Dennis Sant to Retire After 37 Years



County Clerk Dennis Sant remembers the laborious and frustrating experience encountered when applying for his driver’s license at the tender age of 16 like it was yesterday. After waiting for two hours in a long line outside the Putnam Office Building in Carmel to get to the DMV office located in the basement of the county facility, a stern teller […]

Putnam Courthouse to Reopen Thursday



The Putnam County Courthouse which has been closed for over a week is expected to reopen today (Thursday). Last week’s blast of arctic cold wreaked havoc at the $23 million facility when pipes burst, flooding three of the judicial center’s four floors. The first damage was discovered when a cleaning crew entered the building only to find water cascading down […]

Brewster School District to Offer Vets a Break on Their Property Taxes



A new state law allows school districts to grant property tax exemptions to eligible veterans who have up to now only been able to receive tax breaks on their county and town tax bills. The Brewster School District hopes to become one of the first schools throughout New York to adopt such legislation. School trustees will be conducting a presentation […]

More than 2,000 Calls for Brewster Fire Dept.



The Brewster Fire Department has the dubious honor of being Putnam’s busiest emergency services agency in 2013. Commissioner of Emergency Services Adam Stiebeling brought the news to a meeting of the county’s deputy emergency services coordinators last week when reporting that the men and women of the all-volunteer firefighting force responded to 2,069 calls last year or more than 5.5 […]

Carmel Property Taxes Soar



Many residents of the Town of Carmel took a double take last week when tax bills arrived in the mail Property taxes have increased dramatically for 2014. A homeowner in the hamlet of Carmel whose property is assessed at $201,000 saw a dramatic $400 increase in his town and county tax bill this year. Other increases ranging from $307 to […]

From the Chamber

Trailblazer Awards at Hand

The 4th Annual Trailblazer Awards are being held at Villa Barone Hilltop Manor in Mahopac on January 31, emceed by County Executive Mary- Ellen Odell and Sheriff Don Smith. The Putnam County Chambers of Commerce will recognize 35 business professionals for outstanding success in the categories of Emerging Trailblazer, Established Trailblazer, Mature Trailblazer, Environmentally Engaged Trailblazer and Socially Conscious Trailblazer. […]

Putnam County Shines at Stardust Café



Putnam County was well represented at the worldrenowned Stardust Café on Broadway in Manhattan Saturday. The restaurant, always crowded, features singing wait staff who yearn for a starring role in a Great White Way production. While having lunch at the bistro, one of the waiters ventured over and introduced himself after recognizing yours truly. The fellow Carmel resident was Barry […]

Lake Carmel Fire Dept. Installs Officers



The Lake Carmel Fire Department installed officers for 2014 Saturday evening at a gala affair in Dutchess County. William Walters took his oath of office as chief while assistant chiefs Jack Keher and Dave Churchill were also installed. Captains taking their oaths were Patrick Ryan, Thomas Donohue and John Vigliotti while lieutenants sworn into office included Brent Mc- Donnell, Mike […]

‘Winterfest’ Goes On, Even Without Snow



Although last week’s snow had been washed away by the rain, participants in the Taconic Outdoor Education Center’s annual Winterfest were not deterred. The event was held Sunday from 11 to 4, with a variety of activities and presentations throughout the day. Program Coordinator John Stowell thought that given the weather, the event was well attended, and that they always […]

Austin Road Students Display Japanese Brush Paintings



First and second grade students from Austin Road Elementary School created Japanese style “ink wash” paintings using tempera paint blocks and bamboo brushes. Under the director of their art teacher, Ms. Tess Zinzi, these students created magical and moving images featuring bamboo stalks, tiny red caterpillars and yellow moons. Twenty of their paintings are currently installed in the Young Arts […]