During 2024 the Herald published some 580 stories, here are selections from the news category for July through December. January through June can be found here.
July
Local friends join forces to create Copperhead Club
Friends Kacie Wilson, Carolyn Mosher, Zach Moore, Rocco Fultz, Meg Blatt, and Robb Blatt, joined forces to create the Copperhead Club. The restaurant, which is located at 137 North Water Street, opened its doors for a preview on July 4.
Maria Coto’s infectious charisma for life recalled by her co-workers
The Herald spoke with several co-workers of Mario Coto, a 56 year-old social worker who died from injuries she sustained in a brutal attack in May. Coto’s infectious charisma for life was recalled by her co-workers during interviews.
Michael Simpkins elected as school board president
Veteran Trustee Michael Simpkins was elected President of the 2024-25 Peekskill City School District Board of Education, at the Board’s July 2 meeting. Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Mauricio gave his annual year in review presentation at this meeting.
Attorney General says Holtec violated state law
New York State Attorney General Letitia James accused Holtec International (the company in charge of decommissioning Indian Point), of violating a state law passed last August that prohibits Holtect from discharging radiological wastewater into the Hudson River.
Outside consultant presented plans for Peekskill parks
A community meeting was held on July 9 at the Neighborhood Center, where the City of Peekskill, with representatives from New City Parks and Saratoga Associates, presented suggestions for a re-imagined Depew Park. Two dozen people were in attendance and got an opportunity to share suggestions.
Herald celebrated its third anniversary with fundraising party
On July 22, the Herald celebrated its third anniversary as a nonprofit, independent news organisation. The week prior, residents and members of Peekskill’s business community gathered at the home of Dr. John and Kathy McGurty for a cocktail reception with the goal of helping the Herald reach financial sustainability.
Plan to combat violence late at night might be to change restaurant hours
In response to an increase in late night violence, City Manager Matt Alexander discussed changing restaurant business hours with council members at their July 15 meeting.
Paris Olympics features twin of Peekskill Diver statue
A twin version of the Peekskill Diver statue that sits at the riverfront was in Paris for the Summer Olympics.
August
Pete Davidson concert cancelled at Paramount
American comedian Pete Davidson was set to perform at the Paramount Theater on August 17, but his tour was cancelled in early August due to a scheduling and production conflict.
City looking at ways to increase pedestrian and traffic safety in downtown
Newmark Journalism School Intern Ray DePaul explored the issue of traffic safety on downtown streets. In his report, he detailed several initiatives the city was taking to improve pedestrian safety.
New York Secretary of State visits Peekskill
New York Secretary of State Walter Mosley came to Peekskill for a tour of Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects on August 6. He hosted a four-hour panel at the Paramount Theater later that day, where panelists spoke about the state’s DRI and NY Forward programs.
City cancelled contract with outside marketing firm
The City of Peekskill parted ways with Weinrib & Connor, after the company failed to produce a marketing and advertising campaign to promote the city. This project is primarily funded by money from a portion of Peekskill’s $10 million DRI grant.
Peekskill Plaza residents told Council they’re still not happy
Peekskill residents reiterated their discontent with the progress at Peekskill Plaza at the August 12 Common Council meeting, which was held at the Neighborhood Center.
Children’s Village ooking to move into empty Workmen’s Compensation building
The Workers Compensation building on North Division Street became a part of a plan to bring 22 lower-income apartments to be developed by Children’s Village.
Valley Greens dispensary finally opens, first in Peekskill
After years of work, Shane Jackson, Daniel Berte, and Stephen Bond, finally opened Valley Greens, Peekskill’s first cannabis dispensary.
Local landscaper plead guilty to bribery
On Aug. 26, Glenn Griffin, a prominent Peekskill businessman who operates a landscape company, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
September
Rent hike shocks seniors
Senior citizens at “River Pointe at Drum Hill” spoke to the Herald about their shocking 8.4% rent increase.
President of Ecuador visits Peekskill
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa made a surprise visit to Peekskill and spoke to nearly 200 Peekskill residents at the Central Firehouse.
Restauranteurs protest changing hours
At a public hearing held on the Sept. 9 Common Council meeting, several restaurateurs spoke against the city’s proposal to change restaurant closing time from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m.
September 11 ceremony draws 100 to Riverfront
Nearly a hundred people gathered at the Riverfront for the Peekskill Fire Department’s September 11 remembrance ceremony.
Talk of re-opening Indian Point
Six Republican state senators sponsored legislation that sought to reopen Indian Point. Senator Pete Harckham shut down this idea. He stated that all involved governmental entities, state and local, must agree on whether to reopen the center and there was no such consensus.
City Court Judge resigns
After charges of ticket-fixing and verbal abuse were made public, Peekskill City Court Judge Reginald Johnson resigned. Questions and concerns were raised by the public when Councilman Ramon Fernandez and Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Mauricio found themselves ensnared in the ticket-fixing scandal.
Councilman Fernandez said he wouldn’t resign despite calls from mayor
The ticket-fixing scandal ultimately opened up a public fight among the seven members of the all-Democratic Peekskill Common Council. Mayor Vivian McKenzie stated in a press release that a majority of the Common Council believed Councilman Fernandez should resign. When reached by the Herald, Councilman Fernandez said he would not resign.
October
New corporation counsel for city
A new face was seated in the corporation counsel chair at the Peekskill Common Council meeting Oct. 15 at City Hall. Ingrid O’Sullivan, the Peekskill city prosecutor, got a last-minute call to come over to City Hall just before the meeting began to fill the empty chair for the evening. O’Sullivan became the short-notice substitute because Michael Hartman, the city’s acting corporation counsel, wasn’t in his spot at the table. Hartman had been summoned into City Manager Matt Alexander’s office earlier that day and told he was relieved of his duties.
New paramedic organization formed with Peekskill and Cortlandt
The paramedic service that has cared for area residents needing first response, advanced level emergency care since 1997 has a new operating structure, but those dialing 911 won’t see any change when they place that call. Come January 1, the Cortlandt-Peekskill Regional Paramedics will be operated by a new non-profit created under an Inter Municipal Agreement (IMA) between the town of Cortlandt and the city of Peekskill.
New developer says he loves Peekskill
A company that develops, owns and manages affordable housing apartments, primarily in the Bronx, is expanding its business and building a market-rate rental property overlooking the Hudson River in Peekskill.
“We’re looking to diversify from our main portfolio, which is rent-stabilized housing,” said Tony East, a partner at Finkelstein Timberger East Real Estate (FTERE). “To have all our eggs in that one basket doesn’t make sense from a family point of view.”
Construction of the four-level, 51-unit building on Grove and South streets has made enormous progress in the past year. With the outside walls and roof completed, the work now moves to the interior. The target date for welcoming the first renters is in the summer of 2025.
November
Senator Harckham and Assembywoman Levenberg re-elected
Come January, State Senator Peter Harckham and Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg will be returning to Albany as representatives for the districts including Peekskill. This will be Harckham’s third term and Levenberg’s second. Other winning results from the general election included U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, a proposition to fund The Field Library, and Proposition 1.
Drug raid in early morning hours
Four buildings in Peekskill suspected to be part of a narcotics packaging and distribution operation were raided by federal law enforcement officials early morning, November 12. Police said the raid was part of a larger operation that had eight search warrants executed, including four in Peekskill, one in neighboring Yorktown, two in New York City, and one in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Mayor McKenzie might be in violation of HUD regulations
Peekskill Mayor Vivian McKenzie’s recent appointment to the Peekskill Housing Authority (PHA) by City may be short lived.
The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) sent a letter to the housing board on Nov. 12, informing them the mayor sitting on the board was a violation of the conflict-of-interest provisions of the Department’s Public Housing program.
Tax bill going up
The average monthly tax bill for homeowners will increase about $8.38 starting next year. That’s because the Common Council voted to override the New York State tax cap when adopting the city of Peekskill’s 2025 budget at a meeting on Nov. 12 just after holding a hearing on the spending plan the same night.
Approval given for third cannabis dispensary
A third cannabis dispensary may soon call Peekskill its home, after receiving the green light from Peekskill’s Planning Commission at their Nov. 14 meeting.
The new business is NYSAFE 420, which plans to renovate the existing ground floor commercial space at 1719 Main Street and develop a new cannabis dispensary. The current space is occupied by Beer World and is also a container redemption center. The property owner of the space is Saumik Patel.
Peekskill population shrinking
Newcomers to Peekskill continue to bring economic vitality to many parts of the city, but that growth path is beginning to slip.In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, the city added over 1,000 new residents, a more than 4 percent increase, and grew again by another 500 residents the following year.However, the total Peekskill population has declined the past two years, bringing the latest count to 25,442 in 2023 compared to 25,740 in 2021.
Peter Kelly let go from Abbey Inn
Peter Kelly, the Michelin-rated chef hired with much fanfare in January with a five-year contract, is no longer the culinary director at the Abbey Inn’s Apropos Restaurant.
“Adrian Glaza is the executive chef and he will continue,” said Tom Dolan of DD/HA Hotel and Real Estate Advisors, brought in to manage the transition. “We’re going in a different direction. We want to update the menu and the strategic direction of the restaurant.” [On Nov. 26 Dolan told the Herald that Glaza is no longer with Apropos as staff changes are continuing.]
Defendants in drug raids are familiar names
None of the defendants arrested and charged on Nov. 12 with participating in a drug conspiracy that distributed large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl in the city of Peekskill are amateurs in the illegal drug business. The Peekskill defendants – Jason Tinsley (AKA “Floss), 42, Jerome Reed (AKA “Pops”), 35, Gary Burkett, 62, and Meisha Cato, 37 – are well known to law enforcement officials.
But they haven’t achieved the celebrity status in both the illegal drug trade and the rapper community that Rakim “Bo” Mayo of Brooklyn holds.
Police chaplain forms special bonds
It takes a special skill to get someone literally wearing armor to open up to you in tears with snot on their face. That is exactly what “Pastor Rob” is known for. Robert Lindenberg founded Peak Community Church in Peekskill in 2015. After nearly ten years at the helm, he reached, as he put it, “a pastoral burnout” and needed a rest period.
But Lindenberg had not always been a man of the cloth. He had twice been a man behind bars: once for distributing drugs in 1995 and again for attempted assault in 2007.
December
Griffin asks to rescind his guilty plea
Glenn Griffin, the prominent Peekskill businessman and owner of Griffin’s Landscaping, will face a federal judge in White Plains tomorrow morning, Dec. 5, and ask to withdraw his guilty plea, a plea that could put him in federal prison for ten years.
Peekskill Plaza residents meet with state Senator
About twenty to thirty Peekskill Plaza tenants met with State Sen. Peter Harckham on Dec. 5 to discuss alleged drug dealing and quality of life issues at their apartments.
The private meeting took place at 901 Main St. and was restricted to tenants and the senator. However, the meeting was almost blocked from taking place because the community room designated for the meeting was locked by management and instead had to be held in the lobby.
Police Department releases blotter
Sharp-eyed readers of the City of Peekskill’s website this month may have noticed release of the Peekskill Police department’s call log, or blotter. Located under Departments, Police, the document appears as the Weekly Police Blotter.
This release of police department activity is the result of multiple years of requests from the Herald and citizens. Other municipalities such as Croton and Yorktown have made it a common practice to release their blotters to the public, as have the New York State Police who patrol the Town of Cortlandt. The Peekskill Police blotter lists all calls received and does not provide a narrative or reports of arrests.
School District gets grant for mental health support
Peekskill City School district receives state grant for social workers, counselors and therapists.
City takes notorious landlords to court
The city is suing two brothers who are landlords of overcrowded houses.
