Good morning. ☕ This is your Thursday, May 28, Rye Record newsletter, curating some of the latest headlines across the city of Rye.

Today’s Weather Channel local forecast is 73 degrees and partly cloudy. 🌤️ Check out the forecast for the rest of the week here.

In the middle of a two-plus-hour discussion on the proposed six-month moratorium on Rye developments, the City Council adjourned Wednesday’s public hearing, with plans to resume at 7 p.m. June 8.

After several impassioned speeches by members of the public, a motion to close the discussion didn’t pass, followed by a unanimous vote to adjourn until next month. After the vote, councilmembers left for a half-hour executive session, then returned to listen to another hour of public comments.

“Not every public hearing needs a definitive conclusion,” said Mayor Josh Nathan. “We have a lot of work to do on our end, and you’re very much a part of that. We had a sense of concern beforehand, but we still needed to hear from you, and we will continue to listen going forward, whatever those next steps need to be.”

To open Wednesday’s meeting, Nathan informed the 100-plus people in the standing-room-only crowd that there would be an amendment to the proposed law: one- and two-bedroom houses would no longer be a part of the moratorium, at least for the time being.

That decision did not apply to one- and two-bedroom houses located in the B-1 and B-2 districts adjoining downtown. Those areas are still up for discussion, along with developments in the central business district, multi-family homes with six or more units, and proposed construction on the campus of Rye Country Day School.

Nearly all of the public comments came from people speaking out against the moratorium, particularly relating to housing.

“The concept of a moratorium on single-family homes shouldn’t even enter your mind in the future,” said Michael Blumenthal, a Rye resident who’s lived 30-plus years in a small, wood-frame home that was built in the 1930s. “Our house is outdated and unsafe for senior citizens. It’s unequivocally a teardown. The high maintenance demands of a 90-year-old house are too much for us to continue to stay there, and that would be the case for any senior citizen … I haven’t slept in five days. This moratorium would have crushed me financially.”

Click here to read the full report on Wednesday’s council meeting.

-Today’s newsletter is curated by Chris Marshall

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IN OTHER NEWS

BASEBALL BACK IN SECTION FINALS. Trailing by two, and down to their final two outs, Jamie Morris hit a three-run, walk-off home run to give the Garnets a 4-3 win and a spot in Saturday’s section championship.

ANSWERING THE CALL. Rye’s City Council says it’s exploring options to improve cellphone service, including hiring a consultant to help find a solution, after a decade-plus of frequently dropped calls, unreliable internet coverage, and blackout areas throughout the city. — Kate Circelli

FRAUD WATCH. A former NYPD officer, who was previously employed by Wells Fargo’s Rye Brook branch, pleaded guilty to a scheme to defraud bank customers, allegedly stealing $113,735.80 to make payments for a BMW; pay for a trip to Aruba; and to purchase a subscription to “Booty By Jacks.”

THE RYE FINDER. Test your RyeQ with this Rye-centric word search puzzle. This week’s challenge is to find the names of seven famous, now deceased, Rye residents. Answers run vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. Complete the puzzle by midnight tonight for a chance at prizes.

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COMMUNITY

County Hopes Return of Dragon Coaster Puts Playland Park Back on Track

Playland’s opening weekend was spoiled by three straight days of rain, but county officials hope the return of iconic rides will attract larger crowds in the park’s 97th year of operation.

Peter Tartaglia, Westchester County Parks Department’s deputy commissioner, said 90% of children’s rides and 80% of adult rides are up and running, including the historic Dragon Coaster, which was closed all of last year.

Last Memorial Day weekend, the park opened with just 14 of its 42 rides running due to maintenance needs and the abrupt transition in ownership from Standard Amusements back to Westchester County.

“It wasn’t a real year,” Tartaglia said of 2025. “We go back to last year, under the direction of the county executive, he wanted to open the park for the public … We got it open on a much smaller scale. This year, we are expecting the crowds to come back, and it’s going to be a good season.”

— Camille Botello and Chris Marshall

SCHOOLS

Swastika Graffiti Found in March Provides ‘Teachable Opportunities’ at RMS

When swastika graffiti was found March 3 in a Rye Middle School bathroom, the symbol synonymous with hate was immediately removed. But rather than glossing over the incident, the school and district have taken steps to turn the act of vandalism into a teachable moment.

As of May 15, the investigation into the incident is still ongoing, said Rye City Schools spokesperson Blaine Malefatto. In the meantime, RMS has participated in a program run by the Anti-Defamation League to become a “No Place for Hate School.”

Two Holocaust survivors, Marion Blumenthal Lazan and David Zajac, spoke at RMS, and students participated in a voluntary book club centered around Blumenthal Lazan’s memoir, “Four Perfect Pebbles.” Eighth graders attended Blumenthal Lazan’s speech, along with sixth and seventh graders who were part of the book club.

“While incidents like these are upsetting, our response demonstrated that we do not have to shy away from difficult moments,” said RMS Principal Nick Clair. “Instead, we can come together as a community, use them as teachable opportunities, and reinforce the values we believe in.”

Title Hopes Balloon After 21-1 Playoff Win for Rye Girls Lacrosse

Rye’s girls lacrosse team played the way a No. 1 seed should, beating No. 9 Pearl River 21-1 Tuesday to advance to the Class C section semifinals.

Just 39 seconds into the game, senior Annie Toulouse whipped in a shot from 15 yards out to open the scoring. Senior Mia Howson scored Rye’s second goal, then Toulouse struck again, giving the Garnets three goals in the game’s first three minutes.

After Rye took a 10-0 lead, Pearl River scored its first – and only – goal of the game, with less than a second remaining in the first quarter. The Garnets led 14-1 at halftime and 19-1 entering the fourth quarter.

Rye will host No. 4 John Jay Cross River in Friday’s semifinals, with hopes of playing for the championship June 2 at Nyack against either No. 2 Pelham or No. 3 Eastchester.