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CityREVIEW NewRochelle February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 3 | www.cityreviewnr.com
Tunnel Vision
Westchester elected officials were quick to react to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s interest in revisiting the idea of building a tunnel connecting Long Island to Westchester, Connecticut or the Bronx. For story, see page 3. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
2 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016
February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 • The city review • 3
Rye mayor encourages lawmakers to ‘topple’ tunnel
Rye Mayor Joe Sack, left, and Governor Andrew Cuomo have differing views on the merit of a Long Island Sound connection between the island and Westchester. Cuomo wants to study the feasibility of such a project, while Sack said he will engage opposition to “topple the tunnel.” Photo/Andrew Dapolite; Photo/governor.ny.gov
By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer Although preliminary, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent interest in revisiting the potential for a new crossing between Long Island and Westchester County has already elicited concern. During his State of the City address on Jan. 13, Rye Mayor Joseph Sack, a Republican, took a strong stance against Cuomo’s recent proposal to potentially connect Long Island to Westchester County via a tunnel. “The governor should know that we will vigorously oppose any bridge or tunnel that interferes with the home and environment of our city,” Sack said in his address. “And we pledge to support other Sound Shore communities in their opposition to any bridge or tunnel that runs through their towns.” In a speech to the Long Island Association on Jan. 5, Cuomo, as part of his 2016 agenda, stated that he wanted to spend $5 million on a feasibility study to see if a tunnel can be built underneath the Long Island Sound, connecting the island to Westchester, Connecticut or the Bronx. Cuomo said the effort was to further meet what he called the “unique transportation needs on Long Island.” “We need to consider ambitious access proposals,” the governor said. “Now this is not a new idea, we’ve been talking about this for 75 years. In 1938, FDR talked about building a bridge from Long Island to Con-
necticut or Rhode Island, understanding the physical constraints [on Long Island].” Since 1938, there have been at least seven other proposals for a bridge or tunnel between Long Island and Westchester or Connecticut, including New York builder, Robert Moses’ controversial plan for a bridge connecting the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County to the city of Rye, which was halted in large part due to the efforts of one former Rye mayor, the late Ed Grainger, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Sack lauded Grainger’s legacy during his annual address, and stressed that continued opposition to a link between Long Island and Rye is crucial. “Just as the bumper stickers from decades ago implored the governor to ‘Ban the Bridge,’ the rallying cry today from the city of Rye’s perspective must be to ‘Topple the Tunnel,’” Sack said. Most recently, in 2008, came another $10 billion proposal by a commercial developer on Long Island named Vincent Polimeni that would have connected the island to Westchester by way of a tunnel. But the plan lacked support in Westchester and by lawmakers in Albany, and like the other proposals before it, ultimately never got off the ground. Polimeni passed away in 2013. Despite a lack of success with other Soundlink proposals, Sack said that Cuomo’s push to invest $5 million in a feasibility study indicates “serious intentions.”
However, he also stated during his city address that he is confident that state Assemblyman Steve Otis, a Rye Democrat, and state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, will fight for Rye’s best interests in this matter. Otis had serious reservations about a tunnel in 2008 when he was the mayor of Rye. “When I led the opposition to a tunnel proposal10 years ago, it was countywide opposition because of [potential] traffic levels on the entire length of both the I-287 and I-95,” Otis said. Latimer also opposed the tunnel idea in 2008 and shared similar concerns about congestion on Westchester’s highways. He believes that the tunnel would be problematic for traffic on I-95. “Port Chester is looking at developing a hospital near I-95, so you could create a traffic nightmare in Rye,” he said. Latimer also raised other potential issues with revisiting this idea, saying that the prolonged construction would have “a great chilling effect on the real estate market” and would cause a significant environmental impact. Since the proposal is currently nonspecific, Rye is not the only location viewed as a possible connecting point to Long Island. As a result of the potential for other Sound Shore communities to be identified, Village of Mamaroneck Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, said he shares Sack’s concerns. “I would certainly fight bridge continued on page 7
4 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016
What’s going on... New Rochelle Public Library
Visit the new library’s website nrpl.org for more information on these and other events and programs.
African dance classes
Starting Saturday, Jan. 23 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Ossie Davis Theater. Anthony Wooden, director of Bokandeye African Dance and Drum Troupe, returns to the library for another series of free African dance workshops for children ages 7 and up, as well as their parents. This popular series, now a tradition at the library, provides instruction of native African dance, while also instilling an understanding of the rich cultural meanings of the movements, rhythms, dress, African village life and the role of the extended family. Registration will take place at the first class. The culminating performance will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. in the Ossie Davis Theater.
‘The Great American Song Revival’ with Caroline Doctorow On Sunday, Jan. 24 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in
the Ossie Davis Theater. Caroline Doctorow’s very personal tribute to songwriters of the ‘60s is folk music at its finest. A mesmerizing vocalist and champion of American folk music, Doctorow has released nine folk/Americana albums and is widely admired for delivering a song with a velveteen voice. In this program she and her band will focus on the folk music of performers such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Tom Paxton, Donovan, Richard and Mimi Farina, John Hartford and Dave Van Ronk. Doctorow will also share some of her original compositions and her reminiscence about growing up in New Rochelle as the daughter of author E. L. Doctorow. Made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library. Suggested donation is $2. Following the performance, plans for a New Rochelle tribute to E. L. Doctorow, Caroline’s father, will be revealed.
cassettes, videos and DVDs—will be available for purchase. The executive board of the friends of the library coordinates the book sales, with the assistance of other volunteers. Money from book sales is used to underwrite the library’s extensive public programs.
Lunchtime Yoga On Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Meeting Room on the first floor. Guided by yoga instructor Nora LeMorin, these mid-day sessions designed to help relax and strengthen involve traditional and adapted poses that are practiced either standing or seated in chairs no mats needed. Space is limited; first come, first served. This program is made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Book sales
Yoga Tots
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the first floor lobby of the main library. The Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library have a bounty of wonderful and inexpensive nearly-new books, DVDs, games, puzzles and more to give as gifts or to keep for yourself. The Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library will hold their annual Big Bargain Book Sale on Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the library’s lobby. A large array of quality used items—from popular novels and mysteries in hardcover and paperback, nonfiction in hardcover and paperback, to children’s books, music
On Saturday, Jan. 30 at both libraries. The session for children ages 12 months to 23 months will be held in the Children’s Room at the main library from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The session for children ages 3 to 5 will be held at the Huguenot Children’s Library from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Toddlers will have fun “playing yoga” during Yoga Tots. Using puppets, props and songs, toddlers will take a yoga adventure, play yoga games, go upside down and end each class with a yoga relaxation. Taught by certified kids’ yoga instructor Susan Fried.
She’s not crazy, her name just rhymes with it. Read Lenore Skenazy’s column every week in the Review.
Postcard exhibit A new all-day exhibit will run until Saturday, Jan. 30 in the Lumen Winter gallery. New Rochelle’s grand resorts, meandering shoreline, leafy neighborhoods, stately structures and impressive Fort Slocum military base were captured in images for a multitude of postcards that traveled the world. These images will be shown during this exhibit, providing a glimpse into the early 1900s, when New Rochelle was developing into one of America’s premier suburban communities.
Strayhorn exhibit to open A past contributor to the Daily News and the New York Sun, Skenazy has also appeared on “The Daily Show,” been profiled in the New Yorker and even had her own reality TV show, “World’s Worst Mom.”
This original exhibit of photographs, artifacts, art work and personal items tracing the extraordinary career of musician Billy Strahorn is based on a recently-released book of the same title. The exhibit will run from Feb. 8 through Feb. 29. “Strayhorn: An Illustrated Life,” written by A. Alyce Claerbaut and David Schlesinger, and the exhibit, curated by Leslie Demus and Theresa Kump Leghorn, and designed by Jesse Sanchez, celebrates
the centennial of the birth of the American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist and arranger. A film screening and reception dedicated to Strayhorn will take place in late February. Visit the library’s website for more information.
The College of New Rochelle
Juried art exhibit The College of New Rochelle welcomes the public to this exhibit of works by professional artists in the Mooney Center Gallery on the main campus. The exhibit opens on Saturday, Jan. 23 and ends on Sunday, Feb. 14. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with the exception of holidays.
New Rochelle Council on the Arts Call for musical groups The New Rochelle Council on the Arts is seeking musical groups to perform in its Emil Paolucci Summer Sounds Concert Series, which will run Wednesday evenings from July 6 through Aug. 24. Interested artists should submit a DVD or CD of a recent performance, a photograph and written background materials, and payment expectations by Feb. 15. All materials should be sent to Emil Paolucci Summer Sounds Concert Series c/o Billie Tucker, P.O. Box 211 New Rochelle, NY 10804. For more information, email info@newrochellearts.org.
New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce ‘The Chamber Show’ On Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to noon on WVOX 1460 AM. “The Chamber Show” highlights members of the Chamber of Commerce of New Rochelle and what is happening in the chamber, New Rochelle and surrounding areas. 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.
February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 • The city review • 5
Black History Month programs in the city New Rochelle Schools launched sweeping K-12 Black History Month programs on Thursday, Feb. 4. The City School District of New Rochelle kicked off its ambitious Black History Month initiative with David Banks, author of “Soar: How Boys Learn, Succeed, and Develop Character.” Banks spoke with students, who were also be able to attend College Resource Night for Black Students, strategically scheduled the same evening. Next, on Thursday, Feb. 11, the New Rochelle community is invited to attend “Quién Eres Tu?: A Shared History in the Americas.” This far-reaching panel
discussion, in partnership with MBK New Rochelle, features Dr. Nereida Segura-Rico, associate professor of Spanish at the College of New Rochelle; Dr. Teresa Delgado, program director of the Peace and Justice Studies at Iona College; Luis Quiros, professor of sociology at Fordham University; Gustavo Barbosa, New Rochelle High School House I principal and advisor to the Hispanic Culture Club; Reginald Richardson, principal of New Rochelle High School and co-chair of the My Brother’s Keeper organization in New Rochelle; and special moderator, Camille Edwards-Thomas,
New Rochelle High School House II principal and MBK New Rochelle ambassadors liaison. The program is followed by a remarkable opportunity for students from Tuesday, Feb. 16 through Saturday, Feb. 20. The culminating districtwide event takes place Saturday, Feb. 27. The Spoken Word and Art Exhibit showcases live student performances, vendors selling African arts and crafts, and authors selling and signing copies of their books. This special event commemorates the life and legacy of award-winning actress, activist and New Rochelle resident Ruby Dee. (Submitted)
Alvin Ailey offers dance intensive Arts in Education and Community Programs presents a weeklong Alvin Ailey dance intensive, including Horton based Modern, West African, and Jazz dance techniques. The intensive will take place from Feb. 16 through Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily at New Rochelle High School in the House 4 Dance Studio, with a culminating presentation on Feb. 20
from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Whitney M. Young Auditorium. The workshop is appropriate for students in grades nine through 12. Intensive fees are $50. Students are encouraged to wear dance attire or comfortable clothing, and will need to pack a lunch daily. Student registrations forms are available in the House 2 and House 4 offices. For more informa-
tion, contact Camille EdwardsThomas at 576-4500 or Candace Pinn at 712-8128. This program is presented by the New Rochelle Black History Month Committee, NRBHMC, and is sponsored by the City School District of New Rochelle, The New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence and the New Rochelle Council on the Arts. (Submitted)
‘Effective Radio with Bill Samuels’ comes to WVOX “Effective Radio with Bill Samuels,” a political talk radio show that has made headlines since it debuted in October on AM970 in New York City, will become a syndicated show starting on Feb. 8 when it is picked up for rebroadcast by WVOX 1460 AM in Westchester. The show, which is hosted by prominent businessman and political activist Bill Samuels, focuses on New York state politics and government, with a particular emphasis on Albany. Currently airing on AM970 every Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon, “Effective Radio” will now run in addition on WVOX every Monday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. As a special nod to their new Westchester audience, Samuels and his co-host and producer, award-winning journalist Morgan Pehme, will welcome as their guest this week state Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, whose district is in the heart of WVOX’s signal area. “I am thrilled that ‘Effective
Radio’ is joining the WVOX family,” Samuels said. “Through the vision of Bill O’Shaughnessy—a true giant of radio broadcasting—WVOX has consistently lived up to its slogan and served as the ‘voice of the people.’ As ‘Effective Radio’ continues our mission to shake up Albany and empower everyday New Yorkers to reform our government, there’s no better possible mouthpiece for us to accomplish that aim in Westchester than WVOX.” “Bill Samuels is a great voice for New York, who is doing his father—my friend, the legendary statesman Howard Samuels— proud, by continuing his important legacy of elevating our political discourse,” said William O’Shaughnessy, WVOX’s chairman and editorial director. “WVOX is excited and honored to bring Bill and Morgan’s unique brand of straight talk and innovative thinking to our devoted listeners every Monday morning. Their message is an
important one for our times.” Though “Effective Radio” has only been on the air for a little over three months, it has already generated media coverage from The Journal News, The Washington Post, Albany Times Union, New York Post, Talking Points Memo, National Journal, “The Young Turks” YouTube show and numerous other outlets. The show’s marquee roster of guests to date include Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Congressman Chris Gibson, The New Yorker’s media columnist Ken Auletta, former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Working Families Party National Director Dan Cantor, and New York Post columnist Fred Dicker, who also hosts a show on WVOX, “Live from the State Capital with Fred Dicker.” (Submitted)
6 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 THE
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Late Port Chester man honored for Mount Rushmore
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By SARAH VARNEY Staff Writer
Editor-in-Chief | Christian Falcone ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com
After 28 years, the Del Bianco family of Port Chester finally has succeeded in getting the National Parks Service to recognize the contribution of grandfather Luigi Del Bianco as chief carver of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota. Last week, grandson Lou Del Bianco of Port Chester got the official word that his decades of work trying to persuade parks department officials to honor his grandfather had been rewarded. While details of the actual memorial to be erected haven’t yet been decided, Lou Del Bianco hopes it will be the same as the one erected in Port Chester in 2014 at 68 N. Regent St., near where Luigi Del Bianco had lived. “The tipping point was the documentation. [The sculptor Guston] Borglum had described in detail the contributions that my grandfather made,” Lou Del Bianco said. But Luigi Del Bianco’s story has always meant more to his grandson than just a squabble over a piece of granite. That story has morphed into a one-hour stage show that Lou Del Bianco
Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Suzy Berkowitz ext. 30, suzy@hometwn.com Education Reporter | Sarah Varney ext. 17, sarah@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Barbara Riehl ext. 16, barbara@hometwn.com Advertising | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lindsay@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Gabriella De La Rosa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Angela Jordan, Kiley Stevens Staff Photographer Bobby Begun Columnist Lenore Skenazy
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performs throughout the tri-state area. On Jan. 12, Lou Del Bianco, an actor, gave a multimedia presentation of the story of his grandfather’s work as one of the chief carvers on the 14-year-long Depression-era project to fifth graders of the Osborn School in Rye. Lou Del Bianco performed the story dressed in the same period clothing worn by his ancestor and spent some of the program speaking in the same half-Italian/half-English language his grandfather used. It included an audience participation segment with five students who each enacted one part of the carving process. Luigi Del Bianco spent seven years of his life working on the Mount Rushmore project. In 1933, he was the only person given the title of chief carver. During the school presentation, Lou Del Bianco showed black and white photos of the workers climbing the 706 steps—half the height of the Empire State Building—to reach the work site. Luigi Del Bianco was paid $1.50 per hour. The entire monument cost approximately $1 million to build. In order to re-create the huge stone carvings of presidents
Roosevelt, Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln, Luigi Del Bianco and his team used a formula of ratios to ensure the carvings were made to scale. The chief carver was responsible for refinement of the facial expressions for the presidential quartet. One student in the audience asked how Luigi Del Bianco was able to make the pupils of the sculptures’ eyes so lifelike. Lou Del Bianco explained that the pupils were designed using the same principle as a sundial. The light of the sun is used to give the eyes expression as it moves through the day. Borglum learned the technique from Auguste Rodin while studying art in Paris and taught Luigi Del Bianco how to use it on the presidential faces. Borglum is credited as the sculptor of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, with the chief carver never having been recognized for his work. Luigi Del Bianco emigrated to the United States after serving in World War I and first settled in Barre, Vermont, where a group of Italian stonecutters had moved to work in the granite quarries. One of Luigi Del Bianco’s peers recognized his talent and recommended him to Borglum. The chief carver moved his wife and three sons to South Dakota for the project where
In an undated photo, Luigi Del Bianco stands on a scaffold next to the model of Lincoln’s head used to recreate the mountainside Rushmore version. Photos courtesy the Del Bianco family
his sons attended school and his wife ran the family. One son, Vincent, became enamored with horses and the Lakota Sioux Native Americans who lived on a reservation nearby. Luigi Del Bianco befriended some of the Native Americans, and on Sundays, the family would travel to the reservation where Nicoletta Del Bianco would serve up macaroni and sauce for 100 people or more. Later in his life, Luigi Del Bianco worked as a stone carver and created more than 500 of the headstones at St. Mary’s Cemetery located in Rye Brook. Lou Del Bianco only became close to his grandfather in his final years. The chief carver likely succumbed to lung disease in 1969. Starting in 1988, Lou Del Bianco teamed up with his Uncle Caesar to try and gain recognition for Luigi’s accomplishments. The lesson that Lou
A ratio of 5 feet to 60 feet was used to transfer the dimensions from paper to the mountainside. The same “grid method” is taught to art students today.
Del Bianco strives to convey in his presentations is one of perseverance. “If you have a passion, you should keep at it until you succeed,” he said. CONTACT: sarah@hometwn.com
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The original design for the Mount Rushmore by sculptor Gutson Borglum called for the hands and torsos of the four presidents. However, that part of the design had to be scrapped when it was discovered that the rock beneath the heads was pegmatite granite which is too granular for carving. Photo courtesy pixabay.com
February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 • The city review • 7 bridge from page 1
against something that would affect the quality of life in and character of our shore towns,” Rosenblum said. The state Legislature would need to approve the $5 million Cuomo wants to spend—the item is included in his state budget proposal for 2016-2017—on a feasibility study. It seems that on Long Island, local officials were already pushing for this. In Suffolk County, a master plan was released by the department of economic development and planning in August that listed examining “feasibility for alternate means of ingress and egress” between Long Island and the New York metropolitan area as a priority action for the county. The state Legislature began its annual session on Jan. 13, where they will discuss the feasibility study, among other ideas outlined by Cuomo in his budget. In spite of his objection to the idea, Otis is open to the study, and is confident that it will come to the same conclusion reached in 2008. “I think at the end of the day,
p u blish e s
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A rendering of the ill-fated 2008 Rye-Oyster Bay tunnel. Proposals for a link between Westchester County and Long Island date back to the 1960s. File photo
everyone will understand that to bring more traffic to that area will be a countywide problem,” Otis said. Sack said he wants to be sure that if a feasibility study were conducted by the state, it’s completed without bias to Cuomo’s
desire to see the tunnel built. “If indeed the governor does fund this study, we’re going to want to take an active role in participating or monitoring how the study is being conducted,” Sack said. “I don’t think any legitimate study would indicate
that a tunnel or bridge would be a good idea.” “Beyond that, we’re going to put as much political pressure as we can to prevent this,” the mayor added. CONTACT: angela@hometwn.com
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8 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016
Larchmont native named in Forbes’ under 30 list By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer The first time Jessica Hendricks traveled to Cambodia, it was to teach English. The college student left the airport in a cab and couldn’t believe her eyes. Her surroundings were unlike anything she was used to in New York. “[In Cambodia] there’s an energy in the streets and a hustle to survive; they’re very much living in the present,” she said. Hendricks, 27, is a Larchmont native and founder of The Brave Collection, a line of handcrafted jewelry made by Cambodian artisans. Because of the line’s success, she was named one of Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30 in Retail and Ecommerce” for 2016. In addition to supporting local artists by commissioning their work, The Brave Collection also donates 10 percent of its profits to fight human trafficking in Cambodia. “In the beginning, we donated mostly to trafficking survivors; now we also focus on groups who
One of the bracelets from The Brave Collection.
support girls who are at risk for human trafficking,” Hendricks said. The inspiration for the line came from Hendricks’ experiences during her first visit to Cambodia in 2008. Previously unaware of the country’s history, she was moved by the story
of the genocide at the hands of Pol Pot between 1975 and 1979. She was particularly affected by the knowledge that 90 percent of Cambodia’s artisans were killed during that period. Being an art student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts at the
Jessica Hendricks’ online jewelry feature several pieces in the Khmer language and some Buddhist imagery.
Jessica Hendricks, founder of The Brave Collection. Her jewelry line consists of handmade pieces by Cambodian artisans, and 10 percent of the company’s profits are donated to charities that fight human trafficking. Photos courtesy The Brave Collection
time, Hendricks considered art her main passion and “a home to [her],” and couldn’t imagine what those artists had been going through. She was also deeply affected when confronted by the realities of human trafficking while in Cambodia. “Seeing girls my age and younger with their faces painted, lined up in front of the bars, hit me really hard,” Hendricks said. Returning to school in Manhattan and home to Larchmont after spending several months on the other side of the world was a big adjustment. “You could have this amazing dinner in Cambodia for $5, and then go home and spend $15 on a cocktail in New York,” Hendricks said. However, her time in Cambodia stuck with her and in 2012, two years after she graduated from college, she launched The Brave Collection in Larchmont at her mother’s jewelry store, Peridot Fine Jewelry. “The Larchmont community has supported me from the very beginning,” said Hendricks, who has visited Cambodia three times since that first visit. Her mother, in particular, has offered a great deal of support to The Brave Collection, and influ-
enced her daughter’s passion for making jewelry at a young age. Hendricks was a freshman in high school when her mother opened Peridot, located at 1903 Palmer Ave. in Larchmont. She had formative years attending trade shows and learning about the industry from her mother. Hendricks said she fell “quite naturally” into the jewelry business. Dawn Hendricks believes that her daughter is cut out for the industry as well. She said that Jessica Hendricks has a “really great grasp on how a person shops for jewelry,” in addition to the work ethic of a successful entrepreneur. “She’s practical and visionary, and it’s very difficult to be both of those things,” Dawn Hendricks said. “What she’s done is amazing. She’s worked so hard and she really deserves her success.” However, Jessica Hendricks cites her relationships with the artisans in Cambodia that she routinely communicates and collaborates with as one of the most critical components to the collection. Particularly, she mentions a Cambodian artisan and partner in The Brave Collection, who she affectionately refers to as “Nini.” “She originally had to drop
out of school and work as a house cleaner,” Jessica Hendricks said. “She is a real selftaught entrepreneur.” As for Jessica Hendricks’ customers, she said as time has passed and the collection became more popular, she’s been moved by the reasons that women buy this jewelry for themselves and each other. Whether it is for their child moving away from home, or for a friend undergoing cancer treatment, Jessica cited a myriad reasons why some cut of her customers are drawn to The Brave Collection. “When I started Brave, it was about the brave women in Cambodia,” Jessica Hendricks said. “But now, we’ve embraced ‘brave’ as a philosophy that can apply to any woman and it’s really powerful.” Moving forward, Jessica Hendricks hopes to expand the company’s operation, which is currently based in Brooklyn, and pursue relationships with larger retailers. However, the collection can still be bought from Peridot, where it began four years ago in addition to more than 100 other locations worldwide. CONTACT: angela@hometwn.com
February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 • The city review • 9
Interfaith initiative feeds hungry on MLK Day More than 135 volunteers spent a cold Martin Luther King Jr. Day in service by making sandwiches and soup starters, and packing food bags for distribution to the hungry in the local area. Young volunteers decorated cards and bags to present the donations and pay tribute to King’s legacy. “Much of what Martin Luther King Jr. believed about doing your part in making the world a better place can be summed up by the Jewish expression tikkun olam, repairing the world. According to Jewish tradition, it’s our responsibility to care for those in need,” said Juliana Reiner, of New Rochelle, who served as teen chair along with Julia Mendelsohn, of Purchase, and Maxine and Sydney Moses, of Larchmont. “When it comes to alleviating hunger, our teachings go way, way back.” The event, which took place at the Sally & Anthony Mann Center in Hawthorne, was one of five taking place throughout the Greater New York area as part of Feeding Our Neighbors: An Interfaith Response. The initiative, for which UJA-Federation of New York joins Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York and Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, works to tackle hunger across New York City, Westchester County, and Long Island. “Feeding Our Neighbors’ goal is pretty amazing: to collectively donate 1 million meals to hungry New Yorkers,” said Abbey Moses, of Larchmont, who served as chair with Abby Mendelsohn, of Purchase. “Thanks for being a part of that impressive goal and
From left, Teen Chairs Sydney and Maxine Moses, of Larchmont, and Juliana Reiner, of New Rochelle, of Feeding Our Neighbors, an interfaith initiative to feed the hungry.
for taking time out of your day to work with us. We rely on volunteers like you.” These volunteers included clients at the Mann Center who participate in intensive milieu therapy; individual, family, and group psychotherapy; pharmacotherapy; and special education and vocational training. Despite their often traumatic histories, many
of these clients, who range in age from 12 to 21, are resilient, showing extreme strength in their commitment to their treatment and to bettering their lives and their future. The center is run by the Jewish Board, an agency that receives UJA-Federation funding. One in seven New Yorkers struggles with hunger. To help those who might otherwise go
Volunteers from both the Mann Center and the community make sandwiches to feed the hungry on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Photos courtesy UJA-Federation of New York
without nourishment during the bitter winter months, the packages will be distributed to clients of the Bronx Jewish Community Council, BJCC, another UJAFederation beneficiary agency. BJCC’s food pantry, which serves anyone in need, provides more than 3,700 meals per month with demand increasing each year. “BJCC’s food pantry is the largest in the East Bronx, serving more than 3,000 people each month, especially seniors and especially those aging in place,” Julia Mendelsohn said. “For many of the council’s clients, our donations mean the difference between a meal or going without.” The volunteer service was followed by a poetry performance by residents of the Mann Center. Participants tweeted #FeedingNY throughout the event to raise awareness about hunger and share their thoughts on Dr. King’s legacy. For nearly 100 years, UJAFederation has inspired New Yorkers to act on their values and invest in our community for the biggest impact. Through UJAFederation, more than 50,000 donors address issues that matter most to them, pooling their
Volunteers DJ and Michelle Frank, of Irvington, decorate bags that will be filled with food.
resources to care for New Yorkers of all backgrounds and Jews everywhere, to connect people to their Jewish communities and to respond to crises close to home and around the globe. Working with nearly 100 beneficiary agencies, synagogues and other Jewish organizations, UJA-
Federation is the world’s largest local philanthropy; spanning from New York to Israel to more than 70 other countries around the world, touching 4.5 million people each year. For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please visit our website at ujafedny.org. (Submitted)
10 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016
February 2016
Planning ahead... Sunday
Monday Black History Month begins
Tuesday
1
National Cancer Prevention Month begins
Super Bowl Sunday
7
Chinese New Year
8
Board of Education regular meeting 7 p.m., NRHS
Wednesday
2
Municipal Arts Commission meeting 6 p.m.
3
14
Friday
5
6
11
12
13
World Cancer Day
4
Saturday
National Wear Red Day
Board of Appeals on Zoning meeting 7 p.m.
9
Mardi Gras
Ash Wednesday
10
HLRB meeting 7:30 p.m.
Valentine’s Day
Thursday
School budget community input forum 7 p.m., NRHS Library
Professional Development Day, half day all schools
City Council COW meeting 3:45 p.m.
15
16
17
18
19
20
23
24
25
26
27
Presidents Day, City Hall closed
Mid-winter recess begins, all schools closed
21
22
Mid-winter recess ends, schools reopen
Board of Education COW session 7 p.m., Trinity School
City Council regular legislative meeting 7 p.m. Planning Board meeting 7:30 p.m
28
29
Black History Month ends
National Cancer Prevention Month ends
February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 • The city review • 11
Robbery on Division leads to chase; suspects caught On Feb. 2 at approximately 2:40 p.m., the New Rochelle Police Department received a call that the “EZ Mobile,” located at 4 Division St., had been robbed at gunpoint by four black males who fled the area on foot. Responding officers were advised by a citizen that persons matching the description provided by the victim had entered an older model, four-door green Toyota which was parked nearby. Officers canvassing the area observed an occupied vehicle matching the description driving in the downtown area of New Rochelle and attempted to stop it. The vehicle failed to stop for
the police, and a pursuit ensued. An officer on patrol at Clove and Eastchester roads observed the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it. The suspect vehicle struck the officer’s patrol car and the occupants fled from the car on foot. That officer sustained nonlifethreatening injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Other officers pursued the suspects through several backyards on Clove Road and were able to apprehend all four suspects in the vicinity of New Rochelle High School. The suspects are currently in custody at the New Rochelle Police Department, and charges are pending the con-
SCHOOL NEWS?
Contact OUR EDUCATION reporter
clusion of the investigation. New Rochelle High School security was alerted to the pursuit and a “lockout” was conducted while the Police Department secured all of the suspects. The incident did cause a minor delay in dismissal, but the school was not entered by the suspects or police during the chase. This investigation is ongoing, and no further information is available at this time. Anyone who may have witnessed or has information relative to the investigation is urged to call the New Rochelle Police Department’s General Investigations Unit at 654-2300. (Submitted)
sarah varney
sarah@hometwn.com
Matt is a handsome boy who may be a Carolina dog mix. He is about a year old and weighs 41 pounds. One of his eyes is part blue. Matt is very sweet but on the shy side, so it’s best he go to a home with another dog. He has fun in his foster home and loves running around the yard with his foster siblings. Matt is housebroken if kept on a schedule and sleeps through the night on his foster mom’s bed. He is neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, heartwormtested and microchipped. Why not donate $300 to Larchmont Pet Rescue and make Matt part of your home? To learn more, call 834-6955 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
Kitchen face transplant update By Paul Bookbinder Contributor More akin to science fiction than fact, several people have received face transplants in the last couple of years. Now relegated to only the most horrific accidents, like most medical miracles, as the techniques are perfected, this type of operation will eventually become much more commonplace. Once that happens, it’s only a matter of time until the procedure will become available as an elective surgery for those who are not pleased with their existing faces, or maybe just want a new look. After all, who wants to go around their whole lives with the same old face? Wouldn’t it be nice to reface for your 25th high school reunion? And then again for your 30th? Fortunately, great strides have also been made in face transplants for your kitchen (and other) cabinetry. As materials and techniques have been perfected, refacing your kitchen can now be done on an elective, economical basis, and when it’s done right, it can be indistinguishable from a new kitchen, beautifying all those unsightly spots that have embarrassed you for years. In the not-so-distant past, a few brave practitioners risked their reputations using early refacing techniques. You could choose from a catalog of about three different styles and colors
for refacing, and most of those were brittle laminate doors that had no detail. To make matters worse, the material was adhered to the face of the cabinets with contact cement, a terribly toxic, highly flammable adhesive that had a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years. Not very enticing. So the scientists at Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing, 3M, got to work and created a new adhesive that is non-toxic, nonflammable, odorless and gets stronger as it ages. It doesn’t get any better than that. Then someone (I’m not sure exactly who) created a material called RigidThermofoil, RTF. This new wonder product is a vinyl-like material fused onto furniture-grade composition board. Using computer-controlled heat and pressure to create the finished product, RTF is flexible, much more resilient than the old laminates of yesteryear, and can be formed into different shaped doors enabling the manufacturers to create hundreds of exciting styles. But they didn’t stop there. New photographic techniques were developed to duplicate the beauty of real wood. This year, they even came out with an RTF product that looks just like stainless steel, creating a very attractive, contemporary look for your cabinets. In 1951, Raymond Lowey, the famous industrial designer (and one of my personal heroes) wrote a book entitled “Never
Leave Well Enough Alone.” Apparently, the manufacturers who make wood doors for refacing recently discovered this book because they decided to introduce replacement doors in new shapes and wood species. No longer are you relegated to just oak, maple and cherry. Now you can reface in eco-friendly bamboo, walnut, mahogany and sapele to name just a few. Then the guys at 3M got together with the manufacturers who crafted wood veneer and it was a marriage made in heaven. So if some unforeseen disaster has caused all your cabinetry to deteriorate, this is a great time to investigate refacing. As the procedure became more popular, the cost associated with the process has lowered considerably, just like people refacing will after it also becomes more routine. Modern science has taken giant steps forward in refacing people as well as kitchens. To quote the Wicked Witch of the West, as her face deteriorated, “What a world, what a world!” (Unfortunately her face, along with the rest of her, melted to the point that a transplant would not be recommended.) But she could have had a beautiful kitchen. Paul Bookbinder is president of DreamWork Kitchens Inc., located in Mamaroneck. He can be reached for questions at 777-0437 or dreamworkkitchens.com.
12 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016
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February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 • The city review • 13
Digging in with The Diet Detective RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
It’s a cruel joke that the Super Bowl comes just a little over a month after we have resolved to forsake all wings, chips, dip, pizza, soda, beer, cheese sticks, Cheez-Its, Cheetos and anything else that is bright orange and vaguely food-like. Ha. That’s why every year around this time, the press turns its hungry eyes to Charles Platkin— a.k.a. The Diet Detective, a.k.a. Hunter College’s distinguished lecturer—for some of his trademark “equivalencies.” For instance: Working off the calories of a footlong Italian subsandwich would require you to walk the entire length of the Brooklyn Bridge—14 times. That’s a Dr. Platkin equivalency. So are these: Four swigs of Bud Light = eight minutes of playing pro football. One handful of pita chips with artichoke dip = running 141 football fields. Working off one measly Cheeto—one! = chanting and waving around a foam hand for two minutes. And God forbid you scarf down four Domino’s Stuffed Cheesy Bacon Jalapeno Breadsticks. That requires 193 touchdown dances. So how did Platkin, a lawyer, publisher, technologist, real estate guy and bestselling author, become obsessed with translating calories into everyday activities? It all started when he was young—and tubby.
“I remember my doctor saying, ‘You’re not going to have a good social life because you’re fat,’” Platkin said. “And I was like, ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’ But the truth was, I was ostracized as a child.” He was still overweight in early adulthood when he decided to write a book on how to truly change your life. This was after he’d gotten the law degree, but still was floundering—and single. “I was confused. I was thinking about changing behavior. I was overweight and had terrible relationships,” he said. So, for three years, he researched how real behavioral change happens. He was finally ready to hand in his manuscript when he realized something. “I hadn’t changed one behavior of my own!” So he decided to actually follow his own advice and, at last, he started losing weight. He also realized that the underlying cause of ending up “with difficult and strange kinds of women” was him. Changing required that word we hear so often lately: mindfulness. He had to pay attention to what he ate, and when. And who he dated, and why. He also had to stop feeling too embarrassed to ask for things like a plain grilled chicken breast when he went out to eat. In other words, he had to stop being ashamed to admit he knew he was fat and wanted to lose weight. He folded his stories into the book and it became the bestseller “Breaking the Pattern.” The great thing about mindfulness, Platkin says, is that you don’t have to be mindful for-
ever. He said if you had to use Google Maps every day to figure out what floor your office is on, that would be painful. (And you would need some other kind of help.) But after a short while, of course, you know the drill. It’s the same with figuring out what your food patterns are. And once you notice that every night, right before bed, you eat a bowl of Ben & Jerry’s, well then, all you have to do is start figuring out a “food swap”—an alternative. For Platkin, he started making swaps just like the ones you can make on Super Bowl Sunday: Toasted pita points instead of chips. Pizza without the mozzarella—add your own parmesan. Slow-churned Breyers instead of Ben & Jerry’s. The idea is to concentrate not on what you can’t have, but on what you can. And since we gobble down many foods without realizing just how fattening they are, he popularized the “equivalencies.” FYI: One bowl of chili = over an hour of cheerleading. Platkin is now married and has a daughter. One day, a couple years ago, he was walking her to school and saw her holding her tummy in. He asked why. Well, of course she was practicing looking skinny. “I just want you to know that you don’t ever have to worry about dieting or any of these things,” he told his daughter. Life is not about forsaking. It’s about embracing who you are and what you love. So long as it’s not Domino’s Stuffed Cheesy Bacon Jalapeno Breadsticks. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
Escape from winter with the art of flamenco By MARA RUPNERS Contributor Have you had enough of winter? Then let’s get out of here, and head on a journey to someplace warm. How about, for example, the rocky, sun-baked region on Spain’s southern coast known as Andalucía? Andalucía is a place that embodies all of our stereotypes of Spain: spirited and passionate, a fiesta-loving land of guitarwielding troubadours, reckless bullfighters, feisty operatic heroines. This simplistic portrait is no doubt a bit outdated and overly romantic, but it does carry an element of truth, and nowhere is this truth more evident than in the age-old art form of flamenco. Flamenco is part folk tradition, part high art. It mixes the gypsy music of the Romani people with the rhythms of North Africa, brought to Andalucía by the Moors—a rich blend that
makes flamenco a unique form of artistic expression, full of irrepressible, complex rhythms and anguished melodies. It includes cante (singing), toque (guitar-playing), baile (dance), jaleo (vocalizations), palmas (hand-clapping) and pitos (finger-snapping). This is no social dance you can pick up in a lesson or two; it is performance art at its finest and its technical demands are arduous. Mastery requires years of training and dedication, and the intensity of emotion generated during a professional performance is truly something unforgettable. Escape from winter and experience this unique art form for yourself on Friday, Feb. 26, when the NYC-based Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana brings “Poema de Andalucía,” a choreographic journey through the Andalusian provinces, to the Concert Hall at The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College.
The performance begins at 8 p.m., tickets are $35 to $45, and good seats are still available. Also at The Perfoming Arts Center this month: The Monterey Jazz Festival on tour on Feb. 13; a National Theatre Live screening of “Jane Eyre” on Feb. 14; the Martha Graham Dance Company on Feb. 20; chamber music ensemble Decoda on Feb. 21; live-action graphic novel “Intergalactic Nemesis” on Feb. 27; and cellist Zuill Bailey in recital on Feb. 28. Visit The Center’s website for event details and tickets. Mara Rupners is the director of marketing at The Performing Arts Center. The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, N.Y. 10577 Box Office: 251-6200 Hours: Tuesday-Friday, noon to 6 p.m. and on weekends before performances Website: artscenter.org
County announces new drop boxes for unused meds Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino recently announced that 12 additional drop boxes for unused prescription drugs have been brought to the county, thanks to an $8,000 state grant secured by Sen. Terrence Murphy, a Yorktown Republican. The proper disposal of unused prescription medication is critical so they do not get into our water systems or into the hands of people who can misuse them. Both men spoke of the local heroin epidemic that can often start with prescription drug abuse. “Prescription medication can be a lifesaver when properly used, but when not properly disposed of they can be a real health and safety issue,” Astorino said. “Thanks to Sen. Murphy’s efforts, we have delivered 12 more of these receptacles, where residents can take their unused medications for proper disposal. Don’t throw them in the trash, don’t flush them down the toilet and don’t just leave them lying around the house. Go to your nearest drop box and dispose of them properly.” “I am proud to partner with County Executive Rob Astorino and to be able to deliver the needed grant money to make this project a reality,” Murphy said. “Hav-
From left, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, Legislator Francis Corcoran, of Bedford, and State Sen. Terrence Murphy, of Yorktown. Astorino announced that more drop boxes for unused prescription drugs will be available countywide, thanks to a $8,000 grant secured by Murphy. Photo courtesy Westchester County
ing hosted a number of medication take-back programs, at which we averaged nearly 200 pounds of discarded medications, it became clear more disposal options were needed for our residents.” Westchester County is a pioneer in the Med Return effort, having started the practice back in 2008. The Astorino administration has dramatically increased the number of municipalities
equipped with them, and after Jan. 27’s announcement, the total number of drop boxes within the county stands at 38. Astorino and Murphy were joined at a press conference unveiling a new drop box at the North Salem Police Department by Legislator Francis Corcoran, a Bedford Republican, and North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas. (Submitted)
14 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016
SPORTS
Super Bowl? Super boring LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
I can’t really explain it, but here we are, just days from the biggest sporting event of the calendar year, and I’m having trouble getting “super” excited. Even if you aren’t a fan of the NFL, even if you haven’t watched a down of football all season, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to tune in on Sunday and watch the Panthers play the Broncos in Super Bowl 50; it’s just kind of what America does. The two best teams on the planet going at it, a tonnage of star power, all the trappings of pageantry and excess that have come to define the NFL, and here I sit, overwhelmingly ambivalent about it all. On the surface, it doesn’t make much sense. If you’re looking from a dramatic narrative, this Super Bowl
has it. I mean, just look at the quarterbacks. On one side, you have Peyton Manning, the most prolific passer in the history of the NFL, playing in what may be his last football game. If Peyton represents the NFL’s past, his counterpart on the Panthers, Cam Newton, is clearly its future. At just 26 years old, Newton has put together an MVP season this year and is well on his way to becoming the face of the league, like Manning—and New England’s Tom Brady— were before him. On the surface, can you ask for a more compelling storyline? The aging gunslinger returns to town for one final draw-down with the pistolero who grew up idolizing him; it’s the stuff of Hollywood. Unfortunately for Manning, this story won’t likely end with him riding off triumphantly into the sunset. Conventional wisdom has long held the Super Bowl as a game destined to be something
of a disappointment. With two weeks of hype leading into the big game, it’s not hard to see why; anything less than a game that is decided in the final minutes couldn’t possibly live up to the hoopla surrounding the event. But we’ve gotten kind of spoiled for the last decade or so in terms of Super Bowl finishes. Between the Giants’ wins over the Patriots in 2008 and 2012, the Steelers’ 27-23 win over the Cardinals in 2009, the epic blackout game between the 49ers and the Ravens in 2013, and last year’s game-winning interception to cement another Lombardi Trophy win for the Pats, these games have been tremendously competitive. The last real dud, so to speak, was two years ago when Seattle put a 43-8 whoopping on—you guessed it—Peyton and the Broncos. I mean, that game was out of hand by the time the coin-flip was over. And, like it or not, that’s how
I see Sunday’s game unfolding too. Manning was great once, but he no longer has the arm strength to make the big downfield throws. Denver’s ground game is largely ineffective, too. Sure, the Broncos have a formidable defense, one that was able to pin its ears back two weeks ago and knock Tom Brady around, but then again, Brady isn’t a 6-foot-5, 250-pound phenom with a rocket arm and wideout speed like Newton. Between Cam’s brilliance, a tough stable of running backs and a Carolina defense that’s every bit as talented as Denver’s, it’s tough to see a scenario in which this game turns out to be competitive. I’m still going to be tuning in, regardless. It’s Super Bowl Sunday, after all, and crazier things have happened. Maybe Manning can turn back the clock one last time and turn in a Super Bowl performance for the ages. Maybe the Broncos’ pass rushers can disrupt Newton’s rhythm and somehow limit the damage he can do with his legs. Maybe Panthers’ coach Ron Rivera’s risk-taking blows up in Caro-
On Feb. 7, the Broncos and the Panthers will square off in Super Bowl 50. Sports Editor Mike Smith is just hoping the game is halfway competitive. Photo courtesy NFL.com
lina’s face in a big spot and gives Denver a chance to win it late. It’s unlikely, but the idea that we might see something unexpected is why we watch this game in the first place.
Let’s just hope the fireworks aren’t limited to the halftime show.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
Mamaroneck man named Iona Prep football coach Iona Preparatory School has turned to one of its own to fill its varsity football head coaching vacancy. Joe Spagnolo, a 1998 Iona Prep Upper School graduate and former varsity quarterback, has been named head coach. Spagnolo, a longtime assistant coach at Archbishop Stepinac, succeeds Vic Quirolo, who chose to step down in December after 13 years as head football coach but remains the Gaels’ head basketball coach. “Joe brings passion, energy and an organizational skill set that we found very attractive,” said Iona Prep Director of Athletics Bernard A. Mahoney, who received more than 30 applications for the coaching position. “We’ve seen the success that he’s been a part of at Stepinac, and his familiarity with us and the league also played a big role [in his hiring].” “I’m excited to be back; it’s been a long time,” said Spagnolo,
adding that he got chills being back at his alma mater for the interview. “I’m thrilled about the opportunity.” Spagnolo, 36, was Stepinac’s offensive coordinator for the last 10 years and associate head coach for the last five. During his tenure, he helped coach a quartet of Journal News Player of the Year winners—Rashaad Slowley (2007), Tyrell Goodman (2010), Austin Taps (2011) and T.J. Morrison (2015)—and the Crusaders excelled as a team, particularly recently. The Crusaders were 12-0 last season and won the Catholic High School Athletic Association, CHSAA, state championship. In 2014, their lone loss came in the CHSAA state final. The Gaels, meanwhile, will look to improve upon their 2-7 showing in 2015, just a year after they advanced to the CHSAA AAA final against Stepinac. Mahoney doesn’t think the Gaels
will have to wait long for a turnaround under Spagnolo. “He has connections with area youth football organizations,” Mahoney said. “And he speaks about the program more than just the team—he’ll bring together all levels. He’s the right guy at the right time.” “The biggest thing in high school sports is putting kids in the right positions to be successful,” Spagnolo said, adding that the academic and athletic competition he faced as a student at Iona Prep prepared him well. “I would not have been as prepared for college had I not gone to Iona Prep.” Spagnolo is a 2002 graduate of Bryant College, having transferred from Siena College following his sophomore year; he played quarterback for both. He grew up in nearby Eastchester, where he played Blue Devils football. Spagnolo lives with his wife, Laura, and 10-month-old son, Joseph, in Mamaroneck.
Joe Spagnolo, of Mamaroneck, has been named Iona Prep’s new head coach of varsity football. Spagnolo is an alumnus of the school, having graduated in 1998. Photo/David Spagnolo
Reaccredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools in 2015, Iona Preparatory School K-12 sits on 37 acres of suburban green in New Rochelle, where it educates young men to be moral and ethi-
cal leaders. Iona Prep develops the whole person in the heritage of Blessed Edmund Rice and the American Catholic tradition to be lifelong learners, responsible to their commitment of service to others, confident in their self-
worth, while being supported by a challenging and innovative college-preparatory curriculum in relationship with a dedicated and caring faculty and community. For more information, visit IonaPrep.org. (Submitted)
SPORTS
February 5, 12 & 19, 2016 • The city review • 15
Cheerleaders take mat at counties By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor Last week, several of the area’s top cheerleading squads traveled to the Westchester County Center in White Plains to compete in the 67th annual Westchester County Cheerleading Invitational. The two-day competition, which took place on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28, saw teams battle for local supremacy and get in some much-needed work before traveling to Orlando, Florida, for the Universal Cheerleading Association’s national championship event this week. North Rockland nabbed the top spot in the Grand Championships for the third year in a row, but a number of local squads, including Eastchester and New Rochelle, also fared well in the event. Both the Eagles and Huguenots performed well enough in their first performances to earn a spot in the Jan. 28 Grand Championship round. Eastchester coach Samantha Kearns said that while her team may not have been its best on Jan. 27, its performance hinted at what the team is capable of. “They did great, but they are capable of so much more,” she said. “When they hit, they are dynamite, and we had some al-
Mamaroneck competes at the 67th annual Westchester County Cheerleading Invitational.
ternates in, we had a couple of injuries, but I think they did pretty well.” Like the Eagles, the Huguenots fell short of their county title goal, but New Rochelle coach Chrissy Stanionis was still impressed with her team’s performance. “The season’s been going great, we have a very difficult routine, and our scores kind of threw me for a loop,” she said. “But the one thing we’ve talked
about as a team is fighting for everything, getting through the mistakes and relying on each other out on the mat.” Eastchester, New Rochelle and Harrison, who also competed at the County Center, will all be heading to Florida for nationals, which will begin on Feb. 6, but the teams are also in the mix for the first-ever New York State Cheerleading Championship to be held on March 5 in Syracuse. “Nationals has always been
Harrison cheerleaders pump up the crowd at the Westchester County Center on Jan. 28.
our big thing, so I think the girls are a little unsure of what this state championship will mean,” Kearns said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what a state championship is going to look like.” Stanionis said that while her team is looking forward to trying to qualify for states, something
Eastchester’s cheerleading team in action at the Westchester County Center on Jan. 27. Photos/Mike Smith
New Rochelle cheerleaders compete at the 2016 Westchester County Cheerleading Invitational on Jan. 28. The Huguenots will compete at nationals in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 6.
they will attempt to do at a Feb. 27 meet at Harrison High School, the team’s sights are firmly set on a strong showing in Orlando. “I’m sure the school would like us to attend the state cham-
pionship in its first year, and the girls know that,” she said. “But right now, our focus is on nationals, and we will zone in on the state level when we get back.” Contact: sports@hometwn.com
16 • The city review • February 5, 12 & 19, 2016