December 23 & 30, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 52 | www.harrisonreview.com
December 23 & 30, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 52 | www.ryecityreview.com
City settles $4M RM Staffing lawsuit Manager Marcus Serrano, has yet to be determined as well, but will be the subject of an upcomAs a result of a yearlong class ing decision by the City Council. action lawsuit, the city of Rye Members of the council, inwill pay out $1 million to a group cluding Sack, have alluded to a of former Rye Golf Club wait- previous settlement of $1.55 milstaff who sought unpaid over- lion, awarded to the city this year time and tips. after a lawsuit filed against its The tentative settlement agree- insurance carrier, as a potential ment—which was reached between source of that settlement award. city4,and more than52 50 former The lawsuit, which was origiDecember 23 & 30, 2016 |the Vol. Number | www.mamaroneckreview.com employees last week—will punc- nally filed in 2013, relates to montuate an era of fallout relating to the ies stolen by Yandrasevich—who embezzlement of at least $250,000 was convicted in 2015 of grand in city funds by former club general larceny and falsifying records and manager, Scott Yandrasevich, over has since been released on parole a six-year period. after serving one year in state “We are very pleased to have prison—over a six-year period this agreement in principle in between 2007 and 2012. place,” said Mayor Joe Sack, Using “RM Staffing,” Yandraa Republican. “Once the writ- sevich billed the city for fabriten agreement is signed, we will cated services provided by nonhave successfully put behind us existent employees, meanwhile, the last remnant of the Rye Golf other real waitstaff employed by Yes, 2016 was a memorable year in more ways than one for the city of Rye. For a recap Club scandal.” Yandrasevich went unpaid. Previously, Pelton and the Over the course of the negoof the defining issues that helped shape the local community, see page 6. class sought $4 million in dam- tiations between the two parties, ages relating to the unpaid wages disgruntled waitstaff involved in and tips that weren’t disbursed to the litigation has picketed outside employees working under Yan- of Rye City Council meetings, one of his shell replete with signs and chanting, December 23 & 30, 2016drasevich | Vol. 4, for Number 52 | www.eastchesterreview.com not specify what that distance need to revise the language of of a school unless the weapon is staffing companies, “RM Staff- on what they felt has been an unBy COREY STOCKTON will be. According to Village the law, as state and federal laws unloaded and stored in a locked ing”; the $4 million also account- due wait in compensation. Staff Writer Now, with both the class action Administrator Chris Bradbury, which regulate gun licensing and case, a provision within the law ed for hardship and interest. According to City Attorney suit and litigation against the city’s After proposing a local law to Rye Brook is seeking input from distribution could pre-empt the allows gun shops to operate Kristen Wilson, just how much, insurance carrier in the rear view, regulate where gun stores would the Planning Board on whether local law. within the 1,000-foot zone. be permitted to open within the the distance should be 400 feet The law was proposed as a Harrison officials have said and when each participant in the according to Sack, the city will village, the Rye Brook Board of or 500 feet. The law would give proactive measure after a gun they are also considering legis- suit will be paid, has yet to be de- now work to mend both residents’ Trustees referred the draft legis- additional discretion to the vil- store in Harrison opened last lation to regulate the location of cided, but will likely happen after and employees’ relationship with lation to the Planning Board for lage board to approve or deny month on Halstead Avenue less gun retailers, although it is un- discussions between both parties, the club by hosting a gathering at further input on Tuesday, Dec. 13. the location of a gun store. than 1,000 feet away from one clear whether that law would ap- and a subsequent ruling by a judge. Whitby Castle this summer. Where the city money will In its current form, the law “What we’ve tried to do is to of the town’s elementary schools ply to the Halstead Avenue store, come from, according to City CONTACT: james@hometwn.com would amend a section of village create a law that regulates but and a local church, which L&L Sports. law to prevent commercial stor- doesn’t prohibit,” said Village prompted an online petition that However, according to Jonage and display of firearms, am- Attorney Edward Beane, adding has accumulated nearly 3,500 athan Kraut, an attorney for munition and explosives within that it would be a violation of the signatures as of press time. Harrison, there is currently no a certain distance from schools Second Amendment to prohibit Although the federal Gun- law related to gun shops in the Mayor Sack chronicles 1966 and religious buildings. The the sale of guns villagewide. Free School Zones Act prohibits See page 10. LAW continued on page 8 most recent draft of the law does But village attorneys may still carrying a gun within 1,000 feet
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
LOOKING BACK…
Rye Brook proposed gun law shipped to Planning Board
INSIDE
December 23 & 30, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 38 | www.cityreviewnr.com
2 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016
Happy Holidays!
From Home Town Media Group Publishers of
The Mamaroneck Review • The Harrison Review The Rye City Review • The Eastchester Review The City Review New Rochelle Howard P. Sturman, Publisher Christian Falcone, Associate Publisher, Editor-in-Chief Sibylla Chipaziwa, Assistant Editor
Design Team: Editorial Staff: Advertising Staff: Arthur Gedin Jim Grasso Andrew Dapolite
Mike Smith James Pero Corey Stockton Franco Fino
Lindsay Sturman Lynne Starr
December 23 & 30, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 3
Manhattanville changes bus service schedule
The Manhattanville College administration has decided to reinstate its Valiant Express schedule to what it was before being changed in September 2015. Starting in 2017, the shuttle bus will once again pick up students in downtown White Plains as late as 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Photo courtesy Karina Cordova
By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The Manhattanville College administration has officially modified its shuttle bus service in response to criticism from the student body about the safety of its current schedule and in wake of the death of one of its students. On Wednesday, Dec. 14, Sharlise Smith Rodriguez, the college’s dean of students, sent a letter to the student body alerting them of upcoming changes in policy for the 2017-18 academic year. According to the memo, following discussions with students, faculty, staff and alumni, and parents, the college’s administration will reinstate the Friday and Saturday late night hours for the Valiant Express from the college to downtown White Plains; specifically, the 1:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. late night bus runs will be reinstated.
In September 2015, the college altered the campus bus route schedule for Friday and Saturday nights, which typically returned to campus as late as 3:30 a.m. Under the current bus schedule, the Valiant Express makes its final return to campus at 1:30 a.m. The change in the school’s bus service comes in wake of the death of 21-year-old Robby Schartner, who was killed in October while walking back from a night out in downtown White Plains during the early morning hours. Schartner was struck and killed by Emma Fox, of Rye, who police say was intoxicated at the time of the incident. At the time, police measured Fox with a blood alcohol level of 0.21; the legal limit in New York state is 0.08. It is unclear if the schedule change to the Valiant Express was made as a result of
Schartner’s death. “By not having those hours, you’re waiting for an accident to happen; and it may have already happened with the recent loss the school took,” said Gianni Mogrovejo, a Manhattanville senior. As part of the change, the college will discontinue the early morning runs that transport students from the college to and from White Plains from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. J.J. Pryor, the college’s managing director of the office of communications, could not be reached for comment, as of press time. Fox, who is charged with an aggravated DWI and first-degree vehicular manslaughter, is currently scheduled to reappear in White Plains City Court on Jan. 6, 2017. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
We’re away!
The Review will not print Dec. 30. See you in 2017!
4 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016
What’s going on... Rye Free Reading Room
astute young housekeeper with a 10-year-old son who is hired to care for the professor. And every morning, as the professor and the housekeeper are introduced to each other anew, a strange and beautiful relationship blossoms between them.
Friday Book Café
For more information on hours and programs, visit ryelibrary.org. The library will be closed from Saturday, Dec. 24 to Monday, Dec. 26 for Christmas; and from 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31 to Monday, Jan. 2 for New Year’s.
Drop-in Board Games From Tuesday, Dec. 27 to Friday, Dec. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. For ages 5 and up and their grownups. Game on at the library. Test your skills in classic board and card games. Fun for the whole family.
Drop-in Scavenger Hunt On Tuesday, Dec. 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Children’s Room. For ages 5 and up. Join the non-electronic Pokémon scavenger hunt. No electronic devices are required to participate. Stop by the Reference Desk and pick up a Pokédox Sheet. Look for the Pokémon around the Children’s Room, and when you have found them all, bring your completed sheet back to the desk to see if you have won a prize.
Giant Jenga Game Day On Thursday, Dec. 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Children’s Room. For ages 5 and up and their grown-ups. Join in for Giant Tumbling Timbers and other fun games.
Thursday Afternoon Book Group On Thursday, Jan. 5 from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Ogden Nash Room. Meet with a friendly group of people who read and discuss interesting fiction titles (mostly) as suggested by fellow book group members. Yoko Ogawa’s “The Housekeeper and the Professor” will be discussed. He is a brilliant math professor with a peculiar problem; ever since a traumatic head injury, he has lived with only 80 minutes of short-term memory. She is an
On Friday, Jan. 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. “Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill” by Sonia Purnell will be discussed. Gather with interesting, thoughtful people to discuss a monthly book selection and snack on coffee and cake. This discussion will be held off-site. Please call the library at 967-0480 for location.
grades 6–12. Registration online opens two weeks before the program date. Please bring earbuds to class. In this one-hour workshop, participants will be introduced to the basics of computer programming through games designed specifically for their age and skill level. Explore the Classic Maze with tutorials starring video lectures by Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies. Create a story or a game using Playlab. Learn about repeat loops, conditionals and basic algorithms.
Wainwright House
Gizmos Science Fun Club On Friday, Jan. 6 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Meeting Room. For grades K–2. January’s theme will be snow and ice experiments. Please note children must be able to participate without an accompanying adult. Gizmos Science Fun Club offers children a chance to engage in hands-on, inquiry-based experiments. In this one-hour science workshop, participants will focus on a different S.T.E.M. or S.T.E.A.M. activity each month with handouts to follow up at home. Through this program, children will begin to see that science, technology engineering, math, and the arts can be fun. Space is limited. Preregistration is required. Visit ryelibrary.org, click on “Programs & Events,” “Kids,” the event date, and then “Register.”
Family Story Time and Craft On Saturday, Jan. 7 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Children’s Room. For ages 3 1/2 and up and their grown-ups. This activity takes place on the first and third Saturday of each month. Children will listen to age-appropriate stories and participate in fun games, rhymes and other activities to develop pre-literacy skills and an interest in books and reading. Felt boards and other props are sometimes used to enhance stories and model future classroom experiences. A fun craft project is designed around the story theme or a seasonal topic. Parents and caregivers are asked to assist younger children using scissors, glue and other art materials.
Teen Coding On Thursday, Jan. 12 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Raho Technology Center. For students in
A past contributor to the Daily News and the New York Sun, Skenazy has also appeared on “The Daily Show,” been profiled in the New Yorker and even had her own reality TV show, “World’s Worst Mom.”
December Vacation Clubs From Monday, Dec. 26 to Friday, Dec. 30. Don’t miss out on a great week at the Y. Limited space is available. Choose from basketball, gymnastics, fitness, and the STEAM and Fun Club. For more information and to register, visit ryeymca.org.
Safety Around Water program From Tuesday, Dec. 27 to Friday, Dec. 30, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This is a free program. For ages 3 to 5, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; for ages 6 to 9, from 11:35 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Register at ryeymca.org. The Wainwright House is located at 260 Stuyvesant Ave. in Rye. For more information, call 967-6080 or visit wainwright.org.
‘Julie & Julia’ screening On Sunday, Jan. 7. Be a guest for a free private screening of Sony Pictures’ “Julie & Julia.” The movie is adapted from the book “The Julie Project,” about a determined young woman, Julie Powell, who decides to cook every recipe in acclaimed celebrity Chef Julia Child’s cookbook over the course of one year in order to chronicle it in a blog. Wainwright invites its friends, supporters, movie buffs and foodies alike for a night at the movies. “Julie & Julia,” on the list of all-time favorite food films, is a fun-filled adventure for anyone who loves food, enjoys cooking, a great meal, or just wants to enjoy a relaxing evening at the hospitable Wainwright House. Wainwright will also be hosting a wine pairing dinner and seminar later in January. Reservations are required for the screening as space is limited. For more information and to register, call 967-6080 or visit wainwright.org.
The Rye Arts Center The Rye Arts Center is located at 51 Milton Road in Rye. For more information or to register for the programs below, call 967-0700 or visit ryeartscenter.org.
Gallery exhibit
She’s not crazy, her name just rhymes with it. Read Lenore Skenazy’s column every week in the Review.
The Rye Y’s Crafty Crew will knit and crochet socks for babies in homeless shelters. For adults only. No experience necessary. For more information, contact Penny Cozza at penny@ryeymca.org.
Through Saturday, Jan. 14. “A Gathering of Light: The Fine Art Photography of The Ground Glass” will be on display. Last year, The Rye Arts Center re-joined forces with The Ground Glass, a Westchester-based association of fine art photographers that was founded in 1975. Members of The Ground Glass show their work individually in galleries and exhibition spaces as well as in the association’s own juried group shows. For more information on The Ground Glass, visit thegroundglass.org.
Rye YMCA Socks for Kids Project Tuesdays in December from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Get ready for 2017 Rye Y’s summer camp guide and spring program guide are now online at ryeymca.org. Camp registration starts for returning campers and their siblings on Wednesday, Jan. 4 and for all campers on Wednesday, Jan. 11. New in 2017 will be early bird rates. Program registration starts with Rollover Week, from Monday, Jan. 9 to Sunday, Jan. 15. Member registration starts Wednesday, Jan. 18, and nonmember registration starts Friday, Jan. 20. Programs start Monday, Jan. 30.
Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester Night of Comedy with Bob Alper On Saturday, Jan. 7 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bob Alper is the world’s only practicing clergyman doing stand-up comedy… intentionally, from The Hollywood IMPROV to London theaters. He has appeared on Comedy Central, “Good Morning America,” and Showtime, and was featured on T.V.’s “EXTRA.” Alper is the author of a warm, poignant book, “Life Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This,” which The Detroit Free Press awarded four stars and called “a volume of spiritual gems.” Alper (and please call him “Bob” or “Rabbi Alper;” anything other than “Rabbi Bob,” which, he says, is “too nauseatingly cute”) earned a B.A. in rabbinic ordination, as well as a doctoral degree, and served congregations for 14 years. All of this, naturally, prepared him for a successful career as a stand-up comic. Cost: $25 per person and includes the show and light refreshments. Purchase tickets online at tinyurl.com/alperCEW. For more information, contact Jane Dubro at 967-4382 ext. 21 or jdubro@ congregationemanuel.org. Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester is located at 2125 E. Westchester Ave. in Rye. For more information, call 967-4382 or visit congregationemanuel.org. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
December 23 & 30, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 5
Wegmans eyes Westchester County By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The town/village of Harrison is seeking to approve a developer’s plan to replace an old office complex at 106-110 Corporate Park Drive with a Wegmans Food Market, which would be
the first of its kind in Westchester County. Normandy Real Estate Partners, which owns an abundance of property on the “Platinum Mile” along the Interstate 287 corridor, and Wegmans, are proposing to construct approximately a 125,000-square-
foot, 2-story grocery store, which will also include a café area, at the Corporate Park Drive location. Wegmans is a privately owned regional supermarket chain headquartered in Gates, New York, which is located near the city of Rochester. The
company, which owns 92 stores across the mid-Atlantic and New England regions, is known for selling locally sourced food and has operated since its founding in Rochester in 1916. The proposed facility in Harrison would replace three existing underutilized office buildings on Corporate Park Drive, but not the EastRidge Enrichment Center and White Plains Daycare and Preschool, which is located at 109 Corporate Park Drive, at the rear of the property. The planned supermarket also comes on the heels of the approval of Harrison’s first mixed-use facility at 103105 Corporate Park Drive. In September, the Town Council approved the construction
of a 421-unit rental development and indoor parking garages known as the Residences at Corporate Park Drive. “This is all part of a long project that we began four years ago,” said Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, referring to one of his initiatives since taking office in 2012. “It’s amazing how much growth we’ve seen on Westchester Avenue since we began repurposing the land.” Despite the enthusiasm for the planned Wegmans grocery store, the town will have to approve a zoning change on Dec. 15, after press time, to allow the company to set up shop in the special business district of town. “At this point, there is very
little to it, but I think it would be a wonderful addition to our community,” said Harrison Councilwoman Marlane Amelio, a Republican. “From what I’ve heard, it’s a wonderful store that offers just a variety of great food products, and we’re looking forward to it.” Wegmans, in partnership with developer Steiner NYC, a Brooklyn-based firm, is planning to open a second location in the New York metropolitan area. The company is anticipating opening a supermarket along Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Admiral’s Row, which is located along the East River, in 2018. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
Rye City’s
Official Newspaper Normandy Real Estate Partners and Wegmans Food Market are proposing to construct its first supermarket in Westchester County along the Platinum Mile in Harrison. Photo courtesy Wegmans.com
6 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016
RyeCity REVIEW THE
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Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Executive Vice President | Ira Ellenthal ext. 31, irathal@hometwn.com
Year in REVIEW
Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com
As we close the book on 2016, the Review staff has huddled together to rank the Top 10 storylines surrounding the city of Rye over the last 12 months.
vate residences—and even hired their own consultant who has since devised a counter proposal. The city, which has hired outside legal counsel to help navigate the situation, fears that residents’ backlash and Crown Castle’s unwillingness to alter its plan could lead to litigation between the two sides as the issue drags into 2017.
Reporter | James Pero ext. 20, james@hometwn.com Reporter | Franco Fino ext. 18, franco@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lsturman@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writer Corey Stockton Staff Photographers Bobby Begun, Andrew Dapolite Columnists John Carey, Rye City Council, Lenore Skenazy, Joe Murphy
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In October, Manhattanville College student Robby Schartner, 21, was struck and killed by Rye resident Emma Fox, 24, in the White Plains area. Following the tragic incident, Fox was charged with an aggravated DWI and first-degree vehicular manslaughter; police had measured her blood alcohol content at almost three times the legal limit in New York state, which is 0.08. In the aftermath of the incident, the Manhattanville student body pointed to the college’s administration to make a change in the school’s shuttle bus service to and from White Plains, especially on weekends. Students alleged that Schartner was unable to find a ride back to campus, and was forced to walk along Westchester Avenue during the early morning hours after a night out on Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains. In mid-December, the college announced that it would extend the late night weekend bus service hours. As of press time, Fox, who is facing aggravated DWI and first-degree vehicular manslaughter charges, is scheduled to reappear in White Plains City Court on Jan. 6, 2017. She was recently released from Westchester County Jail on a $100,000 bail.
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SMOKE SHOP SAYS GOODBYE:
After 70 years, Rye residents said goodbye to downtown’s T.D. Smoke Shop after its tenants, Peggy and Tony D’Onofrio, were evicted. In February, the D’Onofrios were left to sell off their remaining merchandise and vacate the historic corner space along Purchase Street and Elm Place amidst rising rent and waning sales. The smoke shop closed its doors for the final time on March 31 despite the property owner being granted a special permit. That permit would have allowed the landlord to break the terms of a bank moratorium passed by the City Council and allow a bank to lease a portion of the property and subsidize the smoke shop’s rent. According to Tony D’Onofrio, the deal never came together as a result of disagreements between the longtime tenants and representatives from the bank.
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WIRELESS PROPOSAL LEADS TO LOCAL UNREST:
A seemingly mundane proposal to install dozens of wireless nodes to telephone poles and streetlights across the city turned unexpectedly sour after residents flocked to meetings outraged over the plan by telecom contractor, Crown Castle, due to its potentially adverse effects on home property values. Crown Castle’s proposal would install wireless equipment to more than 60 telephone poles in an attempt to bolster the city’s cell service at the behest of Verizon Wireless. Residents, however, worried over the size of the equipment—much of which would be installed adjacent to pri-
2
LATIMER FENDS OFF KILLIAN CHALLENGE:
In the marquee political race of the year, Rye residents Julie Killian and state Sen. George Latimer battled it out before the audience of the 37th District for his Senate seat. Latimer, seeking his third term in the Senate, rebuffed a strong charge from Killian to score a rather easy victory—56 percent to 44 percent—on election night. A race between two neighbors grew quite contentious at times throughout the campaign as state Republicans working with the Killian CONTINUED on next page camp attacked Latimer on everything from his alleged
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December 23 & 30, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7 silence on sexual harassment claims against legislators in Albany, to being labeled a career politician. The win secured his 17th consecutive election victory, dating back to his first term in political office on the Rye City Council in 1987, and another two years upstate.
CUOMO BREATHES LIFE INTO SOUND CROSSING:
PLAYLAND SAGA HEATS UP; CITY SUES COUNTY:
After roughly six years of political wrangling, a deal was struck this year that ceded management of Westchester County-owned Rye Playland to the management company Standard Amusements in exchange for helping to finance of a crucial dose of capital projects. The $50 million, 30-year deal, however, also includes the commitment of $30 million of the county’s own money to be pumped into various capital improvements, and sets up revenue sharing with Standard—headed by Harrison native Nicholas Singer—which will also invest $27 million of its own money into the amusement park. Even despite the agreement’s authorization by county lawmakers in March, problems have since boiled to the surface after the Rye City Council brought legal action against the administration of County Executive Rob Astorino for alleged State Environmental Quality Review violations. According to the City Council, the county wrongfully declared itself lead agency on the upcoming round of capital projects, and an ongoing lawsuit seeks to overturn that declaration. A win in court by the city of Rye would give the council a greater say in reviewing potential projects at the park, which sits adjacent to some of its residential neighborhoods.
5
In early January, Rye’s worst fears became reality once again when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he was interested in conducting a $5 million feasibility study of a Long Island Sound tunnel, connecting the island to Westchester County, Connecticut or the Bronx. During his announcement of the proposal, Cuomo said the effort was to further meet “the unique transportation needs on Long Island.” Cuomo’s plan brought back vivid nightmares for longtime Rye residents who were around for seven instances, since 1938, of a bridge proposal in the works, oftentimes connecting Long Island to the city of Rye. The most serious proposal came from Robert Moses, the powerful New York builder, who, in the late 1960s, proposed a Rye to Oyster Bay Bridge, a project that initially had the backing of Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. Former Rye Mayor Ed Grainger was instrumental in defeating that proposal, after years of opposition and litigation that led Rockefeller to eventually withdraw his support of the project. Cuomo’s administration has been silent on the issue since the passing of the 2016-17 state budget in April, which did include funding that could be used to conduct the feasibility study.
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CITY MAKES HISTORY, HIRES FIRST FEMALE FIREFIGHTER:
This year the City Council voted to beef up a fire department plagued by staffing concerns, and managed to make history at the same time. Cea Fong was hired by the city to serve as its first-ever female firefighter. Fong entered the department fully trained after a brief stint serving in the village of Port Chester. After a comprehensive cut to the Port Chester Fire Department, however, she was left without a job. Fong—who was hired in tandem with another former Port Chester firefighter, Ryan Iarocci—serves the Rye Fire Department with 16 other full-time professional firefighters.
9
SEASIDE JOHNNIES OUT TO SEA:
In November, John Ambrose and Sam Chernin, the owners of Seaside Johnnies, the longtime restaurant located on the grounds of Rye Town Park overlooking Oakland Beach, declined a short-term offer from the governing Rye Town Park Commission to continue their operation into 2017. The co-owners, who opened Seaside Johnnies in 2000, initially proposed to run the restaurant for an additional 10 years, as part of a request for proposals sent out by the commission earlier in the year; but after communitywide opposition to the process, that proposal was rejected by the commission. Although the commission voted to reopen a new request for proposals next year, and while there have been preliminary talks about a yearlong food truck operation, Seaside Johnnies’ exit has left the park without a viable dining option for 2017.
6
ALVAREZ RESIGNS:
At the end of July, Rye City School District Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez stepped down from the district’s lead position. Alvarez served as the schools superintendent since 2012, after he resigned from the Montclair School District in New Jersey to take the Rye job. During his tenure with the Rye district, Alvarez backed a $16.35 million bond referendum that funded construction of a new science wing on the Rye High School campus, and saw an overwhelming support for a 2015-16 override budget that included a 6.85 percent tax levy increase. But early on, Alvarez also faced widespread controversy for suspending four elementary school teachers over a testing scandal alleging improper coaching, which led to the permanent removal of just one of the four teachers. Dr. Brian Monahan is currently serving as the interim schools superintendent.
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DEMS HURD, TAGGER-EPSTEIN JOIN CITY COUNCIL:
Two Democrats new to politics, Emily Hurd and Danielle Tagger-Epstein, managed to break up an all-Republican roster in a tight City Council race in November 2015, giving the city Democratic Committee a much-needed victory, and ending a skid that saw Republicans win 10 of 11 council seats. The councilwomen were sworn into office on Jan. 1 of this year. Since that time, both Democrats have worked on issues regarding historical preservation and sustainability, and have been vocal throughout the course of negotiations with Crown Castle. With four council seats up for election, including the mayor’s seat, in 2017, city Democrats will attempt to wrestle majority control of the City Council from their Republican counterparts for the first time since 2009.
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-Reporting by Franco Fino and James Pero
8 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016 LAW from page 1
Following the opening of a gun retailer on Halstead Avenue in Harrison, the village of Rye Brook has drafted a law that would restrict gun stores in the village from opening within a not-yet-specified distance from school and religious buildings, or at the discretion of the village board. That law is now under Planning Board review. File photo
works. Kraut referred to a U.S. circuit court ruling in May, which said that in order for a municipality to write a zoning ordinance that would restrict gun store locations, it would first have to demonstrate that a gun store would increase crime or place a burden on residents. Harrison officials have ex-
pressed their interest in addressing residents’ concerns, while also making note of how those laws have been challenged at the federal level. Earlier this month, Bradbury and Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, told the Review they planned to collaborate in considering legislation to restrict where gun shops could open.
“We have had continuing discussions with Mayor Belmont and we continue to keep them up to date as we move along,” Bradbury told the Review, “and we expect that they will do the same in return.” Belmont could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
9 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016
Business Briefs
Simone Development Companies, developer of the Boyce Thompson Center, recently hosted a breakfast meeting of Westchester/Fairfield Chapter of the Urban Land Institute, ULI, at the new mixed-use center in Yonkers. One hundred people attended the Sept. 23 program, which included tours of the 85,000-square-foot center which is nearing completion. The program included presentations by Guy Leibler, president of Simone Healthcare Development; Chip Marrano, president of MCG Construction Company; Ron Hoina, partner of Design Development; Wilson Kimball, commissioner of planning and development for the city of Yonkers; and Cynthia Williams, project director for Simone Development Companies. Simone recently announced that WESTMED Medical Group will occupy two floors at the Boyce Thompson Center in a new 20,000-squarefoot building, constructed on the south side of the original building. With the new lease, the Boyce Thompson Center is now over 70 percent preleased to 10 tenants. About 25,000 square feet of medical office, set for retail and restaurant space, remains available for lease. In addition to WESTMED, health care tenants at the new Boyce Thompson Center include Gastroenterology of Westchester LLC; Juvanni Med Spa; Fresenius Medical Care; and St. John’s Riverside Hospital. Retail and restaurant tenants include Fortina Restaurant; The Taco Project; Family Wellness Pharmacy; Tompkins Mahopac Bank; PLUSHBLOW Blow-dry Bar; and Ultimate Spectacle. Located off Executive Boulevard in northwest Yonkers, the Boyce Thompson Center is an innovative mixed-use development featuring new office space for businesses and medical practices, retail stores, banking and restaurants. The historic Boyce Thompson building, which was built in the 1920s, is being restored to its original character. The center will also include outdoor site amenities such as areas for seating, eating and learning.
Fordham names new dean of professional studies Fordham University has announced the appointment of Anthony R. Davidson, Ph.D., as the new dean of the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, the university’s college for adult and nontraditional students with a campus in West Harrison. Davidson, who previously served as dean of the School of Business at Manhattanville College in Purchase, was chosen following a national search. He is an award-winning educator who has more than 30 years of experience as a dean, professor, consultant, and entrepreneur. Among his initiatives at Manhattanville, Davidson created and launched the Women’s Leadership In-
stitute; launched a certificate program in nonprofit management in conjunction with industry leaders; forged exchange agreements with other area colleges; and collaborated with the schools of education and arts and sciences to develop joint- and dual-degree programs. Davidson earned both his bachelor’s degree in marketing, magna cum laude, and his MBA in business policy and finance from Bernard M. Baruch College of the City of New York, and earned a doctorate in management and systems science from Cass Business School of the City University of London. From 1990 to 2000, Davidson served as a professor at a number of New York-area universities, teaching management at Hofstra University and at Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, management and business strategy at Adelphi University, and management and information systems at Yeshiva University. Davidson is author or co-author of many invited presentations and papers on business and higher education issues. He is an advisory board member for the World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare & Higher Education, for the Institute for Risk Management, and for various nonprofits. He also consults for senior management in numerous sectors including technology, health care, and education.
Lawrence Hospital recognized by state health department NewYork-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville is pleased to announce it is one of only 25 hospitals to be recognized by the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Immunization Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program. The hospital has been placed on the Immunization Action Coalition Birth Dose Honor Roll by achieving a 90 percent or higher coverage rate in 2015 for the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine and also passed their most recent lot quality assurance visit. “We are pleased to be a leader in the fight against hepatitis B and I am proud of the physicians, nurses, and staff members of NewYorkPresbyterian/Lawrence Hospital who are dedicated to the health of our communities,” said Michael J. Fosina, president of New York-Presbyterian/ Lawrence Hospital. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all endorse the hepatitis B birth dose. According to its letter of endorsement, “It is recommended that the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine be administered prior to hospital discharge for every newborn in the United States. In addition, the birth dose coverage rate has been adopted as a measure of hospital quality by the National Quality Forum. This birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine is the first step in creating a vaccine safety net that will protect infants from hepatitis B infection and from the development of chronic hepatitis B infection if acquired through contact with an infected mother, household member, or caregiver. Data from the July 2011 to June 2012 National Immunization Survey, NIS, found that 70 percent of U.S. newborns received a dose of hepatitis B vaccine by 3 days of age. The NIS data show a marked amount of variability by state in the use of the birth dose,
ranging from 88 percent all the way down to only 29 percent. This variability indicates that it is feasible for most states to do substantially better on their birth dose coverage, and that all states need to improve the use of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine to enhance protection of newborn infants. An estimated 800 U.S. newborns are still becoming chronically infected with hepatitis B each year from exposure at birth or during the first months of life. We are encouraging all hospitals to have policies in place to protect newborns from this important cause of liver failure and liver cancer.” Founded in 1909, NewYork-Presbyterian/ Lawrence Hospital has a long and well-established history of providing superior health care to the residents of southern Westchester County and its surrounding communities. The 288-bed hospital joined the NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network in 2014 and offers a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, a renovated Maternity Department and an Emergency Department providing emergency care to approximately 42,000 people annually. A new, state-ofthe-art comprehensive Cancer Center, accredited by the American College of Surgeons with Commendation, will offer infusion, radiation therapy and support services. NYP/Lawrence provides additional support and care to area residents through NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group/ Westchester, a multispecialty physician practice, as well as ColumbiaDoctors. For more information, visit nyp.org/lawrence or call 787-1000.
Leason Ellis ranks high in lawyer rankings Intellectual property law firm Leason Ellis LLP, located in White Plains, tops the charts in the Super Lawyers listings for Westchester County in 2016. Attorneys Paul Fields, Melvin Garner, Adda Gogoris, Yuval Marcus and Peter Sloane were all named to the list. Mel Garner has also just celebrated his 10th consecutive year as a “Super Lawyer.” He was first named in 2006. Super Lawyers further recognized two of the firm associates this year. Cameron Reuber and Lauren Sabol were both received the distinction of “Rising Stars.” Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. The next Business Briefs section will run in January. Please send any submission for our January 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.
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10 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016
A Year in Review: 1966 COMPILED BY Mayor Joe Sack
JANUARY
School Addition Plans Approved
“The Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday night to approve preliminary plans for the $270,000 addition to Osborn School…. The new construction will include a kindergarten, six classrooms, and an art room…. A folding partition will be installed in the gymnasium along with four new basketball backboards so that two games may be in progress at the same time.”
FEBRUARY Rezone Osborn Home Land For Office Bldgs.
“The City Council unanimously approved a recommendation of the Planning Commission last night to rezone four acres of land adjacent to Old Post Road, owned by the Miriam Osborn Memorial Home Association, for office buildings.”
Babe Ruth League Wants Signs Posted
“George Meisner, president of the Rye Babe Ruth League, has asked the City Council to install signs at the entrances to the city, proclaiming Rye as the home of the ‘1966 New York State Championship Playoff.’”
MARCH Dr. Grimes Resigns As Head Of Rye Public School System
“Dr. Joseph Grimes Jr., superintendant of Rye schools, submitted his resignation to the Board of Education Tuesday night effective July 15, to accept the superintendency of the Redwood City, California, school district.”
Beautification Of Rye Committee Has Been Formed
Mayor Grainger Assumes Office
“Mayor Edmund C. Grainger Jr., who was sworn into office on New Year’s Day, is the first mayor to assume office in the new City Hall, which was constructed during the administration of his predecessor, H. Clay Johnson.”
Council Opposes Secrecy Over Playland Plans
“The City Council last night refused an offer from the Playland Commission for a set of plans and a preliminary report on the redevelopment plan for Playland after it was learned they would only be released to the Rye officials on a ‘confidential basis.’”
Dredging Milton Harbor Now Being Postponed
“City Councilman Thomas A. Butler told the City Council last night that he has been informed by Sen. Robert Kennedy that federal funds will not be available this spring for dredging of Milton Harbor.”
Morehead Estate To Be Sub-Divided In Acre Parcels
“Plans for sub-dividing the Forest Avenue estate of the late John Motley Morehead were revealed this week…. Comprising 11.5 acres, it is proposed to preserve the existing mansion on a 3.4-acre lot and create seven 1-acre lots.”
Increase Parking Rates At Rye Railroad Station
“The city of Rye has increased the charge for metered parking in the area of the New Haven railroad station. These meters will now permit parking for six hours at the rate of 25 cents, or for 12 hours at the rate of 50 cents…. This change was authorized by the City Council to encourage non-residents who regularly commute from the Rye station to buy annual permits [for $50] and to free parking meters for the use of the occasional train passenger.”
Grainger Presents Strong Case Against Sound Bridge
“Mayor Edmund C. Grainger Jr. presented a strong case… against Robert Moses’ plan for building a bridge across Long Island Sound from Oyster Bay to Rye.”
“The formation of a broad-scale citizen’s committee for the beautification of Rye has been announced by Mrs. Frederick Rogers, chairman. Working under the federal program headed by Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, the local effort will be known as Operation Rye Beauty, or ORB.”
APRIL Breaking Ground Tuesday For Boy Scout Training Center
“Ground will be broken for the new Durland Boy Scout Training Center, Milton Point, Rye.”
Question Election Legality of Rye Fire Department Chief
“The City Council last night withheld ratification of last week’s election of Robert Wolfe as chief of the Rye Fire Department, after a Port Chester attorney representing Edwin Pickard who was defeated in his bid for the top office said, ‘I believe there were members present and voting who should not have been permitted to vote.’”
Public Invited To Opening New Hospital Wing
“More than 4,000 invitations are being mailed this week by United Hospital trustees to public officials, community leaders, building fund donors and hospital associates to attend the opening and public viewing of the new wing.”
MAY O’Shea And Isaacs Re-Elected To Rye Board of Education
“Bernard P. O’Shea and Harry C. Isaacs were re-elected to the Rye City Board of Education Tuesday. Their lone opponent, Mrs. Jeanne Sinnott, lost by a scant 22 votes.”
Reject Plan For Night Swimming At Golf Course
“A plan to install lights for night swimming at the Rye Golf Course was defeated last night by a 3 to 2 vote of the City Council.”
Teenage Drinking Subject For Panel Council Meeting
“Mayor Grainger has urged the citizens of Rye, parents and teenagers alike, to attend the Rye Youth Council’s meeting on the problem of teenage drinking…. He also expressed the hope that parents might better understand ‘the pressures and situations which confront their children.’”
JUNE Student Killed By Lightning; Companion Was Badly Burned
“A 22-year-old Princeton University student from Scarsdale was struck and killed by a bolt of lightning at approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday as he ran through the rain with a girl friend at the Shenorock Shore Club.” CONTINUED on next page
December 23 & 30, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 11
Rye High School Graduating Class of 160 Seniors Sunday
“Rye High School will hold its 35th annual graduation Sunday evening in the new gymnasium when 160 seniors will receive their diplomas from George M. Langeloh, president of the Board of Education. Graduating summa cum laude will be Kenneth Trerise Martin; Daniel Korlan Waldstreicher, magna cum laude; and Janice Beth Kruger, cum laude.”
Boy Saved From Drowning In Club Pool
“Seven-year-old Richard Anderson’s visit to the Coveleigh Club swimming pool in Rye Monday might have ended in tragedy but for quick action by Mark Milligan, 14, and Kevin O’Connor, one of the club’s lifeguards.”
JULY
Telephone Co. Cracks Down On Annoying Calls
“New York Telephone’s crackdown on annoying, obscene and threatening phone calls has resulted in 19 arrests since the opening of its annoyance call bureaus in March, the company said today.”
Town Park Ducks’ Mysterious Death Reported To Board
“Ducks in the pond at Rye Town Park have been dying during the past week of unknown cause, park director Nicholas Fasolino told members of the Park Commission at its meeting Tuesday.”
SEPTEMBER Devereux Estate Land Proposed For Subdivision
“The Planning Commission held an informal public hearing Tuesday night on a proposal to subdivide 14 acres of the Devereux estate fronting on Barlow Lane and build 22 homes in the $70,000 price range on lots from one-half to six-tenths of an acre.”
OCTOBER Window Painting Contest Planned For Halloween
“Included in the Halloween fun Rye children will enjoy this year are the 15th annual window painting and goblin calling contests. In last year’s contest some 840 children covered 530 windows with Halloween paintings, with Midland School receiving top honors.”
Pushing Merger Talks With Rye Neck District
“Members of the Board of Education agreed Tuesday night at its meeting at the high school, that the sooner it can meet with the Rye Neck school board to discuss a proposed merger of the two districts, the better.”
First Marriage In New Rye City Hall
“Miss Donna Stern of Stamford, Connecticut, and Richard H. Woodford, of Highland Hall, were married on Columbus Day in what is believed to have been the first wedding ceremony in Rye’s new City Hall. Assistant City Judge James K. Wall conducted the ceremony in the beautifully appointed new Council Chamber.”
NOVEMBER Republicans Win Easily In Rye – Democrats Lose By 3 To 1 Vote To GOP Candidates
“The Republican avalanche which swept Gov. Rockefeller and Lt. Gov. Wilson back into office, Tuesday, was given a very strong push in the city of Rye where the ratio of victory over the democratic candidates was considerably better than 3 to 1 in most of the contests.”
Fire Destroys Amusement Buildings In Playland Park Half Million Dollar Blaze Levels 15 Per Cent Of Area
“A $500,000 fire of undetermined origin early Sunday morning destroyed three rides, a fun house, a boardwalk along Long Island Sound and a half dozen concessions at Playland.”
Criticise Tactics Employed In Fighting Urban Renewal
“The following statement has been released for publication by the Rye Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Community Improvement decrying anti-renewal tactics: The Rye Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Community Improvement is appalled by the smear and scare campaign being conducted by the opponents of Rye’s proposed renewal program for the Playland area. These opponents have impugned the honor, intelligence, and motives of the mayor, the City Council, the Planning Commission, virtually every city official remotely connected with the program, and even the Supreme Court of the United States.”
Kiwanis Club Hears Talk By John Carolin
“John Carolin, manager of the B. Altman & Company store in White Plains, traced the history of his company founded 101 years ago in addressing the Rye Kiwanis Club.”
AUGUST Wounded Rye Man Talks To Parents From Viet Nam
“Mr. and Mrs. James C. Balls of 33 Horton St. received a phone call at 2 a.m. Wednesday from their son, Edward H. Balls, who is in a hospital in Viet Nam as a result of wounds on June 29, in an operation against enemy forces just south east of Saigon.”
Council Concerned Over Gift Of Land To Westchester
“Members of the City Council last night expressed strong disappointment over the gift of Mrs. Walter Devereux of 120 acres of land on Milton Harbor to Westchester County, instead of the city of Rye.”
Rye Defeats Harrison In Closing Minutes By 13-6
“The Rye High School Garnets closed its best season in five years Saturday when they defeated Harrison High 13-6 before more than 7,000 fans at Eugene J. Feeley Field in Harrison, with Charlie Marshall scoring the winning touchdown on a 62-yard run with four minutes remaining in the game.”
DECEMBER Citizens Corp. And City To Clean Up Renewal Block To Abolish Federal Program In Favor Of Local Solution
“The private corporation organized by opponents of Rye’s federally assisted urban renewal project has concluded arrangements to purchase 19 Haber cottages, it was announced today by Mayor Edmund C. Grainger Jr., who also pledged city financial assistance in eliminating overcrowded and blighted conditions in the Beck-Wainwright block.”
City Council Adopts Record High Budget For Next Year
“The City Council adopted a general fund budget Tuesday night for next year of $2,808,449, which when reduced by miscellaneous receipts and cash and an adjustment for uncollected taxes presents a net tax budget of $1,988,515.32. The council fixed a tax rate of $21.76 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, an increase of $1.19 over the current rate.”
12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016
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December 23 & 30, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 13
Rotary Club provides Rye PD with grant
To live or die trying RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
On behalf of the Rye Police Department, Police Commssioner Michael Corcoran accepts a $1,500 grant from the Rye Rotary Club. Contributed photo
On Dec. 14, The Rye Rotary Club presented a $1,500 grant to the Rye Police Department at an event held at Whitby Castle in Rye. According to Jason Mehler, president of the Rye Rotary Club, the funds are intended to help support the department’s recent efforts with its “Adopt a School Program.” “We are pleased to support the initiatives of our new police commissioner and Rye Rotarian Michael Corcoran and our local Police Department in providing necessary assistance to the youth of our community,” Mehler said. The program consists of police officers visiting schools during their tours of duty for the purpose of getting to know faculty, staff, students and parents. Eventually, the department plans to explore the possibility of giving safety presentations, discussing the consequences of
drug and alcohol use, reading and interacting with young children, and serving as a liaison between the schools and their local police agency. Some of the goals and objectives of the program are: • To provide a visible police presence on school property. • To encourage the mutually beneficial exchange of information and concerns between the officer and his/her adopted school and build positive relationships with faculty, staff, students and parents. • Reassure children about their safety and discuss methods they may use to avoid potentially hazardous situations. • Provide insight on the role of police officers and encourage students to consider law enforcement as a career. • Contribute to the positive development of children. The Rye Rotary Club conducts weekly breakfast or lunch
meetings, held at Whitby Castle at Rye Golf Club or Ruby’s Oyster Bar and Bistro on Purchase Street in Rye. Club members listen to a variety of guest speakers ranging from local dignitaries to prominent local residents. The purpose of the speaker series is to provide club members with knowledge of local issues in order to enhance their volunteer efforts throughout the community. If you are interested in joining the Rye Rotary Club, contact Mehler at jmehler@aol.com or 943-6450. The Rye Rotary Club is open to all business and professional men and women of good character who live or work in the Rye area who wish to provide service to the community. Rotary is one of the most trusted organizations in the world. Membership in Rotary opens many doors and magnifies the possibilities of making a difference. (Submitted)
Meet Bear, a handsome Great Pyrenees mix, about 3 years old and 86 pounds. This gentle giant is very sweet, laid back and completely housebroken. He prefers the company of female dogs, and due to his size, would be best in a home without small children. He will make a great companion to a very lucky family! Bear is neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped. Make him part of your family for an adoption donation of $300 to Pet Rescue. To meet Bear, call 834-6955 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
A few years ago, a firefighter in Sacramento, California, Mike DeBartoli, noticed his hands cramping up. He figured it was a symptom of the job. But when the cramps got worse, he went to his doctor and heard the three letters no one wants to hear: ALS. DeBartoli has Lou Gehrig’s disease, a disease that robs the body of its ability to function and is always fatal. Unless... DeBartoli heard that there were some new drugs in the pipeline that could possibly slow his disease. He volunteered— begged—to be one of the guinea pigs in a clinical trial, but was turned down, in one case because he was taking other medicines for blood pressure and depression, and in another case because he was, ironically, too sick. When drug companies are testing their new treatments, their candidate profiles are so specific that most people who have the disease don’t actually qualify. In fact, only 3 percent of people desperate to get into clinical trials ever do. Which brings us to our topic today: The Right to Try. The Right to Try is a law that allows people who are terminally ill to try a drug that is promising but has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. “Patients who face imminent death ought to have the option to be able to try these new drugs, even if we don’t know they’re going to work, or what the side effects will be, [or] the exact dosage,” says Christina
Sandefur, executive vice president of the Goldwater Institute, which supports the initiative. This sounds like it would be a popular law, and in many states it is: In the last three years, 32 states have passed the Right to Try, usually with enthusiastic bipartisan support. California passed it last year, unanimously. But in New York, a Right to Try bill, proposed by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal and Sen. Kemp Hannon, did not get out of committee. Let’s see what that means for the people of New York state. When a person is terminally ill, the clock is ticking. Yes, they can apply to the FDA for a compassionate exemption, but this is so complicated and so few make it through, it’s like applying to be an astronaut. For starters, there’s a daunting amount of paperwork that must be filed by the patient’s doctor. It takes about 100 hours to gather all the information and fill out all the forms—in other words, more than two weeks of a doctor’s time devoted just to one patient. Then the request has to go through a lengthy approval process, when ever hour is critical. “There have been examples of patients that are trying to get these exceptions and sometimes they’re finally granted, but too late,” says Sandefur. The patient is underground. The reason the FDA makes access to these unproven drugs so difficult can probably be traced to the agency’s founding. It began in 1902 after a Diphtheria drug proved ineffective. Well, actually, it proved worse than that. It was fatal. Clearly America needed someone to certify the safety of our drug supply, and thus the FDA was born.
Then, in the 1960s, a drug widely prescribed to pregnant women in Europe was blocked by an FDA doctor here, Frances Oldham Kelsey, who’d heard of its side effects. The drug was Thalidomide, which caused serious birth defects, and thanks to Kelsey many American children were spared its devastation. It’s wonderful that the FDA was on the ball. But that episode of well-warranted precaution seems to have led to an agency so ultra-cautious that today it is preventing people from taking experimental drugs that may kill them—even though they’re going to die anyway. The potentially dangerous drugs are also the only potential lifesavers. The way the Right to Try is written, the only people who’d be allowed to take as-yet-unapproved drugs are those with no other hope. The drug would have to have passed at least the first stage of testing at the FDA. But then, instead of a patient starting the bureaucratic nightmare of applying to the FDA for a rare compassionate exemption (the FDA grants about 1,000 a year—even as more than 500,000 people die of cancer), all it would take is the doctor, patient and drug company agreeing to start the regimen. The FDA would not have veto power. DeBartoli, the fireman with ALS, put it this way in an interview with the Goldwater Institute: “I don’t know who the FDA thinks they are protecting.” The drugs in the pipeline might not save DeBartoli, but he deserves the right to try. Not just the right to die. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016
SPORTS
Protecting the shield LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
If I’ve had one problem with the NFL this year, it’s been all the inconsistency. But I’m not talking about the New York Giants’ hide-and-seek offense, or inconsistency in the quality of play—after all, the Thursday night games have been consistently terrible. I’m talking about the decisions made by officials—both on the field and in the league office. The games this past weekend really shined a light on some of the inexplicable decisions made by the NFL, both in terms of flags thrown and fines levied. The story, perhaps, that got the most airtime was probably the penalization—and subsequent lack of a fine—for Zeke Elliot’s “Salvation Army” celebration. In case you missed it, Elliot, Dallas’ phenomenal rookie running back, scored a touchdown
against Tampa Bay and, in a particularly inspired post-score bit, ran over to a large Salvation Army kettle on the sidelines and hopped inside it. As with all celebrations involving a prop, the stunt was immediately flagged and most viewers assumed that Elliot would be fined by the league for his antics. But the NFL, after some deliberation, decreed that the running back’s antics would not affect his wallet, deeming that it simply brought more exposure to the Salvation Army charity that has some affiliation with the league—and with Elliot’s Cowboys. Now, I don’t care that Elliot wasn’t fined. I have no problem with NFL players showing a little creativity when it comes to touchdown celebrations, and I think the league would be better off if they allowed players to show off their personality some more. But this is the same league that fined Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. for gesturing as if he were taking a picture of team-
mate Victor Cruz after a touchdown, something Beckham pointed out on Twitter. “That’s funny that there’s no fine for that,” Beckham tweeted. “I could only imagine if I was the one to do it.” And he’s not the only player who thinks that the league is selective in enforcing some of its rules. On Monday night, Cam Newton, who probably takes more of a beating than any other quarterback in the NFL not named Ben Roethlisberger, was hit in the head by a Redskins defender as he slid, feet first on the field, a play distinctly verboten under today’s NFL rules. There was no flag on the hit, however, but Newton—who has repeatedly complained about officials allowing him to be targeted illegally—was penalized for tossing the ball at the player who took the cheap shot. I can only imagine Newton’s frustration a quarter later, as a completely legal hit on his Redskins’ counterpart drew a flag and
Over the last few seasons, the NFL has come under fire for its perceived selectivity in enforcing its own rules. Sports Editor Mike Smith believes that maybe the league’s lack of transparency is hurting its bottom line. Photo courtesy NFL.com
extended a drive for Washington. These are just the latest in a long line of inexplicable decisions made by the league.
Many—mostly Pats fans—believe that the Giants, who were just found guilty of illegal walkietalkie use during their game two
weeks ago against Dallas, got off lightly with a small fine and a downgraded fourth-round pick for their transgressions. Some players, like the Jets’ Sheldon Richardson, are able to lead police on a high speed chase, fail drug tests and face only a fourgame suspension, while others, like the Bills’ Seantrel Henderson, has to miss 10 games for a second failed drug test—even though it has been well documented that Henderson uses marijuana to treat his Crohn’s disease. Viewing numbers for football have been down this season, and the league is scrambling to find out why. In my mind, it’s not the oversaturation of games during the week, a lack of compelling prime time match-ups, or a dearth of star power that is hurting the league. I think that fans are starting to realize that the NFL is less concerned with adjudicating fair punishments and more concerned with “protecting the shield.” Now if they could only figure out what that meant.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
Lennon takes over Rye lax By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor For the first time in more than a decade, the Rye boys’ lacrosse team will have a new face as the head of the program, as Steve Lennon was formally approved as the incoming varsity head coach at the Rye City Board of Education meeting on Dec. 13. Lennon, who spent the last four years at the helm of the Eastchester program, will be taking over for co-head coaches Brian and Scott Dooley, who have been with the district since 2004. “I found out in late October that the Dooleys were leaving and that the job was opening up,” Lennon said. “I felt that this was what was best for me, and my family, coming to a program that is perennially in the top 10.” After spending five years coaching the JV team at Lakeland/Panas, Lennon quickly made an impact when he took over the Eastchester program in 2012. In four years there, his
teams posted a 45-26 record, captured the school’s first-ever league title in 2013, and set new win records every year for the past three seasons. In 2016, Lennon earned Section I’s Class B Coach of the Year award, and his Eagles reached the sectional semifinals, where they fell to eventual champion Yorktown. Coincidentally, Rye also reached the Class B semis last year. According to Lennon, his biggest success in Eastchester was not necessarily measured by wins and losses, but in how many of his players invested time in the offseason to improving their lacrosse skills. “I’d say the culture definitely changed,” he said. “I think the kids started to buy in to playing year-round. I still encourage having multi-sport athletes, but I think playing games in the offseason, keeping the stick in their hands, that’s what made a big difference.” In Rye, Lennon will step into a program that has a bit more
history behind it. Under the Dooleys, Rye won five straight section titles from 2005 to 2010. And several players on the 2017 team, including Will Hynson, Owen Hull and Peter Chabot, have already committed to Division I college programs. “I called a meeting for Monday [Dec. 19] with the entire team, I want to get going right away,” Lennon said. “There’s a lot of preparation that goes into it, so sitting down with the team and the rest of the coaches in the program is important.” As far as the team he left behind, Lennon admitted that accepting the new job was bittersweet. “It’s absolutely one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made,” he said. “It was always my goal to turn Eastchester into that team that contended for a section title ever year; now I’m just trying to do the same thing at Rye.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
On Dec. 13, Steve Lennon was announced as the new head coach of the Rye boys’ varsity lacrosse team. Lennon was named the Section I Class B Coach of the Year last year while at Eastchester High School. Contributed photo
SPORTS
December 23 & 30, 2016 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 15
Garnets fall late to Wildcats girls basketball non-league
RYE COUNTRY 55 DAY RYE 54 12/16/16
RYE HS
Game Notes: • Katie Popp had 25 points in Rye’s loss to the Wildcats • The Garnets have started the season 0-3 • Rye Country Day will play for the tourney title on Feb. 4 By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor Although the start to the season has been an easy one for the Rye girls’ basketball team, the squad is showing signs of life lately, as they are still searching for their first win of the season. On Dec. 16, in the first round of the Rye Rotary Holiday Classic, the Garnets fell to Rye Country Day 55-54 on a last second free throw, dropping to 0-3 on the year. Despite the loss, however, Garnet coach Dennis Hurlie is confident that his team is beginning to turn the corner. Despite a strong start that saw the Garnets build a double-digit lead over the Wildcats in the opening minutes, Rye Country Day was able to hang tough,
Katie Popp brings the ball up the floor against Rye Country Day on Dec. 16. Popp had 25 points in Rye’s 55-54 loss to the Wildcats.
eventually winning on a Taylor Regan foul shot with just 1.1 seconds to play. Regan and teammate Emily Moran both had 14 points to lead Rye Country Day, while Rye relied heavily on offensive contributions from standout Katie Popp, who finished with a game-high 25. According to Hurlie, the Wildcats’ defensive pressure— particularly a full-court pressure scheme—proved the differencemaker in the contest. “First and foremost, they played hard throughout and they gave a great effort,” Hurlie said. “Even though [Popp] had 25 points, they did a really good job
Eleanor Dailey blocks a shot against Rye Country Day. Photos/Mike Smith
making it difficult for her.” The Garnets, who are coming off a run to the Class A state final four last year, have yet to win a game, but Hurlie said that with so many new players in the mix, there was bound to be a period of adjustment this winter. As Rye plays together more— and rebounds from injuries to key players like freshman Teagan Flaherty, who has missed the start of the season with a knee injury—the wins should come, Hurlie said. “We got beaten up in our first two games, but to be in a game like [the one against Rye Country Day], we very much welcome that,” he said. “It was especially good because we have a handful of new faces who are now playing major minutes and getting that experience.” Even Popp, who was one of the catalysts for last year’s section champs, has had to adjust to a new role with the team, handling point guard duties on the majority of offensive possessions. “The major change is that she’s got the ball in her hands to start,” Hurlie said. “So everyone sees that, they’re ready to help defensively, but I still think she has gotten off good shots.” The Garnets will take on Albertus Magnus on Dec. 21, after press time, and play just one more game before the new year. With the bulk of their regular season remaining in 2017, Hurlie is confident that—with a little
Katie Popp passes the ball to Eleanor Dailey against the Wildcats.
more game experience—Rye could potentially be in the mix for a County Center berth come playoff time. “If it was Feb. 19, I’d be
favorite in Class A; we can still win our league, and there’s a long way to go.”
panicked, if it was Jan. 19, I would be a little worried, but it’s December and there is a lot of season left,” he said. “There doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut
CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
Rye Athlete of the Week Michael Carty
By LIAM BRENNAN Contributor This week’s Athlete of the Week is Michael Carty, a senior captain and point guard for the boys’ varsity basketball team. The Garnets have gotten off to an exceptional 3-0 start, and a large part of their success is due to Carty’s leadership and play. Head coach John Aguilar thinks very highly of Carty’s ability on the court, especially on the defensive end. “[He is] our most versatile player, doing everything for us on both ends of the court,” Aguilar said. “[Carty] always welcomes the challenge of guarding the other team’s best player.”
Teammate Brett Egan has witnessed Carty’s progression firsthand. “Michael has taken his game to another level,” Egan said. “[He has] really become a strong leader in practice and in games.”
So far this season, Carty has averaged 10 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. However, he does not only give it his all on the basketball court. Recently, Carty was accepted into and will be attending Dartmouth College.
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16 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • December 23 & 30, 2016