August 5, 2016 by The Rye City Review

RyeCity REVIEW THE

August 5, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 32 | www.ryecityreview.com

CIP identifies $52M in city capital projects By JAMES PERO Staff Writer

The First Lady? Hillary Clinton accepted the nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, July 28, becoming the first female ever to be nominated for president by a major political party. For more, see page 6. Photo courtesy Twitter

RM Staffing lawsuit granted class action status By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Former waitstaff of Rye Golf Club scored a major victory on July 28 after a judge granted a motion for class action status in a lawsuit seeking uncompensated overtime and tips. According to attorney Brent Pelton, of Pelton and Associates—the firm representing more than 50 former Rye Golf Club staff members in the suit—the judge’s decision is a major affirmation for the group’s claim. “The judge accepted our view,” Pelton told the Review. “Essentially, he gave the workers everything they were asking for.”

The lawsuit, which is seeking more than $4 million in damages, uncompensated overtime and gratuities, stems from a financial scandal at the city-owned golf club dating back to 2012. At that time, Scott Yandrasevich, then the club’s general manager, was caught embezzling approximately $270,000, according to the Westchester County district attorney’s office, through a series of shell companies he created. Yandrasevich was sentenced to one to three years in state prison and has since been released on parole. The biggest of the shell companies, RM Staffing, used by Yandrasevich to funnel funds, staffed

many of the plaintiffs who have joined the class action suit. And according to Pelton, the former staff members are eager to receive the money they believe they’re owed. “The workers who were having their tips misappropriated haven’t received a dime,” Pelton said. “The delay causes financial damage every week.” City Attorney Kristen Wilson, however, says Rye isn’t to blame for any perceived delay. “The wheels of justice sometimes turn very slowly,” she said, regarding the judicial process. “There’s been no finding of liability here and no award.” Currently, Pelton is seeking a summary judgment for his

clients; a move which he says will both expedite the process and narrow the focus of the lawsuit. The decision to grant a class action status comes several months after a successful claim won by the city against its insurance carrier Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, which awarded the city $1.55 million in February, vindicating the city’s belief that Yandrasevich had stolen much more than he was convicted of. According to the decision rendered on July 28, the two parties’ next meeting will be in November for a pretrial conference. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

The latest Capital Improvement Program for the city of Rye, presented on Monday, Aug. 1, has highlighted a potential list of $52 million in improvements and expenses across the city. According to City Engineer Ryan Coyne, who prepared the plan with City Planner Christian Miller and presented it to the Rye City Council, it is rather an overview than a budget. “[The plan] is meant to help you make a more informed decision during your budget process,” he explained to the council. “You own 52 miles of sanitary sewers, 45 miles of sidewalks, 30 miles of storm drains, 1,400 catch basins, 100-plus vehicles, 15 buildings; that’s a lot of stuff.” A capital improvement program, CIP, is mandated by the city’s charter and projects five years at a time. The current plan projects costs and work from 2017 to 2021. The most significant portion of this plan’s cost for projects is being earmarked for transportation; nearly $22 million of the $52 million in the outline was for that category. According to the CIP, most of the money to fund the laundry list of capital projects—52 percent to be exact—would come from both grants and state, federal and county aid. The remaining portion would come from both general revenue and

debt; 21 percent and 26 percent, respectively. Currently, under the city charter, the council maintains a discretionary debt limit well below the state standard, allowing for just below $3 million in debt issuance through a required public referendum. Not listed in the list of capital improvements is $14 million worth of improvements at Rye Town Park, nearly half of which would be the responsibility of the city of Rye. A breakdown of the project categories are as follows: Transportation: $21.9M Among the transportation projects outlined in the CIP are not just regular renovations to roads and curbing, but also larger projects like a recently unveiled plan to update roads and improve traffic conditions on Forest Avenue that would cost the city more than $2 million. Additionally, Coyne outlined improvements to the First Street parking lot in downtown Rye, which has degraded so much that dirt from underneath the cracked asphalt is beginning to show. “It’s probably more dirt than it is asphalt at this point,” he said. Flooding: $11M According to Coyne, who didn’t elaborate on specific flooding projects during the presentation, some of the work identified in the CIP for flood CIP continued on page 8

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Harrison plans to outfit entire PD with Tasers

Harrison police officers will soon be armed with Taser X26Ps, pictured, to help reduce the use of physical force. The town board recently approved an order of 16 Tasers, about 5 percent of the 2016 police capital budget. Photo courtesy Taser.com

By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer The Harrison Police Department is working to arm each of its 64 officers with Tasers, according to the police chief. Police Chief Anthony Marraccini said the device can help reduce the use of physical force and firearms by adding a non-lethal tool that can be used from both long and short ranges. During the July 21 town board meeting, Harrison officials approved an order for 16 Tasers, costing a total of $25,554, or nearly $1,600 each. The order includes 100 shock cartridges rated for 25 feet and 50 Taser targets. “It’s basically an added layer of force which most departments don’t have,” Marraccini said. In the same meeting, the board approved a $500,000 bond resolution for the 2016 police capital budget, which had

already been OK’d by the board. The Taser order amounts to about 5 percent of that budget. Taser is a brand of electroshock weapons or stun guns used by police to subdue a suspect. The device fires two nodes that hook into the skin and are attached to a battery via wires, potentially delivering up to 50,000 volts of electricity. A 2009 Police Executive Research Forum study said that officer injuries drop by 76 percent when a Taser is used. “This is a device that protects not only the officer but also the suspect,” Marraccini said, explaining that when dealing with an aggressive suspect, police can use Tasers to subdue them without having to draw their baton or pistol. The chief said that currently, enough Tasers are distributed among the officers so each squad is equipped with at least one device, prioritizing possession to officers specialized in using them.

The city of New Rochelle Police Department, which serves a population of roughly 80,000–– more than double the population of Harrison––also tries to ensure that each of its 157 officers are protected by Tasers. Lt. Edward Hayes said the department has at least one device per squad car at all times. In the neighboring city of Rye, which has a population of about 16,000 and employs 33 officers, not all police are equipped with Tasers. Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran said this would be an unreasonable cost for the department. According to a survey of FBI statistics compiled by Protection1 Security Systems, which measured violent crimes and property crimes, Harrison was ranked No. 44 among the 50 safest communities in the country. Rye ranked 19 in the same study. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

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

Field hockey camp 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. 12. Fee: $95 for residents; $120 for non-residents. Players will develop their technique in dribbling, passing and shooting as well as an understanding of offensive and defensive plays.

Family Fun Night: ‘Juggling Funny Stories’ Comic and performer Chris Fascione will present his performance, “Juggling Funny Stories” on Tuesday, Aug. 9 from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. in the Meeting Room. This storyteller and actor will incorporate acting, miming, juggling and comedy to both entertain and lead children in the world of books, literacy and reading. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.

Summer Thursdays @ 11: Detoxify Your Body and Your Life Adults will be able to find out the latest information in detoxification during this program on Thursday, Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Meeting Room. Dr. Waples of the Bluestone Health Group based in Stamford, Connecticut, will lead this discussion and teach participants how to pull toxic substances out of their bodies to become healthier. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.

Family Fun Night: Ryebrary Summer Olympics Game Night Children in grades kindergarten through fifth grade are welcome to go for the gold during this year’s Summer Olympics on Thursday, Aug. 11 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Children are welcome to bring their family for this evening of fun games, including pool, a noodle toss, balloon madness, snow blower and a paper plate relay. This program is free and open to the public and registration is required. For more information or to register for this program, call 967-0480.

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

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 non-residents. Players will develop their dribbling, passing and shooting skills. Each day will end with smallsided games where coaches will encourage good sportsmanship 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 residents; $300 for non-residents. Zero to 60 in two seconds? How fast can an object 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 astonishing speeds. Fasten your seat belt, the race has begun.

Wainwright House Yoga and movement workshops The Wainwright House Yoga Training Academy will hold the following programs this summer and fall: Introductory workshop to child/teen yoga teacher training on Aug. 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Course hours count towards RCYS certification and are led by Yoga Mountain training specialists. RYS 200 Weekend Series, a RYS 200 10-weekend series beginning Sept. 23 with yoga masters Paula Heitzner, Patty Holmes and Susan J. Wright. Anatomy Trains, an international training taught by Laurice Nemetz on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, is an anatomy and physiology workshop

open to movement therapists. Housing will be available. For fees and information, call 967-6080, email registrar@wainwright.org or visit wainwright.org.

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 information, call the park at 967-0965 or visit ryetownpark.org.

Rye Town Park

Rye Meeting House

Summer stories at Rye Town Park

‘On the Wing’ photo exhibit

Summer stories will be told on Tuesday, Aug. 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at Rye Town Park’s Seaside Pavilion. Tales will be about parks, nature, sunshine, oceans and beaches, told by talented library storytellers. Rye Town Park will charge a reduced parking fee of $2 for story time attendees. Attendees are encouraged to tell parking attendants that they are entering the park for story time.

By popular request, the Bird Homestead nonprofit will hold over “On the Wing,” an exhibit of photographs of birds by Nadia Valla on view at the Meeting 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 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 information, email birdhomestead.meetinghouse@gmail.com or call 967-0099.

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

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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Bird Homestead wins nationally competitive grant The National Trust for Historic Preservation has awarded the Bird Homestead nonprofit a prestigious, nationally competitive grant from the Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation. The $7,000 matching grant will support an interpretive plan for the Voris-Gedney Archeological and Environmental Preserve, which occupies an acre of habitat between the Bird Homestead and the Meeting House on Milton Road. The group works to restore and operate both historic properties for educational purposes. The project will involve a multi-disciplinary team and will recommend ways to make the site come alive with history and meaning for visitors. “The National Trust is very supportive of this worthwhile preservation initiative,” said David J. Brown, executive vice president and chief historic preservation officer, in the award letter. This is the fourth grant that the Bird Homestead nonprofit has received from the National Trust, the nationwide leader of the historic preservation move-

ment. The group is an all-volunteer organization, composed of professionals who donate their time. Nineteenth-century maps show three buildings on the property, which are no longer there. Two of them belonged to a successful African-American named William Voris. The other was the dwelling of John Gedney, a member of a prominent merchant family. It was rare for African-Americans to own property in the two decades before the Civil War. A glimpse of the stature of Voris can be seen in the historic African-American Cemetery in the town of Rye. His gravestone is both large and made of white marble, an expensive material. An exciting aspect of the grant-funded work will be a survey of the area with ground penetrating radar, GPR. In archeology, GPR is a valuable, non-invasive technology used to locate archeological features without digging. GPR was in the international news this spring when a geophysicist used it to investigate the grave of William

Shakespeare in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. At the Voris-Gedney site, it will be used to pinpoint and map the locations below ground of the foundations of the former 19thcentury buildings. GPR works by transmitting radio waves into the ground, which bounce back to a receiver creating a series of scans. The radar signal indicates when a change in material is detected. The technology requires a trained expert to interpret the data and map it. As part of the project, a graphic designer will produce a handout for self-guided tours that will juxtapose the new map with a historical map. For the future, the Bird Homestead nonprofit will plan a site-orientation exhibit about Voris and Gedney inside the Meeting House. The interpretation of the archeological preserve for visitors will tell an important story of the region’s diversity in the 19th century, when Milton Harbor was a busy working port and Milton Road was called Main Street. The focus on archeology also

A detailed Beers map of Rye from 1872. The Bird Homestead/Meeting House is at the top of the green block, listed as Sunday School. Three buildings, no longer standing, are shown north of the Meeting House. Milton Road is listed as Main Street. Map courtesy Rye Historical Society

honors the life’s work of Junius Bird (1907-1982) of the Bird Homestead, who was a leading expert on the ancient cultures of the Western Hemisphere. In “American Anthropologist,” March 1985, the archeologist Craig Morris (who succeeded Bird as head of the Department of South American Archeology at the American Museum

of Natural History) wrote, “Junius Bird… had been a guiding force in American Archeology for nearly half a century. His work on the early occupation of South America and on numerous aspects of Andean technology, especially textiles, set new standards of excellence and innovation. He was a pioneer in the development and use of absolute

chronologies. His unending curiosity about the world around him made him one of the first to carefully collect a broad range of data and materials on ecology and climate.” In a smaller way, the Bird Homestead nonprofit will spotlight the study of archeological remains with this regionally significant project. (Submitted)

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Clinton accepts historic nomination

Democrats from across the country came together for the Democratic National Convention from July 25 through July 28 to nominate Hillary Clinton’s candidacy for president. The convention marked a historic moment, as Clinton became the first woman to accept a presidential nomination from a major political party. She recognized this pivotal moment when addressing the crowd on the final night of the conven-

tion. “When any barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone. After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky’s the limit.” Before accepting her nomination, Clinton was spoken highly of by a multitude of elected officials from various political affiliations. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe CONTINUED on next page

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Bill Clinton, who served as the 42nd president, takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention on July 28. Photo courtesy Alex Hoffman

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Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton embrace after Bill speaks on the final night of the convention.

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Hillary Clinton while accepting the nomination for president on the final night of the Democratic National Convention. Now, she and running mate Tim Kaine hit the campaign trail ahead of the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Photos courtesy Twitter

August 5, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7 Biden took the stage toward the end of the convention, expressing both gratitude to the nation and trust in Clinton to lead the country toward greatness. Former presidential candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also took the stage, urging his supporters—some of whom took to the convention in protest over what they considered an unfair election after controversial emails were leaked, documenting an orchestrated effort

to tilt the Democratic primary in Clinton’s favor—to turn their support toward her, adopting the phrase “stronger together.” A multitude of other advocates and high-profile speakers filed in throughout the fourday-long event, concluding with Clinton urging the nation to join the movement. Now, she and running mate Tim Kaine hit the campaign trail ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 8 general election. -Reporting by Suzy Berkowitz

Former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders takes the stage, urging his supporters to vote in favor of Hillary Clinton. Photo courtesy Alex Hoffman

Hillary Clinton embraces daughter Chelsea after she speaks on the final night of the Democratic National Convention, held in Philadelphia. Photos courtesy Twitter

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, of New York, and New York state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Stewart-Cousins represents the 35th Senate District, which encompasses Tarrytown, Scarsdale and parts of Yonkers, White Plains and New Rochelle. Photo/Jonaliza Misa

Hillary Clinton makes a surprise entrance after President Obama’s speech on July 27. The president embraced his former secretary of state after stating that there is no one more qualified to be president than Clinton.

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Forest Avenue follies A RYE OLDTIMER Judge John Carey

This guest column was written by Douglas Carey, a resident of Rye and son of John Carey. Pedestrian safety is of the utmost importance, both here in Rye and around our nation. No disrespect to the proprietors of the classic American film, “Field of Dreams,” but if we build additional sidewalks on Forest and Manursing avenues, will our residents come off of the street and use the safer promenade? After more than a decade of work by multiple committees and their specific suggestions, the Rye City Council authorized the financial resources (our tax dollars) to pay Stantec Consulting Services to conduct a study

on improving pedestrian safety along portions of Forest and Manursing avenues. Their presentation at the July 13 City Council meeting was well-organized and clearly described in the July 22 issue by Rye City Review staff writer, Franco Fino, yet, the Stantec representatives failed to adequately address one factor in this situation that an astute elected official raised from the dais. City Councilwoman Kristen Bucci put her finger on it when she emphasized how often walkers and joggers ignore paved sidewalks alongside Forest in favor of using the street itself. I myself have been horrified at seeing parents steering baby carriages into the street instead of using a nearby paved sidewalk. This makes us wonder about the wisdom of the current proposal to pave sidewalks north of Apawamis Avenue. South of Playland, there seems to exist

a culture that says walkers and joggers have the right of way over cars and trucks in the street itself, outside of the “sharrow,” even if a few feet away there is a paved sidewalk available. Lately, this has been exacerbated by the combination of large SUVs bringing day campers to three major country clubs located beyond Forest and enormous vehicles with trailers involved in home reconstruction and maintenance. Paving more sidewalks does not seem likely to improve pedestrian safety if we chose not to avail ourselves of the safety afforded by existing sidewalks. Public debate alone might not bring about the most effective solution; moreover, public discourse with a dedicated campaign to change our walking habits could ensure that our sidewalks, new as well as existing, will prove useful, fruitful and lifesaving.

Residents enjoy free disabilities day at Playland More than 8,500 people enjoyed the 41st annual Day at Playland for People with Disabilities on Friday, July 29, which offered free rides and entertainment for people with disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers. Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino kicked off the day’s opening ceremonies along with Tom Kallish, founder of the Tommie Cares Foundation, which sponsored the cost of the event. “The Day at Playland for People with Disabilities is one of my favorite events of the year,” Astorino said. “It gives people with special needs a chance to get out and enjoy a fun day with their families, just like everyone else. I want to thank Tom Kallish and the whole Tommie Cares team for their generous partnership.” This is the fourth consecutive year that the Tommie Cares Foundation has sponsored the event. The Tommie Cares Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those with physical and developmental special needs gain confidence and self-esteem through real-life adventures. For more information, visit tommiecares.org. “Tommy Cares is honored

CIP from page 1

mitigation comes from projects already tagged as part of a series of state grants referred to as New York Rising. Last year, Rye accepted approximately $3 million in relief funds from the state through a program called New York Rising, which are expected to be used to fund or partially fund a number of flood mitigation projects in the city. The projects include storm water ponds, retention basins and flood proofing flood prone buildings. Buildings: $4.6M The CIP identified what Coyne described as a “perennial favorite,” $1.5 million project to update the city’s joint court house and Police Department facility; a project which has been in the crosshairs for about 10 years. Other highlights of the plan include a $1 million renovation to City Hall’s HVAC system, which according to Coyne is the original system from when the building was first built over 50 years ago. Sewers: $3.8M According to Coyne, two of the city’s eight sewer pump

stations are identified for replacement within the next two years. The stations identified are located on Dearborn and Stuyvesant avenues, which would cost a total of $300,000. The most costly facet of the sewer projects identified, according to the city engineer, would be a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study, SSES, that would give a fuller picture of the state of the city’s sewer infrastructure. City Manager Marcus Serrano said that there isn’t currently a cost estimate for how much an SSES would cost, but conducting one will help the city figure out which lines are porous and therefore how to repair them in the future. Complying with the study would continue to cost the city money over time, Coyne said, but grants would help foot the bill. Recently, after a lawsuit filed by the environmental advocacy group, Save the Sound, the city and 10 other municipalities across Westchester County have come under scrutiny for their sewer infrastructure, which the group claims has degraded, violating the federal Clean Water Act.

Both parties began meeting in March for initial settlement talks. Recreation: $3.7M Recreation projects outlined in this CIP include a number of renovations to Disborow Park; an idea also outlined previously. The plan for the park, which would total approximately $1.9 million, would fix a number of drainage issues by installing a synthetic turf field. The turf would encompass one softball field, one baseball field and one soccer field. The cost of this project would be funded through both grants and aid. Vehicles and equipment: $7.3M Although Coyne explained that $7.3 million is a large number, “the city does own a lot of vehicles,” he said. The number marks a significant increase from the previous year’s CIP which outlined $5.8 million worth of vehicle expenses. According to Coyne, $1.6 million alone would be allotted for sanitation truck replacement, the cost of which has gone up over the past several years. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino mingles with patrons at Rye Playland during the 41st annual Day at Playland for People with Disabilities. Photo courtesy Westchester County

to be part of such a wonderful day,” Kallish said. “This day is meant for fun and inclusion and we hope everybody has a wonderful time.” Each year, the event is organized by the county’s Office for People with Disabilities in partnership with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Marco Pietrangelo, division director of Children’s Services for Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, thanked everyone involved, adding that it was an “honor and a privilege” to join in the opening ceremonies.

“This is a day when we put our best foot forward and show the community that as individuals with disabilities we share the same excitement that all residents of Westchester County enjoy,” he said. Evan Latainer, director of the Office for People with Disabilities, said that people come from all across Westchester to enjoy this signature county event, and that each year the response is nothing but uplifting. “Seeing the smiles on people’s faces makes it worth every ounce of effort,” he said. (Submitted)

Needed improvements to the Rye Police Department headquarters as well as the Rye City Court are among the long list of capital projects included in the latest Capital Improvement Program. File photo

August 5, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 9

Purchase Street

sidewalk sale brings out shoppers A street view of Rye’s summer sidewalk sale. Tents lined Purchase Street to shield patrons from the heat and strong sun rays. Photo/Lindsay Sturman

Rye’s sidewalk sale hit the streets on Thursday, July 28 and ran until Saturday July 30. Havana Jeans had sale clothing racks on both sides of Purchase Street in downtown Rye.

Caren Forbes had a big tent set up on Purchase Street to display their merchandise.

Clutch on Purchase Street was a popular stop on Thursday’s sidewalk sale. Photos/Bobby Begun

Shoes, shoes and more shoes at Walin and Wolff.

Witchypoo jewelry is displayed.

Sales associates take a break from the heat at Shoes ‘N’ More. Photo/Lindsay Sturman

Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker, left, and Elizabeth Parker display their items at their store, Parkers.

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Best of Westchester shows off its finest

DeCicco & Sons Events and Cuisine provides catering services from its stores in Larchmont and Harrison.

Hal Prince Entertainment provided the music during Westchester Magazine’s Best of Westchester party at Glen Island Harbour Club on July 27.

Patrons are all smiles after a night of drinking, eating and dancing.

For the last 15 years, restaurateurs, residents, guests and vendors alike have looked forward to Westchester Magazine’s annual Best of Westchester party, which celebrates the culmination of an online survey collecting readers’ and editors’ highlights of the county, encompassing food, drink, shopping and leisure. From December 2015 through February 2016, more than 12,000 readers across the county cast their votes on what they thought were the crowning jewels of the lower Hudson Valley. Editors of Westchester Magazine selected favorite spots from 147 categories, including food and drink, fun and leisure, health and beauty, while readers selected winners from another 224 categories. Readers crowned Yonkers eatery X20 Xaviar’s on the Hudson best American restaurant, and Mamaroneck distributor Half Time best in beer selection. Best burger was awarded to Eastchester eatery Piper’s Kilt, the Rye Roadhouse took home the gold for best fried chicken, and Mamaroneck’s Sal’s Pizza won best slice. Larchmont’s Acura of Westchester was crowned best auto dealership, Mamaroneck’s Salon POSH took home best beauty salon, and Larchmont’s The Voracious Reader won best bookstore. The Best of Westchester party was hosted at New Rochelle’s Glen Island Harbour Club on July 27. The event brought out businesses from across the county, allowing them to display the goods and services they provide. Residents and guests enjoyed a night of eating, drinking, dancing and entertainment. -Reporting by Suzy Berkowitz

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino spends some time with Miss Westchester and Miss Hudson Valley. Photos/Bobby Begun

A beautiful outdoor setting at Best of Westchester’s 2016 extravaganza last Wednesday evening at New Rochelle’s Glen Island Harbour Club.

David Spencer, of The Brazen Angel Entertainment Corporation, delights the crowd with his flair.

August 5, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 11

Opt-out proposal could punish school districts By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer A proposed federal education regulation, which would strip Title I funding for public schools with excessive opt-out rates of standardized testing, has ignited opposition from parents, lawmakers and education professionals in Westchester County. Following an Aug. 1 deadline for public comments, the U.S. Department of Education began a final approval process to amend the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA, which was passed by Congress in December 2015. The Department of Education’s proposal to amend ESSA would label most Westchester public schools as “in need of improvement” and would cut federal funding for any school where 5 percent of students or more opt out of Common Core testing. The controversial Common Core State Standards Initiative, which highlights what students should know in English language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade from kindergarten through 12th grade, is currently authorized in New York state until 2022. “I find the regulations troubling,” said Dr. Brian Monahan, the interim superintendent of the Rye City School District. “Parents made individual decisions based on what was right for their children.” Despite the lack of notice for public comment, however, the Rye City School District will not directly get involved with the proposed legislation, according to Monahan, but will keep a close watch on it.

The federal act was drafted by U.S. Secretary of Education John King, the former New York state education commissioner, following the repeal of the No Child Left Behind Act on Dec. 10, 2015. The No Child Left Behind Act previously required all public schools receiving Title I funding to administer statewide standardized testing with the stipulation that students make “adequate yearly progress.” For example, each year’s fifth graders must score better than the previous year’s fifth graders, or the federal government would step in and set mandatory improvement plans. Parents and local school administrators have panned the Common Core testing, arguing that it takes the learning out of the classroom by setting unrealistic educational guidelines for success due to the high rate of failure on standardized tests. Linda Banta, a Larchmont resident with two children in public schools who joined a rally against the regulation on July 29 held by state Senate candidate Julie Killian and congressional candidate Phil Oliva, both Republicans, said, “It’s alarming that the federal government announced something in the middle of summer that could so adversely affect our schools and economy.” If the proposal is approved, Killian, a member of the Rye City Council, said that Westchester residents would ultimately be punished for exercising their right to withhold their children from the Common Core tests. “This proposal could single-

handedly damage all that our students, teachers and families have worked for,” she said. While the final approval process for the proposed amendment began on Monday, Aug. 1, there is currently no set timetable for when a decision will be reached. According to Oliva, who currently serves as senior advisor to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the Department of Education has kept the amendment in total secrecy. “I guarantee 99 percent of parents in Westchester County don’t know about this,” he said. “We only found out about it by luck.” Oliva also stressed that the proposal, which would go into effect at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, if approved, would also result in property depreciation. Meanwhile, state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, has long been a vocal critic of the practice of standardized testing. “The opt-out rights of parents to do what’s in the best interest for their child should absolutely not be manipulated by the federal government,” he said. Following the 2012 rollout of Common Core, Latimer made an effort to explain his opposition to the initiative to King, the state education commissioner at the time, saying that he was “convinced we’re heading down the wrong path [for education].” Latimer is running for reelection to the state Senate this fall and facing off against Killian. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

Rye City

Official Newspaper Rye Schools

On July 29, state Senate candidate Julie Killian, of Rye, and Phil Oliva, a candidate for Congress, urged Westchester parents to voice their opinions against a federal education regulation. Photo/Franco Fino

12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 5, 2016

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August 5, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 13

Maybe we can’t take a joke RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

Just a few weeks after the terror attacks of 9/11, Gilbert Gottfried took to the stage of the Friar’s Club and explained he had to leave early to catch a plane to California. “I couldn’t get a direct flight. We have to make a stop at the Empire State Building.” The crowd booed and someone yelled, “Too soon!” But in fact, Gottfried’s timing was impeccable. He told the joke before the invention of Twitter, and before outrage became America’s consuming passion. The rollicking new documentary, “Can We Take a Joke?” brings our lust for umbrage into sharp focus. Audiences, it points out, have become hypersensitive—especially on campus. Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld have both sworn off college gigs, because, as Rock put it, “You can’t even be offensive on your way to being inoffensive.” And so the film, by documentarian Ted Balaker, with support from the free-speech advocacy group FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education), interviews comedians, both famous and up-and-coming, about how they’re dealing with the onslaught of offendedness. One interviewee, stand-up Jim Norton, has worked his frustration into his routine. “Why is comedy the only form of the arts where people think they have to agree with, or approve the content?” he asks. “You don’t walk through a museum with a towel and throw it over paintings you don’t like [saying], ‘I don’t want anybody else seeing this because

I don’t enjoy it.’” Comedy’s job is, as George Carlin once said, “to find where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.” That’s been the comedian’s job ever since the first jester joked about the king’s much younger wife. “If we steered clear of every topic that could offend someone, we couldn’t open our mouths,” says Lisa Lampanelli, whose entire act is making fun of absolutely everyone. That might not be your thing. But if it’s not, stay home. Instead, audiences are coming in, sitting down, and demanding that comics not say anything crude or cruel. But when my idea of cruel is your idea of hilarious, my super-sensitivity automatically wins. I get to declare not just that the comic isn’t funny, but that he is a bad person and needs to be punished. Consider what happened at Washington State University, where a student named Chris Lee wrote a musical designed to offend absolutely everyone. In fact, he billed it as such. But one night, the university itself requested 40 tickets. Those ticketholders came in and started shouting, “I’m offended!” They stood up and shook their fists. The shouts grew into threats. And guess what? Turns out the university had paid them to attend and disrupt the show. When Lee asked the cops for protection, they wouldn’t promise it. He had become someone not worth saving, because he was politically incorrect. Then there’s Justine Sacco. The young publicist was on her way to South Africa. As she boarded the plane, she tweeted, “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS.

Just kidding. I’m white.” She was making a lame joke about the way whites see Africa, the continent where her parents had worked as anti-racism activists. But one of her handful of Twitter followers assumed this was actually a racist remark and retweeted it. It got picked up by more and more people, and by the time Sacco got off her 12-hour flight, she found herself the No. 1 trending item worldwide on Twitter, with people calling for her to be raped or killed. Because of a bad joke. Jon Ronson wrote about her story in his book, “So You’ve Been Publically Shamed.” As he notes in the film: The mob that took her down wasn’t actually making the world a better place; it was just getting off on outrage. The same thing happened to Gottfried when he joked after the tsunami. “I was talking to my Japanese real estate agent. I said, ‘Is there a school in this area?’ She said, ‘Not now. But just wait.’” He lost his job as the Aflac duck, and became officially a terrible person—moreso than after 9/11, when we were still able to be shocked but move on. Now, maybe that wasn’t a tasteful joke. But comedy does not have to be tasteful. It has to be allowed. It is free speech. It is the way a society copes with its fears and stands up to tyranny. I’m guessing Vladimir Putin doesn’t tolerate a lot of anti-Putin punchlines. “Do you really want to live in a world where everyone has to think twice before they tell any kind of a joke?” asks Greg Lukianoff, the president of FIRE. America, lighten up—or be prepared for dark times. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

Donations to county’s Backpacks to School needed Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino recently announced that the county is once again teaming up with The Sharing Shelf, a program of Family Services of Westchester, FSW, to collect and distribute school supplies so that children in need can start the school year ready to learn. This year people can donate online at fsw.org/backpacks, or see the list below for the nearest drop-off location. “Since launching our backpack partnership, we have helped give vital school supplies to thousands of children in Westchester County,” Astorino said. “As always, our goal is to help as many children as we can.” Backpacks to School is a collaboration between The Sharing Shelf and the county’s Department of Social Services. Local businesses have also opened their doors and will serve as drop-off sites for donations. “We can buy and fill a backpack for $25,” said Deborah Blatt, of The Sharing Shelf. “This year, we’ve made it easy and created a special link that allows people to help us purchase everything at fsw.org/ backpacks. We’ve seen an increase in demand each summer for new school supplies and backpacks. We need the community’s support to make a positive difference in the lives of local children, many of whom would otherwise start school without the basics.” Susan B. Wayne, president and CEO of Family Services of Westchester, said, “Being able to provide children with these much needed supplies cannot be overstated. Family Services of Westchester is proud to be working with County Executive Astorino and the many other community partners who are all working toward the shared goal of helping our children.” For more information about Backpacks to School, contact Blatt of The Sharing Shelf at 305-5950 or thesharingshelf@ fsw.org; or Joseph D. Kenner or Bryan Paler of the Department of Social Services at 995-3287, 995-3987 or JKenner@westchestergov.com. Astorino also encouraged fathers and school leaders to save the date for this year’s Dads Take Your Child to School Day, taking place on Sept. 20. The event serves as a kickoff for fathers to

be more involved in their children’s schooling all throughout the year, offering opportunities for dads to sign up to volunteer, serve on PTAs, receive informational mailings and more. Ask your school about any special activities planned for the day. The countywide coordination is part of Astorino’s #DadBeThere

fatherhood initiative, which aims to actively engage fathers in all aspects of their children’s lives. “It’s a fact: kids do better in school when dads are involved,” Astorino said. “Show your kids you care. Be there. And keep that momentum going all throughout the school year to help them succeed.” (Submitted)

OPERATION BACKPACK COLLECTION BIN LOCATIONS GOVERNMENT OFFICES Westchester County Michaelian Office Building 148 Martine Ave., White Plains 995-2100 Department of Social Services (DSS) central office 112 E. Post Road, White Plains 995-5000 Mount Vernon District Office (DSS) 100 E. First St., Mount Vernon 813-6164 Peekskill District Office (DSS) 750 Washington St., Peekskill 862-5078 White Plains District Office (DSS) 85 Court St., White Plains 995-5889 Yonkers District Office (DSS) 31 Warburton Ave., Yonkers 231-2653

NONPROFITS Family Services of Westchester main office One Gateway Plaza, fourth floor, Port Chester 305-6825 Family Services of Westchester, Pelham 507 Fifth Ave., Pelham 738-1728 Family Services of Westchester Lanza Center for All Ages 106 North Broadway, White Plains 305-6875

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14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 5, 2016

SPORTS

The glory of the trade deadline LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

Over the course of an average Major League Baseball season, I generally watch a lot of baseball. More baseball than is probably healthy, if I really had to think about it. If there’s nothing else airing on a given night, I’ll probably flip back and forth between the Mets and the Yankees on my TV while also tuning in to watch my Red Sox on the MLB.TV package on my laptop. After those games wrap up, I’ll generally click on some West Coast game and fall asleep, at least for a few more months, with the soothing voice of Vin Scully emanating from my MacBook. But of the thousands of innings I watch each year, there is rarely a time when I’m following baseball with the same intensity as I do when the trade deadline

looms. As fun as following in-game action can be, following the frenzied action as teams struggle to get the final piece for a playoff run can be positively exhilarating. In the “old” days, it was a lot tougher. Without Twitter providing constant updates about potential moves, possible hang-ups due to medical issues, and stories—sometimes apocryphal—about players on the block storming out on the current teams, fans were beholden to major media outlets for the news. In 2004, I was working at a baseball training center in White Plains, and on deadline day, I was on our old dialup computer, frantically clicking refresh on ESPN.com to find out if the Red Sox were, in fact, going to trade my favorite player, Nomar Garciaparra. When the deadline hit, there was no news yet, and I went to give a lesson, only to come back an hour later to find

that Nomar had indeed been shipped off to the Cubs. Of course, the fast-paced world of Twitter has its drawbacks. Last year, as the deadline loomed, a Mets beat writer announced that infielder Wilmer Flores, who had spent the entirety of his professional career with the organization, had been traded in the middle of a game. Word reached Flores, and fans were left with the unforgettable shot of him crying on the field while being showered with applause from the Amazin’s faithful. The trade, however, fell through, and Flores still plays in Flushing today, but moments like that highlight the emotional impact that the trade deadline can have on the players we all watch. This year, while there were a few blockbuster moves—Texas made out like bandits, nabbing catcher Jonathan Lucroy, outfielder Carlos Beltran and reliever Jeremy Jeffers without giving

At 4 p.m. on Aug. 1, the MLB trade deadline passed, finding one New York team as buyers, and the other as sellers. Sports Editor Mike Smith thinks the days leading up to the annual deadline are among the most exciting of the entire season. Photos courtesy Wikipedia.com

up any of their highly-touted young players—the moves made by our local clubs weren’t quite as splashy. The Yankees traded off a good number of players from this year’s team, including Carlos Beltran, to come away with a haul of prospects that provide a much-needed youth infusion in their farm system. The Mets, after an initial deal for Reds’ slugger Jay Bruce fell through, were able to rework the offer to bring the power-hitting lefty to Citi

Field in a move that addresses the offensive woes the club has suffered through all season long. I doubt he’ll have the same kind of impact that Yoenis Cespedes had when he came over from Detroit last year, but the Mets need to start scoring runs, so this one was a no-brainer. But that’s the wonderful thing about the trade deadline; we just don’t know. Will these new Yankee prospects ever make their mark in the MLB? Will Bruce’s numbers suffer now that he’s left

the bandbox in Cincinnati? Only time will tell. But at least for one day, the teams that managed to bolster their roster for one last playoff push and the teams, like the Yankees, who are resigned to build for the future, are both feeling optimistic. It’s a long season, filled with ups and downs. So occasionally, fans need a touch of optimism.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

Arias takes over at Rye By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On July 1, the Rye City School District welcomed a new director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, as Michael Arias officially assumed his post. Over the past month, Arias has been acclimating himself to the new position and has been preparing Rye for the upcoming school year. In March, it was announced that Arias, who has spent the last nine years as the athletic director at Keio Academy, a private high school in Purchase that competes in Section I, would replace Rod Mergardt, who served as the district’s interim athletic director for the 2015-16 school year. Arias believes that his time at Keio will help him tackle a new challenge at Rye. Under his guidance, Keio’s athletic teams captured a number of league, sectional, state and federation titles. “I think having the opportunity to be the athletic director at Keio has helped me to build

a great professional network,” he said. “Being able to lead that young school that has certainly enjoyed some success really gave me the chance to get my feet underneath me.” Coming to a district like Rye, with its long and storied athletic history, seemed like a logical next step for Arias. Arias, who grew up in Mamaroneck, said that there are few posts in Westchester that are as prestigious as the one in Rye. Last year alone, Rye achieved tremendous success on the football field, where it reached the Class A finals, on the basketball court, where the Garnet girls advanced to the New York State semifinals, and on the water, as Rye’s crew team garnered a silver medal at nationals. “You know about the tradition here as it pertains to athletics; it’s tremendous,” he said. “The community here is so invested, and people continue to come back every year, especially for the Rye-Harrison [football] game, just to honor that tradition.” This year’s installment of the

annual rivalry game between Harrison and Rye will be played at Rye High School on Sept. 10. Arias said preparing for the game, which is generally among the highest attended high school football games in the state, is a unique endeavor. “At my time in Keio, I haven’t had anything that compares to this one contest,” he said. In his first 30 days since taking the over the helm of the program, Arias has been busy getting acclimated to his new surroundings and making sure that the fall season, which officially starts on Aug. 15, will go off without a hitch. “There are a lot of things you have to do in the summertime,” he said. “Getting the coaching certifications done, making sure the schedules are all in place, communicating with a new staff, and getting to know a lot of the different people here. “But I’m absolutely looking forward to getting to meet with our student-athletes,” he added. CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com

On July 1, Michael Arias officially took over as the Rye City School District’s new director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics. Since then, Arias has been working to get the Garnets ready for the upcoming school year. Contributed photo

SPORTS

August 5, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 15

2007 mark falls at Counties By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor Westchester’s 14- to-17-yearold female divers had a recordsetting day on July 26, as Kelly McCauley’s 9-year-old scoring record was broken three different times on Tuesday afternoon

at the County Championships. In an intense battle between a trio of evenly matched opponents at Lake Isle Country Club, however, it was 15-year-old Chloe Best—who, like McCauley before her, dives for the Larchmont Yacht Cub—who took top honors.

Rye’s Katie Laverty spins through the air on July 26. Laverty placed third, but also broke a 9-year-old county record on Tuesday.

Charlotte Cagliostro from the Bronxville Field Club performs a dive at the Westchester County Championships.

With a score of 236.35, Best edged Pelham Country Club’s Jennifer Bell (233.20) and Rye’s Katie Laverty (229.40) to win the County Championship on Tuesday afternoon. The top five were rounded out by Pocantico Hills’ Jessica Cowles (189.35) and Westchester Country Club’s Keelin Sibley (185.35). “I think I dove pretty well,” Best said. “But so did Jen and Katie, which was great to see.” In a field of 18 divers, Best drew the first lineup spot; something she believes helped her, especially late in the tight competition. According to the rising sophomore at the Ursuline School, the ability to set the tone for a round can be a bonus in meets such as this one. “I kind of like to be first because you don’t have to see anyone else in the competition and you’re just focusing on yourself,” she said. “I kind of like that, and I feel like it’s less pressure.” Laverty, 14, who dove right after Best, admits that her mindset is a little different than her opponent’s. Especially in hotly contested events, the Rye native prefers to ignore scores all together and simply focus on her next dive. “I didn’t know [how close it was], because I have this superstition where I can’t look at my scores until after the last dive,” she said. “Otherwise, I feel like if I’m doing well, I’m going to mess up.” Laverty, Best and secondplace Bell all surpassed McCauley’s previous benchmark of 218.85, which was set in 2007. According to both Laverty and Best, the trio, who compete both alongside and against each other in the wintertime, all relished the opportunity to square off at the 91st annual County Championships this year. “They’re great to dive with,” Laverty said. “We are on a bunch of teams and dive against each other a lot in the winter.” “I think it makes it more [exciting] to see each other in the offseason,” Best added. “We just went out and had a really good time.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com

Ranier Hibler extends her body prior to entering the water. Photos/Mike Smith

Chloe Best glides into the water on July 26 at the Westchester County Championships at Lake Isle Country Club. Best took first place in the 14 to 17 age group with a record-breaking score of 236.35.

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16 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 5, 2016

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