About Us

The Riverdale Press

A Proud Tradition of Community Journalism

The Riverdale Press, a nationally known award-winning community newspaper, serves one of New York City's most interesting and affluent communities. The Press provides comprehensive coverage of the Northwest Bronx, including Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Marble Hill, Spuyten Duyvil and Van Cortlandt Village. Each week it reaches 10,000 families with hard-hitting reporting, lively features, action-packed photographs and crusading editorials.

The paper is written for and about the people who live in these Bronx communities. It brings them news they otherwise couldn't get at all, or could learn only on the grapevine. And it offers advertisers a way to reach Bronxites where they live, in a newspaper they depend on and trust.

Bernard Stein	Richard Stein

Up until June 2008, Bernard L. Stein, and Richard L. Stein led the paper's news management team. Bernard, a graduate of Columbia University, is a Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial writing. Richard, a graduate of Cornell University, is responsible for the papers' award-winning appearance.

They joined The Press, which was founded by their parents in 1950, as editor and general manager, respectively, and became co-publishers in 1980. Under their leadership, The Press has won more than 600 state and national awards for journalistic excellence. Twice in recent years it has been named the best-written large circulation community newspaper in America by the National Newspaper Association.

In 1989, the paper became world famous when its office was firebombed, apparently in retaliation for an editorial defending the right to read Salman Rushdie's controversial novel The Satanic Verses. For their courage in continuing to publish without missing an issue, the Steins were given the prestigious First Amendment Award of the Society of Professional Journalist.

The Steins sold the paper to another pair of brothers, Stuart and Clifford Richner.

Stuart Richner	Cliff Richner

The Richners publish the 12 award-winning Herald Community Newspapers in Nassau County, as well as a newspaper in Queens and The Jewish Star on Long Island. Richner Communications also publishes PrimeTime Xpress, a 115,000-circulation shopping guide with 10 editions in Nassau County, and operates a commercial printing division in Garden City, N.Y.

Stuart serves as president and publisher of Richner Communications, Inc. He holds a bachelor of arts degree with honors in economics from Northwestern University and received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to his newspaper career, Mr. Richner practiced corporate law with the firm of Dewey, Ballantine, Bushby, Palmer & Wood in New York City.

Clifford is the publisher of Richner Communications, Inc. He received an A.B. degree with honors in government from Georgetown University in 1974 and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1978. After graduating, he entered the private practice of law as a litigation associate in the firm of Shea & Gould and later with Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine, both in New York City.

Mekea Z. Hurwitz

Mekea Z. Hurwitz is the paper's Associate Publisher. She graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. She began her career at The Press as an intern in 1996 and has worked in almost every department, winning awards for photojournalism along the way.

Jason Fields

Editor Jason Fields graduated from St. John's College in Annapolis, Md. during the Jurassic Period. Since then, he has worked for a variety of news organizations, including The Washington Post, New York Daily News, New York Times and The Associated Press, winning various awards for online journalism.

Phyllis Steele

Phyllis Steele, the paper's marketing director, is a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University. She has been with The Riverdale Press since 1986. With her leadership, The Press achieved the New York Press Association's highest award for advertising excellence many times including in twice in the last three years. She is a lifelong Riverdale resident who has been an active participant in community organizations and who knows the area's business community and its needs.