The Hudson Independent: News for Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, NY

A Child of History

Dr. Frederick Douglass Opie comes home to Tarrytown

Marcy Gray

It’s hard to ignore the name: Frederick Douglass Opie. It is a noble and lofty name from history ending with, well, the son of Andy Griffith from Mayberry.
Yet it is a name that Fred Opie embodies well: he is a child of African-American history and a child of a small town where the older generation reminds him that they knew his father, his uncles, his cousins.

The reminder is both admonition and blessing: He has been carefully watched all his life.

Sleepy Hollow’s Time Has Come

Property owners encouraged to use grant money to revitalize downtown

Andrea Kott

Frank O’Brien learned about the Legend of Sleepy Hollow back when he was a young student in Blarney in County Cork, Ireland. “I remember dreaming that one day I’d be owning property in Sleepy Hollow,” O’Brien, a retired building contractor and Irvington resident, said. “This is a lovely little village. It’s a big tourist attraction.”

But in the nearly 30 years that he has owned two buildings on Beekman Avenue, O’Brien (in photo) has watched properties along the street, including his own, become run down. So, he is taking advantage of a $10,000 matching grant from the Sleepy Hollow Downtown Revitalization Corporation to spruce up his buildings, hoping that fellow landlords will follow suit.

Editorial: Changes in the New Year

As the echos of “Auld Lang Syne” wane, and thoughts of the days gone by diminish, we look ahead in this New Year with hope for global change – better economic conditions, a lessening of turmoil and terrorism, a tribute to the environment.

Change was the rallying cry and promise of the political campaigns. Change, of course, is inevitable; its direction is less predictable. We hope it is all for the better, but we realize the changes we seek do not take place overnight. 

On a local, more personal level, we wish our readers good health and happiness. For our local merchants, businesses, civic organizations and institutions, we thank them and we hope all will prosper in the New Year.

At The Hudson Independent, we are experiencing important changes. We welcome a new editor, the very experienced and able Rick Pezzullo, and bid farewell to Marcy Gray, whose dedication and talent steered this newspaper successfully from its inception. We also welcome Rani Levy as our graphic designer and Jeanne Kaplan as our new editorial assistant.

As we navigate into 2009 with these new professionals aboard, along with our veteran staff, we promise our readers in Irvington, Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown the same level of ethical, award-winning journalism, balanced and unbiased reporting that we have provided for the past three years. Next month begins our fourth year of publishing The Hudson Independent. And once again, we wish you all the best the New Year can bring.           

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Let us know what you think: write to letters@thehudsonindependent.com

To the New Editor
Dear Mr. Pezzullo:
In departing The Hudson Independent as its editor, Marcy Gray will leave large shoes to fill.

How was it that a supremely polished and professional local newspaper suddenly appeared in our mail boxes in February 2006 and has continued to flourish to this day —even winning a journalism award within just a year after its launch? It’s the kind of astounding achievement that can only result from both tireless work and entrepreneurial moxie on the part of a committed board and staff, and I have to believe Ms. Gray provided much of the required leadership and inspiration too.

Listings for January

Friday 2
Winter WonderLights:  Experience a dreamscape inspired by the tale of Rip Van Winkle at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside in Tarrytown.  Advance purchase required.  Call 631-8200 or visit www.hudsonvalley.org. Also Jan. 3.

Saturday 3
Scout Badge program: “Let’s Pretend Badge” from 10 a.m. to noon at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown. Call 631-4481, ext. 43231.

Animal Encounters: From 11 a.m. to noon learn about an animal’s natural history, conservation status and ecological connections at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining. Call 762-2912 or visit www.teatown.org. Also Jan. 31.

Sunday 4
Indoor Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.  Call 995-4050 or visit www.countycenter.biz.

Story Sundays: From 11 a.m. to noon children ages 4 to 7 can enjoy seasonal stories and activities at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining. Call 762-2912 or visit www.teatown.org.

Dodge-Ball-A-Thon: A FUN-draiser from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at JCC on the Hudson in Tarrytown, sponsored by children in grades K-6 to raise scholarship money. Call 366-7898 or e-mail mburnett@jcconthehudson.org.

Tax Law Round-Up for 2008

Will new laws help ease the current economic burden?

Anthony Scarpati

“Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed”
— Benjamin Franklin

Oh, what a year! Two thousand and eight will be remembered as the year of the great credit market meltdown. With the demise of financial institutions like Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns and a total restructuring of the financial landscape, everyone has been affected.

The federal government has now invested in Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG and, when this newspaper went to press, the White House was refining the details of a proposed auto industry bailout. Government is a shareholder in every business in the country — before taxes are paid!

President-elect Barack Obama will have his work cut out for him and what new legislation will be passed in 2009 and beyond is anyone’s guess.

Zegarelli Calls It Quits, Ending Mayoral Era

Announcement surprises Democrats;
trustee Ken Wray to run

Andrea Kott

After a political career that has lasted more than two decades, Sleepy Hollow Mayor Philip Zegarelli is calling it quits.

Mayor Zegarelli at Chamber of Commerce meeting where he said he would not run again.

Just three months before the village election, and to the surprise of many, Zegarelli said he would not seek a 10th term.

Irvington Voters Soundly Reject Field Upgrade Bonds

School officials forced to go back to the drawing board

Rick Pezzullo

The unstable economy and environmental concerns loomed large last month in the outcome of two multi-million dollar referendums presented to Irvington voters for major field renovations on the high school/middle school campus.

For the second time in two years, residents gave a stern thumbs down to the board of education’s plans to upgrade Meszaros Field and East Field, leaving school officials with no choice but to utilize limited resources in the budget to make temporary repairs.

Embarrassing Snafu in STAR Program

Erroneous bills sent out; residents
directed to pay the difference

Andrea Kott

Reluctant to lay blame but bound to set the record straight, Greenburgh’s receiver of taxes, David C. Dwinell, said a mistake in the town’s tax assessor’s office is the reason behind supplemental tax bills that some residents have been receiving.

According to Dwinell, in April the state reduced the Basic and Enhanced STAR tax credits it issued last January. However, because the tax assessment rolls that Dwinell used to generate tax bills did not reflect the revised figures, erroneous bills went out, he said. As a result, his office has sent out a supplemental bill, directing residents to pay the difference.

Village of Sleepy Hollow and GM Still Talking

Contrary to the seeming impasse between Sleepy Hollow and General Motors, background negotiations continue to percolate, Trustee David Schroedel said. The village and GM have had several conversations – in person and over the phone – and expect continued dialogue in the coming months, Schroedel said.

“We are actively trying to arrive at a reasonable solution to a series of issues so that we can move forward with the special permit,” he said.

According to Schroedel, the village has received assurance from the state Department of Environmental Conservation that the cleanup of the site is virtually complete. “The only remaining issue has to do with land that’s under the water and that the DEC and GM are trying to work through.”  — Andrea Kott