels at ground level, similar to the noise generated by a 5-ton residential air-conditioning unit. An 8-foot-wide ramp will connect the hospital to the helipad. McGuire stated how multiple flight paths would be available to pilots given the location of the helipad. Federal Aviation Administration guidance recommends that helicopter flight paths be oriented into the wind whenever possible, with crosswind approaches considered acceptable and downwind approaches avoided. The FAA guidance also recommends that helipads have at least two flight paths outlined. “The proposed rooftop helipad and related improvements at NWH will support emergency medical transport and improve the efficiency of patient care for time-sensitive medical conditions,” McGuire wrote to the board. Snyder also said that since NWH is zoned in the Hospital District, a helipad for medical purposes is considered an accessory use. Board member W. Robert Phillips said that a helicopter landing on the roof would cause less disturbance than at the park. Having that service available locally is a net positive for the area. “I’m completely in favor of this,” Phillips said. “I think everything that’s being discussed can be addressed. I think we should be very careful on the board not to place too many restrictive requirements.” Snyder indicated that the hospital would submit a formal application to the village, possibly within the next two weeks.

By JEFF MORRIS  The Bedford Town Board is in the midst of prioritizing some major projects that will come with big price tags. At its Feb. 3 meeting, the board was presented with a revised capital plan by Comptroller Brian Kenneally. The plan includes projects from 2026 through 2034, and Kenneally made clear they were not actually authorizing any bonds at this time, but anticipating what the town’s needs are and how much borrowing they should plan for during the next decade. Kenneally said they will end this year with approximately $47 million in outstanding debt. The 10-year plan will include about $30 million in potential bonding, with some of the outstanding debt coming off during that time. In discussion with Supervisor Ellen Calves, Kenneally explained that there are some projects that have to be done, involving aging infrastructure, and there’s a cost to not replacing equipment. But he said if there are debt service spikes in particular years, they can dip into reserves, which he said are “very healthy right now” with an unrestricted fund balance of $27 million. That would help offset the cost without going to the taxpayers and potentially breaking the tax cap. “If we didn’t have to worry about taxes, we’d probably have a capital plan three times this size,” Kenneally said.  “There are so many things we have on the list, and a lot of them we’ve been pushing off,” said Calves. “I don’t think we’re going to risk not doing something that we desperately need, but there are things in here like water main replacement that will need to happen at some point, and we want to do it before we have a water main disaster.” An additional $2.9 million is allocated in the plan for water infrastructure improvements essential to maintaining system operations. Calves said when they initially got the department heads’ capital project requests for 2026-27, they totaled something like $17 to $18 million, “so we’ve worked hard with them to try to get this realistic and prioritized” and make sure they are “not overburdening the future.” The proposal submitted by Kenneally includes $4 million each for major improvements at the town’s three pools. He said planning studies are underway to determine project scope and facility needs, but according to recreation and parks commissioner Chris Soi, there has been no major reconstruction done at the pools in 40 years, the infrastructure is aging, and some of the pumps aren’t able to be used. The priority, he said, is Bedford Hills, which has the most immediate need, and is estimated to begin in 2028, with Katonah to follow in 2031 and Bedford Village in 2033. An engineering study that was bonded for in 2024 will begin this year. The plan also allocates $3 million for upgrades to the Crusher Road Highway Yard, including replacement of the existing building to increase indoor equipment storage and improve salt and material storage capacity. Phase I of that project is slated to cost $1.9 million and begin in 2027; Phase II is another $1 million and scheduled for 2028.  “The intent would be to replace the main building, which is about 70 years old and in poor condition, and also upgrade our storage to be regulatory compliant to have adequate amounts,” Public Works Commissioner Kevin Winn said. The first step, already underway, is to have a  review of the entire facility by an architect; the project is intended to phase over two different years, though the exact phasing has not yet been determined. Water infrastructure is also very expensive, Kenneally said, which is why about $3 million is allocated for it, with the Lily Pond tank painting receiving $900,000, membrane replacement at the treatment plant receiving $1.1 million, and water main replacements and connections totaling $1.5 million. There is bonding for $3,150,000 for roadway paving over the next 10 years. Kenneally said they’ve been budgeting annually for paving in the operating fund, but this will supplement that so they can be “a little more aggressive in our paving.” Also included are various other equipment purchases and infrastructure improvements. Kenneally said vehicles and equipment, especially for the highway department, are very costly, with the prices going up dramatically in the last couple of years. One of the largest items in the capital plan is shown as $6,600,000 for the TAP, or Transportation Alternatives Project, Trail Connection, but as Kenneally and Planning Director Jesica Youngblood explained, that is part of a grant application for which the town’s share would actually be $1.3 million.  Youngblood said the New York State Department of Transportation’s TAP grants are “really great grants” because they are “super helpful to municipalities” and defray 80% of the costs. “In the world of grants, this is extraordinary,” she said.  There is a deadline coming up on March 12, with two grants they’d be applying for: Phase 1 and Phase 2.  “Phase 1 is to construct the design elements that we’ve already done, for Haines Road to Harris Road for the Route 117 pathway,” Youngblood said. “Those are really to provide safety improvements, better crossing for pedestrians across the on and off ramps to the Saw Mill River Parkway and improved signage.” Phase 2 is to look at design and construction to take that path northward from Harris Road to the existing sidewalk network just before getting into downtown Katonah. Calves noted that it is not overly ambitious to apply for both grants at once, since other communities have successfully done so, especially when both grants are for phases of a single project. Youngblood added that DOT is looking to break from auto-oriented projects and look at projects benefiting bicycles and pedestrians. The board voted to approve applying for the TAP grants. It did not vote on the capital plan, pending receiving more specific figures on some of the planned projects, but Calves said they would vote at their next meeting to move forward on the 2026 items once those numbers were in place.

Aerial map shows the proposed apartment building site, outlined in black at center, in context of its surroundings, with Arroway Tractor at left, a commercial building immediately to the right, and existing apartment building to the right of that. THE HELMES GROUP Architect’s rendering of the proposed apartment building at 150 Bedford Road, Katonah. THE HELMES GROUP By JEFF MORRIS  The public will have its say on a proposed 15-unit apartment building in Katonah next month. The plan for 150 Bedford Road came before the Planning Board for the third time on Feb. 9. It was first introduced in May 2025 and then shown in a somewhat revised version in December.  At the recent meeting’s outset, board Chair Deirdre Courtney-Batson announced that it was not a public hearing, and that it was the board’s intention to set a date for a public hearing in March. That headed off the possibility of any comments, either pro or con, at the meeting.  The proposal had already been obliquely referenced in a letter to the editor which appeared in the Feb. 6 issue of The Recorder, from the co-presidents of the Katonah Village Improvement Society. That letter criticized developers who are “increasingly advancing projects that do not align with the scale, infrastructure capacity, or architectural fabric of Katonah,” and include “only a token number of affordable units while introducing density and intensity far beyond what our hamlet can reasonably sustain.” Such concerns were not addressed at this meeting. The building under consideration calls for six two-bedroom and nine one-bedroom units, including three units characterized as affordable, complying with town code requiring 20% of the units be affordable. It is a short distance from the building now known as The Mark, at 156 Bedford Road, which was completed last year with 13 apartments and the same 20% affordable ratio. That project had generated considerable neighborhood pushback. Architect Steven Helmes of The Helmes Group highlighted some changes that had been made to the plan since their Dec. 8 appearance, in response to comments and requests that were made at that time. He said the elevator was increased in size to accommodate a stretcher; the designated affordable units, all 1-bedroom, are now depicted on the floor plan, with one on each floor; the landscaping plan was revised and updated with all native plants; and air handlers are depicted on the south elevation drawing. There is now an architectural rendering, showing a three-story, gambrel-style building, having a pitched roof, with stone on the lower level facade and siding or shingles on the upper levels. “It’s not going to be white,” said Helmes. “We’re thinking some other color; there’s too many white buildings there now. Soft yellow, we’re thinking, but it’s not set yet.” He said there will be fiberglass roof shingles. Helmes said most of the parking is in the back of the long, narrow lot, with handicapped accessible spaces in the front. He said they had done a study on the traffic impact on the non-state road. The memo submitted by Helmes says the project is anticipated to generate approximately seven to eight trips during the a.m. peak hour and approximately nine to 10 trips during the p.m. peak hour.  According to the memo, “Trip generation estimates were developed using the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, 11th Edition, Land Use Code (LUC) 220-Low-Rise Apartments.” It says based on ITE rates, the project is expected to generate approximately 6.5 to 7.0 vehicle trips per dwelling unit per weekday, resulting in approximately 95 to 105 average daily vehicle trips.  The memo goes on to say, “Based on the low traffic volumes generated, the roadway context, and the absence of nearby capacity-constrained intersections, the proposed development is not anticipated to result in significant adverse traffic impacts. Accordingly, a detailed traffic impact study is not warranted.” Helmes said he was aware of a traffic study that had been done for the building at 156; he did not know how thorough it was and had been unable to locate it.  Courtney-Batson said they had just received his traffic memo that day and not had a chance to look at it, but would do so before the beginning of March. She said it was worth comparing it with the study for 156; board member Jared Antin said the amount of traffic was “arguably the same or less than another use of the site could bring,” something he noted they had also discussed during the 156 application. Helmes mentioned several other details that had been addressed in the plan, and board members raised a few issues regarding exterior design features and drainage onto the property next door. Board member Michael Tierney said the rendering showed “design intent,” but was a little bit deceiving. He noted as you drive down Bedford Road, you are not going to see vegetation as depicted, but would actually see the neighboring buildings. Helmes said they could do another rendering with the planned building superimposed on a photograph of the site. The board reviewed Part 1 of the Environmental Assessment Form, and began going through Part 2. Regarding a question on whether the proposed action would “impair the character or quality of the existing community,” Courtney-Batson said she thought that was something they should hold for the public hearing.  The applicant cannot go before the Zoning Board of Appeals for any variances until the Planning Board completes the environmental review. The Planning Board passed a motion to hold a public hearing on the application on March 9.

The Willow furniture stores on the Route 117 Bypass in Bedford Hills. THANE GRAUEL PHOTOS The Willow furniture stores sign in Bedford Hills. By JEFF MORRIS  Willow Furniture, a longtime mainstay of the Bedford business community, has filed for bankruptcy. The retailer, known officially as Country Willow Ltd. but doing business as Willow Furniture and Design, filed a Voluntary Petition of Chapter 7 bankruptcy in New York Southern Bankruptcy Court on Feb. 2. It is now known as Case No. 7:26-bk-22112. The filing follows weeks of speculation about what became of the business. In mid-December, a message was taped to the front door, saying, “We regret to inform you that Willow Furniture is closed effective immediately and until further notice. We deeply appreciate your understanding. Updates will be shared as soon as they become available.” Customers received a similar message via email, and a banner was added to the top of the Willow website saying the showroom was temporarily closed. However, no further explanation was forthcoming. Other than the banner, the Willow website remained unchanged, with information about a “Winter Sale.” In fact, on Dec. 13 the store posted on its Facebook page that it was having a “3-Day Flash Sale Dec. 12-15.” That post is still up, and the store itself appears frozen in time, its contents still visible through the glass. Customers posted on social media in December about driving to the store in expectation of a 30% off sale, only to find it closed and the note on the door. Calls to the business went unanswered. Speculation spread, with multiple comments on different social media sites wondering about the status of the store and unfilled orders. Many lamented the closure, and there was praise for the business, such as “It was such a nice store with beautiful things” and “I absolutely loved them!” Social media speculation continued this month. The Recorder was able to contact Willow’s owner, Cori Estrow, online, to ask what was going on.  “Unfortunately we had to close our store due to being crushed by the internet, economy, politics etc.,” Estrow said. “We are still regrouping and hopefully will open again in the spring.”  That was on Wednesday, Feb. 4 — two days after the bankruptcy filing. The U.S. Bankruptcy Code points out that a chapter 7 filing “provides for ‘liquidation’ — the sale of a debtor’s nonexempt property and the distribution of the proceeds to creditors.”  According to uscourts.gov , a site maintained by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts on behalf of the federal judiciary, “debtors should be aware that there are several alternatives to Chapter 7 relief. For example, debtors who are engaged in business, including corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships, may prefer  to remain in business and avoid liquidation.” It went on to say businesses do not have to pass a means test, “because their Chapter 7 filing is typically already a means to an end: liquidating the entire enterprise.” Beginning as a small mom-and-pop shop in Katonah selling farm tables and home accents, Country Willow moved to a larger space on the Route 117 Bypass in Bedford Hills in 2006. It continued to expand, taking over adjacent stores and growing to over 35,000 square feet, and in 2021, it celebrated its 25th anniversary. In 2023, Country Willow was a big part of the Bedford Economic Alliance launch event, with both Estrow and CEO Mike Liebowitz part of a panel of Bedford business owners. In October 2024, to much fanfare and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Country Willow was rebranded Willow Furniture and Design and introduced a remodeled and remerchandised showroom. Liebowitz, who had joined as CEO in 2018, was quoted as saying, “Our showroom remodel was the perfect time to align our brand name with the full scope of services and products we offer.” But according to his LinkedIn page, Liebowitz only remained with the company for two more months; by January 2025 he was working in Pennsylvania. An attempt to reach him to ask for comment about his former company was unsuccessful. The Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, filed by Jeffrey A. Reich of Reich Reich & Reich P.C., is assigned to Judge Sean H. Lane. Exhibits listed with the filing include “Sold Inventory (Still in Store & Partially or Fully Paid For)” “Problem Coded Inventory” “Rugs Inventory” “Furniture Inventory” “Accessories Inventory” “Miscellaneous Inventory” and “Office Fixtures.” The filing lists assets of $1 million to $10 million and liabilities of $10 million to $50 million, with 50–99 creditors named. According to industry publication Furniture Today, sources familiar with the situation said companies including Planned Furniture Promotions and Lynch Sales Company had been communicating with the retailer. It said Planned Furniture Promotions is a Connecticut-based retail liquidation and promotional event firm that specializes in conducting store closing, going-out-of-business and special sales events for furniture and mattress retailers.

POUND RIDGE  Tuesday, Feb. 3 8:43 a.m. — A car on McClean Drive was reported as suspicious, stopped with all its hazard lights flashing. Police were unable to locate it. 5:35 p.m. — A person who failed to stop for a stop sign on Westchester Avenue was given a ticket.   Wednesday, Feb. 4 7:05 a.m. — Two people were taken to Stamford Hospital; one by Stamford ambulance and the other by the Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps. No further information was provided. 11:30 a.m. — A driver who failed to show an inspection sticker for their vehicle was given a ticket on Westchester Avenue.  Thursday, Feb. 5 9:30 p.m. — Police could not locate a car reported as suspicious parked on Dann Farm Road. No reason was given for why the reporting party was concerned about the vehicle.  9:00 p.m. — Three drivers were issued speeding tickets on Westchester Avenue. Their respective speeds were 62, 47 and 49 mph all in a 30-mph  zone.  Friday, Feb. 6 7:56 a.m. — A driver on Westchester Avenue was given a ticket for failure to stop for a stop sign.   11:28 a.m. — A driver on Westchester Avenue was given a ticket for failure to stop for a stop sign.   11:15 a.m. — A speeder on Westchester Avenue was ticketed for doing 61 m.p.h. in a 30-mph zone.  2:15 p.m. — A driver on Westchester Avenue was given tickets for tinted windows and driving an unregistered car.  4:42 p.m. — A man was taken to Northern Westchester Hospital by Westchester EMS. No further information was provided. 6:14 p.m. — A speeder on Westchester Avenue was ticketed doing 58 mph in a 30-mph zone.   Saturday, Feb. 7 10:00 a.m. — Three speeders on Westchester Avenue were issued tickets for driving 51 mph,  52 mph and 54 mph in a marked 30-mph zone.   11:55 a.m. — A downed tree on Shad Road West was observed resting on power lines. The highway department and the utility were notified.  1:30 p.m. — A tree was reported blocking the road on Stone Hill Road. The highway department was dispatched.  4:00 p.m. — Ice conditions reported on Salem Road  were redirected to the New York State Department of Transportation. 4:57 p.m. — Police responded to a collision reported on  Route 124. No evidence of a crash was found.   9:32 p.m. — A speeder on Westchester Avenue was ticketed for going 48 mph in a 30-mph zone.  Sunday, Feb. 8 10:58 a.m. — A concerned caller on Lower Trinity Pass Road wanted to express their concern regarding a tree that might be in danger of falling on wires. A report was made documenting the concern.  6:00 p.m. — A caller on Hemlock Hill Road reported a barking dog in the area who sounded very cold and unhappy. Police searched for the dog without result.  Monday, Feb. 9 3:27 a.m. — A man, age unknown, was assisted up off the floor. No further information was provided. BEDFORD Monday, Feb. 2 12:45 a.m. — A man reported having numbness in his legs and feet was unable to be located by police and ambulance personnel at an apartment complex in Bedford Hills where he was said to be located. Police spoke with multiple occupants of the building but were unable to find the man or the woman who made the call for him.  12:51 p.m. — An incident that occurred between a Fox Lane student and another party off campus was reported to the school resource officer and is under investigation.  Tuesday, Feb. 3 1:30 p.m. — A solicitor in Bedford Village going door-to-door was told they would need a permit from the town. The solicitor said they were unaware and that they would apply for the permit. They left the area soon after.  Wednesday, Feb. 4  8:54 a.m. — Police went to a home in Bedford Hills after receiving a 911 call with a crying baby in the background. The mother who came to the door said it was an accidental dial.  11:56 a.m. — A caller on Sunset Drive, Bedford Hills, contacted police concerning a suspicious vehicle she said is parked outside her home with the lights on and the engine running. The car left; police advised her to call again if it came back.   7:11 p.m. — A male, 58, was taken to Northern Westchester Hospital by the Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps after falling outside the restroom at a restaurant in Katonah and lacerating his head. He told police he fell after briefly feeling lightheaded.   Thursday Feb. 5 5:31 a.m. — The caller on Sunset Drive, Bedford Hills, contacted police again regarding a car parked outside home that drives away when she comes out. She was unable to give a description of the vehicle to police.   7:07 a.m. — A male, 60, reported unconscious at his Bedford home was conscious on police arrival. He spoke with medics briefly and refused transport.   Friday Feb. 6 7:52 a.m. — A caller in Bedford reported unknown men with ladders approaching her house. Police arrived and spoke with some roofers who realized they were at the wrong house.   9:40 a.m. — A female, 72, from Bedford Hills was taken by ambulance to Northern Westchester Hospital for a problem with her knee.   3:58 p.m. — A caller reported someone using a gas-powered leaf blower on Old Village Lane, Katonah. Police observed none in use.   5:31 p.m. — A caller reported suspicious brown spots under a parked RV in Katonah. The owner of the vehicle which was parked on the street said it was seepage due to the extreme cold weather which caused a crack and then a leak from the sewage tank. The vehicle was removed for repair.  Saturday Feb. 7 12:05 p.m. — A man observed slumped over in his car was reported in the parking lot of Kohls in Bedford Hills. The caller wondered if there was a medical situation. The man told police he was very tired and was just taking a nap.  9:32 p.m. — Police are investigating a report of stolen jewelry from a private residence on Harris Road, Katonah. No further information was available for the active investigation.  Sunday, Feb 8 9:35 a.m. — A swan in the roadway was reported causing a traffic condition in the area of Cross River Road, Katonah. Police said it flew off prior to their arrival.   11:47 a.m. — The owner/operator of an ATV reported in the roadway in the vicinity of Rome Avenue and Babbitt Road, Bedford Hills, was advised to keep the vehicle on his property and not in the roadway.  5:01 p.m. — Police went to a home in Bedford Hills for a possible court order violation. An issue arose regarding the children’s mother and her former mother-in-law who wished to pick up the children; the mother was concerned she would bring the kids to him in violation of their mandated conditions. A report was made for documentation.  LEWISBORO Who let the dogs out?  On Thursday, Feb. 5, at 10:20 p.m., police went to a home in Cross River after a caller complained about dogs outside and barking in a yard. On arrival they saw three barking dogs. The residence was gated; they spoke through an intercom to the homeowner who was advised of the complaint. He said his wife would call the dogs and bring them in.  Monday, Feb. 2 12:00 p.m. — The owner of a deli/convenience store in Cross River complained about a vehicle parked in front of his business for over an hour. Police ran the New York license plates and found no issues. They asked the store owner if he wanted the vehicle removed but the complainant wasn’t sure. Police drove by the location and the vehicle was gone.  Tuesday, Feb. 3 10:34 a.m. — A man looking for his dog became upset when a police officer asked him to identify himself after he showed up on a neighbor’s Ring camera. The homeowner called the police to say a man in a Ford Bronco showed up on his doorstep. The dog owner explained his dog has gone to this property in the past. It’s unclear if the dog was found. No further action was taken.  8:15 p.m. — Heavy smoke was reported coming from a vehicle on Route 35 near Route 123. Police searched for the reported vehicle without result.  Wednesday, Feb. 4 11:20 a.m. — A Spring Street resident reported an older woman who appeared disoriented on his property. Police located the woman and asked if there was someone they could call as she lives in the area. Her daughter came to get her and explained her mother might be experiencing some signs of dementia.  2:02 p.m. — Police went to a home in South Salem to check on a man after receiving a request from a friend who hadn’t heard from him. The man said his phone was out of service and he would call his friend.  5:12 p.m. — Multiple people living in a home that’s been condemned were asked to leave by police who noted some of the residents are children. An adult said they had nowhere else to go; police warned there would be serious consequences if they didn’t leave. No further information was provided. Thursday, Feb. 5 3:30 p.m. — Police received a call from a woman who is in litigation with her siblings over her parents’ home in South Salem. The reporting party said there are two shipping containers in the driveway with padlocks on them. The containers hold contents from the house which had a fire last summer. She said there were no locks on the containers before and suspected her brother affixed them. She told police she paid for the containers and she was going to cut off the locks. She was advised this was a civil matter.  3:50 p.m. — Two police officers searched for a barefoot man reported to have escaped or absconded from Four Winds Hospital in Cross River. He was found running on the double yellow line on Route. 35. He said his mother committed him to the hospital the night before and claimed the staff was trying to kill him. He was placed in the back of the patrol car and returned to the hospital.  Friday, Feb. 6 11:37 a.m. — A resident of Indian Lane, South Salem, reported possible fraud via a crypto scam. A report was made for documentation.  8:15 p.m. — A caller reported striking an animal on the roadway in Goldens Bridge. Police arrived and dispatched the suffering animal with their service weapon. The highway department was notified to remove the carcass.  Saturday, Feb. 7 11:30 a.m. — Police and EMS personnel went to a home in Cross River where the resident thought they might be having a heart attack. On arrival the person decided it was a panic attack and refused further attention.  2:25 p.m. — A police car had to be rescued by tow after sliding off a driveway on Conant Valley Road. A sharp drop of the quarter-mile driveway was buried in snow. The officer was not injured and there were no problems at the house. There was no damage to the driveway although a rear bumper on the patrol car was bent during the retrieval.  Sunday, Feb. 8 12:10 p.m. — Police went to a home in Cross River regarding a reported lost or stolen package. A complaint was filed with DoorDash who said they would redeliver the package.  2:25 p.m. — A woman was reported missing from her group home in Katonah. She was located soon after at the end of the driveway where she was escorted back inside. Staff said she is new to the living situation and they didn’t have all the information on her identity at this time.  6 p.m. — A resident of Captain Lawrence Drive contacted police to say a white van was parked in front of her home for hours and she didn’t know why it was there. She said it recently drove off heading towards Bouton Road. Police looked for the vehicle without result.  MOUNT KISCO Sunday, Feb. 1 1:05 a.m. — A 34-year-old Mount Kisco man was arrested after he crashed his car into a snowbank on South Moger Avenue. An officer on patrol observed the vehicle facing the wrong way just after it collided with and mounted the snowbank. The driver, who was not injured, was removed from the vehicle and arrested after failing a field sobriety test. A revolver, which was later determined to be reported stolen in Illinois, was found in an ankle holster the man was wearing. The Amuso Drive resident was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and driving while intoxicated. He was booked at the Green Street precinct and held for arraignment. 10:29 a.m. — Officers responded to a Lexington Avenue laundromat after a group of men were seen loitering there and drinking on the premises. Multiple summonses were issued for trespassing, a violation. A 27-year-old Grove Street man tore up his summons and, police said, began screaming at officers. While being placed under arrest for disorderly conduct, a violation, he became combative with officers and was also charged with resisting arrest, a misdemeanor. He was booked at the Green Street precinct and released pending a Feb. 19 appearance in Mount Kisco Justice Court. 11:13 a.m. — A hit-and-run property damage accident involving a parked car was reported on Kensico Drive. A report was prepared.  5:14 p.m. — An officer responded to an East Main Street laundromat on a report of an intoxicated man who was bothering patrons. The man was removed from the premises. EMS was requested due to his level of intoxication. The man was taken by the Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps to Northern Westchester Hospital. 6:34 p.m. — A complaint was received regarding a disorderly patron at a Main Street deli. The man was removed from the store and advised that management did not want him on the premises. 8:49 p.m. — Officers responded to the emergency room at Northern Westchester Hospital on a report of a disorderly person interfering with staff. The condition was corrected. Monday, Feb. 2 12:50 a.m. — Officers responded to St. Mark’s Church on Main Street after staff reported that a man staying at the overnight shelter was disoriented. An officer spoke with the man and determined he was unable to respond to simple questions. EMS was requested and the Yorktown Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to take the man to the hospital for evaluation. 5:28 a.m. — A complaint was received regarding an unoccupied vehicle left running for several hours overnight on Lexington Avenue. A summons was issued. 12:36 p.m. — A report was received of a property damage motor vehicle accident in the parking lot of the Karafin School on North Bedford Road. The parties exchanged information and declined a report. 5:52 p.m. — An officer responded to the Mount Kisco Library on Main Street on a report of a man sleeping there. The officer woke the man up and told him he had to leave because the library would be closing for the day. The man told the officer he was not feeling well and wanted to go to the hospital. The Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded and transported him to the hospital for evaluation. Tuesday, Feb. 3 10:23 a.m. — Report of an intoxicated man refusing to leave a Lexington Avenue laundromat. The responding officer issued the man a summons and requested EMS. 3:52 p.m. — Report of a man sleeping inside the pool center at Leonard Park. The man was found with an open container of alcohol and was issued a summons for public consumption of an alcoholic beverage. He was taken by the Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps to Northern Westchester Hospital due to a high level of intoxication. 9:52 p.m. — Four men were refusing to leave private property on Sarles Avenue. Responding officers observed two of the men with open alcohol containers and issued summonses to them. The group left the area as directed. Wednesday, Feb. 4 8:17 a.m. — Report of three men refusing to leave a Lexington Avenue laundromat. Summonses for trespassing were issued. 3:42 p.m. — An officer responded to the Mount Kisco Library on a report of a violation of an order of protection. A village resident reported that he was confronted by another man at the library who is barred by court order from contacting him. A report was taken. The investigation is continuing. 4:03 p.m. —An officer responded to a Lexington Avenue laundromat on a report of a man sleeping there. The man, who was previously issued a written trespass warning barring him from the premises, was issued a summons for trespassing, a violation. Due to intoxication, he was taken by the Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps to the hospital for evaluation. 5:25 p.m. — Police received a report of a vehicle that slid into a snowbank on Kisco Avenue. The vehicle had minor damage. The driver was not injured. Thursday, Feb. 5 9:59 a.m. — An officer responded to the 500 block of East Main Street on a report of a dispute between a customer at a laundromat and a group of men who had congregated there. The parties to the dispute were on the sidewalk upon the officer’s arrival. Condition corrected. The parties were separated and sent separate ways. 12:53 p.m. — An officer responded to North Bedford Road on a report that a woman had locked herself out of her car with her baby inside. The officer was able to gain access to the vehicle. The condition was corrected. 3:56 p.m. — A sergeant on patrol observed a man drinking beer at Lexington and Sarles avenues. The man became aggressive while the sergeant was issuing him a summons for public consumption of an alcoholic beverage. The 25-year-old was taken into custody, booked at the Green Street precinct and charged with disorderly conduct, a violation. He was released pending a Feb. 26 appearance in village court. 5:01 p.m. — An officer on patrol on Lexington Avenue observed a man known to him to have an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in court to answer a summons. The man was taken into custody, booked at the Green Street precinct and brought to village court. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance. 9:06 p.m. — Officers responded to Lexington and Sarles avenues on a report of an assault that had just occurred. A man was found at that location bleeding from his head and mouth. He told officers that he was punched repeatedly by a man he knows after declining a request to give that man a dollar. Officers canvassed the area but were unable to locate the suspect. The man said he wanted to press charges. The investigation is continuing. This report was made from official records provided by the Pound Ridge, Bedford, Lewisboro and county (Mount Kisco) police departments. Mount Kisco is compiled by Martin Wilbur, all others by Eve Marx.

This bus stop pole at Main Street and Moore Avenue in Mount Kisco is one of three new solar-powered units affixed to the top of bus stop poles in the village and one of 14 in Westchester County as part of a pilot program. THANE GRAUEL PHOTO By MARTIN WILBUR If you’re waiting for a bus in a couple of locations in Mount Kisco, you may have seen something different in recent weeks. Westchester County is experimenting with solar-powered lights at 14 bus stops around the county, including three in the village — both sides of the street on East Main Street and Moore Avenue, about a block from Northern Westchester Hospital, and near North Bedford Road and Preston Way. Both locations are part of Bee-Line bus Route 19. Michael Swee, the county’s director of surface transportation, and Westchester’s Energy Conservation and Sustainability Director Peter McCartt explained that the pilot program was started last month primarily to increase safety for commuters during nighttime hours at minimal cost. Each unit contains a small solar panel affixed to the top of the bus stop pole at an expense of about $1,400 to hook up, according to the county. McCartt said the bus stops selected for the trial run are at high-use locations to help keep people safe. Rather than searching for a source of electricity and the need for permits and permission from property owners, the technology allows the county to move forward in a far less intrusive manner.  “In short, solar bus shelter lighting reduces up front and infrastructure costs, eliminates ongoing utility expenses, improves safety and provides long-term budget stability,” McCartt said. “It aligns fiscal responsibility with sustainability, and once again, positions our county for modern, resilient infrastructure.” Swee explained that the units absorb sunlight during the day, and as darkness approaches, they turn on automatically to light the bus stop. The fact that it’s winter with extreme cold and snow this year and limited daylight will test whether the units work under the worst conditions, he said. Each unit has a lifespan of about 50,000 hours. “Based on their performance, we’ll decide how to move forward, accordingly,” Swee said. The Department of Public Works and the county’s transportation officials will evaluate their performance and will help decide whether to put money into next year’s budget to expand installation, a county spokesman said. Five other communities are also receiving at least one of the solar-powered units, including Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, Ardsley, Bronxville and Elmsford.

Spencer Grayson leaps from the starting block for the 100-freestyle race. Ryan Loveless swims backstroke at Section 1 championships. Henry Dauterman swims breaststroke leg of medley relay event. Andrew Acocella competes in the 500-yard freestyle. Jim MacLean Photos By JIM MACLEAN  For the seniors on the combined Fox Lane/John Jay swim team, it was one last chance to compete in the Felix Festa Middle School pool in Clarkstown for the Section 1 championships, and they made the most of the opportunity. Swimmers converged on the pool from all the Section 1 high schools for the two-day meet with the preliminaries on Monday, and the top 16 swimmers qualified to come back the next day for the finals on Feb. 10. Fox Lane/John Jay had swimmers qualify for every event in the finals on Tuesday, and the team turned in a number of impressive swims to place in the top 10, and five swimmers earned a trip to the state meet. “It was a good meet overall, the boys finished with some really fast times,” said John Jay coach Suzanne Guziec. “The relays were so powerful, a little heartbreaking that the medley relay just missed the state cut. For these seniors, this is kind of their last time swimming with their group. They’ve been together for four years, so it’s really kind of bittersweet.” Three of those seniors will get a chance to swim again as they met the qualifying times to compete at the state meet.  The team saved its best for the last event as Matija Novakovic, Andrew Acocella, Aidan Polese, and Spencer Grayson teamed up for second-place in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a personal best time of 3:15.19. The team had qualified for the state meet in the preliminaries on Monday with a time of 3:17.86, and they shaved off another two seconds in the finals to finish second. “It feels great, states are always a fun meet and we’re excited to make it as a team,” Grayson said of the relay going to states. “It’s a great time all around, a great meet, great to be going with the boys. We were fired up and dropped another two seconds and hope we can go faster at states.” Grayson also qualified for the state meet in the 100-yard freestyle with a fourth-place finish in a time of 48.26. He was also fourth in the 50-yard freestyle event. Polese qualified for states in the 200-yard freestyle as he was fourth with a time of 1:45.15, and he was right behind Grayson in the 100-freestyle in fifth place. “It was a good meet, I’m happy with what we did,” Polese said. “The relay, we just have more energy every time we swim it. It will be nice to end it together up at Ithaca for states, a really nice pool and a fun travel trip together, a fun time.” Acocella will be competing in the relay and two events up at the state meet as he was fifth in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:43.26 to qualify, and he was right behind Polese in fifth for the 200-yard freestyle meeting the state cut with a time of 1:47.15. Senior Ryan Loveless also qualified for the state meet as he was fifth in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.75. “It was a hard meet with some good races, and we put together some good swims,” said Loveless. “It felt great to make the state cut in the 100 back, I didn’t make it in the prelims, so going out and getting it in the finals felt really great.” Loveless was also part of the 200-yard medley relay team along with Henry Dauterman, Jack Tsai and Grayson that finished third with a time of 1:40.79, barely missing the state cut time of 1:40.67. Fox Lane/John Jay also had an impressive swim in the other relay event as Tsai, Novakovic, Dauterman and Polese teamed up to finish fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:31.84. Dauterman earned a pair of top 10 finishes in individual events as he was seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke race with a time of 1:03.58, and he was ninth in 200-yard Individual medley event with a time of 2:04.75. Novakovic competed in two individual events as the freshman was 11th in the 100-yard butterfly and he was 16th in the Individual medley race. Tsai was 14th in the 100-yard butterfly, and Loveless was 14th in the 200-yard freestyle event. Swimmers that qualified will now move on to compete in the New York state championships to be held at Ithaca College starting on Friday, March 6 and finishing on Saturday, March 7.

Sebastian Getz scores inside for the Foxes. Janak Bain gets fouled in the lane. Arthur Shevick fires a three-pointer for the Foxes against rival Horace Greeley. Chris Sanchez had the hot hand leading Fox Lane with 19 points on senior night.  Jim MacLean Photos By JIM MACLEAN  In front of a packed gym on senior night with 12 seniors on the roster, it was a thrilling night of high school basketball as Fox Lane hosted archrival Horace Greeley on Friday, Feb. 6, in a game that went down to the final whistle. The only thing missing for Fox Lane was a happy ending as Greeley held on for a 53-51, handing the Foxes a heartbreaking loss. “That was a tough one, they’re a good team, we’re a good team, just came down to they made a couple more plays than we did,” admitted Fox Lane coach Mike Tomassi. “It was unbelievable, it’s tough that people say this isn’t one of the best rivalries in Section 1, this game is special. Our gym is special and I was lucky to play here and coach here in this rivalry. Our fans showed out, our community, and so did theirs. It was an incredible atmosphere — that’s what high school basketball should be, late in the season, two really good teams playing in front of a packed gym.” It was standing room only as the two teams took to the court after a pregame ceremony honoring the 12 seniors on the Fox Lane roster. It took a few minutes for the Fox Lane seniors to put the emotions behind them as Greeley opened up a 4-0 lead, but then senior Chris Sanchez came alive and started hitting shots from all over the court to keep the Foxes in the game. After Sanchez hit a 3-pointer and then sank three free throws, Ethan Mayers scored for the Foxes to tie it up at 9-9 before the Quakers scored to close out the first quarter with a 12-9 lead. Sanchez hit another 3-pointer to tie it up again at 14-14 in the second quarter, but the Quakers went on an 11-0 run to open up a 25-14 lead. Once again, it was Sanchez keeping the Foxes in it as he hit a pair of three-pointers, and he scored again in the final seconds to close out the first half with Greeley clinging to a 27-23 lead. Overall, Sanchez finished with 19 points in the first half, including four 3-pointers, scoring all but four of the Foxes points in the half. “Chris did a great job keeping us in it, because we did not play a good first half and he carried us,” Tomassi said of Sanchez. “Chris was awesome, he’s been grinding every day and he made some big shots and was great tonight.” In the second half, senior Arthur Shevick opened up the scoring with his first hoop of the game. Greeley responded with a 7-0 run to take a 34-25 lead, but the Foxes started chipping away. Shevick scored again, and Ethan Mayers came up with a steal and scored and was fouled and sank the free throw for a 3-point play to cut it down to 34-30. Senior Joe Cerone came up with a couple of offensive rebounds for the Foxes, and Mayers finished off another three-point play, and then Shevick drilled a 3-pointer to tie it up at 37-37. Shevick sank a pair of free throws to give Fox Lane its first lead of the game at 39-37, but Greeley responded to tie it up and set the stage for a thrilling fourth quarter finish. It was a nail biter as the lead changed back and forth throughout the fourth quarter. The Quakers took a 45-41 lead, but Janak Bain scored for the Foxes and then Shevick followed with a pair of hoops to give the Foxes the lead at 47-45. Greeley tied it up, and Shevick answered again with a hoop, but the Quakers took the lead at 50-49. Bain scored again to give the Foxes a 51-50 lead, but Greeley reclaimed the lead at 52-51 with 43 seconds left to play. Shevick had a chance heading to the line for two free throws with four seconds left, but he was unable to convert and the Quakers closed it out with a 53-51 win. “He’s a great player, he’s had a great career here, every game I’ve coached here with Arthur Shevick in that exact same scenario with him on the line, I’d take that every time,” said Tomassi. “All of our seniors played hard. Janak played hard, Joe Cerone played hard, Sebastian Getz is battling a shoulder injury and gave us everything he had. It was just one of those games, we did a lot of good things and came up short. That’s why I love sports, you do the right things and sometimes it doesn’t happen for you. The true test of character is to see how you practice the next day to show what type of team you are.” Sanchez led the Foxes with 19 points, and Shevick finished with 17 points all in the second half. Mayers was in double figures with 10 points, and Bain finished with 5 points for the Foxes. With the loss Fox Lane now stands at 9-9 overall with two games left on the regular season. The Foxes were set to host Walter Panas on Wednesday, Feb. 11, and then close out the regular season on the road at John Jay on Friday, Feb. 13.

By NEAL RENTZ The Lewisboro Town Board took up a national issue on Monday night — whether it should affirm Fourth Amendment protections and lawful policing practices when federal immigration enforcement officers are in town — but ultimately declined to vote on a resolution. The resolution was proposed by Councilwoman Julia Hadlock, who said the proposal was not legislation and that she sought to begin a discussion on the topic.  Her “Resolution affirming Fourth Amendment protections and lawful policing practices when Federal Immigration Enforcement is present in the Town,” stated, in part, that “the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution and Article state constitutions to protect all persons from unreasonable search and seizures and requires warrants to be supported by probable cause issued by a neutral magistrate or judge.”  New York state law requires law enforcement to work within constitutional and statutory limits to protect the civil rights of town residents, the resolution stated.  “The actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in detaining individuals, including United States citizens, immigrants, students and tourists, without due process and in violation of their constitutional rights, present a grave threat to the foundational principles of liberty, justice and democracy in our nation …” the resolution stated.  It said that town police should comply with the Fourth Amendment when interacting with or in the presence of federal immigration officers. It also stated it was not authorizing local police to do independent immigration enforcement and it did not oppose lawful cooperation with federal immigration officers consistent with constitutional guidelines. In addition, the resolution stated it was not intended “to obstruct, impede or interfere with lawful federal enforcement activities.” Councilman Dan Welsh said the Town Board could address national issues while doing its work on local issues. “We can walk and chew gum at the same time,” he said.  The intent of the resolution is not to criticize the town’s police department, Welsh said.  “It is rather about all the stuff that’s going on around the nation and in our county,” he said.  “There’s no good reason to sit back and pretend that it’s not going on,” Welsh said. “The stories that come out every day are just horrific.” The intent of the resolution is on due process, which is not always being observed by ICE, Welsh said. Councilman Richard Sklarin said the resolution is about when federal immigration officers are in Lewisboro, not what has occurred in other parts of the country. Parts of the resolution are directed toward the town police, he said.  Each Town Board member is a police commissioner, responsible for overseeing the police department, Sklarin said.  “There’s no doubt about things going on in other places,” he said. “I don’t think that anybody could seriously dispute that.”  The question, he said, was why the Town Board would need to adopt the resolution, which is stating the local police need to uphold the law, Sklarin said. Police officers have taken an oath to uphold local, federal, and state laws, he said.  The resolution is “undermining our confidence in our public confidence in the Lewisboro Police Department,” he said. Hadlock said she met last week with Police Chief David Alfano to discuss issues related to the department. She is the Town Board’s liaison to the department. “We’re going to meet regularly so I can just understand what the practices are and how I can support their needs,” Hadlock said. Hadlock discussed the resolution with Alfano.  “My goal is not to undermine them but to support them,” she said, adding she said the Town Board would back the town police if ICE officers came to town. “He specifically said I have no problem with this resolution, and you can share that with your board colleagues,” Hadlock said. Alfano could not be reached for comment. Hadlock said she supported the town police’s work to uphold the laws they have taken an oath to uphold. Passing the resolution might not be necessary, she said. “Chief Alfano has been a big proponent of and an advocate for community policing,” Councilwoman Mary Shah said, adding that he has done “a stellar job” of protecting the community and upholding town, national and state laws. Shah questioned if the Town Board needed to pass the resolution.  Several people attending the meeting criticized the measure. Glenn DeFaber asked Hadlock about her motivation.  “Are you doing it for Lewisboro or are you doing it for yourself?” he asked. “Are you building a brand or are you working for the people of Lewisboro?” Discussion of the latest immigration resolution “seems to be a waste of our time and our money,” DeFaber said.  A  resolution was discussed by the Town Board five years ago about “immigration in Lewisboro, which is nonexistent,” DeFaber said.  Hadlock wants to become town supervisor, DeFaber said.  Former Councilwoman Andrea Rendo agreed with DeFaber’s comments about the resolution being politically motivated. The resolution was an insult to the police department, Rendo said.  Instead of expressing her opinion on immigration enforcement, Rendo said she wanted to hear Hadlock’s thoughts on such town-related issues as where a proposed cell tower should be located and zoning for battery storage and solar power farms.  One resident, Lateasha Stapleton, thanked Hadlock for initiating the discussion.  “You don’t know what it’s like being black or brown,” she said. “You don’t know the feelings that we have.” Some ICE officers “are not respecting our constitutional laws,” Stapleton said. “So therefore, please make sure that we should be more united than apart.” The resolution brings up issues that need to be addressed, she said.

Helena Schembri scores inside for the Wolves. Gabby Camaj scores two of her team-high 17 points against Irvington. Bea Hill shoots a jumper in the lane. By JIM MACLEAN  The John Jay girls varsity basketball team had been on a roll, winning three of their last four games, but the Wolves ran into a red-hot Irvington team on Monday at home and suffered a 61-37 setback to the Bulldogs. With the loss to Irvington, John Jay fell to 6-13 overall, but that is a big turn after starting the season with a 1-8 record. The Wolves had a big week heading into the Irvington game with a pair of wins over Somers and a win over Nanuet combined with a tough 3-point loss against a good Lakeland team, but Irvington couldn’t miss in the first quarter scoring 24 points and never looked back. “They didn’t miss, layups, at the rim, 3 pointers, we knew they were good and they are an incredible program, and they shot the lights out,” John Jay coach Matt Gallagher said of Irvington. “I think we played really hard, but they just kind of took us out of our system and we struggled. We’d make a run, cut it down to like 10 or 12, and they’d find a way and hit two threes, so that was hard to make a comeback.” Irvington came out firing with Kayla Clinton hitting a pair of 3-pointers to help the Bulldogs open up a 12-2 lead in the opening minutes. By the end of the first quarter it was 24-10. Gianna Pelosi hit a 3-pointer for the Wolves to open the second quarter, but any thoughts of a comeback were squashed by an 11-3 run for Irvington to open up a 35-16 lead. John Jay six-straight points, but the Bulldogs answered with the last five of the half for a 40-22 lead at halftime. The Wolves opened the second half with a 3-pointer from Gabby Camaj, but once again Irvington answered with six-straight points to make it 46-25. Camaj hit a pair of threes and scored 8 points to help the Wolves rally and cut the lead down to 48-35, but Irvington went on an 8-0 run and closed out the 61-37 victory. Camaj had the hot hand for John Jay as she led the Wolves with 19 points, including five 3-pointers and 13 points in the second half. Pelosi also finished in double figures with 10 points. Helena Schembri, Bea Hill and Lina Halaifonua each added 2 points for John Jay. It wasn’t enough to match the Irvington inside-outside duo led by Clinton, a four-year varsity starter at guard as she finished with 24 points and Emi Doncov had 16 points for the Bulldogs. “Gabby has been awesome the whole season, she’s been kind of our anchor, she’s playing unbelievable and shooting with so much confidence now,” Gallagher said of Camaj. “Gianna is hustling all over the court, she can’t help herself, even in practice she’s diving into the bleachers.” Prior to the loss to Irvington, John Jay traveled to Somers on Feb. 6, and the Wolves rallied for a 50-43 victory on the road over the rival Tuskers. The Wolves trailed 25-20 at the half, but came on strong with Camaj leading the way scoring 14 points. Charlotte Omin also finished in double figures with 10 points, while Pelosi scored 7 points and had seven assists. At home against Nanuet on Feb. 3, John Jay came out flying and opened up a 30-11 lead in the first half on its way to a 56-36 victory. Kylie Bishop scored 13 points to lead the Wolves, while Camaj scored 12 points. “We’re playing well, finding our confidence, moving the ball really well with a ton of assists which I love,” Gallagher said of the Wolves hot streak. “We beat Somers twice, Nanuet, lost a tough one to Lakeland by only 3 points, we can compete if we play our game, trust ourselves, and take care of the ball.” John Jay had one more game on the regular season schedule against Pleasantville on Wednesday, Jan. 11, before a week off waiting for the playoffs.

‘Vigil for Human Rights’ — More than 50 people turned out in 15-degree weather Feb. 1 for a candlelight Vigil for Human Rights in front of the Katonah Presbyterian Church. Organized by The Justice Seekers, a group at the church who have been meeting every Sunday since May 2025, it was billed as “a gathering to hold up light in the darkness and experience solidarity.” It included songs and readings, including the names of those who have been killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE.  JILL BECKER PHOTO By MARTIN WILBUR Recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Mount Kisco, where agents stopped cars on Lexington Avenue in search of a particular individual, triggered fear and alarm in the community. But over the past 13 months, that emotion has been a near constant reality for hundreds of families in the village and elsewhere in Westchester County, hoping they will not be swept up by ICE even if they are diligently and lawfully advancing through the process, an immigration attorney said this week. “We know that people in this area are afraid to go into the store, they’re afraid to get in the car, to go to an appointment,” said Karin Anderson Ponzer, director of the Mount Kisco-based Neighbors Link Community Law Practice, which represents countless new arrivals in Westchester. The ICE activity Feb. 4 in Mount Kisco, confirmed by multiple observers and the mayor’s office, is an example of the secretive and often changing guidance that recent immigrants who hope one day to become citizens face on a regular basis. One example was a Department of Homeland Security memo that was recently leaked stating that ICE agents who are enforcing civil immigration law had the authority to enter homes without a warrant. Many have argued that it is unconstitutional. “People are really frightened,” Ponzer said. “Anytime somebody can just knock down your door without any criminal charges against you, that’s really frightening, and that’s the specter people are facing. So there’s a lot of anxiety in the immigrant community and the public at large for what this means for everybody.” Mount Kisco Mayor J. Michael Cindrich said last week that to his knowledge the searches conducted within the village have taken place only with a criminal judicial warrant. That was the case last week, he said. “The last person they arrested had assaulted an 84-year-old man at five o’clock in the morning and was responsible for the arson at the pagoda and released,” Cindrich said, referring to the Tea House fire at Leonard Park that damaged the structure. “It was going to go to trial, and just before the trial started, he was arrested by Homeland Security.” But Ponzer has plenty of stories to relay about people with clean records. Last week one woman that Ponzer represents told her that her 11-year-old son was too frightened to attend afterschool programs or be out in public. Ponzer wrote a letter for him, as his family’s attorney, to carry at all times explaining how he has a right to be in the country while their case is heard, and if there are any questions to contact her. On Dec. 23, another client of Ponzer’s, a man whose asylum claim was in the process of being adjudicated, was taken away by ICE during one of his regularly scheduled appointments with authorities. He ended up in a Louisiana detention center the next day, then taken to a Texas facility on Christmas, before being transferred to a different detention center in Louisiana the following day. He remains there seven weeks later. Ponzer said the administration has also been focusing on people from countries who have had their Temporary Protected Status revoked as well as Afghani refugees. Mount Kisco, which has about 40% of its residents born outside the U.S., is composed mainly of people from Latin countries. “It’s not like people with status somehow don’t need to worry about it,” she said. Along with carrying their documents with them at all times, everyone who is going through the immigration process should retain an attorney, Ponzer said. Fully understanding their status and all of their rights and responsibilities is essential, she said.  Families should also have a preparedness plan where if a parent is detained and they have children, there should be a signed document completed stipulating a responsible adult to care for the minors. All community members should understand they have a right to observe the public actions of ICE agents, but not to obstruct or interfere, Ponzer said. Finally, she said New Yorkers can contact their state representatives and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office to support the New York for All Act, a proposed measure in Albany that prohibits state police, personnel and agencies from enforcing federal civil immigration law. It’s similar to Westchester’s Immigrant Protection Act. “For people to have trust in local law enforcement, they need to understand that local law enforcement does not collaborate with ICE unless there’s a criminal matter,” Ponzer said.

Medha Pandey CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Medha Pandey has had a passion for birding since childhood Contributed photo By BRIAN KLUEPFEL  Exploring the forests of Acton, Mass., a youthful Medha Pandey had ample opportunity to foster a love for the outdoors and a curiosity about the natural world.  As the new executive director of Bedford Audubon, she’s keen to engage those dual passions as the organization launches a five-year plan. The Fordham University Ph.D. candidate began the task Jan. 5. Pandey, by her own admission, is “not a city girl,” so moving from the Fordham’s Bronx campus to its more rustic 113-acre Louis Calder Center research station in Armonk in 2019 was a good fit — and after nearly seven years there researching her doctoral thesis, she’s transitioning to the new role with Bedford Audubon.  The educator and researcher is excited about the challenges ahead. “I’ve found the nontraditional educational opportunities provided by conservation NGOs to be the most personally and professionally fulfilling,” she said.  It was through Audubon — specifically, the Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary — that Pandey discovered her passion for teaching, showing her fifth-grade charges how to extract DNA from a strawberry.  “It turns out to be pretty easy,” she said. “All you need is a piece of fruit, some detergent and rubbing alcohol.”  Leading whale-watching expeditions from Boston’s New England Aquarium to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary further sharpened her outreach acumen. But a winter volunteering at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, in Waynesboro, where the Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Shenandoah Valley, opened up the avian world, leading to her current vocation. “I got a deep appreciation for birds,” she said, “from cedar waxwings all the way up to bald eagles.” It was in Virginia where she also realized the consequences of human-avian interaction, as many raptors brought to the center were victims of car strikes, lead poisoning or glue traps.  Her connection to Bedford Audubon began when the organization’s naturalist-in-residence, Tait Johansson, assisted with her field work. Pandey, in reciprocity, has volunteered each year since 2019 at the organization’s Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program at the Hunt-Parker Sanctuary.  “She’s super smart and extremely knowledgeable,” Johansson said. “It’s been a pleasure working with her.”  He mentioned how quickly she picked up on topics like the specific molts (feather shedding) of birds. “She learned all these things in a very short period of time,” Johansson said.  It would be hard to trace Pandey’s career without mentioning J. Alan Clark, the Fordham biology professor and former president of Bedford Audubon. He first worked with Pandey while she was an undergraduate at the State University of New York at  Stony Brook, on a project involving penguin vocal behavior, and subsequently collaborated with her on a 2017 study determining if Asian longhorn ticks, found in New Jersey sheep, could also be carried by birds. In fact, Pandey’s Ph.D., which she’ll defend on St. Patrick’s Day, relates to the role of birds in spreading ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Pandey’s new position reflects her passion for wild spaces and birds, in particular. When pressed for a favorite species, she demurred but did offer up a “top five” list. Making her chart are the common raven (“I just can’t help but smile when I hear them”), the magnificent pileated woodpecker, indigo bunting, cedar waxwing, and any of the many shrike family (she’s given herself plenty of leeway there — there are more than two dozen). Early in her birding career, she even had the chance to ID a more exotic species — a lovely brahminy kite in her native India. Spotting the raptor from a car, she enthused, “I know what that is!”  Her enthusiasm extends to her new job. “It’s an exciting time to be in this position,” Pandey said, noting that the organization’s five-year plan includes science and outreach (“my bread and butter!”), as well as connecting with diverse audiences, including birders with disabilities. A recent meeting with Birdability, an NGO committed to birding for all, particularly inspired the new executive director, who spoke of “the desire to plan intentionally.”  “She’s a real-live scientist which will inform a lot of things we do here,” Johansson said. “She’s very personable and really fun to be around, a great face to the organization. She has an extraordinary enthusiasm for birds and the natural world — maybe that’s the single most impressive thing about her.”