Marijuana grow site wins first approval in Peekskill
“This is the start of the climb of the hill,” Zoning Board of Appeals chairman Chris Hanzlik told the applicant from Shortrope Prime, L.L.C. of Cold Spring at the Aug. 15 meeting. “Step one is complete.”
Hanzlik and the board ruled that the applicant’s plan to open a hydroponic marijuana growing business in the C3 commercial zone at 1698 Main St. could move forward to try to win two more required approvals: a special permit from the Peekskill Common Council and site plan approval from the Peekskill Planning Commission.
The Zoning Board ruled that growing marijuana is considered a manufacturing process under the Peekskill zoning code.
The application to the zoning board notes, “This business will cultivate (grow) cannabis plants hydroponically, followed by on-site harvesting that includes chopping and drying the plants, removing flowers from the stem, removing fan leaves, and extensive trimming.”
“When the curing process is complete, the flower is packaged and labeled on-site. They will also grind, roll and package the flower into consumable products such as pre-rolled joints. Various specialized machinery and equipment will be used to process, package, label and distribute from this facility, to be sold at their licensed dispensary in Sleepy Hollow. No retail sales will occur at this Peekskill location.”
Although the zoning board meeting did not include a public hearing, Hanzlik took comments from two residents who objected to the business in their neighborhood, citing concerns about safety, noise, and growing marijuana in an area with children and families.
The new marijuana grow business would join a pasta company and a food distributor already in the building. The company, called “Quality High,” would operate in the 3,600-square-foot second floor site and will be required by state law to use an odor mitigation plan in and around the facility with strict implementation of sealed spaces, a closed-loop HVAC system, and closed-loop activated carbon filtration. – Jim Roberts
Rebuilt, expanded Fleischmann Pier now open to enjoy
Fleischmann Pier is now open for all to enjoy while some finishing touches are completed.
Come enjoy the pier, the amazing vistas of the Hudson River, fishing, kayaking, strolling, and bird watching. At almost 500 feet in length, the pier provides unique access to the Hudson River and ample room for all to enjoy the pastime of their choice amid unparalleled views and beautiful surroundings.
Still to come: more seating, a shade trellis, another viewfinder, turf and grass, signage, and restrooms. A formal ribbon cutting and celebration of Fleischmann Pier and Charles Point Park are being planned for the fall. Stay tuned and enjoy this unique asset in the City of Peekskill.
Firefighters sponsor blood drive on August 30
After a few year hiatus, Peekskill Professional Firefighters Local 2343 is collaborating once again with the New York Blood Center and hosting another blood drive.
The blood drive is Friday, Aug. 30 from 12-6 P.M. at the Peekskill Firehouse at 1141 Main. St.
Follow the link to sign up, donate, and help save lives. A great showing turned out at the last blood drive and the firefighters are hoping to beat those numbers this time around.
Donors will receive a voucher for a free beverage at participating venues.
City seeks consultant and contractor for projects
The city of Peekskill has posted two new requests for bids.
Request for quotation. Fabrication & Installation of Pergola Service for TerraDulce Bakery, 1049 Main Street, Peekskill, N.Y. 10566. Responses must be sent by email to Abi Oridedi, Downtown Revitalization Fund Consultant at [email protected]. Deadline to submit proposals is Aug. 26 at 3 p.m.
RFP Highest & Best Use of City-Owned Sites. The City of Peekskill is requesting proposals from qualified consultants to analyze the highest and best use of three City-owned potential development sites in the Lower Waterfront District. The subject properties are located at 100 South Street, 30 Louisa Street, and 1001-1003 Lower South Street. Submissions should be addressed to Peter Erwin, AICP at [email protected]. Deadline to submit proposals is Aug. 29 at 11:59 p.m.
Peekskill doughnut makers rank among County’s best
A review of the top doughnut shops in the county published by Westchester magazine includes a Peekskill bakery that sells its wares online and at the Peekskill Coffee House on Fridays and at the Peekskill Farmer’s Market.
Their happenings page provides a monthly market and pop-up schedule.
If you are a vegan or gluten-free Westchesterite whose mouth is watering after reading this list, do not worry: Sweet and Salty Queens has you covered. This queer-owned bakery is the brainchild of Terri Dreisbach and Leah Guarino, two veteran pastry chefs with a hunger for entrepreneurship. The shop is based in Peekskill, but the plant-based, gluten-free treats can be found at coffeehouses and farmers markets around the county. Eliminating gluten and animal products does not kill Sweet and Salty Queens’s creativity: From the chocolate chip doughnut with cacao and mint tea to the vegan chocolate beetroot doughnut, these are sure to knock your dietary-restriction-friendly socks off.
Construction work on Power Express underway in Rockland
One of the two massive infrastructure projects building the cables to carry renewable energy to downstate New York is underway in Rockland County. [You may read more about these projects in this recent Herald story.]
The 339-mile Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) includes buried cable lines within the Hudson River, traveling from the U.S.-Canadian border to the Astoria Converter Station in Queens, NY. Work is now anticipated to impact traffic and local businesses along Route 9W in Rockland County over the coming months.
A detour is currently in place on Park Road to facilitate Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) operations. This detour is essential for maintaining traffic flow while construction is underway.
Clearing activities are ongoing throughout the county, including the removal of trees in Stony Point, West Haverstraw, Haverstraw, and Congers. Additionally, construction crews are building access roads and pads for the drilling and installation of underground vaults. These activities may cause occasional road closures or limited access to certain areas.
The primary focus of the current phase is the installation of a duct bank, a critical component of the transmission line, which involves trenching along the construction path. Work on this phase has already begun, stretching from just north of the Tilcon sign on Route 9W to just north of North Short Clove Road in Haverstraw. This section of the project is anticipated to continue until the end of October.
For the latest updates on the construction and its impacts, residents can visit the CHPE website or follow their social media channels. The project hotline at (800) 991-CHPE (2473) and the email is [email protected].
New county law would crack down in illegal dumping
County Legislator David Tubiolo of Yonkers is sponsoring proposed legislation that would increase fines and identify violators who dump garbage and construction waste in county parks.
“This law tightens the fines significantly against perpetrators and works with the Solid Waste Commission to revoke the licenses for waste removal of offenders,” Tubiolo said.
“I also plan on adding camera’s and license plate readers in the Capital Projects Budget to monitor high traffic areas of illegal dumping, to complement this bill.”
The Westchester County Park System includes 18,000 acres of parkland and more than 50 facilities ranging from golf courses, pools and beaches, parks, to trail ways and nature centers. Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill is one of the county’s most popular parks for hikers and bikers.
The new law would raise fines up to $100,000 against repeat offenders issued violations by Westchester County. The current system imposes various fines topping out at the tens of thousands and differ among municipalities.
Community complaints have increased about large amounts of trash dumped at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers regarding construction debris, household appliances, tires, and mattresses, according to a published report.
Officials told News 12 the majority of offenders are licensed contractors dumping after work or landlords clearing out apartments before new tenants move in including some coming up from the Bronx.
A public hearing on the proposed law is scheduled Monday, Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Westchester County legislative chambers.
The tip line is always open at the Peekskill Herald
Have a story idea that you’d like to see a reporter from The Herald check out? Ever think of a question that you wish someone would answer?
We always want to hear from our readers and here’s your way to reach us. Whether it’s a question regarding a specific event, an economic development project, or just a trend you’ve noticed, we want to hear it.
Send us your questions. We’ll review and evaluate the submissions and select those we can answer. We’ll publish the story. Send your question to [email protected].
Grant to KinoSaito will fund solar panels on artworks storage
Verplanck-based KinoSaito has received grant of $100,000 from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s Frankenthaler Climate Initiative (FCI), which advances climate action in the visual arts.
FCI has awarded $3.3 million this year to 69 visual arts organizations across the U.S. through the foundation’s fourth grant cycle. Established in 2021 by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation in collaboration with Environment & Culture Partners and RMI, FCI is the largest private national grant-making program to support climate action at cultural organizations and the first nationwide program of its kind for the visual arts.
KinoSaito was awarded an Implementation Grant, which supports projects enacting innovative, large-scale infrastructural changes, often in concert with other funding sources. Part of KinoSaito’s focus is to preserve yet sustainably upgrade and renovate its historic buildings.
With this grant, KinoSaito plans on tackling the “KinoSaito: Expanding Solar Power” project which is an initiative that will install high-efficiency HVAC units and solar panels to create a safe storage facility. This has been necessitated by the growth of KinoSaito’s cultural and educational outreach and community programming. Adding solar panels to power the storage facility will allow KinoSaito to maintain its net-zero status, ensuring that money saved continues to be directed towards artists, curators, instructors, and free programming. The consolidation of their storage will also allow for an expanded space in the art center for exhibitions and public programming.
KinoSaito is a nonprofit center founded in 2018 and dedicated to the creation of abstract art and perpetuating the legacy of founding muse and Japanese-American artist, Kikuo Saito (1939-2016). The center opened in 2021 upon renovation of its St. Patrick’s Catholic School located in Verplanck.
Wedding announcement
Peekskill residents Kevin Joseph O’Connell and Kristina Vucetic were married on August 9 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
It is with great pride that Mr. James O’Connell of Mahopac, N.Y., Ms. Patricia O’Connell of Bay Shore, N.Y. and Mr. & Mrs. Milo and Mande Vucetic of Putnam Valley, N.Y. announce the marriage of their children, Kevin Joseph O’Connell and Kristina Vucetic, granddaughter of Mr. Rrok and Santa Zadrima of Putnam Valley, N.Y. on August 9 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral with Father Ryan Muldoon officiating. A private reception was held at Current, Pier 59 of the Pier Sixty Collection immediately following the ceremony.
Kevin was born in New York City and raised in Mahopac, N.Y. He attended Manhattan College earning a degree in Civil Engineering. Kevin currently works at Riverso Associates where he’s been a Construction Project Scheduler for nine years.
Kristina was born in Bronx, N.Y. and raised in Putnam Valley, N.Y. She attended Marist College earning a degree in Psychology and Special Education. Kristina currently works at Lakeland Central School District where she’s been a Special Education teacher for ten years.
The Matrons of Honor were Alexandra Vucetic-Stetsura and Sara Zadrima-Haeusgen, sister and cousin of Kristina. The Best Man was Gregory O’Connell, brother of Kevin.
After a honeymoon trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar, the couple will continue to reside in Peekskill.
Peekskill Youth Police Academy offers insight into serving
The 2024 Peekskill Youth Police Academy provided two weeks of physical fitness training, specialized unit demonstrations, defensive tactics instruction, classroom presentations, procedural car stop lessons, handcuffing procedures, basic crime scene investigation, and team building exercises.
The youths also took field trips to the Peekskill Fire Department, the Westchester County Police Academy, the West Point Museum, and Shado Tactics Academy, where they learned skills used by police officers.
This educational program provided youth recruits insight into a possible career path while teaching them about their roles and responsibilities as citizens.
Realtors donate $3,000 to Furniture Sharehouse
Furniture Sharehouse, Westchester’s only furniture bank that provides gently used, unwanted furniture to economically disadvantaged families and individuals, received a $3,000 check from The Hudson Gateway REALTOR® Foundation.
Clients are referred to Furniture Sharehouse by almost 50 member agencies for people moving from homeless shelters or escaping domestic violence, working families living in extreme poverty, veterans struggling with financial hardship, or young adults aging out of foster care.
Clients are seen by appointment, where a volunteer Personal Shopper escorts them through the warehouse and helps them select furniture. The items are then delivered to the clients. In 2023, Furniture Sharehouse furnished 420 families in need, transforming their empty apartments into comfortable and dignified homes.
“We are extremely grateful to Hudson Gateway Realtor Foundation for this generous donation. We are experiencing an increase in requests for furniture, so this support comes at a crucial time to help cover increased pick-up expenses,” said Kate Bialo, executive director.
Since 2014, the Hudson Gateway Realtor Foundation has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities and non-profits throughout the Hudson Valley.
Annual service honors firefighters lost in Fleischmann’s fire
The City of Peekskill Fire Department held its annual Fleischmann’s Fire Memorial Ceremony at its headquarters to remember the lives that were lost 106 years ago. For those who missed the ceremony, you may watch it here.
On August 1, 1918, seven volunteers of the Peekskill Fire Department gave their all while fighting the Fleischmann Fire. The memory of what these men gave to the City of Peekskill cannot be forgotten. They were:
- Surgeon Dr. Charles R.F. Greene. – Cortlandt Hook & Ladder
- Captain Clarence J. Lockwood – Cortlandt Hook & Ladder
- 1st LT James H. Selleck – Cortlandt Hook & Ladder
- 2nd LT Louis A. Barmore – Cortlandt Hook & Ladder
- Firefighter George A. Casseles – Cortlandt Hook & Ladder
- Firefighter John E. Torpy – Centennial Hose Co. No. 4
- Firefighter Walter Cole – Centennial Hose Co. No. 4
Peekskill woman takes plea deal, avoids 25 years in prison
Sharon Godwin, 32, of Peekskill, pled guilty at an Aug. 14 court hearing to crashing a stolen car into five pedestrians, including two children, causing serious injuries.
As she was driving around Broadway and West 190th street on March 15, 2023 in a car that she had stolen in Yonkers, Godwin crashed into five pedestrians on the sidewalk, including two children. Two of the victims suffered broken femurs, one suffered a torn ACL and received several staples, and two others sustained substantial bleeding.
After she was arrested, Godwin provided a fake name, using a stolen ID of another Peekskill woman.
Under the terms of the plea of guilty to one count of assault in the second degree, a class D felony, she is expected to be sentenced to 4 1/2 years in state prison on Oct. 22 in Manhattan state Supreme Court. She faced up to 25 years if convicted at trial.
“Addressing vehicular violence is an essential part of ensuring comprehensive public safety,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. “We will hold reckless drivers accountable for the harm they inflict on pedestrians, bikers and other motorists, and I hope the victims in this incident can continue to make a full recovery from their injuries,” he said.
Godwin is now in state prison serving a term for a 2020 grand larceny conviction for a theft. She received probation on that conviction in 2022 but went to prison following her Manhattan arrest.
The theft case involved a Chase Bank in Louisiana that reported Godwin for passing a $4,367.83 check under a fake ID. Godwin left that bank and went to other Chase branches where she tried to cash other fraudulent checks, according to the arrest report.
Godwin was later apprehended by sheriff’s deputies. “Sharon (Godwin) stated she received two fake New York licenses in New York from an unknown subject,” stated the arrest report. “Sharon stated she then came to Louisiana for All Stars and would go to Chase banks and withdraw money using the fake licenses. Sharon further stated she would do this due to being addicted to CDS (drugs).”
