It's going to be a scorcher before it's a sparkler, with an extreme heat watch covering the Sound Shore right through the Fourth. Also in this one, $1.5 million lands at the Rye YMCA for childcare, a 109 year old Dutch tall ship stopped by Greenwich Harbor, and a century old Rye dive bar came back from the dead. Stay hydrated out there.

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The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat watch for the Sound Shore through July 4, with highs forecast to reach a scorching 109°F. To help residents cool off, Westchester County has extended Playland's pool and beach hours until 7:30 p.m. Don't forget to look out for your furry friends, too, blistering asphalt temperatures can easily burn their paws.

Governor Hochul has committed $1.5 million to the Rye YMCA as part of a statewide push to expand childcare access. The money comes from the Childcare Capital Construction Funding Program, which funds "shovel-ready" projects that add licensed childcare space across New York.

The timing matters locally. Rye City Schools is among the 48 districts statewide that opted out of universal pre-K, citing space and funding constraints. "The level of state funding provided for UPK does not fully cover the cost of educating pre-kindergarten students," Superintendent Tricia Murray has said. The YMCA's expanded capacity won't replace universal pre-K, but it fills a real gap for working families.

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins called the investment essential to keeping parents in the workforce.

The outdoor showers at Oakland Beach stalled out this spring when demolishing an old retaining wall caused the adjacent shower structure to collapse. Officials had hoped the fix would be done by Memorial Day. It wasn't. Permits took months.

The contractor is back on site now, and the work is on track to finish before the July 4 crowds arrive, said Rye Town Administrator Debbie Reisner. It's part of a $383,000 renovation of the beach complex, which dates to 1910 and sits on the National Register of Historic Places.

Until then, beachgoers have two working shower stations instead of three. Separately, the Friends of Rye Town Park have privately funded restoration of the beach complex's iconic Spanish mission style steeple.

The Old Greenwich School renovation entered Phase 1A this spring. June's work included installing a stormwater detention system, removing soil, and prepping foundations ahead of the school year. The project will bring the 1950s era building up to current ADA standards, and add a new secure entryway, sprinklers, HVAC, and a kindergarten wing.

Construction started in April and won't wrap until January 2029. For families, the immediate impact is simpler: the back playground stays closed all summer, right when kids need it most. 🙄

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Harrison swears in three new police officers Friday. The Town Board holds a special meeting July 3 at 11am to administer the oath of office, adding to the department's ranks just ahead of the holiday weekend crowds.

Rye Brook and Harrison town offices close Friday, July 3, for Independence Day. Trash and recycling pickup shifts accordingly in both communities; check each village's website for the adjusted schedule.

Greenwich's Youth Citizen's Police Academy wrapped its four-day run this week. Local kids got a behind-the-scenes look at the department's K-9, patrol, and dispatch operations at headquarters on Bruce Place.

Harrison's Summer Concert Series continues July 9, 14, and 28. All shows start at 7pm at parks around town, with tribute bands, classic rock, and family-friendly lineups through the summer.

Crawford Park, in Rye Brook hosts live music every Thursday, 7pm. More info at www.ryetownny.gov

For decades, the tiny room at 3 Elm Place was simply The Pub, a run-down, 713-square-foot watering hole with a ceiling salvaged from an old train car. It closed in January when it sold for $850,000 to a group of six Westchester residents. Locals wondered if it would reopen at all.

It did, on June 25, now called The Rye Pub. The new owners kept the train-car ceiling and other old touches, added new tables, chairs, and wall decor, and opened without food service or Guinness on tap, both promised later this summer. Opening Saturday night, more than 50 people packed the room.

Worth knowing
3 Elm Place, Rye.
No food service yet.
More improvements expected over the summer.

Greenwich Fourth of July Fireworks (Two Shows)
Where: Binney Park and Greenwich Point Park, Greenwich, CT 06830
When: Thursday, July 2, at dusk (rain date July 11)
More info: greenwichct.gov

Rumours ATL: The Fleetwood Mac Tribute
Where: The Capitol Theatre, 149 Westchester Ave, Port Chester, NY 10573
When: Friday, July 3, 8:00pm
More info: thecapitoltheatre.com

Port Chester/Rye Brook/Rye America 250 July 4th Celebration
Where: Ryan Stadium at Port Chester High School, 1 Tamarack Rd, Rye Brook, NY 10573
When: Saturday, July 4, music and food trucks from 6:00pm, fireworks by Grucci at 9:00pm
More info: portchesterny.gov

Playland Fourth of July Fireworks
Where: Playland Park, 1 Playland Pkwy, Rye, NY 10580
When: Saturday, July 4
More info: playlandpark.org

Rye Brook Summer Day Camp Opens
Where: Village of Rye Brook recreation facilities, King Street, Rye Brook, NY 10573
When: Monday, July 6
More info: ryebrookny.gov

Harrison Summer Concert Series
Where: Parks around Harrison (check schedule for location)
When: Thursday, July 9, 7:00pm
More info: harrison-ny.gov

The Oosterschelde looks like a museum piece. It isn't. Built in 1917 in Rotterdam, she's the last surviving original Dutch three-masted topsail schooner, a working cargo vessel that hauled clay, timber, and herring across the North Sea for decades before being sold, renamed twice, and stripped down to a motor coaster by the 1950s.

She could have ended there. Instead, Dutch preservationists spent four years, 1988 to 1992, rebuilding her from the keel up using original plans and surviving crew testimony. Princess Margriet of the Netherlands recommissioned her in 1992. Since then, the Oosterschelde has circled the globe more than once, rounded Cape Horn, and sailed to Antarctica.

On June 28, she docked at Delamar Greenwich Harbor as the centerpiece of the Greenwich Historical Society's "Sunday in the Park with George" celebration of America's 250th, drawing crowds for free public tours at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. From Greenwich, she set sail for New York Harbor to join the tall ships fleet for the Fourth of July.

Owned by the same family for more than 30 years, this Tudor style house sits on a quarter acre with an in-ground pool, patio, and deck, the kind of private outdoor setup that's rare this close to the village center. Original details and a bright, flexible floor plan leave room for home offices or multi-generational living. The price was cut $50,000 in June.

View listing
$1,099,000
26 Glen Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573
6 bed / 3 full, 2 half bath · 3,280 sqft · Built 1910

Rye Brook road paving starts July 7 and runs through July 24. Crews will mill and pave Woodland Avenue, Monroe Place, Whittemore Place, Hillcrest Avenue, and North Ridge Street, with no-parking signs going up July 2 and one-lane travel expected throughout. Residents on those blocks should use driveways or side streets when possible.

No poll this week, just enjoy the long weekend!

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