As 2025 comes to a close, we look back at some of Yorktown's top stories of the year.
In part one, we revisit the polar plunge, public safety rankings, the life and legacy of Alice Roker, the moratorium on vape shops, and. Yorktown resident's mistaken brush with infamy via a Kardashian.
Yorktown mourned the loss of Alice Roker, the town’s longtime clerk and a trailblazing public servant, who died Feb. 10 at age 77 after a prolonged illness. Roker served as town clerk for 26 years and later as a town councilwoman, becoming the first Black person elected to local office in Yorktown. Before entering public service, she spent nearly two decades as an Emmy Award-winning journalist with NBC. Widely remembered for her warmth, leadership and dedication to the community, Roker remained active in civic life as town historian until her death, leaving a lasting legacy of service, mentorship and historic firsts in Yorktown.
“The residents of Yorktown were lucky to have her as their elected representative for over 30 years. She lit up every room with her smile and always knew how to make people laugh and feel comfortable,” her close friend Town Clerk Diana Quast said. “She treated everyone with respect and compassion. To paraphrase a quote by author H. Jackson Brown, Alice earned her success based on service to others, not at the expense of others.”
It wouldn’t be a January in Yorktown without the Polar Bear Plunge, an annual tradition and fundraiser that involves some very hardy (or cold-impervious) residents braving the waters of Sparkle Lake to raise money for their favorite causes.
The 2026 Polar Plunge is set for 9 a.m. Jan. 10 at Sparkle Lake. Take part—if you dare...
Yorktown was once again named among the safest small towns in America by the website MoneyGeek, coming in at No. 6 (just above neighboring Carmel) with a crime cost per capita of $64. In June, a study for the SafeWise report offered a similar finding, ranking Yorktown as the eighth safest town in New York State thanks to a year-over-year decrease in both property crime and violent crime.
“We are proud of this recognition, which is a testament to the character, hard work and extensive training our officers undergo,” Police Chief Robert Noble said of the SafeWise report. “As an accredited force, the Yorktown Police Department adheres to the highest standards in crime fighting, and our commitment to excellence is unwavering. Our partnership with the Yorktown community is second to none.”
In March, the Town Board adopted a law to limit where new smoke and vape shops can operate. The law bars new retailers from opening within 1,500 feet of schools, parks, houses of worship, daycare centers, senior housing developments and medical buildings, among other locations.
The measure is intended to make it difficult for additional vape or smoke shops to open in town after some shops had allegedly sold cannabis products illegally. After police raided one such shop in 2024, Police Chief Robert Noble said the state's Office of Cannabis Management was "woefully understaffed."
“During my law enforcement career in Yorktown, each smoke shop has proven to be problematic, in that they tend to market and sell their products to minors," Noble said before the full ban went into effect. "I am hoping that this moratorium is the precursor to meaningful local legislation, and I am proud of the work that my YPD team continues to do every day.”
Yorktown resident Ivan Cantu experienced a moment of surreality when reality TV star and influencer Kim Kardashian mistakenly used his photo in an Instagram post about a Texas death row inmate who shared his name. The mix-up briefly thrust the local man into the national spotlight and later became the subject of a lawsuit alleging reputational harm. Kardashian’s representatives said the post was a mistake, highlighting how quickly errors can spread on social media.
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