Harrison REVIEW THE
April 22, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 17 | www.harrisonreview.com
Deteriorating roadways garner townwide attention By aNGELa JordaN Staff Writer
Let there be Lights! The Historic Hudson Valley is gearing up for its third annual LIGHTSCAPES show, an interactive exhibition that combines light, sound, video, art and history at the Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy hudsonvalley.org
Harrison police chief raises concerns about potential for gun violence By aNGELa JordaN Staff Writer Chief Anthony Marraccini of the Harrison Police Department wants his officers to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, it seems. At the capital budget work session on April 11, Marraccini requested funding from the town board for sniper rifles and other equipment to prepare for a potential active shooter scenario. At the meeting, he told the Town Council that Harrison contains several corporate offices, universities and access to several major highways that could potentially be the target of a planned attack, and that he wants his department to be at the “forefront of anticipated needs.”
He also said that while the state and county police have the resources to handle an active shooter scenario, he believes that being prepared on a local level is also crucial. “Times are changing, and the immediacy in response is necessary to limit any type of casualties in these types of situations,” Marraccini told the Review. The question of how to prepare for an active shooter scenario is one that local law enforcement agencies nationwide have had to address. According to the crowdsourced website Mass Shooting Tracker, there have been 102 domestic mass shootings, defined as four or more people being shot, since the beginning of 2016. Marraccini cited the recent
lockdown of SUNY Purchase’s campus due to the presence of an unidentified armed gunman threatening students at a party with a gun and fleeing into the woods as an example of a situation that could have had the potential to be deadly. Marraccini also commended his current staff and said that the department would be fit to handle these kinds of situations if given the equipment. “I am very fortunate that I currently have police officers who are already talented marksmen,” Marraccini said. This type of equipment has not always been easy to come by for local law enforcement agencies, however. In response to the aftermath of the Ferguson, Missouri and
Baltimore riots in 2014 and 2015 and to concerns that local police agencies have become militarized over time, President Barack Obama placed restrictions on the 1033 Program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to purchase excess military equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense. Marraccini said that while the federal program has been discontinued, there are specialty suppliers on state contracts where local police departments would be able to purchase the equipment from. According to Town Councilman Steve Malfitano, a Republican, although the board has not had any formal discussions VIoLENCE continued on page 9
Recent attention has been drawn to the poor condition of multiple, vital roadways in Harrison by both local and state officials, and the town is currently considering which steps to take to improve them on a tight budget. During the capital budget work session on April 11, Department of Public Works Commissioner Anthony Robinson requested $2.5 million over a five-year period from the Town Council for road repairs in Harrison. “We’re not the only municipality facing [infrastructure] issues, but the past several winters have been severe, and federal funding for this type of road work does not meet our current needs,” Robinson said. According to a report by VHB Pavement Management, a consultant hired by the town to assess roads in Harrison, there is a $20 million backlog of infrastructure work to be done. The analysis included a visual evaluation of the state highways and county, local and private roads throughout Harrison. The consultant was primarily looking for damage such as cracks, distortions and potholes, and then measured the extent of these damages. A presentation by VHB was given to the Town Council as early as Sept. 3 of last year, who reported in their findings that at least 90 miles of various roadways in Harrison require attention, and more than a third of those 90 miles requires “structural improvement and base
rehabilitation.” Furthermore, the $20 million estimate given by the consultant only includes the cost of repaving the roads, and didn’t include the drainage improvements that would likely have to be made as well, which would create additional costs. Not all the roads that need work would be under the control of or financed by the town, however. There is currently $27 billion set aside in the 2016-2017 New York state budget for the state Department of Transportation to improve to roads and bridges, including three new initiatives, BRIDGE NY, PAVE NY and the Extreme Weather Infrastructure Hardening Program, which were created to address the toll that the past few winters have taken on New York’s roadways. According to state Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, while there isn’t enough state funding to take care of all the roads in New York that need attention, he is sympathetic to the town’s current predicament and believes “the merit [to Harrison’s needs] is there, the question now is whether or not we can get the [Department of Transportation] to agree.” Latimer said that when working within the state’s budget, the roads that should receive priority in regard to rehabilitation is best left up to the Town Council. “The town knows what they need best, and [state Assemblyman] David Buchwald and I are happy to work with them on what they need from the state,” Latimer said. roadways continued on page 8
INSIDE Trotta’s sells second winning lottery ticket Story on page 8.
2 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 3
Debate team wins 3 spots in district championships
Members of Harrison High School’s Debate Team earned the three top spots in two of the district’s championships, qualifying them for the national championships in Sacramento, California, in May. Photo courtesy Harrison school district
The Harrison High School Debate Team has captured the top three spots in two district championships, qualifying them for the National Championships. Senior Elyssa Alfieri was the NCFL District Champion and the tournament’s top speaker, earning a perfect 6-0 ballot count in her first three rounds. Alfieri was a quarterfinalist at NCFL Nationals last year. Senior Kathryn Kenny was the tournament’s runner-up and the second speaker, and senior Sarah Ryan placed third and was the tournament’s third speaker. This is the first time in school history that Harrison has claimed the top three spots at NCFL Districts and all three students will be attending the NCFL National Tournament in Sacramento, California, in May. At the NSDA District Tournament, Harrison also captured the top three spots. Senior Kathryn Kenny, junior Sammi O’ Reilly and junior Raffi Piliero closed out the tournament in a threeway co-championship. None of the debaters lost a round in the tournament, held at Iona Prep in New Rochelle. As only two can advance to the Nationals, Kenny and O’ Reilly will represent Har-
Championship for Sarah Ryan and Raffi Piliero. • Justin Wilson placed second at the 2016 Lexington Winter Invitational and was the top speaker in the novice division and Eli Lapkin reached the semifinals. • Justin Wilson won the novice division of the 2016 Newark Invitational and was the tournament’s top speaker and Eli Lapkin reached the semifinals. In the varsity division, Raffi Piliero was the tournament’s runner-up and Harrison also had the earned his fourth TOC bid following results: of the season. Senior Evan • Top 8 finishes at the 2016 Berger earned the first TOC Columbia Invitational for juniors bid of his career and placed Raffi Piliero and Adam Eljamal. in the top 8. • Top 8 finishes at the Lakeland • Harrison captured the top Westchester Classic Novice three spots in the varsity Division for Matt and Justin division of the Regis Holiday Wilson. Classic Tournament—Sammi • Top 8 finish at the Harvard O’Reilly was the tournament National Forensics Tournament champion with sophomore for Sarah Ryan in the varsity Carl Spana placing second division. In the JV division, and Lauren Cole placing third. freshman Eli Lapkin was the In the novice division, Eli Lapkin top speaker of the tournament. placed second, Justin Wilson • Five top 10 finishes at the placed third, and Michael Malcolm A. Bump Memorial Loguidice placed sixth. tournament in the novice and • In the novice division, Caroline JV divisions. Justin Wilson Wong was the tournament was undefeated and placed runner-up at the Ridge High second, Eli Lapkin placed fifth, School tournament and Eli Matt Wilson placed sixth, and Lapkin was the tournament’s top Michael Loguidice placed ninth speaker. In the varsity division, in novice and Lauren Cole Raffi Piliero reached the placed third in JV. semifinals and Sammi O’Reilly • Top 30 finishes at Emory reached the quarterfinals. University’s National (Submitted)
rison and the district at NSDA Nationals in Salt Lake City in June. Piliero will be the first alternate. This is the fifth consecutive year that Harrison has qualified students to the NSDA Nationals. For her leadership on issues related to women in the debate community, Kenny was also recognized as the District Student of the Year, the first time a Harrison debater has received that honor.
SCHOOL NEWS?
ContaCt oUR EDUCatIon REpoRtER
sarah varney
sarah@hometwn.com
4 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
What’s going on... Harrison Public Library
Movie screening The library will be screening “Brooklyn,” a story based on the book by Com Toibin, on Saturday, April 23 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a romance with a local. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. Rated PG; running time: 111 minutes.
Adult coloring Adults ages 18 and older who are having a stressful week are welcome to stop by the Richard Halperin Memorial Budiling on Saturday, April 23 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a coloring activity. Coloring sheets and colored pencils will be provided. Registration is not necessary.
Movie screening “Theeb,” a film by Naji Abu Nowar, will be screened on Sunday, April 24 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. While war rages in the Ottoman Empire, Hussein raises his younger brother Theeb (“Wolf”) in a traditional Bedouin community that is isolated by the vast, unforgiving desert. The brothers’ quiet existence is suddenly interrupted when a British Army officer and his guide ask Hussein to escort them on a treacherous journey. The young, mischievous Theeb secretly chases after the travellers, but they soon find themselves trapped amidst threatening terrain riddled with mercenaries, revolutionaries and outcast raiders, forcing Theeb to live up to the name given to him by his father. Not rated; running time: 100 minutes.
use yarn provided. For beginners to advanced. No registration required.
end once the maximum number for the program is reached.
Drop-in computer help for seniors
Lifeguard training course
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.
Get certified as a lifeguard and make money this summer. The 24-hour course starts on May 31. Participants must be at least 15 years old, swim 12 laps continuously (100-yard front crawl, 100yard breast stroke and 100 mixed free style/breast stroke), swim to a depth of 7 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object, and tread water. Course dates are as follows: May 31, June 1, June 7, June 8, June 14 and June 15 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Louis M. Klein Middle School. Final exam: Thursday, June 16 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the West Harrison Senior Annex. There is also a CPR/first aid class on Sunday June 12 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Participants must attend all the classes to get certified. The application is online.
Pretend play and dress up time On Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon at the West Harrison branch. For ages 1 to 6. This free dress up playtime allows children to run wild with their imagination to be anywhere and anyone: a cowboy, a princess, a superhero or all three. Come in to the warmth of the library and let the kids play dress up with fun costumes.
Chloe’s Sign & Play On Fridays from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Halperin building. Give your child the gift of language. This is a fun class where families can learn to communicate with their pre-verbal children using 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.
Watercolor painting Learn how to paint with watercolor and make a card for Mother’s Day on Saturday, April 30 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. An artist and herablist, Carey Jung is the owner of ApotheCarey Arts and Herbs, a small herbal and illustration business. Her beautiful watercolor notecards will be available for purchase at the workshop. The workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is required. For more information or to register for the workshop, call 835-0324.
Harrison Recreation
Singalong Sundays with Chloe
Over 30 Men’s Soccer
On Sundays from 4 p.m. to 4:30 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.
There will be pick-up soccer games at West Harrison Park and Harrison High School from 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.
Rectangles of Love Help people in need by joining other knitters and crocheters on Monday, April 25 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the West Harrison branch. Create rectangles that will be turned into blankets to be sent to Warm Up America! Knit or crochet rectangles using any stitch, any color, any type of yarn. Bring your own needles or hooks. Use your own yarn, or
Manhattanville College
Spring swim lessons Children in grades K–5 can learn how to swim. On Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., May 9 through May 24 at the Louis M. Klein Middle School in Harrison. Fee is $100 made payable to Town/Village of Harrison (for six, one-hour lessons). Applications will be accepted starting April 1. Class size is limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will
Annual Spring Concert The Manhattanville College Chorus and the Women’s Vocal Chamber Ensemble will perform their annual Spring Concert on Sunday, April 24 at 4 p.m. in the Berman Center Theater on the college campus, located at 2900 Purchase St. in Purchase. Admission is free and open to the public. The concert, under the direction of John Cuk, will feature choral works by contemporary composers, music of the Renaissance, a performance of Leonard Bernstein’s greatest choral work, Chichester Psalms and a world premiere performance of “Sleep Now, O Sleep Now” by Jennifer R. Tibbetts. Professor Jeongeun Yom will accompany on the piano. For further information, please call the Music Department at 323-5260, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Purchase College Conservatory of Music concert series
ushers in spring by presenting several concerts featuring students. All concerts will be held in various venues at Purchase College, located at 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase. Soul Voices will be holding a concert on Tuesday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the Conservatory of Music Recital Hall; The Purchase Latin Jazz Orchestra will be holding a concert on Wednesday, April 27 at 8 p.m. in the Conservatory of Music Choral Hall; the Purchase Jazz Orchestra will be holding a concert on Thursday, April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall; the Purchase String Orchestra will be holding a concert on Friday, April 29 at 7 p.m. in the Conservatory of Music Recital Hall. All concerts are free and open to the public. Tickets are required. For more information or to order a ticket, visit artscenter.org or call 251-6200.
St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester Free training on naloxone overdose kits St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester in Harrison is hosting a free training on heroin and prescription drug abuse and the use of naloxone overdose rescue kits. The training will be held on Wednesday, May 4, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in the hospital’s conference center at 275 North St. in Harrison. Attendees will receive a free kit (one per household). The training, approved by the New York State Department of Health, is open to all. Registration is required; visit stvincentswestchester.org for details.
Spring Sprint 5k run/walk The auxiliary board of St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester will host the Spring Sprint 5k Run/Walk on Saturday, May 7, starting at the hospital’s campus at 275 North St. in Harrison. Check-in begins at 8 a.m., and the run/walk begins at 9 a.m. For registration information, visit stvincentswestchester.org or call 925-5401. Proceeds from the event will benefit St. Vincent’s mental health and addiction recovery services for children, adolescents and adults. 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.
The Purchase College Conservatory of Music
Harrison REVIEW
THE
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April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 5
New Rochelle High School gowns spark unrest By sarah VarNEy Education Reporter In an attempt to be inclusive to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, New Rochelle High School is moving away from assigning seniors genderspecific graduation robes. In a letter sent home to parents of graduating seniors, NRHS Principal Reginald Richardson
explained that the adoption of a single color cap and gown would provide a more comfortable experience for some students. He said the change would “create an atmosphere that allows all of our students to enjoy the capstone event of their high school career equally, without the anxiety or fear that gender-specific colors might cause.” This June, students will be
New Rochelle High School plans to move away from gender-specific graduation robe colors to be inclusive toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
able to choose which color gown to wear, and all gowns will be solid purple when the class of 2017 crosses the stage. According to Richardson and some high school students, the traditional assignment of white robes for girls and purple for boys was making some students uncomfortable. But this is not a change all are in favor of. During a New Rochelle Board of Education meeting held on Tuesday, April 5, more than a dozen New Rochelle High School graduates ranging in age from 18 to 80 stepped up to the podium one by one to passionately denounce the change. While some parents simply objected to New Rochelle High School ending a long-standing tradition in making the switch to all-purple graduation robes, other parents were unhappy with the motivation behind the change being made. “A man is a man and a woman is a woman,” Mark McLean, a New Rochelle High School alum, pronounced at the end of his remarks.
Beginning in 2017, all New Rochelle High School seniors will wear solid purple graduation gowns. File photos
New Rochelle resident Pearl Quarles spoke out against the change in defense of the purple and white tradition. “I remember the sea of purple and white robes on graduation day,” she recalled. “It was a sight to see.” As of press time, a Change. org petition had received 697 signatures. The petition supports “the saving of the traditional attire, of purple and white gowns
for the New Rochelle High School Graduation.” But Roland Rogers, president of the PTA Council, an organization that acts as a liaison between the individual school parent groups and the Board of Education, was surprised by the strident reactions of those opposed to the change. In this instance, Rogers was speaking only on behalf of him-
self and his daughter Sophia, a junior who will wear purple at her 2017 graduation. “I was shaking my head,” Rogers said. “The point of a single color is to unify students, to demonstrate that all students that attain the same degree join their classmates on an equal footing on graduation day.” CoNTaCT: sarah@hometwn.com
6 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
Harrison REVIEW
THE
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History and and art collide at
LIGHTSCAPES By sUZy BErKowITZ Editorial Assistant
LIGHTSCAPES, camera, action! Historic Hudson Valley is starting to brighten the bulbs on the third annual LIGHTSCAPES, an interactive art installation taking place at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-onHudson, New York. The event allows visitors to walk through the historic site and experience a combination of light, sound, video and art that welcomes spring and maintains the Historic Hudson Valley’s undertone of history and education. Rob Schweitzer, the Historic Hudson Valley’s director of marketing and public relations, said this year’s event will include an installation of more than 7,500 manmade tulips, along with a 10-foot-tall praying mantis sculpture and a 60-foot-long centipede sculpture. The event’s soundscape will include music and effects created by Charles de Saint Phalle and Steve Pol-
lak, who has written numerous songs for the band Phish, and all artwork is made from repurposed recycled materials created by Hudson Valley-based artists. The entire multimedia experience is open to all ages and takes place outdoors. Having been the creative director of Historic Hudson Valley’s Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze—a Halloween-themed walk through exhibition of more than 7,000 intricately hand-carved pumpkins—since 2005, LIGHTSCAPES Creative Director Michael Natiello is well-versed in helping a team of artists complete a large scale project. The Blaze attracts nearly 120,000 visitors annually, including celebrities like Neil Patrick Harris, Martha Stewart and Ben Stiller. In an attempt to gain LIGHTSCAPES a similar notoriety, Natiello said the 45-minute-long path will provide visitors with a unique and transformative outlook. “The whole experience and
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Historic Hudson Valley has seen much success with other large-scale exhibitions, including The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, which sees nearly 120,000 visitors annually. Photos courtesy hudsonvalley.org.
the transformative quality of art will help put visitors in touch with a greater force,” he said. “I want people to have the same feeling they get after seeing a good movie or reading a good book. At the end of the day, I want people to be happy.” Natiello said managing a team of artists working together on a large-scale project is not very difficult when a shared vision is kept in mind. He said he allows room for creative decisions and freedom of expression, and working with so many artists has allowed for the birth of creative and interesting ideas that help propel the collaborative effort forward. Being that LIGHTSCAPES is a relatively new tradition, Schweitzer said the production team combines trial and error and visitor feedback to make the exhibition bigger and better each year, from both a creative and operational standpoint. He said ensuring that operational matters flow seamlessly make it that much easier for visitors to enjoy their experience from all angles. Since Historic Hudson Valley, a nonprofit organization based in Pocantico Hills, New York, is dedicated to promoting the public education of historic landmarks of national significance in the Hudson Valley, Schweitzer said LIGHTSCAPES attempts to both educate and entertain visitors. Natasha Caputo, director of Westchester County Tour-
Historic Hudson Valley gears up for the third annual interactive art exhibition, LIGHTSCAPES, taking place at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson.
ism and Film, said that annual signature events like LIGHTSCAPES provide residents and visitors with a unique setting to view outdoor exhibitions throughout the Hudson Valley, providing them with an enjoyable time where they won’t be disappointed. “We continue to showcase Westchester County as a stage for big events that help drive tourism to the region, which
translates into a positive economic impact,” she said. “It just gives people another reason to ‘meet me in Westchester.’” LIGHTSCAPES will open on Friday, April 29 and will run Thursday through Sunday until Memorial Day, May 30. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. For more information, visit hudsonvalley.org/ events/lightscapes/faqs. CoNTaCT: suzy@hometwn.com
LIGHTSCAPES includes sculptural art made from repurposed recycled materials by local Hudson Valley-based artists, as well as music and special effects.
April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 7
8 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
Trotta’s sells second winning lotto ticket in 2 months Purchase campus incident and the annual Blue Mass By CorEy sToCKToN Staff Writer If you recently bought a lottery ticket at Trotta’s Pharmacy on Halstead Avenue, doublecheck it. It may be worth more than $30,000. The state recently informed Trotta’s that one of its New York Lotto tickets was a runner-up winner, but that nobody claimed the $30,470 prize. The ticket was one of four second-place winners from the drawing on Wednesday, April 13, matching five of the six drawn numbers, plus the bonus. Nobody hit the $19.3 million jackpot. The second-place prize is 7.25 percent of the jackpot divided by the number of winners. The winning numbers were 12, 23, 25, 29, 42, 46 and the bonus number was nine. The top prize is now $20.1 million, as of press time.
HARRISON HAPPENINGS Mayor Ron Belmont
Trotta’s Pharmacy in Harrison, where two winning lottery tickets have been sold this year. File Photo
winner this month. Dan Molino, owner of Trotta’s, as well as several other Westchester pharmacies, said the winning ticket sales create a buzz for lottery customers. Molino joked, “We’d love to do one a month. We’ve spoken to the people at Lotto and we’re
We’d love to do one a month. “ We’ve spoken to the people at Lotto and we’re trying to coordinate that.” – owNEr daN MoLINo, on a second winning lottery ticket
Winning lottery tickets are becoming a regularity at Trotta’s. This past Valentine’s Day, Joyce Derenzis, of Harrison, won $1 million on a Wheel of Fortune scratch off she purchased there. Anna Liguori, manager of Trotta’s, said she has seen an upswing in the store’s ticket sales since it was announced that they produced another
trying to coordinate that.” The pharmacy emphasizes lottery sales with two machines at the cash-out counter, an automated lotto machine near the entrance and a lotto bar in the corner. The lotto bar is a small counter decorated with lottery banners and winners certificates where customers take their tickets to pick their numbers.
Liguori said the lottery bar keeps customers from filling out tickets or rubbing scratchoffs at the cashier’s counter. “It’s a way for people to enjoy it with no intimidation and have some escape,” she said. Molino added, “You come in, scratch your ticket, put your feet up, have some candy and move on.” Not all of Molino’s pharmacies have lotto bars, but he said he will be building one for his new pharmacy in nearby Larchmont. Although Trotta’s employees had an opportunity to meet Derenzis when she redeemed her million-dollar ticket, they may be left out of the process with their most recent winner. The ticket holder can claim their prize at any NY lottery customer service center. They can also accept the winnings from Empire City Casino in Yonkers. Liguori said, “We may not even ever know who it is.” CoNTaCT: corey@hometwn.com
As many of you are aware, the Harrison Police Department and state law enforcement officials responded to a call last Sunday at SUNY Purchase involving a report of a man with a gun on campus. New York state police have arrested a 24-year-old New Rochelle man in connection with this incident. The greater Harrison community remained informed via My Community Alert, which sends texts and emails to subscribers when our Police Department activates the notification system. I encourage all residents to sign up for these alerts at mcalert.net. Once again, the Harrison Council for the Arts, along with the Harrison Recreation Center, has expanded the celebration of the arts to include the Art of the Young Child. This year marks the 11th year of the Town Hall exhibit and includes works created by the children at the Harrison Children’s Center. I am very impressed with the demonstration of talent by our youngest artists. The colorful pieces are from several mediums and are a welcomed addition to our municipal building. The exhibit roadways from page 1
Town Councilman Steve Malfitano, a Republican, said that the council will refer to the consultant’s report and allocate funds accordingly, but he has some ideas of where to start. “If you were to ask to me which roads are in the worst shape, I’d say Halstead Avenue, Union Avenue and State Route 127 are priorities,” Malfitano said. “Poly Park Road is getting there, as well.” However, he added that when choosing which roads to rehabilitate, some factors other than damage severity will be taken into consideration. An example he gave was the section of Halstead Avenue between Oakland Avenue and state Route 127, which is near the MetroNorth train station and an area about to undergo significant development. “It doesn’t make sense to repave a road and then rip it up
will remain in Town Hall until the beginning of May and, on your next visit to Town Hall, I encourage you to take a moment and enjoy this year’s wonderful display. The entire Harrison community is invited to the annual Blue Mass, which will be held on Saturday, April 23 at 5 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in West Harrison. The Mass offers an opportunity for the law enforcement community, and for all of us, to honor and pray for fallen officers and their families. This year, our men and women in the military, as well as all of our veterans, will be added to the group of honorees. Recently, my office was contacted by the Westchester County health commissioner regarding the application of mosquito larvcide to local catch basins. This course of action is aimed at minimizing conditions that are favorable to mosquito breeding and the spread of mosquitoborne diseases. The county has asked residents to refrain from obstructing the basins, as any material left in the basin can provide a host for mosquito larvae. The county will begin its catch basin treatment in mid-May. Should you have any questions or concerns, please call Westchester County at 864-7366. Last Friday, I had the pleasure
of attending the Little League Opening Ceremony and Parade and it was an honor to be part of the group throwing out the first pitch of the season. More than 1,000 onlookers were in attendance as Little League teams and their coaches paraded through our town. The Harrison High School Marching Band was on hand to entertain the crowd. After the parade, a celebration of the day’s events concluded with a barbecue. Once again, it was great to be part of this wonderful annual kickoff event. In closing, I would like to bring your attention to a very important annual event. At 10 a.m. on April 23 in Veterans Park, our entire community is invited to bring their unwanted American flags and to witness this year’s Flag Burning Ceremony. According to federal law, there are specific procedures and guidelines in reference to proper flag disposal. Attendees will salute the flag, say the Pledge of Allegiance and observe a brief moment of silence. The next Lunch with the Mayor is on Friday, April 22 and I will be at Trattoria 632, located on Anderson Hill Road in Purchase. 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.
At a glance DPW commissioner has requested $2.5 million for road repairs over the next 5 years According to pavement consultant, there is a backlog of more than $20 million worth of road repaving needed throughout town 90 miles of local roadways need attention 34 miles need “base rehabilitation/structural improvement” New York state has put aside $27 billion in funds for road and bridge repair
again,” Malfitano said. Robinson said that despite the need for funding to undertake these roadway improvements, he understands the pressure on the town to curb spending and stay under the tax cap.
“I don’t envy [the town board’s] position,” Robinson said. “A kid at Christmas doesn’t get to have every toy he asks for.” CoNTaCT: angela@hometwn.com
April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 9 VIoLENCE from page 1
about approving this request yet, he is receptive to the chief’s concerns and said that Marraccini is “privy to investigations in Westchester that we’re not privy to.” He also said that just like any other request for funds, the board will have to weigh the cost of the equipment against the potential need for it. “It’s hard to make a judgment about this when there is a high probability that nothing will happen, but you always have to be concerned about public safety, so these are things we all have to mull through in our mind [when making this decision],” Malfitano said. CoNTaCT: angela@hometwn.com
Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini has requested funds from the Town Council for sniper rifles, in case there was ever an active shooter situation in Harrison. File photo
2 HHS science research students place at WESEF
Two science research students at Harrison High School—Emma Abramson, second from left, and Tasha Garayo, third from left—recently placed at the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair and will be presenting their work at the annual HHS Science Symposium later this month. Photo courtesy Harrison school district
Harrison High School juniors Tasha Garayo and Emma Abramson recently had an outstanding performance at the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair, WESEF. WESEF is a regional science research competition for Westchester and Putnam counties. Both students were able to use the Large Format Printer, donated by the Harrison Educational Foundation, to compile their projection information and construct their display boards in the most professional manner. Garayo won the Greg Horrace Award for Medicine given to an outstanding project by
a minority and she received a small financial scholarship. Abramson placed fourth in the category of Medicine and Health. Harrison High School was also awarded a microscope from Carl Zeiss manufacturers. “It is important to note that these students are only juniors who will be continuing with the program over the summer and next year,” said Joan O’Keeffe, director of science and technology for the Harrison Central School District. “As they begin to work with mentors in the field, both of these young ladies can take
their work to the next level.” O’Keeffe was also excited to share that there were nearly 30 sophomores in the HHS Science Research program who plan to advance to the second year of the course under the guidance of HHS teachers Allison Blunt and Randy Gunnell. She is confident that there will be even more HHS Science students at WESEF next year. Garayo and Abramson, along with the other science research students, will be presenting their work at the annual HHS Science Symposium on Monday, April 25 at Harrison High School. (Submitted)
10 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
Harrison Home Sales Listings provided by the office of Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni Photos courtesy Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Hotpads.com, Spotproperty.com, Randrealty.com, Redfin.com & Maps.google.com
4340 Purchase Street $2,900,000 Sale Date: 12/4/16
535 Polly Park Road $2,750,000 Sale Date: 2/25/16
1 Katsura Drive $2,200,000 Sale Date: 2/29/16
12 Lakeside Drive $1,750,000 Sale Date: 3/16/16
20 Mount Holly Drive $1,750,000 Sale Date: 3/16/16
131 Duxbury Road $1,306,000 Sale Date: 3/14/16
82 South Road $1,250,000 Sale Date: 2/8/16
44 Kennilworth Road $1,415,000 Sale date: 12/29/15
609 Purchase Street $1,035,000 Sale Date: 3/18/16
83 Highfield Road $935,012 Sale Date: 3/1/16
10 Puritan Woods Road $1,500,000 Sale date: 1/11/16
12 Golden Pond Road $1,750,000 Sale date: 1/20/16
27 Rigene Road $1,396,700 Sale date: 1/22/16
49 Avondale Road $710,000 Sale date: 1/19/16
14 Pinehurst Drive $665,000 Sale date: 12/30/15
59 Harrison Street $512,500 Sale date: 12/30/15
11 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
Business Briefs Weichert family launches new property management brand The Weichert Family of Companies recently announced the launch of its wholly owned property management company, Aureus Property Management. Aureus builds upon Weichert’s more than 30 years of experience and proficiency providing inhouse property management services by consolidating its property management businesses into this new entity poised to become the industry leader in personalized property management solutions. The new company’s name, Aureus, comes from the name of the gold coins that served as the primary monetary unit in ancient Rome. This reflects Aureus’s mission to deliver a level of service and trust that constitutes the gold standard in property management. The company offers a broad range of property management services for property owners, relocating employees and renters, including tenant screening, marketing, property maintenance and rent collection. Mike Williams, who has more than 15 years of experience in managing commercial and residential properties for corporations and retail customers, will serve as president of Aureus. Most recently, he served as president of Penn Property Management and previously was vice president of property management for the Long & Foster Companies. In his new role, Williams will oversee all corporate functions and service teams and hold ultimate responsibility for the company’s strategic growth and the execution of the Aureus value proposition. He will report directly to Brian Schuckalo, president of Weichert Enterprise Solutions. “In the property management industry, the most important competitive differentiators are service quality and trust,” Williams said. “Property owners must feel confident that their homes and other assets are in good hands. Rental agents must feel confident in recommending our services, knowing that their clients’ service expectations will be exceeded.” Williams added, “Our new brand identity is rooted in service and trust, promising a customer service experience that cannot be found with any of our competitors and, in fact, represents our industry’s gold standard. I look forward to working with my colleagues to deliver on this promise.” Leveraging Weichert’s legendary service culture, Aureus colleagues will receive the same intensive customer engagement training that helped make Weichert a customer service leader among real estate service providers. Since 1969, the Weichert Family of Companies has grown from a single office into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services by putting its customers first. A family of full-service real estate and financial services companies, Weichert helps customers buy and sell both residential and commercial real estate, and streamlines the delivery of mortgages and home and title insurance. Weichert leverages its customer website, weichert.com, one of the most visited real estate websites in the nation, to help families and individuals realize the dream of homeownership through quick and easy access to listing information and the services of its real estate professionals nationwide. For more information, Weichert’s customer service center can be reached at 1-800-USA-SOLD. Weichert franchised offices are independently owned and operated.
BCW EXPO attracts more than 1,500 visitors
be affected. It also acts as an information resource for the business community and government leaders at all levels.
Houlihan Lawrence launches Chinese web experience
More than 1,500 people got a close look at the products and services provided by some of the area’s elite vendors and merchants during The Business Council of Westchester’s annual EXPO, held on Thursay, March 17 at the Hilton Westchester. The EXPO, in its 14th year, featured more than 180 exhibitors, “experience stations” and “Ask the Expert” booths. Exhibit spaces were buzzing with business leaders and decision makers, cementing the EXPO’s status as the most influential businessto-business trade show in the Hudson Valley. Visitors mingled with representatives of leading brands in education, health care, hospitality, insurance, real estate, banking, nonprofits, law, marketing and more. Many carried premium items ranging from stress balls and pens to lint brushes and towels. And when they weren’t milling about the booths, attendees could be seen sampling pulled pork, Italian ices and other delicacies from the ample food stations. “This year’s EXPO was one of the best ever. It’s a terrific way to promote business growth and entrepreneurial opportunities. The EXPO provides a vibrant arena for connecting with potential clients and business partners to forge long-lasting, profitable relationships,” said President and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester Marsha Gordon. “I want to thank this year’s sponsors for their tremendous support, and I want to thank our EXPO Committee for a job well done.” Keynote speaker Lorraine Santoli, the former director of corporate synergy for The Walt Disney Company, kicked off this year’s EXPO with a passionate address about the importance of collaboration among teams within an organization. She told the audience she understands the negative connotation tied to synergy in the workplace, but she also knows that developing synergy among teams can be a springboard to tremendous success. “Done well, synergy works,” said Santoli, who offered anecdotes detailing wildly successful marketing campaigns she developed around Disney favorites Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. “You will create marketing magic, because it’s all about teamwork. Synergy support must start at the top and work on all levels. And it should be fun, because something that is fun is a better motivator.” The county’s largest and most influential business membership organization, The Business Council of Westchester is committed to helping businesses market, learn, advocate and grow. In addition, The Business Council of Westchester is actively involved in reviewing federal, state and county legislation and regulations in order to assess the potential impact on the business community and to influence the outcomes through advocacy when the business community’s interests may
In response to increasing local interest by Chinese homebuyers and investors, Houlihan Lawrence, the leading residential brokerage in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Fairfield counties, has launched a traditional Chinese-language version of its website. The site offers a seamless browsing experience for Chinese viewers by pairing a curated selection of properties with deep links to its premier listings translated on LuxuryPortfolio.com. “We are proud to extend our capabilities to meet the needs of this premium market,” said Chris Meyers, managing principal of Houlihan Lawrence. “It is important for us to evolve our tools for international home buyers in order for all clients to have an easy, accessible experience.” This new feature is a result of Houlihan Lawrence’s growing demand from Chinese users. Traffic from China to HoulihanLawrence.com more than doubled in 2015 as compared to 2014, and inbound web leads from Chinese buyers have increased significantly since last year. Houlihan Lawrence has been steadily attracting Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking agents to the company, with a dozen native speakers dispersed among its offices. The agents have been reporting a growing demand from Asian investors for better digital home buying tools and a desire to correspond primarily through popular messaging platform WeChat. Vice President of Global Business Development Elizabeth Nunan explains, “By featuring our luxury properties in traditional Chinese, Houlihan Lawrence and our sellers will benefit from an increased global presence among this ever-important audience as Chinese are now the biggest foreign buyers of U.S. housing.” According to a survey by the National Association of Realtors, within the year since March 2014, Chinese investors spent $22 billion on real estate in the United States, or nearly one quarter of all international sales. Roughly 51 percent of the deals were in New York. In 2015, they poured $28.6 billion into properties in the U.S. The northern New York City suburbs are considered a prime opportunity among Chinese buyers. “Trophy” homes in close proximity to the city make for an attractive investment in times of China’s economic uncertainty and dwindling living space. Top-tier schools, better health care and refreshing green space only amplify the draw. For more information, visit houlihanlawrence. com/chinese. Built upon 125 years of family tradition, Houlihan Lawrence, the leading brokerage in New York City’s northern suburbs, is committed to exceeding
expectations in every aspect of the real estate process. The firm today serves more than 90 communities with 30 offices and more than 1,200 agents, leveraging global partners on six continents and in 56 countries. The company ranks 13th of all brokerages nationally and achieved a total sales volume of $5.4 billion in 2015. For more information visit houlihanlawrence.com.
New dermatologist joins Scarsdale Medical Group Scarsdale Medical Group, a multispecialty practice serving Westchester and Fairfield counties and the surrounding Hudson Valley area, is pleased to announce the appointment of dermatologist Dr. Smeeta Sinha. Sinha began seeing patients on Friday, April 1 in the Harrison office, located at 550 Mamaroneck Ave. Sinha practices cosmetic as well as general adult and pediatric dermatology. Sinha obtained her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, graduating with highest honors. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, NJMS, where she was elected president of the NJMS chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, the National Honor Medical Society. Sinha completed her internal medicine training at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a residency in dermatology at NJMS, where she was selected to serve as chief resident. She then completed a cosmetic dermatology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. Prior to joining Scarsdale Medical Group, Sinha was a staff dermatologist for a private practice in New Jersey. “We are happy to welcome Sinha to Scarsdale Medical Group,” says managing partner Dr. Kenneth Croen. “We are excited to further contribute to the advancement of medical and cosmetic dermatology and provide high quality dermatological care which the community has learned to expect from us.” Sinha joins dermatologists Drs. Alison LindsayBeltzer, Jeffrey Goldstein, Jennifer Goldwasser and Dorian Gravenese. To make an appointment call 723-8100. To learn more about Scarsdale Medical Group, visit scarsdalemedical.com or call 723-8100. The next Business Briefs section will run in May. Please send any submission for our May 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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April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 13
Did 4 young women go to prison for being gay? This will sound strange but it only gets stranger: A man in the Yukon who lives in a hut and has a team of 30 mush dogs got interested in the topic of female sex offenders. Go figure. The man, Darrell Otto, may tread the frozen tundra, but like everyone else, he’s got Internet access, and somehow he stumbled upon an odd case: Four Texas lesbians were convicted, when they were in their very early 20s, of raping two young girls in a tequila-soaked orgy. By the time Otto was reading about them, the women had been in prison four or five years, but they had at least another decade to go. One of them, in fact, had 30 years to go. That’s a long sentence. The more he read about the case, the more Otto wanted someone to dig deeper. At last he found the National Center for Reason and Justice, NCRJ, a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying false allegations of harm to children, which agreed to investigate. Here’s what they found. The girls, who were 7 and 9 years old, had been staying with their aunt, 20-year-old Elizabeth Ramirez, for a week. Two months later, they told their grandmother they’d been raped by Ramirez and her friends. The facts of the story were confounding at best. First of all, the girls said all four of the women raped them, even though two of the women’s work schedules would have made that almost impossible. Then, their details differed widely on retellings: Sometimes the girls said they
than is on the board of the NCRJ, the group that took on this case. Back then, she says, many people assumed that anyone gay was also a child predator. Nathan urged one of her protégés, Deborah Esquenazi, to keep digging, even as she convinced the Texas Innocence Project to do the same. As a gay woman herself, just coming out, Esquenazi went to meet the women in prison and was shocked to find, “They were no longer angry. They just wanted to tell their story.” So she brought along a video camera, and bore witness over the next few years to an extraordinary turn of events. First, the doctor who insisted the physical evidence “proved” rape admitted that she was wrong. It turns out that hymen lines are a normal variation. Second, a new Texas bill that allows people to appeal if their convictions were based on “junk science” brought the case back to court. And finally: one of the victims, now 20-something, recanted her testimony. She said she’d felt guilty for two decades. Then, after more than a decade in prison, the women were released, but not exonerated. They’re in legal limbo, working factory jobs as they await what happens next. Which is the red carpet. Esquenazi’s documentary, “Southwest of Salem,” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 15. The San Antonio Four were there, their first time in New York. It should all be pretty sweet. But not as sweet as justice.
By hILLary VoLpEr During the latter part of the 20th century, newer therapies such as Dialetical Behavioral Therapy, DBT, along with mindfulness meditation, have promoted the use of the breath to manage stress. Thicht Nhat Hanh, former Pulitzer Prize nominee and meditation teacher, writes, “Regardless of our internal weather—our thoughts, emotions and perceptions—our breath is always with us like a faithful friend. Whenever we feel carried away, sunk in emotion, or caught in thoughts about the past or the future, we can return to our breathing to collect and anchor our mind.” Last year, a new client and I worked on a behavioral model to control his angry outbursts at staff meetings. I chose to teach him how to pause and breathe slowly during meetings when he felt triggered. Called to HR twice, my client had been warned to change his attitude. His searing remarks in office meetings, caused by frustration with administration, were seen as criticisms and challenges to his boss’ authority. Frightened of losing his job, he was open to experimenting with new ways of managing his anger when he began therapy. Together we analyzed each challenging office incident and formulated newer responses that were less combative and more conciliatory. During our sessions he shared his difficulty with decoding people’s body language and social cues, and I in turn assured him that social skills were teachable. I compared learning new so-
cial skills to learning a new golf swing. Needing to improve a golf game, a person typically hires a pro for lessons. Often a teacher suggests a new golf swing to improve a game. At first, there is resistance to the new swing, and a student finds it awkward and uncomfortable. But with practice and determination, the new swing ultimately becomes natural, and the person’s game improves. This explanation left my client hopeful and ready to work on his problem. At this point, I suggested using his breath before responding in staff meetings. He needed to pause as the urge to respond erupted, and then follow with a deep breath. Pausing and breathing enabled him to determine whether his comments would be seen as helpful or inappropriate. Sometimes one breath is not enough to stave off a reactive response, and so I suggested taking more breaths to slow his reactions. Our nervous system reacts to danger either by wanting us to fight or flee challenging situations. Research shows that breathing slowly lowers our blood pressure and calms our responses. In my client’s case, he wanted to “fight” both his boss and the administration. Pausing and breathing deeply would help him learn to not react but respond with objectivity. In the initial stages of working with his breath, my client complained that breathing in meetings with his boss and colleagues felt as if he had placed a muzzle over his mouth. He practiced pausing and breathing, and found it becoming easier to not respond in meetings. During the next few
months, he became skilled at not reacting and his boss once more sought out his opinions on department matters. HR dropped their complaints and he felt ready to leave therapy, having learned to master his responses by pausing and breathing. We can all benefit from working with our breath to ease our stress. Here are five tips to working with your breath: • When triggered by an event, note your bodily discomfort. • Pause, take a deep breath and, if necessary, take another. • Continue to breathe as a means of slowing your reactions. • Notice that it may take a few minutes to calm your emotions. If you find the event losing its importance, then you have achieved your goal. You are now ready to respond rather than react to the incident. • And lastly, remind yourself that “conscious” breathing is healthy, and an easy way to de-stress. Over the years, I have helped a number of clients learn to pause and breathe slowly to control their emotional reactivity. Other clients have found breathing helpful in managing repetitive negative thoughts. One mother reports her daughter now tells friends to take deep breaths when they are upset. Quick and assessable, it is a helpful technique for all of us to develop and use. Hillary Volper, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice in Westchester and New York City. To contact Hillary you can email her at HGVolper@aol.com or go to her website HillaryVolper.com
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were together during the attacks, other times, apart. Sometimes they said they were threatened with a knife, other times, a gun. But most damningly of all: the same girls had told a strikingly similar story two years earlier. That time, it was about their mom. This was when their dad, Javier Limon, was engaged in a bitter custody battle with her. Limon figured large in this case too. He had been in love with Ramirez and outraged when she turned him down. He vowed vengeance on her and her family. Slate reports that Ramirez received love letters from Limon. She was not allowed to enter them in her defense. Instead, the trial was about four gay women, in a conservative Texas town, right on the heels of the “Satanic Panic,” a period of time when Americans across the country became convinced that day care workers were dismembering babies, drinking blood and ritually raping preschoolers. It sounds outrageous now, but people went to prison, sometimes for decades, for ostensibly making their toddler students dig up bodies in the graveyard, or flying them down to Mexico to be raped by the army—and back by circle time. (Look up the case of Frances and Dan Keller.) In the end, the fate of the San Antonio Four was sealed when a doctor testified that the lines she saw on one of the girl’s hymens were irrefutable proof of rape. The women entered prison reviled as child molesters—and lesbians. “Many of these cases were fueled by homophobia,” says Debbie Nathan, the Brooklyn-based author of “Satan’s Silence: Ritual Abuse and the Making of a Modern American Witch Hunt.” Na-
Managing stress by using your breath
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14 • ThE The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
SPORTS
Dressed for success? lIVE MIKE Mike Smith
I hate to say it, but I think the Rangers are in trouble. After a listless Game 2 loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, April 19, I don’t hold out a lot of hope for the Blueshirts this year. But it’s not the Penguins’ penalty kill that has me in knots, and it’s not the neutral-zone turnovers or the Rangers’ defensive lapses that keep me up at night. It’s the fact that maybe my lucky Jeff Beukeboom sweater just isn’t so lucky anymore. I like to think that I’m a pretty rational guy. More often than not, I am able to look at a situation objectively and use reason, facts and observations to make decisions in both my personal and professional life. When it comes to cheering on my favorite teams, however, you can throw all of that right out the window.
I’ve had a few “lucky” jerseys over the years that run the gamut of my sports fandom. From the Beukeboom duds— a holdover from the Rangers’ last title in 1994—to my Jeremy Shockey replica away jersey that I’m convinced was the difference-maker for the Giants during their 2007 Super Bowl run, I hold fast to the belief that my sartorial choices have a direct impact on the professional teams I root for. None of my articles of clothing has been luckier or more effective than my old college batting practice jersey that I began wearing in 2004, when the Red Sox erased a 3-0 ALCS deficit and won eight straight games to capture their first World Series title since 1918. But I honestly feel like Boston’s success over the last 12 years (three World Series titles!) has been intricately tied to both the roster the Sox’s front office has put together, as well as my strategic decision to break out my Dickinson pullover
only in must-win games. Lately, however, the magic seems to have worn off on my Ranger threads. Luck is like gum, I’ve found; it eventually loses its flavor, and maybe I used up all of that luck in the Rangers’ rally against Pittsburgh in the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals. So what do I do now? Is it time to retire the Beukeboom jersey? Look, I know it’s stupid. I know that the jersey I wear while the Rangers play has about as much bearing on the outcome of this playoff series as the countless other traditions other fans have been keeping to help their team win since the beginning of time. I might as well just sit at home, wearing sweatpants and cheering the Rangers on silently from the couch. But really, wear is the fun in that?
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Sports Editor Mike Smith is worried that his Jeff Beukeboom jersey might be out of luck. But really, what are his other options? Photo/Mike Smith
To CoVER loCal spoRTs, you nEEd a
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April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 15
Huskies downed by Bobcats BASEBALL
BYRAM HILLS HARRISON HARRISON HS
league
3 0 4/15/16
Game Notes: • Byram Hills pitcher Greg Giuliani scattered four hits and held Harrison scoreless • The Huskies dropped two games to the defending state champs last week • Harrison’s record is now 3-3 on the season By MIKE sMITh Sports Editor On Wednesday, April 13, the undefeated Harrison baseball team opened a two-game set against the defending state champions from Byram Hills. Although the Huskies dropped both games to the Bobcats, head coach Marco DiRuocco is confident that his team will bounce back and put together a strong second half of the season. During the first meeting between the two clubs, Byram won a battle of the aces as senior Frankie Vesuvio edged Dean McCarthy and the Huskies for a 2-1 victory. Two days later, the teams locked up in another defensive struggle as Byram’s Greg Giuliani tossed a four-hit shutout to lead the Bobcats to a 3-0 win. Both McCarthy, who allowed
just four hits through six innings of work on Wednesday, and Steven Pesce, who started Friday’s game, threw well, but DiRuocco said the two losses showed that Harrison needs to pay a bit more attention to detail. During both games, Harrison had trouble capitalizing on opportunities with runners in scoring position. After three straight wins to open the season, he said, the series against Byram Hills was a bit of a wakeup call. “Steven and Dean did a great job and kept us in both games,” DiRuocco said. “But if you look at the timely hitting, situations where we needed to execute, we just didn’t come through.” Coming into the season, DiRuocco said that the Huskies were geared up for a showdown with Byram Hills, both because of the Bobcats’ success in 2015 and because the two squads are hoping to vie for a league title this spring. “Whenever we have league games, the kids want to play hard and be extra attentive,” the head coach said. “But they were two very close games, and that’s all you can really ask for.” Harrison hopes to get back on track this week, but dropped a 2-0 pitcher’s duel against Pleasantville on April 18 before starting a two-game series
against another league foe, Pelham, on Wednesday, April 20, after press time. “We’ve just got to get back to fundamentals and stay positive, and that’s the nice thing about baseball,” DiRuocco said. “There’s 15 more games here, so the message is to stay up and continue to play good baseball.” If the team’s April 16 practice was any indication, he added, the Huskies are up to the challenge. “We had a good practice on Saturday, the boys are loose but focused,” DiRuocco said. “The vibe is that they’re ready to get back to work.”
Frank Evangelista dives for a fly ball against Byram Hills. Photos/Mike Smith
CoNTaCT: sports@hometwn.com
Scotty Lobel fires to first on a double play attempt on April 15.
Christos Siapanedes fields a groundball at third base. Harrison dropped two games to Byram Hills last week.
Steven Pesce throws a pitch against Byram Hills on April 15. Pesce fared well against the Byram Hills lineup, but the Bobcats topped the Huskies 3-0.
16 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 17
18 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
Who has your back?
The dental profession has educated us well on the importance of dental hygiene. Regular brushing, flossing and checkups to prevent tooth decay is a message we hear from dentists and the toothpaste industry. But did you know that the
spine can decay as well? The spinal column, or your backbone, can develop sharp thornlike pieces called “spurs” and at the same time, the discs or the cartilage in between the vertebrae can shrink or deteriorate. In some cases, the spine can even
fuse together and you wouldn’t even know it. The spinal column contains the spinal cord and the nerves that regulate every process in the human body. Breathing, digestion, reproduction and the immune system are all controlled by messages that start in the brain and go through the spinal column. We know your teeth are important, but if you had to choose, the spine has much greater importance, and besides, you can replace all your teeth. You cannot, however, replace your spine. A doctor of chiropractic uses safe, gentle spinal “adjustments” to restore motion to the spine and prevent spinal degeneration. Most chiropractors use massage therapy, physiotherapies and other modalities to relax the muscles, which help to prepare the body to hold the adjustments. You probably brush, floss and see your dentist for your dental hygiene. The question is, who is doing your spinal hygiene? Visit a doctor of chiropractic today and allow them to do a thorough exam of your spine and nervous system. Dr. Richard Davidson is the director of Westchester Family Chiropractic at 550 Mamaroneck Ave in Harrison. Call 346-5200 for more information.
April 22, 2016 • ThE harrIsoN rEVIEw • 19
How to ease your dental anxiety Few people relish the idea of going to the dentist. Dentists prod and poke sensitive areas of the mouth, but their efforts are for the benefit of their patients. Fear of the dentist’s chair is not uncommon, and that anxiety prevents millions of people from seeking proper preventative dental care. The consequences of succumbing to those fears extend beyond pain or lost teeth. Diseases of the mouth have been linked to other ailments, including diabetes, stroke and heart disease. A fear of the dentist may stem from past unpleasant experiences, such as a dentist with a poor chair-side manner, while others may fear the lack of control they experience while in a dentist’s chair. According to Ellen Rodino, PhD, who has studied dental fear, lying down with a dentist hovering above you can be off-putting. Couple that with the discomfort many
people have when instruments that interfere with their ability to communicate are placed in their mouths, and fear of the dental chair does not seem so unreasonable. Easing fears at the dental office involves communication with the dentist and his or her staff, as well as finding a dentist with whom you feel comfortable. Working through your fears of the dentist is an important step toward getting the oral health care you need. Gagging According to the American Dental Association, authors of the study, “Gagging and Its Associations With Dental CareRelated Fear, Fear of Pain and Beliefs About Treatment” found patients who have a higher frequency of gagging problems during a dental visit are more likely to experience higher levels of dental care-related fear and fear of pain. They also
may have more negative beliefs about dental professionals and dental treatment. Patients should discuss their propensity for gagging with the dentist or hygienist in advance. Some dentists can recommend nose breathing and other relaxation techniques. Distractions, such as televisions in the examination room, also can help to relieve anxiety and the likelihood that you may gag while in the dentist’s chair. Dentist also may opt for smaller cleaning instruments or take other measures to reduce the liklihood of stimulating a gagging reflex. Sounds The sounds of cleaning tools and drills elicit fear in many people. But ignoring or avoiding such sounds can help men and women conquer their fears of the dentist’s chair. On your next dental visit, bring a pair of headphones and some favorite
music to listen to while you’re in the chair. Pain Some dentists cause unnecessary fear in patients because they assume every person in the chair has the same pain threshold. One person may be able to tolerate a tooth extraction without numbing, while another may need pain relief for a routine cleaning. Fearful patients should make their needs and fears known. Speak to your dentist about what can be done to deal with the pain. Discuss the procedure and find out if novocaine or another pain reliever can be used.
Although use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, has diminished in dental practices, a dentist may offer medication to relieve anxiety or even sedate patients who are especially nervous. Pain may be more tolerable if you ask the dentist to take frequent breaks or use a numbing agent on your gums. Dentists may prescribe a sensitivityrelieving toothpaste prior to certain dental procedures if your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold. Rushing Patients can help themselves relieve anxiety by choosing appointment times that are convenient and at times when they’re less likely to be rushed. An early-morning appointment or a weekend appointment may have patients in and out faster, which cuts down on anxiety-inducing wait time. Choice of provider Your choice of dentist may come down to who is in your health insurance network. Those with more flexible insurance plans may have more freedom when choosing a dentist. In either case, people should interview dentists and get recom-
mendations from others to find a provider that will keep comfort and care in mind. Especially fearful individuals may need to use a dentist who specializes in sedation dentistry to make their visits more tolerable. Avoiding the dentist because of perceived pain or other fears is unnecessary. Advancements in today’s dentistry coupled with open communication can alleviate situations that cause anxiety.
20 • The hARRISON RevIew • April 22, 2016
Natural ways to relieve chronic pain
Chronic pain can be debilitating and interfere with daily life in various ways. Over-thecounter, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are some of the most widely used medications in the United States, but when such medications prove ineffective, prescription pain relievers, which can be addictive, are often a pain sufferer’s next choice. Consumer Reports indicates that roughly 45 people per day in America die from overdoses of opioid-containing pain medications, which include methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Prescriptions for these drugs have climbed 300 percent in the last 10 years. Although opioids can be safe when used properly to treat short-term pain, too often their usage leads to misuse and dependence, especially when they are used to treat chronic pain. For long-term pain from arthritis, research suggests that nonopioid medications and even nondrug treatments often provide relief with less risk of addiction and overdose than opioids. Reducing pain using alternative methods with less risk can involve rethinking trips to the medicine cabinet. Doctors and naturalists may advocate for
natural pain relievers as a first step to managing pain. Massage There’s more to massage than working out the kinks of tight muscles. Massage may help boost the body’s levels of endorphins and serotonin, both of which are natural painkillers and mood regulators. The Mayo Clinic’s Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program has conducted a number of studies on massage as treatment for pain following surgery, ultimately finding that massage significantly relieves pain and reduces anxiety. Dietary changes Pain is often linked to inflammation in the body. When eating, choose foods that won’t worsen existing inflammation. Eating less sugar, dairy, and gluten products, which can contribute to inflammation, can help a person feel better. Increase consumption of foods that reduce inflammation, such as raw vegetables. Hot and cold therapy Cold compresses can reduce inflammation quickly and also serve as a local anesthetic. Heat therapy can ease aches and pains and make muscles more flexible. Try applying a hot compress prior to stretching to
make limbs more limber. Take the sun A Boston University study that examined 221 men and women with knee osteoarthritis found that those who spent 15 to 20 minutes in the sun increased their body’s production of vitamin D and experienced less pain as a result. When the sun is scarce, it’s adviseable to get between 400 and 800 IUs of vitamin D daily through supplements and foods. Brisk walking Fast walking is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise that utilizes most of the body. Walking encourages blood circulation, removes toxins, burns calories, and stabilizes blood fats and sugars. Plus endorphins released from exercise can help a person feel good. A great thing about walking is just about anyone can do it. Mind-body exercises Exercises that combine focus with stretching can alleviate physical pain and improve mental clarity. Look for yoga, pilates and meditation classes and give them a try. Chronic pain may be relieved with the use of natural remedies, which help pain sufferers reduce their reliance on over-the-counter or prescription medications.
Cancer screenings men should consider Cancer screenings play an important role in cancer prevention. Screenings may not prevent people from getting cancer, but they can detect the presence of cancer before a person begins to experience any signs or symptoms. Screenings also can help doctors catch cancer before it metastasizes, or spreads, to areas of the body outside the area where it originated. Many women get routine mammograms to detect for breast cancer, but women are not the only ones who should include cancer screenings in their healthcare routines. Men also can benefit from screenings, discussing the pros and cons of each with their physicians during routine health examinations. • Colon cancer: Men should begin getting screened for colon cancer at age 50, though those with family histories of colon cancer or other colon issues should begin even earlier, as family history increases a man’s risk of developing colon cancer. Colon cancer screenings may discover a type of growth known as a polyp, which is typically benign and can be removed before it develops into cancer. The American Cancer Society notes that men have various options to choose from with regard to screening for colon cancer. Such options include a colonoscopy, a stool DNA test and a camera pill. Speak to your physician about these options and discuss your
family history, which will influence how frequently you need to be screened for colon cancer. • Lung cancer: Screening for lung cancer is most important for men who currently or recently smoked. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for men between the ages of 55 and 80 who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Screening should be discontinued once a man has not smoked for 15 years or
has developed a health problem that substantially limits a man’s life expectancy or his ability or willingness to undergo curative lung surgery. (Note: Pack-year history is calculated by multiplying the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked.) The ACS notes that the risks associated with lung cancer screenings typically outweigh the benefits for men who have never smoked or quit long ago. • Prostate cancer: The National Cancer Institute notes that prostate cancer is the most common nonskin cancer among men in the United States. Being 50 years of age, black and/or having a brother, son or father who had prostate cancer increase a man’s risk of developing the disease. The NCI notes that screening tests for prostate cancer, which include a digital rectal exam and a prostate-specific antigen test, come with risks, and men should discuss these risks and the potential benefits of prostate cancer screenings before deciding to be screened. Cancer screenings can detect cancer in its earliest stages, and as men get older, they should discuss their screening options with their physicians.