Home generator blaze on Trinity Pass Road   A generator fire was reported at a home on Trinity Pass Road on  Saturday, Aug. 10, at 9 a.m. Pound Ridge   firefighters arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire.  A strong rain storm with high winds moved through the area the day before, causing down trees, road closures and widespread power outages. The following morning, a number of homes in Pound Ridge were still operating backup generators until NYSEG fully restored power.   Tuesday, Aug. 6   10:08 a.m. — A female was taken by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps from her residence to Northern Westchester Hospital for an unknown condition.  3:30 p.m. — A male was taken to Stamford Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition.  7:32 p.m. — A one-car crash on South Bedford Road resulted in the car being towed. There were no injuries.  Wednesday, Aug. 7   A total of 25 bow-hunting permits were issued throughout the day to prospective hunters at Pound Ridge police headquarters.  Friday, Aug. 9   4:37 a.m. — A male, age unknown, requested medical attention at his residence but told the Pound Ridge ambulance crew and county medics that he’d changed his mind and refused medical attention.  9:20 a.m. — Trees were reported in the roadway on Salem Road. On arrival police saw branches, not trees, and were able to clear them.  11 a.m. — A female,  age unknown, was taken to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition.  1:25 p.m. — Trees were reported hanging on wires on Old Pound Road. The utility was contacted and an officer blocked the area off with caution tape.   3:22 p.m. — Trees were reported blocking the roadway on Kitchawan Road. The highway department was notified.  3:26 p.m. — Trees were reported blocking the roadway on Upper Shad Road. A utility was contacted and the highway department notified.  Sunday, Aug. 11   7:24 a.m. — A man was taken to Stamford Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition.  — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer   This report was compiled by official reports provided by the Pound Ridge Police   Department.

Gaming console purchase hits snag On Thursday, Aug. 8, at 3:39 p.m., a young Waccabuc resident told police that a few days earlier he sent $100 to a phone number through Apple Pay to purchase a PlayStation 5 console. He based his purchase on a photo he saw online. After he gave his address to receive the shipment, the seller asked for more money. Multiple texts were exchanged. The resident refused to pay more money and instead requested a refund, which was denied. The seller began sending threatening texts with pictures of guns inside a car. Police spoke to the caller’s mother. Police advised them to block the caller’s number and save all text messages. It was unclear if they would be able to get the money back through Apple Pay. Monday, Aug. 5 7:50 a.m. — A red Toyota Camry with Connecticut plates was impounded in South Salem after an officer noticed the license plate attached to the vehicle traveling southbound on Route 123 belonged to a 2016 Chevrolet. The car was stopped at West Road. The operator admitted the plates didn’t belong to that vehicle. The car was towed and impounded. Tickets were issued to the operator, including one for not wearing a seat belt. 1:08 p.m. — A patient reported as a runaway from Four Winds Hospital in Cross River was located by K-9 Zane, his human partner and another officer not far from the hospital on South Wind Drive. The person was cooperative and agreed to be taken back to hospital where they were received by nursing staff. 1:45 p.m. — A caller accidentally locked out of their car on Lakeside Drive, South Salem, was assisted by police getting back into their vehicle. 6:10 p.m. — A caller from Elmwood Road, South Salem, reported they’d been sideswiped by a black GMC truck with New York plates, causing damage to the driver’s side mirror. The caller declined medical attention and decided not to complete an accident report. 8:15 p.m. — An order of protection was served to a resident of South Salem. The order came from a district court in Portland, Maine. Tuesday, Aug. 6 12:11 p.m. — A female reported not feeling well at an undisclosed location in South Salem was attended to by Vista EMS for hyperthermia. No transport was required. Wednesday, Aug. 7 7:05 a.m. — Two brothers were reported fighting at their home in South Salem; they have been living together for five months. They had an argument and hot water was thrown, but no one was injured. The pair agreed to separate for the remainder of the day. 1:15 p.m. — While patrolling Route 36, an officer received information about a missing person driving a Hyundai Sonata with New York plates. The operator was said to suffer from dementia. The officer searched Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, where the caller thought the missing person might be, but the car was not located. No further information was provided. Thursday, Aug. 8 4 p.m. — Police went to a home on Sabbath Day Hill Road, South Salem, for a report of a domestic dispute. On arrival, they saw someone in the garage. No further information was provided. 5:17 p.m. — An officer was dispatched to Route 121 and Todd Road for a report of illegally parked cars causing a traffic hazard. Upon arrival, all the cars were gone. Friday, Aug. 9 1:15 p.m. — An officer was dispatched to Upper Lake Shore Drive for a fire alarm coming from a house in the area. The alarm could be heard loudly from the roadway. The reporting party said the house had recently changed hands. They didn’t believe anyone was home. Goldens Bridge firefighters arrived on scene. They entered the home and said there was no fire and that the alarm had malfunctioned. The home was secured and no further action was required. 2:00 p.m. — Due to extreme weather conditions trees were reported down, blocking the roadway; falling tree limbs were reported bringing down wires. Trees were reported resting on wires; roads were partially or entirely blocked. These incidents were reported on Route 35, Boutonville Road, Todd Road, Route 123, Shady Lane, some unspecified portions of Katonah, Todd Hill Circle, unspecified roads in South Salem and Goldens Bridge. Highway departments were notified, as well as utilities. Saturday, Aug. 10 1:58 p.m. — Police were advised to be on the lookout for a resident of South Salem, female,  last seen entering the Cross River Plaza. An officer made contact and said she was coherent and cooperative. The woman told police she was experiencing marital difficulties and had turned off her phone. A trooper arrived with a court order in hand directing she be taken to Northern Westchester Hospital. Lewisboro Ambulance Corps arrived and transported the woman. 3:15 p.m. — A passerby called 911 to report someone harassing an elderly couple walking their dogs on Truesdale Lake Drive. She said a car sped past and a woman made a hand gesture meaning  for the driver to slow down. The driver apparently took umbrage, stopped and got out of his car. There was some phone and shirt grabbing. His car was registered to a residence on the street. Police went to that home and spoke to a woman who said her husband left for a business emergency. He called the police shortly afterwards and said he was insulted by her gesture. He said the woman grabbed his shirt and spit at him. He said he’s lived in the neighborhood a long time but didn’t know the couple despite being neighbors. Police advised him to slow down and work at controlling his temper. Sunday, Aug. 11 12 p.m. — A dog was reported locked in a car at a park in Cross River. Police saw a blue Ford Maverick with a black-and-white dog inside. The windows were cracked and the dog didn’t appear to be in distress. Police hung around for about 10 minutes and the owner appeared. He said he took a little walk and got lost. He removed the dog from the car and gave it water. Police reported the dog was fine. No further action was taken. 1:40 p.m. — Police went to a multiple-dwelling home in Goldens Bridge for a dispute between neighbors over leaves blown and a center island being covered with debris. A woman recorded the person blowing leaves and a scuffle ensued. The woman showed the recording to the police. The officer spoke to the other party, who admitted putting the leaf blower directly in her face. He agreed to apologize and she accepted his apology. She still wanted the incident documented. 2:38 p.m. — A caller reported that a woman in a white Tesla ran over a racoon, injuring it. Police looked for the driver with negative results. The caller drove the injured racoon to a wildlife rehabilitator.  — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Lewisboro Police Department.

By JEFF MORRIS// A seemingly dormant proposal for a 23-lot subdivision between Harris Road and New Street in Katonah that would create 22 new single-family homes returned to the Bedford Planning Board on July 22 after a long absence.  The board held a workshop session to learn about the proposal. Chairwoman Deirdre Courtney-Batson noted that she is probably the only member who was on the board when the application last appeared before it in 2018.   Attorney Diana Kolev explained that the application had stalled in 2018 because of regulations applicable to the property due to its location in the New York City watershed. She said the city’s Department of Environmental Protection was requiring variances at the time of the original application, but project representatives had “worked things out” with the DEP and variances were no longer required. The 25.59-acre property was once home to the Bailey Hall School, a vocational school for boys. The school closed in 1987, and was destroyed by fire in 2000; none of its structures or buildings remain today. The property owners are Cosimo Tripi and James and Adelaide Murphy, whose existing home is located at the entrance to the site on Harris Road. The 1.84-acre Murphy property was subdivided from the larger Bailey Hall property, which had been 26.5 acres in total.  In 2006, a 19-lot conventional subdivision was proposed for the site. According to the application, following consultation with the planning board at that time, the plan was changed to a 23-lot subdivision that meets town code requirements for a “conservation subdivision,” with two of the proposed lots to be marketed as affordable, consistent with town code.   As a conservation subdivision, the development would contain 21 new single-family residences designed around a looped road with a single project entrance at New Street and a community septic system in the central portion of the development, inside the looped road. The conservation plan preserves the steep slopes on the site and concentrates the development on the flatter portion of the property, while preserving as undisturbed approximately 12.53 acres of the existing vegetation and land.  The application stated that the plan also includes the widening of New Street and installation of a sidewalk to provide pedestrian access to the nearby residential neighborhood. According to the applicant, the town recently repaved and widened New Street as part of overall area improvements, though sidewalks are not yet installed.  The property is located north of Harris Road and south of New Street, east of Westview Drive and west of Sunrise Avenue. There is approximately 900 feet of road frontage on Harris Road, and the south end of New Street ends at the northern property line of the site. The site has some steep slopes, but has no identified wetlands, watercourses or water bodies. It is located within the Katonah Fire District, the Katonah-Lewisboro School District, and within the Bedford Consolidated Water District. No connection to a public sewer district is available.  In 2006, the planning board declared its intent to act as lead agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA. A draft environmental impact statement was completed in 2011, and the applicant began preparing a final environmental impact statement. At least two contentious public hearings were held by the planning board in 2011 regarding the draft environmental impact statement. According to press reports at the time, more than 50 residents of the area signed a letter criticizing the proposal, citing concerns about possible blasting, adequacy of the community septic and stormwater management systems, aesthetics, and the number of schoolchildren who might be added to the Katonah-Lewisboro district. They also spoke about traffic and safety concerns, and were unhappy with the prospect of staged construction that could mean it would take up to 15 years to complete all the houses.   Though a final environmental impact statement was first submitted to the planning board in 2012 and revised to include a modified stormwater pollution plan in 2016, it was still under review by the board in 2018 when the project stalled due to the issues with NYC DEP.  According to the current application, a new project engineer, Catizone Engineering, was retained in 2023, and worked with DEP to address comments and concerns and move forward with site design. On March 27, DEP confirmed that a variance is no longer required for the project.  Kolev stated that there have been no substantive changes to the project or the site since the proposal submitted to the planning board in 2017 was last discussed. She noted no wetlands have ever been identified on the site and potential impacts were fully studied as part of the SEQRA process, concluding that “certain minor updates” may be required to the final environmental impact statement. She pointed out that for the project to move forward after SEQRA is complete, numerous approvals and permits from various boards and departments will be required.  Courtney-Batson said the board needs to conduct a site visit so current members can familiarize themselves with the plan. She noted that while there had been a lot of public interest in the proposal in the past, the neighbors “may now be different people.” And while the area has not changed, she said, the planning board may want to have a traffic engineer revisit the project impact, though not necessarily conduct a new traffic study.  Concluding that “there is nothing else we can do tonight,” Courtney-Batson proposed the board aim to schedule a public hearing Monday, Sept. 23, and arrange a site visit after the hearing.

By NEAL RENTZ  The Lewisboro Town Board unanimously approved the revised version of the town’s comprehensive plan and also OK’d three revisions to its tree preservation ordinance at its meeting Aug. 12.  Following several months of work by the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, including a series of public outreach meetings beginning in 2023, the proposed revised document, formally known as the master plan, was approved 4-0.  Councilwoman Mary Shah did not attend the meeting.  The plan was last reviewed in 1999.  Even with the passage of the revised plan, the work of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee is not complete. Supervisor Tony Gonçalves said the board will have the opportunity to approve zoning amendments being proposed by the steering committee after a public hearing is held in September.  The revised comprehensive plan includes goals and objectives in the areas of land use and zoning, housing, economic development, natural resources, climate change, sustainability and resiliency, infrastructure, community facilities and services, transportation and mobility, and community character and historic preservation.  During this week’s public hearing, resident Chris Zoller said the creation of a center for seniors in town should be part of the revised comprehensive plan, noting that about 7% of the town’s population is comprised of seniors.  Valerie Monastra, principal planner at Nelson Pope Voorhis, the environmental planning and land use analysis consulting firm retained by the steering committee, said during public outreach meetings that many residents expressed support for a center for the town’s seniors.   Tree ordinance revised  The town board also voted 3-1 to approve three revisions to the tree preservation ordinance, while delaying the implementation of other changes until there has been additional discussion.  Voting against the legislation was Councilwoman Andrea Rendo. She reiterated previous opposition, stating she would prefer the town board send one package to Albany with all the future changes rather than having the board send different sets of changes. The state Legislature must approve the town’s home rule request for the tree ordinance revisions to become law.  The ordinance changes were originally presented by the Conservation Advisory Council with the intent to make the tree ordinance consistent with the Westchester County licensing requirements for tree removal, tighten the language to prevent clearcutting of trees and correct an error in the special character portion of the ordinance.  A majority of the town board previously agreed with the suggestion made by Gonçalves to postpone action on proposals regarding penalties and tree replacement schedule for violations of the ordinance. CAC chair John Wolff has agreed that some additional discussion should be held before revising the penalty section of the ordinance, including creating a work group that would consider the issue.  During the meeting’s public hearing, resident Carol Cernak asked if someone who owned a piece of property near a state road would be permitted to take down a tree that could potentially fall onto the road without being penalized. If a tree is dying it could be cut down, Councilman Richard Sklarin said. If a tree falls down on a state road it would be removed by the state, Rendo said.  Battery storage facilities moratorium  Also at the meeting, Gonçalves said he supported a six-month moratorium on approvals for storage facilities for lithium-ion batteries to give the town board an opportunity to draft legislation for such facilities.  Resident Barbara Mangione said local towns have recently created regulations for battery storage farms and Lewisboro could follow their lead by putting laws for them in the building code.  While Gonçalves supported a moratorium, he said “there’s a process” to passing one, including conducting a public hearing; he said it could take place in September.  The town board did not set a date for a public hearing.

The Recorder has named longtime journalist Thane Grauel editor. He reports to Ed Baum, The Recorder’s editorial director.  Grauel has reported for several decades in New York, Connecticut and beyond. He held editing and writing positions at The Journal News for 15 years and numerous leadership positions at news outlets throughout Connecticut.  “Thane’s extensive experience in community journalism and his passion for local news make him an outstanding addition to The Recorder team,” said Baum. “He has long been committed to providing communities with insightful, unvarnished news and is skilled at capturing the rich texture of local life, aligning closely with The Recorder’s mission,” he added.  Grauel’s journalism career began 36 years ago with internships at WCBS NewsRadio 88O and News 12. Since then, his work has appeared frequently in Hearst and Gannett publications nationwide, including USA Today, and on wire services worldwide. He also held senior editorial posts at the Westport Minuteman, the Norwalk Hour and the Connecticut Post, among other news outlets in the region.  Prior to joining The Recorder, he was executive editor at the Westport Journal, a successful 3-year-old local startup that similarly filled the news void left by the demise of local news outlets and consolidation in the media industry.  “I’m excited and honored to be invited aboard for this new community news venture,” Grauel said of The Recorder.  Grauel said residents can expect to see him around town and his byline on stories.  “I grew up chasing firetrucks and police cars on my bike — I’ve always wanted to be where things were happening,” Grauel said. “That hasn’t changed. I’d rather be out in the field than in an office any day.”  Grauel graduated from the University of Connecticut. He is a proud husband, autism dad, scoutmaster and Navy veteran. He lives in Norwalk, Conn., with his wife, Elizabeth Ganga, and their children, Nathaniel and Lillian.  He can be reached at thane@therecorder.org . Ed Baum can be reached at Edbaum@therecorder.org .

Doris Karas of Pound Ridge died July 31 at Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Conn. She was 99. She was born Jan. 16, 1925, in New York to Charles Erath and Emma Schalk. She and her future husband, Gerald, grew up in Queens and met at a World War II canteen for service members in New York where she volunteered.  They were married Dec. 7, 1947, and started their family in a ranch house in Massapequa, N.Y. In 1968, they built their dream home in Pound Ridge, having discovered the town 20 years earlier on a church camping trip to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Her husband of 72 years died July 2020. She is survived by their children, Kenneth Karas (Katie), Keith Karas (Patricia) and Kristen Woll (David), as well grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Services were held at Clark Associates Funeral Home in Katonah earlier this month. She was buried next to her late husband Aug. 3 at Pound Ridge Cemetery.

By JEFF MORRIS  “A house is not a home” goes the old song, and that’s what a New York State Supreme Court judge told Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about his Katonah address on Monday. In her decision, Justice Christina L. Ryba said the address Kennedy used on his nominating petitions to appear on the ballot as an independent presidential candidate, 84 Croton Lake Road, was invalid and only used as a ploy to maintain a New York residency. The ruling, to which Kennedy’s campaign filed an appeal on Wednesday, means that his name cannot appear on the November ballot in New York. It may also jeopardize his appearance on the ballot in other states where he claimed the same address as his legal residence on nominating petitions. Questions about Kennedy’s claim that he lives at the house, which he also uses as his voting address, were raised in May in a New York Post story, which quoted several neighbors and local police as saying they had never seen him around. Tax maps show the property as a one-family residence with Parcel Number 49.17-1-14 and the owner as Barbara Ragonese Moss, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 434 in Katonah. According to the Post, Moss is the wife of longtime Kennedy friend Timothy Haydock, a Westchester doctor; Haydock and Kennedy served as the best man at each other’s first wedding, and Kennedy is the godfather of Haydock’s daughter. The Post also noted that U.S. Bank & Trust Company filed a foreclosure action against Moss, an interior and landscape designer, in state Supreme Court in March, claiming she owed $46,106 plus interest. A settlement conference was scheduled for June 7. Information available on the town of Bedford website shows all school and town taxes on the property, which is assessed at $73,495, have been paid, going back to 2009. A legal challenge to Kennedy’s residency claim had been filed by four voters, backed by the political action committee Clear Choice Action. In a trial that began Aug. 5 in Albany, they called Moss, who testified that Kennedy stayed in a spare bedroom when he came to New York. He regularly lives in California with his wife, actress Cheryl Hines. In her ruling, Ryba said, “The court finds Kennedy’s testimony that he may return to that bedroom to reside with his wife, family members, multiple pets and all of his personal belongings to be highly improbable, if not preposterous.” Ryba called it a “sham” address “that he assumed for the purpose of maintaining his voter registration and furthering his own political aspirations in this state.” In a statement on his campaign website, Kennedy said, “Judge Ryba’s ruling is an assault on New York voters who signed in record numbers to place me on their ballot.” He accused the Democratic Party of being “a party that uses lawfare in place of the democratic election process.” The campaign’s senior counsel, Paul A. Rossi, said that on Tuesday, the Democratic Party in Maine withdrew their challenge to Kennedy’s Maine petitions that used the same 84 Croton Lake Road address.

By THANE GRAUEL  The Pound Ridge Town Board on Tuesday voted to extend its contract with Westchester Power for another year. Also at the meeting, it was announced that Harvest Fest had been canceled this year.  “Unfortunately, Pound Ridge will not have our Harvest Fest this year,” Town Supervisor Kevin Hansan said. “The Pound Ridge Partnership has announced, sent an email last week, that they have to cancel. As you know it’s a very complex operation, it’s a huge operation. I think they had some issues with the band, organizing the bands at the last minute so there will not be a Harvest Fest this year,” he added. At the same meeting, the town board gave approval for a new animal adoption event, Wooffstock. It will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Pound Ridge Community Church, 3 Pound Ridge Road. Organizer Nadine Ashby said the event will include a blessing of the animals from 1 to 1:30 p.m., rescue groups, vendors, family activities and a silent auction. The board’s unanimous vote on Westchester Power came after a presentation  by Noam Bramson, executive director of Sustainable Westchester, which offers a community choice aggregation program. It started in 2016 and was designed to control costs and increase the use of renewable energy in Westchester County.  The program is the default setting in town, but homeowners can opt out and go with New York State Electric and Gas, or other contract providers. Pound Ridge’s positive endorsement was in contrast to recent actions by the Lewisboro Town Board. That board on July 8 passed a 90-day moratorium on discussion of renewing the yearly contract with Sustainable Westchester, which would have to be approved by Sept. 7. At that board’s July 22 meeting, it was clear there wouldn’t be enough votes to stop the contract from lapsing . “There’s sometimes a tendency when it comes to issues related to climate to have a certain numbness that has set in,” Bramson told those at the Pound Ridge Town Board meeting. “And that’s not a feeling that we can afford. We know that although climate change may once have seemed like a distant abstraction, it’s very much present with us here and now.” “Temperatures are rising faster in this part of the country, the precipitation is increasing at an extraordinary rate,” he said, mentioning area homeowners being flooded out more than one time. “In many cases, in neighborhoods that are becoming uninsurable and uninhabitable,” Bramson said. “It’s not just flooding,” he said. “We all remember last summer the strange experience of the wildfires in Quebec and that eerie sky that surrounded the entire Northeast United States. If you are someone with a respiratory ailment that is something more than just a surreal experience it is a real threat to your health.” He said that in 2023, the Westchester Power program mitigated about 311,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. “That number is equivalent of nearly 74,000 cars being removed from our roads,” Bramson said. “You can think of it as trees being planted — not that there’s any shortage of trees here in Pound Ridge — if you translate that into the number of trees you’ll see it’s more than 5 million.”  Bramson’s abundance-of-trees comment drew laughs from the board and the small group of people attending. One man attending said that if he’d gotten an opt-out notifications from the group, he must have thrown them out thinking they were something other than bills. Bramson said his group was committed to improving communications and would work with municipalities to do that. The man also said his bill increased dramatically after his electric meter was replaced with a smart meter.  Westchester Power is not involved in the monitoring equipment, but a casual discussion involving board members and attendees ensued. It included billing issues and spikes in billing totals.  Town Board member Dan Paschkes said he happened to be home one day when a NYSEG worker showed up in his driveway. “I said, ‘What are you doing here?’ And he said, ‘I’m here to install your smart meter,’” Paschkes said. “I said ‘No you’re not,’ and I declined. Had I not been home he would have slapped it on my house and I wouldn’t have had the option ...” Other board members agreed that homeowners do have a choice about their meters being replaced. The town supervisor pointed out the smart meters have some real advantages, including automatically notifying the utility during an outage. He said that with the old meters, in an outage, “they won’t know you’re out.” “With the smart meters, now they know down to your house level — they can turn it on, but they can’t tell you if the wire between their pole and your house went down,” Hansan said. “They don’t know that, now with smart meters they know that.” Paschkes lamented the ever-decreasing privacy new technology brings. “I’m a little old school. The fact that everybody, you can’t go to the library it seems, without everyone knowing what you’re reading, every page you’re reading. The smart meter’s like the same same thing. It’s just me wanting to live off the grid, not feel like everything I do is being watched.” When someone mentioned the word ‘luddite,’ in a not unkind way, he didn’t object.  “Yes, proud luddite,” he said.

By HERB FOSTER “They are professionals.  This is what they do for a living.” That is how Bedford Police Detective Matthew Whalen warns residents about the gangs who create scams and cause innocent, unsuspecting people to fall into their traps. Whalen and BPD Sgt. Ahmad Warren led a seminar on “Scam Prevention” at police headquarters in Bedford Hills on Aug. 2. Over 30 people attended and learned how to best deal with phone scams, internet, mail fraud and more; and, most important, how to avoid getting caught in their traps.  The audience, mostly seniors, reported many instances of scam problems which they either experienced personally or knew about from relatives and friends.  The central message delivered throughout the seminar was clear: Be aware and be suspicious. The two speakers shared a number of preventive tips: — Don’t answer the phone if you can’t identify the caller. — Don’t click on an email link unless you are sure it is legitimate. Look for typos or misspellings that indicate it is not genuine.  — Do not share personal information, especially your social security number. — Change your passwords frequently. “The concept for this seminar came from the sheer amount of fraud the department has been dealing. It has been nonstop and escalating lately.” — BPD Sgt. Ahmad Warren The rise in reported fraud is not limited to our area. According to the FBI, elder fraud complaints increased by 14% last year and associated losses rose 11%. BPD detectives are responsible for following up on each complaint and seeking prosecution. However, the process is difficult and requires many steps, according to police. When someone reports a scam to headquarters, they need to request a subpoena from the Westchester DA’s office. When that subpoena is delivered, the case is referred to another office, which requires another subpoena, and on it goes.  “It is like peeling an onion,” said Whalen, “it takes a lot of work, over several months, even years.” Unfortunately, in most cases monies lost are not recoverable. The thieves typically use burner phones and fake internet addresses, and most operate from foreign countries that are nearly impossible for authorities to reach. Many work out of massive call centers continuously dialing possible victims, waiting for someone to answer the phone and establish a connection. Nevertheless, the department has been able to make some arrests. Recently, they recovered $100,000 from scammers who were using a courier to pick up money from a target. The police were able to get the victim and the victim’s bank to participate. They put an officer in the victim’s car when he went to the bank. During the entire operation, the victim was required to be on the phone while the scammers were able to monitor online that the transaction had been completed. When the courier showed up and the money delivered, arrests were made. Interestingly, the local victim had been asked to provide $50,000 but when the police got a search warrant to examine the courier’s car, they found an additional $50,000 which the courier had picked earlier from a victim. When that party was notified that the money had been had recovered, they were totally surprised — they did not know they had been a victim of a scam. One ongoing obstacle to addressing the growing problem is the lack of reporting. According to Warren, “Many people are embarrassed. They feel that they have been taken advantage of — that it is their fault and they see no recourse. They hesitate to put a spotlight on themselves,” he noted. However, there is an alternate way of reporting scams. The FBI runs the Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, a central hub for reporting cybercrime. Their website is  ic3.gov . They emphasize the importance of filing a complaint: “Your information is invaluable to helping the FBI and its partners bring cybercriminals to justice.” The police department urges residents to call them if they have experienced any issues or have questions regarding a potential scam. They stress that it is important that they know what is happening in the area, so they can partner with the town senior advocate and other agencies to provide support and guidance. To that end, the department plans to run similar seminars in the future to continue to build awareness of the problem. Chief of Police Melvin Padilla said after the event, “We were excited to see such a large turnout for this scam awareness and prevention seminar. By making our senior residents aware of the more common tactics scammers use, we may be able help them reduce their chances of becoming a victim.”

Suspicious vehicle just a contractor’s truck On Thursday, Aug. 1, at 11:04 a.m., a Horseshoe Hill Road West resident reported a suspicious vehicle on their road parked at the bottom of their driveway. On arrival, police determined it was a contractor’s truck working at a residence across the street. The operator was advised to move their vehicle across the street. No further action was necessary. Tuesday, July 30 3:46 a.m. — Police went to a home for a male feeling ill who was transported by Pound Ridge Ambulance Corps to Stamford Hospital along with Westchester medics for an unknown condition. Wednesday, July 31 3:50 p.m. — A suspicious male was reported on Horseshoe Hill Road West going door-to-door soliciting. He was advised of local ordinance and left without incident. Thursday, Aug. 1 12:20 p.m. — A female was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. Friday, Aug. 2 12:30 a.m. — A female was transported to Stamford Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps. No further information was provided. 8:50 a.m. — A car reported disabled on Lower Shad Road was located by an officer on patrol. The operator was assisted in moving the car to a safer location and said they had contacted AAA to come and assist them. 11:40 a.m. — A female, age unknown, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. Saturday, Aug. 3 2:08 p.m. — A male, age unknown, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Vista ambulance crew members for an unknown condition. 7:20 p.m. — A tree was reported blocking the roadway on Old Logging Road. While police patrolled the location, the highway department was notified. 7:35 p.m. — Wires down were reported on Woodland Road. On arrival, police also observed a down tree. The utility was notified. 7:59 p.m. —A female was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. Sunday, Aug. 4 4:23 p.m. — A tree was reported blocking the roadway on Salem Road. An officer was able to move the tree to resume traffic flow. Monday, Aug. 5 6:35 a.m. — A man was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. 10:29 a.m. — During a traffic enforcement detail on Westchester Avenue, a summons wasissued to a driver for speeding, reported traveling 49 mph in a marked 30-mph zone 12:40 p.m. — A traffic summons was issued to a driver on Westchester Avenue for driving while using their cellphone without a hands-free device. 1:45 p.m. — A female, age unknown, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps for an unknown condition. 4:23 p.m. — A man was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Pound Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Corps after calling police to request assistance. No further information was provided. — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Pound Ridge Police Department.

Bears in the driveway Police went to a home on Church Tavern Road, South Salem, Wednesday, July 31, at 7:28 p.m., after a bear was reported on the property. On arrival, they saw a large black bear near garbage bins in the caller’s driveway. They shouted at the bear, causing it to run into the woods; two bears were reported running. The caller was advised to keep their dogs inside for the night and to relocate their trash cans to make them less inviting.  Monday, July 29 9:00 a.m. — A couple who recently moved from New York to Connecticut came to headquarters to report they had destroyed their New York license plates, unaware of the proper process required by the DMV. Police provided them with the forms to close out the old plates. 10:49 a.m. — An arrest warrant was issued for a resident of South Salem by a Lewisboro judge. Police picked the individual up at state police headquarters in Hawthorne where he was issued a mandatory appearance ticket for criminal court Aug. 19. 11:50 a.m. — Police went to an address in Goldens Bridge to conduct a welfare check on anindividual who frequently calls the police department and other law enforcement agencies and then hangs up; they were unable to make contact. Officers returned to the address that evening but no one answered the door. 1:59 p.m. — A man came to headquarters to report his daughter was driving his car when it was involved in a collision and totaled; he said he was unable to retrieve the plates, which were still on the vehicle. He was issued forms to provide to the DMV. No further assistance was required. 3:55 p.m. — Rims were reported stolen from a car parked in the Acme Markets parking lot, Goldens Bridge. The caller said he saw the car being lifted on a truck and the tire rims removed. Police spoke to an employee at the nearby Mercedes-Benz dealership who said their business had removed the cars and rims, and there was no problem. 6:00 p.m. — A resident of South Salem reported his home, which is under construction, was broken into overnight. It’s unclear what, if anything, was taken. No further information was provided. Tuesday, July 30 8:55 a.m. — While conducting a commercial vehicle inspection on a 2006 trailer parked on a street in Cross River, police saw a cracked rail frame and inoperable brakes, creating a hazardous condition. A load of timber was off-loaded to a tow truck trailer and the original trailer was impounded and towed from the location. 5:00 p.m. — Police attempted to serve a stay away order of protection to a South Salem resident but no one came to the door. Multiple attempts were made to contact the individual, but phone messages were sent directly to voicemail. 10:35 p.m. — Police went to a home in South Salem for an emergency medical situation. They found the male resident, age unknown, on the floor of his bathroom. He said he was a cancer patient and coughing up blood. He was evaluated on scene by Westchester EMS and transported to Norwalk Hospital by Vista EMS. Wednesday, July 31 8:04 a.m. — An officer helped a driver change a flat tire. The vehicle was located on Kitchawan Road, Pound Ridge.  8:30 a.m. — A town highway department worker reported they were trimming bushes on Anderson Lane, Goldens Bridge, when they were bitten by a dog being walked by its owner. The highway department worker suffered a laceration to their abdomen and went to an urgent care clinic. An animal bite form was completed. 1:55 p.m. — A visit was made at the Lewisboro Day Camp in South Salem by a Lewisboro police officer and his K-9 partner. Thursday, July 1 7:00 a.m.— Low hanging wires were reported on Cross Pond Road, South Salem. On their arrival, police saw wires blocking half the roadway. Verizon was notified and said they would send someone out for repair. Police cordoned off the area with flares to prevent cars from making contact with the downed wires. 2:05 p.m. — A South Salem caller reported a flag affixed to a mailbox on Smith Ridge Road was obstructing their view of the roadway. Police arrived and observed an American flag on a mailbox, but there was no obstruction of traffic view. 2:11 p.m. — A parking ticket was issued to an empty landscape trailer reported blocking traffic on Cross Pond Road. Police said there also was no registration tag. They said if the trailer was still there the next day, it would be marked as abandoned and towed. No further information was provided. 4:43 p.m. — Police went to a home in Goldens Bridge after a resident suffered an allergic reaction to a bee sting. The person was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital. 5:05 p.m. — Two brothers reported arguing by their mother at their home in Cross River were met by police. One son said he had recently been admitted to a college in Manhattan where he wanted to live. When the mother said no, both sons began screaming at each other and one of them called 911. A New York state domestic incident report was completed. 6:19 p.m. — An officer went to Quincy Court, Goldens Bridge, for a dispute between neighbors regarding a shared driveway. The issue seems to revolve around a property island owned by the condo board which had declined to post “no parking” signs. Police said there is ample room to park and also to pull in and out. No further action was taken. Friday, Aug. 2 8:12 a.m. — An officer was dispatched to Upper Lake Shore Drive, Katonah, for a report of a tree on wires. On their arrival, the officer saw the road was not passable and the utility was contacted. Goldens Bridge firefighters responded and cleared the roadway. Police left when the utility arrived. 5:36 p.m. — A transformer explosion was reported on Stewart Road, South Salem. On arrival, police saw a tree down, bringing wires along with it. The utility was notified. Saturday, Aug. 3 3:25 p.m. — An attempted larceny was reported by a Katonah caller. No further information was provided. Sunday, Aug. 4 7:17 a.m. — A resident of South Salem was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps after having an adverse reaction to prescribed medication which made swallowing difficult. 2:10 p.m. — While patrolling Route 22, Goldens Bridge, police saw a Chevy Tahoe with Connecticut plates pulled over on the side of the road. The driver said his vehicle had run out of gas. An officer gave him a ride to a nearby Mobil station to purchase a can of gas while his wife and children stayed with the car. The officer gave the man a ride back to his vehicle.  6:30 p.m. — Police received a report of a possible drunk driver who struck a mailbox on Route 123. An officer went to the location and observed a woman driving a car with Connecticut plates that had a one blown out tire. He pulled over the driver on Smith Ridge Road; she was not intoxicated but appeared confused, according to police. Her daughter was contacted by phone, and said her mother was in early-stage dementia. Police brought the woman to headquarters for her daughter to pick up. The car was towed. The officer later looked for the struck mailbox with negative results. — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Lewisboro Police Department.

Bedford Hills man charged after domestic altercation A resident of Chestnut Ridge Road, Bedford Hills, male, 28, was arrested Sunday, Aug. 4, around 6 p.m., at his home, charged with criminal obstruction of breath (strangulation). Police responded to a 911 call to the home where they spoke first to the man’s wife who said the couple argued about their young child. During the argument he began choking the woman and then elbowed her in the back of the head. Police saw marks on her neck although she refused medical attention. Her husband was placed under arrest and brought to headquarters for processing. He was arraigned in front of a judge and orders of protection were issued to his wife and child. The domestic hotline was contacted on her behalf as well as the mobile crisis team. He was released on his own recognizance and was expected to return to court Aug. 7.  Nuisance goats on the loose A caller on Meetinghouse Road on Wednesday, July 31, at 2:36 p.m., reported two goats on the loose, one brown, one black, eating their newly planted flowers. Police on arrival saw the goats in the road. The caller said they belong to a neighbor. Contact with the goats’ owner was unsuccessful and a voicemail was left. The code enforcement officer was notified about the loose goats, which is a violation. Monday, July 29 7:04 a.m. — Police went to a deli in Bedford Hills after a man was reported intoxicated and causing a disturbance. They spoke with the caller who said he had problems with his roommate whom he accused of being drunk. The roommate was on scene and did not appear intoxicated. Both men said their argument was verbal only. Police told them to avoid each other for a period of time to cool off.  9:17 a.m. — A man, 27, from Bedford Hills, was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps after he showed up at police headquarters irate, intoxicated, and saying he wanted to go to the hospital. A police officer rode in the ambulance with him and he was turned over to hospital staff for evaluation. 3:48 p.m. — An elderly female at a restaurant on Bedford Road, Katonah, was reported throwing a tomato and French fries at her server after being told her meal would not be refunded just because she was unhappy with it. Police first spoke with the server who said customer left. The woman came to headquarters and admitted throwing the food. Police advised her not to return to the establishment or she would be trespassed. Tuesday, July 30 4:24 a.m. — A smoke shop on Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, reported their front glass window was broken. Police say an employee sleeping in the shop was awakened by the sound of breaking glass. He thought he heard three people but saw none and said the burglars fled in an unknown car. Money was grabbed from the register. Police said the employee waited an hour to report the incident. A report was made for the shop owner’s insurance company; they didn’t want to pursue the matter further. 7:56 a.m. — Smoke reported coming from under the hood of a truck on Old Post Road, Bedford, was caused by a backup battery malfunction. Bedford firefighters responding said there was no fire. Wednesday, July 31 8:23 a.m. — A resident of Hook Road came to headquarters to report social media and telephone threats to his wife due to an ongoing legal matter. He was advised if his wife wished to make a formal complaint, she would have to come to headquarters in person. No further information was provided. 8:21 p.m. — Two customers were reported fighting at a restaurant on Old Post Road, Bedford. Police spoke with an employee who said the first customer became angry regarding a mistaken charge on his bill. After the mistake was rectified, the customer continued to be angry. Another customer attempted to intervene and the first customer yelled at him and shoved him. Both parties were gone before police arrived. Thursday, Aug. 1 11:46 a.m. — A male, 45, homeless, was reported by someone on Church Street, Bedford Hills, to whom the man confessed he might self-harm. Police found him in an emotional state which he said was due to hardship regarding housing and lack of financial support. He was transported to Northern Westchester Hospital by Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps. 4:04 p.m. — A resident of Haines Road, Bedford Hills, reported an issue with a sanitation truck driver he said was in the wrong lane when he pulled into his driveway, nearly causing a collision. The caller followed the truck and spoke with the driver who apologized for his mistake. The caller, unsatisfied, began yelling. Nothing further happened and the incident was documented. Friday, Aug. 2 10:32 a.m. — A boy, 7, from Bedford Hills, was transported from the camp at the Bedford Village Memorial Park on Greenwich Road, Bedford, by Bedford firefighters to the Westchester Medical Center after falling off a park slide and possibly fracturing his arm. His mother accompanied him in the ambulance. 12:11 p.m. — A girl, 4, from Katonah, was transported to the Westchester Medical Center by Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps from her home after being reported unconscious. Police say she was awake on their arrival. The parents said she had received a vaccination earlier that day which might have caused her severe lethargy. Saturday, Aug. 3 4:07 p.m. — A man, 88, was pronounced deceased by the county medical examiner at his home in Bedford Village. Police say no foul play is suspected. He was found in his bedroom by his son-in-law who reported him unconscious. CPR and other lifesaving procedures were administered on a police officer’s arrival without results. 7:09 p.m.— A driver traveling on Cantitoe Street near Katonah Woods Road, Katonah, reported a large tree came down and fell on his car. He was uninjured but his car was towed from the scene. Sunday, Aug. 4 2:51 a.m. — A caller on North Street, Katonah, reported an unknown dog in their garage. They thought it belonged to a neighbor and advised police they would hold it in the garage until the morning in hopes the owner would claim it. They later called the police to say the dog — black without a collar — was still there. The Bedford dog control officer came to retrieve the dog and transported it to the Briarcliff shelter. 9:52 p.m. — Police went to a residence on Milan Avenue, Bedford Hills, for a domestic situation. Three officers were on scene, one Spanish speaking for translation. They spoke with an upset woman who said her step-grandfather, who lives in the home, argued with her about her boyfriend being there. No other family members said they had a problem with the boyfriend. She said her step-grandfather shoved her. He said he would leave and stay with his brother for the night. A New York state domestic incident report was completed. — Eve Marx, The Recorder staff writer This report was made from official reports provided by the Bedford Police Department.