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July 1, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 27 | www.ryecityreview.com

Astorino pushes to remove Playland pool By JAMES PERO Staff Writer

It’s over! Rye Neck High School graduates toss their caps into the air at the end of the commencement ceremony on Thursday, June 23. For coverage, see page 6. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

Rye police continue search for serial burglary suspect On Tuesday, June 14, the Rye Police Department continued its search for an unidentified young woman after she attempted to burglarize another home in the city, marking the third such incident in recent months. According to Rye police, a string of intrusions has affected homeowners on Harbor Lane, Oakland Beach Avenue and Riverside View thus far. “These are crimes of opportunities,” Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran said. “We are very fortunate to live in an extremely safe community, but I stress to people to lock their

doors and set alarms.” According to the commissioner, the suspect, who is believed to be a local resident, has targeted homes with unlocked doors. The suspect is a young white female who stands at 5-foot-4 and weighs approximately 125 pounds. During her most recent intrusion, at roughly 6 a.m. on June 14 at a home on Oakland Beach Avenue, the suspect was last described by the homeowner as having a long blonde ponytail and wearing a white sweatshirt with a baseball cap. The homeowner encountered the

suspect walking up the staircase inside the home. Throughout the intrusions, the young woman has reportedly stolen a number of exposed portable items, including wallets and cellphones. Since the June 14 invasion, however, the suspect has reportedly been inactive, according to police. “The case is still under serious investigation at the moment,” Corcoran said. Though burglaries typically occur during nighttime hours, or while homeowners are away, the suspect’s unusual patterns have led police to question her

motives. Further, the community has experienced an increasing amount of drug activity, which police believe explains the reason for the recent home invasions. Although not yet confirmed, police believe the woman is an opioid addict looking to invade homes for drugs. As of press time, the Police Department is working on possible leads to identify the suspect, but urges residents to lock their doors and secure their vehicles. -Reporting by Franco Fino

Support for costly renovations to Rye Playland’s historic swimming pool may be running dry after a proposed capital project from Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s Republican administration looks to remove the site completely. On Monday, June 20, a proposed $2.7 million bond act to remove and fill the park’s pool was sent to lawmakers by Astorino. The bond act was then referred to the committees on Budget and Appropriations, Labor, Parks, Planning and Housing and Infrastructure, where it will be reviewed by various members of the county Board of Legislators. The murky future of the pool is the latest development at the county-owned amusement park, and comes after years of negotiations between the county and various private entities interested in taking over operations there. In March, the management company Standard Amusements finalized a 30-year agreement with the county. According to the terms of the agreement—which also committed the county to $32 million in capital projects—the county is required to make a decision on the pool’s fate by July 31 or Standard may contractually exit the agreement. A Standard representative declined to answer whether or not the company would invoke that clause if the bond is stalled.

Additionally, if the bond fails to pass and Standard chooses to exit the agreement with the county, the management company would be fully refunded for its $1.5 million initial payment to the county. If passed, the bond act would authorize Standard to repurpose the covered space formerly occupied by the pool however it sees fit. According to Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat, while legislators proposed a compromised option that would provide repairs to the pool and keep it running in the interim, Nicholas Singer, co-founder of Standard Amusements, has shown little interest in that option. A spokesperson for Standard Amusements told the Review if the pool is filled—an outcome preferred by Standard— the new layout would include what the company envisions as an “open veranda” with light refreshments. According to county Legislator Mary Jane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat, it’s too early to know exactly how the board will vote on the issue. “At this point, we need more specific information on the exact current condition of the pool and what the repair costs would be before we make a properly considered judgment,” she said. According to a 2003 report by the Westchester County parks PLAYLAND continued on page 10