Eastchester REVIEW THE
g n i Saying goodbye y a S oodbye g
June 23, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 25 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Bronxville High School
Bronxville High School held its 95th commencement ceremony on June 17. Pictured, retiring Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Quattrone presents the first award in his honor for engaged citizenship to graduating senior Margaret McKelvy. For more, see page 10. Photo/Sibylla Chipaziwa
held its 95th commencement ceremony on June 17. Retiring Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Quattrone presents the first award in his honor for engaged citizenship to graduating senior Margaret McKelvy. For more, see page 10. Photo/Sibylla Chipaziwa
2 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • June 23, 2017
June 23, 2017 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 3
Denning to challenge Colavita again By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Four years after losing a race to longtime Republican Eastchester Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita, Michael Denning will once again try to unseat the powerful incumbent. Denning, a Democrat and retired Eastchester police officer, said he decided to run again because he felt Colavita has held the office for too long. “It’s time for a different voice on the [town] board,” he added. “The current board [consists] of all [Republicans], all of whom were appointed by the current supervisor.” Although all four of Colavita’s council colleagues have been elected to full terms, they each made their first appearance on the board as appointments to fill unexpired terms. Those appointments were all made by the Colavita-led Town Council. Denning, 47, said he hopes to bring a Democratic voice to the town board, and would hope to make Eastchester a more pedestrian-friendly town. “Eastchester was established 350 years ago and everybody seems to think that there’s a real need for sidewalks in [various districts of Eastchester],” he said. Meanwhile, Colavita, 56, said his campaign would highlight the town’s financial standing and improved services over his 14 years as supervisor. “We’re going to remind the public that the town
Michael Denning
Tony Colavita
has been greatly improved with regard to parks, ball fields, streetscapes,” he told the Review, adding that the town board has also fought off overdevelopment. He also pointed to the town board’s financial accomplishments: keeping the budget below the state-mandated tax cap each year since it was implemented in 2011; earning the highest available Moody’s credit rating; and ranking among the top 15 percent of municipalities in terms of fiscal strength. Although many of these accomplishments were enough to defeat Denning by a landslide in 2013, the Democrat said he plans on taking a different approach this year. “Last time, it was myself out on foot trying to get my campaign out there,” he said. This time, Denning says he has enlisted the help of friends and town Democrats to help promote his campaign. Colavita, on the other hand, said he does not plan on chang-
ing his approach to campaigning. “Each year, whether I had an opponent or not, I was out ringing doorbells, preparing literature and campaigning,” he said. “And we’re going to continue to do that this year.” Statistically, the political makeup of the Eastchester populous favors Colavita. Eastchester is one of only two towns in Westchester County which has more registered Republicans than Democrats, according to the county Board of Elections. In his seven terms in office as supervisor, Colavita has only been contested once before, by Denning in 2013, winning that race with 60 percent of the vote. This year, Colavita is running alongside Councilman Luigi Marcoccia and Councilwoman Theresa Nicholson, both Republicans, who are running unopposed. The town supervisor receives an annual salary of $98,093, and each of the council members receives $15,831 per year. Election Day is Nov. 7. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
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4 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • June 23, 2017
What’s going on... Eastchester Public Library
Teen Summer Reading Game Kickoff Movie On Wednesday, June 28 from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Join the library for a special showing of your favorite movie based on your votes when you pre-registered for the summer reading game. Popcorn will be served. Pre-registration online for this movie is suggested. For more information, contact Amelia Buccarelli at 791-8109 or abuccarelli@wlsmail.org.
Bronxville Public Library For more information on hours and programs, visit eastchesterlibrary.org.
Summer Reading Game Kickoff Party: Magic of Sharks! On Monday, June 26 from 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. This year’s Summer Reading Game will kickoff with “Magic of Sharks,” with magician Steve Woyce. Open to all entering grades K–5 and participating in one of the library’s summer reading games. This program is drop-off. Online pre-registration is required. For more information, contact Teresa Chang at 7218105 or tchang@wlsmail.org.
Read-to-Me Game Kickoff Party: Kurt Gallagher Music Show On Tuesday, June 27 from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Join Kurt Gallagher for the library’s Read-to-Me Game kickoff party, for ages 2 to 5 with caregiver who are participating in the game. Online pre-registration is required. For more information, contact Teresa Chang at 721-8105 or tchang@wlsmail.org.
For more information on library hours and programs, visit bronxvillelibrary.org.
Adult Reading Bingo This program runs through Aug. 31. Sign up at any time during these dates. Join the library for its annual Adult Summer Reading Program. The goal of this program is to broaden your horizons and read some books you would not normally choose to read on your own. For every book you read, you will gain an entry to win one of four grand prizes: a Bow Tie
Cinemas gift certificate; a Kindle Fire tablet; Park Place Bagel & Topps Bakery gift cards; or a wine and cheese gift basket Complete a row of bingo and you will also receive a smaller prize. To participate, sign up at the Reference Desk to receive your bingo card and blank raffle tickets or register online.
Build a Better World: Summer Reading Program
little effort and a lot of flavor. Sample the dishes, too. Registration is requested by calling 961-2121. Sponsored by the Friends of the Tuckahoe Library.
Puzzles in the Library On Tuesday, June 27 at 4 p.m. Do some puzzles in the library. Open to ages 3 to 6. To register, call the library at 961-2121.
Adult Summer Reading Kickoff
The library is the perfect place for children and families to become empowered to build a better world. Through books and STEAM—science, technology, engineering, art, and math—activities and programs, kids ages 3 to 8 will discover new ways of looking at the world around them. Additionally, children who log time spent reading this summer will earn a multitude of prizes. Registration is required online. Please provide child’s name and age in the comment box provided.
On Wednesday, June 28 at 6:30 p.m. Join the library for the summer reading kickoff with a special performance given by the Crestwood Recorder Consort. Led by musician Susan Altabet of the Crestwood Music Education Center, the group will be performing medieval and Renaissance recorder music. Readers will be able to sign up for our Building a Better World summer reading program. To register, call the library at 961-2121. Sponsored by the Friends of the Tuckahoe Library.
Baby Bee Reading Club
Children’s Summer Reading Kickoff
Although your baby is years away from becoming a reader, he or she starts to develop the necessary skills for reading and writing at birth. The library’s early literacy program encourages your child to love language and books and most of all, to have fun. Parents or caregivers who participate will earn prizes for completing early literacy activities. For newborns to age 2. Online registration required. Please include child’s name and age in the comment box provided.
On Thursday, June 29 at 11:30 a.m. in the Tuckahoe Community Center. For ages 3 to 10. Presented by Turtle Dance Music, a children’s music company dedicated to furthering child development through arts-integration, music, and educational entertainment. TDM sparks children’s curiosity and imaginations through interactive, inclusive musical performances that use a wide range of instruments, stuffed animals, games and music technology. To register, call the library at 961-2121.
Tween and Teen Summer Reading Game
NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital
Register in the Children’s Room starting Monday, June 26. The Summer Reading Game has changed. Tweens (grades 4–6) and teens (grades seven and up) now join the SRG together. How does the SRG (summer reading game) work? Sign up in the Children’s Room, grab a book log and some reading reviews, and start reading. Teens and tweens get a prize for every book and review form they complete. You also have a chance to earn raffle slips and win one of three grand prize baskets. Winners of the grand prize baskets will be announced the first week of September. For more information, visit bronxvillelibrary.org.
Legacy Planning On Thursday, June 29 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Representatives from NY Life Insurance Company will be discussing the impact of legacy planning on overall estate planning, and how creating a multi-generational legacy plan can supplement retirement income and also leave a significant legacy for loved ones.
Tuckahoe Public Library For more information on library hours and programs, visit tuckahoe.com/library.
The NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital is located at 55 Palmer Road in Bronxville. For more information, visit nyp.org.
Joint Replacement and Surgery Patient Education Every Wednesday from 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the NYP Lawrence lobby Conference Room. Are you tired of knee, hip or shoulder pain? Have you scheduled joint replacement surgery? All are welcome to attend this pre-operative joint replacement patient education class to learn about the surgical and rehabilitative experience, and meet the hospital’s multidisciplinary team who can answer your questions. To register, call 787-2119.
Cancer Survivorship Celebration On Thursday, June 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the NYP Lawrence Hospital Cancer Center. Join the hospital for a celebration of people living with cancer—tour the hospital’s new cancer center, visit with staff. To register, call 787-3129 or email jlepere@lawrencehealth.org.
Teen Summer Reading Kickoff On Monday, June 26 at 4 p.m. Have fun when Annette Zito, local cookbook author and chef, helps you make a delicious breakfast and dessert with
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.
June 23, 2017 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 5
County approves $10M Playland Pool rehab By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Advocates for retaining and renovating Playland’s historic swimming pool scored a major victory this week after Westchester County lawmakers, in a 15-2 vote, decided to inject nearly $10 million in capital improvements to bring the structure back up to par. The decision comes after more than a year of deliberations over the ailing pool’s fate, and for the time being, sinks a prospective plan to build a new seasonal dining area that proponents of pool renovations say would have exacerbated noise and aesthetics in surrounding Rye neighborhoods. Playland is owned by the county but is located within the city of Rye. “The reason we’ve been advocating so strongly is that the local community spoke out in favor of keeping the swimming pool as opposed to the other uses that were discussed with Standard [Amusements],” said county Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat. The decision by the county Board of Legislators marks a reversal from an initial plan sent down by County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, that would have removed the pool completely, giving the amusement park’s co-managers of Playland, Standard Amusements, license to utilize the space as they saw fit. Standard
Amusements, an investment firm headed by Harrison native Nick Singer, who also formerly co-managed the hedge fund Standard General, was selected to operate the amusement park in a management agreement struck in May 2016. County Legislator Jim Maisano, a New Rochelle Republican and vocal critic of the plan to remove the pool, said, “I’m especially happy that those kids whose families can’t afford a membership at a club with a pool or for trips to the shore will have an easily accessible and affordable option to escape the brutal summer heat and humidity that we often have in the lower Hudson Valley.” Not all lawmakers were on board with saving the pool by injecting a hefty dose of capital, however. Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat, and Republican Minority Leader John Testa, of Peekskill, accounted for the only opposition votes. At a June 20 meeting of the full legislative board, Kaplowitz said that he voted no due to his support of an alternate plan that would have installed a retractable platform over the pool that would have doubled as a dining area. As per a management agreement, Playland is set to be solely operated by Standard Amusements, after the county expends 50 percent of the money earmarked for capital
improvements. The deal will see both parties pour $30 million each into various renovations, rides, and concessions over the course of 30 years. An initial payment of $1.5 million that Standard was expected to make to the county has been delayed and tied to a decision on the pool. Also holding up that payment has been ongoing litigation between the county and the city of Rye over jurisdictional authority on capital projects planned by Standard for the park. According to Dan Branda, a spokesman for the Astorino administration, the $1.5 million payment will not be received by the county until 60 days after a decision of the Rye lawsuit. Though Rye’s lawsuit was thrown out by a judge in March, the city has since launched the beginning stages of an appeal which will have to be fully submitted before August. Rye will also mull over filing an injunction on upcoming projects at the park that would immediately halt millions of dollars of improvements to park rides and infrastructure. According to county Legislator Mary Jane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat, from here, the design phase of the pool’s renovation will take up to 18 months, with the construction taking an additional 16 months. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Westchester County lawmakers voted overwhelmingly this week to renovate Playland’s swimming pool, authorizing a bond for nearly $10 million in repairs. File photo
CPW receives volunteer award
Cerebral Palsy of Westchester has worked with the Food Bank for Westchester since 2016 on the BackPack Program. Contributed photo
On June 1, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, CPW, was recognized at the 12th Annual Hunger Heroes Awards Breakfast. The Food Bank for Westchester awarded CPW with the Volunteer Award for their efforts in working to end hunger in the county. CPW has partnered with the Food Bank for Westchester since 2016 as part of the BackPack Program, which is designed to help alleviate child hunger by providing hungry and at-risk children with nutritious, easy-toprepare food on weekends and school vacations. CPW is the first off site location to assemble Backpacks. Each Backpack has six meals and includes; protein,
milk, fruit, grain and vegetables. In the Backpack there is also a recipe with nutrition information in English and Spanish. Vocational program participants and Port Chester High School students in transition assemble over 200 backpacks a month. This provides participants with the chance to develop social and interpersonal communication skills as well as employment readiness training. CPW’s Community Based Day Program then delivers the backpacks to children in need at local schools and community centers twice a month. For more than 65 years, CPW has been the leading non-prof-
it organization in Westchester County, providing essential services to children and adults with all developmental disabilities including autism, neurological impairments, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. It has always been our purpose to help people realize their goals, build brighter futures, and lead more independent lives as members of their community. For more information about CPW or its programs please contact Joan Colangelo, director of development, at 937-3800 ext. 215 or email Colangelo at joan. colangelo@cpwestchester.org. (Submitted)
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Eastchester REVIEW THE
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Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Reporter | Corey Stockton ext. 16, corey@hometwn.com Reporter | Franco Fino ext. 18, franco@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lynne Starr ext. 29, lynne@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Franco Fino Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Jen Parente Columnists Mary Marvin, Richard Forliano, Lenore Skenazy Letters The community’s opinion matters. If you have a view to express, write a letter to the editor by email to chris@hometwn.com. Please include a phone number and name for verification purposes.
SUNY Purchase student
releases first LP By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter Just a few days out of his first semester of senior year, singer-songwriter Jonny Parks released his fourth album, proving you can have the best of both worlds. Parks, who has been producing music since 2014, said that he’s successfully managed to find a balance between his academic studies and professional career as a musician, even if it means compromising on his sleep schedule. Parks has one semester left at SUNY Purchase, where he is pursuing a B.A. in literature. He explained that the only thing standing in the way of him and his degree is his senior project, which involves an analysis of the folk music scene in the 1960s. “I just wanted to pick something musical,” Parks told the Review in an interview this week. Parks came to SUNY Purchase in 2014 after leaving SUNY Fredonia. He explained that he chose to attend Purchase because he wanted to be closer to his home in White Plains.
Singer-songwriter Jonny Parks performs his soul-inspired music at Silvana in New York City.
“The Portia LP,” released on May 20, is singer-songwriter Jonny Parks’ first LP. Photos courtesy Facebook.com/ Jonnyparksmusic
White Plains is where he began working with Rich Fabrizio, an engineer and producer at Frequency Recording. The two have worked together since Parks’ first EP “DrugFall” in 2014. “[Jonny Parks] is one of the best singer-songwriters I work with,” Fabrizio said. Fabrizio explained as they’ve continued to work together, he’s helped convince Parks to get more
Community Events If you have an event you would like to share with the community, send it to news@hometwn.com. Delivery For home delivery or to subsribe, call (914) 653-1000 x27. Classifieds & Legals To post your notices or listings, call (914) 653-1000 x27. Postmaster Send address changes to The Eastchester Review c/o HomeTown Media Group, 170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Visit us online www.eastchesterreview.com
Follow us on Twitter, @eastchesterview Like us on Facebook, facebook.com/eastchesterreview The Eastchester Review is published weekly by Home Town Media Group for an annual subscription of $45. Application to mail at the periodicals postage rate is approved at White Plains, N.Y., 10601. Periodicals postage paid at White Plains and additional mailing offices.
Singer-songwriter Jonny Parks began work recording “The Portia LP” at Frequency Recording in fall 2015. Photo/Taylor Brown
into production, adding in bass, drums and keyboard to his other albums. “We basically built a band around his songs,” he said. Through this process, Parks has been able to take genres like rhythm and blues, jazz and soul and turn it into his own unique sound. He explained that when in the studio, “I have this mindset of,
‘this has to be perfect because it’s on record.’ So I’ll end up re-doing the vocals like 10 times.” Parks began working on his fourth album in fall 2015, and says that it was influenced by his job at a country club and its wealthy members. His most recent album features 14 songs originally written, of which he said his favorite track is “Reprise (From Heaven).” He explained that the creation of this song involved rewriting and reproducing one of his old songs. Parks has been writing his own music and playing guitar since he was in high school. He explained that John Mayer was a big influence for him when he first began pursuing music. “[Mayer’s] a brilliant writer, so I just [tried] to emulate him,” Parks said. Only a few weeks into the release of his latest
album, Parks is pleased with the positive reaction that it has received, especially after the selfdoubts he experienced during the year-and-a-half-long creation process. He said he was worried about the reaction to his album because, “[it’s] not the same as a typical pop singer.” Parks said that his sound isn’t something you would normally find on a Top 40 chart and that throughout the process of creating his newest album, “I thought, ‘Maybe this is a little too unique.’” He said he spoke with one of his friends, who helped him realize that his particular style was something he should be proud of. Parks publishes some of his live performances and music videos on his own YouTube channel. Accompanying one of the tracks, “Smoke and Mirrors,” off his new album is a music video, which was filmed, directed and edited by Parks’ long-time friend, Steven Ferri. Parks and Ferri first met in eighth grade, but only three years ago did the two begin to work together on Parks’ music. “The way he is with his music, that’s kind of an extension of who he is,” Ferri said. He explained that the only difficulty they’ve had working together is having time in between school to do it. “[We] don’t like to rush anything,” he said. For his next album, Parks said that he has some idea of what he wants it to look like. “Each project [I work on], I want it to sonically sound different,” Parks said. Parks’ latest album can be found on Spotify, iTunes, Google Music and Tidal. CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com
June 23, 2017 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 7
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Students receive Blue Ribbon Foundation Grant
From left, Shashi Massey and Malia Hernandez were two winners of the Blue Ribbon Foundation Scholarships.
On Sunday, June 11, during the Village Lutheran Church and The Chapel School’s annual Baccalaureate Service, fifth graders Malia Hernandez and Shashi Massey were awarded Blue Ribbon Foundation Scholarships for 2017-2018. Hernandez was awarded the Sharon Peterson Librarian Scholarship for excellence in reading and literacy, and Massey was awarded the Carol and Christopher Kinghan GIVING HEARTS Memorial Scholarship for exhibiting a love of giving and helping others. Kinghan was born on March 16, 1988. He was baptized and confirmed at Village Lutheran Church and also attended The Chapel School. Kinghan died unexpectedly on January 5, 2013 surrounded by his loving family. Kinghan’s life was characterized by joy and love towards others. His mother, Carol Kinghan, and the Kinghan family, set up the Christopher P. Kinghan Heart of Giving Scholarship to remember Kinghan’s legacy and to encourage a deserving Chapel School student entering The Chapel School sixth grade who exemplifies Kinghan’s love of giving and helping others. On July 31, 2014, after a long battle with cancer, Carol Kinghan too passed away. Her family grieved her loss but celebrated her awesome life and the eternal life that she now shares with her son and all the faithful departed. Through the award, the eternal life of Christopher Kinghan and Carol Kinghan are celebrated, and Chapel School students are encouraged to continue in the tradition that Kinghan demonstrated in his
earthly ministry. The recipients of the scholarship both honor the memory of the dearly loved mother and son and also demonstrate joyful hearts in their generation through their Chapel School education and their lives of service to the world. Over the course of her 36-year tenure with The Chapel School, Sharon Peterson Finster had built up and grown the school library into one of the finest children’s libraries in the Lutheran education system. Known by most Chapel School children as “Mrs. Peterson,” her married name from her late husband, Rev. Dr. Clifford Peterson is Finster. She was not just a librarian but an active member of the VLC and Concordia College communities, impacting many lives with her
heart for Christ and community. The Librarian Sharon Peterson Literacy Scholarship Fund was set up, in honor of her retirement, as a lasting legacy to her dedicated commissioned ministry. In celebration of her life’s work and in remembrance of the Peterson family, the scholarship is given each year to a deserving student who excels in reading and literacy. The Blue Ribbon Foundation funds the goals of Tuition Assistance, Technology, Advance Science and Mathematics Initiatives and the Arts and Language offerings at The Chapel School. For more information about The Chapel School, please visit thechapelschool.org, and for more information about The Blue Ribbon Foundation, please visit brf-ny.org. (Submitted)
Shashi Hernandez receives the Carol and Christopher Kingham GIVING HEARTS Memorial Scholarship. Contributed photos
Uniquely U. enters its 20th year By MAXENE FABE MULFORD Do you know what it means for me to enter my 20th year of helping rising high school seniors with their college applications and essays? It means this summer I’m beginning to work with students who weren’t even born when I started Uniquely U. College Essay Consultants in the spring of 1998. Since then, the cost of college has almost tripled. Once worshipped colleges have fallen in the rankings, and been overtaken by a herd of dark horses. The Scholastic Aptitude Test has also watched its former fearsome power fade. And the once-anemic Common App has grown into a juggernaut electronically servicing more than 700 public, private and international schools. I remember it as a newsprint booklet students completed, as midnight neared, at Kinko’s, the last bastion of the typewriter. Has Uniquely U. also changed
over the years? I’ve perfected high-tech activity sheets with Instagram, audio and video links. My texting’s way better; I Skype and know the ins and outs of Google Drive. I’ve even got a world clock app for conference calls to China. Still, Uniquely U.’s core techniques—“Collect, Connect, Convey”—and my objective— to allow my students to choose the academic program—not the brand—that fits them best—has been there right from the start. As a result my students over the years have been accepted to 331 colleges and universities. This year alone, they gained admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point, Columbia University, the ultra selective Honors Program at McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Penn State, Chapman’s elite film
program, Georgia Tech, Boston University, Northeastern, and the College of Charleston. Though I’m most proud of my inner city students for whom making it to community college has been a major triumph. You should read their essays! People often ask me, “Are there any taboo topics?” None based on content. To me, an essay that lacks awareness of life’s gray areas does not meet the essential criteria—unless we see the writer acquire the capacity to re-see—literally “re-vise”— previous certainties, and further, with this newly defined maturity, envision and embark upon a fulfilling future. Just bear in mind: summer time is the right time to write your college essay. Are you ready to schedule your free consultation? Call toll-free at 1-866-8837729, email us at uniquelyu1@ gmail.com, or submit your information form at uuessay.com. (Submitted)
June 23, 2017 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 9
County seeks lawsuit against Big Pharma
Westchester County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky has introduced a bill to authorize the county attorney to file a lawsuit against Big Pharma for deceptive marketing of opioid painkillers. Photo courtesy spine-health.com
By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Westchester County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky has introduced a bill that would authorize the county attorney to file a lawsuit against large pharmaceutical companies for deceptive practices. The effort comes as a way to stem the tide of rising costs for government and public safety from a growing drug epidemic in Westchester County, which has seen opioid-related deaths increase by 60 percent in the last year, according to county Legislator Ben Boykin, a White Plains Democrat. According to the county Medical Examiner’s report, opioid and opiates, including heroin, were responsible for 83 percent of drug-related deaths in 2015. In that year alone, 107 Westchester residents died from overdoses. Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat who first introduced the plan on June 19, told the Review the legislation would be directed against a number of pharmaceutical companies that have used deceptive marketing of opioid painkillers, seeking punitive and compensatory damages for the costs already expended by Westchester County. The bill would allow West-
chester to join several other counties that have already filed lawsuits or are investigating pharmaceutical companies for over prescribing prescription painkillers, including Dutchess, Rockland, Ulster, Nassau, Suffolk, Broome, Erie, Sullivan and Orange. Prescription overdoses are now responsible for killing more Americans than cocaine and heroin combined, and have moved past traffic accidents as the leading cause of death nationwide, according to Shimsky. “We are seeing an enormous rise in fatalities over the last few years as a result of opioid addiction,” she said, adding that there is currently no estimate for how much the county would be seeking in compensation. “Over-marketing of opioids has created a mess in our county and we really do need to make sure that we get compensated for what we have already tried to do to clean up the problem.” And just this month, the federal Food and Drug Administration requested Endo Pharmaceuticals, an international pharmaceutical manufacturer, remove Opana ER—a semi-synthetic opioid painkiller—from the market after concluding the drug’s potential for abuse outweighed its therapeutic value. As part of Shimsky’s bill,
which doesn’t take aim at any specific companies as of press time, Westchester would file its own lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies separate from those already filed by the other counties involved. The proposal—it’s currently awaiting approval in committee—piggybacks other legislation pitched by Shimsky relating to opioid abuse in Westchester, namely the Prescription Drug Stewardship Program law, which would require pharmacy chains with more than three stores in Westchester County to become locations to dispose of unused medications; that idea was proposed in late May. Jerry McKinstry, a spokesman for the Republican administration of County Executive Rob Astorino, declined to comment on the new proposal since it is still being worked out in committee. However, he said that the Astorino administration is also making an effort to deal with the opioid crisis with the launch of WORTHY: Westchester Opioid Response Teams Helping You, a program aimed at integrating the response of several county agencies, local officials and community leaders in recognizing heroin as a growing problem across Westchester. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
Village of Eastchester’s
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Fighting in the Great War were forced to meet one another, to confront one another, figure out what was holding our society together. Prior to WWI, Americans were ambivalent about their country being a world power. The official foreign policy of the United States as set forth in Washington’s Farewell Address, that had been followed for the last 12 decades, was to allow the two great oceans to protect us from the corruption of Europe. The ghastly carnage, the poison gas, and stalemate in the trenches of Europe during the Great War only heightened that anxiety. Woodrow Wilson was the only president born in a country that had ever lost a war, the Confederate States of America. Wilson did not like war and his campaign slo-
made two fatal mistakes. The German high command resumed unrestricted submarine warfare. HISTORICALLY At the end of February, a teleSPEAKING gram written by a German dipRichard Forliano lomat was intercepted exposing a plan to get the support of MexiThis article was written with co in return for a promise to reMichael Fix, historian emeritus, turn Texas, California, and the Eastchester Historical Society. Southwest. This event, known as A hundred years ago America the Zimmerman telegram, forced entered the most destructive war President Wilson to ask Congress that the world had ever known. for a declaration of war. World War I, then known as the But America was not yet ready Great War, started an ongoing defor war. America had not been atbate that goes to this day on how tacked. There was no immediate involved Americans should be in threat to American towns and vilthe world. Unfortunately, WWI lages, farms, wives, children, and is the most important event that businesses. The United States most people know little about. was woefully unprepared for the We hope the ensuing articles parensuing conflict in terms of motially rectify that situation. bilizing public opinion, finances, America’s entry into WWI and manpower. Only a few days showed the best and after declaring war, worst that our country President Wilson was capable of. At the dealt with the formionset of hostilities in dable task of mobiApril of 1917, when lizing public opinAmerica entered the ion. A Committee on war, the United States Public Information armed forces ranked was formed to mold 17th behind Serbia public opinion over with a peacetime America’s particiforce of 125,000. pation in the Great At the conclusion of War. Over the next hostilities, the United 19 months, the CPI States had emerged as used every medium a reluctant global suto create enthusiasm perpower with almost for the war effort. 5 million soldiers reThe American peocruited. For a brief ple were turned into time America, unone hot mass, ready der the leadership of to enlist, to give monPresident Woodrow ey, and to make any Wilson, had a chance sacrifice required of to transform the inthem. The war was ternational order into cast as an epic strugOne hundred years ago, America entered the most America’s image. His destructive war in human history. After that, many things gle to free the world eventual failure to have never been the same. Photo courtesy Richard Forliano from tyranny. do that is a cause for Our involvement concern to this day. gan for re-election in 1916 was, in WWI highlighted our strengths In 1914 when the Great War “He kept out us out of war.” But and exposed our flaws. Startbegan, America had a population from the very start of hostilities ing around Labor Day, a series of 100 million. One-third were in Europe, remaining neutral had of articles will follow on how immigrants and another third become increasingly more diffi- the Great War changed us forevstill lived on farms. Entry into the cult. The British blockade guar- er. Focus will be placed on what war required Americans to con- anteed that American neutrality happened on the home front and front in many ways the teeming was a fiction. At the outbreak of on how young men and womdiversity of turn-of-the-century the war in 1914, America was im- en in Europe contributed to the America. The United States is mersed in a deep recession. By victory over Germany and her a country drawn from many na- selling ammunition, weapons, allies. The reader will also be tions. Germans were the largest supplies, and food to Britain and informed about local programs ethnic group in America. Rus- France both ended the recession available to the public at little or sian Jews disliked the czar, and but tied Wall Street and Ameri- no cost that will help them grasp the Irish-Americans had little can prosperity to an allied victo- the significance of this worlddesire to help the British. Afri- ry. To break the British blockade changing event. can-Americans, especially in the that was strangling their country, Please contact us historian@ South, were second-class citi- Germany used submarine warfare eastchesterhistoricalsociety.org zens. For the first time the farm to sink American merchant ships with any comments or questions boy from the country, the ethnic headed for allied ports. you have about this column. German, Irish, and Italian immiBy the end of 1916, the econFor more information on the grant along with the WASP elite omy of the United States was Eastchester Historical Society and its numerous programs and the African-American felt booming. At the start of 1917, go on the web to compelled either to volunteer or with the German people on the submit to the draft. Americans brink of starvation, Germany eastchesterhistoricalsociety.org.
10 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • June 23, 2017
Bronxville High School sees off 95th class
On a cloudy, humid Saturday evening, Bronxville High School wished its 95th class well at the commencement ceremony held on the school’s front lawn. More than 100 seniors—girls dressed in the traditional white dress carrying a bouquet of red roses, and boys in a white-jacket tuxedo with a red rose pinned to the lapel—made their way from the school to the steps facing the front lawn to take their seats, much to the emotional reaction of friends and family cheering them on. The 95th commencement was a special one, as it was Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Quattrone’s last ceremony, after serving the school district for 12 years. In his honor, an annual award was created to commend a Bronxville senior for demonstrating engaged citizenship in the school and the community. Senior Class President Tommy Maldonado addressed his classmates, saying that Bronxville High School was not the average school. “I, proud captain of the math team, am privileged to call the captains of the football team some of my closest friends,” he said. “We embrace each other’s differences, rather than let them separate us.” Aidan Flannery, president of the Student Faculty Legislature, said that the support of friends and family is what has made this graduating class succeed at the Bronxville School, and that all should focus on the present, and not dwell on the past or worry about the future. “As exciting as our futures are going to be, please try to focus on this present moment, and enjoy these last memories that we make with each other,” he said. “By living in the moment, your future will only become sweeter.” s The ceremony ended with Quattrone declaring, for the last time, Family and friends look on as the fourth of seniors stand before receiving that the Class of 2017 had met all requirements to graduate, while con- row their diplomas. tinuing to fulfill the Bronxville Promise: to innovate, lead, think critically and engage the world. -Reporting by Sibylla Chipaziwa
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One senior smiles as she makes her way up the front lawn at the start of the 95th commencement.
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The Bronxville High School Band performs the national anthem. Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa
Two seniors congratulate each other as they make their way to their seats.
June 23, 2017 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 11
Bruno Aguilar Inzunza Allegra Morgan Alfano Sophia Tucker Anagnostakis Samuel Sargent Arcano Ara Harry Atayan Connor Patrick Barrett Mallory Greenwell Bates Matthew Elias Bato Spencer Lang Berry Mia Grace Bettino Samuel W. M. Brashear Katherine Ann Braumuller Ellie Anna Briskin Christina Sweeterman Brumbaugh Catherine Olivia Cain Kathleen Margaret Canty Olivia Madden Cappello Maia Elena Carpentieri Caroline Aaron Castaño Isabel Dempster Caton William Michael Cioffi Max Aneesh Julian Clarke Sydney Jade Coddington Emily Conway Sara N. Conway Madeline M. Coyne Jason Caldwell Cushman Brian Matthew DePaul Nicholas Louis DeRosa Maxine Edith Devitt Sophia Julia Dibbini Gianna Crista DiMinno David Jay DiMolfetta Joseph Flynn Dougherty Allison Danielle Dowe Evan Sinclair Downs Grayson Ledyard Elder Mary Elizabeth Finley Malachi John Flanagan III Aidan Joseph Flannery Julia Marie Flower
Morgan Elizabeth Frayne Gerard Gregory Frost III Abigail Clair Geiling Niko David Goutakolis Benjamin Jacob Grieco Raquel Guzman Lucielle Hanrahan Lilly McMahon Harblin Foster Andrew Harlfinger Zoe Rachel Hutchings Sasha Jane Eileen Ircha Olivia Stone Jensen Wayne Allen Judkins III Estelle Catherine Kelty Audrey Kim Natalie T. Kister Sophia Ann Kohlhoff Brian J. Kradjel Caroline Margaret Krall Maryasa Krivitskaya Michael Patrick Landy Caroline Emily Barrett Langhoff Remi Vijay Madhava Laurence Grace Mei Leemputte Alexander Marshall Leibovitz Emma Skye MacKinnon Thomas Jack Maldonado John N. Markola Charlotte Anne Marrinan Liam Toscanini-McBride Georgia Mae McCann Julian Kelly McCarthy Margaret Hawkins McKelvy Peter Sullivan Meyers Sean Ryan Mooney Michael W. Moynihan III Andrew Mohan Murray Ryan Andrew Murray Hanford Fairfax Neild Lindsay Marian Nobles Alexander Koch Oman Caroline Kimberly Paulson Natascha Malhorta Puri Borja Rebaza Ethan David Munsu Reich
Jack David Reilly Sabina Richter Pablo Guillermo Rivera Sonora Rae Rivera-Heinz Kaitlin Elizabeth Ryan Lauren Angela Schnepp Alyson Palmer Schultz Alexa Emilia Shephard Liam Samuel Siegal Robert Joseph Simon Jr. William Baldrige Smyth Emily Macdonald Spitz Grace Nanon Stephens James E. Swartz Tibor Szabo Matthew Lawrence Toal Georgia Nicole Veru Robert P. Villavicencio Henry Lamont Vollmer Charles Jerome Vorbach Jr. Arman Joseph Vranka William Ezra Vranka Sarah Rogers Wagner Elizabeth Grace Walsh Mason Jane Warble Mary Siobhan Watters Dylan Reuel Weber
Students take their final walk down the front lawn path at the end of the commencement ceremony.
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Row by row, seniors line up to receive their diplomas. Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa
12 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • June 23, 2017
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Front Desk Night/Weekend Manager Tennis Club Part Time Permanent Lower Westchester Busy and vibrant tennis club seeking an evening/weekend front desk manager. Candidate should be mature, friendly, hands on, customer service oriented, able to multi-task and work efficiently with club software. Knowledge of Excel, Microsoft Word and Club Automation a plus. Position requires opening and closing the facility, maintaining front desk and lobby, answering phones, communicating with customers and overseeing the activities of the club. Please email resumes to dori@ryeracquet.com
Harrison, NY Tennis Club seeks Director of Junior Team Tennis to direct, mng & dvlp special activities & events to promote the development of Jr teams; assemble & maintain rosters for the 5 Rye Racquet Club Jr teams; supervise & assist in Jr teams’ tennis matches; organize, lead & promote recreational tennis activities to generate formation of new teams; greet clients; explain club rules, & encourage participation in jr tournaments; confer w/ mgmt. to discuss & address tennis player’s issues & complaints; provide evaluation reports & communicate info to parents of Jr team players; explain principles, techniques, & safety procedures & demonstrate proper use of equipment facility; meet w/ staff to discuss rules, regs, &tennis projects; enforce safety rules & guidelines; evaluate recreation areas, facilities & services to capacitate desired results; meet & collaborate with personnel & community organizations to plan recreational tennis programs; perform other administrative, supervisory, & mgmt. functions to maintain effective jr tennis program. FT. Req: BA in Sports Admin + 1 yr exp as tennis prof’l. Send resume to: Carolyn Cruz, Tennis Program Director, Aljanor Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Rye Racquet Club, 3 South Rd. Harrison, NY 10528.
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June 23, 2017 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 13
Business Briefs Sotheby’s International Realty releases first quarter 2017 market report
A report detailing market results for the first quarter of 2017, including Westchester County, New York, has just been released by William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty, the company recently announced. The report found that most markets posted increases in both sales volume and unit sales compared to the same period last year. Westchester County saw quarter over quarter increases of 13 percent in dollar volume and 7 percent in units, with the southern region up by 10 percent in volume and 4 percent in units, and the northern region by 22 percent and 14 percent in volume and units, respectively. Similarly, sales in Fairfield County were higher countywide than they were at this time last year, with dollar volume rising quarter over quarter by 7 percent and unit sales by 9 percent. Up on the Connecticut shoreline, comprising New Haven, Middlesex and New London counties, sales were very steady versus the first quarter of 2016, with dollar volume standing 1 percent higher than this time last year and unit sales 1 percent lower. In the Berkshires, Massachusetts, sales results were very much on par with the exceptionally robust first quarter of last year, with volume 1 percent above that period and units 10 percent higher. The first quarter of 2016 had seen enormous gains over the same time the previous year. Lastly, Litchfield County exhibited a strong performance this quarter with significant closings in the high end driving a 29 percent increase in dollar volume over the first quarter last year, and unit sales demonstrating a 9 percent increase. The report commented that buyers have been entering the marketplace in droves, prompted by the Federal Reserve’s recent rate hikes and projected further increases for this year. The changes have caused mortgage rates to tick upward and motivate real estate intenders to act before they get much higher. Additional factors supporting a strong real estate market include the first quarter rally on Wall Street, the U.S. unemployment rate falling to a ten-year low in early April, and the consumer confidence level climbing to its highest peak since December 2000 at 125.6 (1985=100), as reported by the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index. The report also found that most markets are reporting increases in properties going into contract com-
pared to this time last year, pointing to further gains in the second quarter. “If consumer confidence is traditionally the leading indicator in real estate, then we can confidently state we are well positioned for another great year,” said Paul Breunich, president and chief executive officer of William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty. “With the markets so active, pending sales increasing year over year and the prime real estate season just around the corner, we have every reason to believe the momentum will persist throughout the second quarter and the remainder of the year.” The 2017 first quarter market watch is available for download on the firm’s website, williampitt.com. Founded in 1949, William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty manages a $3.9-billion portfolio with more than 1,000 sales associates in 24 brokerages spanning Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York. William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty is the largest Sotheby’s International Realty affiliate globally and the 28th-largest real estate company by sales volume in the United States. A full-service real estate firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty provides ancillary services including commercial services through its affiliation with Building and Land Technology, a second-generation development company based in Stamford, Connecticut; William Pitt Insurance Services; and an award-winning global relocation division. Sotheby’s International Realty’s worldwide network includes approximately 19,000 sales associates located in approximately 850 offices throughout 65 countries and territories. For more information, visit williampitt.com.
Berman joins Westchester Parks Foundation board Westchester Parks Foundation, which engages the public to advocate for and invest in the preservation, conservation and use and enjoyment of Westchester County parks, just announced a new member to its board of directors: Marc J. Berman, a local expert in the finance sector. Berman currently serves as a senior advisor with Macquarie Group and has more than 25 years of experience in financial services focused on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and providing strategic and financial advice primarily to insurance industry clients. Most recently, he founded the U.S. Insurance Investment Banking Group for RBC Capital Markets, which he built and led for six and a half years. Prior, he was a managing director and spent 14 years at J.P. Morgan and also worked for Goldman Sachs. Berman started his career as an insurance broker with Marsh & McLennan. “Marc brings a wealth of experience to our board and we are so glad to have him on our team as we continue to advocate for our county parks,” said Joanne Fernandez, board chairperson for Westchester Parks Foundation. “He will bring great insight to our organization that will help us continue to keep our parks thriving.” Berman, who currently resides in West Harrison, graduated with an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.A. from the University of Michigan.
He also serves on the executive committee of Temple Israel Center, White Plains. As the leading organization advocating for the county park system, it is the mission of Westchester Parks Foundation, formerly known as Friends of Westchester County Parks, to encourage continued investment in Westchester County’s parks, trails and open spaces. Since its inception in 1977, the nonprofit organization has held close to the notion that it is critical to provide ongoing support for maintenance, civic improvement and access to nature. Westchester Parks Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, philanthropic organization which provides private support to preserve the county’s park system and improve the quality of life in our communities. Westchester Parks Foundation’s mission is to engage the public to advocate for and invest in the preservation, conservation, use, and enjoyment of the 18,000 acres of parks, trails, and open spaces within the Westchester County Parks system. For more information about Westchester Parks Foundation, visit thewpf.org or follow it on Facebook.com/WestchesterParksFoundation, Twitter @ FriendsofParks and Instagram.com/thewpf.
Hospice of Westchester announces new officer, board members
Hospice of Westchester, HOW, has voted in a new officer and five new members for its 2017-2018 board of directors. George Whitehead, of Hopewell Junction, has been named treasurer after joining the board in 2016. He joins current board officers Susan Yubas, chair; Kathleen McArdle, vice chair; and Joanne Ciaramella, secretary. William F. Flooks, Jr., Mary Gadomski, Barbara Gaughan, Michele Geller, and Michael Vitale have been named the newest board members. Gadomski is the director of Business Development and Community Relations at Westchester Visiting Nurse Services Group Inc., in White Plains, a position she’s held since 2012. An experienced home health care executive, Gadomski brings with her a background in clinical program development, clinical operations, community relations, strategic
planning, and revenue growth. She has been involved with numerous organizations in the county, including Westchester County Public Private Partnership, Westchester County Domestic Violence Council, and Livable Communities of Central Westchester. Gaughan most recently served as administrator and vice president for Operations at St. Cabrini Nursing Home in Dobbs Ferry, a position she held for more than 12 years. Gaughan has also previously worked at numerous medical facilities, including Kateri Residence in New York City, Jansen Memorial Hospice in Tuckahoe, and Kings Harbor Care Center in the Bronx. Gaughan is a licensed nursing home administrator and registered nurse. Vitale serves as senior managing director and senior vice president of Sterling National Bank in White Plains, providing commercial lending services to middle market clients, with focus on commercial real estate, nonprofit, and medical practice sectors. Previously, Vitale worked at The Westchester Bank and JPMorgan Chase. He was both coach and treasurer for Knights Basketball of Westchester from 2008 to 2015, and was previously an assistant coach for St. Augustine’s CYO basketball in Ossining and Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains. Flooks and Geller return to the HOW board, having served in previous years. Flooks has been involved with HOW since 2004, and is a former board chair. He is the owner and proprietor of Beecher Flooks Funeral Home Inc. in Pleasantville. Geller has been involved with HOW for more than 22 years, initially volunteering as a patient visitor. Currently, she is a trustee and board member for the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation. Flooks and Geller both currently serve as members of HOW’s Leadership and Development Council and Board Development Committee. Hospice of Westchester is located at 1025 Westchester Avenue, Suite 200, White Plains, NY. For additional information, visit hospiceofwestchester. com or call 682-1484. The next Business Briefs section will run in July. Please send any submission for our July edition to news@hometwn.com, with “Business” in the subject line of your email. Each submission may include one picture. If you have any questions, email us at news@hometwn.com.
14 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • June 23, 2017
SPORTS
No ‘Money’ for Mayweather LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
There was a big announcement in the fight world last week, as a date has been set for the crosssport super fight between UFC champion Conor McGregor and undefeated boxing great Floyd Mayweather. It was the rare kind of news in the sports world in that it transcended boxing, or MMA, and found itself splashed across homepages of every sort of news and pop culture website. It was a doozy of an announcement, for sure, but as a boxing fan, I can’t help but yawn. I’ve been watching Mayweather fight for a long, long time. He made his debut in 1996, right when a 12-year-old me was just beginning his long descent into boxing fandom. I remember his early fights against guys like Angel Manfredy, Emmanuel Burton and Diego Corrales—fights that established him as one of boxing’s biggest up-and-coming stars around the
turn of the century. I remember tuning in to watch an older Mayweather outpoint other greats like Shane Mosley, Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya. I’ve spent hundreds upon hundreds of dollars watching the greatest defensive fighter of all time—at least since Pernell Whitaker—ply his trade in the ring, and no matter the opponent, the result was always the same; a convincing—and disappointing—win for Team Money. Floyd is the kind of fighter that is easier to appreciate than he is to root for. His bouts lack the drama of most prizefights—the idea of one punch changing the complexion of a contest—because, simply put, nobody ever hits him. As a result, most of his fights— especially the ones you shell out big bucks for on pay-per-view— are clinical showcases; and major league snooze fests. Which brings us to McGregor. I’m not a huge fan of UFC, but it’s undeniable that McGregor has become a huge draw in the
MMA world. His trash-talking rivals that of Mayweather; he’s a brash, cocky brawler with a punch that could knock down walls. And while I have no love for the sport, there’s no doubt that his fights are wonderful spectacles, usually punctuated by a quick and violent finish. So it’s no surprise that McGregor has earned himself a healthy following among the UFC crowd, especially those that would like to see one of their own knock off a celebrated boxer like Mayweather, something that would cement MMA’s legitimacy in the sports world. Unfortunately, I’ve got a better chance of batting cleanup for the New York Yankees. “All he needs to do is land one punch,” the MMAers say. “Floyd has never faced a puncher like this before!” Funny, I seem to remember similar things being said before Money’s fights against De La Hoya, Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez and Carlos Baldomir. And those guys, at the very least, were actual boxers.
McGregor may be a talented fighter, but he doesn’t have the ring skills—or the experience—to pose any real threat to Mayweather’s legacy, and that’s a very important fact that we all seem to be willfully overlooking. I imagine this fight will have the same basic pacing as most of Mayweather’s fights. He’ll come out, score with a few quick punches, make McGregor chase him wildly around the ring for a few rounds while pot-shotting the Irishman until he settles in for an easy win on points. It’s the way every Floyd fight goes, after all, and it’s certainly not worth breaking the bank for. Alas, people love a circus, and I’m sure the promoters will tout other stunning upsets in the lead up to the fight, like Douglas over Tyson or Rahman over Lewis. But just because anything can happen in the ring, it doesn’t mean it will. I have a sneaking suspicion than on Aug. 27, there is going to be an awful lot of people who feel like they’ve been duped. I just don’t plan on being one of them.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
On Aug. 26, undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather will come out of retirement to take on UFC knockout artist Conor McGregor in a crosspromotional bout that figures to be one of the biggest draws of all time. But Sports Editor Mike Smith won’t be watching. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.org
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SPORTS
Carver to head Hudson Valley team By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor
On June 6, Mamaroneck head coach Tyrone Carver was picked to head the Hudson Valley team in the BCANY Summer Hoops Festival, which will take place later this summer. Carver previously served as an assistant in the tournament under former coach Bill Thom.
Four months after guiding his squad to a near first-round upset over eventual Section I runner-up Scarsdale, Mamaroneck basketball coach Tyrone Carver has a new gig—at least for the summer. On June 6, it was announced that Carver, who just finished his 12th year at the helm of the Tiger program, would be in charge of some of the area’s brightest stars, as he would take over head coaching duties of the Hudson Valley team in the upcoming Basketball Coaches Association of New York Summer Hoops Festival Tournament that will take place in August. Former Croton-Harmon coach Bill Thom, who previously ran the Hudson Valley team, was ineligible to resume his duties this year due to his involvement as an assistant coach on the collegiate
level at Birmingham-Southern, a Division III school in Alabama. But Carver’s past participation in the tournament and his prominence on the local basketball scene made him a natural fit. “They needed a replacement and I had previous experience of being on Coach Thom’s staff a couple of years ago,” Carver said. “It’s an honor for some of your colleagues to think that you can handle a position of this stature, and I want to thank [Lower Hudson Basketball Coaches Association] President Anthony Nicodemo for thinking that I was capable of this.” With the Summer Hoops Festival set to kick off in Johnson City on Aug. 4, Carver won’t have much time to ease into the position. The first of four tryouts for the Hudson Valley team will commence on June 8, after press time, at Hendrick Hudson High School. The team will eventually be
made up of some of the top public and private school players from the immediate area. Carver said that he and his staff, which includes current Fox Lane head coach Mike Tomassi and Hen Hud JV coach Steve Purcigliotti, will be looking for those who possess the skills to match up with some of the state’s standout ballers but will also relish the opportunity of playing for
June 23, 2017 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 15 the Hudson Valley. “We are obviously looking for talented players,” Carver said. “But we’re also looking for guys who this is going to mean something to; guys who will take pride in this process and play together and go for a gold.” The Hudson Valley’s last gold medal at the games came in 2014, but Carver maintains that, more often than not, the process
can be just as fulfilling as the final result. “I think it’s a fun experience for some of our players to play with their friends who they may compete against, but don’t get to play with,” he said. “To come together, to play for the Hudson Valley, I think it means something to be a part of that.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
Tyrone Carver prowls the sideline during a February playoff game against Scarsdale.
Tyrone Carver draws up a play for his Tiger team during the 2016-2017 season. Contributed photos
16 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • June 23, 2017