November 18, 2016 by The Eastchester Review

Eastchester REVIEW THE

November 18, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 47 | www.eastchesterreview.com

saluting their sacrifices Eastchester and Tuckahoe residents, officials and veterans gathered on Nov. 11 at Parkway Oval to pay tribute to the community’s past and present veterans. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy metrocreativeconnection.com

Mrs. Green’s shuts down 5 stores citing new strategy By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Mrs. Green’s Neighborhood Market announced on Nov. 15 that it would be closing multiple stores in New York and Connecticut to shift focus to five of its “core” Westchester stores as part of a new strategy. Amid customer complaints of supply shortages in some of its Westchester locations, the Irvington-based company released plans to close its Rye and Tarrytown stores, as well as two locations in western Connecticut and a location in the West Village in Manhattan. According to David Kiser, a Mrs. Green’s manager, the Rye location will close its doors on

Nov. 18 or Nov. 19, depending on how much inventory is left over following a close-out sale which featured 50 percent off on all items. A spokesperson for the company said that the store’s locations in Tarrytown and Fairfield, Connecticut, launched the same sale, and would also be closed by the end of the week based on the same criteria. The Stamford, Connecticut, and West Village locations were closed immediately. On Wednesday morning, shoppers perused the almost vacant isles at the Rye store. “It wasn’t my No. 1 store that I visited frequently, but if I ever need milk or fruit, I would try and stop in as often

as I could,” said Colleen Scott, a Rye resident who was sifting through the remainder of the store’s sparse merchandise. “It always had nice alternatives, like green home products. It’s definitely sad for the town for sure. I wished it worked out.” In a released statement, Mrs. Green’s said that it planned to shift attention to its five flagship locations within the county: Eastchester, Yorktown, Briarcliff, Mount Kisco and Larchmont. “While the closure of any location is difficult—especially because our customers and communities have supported us—they are also necessary as we focus on our core, profitable stores,” the company said. In 2014, the company

announced plans to expand from 18 locations to 40 by the end of that year, and planned to have 100 stores open within the next few years. That plan included a store at the Rivertowns Square Shopping Center currently being developed in Dobbs Ferry. Plans for that store have been cancelled. Also, Mrs. Green’s CEO Pat Brown has resigned as a component of the company’s new direction. John Collins, a spokesman for the company, told the Review that existing management has taken over Brown’s responsibilities while the company conducts an internal and external search for a new CEO. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

2 candidates to run for fire board commissioner By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Election Day is over, but in the Eastchester Fire District, the race for commissioner has just begun. On Dec. 13, the fire district, which encompasses all of Eastchester, Bronxville and Tuckahoe, will hold what is expected to be a contested election for one commissioner’s seat, that of Commissioner Jerry Napolitano. Although Napolitano, 49, has not filed the necessary paperwork solidifying his candidacy as of press time, the commissioner did tell the Review that he does plan to run again. Stuart Rabin, a 10-year employee for the town of Eastchester, has filed a petition for candidacy. Rabin has served as a clerk for the town and as senior office administrator of the Community Development and Housing Choice voucher program. He is currently the senior office administrator of the town’s Parks and Recreation Department. Rabin, 37, told the Review that his experience in administrative positions has given him insight into the needs of Eastchester residents and an understanding of government facilities management. Napolitano, who is seeking his second term on the fire board, has a background in public safety, including his work for Motorola Solutions, where he specializes in communications for fire, police and EMS. In his current role as fire commissioner, he cochairs the health and safety, and facilities committees. Napolitano said his main priority of a second term would be to help keep the district budget

under the state-mandated tax cap. Last month, the Board of Fire Commissioners passed the 2017 budget, remaining under the tax cap for the third consecutive year. But Rabin criticized the district’s 2017 budget, which is close to $17 million. “They’ve really dropped the ball on their fiduciary duty,” he said, adding that he would look to reduce taxes within the district. Rabin also pointed to the legal battles which the district has been tangled in for years, including one against Eastchester, two lawsuits with the volunteer Fire Department, and a grievance arbitration with the professional firefighters union related to unpaid or underpaid pensions. He said that the board’s focus on litigation was adding unfair costs to the district. “I think their interest, right now, is more focused on trying to be right than trying to be safe,” he said. Napolitano said his experience in dealing with the district’s legal concerns through his first term gives him the advantage of understanding the issues facing the district. Each of the five commissioners of the Eastchester Fire District is voted into a five-year term; the terms are staggered so that one of the five seats is up for election every year. The winner of the December election would be elected to serve from Jan. 1, 2017 until Dec. 31, 2021. Fire district commissioners serve on a volunteer basis; they do not receive compensation. The deadline to file for candidacy with the Westchester County Board of Elections is Nov. 23. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

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Revenue shortfalls re-spark county budget concerns By JAMES PERO Staff Writer When Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino presented his countywide budget for 2017 on Nov. 10, he once again put forward a plan that promises to keep taxes flat; something the Republican county executive has done every year since taking office in 2010. Now, approval of the budget falls into the hands of the county’s legislative branch, which is faced with mending a substantial revenue shortfall and taming ballooning health care costs. The operating budget, which will be vetted in tandem with the recently released capital budget over the next month, will cost Westchester taxpayers $1.8 billion—a 0.4 percent spending increase over 2016—and will not raise the county’s tax levy for the seventh consecutive year. “Not increasing taxes is not an abstract slogan,” Astorino said at a press conference to unveil his budget. “It’s real money in the pockets of real people—

young people, families, seniors on fixed incomes and entrepreneurs trying to scrape together enough money to start a business or stay in business.” Broad cuts to nonprofits dominated talks during last year’s budget cycle; however, the 2017 budget, as proposed, has shown no reduction to services and nonprofits, or layoffs to county employees. Joanna Straub, executive director of Nonprofit Westchester, a coalition of nonprofits countywide, said that while there are currently no proposed cuts, if budgeted revenue were to decrease, nonprofit funding could be among the first funding to be sequestered. Despite the Astorino administration’s commitment to maintaining the same level of services and staff, the county continues to grapple with increasingly stark revenue shortfalls, which it attributes to underperforming sales tax revenues and lower gas and energy prices. The administration has estimated that between sales tax

shortfalls and rising health care costs, it will see in total a $30 million revenue shortfall. Such gaps have sparked concern from opponents of the county executive’s over the course of his two terms in office. County Legislator Mary Jane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat who also chairs the county Infrastructure Committee, has been a consistent critic of what she has characterized as fiscal irresponsibility on the administration’s behalf. “If you’re predicting revenues in your budget, you need to have a level of certainty that you’re going to obtain those revenues in the near future,” Shimsky said. Among major complaints from lawmakers following the budget’s release was the administration’s inclusion of $15 million in projected revenue from a tenuous agreement between the county and Oaktree Capital regarding management of Westchester Airport. The proposal, which was only announced on Nov. 3, looks to tap into additional revenue by

With a deadline quickly approaching, revenue shortfalls and skyrocketing health care costs will become the focal points of Westchester lawmakers responsible for approving a county budget for 2017. File photo

privatizing the county-owned commercial airport, which sees in excess of 1.75 million passengers annually. Although the administration has lauded the deal as a potential source of $140 million in additional tax revenue over the course of 40 years, lawmakers have approached the plan with caution, criticizing Astorino’s attempt to fast-track its approv-

al by tying a Board of Legislators’ decision to a required Dec. 27 budget deadline, and for not sending out a formal request for proposals. “The Astorino administration negotiated with an airport management vendor behind closed doors, likely to avoid scrutiny for the newest accounting gimmick,” said county Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers

Democrat who has already announced his plans to run for county executive in 2017. According to Shimsky, the chances of the Board of Legislators signing off on a budget containing the administration’s airport agreement are increasingly slim. “It is extremely, extremely COUNTY continued on page 8

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What’s going on... Eastchester Public Library

their children’s education. Pre-registration online is required. For more information, contact Elizabeth Portillo at 721-8109 or eportillo@wlsmail. org.

Bronxville Public Library For more information on hours and programs, visit eastchesterlibrary.org. The library will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23 for Thanksgiving, reopening on Saturday, Nov. 26.

Friends of EPL Tag Sale The tag sale will be held Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Monday, Nov. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Toys, games, puzzles, dishes, small electrical appliances, sports equipment and jewelry are among the items on sale.

Saving for College workshop On Monday, Nov. 28 from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. This workshop is for high schoolers and parents, and covers the rising cost of education and various methods to help make college more affordable. Some specifics include setting a college savings goal that is right for you; a federal financial aid overview; the FAFSA application and how certain factors (such as expected family contribution) are calculated; different types of student loans; and specific tax-advantaged ways parents can save for

For more information on library hours and programs, visit bronxvillelibrary.org. The library will be closed on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 24.

College Admissions webinar On Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Join internationally recognized and published educator Dr. Tony Di Giacomo for the library’s first webinar. Please register on the library’s website with a valid email address so that you can receive the webinar information and link. Local resident Di Giacomo applies his experience from multiple higher education institutions and organizations to answer questions you or your children may have about the admission process, the challenge of choice, and what really matters to ensure success. Learn and understand how to balance the process with schooling; how to engage universities to optimize networking; what universities seek in their applicants; and essential tactics and skills to plan for and apply to college.

Tuckahoe Public Library For more information on library hours and programs, visit tuckahoe.com/library. The library will close at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23 for

Thanksgiving, reopening on Saturday, Nov. 26.

Decorated Thanksgiving Cookies On Monday, Nov. 21 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Make embellished cookies in a Thanksgiving style that will make you a hit at the holiday season. Surprise and delight your family and friends with your creativity. Registration is requested by visiting the library or calling 961-2121.

The Reformed Church of Bronxville Duruflé’s Requiem concert On Sunday, Nov. 20 at 3 p.m., The Reformed Church of Bronxville will present an exciting concert with close to 100 performers. The church’s Chancel Choir will be joined by guest choristers from surrounding communities and, under the inspirational leadership of Dr. Sandor Szabo, minister of Music, they will perform Duruflé’s Requiem, his largest masterwork. The sublime Requiem is based on Gregorian chants and is influenced by Renaissance polyphony, the Romantic Faure, and Impressionist composers Debussy and Ravel. The program will also include the passionate Second Piano Concerto by Chopin with Szabo at the keyboard. Szabo has performed and conducted extensively in major concert halls and cathedrals in Europe and throughout North America. The concert is free and all are welcome. The Reformed Church of Bronxville is located at 180 Pondfield Road in Bronxville. For more information, call 337-6776 or visit reformedchurch.org.

WestCop/ECAP Food drive and Thanksgiving basket giveaway WestCop/ECAP is a nonprofit organization located at 142 Main St. in Tuckahoe. The organization assists at-risk families and veterans in Bronxville, Tuckahoe and Eastchester. The Eastchester Community Action Partnership, ECAP, has started its preparations for this year’s Thanksgiving Basket Program, an ECAP tradition for more than 27 years. Contributions may be made in the form of donations of non-perishable food items or gift cards from ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Trader Joe’s, The Fresh Market or C-Town. Donations of cash or a check payable to WestCOPECAP are equally appreciated. Contributions may be dropped off at 142 Main St. between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Special arrangements may be made to accommodate donation drop-offs or pickups. Contact ECAP at 337-7768 if you or your organization would consider hosting a food drive. On Tuesday, Nov. 22, there will be a Thanksgiving basket giveaway for all registered participants. For more information, contact area director Don Brown at 337-7768 or dbrown@westcop.org, or visit westcop.org/eastchester-c-a-p. 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.

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New Harrison gun store draws concern

L&L Sports, a gun store planned for the Harrison Mall on Halstead Avenue, could open this month. Harrison residents, however, are protesting the shop’s proximity to Parsons Memorial Elementary School. Photo/Franco Fino

By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer A new gun store now open on Halstead Avenue in Harrison is generating concern among residents. Nearly 3,400 residents of Harrison, and nearby communities, as of press time, have signed an online petition on Change.org protesting the location of L&L Sports, at 261 Halstead Ave., a gun store located less than 1,000 feet from Parsons Memorial Elementary School and also near St. Gregory the Great’s Church. The petition alleges that the location of the shop undermines the Gun-Free School Zones Act, a federal law which regulates the possession of guns on school grounds or within 1,000 feet of a school. However, gun stores are specifically exempt from that law. The law does require that firearms are unloaded and placed in a locked container when traveling within a 1,000-foot perimeter of any school.

Petitioners have focused their attention on members of the Harrison Town Council, asking them to take additional efforts to prevent the store from opening, and asking them if they’ve explored other options—including town ordinances which could have put tighter restrictions on the Gun-Free Schools Zone Act—before OK’ing the store. Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, said there is little the town can do to regulate what kind of store opens in any storefront. The council did not have to review the site because there was no change of use; the storefront was formerly used for retail purposes. And, the store has received all its necessary permits from the town Building Department, according to town officials. “My primary concern as the supervisor is the safety and welfare of all residents,” the mayor said. “But I also have a responsibility to make sure everyone’s rights are upheld.” Store owner Louis Zacchio, a retired paramedic and 17-

year resident of the town, said opening the store is within his legal rights, adding that he has followed all state and federal guidelines to protect his inventory from the possibility of theft. The store’s website has tabs designated for handguns, rifles, shotguns, accessories, optics and training, although there are no items listed for sale. “He meets the state and federal guidelines,” Belmont told the Review, “that’s where these things are regulated.” The petitioners are also inquiring what kind of safeguards the town has or will put in place. “We’re relying on customers coming from outside areas to know the federal law, [which says] that they may not traverse this area unless the guns are unloaded and put inside a locked container,” said Joe Liberti, a parent of student of the Parsons School. “So [the store’s location] really does threaten the maintenance of this federal law.” CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

Fox manslaughter case adjourned to Dec. 6 Emma Fox’s Nov. 15 court date was adjourned, and the Rye resident is due to reappear in White Plains City Court on Dec. 6. Fox is being charged with the death of a 21-year-old Manhattanville College student in October. According to Robert Wolf, the deputy communications director for the Westchester County District Attorney’s office, no reason was given for the adjournment. On Oct. 9, Fox struck and killed Robby Schartner, of Fishkill, while he was walking along

Westchester Avenue during the early morning hours on his way back to the college after a night out on Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains. Fox, 24, has been charged with an aggravated DWI and first-degree vehicular manslaughter. White Plains police reported that Fox had been intoxicated at the time of the incident with a blood alcohol content of 0.21; the legal limit in New York state is 0.08. According to police, Fox had been travelling eastbound on

Westchester Avenue at about 5 a.m. when she fatally struck Schartner with her car, a 2012 Nissan Sentra. Fox, who had been held at the Westchester County Jail on $100,000 bail, was released on Nov. 10, according to Justin Pruyne, the deputy commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Correction. Stephen Lewis, Fox’s attorney, could not be reached for comment, as of press time. -Reporting by Franco Fino

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Eastchester REVIEW THE

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Veterans

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Tuckahoe Police Chief John Costanzo meets with local veterans prior to the ceremony. Photos/Corey Stockton

Staff Photographers Bobby Begun, Andrew Dapolite Columnists Mary Marvin, Richard Forliano, Lenore Skenazy Letters

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Classifieds & Legals

Eastchester Fire District Commissioner Anthony Lore, a Vietnam veteran, thanks the town Police Department for its service.

Residents of the town of Eastchester and village of Tuckahoe gathered alongside elected officials at Parkway Oval in the village to honor veterans on their national holiday. The Veterans Day ceremony, formerly Armistice Day, began at 11:11 a.m. in recognition of the armistice which ended World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. Several speakers addressed the most basic rights protected by the sacrifices of our veterans. “Our right to assemble here today is thanks to these men and women right in front of you here,” said Eastchester Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita. Tuckahoe Mayor Steve Ecklond and other speakers including Westchester County Legislator Sheila Marcotte and Anthony Lore, a fire commissioner with the town Fire District, all noted the turnout of local residents for the event. In turn, the veterans expressed their gratitude for the interest shown by so many in the community. “As veterans, we are here to be grateful and accept your thanks,” said Bob Foster, post commander of the Eastchester Veterans of Foreign Wars, “and in turn to thank each other.”

This year’s ceremony had the largest attendance in the history of the community’s Veterans Day ceremonies. Attendance included children, local officials and several veterans.

Tuckahoe Trustee Greg Luisi, left, speaks with resident Joseph Marinello, a veteran of the Korean War.

-Reporting by Corey Stockton

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Nicolette Mancini, 14, sings “God Bless America” to close the Veterans Day service at Parkway Oval in Tuckahoe.

Eastchester veterans Pete Cirrincione, left, and Anthony Nunno bear the prisoner of war/missing in action and American flags beside the podium.

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On my trip to the state mayors’ conference BRONXVILLE TODAY Mayor Mary Marvin

This week, I had the privilege of serving on the New York State Conference of Mayors Legislative Priorities Committee. We convened in Albany to discuss issues and find common ground that would provide strength in numbers when we present our legislative slate to the newly configured Albany government. Sadly, many of our priorities play like a familiar tune repeated year after year, but hope springs eternal that with the evolving change in Albany leadership, something may strike a chord. As our mayors’ conference, president and White Plains Mayor Tom Roach stated so succinctly at our session’s opening, “We keep fighting because that’s what we do.” The following are listed macro to micro in scope, but the passage of any one would benefit Bronxville. Increased unrestricted aid directly to communities Despite living under a 2 percent tax cap provision that, due to its tie in to an inflation index, is actually 0.68 percent, municipalities have suffered through eight straight years without an increase in local funding. It remains stagnant at $715 million for the entire state, while school districts have received yearly increases of more than $1.5 billion, making the program clearly inequitable. Remember under the Aid to Communities program, municipalities are not seeking a gift, a handout; rather, we are asking that more of our state tax dollars be directed back home. Quite frankly, as seasoned politicians have candidly admitted, the program involves unrestricted funds, so there are no ribbon cuttings or “recognition” moments, thus not terribly compelling. Modification of the 2 percent tax cap legislation The cap, successful in its political traction, has resulted in significant unintended conse-

quences in execution. The primary modification needed is an amendment to provide exclusion for municipal capital expenditures on public infrastructure projects similar to what the state accords school districts and itself. As a consequence of the legislative language, the cap has turned into the single most powerful disincentive to undertaking infrastructure repairs in one of the most “crumbling states” in the union. (In a recent report, the state comptroller estimated that more than $65.7 billion is needed to get New York back to minimum standards.) As a demonstration of how ludicrous the provision is, in order to stay under the tax cap last year, our village would have had to turn down the $5 million-plus in FEMA grant monies, as our local 25 percent copay put us above the 0.68 percent spending cap. At this moment in New York state, a staggering 48 percent of the state and local roads were deemed in “poor to fair condition,” and the Department of Transportation rated more than one-third of local bridges as structurally deficient. (Our Parkway Road Bridge appeared on that list two years ago.) Authorize municipalities to charge for services provided to tax-exempt properties Far and away, this was my municipal colleagues’ No. 1 priority. Gannett Co. newspapers recently completed an eight-part series on tax exemptions in New York state and their effect on local governments, and the magnitude was staggering. The number of wholly exempt parcels has risen from 179,420 in 1999 to 219,602 last year, a 22 percent increase. The value of these properties have doubled from $276 billion to $567 billion over the same time period. My colleagues support legislation that would permit municipalities, at local option, to impose charges on tax-exempt properties to defray the cost of services provided, including lighting, road paving, sewer and sani-

tary systems, sanitation, and the even more costly fire and police protection to defray the tax burden on the remaining taxpayers. Currently, many peer communities are recouping funds by creating “improvement districts” and assessing lighting and street and sewer services on a cost per linear foot. However, the most costly services— police and fire—are expressly prohibited under current law from being assessed to tax-exempt entities. With cities such as Albany having 61 percent of their property off the tax rolls and Rome having 43 percent, the problem is at a critical juncture. Even our small village has 23 percent of our properties designated tax-exempt and the financial burden escalates. As example, we spent $3,500 in police overtime on one night due to an altercation in our hospital’s emergency room. Restructure and reform the gross receipts tax Under current law, cities and villages have the local option of imposing a gross receipts tax, GRT, on the gross operating income of utility companies located within their boundaries at a rate of 1 percent. (A 3 percent rate was carved out for Buffalo, Rochester and Yonkers.) The GRT is one of the few sources of non-property tax revenues we have to access. The mayors support a 3 percent option as it is a tax spread fairly among all utility users, not just property taxpayers. In addition, New York City and the state itself had legislation passed to allow cellular phone service in recognition of the predominance of wireless technology, and to promote equity in the tax treatment of all types of telecommunication providers. Smaller municipalities would like the legislation broadened to include the New York City provisions. Post the November election, the makeup of the New York state Senate and Assembly changed very little with incumbents ruling the day, so the jury is out as to whether we will see any change in philosophy toward local governments.

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COUNTY from page 3

unlikely that we’re going to book those revenues by the [Dec. 27] deadline,” she said, regarding the legislative chamber’s required review of the Astorino budget. Among the major obstacles, Shimsky explained, are a lengthy application timeline regarding the FAA’s privatization program through which the administration would process its proposal. Since the program’s inception in 1997, only two of the 10 airports that applied have gone through the entire process; Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico and Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York. Stewart International has since reverted back to public management.

And a similar public-private partnership transferring the management of Rye Playland—a county-owned amusement park whose footprints sit within the city of Rye—was vetted by the county for nearly six years before it was finally approved earlier this year. Further adding to fears of uncertain revenue streams in the county budget are the increasingly high costs of health care, which according to administration officials have exceeded budget expectations by $10 million. Budget numbers show that in 2016 the county appropriated more than $135 million to cover health insurance costs for current employees. For the proposed budget, Astorino has requested $152 million. Health care of retired employees alone cost the county $65 million in 2016, according to budget numbers.

Fights over to what extent the county is responsible for paying the full cost of employees’ health care have sprung up recently after heated negotiations between the Astorino administration and the Civil Service Employees Association, CSEA—a union representing the county’s public sector workers—failed to produce a compromise, including a contract offer that the union rejected earlier this month. “The contract rejection by the CSEA is just more evidence that the union is not dealing with reality,” Astorino said. “Apparently, the CSEA thinks it is entitled to free health care forever, paid for by taxpayers.” Contract negotiations between the two parties are still ongoing. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

Rye to add public safety commissioner

Rye City Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran is likely to be appointed to the new position of public safety commissioner after the passing of a citywide referendum. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

By CHRISTIAN FALCONE Editor-in-Chief Voters in Rye approved an Election Day ballot proposition to create a public safety commissioner position. Doing so will also bring about a new Department of Public Safety in the city, just the third such department in Westchester County. With more than 6,100 ballots cast, the referendum easily passed with 68 percent of the vote. As a result, the city police and fire departments will be transformed into a Department of Public Safety unit with one

centralized public safety commissioner providing oversight. Currently, the city of White Plains and the county are the only municipalities in Westchester with public safety departments. Rye City Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, said the new position makes sense from a cost savings and cost effectiveness perspective. The goal of the changeover is geared toward streamlining oversight of the two departments with an eye toward addressing outstanding issues within the city Fire Department, particularly a lack of top-down leadership. Sack stressed to the Review that the departments themselves would not be combined, just the oversight. In doing so, the idea is to leverage the professional management currently in place in the Police Department. With that mind, the city is expected to turn to current Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran, who was hired by the city back in February, to now also oversee Fire Department operations. “[Corcoran] has not been offered the

job nor has he accepted it,” the mayor said, “[but] we assumed he would be in line for it.” This isn’t the first time that the city has discussed the idea of a public safety commissioner. Talk of streamlining fire and police previously took place during the Republican administration of former Rye City Mayor Douglas French in 2012. But that discussion didn’t lead to any action. Issues within the city Fire Department have existed for some time. Calls for increased professional firefighter staffing have been ongoing coupled with the dichotomy between the professional firefighters and a dwindling volunteer base. Traditionally, the Fire Department has always been run by the Board of Fire Wardens, a committee of volunteer firefighters. But Sack said that based on the city’s analysis and discussion, that hierarchy may no longer be working effectively based on the challenges of the 21st century, for things such as recruiting and budgeting. CONTACT: chris@hometwn.com

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An eyewitness account of the first rigged election HISTORICALLY SPEAKING Richard Forliano

It seems that the events of this year’s bizarre presidential election are unprecedented. But a knowledgeable student of American history knows better. Allegations of rigged elections, executive corruption, misappropriation of funds, journalistic bias, sexual improprieties and other abuses of power date back to long before our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and wrote the Constitution. In the disputed presidential election of 1800, rival newspapers were rocked with valid charges of improper sexual conduct. It was rightly asserted in a partisan newspaper that the winner of that election, Thomas Jefferson, had fathered illegitimate sons with his female slave, Sally Hemmings. The leader of the rival party, Alexander Hamilton, was forced to admit in the press to an adulterous affair while he was secretary of the treasury with a woman named Maria Reynolds, whose husband demanded hush money. In 1876, there was no clear electoral victory because the results of three Southern states were in dispute. An unholy compromise was worked out in which the Republican candidate was awarded the presidency in return for the withdrawal of federal troops in the South, ending Reconstruction. Freed AfricanAmerican slaves faced decades of lynching, segregation and Jim Crow laws relegating them to the status of second-class citizens. In the presidential election of 2000, the Supreme Court was forced to decide on the victor because of possible improprieties in the state of Florida.

What almost no one knows is that perhaps for the first time in American history, an eyewitness account exists in the press of an attempt to fix an election that occurred in the town of Eastchester 283 years ago. On Oct. 29, 1733, a thoroughly corrupt royal governor of the British colony of New York named William Cosby made an attempt to fix an election to the colonial assembly from the county of Westchester. Cosby had failed in a lawsuit to garnish part of the salary of the former acting governor. In revenge, Cosby fired the chief justice who had ruled against him. That judge, Lewis Morris, decided to run in Westchester County for a seat on the colonial assembly. How did Cosby attempt to rig the election? Cosby put up his own handpicked candidate and notified the public only about the date, but not the time or place of the election. His plan was to have his candidate elected before the supporters of Morris appeared. The supporters of Morris did not allow this, however. Independent farmers, artisans and shopkeepers appeared on Eastchester’s Village Green the day of the election. They were opposed by a bloc of wealthy landowners and merchants, tenant farmers and Church of England conservatives. The use of secret ballots did not exist at the time. The conflicting factions faced each other on the Village Green. Can you imagine what it would have been like on this recent Election Day if the supporters of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had to face each other publicly before they cast their vote? When all was said and done, it seemed that the supporters of Morris had a clear victory. But Cosby had one more trick

up his sleeve. The sheriff who counted the votes feared that he would lose his job if the opposition candidate won. He began to throw out the votes for Morris on a technicality. To vote, a person had to swear an oath on the Bible. Thirty-eight Quakers whose religion did not allow the swearing of oaths had their votes declared invalid. Despite this treachery, the citizens of Westchester County were successful in defeating the candidate of the royal governor in what historians refer to as the “The Great Election of 1733.” But Morris did not let this issue rest. He hired a printer of German descent named John Peter Zenger. Zenger had launched a different kind of paper; wellfunded, intelligently edited, and launched to give opposition to the royal governor. Time and confusion have obscured the true significance of this important event. For the first time in American journalistic history, an eyewitness account exists in a newspaper, the New York Weekly Journal, of a seriously contested election drawing more than 400 people. The fact that the participants in this election that resulted in a victory over government tyranny by voters of Westchester County makes the significance even more special. To make exaggerated claims about this event and Eastchester’s role diminishes from its significance. Zenger never set foot in Eastchester. When in 1735 he was put on trial for seditious libel, the first edition of his newspaper was not part of the indictment. Zenger was not defended by Alexander Hamilton in his New York City trial—Alexander Hamilton was not even born yet—but by a Philadelphia lawyer named Andrew Hamilton. Eventually, the New York

A painting of the “Great Election of 1733” in which voters of Westchester County refused to allow the royal governor to rig an election to the colonial assembly. Photo courtesy Saint Paul’s National Historic Site

City trial of Zenger became a milestone as a justification for freedom of the press. But the colonial election of 1733 stands for our most basic human right, the privilege and responsibility of electing one’s leaders. Without that right, all the other freedoms

are meaningless. Special thanks goes to Brother Harry Dunkak, professor of history Emeritus from Iona College, and David Osborn, site director of Saint Paul’s National Historic Site, for their research and writings on this topic.

Please contact us at historian@eastchesterhistoricalsociety.org about any comments or questions you might have about this column. Also, any questions about sources of information will be addressed.

November 18, 2016 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 11

12 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • November 18, 2016

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November 18, 2016 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 13

About that Yale interview RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

One recent Sunday I went to my local Queens bakery at 9, 11 and 2, and each time sat across from a friendly, open 18-year-old. These New York City students shared their hopes, dreams, and what they do in their free time. One researches drone strikes in Somalia. Another teaches the disabled to ski. A third measures the size and shape of snake skulls. Typical... for this group. These are applicants for early admission to Yale. Me, I’m an alumni interviewer. That means I help lighten the Yale Admissions Department’s load by volunteering to assess half a dozen candidates each year. This is my 15th or 16th goround, and it always gives me great delight. But this year, it also gave me pause. That’s because another alum, Ben Orlin, just wrote a piece in The Los Angeles Times titled, “Why I Won’t Re-enlist as a Yale Alumni Interviewer.” His beef is that “the whole process is so spectacularly insane that participating in it— even in such a peripheral role— feels like watching spiders crawl out of my tear ducts.” The insanity is not the kids— they’re great. Nor is it Yale—it can’t take everyone. The insanity is the giant disparity between the number of stunning applicants and the number that get in: “For every bed in the freshman dorms, 20 kids are lining up, at least five of whom are high school rock stars,” Orlin wrote. “From that murderer’s row,

admissions officers face the impossible task of picking just one. There’s no right answer.” He feels for all the students who have done so much, and are likely to take their rejection personally. (Don’t we all?) What these kids can’t know is that they are just as amazing as the ones who get the thick envelopes, but they may be the 15th top debater who also spent a year teaching calculus in Kenya. No school needs 15 of the same thing. Thus, some get in, but others get bumped for a dancer/sculptor/beekeeper from Utah, or spear fisher (with perfect SATs) from Spain. So, that day as I spoke with the hopefuls, I felt compelled to also mention The Ghosts of Applicants Past. There was the girl so fascinated by rhetoric that she learned Ancient Greek. She wanted to read the first philosophers to describe speaking techniques like, “I won’t mention the defendant’s past as a thief, because that is not relevant to this case.” She loved the way information got sneakily embedded. But she also loved neuroscience, so she was doing lab research on Alzheimer’s. Her modest little goal was to figure out whether how information gets into our brains has any relation to how it leaks out. She did not get in. Another year I met a young man from a Manhattan public high school who admitted that during middle school computer class, he would hack a friend’s screen to suddenly show cartoons when the teacher was walking past. By the time he was in high school, he put his computer skills to more serious

work by starting a web design company for local businesses. If some of the coding got too hard, he’d farm it out to Russian programmers and pay them part of his fee. By senior year he’d turned his attention to the medical field and got an internship at a local teaching hospital. He discovered something (I couldn’t understand what) about how plaque builds up in arteries, and had come up with a new, cheap way to dissolve it. Ten medical school professors came to hear his lecture. When one objected that his idea wouldn’t work, he showed him how it would. This kid applied to Yale and MIT. I hope he got into the latter, because he did not get into Yale. Then there was the young woman who was producing a documentary on a French fashion muse from the ‘70s. No dice. And another student so fascinated by the French Revolution that she did original research on the guillotine jewelry of that time. She didn’t make the cut. Meantime, a young man I had a hard time interviewing because he had so little to say, did make it in. I gather that he was spectacular at math. But he got lost navigating from Union Square to our interview at a Starbucks on First Avenue and 17th and arrived late. Which is not to say Yale gets it wrong. Many of the students I’ve recommended, it took. But Orlin got it right, too: Ivy admissions are an opaque process, not to be taken personally. The good news is that by the time students think they’re Yale material, they usually are. Even if they don’t get in. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

Tips for a healthier holiday season As we prepare to gather with family and friends this holiday season, the American Heart Association, AHA, reminds us that we can make smart recipe substitutions to keep our holiday meals—and the people we love—healthier. Over-indulging in traditional holiday foods can add extra pounds to our waistlines, and increase our risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. More than 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, according to the AHA, so getting to and maintaining a healthy weight is important during the holidays and year-round. The AHA recommends making small but impactful lifestyle changes to prevent heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. Studies show that more than 80 percent of heart disease can be prevented with simple lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, exercising 30 minutes most days of the week and eating healthier. The AHA says the first step is to determine your daily calorie intake with an app or online calculator, then adjust your daily calories into the healthy range. A good place to start is by eating more fruits and vegetables which are low in calories and high in nutrition. “Many of the traditional foods served during the holidays can be healthy—the trick is to not load on the butter, sodium and sugar,” said Roufia Payman, supervisor of Outpatient Nutrition Counseling, and diabetes lifestyle coach at Northern Dutchess Hospital. “Add color and nutrition to your plate with seasonal squash, roasted vegetables and fruit-based desserts.” All of the holiday parties and dinners can throw off your healthy lifestyle goals. The AHA is offering its annual Holiday Healthy Eating Guide to help people navigate the holiday season in a healthy way. The 13page free guide has tips, recipes and resources to help maintain a healthy lifestyle during the busy holiday season. The guide is available free online at bit.ly/ AHAHolidayGuide. Party with a healthy plan in place. The AHA recommends healthy portions, limiting the empty calories in alcohol drinks, and filling up on healthier fruits and vegeta-

bles first, before the less healthy options. Keep dessert temptations to small samples of your favorites instead of full servings, and eat mindfully to enjoy every morsel. Don’t stand near the party buffet and avoid mindless nibbling. Plate-up health first. Be sure to pack your holiday meals with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, fish, skinless poultry, and plant-based side dishes and main courses. Swap-in healthier choices. Substitute fat-free and low-fat dairy products for the higher fat versions, like Greek yogurt for sour cream. Use lower sodium versions of foods like broth, canned vegetables and sauces. Use whole grain breads and pastas instead of white flour ones. Cook with unsaturated, healthier fats, and non-tropical oils. Eliminate trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils. If you choose red meats, select the leanest cuts. When it comes to poultry, light meat is leaner than dark. A serving size of meat is 3 oz., about the size of a deck of cards. Avoid the empty calories of sugar-sweetened beverages, particularly if you are going to indulge in small samples of desserts. Here are some more tips. More cooking tips: • Use vegetable oils such as olive oil instead of butter. • Use herbs and spices, like rosemary and cloves, to flavor dishes instead of butter and salt. • Bake, grill or steam vegetables instead of frying. • Instead of whole milk or

heavy cream, substitute low-fat or fat-free/skim milk. Baking swaps: • Instead of butter, substitute equal parts cinnamon-flavored, no-sugar-added applesauce. • Instead of sugar, use a lowercalorie sugar substitute. • Instead of whole or heavy cream, substitute low-fat or skim milk. • Instead of using only white flour, use half white and half whole-wheat flour. • Instead of adding chocolate chips or candies, use dried fruit, like cranberries or cherries. • Use extracts like vanilla, almond and peppermint to add flavor, instead of sugar or butter. Healthier beverages: • Instead of alcohol in mixed drinks, use club soda. • Instead of adding sugar to mixed drinks, mix 100 percent juice with water or use freshly squeezed juice. • Instead of using heavy cream or whole milk in dairy-based drinks, use low-fat or skim milk. • Instead of using sugar to sweeten cider, use spices and fruit, like cinnamon, cloves and cranberries. Of course, exercise is critical to weight management and overall health. The AHA recommends getting 30 minutes of vigorous exercise on most days of the week. Eating more? Walk more. A brisk walk before or after meals can help burn those extra calories. To find more simple ways you and your family can eat healthy, visit heart.org/healthyeating. (Submitted)

14 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • November 18, 2016

Fantasy flop LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

If I get kicked out of my fantasy football league this year, I’m placing at least 85 percent of the blame on the New Rochelle soccer team. I spent this past weekend making the rounds upstate; on Saturday, I drove up to Endwell to see the Bronxville field hockey team take on Cazenovia in the state semifinals. The following day, I drove down to Middletown to see the Huguenots win the Class AA crown against Fairport with a 2-1 win. The one thing I did not do, however, was set my fantasy lineup. With three defensive players on bye, and the majority of my top draft picks like Lamar Miller, LeGarrette Blount and Kirk Cousins on the bench since they had byes the week before, I trotted out an anemic, incom-

plete squad and handed a win to my opponent who, like me, was in the midst of a heated playoff race. If you judged solely by my friends’ reactions, you would have thought I killed somebody. Now, I understand it. We play for quite a bit of money, and the fact that I made no effort to put a team together this week may have really hurt the chances of a few of our other “owners” to recoup their league fees. I apologized to them sincerely, but in my heart, I still blame New Rochelle. Sure, maybe more of it has to do with my technological ineptitude. For the life of me, I just couldn’t figure out how to adjust my roster from my phone because I haven’t used Yahoo’s app all year. As I waited on the sidelines for the game to start, I tried frantically to manipulate my roster, to no avail. But then 1 p.m. hit, and the fantasy week—and the cham-

SPORTS

pionship game—were off and running. For the next two hours, I watched the Huguenots play a beautiful game. Their crisp passes and strong defensive challenges were interrupted only by the occasional email from one of my friends to call me horrible names that can’t, for sake of decorum, be listed here. By the time they were done celebrating their championship win, and I was done conducting my postgame interviews, it was after 4 p.m. and any chance I had to put a competitive team together was just about gone. I lost an easily winnable game, dropped out of the playoff race, and all week long, I’ve been defending myself against allegations of collusion and tanking. Maybe some of it was my fault, maybe some people in my fantasy league take things a tad too seriously, but I remain steadfast in my belief that it’s mostly New Rochelle’s fault.

Felipe Tobon embraces a young fan following New Rochelle’s 2-1 win over Fairport in the Class AA state championship game on Nov. 13. Photo/Mike Smith

But watching them celebrate that title, tears streaming down their faces as they embraced a

wild, adoring fan base? Something tells me that those guys are going to be able to live with that.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A

LIVE MIKE! Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary Follow @eastchesterview for Mike’s live, in-game action updates

SPORTS

November 18, 2016 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 15

Broncos fall in semis FIELD HOCKEY

class c

STATE SEMIFINALS

CAZENOVIA 3 BRONXVILLE 2 MAINE-ENDWELL HS

11/12/16

Game Notes: • Mia Bettino scored both Bronxville goals off assists from Ellie Walsh • Cazenovia had 10 corner chances to Bronxville’s five • The following day, the Lakers fell to Whitney Point in the Class C title game

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On Nov. 12, Bronxville’s field hockey season came to an end, as the Broncos fell short in the Class C state semifinals, losing to a strong Cazenovia squad 3-2 at Maine-Endwell High School. Cazenovia (19-2) applied pressure early, getting the game’s first goal just six minutes into the proceedings and pushed their lead to 2-0 just 15 minutes later. Only a goal by Mia Bettino, which came with 37 seconds before the end of the half, gave Bronxville a glimmer of hope heading into intermission. Although the offensive stats,

Hannah Weirens takes the ball down the sidelines against Cazenovia.

including a 10-5 edge in corner chances, heavily favored the Lakers, the Broncos, under the stewardship of assistant coach Cassie Caplan, who took over for ailing head coach Jacquelyn Frawley, came out rejuvenated in the second half, and did their best to match Cazenovia’s intensity. “They were playing a little frazzled, so I just told them to take a deep breath and play their game,” Caplan said. “But that goal by [Bettino] was big, it got us on the board, and I think we were fired up.” The Lakers were able able to extend the lead to 3-1 on a goal by Morgan Giordano with 21:20 remaining in the contest. From that point forward, however, Bronxville forced the action. Bettino again found the net to make it a one-goal game with just 7:40 left on the clock. Unfortunately for the Broncos, the late push wasn’t enough, and a few close misses made the difference as Cazenovia advanced to the finals with the win. “I honestly felt that if we had another minute or two, we would have scored,” Caplan said. “We were dominating and putting pressure on them and I felt it in every fiber of my being.” The following day, the Lakers fell 4-1 to the two-time defending state champs from Whitney Point, despite a goal from Janie Kempf.

A Bronco attempt to tie the game sails wide with just four minutes remaining in regulation.

Bronxville finished the season with a 16-4 record, improved upon last year’s showing in the state tourney, and should be primed for another solid season next fall. Although the Broncos will graduate seven players from this year’s squad, including co-captains Bettino and Ellie Walsh, they return a number of players like Han-

nah Weirens, Hadley Barr, Kat Ungvary and Fiona Jones, who all had a major impact on the team in both the regular and postseasons. Also returning for Bronxville will be goalies Katie Gordon and Kathryn

Ellie Walsh attempts a shot against Cazenovia on Nov. 12. Walsh is one of several seniors who led the Broncos this year. Photos/Mike Smith

Fiona Jones beats a Lakers defender to the ball at Maine-Endwell High School on Nov. 12. Bronxville fell to Cazenovia 3-2 in the Class C state semifinals.

Wortel, who both saw time in the semifinal game. “Every year it’s bittersweet saying goodbye, and you always wonder who is going to step up,” Caplan said. “But somebody always steps up, and for some of the younger girls this year, hopefully this is going to be great motivation.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com

16 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • November 18, 2016