Published 7 days ago7d ago • Bookmarks: 76 The Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees took a major step last week to try to turn three village-owned lots into affordable housing trustees voted to enter into a partnership with Kearney Realty & Development Group to create affordable homes at two vacant properties on Cedar Street and in the parking lot at 99 Cedar Street the Kearney Group will review records and perform site investigations while trustees will discuss specifics concerning possibly signing a formal contract such as valuation of the parcels; specifics of the project plan and availability of public parking; determining extent of zoning amendments; setting the term of affordability for the residential units; establishing mix of affordability for the residential units; scheduling the public outreach process; and compliance with State Environmental Quality Review and other applicable legal obligations “It’s not a secret that Dobbs Ferry is facing an affordable housing crisis Many people struggle to both live and work here or stay in the community they’ve called home for generations,” Mayor Vincent Rossillo and trustees stated in a message to the community Trustees have addressed the issue in the past by creating an Affordable Housing Task Force updating zoning to allow Accessory Dwelling Units and increasing affordable unit requirements in new developments Those efforts played a role in the village earning a Pro-Housing Community designation from New York State and a $4.5 million NY Forward grant for the downtown “The goal is to create homes for folks like teachers who want to move to or stay in Dobbs Ferry but for whom there isn’t currently enough housing within that 30% threshold while maintaining ample public parking,” trustees stated “Affordable housing is often misunderstood as being solely for very low-income individuals it is typically structured as mixed-income housing because it serves a range of households across different income levels,” they added To identify new opportunities for housing in Dobbs Ferry the Affordable Housing Task Force and Pace University’s Land Use Law Center studied potential sites After issuing a request for qualifications last February and conducting a thorough review process trustees chose the Kearney Group from among seven applicants “The upsides to this initiative are clear: it can bring more housing options that people can afford,” trustees sated “Because this housing is downtown and close to public transit it should be attractive to those who don’t rely on cars which is good for our businesses and our community’s vitality It can produce recurring revenue on land that does not currently generate property taxes for the village or schools and website in this browser for the next time I comment © 2025. The Hudson Indy Westchester's Rivertowns News - By using this site you agree to the use of cookies, more info. Published 2 months ago2m ago • Bookmarks: 371 • Comments: 1 The Village of Dobbs Ferry got some “very exciting news” this week from New York Forward the state‘s dispenser of community grants: $4.5 million earmarked for municipal improvements designed to “invigorate and enliven downtowns” throughout the state including renovating the old Pickwick Theater on Cedar Street as Mayor Vincent Rossillo wrote in a message to residents “improving the experience of visiting downtown Dobbs Ferry through upgraded pedestrian thoroughfares and public spaces How much each of these projects would cost—and subsequently how far the $4.5 million would go to cover those costs—is yet to be determined “We’re going to meet over the next few weeks to decide,” Mayor Rossillo told The Hudson Independent Renovating the Pickwick Theater and restoring it as a live stage has appeal because it would significantly enhance the village’s arts and entertainment scene and draw ancillary business to Cedar Street’s many restaurants—much as the Tarrytown Music Hall draws paying customers to that village’s Main Street according to the Dobbs Ferry Historical Society Once housing a live stage that drew “Hollywood celebrities and Broadway stars,” then a movie theater that fell on hard times the renamed Pickwick was for a while an x-rated art house the space housed a Music Complex that included a sound studio Regardless of what its restoration would cost meaning the village would need to buy it first Other projects contemplated—upgrading sidewalks and parks along the corridor connecting the Metro North train station with downtown for example—involve properties already owned by the village the $4.5 million would probably not be earmarked for any single project but rather provide “seed money” for more than one  the money will help “make Dobbs Ferry an even more vibrant place to live The riverfront villages of Nyack in Rockland and Dobbs Ferry in Westchester each got a $4.5 million boost for plans to revitalize their downtowns The awards, part of New York State's Downtown Revitalization Initiative, were announced Tuesday, March 11. The city of Poughkeepsie received $10 million 10 New York municipalities received funds to help create "vibrant downtowns." The municipalities are all part of New York's "pro-housing community program" and the funding is part of New York's economic redevelopment program The municipalities' applications listed ideas for the grants from adding pollinator gardens downtown to drawing the arts with new public space Nyack: subsidized housing for firefighters to a gussied-up gatewayTouted by the state in its grant announcement for Nyack: a historic downtown that's home to an economically and culturally diverse population There's also a wide range of housing stock "This is an extraordinary day in the 143-year old history of our beautiful village," Nyack Mayor Joseph Rand said in a statement "This revitalization grant of $4.5 million is historically transformative and will make Nyack a better place to live Dobbs Ferry Mayor Vincent Rossillo said many had worked on the downtown revitalization plans in this tight-knit village. "This was truly a community-driven project," he posted March 11 on the Dobbs Ferry government website. He outlined possible uses of the grant in a message to the community: Bringing the historic Pickwick Theater back into public use as a performance space.Upgrading parks public spaces and sidewalks between the Dobbs Ferry Metro-North station and downtown.Improving the downtown by upgrading pedestrian thoroughfares and public spaces lighting and outdoor art."By better connecting our Metro-North station to our downtown creating new opportunities for visual and performing arts to flourish and public spaces along the train-to-downtown corridor we’ll make Dobbs Ferry an even more vibrant place to live work and visit," Rossillo said in a statement The next steps: the villages and state are going to work together to determine which projects receive NY Forward funding Published 6 months ago6m ago • Bookmarks: 471 Dobbs Ferry needed to play nearly mistake-free football if it was to deny undefeated Valhalla in the Section 1 Class C championship game The Eagles did not come close to doing that They committed five turnovers and Coach Joe Cox cited overall lack of execution following a 27-14 loss Saturday at Mahopac High School advanced to the title game by routing Putnam Valley The Eagles showed great resilience in that game since they had been pounded by the same opponent But points were much harder to come by against Valhalla with Killian O’Connor capping a drive on the first possession with a 2-yard scoring plunge Dobbs Ferry continued to move the ball well and a Nas Smith touchdown sliced the deficit to 21-14 with 3:34 left in the third quarter The defense produced a critical stop and the Eagles were on the move again only to fumble inside the opponent’s 20-yard line There was no recovering from that critical turnover Kevin Hartnett generated 150 all-purpose yards in his final game for Dobbs Ferry He has capably manned the quarterback position since he was a sophomore carried 12 times for 50 yards and tacked on a 20-yard kick return contributed 58 rushing yards and another 47 receiving while playing through a late-season ankle injury Senior Aayan Khan paced the defense with six tackles Published 2 months ago2m ago • Bookmarks: 287 remained in the County Center locker room a few minutes after their teammates left They were not quite ready to accept the end of their high school basketball careers They needed just a little more time to hug one another and to cry reaching the Section 1 Class B championship game missed shots and missed opportunities of all varieties had led to a 56-45 loss to top-seeded Yonkers Montessori Academy March 9 and the abrupt end to what had been a dream season Dobbs Ferry Coach Kasey Grisanti credited the newly crowned winners but wished her team had handled the ball better The Eagles had advanced to the title game with a hard-fought 63-58 victory against Blind Brook They lost for only the eighth time in 23 games Although the Gold Ball proved to be elusive They truly gave it everything they had to get to where we are I’m so proud of them and sad we couldn’t come out on top.” moving out to an 8-6 edge in the opening quarter But Yonkers Montessori features a very athletic roster with imposing size in the frontcourt and fought back to lead 24-17 at halftime and 39-30 through three quarters “We started off hot and then our energy kind of died down a little bit,” Grisanti said Trailing 41-30 early in the fourth quarter Dann spearheaded a run of six unanswered points with two foul shots and capped the run with another free throw that sliced the deficit to 41-36 with 5:30 remaining and brought the student cheering section to its feet the Eagles missed a pair of three-point shots and committed two turnovers one when they were unable to inbound the ball Those kinds of mistakes doomed them and they could not draw any closer Moon and Dann finished with 12 and 11 points We’ve never won a playoff game before in the four years that I’ve been on this team The fact that we got here means everything to me,” Moon said I’m really grateful to my teammates and my coaches.” Vicchio also emphasized how far the Eagles had come We got to where we wanted to be,” she said “We just didn’t finish as we would have liked to.” Published 3 months ago3m ago • Bookmarks: 206 and local officials braved the frigid temperatures earlier this month to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new cutting-edge specialty veterinary facility in Dobbs Ferry a board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist with more than 25 years of experience officially opened its doors February 5 at 15 Hamilton Street To make this dream a reality has taken a lot of work,” Heuter said “I am looking forward to growing this in the future.” Heuter received his veterinary degree from Ohio State University He has been in the Westchester area in large specialty practices since 2007 and has performed more than 10,000 ultrasounds His goal is to assist veterinarians with diagnostics and treatment of internal medicine cases Mobius will also offer after-hour services and weekend appointments Dobbs Ferry Mayor Vincent Rossillo and members of the Rivertowns Chamber of Commerce were on hand to wish Heuter and his staff good luck and much success For more information, visit www.mobiusvet.com Published 4 months ago4m ago • Bookmarks: 376 The Dobbs Ferry basketball team typically begins practice at 8 a.m Assistant coaches open the gym an hour before that for anyone wishing to put up additional shots That is still not early enough for Anthony Ficarrotta He often texts groggy coaches to gain access before 7 a.m “I like to be the first in there,” he said so whenever I can get in the gym and get extra work in That drive goes a long way toward explaining why Ficarrotta recently gained the distinction of becoming a 1,000-point scorer – as a junior He has started for the varsity since the sixth game of his freshman season mid-range jumpers and stepping beyond the arc for sweet three-pointers He displayed his tremendous range when he buried a three-pointer against Blind Brook to achieve the 1,000-point milestone the 6-3 Ficarrotta has willed himself to an elite level He was tallying 50 points in an AAU game when he was in middle school relentlessly searching for ways to improve his overall game He goes well beyond what most kids would do,” said Coach Scott Patrillo and he knows what it is going to take to reach those goals He’s more than willing to put in the extra work.” Ficarrotta definitely wants to play in college for someone who lacks imposing size and is competing at the Class B level in high school But he already has shown himself to be a special talent “The landscape is getting tougher based on all the rule changes that have happened at the Division 1 level It’s going to be harder for these kids to crack that,” Patrillo noted “But we feel confident that if someone out there is willing to give him an opportunity With a great deal of basketball still to be played Ficarrotta has received some interest from Division 1 schools but much more at the lower levels he can have his choice there,” his coach noted Ficarrotta has shown he is much more than a scorer His rebounding and defense continually improve In the same game in which he reached 1,000 points it was no small matter that he also pulled down 21 rebounds I have the right people around me trying to help me through the process I’ll put my head down and keep working and hopefully it works out We’ll see how that goes after the season.” Ficarrotta credits his coaches and teammates for putting him in good positions to score He is making sure nothing detracts from team goals The talented Eagles reached the Westchester County Center last season only to lose a heart-breaking game to Alexander Hamilton in the Class B semifinals “Losing was the worst feeling ever after we lost in the County Center last year We don’t want to feel that again,” he said “We definitely want to make it back and we want to go farther We think this is the year where we can do something special.” Published 3 months ago3m ago • Bookmarks: 293 • Comments: 1 A 2020 Dobbs Ferry High School graduate has been nominated for the Television Academy Foundation’s 44th College Television Awards who majored in animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design was nominated in the Animation Series category for an animated film she wrote produced and directed titled Le Charade while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design The project was selected from more than 200 entries by Television Academy members while working as a film counselor at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts I created a live-action mockumentary with my campers about a mime with claustrophobia,” said Totoro “The film was incredibly fun and silly; but it stuck with me I realized the character of a mime was perfect for stop-motion [animation] as you’re able to get a more exaggerated performance I loved the idea of disrupting a peaceful setting like a midnight diner and inserting such an aggressively cartoonish character in it.” stop-motion* animation piece about an unemployed mime who is grappling with his future Struggling to break free from his ingrained routine and feeling like an outcast the mime must navigate the psychosis of his mind as he scouts for a new profession in the city “While the time frame of 30 weeks for 3 minutes and 20 seconds of filming [for Le Charade] might not sound too crazy to anyone unfamiliar with animation production in stop motion it’s an incredible challenge,” said Totoro or 4,800 individual physically taken photos It would often take several days to shoot only 10 seconds of animation we’re also physically creating all the puppets Winners in the competition will be announced by television stars at the red carpet awards ceremony on April 5 at the Television Academy in North Hollywood student entries are judged by Television Academy members “It is such an unbelievable honor [to be nominated for a College Television Award],” Totoro said “One of my biggest goals as a student at SCAD was to bring more awareness to the incredible work coming from the stop-motion department at our school Part of the reason I co-founded the stop-motion club at SCAD was to get people interested in what I firmly believe to be the most incredible art medium I know so many people who are intimidated by it or consider it to be a ‘dying medium,’ and I’ve always wanted to change that stigma I am so grateful for this nomination for shining more light on stop-motion projects and I hope that can inspire more people to invest in stop-motion college programs.” There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here We're back with a good list of matchups that will help create some space in the standings ahead of the postseason Aditi Parambath had 157 passing yards and four touchdown passes in Lakeland's 27-0 win over Poughkeepsie Eve Girardi was 19 for 29 for 181 yards and four touchdowns in Tappan Zee's 28-0 win over Eastchester Aditi Parambath had 107 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in Lakeland's 35-0 win over Putnam Valley Gianna Martin had 112 rushing yards and three touchdowns in Arlington's 33-6 win over Ossining Ava Fagin scored two touchdowns as Brewster beat Mahopac Cam Cassese had two touchdowns as Eastchester topped Dobbs Ferry an interception and a receiving touchdown in Lakeland's 13-0 win over Yorktown Naula Isa had two rushing touchdowns in Yonkers' 27-18 win over North Rockland Jayla Nelson added two receiving touchdowns for Yonkers .. Lucy Mager and Kaitlyn Raguso had two touchdowns apiece and Sofia Andrade added another in Hendrick Hudson's 39-6 win over Woodlands Eve Girardi was 11 for 16 for 156 yards and four touchdowns also returning an interception for a touchdown as Tappan Zee beat Clarkstown 41-7 Nina Vasquez and Ella Sabatini also scored touchdowns for Tappan Zee Lucy Mager figured in to six touchdowns as Hendrick Hudson beat Walter Panas 39-6 Deanna Biancardi had two touchdowns and a pick-six as Eastchester came from behind to defeat North Rockland Fiona Kelleher had two touchdowns and a pick-six in Mahopac's 19-6 win over John Jay-Cross River Published 7 months ago7m ago • Bookmarks: 465 On a night of roiling emotions as Dobbs Ferry celebrated the life of Sam Kearns and marked Homecoming the Eagles rose to the occasion by defeating Tuckahoe Dobbs Ferry players wore pink socks and their helmets bore SAM decals Coaches wore pink T-shirts while funds were raised on behalf of the American Cancer Society whose impact on the Dobbs Ferry and Eastchester communities was profound is part of the Eagles’ coaching staff while their son is a standout on offense and defense as a sophomore with vast potential Sam was a beloved teacher at Eastchester Middle School and coached the cheerleading squad there Eastchester cheerleaders performed as part of a halftime salute to Sam who died last May 28 shortly after she was diagnosed with the disease “We did our best to pay tribute to one of the best Dobbs Ferry has ever had,” said Dobbs Ferry coach Joe Cox “Sam Kearns was such a big part of our community We tried to do what we could to honor her the best way we could.” in so many ways – this outpouring right here – has been a difference and a help that we’ve needed The powerful sense of community could be felt from the time seniors and their loved ones were introduced before kickoff to a halftime that bore the theme It was all part of withstanding a tragic loss and celebrating a life well lived “They’ve carried themselves through hell and continue to keep their chins up and push forward We want to do anything we can to support them.” in winning for the fourth time in five games relied on a strong running game and stout defense A Ryan Mohl fumble recovery positioned the Eagles deep in the visitors’ territory Hard-nosed running back Killian O’Connor capitalized with a 5-yard run to open the scoring with 1:07 left in the first quarter Andrew Zendel tacked on the first of his three extra points After Tuckahoe (2-3) fought back to tie the score Dobbs Ferry responded with a scoring drive of its own a senior quarterback who is a threat with his arm and his legs ploughed into the end zone from 2 yards out with 40 seconds left before halftime Dobbs Ferry continued to get a large number of defenders to the ball as it stuffed Tuckahoe’s running game in the second half sealed the deal with a four-yard scoring run with 2:11 to play we wanted to win for them,” Hartnett said of the Kearns family “They’ve done so much for the program over the years.” “She was special to everyone in our football program and in the Eastchester cheerleading program suffered another setback on the final drive when he injured his right ankle He shed bitter tears as he was helped off the field with what was believed to be a high ankle sprain “but one that we’re hoping is not so severe and one that Rodriguez is sure Jackson will continue to be resilient “I’m so excited to see his future,” the senior said whether it be throwing the ball or running the ball I know he’s going to do great things in years to come for Dobbs Ferry football.” Cocoa Tree Chocolates in Dobbs Ferry said as a small business owner and mom of three it's been a struggle to maintain the business "It takes a lot to make it work," she said citing the often "hit-or-miss" Dobbs Ferry foot traffic Local restaurant news: This Brewster farm-to-table restaurant, in business for 12 years, is closing which also sells ice cream in warm weather served as both sales space and workshop where Mandel churned out bonbons in an array of flavors (hello almond crunch chai and salted caramel) using the finest chocolates from France and Belgium along with fresh fruits Each item was attractive not just for its taste — never too sweet — but for its outer appearance with each chocolate akin to a little piece of artwork thanks to rich tones of orange Wrote Mandel in an Instagram post: "We have made the bittersweet decision to close .. it's been a wild ride and now it's time for a new adventure." Address: 25 Cedar St., 914-826-2614, CocoaTreeChocolates.com Know of an opening or closing? Email JRMuchnick@gannett.com Published 6 months ago6m ago • Bookmarks: 236 A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Thursday for Mirabella Cocina Latina an eatery in Dobbs Ferry located next to LOOK Dine-In Cinemas at Rivertowns Square The restaurant that features Latin American cuisine and cocktails opened in July but has recently expanded its menu as more people have discovered it and relayed their positive experience to family and friends “I have been rooting for Mirabella Cocina Latina,” said Dr the Dobbs Ferry representative for The Rivertowns Chamber of Commerce “because we need a lot more spice and flavor in Dobbs Ferry.” State Assemblywoman MaryJane Shimsky (D/Dobbs Ferry) who presented owner Brian Schultz with a proclamation have enjoyed dining at Mirabella Cocina Latina “Any place who can do yucca fries will always have a place in Dobbs Ferry,” Shimsky quipped Proclamations and well wishes were also given by representatives of State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins and Westchester County Executive George Latimer The space had been vacant since another restaurant closed in 2019 Owned by the same “mother company” as LOOK Mirabella Cocina Latina offers dishes inspired by Mexico All the drinks and cocktails available are “100% natural” with no syrups or processed fruits used who noted Mirabella means “look beautiful,” said the restaurant is unique to the area “It’s a perfect spot to be in this area,” he said Mirabella also has a large party room suitable to handle up to 120 people for a birthday celebration or wedding reception Mirabella is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday to 9 p.m.) Brunch is available on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m Customers can get three tacos for $8 on Taco Tuesdays and enjoy sporting events on large screens in the bar area Mirabella Cocina Latina will be participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week where guests can enjoy specially curated prix fixe menus for both lunch and dinner For more information, visit www.mirabellacocina.com Published 9 months ago9m ago • Bookmarks: 306 Dobbs Ferry has been given a spooky mythos in Headhunters Paredes’s sophomore effort after his 2023 debut Out On A Limb owes its setting to the author’s two-decade-long residency in the town In an interview with the Rivertowns Current Paredes explained that while neighboring locales Sleepy Hollow and Yonkers have their own dark reputations Dobbs Ferry has yet to gain its own creep factor Dobbs Ferry becomes the playground of giant alien insects who wreak havoc on the families of two young protagonists Working at the Dobbs Ferry Library has allowed Paredes to explore his longtime affinity for horror in a more localized context When it came to deciding on the novel’s setting Paredes noted the intrigue of exploring what may lurk behind the familiar “It was just easy for me as a writer to visualize these places that I see every day and add my twist to it,” he explained Dobbs Ferry materializes in the story as a backdrop for a weirder such as Springhurst Elementary School and South Street Presbyterian Church Paredes even notes that his own house served as inspiration for a character’s abode These nods to local haunts ground the narrative in a sense of reality — but things certainly do get strange Though not exclusively a Young Adult novel Paredes cited the family-oriented character of Dobbs Ferry as ripe for putting two tweens to the test as the kids are put in danger “They’re in the middle of a horrible storm involving very powerful deities that hunt ghosts and can hunt people if need be,” Paredes said Paredes cites Clive Barker as a favorite author of his when he was a tween and notes Barker’s influence on his own current work as a horror writer maintaining both audience accessibility and a high fear factor was an important part of his creative process with Headhunters The concept for the novel’s antics came to him from one eerie line “It’s the start of chapter one,” Paredes explained “‘Edgar Tooms stared at his grandfather’s severed head and smiled…’And I was like Paredes’s dedication to horror comes less from a desire for gore and more from a love of what he refers to as “weird fiction.” He says this allows him to “branch off” from the confines of traditional horror tropes to explore the terrain of surrealism and dark fantasy creating a unique tone in each of his texts This story is re-posted from the Rivertowns Current. To read the rest, go to: https://rivertownscurrent.substack.com/p/dobbs-ferry-is-setting-for-insectoid Published 5 months ago5m ago • Bookmarks: 218 • Comments: 2 Hundreds of adults and youngsters braved frigid temperatures in the mid-20s Sunday morning to participate in the 12th Annual Dobbs Ferry Holiday Hustle 5K & Kids Reindeer Fun Run 1K Almost 760 runners and walkers were in the holiday spirit wearing festive attire for the joyful event which benefits the Dobbs Ferry Youth Services Council (YSC) and its holiday gift drive The Grinch was the theme of this year’s hustle Participants started in the parking lot of Mercy University and ended on Main St. where hot chocolate and cookies were waiting everyone was in good spirits completing the race and supporting a good cause The Dobbs Ferry YSC plays an essential role in the Dobbs Ferry community by addressing the needs of local youth and promoting collaboration between young people and adults and students from local schools like Dobbs Ferry High School One of its key goals is to create programs and initiatives that enhance the overall well-being of Dobbs Ferry’s youth ensuring their voices are heard and their needs met A significant part of YSC’s work is supported by the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program which funds local coalitions to reduce substance use among young people managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides grant funds annually to community groups like YSC The grant enables YSC to strengthen partnerships with local sectors—including law enforcement and faith-based organizations—to reduce youth alcohol Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates A FedEx delivery driver was assaulted and robbed of a package in broad daylight on a residential street in Westchester The incident happened on Hillside Road in Dobbs Ferry the Dobbs Ferry Police Department announced the driver was approached by a Hispanic man who falsely claimed to be the intended recipient of the package during which the suspect shoved the driver to the ground and forcibly grabbed the package from his hands The assailant then fled the scene in a black Honda Civic driven by an unidentified Black man The vehicle was last seen heading south on Broadway toward Hastings-on-Hudson Authorities believe the robbery was an isolated and targeted incident and said there is no ongoing threat to public safety The Dobbs Ferry Police Department is asking residents in the area to check any home surveillance footage from the time of the incident Anyone who may have captured video or has information is urged to call police at 914-693-5500 VALHALLA — The last time the Valhalla and Dobbs Ferry football teams met Valhalla won 27-26 via a great defensive stand Friday night's game between the two rivals was viewed as a possible preview of a Section 1 Class C playoff showdown Friday's game was far removed from a repeat of last year's dramatic contest Host Valhalla celebrated homecoming by blowing out the Eagles 35-7 The Vikings ran roughshod over the Eagles almost all night They had TD runs of 19 and 48 yards in the first half before exploding with three second-half touchdowns Josh Bergey had two of those scores before the Vikings padded their lead on a 25-yard TD pass and extra point before the fourth quarter even started Dobbs Ferry's lone score came on the ground with 1:54 to play "We expected to run them over," said Valhalla senior Tyler Ratti adding his team had "no worries" coming into the game having outscored its four previous opponents by a combined 156-24 Valhalla was up 14-0 entering the third quarter Valhalla had opened the scoring in the last minute of the first quarter with Bergey going in from 19 yards out Valhalla got the ball back on its own 23 after a fourth-down Viking pass into the end zone fell incomplete went those 48 yards down the left sideline for the score Valhalla's kick had failed after its first TD but Ratti carried in a 2-point conversion after his TD run Dobbs Ferry still seemed very much in the game as the third quarter began That was before Ratti and company went to work on the opening series The big play saw Ratti take a pitch and go 39 yards to the Eagle 16 After a penalty and good Dobbs Ferry defensive work Valhalla faced a fourth-and-nine from the 15 pitching to Bergey who swept left and eluded everyone going in for the score with fewer than six minutes gone in the quarter Keelan Mahon then kicked his first of three PATs it was less than two-and-a-half minutes later One play after a Dobbs Ferry punt to the Valhalla 38 running 51 yards for Valhalla's fourth score looking like it was going to punt from its own 32 The ball caromed off the receiver's hands for an incompletion Valhalla followed with its own dropped pass ‒ this one in the end zone a couple of plays after Bergey picked up a first down on a fourth-and-six run Viking QB Brayden McGinty found Anthony Pesce in the right corner of the end zone with a 25-yard touchdown pass The PAT put the Vikings up 35-0 with 2:49 still left in the third quarter Dobbs Ferry's seemed poised to score as the third quarter turned into the fourth after runs of 13 and 11 yards by quarterback Kevin Hartnett and a 16-yard run by Ryan Mohl But on the first play of the final quarter Hartnett's fourth-down pass from the Viking 13 fell incomplete in the end zone The Eagles finally got on the board when Killian O'Connor capped a four-play drive with a 10-yard run for the TD with 2:18 to play Hartnett threw for 67 yards and rushed for 58 Killian had 60 yards on 11 carries and Mohl 41 on eight carries Nas Smith also had 44 yards on the ground on seven carries for Dobbs Ferry Luke Foisett carried 13 times for 95 yards Moulard had seven carries for 81 yards and Bergey who also had a big defensive game with seven tackles Perhaps a little lost given the ultimate score but big at the time sacked Harnett for a 12-yard loss before he passed incomplete into the end zone on fourth down with the Vikings up just 6-0 Bergey said the difference in the game came down to Valhalla's offensive backs being faster than Dobbs Ferry's defense and the Viking offensive line being "incredible He added his team was 100% different from last year's squad because of its increased "physicality." "Our line did a good job holding true and competing and we kept pushing pushing and the backs we have are dynamic," Valhalla coach Dan DeMatteo added in analyzing the win He predicted a likely playoff rematch between the two teams he expects any rematch to be much more competitive Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, basketball, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at @HaggertyNancy Frank Donato has taken his passion for classic, clean Italian cooking and created an intimate Dobbs Ferry wine bar with a big menu. One of those items at Bellacosa Wine & Tapas Bar — the crispy eggplant meatballs — are the best thing I ate this week I'm also a fan of Frank's Angry Chicken with plum tomatoes garlic and chili flakes and his super light homemade ricotta gnocchi in a pomodoro sauce with fresh basil The self-taught chef grew up with his Calabrian-born mom grandmother and three aunts who used him as a test subject for tasting — so he had "no choice" (his words!) but to learn The intimate space is an outgrowth of his pizzeria next door which opened in 1992 As a wine enthusiast and a dedicated home cook He also wanted to give the neighborhood something that didn't exist before More: Westchester's restaurant scene is hot this November: We've got intel on 19 new spots The result is a dimly lit 42-seat wine bar he opened in January 2020 with an emphasis on tapas many of which are inspired by Donato's childhood What makes this place so good is the fact that Donato cooks predominantly with oil and rarely uses butter Soups are made to order; his Pasta e Fagioli is vegan the wine — that makes me a repeat customer stewing and pureeing it first before roasting and later coating it with breadcrumbs and tomato sauce his pizzas — they're personal 10-inch-sized here — are also delish and available gluten-free Donato's wine list is 80% Italian and meant to complement each dish More: Brazilian cheese bread in Mamaroneck is Jeanne Muchnick's Best Thing She Ate This Week Address: 147 Main St., Dobbs Ferry, 914- 693-6259, bellacosawinebar.com Good to know: Wine flights are $18 for three tastings Tuesday to Thursday and features 30% off all wine and cocktails Thursday is Ladies' Night with $10 cocktails also features live jazz every other weekend; check their social media for updates Fun fact: Donato met his wife Tiffany at Bellacosa when she came in for a business meeting (she's in the wine industry) Want more behind the scenes info on where I'm going and what I'm eating? My weekly newsletter is free; sign up at profile.lohud.com/newsletters/manage Published 8 months ago8m ago • Bookmarks: 562 Expectations are always high at Dobbs Ferry Some players might view that as a burdensome pressure As far as senior offensive lineman Michael Rodriguez is concerned You should strive to win no matter what you’re doing,” he said “Our goal is sectional champions and go beyond that.” Veteran coach Joe Cox saw plenty to like as the season approached “There is definitely the potential to be a good football team,” he said “But we’ve talked about the investment of hard work and commitment and the determination to get there.” Much of the optimism stems from the growth of senior quarterback Kevin Hartnett His command of the offense seems to improve every game “I definitely feel more comfortable,” Hartnett said “I have a better idea of what I’m doing and what is going on out there.” We are really excited for the season he can have.” So is that of workhorse back Patrick McGoey Cox describes him as a “really dynamic fullback for us.” Mike Guerrerio and Killian O’Connor provide depth Jackson Kearns and Ryan Mohl are capable halfbacks Senior Jake Broccoli and junior Dylan Ravage should see action at split end Sophomore Andrew Zendel has been vying for time at tight end He first received some action as a freshman He takes immense pride in the grunt work the line must do is the soul and heart of our team,” he said “There is no better thing than to push a guy around and pass block those position players don’t mean anything.” Junior Mark Guerrerio is at center with senior Aayan Khan and junior Sam Bass at the guard positions Etien Dega saw time at right tackle in preseason The Eagles graduated 10 seniors from a team that went 5-2 in the regular season and ultimately lost to Bronxville in the playoff semifinals They are joined this year in Class C by Hastings Dobbs Ferry will rely on a large number of players who will see action on both sides of the ball Their ability to stay healthy will go a long way toward determining the Eagles’ fortunes “We’re definitely excited for them and excited about what the possibilities could be eventually,” said Cox forever mindful of the winning tradition the Eagles are expected to uphold Published 2 months ago2m ago • Bookmarks: 267 is offering free tax preparation services through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at its Westchester and Bronx campuses and limited English-speaking individuals with assistance in filing their federal and state taxes Mercy University hosts training workshops each January to help volunteers prepare to take the required IRS VITA-certification exams prior to working with clients These services are available by appointment to qualifying taxpayers with walk-ins also accepted on a first-come Taxpayers with appointments will receive priority Mercy University Westchester Campus (Dobbs Ferry) Dial “211” (if dialing from within Westchester County); Dial: 1-800-899-1479 (if dialing from outside of Westchester County) Hit Menu Option 8 to reach tax assistance personnel Let them know you would like to make an appointment for Free Tax Preparation at Mercy University’s VITA site; Indicate the campus location you would like to make an appointment at (Dobbs Fery or Bronx) You will be screened for income eligibility and and you will be advised what documents you need to bring to your appointment Published 9 months ago9m ago • Bookmarks: 276 • Comments: 4 Dobbs Ferry officials have concluded a moratorium on development in the neighborhood known as The Knoll isn’t possible In a July 31 posting on the village’s website the Board of Trustees responded to recent concerns raised by residents about future construction in that area Mem­bers of the “Save the Knoll” cit­i­zens group pre­sented a pe­ti­tion signed by 273 res­i­dents at the May 28th Vil­lage Board of Trustees meet­ing re­quest­ing the con­struc­tion de­lay “The village has certain powers to enforce a temporary moratorium on building but such a moratorium cannot apply to only a specific area or project,” the Board of Trustees stated “A moratorium would affect all residential building in Dobbs Ferry and may also affect additions to existing homes creation of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) meaning halted projects may still be built in the near future.” “Village attorneys advise that if the board were to implement the requested moratorium which is narrowly targeted to affect development in The Knoll the village would be unlikely to prevail in subsequent lawsuits given the deeded private property rights revealed in the title report,” trustees continued There are 12 privately held lots alongside The Knoll including two lots that are before the Planning Board with proposed plans for development of single-family homes Village officials explained a title search by a title company revealed that the paper street known as The Knoll has remained privately owned since its 1926 subdivision and was never dedicated to the village the Board of Trustees’ 2005 resolution to “de-map” The Knoll was not sufficient to prevent development of the road and the privately held lots along The Knoll for two intersecting reasons the village can only de-map streets it owns.The 12 privately held lots abutting The Knoll retain ownership rights along this entire privately owned paper street to its intersection with existing village streets guaranteeing these lots’ access to village roads and services,” trustees stated even if the village had ownership rights of the street known as The Knoll in 2005 and could properly de-map that street,the village could not have prevented development of the adjacent lots given the property owners’ deeded rights of access to Village streets,” trustees stressed “Neither the village nor private landowners can legally cut off access to privately owned buildable lots as this negates the rights and interests of their owners a decision to de-map a village street requires a finding that the street has become “useless” as a right-of-way to the general public Because it provides the only access to the 12 privately held lots “We regret that the 2005 Board were not properly advised on the limitations of their authority and the steps required to obtain and convert to public use the land in the 1926 subdivision to prevent development and maintain open spaces which was their laudable intention,” trustees added “The current Board of Trustees is obligated to follow the law as described to us by village counsel.” the Board of Trustees stated it agreed with some of the issues raised by residents “Open space in Dobbs Ferry is precious and we share the perspective that existing open spaces and parkland should be preserved whenever possible and that sustainability and resiliency are essential to all development decisions in the village,” the board stated can only be expressed in accordance with the law and rights of all involved parties.” Five former residents of the Children's Village a prominent facility in Dobbs Ferry for at-risk children sued the nonprofit that runs the facility Wednesday accusing staff members of committing violent acts of sexual abuse says she was repeatedly raped by a Children's Village staff member beginning when she was placed there in 2007 at 7 years old The abuse began shortly after her arrival and continued for five years says that the staff member entered her bedroom one night while she was alone and instructed her to remove her pants She was then forced to perform oral sex on him and was forcibly held down says the staff member threatened to "kill her and her family" if she told anyone what happened A spokesperson for the Children's Village told The Journal News that the organization is "aware of the litigation" and is reviewing the plaintiffs' allegations we are unable to provide further details at this time," the spokesperson said The collection of lawsuits was filed under a lesser utilized provision of the Child Victims Act The act allowed anyone who believes they suffered sexual abuse as a child to file a lawsuit during a special one-year "look-back" period The look-back period was later extended for another year The Child Victims Act also allowed more recent claims of child sexual abuse to be brought until the survivor turns 55 years old This lesser utilized provision has been cited by survivors even if their abuse is alleged to have occurred before the Child Victims Act went into effect which represents the five plaintiffs behind Wednesday's cases called the allegations of sexual abuse a "harrowing systemic issue" at Children's Village these cases reveal a deeply rooted pattern of negligence and institutional betrayal that cannot be ignored," she said in a statement "Survivors coming forward are not only seeking justice but are shining a light on the urgent need for accountability and reform in organizations like Children's Village who operate residential treatment facilities serving at-risk youth." The individuals accused of perpetrating the abuse are only named as John and Jane Does in the lawsuits which explain that more information is needed Another former Children's Village resident identified in court papers Wednesday as S.B. says he was groomed and sexually assaulted by a female recreation department staff member during his placement at the facility The staff member first became acquainted with S.B after his admission into the Children's Village in 2013 she picked him up in her car and drove him to her personal apartment for a sleepover She "severely sexually abused" him both at her apartment and at the Children's Village further says she plied him with food and marijuana "in exchange for sexual acts." S.B.'s mother is said to have learned about what was happening with her son and reported her concerns to other Children's Village staff The recreation department staff member was then let go says that "no further actions were taken to investigate Wednesday's lawsuits are only the latest wave of abuse claims that have been lodged against the Children's Village in recent years After the Child Victims Act was signed into law the facility faced numerous lawsuits alleging sexual abuse at the hands of staff members over a broad span of time In October of this year, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced the sentencing of a former Children's Village employee who had admitted to having sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old resident of the Children's Village in 2021 Jean-Baptiste was given a 10-year probationary sentence and was required to register as a sex offender Asher Stockler is a reporter for the USA Today Network New York. You can send him an email at astockler@lohud.com. Reach him securely: asher.stockler@protonmail.com Fire crews in Westchester responded to a garbage truck fire after workers spotted smoke coming from a lithium-ion battery from the vehicle’s load The battery sparked a fire inside a garbage truck's trash load The incident happened in Dobbs Ferry on Tuesday when the Dobbs Ferry Fire Department was dispatched to the Department of Public Works Garage for reports of a garbage truck fire firefighters found that the smoke was coming from the back of the truck crews discovered a burning lithium-ion battery in the middle of the pile firefighters pulled apart the pile and removed the hazardous battery The Westchester County Department of Emergency Services Hazardous Materials team was then contacted to ensure its safe disposal The fire department urged residents to follow proper disposal guidelines for lithium-ion batteries to prevent dangerous incidents like this Published 9 months ago9m ago • Bookmarks: 294 Anyone looking for Latin American cuisine and cocktails should look no further than Mirabella Cocina Latina the new restaurant in Dobbs Ferry next to LOOK Dine-In Cinemas at Rivertowns Square on Hamilton Street the eatery is already being well-received by “I fell in love with the place just by seeing it,” Carrillo said “It has a homey feel with reasonable prices with a good ambiance I’m hoping the people in the community will embrace the concept and be happy with it.” Carrillo stressed the two businesses are separate entities with different cooks and servers He said the only things they share are an ice machine and a dish pit The space has been empty since a previous restaurant closed in 2019 Another Mirabella exists on West 57th Street in Manhattan “The person who designed this was a genius It’s a place that has a full bar where you can see a television wherever you are sitting To see an open kitchen—not everyone has that “It’s very well-intended for special events,” Carrillo said Carrillo stressed all the food is “made from scratch.” “I don’t believe in having large menus,” Carrillo explained “I like to have smaller menus that can rotate.” Carrillo said all the drinks and cocktails available are “100% natural” with no syrups or processed fruits used “That’s part of the uniqueness of the bar environment,” he said Carrillo said Mirabella is planning to have special events with guest chefs and patio seating in the near future Brunch is available on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m Published 5 months ago5m ago • Bookmarks: 226 a local landscape designer and active environmentalist the only child of Lillian Graham and Max Theiler a medical researcher who won the Nobel Prize for his work developing the yellow fever vaccine to making dances for others including the choreography for Gilbert & Sullivan and Hasty Pudding shows at Harvard She went on to study with Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham which performed site-specific works in Boston she was asked to choreograph a performance called “Riot,” which depicted a panel discussion that deteriorated into violence using movement and freeze frames taken from photographs of riots after Martin Luther King’s assassination a newspaper strike prevented its planned move to Broadway After working as an arts consultant on the renewal of downtown Washington D.C. they moved to Hastings and then Dobbs Ferry She apprenticed as a film editor intending to do documentaries but found more independence creating an animated film of her own She fell in love with landscape design while working on a spec house and her own garden then went on to earn a Landscape Design Certificate from the NY Botanical Garden she co-founded the Dobbs Ferry architectural firm STA Studio with her husband Tilly As a board member of Friends of Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park she contributed countless hours to the renovation of the park “She was our go-to person for all things landscaping She selected the sweet bay magnolias and willow oak trees that were purchased by the Friends and when an email came from her I knew I’d learn something,” said Friends advisor Nancy Delmerico “Elizabeth was so helpful in getting the Friends group started and then selecting appropriate trees for the park She was a terrific human being and truly loved.” and co-developer of the Dobbs Ferry Playhouse She also served on the boards of the Greater Hudson Heritage Network Published 4 weeks ago4w ago • Bookmarks: 190 A new approach to football scheduling that may pain Dobbs Ferry appears to be a significant gain for other local schools While past schedules were based on enrollment the move has been made to a power-ranking system that blends Class B C and D to the detriment of a perennial Class C power while benefiting programs that struggled year after year Dobbs Ferry is scheduled to oppose three of the top five Class B schools – Pleasantville Those three games may take a toll on the Eagles from an injury standpoint “You are going against teams that are going to be bigger and have programs that are twice the size,” said Dobbs Ferry coach Joe Cox “They have a full junior varsity program that has 30 kids and a varsity program that has 30-35 kids Most of us small schools have half of that numbers wise.” Dobbs Ferry also will face Pelham and Irvington from Class B in addition to more typical opponents like Hastings from Class C and Tuckahoe from D “We worry about the wear and tear of what is nearly a full Class B schedule,” Cox said Cox questioned the need for what will be a dramatic change “The state sets forth enrollment numbers for a reason,” he said “We have seven schools in C and nine in C-D Class B doesn’t need C-D and C-D doesn’t need B It is not as though there are three or four schools in Class C and we have nobody to play.” Irvington Athletic Director John Buonamano strongly endorsed the new system “I’ve had a lot of discussions with my colleagues who were in favor of it,” he said “We really felt this was an opportunity to level the playing field.” Buonamano said some recent results for the Bulldogs “We all have been living this unfortunate decline in football competitiveness for 10-plus years We all now are going to have schedules that are going to be as competitive as they can possibly be.” Sleepy Hollow Athletic Director Michael Arias also looks forward to the change after his long-struggling team finished 3-3 “We feel good about the blended football schedule and are looking forward to a competitive and challenging season,” he said by email we respect that some schools may have concerns about the blended schedule Football scheduling is often one of the most difficult tasks and I’m confident that our football representatives put a lot of time and thought into the proposal We are excited about the upcoming season and the opportunities it will bring our student athletes.” “We can at least compete,” said Athletic Director Drew Wendol “We’re not going to win a state championship with this.” Wendol said there is concern that some weaker programs would be unable to continue to field teams if the lopsided defeats continued it’s hard to keep kids motivated,” he said Cox argued that his schedule was “not fair.” He added “Part of the frustration is that there is no recourse There is no policy or procedure for appealing a schedule.” has long benefited from a strong youth program “There are communities that have feeder programs when it comes to football and do an excellent job of historically being able to produce players from a lower level and be competitive across the board,” he said Irvington has frequently found itself in the position of trying to make-up big deficits on the field and off really hard at trying to better themselves and put themselves in a better position to have success,” Buonamano said some of our athletes are playing football for the first time as 10th or 11th graders