Greenburgh Insider: Happy 150th Dobbs Ferry - a weekend of FUN, FUN, FUN events.

Some fun events starting tonight and continuing thru July 4th in downtown Dobbs Ferry, the waterfront AND FIREWORKS.

Dobbs Ferry to observe 150th anniversary with full weekend of celebrations.

 

Waterfront carnival, downtown events, and July 4th festivities to take place June 30-July 4

DOBBS FERRY—In observance of its 150th anniversary of incorporation (sesquicentennial), the Village of Dobbs Ferry has planned a July 4th weekend full of celebrations and family-friendly events. The schedule is as follows:

 

• Friday 6/30

  • 6-10pm: Dine Out Dobbs, eat in the streets! Downtown Dobbs Ferry restaurants will be serving on Main, Cedar and lower Chestnut street (streets will be closed to traffic). Trivia Bar Crawl by The Rivertowns Chamber of Commerce, registration here: https://dobbsbarcrawl.eventbrite.com

 

• Saturday 7/1 

  • 11am-5pm: I ❤ Downtown Dobbs celebration on the Main and Cedar Street sidewalks. Pop-up shops, sidewalk sales, live music, kids activities, plus food tours by the Rivertowns Chamber of Commerce, info here: https://rivertownschamber.com/dobbs-ferry-150-anniv-celebration/?fbclid=IwAR3xBQJ342BKbgKavvUtociD_vy8D_EwXfQAAQcVp9HPWVgDJlUeM5iAiNI

  • 4pm-11pm: Carnival at Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park 

 

• Sunday 7/2

  • 11am-1pm: Soap Box Derby, registration still open, email recreation@dobbsferry.com for more information (Main and Cedar streets closed to traffic)

  • 4pm-11pm: Carnival at Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park 

 

• Monday 7/3 

  • 1-3pm $1.50 ice cream party at The Yard in Memorial Park, including petting zoo and live music

  • 4pm-11pm: Carnival at Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park 

 

• Tuesday 7/4 

  • 12pm-10pm Carnival at Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park 

  • 3pm start of Thomas Cullen 4th of July Picnic in the Park and Sesquicentennial Ceremony at Waterfront Park featuring Dobbs Ferry Historical Society and the Dobbs Ferry Volunteer Fire Department

  • 9pm Fireworks at Waterfront Park

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  Dobbs Ferry events are always lots of fun. ENJOY!

• PAUL FEINER

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Greenburgh Insider: Town Bd to vote Friday to allow Fairview Greenburgh Farmers Market to begin on Saturday.

Market on Elm Street and Manhattan Ave.

Every Saturday from July thru Nov.
9 A.M. to 2 P.M.

The Greenburgh Town Board will hold a special meeting on Friday at 5:30 PM to authorize an exciting new Fairview Greenburgh Farmers Market. The market will be held every Saturday beginning July 1 through November from 9 AM to 2 PM. The location: Elm Street and Manhattan Ave. There are new vendors, fresh produce, cooking demos, baked goods, food, juices, music, crafts, skincare, goods and services and much more. Community volunteers opportunities. A pre 4th of July kick off with free hot dogs, burgers, water.  E mail Greenburghfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

For over thirty years the town of Greenburgh has had a farmers market on E Hartsdale Ave. There is a great need for a farmers market in the Fairview section of town.  This market will be special - near numerous apartments so many of the customers won't have to drive to the market.  Good food--an opportunity to socialize with other neighbors and have a fun Saturday.  I look forward to seeing you Saturday and in the coming weeks. And, thank the farmers market team for choosing our town for this important market.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Insider: A Family Day of Jazz; ACT I, Saturday, July 8th.

The Department of Community Resources (DCR) at The Theodore D. Young Community Center (TDYCC) invites you to join us for “A Family Day of Jazz; ACT I, Saturday, July 8th, featuring live performances by Gentleman of Soul, 3D Rhythm of Life and Grammy Award winning guitarist, Mark Whitfield.  Enjoy a day of live music, bouncy attractions, face painting, food and fun for people of all ages and enter our Summer 50/50 Raffle for a chance to win big!!!  The event runs from 11am to 6pm in Yosemite Park (40 Yosemite Avenue, White Plains, NY 10607) located just behind DCR/TDYCC.  Vending opportunities are available!  The flyer is attached for your reference.  Contact Tina P. Harper for more information at tharper@greenburghny.com or by phone at 914-989-3620.

 

This annual community celebration is being held in two acts this year!  Save the date, Saturday, August 12th for ACT II, to enjoy more live music and family fun!

 

We hope to see you there!

Greenburgh Insider: Leaders of South Presbyterian Church discuss their 200th anniversary.

 

The congregants were part of the Anti Slavery movement. Organized the first Midnight run. Even Theodore Roosevelt spent some time at the church!

Enjoy the link to the radio show

John Gunther-Mohr and  Rev. Margery Rossi of South Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry  were interviewed on my WVOX radio show recently. They discussed the 200th anniversary of South Presbyterian Church.

 https://youtu.be/jjUJOSXr6xI

Some interesting facts:

 

In August 1823 six members of the church purchased one acre of land for $35 (not a typo--thirty five dollars).

 

 That building does not stand but the Little White Cemetery is there, still owned by  the church.

 

 The Lutheran Church now occupies that  property beside the cemetery.

 

 The current building was built in 1868.

 

 Members of the Church fought slavery  and were active in the abolitionist movement and raised funds to help civil war reconstruction in the South.

 

  The church organized the first Midnight Run - helping the homeless and hungry.

 

  The church has led the fight for social justice - and has supported the LGBTQ+ community.

 

  The church currently houses the Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry which serves the hungry and homeless.

 

  Theodore Roosevelt attended South Presbyterian Church in 1871 while vacationing in Dobbs Ferry. 

 

  Thornton Wilder, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Our Town" rode his bicycle around the church a few years later. He was the grandchild of Reverend Thornton Niven, the minister of South Presbyterian.

 

   This church leads by example. Happy 200th!  A great asset to our town.

 

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Insider: News from New York State Assemblymember Mary Jane Shimsky 92nd District.

 

Greenburgh Insider: Fortune Magazine: Greenburgh 9th best place for families in United States.

 

Earlier this year MONEY Magazine named Greenburgh as the 8th best place in the northeast.  Am pleased to mention that we just learned that FORTUNE Magazine has named Greenburgh the 9th best place in the United States for families. See link below:

Thank you - to all our residents- for making Greenburgh a very special place to live and work.  

 

https://fortune.com/well/ranking/best-places-families/2023/greenburgh/

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Insider: Proposed 2023 Capital Budget.

 

The Town Board will vote on whether to accept the proposed Capital Budget at tomorrow night’s June 14 Town Board Meeting.  The Town posted the proposed Capital Budget on May 2 and subsequently opened the public hearing on May 10 and continued the hearing to May 24.  The record was then held open until May 31.  We inadvertently left this item off the proposed agenda posted earlier this week, but it has been added tonight.  

The Capital Budget can be found at the following link: 

https://agendaquick.greenburghny.com/docs/2023/TBR/20230524_2163/8639_TB%202023%200524%20PUBLIC%20HEARING%20DOC%202023%20Recommended%20Capital%20Budget%20and%202024-2025%20Capital%20Plan%20R%200524.pdf

Greenburgh Insider: The Greenburgh Nature Center’s RUN WILD event is this weekend. June 17-18.

 

RUN WILD is a 1.25 mile forest obstacle course for the whole family. Best for children 5-15 (although many parents tell us it is challenging!).

Greenburgh Insider: Greenburgh student interns helping our local businesses and newly formed Chamber of Commerce.

 

Student intern David Diao discusses his internship, his experiences helping local businesses and his impressions on the radio interview.

During the last month and a half David Diao and  three other high school interns working for the Town of Greenburgh; Henry Peet and Austin Kirby of Dobbs Ferry High School and Ricky Pintado of Irvington High School, had gone door to door across Town reaching out to businesses on Central Ave, 119, E Hartsdale Ave and Saw Mill River Road. This was part of a program Scarsdale High School, Dobbs Ferry High School and Irvington High School has where seniors spend the last weeks of their high school years interning.  David, Henry, Austin and Ricky helped identify vacancies, they updated the town website- Greenburghny.com and encouraged businesses to join the Greenburgh Chamber of Commerce. At the first meeting of the Chamber about 50 people attended --thanks, in part to the work of the interns. They also tried to find out what businesses like about the town and what could be done in the future to make doing business in Greenburgh a better experience.

 

David was interviewed on my WVOX radio show recently -discussing his experiences as an intern and his efforts helping the business community. Listen to his interview here:

YouTube David Diao - https://youtu.be/RnWt-HnZEoU

PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Greenburgh Insider: Local history - biography about former County Executive Al Del Bello who changed Westchester.

 

John Lipman wrote a fascinating book about Al Del Bello who changed Westchester for the better.

Al Del Bello, former Mayor of Yonkers, (a resident of Hastings for a while), the first Democrat to serve as Westchester County Executive, Lt Governor of NYS, an accomplished attorney, was one of Westchester County's most accomplished County Executive. He successfully pushed for the construction of one of the nation's first garbage to energy plants, enhanced public transportation and bus service, created county parks, started Bicycle Sundays and built bike paths, addressed infrastructure problems and inspired young people to go into public service.   He fought corruption in Yonkers.  I got my start in politics serving on his Bikeway Committee and had such a great experience dealing with him. Former NYS Assemblyman Richard Brodsky worked in his office before being elected a Legislator and Assemblyman.   Al Del Bello changed Westchester for the better.

John Lipman, whose mom worked for Al Del Bello for many years, wrote a biography about Al Del Bello. I interviewed John on my WVOX radio show recently.

Here is the link - https://youtu.be/UcOY7rJv-oo

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Insider: News 12 link: grand opening to Happy Cats Hotel on Central Ave.

 

A large crowd of visitors were excited to welcome Happy Cats Hotel & Spa to Central Ave this afternoon

https://westchester.news12.com...

Greenburgh welcomes our newest business--the Cat Hotel & Spa on Central Ave
A fantastic new addition to Central Ave. News12 featured this exciting new business. A great asset to our business community.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Insider: Please welcome our newest business on Sunday at the grand opening.

 

Please welcome our newest business on Sunday at the grand opening.  Luxury for your cat!  

Paul FEINER

Greenburgh Insider: Albany to vote to change town elections to Presidential years--bad for local democracy.

 

Voters tend to vote the straight party ticket in Presidential election years --will make races less competitive, give voters less influence.

The New York State Assembly is scheduled to vote on Friday on a bill hat would move town elections to even election years (Presidential and races for Governor).  Currently, town elections are held in off years -voters only vote for local races.

This proposed bill was not discussed with Westchester town officials prior to introduction. I just found out about it late Thursday afternoon from other Town Supervisors who also heard about this bill at the last minute.  No public discussion on an issue that is of great importance to local residents. And should be debated. This is bad for democracy. During Presidential elections many voters who are not interested in local politics vote. They usually vote the straight ticket.  Many voters don't pay attention to the election campaigns down on the ballot.

During the more important election years many students who are out of town in college vote absentee. They are registered in the municipalities they grew up in but really are living out of town. They will also be voting in local elections  even though they are not interested in local issues.

Another reason why this law is so bad is because it will make government less responsive to the community. Currently, if a town official is not responsive to a neighborhood request - the neighborhood can organize and be heard. If elections for town offices are held in a Presidential year it will be much easier for local officials to ignore the will of the people. Because - many of the people who come out to vote won't be familiar with the local issues and controversies.  It will be easier for developers and special interests to get what they want because the activists won't have as much influence on election day.

A third reason why this legislation is bad is that fewer people will vote in county elections. In the past competitive local elections encouraged people to also vote in county wide elections. The change does not impact county races. 

The legislation bill number is A 04282. One suggestion: If the state wants to pursue this idea provide local governments with the option of holding their elections in Presidential  or Governor election years instead of in odd election years when the focus of an election would be on town issues.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor