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March 24, 2017

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Harrison REVIEW THE

March 24, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 12 | www.harrisonreview.com

Westchester Airport deal ready to go to bid By JAMES PERO Staff Writer

From left, Natasha Caputo, director of Westchester County Office of Tourism and Film, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, and Juan Aguilar, the owner of La Chinita Poblana hold a signed Hudson Valley Restaurant Week plate during the wind down of the spring version of Westchester’s week of culinary treats. For story, see page 6. Contributed photo

Rye Brook to hold hearing on gun store ordinance By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer The village of Rye Brook may soon become the first municipality in Westchester County to regulate the potential location and operation of gun stores within its borders. The village Board of Trustees has scheduled an April 25 public hearing for a draft local law originally proposed in December. The law would regulate where a gun dealer could operate within the village. The most recent draft of the law sequesters gun shops to commercial properties outside of a 500-foot radius from schools, day cares, playgrounds and religious centers. According to a planning map of the area around Port Ches-

ter Middle School, the 500-foot regulation would restrict firearm dealers to the southern wing of Rye Ridge Plaza and the building located behind it known as Rye Ridge South. The law would also regulate some gun store procedures. Stores would not be allowed to display guns in storefront windows, and would have to keep all weapons locked behind the counter. When a store is closed, it would have to store its guns in a fireproof safe or vault. The law would further require the store to maintain alarm and video surveillance systems, and submit biannual inventory reports; it would preclude anyone ineligible to purchase firearms from entering the store and would allow law enforcement officials

to inspect a store twice within a six-month period. Rye Brook received advice from Allison Anderman of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a California-based nonprofit organization which helps municipalities draft gun legislation. Several municipalities have proposed some iteration of gun legislation since November 2016 when a firearms dealer opened in Harrison less than 1,000 feet from an elementary school. The controversial and sudden opening of the store drew protest from area residents, nearly 3,500 of whom have signed a petition as of press time. Rye Brook was the first municipality to officially propose legislation following the shop’s

opening. In a public meeting earlier this month, Harrison officials heard a presentation from Anderman, who had been contacted by residents of that community interested in crafting a potential gun ordinance. Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, said the town’s attorneys are currently reviewing the law center’s recommendations. The ordinance proposed to Harrison included nine separate provisions, several of which are included in the draft legislation in Rye Brook. Village Administrator Chris Bradbury could not be reached for comment as of press time. Village Attorney Edward Beane did not respond to a request for comment as of press time. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com

A plan to privatize the county’s airport is ready to go through a more rigorous vetting process after lawmakers collectively pumped the breaks on a previous version by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican. Earlier this month, consultants hired by the county presented a plan to send out a request for proposal, RFP, for a multi-million dollar deal privatizing the Westchester County Airport that was sent down by the administration late last year just before the passage of the 2017 county budget. Dan Branda, a spokesperson for the county, declined to say what type of interest the county has received for the airport, if any. Lawmakers plan to have the RFP out by the end of the month. Absent from the most recent version of the plan, however, is an exclusive deal with the investment firm Oaktree Capital Management, which was previously slated by Astorino in November 2016 to become the sole operator of the county-owned airport. After criticism from lawmakers who accused the Oaktree deal of skirting proper bidding procedure, it was eventually sidelined from the county budget, but a new proposal, resulting from the RFP process, will be vetted by lawmakers who hope to finalize a plan before the passage of the 2018 budget later this year. According to a schedule proposed by the county’s hired consultants, all proposals to operate the county’s airport would have to be submitted by July with a

final deal potentially in place by November 2017. Adding pressure on lawmakers will be $15 million in prospective revenue from the plan that was going to be used to help balance the 2017 budget; that money has become an increasingly critical piece of the county’s fiscal future amidst projections of waning sales tax revenue and burdensome health care costs. Lawmakers are still hoping to transfer extra revenue from any potential airport deal this year into the county’s general budget in order to deal with ongoing fiscal shortfalls. But in order to redirect revenue from the airport, lawmakers will have to register it through a Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, privatization program; a process that was initiated last year. Before the county can execute on its plan, the FAA must approve the process. In some cases, approval processes have dragged on for years. Of the 10 airports that applied to the FAA’s program since its introduction in 1996, only one— Luis Muñoz Marín airport in Puerto Rico—has completed the process and has since remained privatized. Currently, under federal law, any revenue earned at the airport can only be used for airport-related purposes. Many of the county lawmakers, who had previously criticized the deal’s last minute introduction—it was sent down to legislators for approval less than a month before the budget deadline—and lack of bidding AIRPORT continued on page 11

INSIDE United Hospital redevelopment moves forward Story on page 8.


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Playland lawsuit thrown out by judge By JAMES PERO Staff Writer A lawsuit filed by the city of Rye seeking to overturn Westchester County’s authority over capital projects slated at Playland was thrown out by a state judge this week. The suit, filed by the city in August 2016, sought to overturn the county’s status as lead agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, SEQR, which would have given Rye a greater say in the approval of millions of dollars in improvements slated to take place at the park this year. The historic amusement park is located within the city. “We gave it our best shot, but we didn’t prevail,” said Rye Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican. “One thing that has not changed is that the residents of Rye bear 100 percent of the quality of life impacts at Playland.”

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Sack added that the city will not appeal the judge’s decision due to cost and time constraints. While the city has consistently argued that projects at the park—which abuts Rye’s residential neighborhoods— should fall under the scrutiny of the City Council, a state judge ruled in favor of the county, which owns Playland as a part of the county parks system. According to a decision by Judge Gretchen Walsh, among other things, the city failed to show reasonable evidence that its neighborhoods would be adversely impacted by the projects. In a statement, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, championed the decision to dismiss the suit. “This ruling means the county can get back to the business of saving Playland,” he said. “We are pleased with this ruling

as it enables Standard Amusements, in collaboration with the county, to move forward on our plans to upgrade the grounds in support of our mission.” As per an agreement struck in May between the county and the management company Standard Amusements—the new operators of the nearly 100-year-old amusement park—the park is set to undergo $60 million in capital improvements, the cost of which will be split between the two parties. Under the terms of the deal, Standard would manage the park for 30 years and also pay the county a fee that rises annually by 2 percent. The agreement punctuated years of failed negotiations between the Astorino administration and prospective organizations or companies interested in managing the amusement park; most notably a previous deal brokered between Astori-

A lawsuit against Westchester County filed by the city of Rye was thrown out by a state judge on Monday, March 20, sinking its hopes of overseeing $60 million in capital improvements slated at Playland Park. File photo

no and local nonprofit Sustainable Playland Inc., which dissolved in the wake of potential litigation from Rye and growing public outcry over the size and scope of the plans, and in

particular a sports bubble that was slated for Playland’s main parking lot. According to Dan Branda, a spokesman for the county executive, an engineer’s consortium

to arrive at a construction schedule was held on March 1, but said the specifics of the schedule are “too premature” to discuss. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

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What’s going on... Harrison Public Library

ños de 5 años. Es la hora del cuento en inglés y español. Diviértete leyendo y cantando con Señorita Bonnie y Señorita Mariella.

English for Japanese Speakers

Visit harrisonpl.org for more information on programs and library hours.

Children’s Book Club On Tuesday, March 28 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the West Harrison Branch. For grades 3–5. Let’s discuss books ands choose next month’s title. Refreshments provided by the Harrison Public Library Foundation.

Pajama Party with Chloe On Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the West Harrison Branch. For children up to age 4; siblings are welcome. Participants can wear pajamas and sing with Chloe during this evening class with songs, music and more. No registration required.

Bilingual Storytime On Thursday, March 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the West Harrison Branch. For toddlers to 5-year-olds. Stories and songs in English and Spanish with Miss Bonnie and Miss Mariella. Jueves, 30 de marzo de 10:30 a.m. hasta 11 a.m. en West Harrison Branch. Desde infants hasta ni-

On Fridays from 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Richard E. Halperin Memorial Building. This class is for Japanese speakers learning English. Practical everyday conversational English is taught, and always tailored to the students’ needs. This class is taught by Julie Jacobs. Class is held once a week on Friday mornings and follows the Harrison school district calendar.

Conversational Spanish On Fridays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Harrison Branch. Do you want to learn or improve your Spanish skills? Learn to speak Spanish with these basic lessons with Mariella. ¡Aprende un nuevo idioma!

Chloe’s Sign & Play On Fridays from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Richard E. Halperin Memorial Building. Give your child the gift of language. Sign & Play is a fun class where families can learn to communicate with their pre-verbal children using real signs from American Sign Language. Based on the awardwinning Baby Signing Time series, this class will give parents a window into the hearts and minds of their little ones. Through fun songs, stories and games, parents and children will learn many useful signs for everyday communication.

Yoga with Angela On Fridays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Richard E. Halperin Memorial Building. For grades 2–5. Bring your own mat and water to this lovely, mind and body relaxing yoga experience with Harrison resident Angela Brandt, a registered and certified yoga instructor. This is an opportunity to create self-esteem, physical coordination, breath relaxation and strength.

Learning from Nature On Saturday, April 1 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Richard E. Halperin Memorial Building. Celebrate Earth Day. This program discusses approaches, methods and activities for connecting adults and children with nature. Presented by Cristina Ortiz and based on her training at Audubon’s Hog Island Camp in Maine. This is a great program for adults, including parents and educators, and children in fourth grade and up who want to learn how to get the most out of their time in nature. Registration required online or by calling the library at 835-0324.

Harrison Recreation Please be aware that parents must have a current 2017 ID card to register children for all programs. Please be prepared to show proof of residency with a current utility bill and driver’s license. A school report card or progress report is required for a child ID card. 2017 resident IDs and pool passes are now available for purchase. Visit harrison-ny.gov/recreation for more information on programs and the Recreation Department.

commissioned by The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College. For more information and for tickets, visit artscenter.org.

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey On Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. One of the greatest storytellers of his generation, James Lecesne portrays every character in a small Jersey Shore town as they unravel the story of Leonard Pelkey, a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant 14-yearold boy. A luminous force of nature whose magic is only truly felt once he is missing, he becomes the unexpected inspiration for a town as they question how they love, who they love, and what they leave behind. Written and performed by, directed by, with original music by Tony Award-winning composer James Lecesne. For more information and for tickets, visit artscenter.org.

From Campfire to Cabaret On Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m. Join Tony Award-winning actress Joanna Gleason for an evening that is part master class, part multi-disciplinary theatre performance. In front of a live audience, Gleason will lead a select group of students from Purchase College’s conservatories in an evening of song and story. For the students, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience; for the audience, a rare opportunity to observe the creative process firsthand. Limited seating. For more information and for tickets, visit artscenter.org.

Jewish Community Center of Harrison

Youth Flag Football League

Can We Talk?

For children in grades K–6. 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 drill. Teams will be formed and games begin during the third week of the program. The tentative spring season starts in April and will run on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. at LMK or Feeley Fields. Please contact Joe Gallace with any questions at 924-8380 or harrisonyouthflagfootball@yahoo.com. Fee: $200.

The Jewish Community Center of Harrison, JCCH, will host “Can We Talk?” a two-session program designed to help families navigate the difficult challenges and questions surrounding endof-life issues. For parents of grown children, this is a chance to learn how to communicate goals and wishes especially about the type of care they would like should they become incapacitated. For adult children and their siblings and spouses, this workshop will provide the resources for getting the conversation started with an older parent. This program, which is presented in cooperation with Westchester Jewish Community Services, will take place on Thursday, March 30, and Thursday, April 27, starting at 7:30 p.m. both nights. This program is free and open to the entire community. RSVPs are requested to ensure enough materials. Attendance at both sessions is recommended. For more information or to RSVP, call the JCCH at 835-2850 or email Executive Director Eric Nussbaum at enussbaum@jcch.org. The JCCH is located at 130 Union Ave. in Harrison.

Performing Arts Center at Purchase College The Performing Arts Center is located on the Purchase College campus, at 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase. For more information and for tickets, call the box office at 251-6200 or visit artscenter.org.

Shen Wei Dance Arts On Saturday, March 25 at 8 p.m. One of the premier international dance companies, Shen Wei Dance Arts transcends East and West, fusing these disparate forms to forge a new hybrid form of dance. The dances reflect the compositional rigor of Shen Wei, the visual artist, dancer, and choreographer—incorporating vivid colors, striking design, and imaginative use of space into theatrical, kinetic paintings. The program will feature Shen Wei’s latest work “Neither,” which was co-

Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.

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Harrison REVIEW

THE

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By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter

Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com

The spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week featured La Chinita Poblana, a Mexican restaurant located in Irvington, as part of a celebrating the end of the event. This two-week semi-annual event is presented by The Valley Table, a quarterly magazine that explores different restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley. This season’s restaurant week ran from March 6 to March 19, and featured 119 restaurants throughout the county, and 230 restaurants in the Hudson Valley area. A representative for Westchester County Tourism and Film explained that restaurant week tries to encompass all types

Reporter | Corey Stockton ext. 16, corey@hometwn.com Reporter | Franco Fino ext. 18, franco@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lsturman@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writer James Pero Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Aaron Kershaw, Charlie McLaughlin Columnists Ron Belmont, Lenore Skenazy

of cuisines. Restaurant week usually begins with a kickoff, which Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino attends as well. The restaurant week kicked off on March 7 at Benjamin’s Steakhouse in White Plains. Astorino along with Benjamin Prelvukaj and Benjamin Sinajaj, owners of the steakhouse, created the “Astorino Sirloin.” The event began to wind down on March 16, where Astorino and members of the Westchester County Office of Tourism and Film paid a visit to La Chinita Poblana. Astorino met with Roberto Facal, the manager,

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Left, linguine Mama Tereza. Right, octopus under the bell. Both dishes are from Dubrovnik in New Rochelle, one of the locations featured during the restaurant week. Photos courtesy Valley Table

Juan Aguilar, the owner, and the waitstaff of the Mexican restaurant. Astorino donned a traditional white apron, and joined Aguilar in the kitchen where the two prepared a dish. Astorino also signed a plate decorated with a Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, HVRW, logo and the restaurant’s name. Astorino ended the visit with a speech highlighting how Aguilar’s accomplishment of opening this restaurant shows “that the ‘American Dream’ is alive and well.” “The immigrant experience, and Juan’s was something we had heard about it, it was something we thought

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, center, poses with the manager of La Chinita Poblana Roberto Facal, left of Astorino, and the owner Juan Aguilar, right of Astorino, along with members of the restaurant staff. Photo courtesy Gregory Garvey

was really neat,” said Gregory Garvey, communications manager for Westchester County Tourism and Film. Aguilar, who emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. when he was 13, started out working for a restaurant as a bus boy, and worked his way up the chain of command until he was ready to open his own establishment. Aguilar opened La Chinita Poblana four years ago, saying that after working for restaurants for so many years, he wanted to take a chance at creating and running his own place. He explained that he liked the area, and wanted to bring a different style of cuisine to Irvington. Aguilar said that the hardest part about starting his restaurant was the beginning. “It’s a lot of work, and a lot of p r e s s u r e ,” he added.

The restaurant, which is located on Main Street, serves lunch and dinner. The restaurant is open from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. “This year, we hadn’t done it yet, we wanted to highlight [the] culture cuisines that we have,” Garvey said. Included in some of the restaurant week deals were brunch, lunch and dinner specials, including $22.95 for three-course lunch specials and $32.95 for three-course dinner deals. These prices were for the fixed price menus which include multiples options for appetizers, entrees and desserts. The restaurants participating in HVRW are made available online for diners to explore and make reservations. The website gives diners the option to view restaurants under certain categories like “hot and new” including restaurants like Little Crepe Street in Mount Kisco, Red Zebra in Sleepy Hollow, and Tutta Bella Trattoria in Scarsdale. Another category was “Zagat rated,” which included Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, PLATES in Larchmont, and Moderne Barn in Armonk. “Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is the perfect time to try new restaurants and cuisine throughout the county, while getting to know our local entrepreneurs,” Astorino said. For those who miss-ed out on restaurant week, there is a fall event that begins on Oct. 30 and ends on Nov. 12. CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com


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Manahttanville film festival explores monsters

A series of foreign monster films will disquiet the evening tranquility of Manhattanville College’s leafy campus this March and April during the school’s annual International Film Festival. The screenings are free and open to the public and start at 7 p.m. in the Berman Student Center Theatre. Each film is followed by a group discussion with a Manhattanville faculty member as guide. “Through foreign films, we can travel into worlds other than our own. This year’s festival theme ‘Monsters and Monstrosities’ was selected in order to align with this year’s freshman common read: Mary Shelley’s novel ‘Frankenstein,’” said Nimish Adhia, assistant professor of economics. “The theme concerns not only monsters in the literal sense, but also in the figurative sense. We will explore in these films the use of monsters as an allegory for themes related poverty, race, class, gender, et cetera.” Please email nimish.adhia@ mville.edu for additional information about the films and faculty discussants. (Submitted)

FILM SCHEDULE Monday, March 27

“Pan’s Labyrinth,” a 2007 Mexican film in falangist Spain in 1946, in which the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.

Wednesday, March 29

“The Host,” a 2006 South Korean film, in which a monster emerges from Seoul’s Han River and focuses its attention on attacking people. One victim’s loving family does its best to rescue her from its clutches.

Tuesday, April 4

“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” a 2014 U.S.-Iran film that takes place in an Iranian ghost town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness. A vampire stalks the town and its people.

Thursday, April 6

“The Babadook,” a 2014 Australian film about a single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, who battles with her son’s fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.

Tuesday, April 11

“Let the Right One In,” a 2008 Swedish film about Oskar, a bullied 12-year-old, who falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl who needs to drink other people’s blood to live.

Monday, April 17 and Thursday, April 20

Manhattanville student films in which the young filmmakers showcase their work. These films will be shown in the Pius X Theatre.


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Various updates and the big spruce-up HARRISON HAPPENINGS Mayor Ron Belmont

Once again, I had the pleasure of marching with the Harrison High School Band as they participated in New York City’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The weather was chilly, but the crowd’s enthusiasm created a warm atmosphere. This year’s celebration included marching bands, pipe bands and bag pipes. Community organizations, cultural associations and political leaders took part as well. This parade does a great job of promoting civic pride in our New York metropolitan community. I am proud of our high school students for adding to this sentiment. They did an outstanding job representing Harrison, and they should be commended for their efforts. Big congratulations are in order for St. Gregory’s thirdgrade boys’ CYO basketball team. Recently, the team won the CYO-NYS Archdiocese Championship, finishing undefeated and beating every county, including the Staten Island champs. All the best to the boys and their coaches for a job well done!

Harrison’s Spring Spruce-Up Days are Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2. I am reaching out to community members to ask for help in cleaning up our public spaces. Assistance in sprucing up our parks, roadways and streams will help keep the town/village of Harrison neat and attractive. Feel free to bring friends and family along. A few hours of time will make a big difference, so I hope we can count on Harrison residents to pitch in! Tools and work gloves will be provided; locations to be determined. If you’re interested in joining in the effort, please call my office at 670-3009 or contact Kerry Marrano at kmarrano@harrison-ny.gov to sign up. On March 24 and 25, at 7:15 p.m., the LMK Drama Club will be staging a production of “High School Musical.” I encourage all residents to stop in and enjoy what I’m sure will be a very entertaining show. The event will take place in the LMK auditorium, and tickets prices are $10 for adults, and $5 for children and seniors. Con Edison has contacted my office to remind customers they must still be cautious about avoiding downed power lines. The combination of snow and gusting winds can

knock trees into power lines, causing customers to lose power and creating a safety hazard. Hopefully, the worst of the winter weather is behind us, but if you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move them or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by snow, tree limbs, leaves or water. Customers can report downed power lines and outages and check service restoration status at coned.com or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power. Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available. The next Lunch with the Mayor is on Friday, March 24. I will be at Harrison Pizza, located at 248 Halstead Ave. in Harrison. I will be at this location from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and look forward to meeting with residents and talking about issues facing our community.

Meet Red! This beautiful setter/collie mix is about 7 years young and very handsome. Red is looking for a calm, quiet home to hang out with his human family. He will alert you to people at your door and will happily go to his place so that you can welcome your guests. He likes playing with his toys and going for long walks. Red is neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped. Make him part of your family for an adoption donation of $300 to Pet Rescue. To meet Red, call 834-6955, visit at NY-PetRescue.org, or meet him in person at 7 Harrison Ave. in Harrison. (Submitted)

United Hospital redevelopment passes crucial hurdle By JAMES PERO Staff Writer The village of Port Chester Board of Trustees has voted to allow a set of zoning changes that will pave the way for a long-debated multimillion dollar development on the village’s former United Hospital site. But by moving the project forward, the village may be opening itself up to litigation. Amendments to the village zoning code, passed during the Board of Trustees meeting on March 6, will alter various zoning laws, including the addition of a density bonus that will see the developers, Starwood Capital, transfer $3 million into a fund for community planning and rehabilitation. According to Eric Zamft, the village director of planning and economic development, that money—which will be used at the discretion of the village— could be spent on things like

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housing creation and affordable housing, or neighborhood revitalization efforts. In addition to 36 affordable housing units, according to Zamft, the development’s floor area ratio is set to 0.8 with a 0.8 bonus, an amendment that the village Board of Trustees included in order to expand the amount of money the developer would contribute to its community fund. While that number is currently $3 million, previous iterations of the project would have only seen $1 million contributed to the fund. The zoning amendments will allow for the required density sought by the developers to see their project to fruition. Starwood’s mixed-use, 1 million-square-foot development would also feature restaurants, offices and a hotel. Overall, the project contains 730 residential units, the majority of which are one-bedroom, studio or loft units.

With the zoning laws altered, Starwood’s $400 million development will soon go to a site plan review process. The decision to allow the zoning changes marks a major step forward in a project that has gone through multiple transformations since Starwood purchased the property, which sits on one of the village’s entry points, for $28 million in 2006. While a previous proposal would have installed a zoning overlay allowing the site to double its amount of developable space, that plan was rescinded in November 2016 amidst vehement public backlash. Likewise, in 2014, a previous iteration of the project was amended by Starwood, which reduced the number of proposed units from 820 to 730 and expanded its inclusion of both public space and retail space significantly. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

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Business Briefs

New Rochelle resident Melba Herrera Kelly has affiliated with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Larchmont. As a real estate salesperson, Kelly will provide residential real estate services in Larchmont and New Rochelle, as well as the surrounding communities of Mamaroneck, Rye Neck, Rye, Pelham and White Plains. Kelly has extensive experience in residential real estate sales. She has been a sales associate since 2008 achieving silver award status at her previous brokerage. “We are greatly pleased to welcome Melba to the Larchmont office. As a successful real estate professional, she brings with her a breadth of experience and a strong understanding of the local market,” said Alice Horowitz, senior managing director of the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Larchmont. “I look forward to watching Melba continue to grow her business in the months and years to come.” As a member of the New Rochelle community, Kelly has been an active volunteer in the school system, including co-chairing the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence Gala Auction Committee. Kelly can be reached at the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Larchmont at 8347100. For more information, visit coldwellbankerhomes.com/tri-states.

JCC names new director of development, donor engagement The Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester recently announced that Beth Grafman is its new director of development and donor engagement. Grafman, who has more than two decades of experience in community and nonprofit development and programming, joins the JCC of Mid-Westchester senior management team. “We are excited to have Beth join our team,” said Karen Kolodny, executive director. “Her deep experience building and funding community collaboration will inspire support for the important role we play in Westchester. Beth’s civic involvement and deep commitment to the Jewish community will help us continue our tradition of connecting with and serving the JCC’s diverse constituencies.” Roger Kahn and Helen Samuels, co-presidents of the JCC of Mid-Westchester’s board of directors, agree. “Beth Grafman is a wonderful addition to the dedicated team of professionals in place here at the JCC. Her experience at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and ability to manage a

portfolio of philanthropic investments in over 80 communities throughout North America has certainly prepared her well to quickly build strategic relationships and support,” they said. Grafman lives in White Plains with her husband Allan and four children, where they have been active members of Temple Israel Center synagogue for nearly 20 years. A five-term Sisterhood president, she currently serves on the synagogue’s board of directors and is a former board secretary for Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake. Born and raised in Chicago, Grafman earned her MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She began her professional career at GE Capital in sales and marketing, and served for nine years on the faculty of Schechter Westchester in White Plains. “Westchester is a world-class community. It deserves to have a world-class JCC with broad-based support,” Grafman said. “Having spent more than five years helping to grow the PJ Library program throughout the country, I understand the incredible power of stories. Now I’m looking forward to sharing stories of the JCC’s impact as a true community convener. I’m confident these stories will inspire even greater participation in the JCC’s bright future.”

dous asset to The Westchester as it completes its transformation. “Steven brings energy and highly relevant experience to us at The Westchester,’’ Guerra said. “We are most fortunate to have someone who understands today’s retail environment and who has recently been through a major renovation at his previous property.” The Westchester in downtown White Plains has recently completed a multi-million dollar enhancement with modernized elevators and lobbies; new facades at major mall entrances; new landscaping and store flooring with grey and beige Italian limestone tile; new carpeting, as well as soft seating areas with complimentary charging stations. In December, it opened two entertainment areas: PLAY, a 2,300-square-foot interactive, educational play area; and CONNECT, a technology lounge featuring nine flat screen televisions, complimentary iPads and phone charging stations.

The next Business Briefs section will run in February. Please send any submission for our February edition to news@hometwn.com, with “Business” in the subject line of your email. Each submission may include one picture. If you have any questions, email us at news@hometwn.com.

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The Westchester names new general manager The Westchester has named a new general manager to oversee operations at Westchester County’s premiere shopping destination. Steven Sayers comes to Westchester from Brea, California, where he was the general manager of the Brea Mall, a super-regional shopping center in Orange County, California, that recently completed a multimillion dollar renovation. Sayers attended college at the State University of New York at Albany where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. “I am thrilled to return to the New York area and to be leading our team at a time when The Westchester has recently undergone a total transformation,” he said. “With the opening in April of Savor Westchester, our new dining destination, the transformation will be complete and The Westchester will have the most ambitious redesign of any mall in the region. I am very proud to be taking the helm during this exciting time.” Sayers joined Simon Property Group in 2010 as the assistant mall manager at Knoxville Center and West Town Mall in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 2011, he joined the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California, where he was involved in planning a major redevelopment of the property. Sayers moved to Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida, in 2012 to lead the newly renovated asset and management team through a period of transition. The following year, Sayers was promoted to Square One Mall near Boston. Robert T. Guerra, regional vice president of Simon Property Group, said that Sayers’ experience with the renovation at Brea Mall will be a tremen-

The final piece of the renovation is a brand new 350-seat dining venue featuring seven eclectic eateries, including some of Manhattan and Connecticut’s most popular and notable casual dining hot spots, and an outdoor dining terrace overlooking downtown White Plains, scheduled to open in April. Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom have also recently completed major remodeling projects to their stores at The Westchester. “We look forward to having a fresh perspective as we begin this new chapter,” said Paula Kelliher, director of marketing for The Westchester.

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March 24, 2017 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 11 AIRPORT from page 1

A crucial deal privatizing the Westchester County Airport is readying to go out to RFP after being sidelined by county lawmakers during last year’s budget deliberations. File photo

process, have since changed their attitudes toward the plan. “The Board of Legislators insisted that any deal to privatize our county’s airport had to result from a fair and open bidding pro-

cess,” said Mary Jane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat, who initially opposed the privatization plan. “In my mind, only deals that properly address… the county’s long-term financial

interests, the traveling public, the neighboring communities and the environment are worthy of consideration.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

Business Club captures medals at competition Congratulations to the Harrison High School students who competed at the New York State DECA competition in Rochester, New York. A record-high 45 Harrison

High School students competed this year at the state level that involved written exams and live-action role play, and 12 students captured medals and placed in the Top 10 for

their business-related categories. The DECA advisors are Joseph Santos and Deirdre McQuillan with assistance on this trip from Vernon Morris. (Submitted)

Grant Muller (Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making) receiving a total of three medals. Matthew Griff (Personal Financial Literacy) received Top 10 test score as well as Top 10 overall Lauren Nielson (Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making) received Top 10 role play as well as Top 10 overall. Aniska Sanghavi (Professional Selling) received Top 10 role play as well as Top 10 overall Hailey Maguire (Financial Consulting) received Top 10 overall medals Reese Ptashnik (Principles of Hospitality and Tourism) received top 10 overall medals. Cara Trificante (Creative Marketing Project) received Top 10 overall medals Lauren Steinthal (Creative Marketing Project) received Top 10 overall medals Jake Coloccia and Spencer Danzig (Accounting Applications) received Top 10 medals in their role play Brett Silber (Restaurant and Food Services) received Top 10 medals in their role play Matthew Schwartz (Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making) received a Top 10 medal in his test score


12 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • March 24, 2017

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LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Formation of MSA Unlimited, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 1/25/17. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 8 Nob Hill Drive, Elmsford, NY 10523. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of The Holiday Electric, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/8/17. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, New York 11228. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

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March 24, 2017 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 13

The genetic crystal ball RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

Congratulations, you’re going to have a baby! Would you like to know if, 50 years or so down the line, he or she might develop colon cancer? And by the way, the baby may also have a slightly increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Would you like to know about that, too? And how about the odds of acne? Aieee! These are not the questions any of us have ever had to answer… till now. But thanks to an ever-expanding arsenal of genetic testing, sometimes at birth, sometimes in utero, and sometimes even before the baby is conceived (that is, by testing the potential parents for genetic abnormalities), new dilemmas are headed to a pregnancy near you. The genetic tests being developed today are “revolutionizing what we can know about babies, and how we perceive and treat and prevent disease,” says Bonnie Rochman, the former health reporter at Time Magazine and author of the new book, “The Gene Machine: How Genetic Technologies Are Changing the Way We Have Kids – and the Kids We Have.” Back in 1971, when Rochman was an embryo, all her mom knew was that a baby was going to appear in about nine months. No one could test the gender, much less any genetic anomalies. But today, I myself have two sons who were tested back when they were eight-cell embryos for a genetic mutation they had a 50 percent chance of inheriting: Marfan syndrome. It’s a disease my husband has, which can cause things like blindness and

heart trouble. Thanks to Yale geneticist Dr. Petros Tsipouras, who located the gene and then figured out how to test for it even while our kids were still in test tubes, we “engineered” the Marfan syndrome out of them. This was not an easy or cheap process, but we are very grateful for the results—our Marfan’sfree sons. But today, 20 years later, genetic testing is even more widely available, for far more issues, and it is this expanding universe that Rochman dives into. “How much information do we want to know?” asks Rochman. That’s the heart of the matter. We already routinely test babies for certain diseases, “some of which may quickly prove fatal if not detected,” she says. Early detection leads to early intervention and “there’s little question that newborn screening has saved countless lives.” But now, if a new test shows that a baby has a slightly elevated chance of developing, say, schizophrenia, is that something parents would want to be aware of? Or would it simply make them worried? One mom Rochman interviewed in her book had a prenatal test where the doctor announced he’d found something abnormal, but added, “We don’t know what it’s going to mean.” So the woman had new information—something was “off”—but no clue as to whether it would affect her child’s life, or when, or how seriously. “This is going to happen more and more,” says Rochman, as science develops tests “so sensitive they can uncover information no one fully understands.” That is precisely the issue Dr. Tsipouras, our geneticist, is working on now, as CEO of a new company called Plumcare.

The company will be sequencing newborns’ genomes, but he realizes a full-blown report is not something everyone is ready for. “My mother would say, ‘Don’t interfere with God’s plan.’ My wife would say, ‘What can I do with this information?’” says the doctor. But younger people, he believes, are more comfortable handling and assessing information. And frankly, they’re the ones doing the reproducing. So his company is developing a rubric of when and what information to share. The questions that must be answered before passing on any information are: 1. Is this information relevant to you, specifically? For instance, if a baby has a genetic variation, but it’s one shared by his completely healthy dad, uncle and grandpa, it probably won’t have any ill effects. 2. What are the odds? If seven out of 10 people with this genetic variation get seriously ill by age 5, that’s quite different from nine out of 10 living to a ripe old age. The odds must be taken into account. 3. When and how will this change affect the child? Is it in 10 years, or 70? Will it pack a wallop or is it often mild? The idea is not to freak parents out. It’s to alert them to problems before they occur, rather than reacting to them once they appear. Medically, it means we’re moving from curing diseases to prevention via prediction. “When we talk about the info tech revolution, this is the next stage,” says Rochman: Using deep data to understand and change our DNA destiny. “And,” she adds, “we’re only at the beginning.” CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

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Astorino announces keynote for fathering conference Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino recently announced that Mike Brady, president and CEO of Greyston, a leading social enterprise whose world-renowned Greyston Bakery provides employment opportunities that help lift people out of poverty, will be the keynote speaker at the third annual New York Fathering Conference taking place on Tuesday, April 4 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. “Mike Brady offers a visionary approach to business growth and social empowerment,” Astorino said. “Greyston Bakery’s model of Open Hiring creates opportunities for everybody, regardless of their background or work history. It provides people who want to work with the employment, skills, resources and dignity they need to break the cycle of poverty while supporting the overall growth of the business. We are honored to have him as our keynote speaker at this year’s Fathering Conference.” The theme of this year’s event is “Ready to Work: Navigating Home, Job and Community.” The program will include 21 workshops on topics such as job retraining, hiring trends, navigating government programs, men’s health and wellness, parenting skills, and ways to better engage fathers. Up to 400 fathers and service providers are expected to attend, so please register in advance to secure your spot at readytowork. eventbrite.com. Registration is $45 and includes continental breakfast, lunch and beverages. The County Center is located at 198 Central Ave. in White Plains. For more information, please contact Joseph D. Kenner, deputy commissioner of social services, at jkenner@westchestergov.com. As president of Greyston Bakery in Yonkers for four years, Brady drove strategic business development with long-standing partner Ben & Jerry’s and with new partners such as Whole

Mike Brady, CEO and president of Greyston, will cover topics like hiring trends, men’s health, and ways to become a better father as the keynote at this year’s New York Fathering Conference. Photo courtesy linkedin.com

Foods Market. During this time, the bakery realized nearly 100 percent revenue growth and became New York state’s first registered benefit corporation. Brady recently took responsibility for all Greyston’s programs and businesses, including workforce development, community gardens, housing, health services and an early learning center. Brady’s passion lies in the integration of business and social good, particularly through the scaling of Open Hiring throughout the country. “Open Hiring has the potential to create opportunities all across the country for people facing barriers to employment,” Brady said. “Our commitment to the community and to the people is at the core of everything we do and I look forward to sharing our approach with everyone at the Fathering Conference.” Following the morning keynote address, a panel discussion will focus on the theme of the conference, “Ready to Work: Navigating Home, Job and Community,” featuring: Donald Somerville of The Children’s Village as moderator; Mike Brady, president and CEO of Greyston; Dion Drew,

Greyston Bakery employee and father; Rosa Boone, DSS deputy commissioner; and Alphonso Simmons, R.E.A.L. Parenting Program coordinator, of Family Services of Westchester. Organized by the New York Fathering Conference Planning Committee, a collaboration of government and nonprofit leaders, the conference is part of Astorino’s ongoing #DadBeThere fatherhood initiative. The goal is to target the full spectrum of fathers, from those who are present in the home to those who are not. One of the highlights of Astorino’s fatherhood initiative is the R.E.A.L. Parenting Program, which is helping participants to find and keep employment, manage their child support payments, improve their parenting and relationship skills and most importantly, to be the positive role models their children and families need. To learn more, please visit westchestergov.com/ dadbethere. “The role of a father is critically important,” Astorino said. “Families are stronger when a dad is actively involved, and society is stronger as a result.” (Submitted)

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SPORTS

14 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • March 24, 2017

The purest joy in sports LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

Shortly after Duke’s basketball team won the ACC tournament two weeks ago, a group chat between my buddies and I began blowing up. Our friend Phil, an avid Blue Devil fan, sent a litany of texts explaining in no uncertain terms that, as Duke was far and away the best college basketball team in the country, it would only be a matter of time before they’d be cutting down the nets once again as longtime coach Mike Krzyzewski took home his sixth national title. The messages were peppered with casual denigrations of the teams the rest of us supported and rooted for in the deep-seated sense of entitlement that Cameron Crazies—much like Yankee fans—seem to exude. So boy, did it feel good on Sunday night when the Dukies

got eliminated by South Carolina. The Blue Devils were trailing by 10 in the final minutes when we started letting Phil have it. Memes of Duke guard/villain Grayson Allen tripping random opponents, images of Blue Devils with Jordan Crying-Faces superimposed on them, secondby-second updates of a score that was increasingly going the Gamecocks’ way; we were pouring it on thick. Thirty minutes after the game, Phil finally responded to us, although both AP Style and common decency pretty much prohibit me from telling you what he said. Outside of watching your own team win (my Villanova squad was similarly eliminated in the second round on Saturday), seeing the teams you despise—especially when your friends root for them—can provide some of the purest joy in the sports world. I don’t think it makes me a bad guy to take such delight in the failures of my buddies’

teams, but that’s just the nature of sports. Heck, that kind of schadenfreude even caused me to root against my own selfinterests. I had Duke advancing to the finals in most of my tourney pools, but it was absolutely worth having my brackets busted in order to see Coach K get bounced by a No. 7 seed. As it turned out, this weekend turned out to be a veritable cornucopia of petty fandom on my part. On Saturday night, the USA knocked the Dominican Republic out of the World Baseball Classic, and although I was proud that the Stars and Stripes lived to play another day, thanks in part to a spectacular home run-robbing catch by Adam Jones, I was positively cackling at the idea of being able to twist the knife a little bit when I saw some of my friends from San Pedro the following morning. I had a litany of “Plátano Power” jokes lined up to go, and suffice it to say, I used them all. Maybe it’s an ugly part of

TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A

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

On March 19, the Duke Blue Devils got eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Despite it ruining his bracket, Sports Editor Mike Smith couldn’t be happier. Photo courtesy Duke.edu

sports fandom, maybe it’s spiteful, but honestly, right now, I don’t care, because I got the chance to gloat.

Just please don’t make fun of me when the Red Sox finish third in the American League East this year. That would be

supremely uncool.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

St. Gregory’s claims crown On Sunday, March 19, the third-grade CYO basketball team representing St. Gregory the Great put the finishing touches on an undefeated season, topping St. Catherine’s of Rockland County 28-13 to claim the Archdiocese CYO New York title. Mike McCoy, who coached the St. Gregory’s team, said he had high expectations for the youngsters coming into the season, which started in October, but was still surprised by the dedication demonstrated by his nine-player roster. “Going into the season, we saw that we had a special group,” McCoy said. “These kids had been playing sports together since kindergarten. They play a lot of sports together, but we didn’t know we would go as far as we did.” The team went 12-0 during the regular season, and pushed that unbeaten streak to 19 games throughout Westchester, city and state play. “In our first postseason game, we went up against a team that was 24-0 and we knew we had

On March 19, the St. Gregory’s third-grade CYO basketball team won the Archdiocese CYO New York title with a 28-13 win over Rocklandbased St. Catherine’s at Mount St. Michael’s in the Bronx. Players on the team included Matthew McCoy, Jack Mazzella, Raymond Fernandez, Ryan Ianniello, Evan Schwartz, Eric Pirrello, Tyler Isbrandtsen, Jack Evangelista and Christian D’Onofrio. Photo courtesy Mike McCoy

our hands full,” McCoy said. “But once we won that game, you could tell the kids really wanted to win the championship.” The March 19 championship win at Mount St. Michael’s gym in the Bronx, McCoy added, was just the icing on the cake.

“The last five weeks, it has been absolutely amazing,” he said. “We demanded so much of these kids and they responded; they knew what their goals were, what they wanted to accomplish, and they did it.” -Reporting by Mike Smith


SPORTS

March 24, 2017 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 15

Local fighters take the stage By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor Only hours before prizefighter Bryant “Pee Wee” Cruz stepped through the ropes at Madison Square Garden on March 18, his stablemates at Champs Boxing Club in New Rochelle had a local showcase of their own as they faced off against a squad of boxers from Ireland at the club’s Division Street gym. And although Cruz was ultimately unsuccessful in his attempt to challenge for a lightweight title that evening, Champs’ owner Ryan O’Leary feels that the day was a runaway success—both for his professional pupil and for his newer charges who got the chance to compete in front of a packed house earlier in the day. Although fighters from Champs often take part in events throughout the tri-state area, Saturday’s seven-fight card gave several pugilists—including many first timers—a chance to compete in the familiar confines of the club’s New Rochelle gym. Opponents on the afternoon

Heather Flaherty, right, embraces opponent Rebecca Weiss and trainer Ryan O’Leary following a 130-pound Masters bout at Champs Boxing Club. Flaherty took the decision.

included a handful of fighters from Ireland’s Kinsale Boxing Club who often travel to the states to take on international competition. “This was in the works for about three months, we mostly had some younger boxers and some of the older, senior boxers,” O’Leary said. “We

generally fight all over the [New York] boroughs so to have it here, in our small space with a lot of fans, it really was an impressive time.” “I just think that for those having their first fight, this was the most comfortable place it could have happened,” he added. The Champs squad earned a

Elvis Cardenas fires a straight right hand during his 135-pound bout against John O’Brien.

Brittany Plummer from Champs Boxing Club lands a right hand against Denice O’Leary from Ireland on March 18. Plummer was victorious in her first amateur fight.

clean sweep over Kinsale’s fighters, and a few others, including Heather Flaherty, found success against domestic competition as well. Flaherty, a 47-year-old mother of three from Greenwich, Connecticut, outpointed Rebecca Weiss from Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn in her in-ring debut, much to the delight of a boisterous throng of fans from her hometown who traveled down to New Rochelle to watch the fights. “[Flaherty] comes in every day and works her head off, and she must talk to everyone, because she had a group of people there who all had shirts with her name on it,” O’Leary said. “And she was in there against a good experienced girl, it was nonstop action and that was a huge victory.” Elvis Cardenas, a 16-yearold New Rochelle resident, who won his first bout as a member of Champs, beating 135-pounder John O’Brien from Ireland, said that getting the chance to show off his skills in front of a rabid home crowd made all of the work that he has put in over the last two years worth it. “It’s exciting when people come in, it’s exciting for everyone,” Cardenas said. “When the bags

Champs coach Keith Brown waits for the decision after his fight against Kinsale Boxing Club’s Will Rosall. Photos/Mike Smith

are here, you’re working, but getting the chance to spar, it’s just more, more, more.” After the afternoon bouts concluded, several members of the club headed down to Madison Square Garden where Champs professional Pee Wee Cruz got a chance to battle for the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship against undefeated prospect Ryan Martin. The fight was Cruz’s first since returning to O’Leary’s gym a few months ago, and marked the longest layoff of his professional career as the Port Chester native had not had a bout since last April’s win over Moises Delgadillo. Though Cruz was game, the undefeated Tennessean stopped

him in the eighth round of the first televised undercard of the Gennady Golovkin versus Danny Jacobs pay-per-view. Despite the loss, O’Leary was happy with the way Cruz shook off some of the ring rust. “[Martin] was really tough and Pee Wee hadn’t fought in a year, so I thought he did some really good things,” O’Leary said. “The most important thing is that [Cruz] knows that he belongs there now. If we’d had more training, he definitely would have gone the distance, so we’ll just have to tweak some things and hopefully we will be back there, fighting for another title.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com


16 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • March 24, 2017


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