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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

Politics
Why You Should Not Call Town Hall About The Most Hazardous Highways In Your Town Why You Should Not Call Town Hall About The Most Hazardous Highways In Your Town
Why You Should Not Call Town Hall About The Most Hazardous Highways In Your Town If main street is the most poorly-paved in your city or town, it may not be necessarily be that municipality's fault. It turns out that many of the roads, highways and parkways in the worst condition are actually owned by the state or county, meaning their budgets and public works crews are responsible for paving and maintaining them. The same is true for bridges, although sometimes MetroNorth shares a major stake in their upkeep. In the town of Cortlandt: By Aug. 31, as part of a broader rehabilitation project, the state DOT plans to make steel, joint, bearing and deck repairs to the br…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Imperfect Storm: Why Westchester's 50-Year-Old Interstates Are Crumbling Imperfect Storm: Why Westchester's 50-Year-Old Interstates Are Crumbling
Imperfect Storm: Why Westchester's 50-Year-Old Interstates Are Crumbling You drive them daily, and perhaps even slide off them. The busiest, fastest routes through Westchester County are considered by some engineering experts to be the most dangerous. Here's why: Parkways, highways, state routes, interstates and some county roads were built in the 1960s using a mix of concrete and large dolomite-type stones. Over time, the pavement becomes worn out and the stone aggregates become polished, leaving a reduced friction-type surface that ponds with water during storms. The most hazardous concrete routes include: -- A high-speed stretch of Interstate-684 betwe…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
State Legislators Also Tackled Minimum Wage, Family Leave, Legalizing Marijuana State Legislators Also Tackled Minimum Wage, Family Leave, Legalizing Marijuana
State Legislators Also Tackled Minimum Wage, Family Leave, Legalizing Marijuana This story has been updated. A higher minimum wage, getting high legally and paid family leave were some of the miscellaneous bills before the Connecticut General Assembly in the closing days of its 2019 session.  The first two bills were approved earlier this month, while legalizing marijuana was postponed another year, according to legislative leaders.  The marijuana legalization bill is projected to yield about 20 percent in taxes on legal pot. That's similar to Massachusetts, so legal cannabis in Connecticut would be at competitive prices to those over the border. The c…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Politics Around The Towns: Jenna Bush Hager, Cuomo Events Sell Out; Harckham Opens New Office Politics Around The Towns: Jenna Bush Hager, Cuomo Events Sell Out; Harckham Opens New Office
Politics Around The Towns: Jenna Bush Hager, Cuomo Events Sell Out; Harckham Opens New Office Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna, and daughter of former President George W. Bush, will be keynote speaker at the Friends of White Plains Hospital Spring Luncheon. The sold-out event is on June 4 at Willow Ridge Country Club in Harrison. Bush Hager is a New York Times bestselling author, chair of UNICEF’s Next Generation initiative and editor-at-Large of Southern Living Magazine.  Her speech is titled: "Being a Friend, Making a Difference: How the Power of Compassion Changes Lives." Bush Hager is expected to share her personal experiences as a teacher,…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
State, Federal Lawmakers Seek Repeal Of Religious Vaccination Exemptions State, Federal Lawmakers Seek Repeal Of Religious Vaccination Exemptions
State, Federal Lawmakers Seek Repeal Of Religious Vaccination Exemptions Elected officials at the state and federal level are teaming up to speed up legislation to boost the percentage of people, particularly children, receiving vaccinations against increasingly deadly diseases like measles. U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, who represents southern Westchester and the Bronx, has joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing the VACCINES Act, H.R. 2862, legislation to increase immunization rates across the country and prevent outbreaks of contagious diseases. “The science is settled: Vaccines save lives,” Engel said. “This is a non-partisan issue and I’m pleased to …

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Will Hospitals, Capital Gains, Soda Be Taxed To Balance State Budget? Will Hospitals, Capital Gains, Soda Be Taxed To Balance State Budget?
Will Hospitals, Capital Gains, Soda Be Taxed To Balance State Budget? Connecticut's state legislative session is coming to a close. While there are still many uncertainties, electronic tolls is not one of them. “My first priority is to get an honestly balanced budget done on time,” Gov. Ned Lamont said.  Lamont's amended two-year, $43 billion budget plan includes: -- Hundreds of millions of dollars in across-the-board tax hikes, -- A plan to shift the rising cost of teachers' pension onto cities and towns, -- A 1 percent tax hike on food sold in restaurants and other ready-to-eat meals, -- A 2 percent surcharge on capital gains taxes, raising up to $20…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
State Legislation Aimed At Saving Indian Point Jobs, Tax Revenue State Legislation Aimed At Saving Indian Point Jobs, Tax Revenue
State Legislation Aimed At Saving Indian Point Jobs, Tax Revenue In the closing weeks of the state legislative session, several bills that would protect local tax revenue and 1,100 jobs at Indian Point are moving through the state Capitol. The nuclear power plants in the Village of Buchanan, Town of Cortlandt, are scheduled to be shut down -- permanently -- in 2020 and 2021, barring an unforeseen shortage of electricity or other major setback.  Sen. Pete Harckham and Assemblywoman Sandy Galef -- joined by union leaders, local elected officials and Westchester County legislators -- held a news conference on May 23 in Peekskill to bring attention to t…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Politics Around The Towns: Fairfield Campaigns Begin, Pro-Choice Bill Passes, Danbury Budget Politics Around The Towns: Fairfield Campaigns Begin, Pro-Choice Bill Passes, Danbury Budget
Politics Around The Towns: Fairfield Campaigns Begin, Pro-Choice Bill Passes, Danbury Budget While kicking off his campaign for a third term, Fairfield First Selectman Mike Tetreau was joined by Nancy Lefkowitz, a gun-safety advocate who is seeking to become a Selectman. Fairfield Democratic Town Committee Chairman Steve Sheinberg introduced them to more than 100 supporters on May 8 at Osborn Hill School. “I’m proud of my record over the past eight years, very proud,” Tetreau said.  Lefkowitz, a Representative Town Meeting (RTM) member, said her ability to connect with constituents, listen to all points of view and reach across party lines helped get her elected to …

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Politics Around The Towns: Healthy Mamaroneck Yards, Tastiest Water, New Greenburgh Councilor Politics Around The Towns: Healthy Mamaroneck Yards, Tastiest Water, New Greenburgh Councilor
Politics Around The Towns: Healthy Mamaroneck Yards, Tastiest Water, New Greenburgh Councilor As warmer spring weather draws Westchester residents outdoors, several communities launched a new initiative to maintain "sustainable" lawns and gardens without pesticides or herbicides. Volunteers from the Town of Mamaroneck, Village of Larchmont and Village of Mamaroneck are collaborating in the "Healthy Yards Project," sharing recommendations at this new web page. Scientific studies — including those cited by the American Association of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and the Audubon Society — have demonstrated a link between pesticides and both human and canine cancers, hormon…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
State Legislators Seek Attorney General's Opinion On Vaccinating Children State Legislators Seek Attorney General's Opinion On Vaccinating Children
State Legislators Seek Attorney General's Opinion On Vaccinating Children Separation of church and state? Not when it comes to public health. As an international measles outbreak kills thousands worldwide, officials closer to home are calling for an increase in vaccinated school children.  In March, House Majority Leader Matt Ritter wrote Attorney General William Tong to ask for a formal legal opinion "regarding the constitutionality of eliminating the religious exemption for required immunizations." This month, Tong issued an opinion that it’s legal for lawmakers to get rid of the religious exemption.  Tong’s first formal opinion as attorney gen…

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by Jon Craig
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