July 8, 2016

RyeCity REVIEW THE

July 8, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 28 | www.ryecityreview.com

Independence Throughout the Fourth of July weekend, Rye Playland was one of several locations throughout Westchester County to host vivid firework displays in celebration of the national holiday.

2 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016

July 8, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 3

Rye Town Park solicits restaurant operator

The Rye Town Park Commission is considering bringing in new management for the park’s restaurant, snack and concession stands. The lease agreement for the current restaurant, Seaside Johnnies, expires at the end of 2016. File photo

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer After a failed attempt to privatize Rye Town Park, park officials have now opened up a search for an operator to oversee its restaurant, snack and con­ cession stands.

According to a request for proposals, RFP, which was re­ leased on June 21 to try and so­ lidify a 10-year contract, both the restaurant—currently rented out by Seaside Johnnies—and snack and concession stands will require a series of renova­ tions in order to bring them up to par.

Among the improvements re­ quired by the potential operator will be outdoor lighting, kitch­ en updates, restrooms, heating, cooling and plumbing.

The current RFP stipulates that any renovations must be completed within a six-month timeframe.

Although some renovations were provided to Seaside John­ nies in 1999, Port Chester May­ or Dennis Pilla, a Democrat and a member of the Rye Town Park Commission, said that many of the structures still require a sig­ nificant amount of work.

“The structures are very old and need to be maintained,” he said. “There have not been ma­ jor improvements to the build­ ings in a while.”

According to Rye Town Su­ pervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat and member of the commission, while the rest of the park needs approximately $14 million in capital improve­ ments—a number derived from a 2011 study—he is unsure of just how much renovations to the restaurant will total.

“The commission is not go­ ing to be putting money into the restaurant itself. That would be up to the respondent to do,” he said. “Different restaurants would have different ideas for different capital improve­ ments.”

Currently, John Ambrose, coowner of Seaside Johnnies, has been the only confirmed party interested in the site.

Ambrose told the Review that the impetus behind his interest is the expiration of his current lease which, he said, is set to conclude at the end of the year.

Pilla added that it is not un­ usual for an RFP in as early a stage as this one to experience tepid initial interest.

A separate request for qualifi­ cations, RFQ, released in Febru­ ary, which sought a management company to oversee the entire park, has already been scrapped, according to Zukerman, who ex­ plained that lack of motivation from the commission has stalled the chances of any progress for the foreseeable future.

“We’ve taken a step back,” he explained.

Disagreements between the scope of the initial RFQ and what impact it would have on Rye residents’ use of the pub­ lic space were among the major topics that divided commission members.

The current RFP will also consider transitioning Seaside Johnnies, which is only open seasonally due to the building’s lack of a heating system.

According to Pilla, while the commission is “flexible” with a new operator keeping the park’s restaurant open, the option to keep it open year-round would be contingent upon the respondents’ willingness to invest in a heating system.

After the August deadline, the Rye Town Park Commission— which consists of representa­ tives from Rye Town, Rye City, and the village of Port Chester, Rye Brook and the Rye Neck section of the village of Mama­ roneck—will have 60 days to make a decision on the pool of respondents.

The deadline for submissions is set for Aug. 8.

Rye Mayor Joe Sack and Councilwoman Julie Killian, both Republicans, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

4 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016

What’s going on...

Rye Free Reading Room

ments will be served. This event is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.

Kirby Golf Outing

Summer Thursdays @ 11 series Adults are welcome to attend this fun, mindful and creative activity on Thursday, July 14 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Meeting Room. This doodling activity requires no artistic abilities, and will be taught by frequent Rye library instructor and mul­ timedia artist Carol Costa. The activity is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.

Family Fun Night: Green Meadows Farm Children entering kindergarten through fifth grade are welcome to attend this activity on Thurs­ day, July 14 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Meeting Room. This program features frogs, bugs, chin­ chillas and a chicken. Children will learn about where these animals are from and what they eat, when they sleep and how they protect themselves.

Kids will also be able to sing, dance and enjoy a surprise activity at the end of the event. This activ­ ity is free and open to the public, and registration is required. For more information or to register for this activity, call 674-4169.

Summer Science Club Children entering grades three to five are wel­ come to attend this Summer Science Club activity on Friday, July 15 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Participants will use the sun’s en­ ergy to make an oven out of a cardboard box to make s’mores to enjoy. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is required. For more information or to register for this program, call 674-4169.

Coffee with the City Council Residents are invited to join members of the City Council to discuss any topic of interest on Saturday, July 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Meeting Room. Mayor Joe Sack and Deputy May­ or Julie Killian will be in attendance, and refresh­

The 27th Annual George J. Kirby Memo­rial Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, July 18 at the Griffith E Harris “the Griff” Golf Course in Greenwich, Connecticut. Every year, thanks to generous local business and individual sponsor­ ships, more than 300 Rye Senior Citizens are able to participate in cultural, educational and health programs plus seasonal luncheon events.

Become a lead sponsor by donating a check in the amount of $150 or more. All checks can be made payable to Rye Senior Citizens and can be sent to Jerry McGuire, 411 Midland Ave., Rye, NY 10580. To participate in the scramble format tournament and enjoy a barbecue dinner hosted

by Kelly’s at the Rye Recreation Park, the cost is $175. For more information, to sponsor the event, or to make golf or dinner reservations, contact Tom Maloney at 310-7631 or Jerry Mc­ Guire at 490-8641.

Rye Arts Center Music School The Rye Arts Center will offer summer classes at their Music School, which offers opportunities for students to enhance their musical expe­ rience through recitals, com­ munity performances, practice marathons and student composition festivals. The Music School caters to more than 200 students during the school year, and holds weeklong ses­sions over the sum­ mer. For more information about The Music School, call Anne Bach Fu­masoli at 967-0700 ext.

23 or email her at anne@ryeartscenter.org.

Rye Recreation For more information or to register, visit ryeny. gov/recreation.cfm or call 967-2125.

12. Fee: $95 for residents; $120 for non-residents.

Players will develop their technique in drib­ bling, passing and shooting as well as an under­ standing of offensive and defensive plays.

Basketball camp On Monday to Thursday at 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., from Aug. 8 to Aug. 11. For grades one to three as of September 2016. This program will be held at the Rye Recreation Park. Rain date: Fri­day, Aug. 12. Fee: $145 for residents; $170 for nonresidents.

Players will develop their dribbling, passing and shooting skills. Each day will end with small-sided games where coaches will encourage good sports­ manship and teamwork.

Momentum Madness On Monday to Friday at 9 a.m. to noon, from Aug. 15 to Aug. 19. For grades three to nine as of September 2016. This program will be held at the Damiano Recreation Center. Fee: $270 for resi­ dents; $300 for non-residents.

Zero to 60 in two seconds? How fast can an ob­ ject go without compromising safety? Stu­dents in this camp will work with their Pit Crew to design and build vehicles, such as dragsters and hovering levitrons, which should able to withstand aston­ ishing speeds. Fasten your seat belt, the race has begun.

Rye Town Park Summer stories at Rye Town Park Celebrate the summer with tales of parks, na­ ture, sunshine, oceans and beaches told by library storytellers on Tuesday, July 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. in the Rye Town Park Seaside Pavil­ lion. The event is free and open to the public, and registration is not required. Rye Town Park will charge a reduced parking fee for story time at­ tendees of two dollars. Participants should tell the parking attendant they are attending the story time program when they arrive at the site.

Field hockey camp

Twilight Tuesdays Concert Series

On Monday to Thursday at 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., from Aug. 8 to Aug. 11. For grades three to six as of September 2016. This program will be held at the Rye Recreation Park. Rain date: Friday, Aug.

The Billy and the Showmen band will be per­ forming during the Twilight Tuesday Concert Se­ ries on July 19 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Rye Town Park, located at 95 Dearborn Ave. Found­ ed by Billy Frenz, this Greenwich-based band earned its reputation as one of the most endur­ ing rhythm and blues bands of its day. Admission to the concert is free, and parking at Rye Town Park is available after 4 p.m. Parking will be $4 for resident permit holders, and free for senior permit holders. Nearby residents are encouraged to walk to the concert. All concerts will be held rain or shine, except in case of thunderstorms.

Attendees are welcome to bring blankets, chairs

and picnics. For more information, call 9670965 or visit ryetownpark.org.

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. Sea­ son 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. Rye Town Park is a “stay-cation” bar­ gain.

The permits will be on sale Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Per­ mit Office in the Administration Building, Rye Town Park, 95 Dearborn Ave. in Rye. Parkingonly permits are $150. Beach access is free for all permit holders. The more permit holders go to the beach, the more they save. 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 informa­ tion, call the park at 967-0965 or visit ryetown­ park.org.

Rye Meeting House ‘On the Wing’ photo exhibit By popular request, the Bird Homestead nonprofit will hold over “On the Wing,” an exhibit of photographs of birds by Na­ dia Valla on view at the Meet­ ing House, until Nov. 26. It was originally scheduled to close at the end of June. The exhibit features 80 beautiful photos of more than 50 species of birds from the local area. These range from elegant white egrets that wade and fish in the estuary to the brightly colored warblers that pass through during their migration.

Valla often captures her subjects from a kay­ ak where she can photograph wading birds and swimming ducks at eye level. The photographs are grouped by species to provide an educational ex­ perience, in addition to aesthetic enjoyment. Valla is a French-born photographer and a member of the Little Garden Club of Rye. The exhibit is open Saturday afternoons from noon to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Donations will be gratefully accepted. The Rye Meeting House is located at 624 Milton Road in Rye. For more in­ formation, email birdhomestead.meetinghouse@ gmail.com or call 967-0099.

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.

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July 8, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 5

Police link heroin deaths to prominent Bronx dealer

Police arrested six suspects beginning on June 24 in connection to two Harrison residents that reportedly overdosed on heroin. Top row, from left, Rachael Brissett, Alexandra Derose and Diamond Samuels.

Bottom row, from left, Jeffrey “Flee” McCaskill, Deshaun Hardaway and Justice Sabina.

Photos courtesy Harrison Police Department

By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Police made a mark in their ongoing battle against heroin in the town/village of Harrison, as six individuals have been ar­ rested for selling and possessing the drug that contributed to the recent deaths of two unidentified Harrison residents, ages 26 and 29, at the end of June.

In the aftermath of the drugrelated fatalities, police began an investigation on June 24 that led to the arrests of Rachael Bris­ sett, 17, of Harrison, and Alexan­ dra Derose, 22, of Mamaroneck.

Both Brissett and Derose were charged with third-degree crimi­ nal sale of a controlled substance, a felony. Derose was additionally charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor.

“We believe at least one of the [local suspects] has been dealing for some time, and we’re going to do whatever we can to bring them to justice,” said Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini.

The investigation also devel­ oped a case that led to the arrest of a prominent Bronx dealer, Jeffrey “Flee” McCaskill, 27, who had been observed in a grey Dodge Caravan conducting a drug transaction on Halstead Avenue on June 26. He was ar­

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rested alongside Diamond Samu­ els, 32, Deshaun Hardaway, 27, and Justice Sabina, 33, all Bronx residents.

Investigators were able to connect drug packaging found in McCaskill’s van with exact markings of the drugs that were obtained from the Harrison resi­ dents who overdosed. Police would not disclose any addi­ tional details regarding the two deaths.

Police also believe that the dealers were selling tainted drugs. “The heroin contributed to two deaths in our community [and] the dealer had a sense that the drug was no good and con­ tinued to supply it anyway,” Mar­ raccini said.

McCaskill and Hardaway have been charged with felony counts of third-degree sale of a controlled substance as of press time, but police say their inves­ tigation will likely result in addi­ tional charges.

Samuels and Sabina have also been charged with felony counts of third-degree criminal posses­ sion of a controlled substance.

With collaboration from other law enforcement agen­ cies, the Harrison Police De­ partment executed a search warrant of McCaskill’s home in the Bronx and was able to find $10,000 in drugs, forged

U.S. currency and drug parapher­ nalia.

All six suspects were taken to the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla. Brissett has been released on $15,000 bail. Mc­ Caskill and Hardaway each are currently being held on a $500,000 bail each; both Sabina and Samuels on a $75,000 bail; and Derose on a $40,000 bail.

“We need more people to come forward with information about drug dealers,” Marraccini said. “Although it’s frustrating and disheartening, people [also] need to take any available means to get their loved ones help that suffer from addictions.”

According to the Harrison po­ lice chief, the Police Department is hopeful to institute a program that will allow individuals to walk into police headquarters to seek addiction help.

Harrison Councilwoman Mar­ lene Amelio, a Republican, said, “Certainly any program that works toward eradicating and helping people with addiction is something beneficial.”

As of press time, police will continue with the investigation, and anticipate further charges at a later date, as some suspects may be held responsible for the death of the two victims.

CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

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6 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016

RyeCity REVIEW THE

170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000

Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com

Rye hosts first-ever

Food Truck Festival

Executive Vice President | Ira Ellenthal ext. 31, irathal@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Suzy Berkowitz ext. 30, suzy@hometwn.com Reporter | James Pero ext. 20, james@hometwn.com

Bronx-based food truck Arthur Avenue Wood Fired Pizza Company prepares food from their mobile kitchen.

Education Reporter | Sarah Varney ext. 17, sarah@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 Bobby Begun, Andrew Dapolite Intern Justin Grant 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.

Local rock band BIRDDOG entertain the crowd during the festival.

Rye residents got a taste for the holiday in advance this year during Rye’s first Food Truck Festival on Saturday, June 25 at Rye Recreation Park.

Seven food trucks from New York and Connecticut rolled into the Midland Avenue park, along

with local Rye rock band BIRD­ DOG and Connecticut-based R&B band Billy and the Show­ men.

Ike Kuzio, assistant superin­ tendent of Rye Recreation, said the idea for the event came from a departmentwide brainstorming

session for new community pro­ grams. He noted that there was a larger vendor turnout than ex­ pected, a number of local spon­ sors, and an immense crowd of approximately 1,500 people throughout the day.

Kuzio said the event was a to­

tal success, incorporating a phe­ nomenal park staff and families coming together.

This was the event’s first year, one that Kuzio thought would be a good fit for Rye. “[I consider] food trucks to be a hot topic nowadays,” he said. “I was hap­ py with the results that we got.”

Already looking ahead, Kuzio plans on making improvements to the Food Truck Festival, in­ cluding adding more entertain­ ment, and a variety of different food vendors. In addition, he mentioned that the Recreation Department would like to make the festival an annual event on the same weekend.

-Reporting by Justin Grant

SPONSORS: GFX SITE DEVELOPMENT Title sponsor of the event Rye PBA County Coach Corp.

Rye Record Coldwell Banker Ryan Printing Moran Plumbing Ink Credible Printing Greenwood Union Cemetery Rye Family Dentistry Rye Family Orthodontics

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Mamaroneck-based food truck, Walters Hot Dogs, draws a crowd of kids and adults waiting for a bite to eat during Rye’s Food Truck Festival on Saturday, June 25. Photos/Chris Courtney

July 8, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7

Spring Awakenings luncheon held at Wainwright

From left, Jane Mickatavage, Vicky Farrington, president of the Friends of Rye Town Park, and Marie Ann Massey are enjoying the day at Wainwright.

From left, board members Rita Schubert and Holly Galgano congratulate honorees from SPRYE: Barbara Brunner, Thomas Saunders and Betti Weimersheimer.

Wainwright House held its annual Spring Awakenings Lun­ cheon on May 19 under sunny skies, overlooking the harbor.

Honorees include the Friends of Rye Town Park, a group of

volunteers dedicated to preserv­ ing the beauty and historic sig­ nificance of the park; SPRYE, a group of volunteers offering services and programs to en­ able members of the commu­

nity to continue living in their homes; and Tao Porchon-Lynch, the 97-year-old grande dame of yoga and founder of the West­ chester Institute of Yoga.

(Submitted)

From left, Rita Schubert, Carol Craig, Holly Galgano and Kathy Doherty with honoree Tao Porchon-Lynch, the 97-year-old grande dame of yoga, seated. Photos courtesy Mary deBarros.

8 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016

Area residents rally to shut down Ralph’s

Dinosaur expert gives surprising answers

Village of Mamaroneck residents and members of the Board of Trustees are in an uproar following traffic and noise problems created by an ice cream shop that may have skirted village planning procedure.

Photo/Andrew Dapolite

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Everyone screams for ice cream, including Mamaroneck residents who claim that their streets have been inundated with traffic as a result of a new busi­ ness—Ralph’s Italian Ices and Ice Cream, a popular Staten Island-originated chain—which may have skirted village plan­ ning procedures.

According to residents of Mamaroneck’s Keeler Avenue, who at a recent village board meeting voiced their concerns to the board, a lack of parking for the recently opened shop on Boston Post Road, near the Rye border, has caused patrons of the shop to use their street as a quick parking stop.

As a result, according to An­ thony Franceloa, a resident of Keeler Avenue who spoke at a recent village meeting, noise, unsightly garbage and a lack of parking have followed suit.

“For 18 years, I’ve resided on Keeler [Avenue],” France­ loa said. “Most of which has been peaceful and enjoyable.

Things have changed because of Ralph’s.”

According to the shop’s web­ site, Ralph’s—open for business since May—closes at 1 a.m.

Monday through Saturday and closes at midnight on Sunday.

Noise and congestion aren’t the only unintended side effects of Ralph’s bustling business; more traffic has also created more dangerous conditions for pedestrians.

According to Stephanie Fi­ gliomeni, another resident of Keeler Avenue, lengthy lines have led patrons of the shop to pour over into the parking lot and into traffic.

“The lot cannot manage the amount of people that are visit­

ing the establishment,” she said.

“We’re very afraid someone is going to get hurt.”

According to Mayor Nor­ man Rosenblum, a Republican, the village Police Department has already issued several sum­ monses to patrons who have parked illegally in front of drive­ ways and no parking zones.

After numerous complaints from residents, as well as a pe­ tition circulating door to door that looks to alleviate noise and unsightly garbage issues, the village is now working to rectify the problems created by Ralph’s, and has required the owner of the store, Scott Rosen­ burg, a Long Island resident, to hire an engineer who will con­ duct a layout study to alleviate traffic congestion.

Rosenburg contends that his business has “followed every procedure possible,” citing his compliance in adding a seating area, as well as hiring an engi­ neer to redesign a new layout. “[The residents] are treating me like a criminal,” he said. “It’s not right.”

According to Village Man­ ager Richard Slingerland, there is no current timeline for when the study will be completed; but Slingerland said the village is looking to “fix it as soon as possible.”

The impact of Ralph’s on Boston Post Road, however, may only be part of the prob­ lem, according to Trustee Ilissa Miller, a Democrat.

Miller said that Ralph’s— which is currently classified as a retail establishment—did not follow the proper vetting proce­ dure in place for fast food estab­ lishments.

“I’m not angry that [Ralph’s] is there,” Miller said. “I’m just perturbed that it bypassed the process.”

Although Slingerland said the establishment is currently classified as a retail store, Miller said the Planning Board should have regulated it as a fast food establishment, which would have called for both a public hearing and proper notice to res­ idents living in the area.

Instead, she explained, nei­ ther facets were a part of Ralph’s process.

According to New York state law, a fast food establishment is characterized by several crite­ ria: requiring customers pay be­ fore they eat, having 30 or more chain locations in total, and serving either food or drinks.

According to the company’s website, Ralph’s currently has 80 store locations across New York and New Jersey, meeting all three criteria.

Rosenblum, however, has con­ tended that the business was clas­ sified properly under the village’s zoning and planning parameters, and that any problems have been a product of Ralph’s unforeseen success.

Although residents will have to navigate the traffic congestion for the foreseeable future, a zoning appeal process, filed by a group of concerned residents of the area, is underway which could eventu­ ally shut down Ralph’s for good.

During the process, Miller said residents and village officials will have a chance to state their case in front of the Zoning Board of Ap­ peals and a new decision could be rendered.

This process, Miller added, can prove to be lengthy, however, sometimes taking years to come up with a resolution.

According to Figliomeni, the Zoning Board of Appeals will hear the residents’ case on July 18.

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

Paleontologist Dr. Lowell Dingus of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Contributed photo

By ANN MARIE CUNNINGHAM Contributor Young children are fascinated by dinosaurs, so most parents have had to explain that those charismatic beasts aren’t around anymore. But on Saturday, May 21 at the Rye Meeting House, paleontologist Dr. Lowell Din­ gus, Ph.D., from the American Museum of Natural History, AMNH, updated that answer for a rapt audience, including Rye Middle School science stu­ dents. His presentation, entitled “Are Dinosaurs Really Extinct?” was as astonishing as dinosaurs themselves: we are surrounded by their descendants, wherever we live.

Backed by Nadia Valla’s superb exhibition of 80 pho­ tographs of more than 50 spe­ cies of birds that frequent the Rye Meeting House and Bird Homestead properties, as well as specimens of dinosaur fos­ sils, Dingus explained that birds we see every day have evolved from one group of small car­ nivorous dinosaurs. Some dino­ saurs are known to have had at least a few feathers—perhaps a tuft or a line up the spine—and feathered arms somewhat like wings. Dinosaurs had talons, as do birds. Some dinosaurs laid eggs in nests and sat on them until they hatched, in the same position that birds use. As Din­ gus himself demonstrated to his appreciative audience, the posi­ tion is impossible if you’re not a bird—or a dinosaur.

Thanks to Dingus’ own field­ work and that of other paleon­ tologists, the fossil record on birds’ evolution from dinosaurs

expands and tells experts more every day—even after hundreds of millions of years. One speci­ men Dingus brought was a toe bone from a juvenile Asian ty­ rannosaur, a young relative of Tyrannosaurus rex. Just like birds’ bones, the toe bone was hollow. He also showed a Velo­ ciraptor tooth, and a cast of an early bird or relative of birds, Archaeopteryx. The original was found in Germany in 1870, and provided the first clue that birds had evolved from dinosaurs.

Some eighth-graders wanted to know which of the five main theories about dinosaur extinc­ tion Dingus found credible.

He replied that he thought two natural catastrophes, occurring 66 million years ago, contrib­ uted to dinosaurs’ demise. One was the Alvarez theory, from the late 1970s, that a huge as­ teroid struck the Earth and the resulting explosion blocked out sunlight. Even before the as­ teroid struck, Dingus thought, enormous volcanic eruptions in India were already blocking sunlight and killing off plants.

Herbivorous dinosaurs died off, and eventually carnivores had nothing to eat.

After Dingus’ talk, many au­ dience members lingered to ex­ amine his specimens and ask questions. One student wanted to know, “Where do you go to school to become a paleontolo­ gist?”

Diane Elliott, a Rye resident who frequently attends events at the Rye Meeting House, added, “It’s not every day that I leave with a whole different way of looking at things. Afterwards, when I saw a mockingbird in my

back yard, I couldn’t help think­ ing that a little member of the dinosaur family was perched on my bird feeder.”

Anne Stillman, president of the Bird Homestead nonprofit, said that Dingus’ presentation was a wonderful example of the organization’s efforts “to offer fascinating programs by scien­ tists to the general public and to inspire in young people an enthusiasm for science and dis­ covery.”

Dingus is the co-author of “Barnum Brown: The Man Who Discovered Tyrannosaurus rex,” a biography of the AMNH pa­ leontologist who is considered the very best dinosaur collector of all time. Brown’s right-hand man was Roland T. Bird, an­ other talented fossil hunter and eldest of the four children who grew up at the Bird Homestead.

With AMNH collections man­ ager Carl Mehling, Dingus had visited the Rye Meeting House previously to talk about Bird and Brown’s relationship and careers. On May 21, Dingus praised Bird’s powers of obser­ vation, which helped him make amazing discoveries.

To learn more about birds’ evolution from dinosaurs, visit the AMNH’s current exhibit, “Dinosaurs Among Us.” The Bird Homestead non­ profit operates the Rye Meeting House for environmental, histor­ ic preservation and educational purposes. The Meeting House is open on Saturday afternoons from noon to 3 p.m. through Nov. 26 for viewing “On the Wing,” the beautiful photo ex­ hibit of birds from the local area

by Valla.

July 8, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 9

Rye Ridge Pharmacy to open Rye Ridge Shopping Cen­ ter, Plaza and South are excited to announce that Rye Ridge Pharmacy has signed a longterm lease at Rye Ridge Shop­ ping Center. They will occupy a newly created space between Chase Bank and the new Bal­ ducci’s Food Lovers Market.

They will occupy 4,397 square feet and they plan on opening this fall.

Rye Ridge Pharmacy will be a new location for Abe Rutman and Charlene Jacobi, who are longtime partners in the much loved Town Center Pharmacy in Armonk, and Bedford Pharmacy in Bedford. The Rye Ridge lo­ cation will have personal service and will offer the best in hair­ care, skincare, spa essentials, jewelry, tabletops, gifts, fash­ ion accessories, candles, greet­ ing cards, candy and of course a full-service pharmacy. Just like in their other locations, they will provide gift wrapping free of charge. Abe and Charlene

Party on the Pier to be held at Playland

Rye Playland

are thrilled to be part of the Rye Ridge community.

Erin Hinchey, leasing agent for the center, said, “Our shop­ pers have really missed having a local pharmacy at Rye Ridge since the owners of Finch’s re­ tired. We took our time finding the right ‘boutique-like’ phar­ macy that would complement the center. Rye Ridge Pharmacy

fills that void perfectly. “ The Rye Ridge Shopping Center, Plaza and South are lo­ cated at Ridge and Bowman av­ enues in Rye Brook. There are more than 70 fine shops, eateries, fitness outlets and services with ample free parking. For more information, contact Hinchey at ehinchey@winprop.com.

(Submitted)

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The Westchester Parks Foun­ dation, formerly known as Friends of Westchester County Parks, has announced that it will host an evening “Summer Party on the Pier” fundraising event on Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. at Rye Playland.

This event comes after the 40-year-old organization changed its name earlier last month to bet­ ter reflect its mission and reach a wider audience. According to Joanne Fernandez, board chair­ person for the Westchester Parks Foundation, the summer gather­

ing is a way for the organization to greet the community and enjoy the summer season.

“We are thrilled to host this new summer celebration at one of Westchester’s County’s most iconic parks,” Fernandez said.

“We want to bring back amazing memories at Playland and invite everyone to come experience the park while supporting an orga­ nization that helps preserve the more than 18,000 acres of park­ land throughout the county.”

With admission, guests will receive wristbands to enjoy all of

the rides at the amusement park, as well as food and an open bar at Playland’s Tiki Bar with live mu­ sic, followed by fireworks. The event will be on July 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Playland Park, located at 1 Playland Parkway in Rye. Live music will begin at 8 p.m. and fireworks will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $100 per per­ son and all proceeds will go to the Westchester Parks Foundation.

For more information or to pur­ chase tickets to the event, visit theWPF.org or call 231-4600.

(Submitted)

10 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016

July 8, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 11

The other July holidays RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

Feeling a little down because the big July holiday is already behind us, with nothing to show for it but leftover red, white and blue frosted cupcakes? (Isn’t blue frosting repulsive? And isn’t that why the cupcakes are left over?)

Take heart, die-hard cele­ brants. It turns out July is chock full of holidays that you just may not be aware of. Here are a few I found by doing arduous summer research (going online, looking up “Weird Holidays, July,” with an ice coffee at my side and end­ less mocha-chip ice cream in the freezer): July 6 was National Kissing Day. This holiday was first cel­ ebrated in the United Kingdom, which seems to have ceased kiss­ ing Europe just a few weeks ago to disastrous effect. Better to kiss than not to kiss.

July 6 was also National Fried Chicken Day, which seems like a terrible day to coincide with Kissing Day. And this year, July 6 was also Eid al-Fitr. That’s the feast cel­ ebrating the end of Ramadan, the month-long holiday when Mus­ lims fast from sunrise to sunset.

If I’d been celebrating Ramadan and was suddenly free to eat all day long, no fried chicken would be safe to cross the road. And I’d kiss the cook.

In other good food news, July 9 is National Sugar Cook­ ie Day. You can probably guess how people are encouraged to celebrate, no doubt by the Na­ tional Sugar Cookie Association.

But here’s a fact you might not

know: Sugar cookies were first brought to America by German settlers—the same folks who gave us the Christmas tree. May­ be they got sick of waiting till December for us to give them a shout-out.

What’s more, as comedian Gary Gulman has noted: ALL cookies are sugar cookies.

“A cookie without sugar is a cracker.”

July 11 is Cheer Up the Lone­ ly Day. So go tell them that Gary Gulman joke.

July 14 is France’s Fourth of July, as it were. It’s Bastille Day, commemorating the day in 1789 when common folks stormed the Bastille to free the political prisoners. As it turned out, on that particular day, there were actually only seven prisoners be­ ing held. Meanwhile, more than 200 people died liberating them.

These are the kind of grim iro­ nies you probably don’t see in kids’ coloring books about the holiday.

So for a less conflicted fete, maybe you’d be better off cel­ ebrating the other July 14 holi­ day: National Nude Day. Al­ though that day, too, is not with­ out issues. For most of us, this would be an awkward holiday to celebrate at work. But for those with a guitar, a cowboy hat and a high tolerance for Times Square tourists, it’s just another day at the office.

Next up? The third Sunday in July is designated National Ice Cream Day—a holiday first of­ ficially recognized by President Ronald Regan—and this year, it falls on July 17. Plenty of ice cream stores give out free cones, or free-with-some-caveat cones, like you have to buy one to get one free. Frankly, if you have

a home freezer and any sort of spoon, just get a gallon of cheap ice cream for the cost of a sin­ gle cone and invite friends over!

(Unless somehow the ice cream has sort of... disappeared while you were writing a column about holidays.)

Never mind! By July 18, we are at National Caviar Day. Please make sure you have fin­ ished your National Ice Cream Day celebrations before com­ mencing this one. You will thank me later. So will anyone sharing your bathroom. According to ev­ eryone’s favorite news source, NationalCaviarDay.com, caviar was once so cheap and plenti­ ful in America, it was sometimes served for free at bars, like pea­ nuts. Slimy, fishy peanuts.

What could be less savory than National Caviar Day, ex­ cept Rat-Catcher’s Day on July 22! Celebrate it in the subway.

No, really, you’ll love what Wiki­ pedia says about this day, which was inspired by the Pied Piper leading the rats out of Hamelin: “It is a holiday remembering ratcatchers, similar to Secretary’s Day.” Maybe don’t say that to your secretary.

July 27 is Take Your Plants for a Walk Day—self-explanatory.

And then come three days you don’t want to miss: July 28 is Milk Chocolate Day; the 29th is Lasagna Day; and then the 30th is Cheesecake Day. Cynics may assume that the dairy industry just churns out (ha ha) holiday after holiday, but in truth, some­ times it takes a national celebra­ tion for us to pause and reflect upon our history, our country, our freedom, and our rat-catchers.

CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

Class of 2016 first to graduate with CPR skills

A soon-to-be graduate of Arlington High School in Dutchess County, New York, practices hands-only CPR. New York state classes of 2016 are the first to graduate with CPR skills due to the CPR in Schools Law, which went into effect this year. Photo courtesy American Heart Association

High school seniors all across New York state donned their caps and gowns, adjusted their tassels to the fore, and snapped smiling selfies with family and friends.

After marching down the aisle to receive their diplomas, they’ll march off into the world well prepared, a new generation of college students, workers, lead­ ers—and lifesavers.

This year’s Class of 2016 is the first high school student class in New York state to have re­ ceived hands-only CPR training as a result of the CPR in Schools Law, which went into effect this school year. The Ameri­ can Heart Association’s, AHA, You’re the Cure grassroots vol­ unteers helped make New York the 26th out of 34 states in the U.S. to pass this lifesaving leg­ islation.

On June 19, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed Senate Bill 711, making Missouri the 34th state to add CPR training to its high school curriculum. Now, including Missouri, more than 2 million students will be trained every year, including more than 190,000 high school graduates here in New York state.

“Think about next year and every year after, how many more students will learn this lifesav­ ing skill, which is imperative to save a life from sudden cardiac arrest—when the heart rhythm suddenly stops or becomes ir­ regular, causing death within minutes. Over the years, the im­ pact on survival from this lead­ ing cause of death in our com­ munity will be dramatic,” said

Brendan Lyons, Hudson Valley AHA board member and super­ intendent of Arlington Central School District.

“When you think about all the things a student can learn throughout their education, CPR skills are certainly one of the most important—and one of the easiest to learn. It’s a skill that will stay with them wherever they go. If an emergency arises, they’ll have the knowledge and skills to help save a life,” he added.

“Thanks to all the volun­ teer advocates who, for over 15 years, committed time and ef­ fort, making phone calls, send­ ing emails, and visiting Albany for Lobby Day events to help pass this law. Thanks to the legislators for their leadership.

Thanks to all the school leaders who provided resources to make this education possible. And thanks to the teachers who taught and to the students who learned hands-only CPR,” said Bob El­ ling, chair of the AHA’s New York state advocacy committee.

“They started with ABC’s and finished with CPR. Three little letters can make all the differ­ ence. Congratulations, Class of 2016.”

Why learn CPR? Cardiac ar­ rest—an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregu­ lar heartbeat (arrhythmia) and disrupts the flow of blood to the brain, lungs and other organs— is a leading cause of death. Each year, more than 350,000 out-ofhospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States.

When a person goes into car­ diac arrest, survival depends on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby. Almost 90 per­ cent of people who suffer outof-hospital cardiac arrests die.

CPR, especially if performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, can double or triple a per­ son’s chance of survival.

There are two simple steps to hands-only CPR: If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the classic disco song “Stayin’ Alive.” CPR can more than double a person’s chances of survival, and “Stayin’ Alive” has the right beat for hands-only CPR, 100 beats per minute.

Learn more about hands-only CPR at handsonlycpr.org. To join the AHA’s You’re the Cure volunteer grassroots network, register online at yourethecure. org.

The American Heart Associa­ tion is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke— America’s No. 1 and No. 5 kill­ ers. AHA teams up with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger pub­ lic health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseas­ es. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and larg­ est voluntary organization dedi­ cated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHAUSA1, visit heart.org or call any of its offices around the country.

(Submitted)

12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016

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Building a villain LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

On July 4, the sporting world woke to some blockbuster news; Kevin Durant, one of the five best basketball players on the planet, was leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder and joining forces with the Golden State Warriors to help bring about the downfall of the NBA and spit on the legacy of Bill Russell.

Or so the “hot takes” would have you believe.

Look, I understand why this move is freaking people out.

You’re taking the most highly sought-after free agent and putting him on a team that is coming off a season in which they set the NBA’s all-time mark for regular season victories. More than that, Durant’s old team, the Thunder, has been the Warriors’ chief competition in the West for the last few years.

This move, people would ar-

gue, is threatening to upset the competitive balance of the NBA landscape.

And I love it.

Sports are always more fun with a villain. Whether it’s the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Yankees (back when the Yankees were relevant and good), having that one team that is willing to embrace the dark side—either by overpaying free agents, carrying itself an entitled, arrogant air, or both—just makes for a great spectacle.

Did Golden State really do anything wrong here? All they’ve done is create a fun, player-positive environment that is enticing stars like Durant (and retired sharpshooter Ray Allen, if rumors are to be believed) to put their egos aside to become a piece of a winning puzzle.

That just sounds like great management to me!

And as for Durant, who is being lambasted in the press and on social media for “taking the easy way out,” instead of sticking

SPORTS

with the Thunder and doing his best to battle against this basketball juggernaut, I fail to see what he did wrong.

He was a free agent, and made a professional decision to leave the team that drafted him. The horror! I’d feel bad for Oklahoma City’s management if they didn’t, you know, pull up stakes and leave Seattle in 2008.

But yeah, I guess it’s Durant who needs a lesson in loyalty.

I, for one, can’t wait to see what this Warriors’ team looks like next year. They were already an historically explosive offensive team. In Durant, they’ve added a near-7foot scoring savant who is known as much for his ability to put the ball in the hoop as his ability to put the ball in the hands of his teammates. This could be an absolutely wild ride.

Does that mean I’m going to root for the Dubs, however? Not a chance.

I’m going to be pulling for the “little guys” to blow up the Death Star every single game.

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

July 8, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 13

The Golden State Warriors recently added 2014 MVP Kevin Durant to a team coming off of a 73-win regular season and an appearance in the NBA Finals. While others are clutching their pearls about the move, Sports Editor Mike Smith think’s is a great day for the NBA. Photo courtesy Warriors.com

I don’t begrudge the Warriors, I don’t begrudge Durant’s decision; but like it or not, the

Warriors are now the villains.

And I’m ready for the rest of the league to take aim.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016

SPORTS

Garnets continue dominance

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor With the 2016-17 school year just on the horizon, it’s important to realize that, for Rye’s athletic teams, even though next year is al­ ways promising, last year wasn’t too shabby either. Over the years, Rye has established itself as one of the pre-eminent athletic pow­ ers across a wide variety of sports, and the 2015-16 school year was certainly no different.

First things first, this was an absolutely dominant year for Rye’s girls. The Garnets reached the section finals in field hockey in the fall, and finished the year with a trip to the section semifi­ nals where they fell to the even­ tual Class B state runner-up.

But the biggest story, of course, was the brilliant play of Rye’s basketball team over the winter months, as the Garnet hoopsters powered through a particularly deep Section I Class A sched­ ule to reach the state semifinals while putting together one of the best seasons in the program’s storied history.

Mark Croughan blocks a shot during a regular season game against Harrison in January.

Will Tutun skates with the puck during the Section I playoffs last winter. File photos

But, as someone who has covered Dennis Hurlie’s team for the past few years, it wasn’t simply about the accolades that Rye earned this year for me; it was putting this season in per­ spective.

During each of the last two years, Rye’s basketball team has made it to the sectional semifi­ nals, but each trip to the West­ chester County Center ended in disappointment for the Garnets.

This year, however, the Garnets, led by longtime standouts Mad­ die Eck and Katie Popp, would not be denied a section title. Rye played the same defensive-mind­ ed, unselfish brand of basketball that has become their trademark.

And this year, it all worked out.

It was a title that was years in the making, and watching them hoist the Golden Ball, it was hard not to get caught up in the moment.

But Rye’s boys shined as well. The Garnet basketball squad picked up a number of big wins while playing in a league that featured several teams that had a legitimate shot at bring­ ing home a Class A crown this George Kirby throws a pitch against Eastchester in May. Kirby was selected by the New York Mets in the 32nd round of the Major League Baseball draft last month.

Chase Pratt sheds a tackler during Rye’s regular season contest

CONTINUED on next page against Somers in September.

SPORTS

July 8, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 15

A Rye lacrosse playerr chases down a groundball in the sectional semifinals against Yorktown.

Katie Popp drives to the hole against Ursuline at the Westchester County Center. Popp and the Garnets won the Class A section title this year.

year, with Pelham, Harrison and Eastchester all in the mix.

Watching these teams square off against each other all winter long made for one of the most enjoyable basketball seasons I can remember, especially given each school’s vastly different

game. Top-notch stuff, indeed.

In the spring, tall right-hander George Kirby put the finishing touches on a splendid baseball career at Rye, posting a perfect 6-0 record with a 0.32 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 42.1 innings of work. His reward? A 32nd round

style of play.

And as far as the football sea­ son went, even though it didn’t end in a section title, it was still a heck of a ride. Rye may have been a different-looking team following the graduation of the most prolific quarterback in Sec­

tion I history last year, but the Garnets reinvented themselves as a lunch-pail type team last fall, with few superstars, but a ton of contributors. It was an abso­ lutely fantastic collective effort by a team that willed its way to an appearance in a championship

The Garnets square off against Mamaroneck in a late-season lacrosse contest. File photos

selection in the MLB draft by the hometown Mets.

Although he will be missed at Rye, each of Kirby’s starts brought an excitement that will surely be felt for years to come among the town’s young aspir­ ing players.

Whether it’s on the field, on the court, in the rink or in the boat, I’m expecting big things from Rye next year.

But that’s really nothing new, is it?

CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com

16 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • July 8, 2016