05/26/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup

On this week’s episode of Hudson Valley Uncensored, host Brett Freeman is joined by regulars Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, plus Carol Reif, managing director of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and reporters Whit Anderson, Gino De Angelis, and Sophia Caselnova. First up, Marschhauser reports on the Board of Education elections in Lakeland, Yorktown, and Katonah Lewisboro. As predicted, the incumbents reigned supreme, despite challenges from grassroots groups who disapprove of what the board has been doing. In response, Marschhauser and Freeman discuss the incumbents’ power as representatives of stability and the status quo. Dumas also has an update on the school board elections in Mahopac, where there was some controversy with anti-vaxxers but which ended with a win for the more moderate candidates. The bigger news in Dumas’ area is that the Manhattan school budget failed to pass by eight votes. The school district can put it back up, but if they end up going to austerity, they may have to cut programs, including sports and after-school activities. Dumas is also looking into an unconfirmed story about a sexual assault at a business in Carmel, with the police making an arrest over the weekend.

North Salem and Somers have also been holding school board elections, and Reif reports on the results there. She also mentions that the Somers Record will be covering career day at Lincoln Hall and reports that Quantico Elementary School’s principal will be retiring, triggering a year of transition as the district’s superintendent is also retiring in 2023. Reif then reports that the HyGrade in Croton Falls—a revamped deli/grocery store that will serve food, coffee, and beer—may finally be opening in a couple of weeks. There’s also a contentious story coming out of Mount Kisco over a cell tower that may or may not be sited in Leonard Park—the town’s only park—with people questioning if this will actually benefit people who own cell phones in the area. Next, Anderson jumps in with more school board voting from Bedford, where the three incumbents whose terms were ending chose not to run again. Anderson suggests that’s not a coincidence but is likely because of the special education scandal that’s been going on. In addition, Bedford’s school budget got overwhelmingly approved along with two bonds. De Angelis then has a story from the Lewisboro Planning Board about a subdivision development in Vista that’s been frequently delayed. There was a point of contention about letting it go to a public hearing, but this was outvoted, and it will be discussed in the next meeting on June 15. Caselnova then reports that Yorktown Town Board is working with the local food alliance to launch a baby formula drive in response to the widespread shortages, and Reif mentions the Westchester Formula Finders, an organization that searches for baby formula and lets people know where they can access it. Finally, in last week’s episode, the group teased a story about a big business shutting down in Somers; this week, they reveal that the business is The Mexican Shack, a jewelry and gift store run by Somers icon Steve Delzio, which will be closing after forty-seven years of business.

Episode Highlights:

• Joining Brett today are two editors from the Halston Media team—Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and