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April 14, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 15 | www.ryecityreview.com
Landmarks yanks proposal; city officials debate fairness By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The city Landmarks Advisory Committee has pulled its proposal to relocate one of Rye’s Benjamin Franklin mile markers, causing a stir amongst some of members of the City Council. The committee rescinded the long-discussed plan after several local organizations publicly opposed it, and now one member of the City Council is blaming the “nature of representative government” for getting in the way of what she said was supposed to be a fair process.
“I think the way everything was handled is unfortunate,” said Councilwoman Emily Hurd, a Democrat and liaison to the landmarks committee. She added that council members and local organizations that opposed the proposal were given the opportunity to speak about the idea at meetings when representatives from the landmarks committee were not in attendance. On one occasion, the City Council allowed public input on the landmarks committee’s proposal when the public hearing had been canceled and rescheduled for another date.
On Dec. 21, 2016, Sheri Jordan of the Rye Historical Society opposed the proposal to relocate and restore one of the city’s milestones during the meeting’s segment on matters for Council consideration. That opposition was further echoed by Suzanne Clary, the president of the Jay Heritage Center, who questioned whether or not the milestone was originally located on Old Post Road near the Osborn retirement community property. The mile marker, known as the 25th, which is currently embedded in a stone wall running
GOP chairman opposes immigration proposal
along Boston Post Road, was proposed to be relocated to that position as it was believed to be the mile marker’s original. Trump’s presidency, according By FRANCO FINO The Jay Heritage Center is the to the federal department’s most Staff Writer location of another one of the recent report. city’s three mile markers, locally The city of Rye’s proposed Tagger-Epstein’s immigraknown as the 24th. ordinance establishing a policy tion proposal intends to encourThe historical mile markers on immigration enforcement has age nondiscriminatory practices were first established to create drawn opposition from the city’s within the Police Department postal rates. In 1763, Benjamin Republican leadership, despite by prohibiting city police from Franklin, who was the deputy support from the city’s public questioning and interrogating postmaster general at the time, safety commissioner. individuals on the basis of one’s constructed 230 milestones with5,a general consensus suspected immigration status. It | Vol. April 14, at2017Even Number 15 | www.harrisonreview.com 1-mile intervals for regulat- on the City Council to have an also aims to reassure all immiing postal rates and aiding mail immigration policy, further dis- grants in the community that it’s cussion on the proposal, which safe to call emergency services. LANDMARKS continued on page 9 was put forward by Council“The whole thing is superfluwoman Danielle Tagger-Epstein, ous and I’m not convinced this a Democrat and chairwoman of will even impact our residents,” the city Human Rights Commis- said Piscionere, who explained sion, has been adjourned until that the language of the law May 1 as a result of question- would instead protect people ing from Rye City Republican with criminal records. He said Chairman Tony Piscionere. that while there aren’t many imPiscionere told the Review migrants in Rye, the language of that he opposes several areas of the proposal would prevent pothe proposal which aims to pre- lice questioning of individuals vent Rye police from question- who are suspected to be undocuApril 14, 2017 Vol.arresting 5, Number 15 | on www.eastchesterreview.com ing| and individuals mented immigrants. the basis of their citizenship staPiscionere told the Review tus. “Nobody’s in favor of racial- that he’s also not in favor of the ly profiling, but I’m concerned provision that prohibits the Pothat our City Council wants to lice Department from incarcersend a message, not only to our ating individuals with an ICE police, but to Rye residents that detainer request in their name, we shouldn’t honor what the fed- among a number of others items eral government wants,” he said. in the proposal. It comes as a response to an However, that provision initiative that was launched in would prevent the city’s police January by President Donald force from abridging the Fourth Trump, a Republican, to de- Amendment, said Rye City Pubport undocumented immigrants lic Safety Commissioner Michael nationwide. Corcoran. The Fourth AmendAs many as 17,000 people ment protects people from arbiwere deported by U.S. Immigra- trary arrests and unreasonable April 14, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 15 | www.mamaroneckreview.com tion and Customs Enforcement, ICE, after the first full month of PROPOSAL continued on page 8
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Dozens of first responders gathered in the parking lot of William B. Ward Elementary School in New Rochelle on April 3 as part of an awareness campaign for autism. Chris Greco, a police detective, organized the movement, which has spread across 90 different departments and as far away as Texas. For story, see page 11. Photo/Jen Parente
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INSIDE Manhattan magazine partners with SUNY Purchase Story on page 6.