Eastchester REVIEW THE
July 29, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 31 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Rye threatens lawsuit over Playland redevelopment
THE
TRUMP
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
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Donald Trump accepted the Republican Party’s nomination for president at its national convention in Cleveland on July 21. The four-day gathering brought out some of the party’s biggest names and supporters. For more, see page 6. Photo/Charles McLaughlin
State, town officials warn of fatal ‘LOCO’ substance By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer One day after a press conference held to commend the Harrison Police Department’s efforts to combat the growing heroin epidemic in the region, Eastchester police issued its own warning about a potentially tainted and fatal batch of drugs in the town. A drug marked “LOCO” is said to be responsible for the death of a 24-year-old Eastchester man whose name has not been released by police. On July 20, the Eastchester Police Department issued a series of posts on its Facebook page relating to the drug, first warning about a dangerous unknown substance, then warning about the potential dangers of Fentanyl and counterfeit pills.
Fentanyl is a potent opioid which drug dealers sometimes mix into batches of other drugs in order to reduce the amount of more expensive substances, such as heroin. The posts suggested that the LOCO substance was most likely being sold as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine or other drugs in powder form. Last month, the Harrison Police Department made six arrests in connection with a strand of heroin labeled “UFO,” which was connected to the deaths of two Harrison residents, and which Anthony Maraccini, Harrison’s police chief, suspected of being a tainted substance. The department has since launched a program called Heroin Opiate Prevention Effort, HOPE, to reach out to Harrison residents
suffering from addiction. The HOPE initiative was launched during a press conference on July 19 arranged by state Assemblyman David Buchwald, a White Plains Democrat, and state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat. Following the more recent Eastchester death, Latimer said in a released statement, “We must fight the heroin epidemic on every level that we can. And to help keep our young people alive, I think it is important that we spread the warning that ‘LOCO’ and ‘UFO’ can kill you.” Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican and state Senate candidate who is opposing Latimer in November, told the Review, “Westchester and other New York kids are in desperate need of a comprehensive
drug education campaign, especially on the media platforms they visit.” Killian called for a digital campaign targeting teens, which she said should utilize social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. Eastchester police used Facebook to advise residents to keep prescription medication in a lockbox, dispose of unused medication, keep a regular inventory of medications in their homes, and to educate themselves and their families. The Eastchester Police Department has a lockbox for the disposal of unused pills, but it does not accept liquid medicines. Latimer could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
A legal battle between Westchester County and Rye could be imminent after city officials threatened to sue for a say in the future of Playland. In a letter to County Attorney Robert Meehan dated July 18, Michael Gerrard, who was retained by the city of Rye, asserted that Rye, not Westchester County, should enjoy the status of lead agency for an upcoming round of capital projects at the amusement park. “Unfortunately, the county hasn’t followed the law,” said Rye Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican. “Months ago, apparently, the county had declared itself lead agency.” According to Sack, the county declared itself lead agency in May. Gerrard told the Review that if the county continues to ignore the city’s request for inclusion into the park’s process, litigation will be imminent. “I think [a lawsuit] would be a fair assumption,” he said. “We would only file a lawsuit if we thought we had strong grounds.” The city has set a July 28 deadline, after press time, for the county to respond before filing an Article 78 proceeding. According to Gerrard, the county has yet to respond, as of press time, but Ned McCormack, communications director for County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, said the county will do so before Rye’s deadline. Gerrard contends that following an agreement transferring the management of Rye Playland struck between the manage-
ment company Standard Amusements and Westchester County, the county has continuously skirted proper procedure. Among the concerns listed in Gerrard’s letter are several perceived SEQRA violations, as well as the county’s lack of communication on its intentions with Playland. Rye City Attorney Kristen Wilson told the Review that although the Article 78 has not been filed, the city could also ask for a temporary injunction on park projects, which would halt any work at the amusement park pending the outcome of the litigation. Wilson said that the city has not yet decided whether it will do that. County Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, said she understands the Rye City Council’s perspective. “There has been very little in way of communication to Rye to make Rye feel like it can have a seat at the table during discussions,” she said. “I would characterize the lack of communication as a hallmark of the Astorino administration.” In March, both the county and Standard Amusements agreed to a contract that would see both sides investing $30 million in capital improvements to rides, facilities and the park’s ailing infrastructure, and would eventually transfer the sole management of the park to Standard. However, McCormack says that the county has the right to steer the future of Rye Playland, given its status as a county park. “The county is lead agency on reviews and all land use PLAYLAND continued on page 8
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