Jon Craig

Reporter

[email protected]

Pleasantville native Jon Craig is special editor for the Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Daily Voice sites. He is also the primary reporter for Daily Voice Plus Politics in Westchester and Fairfield.

Jon graduated from Cornell University and received his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Across a 35-year career, he's worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Chicago, New York, Ohio & Washington, D.C and as managing editor for weekly newspapers in Rye, White Plains and Harrison.

Jon also writes periodically for the Cornell Chronicle.

Career Highlights:

  • Covered Metro-North train wreck that killed a motorist and five commuters, 2015
  • Researched state investigative project for PublicIntegrity.org, 2011-12
  • National MADD award for database analysis of repeat drunk drivers in Ohio, 2008.
  • Henry F. Guggenheim Fellow, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2010.
  • Sentenced to jail for protecting confidential sources (won on appeal), 1999.
  • Broke 30th anniversary story about Kent State shootings — using FBI records, resurrecting theory a student informant triggered fatal National Guard volley, May 2000.
  • Covered Ground Zero after Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks.
  • Uncovered voting problems before & during presidential recount in Ohio, 2004.
  • Witnessed botched Death Row execution of Romell Broom in 2009, one of more than a dozen I covered; Wrote about three inmates whose death sentences were commuted to life without parole.
  • Won IRE, SDX and multiple national & state awards for series led by Erik Kriss investigating New York General Assembly. 1994.
  • Guest lecturer at universities in NY & Ohio. Taught Syracuse high school journalism class.
  • Co-authored IRE-award winning series on illegal restraints/beatings at juvenile detention centers. Gov. Mario Cuomo had NY inspector general confirm what Hart Seely and I found at Division for Youth & fired top directors, 1993.
  • Survived Air Force Kool School training at North Pole, 1996.
  • Covered Persian Gulf wars, including 2002 bomb missions from Turkey and stateside Army/Air Guard training. 1991.
  • Supervised overnight coverage of Pan Am Flight 103 after Libyan bomb killed 35 Syracuse University students over Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988.
  • Covered aftermath of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s fatal plane crash from Cape Cod, 1999.
  • Greeted Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as Cornell Sun sports editor during daily's 100th anniversary dinner in May 1980. 

Jon Craig's Contributions

21-Year-Old Admits Guilt In Westchester Home Invasion Murder 21-Year-Old Admits Guilt In Westchester Home Invasion Murder 21-Year-Old Admits Guilt In Westchester Home Invasion Murder
21-Year-Old Admits Guilt In Westchester Home Invasion Murder PORT CHESTER, N.Y. -- A 21-year-old man entered a guilty plea in the 2011 murder of his former neighbor, Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty said on Wednesday. Jahkim McGhee of 544 Locust Ave. in Port Chester pled guilty earlier Wednesday to first-degree manslaughter in the brutal stabbing death of Anthony Guglielmo, a 54-year-old plumber, during a home invasion.  McGhee was indicted in October 2014 as reported here by Daily Voice. “For over two years, Port Chester police and prosecutors relentlessly worked this case," McCarty said in a press statement. "While i…
Firefighters Battle Apartment Building Blaze Along Route 9 In Dutchess Firefighters Battle Apartment Building Blaze Along Route 9 In Dutchess Firefighters Battle Apartment Building Blaze Along Route 9 In Dutchess
Firefighters Battle Apartment Building Blaze Along Route 9 In Dutchess HYDE PARK, N.Y. -- Route 9 is closed as firefighters from multiple departments in Dutchess County battled a blaze in a large apartment building Wednesday. The three-alarm fire was reported to be "through the roof" by 11 a.m.  Route 9 was expected to be closed at least through 3 p.m. between Big Meadow Lane and St. Andrew's Road, fire officials said.
52-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed In Dutchess County Accident 52-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed In Dutchess County Accident 52-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed In Dutchess County Accident
52-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed In Dutchess County Accident AMENIA, N.Y. -- A 52-year-old Amenia man was killed on Tuesday night in a car-pedestrian accident, according to the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office. The preliminary investigation appears to clear a 29-year-old driver from New York City of any wrongdoing, the Sheriff's Office said in a press statement.  The fatal crash occurred on State Route 22 near State Route 343 in the Town of Amenia at about 8:30 a.m. Sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 dispatch of a car-pedestrian crash, and upon arrival they discovered Theodore Miles Jr. lying in the northbound lane of Route 22 with serious injuri…
Verizon Contract Talks Stalled As Union Rejects Company's Latest Offer Verizon Contract Talks Stalled As Union Rejects Company's Latest Offer Verizon Contract Talks Stalled As Union Rejects Company's Latest Offer
Verizon Contract Talks Stalled As Union Rejects Company's Latest Offer WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- No end is expected soon in the walkout of nearly 40,000 Verizon line workers, union officials said Tuesday. The workers’ contract expired on Aug. 2, 2015, and a strike began on April 13 including about 1,500 Verizon union employees in Westchester, Rockland and Dutchess counties. Thousands of Verizon and electrical union workers also are on strike in New Jersey and Connecticut. Union officials said Tuesday they have rejected management's last contract offer -- which has remain unchanged, according to Anthony Pugliese, vice president for Local 1103 of the Communications …
Federal Housing Monitor Recommends Suing Seven Westchester Communities Federal Housing Monitor Recommends Suing Seven Westchester Communities Federal Housing Monitor Recommends Suing Seven Westchester Communities
Federal Housing Monitor Recommends Suing Seven Westchester Communities WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- A federal housing monitor recommends that the U.S. Justice Department sue seven communities in Westchester, county officials said on Monday. James Johnson, the monitor assigned to the 2009 affordable housing settlement between Westchester County and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In his “Third Biennial Assessment” of the housing settlement, which was released on Friday, Johnson conceded that the county has met its latest annual benchmarks for developing affordable housing. Nevertheless, Johnson asserted that Croton-on-Hudson, Harrison, Lew…
About 1,000 Take Part In Annual Walk For Westchester Children's Hospital About 1,000 Take Part In Annual Walk For Westchester Children's Hospital About 1,000 Take Part In Annual Walk For Westchester Children's Hospital
About 1,000 Take Part In Annual Walk For Westchester Children's Hospital VALHALLA, N.Y. – About 1,000 people took part in Sunday's 12th annual "Go the Distance" Walk and Family Fun Day at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital. A five-year-old boy from New City --- who overcame complications from birth, led the event as grand marshal. Eli Carson Whittaker weighed about a pound when he was born prematurely at 24 weeks. As grand marshal, Eli represented the more than 20,000 area children who receive care each year at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Despite Sunday's rainfall, the event drew a crowd of about 1,000, comprising former patients, their families, h…
Two Charged With Felony Drunken Driving In Separate Dutchess Stops Two Charged With Felony Drunken Driving In Separate Dutchess Stops Two Charged With Felony Drunken Driving In Separate Dutchess Stops
Two Charged With Felony Drunken Driving In Separate Dutchess Stops POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men on felony DWI charges in separate stops on Monday. Jaison D. Cook, 38, of Pleasant Valley was arrested during the first stop about 4:45 p.m. Sheriff's deputies said Cook was observed by a motorist to be traveling erratically, at which time the motorist contacted the Sheriff’s Office. Cook was stopped on Burnett Boulevard in the Town of Poughkeepsie.  Cook was found to have a DWI conviction on March 20, 2010. Cook was found in possession of a dagger and concentrated marijuana, and was additionally charged in connect…
Firefighters' Firing Prompts Protest In Port Chester Firefighters' Firing Prompts Protest In Port Chester Firefighters' Firing Prompts Protest In Port Chester
Firefighters' Firing Prompts Protest In Port Chester This story has been updated. PORT CHESTER, N.Y. -- Monday's surprise firing of eight paid firefighters in Port Chester prompted a rally and protest by about 200 firefighters, union members and the public. By a 5-1 vote, as reported earlier here by Daily Voice,  Port Chester's village board eliminated the paid fire department and 11 jobs. Three of the career jobs were vacant, leaving eight more firefighters on unpaid administrative leave.  During a rally outside Village Hall on Tuesday afternoon, William Romaka, first district vice president of the International Association of Fire Fighters…
Village Board Axes Paid Fire Department In Port Chester Village Board Axes Paid Fire Department In Port Chester Village Board Axes Paid Fire Department In Port Chester
Village Board Axes Paid Fire Department In Port Chester PORT CHESTER, N.Y. -- Port Chester's village board voted 5-1 to on Monday night to cut eight paid firefighters. The abrupt budget change would save an estimated $600,000 in salaries and benefits in the 2016-17 budget, according to village officials. A rally to support the firefighters was planned for 1 p.m. Tuesday outside Village Hall at 222 Grace Church St. Organizers encouraged people to wear red to protest the village board vote. Village trustee Luis Marino, who is a volunteer firefighter, abstained from Monday's vote. Greg Adams was the only trustee to vote against eliminating the vil…
Playland Amusement Park Gets New Private Manager With County Vote Playland Amusement Park Gets New Private Manager With County Vote Playland Amusement Park Gets New Private Manager With County Vote
Playland Amusement Park Gets New Private Manager With County Vote WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - -Westchester's Board of Legislators voted 13-4 on Monday night to turn over management of county-owned Playland Park to Standard Amusements led by Harrison native Nicholas Singer.  The vote concludes a lengthy search for a new manager to take over day-to-day operations of the popular amusement park. The approval means Standard Amusements will make a $30 million private investment for the right to operate the historic park in Rye for 30 years. “We started with a blank piece of paper for how to save Playland six years ago,” Astorino said. “Now we are taking a historic ste…
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