Miriam Bernstein,Westchester County Real Estate

We are having our first heat wave of the 2008 season this weekend. Temperatures in the 90's and humid and so a little fun video, Marilyn Monroe singing - We're Havin A Heatwave....

From Weather.com for mid-Westcheser County:

• July is the average warmest month.

• The highest recorded temperature was 102°F in 1966.

• On average, the coolest month is January.

• The lowest recorded temperature was -14°F in 1979.

• The maximum average precipitation occurs in September.

Westchester County's "Veggie Van" began its tour of schools throughout the county this month as part of an effort to raise awareness about renewable energy and technologies that don't contribute to global warming.

Fourth and Fifth-graders at the Greenville Elementary School were caught on camera last week as they got a tour of the van, which runs on 100 percent vegetable oil from county-run concessions. Inside the mobile classroom, kids learned about how the converted "Veggie Van" works and learned about other energy-saving technologies like compact florescent bulbs.

More about the Veggie Van, here.

Several months ago I posted this information about Coyotes in Westchester County. Last night a reader, Laurie, posted a comment that she has spotted two Coyotes near the German School in White Plains, which is amazing. So I am repostng this information and the links for your information,

In the Estate area of Hartsdale, New York there is a street that is a dead end that backs up to one of the local golf courses. Walking my dog this morning I ran into one my neighbors who lives in one of these houses. She tells me that looking out her window she sees a pack of coyotes running around the golf course. Hartsdale, New York in case you are not local is a Hamlet within the Town of Greenburgh that is a 30 minute train into New York City. This particular street is 5 minutes from Central Avenue which is a major shopping area. Coyotes? Yup.You would think we were in the mid west. So, this neighbor continues her story. On the golf course there is a German Shepard who must belong to a local homeowner who is letting this dog out. The baby coyotes look very much like this German Shepard! The owner of this shepard I am sure has not a clue what is going on.

Throughout Westchester County and New York State and even in New York City coyotes can now be found. The Cornell University Co-Operative is doing a study of the behaviours of coyotes. Some things to know.

• Don't leave food, even bird seed out in the back yard it attracts coyotes.
• Don't leave small dogs in the back yard, a coyote was reported to have jumped over a four foot fence, grabbed a small dog, and jumped back over the fence
• Don't walk at night without a long stick or perhaps an umbrella in case you are approached by a coyote.

About Coyotes from the New York Times

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has recommendations about what to do if you see coyotes, who to contact and how to avoid their visiting your home.

Department of Environmental Conservation

Pleasantville is a charming Village with great schools, affordable housing and a train station with art throughout. There is the downtown diner, proximity to the Saw Mill Parkway and moments to Chappaqua and Briarcliff Manor. Pleasantville is also the home to Archie, those of us who were brought up in the 1950's remember Archie (he is a comic book character).

About 8 years ago the Jacob Burns Film Center was opened. Pleasantville was the go to place for first run movies and people from all over Westchester County came to the Jacob Burns Theatre for the movies, dance and theatre you could not find elsewhere. Buyer's would buy in Pleasantville because of it's low key environement. Unlike some of its' neighbors to the south there were no downtowns with boutiques. Not like the upper East Side, but more like the Village or the upper West SIde.

Pleasantville's reputation as a cultural center was enhanced in 2001 with the opening of the nonprofit Jacob Burns Film Center in the landmark Rome Theater, a Spanish mission-style building and one of the first movie theaters in Westchester County. The Burns Center is dedicated to presenting independent, documentary, and world cinema. Guest speakers at the Burns Center have included Jerry Lewis, Woody Allen, Jonathan Demme, Robert Klein, Oliver Stone, Stephen King, and numerous other notable filmmakers and actors.

In 1948, in an unincorporated area of Pleasantville off Bear Ridge Road, acolytes of Frank Lloyd Wright began putting their lessons to work by building homes in their mentor's modernist, open-plan style. The neighborhood, called Usonia, comprises 50 houses spread among 100 acres of wooded hillside; the development includes two houses designed by Wright himself. Students of residential architecture and fans of Wright's designs will find the area of interest.

Now a Donkin Donuts is going to open across from Jacob Burns, more below.

So, Pleasantville, New York

Official Pleasantville Website

The following appears under Tax Information on our Multiple Listing Site in Westchester County, New York. This does not represent information from the MLS but is from the company that out MLS uses for tax and property information. It's value is a comparison from one period of time to another as it is apples to apples. The number of sales is down but the median price is steady.