Local Matters Westchester

Asif Khan, a former professional squash player from one of the sport's most famous families, joins Local Matters Westchester to discuss coaching, youth development, and building a thriving squash program in Northern Westchester.

Democratic Mount Pleasant supervisor candidate Tom Abinanti joins  Local Matters Westchester  to discuss why he's challenging incumbent Republican Carl Fulgenzi, his response to Councilman Mark Saracino's surprise resignation, and his thoughts on a development moratorium, fiscal oversight, ethics reform, housing and transparency at Town Hall. He also addresses the town's finances, the...

In this episode of Local Matters Westchester, guest host Jill Grossman speaks with Kristin Raniola, founder of Noelle Healing in Mount Kisco, about the art of energy healing, how it works, and why more people are turning to it as a means for navigating the stress and anxiety in their lives. 

Westchester County's network of nearly 600 automated license plate readers is facing a major legal challenge. Nancy Glass, litigation director at NYU School of Law's Policing Project, joins  Local Matters Westchester  to explain why a class action lawsuit argues the surveillance system lacks proper legal authorization, how long drivers' data is stored, concerns over data sharing, and w...

Local Matters Westchester speaks with Revolutionary Westchester 250 President Constance Kehoe about plans for the nation's semiquincentennial, the county's Revolutionary War history, and the events planned across Westchester through 2026.

In this episode of Local Matters Westchester, Mount Pleasant Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi talks to hosts Martin Wilbur and Adam Stone to discuss development pressures, fiscal constraints, and ongoing flooding concerns. He addresses questions about developer influence, affordable housing, and Mount Pleasant’s recent Moody’s bond rating downgrade, and explains his approach to maintaining low taxes while...

Examiner reporter Vera Giraudo was on site at Rockland Community College to cover President Donald J. Trump's rally for Rep. Mike Lawler last week. In her audio story, she took the pulse of the crowd, exploring what the president's support for Lawler could mean for the heated election in Congressional District 17.

In this episode of Local Matters Westchester, guest David Grant shares why he founded the Suzanne Grant Foundation and how, by supporting community service projects in local schools and organizations, he is keeping his wife Suzanne's spirit of service and generosity alive and developing the next generation of community champions. You can also learn more about the foundation's 2026 communit...

The Pleasantville Farmers Market has grown from a dozen vendors into one of Westchester’s busiest year-round destinations. This week on  Local Matters Westchester ,  The Examiner’s  weekly podcast, host Martin Wilbur talks with Peter Rogovin of Foodchester about what makes it work: from strict local sourcing to building a market where vendors can succeed. Rogovin, the founder of Foodchester, Inc.,...

In this episode of Local Matters Westchester, we speak with Michael Peppard about his campaign for the Westchester County Board of Legislators. A theology professor and former Pleasantville trustee, Peppard shares his background, what led him to run, and the priorities he’s focusing on in District 3 as he challenges incumbent Margaret Cunzio.

For 50 years, local philanthropy has quietly supported Westchester in ways most people never see. From legal help for domestic violence survivors to funding better community data, the impact runs deep. In this episode of  Local Matters Westchester , Laura Rossi of The New York Community Trust and Cindy Kanusher of the Pace Women’s Justice Center explain where the support goes, who it helps, and wh...

Protest organizer Fred Silverman explains why the weekly rally for democracy demonstrations in Mount Kisco are needed.

A conversation with County Executive Ken Jenkins. He discusses housing, affordability and other pressing issues facing the county.

In our final interview with the Democratic candidates seeking to challenge incumbent Republican Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District race, challenger Mike Sacks joined  Local Matters Westchester  to talk about his campaign, with the June 23 primary now less than three months away.

Diane Pagan, a local nurse practitioner and the founder of Senior Moments Care, talks with Local Matters Westchester this week about delivering compassionate medical care to elderly patients in their homes, and the new Geriatric Center of Excellence she plans to open in Somers by this fall. She also discusses the problems with corporate-controlled health care, and a host of other related issues. R...

Army veteran Cait Conley talks to Local Matters Westchester about her Hudson Valley roots, what motivated her decision to choose West Point, and why she’s challenging Rep. Mike Lawler for the 17th Congressional District seat. She addresses affordability, health care reform, housing, immigration accountability, climate action and foreign policy while defending her advisory work after a recent repor...

Tracey Bilski of Friends of Buttonhook Forest joins to us discuss the grassroots effort to preserve the 20-acre Chappaqua woodland from development. She talks about the legal fight, fundraising push, environmental stakes and the broader effort to honor local indigenous history.

In this episode of Local Matters Westchester, we examine the Jimmy Collins case with three people who were at the center of the civil fight for accountability: lead plaintiff Greg Ardanowski, fellow plaintiff Scott Roth, and attorney Sarah Klein of Manly, Stewart & Finaldi. Klein was the first known victim of former Olympic women’s gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, and has become a leading advoc...

Today, we’re joined by Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator and Democratic candidate for New York’s 17th Congressional District. This interview is part of an ongoing series where we’re speaking with all the Democratic primary candidates ahead of the June election.

‘Shaking in Our Boots’: Inside a Crisis with Mount Kisco Child Care Center Director Dawn Meyerski Mount Kisco Child Care Center Executive Director Dawn Meyerski talks staffing shortages, federal funding changes, and the various challenges of running a nonprofit childcare center in today’s climate.

This week on  Local Matters Westchester , we speak with Nicole Ferrara and David Kaufstein of The Nicholas Center, a nonprofit with locations in Pleasantville and Port Washington. The organization helps people with autism learn, live, and work in their communities. Ferrara shares what inspired her to found the organization, while Kaufstein discusses the programs supporting learning and social deve...

Former FBI analyst John Sullivan, who was one of the bureau’s most senior openly gay officials, joins us to discuss his run for Congress in New York’s 17th District. We ask why he left the FBI over concerns about the Trump administration, his experiences as a cancer survivor, and his views on public safety, health care, LGBTQ rights, and more. Sullivan also shares his campaign priorities in the De...

Superintendent Mary Fox‑Alter reflects on 40+ years in education, from Pleasantville to East Ramapo to leading Ossining schools. We cover district leadership, a $210M school bond, responsible use of AI in classrooms, and the political pressures facing public school leaders today.

This week on  Local Matters Westchester , we sit down with Scarsdale-based comedian Ben Rosenfeld—Russian-Jewish immigrant, sharp-witted storyteller, and one half of the comedy duo behind Westchester Comedy Club and  Living Room Laughs . Ben talks about building a real comedy scene in the suburbs, teaching stand-up to beginners, and why being the father of a seven-year-old shapes so much of his ma...

This week on Local Matters Westchester, the hosts talk with longtime Westchester journalist David McKay Wilson, who wrapped up a remarkable career with The Journal News/LoHud/Gannett in September. Wilson discusses the state of local journalism, the next chapter of his reporting life on Substack, and his community projects, including the Stars of Hope holiday art effort and his church's ballroo...