Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journal 051820

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MAY 18, 2020 VOL. 56, No. 20

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CAREER COMING TO A CLOSE

State Sen. Len Fasano speaks to the Capitol Press Corps on June 4, 2019. Standing behind him from left to right are Sens. Kevin Kelly, Paul Formica, George Logan and Kevin Witkos. Story on page 2, Leadership in a Time of Crisis.

Boom or bust?

INSIDE

UNCERTAINTY AND ANXIETY SURROUND CT’S MAY 20 RESTART PAGE

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REAL ESTATE

BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

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obody knows anything,” novelist and screenwriter William Goldman once famously aphorized. Although the two-time Oscar winner was making a semi-snarky observation about the state of Hollywood

in the early 1980s, his words apply just as aptly to today’s environment. As Connecticut businesses go about cautiously reopening, starting on May 20, there is very much a sense of uncertainty, concern and confusion over what to expect. “Businesses are definitely anxious to get started again,” said Tim Phelan, president of the Connecticut Retail

Merchants Association. “There are some who would like to have opened already, and some who are a little nervous about opening. It really represents a cross-section of society, like everyone else.” In the meantime, there is the big question looming over May 20: What if you reopen, and nobody comes? “We don’t expect a major

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At noontime on Greenwich Avenue parking spaces were once a premium. Since the COVID-19 rules were enacted by the state closing all nonessential stores, spaces are plentiful. Photo by Bob Rozycki.

rush into stores” at first, Phelan said. “Demand will be a little soft to begin with, as everyone gets adjusted to the new situation. But the key is simply to open again.” Indeed, even after the state published detailed guidance on May 9 explaining what companies operating in a number of sectors needed to be doing by the 20th, not all are rushing to

throw their doors open — something that both Gov. Ned Lamont and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner David Lehman acknowledged at the governor’s briefing on May 7. “May 20 might not look that different from May 19 in a lot of areas,” Lehman said. “Not all businesses » BOOM

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Leadership in a time of crisis: CT State Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano filter the questions. Three senators might have the same question. We field them and send just the one question to the governor’s office.”

This is a limited series of Q&A’s by Fairfield County Business Journal Bureau Chief Kevin Zimmerman with leaders in various business sectors and industries. It is designed to illustrate how they’re navigating the COVID-19 era, what past experiences they’ve drawn upon, and suggestions they have for those planning for a career in leadership.

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tate Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano has been a powerful presence in Connecticut politics for most of this century. He has served nine two-year terms in the state Senate, running unopposed in six elections, including the last two in 2014 and 2016. First elected to the Senate in 2002, the New Haven native served as minority whip from 2003-04, and as assistant minority leader from 2005-06, deputy minority leader from 2007-08, and minority leader pro tempore from 2009-14. He has been minority leader since 2014, and Senate Republican president pro tempore since 2017. While this is hardly how he wanted to end his political career — he announced his retirement on March 31 — Fasano maintains that his decision is final. He has, however, drawn on his long and varied background to help steer the state through the coronavirus pandemic.

election, I talked with my family to revisit it again. “Then the coronavirus made me think about it again. It’s obviously an historic issue and required a lot of thought about how to deal with it. ‘Should I stay on, out of some sense of necessity?’ But then I said, ‘You know what? I’ve made up my mind already.’”

First things first: Why retire now? “Eighteen years is a long time. I love what I do, but felt that now was a good time. I’ve always tried to give 110%, but I don’t believe I can continue doing it at the same level as I have in the past. “And I wanted to go out on my own terms. I want to spend more time with my family, and go back to trying to make some money (as founder and president of law firm Fasano, Ippolito, Lee & Florentine). Being in the Senate swallows up a lot of your personal life. It’s hard — even though I love it.”

As the minority leader, how have you collaborated with the Democratic majority and Gov. Ned Lamont? “The governor and I have had great conversations. We talk about the issues to a great extent, which has been very helpful. “And the governor’s staff has done a terrific job of conversing with us. If I have questions for our members, I put them to his staff and they get back to me very quickly. If there’s confusion about A, B or C, they’re on it. I can’t speak more highly of their responsive nature.”

When did you first start thinking about stepping down? “Two years ago, when we were 18-18 (the Republican/Democrat split in the Senate) was when I thought about going and I decided I was going to leave at this time, whether we had a majority or not. Then in December (2018), after the

What does it mean to be “a leader” in this environment? “It is very challenging — we’re living in a world without a playbook, which makes it even more difficult. With the financial crisis we’re facing, we kind of have a playbook — we know what the indications are, and our past financial his-

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On Feb 2, 2017, Sen. Fasano hosted a tour of the Capitol and met in the Senate Circle with students and teachers from East Haven Pathway Academy.

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tory demonstrates what we might be able to do. “But even if the virus dissipates, what will be the after-effect? After 9/11 it took us two to three years to get our airlines back because people were afraid of getting on planes. Then you’ve got movie theaters, ball games, other events. There’s a lot of uncertainty about what effect the virus will have on all of our behavior. “And it’s obviously been very challenging for the legislature. (The General Assembly ended its regular session on May 6, having passed just one piece of legislation.) But as a leader, the good part has been that all six of us are very close. We know each other very, very well, and to a large extent we’re friends — we can talk with each other about anything. And we like each other. You couldn’t get a more closely knit group.” Editor’s Note: That group is breaking up; not only is Fasano retiring, but so are House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin) and House Minority Leader Themis Klarides (R-Derby). Remaining are Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), and House Majority Leader Matt Ritter (D-Hartford). “When they say something,

they mean it. That’s refreshing, and very helpful. We all feel very, very comfortable with each other, which is pretty remarkable. Passing the bipartisan budget really strengthened those relationships.” Who has impressed you during the pandemic? “Any time there’s been a crisis — Hurricanes Irene and Sandy come to mind — there are individuals in the community who come out to help, and we’re seeing that again. I’m always impressed by it. “Right now it might be difficult to see that silver lining. These are events that can be economically devastating and mentally devastating. But people are resilient and helpful.” How much time do you personally have to gauge your responses to day-to-day developments. Is it more a matter of “putting your head down and just doing it”? “I get texts and emails from my constituents all the time — ‘What’s happening here? How come this didn’t happen?’ What are the rules on PPE? On filing for unemployment? Every day is driven by task. “A large part of the job of leader is listening to our members. We don’t want our folks to call the governor’s office all the time — we try to

What about the big picture? “In the long term, as we open up businesses, what is it all going to look like? We have to make sure our regulatory agencies understand that when we do reopen business the impact that inspections and permits can have. We have to make sure that whatever those processes are, they need to be streamlined. We need to try to get everyone to the point they were at before all this happened. “And we also all need to assess what we did right, and what we did wrong. The way we went about buying PPE was a catastrophic mistake. Why were our nursing homes being decimated by so much contagion and death? Some of these things were done in an arcane and draconian way. The next time we have to be a lot wiser — we need to learn from this and be ready to do it right the next time.” What would you say is key to being a leader? “You need to be able to offer constructive suggestions, not just criticism. It’s always easy to have 20/20 hindsight when you’re criticizing something, but it’s very difficult to come up with alternatives that you can present and stand in front of. “Number two, I think leadership requires cooperation, listening and being straightforward and honest. Even if that honesty may be against what a leader believes, don’t hide your opinion — be forthright. Base your decisions on your values, which are pretty much formed by your life experiences. “And you’ve got to be willing to change your mind. If you walk into this chamber, stay for several years, and then walk out as the same person, you’ve missed a great opportunity. You may not agree with what you hear, but on the other hand you may learn something because of your personal experience or your socioeconomic experience. “There are people in both caucuses who don’t want to listen, because that might put them in danger of changing their opinions.”


Labor Department girding for more unemployment applications BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com

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ith two senior Trump administration officials admitting on recent Sunday TV talk shows that the unemployment situation could reach levels seen during the Great Depression of close to 25% if it hasn’t gotten there already. State labor department officials throughout the U.S. were bracing for an onslaught of new unemployment insurance applications while still trying to cope with existing backlogs. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Chris Wallace, host of “Fox News Sunday,” on May 10 that “The reported numbers are probably going to get worse before they get better.” When asked by Wallace whether the country could already be close to the Great Depression’s 25% unemployment, Mnuchin replied, “Chris, we could be.” Kevin Hassett, White House senior economic adviser, appearing on the CBS program “Face the Nation,” said, “Right now, looking across the U.S., there are more than 30 million people that are getting initial claims for unemployment insurance. That’s the biggest negative shock to the jobs market that we’ve seen since World War II. To get unemployment rates like the ones that we’re about to see ... which I think will climb up towards 20 percent by next month, you have to really go back to the Great Depression to see that.“ New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon held a May 8 conference call in which the Business Journal participated during which she again apologized for problems people might have experienced in trying to file unemployment insurance claims. “I’ve been unemployed before myself. I know that losing your job is extremely anxiety-inducing,” Reardon said. “Every state is being hit with an expected and unprecedented wave of new unemployment claims.” As businesses shut down and employees were furloughed or fired the Department of Labor’s website and telephone system became so overloaded they crashed or produced only busy signals for tens of thousands of would-be unemployment insurance applicants. The Labor Department brought in outside computer experts, including personnel from Google, increased to more than 60 the number of servers used by its online system and put hundreds of additional workers on the phones. Reardon said that as of May 7, New York had paid out more than $6.8 billion in unemployment benefits. “We paid just $2.1 billion in total last year, so in just two months we have paid out over three times of last year’s total,” Reardon said. “During this crisis we’ve paid an average of over $650 million per week compared to an average of $41 million per week in 2019. That

said that New York managed to work out a deal so that the two steps could be eliminated and only a single online application is now required, dramatically speeding up processing and eliminating a lot of red tape. “One of the first things we need to do when we talk about PUA is we all need to admit that it did not exist until March 27,” Reardon said. “It was signed into law March 27. We didn’t even get federal guidance on how to administer it as a program until April 5 and then the guidance was complicated and, frankly, contradictory. Early on people were told they had to apply for unemployment insurance, they had to go through the process of being denied, then they had to fill out another application for PUA. A lot of people got caught in that original glue trap

is an increase of nearly 1,500%.” The federal government offers three benefits in addition to state benefits. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) extends eligibility for individuals who have traditionally been ineligible for unemployment benefits such as self-employed workers and independent contractors. Pandemic Unemployment Compensation adds an additional $600 per week, on top of regular benefits, for all unemployment insurance recipients and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation stretches unemployment benefits to 39 weeks instead of the usual 26 weeks. Reardon explained that the federal government required that applicants for PUA had to first be rejected by a state before Roberta Reardon RPW Apr? ThankYou.qxp_RPW Ad Apr ThankYouthey 2 4/1/20 Page 1 could 11:08 apply AM for the federal benefits. She

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are going to open on that date that can open, and not all consumers are going to be ready to consume those services on that date.” One business that will not open on that date is Newtown’s Salon Michele. “I fully understand that our family of loyal clientele is in desperate need of our talents,” owner Michele Schettino Hawli said. “But at this time I feel as though it is in the best interest of my staff to keep the salon’s doors closed a little longer. “We cannot operate at volume, while fully protecting my team or the public,” she said. While reconfiguring the salon’s layout to adhere to the state’s social distancing and other guidelines will take longer, she said she is “optimistic” that her business will open on June 1. Meanwhile, restaurants — which will be limited to outdoor-only dining — are also uncertain about how to go forward in the appropriate manner, but are not particularly pleased with the restrictions they will still be facing. “Our local restaurant industry knows that things cannot return to normal right away,” Connecticut Restaurant Association Executive Director Scott Dolch said, “but, as malls and hair salons and others are allowed to gradually begin indoor service, as they should be, it’s illogical that restaurants would be constricted to outdoor-only service for so long.” Dolch — like Phelan, a member of the governor’s Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group — said that the guidelines repre-

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of regulation,” she said. “In recent weeks we have focused on improving our communication efforts so New Yorkers will have the information they need to file their applications, complete their claims and of course receive their benefits,” Reardon said. She said that the Labor Department has issued a notice to all employers reminding them they are required to provide employees with the information they need to easily and completely file for unemployment. She said that the department has been reaching out to people who have

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Empty sidewalks at noontime on Greenwich Avenue.

sented “a step toward reopening, but unfortunately not nearly a big enough step to save hundreds of restaurants from going out of business in the weeks ahead. This plan would keep the inside of restaurants closed at the same time other industries are opening up, even those who also serve customers indoors.” There is also the apparently eternal question of face masks. Employees and customers must wear them at all times — unless actually eating at a restaurant — something that seems unenforceable unless a police officer happens to be around. Phelan said that retailers are hoping that customers, who presumably have become used to the mask idea as they enter grocery stores, will not put up a fuss. Provided all goes well, he said

failed to do required weekly certifications of their unemployment status without which payments cannot be released. Reardon said that the department is working on a system that will allow it to inform applicants as to how far along their application is in the approval process. She explained that the existing system was designed to be binary, only reporting whether an application was pending or no longer pending. “Every state is facing this problem. We have 1.6 million New Yorkers processed in this past report and we know that’s not the end of the applications,” Reardon said.

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We don’t expect a major rush into stores. Demand will be a little soft to begin with, as everyone gets adjusted to the new situation. But the key is simply to open again. ­­— Tim Phelan

“We know more people are coming into the system as we speak. It is crushing. One of the statistics that amazes me is that in two months we filled two years’ worth of new claims and that’s just a staggering number. And, this is a figure that every state in the union is confronting. There’s no state who hasn’t staggered and fallen to their knees under this. All of the states, even the states that recently rebuilt their systems, have had their systems crash. It’s just strictly a volume issue.” Reardon said that people need to know that those receiving unemployment benefits cannot turn down a job because of a gen-

he believed that consumers will start to return as “they get more comfortable” with the idea of going shopping again. Nevertheless, “consumer confidence” has taken on a new meaning in the COVID-19 era. A recent Washington Post/University of Maryland survey found that while 56% of American consumers said they were comfortable shopping in a grocery store, 67% were not comfortable with visiting a retail clothing store and 78% were unwilling to have a sit-down meal at a restaurant. “It’s going to be a balancing act,” Phelan said. “We’re ready to reopen, and we’re hoping the general public is ready for us to reopen.” Reopening plainly can’t come soon enough, at least as far as the economy is concerned. The U.S. Commerce Department said that retail sales plummeted by 8.7% in March — the biggest drop since it began tracking that data in 1992 — and expectations are that April’s figures, due on May 15, will be even worse. In addition, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index was at 86.9 in April. On the other hand, smartphone location data produced soon after Georgia allowed the reopening of various businesses found that over 60,000 people flowed in from neighboring states, most likely to shop, eat and so on. In other words: Nobody knows anything. “The anxiety we all have is over it going well,” Phelan said. “And once we are open, we don’t want to have to stop — we want to get the message across that we’re open, and we’re staying open.”

eralized fear of COVID-19 or dislike of the job. A person can turn down a job, however, because of a specific COVID-19 related health issue such as having symptoms or an issue such as being the sole caretaker of a child who cannot attend school. Reardon said that the Labor Department had been in the middle of a five-year rebuild of its computer system when the pandemic hit. “I do understand the frustration,” Reardon said. “I’m going to keep working night and day to process applications, complete certifications and make payments.”

MAIN OFFICE TELEPHONE 914-694-3600 OFFICE FAX 914-694-3699 EDITORIAL EMAIL bobr@westfairinc.com WRITE TO 701 Westchester Ave., Suite 100J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Publisher Dee DelBello Managing Editor Bob Rozycki Associate Publisher Anne Jordan Group Associate Publisher Dan Viteri NEWS Senior Enterprise Editor • Phil Hall Copy and Video Editor • Peter Katz Bureau Chief • Kevin Zimmerman Senior Reporter • Bill Heltzel, Reporters Georgette Gouveia, Peter Katz Research Coordinator • Luis Flores ART & PRODUCTION Creative Director Dan Viteri Art Director Sebastián Flores ADVERTISING SALES Manager • Anne Jordan Metro Sales & Custom Publishing Director Barbara Hanlon Account Managers Marcia Pflug Events Sales & Development • Marcia Pflug Marketing & Events Director • Fatime Muriqi AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & CIRCULATION Circulation Manager • Sylvia Sikoutris Telemarketing • Brianne Smith ADMINISTRATION Contracted CFO Services Adornetto & Company L.L.C. Human Resources & Payroll Services APS PAYROLL

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ompanies that are still having trouble adjusting to the topsy-turvy economic environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic need to consider eight steps in finding their way to stable footing. That’s according to Chris Kampitsis, a financial planner, financial services executive and investment adviser representative with The SKG Team at Barnum Financial Group in Elmsford. The first step that Kampitsis detailed in a recent webinar presentation involved companies that have yet to receive federal assistance through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and are not exploring alternative funding sources. “Let’s say the PPP doesn’t go through for you, or you’re not able to qualify for some of these government programs,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a line of credit. If you don’t have a line of credit or you’re concerned that your line of credit isn’t large enough, now is the right time to deepen and enhance your relationship with your local banker. You’d be surprised how many companies don’t take advantage of this.” In weighing this strategy, Kampitsis recommended identifying how much cash the company has on hand and “modeling multiple projections based on how long the economic impacts of the pandemic may last, using lowered profit and loss and lower revenues. By having very specific targets and timelines, you’re going to feel a little bit less

stressed, and you will feel a little bit more proactive about confronting the situation.” The second step advocated by Kampitsis was increasing the company’s social media presence with timely messaging. “One way that you want to do that is by sharing third-person stories about how you’re helping other clients and customers during this time, in ways that people can relate to and potentially identify with,” he said. “For example, a personal organization business might discuss how they’re using Zoom to coach a client through the decluttering of a kitchen or a closet, or a law firm might talk about how they’re using Zoom to help clients update their wills and documents.” Kampitsis suggested asking the company’s social media connections and clients for online feedback, noting that while “they may not take any action now, they will remember you later.” The third step involved adapting the company’s marketing tone to the ongoing crisis. “It’s important that you don’t ignore everything that’s happening right around us,” Kampitsis warned. “It’s not business as usual. But it’s really important that you don’t come across as trying to capitalize on what’s happening around us, either.” He added that “millennials, in particular, want to work with a private enterprise that is also in the business of doing public good. So, now’s the time to craft your message.” But Kampitsis also recommended “honest and genuine posts” on social media that give thanks and recognize positive contributions, but not overplaying the altruism angle to make it look like the shameless blowing » BUSINESSES

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER | By Norman G. Grill

The Employee Retention Credit could help your business

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f your business has been impacted financially by COVID-19, you may qualify for a new, refundable tax credit called the Employee Retention Credit. It is designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll and is worth 50 percent of qualifying wages up to $10,000 that are paid by an eligible employer. Does my business qualify for the Employee Retention Credit? The credit is available to all qualified employers regardless of size, including tax-exempt organizations. The credit is not available to small businesses that take small business loans or state and local governments and their instrumentalities. What is a qualifying employer? There are two categories of

qualified employers: • The employer’s business is fully or partially suspended by government order due to COVID-19 during a calendar quarter. • The employer’s gross receipts are below 50 percent of the comparable quarter in 2019. Once the employer’s gross receipts go above 80 percent of a comparable quarter in 2019, they no longer qualify after the end of that quarter. How is the credit calculated? The amount of the credit is 50 percent of qualifying wages paid up to $10,000 in total. Wages taken into account are not limited to cash payments, but also include a portion of the cost of employer-provided health care. What is a qualifying wage? Qualifying wages are wages based on the average number of a

business’ employees in 2019. There are two different measures for business, depending on size: Employers with less than 100 employees. If the employer had 100 or fewer employees on average in 2019, the credit is based on wages paid to all employees, regardless if they worked or not. If the employees worked full time and were paid for full-time work, the employer still receives the credit. Employers with more than 100 employees. If the employer had more than 100 employees on average in 2019, then the credit is allowed only for wages paid to employees who did not work during the calendar quarter. How do I receive the credit? While many tax credits are available when filing a tax return, the employee retention credit works differently in that employers

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can be reimbursed immediately by reducing their required payroll tax deposits. Payroll taxes, which include federal income tax withheld as well as taxable social security wages and tips, taxable Medicare wages and tips, and additional Medicare tax withholding, are taxes that have been withheld from employees’ wages. Generally, these payroll tax deposits are filed quarterly on Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. When can I start reporting qualified wages? Eligible employers should report their total qualified wages and the related health insurance costs for each quarter on Form 941 beginning with the second quarter (March 12, 2020). Wages paid through Dec. 31, 2020, are also eligible for the credit.

What if my payroll tax deposits are less than the credit? If the employer’s employment tax deposits are not sufficient to cover the credit, the employer may receive an advance payment from the IRS by submitting Form 7200, Advance Payment of Employer Credits Due to COVID-19. This column is intended as general information not individual advice. Tax matters can be complicated, so you may want to seek the help of an experienced tax adviser. Norm Grill (N.Grill@GRILL1. com) is managing partner of Grill & Partners, LLC (www. GRILL1.com), certified public accountants and consultants to closely held companies and high-net-worth individuals, with offices in Fairfield and Darien, 254-3880.

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of one’s horn. Next on Kampitsis’ list was shifting the company’s target market to meet the current environment. “If your product or service is not generating revenue right now, it’s not particularly relevant to the current crisis,” he said. “Take your best people and brainstorm. Now may be the right time to at least consider adding a line or service that might generate an additional layer of revenues.” As an example, Kampitsis cited a company that hosted corporate scavenger hunts,

which are now off limits as per government edicts. The company responded to the loss of revenue by developing an internet version of the activity and expanding it to a consumer audience. “Now, people, families, employees of companies and associations are gathering on a platform like Zoom and then they have to go around the internet,” he said. “They have teams competing against each other to find the scavenger hunt items. If you’re a business to consumer entity, maybe there’s an opportunity to go B2B — don’t roll over and accept what’s happening. Now’s the time to get creative.”

The fifth step Kampitsis cited was maintaining the corporate culture to guarantee everyone was on the same page. “If you’re not having a daily huddle on a platform like teams or Zoom, you should try to do a morning check-in,” he said. “And make sure either you or your key managers are checking in with their daily reports and just asking them how they’re doing. Don’t expect your people to be on camera all day — respect their boundaries.” Kampitsis noted that his firm hosts a virtual happy hour every Friday and has added a musical component. “Musicians are looking for work and 4

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p.m. to 5 p.m. is a great time on a Friday for them to work on our team,” he said. “This week we did a virtual yoga session. And think about sending a small care package to some of your employees — maybe a $5 Amazon video rental, a $10 to $20 GrubHub gift card. I know the budgets aren’t unlimited here, but there are some ways to really keep people motivated and could be the most valuable thing that you do.” Also on Kampitsis’ list was the importance of retaining the company’s best people while ensuring they don’t burn out or get recruited by another firm. “It is definitely more difficult, though not impossible, to train new talent during this period of time,” he said. “You want to keep your core employees as engaged and motivated as possible.” To keep staff in place, Kampitsis offered the possibility of paying for employees to pursue online course certificate or even a graduate degree, making sure that there is a written agreement that this generous bonus would require “a certain amount of years of additional service.” Another idea that Kampitsis put forth was allowing employees to move into new duties. “Now is an amazing time to let some of your key people take on a responsibility that you always suspected they were capable of,” he said. “Maybe you never were ready to give them the keys to the car or you really want to see if someone has the ability to step up. Now is a good time to try to take those chances.” The final step being offered was hosting webinars for clients and prospects, with Kampitsis pointing out how The Barnum Group is taking that strategy to present discussions related to finance. “There are also health and wellness programs and speakers that are looking for an audience and that add intrinsic value to your team,” he said. “So, take advantage of offering webinars and filling employees calendars throughout the week — they remember that they’re connected and they’re a part of something.”

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As a local commercial bank we understand the unprecedented challenges facing local businesses today. Our PCSB team has been working tirelessly to provide essential resources and financial support for our customers, local communities and shareholders during this time of uncertainty. For example, we’ve deferred loan payments, made loan modifications and suspended some fees to ease the financial stress on our customers. We are also helping our customers get access to disaster relief loans through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (CARES Act / PPP). And we continue to support local charities who are the most in need through our PCSB Community Foundation. We are here for you during this difficult time, neighbor helping neighbor, always a phone call away, right up to me, the CEO. The Incredibly Neighborly Commercial Bank SERVING THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY SINCE 1871 • 914-248-7272 • PCSB.com

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In Court | Bill Heltzel Expecting lawsuit, Steps in Home Care files for bankruptcy

Steps in Home Care Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in anticipation of being sued for federal labor law violations. The White Plains home health care company petitioned U.S. Bankruptcy Court on May 1,

declaring up to $50,000 in assets and liabilities. The “immediate need for relief from this court,” CEO Jennifer Baukol stated in a declaration, “stems from a threatened class action lawsuit under the Fair

Labor Standards Act that will severely affect the cash flow of the company and lead to its inability to address ongoing obligations.” Steps in Home Care was founded in 2011 and has offices in Stamford, Connecticut and Garden City. It is owned by Baukol, of White Plains, and her sister, Lisa Wade, of Irvington. It offers home companions, basic assistance, skilled nursing and concierge services, such as driving patients to appointments and managing insurance claims. Steps in Home Care was an honoree in Westfair Communication’s 2019 Family-Owned Business Awards. The company hires only experienced caregivers, according to its website, pays “industry-leading rates” and offers better benefits “to set ourselves apart from our competitors.” Steps in Home Care employs 83 people, according to the petition, but the company notified

more than 1,100 individuals of the bankruptcy case. The company does not explain why it thinks it will be sued under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which regulates the minimum wage and overtime pay. In 2017, Steps in Home Care was sued under the labor law by Teresa Fuentes Diaz of the Bronx. She worked as a home health aide from mid-2015 to late 2017, beginning at $9.90 an hour and ending at $10.76. Diaz claimed that she typically worked 144 hours a week — including several 24-hour shifts — but was paid for 78 hours. Steps in Home Care denied the allegations. In 2018, the dispute was settled with the company agreeing to pay Diaz $6,638. The company expects revenue of $400,000 in May, Baukol’s bankruptcy declaration states, and $350,000 in expenses. In 2018, according to a federal tax return included with the peti-

tion, the company booked revenue of $5.2 million and income of $93,299. Its biggest expense was more than $3 million in salaries and wages. Compensation for officers was listed at $0 in 2018 and $540,000 in 2017. The company is represented by Manhattan attorney Lawrence F. Morrison.

WHITE PLAINS-BASED CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY OF INFRINGEMENT

A California company has accused Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC in White Plains of patent infringement on technology used in Alzheimer’s research. Rondevoo Technologies LLC of Pasadena filed the patent infringement case April 29 in U.S. District Court in White Plains. Zeiss, a U.S. affiliate of the German manufacturer of precision camera lenses, microscopes and other optical products, did not

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In Court | Bill Heltzel reply to a message asking for its side of the story. Rondevoo appears to be in the patent monetization business — whereby a company acquires patents, does not make anything, but generates revenue by enforcing its intellectual property rights through litigation. The company was formed in 2017 and has acquired two dozen patents, according to a news article posted last year by RPX Insight, a patent litigation newsletter. A search of federal court documents database shows Rondevoo has filed 46 patent infringement cases in the past three years. Most of the cases were closed within a few months. The Zeiss lawsuit is built on three medical imaging and analysis patents that Rendevoo acquired in 2018. The inventors — Dan Cotman, Charles Chubb, Brian Cummings and Yoshyuki Inagaki — were looking for a way to understand the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease on a cellular level. The brains of patients with the disease have microscopic clumps and threads of proteins, called plaques and tangles, that block nerve signals. The inventors were looking for a way to measure the fibrous bundles. From 2006 to 2014, they patented software that recognizes cellular differences on computerized medical images. The software also automatically updates the algorithm to continuously improve accuracy. “The end result was a sophisticated system … that could do something that no human could ever hope to achieve,” the complaint states, “find and count every single little fiber living in each plaque and tangle in a patient’s brain.” The technology is also useful in other types of medical research, according to the complaint, and in fields such as metallurgy and polymer development. Rondevoo claims that Zeiss uses the same technology in its ZEN Intellesis imaging products. The company is asking the court to stop Zeiss from using the technology and to pay damages. Rondevoo is represented by Seattle attorney Nicholas Ranallo and Todd Brandt of Longview, Texas.

OSSINING SERVICE STATION SUES SUPPLIER OVER $1M GAS CHARGE

Miller’s Service Station in Ossining is refusing to pay $1 million in alleged lost profits demanded by a former fuel supplier. Tecmac Inc., owned by Edward C. Miller and doing business as Miller’s on Campwoods Road, sued SEI Fuel Services Inc. on April 30 in U.S. District Court in White Plains. Miller’s seeks to redress SEI’s “stubborn refusal to acknowledge the plain and unambiguous terms of a written agreement for supply of fuel,” the complaint states. Edward Miller bought the Ossining gas

station in 1991. His business includes car repair and inspection services and a convenience store. SEI, of Houston, is a subsidiary of 7-Eleven Inc. It sells a billion gallons of fuel annually, according to its website, to 1,400 dealers in 22 states. It offers fuels from more than a dozen brands, from BP to Valero. The dispute concerns a contract originally negotiated with Apache Oil Co. in 2012, requiring Miller’s to buy Gulf Oil products for eight years “OR” 7.5 million gallons, whichever occurred first. The “or” was capitalized, according to the complaint, to emphasize the importance of flexible terms. Miller’s also received a $75,000 no-interest loan that would be repaid at 1-cent per

gas, car repairs and convenience store sales. The new supply agreement began on Feb. 1, according to the complaint, and Miller’s removed the Gulf signs. Miller’s acknowledges that it still owes SEI a portion of the $75,000 loan, but claims that SEI has not provided a final settlement statement. Miller’s accuses SEI of breach of contract and unjust enrichment. It is asking the court to declare that the supply agreement is terminated, that Miller’s is not obligated to buy more fuel from SEI and that SEI is not entitled to collect any payments. SEI did not immediately respond to a request for its side of the story. Miller’s is represented by White Plains attorneys Jeffrey I. Carton and Amber T. Wallace.

gallon of gas sold, and allowed Apache to process credit card transactions for fuel, auto maintenance services and the convenience store. Last year, Apache sold its business to SEI. Miller’s decided to get a new fuel supplier, according to the complaint, and notified SEI that it would not renew when the contract expired on Jan. 31. By then, the Ossining gas station had sold more than 4 million gallons of Gulf gas. SEI allegedly responded that the contract was not terminated and Miller’s had to buy more than 3 million gallons of Gulf gasoline or pay $1 million for lost profits. SEI also withheld more than $80,000 from credit card transactions, Miller’s claims, for

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WPH and other hard-hit hospitals coping with COVID-19 BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com

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report from the American Hospital Association paints a stark picture of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the U.S. health care system, especially the hospitals where the frontline battle against the disease has been fought. From March 1 to June 30, the AHA estimates a total financial impact of $202.6 billion in losses for America’s hospitals and health systems. The report recounts that confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. reached 1,000 by March 11. By March 27, the total had grown to 100,000 and by April 28 the number topped 1 million. The effect of the virus

Michael Palumbo

on daily life was swift and catastrophic, not only for those afflicted with the disease and their families, but for society as a whole with the imposition of strict social distancing practices, stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. Hospitals sustained revenue losses as elective surgeries and standard procedures were eliminated. The association estimated that as a result of canceled hospital services, U.S. nonfederal hospitals stand to lose approximately $161.4 billion in revenue over the four months from March to June. Losses in revenue were coupled with sharp increases in the number of incoming patients and costs for hospitals since the beginning of the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the cumulative hospitalization rate to be

29.2 per 100,000 people. The hospitalization rate for Medicareaged individuals was estimated at 95.5 people per 100,000 with adults aged 50-64 having a hospitalization rate of 47.2 people per 100,000 population. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that the cost of treating a COVID-19 patient could begin at more than $20,000 and soar to more than $88,000 for those who require a ventilator. A study by FAIR Health estimated the average cost of treating patients with commercial insurance coverage to be $38,221. On May 11, Rep. Nita Lowey whose 17th Congressional District includes Rockland and part of Westchester, announced that eight hospitals in the district would receive $265.7 million in federal funding for expenses associated with treating COVID-19 patients. This is on top of $5.26 billion that had previously been announced in federal funding for 90 New York hospitals. White Plains Hospital will receive $65,283,067 from the new round of funding. Susan Fox, president and CEO of the hospital, said, “As a hospital in the epicenter of the COVID outbreak, we have been in this fight from the beginning, caring for more than 1,200 inpatients and countless other patients in the emergency department with the virus.” The effect of the virus on hospitals’ bottom lines, however, pales in comparison with the effect on people, including patients and hospital staff members trying to save their lives. “I don’t think I’ve encountered a physician, an administrator, a nurse who doesn’t agree they never expected to see anything like this in their career,” Dr. Michael Palumbo, executive vice president and chief medical officer of White Plains Hospital told the Business Journal. “It is of monumental significance. We at the hospital always have emergency management plans in place. We maintain them. We do mock drills on them but they couldn’t possibly have adequately prepared us for what we were very quickly faced with.” Palumbo said the planning provided the necessary structure for activating the response to the crisis that was unfolding. He explained that proper disaster response hinges on organizational structure so that an institution is able to assign tasks, know that things are being worked on and maintain centralized command. “One of the first things we did when this started was set up a hotline for the community,” Palumbo said. He said the hotline was extensively promoted through social media, the city of White Plains and among community groups. People could call 24 hours a day and get up-to-the-minute information about the outbreak and if they were concerned » HOSPITALS

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Not just strictly business

Welcome to Beyond Biz, the Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journals’ new section of Lifestyles offerings.

If the journals are your meat and potatoes for all things strictly business in our region, Beyond Biz is your just desserts – a menu that features profiles of business leaders’ other passions and pursuits, escapes to fabulous destinations and ways not only to cultivate your homes and gardens but to maintain your well-being. So sit back and savor.

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Beyond Biz “AFTER A 38-YEAR CAREER, I’m happy to announce that I’ve officially decided to retire and begin a new stage of my life,” wrote Westchester County insurance supremo, Markham Rollins III, on his blog, back in December 2018. Until his recent “retirement,” and I put the word in quotation marks advisedly, Rollins was a fourth-generation insurance broker, working at the Rye Brook insurance company founded by his great-grandfather in 1910. Rollins and his brother in turn bought their own father out of the business when he retired at 65, and together the brothers kept the business going. But when his father passed away, aged 80, Mark Rollins really started to think in earnest about his own retirement, because, frankly, his Dad’s hadn’t gone too well. “He struggled with it,” says Rollins touchingly. “He lost his identity, his huge community of people, and he wasn’t really sure of what to do with the 40 hours of free time which came his way each week. He lost his way.” Mark’s wife, Jody, whose corporate background was a good foil to his own less structured one, was starting to think about her own future, too. “I was always told that when you retire, you sit back, you take it easy and you enjoy the fruits of your labor,” Mark says. But he and Jody quickly discovered that the opposite was going to be true, and from that realization, Retirement Transformed, a coaching service to help you get the most out of that next chapter in your life, flowered. Jody herself spent 30 plus years in a Fortune 200 financial services company, managing teams, driving strategy, managing profit and loss and dealing with customers and claims. The couple married 10 years ago and have six children between them, Jody’s three daughters and Mark’s three sons, from former marriages. And however hard they have worked at their respective careers, what is clearly evident from Mark’s Facebook page is all the hard work that has also gone into making theirs a harmonious, happy family. (At least one key to success in pre-COVID days, offers Mark — Sunday dinners where mobile phones are banned from the table.) The couple retired officially, rather endearingly, on the very same day (Dec. 31, 2018) and jumped into their new project fulltime. “Well, I say full-time,” says Jody, “but while we are working together building this business, I am also involved in a company called SheEo (a global community of women radically transforming how female innovators are financed and supported), and I also mentor at a nonprofit called Women in America.” And as if all of this were not enough, Jody has decided to go back to school and is getting her applied cognitive psychology degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Mark mentions how he and Jody bring different skill sets to the table. “I’m an entrepreneur,” he says, “so I build things, make

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RETIREES IN BLOOM BY JEREMY WAYNE

Jody and Mark Rollins at home on a recent Zoom call. Photograph by Madeline Specht.

things happen — trial and error, trial and error.” That was the way he grew his business. “I was a salesman. We ran a great company, great strategy. But Jody, on the other hand, comes from corporate America, where there’s got to be a process, an order and things have to make sense. So when we sit down to discuss the business, I’m like, We’ve just got to try this, and Jody is like, But what if doesn’t work?” And, somehow, they thrash it out until conclusions are reached and strategies devised. Mark says Jody brings skills to the business, skills that he doesn’t necessarily have, and because of their distinct talents they’re not trampling on each other’s feet. Each has his or her own particular area to deal with. When I suggest that they are ‘masquerading’ as retirees, since indeed they are busier than ever, Jody is quick to point out that, given

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they have six kids between them, she doesn’t feel that anyone would say they are “busier than ever.” However, she does acknowledge that traditional retirement (which they tried briefly) didn’t really work for them. They found that aimless days, “every day a Saturday,” didn’t play well in their health and well-being mindfulness, that as they connected with prospective clients, both older and younger people considering retirement, the typical image of floral shirts, shorts and margaritas held little appeal. And as they went out to focus groups and looked at surveys and came into contact with people with similar mindsets, in situations like theirs — people about to retire or just retired — it only seemed to confirm a need for the Retirement Transformed product. Mark expressed how the word, retirement originally implied the end of one’s working life

and therefore the end of one’s usefulness. The first known use of the word in its current sense was in 1550, he told me, and was almost a synonym for expiration, or death. Jody added, “quite honestly, we wanted to remove the word ‘retirement’ completely.” She likes the Spanish word for retirement, ‘jubilación’, which conveys joy, celebration and a certain richness in one’s later years, but admits they are stuck with the word ‘retirement’ because of search engine optimization and “all the other ways people find you around the world.” That said, she would like to create a movement, where people aren’t looking to retire traditionally, but instead share wisdom, stay active, grow their minds, search out new friends and experience, travel and, of course, spend time with family. While this might seem obvious to many, the Rollinses are convinced that in most cases it has to be taught. The Retirement Transformed program itself can be accessed in several ways, including an online course, for purchase, which can be done as self-learning, at the client’s own pace. It comes complete with hours of video, dozens of worksheets and practical “How Tos”. Online teaching goes through several phases, including reflection, physical wellness, relationships, spouse/partner relationship and mental wellness. Then a vision is defined and a plan developed. The Rollinses also do one-on-one coaching, an even higher-end product for clients who really want a one-hour a week call, every week, for 14 weeks, to go through the same process but also to be held accountable, with pretty strict guidelines, supplemented by additional material and insights not found in the online course. A live workshop which they used to offer has been temporarily replaced by Zoom calls but will likely return once the pandemic is over. Still incredulous at their energy and commitment, I probe again to see what motivates the couple. “I realized that after retirement we might have another 30 years ahead of us,” says Jody. “And if we were to have had written our obituaries right then, they would have been robust, what with our careers, managing a blended family, our involvement with philanthropy in the community — all of those buckets would have been filled to the brim. But if we took a traditional form of retirement, then 30 years from now — going out to lunch, playing golf, having a few vodkas tonics — we weren’t sure what our children would be able to write about us.” As things stand, the only problem their kids will have down the line, is fitting it all in. Because Mark and Judy Rollins, it strikes me, will achieve as much or more in their very fulfilled “retirements” as most of us will manage to achieve in a lifetime. For more information, go to markhamrollins. com


Beyond Biz

V IS FOR VICTORY — AND VEGETABLES BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA

IT WAS AGRICULTURAL SCIENTIST GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER who came up with the idea of a victory garden — growing fruits and vegetables to sustain and buoy the home front, an idea that took off in World Wars I and II. Today the idea of a victory garden — or a cooperative garden for those who find the term “victory garden” too militaristic — is catching on again as Americans worry about food insecurity in the age of the coronavirus. But how do you turn farm to table into backyard to table? For answers, we turned to Luis Colchado, owner of Colchado Landscaping LLC, with more than 20 years experience in Fairfield and Westchester counties, and a subcontractor with Sweet Earth Co. in Bedford. (Truth in advertising: Luis is also our contractor.) First, he says, you must place your vegetable bed in a sunny spot near a water source. “Sun (eight to 10 hours daily) is one of the essential factors for you to create strong, healthy vegetables, free of fungus.” In addition to a water source for easy daily irrigation, you’ll need a compost box for your organic fertilizer, which you will use once a week. Waste such as vegetable peels can also

be used to nourish your crop, he says. For a family of five, a garden bed of about 1,076 square feet will suffice. Place a 4-foot fence around it to keep out pests, with one gated opening so you can cultivate the plants. Place aromatic plants around the perimeter to deter pests further. The next step is to create five boxes for your vegetables. Each should be 30 feet long by 4 feet wide by 1 and ½ feet deep. “We usually make the boxes with pressuretreated wood to keep the garden safe, because if you were to use untreated wood, they would not last.” Put gravel in the bottom of each box, followed by a black landscaping liner to drain excess water. Then fill each box with a mixture of black topsoil, peat moss and compost. Now you’re ready. May is a good time to plant your summer yield. Plant rows of seeds, allowing for a little space between each plant and noting what you’ve planted in each box. You can plant different vegetables in one box, Colchado says, but you must note what’s in each box so the next season you can practice crop rotation to ensure strong plants. Among the vegetables that do well in our area are summer squash or

Jody gardens and Markcan Rollins homeaon a recent Local vegetable give at people sense of Zoom call. Photograph by Madeline accomplishment and security as theySpecht. did in wartime. Photographs courtesy Colchado Landscaping LLC.

zucchini, beans, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and cucumbers. (Once you’ve harvested these in summer, you can plant your winter root vegetables.) Alternate rows of vegetable plantings with aromatic herbs to keep insects away from your vegetables — basil with tomatoes, for instance — although you’ll want to watch for insects to

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protect your herbs as well. Be patient. Gardening is a long, unpredictable, labor-intensive process. But ultimately, the rewards can be great, particularly at a moment when we’re being asked to contribute. For more, call 914-424-9620, 203-7158484 or visit colchadolandscaping.com.

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Beyond Biz

A LIFE LIVED THROUGH DINING BY JEREMY WAYNE LIKE T.S. ELIOT’S PRUFROCK, I often feel as I have measured out my life in — coffee spoons — restaurant coffee spoons, that is. As regular readers of WAG may have seen in my potted biography at the front of the magazine, I began my “professional” career at age 6, when I invented a game called Restaurants, played at English teatime, in which I would “order” cheese on toast or scrambled eggs, which my late mother would then patiently cook and serve. She was a good as well as gracious cook, a rare combination indeed, and she doubled as a pretty waitress, smiling contentedly with a mother’s love and indulgence when the precocious budding critic within me awarded the restaurant 10 out of 10 — which he invariably did. Around the time I turned 9, we took a family vacation to Spain. At a restaurant in Seville, one of those rather dispiriting “tipico” restaurants designed for tourists, where the laminated plastic menu appeared in several languages, each indicated by its national flag, the typically Spanish entrées featured fish and chips and roast chicken. The chicken came in two portion sizes — either a whole chicken or a half. “I’ll have the whole chicken,” ventured squeaky-voiced, obnoxious little me, without having even been asked. “Jeremy,” my father said gently, looking down at me querulously through his blackrimmed specs, “is that wise?” He reasonably suggested that a whole chicken might turn out to be overly large. Wouldn’t it make sense to start with half a chicken? Then, if I was still hungry, he would happily order me another half. Eminently fair and sensible, but little Jeremy did not agree. “I want a whole chicken,” I said, my voice becoming a little squeakier and my little foot stamping under the table. “Let’s just start with a half, like Daddy says,” put in my mother, in that annoying way parents have of making it sound as if they are the parent and you are just a child. “No,” I said, “absolutely not. It must be a whole chicken and, if not, I’ll… I’ll….” In fact, I did not have a clue what I would do, but suddenly, inspiration grabbed me by the collar of my little pastel blue polo shirt and I jumped up, out of my chair, ran the length of the room and out of the restaurant and into the black Andalusian night. I don’t recall how I was reunited with my family but I do know that I came to no harm and

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Selection of dishes at Chutney Masala. Courtesy Chutney Masala.

my tantrum was quickly forgiven. I also know that, forever after, when I was in a restaurant with my parents, and chicken was on the menu, I would be asked whether I intended ordering the whole bird or just the half. Key moments in my life have been punctuated by restaurants. My first paycheck, earned teaching English during my gap year at a firm of French aeronautical engineers, was blown at La Grande Cascade, the glorious 19th century restaurant located in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. It was a dinner I will never forget. When I arrived in Oxford, England, as an undergraduate — lonely, nervous, knowing nobody — I passed a glorious, circular neoclassical building at dusk on my first day. There through the ground floor windows I could see what looked like people dining, each table set with a beautiful table lamp — such a magnificent setting. “Aha,” I thought to myself, delight replacing anxiety, “with a restaurant like this right in the center of town, I am going to get on just fine in this rather daunting place.” The

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following day, I learned that the building was in fact not a restaurant at all, but the Radcliffe Camera, the magnificent reading room which is now a part of Oxford’s famous Bodleian library. I met my future wife in London’s famous Ivy restaurant, when we found ourselves seated next to each other at a charity dinner. And in July 2000, we marked my appointment as restaurant editor of Condé Nast’s Tatler by ducking into a newly opened restaurant — Alain Ducasse at the Essex House on Central Park South in Manhattan — to dine. The prix fixe lunch for two, which included a bottle of white wine from Long Island but did not include tax or tip, came to a monstrous $540. “Long Island, but short finish,” I remarked wryly on the wine, in my first Condé Nast column, and those last two words were also nearly ascribed to the length of my career on the magazine, when my managing editor saw the size of the lunch bill. Restaurants have always been there for me, a major part of my “professional” career, but also, as for all of us, as places to celebrate special occasions and to buoy us up when

we are feeling, as the Italians say, sotto. Until March of this year, when suddenly, restaurants were no longer there, at least not as we knew them. With the arrival of the pandemic, a temporary measure allowed restaurants in the tristate area a window to open with some restrictions, such as additional spacing between tables, but that window was shortlived. No industry, however, is more resilient or more resourceful than the restaurant industry, and now with virtually all establishments prevented by law from serving guests on the premises but permitted to sell takeout food, scores of restaurants in the region — some of my favorites among them — are selling food and restaurant dishes to go. Here are seven of the best: 273 Kitchen — This charming Greek restaurant in Harrison, does — guess what? — a whole lemon chicken to go. For me, it’s a noclucker, sorry, no-brainer. 273 Halstead Ave., 914-732-3333, 273kitchen.com Roc-N-Ramen’s gyoza dumplings, steamed


Beyond Biz

A DEEP DIVE INTO DIY WINE BY DOUG PAULDING

gua bao buns and ramen all lend themselves to takeout and successful reheating at home. And the community-minded folks at R-N-R just couldn’t be kinder or more accommodating. 19 Anderson St. in New Rochelle, 914-365-2267 rocnramen914.com If you’re hankering for Italian, Rosie’s Bistro Italiano in Bronxville is offering a complimentary bottle of house wine to go with your vodka-laced Penne Russo, succulent Vitello di Martini, or any other of the myriad dishes from its long menu, for curbside pickup evenings except Tuesdays. 10 Palmer Ave., 914793-2000 rosiesbronxville.com Indian cuisine is the best food for takeout in my opinion, as good the next day as the evening before, and the tandoori plates, gluten-free curries and wonderful breads at Navjot Arora’s Indian restaurant, Chutney Masala in Irvington, never disappoint. 76 Main St., 914-591-5500 chutneymasala.com Curbside pickup and delivery are available all day at Hartsdale stalwart, O Mandarin Chinese Cuisine. The Sichuan hotpot tastes as good at home as it does in the restaurant. 361 N. Central Ave., 914-437-9168 omandarin.com Cantonese meets contemporary in this 1840 Tarrytown townhouse. While now is not the time to enjoy the elaborate interior, the Goosefeather’s dry aged beef potstickers and whole roast duck, from the restaurant’s reduced menu, are terrific takeout dishes. 49 E. Sunnyside Lane, 914-8295454, goosefeatherny.com Walter’s Hot Dogs is open for business, via Uber Eats, GrubHub and Doordash delivery, in White Plains at 186 Mamaroneck Ave., 914-3979406, as well as at the original Mamaroneck site on Palmer Avenue. waltershotdogs.com

(alcohol) and carbon dioxide. The juice inside the containers was I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN a dive-into-the-deep-end kind of energetically bubbling throughout the fermentation process, learner. I learned to ride a bike by climbing on my sister’s bike filling the house with a lovely active winery smell. At a point in on a small hill and standing up on the pedals and I was off. I time, when the fermentation slows and the steady bubbling slows learned to play hockey on the ponds and bogs of Massachusetts to a trickle, it’s best to rack the wine. Racking is removing the with considerably older players. And I learned to make wine by wine from the carboy and removing the dead yeast cells. Yeast visiting Prospero Equipment Corp. in Pleasantville and meeting cells consume the sugars in the juice and end up dead in the with the winemaking guy. At the time, I was writing for an process. If the wine is left in contact with these dead yeast cells, international food and wine magazine and had been a regular it can have an adverse effect on the taste. Additionally, secondary reviewer on its wine- tasting panel. Prospero is for real and natural opportunistic yeasts can move in, ruining the supplies large scale commercial winemakers with wine. This fermentation process takes several equipment and can also outfit the newbie days, but each day I was enjoying the home winemaker’s needs. microbiology before my eyes. I told the winemaker/sales I cleaned out a bunch of empty representative there I had visited bottles I had bought and prepared many wineries and had observed for the bottling. I used a siphonthe process many times but had type small-hose-process to never overseen a batch of wine. move the wine into the bottles In the age of Covid-19 and and, with an inexpensive hand social isolation, I have a great corking machine, I compressed at-home project for you — the corks, slid each into the winemaking. It’s educational, throat of a bottle and released it’s fun, it’s scientific in a it, creating that tight wine microbiological kind of way, bottle seal. All wines, especially it smells wonderful and it’s a wine blends, need to sit for a great way to stimulate some while post-bottling to rest and home schooling within the family. allow flavors within the bottle to Plus, when you’re done, you have merge and blend. And the results? I a product you can enjoy for years to wasn’t expecting something brilliant and come. ethereal. But my first winemaking effort Prospero’s winemaker talked me through did work. I have tasted commercially available the process, drew some pictures with notes red and white wines that aren’t as good as mine. and suggested a small book on fermentation. For Making good And I have opened some at parties and watched around $700, I was back in my car with everything homemade wine as guests pour and taste and there have been no I needed, including a couple of five gallon pails of begins with overseeing twisted-up faces. Chardonnay juice, a five gallon pail of Merlot juice crushing and pressing the grapes. Or, like There are also commercial winemaking and another with Cabernet Sauvignon juice — all WAG’s Doug Paulding, operations with all the equipment and a winemaker from crushed and pressed grapes. I am told you make you can skip this on staff for you to go there and make your own a better wine by buying the grapes and overseeing part of the process, wine under the supervision of a pro. The City the process from the start but I opted to skip that buy the wine juice Winery in Manhattan and Westchester Homemade process. I got home and brought everything into and go straight to fermentation. Wine Center in Yorktown Heights will guide you the kitchen, washed the five-gallon glass carboys through every step in their facilities. They require where the fermentation would happen and filled you to make a full barrel of wine. They provide the two of the carboys with the Chardonnay. Two other 720 pounds of grapes of your choice and teach you the crushing, carboys were filled with a Merlot-Cabernet blend. I added the pressing and fermentation before the barrel aging and bottling. recommended yeasts in the appropriate amounts. I attached a A barrel will make 240 bottles of wine. Several visits to the rubber stopper to each carboy, and added a purchased glass complex are required for each step of the process and some of gas pressure reliever that allows for CO2 to be released while the procedures would benefit from a friend or two to assist. It not allowing ambient air into the process. wouldn’t be difficult to find someone to share the process, the I went to bed that night with each carboy sitting expectantly expense and ultimately the wine. in the kitchen. The next morning I opened the bedroom door In any event, this will take you deeper into the world of wine. and was hit with the smell of fresh fermentation. I walked Who says self-isolation can’t be satisfying to the palate? Cheers. down the stairs and it was alive. Each of the four carboys was Write me at doug@dougpaulding.com. actively fermenting, turning the sugars in the juice into ethanol

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Hospitals—

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that they might have contracted it press a number on the phone and be transferred to a health care provider. “I may not have realized it at the time, but that may have been the best thing that we did,” Palumbo said, suggesting that having a source for reliable information helped prevent people having a sense of panic or chaos. “Patients needing emergency care would be steered to the emergency room and we would be prepared to receive them in a safe manner and those that didn’t could be steered to their primary care providers or the appropriate support source depending on what it was.” A flow of reliable information also was important for the hospital’s staff and Palumbo said that regular emails were sent to doctors, nurses, and the board of directors with timely and accurate information regarding what was happening.

“We are licensed for 292 beds. Pre-COVID, in terms of the staff that we need to have here, we generally ran about 250 staffed beds,” Palumbo said. “There were times, whether it was flu season or something else was going on, where our census ran higher.” Palumbo said that when the state ordered all hospitals to increase their bed capacity by 50%, White Plains Hospital moved to bring its staff bed total to 375 and was prepared to go higher. He also said that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo held a conference call with the CEOs of hospitals in the state in which he outlined a plan for all hospitals, private and public, to work together as a statewide system during the crisis. White Plains Hospital participated in the conference and as the pandemic intensified received calls from other hospitals saying that the Department of Health had directed them to transfer patients to White Plains. “This was truly uncharted ter-

ritory and something that seemed foreign to us but we understood the necessity,” Palumbo said. “It gave me great optimism that were this to really have gotten as bad as some of the models predicted, and there would have been many hospitals that would have been overwhelmed, that we were really there to support one another.” The plan is for the cooperation to continue while the number of cases continues to decline and be on stand-by should there be a new wave of the virus. Palumbo explained that White Plains Hospital is fortunate to be in an area that is not as densely populated as sections of the Bronx and Brooklyn where hospitals were overburdened with virus cases. “If you look at the breakdown of number of cases per capita and the mortality rate broken down by borough you see that the Bronx and Brooklyn are particularly challenged and we think that’s because many of the people in

that demographic don’t have good access to routine preventive health care. Consequently, they may be more chronically ill when they contract the virus and be more at risk for hospitalization and even death,” Palumbo said. “While we were significantly busier than we ever dreamed of and came within 20% of needing all 375 beds, we never had more patients than we were able to take care of.” Palumbo said that like other hospitals White Plains Hospital had to deal with intense competition in the marketplace for personal protective equipment (PPE). “Things were in short supply. We were anticipating great need and everyone was ultimately competing with one another to get access to what supplies were there,” Palumbo said. “As a hospital we did fairly well and I’m most proud of the fact that I can say that none of our staff were forced to take care of patients with inadequate PPE. We really believe we had zero to very few employees

acquire infection on the job. We really believe that the PPE was effective and for my role as medical director I see that as one of my chief responsibilities, keeping my staff safe.” Palumbo said that the hospital was able to fill all patients’ needs for respiratory support by adding anesthesia machines, BiPAP machines and high flow nasal oxygen to its supply of ventilators. “I’ve been practicing medicine for 30 years at this point, and I trained through the AIDS epidemic and I saw young people dying from a disease that we didn’t understand very well at the time, but it was not on the scale of this,” Palumbo said. “The lack of having adequate knowledge to understand the disease, understand the best way to treat people, is among the most frustrating things that a physician or nurse can be faced with because we are trained as scientists and we are trained to ask for evidence and understand the risks and benefits.”

proper forum for deciding constitutional issues. She said Moroney failed to make a good faith effort to negotiate a resolution with the agency’s staff or to submit specific requests in writing. Moroney had been given a December deadline to produce records. “Ms. Moroney is not obligated to respond,” her attorney, John H. Bedard Jr. of Duluth, Georgia, stated in a March 19 email to the agency, citing his client’s constitutional arguments. “The law office will not be responding.” Now, for the second time, CFPB is asking federal court to make Moroney produce records. Moroney claims the agency is

targeting legal companies, such as payday lenders, whose businesses it finds objectionable. The agency allegedly uses tactics to choke off business, by pressuring businesses to disclose confidential information, dragging out the regulatory process, stigmatizing the business and intimidating clients. The process itself is meant to be a punishment, the law firm alleges. Just six days after the agency made its second demand for records, according to Moroney’s complaint, CFPB demanded records from a client, FedChex Recovery LLC. Moroney claims that the agency’s actions have driven it to the brink of insolvency. Eight of its 17 employees have been laid off. It is renting an office month-to-month, to avoid a long-term commitment. Ms. Moroney reduced her salary from $155,000 to $104,000. Moroney is asking the court to declare the CFPB unconstitutional and to set aside all actions it has taken against the firm. “Only the judicial branch – and this court in particular – can restore plaintiff’s civil liberties,” the complaint states, “by reestablishing constitutional order and commanding respect for plaintiff’s due process rights.”

In Court | Bill Heltzel Moroney law firm battles fed agency over debt collection records

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he Law Offices of Crystal Moroney in Rockland County and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have filed a new round of legal demands in a three-year stalemate over debt collection records. CFPB petitioned U.S. District Court in White Plains on April 24 for an order compelling Moroney to produce records it has been seeking since 2017, in an investigation of abusive debt collectors. Six days later, Moroney filed an amended complaint in the same courthouse, challenging the very legitimacy of the agency to do its job. The law firm “has been subject to an ongoing series of investigative and enforcement manipulations, delays and dirty tricks,” the complaint states, “that beggar belief in the good faith of the agency.” The Moroney firm, established in 2013 and based in New City, represents clients trying to collect delinquent debts. It tries to amicably negotiate payment terms, according

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to the Moroney complaint, and it furnishes information about debtors to credit reporting agencies, according to the agency. Three years ago, CFPB demanded voluminous records from Moroney for an investigation of whether debt collectors are engaging in unfair, deceptive or abusive practices. Court records do not indicate whether the agency suspected Moroney or its clients of wrongdoing. The law firm produced many redacted records, according to court filings, but it drew the line at confidential client information, arguing that the information is protected by attorney-client privilege. Last year, CFPB asked the court to compel the firm to produce the records. In November, days before a scheduled hearing, the agency withdrew its petition, seemingly ending the dispute. Hours later, it filed a new, nearly identical petition for the same records. Moroney petitioned the agency

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director to set aside the demands, on constitutional grounds, or to modify the requests for records. The law firm argued that CFPB, as an autonomous, independent bureau, is insulated from the checks and balances of the executive and legislative branches. “The rules it makes, the policies it promotes, the enforcement and investigation activities it undertakes, and the quasi-judicial power it exercises,” Moroney contends, “are all shaped and tainted by the unchecked and absolute power of an unconstitutional and unaccountable director.” In February, the agency’s director, Kathleen L. Kraninger, responded that the agency itself was not the


FOCUS ON

REAL ESTATE WESTCHESTER AND FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNALS

Encouraging signs for Fairfield County’s residential real estate market BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com

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hile Fairfield County’s commercial real estate market generally is predicted to take a dive this year as a result of COVID-19, such may not be the case with its residential market. Residential sales may be off at the moment, but rentals are showing resilience. According to the Mid-Fairfield County Association of Realtors, home sales through March 2020 were up 8% over the same three months in 2019 in Norwalk, Westport, Weston and Wilton. April, when the virus proved it wasn’t going away, saw a swoon of some 40% — but rentals were up about 35% compared with the same period in 2019. On a national level, Apartment List reported April’s lowest yearover-year growth rate in five years, 1.4%. Still, that is a positive figure, one which Stamford-based Building and Land Technology said is being

borne out here. “People are definitely still looking for apartments,” said BLT co-President Ted Ferrarone. “It’s just that the logistics have changed. Traditionally we’d get a call from somebody, meet them at our leasing office on a Saturday and take then to four different places. Now that’s all shut down.” Instead, as has been the case with other real estate agents, the firm has turned to virtual tours. “We’ll make an appointment and usually have an agent walk through the particular apartment on their phone to put across what the property has to offer,” Ferrarone said. Although Ferrarone was reluctant to say there has been a mass exodus from New York in the wake of its becoming the virus’ hotspot, other sources indicate that is part of what’s going on. According to FlatRate Moving, between March 15 and April 28, moves from the Empire State to Connecticut were up 74% over the same period a year ago.

In addition, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties reported a 90% rise in lease signings in Wilton, as well as a 75% increase in Westport and about a 27% rise in Greenwich from March 1-April 29. Ferrarone, however, characterized what BLT has been seeing as

mostly an increase in a trend that has been going on for the past few years. “It’s what we’ve been seeing with (Stamford’s) Harbor Point for a while now,” he said. “People want to be able to have some space to do things, and to be able to walk around, while living somewhere that’s more affordable. There are

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bigger apartments, more amenities and open space. It’s a much more effective way to live for a lot of people.” Although the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Great Recession saw a general migration from New York City, Ferrarone said it was still too early to make such judgments about the coronavirus’ effects. “And with commercial tenants, it’s too early for them to make big decisions,” he said. “With apartments, people know what they’re looking for, and there’s a lot of product available. You can definitely find something.” As proof, he noted that The Curb at North 7, BLT’s luxury apartment complex in Norwalk, continues to receive “a lot” of inquiries, while construction continues on apartment towers at 880 Pacific and 900 Pacific St. in Stamford; the project’s combined 615 apartments are still on pace to be completed next year, Ferrarone said. MAY 18, 2020

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Focus On

REAL ESTATE

County Center transforms into a hospital

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Michael P. Rao New York Commercial Realty Group 914-287-6410 mrao@nycrgroup.com

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A view from the top of the facility. Photo courtesy Army Corps of Engineers.

BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com

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hen the Westchester County Center was conceived by the Westchester Recreation Commission in 1924, built at a cost of $785,000 and opened on May 22, 1930, it had a clear purpose as an indoor recreational and entertainment facility to host community programs and income-producing events. Over the years, there have been myriad events from sports to classical concerts. Included have been basketball and indoor football games, boxing matches, college and high school graduations, circus performances, trade shows and exhibitions. Entertainment greats such as Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, James Brown, Kenny Rogers and John Sebastian have performed. Now, 90 years after its opening, the County Center has a new mission at least for the time being: to serve as a hospital facility. It’s a mission that’s expected to last at least until the end of summer and possibly longer if the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies. The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked with transforming the center into alternative care space to help ensure there would be adequate hospital beds in Westchester to care for COVID-19 patients. The project came into being at a time when projections indicated there could be massive shortfall in available beds. Even with hospitals ordered to increase bed capacity by 50% there were fears that the number of seriously ill COVID19 patients would overwhelm the health care system.

The Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the County Center in White Plains had been identified as sites for care facilities. The Army Corps of Engineers’ architects and engineers made visits to the County Center and began to design the layout. A contract for $15 million was awarded to Haughland Energy Group LLC of Melville in March to retrofit the inside of the center with 54 patient care units and erect temporary structures in the parking lot of the facility to house 56 patients. The project was given a 21-day timetable for completion. Both areas were designed and built to resemble a hospital setting. There are rows of individual patient care units or rooms that include beds, privacy walls, medical supplies and equipment. Electrical wiring is concealed in the walls and the rooms have oxygen supply lines. Use of supplemental oxygen and ventilators have been integral to the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The facility has overhead lighting, restrooms, showers, nursing stations, food service and a computer station. There’s an isolation exhaust fan with HEPA filtration outside of the facility, so that contaminated exhaust air within the facility is properly discharged. “I’m working on the Westchester center because I want to help to provide additional hospital space for nurses and doctors to take care of our neighbors who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus,” said Patrick Nejand, quality assurance representative of the Army Corps of Engineers’ New York District. As of May 1, the corps has handled 34 contracts for alternative care facilities across 16 states and the District of Columbia and completed 63 mission assignments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.


Focus On

REAL ESTATE

Will the pandemic fuel more suburban home sales?

ALONE WE CAN DO SO LITTLE TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH. ~Helen Keller

As the global leader in commercial real estate services, CBRE delivers world-class consulting and advisory services to all of our clients in Fairfield/Westchester Counties and beyond. Our unparalleled local market insight, integrated services and proven expertise continue to unlock the power and potential of real estate for everyone we proudly serve. BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com

F

or John Peyton, president and CEO of the real estate and relocation services company Realogy Franchise Group, the COVID-19 pandemic hit too close to home. “I had COVID, as did my wife and my son,” said Peyton during a recent webinar hosted by T3 Sixty, a real estate consulting firm, joking that “the boy wonder was thoughtful enough to bring it home from college with him. Here’s the good news: We’re all fully recovered and none of us had the respiratory issues or the hospitalization issues. It’s a really, really, really, really, really bad flu — and it’s highly contagious. He came home on Sunday, my wife had it on Monday and I had it on Tuesday, and we all tested positive on a Wednesday.” Joining Peyton on the webinar was M. Ryan Gorman, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker, a Realogy brand. And while Gorman did not mirror Peyton’s health crisis, he observed that the large number of people being forced to stay at home during the pandemic is starting to have a significant impact on real estate trends. “Landscapers have never been busier because everyone’s staring at their yard 24 hours a day and saying, ‘Well, I want a new wall here. I want to do something different here,’” he said “From the interior space, the same thing: ‘What if we move this room in this buildout of a home office?’” Gorman added that while retrofitting property was expensive, he believed “those quotes are going to drive a lot of listings” from people who would rather seek properties that meet the needs they acquired during the self-quarantined weeks. “You’ve had a lot of the hottest markets in the country where inventory has been the

most constrained, and also some of the highest traffic markets and some of the ones that skew more toward technology firms that have been a little more open to extending work-fromhome status,” he said. “I think what you’re going to have, including here with New York City, is a lot of people who say, ‘Maybe I need to be in the city three days a week, maybe not five days a week, and maybe that means I don’t need to be 35 minutes on the train, I can be up to 55 minutes on the train — which starts to positively impact affordability trends as well because you’ve had a lot of that inventory constraint driving down affordability.” Gorman also predicted a new chapter in housing affordability will be written “in a way that no one would have predicted” by encouraging work-from-home in suburban markets rather than working in urban centers close to one’s job. Peyton added that an analysis of search terms has increased the terms “firsttime homebuyers” and “suburban homes” — and this could impact the regional real estate scene. “Urban livers in Boston (and) in New York may not even be moving but are looking for second homes,” he said. “And we’re seeing that in Greenwich. We’re seeing that in the Hamptons, we’re seeing that in Westchester.” Peyton pointed out that his company was ready to meet this changing environment, noting swift corporate decisions designed to remain buoyant as state economies shut down one by one. “During a crisis like this, you’ve got to play offense and defense,” he said. “The companies that they sort of go dark really just play defense and are going to struggle to own the upswing that is inevitable. It’s all very public information, but we did salary cuts and hourly cuts and froze 401k contributions — all of the things » SALES

Learn more at cbre.us/stamford

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THE AND ITS AFFILIATES FULLER DEVELOPMENT COMPANY AND LRC CONSTRUCTION WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF THE DEDICATED ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO ARE KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND FUNCTIONING. WE SEE YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.

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Focus On

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Sales—

that one would expect. “We did furloughs,” he continued, “and that was the defense, but at the same time we continue to invest in things that we need to do so that we have momentum coming out of this. We carved out our technology investments — those are ongoing during the pandemic — and we carved out certain new partnerships like we have with AARP.” Gorman acknowledged the Coldwell Banker franchises have been facing rough times since the COVID-19 pandemic metastasized in this country and credited Peyton with encouraging constant contact with franchisees. “One of things I’ve learned a lot from John is his idea of how and when we should communicate — the frequency, the authenticity,” he explained. “If it weren’t for that, I don’t think we would have handled this as well. The amount of daily and weekly communication, what we recommended our broker owners and agents should do with their customers — it was just a sea change and it’s paid off a lot because we’ve had a lot of people tell us that we’re helping them to just de-stress a bit and feel like they’ve got this and can do this.” “I’m talking to more of the owners of our affiliated brands than I’ve ever had time to do before,” Peyton added. “And everyone is feeling the same thing. One of the big things that Realogy is focusing on is the short-term and longterm of how we come back to work. In a shortterm, it is how do you come back to work while the virus is still a threat. But the more exciting piece of work that we’re doing is post-vaccine, right when the world is safe again. We don’t think we’ll go back to work the way we did before, and the way we work going forward — whether it’s at a corporate headquarters or even at a brokerage office — there will be much more blended work.”


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CONTRIBUTING WRITER | By Hugh F. Kelly

A SIX UNIT MULTI-FAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY

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FOR SALE | 23 & 25 Woodland Drive | Greenwich | Listed by Mike Rackenberg | $12,995,000

FOR SALE | 537 N State Road | Briarcliff Manor Listed by Rich Aponte | $2,860,000

FOR SALE | 1137 Boston Post Road | Mamaroneck | Listed by Bryan Lanza | KL Team | $3,349,000

FOR SALE | 460 Bedford Road | Pleasantville Listed by Peter Chen | $2,500,000

FOR SALE | 3256-3258 E Main Street | Mohegan Lake Listed by James Doorhy | $1,800,000

FOR SALE | 306 5th Street | Mamaroneck Listed by Silvio Cangianni | KL Team | $850,000

FOR SALE | 236 Route 9W | Haverstraw Listed by Garry Klein | KL Team | $500,000

FOR LEASE | 450 Mamaroneck Avenue | Harrison Listed by Teresa Marziano | Please call for pricing

FOR LEASE | 660 Saw Mill River Road | Yonkers Listed by Jeffrey Landsman | $6,000 | Mo. | + Utilities

FOR SALE | 90 & 92 S. Highland Avenue | Ossining Listed by Garry Klein | KL Team | $1,600,000

FOR SALE |299 Main Street | Poughkeepsie Listed by Don Minichino | Steve Salomone | $369,900

FOR LEASE | 792 Route 35 | Cross River Listed by Rich Aponte | $32.00 | PS F | MG

FOR LEASE | 2229 Crompond Rd | Cortlandt Manor Listed by Kim Galton | $1,500 | Mo. + Utilities

FOR LEASE | 305 & 307 Main Street |Poughkeepsie Listed by Rick Tannenbaum | $14.00 | PSF | MG

800 WESTCHESTER AVENUE, RYE BROOK, NEW YORK 10573 914.798.4900 • HOULIHANLAWRENCE.COM/COMMERCIAL

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One size does not fit all

t a glance, the outlook for the metropolitan economy surrounding New York City couldn’t seem more dire. No place on earth has been hit harder by COVID-19. America has more cases (1,212,123, or 34% of the global total) and deaths (71,526, or 28% of the global total) than anywhere else on the planet. As of May 5th, the city and the downstate counties accounted for 25% of all novel coronavirus cases in the 50 states. Suddenly, it appears, some of the greatest strengths of our metro economy have turned into liabilities. The very density that has generated our consumer market power, the network of transportation arteries that facilitate our ability to live, work and play together, the diversity of entertainment, cultural, and recreational opportunities, all seem to have conspired to make this metro area a petri dish for viral transmission. It does no good to ignore those facts or to attempt to minimize them. But neither does it make sense to ignore the factors that undergird the metro area’s resiliency. There is a temptation, particularly by those outside the region, to characterize metro New York simplistically. Those of us living here are more impressed with its kaleidoscopic diversity in population, in economic activity and in its real estate profile. My research on “24-hour cities” shows that the “bright lights/big city” stereotype is such an oversimplification. The fact is that the most vibrant downtowns support the greatest number of thriving suburbs. Once pinpointed as a statistical phenomenon, this relationship makes great sense, for households, for businesses, and for economic developers. Why? Because of the range of choice afforded by our complex network of urban and suburban locations. Prior to the COVID-19 onslaught, for instance, surging housing costs in upscale Manhattan was supporting increased demand for more affordable residential choices in Westchester communities such as Yonkers, New Rochelle and White Plains, as well as in New York City’s outer boroughs. Working patterns, too, were quietly altering. MTA data showed both “reverse commuting” increasing and journey-to-work volumes rising for suburb-to-suburb commutes in recent years. This reflects positive regional adaptation to change, far superior to beggar-thy-neighbor economic policies seeking to poach growth from other municipalities within the metro region. A wide distribution in the level of commercial rents across the region provides businesses with an array of occupancy choices. The live-work-play paradigm has been spreading beyond the region’s core for more than a decade. Another misunderstanding: “superstar cities” are great for privileged, white-collar professionals, but terrible for workers who provide critical support services for the elite. There is no denying the stark income gap that

prevails in the New York area. But New York ranks only 8th among large U.S. cities, and many find it surprising that the three MOST unequal income places are Atlanta, New Orleans, and Miami. Greater inequality is spreading more rapidly in California, Texas, Florida and other Sunbelt locations than here in the New York metro region. Much has been written about disproportionate burden carried during the coronavirus crisis by transit workers, hospital workers at all levels, cops and firefighters, grocery workers, and those in the distribution chain bringing food and e-commerce purchases to those sheltering in place. But prior to the pandemic disruption, New York regional job growth in education and health care services, and “other services” (including personal services such as barbers and salons, childcare workers, recreation and fitness workers) grew at rates higher than information business, financial activities, and wholesale/retail trade. Registered nurses were paid 35 percent above the U.S. average. Average hourly wages for food service workers in the New York metro were 15 percent higher than the national norm. Even the technology-threatened job of bank teller saw hour income 8 percent higher in New York than elsewhere. One likely effect of the COVID-19 crisis could be greater attention on closing the gap in pay experienced by low-income workers. Across the entire spectrum of occupations, metro New York wages are 24 percent higher than the U.S. standard. However, costs for essentials like housing and food locally far outstrip U.S. averages, by 38 percent in the case of housing and by 11 percent for food. Let’s keep some historical perspective as well. If New York could rebound from the disastrous 1970s, there is reason for hope that we will overcome our current troubles. Our discipline during this crisis is bringing the region’s public health crisis down, even as other more impatient areas of the country are “opening up” in the face of their expanding numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths. In the coming year, New York could actually be perceived as a safer choice than many Sunbelt metros. With a longer view, consider London. In Elizabethan times, the bubonic plague struck London in 1603. Shakespeare was driven from the city as its theaters closed. Yet masterpieces like “Macbeth,” “Antony and Cleopatra,” and “King Lear” debuted in 1606 once the epidemic subsided. We do need to think beyond the darkness of the present, knowing that the structural strengths of metro New York have been temporarily eclipsed but that eclipses do pass in a limited space of time. Hugh F. Kelly, Ph.D., CRE, is the director of graduate programs and Executive Advisory Council Curriculum Committee chair of the Fordham Real Estate Institute. He can be reached via email at hkelly10@fordham.edu.


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Good Things CAREMOUNT’S PCR AND COVID-19 ANTIBODY TESTING CareMount Medical P.C. — which was founded in Mount Kisco is the largest independent multispecialty medical group in New York state, providing comprehensive medical care to over 665,000 patients in more than 45 offices throughout Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Columbia, and Ulster counties and New York City, —has availability to test patients without any restrictions through its urgent care and office locations throughout New York. A complete list of open office locations can be found at caremountmedical.com. CareMount patients who want to be tested can walk into a CareMount Urgent Care location or schedule a virtual visit with their provider online or by calling 1-833-5250221. Non-CareMount patients can visit a CareMount Urgent Care location for evaluation and testing. There are currently two types of Covid-19 testing available. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing results are returned within 24-72 hours. The test is done by putting a swab into your nose. Antibody testing for Covid-19 antibody detection is also available through a blood draw. Complete results are turned around within 72 hours. All results will be communicated back to those tested by their provider’s office to discuss what the results mean and any next steps. “Patients can feel comfortable knowing they are working with their personal providers to get the care they need through this pandemic and beyond…, said Scott D. Hayworth, M.D., president and CEO of CareMount Medical.

Westchester and Fairfield Counties

CONTACTLESS CHILDREN’S BOOK DRIVE FOR CLC OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY

Anthony J. Enea

ELDER LAW ATTORNEY HOSTS WEBINAR ON ESTATE PLANNING IN A COVID-19 WORLD

Talia Kunin and Lorenzo Mazzara, co-founders and volunteers.

A group of enthusiastic, compassionate high school student volunteers, the Westhill Angels, have organized a contactless children’s book drive. The books will be distributed to the families of Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC) as well as some of the children of hospital workers, who are temporarily being cared for and educated at CLC by some of the teachers. Books will be picked up from the bottom of the donor’s driveway by the

Westhill Angel volunteers, who will wear masks and gloves. The books will be held in storage for several days to ensure safety and cleanliness. Westhill High School rising senior Lorenzo Mazzara founded Westhill Angels, together with his peers Nate Cooper, Talia Kunin and Gaurov Bansal. The group began by fundraising for Stamford Health and has now expanded, providing some meals for teachers at Children’s

Learning Centers. Marc Jaffe, CEO of CLC, said, “providing care and education to the children of our health care workers is crucial in stopping the spread of COVID-19. We are extremely pleased to be able to provide this support so our health care workforce can focus on what we all need them to be doing right now.” Do you have children’s books you no longer need? Email lorymaz17@gmail.com.

CLC OPENS PROJECT 26 FOR CHILDREN OF STAMFORD HEALTH

GRANT FUNDS CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIPS The Child Care Council of Westchester (CCCW) recently created the CCCW First Responders and Essential Workers Child Care Scholarship Fund for Westchester first responders and essential workers who are working during this pandemic and need help paying for childcare. The fund, good till May 15, was created with grants from The Westchester Community Foundation (a division of The New York Community Foundation) and the RXR RealtyCOVID Relief Fund. “Westchester’s first responders and essential workers shouldn’t be over-burdened by childcare costs as they work to serve and protect others during this emergency,” said Kathy Halas, executive director of the Child Care Council of Westchester

Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.

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On Friday, May 22 at 11 a.m., Westchester County elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano LLP in White Plains and Somers will host a free webinar on “Pandemics and Planning: Steps You Can Take Right Now to Protect Your Estate.” Attendees will learn what can be done from home to protect their assets and ensure their health care wishes are followed, including which estate planning documents are most critical. “Obtaining legal services while at home is possible thanks to an executive order by Governor Cuomo that temporarily allows remote witnessing and notarizing in New York state,” explained Enea, who has spent 35 years protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families. “All estate planning documents can now be executed remotely via audiovideo conferencing platforms.” Enea is chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Senior Lawyers Section and president of the Westchester County Bar Foundation. Registration for the webinar is free, but space is limited. Those interested in attending can reserve a spot at bxtimes.com/estate.

TEENS CREATE VIRUS VIDEO

CLC Project 26 Team, front row: Linda Barge, education manager, and Mary Ann Ginise; back row: Sharay Coley, Sandi Docimo, Natividad Colon and Nathalie Tocci. Not pictured: Amy Hunter, Nancy Ollie, Yellice Quintero, Bernarda Mendieta, Ruth Sanchez, Kayla Ponder, Shaquila Bruno, Marie Marseille and Francisco Otero.

Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County (CLC) has been identified by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) as an operation site for its statewide initiative, Project 26. Currently, CLC is one of over 28 sites throughout the state participating in the program, also called CTCARES for Hospital Workers. The initiative was facilitated by the OEC at the request of Gov. Lamont and evolved through existing community partnerships between currently licensed childcare facilities and hospitals to ensure hospital staff has

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childcare close to their work. Connecticut’s Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye said 50% of the calls to the state’s 211 helpline are from hospital workers looking for childcare. Bye noted a $3 million private donation is now supporting 29 hospitals through 4CT, Connecticut’s charity connection. Currently, CLC is providing remote support to enrolled families, but its Palmers Hill location recently re-opened as a Project 26 site to welcome the children of Stamford Health. Chief Executive

Officer Marc Jaffe calls these frontline workers the “warriors” in the fight against COVID-19. CLC’s staff team is being led by Mary Basso, director of Child Development Program, and Linda Barge, education manager for the Child Development Program. CLC is more than an early childhood education center; it is “an economic engine,” explained Jaffe. “We enable more parents of young children to work than any other nonprofit in southwest Connecticut.”

Hoping to make a difference during Covid-19 quarantine and concerned their peers were getting antsy to get out and socialize, Mount Kisco-based Northern Westchester Hospital’s (NWH) President’s Junior Leadership Council (PJLC) produced a video encouraging teens to social distance and have fun at the same time (youtube.com/watch?v=L0-9yp54HZU). The video stars students at high schools throughout northern Westchester enjoying at-home activities that include dancing, painting, playing basketball and cooking. The NWH PJLC is a leadership organization that helps high school students in northern Westchester connect to their community; promotes the health, safety and wellbeing of adolescents and young adults; and engages them on issues that matter to them and affects their lives.


BEACON CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS ZONING CHANGES

HONOR CHAMPIONS YOUTH WORKERS

Thomas J. Rechen

TWO MCCARTER & ENGLISH ATTORNEYS SERVE TWO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATIONS McCarter & English partner Thomas J. Rechen recently accepted the gavel as president of the Hartford County Bar Association, the oldest bar association in the nation. He is a member of the firm’s litigation and intellectual property practices in Hartford and has been in practice for more than 30 years. Joseph Cherico, managing partner of McCarter’s Stamford office is the current president of the Fairfield County Bar Association. Rechen commented, “It is a unique time to take over the helm of the Hartford County Bar Association as we address the many changes our profession faces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue work within our community and will offer workshops on topics ranging from online depositions, to career networking for young lawyers, to safeguarding the mental wellness of all lawyers.” Both Rechen and Cherico exemplify the firm’s commitment to the legal profession as well as to community service.

NHW PHYSICIAN ELECTED PRESIDENT NYS MEDICAL SOCIETY Radiologist Bonnie Litvack, M.D. was elected president of the Medical Society of the State of New York today. Litvack is director of women’s imaging at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, which is part of Northwell Health. A cum laude graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Litvack earned her medical degree at Albany Medical Center. She completed both her internal medicine internship and her diagnostic radiology residency at Stony Brook University and a magnetic resonance imaging/body imaging fellowship at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. She is certified in diagnostic radiology by the American Board of Radiology. Under Litvack’s leadership, the Women’s Imaging Center at Northern Westchester Hospital has been acclaimed as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology.

A Friend’s House

According to the National Collaboration for Youth, a youth worker is an individual who works with or on behalf of youth to facilitate their personal, social and educational development and enable them to gain a voice, influence and place in society as they make the transition from dependence to independence. Brian Durand, co-organizer of the Thank a Youth Worker Day Steering Committee in Orange County, commented on HONOR, where young workers work each day, “Everyone can point to a youth worker

who had an impact in their life, formally as part of a youth-serving organization or informally as a coach, mentor or friend. We need to thank those who mentor our youth and celebrate their contributions to our communities.” HONOR’s homeless and runaway shelter for youth 17 and under, A Friend’s House, is the only temporary housing facility of its kind, since 1974, in Orange County providing a safe haven at 138 Seward Ave. in Middletown. “On behalf of HONOR and the youth

we have the privilege to serve we would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the entire staff in our A Friend’s House Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter.” said Chris Molinelli, executive director of HONOR. Just before a young girl was successfully discharged from the shelter she shared the following words with the staff: “I don’t want to leave I’ve never been able To do that before: Call a place “home….”

GREYSTONE PROGRAMS EXPANDS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Greystone Programs in Hopewell Junction recently announced the appointment of Barbara Passaro, owner and director of The Children’s Playhouse; David DeVito, commercial real estate lender at M&T Bank; and Paul Austin, senior manager of WebSphere Development at IBM, to its board of directors. Established in 1979 by Marc W. Kelley, Greystone offered the first privately run residence in New York state for people living with autism. The nonprofit serves more than 600 children, adults and families living with autism and other developmental disabilities across five Hudson Valley counties. “We are delighted to welcome Barbara, David and Paul to our board of directors,” said Skip Pryce, CEO of Greystone Programs. “We are anchored and inspired by their passion, diverse experience and unwavering commitment to helping Greystone enrich the lives of those we serve.” Since 1991, Passaro has owned and operated The Children’s Playhouse, a New York state-licensed group family

Paul Austin, Barbara Passaro, David DeVito

daycare based in Dutchess County. DeVito, who has worked for the M&T Bank since 2015, focuses on new business development for prospects and existing developers and investment real estate customers, throughout the Hudson Valley.

With more than 30 years of experience at IBM, Austin currently serves as a manager of a team of software developers. In 2015, he was inspired by the work of Specialisterne and worked to diversify IBM’s hiring pool to include people with autism.

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On May 4, the Beacon City Council enacted changes to the city’s central Main Street zone, to limit fourth floors on Main Street to projects that provide specific public benefits. The City Council eliminated fourth floors as a matter of right and instead gave to the City Council or Planning Board the discretion to approve a fourth floor only where there is a specific public benefit. Such public benefits could include providing public green space, job-creating commercial space on upper floors, affordable housing, public parking and green building features. Mayor Lee Kyriacou, said, “Tonight the City Council unanimously took another major step to better manage development on Main Street. By eliminating fourth floors as a matter of right and instead requiring a public benefit in return, the new zoning should both limit fourth floors and generate public improvements on Main Street. “While COVID-19 is far and away the most pressing challenge facing us right now, the city has continued to advance our planning for the future and in particular for better managing development while addressing its repercussions. These zoning changes should both limit excessive height and lay a path for public benefit improvements on Main Street.”

MILLER HOUSE EARNS AWARD The National Association of County Park and Recreational Officials (NACPRO) has selected the newly reopened Miller House in North White Plains as a recipient of a 2020 Award in the Historical/Cultural Facility category. Following a $3.5 million capital project, the historic house, a Westchester County Park property best known to have housed General George Washington on three occasions during the American Revolution, was re-opened to the public Oct. 28, 2019. The re-opening ceremony took place on the 243rd anniversary of the Battle of White Plains. Two descendants of the Miller family were in attendance. Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to restore this piece of Westchester’s great history and happy to see the public’s enthusiasm for the house and the interpretive programs that our Parks Department has coordinated there….” Originally built in 1738 by John Miller, the house is set up as it was in 1776 when his son Elijah Miller and his wife Anne Fisher Miller were its residents. Artifacts in the house are the table and chair reportedly used by the General during his stay there. MAY 18, 2020

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Facts & Figures

westchester county

BANKRUPTCIES National Union Fire Insurance Co., Pittsburgh v. Douglas A. Familia, Yonkers. 20-6249-RDD: Chapter 7 adversary proceeding, fraud, $585,000. Attorney: Scott A. Levin. 2178 Atlantic Realty LLC, Monsey. 20-22623-RDD: Chapter 11, single asset real estate in Brooklyn, assets and liabilities $1 million to $10 million. Attorney: Barry D. Haberman. Solomon Hershkowitz, Monsey. 20-22627-RDD: Chapter 7, individual debtor, business debt, assets $499,950, liabilities, $1,645,882. Attorney: Robert M. Fox. U.S. District Court White Plains May 6-12 Red Apple Dental PC, Montgomery v. Hartford Financial Services Group, Hartford, Connecticut, et al. 7:20-cv-3549PMH: class action, insurance, $5 million. Attorney: Daniel J. Walker. Daniel Guncay, Ossining v. Toll Brothers Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania, et al. 7:20-cv-3554-NSR: personal injury, $4 million. Attorney: Tara A. Tully. Michael Terpin, Los Angeles v. Ellis Pinsky, Irvington. 7:20-cv3557-CS: RICO, cybercrime, $9.9 million. Attorney: Cornelius P. McCarthy. Melanie Fedele, Staten Island v. Marist College, Poughkeepsie. 7:20-cv-3559-VB: class action, contract, $5 million. Attorney: Philip L. Fraietta. Rehan Chaudhri, Bedford Corners v. Gordon Investments Ltd., Cyprus, et al. 7:20-cv-3562PMH: contract, $2.5 million. Attorney: Gavin P. Lentz. Bridget Mondelli, Pine Bush v. Walmart Stores Inc., Bentonville, Arizona, et al. 7:20-cv-3564CS: removal, personal injury. Attorney: John R. Petrowski

Items appearing in the Fairfield County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken. Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to: Larry Miles c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 701 Westchester Ave, Suite 100 J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3699

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Colony Insurance Co., Richmond, Virginia v. 423-425 Wilmot LLC, New Rochelle. 7:20-cv-3568-NSR: insurance, $255,086. Attorney: William F. Stewart. USA v. Sarah E. Glaister, Salt Point. 7:20-cv-3581-NSR: Bank Secrecy Act, $2,026,969. AUSA Samuel Dolinger. USA v. John K. Glaister, Salt Point 7:20-cv-3583-NSR: Bank Secrecy Act, $121,669, AUSA Samuel Dolinger. Nickesha Thomas, Brooklyn v. Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry. 7:20-cv-3584-VB: class action, contract, $5 million. Attorney: Philip L. Fraietta. Lisa Taibi-Goss c/o New Paltz law firm v. St. Christopher’s Inn Inc., Garrison. 7:20-cv-3637PMH: Americans with Disabilities Act. Attorney: Christopher D. Watkins.

DEEDS Above $1 million JJE33 Holding LLC, New York City. Seller: Peter Mercurio, South Salem. Property: 73 Old Oscaleta Road, Lewisboro. Amount: $1.6 million. Filed May 8. Metro-North Commuter Railroad Co., New York City. Seller: HPH Fleetwood LLC, et al, White Plains. Property: MacQuesten Parkway North, Mount Vernon. Amount: $2.5 million. Filed May 6. Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc., Morris Plains, New Jersey. Seller: Alberto Modolo, et al, Scarsdale. Property: 102 Woodruff Ave., Eastchester. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed May 8.

Below $1 million 157 Grand LLC, Jersey City, New Jersey. Seller: Marlon Rose, Yonkers. Property: 33 Chatham Terrace, Yonkers. Amount: $48,000. Filed May 6. 60 Longview LLC, Tuckahoe. Seller: 380 New Rochelle Road LLC, Eastchester. Property: 70 Fisher Ave., Eastchester. Amount: $650,000. Filed May 6. Acker and Li Mills Corporation 401K Plan, New York City. Seller: Claudette E. Lamelle, et al, Mount Vernon. Property: 315 Tecumseh Ave., Mount Vernon. Amount: $210,000. Filed May 8.

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GSB Morris LLC, Scarsdale. Seller: Alkis Valentin, New York City. Property: 117 Morris St., Yonkers. Amount: $772,500. Filed May 4. Hoboken Management Capital LLC, Brooklyn. Seller: Michael Mosley, Mount Vernon. Property: 217 Tecumseh Ave., Mount Vernon. Amount: $205,000. Filed May 8. HR Elmsford LLC, Bronx. Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP, Irvine, California. Property: 9 Summit St., Greenburgh. Amount: $365,000. Filed May 6. Quinn Management Inc., Scarsdale. Seller: Midfirst Bank. Property: 12 N. Terrace Ave., Mount Vernon. Amount: $210,000. Filed May 6. SDF Capital LLC, Mamaroneck. Seller: Patricia Wagner, et al, Rye Brook. Property: 8 Woodland Ave., Rye. Amount: $369,000. Filed May 8. Signal Hill Estates LLC, Armonk. Seller: John P. Reiner, New York. Property: 601 Bedford Road, North Castle. Amount: $420,000. Filed May 8. Team Mountain LLC, Larchmont. Seller: Denise Silver, Larchmont. Property: 18 Mountain Ave., Mamaroneck. Amount: $925,000. Filed May 6. UIA LLC, Scarsdale. Seller: C2GRE LLC, Ardsley. Property: 7 N. Lawn Ave., Greenburgh. Amount: $281,120. Filed May 6.

Lis Pendens The following filings indicated a legal action has been initiated, the outcome of which may affect the title to the property listed. Amen, Aleida M., et al. Filed by Citibank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $152,500 affecting property located at 6 Diane Court, Cortlandt Manor 10567. Filed Oct. 2. Araya, Jose Patrick, et al. Filed by The Bank of New York Mellon. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $328,000 affecting property located at 229 Granite Springs, Yorktown Heights 10598. Filed Oct. 8. Awner, Sanford, et al. Filed by Bank of America N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $975,000 affecting property located at 67 Mountain Road, Irvington 10533. Filed Oct. 8.

Eblen, Ruth A., et al. Filed by CIT Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $892,500 affecting property located at 279 Bronxville Road, Bronxville 10708. Filed Oct. 7.

Lyne, Jennifer H., et al. Filed by Newrez LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure an unspecified amount affecting property located at 80 Cedar Road, Katonah 10536. Filed Oct. 14.

Beltre, Lucrecia, et al. Filed by HSBC Bank USA N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $200,000 affecting property located at 449 Ellendale Ave., Port Chester 10573. Filed Oct. 3.

Genu Ark Inc., et al. Filed by Harrison Vickers and Waterman LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure an unspecified amount affecting property located at 94 Ridgeview Ave., Yonkers 10710. Filed Oct. 11.

Maher, Maureen, et al. Filed by The Bank of New York Mellon. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $511,547 affecting property located at 37 Storey Lane, Yonkers 10710. Filed Oct. 2.

Bessellieu, Theresa, et al. Filed by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $100,000 affecting property located at 259 E. Fourth St., Mount Vernon 10553. Filed Oct. 16.

Habeeb, Arsalan, as possible heir to the estate of Farhat Q. Habeeb, et al. Filed by Hudson Valley Credit Union. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $190,000 affecting property located at 122 Loder Road, Yorktown Heights 10598. Filed Oct. 8.

Bailey, Llewellyn S., et al. Filed by MTGLQ Investors LP. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $333,000 affecting property located at 407 Union Ave., Mount Vernon 10550. Filed Oct. 15.

Blaine, Kelly, individually and as administratrix to the estate of Diane K. Blaine, et al. Filed by New Penn Financial LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $80,000 affecting property located at 22 Dunderave Road, White Plains 10603. Filed Oct. 11.

Heirs and distributees of the estate of Ann Amadio, et al. Filed by Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $544,185 affecting property located at 179 Woodland Ave., Yonkers 10703. Filed Oct. 3.

Blair, Mitzy Elizabeth, et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $452,000 affecting property located at 158 S. 11th Ave., Mount Vernon 10550. Filed Oct. 9.

Hodges, Leroy, et al. Filed by HSBC Bank USA N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $332,000 affecting property located at 9 Edgewood Ave., Yonkers 10704. Filed Oct. 4.

Calise, Donna, as heir to the estate of Gloria Calise, et al. Filed by Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $682,500 affecting property located at 28 Middlesex Lane, Yonkers 10710. Filed Oct. 16.

Isaza, Octavio, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $170,000 affecting property located at 894 Mile Square Road, Yonkers 10704. Filed Oct. 10.

Calvi, Michael, et al. Filed by Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $500,000 affecting property located at 152 Ridgewood Terrace, Chappaqua 10514. Filed Oct. 7. Casullo, Daniel, et al. Filed by Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $523,000 affecting property located at 118 Round Hill Road, Dobbs Ferry 10522. Filed Oct. 7. Clough, Aaron M., individually and as executor of the estate of Carmelita Clough, et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $225,000 affecting property located at 231 Bryant Ave., Elmsford 10523. Filed Oct. 10. DiFabio, Joseph, et al. Filed by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $350,020 affecting property located at 3 Sylvan Place, New Rochelle 10801. Filed Oct. 15.

Kaplan, Andrew, et al. Filed by Fifth Third Bank. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $615,000 affecting property located at 74 Stonewall Circle, West Harrison 10604. Filed Oct. 7. Krellenstein, Jason M., as executor of the estate of Miriam C. Getz, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $544,185 affecting property located at 15 Kingswood Way, South Salem 10590. Filed Oct. 16. Liguori, August J., et al. Filed by Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $525,000 affecting property located at 15 Horton Court, West Harrison 10604. Filed Oct. 7. Lopez, Jose M., et al. Filed by U.S. Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $504,000 affecting property located at 184 Mayflower Ave., New Rochelle 10801. Filed Oct. 8.

Medina, Salvador, et al. Filed by Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $123,900 affecting property located at 15 Allard Ave., New Rochelle 10805. Filed Oct. 2. Musollino, Vincent, et al. Filed by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $160,000 affecting property located at 46 Cowles Ave., Yonkers 10704. Filed Oct. 10. Rock, Cleotielde, et al. Filed by Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $455,000 affecting property located at 57 Cliff Ave., Yonkers 10705. Filed Oct. 10. Silva, Lisa, et al. Filed by U.S. Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $413,000 affecting property located at 827-829 Woodbine Ave., Mamaroneck 10543. Filed Oct. 3. Soria, Esthela, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $299,750 affecting property located at 1061 Oregon Road, Cortlandt Manor 10567. Filed Oct. 7. Sotomayor, David, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $722,755 affecting property located at 554-556 N. Broadway, Yonkers 10701. Filed Oct. 2. Tenore, Lillian, et al. Filed by Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $435,478 affecting property located at 34 Fifth Ave., New Rochelle 10801. Filed Oct. 4. The estate of Patricia Haviland, et al. Filed by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $250,000 affecting property located at 6 Hollow Brook Court South, Cortlandt Manor 10567. Filed Oct. 3.


Facts & Figures Thomas, Kevin, et al. Filed by Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $487,500 affecting property located at 14 Darwood Place, Hartsdale 10530. Filed Oct. 7. Thornton, Chrysothemis K., et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $171,500 affecting property located at 15 Biltom Road, White Plains 10607. Filed Oct. 2. Todisco, Anthony, as executor of the estate of Salvatore Todisco, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $652,500 affecting property located at 3358 Poplar St., Yorktown Heights 10598. Filed Oct. 11. Torres, Evelyn, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $219,942 affecting property located at 59 Wildwood Ave., Mount Vernon 10550. Filed Oct. 9. Torres, Victoria, et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $604,140 affecting property located at 2191 Crompond Road, Yorktown Heights 10598. Filed Oct. 8. Wright, Allison, individually and as limited administratrix of the estate of Dorrett Kenyon, et al. Filed by Selene Finance LP. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $228,937 affecting property located at 419 S. Seventh Ave., Mount Vernon 10550. Filed Oct. 9.

Mechanic’s Liens 112 Saratoga Realty Partners LLC, as owner. $9,518 as claimed by Mid-Knight Fuel Company Inc., Yonkers. Property: in Yonkers. Filed May 7.

Northern Westchester Builders Inc., as owner. $122,480 as claimed by Robertson Contracting Corp., Goldens Bridge. Property: in Bedford Hills. Filed May 7. Northern Westchester Builders Inc., as owner. $2,386 as claimed by Erikks Hauling Inc., in Bedford. Property: in Bedford Hills. Filed May 7. Port Chester Villageida, as owner. $85,348 as claimed by Restoration Technologies Inc. Property: in Rye. Filed May 7. Seritage SRC Finance LLC, as owner. $112,500 as claimed by Jersey Tile LLC. Property: in Yorktown. Filed May 7. Seritage SRC Financellc, as owner. $1.2 million as claimed by DGC Capital Contracting Corp., Mount Vernon. Property: in Yorktown. Filed May 7. Seritage SRC Financellc, as owner. $14,708 as claimed by Benco Inc. Property: in Yorktown. Filed May 7. Shi-III Briarcliff Reit LLC, as owner. $83,359 as claimed by Belway Electrical Contracting Co. Property: in Briarcliff Manor. Filed May 7.

NEW BUSINESSES This paper is not responsible for typographical errors contained in the original filings.

Partnerships Diaz Boxing Club, 141 S. Main St., Port Chester 10573, c/o Ryan Diaz and Amanda Mickatavage. Filed Dec. 30. New Relaxing Spa, 139 Croton Ave., Ossining 10562, c/o Cong Yan and Xu Yan Chun. Filed Dec. 23.

Bilwin Development Affiliates LLC, as owner. $2 million as claimed by XCL Construction Inc. Property: in Tuckahoe. Filed May 5.

RubiSparks Communications, 240 Union Ave., Peekskill 10566, c/o Sharon Rubinstein and Leonard Sparks. Filed Dec. 20.

Farag, Hady, et al, as owner. $26,000 as claimed by Allied Geothermal LLC. Property: in White Plains. Filed May 7.

Ward and DeGaetano, 222 Grace Church St., Suite 206B, Port Chester 10573, c/o Denis P. Ward and Andrea M. DeGaetano. Filed Dec. 30.

JPS Metro LLC, as owner. $3,038 as claimed by McNamara Heating and Air Conditioning, Pearl River. Property: in Pleasantville. Filed May 7. North Ave East LLC, as owner. $330,231 as claimed by Supaloc Contracting LLC. Property: in New Rochelle. Filed May 5.

Sole Proprietorships Best Call Services, 30 Iroquois St., Peekskill 10566, c/o Adrian Coley. Filed Dec. 24.

Charismatic Boutique, 1 W. Prospect Ave., 255, Mount Vernon 10550, c/o Sherman Kelly Toussaint. Filed Dec. 27. Embassy Shoe Repair N’ Things, 178 N. Main St., Port Chester 10573, c/o Sherwin Ursua. Filed Dec. 23. Heart of God, P.O. Box 8067, White Plains 10602, c/o Lisa A. Burton. Filed Dec. 27. Hudson Valley Business Technologies, 23 Ruth Road, Cortlandt Manor 10567, c/o James D. Kyriazis. Filed Dec. 26. J P and P Services, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Yonkers 10708, c/o Juan Estrada. Filed Dec. 26.

PATENTS Energy efficiency-based control for a cooling system. Patent no. 10,653,044 issued to Chainer, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk. Thermal interface material structures. Patent no. 10,653,037 issued to Hoffmeyer, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk. Multilayer ceramic electronic package with modulated mesh topology. Patent no. 10,652,998 issued to Choi, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk.

Kriscot and Shea Associates, 12 Westchester Ave., Suite 1, White Plains 10601, c/o Carole Cindy Shea-Zuvich. Filed Dec. 30.

Dynamic geofence. Patent no. 10,652,694 issued to Cornwall, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk. Cognitive location and navigation services for custom applications. Patent no. 10,652,693 issued to Jadav, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk.

L.N.M. Towing, 30 Calam Ave., Ossining 10562, c/o Joseph Rivera. Filed Dec. 23.

Image quality evaluation. Patent no. 10,652,454 issued to Barros, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk.

Major Gloryus Media, 18 Martin Road, Ossining 10562, c/o David Kezafrika. Filed Dec. 27.

Stream server that modifies a stream according to detected characteristics. Patent no. 10,652,396 issued to Koster, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk.

MCB Communications, 2 Meadow Trail, Chappaqua 11206, c/o Marcia C. Brier. Filed Dec. 30. Next Level Recovery Coaching, 61 Overhill Road, Yorktown Heights 10598, c/o Nicole Lappe. Filed Dec. 30. Smart Air Technologies, 1 Prospect St., White Plains 10605, c/o Alejandro D. Inocente. Filed Dec. 30. The Shack, 1 Harbor Island Park, Mamaroneck 10543, c/o David Casterella. Filed Dec. 30. Universal-U-Mind Services, 38 Glen Road, Yonkers 10704, c/o Taja Williams. Filed Dec. 26. Vukaj Enterprises, 2838 Kent Lane, Yorktown Heights 10598, c/o Kelmend Vukaj. Filed Dec. 26. Whoz Realty, 44 Brooke Ave., Bronxville 10708, c/o Parviz Fartash.. Filed Dec. 23. Yonkers Floors, 97 Caryl Ave., Apt. 1C, Yonkers 10705, c/o Jose Sanchez. Filed Dec. 23.

System and method for improving internet communication by using intermediate nodes. Patent no. 10,652,358 issued to Shribman, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk. Pointing device router for smooth collaboration between devices. Patent no. 10,652,326 issued to Michelangelo Serpico. Assigned to IBM, Armonk. Cooperative download among low-end devices under resource constrained environment. Patent no. 10,652,324 issued to Kaguma, et al. Assigned to IBM, Armonk. Beverage and food production using Greek yogurt acid whey. Patent no. 10,645,954 issued to Browne, et al. Assigned to PepsiCo, Purchase.

HUDSON VALLEY

7 Neher St LLC, Florham Park, New Jersey. Seller: Christopher Wanker, Woodstock. Property: 7 Neher St., Woodstock. Amount: $565,000. Filed April 30.

BUILDING LOANS Below $1 million

7700 Route 209 LLC, Mountaindale. Seller: Diwanji LLC, Napanoch. Property: 7700 Route 209, Napanoch 12458. Amount: $530,000. Filed May 4.

Briggs, Meredith, Saugerties, as owner. Lender: Sawyer Savings Bank, Saugerties. Property: 32 Finger St., Saugerties 12477. Amount: $312,075. Filed March 26.

Bank of America N.A. Seller: Naomi R. Duker, White Plains. Property: 37 Harvest Drive, Brewster 10509. Amount: $831,131. Filed May 11.

Cunzio, Paul, as owner. Lender: Walden Savings Bank, Montgomery. Property: in Saugerties. Amount: $298,300. Filed April 29.

Brothers DE LLC, Modena. Seller: Laurie A. Bailey, Windham, New Hampshire. Property: in Plattekill. Amount: $100,000. Filed April 8.

DeLucia, Alan, et al, Highland, as owner. Lender: Rondout Savings Bank, Kingston. Property: 50 Palazzo Lane, Plattekill. Amount: $450,000. Filed April 1.

Castaldo Brothers Inc., Poughkeepsie. Seller: David M. Horowitz, New Paltz. Property: in New Paltz. Amount: $118,000. Filed April 14.

Dunne, Christopher J., et al, Kingston. Lender: Primelending, Dallas, Texas. Property: in Kingston. Amount: $220,924. Filed April 24.

Castle 2020 LLC, White Plains. Seller: Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Property: 154 Patterson Road, West Camp 12490. Amount: $32,100. Filed April 16.

Dutchess Builders LLC, as owner. Lender: TEG Federal Credit Union. Property: in Beekman. Amount: $375,000. Filed May 12.

Childrens Othotic and Prosthetic Services Inc., New Paltz. Seller: Hazel Seidman, Albany. Property: in Lloyd. Amount: $300,000. Filed April 27.

Myers, Henry, et al, Brooklyn, as owner. Lender: Walden Savings Bank, Montgomery. Property: in Gardiner. Amount: $975,000. Filed April 15. Pelella, Jenna M., et al, Marlboro, as owner. Lender: TEG Federal Credit Union, Poughkeepsie. Property: 168 Mount Zion Road, Marlboro. Amount: $295,000. Filed April 23.

DEEDS Below $1 million 21 Fowler Avenue Realty LLC, Briarcliff Manor. Seller: Dana Dimeglio, Carmel. Property: in Carmel. Amount: $155,000. Filed May 6. 239 All Angels LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: U.S. Bank N.A. Property: 135 Perkinsville Road, Lloyd. Amount: $252,000. Filed April 30. 3 Doe Trail LLC, Hyde Park. Seller: Jane Emery, et al, Wappingers Falls. Property: 3 Doe Trail, Wappingers Falls. Amount: $259,000. Filed May 5.

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City of New York. Seller: Mary Ann Giorgio, Brooklyn. Property: in Shandaken. Amount: $47,886. Filed May 4. Core Atlantic LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Christiana Trust. Property: in Pine Plains. Amount: $49,000. Filed May 5. Core Atlantic LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB. Property: in Stanford. Amount: $34,000. Filed May 5. EHTS Fanelli LLC, Highland. Seller: Hudson Valley Farms Inc., Milton. Property: in Lloyd. Amount: $412,000. Filed April 23. Ellenville Portfolio Inc., Ellenville. Seller: Lana Tso, Napanoch. Property: 49 Clinton Ave.., Wawarsing. Amount: $85,000. Filed April 24. Equity Trust Company Custodial, Healdsburg, California. Seller: Jessica Morra, Shandaken. Property: 7 and 15 Dutcher Road, Shandaken. Amount: $200,000. Filed April 22.

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Facts & Figures Gallo Ventures LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Pleasant View Subdivision LLC, Poughkeepsie. Property: in Lloyd. Amount: $55,000. Filed May 1.

Neil Benen LLC, Mahopac. Seller: Judy Tieh, Berkeley, California. Property: 25 Louis St., Mahopac 10541. Amount: $100,000. Filed May 5.

Garrison Gatsby LLC, Salisbury Mills. Seller: The Bank of New York Mellon. Property: 2010 Coleman Drive, Garrison 10524. Amount: $660,457. Filed May 11.

NJCC-NYS CRF REO Subsidiary LLC, Houston, Texas. Seller: Elizabeth P. Wang, Poughkeepsie. Property: 166 Shenandoah Road, Hopewell Junction 12533. Amount: $258,000. Filed May 8.

Green Grove Holdings LLC, Middletown. Seller: Fannie Mae. Property: 25 Chapel St., Wawarsing. Amount: $33,493. Filed April 30. Haight Realty LLC, LaGrangeville. Seller: Stephen Nippert, Billings. Property: in LaGrange. Amount: $425,000. Filed May 7. Kurt M. Bolte Carpentry Inc., Clintondale. Seller: Minnard Orchards LLC, Clintondale. Property: in Lloyd. Amount: $480,000. Filed April 23. LCJRE LLC, Liberty. Seller: Catherine Crawford, et al, Accord. Property: 342 Buffalo Road, Saugerties. Amount: $500,000. Filed April 16. Lincoln Park DG Real Estate LLC, Elmhurst, Illinois. Seller: Kingston Landing Development LLC, Yonkers. Property: in Ulster. Amount: $600,000. Filed April 22. Maleficent Properties LLC, Saugerties. Seller: David Tromp Show Stables Inc.., Rye, New Hampshire. Property: in Saugerties. Amount: $239,000. Filed April 22. Moonlight Flower Company Inc., Accord. Seller: Gerald Rusolo, Florida. Property: in Rochester. Amount: $58,500. Filed April 21. Moonlight Flower Company Inc., Accord. Seller: Gerald Rusolo, Florida. Property: in Rochester. Amount: $71,500. Filed April 21. Mount Marion Properties LLC, Mount Marion. Seller: Evelyn Young, Ruby. Property: in Ulster. Amount: $38,000. Filed April 23. Neher St LLC, Hoboken, New Jersey. Seller: Christopher Wanker, Woodstock. Property: 5 Neher St., Woodstock. Amount: $430,000. Filed May 1. Neil Benen LLC, Mahopac. Seller: George Chang, Berkeley, California. Property: 21 Frederick St., Mahopac 10541. Amount: $200,000. Filed May 5.

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Olde English Ventures LLC, Purdys. Seller: Hyde Park Motor Company Inc., Ocala, Florida. Property: in Hyde Park. Amount: $450,000. Filed May 6. Premier Contracting Inc., Highland. Seller: Pleasant View Subdivision LLC, Poughkeepsie. Property: in Lloyd. Amount: $60,000. Filed April 29. Rose Mountain Holding LLC, Highmount. Seller: Wolfgang Schlemmer, Big Indian. Property: in Shandaken. Amount: $70,000. Filed April 7. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Seller: Irene A. Canosa, Milton. Property: 159 Old Indian Road, Marlborough. Amount: $159,938. Filed April 29. Silver Hollow Projects LLC, New York City. Seller: Linda C. Husar, Huntington Station. Property: in Woodstock. Amount: $56,000. Filed April 8. U.S. Bank N.A. Seller: Barry H. Friedman, Poughkeepsie. Property: 1 Old Sylvan Lake Road, Hopewell Junction 12533. Amount: $536,000. Filed May 8. Ulster Properties 2019 LLC, Newburgh. Seller: U.S. Bank N.A. Property: 37 Maple Ave., Lloyd. Amount: $50,000. Filed April 22. Warehouse Properties LLC, Beacon. Seller: Seven and One Developments LLC, Beacon. Property: in Beacon. Amount: $535,000. Filed May 7. Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc., Morris Plains, New Jersey. Seller: Kevin E. Slesinski, et al, Pine Bush. Property: 7 Stony Brook Road, Shawangunk. Amount: $318,500. Filed April 29. Weichert Workforce Mobility Inc., Morris Plains. New Jersey. Seller: Scot David Fouts, et al, Gardiner. Property: 54 Burnt Meadow Road, Gardiner. Amount: $457,500. Filed April 29.

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Westchester Land Trust Inc., Bedford Hills. Seller: John M. Armstrong, Madison, Connecticut. Property: in Kent. Amount: $200,000. Filed May 6.

Valley Diner New York Corp., Marlboro. $20,803 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 30.

Saugerties NY Hospitality LLC, as owner. $17,064 as claimed by Emmons Metro LLC, Albany. Property: 9 Old Route 32, Saugerties. Filed April 21.

JUDGMENTS

Wiltwyck Properties Inc., Hurley. $1,851 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 23.

Saugerties NY Hospitality LLC, as owner. $236,274 as claimed by Callanan Industries Inc., Albany. Property: 9 Old Route 32, Saugerties. Filed May 5.

MECHANIC’S LIENS

Wickstrom, Anne M., as owner. $14,179 as claimed by Williams Lumber Inc., Rhinebeck. Property: 382 Station Road, Amenia. Filed May 8.

AGP Industries LLC, High Falls. $13,526 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 30. Castle’s Complete Auto Inc., Saugerties. $2,140 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 23.

Austin, Susan, et al, as owner. $31,129 as claimed by Balanced Builders Inc., Beacon. Property: 29 W. Cedar St., Beacon. Filed May 11.

David Gill Jr. Inc., Saugerties. $13,837 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 30.

Brooklyn Bottling, Milton, as owner. $18,825 as claimed by US Trades LLC, Fishers, Indiana. Property: 9 Riverview Drive, Marlboro 12542. Filed March 23.

Elite Mechanical Corp., Kingston. $4,394 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 23.

Campbell, Alex, as owner. $46,230 as claimed by Ground Up Construction Inc., Yonkers. Property: 4 Cliffside Court, Philipstown. Filed May 6.

Gateway Diner, Highland. $526 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 23.

Chestnut Petroleum Distributors Inc., as owner. $26,770 as claimed by Gencon Corp., Newburgh. Property: 1417 Route 9W, Marlborough. Filed April 14.

Greenhouses Hotel LLC, Wallkill. $86,760 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 30. Jam Landscaping, Pine Bush. $709 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 30.

Kingston Real Estate LLC, as owner. $3,936 as claimed by Jeff Lowe Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Inc., Kingston. Property: 317 Broadway, Kingston 12401. Filed April 15.

LCL Dispatch LLC, Kingston. $2,311 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 30.

LAD Family Investments LLC, as owner. $356,397 as claimed by Zimmer Road Development Corp., Setauket. Property: 55, and 100 Redbud Road and Magnolia Drive and 1 Crabapple Court and Elderberry Lane, Southeast 10509. Filed May 5.

Makers Uniforms Machines LLC, New Paltz. $2,012 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 30.

R.D. Hospitality LLC, Glenmont, as owner. $3,789 as claimed by Bonded Concrete Inc., Watervliet. Property: 2792 Route 32, Saugerties. Filed May 5.

Michael Gabriel Inc., Kingston. $1,447 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 23.

Reyes, Kahlil, et al, as owner. $1,855 as claimed by D.A. Crauer Well Drilling Inc., Milan. Property: 16 Stone Wall Path, Milan. Filed May 8.

MJL Family Pizza Inc., Highland. $2,204 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 23. Return Textiles Corp., Woodstock. $2,632 in favor of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Albany. Filed March 23.

Salvatore, Vona, et al, as owner. $15,925 as claimed by Builder Services Group Inc., Brewster. Property: 23 Tuckers’s Path, Clintondale. Filed March 30.

NEW BUSINESSES

Brenda Cemelli, 2198 Brunswick Road, Wallkill 12589, c/o Brenda Cemelli. Filed March 31. Gerald Mark Jordan, D.C., 222 Main St., New Paltz 12561, c/o Gerald M. Jordan. Filed April 14. Joseph Lawn Maintenance, 29 Lindy Drive, Carmel, c/o Angelita M. Giron. Filed May 6. Kenneth S. Roll, DDS, 130 N. Front St., Kingston 12401, c/o Kenneth S. Roll. Filed April 24. L.I.F.E. (Living Inspired Fully Everyday), 219 Third St., Wallkill 12589, c/o Cheryl McNeil Fisher. Filed Mary 5.

This paper is not responsible for typographical errors contained in the original filings.

Lonstein Chiropractic, 190 S. Main St., Ellenville 12428, c/o Herbert Lonstein. Filed April 21.

Doing Business As

Moving Right Along Cleaning, 322 Alpine Lane, Hurley 12443, c/o Liane E. Landers. Filed May 4.

Axis Green Consulting Inc., d.b.a. State of Mind CBD, 28 Orchard Lane, Woodstock 12498. Filed April 28. Infinity O Entertainment Inc., d.b.a. Xenia Pax Productions, 106 Moore St., Kingston 12401. Filed April 23. Quad 8s Inc., d.b.a. First Choice Business Brokers, 97 Roosevelt Ave., Kingston 12401. Filed April 23. Saugerties Merchant’s Association Inc., d.b.a. Destination Saugerties, 136 Hommelville Road, Saugerties 12477. Fled April 23. The Ministry of Maat, d.b.a. PoP and MoM Publications, 156 Hunter St., Kingston 12401. Filed April 23.

Sole Proprietorships Andrew DeForest Golf, 282 W. O’Reilly St., Kingston 12419, c/o Andrew DeForest. Filed April 23.

Northern Delights, 33 Camelot Court, Saugerties 12477, c/o Brandy North. Filed May 4. Packaging Solutions Plus, 113 Martin Ave., Highland 12528, c/o Matthew P. Buckley. Filed April 14. Palcher Marine Consultants, 121 Charles Smith Road, Saugerties 12477, c/o John Palcher. Filed May 4. Paul D. Smith, DVM, P.O. Box 3912, Kingston 12402, c/o Paul D. Smith. Filed April 27. Riccardo J. Esposito, M.D. F.A.A.F.P., 462 Broadway, Kingston 12401, c/o Riccardo J. Esposito. Filed April 14. Richard A. Chazkel, M.D., 40 Hurley Ave., Suite 9, Kingston 12401, c/o Richard A. Chazkel. Filed April 2. ScandiaTrans, 30 Bruceville Road, High Falls 12440, c/o Miriam Bourin. Filed April 27. Vinyl Ninja, 85 Carle Terrace, Lake Katrine 12449, c/o Nolan Dutcher. Filed May 4.


ME AN TO CLIC ET D G R K IN E EG HE G T T IS RE W H TE EB E Z R IN O AR OM LIN K

WEBINAR: HOW WILL THE REAL ESTATE MARKET LOOK POST COVID-19? THURSDAY, MAY 28 • 2 PM EST.

ADMISSION: FREE

TOPICS BEING DISCUSSED:

PANELISTS:

BRUCE BERG Chief Executive Officer Fuller Development Company A Division of the Cappelli Organization

FRED CAMILLO First Selectman, Greenwich, CT

THOMAS LaPERCH Director of Commercial Group Houlihan Lawrence

ANDREW S. WEISZ Executive Vice President RPW Group

SILVER SPONSORS

• The impacts of COVID-19 and how habits may change going forward • The impacts of COVID-19 on retail, downtowns, commercial and residential real estate • The challenges that we all face – tenants, landlords, developers, brokers, banks and municipalities • Public/Private partnerships • Suburban development And much more For more info, contact Anne Jordan Duffy at anne@westfairinc.com or (914) 358-0764 Events Director | Fatime Muriqi fmuriqi@westfairinc.com

BRONZE SPONSORS

SUPPORTERS

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Facts & Figures

fairfield county

BUILDING PERMITS Commercial Grencom Associates, Old Greenwich, contractor for Grencom Associates. Perform replacement alterations at 1445 E. Putnam Ave., Old Greenwich. Estimated cost: $100,000. Filed April 2020. Olivares, Jose, Bridgeport, contractor for Church Rock of God. Alter kitchen at 534 Park St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed April 12. Ponderosa Property LLC, Greenwich, contractor for Ponderosa Property LLC. Perform replacement alterations at 15 Valley Drive, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $50,000. Filed April 2020. Post Warren, Walden, New York, contractor for 35 Arcadia Road LLC. Remove and replace fuel tanks at 35 Arcadia Road, Old Greenwich. Estimated cost: $225,000. Filed April 2020. TMI Home Services, New Haven, contractor for Luis Vaz. Convert restaurant to hookah lounge at 250 Knowlton St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed April 13.

Residential Alcraft Inc., North Haven, contractor for Victor Colon. Remove old roof and re-roof 1400 E. Main St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $18,000. Filed April 13.

Items appearing in the Fairfield County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken.

Andy Miller Works, Greenwich, contractor for William Hunter. Renovate kitchen, cabinets, appliances, window and door at 257 Shore Road Greenwich. Estimated cost: $200,000. Filed April 2020.

Frattaroli Development Group, Greenwich, contractor for Albert Jen. Alter kitchen, mudroom, baths and finish basement at 67 Maher Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $140,000. Filed April 2020.

Bashford Const Company Inc., Yonkers, New York, contractor for Elena Bowes. Remove interior finishes, fixtures, appliances and cabinetry at 85 Pecksland Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed April 2020.

Frattaroli Development Group, Greenwich, contractor for David Loranger. Remodel Laundry room at 34 Putnam Park, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed April 2020.

Board of Education, Greenwich, contractor for Board of Education. Replace cooling tower at 10 Hillside Drive, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $975,300. Filed April 2020.

Greenwich Handyman, Greenwich, contractor for Lorraine Dineen. Remodel kitchen and bathroom at 500 River Road, Cos Cob. Estimated cost: $35,000. Filed April 2020.

Brass Ring Renovators LLC, New Milford, contractor for Kathleen McDonald. Finish second-floor master bath at 7 Valley Drive, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $60,000. Filed April 2020.

Harp, Robert, West Haven, contractor for Ryan DaSilva. Re-roof 175 Birmingham St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $9,000. Filed April 11.

CBM Home Improvement, Norwalk, contractor for Greenwich Oaks Acquisitions. Totally remodel apartment at 219 Weaver St., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $60,000. Filed April 2020. Ceci, Victor and Mary Ann Ceci, Greenwich, contractor for Victor Ceci. Construct single-family dwelling at 121 Lower Cross Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $1,440,000. Filed April 2020. DiGiorgi Roofing and Siding Inc., Beacon Fall, contractor for Judith Dewar. Re-roof 183 Hawley Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $12,140. Filed April 11. Duffy Craftsmen Inc., Greenwich, contractor for John Rosenberg. Perform restoration, construction and remodeling of second floor at 60 Loughlin Ave., Cos Cob. Estimated cost: $560,000. Filed April 2020.

Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to: Larry Miles c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 701 Westchester Ave, Suite 100 J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3699

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ON THE RECORD

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JM Custom Builder, Monroe, contractor for Carlos Cari. Repair fire damage at 430 Barnum Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $70,000. Filed April 13. John Desmond Builders Inc., Southport, contractor for Alex Zissou. Renovate baths, kitchen and master bath at 16 Dairy Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $195,000. Filed April 2020. Lucy’s Residence LLC, Fairfield, contractor for Lucy’s Residence LLC. Renovate kitchen and bath at 320 Norland Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $18,000. Filed April 11. Lucy’s Residence LLC, Fairfield, contractor for Lucy’s Residence LLC. Renovate kitchen and bath at 448 Queen St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $16,000. Filed April 11. Margenot, John R. Greenwich, contractor for John R. Margenot. Construct additions and renovations to two-family dwelling at 29 Davenport Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $700,000. Filed April 2020.

Mendez, Jose, Bridgeport, contractor for Jose Mendez. Add dormer at 65 Emerald St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $18,000. Filed April 12. Pittway, Lorenzo, Bridgeport, contractor for Household of Faith Church. Convert porch to bathroom at 431 Hallett St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed April 11. Posigen Connecticut, Bridgeport, contractor for Willie Wilson. Install roof-mounted panels at 349 Remington St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed April 13. Posigen Connecticut, Bridgeport, contractor for Angela Garibay. Install roof-mounted panels at 25 Fairview Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed April 13. Posigen Connecticut, Bridgeport, contractor for Earl Douglas. Install roof-mounted panels at 830 Brooklawn Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $1,000. Filed April 13. Rogliano, Luigi and Christine Rogliano, Greenwich, contractor for Luigi Rogliano. Perform replacement alterations at 12 Morgan Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $5,000. Filed April 2020. Roma, Angelo, Bridgeport, contractor for Angelo Roma. Finish single-family dwelling at 650 Clarke St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $120,000. Filed April 11. Sargeant, Robert Scott, Greenwich, contractor for Robert Scott Sargeant. Renovate first-floor apartment at 11 Oxer Place, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $30,000. Filed April 2020.

SBP Homes LLC, Stamford, contractor for 13 Field Point Drive LLC. Perform replacement alterations at 13 Field Point Drive, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $6,500. Filed April 2020. SBP Homes LLC, Stamford, contractor for 13 Field Point Drive LLC. Perform replacement alterations at 13 Field Point Drive, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $25,000. Filed April 2020. Scott Walker Construction, Southport, contractor for Eduardo Gallardo. Perform replacement alterations at 306 Taconic Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $4,500. Filed April 2020. Venture Home Solar, Brooklyn, New York, contractor for Celestina Thompson. Install roof-top solar panel at 1238 Noble Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $41,769. Filed April 11. Zuniga, Julio, Bridgeport, contractor for Julio Zuniga. Convert two-family dwelling to three-family dwelling at 31-33 Savoy St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $90,000. Filed April 12.

COURT CASES Bridgeport Superior Court ABCO Welding, et al, Waterford. Filed by Ernest Briggs, Longview, Texas. Plaintiff’s attorney: Early Lucarelli Sweeney & Meisenkothen LLC, New Haven. Action: The plaintiff has brought a product liability suit against the defendants alleging that hebwas forced to be exposed to asbestos fibers and materials manufactured by the defendants during the course of his work. The defendants failed to advise the plaintiff of the dangerous characteristics of asbestos and failed to provide a safe working environment. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, punitive and exemplary charges and such other relief the court may deem proper. Case no. FBTCV-20-6094214-S. Filed Feb. 6.

Cedeno, Jose, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Dominic Luciani, Fairfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Cooper Sevillano LLC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants’ wheel loader and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-206094833-S. Filed Feb. 26. Nguyen, Xuan Huy, Bridgeport. Filed by Capital One Bank NA, Richmond, Virginia. Plaintiff’s attorney: London & London, Newington. Action: The plaintiff is a banking association, which the defendant used for a credit account agreeing to make payments for goods and services. The defendant failed to make payments. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages less than $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs. Case no. FBT-CV20-6094322-S. Filed Feb. 11. Soliman, Sameh Rady, Norwalk. Filed by Jeffrey Dezso, Norwalk. Plaintiff’s attorney: Sherriff & Sherriff, Westport. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-20-6094523-S. Filed Feb. 18. Stomber, John, New Canaan. Filed by Elizabeth Campbell, Westwood, Massachusetts. Plaintiff’s attorney: Szilagyi & Daly, Hartford. Action: The plaintiff was struck by the defendant’s car as a result of a collision allegedly due to the negligence of the defendant. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-20-6093300-S. Filed Jan. 13.


Facts & Figures The Norwalk Hospital Association, Norwalk. Filed by Jose Echevarria, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Ignal Napolitano & Shapiro PC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff was lawfully on the premises owned and controlled by the defendant and when he was in the parking lot, he slipped on a pile of snow and suffered painful injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-206093028-S. Filed Jan. 6. Vazquez, Julia E, Bridgeport. Filed by Velocity Investments LLC a.k.a. Consumer Portfolio Services,Inc., Bronx, New York. Plaintiff’s attorney: Cohen Steven Law Offices of LLC, Bronx, New York. Action: The plaintiff is the owner and holder of a loan agreement of the defendant who has defaulted on the terms of the agreement and has failed to pay the plaintiff the amount due. The plaintiff claims monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV20-6093118-S. Filed Jan. 8. Yu, Choon, Milford. Filed by Terressa Tate-Dawkins, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Edward John Gavin, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-206094625-S. Filed Feb. 19.

Danbury Superior Court

Stamford Superior Court

Douieb, Nour, et al, Brookfield. Filed by Joseph A. DeStefano, Milford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Bartlett Legal Group LLC, Cheshire. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendant and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-206034882-S. Filed Jan. 3.

DFG Trademarks V. LLC, et al, Stamford. Filed by Thomas Steffanci, Eastport. New York. Plaintiff’s attorney: Hurwitz Sagarin Slossberg & Knuff LLC, Milford. Action: The plaintiff has served as president for DFG and owns 20% interest in the firm and was instrumental in providing increased profits and sales, but has not received any distribution of increased royalties. Instead, the royalties allegedly have been withheld by the defendants in an effort to enrich themselves at plaintiff’s expense. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-20-6045998-S. Filed March 3.

Murphy, James J., Bethel. Filed by Michelle Peck, Morris Peck. Plaintiffs’ attorney: Evans & Lewis, Bethel. Action: The plaintiffs are tenants at the defendant’s property. At the time the subject property was not equipped to accommodate the electrical requirements of the clothes dryer and plaintiff requested an electrician be hired. The defendant who is not a licensed electrician made the installation himself. When the plaintiffs started the clothes dryer, a fire started and, in an effort, to leave the property, the plaintiffs sustained painful and severe injuries, loss of their family pets and were forced to move from the premises. The smoke and fire were caused by the negligence of the defendant. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-206035477-S. Filed Feb. 24. R&F Danbury LLC, et al, Hartford. Filed by Eric J. Kuck, New Fairfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Yorio Law Group PC, Action: The plaintiff was lawfully on the premises maintained by the defendant, when he slipped and fell due to the presence of ice in the parking area. As a result, plaintiff suffered injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-206035376-S. Filed Feb. 13.

Old Republic National Title Insurance Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota. Filed by Jeffrey Stewart, Greenwich. Plaintiff’s attorney: Marcus Law Firm, North Branford. Action: The plaintiff obtained a property title insurance from the defendant for 14 Byram Dock St., which residents of the property allege plaintiff did not have exclusive ownership of the property. The plaintiff notified the defendant that the title insurance policy covered the cost of defense of the litigation. Despite the demand, defendant failed to provide any of the benefits and breached the insurance contract. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-20-6045119-S. Filed Jan. 3.

Ramirez-Aguilar, Leonel, et al, Stamford. Filed by Teresa Arrieta, Norwalk. Plaintiff’s attorney: James Albert Welcome, Waterbury. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe and painful personal injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other and further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-20-6045518-S. Filed Jan. 28.

DEEDS Commercial 37 Aiken LLC, Armonk, New York. Seller: Anthony W. Ruggiero, Greenwich. Property: 37 Aiken Road, Greenwich. Amount: $1. Filed April 1. Alvarez, Lenny R., New Haven. Seller: KeyBank NA, Cleveland, Ohio. Property: 63 Hedge Brook Lane, Stamford. Amount: $587,600. Filed April 2.

Gasparini, Janice, Greenwich. Seller: One Morton Square LLC, Greenwich. Property: 40 W. Elm St., Unit 4K, Greenwich. Amount: $1. Filed April 3.

Birinyi, Anna and Matthew Danzer, Norwalk. Seller: Michael V. Kutsch, Fairfield. Property: 1024 Unquowa Road, Fairfield. Amount: $930,000. Filed March 31.

McTernan, Bernard J. and Hillary A. McTernan, New York, New York. Seller: Trudell Homes LLC, Newtown. Property: 1405 Stillson Road, Fairfield. Amount: $1,080,000. Filed April 1.

Cheng, Thomas, Stamford. Seller: Mija Kim, Cos Cob. Property: 7 Strawberry Lane, Greenwich. Amount: $1,295,500. Filed April 6.

Nichol, Jon and Carrie Nichol, Fairfield. Seller: US Bank Trust NA, Dallas, Texas. Property: 30 Wellington Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $1,150,000. Filed March 31. Riley Northrop of 63 Harvest Hill Lane, Stamford. Seller: Sally Anne Brown, Norwalk. Property: 93 Rowayton Woods Drive, No. 112, Norwalk. Amount: $280,000. Filed Feb. 3. Russian, Laurence K., Old Greenwich. Seller: Quatro Partners LLC, Old Greenwich. Property: 5 Meadow Place, Old Greenwich. Amount: $1. Filed April 8.

Amanda B. Royce 2014 Trust, Greenwich. Seller: Denise Henkind, Greenwich. Property: 33 E. Lyon Farm Drive, Greenwich. Amount: $1,500,000. Filed April 1.

Valenzuela, Andres, Bridgeport. Seller: Himalaya Development FH LLC, Far Hills, New Jersey. Property: 120 Coach Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $440,000. Filed April 1.

Cotaj, Kristopher and Pashka Cotaj, Stamford. Seller: The Hamlet Group LLC, Stamford. Property: 146 Thornridge Drive, Stamford. Amount: $825,000. Filed April 2.

Yantar LLC, Loxahatchee, Florida. Seller: Artemly Panarin, Greenwich. Property: 14 Cooper Beech Road, Greenwich. Amount: $0. Filed April 8.

Frelman, Robert and Ashley Frelman, New York, New York. Seller: Network Development Company LLC, Old Greenwich. Property: 68 Halsey Drive, Old Greenwich. Amount: $2,700,000. Filed April 8.

Residential Bacher, Albert and Ivy Low-Bacher, Norwalk. Seller: Carlos R. Guanuche Molina and Lourdes Guanuche, Norwalk. Property: 332 W. Cedar St., Norwalk. Amount: $395,000. Filed Feb. 3. Banks, Kristen and John Banks, Greenwich. Seller: Liam Kenny and Faith Jordan, Greenwich. Property: Lot 32, Map 2530, Greenwich. Amount: $0. Filed April 8.

FCBJ

WCBJ

Chuco, Jorge A., Stamford. Seller: Daniel Wallace and Rachel Whiting, Stamford. Property: 17 Midland Ave., Stamford. Amount: $452,000. Filed April 1. Ciambriello, Gaetano, Trumbull. Seller: Gene J. Mauro and Wendy L. Mauro, Monroe. Property: 785 Rowland Road, Fairfield. Amount: $650,000. Filed April 2. Cohen, Donna, Westport. Seller: Georgette Sappington, Avon. Property: 11 Lafayette Court, Unit 5D, Greenwich. Amount: $559,900. Filed April 1. David, Daniel M. and Ivonne C. David, Fairfield. Seller: Sherri A. Steeneck, Fairfield. Property: 166 Rock Ridge Road, Fairfield. Amount: $502,500. Filed March 31. Falcon, Olivia D. and Erick Falcon, Pound Ridge, New York. Seller: Kamran Khalaj, Stamford. Property: 102 Pine Hill Ave., Unit B2, Stamford. Amount: $400,000. Filed April 1. Fiedler, Frederick G. and Allison C. Fiedler, Brooklyn, New York. Seller: Jordon R. Herzog and Kimberly Herzog, Fairfield. Property: 33 Westbrook Place, Fairfield. Amount: $415,000. Filed April 1. Foster-Osbourne, Dina, White Plains, New York. Seller: Daniel Fink, Lafayette, Colorado. Property: 67 Prospect St., Greenwich. Amount: $1,250,000. Filed April 8.

MAY 18, 2020

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Facts & Figures Fottrell, Tracey and Matthew Fottrell, Cos Cob. Seller: Dana Marie Sherman and Roger Sherman, Stamford. Property: 242 Four Brooks Road, Stamford. Amount: $1,146,000. Filed April 1. Fusaro, John P. and Angelo G. Fusaro, Stamford. Seller: Elizabeth Fusaro, Stamford. Property: 650 High Ridge Road, Stamford. Amount: $455,000. Filed April 1. Gelonesi, Nicholas A., Stamford. Seller: Karol Putkowski, Stamford. Property: 19 Hale St., Unit 19, Stamford. Amount: $295,000. Filed April 1. Glowacki, Lori Ellen, Stamford. Seller: William Robert Haskell Jr., Norwalk. Property: 167 Highland Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $1,050,000. Filed Feb. 3. Hancock, Jason C. and Melissa L. LaRusso, Boston, Massachusetts. Seller: Steven A. Schulman and Irsa Schulman, Greenwich. Property: 483 Round Hill Road, Greenwich. Amount: $3,650,000. Filed Feb. 3. Higgins, Michael J., Palm Bay, Florida. Seller: Andrew M. Rivera and Barbara Rivera, Greenwich. Property: 74 1/2 Josephine Evaristo Ave., Greenwich. Amount: $1,575,379. Filed April 3. Hobson, Kevin and Danille Sanchick, Brooklyn, New York. Seller: John Charles Taney and Carol D. Taney, Redding. Property: 9 Outer Road, Norwalk. Amount: $1,337,500. Filed Feb. 3. Horiatis, Dimitris and Hellen Vouthounis, Stamford. Seller: Ivo K. Ivanov and Dalia G. Ivanov, Stamford. Property: 1286 Long Ridge Road, Stamford. Amount: $660,000. Filed April 2.

Hunt, Janice and William Hunt, Fairfield. Seller: Jonathan E. Orell and Bailey J. Orell, Fairfield. Property: 40 Valley Circle, Fairfield. Amount: $10. Filed April 2. Joy, Elizabeth L. and Brian M. Joy, Stamford. Seller: Peter J. Walsh, Fairfield. Property: 133 Rhoda Ave., Fairfield. Amount: $880,000. Filed March 31. Juarez, Sean M., Stamford. Seller: Bret D. Keeney, Stamford. Property: 77 Rippowam Road, Stamford. Amount: $770,000. Filed April 2. Kiernan, Theodore and Yvelisse Kiernan, Cos Cob. Seller: David G. Liebenguth and Margaret M. Liebenguth, Cos Cob. Property: 17 Kent Place, Cos Cob. Amount: $635,000. Filed April 1. Lowenstein, Bradley and Devorah Lowenstein, Norwalk. Seller: Salman M. Muslin and Amy L. Muslim, Stamford. Property: 55 Fieldstone Road, Stamford. Amount: $655,000. Filed March 2. McDonnell, Miichael and McKenzie McDonnell, Fairfield. Seller: Jolanta E. Lukawski and Genowefa Lukawski, Fairfield. Property: 271 James St., Fairfield. Amount: $1,045,000. Filed April 2. Mecum II, Dudley C., Stuart, Florida. Seller: Dudley Clarke Mecum II, Stuart, Florida. Property: 33 Khakum Wood Road, Greenwich. Amount: $0. Filed April 8. Moore, Susan R., Fairfield. Seller: Leo G. Ruhl III, Norwalk. Property: 1901-1904 Fairfield Beach Road, Fairfield. Amount: $525,000. Filed April 3.

MAY 18, 2020

Perez, Daniel and Amanda N. Perez, Norwalk. Seller: Dominic M. Muro and Judith K. Muro, Norwalk. Property: Lot 44, Map 7939, Norwalk. Amount: $600,000. Filed Feb. 3. Petrylak, Daniel P. and Lynda M. Lee, Stamford. Seller: Melanie L. Maregni and Brian P. Maregni, Stamford. Property: 77 Havemeyer Lane, Unit 71, Stamford. Amount: $1,199,000. Filed April 2. Rong, Yanxia and Shen Ren, Greenwich. Seller: Benjamin D. Madden and Phyllis Madden, Greenwich. Property: 38 N. Ridge Road, Old Greenwich. Amount: $0. Filed April 1. Saelens, Anna, et al, Old Greenwich. Seller: Raymond K. Tung and Bakke L. Tung, Greenwich. Property: Lot 21, Map 6527, Greenwich. Amount: $2,080,000. Filed April 3. Schukin, Zora and Pavel Schukin, Cos Cob. Seller: Adrian Owles and Mary McNiff, Riverside. Property: 234 Riverside Ave., Riverside. Amount: $4,100,000. Filed April 8. Serrano, Amy and Christopher Serrano, New York, New York. Seller: Diane D. Lederer and Jack L. Lederer, Fairfield. Property: 478 Round Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $600,000. Filed April 1. Shamberg, Robert and Lucy Shamberg, Fairfield. Seller: Richard D. Lansing and Carol A. Lansing, Fairfield. Property: 393 Toilsome Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $652,000. Filed April 1.

Steinwachs, Peter and Urara Margaret Steinwachs, Fairfield. Seller: Brian K. Blanchard and Gretchen K. Blanchard, Luxembourg. Property: 70 Barlow Plain Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $775,000. Filed April 2.

LIENS Federal Tax Liens Filed Bartko, Nancy Fried, 94 East Ave., Suite 4A, Norwalk, $39,060, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 3. Bato, Catherine, 39 Halock Drive, Greenwich, $4,863, civil proceeding tax. Filed Jan. 14. Benitez, Eric, 4 Highwood Ave., Norwalk, $51,238, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 3. Capossela, Lori and Richard A. Capossela, 61 Sheephill Road, Riverside, $186, civil proceeding tax. Filed Jan. 15. Carroll, Brian, 18 Ohio Ave., Norwalk, $31,872, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 9. Chludzinski, Paul K., 12 Stonecrop Road, Norwalk, $122,694, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 3. DeQuatro, Paul, 2490 Black Rock Turnpike, Apartment 417, Fairfield. $7,267, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 9. Garcia, Raquel, 10 Horace Cottage, Fairfield. $7,537, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 9.

Gilchrist, Jacqueline and Victor Gilchrist, 10 Elmwood Ave., Norwalk, $39,323, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 2. Grant, Jordan P., 377 Highland Ave., Norwalk, $10,144, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 17. Griffin, James R., 26 Belden Ave., Unit 1427, Norwalk, $9,317, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 2. Moscoso, Luis, 8 Norden Place, Apt. 439, Norwalk, $18,165, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 2. Narang, Rishi, 50 Stone Ridge Way, Unit 3C, Fairfield. $49,750, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 9. Palumbo, Louis, 72 Buckfield Lane, Greenwich, $995,652, civil proceeding tax. Filed Jan. 3. Poly, Justin G., 52 Elmwood Ave., Norwalk, $14,767, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 2. Sierras, Dave S. and Kathie T. Sierras, 40 Country Road, Fairfield. $28,638, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 9. Smith, Heather, 100 Richards Ave., Apartment 204, Norwalk, $15,879, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 17. Starr, J. H. and Orly Mattera-Starr, 6 Devonshire Road, Norwalk, $6,453, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 10. Tavola Italian Kitchen LLC, 544 Main Ave., Norwalk, $2,551, civil proceeding tax. Filed March 17.

Mechanic’s Liens 159 Grove Street LLC, Stamford. Filed by Northeast Builders Supply & Home Centers LLC, by Jan E. Cohen. Property: 159 Grove St., Stamford. Amount: $20,151. Filed April 6.

Payment Processing Technical Lead, Synchrony Bank, Stamford, CT. Dvlp functl solutions to bus rqmts & prepare systems rqmts & design docs in accordance w/ prescribed policies, standards & procedures. Req Bach’s deg or foreign equiv in Comp Sci, Software Engg or rel + 4 yrs rel work exp. To apply, email resume to: HR manager, Kristine.Mackey@syf.com, (reference: CT0006).

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Ovalles Taveras, Luiyi E. and Angela L. Pena Luna, Mount Vernon, New York. Seller: Michelle Khessibi, Stamford. Property: 27 Maitland Ave., Stamford. Amount: $435,000. Filed April 2.

FCBJ

WCBJ

Cheung, Ricky, Cos Cob. Filed by Kelly Contracting LLC, by Christopher Kelly. Property: 571 River Road, Cos Cob. Amount: $83,700. Filed April 16. Connecticut Restoration LLC, Fairfield. Filed by Custom Air Systems Inc., by John J. Scianna. Property: 11 Tuckahoe Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $2,403. Filed March 23.

LIS PENDENS 58 Myrtle Avenue LLC, et al, Stamford. Filed by Pease & Dorio PC, Farmington, for CVCF-WAB Fund I LLC. Property: 58 Myrtle Ave., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 3. 780 Summer Street LLC, et al, Stamford. Filed by Vincent J. Freccia III, Stamford, for City of Stamford. Property: 780 Summer St., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 26. Alston, Tracy N., et al, Stamford. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Citimortgage Inc. Property: 143 Wilson St., Unit 143, Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 4. Atlantic Realty Co., et al, Stamford. Filed by Nicholas W. Vitti Jr., Stamford, for Atlantic ST. Heritage Associates LLC. Property: 200, 210, 234 and 252 Atlantic St., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 26. Barraza, Teodora, et al, Stamford. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Loancare LLC. Property: 34 Brown Ave., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 27. Caritas Investment Limited Partnership, et al, Stamford. Filed by Vincent J. Freccia III, Stamford, for city of Stamford. Property: 140 Wallacks Drive, Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 11.


Facts & Figures Casahuaman, Uriel, et al, Stamford. Filed by Ackerly & Ward, Stamford, for the Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority. Property: 85 Avery St., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 11.

Nino, Ludys, et al, Stamford. Filed by Gerald S. Knopf, Stamford, for Bedford Towers Condominium Association Inc. Property: 440-444 Bedford St., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 11.

Childakos, Argyrios, et al, Stamford. Filed by Vincent J. Freccia III, Stamford, for the city of Stamford. Property: 81 Soundview Ave., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 4.

Robalino, Jaime, et al, Stamford. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for US Bank National Association. Property: 41 Tally Ho Lane, Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 14.

Constantine, Theo, et al, Stamford. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, Hartford, for M&T Bank. Property: 0 Mianus Road, Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 2. Denton Realty LLC, Stamford. Filed by Mark F. Katz, Stamford, for Luciana Corelli. Property: 176 Stillwater Ave., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed March 2. Domingo, Connie, et al, Stamford. Filed by Marinosci Law Group PC, Warwick, Rhode Island. Property: Unit 15, Willowbrook Court Condominium, Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 2. Duggan, Catherine V., Stamford. Filed by McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce LLC, Hartford, for Caliber Home Loans Inc. Property: 88 Highview Ave., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Feb. 21. Kolich, Anthony, Stamford. Filed by the Law Offices of Kevin F. Collins, Stamford, for Mihaela Kolich. Property: 6 Depinedo Ave., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendant’s mortgage. Filed Feb. 12. Menard, Verdieu, et al, Stamford. Filed by Vincent J. Freccia III, Stamford, for the city of Stamford. Property: 81 Lafayette St., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 5.

Sciarretta, Rosa, et al, Stamford. Filed by Ackerly & Ward, Stamford, for the Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority. Property: 102 Dean St., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 24. Sexton, James P., et al, Stamford. Filed by Marinosci Law Group PC, Warwick, Rhode Island, for MTGLQ Investors LP. Property: Lot 31, Map 3280, Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed March 3. Vines, Johnny, et al, Stamford. Filed by Ackerly & Ward, Stamford, for Greenway Condominium Association Inc. Property: 60 Lawn Ave., Unit 43, Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 24. Wilson, Erick D., et al, Stamford. Filed by Ackerly & Ward, Stamford, for the Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority. Property: 91 Saint George Ave., Stamford. Action: foreclose defendants’ mortgage. Filed Feb. 11.

LEASES BTC Majestic LLC, by Charles B. Moss III. Landlord: HJM STAMFORD LLC, New York, New York. Property: 118 Summer St., Unit 5, Stamford. Term: 15 years, commenced Jan.1, 2020. Filed Feb. 6. Crawford, Robert and Kimiko Hodges, by John Jordan. Landlord: Putnam Park Apartments Inc, Greenwich. Property: 147 Putnam Park, Apartment 147, Greenwich. Term: 30 years, commenced March 24, 2020. Filed April 3.

MORTGAGES Ayen, Mark A., Norwalk, by John B. Lindgreen. Lender: Webster Bank NA, 145 Bank St., Waterbury. Property: 15 Cornwall Road, Norwalk. Amount: $200,000. Filed Jan. 2. Baccari, Joseph, Stamford, by Naveed A. Quraishi. Lender: Accelerate Mortgage LLC, 750 Prides Crossing, Suite 303, Newark, Delaware. Property: 407 Long Ridge Road, Stamford. Amount: $409,850. Filed Jan. 21. Bubbico, Robert J. and Arlene M. Bubbico, Norwalk, by S. Gordon Demetre. Lender: Penny Mac Loan Services LLC, 3043 Townsgate Road, Westlake Village, California. Property: 90 Silvermine Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $618,577. Filed Jan. 2. Cabral, Ryan and Vicky Tan, Stamford, by Scott Rogareim. Lender: American Internet Mortgage Inc, 4121 Camino del Rio, San Diego, California. Property: 65 Malvern Road, Stamford. Amount: $514,000. Filed Jan. 21. Deleary, Peter and Natalia Deleary, Stamford, by M.L. Blumenthal. Lender: Guaranteed Rate Inc., 3940 North Ravenswood, Chicago, Illinois. Property: 373 Janes Lane, Stamford. Amount: $552,000. Filed Jan. 21. Dunne, John W. and Jacqueline Simpson-Dunne, Stamford, by Susan B. Croker. Lender: Bank of America NA, 101 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 14 Buena Vista St., Stamford. Amount: $420,000. Filed Jan. 21. Gadowski, Jeffrey M., Norwalk, by N/A. Lender: Provident Funding Associates LP, 3390 Peachtree Road Northeast, Atlanta, Georgia. Property: 29 Muriel St., Norwalk. Amount: $284,000. Filed Jan. 2.

Hascher, Glenn H. and Donna M. Hascher, Stamford, by Jeremy E. Kaye. Lender: First Republic Bank, 111 Pine St., San Francisco, California. Property: 206 Guinea Road, Stamford. Amount: $300,000. Filed Jan. 21. McGrath, Eileen R., Norwalk, by Priti Arora. Lender: Wells Fargo Bank NA, 101 N. Phillips Ave., Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Property: 1 Rock Meadow Road, Norwalk. Amount: $90,000. Filed Jan. 2. Oyede, Oladele A., Norwalk, by Eugene M. Kimmel. Lender: Total Mortgage Services LLC, 185 Plains Road, Milford. Property: 11 Lawrence St., Norwalk. Amount: $382,936. Filed Jan. 2. Peraza, David and Kseniya Gancho, Stamford, by Gerald M. Fox. Lender: Bank of America NA, 101 S.Tryon St., Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 100 Willowbrookb Ave., No. 1, Stamford. Amount: $345,800. Filed Jan. 21. Seidler, Charles and Lauren Seidler, Norwalk, by Michael P. Murray. Lender: First Republic Bank, 111 Pine St., San Francisco, California. Property: 47 Pine Point Road, Norwalk. Amount: $800,000. Filed Jan. 2. Shah, Devang M. and Bhavna D. Shah, Stamford, by Seth J. Arnowitz. Lender: Bank of America NA, 101 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 320 Strawberry Hill Ave., Stamford. Amount: $394,000. Filed Jan. 21. Tong, Elizabeth and William Tong, Stamford, by Leila Prackup. Lender: US Bank National Association, 4801 Frederica St., Owensboro, Kentucky. Property: 133 Laurel Road, Stamford. Amount: $382,963. Filed Jan. 21.

Webster, Yvonne D., Norwalk, by Eugene M. Kimmel. Lender: Total Mortgage Services LLC, 185 Plains Road, Milford. Property: 15 Madison St., Unit D3, Norwalk. Amount: $100,000. Filed Jan. 2.

NEW BUSINESSES A Viands LLC, 6 Landmark Square, Fourth floor, Stamford 06901, c/o Saray Djidji. Filed April 2. Clothes4everyone.com, 28 Crescent St., Unit 4, Stamford 06906, c/o Luz N. Lasso. Filed April 2. Eastern Analytica, 66 Glenbrook Road, Unit 2123, Stamford 06902, c/o Le Yao. Filed April 2. G&N Construction, 39 Hubbard Ave., Stamford 06905, c/o German Castro. Filed April 3. Garcia’s Garden LLC, 23 Lafayette St., Stamford 06902, c/o Edin Garcia. Filed April 3. LG Solutions, 1117 E. Putnam Ave., Riverside 06878, c/o Shanika E. Guy. Filed April 3.

PATENTS Method of making a polymer composite. Patent no. 10,649,355 issued to Keoshkerian, et al. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Tethered metal dioxide for imaging members. Patent no. 10,649,353 issued to Jin Wu. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Object holder for a direct-to-object printer. Patent no. 10,647,105 issued to Soures, et al. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Apparatus and method for creating machine-readable codes for custom cut stock. Patent no. 10,642,542 issued to Dickinson, et al. Assigned to Xerox Corp., Norwalk. Vibration cancelling speaker arrangement. Patent no. 10,652,638 issued to Brian Sterling. Assigned to Harman International, Stamford. System and method for natural-language vehicle control. Patent no. 10,647,332 issued to Garcia, et al. Assigned to Harman International, Stamford.

Nazrul Car & Limo Service LLC, 43 Givens Ave., Stamford 06902, c/o Mohammed Nazrul. Filed April 2. Philip Charles Nelson Matthew Scott, 184 Summer St., Stamford 06901, c/o Philip Nelson Scott. Filed April 2. Philip Nelson Garrad Scott Entertainment, 184 Summer St., Stamford 06901, c/o Philip Nelson Scott. Filed April 2. Pro Signs & Wraps, 45 Cedar St., Stamford 06902, c/o Michel Costa. Filed April 2. R-M Landscaping, 25 Leslie St., Stamford 06902, c/o Carlos R. Rodriguez Martinez. Filed April 2.

FCBJ

WCBJ

MAY 18, 2020

37


LIONESS, INC.

S

Seeing wild animals display affection strikes a chord with us humans. We’ve been there. We’ve done that. Given the harsh environment and everyday struggle to survive in the wild, we are surprised to see glimpses of human behavior in their actions. This cub, in stride, reached up and leaned into his mother, looking for assurance. Solidarity is how they have always survived. Lions are the laziest of the big cats, often spending most of the day sleeping or resting. While lazing around, they can be very affectionate towards one another. While a group of people connected to one another is called a tribe, a group of fish is called a school and a group of owls is called a parliament, a group of lions is collectively called a pride because of their stately quality. Lions are the only cats that live in these social groups called prides. Family units may contain as many as 40 lions, including up to four males, who are responsible for protecting the pride, and a dozen females. All of a pride’s lionesses are related and will mate at approximately the same time. After a gestation period of about 110 days, the females gives birth to 1 to 4 cubs, weighing only 2 to 4 pounds. The cubs are then raised together, sometimes nursing communally. While the image of male lion superiority is ubiquitous in the world, the truth is that the females are the leaders of the pride and its primary hunters. Males rarely participate in hunting unless they are needed. Females fiercely defend their cubs, and while males tolerate them, they don’t always defend them. With high mortality

rates, about 80% of cubs will not survive until adulthood, but those that do may live to be 10 to 14 years of age. Helping humans learn how to live with lions is key to ensuring their survival. In northern Kenya, Samburu warriors, women and children with important local knowledge of wildlife issues are trained to collect data on wildlife sightings and respond to community issues like livestock depredation. In exchange, they receive educational lessons and a leadership role in their communities, creating a network of wildlife ambassadors. Some conservation organizations pay farmers to replace their livestock that have been taken by lions. There are so many fascinating things to discover about lions and all the other creatures that can be found on safari with John Rizzo’s Africa Photo Tours. It’s an unforgettable trip filled with lions, elephants, leopards, zebras and rhinos — all waiting to be discovered by you! Rizzo, an award-winning photographer, leads a team of experienced guides, specializing in safari and tribal tours within East Africa – Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. His experienced team brings an intimate group of guests of all ages to see the “Big Five” (buffalos, elephants, lions leopards and rhinoceroses) as well as visit with the Maasai, Samburu and Turkana people. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. For more, visit africaphototours.com


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