LAWLER REMEMBERS WELLES CROWTHER, THE "MAN IN THE RED BANDANA", PRESIDENT AWARD HIM THE MEDAL OF FREEDOM

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton -- our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses or worship -- in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.



Washington, D.C. – 9/8/26… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) attended an event at the White House that President Donald J. Trump hosted for 9/11 first responders and officials. The President posthumously presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the family of Welles Remy Crowther, the Upper Nyack native and volunteer firefighter known as the “Man in the Red Bandana.” MORE AT Lawler Remembers Welles Crowther as President Trump Awards Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom at 9/11 White House Ceremony | Congressman Mike Lawler

SOME RECENT POSTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED...

            

Because life gets busy...

***1950 FEMALE LIFEGUARDS IN CROTON; GO HERE

***ICYMI--FROM THE NEW "CROTON.NEWS" SITE--VILLAGE PRESENTS OLD POST ROAD NORTH TRAFFIC STUDY, RESIDENTS PUSH BACK; click here

***BESS FAILURE INCIDENCE DATABASE; GO HERE

***FROM DENNIS KOONEY--SOME POST-2026 RIVER DAY THOUGHTS AND PHOTOS---GO TO EverythingCroton: FROM DENNIS KOONEY--SOME POST-2026 RIVER DAY THOUGHTS AND PHOTOS

***RUBIO ORDERS DEPORTATION KUWAITI PERM, RESIDENT; click here

***CORNELL LAB---A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT HOW HUMMINGBIRDS SPARKLE AND HOVER; GO HERE

***YADA YADA YADA, SOCIAL MEDIA, THE FINE MONDAY; GO HERE

***RIVERCUP 2026 RESULTS; GO HERE

MEDIA WORLD PRAISES "GRIPPING" NEW 60 MINUTES UNDER MAGA-FRIENDLY BOSS BARI WEISS

No surprise to many of us. We have watched her well-deserved meteoric climb ever since she and the New York Times parted ways. Congratulations Bari and much continued success.



The season premiere of 60 Minutes is being met with overwhelming praise, despite months of unease about the show's fate under new CBS boss Bari Weiss.

The episode on Sunday featured an interview with an Air Force colonel shot down over Iran earlier this year and a hidden camera investigation headed by longtime correspondent Lesley Stahl.  READ MORE AT Media world praises 'gripping' new 60 Minutes under MAGA-friendly boss Bari Weiss

ICYMI--EARLY FALL 2026 EDITION FROM EVERYTHING CROTON: "THE CROTON KNITTER & CROCHETER TOO"

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton -- our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses or worship -- in short, EVERYTHING CROTON. 

ICYMI--EARLY FALL 2026 EDITION FROM EVERYTHING CROTON: "THE CROTON KNITTER & CROCHETER TOO"....GO TO EverythingCroton: WE'RE BACK FROM THE ANNUAL SUMMER HIATUS--"THE CROTON KNITTER & CROCHETER TOO"--EARLY FALL 2026

FEAR OF TELEPHONES...

It seems ridiculous to think that people felt this way once but....Yes, when the landline telephone was first introduced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was widely considered dangerous by a skeptical public. People feared physical harm from electricity, structural dangers from infrastructure, and even psychological or social threats.  A friend's grandmother wouldn't use the telephone during thunderstorms!

(Click on the photo for a page of phones available from the 1916 Sears catalog, lovingly scanned by your editor.  See the whole catalog here.)

To explore this historical telephone anxiety further, you can read an account via The Atlantic's history of telephone fears.

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY EverythingCroton: THE VINTAGE TELEPHONE, PRINCESS OR OTHERWISE

FEMALE LIFEGUARDS IN CROTON, 1950--GIRL LIFEGUARD CREW DEAF TO WOLF-CALLS--WASHINGTON POST

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

FEMALE LIFEGUARDS IN CROTON, 1950--GIRL LIFEGUARD CREW DEAF TO WOLF-CALLS. CLICK ON THE IMAGES.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR...

  ....the latest Croton Crafts and Commerce news (with a smattering of other local events too).....just visit the CROTON CRAFTS AND COMMERCE FB PAGE instead. It's a public page and you needn't be on FB to view the content (or sign in). Often updated in real time too! And the latest product recalls too.  Go to Croton Crafts and Commerce | Facebook

And the Croton Crafts and Commerce page has news about The Blue Pig, Melita's, The Croton Artisans Gallery, Devotion Studio, Franki's Grill, Croton Mini Deli, Baked by Susan, Feed the Birds, Robbins, Yuka's, Croton Running Company, Croton Colonial Diner, Deprez, CVS, Apple Farm,105-Twenty, Monday's Gifts (new in the Upper Village), Barre-on-Hudson, Raga, The Organic Teaching Kitchen, upcoming fundraisers, events, recalls, and more.

POLICE ARREST MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT AT CT SCHOOL NAMED IN "CAT IN THE HAT" SOCIAL MEDIA THREAT

Police have arrested a student at a school in West Haven that was reportedly threatened during a “Cat in the Hat” social media trend circulating around the nation.

Harry M. Bailey Middle School was named in a recent social media post involving the trend, which has been reported in numerous parts of the country, according to the West Haven Board of Education. MORE AT Police arrest middle school student at CT school named in 'Cat in the Hat' social media threat

BOB MACKIE HAS DIED

More at Bob Mackie, designer who worked with Cher, Carol Burnett and Diana Ross, dead at 87

FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT--1927--CROTON WOMAN HAS NO PLANS FOR THE WINTER---WOULD JOIN BYRD'S EXPEDITION

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT--1927--CROTON WOMAN HAS NO PLANS FOR THE WINTER---WOULD JOIN BYRD'S EXPEDITION--CLICK ON THE IMAGE.

ICYMI---FROM DENNIS KOONEY--SOME POST-2026 RIVER DAY THOUGHTS AND PHOTOS

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

FROM DENNIS KOONEY--SOME POST-2026 RIVER DAY THOUGHTS AND PHOTOS---GO TO EverythingCroton: FROM DENNIS KOONEY--SOME POST-2026 RIVER DAY THOUGHTS AND PHOTOS

STEEP SLOPES ISSUES, WETLAND BUFFERS, HOW THE TOWN OF MT. PLEASANT IS PROCEEDING

Mount Pleasant Wetland, Steep-Slope Rules Draw Support, Opposition By Abby Luby

Proposed environmental regulations that would significantly restrict development on steep slopes and near wetlands in the Town of Mount Pleasant are drawing strong support from residents while raising concerns among attorneys representing developers and property owners with applications pending before the town planning board.

The proposed changes would increase the town’s required wetland buffer from 50 feet to 100 feet and establish specific deductions from developable land for steep, very steep and excessively steep areas. The changes could reduce the amount of land available for development on properties affected by the new regulations. Town officials proposed the amendments as…Mount Pleasant Wetland, Steep-Slope Rules Draw Support, Opposition | The Examiner News

US AIRMAN SHOT DOWN IN IRAN RECOUNTS RESCUE MISSION---'GOD IS GOOD'

A U.S. airman who was shot down over Iran while manning an F-15 fighter jet in the spring recounted the moment he free-fell to the ground over enemy territory and the subsequent rescue mission that saved him for the first time on Sunday.While speaking with Norah O’Donnell of 60 Minutes, the pilot, referred to as “Bravo,” recounted how his parachute was damaged when a shoulder-fired missile hit the jet he was operating. He was part of a two-man crew with the mission call sign “Dude 44”. The weapons systems officer survived for nearly two days with a broken back, arm, and shoulder before U.S. special forces rescued him. His partner, referred to as “Alpha”, had already been rescued and is back flying for the Air Force. Read and see more at US airman shot down in Iran recounts rescue mission: 'God is good'

YADA YADA YADA THIS FINE MONDAY

Many of us are not on social media but we often get to hear about it and are sometimes sent screenshots...

We preferred to enjoy the charms of a Hudson Valley weekend instead---or observe 9/11---or were invited to a Rosh Hashanah seder---or stopped by the Croton Yacht Club---or handled seasonal chores.  Of course, we did check email now and again...and friends kept the blog well informed---but all we have to say is....

Sometimes it is healthier to touch grass, light a candle....or harvest tomatoes.

You'll have no trouble finding much of this---if you are inclined---lots of the usual daily outrage---revisionist history, Orange Man bad, measles, Ebola, bird flu, genocide, climate, AI-apocalypse, yada yada yada---to hear some folks tell it, we should have all been dead decades ago---but we're kind of done with it.

Yes, quite a bit was deleted unread once it hit assorted mailboxes and blog comment sections----readers have sifted through the muck, however, so the rest of don't have to...

Moving along.....ON ASSORTED SITES:

***Lots of praise for how the 9/11 observances were handled; many thanks to the Town of Cortlandt for the Tri-Municipal photo album

And lot of very positive feedback on the president's Pentagon speech; see the transcript here

And similarly for Lawler; go here

And boy has Maher made quite a few members of his party very angry---see here

***BOTS..... bots.... everywhere a bot.....The standard advice remains--if you are going to be on social media, choose what pages you visit and post on wisely.  And the same advice also still applies: block when you can, scroll on by if you can't. 

***Folks LOVED this pigeon post from the 914 SUBSTACK EverythingCroton: SOME SATIRE FROM A SUBSTACK CALLED "THE 914"---THE PIGEONS OF CROTON...

***STILL lots of the usual annoyance that so much news "these days" is behind paywall or requires a subscription. It is what it is. Again, choose what you spend your money on wisely.

***BEAUTIFUL HOLY NAME Feast Day service...more soon.....

***Some amusing commentary continues about what constitutes real journalism from a few Hudson Valley bloggers---but you have to be on those pages to see it---

***Lots of the usual chatter continues about Harmon being partitioned for ADU's, multifamily housing, rentals, low income, POT SHOPS etc. from TMThoughtsCreekskill/Cronkers and others -- while the rest of the village gets arts centers, private homes, veterans memorials, and pigeon-free zoning....

***LOTS OF TALK about JOHN McKeon's RECENT TAX ANALYSIS, the good work Sarcone is doing, and how much folks like the new AI Croton.News site with words such as "sleek, robust, fast and very helpful".

***And about that ICE arrest: some very interesting commentary on what has turned out to be an outstanding new community page: CROTON LANDING. It's private; you have to apply. But you probably should.