May 27, 2016

RyeCity REVIEW THE

May 27, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 22 | www.ryecityreview.com

City, court looks to drug education for minors

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer

TIME TO ACT

A parent volunteer speaks to audience members in a breakout session following the formal portion of a May 24 town hall meeting on drugs in the community. For story, see page 10. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

Rye High School science wing facade sparks lawsuit

By SARAH VARNEY Education Reporter When Rye High School’s $16 million science wing opened in June 2013, administrators and school board members were jubilant, but now, nearly three years later, a moisture resistance issue has arisen and the district

is embroiled in a lawsuit.

Wernert Construction is currently suing the Rye City School District for an outstanding payment of more than $263,000, and although district officials declined to comment on the legal specifics of the matter, Sarah Derman, the district’s public information officer, stressed that

the district won’t pay for a job that wasn’t completed correctly.

At issue specifically is a problem with moisture permeating at least one section of the stone facade at the high school.

Wernert Construction is suing the Rye City School District via Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, the city

of Rye’s repository for bond receipts, for breach of contract.

At the same time, Key Construction Services LLC, based in Poughkeepsie, New York is suing Wernert for the same amount. Key Construction was the subcontractor on the project LAWSUIT continued on page 8

With the formation of a new educational program, Rye City Court, the Police Department and anti-drug coalitions will look to deescalate a growing drug problem through professional intervention.

In tandem with Rye Action for Children and Teens, RyeACT, the police and court have already kick started a trial run of a rehabilitative program meant to curb teens’ usage of marijuana and alcohol, which started in mid-February.

The program, according to Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran, who has helped spearhead the initiative, could provide a second chance to Rye teens who are convicted of a marijuana or alcohol-related offense.

For teens taken into custody on a drug or alcohol-related charge, Corcoran said the course would offer them a conditional discharge, contingent upon its completion.

Since 2011, at least five former Rye High School students have died of drug-related causes, causing the issue of drug intervention to rise to the surface.

Aside from the educational benefits, he added, the program would be a way to keep juveniles in the city from incurring a criminal record.

“You wouldn’t have a record

if you bring back satisfactory course completion,” Corcoran said. “There’s not an easy answer to the drug problem, and enforcement is just a small part of the equation.”

Currently, according to Rye City Court Judge Joe Latwin, minors who are convicted of a marijuana or alcohol-related offense are able to leave court without any mandatory rehabilitation or having to alert their parents. Since it’s not a crime, many of Rye’s minors can afford to pay the fines on their own and their parents never know, according to Latwin.

“It’s a problem of [Rye’s] affluence,” he said.

According to Lilly Neuman, the community outreach and education coordinator for St. Vincent’s Hosptial in Harrison, who has been responsible for conducting and spearheading the counseling assigned by Rye City Court, the initiative could help galvanize the community against drugs.

According to Neuman, the counseling process not only incorporates her and the teens involved, but their parents and the officers who handled their enforcement.

“I want to connect police and treatment, the kids, the parents, the judge,” said Neuman, who has worked with chemical MINORS continued on page 9

2 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

May 27, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 3

Council discusses new property tax challenge policy

A discussion was had at the May 11 Rye City Council meeting about the prospects of passing a resolution that would have an outside municipality handle property tax assessment grievances of city employees, elected officials and members of the city Board of Assessment Review. File photo

By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer The Rye City Council is currently considering enacting a resolution to establish a new policy for grievances of property tax assessments for elected city officials, city employees and members of the Board of Assessment Review.

According to Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, the rationale behind the change is to ensure that if there is a conflict of interest during the assessment process, protocol is in place to protect the process’ integrity.

While Sack described City Assessor Noreen Witty as “a superior city assessor who has done a terrific job for the city of Rye for many years,” he said the measure would simply be a safeguard against accusations of impropriety.

So far, there has been at least one such accusation.

Timothy Chittenden, an outspoken critic of the city administration, sent an email to members of the Rye City Council on April 14, accusing the city of potential impropriety after obtaining a document indicating that a city employee received a 20 percent property tax reduction after

filing a grievance.

Sack said while he “is not in a position to comment on individual taxpayers,” the policy is being discussed merely because “it’s a good policy to have in place.”

Currently, under New York State Real Property Tax Law Section 523, the city of Rye can already request that another municipality handle a grievance or petition from current Rye Board of Assessment Review, BAR, members.

Rye City Manager Marcus Serrano said that a policy that includes other colleagues of the city assessor, such as city officials and city employees who might not necessarily be on the BAR, will “remove undue pressure on the assessor” from granting property tax reductions in these cases.

Serrano also said that there has been a discussion about changing the policy from applying to just any city employees to specifically department heads who deal with the city assessor directly, which would propose a solution to the issue at hand without causing unnecessary overreach in the policy.

Councilman Richard Mecca, a Republican, was also concerned

about overreach in this new policy, regarding any stipulation that includes former city employees, former elected officials and former BAR members. He said he believes that once someone is no longer a councilmember, working for the city or actively sitting on the BAR, they shouldn’t be held to the same standard as those currently in those positions.

“I can’t support [the resolution] if it’s going to be that farreaching,” Mecca said.

Sack said that Mecca “has a fair point,” and that adopting a policy that excludes former city employees, officials and BAR members is reasonable.

While there has not yet been any specific determination about which municipality would handle these grievances, Scarsdale was mentioned as a possibility.

“We’re trying to find a municipality that has the same model as Rye,” Mecca said.

Further discussion of the resolution has been moved to the City Council agenda for its next meeting, which will take place on May 25, after press time.

Witty could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: angela@hometwn.com

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4 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

What’s going on...

Rye Free Reading Room

Graham Clarke’s Musical Tuesdays Move and groove to the beat on Tuesday, May 31 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Children’s Room with popular and energetic musical performer Graham Clarke and his guitar friends Dolores, Cinnamon and Bluebelle. This program is free and open to the public. For more information about the performance, call 967-0480.

Teen Coding The library will be closed on Monday, May 30 for Memorial Day.

Book chats On Saturday, May 28 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Ogden Nash Room, Ryebrary Readers in grades one and two will meet. From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Rockin’ Readers in grades three and four will meet in the same room.

Join the librarians for a once-a-month snack and chat about fun books that lend themselves to lively discussions. Every month, explore narrative and expository texts through picture books from several genres geared especially for schoolaged children.

Sign up online at ryelibrary.org. Go to “Programs & Events,” choose the event date and click on the “Register” button. Then pick up your copy of that month’s book in the Children’s Room. The book chats meets every fourth Saturday of the month.

Students in grades six to eight are welcome to join the library for a teen coding workshop on Wednesday, June 1 from 4 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. in the Raho Technology Center. This workshop is appropriate for students with previous coding experience. The workshop will teach children about the basics of computer programming through games designed specifically for their age and skill level.

Explore the Classic Maze with tutorials starring video lectures by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies. Create a story or a game using Playlab. Learn about repeatloops, conditionals, and basic algorithms. Participants should bring a pair of headphones to this workshop. This workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Cultivate Happiness with Life Coach Rona Florio An inspiring presentation on cultivating happiness will take place on Thursday, June 2 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Meeting Room. The pre-

sentation will be hosted by life coach Rona Florio, and will contain some of the latest research on the science of happiness. Florio will also discuss the powerful role our thoughts play in shaping our life experiences and how to use this information to cultivate greater peace and happiness in our own lives. This workshop is free and open to the public.

For more information or to register to attend, call 967-0480.

Marshlands Conservancy Spring Warbler Migration Walk The Spring Warbler Migration Walk will take place on Saturday, May 28 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Marshlands Conservancy, located at Route 1 on Boston Post Road. Participants should bring binoculars to observe feathered migrants.

The activity is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Volunteer work project There will be a volunteer work project on Saturday, May 28 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Marshlands Conservancy. The project will consist of maintaining the overlook. Participants should bring work gloves. Hand tools will be provided.

The project is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Exploring the Shore of the Salt Marsh There will be a hike to explore the shore of the salt marsh held on Sunday, May 29 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The hike, which is free and open to the public, will explore spartina, crabs and Ospreys along the shoreline. For more information or to register to participate in the hike, call 8354466.

Rye Playland Nature scavenger hunt There will be a nature scavenger hunt at Rye Playland, located at 1 Playland Parkway in Rye, on Saturday, May 28 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Participants will get a chance to sharpen their observation skills using a checklist and map to find items in nature. This event is free and open to the public. For more information or to register to participate, call 967-8720.

Rye American Legion Memorial Day ceremony and parade The city of Rye will carry on its tradition of honoring its deceased veterans on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. Rye American Legion Post 128 and the Auxiliary will sponsor a parade, beginning at the Rye Metro-North train station at 9:30 a.m. and proceeding along Purchase Street to the Village Green for ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony will include an opening prayer in remembrance of all deceased soldiers and speeches from elected officials.

Prior to the parade, members of the Rye Fire Department will conduct a brief ceremony and lay flowers at the monument in the circle at Milton Road and Grace Church Street at 8:15 a.m.

The monument honors Rye firefighters who served their nation. The ceremony and parade is free and open to the public. For more informa-

tion about the day’s events, call 282-3169.

Westchester Chorale Society Spring Concert The Westchester Chorale Society will be performing a spring concert on Saturday, June 4 at 4 p.m. Rye Presbyterian Church, located at 882 Boston Post Road in Rye. The program features songs from American gospel and spiritual roots as a memorial Tribute to P. Rosemary Peeler. Concert tickets are $25 for general audience members and $10 for students. For more information or to purchase tickets to the concert, visit westchesterchoralsociety.org.

Rye Meeting House BBQ Beach Bash Benefit Hailey’s Hope Foundation will be hosting a BBQ Beach Bash benefit on Saturday, June 4 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Manursing Island Club, located at 1 S. Manursing Island in Rye. Proceeds will benefit local families with babies hospitalized in Neonatal ICUs at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla and other New York-area hospitals. Enjoy cocktails and dinner on the Sound, live music

by Twist of Fate and raffles. Tickets start at $175.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the benefit, contact Donna Zion at 584-883, by email at dzion@haileyshopefoundation.org or visit haileyshopefoundation.org.

Rye Town Park Park season permits Discounted season permits are available for Rye City, Port Chester, Rye Brook, Rye Neck and Rye Town residents and non-residents alike. Season permits allow people to take full advantage of the beautiful Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach.

Permit holders get “high tide” benefits for a “low tide” cost.

The permits will be on sale Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Permit Office in the Administration Building, Rye Town Park, 95 Dearborn Ave. in Rye. Permits for residents: Senior: (62+) $20 and free parking; Individual: $110 and $4 parking; Family: $150 and $4 parking; Platinum family permits: $300 and free parking.

Resident seniors who have permits dated on and before 2010 do not have to renew their permits.

Permits for non-residents: Senior: $60 and $5 parking; Individual: $250 and $5 parking; Family: $350 and $5 parking.

Parking-only permits are $150. Beach access is free for all permit holders. The more permit holders go to the beach, the more they save. Rye Town Park is a “stay-cation” bargain.

MasterCard, Visa and Discover credit cards will be accepted for season permits. New resident permit holders will have to provide a proof of residence. For more information, call the park at 9670965 or visit ryetownpark.org.

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.

May 27, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 5

Coffee session leans heavy on drug prevention

From left, Mayor Joe Sack, Councilwoman Julie Killian and Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran address residents’ questions as part of the city of Rye’s coffee and conversation session on May 21. With drugs at the forefront in Rye, Corcoran provided some input into what the city is doing to address the issue.

Photo/Christian Falcone

By CHRISTIAN FALCONE Editor-in-Chief It’s pretty clear that the talk of the town in Rye these days is of drugs. And that was no different at a recent coffee and conversation session with top city leaders.

Although these early morning sessions have been a part of Republican Mayor Joe Sack’s agenda since taking office in 2014, this one seemed more direct, with an ominous cultural crisis at stake.

The sessions serve as basically open topic forums that provide residents a chance to engage city leaders on issues in a less formal setting than a City Council meeting.

And the roughly 15 or so residents on hand on the morning of Saturday, May 21 wasted no time in raising questions about how to combat drugs in the community.

In Rye, since 2011, five young adults have suffered drug-related deaths.

“We have to start the conversation,” said Sack, who was joined

by Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican and state Senate candidate. “People aren’t out talking about things enough. The more we talk about it, the better; the more we get people to look at themselves, the better.”

Also joining Sack and Killian was new Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran, marking the first time that an appointed city official other than a council representative joined the conversation, according to Sack.

The timing seemed more than appropriate as Corcoran, formerly of the West Orange Police Department in New Jersey, wasted no time detailing several proactive efforts he is planning to implement on the drug front.

One such initiative is an adopt-a-school program. The approach to police within schools is similar to community policing in urban areas. The plan is to assign either one or two officers to each of the public school district’s eight schools.

“The purpose is to get to know our young people,” said Corcoran, adding that he plans to

create an anonymous tips hotline and is hopeful to hire additional police officers.

The commissioner said after taking over the Rye post in February, he quickly noticed that the Police Department was not very engaged in the community.

Apparently, that will change now.

“We’re actively involved in this, and we’re going to take a very dedicated approach,” he said.

The open topics session marked the second one this year, but the mayor said there are already ones scheduled for July and October.

Sack said city representatives come into the sessions with no agenda and allow the participants to dictate the focus of the discussion. The sessions are similar to the ones state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, holds for his constituents.

“He has his cup of joe meetings,” Sack said. “Well, this is a Cup of Joe with Joe.” CONTACT: chris@hometwn.com

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6 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

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Japanese residents show off culture at annual

matsuri

By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant

The Japanese community of the town/village of Harrison held its third annual Matsuri Japan Cultural Festival at Ma Riis Park on Sunday, May 22. Hundreds of revelers from across Westchester County and of all backgrounds attended the event to sample Japanese food and drink from local businesses, play unique games, socialize and enjoy hours of entertainment on a perfect spring afternoon.

The matsuri, meaning festival in Japanese, was cosponsored by the Matsuri Executive Committee, the Asian Society of the Arts in New York City, the Keio Academy of New York in Purchase, the Harrison Public Library and the Consulate General of Japan in New York.

According to the matsuri website, this free spring festival is held to allow Japanese residents to show gratitude to Harrison and the neighboring communities by sharing their culture through food, performances, vendor booths, workshops, games and raffles. Proceeds from the raffles will benefit

Perhaps the most popular performance of the Harrison Matsuri, DDT, based in Japan, put on a show featuring tap-dancing, the taiko and drums in unison. Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa

Participants in a Japanese tea ceremony demonstration bow before one drinks freshly prepared matcha from a tea bowl.

victims of earthquakes in Japan and local agencies.

Starting at around 11:30 a.m., the matsuri kicked off with the hosts leading the audience in radio calisthenic exercises, rajio taiso in Japanese, to warm up. Introduced in the late 1920s, this practice is still popular in Japanese

schools and at some companies, which has been broadcast early in the morning on Japan’s national public broadcasting organization, NHK, since the 1950s.

Then followed a slew of performances, showcasing Japan’s past and present-day culture.

The IchiFuji-kai Dance As-

sociation performed a traditional dance dating back to the 17th century. Junko Fisher performed traditional Okinawan music, and singer Marina Kondo traveled all the way from Michigan to perform with Kenji Furutate, who accompanied her on the taiko, or Japanese drum, much to the audience’s delight.

Furutate later performed with DTT, a trio from Japan that performs rhythms using the taiko, drums and tap-dancing, another crowd-pleaser. Other performances showcased J-pop and J-rock songs performed by Megumi, Rie Tamuro and Shu & Ninja.

Scattered between the entertainment, festivalgoers were encouraged to participate in group dances featuring songs like “Cha-Cha Slide” and Korean pop singer Psy’s hit single “Gangnam Style.”

The day also included Japanese martial arts demonstrations from Kyokushin Karate New York and Shidogakuin of Harrison, which practices iaido, the art of responding to a sudden attack with a katana sword, and kendo, the modern discipline of using shinai, or bamboo swords, and protective armor to practice principles of the katana without drawing blood.

CONTINUED on next page

Two members of Shidogakuin in Harrison spar in a one-on-one match that drew oohs and aahs from the crowd. Kendo is the modern discipline of using shinai, or bamboo swords, and protective armor to practice principles of the katana. It can be quite noisy, with practitioners shouting and stamping their front feet to show their fighting spirit while striking.

May 27, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7 Halfway through the entertainment, Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont, decked out in a traditional kimono, welcomed revelers and spoke of Harrison’s diversity. “This [event] solidifies the fact that Harrison is a great place to live,” he said. “We welcome everyone, no matter what your national origin is.”

Koji Abe, the deputy chief of the Mission of the Consulate General of Japan in New York, spoke after Belmont, saying that he felt underdressed, wearing a blazer and slacks compared to Belmont’s outfit, yielding laughs from the audience.

“In Japan, most matsuris take

place in autumn to show thanks for the new yield of rice, but some also take place in the springtime,” Abe said, adding that such festivals bring together community members of all ages and backgrounds, and Harrison has been so warm toward its Japanese residents. “This event is a platform for a better understanding of Japanese culture and heritage.”

Several vendors attended the matsuri, selling Japanese food and trinkets, including bowls, fans and masks featuring Japanese cultural icons like Pokémon and Hello Kitty. Many stations offered games, including a rope ring toss; hanetsuki, a traditional

Japanese game similar to badminton; and an activity where participants had to maneuver a tennis ball through an obstacle course on a display board called Fuji and Ninja.

The Halperin building of the Harrison Public Library offered more activities, including a Japanese tea ceremony demonstration, a flower arrangement workshop and a calligraphy workshop, which was supervised by students from Keio Academy, a Japanese private high school in Purchase.

The Keio Academy brass band wrapped up the day’s events, with students also perTakoyaki, a ball-shaped Japanese snack filled with bits of octopus, shrimp or potatoes made in a special pan, is being prepared from scratch. Takoyaki that is nearly done are being flipped with long skewers while fresh balls are being made in empty pans.

Koji Abe, the deputy chief of the Mission of the Consulate General of Japan in New York, third from left in the back row, poses for a photo with Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont and festival volunteers at the third annual Matsuri Japan Cultural Festival. Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa

forming hip hop routines.

The matsuri is just one way that Harrison seeks to celebrate Japanese culture. Available at the library is the Kiyoko Brown Japanese Collection, a section dedicated to more than 3,000 volumes of literature in Japanese for the community, from manga to recent bestsellers translated from English.

Started in 1997 with just seven

books, Brown, a 40-year Harrison resident, spearheaded the collection’s growth with volunteers and fundraisers. She recalls there being only four or five Japanese families in the town when she moved to Harrison, and says that there are now more than 1,000 residents of Japanese origin. “We have been very happy here,” she said.

Brown, who started the col-

lection to help fellow Japanese residents feel less isolated in the community, said she wanted the collection to create an intellectual oasis.

“I’ve always loved books,” she said. Brown believes the collection is one reason there are a number of Japanese residents living in Harrison.

CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com

8 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

Finding submarines to sink A RYE OLDTIMER Judge John Carey

They seemed to be all around us, just beneath the north Atlantic’s heaving surface. At dusk they would poke up antennas, to radio reports back to their bases on the French coast. Our job was to catch them before they sank out of our radar’s reach.

The trick was to locate them through the direction their messages were coming from. One direction alone would not give you a location. You needed two, or better, three. We used three, based on radio direction finding technology.

There were more than three ships available for this detection operation. All of them were destroyer escorts like the ship I was on, less heavily armed than a regular destroyer but well equipped for anti-sub warfare,

besides their main job of protecting the aircraft carrier in our hunter-killer group from attack by air or sea.

Each of three destroyer escorts would be assigned a high frequency radio channel to monitor, called Able, Baker or Charlie. The frequencies were chosen based on available information on what channels the subs would use in particular locations on particular days of the month.

How we got this information I can hardly imagine.

On each of the three escort ships, a junior officer like me would be given responsibility to monitor one of the three frequencies the subs were to use on the day and in the location in question. Whenever one of the three officers heard a highpitched squeal, he would shout his code letter, Able, Baker or Charlie, into a short-range radio transmitter. The other two monitors would immediately switch to the same frequency and note

from which direction the signal was coming, The three directions would be quickly plotted on a chart, in hopes that they would intersect in close to a single point. If so, that was where to head and try to pick up the sub on sonar, so as to bomb it with depth charges. Sonar sent out an underwater signal that would bounce back from any large solid underwater object like a sub.

All this had to be done quickly, since the sub’s transmission would last only about 10 seconds. It would have been recorded at normal speed and then played fast, making it sound like a squeal.

Sometimes a sub, in order to fake a sinking, would shoot up debris, or even meat, to make us think we had sunk it. If that fooled us, then we might stop dropping depth charges, giving the sub time to slink away.

CONTACT: j_pcarey@verizon.net

LAWSUIT from page 1

Sam Carder, the Rye City School District’s director of building and grounds, directed the removal of this masonry panel, from the Milton Road side of the science wing at Rye High School, more than six months ago after a moisture issue surfaced. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

responsible for affixing the exterior stone cladding.

Ironically, the down and dirty issue may be space-related. The science wing was built to provide up-to-date laboratory space and additional classrooms to accommodate increased enrollment. According to district administrators, enrollment at Rye High School has increased by 35 percent since 2005-2006.

The moisture issue on at least one interior wall of the wing may have been caused by the spacing between the exterior masonry wall and the water re-

sistant membrane.

According to masonry construction guidelines from DuPont, it is traditional for masons to leave a 1-inch margin of air space between the back of the brick and the framed wall. Currently, the district is trying to determine whether or not that 1-inch space was incorporated accurately.

In accordance with the KSQ Design, the $16 million addition, which was approved by the public through a bond referendum in January 2012, is clad in stone to match the rest of the

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CONTACT OUR EDUCATION REPORTER

high school and middle school.

Currently, a section of that masonry paneling has been removed so district building officials can determine the source of the problem. School administration officials said they are unsure at this point, where the exact problem lies and who is responsible. The panel will be examined by an independent consultant to pinpoint the problem, administration officials said.

-with reporting by James Pero

CONTACT: sarah@hometwn.com

SARAH VARNEY

sarah@hometwn.com

May 27, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 9

The Square House extravaganza SENIOR INFORMATION SUBJECTS Joseph Murphy

It was Wednesday, May 11 at the traditional annual Square House meeting of the City Council, convened by Mayor Joe Sack. This was a memorable meeting, rejoicing to the accomplishments of former Mayor Edmund Grainger who died.

The mayor called for a moment of silence to pay respects to his memory.

The subject of Mayor Grainger’s single most widespread triumph was his capacity to stop the building of the Oyster Bay Bridge from Long Island to Rye. But the fascinating part of the story was contributed by former Councilman H. Seitz, who detailed the historical origins leading up to 1964 announcement when the bridge idea was formally proposed. The story was properly known to few political leaders, but it was enchanting to hear the details that were never reported before this event.

According to Seitz, back in the late 1950s, then Gov. Rockefeller was running for election, and needed the support of labor.

According to the story, the governor approached a union leader to support him. Well, in politics nothing goes without a quid pro quo formula. The governor allegedly offered the union leader a promise to the labor leader that he be authorized to rebuild Albany for his support. Once the governor won, the quid pro quo arrangement was satisfied.

Then in the early 1960s, the union representative came to the governor and asked what he is going to offer him since it was awhile from the time he redeveloped Albany. As the story unfolds, governor promised the labor leader the opportunity to

build the Oyster Bay Bridge from Long Island to Rye/Port Chester. It was at this point that the residents of Rye first knew this bridge was to be built, and feared the result would transform Rye’s landscape. But thanks to Mayor Grainger, he interceded and got the governor to withdraw the proposal. Grainger was single-minded in stopping this project. So goes the tribute attributed to him on this special evening.

The customary agenda for this meeting is that Mayor Sack offered his comments and then introduced each other elected member of the City Council to share their comments relating to their services in their elected capacity. All paid tribute to the dedicated staff. One of the more graphic tributes was offered

by Councilman Terrence McCartney, who drew an analogy between the myriad challenges of staffing he witnessed in the Marine Corps under fiscal constraints and likened their challenges to the same authenticity and commitment replicated by the dedicated staff within the city. This portrait of city staff was echoed by all other City Council members; and was reflected in the remarks by Marcus Serrano, the new city manager.

He singled out all members of his staff and praised each member for their allegiance and accomplishments they achieve every day.

The other extravaganza that followed was Mayor Sack’s recognition of the services that the cadre of past elected officials fulfilled as well as the volunteers who contribute their time and talents to carry on the achievement of municipal duties that are essential for meeting targeted city goals. We were fortunate to hear from former mayors J. Carey, T. Dunn and S. Otis, who now serves in the New York state

Assembly. There were former councilmembers as well, namely G. Latimer, who now serves in the state Senate; J. Latwin, now serving as the chief judge in the Rye Court; T. Russo; J. Burke; and Seitz, complemented by Councilwomen M. Kaplowitz and C. Cunningham.

The final extravaganza unraveled when two members, tenants at Rye Manor Senior housing complex and affiliation with the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee, were introduced. It was at this juncture that both Josephine Del Monte and Pat Hammer shared a serious concern related to the tenants at Rye Manor who smoke. They reported that there are a number of tenants who smoke and in some instances, the smoking is serious.

Why? They reported that some wear oxygen due to the severity of their medical conditions.

Likewise, these smokers are affecting the medical problems of non-smoking tenants who are convalescing from serious medical issues of their own.

At the reporting of this information, there was an outcry by those in attendance that something had to be done to reverse this serious problem. Carolyn Cunningham, who chairs the Rye Interfaith Council, stated she would take action by calling the Rye Manor building manager about this matter.

As the meeting ended, the mayor and City Council members adjourned to City Hall to complete the evening’s agenda. It was at this sector of the meeting that the problem related to the relocation of four dumpsters adjoining the Rye Manor complex was addressed. Mayor Sack noted that the dumpsters would be relocated to another area on the site in the next 30 days to complete this assignment.

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MINORS from page 1

dependency for more than 20 years. “I want to get us all on the same page.”

Previously, Neuman said, the system didn’t incorporate an education component for either the minor or their guardians.

“If a kid gets a fine or a summons, the parents don’t get any education,” she said. “You get your summons, you pay your ticket and leave.”

In the wake of several drugrelated overdoses among young adults in Rye over the past five years, the city has begun to coalesce around drug prevention to help save its youth from succumbing to drug addiction Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican and co-founder of Rye-ACT—which is mostly made up of members of the Rye community—characterized the initiative as an important step forward in Rye’s fight against drugs.

“It’s all about education and teaching the kids and the parents what are the dangers,” Killian said. “They don’t necessarily understand how dangerous this stuff can be.”

According to Corcoran, who

At a glance A new educational program being developed in Rye by anti-drug coalitions, police and the court system aims to give minors convicted of a marijuana or alcohol-related offense a second chance at avoiding a criminal record Instead of a misdemeanor, minors would be required to complete an educational course that combines counseling and educational sessions intended to steer teens away from drugs According to the projects main architect, Lilly Neuman of St. Vincent’s Hospital, the project’s counseling would also involve parents and police officers

has already been involved in various efforts to curb drug use in Rye since his induction into the city’s Police Department in February, the program is still in its beginning stages, but will hopefully evolve in the future.

“I can’t comment how it’s going to work just yet,” he told the Review. “But [Judge Latwin] and I have been talking about it frequently.”

In the meantime, Neuman, who said she will continue to

help develop the program and take on additional juveniles assigned to her by the courts, explained that her job is to give Rye’s youth the tools necessary to make an informed decision.

“I can’t stop [them] from using,” she said. “But I can give you information so when someone passes you a joint or gives you alcohol you can say, ‘Not today.’”

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

10 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

Rye High marks on drug, alcohol survey alarming

Far right, Rye Middle School Principal Dr. Ann Edwards and members of the Rye-ACT coalition listen to results of a 2014 survey of Rye students in comparison to Westchester County and New York state results for the same grade cohorts. Photos/Andrew Dapolite

By SARAH VARNEY Education Reporter In a city obsessed with high grades and higher SAT scores, approximately 500 parents of Rye high and middle school students who attended a May 24 town hall learned that rates of drug and alcohol use—particularly among 11th- and 12thgraders—is also high.

The meeting was hosted by the Rye Action for Children and Teens Coalition, Rye-ACT. The focus of the meeting was to unveil the results of a New York state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, OASAS, survey, administered in November 2014 to 1,440 students enrolled in Rye High School and Rye Middle School.

The results showed some alarming trends and a predictable correlation between increased drug and alcohol use in the community and the rash of drug and alcohol-related deaths of recent Rye High School graduates.

OASAS data showed that Rye High School students indulge in markedly increased rates of alcohol and marijuana usage, binge drinking and consumption of prescription stimulants.

At the same time, students’ behavior showed little concern for parental disapproval of drug and alcohol usage.

Survey data showed that more than half of the high school’s 11th- and 12th-graders—56 percent—indulged in binge drinking within the past 30 days.

Binge drinking was defined as

having five or more alcoholic drinks in a row.

Compared to surveyed peers both in Westchester County and the state in 2014-2015, Rye’s numbers were considerably higher. Just 22.5 percent of Westchester 11th- and 12th-graders reported binge drinking and only 23.9 percent of the same age group statewide said they’d indulged in binge drinking over a similar 30-day window.

Misuse of prescription stimulants was also of concern for, most notably, high school seniors. According to the data, approximately 6.1 percent of those surveyed in Rye admitted to misusing stimulants, compared to just 1.4 percent and 1.6 percent in the county and state, respectively.

In one of several group circles, parents and volunteers discuss issues surrounding increased drug and alcohol use by juniors and seniors of Rye High School during a May 24 town hall at the Resurrection auditorium.

To combat continued escalation, city and school leaders are vowing to take a different approach.

Rye Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran, who was appointed in February, told the town hall audience that his department has reinstated a youth officer position to work with students tapped with drug and/ or alcohol violations. The youth officer position has been vacant since 2011 after Detective John Wood was reassigned and the youth division of the Police Department was eliminated.

Corcoran’s remarks were met several times with thunderous applause.

Rye City School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Alvarez echoed Corcoran’s sense of urgency. “We will have a more aggressive policy going forward,” Alvarez said.

“We’ve looked at the curriculum and there is work to be done there.”

The superintendent noted that

the schools have continually worked to address the problem of drug and alcohol use among students, but said those efforts occur on a daily basis and can be less visible to parents.

On a more tangible level, the approach of similar anti-drug coalitions toward drug and alcohol use among minors has proved successful in other areas of Westchester. Such an approach brings together professionals and volunteers from legal, academic, faith-based and mental health sectors to collaborate on solutions and strategies.

The roots of the Rye-ACT coalition first started to grow back in 2012. The coalition was cofounded by Councilwoman Julie Killian and Board of Education member Nancy Pasquale and includes members of the clergy, Police Department, representatives from the Rye City School District health and counseling staff, the Rye Youth Council and St. Vincent’s Hospital.

Despite the sobering survey

results, Pasquale was heartened by the enthusiastic turnout of Rye parents.

Kim O’Connor, a Rye-based family therapist and high school parent, led one of the small breakout groups after the survey data was revealed at the town hall meeting. She noted that while some parents of younger children were surprised by the OASAS data, parents of older children were less so.

In O’Connor’s group, parents said they felt empowered by information they had received and optimistic about Rye-ACT’s collaborative approach to decreasing drug and alcohol use.

“Parents said they wanted the opportunity to develop the skills to talk to their children about drug and alcohol usage,” she said. “They want to have conversations with their children proactively, not just reactively after there’s another tragedy.”

CONTACT: sarah@hometwn.com

11 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

Business Briefs BCW recognizes 2016 Class of Rising Stars The Business Council of Westchester, the leading business membership organization in the county, recently announced its 2016 class of Rising Stars, a richly talented and diverse group representing an impressive array of professions.

The BCW’s Rising Stars awards salute Westchester’s “40-under-40,” individuals, who demonstrate exemplary leadership, creativity, innovation, dedication and professionalism. They are among the best and brightest in business in the entire Hudson Valley.

“The quantity and quality of this year’s nominees was second to none,” said Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester. “The 2016 winners are highly skilled, inspiring and diverse, and they represent a tremendous cross section of organizations and industries. We’re thrilled to honor such an elite group of young professionals.”

The winners will be honored on June 16 during a reception at 800 Westchester Ave. in Rye Brook. The Rising Stars program is modeled after the national business recognition program “40-under-40.” Rising Stars honorees were chosen based on professional and/or entrepreneurial accomplishments, professional and/or business affiliations, and demonstrated leadership skills.

News 12 Westchester anchor and reporter Tara Rosenblum will reprise her role as emcee for the Rising Stars ceremony. Rosenblum, a 2007 Rising Stars honoree, has earned nearly 200 major industry awards—including 16 Emmys—since joining News 12 in 2004. She has 66 Emmy nominations, and she was the most nominated reporter in the state in 2014 and 2016.

The competition for this year’s Rising Stars was steep. This year’s winners represent a vast number of industries, including law, finance, public relations and marketing, education, healthcare, and real estate. Maria Bronzi, director at Altium Wealth Management and a 2011 honoree, oversaw the selection process as chair of the Rising Stars program.

The county’s largest and most influential business membership organization, The Business Council of Westchester is committed to helping businesses market, learn, advocate and grow. In addition, The Business Council of Westchester is actively involved in reviewing federal, state and county legislation and regulations in order to assess the potential impact on the business community and to influence the outcomes through advocacy when the business community’s interests may be affected. It also acts as an information resource for the business community and government leaders at all levels.

Houlihan Lawrence launches digital lifestyle guide ‘North of NYC’ In an effort to wow New Yorkers contemplating a move out of the city, Houlihan Lawrence, the leading real estate brokerage serving Gotham’s northern suburbs has released a new digital lifestyle guide, called North of NYC. The highly interactive guide celebrates the people and sites that make New York’s Hudson Valley and Western Connecticut such thriving places to live, work and play.

“This project demonstrates how Houlihan Law-

rence is embracing the new frontier of real estate marketing by turning the focus on communities and lifestyle possibilities rather than simply selling houses,” said Chris Meyers, managing principal of Houlihan Lawrence. “We chose to produce the guide in a mobile-optimized digital format, making it easy for people to explore our communities as they begin their journey.”

According to E.J. Kelley, content strategist at Houlihan Lawrence, the company wanted to establish something that introduced “each of our communities” in an authentic way.

Designed by King & Partners, a digital agency specializing in content strategy, design and technology located in NoHo, the visually stunning microsite is organized through the lens of six local personas: the Villager, the Equestrian, the Trailblazer, the Waterfronter, the Locavore, and the Cosmopolitan.

Each category profiles a local personality, business owner or influencer who shares their experience and connection to the region.

“In addition to creating a visually captivating digital experience, our goal was to build an online destination that will tell the many wonderful stories of the northern suburbs and engage users in meaningful conversations,” said Tony King, CEO of King & Partners. “We wanted North of NYC to be a truly unique platform that offers a customized, interactive map of the region and invites people to uncover its best offerings, from local breweries and farm-totable eateries to organic farms and historic sites.”

North of NYC is an ongoing campaign for Houlihan Lawrence that began with Instagram. Engaging local Instagrammers through photo contests and promotions, the feed for the tag today includes more than 4,000 community-generated images from our area, providing a foundation for the full-fledged lifestyle guide.

Through high-end technology, seamless design and creative direction, Houlihan Lawrence is proud to engage locals and city dwellers alike in order to initiate a digital narrative explaining why there’s no place like its home.

For more information, visit northof.nyc.

Friedland Realty Advisors becomes RM Friedland On the heels of a recordbreaking first quarter, Friedland Realty Advisors, a commercial real estate service company headquartered in Harrison, is proud to announce its new name, RM Friedland, in addition to Colleen T. Quinn leadership changes and significant new hires.

Effective immediately, the company is debuting the new name, logo and marketing materials as part of its new brand identity. RM Friedland aligns Friedland Realty with Robert Martin William Anson Company, a real estate investment, development and management firm, which has had an ownership stake in the business since November 2015. Recently, the firm announced a majority stake in the company.

“Since the investment by Robert Martin Company, our clients have truly benefited from the combined expertise and resources of two of the most seasoned real estate companies in Westches-

ter County,” said Sarah Jones-Maturo, president and CEO of RM Friedland.

RM Friedland is also announcing leadership changes and new additions to the team’s Harrison office. William Anson has been named managing director of the company’s industrial division and Colleen T. Quinn has been named managing director of the retail division. The seasoned industry executives will be responsible for spearheading new business activities within their respective divisions, leading internal training sessions and fostering junior talent.

In addition, Jones-Maturo, who previously served as president, has been named president and CEO of RM Friedland.

Anson has more than 40 years of experience as a commercial broker specializing in industrial property sales and leasing in Westchester and Fairfield counties as well as the Bronx. The majority of his career was spent running his own real estate brokerage company, Anson & Berger Inc., one of the most highly respected boutique firms in the area. The company provided services for both national and international firms as well as many private, familyowned companies.

Quinn has more than 25 years of experience as a retail broker, representing clients like The Fresh Market, Michael’s, Fidelity and Mavis Tire. Prior to joining RM Friedland, she successfully ran her own real estate brokerage company, Quinn Commercial Properties LLC, for more than a decade. Quinn previously held positions with Northwest Atlantic Real Estate Services in White Plains, and CBRE in White Plains and Stamford, Connecticut.

The retail division is also welcoming industry veteran Beth White to the team. Bringing more than 30 years of experience as a real estate professional, White joins RM Friedland to build and enhance the RMF Retail Services Landlord Representation Division. As one of the most senior leasing personnel at Simon, the nation’s largest mall owner, White was responsible for varied and diverse assets in terms of EBITDA and geography. Originally hired by Melvin Simon and Associates, her career soared as the company grew to become the most prominent mall owner in the U.S. She is a member of ICSC. In addition, Joshua Ezman recently joined the company as marketing director and played an integral role in the rebranding effort. In this role, Ezman will focus on improving all aspects of RM Friedland’s internal and external marketing. He received his degree in advertising and design from Syracuse University and has spent his decade-long career working for prominent advertising firms such as Match MG and TracyLocke.

“This is an exciting time for our company and we’re thrilled that these industry leaders with proven track records have joined our team,” said Jones-Maturo. “These hires will help shape the future of the company and position us for continued success.”

The next Business Briefs section will run in June.

Please send any submission for our June 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.

12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

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May 27, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 13

ing up across Europe and Japan.

In the 1970s, there were even RHYMES three adventure playgrounds in WITH CRAZY New York—parks deliberately Lenore Skenazy full of junk and supervised by New York kids are about to “playworkers”—adults trained get dirty, frustrated, bruised, to support play, not direct it. But gradually, those playgrounds tired, and so happy.

On Saturday, May 28, a brand disappeared, some in part for new, but already cluttered and budget reasons and others, in chaotic “adventure playground” part, one suspects, for liability is opening on Governor’s Island. reasons. Adventure play was reIt’s called play:groundNYC. Ad- placed by its opposite: the kind mission is free on the weekends of playgrounds we see today, and children are most welcome, where parents are expected to stay and watch. but parents are not.

What’s missing most is risky That’s the whole idea behind adventure playgrounds, explains play, which is not the same as Yoni Kellai, one of the eight hazardous play, says Kellai, who volunteers who co-founded the teaches circus arts in Brooklyn. place: Kids play differently Risk is something a child can aswhen there’s a parent around. sess and decide to take or not: You’ve seen it yourself. They Shall I climb a little higher up pester and whine. They get bored the ladder today? A hazard is just and demand adult attention (and an unseen danger; for instance, if a ladder had a broken leg the Goldfish crackers).

But when kids play on their child couldn’t see.

Too often, parents, princiown, especially when they’ve got hammers and saws and pals and insurance companies wood and nails, as they will at assume risk and hazard are the play:groundNYC, they play a same. But eliminating risk elimlittle bigger. They make and inates a key element of play: facbreak things. And that’s just ing something scary and overcoming it. Remove that element what kids really crave.

The whole idea of adventure and play becomes boring. The playgrounds began in Denmark adventure playground brings it in the 1930s. A landscape archi- back.

Governors Island has gentect named C.T. Sorenson noted with unusual humility that kids erously allowed the adventure did not seem to be flocking to playground to look as it must: the kind of well-ordered parks awful, with wood, plastic, fabric his type designed. Instead, they and other junk strewn around. “I were having the time of their actually stumbled across what lives playing in junky lots. As he I think you call a dial phone?” started to imagine what the most says Kellai, 32. “I don’t know engaging playground would if the kids will know what it is.”

That doesn’t mean it isn’t look like, he wrote in his journal: “There could be... old cardboard valuable. It could become part boxes, planks and boards, ‘dead’ of a fort—or the target of hamcars, old tires and lots of other mer practice.

“There’s very little opportuthings.... Of course it would look nity for a lot of kids living in terrible.”

It sure does. The lots look like New York to not just build but rubble. But from then on, adven- destroy their environments withture playgrounds started spring- out being chastised,” says Reilly

Bergin Wilson, a CUNY student and another play:groundNYC founder. “You know what I mean? You could go to your local playground, but if you ever took even a permanent marker, let alone a saw, to anything there, you would get yelled at in seconds, and quite possibly someone would call the police on you.”

Destroying and building are both just fine at an adventure playground. And they’re clearly something the kids love almost more than anything else. When play:groundNYC opened a few short-term pop-up playgrounds in Brooklyn, parents who would normally schedule a day’s worth of amusements were amazed to find that their kids could occupy themselves for two, three or four hours without anything more than a gaggle of kids and a pile of planks. The parents changed as much as the kids.

To get to the play:ground, there are ferries from Manhattan and Brooklyn. Thanks to Kickstarter and a few grants, there are three playworkers on the scene every weekend until the end of September. Since each playworker can oversee about 10 kids, well, you can do the math. If the founders get some more grants, they can hire some more workers and allow in more kids.

During the week, the play:ground is home to a camp that costs $550 a week, but scholarships are available.

And outside the play:ground, there’s another area for younger kids under 6 where parents are allowed and even encouraged to stay. But once those kids get a little older, bye mom!

For more information, visit play-ground.nyc, and let your kids take it from there.

County comes together to fight and prevent Zika County Executive Rob Astorino recently presented Westchester’s plan to protect residents from the potential threat of the Zika virus and other mosquitoborne diseases.

“Westchester County has a comprehensive plan in place to protect residents from Zika,” Astorino said. “There have been no locally acquired cases of Zika in Westchester. Nevertheless, I want to assure you that Westchester County is working diligently to address Zika. The county’s action plan includes education, surveillance and mosquito control.”

Joined by Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler and Assistant Commissioner for Environmental Health Peter DeLucia at the Kensico Dam playground in Valhalla, Astorino described the county’s strategies and encouraged residents to be proactive at home and on the go to reduce their risks of mosquito bites.

The county’s plan includes: • Giving residents free minnows that can eat mosquito larvae in their backyard ponds and water features.

• Applying larvacide to catch basins on county and municipal roads, already covering half the county.

• Doubling the number of mosquito trap sites and adding a new type of trap to attract the mosquitoes that could transmit the Zika virus.

• Targeting limited areas for ground spraying, should a locally acquired case be confirmed or nearby mosquitoes test positive for Zika.

Amler discussed the ways Zika can be transmitted and em-

phasized that the best way for pregnant women to avoid exposure and the danger to their developing fetus is to avoid travel to areas where the virus is present. She also shared advice all residents can use.

“Use EPA-registered insect repellents when outdoors, and always follow the label instructions,” Amler said. “Cover exposed skin by wearing longsleeve shirts, long pants and socks. Don’t sleep with your windows open, unless the windows have screens in good condition. Prevent mosquito breeding sites around your home and visit the health department’s website for up to date health information, including our ‘Keep Healthy and Bug Off’ brochure.”

Astorino and DeLucia pointed out objects around your yard or driveway that could provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, such as old tires, a watering can and a trash can lid.

“Dump them out, scrub them off to remove any mosquito eggs and put them away,” DeLucia said. “It’s also a good idea to clear the leaves out of your gutters. Check your screens and repair any tears to avoid becoming a mosquito’s next meal.”

Residents can report standing water in abandoned pools and elsewhere to the health department at 813-5000. For more information about the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, visit health.westchestergov.com. (Submitted)

P U B LI S H ES

CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

Harrison REVIEW REVIEW Mamaroneck THE

THE

Eastchester CityREVIEW NewRochelle REVIEW THE

THE

INSIDE

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SPORTS

14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

Sunny days for Section I LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

It’s no secret that the weather for the majority of this spring season was disappointing, to say the least.

While plenty of rain and temperatures that made it feel like early March continued for two months too long, it certainly hasn’t been a dream for sportswriters like me—or our area athletes, I’d imagine. But over the last week or so, things have really started to heat up, both in terms of the average temperature and stellar in-game action.

Of course, it seems natural that the majority of the year’s best games take place once the postseason rolls around; the best teams are squaring off against each other, with Section I’s ultimate prize hanging in the balance. It makes sense that these evenly matched teams would produce entertaining results,

but this year, perhaps more than most, instant classics seem to be more the rule than the exception.

Whether it’s upsets like John Jay’s baseball team knocking off defending state champion Byram Hills on Monday, or—closer to home—Haldane knocking off reigning Class C softball champion Tuckahoe, there has been no shortage of fireworks so far.

Perhaps nobody had a better first week of the playoffs, at least dramawise, than Mamaroneck’s softball team, which rallied from a sizeable deficit to top league rival Scarsdale 5-4 in extra innings in the opening round of the Class AA playoffs last Friday, and then followed that win up with an impressive upset of No. 3 seed Yorktown just a few days later.

Tigers coach Allison Bedosky was quick to deny that any momentum from her team’s win over the Raiders carried over into their quarterfinal showdown with the Huskers, but, with all due respect to the skipper, I’m not so sure.

Watching the Tigers celebrate their 6-5 win on Yorktown’s field on Monday, I couldn’t help but think that there was something special going on, and that each of the players knew it, too.

Does that mean the Tigers are guaranteed to keep those good times going against John Jay in the semis after press time?

Of course not. One good turn doesn’t always predict a historic run. Just look at Eastchester’s baseball team, which followed up a dramatic walk-off victory against Lakeland with a secondround loss to Brewster.

Early-round magic doesn’t always stick around, but it is definitely fun while it lasts.

As of press time, we’ve got quite a few teams in the Review’s coverage area still alive: Harrison’s baseball team, Mamaroneck’s boys’ lacrosse, baseball and softball squads, both lacrosse teams from Bronxville and a Tuckahoe baseball team eager to come away with a state title.

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

Eastchester celebrates Anthony Belmonte’s walk-off hit against Lakeland on May 21. Eastchester won its first-round playoff game before falling to Brewster on May 23. Photo/Bobby Begun

Maybe each one of these teams will go all the way; maybe they’ll all lose in their next contest. Regardless, one thing is certain: no matter how cold it was all season

long, no matter how wet it was, no matter how many games got rained out, right now, the sun is shining on high school sports.

Let’s just hope those pesky

clouds stay away for the next few weeks.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

Rowers win States Rye High School crew earned gold medals and the New York statec title in the men’s varsity lightweight 4+ and will compete in both the 2016 Scholastic Rowing Association of America, SRAA, Nationals later this month in Nashport, Ohio, and the U.S. Rowing National Youth Championships at Mercer Lake, New Jersey in mid-June.

Rye High School crew will field the following boats and crews at the two events: SRAA, Nashport, Ohio, May 27–28: • Men’s Lightweight Varsity 4+: New York state champions: Zach Szabo (coxswain), John Dailey, Tim Rudoph-Math, Jimmy Cronin and Jack Hartman.

• Men’s Lightweight Varsity 8+: Blake McGowan (coxswain), Arthur Burke, Teddy Clark, Andy Gomez, Alex Farres-Centano, Troy Gilman, Ethan Fogarty, Hall Luthringer and Victor Gomez.

• Women’s Lightweight Varsity 4+:

Lily McLoughlin (coxswain), Abby Foresman, Nola Storey, Shoshi Daniels and Erica Kinstel.

U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships, Mercer Lake, New Jersey, June 9–13: • Men’s Lightweight Varsity 4+: Zach Szabo (coxswain), John Dailey, Tim Rudoph-Math, Jimmy Cronin and Jack Hartman.

Note: To qualify as a lightweight at the New York State Scholastic Championships in Saratoga Springs, the rowers had to weigh in and be certified prior to rowing; under 150 pounds for men, under 130 pounds for women.

Rye crew’s big take away at the recent New York State Championships in Saratoga Springs was the first-place finish by the men’s lightweight 4+ against 14 teams from across the state.

The gold victory was impressive as Rye High School crew won by open water, 18.5 seconds ahead of Pelham.

The men’s lightweight 8+

SPORTS

boat qualified for SRRA with a solid performance in time trials on Saturday, May 14. Their championship race on Sunday, May 15 was cancelled due to windy conditions, so their time from Saturday brought them through.

The women’s lightweight varsity 4+ qualified for SRAA in time trials on Saturday in a group with 19 boats.

Longstanding men’s coach Stan Nelson and women’s coach Catharine Labine were proud of all the rowers and the team’s overall performance during this year’s States, and the hard work the rowers have put in all season, often in the wee hours of the morning.

The team must now come up with the funds to get the rowers to Nashport, Ohio. Nancy Neuman from Coldwell Banker in Rye has started the ball rolling by donating to the crew team. If you would like to contribute to help the team get to Nashport, please email susanna-publicity@ryecrew.org.

May 27, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 15

From left, Rye High School crew members Jimmy Cronin, Jack Hartman, Zach Szabo, Tim Rudolph-Math and John Dailey. The crew won the New York state champion title in the men’s varsity lightweight 4+ earlier this month. Photo/Bill Dailey

my Cronin.

• Fourth place in Women’s Freshman Quad: Mina Takegami, Kayla Patel, Alexandra Kirk and Greta Filor.

• Third place in TT Men’s Freshman Four+: Ben Turk (coxswain), Panikos Hadjupanayis, Jake Moore, Liam Davey and Noah Clickner.

• Fourth in Men’s double: Eduardo Malespin and Mi-

In addition other notable results were: • First in Petite final: Men’s Varsity Four: Emily Frase (coxswain), John McFarland, Tolo Sutherland, Lachlan Nelson and Liam Wilson.

• Second: Men’s Varsity pair: Liam Wilson and John McFarland.

• Third: Men’s Lightweight Double: John Dailey and Jim-

chael Batal.

• Fifth in Men’s double: Lachlan Nelson and Parker Vanamee.

• Fourth Men’s varsity quad: Alex Sutherland, Adam RudophMath, Dylan Senkiw and Tyler Clickner.

“We have a lot of work to do in the next four weeks, but everyone is excited to keep training,” men’s head coach Nelson said. (Submitted)

Rye Athlete of the Week Liam Wilson

By LAUREN DEMPSEY Contributor Placing second at the New York State Crew Championships, senior Liam Wilson has earned his spot as the latest Athlete of the Week.

The championship race in the pair boat division consisted of teams from public and private high schools from all over the state, including Burnt Hills, Manhasset, Arlington, St. John the Baptist and Canisius High School. Teamed up with junior John McFarland, the two used every ounce of energy that they could muster to beat four other competitors in the championship race.

Both inside and outside the

boat, Wilson is a leader. He strokes pair, meaning that he sits forward and steers while rowing.

“Even at 5 a.m. when I’ve gotten only a few hours of sleep, Liam’s determination is what motivates me to push myself,” McFarland said. “Liam’s pre-race speeches are what keep me going.”

When he is not in the water, you can find Wilson working at an auto body shop for his senior internship. During the school year, he frequently participated in Model U.N. He is also a member of the National Honor Society.

“Liam has really shined as a rower over the last two years culminating in a great season

this spring,” coach Stan Nelson said. “The hard work he put in really paid off.”

After completing his eighth season rowing crew for Rye High School, Wilson will be attending Georgia Tech in the fall to study nuclear engineering.

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16 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 27, 2016

SPORTS

Rye bows out in semis GIRLS LACROSSE

CLASS B

SEMIFINALS

YORKTOWN RYE YORKTOWN HS

9 7 5/23/16

Game Notes: •R ye held a 5-3 lead over the Huskers heading into the half •Y orktown scored four straight goals to open up the second half •A manda Hartzell had a hat trick for the Garnets

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor Coming into their May 23 Class B semifinal game against Yorktown, Rye’s lacrosse team knew it faced a daunting test in the Huskers, who came into the season as one of the favorites to nab a sectional crown. And although the No. 3 seed Garnets controlled the game in the first

A Rye player chases down a groundball. Photos/Mike Smith

half, Yorktown came alive in the second to send Rye packing and escaped with a 9-7 win.

The Garnets looked crisp in the early portions of the game, dominating the time of possession and heading into halftime with a 5-3 lead over the favorites. But the Huskers scored the first four goals of the second half to take a two goal lead, one that they would protect for the remainder of the game.

According to Rye coach Dennis Hurlie, the Huskers’ comeback came as no surprise, but the fact that the Garnets were able to withstand the barrage and tie the game with less than five minutes to play speaks volumes about his team’s discipline.

“I think that everyone watching thought that Yorktown was going to make a run and blow the game open,” he said. “But they didn’t because we kept playing

Molly DeCaro fires a shot on goal against Yorktown on May 23. DeCaro had two goals in Rye’s 9-7 Class B semifinal loss to the Huskers.

Abby Abate rushes past a Huskers defender at Yorktown High School. Abate had a goal in Rye’s 9-7 loss.

well, we kept competing and fighting for draws.”

Yorktown’s Julia Cook had two goals, including one with 3:30 left to play that broke a 7-7 tie, while Rye’s offense was led by Amanda Hartzell, who notched a hat trick, and Molly DeCaro, who had two goals.

Rye’s defensive unit did a terrific job limiting an explosive Huskers’ team filled with players who will be going on to play Division I collegiate lacrosse.

“Defensively, we were fantastic, and we have the best goalie in the section [in Micheline DiNardo,” Hurlie said. “But in any game, there are going to be a few breakdowns and a few bounces and a few calls, but I thought we played really well overall.”

With the win, the Huskers will go on to play Somers in the Class B final on Thursday, May 26, after press time, at Mahopac High School and the Garnets will be forced to look ahead to next season.

“For Yorktown, that’s a team with their sights set on a state title and nothing less,” Hurlie said.

“We showed that when we show up and play like we did today,

Amanda Hartzell squares off with a Yorktown defender. Hartzell had a hat trick in the Class B semifinal game against the Huskers.

we can compete with just about anybody.”

As for next year, the head coach hopes that the lessons his team learned this year will lead to growth in the future.

“It could be a blowout loss, a close one like today or winning

it all, it should always be motivation to get back and be better,” he said. “Like always, we’re going to need people to make an effort to put the work in between now and next March to be better.”

CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com