I’ve lived in Hastings-on-Hudson for more than 30 years and know how supportive our Rivertowns community can be when it comes to the needs of others. With that in mind, here’s an opportunity to spread awareness and donate to an organization supporting those with a rare condition called arthr…

We would like to give a shout-out to a new local business, Honest Art in Ardsley. They run fabulous, dynamic art programs including one for members of GiGi’s Playhouse Westchester. Our students love exploring different medias and techniques. We enjoy the artwork so much that we are using it …

While well-intended, Rabbi Mark Sameth's proposal to rename Route 9 the Weckquasgeek Trail should be turned down. No current resident should be forced to live on a road with a name few people can spell or pronounce. Wikipedia lists ten different spellings for Weckquasgeek. Moreover, recent a…

The sound of lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and weed whackers in the neighborhood seems to go on all day. My reaction lately is that it sounds like we are trying to beat nature into submission. 

The upcoming New York State Department of Transportation evaluation of Route 9 holds exciting and overlooked opportunities. 

A terrific exhibit is now on show at the Hastings Village Hall — “Sugar, Sweat & Stone: Celebrating the Art of Work.” Co-sponsored and put together by the Hastings Historical Society and the Village Arts Commission, the show combines painting and sculpture inspired by working people and …

Last Sunday, Sept. 18, the community turned out for the 17th Road to Freedom Walk, the Dobbs Ferry Historical Society’s annual commemoration of a pivotal local event in Revolutionary War history. Some years have brought special challenges — “George Washington” delayed in traffic, temps in th…

I have long been an admirer of social insects and particularly fond of bees. Gardening is also a passion of mine — there’s almost no place I’d rather be than working in a garden, but the plight of pollinators and the benefit of native plants was not on my radar until I read the New York Time…

As a longtime bicyclist, I must say the recent moves toward “bike-friendly” local roadways do not seem particularly well thought out. Hastings’ recently-introduced bike lanes on Farragut Avenue are practically useless. Why would any sensible cyclists use that busy stretch of road at all, whe…

The Friends of the Hastings Public Library want to thank all who generously donated a marvelous selection of titles for our recent book sale. We are grateful to the many patrons who visited the outdoor sale, on Saturday, Sept. 10, a glorious, sunny day. Thanks to all of you, this fundraising…

Dobbs Ferry's latest solution to the inoperative state of its parking meters has been to affix to each meter a laminated sheet with payment instructions. First of all, many of these sheets have fallen off, blown away, or whatever. The instructions on the sheets instruct motorists to either d…

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. As a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, I urge Congress to pass legislation to prevent suicide and support crisis care.

On Aug. 16, I had my 3 minutes of fame at the Dobbs Ferry Village Board meeting during courtesy of the floor. I presented the board with 300-plus signatures to have a staircase from Ashford Avenue to Gould Park built between the pool and the basketball court. When the pool was renovated the …

It's been 21 years since 9-11. High school and most college students were not alive during the horrific Sept. 11 attacks — four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried by Al Qaeda against the United States. The Town of Greenburgh wants to make sure that no one ever forgets this horribl…

I really appreciated the editorial "Extra caution" of Sept. 2 in the Rivertowns Enterprise. Living on Farragut Avenue I know firsthand how busy this street can get, especially when school is in session. It is going to be a very interesting experiment. 

A brand new school year is upon us. All of our teachers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our students on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

We are grateful to all who made our Music at Sugar Pond concert on Aug. 12 a huge success.

This morning, Aug. 15, just before 5 a.m., lights flashed outside our front window. Looking out revealed the source — the police investigating around a neighbor’s house. Then the firetrucks arrived. Most fortunately nothing was amiss nor ablaze at our vacationing neighbor’s home. This episod…

Early voting has started in the Congressional primary contests. Voter turnout is expected to be very light. New York State and Westchester County could do more to encourage more voter participation in all contested elections.

If you have passed by the Broadway and Ashford Avenue intersection in Dobbs Ferry lately, you may have noticed the avenue banners with the date “August 19, 1781,” small pictures of Washington and Rochambeau, and the words “Road to Freedom.” The banners line the path of the departure on Aug. …

The Westchester Board of Elections has certified the June 28 primary election results. Despite our strong re-election effort, we were not successful. While we won 70 of 127 election districts, the turnout in those districts was very low and the other 56 districts produced more votes for my o…

Following a long hiatus, the Friends of the Hastings Library are back with our fall used book sale. We are holding it in the library parking lot, which is spacious and permits social distancing.

On behalf of the parishioners of St. Matthew Church in Hastings-on-Hudson, and our sister church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ardsley, I would like to invite all new residents of the Roman Catholic faith to visit our churches. In a way we have something in common. I was named pastor on Jun…

Regarding the current issues around Dobbs Ferry's downtown parking meters, as someone who has had an office there for many years, I have observed since the pandemic an increase in double-parking downtown, which can cause sudden congestion on Cedar Street and other similarly narrow areas. Per…

My experience with ParkMobile is not a sterling one. On April 18, I wrote to ParkMobile after receiving an email from them saying that my account had been blocked “because of multiple attempts.” I had not used the app in quite a while. Someone was apparently hacking into my account. I receiv…

Last week the U.S. Postal Service issued a new stamp honoring Pete Seeger, the folk singer whose greatest achievement was working to save the Hudson River. Pete Seeger was the first leader who highlighted the need to address environmental problems on the river — raging sewer in the 1950s, a …

I grew up in Dobbs Ferry, and was visiting during the heat wave. I have fond memories of swimming in the old town pool, and marvel at the enhanced pool every time I walk by Gould Park. On July 15, I walked to the pool, and asked the attendant how much it would cost to swim there for a day. I…

Just because I’m a senior shouldn’t make me an easy target week after week and fodder for those who want things and won’t own up to it being for themselves. I am a capable, active user of an iPhone, Pods, MacBook Air, with the wherewithal for other technologies. I would truly appreciate thin…

In trying to figure out the parking issue in downtown Dobbs Ferry, it might be helpful to look at the amount of revenue the Village realizes from parking measured against the amount of revenue the Village realizes from sales tax. But wouldn’t the sales tax disappear if the small, un-nurtured…

How about having an inside-the-car, Village of Dobbs Ferry-issued parking sticker for seniors over 75? Same village-wide parking rules would apply. There could be a small charge (think Waterfront Park rec sticker) to help defray the sticker cost to the Village.

Many voters in the Rivertowns are unaware that there will be elections on Tuesday, Aug. 23, to choose Democratic and Republican nominees to run for the U.S. Congress and for the New York State Senate. Two candidates are running in the Republican primary for Congress, while three candidates a…

surprised with the sudden announcement and the way it has been presented but, more importantly, with the cost to the residents of our town. Given that the minimum fee will be $1, plus 35 cents for the app per stop, the following scenario would apply to me on a visit to downtown:

There has been much discussion in many public forums regarding the board of trustees’ decision to replace traditional metered parking in the village with parking by app only. I believe this to be the wrong decision for the village, its residents, and its businesses.

I heartily endorse Jean Greenberg's letter in the last issue (July 8) regarding the inconvenience of using a parking app in place of parking meters. Besides an app being onerous for some or impossible for those without a smartphone, what about those who are not Dobbs Ferry residents? Out-of-…

Last week, with very short notice, a notice went out informing village residents that the parking meters in town would no longer be in use, and that parking would now be allowed only by using a parking app on a smartphone. The meters along Main Street have already been removed where the side…

A big thank you to Dobbs Ferry for making the Fourth of July truly a brilliant celebration. The weather Monday night was perfect for watching an intense sunset at the amazing Dobbs Ferry waterfront. There were tables for folks to enjoy the delicious variety of foods from the trucks and vendo…

On June 28, Democrats in the 92nd Assembly District did what Democrats do when our party faces a choice: we held a primary election. And at this point, it is clear that I emerged the victor.

The plan to replace sidewalks along Warburton Avenue and Main Street in downtown Hastings, slated to start July 11, is overbroad and unnecessary, especially since it includes removing healthy adult trees that provide priceless shade and canopy cover. The greenery balances the commercial aspe…

Last weekend I leafletted at the Irvington Farmers’ Market with my congressman, Jamaal Bowman, who is running for re-election. Due to the redrawing of district maps, Dobbs Ferry and Irvington are now in Congressional District 16 (CD16), allowing our four Rivertowns to be represented by the s…

Two of my favorite places to walk in Westchester are Teatown Lake Reservation and Rockefeller State Park Preserve, and the reason is simple. Both parks manage deer through culling and their landscapes teem with ferns, wildflowers and tree saplings, creating a green tableau that nourishes min…

As the budget vote approaches, we, the signers of this letter, are writing to urge the citizens of Hastings-on-Hudson to come together as a community, show up at Hastings High School on June 21, and vote yes on the school budget.

At the May 17 vote, the Hastings-on-Hudson 2022-23 school budget failed to pass. Since that vote, the Board of Education has received feedback from the community, in public forums and emails, regarding what they would like to see in a second budget. The administration and Board have taken th…

Rivertowns Democrats, it’s time to vote. The June primary is underway, with races for governor, lieutenant governor, and state Assembly on the ballot. There are 10 full days of in-person voting available: early voting from June 18-26, and primary election day on June 28.

SPRING Community Partners is grateful and excited to announce the success of our SPRING Fling 15th anniversary celebration. The event raised $137,000 to assist Dobbs Ferry children. The generosity of the community, our sponsors, and donors, and the support of our amazing honoree, Lisa Brady,…

The Hastings Board of Education unanimously supports a revised budget which reflects $528,163 in reductions in response to the failed budget vote on May 17. With urgency, as a previous board of education president and as a parent of two students in our schools, I encourage Hastings voters to…

A big thanks to all who played, volunteered, and put together the RiverArts Music Tour this year and all these many years. What a treasured event and especially now. The music we heard was amazing, the friends we ran into were rejuvenating, and it was a nice day in the shade and sun. Especia…

I am writing regarding Hastings residents’ second chance to vote on the school budget, a new version prepared after the first didn’t pass. As a former long-serving member of the Hastings School District’s Citizen Budget Advisory Committee, I am familiar with Hastings school budgets. While I …

“Once Upon a Musical 3: Out of the Woods,” the Friends of the Hastings Library’s third fundraiser tapping the exceptional professional talent in our own backyard, was held at the library on June 5. The event featured a cabaret of Broadway show tunes performed in a return engagement by the in…

I am a Hastings School District parent and educational leader who specializes in superintendent and principal preparedness. I'm writing in to urge Hastings residents to approve the revised budget that will be presented for a vote on Tuesday, June 21.

On June 21, Hastings-on-Hudson will vote on a revised school budget. The first budget was narrowly voted down in a short-sighted effort to shortchange our children for a negligible tax savings; a savings that would be eclipsed by the decline in the values of our property and health of our bu…