Jon Craig

Reporter

jon.craig@dailyvoice.com

Pleasantville native Jon Craig is special editor for the Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Daily Voice sites. He is also the primary reporter for Daily Voice Plus Politics in Westchester and Fairfield.

Jon graduated from Cornell University and received his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Across a 35-year career, he's worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Chicago, New York, Ohio & Washington, D.C and as managing editor for weekly newspapers in Rye, White Plains and Harrison.

Jon also writes periodically for the Cornell Chronicle.

Career Highlights:

  • Covered Metro-North train wreck that killed a motorist and five commuters, 2015
  • Researched state investigative project for PublicIntegrity.org, 2011-12
  • National MADD award for database analysis of repeat drunk drivers in Ohio, 2008.
  • Henry F. Guggenheim Fellow, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2010.
  • Sentenced to jail for protecting confidential sources (won on appeal), 1999.
  • Broke 30th anniversary story about Kent State shootings — using FBI records, resurrecting theory a student informant triggered fatal National Guard volley, May 2000.
  • Covered Ground Zero after Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks.
  • Uncovered voting problems before & during presidential recount in Ohio, 2004.
  • Witnessed botched Death Row execution of Romell Broom in 2009, one of more than a dozen I covered; Wrote about three inmates whose death sentences were commuted to life without parole.
  • Won IRE, SDX and multiple national & state awards for series led by Erik Kriss investigating New York General Assembly. 1994.
  • Guest lecturer at universities in NY & Ohio. Taught Syracuse high school journalism class.
  • Co-authored IRE-award winning series on illegal restraints/beatings at juvenile detention centers. Gov. Mario Cuomo had NY inspector general confirm what Hart Seely and I found at Division for Youth & fired top directors, 1993.
  • Survived Air Force Kool School training at North Pole, 1996.
  • Covered Persian Gulf wars, including 2002 bomb missions from Turkey and stateside Army/Air Guard training. 1991.
  • Supervised overnight coverage of Pan Am Flight 103 after Libyan bomb killed 35 Syracuse University students over Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988.
  • Covered aftermath of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s fatal plane crash from Cape Cod, 1999.
  • Greeted Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as Cornell Sun sports editor during daily's 100th anniversary dinner in May 1980. 

Jon Craig's Contributions

Happy Holiday Break As Rye YMCA Offers Programs For Free Happy Holiday Break As Rye YMCA Offers Programs For Free
Happy Holiday Break As Rye YMCA Offers Programs For Free RYE, N.Y. -- The Rye YMCA is opening its doors to families in the community from Sunday Dec. 27 to Thursday Dec. 31. The five days of free classes, activities and fun include dozens of options for children and families including soft play, family fun circuit in the ExerZone, holiday crafts, youth sports, teen dodgeball, family kickboxing and much more. Visit ryeymca.org to view a schedule of activities and classes.
Rye Merchants 'Partner With Pets' Rescued By Harrison Shelter For Holidays Rye Merchants 'Partner With Pets' Rescued By Harrison Shelter For Holidays
Rye Merchants 'Partner With Pets' Rescued By Harrison Shelter For Holidays RYE, N.Y. -- If you're looking for last-minute holiday gifts -- and want to help homeless animals at the same time -- downtown Rye is the place to be shopping on Saturday. Nearly two dozen Rye store owners and restaurants have "Partnered with Pets" on Dec. 19 to raise money for Pet Rescue of Harrison.  Spend the day dining and shopping on and nearby Purchase Street in Rye to benefit the cats and dogs at Pet Rescue. Store owners and restaurants listed below have made a donation or are offering special discounts to shoppers on Saturday with proceeds benefiting Pet Rescue.  In addi…
Harrison Holiday Throwdown Raises Money For Toys For Tots Harrison Holiday Throwdown Raises Money For Toys For Tots
Harrison Holiday Throwdown Raises Money For Toys For Tots HARRISON, N.Y. -- It's not too late to take part in Saturday's Harrison Strength Holiday Throwdown, which raises money for the Toys For Toys Foundation.Registration remains open, but is capped at 10 entries in each weight class. For more details, click here.  Weigh-ins begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Harrison Strength & Fitness, 75 Calvert St. in Harrison. The first lift begins at 11 a.m. The entry fee for all competitors is a new, unwrapped toy.  Spectators are encouraged to bring at least one toy to donate as well.  Athletes will compete in three events and trophies will be given …
Police Investigate Chase Bank Robbery In Thornwood Police Investigate Chase Bank Robbery In Thornwood
Police Investigate Chase Bank Robbery In Thornwood This story has been updated. THORNWOOD, N.Y. -- Chase Bank on Marble Avenue was closed Friday afternoon following an apparent robbery. Police from Pleasantville, Mount Pleasant and Westchester County departments were at the scene, where crime tape and a sign telling customers the bank was temporarily closed was posted. A helicopter hovered overhead about 1:30 p.m. Westchester County police dispatched an Aviation Unit helicopter to assist in the search. Kieran O'Leary, a spokesman for the County Department of Public Safety said, "We did send some officers, including one with a trackin…
Heroin Addiction Awareness Rally Set For Saturday In Poughkeepsie Heroin Addiction Awareness Rally Set For Saturday In Poughkeepsie
Heroin Addiction Awareness Rally Set For Saturday In Poughkeepsie POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- Families recovering from alcoholism and addiction plan a rally in downtown Poughkeepsie on Saturday to raise awareness about the exploding epidemic of heroin and opiate painkillers in the Hudson Valley region. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, state Sen. Sue Serino of Hyde Park and congressional representatives are among the scheduled speakers.  The rally begins at 4 p.m. at South Clinton and Main streets, and is expected to last until about 8 p.m. Young people in recovery, and their parents, also plan to attend. "In order to win this battle, you have to …
Police Search For Rye Brook Burglary Suspect Police Search For Rye Brook Burglary Suspect
Police Search For Rye Brook Burglary Suspect RYE BROOK, N.Y. -- Rye Brook police said they were unsuccessful in locating a burglary suspect on Tuesday night. The suspect broke into a vacant model home located off the Enclave at Rye Brook construction site off of Anderson Hill Road, according to Rye Brook Police Chief Gregory Austin.  About 30 town homes are being built by Toll Brothers at Carol Court in the Village of Rye Brook. With the assistance of neighboring police departments, Austin said the suspect was pursued to the Blind Brook Club golf course.  "Unfortunately we were unable to catch the suspect,'' Austin said on Wedn…
Hudson Valley Sheriffs Talk Counterterrorism With NYC Police Commissioner Hudson Valley Sheriffs Talk Counterterrorism With NYC Police Commissioner
Hudson Valley Sheriffs Talk Counterterrorism With NYC Police Commissioner GOSHEN, N.Y. -- Orange County Sheriff Carl E. DuBois, Sullivan County Sheriff Michael Schiff along with seven other upstate New York sheriffs' offices including Putnam County met Monday with New York City Police Commissioner William C. Bratton, Deputy Commissioner John Miller, Chief of Department James O’Neill, and other top NYPD brass to discuss mutual policing concerns including counterterrorism, training, community relations, technology, and a host of other issues.  Putnam County was represented at the meeting by Undersheriff Peter Convery. In a press statement, Sheriff DuBois said, “We …
Fordham Westchester's Veterans Writing Workshop Publishes Anthology Fordham Westchester's Veterans Writing Workshop Publishes Anthology
Fordham Westchester's Veterans Writing Workshop Publishes Anthology WEST HARRISON, N.Y. -- Fordham Westchester held a reception Dec. 8 to celebrate the publication of "Afterwords: As You Were," the 20th anthology from Fordham’s Veterans Writing Workshop.  The Veterans Writing Workshop is designed to provide veterans with the tools and confidence to share their military experiences through writing.  Veterans participating in the 10-week program read their stories at the reception.  Fordham Westchester offers the program free of charge to veterans.  David Surface is the founder and instructor for the program. Veterans from the program who attended…
Warm Weather Attracts 11,000-Plus Visitors To Westchester Winter Wonderland Warm Weather Attracts 11,000-Plus Visitors To Westchester Winter Wonderland
Warm Weather Attracts 11,000-Plus Visitors To Westchester Winter Wonderland VALHALLA, N.Y. -- It hardly feels like winter in the Hudson Valley. Yet, balmy unseasonal weather is fueling record high turnouts for the Westchester County Park Department's Winter Wonderland -- which runs through Jan. 3 at Kensico Dam Plaza. "Within the first three weeks, we had more than 10,000 visitors,"said Joe Stout, executive director for Friends of Westchester County Parks. At least 11,000 people have attended so far this year compared to 8,000 at this point in 2014, county officials said Thursday. "We have received a great response to Westchester’s Winter Wonderland…
Multiple Fire Departments Called To Trailer Park Fire Multiple Fire Departments Called To Trailer Park Fire
Multiple Fire Departments Called To Trailer Park Fire POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- Firefighters extinguished a structure fire at the Sheafe Manor Trailer Park on Monday, according to Town of Poughkeepsie police. The fire in a trailer was put out shortly after the 3 p.m. call to 567 Sheafe Road. Everyone escaped the trailer safely and no one was hurt, according to a police department spokesman. Firefighters from Hughsonville, New Hamburg and Wappingers Falls responded.
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