Two suspects wanted in connection with a stabbing in another state were apprehended at a building in Westchester following a narcotics arrest that alerted investigators to their trail, police said.  The arrests of Dion Johnson, age 38, and Yolanda Lower, age 46, who were both wanted in connection with a stabbing in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, were announced by the Westchester County Police Department on Monday, April 22. According to the department, the events leading up to the arrests began when authorities learned of a stolen vehicle being driven near the Mount Vernon/Bronx border ..read more

An iconic statue has returned in a more durable form in Northern Westchester. The statue in front of The Elephant Hotel in Somers known as Old Bet has returned to its post after being taken down in July 2023, Somers town officials announced on Monday, April 22.  The beloved landmark had been a fixture in Somers since 1827 when a gilt wood replica of an elephant was installed on iron scrollwork on top of a granite shaft in front of the hotel, which was built between 1820 and 1825 and is now used as Town Hall.  The old statue was taken down after cracks were discovered in it. Soo ..read more

Those interested in the details of the "Hush Money" criminal trial against former President Donald J. Trump may read every word of what happened at Manhattan Criminal Court when the New York Court system publishes the transcripts online daily. Beginning Monday, April 22, the full transcript will be available here on the court system's website. The New York Unified Court System said it is doing so because the trial is not being televised and to push the courts to ensure broad and continuous public access to the high-profile case.  A certified transcript of each day’s trial proce ..read more

A franchise that serves up sushi on a revolving conveyor belt is set to celebrate the grand opening of a new location in Westchester.  A new Kura Revolving Sushi Bar location at the Midway Shopping Center in Scarsdale at 913A Central Park Ave. will hold a grand opening celebration on Wednesday, April 24 beginning at 11:30 a.m.  The eatery, which held a soft opening on Sunday, April 21, serves sushi, soup, noodles, dumplings, fries, desserts, and more on a conveyor belt that extends throughout the business next to each booth. To order, customers can either select what they would like ..read more

As the first day of testimony wrapped up in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial, new polling showed that a majority of New Yorkers consider the prosecution warranted. A Siena College Research Institute poll released Monday, April 22, showed that 54 percent of respondents said the trial is “legitimate,” while 30 percent saw the prosecution as a meritless “witch hunt.” Broken down by party, 77 percent of Democrats and 44 percent of independents called the proceedings a “legitimate trial to determine whether Trump is or is not guilty of criminal behavior.” Meanwhile, 66 percent of Rep ..read more

Although it looked like a real response, an influx of emergency agencies and police at a Hudson Valley monastery was only a drill to prepare for an active shooter scenario.  The exercise was held in Putnam County on Sunday, April 21 at the Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel at 2020 Route 301, according to the Carmel Fire Department.  During the drill, which was hosted by the Kent Fire Department, several local, county, and regional agencies acted as if there were an active shooter with "victims" played by volunteers.  After the exercise was complete, the agencies then gathered ..read more

Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding a missing 19-year-old woman who has been missing from Westchester for several days. In an alert issued on Sunday, April 21, Yonkers Police announced they are searching for 19-year-old Jacklyn Kauffo, who was last seen in the area of 68 Elliot Ave. midday on Saturday, April 20.  Kauffo is described as a Black woman who is 5-foot-4 and 130 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black shirt, pink pajama pants, and gray Air Max shoes. She may be in need of medical attention, police said. Anyone with information on Kauffo's whereabouts ..read more

A 23-year-old man faces several charges after taking a photo under a Muslim woman's clothing and exposing himself in Westchester, police said. The arrest stemmed from an incident on Friday, March 8 in New Rochelle, when a suspect approached a woman wearing a niqāb, a Muslim garment that covers the entire body and face besides the eyes, and took a photo underneath it, New Rochelle Police Captain J. Collins Coyne announced on Friday, April 19.  The suspect, identified as New Rochelle resident Hussain Haider, also exposed himself to the victim before running away, Coyne said, adding that th ..read more

A brief warmup to start the workweek will be followed by an advancing cold front bringing frosty conditions and possible thunderstorms. It will be sunny and warmer on Monday, April 22, with high temperatures in the upper 50s, according to the National Weather Service. Look for more of the same on Tuesday, April 23, with mostly sunny skies and a high temperature in the low 60s.  Clouds will thicken Tuesday night, with rain and showers expected at times until late Wednesday afternoon, April 24. As the frontal system moves through during that time, thunderstorms are possible. There is ..read more

Shock and sadness are spreading following the sudden death of Eleanor Birrittella, a well-known corrections officer in Westchester. Birrittella died on Saturday, April 20, according to Hector Lopez, the president of the New York Hispanic American Law Enforcement Organization. A cause of death had not yet been released. Online records show Birrittella was 40 years old and lived in Yonkers. "Officer Birrittella had a smile that lit up the place," Lopez said in announcing her death. "She loved her job. I will miss her, we will all miss her." The entire WCOBA family is mourning the tragic ..read more