The stodgy TV host and former Port Chester resident broke racial and musical boundaries by introducing the world to acts that were making cultural history. If you saw any of the acts that appeared on both The Ed Sullivan Show and at the Capitol Theatre, you can be part of an exhibit marking Sullivan’s inductionContinue reading “Ed Sullivan, Rock’n’Roll Hall of Famer?”
Author Archives: Robert Brum
A daughter’s novel, a mother’s sentence
I was working at a weekly newspaper in Rockland County, N.Y., when the infamous Brink’s robbery unfolded nearly a half-century ago. The tragedy that shocked the community is still commemorated on Oct. 20 every year. The story came somewhat full circle in April 2026 when I ran into Judith Clark, a getaway driver convicted inContinue reading “A daughter’s novel, a mother’s sentence”
The Capitol Theatre: 100 Years of Iconic Performances
The venerable theater in downtown Port Chester turns 100 this year. It’s been the favorite place to play for many a band, including the Grateful Dead and their bassist Phil Lesh. Click here for a lookback on a century of entertainment history as described in my article for The Rye Record, and read on forContinue reading “The Capitol Theatre: 100 Years of Iconic Performances”
Cyclists Beware: Bumpy Conditions on Cuomo Bridge Path
Note: The article originally appeared in riverjournalonline.com Call them bumps, humps or hummocks: You’ve felt them underfoot or under your wheels on the Mario Cuomo Bridge’s popular Shared Use Path. The annoying blisters dotting the 3.6-mile path that connects Rockland and Westchester counties have been there practically since it opened six years ago and have continued to burst through the asphalt. A substandard job by the bridge’s paving contractorContinue reading “Cyclists Beware: Bumpy Conditions on Cuomo Bridge Path”
How much would you pay for a book that could save your life?
Ninety years ago, a small group of men were struggling to come up with the words that would go into a book that would save millions of lives and be anointed as one of the “88 Books that Shaped America” by the Library of Congress. Here’s a link to the backstory of the manuscript thatContinue reading “How much would you pay for a book that could save your life?”
Kurt Weill & Lotte Lenya’s former home listed for $2.3 million
Brook House, the 19th century home in the Rockland County hamlet of New City that once belonged to legendary composer Kurt Weill and singer-actress Lotte Lenya, is on the market for $2,295,000 with Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty. Built in 1880, Brook House is a five-bedroom, four-bath estate covering more than 4,600 square feet on 5.5 acres atContinue reading “Kurt Weill & Lotte Lenya’s former home listed for $2.3 million”
A confused teenager, coerced confession and 16 years in prison
Jeffrey Deskovic was a teenager when authorities railroaded him into confessing to the rape and murder of a Peekskill High School classmate. How was he convicted despite DNA proving otherwise? What convinced the jury’s lone holdout to cave? A new documentary sheds light on why Deskovic spent 16 years in prison for a crime heContinue reading “A confused teenager, coerced confession and 16 years in prison”
Rockland Lake Returns to the Ice Age
My article originally appeared in https://hudsonvalley.town.news/ Of the estimated half-million people who visit Rockland Lake State Park each year, how many know the lake was once a leader in the ice harvesting industry? Drawn by the lake’s spring fed water and its proximity to the Hudson River, New York City and shipping lanes, the KnickerbockerContinue reading “Rockland Lake Returns to the Ice Age”
‘A magical place’ in the woods
Teatown Lake Reservation, 1,000 acres of trails, wildlife and all around good vibes, is one of my favorite places to hike in Westchester County. Here’s an update about this nonprofit’s ambitious renovation.
‘Born to Run,’ Born in the Burbs 50 years ago
In 2015, I wrote about the recording of Bruce Springsteen’s rock-and-roll anthem “Born to Run” on the album’s 40th anniversary, which led to the unveiling of a historic plaque placed at the site a year later. I revisited and updated the story on the album’s 50th anniversary. Click on the link below for the full story.Continue reading “‘Born to Run,’ Born in the Burbs 50 years ago”
