FROM THE MAILBOX: TINY HOUSES, JOY'S, ORANGEBERRY, HUDSON TEA ROOM

A reader asks: There are a number of spots in the village that would be perfect for tiny houses. Does the village have any plans for these?

Response: Not that anyone we know is aware of. Tiny houses, like ADU's, are often problematic, though the latter is once again under review. Contact the village directly. You may have to submit a freedom of information request. Or you can present your thoughts at a board meeting. I'm sure the residents next to any sites you identify will have thoughts as well.

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A reader asks: Any photos of Joys around?

Response: We are always on the hunt for "Joy's" items. There's this from the 80's; the site is now Hunan Wok---go to  EverythingCroton: VINTAGE CROTON, CIRCA EARLY 1980'S; JOY'S , THE UPPER VILLAGE

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A reader asks: My Mom said there was a tea room in Croton where she had the best black tea and scones.  Where is it? What's the name and do they have a website where we can order from?

Response: Hudson Tea Room; closed a few years back; now home to Barre on Hudson; see EverythingCroton: HUDSON TEA CO. AT CROTON CORNERS 3/12

PRIOR TO THAT, the site was empty a number of years post the Frozen Yogurt and Smoothie business known as ORANGEBERRY (OPENED IN 2013, closed 2021); it was a fun place and the flavors eclectic and exotic--EverythingCroton: A PEEK INSIDE THE NEW ORANGEBERRY SELF SERVE FROZEN YOGURT SHOP, UPDATED SPRING 2021, CLOSED 

OBITUARY AND SERVICE INFO FOR CAROL B. HEARLE

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Joseph F Nardone Funeral Home - Peekskill on Jul. 24, 2026.

Carol B. Hearle, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on July 20, 2026, at the age of 94 after a brief illness.

Carol was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Maximillian and Blanche Bernhofer on July 23, 1931. She spent a happy childhood living among her extended family.

Her father moved his family to Croton-on-Hudson, NY, where she spent her adolescence and graduated from Croton Harmon High School. Carol B. Hearle Obituary (2026) - Peekskill, NY - Joseph F Nardone Funeral Home - Peekskill

LOHUD---NOT BEHIND PAYWALL--VIDEO--WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT LOW-SPEED ELECTRIC BIKES

Quick video; may have to deal with ads; see more at Watch video on what to know about low-speed electric bikes

TRENDING ON PEEKSKILL SOCIAL MEDIA---GLEASONS AND BIRDSALL HOUSE CLOSURES AND THE PRECARIOUS STATE OF BUSINESSES IN PEEKSKILL

We're not on social media, but we often get to hear about it and are sometimes sent screenshots---some of the Peekskill pages are a fascinating look at urban decline in all its raw unfiltered glory. And hopeful thoughts....

Will skip the chatter-----and go to this article instead:

Closure of Iconic Peekskill Restaurants Sparks Spirited Community Conversation---A 4,200-word post by Chloe Wareham-Gordon has heated up social media, while Council members decline to comment on her critique 

By By ERIC HARVEY, eric@peekskillherald.com
July 24, 2026

The recent closures of two long-standing eateries — Gleason’s and Birdsall House, both overseen by John Sharp — have sparked animated conversations in the community on what some see as the precarious state of locally-owned and operated businesses in Peekskill.

One notable thread of comments was spawned by a 4,200-word essay posted on social media by Chloe Wareham-Gordon in which the outspoken Peekskill resident shared her views on building turnover, economic development, and the roles the city, business improvement district, and chamber of commerce play to support businesses, especially those struggling to keep their doors open. MORE AT Closure of Iconic Peekskill Restaurants Sparks Spirited Community Conversation  – Peekskill Herald

ICYMI--LINE STRIPING NOTICE TONIGHT CLEVELAND DRIVE & OLD POST RD. SOUTH

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Crews will be performing line striping operations along Cleveland Drive and Old Post Road South this evening, July 23. No road closures are expected. MORE AT Line Striping Tonight on Cleveland Drive & Old Post Road South | Croton-on-Hudson NY

BEHIND PAYWALL---WESTCHESTER AMONG NATION'S TOP "DIGITAL" COUNTIES--WHERE IT RANKED

Westchester among nation's top 'digital' counties. Where it ranked--Michelle Grisales
Rockland/Westchester Journal News
July 24, 2026, 3:01 a.m. ET---Westchester County continues to rank among the nation's leaders in digital government, earning second place in the 2026 Digital Counties Survey conducted by the Center for Digital Government in partnership with the National Association of Counties. MORE AT Westchester County ranks second in U.S. Digital Counties Survey

WHY DID THE RAT SNAKE CROSS THE ROAD

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.

Well we have been down this road before on Grand and this time your editor got to grab a three foot beauty and get him safely across Grand to his destination---the empty lot---before he was obliterated by our ever increasing vehicle traffic. Click on the photo.

Note---it's a rat snake---it's harmless----all snakes are protected in the state---see more---and the 2023 rescue too, at  EverythingCroton: SNAKE SEASON 2025---LEARNING TO LIVE WITH SNAKES

QUERIES ABOUT THE SOCIETY OF ST. PIUS/SCHISM/SSPX

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

Getting a lot of questions and more about the SSPX schism. But personally feel they are best answered at Tom Faranda's Folly....he has posted commentary and video from Bishop Paprocki that neatly summarizes/explains all this. Go to “Bishop Paprocki: SSPX ‘basically another Protestant sect’ now” – Tom Faranda's Folly

ICYMI----WESTCHESTER COUNTY SCHOOL BUS SAFETY PROGRAM REDUCES ILLEGAL SCHOOL BUS PASSING BY NEARLY 24%

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

SEE MORE AT EverythingCroton: WESTCHESTER COUNTY SCHOOL BUS SAFETY PROGRAM REDUCES ILLEGAL SCHOOL BUS PASSING BY NEARLY 24%

THANK YOU ST. AUGUSTINE PARISHIONERS FROM THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY

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

THANK YOU ST. AUGUSTINE PARISHIONERS FROM THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY--the church's 7/26 bulletin has an extensive thank you note from Sr. Anila Christy; parishioners donated $6,442.

Some residents had this order of nuns mixed up with the LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR AND the other order involved in the Hawthorne lawsuit. These are different orders. All, however, strive to serve.

The main website for the DAUGHTERS OF MARY appears to be DMI – Society of Daughters of Mary Immaculate – Fully Human and Fully Alive for those who want to donate directly and missed the collection at the church.

As for the Dominican order in Hawthorne, here is the most recent article EverythingCroton: FOR THOSE FOLLOWING THE DOMINICAN NUNS OF HAWTHORNE---TODAY---THEY HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT OVER THE STATE'S NEW ASSISTED DYING LAW

As for the Little Sisters of the Poor, they often visit local churches and Holy Name of Mary in particular to collect for their facility in the Bronx.EverythingCroton: SPECIAL VISITORS AT HOLY NAME THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR

AT THE MAILBOX--SPELLING IT WRONG....

A reader has been trying to find a Stern article that involved Croton and Joey Buttafuco but can't locate it.

Response: Spelling it wrong. it's BUTTAFUCCO, two "C"'s. (It's often spelled with only one "T" online).  In any case:

The article is here but it being re-posted below for your convenience:

1994, JOEY BUTTAFUCCO, A WELCOME GUEST ON HOWARD STERN, BUT NOT IN CROTON--CLICK ON THE IMAGE.

AT IT AGAIN---COPS FUME AS MAMDANI URGES NEW YORKERS TO TAKE TO STREETS TO PROTEST NETANYAHU AFTER ARREST FAIL

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is telling New Yorkers to take to the streets to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits the Big Apple — and it has NYPD cops fuming.

New York’s Finest just put in superhuman duty to keep the five boroughs safe during the FIFA World Cup, the Knicks NBA title, Independence Day and a massive America 250 celebration that brought millions into the city — and now will have to keep their guards up as....“The mayor’s activist posturing puts police officers on the street in a terrible position,” NYPD Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said. “Protests during the UN General Assembly are nothing new, but when the mayor of the city is actively calling for demonstrations, violent agitators will assume they have permission to cause as much havoc as possible. READ MORE AT Cops fume as Mamdani urges New Yorkers to protest Netanyahu after arrest fail

OUR REGULAR FRIDAY GUEST FEATURE--TOM FARANDA'S FOLLY---AND HIS FRIDAY COCKTAIL SERIES---& NOW...THE VIEUX CARRE,

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

OUR REGULAR FRIDAY GUEST FEATURE--TOM FARANDA'S FOLLY---AND HIS FRIDAY COCKTAIL SERIES---and now THE VIEUX CARRE, GO TO Friday cocktail – the Vieux Carre! – Tom Faranda's Folly

A CROTON PURPLE FINCH LIVES TO TELL THE TALE

Your editor heard that familiar thump; it was a bird and window strike, a now uncommon occurrence thanks to special reflective decals purchased from Feed the Birds. Still, there's always one--it wasn't at my house, however, but at a neighbor's. This time, it was a Purple Finch (have never understood this name as the color is more red than purple but I digress).

Badly stunned with a little blood at the beak, I was certain he'd be gone within hours. I placed him in the spare cage I keep for such events, brought back out the mini heater from storage, and hoped for the best. Pulled out the numbers of some local bird re-habbers too.

Gee whattya know!  24 hours of rest and BORN FREE! Click on the photo.

See FEED THE BIRDS to learn about those these reflective window decals!

And here's last year's happy tale EverythingCroton: A CROTON CARDINAL LIVES TO TELL THE TALE