Sunday Briefing: Work Plan, ICE Protest, DOJ–Epstein Email
This briefing draws from reporting at Talk of the Sound, analysis and commentary published in Words in Edgewise, and selected regional coverage.
A Note from the Publisher
This week across the Sound Shore reflected a recurring pattern in local governance: public safety remains steady but tense, school leadership remains under scrutiny, and development decisions continue to shape the long-term character of our communities.
The release of the City’s 2026 Work Plan and a student protest over federal immigration enforcement illustrated both the forward-looking ambitions and the tensions shaping the region. A Department of Justice email referencing a sitting New Rochelle council member further underscored the continued importance of transparency and accountability in local government.
Several stories this week highlight institutional stress points — security concerns at the school district level, budgetary oversight issues, and public accountability questions that are unlikely to recede.
Looking ahead, I am monitoring ongoing transparency issues involving municipal decision-making and several developing matters that may require records requests. As always, the most important stories often begin quietly.
Below is this week’s structured briefing.
If You Read Nothing Else This Week
New Rochelle Releases 2026 Work Plan Emphasizing Implementation and Major Infrastructure Projects
New Rochelle Students Walk Out to Protest ICE, March to City Hall and New Roc
DOJ Email Refers to New Rochelle Council Member as ‘Epstein’s Attorney’
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Public Safety & First Responders
Young Port Chester Woman Killed in Crash on Boston Post Road
Swan Rescued in Rye After Being Frozen to Pond in Cold Weather
26 Suspects Nabbed in Tri-County Retail Theft Sting
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Courts & Accountability
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro Sues Rye for Trip-and-Fall
Jury acquits Port Chester NY man in stabbing he said was self-defense
Proposed Mamaroneck Spa Owner Also Owns Suspicious NJ Massage Business
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Schools & Government
New Rochelle Schools Roll Out Free Take-Home Meals for Ramadan-Fasting Students
Rye City Council Appoints Baldwin to Vacant Seventh Seat
New Rochelle Launches Redesigned Civic Website With Modern Design and Improved Access
Rye Country Day School Headmaster Quits as Jewish Teen Suicide Ends
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Sound Shore Community & Culture
Residents Urged to Attend Westchester Airport Advisory Board Meeting on Task Force Recommendations
Now Hiring: Mamaroneck Opens Applications for Summer Camp and Beach Jobs
New Rochelle Opera Seeks Singers for Verdi’s Nabucco Chorus Auditions
Artistic Romance Takes Center Stage in New Rochelle
Pizzeria La Rosa in New Rochelle named one of best by USA TODAY
Gaels Pull Away Late to Beat Canisius 69-63 in MAAC Showdown
East Green Wave Girls Hockey Team Makes History With First Section 1 Title
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Marks 250th Anniversary in Expert Panel Discussion
New Rochelle Public Library Launches User Experience Study to Enhance Spaces and Services
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Words in Edgewise
This week’s commentary examined municipal taxi surcharges and broader accountability themes.
From Malahide Castle to Vicar Street: What Live Music Has Taught Me About My New Life in Ireland
Full archive available at Words in Edgewise.
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Ongoing Investigations & Major Series
These long-running investigations continue to inform coverage across the region:
Flowers Park RFP – Bob Young Proposal – FOIL Litigation
New Rochelle Thimblerig Series
Sustainable Westchester Series
Alec McKenna – Kamal Flowers Archive
New Rochelle Board of Education Investigation
Nightmare on Stephenson Boulevard / NRPD PACT Unit PFFL Porn & Gambling Website
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In Memoriam
Janet Vacca, Loving Pelham Mother and Community Member, Dies at 91
Bud Cort, ‘Harold and Maude’ Star, New Rochelle & Rye Native, Iona Prep Grad, Dies at 77
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Closing
Words in Edgewise is the weekly civic briefing produced by the publisher of Talk of the Sound.
Talk of the Sound exists to provide consistent, fact-based reporting on the institutions that shape daily life in the Sound Shore.
If you have information relevant to public accountability in New Rochelle or neighboring communities, you know how to reach me.
Thank you for reading — and for being part of a community that values informed civic life.
— Robert Cox
Publisher, Talk of the Sound
