Eastchester REVIEW THE
March 11, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 11 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Rye councilwoman preps for state Senate run By CHRISTIAN FALCONE Editor-in-Chief
Coming of age
The town of Eastchester is seeking to upgrade the Marble Schoolhouse’s property to simultaneously beautify it and make it more accessible. For story, see page 11. File photo
Village of Tuckahoe approves fast food chain ban By KILEY STEVENS Staff Writer After nearly a year of discussion, the village of Tuckahoe Board of Trustees has passed a law that will prohibit fast food restaurants from opening up shop in the village. The controversy over these types of restaurants began in July 2015 when Subway applied for a permit to open a storefront at 73 Main St. Their permit was eventually approved, driving village residents to collect petition signatures asking the village to amend the zoning rules to prevent more chain restaurants from opening throughout Tuckahoe. Residents were also con-
cerned with how an influx of fast food chains could potentially alter the character of the village. Currently, there is a Starbucks located at the Tuckahoe MetroNorth station, but because it is located on MTA property, it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the village’s new zoning laws, which were passed by the village board at its March 7 meeting. The ban specifically applies to “formula fast food and formula quick casual restaurants,” which includes restaurants with more than seven locations state and nationwide. However, sit-down chain restaurants with a wait staff, such as Chili’s or an Applebee’s, will be permitted, even though they are considered a chain.
Before the trustees took the law to a unanimous vote, they allowed residents to voice their opinions on the manner. During the meeting, Tuckahoe resident Joseph Amano, owner of Pure Food and Drink, located on Fisher Avenue, said one of the things that drew him to Tuckahoe from the Bronx was the lack of fast food restaurant chains. “I felt [the lack of fast food restaurants] was for the wellbeing of the children, first and foremost, [who] are the future,” he said. Trustee Greg Luisi, a Republican, said that his vote in favor of the ban was based on the residents who expressed their concerns and opinions over the
possibility of allowing fast food chains in the village, and that it was clear that the residents are passionate about their community. “If there were residents in favor of allowing fast food [in the village], their silence spoke volumes to me,” Luisi said. Trustee Steven Alfasi, a Republican, said that he was in favor of the ban because of the size of Tuckahoe, and that if the law were for a larger community like the cities of Yonkers or White Plains, he might vote differently. “It’s Tuckahoe, and the smallness of our community is a major factor in my decision,” he said. CONTACT: kiley@hometwn.com
Julie Killian, a city of Rye councilwoman, will try to do what no other Republican has been able to: beat George Latimer. Killian announced that she plans to seek the New York state Senate seat for the 37th District currently occupied by Latimer, a Democrat, at a Rye City Republican Committee meeting last month, the Review has learned. She is in her first full term on the Rye City Council and earlier this year was appointed deputy mayor. Killian, a mother of five, first joined the council in 2012 after being appointed to the seat following a vacancy. Tony Sayegh, a political analyst for Fox News and News12 Westchester, said the 37th District, which stretches from the city of Yonkers north to the town of Bedford, is one of the Senate’s very few true swing districts in the state, meaning that either political party could wrestle control in a given election cycle. “It really requires somebody who is independent in some respects,” he said, adding that it’s also a very diverse district. Sayegh, also a Republican strategist, has already been retained by the Killian camp as she prepares to officially launch her candidacy with an announcement expected on Friday, after press time. According to Sayegh, she has been listening to people’s issues and gaining a better understanding of the district. “Julie is trying to understand all of the concerns and slowly we’ll be rolling out some of the solutions to those problems,”
said Sayegh, adding that as far as a platform, it’s still too early for Killian to start talking specifics. But the analyst said, based on her record of service, Killian is viewed as a problem solver. “She knows how to build consensus, she’s worked across the aisle [and] she has been a thoughtful leader in the realm of public policy,” he said. Killian, 54, has been a member of the Westchester County Charter Revision Commission, a group established to recommend changes to the county charter, as well as New Yorkers for Growth, a PAC that promotes fiscally responsible policies in the state. In Rye, she has served on the city Finance Committee, been a volunteer in the Rye school district, and a supporter of the Rye library, Rye Historical Society and Rye Arts Center. Her latest project was helping to launch an anti-drug coalition in Rye in 2015. “Julie is a positive person, that is one thing that overwhelms you when you talk to her,” Sayegh said. “I imagine she will stand up for issues she believes are right and also draw a contrast where there is a difference of opinion.” Conversely, Sayegh criticized SENATE continued on page 7
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2 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016
March 11, 2016 • The eastchester review • 3
Town prepares for annual St. Patty’s parade
From left, Brendan Lynch, Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita, Dr. Mack Sullivan and Laurie Trangucci at the ceremonial painting of the “Green Line.” Contributed photo
On Friday, Feb. 17, the ceremonial painting of the “Green Line” took place in preparation for the 12th annual Eastchester St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The green line will be painted the entire length of the parade route. The parade will take place on Sunday, March 13 at
3 p.m. It will step off from Immaculate Conception Church and will continue up Main Street to Route 22 and finish at Lake Isle Country Club. On hand for the event were Eastchester Town Supervisor Anthony S. Colavita, Green Line sponsor Dr. Mack Lee Sullivan of
Eastchester Urgent Care, Eastchester Urgent Care staff members and parade co-chair Brendan Lynch. Colavita said, “This has become a great tradition in our town and we can’t wait for Sunday, March 13 when the parade steps off.” (Submitted)
St. Patrick’s Day parades around Westchester No matter where you reside in Westchester, there are numerous events throughout the county for you to enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
Eastchester/Bronxville/ Tuckahoe Sunday, March 13 at 3 p.m. Steps off from Immaculate Conception School on North Main Street, ends at Lake Isle Country Club
White Plains Saturday, March 12 at noon Steps off from Livingston and Mamaroneck avenues, ends at City Hall Info: whiteplainssaintpatricksday.com
Info: eastchesterirish.org/st-patrick-s-day-parade
Mahopac Sunday, March 13 at 2 p.m. Steps off from Route 6 and Mount Hope Road, ends at Knights of Columbus
Yonkers Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m. Steps off from Hyatt and McLean Avenue, ends at McLean Avenue and McCollum Place Info: yonkersstpatricksparade.org
Info: saintpatricksdayparade.net
Mamaroneck Sunday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m. Info: soundshoreparade.com
SCHOOL NEWS?
Contact OUR EDUCATION reporter
sarah varney
sarah@hometwn.com
4 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016
What’s going on... Eastchester Public Library
a reception and Q&A with the filmmaker, Craig Dudnick. Open to all, no tickets required.
Bronxville Public Library
the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp. Language: Italian. Rated: PG-13. Running time: 1 hour and 56 minutes. Please observe the rating.
Tuckahoe Public Library Visit tuckahoelibrary.org for more information on this and other events and programs.
Free AARP tax help
Visit eastchesterlibrary.org for more information on these and other events and programs.
Free AARP tax help There will be free tax help by AARP every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until April 12. Appointments are not necessary. This service will run on a first-come, first-served basis.
St. Patrick’s Day craft On Tuesday, March 15 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Online registration is underway. Children ages 3 and 4 can make a snazzy leprechaun hat and a shamrock magnet for St. Patrick’s Day.
EPL Film Series On Friday, March 18 at 1:30 p.m., “Alice’s Ordinary People” will be screened, a documentary about the life of the little-known civil rights activist Alice Tregay (1929-2015). Tregay stood up against housing discrimination and overcrowded schools in Chicago. Following the film will be
Visit bronxvillelibrary.org for more information on these and other events and programs.
Adult Book Discussion Group On Tuesday, March 15 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. “Cleopatra: A Life” will be the topic of discussion. The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Stacy Schiff brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt.
Foreign Language Week activities Bronxville’s middle and high schools are celebrating Foreign Language Week and the library is joining in. On Wednesday, March 16 at 3 p.m., there will be a foreign language-themed activity and delicious food for grades six and up. On Thursday, March 17 at 6:30 p.m., “Life is Beautiful” will be screened. When an open-minded Jewish librarian and his son become victims of
There will be free tax help by AARP on Friday, March 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments are not necessary. This service will run on a firstcome, first-served basis.
Meditation class On Thursdays, March 24 and 31 from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Join Ann Casapini for a meditation class for adults. A portion of the registration fee will be donated to the Friends of the Tuckahoe Library. Pre-registration is recommended to reserve your place. Fee is $10 for drop-ins. To register, call Casapini at 917-882-0921.
39th annual poetry contest The 39th annual Tuckahoe library poetry contest is back and open to children in grades four to eight. One entry per student is allowed, so pick your best poem. Make sure to include your name, address, phone number, school name and grade on your entry and give it to your English teacher. All entries must be at the library by Friday, April 1. An awards ceremony will be held for poets who win first, second and third prize for each grade. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Tuckahoe Public Library.
Eastchester Recreation Department Eastchester Soccer Youth Association registration Let your child join the fun. Register now for the ESYA’s spring 2016 season. Visit sportssignup. com/eastchester.start or eysoccer.com for additional information and for online registration.
out, they are running a night in for families. On Thursday, March 31, families districtwide will be encouraged to spend the night at home with their children, have dinner together and do fun, familyoriented activities. All families that donate will have a basket of exciting and delicious goodies delivered to their house between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. for them to enjoy. In addition, for every $50 that a family donates, they will be entered into a raffle for a grand prize. To make this evening even more special, Eastchester Middle School students will not receive homework from any class and that there will be no tests/quizzes/projects on Friday, April 1. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Heather Mancuso at FHMAN76@msn. com or Candace Medici at ralphcandace@verizon.net.
Eastchester High School EGO blood drive The high school EGO along with Eastchester Rotary is sponsoring a blood drive for the American Red Cross on Thursday, March 31, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the middle school cafeteria. Remember, one pint of blood helps to save the lives of three people. The demand is always great. Make a difference. Hope begins with you. To reserve a time, please contact the EGO adviser at prothschild@eastchester.k12.ny.us.
Bronxville school district news Transportation to nonpublic schools Residents of the Bronxville Union Free School District who wish for transportation for their school-aged children to private or parochial schools for the 2016-17 school year must submit their request in writing by April 1 to: The Board of Education, Attn: L. Daniel Carlin, 177 Pondfield Road, Bronxville, NY 10708. For more details, visit the district’s website at bronxvilleschool.org. You can find information by clicking on “District,” then “Other Information” and then “Transportation Procedures.”
Village Lutheran Church
Eastchester Blue Devils lacrosse Attention all girls in third and fourth grade. Do you want to learn how to play one of the fastest growing women’s sports? Want to have an awesome sports experience? Sign up for Eastchester Blue Devils girls 3/4 lacrosse. Practices start midMarch. Season dates are April 12 to June 12. To register, visit bluedevilslax.com. If you have any questions, contact coach Chris Johnson at flyhornets@gmail.com or 787-0395. Also, registration for the 2016 Eastchester Blue Devil’s Spring Lacrosse is now open for boys and girls grades three to eight. Registrations for boys and girls grades K-2 is currently underway. For more information, contact Neill Kelly at kelly.ebdlax@ gmail.com; or to register, visit bluedevilslax.com.
Eastchester school district news Eastchester Middle School hosts ‘Family Night In’ The middle school PTA is holding a different kind of fundraiser this year. Instead of a night
Good News Christian Coffee House The next Good News Christian Coffee House will be held on Saturday, March 12, featuring “Gospel Doo Wop” music by Santos. Doors open at 7 p.m. with coffee and pastries available. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for students and $3 for children ages 5 to 12. The venue is Village Lutheran Church, at 172 White Plains Road in Bronxville. For more information, call 337-0207 or visit vlc-ny.org. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
March 11, 2016 • The eastchester review • 5
Historic local newspapers now online We could be living in villages called Gramatan Hills or Crawford Hills if a couple of early 20th century movements had been successful. In the 1910s and 1920s, newcomers to Bronxville repeatedly sought to rid themselves of a name that was unfavorably confused with the Bronx, advocating instead for Gramatan Hills. The 1920s also saw Tuckahoe debate renaming itself Crawford Hills to eliminate associations with a rough and tumble past. These are tidbits of history gleaned from the newly digitized
historic newspapers of Eastchester, Bronxville and Tuckahoe, which have just gone online. For the full stories and other questions about local history, see the Hudson River Valley Heritage website, news.hrvh.org, where local newspapers covering the years 1902 to 2007 are hosted. Papers dating from 1902 through the early 1930s are already available, and the remaining newspapers will be posted periodically during 2016. Now searchable are: • The Bronxville Review (1902-1927)
• The Eastchester Citizen Bulletin (1918-1926) • The Tuckahoe Record (19251927, 1929-1931) • The Daily Record (1929) • The Bronxville Press (1925) Still to go online later this year are additional years of The Review, The Bronxville Press and: • The News (1912-1913) • The Bronxville ReviewPress (1937-1953) • The Bronxville Reporter (1946-1953) • The Bronxville Review Press and Reporter (1953-2000) • Review Press (2000-2007)
Local papers of Eastchester, Bronxville and Tuckahoe dating back to 1902 have been digitized on the Hudson River Valley Heritage website. Photos courtesy Eloise L. Morgan
The digitization of more than a century of local newspapers, all of which carried news of Bronxville, Eastchester and Tuckahoe, provides a superb source of historical information that is readily available to researchers anywhere. The project was funded jointly by the Eastchester 350th Anniversary celebration and the
Bronxville Historical Conservancy and planned and coordinated by Bronxville Village Historian Eloise L. Morgan. Currently, researchers can search the full text, including ads, of all issues of each newspaper title separately (put quotation marks around search terms of more than one
word). In addition to looking for specific search terms, it is also possible to search by issue date and read through each issue page by page. When the full collection is digitized and posted later in the year, it will be possible to search through all 10 local newspapers at once. (Submitted)
Village of Tuckahoe’s
Official Newspaper
6 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016
Eastchester REVIEW THE
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Business council visits Cuba
Editor-in-Chief | Christian Falcone ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com
A peak into a room at Ernest Hemingway’s Cuban home named Finca Vigia, meaning “lookout house.” The home, which houses the Hemingway Museum, is located 10 miles outside of Havana.
Editorial Assistant | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Suzy Berkowitz ext. 30, suzy@hometwn.com Education Reporter | Sarah Varney ext. 17, sarah@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Barbara Riehl ext. 16, barbara@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Angela Jordan, Kiley Stevens Staff Photographer Bobby Begun Columnists Mary Marvin, Richard Forliano, Lenore Skenazy Letters
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Twenty-eight members and guests of the Business Council of Westchester embarked on a six-day trip to Cuba in February. Photos courtesy Marsha Gordon
By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant The Business Council of Westchester took advantage of improved relations between the U.S. and Cuba by sending a group of members and guests off to the country for a six-day culture trip in February. Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of the BCW, was one of 28 council members and guests who traveled to Cuba. “The purpose of a people-to-people exchange
is to really see what is going on in [a foreign] community,” Gordon told the Review, adding that it was not a business or trade trip, rather an opportunity for the BCW to see Cuba during such a unique time in its history. It had been more than 50 years since U.S. citizens were able to visit Cuba due to government and economic sanctions placed on the country. The six-day trip included tours of Havana and Old Havana, an American antique car ride and
visits to the Arte Corte Community Project, the Muraleando Community Project and a local tobacco farm and cigar plant. Gordon called the trip an eyeopener in terms of being exposed to Cuba’s culture and history and the community-oriented projects that the group visited. One such project they learned about was The Arte Corte project. The project is a hairdressing salon that also features a school for barbers run out of someone’s home, with tools and memora-
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Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester, said one of her trip highlights was touring Old Havana ahead of Cuba modernizing, as tourism is expected to increase now that U.S. and Cuba ties have improved.
bilia collected over the years. The money the salon raises goes toward helping to build a playground for children and to help a local senior citizen center. “They are training people to become barbers, including four deaf people, which I though was amazing,” Gordon said. The Muraleando Community Project, started by two Cuban artists in a Havana barrio, centers on painting murals in local streets and holding classes on site. Gordon called the murals works of art, adding that one of the artists sells prints of the murals to support various community projects. In order for the trip to materialize, the BCW teamed up with Chamber Discoveries, a Fresno, California-based travel company that caters to chambers of commerce nationwide. Chamber Discoveries provided a guide and organized fun activities for the council, like a visit to Ernest Hemingway’s home 10 miles east of Havana, which is perhaps Gordon’s favorite highlight of the trip. The program that allowed BCW members to visit Cuba was organized under the peopleto-people license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The license came to be in 1999, following policy changes that allowed Americans to travel to Cuba with the goal of enhancing cultural relations between the two countries. Although travel restrictions were enforced in 2003, the license was revived again in 2011, with one company legally allowed to bring American tourists to Cuba. Differences between the two countries began in 1959, when Fidel Castro came to power. Castro’s regime started to develop ties with the Soviet Union, and he nationalized property owned by the U.S. and increased taxes
on American imports. The U.S. retaliated by imposing a full economic embargo, which included tough travel constraints, and ending diplomatic ties. Isolation became the policy of the U.S. toward Cuba over the years, and the embargo was strengthened in the 1990s. But in December 2014, with Castro’s health failing, President Barack Obama and Raul Castro, Fidel’s younger brother, announced that the two countries would restore full diplomatic ties. Despite the stark differences between the two countries over the years, some similarities are evident today. While there, Gordon took notice of Cuba’s booming farm-to-table industry, a food movement that focuses on locally producing and delivering food to consumers. “There were some really fine restaurants,” she said. “The farmto-table [trend] is [as much] a phenomenon there as it is here.” And yet, according to Gordon, most people work for the government and doctors make less than taxi drivers. “While it was very interesting, boy, did we all come home proud to be Americans and thankful to have been born in America,” she said. Gordon said looking at Cuba’s history and seeing its remnants made her think about the country’s future, such as upgrades to tourism facilities now that more Americans are able to visit. “I think when there are more opportunities and the rules are less stringent, [Cuba] will probably—just by the nature of the market—have to modernize,” she added. “Just being there and having the opportunity to see Cuba at this moment [in time] was fascinating.” CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com
March 11, 2016 • The eastchester review • 7
Flood project could cost village of Mamaroneck $10M
Elected and appointed officials along with engineers from the U.S. Army Corps provided details on a more than $70 million flood mitigation project that has been decades in the making for the village of Mamaroneck at a recent public form at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck. File photo
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer After nearly a decade of anticipation, the second iteration of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ wholesale flood mitigation plan for the village of Mamaroneck—which was released in January—has made its way to public comment. However, this time around, officials warn, it may be the last opportunity to see the plan to fruition. On Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Emelin Theatre, representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as officials from the village, New York state and federal governments, held the first of several public forums on a $72 million proposal to mitigate flooding in the village and surrounding area. According to village of Mamaroneck Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, though the federal government is proposing to foot 65 percent of the project’s bill—with the state and Westchester County also chipping in—the village could pay anywhere from $7 million to $10 million of its own money. This sum would be covered by bonds that would last over a
30-year period, Rosenblum said. Severe flooding has been a major issue in both Mamaroneck and surrounding areas of the Sound Shore, with flood events that have resulted in tens of millions of dollars in damage. One of the worst storms on record, which occurred in April 2007, resulted in approximately $50 million in total damage to the village and dumped 7.5 inches of rain in just 45 hours. To mitigate against such future occurrences, the plan aims to reduce the severity of flooding by a combination of deepening and widening large swaths of the Sheldrake and Mamaroneck rivers, in addition to adding approximately 4,300 feet of retaining wall, a 350-footlong culvert and multiple levees along the water. In doing so, engineers speculate they could drastically shrink the size of the village’s current severe flood zones and save millions of dollars in flood damage each year. According to the Army Corps timeline, the draft of the project will be submitted in September 2016 and then be altered accordingly. The timeline projects that
a final draft will be reviewed by Congress in early 2017. Similar plans have been deliberated since the 1970s when major flooding led to the formulation of the first Army Corps study in 1986. The 1986 plan, according to the Army Corps report, was eventually rejected due to major funding concerns. The most recent report shows that this plan came in at an estimated cost of $156 million, based on 2015 inflation-adjusted dollars. Interest in the project was renewed after the 2007 floods, which necessitated the assistance of FEMA operations. The current report indicates that the project could reduce both the flooding risk of structures in Mamaroneck by 86 percent and the annual damage incurred from flooding by approximately $3.2 million. Rosenblum views this iteration of the project as a critical juncture for helping prevent future floods in the region. “The village could never afford this on its own,” he said. “I see no reason why we wouldn’t want to go forward with this.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
SENATE from page 1
Latimer by calling his record of bipartisanship hollow, adding that he has voted with the Democratic leadership more than 98 percent of the time. “He has aligned himself with the Bill DiBlasio New York City agenda,” he said, referring to the liberal mayor of New York City. For Latimer, 62, the criticism is nothing new, as he seems to always be the target of state Republicans, who want to maintain control of the Senate. The senator told the Review that he has a bull’s-eye on his back. “It’s because I don’t have personal wealth,” he said. “I have lived within my means. Given the fact that my salary as an elected official is all the income I have, that is not a lot of money in a place like Rye. It’s probably laughable to people [with] successful business careers. [Republicans] know they can always outspend me.” But Latimer, who is seeking his third term in the Senate, said there is a reason why he has been consistently re-elected. “I don’t think anyone has proven they care more about the people they represent than I do,
City of Rye Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican, plans on launching a campaign for state Senate. Killian will try to upend popular Democrat George Latimer. Both candidates live in the city of Rye. File photo
day after day,” he said. Latimer has never lost an election, winning 14 consecutive races dating back to his one term on the Rye City Council in 1987. Killian’s campaign is likely to be well-financed with a high level of organization and full of support from some of the top Republicans throughout the state. However, the last time the GOP put an all-out assault on Latimer, it backfired. In 2012, with Latimer seeking the Senate seat following
the retirement of longtime Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer, a Democrat, the state Republicans ran Bob Cohen, who nearly defeated Oppenheimer just two years prior. Many pundits predicted 2012 was Cohen’s time. Cohen and Latimer battled it out before a statewide audience. The duo set the record for campaign expenditures in a state race at the time; the Cohen campaign spent more than $4 million on attack ads, including radio spots and TV commercials. But Latimer won the seat in surprisingly easy fashion, with 54 percent of the vote, and celebrated his hardest fought victory to date. In 2014, Latimer defeated Republican Joe Dillon, a late entry who didn’t launch his campaign until July. The district encompasses the cities of Yonkers, White Plains, New Rochelle and Rye; and the towns of Eastchester, Harrison, Mamaroneck, Rye, Bedford and North Castle. Candidates are elected to the Senate for two-year terms with an annual base salary of $79,500. Killian could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: chris@hometwn.com
8 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016
Sprucing up Bronxville and making it more walkable BRONXVILLE TODAY Mayor Mary Marvin
With spring thankfully less than two weeks away, Village Hall is turning outward as we welcome a new season. Our plans for the repair and improvement of the entrance to Village Hall will be open for public bid on March 18. We have also applied for all municipal street tree purchase collaborations in hopes of adding to our inventory. Our municipal trees are still fewer in number than pre-storms Sandy and Irene and we are playing catch-up. In the spirit of spring, we are also heeding the advice of many planners/advisors who encourage us to further capitalize on our village as a premier walkable community. To do our part, we are repairing village-owned sidewalks and crosswalks and are asking our residents to do the same. With the goal of making Bronxville more walkable, we are exploring areas that may be suitable for additional sidewalks and marked crosswalks. Per sidewalk maintenance, homeowners are responsible for the repair and maintenance of sidewalks that abut their property—be them concrete, stone, composite or even dirt, with the goal of uniform safe passage. If you notice a sidewalk needing attention, contact the village Building Department at 3377338, and staff will issue a “notice to cure,” with no monetary penalties attached unless the notice is ignored. In the same spirit, residents have asked about bike riding and the possibility of designated bike lanes. Unfortunately, given the village’s topography, the vast majority of our streets are not wide enough for regulation bike lanes. Ones acceptably wide— Pondfield Road and Midland Avenue—either have continuous parking areas or a trafficcalming hedge divide. Even if they are wide enough, Police Chief Satriale is not a proponent
of designated bike lanes because they serve to complicate bicycle and car turning movements at the involved intersections. According to village code, bicycles may be ridden on sidewalks throughout the village only if the rider is under the age of 11. Due to pedestrian traffic, no one can ride bikes or skateboards on the sidewalks in our business districts. So many communities, especially in New England and the Chicago suburbs, have actively undertaken walking initiatives, particularly involving their schools. Verifiable scientific data reinforces these initiatives as study upon study confirms that a morning walk to start the day increases alertness and positively correlates with improved academic performance, greater self-esteem and a sense of independence. In a recent U.K. study, nine out of 10 teachers felt the children who walked to school had less stress, increased creativity, better test scores and most importantly, arrived much more ready to learn. Studies in Denmark and Scotland correlated walking to school with responsible thinking, less obesity, personal independence and a calmer state of mind. In addition, the children who walked to school demonstrated more positive physical movement/activity throughout the school day and their level of concentration was even higher than those children who consumed a healthy, balanced breakfast. Additionally, the state of California Department of Education found a direct link between academic achievement and overall physical fitness. And most importantly, 51 percent of students in California would prefer walking to school, even given some significant travel distances. More than any other nation, the U.S. trend is to rely more than ever on transportation to school by car. According to government statistics, the number of children driven to school within a 1-mile radius of their home
was 20 percent in 1969 and is now upwards of 50 percent and growing. As a consequence, we are perpetrating a vicious cycle—the more students that are driven to school, the greater congestion and concomitant safety issues, so walking becomes more dangerous for those who opt to walk. Concurrent with this change is a rise in childhood obesity, traffic congestion and air pollution. In a Center for Disease Control study, it was found that less than one in five American students walk to school even once a week. During a full school week, 12 percent of American students walk every day versus 50 percent in England. All of the studies cite statistical data but emphasize as equally important the demonstrative intangibles. By walking, young people can realize a sense of adventure, see friends and neighbors, hear sounds of nature that are often missed and enjoy the company of their mom, dad or caregiver without distraction. Young people also learn valuable safety rules—the safe way to walk and drive, and the rules of road safety which are a lifelong need. The village is ready to be a partner with the school and to continue to enforce speed limits in the school zone, educate students to be safe pedestrians and add pedestrian-friendly walkways and signs where appropriate. Many school districts have “walking school buses” where parents take one turn per week to lead and caboose a “train” of youngsters. In addition, competitions, awards, prizes and so on have proved to be positive incentives to stimulate walking programs. A recent study concluded with a prophetic observation relevant to Bronxville and our community aspirations: “Walking is a reflection of how we feel about the environment in which we live. Children learn to love their hometowns more if they get to know them on foot.”
Oakland Beach area may be redeveloped
Rye Town Park, which consists of Oakland Beach and 62 acres of parkland in the city of Rye, is being solicited for possible redevelopment and an overall new management approach. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer Officials overseeing Rye Town Park, the area surrounding Oakland Beach, are looking for someone to modernize the park for the foreseeable future. The Rye Town Park Commission, the governing body that sets policy at the park and beach, is awaiting responses to a Request for Qualifications, RFQ, for management and operation of the park that was sent out in January. The commission is seeking conceptual ideas and plans for the development of the park over the next two decades. The RFQ calls for respondents with a history of successfully managing and maintaining public parks, restaurants and snack bars, or public beaches. The park, which sits on Forest Avenue in the city of Rye, is currently managed by the town of Rye. According to Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat, no formal proposals have
been submitted to the town yet. However, he added that they are hopeful that applications will be filed before the March 18 deadline. “In January, we sent out the current RFQ, hoping for a better response,” Zuckerman said. “The license for Seaside Johnnies [restaurant] is expiring, which makes the RFQ more attractive.” The current licenses for the restaurant and concession stands at the park and adjoining Oakland Beach will expire at the end of 2016. However, Zuckerman said that the current license holders for Seaside Johnnies, the seasonal restaurant that overlooks the beach and Long Island Sound, have expressed interest in renewing their license, and attended a site tour with other prospective developers on Feb. 4. Several issues are outlined in the RFQ that the commission asks applicants to consider, including ways to improve parking on the site, promote year-round use, and update the buildings while maintaining their “his-
torical, architectural, and social significance.” “My vision is for a park that is accessible to all residents, and that is a joy to walk in, a joy to visit, and that makes the residents and taxpayers proud,” Zuckerman said. The 62-acre park was established in 1909 and includes 34 acres of parkland and 28 acres of beach land on the Long Island Sound, with a large duck pond, a marsh plantings building complex that includes a restaurant, pavilions, concessions stands, public restroom and shower facilities, and an administration building. The Rye Town Park Commission consists of one member from the town of Rye, two from the city of Rye, and one each from the villages of Port Chester and Rye Brook and the Rye Neck section of the village of Mamaroneck. John Ambrose, the owner of Seaside Johnnies, could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: angela@hometwn.com
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March 11, 2016 • The eastchester review • 9
GOP faces no opposition in Bronxville election City of Rye awarded $1.55M over golf club fraud The city of Rye will walk away with $1.55 million as a result of a settlement with its insurance carrier, Travelers, regarding money stolen by former Rye Golf Club manager Scott Yandrasevich between 2007 and 2012. Though the city’s original insurance claim against Travelers, which was filed in August 2013, sought a sum of $2.1 million, according to Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, the city is more than pleased with the results of its efforts. “It took a good amount of fortitude to stick with it over time,” Sack said. “Our hard work was rewarded with a $1.55 million settlement. This is a big win for the city of Rye and the members of the Rye Golf Club.” After Traveler’s repeated failure to respond to the city’s claim for close to two years, in July 2015, the Rye City Council filed a formal suit against the insurance carrier. The settlement comes as a
By KILEY STEVENS Staff Writer For the 10th consecutive year, the Democrats will sit out an election cycle for the village of Bronxville, leaving incumbents Anne Poorman and Guy Longobardo, both Republicans, running uncontested to hold their positions as trustees on the village board. The five-member village Board of Trustees is currently all Republican and will remain so, following this election cycle. When Poorman and Longobardo ran in 2014, the race was also uncontested. Longobardo, 54, told the Review that in his next term, his third in office, he looks forward to accomplishing many of the infrastructure projects that have already begun in the village. Among those projects, he mentioned the FEMA flood mitigation project, a construction plan that will bring a much-needed drainage system to the Bronxville School area, improving lighting in the business district and residential areas—including implementing LED lights—and the reconstruction of the walkways and steps at Village Hall. Longobardo, who has lived in Bronxville since 1969, added that it is always the goal of the board to keep taxes low for their residents. “[The board] feels that we have been very successful at keeping the quality of the services high, while keeping the village share of the tax burden on residents low,” he said. Longobardo, a trustee since 2012, said that he is proud of the work the board has done thus far, regarding propelling infrastructure projects forward and working together to hire a new village administrator, Jim Palmer, and a new treasurer, Lori Voss. “This has allowed us to move forward, bringing our accounting and other systems up to date and making it easier for residents and others to do business with the village,” Longobardo said. Before he was elected to the Board of Trustees, Longobardo served as both a member of the village’s long-range planning task force and the Zoning Board of Appeals from 2007 to 2009, and as a deputy village counsel from 1991 to 1996.
Republican incumbents Anne Poorman and Guy Longobardo will run uncontested for re-election in this year’s village of Bronxville elections. File photo
After a career as a lawyer and business executive, Longobardo now works at a startup company within the energy field as a COO and head of corporate development. Although this year will mark 10 consecutive years without a democrat on the ballot, Longobardo told the Review that he doesn’t think serving a village is about political parties. “The key to an effective village government is getting smart, open-minded, fair people who are interested in the village and who are willing to put in the work required to serve the community well,” he said. Poorman, 56, agreed with him. “Party affiliation is not relevant to running the village,” she said of the continued uncontested elections. Poorman, who has lived in the village for 23 years, was appointed to the Bronxville Board of Trustees in 2005 to fill current Mayor Mary Marvin’s trustee seat when she took over as mayor. Prior to that, Poorman served for five years on the Zoning Board of Appeals. She shares the same thoughts as Longobardo on the many infrastructure projects in the village. She also told the Review that she is looking forward to restoring the brick road on
Park Avenue. “Residents were very gracious and patient during the disruption of preparing the roadbed and underlying pipes,” she said, calling the brick road “a unique, charming,value-enhancing Bronxville feature.” Rene Atayan, the chairwoman of the Bronxville Republican Committee, said it is important to maintain continuity on the village board, particularly with so many challenges facing Bronxville on the horizon, such as development projects and managing the finances for the village. “The village is undergoing a great deal of work and there are a lot of challenges that [the trustees have] been dealing with,” Atayan said. The village of Bronxville elections will be held on Tuesday, March 15. Trustees are elected to serve two-year terms. CONTACT: kiley@hometwn.com
An insurance agency, Travelers, has awarded the city of Rye $1.55 million in a settlement that sought to recover money stolen by its former golf manager, Scott Yandrasevich. File photo
result of Yandrasevich pleading guilty to stealing approximately $271,000 from the city-owned golf club by setting up shell companies in order to bill the city for services. However, city officials, in-
cluding Sack, always felt the level of financial theft conducted through Yandrasevich’s shell companies exceeded the amount he was prosecuted for. Yandresevich was convicted of grand larceny and falsifying documents in August 2015 and is serving a one- to three-year sentence in state prison. He is currently serving out his sentence in Altona State Correctional Facility in upstate New York. According to City Attorney Kristen Wilson, the city can actively pursue the additional $271,000 that the Westchester County District Attorney’s office charged Yandrasevich with stealing. Whether the city will be successful in its pursuit of money stolen by Yandrasevich, however, remains unclear. As a part of his plea agreement, Yandresevich was required to pay restitution but was sentenced to extra time after failing to pay the sum. -Reporting by James Pero
have a news tip? Contact kiley stevens kiley@hometwn.com
10 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016
Conquering the wilderness, from bears to panthers St. Pat’s parade grand marshal presents reading list The Eastchester Irish American Social Club, EIASC, presents a reading list of Irish history and culture compiled by Dr. Helene Murtha Dooley, Eastchester resident and librarian in the Eastchester Union Free School District, who is grand marshal for the EIASC’s 12th annual Eastchester St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade will be held on Sunday, March 13 at 3 p.m. “While there are many great writers and books capturing the experiences of the Irish and Irish
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING Richard Forliano
Queens, she is the eldest of the four children of Arlene Charbonneau Murtha and the late Gilbert J Murtha III. She is married to Eastchester town Councilman Joe Dooley and they have two children, Brian and Caroline. EIASC, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is a nonprofit organization founded in 1966 consisting of members from Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville and Crestwood. Parade and membership information is at eastchesterirish.org. (Submitted)
Reading List on Irish history and culture The diagram shows what one of the houses might have looked like for the original settlers of Eastchester. Photo courtesy Richard Forliano
destroying of rattlesnakes. The actual killing of rattlesnakes was done by domesticated hogs whose layers of fat prevented the poisonous bites from infecting them as they ate the snakes. Wolves were commonplace. Wolf pits and monetary bounties for their skins were two methods used to eliminate these predators. The most important priority was surviving in the wilderness and eventually prospering without sacrificing those religious and sacred moral principles that first brought the Puritans to the wild shores of America. The very year that the covenant was signed, 1665, land was given to a blacksmith, John Embry. No saw mill existed in Eastchester until 1794 or 1795, but by 1670, one did exist on the Bronx River down by present-day 182nd Street in the Bronx. That same year, a grist mill to ground wheat or corn into flour was built by Moses Jackson. No one was allowed to live in a makeshift shelter. The Eastchester Covenant stated that “every man shall build and live in his home lot before the next winter.” To make sure that only the proper sort of people moved into their settlement, the covenant set up a restriction that after living on a lot for over year, the owner could not sell it to a man the town did not approve of. By the end of the century, in addition to blacksmiths and millers, the town had a tailor and tanner/
shoemaker. The settlers used its two rivers, the Hutchinson and the Bronx, for milling and as a way to get their crops and livestock to the nearby markets in New York City. By 1676, there were 135 head of cattle, 61 pigs and 37 oxen. That very same year, a dock was built on the Hutchinson River. The Native Americans used their canoes on the rivers for travel and fishing, but the larger vessels of the colonists required landings to ship and receive goods, especially to and from nearby New York City. By the time the last male head of a household signed the Eastchester Covenant in 1682, Eastchester had not only survived but had begun to prosper. Many of the people who came to Eastchester were unhappy with their financial situation. With abundant land, proximity to markets in New York City and a supportive town government, new opportunities were presenting themselves. But the original people who settled Eastchester were also concerned with the spiritual conditions of their lives. In the next column, I will tell the story of how the founders attempted to insure that their religious heritage be preserved. Please contact us at historian@eastchesterhistoricalsociety.org about any comments or questions you might have about this column.
Picture Books “St. Patrick’s Day” by Gail Gibbons “Jamie O’Rourke Series” by Tomie dePaola “Finn M’Coul” by Tomie dePaola “The Story of Saint Patrick’s Day” by Patricia Pingry “A Fine St. Patrick’s Day” by Susan Wojciechowski Picture Books— Intermediate Grades “Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland” by Tomie dePaola “Fiona’s Lace” by Patricia Polacco “Mary McLean and the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade” by Steven Kroll “The St. Patrick’s Day Shillelagh” by Janet Nolan Children’s Chapter Books “Leprechaun in Late Winter” by Mary Osborne Pope
“Leprechauns and Irish Folklore” by Mary Osborne Pope “Nory Ryan’s Song” by Patricia Reilly Giff “Maggie’s Door” by Patricia Reilly Giff “So Far From Home: the Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill girl, Lowell Mass, 1847” by Barry Denenberg “Airman” by Eoin Colfer Young Adult/Adult—In addition to James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Frank McCourt “Brooklyn” by Colm Toibin “The Commitments” by Roddy Doyle “Circle of Friends” by Maeve Binchy “Broken Harbor” by Tana French “The Faithful Place” by Tana French
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INSIDE
Every schoolchild learns about the obstacles that the first English colonists faced at Jamestown and Plymouth. Students should be fascinated by the dangers on the Oregon Trail that American pioneers faced as they scaled the Rockies in their wagon trains traveling west. While no one in the town of Eastchester’s first decade either died of disease or was killed by Native Americans, the families that first settled the town in 1664 faced daunting threats and challenges. First was the possibility of attack by Native Americans. The first settlers had to be aware of the horrific Native American war that decimated the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam two decades before. In the very first article of the Eastchester Covenant, the location of the land where Anne Hutchinson and her family were massacred is mentioned. Eleven years after the founding of Eastchester in the summer of 1674, a Native American uprising known as King Phillip’s War broke out in Massachusetts, Connecticut and the Plymouth colonies. This war had the largest number of deaths in regard to total population of any war in American history. This war was twice as bloody as the American Civil War and at least seven times more lethal than the American Revolution. There was no guarantee that the fighting would spread to New York or that the Native Americans living in the Eastchester vicinity would rise up and massacre the settlers without warning. Eastchester town records show that starting in the summer of 1675, two men would stand night watch in a fort built for the protection of the village. The threat of attack by wild animals posed a more real hazard. Rattlesnakes, wolves, bears and panthers posed imminent danger. The Eastchester Covenant stated that every spring, one day shall be chosen for the
Americans, this list represents some of my favorites,” Dooley said. “Reading has always been an important part of my family life, so I am delighted to share this reading list with the community as a great way to prepare for St. Patrick’s Day.” Murtha Dooley’s family came to New York from Ireland in the late 1800s. They hailed from Cork and Roscommon counties on her mother’s side, and Athlone in County Westmeath on her father’s side. Born in
INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY
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March 11, 2016 • The eastchester review • 11
Town seeks to improve Marble Schoolhouse
Officials want to implement a new parking lot at the Marble Schoolhouse in the town of Eastchester and create fencing that will match the rest of the town’s fencing style. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
By KILEY STEVENS Staff Writer The town of Eastchester is ready to move forward with plans to improve the Marble Schoolhouse and the property it sits upon after receiving a grant for $50,000 from New York state. According to town Councilman Joe Dooley, a Republican, to receive the grant money, known as a System for Award Management, SAM, grant, the property had to undergo an environmental review as required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act, SEQR. The money was awarded to the town on Feb. 1. “There will be no significant adverse environmental impact to the property,” Dooley said of the improvements that are planned for the site. Dooley also serves as the liaison to the Eastchester Historical Society. Annmarie Flannery, president of the historical society, said she is looking forward to the improvements at the site. “I think it’s really going to bring the schoolhouse to the forefront of the town,” said Flannery, who has served as president for the last three years. Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita, a Republican, said the town’s first plan of action is to implement a parking lot with approximately 20 parking spaces to improve the accessibility of the site. “Whenever [the historical so-
ciety] host events there, there’s no place to park,” Colavita said. He added that a parking lot will reduce parking in the neighborhoods, leaving more spaces for residents. In addition to creating a new parking lot, Colavita said that he’d like to improve the landscape around the existing buildings. The property that the Marble Schoolhouse sits on, in addition to the adjacent lot at the corner of California and New Rochelle roads, are both owned by the town of Eastchester. Previously, it was believed that the adjacent lot was owned by the state, but after discussions between the town and the state, it was discovered that the property belonged to Eastchester. “We want to merge the two properties into one,” Dooley said. The councilman added that when visitors park in the current parking lot, they have to walk around and through a gate to access the schoolhouse, which is considered an inconvenience. He hopes that the town will be able to make it look and feel like one property, and put together a more formal parking lot. Dooley added that if the property is more appealing and accessible, the historical society will be able to hold proper events there and offer more opportunities to the community. Colavita said he would like to put a connecting staircase between both properties and make it wheelchair accessible to en-
sure all residents and visitors can enjoy the historic site. Currently, the grounds aren’t level and the lighting is “insufficient,” according to the town supervisor. In addition, Colavita would like to see significant landscaping done and the addition of a wrought iron fence, keeping with the fencing style found throughout the town. “We just want to dress it up and make it a great destination, and create an environment there where it lends itself not just to historical tours but also a venue to have fundraising and special events and lectures indoors and out,” Colavita said. Built in 1835, the schoolhouse served as a functioning oneroom school, until 1844, for the children of Bronxville, Tuckahoe and a portion of Mount Vernon. Later on, it became the property of Valentine Kloepfer, who owned land adjacent to the property, according to the Eastchester Historical Society’s website. The town of Eastchester took over the property in 1952, and in 1959, the historical society was awarded custodianship of it. Today, the schoolhouse is used primarily for educational tours, mostly for elementaryaged school children. A second building behind the schoolhouse is home to a research library, constructed approximately 10 years ago, where local researchers can come to learn about the history of the town. CONTACT: kiley@hometwn.com
12 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016
Override for 2017-18 Bronxville school budget likely County joins Pace for mobile app development bowl By SARAH VARNEY Education Reporter The 2016-2017 proposed school budget will enable the district to maintain its current program, but next year’s budget will likely require an override of the statewide 2 percent tax cap, according to school district officials. The district has not sought an override of the 2 percent tax cap since the inception of the law in 2011. At a Bronxville budget workshop held on March 5, Assistant Superintendent for Business Dan Carlin told Board of Education members and 20 or so earlybird budget fans that the initial budget gap of $1 million for the 2016-2017 budget has been winnowed to just $440,000. Carlin said the remaining $440,000 gap will be closed through a combination of small budget cuts and some help from the reserve funds. As to which funds will be tapped, Carlin said, “We’ll probably chip a little off of each of them.” The current 2015-2016 school budget of $46 million includes a $665,000 injection from the fund balance. The district’s fund balance is expected to total ap-
At a Glance XX Tax cap will be similar to 0.12% cap for 2016-2017, if not worse XX District’s Teacher Retirement contributions likely to increase if down market continues XX New teacher contracts projected to include 2% salary increase XX Five-year capital plan kicks into gear
proximately $6.8 million as of June 30, 2016, according to district projections. Board of Education member David Brashear cautioned his colleagues on the school board not to take too much from those funds. Because the rate of inflation is just 1.4 percent, the tax levy cap is basically flat, Carlin said. The tax levy rate that schools will use for the 2016-2017 budget is based on the rate of inflation. The 0.12 percent rate was announced in February. The law calls for a 2 percent cap on tax levy increases for both municipalities and school districts or an increase equal to the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Carlin expects the budget
situation to worsen next year, hence the expectation for a tax override. Projections show a net cost increase of $820,000 in expenses for the 2017-2018 budget due primarily to salary increases. An override budget will require a lot of communication with the public ahead of time, said Board of Education member John Atkeson. “We will need to communicate the mechanics of this [tax cap law] to the public,” he said. “Overriding is not a crime,” Board of Education Vice President Jeffrey Rohr said. “Other districts do it. Our [village] has done it three years in a row.” CONTACT: sarah@hometwn.com
Muffie is a handsome, 7-month-old male with distinctive coloring who is very friendly and full of energy. He likes to play fetch with a crumpled up piece of paper or whatever else you toss his way. Though fearful of dogs, Muffie loves spending time with cats and would do best in a home with other kitties. You’ll simply love this wonderful boy. Muffie is neutered, up to date with all vaccinations and in great health. The adoption donation for Muffie is $80. To meet this charmer, contact Larchmont Pet Rescue at 740-4072/835-3332 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
More than 250 students from across the New York metropolitan area kick off the second annual #WestchesterSmart Mobile App Development Bowl at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. The students are developing apps to benefit seniors. Photo courtesy Westchester County
On. Feb. 26, more than 250 tech-savvy students from 36 high schools and colleges across the New York metropolitan region joined together to kick off the second annual #WestchesterSmart Mobile App Development Bowl at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Sponsored by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, the competition challenges students to develop mobile applications that improve an aspect of daily life for people ages 65 and older. “The competition showcases the extraordinary talents of our region’s future generation in ways that help benefit our seniors,” Astorino said. “It’s a double win— we’ve created a platform for students to test their technology skills, while our seniors benefit from applications produced by those skills. Last year was a great success, and we’re already building on it this year.” Once again, the theme of this year’s kickoff was basketball’s “March Madness,” but with a technological twist. The Marching Cobras of Westchester were on hand to energize the teams as they made their entrance into the
County Center for a giant pep rally. The teams then got down to work attending workshops to help them develop their apps. Contestants will present their apps to a panel of expert judges on April 15 at Pace University’s campus in Pleasantville. Winners will receive cash prizes and paid internships with Westchester County and local businesses. The winning teams will also have an opportunity to work with the Seidenberg staff to launch their app on Apple’s App Store, receiving full rights and access to make updates. Participants and their family and friends are encouraged to join in on the excitement on social media channels using the hashtags #WestchesterSmart and #AppBowl. “I am personally excited to be a part of this year’s #WestchesterSmart Mobile App Development Bowl,” said Dr. Jonathan Hill, the interim dean of Seidenberg. “It’s great to celebrate likeminded individuals who bring a contagious enthusiasm for creativity and technology. Everyone at Seidenberg and Pace University alike is proud to support the work being done by these students to help those in need in our community.”
The inspiration behind the App Bowl was to help foster the next generation of talent in Westchester, while also serving the broader population. Known as New York’s Intellectual Capital, Westchester is proud of the fact that more than 47 percent of residents over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree, and 25 percent have advanced degrees. That gives Westchester the besteducated workforce of any county in the nation. Meanwhile, according to the United Nations, more than 21 percent of the global population will be 65 or older by 2050, compared to 11.7 percent in 2013. This means that our economies and societies must adapt to the needs of the aging population. Contest co-sponsors include Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA; Alzheimer’s Association; the BeeLine bus system; The Bristal Assisted Living; Burke Medical Research Institute; Liberty Lines; NewYork-Presbyterian; Panasonic; Saberpoint LLC; Tata Consultancy Services Limited; Westchester County government and Pace University and its alumni, including Nancy Goodman, class of 1977, and Virginia Letourneau, class of 1985. (Submitted)
The following schools are participating in the App Bowl: HIGH SCHOOLS • Ardsley
High School • Bergen County Technical High SchoolTeterboro • Bishop Kearney High School • Blind Brook High School • Byram Hills High School • Clarkstown High School North • Edward R. Murrow High School • Fontbonne Hall Academy • Fox Lane High School • Harrison High School • Hendrick Hudson High School
• High
School for Health Professions and Human Services • Horace Greeley High School • Irvington High School • John S. Burke Catholic High School • Lincoln High School • Mahwah High School • Mamaroneck High School • Mandela/Zollicoffer High School • Mount Vernon High School • Nellie A. Thornton High School • Ossining High School • Palisade Preparatory School • Paul D. Schreiber High School
• Pleasantville
High School Prep Country Day School • St. Francis Preparatory School • Scarsdale High School • Stuyvesant High School • Westlake High School • White Plains High School • Poly
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES • Bronx
Community College College • Pace University • The College of Westchester • SUNY Westchester Community College • Manhattan
March 11, 2016 • The eastchester review • 13
King Tut’s treasures on display on Fifth Avenue Legislators join ArtsWestchester to present grants RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
On Nov. 26, 1922, Howard Carter took out the little chisel his grandmother gave him on his 17th birthday when he, an English lad, was already obsessed with ancient Egypt. Now pushing 50, a middle-aged archeologist who’d seemed promising, then washed up, then possibly promising again, Carter was standing in a hole in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, sweating. Hoping against hope, he tapped his childhood chisel on the underground doorway of what looked like a tomb, or at least some kind of repository. Once he finally made a hole, he poked a candle through. “Can you see anything?” asked his companion and benefactor, George Herbert. “Yes,” Carter replied. “Wonderful things.” And I just saw them, too: The gold and glories—and tchachkes—of King Tut’s tomb. At The Discovery of King Tut, a midtown exhibit that faithfully recreates exactly what Carter saw when he became the first human to lay eyes on Tut’s tomb in 3,000 years, you wander through room after room of amazing artifacts, with the special excitement of seeing them just the way they were when first discovered. Which is to say, in a jumble. The room full of “amazing things” that Carter saw looks exactly like the attic of an eccentric aunt. There are beds shaped like animals, wheels leaning against each other like a bunch of ancient bike tires, and trunks, stools, vases and—oh yes—a baby throne made out of gold. It’s sitting in the back, abandoned as any highchair you’d
put in your own attic once your child—or child king—outgrew it. Weirdest of all are the dozens of egg-shaped containers slightly larger than footballs. These held food for the afterlife—the sacred lunchboxes of their day. As you wind your way through the exhibit, chock-ablock with dazzling golden coffins and surprising hieroglyphics (including a whole wall done in a baboon motif), your audio guide informs you that Carter had been searching for King Tut’s tomb ever since he learned that the statue of a later pharaoh once actually had another name on it: “Tutankhamun.” The later pharaoh had chiseled Tut’s name off the front and replaced it with his own. But, like lazy criminals in any era, he forgot to remove Tut’s name from the back. An ancient cup also inscribed with Tut’s name made Carter increasingly certain that history had not accounted for King Tut, and neither had archeologists. But who was Tut? There was no other trace of him. If he had ruled, where was he buried? Why had no one found him yet? Carter convinced Herbert, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, to fund his search, and spent years digging fruitlessly—well, directing a lot of Egyptian workers to dig fruitlessly—searching for Tut’s tomb. Carnarvon was about to call it quits when Carter begged him for one more season of funding. Reportedly worried that Carter would finally find the tomb just when he pulled out, the earl signed another check. (And, weirdly enough, you can see how the earl could have afforded this hobby if you watch PBS Masterpiece: “Downton Abbey” was filmed in his modest little home.) Around the time of this final, funded season, one of Carter’s minions—a boy who brought
jars of water to the workers— dug into the sand to make a little hole to hold one of the jars. He always did this, to make them stand upright. But this time, his hand hit a smooth, flat surface. It was the top of a long-buried staircase. The rest is history—ancient history. But the exhibit is so vibrant, this history doesn’t feel that far removed. In an era when ISIS is blowing up monuments because it wants to erase the past, Tut’s successor chiseling his name off of statues seems familiar. And once you learn the soap opera of Tut’s family—his grandfather was a great and beloved ruler; his dad reversed everything the grandpa had done, even changing the country’s religion and capital, then Tut changed all it back— the young king doesn’t seem so unreachable. You see the tiny coffin that contained his stillborn daughter. You learn there were flowers still on his casket when Carter uncovered it. It’s as if you could reach out and (sorry) Tut him. Then you exit back to the modern kingdom of New York City: dazzling, magnificent, invincible; and you wonder who will wander an exhibit about us? Information on admission and hours is available at tutnyc.com/ visit/#tickets. The exhibition is located at 417 Fifth Ave. on 38th Street. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $27 for adults; $17 for children ages 5 to 16; $22 for seniors, college students, AAA and the military; $15 on Museum Mondays; and $65 for a “Family 4 Pack” (two-child minimum).
ArtsWestchester has announced a 20 percent increase in funding from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Decentralization Grants Program for the allocation of grants totaling $55,000 to local arts organizations and artists. ArtsWestchester distributes these funds through its competitive Arts Alive grants, supporting community-based cultural activities throughout the county, as well as the creation of new work by Westchester artists. “On behalf of ArtsWestchester, we would like to thank Gov. Cuomo for increasing the state allocation to NYSCA last year by $5 million, making it possible for the 20 percent increase to all decentralization sites throughout New York state,” said CEO Janet T. Langsam. On Jan. 29, members of the New York state Legislature joined ArtsWestchester’s board of trustees for a private breakfast to present Arts Alive grants to 25 organizations. The breakfast took place at ArtsWestchester, located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. This year’s grant recipients represent artistic expression from cultures from around the world in an array of genres that include dance, writing, visual art, music and theater. The variety of projects range from public art installations and African drum workshops to affordable jazz performances and a dance with an anti-bully-
From left, Angela Belsole and Sr. Beth Dowd, representing Arts Alive grantee Songcatchers, and New York state Sen. Andrea StewartCousins. Songcatchers of New Rochelle will use the Arts Alive grant for intergenerational community music programs.
From left, New York state Assemblyman David Buchwald, Westchester County Legislator Benjamin Boykin, Bernard Tamosaitis, Solange De Santis and William Eckfeld, representing Arts Alive grantee St. Thomas Orchestra, and New York state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins. St. Thomas Orchestra in Mamaroneck will use the Arts Alive grant for a fall 2016 concert. Photos/John Vecchiolla
CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
From left, Billie Tucker and Karen Allen, representing Arts Alive grantee Tutti Bravi Productions Inc., with New York state Sen. Andrea StewartCousins. Tutti Bravi Productions of New Rochelle will use the Arts Alive grant for “Spirits and Souls—Huguenot Voices from the Trinity Burial Grounds.” New monologues will be written and original music composed from the perspective of Huguenot settlers buried in Trinity Burial Grounds for a new historical production.
ing message. Additionally, these grants represent 17 municipalities throughout the county, including Yonkers, Ossining, Peekskill and Mount Vernon. Arts Alive grants are awarded in two categories: Arts Alive Project Grants, which provide Westchester-based organizations and artists with financial and technical support for projects at the grassroots level; and Arts Alive Artist Grants, which support works that relate to the community in a significant way. The grants are chosen through a competitive process that includes a panel of community members and arts professionals. Arts Alive Project Grants are made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature, and administered by ArtsWestchester. (Submitted)
14 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016
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March 11, 2016 • The eastchester review • 15
First signs of spring LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
You know you’ve been missing baseball when hearing the voice of John Sterling comes as a relief. As a die-hard Red Sox fan— and, more importantly, someone with ears—I have no great love for the bombastic Yankees radio man, but even I was happy to hear John and Suzyn Waldman on the airwaves last week. Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age, or maybe I’m just pumped that spring is finally here. Spring Training games kicked off last week, marking the beginning of a wonderful time for fans of our national pastime. I, for one, couldn’t get enough. Sure, I love Opening Day. More often than not, I’ll fire up the MLB.tv app and veg out on baseball for the better part of two days until I lapse into the sort of
couch coma usually reserved for post-Thanksgiving lounging. But those first couple of days of spring training? Those are special. All winter long, I’ve got to scratch and claw just to get my baseball fix. I mean, on Feb. 11, I spent an hour-and-a-half watching a World Baseball Classic Qualifying Game between South Africa and New Zealand. Yankees-Red Sox it was most certainly not, but getting the chance to watch actual baseball on my television in the dead of winter? It’s like Christmas came early for a baseball nut like me. Of course, Major League Baseball doesn’t make it easy— at least early on in the spring. Only a few games last week were televised and a few more had radio broadcasts. As a result, I spent an inordinate amount of time glued to MLB GameCast, watching little colored dots that (probably) correspond to MLB players circle around the diamond.
It may not be a box seat at Citi Field, but it is certainly better than watching the New York Knicks. Do I plan on tuning in to each and every game for the remainder of Spring Training? Of course not. I’ve got a life, a job and plenty of other things to do with my time. March Madness is starting up soon, which provides a muchneeded respite from the doldrums of winter, but the knowledge that baseball is back still warms my heart. Right now, everything is perfect. The Yankees haven’t won the division, my Red Sox haven’t begun to underachieve, and, for the Mets, the sky is still the limit with the heaps of young, talented pitching they have locked up. That might all change by midMay, so right now, I’m simply enjoying the moment, and dreaming of a pennant race.
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For the first week of MLB Spring Training, following teams on MLB Gameday has been trying—and rewarding—for Sports Editor Mike Smith. Photo courtesy MLB.com
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16 • The eastchester review • March 11, 2016