Harrison REVIEW THE
May 20, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 21 | www.harrisonreview.com
Harrison considers law to regulate pet sales by COReY StOCKtON Staff Writer
LOOKSÊ GOOD The town/village of Harrison held its Taste of Harrison event on Sunday, May 15 to benefit the local library. Visitors were welcome to food and beverages from area vendors. For more, see page 9. Photo/Bobby Begun
$110M school budget passes districtwide vote by SIbYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant The Harrison Central School District’s proposed 2016–2017 budget totaling $110 million passed the test on Tuesday, May 17. According to unofficial results, 1,264 votes—77 percent—supported the budget, with 372 votes opposing it. The results are expected to be certified on Wednesday, May 18 at the Board of Education meeting, after press time. Robert Salierno, the district’s assistant superintendent of business, told the Review that the process of getting the budget passed was helped by various factors, including a reduction in the teacher retirement system
rate and a teacher retirement incentive that saves the district money; getting $420,000 of the Gap Elimination Act funds— which has helped New York state fill its revenue shortfall—restored; and the ability to increase the tax levy to 0.90 percent due to Harrison’s property tax cap increasing. Salierno added that the voter turnout appeared to be “lighter than in past years,” with a total of 1,636 votes cast this year. Program highlights of the 2016–2017 school budget include maintaining class sizes districtwide, adding security personnel to all schools during evenings, creating an extended year special education program in the summer, and adding two more fifth-grade teachers at the
Parsons and Harrison Avenue Elementary schools. Other areas of the budget will upgrade security on campuses and Wi-Fi access points, and provide funds for classroom renovations to meet increasing demand. Also on Tuesday, Board of Education incumbent Trustee Rachel Estroff was re-elected with 1,035 votes and Placido Dino Puccio was elected to his first term on the board with 983 votes in uncontested races. Puccio, 48, had been a member of the school board’s Citizens Budget Advisory Committee for a decade before running for trustee. The new trustee is happy to have been elected, but expressed his opinions on the relationship
between state school boards and officials in Albany. “Being a trustee to the Board of Education, yes, it’s an honor,” he said. “Looking forward, [however,] the boards don’t really have the power anymore; the power is with the governor.” Puccio decided to run for a seat “to hopefully move the pendulum in the other direction.” “We’re back to 200 years ago,” he said. “It was King George and Britain, and we got rid of him by having a revolution. Now you have King Andrew Cuomo who’s basically dictating 90 percent [of what school boards do].” Estroff, 44, has been a Board of Education member for budget continued on page 8
The Harrison town board is considering a law which would restrict how a pet dealer may acquire dogs and cats. The legislation was proposed by Councilwoman Marlene Amelio, a Republican. “It’s something I’ve been working very diligently on,” she said. “And I’ve been working hard on getting the mayor on board as well.” This proposal comes after a law passed in February in the village of Mamaroneck that made it illegal for pet vendors to sell commercially bred dogs and cats. As a result, dogs and cats sold in Mamaroneck must be acquired from animal rescue shelters or humane societies. Mamaroneck is the first municipality in the state to pass such a law, following a 2014 bill signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which allowed municipalities to place more stringent laws on pet stores. The city of New Rochelle has proposed and tabled a similar law that would result in up to $250 in daily fines and/or imprisonment for a pet dealer in violation. Amelio said Harrison’s law has not yet been fleshed out, and the town’s attorneys are still exploring the possibilities and legalities of the bill. This style of law has, in fact, become the target of some legal backlash. A similar law in New York City that requires pet stores to obtain their animals from Class A license breeders and to spay or neuter the animals before selling them led to a lawsuit last year from the New York Pet Welfare Association, which states its mission is “to ensure that pet owners in cities like New York continue to have access to
healthy, humanely treated purebred puppies.” Their website says businesses in the pet industry and those adopting pets have the right to purchase the pets of their choice. The law was upheld in November 2015, but the pet association has filed an appeal. Amelio said she expects the legislation in Harrison to be an item up for discussion at one of the two town board meeting agendas in June. When explaining the importance of the pending legislation, Amelio referenced Mahatma Gandhi, who said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Paula Krenkel, co-president of Pet Rescue, a humane society in Harrison, said any kind of law that can dissuade pet shops from buying from so-called puppy mills will promote the proper treatment of animals. “However anybody wants to [write the law], we’re in favor of it,” she said. However, while the law has the welfare of animals in mind, it may be hard on businesses. The law in Mamaroneck resulted in the closing of National Breeders, the only pet store in the village at the time the law was drafted. According to Krenkel, the unscrupulous and inhumane practices of puppy mills allow them to breed and sell a large quantity of animals. However, breeders who abide by the law cannot meet the high demand for pets. “A reputable breeder does not have the number of dogs that can support a pet store,” she said, adding that pet stores can support themselves with animals from shelters and humane societies. There are currently no licensed pet stores in Harrison. CONtACt: corey@hometwn.com
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Buchwald announces run for re-election by ANgeLA JORdAN Staff Writer Greeted warmly by an intimate gathering of friends, family, staff and other local elected officials, David Buchwald announced his candidacy for re-election to the state Assembly on the morning of May 9 in Turnure Park in White Plains. Buchwald, a White Plains Democrat, represents the 93rd District, which serves Harrison, White Plains, Mount Kisco, Bedford, Lewisboro, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem and Pound Ridge. He is currently running uncontested. Preceding his speech was an introduction by White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, a Democrat, who worked with Buchwald when the state assemblyman served on the White Plains Common Council for three years. Roach praised the assemblyman on his previous terms. “In Albany you must be persistent; you have to accept that not everything happens overnight,” he said, “and David pushes and pushes and pushes.” During his speech, Buchwald stressed the importance of communicating across party lines for the sake of bipartisan ethics reform in Albany. “I see far more often, what matters more is a different divide [than just Republicans and Democrats],” Buchwald said. “And that is the divide between those who want to truly accomplish things, and those who put positioning, rhetoric, and too often, personal power, above serving the public.
My goal has always been to actually produce results for the people I represent.” Buchwald has been actively seeking to pass an amendment to the New York state Constitution that would strip pensions from public officials who commit felonies in connection with their positions. Buchwald also highlighted that he has a 100 percent environmental voting record, and Geri Mariano, an Armonk resident and disability advocate, spoke on Buchwald’s behalf about his active concern about accessibility issues throughout his district. Mariano spoke at length about how she called Buchwald during his first term as an assemblyman when she was having a problem with Medicaid, and said that his office’s attentiveness to her issue was the start of a “great working relationship” between the activist and the elected official. “One of the best things that Assemblyman Buchwald did was he invited me into his office, and he listened to me,” she said. “I never felt rushed, and I never felt like my issues would go away when I left the office.” When asked what his top priorities were for this campaign, Buchwald, who was a tax attorney at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP prior to running for the state Assembly, stressed that relieving state tax burden was of high importance. “Improving the tax situation is always at the top of my list,” Buchwald said. “I continue to believe that we need to make New York an attractive state to do busi-
Seinfeld comes to Wainwright House
At a glance This would be Buchwald’s third term in the state Assembly, after first being elected in 2012 The 93rd district consists of Harrison, White Plains, Mount Kisco, Bedford, Lewisboro, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem and Pound Ridge His Harrison-specific priorities are passing a hotel occupancy tax, reducing property tax burden, repaving state roads in town, and supporting the school district ness and raise a family.” When asked what issues he would focus on to serve specifically the town/village of Harrison, Buchwald said that he would continue to push for the passage of a local hotel occupancy tax, attempt to relieve some of the property tax burden specific to Harrison, seek funding to repave the state roads within the town, and continue his support of the “great Harrison Central School District.” New York state Assembly members have a base salary of $79,500 per year and serve two-year terms. CONtACt: angela@hometwn.com
David Buchwald announced on May 9 in Turnure Park in White Plains that he is seeking re-election to a third term as the state Assemblyman for the 93rd District. Photo/Angela Jordan
William Guyre, right, president of the board of trustees, welcomes Jerry Seinfeld to Wainwright House. The actor filmed a segment of his hit online show “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” Seinfeld spent the day at Wainwright House filming in a 1959 vintage Triumph TR3. The program will air in June. Photo/Mary de Barros
SCHOOL NEWS?
ContaCt oUR EDUCatIon REpoRtER
sarah varney
sarah@hometwn.com
4 • the hARRISON RevIew • May 20, 2016
What’s going on... Harrison Public Library
Adult coloring
Health and wellness class
Adults ages 18 and older are welcome to come to a relaxing coloring program on Saturday, May 21 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the West Harrison branch. This drop-in program is perfect for those having a stressful week. Coloring sheets and colored pencils will be provided. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.
Renate Lanotte, psychotherapist and longtime meditator, will host a health and wellness class on Monday, May 23 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. During the class, she will be showing participants how meditation can grant them the peace they seek. Enjoy the spring by learning a simple technique leading to the deepest levels of peace and joy. This week’s class will be themed “Meditation Garden of Peace.” The class is free and open to the public. For more information or to register, call 835-0324.
Singalong with Chloe Visit harrisonpl.org for more information on events and programs at the Halperin building and the West Harrison branch.
Workshop: Bike and repair tips In celebration of National Bike Month, this workshop, appropriate for adults, teen and children older than 10 years, will be held on Saturday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. The workshop will include hands-on bike maintenance demonstrations and participants will receive some personal tips from Harrison’s own John Viscogliosi of Danny’s Cycles. Topics of discussion will include basic bike maintenance, cleaning fixing flat tires and making minor adjustments. Following the workshop, join the library for Harrison’s community 4- to 5-mile community bike ride through local Harrison and Rye neighborhoods. For more information or to register for this workshop, call 835-0324.
On Sundays from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Halperin building, and on Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the West Harrison branch. 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 child-sized instruments and props, and a wealth of both traditional and original songs to add to your singalong repertoire.
Drop-in computer help for seniors 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.
Summer reading kickoff walk Come join this year’s five-week adult summer reading program with a kickoff event on Wednesday, May 25 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the West Harrison branch. This year’s kickoff program is themed “Exercise Your Mind and Body.” Get a jump-start on earning 2000 step points toward your 500K goal by attending the kickoff walk. Earn additional points for checking out library items and attending library programs. Celebrate your accomplishment by attending the closing Smoothie party on June 29. Further details can be obtained at the reference desk. Registration for the program begins one week prior to the kickoff walk. For more information or to register for the kickoff walk, visit the Reference Desk. In the event of rain, the walk will be postponed to Wednesday, June 1 at 3 p.m.
Arts and crafts workshop Adults and children are welcome to join this jewelry-making program on Wednesday, May 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. The workshop will focus on making beaded earrings that will be donated to a women’s shelter. After participants make a pair of earrings to be donated, they are welcome to make a pair fort themselves. Participants are welcome to bring discarded or broken jewelry to add to the supply. This program is free and open to the public. For more information or to register for the program, call 835-0324.
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.
The Feeley Fund Make the Difference The E. J. Feeley Harrison High School Student Aid Fund awards monies to those graduates who are accepted in accredited colleges. The Feeley Fund is short of its goal to meet the financial needs of their eligible youth. The Feeley Fund, established in 1967, is a continuation of the Harrison High School Scholarship Fund begun in 1947. Since then, more than 1,000 students have received over $550,000 in financial aid. Checks made payable to the Feeley Fund
and sent to Feeley Fund, Harrison High School, 255 Union Ave., Harrison, NY 10528 will “Make the Difference.” For more information, call Lola Geiger at 939-7066.
Harrison Democratic Committee Call for councilmembers The Harrison Democratic Committee is now interviewing anyone interested in running for councilmember of the Harrison town board. For more information, email huskydems@gmail. com with your name and contact information and someone get in touch to set up an appointment.
Harrison Recreation For further information, call the Leo Mintzer Center at 949-5265 or the Sollazzo Center at 670-3179. You may also call the Harrison Recreation hotline at 670-3039. Most applications are available on harrison-ny.gov.
Summer day camp registration The are four day camps that offer numerous sports, arts and crafts, swimming, music and other weekly special events for your children. Children in grades one through eight as of September 2015 are eligible to apply. Camp starts Tuesday, July 5 and runs through Friday, August 12. Registration fees: $475, $250 for the second child, $175 for the third and subsequent children; check payable to Town/Village of Harrison. The deadline for registration is Thursday, May 12, at which time campers will be placed on a waiting list with no guarantee of a spot. The late registration fee after May 12 will be $50 per child; after Thursday, June 16, the fee will increase to $100 per child.
Summer swim team For boys and girls ages 5 to 17. The program will run from Tuesday, May 31 through the second week in August. Tryouts are on May 31 at 5 p.m., with practices beginning June 1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Louis M. Klein Middle School. In late June, practice times and location will move to the Ron Belmont Pool Complex in West Harrison on Mondays Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. and Tuesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Swim team fee is $275. Checks made payable to the Town/Village of Harrison. Questions can be directed to Dot Klein at 949-5265.
Junior soccer league registration Open to boys and girls in grades two through eight. Registration is ongoing with training starting on Sept. 12 through Nov. 2. Applications will be available online and at the recreation centers. Kindergarten and first grade information to follow. 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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RTP, beach management search likely scrapped by ANgeLA JORdAN Staff Writer With an inability to come to a consensus and concerns over potential conflicts of interest, it seems the plan to seek out new management for Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach may fall by the wayside. The Rye Town Park Commission is still deliberating on the request for qualifications, RFQ, applications that were submitted almost two months ago, but the process likely won’t carry on much longer with some members of the park’s governing commission disagreeing on how to move forward. The Rye Town Park Commission is a six-member committee of representatives from the town of Rye, the villages of Port Chester and Rye Brook, the city of Rye, and the Rye Neck section of the village of Mamaroneck, which establishes policies and regulations for Rye Town Park, a 62-acre park located at 95 Dearborn Ave. in the city. The park is a shared asset between the city and town of Rye.
In regard to the official status of the RFQ selection process, Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat, said it is still ongoing. “We are going to set up a work session or discussion to review the various submissions, and determine if any of them are worth pursuing,” Zuckerman said. “Several members [of the commission] felt it would be unfair to dismiss some of the submissions without going over them and reviewing them first.” Port Chester Mayor Dennis Pilla, a Democrat, told the Review that the RFQ process has been “very broad and open-ended.” “We didn’t get input [on the management of the park] from constituents first,” Pilla said, referring to the RFQ sent out in January. “We put the cart before the horse.” Pilla suggested doing a request for proposals for the restaurant, which overlooks Oakland Beach, instead, since Seaside Johnnie’s lease, the current tenant, is up at the end of the year. Following that, Pilla men-
tioned then completing a master plan of the park with input from residents of the town and city of Rye before sending out another solicitation for new management of the park. Rye City Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, also said that the committee should begin by putting out an RFP strictly for the restaurant, and then take more time to figure out management for the overall park. “It doesn’t seem like the responses we got are responses that we can work [with], except for the city of Rye’s response and perhaps Seaside Johnnie’s because they are already there,” Sack said. However, the responses to the RFQ have led Sack and Zuckerman to clash on more than one occasion over potential conflicts. Sack is the mayor of the city of Rye, which submitted its own proposal for the park, while Zuckerman works as a legislative aid for the Westchester County Board of Legislators, which just approved an agreement with Standard Amusements for the right to manage Playland; United
About two months ago, six applications were submitted as requests for qualifications in regard to the management of Rye Town Park over the course of 20 years. Some commission members have now expressed interest in regrouping and starting over. File photo
Parks, the managing company for Standard, also submitted a proposal to manage Rye Town Park. In total, there were six responses to the RFQ for the park submitted by a March 18 deadline, including one from Seaside Johnnies, who is exclusively interested in continuing to run the restaurant and snack bar/conces-
sion stands that they already operate, in addition to potentially managing the parking lot. The other applicants are all private developers. They include Biederman Redevelopment Ventures, which is known for redeveloping Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan; Caspi Development, which owns several
properties in Westchester and New York City; and Southwest Capital, whose founder Salvatore Gizzo owned and managed the Surf Club, a catering hall in New Rochelle, between 1992 and 2013. -with reporting by Christian Falcone
CONtACt: angela@hometwn.com
Saltaire:
6 • the hARRISON RevIew • May 20, 2016
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Modern, sustainable seafood delights
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Saltaire, located at 55 Abendroth Ave. in Port Chester, opened in late September at the former Willet House. Photos/Andrew Dapolite
by SIbYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant As you approach the restaurant on Abendorth Avenue in Port Chester, you may catch the scent of the sea coming from where the Byram River empties into the Long Island Sound. Its handsome brick building bears navy blue signage with its name: Saltaire. Open for about seven months now, the location has become a renowned foodie favorite in the village’s continued expansion of its restaurant scene, As you enter, right above you is a roof painted the same navy blue; the last remnant of the Willet House, a popular steakhouse that closed in 2014. To your right, you find the dining room with its high ceiling, low chandeliers that take you back in time, and vintage maps of various regions known for their seafood. To your left is the bar room, with a brick wall, tin ceiling, high chairs and vintage photos of fishermen. Let’s not forget the fresh oyster
bar right at the bar’s edge, with an in-house shucker that will deftly scoop out whichever of the 12 varieties you prefer; just tilt your head back and slurp. Seafood, local produce and meats are delivered every weekday from New York City markets—all seasonal, sustainable, farm-raised and never frozen—with the menu printed in-house daily to feature only the best quality ingredients, simply prepared. There is no middle man; no phone calls to purveyors or wholesalers. Quality is of the utmost importance to both the owner, Les Barnes, and the executive chef, Bobby Will. If a fish doesn’t work out, it will be replaced on the menu the next day. “Frozen fish is a four-letter word,” says Barnes, a city of Rye resident. He knows seafood, having frequented fish markets since he was just 5. “I grew up in the fish and restaurant business; going to the Fulton Fish Market with my dad at 4 in the morning,” he adds.
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The main dining room features vintage chandeliers and maps from various regions known for their seafood.
Barnes is also the owner of London Lennie’s, a seafood restaurant named after his father that has been serving patrons for more than 50 years in Queens. He took over the family business when he was just 23 years old after earning a degree in hospitality management. Barnes’ next step was set to be an oyster shack, until the Willet House space became available, that is. “Port Chester is a fairly popular restaurant town today, and it just made sense,” he says about the decision to create Saltaire. Where the name comes from makes sense, too. “There was an oyster I used to buy out of Canada called Salt Aire [from Prince Edward Island]; it reads like the salt air of the ocean, but [the restaurant name] is one word,” Barnes says. “It has a nice ocean feel to it.” Saltaire focuses on seasonal seafood and produce, not on a particular cuisine, according to Will, a Greenwich, Connecticut resident. Thanks to the young chef’s skills in the kitchen—he attended the Culinary Institute of America—and his knowledge of seafood from growing up on the Atlantic coast of Ipswich, Massachusetts, it seemed like fate when he met Barnes following a call from a recruiter while backpacking in Eastern Europe. “I literally got off the plane
from Turkey and in eight hours, was talking to Les over coffee in Tarry Market about the opportunity,” Will says. “It didn’t feel like an interview; it felt more like a discussion of what we liked and didn’t like… things just fell into place. “Fish has been a big part of my life—not just as a chef, but my overall life,” Will says, adding that his background has a great influence on how he deals with fish, particularly preferring to buy fish whole and butchering it himself. The idea is to see which ingredients complement the quality of the seafood, “what gives each dish its own characteristics and personality,” he says, adding that Saltaire is a “sea-and-farm-to-table restaurant with global inspiration.” One example is mussels with a Thai carrot and coconut broth, enhanced with grilled lime, white sesame and cilantro; a dish Will learned upon traveling to Thailand and learning how to make fresh
curry paste from scratch. Not your taste? There’s something for everyone, from steak lovers to kids, like the carbonara generously laced with fresh lobster that is still sweet to the taste, and a dessert featuring pie crust-flavored pop rocks for the tart at heart. “We want people to… feel like they can have a romantic date, but also come in on a Sunday with their family,” the executive chef says. “Les understands the idea that quality and the guests’ experience is the most important factor.” CONtACt: sibylla@hometwn.com
SALTAIRE OYSTER BAR AND FISH HOUSE 55 Abendroth Ave., Port Chester, NY 10573 939-2425 saltaireoysterbar.com
Saltaire’s lobster carbonara, considered a house specialty, is laced with bacon, sundried tomatoes and generous lobster chucks that are still sweet and tender. Photo/Sibylla Chipaziwa
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8 • the hARRISON RevIew • May 20, 2016
Upcoming Harrison events and sanitation changes Port Chester to continue United Hospital dialogue off at 10 a.m. The parade will proceed to Ma Riis Park where honored guests will be introHArrison duced. Veterans groups, HarriHAppenings son police and fire departments, Mayor Ron Belmont Harrison High School MarchLast weekend, I had the plea- ing Band, Harrison Ambulance sure of sampling our local chefs’ Corps and any and all other civic specialties at the Harrison Pub- groups are invited to participate. lic Library fundraiser, A Taste of We hope you will join us on this Harrison. It was very successful most important day. and more than 100 people came Please make note of the folout to support this very worth- lowing sanitation schedule while event. All proceeds will be change: Monday, May 30 is used by the Friends of the Pub- a holiday, and offices will be lic Library, a nonprofit organi- closed for Memorial Day. Garzation, to support the Harrison bage and recycling normally collibrary. Thank you to all volun- lected on Monday will be picked teers and attendees. I would also up on Tuesday, May 31. Garbage like to express my gratitude to and recycling normally collected all the participating restaurants on Tuesday will be picked up on for their generous contributions. Wednesday, June 1. There will A special thank you also goes be no bulk trash pickup during out to Joe Marcone for driving the week of May 30. the senior van, allowing for easy I would like all residents to and convenient transportation to be aware of the following upthe participating venues. dated information from our Memorial Day will be cele- Department of Public Works: brated this year on Monday, May In addition to glass, plastics 30, and the town board, along (numbers 1 to 7) and metal conwith our parade director Ben De- tainers, residents may now inFonce, a retired member of the clude beverage cartons to their U.S. Marine Corps, invite you to commingled recycling. Recyparticipate in Harrison’s annual clable beverage cartons consist parade. We will be honoring the predominantly of cardboard men and women who made the and include waxy cartons used ultimate sacrifice in the name of for juice and milk (sometimes freedom. Lineup will be at 9:30 called gable-top containers), a.m. on the corner of Halstead soup and broth, cream and egg and Thatcher avenues, with step substitutes. Although mostly
made of cardboard, the cartons should be included with other recyclable beverage containers made of glass, plastic and metal for collection. They should not be included with paper and cardboard recyclables. Be sure to mark your calendar for this year’s Japanese Festival. On Sunday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Harrison’s Japanese community will be hosting a Harrison-Japan Spring Festival in Ma Riis Park and the Sollazzo Center. If it rains, the event will take place in the Veterans Building. Traditional Japanese performances, including a tea ceremony and Japanese drums and dance, will be featured along with Japanese games, food and beverages. There will also be a raffle and a portion of the profits will benefit the Harrison Recreation Center. I hope to see many friends, and familiar faces, supporting this very worthwhile event. For more information, visit thematsuri.org. In closing, it was a privilege to attend this year’s Westchester County Leadership Prayer Breakfast and meet with other local representatives and elected officials. This forum provides an opportunity to strengthen connections while affirming faith and sharing fellowship. It was a very uplifting event, unifying all who attended.
Charlie is a gorgeous 2 1/2-year-old male tabby. He is great with other cats and would be happiest in a home with a young cat like himself who loves to play. He would also do best with school-aged children. He is neutered, up to date with all vaccinations, microchipped and ready to join your household. The adoption donation for Charlie is $80. To meet him, contact Larchmont Pet Rescue at 835-3332 or visit the Harrison Kitty Cottage during an open house and see his posting on NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
by ANgeLA JORdAN Staff Writer There will be another public hearing on Tuesday, May 24 about the adoption of the final environmental impact statement, FEIS, for the proposed development plan at the United Hospital site in the village of Port Chester. The 15-acre site, located at 99 High St. just off of Boston Post Road, was bought by a Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm called Starwood Capital Group for $28 million in 2006, one year after United Hospital closed its doors. Starwood has proposed a mixed-use development that would include 730 residential units, 230 of which would be affordable housing units, 307,000 square feet of office and retail space, and a 138-room hotel in place of the now abandoned hospital. In addition to the preliminary FEIS, Starwood also submitted a proposal in late April for an amendment to Port Chester’s zoning code that would allow for a development almost twice the size of what is currently allotted—changing the density from just over 500,000 square feet to one that is over 900,000 square feet. The village Board of Trustees has not rendered a decision yet about the zoning amendment, either. Focusing at the moment on the FEIS, Port Chester Mayor Dennis Pilla, a Democrat, said Starwood has included information in its impact statement that elaborates on aspects of the project that the public has questioned, and provides suggested mitigations for traffic, which was a concern of both Port Chester and city of Rye residents.
On May 24 at 7 p.m., there will be a public hearing in the Port Chester Village Court on the final environmental impact statement for the United Hospital development proposal. The FEIS includes the developer’s plans to mitigate traffic issues and other concerns held by Port Chester and Rye residents about the project. File photo
In order to address their own concerns about the project, Rye hired a traffic consultant, Philip Grealy from Maser Consulting P.A., to review the documents provided by Starwood and determine what the impact would be on the roadways shared by both communities. “We’re looking through [the FEIS] now and we’re meeting with the Department of Transportation on [May 20] to go over what’s been submitted,” Grealy said. “We think there’s some shortcomings in what’s proposed.” He said that the city of Rye’s primary concern is the Exit 11 ramp from Interstate 287, which leads onto Boston Post Road, citing issues like the traffic volume at that intersection and the ability of trucks to turn off the ramp. Another area of concern Grealy mentioned is the exit ramp from Interstate 95 south to Boston Post Road, where he said the majority of local traffic passes through. “If there’s an issue at those intersections, drivers will divert to other local routes which is a problem too,” Grealy added. In regard to his own concerns
about traffic mitigation, Pilla said that he “won’t be satisfied unless our experts are satisfied,” but he remains optimistic about the proposal. “The proposal is consistent with our master plan, which is a product of the residents of Port Chester, so I think [the Starwood project] is a step in the right direction,” Pilla said. Pilla also said that while there is technically no obligation to hold a public hearing about the adoption of the FEIS, he feels that it is very important to exceed the minimal legal requirements and get ample public input on this $300 million project before the Port Chester Board of Trustees accepts the document. “We’re making a 100-year decision, so it’s important that this decision is not made in a vacuum,” Pilla said. “I consider this a recurring theme for how I’d like to operate [the village of Port Chester].” The May 24 public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in the Port Chester Village Court, located at 350 Main St. CONtACt: angela@hometwn.com
budget from page 1
three years. “I’m excited for the work we have ahead of us,” she said. She said the difference in running an uncontested race is that the emphasis is focused on passing the school budget. “It’s good; [the budget] is within the property tax cap,” Estroff said. “If a budget vote fails, it certainly makes things direr. The administration has shown that it’s quite responsible with taxpayers’ money. I think the community appreciates that.” CONtACt: sibylla@hometwn.com
The Harrison Central School District’s proposed 2016-2017 budget passed, with 77 percent of votes cast, according to unofficial results. One highlight of the $110 million budget is both Harrison Avenue and Parson Elementary schools will each get an additional fifth-grade teacher. File photo
May 20, 2016 • tHe HARRISON RevIeW • 9
Taste of Harrison puts downtown businesses on display by ANgeLA JORdAN Staff Writer The streets of downtown Harrison were lined with red and white balloons on Sunday, May 15, identifying the dozens of local businesses that participated in A Taste of Harrison, an annual fundraiser for the Harrison Public Library. According to Dave Donelson, who serves on the library board of trustees and is president of the Harrison library foundation, the fundraiser, which was being thrown for its fourth time in the past five years, has been consistently successful at raising money. “It’s an important fundraiser because libraries always need extra money, especially the Harrison library,” Donelson said. “We’re fully funded by the town, but for extra programs, extra hours and things like that, we need extra funds, which is what the public helps us do.”
Donelson said local residents have been very generous to the library in the past; a recent $4 million renovation of the Harrison Public Library received 50 percent of its funding from 500 private donors living within the town. In addition to the proceeds the library collects from the fundraiser, the event also gives local businesses the opportunity to showcase standout dishes to prospective customers. One such location, 273 Kitchen on Halstead Avenue, gave out samples of its fare outside the restaurant. The food is Mediterranean made with local ingredients, served in small dishes but bigger than tapas, according to general manager Christopher Creedon. “Business has been really great, because people have been really open to the concept,” he said. Another participating business was Retro Café, also located on Halstead Avenue, which replaced the Harrison Donut Shop about a year ago. The restaurant was allowing participants to sample a few items from its new menu. Retro Café owner Hossain Ahmed said the restaurant’s orange chicken in particular had received a lot of positive feedback. Although 273 Kitchen and Retro Café are new to the area, other participating businesses
A Taste of Harrison fills the streets on Sunday, May 15. Trattoria Vivolo is a big part of this effort to support the Harrison Public Library.
were already well-established staples of the town, like T-n-T Lunchonette, located on Harrison Avenue, which has been owned by Theresa Spagnuolo for the past 24 years, and Emilio Ristorante, a family business on Colonial Place, which was established in 1979. Sergio Brasesco, the owner of Emilio, said his mother makes the restaurant’s pasta dishes herself, which were served at the fundraiser. Participants over 21 were able to sample some drinks to wash their food down with, courtesy of The Harrison Wine Vault and The Craftsman Alehouse, both located on Harrison Avenue. The Harrison Wine Vault sampled several types of wine, while The Craftsman Alehouse sampled
beer from their taps. All of the Craftsman’s beers are American, and most are locally brewed. In fact, Jack Abbey, one of the beers on tap, brewed in Framingham, Massachusetts, was created by three alumni of Harrison High School. Because more than 30 businesses in downtown Harrison participated in the event, many of which do so on a consistent basis, Donelson said he was grateful toward the Harrison business community, and said A Taste of Harrison’s success comes from the library’s commitment to giving back to the town through events and programs, which has created a mutually beneficial relationship. “The Harrison community is very supportive of us,” Donelson said. “And it’s very gratifying for us to see because it shows that the town’s support for the library runs deep and extends throughout the population of the town.”
Another participant was 273 Kitchen at Harrison’s downtown food event last Sunday afternoon.
Various merchants and restaurants supply samples of food to taste.
CONtACt: angela@hometwn.com
Each participant gives their contribution and receives a wristband to begin their tastings.
Uncle Henry’s in downtown Harrison serves a taste of hot chowder during the event to support the Friends of the Harrison Public Library. Photos/Bobby Begun
10 • the hARRISON RevIew • May 20, 2016
May 20, 2016 • tHe HARRISON RevIeW • 11
Mercury Transit makes way for total solar eclipse SUNSPOT MERCURY
Appearing as a small dot in relation to the sun, the Transit of Mercury is only viewable using specialized telescopes and occurs roughly 13 times per century.
by ANdReW dAPOLIte Contributor For the first time in nearly a decade, the planet Mercury passed between Earth and the sun on Monday, May 9, allowing people from across the globe to view our solar system’s smallest
planet from further than 50 million miles away. And while the excitement around the celestial event was palpable throughout North America and Europe, prime viewing locations for the phenomenon known as the Transit of Mercury, according to
Passers-by gaze up at the sun using solar eclipse glasses. The next total solar eclipse in the United States will occur on Aug. 21, 2017.
A young girl observes the planet Mercury’s trip across the sun on May 9. On average, Mercury is positioned 48 million miles away from Earth.
Charles Fulco, a NASA solar system ambassador, there are even more impressive celestial events to look forward to. Last year, Fulco left his post as a science teacher and planetarium director at Port Chester Middle School in order to promote one of the most significant astronomical occurrences ever observed from planet Earth: a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, fully blocking the sun from our earthly viewpoint. Last seen coast to coast in the United States in 1918, the phenomenon will be viewable on Aug. 21, 2017. Based on its latitude, New York state will experience only a partial solar eclipse, but nonetheless, it will be a significant sight to see. Fulco, an avid astronomer and science consultant with Westchester roots, was accepted by NASA as part of an outreach program. He is currently in the process of traveling along the 2017 solar eclipse’s path of totality—12 states between Oregon and South Carolina—meeting with school superintendents and teachers to explain the oncein-a-lifetime event. “Don’t keep the kids inside,” Fulco said. “Seeing the stars come out in the middle of the daytime and seeing the moon shadow coming at you at 2,000 mph, it’s amazing.” So far, Fulco has traveled through nine out of 12 states, also showing teachers the best methods for students to safely look at the sun. On May 9, as a precursor to the solar eclipse, Fulco provided views of the Transit of Mercury from the Playland Boardwalk in Rye. Equipped with specialized telescopes and solar eclipse glasses, onlookers witnessed the more common celestial event. The Transit of Mercury occurs roughly 13 times per century, however during the last occurrence in 2006, rain clouds blocked the sight. “I wasn’t sure if people would care, but the wow factor was through the roof [on Monday],” Fulco told the Review. “People were in such disbelief. I explained to some the mathematics of [the transit] but I told people to just appreciate it. You’re not going to see it again for a while.” According to Fulco, what
On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will witness a total solar eclipse from the Pacific to Atlantic coasts for the first time since 1918. The vantage point on Earth where the eclipse can be seen is known as the path of totality, approximately 200 miles wide. Photo courtesy eclipse2017.org
people find most interesting is how small Mercury really is in relation to the sun. “The transit gives you a nice scale of our solar system and how fast Mercury moves,” he said. However, “fast” in astronomical terms is relative, as it took approximately seven hours for Mercury to cross the sun from our earthly vantage point. Fulco spent five hours on
the boardwalk with enthusiasts ranging from pre-kindergarteners to senior citizens, with the majority of stargazers from the local area. “I was very happy that the people from Rye were so excited and so inquisitive,” Fulco said. “To see a 4-year-old girl so interested, rattling off facts about the solar system was amazing.” Throughout the summer, Ful-
co will resume his travels to the remaining states along the solar eclipse’s path of totality for what he expects will be a thrilling event next year. “A total eclipse is the coolest thing you will ever see in your life,” Fulco said. “I’ve been to four continents chasing these things, so to have one happen in my own country is like the backyard for me.”
Charles Fulco, a NASA solar system ambassador and science consultant, provides views of the Transit of Mercury last Monday from the Playland boardwalk in Rye, utilizing specialized solar telescopes. Contributed photos
12 • the hARRISON RevIew • May 20, 2016
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May 20, 2016 • tHe HARRISON RevIeW • 13
Sitting down with the swami next door rHyMes es WitH crAZy AZy Lenore Skenazy
When he was 19, Richard Slavin, a nice Jewish boy from the suburbs of Chicago, went backpacking in Europe for two months. “Hey,” I told him. “I have a son about to do the same thing.” “But,” Slavin added with a twinkle, “I never came back!” With that, he gave a hearty laugh, as jolly a sound as the ice cream man’s bell. Pure joy. He could laugh now—he was laughing now, in a conference room in Midtown for a book tour, because at 60-something and bald, he is no longer the wandering hippie he was in 1970. In fact, he is no longer even Richard Slavin. Today he is Radhanhath Swami, leader of the Hare Krishnas. The swami was dressed in coral-colored robes and a coral sweatshirt that he took off in the warm corporate office. His assistant jumped up to fold it for him, but the swami—spiritual leader to millions—nonchalantly did it himself. This is not a guy who lives a Kardashian life. He’s a monk. He sleeps on the floor. He rises at 4 every morning for chanting and meditation, and breakfast isn’t until 9! So how does a suburban American kid end up living in India, leading a congregation that feeds 300,000 impoverished kids a day, along with running a hospital, an orphanage, a handful of eco-villages and about a dozen schools for the very poor? The swami smiled and raised his eyebrows as I asked. He looked as surprised as me.
And by the way, in between all these India duties, the swami travels the world to lecture everywhere from Google to Harvard on things like spirituality and stress. “I have to admit to them that swamis have as much stress as them,” he chuckled. “It’s just a matter of how you deal with it.” The journey from footloose teen to spiritual leader is what his first book, “The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami,” was about. It was a bestseller. His latest book, “The Journey Within: Exploring the Path of Bhakti,” is about the spiritual lessons learned along the way. The lessons did not come easily. After he landed in Europe, Slavin hitchhiked across the continent in search of truth. “I was going to cathedrals and synagogues to study, because I really believed in the unity of all religions,” he recalls. He studied Islam in Turkey and Iran. By the time he got to India to study the religions there, he “became a very serious ascetic. I would never sleep inside any building, because I considered that too luxurious. So I slept under trees, or in caves.” Now, readers, here I must confess something: This man grew up one suburb way from me. He went to my rival high school and is just about 10 years older. When we discussed our favorite childhood haunts, he gleefully recalled the local pancake house and summers on Lake Michigan, though, “As a swami, I can’t tell you what we used to do when we’d sneak onto the beach.” Another laugh. The point is, he comes from a background very familiar to me.
But most of us did not go off and sleep in caves. How on earth did his parents react? When he finally returned to America for the first time, he says, “It was a culture shock for me and a culture shock for them. My father and brother came to meet me at the airport. The only luggage I had was a begging bowl. They didn’t know what to think. But we adjusted to each other in a very sweet and wonderful way.” That’s probably because the swami was not the caricature that many of us had or even still have of the Hare Krishnas—lost souls in loose robes chanting in the streets and offering flowers, cult members. “In every religion, there’s wacky people,” the swami said matter-of-factly. Because the Hare Krishna religion was first established in America in 1966, right around the time of the counter-culture, the two got entwined in the public mind. Lost souls did join. So what? Hare Krishna is not an American fad. It’s an ancient Indian religion that says we are all one— humans, animals, all of us who seek sustenance here on earth. And when we chant the name of Krisha—God—we get closer and closer to realizing that connectedness. That doesn’t sound any dippier than going to church or temple. And if it makes people ready to build schools, respect nature and provide for the very poor, more power to it—and the former Richard Slavin. (But if my son is reading this, please note: Do not stay away for 40 years!) CONtACt: lskenazy@yahoo.com
Faith leaders address youth sentencings Dear Gov. Cuomo, Majority Leader Flanagan and Speaker Heastie, As faith leaders from many two states where youth as young backgrounds, traditions and be- as 16 automatically end up in liefs, we write to you united by adult courts, jails and prisons. our great concern for the future Passing the raise of the age proof children in our communities. posal will enhance public safety Too many are being swept up and offer youth age-appropriate into the adult criminal justice interventions (including, when system and getting trapped in a necessary, incarceration). cycle of poverty and crime. In 2013, nearly 34,000 16We all know children who and 17-year olds were arrested have faced down difficult circum- and faced prosecution in the stances and rebuilt their lives. But adult system—the vast majorthe lack of age-appropriate inter- ity for non-violent crimes.We ventions for 16- and 17-year olds should be better than that. in the adult system, as well as the Adult prisons do not focus on heightened exposure they face to rehabilitation, and are not deviolence and abuse, is making it signed to meet the needs of childifficult and in many cases im- dren. National studies show that possible for even the most intelli- young people confined in adult gent and capable teens to become facilities are much more likely productive and successful mem- to face traumatic physical and bers of our communities. sexual violence than those in juAs a state, New York is failing venile facilities. these children. Today, we humThis lack of age-appropriate bly ask you to raise the age at intervention and increased exwhich children are automatically posure to violence also leads to charged as adults. higher rates of recidivism and, Currently, New York is one of as a result, higher costs for the Respectfully, J. Bruce Baker, pastor, All Souls Parish/Presbyterian Church, Port Chester; Bob Berson, Ethical Culture Society of Northern Westchester; Rabbi Jonathan Blake, Westchester Reform Temple, Scarsdale; Rabbi Jeff Brown, Scarsdale Synagogue; Rabbi Aaron Brusso, Bet Torah, Mount Kisco; J. Cooper Conway, priest in charge, St Paul’s on the Hill Episcopal Church & Trinity Episcopal Church, Ossining; The Rev. Doris K. Dalton, Memorial United Methodist Church of White Plains; The Rev. Noelle Damico, Member United Church of Christ Metro Association; The Rev. Dr. Susan G. De George, Stated Clerk Hudson River Presbytery; The Rev. Dr. Gawain de Leeuw, OA, Rector St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, White Plains; The Rev Joyce Dugger, Protestant chaplain, Hofstra University; Wayne Francis, lead pastor, Authentic Church, White Plains; The Rev. Dr. Steven Meredith Garmon, Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation, White Plains; The Rev. Jeffrey A. Geary, White Plains Presbyterian Church; Rabbi David Greenberg, Temple Sharaay Tefila, Bedford; The Rev. Susan C. Harriss, Christ’s (Episcopal) Church, Rye ; The Rev. Sarah E. Henkel, White Plains Presbyterian Church; Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan, Pleasantville Community Synagogue; The Rev. Dr. David R. Holder, founder and senior pastor; Ministers Gregory Adegbola, Dierdra Clark,
justice system as a whole. Our current law sets young people up to become re-offenders: research has shown that young people who go through the adult system are much more likely to reoffend than those in the juvenile system. From a public safety perspective, raising the age is about being both smart on crime and tough on crime—an approach that numerous law enforcement officials from around the state have endorsed. By creating a path to more positive outcomes for more children, raising the age would lead to crime reductions and help foster safer, more livable streets throughout the state. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. We are ready to stand by you and move forward with this important policy change. It goes without saying that all New Yorkers will be better off under this approach.
Gregory Millings, Marlon Simpkins, Alex Smith, Sherin Swift, John Udochi, New York Covenant Church, New Rochelle; Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Chappaqua; Jone Johnson Lewis, clergy leader, Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture and Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture; Rabbi Chaim Marder, Hebrew Institute of White Plains; Rabbi Shira Milgrom, Congregation Kol Ami, White Plains; The Rev. Darren M. Morton, Ed. D., Macedonia Baptist Church, Mount Vernon; The Rev. Dorothy Muller, Hudson River Presbytery; Pastor Jim O’Hanlon, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Rye Brook; The Rev. Dr. Lillian F. Reynolds, minister for Community Based Programs, Grace Baptist Church, Mount Vernon; The Rev. Dr. Bonnie Rosborough, Briarcliff Congregational Church Apostle A.S. Rose Upon this Rock Ministries Inc., Mount Vernon; The Rev. Erwin Lee Trollinger Jr., Baptist Church, White Plains; The Rev. Dr. Verlin D. Williams, Union Baptist Church, White Plains; Dr. Edward O. Williamson, pastor-teacher, Bethel Baptist Church, White Plains; The Rev. Claire Woodley, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Mohegan Lake; Perry Wootten, pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Ossining; Bart Worden, clergy leader, Ethical Culture Society of Westchester; The Rev. Dr. Robert E. Young, Mount Olivet Baptist Church, Peekskill. (Submitted)
14 • tHe the hARRISON RevIew • May 20, 2016
SPORTS
A day at the old ballpark liVe MiKe Mike Smith
At 31 years old, I’ve come to the realization that I’m not a spring chicken anymore. That being said, I wouldn’t call myself “old,” unless I was comparing myself to the crowd at Governor’s Ball. On Sunday, however, I felt every bit the geriatric ward resident at the place I was most afraid of it happening: the baseball field. For the last 10 years, my buddies and I have spent most of our weekends in the spring and summer lacing up our cleats to compete in one of New York City’s adult baseball leagues. In that time, I’ve seen us grow from a team filled with young, post-college upstarts into a ballclub stacked with wizened vets who get by on guile more than athleticism. But Sunday, man, did we look old.
We’ve gotten off to a good start this year. We came into the weekend 9-2, fresh from beating a couple of hurlers who spent the last few years pitching in the minor leagues. But this weekend, we squared off against the kryptonite of just about anyone over 25 years old: teenagers. I knew we were in trouble as soon as we got to the field. We straggled into the park about 45 minutes before game time, which is about as much time as we normally need to stretch and cajole our aching joints into something resembling baseball shape. But our opponents, average age 18, had been there for over an hour, playing a pickup game before we were set to play a double header. They spryly bounced around the turf, chattering loudly, whipping the ball around the infield. It was way too much energy for someone my age to see that early in the morning. The game played out pretty predictably: they just never let up.
Every time they got on base, they’d take another, forcing our catcher—who’s squatted behind the plate for 95 percent of the 2,100 innings we’ve played in the last decade—to throw over and over again with a labrum he hasn’t had since 2012. Even when we took the lead, nothing could dampen their enthusiasm. They simply put together good at-bat after good atbat, tiring out our aged pitching staff, myself included, until they ended up coming out on top in both games. But our humiliation on the field was nothing compared to the way we felt afterward. On Monday, I was too sore to tie my shoes. Our catcher said he was typing left-handed at work, as the pain in his shoulder had his throwing arm dangling uselessly at his desk. Our first baseman, whose balky hamstrings once again became an issue during a rundown play, worked from home, as he was unwilling—or unable—to get off his
On Sunday, Sports Editor Mike Smith’s baseball team lost a tough double header to a bunch of teenagers. This week, Smith is really feeling his age. Photo courtesy Mike Smith
couch in the morning. We’d been beaten by better teams, but never by teams who simply “out-youthed” us. It was a sobering moment, indeed. But the great thing about playing once a week is that old
guys like us have plenty of time to recover. The next time we play these whippersnappers will be in June. We’ll know their tendencies, remember what they did last weekend and hopefully use our minds to strike a winning blow
for all the geezers out there. Or maybe we’ll just get lucky and they’ll all be at Randall’s Island, grooving to Kanye.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
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
SPORTS
May 20, 2016 • tHe HARRISON RevIeW • 15
Overtime goal buries Huskies BOyS LACROSSE
CLASS B
FIRST ROUND
BREWSTER HARRISON HARRISON HS
13 12 5/16/16
Game Notes: • Brewster’s Kevin Plank had eight goals, including the overtime game-winner to lead the Bears to victory • Matt McLaughlin had four goals and gave Harrison the lead with just 2:17 left to play • Brewster will move on to play No. 1 seed Yorktown in the Class B second round by MIKe SMItH Sports Editor Harrison’s lacrosse season came to an abrupt end on Monday, May 16, when Brewster’s Kevin Plank streaked down the right side and beat Huskies’ goalie Henry Alvarado for an overtime gamewinner that sent the Bears to the second round of the Class B sectional playoffs with a 13-12 win. For the Huskies, a strong start and a late comeback simply weren’t enough to ensure a firstround win. No. 8-seeded Harrison was in control early, dominating the time of possession and playing lockdown defense as they headed into the second half with a 6-3 lead. The No. 9 Bears rallied back after the break, however, outscoring the Huskies 9-6 in the last 24 minutes of regulation, taking advantage of the second-half woes that have plagued the 9-7 Huskies all season long. “It’s kind of been a storyline for our season,” Harrison coach Edgar Glascott said. “We have a good first half and then we get a little complacent in the third quarter. They started winning some faceoffs and then [Kevin] Blank kind of took over for them.” Blank, who was held to just two goals in the first half, erupted for five in the second stanza before netting the game-winner that buried the Huskies. “[Blank] changed up the way he was going for the cage, and that made a huge difference,” Glascott
Matt McLaughlin controls the ball against Brewster. McLaughlin had four goals and two assists in Harrison’s overtime loss to the Bears.
Matt Allegretti squares off against a Bears defender.
Owen Van Tongeren makes a move on May 16. Van Tongeren had three goals and four assists in the Huskies’ playoff loss.
said. “He started working off some picks, and he’s a really good player.” Blank’s second-half resurgence helped put Harrison down 11-9 with time running out, but Matt McLaughlin scored twice in the span of 28 seconds, giving the Huskies a 12-11 lead with 2:17 left to play. Although Brewster scored with 16.9 seconds remaining to send the game
into overtime, Glascott feels that McLaughlin’s late-game efforts should not be overlooked. “Matt is one of the best attackmen in the section and I think he should be an All-American,” the head coach said. “He’s been dealing with a bad hamstring all year, but he’s such a gamer and he wants the ball in his hands in those situations.” McLaughlin finished with four
Thomas Gresham muscles out a Brewster player to control a first-half draw at Harrison High School. Photos/Mike Smith
goals and two assists, while teammate Jack Wilson also found the net four times. Owen Van Tongeren had three goals and four assists for Harrison as well. Brewster, with the win, advances to the second round, where they will meet top-seeded Yorktown on May 18, after press time. Harrison finishes the 2016 campaign with an overall record of 9-7, despite a slow start.
“After starting the season with three straight losses, we really came together this year,” Glascott said. “In my 22 years of coaching both high school and college, I’ve never been prouder of a group of young men than I am of this group.” Although the team graduates several key seniors, including Van Tongeren and attacker Matt Allegretti, Glascott hopes that this
year’s playoff loss will serve to inspire the returning players in 2017. “For the seniors, I just told them that this isn’t the worst thing that’s ever going to happen to them,” he said. “And for the younger guys, I just want them to bottle up this feeling as they start working towards next year.” CONtACt: sports@hometwn.com
16 • the hARRISON RevIew • May 20, 2016