Firefighters from Brewster and Putnam Lake paid a morning visit to John F. Kennedy Elementary recently, engines parked out front with lights on and no emergency behind them. Kids from five to seven years old inspected the trucks, some took a turn with a charged hose, and the auditorium session carried the department's annual fire-safety lessons. Today the invitation runs the other way.
The Brewster Fire Department holds its fire prevention open house this afternoon from noon to 4:00 p.m. at headquarters, 501 N. Main Street in the village. The theme this year is safe charging, aimed at preventing the battery-related fires rechargeable devices can start. Fire prevention officers Thomas Lannon and ex-chief Ken Clair run the program, and Legislator Tommy Regan recognized both at last week's county legislature meeting. If your kid met the trucks at school, the same engines will be parked out front this afternoon.
The questions Putnam searches this week, answer first, source after.
When does early voting start in Putnam?
Saturday, October 24, at two sites: the Board of Elections at 25 Old Route 6 in Carmel and the American Legion at 10 Cedar St. in Cold Spring. Any registered county voter can use either one. Nine days are on the schedule, ending Sunday, November 1. Most run 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and two run noon to 8:00 p.m.: Tuesday, October 27 and Thursday, October 29. Vote early and you are done; you cannot vote again on Election Day. Miss the window and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, polls 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at your regular site. The registration deadline lands the same day the first early votes are cast: forms must reach the Board of Elections by October 24.
Two things worth leaving the house for. The Brewster open house runs noon to 4:00 p.m., the lead above. And the Putnam Arts Council takes the last juried-show entries today from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Belle Levine Art Center, 521 Kennicut Hill Rd. in Mahopac: artists 18 and older, up to two original works each, hand-delivered. This is the final drop-off; the show opens with a reception Saturday, October 24 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and hangs through November 8. If the flu clinic is on your list, the county's next one is Monday from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Carmel Fire Department, $30 cash or credit, free with a Medicare card, walk-ins welcome, ages 18 and up.
Three. Kent's town board takes comment on a local law to exceed the property tax levy for the 2027 budget on Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the town offices, 25 Sybil's Crossing; the notice reserves 15 minutes for the hearing before the regular meeting, so arrive at the top of the hour. The county legislature's hearing on the 2027 tentative budget is Monday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. at the Historic Courthouse in Carmel. And on Thursday, October 29, the county executive hears comment on three measures at 3:30 and 5:00 p.m., Room 102 of the County Office Building: the accessory dwelling unit tax exemption, the charter amendment on budget-veto votes, and a third resolution posted as Reso #247. Hearings run on notice rules; sign in when you arrive and speak when your name is called.
The freeze warning expires at 9:00 this morning, and the Carmel point forecast calls for sun and a high near 57 this afternoon. Frost still needs two more checks: patchy frost after 2 a.m. tonight with a low near 36, then again Monday morning before 8 a.m. After that the week turns dry and mild, 62 Monday, 63 Tuesday, 59 Wednesday, with no rain showing anywhere in the seven-day. Potted plants can go back out by mid-morning. No other watches or warnings are active for the Putnam zone as of this morning. On the civic side, Kent's tax-cap hearing is Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
AI Corner: one plain-English AI thing, every issue
This week: asking an AI chat to translate a county hearing notice.
County hearing notices are written by lawyers for the record, which is why Thursday's accessory-dwelling-unit notice opens with state tax law section numbers before it gets to the part you need, where and when to show up. Paste the notice into an AI chat and ask what the measure would change, who it would affect, and where and when you can speak. Then close the loop yourself, because the chat cannot: open the county's notices page and confirm the date, time and room against the official text. Chats paraphrase well and occasionally invent details, so let the county page be the fact and the chat be the translator.
Reply with questions; they become future AI Corners.
The Dates-Ahead Calendar
Brewster Fire Department fire prevention open house, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.; this year's theme is safe charging, on preventing battery-related fires from rechargeable devices
BFD headquarters, 501 N. Main St., Brewster · pcvfa.org
Last work drop-off day for the Putnam Arts Council's Annual Juried Fine Art Show, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.; artists 18 and older may hand-deliver up to two original works
Belle Levine Art Center, 521 Kennicut Hill Rd., Mahopac · putnamartscouncil.com
County flu clinic, 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., ages 18 and up, $30 cash or credit, free with a Medicare card, walk-ins welcome; in-car vaccination offered on request
Carmel Fire Department · putnamcountyny.gov/fluclinic
Kent Town Board public hearing on exceeding the property tax levy for the 2027 budget, 7:00 p.m., followed by the regular Town Board meeting
Kent Town Hall, 25 Sybils Crossing, Kent Lakes · townofkentny.gov calendar
Last day to register to vote in the November 3 general election, and first day of early voting, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; both sites take any registered county voter
Board of Elections, 25 Old Route 6, Carmel, or American Legion, 10 Cedar St., Cold Spring · boe.putnamcountyny.gov
Opening reception for the Arts Council's juried show, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.; the show hangs through Sunday, November 8
A. Eric Arctander Gallery, Belle Levine Art Center, Mahopac · putnamartscouncil.com
Putnam County Legislature public hearing on the 2027 tentative budget, 7:00 p.m.
