Good morning. ☕ This is your Thursday, April 16, Rye Record newsletter, curating some of the latest headlines across the city of Rye.

Today’s Weather Channel local forecast is cloudy with a high of 84 degrees. ⛅ Check out the forecast for the rest of the week here.

Rye’s past and present. After a years-long hiatus, Rye’s City Council met Wednesday in the Square House, resuming the tradition of its annual historical meeting.

The relocation was for practical reasons, as work continues on City Hall’s HVAC system, but also intentional, coinciding with the 250^th anniversary of the United States, the introduction of Rye’s new landmarks advisory committee, and the early stages of the city’s first comprehensive plan update in 40-plus years.

“Preservation isn’t about stopping evolution. It’s about carrying familiar places forward in very thoughtful ways,” said councilmember Marion Anderson, who became the first Black person elected to the Rye City Council last year. “So, as we move into a period of comprehensive planning, we’re at an important crossroads. Planning asks us to look ahead, but it should never require us to forget where we came from.”

Mayor Josh Nathan acknowledged several former mayors and councilmembers in attendance, with many taking the opportunity to share stories and wisdom with the current council.

Alison Relyea, chair of the landmarks advisory committee, spoke about how the group aims to celebrate historical people and places in Rye.

“We think of Rye as a living landmark, and that’s because of the people here, the buildings, the historic districts,” she said, before unveiling a new logo. “We want to find creative ways, starting now, but with no end date in sight, to share those stories among the community, and, with that balance of preservation and progress, find ways that we can celebrate the past while also bringing it into the present.”

To read the full report, click here.

-Today’s newsletter is curated by Chris Marshall

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IN OTHER NEWS

SCHOOL BUDGET ADOPTED. The Rye City School District Board of Education adopted a $116 million budget for the 2026-27 school year Tuesday night, with plans to downsize fourth-grade classes, add STEM teachers, and replace the high school gym roof. — Camille Botello

PENCILS DOWN. Junior Wilson Redd missed most of Rye lacrosse’s game Saturday while taking a college entrance exam. But with just over a minute remaining, he took the field, setting up senior Thomas Goldszer for the winning score against Marin Catholic. — Steven Kearney

YOU GET A COOKIE! Maman, the French-inspired café chain, plans to open its first Westchester location in downtown Rye. Known for its rustic-chic aesthetic and Oprah-favorited chocolate chip cookies, maman will seat about two dozen diners at 64 Purchase St., the former home of the Snackery. — David Hessekiel

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COMMUNITY

Opening Day Parade Kicks Off Record-Setting Season

Parents, volunteers, and spectators from the Rye community gathered Saturday morning to watch over 700 Rye Little League Baseball and Rye Girls Softball players parade across town to Disbrow Park, a tradition that dates back to 1957.

The opening ceremony featured remarks from Rye Little League President Danny McCarthy and Rye Girls Softball Co-President Jennifer Manney, a ceremonial first pitch from Mayor Josh Nathan to Rye High School senior catcher Jackson Pineault, and — as always — hot dogs provided by Jerry’s Market.

Rye Girls Softball is celebrating the biggest spring season in its 51-year history with 21 teams: 15 in recreation leagues and, for the first time, six travel teams. Rye Little League also has record-breaking registration numbers, with nearly 550 baseball players, 5U through 12U, across 42 teams.

— Ariana Ottrando

BUSINESS

Proposed Facelift at the Corner of Purchase & Purdy

The Rye Planning Commission heard a proposal Tuesday for significant redevelopment at the corner of Purchase St. and Purdy Ave., making room for a three-story, mixed-use building in Rye’s central business district.

The owners of the premises (84-86 Purchase Street LLC) seek to renovate 84-86 Purchase St. and redevelop 2-8 Purdy Ave. to provide a new mixed-use building with three ground-level commercial spaces and five two-bedroom dwelling units with elevator access.

Tuesday's proposal was refined from a previous presentation to the commission on Feb. 24. Planning Commission Chairman Nick Everett said discussion on the property will continue at the next meeting on April 28.

— Chris Marshall

The Dramatic Road to a Triumphant ‘Les Mis’

At the climax of Act I in “Les Misérables,” revolutionaries sing, “Do You Hear the People Sing?” an anthem that announces the start of the French Revolution.

Rye High School music director Tom Snowden faced a revolution of his own last fall when his students rallied to convince him to stage the famously demanding show.

Snowden initially hesitated, but the students didn’t relent, showing up in Snowden’s room to belt out songs like “On My Own,” “I Dreamed a Dream,” and “One Day More.”

It went on for weeks. Snowden, you could say, heard the people sing.

In December, he agreed to stage the show. When Principal Andrew Hara announced the name of the musical over the loudspeaker, Snowden recalled, “The kids were so excited. They ran into my room with this energy and excitement that carried us through auditions, rehearsals, and tech week.”

— Laura Schiller