June 9, 2017

THE

CityREVIEW NewRochelle June 9, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 17 | www.cityreviewnr.com

WELCOME HOME

On May 30, on the front lawn of New Rochelle City Hall, the United Veterans Memorial and Patriotic Association of New Rochelle unveiled its new Vietnam War monument, a long overdue tribute to all those who served during the conflict which claimed 58,000 American lives. For story, see page 6.

Photo/Jen Parente

Latimer grabs Independence Party endorsement County launches drug abuse response

By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer The Independence Party has endorsed state Sen. George Latimer in his bid for county executive.

Latimer, a Rye Democrat, is expecting to take on two-term incumbent Rob Astorino, a Republican, in November’s county executive race. And the support of the Independence Party has often been an indicator of electoral success in Westchester.

Latimer, who has also been endorsed by the Working Families Party, said he was pleased to have the support of the Independence Party.

“I think it’s an indication of the strength of my campaign,” he told the Review. “The Independence Party could have chosen anyone…

and they chose me.”

Latimer had previously been endorsed by the party in his races for county legislator and state Assembly between 1998 and 2010, but never received the party’s support during his time in the state Senate.

Last November, in his most recent re-election to the state Senate, Latimer was passed over by the Independence Party line in favor of his opponent, Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican. The Independence Party also supported Latimer opponents Bob Cohen, a Scarsdale Republican, in 2012 and Joe Dillon, a Yonkers Republican, in 2014.

Latimer won all three of those contests, and in recent years the party’s credibility has been called into question.

By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer

Astorino has also had his problems with the party. In 2009, after winning the county executive seat from then-County Executive Andy Spano, a Democrat, in which Astorino was endorsed by the Independence Party, he accused party Chairman Giulio Cavallo of seeking INDEPENDENCE continued on page 8

Westchester County has launched a new program aimed at integrating the response of several county agencies, local officials and community leaders to the growing drug abuse epidemic.

On June 7, in the Westchester County Center, County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, launched Project WORTHY: Westchester Opioid Response Teams Helping You, which he said was established to combine all of the county’s individual resources to combat a dramatic spike in opioid-related deaths over the last several years.

Heroin and opioid use has been recognized as a growing and wide-

spread problem across Westchester County, New York state and the country; the rate of deaths caused by opioids in the county has quadrupled since 2010, according to Westchester officials.

Several local communities have previously established their own committees and task forces to combat drug abuse in those areas. But, according to Astorino, the goal of Project WORTHY is to transcend municipal and organizational barriers keeping key community leaders from working together to combat drug addiction.

“In Westchester, we are blessed with an abundance of resources,” the county executive said. “But, their effectiveness can be limited if OPIOID continued on page 8

2 • THE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017

June 9, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 3

County police to cut back from specialized units

By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Several impending retirements and a lack of staffing are threatening the Westchester County Department of Public Safety to cut back from various specialized units, according to the union president.

Michael Hagan, the president of

the county Police Benevolent Association, PBA, said that with an understaffed department and as many as 10 retirements expected in each calendar year—four officers have already retired since the beginning of 2017—police officials are anticipating withdrawing officers from the bomb squad, narcotics and joint terrorist task force units to cov-

er routine patrols throughout the county this summer.

Hagan added that while this year’s $1.8 billion county budget calls for funding 292 police officers, there is currently no indication from County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, whether or not there will be any action to hire more positions to meet the needs of the de-

With no indication from Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s office whether or not the county will hire a full staff of police officers, county Police Benevolent Association President Michael Hagan, center, said the department is expecting to make cuts to specialized units by summertime. Photo/Franco Fino

partment, prompting the potential cut-backs in the specialized units.

The department currently employs 282 officers as part of a $16.4 million county police budget; part of a larger Department of Public Safety budget totaling $48.2 million.

Yet, even after adding five officers in March, the department still remains 10 positions short of its budgeted staff size.

As a result, Hagan said it will be difficult to continue assigning officers to specialized units when routine patrols will be needed at various parks—there are 52 parks that are managed by the county—throughout Westchester, such as Willson’s Woods Park in the city of Mount Vernon, where a suspect was arrested in April with a loaded gun and was allegedly involved in drug activity.

According to county Legislator Ben Boykin, a White Plains Democrat and chairman of the Committee on Public Safety & Social Services, the looming cuts to the narcotics unit will pose an abundance of consequences to Westchester, which has seen opioid-related deaths increase by 60 percent this year over last year. “All too often, officers are pulled from their regular assignments to cover incidents that take place in our parks,” he said.

Westchester County police are responsible for watching over county-owned parks, local parkways, key county facilities such

as the Westchester County Airport in Harrison, and the county office building in White Plains. The department is also known for aiding local municipal police departments.

Boykin added that the cuts could place an additional burden on other local police departments that will likely be called because of the lengthy response times by county units.

Other Democrats, such as county Majority Leader Catherine Borgia, of Ossining, and Legislator MaryJane Shimsky, of Hastings-on-Hudson, described the situation as a public safety threat to residents.

“We are in a situation where we have officers leaving their posts on our parkways to cover issues in our parks,” Shimsky said. “This, by definition, creates a public safety hazard every time they are asked to do their job. This is unacceptable.”

Despite the concern, Ned McCormack, the communications director for the county executive’s office, said overall crime in Westchester is down 25 percent for the latest five-year reporting period.

“Vacancies fluctuate over the course of any year,” he added.

“The current vacancy rate of 3 percent is normal, very manageable and provides adequate staffing for the department to fulfill its responsibilities.”

CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com

4 • THE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017

What’s going on...

New Rochelle Public Library

Visit nrpl.org for information on these and other events and programs.

Library hours 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: Closed.

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.

New Rochelle Art Association jurying-in of new members On Saturday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the main library’s lobby and Meeting Room. Artists who would like to become members of the New Rochelle Art Association are invited to submit three pieces of recent work, not older than two years old and wired and framed, for consideration for membership at the jurying-in of new members. All types of original work will be considered, including paintings, graphics, sculpture, crafts, and photography. Interested artists should bring their work to the library’s Meeting Room on the first floor. Artists selected by the jury will become exhibiting members of the New Rochelle Art Association.

New Rochelle Art Association Annual Jules Bauer Award Show Through Thursday, June 22 in the Lumen Winter Gallery at the main library. The 34th annual Jules Bauer Award Show is open to all New Rochelle Art Association members.

Ribbons will be presented in all categories and monetary prizes are given to the winners of the Jules Bauer Award for Best Watercolor and the Best of Show Award.

There will be a reception on Sunday, June 11 from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the main library’s lobby.

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.

Friends Book Store 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.

Parks and Recreation news Park Passports There’s a new way to access some of New Rochelle’s most popular parks this season.

The Department of Parks and Recreation has replaced Omnicards with Park Passports for parking entry into waterfront parks, including Hudson Park, Five Islands Park, Davenport Park and Neptune Park.

Park Passports can be obtained at the Parks and Recreation Office at 515 North Ave. Photo proof of identification must be shown, as well as two permanent documents or items that confirm name or address (driver’s license, vehicle registration, utility bill, lease, tax statement, or rent receipt).

Senior resident Omnicard passes will continue to be honored.

Passport fees are: adult resident (ages 1461) – $40; senior resident (ages 62 and up) valid for five years – $40; non-resident – $80.

Special for this summer, enjoy free ac-

cess to Hudson Park Beach. The beach will open Memorial Day weekend for weekends through June 25, and then open daily from June 26 through Labor Day. For non-passport holders, daily parking fees will apply: $5 for residents and $10 for non-residents.

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.

Register for swim classes at county pools Online registration is now open for swimming and aquatic fitness classes at Saxon Woods pool in White Plains, Tibbetts Brook pool in Yonkers and Playland pool in Rye. For children and for adults just getting

started with swimming, Learn-to-Swim lessons are offered for all ages and ability levels, from toddlers age 3 to senior citizens. Classes begin Wednesday, July 5, and run through Friday, Aug. 11. Lessons for adults ages 18 and older will be held only at Saxon Woods pool.

The schedule for classes at Tibbetts Brook and Saxon Woods is as follows: Children ages 3–6: Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Children ages 7–10: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Children ages 11–17: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Adults (ages 18 and up): Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. (Saxon Woods only).

Class schedule for Playland Pool is as follows: Children ages 3–6: Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Children ages 7–10: Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Children ages 11–17: Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Only online registration is accepted. The registration fee is $80, which includes pool admission fees for the participant. Adults and teens participating in the Learn-to-Swim program at Tibbetts Brook and Saxon Woods pools must present a valid Westchester County resident Park Pass on the first day of class; children under 12 registering for the lessons must be accompanied by a Park Pass-holding parent or adult guardian. A Park Pass is not required at Playland.

For swimmers who want a high-power, cardiovascular fitness workout, a six-session Aqua Zumba class will also be offered this summer. Classes will be held on Friday nights from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Saxon Woods Pool from July 7 through July 26; and on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Tibbetts Brook Pool from July 8 through July 27. Fee is $75. A Park Pass is not required but participants must be Westchester County residents. Only online registration is accepted.

For more information or to register for the programs, visit parks.westchestergov.com/ activities/swimming.

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.

June 9, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 5

Walter’s Hot Dogs to enter White Plains

By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter Due to popular demand, Walter’s Hot Dogs is planning to open a second location in the heart of downtown White Plains this fall.

After more than 90 years, the fourth-generation family-run business will be opening a storefront restaurant at 186 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. Walter’s currently has its famous hot dog stand on Palmer Avenue in Mamaroneck, plus two food trucks that travel the area.

Carl Lee, of White Plains, said that he’s been going to Walter’s since 2003. He explained that the unique way that Walter’s cooks its hotdogs, by splitting them down the middle and grilling them in a special sauce, is why he likes them so much.

He said that he usually goes to their Mamaroneck shop for lunch.

“Now that it’s [coming to] White Plains, it’ll only be five or 10 minutes,” Lee said. “It’s great.”

According to Katharine Warrington Woodward, public relations and events manager for Wal-

Walter’s Hot Dogs is already well known for its hot dog stand on Palmer Avenue in Mamaroneck. Photo courtesy Walter’s Hot Dogs

ter’s, they will also be announcing plans for a third location soon.

“The support and encouragement from the city of White Plains to open our business here was a tremendous factor in where to open in Westchester,” Woodward, the great-granddaughter of Walter Warrington, told the Review. Walter’s food truck is also already available at the weekly White Plains farmers market. “After testing the market with our food trucks, we saw that a freestanding location was in demand for the area,” she said.

Charlie Gray, of White Plains, said she was excited to see a Walter’s opening in White Plains because she’s found the lines for their food truck to be too long.

“It’s a very convenient location,” Gray said, “and it fits along with all the rest of the food stops.”

Woodward explained that by opening Walter’s in White Plains, they will be able to reach customers from Rockland County and upper portions of Westchester as well as Fairfield and Putnam counties.

The restaurant will have indoor and outdoor seating that can accommodate approximately 50 people.

As for the menu, Warrington said that customers can expect to

Walter’s will open its newest venture in downtown White Plains this fall.

Photo/Taylor Brown

see the usual Walter’s menu items as well as a few surprises.

“Because it’ll be a dine-in storefront, customers will be able to see much more of the menu items we currently offer,” Woodward said.

This includes their six flavors of ice cream made in-house and four flavors of home-made Italian

ice, funnel cake fries and cinnamon sticks.

“We feel that Walter’s has a special place in many people’s lives,” she said, “and we want to begin to share that with Westchester and beyond.”

CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com

6 • THE RYE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017 THE

CityREVIEW NewRochelle 170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000

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 Advertising | Lynne Starr ext. 29, lynne@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Corey Stockton, Franco Fino Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Jen Parente Columnist Lenore Skenazy

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New Rochelle unveils

Vietnam War monument

In what was billed as a long overdue “welcome home ceremony,” the United Veterans Memorial & Patriotic Association of New Rochelle paid tribute to Vietnam War veterans on May 30, unveiling a monument erected on the front lawn of City Hall.

A black slab of granite made to look like the national monument on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the monument depicts the famous image of The Three Soldiers, which was originally a sculpture

by Frederick Hart. The New Rochelle Garden Club provided flower plantings along the base of the headstone.

The ceremony was attended by close to 200 veterans and local residents, all hoping to lay to rest the decades old stigma surrounding the military conflict which claimed 58,000 American lives and spanned a 20-year period. While close to 3 million Americans were stationed in Vietnam throughout the conflict, a total of 9 million soldiers served elsewhere as active duty military members.

Peter Parente, president of the United Veterans Memorial & Patriotic Association of New Rochelle, UVMPA, did not shy away from mentioning the stain on the country’s historical fabric over four decades ago, as many Vietnam War veterans returned home to find a country torn apart by debate.

“There wasn’t a lot of patriotism during that time period and it was a sin,” Parente said in an interview with the Review. “Even when I came home from Desert Storm, we got a ticker tape parade. These guys came home with such a negative attitude back in the states, now the proper greeting for someone you know was a Vietnam veteran is ‘welcome home’ because they never got that.”

During the ceremony, James and Kevin Lasser paid special tribute to prisoners of war and those missing in action. A small table with a single place setting was positioned next to the monument to symbolize the soldiers who never made it home as the two brothers read an honor roll.

“They are commonly called ‘prisoners of war’ or ‘missing in action,’ James Lasser said. “We call them ‘brothers,’ and while they can’t be with us this evening, we remember them.”

To this day, 1,611 American soldiers are still unaccounted for.

Major General Richard Colt, a U.S. Army Distinguished Service

Peter Parente, president of the United Veterans Memorial & Patriotic Association of New Rochelle, reflects on the sacrifice of Vietnam War veterans at a time when the country was divided. Photos/Jen Parente

Major General Richard Colt, a U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal recipient, served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

Medal recipient, served as the ceremony’s keynote speaker, remarking on the contrast between his own generation and the one preceding it.

“We were not termed the ‘Greatest Generation,’” Colt said. “That belongs to our fathers. But many of us were the sons and daughters of the ‘Greatest Generation.’ We grew up listening to their stories of courage and sacrifice, and when our time came, we answered that call. For the men and women who served, I truly believe we are the best of our generation.”

According to Parente, the monument committee surpassed their $15,000 goal by nearly $8,000 and will look to re-direct some of the unused funds toward a new project next year.

Frank McDonough salutes the flag.

June 9, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 7

Donald Bradley, a New Rochelle firefighter, shakes hands with a Vietnam War veteran.

Close to 200 veterans and local residents attended the unveiling of New Rochelle’s new Vietnam War monument on May 30.

A bagpipe player from American Legion Post 122 in Hawthorne.

The day after Memorial Day, the New York State Troopers Honor Guard attend the ceremony honoring Vietnam War veterans. Photos/Jen Parente

8 • THE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017 OPIOID from page 1

INDEPENDENCE from page 1

State Sen. George Latimer, who received the official nomination of the Westchester County Democratic Committee last month in his bid for county executive, now also has the support of the county’s Independence Party. Photo/Jen Parente

County Executive Rob Astorino speaks at the launch of Project WORTHY: Westchester Opioid Response Teams Helping You on June 7 to fight the opioid epidemic.

Photo courtesy Westchester County

they remain in geographic and bureaucratic silos.”

Project WORTHY is aimed to establish response teams made up of health professionals, law enforcement, first responders, parents, teachers, coaches, clergy, business leaders and youth to help those suffering from addiction and to educate communities about prevention, intervention and responses to addiction.

To kick off the initiative, a panel of county commissioners addressed the County Center room full of community leaders, discussing the pervasiveness of opioid addiction and the problems in confronting it. And they discussed some initiatives the county has already undertaken to address those problems, including training and arming first responders with the opioid-countering drug, naloxone, establishing anonymous drug drop-boxes at local police stations, and participating in joint federal and local task forces to take down illegal drug rings and doctors who over-prescribe opioids.

Astorino said there are four prongs to Project WORTHY: education, prevention,

integration and action. According to Ned McCormack, a spokesman for the administration, those four prongs become two separate rolls for members of the response teams. Community members in teams can be dispersed to give integrated advice, helping communities to confront individual problems. The teams will also be mobilized to give informational seminars and forums, helping communities recognize signs of abuse, and discussing how to talk about and address the issues locally.

About 200 local officials and community leaders attended the program’s kickoff.

“Today was all about bringing everybody together and building the response teams and getting the ball rolling,” McCormack said.

While the program has no clear first action, county officials said getting all of those community leaders together to organize response teams was a necessary first step.

Astorino said, “Opioid addiction can be stopped. We will continue to fight, and Project WORTHY can make us more effective.

CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

patronage jobs for members of his party.

In his bid for re-election in 2013, Astorino lost the party’s support but was still victorious in becoming the only Republican ever elected to the Westchester County executive’s office without carrying the Independence line, by cruising past his opponent, New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, a Democrat.

Bill O’Reilly, campaign manager for Astorino, said the county executive didn’t even seek the Independence Party’s backing this year.

Even so, Astorino has been highly successful in a county where his voting bloc is at a decided disadvantage. According to voter registration numbers compiled by the county Board of Elections, Democrats outnumbered registered Republicans by more than 2-to-1, approximately 278,000 to 130,000.

The Independence Party, which is the third largest political party in the county, makes up

about 4 percent of the total number of registered voters in Westchester with 21,555.

And although Latimer has also received the official support of the Democratic Party, he will likely have to win that party’s primary election in order to appear on the November ballot.

Following last month’s county Democratic nominating convention, Latimer won more than 70 percent of the vote against county Legislator Ken Jenkins, a Yonkers Democrat. But even in defeat, Jenkins has remained steadfast in his desire to challenge Latimer in a Democratic September primary for the right to carry the line in the general election.

The Westchester County executive is elected to a four-year term and receives an annual salary of $160,144.

CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

City of New Rochelle’s

Official Newspaper

June 9, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 9

Beth El names full-time assistant rabbi Rabbi Zachary Sitkin has been named fulltime assistant rabbi of Beth El Synagogue Center in New Rochelle. Associate Rabbi Joshua Dorsch is assuming the role of Senior Rabbi at Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego. Sitkin, who has been with Beth El on a part-time basis for a year, looks forward to starting July 1.

“Working at Beth El over the past year has been a true blessing for my family,” Sitkin said. “We are excited to join the Beth El community full time where we will continue to build profound and meaningful relationships.”

Sitkin previously worked at Congregation Eitz Chaim in Monroe, New York and participated in a half-unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Sitkin’s love for Judaism began when he started becoming involved in his local United Youth Synagogue chapter in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and flourished while on the Nativ gap-year program in Israel, where he studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and worked on Kibbutz Sa’ad in the South.

Sitkin graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and received dual Bachelor’s degrees in both Psychology and Religious Studies. While at Pitt, Sitkin co-founded a Beit Midrash, led the conservative minyan on Shabbat, and beat-boxed in the Pitt Hillel’s a cappella group, the VoKols, where he met his wife, Lisa.

Sitkin received his rabbinic ordination in May 2016 from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City where he also re-

Rabbi Zachary Sitkin will begin his position at Beth El Synagogue Center as the full-time assistant rabbi on July 1. Contributed photo

ceived a Master of Arts in Talmud and Rabbinic Literature. Sitkin, his wife, Lisa, and their son, Avi, live in New Rochelle.

Sitkin said one of the many programs he’s excited about running this upcoming fall is a weekly night of learning that consists of Torah study from one of three teachers as well as a monthly “scholar-in-residence.” Food and drinks will be provided each week.

“Rabbi [Zachary] Sitkin is a true mentsch deep down in his bones and one feels this within moments of being in his presence,” said Rabbi David Schuck. “He is engaging, a compassionate listener, and he loves teaching Torah whenever he has the chance. We are so blessed to be guided by his leadership and wisdom here at Beth El.” (Submitted)

AMR center opens in New Rochelle American Medical Response, AMR, announced that it opened an operations center in New Rochelle, New York, to begin service in Westchester County and New York City.

AMR is the nation’s largest provider of medical transportation, and it is the largest ambulance service provider in the states of New York and Connecticut.

“We are delighted to begin serving customers and residents in Westchester County and New York City, as we expand in the state of New York,” said Mike Addario, AMR’s vice president for operations in New York.

“We see tremendous potential for growth in this region, as EMS and Interfacility Transports become more technologically sophisticated and require new and creative solutions to meet the changing needs of healthcare today.”

AMR’s Westchester County operations center, which is located at 35 Bartels Place in New Rochelle, anticipates consistent growth in the New York Metro Region, according to Addario. Already, AMR is positioned to provide additional support to local communities in need, on-site support for major public events such as a 5K Run in Brooklyn, and medical transportation management solutions.

The expansion of AMR services in Westchester and New York City will also allow the company to provide a continuum of care for AMR Air Ambulance, AMR Air, patients.

AMR Air, which coordinates a full range of air ambulance services, including neonatal,

American Medical Response has opened a new operations center in New Rochelle. Photo courtesy Facebook.com/ AMRAmericanMedicalResponse

pediatric and adult intensive care, transports and commercial medical escorts for domestic and international medical air transport flights through JFK International Airport.

AMR started operations with a fleet of eight units a few weeks ago, and is expanding its fleet size over the next several weeks to meet customer demand. AMR has also added twenty jobs to the community as it recently completed its inaugural new-hire orientation class.

Addario continued, “We look forward to partnering with municipalities, hospitals and health systems to develop solutions that will bring some of the best medical transportation in the country to the residents and visitors of the New York.” (Submitted)

10 • THE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017

June 9, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 11

High levels of lead found in Purchase College water

By CURTIS BRODNER Contributor SUNY Purchase College is installing filters, turning off drinking fountains and hanging “Please Do Not Drink” signs on campus sinks after recent tests found lead levels in the school’s drinking water as high as 1,000 times above the federal action level.

Unacceptable levels of other contaminants also were found in the campus water supply. Out of almost 2,000 samples, 17 percent tested above the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s, EPA, limit for lead, copper and coliform or some combination of the three, according to documents obtained from the college.

In addition to dorms and classrooms, water in the school’s renowned Performing Arts Center, the Neuberger Museum, gymnasium, and visual arts building—where many sports and arts programs for children are held—tested high for lead and copper.

Federal guidelines the college has opted to follow require that water test under an “action level” of 0.015 milligrams per liter for lead. At Purchase, lead in the water from a dining hall bathroom soared to 15.1 milligrams per liter, according to documents provided by the college.

College officials first became aware of the contaminated water in August 2016 after an environmental club, the Green Team, used home-testing kits to sample the water in what a student survey labeled, the worst-tasting water fountains on campus.

But the school did not begin testing until this February.

“They knew for months and they didn’t prepare at all for accommodating everyone’s concerns,” Purchase senior Kemba Barnes said.

The most recent sampling, by the New York City firm Triumvirate Environmental, began on March 23. The samples were then sent for testing to Phoenix Environmental, a Manchester, Connecticut-based firm.

The school has budgeted $130,000 for sampling, testing, installing filters and for the services of a water engineer from the architecture and engineering firm H2M. However, the college, which boasts an enrollment of 4,000 students, acknowledged that the cost could change depending on the extent of the problem and recommendations of the engineer.

Michael Kopas, the college’s senior director of facilities, said he believes the contamination to be caused by antiquated lead solder connecting pipes.

In an email, he acknowledged

the “extreme high levels” of lead in water from the dining hall sink and said, “We will be taking some sort of remedial action.” But, he added, “We are concentrating on the areas where it is more likely to be a drinking source first, like the residence halls.”

In October 2016, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation ordering statewide water tests in K–12 public schools, following EPA guidelines.

Although colleges, like most public institutions, are not subject to them, Purchase has opted to follow the K–12 regulations.

As test results trickled in recently, the college installed filters in kitchen sinks, shut down water fountains, and placed warning signs in bathrooms. But unlike students in apartments with kitchens, who have access to free bottled water from the school, students in dormitories who rely on bathroom sinks for drinking water are not receiving filters or bottled water.

The contamination at Purchase College mirrors situations on many American campuses, including Penn State, Whitman College and Rowan University, and highlights concerns about water quality that spread across the nation in the wake of the crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Consuming lead can damage kidneys and cause issues with brain

Athena and Apollo are just two of many adorable kittens looking for loving homes!

A huge variety of kittens will be available for adoption at Pet Rescue’s Kitten Palooza this Sunday, June 11 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Pet Rescue, 7 Harrison Ave. in Harrison.

The adoption donation for a kitten is $100 plus a refundable $60 spay/neuter deposit.

To learn more about these lovely kittens, call 835-3332 or 835-4133, or visit NYPetRescue.org. (Submitted)

Recent tests at SUNY Purchase College have found high levels of lead in its water supply. Of 2,000 samples taken on campus, 17 percent tested above the EPA’s limit for lead, copper and/or coliform. Taylor Speed, a junior at Purchase College, checks out the tainted water. Photo/Chris Brodner

development, putting children and pregnant women at particular risk, while copper can cause liver damage and kidney disease, according to the EPA. Most types of coliform are not dangerous; however, the presence of the bacteria in water indicates poor quality and stagnation.

In response to student complaints, the college is now sending regular email updates about water quality and making all test results available to students.

The school has also been flushing its water system by opening hydrants monthly, and, according to

Kopas, plans to test its water regularly in the future. However, he could not provide a timeline.

Despite concerns from the student body, Green Team president Batya Johnson, a sophomore and one of the primary liaisons between students and faculty on the issue, said she thinks the school has made major improvements since her club first tested water fountains in August. “The administration has been… more responsive and communicative about this whole issue, which is what we were really asking for in the beginning,” Johnson said.

12 • THE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017

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June 9, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 13

Maryland resident hits casino jackpot P U B LI S H ES

Mamaroneck THE

REVIEW

Eastchester REVIEW THE

Harrison REVIEW

THE

INSIDE

THE

CityREVIEW NewRochelle

INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY

170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains N.Y. 10601 (914) 653-1000 • www.hometwn.com James E. Dobson, of Maryland, won the $143,723 jackpot at Empire City Casino on May 27.

Photo courtesy Facebook.com/empirecitycasino

James E. Dobson and his good friend Donzella Parker Bert made a four-hour bus trip from Stevensville, Maryland, to New York to visit Thelma Sligh, Bert’s aunt, to celebrate her 89th birthday over Memorial Day weekend. There was even greater merriment than anticipated when Dobson hit a $143,723 jackpot at Empire City Casino in Yonkers on May 27.

“We hadn’t seen Aunt Thelma [Sligh] in three or four years, so we took the bus to New York, not wanting to deal with the holiday traffic,” Dobson explained.

He said Sligh lives in Harlem and, “She wanted to go to the casino.” She and Bert share the same birthday, May 28.

“It only took two spins,” said Bert, an avid casino-goer, who visits Delaware Park, the Horseshoe in Baltimore, and Dover Downs casinos. “I usually play the slots, for $5 to $10 spins, but this was the biggest jackpot I [have] ever hit.” As is customary, Dobson made a $10 wager on a $5 denomination machine, this time on the wildly popular Wheel of Fortune slot in the Gotham Palace for the big payday at 8 p.m. on Saturday.

“We’ll be back,” he vows.

Dobson, 76, is a retired welder, having spent 45 years at Grumman. He said that he was “Alone when I hit the jackpot. When they got back, they were so happy to see me win.”

He reports that he gave them “A birthday present,” sharing part of the winnings, which he plans to invest. “I have scheduled a meeting with my broker.”

When not playing the slots or visiting Slight, Dobson is an avid fisherman, “I live on Chesapeake bay,” he says. He also enjoys hunting and bowling, but the slots have now become his most lucrative hobby.

The Wheel of Fortune has been more than good to Empire City players from near and far. Just six days earlier, on May 21, James M. made a shorter trip from the Bronx to Yonkers, where he hit the jackpot of $149,931 at Empire City. The six-figure score was also made in the Gotham Palace on the Wheel of Fortune, just yards away from the slot machine where a New York State racetrack casino record $1,713,985 jackpot, as of May 30, is still waiting to be hit.

James M. made a $6 wager on a $1 denomination machine to score at 4:23 p.m.

The Empire City life-changer continues to soar. On May 9, it eclipsed $1.6 million for the first time in history.

This record-breaker is ripe again for winning and is only available on two Wheel of Fortune slots at Empire City Casino.

Who will be the next Howard G.?

(Submitted)

SPORTS

14 • THE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017

Softball not a hard sell LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

The best baseball game I watched all year wasn’t a major

league contest. It wasn’t a Section I playoff tilt, either. In fact, it wasn’t even technically “baseball.”

On Monday night, softball teams from Oklahoma and Florida played the first game in a bestof-three College World Series fi-

nals. Seventeen innings and 5 1/2 hours later, Oklahoma came away with a thrilling 7-5 victory to put them just one win away from a second-straight national title.

The game had it all; lead changes, fantastic pitching, momentum

Rye Neck’s Olivia Dunn throws a pitch during the Section I finals on May 27. After watching the 17-inning College Softball World Series game between Oklahoma and Florida on Monday night, Sports Editor Mike Smith is convinced that more people need to pay attention to softball. Photo/Mike Smith

shifts, sharp defense, and extra-inning heroics—about 10 innings worth of them—everything that makes baseball my favorite sport, just a little bit different.

But taking in the last 11 innings of this classic showdown, I couldn’t help but wonder; was anyone else watching?

I know my friends—inveterate baseball junkies—were. We had a text chain going from about the eighth inning on, dissecting the same minutiae we would be discussing if this were the Yankees and Red Sox squaring off in the ALCS. As a fan of our national pastime, it was absolutely impossible not to get sucked into a game that, as of 9 p.m., I didn’t even know was happening.

But then I started thinking; when it comes to my coverage during the spring season, which would I rather spend two hours covering; baseball—a sport I played through college (and still do today)—or softball?

And it’s softball, 100 percent.

There’s something about softball, especially when both teams involved have a talented pitcher in the circle, that positively oozes the same sense of immediacy that old-school National League-type fans miss in baseball. Low scoring games, situational hitting, bunting and defense—capped off by the occasional home-run

blast—that’s why we love the game, isn’t it?

And thinking back to this year’s Section I playoffs, we saw those kinds of games time and again, as evidenced by Eastchester, Mamaroneck and Rye Neck’s thrilling postseason runs.

So why doesn’t college softball get more love from fans?

Now, of course, the MLB is always going to be king when it comes to bat-and-ball sports in America. Recognizable stars and franchises, the longstanding tradition in our culture; I’m not expecting professional softball to leapfrog the majors in the national conversation.

But as far as televised college athletics go, softball is imminently more watchable than its male-dominated counterpart, so I’d urge you to give it a chance.

By the time you’re reading this article, the College Softball World Series will have already wrapped up, so it may be too late for this year.

But next spring, if you’re looking for a good ballgame, don’t forget to check your local listings for a softball game.

At the very least, it has to be better than watching the Mets.

Follow Mike on Twitter@LiveMike_Sports

TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A

LIVE MIKE! Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary Follow @mamaroneckview for Mike’s live, in-game action updates

SPORTS

Carver to head Hudson Valley team

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor

On June 6, Mamaroneck head coach Tyrone Carver was picked to head the Hudson Valley team in the BCANY Summer Hoops Festival, which will take place later this summer. Carver previously served as an assistant in the tournament under former coach Bill Thom.

Four months after guiding his squad to a near first-round upset over eventual Section I runner-up Scarsdale, Mamaroneck basketball coach Tyrone Carver has a new gig—at least for the summer.

On June 6, it was announced that Carver, who just finished his 12th year at the helm of the Tiger program, would be in charge of some of the area’s brightest stars, as he would take over head coaching duties of the Hudson Valley team in the upcoming Basketball Coaches Association of New York Summer Hoops Festival Tournament that will take place in August.

Former Croton-Harmon coach Bill Thom, who previously ran the Hudson Valley team, was ineligible to resume his duties this year due

to his involvement as an assistant coach on the collegiate level at Birmingham-Southern, a Division III school in Alabama.

But Carver’s past participation in the tournament and his prominence on the local basketball scene made him a natural fit.

“They needed a replacement and I had previous experience of being on Coach Thom’s staff a couple of years ago,” Carver said.

“It’s an honor for some of your colleagues to think that you can handle a position of this stature, and I want to thank [Lower Hudson Basketball Coaches Association] President Anthony Nicodemo for thinking that I was capable of this.”

With the Summer

June 9, 2017 • THE CITY REVIEW • 15

Hoops Festival set to kick off in Johnson City on Aug. 4, Carver won’t have much time to ease into the position. The first of four tryouts for the Hudson Valley team will commence on June 8, after press time, at Hendrick Hudson High School.

The team will eventually be made up of some of the top public and private school players from the immediate area. Carver said that he and his staff, which includes current Fox Lane head coach Mike Tomassi and Hen Hud JV coach Steve Purcigliotti, will be looking for those who possess the skills to match up with some of the state’s

Tyrone Carver prowls the sideline during a February playoff game against Scarsdale.

Tyrone Carver draws up a play for his Tiger team during the 2016-2017 season. Contributed photos

standout ballers but will also relish the opportunity of playing for the Hudson Valley.

“We are obviously looking for talented players,” Carver said. “But we’re also looking for guys who this is going to mean something to; guys who will take pride in this process and play together and go for a gold.”

The Hudson Valley’s last gold medal at the games came in 2014, but Carver maintains that, more often than not, the process can be just as fulfilling as the final result.

“I think it’s a fun experience for some of our players to play with their friends who they may compete against, but don’t get to play with,” he said. “To come together, to play for the Hudson Valley, I think it means something to be a part of that.”

CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com

16 • THE CITY REVIEW • June 9, 2017