Westchester Now

With trees down, travel restricted and states of emergency still in effect in towns across the Hudson Valley, most Halloween events in the area have been canceled or postponed.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is asking kids to stay at home or close to it to celebrate Halloween Wednesday, on top of issuing a 6 p.m. curfew for everyone under 18 years old.

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, an annual...

I started to get jittery at my desk in Yonkers Monday when the state's Brian Conybeare started talking about the Tappan Zee Bridge shutting down.

I usually don't worry too much about driving in bad weather, but you could feel the tension around the News12 newsroom, where I'm based for Newsday. If I was going to make it back to Pearl River, it was time to hit the gas.

The Saw...

Governor Andrew Cuomo said he was considering speed restrictions, vehicle limitations and even closing the Tappan Zee Bridge if Hurricane Sandy’s winds grew too powerful.

“As we begin to feel the effects of Hurricane Sandy, it is important that New Yorkers limit their travel as much as possible,” said Cuomo in a statement issued late in the afternoon on Sunday. “If you need to cross one of...

As Hurricane Sandy approaches, pet owners need to make preparations for ensuring their pet’s safety and welfare. The ASPCA has detailed guidelines for pet owners to follow in the case of natural disasters, such as this incoming storm.

The ASPCA advises that owners should bring their pets inside upon the first sign of a storm, make sure their pets are wearing their collars and ID tags with...

Residents across the Hudson Valley are scrambling to prepare for Hurricane Sandy's late Sunday or early Monday.

At a minimum, there are basic supplies that residents should stock in case power is knocked out and the storm's worst-case scenario is realized, which could mean up to 10 inches of rain in some areas and hurricane-like winds exceeding 75 mph.

Having items as non-perishable...

With Hurricane Sandy approaching, a number of apps can help you track the storm's progress:

Hurricane Track for iOS - Free This app has four main screens: a radar view, a local satellite view, a forecast and hazards screen, and one that projects the hurricane's paths. Extras include a storm-specific newsfeed. iHurricane HD - Free iHurricane HD offers a full-color, zoom-enabled weather...

Good Samaritan Hospital's storm preparations are almost mind boggling: 40,000 gallons of bottled water. Enough food to feed 500 people a day for more than a week. A dual redundant power system -- and a backup generator, just in case.

On the verge of potentially catastrophic natural disasters, the kind some are predicting Hurricane Sandy will inflict on the region, the 370-bed, Suffern-based...

As Hurricane Sandy targets the Hudson Valley and the greater New York area, the American Red Cross will open more than a dozen shelters in the region.

The agency Saturday afternoon is expected to release the locations of the shelters, which could open as early as Sunday morning, on its website, NYRedCross.org, and on its mobile app, which is available for free for iPhone and Android users.

The...

The "Pumpkin Patrol" will be out in force on the New York State Thruway this Halloween, making sure pranksters don't create hazards for drivers.

The all-volunteer patrol assists the New York State Police's Troop T by monitoring overpasses for mischief-makers and keeping a lookout for speeders and drunken drivers.

“Dangerous pranks can quickly turn into tragedy, and these patrols...

The campaign to reinvent White Plains as a hot suburban city with a cool downtown continues with the hiring of a new planning commissioner: Betty Cheteny.

The first two weeks on her $144,330 job have been a whirl of meet-and-greets with everyone from new colleagues to random pedestrians that the upstate native meets during her walks.

“It’s a very exciting time for the city of White Plains,”...