May 19, 2017

RyeCity REVIEW THE

May 19, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 20 | www.ryecityreview.com

Latimer takes county executive nomination

By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer

GARNETS ROCK HUSKIES

Billy Chabot races up the field against Harrison on May 13. Chabot and the Garnets topped the Huskies 15-4 en route to capturing the League 2C Championship and earning a No. 2 seed in the Class C playoffs. For story, see page 15. Photo/Mike Smith

After a delayed nominating process, the Westchester County Democratic Party announced today that state Sen. George Latimer has secured the party’s official backing in the county executive race this fall.

Latimer, if the party’s leaders have their way, will now go on to challenge two-term, incumbent County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican.

Two days after county Democratic officials held a nearly sixhour-long convention on Wednesday, May 10, to nominate its slate of candidates for the November election, party leaders reconvened on Friday, May 12 at county Board of Elections headquarters in White Plains to count the votes between Latimer and county Legislator Ken Jenkins, of Yonkers.

Latimer, 63, who announced his candidacy in April, received 71 percent of the convention vote of local committee district leaders to Jenkins 29 percent. After handily securing his party’s backing, Latimer reflected on previous campaign challenges, and honed in on uniting have discussed it with the public.” the Democratic Party, a message he Monahan added that the wide- also focused on during his convenspread support for the budget was tion speech.

“Through all of those things, I’ve because it was fair to taxpayers, and provided students with need- persevered; and I’m going to coned programs without any cuts, as tinue persevere and look forward all current programs will be main- to November,” Latimer told the tained, “but with minor additions.” Review after officially receiving The estimated tax levy increased the nomination. “Amongst Demby 2.64 percent. The estimated tax ocrats, we’re all brothers even if we disagree.”

BUDGET continued on page 3 But which Democrat will ulti-

Rye City school budget easily passes test

By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Assistant Editor The Rye City School District’s proposed 2017-2018 budget passed the test, with 83 percent of residents voting in favor of the plan, according to unofficial results.

The $86.9 million school budget stays under the state-mandated tax cap, and adds approximately $1.8 million in spending, or 2.19 per-

cent, over the 2016-2017 budget.

A total of 1,534 budget votes were cast on Tuesday, May16, with 1,275 “yes” votes and 259 “no” votes.

“This was the least controversial budget I’ve ever worked through,” interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Monahan told the Review. “[The school board] really did not have a single negative comment during the several months we

mately run against Astorino in November remains undecided at this point, as Jenkins confirmed that he plans to primary Latimer for the right to represent Democrats in the general election.

Jenkins, 55, has consistently called for the registered Democratic voters of Westchester to be have their say instead of party officials through the normal nominating process. Jenkins has said since he entered the race in August 2016 that he would take the nomination to a primary election if he did not get the party’s backing after the convention.

“The convention is not at all a reflection of everyday Americans, of everyday voters,” he said in a statement before the votes were tallied.

“And if we have learned anything from the Trump era, it’s that all Democrats should be involved— not less.”

In keeping with that sentiment, Jenkins and his campaign did not attend the vote count on Friday afternoon. Instead, they were out talking to Democratic voters, who, he said, were disenfranchised by LATIMER continued on page 8

2 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017

May 19, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 3

Crown Castle sues Rye over application denial

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer After the City Council’s rejection of a proposal from Crown Castle that sought to install wireless equipment across Rye, the telecom contractor has filed a lawsuit alleging the city’s breach of the federal Telecommunications Act. According to Rye City Attorney Kristen Wilson, on Friday, May 12, a judge granted Crown Castle’s request for a temporary restraining order after the company’s concern

that the City Council may terminate the right-of-way agreement between the parties.

The right-of-way agreement acts as the primary point of reference for when, where and how Crown Castle is allowed to install and modify wireless infrastructure in the city.

The restraining order will also prevent Crown Castle from moving forward on installing any additional equipment in Rye. “We always knew the matter might go to litigation, which is why it was always so important

for council members to be circumspect in our public comments,” said Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican. “Now, we must defend the matter based on the public record.

Meanwhile, we will continue to look for an opportunity to reasonably resolve the matter, if that is still possible.”

Wilson said Crown Castle also plans to pursue a preliminary injunction, which would effectively prevent both the city from terminating the agreement—which was struck in 2011 under the adminis-

After a yearlong debate and the ultimate denial of an application on Crown Castle’s proposal to install wireless infrastructure across Rye, the telecom contactor has sued the city in federal court. File photo

BUDGET from page 1

The Rye City School District $86.9 million budget for the 2017-2018 academic year easily passed, with 83 percent of residents voting in favor of the plan. File photo

rate per $1,000 of assessed value is $607.05, a 1.99 percent increase from the current year.

“I think the fact that the community so overwhelmingly supported this budget is really a tribute to our teachers and staff,” Monahan said. “People are happy with the education their children are getting.”

With student enrollment having steadily increased over the past decade, the budget also calls for 11.4 new positions districtwide, including two new faculty members for the English and a New Language program, one psychologist and one occupational therapist.

Salaries increase in the 2017-2018 budget by more than $2 million dollars from the current budget, making up approximately 54 percent of the budget. “Salaries and benefits are the big part of our budget because we’re in the people business,” Monahan said.

The budget also utilized $2.1 million from

reserves to help balance it, a number which is less than what was used for the current budget. “[The school board feels] like we budgeted more carefully and closer to reality,” Monahan said.

In other news, Board of Education members Karen Belanger and Blake Jines-Storey both retained their seats on the board in uncontested elections. Belanger received 1,276 votes and Jines-Storey 1,109 votes. Both board members will now serve new threeyear terms.

Belanger has children in the school district, and is chairwoman of the Board of Education’s Audit and Policy committees. Jines-Storey, who also has children in the district, is chairman of the Technology Committee.

CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com

tration of former Mayor Douglas French—and Crown Castle from installing its equipment, in the form of wireless nodes, for the length of the parties’ litigation. The hurdles for securing that type of injunction, the city attorney said, are much greater than the restraining order.

The company has contended that the nodes are being proposed in order to bolster the area’s wireless capacity for ever-increasing data usage.

Wilson said she expects a judge’s decision on the preliminary injunction to be rendered before the end of the month. Crown Castle’s decision to bring the city to court is not unexpected, and comes just a month after the council’s rejection of their application, which had been deliberated for more than a year and was the subject of vehement public pushback.

Among chief concerns with the proposal were the installation’s effects on property values, and initially worries over its impact on public health.

As for the course of Crown Castle’s application, Wilson said the court will now be the ultimate deciders of whether the telecom contractor is allowed to proceed with its application.

“I don’t know if there’s a path towards a settlement,” she said.

With litigation ongoing, according to City Councilwoman Julie

Killian, a Republican, the City Council will also move forward on its revamp of the local telecommunications law—a process launched earlier this year—in hopes of tightening control over Crown Castle and any such future applications.

The goal of the code revamp, which started this past January, will be to ensure equipment installed

by Crown Castle—who is being contracted by Verizon Wireless to install dozens of wireless nodes— has a lower impact on the aesthetics of Rye’s neighborhoods. The code would also apply to any other telecom companies looking to pursue a similar application in the future.

Many of the proposed additional wireless node locations being considered by Crown Castle are located adjacent to residential properties.

In addition to denying the application, the City Council also voted to send the project into a lengthier and more stringent environmental review by deciding on a positive determination under the State Environmental Quality Review Act; however, litigation will halt that process. This determination would have required Crown Castle to do a complete environmental impact statement of its proposal.

Councilwoman Emily Hurd could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

4 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017

What’s going on...

Rye Free Reading Room

This is a free program sponsored by the Auxiliary Board of the Rye Free Reading Room, Woman’s Club of Rye/Children’s Philanthropy section, and the PTO of the Rye schools.

Second Annual Rye Senior Summit

For more information on hours and programs, visit ryelibrary.org.

Vehicle Fair 2017 On Sunday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Village Green. The Vehicle Fair zooms back for 2017. Join the library for a fun-filled day of family activities. There will be exciting vehicles to climb, ride and explore. Bouncy houses, the All Aboard Train, face painting, arts and crafts, tattoos and more will also be available. Featuring live music and raffle with lots of great prizes for kids. A family pass is $35 in advance and $40 at the gate. To purchase a pass, visit ryelibrary.org. All proceeds benefit the Rye Free Reading Room.

Teacher-in-the-Library On Mondays through Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Children’s Room.

Rye teachers offer after-school homework help to students attending local public and private elementary schools in the Rye area.

On Thursday, May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Seniors engage with the Rye Senior Advocacy Commission to discuss important issues that impact their lives and seek new proposals to enrich the lives of Rye’s seniors and families. The sessions will deal with a number of issues that are important to Rye seniors and local leaders, including information on housing options, special programs and the coordination of activities. The commission will seek ideas about new initiatives and suggestions for change.

Ryebrary S.T.E.A.M.ers On Saturday, May 27 from 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. in the Ogden Nash Room. All Ryebrary S.T.E.A.M.ers in grades one and two are invited to join the librarians once a month in the new “S.T.E.A.M. LAB,” where literacy meets S.T.E.A.M. Each month, participants will read a book together. Then, taking inspiration from the story, kids will be taught how to think with their hands and minds.

It’s inquiry-based learning combined with a hands-on activity.

May’s Book is “Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New

She’s not crazy, her name just rhymes with it. Read Lenore Skenazy’s column every week in the Review.

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.”

Orleans” by Phil Bildner. The S.T.E.A.M. activity will be making something useful from trash. Children do not have to preread the book. Pre-registration is required online. Visit ryelibray.org, go to “Programs & Events,” “Kids,” the event date, and then “Register.”

Rye S.T.E.A.M. ROLLERS On Saturday, May 27 from 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Ogden Nash Room. All Ryebrary S.T.E.A.M. ROLLERS in grades three and four are invited to join the librarians once a month in the new “S.T.E.A.M. LAB,” where literacy meets S.T.E.A.M. Each month, participants will read a book together. Then taking inspiration from the story, kids will be taught how to think with their hands and minds. It’s inquiry-based learning combined with a hands-on activity.

May’s book is “Rosie Revere, Engineer”

by Andrea Beaty. The S.T.E.A.M. activity will be building an airplane. Children do not have to pre-read the book. Pre-registration is required online. Visit ryelibray.org, go to “Programs & Events,” “Kids,” the event date, and then “Register.”

Rye Town Park Annual Community Conversation The Rye Town Park Commission is holding its annual Community Conversation on Sunday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The goal of the Community Conversation is for the public to discuss with the Rye Town Park Commission their thoughts, questions, hopes and concerns regarding the park in the coming months. Discussion will also focus on the recently completed survey of park constituents carried out by the Capstone Team of graduate students from NYU. Events planned for 2017 include children’s Storytimes programs, a series of seven free evening concerts, an outdoor movie and magic show, and Shakespeare in the Park - “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The operators of the new Ocean Grille and Nathan’s snack bars will be planning additional concerts and other events. The meeting will be held at the park’s south pavilion, across from the administration buildings. Anyone with questions should contact the park at 967-0965.

Season permits

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The Rye Town Park Commission is encouraging residents to buy season permits and take full advantage of the beautiful park and Oakland Beach. It is offering “high tide” benefits for a “low tide” cost. And, they’ve held the line on prices—no increases for residents. Beach access is free for all permit holders.

For a family of two adults and all children under age 18 a season permit is only $150.

That’s good from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Individual adult permits are only $110.

Parking for permit holders is deeply discounted, compared to those without permits.

These discounts include the daytime beach season from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends, as well as the pre- and postseason periods.

Senior permits (ages 62+) are $20 and in-

clude free parking. Platinum family ($300) permits also include free parking. Parking only permits are $150. Seniors who have passes dated on and before 2010 DO NOT have to renew their passes.

Credit card payments will be accepted for season permits. The park accepts MasterCard, Visa and Discover. They also accept checks or money orders payable to Rye Town Park.

People have two options in paying for their permits: mail the completed forms back, with payment by check or providing credit card information; or bring them to the park permit office, which will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

New permit holders will have to provide a proof of residence (driver’s license, utility bill, etc.).

Note: Non-residents can also purchase discounted season permits: $60 for seniors; $250 for singles; and $350 for family rates.

For further information and details, call the park starting 967-0965. More information is available at ryetownpark.org.

Westchester County news Register for children’s summer camps Registration is open for Westchester County Parks’ popular summer camps for children and young people. Online registration is available at parks.westchestergov. com/activities/childrens-camps. For more information on any of the programs, visit the aforementioned website or call 231-4673, unless stated otherwise.

Perfect Pitch and Swing Baseball Camp, for ages 8 to 12, at V.E. Macy Park in Ardsley.

Slam Dunk Basketball Camp, for grades 3–9, at Westchester County Center, White Plains.

Girls Volleyball Camp, for grades 6–12, at Westchester County Center, White Plains.

Challenger Sports Soccer Camp, for grades 1–9, at V.E. Macy Park, Ardsley. For more information, call 714-8601 or visit challengersports.com.

Hole-in-One Junior Golf Camp, for ages 10 to 17, at the county courses: Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake, Yonkers; Hudson Hills, Ossining; Maple Moor, White Plains; Mohansic, Yorktown Heights; and Saxon Woods, Scarsdale.

Children’s Summer Ecology Program, for grades 1–9, at Cranberry Lake Preserve, North White Plains; Marshlands Conservancy, Rye; and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River.

Conservationists in Training, for grades 7–9, at Cranberry Lake Preserve, North White Plains, and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River.

Muscoot Wranglers, for ages 4 and 5, and Muscoot Young Farmers, for grades 1–8, at Muscoot Farm, Katonah. For more information, call 864-7282.

Summer Music Center, for grades 3–12, at Westchester County Center, White Plains.

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.

May 19, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 5

Letters to the Editor

A letter to Phil Oliva To the Editor, This is a letter penned to Phil Oliva, County Executive Rob Astorino’s chief of staff regarding some of his statements on social media as of late.

Do his beliefs reflect those of Astorino’s administration, who have remained mute as Oliva becomes more vocal?

Mr. Oliva, I write to you as a resident of Westchester County and a concerned citizen. Like many in our community, I was quite troubled by your tweets of the past months supporting the now defeated French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen. There can be two possible explanations for expressing these kinds of sentiments: 1. You are unaware of Le Pen’s policies and beliefs.

For instance, are you aware that Le Pen’s foreign policy platform included restoring relations with Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, whose human rights atrocities represent modern crimes against humanity? Le Pen also sought to embrace Russia, weaken NATO and withdraw, perhaps fatally, from the European Union, with grave consequences for continental stability.

Or are you unaware that her National Front party has a long history of anti-Semitism and belittling the Holocaust? Le Pen’s own statements as recently as last month sought to rewrite France’s own complicity in hundreds of thousands of Jewish deaths, claiming that France had sent no more than 13,000 Jews to death camps, as if that was almost an acceptable number.

2. You tacitly or actively agree with Le Pen’s views.

Maybe you are not too concerned that hate crimes have surged all over the world. But here in New York, the Anti-Defamation League reported 97 anti-Semitic crimes in first three months of this year. That’s a 70 percent increase over the 57 incidents reported over the same period last year.

It deeply concerns me that on May 4 you stated on your Facebook page the following sentiments, “We’re constantly told of the ‘rise in hate crimes’ since Trump was elected but has there been a ‘hate crime’ that hasn’t been proven to be a hoax?”

As the chief of staff for Astorino, I am wondering whether your public statements reflect the beliefs of your boss. According to your job description, your work “involves highly sensitive issues requiring tact, discretion, and responsiveness to the philosophy and public mission of the county executive in dealing with executive level public officials, elected officials, representatives of the business community, the press, constituents and others.”

If you truly believe what you write on social media, then it is well that our communities in Westchester take note and draw whatever conclusions they need to about your continued role in support of Astorino.

Danielle Tagger-Epstein, Rye City councilwoman

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6 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017

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Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Reporter | James Pero ext. 20, james@hometwn.com Reporter | Franco Fino ext. 18, franco@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@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 Andrew Dapolite, Jen Parente Columnists John Carey, Rye City Council, Lenore Skenazy, Joe Murphy Letters The community’s opinion matters.

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By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter As part of an event put on by the Vincent Barbarisi Memorial fund, Daniel Barbarisi led a discussion at the Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library on his new book which explores the world of daily fantasy sports and how he became one of the top gambling sharks.

Barbarisi, 37, was introduced to the world of daily fantasy sports, DFS, in May 2015 by a fellow sportswriter while he was working as a New York Yankees beat reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

“When I was first introduced to DFS, my first reaction was: ‘This is really fun and how is no one talking about this?’” Barbarisi told the Review.

He channeled this fascination into his book, “Dueling with Kings: High Stakes, Killer Sharks, and the Get-Rich Promise of Daily Fantasy Sports,” where he allows the reader to follow his journey from the time he was starting out in the world of Daily Fantasy Sports, DFS, to how he became one of the big sharks in the fantasy world of the NHL. Daily Fantasy Sports are a particular style of fantasy games that allows users to choose professional sports players, oftentimes for money, to create their own teams based on who they believe will perform best that day.

“When the right idea struck, I felt like this is the way that story needs to be told, [and] this is the right way to tell it,” he said.

Barbarisi began his book in June 2015. By November 2015, he was putting in his resignation at the Wall Street Journal to pursue his book full time.

Barbarisi said he would have preferred to take a leave of absence, but the Wall Street Journal denied his request.

“This was a book where it was important to get it to market as soon as possible,” he said.

Barbarisi went on to explain that the writing process was stressful because things were constantly changing in the DFS world.

“I believed that I had such a good story to tell and that no one else was telling it, and that I had gotten into something that at that point had turned totally crazy,” Barbarisi said.

In 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which banned internet gambling, was signed. This act excluded fantasy sports.

In his book, Barbarisi discusses how Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman was fighting for a ban on DFS in New York state, and how other states like Massachusetts were beginning to follow his lead with their own set of regulations.

As of press time, DraftKings is il-

legal in 10 states, and FanDuel is illegal in 11.

These legal issues made Barbarisi unsure of where the story he was writing was going to end up, because nobody knew when, or if, DFS would be banned as well.

Barbarisi’s book launched in March 2017 and is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Indie.com.

He has been traveling between Boston and New York as part of his book tour. Part of his visit to New York included a trip back Rye Brook, where he grew up.

Barbarisi’s book discussion took place on Sunday, April 23, at the Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library. He began the event reading an excerpt from the book, and then took questions from the audience regarding his writing process, the contents of the book, and the world of DFS. The event was hosted by the Vincent Barbarisi Memorial Fund, which was created because Daniel Barbarisi and his mother, Barbara Goodstein, had been looking for a way to honor his late father, Vincent Barbarisi, who passed away in October 2013.

Goodstein, who’s a board member at the library, said that they try to put on two to three events a year through the memorial fund.

Previous events have included a panel discussion of New York Yankees beat reporters from publi-

Community Events If you have an event you would like to share with the community, send it to news@hometwn.com.

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Daniel Barbarisi signs copies of his new book for the audience after the discussion. Photo/Daryl Clarke

cations like MLB, New York Daily News and ESPN. A year before the most recent political election, Doug Schoen, a political analyst, came to discuss his predictions on the outcome of the election.

Goodstein also said that one year for Memorial Day, the library brought in a former World War II bomber pilot who spoke on his experiences in the war.

Daniel Barbarisi explained when he was younger, he looked forward to coming to the library every Saturday with his father.

“I’ve had a long connection with the library there,” Barbarisi said.

While living in Rye Brook, he attended Blind Brook High School, where he was a news editor and columnist for his high school paper, and also wrote for Westmore News.

After graduating high school, he went to Tufts University in Massachusetts where he received his B.A. in political science and history.

Barbarisi said that until recently, he had never dreamed of writing a book. As for what book is next, he doesn’t know yet. “It’s really just what would be exciting and what could keep my interest,” he said.

CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com

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Barbara Goldstein, mother to Daniel Barbarisi and board of trustee member of the Port-Chester Rye Brook Library, gives a brief introduction to the audience.

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Daniel Barbarisi, author of “Dueling with Kings: High Stakes, Killer Sharks, and the Get-Rich Promise of Daily Fantasy Sports,” speaks with the audience before his reading. Photos/Andrew Dapolite

May 19, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 7

Rye still above national rates of alcohol, drug use

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer According to the most recent survey results from Rye Action for Children and Teens, RyeACT, many of Rye’s youth still sit well above national averages in their rates of alcohol consumption and marijuana use.

On May 9, in Rye High School’s Performing Arts Center, RyeACT held its second annual community event on drug prevention, where in addition to hearing lectures from guest speakers, audience members gathered to pore over 2016’s data on rates of substance abuse amongst Rye’s youth.

According to survey results, 71 percent of 12th-grade respondents said they used alcohol in the past 30 days compared to a national average of 33 percent.

Likewise, for marijuana, 38 percent of Rye High School’s 12th-graders reported using in the past month as opposed to a national average of 22 percent.

For some lower grades, rates of alcohol and marijuana use dropped moderately, but many were still over national averages.

Rye, like many communities throughout Westchester, has seen an uptick in drug addiction over the

past several years—particularly in regard to the abuse of prescription pills and heroin—which has been the root of six fatal overdoses of young adults in the community.

According to co-founder of Rye ACT, Councilwoman Julie Killian, rates or prescription drug abuse were not compared to the previous survey taken in 2014 due to differences in methodology between years, but most recent numbers show that 5 percent of 12th grade respondents reported misusing prescription drugs in the past 30 days, as did 2.9 percent of 11th graders.

Seventh through 10th grades misused Rx medication at .4, .9, 1.4, and 2 percent respectively.

This year’s survey did not breakdown drug use by type.

A new category included in this year’s survey—e-cigarettes—was among the surprisingly high rates of use for Rye teens, with 10th- to 12th-graders all using electronic cigarettes 20 percent more frequently than the national averages.

In that category, 12th-graders were the starkest users, with 42 percent of those surveyed reporting that they’ve used one in the past month as opposed to just 12 percent nationally.

This year, suicidal thoughts amongst teens were also surveyed,

and showed that about 4 percent of respondents had thought of killing themselves either “a lot, or often.” Killian said that equates to about 63 students in grades seven through 12.

To help attendees in the nearly packed room parse through the problem of drug abuse and addiction, the night’s event also featured Dr. Robert Dupont, the former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Dupont discussed addiction and the fight against drugs, detailing drugs’ impact on users’ brains and just what communities can do to help prevent the scourge of drug addiction from overwhelming their communities.

In one of his most direct addresses, Dupont zeroed in on the audience.

“I think you underestimate what’s happening right here; I think you underestimate what those six deaths mean; I think you underestimate what that data about your kids’ drug use means,” he said. “I think you underestimate what you can do together; not in a mean-spirited way, or hostile, but in a loving, generous, thoughtful, way.”

Dupont said that for parents looking to help change the tide of drug addiction in their community, there

Dr. Robert Dupont, the former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, speaks with parents at Rye High School during a recent town hall discussion of the drug epidemic in the community. Photo/Taylor Brown

is some positive news, however.

“To think that youth drug use is immutable and all you can do is tinker around the edges of it, I think is not doing a service to young people and not recognizing the capac-

ity that you have and other parents have in getting other people to get involved in this,” said Dupont in his closing remarks.

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

8 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017

The importance of transparency

LATIMER from page 1

the nominating process.

To cue a primary, Jenkins would have to collect 2,000 signatures of registered county Democrats and submit them to the county Board of Elections by July 13.

He opted to forego that route in his previous bid for county executive in 2013, bowing out after he lost a close vote at the convention to New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, who was easily defeated by Astorino.

Both Jenkins and Latimer have acknowledged that a venture to unseat Astorino would be an uphill battle.

Although Westchester’s registered Democrats is more than double its Republican counterparts, Astorino has been able to keep a firm grasp on his office since he winning election to it in 2009. During the convention, both candidates tried to rally Democratic voters to get engaged in the electoral process, challenging Astorino on his feud with the federal government over affordable housing and drawing connections between the county executive and President Donald Trump. And each candidate emphasized that the party would have to unite and mobilize to beat the well-financed Astorino, who had raised more than $2.5 million in his campaign finances as of January. The next campaign disclosure filing is not required until July.

SENIOR INFORMATION SUBJECTS Joseph Murphy

“I’m grateful for the Democratic leaders who came together from every corner of the county to voice their thoughts on how to lead this party forward and build a better, stronger, future for the whole county,” said state Sen. George Latimer after receiving his party’s nomination to run for county executive in November. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

Bill O’Reilly, campaign manager for Astorino, said, “We wish George and Ken well in their primary, and look forward to debating the winner in the fall.”

The primary election is set for Sept. 12, with the winner taking on Astorino on Election Day, Nov. 7.

CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

Rye Neck school budget passes by vast majority

By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Registered voters in the Rye Neck Union Free School District overwhelmingly approved the 2017-2018 school budget that keeps the district under the tax cap for six consecutive years.

On Tuesday, voters approved the $40.1 million budget with an official tally of 876 voting in favor of the plan and 239 against it.

“We’re feeling tremendous support from our community with the passing of this budget,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barbara Ferraro said. “This is a big community win.”

In drafting this year’s plan, the superintendent described keeping the budget within the state-mandated tax cap as the “biggest challenge” school districts face on a yearly basis.

The district will remain under the cap of 1.26 percent for the sixth year in a row with approximately $1.1 million in exclusions, which increases the estimated tax levy by 0.72 percent.

In the town of Rye, the estimated property tax rate increase will be 0.35 percent; it will increase by 4.74 percent for those living in the city of Rye. With an overall $233,985 decrease in spending from the current year’s budget, the approved plan allocates money to add 6.1 full-time positions—2.7 teaching positions and 3.4 assistant teaching positions—and also preserves a number of current programs, including full-time kindergarten and the district’s arts, music and athletic programs.

The well-supported plan will additionally fund an expansion of the district’s STEAM program, which incorporates a mix of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics concepts into one lesson.

Ferraro told the Review the budget helps

2017-2018 RYE NECK SCHOOL BUDGET VOTE Yes No

876 239

the school district address voters’ concerns which include keeping taxes down while also maintaining appropriate class sizes and preserving extracurricular activities.

The enrollment rate for the upcoming school year is projected to increase by 0.31 percent after increasing by 4 percent in the last two tears.

Aside from passing the budget, voters also elected two members to serve on the Board of Education, including its vice president, Deborah Aulfinger, who was re-elected with 714 votes to serve her third, three-year term.

Aulfinger, who has two children in the school district, has been a resident of the district for 24 years and a board member since 2011. And Jennifer Ruben, who has three children in the school district, captured 822 votes and was elected to serve her first term on the board. She’s lived in Rye Neck for 19 years.

Louisa Visconti, who was also bidding for her first term on the school board, was defeated, finishing in third place with 432 votes.

“We were fortunate to have three people that were interested in serving on the board,” said Dr. Kimberly Bucci, assistant superintendent for business and finance. Dr. Kimberly Bucci. “Board service is really important for a school district and we’re fortunate that people are willing to dedicate their free time in serving and attending meetings.”

CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

In all the years that I have been working with elders, I always knew when it was important to influence members of our City Council on issues of importance to seniors by inviting them to their meetings. Without their attendance at council meetings, making a difference failed. However, when senior attendance was visible, the City Council was more attentive to their issues.

Regrettably, it wasn’t often that I could get seniors to attend due to evening meeting schedules and the lengths of time they had to wait to be heard. Then there was the futility of a dialogue with the City Council because seniors in attendance claimed they could not hear council members. Their voices did not carry in the chambers. In contrast, watching the meetings on local TV was better for seniors.

Subsequently, the Rye Senior Advocacy Commission shifted its strategy. We targeted a more challenging approach. We asked one of the commission’s most influential members to attend these meetings. This secret weapon was the late Ellen “Sis” D’Angelo.

She was not only well known in Rye, but also was unafraid to confront the City Council until she got answers to her questions. She was persuasive whenever she spoke in this public arena because she was an advocate to be reckoned with at council meetings. Why? She not only knew the history and background on most issues, but also was articulate in reminding council members to make correct choices.

After the death of D’Angelo, it was less likely that seniors would attend these meetings to promote their interests. But on Nov. 16, 2016, an exciting episode occurred. Two elderly residents from the Blind Brook apartments attended the City Council meeting, motivated by the intense discussions occurring around the Crown Castle issues. They were motivated to take actions to learn the parameters of the applications by two other telecommunication carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile, which were asking for permission to upgrade their equipment on the rooftops of Blind Brook.

These two women were not there to protest the equipment upgrades. As an alternative, they came to voice their opinions to be

assured that the equipment would not harm their individual apartments. They raised in calm voices that they were there to learn more about the installation of the new equipment and that their personal interests would be protected.

As expected, the City Council responded to their issues and assured them that the proper procedures were followed in the applications process by the two companies. In witnessing the interactions at this meeting, I was pleased to observe that these two senior women made a difference in defense of their concerns, and proved that whenever seniors speak at council meetings, their opinions are respected and their voices make a difference in eliciting answers.

Another avenue for assisting our elders is that the Senior Advocacy Commission has invited a number of prestigious speakers to its second annual Senior Summit to share their expertise on related issues to enable our elders and their families to keep current. On Thursday, May 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Rye library annex, this event will take effect. We will be joined by an expert elderlaw attorney, Ariel Rosenzveig, who is an associate of E.J. Rosenzveig Attorneys at Law in White Plains; followed by Irma Nimetz, an attorney with the attorney general’s office; Kevin Fennell, a senior associate of Foresters Insurance Company; and our newly appointed public safety commissioner, Michael Corcoran. Their interest is to speak to the matters that are important to the aging process. Refreshments will be available from the Post Road Market during the meeting.

Finally, we will cover introductions of organizations that currently serve elders in different venues; specifically, Sally Rogol, Superintendent of Rye Recreation/Senior Programs; Carolyn Cunningham, to share information related to the Taxi Voucher Program; and Barbara Brunner, president of SPRYE. Additionally, we have a special guest speaker, Nancy Gould, a veteran for identifying solutions for seniors. Her concentration at our event is to speak on Medicare, the longterm health care program for seniors; as well as the potential hazards it may facing under our current federal government leaders. She is someone you must hear since health care is so important to us all as we age.

Thanks for readiing; and I invite you to share any ideas you feel are important. You can reach us at 643-7813 or by email at gunnerjpm@gmail.com.

May 19, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 9

City close to developing Disbrow Park improvements plan

By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The city of Rye is anticipating having a plan laid out by July 12 to tackle revamping Disbrow Park, according to the city manager.

City Manager Marcus Serrano told the Review that Stantec Consulting Services will present a conceptual proposal during July’s only City Council meeting after completing a survey that incorporates

public input.

The forthcoming plan comes after years of ongoing discussion about upgrading the park’s facilities and consolidating operations.

“At this point, there aren’t any ideas that are stronger than others,” Serrano said. “It’s more of a public process right now and we want to consider all opinions.”

During a preliminary Disbrow Park Master Plan meeting on May 11 Stantec presented a site analysis

with a number of likely possibilities for the 47-acre park, which is home to four baseball fields, a soccer field, a tennis court and a recycling drop-off area.

Of the many ideas in the presentation, the consulting firm’s general analysis suggests revamping some of the park’s active recreation areas and fields including Grainger Field, which is smaller than a standard little league field, and Sterling Field, which is furthest away from

the park’s amenities.

Additionally, the presentation highlights a need for updating the batting cages at Feeley Field, resurfacing the park’s tennis courts, and strengthening a number of baseball dugouts at the park, some of which don’t have roofs.

Last week, Rye City Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican who plans to run for re-election this year, told the Review he intends on playing a leadership role in the effort to renovate the park, hinting at the idea of installing a turf field at Sterling Park and creating more field space

Stantec Consulting Services will have a plan laid out in July that will address revamping Disbrow Park, which is home to a number of recreational facilities such as Grainger Field, pictured, and Department of Public Works facilities. File photo

overall down at Disbrow.

Stantec’s preliminary analysis also concentrates on creating more storage space for the park’s Department of Public Works facilities. The park is home to several DPW buildings and a police shooting range.

The presentation calls for additional office and locker room storage space, more garage parking and a larger salt shed. Stantec is also suggesting relocating the park’s public recycling area, which is in close proximity to the recreational fields.

According to Serrano, although the initial presentation highlights a number of needs, the city is weighing the potential costs for the scope of work and will likely make a decision based on what’s affordable.

“It’s all going to come down to the cost,” he said. “Next meeting, we’ll be discussing all different options.”

As of press time, the city doesn’t have an estimated cost for the potential improvements at Disbrow Park, except for replacing the DPW salt shed, which could cost around $475,000 according to the city’s 2017-2021 Capital Improvements Plan that was released last August.

The next community meeting is planned for May 31 at the Damiano Recreation Center, which is located at 281 Midland Ave. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

10 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017

The Review in collaboration with ArtsWestchester offers a rundown of art-related events throughout Westchester. Find our Arts in the Area page once a month.

Gordon Parks Foundation exhibits works by scholarships recipients Through June 3, The Gordon Parks Foundation, GPF, presents “Voices in the Mirror,” a showcase of five past student recipients of scholarships awarded by the foundation.

GPF’s scholarship program began in 2009, in partnership with arts education institutions, and is given to arts students who demonstrate financial need.

Gordon Parks, who was an acclaimed photographer, documented race relations and American life from early 1940s until his death in 2006, in a way that not only told a story, but imparted empathy. These students were invited to submit works that also convey empathy.

Rebecca Arthur provides a glimpse into her changing relationships with her family members while they grieve for the loss of their mother. Chiara Marianai, a photograph of hers pictured above, showcases photographs that convey universal feelings, such as loneliness and isolation. Maria Wirries explores her roots through photographs of Haitian women working. Rebecca Iasillo asks viewers to investigate seemingly mundane scenes of public life. Vera Tineo uses her quilt to broaden the understanding of the Black Lives Matter movement.

These works will be on display in GPF’s Pleasantville gallery, alongside the popular and lesser-known works of Parks. For more information, visit gordonparksfoundation.org.

-Rocío De La Roca

Neuberger Museum of Art surveys the work of Fred Wilson Neuberger Museum of Art presents the work of MacArthur “Genius” grantee Fred

Wilson with a survey of his work, from 1995 to the present, as well as a site-specific installation. A graduate of Purchase College, with which the Neuberger is associated, Wilson returns to his alma mater with his site-specific installation after extensively researching the museum and college’s collections and archives for several months. Wilson is best known for reorganizing and re-contextualizing works that are in the permanent collections of the museums in which he is exhibiting. These new arrangements are meant to reveal new meanings and perspectives otherwise unseen. The artist explains: “Objects have various lives and these lives are formed by the context that they’re in. Where they’re moved to can change their meaning…. My goal is to tease out other ways of looking at and viewing the objects, and see what that elicits.”

The survey of Wilson’s works from 1995 reassesses social and historical narratives. Along with three new works, this collection features 76 studio works, including: “Old Salem: A Family of Strangers” (1995), which consists of 20 portrait photographs of a collection of dolls found in storage, but not exhibited, at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem, N.C.; “Snuff” (2003), which examines the historical role of Africans in Venice, as inspired by 15th-19th century Venetian paintings; and “No Way But This” (2013), a series of chandeliers that are composed of Murano glass that is black instead of the traditional pastel, thereby conjuring a history of race relations in Venice. Wilson will be on view through July 30. For more information, visit neuberger.org.

cultural identities of immigrants. The 12 exhibited works each present a figure who is taking the role of a job that is traditionally held by an immigrant; however, the identity of the figure is visually represented by mythological and spiritual icons from the figure’s perceived culture. Ganesha, the elephant god of India, is a cashier at a convenience store while a man in an African mask drives a New York City cab. Viewing these sacred narratives as they take human form urges the observer to reconsider common cultural biases of the people who occupy these jobs, and to instead celebrate cultural diversity.

The Rutsch Award was created to honor the memory and artistic achievement of Alexander Rutsch, an artist who actively supported the center for more than 25 years. Its winner receives a cash prize and the only solo exhibition at the center each year.

Chong, a fine arts professor at Boston College, was chosen from approximately 400 applicants.

“The Twelve,” a title that refers to both the number of works in the exhibition and a symbolic number in most religions, is on view through June 17. In conjunction with the exhibition, a collection of Rutsch’s paintings will be on view in the center’s front gallery. For more information, visit pelhamartcenter.org.

-Mary Alice Franklin

-Mary Alice Franklin

Performances bring ArtsWestchester’s urban art exhibit to life

Chong explores immigrant workers at Pelham Art Center Pelham Art Center has announced Massachusetts resident Sammy Chong as the winner of its 2017 Alexander Rutsch Award and Solo Exhibition. The mixed-media and printed-canvas artist is the ninth winner of this juried award. Chong’s “The Twelve” asks its viewers to question their preconceived notions of the social, economic, political and

Behind the global art phenomenon that is graffiti today, lies an expansive history— from young vandals trying to find their voice in the 1970s to urban art that graces gallery walls as masterpieces. ArtsWestchester will take audiences back to these beginnings of hip hop culture and through the evolution of graffiti with a series of community programs related to its current exhibition, “From the Streets.” The exhibition chronicles the rise of the urban artist from vandal and outlaw to cultural trendsetter. Works on display are comprised of large-scale graffiti murals, photography, sculptures and installations that were created by legendary and internationally recognized artists.

The upcoming gallery events will demonstrate the transformation of this art form and will provide a broader cultural context to the

exhibiting artworks. “Public programming helps people get a well-rounded understanding,” says folklorist Elena Martinez, who organized three of the community programs as part of the organization’s Folk Arts program.

Graffiti began as a youth subculture in the Bronx, rose to prominence in the 1980s and has since entered the mainstream art world.

Before long, the art form transcended its borders and hip hop MCs and break-dancers were incorporated into the urban art experience, creating a new burgeoning lifestyle all its own.

Martinez added, “The unique programs that coincide with [this exhibition] provide a way for people to learn about the transformation of street art and its musical form, hip hop, in more ways than one.” These “From the Streets” programs include a variety of documentary screenings, panel discussions and performances. A lively panel discussion with artists and museum professionals will explore the place of graffiti in the global market during the “Vandalism vs. Capitalism: What is a Dirtier Word?” event on June 12.

An evening of “Stories and Sounds From Back in the Day” will feature legendary hip hop rapper Curtis “Grandmaster Caz” Brown and Grand Wizzard Theodore, the DJ credited with the “scratching” technique, on June 16. Female hip hop performers and b-girls will discuss how women broke the boundaries of their “male-dominated” art form with dance performances and DJ music on June 17. A documentary screening of “Saving Bansky” tells of a misguided art collector’s attempts to save a Banksy painting from destruction on July 14. All events will take place in ArtsWestchester’s gallery, immersing audiences into the historical trajectory of the captivating artworks that surround them.

“From the Streets” will remain on view through July 15. For more information, visit artsw.org/fromthestreets.

-Rocío De La Roca

These articles first appeared in the May 2017 issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy of the full issue is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.

May 19, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 11

County immigration proposal still faces hurdles Caucus, said that while the proposal is yet to garner any support from the county’s Republican lawmakThe Westchester County Leg- ers, Democrats are still pushing for islature’s Democratic Caucus’ it to become law by summer. goal for an early summer approv“We have heard positive things,” al of legislation to set forth a pol- he said about Republican support icy on immigration enforcement for the bill. “It’s been a process may be unlikely, with the propos- with countless stakeholders and adal still pending in three separate vocates so we have already covered committees. most of the questions that are going Joe Sgammato, the press secre- to be used to attack it.” tary representing the Democratic As of press time, eight Demo-

By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer

crats on the county Board of Legislators have pledged their support for the pending legislation.

But the proposal would require the vote of at least nine members of the full 17-member Legislature to be approved if it makes out of committee.

In addition to lacking any official support from board Republicans, the proposal still has to make its way through the committees on Budget and Appropriations,

Even with the Westchester County Legislature’s Democratic Caucus’ immigration proposal lacking support from Republicans and held up in three committees, Democrats are aiming for the bill’s approval by early summer. File photo

Legislation, and Public Safety and Social Services.

Matt Richter, the press secretary representing the Republican Caucus, said that while there isn’t an official “headcount” of how many Republicans on the board favor the idea, it’s likely that some will throw their support behind the proposal when the final document is presented. “There’s no particular language in the bill that we’re objecting to, but overall, the language of it is being discussed,” he said.

Known as the Immigration Protection Act, it aims to prevent Westchester County emergency services from aiding the federal government in investigations made on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity and national origin.

The pending legislation was submitted to codify existing policies adopted under the administration of former County Executive Andy Spano, a Democrat, while also drawing from model ordinances put in place by the New York state attorney general’s office in order to alleviate concerns about the treatment of immigrants living in county.

First introduced back in February, the proposal came out of uncertainty over Republican County Executive Rob Astorino’s stance on the existing executive order relating to confidential information and immigration status that was signed by

Spano in 2006.

In Westchester County government, the incumbent county executive can legally repeal any executive order made by one his predecessors.

Jerry McKinstry, a spokesman for the Astorino administration, declined to comment on the proposal since it is still being worked out in committee. However, he said, “Any proposal that jeopardizes public safety will be a non-starter.”

On top of the Spano policy, the new proposal would also prohibit county police officers and officials from honoring requests made

by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, and Customs and Border Protection, which do not give rise to probable cause, and protects Westchester from liability due to false arrests and imprisonments.

The idea to set an immigration policy came in response to a nationwide effort led by Republican President Donald Trump to deport undocumented immigrants. ICE has made 21,362 arrests from Jan. 20 through March 13 of this year, according to new data from the federal agency, marking a 33 percent increase overall in arrests over the same time period last year. ICE arrested 16,104 people last year during the same window.

CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

12 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017

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14 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017

The daft lottery LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

Despite the fact the Knicks have had about one winning season in the past two decades—or perhaps because of it—I have to admit; when it comes to the NBA Draft Lottery, I can’t seem to muster much enthusiasm.

That might seem odd, coming from a fan of a perennial bottom-dweller who routinely finds itself positioned to be a part of the draft-position sweepstakes—yet, is almost never a part of due to bad trades—but it makes sense to me; I know that the Knicks are so bad, from the inside out, that a ping pong ball bouncing in their favor is never going to be enough to change the fortunes of the franchise.

Of course, it being the Knicks, it’s pretty rare that the ball even bounces our way to begin with.

On May 16, the NBA held its annual lottery to determine this year’s draft order. The Knicks, who even managed to bungle the seemingly simple task of tanking by winning a few meaningless games at the

end of the season, came into the night with a 5.3 percent chance of nabbing the first overall pick and an 18.3 percent chance of picking within the top three.

Instead, they came away with the eighth overall pick—one draft slot worse than they would have received were the order chosen by record alone.

But really, this is par for the course for the Knicks. According to computations by the statistics-based website FiveThirtyEight. com, no team in the NBA has fared worse over the last 16 years when comparing average draft position to the team’s regular season records.

The reason for that is twofold.

First up is the general incompetence of the Knicks’ front office, which, over the last 16 years has seemed hell-bent on trading away draft picks for over-the-hill players that ended up being poor fits for New York—or the NBA in general.

Contrast that to the acumen of the Celtics’ decision-makers, who turned their own aging stars into what became the first pick of the 2017 draft—giving the top-seeded squad in the Eastern Conference the best shot at picking a game-chang-

ing college player in a few weeks.

For a Knicks fan, that’s absolutely maddening.

And in the few instances the Knicks did hang on to a top 10 pick, who have they spent it on? Overweight, undersized forwards like Mike Sweetney in 2003 or decent NBA players like Danilo Gallinari, David Lee and Channing Frye, who ultimately got shipped away before reaching their full potential.

The second? It’s either bad luck or karma, depending on who you believe.

In 1985, the Knicks won the sweepstakes to select Georgetown center Patrick Ewing in a lottery that conspiracy-minded NBA fans have long hypothesized was fixed.

Whether it was frozen or creased envelopes, the tinfoil brigade has maintained that the NBA wanted to get the all-world big man to Madison Square Garden to revive a slumping organization.

And it worked, to some extent.

But even with Ewing on the court, the Knicks were never able to raise another banner in the world’s most famous arena.

Knick haters might say that the last 30 years have been payback for

On May 16, the New York Knicks once again dashed fans’ hopes by another bad bounce at the NBA Draft Lottery. Sports Editor Mike Smith, however, never had any hopes to begin with. Photo courtesy Knicks.com

a rigged lottery win, but I have to ask; what did we really win?

So on Tuesday night, I kept an eye on the ESPN lottery show just long enough to see the Knicks do what they do best; fail. I spared myself the gnashing of teeth and the rending of garments that seemed to propagate

on the social media accounts of other Knicks fans that I know.

After all, I knew it was coming.

The Knicks might be bad, but at least they’re consistent.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

Rye Athlete of the Week

MEGAN MONTALTO

By ISABEL CASTRO Contributor This week’s Athlete of the Week is senior Megan Montalto, the captain of the girls’ varsity softball team. Montalto began her softball career at a very young age, when she was awarded with the MVP Babe Ruth award for the Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament at only 12 years old. She has also been a member of the Garnets’ varsity team since her freshman year.

On May 3, in a game against Fox Lane, Montalto went 4-for-5 with a double and a home run. She has excelled at the plate all season, leading the team in home runs.

“Megan comes to practice with a mentality of winning and working hard,” teammate Bela Paganelli said. “She constantly pushes us to do our best.”

Paganelli isn’t the only one of Montalto’s teammates to recognize the captain’s leadership abilities.

Juliann Groglio said, “She knows when it’s time to work hard. [She] always leads the team in a very responsible manner.”

Outside of school, Montalto is a member of the Westchester Heat softball team and plays with them during the fall, winter and summer seasons. Megan has received All-League honorable mention two years in a row so far. Her

regular season this year is almost certain to net her more accolades.

Montalto is also a member of the National Honor Society and will be attending Quinnipiac University in the fall.

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SPORTS

May 19, 2017 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • 15

Garnets claim league crown boys lacrosse

league

RYE 15 HARRISON 4 5/13/17

RYE HS

Game Notes: • Rye’s Will Kirkpatrick scored his 100th career goal • Garnets clinched a share of the League 2C title • Rye earned the No. 2 seed in the Class B playoffs

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On May 13, the Rye lacrosse team battled driving rain and their rivals from Harrison to earn their 12th win of the season, and a share of the League 2C title.

Three days later, and with another win under their belts, this time against Byram Hills, the Garnets were rewarded for their terrific regular season campaign with sole possession of the league crown and a No. 2 seed in the competitive Class B playoffs.

Coming into Saturday’s matchup against the Huskies, with some much-coveted hardware hanging in the balance, Rye knew it needed to start fast, and did just that; erupting

Billy Chabot rushes past a Harrison player on May 13. Chabot had three goals in Rye’s win.

Ryan Kirkpatrick makes a move behind the net against Harrison. Kirkpatrick picked up his 100th career goal in the Rye win.

for six-straight goals to turn what had been a 3-3 stalemate into a decisive Garnet win.

Teddy Aquilino led the Garnets with four goals, while Billy Chabot and Will Hynson both scored three apiece. Will Kirkpatrick had two scores in the win, including his 100th career goal.

For the Huskies, Matt McLaughlin had two goals and two assists,

and a subsequent win against Byram Hills—the Garnets finished the year at 13-3, earning a top-two seed in the competitive Class B playoffs. Harrison, which finished at 10-6, earned a No. 6 seed and will travel to John Jay to take on the No. 3-seeded Indians on May 21.

Rye will take on No. 7-seed Horace Greeley in a game also scheduled for Saturday.

“We got some film on Greeley [on Tuesday] and we were able to watch them,” Lennon said.

“They’ve got a good scorer [in Jacob Brandes] who just scored his 100th career point, and they’re an up-and-coming team.”

but Rye goalie Emmett Carroll was solid in net, finishing with seven saves on the day.

“It was great, and right now, for us, it’s all about energy and momentum,” Rye coach Steve Lennon said. “And that’s what we did; we came out, executed our game plan and kept the energy up all game long.”

With the win over Harrison—

A Garnet player tries to beat Harrison’s Anthony Forgione on May 13. Photos/Mike Smith

As the Garnets get ready for their first-round matchup, Lennon said that the focus is going to be on fine-tuning and getting physically ready for the playoff push.

“We are going light [on date], we are getting some guys healthy who have just been over-used,” the head coach said. “Then we’ll start putting in the game plan and going over every detail.

“We know that on our good days, we can compete with anybody,” he added. “So right now, we just need to keep our energy levels up and win in every phase of the game.”

CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com

Thomas Gresham takes a shot against the Garnets.

16 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 19, 2017