THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle May 12, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 14 | www.cityreviewnr.com
Standard delays Playland payment to county again By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
FIGHT ANOTHER DAY
Ken Jenkins, left, and George Latimer pause for a moment during the Westchester County Democratic Committee Convention on May 10. The two candidates are vying for the party’s nomination for county executive. For story, see page 9. Photo/Jen Parente
Astorino goes solo on Indian Point lawsuit By JAMES PERO Staff Writer County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, will personally sue New York state after an initial lawsuit seeking to halt the eventual shutdown of Westchester’s Indian Point power plant was shot down by lawmakers this week. According to a release from the Astorino administration, a tandem of lawsuits—which name Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, Indian Point operators Entergy, and the environmental group Hudson Riverkeeper—will seek to force the power plant’s shutdown to undergo an environmental review process, claiming that the decision is subject to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, SEQR.
“When the Democrats on the Board of Legislators decided to abandon their responsibility of protecting our local communities, I decided to act on my own,” Astorino said in a statement. “If ever there was a case for the State Environmental Quality Review Act to be enforced, this is it.” According to Board of Legislators spokesman Matt Richter, Philip Halpern, a New York City-based attorney retained by Astorino, has offered to represent the county executive in his suit, pro bono. With Astorino’s announcement of a new lawsuit, Democratic Majority Leader Catherine Borgia, of Peekskill, accused the county executive of stepping outside the bounds of the Board of Legislators’ charter.
“Any unilateral attempt to use outside counsel on behalf of the taxpayers is in violation of our county’s charter,” Borgia said. “The surrounding communities are better served by bringing all sides together to work on real economic and environmental mitigation solutions.” Both Astorino and local officials in the village of Buchanan, however, have protested the decommissioning of Indian Point, claiming that the loss of the plant would have drastic impacts on the local economy. Currently, Buchanan receives $3 million in tax breaks as per a payment in lieu of taxes agreement, and Joseph Hochreiter, superintendent INDIAN POINT continued on page 7
With an appeal of a lawsuit over slated renovations at Playland Park looming large, new park manager Standard Amusements says it will again wait to issue its first contractual payment to Westchester County until litigation with the city of Rye is resolved. The extension, which was announced by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s administration last week, will prolong the transfer of a $750,000 payment from Standard—half of a contractual $1.5 million payment initially due in June—until a “final determination is made with regards to litigation with the city of Rye.” Last month a lawsuit filed by the city, which sought to declare itself lead agency on environmental review of capital projects at the park, was thrown out by a judge, and Rye has since filed a notice of appeal—the precursor to an official appeal—of the court’s decision. The city will have approximately five months to finalize an official appeal. Another $750,000 payment, according to a statement from the Astorino administration, will be made to the county following a Board of Legislators decision on $10 million in improvements for Playland’s pool, which has remained in limbo since last year. A contractual deadline on the pool’s fate is Dec. 31. But this week, tensions over Playland’s pool escalated after representatives from Standard floated a plan to build a removable deck that would support a café or restaurant area over the rehabbed pool site; an option that drew concern from Democrats. “I don’t think anyone would
have a problem with a more of a passive use,” said Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, of Playland’s pool location. “Unfortunately, something like a coffee shop or restaurant would create a lot of noise and trash.” In addition to Parker, Rye elected officials have also spoken out against the idea of adding a dining space, citing the potential to exacerbate noise and traffic conditions for abutting Rye neighborhoods. Last year, the Board of Legislators voted to include $10 million in a 2017 list of capital projects that would go toward renovating an ailing Playland Pool. Playland pool, according to a 2007 report from the county’s parks department was, at one point, leaking as much as 35,000 gallons of water per day. Though both Standard and the administration had pushed for the complete removal of Playland’s pool last year, backlash from lawmakers and county residents, of which nearly 2,000 signed a petition last year in support of keeping the structure, temporarily prevented the pool’s demise. In the past, Standard’s payment to the county has become a matter of contention for some of the county’s Democratic lawmakers who have accused the investment firm of missing the payment entirely. Already, multiple extensions have been granted to Standard, which has continually pointed to the uncertain future of Playland’s pool and litigation with Rye as reasons for its delay. In the meantime, despite the potential for renewed litigation, the Astorino administration has stated it will move forward on $30 million in county-funded improvements at PLAYLAND continued on page 8
INSIDE Local brewery competes for best craft beer Story on page 10.
2 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017
May 12, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 3
Lawmakers consider bills to raise smoking age
Westchester County and New York state lawmakers have each proposed bills that would push the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. Photo courtesy Flickr.com
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer Some New York state and Westchester County lawmakers are looking to put the same age restrictions on cigarettes and other tobacco products as has been on alcohol for more than 30 years. Late last month, seven Westchester County Democrats proposed a bill that would raise the age limit countywide to buy tobacco from 18 years old—the minimum age nationally—to 21 years old. The amendment to the county’s existing tobacco law would also add electronic cigarettes to the list of products which are restricted until that age. The age change would also apply to the sales of smoking-related paraphernalia such as pipes and rolling papers. During an April 24 county Board of Legislators meeting, the bill was referred to the public health and safety, legislation and budget committees. County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat who co-sponsored the bill, said, “When you look at the science, the science is irrefutable at this point.” She added that the law was aimed to delay a smoker’s first cigarette as long as possible, allowing the brain to fully develop. “As neighboring counties have started passing it, it really seemed to be an idea whose time has come,” Shimsky said. If the bill makes its way out of commit-
tees and is ultimately approved by the full county board, Westchester would follow 10 other counties in the state that have raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21. Two of those counties made the change in the past two weeks. And in Nassau and Onondaga counties, the minimum age was raised to 19. However, Nassau lawmakers are considering further pushing their minimum age to 21. Meanwhile, New York state may look to join a short list of other states that requires tobacco buyers to be 21. A bill proposed earlier this year passed in the state Senate Health Committee in April, and is currently before the Assembly Health Committee as well. Only two other states in the U.S.—Hawaii and California—restrict tobacco sales to people less than 21 years old. Several other states, including New Jersey, have a statewide minimum age of 19. According to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, almost 90 percent of cigarette smokers begin by age 18, and nearly all smokers begin by age 26. And while the CDC reported that the percentage of middle and high school students who smoke declined from 2011 to 2015, it also said the use of electronic cigarettes in those populations has increased nearly tenfold over that period of time. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE WITH MINIMUM SMOKING AGE OF 21 • Albany • Cattaraugus • Chautauqua
• Cortland • New York City • Orange • Schenectady
• Suffolk • Sullivan • Tompkins
City of New Rochelle’s
Official Newspaper
4 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017
What’s going on... New Rochelle Public Library
sist elementary school students and middle school students up to grade eight in organizing homework needs, locating appropriate resources, and strengthening reading skills. The free Homework Help service is offered September through May, except during school vacation weeks. This program is s offered in conjunction with the Youth Bureau of the city of New Rochelle, Monroe College, and Westchester Library System.
Friends Book Store Visit nrpl.org for information on these and other events and programs.
Library hours The main New Rochelle Public Library will be closed on Sunday, May 14 for Mother’s Day. It will also be closed on Sunday, May 28 and Monday, May 29 for Memorial Day observances. The Huguenot Children’s Library is normally closed on Sundays and will also be closed on Monday, May 29 for Memorial Day. Main library hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Huguenot Children’s Library hours: Mondays and Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays: Closed.
Lunchtime Express Yoga On Mondays from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m., and Wednesdays from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. Free sessions of easy yoga to help reduce stress and relieve tension continue to be offered during the lunch hour at the New Rochelle Public Library. Participants do not need to change out of work clothes, and mats will not be needed for these sessions of breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques. The drop-in sessions do not require advanced registration. This program is made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Homework Help From Mondays to Thursdays from 3 p.m. until 10 minutes before closing time at the main library. College students and volunteers are on hand to offer homework help to as-
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Friends Book Store in the main library lobby. The Friends of the NRPL Book Store is where you’ll find bargains from popular novels, mysteries and nonfiction in hardcover and paperback, to children’s books, CDs and DVDs. Proceeds from these sales allow the Friends to provide funding for quality children and adult programming, as well as assisting the library by contributing to various projects and improving service to the community.
Free programs for infants and preschoolers The New Rochelle Public Library and the Huguenot Children’s Library, HCL, are offering a great array of free programs for infants, toddlers and preschool children this winter-spring season. Participation is dropin, on a first-come, first-served basis. The free programs are made possible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library and the Partnership for the Huguenot Children’s Library. Most do not take place on days the New Rochelle public schools are closed for vacations. Nursery Rhyme Time, for children ages 6 months to 2 years old, is a joyful blend of stories, songs and finger plays. It is held at the main library on Fridays, through May 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 9:50 a.m., and at HCL on Mondays, through May 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Toddler Time, for children aged 2, are lively sessions that engage children and their parent or caregiver in music and games. It is held at the main library on Fridays, through May 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and at HCL on Wednesdays, through May 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. 3, 4, 5’s - Stories & Crafts, for ages 3 to 5, are sessions of stories, songs, and a take-
home craft inspired by seasons and picture book themes. A bilingual (English and Spanish) session takes place at the main library on Mondays, through May 22, from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Another session, in English, takes place on Thursdays, through May 25, from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Sessions at HCL take place on Tuesdays, through May 23, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., and on Thursdays, through May 25, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Preschool Fun & Fitness, a program for children ages 2 to 5 and their parent or grandparent, is a fun-filled hour of movement, games and healthy eating and lifestyle tips, conducted by the health and fitness team from Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital’s Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Services. Registration is required. Call Ruben at the WIC office at 637-1677. The sessions will be held in the main library’s Meeting Room and stage on Mondays through June 19.
‘Our Children, Our Artists’ exhibit The 36th annual “Our Children, Our Artists” exhibit will be on view in the Lumen Winter Gallery of the New Rochelle Public Library through May 24. The work of middle and high school students will be exhibited from May 17 through May 24. The exhibit is curated by Erica Bogin, artist and art teacher. The reception and awards ceremony for the middle and high school students will take place on Wednesday, May 17 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Resume writing workshop On Thursday, May 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the main library Meeting Room on the first floor. Learn how to transform your resume into a marketing document and select the right format for your field of interest. A professional counselor with Westchester Library System’s WEBS Career and Educational Counseling Services will help you maximize your resume and improve your chances of getting an interview. Free. Registration is recommended. Please call 813-3706 or email communityrelations@ nrpl.org.
Law at the Library On Saturday, May 20 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the main library’s Ossie Davis Theater. The New Rochelle Bar Association and NRPL Foundation continue the “Law at the Library” series with a program to help homeowners buy and sell their property. Local attorneys and real estate experts will cover topics such as: evaluating a potential new home; preparing a house for a sale; selecting a realtor – or trying to sell on your own; essential components of contracts; and what to expect when closing the deal. Free.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester Free entry for moms On Saturday, May 13 and on Mother’s
Day. Sunday, May 14, treat mom to a special day by bringing her to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester. In honor of Mother’s Day, moms go free with the purchase of a kid’s ticket. Moms are encouraged to come and have a great time building with their children and friends. The offer is valid with advance and walk-up ticket purchases. Purchase tickets online with promotional code 171019. Starting at $15.95; children under 2 are free. LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester is located at 39 Fitzgerald Street in Yonkers, and is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 866-243-0770 or visit legolanddiscoverycenter.com/westchester.
Westchester County news Register for children’s summer camps Registration is open for Westchester County Parks’ popular summer camps for children and young people. Online registration is available at parks.westchestergov. com/activities/childrens-camps. For more information on any of the programs, visit the aforementioned website or call 231-4673, unless stated otherwise. Perfect Pitch and Swing Baseball Camp, for ages 8 to 12, at V.E. Macy Park in Ardsley. Slam Dunk Basketball Camp, for grades 3–9, at Westchester County Center, White Plains. Girls Volleyball Camp, for grades 6–12, at Westchester County Center, White Plains. Challenger Sports Soccer Camp, for grades 1–9, at V.E. Macy Park, Ardsley. For more information, call 714-8601 or visit challengersports.com. Hole-in-One Junior Golf Camp, for ages 10 to 17, at the county courses: Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake, Yonkers; Hudson Hills, Ossining; Maple Moor, White Plains; Mohansic, Yorktown Heights; and Saxon Woods, Scarsdale. Children’s Summer Ecology Program, for grades 1–9, at Cranberry Lake Preserve, North White Plains; Marshlands Conservancy, Rye; and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River. Conservationists in Training, for grades 7–9, at Cranberry Lake Preserve, North White Plains, and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River. Muscoot Wranglers, for ages 4 and 5, and Muscoot Young Farmers, for grades 1–8, at Muscoot Farm, Katonah. For more information, call 864-7282. Summer Music Center, for grades 3–12, at Westchester County Center, White Plains. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
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Petition highlights age limits on pills By JAMES PERO Staff Writer To crack down on the growing abuse of potent prescription medication, village of Mamaroneck residents are urging elected officials to tighten age restrictions that some local parents feel are too permissive. “My kid can’t go get a Bud Light, but they can get all this
other crap,” said Christie Derrico, a Mamaroneck resident and village judge. “And there’s nothing you can do about it.” For Derrico, the ease with which teenagers can procure a prescription to psychoactive substances without the consent of a guardian has become a matter of concern; enough for her to create a petition lobbying state and local elected officials across the spectrum to take action.
“I have encountered many situations where parents are shocked to find out that their over [18-yearold] college student was prescribed oxycodone for a minor sports injury, or Xanax for a bout of anxiety,” reads the petition that she plans to distribute after press time. “By the time parents become aware that such an arrangement may have taken place with a medical provider, the minor may well be on the
In the midst of a national epidemic, community members in the village of Mamaroneck are urging elected officials to take a look at tightening age restrictions on prescription pills. Photo courtesy Flickr.com
path to addiction.” Derrico, who, in addition to her tenure as a judge, worked as an attorney for more than a decade, said she has seen the effects of prescription drug abuse on many occasions firsthand. Oftentimes, Derrico said, throughout the course of her work as an attorney, she has encountered adults in their early 20s who have already held a prescription to opioids—pain medication that mimics the effects of heroin—for five years or more. “Maybe we allow too much,” Derrico said. “Somehow these kids are getting their hands on pharmaceutical drugs, whether they’re stealing it from medicine cabinets or getting a lawful script for it.” Just last year, the village of Mamaroneck saw five drug overdoses in just under two months’ time. By raising the age of consent for prescription medication to 21 years old, Derrico hopes the village can prevent trends like those from occurring. Currently, New York state public health law dictates that any person over 18 years of age can legally consent to medical treatment—including a prescription to medication—without the approval of a guardian. But according to Christopher Bell, the executive director of a Rochester chapter of the American
Academy of Pediactrics, there are some exceptions. Specifically, if that person is married, pregnant or a parent, they would be able to consent to receiving prescription drugs if they’re below the age of 18. How many minors fall into those categories, Bell said he is unsure. Today, young adults and teens ages 18 to 24 have been among the hardest hit by the effects of opioid abuse. Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse collected in 2014 shows that 12 percent of young adults in that age bracket reported using prescription opioids, stimulants or anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax, in the past year, as opposed to just 5 percent 26 years and older, and 6 percent of respondents between the ages of 12 to 17. Bell said he isn’t aware of any current initiative to tighten age restrictions, and in the state Legislature, according to Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, no such legislation has surfaced. “It hasn’t come up for discussion, but I certainly think raising the age on prescription drugs could be helpful,” he said. “The proposal by Christie [Derrico], in concept, is a good idea; it’s another helpful step. But it’s going to take 1,000 helpful steps.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
6 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017 THE
CityREVIEW NewRochelle 170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000
SUNY Purchase announces
new journalism partnership
Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso
Guernica Magazine will have a second location on the SUNY Purchase College campus in the Humanities Building. File photo
Advertising | Lynne Starr ext. 29, lynne@hometwn.com
By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter
Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com
One area college is working to better equip its students with real-world journalism experience by partnering with Guernica Magazine. This collaboration will allow for students of SUNY Purchase College to have access to internships and fellowships with Guernica Magazine, a nonprofit online publication that began in 2004 which covers topics including arts, politics, fiction and poetry. The magazine, which is currently stationed in New York City, will be setting up a second home on campus in the college’s Humanities Building in the fall 2017 semester. The partnership came about after Ravi Rajan, the dean of School of the Arts for SUNY Purchase, reached out to Guernica Magazine with interest in collaborating. According to Betsy Aldredge, media relations specialist at SUNY Purchase, Rajan was looking for a new way that students would be able to get interdisciplinary experience and is also a big fan of the magazine. Katherine Rowland, publisher and director of Guernica Magazine, said that the magazine had started brainstorming with Rajan about a year ago to see how the two could work together. After further discussion with the publisher, the partnership was born. “We [will] sort of mutually help one another in creating more robust, interesting, innovative multimedia projects,” Rowland said. This type of collaboration is a first for both Guernica Magazine and SUNY Purchase. The partnership will work to help give experience to budding journalists, and offer opportunities to students interested in video editing, graphic design and marketing. Under SUNY Purchase’s
Staff Writers James Pero, Corey Stockton, Franco Fino Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Jen Parente Columnist Lenore Skenazy
Letters The community’s opinion matters. If you have a view to express, write a letter to the editor by email to chris@hometwn.com. Please include a phone number and name for verification purposes. Community Events If you have an event you would like to share with the community, send it to news@hometwn.com. Delivery For home delivery or to subsribe, call (914) 653-1000 x27. Classifieds & Legals To post your notices or listings, call (914) 653-1000 x27. Postmaster Send address changes to: The City Review New Rochelle c/o HomeTown Media Group, 170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Visit us online www.cityreviewnr.com
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School of Humanities, they offer majors in journalism, creative writing, and media, society and the arts. Aldredge said that this type of program will help students who may otherwise need to go into New York City to complete an internship. Now, that opportunity will be right on campus. The program will be available to undergraduate and graduate students at SUNY Purchase who will have the opportunity to participate in internships and fellowships. “Every fellow and intern we bring on will be paired with a member of the editorial staff,” Rowland said. As of now, Guernica Magazine has five senior nonfiction editors, two over-arching editors-in-chief, a fiction editor, a poetry editor and a multimedia editor. The first editorial project that
Guernica and SUNY Purchase will collaborate on is “Dispatches from the Frontlines of Climate Change,” an editorial piece focusing on global warming. Rowland explained that this project is something the magazine has been in development with another science-based nonprofit organization. “We are going to be pairing writers with what we consider to be the most pressing climates issues of the day,” Rowland said. The project in its entirety will include 10 individual written pieces over the course of a year. Aldredge said that students will be able to approach this topic from different angles, and has the potential to include students from non-journalism majors including environmental studies majors. Aldredge explained that the partnership is mutually beneficial, as the magazine, which currently accepts submissions and commissioned work, will now have access to students who can help create more content while also providing students with experience in the field of media. Partnering with Guernica is part of a bigger initiative at Purchase College to help students gain more writing experience beyond textbooks. SUNY Purchase also offers the Purchase Community Reporting Initiative, which is part of a class called Community Reporting, taught by Brian Kates, a visiting
assistant professor of journalism. Kates is a former investigative reporter, editor, writer and columnist for the New York Daily News, and winner of a Pulitzer Prize while he was its deputy editorial page editor in 1999. His course, which kicked off in the spring 2016 semester, enables students to get real-life experience working with professional newspapers and magazines in the surrounding areas of Westchester County. The class is set up in way where students can collaborate with the professor on their pitches or are given ideas for stories from publications. From there, the students write their articles, submit them to Kates, and receive feedback and edits and as he sees necessary. The work is then submitted and students receive feedback and edits from the publication to improve their articles before being published. “It seemed to me that if we could get students to write for real publications, with real deadlines, real stories, not merely exercises, the actual thing, that that would be the most beneficial thing they could have,” Kates told the Review. The class, which meets twice a week, currently has six students enrolled. It is a regular four-credit course, and to be able to take it students must first have taken an advanced journalism course. While there is no requirement for the amount of articles they need published, each student so far has had two professionally published articles. “The more opportunities that students have to write and get published, I think that’s a good thing,” Kates said. CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com
Guernica Magazine publishes a variety of fiction and non-fiction work. Photo courtesy Guernicamag.com
May 12, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 7 INDIAN POINT from page 1
of the Hendrick Hudson school district, has said that the closure of the plant would negate a third of the district’s tax base, and has therefore halted intentions to move forward on a $14 million capital improvement project. According to a deal struck earlier this year, the plant’s operations will be phased out over a four-year period and its shutdown and subsequent impact on the regional economy and environment will be the subject of a governor’s task force consisting of both state and local lawmakers as well as various officials from Cuomo’s administration. An agreement between Cuomo and Entergy will punctuate years of negotiations and litigation between parties to shut the plant down, which in addition to being perched atop two fault lines, has been cited with 40 safety and operational “events”—hiccups in its internal operations—since 2012 alone. According to a release from the governor’s office this week, the Indian Point task force’s first meeting will be held on May 31 at 7 p.m. in Cortlandt Town Hall, located in the town of Cortlandt. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino will go it alone on a lawsuit to halt the shutdown of Indian Point nuclear power plant after opposition from the county’s Democratic lawmakers. Photo courtesy Flickr.com
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8 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017
Tax abatement on rent-controlled properties
PLAYLAND from page 1
If you are New Rochelle senior citizen living in a rent-controlled property, you may be eligible to have part of your rent subsidized. Section 467-b of the New York State Real Property Tax Law enables the city of New Rochelle to participate in the SCRIE program (Senior Citizen Rebate Incentive Eligible Program.) Under the SCRIE program, the city pays landlords the difference between actual rent and the allowable rent under the New York state Division of Housing and Community Renewal, DHCR, based on household income.
With uncertainty over renewed litigation by the city of Rye and a Westchester County Board of Legislators decision on Playland Pool, the management company Standard Amusements will again delay its $1.5 million required payment to the county. File photo
Playland Park, and will co-manage the park with Standard until 50 percent of the county’s capital projects are completed. With a construction schedule in place, Standard announced that it will aim to build four new rides for the park’s 2019 season and will look to add more once those are complete. Already, some initial design mockups have been revealed for new rides, which include names like Windstarz, Revolution 32 and Unicoaster. A $60 million management agreement
signed in May of last year will see Standard amusements take over management of Playland once the county expends half of its agreed upon $30 million in capital improvements. From that point, the company will manage the park—under county ownership—for a period of 30 years, while making annual payments to the county, starting at $300,000 and increasing incrementally by 2 percent each year. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
County lawmakers bans synthetic weed Westchester County lawmakers made a stand against the sale of synthetic marijuana this week, voting to sign the first-ever countywide bill banning the drug and many of its counterparts. In a unanimous vote, the county Board of Legislators voted on Monday, May 8 to enact a countywide ban on the sale of a synthetic drug known colloquially as “spice” and commonly marketed under brand names like “K2.” According to a sponsor of the bill, David Tubilio, a Yonkers Republican, the law will seek to blockade Westchester against the harmful effects of the drug, which elsewhere across the state and country is sold legally over-the-counter. “The top priority is public safety, and hopefully this law can protect and prevent,” he said. In order to help enforce the ban—which encompasses a wide array of chemicals commonly found in products marketed as synthetic marijuana—the bill will also include a fine of up to $2,000 for any business caught selling the banned substances. Tubilo said enforcement will come through a combination of the county’s health and public safety departments. Auditors from the health department will peruse businesses for the banned substances, and if deemed necessary, Tubiolo said the police will conduct an investigation. Reeling in the sale of synthetic marijuana, however, has been a battle for regulators who struggle to stay ahead of the products’ con-
With a unanimous vote, the county banned the sale of eight compounds found commonly in synthetic weed. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.org
stantly shifting chemical makeups. Oftentimes, as soon as a substance is banned, manufacturers will skirt laws by slightly altering the compounds recipe. To prevent those loopholes, Tubiolo—who consulted health professionals, researchers and law enforcement to help draft the bill—said lawmakers attempted to broadly define substances, casting the widest net possible. In the event that too many loopholes arise, Tubiolo said lawmakers would be required to “tweak and change” the law to help tighten restrictions. Currently, the law bans a total of eight different substances. Like Westchester, New York state, under Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, has also attempted to stem the tide of synthetic weed, enacting multiple laws to ban compounds on the state level in 2012 and 2015. -Reporting by James Pero
Eligibility requirements are as follows: • 62 years old or disabled • Rent an apartment that is regulated by DHCR that is rent-controlled or rent-stabilized • Pay more than one-third of the household’s total monthly income for rent • Have a household income of less than $40,000 per year For more information, seniors can call the New Rochelle Office for the Aging at 2352363. Disabled residents can call Disabled on the Move at 968-4717. (Submitted)
After convention, Dems postpone county exec. nomination
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer As of press time, the Westchester County Democratic Party had yet to pick its nominee for county executive. But the feeling in the air
on Wednesday night signaled the likelihood of a September primary. The convention, which was held at the Westchester County Center on May 10, started off with a rash of excitement and a few hundred district leaders from throughout the county
on hand to select a slew of candidates for the November elections, but soon trailed into Thursday morning before party leaders opted to postpone final vote tallying. The key nomination was which Democrat, county Legislator Ken
Ken Jenkins had supporters from some of the county’s major cities on hand at the county Democratic convention. Photo/Jen Parente
Jenkins, of Yonkers, or state Sen. George Latimer, of Rye, would run against County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, in the general election. Part of the delay was due to Jenkins’s team contesting several of the ballots being cast by local committees. As a result, the decision on the county executive nominee was expected to be announced on Friday, May 12, after press time, according to Reginald LaFayette, the county Democratic Party chairman. The convention at the County Center began at 7 p.m. But district leaders were engaged in a heated battle to nominate a candidate for family court justice from early in the evening until after midnight, delaying their decision on whether Jenkins or Latimer would get the party’s official backing. Although Democrats will wait until Friday, after press time, to decide who will receive the nomination, Wednesday evening’s atmosphere seemed to foreshadow a primary election in September as Latimer seemed to be the odds-on favorite heading into the convention. The candidates took to the stage at about 11 p.m. Latimer, 63, received a robust and sustained welcome from his supporters, whom he tried to rally with his speech.
Democratic district leaders from the city of Rye support George Latimer eagerly await the results on May 10. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
May 12, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 9 “There is one single thing that unites all the Democrats in this room,” he said. “We are ready for change––dramatic, real change.” Latimer, who announced his candidacy in April, stressed the importance of a united party, comparing Democratic efforts in Republican strongholds to those in Democrat-heavy communities. “If you want to win this county, you’ve got to merge those two Westchesters,” he said. “You’ve got to run in Eastchester and you’ve got to run in Mount Vernon.” Jenkins, 55, also tried to engender Democratic voters, who outnumber Republicans by more than 2-to-1 in Westchester County, despite having handed the election to Astorino in 2009 and 2013. But Jenkins, who was the first candidate to announce his candidacy for county executive last August, looked beyond the convention in his speech, setting his sights on what seems like a primary election which would be open to all registered Democratic voters instead of only party leaders. “The voters are the party,” Jenkins said. “So in a race like this, we, as party insiders, must recognize the need for their involvement. That’s how we pick the strongest candidate to beat Rob Astorino.” Jenkins has maintained throughout his early campaign that he would not step down if he did not receive the party’s nomination. He had bowed out of the race for county executive after losing the party’s nomination to New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson in 2013; Bramson was handily defeated by Astorino that year. Latimer, meanwhile, has stated that he plans to honor the intentions of the Democratic committee, adding that if he does not receive the nomination, he will throw his full support and effort behind Jenkins. Both candidates ultimately took aim at Astorino, who has held the county’s top elected position since 2010. Jenkins highlighted his role in lowering taxes while he was chairman of the Board of Legislators, combatting Astorino’s reputation for not raising taxes during his tenure. Meanwhile, Latimer focused on his own reputation for winning elections in majority Republican districts, and doing so while financially short-handed, as he would be against Astorino, who had amassed more than $2.5 million in his campaign financing by January. More than 200 party leaders attended the convention, but began trailing out of the county center by midnight, before Reginald Lafayette, the county Democratic chairman, adjourned the session without a county executive nomination at 12:45 a.m. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
BROKEN joins statewide BOW beer challenge 10 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017
runs from May 15 to May 21. Under Cuomo, New York state has seen a 542 percent increase growth since 2011, the year before he signed the Farm Brewery License which promotes using local ingredients and supports the state’s craft breweries and wineries. The state is currently home to more than 300 microbreweries, farm breweries, and restaurant breweries, the latter becoming a trend nationwide. Broken Bow, a member of the state brewers association, which boasts more than 200 members, is one of two Westchester breweries, along with Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. in Elmsford, selected for the competition. LaMothe, 56, and a resident of Bedford Hills, said the brewery is a family passion, as the family had been recreationally brewing its own beer for years and sharing it with friends. But roughly five years ago, the family decided to make a go of it professionally, especially at the urging of fellow brewers and restaurateurs. “They thought our recipes were good enough,” the patriarch said. LaMothe’s son, Michael LaMothe, is the head brewer. His daughter, Kasey LaMothe, is the assistant brewer, and his other daughter, Kristen Stone, handles legal matters and marketing. “If it says ‘Broken Bow’ on it, she probably dreamed it up,” Lyle LaMothe said.
By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Assistant Editor Broken Bow Brewery, located in the village of Tuckahoe, is one of nearly 70 breweries that are a part of the inaugural Taste NY Craft Beer Challenge. Lyle LaMothe, one of the family founding members of Broken Bow, said the competition is a joint effort between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Brewers Association to highlight what breweries are doing in New York, and to show the governor’s commitment to the industry. Last week, Cuomo, a Democrat, announced the statewide competition, where New Yorkers are invited to vote for their favorite brewery. The challenge is a way to promote buying local products, as well as to highlight just how diverse the state’s craft beverage industry is while also promoting tourism. The top five breweries will be invited to New York City for a final tasting event on May 17, which falls within American Craft Beer Week, which
But, most importantly, his wife, Kathy LaMothe, is the reason for the company’s signature name; she was born in the city of Broken Bow, Nebraska. “It’s a beautiful little town; it’s a very special place to us,” Lyle LaMothe said. The Tuckahoe brewery often holds tours, and has a tasting room where patrons can sample at least 11 beers “brewed from grain to glass.” Broken Bow encourages visitors to bring their own food, with many ordering from nearby restaurants. “That way we can concentrate on just making the best beer possible,” LaMothe said. Broken Bow has won state and national medals for two of its brews; most recently for its Nick’s Hazelnut Praline Porter, which won a silver medal at this year’s Tap NY Festival. Its tap handle is a common sight at several restaurants in the area. The brewery has served as the ultimate learning experience. But as for why the LaMothes chose Tuckahoe? “We set up shop here because we are close to New York City tap water, which is terrific water,” LaMothe said. Broken Bow will host an event on May 20 to celebrate craft beer week. To vote for Broken Bow Brewery, visit taste.ny.gov/vote; voting closes on May 16. CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com
Broken Bow Brewery, located in the village of Tuckahoe, is a part of a statewide craft beer competition. Photo courtesy twitter.com/brokenbowbrew
Broken Bow’s brews include a German-style lager, left, and an India pale ale made with two kinds of hops. Photo/Sibylla Chipaziwa
May 12, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 11
12 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017
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May 12, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 13
Famed Manhattan salon comes to Westchester
The Nunzio Saviano Salon opened its second location at White Plains’ Ritz-Carlton Westchester in March. Photo courtesy Nunzio Saviano Salon
Westchester fans of Nunzio Saviano’s work will no longer have to make the trip to 65th Street in Manhattan for his salon services, as the hair stylist has now opened a salon at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester, accepting clients by appointment only from Tuesday to Saturday. Though small, the full-service, luxury salon is located on the ninth floor of the White Plains hotel, sharing space with its spa amenities. Patrons can experience Saviano’s signature cuts and hairstyling, which also includes a colorist and services for special events, and manicures and pedicures. The salon exclusively uses Kérastase hair products. Saviano himself is available there every Tuesday. With more than 20 years in the hairstyling business, he has wanted to open another location for some time now, having opened the Manhattan salon about four years ago. Jean Oh, one of the stylists at the Ritz-Carlton, has been with Saviano since the opening of the first salon. A Stamford, Connecticut resident, he was
looking at space in Greenwich when the Ritz-Carlton Westchester approached him with a salon that fit just right. “I got into hairstyling because of the creativity of it,” Saviano said. “Once I get bored, there’s already something out there; like fashion, hair trends move very quickly.” Saviano has been called the best by various publications, including Allure and InStyle. He keeps an eye on trends while also paying attention to one’s facial structure, hair type and lifestyle, creating a look that is all your own. He has worked with the likes of actresses Angelica Huston and Brooke Shields, to name a few. As a special, any Nunzio Saviano Salon appointment can provide patrons the use of some of the Ritz-Carlton amenities, including the hotel pool, for an extra $20, allowing for a day of head-to-toe pampering. To make your appointment, call 467-5888 or 467-5728. For more information, visit nunziosaviano.com/white-plains. -Reporting by Sibylla Chipaziwa
Charlie is a gorgeous 2 1/2 year old male tabby and white kitty. He is lively and fun and should do well in a family. He is also great with other cats and should definitely go to a home with another young cat as he loves to play with his fellow felines. Charlie is in excellent health, neutered, up to date with all vaccinations and microchipped. His adoption donation is $100. To meet Charlie, contact Pet Rescue at 835-3332 or 835-4133 or visit NY-Petrescue.org. (Submitted)
Ridge Hill to hold tasting event Celebrate the second annual Taste of Ridge Hill on Thursday, May 18 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is your passport to visit Ridge Hill eateries for a sample bite and sip of signature flavors—one night, nine restaurants. “We wanted to do something aimed at our adult guests,” said Meghann Miraglia, director of marketing at Ridge Hill. “We have a mix of national and regional chains, and locally owned restaurants covering a variety of cuisines; there’s a lot of diversity in our offerings.” Participating restaurants include El Balón, Angelo’s Family Style Italian, Lefteris Gyro, Elevation Burger, Texas de Brazil, Yard House, Little Buddha, The Cheesecake Factory and Havana Central; all but Elevation Burger are full-service restaurants. The event has grown from six eateries at the inaugural event to nine; the shopping center offers 20 dining options.New this year to Taste of Ridge Hill is HB Liquors serving up wine and spirits samples. All guests in attendance will receive a swag bag provided by Whole Foods Market Yonkers and a Ridge Hill wine tumbler. El Balón is the shopping center’s newest dining option, having opened in midDecember last year. A Mexican restaurant that will be sampling tacos and margaritas on May 18, general manager Mike Guido said the eatery has had a good response so far. “[El Balón] felt that the value and the cuisine definitely played into the local area,” he said.
The second annual Taste of Ridge will be held on Thursday, May 18. The shopping center will feature nine of its restaurants, and new this year will be the sampling of wines and spirits. Contributed photo
Tickets are $34.95 per person and must be purchased online in advance of the event. A ticket entitles the bearer to a food and beverage tasting at each listed restaurant. Guests must be at least 21 years of age. Tickets are on sale now at ridgehill. com/info/tasteofrh—only 300 are available. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit YWCA Yonkers; for more information, visit ywcayonkers.org. Check-in and complimentary valet parking located in Town Square near Angelo’s restaurant. Guests who would like to come early and shop before the event may self-park and receive validation at check-in. Ridge Hill Shopping Center is located at 1 Ridge Hill Boulevard in Yonkers. Learn more at ridgehill.com, follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or call 207-2900. (Submitted)
14 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017
SPORTS
May 12, 2017, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 15
A drawn-out loss LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
As long as I follow sports, I don’t think I’ll ever suffer another loss quite as painful Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. The storyline was about as rich as it gets in sports: My Red Sox, trying to end an 85-year curse, jumping out to an early lead against their bitterest rival in a door-die elimination game, only to be done in by a late collapse and an extra-innings homer by Aaron “Bleepin’” Boone. For Red Sox fans, it was nearly nine decades of torment embodied in one singular game, the Boone homer serving as a gut-punch exclamation point on our franchise’s futility to that point. The New York Rangers’ Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Ottawa Senators this year would also rank high on my list of disappointing sports losses, but instead of having that one moment of heartbreak, it seemed more like a twoweek-long root canal. On Tuesday night, the Rangers dropped a disappointing Game 6 to
the Sens 4-2. It was the kind of game where, right from the outset, it was clear to Ranger fans that it wasn’t going to be our night. Two quick goals from Ottawa put the Rangers in a hole they couldn’t climb out of, and despite a late game surge by the Blue Shirts to make it competitive, this one wasn’t ever really in doubt. But what makes the loss sting in particular is the way that the Rangers had outplayed their opponents all series long, only to fumble away sure things and keep the Senators hanging around. In both Game 2 and Game 5 overtime losses, the Rangers, by all accounts, had Ottawa dead to rights, only to see their leads evaporate in the waning minutes on a bunch of soft goals. Even if the Rangers wouldn’t admit those losses were demoralizing, it most certainly had an effect on the fan base. On Tuesday night, the crowd at Mickey Spillane’s in Eastchester was oddly uncomfortable from the opening face-off. All of the excitement, all of the enthusiasm I’d seen throughout the team’s playoff run, was replaced by an ominous sense of dread. When Ottawa’s
Mike Hoffman beat Henrik Lundqivst for a goal just four minutes into the game, you could almost feel the fans quietly accepting their fate. Sure, there was a lot of game left, but the writing was on the wall; this wasn’t going to be the Rangers’ night. So for the next 56 minutes, we sat and watched the Rangers cough up the puck and sputter out in the offensive zone without much sense of hope. When the final horn sounded, we were drained, but also relieved that the ordeal was over. It wasn’t dissimilar from walking out during the credits of a Lars von Trier movie. The great thing about sports is that, when your team finally wins, the ability to exorcise the demons of terrible past losses makes the victory even sweeter. In 2004, when the Red Sox came back in four straight games against the Yanks before going on to sweep the Cardinals in the World Series, it was losses like the ones in 1986 and 2003 that made the moment all the more special. Maybe 2018 will be the Rangers’ year, maybe it won’t. But when, (if), they do hoist the Stanley Cup
On May 9, the Rangers’ season came to an end with a 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Although the game itself was a heartbreaker, it was par for the course in a series that was tough to watch for Ranger fans. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.org
again, I’m certainly going to think back to this blown opportunity against the Senators. Let’s just hope that payoff
doesn’t take another 60 years.
Follow Mike Smith on Twitter @ LiveMike_Sports
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LIVE MIKE! Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary Follow @mamaroneckview for Mike’s live, in-game action updates
16 • THE CITY REVIEW • May 12, 2017