In part 2 of our year in review, we remember an Olympic achievement, an incredible rescue, a community's unity in the face of hate, and a debate over battery farms.
Some Yorktown athletes saw glory overseas as the North East Westchester Special Recreation floorball team returned home as bronze medalists from the Special Olympics World Games in Turin, Italy. Yorktown athletes Michael Bub and Samantha Frederick were among the athletes to shine in Italy for the United States. Coached by Nancy Bellini of Katonah, the team competed in a highly competitive bracket against teams from Germany, Austria and the host country. They were welcomed back to the United States on March 16 with a police escort and a celebration attended by family, friends and supporters.
“What a great experience for all the athletes and coaches,” volunteer coach Tom Dumser said. “There were many new friendships made with other athletes from the competing countries."
A Yorktown Heights postal worker Chris Perez helped save a life while making his rounds.
Perez was delivering mail at the Jefferson Village complex on March 28 when he spotted flames and smoke and realized a person was trapped.
“All of a sudden, I see a gentleman walk out to the back porch, and he's just walking around in circles on the porch,” Perez recalled to Yorktown News afterwards. “And we’re like, ‘Hey, your house is on fire, you need to get out!’
On Facebook, Yorktown Heights Volunteer Fire Department praised Perez: “Kudos to the USPS mail courier for making one impressive rescue prior to FD arrival,” adding that “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
The Yorktown community was shocked by several incidents in which public spaces were marked with symbols and messages of hate. On Mother’s Day weekend, residents found large swastikas and racist/homophobic graffiti on the ramps at the skate park behind town hall as well as obscene on the track at Veterans Road. Police launched an investigation and sought community help. A 15-year-old later turned himself in, accompanied by his parents.
Later in the summer, hikers found a swastika carved into a tree at Turkey Mountain.
Religious leaders of multiple faiths and town officials spoke out against hate.
“We will stand today, tomorrow, and every day to try and bring that education through, to try to work with our residents to make sure that they are in a safe community, and also that everyone is respected for who they are and what they bring to the table,” Supervisor Ed Lachterman said.
The Town Board approved an amended law banning new Tier 2 battery energy storage systems (BESSes) while allowing existing facilities to remain in operation under grandfathering provisions. The measure passed by a 4-1 vote at the board’s May 20 meeting (with Siegel the dissenting vote) and prohibited future large-scale battery installations while preventing current Tier 2 systems from expanding or resuming operation if they went offline. Town officials cited safety concerns as the primary motivation for the ban, though some board members argued that enhanced oversight and independent safety reviews could have addressed risks without an outright prohibition. Town officials said at the time that the law could be revisited in the future as technology and safety standards evolved.
“Of course, as technology advances, we will keep an open mind and look at it periodically,” Supervisor Ed Lachterman said.
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