On Tuesday, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing the father, Konstantin Averkiev, filed a federal lawsuit against Lake Washington School District, alleging officials violated Averkiev’s First and 14th Amendment rights by refusing to provide notice and allow his son to opt out of LGBTQ-related lessons and other school requirements that conflict with his religious beliefs. The dispute began after Averkiev said he met with his son’s fourth-grade teacher at Henry David Thoreau Elementary School in September 2025 and requested advance notice and an opt-out ...MORE AT
Thursday, September 10, 2026
READING...WRITING...AND GENDER SURGERY--WASHINGTON DAD DUES SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR DENYING RELIGIOUS OPT-OUT FOR YOUNG SON DURING PRIDE MONTH LESSON
On Tuesday, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing the father, Konstantin Averkiev, filed a federal lawsuit against Lake Washington School District, alleging officials violated Averkiev’s First and 14th Amendment rights by refusing to provide notice and allow his son to opt out of LGBTQ-related lessons and other school requirements that conflict with his religious beliefs. The dispute began after Averkiev said he met with his son’s fourth-grade teacher at Henry David Thoreau Elementary School in September 2025 and requested advance notice and an opt-out ...MORE AT
RECEPTION DATE CHANGE--DAVID ROCCO--CROTON RIVER ARTISANS GALLERY
Local painters will be out and about on September 19 painting in a local plein air event sponsored by the gallery. All paintings will be auctioned off at a fundraising event at the Black Cow on Saturday, October 24th with proceeds going to the Croton River Artisans Scholarship fund annually awarded to a Croton Harmon High School Senior pursuing a degree in the visual arts. If you see any painters out on September 19th, stop and say hello!
DEEP DIVE, THE NEW VILLAGE WEBSITE DESIGN
About the new village website design, a
reader who describes himself as a "techno-nerd", sent the following:
It's "CivicPlus", a Content management system (CMS) designed specifically for local and municipal governments. GOOGLE AI SAYS:
Tech Stack Details
Platform Provider: CivicPlus specializes in building secure, accessible, and user-friendly platforms tailored to civic needs. [1]
Underlying Architecture: The platform leverages a modern, highly optimized Drupal headless/cloud-hosted framework. You can spot this technical fingerprint in their underlying document file URLs, which use a centralized, secure repository system structure (/sites/g/files/...). [1]
Features Used: The redesign integrates smooth citizen-facing tools including their unified Citizen Authentication Portal (MyAccount) and interactive widgets for Live Streaming municipal meetings. [1, 2]
USERS say it will take some getting used to but seems fast, clean, mobile-responsive...
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
AN OPEN LETTER FROM JOHN McKEON REGARDING THE PROPOSED SEAWALL FOR THE CROTON-ON-HUDSON METRO NORTH RAILROAD PARKING LOT
I am writing to express my deep concern over the recent decision to seek $1 million initial grant as part of a $7 million project to construct a seawall around the Metro-North train station parking lot in Croton-on-Hudson.
This significant infrastructure project, which directly impacts our local environment and public tax dollars, has been advanced with a troubling lack of public debate, transparency, or community discussion. I became knowledgeable of this grant application in a meeting held on September 3 at the municipal building when it was included in the presentation associated with the New York Forward grant request. The parking lot sits immediately adjacent to critical wetlands that face regular tidal flooding from the Hudson River—a challenge that will only intensify as sea levels continue to rise. We are hurdling towards a new normal by 2050. That will bring the daily baseline high tides on the Croton River permanently about 16 to 24 inches higher than they are today. Episodic events, like storm surges or heavy freshwater runoff from the northern Hudson Valley will build on top of these elevated base lines leading to more frequent and severe flooding in the parking lot. Building a massive seawall in this delicate ecosystem could have severe, unintended consequences for local biodiversity and water displacement. Yet, there has been absolutely no public exploration of alternatives. The MTA‘s core plan for this threat for the Metro North Railroad involves the Hudson line climate resilience blueprint, a multimillion dollar initiative designed specifically to address tidal rise, storm surges, and intense stormwater runoff along the riverbank between Riverdale and Croton Harmon. This plan involves physically elevating the tracks above the projected flood stages of the river and maintaining living shore lines to absorb title energy. Why are we not coordinating our efforts with the MTA?
It appears that the existing solar panel initiative in the parking lot is driving this decision. By treating the solar structures as an asset that must be protected at all costs, the Village appears willing to compromise the surrounding natural ecosystem rather than exploring adaptive alternatives. If the solar canopies are the primary anchor driving this multi-million dollar project, we must ask whether armored gray concrete infrastructure is truly a cost-effective, long-term solution or simply a shortsighted fix to protect a localized investment.
Instead of rushing to build a barrier that could alter local hydrology, increase erosion elsewhere, and disrupt critical wetland habitats, the Village of Croton-on-Hudson should pause this process. We need a comprehensive, transparent review that prioritizes nature-based solutions—such as living shorelines or strategic relocation of vulnerable infrastructure—in lockstep with regional efforts like the MTA’s blueprint.
I urge the Village Board and the NY Forward Local Planning Committee to hold dedicated, transparent community forums specifically regarding the train station parking lot's climate adaptation. Our response to sea-level rise must be collaborative, ecologically sound, and subject to robust public oversight.
John McKeon
It appears that the existing solar panel initiative in the parking lot is driving this decision. By treating the solar structures as an asset that must be protected at all costs, the Village appears willing to compromise the surrounding natural ecosystem rather than exploring adaptive alternatives. If the solar canopies are the primary anchor driving this multi-million dollar project, we must ask whether armored gray concrete infrastructure is truly a cost-effective, long-term solution or simply a shortsighted fix to protect a localized investment.
Instead of rushing to build a barrier that could alter local hydrology, increase erosion elsewhere, and disrupt critical wetland habitats, the Village of Croton-on-Hudson should pause this process. We need a comprehensive, transparent review that prioritizes nature-based solutions—such as living shorelines or strategic relocation of vulnerable infrastructure—in lockstep with regional efforts like the MTA’s blueprint.
I urge the Village Board and the NY Forward Local Planning Committee to hold dedicated, transparent community forums specifically regarding the train station parking lot's climate adaptation. Our response to sea-level rise must be collaborative, ecologically sound, and subject to robust public oversight.
John McKeon
ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL--JOIN THE ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH YOUTH GROUP
ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL--JOIN ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH YOUTH GROUP
CLICK ON THE IMAGE. St. Augustine Church - Ossining, New York
THANK YOU CHARLES J. COOK 2026 POOL CREW
FROM THE TOWN OF CORTLANDT FB PAGE - We LOVE the Charles J. Cook Pool crew! Your hard work makes waves in our community! Thank you for another great season! PHOTO AT Facebook
SOME MAILBOX CLEAN-UP, FOUR ITEMS
.jpg)
Can't keep up--but trying, lol.....
******
Confidential to "CONGRATS WE LOVE YA": Thank you. The numbers speak for themselves and have since surpassed significantly the last ones posted. Still, it is always gratifying. Monetization has indeed been suggested--but no.
******
A reader asks: I attended a "love-lunch" with a friend who has since passed at the Methodist(?) church a few years ago. Got anything?
Response: Posted once before but you missed it: Asbury 2018, click on the link: EverythingCroton: BY SPECIAL REQUEST---FROM 2018---PHOTO ALBUM ASBURY METHODIST LOVE LUNCH
They may also have more---try them directly at EverythingCroton: CONTACT INFO FOR ASBURY METHODIST, CROTON
******
Confidential to AMUSED & BEMUSED: Very funny observations. You may enjoy joining certain local facebook pages. Indeed, your former Yonkers, Village Voice, and Brooklyn perspectives would be refreshing for some and illuminating for others.
******Dick's Barber Shop must have been a special place--as the blog constantly gets requests for info.....and so...By special request--can anyone help? More than one reader is looking for any photos, clippings, etc. about "Dick's Barber Shop" in the Upper Village. If you can help.....
CYNDI LAUPER TO PERFORM AT FIRST EVER 9/11 "TRIBUTE IN LIGHT" LIVE BROADCAST
The Big Apple’s true colors will be shining through.
Pop legend Cyndi Lauper will perform beneath the glow of Ground Zero’s iconic annual “Tribute in Light” — the projection of two blue beams where the Twin Towers once stood — Friday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The “Time After Time” and “True Colors” singer’s performance will conclude a first-of-its-kind national broadcast that honors the memory of the victims and “the resilience of survivors, families, first responders, and communities forever changed by that day,” the September 11 Memorial & Museum announced Tuesday. MORE AT Cyndi Lauper to perform at first-ever 9/11 'Tribute in Light' live broadcast
VILLAGE OF CROTON-ON-HUDSON WEBSITE HAS A NEW LOOK
See it at Croton-on-Hudson, NY | Official Website - haven't played around on it to say yay or nay. Do your own due diligence.
UPDATE: EverythingCroton: DEEP DIVE, THE NEW VILLAGE WEBSITE DESIGN
3 PM TODAY, PAID SUBSCRIBER ONLY PODCAST - BERENSON, SPIER - CLANCY & THE PATHOLOGIZING OF MOTHERHOOD
Unlike most psychiatrists, she is not somewhere to the left of Mao, so the conversation should be interesting.
If you are a paid subscriber, please join us at 3 p.m. Eastern time today!
9/11/26 CROTON SENIOR MEETING
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.
9/11/26 CROTON SENIOR MEETING
Morning all,
This is the 25th Anniversary of the attacks on the world trade center. Take a moment to reflect.
Croton-on-Hudson, Buchanan, and Cortlandt — 4 p.m.
The towns of Croton-on-Hudson, Cortlandt, and the Village of Buchanan will host their annual tri-municipal memorial ceremony once again this year at the 9/11 memorial sculpture called “Reaching Through the Shadow” at Croton Landing.
If inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at Harmon Firehouse, 30 Wayne Street in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson.
We meet in the
Social hour begins at 11 without regular meeting to follow at 12.
Rita and Mary will continue to collect for the Fall Pizza Party at the
.jpg)
Enjoy the cool weather and one of our favorites for this time of the year
Be well, be safe, be kind
El Presidente and Bob
9/11/26 CROTON SENIOR MEETING
Morning all,
This is the 25th Anniversary of the attacks on the world trade center. Take a moment to reflect.
Croton-on-Hudson, Buchanan, and Cortlandt — 4 p.m.
The towns of Croton-on-Hudson, Cortlandt, and the Village of Buchanan will host their annual tri-municipal memorial ceremony once again this year at the 9/11 memorial sculpture called “Reaching Through the Shadow” at Croton Landing.
If inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at Harmon Firehouse, 30 Wayne Street in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson.
We meet in the
Social hour begins at 11 without regular meeting to follow at 12.
Rita and Mary will continue to collect for the Fall Pizza Party at the
.jpg)
Enjoy the cool weather and one of our favorites for this time of the year
Be well, be safe, be kind
El Presidente and Bob
DEC DELIVERS--FALL WORKSHOP--EXPLORING AND CONSERVING HUDSON VALLEY FORESTS
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.
Saturday, September 26, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. | In-person, Dutchess County
Rain date is September 27
The Hudson River Estuary Program’s Conservation and Land Use team and Hudsonia Ltd. are hosting a field workshop to discuss how communities and land managers can proactively protect forests through land-use and conservation planning and policy.
The field workshop will discuss:
-forest ecosystem services;
-wildlife use of forests;
-different forest types;
-threats to forests; and
-conservation principles.
This workshop is especially designed for members of municipal boards and committees; land trust staff; and others who are regularly engaged in land-use planning or policymaking. Priority registration will be given to individuals who have less experience related to forests.
The workshop will be held outdoors. Participants must be comfortable standing for the duration of the workshop and walking approximately two miles on uneven ground with some possible steep areas along the route. The specific meeting location for the workshop will be shared with participants prior to the program.
There is no charge for this event, but registration is required. Space is limited and early registration is recommended. Municipal training certificates for 2.5 hours of credit will be available. If you need more information in order to register, please contact lstickle@bard.edu.
This workshop was developed through a partnership with Cornell University and the Hudson River Estuary Program with funding from New York State's Environmental Protection Fund.
Saturday, September 26, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. | In-person, Dutchess County
Rain date is September 27
The Hudson River Estuary Program’s Conservation and Land Use team and Hudsonia Ltd. are hosting a field workshop to discuss how communities and land managers can proactively protect forests through land-use and conservation planning and policy.
The field workshop will discuss:
-forest ecosystem services;
-wildlife use of forests;
-different forest types;
-threats to forests; and
-conservation principles.
This workshop is especially designed for members of municipal boards and committees; land trust staff; and others who are regularly engaged in land-use planning or policymaking. Priority registration will be given to individuals who have less experience related to forests.
The workshop will be held outdoors. Participants must be comfortable standing for the duration of the workshop and walking approximately two miles on uneven ground with some possible steep areas along the route. The specific meeting location for the workshop will be shared with participants prior to the program.
There is no charge for this event, but registration is required. Space is limited and early registration is recommended. Municipal training certificates for 2.5 hours of credit will be available. If you need more information in order to register, please contact lstickle@bard.edu.
This workshop was developed through a partnership with Cornell University and the Hudson River Estuary Program with funding from New York State's Environmental Protection Fund.
NEWS FROM SIMON BOYAR DRUM SCHOOL
NEWS FROM SIMON BOYAR DRUM SCHOOL--CLICK ON THE IMAGE
SAVE THE 9/19 DATE AND SEE MORE AT Zildjian Day 2026 | Facebook
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)