HEAP program can provide free air conditioners

If you are eligible, you may receive one Cooling Assistance benefit per applicant household for the purchase and installation of an air conditioner or a fan to help your home stay cool. In circumstances where an air conditioner cannot be safely installed, a fan will be provided.

Only one air conditioner or fan, not to exceed $800 with installation for a window, portable air conditioner, or fan and not to exceed $1,000 for an existing wall sleeve unit, will be provided per applicant household. No additional HEAP cash benefits are available.

You may be eligible for a Cooling Assistance HEAP benefit if:

• Your household’s gross monthly income is at or below the current income guidelines for your household size, or you receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or you receive Temporary Assistance (TA), or you receive Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI Living Alone), or
• You received a Regular benefit greater than $21 in the current program year or received a Regular benefit equal to $21 during the current program year and reside in government subsidized housing with heat included in your rent, and your household contains at least one individual with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat.

More information about the HEAP program is available on its website.

CHHOP files building permit application for shelter improvements

Local nonprofit Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill (CHHOP) has filed a building permit application with the city’s Building Department for an interior renovation of the Jan Peek House shelter at 200 North Water Street.

A CHHOP spokesperson confirmed the application, stating that the proposed work is intended to provide badly-needed improvements to the facility, particularly given the increase in demand for the services provided. CHHOP is housed in a historic commercial building at the north end of Peekskill’s waterfront district. 

The proposed renovation would create a fully functioning kitchen, add bathrooms, and upgrade aging mechanical systems. It would also improve accessibility, and add job training and workforce development spaces to the nearly four-decade old center, which provides temporary housing and support for unhoused area residents, veterans, and victims of domestic violence.

New Rochelle woman indicted on 18 counts in torture, murder of Peekskill native

Kenya Tilford has been indicted for murder and for inflicting torture upon 27-year-old Concetta Morton, an intimate partner and Peekskill native, prior to her death.   

“In a first for this Office, we are charging the defendant for not only murder, but also for allegedly acting in an especially cruel manner and inflicting torture upon Ms. Morton before her death,” said Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah. “We commend the New Rochelle police for their role in this exhaustive investigation. My office will seek justice for all of the victims.” 

Tilford, 41, was arraigned July 2 before New York State Supreme Court Justice Anne Minihan in Westchester County Court following an 18-count indictment by a Westchester County Grand Jury including charges of Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Second Degree, Strangulation in the First Degree, Concealment of a Human Corpse. 

The defendant remains remanded to Westchester County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court July 16.  

It is alleged that the defendant tortured the victim for three months and, ultimately caused her death by asphyxiation before concealing the victim’s body inside a storage bin at her Franklin Avenue apartment in New Rochelle. During this period, the defendant was captured on surveillance video purchasing a hooded coverall, bleach, tarps, paper towels, rubber gloves, a chainsaw, and the storage bin in which the victim’s body was found.

The defendant is also charged with intimidating one individual, threatening another individual with a knife, physically and sexually assaulting one intimate partner, and sexually assaulting and attempting to physically assault another intimate partner whom she also allegedly intimidated. 

The New Rochelle Police Department arrested the defendant on Sept. 15, 2023, at an Elmsford hotel after Tarrytown police received a tip about the victim’s deceased body. The Westchester County Medical Examiner and DA Criminal Investigators assigned to the High Technology Crimes Unit and the Violent Criminal Enterprise Unit, and Crime Analyst Alessia Vicari assisted with the investigation.  

The case is being prosecuted by Homicide Bureau Chief Lana Hochheiser and Assistant District Attorney Courtney Johnson, with assistance from Homicide Bureau Senior Trial Counsel Brian Bendish, all of the Trials and Investigations Division.

Bertoline John Walsh property sold for $10 million

The owner of the Royal Coach Lines school bus company purchased the former Bertoline beer distribution property at 7 John Walsh Blvd. for $10 million according to records filed with the Westchester County Clerk.

HQ River Front Enterprises LLC based at 1010 Nepperhan Ave. in Yonkers acquired the building and 5.45 acres of land on a deed recorded on June 5. On an accompanying document transferring a solar panel array on the building, DiPaolo is listed as a member of HQ River Front Enterprises LLC.

DiPaolo did not return a call requesting comment. It appears the new owners will use the building for storage of high-end collectible cars.

The 72,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1986 and an addition was added in 2012. The administrative offices total 10,000 square feet. The Bertolines bought the property from the Peekskill Industrial Development Agency in 1996.

Bertoline & Sons was one of the oldest and largest employers in Peekskill, operating their four-generation family business in Peekskill for 90 years. The business provided a livelihood for hundreds and hundreds of employees over those nine decades, selling product to small delis, bars, restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets throughout Westchester and Putnam counties. The company was sold to Dana Distributors, based in Goshen last June.

According to its website, Royal Coach Lines, Inc. was founded in 1950 by John Sinistol of Silver Lake, Harrison, NY. In 1957, Beniamino DiPaolo acquired the company and relocated the company to Saw Mill River Road in Yonkers.  

The company has grown to one of the largest school contractors in Westchester County specializing in the transportation of youth for both the private and public sectors throughout the tri-state area.
Royal Coach Lines has over 25 years of experience in providing ADA related Para-transit. In 2010, Royal Coach Lines ranked #28 of the top 50 school transportation contractors in the United States by School Bus Fleets Magazine. Royal Coach Lines has had an uninterrupted working relationship with the City of Yonkers since 1957.

Scooter crash sends Peekskill man to hospital in serious condition

A Peekskill man, 64, was seriously injured after crashing his scooter in Cortlandt on July 9.

According to Westchester County police, the man was driving on Sprout Brook Road when he lost control of his scooter. He was transported to Westchester Medical Center by medevac helicopter.

The road was closed for several hours while police investigated the crash. No further details about the incident were immediately available.

The tip line is always open at the Peekskill Herald

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Harckham funds youth workforce training, community programs

New York State Senator Pete Harckham secured $464,500 in an end-of-year resolution in the State Senate for additional grant funding for important youth workforce training and community programs distributed to 10 different recipients.

The funding, awarded at Harckham’s discretion, comes from several areas in the enacted FY2024-2024 State Budget, including the Division of Criminal Justice Services, Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Department of Health, Department of Labor, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, and Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. 

“The investments we have made in these important community programs are the result of hearing from different municipal officials and nonprofit stakeholders about the necessary resources required to support the work they are doing,” said Harckham.

Among those receiving funding through the end-of-year resolution:

• City of Peekskill: $50,000 for Workforce Training programs focusing on young adults and gun violence prevention
• Neighbor’s Link, Inc.: $57,500 for Legal Services to Immigrant Community
• Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center: $50,000 for Advocacy Outreach
• My Brother Vinny, Inc.: $50,000 for Operations, Storage Costs and Vehicle Maintenance

“With New York State’s Violence Prevention Crisis Response funding, the City will continue workforce training for young adults with credible mentors at their side,” said Peekskill City Manager Matthew Alexander. “Additional funding secured by Senator Harckham helps Peekskill to walk youth at risk through the process of setting goals and achieving them, which is the best way to prevent despair and violence. We want to offer youth making a transition from high school to adulthood the skills to see that they have all kinds of choices and that they too can have a bright future.”

Celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Bear Mountain Bridge

One hundred years ago the Bear Mountain Bridge opened to traffic to carry passengers from the Westchester side of the Hudson to Rockland County. To mark this historic occasion, a series of events will be held this year.

They include:

A BMB100 online pop-up shop: The e-commerce site, open until July 15, offers a variety of unique gifts commemorating the 100th anniversary of the bridge. Noteworthy items include prints and note cards featuring the work of Hudson Valley artists John F. Gould and his son Paul Gould. The shop also includes a limited-edition hat honoring the bridge’s ceremonial designation as the “Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bear Mountain Bridge.”

Bear Mountain Bridge paint and learn at Fort Montgomery State Historic Site: On Saturday, Aug. 3, local artist Stasia Fernandez will offer painting lessons as participants take in views of the bridge from the vantage point of Fort Montgomery State Historic Site. Participants of all artistic levels will be treated to beautiful and historic views and learn new painting skills and historical knowledge, while also bringing home a canvas of their own work. The $30 fee covers the cost of materials and the lesson, a tour of the Revolutionary War battle site and a print of a Bear Mountain Bridge ink drawing by the late artist John F. Gould. Interested participants can email [email protected] to be put on the notification list for this event.

Honoring veterans at the “Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bear Mountain Bridge”: On Wednesday, Aug. 7 — National Purple Heart Day — the Bridge Authority will host a tribute to local Purple Heart recipients at the bridge, sponsored by the nonprofit Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley. Any veteran who has received the Purple Heart is encouraged to contact the Authority at [email protected] to be put on the notification list for this event. 

Bridges to Parks series: Hike Bear Mountain: On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Bridge Authority and State Parks will present the next installment in their “Bridges to Parks” guided hike series, this time centered on the Bear Mountain Bridge and the nearby state parks that it connects. Multiple hike options for various interests and abilities will be offered.

International Cable Supported Bridge Operators Conference: The Hudson Valley will host the 2024 edition of the International Cable Supported Bridge Operators Conference from Oct. 6-10 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. This highly technical conference will bring together engineers and bridge operators from around the world and will highlight the Bear Mountain Bridge. More details can be found on the conference website.

Bear Mountain Bridge centennial dedication ceremony: On Sunday, Nov. 24, just days before the 100th anniversary of the bridge’s dedication and opening, the Bridge Authority will host a ceremony to commemorate the bridge centennial. Details will be released at a later date.

The Bear Mountain Bridge was dedicated Nov. 26, 1924, and opened to the public a day later on Thanksgiving. It was a groundbreaking engineering feat: the first vehicular bridge over the Hudson River south of Albany and the first suspension bridge with a concrete deck. Its opening spurred a boom in bridge building in New York and the entire country, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office.

The bridge was originally built by a private enterprise, the Bear Mountain Hudson River Bridge Co., which had connections with the Harriman family, who helped preserve Bear Mountain State Park. Construction began in the spring of 1923 and lasted 20 months.

The centennial website includes film footage of the construction of the bridge taken in October of 1924, thanks to the preservation efforts of the Moving Image Research Collection at the University of South Carolina.

Italian Feast in Verplanck celebrates 102nd festival starting July 17

The longest running Italian Feast in the Hudson Valley is right here in our backyard, as The Society of Our Lady of Mount Carmel presents the 102nd annual Italian Festival at 8th Street & Highland Avenue in Verplanck, Wednesday, July 17, through Sunday, July 21. 

Famous for its pizza, pasta and sausage and peppers, “The Feast” has become a five-night food truck festival with live music, rides, and fireworks. 

On Sunday, July 21, at 2 P.M., the community is invited to attend Italian Mass in honor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at St. Patrick’s Church on 11th Street. After mass, the Mt. Carmel Society proceeds through the streets with a 5-foot statue of “The Madonna,” a tradition more than 100 years old in Verplanck, and thousands of years old in Italy.

The Feast is open Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday, July 18, from 6:00-11:00 P.M.. Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20, from 5:00-11:00 P.M., and Sunday, July 21, from 4:00-11:00 P.M.. 

Fireworks are Wednesday, July 17, at 9:30 P.M. and Sunday, July 21, at 11 P.M..   

At 6:00 P.M. on Wednesday, July 17, the opening ceremonies will be held inside Mt. Carmel Hall, where Class of 2024 high school graduates L.J. Santella and Michael Pio will receive $500 scholarships. The same night, the Bubble Bus will entertain kids from 6:30-8:00 P.M. One lucky festivalgoer will win $300 Thursday, July 18, at 8:00 P.M. in a just-for-fun meatball-eating contest. Contestants 21 and older can register by contacting [email protected].  

Chrissy Calabro (left) and Maria Morabito have a cannoli or two waiting for you

Live music will be played each day from 7:00-11:00 meatball-eating contest. The Wednesday, July 17, lineup features DJ Tony Corda with vocalist Mathew Marano. Sounds Familiar joins DJ Tony Corda on Thursday, July 18. The Ricky Blues Band plays the Feast on Friday, July 19, and for Saturday, July 20, two bands share the stage: The Force, and Andrea and The Armenian Rug Riders. Closing the festival on Sunday, July 21, is FDR Drive. 

County taking bids for operator of Bee-Line Bus system

Five months before Westchester County’s current contract with Liberty Lines Transit to run the county’s Bee-Line Bus system, a new report is criticizing the service.

The study was authored by Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable transportation, equitable planning policies and practices, and strong communities in the New York City metro area and Make the Road New York, the state’s largest progressive grassroots immigrant-led organization.

Liberty Lines has run the buses for the last 50 years and the county is currently in the bidding phase for the next contract.

The report identified issues including infrequent bus service, poorly maintained buses, a lack of basic amenities at bus stops including benches, shelters and heaters, insufficient real-time information displays, a limited number of MetroCard refill stations, and inadequate infrastructure for individuals with disabilities.

“Westchester County can significantly enhance the efficiency and accessibility and overall rider experience,” Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s Talia Crawford said.

In a statement to News 12, a spokesperson for Westchester County said: “Our public-private partnership ensures the service is efficiently managed, and we bid out the service contract to maintain high standards. 

“Last fall, we conducted a comprehensive ridership survey to gather direct feedback from our riders. Their input has been invaluable in shaping our current and future plans. We want the Bee-Line Bus system to meet riders’ needs for service frequency, accessibility and overall satisfaction. The current RFP for a new contract addresses the concerns we have heard from our riders.”

Land Trust raises $440,000 for preservation in Lower Hudson Valley

The Westchester Land Trust’s Preservation Award was presented to members of the Ryder family of Brewster, owners and operators of Ryder Farm, the oldest working farm in Putnam County.

The Ryder’s permanently protected their 128-acre farm through a conservation easement with Westchester Land Trust in 2023. 

Ryder Farm was established in 1795 by Eleazer Ryder and has been stewarded by the family since then. Throughout its history, the farm, which is situated along Peach Lake, has been a working farm with a general store, a dairy farm, and a family leisure resort.

Ryder Farm was an early adopter of the organic farming movement and sold its produce at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City. The farm has more than 3,000 feet of frontage on Peach Lake and the protected land safeguards drinking water access, as the area drains into the Croton Reservoir system.

The recognition came at the Land Trust’s annual benefit that raised more than $440,000 for land protection throughout the lower Hudson Valley.

More than 300 attended the affair including Martha Stewart to commend the Ryder family and others recognized including Annie Farrell for her decades of agricultural innovation throughout the region. Farrell was born in New York City and spent summers at her family’s cottage along Peach Lake at the Putnam-Westchester border where she formed the Delaco Agricultural Co-op, and then established Annie’s, a business dedicated to providing organic specialty crops for restaurants.

Levenberg secures $595,000 in grants for first responders

State Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg recently secured nearly $600,000 in capital and operating grants for first responder organizations in Assembly District 95. The recipients of funding are: 

• Buchanan Fire Company No. 1 for extrication and auto accident equipment ($20,000)
• Village of Croton Fire Department for a new tower ladder truck ($250,000)
• Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps for a new ambulance ($200,000)
• Yorktown Heights Fire Department for a new fire training center ($125,000).

“On behalf of the Village of Buchanan, I would like to thank Assemblywoman Levenberg for this much-needed funding for equipment for Buchanan Engine Company,” said Village of Buchanan Mayor Theresa Knickerbocker. “The funding is much appreciated, especially as the Village is still dealing with the effects of the closure of our largest taxpayer, Entergy.”

 The grants were secured through New York State’s Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability and Technology (CREST) program and the fiscal year 2025 state budget, as part of New York State’s ongoing efforts to support local communities and their economic development.

Of the grant awards, Levenberg said, “We cannot have healthy communities without a strong cadre of first responders. It is an honor to support the work of these four organizations, which provide invaluable, essential services. We are so grateful for all the work our fire departments and ambulance corps do to keep our residents safe and healthy.”

Peekskill celebrates another Fourth with parade, fireworks

Peekskill turned out for the 62 celebration of the city’s Annual Fourth of July Parade, including one of the largest fireworks displays in Northern Westchester at the Riverfront.

The Peeekskill Volunteer Firefighters Association (PVFA) July 4 Committee Chair Tom Walker joined this year’s 2024 parade Grand Marshal, former First Assistant Chief John J. Kelly III at the festivities. 

Kelly served over 25 years as a Peekskill volunteer firefighter and previously served as Peekskill’s Mayor. “Chief Kelly has been a big supporter of our Volunteers, and we are pleased to have him as this year’s Grand Marshal.” 

In 2022, the Peekskill Volunteer Firefighters Association paid over $13,000 for bands all from donations to the July 4 parade committee. This year the cost of the parade is $16,000. Immediately after the July 4 parade, the PVFA starts raising money for next year’s parade.

Garden State Fireworks set the spectacular fireworks show off from a barge located in Peekskill Bay on the Hudson River. The fireworks display lasted approximately 20 minutes and concluded with a grand finale. 

The City of Peekskill hosts the fireworks for every resident to enjoy as a gift back to the people for everyone young and old to enjoy. This year the fireworks display cost $29,000. 

Boys & Girls Club celebrates 85 years at Gala Event fundraiser

It was “Hats Off” to 85 years as more than 400 friends and supporters of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester (BGCNW) were on hand June 7 for the 29th Annual Humanitarian Award Gala. 

The theme of the event — Hats Off to 85 Years –celebrated the Club’s 85th anniversary this year. The gala, which was held at the Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, raised approximately $800,000.

The honorees are two long-time supporters of BGCNW – Muffin Dowdle and Dan Hollis. Muffin Dowdle has been a lifelong member of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester.

Among those attending the festive evening event were Martha Stewart, County Legislator Erika Pierce and Youth of the Year Award Winner Grace Gerosa of Pleasantville. Among the many live auction items was a horse ride through private gardens with Martha Stewart. It sold for $60,0000.

“At the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester our programming key differentiator is civic advocacy and leadership ensuring that all children every color, socioeconomic background, gender affiliation and religion have the opportunity to hone communication and leadership skills to give back to community,” said Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester CEO Alyzza Ozer. 

Ongoing negations among the City of Peekskill, the Peekskill Housing Authority, Westchester County, and The Boys & Girls Club are continuing to bring the program to the Kiley Center in Peekskill. 

Peekskill Fire Department calls slightly down in 2024

Fire calls received by the Peekskill Fire Department are slightly down in the first six months of 2024 compared to last year according to figures posted on the Peekskill Volunteer Firefighters Association web page.

In the first six months of this year there were 473 calls for assistance answered by the department. In the first six months of 2023, 450 calls were answered.

The Fire Department responds to calls about fires and also provides medical assistance with EMTs.

For the full year in 2023 the department answered 1,033 calls, averaging 86 calls per month. The highest number of calls last year was 126 in July, followed by 111 in August and 110 in September.

In 2024 the highest calls were in January with 94 calls, much higher than the 65 calls reported in January 2023. Calls in June this year totaled 72, much lower than the 91 calls in June of 2023.

Volunteer to join the Ambulance Corps, serve the community

The Peekskill Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps is looking for volunteers who want to serve their community.

The Peekskill Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps. (PCVAC) is a nonprofit volunteer organization founded in 1964 that provides Emergency Medical Services to the City of Peekskill and a portion of the Town of Cortlandt and surrounding communities. 

PCVAC responds to over 3,000 calls a year operating four ambulances, a Special Operations vehicle, three Officer’s vehicles, and an off-road UTV.

No experience is needed. The Corps provides all training. Flexible hours allow volunteers to do their ride time however it fits their schedule. Volunteers earn a City Retirement Pension and state tax break.

The first ambulance owned by PCVAC was a 1951 Cadillac purchased for $125 by Mr. Richard French and former Peekskill Fire Chief Charles Olah which they donated to PCVAC. Initially, the ambulance was parked outside the old Peekskill Hospital (now Waterview Estates), and crew members spent duty hours in the cramped and dirty confines of the boiler room. As the City grew over time, so did PCVAC, later moving to a temporary garage on Lower South St. (now occupied by Franzoso Contracting) before the current headquarters was built, circa 1969. 

Since then, PCVAC has significantly grown from a one ambulance operation and roughly 20 members to one of the largest Volunteer Ambulance Corps in Westchester County.  

Go to the website and fill out an online application.