Herald joins list of two dozen businesses nominated for ‘Best of Westchester’

By Regina Clarkin

February 14, 2024

Peekskill Herald joins some 20 other Peekskill businesses and organizations nominated for Westchester Magazine’s “Best of Westchester” reader survey that runs from today, February 14 through March 6. Readers can vote here. Votes originating from identical IP addresses will not be counted.

The yearly contest asks readers to select a favorite from five or six finalists in 13 categories ranging from best fun and leisure event to best place for a date night. Winners will be announced in the July issue of Westchester Magazine on the newsstands in mid-June. They will also be celebrated at a party in July at the Glen Island Harbor Club in New Rochelle.

The Herald is in the Community & Media category under Local Community Newspaper. Also in the Community & Media category is Vivian McKenzie under the listing for Best Mayor. Radio broadcasters Kacey Morabito Grean and Mike Bennett of WLNA are vying for ‘best broadcaster’ and WLNA is in competition for Best Radio Station.

Screenshot of entry for Peekskill Herald as best Local Community Newspaper.

In the Food section, under Food Items, Charcuterie Elegant Spreads by Jess, LLC is vying for a winner’s slot. Jessica Williams is a Peekskill based food stylist and caterer.

Local Main Street restaurant RameNesque was nominated for the Raman category and Iron Vine Tapas Bar on Main Street was nominated in the Tapas category. Birdsall House, down the street from Iron Vine, is nominated in the Best Outdoor Dining category.

New sandwich shop Benny’s Brown Bag on the corner of Elm and Wells Street is vying for a first place win in the Best Sandwich category.

For the first time, Peekskill’s Juneteenth celebration, the second oldest in the county, is nominated in the Fun and Leisure category.

Scene from Peekskill’s 2023 Juneteenth parade in the downtown.

Peekskill bread bakers at Signal Fire on North Division Street are nominated in the Bakery category and Peekskill’s Apropros Restaurant at the Abbey Inn and Spa is nominated in several categories: Best Restaurant north of Interstate 287, Best Hotel, Best Hotel Bar, Best Wedding Venue.

Another Peekskill business, Skinchanted Spa at Stowe Road, is nominated in the Health and Beauty Category for Best Spa, Best Spa Treatment and Best Spray Tanning.

Martial Arts School at Blue Mountain Plaza is nominated in the Martial Arts category. Homestyle Desserts is in competition for Best Wedding Cake and Maple Field Florist is nominated for Best Wedding Florist.

Last year some 469,000 voters were tallied in the contest during the elimination round from February to March.

About the Contributor

Regina Clarkin, Editor and Publisher

When the Peekskill Herald weekly newspaper ceased publishing in August 2000 it was the first time in the history of the city that there wasn’t a local newspaper. The award-winning weekly was often referred to as the ‘glue’ of the community. Founded on January 9, 1986 by Regina Clarkin, Kathy Daley and Rich Zahradnik with a $7,000 credit card line, the paper filled the void created when the daily Evening Star was sold to Gannett and moved out of town. Founding publisher Regina Clarkin continued to live in the Peekskill Cortlandt area and turned her attention to other life endeavors. Through the ensuing 19 years, Clarkin was frequently stopped in town and asked when she would start up the Herald again. In January 2019, Clarkin decided it was less labor intensive to deliver a weekly blog than a print newspaper so she began posting one story a week about life in Peekskill. After a successful crowd funding campaign in 2020, the Herald was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in July of 2021. Peekskill Herald is a digital relative of the former print edition, featuring many of the favorite aspects of the beloved Peekskill Herald such as old pictures, personality profiles and well written stories about newsworthy events. Regina Clarkin is the editor and publisher of the site. Photo by Joe Squillante