February 3, 2023

Eastchester REVIEW THE

SLAM IT HOME! Senate passes Mayer’s bill to protect abortion

The New York State Senate passed Sen. Shelley B. Mayer and Assemblywoman Karines Reyes’ bill, S.1066A/ Assembly number forthcoming, which provides explicit protections for doctors, medical providers, and facilitators serving patients seeking abortion and reproductive health services via telehealth.

Just days after the 50th anniversary of the landmark decision of Roe v. Wade, the New York State Senate passed a package of bills to cement New York’s status as a reproductive health care sanctuary state. Included as part of this package, S.1066A affirms New York’s role as a nationwide leader by further safeguarding access to abortion for people in this state and across the country.

The Supreme Court’s June 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has had a devastating effect

Free tax prep for working families program

The Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board (WPWDB) will kick-off its “Volunteer Income Tax Assistance” (VITA) Program on Friday, Feb. 3, at multiple locations throughout Westchester. Residents must make an appointment by calling 211 or 1-800899-1479 to schedule an appointment at one of six locations listed below.

The VITA program, which runs Feb. 1 to April 18, helps low- and moderate-income individuals and families eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) file their taxes for free, including people with disabilities, senior citizens, and those for whom English is a second language. To make sure the program delivers maximum benefits, VITA relies on dedicated volunteers to act as greeters, and assist with translation and call-center operations. Tax preparation is done by IRS-certified volunteers with FREE electronic filing.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer stated, “What started as a small program in 1969 to help the IRS increase taxpayer education has evolved into a critical resource for low- and moderate-income taxpayers. Today, the VITA program helps ensure accurate tax returns and equitable access to the tax code and its many benefits. VITA is designed to help working families and individuals, but also serves to boost the local economy as it’s estimated that about 80% of refunds are spent locally, generating sales, wages and jobs.”

Volunteer tax preparer and Spanish translator assistance runs from February 1 through April 18 and is available at the sites below. Call 211 or (800) 899-1479 to make an appointment at one of the Westchester County VITA/EITC Tax Assistance locations.

Free Tax Prep Locations

White Plains Career Center, 120 Bloomingdale Road, 2nd Floor, White Plains, NY 10605

Dates/Times: February 7 to April 18 | Tuesday & Thursday: 11am–7pm | last open appt 6pm

• Appointments Only

• English & Spanish

• Site reserves the right to require a mask due to COVID

• Last Day: April 18 | last open appt 6pm

Mercy College—Dobbs Ferry Campus

555 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10591

Victory Hall, Room 100 | Formerly Our Lady of Victory HS

Dates/Times: Saturdays: February 4 to April 15 | 9:30am–3:00pm | last open appt 2:00pm

Last Day: April 15 | last open appt 2:00pm

• Appointments and Walk-ins

• English & Spanish

on women across the country. Despite nearly six in ten adults disapproving of the decision, and 62% of Americans agreeing that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, 26 states have banned or are expected to ban abortion in most circumstances. S.1066A represents an effort to counteract the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision, building upon protections provided in a package of laws the legislature passed last year, by explicitly addressing reproductive health services provided by licensed New York providers and physicians via telehealth, even when the patient is located outside of New York.

New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am proud that my bill, S.1066A, has passed the Senate. This legislation will protect reproductive health care providers by safeguarding them against any out-of-state interfer-

ence –– allowing New York providers to be a resource for Americans who have had their rights stripped away. New York has been and continues to be a nationwide leader for reproductive rights. We will not forego or forget our sisters across state lines. I am honored to be a part of a state legislature that is so dedicated to its constituents and fellow Americans.”

Senator Mayer continued: “I am grateful for the tireless efforts and contributions from the medical community, advocacy community, Senate staff, and New Yorkers across the state who believe that every person has the right to receive safe and private care from our world-class practitioners living in New York. I especially want to thank Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assemblymember Karines Reyes for carrying this bill in the Assembly.”

Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard said: “We are proud to provide our hard-working residents access to free tax prep services they can trust and rely on right in their local community. We thank all the IRS certified volunteers for their time and talent.”

The program is delivered through a collaboration of partners who work diligently to coordinate the day-to-day appointments and operations—United Way 2-1-1, Volunteer NY, WestCOP, AARP, the IRS, Westchester County Government, Westchester Community College, Westchester Education Opportunity Center, Mercy College Westchester and Bronx Campus, Ossining High School, and the Westchester-Putnam Career Center Network. Call 211 or 1-800-899-1479 to make an appointment for one of the six locations listed.

VITA Free Tax Prep Program Runs from February 1 through April 18

• Site reserves the right to require a mask due to COVID

Mercy College Bronx Campus

1200 Waters Place (1st Floor, Room 1344), Bronx, NY

Dates/Times: Fridays: February 3 to April 14 | 11:30am–5:30pm | last open appt 4:30pm

Last Day: April 14 | last open appt 4:30pm

• Appointment and Walk-ins

• English & Spanish

• Site reserves the right to require a mask due to COVID

Mount Vernon Career Center

130 Mount Vernon Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550

Dates/Times: February 1 to April 17

Mondays, Wednesday & Friday: see TAX 9

Andi Hajdarmataj dunks in the waning minutes of Eastchester’s 69-58 victory over league foe Rye on Jan. 31. Hajdarmataj and the Eagles rallied from a 13-point deficit after the first quarter. For story, see page 16.

Photo/Mike Smith

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Maureen P. McEvoy, MD

Raised in Connecticut and a resident of New Canaan, Maureen P. McEvoy, MD, provides comprehensive breast surgery care using minimally invasive and oncoplastic techniques to achieve cosmetically optimal outcomes. She focuses on minimizing surgery and maximizing patient care, offering surveillance for those with a high risk of breast cancer, performing lumpectomies, mastectomies and nipple-sparing mastectomies, and practicing de-escalation of axillary surgery.

A graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. McEvoy completed a two-year clinical research fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering

Cancer Center followed by a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard’s teaching hospital.

Dr. McEvoy has served on national committees and written national guidelines on ways to decrease lymphedema through smarter axillary surgery. She has presented her work on breast cancer nationally and has received awards at national conferences.

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2023 Five Towns: One Book to explore the life and work of Lorraine Hansberry

The Coalition for Understanding Racism through Education (CURE), in partnership with The Lorraine Hansberry Coalition (LHC) and five Westchester public libraries, will host the third annual “Five Towns: One Book,” a series of free events featuring a discussion on Feb. 11, with Soyica Diggs Colbert author of “Radical Vision, A Biography of Lorraine Hansberry,” followed by four events that run from March through April 15. Five Towns: One Book will draw on the life and work of Lorraine Hansberry, most noted for her play, “A Raisin in the Sun,” about a Black family, which opened on Broadway to great success. Bringing our communities together for this

series of discussions, each of which will ignite an exploration of timely themes. The Rye Free Reading Room will host Five Towns: One Book “Hansberry: Civil Rights and Freedom Practices”, on Thursday, March 2, 7 p.m., in the Meeting Room.

The program will feature a discussion with Director John Collins, conceiver/actor Greig Sargeant and actress April Matthis of “Baldwin and Buckley at Cambridge”, which recently ran at The Public Theater. For details and to register, go to www.learnwithcure.com/events. For more information, go to www.ryelibrary.org or call 231-3161.

Dr. Gonzalez is a board certified, fellowship trained sports medicine physician. His experience in family medicine trained him to have a comprehensive approach to patient care allowing him to treat patients as a whole. He is fluent in Spanish allowing him to better accommodate our Spanish speaking community. His clinical interests include degenerative conditions of the joints, tendons, muscles and ligaments, as well as overhead throwing athletes, sports related concussion management, running athletes, dance medicine and the overall comprehensive health of physical athletes.

Dr. Arsoy is a board certified Orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in reconstructive surgery of the hip and knee including primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasty. He has special interest in hip disorders of the young adult and adolescent due to sports injuries, hip impingement, dysplasia and childhood deformities such as Perthes disease and SCFE. He has significant clinical expertise in hip preservation surgeries such as hip arthroscopy, pelvic osteotomies and open hip impingement procedures.

Dr. Kazarian is a fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in the treatment of spinal conditions and disorders. He treats all conditions of the adult spine, including trauma, deformity, oncologic, and routine degenerative spine disorders. He has authored numerous publications, including research on minimizing length of stay and complication rate for adult and geriatric patients that undergo spine surgery.

Willy Gonzalez, D.O. Spor ts Medicine Physician

Diren Arsoy, M.D., M.Sc. Joint Replacement Surgeon

Erick R. Kazarian, M.D. Spine Surgeon

DMV opens in new White Plains location

TOBACCO COMPANIES ARE TARGETING

The new White Plains DMV opened on Monday, Jan. 23 on the ground floor of The Source shopping complex, located at 1 Maple Ave., near Whole Foods and The Cheesecake Factory.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has been looking for a new White Plains location since 2018 and planning to move to The Source in 2021.

The old White Plains DMV location at the former White Plains Mall closed in March 2022. The mall, which opened in 1972, has been demolished, and a new development that will include 860 rental apartments is to be built at its former spot. In addition, a DMV location for central Westchester has been

in a temporary location in Tarrytown, but it closed its doors Friday.

Hours at the new office will be Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the DMV. Reservations can be made online. Many transactions can now be done online.

The DMV has launched a webpage where customers can begin applying for REAL ID or Enhanced ID driver’s licenses. The federal government has extended the deadline to May 7, 2025, before travelers need one of the IDs or a passport, to take a domestic flight. The DMV also has a new “transparency portal” to update New Yorkers about policy changes, deadlines, and more.

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The new White Plains DMV opened on Monday, Jan. 23 on the ground floor of The Source shopping complex, located at 1 Maple Ave., near Whole Foods and The Cheesecake Factory.

Westchester Knicks pack 300+ meals for local college students at Feeding Westchester

Players from the Westchester Knicks, the New York Knicks’ official NBA G League affiliate, visited Feeding Westchester’s distribution center on Friday, Jan. 13, to help pack bags of food in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.

These bags, more than 300 meal kits containing an assortment of ready-to-eat meals and snacks, will be distributed through Feeding Westchester’s School Pantry program to local college campuses, helping fight hunger in the college community.

“We continue in our commitment to ensuring students in every corner of Westchester have access to the meals they need to thrive in and out of school,” says Karen C. Erren, Feeding Westchester president and CEO. “We are inviting the community

to join us in our fight against hunger.”

According to a 2019 survey from The Hope Center, 45% of students at both two- and four-year institutions across the United States were food insecure in the 30 days prior to the survey. Multiple factors are at play in the spread of hunger across college campuses, such as the price tag on tuition and food, access to meals, and the changing average lifestyle of contemporary college students. These numbers have likely worsened due to the effect of inflation on food prices and the average individual’s budget.

The food packed by the Westchester Knicks and Feeding Westchester volunteers helps ensure our students have the necessary nutrients to thrive in an already stressful educational environment.

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Celebrating Black History Month at the New Rochelle library

The New Rochelle Public Library is celebrating Black History Month with a variety of free programs throughout the month.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m., Ted Reinstein, author of “Before Brooklyn: The Unsung Heroes Who Helped Break Baseball’s Color Barrier” presents a virtual program telling the stories of the little-known heroes who fought segregation in baseball - rom communist newspaper reporters to the Pullman car porters who saw to it that black newspapers espousing integration in professional sports reached the homes of blacks throughout the country.

Reinstein also reminds us that the first black player in professional baseball was not Jackie Robinson but Moses Fleetwood Walker in 1884, and that for a time integrated teams were not that unusual. And then, as segregation throughout the country hardened, the exclusion of blacks in baseball quietly became the norm, and the battle for integration began anew. Registration required at bit.ly/BreakingBarriers_02_2023.

From Sunday, Feb. 5-Saturday, March 4, “Tracing Our Roots: New Rochelle’s Black History”, an original exhibit presented by New Rochelle Council on the Arts (NRCA), will be on display in the Lumen Winter Gallery of the Library, during library hours.

In this exhibit the NRCA continues its on-going exploration of the city’s heritage by focusing on the places, people, events and movements that shaped the lives of its African American residents. Through compelling graphic design, photographs, primary documents, maps, early newspaper articles and an illuminating narrative, this exhibit reveals the extraordinary heritage of New Rochelle’s Black community.

A free public exhibit reception will take place on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m., in the Library’s lobby.

On Sunday, Feb. 5, 2 p.m., enjoy a delightful chamber music concert by accomplished pianist Mikael Darmanie and violinist Robyn Quinnett in

the intimate Ossie Davis Theater. The program will feature works for violin and piano by Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, Ellington, Montgomery and Schubert. Registration requested at bit.ly/Darmanie_Quinnett_02_2023

On Friday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m., Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, coined as “The best that America has to offer “, returns to the New Rochelle Public Library by popular demand. The Band, founded in 1973 by jazz aficionado Dr. Albert Vollmer, brings together the best sidemen of the times who played with such bands as Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Lionel Hampton, Benny Carter and others. They began to tour internationally in 1976 and continue to be one of the most authentic Swing Bands playing today. Registration requested at bit.ly/ HarlemBlues_02_2023.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m., New Rochelle Public Library Archivist David Rose will give a virtual presentation, “The History of the George Washington Carver Garden Club of Westchester.” The George Washington Carver Garden Club of Westchester was founded in 1933 at the height of George Carver’s renown as an agricultural scientist and leading conservationist. The club was active in New Rochelle for 50 years, and it promoted the pleasures of suburban gardening, flower shows, horticulture, and landscaping. In this presentation, Rose will describe the club’s activities and its relation to the work and discoveries of George Carver based on records in the Library’s archive. Registration required at bit.ly/GWCarverGarden_02_2023

On Saturday, Feb. 25, 3:30 p.m., Bokandeye African Dance Troupe and participants in the Bokandey African Dance workshops taking place this January/February will perform a collage of traditional rhythms and dances from the Senegambia Region of West Africa. Registration requested at bit.ly/BkndyPerf_02_2023

Black History Month programs and performances made possible with support from the

Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library and the New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District.

All programs take place at the New Rochelle Public Library, 1 Library Plaza, New Rochelle. All programs are free and open to the public. The New Rochelle Public Library (NRPL) is a community resource that seeks to improve the life of every citizen in our city. The Library offers a comprehensive print and digital collection that includes retrospective and current materials, up-to-date technology for public use, and a wide range of community services and programs tailored to a diverse audience. Chartered in 1894, NRPL is a school-district library with its own operating budget and a Board of Trustees composed of seven elected members. It has served the 79,000 residents of New Rochelle from its Main Library building in the downtown business district since 1979. A smaller branch, located in the park in front of the New Rochelle High School, was restored through a grassroots effort and currently operates as the Huguenot Children’s Library. Learn more at nrpl.org.

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Why you need dental insurance in retirement.

Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, through employer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care. Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.

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 Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.

 Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.

 Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1

That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones.

The best way to prevent large dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental Association recommends checkups twice a year.

Previous dental work can wear out. Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2

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Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $217 for a checkup ... $189 for a filling ... $1,219 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.

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Afghan refugees in Westchester to share their stories

Last week the U.S. government launched the Welcome Corps, a program to help Americans sponsor and resettle refugees in their communities. That’s welcome news for Reshad and Zulfar Ahmadi, who fled Afghanistan with their two children in 2017 — after being targeted by Taliban insurgents — and built new lives in Westchester. They were supported by members of the Jewish Community Center of Harrison (JCCH), working with the nonprofit HIAS.

“It’s not easy for a refugee to leave everything behind: your homeland, your friends, your family,” Zulfar said. “The JCCH members made our journey so much easier. Every detail was taken care of, from finding and furnishing a home to enrolling our children in school. We felt blessed to know there are good-hearted people who understand the pain a refugee feels and want to help.”

The Ahmadis have flourished in Westchester and recently bought a home in White Plains, but they always worried about those left behind in Afghanistan — especially after the Taliban retook control in August 2021.

Fortunately, in October 2021, nine family members — Zulfar’s sister, brother-in-law and nieces and Reshad’s parents and siblings — were able to escape to a refugee camp in the United Arab Emirates. They made their way to White Plains last fall with help from HIAS and resettlement committees from JCCH and Community Synagogue of Rye (CSR).

On Friday, Feb. 3, during a special service at CSR, Reshad Ahmadi and his sister-in-law Wagma Stanikzai will share details about their escapes from Kabul and their new lives in Westchester. The next day, Zulfar, her sister Wagma Stanikzai, her sister-in-law Frohar Ahmadi and her mother-in-law Zakera Ahmadi will join services at the Jewish Community Center of Harrison to talk about their journeys as refugees and their concern for women in their homeland under Taliban rule.

Both events are part of Refugee Shabbat 2023, a global project organized by HIAS. Hundreds of congregations and organizations around the world are expected to participate to raise awareness about the plight of refugees worldwide.

— The Feb. 3 services at Community Synagogue of Rye, 200 Forest Ave., Rye, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and can be joined in person or through Zoom.

— The Feb. 4 services at the Jewish Community Center of Harrison, 130 Union Ave., Harrison, will begin at 9:30 a.m. and can be joined in person or through Zoom.

For more information or for Zoom links to the services, contact Barbara Gaynes at barbaragaynes@gmail.com or 329-9674.

Tax-deductible contributions to support the Ahmadi and Stanikzai families can be made through their GoFundMe campaign. (https://gofund. me/16c86381)

Who Qualifies for EITC?

10am–5pm | last open appt 4pm

Last Day: April 17 | last open appt 4pm

• Appointments Only

• English & Spanish

• Site reserves the right to require a mask due to COVID

Ossining High School, Room 202

29 South Highland Avenue, Ossining, NY 10562

Dates/Times: February 6 to April 17

Mondays: 4pm–8pm | last open appt 7pm

Last Day: April 17 | last open appt 7pm

• Appointments and Walk-ins

• English and Spanish

• Site reserves the right to require a mask due to COVID

Closed: Feb. 20, March 13, April 3, and April 10

Westchester Community College (Gateway Center)

75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595

Dates/Times: February 1 to April 17

Mon. & Wed.: 9am–5pm | last open appt 4:00pm

Last Day: April 17 | last open appt 4:00pm

• English and Spanish

• Appointments only for students, families, and alumni. Visitors must check in at the Visitors’ Checkin Desk in the Gateway Center Lobby.

• Site reserves the right to require a mask due to COVID

The potential maximum tax credit includes federal, state and New York City credits and depends on income, marital status and number of qualifying children in the household. Qualifying children can be a son, daughter, grandchild, adopted child, step child or foster child as long as the child is under 19 years of age, under the age of 24 if a full-time student, or be permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year. The child must have the same principal residence as the taxpayer for more than half the tax year and not provide more than one-half of his/her own support for the year.

Earned income and adjusted gross income (AGI) must each be less than:

• $53,057 ($59,187 if Married Filing Jointly) with three or more qualifying children

• $49,399 ($55,529 if Married Filing Jointly) with two qualifying children

• $43,492 ($49,622 if Married Filing Jointly) with one qualifying child

• $16,480 ($22,610 if Married Filing Jointly) with no qualifying child

The maximum EITC for 2022:

• $6,935 with three or more qualifying children

• $6,164 with two qualifying children

• $3,733 with one qualifying child

• $560 with no qualifying child

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Free Tax Prep program is a national initiative sponsored by the IRS and the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to help low- and moderate-income residents qualify for federal and state earned income tax credits (EITC).

Misdemeanor Mental Health Court opens in Westchester

Ninth Judicial District Administrative Judge Anne Minihan announced on Jan. 19, the launch of the Westchester Misdemeanor Wellness Court (WMWC), a specialized court for individuals charged with misdemeanors in Westchester County living witah a serious mental illness that affects their dayto-day functioning.

Located in White Plains City Court, the WMWC will offer eligible individuals courtsupervised, community-based treatment and services as an alternative to conventional prosecution, addressing participants’ treatment and criminogenic needs while balancing the public safety concerns of the community. Participation in the WMWC is voluntary.

Treatment plans will be tailored to each participant’s needs, with the WMWC offering a range of services, such as mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, housing assistance, education assistance and job training. Those who fulfill the court’s treatment and other requirements may have their charges reduced or dismissed.

The new court is a collaborative effort of the Ninth Judicial District, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the County’s Departments of Probation and Community Mental Health, the local defense bar and local service providers, among others. The New York State Court System’s Office for Justice Initiatives’ Division of Policy and Planning, under the leadership of Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Edwina Richardson-Mendelson and Hon. Toko Serita, has been working with the WMWC throughout the planning and implementation process.

To be accepted into the program, WMWC participants must be deemed eligible by the District Attorney’s Office and the Westchester Department of Community Mental Health, enter a guilty plea (except in rare circumstances) and enter into a participation agreement with the assistance of defense counsel. WMWC participants are closely monitored and required to appear in court weekly for a minimum of six months, directly interacting with the judge and reporting to the court’s care coordinator. Additionally, some WMWC participants may be assigned peer mentors.

Referrals to the WMWC may be made by any town, village or city court in Westchester County; referrals may also come from the County’s District Attorney’s Office, Department of Community Mental Health, Department of Probation, local defense bar and/or local law enforcement.

Starting today, the WMWC will operate

on Thursday afternoons. White Plains City Court Judge Eric Press will serve as the WMWC’s presiding judge.

“With the launch of the Westchester Misdemeanor Wellness Court, the Ninth Judicial District moves forward in search of innovative ways for communities and courts to collaborate in reducing recidivism while serving the treatment needs of justice-involved litigants living with serious mental illness. Implementing this project will, we hope, help to break the cycle of incarceration and guide participants toward wellness and stability in the community,” said Judge Minihan.

“Westchester County stakeholders came together over the course of many months to plan the Westchester Misdemeanor Wellness Court, which will further enhance access to the criminal justice system, help to achieve better case outcomes and improve public safety. I am grateful to our many community partners and stakeholders for their ongoing support of court initiatives designed to improve criminal justice responses to people with serious mental illness and other behavioral health needs,” said Judge RichardsonMendelson.

“The WMWC is a welcome addition to the New York State Unified Court System’s more than 300 problem-solving courts, which focus on comprehensively and holistically addressing the behavioral health needs of justice-involved individuals. I look forward to supporting the Hon. Eric Press and the rest of the WMWC team as they begin the hard work of identifying and responding to the unique needs of people living with serious mental illness,” said Judge Serita.

“I am grateful to the Courts and our partner advocates for heeding our call and helping us bring to Westchester County a misdemeanor mental health court, which will serve as a practical and humane alternative for individuals who commit low-level crimes and are in need of treatment and services. In addition to it being the right thing to do, the WMWC will also be an effective early intervention tool, to help prevent some individuals from committing more serious or violent felony crimes in the future,” said District Attorney Rocah.

“As a defense attorney with the Legal Aid of Westchester County who has worked in the felony mental health court since its

inception, I am keenly aware of the need for similar services to be offered to clients at the local level. I was privileged to be part of the planning for this court and thrilled it is becoming a reality. It has a great team, with Judge Press at the helm,” said Robin Bauer, senior attorney, Legal Aid Society of Westchester County.

“Westchester County has a long history of working to ensure that people with mental health and substance use needs get the help and treatment that is appropriate for them. The Misdemeanor Wellness Court will serve as an alternative to prosecution and connect individuals whose needs have previously been unmet with treatment that will prevent them from intersecting with law enforcement. By collaborating with our partners in the criminal justice system, we are likely to have better outcomes for participants and a safer community for everyone,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

There are currently 42 mental health courts in operation across the state, including 25 Misdemeanor Mental Health Courts, with more in the planning stages.

Ninth Judicial District Administrative Judge Anne Minihan announced the launch of the Westchester Misdemeanor Wellness Court, a specialized court for individuals charged with misdemeanors in Westchester County living with a serious mental illness that affects their day-to-day functioning.

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Immediate Opening Fallsburg Central School F

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NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 12/27/212 Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: DMC STRATEGY, LLC, 120 Broad Street, Hawthorne, NY 10532. Notice of Formation of DMC STRATEGY, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 12/14/22 Office location: Westchester County.

SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to:850 New Burton Road, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19904. Notice of Formation of VT Good Wood LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of The Outdoors Contained LLC. Art. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/17/2023. Office: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: PO Box 506, Rye, NY 10580. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 1/3/2023. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Kimberly Jenkins-Grant 12 Pratt Street, New Rochelle, NY, 10801. Notice of Formation of Kingdom Building Management LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of Jessica Fountas Marriage and Family Therapy, PLLC. Art. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/18/2023. Office: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: PLLC, 37 Hyatt Rd, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510. Purpose: marriage and family therapy.

Notice of formation of YPMProduction LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York(SSNY) on 01/06/2023.

Location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent for service of process on LLC. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: 101 Central Pkwy, Mount Vernon, NY 10552. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of EMPIRE BUILDERS CONSULTING GROUP LLC. Articles of Organization filed with SSNY on 02/28/19. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Cassandra Patterson, 119 Mt. Vernon Ave, Suite 2065, Mt. Vernon, NY 10550. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 10/23/2022 Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Mansa J. Gory, 21 Rich Ave, Apt 4L, Mount Vernon NY 10550. Notice of Formation of Ice Cold Enterprise LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 1/4/23 Office location: Westchester County.SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Kerlande Laurent 204 North Terrace Ave, Mount Vernon, NY 10550 Notice of Formation of Gift Of Faith LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 1/3/2023 Office location: Westchester County.

SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to:821 Fenimore Rd.,Mamaroneck NY 10543 Notice of Formation of Hilde Friderichs LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of LBK Consulting Services, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/09/2023. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o General Counsel, PO Box 396, Bedford, NY 10506. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 1/1/2023 Office location: Westchester County.

SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Katrin LeStrange, 26 Spring Road, Chappaqua, NY 10514. Notice of Formation of LeStrange Advisors, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 12/12/2022 Office location: Westchester County.

SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: MACVEND 130 Park Drive

Eastchester, NY 10709. Notice of Formation of MACVEND LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 01/01/2023 Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Thomas G. Adari, 1556 Nepperhan Ave, Yonkers, New York 10703. Notice of Formation of GWA Jewelers LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

That the Zoning Board of the Town of Tuckahoe will hold a public hearing Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 7:30pm on the application for a special use permit for SRG Fitness LLC residing at 1955 Central Park Ave, Yonkers, NY 10710 for a sports and health club. The property is located at 269 Columbus Ave, Tuckahoe, NY. Section 42, Block 9, Lot 45. The meeting will be conducted at Tuckahoe Town Hall, 65 Main Street, Tuckahoe, NY 10707. Check the meeting agenda on the town website (Tuckahoe.com) or call the building department at 914.961.8148.

NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 11/17/2022 Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of Dovetail Clique, LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Malik Spence, 616 Lincoln Avenue, Apt. A52, Mount Vernon, NY 1052. Notice of Formation of Dovetail Clique, LLC Arts of Org. filed with Purpose: any lawful activity.

That the Zoning board of appeals of the Town of Eastchester will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023, at 7:00pm at the Eastchester Town Hall, 40 Mill Rd, Eastchester New York on the application of Angelo Scialabba for an Area variance related to proposed addition and alteration affecting the premises identified as Section 76, Block 1, Lot 37 on the tax map of the Town of Eastchester, New York, 59 Overlook Ave Eastchester, NY 10709. Note: Application materials can be viewed from a link on the agenda. Please contact Building and Planning if you have any questions.

That the Zoning board of appeals of the Town of Eastchester will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023, at 7:00pm at the Eastchester Town Hall, 40 Mill Rd, Eastchester New York on the application of Matthew Hedstrom for an Area variance related to remove and reconstruct a new detached garage affecting the premises identified as Section 57, Block 1, Lot 28 on the tax map of the Town of Eastchester, New York, 59 Anderson Ave Scarsdale, NY 10583. Note: Application materials can be viewed from a link on the agenda. Please contact Building and Planning if you have any questions.

That the Zoning board of appeals of the Town of Eastchester will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023, at 7:00pm at the Eastchester Town Hall, 40 Mill Rd, Eastchester New York on the application of Janice Krick for an Area variance related to proposed 1-story addition over existing 1st floor footprint affecting the premises identified as Section 54, Block 2, Lot 21 on the tax map of the Town of Eastchester, New York, 57 Locust Ave Scarsdale, NY 10583. Note: Application materials can be viewed from a link on the agenda. Please contact Building and Planning if you have any questions.

Section I heads back to County Center

On Monday, Jan. 30, Section I officials announced that, for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the boys and girls basketball playoffs would be heading back to the Westchester County Center. And while Championship Week once again becoming the marquee scholastic hoops event in the area, it’s also one more sign that, for our young student-athletes, things continue to trend towards normalcy after three years of disruptions.

The announcement came on Monday afternoon, confirming what many had been speculating for

weeks; from Feb. 27 to March 5, the most famous arena in Westchester will play home to the semifinal and championship rounds of the Section I tournament, bringing back a tradition that has become an institution for local sports fans.

High School sports were suspended shortly after the conclusion of the 2020 tournament, and the last few years have seen the venue used as a vaccination site before closing for renovations that were necessary in order to allow the arena to hold a multitude of events .

In a statement released in conjunction with the announcement, Section 1 Chair Todd Santabarbara acknowledged the long road Section I basketball has taken to return to the County Center.

“It was truly amazing to see the

transformation that the Westchester County Center has undergone; first, this storied space was converted into a medical facility as part of the greater effort to address the needs of our county in battling the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “Now, it is returning to once again serve as the premier venue to hold our Basketball Championships.”

Unsurprisingly, the news was met with enthusiastic support from the basketball community. Last year, the Section I tournament finals were held at Yorktown High School, which—while a serviceable venue—lacked the sense of history that permeates the County Center. Two years ago, the season ended with regional tournaments in lieu of a section-wide event.

Now, our student athletes will

finally get the chance to shine on the biggest stage of all—most of them for the first time ever. And the promise of playing under those big lights has to serve as further inspiration for those teams hoping to vie for a Golden Ball.

But after the three-year hiatus, will the festivities at the County Center feel the same? It’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t.

As restrictions have have gradually loosened since the pandemic’s darkest days, each step towards normalcy has been met by an

unmistakable joy. It only stands to reason then, that the crowds that will pour into the Westchester County Center next month will be loud, proud, and eager to cheer on their teams.

There may not be any “cheering in the press box”, as the adage goes, but I know I’ll be psyched to be there as well.

Now all we have to do is count down the days.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

On Jan. 30, Section I officials announced that, after three years, Championship Week would be heading back to the Westchester County Center this winter.

Eagles rally against Rye

Boys Basketball League Eastchester Rye

Game Notes

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor

It may not have been the start Eastchester was looking for on Tuesday night, but it was certainly hard to find fault in the way they closed things out.

With their backs against the wall early on against league rival Rye on Jan. 31, the Eagles dug deep, found and extra gear, and outplayed the Garnets over the final 24 minutes of the game to come away with a 69-58 victory.

Trailing by 13 after one quarter of play, the Eagles simply began to wake up, said Fred DiCarlo, who chalked up the slow start to a bit of hesitancy on the part of Eastchester defenders.

“It comes down to effort and energy; in the first quarter, we didn’t have either,” said the head coach. “But then the spark went off in that second quarter

and we had it for the rest of the game,”

As the Eagles harassed Rye’s perimeter shooters—the Garnets sunk five three-pointers in the first half and just one after the intermission—they began to turn defensive stops into points on the other end.

Frankie Provenzale led the squad with 19 points, while Andi Hajdarmataj notched

15 and Marcus Rolon tallied 12.

Rye’s Jake Kessner finished with 22, but was the Garnets’ only true scoring option on the second half, dropping 16 of his team’s 39 points in the final two quarters.

DiCarlo credited his team—which improved to 8-6 with the win—for turning things around but

admitted that against top teams like Rye (11-6) the Eagles can’t afford to settle into games.

“Consistency is the biggest thing for us,” he said. “When we play defense with energy and hustle, we can play with a lot of teams; when we don’t, that’s what you saw in the first quarter.”

The Eagles will have a

tough road to hoe before their regular season ends on Feb. 13, as they have six games left on the docket, including a rematch with Rye and showdowns with Class AA powers Mamaroneck and Scarsdale.

DiCarlo said that he didn’t expect the condensed schedule to present a problem for his squad, which has shown a

knack for getting big contributions from is talented bench.

“It’s backloaded a bit, but that’s ok,” he said. “I think we play a little bit better when we’re tired and we roll 11 or 12 guys out there, so I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”

Contact: sports@hometwn.com

Jake Kessner spots up for a jumpsuit against Eastchester. Kessner tallied 22 points on Tuesday. James Tallent drives to the hoop against the Garnets. Photos/Mike Smith

Frankie Provenzale looks for an open teammate on Jan. 31. Provenzale finished with a team-high 19 points for the Eagles.

@

At Rye HS

• Eastchester was trailing by 13 after 1 quarter.

• Frankie Provenzale had 19 points for the Eagles

• Jake Kessner scored 22 for Rye