Mount Vernon, NY
Politics
Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Arraigned In County Court Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Arraigned In County Court
Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Arraigned In County Court Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas has pleaded not guilty to the latest charges levied against him in Westchester County Court. At his arraignment Friday morning, Thomas pleaded not guilty to four felony counts of grand larceny that claim he allegedly stole from his campaign fund while running for office several years ago. He was indicted by a grand jury last week. Thomas was arrested on felony corruption charges on March 12 that included grand larceny and filing a false instrument after being accused of stealing more than $10,000 from his campaign committee and lying about it on finance fil…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
Politics
Mount Vernon Mayor Denies Stealing Thousands In Campaign Funds Mount Vernon Mayor Denies Stealing Thousands In Campaign Funds
Mount Vernon Mayor Denies Stealing Thousands In Campaign Funds Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas has denied the new charges against him that claim he allegedly stole thousands of dollars in campaign funds when running for office three years ago. A day after he was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly stealing campaign funds and failing to disclose funds that he used for personal expenses., Thomas' attorney Randall Jackson issued a statement vehemently denying the new charges, and saying that they look forward to the truth coming out. “We are looking forward to addressing the numerous problems with this investigation and prosecution in court," he…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
News
Embattled Westchester Mayor Indicted By Grand Jury On Larceny Charges Embattled Westchester Mayor Indicted By Grand Jury On Larceny Charges
Embattled Westchester Mayor Indicted By Grand Jury On Larceny Charges Embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly stealing campaign funds and failing to disclose funds that he used for personal expenses. Thomas was arraigned on felony corruption charges on March 12 that included grand larceny and filing a false instrument after being accused of stealing more than $10,000 from his campaign committee and lying about it on finance filing forms. The mayor is now accused of stealing more than $12,000 from Friends of Richard Thomas, his campaign committee when he ran for mayor three years ago. He is also accused of al…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
News
Demolition Of Grandstands At Westchester Icon Memorial Field Begins Demolition Of Grandstands At Westchester Icon Memorial Field Begins
Demolition Of Grandstands At Westchester Icon Memorial Field Begins After years of discussion, debate and discourse, efforts to restore the once vibrant Memorial Field in Mount Vernon have begun in earnest. Earlier this year, Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced a “two-prong” approach to reopen the once vibrant recreation hub that has laid in ruins for the better part of a decade. On Monday, the first shoe dropped, as demolition of the deteriorating Memorial Field grandstands kicked off shortly after 10 a.m. on Monday morning. The demolition project and subsequent removal of debris is expected to take up to three weeks, then a full restoration effort…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Grandstands At Westchester Icon Memorial Field Will Be Demolished Grandstands At Westchester Icon Memorial Field Will Be Demolished
Grandstands At Westchester Icon Memorial Field Will Be Demolished They say that “slow and steady wins the race.” Mount Vernon is putting that to the test with revitalization efforts at Memorial Field. Earlier this year, Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced a “two-prong” approach to reopen the once vibrant recreation hub that has laid in ruins for the better part of a decade. In the short term, Thomas said that crews will grow out new grass in anticipation of a temporary track that will be installed over the summer, which the mayor said “would allow for walking, jogging, frisbee throwing, pick-up soccer and touch football games and other outdoor act…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
News
Metro-North Kicks Off $10.2M 14th Avenue Bridge Project In Mount Vernon Metro-North Kicks Off $10.2M 14th Avenue Bridge Project In Mount Vernon
Metro-North Kicks Off $10.2M 14th Avenue Bridge Project In Mount Vernon A busy Mount Vernon bridge will be closed off for nearly a year as Metro-North begins a multi-million dollar replacement project. Beginning on Monday, May 7, the 14th Avenue bridge will be closed for an estimated 10 months, as Metro-North kicks off a $10.2 million project to replace the 94-foot bridge, which was first built in 1894. According to Metro-North officials, the first step of the project involves the demolition of the old bridge. “For 10 long years, Mount Vernon’s north side was cut off from the south side, harming quality of life and jeopardizing public safety,” Mount Vernon May…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
News
Drug Sweep Leads To Arrests Of 22 In Mount Vernon With Six On The Run Drug Sweep Leads To Arrests Of 22 In Mount Vernon With Six On The Run
Drug Sweep Leads To Arrests Of 22 In Mount Vernon With Six On The Run Nearly two dozen arrests were announced on Friday - including an alleged father-daughter criminal team - following a sweep for suspects who allegedly sold cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and other drugs in Mount Vernon. City officials in Mount Vernon announced the arrests of 22 suspects - with six more still wanted - as part of a year-long crackdown on illegal drug sales and distribution that included a series of undercover street buys that began last month. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced the arrests at a press conference on Friday afternoon, celebrating the efforts of the police dep…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
Police & Fire
Westchester Father Charged In Murder Of Son Due To Appear In Court Westchester Father Charged In Murder Of Son Due To Appear In Court
Westchester Father Charged In Murder Of Son Due To Appear In Court The 34-year-old father of a toddler who is facing a murder charge after his son was found unresponsive in a Westchester apartment last week is due to appear in Mount Vernon City Court on Monday. Lloyd Scott is due to appear in court on Monday afternoon, where he will face a charge of second-degree murder in connection to the death of his 2-year-old last week, who was found unresponsive in their Esplande Gardens apartment by his mother on April 16, who rushed him to Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead at approximately 7 p.m. An autopsy performed by the Westch…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
Politics
Former Mount Vernon Nutritionist Sues City, Mayor Following Firing Former Mount Vernon Nutritionist Sues City, Mayor Following Firing
Former Mount Vernon Nutritionist Sues City, Mayor Following Firing A former member of the Mount Vernon Department of Recreation is suing Mayor Richard Thomas, the city and Darren Morton, the Commissioner of his former department, alleging that he was fired for attending for attending a meeting regarding Memorial Field with former Mayor Ernest Davis. In a lawsuit filed this week, Larry McDowdell, a former nutritionist, claims that he attended a meeting with Thomas and Morton regarding the possibility of a new roof at the Memorial Field tennis center, and the mayor subsequently sent an email to City Council stating that “he was surprised to see Mayor Davis in…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
News
Mount Vernon Mayor's Brother Busted With Pot, Fake Tags, Reports Say Mount Vernon Mayor's Brother Busted With Pot, Fake Tags, Reports Say
Mount Vernon Mayor's Brother Busted With Pot, Fake Tags, Reports Say Weeks after embattled Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas was charged with grand larceny, his eldest brother is facing a legal battle of his own after being busted with alleged fake registration tags and marijuana during a traffic stop conducted by Mount Vernon Police officers on Wednesday. Preston Thomas, 44, was stopped by officers shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, police said, when the alleged falsified New Jersey tags were discovered. During the stop, four plastic bags of alleged marijuana were also recovered, according to court documents. According to multiple reports, police w…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
News
Mount Vernon Officials Cited For Allegedly Misappropriating $6M In Funds Mount Vernon Officials Cited For Allegedly Misappropriating $6M In Funds
Mount Vernon Officials Cited For Allegedly Misappropriating $6M In Funds Another week, another controversy for current and former officials in Mount Vernon. Former Mayor Ernest Davis, former Comptroller Maureen Walker, former Planning Commissioner Jaime Martinez, former Police Commissioner Bob Kelley and several City Council members were all named in a lawsuit late on Friday afternoon alleging that they mismanaged millions of dollars in federal housing funds. The officials have since vehemently denied the claims, according to multiple reports, stating that it’s an attempt to divert attention away from current Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas - who could not imm…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Vernon, NY
Real Estate
Developers Seek To Buy Mount Vernon YMCA For South Side Arts District Developers Seek To Buy Mount Vernon YMCA For South Side Arts District
Developers Seek To Buy Mount Vernon YMCA For South Side Arts District A potential sale of the old YMCA building may have paved the way for the Mount Vernon City Council to review a proposed multi-million dollar transit-oriented arts district on the South Side of the City. Earlier this year, developers proposed the purchase of the property, paving the way for an ambitious development that would be built around the library, a short walk away from the Mount Vernon East Metro-North train station. The proposal was first laid out last year, and it will be presented to the City Council on Wednesday for approval. According to officials, the district will be centered…

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by Zak Failla