Latest / This Week in Westchester: The Podcast / TWIW 43: October 19, 2026

Transcript

TWIW 43: October 19, 2026 · This Week in Westchester: The Podcast

• 0:06
  Intro: Welcome to this week in Westchester.
• 0:09
  Intro: Your weekly audio briefing from Westchester County Government.
• 0:14
  Intro: County Executive Ken Jenkins breaking down the decisions, investments, and initiatives shaping life across Westchester.
• 0:21
  Intro: Clear information, real progress.
• 0:23
  Intro: One place to stay informed.
• 0:26
  Intro: Now here's this week in Westchester.
• 0:29
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Good afternoon.
• 0:30
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I'm Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins.
• 0:33
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Today is Monday, October 19th, 2026.
• 0:36
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This is this week in Westchester, the briefing.
• 0:40
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This is an exciting time of the year.
• 0:42
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It gets kind of cooler, the leaves have fallen, and guess what?
• 0:46
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It's election time.
• 0:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So what we know, because Election Day is right around the corner, Westchester County residents are going to have their opportunities to make their voices heard on and before November 3rd.
• 0:59
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Early voting begins this week, this Saturday, October 24th, giving registered voters nine days to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day.
• 1:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Here to tell us more about this is our Board of Elections Commissioner, um Tejan Nelson and the acting deputy commissioner, Deborah Grassi.
• 1:20
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I probably butchered it, right?
• 1:22
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Come on up, all right?
• 1:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Deborah, how about that?
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_03: Deborah.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_03: Um good afternoon.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks so much for having us here today, County Executive Jenkins.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_03: Um, as you stated, early voting starts this coming Saturday, October 24th, and the hours are 10 to 6 as well as on Sunday.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_03: Um we have 25 voting locations in Westchester County where you can cast your ballot up and down the county.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, you can also drop off your vote by mail ballots at all of these locations, as there'll be ballot drop-off boxes there as well.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_03: Um, besides the first day for early voting, October 24th is a lot of deadlines in election law.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_03: So if you're not registered to vote, it's what New York Confection calls golden day for the last day to register to vote by going straight to the Board of Elections.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_03: Um, we're located in White Plains at 445 Hamilton Avenue, eighth floor.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm just stressing our new address because today someone tried to drop off a voter registration form at Corobas.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_03: Um, in addition, uh we do have uh vote-by-mail ballots that have been going through the mail.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_03: We have sent out uh a little over 25,000.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_03: As of today, we had back 7, uh 350, which is about 29%.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_03: Um, keep in mind that since election day is November 3rd, there's still plenty of time for us to get back those ballots.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_03: Um however, we are definitely encouraging everyone if you don't get it in uh sooner rather than later.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_03: I would say please be prepared to drop it off at the early voting site or your local um election day site.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_03: Anyone can drop off your ballot.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_03: Uh just a reminder the deadline to ask for a vote by mail ballot as well is um October 24th as well by mail.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_03: Otherwise, after that, you can come in person again to the Board of Elections up until the day before election day.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um November 3rd is election day.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_03: Don't forget voting is power.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_03: You all should have received your voter notification reminder card.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_03: If you haven't gotten it, you should be getting it.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_03: I left my left Rosovia.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, it's true.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_03: And if anyone has any questions, please always feel free to call the commissioner's office and ask to speak to one of us at 914-995-5700.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, thank you so much.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_03: And um, on to voting.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_03: Would you like to say anything, Debbie?
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_05: The early voting dates, there's nine days, and we have we're open on Saturdays and Sundays.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_05: Um, we have different hours for different days.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_05: Saturday and Sunday were 10 to 6.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_05: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were 8 to 4, and Tuesday and Thursday were 12 to 8.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_05: That gives everyone the opportunity to cast their vote and still go to work or do whatever they want to do during the day.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_05: Other than that, I mean election day we're open 6 to 9, and we have extended vote by mail hours at the Board of Elections.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_05: Um, we're there from Tuesday and Thursday till 8 o'clock, and that's October 20th, and the 22nd, the 27th, and the 29th.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_05: That's the entire early voting week.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_05: And Saturday, 1024 and 1031, we're there from 9 to 6.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_05: Come on down.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_03: And you can check out the Board of Elections website for any additional information or details regarding the locations for early voting site and your election day as well.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_03: You can also go to the site and get a copy of your ballot as well on the link, find your polling place and your ballot.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_03: Awesome.
• 4:57
  unknown: Thank you.
• 4:58
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: All right.
• 4:59
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Well, well, first, thank you.
• 5:00
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, the Board of Elections is super busy during this time of year.
• 5:04
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, and and one of the things that uh happens that I was just looking it up really quickly while we're sitting here, um, in Apple Maps, it still says Coropa Streets.
• 5:13
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: On Google Maps, it says 445 Hamilton.
• 5:16
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So that may be an issue that we'll have to follow up with the people that do those maps.
• 5:21
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: You won't have to do that for board elections.
• 5:23
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Y'all are kind of busy right now, right?
• 5:25
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Uh again.
• 5:30
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So we'll we'll kind of figure that out together um and and see that.
• 5:33
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But again, early voting starting this Saturday, October 24th.
• 5:37
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, that's really easy.
• 5:38
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Saturdays and Sundays are 10 to 6, and on um Monday, Wednesday, Friday, it's 8 to 4, and then 12 to 8 at any one of those 25 voting locations.
• 5:49
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And as a reminder, as um Commissioner Nelson was pointing out, that there you can vote at any one of those Westchester, if you're a Westchester registered voter, right, asterisk, Westchester resident voter, at any one of those 25 early voting sites.
• 6:05
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um and and certainly do you have a site at the Board of Elections or no?
• 6:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Okay, all right, all right.
• 6:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We used to, um, the White Plain site is at the library.
• 6:14
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Yeah, so at the library, um 10 to 6, Monday, uh Saturday and Sundays, 8 to 4, Monday, Wednesday, and yeah, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 12 to 8.
• 6:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that doesn't count the other hours um that that Deborah was talking about for our um for a mail, you know, vote by mail things in vote by mail, absentees and different kinds of things.
• 6:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: There's some different rules.
• 6:37
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Call and make sure.
• 6:38
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: There's always an opportunity to do that.
• 6:40
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And there's one late night for whatever reason.
• 6:42
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I'm remembering some ridiculously late night.
• 6:45
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That's not early voting, but it's dropping off um opportunities.
• 6:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, especially because there's challenges right now with our mail, right, and how things happen and have to be um stance by XYZ time.
• 6:56
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, you know, um they're voting the Board of Elections has been encouraging people to go to those um one of those sites and drop off um your your mail ballot at the the um early voting sites.
• 7:07
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: They are able to take that.
• 7:08
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um you just could bring them in and drop them off there.
• 7:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, certainly at the Board of Elections, they love when you come up and visit.
• 7:14
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, thank you so much, um Tejan and Deborah for coming in and letting us know about that.
• 7:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But again, you saw that on the website.
• 7:22
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um you can absolutely get to the website and see all that information, apply for different things.
• 7:27
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, thank you.
• 7:29
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And make sure you make your voice heard um on well before November 3rd.
• 7:33
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Again, November 3rd is election day, 6 a.m.
• 7:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: to 9 p.m.
• 7:36
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that you have to go to your exact local um voting location.
• 7:41
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: You should have received this in the mail, you should receive cards in the mail.
• 7:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um and it'll tell you where your actual voting location is.
• 7:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, it also had all these great other information as well, all of the 25 voting sites.
• 7:52
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I mean, it had all kinds of great things um on it.
• 7:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um I know I got my mine over the weekend, so again, make sure your voice is heard on uh election day.
• 8:03
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Thanks again.
• 8:04
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Up next is a person, um the North Castle supervisor, Joe Rindi, um, who will be one of those people that are out there um running, but he is gonna be talking to us on the from his supervisor position right now.
• 8:17
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um from North Castle, from the Charming Hamlets.
• 8:21
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: He can actually tell you where the hamlet is, right?
• 8:23
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: The town, village, city, and hamlets that we like to talk about all the time.
• 8:27
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, charming hamlets, vibrant local businesses to beautiful parks, historic landmarks.
• 8:33
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It is a strong sense of community, and that's the town of North Castle, one of Westchester's most unique communities.
• 8:40
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um the town supervisor, Joe Rendi, is here with us for a conversation about the things happening across North Castles.
• 8:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: He'll talk about the exciting local initiatives, ongoing projects, community events, and the town priorities for the future.
• 8:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: With that, let's turn it over to Supervisor Joe Randy.
• 8:58
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Joe.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Ken.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: Good to see you.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um if I could take just a minute and and thank the folks at uh Westchester County Board of Elections.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: As an elected official, we really depend on uh all of the hard work that they do to make sure that election days run smooth, not only in the county, but throughout all of the county, uh as well as all the local jurisdictions.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, on behalf of all the folks in Northcastle, thank you for all your hard work.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: And um I know that um through their diligence we will have a smooth um election day, as we always do.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you much.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um just a real quick update.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: We've got some exciting projects that are happening right now in the town of Northcastle.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh for the folks that don't know, Northcastle is made up of three different hamlets.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we have the North White Plains Hamlet, we have the uh Armon Hamlet, and then all the way far east, um actually to the border of Greenwich, Connecticut, uh we have the uh Banksville Hamlet.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, you know, uh each hamlet is so different in so many ways.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Uh one of the things that we're doing right now currently is we're in the process of our major um update of our uh municipal town pool, uh which is in in Armonk, which is serviced and and used by probably all the residents throughout all three hamlets.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um thankfully, together with the county uh and the support of the county health department, we've been able to identify the areas that we had to uh in order to keep the pool functioning.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um again, I always talk about our partners in the county, uh, and again, that's through the great leadership of you know Ken Jenkins.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: We've been working closely with the health department in terms of getting those needed repairs um done and across the finish line.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: And we anticipate that uh the major work will be done by the time uh springtime rolls around.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: I know we're not talking thinking about spring right now, but um as far as uh the town pool goes, we're looking forward to uh having a a great reopening of the town pool uh right after uh hopefully um uh Memorial Day.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: So uh we're looking forward to that and we appreciate all the hard work that the County Health Department has been working with us and our contractors and assisting us in those endeavors.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Uh also we have some really exciting uh water improvement projects, much needed water improvement projects.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and again, uh, you know, in the town of Northcastle, we operate nine independent water districts.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: And without the support of the county and the health department, as we're making upgrades to those water districts and as the um State Health Department regulations have been changing, it's important for us to have good partners uh like we have in the county to help us um to keep our water, our drinking water safe for all of our residents.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: So on behalf of the town of Northcastle, I always uh you know thank Ken.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um we've got um some great uh winter activities coming up, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention um each year uh we do a um um a celebration of Frosty the Snowman.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we believe that the um the story about Frosty the Snowman and the Song uh originated in Armonk, uh which is our downtown.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: When they talk about the town square, uh it was the town square of Armonk that um that Frosty um uh began.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: So uh each year uh we celebrate Frosty Day.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: This year it's gonna be on Sunday, December 6th.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's a great opportunity uh to bring the family and the kids.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um you'll get a chance to uh visit all of our uh downtown businesses that participate in Frosty Day.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: And um it's just an all-around great um holiday celebration.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: So we look forward to um as many folks as possible come and enjoy our downtown.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um and hopefully you'll decide to um maybe buy a home in Ormont and uh and join us.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: So with that, I uh thank the county executive for giving me the opportunity to just talk a little bit about North Castle and some of the great things that are happening.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_00: One other area in North White Plains, we've made a lot of improvements to our Clove Road Field.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and I have to say again, and kudos uh to the county, they've been working very closely with us to um ensure that we have uh new drainage work, and you'll see uh the county is doing quite a bit of work around the clove road field in the county right-of-way, and uh they've been very cooperative in helping us to uh continue to uh enhance that park for our residents.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: So again, I always thank you, Ken, for all your help.
• 13:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Thank you.
• 13:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Thank you so much.
• 13:56
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That's uh uh supervisor of the town of North Castle, Joe Rendi, um, and the the tremendous things that are going on.
• 14:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um see I heard and I knew about the foresty thing.
• 14:06
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: There were people that are here with us this afternoon.
• 14:08
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: They were like, wait, is that really true?
• 14:09
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I'm like, no, it's true.
• 14:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I was like, you know, that thing the things in Westchester County we have so many, um, we have so many opportunities and some less historic things that happened um in in Westchester.
• 14:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: You know, we had last week we had with us um the mayor of the village of Sleepy Hollow, um, and we were talking about the work that happens in Sleepy Hollow during this time of the year, especially around Holl Halloween and the legend of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horsemen and all those kind of things in uh Frosty and in Armagh, and we have so many other things that have happened in our um our county along the years, because again, we're historic.
• 14:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um in the town of North Castle is historic and the can things that continue to happen there.
• 14:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um so again, we we're gonna continue on and we'll think about the things that are going into November.
• 14:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um obviously Veterans Day will come up before Frosty Day, right?
• 14:58
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um but but again, there's so many great things that happen in the town of North Castle.
• 15:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We really appreciate um Supervisor Randy for coming in and letting us know what things are going on.
• 15:07
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Up next, um we're gonna have an opportunity to hear from our Westchester County um Youth Bureau Executive Director Ernest McFanon and to talk a little bit about lights on after school.
• 15:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um we know that after school programs provide more than a safe place for children when the school day ends.
• 15:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: They create opportunities for young people to learn, grow, discover new interests, build confidence, and develop the skills they need to succeed in skills, the skills they need to succeed in school and life.
• 15:37
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, Westchester County is joining communities across this nation um to celebrate Lights on After School, a nationwide initiative highlighting the importance of quality after school programs and the critical role they play in supporting children, working families, and those stronger communities.
• 15:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: With that, let's turn over to our executive director, um Ernest McFadden.
• 15:59
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And I'm the and I'm CEO Ann Bradner, who's here from the Port Chester Carver Center to kick off that celebration.
• 16:06
  unknown: Mr.
• 16:07
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: McFadden.
• 16:11
  Ernest McFadden: Good afternoon.
• 16:12
  Ernest McFadden: Um as the county exec said, this is some exciting times.
• 16:16
  Ernest McFadden: Um I live in the Austin area, so I experienced some of that sleepy hollow activity yesterday.
• 16:23
  Ernest McFadden: I came down Route 9 and read SmackDab into traffic, so I definitely saw it.
• 16:28
  Ernest McFadden: Um today is, in fact, a special day.
• 16:31
  Ernest McFadden: Um today um we are going to talk about an important uh initiative that's been taking place for several decades, and I think they're in their 27th year.
• 16:42
  Ernest McFadden: It's the importance of what happened to young people after the bell rings.
• 16:48
  Ernest McFadden: Um we're joining nationwide some two million people supporting programs that support young people.
• 16:58
  Ernest McFadden: Uh so today uh we're gonna shine the light on something very special.
• 17:03
  Ernest McFadden: Um, special here in our background, in our backyard.
• 17:07
  Ernest McFadden: Um this week uh in this week, October 22nd, is the official day of lights on after school.
• 17:14
  Ernest McFadden: So here in Westchester alone, from the banks of the Hudson and Peekskill and Osing, there will be a series of activities taking place between those critical hours when the bell rings and when parents pick their young child up.
• 17:29
  Ernest McFadden: We will also continue activity on that same day through some of our other community partners in the Mount Vernon area, in the um Rochelle area, and you're gonna hear from one of our community partners uh on the uh Long Island Sound side.
• 17:45
  Ernest McFadden: So we cover uh the entire Westchester County.
• 17:49
  Ernest McFadden: At the Youth Bureau, we support an excess of 200 programs each year.
• 17:53
  Ernest McFadden: Uh many of them are after school programs.
• 17:56
  Ernest McFadden: We do sports and education and the likes.
• 17:58
  Ernest McFadden: Uh Lights on After School is more than just a safe place for young people.
• 18:03
  Ernest McFadden: It's a hub.
• 18:04
  Ernest McFadden: It's a hub for learning for young people, creating creativity, and also building meaningful relationships.
• 18:10
  Ernest McFadden: So, as adults, if we think back when we were in the afterschool program, some of our very best friends that we may have connected was through after school programs.
• 18:18
  Ernest McFadden: And so that that's why we join other community partners in celebrating Lights on After School, just because of the vitalness of the work.
• 18:30
  Ernest McFadden: If I transition for a moment to parents, parents, you absolutely want to know that your child is in a safe environment with trusted adults.
• 18:39
  Ernest McFadden: Those are some of the values of after school program and why they're so important.
• 18:43
  Ernest McFadden: Today, we are truly, truly blessed to have one of our community partners.
• 18:48
  Ernest McFadden: Back in 2025, as you recall, we launched a series called Partnership Matters.
• 18:55
  Ernest McFadden: The work that we do here in the county, we do not do it alone.
• 18:58
  Ernest McFadden: We rely heavily on our community partners.
• 19:01
  Ernest McFadden: As I shared earlier, we at the Youth Bureau support programs from the banks of the Hudson up north to the Long Island Sound South and all across.
• 19:10
  Ernest McFadden: And so it is my honor and my pleasure to introduce one of our community partners today, uh the CEO of the Port Chester Carver Center.
• 19:18
  Ernest McFadden: We were talking a little bit earlier about the history of the Carver Center, and I'm delighted to have uh Ann Bradner join us to tell us how Lights on After School is impacting young people and families in their community.
• 19:30
  Ernest McFadden: Ann, would you please join us?
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_06: Good afternoon.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_06: I'm, as you know, I'm Ann.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you, County Executive Ken Jenkins, and thank you, Ernest, for this lovely introduction and the opportunity to share more about what we're doing.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_06: We appreciate your steady support of the children and the families in our community.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_06: Lights on after school encourages us to focus on the time of day that sometimes people don't think about so often.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_06: For many families, those hours after school between the last bell and parents finishing work is hard to manage.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_06: Elementary school-aged children need high-quality child aftercare, and teens need to be active in a safe environment.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_06: Carver serves more than 1,000 children and teens each year through our no or low-cost programs.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_06: Our elementary programs run in all four sites within Port Chester, and we are in close partnership with the school district to develop our programs.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_06: We also have help from New York State and Westchester County, particularly the Invest in Kids funding.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_06: Once we have the children in the schools, they don't have to travel.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_06: They know where they're at.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_06: The adults in the building know them.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_06: Then they get a full, healthy, hot meal, homework help, enrichment, and time just to be kids.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_06: The program only costs families$100 a year.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_06: We estimate that our families, including the Teen Center families, save$4.1 million in child care costs every year.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_06: Those savings stay in their pocket, and they're able to pay utility bills, meet their rent obligations, buy extra healthy groceries, and take care of their transportation.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_06: So they go to work, also knowing that their children are safe and cared for.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_06: Through Carver Center's free teen program and workforce development programs, older students build skills, confidence, and connections that will carry them into adulthood.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_06: Our programs help teens develop a plan for life after high school.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_06: At its heart, these programs are all about families, and we don't serve families from a We work alongside them, listening, supporting, connecting them to support that helps them build stable, healthy lives.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_06: Carver thanks all of our partners in Westchester County for helping us with this work.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_06: When the lights stay on after school, kids have somewhere to go, families have someone in their corner, and our whole community is able to thrive.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_06: Thanks, Ann.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you.
• 22:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That was Ann Bradner, who is the CEO of the Port Chester Carver Center, that was following our Youth Bureau Executive Director Ernest McFadden.
• 22:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And we really want to say thank you to both of them as partners and continued work to make sure that we have lights on after school.
• 22:52
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So thank you so much.
• 22:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Well, it might not be swimming weather now, but as you stroll along the shore, think back to the summer.
• 23:04
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Did you ever wonder what happens behind the scenes that make sure the water at Westchester County's public beaches are safe for swimming?
• 23:14
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Westchester County is answering that question with the release of the second video in the behind-the-scenes series, giving residents an inside look of the Westchester County Health Department and how they monitor water quality, test for bacteria, and make critical decisions to protect swimmers throughout the summer months.
• 23:34
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Let's take a look.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_04: Part of those regulations are that we actually do the water testing here also.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_07: We want to make sure that anybody who goes into the water in Westchester can do so with reasonable assurance that their health is not going to be in danger.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_04: Typically, where the people are swimming in the such a good representative sample.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_07: Historically, we need certain features of reading future taste.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_07: So we know that if we get like a half an inch of read, more than a half an inch free for beaches, maybe for a day.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_07: If we get an inch of free, we may need to free days.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_07: It's very hard to tell people you can get in the water, but you can't do this, that, or the other thing, because their plate somebody pushes them over before you know what they've been doing to end their under the water.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_07: And they're you know, and they're coming up into the water.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_04: If you inject some of the water, you could get some GIPs and easy as maybe the evening.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_04: If you get it into maybe an even if you have a lead bacteria there, it also could be a good thing.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_04: When we issue those advisories, those beaches typically are gonna put closed things out, anyways, right?
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_04: Because I mean those beaches don't need their staff or protecting those beaches to go in the water easily.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_09: You're standing at the erasing tanks in the joint water research recovery facility on July 2nd at approximately 9 p.m., we had a power or voltage drop from unendison, 38% voltage reduction, which resulted in equipment tripping.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_04: When we did find out that there was a release from the Yonkers treatment plant, it wasn't really sewage, it was partially treated sewage.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_04: Looking at what we knew as far as where the tide was going, the amount of heat discharge that there was, we made some precautionary suggestions basically to the public as far as contact in the water.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_07: It's not a swimming pool, it's not chlorinated, it's not filtered, it is nature, and so we just have to be cognizant of that.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_04: I take this work very seriously as someone who's been in public health for over 30 years and has had experience with kids in my family, you know, recreating and going in the water.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_04: Um I'm gonna listen to what public health officials say.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_07: We take it very seriously.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_07: It's a health advisory that in our opinion, it might not be safe for people to enter the water.
• 26:48
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: All right, we want to say a special thank you to the Westchester Health um Westchester County Health Department staff under the leadership of Dr.
• 26:56
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Shalita Amler, um our Dep Commissioner, um Chris Erickson, and the entire team that goes out and does this testing.
• 27:04
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um I know some of you may have seen during the summer at another New York lake where unfortunately um swimmers um passed away from the toxins that were in the water.
• 27:16
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: As Dr.
• 27:16
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Shalida Amlip said at the end of the video, it's not chlorinated, it's not filtered, it's nature.
• 27:22
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And nature can do its thing over a period of time.
• 27:25
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, but especially with lakes and those kinds of um items that don't have the natural filtration of of the waves going back and forth.
• 27:33
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That's natural filtration.
• 27:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, things can be in the water, and that's what they do that testing for.
• 27:38
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We do that testing for pools, we also do that testing at lakes um where people swim at.
• 27:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, but we also have to tell people to be careful in those areas where um we do not have control over nature.
• 27:51
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, thanks a lot um to our health department for that information in the video.
• 27:57
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We're gonna switch gears and we're gonna talk a little bit today.
• 28:00
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: That we are so pleased that the Westchester County Department of Planning has a new$10 million affordable housing preservation and rehabilitation initiative to improve existing affordable housing properties and protect the county's affordable housing stock for future generations.
• 28:20
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Through this newly established preservation and rehabilitation program, the PRP, the county will fund eligible property owners for critical improvements that extend the useful life of affordable housing developments, improving living conditions for residents that and extend affordability for 50 years.
• 28:39
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This program will make up to a$10 million available for nonprofit and for-profit owners of established multifamily affordable rental properties throughout Westchester County.
• 28:53
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Eligible improvements include upgrades to heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, plumbing, electrical systems, roofing, windows, elevators, building exteriors, and common areas.
• 29:08
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Eligible property owners may submit applications for up to three capital improvement projects, which um with each proposed improvement evaluated independently.
• 29:18
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Applications have to be submitted electronically to plan-prp at wchestercountyny.gov by Tuesday, December 1st, 2026 at 5 p.m.
• 29:32
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: For additional information about the preservation and rehabilitation program, application requirements, and other affordable housing initiatives administered by the Westchester County Department of Planning, please visit planning.westchesterCountyny.gov.
• 29:47
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And again, um one of those things, again, for eligible improvements, do include things like doors that can close in the event of a fire, and certainly for those older um buildings that are multifamily affordable housing units already, um, that they have um spaces in their attic where things would the zoning codes weren't the same and building codes weren't the same as they are today.
• 30:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So we want to work as hard as we do to build new affordable housing and maintaining the affordable housing that exists.
• 30:18
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So the the PRP, the preservation and rehabilitation program, is available.
• 30:22
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And again, take a look at that at planning.westchestercountyny.gov.
• 30:28
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This month, we are celebrating Italian Heritage Month.
• 30:32
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And I hope that you're gonna join us at the county for a special flag raising ceremony.
• 30:38
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We'll be raising the Italian flag this Wednesday, October 21st at 5 p.m.
• 30:43
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: outside the McKilling office building here in White Plains.
• 30:47
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Following the ceremony, we're gonna continue the celebration with a hearty reception from 5.30 to 7 p.m.
• 30:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This is an opportunity to come together, celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Italian Americans here in Westchester County.
• 31:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I hope that you're gonna join us on Wednesday as we proudly raise the Italian flag and celebrate Italian heritage here in Westchester County.
• 31:13
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: At the end today, we're going to certainly wrap up with parks.
• 31:17
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um this weekend um we're having RevFest 250.
• 31:23
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So Saturday, October 24th, that's going to be from 10 to 5 p.m.
• 31:27
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation up in Cross River.
• 31:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um you'll be able to experience history, music, and culture of the Battle of White Plains, Westchester County's signature event commemorating America's 250th anniversary.
• 31:42
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Visitors can explore authentic Revolutionary War encampments, meet hundreds of living history exhibitors, and enjoy artisan um demonstrations, live music, and of course, local food trucks.
• 31:56
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Each day culminates with the spectacular reenactment of the Battle of White Plains, a large-scale tactical demonstration that brings the revolution to life.
• 32:05
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It's a weekend of immersive family and family-friendly fun.
• 32:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And it's free.
• 32:11
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So that's gonna be October 24th and October 25th, Redfest 250.
• 32:17
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: On Saturday the 24th, from 8 p.m.
• 32:20
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: to 10 p.m., it is the Freestyle Jam 2026, and that's gonna be from 8 p.m.
• 32:27
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: to 10 p.m.
• 32:28
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: at the Westchester County Center.
• 32:30
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um so you'll be able to see TKA, um George Lamont, Judy Torres, Shannon, the Cover Girls, Cynthia, um Betty D, Coral, Um Swabe, and more.
• 32:42
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: It's hosted by Sal Abitiello and Speedy.
• 32:47
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Those doors open at 7 p.m.
• 32:49
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um the show starts at 8 p.m.
• 32:51
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And again, those tickets are available at the County Center website, and that is the Freestyle Jam.
• 32:57
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Sunday, the 25th, from 10 to 6 at the County Center.
• 33:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: One of those great events that we have is the Cheerfest.
• 33:05
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So this year's Cheer Fest, Youth Recreational Cheerleading Competition, um, that's um Cheerfest, Youth Recreational Cheerleading Competition, TYFC, brings together talented cheerleading squads from the Hudson Valley region.
• 33:21
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This exciting event will showcase the skills, creativity, and athleticism of young cheerleaders as they compete for the gold.
• 33:30
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Session one begins at 10 a.m.
• 33:32
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: and then session two begins at 3.30 p.m.
• 33:35
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And that's everything that's happening in our Westchester County um uh parks and recreation system.
• 33:41
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Obviously, there's many more things happening locally at the parks.
• 33:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Make sure you download the parks app on your Android or Apple device in the iOS store or Google Play Store, and that's this week in Westchester.
• 33:53
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: From making your voice heard at the ballot box to celebrating our communities, supporting young people, and investing in affordable housing, we're highlighting the people, programs, and opportunities.
• 34:04
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: As you heard, early voting is almost here.
• 34:08
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This is Democracy in Action.
• 34:10
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Early voting begins Saturday, October 24th.
• 34:14
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Remembering that we're all our statewide offices and the state legislators, the county legislators, local municipalities, all those things, congressional, federal, um, federal positions are on the ballot this year.
• 34:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: So again, make sure your voice is heard.
• 34:29
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: For our community spotlight, we talked to the town supervisor of North Castle.
• 34:34
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um, Supervisor Joe Rindy told us all about the beautiful town of North Castle, exciting local initiatives, community happenings, and what's ahead for this vibrant Westchester community.
• 34:45
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We were able to hear from our Westchester County Youth Bureau Executive Director Ernest McFadden and Port Chester, Carver Center CEO Anne Bradner.
• 34:54
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: They joined us to talk to celebrate Lights on After School and the incredible programs helping children learn, grow, and thrive.
• 35:02
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Keeping our beaches safe, we took you behind the scenes with the Westchester County Health Department in the second instalment of our video series, highlighting the dedicated staff who work to protect public health all summer long.
• 35:16
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Quite frankly, they do it every single day, even outside the summer.
• 35:19
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: But for this, it was about the summer and beaches.
• 35:22
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: $10 million investment in preserving affordable housing.
• 35:26
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We're excited today announced the Affordable Housing Preservation and Rehabilitation Initiative.
• 35:31
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: This program will help improve existing affordable housing properties, strengthen living conditions, and preserve affordable homes for generations to come.
• 35:41
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Don't forget to join us this Wednesday at 5 p.m.
• 35:44
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: outside the McKilling office building as we proudly raise the Italian flag and celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of Italian Americans in Westchester County.
• 35:55
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And this weekend, don't forget to step back in time at RevFest 250 at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
• 36:03
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: From civic engagement, community private meaningful investments in our future, that is this week in Westchester.
• 36:12
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: I'm Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins.
• 36:14
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Thank you so much for watching.
• 36:15
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Um enjoy your week.
• 36:17
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Make sure we'll see you at one of those events, whether it's on Wednesday at the Italian um flag raising, um up at RevFest 250.
• 36:24
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: We'll be out and about um and make sure you take care of each other.
• 36:27
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: Have a great day.
• 36:28
  Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins: And don't forget, early voting starts October 24th.