THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle April 8, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 7 | www.cityreviewnr.com
Balanced budget will allow 5 new full-time teachers By SARAH VARNEY Education Reporter
Home, sweet Home?
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held a rally in front of a bevy of supporters at SUNY Purchase on March 31, just weeks ahead of the New York primary on April 19. For more, see page 6. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
County Playland review deadline extended to late April By JAMES PERO Staff Writer An agreement between Westchester County and the management company Standard Amusements to transfer management of Rye Playland will spill over into late April as the Board of Legislators works to whittle down the deal’s $58 million in countyfunded capital projects.
A newly proposed deal by members of the county Board of Legislators, according to board Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat, would suggest a new price tag of $30 million in county-funded infrastructure projects, cutting the former proposal by nearly half. As a part of an amended agreement struck between Standard and Republican County
Executive Rob Astorino’s administration, which was reached in late February, Standard is also planning to invest $30 million of its own money into making necessary improvements to the park. Ned McCormack, spokesperson for Astorino’s administration, said that the new proposed dollar amount isn’t set in stone, but will be part of an ongoing conversation with the Board of
Legislators and Standard. “The negotiations are between Standard and the board,” McCormack said. “If they come up with a number that’s less than $58 million then that’s between them.” According to Kaplowitz, the proposed $30 million in county-funded projects for the park represents a much more feasible PLAYLAND continued on page 9
After a long lead up, Assistant Superintendent for Business Jeffrey White unveiled a tax capcompliant budget of $254.6 million that won’t tap the fledgling undesignated reserve fund. The school district’s fund currently totals approximately $3 million. Generally, districts strive to keep 4 percent of the total budget in reserves, meaning New Rochelle should have approximately $7.5 million. Three years ago, New Rochelle’s reserves were all but nonexistent. The proposed 2016-2017 budget made its debut at the April 5 meeting of the Board of Education. School district administrators provided two thick stacks of budget information, one with 106 pages summarizing the budget and the other with a line by line total. New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Osborne credited the zero-based budgeting approach, which consists of tallying costs and expenditures individually, with enabling many decreased expenses. With zero budgeting, the tally of costs and expenditures is started from scratch. “We benefited greatly from it. We got to every department this year and this should tell you how every dollar is being spent,” White said. According to White, signifi-
cant decreases in contribution rates to both teacher and employee pension plans, a $3.8 million decrease in tax certiorari judgments and a boost of $2.1 million in state aid were the primary enablers of the balanced budget. Based on a tax levy increase of 1.11 percent, the tax rate increase for resident homeowners is projected at 1.41 percent. According to White, that means most homeowners will see an increase of about $163 in next year’s school tax bill. The proposed budget represents a spending increase of 1.42 percent over the 2015-2016 budget. The projected increase includes debt service costs incurred by the $106 million capital bond which will be voted upon with the budget by the public on May 17. The budget calls for the addition of three elementary school teachers and two teachers at the middle schools, along with a part-time studio art instructor for the high school, a part-time psychologist for the pre-kindergarten program based at the Henry Barnard Early Childhood Center and a part-time English as a Second Language instructor. Trinity Elementary School will gain two teachers for sections in the second and fourth grades. Ward Elementary School will gain an additional teacher BuDgEt continued on page 11
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What’s going on... New Rochelle Public Library
Baby Steps The Baby Steps program, appropriate for children aged newborn to 1 year old, will be held on Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Children’s Room. The session will consist of fun and socialization through music, movement and finger games, and will be led by Nora Maher.
Book talk The book talk on Allison Gilbert’s book “Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones” will be held on Sunday, April 10 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Ossie Davis Theater. The book is an uplifting, action-driven handbook that takes readers far beyond the initial stages of grief, offering 85 creative and inspiring ways to celebrate family and friends. A book signing will follow the presentation. This book talk is free and open to the public.
Advanced ESL classes Advanced ESL students can practice their English on Monday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
in the Meeting Room on the first floor. Students will be able to improve their English reading, writing, grammar and speaking skills in a casual and fun conversation learning circle with trained volunteers, Janice Agatston and Judy Pinals. Space is limited so registration is required. For more information or to register for this class, call 914-8133706 or email community relations@nrpl.org.
Lunchtime yoga express Guided by yoga instructor Nora LeMorin, this midday session, held on Monday, April 11 from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Ossie Davis Theater, is designed to help relax and strengthen participants usingtraditional and adapted poses that are practiced either standing or seated in chairs. Mats are not required for this program. This program is free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated.
sary forms to complete the e-filing. For patrons who just need tax forms, the IRS ships most of the forms to the library. A selection of forms for federal and state returns will be available on the third floor of the library, as soon as the library receives the shipments. In order to maintain the supply through the tax season, patrons are asked to take no more than two copies of any form. Reproducible forms will also be available to be photocopied. For more information, call 632-7878.
Mini book sale
The Friend of the Library will be hosting a mini book sale on Tuesday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the library lobby. The book sale will include popular novels and mysteries in hardcover and paperback, nonfiction in hardcover and paperback, to children’s books, CDs and DVDs. Proceeds from these sales allow the Friends to provide funding for AARP free tax help quality children and adult programming, and will Free tax assistance through the Tax Counsel- help the library by contributing to various projects ing for the Elderly program and Volunteer Income and improving service to the community. Tax Assistance, will be offered every Tuesday and Fundamentals of Microsoft Word Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 14 Learn how to create a simple document, edit in the library Theater/Meeting Room. Tax filers are advised to arrive early, as they will meet with a and format text, correct spelling, adjust margins, tax advisor on a first-come, first-served basis. The save, print and open files in Microsoft Word during a class held on Wednesday, April 13 from 10 a.m. TCE tax assistance program is free. Interested persons are advised to bring copies of to noon in the Computer Lab on the third floor. their 2014 tax returns, identification and whatever A basic understanding of Windows and working other tax related materials are needed to complete knowledge of a keyboard and mouse is required their returns; the counselors will have the neces- to attend this workshop. For information or to reg-
ister for the workshop, call 632-7878 ext. 3737 or stop by the Reference Desk on the second floor.
Internet for Beginners Learn about the Internet, how to navigate a web browser and explore the library’s website during this class held on Thursday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Computer Lab on the third floor. Registration for this workshop is required. For more information or to register, call 632-7878 ext. 3737 or stop by the Reference Desk on the second floor.
Westchester Children’s Association Annual spring gala The Westchester Children’s Association will be hosting their annual spring gala honoring Allan Houston. The gala will be held on Sunday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Surf Club on the Sound, located at 280 Davenport Ave. in New Rochelle. Gala sponsorship is available, and individual tickets cost $250, and ticket sales will benefit the Westchester Children’s Association. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Aimee Massaro at The JFM Group, LLC at 235-1490 ext. 13 or email WCABenefit@thejfmgroup.com. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
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Clinton visits SUNY Purchase on campaign trail
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Hillary Clinton made a stop on her campaign trail at Purchase College on March 31. Clinton, a resident of nearby Chappaqua, highlighted her ties to both the state of New York and Westchester County during her speech. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
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By ANgELA JORDAN Staff Writer Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state and Democratic candidate for president, made a campaign stop at SUNY Purchase on Thursday, March 31, approximately two and a half weeks before the state’s primary election. The campaign chose to host the rally in the intimate Repertory Theatre of the school’s Performing Arts Center, which seats no more than 500 people. The bleachers were lined with Clinton supporters, eagerly waiting to hear her speak, and occasionally reciting chants led by campaign staffers. One of those was Rebecca Liebson, of White Plains, a SUNY Stony Brook student who came home to hear Clinton speak. Liebson supports Clinton’s campaign so strongly that she started an on-campus group called Stony Brook Students for Hillary.
Liebson said after “doing her research,” she concluded that Clinton’s policies aligned most closely with her own beliefs, and her pragmatism makes Clinton a more attractive candidate than her primary opponent, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont. “I’m also from New York and saw Hillary in action as a senator, so that definitely gave me a good opinion of her,” Liebson said. Before Clinton arrived on stage, opening remarks were given by Reggie Lafayette, chairman of the Westchester County Democratic Party. “This is the most important election of our time,” Lafayette said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to say ‘Madame President.’” Clinton took the stage at about 1:30 p.m., after being introduced by U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, a Democrat. Clinton, who has resided in
Chappaqua for the past 16 years, made sure to highlight her ties to Westchester County in her speech. “Westchester is more than a county to me, it’s more of a community,” Clinton said. “[Living here] has been the most welcoming experience I can imagine.” Clinton also mentioned some of her favorite spots in Chappaqua, like Lange’s Deli and Crabtree’s Kittle House. Not everyone in the theater was a Clinton supporter, however. Konrad Wainright, a SUNY Purchase student and outspoken supporter of the Sanders campaign, remarked on a discrepancy he perceived, wherein Purchase students were told to sit or stand in spots of the theater that were out of camera shot, as opposed to older attendees, who were strategically placed directly behind Clinton’s podium. And approximately 10 min-
A group of Purchase students protest the Clinton rally just outside of the Performing Arts Center. During Clinton’s speech, Bernie Sanders supporters interrupted her by shouting “If she wins, we lose” in unison and walking out of the theater. Photo/Suzy Berkowitz
utes into her speech, a number of Purchase students situated in the back of the theater, out of camera view, shouted, “If she wins, we lose,” and walked out of the theater. “Oh, I know, the Bernie people came to say that,” Clinton responded, who went on to say that she had gained 9 million votes during the primaries so far, which is 1 million more votes than Republican candidate Donald Trump, and 2.5 million more than Sanders. Clinton then continued her speech, taking the opportunity to criticize Sanders, who hosted his own campaign rally the same day in St. Mary’s Park in the South Bronx, for making promises that she believes cannot be kept. Among those she mentioned were offering free college tuition at public universities and enacting single-payer universal health care, as opposed to just amending the Affordable Care Act. “Look, you may not be supporting me, but I’m supporting you,” Clinton said, in response to the students who staged a walkout during the rally. “I just wish we could talk and listen to each other.” Just outside the Performing Arts Center, a crowd of predominantly Purchase students lined up with anti-Clinton signs, chanting “Feel the Bern,” “Free Palestine” and “Black Lives Matter.” According to Wainright and several other students who participated in the disruption and subsequent walkout, they left the theater voluntarily to join the rest of the protestors outside, as opposed to being escorted out by the event organizers or security. Madeline Moran, who was one of the protesters that disrupted
Clinton’s speech, said, “I feel that it’s important to show the Democratic Party that we are not going to stand for Hillary, and we’re not just here to support just any Democratic president because we need real progress to be made.” Mae Williams, a 71-year-old Yonkers resident and a Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus member, said that, despite her support for Clinton, she thinks the passionate response to the rally is a sign of positive political change. “It’s awesome to see the interest of all the people coming out here today, and that they’re taking [the election] seriously,” Williams said. “People have realized that they got to vote, no matter if it’s Hillary or Bernie.” A representative from the Clinton campaign said that they believe the event went well. “We’re thrilled with the turnout today, and with the support for Hillary Clinton all across New York,” said Harrell Kirstein, the communications director for the Clinton campaign. “She has a lot of friends here, and they’ve been coming out to welcome her back to campaigning ahead of the primary.” Kirstein declined to comment on the disruption by Sanders supporters. It’s not expected that any other campaign will host a rally at the college, but SUNY Purchase President Tom Schwarz said in an email issued to the student body and faculty prior to Clinton’s rally that it should not be construed as an endorsement by the school, and that if any other candidate had approached them and asked to rent space for an event, the school would afford them the same opportunity. cONtAct: angela@hometwn.com
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County considers Islamophobia resolution By SiBYLLA cHiPAZiwA Editorial Assistant With Islam once again thrust into the spotlight due to the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels and San Bernardino, California, the climate of fear has worsened and discrimination against Muslims has been on the rise nationwide. This discrimination has spurred members of the Westchester Coalition against Islamophobia, WCAI—a local, grassroots organization consisting of both Muslim and non-Muslim members that focuses on public policy and civil rights—to alert county lawmakers to the hate and rhetoric that Muslims face and urge them to have something in place to ensure not just the safety of followers of Islam, but of all county residents, no matter their background. WCAI came about in August 2012 in response, among other things, to Pamela Geller and her American Freedom Defense Initiative’s Islamophobic ads that could be seen on Metro-North platforms.
On March 29, the Public Safety and Social Services Committee of the county Board of Legislators discussed a drafted, proposed Islamophobia resolution co-sponsored by county legislators Alfreda Williams, a Greenburgh Democrat, and Ben Boykin, a White Plains Democrat. The meeting, which was jointly held with the county’s Minority Affairs Task Force, heard testimony from WCAI members on the need for such a resolution. “Ever since 9/11 actually, there have been indications that this is something that needs to be dealt with,” Williams said. The draft resolution states that threats posed by Islamophobia are threats against the “American values of religious freedom and cultural diversity” in the county and the U.S., and that a commitment to ensuring the safety and civil rights of both Muslim and non-Muslim residents should be reaffirmed. The draft also calls for the Westchester community to stand with Muslim residents against all forms of Islamophobia.
Priscilla Read, president of WCAI, mentioned recent legislation in Syracuse and Albany that stands with Muslim residents against Islamophobia, and that the recent surge in violence against Muslims—though not seen in Westchester—is a deep concern. One such concern is how Islamophobia could affect Muslim children in the future. Nada Khaliseh, a mother of three who teaches Islam, spoke of children in her classes telling her stories of being harassed at school. “Telling a kid that he’s a terrorist constantly—because that’s what they hear in the media—is really not pleasant at all and it’s going to affect them somehow,” she said. “I really worry about that…. It may be as a joke, but it does hurt. It does have consequences.” Dr. Yasser Alsafadi, a board member of the Upper Westchester Muslim Society, based in Thornwood, shared what his community has faced, especially over the last six months. He said that mothers and children are afraid to go out alone, even to go
Members of the Westchester Coalition against Islamophobia have contacted county lawmakers to propose a resolution to combat the discrimination of Muslim residents. Pictured is the Westchester Muslim Center in Mount Vernon, New York. Photo courtesy WestchesterMuslim.org
shopping. Children have been harassed and bullied at school, and many face verbal harassment in public and at work. “The tragedy is that our community feels unempowered, they feel weak and discouraged… but they don’t report [incidents] to the authorities,” Alsafadi said. The FBI’s latest hate crime statistics show that during 2014, religious bias made up almost 19 percent of reported crimes, and while anti-Semitism bears the brunt of discrimination at
almost 57 percent, Islamophobia was just over 16 percent. Alsafadi added that people are still afraid despite knowing how to report hate crimes, especially due to recent comments made by Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. Khaliseh said that the media does not help decrease Islamophobia, either. Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat and member of the Public Safety and Social Services Committee,
said the discourse on Islam has been “disappointing, to say the least.” “We need to fight for this,” he said. “This is not something that comes easy… and perhaps that when it’s tougher, it’s more valuable.” Ned McCormack, communications director for the county executive’s office, said that the administration cannot comment on the resolution until it’s been finalized. cONtAct: sibylla@hometwn.com
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Women’s Day panel talks digital media leadership By ANgELA JORDAN Staff Writer In celebration of International Women’s Day, a panel of five female entrepreneurs and business leaders discussed a range of issues, but focused mainly on women’s influence in the tech and media sectors. The panel, titled “Women in Emerging Digital Media Leadership,” was assembled on March 8 at The Rye Arts Center and moderated by Suzanna Keith, a
Panelists: Johanna Zeilstra,
founder of thewomensdebate.com, co-founder and chief strategy officer of GiveBack.org
Tina Exarhos,
former chief marketing officer of MTV
Tiffany Pham,
founder and CEO of Mogul
Shenan Reed,
president of MEC Digital
Fran Hauser,
venture capitalist and former president of digital for Time Inc.
former city of Rye councilwoman and digital media disruptor with a long career in sales and marketing. The invited speakers had a variety of backgrounds, including a former chief marketing officer of MTV, the president of a media consulting agency, the CEO and founder of a popular website, a venture capitalist and the co-founder of a nonprofit organization. Despite their different backgrounds, all the panelists discussed different ways that the tech and media industries could improve to cater more to female consumers and be more appealing to interested female professionals. The youngest member on the panel was Tiffany Pham, 29, the founder and CEO of the online community Mogul, which caters exclusively to female users as a platform to exchange ideas, post articles, and make personal and professional connections. Pham comes from a family of journalists and media professionals, and mentioned feeling specifically inspired by her late grandmother who ran newspa-
pers across Asia that opposed communist propaganda. “I made a promise to her and my family that I was going to carry forth our family legacy of providing the information access to the world like she had,” Pham said. Pham said she discovered that gap in information access while working in various film production and media jobs, and she realized that there weren’t many digital platforms that catered specifically to women, which is why she created Mogul, a company that now boasts 18 million unique users per week. The panelists also discussed issues facing female producers of digital media content, and how it can be hard to be taken as seriously as their male colleagues. Tina Exarhos, the former CMO of MTV, cited a “soulcrushing” incident beginning her career in her 20s when a male co-worker immediately dismissed an idea she put forth in a meeting, and told her she wasn’t creative. Exarhos said that women need
In celebration of International Women’s Day, a panel of five prominent women in digital media met at the Rye Arts Center on March 8 to discuss technology, gender and the media. From left, Suzanna Keith and Kim Berns, of Rye, Johanna Zeilstra, of Mamaroneck, Tina Exharos, of Rye, Tiffany Pham, of New York City, Shenan Reed and her daughter Charlotte, of Bronxville, Fran Hauser, of Bedford, and Debra Sanguenti, of Rye. Photo courtesy Suzanna Keith
to develop the same “hubris” that men in the workplace have. Shenan Reed, the president of MEC Digital, a media consulting company with clients such as Netflix, Vodafone and Paramount Pictures, highlighted
the importance of creating flexible policies in order to keep talented and creative women in the workforce. Reed was specifically frank about the need for companies to be accommodating to the needs
of mothers in the workforce. “Balance is [BS],” she said, referring to the balance between raising children and working full time. cONtAct: angela@hometwn.com
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split between the two partners. “We showed that a 30/30 [split] is the sweetest spot,” Kaplotwitz said in reference to both partners putting in $30 million. “It’s a significant investment but it reduces our financial cost quite a bit.” Kaplowitz added that through 2027, the deal with Standard will ensure that the county spends $4 million less than they would if there weren’t a deal agreed upon. Additionally, the board voted to extend the current agreement’s March 31 deadline until April 29, effectively prolonging Standard’s option to walk away from the deal. According to Kaplowitz, Standard has showed a willingness to negotiate with the county. “They’ve shown quite a bit of flexibility so far,” he said. The latest extension of the deadline comes after a string of alterations to an agreement originally struck between Standard and Astorino in June 2015 to transfer over management and operations of the park to the private company. While the initial agreement
At a glance A new proposal from the Westchester County Board of Legislators puts the county’s share of Playland capital projects at $30 million. According to board Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, the proposed deal will save the county millions of dollars over the next two decades. To negotiate terms of the proposed agreement, the county board extended the previous deadline of March 31 to April 29, effectively prolonging Standard’s option to walk away.
proposed only $22.5 million in county-funded capital projects to the ailing 88-year-old amusement park, an amended agreement introduced in February 2016 nearly tripled that amount. Since the newly amended agreement was introduced, backlash from members of the county board—who claim that the terms of the new agreement are too burdensome on taxpayers—have put a pause on the deal’s finalization until it’s
fully vetted. According to county administration and legislative officials, projects like a $20 million effort to restore the park’s colonnades will be at the forefront of the discussion. “Nothing is off the table right now,” Kaplowitz said. County legislators Catherine Parker and Ken Jenkins could not be reached for comment as of press time. cONtAct: james@hometwn.com
Village of Tuckahoe bans fast food chains After nearly a year of discussion, the village of Tuckahoe Board of Trustees has passed a law that will prohibit fast food restaurants from opening up shop in the village. The controversy over these types of restaurants began in July 2015 when Subway applied for a permit to open a storefront at 73 Main St. Their permit was eventually approved, driving village residents to collect petition signatures asking the village to amend its zoning rules to prevent more chain restaurants from opening throughout the community. Residents were also concerned with how an influx of fast food chains could potentially alter the character of the village. The ban, which was passed at the village board’s March 7 meeting, specifically applies to “formula fast food and formula quick casual restaurants,” which includes restaurants with more than seven locations state and nationwide. However, sit-down chain restaurants with a waitstaff, such as Chili’s or Applebee’s, will be permitted.
This Subway, located at 73 Fisher Ave. in Tuckahoe, was the impetus for residents to push village officials for a villagewide ban on fast food establishments. The sandwich shop caused a firestorm of controversy and led to a petition from residents concerned that such eateries would jeopardize the character of the village. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
Joseph Amano, owner of Pure Food and Drink, located on Fisher Avenue in the village of Tuckahoe, said one of the things that drew him to Tuckahoe from the Bronx was the lack of fast food restaurant chains. “I felt [the lack of fast food restaurants] was for the wellbeing of the children, first and foremost, [who] are the future,” he said during the March 7 meeting.
Trustee Steven Alfasi, a Republican, said that he was in favor of the ban because of the size of Tuckahoe, and that if the law were for a larger community like the cities of Yonkers or White Plains, he might vote differently. “It’s Tuckahoe, and the smallness of our community is a major factor in my decision,” Alfasi said. -Reporting by Kiley Stevens
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Bronxville students volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Fifteen members of the Bronxville High School Habitat for Humanity Club and their advisors, Chris Doyle and Zhanna Cabrera, volunteered at the Habitat for Humanity store in New
Rochelle on March 6 to restore the building and organize various items brought into the store. “It feels terrific to help a community in need, especially one that is so close to ours,” ninth-
Members of the Bronxville Habitat for Humanity Club volunteer at the Habitat for Humanity store in New Rochelle to restore the building and organize the store’s items.
grader Kirsten Ircha said. “We are so fortunate, and that is why it is important to give back.” The students unloaded trucks of donations, painted the store and removed unwanted goods from it. The Habitat for Humanity store sells donated furniture and other home furnishings. Proceeds from the sales benefit the organization and help benefactors build homes for people in need in Yonkers, New Rochelle and other areas of Westchester. In addition to restoring the building, the students unpacked boxes of items used in the Oscarwinning movie “Bridge of Spies” and “The Girl on the Train,” filmed in Westchester. The movie memorabilia, which included tape recording devices, furniture, home furnishings, books, files and a Photoshopped picture of Tom Hanks, was sorted and will be available for purchase at the store. “Habitat for Humanity does an amazing job making sure that any extra items, like furniture, are put to great use,” junior Sasha Ircha said. Doyle said he’s proud of his students for donating their time
Advisor Chris Doyle, front left, says he is proud of his students for donating their time to serve the local community. Photos courtesy Bronxville school district
to serve the local community through their work with Habitat for Humanity. “There are many people in the
Westchester area who need help with housing, and our students rise to the challenge,” he said. In April, members of the club
will help build a home in the area and raise money for the organization through an egg hunt. (Submitted)
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Bill would cut criminal history from job applications By cOREY StOcKtON Staff Writer Some Westchester County Democrats have sponsored legislation that would prevent county employers from asking applicants about their criminal history. The so-called Ban the Box law would eliminate questions regarding prior arrests and convictions on initial applications for any position paid for by the county, if approved. The legislation was proposed in committee last month by county Legislator Alfreda Williams, a Greenburgh Democrat. This marks Williams’ second attempt at getting such a bill passed through the county legislature. Last year, the Public Safety and Social Services Committee passed over the bill in favor of more urgent matters such as the county’s Playland renovation project, according to county Legislator Ben Boykin, a White Plains Democrat and chairman of the committee. In June 2015, Williams recommended that legislation should remove questions about criminal history on applications for all employers located within Westchester County. However, the most recent legislation aims to remove those questions only from applications to agencies funded by the county. “We feel that if we can deal with it here in the county, we can show employers why it makes sense,” Williams said. She added
that if the legislation can make its way through committee, she may later propose an amendment that would apply Ban the Box legislation to all employers throughout the county, including privately owned businesses. New York state law forbids all employers from discriminating against job applicants based on their criminal history unless the crime has a direct relationship to the intended position. However, Boykin suggested that applicants with criminal records are quickly, and often unfairly, dismissed. He said the bill is intended “to allow individuals who have been convicted to stay in the process.” Michelle Rodriguez, senior staff attorney at the National Employment Law Project, said employers often react to criminal history despite state law. She said Ban the Box is “a way to actualize what is a principle.” Under the proposed law, the candidate has an opportunity to present their qualifications free of the stigma that comes with having a criminal record. Employers would still be allowed to inquire about a candidate’s criminal record, but not until a preliminary interview. County Legislator Francis Corcoran, a Mount Kisco Republican and member of the Public Safety and Social Services Committee, said he supports the legislation. “I think it helps level the playing field,” he said. “I believe that employers should have all
At a glance Westchester legislators propose dropping questions of criminal history from county job applications May subsequently seek to apply proposed policy to private employers 21 states and more than 100 cities and counties currently use fair chance employment
the information prior to hiring, but I think that this is just fine and it allows them to do that.” In September 2015, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, put into effect a policy which allows all applicants for state jobs to withhold their criminal record from potential employers until the employer makes a conditional offer, contingent upon a background check. Currently, 21 states and more than 100 cities and counties have some form of fair chance employment policy or law. In Buffalo, Rochester and New York City, questions regarding criminal history are prohibited from both private and public sector job applications. cONtAct: corey@hometwn.com
BuDgEt from page 1
for the second grade. The additions will allow the district to keep class sizes level, Osborne said. While the majority of capital improvements to district schools will fall under the $106 million bond, if approved by voters, the 2016-2017 budget includes $2.3 million in operating funds for new playgrounds at the Barnard pre-kindergarten program and Jefferson Elementary School, renovations to both middle schools’ locker rooms and a new planetarium projector at the high school. On the subject of the capital bond, school district administrators and Board of Education members got a surprise vote of confidence from Robert Cox, an
Board of Education President Lianne Merchant, Superintendent Dr. Brian Osborne, board Vice President Rachel Relkin and board member Chrisanne Petrone listen as Assistant Superintendent for Business Jeffrey White lays out the 2016-2017 proposed budget. Photo/Sarah Varney
online blogger and new member of one of the school district’s Health and Safety Committee. Cox said he supported the bond
and would work to convince others to support the bond as well. cONtAct: sarah@hometwn.com
12 • tHE citY REViEw • April 8, 2016
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April 8, 2016 • tHE citY REViEw • 13
Hello, it’s Adele… again rHyMes es WitH CrAZy AZy Lenore Skenazy
Walk into the grocery and there she is. Shop for shoes, she’s shopping by your side. Need to cross a lobby? Drive to Jersey? Drink yourself into a stupor? My God—she’s there, too. In the hotel, the car, the seedy bar’s seedy bathroom, seeping through the pipes. She’s everywhere, always ready to start a conversation: “Hello. It’s me.” Of course it is. It always is. It’s Adele. Now I know there must be some people—okay, several—who can’t get enough of Adele. Her “Hello” video on YouTube has, well, lemme check—more than 1.3 billion views so far. Not bad. But I was relieved to learn that it’s not just me who is on the other side (as it were) of Adele-mania. “The only reason she’s popular is because Amy Winehouse is dead,” is how lifestyle blogger Amanda Lauren put it, rather bluntly, in a phone interview. “I hate Adele.” Google those three little words and you will find a tsunami of similar sentiments, some laced with the kind of venom usually reserved for presidential frontrunners. “On behalf of the British nation, I apologize,” wrote one guy. “I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!” wrote another. A bit more thoughtfully, one blogger wrote, “Every Adele
song... is so damn formulaic, it’s unbelievable. I can’t imagine any kind of emotional process that went on during the recording of any Adele song other than, ‘Hey, remember that one song I wrote with the four sad piano chords and I belted the song title in the chorus? Let’s try that again.’” He’s anti-Adele for artistic reasons. But others are simply staggering under Adele Overload. “Today I heard it”—we know what song “it” is—”in four different places,” Yvonne Lederer, a marketing director in Westport, sighed. “She’s an entertaining singer, but enough! I just feel like everywhere I’m going she wants me to be really upset about a past lover, and I’m not going to go there.” Ah, but where else can you go? Adele is harder to escape than Mister Softee, and shares a certain stickiness. In a desperate attempt to pare the Adele quotient down in her life, Lederer and her friends have actually stopped using the word “hello.” Now, instead, they say, “’Sup?” Explains Lederer: “We’re protesting.” This can be an act of psychological self-preservation. When poet Erica Gerald Mason took her Toyota to the dealership for some warrantyrequired work, she had just settled into the waiting room, when you-know-who started singing in the background. The mechanic walked in and she
practically burst into tears. “This can’t be good news!” she cried. “You’re going to tell me you have to rebuild my engine, right?” He looked at her quizzically. Uh, no. He’d just come out to say... hello. “He asked me why I had that reaction and I said, ‘Someone Like You’ is playing right now. This is not a song for good times. This is the song you hear when you need a new transmission. Play something else.” The problem is that that “something else” is likely to be another song by Adele. She’s not just popular, she has redefined popularity. “Hello” was played almost 5 million times in just its first 24 hours on Spotify. (Take that, Taylor.) Her album “25” sold 8 million units last year—more than any other album since 2011. And I think you know whose album that was. So now I’m taking my cue from my pal Hannah Pazderka, whose family has turned Adelemania into a game: “Whenever we’re out shopping and Adele starts playing, it means we’ve probably been there long enough, so someone invokes the ‘Adele rule’ and we have to leave.” That one trick means spending less, eating less and actually heading out into the day, where it’s probably not nearly as gray and rainy as you thought it was. Hello to the outside. cONtAct: lskenazy@yahoo.com
Shoes for the Cause shoe drive for MS This Saturday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., County Recycling’s Shoes for the Cause shoe drive will be part of this year’s MS Walk 2016, located at the Glen Island Park in New Rochelle. Shoes for the Cause will be collecting all used women’s, men’s and children’s sneakers, shoes, boots, cleats and handbags the day of the event. The event is scheduled to have over a thousand area participants and Shoes for the Cause founder and CEO Ted Fisher, whose mother is battling multiple sclerosis, MS, is hoping to collect more than 3,000 pounds of footwear in which the MS Society will receive an impressive monetary donation based on the total pounds collected.
County Recycling a social and local enterprise is built on a strong environmental and philanthropic foundation, and is one of the leaders in the Wear–Donate–Recycle global movement. Those not participating but wishing to help raise funds for
MS are asked to gather up as many shoes and handbags as you can and come on down and drop them off prior to the start of the event. The Shoes for the Cause team will be there at 8:30 a.m. to accommodate early drop offs. For more information, visit CountyRecycling.us. (Submitted)
Astorino announces county park boat launch Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino recently announced that the county’s three public boat launch areas, located at George’s Island Park in Montrose, Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson and Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, opened for the season on Friday, April 1. “With warmer temperatures finally here, boaters will be eager to hit the water in the coming weeks,” Astorino said. “And, in Westchester, we are so fortunate to have access to two great bodies of water, with the picturesque Long Island Sound on our eastern border and the majestic Hudson River on the west.” George’s Island Park in Montrose, which provides access to the Hudson River, is available for boats up to 21 feet in length. A Westchester County Park Pass is not required. Launching fees for car-top-carried boats are $5 with a park pass and $15 without the pass. Fees for trailer-carried boats are $15 with a park pass and $25 without the pass. Season permits are available to park
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino
pass holders only for $100, plus a $5 daily parking fee from May through September. The ramp is open 8 a.m. to dusk, seven days a week. For more information, call 737-7530. Croton Point Park also provides access to the Hudson River via the beach, which can accommodate canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and sailboards. No motorized vehicles may be launched at the park. The daily fee is $5 with a county park pass, and $10 without the pass. Boats may be launched from 8 a.m. to dusk, seven days a week. For more information, call 862-5290.
Glen Island provides access to Long Island Sound and can accommodate boats up to 21 feet in length. A county park pass is required to use this ramp. Car-topcarried boats pay $5, and trailercarried boats pay $15. Season permits are available to park pass holders only for $100, plus a $5 daily parking fee from May through September. The ramp is open from 6 a.m. to dusk, seven days a week. For more information, call 813-6720. Playland Park in Rye also provides access to Long Island Sound. Beginning Saturday, May 7, car-top-carried boats may be launched through September. For more information, call 813-7010. Inflatable boats or similar apparatus may not be launched at any county park area. Call the park ahead of your visit with any questions about boat launching. For information about how to obtain a Westchester County resident Park Pass, visit parks. westchestergov.com or call 864PARK. (Submitted)
BCW announces Business Hall of Fame winners The Business Council of Westchester recently announced the winners of its prestigious Business Hall of Fame Awards. The winners will be honored at the 2016 Business Hall of Fame Awards Dinner on Tuesday, April 19 at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle. The winners in their respective categories are: • Corporate Citizenship: Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Michael Israel, president and CEO, to accept the award. • Entrepreneurial Success: Steiner Sports in New Rochelle. Brandon Steiner, founder and CEO, to accept the award. • Small Business Success: The Westchester Bank in White Plains. John Tolomer, president and CEO, to accept the award. • Women in Business Success: Wendy Wollner, founder and president, Balancing Life’s Issues Inc.,
to accept the award. • Family-Owned Business: The College of Westchester in White Plains. Mary Beth Del Balzo, president, to accept the award. • Chairman’s Recognition Award: N. Dain’s Sons Co. Inc. in Peekskill. Jeffrey Dain, president, to accept the award. “We are delighted to have such a distinguished and diverse roster of honorees for this year’s Business Hall of Fame. Selecting the winners for this presti-
gious award is never easy and this year was no different. The quality of this year’s nominees was truly outstanding,” said BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon. “The Business Hall of Fame is a celebration business success as well as the vitality and dynamism of Westchester’s economy.” For more information about sponsorship opportunities for the Business Hall of Fame Awards dinner, call 948-2110 or visit thebcw.org. (Submitted)
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14 • tHE citY REViEw • April 8, 2016
SPORTS
Pricing out the everyman game in the Bronx are no longer allowed to print tickets at liVe MiKe home, the Yanks have decreed, Mike Smith in a move that’s as much about protecting the bottom line as it is There’s been no shortage of about reaffirming the class strucsurprising sports stories over ture currently in place at the new the last few weeks. Between stadium. the thrilling finish to Monday Basically, what the new polinight’s NCAA Men’s Basketball cy ensures is that folks who buy Championship Game, the damp, their tickets on the resale marfreezing weather that postponed ket are forced to jump through several games on MLB’s Open- extra hoops to get their hands ing Day, and the collective me- on physical tickets they’ve purdia freakout over Matt Harvey’s chased through StubHub, or esBladdergate; let’s just say it’s chew the popular online vendor been an interesting time to be altogether and buy their tickets following sports. directly from the Yankees inBut about as shocking as house reseller. death, paying taxes or the fact that Rest assured, the Yankees will another Marvel movie is (proba- not be selling those bourgie box bly) hitting theaters near you this seats to Joe Schmoe for $25. In Friday, is the New York Yankees’ late February, Yankees COO ongoing quest to make baseball Lonn Trost summed up the Yaninaccessible to the average fan. kees’ feelings on the common In February, the Yankees man with a telling quote. unveiled a new ticket policy “It’s not that we don’t want that dealt a major blow to bar- that fan to sell it, but that fan is gain shoppers and baseball fans sitting there having paid a subalike. Those hoping to catch a stantial amount of money for a
ticket and [another] fan picks it up for a buck-and-a-half and sits there, and it’s frustrating to the purchaser of the full amount,” Trost said. “And quite frankly, the fan may be someone who has never sat in a premium location. So that’s a frustration to our existing fan base.” And there you have it. Some people, Trost argued, just aren’t “good” enough to sit near the city’s movers and shakers. Since its opening in 2009, I’ve pulled no punches on my thoughts about the new Yankee Stadium. The sterile mall-like atmosphere, the moat that separates the Yankees’ “Legends Seats” from the common rabble, all of it flies in the face of our national pastime, which was once supposed to be a place where the people of high society could mingle with the unwashed masses, eat a hot dog dripping with mustard, down a few suds and hurl coarse insults at Baltimore’s cleanup hitter. The Yanks’ latest move, it
Earlier this year, the New York Yankees unveiled a new ticket policy aimed at cornering the resale market. Sports Editor Mike Smith hopes that you rich people enjoy your half-empty stadium. Photo courtesy Groupe Canam
seems, is more in line with turning the stadium into a place where the best and brightest can peck at foie gras and discuss oil futures while offering polite applause when something on the field of play catches their eye.
The baseball season kicked off on April 3, and while that fills me with the same joy and optimism I feel every spring, I don’t think I’ll be headed down to 161st Street to see the Bombers play any time soon.
Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not protesting anything. On a sports editors’ salary, I just probably couldn’t afford it.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
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SPORTS
April 8, 2016 • tHE citY REViEw • 15
Young Huguenots eye season By MiKE SMitH Sports Editor With their April 5 game against Fox Lane canceled due to cold weather and poor field conditions, the New Rochelle Huguenots were outside on Tuesday, getting some muchneeded work in before their season opener against Clarkstown North. Although they are eager to get in live game action, the Huguenots’ youth means that all practice time is invaluable as New Rochelle hopes to compete in one of the tougher leagues in southern Westchester. Hit hard by graduation, the Huguenots bring back just one full-time starter in Matt Almonte, who played second base and outfield on a team that reached the playoffs last year. According to head coach Pete Annunziata, the lack of experience on the roster means that no one knows quite what to expect from the Huguenots this year. “We’re a very young team, the majority of the players are 11thand 10th- graders,” Annunziata said. “So, it should be very interesting to see how these guys handle it.” Because of the team’s youth, the focus of the preseason has
Two New Rochelle pitchers work on their pickoff moves.
been a bit different than it has been in recent years, the coach added. “I’ve had to do a lot more teaching this year, and a lot fewer reps,” Annunziata said. “A lot of the stuff we do in practice, we have to go over again the next day to make sure we’re doing it right. A lot of what we’re asking them to do as varsity baseball players is new to them.” As the lone returning starter, Almonte should be integral to
the Huguenots’ success this year, providing an experienced bat in the middle of the lineup. But Annunziata is also excited about the potential contributions of middle infielder Jake Armiento, who could serve as New Rochelle’s leadoff hitter, and of Mason Newman, who showed flashes of brilliance on the mound last year. “[Newman] had some success last year and we’re expecting him to be our ace,” the head
A Huguenot player dives back to second base on April 5. New Rochelle is hoping to compete with the top teams in their league despite their relative youth this year.
New Rochelle players huddle up during a practice this month. With so many young players on the roster, the Huguenots’ preseason has been built around teaching the game. Photos/Mike Smith
coach said. “Armiento has some varsity experience, but more importantly, he’s a varsity basketball player, he’s very athletic and he’s got the ability to be an impact player for us.” The Huguenots won’t have an easy road back to the playoffs, given a tough schedule that includes challenges within the league from teams like Scarsdale, White Plains and reigning Class AA state champion Mamaroneck. But so far, Annunziata has been impressed with the fire he’s seen from his young ballclub, and feels that it will serve them well against their chief rivals. “The most impressive thing about my team so far is that they’ve been competitive; they will go out there and compete,” he said. “They’re not afraid to go out and play anybody. So it falls on us, the coaching staff, to prepare them. When it comes together, I think we’ll be able to play against anyone.” cONtAct: sports@hometwn.com
A Huguenot catcher throws to first during a practice session.
16 • tHE citY REViEw • April 8, 2016