I Live Here Westchester NY

I Live Here Media
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“I Live Here” is a hyperlocal podcast that explores the stories, people, and events shaping life in Westchester, NY. Each episode dives into what’s happening across our towns and neighborhoods—highlighting small businesses, community voices, local culture, and can’t-miss happenings. Whether you’ve lived here forever or just moved in, this podcast keeps you connected to the place you call home.

  1. 15H AGO

    The Westchester Brief | 04.06.26: Six Years, No Oversight

    Send us Fan Mail A Mount Vernon funeral home owner had his license revoked in 2019. He kept operating for six years. The New York Attorney General unsealed a 20-count indictment. Inspectors found 13 bodies in decomposition and 17 boxes of cremated remains. The real story is the regulatory failure that let it happen. In This Episode: (0:00) Camelot Funeral Home indictment — regulatory failure in Mount Vernon (1:45) Westchester Power shutdown leaves no alternative to Con Edison (2:15) New York State budget misses deadline for 7th consecutive year (2:30) Westchester opens Mental Health Safety Net Clinic in White Plains Subscribe to the newsletter for the full story delivered weekly at iliveheremedia.com Support the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    3 min

  2. 3D AGO

    The Friday Intel | 04.04.26: New York Drivers Pay $4,000 a Year — Why Westchester's Auto Insurance Bill Keeps Climbing

    Send us Fan Mail New York drivers now pay a statewide average exceeding $4,000 a year for auto insurance — fourth highest in the nation, 52% above the national average. Inside Westchester County, the spread is dramatic: Yonkers drivers pay nearly $2,400 while Waccabuc drivers pay $1,808. The reason? Southern Westchester shares a rating territory with the Bronx. This week's Friday Intel breaks down the data behind your premium: 43,000+ fraud incidents, $300 per driver in fraud costs, and New York's #1 ranking in nuclear verdicts exceeding $10 million. In This Episode: (0:00) Cold Open — Same driver, same record, $600 gap by zip code (0:20) Intro and Context (0:40) The Data — Statewide costs, Westchester zip code spread, fraud, nuclear verdicts (2:00) The Surprise — Hochul's reform stalled for the seventh straight year (2:45) What This Means for You (3:30) Close Sources: Insurance Information Institute — State auto insurance expenditure rankings NY Department of Financial Services — Fraud Bureau incident data Partnership for New York City — Nuclear verdict and household claims analysis Governor Hochul Executive Office — Auto insurance reform package Subscribe to the I Live Here Westchester newsletter at iliveherewestchester.com. Support the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    3 min

  3. 4D AGO

    NY Tort Reform and Your Car Insurance with Lauren Zelt

    Send us Fan Mail Westchester County residents pay some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country. Today, Jim sits down with Lauren Zelt of PACT — Protect Access to Consumer Trials — to explain the direct connection between lawsuit abuse, staged accidents, and the rates on your bill. With Governor Hochul pushing sweeping tort reform in the 2026 state budget, this conversation could not be more timely. (0:00) What is PACT and why was it launched with a $10 million national campaign (2:27) How billboard attorneys trap injured clients in predatory loan agreements (5:25) Third-party litigation funding and how outside investors change case incentives (6:49) Where New York's tort reform fight stands right now — and what stalls means for your rates (7:40) The staged accident epidemic: New York ranked second in the nation for insurance fraud (11:52) What every Westchester resident should know before calling a number off a billboard To learn more about PACT visit protectingamericanconsumers.org. Subscribe to The Westchester Brief newsletter at iliveherewestchester.com Support the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    15 min

  4. 4D AGO

    The Westchester Brief | 04.02.26: 27,000 Septic Systems, One Water Supply

    Send us Fan Mail IN-PLAYER SHOW NOTES Twenty-seven thousand septic systems sit beneath Westchester properties in the New York City watershed. An estimated 10% are failing, leaking fecal bacteria, viruses, and nitrates into the drinking water supply for millions. The county just launched a $3.5 million program offering interest-free loans up to $49,999 with no money upfront. The question is whether it's enough as federal protections erode. Plus: Northwell acquires 240 Optum surgeons, the Prevailing Wage Act, and the Conservation District's expanded work plan. In This Episode: 0:00 Cold Open: 27,000 septic systems on top of NYC's water 0:40 The $3.5 million Septic Rehabilitation Program 1:30 How the interest-free loan works 2:30 Twelve watershed communities and the scope of failure 3:15 164 sewage spills since 2010 and federal rollbacks 4:00 1997 Memorandum of Agreement and state funding 4:30 Quick Hits: Northwell-Optum deal, Prevailing Wage Act, Conservation District 6:15 Closing remarks Subscribe on YouTube for the video version of The Westchester Brief with full timestamps. Support the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    4 min

  5. 5D AGO

    The Westchester Brief | 04.01.26: Congestion Pricing Survives Federal Challenge

    Send us Fan Mail IN-PLAYER SHOW NOTES A federal judge permanently blocked the Trump administration from killing congestion pricing. For Westchester, this isn't a Manhattan toll story — it's a Metro-North funding story. First-year revenue hit $550 million, exceeding projections. That money funds the Park Avenue Viaduct replacement, Hudson Line signal upgrades, and new railcars. Ridership is up 6%. The traffic spillover everyone feared never happened. Plus: Chef Psilakis opens Klema in Larchmont, New Rochelle's construction boom, and Blueprint '26 launches. In This Episode: 0:00 Cold Open: A federal judge's 149-page ruling 0:40 Judge Liman's ruling and DOT termination letters 1:30 $550 million in first-year revenue 2:30 Park Avenue Viaduct and Hudson Line upgrades 3:15 Ridership gains and traffic spillover data 4:00 Low-income discounts and tax credits 4:30 Quick Hits: Klema in Larchmont, New Rochelle housing, Blueprint '26 6:15 Closing remarks Subscribe to The Westchester Brief at www.iliveherewestchester.com for daily local news that matters. Support the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    4 min

  6. 6D AGO

    Shared Parenting Reform — What’s Happening in NY Family Court with Andre Rianey

    Send us Fan Mail New York has no presumption of shared parenting. When parents separate, a judge decides how much time each parent gets—and that often means one parent becomes primary while the other becomes a visitor. Andre Rainey, Chair of the National Parents Organization’s New York chapter, is pushing to change that.  In this episode:  What really happens in Westchester family court  Why shared parenting legislation has failed for years  What’s different now  What parents can do today Learn more: National Parents Organization – New York Chapter Shared Parenting Conference — Peekskill, April 19, 2026 Conference tickets / registrationSupport the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    30 min

  7. 6D AGO

    The Westchester Brief | 03.31.26: Yonkers Schools Are $101M Short

    Send us Fan Mail IN-PLAYER SHOW NOTES Yonkers Public Schools faces a $101 million budget gap for the 2026-27 school year. The district serves 23,000 students, has a 93% graduation rate — the highest among New York's Big Five — and is running out of reserves. The state funding formula groups Yonkers with rural counties 90 miles north instead of Westchester. The budget deadline is tomorrow. Plus: the Cesar Chavez school renaming debate, Pleasantville's $17.5M bond vote, and the Rye Lake Water Filtration Plant breaks ground. In This Episode: 0:00 Cold Open: $101 million gap, budget deadline tomorrow 0:40 Superintendent Soler on the last of the reserves 1:30 The Foundation Aid Formula problem 2:30 Rockefeller Institute findings on the cost index 3:15 Special education costs and healthcare surges 4:00 Governor's budget vs. Senate and Assembly proposals 4:30 Quick Hits: Cesar Chavez school, Pleasantville bond, Rye Lake plant 6:15 Closing remarks Subscribe on YouTube for the video version of The Westchester Brief with full timestamps. Support the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    4 min

  8. MAR 30

    The Westchester Brief | 03.30.26: Antisemitic Hate at Irvington Station

    Send us Fan Mail Antisemitic graffiti was found in the pedestrian tunnel at the Irvington Metro-North station. Within 24 hours, Chabad of the Rivertowns organized a vigil at the station. A second gathering followed at the Shames JCC in Tarrytown. This is the fifth antisemitic incident in Westchester County in recent months — part of a countywide pattern the ADL says increased 22% last year. Plus: measles cases in Rockland County, the Conservation District's expanded work plan, and the county launches its own podcast. In This Episode: 0:00 Cold Open: Graffiti in the Metro-North tunnel 0:40 The Irvington incident and community response 1:30 Vigil at the station, second gathering at Shames JCC 2:30 MTA banner removal controversy 3:15 Five incidents: Scarsdale, White Plains, Pleasantville, Irvington 4:00 ADL data: 72 incidents in Westchester, 9,354 nationally 4:30 Quick Hits: measles in Rockland, Conservation District, county podcast 6:15 Closing remarks Subscribe to The Westchester Brief at www.iliveherewestchester.com for daily local news that matters. Support the show I Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media. We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us? Email: jimjockle@iliveheremedia.com Website: www.iliveheremedia.com Follow us on Instagram: @iliveheremedia Subscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.

    4 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

“I Live Here” is a hyperlocal podcast that explores the stories, people, and events shaping life in Westchester, NY. Each episode dives into what’s happening across our towns and neighborhoods—highlighting small businesses, community voices, local culture, and can’t-miss happenings. Whether you’ve lived here forever or just moved in, this podcast keeps you connected to the place you call home.

Information

  • Creator
    I Live Here Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 I Live Here Westchester NY
  • Show Website
    I Live Here Westchester NY