APRIL 16—-SUBSTANCE ABUSE & TREATMENT REPORT FROM NASHVILLE LIKE IT IS — THE RX SUMMIT– THE LARGEST CONFERENCE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE USA

Posted on April 16, 2026 by John Bailey

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The opioid crisis, rural health, and other stark realities

What this “coastal elite” learned at the country’s biggest drug conference

Marisa Donnelly, PhD

Apr 16

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I’ll admit the label.

I grew up in a small Northern California town, but I’ve spent most of my adult life in places people mean when they say “coastal elite.” The Bay Area, San Diego, and now New York City, where I’ve been writing a public health newsletter for the past two years about topics like vaccine uptake, fluoride debate, and harm reduction programs. All things I care about and know about.

Last week, I was in a Nashville hotel lobby with that familiar conference energy: lanyards, coffee cups, and people craning to read each other’s name tags. I was there for the RX Summit, the country’s largest annual meeting on substance use and addiction, and I’d spent the morning watching sessions about fentanyl test strips and naloxone distribution.

Then I sat down across from a man from eastern Kentucky, and my frame of reference completely flipped on its head.

He grew up there, is in recovery himself, and now devotes his time to doing outreach with kids across his county. Playing basketball with them and showing up every single week as a trusted adult that a lot of them don’t have at home.

More than 60% of the kids in his county don’t live with a parent. He explained how substance use, incarceration, and poverty created ripple effects in a crisis that has been rewriting family structure for a generation.

I write about public health for a living, but I was speechless. All of a sudden, my usual public health lens (“talk to your doctor,” “get screened,” “get vaccinated”) felt so…out of touch.

He wasn’t the only one who shifted my thinking.

I talked to people from northeastern Tennessee who are scared to drink their tap water.

I heard story after story from clinicians and community workers about what it means when the nearest treatment center is two hours away.

I met people in recovery who had rebuilt their lives against all odds and are now thriving with families.

I walked away from that conference with three lessons I can’t stop thinking about, and that I hope to apply to this newsletter.

1. Public health priorities look different when basic access is broken

What stayed with me was the word he used for what he does: prevention.

In the world I write from, prevention means vaccination, screening programs, and public awareness campaigns. Where he works, it means being the adult who shows up to play basketball because the other adults are gone. Same word, but with a completely different world underneath.

The PFAS situation in northeastern Tennessee made this even clearer.

People there described being afraid to drink from their own taps, and that fear is grounded in real data: the Sierra Club found that 60% of surface waters in the region were contaminated, and state testing has detected PFAS in several raw waterways supplying public drinking water.

It’s a concern in New York, too, where some counties now offer free PFAS testing for private well water.

But when the baseline question in a community is whether the water coming out of the tap is safe at all, debates about fluoride additives don’t just feel like a lower priority. They feel like they’re arriving from a different conversation entirely—one happening somewhere far away, about problems these communities don’t even have the luxury to think about.

Public health isn’t one single issue. It can look very different depending on your community, your resources, and what problems are most urgent.

2. “Prevention” assumes infrastructure that many Americans don’t have

We are at a critical point for rural health care as clinics across the country close at high rates. Medicaid makes up 40% of hospital revenue in some rural regions.

In the Adirondacks, 28% of residents rely on it, as do half of all births and two thirds of nursing home residents. Many people there have seasonal or part-time work that doesn’t come with employer health insurance. Nearly a third of rural hospitals in New York state are already at immediate risk of closure, and that was before the most recent round of proposed Medicaid cuts.

What this means in practice is driving two hours, or more, for buprenorphine (a treatment for opioid dependence), skipping the prenatal appointment because there’s no one to cover your shift and the clinic is that far away, deciding whether a child’s injury is bad enough to justify a trip to an emergency room two counties over. Community workers I met at this conference drive hours to deliver naloxone, and recovery coaches are working out of church basements and school gyms.

Many are navigating a health care system that looks almost nothing like it does for the coastal elite.

There’s a gap between the public health guidance produced and what’s actually possible for the people receiving it.

3. Hope comes from understanding that public health is a team sport

In the lobby was something called a “Hope Wall.” It was covered in photographs and stories of people in active recovery, faces and names attached to the statistics I spend my time writing about. Some with kids, dogs, and friends. I’ve never stood in front of something like that at a conference before, and had to take a breath before moving on.

The Operation UNITE Hope Wall. Song: Here Comes The Sun Instrumental by Emerald Empire Band.

The people I met last week weren’t waiting for better systems or more political will before showing up.

They were already there, at churches, knocking on doors, on county basketball courts, showing up with whatever they had. It’s a reminder of what this work is actually anchored in: people, families, and communities that deserve better than what they’ve got. And that’s what we’re all working towards.

Bottom line

For this city girl, spending time at the summit was both humbling and inspiring. It was a reset. A reminder to get out of my bubble, to listen more, and to make sure this work stays grounded in real lives. I hope I can bring that to this newsletter, but I’ll need your help learning more about your experiences, your questions, and your realities.

The man I met in that lobby is still showing up to play basketball with kids who need him. That’s public health, too. I want to remember that.

Love,

Your NY Epi

Dr. Marisa Donnelly, PhD, is an epidemiologist, science communicator, and public health expert. This newsletter exists to translate complex public health data into actionable insights, empowering New Yorkers to make informed and evidence-based health decisions.

Thanks for your financial support of Your Local Epidemiologist in New York! I couldn’t do this without you. — Marisa

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APRIL 16–GREENBURGH SEEKS $3 MILLION GRANT FOR FLOOD RELIEF FROM SENATOR GILLEBRAND

Posted on April 16, 2026 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. APRIL 16, 2026:

Greenburgh Town Board members unanimously approved a resolution seeking a grant from United States Senator Gillibrand to address flooding problems from the Saw Mill River. The grant, if approved, is another action step that could provide relief to many businesses and residents who are impacted by flooding each year.

Groundwork Hudson Valley, had conducted a study “Case Studies for Nature-Based Solutions within the Saw Mill River Watershed,” which could be very helpful to residents impacted by flooding. If awarded, the Town will have designed and constructed a restoration of a 35

acre portion of Town-owned Park including the removal of invasive species, habitat improvement,

modifications and enhancement of the river corridor to expand the existing floodplain’s storage

capacity, extend the floodplain bench, Saw Mill River and Rum Brook erosion control/stream

restoration, wetland restoration, and incorporation of native plantings.

The project requires a $3,000,000 budget, $2,250,000 of which will be requested

as a CDS grant, with a Town match of $750,000.

The town continues to look for creative ways to address flooding problems in neighborhoods impacted by Saw Mill River flooding. Earlier this year we removed an abandoned bridge which caused obstructions to the river. We have worked with the Village of Elmsford removing obstructions on the river. We will continue to try to find additional solutions. Special thanks to Westchester County Legislator David Imamura who has been working on this initiative with Senator Gillibrand.

PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor

APRIL 15–SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER HAS NEW ROLE IN WESTCHESTER ENERGY UNDER NEW INTERIM PRESIDENT

Posted on April 15, 2026 by John Bailey

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Friends,

As we approach Earth Day, I’m writing to you in my new role as interim Executive Director of Sustainable Westchester.

This is an extraordinary moment for the planet and for how we think about clean energy. The strain on our energy systems is clearer than ever: rising costs, increasing demand, international strife, and a growing urgency to build programs that make us more resilient and less dependent on fossil fuels.

What gives me hope is that this work is already happening right here in Westchester.

Last year, more than 3,000 households saved money and reduced grid strain with GridRewards. Hundreds accessed clean energy through Community Solar, while others improved their homes and businesses with free assessments from our team of energy experts. Local governments, committees, and volunteer green teams partnered with us to move their communities forward. This is grounded, local, and shared progress.

But this moment demands we go further. Despite national and global challenges, we must continue working together, here at home where we are making a real difference.

With your help, Sustainable Westchester is expanding access to clean energy so that more residents and businesses can participate. We are building upon programs available today while introducing new solutions that make supporting renewable energy easier than ever. We’re helping businesses and institutions add EV charging capabilities. We’re expanding solar across rooftops and parking areas, and we continue to invest in the people behind this transition by connecting job seekers to training and career pathways in the clean energy economy.

This work demands sustained effort, trusted partnerships, and critical financial resources. If you value our approach to climate action, please consider making a tax deductible gift today.

Make Your Earth Day Gift

Help us reach more households, support your community and build a more affordable and sustainable future for Westchester.

Thank you for being part of this work.

TOM WATSON

Tom Watson BIOGRAPHY

Tom Watson is the interim Executive Director of Sustainable Westchester and served as a Board member for two years before his appointment in 2026. A native of Yonkers and longtime resident of Mount Vernon, Tom brings his 25 years of experience as a consultant in resource development, strategic planning, communications and nonprofit excellence to the position.

A former journalist for LoHud, Hudson Valley magazine, The New York Times, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Wired and many other publications, Tom was an early dot-com digital entrepreneur before co-founding a major nonprofit consulting firm, and later creating his own practice CauseWired, named for his best-selling book about the rise of digital activism.

Tom serves on the Board of the Westchester Human Rights Commission, and is a professor in the Nonprofit Management masters program at Columbia University. Tom is a deeply committed native plant gardener who loves a good compost pile.

AUGUST 14– GOVERRNOR HOCHUL HIGHLIGHTS “LET THEM BUILD” AGENDA–SHOWS MIXED-INCOME PROJECT UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Posted on April 14, 2026 by John Bailey

Common Sense Reforms to State Environmental Quality Review Act Will Speed Up Building of Housing Localities WANT

Agenda Will Cut Red Tape That Delays the Building of Critical Infrastructure Like Clean Water, Green Infrastructure and Parks

State Will Establish Clear Timelines for Environmental Review, Standardize and Simplify Review Process, and Expedite Major Project

Governor Kathy Hochul today joined Capital Region leaders on a tour of Sol Apartments, a mixed-income housing project in Troy that is underway to highlight her “Let Them Build” agenda, a series of landmark reforms to speed up housing and infrastructure development and lower costs as part of her 2026 State of the State.

This initiative will spur a series of common sense reforms to New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and executive actions to expedite critical categories of projects that have been consistently found to not have significant environmental impacts, but for too long have been caught up in red tape and subject to lengthy delays. Together, these actions will make it easier to build the housing and infrastructure that localities want and that New Yorkers need.

“New Yorkers know all too well that the cost of rent is too high, and the only way to solve the housing crisis and bring down costs is simple: build more housing,” Governor Hochul said. “That’s why we need to cut red tape and make it easier to build housing in places like Troy faster and more affordably. When communities say yes to housing projects that won’t have an environmental impact, we should fast-track these projects and let them build.”

Sol Apartments, located at 1818 5th Avenue, is a $22 million project that entails the construction of a four-story, 55,000-square-foot building which includes 71 apartments and resident amenities such as a co-working space, lounge, community kitchen and indoor bicycle storage, with 30 percent of the apartments being available to individuals earning 65 percent Area Median Income. The building will be the first all-electric, zero-emission multifamily building in Troy. Sol will utilize geothermal heat pumps for space conditioning and domestic hot water, an air-tight building envelope, continuous insulation, triple pane windows, energy recovery ventilation and a rooftop solar photovoltaic array.

The project is receiving $1 million in funding from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) through Round 3 of the Buildings of Excellence Competition and $2.6 million from Empire State Development (ESD) through RESTORE NY Round 7.

Today, it is too difficult to build housing and other critical infrastructure in New York: these projects can take as much as 56 percent longer to get from concept to groundbreaking compared to peer states. Longer projects equal higher costs, a challenge that is especially critical in the context of New York’s housing crisis, where the only solution to high costs and scarce homes is to build more housing faster and more affordably than before. Red tape can increase the cost of building a unit of housing in New York City by as much as $82,000. Similarly, burdensome and duplicative requirements delay needed investment in clean water infrastructure, child care centers, and parks.

Helping Our Communities Build Housing

When Governor Hochul took office, she vowed to tackle the housing crisis and bring down costs by building the housing that New Yorkers desperately need so that more hard working households and families can afford a place to call home. However, too much critically-needed housing development is forced to navigate a web of red tape created by duplicative state mandates that can add unnecessary costs and years of needless delays, despite such housing development consistently being found to have no significant adverse environmental impacts.

Studies have shown that State-mandated environmental review can slow down housing projects by an average of two years, and add hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional costs, at a time when New Yorkers can least afford to wait for the housing they need to continue to live and thrive in New York.

To speed up the development of housing to create a more affordable and sustainable New York, Governor Hochul has proposed to amend the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to exempt from SEQRA review certain types of housing that have no significant adverse impacts on the environment. Housing exempted from SEQRA will still be required to comply with crucial State environmental protections governing water use, air quality, and protection of natural resources. The proposal does not supersede local zoning and other state and local permitting requirements, and exempted housing also must be located outside of flood risk areas in order to qualify.

Years of experience in both New York City and across the state, involving more than a thousand projects, has shown that virtually none of such projects ultimately were found to have significant environmental impacts, but nevertheless were still subject to lengthy and duplicative reviews. Governor Hochul’s reforms will cut red tape to accelerate the delivery of much needed housing and reduce the cost of building in ways that are consistent with sustainable and environmentally-protective development, driving down the cost of housing and rents across the state while protecting our natural resources.

Accelerating Critical Infrastructure Projects That New Yorkers Depend On

Governor Hochul also has proposed to facilitate the speedier, cheaper delivery of a broad range of beneficial infrastructure projects that New Yorkers depend on. Specifically, the Governor has proposed to adjust SEQRA’s classifications to exempt the following important categories of infrastructure that meet specific environmentally-protective criteria from additional SEQRA review to start serving New Yorkers faster:

Clean Water Infrastructure: Critical water infrastructure that avoids impacts to natural resources.
Green Infrastructure: Nature-based storm water management.
Parks and Trails: Public parks and recreational bike/pedestrian paths
Child Care: New or renovated child care centers

Governor Hochul’s proposal would reserve these fast-track environmental review processes for only infrastructure that would be located at previously disturbed areas, protecting our natural resources and undisturbed lands, while strengthening our neighborhoods. The Governor’s approach would yield tangible environmental benefits including improved air and water quality, and the preservation of critical habitats when compared to policies which encourage sprawl and unchecked development of natural areas.

Currently, SEQRA review timelines vary greatly across projects, creating unpredictability for local communities, project sponsors, and state agencies alike. To cut through the red tape, Governor Hochul has proposed to do the following to expedite review when SEQRA applies:

Deliver faster decisions for local communities by setting clear timelines for environmental impact statements and driving accountability
Streamline some environmental impact statements to cut down on review timelines for key categories of projects
Modernize New York’s permitting processes to save time and money for localities by improving processes and utilizing new technologies
Expedite major state infrastructure projects to serve New Yorkers faster
Support local communities through a new permitting academy

APRIL 14—A NIGHT TO REMEMBER –114 YEARS AGO THE TITANIC WAS SAILING THE HIGH SEAS

Posted on April 14, 2026 by John Bailey

113 YEARS AGO TONIGHT–THE TITANIC WAS SAILING THE HIGH SEAS. THE MEMORY PHOTOS OF FATHER BROWN

**The view leaving Southampton in 2015 much as it was when the Titanic sailed from the famous port in 1912** ***into eternity. (Photo by WPCNR)***

WPCNR ACROSS THE EDITOR’S DESK. By John F. Bailey April 14 2026 10:45 A.M. EDT 2025: If you were an immigrant from Third Class Steerage to the United States in 1912, or a millionaire and millionairess of the Titanic gentry strolling the wide decks of the most famous luxury liner of all time taking in the salt air you had a freshening breeze in your faces, a calm sea basking being rudely parted as Titanic steamed towards New York.

The eternal waves in a quiet chop in brilliant sunshine at 11:30 AM, April 11, 1912, 114 years ago, when Father Brown took this photo in 1912 on the deck on the voyage from Southhampton to Queensland Ireland. Looking out on a sun-splashed sea at the disappearing emerald isle of Ireland, you had no idea this would be the last land you would ever see.

The Titanic, 882 feet long, 92 feet wide was the largest ship ever built by the White Star line. It is dwarfed by the cruise ships of today. But everyone who sails the ocean has heard of the Titanic and she is in their thoughts today. The Titanic, no question is one of the most remembered disasters of the Twentieth Century because of its claims: Unsinkable! Fastest ship on the sea! But it is now remembered for its horror, hubris, heroism, cowardice and sacrifice, grippingly, horrifyingly portrayed in books, cinema and exploration.

The Titanic in the night photographed 110 years ago by the man who disembarked at Cherbourg, Father Brown.

Tonight 110 years ago: The Titanic had picked up passengers in Cherbourg, France and with all its decks aglow in this picture taken by Father Brown who disembarked at Queensland gives you an image of what she looked like as she made her way across the Atlantic and on when she sank on April 14 this NIGHT at 2 A.M. in the morning, carrying with her to the bottom, 1,500 souls rich to poor. 715 passengers and crew were rescued.

The Titanic off Queensland Ireland. April 11, 1912 SAILING into destiny. The photograph was taken by Father Brown after he disembarked from the Titanic and was riding on a tender into Queensland Harbor. It is the last picture ever taken of the great ship as she steamed into eternity.

APRIL 13–GOVERNOR HOCHUL FUNDS HEAT PUMP INSTALLATIONS FOR SMALL HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS STATEWIDE

Posted on April 13, 2026 by John Bailey

New Green Small Buildings Program Will Accelerate Decarbonization and Lower Energy Costs for New Yorkers

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced up to $150 million in supplemental funding is now available to support the installation of energy-efficient heat pump systems in small residential buildings across New York State. The funding, administered through New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s (HCR) Green Small Buildings Program, will help expand access to clean heating and cooling technologies while reducing emissions and improving affordability for homeowners and renters.

“New York is continuing to lead the nation in building an affordable and more sustainable future,” Governor Hochul said. “By investing in modern, energy-efficient heat pump technology for homeowners and small buildings, we are lowering utility costs, reducing harmful emissions and ensuring more New Yorkers can live in safe, comfortable and climate-friendly homes.”

As part of the State’s $1 billion Sustainable Green Futures program, the Green Small Buildings Program supports the installation of high-performance heat pumps and related upgrades that enable building electrification across New York State. It is expected to expand access to clean energy upgrades for single family homes and small-scale residential buildings, including those serving low- and moderate-income households, while supporting local economies and advancing New York’s transition to an all-electric building sector.

The funding is now available as a supplemental resource to various existing small building development grant and loan programs administered by HCR as well as through the State of New York Mortgage Agency’s mortgage programs, allowing for streamlined delivery and faster implementation and ensuring broad geographic access throughout the State.

To ensure high-quality outcomes, all projects will be required to meet program guidelines developed in coordination with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Clean Heat program. These standards will ensure best practices in installation, performance and long-term energy savings.

APRIL 11 — PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY: SUNNY SEVERE CLEAR HIGH IN THE 60S WINDY

Posted on April 11, 2026 by John Bailey

SUN RISE 6 AM WHITE PLAINS NY USA

NOW HERE’S SUNNY! 6:15 A.M. “GOOD MORNING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA HOW ARE YA? WHERE IT’S 40 SUNNY WPCNR DEGREES HIGH IN THE 60S”

APRIL 11–NY ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES CALL FOR RELIEF FROM STATE ON THE STATE BUDGET. COUNTIES TOLD THEY HAVE TO ABSORB 875 MILLION IN FEDERAL CUTS

Posted on April 11, 2026 by John Bailey

For Immediate Release – April 10, 2026

Facing $870 Million Fiscal Emergency, Counties Call for State Action

As a confluence of federal cost shifts, general inflation, rising pension obligations, and growing healthcare costs are creating a fiscal emergency for county governments, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) is calling for support in the SFY 2027 State Budget.

Starting in 2027, counties will be forced to absorb at least $870 million in higher costs from federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program, reductions in federal Medicaid revenue, growth in current pension obligations, and other state mandated cost shifts. These increases arrive as counties are already showing signs of fiscal stress, with 12 counties exceeding the property tax cap in their 2026 budgets—the most in a decade.

Counties are calling on the Governor and State Legislature to assume the local share of new SNAP administrative costs and provide meaningful county relief, on par with what has been proposed for other municipalities, in the enacted SFY 2026–27 budget.

“Counties are the backbone of New York’s service delivery system, implementing state and federal programs in every community,” said Stephen Acquario, executive director of NYSAC. “But this wave of new costs is just unsustainable, and without state partnership, local governments will be forced into difficult choices that could reduce services to residents and businesses.”

A Perfect Storm of Cost Pressures

Federal Cost Shifts

Beginning October 1, 2026, under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” the federal share of SNAP administrative costs drops from 50 percent to 25 percent—shifting an estimated $170 million in new annual costs to counties and New York City. At the same time, New York’s SNAP error rate exposes the state to up to $1.2 billion in annual federal penalties beginning as early as October 2027.

New York is one of only three states in the nation that requires counties to both administer SNAP and pay a share of its administrative costs. When the federal share drops from 50 percent to 25 percent, counties—not the state—are left holding 75 percent of the bill.

“Nearly three million New Yorkers depend on SNAP each month—the vast majority are children, seniors, and people with disabilities,” said Phil Church, President of NYSAC. “If counties cannot meet the administrative demands of a restructured program, New Yorkers who depend on these benefits will suffer. We warned our Congressional Delegation this would happen and urged a federal delay.”

Medicaid Cost Shifts

New York State is unique in its requirement that counties and New York City must pay a direct share of the program costs of Medicaid services. Today, this cost exceeds $7.6 billion annually.

In SFY 2024, the State began to phase out the annual sharing of $625 million in federal Medicaid funds. By early 2025, these federal savings to counties were completely eliminated. Counties and New York City are now absorbing this loss in funding into local budgets.

“For just a handful of mandated programs, including Medicaid, counties and New York City contribute more than $14 billion annually in local taxes,” said Ryan McMahon, president of the New York State County Executives Association. “And yet, every budget proposal this year allocated zero dollars in new state revenue sharing or unrestricted aid to counties.”

Pension Costs—Before and After Enhancements

Based on the State Comptroller’s October 2025 actuarial report, NYSAC projects that employer pension contributions for FYE 2027 will increase by approximately $180 million for counties alone—before any benefit enhancements currently under consideration in this budget take effect.

The pension enhancements now being discussed could add another $125 to $150 million in new annual costs for counties, bringing the potential total to $330 million. Most of this new higher state-imposed expense was not accounted for when counties adopted their budgets in late 2025.

“It is worth noting that a central purpose of the 2012 Tier 6 reforms was precisely to prevent local governments from bearing these costs—with an explicit commitment that the State would pre-fund any future benefit enhancements. That commitment should be honored,” noted Acquar

APRIL 11– DISTRICT ATTORNEY: ATTACKS ON PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES WILL BE PROSECUTED VIGOROUSLY

Posted on April 11, 2026 by John Bailey

A Message from the District Attorney…

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

I want to bring to your attention three significant public safety developments that have caused profound concern in the Westchester community, each of them involving our colleagues in public service.

On Wednesday, my office arraigned Thywill Anasu, of Manhattan, for allegedly committing a brutal, chokehold assault against an M.T.A. bus driver, after the two had gotten into a minor accident on the Yonkers-Bronx border.

The defendant is accused of placing the bus driver in a chokehold and throwing him to the ground before delivering multiple closed-fist punches. The bus driver suffered a brain bleed and was later transported to Jacobi Hospital, where he has been recovering for nearly a week. We charged Anasu with Assault in the Second Degree, and bail was set by the Yonkers City Court judge at $5,000 cash.

Also on Wednesday, my office arrested and charged a Mount Vernon police officer named Brandon Hunter-Carney in connection with an alleged check-fraud scheme. According to court records, in 2023, Hunter-Carney cashed a stolen check worth over $800,000 that had been intended for an Alabama-based manufacturer of industrial machinery.

Mere days before the check was cashed, a new business entity had been incorporated in New York bearing an identical name as the Alabama business, and with Hunter-Carney listed as the sole incorporator, according to New York Department of State business records.

We are vigorously pursuing both of these cases, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

On Thursday, my office obtained a guilty plea from Joseph Spennato, of Armonk, for his 2024 assault on North Castle Sgt. William McClure. When police were called to assist a 78-year-old woman in need of medical care, Spennato, who was present on scene, stabbed Sgt. McClure in the back multiple times with a knife. Thankfully, the knife struck Sgt. McClure’s ballistic vest, sparing the worst-possible outcome. But for his preparation, these events could have taken a drastically different turn.

Any attack on our law enforcement brethren is an attack on all of us. It goes to show how an unsuspecting call for medical assistance can turn, without warning, into a life-threatening confrontation.

All of these developments took place over the course of the past week, and this is not an atypical week for a prosecutorial office representing over one million residents. These cases are representative of the work performed on a daily basis by our hundreds of assistant district attorneys, criminal investigators, paralegals, analysts, accountants and clerical staff.

Since day one, my administration has prioritized, without exception, the safety of our partners in public service, and we will seek to hold accountable anyone who betrays the public’s trust. On that, you have my word.

As always, if you have any feedback you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you. Never hesitate to reach out, and I look forward to keeping in touch.

In friendship,

District Attorney Susan Cacace

87 guns, including multiple ghost guns, taken off streets at
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DA Cacace announced the results of her administration’s first gun buyback event, which took place at the Union Baptist Church, in White Plains.

DA Cacace inaugurates pinwheel garden for victims of child abuse

DA Cacace announced the inauguration of a pinwheel garden at the Westchester County courthouse to raise awareness about child abuse, in commemoration of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.