4 Local Things: Safety Debated, Marijuana Regulated, Refs Excoriated, Athletes Nominated

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The issue of crime took center stage in last month’s election, and related local debates over how to best balance public safety with the need for public safety nets continues to dominate much of the daily dialogue. 

Two stories we published this week touch on elements of that community conversation. 

When these arguments bubble up, the hope is that any fear-mongering is avoided, and all sides stick to the facts, especially as class and race become the unavoidable subtext.

So far, as far as I can tell, the public rhetoric at the very least has remained largely above board.   

The Peekskill Common Council last week unanimously approved a zoning text amendment to allow transitional housing, paving the way for the only homeless shelter in northern Westchester to relocate to a new home. 

Victor Wong, the longtime owner of the McDonald’s in the shopping center, said his main concern is the safety of his employees and customers.

“There’s a lot of stuff that may happen that we have to get the police involved,” Wong said. “I’m all for helping people. 100 percent. I just wish there would be a better location for this to be.”

Meanwhile, Mount Pleasant residents living near the Pleasantville Cottage School called on the town and representatives of the school’s operating agency to better protect the community after a recent escalation of incidents involving its residents.

The Cottage School serves a population of children from seven to 16 years old who have educational, behavioral, and emotional needs.

“There are very good kids, but the ones that aren’t good, it’s becoming a problem, and my biggest fear is that one day one of these kids is going to walk into the residential community and do something, and a resident is going to react and it’s going to become a news story and we’re all going to look like the bad guys,” said Gary Rushneck, a Coalition for a Safe Mount Pleasant member. “We’re trying to prevent that from happening.”

​It’s worth stressing how the overwhelming majority of kids at the Cottage School do not create the real issues neighbors are worried about. As for the homeless shelter, some opponents cite environmental concerns at the site, beyond the debate over whether the residents create any real increased public safety concerns at the location. The property was previously occupied by a recycling company cited for scores of violations by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Examiner Editor-in-Chief Martin Wilbur has our full report on the Cottage School debate while news editor Rick Pezzullo writes the latest on the homeless shelter.

On a not entirely unrelated note, State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has introduced legislation to combat the illegal sale of marijuana and marijuana-related products.

If approved, Paulin’s bill would establish that any business selling cannabis without a license would be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $2,500 for the first violation, $5,000 for a second violation, and the potential seizure of the business on a third violation. The current fine for a business is $250.

“To ensure the legitimacy of the adult-use cannabis industry, we must penalize bad actors in the same manner as we do for other legitimate industries in our state who operate without a required license,” Paulin said.

Get the details in Rick’s report. 

In sports, it was disappointing to hear that a bad call might have decided the Pleasantville football game this past weekend, ending the Panther season, and the team and community’s hopes for a state championship. 

Pleasantville lost to Maine-Endwell in the Class-B football championship on Sunday, coming up on the wrong end of a 26-25 battle. 

“It’s entirely possible that Pleasantville football was robbed of its second New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class B title with a questionable fourth quarter phantom penalty going against the Panthers,” Examiner Sports Editor Ray Gallagher wrote on Twitter. 

I always feel very bad for the refs. They work hard for little pay and endure constant abuse. No wonder they’re in short supply. And at the same time, it’s such a shame if Pleasantville’s dreams were dashed as a result of human error. 

Anyway, big ups to the Panthers on a great season. 

Another local team dominated in the big game, with nothing left to chance.

Somers beat Section 4 champion Union-Endicott to win the ring. 

As Ray put it in his coverage: “Section 1 champion Somers…cut through the fourth-ranked Tigers like they were somebody’s backyard, thrashing their way to the Tuskers’ second NYSPHSAA Class A title since 2016 in a 58-21 beatdown at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse last Saturday.” 

Here is Ray’s report.

In fact, the Somers team is led by one of our Club Fit-sponsored “Athlete of the Season” nominees, senior quarterback Matt Fitzsimons.

Fitzsimons tossed four touchdown passes and threw for 264 yards while rushing for yet another score.

If my calculations are correct, Ray has been covering local sports in this area now for 500 years, and he rates Fitzsimons as the best QB in Somers history. That’s saying something. 

Chime in with your advisory committee Athlete of the Season vote right here if you haven’t already. 

That’s it for today. Till tomorrow.

Best,

Adam Stone, Publisher