Good morning. ☕ This is your Thursday, May 7, Rye Record newsletter, curating some of the latest headlines across the city of Rye.

Today’s Weather Channel local forecast is partly cloudy with a high of 63 degrees. ⛅ Check out the forecast for the rest of the week here.

The city’s year-round ban on gas-powered leaf blowers took effect May 1, with the intention of reducing noise and pollution. Electric and battery-powered leaf blowers are permitted, while gas-powered models are only allowed under specific emergency or municipal exceptions.

Rye joins around 70 other New York communities that have bans or restrictions. Some, like Larchmont and White Plains, have year-round bans, while others, like Yonkers and Bedford, enforce seasonal restrictions.

Although the new law just took effect last week, Rye may have been ahead of the curve in adhering to it; there were just two leaf blower summonses reported by Rye police in March 2026, down from 20 in March 2025.

Former Rye mayor and current State Assemblyman Steve Otis, along with State Sen. Liz Krueger, announced a rebate program for buying electric landscaping equipment to help commercial landscapers, local governments, school districts, and other institutions. The legislation passed the Senate on April 21 after passing the Assembly the day before.

“New York state ranks fourth in the nation in the highest level of greenhouse gas emissions,” Otis said. “Supporting small businesses and institutions in transitioning to emission-free equipment will improve air quality, public health, and make purchase of new equipment more affordable for local contractors.”

Click here to read the full report.

-Today’s newsletter is curated by Chris Marshall

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IN OTHER NEWS

LEAGUE CHAMPS. Rye’s girls golf team beat defending state champion Ursuline and Harrison in back-to-back competitions to claim the league title and a spot in the section tournament later this month.

HAS BINS. For years, Rye Town Park’s beauty was marred by dented trash and recycling bins with peeling paint. No more. The Friends of Rye Town Park raised $60,000 to replace 47 of the trash cans with new waste receptacles. — Beth Levine

ANFUSO RETIRES. After 27 years as a member of the Rye Police Department, Lt. Michael Anfuso is retiring from the force. The Rye native was sworn in as lieutenant of the detective division in 2017. His last official day in the office was May 1.

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

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SCHOOLS

Rye High School’s Special Ed Aides Work Their Magic

Located along one Rye High School’s central corridors, the Garnets classroom is home to a group of about 12 special education students who move through life differently than most, but who, like all teenagers, long to feel included and a part of a larger whole.

Their aides are the key to this inclusion. They understand and appreciate what makes their students tick — what motivates them, what aggravates them, what brings joy, and what might end in disaster — and help them interact with the school’s mainstream population.

The Garnets classroom was established by Erin Vrendenberg, Rye’s head of special education, and her team of special education teachers.

“The Garnets classroom allows kids who require extra support to remain in the district,” Vrendenberg said. “It’s unique because the Garnets is not a fully self-contained classroom — students have access to their general ed peers.”

— Eileen O’Connor

SPORTS

Girls Lacrosse Putting Up Big Numbers on Scoreboard

The spring season is in full force, but Rye’s girls lacrosse team has been putting football numbers up on the Nugent Stadium scoreboard.

A day after shutting out Scarsdale, 17-0, the Garnets (8-3) beat Briarcliff by a two-touchdown margin, 15-1, for their fifth straight win. On Saturday, they picked up their first win against an out-of-state opponent, routing New Canaan (Conn.), 16-3.

“We have tremendous depth and talent on our team, and have been able to showcase that in our dominant wins this week,” said Rye coach Michelle Mason.

Adding to that depth is the return of Paige Tepedino, who scored four times against New Canaan after returning from a knee injury. She was one of six seniors honored on the Garnets’ senior night, along with Mia Howson, who scored five goals, Annie Toulouse, who had a hat trick, Beau Whaling, Clare Nemsick, and Alex Wood.

— Erin Maher

Rye Brook Man Charged With Murder on Westview Avenue

A Rye Brook man was charged with murder and manslaughter by the Westchester County District Attorney’s office for the killing of 37-year-old Samantha Maldacker by apparent strangulation.

Hugo Soto-Diaz, 30, was arraigned last Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to both his second-degree murder charge and his first-degree manslaughter charge. He was remanded to Westchester County Jail pending further proceedings, and is due back in court on June 3.

On March 30, Rye Brook Police officers found Maldacker unconscious with signs of strangulation in Soto-Diaz’s home at 14 1/2 Westview Ave. in Rye Brook, according to the investigation.

— Camille Botello