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Jon Craig

Reporter

jon.craig@dailyvoice.com

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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

Business
Owners Of The Westchester Pledge Millions To Renovate Shopping Center Owners Of The Westchester Pledge Millions To Renovate Shopping Center
Owners Of The Westchester Pledge Millions To Renovate Shopping Center WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- During a "tile breaking" ceremony at The Westchester on Thursday, owners of the 20-year-old shopping center announced a major facelift welcomed by city and county leaders. Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and Whtie Plains Mayor Thomas Roach joined Robert Guerra, Simon Northeast regional vice president, in smashing tiles with hammers to kick off an eight-month renovation expected to cost the global real estate company millions. Roach proclaimed Thursday "The Westchester Day in White Plains," noting, "When I walk in here, I say, 'What do you need to fix?' I …

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by Jon Craig
Schools
Educators Give Governor, Legislature 'F' For New Teacher Evaluation Rules Educators Give Governor, Legislature 'F' For New Teacher Evaluation Rules
Educators Give Governor, Legislature 'F' For New Teacher Evaluation Rules PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- School superintendents and teachers in Putnam and Westchester counties agree new job evaluation standards folded into the state budget are even worse than the current set mandated four years ago. "I'm very opposed to this type of measurement process for teachers," said Frances Willis, superintendent of schools in Putnam Valley, "Where is the evidence that this is a valid way of evaluating a teacher's assessment? The governor has a fixed position. It does not seem to be right. I'm very saddened by it. It's very disheartening for teachers." Willis said measuring gro…

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by Jon Craig
Schools
Educators Give Governor, Legislature 'F' For New Teacher Evaluation Rules Educators Give Governor, Legislature 'F' For New Teacher Evaluation Rules
Educators Give Governor, Legislature 'F' For New Teacher Evaluation Rules This story has been updated. WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- School superintendents and teachers in Westchester and Putnam counties agree that new job evaluation standards folded into the state budget are even worse than the current set mandated four years ago. Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed 50 percent of a public school teacher's annual evaluation be measured by students' progress on test scores. The plan was passed by state legislators as part of the state budget April 1, but requires details to be ironed out by the state Education Department and Board of Regents by mid-June. "That's a pre…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Pilla Is Sworn In Again As Mayor During Port Chester Village Hall Ceremony Pilla Is Sworn In Again As Mayor During Port Chester Village Hall Ceremony
Pilla Is Sworn In Again As Mayor During Port Chester Village Hall Ceremony  PORT CHESTER, N.Y. -- Former Mayor Dennis Pilla was sworn in Tuesday to the post he lost in 2013. Judge Anthony Provenzano administered the oath of office to Pilla, a Democrat elected on March 18. Pilla was joined by his wife, Margoth, at the ceremony in Port Chester Village Hall. Election Day returns from the Port Chester Village Clerk's Office put Pilla ahead of village Trustee Gene Ceccarelli, a Republican, by 1,213 votes to 1,115 votes. Pilla was first elected village mayor in 2007 but was defeated in 2013 by Neil Pagano, a Republican who decided not to seek re-election this yea…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
White Plains Police Officers Rescue Elderly Man Trapped In Burning House White Plains Police Officers Rescue Elderly Man Trapped In Burning House
White Plains Police Officers Rescue Elderly Man Trapped In Burning House WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Two White Plains police officers rescued an 84-year-old man from his burning home last week. Public Safety Commissioner David Chong expressed his gratitude Monday to the heroic police officers and emergency medical services crew who saved the man's life as well as the White Plains Fire Department for putting the fire out quickly at 42 Liberty St. on Thursday.. According to police reports, Patrol Officer Joseph Garafolo arrived at the scene of the active fire first, about 11:18 p.m. on April 2. Garafolo located a resident outside of the home. This resident advised t…

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by Jon Craig
News
Missing White Plains Fennec Fox May Have Been Spotted In Harrison Missing White Plains Fennec Fox May Have Been Spotted In Harrison
Missing White Plains Fennec Fox May Have Been Spotted In Harrison WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The 9-month-old fennec fox named Luna who ran away from home on March 30 may have been spotted in Harrison, her owner said Monday. It''s been one week since the exotic pet scooted off from her Longview Avenue home in White Plains. Her owner, Jody Lee, said Luna is very shy, and very, very fast, so unlikely to be caught by humans. "She's incredibly fast,'' Lee said. "No one is going to catch her." So Lee suggests people call 914-434-3478 if they think they see Luna, who may hide in a bush "and any place a nervous animal would hide. Don't try to catch or chase her…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Two Men Charged By Port Chester Police In Suspected Heroin Deal Two Men Charged By Port Chester Police In Suspected Heroin Deal
Two Men Charged By Port Chester Police In Suspected Heroin Deal PORT CHESTER, N.Y. -- Two men were arrested Monday and charged with drug possession after police interrupted a suspected heroin deal. At about 3:50 p.m., members of the Port Chester Police Department Narcotics Squad, working with the Westchester County Police Narcotics Unit, arrested a Bronx man and a New Rochelle man. Detectives were investigating reports of drug activity in the area of Traverse Avenue. Shortly after arriving, the officers observed a man enter a mini-van and engage in what appeared to be a drug transaction with the driver of the vehicle.   Further investigation unco…

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by Jon Craig
Lifestyle
Visits From Putnam County Help Playland Amusement Park Enjoy Upswing Visits From Putnam County Help Playland Amusement Park Enjoy Upswing
Visits From Putnam County Help Playland Amusement Park Enjoy Upswing PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- Rye Playland Amusement Park enjoyed a 20 percent increase in tourists last year due to more visits from adjoining counties including Putnam, according to Westchester County officials. Playland is poised to open its 87th season on May 9, so the Westchester County Board of Legislators is eager to hear a consultant's report on who should operate it in future years. Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino hired consultant Dan Biederman last year at a cost of $100,000 to study options for private management and possible year-round uses. But with the report already fo…

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by Jon Craig
News
Westchester Board Of Legislators Awaits Consultant's Report On Playland Westchester Board Of Legislators Awaits Consultant's Report On Playland
Westchester Board Of Legislators Awaits Consultant's Report On Playland WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- With Rye Playland Amusement Park poised to begin its 87th season on Saturday, May 9, the Westchester County Board of Legislators is eager to hear a consultant's report on who should operate it in future years. County Executive Rob Astorino hired consultant Dan Biederman last year at a cost of $100,000 to study options for private management and possible year-round uses. But with the report already four months overdue, legislators prepared subpoenas last week to force its release. On Wednesday, Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett promised to deliver the rep…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Rye Police Report Rise In Complaints About Phone Scams Rye Police Report Rise In Complaints About Phone Scams
Rye Police Report Rise In Complaints About Phone Scams RYE, N.Y. -- Over the course of the last few months, the City of Rye Police Department has received a number of complaints regarding phone scams. Unidentified male and female callers use a variety of tactics to gain both personal information and or money wire transfers from the potential victims, police said. "We are seeing an increase again in phone scams,'' Lt. Scott Craig said on Friday, noting they fall into three general categories. In one, the caller identifies themselves as an agent of the IRS.  This fraudulent agent accuses the potential victim of failing to properly file their …

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by Jon Craig
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