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CityREVIEW NewRochelle April 29, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 9 | www.cityreviewnr.com

Officials speak out with Playland vote days away By JAMES PERO Staff Writer

Let There be Lights! The Historic Hudson Valley is gearing up for its third annual LIGHTSCAPES show, an interactive exhibition that combines light, sound, video, art and history at the Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy hudsonvalley.org

Westchester nonprofits feeling effects of county budget cuts By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Months after the passage of the 2016 Westchester County budget that solidified significant cuts to nonprofit organizations across the county, some organizations—including those that provide crucial public services—are already feeling the pinch. According to Laura Schwartz,

the executive director of April’s Child, an organization that provides social services to abuseprone children and families across the county, her organization has been among the hardest hit. “We’re feeling the pain right now,” she said. “We’ve lost a lot of money.” Schwartz said that the recent cuts to her organization have been the largest slash in governmental funding she’s seen

in her 23-year tenure at April’s Child, headquartered in White Plains. The entirety of a previous $204,000 social services contract between April’s Child and the county, she explained, has completely disappeared. The results have been substantial reductions in both the organization’s full-time staff and the breadth of services it’s able to provide to county residents, she said.

According to Schwartz, since the cuts were made, April’s Child has been forced to lay off three of its four full-time staff members. And now, with the executive director being the only full-time staffer, the organization employs three part-time staffers in their place. “The impact, financially to the agency, was mitigated by budget continued on page 8

As the clock ticks down, Westchester County legislators and other elected officials continue to draw hard stances against an agreement between the management company Standard Amusements and the county that would cede control of Rye Playland. On Thursday, April 21, county Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat who has been critical of the latest agreement with Standard, revealed that she will be voting against the deal if it remains unchanged by its May 2 deadline. While her peers have also relayed their skepticism, Parker said that some officials—particularly Republican legislators— have felt pressure from administration officials of Republican County Executive Rob Astorino, who initially announced a deal with Standard in 2015, to vote in favor of the agreement. “I’m certainly talking to my colleagues to get them to see this for the nonsense that it is,” she said, adding that she was reticent to forecast how the vote may unfold to the Review. County Democrats have also indicated that, despite the deal’s flaws, an up or down vote is imminent. “It’s not an ideal agreement, but then again we’re not in an ideal situation,” said county

Legislator Mary Jane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat. “The park was let go for too long; the buildings are in bad shape; the rides are in bad shape…. If things stand the way they are right now, I will be voting for [Standard].” Among Parker’s chief concerns with the agreement, however, is a hefty $32 million in county-funded capital projects, which she fears would put a heavy burden on taxpayers, but also what she characterizes as a concerning profit-sharing arrangement. “When I asked Standard during the [parks] committee meeting what the estimate for their profit would be during those first 10 years [of the agreement], their answer couldn’t have been clearer,” said Parker in a released statement. “They don’t expect to see a profit.” Astorino’s administration, however, has continued to assert that the deal is a wise one for both taxpayers and the future of Playland. “The public-private partnership agreement with Standard Amusements will invest into the park about $30 million in private money by Standard Amusements, and is the best opportunity to save Playland,” said Ned McCormack, communications director for the Astorino administration. Currently, the agreement as it playland continued on page 9

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2 • The city review • April 29, 2016

May 2016

Planning ahead... Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Brain Tumor Awareness Month

World Asthma Day

Wednesday

Board of Education meeting 7 p.m., New Rochelle High School Library Zoning Board of Appeals 7 p.m.

Mother’s Day

Mental Health Week

City Council COW meeting 3:45 p.m., City Hall

School board election and budget vote City Council regular legislative meeting 7 p.m., City Hall

NRHS PTSA meeting update 7 p.m., LEK

Planning Board meeting 7:30 p.m., City Hall Annex

Memorial Day, schools and government offices closed

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Thursday Cinco de Mayo

Friday

Saturday

The Kentucky Derby

Municipal Arts Commission meeting 6 p.m., 90 Beaufort Place SAT testing

HLRB meeting 7:30 p.m., City Hall Annex

Civil Service Commission meeting 3 p.m., City Hall

Industrial Development Agency meeting 7:30 p.m., 90 Beaufort Place

Armed Forces Day

April 29, 2016 • The city review • 3

Local resident holds walk to honor mother By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant Gabrielle Hamilton, a Mamaroneck resident, is a Help 4 HD International Inc. volunteer who has been involved with advocacy and volunteering for Huntington’s disease for a long time. She decided to organize a walk in memory of her mother Jackie, who was afflicted with the disease. “I’ve been growing up at-risk, so it’s been a huge presence my entire life. My earliest memory [of the disease] is visiting my grandmother in a nursing home,” she said. Hamilton’s grandmother Doris and aunt Penny have also passed away from Huntington’s disease, HD, and her uncle is currently fighting the disease. HD is a rare, fatal, hereditary brain disorder that causes nerve cells in the brain to deteriorate, impacting people physically, emotionally and cognitively. HD’s symptoms have been described as “having ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s—all at the same time,” and can include personality changes, paranoia, forgetfulness and chorea, a neurological disorder characterized by jerky involuntary movements. There is no cure, and HD can affect those from all walks of life, with symptoms varying from person to person. It has been dubbed “the quintessential family disease,” as every child of a parent who carries the faulty gene has a 50/50 chance of eventually developing HD. There is a genetic test that can tell someone if they will develop the disease or not. Approximately 30,000 Americans are symptomatic, and more than 200,000 at-risk

Gabrielle Hamilton

Gabrielle Hamilton’s mother, Jackie. Hamilton is organizing Jackie’s Walk 4 HD, an event to raise funds for Huntington’s disease in memory of her mother who passed away from it. Photos courtesy Gabrielle Hamilton

of inheriting it, according to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, HDSA. When she was in graduate school, Hamilton, now 37, was president of the New York chapter of HDSA. She has written a book for her son, “Lilco & His Mommy” published in 2008, to help parents talk to their children about illness, particularly HD. She also has a column called Ask Gaby on The Huntington’s Post, a website that provides informative reporting on HD and is linked to Help 4 HD International Inc. The idea for Jackie’s Walk 4 HD came about last year in March. “I just started thinking that I’d like to do something, finally, where I could raise money,” Hamilton said. The walk, which takes place on Sunday, May 1 in Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, aims to raise money for Help 4 HD International Inc. and two centers: Northwell Health, formerly known as North Shore/LIJ, a clinic that specializes in HD care on Long Island; and Columbia University Medical Center’s HDSA Center for Excellence. “There’s a lot of research right now in HD because they have found out what exactly causes it,” Hamilton said, adding that the funds raised will benefit anyone at any stage of HD. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to help, and hopefully some of the money will go toward someone who possibly can’t participate [in treatment and counseling].” She approached some other

HD organizations when she got the idea for Jackie’s Walk before going to Help 4 HD, settling on the California-based organization because it let Hamilton decide how to use the walk’s funds. “They’ve been very helpful,” she said. Hamilton has been able to spread awareness for Jackie’s Walk, thanks to support and sponsorship from local businesses and Rye Neck High School, which her son attends. “When I spoke to his cross-country coach about HD, she gave him a platform to talk to his teammates about it,” Hamilton said. As rare as HD is, Hamilton’s son found out that a teammate also has HD in her family. “This little disease that nobody knows about, it’s right there in a team of 15—two people who have HD in their family,” she said. Hamilton also said that even while she was promoting Jackie’s Walk on Mamaroneck Avenue in the village of Mamaroneck, she discovered that her own optician had a client with HD who also lived in the area. “There’s been three other examples like that in my community,” Hamilton said, mentioning a woman at a supermarket who said that her sister had just been diagnosed with the rare disease. Jackie’s Walk 4 HD will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants can register on the day beginning at 9 a.m. or by visiting help4hd-international.org/ events2016.html. CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com

4 • The city review • April 29, 2016

What’s going on... The New Rochelle Public Library

Tuesday, May 3 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the second floor Conference Room. New York state is no longer giving the GED test, and instead is administering the TASC, Test for Assessing Secondary Completion, to receive a NYS High School Equivalency diploma. Prep classes are free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Art exhibit: ‘Our Children, Our Artists’

The New Rochelle Public Library has reopened the Memorial Street entrance, but the Lawton Street entrance is scheduled to be closed for construction beginning on Monday, May 2. Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2016. While construction is underway, the only handicapped-accessible entrance will be the reopened Memorial Highway doors, which have a ramp leading down from street level. There will be additional handicapped-designated parking spaces on Memorial Highway. The only book drop at the main library will also be located by this doorway. Patrons may also return books by using the book drop at the Hugh Doyle Center located at 94 Davis Ave., or in front of the Huguenot Children’s Library, located on North Avenue in front of New Rochelle High School.

TASC Prep Class The next TASC prep class will take place on Saturday, April 30 from noon to 2 p.m. and on

The 35th annual ‘Our Children, Our Artists’ exhibit, which will be on display from Monday, May 2 through Wednesday, May 11 in the Lumen Winter and Community Galleries, features the art work of children from the seven New Rochelle Public Elementary Schools. The gallery is free and open to the public.

Introduction to Microsoft Word This workshop, held on Tuesday, May 3 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the third floor Computer Lab, will be an introduction to the computer program Microsoft Word. This workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is required. For more information or to register for this workshop, call 632-7878 ext. 3737.

Fundamentals of Microsoft Excel Learn to create, edit and format a simple spreadsheet, perform calculations, save, print and open files in Microsoft Excel on Wednesday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to noon in the third floor Computer Lab. This four-session, hands-on class is for new users, however, a basic understanding of Windows

and a working knowledge of a keyboard and a mouse is required. Participants must attend all sessions. This workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is required. For more information or to register for this workshop, call 632-7878 ext. 3737.

Brown Bag Book Discussion Bring a lunch and join the librarian-led discussion of Marie Rutosi’s book “The Winner’s Curse” on Wednesday, May 4 from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the second floor Conference Room. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

Email basics Learn how to open an email account, read and send messages, and attach and download documents using Gmail on Thursday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the third floor Computer Lab. A basic knowledge of computers before entering the class is required. This workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is required. For more information or to register for this workshop, call 632-7878 ext. 3737.

Friends Mini Book Sale The Friends of the NRPL will be holding another Mini Book Sale on Thursday, May 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Friends Bookstore Lobby. The book sale will include bargains from 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 of the NRPL to provide funding for quality children and adult programming, and will help the library by contributing to various projects and improving service to the community.

The College of New Rochelle

Summer programs at Ward Elementary The College of New Rochelle Graduate School provides summer programs at William B. Ward Elementary School in New Rochelle for children ages 3 to 10. The program runs from June 30 through July 29, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Young Explorers, for children ages 3 to 5, will participate in group activities involving small group instruction for literacy and early number sense, music and movement, dramatic play, creative arts and block building. Children ages 6 to 8 in the Explorers program will engage in group activities including social studies, STEM programs, literacy and math, nature, dramatic play, outdoor play and movement. The oldest campers, ages 8 to 10, will be part of the Discovery program which features hands-on STEM projects in LEGO robotics and 3-D printing, literacy and mathematics enrichment, social studies and science, outdoor experiences, creative arts, and music and movement. The 3-D printers are funded by New Matter’s

Educate and Inspire Grant. Mentor teachers and CNR graduate students work collaboratively, creating developmentally appropriate curriculum based on the goals of the Common Core for each classroom. Designed to be engaging and enriching, the curriculum’s themes connect the learning across subject areas. Small group and individualized instruction is integrated into the daily program in order to insure the progress of each child. The camp is located at the Ward Elementary School in New Rochelle. Tuition is $1,250, with limited scholarships available. For further information regarding this opportunity, contact Dr. Candace Barriteau Phaire at csp@cnr.edu.

Summer programs and camps Middle School Drop-In Program The Middle School Drop-In Program offers a variety of activities for youth in grades five through seven, completed as of June 2016. It runs from June 27 to Aug. 5 (no program on July 4) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The program takes place at both Isaac E. Young and Albert Leonard middle schools. Activities include, but are not limited to: arts and crafts, sports (tennis, basketball, volleyball and soccer) and board games. A peanut-free lunch is also included. This year, due to cutbacks, there is a $60 supply fee in order to register. Applications are available 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday in the Youth Bureau Office, 515 North Ave. in New Rochelle, and online at newrochelleny.com/youth. For more information, contact the Youth Bureau at 654-2045.

Summer day and preschool camps Registration continues for the city of New Rochelle Department of Parks and Recreation Summer Day Camps and Preschool Camp. All run from July 5 to Aug. 12. The Summer Day Camps will be held at William B. Ward and Jefferson elementary schools. For graduating kindergarteners through fifth grade, these camps feature sports, games, performing arts, nature, tennis, weekly swimming and themed activities as well as day trips. The cost for Ward school camp is $600, $650 after May 20, for the six-week session, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Early drop-off and day trips are offered at an additional charge. The cost for Jefferson school camp is $580, $630 after May 20. Three-day trips will be included. Camp hours are 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The Preschool Camp will be held at Webster school. For children ages 3 to 5 (campers must be 3 years old by July 2, 2016), this camp features social learning through arts and crafts, music, movement skills, language, literature, indoor and outdoor play, and weekly themed special activities. Cost is $800 for the six-week session, $850 after May 20. Camp hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Application deadline is May 20, or until all spots are filled. For further information or to register, call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 654-2087. To download a brochure and forms, visit newrochelleny.com/programs. 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.

April 29, 2016 • The city review • 5

Letters to the Editor

Urging legislators to reconsider the future of Rye Playland

Use residents to keep student street crossings safe

To the Editor, I write to urge Westchester County legislators to reject the ill-advised and financially flawed agreement with Standard Amusements that the county executive is trying to foist upon them. The agreement requires a huge expense from the county with almost no guarantee of reward for the taxpayer. Playland has needed a huge capital investment plan for decades and it has been ignored and neglected. I support investing in Playland, but why shouldn’t the taxpayer reap the benefits of that investment? Playland can and has turned a profit when managed correctly, and since when do we judge the success of a park in monetary terms? Are golf courses held to the same standard as Playland? The idea that the private sector can run Playland more efficiently than the county is belied by the county’s own experience. In the ‘80s, the county brought in a private operator to run the park with disastrous results. Do we really believe that Standard has the experience and the talent to not repeat history? This whole process has been flawed since 2013 when the county executive was ready to hand the keys over to Sustainable Playland, which was a contradiction because at the end, it would never have been “sustainable” and it sure would not have been “Playland.” I hope the county legislators rethink this Standard Amusements folly and have the courage to say that they have gone down the wrong path, and that it is time to reconsider. People will find that candor refreshing and appreciate their taking their responsibilities seriously and protecting a park that is an oasis to working folk in the area. It is a one-day vacation, the only vacation that some families can afford.

To the Editor, New Rochelle residents are likely unaware that city officials are considering outsourcing city crossing guards’ jobs to an as-yet-determined private company. We need residents to step up and oppose this plan. Student safety shouldn’t create a profit margin. My members who currently do this work are lifelong New Rochelle residents, retirees, parents and grandparents who’ve developed true bonds with the students and parents on their routes. Some have been there for decades. They are at their crossings in snow, sleet, extreme cold and the hottest of days. This work takes a special kind of dedication that should have leaders thanking these workers, not looking to eliminate their jobs. No private company can maintain safe, reliable staffing with the low wages they’d be forced to offer in order to maintain their bottom line. That’s where the difference comes in. Our current crossing guards are loyal public servants. There’s no profit margin involved. I’m asking New Rochelle residents to join me in respectfully asking city leaders to dump this outsourcing proposal and strengthen our existing crossing guard program.

Thomas A. Murphy, Mamaroneck

John Staino, President, CSEA Westchester Local 860, New Rochelle

6 • The city review • April 29, 2016 THE

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History and and art collide at

LIGHTSCAPES By SUZY BERKOWITZ Editorial Assistant

LIGHTSCAPES, camera, action! Historic Hudson Valley is starting to brighten the bulbs on the third annual LIGHTSCAPES, an interactive art installation taking place at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-onHudson, New York. The event allows visitors to walk through the historic site and experience a combination of light, sound, video and art that welcomes spring and maintains the Historic Hudson Valley’s undertone of history and education. Rob Schweitzer, the Historic Hudson Valley’s director of marketing and public relations, said this year’s event will include an installation of more than 7,500 manmade tulips, along with a 10-foot-tall praying mantis sculpture and a 60-foot-long centipede sculpture. The event’s soundscape will include music and effects created by Charles de Saint Phalle and Steve Pol-

lak, who has written numerous songs for the band Phish, and all artwork is made from repurposed recycled materials created by Hudson Valley-based artists. The entire multimedia experience is open to all ages and takes place outdoors. Having been the creative director of Historic Hudson Valley’s Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze—a Halloween-themed walk through exhibition of more than 7,000 intricately hand-carved pumpkins—since 2005, LIGHTSCAPES Creative Director Michael Natiello is well-versed in helping a team of artists complete a large scale project. The Blaze attracts nearly 120,000 visitors annually, including celebrities like Neil Patrick Harris, Martha Stewart and Ben Stiller. In an attempt to gain LIGHTSCAPES a similar notoriety, Natiello said the 45-minute-long path will provide visitors with a unique and transformative outlook. “The whole experience and

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Historic Hudson Valley has seen much success with other large-scale exhibitions, including The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, which sees nearly 120,000 visitors annually. Photos courtesy hudsonvalley.org.

the transformative quality of art will help put visitors in touch with a greater force,” he said. “I want people to have the same feeling they get after seeing a good movie or reading a good book. At the end of the day, I want people to be happy.” Natiello said managing a team of artists working together on a large-scale project is not very difficult when a shared vision is kept in mind. He said he allows room for creative decisions and freedom of expression, and working with so many artists has allowed for the birth of creative and interesting ideas that help propel the collaborative effort forward. Being that LIGHTSCAPES is a relatively new tradition, Schweitzer said the production team combines trial and error and visitor feedback to make the exhibition bigger and better each year, from both a creative and operational standpoint. He said ensuring that operational matters flow seamlessly make it that much easier for visitors to enjoy their experience from all angles. Since Historic Hudson Valley, a nonprofit organization based in Pocantico Hills, New York, is dedicated to promoting the public education of historic landmarks of national significance in the Hudson Valley, Schweitzer said LIGHTSCAPES attempts to both educate and entertain visitors. Natasha Caputo, director of Westchester County Tour-

Historic Hudson Valley gears up for the third annual interactive art exhibition, LIGHTSCAPES, taking place at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson.

ism and Film, said that annual signature events like LIGHTSCAPES provide residents and visitors with a unique setting to view outdoor exhibitions throughout the Hudson Valley, providing them with an enjoyable time where they won’t be disappointed. “We continue to showcase Westchester County as a stage for big events that help drive tourism to the region, which

translates into a positive economic impact,” she said. “It just gives people another reason to ‘meet me in Westchester.’” LIGHTSCAPES will open on Friday, April 29 and will run Thursday through Sunday until Memorial Day, May 30. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. For more information, visit hudsonvalley.org/ events/lightscapes/faqs. CONTACT: suzy@hometwn.com

LIGHTSCAPES includes sculptural art made from repurposed recycled materials by local Hudson Valley-based artists, as well as music and special effects.

April 29, 2016 • The city review • 7

Astorino touts county’s financial footing in address By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino maintained his reputation for preventing tax increases during his April 21 State of the County address, pledging to submit a 2017 budget that, for the seventh consecutive year, would not raise property taxes. In his address, Astorino, a Republican, compared his administration’s taxation and expenses to those of his predecessor Andrew Spano, a Democrat. Since Spano left office in 2010, property taxes have been lowered by 2 percent, more than $12 million, and have not fluctuated in five years. Meanwhile, county spending has risen to $1.8 billion, but is still lower than it was in 2010. Astorino said that curbing taxes and expenses was a matter of fiscal responsibility. “And we’ve shown that government can work and live within its means, just like you and me and everyone else,” he told the audience at the Westchester County Courthouse.

He said his administration has adopted a “save and keep” method, rather than a tax and spend one. “We have been guided by the fact that even small numbers can add up quickly when it comes to taxes,” he added. Astorino pointed to the “three P’s” which he said have been the compass for his seven years in office: protect taxpayers, preserve essential services, and promote economic growth. The county executive, in the midst of his second term in office, said that rather than creating revenue by taxing residents, the county will aim to generate revenue by developing its assets. One asset Astorino pointed to was the Westchester BioScience & Technology Center, a largescale development project announced earlier this year. The $1.2 billion privately funded development will be partially set on the county’s North 60 property in Valhalla. The 60acre site will be supplemented by 20 acres of land provided by the developer, Fareri Associates. The North 60 lease is now awaiting review by the county

Board of Legislators. Astorino compared the center to Silicon Valley and the Research Triangle in North Carolina, estimating $16 million in annual revenue from the biotech center from real estate taxes and rent. In addition, the county executive claimed the project would create 4,000 temporary construction jobs and 8,000 permanent jobs, including entrylevel positions. “We already have a foothold with companies like Regeneron and Acorda Theraputics and the expansion into Westchester of leading hospitals like Sloan Kettering, Montefiore and NewYork-Presbyterian,” said Astorino, adding that the biotech center was a step into the future. However, his annual address was also haunted by past and ongoing legal battles. Astorino accused the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, which has been overseeing the county’s compliance with a 2009 affordable housing settlement, of making false claims and outrageous demands in order to keep

Westchester under its thumb. “HUD’s leverage over Westchester ends when the county fulfills its obligations under the settlement… and that’s HUD’s end game: a settlement that never ends,” he said. Astorino said he will continue to push back against the federal government when it overreaches. “Westchester will always follow the law,” he said, “and as long as I am county executive it will never give up its rights under the law.” The Democratic Caucus of the county Board of Legislators viewed the current state of Westchester under Astorino in a far different light. Democrats contested the county executive’s tax reduction methods. They pointed to sales tax revenue, which has fallen short of estimates made in the budget by more than $20 million per year since 2014. Majority Leader Catherine Borgia, an Ossining Democrat, discussed the sales tax deficit in her response, adding that this year’s sales tax revenue is already falling short of the $525 million estimated in the county’s 2016 budget. Borgia said this budget gap will result in

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino delivered his seventh annual State of the County address on April 21, in which he promised to flatline taxes for the fifth consecutive year. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

infrastructural damage and neglect, and loss of important services, especially relating to safety and welfare. County Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat, said, “As a result of this year’s shortfall already on sales tax revenues, various services are already being cut and reduced, and the human and economic impacts are going to start to present themselves.” Jenkins, who condemned Astorino for using $29 million from reserve funds to make up for sales tax over projections, also slammed the county executive for continuing to fight with

HUD, which has already withheld several Community Development Block grants amounting to $22 million from the county for noncompliance with various terms of the settlement. “If the county executive wants to front that cost from his campaign coffers to further his political ambitions, that is fine, but the taxpayers of Westchester cannot and should not,” said Jenkins, referencing Astorino’s failed run for governor last year and rumors that he may be planning another gubernatorial candidacy in 2018. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

8 • The city review • April 29, 2016

Harrison cancels commercial trash pickup By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer The town/village of Harrison has canceled its commercial garbage and recycling program. But some residents, due to a technicality, will also feel the effects of the change. The town’s reasoning behind the cancellation is that it costs too much money for the Department of Public Works to continue picking up trash that exceeds two 48-gallon pails per unit. “It’s a costly program and we just can’t afford to do it anymore; the trucks, manpower, it’s just too much,” Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, said. “We have to make decisions that are not very popular sometimes.” Maintaining the program currently costs the town $1 million per year, and the fees only add up to $250,000 per year in revenue,

leading to a $750,000 net loss. Anthony Robinson, the commissioner of public works, has said during previous town board meetings that in order to keep the program going, the DPW would have to implement a rate hike so high that it would exceed the costs incurred by the affected locations for hiring a private carter. Robinson added that the cost of a municipality collecting trash is “substantially higher” than the costs of a private sanitation business, which commercial properties will be forced to hire now. According to the town code, commercial properties in Harrison not only include businesses, churches and schools, but also any residential property that consists of four or more family units. Harrison House Condominium, located at 70 West St., is one of the complexes set to be affected.

budget from page 1

Ron Bakay, the board president of the condos, told the town board that the 52 condominium owners who make up the complex pay the town and county taxes as residential owners, and are not actually businesses, despite the “commercial” classification. “This is not a good situation,” Bakay said. “And it’s going to cost a lot of people in this town a lot of money over time.” Bakay said now that the town’s decision is final, and commercial trash pickup will end after July 1, their condo manager is looking into multiple private carting services to find the best offer they can get. “Now we’re going to have to raise common charges, which we try our best to keep as low as possible,” he said. “We have several fixed income owners and I don’t think this is fair.” Contact: angela@hometwn.com

SCHOOL NEWS? Contact SARAH VARNEY sarah@hometwn.com

When drastic cuts were first proposed during the county’s 2016 budget cycle, nonprofits from across the county banded together in order to bring awareness to the issue. The result was a restoration of about 75 percent of the proposed cuts, but the loss in funding is still wreaking havoc on the organizations. Photo courtesy Nonprofit Westchester

three people losing their jobs,” Schwartz added. “But you’re putting three people on unemployment who maybe can’t afford their rent.” More importantly, Schwartz said, some of the families that her organization services can no longer receive help as a result of the county’s budget sequestration; even despite restoration of 75 percent of the proposed cuts during last-minute budget deliberations. Since January, April’s Child has been forced to reduce the number of people in its care by about 90 adults and 170 children, Schwartz said, marking an approximately 50 percent decrease in the overall number of clients it serves. But April’s Child hasn’t been the only organization feeling an impact. According to Joanna Straub, the executive director of Nonprofit Westchester, a coalition of nonprofits across Westchester County, others have borne simi-

lar burdens. “I touched base with a couple of the organizations that were affected by the cuts,” Straub told the Review. “All are still in operation, but those who suffered the most serious cuts have completely closed the affected programs, laid off staff and reduced staff hours.” And while the effect on employees in the nonprofit sector has been great, according to Straub, the larger effects on communities lacking services in Westchester are of an even greater concern. Straub said the cuts will eventually have two long-term effects; one being the diminishing financial stability of nonprofits, and the other, she explained, is a bigger burden on the county who will have to provide those services at a higher cost. According to Schwartz, while it only costs April’s Child $1,400 to keep a child out of foster care, once the same child enters the system—an occurrence

which Schwartz fears will happen much more frequently without their services—the child costs the county approximately $110,000 per year. As for filling the funding gap now that April’s Child has lost their contract, Schwartz said that her organization will be more reliant than ever on fundraising for their operating budget. “The difficulty is that [now], my primary goal is to serve the families,” she said. “It doesn’t allow me to focus on the things that I need to do like fundraising; the things I need to do to keep the agency running.” Government funding or not, Schwartz said that her organization has no choice but to continue trying their best to provide the services that their community needs. “We’re mission-driven,” said Schwartz, adding that the organization has been around for 34 years. “We’re not going to stop now.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

City of New Rochelle’s

Official Newspaper

April 29, 2016 • The city review • 9 playland from page 1

stands would last for 30 years and would initiate profit-sharing, only after Standard recoups its initial $27 million investment. After that money is recouped, the county’s profit share would rise incrementally from 8 percent to 12 percent over the course of 30 years. County legislators aren’t the only ones voicing their concern with the agreement, however. Democratic councilman of the town of Mamaroneck, Tom Murphy, has also publically announced his concern for aspects of the deal. “I’m not opposed to spending money to fix Playland,” he told the Review. “But I don’t believe we should have taxpayers’ money subsidizing a corporation who will reap all the profits.” At a public hearing put together by Parker regarding the agreement held on Tuesday, April 26 at Rye City Hall, residents were also given the chance to address their sentiments on the agreement. During the hearing, more than two dozen Rye and Westchester County residents shared their concerns with the deal. Also in attendance were county legisla-

tors Parker, Shimsky, Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat, and Lydon Williams, a Mount Vernon Democrat, as well as Rye City councilwomen Julie Killian, a Republican and candidate for state Senate, and Emily Hurd and Danielle Tagger-Epstein, both Democrats. While most attendees, like Rye resident Dina Goren, decried the agreement’s lack of benefit to the county and taxpayers, others like Rye resident Ken Ball showed support for the deal. “If we want to keep an amusement park we’ve got to be prepared to pay for it,” Ball said. “And, if so, I believe the Standard arrangement will be a very good arrangement.” After the repeated postponement of the agreement’s deadline, which was set back twice after different iterations were introduced, Parker said that she expects herself and the rest of her colleagues on the Board of Legislators to take a final vote on the acceptance of the agreement by May 2. Rye City Mayor Joe Sack and Jenkins could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Playland Agreement At a glance The 30-year agreement would see Standard Amusements match Westchester County’s $32M investment into Playland Profit share between the county and Standard would only commence after Standard recoups its initial investment of $27M; a benchmark that Standard has said won’t happen within the first 10 years The swimming pool at Playland remains an uncertainty. A previous $10M project to renovate the structure has been scaled back to $1M

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

New Rochelle man arraigned in shooting death Acting Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty announced that Stivenson Desir, 19, of New Rochelle, was arraigned on Tuesday, April 26 on an indictment charging him with one count of murder in the second degree—a class A felony—and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree—class C felonies—in the death of Brandon Lawrence, an Iona College student. On April 3, 2016 at approximately 3:23 a.m., the New Rochelle Police Department received several 911 calls reporting that shots had been fired in Lincoln Park. When officials arrived, they found the victim lying face down in the center field area of the ball field. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. An intensive investigation carried out by the Police Department and the Westchester County district attorney’s office revealed that both the victim and

Stivenson Desir

the defendant attended a party hours earlier at an apartment in the city described as off-campus housing used by Iona College. Following the party, a group of five male attendees, including the victim and the defendant, went to Lincoln Park. While at the park, two of the men engaged in a pre-arranged fist fight. As they were watching, the defendant pulled a handgun and fired at the victim, hitting him once in the torso, resulting in his death. Later that day, the defendant

was located at his apartment by New Rochelle police and placed under arrest. Stivenson plead not guilty to the charges. The defendant was remanded. His next court date is July 26, 2016. The defendant faces an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment, the maximum term must be life, and the minimum term may be not less than 15 years nor more than 25 years. Thus, the least sentence is 15 years to life, and the greatest sentence is 25 years to life. Assistant District Attorney Christine O’Connor, Bureau Chief of the Narcotics and Firearms Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Shameika Mathurin of the Homicide Bureau are prosecuting the case. In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, be advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. (Submitted)

Nick Singer, of the management company Standard Amusements, looked on on Tuesday, April 26 as attendees of a public hearing in Rye levied comments and criticism of a deal to transfer control of Playland from Westchester to the company. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

10 • The city review • April 29, 2016

New Rochelle Home Sales Listings provided by the office of Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni Photos courtesy Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Hotpads.com, Spotproperty.com & Maps.google.com

189 Farragut Circle $530,250 Sale Date: 2/18/16

193 Forest Avenue $699,000 Sale Date: 3/22/16

201 Trenor Drive $1,145,000 Sale Date: 2/25/16

9 Rose Hill Avenue $672,000 Sale Date: 2/23/16

15 The Esplande $915,000 3/10/16

21 Gaby Lane $518,000 Sale Date: 2/3/16

34 John Alden Road $545,000 Sale Date: 3/1/16

35 Mohegan Place $555,000 Sale Date: 3/22/16

40 Alden Court $610,000 Sale Date: 2/26/16

51 Overhill Road $525,000 Sale Date: 3/7/16

57 Pintard Avenue $600,000 Sale Date: 3/8/16

67 Livingston Road $920,000 3/11/16

1081 North Avenue $925,000 1/29/16

175 Rosehill Avenue $800,000 Sale Date: 3/23/16

420 Forest Avenue $760,000 Sale Date: 11/16/15

465 Pinebrook Boulevard $615,000 Sale Date: 2/25/16

11 • The city review • April 29, 2016

Business Briefs Weichert family launches new property management brand The Weichert Family of Companies recently announced the launch of its wholly owned property management company, Aureus Property Management. Aureus builds upon Weichert’s more than 30 years of experience and proficiency providing inhouse property management services by consolidating its property management businesses into this new entity poised to become the industry leader in personalized property management solutions. The new company’s name, Aureus, comes from the name of the gold coins that served as the primary monetary unit in ancient Rome. This reflects Aureus’s mission to deliver a level of service and trust that constitutes the gold standard in property management. The company offers a broad range of property management services for property owners, relocating employees and renters, including tenant screening, marketing, property maintenance and rent collection. Mike Williams, who has more than 15 years of experience in managing commercial and residential properties for corporations and retail customers, will serve as president of Aureus. Most recently, he served as president of Penn Property Management and previously was vice president of property management for the Long & Foster Companies. In his new role, Williams will oversee all corporate functions and service teams and hold ultimate responsibility for the company’s strategic growth and the execution of the Aureus value proposition. He will report directly to Brian Schuckalo, president of Weichert Enterprise Solutions. “In the property management industry, the most important competitive differentiators are service quality and trust,” Williams said. “Property owners must feel confident that their homes and other assets are in good hands. Rental agents must feel confident in recommending our services, knowing that their clients’ service expectations will be exceeded.” Williams added, “Our new brand identity is rooted in service and trust, promising a customer service experience that cannot be found with any of our competitors and, in fact, represents our industry’s gold standard. I look forward to working with my colleagues to deliver on this promise.” Leveraging Weichert’s legendary service culture, Aureus colleagues will receive the same intensive customer engagement training that helped make Weichert a customer service leader among real estate service providers. Since 1969, the Weichert Family of Companies has grown from a single office into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services by putting its customers first. A family of full-service real estate and financial services companies, Weichert helps customers buy and sell both residential and commercial real estate, and streamlines the delivery of mortgages and home and title insurance. Weichert leverages its customer website, weichert.com, one of the most visited real estate websites in the nation, to help families and individuals realize the dream of homeownership through quick and easy access to listing information and the services of its real estate professionals nationwide. For more information, Weichert’s customer service center can be reached at 1-800-USA-SOLD. Weichert franchised offices are independently owned and operated.

BCW EXPO attracts more than 1,500 visitors

be affected. It also acts as an information resource for the business community and government leaders at all levels.

Houlihan Lawrence launches Chinese web experience

More than 1,500 people got a close look at the products and services provided by some of the area’s elite vendors and merchants during The Business Council of Westchester’s annual EXPO, held on Thursay, March 17 at the Hilton Westchester. The EXPO, in its 14th year, featured more than 180 exhibitors, “experience stations” and “Ask the Expert” booths. Exhibit spaces were buzzing with business leaders and decision makers, cementing the EXPO’s status as the most influential businessto-business trade show in the Hudson Valley. Visitors mingled with representatives of leading brands in education, health care, hospitality, insurance, real estate, banking, nonprofits, law, marketing and more. Many carried premium items ranging from stress balls and pens to lint brushes and towels. And when they weren’t milling about the booths, attendees could be seen sampling pulled pork, Italian ices and other delicacies from the ample food stations. “This year’s EXPO was one of the best ever. It’s a terrific way to promote business growth and entrepreneurial opportunities. The EXPO provides a vibrant arena for connecting with potential clients and business partners to forge long-lasting, profitable relationships,” said President and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester Marsha Gordon. “I want to thank this year’s sponsors for their tremendous support, and I want to thank our EXPO Committee for a job well done.” Keynote speaker Lorraine Santoli, the former director of corporate synergy for The Walt Disney Company, kicked off this year’s EXPO with a passionate address about the importance of collaboration among teams within an organization. She told the audience she understands the negative connotation tied to synergy in the workplace, but she also knows that developing synergy among teams can be a springboard to tremendous success. “Done well, synergy works,” said Santoli, who offered anecdotes detailing wildly successful marketing campaigns she developed around Disney favorites Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. “You will create marketing magic, because it’s all about teamwork. Synergy support must start at the top and work on all levels. And it should be fun, because something that is fun is a better motivator.” The county’s largest and most influential business membership organization, The Business Council of Westchester is committed to helping businesses market, learn, advocate and grow. In addition, The Business Council of Westchester is actively involved in reviewing federal, state and county legislation and regulations in order to assess the potential impact on the business community and to influence the outcomes through advocacy when the business community’s interests may

In response to increasing local interest by Chinese homebuyers and investors, Houlihan Lawrence, the leading residential brokerage in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Fairfield counties, has launched a traditional Chinese-language version of its website. The site offers a seamless browsing experience for Chinese viewers by pairing a curated selection of properties with deep links to its premier listings translated on LuxuryPortfolio.com. “We are proud to extend our capabilities to meet the needs of this premium market,” said Chris Meyers, managing principal of Houlihan Lawrence. “It is important for us to evolve our tools for international home buyers in order for all clients to have an easy, accessible experience.” This new feature is a result of Houlihan Lawrence’s growing demand from Chinese users. Traffic from China to HoulihanLawrence.com more than doubled in 2015 as compared to 2014, and inbound web leads from Chinese buyers have increased significantly since last year. Houlihan Lawrence has been steadily attracting Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking agents to the company, with a dozen native speakers dispersed among its offices. The agents have been reporting a growing demand from Asian investors for better digital home buying tools and a desire to correspond primarily through popular messaging platform WeChat. Vice President of Global Business Development Elizabeth Nunan explains, “By featuring our luxury properties in traditional Chinese, Houlihan Lawrence and our sellers will benefit from an increased global presence among this ever-important audience as Chinese are now the biggest foreign buyers of U.S. housing.” According to a survey by the National Association of Realtors, within the year since March 2014, Chinese investors spent $22 billion on real estate in the United States, or nearly one quarter of all international sales. Roughly 51 percent of the deals were in New York. In 2015, they poured $28.6 billion into properties in the U.S. The northern New York City suburbs are considered a prime opportunity among Chinese buyers. “Trophy” homes in close proximity to the city make for an attractive investment in times of China’s economic uncertainty and dwindling living space. Top-tier schools, better health care and refreshing green space only amplify the draw. For more information, visit houlihanlawrence. com/chinese. Built upon 125 years of family tradition, Houlihan Lawrence, the leading brokerage in New York City’s northern suburbs, is committed to exceeding

expectations in every aspect of the real estate process. The firm today serves more than 90 communities with 30 offices and more than 1,200 agents, leveraging global partners on six continents and in 56 countries. The company ranks 13th of all brokerages nationally and achieved a total sales volume of $5.4 billion in 2015. For more information visit houlihanlawrence.com.

New dermatologist joins Scarsdale Medical Group Scarsdale Medical Group, a multispecialty practice serving Westchester and Fairfield counties and the surrounding Hudson Valley area, is pleased to announce the appointment of dermatologist Dr. Smeeta Sinha. Sinha began seeing patients on Friday, April 1 in the Harrison office, located at 550 Mamaroneck Ave. Sinha practices cosmetic as well as general adult and pediatric dermatology. Sinha obtained her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, graduating with highest honors. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, NJMS, where she was elected president of the NJMS chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, the National Honor Medical Society. Sinha completed her internal medicine training at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a residency in dermatology at NJMS, where she was selected to serve as chief resident. She then completed a cosmetic dermatology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. Prior to joining Scarsdale Medical Group, Sinha was a staff dermatologist for a private practice in New Jersey. “We are happy to welcome Sinha to Scarsdale Medical Group,” says managing partner Dr. Kenneth Croen. “We are excited to further contribute to the advancement of medical and cosmetic dermatology and provide high quality dermatological care which the community has learned to expect from us.” Sinha joins dermatologists Drs. Alison LindsayBeltzer, Jeffrey Goldstein, Jennifer Goldwasser and Dorian Gravenese. To make an appointment call 723-8100. To learn more about Scarsdale Medical Group, visit scarsdalemedical.com or call 723-8100. The next Business Briefs section will run in May. Please send any submission for our May edition to news@hometwn.com, with “Business” in the subject line of your email. Each submission may include one picture. If you have any questions, email us at news@hometwn.com.

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12 • The city review • April 29, 2016

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April 29, 2016 • The city review • 13

Did 4 young women go to prison for being gay? RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

This will sound strange but it only gets stranger: A man in the Yukon who lives in a hut and has a team of 30 mush dogs got interested in the topic of female sex offenders. Go figure. The man, Darrell Otto, may tread the frozen tundra, but like everyone else, he’s got Internet access, and somehow he stumbled upon an odd case: Four Texas lesbians were convicted, when they were in their very early 20s, of raping two young girls in a tequila-soaked orgy. By the time Otto was reading about them, the women had been in prison four or five years, but they had at least another decade to go. One of them, in fact, had 30 years to go. That’s a long sentence. The more he read about the case, the more Otto wanted someone to dig deeper. At last he found the National Center for Reason and Justice, NCRJ, a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying false allegations of harm to children, which agreed to investigate. Here’s what they found. The girls, who were 7 and 9 years old, had been staying with their aunt, 20-year-old Elizabeth Ramirez, for a week. Two months later, they told their grandmother they’d been raped by Ramirez and her friends. The facts of the story were confounding at best. First of all, the girls said all four of the women raped them, even though two of the women’s work schedules would have made that almost impossible. Then, their details differed widely on retellings: Sometimes the girls said they

were together during the attacks, other times, apart. Sometimes they said they were threatened with a knife, other times, a gun. But most damningly of all: the same girls had told a strikingly similar story two years earlier. That time, it was about their mom. This was when their dad, Javier Limon, was engaged in a bitter custody battle with her. Limon figured large in this case too. He had been in love with Ramirez and outraged when she turned him down. He vowed vengeance on her and her family. Slate reports that Ramirez received love letters from Limon. She was not allowed to enter them in her defense. Instead, the trial was about four gay women, in a conservative Texas town, right on the heels of the “Satanic Panic,” a period of time when Americans across the country became convinced that day care workers were dismembering babies, drinking blood and ritually raping preschoolers. It sounds outrageous now, but people went to prison, sometimes for decades, for ostensibly making their toddler students dig up bodies in the graveyard, or flying them down to Mexico to be raped by the army—and back by circle time. (Look up the case of Frances and Dan Keller.) In the end, the fate of the San Antonio Four was sealed when a doctor testified that the lines she saw on one of the girl’s hymens were irrefutable proof of rape. The women entered prison reviled as child molesters—and lesbians. “Many of these cases were fueled by homophobia,” says Debbie Nathan, the Brooklyn-based author of “Satan’s Silence: Ritual Abuse and the Making of a Modern American Witch Hunt.” Na-

than is on the board of the NCRJ, the group that took on this case. Back then, she says, many people assumed that anyone gay was also a child predator. Nathan urged one of her protégés, Deborah Esquenazi, to keep digging, even as she convinced the Texas Innocence Project to do the same. As a gay woman herself, just coming out, Esquenazi went to meet the women in prison and was shocked to find, “They were no longer angry. They just wanted to tell their story.” So she brought along a video camera, and bore witness over the next few years to an extraordinary turn of events. First, the doctor who insisted the physical evidence “proved” rape admitted that she was wrong. It turns out that hymen lines are a normal variation. Second, a new Texas bill that allows people to appeal if their convictions were based on “junk science” brought the case back to court. And finally: one of the victims, now 20-something, recanted her testimony. She said she’d felt guilty for two decades. Then, after more than a decade in prison, the women were released, but not exonerated. They’re in legal limbo, working factory jobs as they await what happens next. Which is the red carpet. Esquenazi’s documentary, “Southwest of Salem,” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 15. The San Antonio Four were there, their first time in New York. It should all be pretty sweet. But not as sweet as justice.

Managing stress by using your breath By Hillary Volper During the latter part of the 20th century, newer therapies such as Dialetical Behavioral Therapy, DBT, along with mindfulness meditation, have promoted the use of the breath to manage stress. Thicht Nhat Hanh, former Pulitzer Prize nominee and meditation teacher, writes, “Regardless of our internal weather—our thoughts, emotions and perceptions—our breath is always with us like a faithful friend. Whenever we feel carried away, sunk in emotion, or caught in thoughts about the past or the future, we can return to our breathing to collect and anchor our mind.” Last year, a new client and I worked on a behavioral model to control his angry outbursts at staff meetings. I chose to teach him how to pause and breathe slowly during meetings when he felt triggered. Called to HR twice, my client had been warned to change his attitude. His searing remarks in office meetings, caused by frustration with administration, were seen as criticisms and challenges to his boss’ authority. Frightened of losing his job, he was open to experimenting with new ways of managing his anger when he began therapy. Together we analyzed each challenging office incident and formulated newer responses that were less combative and more conciliatory. During our sessions he shared his difficulty with decoding people’s body language and social cues, and I in turn assured him that social skills were teachable. I compared learning new so-

cial skills to learning a new golf swing. Needing to improve a golf game, a person typically hires a pro for lessons. Often a teacher suggests a new golf swing to improve a game. At first, there is resistance to the new swing, and a student finds it awkward and uncomfortable. But with practice and determination, the new swing ultimately becomes natural, and the person’s game improves. This explanation left my client hopeful and ready to work on his problem. At this point, I suggested using his breath before responding in staff meetings. He needed to pause as the urge to respond erupted, and then follow with a deep breath. Pausing and breathing enabled him to determine whether his comments would be seen as helpful or inappropriate. Sometimes one breath is not enough to stave off a reactive response, and so I suggested taking more breaths to slow his reactions. Our nervous system reacts to danger either by wanting us to fight or flee challenging situations. Research shows that breathing slowly lowers our blood pressure and calms our responses. In my client’s case, he wanted to “fight” both his boss and the administration. Pausing and breathing deeply would help him learn to not react but respond with objectivity. In the initial stages of working with his breath, my client complained that breathing in meetings with his boss and colleagues felt as if he had placed a muzzle over his mouth. He practiced pausing and breathing, and found it becoming easier to not respond in meetings. During the next few

months, he became skilled at not reacting and his boss once more sought out his opinions on department matters. HR dropped their complaints and he felt ready to leave therapy, having learned to master his responses by pausing and breathing. We can all benefit from working with our breath to ease our stress. Here are five tips to working with your breath: • When triggered by an event, note your bodily discomfort. • Pause, take a deep breath and, if necessary, take another. • Continue to breathe as a means of slowing your reactions. • Notice that it may take a few minutes to calm your emotions. If you find the event losing its importance, then you have achieved your goal. You are now ready to respond rather than react to the incident. • And lastly, remind yourself that “conscious” breathing is healthy, and an easy way to de-stress. Over the years, I have helped a number of clients learn to pause and breathe slowly to control their emotional reactivity. Other clients have found breathing helpful in managing repetitive negative thoughts. One mother reports her daughter now tells friends to take deep breaths when they are upset. Quick and assessable, it is a helpful technique for all of us to develop and use. Hillary Volper, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice in Westchester and New York City. To contact Hillary you can email her at HGVolper@aol.com or go to her website HillaryVolper.com

CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

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SPORTS

14 • The city review • April 29, 2016

Fanning the flames LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

The one thing I love about my job is that you never know when you’re going to see something new. During the second half of an April 26 lacrosse game between Harrison and Mamaroneck, the two officials called a timeout to huddle with the opposing head coaches. But they weren’t trying to figure out who was closest to the ball as it was shot out of the field of play or which player had committed a foul; they were conferring on what to do about a disruptive parent in the stands. In the grand scheme of things, this guy wasn’t the worst spectator I’ve seen at a high school game this year; that title goes to the 50-year-old man with his nose pressed up against the glass who took every opportunity he could to tell Pelham’s goalie that he sucked during a particularly

important regular-season hockey game back in February. But the fact remains that during this recent lacrosse game, this guy, who had been loudly voicing his displeasure with the referee’s calls all game long—albeit without using any foul or abusive language—had been asked by one official to quiet down yet kept on jawing, regardless. Should the ref have had thicker skin and done his best to ignore the heckler? Probably. Should the fan learn how to act like a reasonable adult at a high school sporting event? Definitely. The fact that he was standing on the opposite side of the field from the rest of the fans in attendance suggests that someone—possibly his wife—has witnessed more than a few of these outbursts before. Now, I’m not a sports prude. If you want to go to Yankee Stadium, chug a couple of beers and holler at the umpires for blowing a few calls, I feel like that’s your right as a fan.

But at a high school game, where the lessons learned by our young athletes are at least as important as the final score, you should learn how to bite your tongue. I know, it’s not always easy. Earlier this week, I took in a much-anticipated baseball game between Rye and Eastchester. Two of the area’s top pitchers, Garnet hurler George Kirby and the Eagles’ Greg Satriale, took the bump with about a half-dozen pro scouts lined up around the backstop.. But it was apparent early on that a wandering strike zone was going to be more of a factor in the game than the right arms of the teams’ respective aces. And while fans from both sides howled, at least initially, at the umpire’s questionable zone, it ultimately fell upon both Kirby and Satriale—and not the fans—to keep their composure, adapt to the man calling balls and strikes and find a way to pitch effectively.

Mamaroneck coach Jeff Barnard, left, and Harrison coach Edgar Glascott confer with officials on April 26 on how to handle an unruly fan. Sports Editor Mike Smith feels that, most times, less is more when it comes to spectators getting on high school officials. Photo/Mike Smith

Neither pitcher escaped with a particularly pretty line on the day, but that experience of not being able to get the calls they were used to and learning how to adjust will ultimately help them as they hone their craft in the collegiate ranks.

On Tuesday, the fan in question escaped expulsion from the event as Harrison sent over a security guard to the far end of the field to keep an eye on him for the final quarter of play. But when the adults are the ones who need a babysitter dur-

ing a game played by 15-yearolds, maybe we’ve got our priorities a little jumbled up. Just let the kids play. They’ll be better off in the long run.

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SPORTS

April 29, 2016 • The city review • 15

Huguenots notches first win LACROSSE

non-league

new rochelle 10 ALBERTUS MAGNUS 4 BRONXVILLE HS

4/23/16

Game Notes: • Haitam Coughlin scored three times in New Rochelle’s win • After seven losses to start the season, the Huguenots have won their last two games • New Rochelle has a tough stretch of games coming up, including showdowns with Scarsdale, Pelham and Rye By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor

Haitam Coughlin makes a move against an Albertus Magnus defender on April 23. Coughlin scored three goals in New Rochelle’s first win of the season.

Mike Zaccaria finds some open space against Albertus Magnus. Zaccaria had two goals in the Huguenot win.

On Saturday, April 23, the New Rochelle lacrosse team picked up its first win of the 2015 season, beating Albertus Magnus 10-4 at home. For the Huguenots, the win represents an important step, not only for the remainder of the season, but for the continuing transformation of the program. Haitam Coughlin came up big against the Falcons, netting three goals and an assist in the win, but the Huguenots got contributions from a number of other players, as Mike Zaccaria, Eoin O’Malley and Christian Moreira all found the net twice. According to head coach Brian Violante, the win was especially gratifying for the club. “They’ve been working since all the way back in November, they’ve put in a lot of time and effort, so this is major,” he said. “They’ve been working their tails off, and they fought hard and did a great job.” The biggest difference-maker on Saturday, Violante said, was that his team limited the Falcons’ ability to rally. In close losses against Pearl River and Clarkstown North, the Huguenots’ undoing has been their susceptibility to good runs by the opposing team. “[Against Albertus,] if we gave up a goal, we answered right back,” he said. “These guys

Kevin Baker rushes past an opposing player on April 23.

are fighters and they went out and played a complete game.” The Huguenots carried that momentum into their next game, a 7-6 double overtime win over Nyack on Monday, April 25. Moreira scored the game-winner with just 12 seconds left in the second overtime period, but Violante said he saw a marked difference in the way the team played from the opening draw. “A hundred percent, it definitely carried over,” he said about the Albertus Magnus win. “The guys definitely had an extra bounce in their step and they came out with a lot of confidence against Nyack.” Violante said that each win is immensely important for the Huguenots, who are hoping to emerge as a top-flight Section I program in the coming years. Although New Rochelle is just 2-7 on the season, the head coach said the future is bright for the program. “We’ve been trying to change the culture here; we’re not used to having those seasons where we come out and win 13 or 15 games yet,” he said. “But our

Eoin O’Malley fights for position against the Falcons. Photos/Bobby Begun

JV team has been successful, the guys do a tremendous job with the youth program, and we’re starting to get the first of those youth players into the high school program now.” The Huguenots are looking to close out the regular season on a strong note, but will have to contend with some stiff competition over the next few weeks. On Thursday, April 28, after

press time, the Huguenots will tangle with Scarsdale before taking on Rye, Pelham and Harrison next week. “It’s our toughest part of the season, those are four of the best teams in lower Westchester,” the head coach said. “But right now, we are playing with a lot of confidence.” Contact: sports@hometwn.com

16 • The city review • April 29, 2016

April 29, 2016 • The city review • 17

Who has your back?

The dental profession has educated us well on the importance of dental hygiene. Regular brushing, flossing and checkups to prevent tooth decay is a message we hear from dentists and the toothpaste industry. But did you know that the

spine can decay as well? The spinal column, or your backbone, can develop sharp thornlike pieces called “spurs” and at the same time, the discs or the cartilage in between the vertebrae can shrink or deteriorate. In some cases, the spine can even

fuse together and you wouldn’t even know it. The spinal column contains the spinal cord and the nerves that regulate every process in the human body. Breathing, digestion, reproduction and the immune system are all controlled by messages that start in the brain and go through the spinal column. We know your teeth are important, but if you had to choose, the spine has much greater importance, and besides, you can replace all your teeth. You cannot, however, replace your spine. A doctor of chiropractic uses safe, gentle spinal “adjustments” to restore motion to the spine and prevent spinal degeneration. Most chiropractors use massage therapy, physiotherapies and other modalities to relax the muscles, which help to prepare the body to hold the adjustments. You probably brush, floss and see your dentist for your dental hygiene. The question is, who is doing your spinal hygiene? Visit a doctor of chiropractic today and allow them to do a thorough exam of your spine and nervous system. Dr. Richard Davidson is the director of Westchester Family Chiropractic at 550 Mamaroneck Ave in Harrison. Call 346-5200 for more information.

18 • The city review • April 29, 2016

How to ease your dental anxiety Few people relish the idea of going to the dentist. Dentists prod and poke sensitive areas of the mouth, but their efforts are for the benefit of their patients. Fear of the dentist’s chair is not uncommon, and that anxiety prevents millions of people from seeking proper preventative dental care. The consequences of succumbing to those fears extend beyond pain or lost teeth. Diseases of the mouth have been linked to other ailments, including diabetes, stroke and heart disease. A fear of the dentist may stem from past unpleasant experiences, such as a dentist with a poor chair-side manner, while others may fear the lack of control they experience while in a dentist’s chair. According to Ellen Rodino, PhD, who has studied dental fear, lying down with a dentist hovering above you can be off-putting. Couple that with the discomfort many

people have when instruments that interfere with their ability to communicate are placed in their mouths, and fear of the dental chair does not seem so unreasonable. Easing fears at the dental office involves communication with the dentist and his or her staff, as well as finding a dentist with whom you feel comfortable. Working through your fears of the dentist is an important step toward getting the oral health care you need. Gagging According to the American Dental Association, authors of the study, “Gagging and Its Associations With Dental CareRelated Fear, Fear of Pain and Beliefs About Treatment” found patients who have a higher frequency of gagging problems during a dental visit are more likely to experience higher levels of dental care-related fear and fear of pain. They also

may have more negative beliefs about dental professionals and dental treatment. Patients should discuss their propensity for gagging with the dentist or hygienist in advance. Some dentists can recommend nose breathing and other relaxation techniques. Distractions, such as televisions in the examination room, also can help to relieve anxiety and the likelihood that you may gag while in the dentist’s chair. Dentist also may opt for smaller cleaning instruments or take other measures to reduce the liklihood of stimulating a gagging reflex. Sounds The sounds of cleaning tools and drills elicit fear in many people. But ignoring or avoiding such sounds can help men and women conquer their fears of the dentist’s chair. On your next dental visit, bring a pair of headphones and some favorite

music to listen to while you’re in the chair. Pain Some dentists cause unnecessary fear in patients because they assume every person in the chair has the same pain threshold. One person may be able to tolerate a tooth extraction without numbing, while another may need pain relief for a routine cleaning. Fearful patients should make their needs and fears known. Speak to your dentist about what can be done to deal with the pain. Discuss the procedure and find out if novocaine or another pain reliever can be used.

Although use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, has diminished in dental practices, a dentist may offer medication to relieve anxiety or even sedate patients who are especially nervous. Pain may be more tolerable if you ask the dentist to take frequent breaks or use a numbing agent on your gums. Dentists may prescribe a sensitivityrelieving toothpaste prior to certain dental procedures if your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold. Rushing Patients can help themselves relieve anxiety by choosing appointment times that are convenient and at times when they’re less likely to be rushed. An early-morning appointment or a weekend appointment may have patients in and out faster, which cuts down on anxiety-inducing wait time. Choice of provider Your choice of dentist may come down to who is in your health insurance network. Those with more flexible insurance plans may have more freedom when choosing a dentist. In either case, people should interview dentists and get recom-

mendations from others to find a provider that will keep comfort and care in mind. Especially fearful individuals may need to use a dentist who specializes in sedation dentistry to make their visits more tolerable. Avoiding the dentist because of perceived pain or other fears is unnecessary. Advancements in today’s dentistry coupled with open communication can alleviate situations that cause anxiety.

April 29, 2016 • The city review • 19

Natural ways to relieve chronic pain

Chronic pain can be debilitating and interfere with daily life in various ways. Over-thecounter, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are some of the most widely used medications in the United States, but when such medications prove ineffective, prescription pain relievers, which can be addictive, are often a pain sufferer’s next choice. Consumer Reports indicates that roughly 45 people per day in America die from overdoses of opioid-containing pain medications, which include methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Prescriptions for these drugs have climbed 300 percent in the last 10 years. Although opioids can be safe when used properly to treat short-term pain, too often their usage leads to misuse and dependence, especially when they are used to treat chronic pain. For long-term pain from arthritis, research suggests that nonopioid medications and even nondrug treatments often provide relief with less risk of addiction and overdose than opioids. Reducing pain using alternative methods with less risk can involve rethinking trips to the medicine cabinet. Doctors and naturalists may advocate for

natural pain relievers as a first step to managing pain. Massage There’s more to massage than working out the kinks of tight muscles. Massage may help boost the body’s levels of endorphins and serotonin, both of which are natural painkillers and mood regulators. The Mayo Clinic’s Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program has conducted a number of studies on massage as treatment for pain following surgery, ultimately finding that massage significantly relieves pain and reduces anxiety. Dietary changes Pain is often linked to inflammation in the body. When eating, choose foods that won’t worsen existing inflammation. Eating less sugar, dairy, and gluten products, which can contribute to inflammation, can help a person feel better. Increase consumption of foods that reduce inflammation, such as raw vegetables. Hot and cold therapy Cold compresses can reduce inflammation quickly and also serve as a local anesthetic. Heat therapy can ease aches and pains and make muscles more flexible. Try applying a hot compress prior to stretching to

make limbs more limber. Take the sun A Boston University study that examined 221 men and women with knee osteoarthritis found that those who spent 15 to 20 minutes in the sun increased their body’s production of vitamin D and experienced less pain as a result. When the sun is scarce, it’s adviseable to get between 400 and 800 IUs of vitamin D daily through supplements and foods. Brisk walking Fast walking is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise that utilizes most of the body. Walking encourages blood circulation, removes toxins, burns calories, and stabilizes blood fats and sugars. Plus endorphins released from exercise can help a person feel good. A great thing about walking is just about anyone can do it. Mind-body exercises Exercises that combine focus with stretching can alleviate physical pain and improve mental clarity. Look for yoga, pilates and meditation classes and give them a try. Chronic pain may be relieved with the use of natural remedies, which help pain sufferers reduce their reliance on over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Cancer screenings men should consider Cancer screenings play an important role in cancer prevention. Screenings may not prevent people from getting cancer, but they can detect the presence of cancer before a person begins to experience any signs or symptoms. Screenings also can help doctors catch cancer before it metastasizes, or spreads, to areas of the body outside the area where it originated. Many women get routine mammograms to detect for breast cancer, but women are not the only ones who should include cancer screenings in their healthcare routines. Men also can benefit from screenings, discussing the pros and cons of each with their physicians during routine health examinations. • Colon cancer: Men should begin getting screened for colon cancer at age 50, though those with family histories of colon cancer or other colon issues should begin even earlier, as family history increases a man’s risk of developing colon cancer. Colon cancer screenings may discover a type of growth known as a polyp, which is typically benign and can be removed before it develops into cancer. The American Cancer Society notes that men have various options to choose from with regard to screening for colon cancer. Such options include a colonoscopy, a stool DNA test and a camera pill. Speak to your physician about these options and discuss your

family history, which will influence how frequently you need to be screened for colon cancer. • Lung cancer: Screening for lung cancer is most important for men who currently or recently smoked. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for men between the ages of 55 and 80 who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Screening should be discontinued once a man has not smoked for 15 years or

has developed a health problem that substantially limits a man’s life expectancy or his ability or willingness to undergo curative lung surgery. (Note: Pack-year history is calculated by multiplying the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked.) The ACS notes that the risks associated with lung cancer screenings typically outweigh the benefits for men who have never smoked or quit long ago. • Prostate cancer: The National Cancer Institute notes that prostate cancer is the most common nonskin cancer among men in the United States. Being 50 years of age, black and/or having a brother, son or father who had prostate cancer increase a man’s risk of developing the disease. The NCI notes that screening tests for prostate cancer, which include a digital rectal exam and a prostate-specific antigen test, come with risks, and men should discuss these risks and the potential benefits of prostate cancer screenings before deciding to be screened. Cancer screenings can detect cancer in its earliest stages, and as men get older, they should discuss their screening options with their physicians.

20 • The city review • April 29, 2016