50 Cars Vandalized While Residents Slept in Scarsdale
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(Tuesday September 3 at 3 pm) Police quickly learned that something was wrong, very wrong, in the early morning hours of Labor Day when their phone started to ring off the hook. Beginning at 6:30 am, they received calls every few minutes, with over 50 coming in over the course of what should have been a sleepy holiday morning. As residents woke up, they discovered that their car windows had been smashed. Some reported that not one, but two cars were vandalized, and they found that their neighbors were in the same boat.
As reports came in, police realized that vandals had swept entire streets, smashing windows and attempting to enter cars. In many instances though car windows were broken, residents found that nothing was missing. Even golf clubs were left in the cars. Or in another incident a stolen briefcase was found tossed on a neighbor’s lawn. The damage seemed senseless.
Even more perplexing was the fact that the incidents took place within feet of the police station which sits at the corner of Fenimore and Post Roads. Many of the incidents took place on Ridgecrest West, North and East, a street that lies directly behind the station. Hardest hit were Brewster Road, Dobbs Terrace, Greenacres Avenue and Ridgecrest East, North and West. Farther afield, incidents were reported on Mamaroneck Road, Mohican Trail, Brookfiled Lane and Deerfield Road.
Furthermore, police later learned that residents’ video cameras recorded that the spree took place between 3 and 6 am, but no one called to report the sound of breaking glass.
In total, there were 52 incidents reported, and by our count, 49 car windows smashed. Another 7 callers said they had some video footage to share with the police, but it is not known whether anyone recorded identifying information on the perpetrator’s car or cars.
Was it one car or several? One resident’s video report shows three people running toward their home.
Police have detectives on the case and are investigating. Anyone with information should call police at 914-722-1200.
And, if you have a garage, keep your cars inside!
(Photo Credit Linda Shin)
Willa Radin Swiller Passes Away on August 22, 2024
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Former Scarsdale resident and Democratic political activist Willa Radin Swiller, died one month short of her 84th birthday on August 22, 2024.
According to Legacy.com, Swiller was born on September 23rd, 1940, the first child of Rabbi Jacob Radin and Ruth (Falk) Radin. She had two younger brothers, Jonathan (Chaim Yoshua) and David. She graduated from Cornell University and received a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University. Shortly after college she met Hillel Swiller. Hillel became a psychiatrist and professor at Mount Sinai and they were married for 56 years until his passing last year and had four sons (Ari, Josh, Zev and Sam) four daughters-in-law (Martha, Leah, Mari and Katharine) and seven grandchildren (Olivia, Hannah, Jane, Josiah, Asa, Shaw and Mateo).
As a young college graduate in the 1960s Swiller toured the south with an integrated theater company, an extremely dangerous undertaking, and she continued to be passionately and fearlessly dedicated to justice and democratic politics until her Parkinson’s disease made it impossible.
Willa never wanted nor cared for attention and accolades. She never cared about personal financial benefit. She just did what she believed was right. To be with Willa was to be in a powerful, wild and beautiful presence, full of deep wisdom, incredible wit, and an unshakeable understanding that what matters in this life is to do right by one another. With her you never felt that you were an imposition but always a valued and necessary fellow traveler. Her door was always open, her fridge was always stocked. Another call could be made. Another check could be made out. Another place could be set at the table.
Willa did right by more people than we will ever know; from politicians seeking higher office to immigrants seeking asylum to rabbis needing fundraising and emotional support, to young tradesmen starting careers and seeking referrals, to the children of friends and the friends of children. To all, she gave whatever she could provide.
Willa was supported by her deep Jewish faith, which, as in all her passions, was based in love, work and justice. Her father was a beloved Rabbi in northern Manhattan and she loved her community at the Hebrew Institute of White Plains, and her Rabbi, Chaim Marder. For many years she set her evening schedule around the Rabbi’s class.
She was remarkably physically strong and uncomplaining, running marathons after giving birth to four children, swimming four mornings a week. She once treated a leg broken while skiing with a pitcher of margaritas. She was a talented painter who cared most for the process and for supporting other painters, not for the praise, and for decades guided the Reilly League of Artists, a studio collective, making sure the doors stayed open for whoever wanted to paint.
Scarsdale Man Arrested for Taking a Picture Under a Woman's Skirt at Barnes and Noble
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You never know who you'll run into at the bookstore. That's what one woman discovered when she spotted a man crouching below her at Barnes and Noble in Hartsdale with a cell phone in his hand. It turns out he was taking a picture under her skirt.
Here's the report from the Greenburgh Police, received, August 1, 2024:
On July 24, 2024, the Greenburgh Police Department received a report of an Unlawful Surveillance incident that occurred on July 21, 2024 at 381 N. Central Ave (Barnes & Noble store). During the incident, a female victim reported that she noticed an Asian male crouching down behind her with a cell phone in his hand under her skirt. The female victim reported that she then confronted the Asian male who fled from the store in a red Honda SUV. Greenburgh Police Officers and Detectives investigated the incident. The suspect was identified as Kun Cheung, a 66 year old male from Scarsdale, New York. This defendant was previously arrested in May 2024 for the same offense. On July 31, 2024, Greenburgh Detectives arrested Cheung and he was held at the Greenburgh Police Department pending arraignment. Currently, the investigation is ongoing.
Any witnesses or victims that may recognize the below subject or anyone with more information, is encouraged to contact Detective Davey Jakasal at 914-989-1726.
What is the Future of the Greenburgh Nature Center?
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(Updated on Wednesday August 14: This afternoon, the Town Board proposed a contract that meets many of our needs, including the 25-year commitment we need to continue our programs and projects, and apply for multi-year grants.)
The Town has agreed to restore funding for the services we provide, but there are circumstances where that funding could be cut or eliminated. There’s still work to be done on a fair framework for how those cuts would be determined.
Has the Greenburgh Nature Center become the latest pawn in the longstanding fight about Edgemont Incorporation?
That’s one theory as to why the Greenburgh Town Board has not renewed the Nature Center’s 25 year contract, though their agreement with New York State requires them to maintain the GNC as public park land and to operate it as an outdoor recreation space and preserve.
We spoke to Cathy Ludden, who is a Board Member of Nunataks, the non-profit organization that provides the programming at the center. Why Nunataks? It’s an Inuit word that means “rocky outcropping,” and is the original name of the estate where the 33 acre center operates.
The Nature Center is now two years away from the expiration of their second 25-year contract with the Town of Greenburgh and needs a renewal to continue to operate, to hire staff, to apply for grants and to pass their audit. Under the current contract, the Town of Greenburgh pays $337,000 a year which serves to pay the salaries of five employees. The town also maintains and indemnifies the property. Ludden points out that the funding is a minimal portion of the Town’s budget, only ¼ of 1%. In addition, the $337,000 is only 20% of the GNC’s budget. They raise the balance through grants, corporate and individual contributions and programming fees.
So why is the Town Board dragging their feet on the renewal?
Two years ago the Nunataks’s Board put the Town of Greenburgh on notice that they would be happy with the same $337,000 a year with a cost of living adjustment. Sounds reasonable, right? They heard nothing and then in May 2024, the Town came back with a contract that provided no funding at all – and said the Nunataks Board would still be obligated to provide programming. Asked for a reason for the cut, the Town Board said they were worried about the prospect of Edgemont Incorporation and couldn’t provide a long-term contract.
Eager to reach an agreement, the Nunatak’s board then proposed a contract that said if Edgemont incorporates and the town’s budget is reduced, the Town Board could reduce payments to the Nature Center to zero.
The Greenburgh Town Board said no to this too.
In late May Nunataks got a contract from Town Attorney Joe Danko that took away their financing all together. Under this contract, Nunatek would be responsible for maintenance of the land and the property and they would have to underwrite all the insurance.
Baffled by the terms, the Nunataks Board met with the Town Board on June 4, 2024. Their reply as to why they would not provide a contract to keep the Nature Center open was, “Anything can happen. We can’t guarantee a set number for 25 years.”
A petition to get a new contract for the center under the original terms now has almost 5,000 signatures. Greenburgh Town Supervisor sent an email saying that the GNC was not at risk – but failed to come up with a contract that would allow them to remain open.
Like so many issues in the Town of Greenburgh, the fate of the Greenburgh Nature Center appears to be tied up in an age-old controversy about the fight to incorporate Edgemont. Paul Feiner, who has held the position of Greenburgh Town Supervisor since 1991, is the longest serving chief elected official of any municipality in Westchester County and the battle for Edgemont seems to be have been going on for as many years.
Another meeting is planned for Tuesday night August 13, 2024.
Learn more about the status of the Greenburgh Nature Center here
Mondaire Jones Visits Scarsdale
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While Republicans were rallying around the Trump-Vance ticket in Milwaukee, a group of determined Democrats assembled in Scarsdale to support Congressional candidate Mondaire Jones in his bid to represent NY Congressional District 17.
Following his first term in Congress, Jones lost his seat due to redistricting and is now back, vying to unseat Mike Lawler to represent Rockland County, Putnam County, Northern Westchester and portions of Southern Duchess County. A native of Spring Valley and a current resident of Sleepy Hollow, this is Jones home.
At a fundraiser in Scarsdale on July 17, Mondaire reviewed many of his legislative accomplishments during his first term and emphasized his enthusiasm to continue to work on behalf of the American people. He discussed the infrastructure bill, rescuing the economy during the COVID crisis, passage of the marriage equality act and support for housing and healthcare. He said, “Democrats believe in a functioning government and in what we can get done.” He voiced his support for a woman’s right to choose, voting rights legislation and for Israel.
In contrast his opponent favors banning abortion, opposes gun control and backs Trumps and his agenda.
Jones emphasized the need to provide financial support Democratic candidates for Congress so that Democrats could regain control of the House of Representatives. He was optimistic about success in his district where Democrats outnumber Republicans and called his district “ground zero” in the fight to save our democracy. He said, "We can save this country."
Learn more about Mondaire Jones here.
https://www.mondaireforcongress.com
