August 19, 2016

RyeCity REVIEW THE

August 19, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 34 | www.ryecityreview.com

Latimer prepared for next political campaign war

98

By CHRISTIAN FALCONE Editor-in-Chief

and wanting more Tao Porchon-Lynch in the full lotus pose, or Padmasana. Porchon-Lynch, 98, was declared the world’s oldest yoga teacher by Guinness World Records in 2013. She spoke to At Home on the Sound members on Aug. 9 as part of its Remarkable Women Over 90 series. For story, see page 6.

Photo/Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy

Rye to battle county in court over lead agency status

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer After bringing its assertions to court, the city of Rye will attempt to wrestle control of any potential upcoming projects at Playland from Westchester County.

The decision to file an Article 78 lawsuit on Aug. 10 comes

after news that the county— who entered into an agreement transferring management of the park to the private company Standard Amusements back in March—had declared itself lead agency in late April for the basis of overseeing capital investment projects in the park.

“It was reckless of the county to try to sneak this through

without following the law,” said Rye City Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican.

The finalization of the lawsuit brushed up against a tight filing deadline of Aug. 11; a date which marked the last day of a state-mandated, four-month statute of limitations to challenge any declaration of lead agency.

According to Rye City Attor-

ney Kirsten Wilson, while Rye hasn’t yet pushed for an injunction—a move which would put a foreseeable stop on capital projects at the park until the litigation is resolved—the city is still mulling over its right to do so.

Members of the Rye City Council have contended, in a COURT continued on page 9

State Sen. George Latimer says he has come to expect the attacks from his political opponents, but the criticism seems to gnaw at him more and more after all these years.

“It does get to you,” he admitted.

Latimer, a Rye Democrat, recently announced what came as nothing short of a mere formality: he will run for re-election for another two-year term. But in doing so, he’ll once again put himself in front of the state’s Republican firing squad.

This year, Latimer, 62, will be challenged by GOP candidate Julie Killian, also of Rye. Killian has served on the Rye City Council since 2012. She has been re-elected to that seat twice, is well-respected in the state’s political circles and is independently wealthy, which will likely lead to an expensive obstacle for Latimer to hurdle.

“I’m going to believe… even though the other side will have much more money, our message will be strong enough to carry the day again,” he said during an interview with the Review following his decision to run again. “[But] I know I will be outspent by a lot.”

Back in 2012, Latimer’s first race for Senate against Republican Bob Cohen, of New Rochelle, set the record in New

York state politics for campaign expenditures, eclipsing the $4.5 million mark. This year’s battle with Killian could surpass that.

To outspend Latimer is one thing; to defeat him is another.

He’s never lost an election in 16 tries. He started off on the Rye City Council in 1987, and successfully worked his way through Westchester County government and into the New York state Legislature. He has held some level of elected office for 29 consecutive years, yet he bristles at the term “career politician.”

“I always view these terms as limited time you are granted,” he told the Review. “I’m asking for another two years... and hope-fully with a change in leadership, we’ll get a change in result.”

Latimer draws reference to the opportunity for state Democrats to take control of the Republicanled Senate for just the fourth year in the last 80.

LATIMER continued on page 5

2 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

August 19, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 3

City to begin $1M Purchase Street reconstruction

The city is expected to begin reconstruction of two intersections—Purchase Street and Elm Place and Purchase and Smith streets—in an effort to improve pedestrian safety and accommodate motorists, following approval by the City Council on July 13. File photo

By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer In an effort to improve the commuting experience for pedestrians and motorists in Rye, the city will launch a multitude of streetscape improvements on Purchase Street, according to city officials.

The more than $1 million improvements, which are divided into three separate projects, are for the reconstruction of the Purchase and Smith streets intersection, and the Purchase Street and Elm Place intersection.

In the first phase of the reconstruction—totaling $744,347— Paladino Concrete Creation Corp. will conduct the removal of existing sidewalks and curbing, install new granite curbing and sidewalks, and will remove and replace asphalt.

According to Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican, the City Council has mulled redeveloping the street for years. “Purchase Street has been terrible for a really long time,” she said.

Additional work, referred to as Alternate Phase B—totaling $269,549—will include new trees, street lighting, signage, crosswalks and bollards, or short vertical posts meant to protect pedestrians and direct

road traffic.

According to Killian, the intersection of Purchase and Smith streets will incorporate a raised intersection, and the Purchase Street and Elm Place intersection will have bump outs, or traffic calming measures primarily used to extend the sidewalk. She said the constructed sidewalk ramps will be compliant with the 1990 federal Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA. The ADA establishes design requirements for the construction and alterations of facilities, and ensures access to places of public accommodation for people with disabilities.

“We know [the reconstruction] will enhance the downtown area,” said Margaret Ricketts, president of the Rye Chamber of Commerce, who also works at Carpet Trends located at 5 Smith St. near the anticipated construction. “We are anxiously awaiting construction and hope it will begin soon.”

Killian said that the current conditions of the Purchase Street and Elm Place intersection are not reliable for pedestrians, but that reconstruction will improve safety, and will also alleviate traffic conditions with the addition of a left-hand turn onto Purchase Street from Elm Place.

At a glance During a meeting on July 13, the Rye City Council approved improvements for Purchase Street The reconstruction will affect the Elm Place and Smith Street intersections on Purchase Street The total cost of construction is slightly more than $1M

In the final phase of the improvements, the construction company will pave select areas of the sidewalk along Purchase Street at a cost of $22,500.

There is no timetable for construction, as of press time, but city officials determined it would begin in August during a City Council meeting earlier this month.

Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

4 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

What’s going on...

Rye Free Reading Room

required. For more information or to register for this program, call 967-0480.

Mother Goose Monday

College Essay Writing Workshop The library will be holding its second part of a college essay writing workshop on Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Meeting Room. This workshop is a review of what was learned in the first part of the session. New and returning participants are encouraged to enter. The session will be about polishing up a college essay.

This workshop is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.

Children ages 6 months to 3 and a half years are welcome to attend this Mother Goosethemed workshop on Monday, Aug. 22 in the Meeting Room. Because of this workshop’s popularity, it has been broken up into two sessions: the first session is from 10 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. and the second workshop is from 10:45 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. Granny Jean Klein, who is well-versed in early childhood development, will introduce babies and toddlers to playful rhymes, songs and puppetry. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate with children in the library and should continue these activities at home. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.

Fenom’s Funtastic Obstacle Run

Family Fun Night: Ice Cream Sundae Grand Finale

Children ages 2 and 3 are welcome to attend Fenom’s Funtastic Obstacle Run on Saturday, Aug. 20 from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. in the Children’s Room. This program will allow children to hop, skip, run and crawl through an obstacle course. This course is designed to help kids in this age group learn how to follow directions, work together and build confidence in the most entertaining and engaging way possible. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is

Summer reading participants will be able to celebrate their summer reading achievements on Thursday, Aug. 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Meeting Room with ice cream sundaes. Participants will receive certificates while playing a “Name That Tune” competition with Graham Clarke, and they will also have a chance to cash in their coupons for a special prize. This family fun night is free and open to the public, and registration is required. For more information or to regis-

ter for the program, call 967-0480.

Wainwright House

Yoga and movement workshops The Wainwright House Yoga Training Acad­ emy will hold the following programs this sum­ mer 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 toward RCYS cer­ tification and are led by Yoga Mountain training specialists.

RYS 200 Weekend Series, a RYS 200 10-week end 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 infor­ mation, call 967-6080, email registrar@wain­ wright.org or visit wainwright.org.

Rye Recreation For more information or to register for the programs, visit ryeny.gov/recreation.cfm or call 9672125.

US Sports Institute camps Multi-Sport Camp is for children in grades K-6 as of September 2016. From Monday, Aug. 22 through Thursday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Rain date will be Friday, Aug. 26. Fee: $145 for residents; $170 for non-residents. Camp­ ers must bring their own lunch. The program will take place at Rye Recreation Park. Participants will experience more than 16 different sports from around the world, including, soccer, basketball, la­crosse, volleyball, cricket, floor hockey and more at this camp.

First Play Flag Football Camp is for children in grades K-2 as of September 2016. From Monday, Aug. 29 through Thursday, Sept. 1 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Rain date will be Friday, Sept. 2. Fee: $95 for residents; $120 for non-residents. The program will take place at Rye Recreation Park.

Open to children of all ability levels, this football camp will focus on individual techniques and, more impor­tantly, fun. The week finishes with the USSI Flag Football Super Bowl.

Lacrosse Camp is for children in grades three to six as September 2016. From Monday, Aug. 29 through Thursday, Sept. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Rain date will be Friday, Sept. 2. Fee: $145 for residents; $170 for non-residents. The program will take place at Rye Recreation Park.

Players will learn and develop their technique in passing, catching and scooping. Each day will end with small-sided games where participants will develop an understanding of offensive and defensive plays.

For more information or to register a child for a

sports camp, visit ryeny.gov/recreation.cfm or call 967-2125.

Rye Youth Soccer fall 2016 registration Online registration is open at ryeyouthsoccer. org for fall intramural soccer for boys and girls in grades K-5. The season will begin Saturday, Sept.

17 and end Saturday, Nov. 12. Complete details on dates and times of the program can be found the website. If you have any questions, contact Patti Adimari, registrar, at pattirys@optonline.net or 967-5273. Scholarships are available upon re­ quest. Please note that coaches should also register to coach in their online account.

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

Parking permits The discounted season permits for both resi­ dents and non-residents are sold out.

The parking permits will be on sale Wednes­ days 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. Park­ ing-only permits are $150. MasterCard, Visa and Discover credit cards will be accepted. For more information, call the park at 967-0965 or visit ry­ etownpark.org.

Rye Meeting House ‘On the Wing’ photo exhibit By popular request, the Bird Homestead non­ profit 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 spe­ cies of birds from the local area. These range from elegant white egrets that wade and fish in the es­ tuary 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 ex­ hibit is open Saturday afternoons from noon to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Donations will be grate­ fully 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.

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.

August 19, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 5 LATIMER from page 1

Democrat George Latimer, of Rye, at his campaign headquarters in Mamaroneck on July 31, the same day he announced his run for a third term in the New York state Senate. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

But this election cycle is shaping up to be unlike any in recent memory.

The traditional Democratic surge in voter turnout during a presidential year, which boosts candidates farther down the ticket, may not materialize due to the candidacies of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Possibly with that in mind, Latimer is touting himself as the most independent candidate in the race. “I’m a moderate Democrat,” he said, “and I’ve worked across the aisle with my Republican colleagues.”

To prove that he has joined forces with Republicans more times than not in drafting pieces of legislation, the senator referenced a stack of legislative bills during the Review interview that he has either sponsored or co-sponsored.

However, he still has his detractors who label him an Albany insider, a Bill de Blasio New York City Democrat, and a career politician tied to special interests.

Killian has referenced a Quinnipiac University poll that

found a majority of New York voters, 55 percent to 25 percent, disapprove of the current state Legislature, and a plurality of voters, 48 percent to 34 percent, want all state legislators replaced. Further, 86 percent called corruption in Albany a serious problem.

She is calling for term limits, a common platform for Latimer’s opponents trying to combat his longevity in elected office.

“If we are going to clean up Albany, it starts with establishing a system that guarantees a regular, healthy turnover in the system, and that means term limits,” Killian said when announcing her candidacy.

Although term limits have never been put up for a vote in the Legislature, Latimer says he would support it. But, he also adds, it would not solve the problem of corruption in Albany.

“She will symbolize change,” he said of Killian, “but will the policies reflect change?”

Latimer believes a lot more can be done at the state level to tighten up ethics. One of his

recent mailers talks of stripping pensions of public officials who are convicted of a felony; banning outside income for members of the Legislature; and banning the use of campaign funds to pay for legal fees.

As Senate Republicans try to maintain control of the House, Latimer said the mentality of winning the seat at all costs is reflective of comments made

by Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, a Long Island Republican, at a breakfast in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention in July when he assured the audience that Latimer would be going down.

“Unfortunately it becomes that and not about the individual,” said Latimer in response.

“Then you turn this into a big chess board and we’re just seen as pawns and not individuals with unique personalities.

“I’m not just a pawn to be taken away and replaced with a different color vote,” he added.

“But the voters will decide.”

CONTACT: chris@hometwn.com

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6 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

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World’s oldest yoga teacher

still full of life

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As part of At Home on the Sound’s Remarkable Women Over 90 conversation series, Tao Porchon-Lynch, 98, talks to attendees in Russell Hall of the Larchmont Avenue Church. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant Having just turned 98 years young on Aug. 13, Tao PorchonLynch, the world’s oldest yoga teacher seems to have done it all—but, by her own admission, she’s not done yet.

In 2013, Porchon-Lynch, then 93, was declared the world’s oldest yoga teacher by Guinness World Records. Having had an eventful life, she has clearly stuck by one of her mantras: “There is nothing you cannot do.”

Porchon-Lynch, a White Plains resident who has ballroom danced competitively around the world, currently teaches eight yoga classes a week in Scarsdale and Hartsdale, and took time out of her busy week to talk to At Home on the Sound members on Aug. 9 on her life and how yoga has changed it.

From discovering yoga at her hometown of Pondicherry,

India as an 8-year-old in 1926 when the practice was considered strictly for males; helping Jews escape the Nazis across the English Channel during World War II as a French resistance fighter; performing in London cabarets during the Blitz; becoming a couture model and movie actress in the ‘50s and ‘60s; and co-founding the American Wine Society, Porchon-Lynch’s life makes for a fascinating story—one she captured in an autobiography, “Dancing Light: The Spiritual Side of Being Through the Eyes of a Modern Yoga Master.”

“Every aspect of Tao’s life was historical,” co-author Teresa KayAba Kennedy said. The book has won five awards and took four years to write. “[Tao] has always said that we can breathe together, we can be together; a very simple, yet very powerful statement,” Kennedy added.

Porchon-Lynch said she was raised by her uncle; her Indian mother died during childbirth and her French father had no idea what to do with a newborn.

She calls her uncle the greatest influence in her life; during her time in India, he helped her meet Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian spiritual and yoga leaders.

She also travelled the world with her uncle, an experience that taught her “truth and oneness with the whole world.”

Absorbing yogic philosophy from masters including B.K.S. Iyengar and Indra Devi, Porchon-Lynch ignored the adage of yoga being a discipline only for men, and with her interest and perseverance, swayed one of the most renowned masters to teach her.

Porchon-Lynch’s talk was a part of At Home on the Sound’s Remarkable Women Over 90 series, which features nonagenarian women still making waves in the community and surrounding areas.

Porchon-Lynch had all eyes on her when she entered Russell Hall of the Larchmont Avenue Church.

Wearing a pink and purple ensemble, complete with bright pink stilettos, she was completely at ease while addressing the crowd during the event that had been two years

Tao Porchon-Lynch in Hollywood, California, when she was an MGM actress in the 1950s. Photo courtesy Tao Porchon-Lynch

in the making, according to an organizer for At Home on the Sound.

Porchon-Lynch talked about her life experience and future goals to a room full of eager attendees. Having taken up competitive ballroom dance at 87, she holds more than 700 firstplace awards in the activity. “It’s not that I’m good; I have a lot of fun,” she said.

A lifelong peace activist, Porchon-Lynch has met the Dalai Lama and was recently a speaker at the United Nations International Day of Yoga in June.

In her 72 years of teaching yoga, she has certified hundreds of yoga instructors and has taught

countless classes, including one at the Pentagon to 90 members of the Department of Defense.

At the conversation series, Porchon-Lynch told those in attendance to take things one day at a time, to always start each day with a positive attitude, and to never procrastinate. “Know that within you is the power to do everything. Don’t waste time on things you don’t like,” the proclaimed modern mystic said.

“I have so much more I want to do in life,” she added. “People may think I’m crazy, but this is how I am. Nothing is impossible.”

CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com

Tao Porchon-Lynch, left, and Arlene Towers doing an extended hand-to-toe pose, or Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, at Tower’s Scarsdale home in 1999. Towers teaches a yoga class at At Home on the Sound. Photo courtesy Arlene Towers

August 19, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7

RGC to proceed with $670K in projects

By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The City Council authorized the appropriation of golf club unreserved funds—$670,000— on Aug. 3 for three major capital projects at Rye Golf Club.

The scope of work includes the creation of a new practice green and tee area, and the expansion of the 18th green and the 16th tee, totaling $440,000, and tree pruning and removal, totaling $130,000.

According to Rye City Manager Marcus Serrano, the Rye Golf Club does not have a “real practice area” at the moment, which has led the city to create one to encourage young adults to take up the sport. The practice area will include a chipping green and a bunker.

The greens expansion project also aims to address concerns about the 18th green, which, according to Councilman Terry McCartney, a Republican and the liaison to the Rye Golf Club Commission, has become a very difficult situation to maintain. “Even though it looks

big, there’s only about three or four pinning positions,” he said. “The idea is to make the [green] more usable with more pinning positions.”

The City Council has determined that the Almstead Tree and Shrub Care Company will be in charge of removing trees throughout the club for $116,694, but has yet to decide which company will be in charge of the greens expansion and practice area projects.

There is no set timetable for when construction of the course will begin, as of press time, but Serrano said it will most likely begin in the fall.

The city has also set aside an additional $100,000 in order to address a homeowner’s ongoing concern about golf balls entering her property near the fifth-hole netting.

Since last year, according to Serrano, the city has tried to address the issue of the resident’s complaints about golf balls flying onto her property.

The city manager said the golf club and the city are currently considering further allevia-

tions, but noted that nothing is official.

While the golf club has made arrangements to fix the netting in the past, Serrano said the city would consider extending it higher once again, or realigning it in a different direction. He also said the golf club could possibly redirect the fairway to make sure golf balls would no longer be hit toward the resident’s home.

McCartney said, “We’ve tried to engineer a good solution [and] we’re making the much needed changes, but it’s not simple. There’s no way to fix the problem 100 percent.”

According to Jim Buonaiuto, general manager of the golf club, the club does its best to look into issues and be a good neighbor.

The club also plans to try and improve the course’s grass.

McCartney said that within the past few months, arborists and a number of U.S. Golf Association professionals have visited the club and recommended tree pruning to prevent adverse effects on the

On Aug. 3, the Rye City Council transferred unreserved golf club funds into an account for the construction of a new practice area, and addressing the issue of a homeowner’s yearlong complaints. File photo

grass, which has been an ongoing complication for the club

since last year.

In April, the city faced fallout

from a group of six aggravated members who filed a notice of intent to sue the city for membership reimbursement after the Rye Golf Club’s summer closure in 2015.

Although a lawsuit was never filed, the issue was related to damage to the club’s greens from the misapplication of a tainted fungicide which forced the closure of the club for three months during the peak of golf season. It resulted in the city settling with Tesenderlo Kerley Inc.—the distributor of the fungicide—for $2.5 million.

According to Mack Cunningham, the vice chairman of the golf commission and former city councilman, the $670,000 of unreserved golf club funds being used for construction of the course is from the $2.5 million settlement.

According to Buonaiuto, the settlement money was allocated into the club’s unreserved funds.

McCartney added that the city intends to use the settlement funds for other future golf club projects, such as installing a new irrigation system.

CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

8 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

Sustainability Committee considers lawn policy

By JOSH STABILE Intern The Rye Sustainability Committee is asking residents whether or not the city should adopt a healthy lawn policy.

At a Rye City Council meeting on Aug. 3, Councilwoman Danielle Tagger-Epstein, a Democrat, announced that the committee had released an online survey for residents to give their opinion on whether or not Rye should adopt a healthy lawn policy. The survey can be found on ryesustainability.com.

Tagger-Epstein said the survey, which consists of only one question, would “literally take under a minute” to complete.

She even encouraged attendees at the meeting to take the survey on their phones as she made the announcement.

Sara Goddard, chairwoman of the city Sustainability Committee, said the group wants to work with the City Council on a policy that would require the city to use organic, pesticide-free landscaping in

all public spaces.

The committee hopes to garner enough positive feedback from residents—in the form of at least a few hundred survey votes—before proposing a policy to the City Council.

Although there is no timetable for when the survey will conclude, the committee is doing its homework and gathering as much information about changing over to pesticide-free landscaping as possible.

Homeowners in Rye have been encouraged to use pesticide-free landscaping for years, and this year, the committee announced a communitywide lawn sign design contest to create a logo for the official Rye Healthy Yard Program.

Goddard said she thought a policy of chemical-free landscaping in public spaces had been implemented a while ago, but found out that no policy seems to exist. If there is indeed an old policy that has not been in use, Goddard said it’s time to “dust it off” and update it with help from the City Council to come up with a policy that can

satisfy everyone. If no policy ever existed, Goddard said one needs to be written.

Tagger-Epstein said it’s hard to deny the science that proves the danger of pesticides in public landscaping, and would like to see the healthy lawn policy move forward. “I’m a big proponent of [the policy],” she said. “I’m behind the committee 100 percent.”

Towns such as Greenwich, Connecticut, and Yorktown have already established policies regarding organic and chemical-free landscaping in their public spaces, so Goddard said it shouldn’t be difficult for Rye to follow their lead. In fact, a news article about Greenwich’s healthy lawn policy, Safe Lawns, is exactly what caused the Rye Sustainability Committee to post its survey and gather residents’ opinions.

Residents who want to see what else the committee is working on can visit its website or visit and like its Facebook The question has arisen as to whether or not public spaces, such as the Rye library’s front lawn, pictured, page, Friends of Rye Sustain- should use only pesticide-free landscaping. The Rye Sustainability Committee has launched a survey on its ability Committee. website to gather community input. File photo

August 19, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 9

The blessings of FaceTime

COURT from page 1

A RYE OLDTIMER Judge John Carey

Members of my family live in different parts of the country separated by as much as a thousand miles. The hugging and kissing that go with loving family relationships are hard to manage at such distances. Whatever can make us feel close despite the gape between us is a blessing.

One such mean is Face Time.

A letter can be both endearing and lasting. It can even be made to smell pretty for a while.

While it may not be of publishable quality, what counts is who wrote it and with what index.

However well expressed, it is still just ink on paper and can never grip the emotions like sound and movement.

That is the point—for true emotion to be conveyed, there must be both sound and movement. A person who does not speak or move cannot convey

truly human feelings. Thus a photograph can give an intense impression but not the intensity of a speaking image. A movie can do it, perhaps in the form of a digital video disc, or DVD. But how can that kind of presentation be made to distant loved ones?

The answer is FaceTime, or whatever may be the technical term for the magic of instant home movies of loved ones far away.

CONTACT: j_pcarey@verizon.net

Rye City On Aug. 10, the Rye City Council formalized a lawsuit against Westchester County for the distinction of lead agency on a capital projects at Playland. File photo

letter sent to County Attorney Robert Meehan, that the county has blatantly ignored proper SEQRA procedures and has failed to inform the city of its intentions at the amusement park; claims the administration of Republican County Executive Rob Astornio has repeatedly denied.

“The county has offered Rye a seat at the table, seeking to balance the wishes of the neighborhood around Playland with our efforts to make the park a family-oriented and inviting attraction,” said Daniel Branda, a spokesperson for Astorino.

Nicholas Singer, Standard’s co-founder, expressed dismay at the most recent turn of events.

“We have grave concerns about the city of Rye’s apparent efforts to harm its own citizens and waste millions of dollars of Rye and Westchester County taxpayer money with a meritless lawsuit,” he said.

Sack, however, feels that Standard has been complicit in the county’s failure to include the city in deciding the future of the park.

“As much as the county and Standard now want to turn this

into a public relations war, the city is confident that this matter will be settled in a court of law,” the mayor said.

As of press time, an online petition created on Change.org titled “Stop Mayor Sack, Keep Rye Playland Alive” has garnered 159 signatures from numerous out-of-state petitioners.

A corresponding Facebook page also materialized just a day after Rye’s decision to move forward with the Article 78.

In particular, the potential addition of a dining area in place of Playland’s pool—which residents in the surrounding neighborhood worry could exacerbate traffic conditions and noise— has given Rye’s elected officials and residents pause.

Representatives from Standard, however, have denied any intention to build a large-scale dining establishment, stating that the site of the pool could be used as “an open veranda” with “light refreshments.”

Contractually, as per the management agreement, however, Standard would have the ultimate say in the future of the space currently occupied

by the pool.

The prospect of a legal battle between the county and Rye has loomed before.

In 2014, a former company seeking to take control of the park, Sustainable Playland Inc., SPI, proposed an 87,000-squarefoot field house in the Playland parking lot, which sits adjacent to Rye’s residential neighborhoods.

Eventually, due to growing scrutiny and mounting public opposition to the SPI plan, Sustainable Playland walked away from the deal with the county.

Despite posturing, the 2014 feud never reached actual litigation.

Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican who held office during the county’s tumultuous negotiations with SPI, believes the county and the city can mend their disagreements out of court.

“I would like to see a lot more communication between the county and the city,” she said.

“I feel confident that if we all get in a room together, we can figure it out.”

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

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10 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

Rye City Home Sales Listings provided by the office of Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni Photos courtesy Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Hotpads.com, Spotproperty.com & Maps.google.com

2 York Avenue $899,000 Sale Date: 6/7/16

3 Stanley Keyes Court $1,350,000 Sale Date: 4/13/16

10 Richard Place $701,000 Sale Date: 6/15/16

18 Elmwood Avenue $1,260,000 Sale Date: 4/19/16

24 Loewen Court $1,324,500 Sale Date: 6/3/16

25 Thorne Place $2,125,000 Sale Date: 6/1/16

35 Overhill Avenue $1,352,000 Sale Date: 5/26/16

37 Redfield Street $1,785,000 Sale Date: 6/13/16

39 Brookdale Place $945,000 Sale Date: 6/10/16

51 Soundview Avenue $1,075,000 Sale Date: 6/10/16

75 Manursing Avenue $2,250,000 Sale Date: 6/10/16

84 Rye Road $1,680,000 Sale Date: 6/15/16

129 Grandview Avenue $3,800,000 Sale Date: 4/15/16

149 Grandview Avenue $1,755,000 Sale Date: 5/1/16

474 Milton Road $999,999 Sale Date: 4/22/16

698 Milton Road $1,170,000 Sale Date: 6/1/16

11 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

Business Briefs BCW executive selected for fellowship Ebony White, The Business Council of Westchester’s director of Workforce and Employer Development, has been selected to participate in The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ Ebony White Fellowship for Education Attainment.

The fellowship is designed for chamber of commerce executives and senior staff members who work to enhance educational and workforce development opportunities for their communities.

Participants will share best practices, review case studies and learn from national experts, and each will be tasked with developing and executing a regional action plan to meet their community’s educational attainment needs.

“Managing workforce development programs on behalf of Westchester County and linking young people with jobs have been top priorities for us, and Ebony has played a huge role in our success,” BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon said. “This is a wonderful recognition of Ebony’s hard work, dedication and leadership. Her passion for enhancing educational and occupational opportunities for young people makes her a truly fitting participant for this exceptional program.”

A graduate of Howard University, White joined the BCW in 2007 as office coordinator and assumed her current position last September. She has been a driving force behind the BCW’s annual Youth Summit, which enables attendees to gain valuable advice and insight from community leaders and business professionals. In May, White was honored as a Champion of Youth Summer Jobs by the city of White Plains for her commitment to creating additional job opportunities for Westchester youth.

“Participation in the ACCE Fellowship for Education Attainment will allow me to become more knowledgeable and gain insight on a variety of workforce and educational issues from around the country,” White said. “I’m excited to be working with a diverse group of my peers working toward similar goals. Most importantly, I look forward to utilizing the experience and knowledge gained from my participation to make an impact in our region for the development of our future workforce.”

Bayside Travel wins best agency For three years in a row, the readers of Westchester Magazine have chosen Bayside Travel as the Best Travel Agency in the county. Bayside Travel creates customized travel experiences for its clients and those clients came out in full force to share their opinion about the service they have received. Every year, Westchester Magazine asks its readers and editors to vote for their favorites through an online ballot. The people, places and services that get the most votes are deemed the Best of Westchester’s Readers’ Picks. The winners are invited to participate in the Best of Westchester Party showcase and the public is invited to come and sample the best food, drinks and services that Westchester has to offer.

Bayside Travel was started in 1960 in Bayside,

Queens. Its travel advisor staff is multilingual, and averages more than 20 years of experience each in the travel industry. Some of its travel advisors are certified travel specialists and certified travel advisors, specialties that require many years of training to achieve this distinction.

Burke names new memory director Dr. Pasquale Fonzetti has been appointed director of the Memory Evaluation and Treatment Service, METS, a program that provides comprehensive outpatient assessment and treatment of memory disorders, at Burke Reha- Dr. Pasquale Fonzetti bilitation Hospital in White Plains.

Fonzetti, a board-certified neurologist, has been the associate director of the program for 15 years and also serves as a staff neurologist at Burke.

Through METS, Fonzetti works with patients to evaluate memory problems, providing diagnosis and treatment options for a wide range of dementia disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The program, which was established in 1979, offers patients services such as pre-evaluation and screening, neurological exam, CT, MRI and other diagnostic neurological imaging, a neuropsychological evaluation of cognitive function, behavioral evaluation and management, caregiver assessment and more. In addition, the METS program is dedicated to working closely with the patient and their family, providing a family conference to discuss diagnosis and treatment options after the evaluation.

Fonzetti earned his doctorate in biological science and his medical degree from Bari University in Italy. He completed his residency in neurology at Seton Hall University Neuroscience Institute in New Jersey, and a fellowship in neurological rehabilitation at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. He has served as a research investigator for multiple clinical trials on dementia and stroke and is the chairman of the Institutional Review Board.

The METS program is located at Burke’s main campus in White Plains, located at 785 Mamaroneck Ave. For more information about the METS program, visit burke.org/mets. To schedule an appointment for an evaluation, call 597-2405.

2 new agents join Houlihan & O’Malley Joe Houlihan, managing partner at Houlihan & O’Malley, Bronxville’s leading boutique real estate agency, has announced that licensed real estate professionals Raymond E. Inello and Janet Hargadon, both Raymond Inello of Eastchester, recently joined the firm.

Inello’s background includes 13 years as CEO of Rising Dough Enterprises LLC, operating eight Dunkin’ Donuts locations in Westchester and the Bronx. Previously, Inello was a life, disability and health insurance agent with New England Financial from 1999 to 2003.

Inello was born and raised in Eastchester and

has lived in the town’s Chester Heights area for the past 10 years with his wife and four children, who all attend the Tuckahoe schools.

“Ray’s extensive knowledge of Eastchester has proven to be very valuable for his clients as he helps them search for a home, navigating from house to house, street to street, and through various neighborhoods within the town itself,” Houlihan said.

Inello graduated from Iona College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing. He is president of the Chester Heights Civic Association, an association located within the Tuckahoe school district. He enjoys playing golf, tennis and basketball, and also has a passion for nature. “I consider myself a true outdoorsman. I love camping, and hiking throughout the Northeast, as well as fresh water fishing and hunting throughout the Catskill Mountains,” he said.

Hargadon is a member of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, the New York Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Prior to joining Houlihan & O’Malley, Hargadon was a medical assistant in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center from 2005 to 2014. She graduated from the Mandl School of Allied Health in Manhattan with a degree in Occupational Health.

Hargadon grew up in Riverdale and lived for several years in the Bronxville PO section of Yonkers before settling in Eastchester last year with her husband and two young boys.

“Janet’s in-depth knowledge of these local markets and surrounding areas will be a true asset to the home buyers and sellers she works with,” Houlihan said. “She’s an excellent addition to our team.”

Janet Hargadon Hargadon volunteers with the Eastchester Little League and is a member of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In her free time, she enjoys running and SoulCycle.

The Residential Sales Group at Houlihan & O’Malley is a boutique agency dedicated to offering clients inspired service, unwavering focus, and a commitment to real estate excellence. At Houlihan & O’Malley, knowledgeable, involved and dedicated agents treat clients to an exceptional level of service. The Residential Sales Group appreciates the needs and time constraints of its clients and constantly strives to embody the company’s motto of “Excellence on Your Side.”

The next Business Briefs section will run in September. Please send any submission for our September edition to news@hometwn.com, with “Business” in the subject line of your email.

Each submission may include one picture. If you have any questions, email us at news@hometwn.com.

12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

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Notice of Formation of Carib Fish Market & Grill, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 6/15/16. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 30 Park Avenue, Suite 3K, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. Purpose: any lawful activity.

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August 19, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 13

Do college kids need ‘adulting’ class?

RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

As kids start leaving for college over the next few weeks, it’s nice—or maybe just weird—to know that at least one university is offering a new class this fall.

It’s in “adulting.”

The program at East Carolina University will attempt to teach incoming students how to be successful adults. Sadly, this does not involve tips on how to pick stocks or useful friends. It’s a class on how to roll with the punches.

Noting an increase of 1,800 counseling appointments over just two school years—which required the hiring of two new counselors—the university wondered if there was some way to make its students more resilient.

The vice chancellor for Student Affairs, Virginia Hardy, conducted a study and came to realize the root of the problem. “Students don’t have an opportunity as much these days to manage failure, they don’t experience it in certain ways as much, so they don’t know how to manage it when it happens,” she told The Daily Reflector of Greenville, North Carolina.

Now, it is anybody’s guess whether young people really can’t handle distress or are simply more accustomed than earlier generations were with turning to mental health professionals.

And there’s something to be said for getting help rather than descending into darkness. There’s even something to be said for learning how to shut off the “You are a loser” tape loop in the

brain, which is a stated goal of the class. As a college student, I wish I could have shut off mine.

But as Boston College psychology professor Peter Gray has noted in his work on resilience, at least some college students seem to be seeking help for problems they could solve themselves. At his college, for instance, one student sought counseling after seeing a mouse in the dorm. Another came in after a spat with a roommate.

So the dark underbelly of being mature enough to seek help is being immature enough to find everyday ups and downs overwhelming. Thus, the class at East Carolina. will teach students that setbacks are a normal part of life, as is frustration.

In other words: It hopes to teach young people—at last— how to deal.

This is exactly the life lesson we have, in our love and worry, failed to give our kids.

Instead, for the past generation or two, we have always been at their side, overseeing them, monitoring them, making sure they’re OK—to the point where they aren’t. This isn’t the fault of neurotic parents alone; the whole culture is complicit. My kids went to a variety of New York City public middle and high schools, and all of these had tracking systems that allowed us to check how they did on homework, quizzes and tests—daily!

That’s a level of scrutiny no one expected of my own parents. It assumes that intense parental oversight is normal, even necessary. How intense?

In some other cities, parents can log on and find out exactly

which items their kids chose from the lunch line.

But worst of all, this excess involvement is how adults have taken over play. Today’s children grow up with their elders ever present to organize the game, settle the scores, and slice the snacks. These youngsters don’t get a chance to improvise a wacky new move, because all the games count. They don’t get a chance to throw the ball a little easier to the youngest kid, because all the kids are the same age. They never get a chance to problem-solve whether the ball was in or out, or even choose the teams (talk about a people skill!) because adults do all that, too.

Then these well-loved, wellbehaved kids get to college and something as common as roommate troubles seem seismic because for the first time, there’s no adult intermediary. Off they go to find one.

So now, even as it offers its adulting class, East Carolina intends to reach out to elementary, middle and high schools and tries to restore some childhood resiliency.

With any luck, this will give schools the academic cover they need to simply intervene a little less, and trust kids a little more.

Then maybe the parents will, too.

Childhood was never meant to be perfect. It’s always had its lumps and bumps, physical and emotional. These things prepare kids for adulthood. Humanhood.

Even rooming-with-a-jerk-atcollege-hood.

A little more unsupervised time as kids can make unsupervised young adults a lot happier.

CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

Con Edison urges smart energy usage Con Edison reminds its customers they can save energy and money by using their air conditioners and other appliances wisely when scorching hot weather hits New York this season.

With temperatures that have been forecast to reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit, New Yorkers are advised to follow these money-saving conservation tips: • Con Edison offers a variety of energy efficiency programs for this summer. The Smart AC Program connects customers with smart technology to control their room air conditioners from their computer or mobile device. Learn more by visiting conedsmartac.com.

• Set your air conditioning to the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree you lower the thermostat drives up your bill by 6 percent.

• To reduce heat and moisture in your home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at

night when it’s cooler outside.

• Cook with a microwave or barbecue outside, if possible.

• When the AC is running, close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out.

• Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows.

• Even when using AC, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation.

• Turn off AC units, lights and other appliances when not at home, and use a timer or smart technology to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home.

• Keep AC filters clean; • If you run a business, keep your door closed while the AC is running. Don’t burn through your profits to cool the street.

• Replace old appliances with new energy-efficient ENERGY STAR appliances.

Replacing an old air conditioner with a new ENERGY

STAR unit can reduce energy usage by 30 percent. Con Edison will pay a $30 rebate to customers who buy a new ENERGY STAR air conditioner.

Con Edison will have crews ready to respond to any service problems that arise due to the demand on its energy delivery system.

Customers can report outages and check service restoration status at ConEd.com or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-7526633). When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power. Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.

Also, download Con Edison’s new free iPhone and Android app, “My conEdison,” to report and check the status of a power problem, and view the company’s interactive online outage map. (Submitted)

Astorino promotes free summer vaccine clinic Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino is reminding residents that health department vaccine clinics are open on Fridays to help families prepare for jobs, camp and the next school year.

The Westchester County Department of Health will provide free immunizations by appointment on Fridays in White Plains and Yonkers to adults, children and students of all ages who are uninsured or whose insurance doesn’t cover vaccines.

“Vaccines help children stay healthy and students stay in school so they can learn,” Astorino said. “Before summer flies by, schedule a visit for the vaccines your children need to be ready for school this fall. And vaccines aren’t just for kids. Adults need a

variety of vaccines, too.”

Call 995-5800 for an appointment. Vaccine visits will be scheduled on alternating Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 20 S. Broadway in Yonkers or at 134 Court St. in White Plains. Evening appointments are available on two Tuesdays, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., on Aug. 23 in White Plains or on Sept. 6 in Yonkers.

Health navigators also can help families and individuals sign up for the health insurance they need. Those without a regular doctor will receive information about where to go for ongoing primary care.

“We want everyone in Westchester to have a medical home with a primary care provider who knows them best,” said Westchester County Health Commis-

sioner Dr. Sherlita Amler. “For families and adult learners who lack insurance, or whose insurance doesn’t cover immunizations, the health department can provide critical immunizations and connect them to care. Call us to learn how we can help.”

Regulations for school admissions require schools to more closely scrutinize children’s immunization records and could result in children not being allowed to start or continue in school if immunizations are not current. New this year is the requirement for the meningococcal vaccine for all seventh- and 12th-graders. Students also must get vaccines that provide increased protection against whooping cough, measles and mumps. (Submitted)

14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • August 19, 2016

SPORTS

INSIDE

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 15

Lifestyles of Westchester County/AUGUST 2016 VOL. 5 NO.6

INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY

School Year Prepare your child for the future Miller’s is there for you this school year Prepare for exams with Evolve Happy and healthy at the Rye YMCA

Lester’s has back-toschool wear covered

16 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 17

STEM

taking schools by storm A

n increased focus on STEM education is one of the most influential initiatives to reach schools in recent years. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The world has become increasingly complex and competitive, and today’s youth need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to evaluate ideas and turn them into productive applications.

These are two of the key hallmarks of STEM. According to the National

Science Foundation, STEM subjects include chemistry, computer and information technology science, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, social sciences (anthropology, economics, psychology and sociology), and STEM education and learning research.

Recognizing that more and more students are gravitating toward STEM-focused fields and that projected STEM job rates are rising steadily,

schools have begun to beef up their offerings with regard to STEM subjects. Jobs in mathematics, computer system analysis, systems software, and biomedical engineering are just some of the careers in which anywhere from a 15 to 62 percent increase between 2010 and 2020 is predicted, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Individuals may believe that STEM study begins in high school, but the success of older students in STEM subjects is often shaped much

earlier on. That’s why parents and educators can do much to cultivate an interest in natural and social sciences as well as in math as early as possible.

Here are a few ideas to do just that.

Encourage participation in the community. Various national clubs and sciencebased organizations have begun to pay more attention to STEM and offer activities that foster a greater love of science, engineering and math.

By joining such clubs and organizations, students can learn

more about these subjects and reinforce their enjoyment.

Set up an internship or meet-and-greet. Take students to STEM-centered places of employment so they can get a firsthand experience from within the STEM trenches. Provide opportunities for students to chat with people in the field and ask questions about the type of schooling necessary to pursue a particular degree, and if any hobbies and other activities promote STEM learning.

Investigate school-based opportunities. Schools are

broadening course offerings and also establishing STEMbased clubs. Students have the opportunity to get involved with other like-minded classmates. If a club isn’t already available, a teacher or a parent can consider volunteering to serve as the head of the club.

STEM is a hot topic of discussion in the world of education. Students can expect to get plenty of exposure to science- and math-related topics both inside and out of the classroom.

18 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

PRACTICE SCHOOL BUS safety every day Stand only in the designated school bus stop.

Always stand on the sidewalk, lawn or curb where the school bus stop is located. Stay away from the street because traffic in the morning and the afternoon can be very busy and hectic.

Arrive at the stop early.

Rushing to the bus stop may cause you to make errors in judgment, including running in traffic to catch the bus. Leave early so you have ample time to catch the bus and obey all traffic laws.

Only board and exit the bus when it is safe.

Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before boarding or exiting. The driver will engage the stop sign and put on the flashing red lights. Move around the bus only when it is stopped.

Keep the aisles clear.

Stay out of the aisle when the bus is in motion and store backpacks on your lap or under your seat so they are not tripping hazards.

Use seat restraints.

Use seat restraints when available on the school bus. While not every school bus has seatbelts, many now do.

Stay in your seat.

Remain in your seat while the bus is in motion. Keep your hands inside of the windows. Do not get up to engage with other riders.

Keep a good distance between you and the bus.

Exit the bus and cross in front where the driver can see you. If you cannot see the driver, he or she cannot see you. Check for safety signals from the driver to proceed when traffic has stopped. Always walk, never run, around a bus.

Do not goof off.

When on the bus, always behave so that you can hear any safety instructions and be aware of your surroundings. Behaving also means one less distraction for drivers.

School bus passengers can make their rides to school even safer by playing it smart.

Millions of students rely on public transportation to get them to and from school each and every day. The National Safety Council says 25 million students

in the United States begin and end their school days on school buses. The NCS adds that riding a bus to school is 13 times safer than riding in a family vehicle

and 10 times safer than walking.

Although buses are designed for safety, student riders can do a lot to make their bus trips even safer.

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 19

How to create a great study environment A student’s academic performance is influenced by a host of factors, including the learning environment both inside the classroom and at home. While students may have only limited control over the environment in their classrooms, they and their parents can do much to create home study environments that are conducive to learning.

Create a “distraction-free” zone. Today’s students are inundated with distractions.

Whereas students were once most distracted by radios, televisions and the great outdoors when studying at home, nowadays kids must also find time to focus on their studies with their tablets and smartphones just a stone’s throw away. When choosing a study area at home, parents can designate a “distraction-free” zone where no televisions, radios, tablets and smartphones are allowed. Children are

increasingly dependent on their smartphones and tablets, and while such devices can sometimes prove useful to students, that benefit is often outweighed by the distraction they present. When kids study at night, be sure they turn off their smartphones and only use their tablets as study aids.

Emphasize organization.

Various organization techniques can help kids be more efficient when studying.

Encourage kids to separate their learning materials by subject, and keep a calendar or daily planner at home listing when their assignments are due and which days they will be tested.

Encourage youngsters to keep their home study areas tidy as well, as unorganized areas can make it harder to focus or force kids to spend some of their study time cleaning up.

Establish quiet hours at home. Quiet hours at home while kids are studying can

help them better absorb their coursework, and that may lead to improved performance in the classroom. While it’s important that a kids’ study areas remain distraction-free, it can also help if distractions outside those areas are minimized.

Keep televisions and other potentially noisy distractions turned off while kids are studying. If you want to catch up on a favorite television show or watch a movie, do so on your tablet instead of the television, connecting earphones so kids are not overhearing anything while

they’re trying to study.

Keep healthy snacks on hand. Hunger can be just as distracting as electronics or noisy housemates, so keep healthy snacks on hand. In lieu of unhealthy fare like potato chips or empty calories like pretzels, keep your home stocked with fruits and vegetables and protein-rich snacks like Greek yogurt. Such snacks will quell kids’ hunger pangs while also providing a boost of energy.

A strong home study environment can help students do their best in the classroom.

20 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

Happy and healthy at the Rye YMCA The Rye Y welcomes youth, families and adults to register for fall classes focusing on skill development, teamwork, fitness, enrichment and fun. View the program guide and register at ryeymca.org for classes starting Saturday, Sept. 10. Here is a sampling: Children: Choose from dozens of classes for preschool

and school-age children, including music, arts and crafts, Spanish music and movement, LEGO STEM, preschool cooking, chess, dance, swimming for all levels, special needs swim instruction, gymnastics and sports (multisports, soccer, tennis, basketball, flag football, lacrosse, baseball and karate). Online registration

is not available for youth swimming classes.

Teens: The Rye Y is open to teens every weekday from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. while school is in session. Middle and high school students may drop in after school and use the facility, including the ExerZone, Freestyle Fitness Zone, gymnasium and pool. The Y also holds a monthly teen night on the second Saturday of each month just for middle school students. The Rye Y Leaders Clubs, for grades 6-12, is a great way to make a positive impact in the community, build leadership skills and get volunteer hours. Teens may also register for several fitness classes including Teen Training 101, Teen Strength & Conditioning and the new Teen HIIT Class and Injury Prevention for Youth Athletes.

Families: The Y is a hub of family activity. Families

spend time together during scheduled family time in the pool, gymnasium and ExerZone or play air hockey, ping pong, foosball in the family room. The Y hosts a First Family Friday evening every month with themed crafts activities. Families with young children may choose from several parent/child classes such as Baby and Me Gym, Kiddie Crafts and Baby Sports.

The Childwatch program is available for parents who wish to exercise on their own or step

into town.

Adults: The Rye Y program guide pages are filled with classes for adults, including swimming classes for beginning through advanced swimmers, karate, soccer, boxing and small group exercise. The Y offers LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a free 12-week small group program designed for cancer survivors, and The YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program, which helps those at high risk for developing Type 2

diabetes. Members may choose from approximately 150 free weekly group exercise, spin and aquacise classes at the Y and Wainwright Yoga House.

Visit ryeymca.org or call 967-6363 to learn more and register for classes. Financial assistance is available. If you are interested in joining the Rye Y, please stop by the Y’s Member Services Desk for a tour of the facility. The Rye YMCA is located at 21 Locust Ave. in Rye. (Submitted)

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 21

What schools are doing about childhood obesity The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that childhood obesity rates have more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the last 30 years. This is happening in spite of indications that childhood obesity could reduce life expectancy by five years or more. Many children are not participating in freetime physical activity and, according to Blank Children’s Hospital, only 25 percent of children in the United States eat a healthy diet.

Considering children spend six or more hours at school and many eat school lunches or receive in school-provided breakfasts, schools can play a pivotal role in helping to control the rising epidemic of childhood obesity. Here’s a look at just how schools are taking on that challenge.

Discussing obesity in health and physical education classes: Information is power, and one way to help curb obesity rates is to give children the data needed to make informed decisions. Some schools have implemented healthy eating and exercise initiatives and made nutrition and other health-related topics key parts of health curricula.

Modifying school lunch offerings: Schools are taking inventory of not only the foods they offer on lunch menus, but also the feel of the cafeteria so that healthy eating is encouraged. This may include removing vending machines that contain unhealthy snacks or providing a greater array of offerings that include fresh fruits, whole grains and lean protein sources. Some schools also are investing in components, such as salad bars,

to store, prepare and display healthy foods.

Extending lunch hours: Giving students adequate time to eat and digest can promote healthier eating habits.

Research indicates that eating slowly can help a person feel full faster. According

to Harvard Medical School, scientists have known for some time that a full stomach is only part of what causes someone to feel satisfied after a meal; the brain must also receive a series of signals from digestive hormones secreted by the gastrointestinal tract. Eating

slowly may prevent children from overeating later in the day.

That can be achieved by having more time to eat at lunch.

Teaching children how to prepare healthy foods: Some schools are taking the mystery out of food preparation by showing students how foods are

being prepared in the cafeteria kitchen, while others include basic culinary education in their curricula and extracurricular offerings.

Childhood obesity may be an epidemic, but schools are in the position to curb obesity in young students.

22 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

Prepare for exams with Evolve Who is the best tutor for your child? This may seem like a simple question but it is not.

And it was this same question that the owners of Evolve Exam Prep and Tutoring set out to answer when they formed their local tutoring company. Evolve is owned and operated by certified local teachers who run small class size sessions that focus on the student’s individual needs.

Evolve also offers private tutors for all subjects and all standard tests for all ability levels, including special needs students.

Evolve’s tutors are trained specialists. They work daily with students in local schools.

This professional training and experience gives their tutors and instructors the skills necessary to assess and address student needs. They are able to recognize and react to underlying issues that cannot be easily detected by tutors who are not certified educators. They have local teachers on staff that are not only experts in various subjects, but who have experience working with special needs students.

Evolve believes that certified teachers and educators are better equipped to prepare students for course curricula and standardized exams. Other companies may use tutors and college students who happened to do well on their SAT or ACT but have

no experience teaching students on a daily basis and have no formal training in education.

Evolve Exam Prep and Tutoring specializes in private tutoring as well as standardized tests and college prep courses.

Evolve conducts courses to prepare students for Regents exams, SAT and ACT exam prep and college essay writing.

All courses are designed and taught by certified teachers in small classroom settings. Class size has a direct impact on success, and Evolve’s class sizes are kept small to offer the most advantageous setting for their clients.

Hali from Larchmont says that Evolve’s courses were “extremely helpful! Great way to

go over all the material. The teacher taught the material better than my school teacher all year. Very friendly staff and the booklet was incredible. Thanks for the great experience.”

Louis from White Plains said, ‘Today was a great experience to help me review for my Chemistry Regents. I was able to go over key concepts and really understand topics that weren’t clear to me before. I now feel comfortable to take my Regents.”

To check out their small group sessions and exam prep courses, sign up for their newsletter, read their blog and view their private tutoring options, visit EvolveExamPrep.com or call 522-6270. (Submitted)

Lester’s has back-toschool wear covered There’s no place like Lester’s and Lester’s Boys & Men’s for the best in back-to-school clothing, shoes and accessories.

From fun to sophisticated, you’ll find endless essentials like bags and backpacks for girls and boys, to an unrivaled selection of the season’s most talked about trends from all the best brands.

Take note of fall’s must-have styles girls will be loving: laceup details, piled-on patches, cold shoulder tops, bomber jackets, colored fur, frayed denim and statement sneakers. We have the best anything-but-basics, with

an amazing selection of printed leggings, graphic tees, gorgeous outerwear, activewear and more.

See what’s new and now from Splendid, So Nikki, Flowers By Zoe, Chaser, Blank NYC, Vintage Havana, Autumn Cashmere, Rock Candy, Terez, Rebel Yell, Pinc Premium, Malibu Sugar, Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Retro Brand, The North Face, SAM, Marmot, Steve Madden, Sam Edelman, Superga, Vans, Sorel and so many more. Our dressy collections for every age feature something truly special for

every occasion.

Our impeccable, personal, one-to-one service is what sets us apart. Let our sales associates help you with all your back-to-school, holiday and special occasion needs, or to choose the perfect gift or party favor. We truly have it all.

For up-to-the-minute new arrivals and style inspiration, follow us on Instagram at @ lesterskids. For exclusive savings and first-to-know style news, visit lesters.com and sign up to receive Lester’s emails. (Submitted)

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 23

Unique ways to use newspapers in the classroom

Miller’s is there for you this school year

Miller’s of Mamaroneck is proud to be your latest back to school destination for Westchester families. Miller’s curated collection of girls’ and boys’ clothing from toddler to size 12 is whimsical, funky, fun and priced right.

Miller’s also has a huge selection of the world’s best outerwear products from Patagonia, North

Today’s students have numerous devices at their disposal that can make learning more fun. Teachers may rely on such devices to engage students, but one more traditional teaching tool can still be an asset in the classroom.

Newspapers have changed considerably over the last decade-plus, but they still can serve teachers and students alike. The following are a handful of ways for teachers to incorporate newspapers into their lesson plans.

Use newspapers to teach geography. Whether they’re local, national or international periodicals, newspapers contain stories from all over the globe.

Teachers tasked with teaching students about world geography can assign each student an article about a newsworthy event taking place in a given country. Kids can then write a report about that country, including information about its location in the world, its citizens and its history.

Use newspapers to

teach vocabulary. Perhaps no resource is more valuable than newspapers when teaching vocabulary. Assign each student a story or stories from the newspaper, instructing them to underline or jot down between five and 10 words they are unfamiliar with as they read.

Once they have finished reading their assigned articles, students can then look up and write down the meaning of each word, ultimately handing in their list of words and/or sharing those words and their meanings with their classmates.

Use newspapers to teach mathematics. While newspapers are often touted as great tools to teach reading comprehension and vocabulary, they also can be used to teach math lessons. For example, newspaper classified sections typically list dozens, if not hundreds, of items for sale.

Assign each student 10 vehicles listed in the classified section and ask them to calculate the average asking prices of these vehicles. Another potential

lesson is to ask kids to determine the percentage breakdown of each section of the newspaper.

You can then explore the reasons why certain sections may be given more ink than others.

Use newspapers to teach current events. The world is an interesting place, and newspapers are great resources for people looking to keep up with all that is going on in the world. While current events can sometimes be confusing for young students, newspaper reporters aim to convey complicated topics in ways that readers of all ages and backgrounds can understand.

By assigning newspaper articles as part of their students’ current events assignments, teachers can help students gain a better understanding of what’s going on in their world.

While newspapers may have changed considerably over the last several years, they still make great teaching tools that can benefit instructors and students alike.

Face, Obermeyer and Marmot, featuring fleeces and insulated jackets, school coats and fully waterproof styles equally at home on the sledding hill or the ski slopes.

Located on Mamaroneck Avenue in the village of Mamaroneck, Miller’s now proudly features an expansive children’s footwear line with styles from

first walkers up through kids’ size 6. And to make sure your kids are off to school properly, a selection of lunch boxes, backpacks and school supplies are available as well. And finally, Miller’s Bike Shop stocks Trek, Cannondale, Giant, and Cleary bicycles for kids and adults!

(Submitted)

24 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

Steps to choosing the right preschool Kindergarten used to mark a child’s first foray into formal education. But preschool has now taken up that mantle for many students.

Some parents may recall their own preschool experiences, mostly remembering extended moments of play and more monitored fun inside the school.

But as the world of education has become more competitive, and students are required to meet certain standards at even earlier grade levels than before, preschool has undergone its own transformation.

Academic preschools have become a popular choice for parents hoping their children

can gain that extra edge. Rather than the play-based philosophy preschools adhered to in the past, academic preschools introduce students to the rigors of the classroom. These academic preschools often teach math and reading. Proponents of this type of learning say that children are sponges at early ages, and the more information they can be presented with, the more they are likely to retain it. Children who are able to sit and focus for 20 to 30 minutes at a time and are very curious and ask a lot of questions may make for the best candidates at academic-based preschools.

Other children may be more comfortable attending play-based schools.

While parents who hope to enroll their students in preschool may have to choose between a play- or academic-based curriculum, there are other factors to consider as well.

Is proximity to your home

important? Some parents prefer that their children’s preschools be close to home, while others want a school closer to their office. If your commute to work is long, then keep in mind that children will spend more time at a preschool close to home, which can cost more and reduce the amount of time parents and their children spend together.

Should the school be faithbased? Religious organizations frequently offer their own faith-based preschool programs.

Parents will have to decide if they want a faith-based curriculum for their young children.

Are pre- and post-care services

available? A school that has flexible hours may be appealing to some. This enables parents to drop off and pick up children according to their own work schedules or in coordination with school hours for other children in the family.

Visit the school and assess the environment. A school may look excellent on paper, but you will not get a feel for it until visiting the school during a school day.

Take your child along and get his or her opinion. Parents may love a particular school, but if kids are uncomfortable, the school may prove ineffective.

Confirm the curriculum

before enrolling. Schools may have different educational philosophies. These can run the gamut from the Montessori Method to the Waldorf Approach to the High/Scope Approach.

Familiarize yourself with a school’s educational philosophy so you can be sure you are making the most informed decision possible.

Go with your gut. Sometimes choosing a preschool boils down to a facility that just feels right. At this stage in a child’s education, schooling is about learning social skills and growing acclimated to the routines of the classroom.

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 25

26 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 27

Fall into arts at the Rye Arts Center

This fall, The Rye Arts Center invites you to explore and enjoy the arts, right here in Rye! This year’s fall lineup will include a series of events called “Cuba! A Hot Celebration,” which will highlight Cuban culture through the arts. The series will include an exhibition, a dance party, workshops for children and parents, a book signing, and a discussion

of photography in Cuba.

Our growing catalog of classes and workshops embraces both traditional arts and new cutting-edge art forms. Private lessons are available for all ages in a range of musical disciplines. One new addition for children is Global Web Designers, a class in which students will work with a global partner to design and create a website focused on climate change.

For adults, we are excited to present Loosen Up and Paint, our first BYOB paint class!

Minecraft fanatics won’t want to miss our Minecraft Build-off Tournament!

Among the many new opportunities are weekly dropin open studio times for our MakerSpace and Ceramics Studios. This is your chance to explore, tinker and enjoy with unstructured time to

feed your creativity.

Exhibitions include “Cuba: From the Rooftops to the Streets,” with photography by JoAnn Cancro; “Small Works Exhibition and Sale,” with works by dozens of artists all at affordable prices; and “The Ground Glass: The Fine Art Photography of The Ground Glass.” In addition, we will bring “DNA Totem” by Suprina Kenney to our lawn and “Cope” by Damien A. Vera to Rye Town Park.

On Sept. 24, don’t miss Cocomama! Drawing from Latin and jazz roots, their energyfilled music will fuel this fun evening of dance, food and drinks. RAC Live! will present three coffeehouse music performances at Le Pain Quotidien in Rye. Play With Your Food will couple lunch with one-act dramatic readings by professional actors, and Seasons Readings will provide a new holiday tradition for your family. The always popular Ladies Comedy Night will return

for another evening of laughter.

Eye On Art will lead tours of The Affordable Art Fair in Manhattan and The Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, and The Art Collectors Forum will present a panel discussion on collecting and caring for photographs.

Make The Rye Arts Center your home for creativity and fun. For a complete list of events and classes, visit ryeartscenter.org or call 9670700 for more information.

(Submitted)

28 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

Prepare your child for the future

The JCC of Mid-Westchester welcomes families to its cutting-edge early childhood center regardless of their religion, ethnicity, race or sexual preference. At its well-equipped center, children from 17 months to 5 years old are steeped in an atmosphere that provides tools to inspire creativity, learning, independence and joy.

Children participate in ageappropriate educational activities, including science, math, literature, world cultures, gym, gymnastics, swimming from the age of 3, nature study, music, creative movement, cooking, and more. The JCC has tailored its programming to what parents say they value most, such as excellent educational programming, a flexible school day (half-day, full-day, etc.), a warm and nurturing environment, easy drop-off and pickup, feeling closely involved as the child’s caregiver, and additional activities under the same roof.

Two key things differentiate this highly regarded school from all the rest are the quality of the staff—who are all experienced early childhood teachers, many with master’s degrees—and the vast range of after-school offerings at The JCC itself, which allows the children to move through seamlessly and gives parents peace of mind that everything is under one roof.

Hugs are included every day; just ask one of our parents. “I love the teachers at The JCC. It’s no wonder that generations of parents have chosen The JCC! It’s family-friendly and parents are frequently invited into the classroom.

They’ve been very welcoming of my nanny and recognize her as an integral part of our fam-

ily…. Coming from the city, I have found it easy to make friends with other preschool parents,” one said.

The JCC allows parents to drop their children off without getting out of the car beginning at 8:40 a.m. The JCC understands that it’s difficult and time consuming for parents to get younger siblings out of the car for drop-off, particularly in inclement weather, explained Caryn Symons, director of the Nursery School. The JCC offers early drop-off at 8 a.m. and care after regular school hours from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., which helps meet the needs of working parents and parents with other children on different schedules.

Unlike other programs, The JCC offers mini-camps during school vacation times—a huge perk for working parents and for families that may not have vacations planned during these times. There is also a highly regarded summer camp for kids ages 2 through high school. Many preschool parents keep their kids at The JCC for the summer camp because of the flexibility it offers, its top-notch reputation in lower Westchester, and to maintain consistency and familiarity for their young children. Many of the professionals and teachers continue through the summer as camp staff members, but don’t be fooled! The camps are very different from the school day in that they are filled with water play, lots of swimming and extensive outdoor time.

Unique to The JCC is the ability for preschoolers to take other classes after their usual school day, such as art classes, dance, soccer, super sports, karate, gymnastics and swimming.

Children are escorted to their activities. Parents can benefit

from this “all under one roof” feature as well. The JCC also offers a special fitness membership to preschool parents at the rate of only $38 a month.

According to Symons, “Swimming is one of the things that makes our school special. The children feel at home here and become comfortable in the water very quickly. Parents do not have to schlep from one location to another. It’s oftentimes the child’s favorite activity and is so much better than having to find swim lessons other places. The best part is it’s all included in the cost of the extended day. Many of the children learn to swim, and swim well, at The JCC during their school hours.”

Symons attributes the ability of The JCC to have such a comprehensive school day at the preschool level to the phenomenal facilities. “We have a pool, a large gym, three dance studios, and an indoor motor room which is great for days when the weather isn’t great,” she said. Many other preschools in lower Westchester don’t have the luxury of big indoor spaces and certified professional staff across multiple disciplines like dance, yoga, gymnastics, aquatics, theater and art. “As part of the regular school day,” Symons continued, “we offer nature, yoga, music, sports, computers, and more.” She added, “It’s a play-based program at The JCC, but they are learning when they are playing, and I see that every day.”

For more information, registration, scholarship questions and tours, contact Caryn Symons at 472-7095 or via email at Symonsc@jccmw.org. The JCC of Mid-Westchester is located at 999 Wilmot Road in Scarsdale. (Submitted)

2016

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 29

REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW

30 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW Huguenots aim to re-tool, repeat Coach: Lou DiRienzo 2015 Record: 11-1 Section I Class AA Champions It’s a true testament to the depth of the New Rochelle football program that the Huguenots can lose as many players as they do each year and still find themselves in the Class AA A New Rochelle championship conversation. running back carries After winning two straight the ball against Mount Section I titles, the Huguenots Vernon during New come into this year having lost a Rochelle Champion’s whopping 24 seniors from the 2015 Camp on July 27. The Huguenots will square team, but even those graduations off against the Knights do not appear as though they are on Sept. 10. going to slow down the purple and white.

New Rochelle comes into the year with one of the top running backs in the area: junior Jared Baron. The bruising ball carrier has been on the team since his freshman year and has been a big part of the Huguenots’ recent success, but he’s not the only youngster who made waves last year.

Along with classmates Jonathan Saddler, and Romeo Holden, Baron was part of a sophomore class that served as a

major infusion of talent for the program last year and should only be better with another year under their belts this fall.

Saddler got some important reps behind quarterback Greg Powell last year, and could be a bright spot this year. In 2015, Saddler played some tight end and quarterback, but truly shined on the defensive side of the ball as a high impact linebacker for the Huguenots.

Up front, New Rochelle’s linemen have been working hard during the offseason, and won the annual Spring Valley Lineman Challenge in July.

The Huguenots open up on Sept. 3 against a tough North Rockland team, but the most intriguing stretch of their regular season comes a few weeks later when they play back-to-back games against Scarsdale and Mamaroneck.

New Rochelle beat both the Raiders and the Tigers in the playoffs last season, but Mamaroneck gave the Huguenots a good run for their money in the second round.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

2016 NEW ROCHELLE HUGUENOTS SCHEDULE 09/03

1:30 p.m.

NORTH ROCKLAND

09/10

1:30 p.m.

MOUNT VERNON

09/17

1:30 p.m.

@ SCARSDALE

09/23

7 p.m.

@ MAMARONECK

09/30

7 p.m.

@ CLARKSTOWN NORTH

10/08

1:30 p.m.

WHITE PLAINS

New Rochelle runs a play during summer workouts. The Huguenots are aiming to win their third straight Class AA title this year. Photos/Mike Smith

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 31

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW Tigers look to bounce back in 2016 Coach: Anthony Vitti 2015 Record: 2-7 2015 was a strange, trying, but ultimately rewarding year for Mamaroneck, as the Tigers managed to go winless during the regular season, secure a playoff berth due to their high preseason ranking, and go on to stun Carmel in the first round of the Class AA A Mamaroneck playoffs. This year, the receiver catches a Tigers are looking to ball during the Tiger build on their late-seaFootball Camp in son success and get off June. Mamaroneck to a much quicker start. will hope to start the season stronger than Despite losing their it did last year. first six games last year, Mamaroneck came on strong at the end of the season. After a 42-28 trouncing of Carmel, they took eventual Class AA champion New Rochelle down to the wire in the quarterfinals, losing to the Huguenots 28-20, but closed out the season on a high note the following week with a 34-14 win over rival Port Chester.

The Tigers graduated 20 seniors from last year’s team, including quarterback

Bill Flatow, and two-way standout Peter Matt, but will return a number of players who logged serious minutes.

Senior Zion Powell could emerge as a top-flight playmaker this year, after being used mainly as a wideout and kick returner last year, and classmate Daniel O’Rourke could fill the void left by the graduated Matt in the backfield. Quarterback Peter Solimine picked up some experience last season when he filled in for Flatow, who missed time with a shoulder injury.

The Tigers will look to get off to a quick start in their season opener against White Plains on Sept. 2. Last season, White Plains finished with a 1-8 record, and although they look to be much improved in 2016, they could potentially be one of the weaker opponents on Mamaroneck’s schedule. On Sept. 23, the Tigers will face their toughest test of the regular season when they host New Rochelle.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

2016 MAMARONECK TIGERS SCHEDULE 09/02

6 p.m.

@ WHITE PLAINS

09/09

7 p.m.

SCARSDALE

09/16

7 p.m.

@ CLARKSTOWN NORTH

09/23

7 p.m.

NEW ROCHELLE

10/01

3 p.m.

@ MOUNT VERNON

10/07

7 p.m.

SUFFERN

A Tiger ball carrier makes a move on a defender during a preseason drill. Photos/Mike Smith

32 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW New-look Eagles hit the field Coach: Fred DiCarlo 2015 Record: 8-1 Coming off one of the most successful campaigns in the program’s history, Eastchester will have a lot of work to do to get back to similar heights this year.

Although the team was hit hard by both graduations and transfers, the Eagles will call upon its success in 2015 as they look ahead to the future.

Last year, the veteran-laden Eagles were inarguably one of Section I’s most dominant squads. The team ran through the regular season with an undefeated record before obliterating its first two postseason opponents, Tappan Zee and John Jay, by a combined score of 99-27.

It wasn’t until the Class A semifinals, when they took on the eventual champs from Lourdes, that the Eagles tasted defeat, dropping a 27-19 heartbreaker to the Warriors.

But what a difference a year makes.

The Eagles lost most of their offensive playmakers, including quarterback John Arcidiacono, wideout Andrew Schultz and fullback John Guido to

graduation, and were dealt another blow this summer, when Antonio Rogliano, who emerged as one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the area last year, announced his decision to transfer to the Brunswick School for his senior season.

Despite losing more than 20 players from last year’s squad, however, the Eagles still have a solid senior class, led

by Mark Cacciola. Last season, Cacciola made his mark as a playmaker in the defensive backfield, but his athleticism could also give the Eagles a spark under center on the offensive end Eastchester will need to gel quickly, as it will contend with a difficult league schedule that includes both Rye and Lourdes, who played for the Class A title in 2015.

The Eagles open up on Sept. 3 against Harrison, in a rematch of last year’s Week 1 showdown. Eastchester kicked off the season last year with a 23-6 win.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

Eastchester runs theball during a scrimmage against Lincoln at the New Rochelle Champions Camp on July 28.

The Eagles lost several key players from last season’s team.

2016 EASTCHESTER EAGLES SCHEDULE 09/03

1:30 p.m.

HARRISON

09/09

7 p.m.

@ OUR LADY OF LOURDES

09/17

1:30 p.m.

PEEKSKILL

09/23

7 p.m.

@ RYE

10/01

3 p.m.

@ BEACON

10/08

1:30 p.m.

BREWSTER

An Eagles’ lineman sniffs out a run play during a preseason scrimmage.

Photos/Mike Smith

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 33

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Garnets aim high in 2016 Coach: Dino Garr 2015 Record: 9-1 (Class A runners-up)

Brett Egan goes up for a catch against Lourde’s Luke Timm in the Class A championship game in 2015. Egan and the Garnets fell in the title game, but are looking for another shot this year.

Photo/Bobby Begun

What looked like a dream season for the Garnets ended on a sour note in 2015, as unbeaten Rye fell in a heartbreaker to Lourdes in the Class A finals 14-7. Despite the championship game loss, however, Rye figures to have several pieces in place for another run this fall.

In 2015, the Garnets ran through the regular season with an undefeated record, but suffered their first—and only— loss in the Section I finals. Undoubtedly, Rye’s returning players will be coming into the 2016 season with a chip on their shoulders and plenty of motivation.

Mat Bruno comes into the season as one of Rye’s top veterans and will be asked, once again, to lead the Garnets on both sides of the ball. Bruno shined defensively in 2015 at the outside linebacker position and is a proven gamechanger on that side of the ball. He should get plenty of touches offensively as well. Bruno is an effective runner, and

was sometimes utilized at quarterback, where he used his speed to present a different look under center.

TJ Lavelle, who will likely get the majority of snaps at quarterback this year, also had a coming-out party last year, and should not lack for weapons on the outside. Chief among them will be fellow senior Brett Egan, whose speed and soft hands should add another dimension to the Garnets’ attack.

As always, the one game Rye fans look forward to most will be the Garnets’ annual matchup with rival Harrison. Last year, the Garnets beat the Huskies twice, once during the last week of the regular season, and again the following week in the first round of the Class A playoffs. This year, Rye will look to even the overall series between the two schools when the Huskies and Garnets square off at Rye on Sept. 10.

The Garnets will also get another shot at Lourdes when they travel to Poughkeepsie to take on the Warriors on Sept. 16.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

2016 RYE GARNETS SCHEDULE 09/03

1:30 p.m.

@ BEACON

09/10

11 a.m.

HARRISON

09/16

7 p.m.

@ OUR LADY OF LOURDES

09/23

7 p.m.

EASTCHESTER

09/30

7 p.m.

@ BREWSTER

10/07

7 p.m.

HENDRICK HUDSON

Rye linemen participate in a drill during the Tiger Football Camp at Mamaroneck High School in June.

Photo/Mike Smith

34 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

Looking for that

special team Bronxville’s Beth Finley drives toward the net in the Section I championship game in June. Finley and her fellow rising juniors on the Broncos will aim to capture a state title next fall.

File photos

Mamaroneck’s hockey team celebrates its regional title win against Massena last winter. The Tigers always seem to develop special classes capable of tremendous postseason runs.

BY MIKE SMITH Sports Editor

Eliza Simon slides into home during Mamaroneck’s 6-5 win over Yorktown in the Class A quarterfinals last spring. The Tigers emerged as a special group in May with their penchant for winning close games.

It may seem odd that in a space usually reserved for my musings on the world of high school athletics, I’m going to start by talking about the New York Yankees. But just hear me out.

Over the last few weeks, with the announcement of Alex Rodriguez’s release/retirement and the call-ups of Aaron Judge, Tyler Austin and Gary Sanchez, Yankee fans are feeling something they likely haven’t felt since 1995: optimism that a new crop of talent is on its way to write a new page in the organization’s history.

Whether or not the Bombers’ “young guns” are the evolutionary successors to the Core Four of the late 1990s remains to be seen, but one thing is undeniable: in professional sports, as in the high school game, a good nucleus of players hitting their primes at the same time can be a wonderful thing.

I’ve seen it time and again during my tenure as sports editor at the Review; one good class, one good positional group, can New Rochelle’s Jared Baron hurdles over a Newburgh tackler on Nov. completely transform the expec- 14. Baron leads a strong Huguenots’ junior class that is looking to snag another Section I crown this fall.

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 35 tations of a program.

Last year, we saw it with Eastchester’s football seniors; players like Andrew Schultz, John Arcidiacono and John Guido—not to mention the legion of other upperclassmen—came into the season with high expectations. Even after a 4-5 record just a year prior, there was a certain feel in the preseason, an air that this team was destined for great things.

They may not have succeeded in their bid for a sectional title last fall, but the results were undeniable. The Eagles reeled off a perfect regular season, took the eventual section champs down to the wire in the playoffs, but ultimately feel short of a title. Regardless, they captured the imagination of the town.

And that’s the thing. These teams don’t always have to win sectional or state titles in order to be successful, although they sometimes do. What they do have to do, however, is give their home fans a little bit of hope that maybe, possibly, this could be the year.

Harrison baseball’s senior pitching tandem of Dean McCarthy and Steve Pesce provided that kind of optimism last spring, and so did the brilliant Mamaroneck girls’ 4 x 800-meter relay team that shattered all manner of

Rye’s Katie Popp takes a jumper in the regional semifinal game against Saugerties at the Westchester County Center last March.

records on their way to establishing themselves as the best group in the school’s history.

As far as these special classes go, we’ve definitely got some candidates for greatness this year.

Bronxville’s girls’ lacrosse team, which battled its way to states last year, will be back this spring with all but four seniors from last year’s roster ready to go. Sure, they’ll miss the leader-

ship of graduated standouts like Lilly Grass and Taylor Sears, but with 11 rising seniors, it would appear that this could be a banner year for the Broncos.

Likewise, the juniors ready to suit up for the New Rochelle football team this fall are coming into the season having already established themselves as a potentially dominant group.

Jared Baron, who, despite his age, has been one of Section I’s

Rye’s Jamie Chabot splits the Harrison defense in the first meeting between the two rivals last fall.

best running backs for the last few years; Romeo Holden, who is emerging as a true threat on the outside; and Jonathan Saddler, who has shown the ability to change the game on both sides of the line of scrimmage. If they continue to improve, they could be the flag bearers of the New Rochelle program for the next two years.

And the wonderful thing about high school sports is that, because of the rate of turnover, the next great class is always potentially right around the corner. Will it be the softballers from Rye? The basketball players at Mamaroneck? The soccer team from Rye Neck?

That’s the wonderful thing: when it comes to the future, the possibilities are endless.

But when a special group does finally come along, you’ve got to make sure you appreciate it, because you just never know when the next one is on its way.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports Sophomore quarterback Matt Annunziata plows through Roscoe defenders last November. The Tigers are hoping that their youth will lead them back to the state tournament this year. File photos

Harrison’s Dean McCarthy gets set to throw a pitch against Rye on May 7. McCarthy and fellow senior pitcher Steve Pesce helped lead Harrison to a deep playoff run last spring.

36 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW A Harrison receiver turns upfield during a preseason practice on Aug. 16. Harrison is looking to improve upon last year’s 5-4 record.

Harrison looks to turn corner Coach: Dominic Zanot 2015 Record: 5-4 Last season, Harrison’s football team made huge strides under second-year head coach Dominic Zanot, compiling a 5-4 record against some of the toughest competition in Class A. This year, with a host of returning players, the Huskies are hoping to continue their winning ways and emerge as one of the top teams in Section I. Harrison’s four losses in 2015 came against three teams that, between them, lost just four games on the year, and that kind of experience, Zanot said, should only benefit the veteran-laden team.

Harrison is strong up front, with a number of returning players that will help them control the line of scrimmage.

Rob Donohue, who will play offensive guard and linebacker, comes into the season as one of Harrison’s best two-way players, and could be a force on both ends of the ball. He will be joined on the line by Sonny LoFranco and center Harry Witte, who should pave the way for

Harrison’s skilled position players looking for breakout years.

Running back Matt Rossi comes into the year as Harrison’s most experienced ball carrier, and could see time at both running back and wideout. The Huskies have a trio of talented quarterbacks in senior Thomas Gresham, who could also line up at halfback; Michael Cherico, who transferred from Stepinac; and sophomore Frank Nannariello, who has shown great promise early on.

Harrison’s season opens on Sept. 3 when they travel to Eastchester to take on the Eagles, but most fans are eagerly anticipating the Week 2 matchup against Rye. With two wins against Harrison last year—one in the regular season and another in the playoffs—Rye will have the chance to even the overall series between the longtime rivals, but the Huskies will inevitably be out for some revenge.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

2016 HARRISON HUSKIES SCHEDULE 09/03

1:30 p.m.

@ EASTCHESTER

09/10

11 a.m.

@ RYE

09/16

7 p.m.

BEACON

09/24

1:30 p.m.

@ PEEKSKILL

09/30

7 p.m.

LINCOLN

10/07

7 p.m.

OUR LADY OF LOURDES

Huskies’ linemen participate in a preseason drill. Harrison has depth and experience up front, which should help the team get off to a good start this year. Photos/Mike Smith

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 37

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Broncos hope to bust loose Coach: Jeff Napolitano 2015 Record: 4-5 The Broncos had a solid year in 2015, but will look for some improvement, especially in their consistency, once the fall season kicks off.

Last year, Bronxville finished with a respectable 4-5 record, and won their first round game in the Class Brian DePaul runs the B playoffs, but ultimately ball against Yonkers fell to Westlake in the quarMontessori Academy terfinals by a 20-7 tally. last fall. With a The Broncos lost 15 seyear under his belt, niors to graduation, includDePaul could be a game-changer for the ing standout Anthony NaBroncos in 2016. politano, who picked up the lion’s share of the carries for Bronxville last year and rushed for more than 1,000 yards, and leading receiver Sam Connors.

But Bronxville returns talent, especially on the line, in the form of captain Jack Flanagan—who was a wideout in 2015— and Jack Reilly, who will play tight end and defensive end.

Behind them, the Broncos return junior quarterback Brian DePaul, who was

2016 BRONXVILLE BRONCOS SCHEDULE 09/10

1 p.m.

HACKLEY

09/17

1 p.m.

@ NANUET

09/24

1 p.m.

@ TUCKAHOE

10/01

6 p.m.

DOBBS FERRY

10/08

1:30 p.m.

RYE NECK

10/14

7 p.m.

@ CHESTER

10/22

2:30 p.m.

WOODLANDS

Jeff Sargeant dives ahead for an extra yard last fall. File photos

solid last year, throwing for 984 yards and five touchdowns in nine games. At 6-foot-4, DePaul should have no problems seeing his receivers downfield, which could benefit the already solid passing attack. His second favorite target last year behind Connors was classmate Jeff Sargeant, who may move into the backfield from the wideout spot, but at 6-foot-3, Reilly could also emerge as a favorite target in the passing game.

The Broncos will open up the season on Sept. 10 against Hackley, but one date Bronco fans are looking forward to is Sept. 24, when Bronxville will square off against cross-town rival Tuckahoe.

The two teams did not see each other on the field last season, but in the last meeting between the squads in 2014, Bronxville topped the Class D school 26-7.

Bronxville will also take on Rye Neck, another team they did not face last year.

They host the Panthers on Oct. 8.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

38 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW Panthers look to improve in 2016 Coach: Nick Ianello 2015 Record: 3-5

A Rye Neck defender stalks a ball carrier at the Tigers Football Camp at Mamaroneck High School in June.

Rye Neck brings back a host of returning players in 2016.

The Black Hats had a bit of a trying year in 2015, winning just two games on the field and another by forfeit, but the future looks bright for this young ballclub.

With only a handful of seniors on last year’s roster, the Panthers will return an experienced group that has gone through the trials and tribulations of a Section I schedule already, so it would seem logical that, this year, Rye Neck will show both improvement and maturity.

Last year, Rye Neck made strides as the season went on, as evidenced by their two games against a solid Woodlands team that made it to the Class C championship game. In the first meeting between the Black Hats and the Falcons, Woodlands trounced Rye Neck 44-18. Two weeks later, however, it was a different story, as Rye Neck’s defense clamped down and held the explosive Falcons in check, losing a 14-6 nail-biter in the Class C semifinals.

Rye Neck’s top ball carriers in 2015 were all juniors and sophomores, as rising senior Gio Maffei paced the club with 404 rushing yards, and classmate Jack Evans demonstrated a nose for the end zone with six rushing touchdowns.

As a junior, Logan Spencer led the team with 118 receiving yards.

Rye Neck’s schedule was a difficult one last year, as they took on a number of tough non-section opponents. This year, aside from Riverdale County and Fieldston, the Black Hats will take on a slew of familiar foes, including Bronxville and Dobbs Ferry.

The penultimate game of the season could be an intriguing one for Rye Neck fans, as the Black Hats will host Woodlands on Oct. 15. The Panthers close out the regular season with a rivalry game against a Tuckahoe team that made it to the Class D state semifinals last year. In 2015, Rye Neck topped the Tigers 26-6 in the season opener.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

2016 RYE NECK PANTHERS SCHEDULE 09/10

1 p.m.

FIELDSTON

09/17

3 p.m.

@ DOBBS FERRY

09/24

1 p.m.

RIVERDALE COUNTRY

10/01

7 p.m.

@ HALDANE

10/08

1 p.m.

@ BRONXVILLE

10/15

2:30 p.m.

WOODLANDS

10/22

1 p.m.

@ TUCKAHOE A Panther player drags down an opposing running back. Photos/Mike Smith

August 19, 2016 • INSIDE WC • 39

THE REVIEW FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Tigers eye youth movement Coach: Tom Itri 2015 Record: 3-7 (Class D Section 1 champions)

A Tuckahoe player tackles a dummy during an Aug. 16 practice. Tuckahoe will look to claim another Section I title this fall.

After making a trip to the Class D state semifinals last year, the Tuckahoe Tigers are looking to retool around a young core as they hope to once again be in the state championship conversation.

Tuckahoe was hit hard by graduation, losing its entire offensive line and All-State running back Chris Corrado.

Although they also lost their starting fullback Christian Pinto, who transferred out of the school district, the Tigers have a number of talented players coming back for 2016.

Junior quarterback Matt Annunziata, who earned honorable mention All-State honors in his first year under center for the Tigers, will be back in the mix, giving Tuckahoe a steady signal caller who should only improve with increased familiarity in secondyear head coach Tom Itri’s offensive schemes.

He will be joined in the backfield by Jordan Lewis, who enters the season as the Tigers’ only returning two-way starter. Lewis could get the majority of touches from the tailback position and

will also patrol the defensive backfield as the Tigers’ most experienced player.

The Tigers will be relying heavily on contributions from players who will step into starting roles for the first time this fall, and from players rising from the modified ranks who have spent a year learning Tuckahoe’s system.

As is always the case, Tuckahoe, one of just two Class D teams in Section I, will have to contend with larger Class C schools in the regular season, including its rivals from Bronxville and Rye Neck. The Tigers will also take on a pair of non-Section I teams this year, hosting both Fieldston and Riverdale, two Bronx-based prep schools.

Itri said the difficult schedule should help Tuckahoe get ready for another deep postseason push.

The Tigers will open up against Haldane on Sept. 10. Last season, the Tigers beat the Blue Devils twice, topping Haldane 21-18 in September before beating them again to claim the Class D Section I crown with a 24-12 win.

-Reporting by Mike Smith

2016 TUCKAHOE TIGERS SCHEDULE 09/10

1 p.m.

@ HALDANE

09/17

1 p.m.

FIELDSTON

09/24

1 p.m.

BRONXVILLE

10/01

3 p.m.

WOODLANDS

10/07

6:30 p.m.

@ DOBBS BERRY

10/22

6:30 p.m.

RIVERDALE

10/22

1 p.m.

RYE NECK

Tom Itri watches as Tiger players make quick moves off the snap. Itri is in his second year as the head coach at Tuckahoe High School. Photos/Bobby Begun.

40 • INSIDE WC • August 19, 2016