RSS fifth-graders take global DI title
Students make history as first Blind Brook Destination Imagination champions earning first place at top competition
Ridge Street Elementary School is no stranger to Destination Imagination (DI) competitions. DI, an international program, promotes creative problem-solving by presenting students with challenges relating to several categories including engineering, fine arts and public service. On Saturday, May 25, at the 2024 Global Finals in Kansas City, Mo., a team of seven fifth-grade girls shattered all expectations by taking home the gold—winning first place in their fine arts category.
Blind Brook senior awarded National Merit Scholarship
Fiona Chen wins prestigious title, granting her $2,500 toward neuroscience studies at Amherst College this fall
When Fiona Chen was named one of the five Blind Brook High School students who qualified as 2024 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, she admitted it wasn’t something she had on her radar.
PCHS proudly flies the Pride flag
Port Chester High School Principal Luke Sotherden works in tandem with a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance to raise the Pride flag in front of the building on Thursday, May 30, to commemorate the start of Pride Month, recognized throughout June.
Drunk driver bolts after crashing
Reports of a driver leaving the scene of an accident led a Port Chester police officer to Smith Street to search for a black Acura on Sunday, June 2.
Sleeping in the wrong car
A Port Chester police officer was dispatched to the Stop & Shop parking lot at 25 Waterfront Pl. after receiving a report that a man had entered a car that didn’t belong to him on Sunday, June 2.
Driving distracted while drunk
While patrolling South Main Street on Sunday, June 2, a Port Chester police officer allegedly spotted the driver of a red Honda Accord on his phone without wearing a seatbelt.
Repeat shoplifter arrested
A 3 Weber Dr. resident was arrested by Port Chester police on Sunday, June 2, for allegedly stealing from the Stop & Shop at 25 Waterfront Pl. multiple times.
Family friction ends in arrest
A resident of a home near Lincoln Avenue called Rye Brook police officers to request assistance with his daughter on Saturday, June 1.
Parking lot brawl broken up
While parked on King Street, a Port Chester police officer was flagged down by a pedestrian reporting a fight in a nearby parking lot on Sunday, June 2.
Doing drugs in deserted lot
Reports of a suspicious person brought Port Chester police officers to a vacant lot near the intersection of Boston Post Road and South Regent Street on Friday, May 31.
P.C. man allegedly tries to stab ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend
A report of a man allegedly using a knife in a fight brought Port Chester police officers to the Sunoco station at 37 Westchester Ave. on Wednesday, May 29.
Pilfering brews
A homeless man was arrested by Port Chester police officers after he allegedly stole two cases of beer from the Stop & Shop at 25 Waterfront Pl. on Monday, May 27.
Port Chester man sentenced to 15 years for sexual assaults
Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced that Port Chester resident Richard Olmino was sentenced to 15 years in state prison on Monday, June 3, a year after he sexually assaulted two teenagers in Rye.
Argument ends with broken windows
Rye Brook police officers were called to Hillandale Road after receiving a call about a family dispute on Tuesday, May 28.
Five out-of-towners arrested
Five out-of-towners were charged last week for possessing an illegal firearm, shoplifting and fighting.
Negative feedback overwhelms public hearing about making tax receiver position appointed
Rye Town Council to continue collecting feedback until June meeting
In back-to-back meetings, a controversial question has continued to consume the Rye Town Council: should the receiver of taxes position, elected every four years in November, be an appointed job?
HR director and former principal to leave PCSD at end of the year
At the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, May 24, Superintendent Dr. Aurelia Henriquez announced that Tolentino will be leaving to take the assistant superintendent position at the Valley Central School District in Montgomery.
Blind Brook High School DECA Club: Making business competitive
Team becomes more viable with increased membership
Jessica Seeger, the DECA Club advisor at Blind Brook High School, is the first to admit that even knowing what the acronym means doesn’t explain what its function is. “It stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America and that name really tells you nothing about the club,” the math teacher laughed. “But it’s really just a business club.”
Unearthing the past on Memorial Day at the African American Cemetery
Dave Thomas has spent the last 15 years as a warden of the past. As the founder and president of the Friends of the African American Cemetery, the Port Chester resident has put in a considerable amount of effort to restore the plot nestled adjacent to the Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye.
EMS Explorer Post members win regional BSA awards
Every year, the Greater Hudson Valley Council, which oversees the BSA (formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America) chapters in seven counties across New York and Pennsylvania, holds an annual awards dinner to commend the work of its volunteers. At the most recent commemoration on May 16, five high schoolers who volunteer with Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS were granted the Exploring Leadership Award for their work with the first responders.
Forever plastics-free field coming to BBHS soon
School district takes first step in replacing shuttered sports fields
It’s been two months since the sudden shutdown of both the multipurpose and baseball fields at Blind Brook High School startled the community, which came as a necessary action after both failed impact tests deeming them unsafe for use in March. On May 23, the Board of Education met in a special meeting to unanimously approve awarding the renovation project to the LandTek Group, Inc. for a $937,900 artificial turf field.
Drunk without a license
A car accident near the intersection of North Main Street and Willett Avenue drew a response from Port Chester police on Sunday, May 26.
Arguing over ‘nothing’
A woman called Rye Brook police officers to her apartment on Westchester Avenue to report she was involved in a domestic dispute with her 29-year-old son on Sunday, May 26.
Three arrested in late-night tussle
While patrolling North Main Street on Saturday, May 25, a Port Chester police officer allegedly spotted three men fighting outside of Glamour Nightclub at 3:08 a.m.
Punched in the street
A man called Port Chester police on Friday, May 24, to report he had been attacked by his former roommate while standing on South Regent Street.
Charged with grand larceny for two grand worth of items
An employee of The Home Depot at 150 Midland Ave. called the Port Chester police after stopping a man from allegedly stealing 33 items on Monday, May 20.
Babysitters walk out
An employee of John F. Kennedy Elementary School called Port Chester police after allegedly discovering a 4-year-old girl wandering alone near the Olivia Street building on Thursday, May 23.
Two out-of-towners charged
Last week, two out-of-towners were arrested for drunk driving and operating a vehicle with stolen plates.
Second annual P.C. Arts Festival looks to inspire creativity in town
Jenn Cacciola said that while it may have little visibility, the art scene in the Village of Port Chester is strong. As the founder of Neptune in June—the artist collective formerly known as Ice Cream Social—she, along with Emily Peck and Jessica Berkowitz of the Clay Art Center, were able to demonstrate that last year when they created the inaugural Port Chester Arts Festival. The event was deemed a success by the organizers, who challenged themselves to make this year’s celebration an even bigger affair. And they feel they’re on the right track to make that happen.
Smooth election night for Blind Brook as budget and other propositions pass
There was a nervous energy in the air in the moments leading up to 9 p.m. in the old Ridge Street Elementary school gym on Tuesday, May 21—when the voting day ended and the Blind Brook Board of Education election and proposition votes could be tallied.
Spanish-speaking families leave resource fair satisfied
Port Chester Hispanic Advisory Board’s first event considered a success by attendees, organizers
To help get the word out on the various services available to them, the trustee founded the Port Chester Hispanic Advisory Board (HAB) alongside other active community members to help the Spanish-speaking residents of the area.
Drugs found on shoplifter
While responding to a reported larceny on Monday, May 20, Port Chester police officers were flagged down by a Stop & Shop employee on South Main Street.
Parking lot assault
A 3 Weber Dr. resident was arrested on Saturday, May 18, after allegedly attacking a homeless man in The Home Depot parking lot at 150 Midland Ave.
Three thefts in two days
A homeless man was arrested by Port Chester police officers on Thursday, May 16, after allegedly stealing from several stores across the span of two days.
Driving with drugs
On Friday, May 17, the Port Chester police received a call from someone following a green Honda driven by a man who had allegedly pushed a woman out of his car while parked earlier that evening.
Stealing construction supplies
An employee of The Home Depot at 150 Midland Ave. called Port Chester police after allegedly witnessing a shoplifting attempt through the store security cameras on Tuesday, May 14.
Swiping after paying
Rye Brook police officers arrested a 7 Cottage St. resident for stealing from the CVS at 182 South Ridge St. on Tuesday, May 14.
Five out-of-towners charged
Last week, five out-of-towners were arrested for drunk driving, menacing and shoplifting.
BBHS LAX players raise money for Latin American athletes
Chase Katz has spent more than half of his life playing lacrosse. The 16-year-old discovered the sport with his best friend Tyler Taerstein when they joined the Harrison Youth Lacrosse team as first graders. Tyler’s older brother, Zach, followed suit several years later and the three have been teammates in various capacities ever since. Apart from sports, they share a common interest in something less physically demanding: charity work.
Netflix thriller films in R.B.
Residents attempting to cut through the SUNY Purchase campus by turning onto Lincoln Avenue from King Street between May 3 and 14 may have been rerouted by Rye Brook police officers. While detours are typically the result of road work, parades, or some other form of construction project, this particular closure came from an unlikely party: Movie star Robert De Niro.
Port Chester Hispanic Advisory Board aims to educate with resource fair
The Port Chester Hispanic Advisory Board is hosting its first resource fair on Sunday, May 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Weather permitting, Adee Street will be blocked off between North Main Street and Abendroth Avenue to house the event. The rain location is the South End Fire House at 53 Grace Church St.
PCSD election, budget vote to be held Tuesday, May 21
Residents of the Port Chester School District will have the chance to partake in the annual school vote on Tuesday, May 21. On the ballot, they’ll be asked to approve or reject the district’s 2024-25 budget proposal and select two candidates to serve on the Board of Education—albeit in an uncontested race.
3 propositions, 2 Board of Ed. seats on the B.B. ballot this Tuesday, May 21
The Blind Brook School District will be hosting its annual election and budget vote on Tuesday, May 21. This year, voters will cast their ballots to determine the fate of three propositions and to select candidates for two Board of Education seats vacated by Jeffrey Mensch and Scott Jaffee in the old gymnasium at Ridge Street School from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Drunk driver blocks King Street
On Monday, May 5, the steady sound of a car honk caught the attention of a Port Chester police officer driving down Willett Avenue.
Homeless man hits bouncer
A security guard for the Glamour Nightclub at 114 N. Main St. called Port Chester police to report he had allegedly been suddenly attacked at work on Sunday, May 12.
Shoplifter tries to prove innocence with fraudulent Target receipt
A report of an alleged shoplifter brought Port Chester police officers to the Target at 495 Boston Post Rd. on Tuesday, May 7.
The Sharing Shelf builds stable Teen Boutique
Port Chester-based nonprofit offers fashionable clothing to Westchester teenagers in financial need
Deborah Blatt said teenagers don’t just endure the typical tribulations associated with clothing insecurity. The process of walking through a store, picking out something that catches the eye, trying it on and walking out with items that convey their personality and style is completely foreign to some teenagers, she urged. To help some teens enjoy that feeling, The Sharing Shelf—a clothing bank in Port Chester that serves people in need across the county—has opened a permanent store-like environment adjacent to their warehouse at 47 Purdy Ave.: Teen Boutique.
CreatiCon returns to Blind Brook Schools
Reinvigorated event to be more expansive, community driven
It’s been several years since CreatiCon has graced the Blind Brook Middle/High School halls. But Thursday, May 16 will reintroduce the event to the building, albeit slightly different than it used to be, as the district isn’t the same as it was five years ago.
Drunk driver blocks traffic
While stationed in a lot on South Regent Street, a Port Chester police officer was approached by a passerby claiming someone was disrupting traffic while attempting to park near the intersection of South Regent and Clinton streets on Wednesday, May 1.
Bull in a clothing shop
An employee of the New Era Fashion store at 107 Westchester Ave. called Port Chester police on Tuesday, Apr. 30, to request help in removing a drunk man from the building.