CITY OF PEEKSKILL
CHHOP and Lifting Up Westchester Unite to Serve 10,000 Residents
On Thursday, May 21, Lifting Up Westchester (LUW) and Caring for the Hungry & Homeless of Peekskill (CHHOP), described as two pillars of Westchester County’s social services and advocacy community, announced a strategic partnership that merges their operational infrastructure while preserving each organization’s independent nonprofit status.
Under the new structure, Cynthia Knox and Anahaita Kotval will serve as co-CEOs of both organizations, unifying leadership across a combined network that serves more than 10,000 individuals annually.
A press release said the partnership brings together the two organizations with complementary geographic footprints. CHHOP primarily serves Northern Westchester while LUW focuses on Central and Southern Westchester. Together, they provide a continuum of services — including emergency shelter, permanent housing, food access, job readiness, youth mentorship, and homeless prevention — that now spans the full length of the county.
By consolidating management, payroll, human resources, finance, and development functions, the partnership creates administrative efficiencies designed to direct more resources toward programs and the people they serve. The releases said the transition will be implemented in thoughtful phases, with programs and staffing remaining intact throughout.
The partnership has drawn support from Westchester County government.
“The alliance between Lifting Up Westchester and Caring for the Hungry & Homeless of Peekskill is exactly the kind of bold, forward-thinking collaboration that ensures our most vulnerable residents continue to receive the support they need. I’m proud to see these two organizations lead the way. Westchester County is stronger when our nonprofit community works together,” said Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins in a release.
Board leadership from both organizations see the partnership as a deliberate step toward greater regional impact.
“We are combining our infrastructure so that both organizations benefit from greater efficiency and shared strength, and our clients benefit from increased resources and more seamless regional coordination of services,” said CHHOP Board Chair John Smith.
LUW’s board echoed that view and emphasized that the partnership opens new possibilities for advocacy and innovation on behalf of the people both organizations serve.
“During this era of shifting and uncertain funding, our united organizations will have more opportunities, more resources, and a greater ability to coordinate services, advocate, and innovate for the people who need us most,” said LUW Board President Janine Daughtry.”
The release stated: “The organizations are formalizing what has long been true in practice. Their missions, values, and commitment to the people served are deeply aligned. LUW and CHHOP have chosen a unique path, growing stronger together rather than competing. In a county of nearly one million people, where the margin between stability and crisis can be thin, that choice truly matters.”
Police Presence at Schools Explained After Ballistic Shells Are Found
The Peekskill City School District addressed police presence at Peekskill Middle School and High School on Wednesday, May 20, acknowledging the concern seeing police vehicles at school can cause.
Dr. David Mauricio, Superintendent of Schools, wrote:
“The police were conducting a training session that stemmed from a related incident that occurred this morning at Torpy Field. Upon arriving at the field this morning, a PCSD staff member found ballistic shells from a starter pistol, which is used to signal the beginning of an athletic track race. The staff member reported the casings, which led to a police investigation to positively confirm the origin of the shells. Our Athletic Department will reinforce to all sports staff that all materials/garbage must be appropriately removed from athletic areas after events to avoid such situations.”
“Out of precaution, K9 police units were called to support the investigation. Once it was confirmed that the casings were from an athletic event, we used the opportunity to allow the K9 units to conduct a training exercise at the middle school and high school since the units had already been called to Peekskill. The exercise at both schools resulted in no concerning issues during the hallway and locker sweeps. The K9 dogs did not enter any classrooms and students remained in the classroom during the exercise. We thank the Peekskill Police and the various agencies that supported this effort. Additionally we appreciate your understanding and support as we work to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff.”
TOWN OF CORTLANDT
Croton Resident Honored During Jewish American Heritage Month
Croton-on-Hudson resident Richard Masur was among three Senate District 40 residents honored in recognition of Jewish American Heritage Month for their contributions in uplifting others and supporting their communities.
Also honored at the commemorative ceremony held on Sunday, May 17, at New Castle Town Hall were Chappaqua resident Michele Gregson and Somers resident Paul Hahn. State Sen. Pete Harckham, who presented proclamations to honorees, was joined by New Castle Town Supervisor Vicky Tipp, Councilwoman Jennifer Naparstek Klein, Town Clerk Christina Papes, and the honorees’ friends and families.
“New York State is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, so the Jewish America story is very much the New York story,” Harckham said in a press release. “As we face a troubling rise in antisemitism, it’s more important than ever to celebrate those who contribute to the rich, diverse history of our state and the Hudson Valley specifically.”
The release said that Croton-on-Hudson resident Masur is an acclaimed actor and director whose career spans Broadway, television, and more than 60 feature films, including Risky Business, My Girl, and The Thing, as well as TV series such as Transparent and Orange is the New Black. A graduate of Yale School of Drama, he has also earned award nominations for his directing work, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film and a Directors Guild of America Award nomination.
A longtime leader in performers’ advocacy, Masur served on the board and as National President of the Screen Actors Guild from 1995 to 1999. He later helped advocate for the merger of SAG and AFTRA and currently serves on the New York board of SAG-AFTRA. Masur is also a founding member of the Motion Picture & Television Fund and has served since 1998 on the National Film Preservation Board.
“I was raised in a very non-practicing Jewish household, but I was raised with one very important element of Judaism, which is tikkun olam,” said Masur. “Not that it was ever expressed in those terms, but the idea of service, the idea of doing for others, the idea of getting involved and making a difference was instilled in me. I have been lucky in my life to come into contact with many, many people, including my first supporter and mentor, a man named Norman Lear, who embodied everything that everyone is talking about and really set an example for so many of us.”
Jewish American Heritage Month, observed each May, honors the lasting contributions of Jewish Americans to the history and the culture of the United States.
Peekskill, Yorktown Residents Involved in Fatal Collision
A three-vehicle collision resulted in the death of a Yorktown Heights woman.
New York State Police said that on May 16 at about 5 a.m., New York State Police in Cortlandt responded to Bear Mountain Parkway between Locust Avenue and Arlo Lane, in the Town of Cortlandt, for a report of a three-vehicle personal injury motor vehicle collision.
An investigation by the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Cortlandt and the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit determined that a Subaru, operated by Darly G. Bravo Coello, 28, of Yorktown Heights, was traveling westbound on Bear Mountain Parkway when the vehicle crossed over the double yellow line and collided head-on with a Honda operated by Charles D. Mooney, 54, of New Windsor, New York.
Police say the Honda was subsequently pushed off the road onto the northern shoulder of Bear Mountain Parkway. A third vehicle, a Toyota operated by Manuel S. Pauta Zhingri, 44, of Peekskill, was traveling eastbound on Bear Mountain Parkway when it collided with the stationary Subaru.
The investigation further determined that Coello exited the Subaru following the collision and was subsequently struck by the Toyota while outside of the vehicle, according to police.
The operators of the Honda and Toyota were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. Coello was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation remains ongoing.
[Ed. Note > The above story was updated at 4:53 p.m.on Tuesday, May 26, to correct the gender of the victim mentioned in the first sentence and in the caption.]
NEW YORK
Residents Reminded of Voter Deadlines for June Primary
The New York State League of Women Voters reminds residents that voting is “easy, civic, and wholesome, as long as you respect a series of deadlines.”
In a press release the league shared key voter deadlines to know in June 2026 for New York’s June 23, 2026 Primary Election:
June 2026 Deadlines – The Main Event
- Monday, June 8, 2026: Last day to update your address for the Primary Election. Check by clicking here
- Saturday, June 13, 2026: It’s the voter registration deadline (applications must be received), and also the last day to request an absentee/early mail ballot by mail or online (also must be received).
- Saturday, June 13 – Sunday, June 21, 2026: Early Voting (nine days to vote before Election Day).
- Monday, June 22, 2026: Last day to request an absentee/early mail ballot in person .
- Tuesday, June 23, 2026: PRIMARY ELECTION DAY—and also the last day to postmark your absentee/early mail ballot or deliver it in person by the close of polls.
- Tuesday, June 30, 2026: If you mailed your ballot and it was postmarked by June 23, it must be received by your county Board of Elections by June 30.
Deadlines can vary by situation, the press release said. Voters should confirm their registration status, poll site, and ballot options with the New York State Board of Elections and their local county Board of Elections.
“League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots political organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. We empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education, and litigation at the local, county, state, and national levels. The League does not support or oppose candidates or political parties.”
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