Harrison REVIEW THE
June 3, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 23 | www.harrisonreview.com
The town/village of Harrison held its Memorial Day parade and ceremony on Monday, May 30. The parade procession, which kicked off from the corner of Halstead and Thatcher avenues, was followed by a memorial cceremony in Ma Riis Park to remember the community’s fallen heroes. For coverage, see page 6. Photo/Angela Jordan
2 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016
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CWA union workers return to Verizon jobs Falcone named associate publisher of the Review Christian Falcone, editor-inchief of the Review chain of weekly newspapers, has recently been named associate publisher of our White Plains-based parent company Home Town Media Group. With his new title, Falcone will now serve dual roles, still maintaining his position as editor-in-chief of the company’s five publications: The City Review New Rochelle, The Eastchester Review, The Harrison Review, The Mamaroneck Review and The Rye City Review. Howard Sturman, publisher of Home Town Media, offered his assessment of what Falcone’s new title will afford the company. “We’re excited about Chris’ promotion,” Sturman said. “After spending nine years with Home Town Media, he will en-
able us to raise our public profile to a new level.” Falcone first took over the position of editor-in-chief in April 2013. Since then, he successfully led a rebranding of Home Town Media and a redesign of all elements of its five newspapers, leading to the creation of the Review identity. Prior to that, he spent several years on the beat covering the city of Rye as a reporter for the company’s Rye newspaper, before transitioning into an associate editor role for that same paper. As a reporter, Falcone was awarded numerous distinctions for his writing, including seven New York Press Association awards, largely for in-depth and spot news reporting. His most notable work con-
Christian Falcone
sisted of weather-related disaster coverage of the 2007 floods, Tropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Sandy; uncovering the strife within a local political party; exposing the president of a local nonprofit for failing to pay property taxes; and helping to uncover financial theft by a golf club manager, who was later sentenced to state prison.
15th annual Girl Scouts cookie drop-off set
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer The Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers unions called an end to their 45-day strike against Verizon last week, coming to a tentative agreement which, if approved, would last until August 2019. The multi-union strike was the country’s largest and longest since a two-week long strike against Verizon in August 2011. More than 36,000 Verizon employees on the East Coast, 800 of whom were from Westchester County, returned to work on Wednesday, June 1, awaiting the final approval of a new contract that would create 1,400 new jobs, provide a 10.5 percent pay raise over the life of the agreement, and renege cuts previously made to pension and benefits. The benefits portion of the four-year agreement would be retroactive, dating back to Verizon workers’ previous contract which ended in August 2015. However, the wage increases are not retroactive and will only go into effect on Aug. 2 of this year. To try and combat the latest strike, Verizon employed thousands of contractors and em-
ployees on special assignment to fill in for union employees. As the picket line broke on May 27, Verizon employees donning red shirts and signs continued to waive at honking trucks driving down Main Street in White Plains, outside The Verizon building. Linda Campanelli, of New Rochelle, chief steward for Verizon employees in the CWA who has worked for the company for 34 years, said she was most concerned with protecting employee pensions and reducing work-mandated travel. Campanelli said the strike was not primarily aimed at gaining a pay raise. “Everything that we had, that’s what we wanted to keep,” she said. This included the hope that Verizon would agree not to transfer employees to different regions for up to two months at a time, an ability they sought during contract negotiations. The new health care plan in the tentative contract will save the company money, according to a Verizon press release. As a result of the strike, Verizon had cancelled workers’ health care coverage on April 30. Shop steward Nick Tompkins, a Carmel resident, said another concern of the strikers was
to protect the employees of the wireless department who had been working without a contract. “It took [the unions] a long time to organize any wireless employees, and it’s important to get them on board so that they’re on the same scale as us,” he said. As part of the agreement, about 165 Verizon Wireless employees will receive contracts, 65 of whom have not previously been under contract. The tentative agreement followed a meeting by both parties moderated by Thomas Perez, secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, and Allison Beck, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. In a press release, Verizon’s Chief Administrative Officer Marc Reed said, “The new contracts will help ensure that Verizon employees continue to receive solid wages and excellent health care and retirement benefits. They also include key changes sought by the company to better position our wireline business for success in the digital world.” As of press time, the CWA has not voted to ratify the agreement. The deadline for the ratification vote is Friday, June 17. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
Cookie Drop. Cookies from Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson have been delivered to Afghanistan, Egypt, Kosovo, Bahrain and the South Pole. The day’s activities will begin at 8 a.m. with a cookie drop-off, and will continue with an official ceremony at 10:30 a.m., followed
by a truckload of cookies at 1 p.m. Girls and volunteers from the Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Council, elected officials and military men and women who received cookies from GSHH will attend the event. For more information about the event, visit girlscoutshh.org. (Submitted)
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Members of CWA Local 1103 broke their picket line in front of the White Plains Verizon building on Friday, May 27 and returned to work on Wednesday, June 1, awaiting the final approval of a four-year deal. File photo
The Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, GSHH, will be hosting their 15th annual Operation Cookie Drop on Saturday, June 4 at 2 Dana Road in Valhalla from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Meet the service men and women who received cookies from the GSHH Operation
INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY
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4 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016
What’s going on... Harrison Public Library
Rainbow parachute play time Children ages 2 to 5 are welcome to join this rainbow parachute play time activity on Monday, June 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. Children will spin in circles, jump and bounce during this activity, which will be held outside if the weather permits. This activity is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.
Art Reception: Musart Joan Lengel’s art exhibition “Musart” will hold its opening reception on Saturday, June 4 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. Lengel uses music as an inspiration for her mixed-media artwork, and many of her pieces pay homage to great artists of the past. Her work will be onl display through June 30. The gallery and opening reception is free and open to the public. For more information, call 835-0324.
Ribbon embroidery This class, held on Saturday, June 4 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Harrison branch, is a continuation of the class held on May 7. Participants are welcome to learn the beautiful vintage art of ribbon embroidery, including five basic stitches to make a small wall hanging. This class is free and open to the public. Seating is limited so registration is required. For more information or to register for the class, call 948-2092.
Origami workshop Children ages 5 and up are welcome to make art from paper during this origami workshop held on Monday, June 6 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. Participants will learn how to fold and shape paper in cool ways. This workshop is free and open to the public. Space is limited so registration is required. For more information or to register for the workshop, call 835-0324.
Summer reading walk The adult summer reading program has begun, and adults will be taking weekly walks starting and ending at the Richard Halperin Memorial Building and the West Harrison branch. The walk from the Richard Halperin Memorial building will be hed on Tuesday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the walk from the West Harrison branch will be held on Wednesday, June 8 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Adults are welcome to bring their audiobooks
and listen while they walk. Drop-in participants are welcome, but registration is suggested. To register for the walk at the Richard Halperin Memorial Building, call 835-0324, and to register for the walk at the West Harrison branch, call 948-2092.
Scrabble Club The library’s new Scrabble Club will meet on Tuesday, June 7 from noon to 2 p.m. in the West Harrison branch. Adults who enjoy the board game Scrabble are welcome to participate. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is required. For more information or to register for the program, call 948-2092.
3-D printing demonstration All are welcome to watch the library’s 3D printing demonstration on Tuesday, June 7 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. Three-dimensional printers have the ability to print out toys, small tools and even body parts in plastic. This demonstration will explain the printing process and will show audience members objects that have been printed. The demonstration is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.
Pilates Adults enrolled in the Summer Reading Challenge are welcome to join this Pilates class on Wednesday, June 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Richard Halperin Memorial Building. The class will be led by instructor Martyna Martini. The class is free and open to the public, and registration is required. For more information or to register for the class, call 835-0324.
Millennium Book Club The Millennium Book Club will meet on Wednesday, June 8 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Richard Halperin Memorial Building to discuss the book “The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team” by Wayne Coffey. This book, which tells the story of the American adventure in Lake Placid, explores the untold stories of the U.S. upstarts, their Soviet opponents, and the forces that brought them together. Award-winning sportswriter Coffey casts a fresh eye on this seminal sports event, giving readers an ice-level view of the boys who captivated a country. This book club is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.
Purchase College
dren of all ages. The event is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.
Appraisal camp Purchase College will hold its fifth annual appraisal camp from Saturday, June 4 through Sunday, June 19. The noncredit certificate program, run through the School of Liberal Studies & Continuing Education, is a partnership with the American Society of Appraisers, ASA. The intense two-week program, taught by accredited senior appraisers, has led more than 70 students toward ASA accreditation over the past five years. For information or to register to attend the Appraisal Camp, contact Kelly.jackson@purchase.edu or visit purchase.edu/appraisalstudies.
Westchester Philharmonic concert The Westchester Philharmonic will take the stage on Sunday, June 19 at 3 p.m. at Purchase College’s Performing Arts Center, located at 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase. The concert, which will end the Philharmonic’s season, will include works by Falla, Mozart and Brahms. A postconcert Father’s Day barbeque with the artists follows the performance to celebrate the season. A free open rehearsal will take place at 11 a.m. in the concert hall, and a pre-concert discussion of the program will take place at 2 p.m. Single tickets range from $30 to $97. Barbecue tickets for adults are $19 with a concert ticket purchase, and tickets for children under 12 are $9. “Balcony & BBQ” tickets are $45, and $22.50 for children, and include a balcony concert ticket and admission to the barbecue. Concertgoers 25 years of age or under pay half-price for concert tickets. Group discounts are also available. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Westchester Philharmonic at 682-3707 ext. 10 or visit westchesterphil.org.
White Plains Outdoor Festival The 54th annual White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival will take place on June 4 and 5 from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. in Tibbits Park, located on North Broadway at Main Street in White Plains. This juried arts festival includes artists from near and far displaying their unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry, handicrafts, and art work. This free, family-friendly event also includes an exhibition of student art, an emerging artists display, a raffle of items donated by the artists, a variety of food vendors, and a children’s art workshop. All proceeds from the event are used to provide scholarships to White Plains High School seniors who are pursuing a college degree in the fine arts. For more information, visit whiteplainsoutdoorartsfestival.com.
Harrison Democratic Committee Call for councilmembers Summer Family Festival The Neuberger Museum of Art’s annual Summer Family Festival will be held on Saturday, June 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Neuberger Museum of Art, located at 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase. The museum’s team of artists will guide visitors as they experiment with art media including block printing, torn paper collage, hand-painted and constructed kites and collaborative clay sculpture. Drop-in activities are designed for chil-
The Harrison Democratic Committee is now in terviewing anyone interested in running for coun cilmember of the Harrison Town Council. For more information, email huskydems@gmail.com with your name and contact information and someone will get in touch to set up an appointment. 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.
June 3, 2016 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 5
Rye court looks to drug education for minors By JAMES PERO Staff Writer With the formation of a new educational program, Rye City Court, the Police Department and anti-drug coalitions will look to deescalate a growing drug problem through professional intervention. In tandem with Rye Action for Children and Teens, RyeACT, the police and court system have already kick started a trial run of a rehabilitative program meant to curb teens’ usage of marijuana and alcohol, which launched in mid-February. The program, according to Rye Police Commissioner Michael Corcoran, who has helped spearhead the initiative, could provide a second chance to Rye teens who are convicted of a marijuana or alcohol-related offense. For teens taken into custody on a drug or alcohol-related charge, Corcoran said the course would offer them a conditional discharge, contingent upon its completion. Since 2011, at least five for-
At a glance A new educational program being developed in Rye aims to give minors convicted of a marijuana or alcohol-related offense a second chance at avoiding a criminal record Instead of a misdemeanor, minors would be required to complete an educational course
mer Rye High School students have died of drug-related causes, leading to the issue of drug intervention to rise to the surface. Aside from the educational benefits, the police commissioner added, the program would be a way to keep juveniles in the city from incurring a criminal record. “You wouldn’t have a record if you bring back satisfactory course completion,” Corcoran said. “There’s not an easy an-
swer to the drug problem, and enforcement is just a small part of the equation.” Currently, according to Rye City Court Judge Joe Latwin, minors who are convicted of a marijuana or alcohol-related offense are able to leave court without any mandatory rehabilitation or having to alert their parents. Since it’s not a crime, many of Rye’s minors can afford to pay the fines on their own and their parents never know, according to Latwin. “It’s a problem of [Rye’s] affluence,” he said. According to Lilly Neuman, the community outreach and education coordinator for St. Vincent’s Hosptial in Harrison, who has been responsible for conducting and spearheading the counseling assigned by Rye City Court, the initiative could help galvanize the community against drugs. According to Neuman, the counseling process not only incorporates her and the teens involved, but their parents and the officers who handled their enforcement.
A new educational program being developed in Rye aims to give minors convicted of a marijuana or alcoholrelated offense a second chance at avoiding a criminal record. File photo
“I want to get us all on the same page,” said Neuman, who has worked with chemical dependency for more than 20 years. In the wake of several drugrelated overdoses among young adults in Rye over the past five years, the city has begun to coalesce around drug prevention to help save its youth. Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican and co-founder
of Rye-ACT—which is mostly made up of members of the Rye community—characterized the initiative as an important step forward in Rye’s fight against drugs. “It’s all about education and teaching the kids and the parents what are the dangers,” Killian said. “They don’t necessarily understand how dangerous this stuff can be.” Neuman, who said she will continue to help develop the
program and take on additional juveniles assigned to her by the courts, explained that her job is to give Rye’s youth the tools necessary to make an informed decision. “I can’t stop [them] from using,” she said. “But I can give you information so when someone passes you a joint or gives you alcohol you can say, ‘Not today.’” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
6 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016
Harrison REVIEW
THE
170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 10601 Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000
Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Executive Vice President | Ira Ellenthal ext. 31, irathal@hometwn.com Editor-in-Chief | Christian Falcone ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Suzy Berkowitz ext. 30, suzy@hometwn.com Education Reporter | Sarah Varney ext. 17, sarah@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lindsay@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Angela Jordan Staff Photographer Bobby Begun Columnists Ron Belmont, Lenore Skenazy
Letters
The community’s opinion matters. If you have a view to express, write a letter to the editor by email to chris@hometwn.com. Please include a phone number and name for verification purposes.
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Harrison honors its
fallen veterans By ANGELA JORDAN Staff Writer Dozens of local residents lined Halstead Avenue on Monday morning to watch the town/ village of Harrison Memorial Day parade, which took off just after 10 a.m. at the corner of Halstead and Thatcher avenues. Councilwoman Marlane Amelio, who marched in the parade alongside the other members of the Harrison Town Council, joked that the parade took place “in between raindrops,” referring to the heavy rainfall just before the parade began. Along with the council, other groups that marched included members of the West Harrison Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5463, the Harrison High School marching band, Harrison EMS and the Harrison Police and Fire departments. The lively festivities were followed by a more somber remembrance ceremony in Ma Riis Park, where several local veterans of foreign wars made speeches. “Today is not about the living veterans, but it is about our brothers and sisters that have passed on,” said Maj. Ben Martinez, commander of VFW Post
A vintage Jeep stops along the parade route for participants and onlookers to admire. Photos/Angela Jordan
5463. “Do not mourn for them; remember and celebrate them, reflect on your lives, and reconcile your life with their sacrifice.” Master Chief Frank Robinson, who made his career in the U.S. Navy, spoke at length about the true significance of Memorial Day, which he said has been lost on many Americans who have not served in the military. “I once asked a boy who was about 12 what Memorial Day meant, and he told me, ‘The beginning of summer,’” Robinson said. “Today’s generation and forgetful members of older generations do not understand the significance of the sacrifices Marines stand at attention in front of the Harrison Honor Roll memorial, which was erected in honor of local fallen soldiers.
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Emergency service vehicles in Harrison blare their horns and sirens as they drive down the parade route.
made by the men and women who died for our freedom. To those people, Memorial Day is just another excuse for a threeday weekend.” Also in attendance at the ceremony were the widow and two children of Tech Sgt. Joseph Lemm. Lemm was a West Harrison resident in the Air National Guard who sacrificed his life last year, along with his team member Staff Sgt. Louis Bonasca, when they put themselves between a suicide bomber and several other Airmen in Afghanistan, which prevented some of their fellow team members from being killed by the blast. Lemm’s name was the most CONTINUED on next page
June 3, 2016 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 7
Members of the VFW Post 5463 march down Halstead Avenue.
Marines raise the flag and a member of Harrison High School’s marching band plays taps during a somber moment to memorialize troops who were killed in the line of duty.
The Harrison Police Department proceeds along the parade route. Photos/Angela Jordan
recent to be added to the Honor Roll Memorial in Ma Riis Park, which hosts the names of local service members who died in the line of duty. “I was chairman of the monument committee,” said Joe Mazzullo, who served in the 101st Airborne Division during Vietnam, “and the first words out of my mouth when we put that stone on that pedestal was, ‘I hope we don’t have to put another name ever again on this monument,’ but it didn’t come true.” Lemm’s daughter, 17-yearold Brooke, sang the national anthem at the beginning of the ceremony, and closed it with a rendition of “God Bless America.” At the end of the ceremony, attending veterans invited spectators to the VFW Hall for lunch.
Harrison High School’s marching band, dressed in red, white and blue, play patriotic songs for the occasion.
Harrison town justices Joe Cannella and Pasquale Gizzo march behind town councilmembers Marlane Amelio, Steve Malfitano and Fred Sciliano, and Town Clerk Jackie Greer.
Marines in their dress blues march down Halstead Avenue during Harrison’s Memorial Day parade.
Parade participants distribute candy to kids along the streets.
8 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016
Remembering the troops and seasonal reminders Town board approves .gov website redesign HARRISON HAPPENINGS Mayor Ron Belmont
On Monday, May 30, the town/ village of Harrison honored the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the liberties we enjoy today. This year’s Memorial Day parade and ceremony was a wonderful tribute to fallen military who courageously served in the armed forces and lost their lives. Ben DeFonce, U.S.M.C. Ret., Harrison’s Commissioner of Veteran’s Affairs, should be commended for organizing this wonderful event. Our honored guests, from various military branches, gave heartfelt speeches, describing what active service has meant to them. It was a day to remember and honor the fallen heroes as we celebrate our freedom. Please make note of the following announcement from our Assessors Office: On April 1, 2016, the state of New York enacted new legislation for the enrollment in STAR. Any new applicant/homeowner who applied for the STAR exemption after May 1, 2015 will be required to
apply to the state of New York for STAR. STAR will be administered by the state and a check will be issued from the state. STAR will no longer be exemption based on your school bill. Who should register? You bought your home and applied for STAR after May 1, 2015. You have never applied for the STAR benefit on your primary residence. You received a letter advising you to register for STAR. Those who applied for STAR prior to May 1, 2015, those who switched from Basic to Enhanced STAR and those who renewed Enhanced STAR do not need to register for STAR. For additional information, visit tax. ny.gov or call 518-457-2036. The Harrison assessor can be reached at 670-3060. Be sure to register by July 1, 2016 to receive a STAR check this fall. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Harrison High School senior Samantha Miles. Samantha recently received the 2016 Outstanding Senior in French Award from the American Association of Teachers of French for her dedicated commitment to learning the French language
and culture. Congratulations to Samantha for this wonderful achievement. In closing, I would like to take this time to remind you that with springtime comes good weather and door-to-door salespeople. If you have not been one of the 1,100 households to sign up for the Do-Not Knock Registry, you can sign up on the town’s website at harrison-ny.gov, or call the town clerk’s office at 6703030 to request a form. In addition, Town Clerk Jackie Greer will be more than happy to assist you with any genealogy research you may have. Over the past several years, she has coordinated the indexing of thousands of birth, death and marriage records into a computer database going back to the year 1847. The next “Lunch with the Mayor” is on June 3 and I will be at Quenas Restaurant, located at 109 Harrison Ave. in downtown Harrison. On Friday, June 10, I will be at Harrison Tavern, located at 7 Purdy St. in Harrison. I will be at these locations from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and look forward to meeting with residents and talking about issues facing our community.
SUNY Purchase to hold fifth annual appraisal camp SUNY Purchase College will hold its fifth annual appraisal camp from Saturday, June 4 through Sunday, June 19. The noncredit certificate program, run through the School of Liberal Studies & Continuing Education, is a partnership with the American Society of Appraisers, ASA. The intense two-week program, taught by accredited senior appraisers, has led more than 70 students toward ASA accreditation over the past five years. Director of the School of Continuing Education at Purchase College Kelly Jackson said, “We’re proud of this unique program which provides the skills necessary to build a fulfilling career. We’re confident that by the time participants leave our campus that they have taken an important step toward becoming an appraiser or working as an appraisal expert in a gallery, auction house, or insurance company.” Focusing on personal proper-
ty and the collecting of fine art, decorative art, antiques, furniture, jewelry, coins, stamps, and other specialties, the participants learn the history and tools necessary to appraise and/or collect a wide range of items with assurance and competence. Lectures are complemented by field trips, and the use of the college’s Neuberger Museum of Art, one of the ten largest university museums in this country. Hailing from California Wyoming, Colorado, and beyond, this year’s cohort of gallery owners, gemologists, auto experts and others will spend two
weeks taking classes in personal property valuation, appraisal, research and analysis, writing, and the legal and commercial environment. Auto expert Marvin Braund, who traveled from Tomah, Wisconsin, to attend the program last year, said, “The course offered exactly what I needed in a minimal amount of time. It was well worth the trip.” Spaces are still available. For information on attending Appraisal Camp, contact Kelly. jackson@purchase.edu or visit purchase.edu/appraisalstudies. (Submitted)
The Harrison Town Council has approved a request from Town Clerk Jackie Greer to upgrade the town/ village website. New features will include the interface being adaptable to various devices and drop-down menus. Photo courtesy harrison-ny.gov
By JASON BIRKELBACH Contributor The Harrison Town Council approved a request to upgrade and redesign the town’s municipal website on Thursday, May 19. The upgrade, proposed by Harrison Town Clerk Jackie Greer, will cost $3,000, which the town will pay in three equal payments over three years to its current web provider, Virtual Towns and Schools, to revamp the website. “The cost is minimal compared to the time it saves employees,” Greer said of the town’s online presence. “It saves tons of cost for every department, because people look at the website. The information is there. People don’t have to call.” The new website will feature responsive web design, which detects the device of the user— mobile, tablet, desktop or laptop—and adapts the webpage accordingly for the device, a feature that few municipal websites have utilized, according to Millard Rose, president of Virtual
Towns and Schools. The company has its resources ready to commence the project, Rose said, adding that development times vary based on a municipality’s specific needs, but most last approximately eight weeks. Greer expects the website to be ready this fall. This redesign will be Harrison’s third municipal website iteration. The first was created 10 years ago, and the second upgrade, built by Virtual Town and Schools, was facilitated by Greer in October 2012. “We’re going on five years,” Greer said. “Five years, in that world, is a long time. So, there’s new upgrades; there’s new things available.” The second, current generation provides users with information on the municipality’s annual budgets, board meeting agendas and minutes, a frequently asked questions page and the town code. This information will remain in the website’s third generation, but it will be easier to navigate. The developer will adapt global navigation and cascading navi-
gation, or drop-down menus, to the new website. These features allow users to access the website’s side and top navigation bars from any location on the current page. “Navigation is structured so that the visitors can get to lots of landing pages all in one click from the home page,” Rose said. “It’s a much better user experience.” Virtual Towns and Schools operates out of Massachusetts and develops websites for more than 15 Westchester County municipalities and 500 clients overall. The company creates custom designs specific to each municipality, according to its own website. Harrison’s website, since enlisting Virtual Towns and Schools in 2012, has received 474,000 hits and more than 1 million individual page views, according to Greer. “I just want to keep putting all the information on there,” Greer said. “As far as the new website design, this will be the most up-to-date version that we can have.”
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June 3, 2016 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 9
U.S. Marines
INVADE
Members of the Harrison Fire Department look up at the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion as it hovers over Playland Lake.
Playland Throughout Memorial Day weekend, the U.S. Marines conducted air and ground demonstrations for the public in New York City and the surrounding areas, including Westchester County, as part of Fleet Week 2016. Fleet Week is a U.S. Navy, Marine and Coast Guard tradition during which active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week. On Sunday, May 29, one of those demonstrations took place on the beach located behind Playland Amusement Park in Rye. This year’s event at Playland included a ceremony in honor of Memorial Day, followed by a demonstration on behalf of the U.S. Military Corps Aviation/ Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Military aircrafts performed overhead sweeps around the crowded park before landing
near an open field next to the Edith Reade Sanctuary. After landing, dozens of Marines disembarked and performed a live raid, securing a fictional landing zone and setting up a perimeter as they would during actual combat. Once the demonstration concluded, soldiers were greeted by the crowd that had gathered for the event. Those on hand were also allowed to tour the inside of the choppers, which included a Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, a joint service multirole combat aircraft that can cruise at nearly 290 mph. The aircrafts used in the demonstration were stationed on an open field next to the Reade Sanctuary. The city of Rye, town/village of Harrison and village of Mamaroneck fire departments provided standby support for the landing. -Reporting by Andrew Dapolite
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Chris Battle, left, who also serves as the amusement park’s operations superintendent, with Frank Carrieri, the park’s assistant general superintendent. Photo courtesy Friends of Playland
A Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion takes off from a field behind Playland Amusement Park in Rye.
Firefighters from the city of Rye, town/village of Harrison and village of Mamaroneck provide standby support for the landing. Photos courtesy Rye Fire Department
10 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016
June 2016
Planning ahead... SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY LGBT Pride Month
1
Harrison Band Awards Banquet 5 p.m., HHS Board of Education meeting 7:15 p.m., LMK
National Cancer Survivors Day
Shavuot
5
12
Ramadan begins
6
13
Elementary schools early dismissal Senior Athletic Awards Ceremony 7 p.m., HHS
7
Senior Awards Ceremony 7 p.m., HHS
Flag Day
14
8
Field of Honor Closing Ceremony 6 p.m., HHS
15
Board of Education meeting 7:15 p.m., LMK
THURSDAY NBA Finals begin
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
2
3
SAT testing
4
Relay For Life 7 p.m., HHS Town/village board meeting 7:30 p.m., Municipal building
9
Zoning Board meeting 8 p.m., Municipal building
US Open
16
Senior Prom 7 p.m., HHS
10
ACT testing
11
17
18
24
25
HAS Gr. 5 Graduation 9:30 a.m., HAS
Town/village board meeting 7:30 p.m., Municipal building
D.A.R.E Graduation 4:30 p.m., LMK Architectural Review Board meeting 7:30 p.m., Municipal building
Father’s Day
19
20
Summer Solstice
Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony 9:30 a.m., HAS LMK early dismissal 10:45 a.m.
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PAR Gr. 5 graduation 9:30 a.m., HHS
PRE Gr. 5 graduation 9:30 a.m., HHS
Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony 9:30 a.m., PRE
LMK Moving Up Ceremony 5 p.m., HHS
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HHS Graduation Breakfast/Rehearsal 8 a.m., HHS
Elementary schools early dismissal 11:15 a.m.
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Planning Board meeting 7:30 p.m., Municipal building
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County taxes due
HHS Graduation 5:30 p.m., SUNY Purchase
June 3, 2016 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 11
Talking Business: With
Lenny Balidemaj By IRA ELLENTHAL Executive Vice President It was early, before the dinner rush, on a recent rainy evening when I sat down to interview Lenny Balidemaj, a 42-yearold Albanian from Montenegro, who came to the U.S. in 1994 and, after prepping in other restaurants, set out to dramatically improve the fine dining landscape of lower Westchester County by opening Il Castello, a Mamaroneck institution featuring fine northern Italian cuisine. “Check out its reviews on the Internet and you’ll see how highly patrons rank us,” Lenny said with justifiable pride. “Better still, come in and taste for yourself just how special we are.” In 2002, The New York Times provided a big boost for Il Castello with a highly favorable review and, to hear Lenny tell it, things have only gotten better since. The venue for our interview was Lenny’s, which features ocean-fresh seafood, including mouthwatering, buttery lobster, combined with classic Italian fare and the finest USDA prime steak. Its owner liked describing
it as “a steakhouse with an Italian flair,” which, after extensive renovations, opened last August at the former home of La Scala on Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck. Wisely, Lenny didn’t rush into expansion, a fatal mistake of so many entrepreneurs in the high-mortality restaurant field. “I was confident that I’d know when the right opportunity presented itself,” he said in typical understated fashion. “And, I think I’ll be able to spot the next winner, whenever and wherever that might be.” An Il Castello loyalist and pasta lover agreed with this estimate and added, “Lenny knows what he’s doing at all times and he prides himself on creating wonderful sauces for his wide selection of pasta dishes. I eat there regularly and I love the cozy atmosphere.” Another fan, this one a transplanted Brooklynite, paid Lenny’s the ultimate compliment when he said, “I’ve been there twice since it opened and I love the steaks, which were the equal of Peter Luger’s.
What’s more, the service was warm and friendly.” One of 10 children, Lenny came to the States without speaking a word of English, but the language barrier was offset by an all-out determination to become successful. “I can’t say I’m surprised by our success because we’ve worked our butts off and we’ll continue to do so,” he said, his words sounding more like a promise than a statement. Somehow, some way, he manages to find time for his family, including his wife and three sons, ages 16, 15 and 12. “I love spending time with them, getting away as a family whenever possible, mostly for two or three days at time.” Going where? “Especially to historic spots like Williamsburg, Virginia,” Lenny said. “Museums are also a favorite venue, as are places like Bear Mountain and the Jersey Shore. And this summer, we’re going back to Montenegro, which will be exciting for all of us.” He attributes his ability to escape from a grueling work schedule for more than a few days to Marcello Rugova, his
Friends since childhood, Lenny Balidemaj, left, owner of Lenny’s, and Marcello Rugova, his manager, enjoy working together. Photos/Bobby Begun
childhood friend in Montenegro who came to the U.S. a year after Lenny and, like his pal, went into the restaurant business. A great, big bear of a man who manages the new restaurant wearing a perpetual smile, Marcello prides himself on getting to know every patron on a first-name basis. As for Lenny, Marcello said this: “He makes it a pleasure to come to work and, believe it or not, we’ve actually gotten closer since I joined him in his business,” a statement he capped off by stating, “I trust him with my life.” A sense of good will seems to envelop the wait staff, in part because they are well paid, respected by management, and valued for their input on how to run the businesses more effectively. “We meet weekly to talk about what went wrong during the previous week and how we’re going to fix it,” Lenny says. A case in point: making sure every patron has been fed in a timely manner, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when all of the tables in both restau-
rants are filled. Noting that the pressure is enormous, Lenny asserts, “I don’t want anyone going away hungry and I won’t serve food that isn’t cooked properly, so we do our very best to do the impossible.” And as he made this assertion,
I looked around, an hour after we began the interview, and noticed that every table in Lenny’s, the less-than-a-year-old restaurant, was full. And it wasn’t even the weekend. CONTACT: irathal@hometwn.com
After extensive renovations to the former home of LaScala on Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck, Lenny’s opened amid much fanfare last August.
12 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016
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June 3, 2016 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 13
Getting ready for summer to-do list: RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
• Get new bathing suit. Come on, who am I kidding? Get out old bathing suit, and ignore the fact that it predates the Bush era. (The W. Bush era, that is. It’s not like I never get a new bathing suit. It would just be nice if someday they invented an elastic that stayed elastic instead of getting crunchy after a decade or two. Also, if someone made bathing suits that don’t go out of style every two seconds.) • Quit obsessing about age of bathing suit! • Quit obsessing about age! You are only as old as you feel. Or are you only as young as you feel? • Positive affirmation: I feel younger than springtime! (Of course, springtime has been with us for a while. Ever since the Earth started spinning on its axis, right? Or at least since the evolution of plants? I do feel younger than that, just not in my bathing suit.) • Anyway: Buy sunscreen, and choose between the white glop
no one in the family ever will use because it’s like slathering on blue cheese dressing or the clear spray-on stuff that costs more per ounce than Chanel No. 5? • Buy both. The mere presence of the gloppy white stuff in the medicine cabinet will protect the family from skin cancer by appeasing the angry Coppertone god, and it can stay there for years—in fact, it has. • Ignore the entire article you read yesterday that said a responsible family would go through a whole bottle of sunscreen in a day at the beach if they reapply after each swim. I suppose this is the same family that cleans the coils behind their refrigerator on a monthly basis, as the manufacturer suggests, to “boost cooling efficiency,” as if it is so easy to move a fridge every month—or ever, which could explain our electricity bills. • Quit thinking about things you didn’t do in the middle of writing a “to do” list! • To do: Get son’s health form. • Also to do: Stay on hold for 45 minutes, waiting for the pediatrician’s office to remember
you are alive, on the phone, and had cheerfully responded, “Sure!” to “Can you please hold?” hoping that your chipper sympathy for their “crazy day!” would get you better service. So much for that. You want a crazy day? Try calling the doctor and, after the first 10 minutes on hold, realizing you really have to go to the bathroom. • Quit drifting off topic! Summer! Coming! Soon! Start exercising! • Start exercising your Godgiven right to enjoy life without jogging, stretching, crunching. If I want crunch, I’ve got the elastic in my bathing suit. • Get ready for guests: paper plates, napkins, tablecloths. • Feel guilty about using too much paper. • Feel guilty about not inviting people who are not invited. (But at least you’ll be using less paper.) • Make guest list for festive (if small) barbecue and swim party! • Swim? (In what?) • Buy bathing suit. Or not. Happy summer! CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
Abandoned by his human, Joey was lucky to have found a colony that one of our volunteers feeds daily. Not being able to trust humans, he kept his distance from the feeder for more than a year. Recently while trapping an injured cat, Joey’s foster mom noticed he was flirting and blinking at her and decided to give him a chance. She discovered quickly that Joey is a lover boy! Craving human contact and attention, he climbs up on his foster mom, places his paws on her shoulders and gives lots of hugs. This loving, gentle-natured boy also loves kittens. He’s an amazing beautiful soul and deserves to find a home where he’ll be king of the castle. Joey is neutered, up to date with all vaccinations and in good health. Why not donate $80 to Larchmont Pet Rescue and make Joey part of your home? To meet Joey, call 835-3332 or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
Sprain Brook Academy welcomes students after jail
Photo courtesy Westchester County
The Westchester County Jail in Valhalla recently opened its doors to parents, school officials and others for a rare open house highlighting the high school education program operated there by Southern Westchester BOCES. Some 18 or so students of the Sprain Brook Academy were joined by family members for the event, which featured presentations by teachers and outside agencies that offer transition assistance to inmates after their release. Speakers included past and prospective graduates, as well as officials with the Westchester County Department of Correction and Southern Westchester BOCES. Westhab, OneStop and the Strive Program presented information to families about available services. Michael Lopez, an academy graduate and the keynote speaker, encouraged students not to give up on themselves. Lopez manages an automobile repair shop and said he counts correction officers he knew from his time in Valhalla among his customers. “Just because you messed up doesn’t mean you can’t stand up and keep going,” he said. “Just do it for yourself. Nobody can do it for you.” Assistant Warden Randy Watkins said an open house inside a jail is a new idea. He said that it shows families that their loved ones can receive the education they need. “We can only offer it,” he said. “They have to come.”
The academy serves students ages 16 to 21. Entitled to a high school education, they receive a curriculum centered on transition and transformation in their lives. The curriculum is aligned with state standards and Regents requirements and extends to English language literacy for nonreaders, high school academics, Equivalency Exam preparation, life skills and career development. Transition assistance upon release is also provided in relation to housing, employment, training and higher education. Durrell Glover, of Mount Vernon, has seen his sister, T., a prospective graduate, transformed during her time in the academy. He watched with their grandmother as T. stood at a podium and addressed the crowd of 60 or so students, family members and school and correction officials and staff. “I learned a lot in here about myself and not to give up,” T. said. “I learned that every day is the first day of the rest of your life.” “It just goes to show you,” her brother observed, “if that person wants to change they have to go out and get it.” The open house offered families a rare visit to the jail in an educational rather than strictly correctional setting. Westhab’s Strive Program provides job and life skills and other assistance to students after their release from the jail. “It’s not like they’re just cut
loose,” said Strive case manager Kyle James. “We provide a stable environment.” One mother in attendance said she was gratified to see that her son, B., would be able to continue his education and earn his high school diploma while here. “It makes me feel good,” she said. “He’s going to take this as a learning experience, and he’s looking forward. Life isn’t over for him.” Students have been working on their writing under the direction of English teachers Joe Perez and Joan Edwards Acuña. For the occasion, each student received a bound volume of their collective essays, reflections, poems and short stories. The open house is a good opportunity to “remember why we do what we do,” Perez said. He and Edwards Acuña, along with science teacher Keith Mattos and counselor Kevin McAllister, chatted with students and parents throughout the evening. Also on hand were Southern Westchester BOCES District Superintendent Harold Coles, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services James Gratto and BOCES board members Catherine Draper and Lynn Frazer-McBride. “This is a celebration of student achievement,” said Claudia Murphy, director of Adult and Community Services at Southern Westchester BOCES. “You are not defined by where you are but by the choices you make while you are here.” (Submitted)
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SPORTS
14 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016
Battle of the superstars LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
I think I’ve made it clear in my column that when it comes to my love for professional sports leagues, basketball places a distant fourth behind baseball, football and hockey. Whether it’s the Knicks’ alarming lack of success, the huge disparity between the way the game is played in the pros as opposed to in college, or the fact that, even in the most anticipated matchups of the year, you can simply tune in to the last 10 minutes of a game to get your fill of basketball drama, this sport isn’t exactly my number one pick. But man, am I excited for these NBA finals. On Monday, May 30, the Golden State Warriors put the finishing touches on a 3-1 series comeback, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals to advance to their
second straight Finals appearance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. And even for the most ambivalent of NBA fans, this is a championship series with tons of intrigue. For one thing, whenever you have two teams squaring off for the second year in a row with a championship trophy on the line, it makes for must-see television. The Warriors and Cavs have history now—albeit not a long one—and that’s not something that can be overlooked. That history comes with built-in storylines, which ups the ante tenfold. Can Cleveland, which was decimated by injuries to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love last year, have a better showing against Golden State? With new Cavs’ coach Tyronn Lue, take note of how OKC’s bigger lineup fared against the Warriors in the conference finals. How much of a difference will Cleveland’s improved depth make this time around against a team that just set a new NBA record for regular season wins?
But the most compelling question that this series will answer— and of course, Andre Iguodala’s 2015 finals MVP proves that these storylines don’t always play out perfectly—is the one about which of these two team’s stars, LeBron James or Steph Curry, will emerge victorious? Over the last two years, there have been few sports debates as hotly contested—both in real media and on social media—as which player, LeBron, a two-time champ and four-time league MVP, or Curry, who is coming off two MVP awards of his own, is better. These sorts of debates have long been the lifeblood of professional sports. Bird vs. Magic, Brady vs. Manning, these seemingly singular conversations can dominate the landscape of a professional league for years, and we seem to be reaching a fever pitch with LeBron vs. Curry. One player, LeBron, was anointed the spiritual successor to Michael Jordan when he was about 15 years old and has gone
TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A
LIVE MIKE! Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary Follow Mike Smith @harrisonreview for Mike’s live, in-game action updates
On Thursday, June 2, after press time, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors took the floor in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. As talented as both these teams are, the series might well be remembered as the ultimate showdown between LeBron James and Steph Curry. Photo courtesy aiziku.deviantart.com
on to physically dominate the NBA for 13 seasons. Curry, on the other hand, is an absolute marvel on the court, possibly the best pure shooter ever, and by virtue of his squeaky image—and LeBron’s ill-fated “Decision”—has quickly become the most popular player in today’s game. Will Curry-mania continue as Steph shoots his way to another championship? Will LeBron fi-
nally bring a title to Cleveland? What will the next two weeks mean for the legacies of these two superstars? That’s why the majority of us will be watching the finals. Sure basketball is a team sport, and the championship will likely be decided by which team’s supporting cast comes up bigger in the clutch spots (Matthew Dellavedova for finals MVP?),
but years from now, this series will likely be remembered as a pitched battle between the sports’ two biggest stars. Who will win? I’ve got no idea, and honestly, I don’t really care. I’m just looking forward to the ride.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
SPORTS
June 3, 2016 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • 15
Clippers named to All-Region teams
The Golf Coaches Association of America, GCAA, has announced the 2016 NCAA Division II PING All-Region Teams. Concordia College junior Juan Roa was named to the All-East Team to earn one of the 12 spots. In all, there were four golfers from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, CACC, making it to the All-East Team. Roa helped lead the Clippers to their first NCAA Division II National Championship this past season and was also a CACC Men’s Golf All-Tournament Team selection with a 7479 (+11) for a T-5 finish and a CACC All-Conference Team selection. Roa earned a CACC Player of the Week selection on April 13 after claiming the first place medal at Le Moyne College’s Mike Bello Spring Invitational at the Timber Banks Golf Club to lead Concordia to the team win out of a field of 15 programs.
Roa placed T-6 at the NCAA Division II Super Regionals with a 74-76-72 (+5) in the three-round tournament, concluding the season with a T-99 finish in the NCAA Division II National Championship with a 79-80-74 (+17). Roa wasn’t the only Concordia athlete to be named to the All-Region team, as those honors also went to baseball player Brian Billelo as well. On May 25, Billelo added to his post season award recognition with an American Baseball Coaches Association, ABCA/ Rawlings All-East Region Second Team selection. Bilello was named to the team as a utility player for the Clippers this past season, as he was also recently named the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association, D2CCA, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, NCBWA, All-East Second Teams.
Bilello was named to the All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, CACC, First Team at the end of the season as he was fifth in the CACC this season with a .358 batting average on 48 hits in 134 at-bats to lead Concordia. On the season, he also had 23 RBIs, 18 runs, 14 doubles, five triples, a home run, and a stolen base. Bilello had the second best on-base percentage in the CACC at .466, while his double and triple totals were third best in the league. Bilello split his time in between both catcher and first base. He had 227 put outs for 11th best in the CACC and held a fielding percentage of .996 for 12th overall in the league. Overall in NCAA Division II, Bilello was 47th in triples. He was an All-CACC Second Team selection and a Daktronics/Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) All-East Region Second Team selection last year. (Submitted)
Concordia junior Juan Roa lines up a putt. Roa was named to the CACC All-Region Team last week. Contributed photo
Huskies fall in semis
Dean McCarthy throws a pitch during a game against Rye. McCarthy and the Huskies advanced to the Class A semifinals, where they were beaten 6-4 by eventual champion John Jay. Photo/Mike Smith
On May 25, Harrison’s baseball season came to an end falling in a 6-4 heartbreaker to No. 2 seed John Jay in the Class A semifinals. The Huskies got off to a good start, plating a run in the top of the first inning, but John Jay struck back quickly, tying the game in the bottom half of the frame and taking a 5-1 lead by the end of the second inning.
Although the Huskies battled back to make it a two-run game heading into the final inning, John Jay’s Justin Drpich—who had previously homered in the game—came on to close out the game, giving up a leadoff walk before striking out two batters and popping up another to preserve an Indians win. With the win, John Jay ad-
vanced to the Class A championship game, which was held on Saturday, May 28 at Palisades Credit Union Park in Pomona, New York. Thanks to an impressive mound performance from sophomore Ryan Bryggman, who threw just 89 pitches, the Indians blanked Brewster and captured the Class A title with an 8-0 win. -Reporting by Mike Smith
16 • THE HARRISON REVIEW • June 3, 2016