Harrison REVIEW THE
March 4, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 10 | www.harrisonreview.com
Zoning plan for quarry site leads to petition
Walls Ê ofÊ Ê Fire
By AngElA JORdAn Staff Writer
Firefighters from several communities converge on a house fire on Halstead Avenue during the early morning hours of Monday, Feb. 29. For coverage, see page 3. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
Times columnist talks moral fiber at Manhattanville lecture By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Manhattanville College’s Castle Conversations series kicked off its most recent round of esteemed lecturers by inviting New York Times columnist and bestselling author David Brooks to its iconic Reid Castle. Although Brooks may be known most prominently for his commentary on national politics—a topic which, as a longtime journalist working in Washington, District of Columbia, he’s become well-acquainted with—he chose to steer the night’s conversation away from the political arena. Instead, Brooks used his time onstage on Feb. 16 to speak to the modest-sized audience
about a more ethereal topic: how to build moral character. Expanding on much of the material covered in his latest of four books titled “The Road to Character,” Brooks wove lessons on humility and its role in life, using examples from some of history’s most noteworthy moral pillars and influential figures. Using icons like the Dalai Lama—whom Brooks has met—to President Dwight D. Eisenhower as exemplars, Brooks provided audience members with his insights into happiness, humility, and a sense of duty and purpose. And though he spoke to the audience, which consisted primarily of those in Brooks’ age bracket—he is currently
54 years old—his aphorisms weren’t necessarily directed toward those in attendance. Rather, Brooks—who has also given lectures at Yale as a professor—directed much of his advice toward college students readying themselves to come into the world as adults, and the educators who are steering them. Part of Brooks’ advice for these groups was to teach and learn how to love. “It seems to be one of the things that is the job of universities and colleges… is to teach us how to love better,” he said. Emphasis on tailoring students to become successful and intelligent, Brooks explained, has resulted in losing sight on what makes one truly happy—
he would be the first to argue that career success won’t fulfill that role. One way that universities can help foster a more complete— and happier—person is by teaching students the discipline of a craft, he said. “A surgeon lays down his tools and there’s a certain routine that he follows; a pilot follows a routine,” Brooks said. “I have a very bad memory, so when I write, I write everything down… and what I do is I lay all my notes out on the floor.” Giving the audience a window into his own routine and discipline, Brooks explained that for him, writing isn’t the process of sitting down in front lEctuRE continued on page 10
Discourse about the future of the now-defunct Lake Street Quarry came to a head at the Feb. 10 Town Council meeting. As a result of a public hearing regarding a zoning text amendment that would allow a special exception use for a “senior living facility” to be developed on “limited properties,” an online petition has spawned. If the project, proposed for 600 Lake St. in West Harrison, was to move forward, the quarry site would be transformed into a four-story, 160- to 170-unit independent and assisted living facility, known as Brightview Senior Living of Harrison. The petition for a zoning amendment in an effort to redevelop the quarry site was put forth more than a year ago. In response to 37 separate code violations, the Lake Street Quarry, which is owned by Lawrence Barrego, was issued a stop work order in 2009, which ceased any excavation and banned any heavy machinery from the premises, and a second stop work order was issued in 2014 that forbade any activity on the property. The town settled out of court with Barrego back in December 2014 and under that agreement, if Barrego ceased quarry-related activity, then his current iteration for the site, a senior living facility, would be given consideration. But neighborhood backlash to the project has evolved since then. An online petition to halt the zoning amendment alleges to have 470 signatures as of March 1. The petition can be found online at
stopzoningamendment.com. During the nearly three-hour public hearing, a stream of nearby residents approached the podium citing many concerns, including the effects that the development project could have on property values, local traffic, the surrounding environment and overall quality of life. Town Councilman Steve Malfitano, a Republican, wanted to make it clear that the issue before the council was not about the specifics of the proposed facility, rather about a nonspecific zoning amendment that would allow such a facility to be built in the first place. “Now it just so happens, that the reason this is coming up is because clearly there is a project that is being contemplated here,” Malfitano said. “But the fact of the matter is this hearing is about nothing other than the zoning text amendment.” More specifically, the Special Exception Use would allow a “senior living facility” to be built on properties with the R-1 and R-2 districts of Harrison that are 6 acres or larger, have at least 1,500 feet of frontage along an “arterial” roadway, and is designated as non-residential. Therefore, eight other properties in addition to the quarry site are mentioned in the zoning text amendment. They include parcels of land on the SUNY Purchase campus, Manhattanville College, Harrison Avenue School, Louis M. Klein Middle School, Passidomo Veteran’s Memorial Park, and Willow Ridge and Old Oaks country clubs. quARRy continued on page 11
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2 • the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016
March 4, 2016 • thE hARRISOn REvIEw • 3
Fire rips through Halstead Avenue home The village of Mamaroneck Fire Department responded to a call at about 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 1028 Halstead Ave. According to Mamaroneck Fire Chief Craig Casterella, the village Fire Department was on the scene within three minutes. The residents of the home, the Lisella family, all escaped to safety before the house was completely engulfed in flames. The town of Mamaroneck, Har-
rison and Port Chester fire departments also responded to the scene, which took place near the Mamaroneck-Harrison border. However, the house was quickly engulfed in flames and was left scorched beyond recognition the following day. Casterella told the Review that the fire was very intense and moved quickly. The Cause and Origin, C&O, Team, a group of trained experts
Firefighters from nearby villages and towns battle the blaze using several water lines.
who assist in determining the cause and origins of fires, also responded to the scene, as is typical protocol for house fires. “[The fire] originated from outside, [on] the right side of the house, and we know it was some kind of electrical [fire],” Casterella said. Louis Santoro, deputy mayor for the village of Mamaroneck and a volunteer firefighter for the town of Mamaroneck, was also on the scene at the time of the blaze. Although he was not responding as a firefighter, he told the Review that it took firefighters two hours to control the fire at the single-family home. He added that they fought the fire from both inside and outside the home. Casterella said, “My men did an excellent job that night. I have the right people.” Since the home was destroyed, an online GoFundMe fundraiser page accepting donations toward the family’s recovery was started by Elizabeth Maffei, a relative of the family. As of press time, the page had received $25,980 in donations. -Reporting by Kiley Stevens
The fire destroyed a home on Halstead Avenue in Mamaroneck on the night of Sunday, Feb. 28, and took firefighters from several communities to help with the blaze. Pictured is what was left of the structure the following morning. Photos/Andrew Dapolite
4 • the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016
What’s going on... Harrison Public Library
LEGO Club On Monday, March 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Halperin building. For grades K-4. Do you share our love for all things LEGO? Let’s get together, create worlds and build friendships at the same time.
SCRATCH game design On Monday, March 7 through Friday, March 11 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the Halperin building. For ages 9 and up. Learn how to code in SCRATCH and create a fun game. The program is designed and taught by an accomplished teenager for Teen Tech Week.
Drop-in computer help for seniors Visit harrisonpl.org for more information on events and programs at the Halperin building and at the West Harrison branch.
Singalong Sundays with Chloe On Sundays from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Halperin building. Join in and come together as a community to celebrate early childhood through music and movement. In this class you will sing, shake and move. Children and parents are sure to love the captivating songs, live accordion music and activities designed with specific cognitive milestones in mind. This class will feature a variety of childsized instruments and props, and a wealth of both traditional and original songs to add to your singalong repertoire.
Accomplished high school students will be offering computer help to senior citizens on Mondays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Halperin building on a drop-in basis. Participants will be able to learn the basics, including the Internet, email, Microsoft Word and how to save photos. This program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. For more information, call 835-0324.
Great Decisions: The Rise of ISIS On Tuesday, March 8 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Halperin building. This series discussing foreign affairs and current affairs will focus on ISIS this month. Born out of an umbrella organization of al-Qaeda
in Iraq, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS, burst onto the international stage after it conquered Fallujah in December 2013. Since then, the group has seized control of a number of critical strongholds in both countries and declared itself a caliphate. Still, the questions remain: What is ISIS, and what danger does it pose to U.S. interests? The moderator is Joan Katen, a leading expert on Middle East politics, a writer and a distinguished adjunct professor at Pace University. Attend the entire series of lectures or one. The library encourages participants to come to the entire series, but you are welcome for one or more sessions if you want to learn and talk about particular topics. The optional briefing book, “Great Decisions 2016,” will be available while supplies last. A copy will remain on reserve for participants to use at the library. Additional reading materials are available on the Foreign Association Policy website, fpa. org/great_decisions/?act=gd_topics. Please register for each lecture online or call 835-0324. The next discussion will be on the future of Kurdistan on April 5.
Foodie Friends On Wednesday, March 9 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Halperin building. This month, cook up some colcannon mash. Join Chef Melanie Underwood in this St. Patrick’s-themed cooking demonstration. Pick up the receipe at the Information Desk and come share your experience and other St. Patrick’s Day recipes. Register online or call the library at 835-0324.
Singing and Swinging into Spring On Friday, March 11 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Halperin building. Learn the basics of jazz singing and improvisation. Join singer and music educator MJ Territo for this free, nine-week vocal adventure for active adults age 55 and up. The two-hour classes build upon one another, culminating in a musical event on Saturday, May 7 open to family, friends and the community. Register online or call the library at 835-0324.
Yoga with Angela On Friday, March 11 from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the Halperin building. For grades two to five. Bring your own mat and water to this mind and body relaxing yoga experience with Harrison resident Angela Brandt, a registered and certified yoga instructor. This is an opportunity to create and build self-esteem, physical coordination, breath relaxation and strength.
Manhattanville College Film screening Documentary filmmaker and 2010 Oscar nominee Josh Fox will be screening his new film “How to Let Go of the World and Love All Things Climate Can’t Change” on Monday, March 14 at 6 p.m. at Manhattanville College, located at 2900 Purchase St. in Purchase. This will be the film’s first screening in the 100-city wide grassroots tour. This film offers a sweeping global view of the impact of the fossil fuel industry on climate change, and portraying what some local communities are doing to protect themselves. The event is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of
$10 per person. Event doors will open at 6 p.m. and the film screening will begin at 6:30 p.m. The event will be followed by a Q&A session with Fox. For more information, email provost@mvill.edu. Registration to this event is not required.
Harrison Recreation For further information, call the Leo Mintzer Center at 949-5265 or the Sollazzo Center at 6703179. You may also call the Harrison Recreation Hotline at 670-3039. Most applications are available on harrison-ny.gov.
Harrison Youth Flag Football League For pre-K to sixth grade. This program is mostly focused on the fundamentals of the game. Players will learn the basics of football as well as practicing speed and agility drills. Teams will be formed and games begin the third week of the program. Tentative spring season starts on April 3 and will run on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. at the LMK or Feeley fields. Please contact Joe Gallace with any questions 924-8380 or harrisonyouthflagfootball@yahoo.com. Fee is $180, with a late fee of $200 after March 11.
Girls Little League Softball For girls in kindergarten through 12 years old. All participants must attend an evaluation session. Evaluations will take place at the Harrison High School cafeteria on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6. Evaluation times will appear on applications which are available at all recreation centers or at harrisonlittleleague.org. Registration fee is $90.
Boys Little League Baseball For boys in kindergarten through 12 years old. All participants must attend an evaluation session. Evaluations will take place at the Harrison High School cafeteria on Monday, March 7 and Tuesday, March 8. Evaluation times will appear on applications which are available at all recreation centers or at harrisonlittleleague.org. Registration fee is $90.
Over 30 Men’s Soccer There will be pick-up soccer games at West Harrison Park and Harrison High School in March through November on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 8 a.m. Please visit eteamz.com/harrisonnymensover30/ for more information. A 2016 Harrison ID card is required. Instructor Ray Kraus can be reached at 225-7153.
Learn golf this spring Premier Junior Golf is offering professional instruction classes from April 14 through June 2 for grades K-3 from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. and for grades four to six from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at Veterans Park on Crystal Street. All equipment will be provided with a low student-to-coach ratio. Advance through TGA’s—Teach, Grow, Acheive— five-level program. Fee is $200 for eight weeks. Make checks payable to TGA of Southern Westchester, or register online at PLAYTGA.com/ southernwestchester. 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.
March 4, 2016 • thE hARRISOn REvIEw • 5
Oakland Beach area may be redeveloped By AngElA JORdAn Staff Writer Officials overseeing Rye Town Park, the area surrounding Oakland Beach, are looking for someone to modernize the park for the foreseeable future. The Rye Town Park Commission, the governing body that sets policy at the park and beach, is awaiting responses to a Request for Qualifications for management and operation of the park that was sent out in January. The commission is seeking conceptual ideas and plans for the development of the park over the next two decades. The RFQ calls for respondents with a history of successfully managing and maintaining public parks, restaurants and snack bars, or public beaches. The park, which sits on Forest Avenue in the city of Rye, is currently managed by the town of Rye. According to Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat, no formal proposals have been submitted to the town
yet. However, he added that they are hopeful that applications will be filed before the March 18 deadline. “In January, we sent out the current RFQ, hoping for a better response,” Zuckerman said. “The license for Seaside Johnnies [restaurant] is expiring, which makes the RFQ more attractive.” The current licenses for the restaurant and concession stands at the park and adjoining Oakland Beach will expire at the end of 2016. However, Zuckerman said that the current license holders for Seaside Johnnies, the seasonal restaurant that overlooks the beach and Long Island Sound, have expressed interest in renewing their license, and attended a site tour with other prospective developers on Feb. 4. Several issues are outlined in the RFQ that the commission asks applicants to consider, including ways to improve parking on the site, promote yearround use, and update the buildings while maintaining their “historical, architectural, and
social significance.” “My vision is for a park that is accessible to all residents, and that is a joy to walk in, a joy to visit, and that makes the residents and taxpayers proud,” Zuckerman said. The 62-acre park was established in 1909 and includes 34 acres of parkland and 28 acres of beach land on the Long Island Sound, with a large duck pond, a marsh plantings building complex that includes a restaurant, pavilions, concessions stands, public restroom and shower facilities, and an administration building. The Rye Town Park Commission consists of one member from the town of Rye, two from the city of Rye, and one each from the villages of Port Chester and Rye Brook and the Rye Neck section of the village of Mamaroneck. John Ambrose, the owner of Seaside Johnnies, could not be reached for comment as of press time. cOntAct: angela@hometwn.com
Rye Town Park, which consists of Oakland Beach and 62 acres of parkland in the city of Rye, is being solicited for possible redevelopment and an overall new management approach. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
She’s not crazy, her name just rhymes with it. Read Lenore Skenazy’s column every week in the Review. A past contributor to the Daily News and the New York Sun, Skenazy has also appeared on “The Daily Show,” been profiled in the New Yorker and even had her own reality TV show, “World’s Worst Mom.”
6 • the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016
Harrison REVIEW
THE
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
Senegal puts Mamaroneck High School on the map
Executive Vice President | Ira Ellenthal ext. 31, irathal@hometwn.com
By SARAh vARnEy Education Reporter
Editor-in-Chief | Christian Falcone ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Suzy Berkowitz ext. 30, suzy@hometwn.com Education Reporter | Sarah Varney ext. 17, sarah@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lindsay@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Angela Jordan, Kiley Stevens Staff Photographer Bobby Begun Columnists Ron Belmont, 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.
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Classifieds & Legals
Mamaroneck High School sophomores Colin Lavin, left, and Tim Sommer, far right, pose for a selfie with a trio of Cem Lambaye students. Just 30 students can be accommodated on the trip to Senegal. Photos courtesy Jamie Schiff
A few members of the Students for Senegal Club at Mamaroneck High School used to think that lions ran wild in the streets of the West African country of Senegal, but now that the organization has been around for four years, they know better. In this country, too, dangerous wild animals are kept in nature preserves far from populated areas. While the distance between Senegal and Mamaroneck is about 4,000 miles, the gap has been bridged by AP Chemistry teacher Amary Sek, a Senegalese native who left his country 40 years ago. Sek, who spearheads the high school club and its 24 members, recently traveled to the country over the winter holiday break to deliver books and other goodies. The club makes the trip to the village of Lambaye every two years, Sek, who grew up poor in the village, said. Students for Senegal started out as a small club in 2009, and is now a separate nonprofit organization that strives to foster cross-cultural exchange and extend the gift of education to the people of Senegal, according to its website. Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $75,000 and has sent more
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Visit us online www.harrisonreview.com Follow us on Twitter, @harrisonview Like us on Facebook, facebook.com/harrisonreview The Harrison Review (permit #106661) is published by Home Town Media Group weekly for an annual subscription of $32. Application to mail at the peridcals postage rate is approved at Port Chester, N.Y., 10573. Periodicals postage paid at Port Chester and additional mailing offices.
The Students for Senegal Club gathers beneath its logo. The club at Mamaroneck High School currently has about 40 members. Photo/Sarah Varney
Sophie Miller, an 11th-grade member of Students for Senegal, hangs out with a group of middle schoolers in Lambaye. Group members say they feel like rock stars when they arrive at the village.
than 30 preschoolers to school in Lambaye. The organization has also expanded chapters to Hommocks and Fieldston middle schools. Students for Senegal evolved from the childhood stories Sek used to tell his students after school. Although Sek left Senegal years ago, his memories of growing up are fresh. “I would tell [students] stories about how I grew up, how things were in my village,” he said. “More and more students would come and listen, and then one day a student came up with the idea to have a formal club.” Since its inception, the club has undertaken numerous fundraisers and charity drives and has raised a total of $100,000 toward its goal of building a Learning Center for Lambaye. The Learning Center will have a women’s center, a preschool and a meeting room. The students organize all the fundraisers themselves, Sek said. Once a year, they hold a gala event as their biggest fundraiser. Lambaye currently has a population of nearly 13,000, but Sek said economic conditions are not so different from the way they were when he was growing up there, and that the area is still quite poor. Senegal is a country about the size of South Dakota, sandwiched between Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Mali, with a population of 13 million. A secular Muslim country, 52 percent of the population is under 19 years old, according to a 2013 census. While the value of an education is understood in more populated areas of Senegal, such as Dakar, the capital city, the message has been slower to trickle down to more rural areas like Lambaye, Sek said. It is common for fathers to
take one or more of his children away from a home village to the city to become street vendors. “There is an exodus of many of the men,” Sek added. “They are leaving their wives and kids behind and often they are not given support.” Like many African countries, the culture is warmly receptive to visitors. “They are honored when someone comes to visit. They make lots of food; there is dancing. It is a very big deal,” Sek said. Jamie Schiff, a senior member of Students for Senegal, bears out Sek. “Their [Senegalese hosts’] welcoming attitude and the way in which they received us was like nothing we’d ever experienced before,” she said. Students for Senegal has donated thousands of books in both English and French, Senegal’s official language, and have founded a small library at the school. One of Sek’s stories fostered “Smiles for Senegal,” a 2015 drive that collected hundreds of toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste for their peer students in Lambaye. When Sek mentioned using a stick as dental floss, the Students for Senegal Club discussed how to promote dental health in the country. Since the club’s involvement with the students at Cem Lambaye, the passing rate for students taking the critical exam that enables them to move on to high school has increased from 30 percent to 70 percent. Mamaroneck High School students in the Students for Senegal Club benefit from their involvement as well. “You can see your efforts pay off firsthand,” junior Molly Nodiff said. cOntAct: sarah@hometwn.com
March 4, 2016 • thE hARRISOn REvIEw • 7
County joins Pace for mobile app development bowl On. Feb. 26, more than 250 tech-savvy students from 36 high schools and colleges across the New York metropolitan region joined together to kick off the second annual #WestchesterSmart Mobile App Development Bowl at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Sponsored by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, the competition challenges students to develop mobile applications that improve an aspect of daily life for people ages 65 and older. “The competition showcases the extraordinary talents of our region’s future generation in ways that help benefit our seniors,” Astorino said. “It’s a double win— we’ve created a platform for students to test their technology skills, while our seniors benefit from applications produced by those skills. Last year was a great success, and we’re already building on it this year.” Once again, the theme of this year’s kickoff was basketball’s
“March Madness,” but with a technological twist. The Marching Cobras of Westchester were on hand to energize the teams as they made their entrance into the County Center for a giant pep rally. The teams then got down to work attending workshops to help them develop their apps. Contestants will present their apps to a panel of expert judges on April 15 at Pace University’s campus in Pleasantville. Winners will receive cash prizes and paid internships with Westchester County and local businesses. The winning teams will also have an opportunity to work with the Seidenberg staff to launch their app on Apple’s App Store, receiving full rights and access to make updates. Participants and their family and friends are encouraged to join in on the excitement on social media channels using the hashtags #WestchesterSmart and #AppBowl. “I am personally excited to be a part of this year’s #WestchesterSmart Mobile App Development Bowl,” said Dr. Jonathan
Hill, the interim dean of Seidenberg. “It’s great to celebrate likeminded individuals who bring a contagious enthusiasm for creativity and technology. Everyone at Seidenberg and Pace University alike is proud to support the work being done by these students to help those in need in our community.” The inspiration behind the App Bowl was to help foster the next generation of talent in Westchester, while also serving the broader population. Known as New York’s Intellectual Capital, Westchester is proud of the fact that more than 47 percent of residents over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree, and 25 percent have advanced degrees. That gives Westchester the besteducated workforce of any county in the nation. Meanwhile, according to the United Nations, more than 21 percent of the global population will be 65 or older by 2050, compared to 11.7 percent in 2013. This means that our economies and societies must adapt to the needs of the aging population.
More than 250 students from across the New York metropolitan area kick off the second annual #WestchesterSmart Mobile App Development Bowl at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. The students are developing apps to benefit seniors. Photo courtesy Westchester County
The following schools are participating in the App Bowl: HIGH SCHOOLS • Ardsley
High School • Bergen County Technical High SchoolTeterboro • Bishop Kearney High School • Blind Brook High School • Byram Hills High School • Clarkstown High School North • Edward R. Murrow High School • Fontbonne Hall Academy • Fox Lane High School • Harrison High School • Hendrick Hudson High School
Contest co-sponsors include Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA; Alzheimer’s Association; the BeeLine bus system; The Bristal
• High
School for Health Professions and Human Services • Horace Greeley High School • Irvington High School • John S. Burke Catholic High School • Lincoln High School • Mahwah High School • Mamaroneck High School • Mandela/Zollicoffer High School • Mount Vernon High School • Nellie A. Thornton High School • Ossining High School • Palisade Preparatory School • Paul D. Schreiber High School
• Pleasantville
High School Prep Country Day School • St. Francis Preparatory School • Scarsdale High School • Stuyvesant High School • Westlake High School • White Plains High School
Assisted Living; Burke Medical Research Institute; Liberty Lines; NewYork-Presbyterian; Panasonic; Saberpoint LLC; Tata Consultancy Services Limited; West-
chester County government and Pace University and its alumni, including Nancy Goodman, class of 1977, and Virginia Letourneau, class of 1985. (Submitted)
• Poly
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES • Bronx
Community College College • Pace University • The College of Westchester • SUNY Westchester Community College • Manhattan
8 • the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016
th 10
Hudson Valley sets the table for By Suzy BERkOwItz Editorial Assistant The Hudson Valley has long been a source of fresh air and fresh food, and the culinary creations it has to offer will be showcased during the 10th biannual Hudson Valley Restaurant Week. Presented by The Valley Table, a regional food magazine, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, running from March 7 through March 20, incorporates more than 200 restaurants from Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties, 127 of which are located in Westchester. The event kicked off on Monday, Feb. 29 at X20 Xaviars on
the Hudson in Yonkers with a special Toast to the 10th celebration. Chefs, sponsors and county executives from participating regions all came together to recognize the event’s decade milestone, the impact it has had on businesses, tourism revenue and exposure, and to enjoy the sampling of fine cuisine on hand for the event. “Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is really a celebration of everything that has made the Hudson Valley a great dining destination,” said Janet Crawshaw, founder of restaurant week and publisher of The Valley Table. According to Crawshaw, the event launched in 2006 with 70 participating locations, and has vastly expanded, now bring-
ing out roughly 250,000 diners and generating $10 million in revenue. Restaurants throughout the area utilize the promotional opportunity to highlight unique dishes that will keep diners hungry for more while expanding
Peter Kelly, chef, owner of X20 Xaviar’s on the Hudson and co-chair and founding board member of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, pours locally sourced wine for guests at the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week kickoff event on Tuesday, Feb. 29. Photo/James Pero
the profile of the Hudson Valley as a go-to source of fine dining. Well-known chef Peter Kelly, owner of X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, co-chair and founding board member of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, opened his first restaurant in the Hud-
son Valley back in 1984 and said restaurant week has helped put the Hudson Valley on the map as a premiere dining location. “It’s nice to see the Hudson Valley coming into its own,” Kelly said. “It’s amazing to see that this is now home to some of the most renowned chefs. They’re beginning to see what I’ve known for 30-plus years.” In Harrison, Anthony Delfino, owner of participating restaurant Delfino’s on Halstead
Avenue, is excited to showcase a meatball dish in a truffle polenta as an appetizer and a lobster and avocado omelet for Sunday brunch. Delfino said his location has consistently participated because it’s a great opportunity to find new customers and show them standout dishes. “I’m most excited about the menu we’ve put together,” he said. “We’ve created something cOntInuEd on next page
Participating location Chat 19, an American grill in Larchmont, will be showcasing a balanced menu consisting of chicken, fish, meat and pasta dishes for diners to try. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
March 4, 2016 • thE hARRISOn REvIEw • 9
Hudson Valley Restaurant Week’s Themed Cocktails Hudson Valley Drake Manhattan created by The Iron Horse Grill in Pleasentville
2 1/4 oz. Tuthilltown Hudson Baby Bourbon 1 oz. Graham’s 10-year Tawny Port • 1 (1/2 oz.) bar spoon maple syrup • Dash of angostura bitters • •
Pour all ingredients over ice into a mixing glass • Stir the drink and strain into a cocktail glass • Garnish with brandied cherries
Westchester Whiskey Sour created by Madison Kitchen in Larchmont
2 sprigs fresh rosemary 3 oz. 287 Whiskey • 3/4 oz. White Oak Farm maple syrup (Yorktown Heights) • 1/4 oz. rosemary simple syrup • 1 oz. lemon juice • 1 oz. triple sec •
Restaurant week sponsors Widow Jane Distillery, left, based in Brooklyn, New York, and Dennings Point Distillery, based in Beacon, New York, provide samples of their products during Tuesday night’s kickoff event. Photo/James Pero
different and unique that people will really love.” Another participating location, an American grill on Palmer Avenue in Larchmont called Chat 19, will be showcasing a balanced menu of chicken, fish, meat and pasta dishes this year to accommodate all different tastes. Manager Maurizio Caputi said restaurant week is a great opportunity to gain clientele that wouldn’t normally frequent the location. Westchester County Execu-
tive Rob Astorino recognized how much restaurant week has grown. “This is really a great opportunity to sample the restaurants you’ve always wanted to try,” he said. “It’s a half a billion dollar industry; it’s growing leaps and bounds.” The event runs for two weeks every spring and fall, showcasing the quality and service of eateries from the mid- and lower Hudson Valley regions. A list of participating restaurants
can be found at valleytable. com, and each location’s prix fixe menu can be found on their corresponding website. Offers include three-course dinners for $29.95 and three-course lunches for $20.95, not including the cost of beverages, tax and tip. Diners interested in sampling participating restaurants’ menus can make reservations on opentable.com or call locations directly. cOntAct: suzy@hometwn.com
•
Crush large sprig of rosemary by hand and add to shaker • Add all ingredients and ice to shaker • Shake vigorously for 15 seconds • Strain mixture into martini glass and garnish with remaining rosemary sprigs and orange slice
The Hudson Hop created by The Tap House in Tuckahoe
1 oz. blood orange juice 6 dashes of The Hudson Standard Lovestruck Bitters • 1/2 oz. St. Germaine • •
Shake and pour over snifter with ice • Top it off with Capt. Lawrence Freshchester Pale Ale
The Southside Sazerac created by the Saint George Bistro in Hastings-on-Hudson • • • • • •
2 1/2 oz. high-proof rye just under 1/2 oz. simple syrup 3 dashes aromatic bitters 2 dashes orange bitters Delaware Phoenix Walton Waters Absinthe Large orange twist
Fill a rocks glass with water and ice to chill it • Combine the rye, simple syrup and bitters in a cocktail shaker • Add ice and shake well • Discard the ice and water from the rocks glass, then spray or coat the inside with absinthe • Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into the glass • Garnish with the orange twist
Le Express Fizz created by Le Express Bistro and Bar in Poughkeepsie Italian restaurant Delfino’s on Halstead Avenue in Harrison will be participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, showcasing unique standout dishes from their menu, including a lobster and avocado omelet as a brunch dish. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
2 oz. Laird’s Applejack brandy 3/4 oz. apple cider syrup • 3/4 oz. lemon juice • 1 local farm-raised egg white • •
Shake all ingredients well for 30 seconds • Garnish with sage
The Apple Royale Created by the Iron Horse Grill in Pleasantville
1 oz. Harvest Spirits Core Apple Brandy 4 oz. apple cider or apple juice • 1 oz. sparkling wine or champagne • •
Hudson Valley county executives, chefs and guests toast 10 years of restaurant week at X20 on the Yonkers waterfront. Photo/James Pero
Chill all ingredients • Into a cold martini glass, add two drops bitters, swirl it around • Pour ingredients • Add cinnamon stick and serve • Note: For apple cider, we use Thompson Cider Mill
10 • the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016
Harrison’s talented students and tax information HARRISON HAPPENINGS Mayor Ron Belmont
It is my pleasure to recognize the well-deserved honor Harrison High School student Zach Evans received from Con Edison. Zach was recently chosen as a Con Edison Scholastic Sports Award winner for not only his achievements on Harrison’s basketball team, but also for his academic standing, leadership, citizenship and character. Congratulations to Zach and his coach, Gary Chiarella, for this notable achievement. This weekend, the Harrison High School Footlight Players will be presenting the popular American musical “Guys and Dolls.” The cast and crew will perform five shows, the last three on Saturday, March 5 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 6 at 1 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Harrison High School. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and can be purchased at myschoolbucks.com or at the door. I encourage all residents to support this very talented group of students as they take the stage. I would like to bring your attention to an issue that may affect many residents: tax exemption status. It is that time of year again for exemption renewals to be sent out. The assessment office is sending out renewal ap-
plications to all enhanced STAR applicants from prior years, as well as applicants of the RPTL 467 senior exemptions. These applications are being sent out with instruction information and all required dates. Deadline applications are due on or before May 1, 2016. Additionally, May 1 is known as the Taxable Status Date, which requires all exemption applications to be submitted and any demolitions of real estate to be completed to valuation changes. The assessment office asks that all renewals are carefully reviewed and that all required documents be submitted in a timely manner to avoid a loss of eligibility. Exemptions offer modest to significant relief from real estate taxes. Enhanced STAR and Basic STAR offer relief on school taxes, whereas a veterans exemption offers relief from general town and county taxes and, in some cases, school taxes. The Senior 467 exemption is the most comprehensive and can offer a sliding scale reduction based on income of up to 50 percent from all forms of real estate taxes. As with all applications for exemption from taxes, there are rules. All senior exemptions require proof of age and an income component, with amounts varying based on the application provided. The Enhanced STAR income total is $84,550, based on 2014 Federal Income Tax returns. The Senior 467 exemption
is $37,399, based on gross 2015 income data from all sources and not net income, i.e. social security income counts. The Harrison Assessment Office is available for questions Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached by calling 670-3060. No applications will be accepted unless complete, as audits by the state of New York have become commonplace. Mark your calendars for Friday, March 11 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. when the downtown library will begin hosting the nine-week musical instruction program called Singing and Swinging into Spring. Learn the basics of jazz singing and improvisation. Join singer and music educator MJ Territo for this free vocal adventure for active adults ages 55 and up. The eight, two-hour classes build upon one another, culminating in a musical event on Saturday, May 7, open to family, friends and the entire community. Be sure to register with the library as space is limited. The next “Lunch with the Mayor” is on Friday, March 4 and I will be at Asian Fusion, located at 385 Halstead Ave. in downtown Harrison. On March 11, I will be at Uncle Henry’s, located at 309 Halstead Ave. I will be at these locations from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and look forward to meeting with residents and talking about issues facing our community.
lEctuRE from page 1
of a computer, but rather, as he puts it: “It’s me crawling around on the living room [floor], moving papers around.” According to Brooks, however, the university’s role aside, building one’s character isn’t something that comes easily. It requires work from the individual as well. Those who succeed in achieving a greater moral backbone do share a few common traits, not
the least important of which is a constant sense of commitment, he explained. “People who were able to rise to moral greatness were able, not only able to conquer their greatest sin,” said Brooks, who considers himself a “man of faith,” “they were able to commit to things.” The first part of the equation, Brooks explained, was selfevaluating.
One needs to first recognize their moral deficiencies in order to actively improve on them, he argued, but the success of those seeking to build their character was contingent upon one’s ability to make a commitment to change those deficiencies. “They were able to make promises and then keep those promises,” he said. cOntAct: james@hometwn.com
David Brooks left politics on the sidelines in February during his Manhattnville College’s Castle Conversations lecture, giving insight into the true nature of humility and happiness instead. Photos/Sirin Samman
While universities focus on making their students smarter and more prepared for the workforce, David Brooks said that an emphasis on being a more complete and moral person should also be a part of the curriculum.
Town/Village of Harrison’s
Official Newspaper
March 4, 2016 • thE hARRISOn REvIEw • 11
Harrison supergirl sings in memory of ‘Superman’ dad By chRIStIAn ARAngO Contributor Two days after she brought a cheering Capitol Theatre audience to its feet with her stirring rendition of “Stars” at a benefit concert to honor her slain stepfather, NYPD Det. Joseph Lemm, nicknamed “Superman,” the Harrision High School senior Brooke Chaco told “Fox and Friends” that “it’s easier for us to get through this because we have so much support.” Lemm died shortly before Christmas when he thrust himself between a suicide attacker and his comrades-in-arms while serving his third deployment as an Air National Guard technical sergeant in Afghanistan. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the nation’s fourth highest military decoration. Chaco took to the venerable stage in Port Chester last Thursday night to sing with American Idol finalist Jax in covers of “Empire State of Mind” and “Climb,” and finished center stage with her rendition of “Stars” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. In a moving interlude, she explained why the lyrics mean so much to her and her family. “He always went beyond,”
the 17-year-year-old aspiring singer said of her stepfather— nicknamed “Superman” by fellow detectives—“so it just feels like he would know we’d expect him to be up with the stars now.” In the Saturday interview with “Fox and Friends’” Ainsley Earhardt, Chaco said, “In situations like this, I always remember his laugh.” And she advised listeners: “Don’t take the moments you have with people for granted, because I wish he was still here.” Also on stage with Chaco on Thursday night were “Saturday Night Live” alum Joe Piscopo and the New York Tenors, a singing group comprised of NYPD officers. As tenor Daniel Rodriguez sang “America the Beautiful,” artist Scott LoBaido speed-painted a portrait of the slain hero in a Superman shirt with the American flag as a backdrop. “This is a special one just for him,” LoBaido said after donating the painting to the Lemm family. Video montages of Lemm with family and friends provided a backdrop for performers. The benefit was put together by the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to help Chaco, her mother and Lemm’s wid-
ow, Christine DeGuisto, 42, and younger brother Ryan Lemm, 4, with financial burdens they face after Lemm’s death. “They can use it however it can be used to help,” said John Hodge, the foundation’s chief operating officer. Ticket sale figures were not immediately available. The Suffolk County Police Department Third Precinct donated $2,000 to the benefit. The Rafael Ramos Foundation, created in the wake of the murders of NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, donated $1,000. The Liu family was in attendance. The Harrison Police Department purchased 30 tickets, and many Harrison residents turned out for the event. Outside the theatre, the strip of Westchester Avenue was closed off by Port Chester firetrucks and police vehicles. A large American flag was hung across the avenue in remembrance. The Stephen Siller Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps the families of those who lose a loved one in the service of the NYPD and NYFD, and was created in the memory of Stephen Siller, who was killed on 9/11.
A large American flag hangs outside the Capitol Theatre, which caused part of Westchester Avenue to be closed off by Port Chester firetrucks and police vehicles. On Feb. 25, the venue held a benefit concert to honor slain NYPD Det. Joseph Lemm, of West Harrison, who was killed in action in Afghanistan. Photo/Christian Arango
quARRy from page 1
Former Harrison Mayor Joan Walsh, a Democrat, asked the council why these properties are being included in the amendment if many of them would be ineligible to have a senior living facility built on them. “They have no relation in size or location to the property [Barrego] really wants rezoned, which is the Lake Street Quarry,” Walsh said. The former mayor told the Review that she thinks the additional properties were added simply to prevent spot zoning, which is the rezoning of a single parcel of land within an entire zoning district to benefit that one property. “The town [council members] said that these properties would never be developed for housing, so that leaves spot zoning for this one property,” Walsh said. Malfitano denied the spot zoning accusations and said, “There are a number of properties that just so happen to fit these parameters.” Malfitano, also a former mayor, stressed that none of the other properties are being con-
The Lake Street Quarry operation has been suspended by the town/ village of Harrison since 2014. Since then, the owner of the property continues to move forward with a plan to redevelop the site as a senior living facility. File photo
sidered for development. He also added that he believes that this issue has been blown out of proportion by a handful of people with a political agenda. “It is hysteria, and it’s been purposely engineered to upset people,” Malfitano said. “We have a handful of people playing on the fears of others, and it’s unequivocally wrong.” He said the reason those other properties were included was because the developer created the parameters of the zoning amendment, and then included any and all properties in the community that fit under those parameters, regardless of whether or not they would ever
be realistically developed. David Steinmetz, the attorney representing the Brightview project, reiterated Malfitano’s reassurance that the topic of discussion was simply about a potential special exception use, and that the parameters outlined in the amendment are “appropriate” and were carefully planned. “This is a win-win for Harrison, and for the community at large because this allows the town to permanently get rid of the quarry operation,” Steinmetz said. The topic closed for written comment on Feb. 29. cOntAct: angela@hometwn.com
12 • the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016
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lEGAl NOtIcES Notice of Formation of From The Makers, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 11/04/15. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: P.O. Box 8273, White Plains, NY 10602. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of Fletcher Thompson Building Group LLC. Arts of Org. filed with DE Secretary of State (SSDE) on 1/11/16. Office location: Westchester County. SSDE is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSDE or SSNY shall mail process to: C/O DelBello, Donnellan, Weingarten, Wise & Wiederkehr, One North Lexington Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601. Purpose: any lawful activity. FP Werke, LLC FP Werke LLC filed with the SSNY on 02/12/16. Office: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 679 Ely Avenue Pelham Manor, NY 10803. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. PUBLIC NOTICE Private/Parochial School Transportation The Harrison Central School District is accepting applications for Private & Parochial School Transportation for the 2016-2017 school year from all eligible residents. Applications may be obtained at the Transportation Office, Harrison Central School District, 50 Union Avenue, Harrison, NY 10528, or may be downloaded at http://www.harrisoncsd.org/docs/general/ reqfortransp1617.pdf. Completed applications, with all necessary documentation, must be received at the Transportation Office, no later than April 1, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. Gene George, Purchasing/Transportation Agent Dated: Monday, February 22, 2016
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March 4, 2016 • thE hARRISOn REvIEw • 13
Why I’m chewing the instruction manual RHYMES WItH cRAZY RAZY Lenore Skenazy
Man versus man. Man versus nature. Man versus himself. We learned in high school English that these are the three great themes in all literature, to which we must add one more: Man versus newly purchased dishwasher. Oh, perhaps there are those who would quibble that “The Old Man and the Maytag” just does not carry the same gravitas as a grizzled grump in a boat moping about a marlin. (That was the basic plot, right? With some metaphors thrown in?) But that’s only because they are not sitting in my kitchen examining, once again, a bunch of strangely slimy plates and still-milky glasses that just spent the past 90 minutes getting the wash of their lives. A wash courtesy of our new, ergonomic, Europeanmade dishwasher with more buttons than a BlackBerry and all the cleaning power of a bar of Motel 6 soap. “Read the manual,” said my husband when I called him at work to complain that the dishes looked as if they’d been licked by a camel with a cold. Read the manual? Perhaps he’d like me to perform a double cornea transplant while I’m at it. Maybe I can pop over to Afghanistan and hammer out some kind of evening of healing songs
and stories with the Taliban, too. Did I mention the manual for this machine is 55 pages long and includes a section on, among other things, how to “Delay Start” the wash cycle? As if it’s a NASA launch and there’s a funnel cloud headed toward Cape Canaveral? Manuals are great for people who read manuals. I have a husband and son who sit down and actually absorb the information, connecting the words to the diagrams to the real-world thing in front of them. They poke and prod, and suddenly the thing lights up or rings or records a TV program they then can play later. Bully for them. The other 98 percent of us open randomly to a page, see a line like “Press and hold the 1 and 3 buttons and at the same time, turn on the dishwasher with the ‘On’ button” and wail in there-goes-my-marlin despair. Here, you try reading about that “Delay Start” feature: “To delay the start of the wash [or NASA launch—L.S.], press the 18 button until the desired delayed start time appears in the time display. The delay start is set in one-hour steps up to nine hours. If the Delay Start button is pressed after the ninehour mark the delay start feature will be cancelled and must be reselected.” Copy that, Houston? I mean, typing it out, word for word, I do get the basic idea: Goof in
pressing button 18 and you have to start again. But that’s just one tiny paragraph about one tiny button for one ridiculous feature I will never, ever use. There are still another 54.5 pages about all these other features: the “optic indicator” (the thing has eyes?) and the “data plate” (calling HAL!) and everyone’s favorite, the “non-return valve.” How I love to curl up with a good page or two about non-return valves! The thing is, I don’t want a dishwasher that requires years of study. I don’t want anything in my house that requires years of study, be it my phone, my digital toaster (guess which spouse bought that?) or my master’s degree. I got one of those in less time than it is taking me to calm down about THIS STUPID NON-WASHING DISHWASHER! AND MANUAL! Update: When the toasterbuying dishwasher-decider-inchief arrived home, he thumbed through the 55-page marriage destroyer and discovered the problem. I hadn’t put in precisely the right amount of detergent: two flat tablespoons. No more, no less. How could I have missed the “Adding Detergent” instructions? There they are, just 28 fascinating pages in. Right after the marlin eats the old man and licks his bones clean. Next time, when I choose the dishwasher, I know what I’m going to get. A marlin.
Enjoy April Fools’ Day at a live comedy show By MARA RuPnERS Contributor We all know the drill. Come April 1, it is wise to watch one’s step. Be on your toes. Read anything and everything with a healthy dose of skepticism, and think twice before agreeing to run a strange errand. On this day, outlandish tales, practical jokes and silly pranks of all kinds abound. It’s harmless and in good fun, and we all get caught up in it—but have you ever stopped and wondered why? The origins of April Fool’s Day are hazy, as a quick Google search will tell you. There are many theories. One has to do with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in parts of Europe during the 1500s, which moved the new year from late March to Jan. 1, and opened up the opportunity for peasants to try to fool their neighbors into celebrating New Year’s festivals on the wrong day. Other theories tie the holiday to the Vernal Equinox, or the arrival of spring, with its fickle weather. Others see its roots in ancient festivals—
Hilaria, a Roman end-of-winter celebration; the medieval Festus Fatuorum (Feast of Fools) that evolved out of the Saturnalia; the northern European Festival of Lud, who was a Celtic god of humor; or perhaps even the Hindu spring festival of Holi. Many of these theories sound far-fetched enough to be April Fool’s tales themselves, and in the end, we will probably never know. And, in the end, it really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that, in our fast-paced and intense world, we take a day each year to lighten up, play along, and have a really, really good laugh. On that note—and this is no joke—The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College is getting in on the April Fool’s Day fun by presenting one of the funniest live shows you will ever see. Experience Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” as they team up for “Two Man Group”—a riotously funny, interactive and completely improvised tour de force. They will play the fools, so you don’t have to. The performance begins at 8 p.m. on Fri-
day, April 1. Tickets are $45, $50 and $60, and good seats are still available. Also at The Center this month: Montana Rep’s new production of Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” on March 10; Irish fiddle sensation Eileen Ivers and her band on March 11; a National Theatre Live screening of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” on March 12; the renowned baroque orchestra and chorus Apollo’s Fire performing Bach’s “St. John Passion” on March 13; and a Rising Alternative screening of Puccini’s “Tosca” on March 20. Visit The Center’s website for complete event details and tickets.
Mara Rupners is the director of marketing at The Performing Arts Center. The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, N.Y. 10577 Box Office: 251-6200 Hours: Tuesday-Friday, noon to 6 p.m. and on weekends before performances Website: artscenter.org
cOntAct: lskenazy@yahoo.com
Muffy is a 10-year-old female poodle. She is 12 pounds of total cuteness. Miss Muffy is as sweet as they come, as she loves to give kisses and even does “happy” dances. Muffy may be mostly blind but it doesn’t stop her from getting around or going out for walks. Just give her a bed to cuddle and nap in and she is one happy girl. Muffy is spayed, vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm-tested and microchipped. Won’t you open your heart and home for this senior gal and donate $150 to Larchmont Pet Rescue? To learn more, please call 834-6955 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
14 • thE the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016
A golden week lIVE MIKE Mike Smith
When you look at the sports landscape this time of year, championship week in Section I couldn’t possibly come at a better time.
I mean, just take a gander at what’s going on around the world of sports: the Super Bowl has come and gone, the interminable slog toward the NHL and NBA playoffs continues, and the most exciting news coming out of MLB Spring Training these days concerns the daily commute of Mets’ outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
Mamaroneck goalie Tommy Spero raises his arms in victory at the Brewster Ice Arena. With a 5-1 win over Suffern, Mamaroneck won its first section crown since 2009. Photo/Mike Smith
SPORTS
(Editor’s note: on Monday, he took a horse to the ballpark!) Not real exciting, but at least the last week has been a godsend in terms of generating a little sports buzz, locally. It helps, of course, that this was a pretty strong year for teams in the area. Mamaroneck’s ice hockey team and Rye’s girls basketball squad proved as much with some well-deserved section titles. But the sports hysteria went far beyond the teams that happened to bring home the gold; it was just about the atmosphere in general. It’s been pretty much established that few venues across New York state can consistently get quite as rowdy as the Westchester County Center. The arena, which traditionally hosts the semifinal and championship rounds of the boys and girls basketball playoffs, certainly did not disappoint this year as area fans turned out in droves to pack both levels. On Feb. 28, during the second half of the Class A girls finals between Ursuline and Rye, Garnet fans in attendance seemed to take over the gym as
Two Mamaroneck Tigers embrace after winning the section title on Feb. 28. Photo/Mike Smith
The Rye girls basketball team celebrates its section title win at the Westchester County Center on Feb. 28. For Sports Editor Mike Smith, following the title runs of our local squads has made up for a dearth of pro sports drama in the last two weeks. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
Rye extended its lead, supporting their girls—and good-naturedly joshing the opposition— until it seemed like the foundation was shaking. And it wasn’t limited to the County Center; Mamaroneck fans headed up to the Brewster Ice Arena two hours early to secure a good vantage point for the game. And once the game started, as the Tigers dominated Suffern in each facet of the game, you could sense the anticipation boiling over in their fans, ready to erupt when that final buzzer sounded. And boy, did they ever. I know I often write about sports fans behaving badly. They’re easy targets. But this past weekend, I was heartened to see the opposite: fans taking cues from their team, getting loud, and helping to raise the stakes in the some of the biggest games of the year. The fact that these fans were so heavily invested in the outcome of these games— and by extension, the success of these student-athletes—is always fantastic to see. When the alternative is scour-
Taylor Maurer drives to the hoop in front of a packed house at the Westchester County Center. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
ing the sports pages for quotes about Yoenis’ latest Palomino, it kind of makes you wish that championship week could
last a little longer.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
SPORTS
March 4, 2016 • thE hARRISOn REvIEw • 15
Titans foiled in finals again ICE HOCKEY
DIVISION 2
FINALS
PELHAM RTH @BREWSTER
5 1 2/28/16
Game Notes: • Pelham has won the last three Division 2 titles • Rye Town/Harrison has reached the last two section finals • The Titans graduate just three players from this year’s team By MIkE SMIth Sports Editor For a program that didn’t reach its first section final until 2015, Rye Town/Harrison is quickly becoming acclimated to playing in championship games. On Sunday, Feb. 28, the Titans squared off against Pelham for the Division 2 crown for the second year in a row. Although Pelham came out on top with a 5-1 win, the Titans have shown that they expect to be in the championship conversation for years to come. According to Rye Town/Harrison coach Jason Head, one glance at this year’s final score
Max Chalfin tangles with a Pelham player at the Brewster Ice Arena.
proves that the Titans came into Sunday’s title game with more confidence than they did a year ago, when they were trounced by an eight-goal margin by the same Pelicans team. “We were ready, we knew we could play with them and we executed,” Head said. “I think we gave a tremendous effort.” The two teams battled through a scoreless first period until Stefan Mikalos gave Pelham its first lead of the game with 1:02 remaining. Although the Titans
Ike Murov chases down a puck at the Brewster Ice Arena. The Titans lost the Division 2 Championship to Pelham for the second year in a row.
complained that goalie Joey Livornese had been interfered with, the goal stood and sent the Pelicans heading back to the locker room up 1-0. In the opening minutes of the second period, however, Rye Town/Harrison roared back, tying the game on a goal by Doug Harrison. “I think that first goal should have been waived off, but it wasn’t,” Head said. “But everyone knows the type of hockey team we are; we’ve come from behind before and we’ve been resilient all year.” Unfortunately for the Titans, Harrison’s goal would be final bright spot, as the Pelicans were able to extend their lead to 4-1 by the end of the second period and add an insurance goal in the first minute of the third. “[Pelham] did a great job getting in front of the net and disrupting things for Joey,” Head said. “And they were able to capitalize on their chances.” Despite Sunday’s loss, Head is confident that the Titans will be in a position to contend for Pelham’s crown next year. The team will graduate three key seniors, including Livornese, Harrison and leading scorer Max Picker, who finished the season with 43 goals, but return a few offensive standouts, including Jackson Schultz, and the entire defensive unit, led by Clay Korpi and Matt Milone. Sam Smith, who served as
Doug Harrison pushes the puck up the ice against Pelham on Feb. 28. Harrison scored the Titans’ lone goal in a 5-1 loss.
Livornese’s backup in net, will get the chance to vie for the starting job next year alongside a pair of freshman goalies poised to make their varsity debuts. Head is hoping that the goaltending transition will be
as smooth as when Livornese stepped into the crease after the departure of former standout Jamie Ketchebaw. “Everyone overlooked Joey [Livornese] when we had Ketchabaw, but when he got his
chance, he proved what kind of player he was,” Head said. “We know what kinds of players we have, and I’m excited to see what’s coming up.” cOntAct: sports@hometwn.com
Max Chalfin battles for the puck with a Pelham defender on Feb. 28. Photos/Mike Smith
16 • the hARRISON RevIew • March 4, 2016