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Will the New York Governor’s Race Be Closer Than We Think?

DAMON K JONES
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Will the New York Governor’s Race Be Closer Than We Think?

Hochul Still Leads Blakeman, but With Six Weeks to Go, New York Is Getting Two Very Different Pictures of the Governor’s Race

When we first asked whether the New York governor’s race between Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman could become closer than many expected, Siena University had Hochul leading 49% to 39%. That represented a dramatic change from June, when Siena had Hochul ahead 52% to 32%. Siena Research Institute

Now, with less than six weeks before Election Day, we have new numbers—and they make the answer more complicated.

The latest Siena poll, released September 23, has Hochul at 50% and Blakeman at 41%, putting the Republican within nine points. That is essentially unchanged from August, but it means the 20-point Siena margin from June has not returned. Siena also notes that at approximately this point in the 2022 campaign, Hochul led Republican Lee Zeldin 54%-37%, before ultimately winning that election by roughly six points. Siena Research Institute

But another major poll released the same day tells a very different story. Quinnipiac University has Hochul leading 58% to 39%, a 19-point advantage among likely voters. Quinnipiac surveyed 1,026 likely New York voters September 17-20 and reported a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Quinnipiac University Poll

So rather than pretending we know exactly how close this election is, the responsible conclusion is that the polls disagree significantly about the size of Hochul’s advantage.

Siena Says Nine Points—Quinnipiac Says Nineteen

That 10-point difference between two respected polling organizations should be part of the story. Siena surveyed 1,144 likely voters September 11-17 and reported an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 points for its core questions. Its 50%-41% result suggests a competitive race by modern New York standards, though Hochul remains clearly ahead. Siena Research Institute

Quinnipiac’s numbers are considerably better for Hochul. Its poll has Democrats supporting her 89%-6% and Republicans supporting Blakeman 90%-8%. More importantly, Quinnipiac has Hochul leading independents 51%-45%, while Siena has Blakeman leading independents 44%-39%. Quinnipiac University Poll

That is a major difference because independents were one of the warning signs we identified in August. Siena still sees Blakeman holding a narrow advantage with them, while Quinnipiac sees Hochul ahead. We should therefore be careful about declaring that independents are moving decisively in either direction.

The Regional Numbers Are Changing

The latest Siena numbers also change part of our original analysis. In August, Blakeman led Hochul 49%-41% in the downstate suburbs. In September, Siena has the suburbs essentially even, with Hochul at 48% and Blakeman at 46%. Upstate, Blakeman leads narrowly, 47%-44%, while Hochul maintains an enormous 61%-27% advantage in New York City. Siena Research Institute

That illustrates the difficult electoral mathematics facing Blakeman. A Republican candidate does not necessarily have to win New York City, but a 34-point deficit there requires strong performances elsewhere. If the downstate suburbs are virtually tied rather than leaning Republican, Blakeman’s statewide challenge becomes substantially harder.

At the same time, Siena reports that 49% of likely voters believe New York is headed in the wrong direction, compared with 38% who say it is on the right track. That dissatisfaction gives the challenger an issue to campaign on, but dissatisfaction with the state does not automatically translate into a vote against the incumbent. Siena Research Institute

Affordability and the Economy Remain Central

Blakeman has increasingly centered his campaign on the economy and cost of living, while Hochul is campaigning on her record and arguing that her policies have addressed affordability and other statewide concerns. Recent reporting describes Blakeman emphasizing bread-and-butter economic issues along with crime and immigration. Monorepo Sample1

Siena, however, currently gives Hochul modest advantages over Blakeman on several of those issues. Likely voters give her leads ranging from four to nine points on making prices more affordable, keeping New Yorkers safe and addressing undocumented immigrants living in New York. Siena Research Institute

Quinnipiac similarly identifies the cost of living and economy as being at the top of voters’ minds. That makes the final weeks less about abstract party labels and more about which candidate voters trust to address the financial pressures they experience in their everyday lives. Quinnipiac University Poll

What Happened to the DSA Factor?

We previously raised the possibility that the growing prominence of the Democratic Socialists of America could hurt Hochul with moderates, suburban voters and independents. The latest Siena poll provides an important update: there is not currently evidence in that survey that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s endorsement is hurting Hochul overall.

Siena found voters saying 50%-30% that Mamdani’s endorsement of Hochul is positive for her campaign. Among independents, 40% called it positive, which Siena described as a plurality. Mamdani himself has a nearly even statewide favorability rating of 46%-44%, while remaining popular among Democrats at 73%-18%. Siena Research Institute

That doesn’t eliminate DSA as a campaign issue, particularly among voters opposed to democratic socialism, but the latest Siena evidence does not support saying that Mamdani’s association is presently pushing the electorate toward Blakeman.

Trump Could Be Blakeman’s Own Complication

The same principle applies on the Republican side. President Donald Trump’s endorsement gives Blakeman support from the country’s most prominent Republican, but Siena finds that New York voters view that endorsement as more negative than positive.

By 51%-30%, voters say Trump’s endorsement is a negative for Blakeman’s campaign. Even 49% of independents call the endorsement a negative, and Trump’s own favorability in New York stands at 34%-63%. Siena Research Institute

That creates an interesting political balance. Blakeman needs an energized Republican base, and Siena has him winning Republicans 88%-8%. But he also needs independents and suburban voters in a state where Trump remains deeply unpopular overall. Hochul faces her own balancing act between New York City’s progressive political movement and moderate suburban voters. Siena Research Institute

The Black Vote Still Cannot Simply Be Assumed

One part of our original analysis remains important: neither party should treat Black voters merely as numbers on an Election Day spreadsheet. Black New Yorkers should be hearing substantive proposals from both candidates on affordability, homeownership, education, public safety, entrepreneurship, taxation and wealth creation.

Democrats historically have enjoyed strong Black support in New York, but support and turnout are different questions. Nationally, organizations involved in voter engagement have reported funding shortfalls this election cycle, including reductions affecting outreach to Black, Latino, rural and younger voters. That national development does not prove Black turnout will decline in New York, but it is another reason campaigns cannot simply assume turnout. AP News

Republicans Still Have to Compete for Black Voters

The Republican challenge is equally significant. Dissatisfaction with Democrats does not automatically produce Republican votes. If Republicans want greater support in Black communities, they have to compete for it with specific policies and sustained engagement rather than assuming dissatisfaction with Democrats will do the work for them.

For Blakeman, that means explaining what his administration would actually do on Black homeownership, small-business growth, education, public safety and the cost of living. Hochul should face the same questions about what five years of her administration have produced and what another four years would deliver.

Black voters deserve to compare those records and proposals for themselves.

October 13 Could Become the Next Major Test

The campaign’s next major moment is already scheduled. Hochul and Blakeman will face each other in a live gubernatorial debate on October 13 at 7 p.m., hosted by Spectrum News from NY1’s Chelsea studios and moderated by Errol Louis and Susan Arbetter. Spectrum News NY1

With the polls presenting such different pictures, the debate gives voters an opportunity to hear the candidates address affordability, taxes, crime, immigration, housing and the direction of New York directly.

So, Is the Race Closer Than We Think?

The answer today is that there is genuine uncertainty about the size of Hochul’s lead. Siena has the race at nine points. Quinnipiac has it at 19. A polling average tracked by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ stood at approximately 49.6% Hochul to 41.5% Blakeman on September 23, incorporating multiple surveys rather than relying on a single poll. The Hill

What we can say is that Hochul leads in every major measure cited here, while the size of that advantage varies substantially. Siena’s June 20-point margin narrowed sharply and has remained around 9-10 points in its last two surveys, while Quinnipiac currently sees a much wider contest. That is not evidence that either candidate will win by a particular margin; it is evidence that voters should be cautious about treating any single poll as the final word.

There are still weeks of campaigning ahead, including the October 13 debate. The most useful question now may not be whether the race is secretly close or comfortably over.

It is which version of this race will New York voters ultimately produce on Election Day?

Grupo Galé & La Sonora Carruseles Bring Colombian Salsa to Lehman Center for Earthquake Relief

AJ Woodson
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Grupo Galé & La Sonora Carruseles Bring Colombian Salsa to Lehman Center for Earthquake Relief

BRONX, N.Y. — Two of Colombia’s celebrated salsa orchestras will take the stage in the Bronx this weekend for a night of music with a mission. Lehman Center for the Performing Arts will present Grupo Galé and La Sonora Carruseles on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 8 p.m., with a portion of ticket sales benefiting Colombian earthquake relief efforts.

The concert comes as Colombia continues recovering from the devastating earthquake that struck the country in August, killing hundreds, injuring thousands, and causing widespread damage. The evening will bring two of Medellín’s best-known salsa groups together for their Lehman Center debut, featuring a high-energy mix of salsa dura, boogaloo and Latin dance music. Fans can expect favorites including “Micaela,” “Arranca en Fa,” “La Comay” and “Perdóname.”

Grupo Galé

Founded in Medellín, Colombia, in 1989 by percussionist, composer, producer and musical director Diego Galé, Grupo Galé has spent more than three decades building an international following with its energetic approach to Colombian salsa. The orchestra includes lead vocalists Diego Javier Gonzales, Carlos Llamosa, and Charly Towers and has developed a sound that blends traditional Colombian musical influences with contemporary salsa. The group released its latest album, Sentimientos, in 2025.

La Sonora Carruseles

La Sonora Carruseles, founded in Medellín in 1995, has similarly built an international reputation with a sound heavily influenced by the golden era of salsa and boogaloo. Featuring vocalists including Arnold Moreno, Igor Moreno and Johan Molina, the orchestra is led by Manolo Puerto, with musical direction by Morist Jiménez Jr. Together, the two Colombian groups will transform Lehman Center into a celebration of music, culture and solidarity with those affected by the earthquake.

VIP Reception

Guests with tickets in Orchestra Rows A through J are invited to an exclusive VIP reception beginning at 6 p.m. before the concert. The reception will feature complimentary wine, beer, other beverages, and light bites in Lehman Center’s mezzanine cocktail bar.

Ticket Information

Grupo Galé & La Sonora Carruseles
Saturday, September 26, 2026 — 8 p.m.
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468

Tickets can be purchased through the Lehman Center Box Office at 718-960-8833 or 718-960-8835 for Spanish-language service, or through Lehman Center’s website. The venue is accessible by the No. 4 or D train to Bedford Park Boulevard and is also accessible from Westchester via major roadways including the Major Deegan Expressway.

Founded in 1980 on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY, Lehman Center has served the Bronx and surrounding communities for more than 45 years, presenting local, national, and international performers while providing audiences with access to a wide range of music, theater, dance, and cultural programming.

For Saturday night’s concert, that tradition takes on an additional purpose: using music to bring people together while raising money for communities in Colombia working to recover from tragedy.

Tuckahoe Police Handling of Costanzo Incident Faces Independent Disciplinary Review After DA Decision

AJ Woodson
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Tuckahoe Police Handling of Costanzo Incident Faces Independent Disciplinary Review After DA Decision

Tuckahoe Seeks Outside Investigator After DA Review of Costanzo Incident

TUCKAHOE, N.Y. — One day after the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office announced that the available evidence was insufficient to support criminal charges against any officers involved in the controversial August 14 incident involving Donna Costanzo, the wife of retired Tuckahoe Police Chief John Costanzo, the Village of Tuckahoe announced that an outside investigator will now conduct an independent disciplinary review.

Black Westchester reported Tuesday, Sept. 22, that the District Attorney’s Office had completed its criminal review of the incident, which allegedly began in Yonkers and ended in Tuckahoe, and referred the matter back to Tuckahoe for any administrative or disciplinary action it deemed appropriate.

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, Tuckahoe Police Chief Larry Rotta provided Black Westchester with a statement outlining the Village’s next steps.

“The Tuckahoe Police Department has received the report from the Public Integrity Bureau of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office regarding its investigation of the motor vehicle accident that occurred on August 14, 2026.

“From the outset, the Village referred the matter to the Public Integrity Bureau to ensure an independent review and maintain transparency throughout the process.

“Now that the District Attorney’s Office has completed its review, the Village has chosen to have an external independent investigator conduct a disciplinary review of the matter. They will review the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether any departmental policies, procedures, or rules may have been violated and whether disciplinary action may be warranted.

“This disciplinary review is a process that must be followed before any determinations are made or further action is taken. We ask the public to respect the process and allow the independent investigator to complete a thorough and fair review. Additional information will be shared with the public at the appropriate time, consistent with applicable laws and personnel confidentiality requirements.

“The Village and the Tuckahoe Police Department remain committed to accountability, transparency, and maintaining the highest professional standards.”

The Criminal Review Is Over. The Accountability Questions Are Not.

Black Westchester believes the District Attorney’s findings speak directly to the central question we raised when we first reported on this case one month ago. The criminal investigation may be over, but the public-accountability question remains: Would someone without those connections have been treated the same way? That was the question then, and it remains the question now.

According to the findings released by the District Attorney’s Office, police had been alerted to two previous alleged hit-and-run incidents before responding to another collision involving Costanzo. The DA’s review also established that no sobriety investigation was conducted, no documented explanation was provided for why such an investigation was not conducted, a responding officer knew Costanzo was the former police chief’s wife, and an officer ultimately drove her home.

Those circumstances did not result in criminal charges against the officers. But whether officers followed departmental policies and procedures, exercised appropriate judgment, or provided preferential treatment is a separate question — and that is now the subject of the independent disciplinary review.

Chief Rotta told Black Westchester that additional information could become available after that process is finished.

“Once the internal investigation is complete, I can release more details regarding the further facts we find out,” Rotta informed Black Westchester.

That review will now be critical.

Black Westchester will wait for the independent investigator to complete the disciplinary process, but we will also continue watching, asking questions, and following this case closely. Because while the criminal investigation has concluded, the larger questions surrounding police procedure, discretion, accountability, and equal treatment have not.

For now, the public is still left with more questions than answers.

What the Chart Did Not Say, Black Youth Suicide and What We Miss When a Child Seems Fine

Derek H. Suite, M.D.
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What the Chart Did Not Say, Black Youth Suicide and What We Miss When a Child Seems Fine

Written by Derek H. Suite, MD, MS, with editorial contributions from Taiwo Alonge, MD, MPH

Author’s note: The child, the school record, and the surrounding circumstances are a composite drawn from clinical and community experience. Identifying details have been changed, and dialogue has been reconstructed.

It was about three in the morning when my phone rang. I happened to be awake. It was a pastor, a great friend of mine, someone I am very close to. He apologized over and over for calling so late. It was not the first time he had called me at this hour, so I smiled a little and told him it was all right.

He was worried about a 12-year-old boy in the congregation who had been expressing what the pastor called dark thoughts. When I asked him what he meant by dark, he said it was hard to describe, but he quickly added that the boy had never said that he wanted to hurt himself. He was just down on everything, especially on himself. He did not make the basketball team and now was saying he was no good at sports. Everything he said seemed to end up with the feeling that something was wrong with him.

Over the past two or three days, the pastor had noticed that the boy seemed different. Something about the way he had said good night a few evenings earlier did not sit right with him. He could not explain it any better, but said it troubled his spirit and was now keeping him awake at night.

The pastor had just gotten off the phone with the boy’s parents. He said they had checked on him and, though he seemed fine to them, they would continue checking on him through the night. The boy had acted out before and was seen by a mental health provider, but no received no diagnosis. The pastor wondered whether he was overreacting. He cared deeply about everyone in his congregation and knew that sometimes he carried their problems home with him. Still, he told me he would never have called at that hour in the morning unless something felt wrong.

I asked whether he believed the boy was safe. He said the boy was home with his parents; they were watching him, and he had not said anything directly about hurting himself.  “But I just can’t sleep, doc,”  he told me. “I feel like the Spirit of the Lord is telling me something might happen.” We prayed together, and I told him not to wait until morning. We needed to act on what he was hearing even though neither of us could name it yet.

Over the years, I have wrestled with that part of the call. What the pastor heard may not have been something formal or clinical. He was hearing something underneath what the boy was saying. The fact that there was no diagnosis was true, but it did not answer the question he was asking. It did not settle his spirit, and when I thought about it more, it troubled mine as well.

I knew from my training and from what I had seen over the years that “I’m fine,” or “he looks fine,” doesn’t always tell us enough, particularly with Black youth.

A federal report to Congress examined non-Hispanic Black and White youth ages 10 to 17 who died by suicide from 2014 through 2017. Compared with White youth, Black youth were less likely to have a known mental health problem, a documented depressed mood, a known history of suicidal thoughts or plans, or a history of mental health treatment. Although the report measured what was documented, it could not tell us what these young people had experienced privately.

The same report found that, among these young people who died by suicide, Black youth were more likely to have experienced a crisis during the two weeks before their death, maybe an argument or family conflict. A prior suicide attempt was also recorded slightly more often: 23 percent, compared with 21 percent of White youth. That can look contradictory at first. A prior attempt could be somewhere in the history, and the record could still show no known suicidal thinking, diagnosis, or treatment. The report does not show how those histories overlapped in individual children. 

Contact with a provider only tells us that an encounter occurred. It doesn’t tell us whether somebody asked the right questions, in the right way, and understood the answer when it came. Even when a provider asks the right questions, a child may not disclose what he is thinking. Stigma and mistrust may make it harder for some Black youth to talk openly. A child may also feel disconnected from a provider who does not understand his racial, ethnic, or cultural experience.

The fact that this boy had been evaluated and had no diagnosis meant only that no diagnosis had been made.

His age caught my attention. He was only 12. Still young enough that most adults would hear disappointment about basketball, some acting out, and a few dark comments and think that he was just having a hard time or misbehaving. Not that his life could be in danger. We tend to think of suicide as occurring later in the teenage years.

When researchers examined deaths from 2001 through 2015, they found that Black children ages five to 12 died by suicide at nearly twice the rate of White children the same age. Among teenagers ages 13 to 17, the Black rate was about half the White rate. Later data showed the broader pattern was changing, with the suicide rate among Black youth ages 10 to 17 rising by 144 percent from 2007 to 2020. Although these studies covered different periods and overlapping ages and are not a continuous set of numbers, they leave me with the same concern that by the time we begin paying closer attention, some Black children may have already been struggling for years.

That question about what had gone unrecognized was on my mind in a school meeting. His folder was almost three-quarters of an inch thick and so little in there was clinical. Mostly attendance printouts, two cafeteria incident reports, and a referral form with the word “defiant” written as the presenting concern. And someone had underlined it twice and added an exclamation point. A school folder is not a clinical chart, and its contents alone could not tell me what care he had received.

He sat with his hood up and answered most questions with one syllable. When his grandmother began talking about the death in the family and her voice cracked, he put his hand on her back without turning his head. That small movement told me more about him than much of what was in the folder. He was grieving, but grief in a Black boy does not always look like sadness. It may present as irritability, silence, missed school, or a refusal to answer another adult’s questions. These responses are not unique to Black children. Those behaviors may be read as attitude and be met with discipline, which generates administrative papers while the clinical record stays thin, except possibly for an occasional diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder.

In a retrospective study of 1995 through 1998 records from one hospital, Black adolescents ages 12 to 18 were diagnosed with conduct disorder more often than White adolescents. The study did not establish why or whether those diagnoses were accurate, so I am still working through that. My concern is what can happen when a description such as “defiant” matters more than the question of what the behavior means. If a child later dies by suicide, someone may open the file, find no history of depression or suicidal thinking, and mistake the absence of documentation for evidence that the distress was never there.

Families are often left with the question of what they missed. But it’s not on them, in my mind. The records raise another question: what happened after they brought the child through the door? In one study of young people ages 10 to 24 across nine health systems, 88 percent of those who died by suicide had been seen somewhere in the health system during the previous year, and 42 percent had been seen during the month before their death. The study was not limited to Black youth. The contact was there. Those figures do not tell us whether care continued. Even after emergency treatment for deliberate self-harm, fewer than half of Medicaid-covered young people ages 10 to 19 who were discharged to the community in another study received outpatient mental health follow-up within 30 days.  In an interview published by Pew, researcher Michael Lindsey noted that follow-up was lower for Black youth than for White youth.

A family can recognize that something is wrong, make the appointment, sit in the emergency room and leave with instructions, and still lose the connection between one part of the system and the next. That is difficult to explain simply as a lack of concern at home. The problem can be what happens (or doesn’t happen) between one door and the next.

Many crises still begin outside a clinic. They happen in a pastor’s office, after practice with a coach, or in the barber’s chair when a young person says something that does not sound quite right. Pastors, coaches, and barbers do not need a diagnosis before they act. Like my pastor friend, they need to take the change seriously, stay with the young person, and help make the call.

Families should know that the signal may be a behavior change, not only sadness. It could be something as straightforward as different sleep patterns, withdrawal, sudden anger, giving things away, or a way of saying good night that leaves you uneasy. Contrary to popular belief, asking straightforwardly, “Are you thinking about suicide?” does not plant the idea. It may give the child permission to answer honestly. At school, words such as “defiant” or “oppositional” should raise a clinical question before they become only a disciplinary issue.

None of this guarantees that we will recognize every child in time. We have lost young people even when people cared and tried to do the right things. What I can offer is somewhere to begin. Stay with the child while getting help, and make sure firearms, medications, and other potential means of self-harm are secured. Call or text 988 at any hour. In Westchester, call the Crisis Prevention and Response Team at 914-925-5959 for 24-hour telephone support and in-person community evaluations seven days a week. 

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Don’t wait until tomorrow.

Before we hung up that night, the pastor told me he had already been sitting with this for three hours and almost did not call because he thought a doctor might tell him he was overreacting. There was a diagnosis that night, and the person who noticed a change was moving by spirit and had nearly talked himself out of trusting what he felt.

What stays with me is how close he came to deciding that there was not enough to call about and what that could have meant for this young boy.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Derek H. Suite, MD, MS, is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry. He is the Founder and CEO of Full Circle Health, an award-winning, multidisciplinary, holistic mental health practice established in 1999. He is a regular health and wellness contributor to Black Westchester Magazine and hosts the weekly podcast The SuiteSpot.

Taiwo Alonge, MD, MPH, is a board-certified psychiatrist who works with children, adolescents, and adults. His work brings together child and adolescent mental health, community care, and health equity. He earned his medical and public health degrees at Columbia University, trained in psychiatry at Yale, and completed child and adolescent subspecialty training at New York-Presbyterian across the Columbia and Weill Cornell Medical Centers in New York City.

BOC NETWORK CELEBRATES 2026 MID-HUDSON BUSINESS GROWTH ACCELERATOR GRADUATES

DAMON K JONES
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BOC NETWORK CELEBRATES 2026 MID-HUDSON BUSINESS GROWTH ACCELERATOR GRADUATES

Elected officials, business leaders, and entrepreneurs gathered to celebrate minority and women-owned businesses while discussing the challenges of taking a business to the next level.

MID-HUDSON, NY — The Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network and the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development celebrated the 2026 graduates of the Business Growth Accelerator (BGA) Mid-Hudson program, bringing together entrepreneurs, business leaders, government representatives, and elected officials for an event focused on business growth and economic opportunity.

The Business Growth Accelerator is designed to help Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises move beyond simply starting a company toward building sustainable businesses capable of competing for larger contracts. The program provides entrepreneurs with technical assistance, business-development strategies, networking opportunities, and guidance to strengthen their operations.

The celebration recognized the graduates’ accomplishments and gave entrepreneurs a chance to hear directly from business owners and government leaders about what it takes to grow a company in today’s economy.

ELECTED OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS LEADERS JOIN THE CELEBRATION

The program featured several prominent guest speakers, including U.S. Representative George Latimer, representing New York’s 16th Congressional District; New York State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, representing the 36th Senate District; and Westchester County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins as keynote speakers.

Mount Vernon Councilman André Wallace, President of Creative Direction Construction & Design, LLC, delivered graduate remarks, bringing a strong Mount Vernon presence to the program as both an elected official and entrepreneur.

Nancy Carin, Executive Director of BOC Network and BOC Capital, welcomed attendees. Jason M. Clark, Executive Director of the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development, also delivered remarks, along with Doniphan Soro of the division’s Business Development Unit.

BOC Network representatives Kevin Chu, Senior Business Development Officer, and John Frias, Senior Program Manager, were also recognized for their work with the program.

“BEYOND BGA” PANEL FOCUSES ON THE NEXT LEVEL

An important part of the event was the panel discussion, “Beyond BGA: Accelerating the Next Stage of Growth,” featuring Diane Moore, CEO of CleanWork Solutions; Roxanne Guerrero, President of KCM Contracting Inc.; and Elton Paul, co-founder and principal of GIP & Sons.

The discussion focused on a critical issue for entrepreneurs: what happens after the training ends. Starting a business and receiving MWBE certification can open doors, but growing a company requires entrepreneurs to think about capacity, relationships, financing, contracting opportunities, and long-term sustainability.

The panel gave graduates a chance to hear from business owners about the realities of moving from entrepreneurship to business growth. That means learning how to compete for larger contracts, strengthen internal operations, build professional relationships, and prepare a company to handle opportunities when they arrive.

That conversation matters because certification alone does not guarantee contracts. A company still must be prepared to compete, manage cash flow, meet insurance and contracting requirements, hire workers when necessary, and deliver quality services on schedule.

TURNING TRAINING INTO CONTRACTS

According to Empire State Development, the Business Growth Accelerator provides assistance in areas including procurement, financial management, business administration and marketing, along with mentoring and technical assistance.

In October 2025, the state reported that BGA 3.0 had enrolled 168 MWBE firms across eight regions, with 25 participating businesses securing 55 contracts totaling more than $34.8 million.

Those numbers demonstrate why the conversation must eventually move beyond certification and graduation toward measurable economic results. The question is not simply how many entrepreneurs complete a program, but how many eventually secure contracts, increase revenues, hire employees, and build sustainable companies.

BUILDING BUSINESSES THAT BUILD COMMUNITIES

For Black and other historically underserved communities, business development should be about more than encouraging entrepreneurship. The larger objective should be creating companies capable of employing people, purchasing property, competing for major contracts, and circulating economic resources throughout their communities.

Small businesses already represent approximately 98 percent of businesses in New York State and employ roughly 40 percent of the state’s private-sector workforce, according to Empire State Development. That makes small-business development as much a workforce and community-development issue as an entrepreneurship issue.

The 2026 BGA Mid-Hudson graduation therefore represents both an accomplishment and a beginning. The next chapter will be determined by what graduates do with the knowledge, relationships, and opportunities they developed through the program.

The goal should not simply be producing more minority- and women-owned businesses. It should be developing stronger businesses that can compete, grow, create jobs, and build generational economic opportunity.

Black Westchester congratulates the 2026 BGA Mid-Hudson graduates and all the entrepreneurs working to build stronger businesses throughout Westchester County and the Mid-Hudson region.

DA Won’t Charge Tuckahoe Officers, But Its Own Findings Raise Questions About How Former Chief’s Wife Was Treated

AJ Woodson
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DA Won’t Charge Tuckahoe Officers, But Its Own Findings Raise Questions About How Former Chief’s Wife Was Treated

Westchester DA’s Office Finds No Provable Criminal Conduct in Tuckahoe Police Response — But Preferential Treatment of Former Tuckahoe Police Chief’s Wife, Donna Costanzo, Questions Remain

TUCKAHOE, N.Y. — Exactly one month after Black Westchester first reported that the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office was reviewing the Tuckahoe Police Department’s handling of an incident involving the wife of its former police chief, the DA’s office announced Tuesday, Sept. 22, that the available evidence was insufficient to support criminal charges against any of the officers involved.

But while the criminal investigation may be closed, the District Attorney’s own findings raise many of the same questions Black Westchester asked when we first reported the story on Aug. 22 — particularly whether Donna Costanzo received the same treatment another person would have received under similar circumstances. Costanzo is the wife of retired Tuckahoe Police Chief John Costanzo, who currently serves as Executive Director of the Westchester County Chiefs of Police Association.

The District Attorney’s Office said its Public and Law Enforcement Integrity Bureau conducted a comprehensive review that included examining police body-worn camera footage and surveillance video, interviewing Tuckahoe and Yonkers police officers, and speaking with civilian eyewitnesses, including the driver of an Amazon delivery truck struck during the Tuckahoe incident.

Following that review, the DA’s Office determined “that all of the available evidence that was accumulated is insufficient to establish provable criminal conduct by any one of the Tuckahoe police officers involved in the incident and, therefore, does not establish probable cause required to support the filing of criminal charges.”

Three Collisions in Less Than 25 Minutes

According to the District Attorney’s findings, Costanzo was allegedly operating a black Infiniti sedan in Yonkers on Aug. 14 when she struck a parked vehicle on Falmouth Road at approximately 2:53 p.m. and left the scene. Approximately 17 minutes later, she allegedly struck another vehicle in a Central Avenue parking lot in Yonkers and again left the scene. About five minutes later, Costanzo allegedly struck an Amazon delivery truck legally parked near Columbus Avenue and Main Street in Tuckahoe.

Following the two Yonkers incidents, the Yonkers Police Department notified Tuckahoe police about the alleged hit-and-runs and asked officers to be on the lookout for Costanzo’s vehicle. Two Tuckahoe police officers subsequently responded to the Tuckahoe accident scene.

Body Cameras Stop Recording

The DA’s review found that the available body-worn camera footage from the officers was limited. According to the District Attorney’s Office, Motorola data indicated that one responding officer appeared to deactivate his body-worn camera moments after approaching Costanzo, who was seated in the driver’s seat of her vehicle. The officer denied intentionally turning off the camera.

The second responding officer’s body-worn camera stopped recording approximately one minute and 45 seconds after the officer arrived. Motorola records confirmed that camera’s battery had died. A Tuckahoe detective and an off-duty lieutenant also responded. The lieutenant arrived after Costanzo had already left and did not interact with her.

No Sobriety Investigation Conducted

Perhaps the most significant finding involved what officers did not do. According to the DA’s Office, witness testimony indicated that Costanzo exhibited signs that could have been consistent with intoxication. However, neither responding officers nor civilian witnesses reported smelling alcohol on her breath or observing other definitive signs of intoxication. But Tuckahoe officers never investigated whether she was impaired.

The DA’s review found that none of the Tuckahoe officers who responded evaluated Costanzo’s sobriety or investigated whether she was impaired. The review also found that the department did not document a reason for failing to conduct such an investigation. Instead, one responding officer acknowledged during the DA’s review that he knew Costanzo was the wife of the former Tuckahoe Police Chief. That officer then drove Costanzo home following the accident.

Yonkers Police Later Issued Two Summonses

Following Black Westchester’s original report, we contacted both the Yonkers and Tuckahoe police departments seeking additional information. The Tuckahoe Police Department has yet to respond to Black Westchester.

The Yonkers Police Department did respond, confirming that officers investigated two hit-and-run crashes in Yonkers involving a 2018 Infiniti on Aug. 14th. In both cases, the vehicle had left before Yonkers officers arrived. YPD told Black Westchester that because its officers never personally observed Costanzo operating the vehicle and did not encounter her at either collision, they had no opportunity to assess her physical condition, conduct field sobriety tests, or administer chemical testing.

During the follow-up investigation, Yonkers police identified the vehicle and its registered owner and later went to the owner’s Tuckahoe residence. Officers subsequently identified the individual who had been driving during the two Yonkers incidents. Costanzo was issued two summonses for Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Property Damage Without Reporting, one for each Yonkers incident.

No Criminal Charges Does Not Answer the Question We Asked

When Black Westchester first reported this story on Aug. 22, we asked several questions. Who responded to the scene? Were standard police procedures followed? Why was Costanzo reportedly driven home rather than subjected to further investigation? Did her relationship to the former Tuckahoe Police Chief influence the way she was treated? And perhaps most importantly: Did Donna Costanzo receive the same treatment that any other person would have received under the same circumstances? One month later, we now know considerably more than we did when we first asked that question.

According to the District Attorney’s own findings, police had been notified that the vehicle was connected to two alleged hit-and-run incidents in Yonkers. Costanzo then allegedly struck a third vehicle in Tuckahoe. Witnesses described behavior that could have been consistent with intoxication. Officers conducted no sobriety investigation. The department documented no reason why no impairment investigation was conducted. One responding officer knew Costanzo was the wife of the former police chief. And rather than investigating her for possible impairment, that officer drove her home.

The District Attorney’s Office concluded there was insufficient evidence to establish criminal conduct by the officers. That is an important legal determination. But criminal conduct was never the only question. The question Black Westchester asked was whether Costanzo received the same treatment an ordinary motorist would have received after allegedly leaving the scene of two crashes, becoming involved in a third collision, and displaying behavior witnesses believed could have been consistent with intoxication.

The District Attorney’s investigation focused on whether the actions of the Tuckahoe police officers amounted to provable criminal conduct. The DA’s Office also clarified the jurisdictional issue, explaining that the individual motor vehicle incidents fell within the jurisdictions where they occurred — Yonkers for the first two collisions and Tuckahoe for the third.

But whether prosecutors could establish criminal conduct by the responding officers is a considerably different question from whether those officers exercised appropriate judgment, followed departmental procedures, or afforded Donna Costanzo preferential treatment because of her relationship to former Tuckahoe Police Chief John Costanzo.

The DA’s investigation has now established several facts that were still allegations when Black Westchester first reported this story on Aug. 22nd. There was no sobriety investigation. There was no documented explanation for why no sobriety investigation was conducted. One of the responding officers acknowledged that he knew Costanzo was the wife of the former Tuckahoe Police Chief. And that officer drove her home following the accident.

The DA’s review also raised concerns about the handling of body-worn cameras at the scene. Although prosecutors emphasized that the issue was not the primary focus of their investigation, the office recommended that the Tuckahoe Police Department revise its body-worn camera policy.

According to the DA’s Office:

“Although not the primary focus of this review, our office recommended that the Tuckahoe Police Department modify its body-worn camera policy to make clear that officers must keep their body-worn cameras activated upon responding to a motor vehicle accident and until the individual involved has been cleared of any potential criminal wrongdoing.”

The DA’s Office further announced that it had referred the matter back to Tuckahoe Police Chief Larry Rotta for an internal investigation. That is significant. Because while prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to establish probable cause for criminal charges against any of the officers, the matter has not simply disappeared. Questions surrounding departmental policy, officer conduct, judgment, and accountability have now been placed back in the hands of the Tuckahoe Police Department itself.

The DA also noted that the Yonkers Police Department has filed two charges of Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident under Vehicle and Traffic Law § 600(1)(a) against Costanzo stemming from the two incidents in Yonkers. Those matters are currently pending in Yonkers City Court.

The District Attorney’s Office closed its statement with a message that should not be overlooked: “We urge all law enforcement agencies in Westchester County to ensure that their officers’ conduct is consistent with their obligation to protect public safety, regardless of the circumstances or individuals involved.”

The DA’s Office also released all known body-worn camera footage recorded after Tuckahoe officers arrived at the scene of the Tuckahoe accident and collected during its review. The footage can be viewed below.

Black Westchester believes the findings speak loudly to the central question we raised one month ago. The criminal investigation may be over, but the public accountability question remains: Would someone without those connections have been treated the same way? That was the question then.

After learning that police had been alerted to two previous alleged hit-and-run incidents, that no sobriety investigation was conducted following a third collision, that no reason for that decision was documented, that a responding officer knew Costanzo was the former police chief’s wife, and that the officer ultimately drove her home, it remains the question now.

And while the District Attorney’s Office has completed its criminal review and referred the matter back to Tuckahoe for an internal investigation, the Tuckahoe Police Department has yet to respond to Black Westchester’s questions.

We are still waiting.

Mount Vernon Native and MVHS Graduate Duane Granston to Have Original Screenplay Featured at Scranton Fringe Festival

AJ Woodson
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Mount Vernon Native and MVHS Graduate Duane Granston to Have Original Screenplay Featured at Scranton Fringe Festival

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Mount Vernon native and Mount Vernon High School Class of 2003 graduate Duane Granston will have his original screenplay, Finding Matt Damon, featured at the 2026 Scranton Fringe Festival in Pennsylvania this October.

Granston, an actor and writer and a descendant of Jamaican immigrants, wrote Finding Matt Damon as his capstone project in the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University. The screenplay will receive a staged reading on Saturday, October 10, at 3 p.m. at the Black Scranton Project Cultural Center in Scranton. In addition to writing the screenplay, Granston will step into the lead role of Sean.

Finding Matt Damon is a romantic comedy centered on Sean, an insecure software genius trying to recover from a broken heart. After telling aspiring screenwriter Jasmine that he knows Hollywood star Matt Damon, what begins as a small lie quickly grows into an increasingly complicated effort to turn his fiction into reality. When the deception finally unravels, Sean is forced to confront his insecurities, abandon the image he has created and discover the confidence to be himself.

“This witty rom-com will resonate with anyone who has ever found themselves over their head,” said Mandy Pennington, board chair of the Scranton Fringe Festival and director of the staged reading. “Duane has created something truly special in this screenplay. You can’t help but love these characters and see yourself in their hopes, fears, and missteps. That’s the magic of a great story.”

A Story About Vulnerability and Finding Your Voice

For Granston, the screenplay explores something much deeper than the outrageous situation at the center of its comedy.

“I think people will really connect with the ups and downs of these characters,” Granston said. “Even if you’ve never done something as extreme as Sean does, you know what it’s like to maybe fake it a little bit in a moment when you are afraid you are not enough. Getting over that fear of vulnerability and just letting ourselves be who we are is something that we all have to come to terms with at some point.”

Granston said representation was also an important part of his approach to the screenplay. Rather than centering Black characters solely around hardship, he wanted to tell a story filled with humor, romance, friendship, and joy.

“It’s important to me to create stories that aren’t just focused on Black characters’ trauma and pain, but ones that express light and joy and friendship and love in fun ways that we’re not used to seeing,” he said.

From Mount Vernon to Stage and Screen

Granston’s creative work spans theater, film and voiceover. Most recently, he starred in the award-winning short film The Finish, with his performance earning a nomination for Best Acting in a Leading Role. Now, portraying a character he created himself adds another dimension to his journey as both an actor and writer.

“Stepping into Sean’s shoes is a full-circle moment,” Granston said. “The story has been a fun exploration of the parts of ourselves that want to hide and what it truly means to discover your genuine voice.”

The presentation is part of an ongoing partnership between the Scranton Fringe Festival and Wilkes University’s Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing. Now in its fourth year, the collaboration provides emerging writers with an opportunity to see their work move beyond the page and into a live production setting. This year will mark the first time the partnership has featured a screenplay.

“Both Wilkes and Scranton Fringe do an incredible job of nurturing writers at every stage of the creative process,” Pennington said. “When creative writers participate in Scranton Fringe, not only do they have a platform to showcase their incredible storytelling abilities, but they learn what goes into producing an original work from start to finish. That’s experiential learning at its best.”

For Mount Vernon, Granston’s appearance at the festival is another example of a hometown creative carrying his talents beyond the city while continuing a journey that began long before graduate school.

Finding Matt Damon will be presented Saturday, October 10, at 3 p.m. at the Black Scranton Project Cultural Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The PG-13 staged reading will run approximately 60 minutes and will be followed by a brief audience talkback. Tickets are $15 and are available through the Scranton Fringe Festival.

AC-BAW Celebrates 50 Years With Grand Reopening and Benefit Concert in Mount Vernon

AJ Woodson
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AC-BAW Celebrates 50 Years With Grand Reopening and Benefit Concert in Mount Vernon

All Photos by Barry Mason

MOUNT VERNON, NY — The AC-BAW Center for the Arts celebrated its grand reopening and 50th anniversary on Saturday, September 19, 2026, marking a major milestone for one of Mount Vernon’s longest-standing cultural institutions and ushering in a new chapter for the arts in the city’s downtown.

The anniversary celebration featured a special benefit concert by Kevin Owens, whose performance included a soulful Motown medley and a tribute to the late Luther Vandross. Owens spent more than 25 years performing as a background vocalist with Vandross, bringing a personal connection to the tribute and an added sense of musical history to the evening.

The concert brought together artists, community members, supporters, and longtime friends of AC-BAW to celebrate not only the organization’s five decades of service, but the restoration of a space that has played an important role in Mount Vernon’s cultural life.

Located at 128 South 4th Avenue, the AC-BAW Center for the Arts has long provided a home for artists, musicians, performers, exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and community programming.

Fifty Years of Art and Community

The Association of Community-Based Artists of Westchester, Inc., known as AC-BAW, was founded in 1976 by Mount Vernon artists with a mission to bring art and cultural programming into communities that historically had limited access to such opportunities. One of the organization’s earliest initiatives was Westchester Artists In The Streets, a summer arts program created to serve some of the county’s most underserved communities.

In 1980, AC-BAW rented an abandoned furniture store on Fourth Avenue and began transforming it into what would become an important cultural center in downtown Mount Vernon. The organization entered into a collaborative effort with the City of Mount Vernon, local banks and the Gannett Foundation, using arts and culture as part of a broader strategy to support commercial redevelopment in the community. The renovation itself reflected AC-BAW’s community-based mission. High school dropouts helped rebuild the facility, turning a vacant commercial space into a thriving arts institution. The gallery would later earn recognition as an arts critics’ choice for Gallery of the Year.

That same spirit of volunteerism and community service was on display during AC-BAW’s 50th-anniversary celebration. Davida Doso, Sarah Littlejohn, Sarija Terelonge and Leah LoBlack, four young women from the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau, volunteered throughout the benefit concert, taking on a variety of responsibilities and helping ensure that guests were welcomed and the evening ran smoothly.

“These remarkable young ladies volunteered at the AC-BAW concert and demonstrated true leadership, professionalism and community service,” AC-BAW Board Member Beverly Dohere shared with Black Westchester. “They took responsibility for several areas—from the front of the house to the upstairs and back sections—welcoming guests, offering assistance, escorting attendees to their seats, providing directions and helping the event run smoothly.”

“Their willingness to step forward, take the lead and serve others with kindness and confidence made a meaningful difference and reflected the very best of our community,” Dohere added.

Their participation provided a fitting connection between AC-BAW’s past and its future. More than four decades after young people helped physically rebuild the center, another generation of Mount Vernon youth was there to volunteer, serve and help carry forward the institution’s tradition of community involvement, leadership and cultural service.

Over the decades, AC-BAW brought world-class exhibitions, concerts, and lectures to downtown Mount Vernon while providing opportunities for local artists and creating a gathering place for creative expression. The center came to be regarded by its supporters as the cultural heart and hope of downtown Mount Vernon.

Rebuilding the Center — Again

That history made Saturday’s grand reopening particularly significant.

Ahead of the 50th-anniversary celebration, the historic center underwent extensive renovations, with much of the restoration carried out through a volunteer-led effort. Supporters and community members worked by hand to rebuild and revitalize the facility so it could once again serve artists and residents.

In many ways, the effort echoed the spirit in which the original Fourth Avenue center was created decades ago — people coming together, investing their own labor and believing that arts and culture have a place in the redevelopment and future of Mount Vernon.

The reopening, therefore, represents more than the restoration of a building.

It represents the continuation of a vision that began in 1976: using art, culture, and community engagement as tools for education, opportunity, economic development, and neighborhood revitalization.

A New Chapter on the Avenue

As AC-BAW enters its next era, the organization is again looking toward partnerships with artists, schools, community organizations, arts patrons and the City of Mount Vernon to expand its cultural programming and strengthen its role downtown.

Its longtime vision of blending culture and commerce “On The Avenue” remains particularly relevant as Mount Vernon continues conversations about revitalizing its downtown business district.

Fifty years after a group of Mount Vernon artists first came together to create the Association of Community-Based Artists of Westchester, AC-BAW is still standing — and, following its restoration, once again opening its doors to the community.

Saturday’s celebration was both a tribute to what came before and a declaration that the story is not finished.

After 50 years of exhibitions, music, education, community building, and cultural advocacy, the AC-BAW Center for the Arts is beginning its next chapter in the heart of Mount Vernon.

All Photos by Barry Mason. Barry Mason is a photographer and painter living in Mount Vernon. He was educated at The Corcoran School of Art and Indiana State University. His commercial photography clients include: GE, L’Oreal, American Legacy Magazine. He has taught photography at Horace Mann School, ArtsWestchester, UJAMMA, and for many years worked at CBS Corporation.

Visit The Association of Community-Based Artists of Westchester, Inc., (AC-BAW) website for more information on gallery hours, exhibits, or to make a donation, to help them continue to fund their mission to revitalize our community through the arts for the future of our children. Follow the AC-Baw on Facebook

The Cuts Happen In Washington, The Need Shows Up In Westchester

Larnez Kinsey
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The Cuts Happen In Washington, The Need Shows Up In Westchester

As Westchester Looks Toward Its 2027 Budget, Nonprofits Are Preparing for Greater Demand, Federal Policy Changes, and Harder Choices

All Words by Larnez Kinsey – All Photos by Hillary Millman, Executive Director of Association of Development Officers (ADO)

The government has a remarkable way of giving a cut a respectable name. A cost shift. An eligibility change. An administrative adjustment. A reduction in federal expenditures. Those phrases sound clean in a budget document, but they sound very different when you are standing in a food pantry trying to figure out how you are going to feed your family. Government calls it policy. You call it groceries.

That was what stayed with me after attending “Westchester’s 2027 Budget: A Conversation with County Leadership” on September 18 in White Plains, co-sponsored by the Westchester Women’s Agenda (WWA) Public Policy Committee and the Association of Development Officers (ADO). The organizations created space for nonprofit leaders to sit directly with Westchester County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins, Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi, and Budget & Appropriations Committee Chair Tyrae Woodson-Samuels to discuss the pressures facing the nonprofit sector as Westchester looks toward its 2027 budget. Rising demand, operating costs, and uncertainty surrounding public and private funding were not side conversations. They were the reason for bringing these sectors into the same room.

The numbers explain why that conversation matters. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the 2025 federal reconciliation law will reduce federal SNAP spending by approximately $211 billion through 2035 through provisions expected to reduce participation and average benefits while shifting additional costs to states. The law also expanded work requirements and increased states’ share of SNAP administrative expenses from 50 percent to 75 percent.

A federal government can reduce an expenditure on paper. It cannot eliminate the human need attached to it. A family with less money for food still has to eat. A resident experiencing housing instability still needs somewhere to sleep. Eventually, some of that pressure reaches food pantries, churches, shelters, and community organizations.

Jenkins spoke about Westchester’s work around SNAP, recertification, and communication with residents, while also addressing food insecurity, homelessness, and shelter capacity. What stood out was the recognition that there is no magical pot of money waiting to replace every resource that becomes constrained. When funding shifts at one level of government, somebody further down the line has to confront the consequences.

That is where we need to stop using the word “partner” so casually. We call nonprofits community partners when we need them to feed families, mentor children, support survivors, train workers, and reach residents government sometimes struggles to reach. Partnership cannot mean handing those organizations more human need while expecting them to absorb the cost. They have payroll, rent, insurance, technology expenses, and employees with families of their own. Compassion does not exempt anybody from an electric bill.

There is accountability on the nonprofit side too. Jenkins raised the importance of organizations working together and making limited resources go further. Collaboration, shared services, and reducing unnecessary duplication should be part of the conversation. But efficiency cannot become a polite word for abandonment. Working smarter does not manufacture resources that do not exist.

What WWA and ADO created was more than another nonprofit meeting. They created an opportunity for organizations seeing community needs up close to speak with county officials responsible for making difficult fiscal decisions. That kind of access matters, but its value will ultimately be measured by what happens after everybody leaves the room.

As I listened, I kept thinking about another federal conversation happening right now: the Community Reinvestment Act. Before leaving, I personally invited County Executive Jenkins to participate in the African American Chamber of Commerce of the Hudson Valley’s CRA Comment Lab. If county leaders are preparing for tighter public resources, I want them in the room while communities still have an opportunity to influence another important part of the community-investment system.

CRA is not SNAP, and bank investment cannot replace government benefits. But the Community Reinvestment Act addresses how federally regulated banks help meet credit needs in their communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Federal regulators are currently considering changes to CRA regulations, and the official public-comment deadline is October 13, 2026.

That deadline matters. Westchester nonprofits, chambers, housing advocates, small-business organizations, and residents have an opportunity to tell federal regulators what community investment looks like from the ground. If we are discussing how communities will withstand increasing economic pressure, then we need to understand the major systems through which resources reach them, not just the county budget.

Westchester’s 2027 budget conversation also has to move beyond organizations simply saying they need more money. Which programs are preventing residents from reaching a crisis? Where are services being duplicated? What government requirements consume nonprofit resources without improving outcomes? Where could an investment today prevent a more expensive intervention tomorrow?

Nonprofits should bring receipts. If your pantry served 600 households last year and 850 this year, document it. If your waiting list doubled, show it. If reimbursement delays create cash-flow problems, explain the impact. If an investment in prevention keeps residents from entering a far more expensive emergency system, demonstrate the return. Government should bring its receipts too. When leaders say resources are limited, residents deserve to understand how priorities are being determined and which investments are producing measurable results.

The county budget process and the federal CRA rulemaking are separate conversations involving different laws, responsibilities, and resources. But both lead to a question communities should ask before somebody else answers it for us: Who gets invested in?

That question matters across Westchester, especially where nonprofits may be one grant away from cutting a program while receiving more calls from residents asking for help. The next year cannot simply be about surviving federal policy changes. It has to be about identifying resources, removing barriers to accessing them, demanding measurable outcomes, and ensuring communities are present when investment decisions are made.

The most expensive point to discover that the safety net has a hole is after somebody has already fallen through it. Washington can change the rules. Albany can inherit new obligations. Westchester can establish its priorities. Banks can determine where capital flows. Nonprofits can collaborate and innovate. But none of those institutions can budget human need out of existence. If we already know the pressure is coming, waiting for families to reach crisis may be the most expensive decision of all.

DWAYNE MURRAY PLEADS GUILTY — NOW MOUNT VERNON DESERVES THE FULL TRUTH

Black Westchester
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DWAYNE MURRAY PLEADS GUILTY — NOW MOUNT VERNON DESERVES THE FULL TRUTH

Murray has admitted to having sexually abused a child. Although his guilty plea settles the criminal issue, it once again raises the question at the heart of this story: why did Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard contact Dwayne Murray after receiving a message that did not mention him?

Dwayne Murray had continued to publicly deny the accusations that affected Mount Vernon for over a year. On 18th September 2026, the criminal issue concerning the well-known youth basketball figure was settled in court, where Murray admitted to committing the crime of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony involving a girl who was under the age of 13. He is expected to receive 18 years’ imprisonment in state prison, followed by 20 years of post-release supervision, when he is sentenced in November.

Murray’s guilty plea shows he accepts responsibility for the crime he pleaded guilty to, but it does not address another question that has arisen about this case since 2025. Specifically, what happened on April 28, 2025, between Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard receiving a message about an unnamed individual and her acknowledged contact with Dwayne Murray? More than a year after the event, Mount Vernon voters and taxpayers still deserve a full explanation.

THE MESSAGE DID NOT NAME DWAYNE MURRAY

Greg Bonaparte has made public the message he says he sent to Patterson-Howard at 8:12 a.m. on April 28, 2025. In the screenshot, Bonaparte said that he had heard serious reports concerning a ‘middle-aged close associate’ of the mayor who was accused of having inappropriate physical relations with a 14-year-old eighth grader and also referred to an allegation involving a nonprofit organization, asking Patterson-Howard if she was aware of the allegations.

The message does not mention Dwayne Murray’s name. Bonaparte has already said he deliberately omitted the person’s name because he expected the mayor to ask who was being referred to or to request clarification about the information he had given.

Bonaparte goes further in his public statement by claiming that Patterson-Howard contacted Murray to warn him. That is Bonaparte’s claim, and it must be presented as such since the available evidence on its own does not prove the mayor’s intention. Nevertheless, we need not accept Bonaparte’s interpretation of the mayor’s motives to see the clear question the message raises: if Bonaparte had not told Mayor Patterson-Howard the conversation was about Dwayne Murray, how did she link that message specifically to Dwayne Murray?

DWAYNE MURRAY SAID IT IN HIS OWN WORDS

This is where the story becomes even more significant: Patterson-Howard’s communication with Murray doesn’t stem solely from Bonaparte or the lawsuit; Murray confirmed it in his own words. Before his arrest, he said publicly that on April 28 he “had a chat with Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard” and that “she told me she got a text message.”

This acknowledgment matters because it links Murray directly to the April 28 incidents. Although the message Bonaparte displayed does not name Murray, Murray said Patterson-Howard spoke to him and told him he had received a text message. Together, these two facts fill a gap in the timeline that has never been properly explained to the people of Mount Vernon.

Had Patterson-Howard already had information linking Murray to the allegations of sexual misconduct? Was it someone other than Bonaparte who told her about Murray after his message had arrived? Has she had further information which has never been made public? Did she get in touch with Murray and ask him whether the allegation was about him? Although there may be a completely reasonable explanation, the public still doesn’t know it more than a year later.

THE MAYOR’S OWN STATEMENT DOESN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION

Following Murray’s arrest, Mayor Patterson-Howard released an official statement about the inquiry. She described herself as a social worker, a minister, a mayor, and a mandated reporter, and said she takes this duty with “utmost seriousness”. She explained that she had received a “vague, anonymous and suspicious text message with accusations of sexual misconduct”. She added that the message lacked specific details and seemed politically motivated.

The mayor then made a statement essential to understanding this timeline. “As soon as I received the message, I got in touch with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office,” Patterson-Howard said, adding that she had adhered to the proper procedures and had expressed her support for the District Attorney’s investigation.

That is how the mayor has presented her official version of the situation, and it should be given a fair hearing. However, her statement does not clarify her dealings with Murray. If Patterson-Howard had contacted the District Attorney’s Office right away, when was she in contact with Murray? Was the District Attorney contacted first and Murray contacted afterward, or was Murray contacted before the District Attorney? The use of the word ‘immediately’ means that it is all the more important to establish the actual order of events.

Even if Patterson-Howard contacted the prosecutors first, one question remains: why did she then contact Murray? If the case had been handed over to law enforcement, did anyone from the District Attorney’s Office tell her to speak to Murray? If she had not been instructed to contact him, what was the point of the conversation? Most important of all, how did she know that the person mentioned in Bonaparte’s message, the one not named, was Murray?

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WAS ALREADY INVESTIGATING MURRAY

The importance of the timeline is increased by the fact that Patterson-Howard’s communication on April 28 did not initiate the criminal investigation into Murray; District Attorney Susan Cacace made it public after Murray was arrested that her office had received a tip about Murray on April 12, 2025, more than two weeks prior to Bonaparte sending his message to Patterson-Howard on April 28.

That distinction matters because it would be wrong to say the mayor received the complaint and then passed it on to the prosecutors, thereby starting the investigation. The DA had already been looking into Murray on his own. Later, Patterson-Howard got another message that didn’t mention Murray, went to the District Attorney’s Office, as she herself stated, and also talked to Murray, as Murray has publicly stated.

On May 5, Murray came forward and denied the accusations, calling them false and saying he was willing to answer investigators’ questions. He was arrested on May 14, and at the press conference held by the District Attorney the next day, Cacace said that Murray had made statements about his involvement in the crime during an interview with the investigators. Over a year later, Murray has now entered a formal guilty plea.

THE LAWSUIT MADE AN EVEN MORE SERIOUS ALLEGATION

The lawsuit filed in 2025 went beyond what Murray had publicly admitted about his communications with Patterson-Howard; it claimed the mayor called Murray to City Hall and showed him Bonaparte’s message before his arrest. Patterson-Howard denied the lawsuit and described it as being politically motivated. The allegations about her behavior remain disputed, and Murray’s guilty plea does not prove the claims against Patterson-Howard in the lawsuit.

That distinction matters because Murray’s criminal behavior and Patterson-Howard’s actions are separate issues, and each requires independent evidence. Murray’s guilty plea shows he is responsible for the offense to which he pleaded guilty; it does not show what Patterson-Howard knew on April 28, what her intentions were, why she contacted Murray, or what information she gave him.

Accountability functions in both directions. It is not proper to take Murray’s guilty plea as automatic proof against Patterson-Howard, nor should the contested status of the lawsuit be used as an excuse to ignore valid questions regarding her admitted communications with Murray. A clear distinction exists between accusing the mayor of wrongdoing and asking the mayor to explain what took place.

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SHOULD CLARIFY THE TIMELINE

Now the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office is in a special position to make clear the law-enforcement aspect of this timeline; it knows when its investigation started, has already stated that it received its first tip on April 12 and should have the records showing when Patterson-Howard or someone acting on behalf of City Hall contacted the prosecutors on April 28.

The public does not need confidential details concerning the child victim, and no information should be made public that infringes on her privacy or breaches information that is legally protected. However, Mount Vernon voters and taxpayers have a right to know—so far as the law allows—whether the mayor contacted the District Attorney’s Office and whether the prosecutors instructed, advised, or otherwise expected her to speak to Murray.

The court should establish whether the mayor contacted the DA first or whether Murray was contacted first. If the prosecutors were contacted first but did not advise Patterson-Howard to speak to Murray, the mayor should explain why the contact with Murray then took place. The public shouldn’t have to guess about a matter that timestamps, telephone records, emails, or other documentation could establish.

RELEASE THE APRIL 28 TIMELINE

That is why the full April 28 timeline matters. The screenshot Bonaparte took indicates he sent his message at 8.12 a.m. The time when Patterson-Howard contacted the District Attorney’s Office should be identifiable. Likewise, the time she communicated with Murray should be identifiable, as should the means of communication—whether by telephone, text, an in-person meeting, or a combination of those methods.

It is just as important to consider the content of the communication. Was Murray merely informed that the mayor had received a complaint, or was he given specific details? Was he told who sent the message? Was he shown the message? Did Patterson-Howard ask Murray if Bonaparte was referring to him? Such questions are fundamental when assessing the actions of a public official during an extremely serious criminal investigation.

If the records show that Patterson-Howard contacted the prosecutors first and then spoke with Murray without disclosing anything that could have compromised the investigation, then those facts should be made public. If the records show something else, residents also have a right to be told. Transparency must not be based on whether the information makes City Hall look good or bad; it is about revealing what actually took place.

THIS IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT POLITICAL TEAMS

Mount Vernon has spent too many years turning reasonable questions regarding government into political conflicts. When you ask a question about an elected official, someone immediately wants to know which side you’re on; when you request records, someone says you have an agenda; and when you challenge an official explanation, the discussion soon turns into one about personalities and politics rather than facts.

It must not happen here. A child had been sexually abused, and a well-known member of the community who worked with young people had publicly denied the accusations before eventually pleading guilty to a violent felony involving a child. People from all political backgrounds should want an accurate historical record of this case.

We aren’t interested in the one put forward by the Democrats, the one by the Republicans, the one from City Hall, or the one on social media. We want the version based on documentation. Bonaparte has made clear what he claims to be his original message. Murray, in his own words, admitted that he had correspondence with Patterson-Howard. Patterson-Howard, in her own words, said that she got in touch with the District Attorney at once. The District Attorney said its investigation began more than two weeks earlier.

MOUNT VERNON DESERVES THE ANSWERS

If you combine all the facts, the questions then become simple: How did Mayor Patterson-Howard know that the unnamed ‘middle-aged close associate’ of Bonaparte was Dwayne Murray? Why did she talk to Murray about the message? What specific information was passed on to him? And which one of them was contacted first on April 28, 2025—the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office or Dwayne Murray?

The questions do not assume that the answers are known, nor do they claim that Patterson-Howard acted improperly. They are questions voters and taxpayers are fully entitled to ask when an elected official says he reported the allegations to the authorities and the person at the heart of the later criminal prosecution says she told him she received a text message.

Although Dwayne Murray’s criminal case is drawing to a close, Mount Vernon should not let its questions about April 28, 2025, vanish as a result. The mayor should explain her communications with Murray, the District Attorney should make clear the law-enforcement timeline as far as the law allows, and the records must show the order of events. Provide the voters and taxpayers with the facts and let the people of Mount Vernon come to their own conclusions.

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