Editorials

Big-ticket infrastructure projects tend to follow a predictable cycle.

First, the politicians announce grand plans for a new school, a new firehouse, a new civic center.

Then the engineers and architects go to work drawing up plans.

Next, the politicians’ eyes bug out over cost estimates and they scramble to scale their project back to one with a more digestible price tag.

Fast forward 10 to 20 years. The school isn’t big enough to handle an enrollment spike; the firehouse can’t accommodate new fire engine models; the civic center loses exhibitions to others with better amenities.

Pricey renovation projects are planned and people shake their heads and say, “They should have built it right the first time.”  more »

Growing up in Irvington, New York, I’ve witnessed the multiple distinct traits this little village has - from the convenience of all the shopping venues on Main Street to the fact that an Irvington woman can make sure her nails are perfectly polished at any salon that seems to reside on every corner in the village. The most beautiful aspect of this suburban locale is the majestic view of the Hudson River. Driving down Main Street, the vista is intoxicating during any of the four seasons. And, I have been lucky enough to have experienced living with multiple vantage points of this breath-taking view.  more »

As we begin the New Year, The Hudson Independent looks forward to its seventh year of presenting objective, balanced reporting of events in our communities. Our Mission Statement in our first issue back in 2006 cited our goal as, “providing a wealth and variety of information and by reporting the news accurately and without bias.” We went on to state how we would cover your diverse interests: “Whether you want to find out what’s developing with the issues that affect our daily lives, or what’s happening in the schools,” or find a “listing of events for the month, The Hudson Independent will be your place-to-go.” We also pledged to be an “independent and vigilant watchdog of our villages’ governments and institutions...”  more »

Oftentimes, when the going gets tough, the true character of a community emerges.

Take, for example, the countless acts of generosity and neighborly goodwill that were displayed within our villages dealing with the aftermath of Irene’s wrath. There were also village officials who, without fanfare, made sacrifices to ensure everything would operate as best it could considering the circumstances.  more »

Ten years ago, high school sophomores were just beginning their formal education as kindergartners. The average price of a regular gallon of gasoline was $1.46. The Hudson Independent wasn’t even on the radar screen.

Of course, the most significant event of 2001 that forever changed New York City, security in the United States and thousands of lives, either those who died, those who were witnesses or those who were left behind, were the terrorist attacks on September 11 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

A gorgeous weather day quickly became one of the darkest days in the history of this country, except for the heroic efforts of countless individuals who displayed remarkable courage to help their fellow man, sometimes at the expense of their own safety.  more »

The 2011-12 Tarrytown school budget is a bit like someone walking a tightrope. If Albany were to tinker further with state education aid it could tip over. But for now, parents and taxpayers can breathe a little easier.

Superintendent Howard Smith wasn’t exactly happy when confronted with a $2.9 million gap between what is needed to pay the bills and the revenue that was coming in.

The good news, at least for now: Smith and his deputies—at the Board of Education’s direction—reduced the estimated school tax increase for Tarrytown residents from 4.6 percent to 3.8 percent. Sleepy Hollow residents fare even better, dropping from 2.4 percent to 1.6 percent. Those are fair numbers, and reason enough for you to vote yes next month.  more »

It probably never occurred to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D) that she could be in harm’s way while meeting and greeting constituents outside a supermarket in Arizona last month. It’s just part of the job description of elected officials at every level of government, finding out first-hand what concerns the people they represent.

Of course, thankfully, it’s not every day that a crazed gunman decides to carry out some demented scheme. On that day, unfortunately, Giffords was targeted, and six other innocent bystanders, including a nine-year-old girl with a matured interest in politics, lost their lives by simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  more »

This month’s issue of The Hudson Independent begins our sixth year of publication, and it is an appropriate time to offer a note of gratitude to all in the river villages who have accepted the newspaper as a source of objective news and information. Accurate, fair reporting of the news has been our mission from the very beginning. That defines good journalism. We believe that a well informed, intelligent readership, given a straight, balanced presentation of the facts, can form its own views and opinions about local activities and events. Our opinions, if we publish them, as we occasionally do, may be found in a well-labeled editorial or commentary rather than in a news article.  more »

If generosity were the measure of a community, Tarrytown and the villages that adjoin it, would rate high marks. The recent display of compassion for the families of the two victims of the Labor Day manhole accident in Tarrytown was clearly a wonderful example of the best qualities that people can offer. How touching it was to hear the sincere gratitude of the Ruggiero and Kelly families for the huge outpouring of assistance, both financial and emotional, provided to them by the community. Virtually every merchant, business or professional, approached for donations for fund raising activities willingly gave something for the cause to the volunteer firemen organizing the overwhelmingly successful dinner event.  more »

What is the point of voting when you know the outcome of an election before it takes place? Many of us may be asking that question as we look toward the March 16 elections in which eight incumbent trustees in our three river communities are running for re-election to their village boards. All eight candidates are unopposed.

One likely reason they face no opposition is that partisan politics seemingly has had little to do with their current performance on their respective boards in Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow and Irvington. While their opinions on various issues may occasionally differ, all the trustees appear to be taking pragmatic stances in pursuing solutions to the problems each village faces.  more »

This issue of The Hudson Independent marks the beginning of our fifth year of publication, an achievement that began in a rather remarkable way for a local newspaper. Seventy-five civic minded members of the communities we serve came together as shareholders in the Hudson Valley News Corporation, in order to create a newspaper that would be objective and impartial in its reporting.

We have strived toward meeting these goals while covering a diverse range of activities that touch the daily lives of all our readers in Irvington, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. The news we report and information we provide reaches some 13,200 homes and businesses in the three villages, and hundreds more through the paper’s availability at key locations.  more »

Fighting City Hall has traditionally been viewed as a losing battle. So, too, has been duking it out with such established entities as the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Cablevision and the Department of Motor Vehicles.  more »

It’s a privilege that so many take for granted, as evidenced by the woefully low turnouts year in and year out. Yet, those same people, who apparently can’t find the time to get to a polling place, are the first ones to point blame at elected officials.

Election Day is upon us again with races in Westchester County government and state and county judges hanging in the balance. The highest profile contest is for county executive between incumbent Andy Spano and challenger Rob Astorino.

The fate of the district attorney, county clerk and 17 members of the Board of Legislators are also in the hands of those who bother to pull a lever on November 3. For a quick synopsis of all the races, visit www.SmartVoter.org.  more »

With so much doom and gloom and negativity dominating the headlines, how refreshing it is to pause for a moment to recognize the goodwill and enormous generosity of a Tarrytown resident who seeks no publicity but has dedicated much of her long life to making the world a better place.

Kathryn Wasserman Davis is 102 years young and has the smile of a school girl that radiates and grabs the hearts of everyone privileged to be in her presence. A true inspiration in every way.

She had the fortune of marrying a Wall Street legend, Shelby Cullom Davis, and throughout their lives they donated large sums of money to promote global understanding and peace through education, children’s health and well-being and preserving land in the Hudson Valley.  more »

Westchester County is rapidly becoming unaffordable for many residents, especially young families and individuals, such as policemen, firemen, nurses and teachers, who help shape communities.

The situation has worsened in recent years with the sagging economy and real estate market. If there was ever a time for affordable housing units to crop up in local municipalities to retain residents who are fleeing by the dozens on a monthly basis, this is it.  more »

Over the past three and a half years we have provided our readers with news of what is actually happening in our communities, both the good news and the bad news; that is the task of worthy journalism. Citizens informed of all the facts are better equipped to make the right decisions on matters that affect their lives. Now we want to hear more from you and that will be possible on our new website: www.thehudsonindependent.com  more »

Envision our river villages a decade or two in the future. We would see a population increased by riverfront development and housed in other locations found suitable for residential construction. For our auto driven suburban culture that means more cars no matter how close these locations are to mass transit. A new, widened span replacing the existing Tappan Zee Bridge would facilitate a predicted increase in traffic that would move eastward across the county or seek destinations to the north or south on Route 9. However, among that burgeoning flow, we would likely find more motorists from west of the Hudson who cross the span to connect with rail transportation in Westchester.  more »