Eastchester REVIEW THE
June 8, 2018 | Vol. 6, Number 23 | www.eastchesterreview.com
MAN’S BEST FRIEND In an effort to put more teeth into a Westchester animal cruelty law, officials are looking at amending a database that requires animal abusers to be registered within a countywide registry system. For story, see page 6.
County, state to meet over Hutch overpass strikes Westchester County Executive George Latimer has called for a meeting with the New York State Department of Transportation after another incident involving a truck hitting an overpass above the Hutchinson River Parkway. According to Catherine Cioffi, the county executive’s communications director, Latimer has called for a meeting to take place in the county government office to develop an “enhanced and more aggressive” plan to prevent truckers from entering the parkway. As of press time, commercial vehicles are prohibited from traveling on the parkway, which is maintained by the state Department of Transportation. The call for a meeting comes after a truck carrying frozen chicken entered the parkway
and crashed into the King Street bridge in Rye Brook on May 31. According to Westchester County police, debris from the truck had to be cleared from the parkway, causing delays during the morning. “We have had enough,” Latimer, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Thursday’s incident tells us that what has been done so far is not enough and we have to treat this like the serious problem that it is. The strikes are dangerous to motorists, pedestrians and those who live near the Parkway.” The incident is not the first of its kind on the Hutchinson River Parkway. For years, trucks have accidentally ventured onto the parkway and have crashed into bridges running above the road. County police encountered
Westchester raises smoking age to 21 In a 16-1 vote, Westchester lawmakers approved a bill that increases the age to purchase tobacco products. On June 4, the county Board of Legislators officially raised the age to buy cigarettes and vaping products from 18 to 21 in an effort to reduce the amount people that become addicted to smoking. “I am so glad that Westchester County has joined the many jurisdictions in New York State and in neighboring states which have decided to put the public’s health and safety first,” said county Legislator MaryJane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat. “[This] will do much to protect our young people from the dangers of nicotine addiction.” Proposed in February by the county’s Democratic caucus, the bill follows suit with what other local communities have passed for their respective municipalities. In April, Rockland County passed a measure raising the age to buy tobacco or related products, while the town of New Castle passed similar legislation earlier last month. In 2013, New York City banned the sale of tobacco products to individuals under the age of 21. Additionally, 10 other counties across the state, including Suffolk, have outlawed selling tobacco products to people under that
threshold. Nassau County enforces similar legislation, but restricts the sale of tobacco products to those under the age of 19. As of press time, the statewide age for purchasing tobacco products is 18. State lawmakers have long debated whether legislation should be introduced to increase the smoking age. “This is an important step in keeping our kids safe and healthy, particularly with the research showing the negative impacts of nicotine on the adolescent brain,” said Majority Leader Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, on Westchester’s policy change. “Whatever we do to prevent kids from smoking or becoming addicted to nicotine today, pays dividends for a lifetime.” Democrats proposed to change the smoking age last year, but the legislation wasn’t popular with Republicans, who, through a bipartisan coalition, held a majority on the 17-member Board of Legislators at the time. With approval by the county Legislature, the measure will now move to County Executive George Latimer’s office for his signature. According to Catherine Cioffi, Latimer’s communications director, the county executive is expected to sign the bill on June 6, after press time. -Reporting by Franco Fino
After a truck crashed into the King Street bridge above the Hutchinson River Parkway on May 31, County Executive George Latimer has called for a meeting with the state Department of Transportation to find a solution to the reoccurring issue. Photo courtesy pennycolman.com
another truck on the parkway on June 1 near Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon, in which the driver had to be escorted off the road, causing delays during the morning commute. The truck made it off the parkway without damag-
ing anything, police said. Latimer has also called officials from the Trucking Association of New York to attend the meeting, which has no set date, as of press time. -Reporting by Franco Fino
Westchester County has banned the sale of cigarettes and other tobaccorelated products to anyone under the age of 21. Photo courtesy pixabay.com