March 3, 2017 by The Rye City Review

RyeCity REVIEW THE

March 3, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 9 | www.ryecityreview.com

School budget projects $1.8M spending increase By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer

Sanctuary County? Supporters at a recent rally in downtown White Plains protest President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban. In response to the ban, Westchester County lawmakers have proposed a policy on immigration enforcement. For story, see page 6. Photo/Franco Fino

Rye teachers, school district settle contract negotiations By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer After working for nearly two years without a new contract, the Rye Teachers Association has come to terms on a deal with the Rye City School District’s Board of Education. The agreement, which is retroactive, will cover the term beginning July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018. The teachers union’s previous contract had expired on June 30, 2015. Board of Education President Katy Keohane Glassberg said, “I’m thrilled that we were able

to come to an agreement that is fair for both teachers and the community.” The new deal does not include any change or offer any retroactive payment for the 2014-2015 school year, but union members will receive an incremental pay raise of $1,000 for each step increase during the 2016-2017 schedule. A teacher receives an increase in their pay for reaching the next “step” in their career, maxing out in their potential salary after reaching an 18th step. For 2017-2018, a new salary schedule was created in which the value of each incremental

step from 2 through 18 will be reduced by 25 percent on July 1, 2017. If the incremental cost between those steps equates to $2,000, the incremental cost will be reduced by $500. However, teachers agreed to a $750 increase to take effect on July 1, 2017. Members of the union also agreed to eliminate and replace step 1 with a 19th step, which will add 1.5 percent to the existing step 18 of the contract for the 2017-2018 year. Glassberg told the Review that since the school district rarely hires entry-level teachers,

having a step 1 is unnecessary. As part of the contract, which was ratified on Feb. 7 by the Board of Education, members of the teachers union who worked the entire 2015-2016 school year will receive a one-time payment of $1,000, which is not part of the change in the salary schedule. Members who retired on June 30, 2016, and those that worked the entire school year, but were on a board-approved unpaid leave of absence during the 2016-2017 school year and are eligible to return to work CONTRACT continued on page 8

The Rye City School District superintendent presented a proposed budget last month that would use $2.1 million from the reserve fund to help balance the 2017-2018 budget that calls for a 2.19 percent increase in spending. While managing to remain under the state-mandated tax cap, the draft budget calls for $86.9 million in spending. The estimated tax levy increase is 2.64 percent. The reserve fund currently stands at approximately $12.1 million, which is 14 percent of the 2016-2017 school year budget, and is only proposed to be reduced by a percentage point with the use of additional reserves, as outlined by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Monahan. The budget will help the school district remain qualified for an Aaa bond rating, which typically calls for a school district’s reserves to be around 10 percent of its total annual budget. The proposed budget also would preserve all current school programs and add 11.4 positions, including two positions for the English as a New Language program, which offers non-native speakers the opportunity to improve their English language skills, as well as a psychologist to accommodate both regular and special

needs students. Additionally, there are four positions designated for dealing with enrollment to help the school district manage a growing influx of students, and two positions for the art, music, physical education and FLES Spanish programs. The school district also budgeted for a full-time security position to help manage the growing student body. “The most important part of this is that the budget maintains all the educational programs while also being tax cap compliant,” said Board of Education President Katy Keohane Glassberg. “That’s what matters most to people.” Monahan added that with the new budgeted positions, the school district will be able to better handle the growing rate of student enrollment, which has steadily increased since the 2007-2008 school year in which 2,996 students were enrolled in Rye schools. The projected student enrollment for the 2017-2018 year is 3,467. Monahan said that, while the school district is not anticipating an increase in enrollment come September, the Board of Education is definitely worried that it may escalate in the future. “That’s always on the superintendent’s mind,” Monahan said. “People tend to move to Rye in the summer, sometimes BUDGET continued on page 8

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Lawmakers push to ban sale of synthetic weed Fox DWI, manslaughter case adjourned again By JAMES PERO Staff Writer With a new piece of legislation, Westchester lawmakers will look to piggyback on a recently passed New York City law blockading the spread of a synthetic marijuana known commonly as “spice.” The county legislation, introduced jointly by Republican legislators David Tubiolo and John Testa, would enact a countywide ban on the sale of the synthetic drugs—which are currently sold legally over-thecounter under state law—by amending portions of the county’s consumer protection code. “We’re doing what we can to make our county as safe as possible,” said Tubiolo, of Yonkers. “These are deadly toxins.” In New York state, both the sale and consumption of the drug have been under increasing scrutiny over the past year, spurred in part by 33 Brooklyn residents who overdosed this past summer on a popular brand of the product sold under the moniker “K2.” The side effects experienced by users of that strain of the drug included extreme disorientation, loss of motor control, and erratic behavior that

required police intervention. According to Testa, of Peekskill, at times, the reach of drugs like K2 has hit close to home. Earlier this year, Testa explained, White Plains first responders were called to intervene after multiple individuals began exhibiting what he described as “strange behavior.” Later, Testa said, it was determined that they had ingested synthetic marijuana which had been sold to them only a block away from the county government’s White Plains headquarters. “It was a wakeup call for us to pay attention to this and combat it in Westchester,” Testa said. This past summer, the drug also swept multiple Yonkers residents which resulted in police intervention according to Yonkers Police Sgt. Dean Politopolous. While regulators on both a state and federal level have made attempts to quell the spread of synthetic marijuana—most notably through a 2012 congressional act that listed many of the compounds found in those drugs as Schedule I substances, the most serious class—the fight has often been a battle from behind. According to Tubiolo, while

state and local governments have banned many of the compounds found in the commercially sold drugs, manufacturers have skirted embargos by altering their recipes by just a few molecules. “We were aware that people had been changing the chemicals,” Tubiolo said. “We’re trying to be pre-emptive.” The county law currently before the Westchester Board of Legislators hopes to combat what lawmakers have described as a “cat-and-mouse game” of altering chemical cocktails by providing a broader definition of the banned substances that might catch more products in its net. Now, Tubiolo said, lawmakers will move forward in hashing out details of just how the ban will be enforced, whether through the county Department of Health, consumer safety, law enforcement or all three. Testa said a law could potentially be introduced as soon as this summer, but not before legislators receive additional input from relevant agencies as well as the public. “Hopefully it’s [introduced] sooner, rather than later,” Tubiolo said.

Emma Fox, who has been charged for the death of one of Manhattanville College’s students, is due to reappear in White Plains City Court on March 16 after her Feb. 23 court date was adjourned. Fox has been charged with an aggravated DWI and first-degree manslaughter for striking and killing Robby Schartner on Oct. 9. Schartner was walking along Westchester Avenue in White

Plains at the time of the incident. The case, which has been adjourned six times since the incident, was postponed once again for “further proceedings,” according to the White Plains Court Clerk’s office. In October, police reported that Fox, 24, had been intoxicated when she struck and killed Schartner, 21, of Fishkill, who was returning to Manhattanville from a

night out on Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains. According to White Plains police, Fox was travelling eastbound on Westchester Avenue at around 5 a.m. when she struck the Manhattanville student with her car, a 2012 Nissan Sentra. Stephen Lewis, an attorney representing Fox, did not respond to a request for comment. -Reporting by Franco Fino

She’s not crazy, her name just rhymes with it. Read Lenore Skenazy’s column every week in the Review. A past contributor to the Daily News and the New York Sun, Skenazy has also appeared on “The Daily Show,” been profiled in the New Yorker and even had her own reality TV show, “World’s Worst Mom.”

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

BAN continued on page 10

Westchester lawmakers will work to block the sale of legally sold synthetic marijuana that have swept the state for the past several years. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.org

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What’s going on... Rye Free Reading Room

Discuss works in progress, writing topics, the writing process, and individual writing joys and challenges. Open to novice and experienced writers.

Teacher-in-the-Library

For more information on hours and programs, visit ryelibrary.org.

Family Story Time and Craft

On Mondays through Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Children’s Room. Rye teachers offer after-school homework help to students attending local public and private elementary schools in the Rye area. This is a free program sponsored by the Auxiliary Board of the Rye Free Reading Room, Woman’s Club of Rye/Children’s Philanthropy section, and the PTO of the Rye schools.

Wainwright House

Women in Innovation is a community focused on elevating women who are pushing the boundaries of innovation in Westchester and Fairfield counties. It brings together women who are accelerating the pace of change across industries including technology, digital media, advertising, marketing, IT, venture capital, entrepreneurship, engineering and science, biotech and pharmaceuticals. Its goal is to empower women in innovation by hosting events that feature top speakers and great networking opportunities. It also strives to educate women with the latest innovation and technology trends so they can stay at the forefront of change in their fields.

Rye YMCA

Computational Thinking for Teens

On Saturday, March 4 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Children’s Room. For ages 3 1/2 and up and their grown-ups. This activity takes place on the first and third Saturday of each month. Children will listen to age-appropriate stories and participate in fun games, rhymes and other activities to develop pre-literacy skills and an interest in books and reading. Felt boards and other props are sometimes used to enhance stories and model future classroom experiences. A fun craft project is designed around the story theme or a seasonal topic. Parents and caregivers are asked to assist younger children using scissors, glue and other art materials.

On Thursday, March 9 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Raho Technology Center. For students in grades 6–12. Computational thinking is a process all computer programmers use to break down a complex problem into smaller problems, identify similarities and differences, and put it all together to write a program. Participants will solve a real world problem designing an online ordering system using Excel, while they learn computational thinking. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required online. Visit ryelibray.org, go to “Programs & Events,” the event date, and then “Register.”

Rye Library Writers

ROBLOX Game-Making for Teens

On Saturday, March 4 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Ogden Nash Room. Share work and brainstorm with fellow writers and be encouraged in a welcoming and supportive environment.

users make games by coding and designing in a virtual world. All one needs to do is create a free ROBLOX account and bring his or her vision to life. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required online. Visit ryelibray.org, go to “Programs & Events,” the event date, and then “Register.”

On Thursday, March 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Raho Technology Center. Find out how to create a game of your own using ROBLOX, a free online application. Designed for teenagers,

Volunteer opportunities

Program registration

Wainwright House invites those interested in volunteering to join its volunteer enrichment program. Opportunities are available to train as docents, who would conduct tours of the beautiful mansion, and discuss the history of the house with visitors. Volunteers also help with special events throughout the year in various capacities. Wainwright House is a learning center situated on 5 acres of lawns and gardens, overlooking Milton Harbor on Long Island Sound at 260 Stuyvesant Ave. in Rye. For more information, call Mary de Barros or Angela Sculti at 967-6080 or visit wainwright.org.

Program registration is ongoing for members and non-members. Dozens of programs are available for all ages. Visit ryeymca.org to view program guide and to view registration details.

Rye Recreation Rye Youth Soccer spring 2017 registration Online registration is open through the Rye Youth Soccer website, ryeyouthsoccer.org, for spring intramural soccer for boys and girls in grades K–5. The season will begin Saturday, April 29 and end Saturday, June 17, with no games on Saturday, May 13. Complete details on dates and times of the program can be found the aforementioned website. Questions? Contact Patti Adimari, registrar, at pattirys@optonline.net or 967-5273. Scholarships are available upon request. Please note that coaches should also register to coach in their online account.

Rye Arts Center The Rye Arts Center is located at 51 Milton Road in Rye. For more information or to register for a program, call 967-0700 or visit ryeartscenter.org.

Women in STEAM Leadership: A Panel Discussion On Wednesday, March 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Women in Innovation and The Rye Arts Center will celebrate International Women’s Day with their second annual panel discussion on Women in STEAM leadership.

Summer Camp registration Summer Camp registration has started for all campers. The Rye Y offers camps for ages 3 to 14. New this year: early bird rates. Visit ryecamp.org to view the brochure and to register.

Rye Y Weight Watchers Join the Rye Y Weight Watchers—all are welcome. On Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. For more information, call Diana Vita at 967-6363 ext. 211.

Westchester County news County golf courses scheduled to open The six Westchester County-owned golf courses are scheduled to open for the season on Wednesday, March 15, weather and conditions permitting. Tee time reservations may be made online at golf.westchestergov.com. Reservations may also be made by calling the individual courses. Walk-up reservations will also be accepted at the courses. The courses are: Mohansic in Yorktown Heights; Maple Moor in White Plains; Saxon Woods in Scarsdale; Hudson Hills in Ossining; and Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake, both in Yonkers. Any available E-Z Reserve spots will be sold at the courses. E-Z Reserve enables golfers with a Westchester County Park Pass to block out a regular Saturday or Sunday tee time for a period of 25 weeks. More information about Westchester County golf courses is available at golf.westchestergov. com. 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.

@ ryecityreview

March 3, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 5

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RyeCity 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 | James Pero ext. 20, james@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 | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lsturman@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writer Corey Stockton Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Aaron Kershaw, Charlie McLaughlin Columnists John Carey, Rye City Council, Lenore Skenazy, Joe Murphy 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.

County adds provisions to proposed

immigration law By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The Westchester County Legislature’s Democratic Caucus has added new provisions to its recently proposed Immigration Protection Act, which sets forth a policy on immigration enforcement, in an effort to strengthen the language in the bill. On Feb. 8, Democrats first introduced the proposed legislation, which aims to prevent Westchester County from aiding the federal government in investigations made on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity and national origin. The legislation was submitted to codify existing policies while also drawing from model ordinances put in place by the New York state attorney general’s office to alleviate concerns about the treatment of immigrants living in county. The Democratic Caucus’ proposal comes in wake of President Donald Trump’s recent initiative to deport undocumented immigrants nationwide.

“The intent of this act is to alleviate fear and create protections for our county’s immigrant population without violating federal law,” said county Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat. “All too often members of our community, documented and undocumented, are fearful of calling the police or utilizing county services.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, agents have arrested 41 people in the New York metropolitan area in February, according to the federal department. With a growing fear of many more immigration raids to come, on Feb. 24, county Democrats added four new conditions to the proposal, including language that prohibits county officers and officials from honoring requests made by ICE and Customs and Border Protection, CBP, that do not give rise to probable cause, and protects Westchester from liability due to false arrests and imprisonments. Additionally, county Democrats specified that municipal

services should be made available to all who are eligible notwithstanding their immigration status, and that confidential information shared amongst county departments should remain safeguarded. According to Joe Sgammato, the press secretary representing the county Democratic Caucus, the new provisions are intended to fortify parts of an existing executive order previously made by former County Executive Andy Spano, a Democrat, in 2006, which relates to confidential information and immigration status. Sgammato added that with uncertainty about the opinion of current County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, the Democratic Caucus has proposed new provisions to the Immigration Protection Act to prepare for any potential plan in the future to repeal Spano’s executive order. In Westchester County, the current county executive can repeal any executive order made by someone who previously held the position.

Westchester County Democrats have added more to their recently proposed Immigration Protection Act, which has garnered support from several state and county officials, including county Legislator Ken Jenkins, left, who plans to run for county executive this year.

But, according to Ned McCormack, the communications director for the county executive’s office, Astorino has no intention of rescinding Spano’s order. “When County Executive Astorino came into office, he went through and rescinded a number of executive orders, but not this one because he thought it had merit,” McCormack told the Review. McCormack declined to comment on the proposed legislation however, which he confirmed the county administration has not even read to this point. “We want to make sure the county and all its citizens are taken care of, but we first want to wait and see when the [bill] is final,” he said. The bill, which was referred to the committees on Budget and Appropriations, Legislation, and

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 Rye City Review c/o HomeTown Media Group, 170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Visit us online www.ryecityreview.com

Follow us on Twitter, @ryecityreview Like us on Facebook, facebook.com/ryecityreview The Rye City Review (permit #438660) 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.

On Feb. 20, residents and elected officials gathered in downtown White Plains to protest President Donald Trump’s recent federal initiative to deport undocumented immigrants. Photos/Franco Fino

Public Safety and Social Services on Feb. 13, is sponsored by eight Democrats on the Westchester County Board of Legislators. If passed in committee, the bill would then require the vote of nine members of the full 17-member Legislature for it to be approved. County Legislator David Gelfarb, a Rye Brook Republican, said he could not support the legislation without hearing from the Westchester County Department of Public Safety first. “I think we should do everything we can to promote legal immigration and protect hardworking immigrants that contribute to our county,” he said. “However, we need to hear from [the Department of Public Safety] on how it might impact them.” On Feb. 27, a number of Democratic elected officials held a rally in support of the proposed law in White Plains, including state Sen. George Latimer, of Rye; state Assemblyman David Buchwald, of White Plains; county Majority Leader Catherine Borgia, of Ossining; and county Legislator Ken Jenkins, of Yonkers, who recently announced his bid for county executive this year. “In the days since the Immigrant Protection Act was written and introduced, we have seen a huge swell in grassroots support,” Borgia said. “At a time in our nation when divisions run deep, it is encouraging to see so many of my neighbors ban together to say we must pass this bill to help our immigrant brothers and sisters.” George Longworth, the commissioner of the county Public Safety Department, could not be reached for comment, as of press time. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

March 3, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7

Save the Sound ‘frustrated’ with lack of progress By JAMES PERO Staff Writer With a federal lawsuit alleging EPA violations between the environmental advocacy group Save the Sound and Westchester County approaching the two-year mark, officials at the nonprofit are growing increasingly impatient with alleged inaction on the part of several communities. “Save the Sound is frustrated with the lack of progress,” said Tracy Brown, director of Save the Sound’s Western programs. “We need schedules with more meaningful deadlines than what [defendants] brought to the table.” A settlement conference was held earlier this month and allowed the 11 municipalities named in the suit to update both a state district judge and members of Save the Sound on where their respective communities stand. Brown, who attended the conference, said that while schedules outlining work have been drawn up for most of the

communities, some continue to lag behind. So far, aside from the village of Mamaroneck, which was under a 2014 consent order from the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation, DEC, to conduct an evaluation of its sewers, Brown said other communities have floundered in taking significant steps toward doing the same. “We’re asking for—in the case of each of the communities in the Long Island Sound watershed—[communities] to do a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study and then have a coordinated strategy for their repairs,” she said. A lawsuit filed in 2015 originally targeted the named communities’ adherence to the EPA’s Clean Water Act, alleging that deficient and neglected sewer infrastructure has led to untreated waste entering the Long Island Sound via sanitary sewer overflows. But Roger Reynolds, legal director for Save the Sound, said that federal suit has since been put “temporarily on hold.”

“We are working toward a resolution where the [municipalities] would create a regional solution,” Reynolds said. “But if that doesn’t happen, then the litigation process—which is not ideal—would be the way to go.” Specifically, Reynolds said, instead of litigation, the group will push to see greater cooperation between communities who manage common infrastructure and are situated in a mutual network of waterways, and ideally a more clearly defined assessment of the problem itself. “It’s not about any specific town or community, it’s the entire problem,” Reynolds said. “It’s one big system that flows in and out of each other.” Reynolds said similar cooperative solutions have shown some efficacy in the past, some of which are taking place in New York state. Reynolds points to a similar effort launched in Albany, New York, in 2015 that leveraged a DEC consent order to bring multiple cities, villages and towns together to rectify pollution spurred by deficient sewer

As a lawsuit alleging EPA violations in many of Westchester’s Sound Shore communities drags on, members of the environmental advocacy group Save the Sound, which sued the county in 2015, are growing increasingly impatient. File photo

infrastructure under mandated deadlines. Among the initiatives to stem from a consent order in Albany, are various intermunicipal sewer agreements that also add clear deadlines and definitions to communities’ pollution problems. According to Reynolds, a settlement with the Westchester communities named in the lawsuit may be nearing. He estimated a decision may be coming in the next two months. “We just really want to see

the problem get solved,” he said. Due to ongoing litigation, Mamaroneck Village Manager Richard Slingerland declined to comment. Rye City Attorney

Kristen Wilson could not be reached for comment, as of press time. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITIES NAMED IN FEDERAL LAWSUIT • Harrison • Larchmont • Mamaroneck town and village • New Rochelle • Pelham Manor

• Port Chester • Rye City • Rye Brook • Scarsdale • White Plains

8 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • March 3, 2017 BUDGET from page 1

as late as August, because honestly the schools are so attractive. The additional positions will help deal with those summer enrollment changes.” He explained that it’s often difficult to prepare for and impossible to project how many students will enroll just before the school year kicks off, but with more help, it would be less of a burden. According to Glassberg, drafting the budget came with a sense of relief this year with the added help of the Rye community approving the previous 2015-2016 budget that exceeded the 2 percent tax cap, totaling a 4.43 percent override. That budget garnered support of 70 percent of the vote. An override requires a 60 percent CONTRACT from page 1

during either the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 school year, also qualify for the one-time payment. “I speak for many of us when we say we value what these people do,” said Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Monahan. “The bottom line is, what happens in our classrooms really is all that matters.” Additionally, two full teaching days have been added to the school calendar, which has a total of 185 days. The calendar is comprised of 178 student instructional days, four superintendent’s conference days, and three snow days. The agreement also includes a stipulation that elementary classroom teachers will no longer be

majority of the voting public. “The community has brought us to a place of much greater financial stability and we’re deeply grateful for the community having done that,” she said. Despite an increase in spending, the school district did not budget any money for capital improvements, according to Sarah Derman, the school district’s chief information officer. However, Monahan said there is money included in the budget for regular repairs and replacements. The budget is expected to be adopted by the Board of Education at its April 18 meeting. The adopted budget will then be voted on by the public on May 16. Since the budget is proposed under the tax cap, it would required to teach more than three consecutive hours without having a 10-minute uninterrupted break. In an event that a teacher is unable to take a break, the school district will be contracted to compensate that teacher by paying them 25 percent of their pay rate for extra period assignments. Glassberg explained to the Review that the stipulation comes as a result of teachers often not having enough time to take a break on days when classes such as gym and art are part of the schedule. “Teachers thought it was important to have a break during the course of the day when they teach,” she said. “They work incredibly hard with many young students at a time.” Although it took nearly two years to come to an agreement,

At a glance

State DMV increases railroad crossing violations

While remaining under the tax cap, the 20172018 proposed school budget would increase the tax levy with 2.64% The budget proposes to add 11.4 full-time positions There are no cuts proposed to the current school program

require only a simple majority of voter approval to pass. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

Glassberg said efforts by both the Board of Education and union representatives made it easier to come up with a fair deal. She said the current statemandated 2 percent tax cap environment, which only allows school districts to raise property taxes are specified amount each year, often comes into play in contract negotiations. “We would have loved to settle this sooner, but the financial realty of the tax cap makes it much more challenging to do so and school districts are severely limited by the tax cap,” Glassberg said. Jaime Zung, the president of the Rye Teachers Association, could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

The New York state Department of Motor Vehicles has increased the points assigned to motorists for violating traffic infractions made near railroad crossings. Photo courtesy wikipedia.org

The New York state Department of Motor Vehicles is cracking down on motorists that violate traffic regulations near railroad crossings. In August 2016, the DMV increased the points assigned to automobilists from three to five for infractions made near railroad crossings in an effort to prevent train crashes at the nearly 2,700 crossings statewide. The announcement was made recently during a state legislative budget hearing on transportation on Feb. 15. “If you are knowingly reckless at railroad crossings, you are putting yourself, those around you, and those in the train at risk for a catastrophe,” said state Assemblyman David Buchwald, a White Plains Democrat. “I’m pleased that the state government is taking seriously the con-

cerns of Westchester residents by showing how important it is to be careful at these crossings.” Prior to the change in the rules of the road, a traffic infraction near a railroad crossing only warranted a fine and a three-point penalty, which is the same value for speeding one to 10 mph above the speed limit anywhere else. In New York, the DMV may suspend drivers’ licenses if a motorist accrues 11 points in an 18-month period. According to Theresa Egan, the executive deputy commissioner of the state DMV, the new rule aims to protect motorists rather than punish them. “It’s very difficult to change behavior, [but] saving lives is certainly [our] main priority,” she said. The change in the DMV regulations comes just two years af-

ter the deadly Metro-North Harlem Line train crash in Valhalla in which six individuals were killed as a result of a train’s collision with an SUV. The crash was the deadliest in Metro-North history; it was also the deadliest crash in the country since the Washington Metro train collision in 2009, in which eight passengers were killed. “In my mind, the rule change comes directly from the unfortunate tragedy [in Valhalla],” Buchwald said. Initially, changes to increase the points for railroad crossing violations were rejected by the DMV, according to Buchwald, who introduced legislation in 2015 for a law change related to traffic infractions near railroad crossings; that proposal was made before the DMV changed the rule. -Reporting by Franco Fino

Rye City

Official Newspaper Rye Schools

March 3, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 9

Rye FSC to celebrate 80 years on ice The Rye Figure Skating Club, Rye FSC, founded in 1937, is celebrating its 80th anniversary by hosting a free ice skating show at Rye’s historic Playland Ice Casino on Saturday, March 11 at 8 p.m. The one-hour show, Rye FSC 80th anniversary “Celebration on Ice,” will feature more than 70 performers—the majority of whom reside in Westchester County—including awardwinning members and alumni

File photo

of the Rye Figure Skating Club. Different disciplines of ice skating will be showcased, such as freestyle, pairs, ice theatre, ice dance and synchronized ice skating. Following the show, audience members can take part in a free public ice skating session. The event is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. “We are so proud to be one of the oldest figure skating clubs in the country,” said Martha Downen, board president of

Rye Figure Skating Club. “The ‘Celebration on Ice’ is our way of giving back to the community, as well as displaying all the amazing local talent among Rye FSC’s membership and special guest skaters from the greater New York area.” In honor of the event, the Westchester County Board of Legislators proclaimed March 11, 2017 “Rye Figure Skating Club Day.” Gov. Andrew Cuomo congratulated Rye FSC on its “milestone anniversary celebration,” noting the evening will have “a wonderful slate of performances… from gold medalists to the youngest tiny skaters just starting out on the ice.” State Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said, “I am grateful to the Rye Figure Skating Club and all of its members and supporters for their commitment to fostering local talent in ice skating.” As part of the free event, Rye FSC is holding fundraisers, including raffle sales and a bake sale, the proceeds of which will be divided between two worthy charitable organizations: the Rye FSC Founders

Fund, and the Port Chester Carver Center, a nonprofit organization serving families in need since 1943. “We hope the 80th anniversary celebration will not only raise awareness of the history of Rye Figure Skating Club which has been serving the residents of Westchester County and the greater metropolitan area, but also Carver Center’s long-standing service to our local community,” said event cochair Leigh Gold. Event attendees are asked to contribute to the Carver Center Food Pantry. A donation of one food item from each audience member will go far to help families in need. The recipient of the first annual Shirley W. Bourquin Scholarship will also be announced at the event. The late Shirley W. Bourquin was a longtime president of Rye FSC and great supporter of skating. The scholarship will be awarded to a Rye FSC home club member who exhibits the passion for skating that Bourquin embodied. Rye FSC is a nonprofit organization formed in 1937 to help support and encourage

participation and achievement in figure skating at both the local and national level. Many national competitors grew up skating with Rye FSC at the historic Playland Ice Casino, including gold medalist Dorothy Hamill. Rye FSC continues

to be one of the most popular figure skating clubs in the area, known for the excellence of its programs offered throughout the season. For more information, visit ryefsc.org/80th-anniversary. html. (Submitted)

10 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • March 3, 2017

March 2017

Planning ahead... SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Ash Wednesday

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Read Across America Day

National Women’s History Month

SATURDAY

World Wildlife Day

RHS Winter Musical PAC

Rye Town Park public forum 9:30 a.m., Rye Free Reading Room

Rye Neck HS Musical 7 p.m.

RHS Winter Musical PAC Rye Neck HS Musical 7 p.m.

Board of Architectural Review 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Rye Town Park public forum 7:30 p.m., Rye Free Reading Room

Daylight saving time starts

Holi

NCAA Selection Sunday

Rye Neck PTSA meeting 9 a.m., MS/HS library

Planning Commission 7 p.m., City Hall

Rye school board 8 p.m., RMS Multipurpose Room

National Pi Day

Conservation Commission 7 p.m., City Hall

World Kidney Day

Rye Elementary ParentTeacher Conference Day

Recreation Commission 6:30 p.m., Damiano Center

Rye Golf Club Commission 7 p.m.

Traffic committee 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Ides of March

Rye Neck school budget 9 a.m., MS/HS library City Council meeting 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Spring Equinox

World Poetry Day

Boat Basin Commission 7 p.m., Damiano Center

Sustainability Committee 9 a.m., City Hall

Board of Architectural Review 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Planning Commission 7 p.m., City Hall

International Women’s Day

Senior Advocacy Committee 8:30 a.m., City Hall

Rye Neck Jr./Sr. Day

St. Patrick’s Day

Board of Appeals meeting 7 p.m., City Hall

Rye Neck MS Science & Tech Fair 6:30 p.m. Human Rights Commission 7:30 p.m., City Hall

Gr. 3–8 NYS ELA exams start

Purim begins at sundown

Rye school board budget hearing 8 p.m.

Diabetes Alert Day

Milton Fair

Gr. 3–8 NYS ELA exams end

Rye Neck Superintendent Conference Day

March 3, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 11

12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • March 3, 2017

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March 3, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 13

Danny and the dinosaur(s) RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

If anyone could lay claim to the excuse “I’m not fat—I’m big boned,” it’s the titanosaur on view at the American Museum of Natural History. This creature has a thigh bone 8 feet tall. Taller than Shaq! That’s not just a big bone; it’s the biggest bone in the biggest dinosaur ever discovered. And yet, the titanosaur began life in an egg the size of a “large grapefruit,” said Danny Barta, a Ph.D. candidate in the museum’s Richard Gilder Graduate School. Barta is studying dinosaur growth—how do you go from the size of a piece of fruit to something 120 feet long, especially when you’re a vegetarian? “They must have spent most of their day eating,” Barta said. It just goes to show that anyone hoping an all-kale diet will do the trick may end up sorely disappointed. (And extinct.) The titanosaur is so big, you see it burst into a grin, Holy moly! It doesn’t even fit in one of the museum’s cavernous rooms. Instead, its giant skull sticks out into the hallway, like a dog who can’t wait to go for a walk. And, for the record, what’s on display is not the actual skeleton. It’s a 3-D scanned cast of the bones, which is in some ways even more amazing: Something 100 million years old has been recreated by a technology that didn’t come into its own until the 2000s. But if you’re hankering for “real” relics, all you have to do is turn around. There, on display for the first time, are about 30

fossilized bones from the museum’s “Big Bone Room”—a room Barta compares to a library’s “oversize book section.” These bones include a leg bone the size of a 7-year-old North American Studentis (that is, a third-grader), and vertebrae that look like snow tires. They’re all part of a longnecked plant-eating diplodocus dug up by the museum’s dinosaur hunter Barnum Brown (yes, named for the circus meister himself), with Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1897. Ironically the men had gone to Wyoming seeking fossil evidence of ancient mammals, the bones of which do not make for amazing crowdpleasers. Instead, they found this giant beast, which launched the museum’s dinosaur collection. Barnum would go on to discover the first tyrannosaurus rex. Barta actually hails from Wyoming himself, and when he went on trips to the local museum, he fell in love with the dinosaurs. Now he spends his time studying the specimens at the museum and heading out to find more. He spent last summer in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, which sounds like a dream come true. “You wake up, you have breakfast—we’re in a tent—and then you walk around and look to see if there are any bones or eggshells sticking out of the ground. And probably every few minutes you’re seeing something. Oftentimes, it’s just some fragments, but sometimes it can be part of a skeleton,” he said. Sign me up! “We had really nice weather—it barely topped 100,” Barta added. “And we experienced one sandstorm.” Okay, maybe he doesn’t re-

ally need my help. Once someone discovers what looks like a decent set of bones, the team carefully covers these with the tools of the trade: tin foil, paper towels or toilet paper. “Fossil collecting has hardly changed at all since Barnum Brown’s day,” Barta said. With the bones protected, the team digs a trench around the skeleton and covers the whole thing with a plaster of Paris “jacket.” Then they dig it up, and ship it to the museum, where three “preparers” excavate the bones, using brushes, dental picks and a whole lot of patience. But what excites Barta is that the Gobi site has yielded dozens of specimens of one of the dinosaurs he is studying most intently, the “Haya griva” (named for the Hindu god Hayagriva). Adults of this species are about the size of a beagle, the littlest ones are the size of crows. What he has now are a series of skeletons, affording him a sort of time-lapse look at how they grow. “Each is a snapshot from a stage of life,” Barta explains. Imagine if the only skeleton left of humans 100 million years from now was that of a 5-year-old. Future earthlings would assume Homo sapiens generally grew to the height of a Great Dane. So how do you get a full picture of the life cycle of an animal that’s extinct? “Any living animal, we could watch,” Barta points out. But with dinosaurs, you need skeletons of all different ages. That’s what he has in front of him now. And if he or anyone else ever needs a different dino to study, the museum has tons more—literally. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

It’s a mouthwatering March in Westchester There are plenty of tasty opportunities for visitors in Westchester County this March. “With more than 100 Westchester restaurants participating, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week offers diners every cuisine imaginable,” said County Executive Rob Astorino. “The county is also thrilled to be participating in New York’s Maple Festival this spring. Bring the whole family for a pancake breakfast and discover how maple syrup is made right here in Westchester.” Fit for Foodies The most popular foodie event is back. Spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, HVRW, takes place from Monday, March 6 through Sunday, March 19. More than 100 Westchester County restaurants will be participating in HVRW from classic favorites to brand new spots. Participating restaurants offer a threecourse, prix fixe dinner menu for $32.95 per person (plus tax, beverage and gratuity) and may offer a three-course lunch menu for $22.95 per person (plus tax, beverage and gratuity). For more information on Spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, visit valleytable.com/hvrw.

A Sweet Spring Celebrate New York’s Maple Festival on Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19 and, and Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26. Visit White Oak Farm, the only commercial producer in Westchester County and the closest sugar house to New York City offering visitors tours of the beautiful sugar house and the opportunity to learn how maple syrup is made. No registration necessary for tours. Complete your sweet experience by enjoying a delicious pancake breakfast at Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center, which is just up the road from White Oak Farm. Advanced registration is required for the pancake breakfast. Visit brownpapertickets.com/profile/128237 to purchase pancake tickets. Stay and Play At The Ritz-Carlton New York in White Plains, luxury hotel packages allow visitors to experience everything that makes the hotel unique. The Ritz Carlton has several special offers this spring, including the Reconnect Package and the Discover With You Package. Visit ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/ new-york/westchester/offers for

more information. The Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown is offering many opportunities for rest and relaxation. Visit its spa or enjoy delicious dining at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Find out more information at marriott.com/ hotels/hotel-deals/nycwe-westchester-marriott. For the latest events and happenings in Westchester, log onto visitwestchesterny.com, like on Facebook at facebook.com/westchestercountytourism, follow on Twitter @westchestertour or call 1-800-833-9282. View the new travel guide by visiting instagram.com/visitwestchesterny. To view the Westchester County Destination Guide, please visit bit.ly/2cCFErf. Tourism & Film is Westchester County’s official destination marketing organization. Its mission is to generate economic benefits by enhancing the image and promoting Westchester County as a premier business and leisure destination in the Hudson Valley region. The Tourism & Film office in Westchester County is a division within Astorino’s Office of Economic Development. (Submitted)

Muffin is a charming, pastel dilute calico mix, about 7 months old and kittenish as can be. Grayish with a wonderful contrasting ginger face, she is very playful and gets along well with her foster’s other cats and kids. She will be wonderful as a family cat. Muffin is spayed, up-todate with all vaccinations and microchipped. The donation for Muffin is $100. To meet this lovely girl, please contact Pet Rescue at 835-3332 or 835-4133, or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)

14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • March 3, 2017

SPORTS

A shot at greatness LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

The last time I took in a showdown between New Rochelle and Mount Vernon at the Westchester County Center, the result was undoubtedly the best game that I’ve had the privilege of covering during my tenure at the Review. In the 2013 Class AA finals, a game in which the Knights were heavily favored over the Huguenots, the finish—New Rochelle standout Khalil Edney’s half-court, game-winning, buzzer-beating heave— remained atop ESPN highlights for weeks. The aftermath of what became known as “The Shot,” however—the fans storming the court, the conference by the officials and the wild Huguenot celebration— may have been more memorable than the play itself. Between the confusion and the

euphoria in the building, it reminded me a lot of the Best Picture announcement at the Academy Awards last Sunday. It would have been a wild scene no matter where it took place; Mount Vernon High School, New Rochelle’s O’Brien Gymnasium, or a blacktop court at a random playground. But the fact that it took place at the County Center just made it feel more important, and now there’s a chance for a repeat performance when the two teams square off in the Class AA quarterfinals on Friday night. Every year, athletes, sports writers and basketball fans alike look forward to Championship Week. From Monday to Sunday, there’s a full slate of games at Westchester’s most famous arena featuring the best teams from all around Section I going at it for the ultimate prize in local basketball. It’s not that the games seem to matter more at this time of year; it’s that they actually

do. Every team comes into this week just two wins away from hoisting the gold ball, and you can invariably see that in the pace of the games. Each possession, each shot, each defensive stop is its own mini drama in a four-quarter game that is already chock full of narrative arcs. It’s impossible to not get caught up in all the hoopla, regardless of if you have a dog in the fight or not. Now, I have no way of knowing if this year’s teams are going to reach the promised land. The Review has three teams still alive as of press time, and the Tuckahoe boys, the top seed in Class C, will kick things off on Wednesday afternoon, after press time. But regardless of how it turns out for Tuckahoe, New Rochelle or Eastchester’s girls, one thing is for certain; each of these ballclubs has a unique opportunity ahead of them. It’s unlikely that any of these teams will, like those 2013

New Rochelle senior Jarett Haines grins after the Huguenots’ Class AA quarterfinal win against Fox Lane on Feb. 24. With the win, the Huguenots earned the right to play at the Westchester County Center this week. Photo/Mike Smith

Huguenots, find themselves as the darlings of the national sports media, but you don’t need

a “shot” to make this a worthwhile experience. All you need is a chance.

Follow Mike Smith on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A

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

SPORTS

March 3, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 15

THE ROUNDUP BOYS BASKETBALL CLASS A

QUARTERFINALS

Albertus Magnus 55 Rye 54 AT RYE HS

2/23/17

Rye’s run toward a County Center berth ended on Feb. 243, as the No. 3-seeded Garnets fell at home to No. 8 Albertus Magnus in the Class A quarterfinals on Thursday night. Trailing by one point with 14 seconds left, Rye managed to get the final shot of the game, as Max Samberg got off a layup in traffic, but the shot was no good and the Falcons celebrated their victory on the Garnets’ court. Justin Bullock led the way for Albertus, scoring a teamhigh 17 points and grabbing six rebounds as the two teams battled for control throughout four quarters of basketball. Charlie Nagle, one of eight seniors on the Garnets’ roster,

had 16 points, while classmate Samberg added 13 in the loss. Despite Rye’s higher seeding, the Falcons came into the quarterfinal game as hot as anyone in Section I, having won 10 of its last 12 games heading into Rye. The Falcons will play in the Class A semifinals on March 1, after press time, against No. 2-seeded Tappan Zee at the Westchester County Center. Tappan Zee is one of just two teams to beat Albertus in its last 12 games.

GIRLS BASKETBALL CLASS A

QUARTERFINALS

Somers 56 Rye 40 AT SOMERS HS

2/23/17

Defending state champion Rye saw its season come to an end last Thursday, as the No. 7-seeded Garnets fell to No. 2 Somers 56-40 in the

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Class A quarterfinals. Rye trailed for most of the game, but was able to cut the lead to three points in the middle of the second quarter, before the hot shooting of the Tuskers propelled Somers to its first-ever trip to the semifinals at the Westchester County Center. Jackie Penzo led the way for Somers, scoring a team-high 18 points, and Katie Popp, who recently became the all-time leading scorer in the Rye program’s history, came away with a game-high 25 points; 15 of which came on 3-pointers. Ellie Dailey, who was Rye’s second leading scorer, had four points. With the win, Somers earned the right to take on No. 6 Tappan Zee on March 2, after press time, in the Class A semifinals. -Reporting by Mike Smith To report game scores, you can email Sports Editor Mike Smith at sports@hometwn.com.

Charlie Nagle makes a move on an Albertus Magnus defender during the Class A quarterfinal game on Feb. 23. Nagle had 16 points in Rye’s 55-54 loss to the Falcons. Photo/Mike Smith

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Rye nabs sportsmanship award By ISABEL CASTRO Contributor Prior to the fall season, the Rye girls varsity soccer team made a goal during their preseason to make it a “banner year.” Not only did the Garnets walk away with a “16” steamed onto their team banner to commemorate their 2016 league championship, but on Feb. 3, they also received a separate plaque to put in their showcase. For their play on the field—and their work within the Rye community—the Garnets were awarded the Section I Team Sportsmanship Award. The award is voted on by the Section I Sportsmanship Committee, which consists of seven athletic directors and one representative from the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, BOCES. The committee singles out two teams—one male, one female—deserving of the accolade. Once the season ended, Rye’s

nomination was submitted by Rye High School athletic director Michael Arias and was endorsed by Principal Patricia Taylor. The criteria consist of exemplifying class, teamwork, ethical conduct and citizenship, while consistently demonstrating the values of caring, fairness, civility, integrity and responsibility. Prior to the start of the fall season, the Garnets volunteered to coach at a youth soccer camp. Not only did the children in the camp view the girls as coaches, but also role models. The team also volunteered as course marshals for the Westchester Triathlon during the season. Throughout the triathlon, their energy and cheer was relayed to all the participants in the race. Rye also hosted a memorial game in honor of head coach Rich Savage’s father, who died 11 months before the season started due to complications from Lewy body dementia. The opponent of that night’s match,

Pelham, acknowledged the character that the team held during the memorial and throughout the match. Rye’s sportsmanship was also evident on the field. On one occasion, the girls agreed to travel back to Pearl River, after their game was suspended mid-match due to inclement weather. The team picked up the match at the end of the season where they had left off. They were losing 1-0 and did not ask to restart the game, but instead came back and won 2-1. Winning the Section I Sportsmanship Award was a tremendous honor for the Rye girls varsity soccer team and the high school. Referees and opponents across Section I have always commended the Rye soccer program for its outstanding sportsmanship. The girls credited coach Savage and assistant coach Kimberly Nardo with truly bringing out the best in their student-athletes.

The Rye girls soccer team poses for a picture during the fall season. In February, the team was commended by Section I for exhibiting tremendous sportsmanship. Photo courtesy Isabel Castro

16 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • March 3, 2017