Harrison REVIEW THE
June 17, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 25 | www.harrisonreview.com
Con Edison considers gas, electric increases After the passing of a nationwide FDA regulation classifying all vapor products as tobacco products, vape manufacturers, retailers and consumers of the growing industry may be forced to find an alternative to their alternative. For story, see page 6. Photo/Suzy Berkowitz
Harrison’s World War I Doughboy leaves its post By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer As the nation was remembering the sacrifices of the American heroes of World War II on the 72nd anniversary of D-Day, Harrison saw the loss of its Doughboy, a 76-yearold statue commemorating the World War I soldiers who were from the town. The 5-foot-tall cast zinc statue, which held a rifle in its left hand and hoisted a grenade above its head with its right, broke at its ankles and fell from its pedestal in Ma Riis Park on Monday, June 6, losing its right arm as it hit the pavers on the ground. Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont attributed the collapse to
the statue’s physical wear and tear and from strong winds that had recently circulated the area. According to Ben DeFonce, a veteran services officer for Harrison who served as a Marine in the Korean War, the town and its veterans are collaborating to raise funds to replace the statue; however, no price estimates have been made as of press time. Belmont told the Review he was doubtful that the statue is mendable, and speculated it would have to be replaced. He added that the town has contacted curators at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, District of Columbia, and other sculptors for help. Belmont referenced a replica of the Harrison statue in
Verona, Pennsylvania, which also separated at the ankles and fell in 2007, and has not yet been repaired or replaced. “I hope it doesn’t take that long to get this one repaired,” Belmont said. “But we are trying desperately to do what we have to do.” Harrison’s statue is one of more than 140 replicas across 39 states carved from “The Spirit of the American Doughboy,” a statue created by E.M. Viquesney, copyrighted in 1934. The statue had previously lost the bayonet on its rifle, a commonly damaged part of such statues. The marble pedestal on which the doughboy stood is still in place. However, the zinc
feet and tree stumps left standing when the statue fell have been removed. The inscribed plaques at the base of the statue have been left in place. The front-facing plaque is an inscription from the Harrison collection of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to the local men and women who served in World War I. Three back-facing plaques list a total of 300 names. April 6, 2017 will be the 100th anniversary of the entry of the U.S. into World War I. DeFonce says by then, he hopes the statue will return from its furlough. “It’s an important part of our history in Harrison,” he said. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer The New York State Department of Public Service will hold two public hearings this month to consider allowing Con Edison to increase rates on gas and electric delivery. The proposed increases would raise the cost of gas services by an average of 8.4 percent and would increase the cost of electricity services by about 5.7 percent. Con Edison, an energy company, has requested a rate increase that would aim to bolster its annual delivery revenues on gas and electric by about $640 million from the approximately 3 million customers they serve across Westchester County and New York City. The state Public Service Commission would have to approve the power company’s request for the rate increase in order for it to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. Bills issued by energy companies consist of charges for supply—the cost of electricity or gas—and charges for delivery—the cost to transport the supply through the company’s utility network. A company is not responsible for setting the supply rates, and must receive approval from the Department of Public Service, DPS, which ensures affordable, safe and reliable access to utilities, before altering delivery rates. The DPS has 11 months to review a rate case from when a company submits a request before they must approve or deny it. During that time, the commission organizes a team to analyze the company’s reasons for the proposed rate increase and negotiate a counteroffer. Con Edison representatives
said the company plans to use the increased revenue for several capital projects that would benefit its customers and increase employee safety. Con Edison President Craig Ivey said in a released statement, “We plan to implement a five-year smart meter modernization program that will reduce operating costs while significantly improving customer service and outage response.” These smart meters would be part of what the company is calling Advanced Metering Infrastructure, which would allow Con Edison to operate certain procedures—including assessing outages and turning on power for new customers— remotely. Last year, Con Edison applied to raise rates on electric delivery in 2016, but the DPS denied the request. Con Edison has not increased delivery rates since 2012. Con Edison estimates that the average residential consumer in Westchester uses about 450 kWh of electricity per month, a usage that would see a rate increase of $6.25. Residential gas usage, averaging about 100 therms per month in the county, would increase by nearly $11 monthly. The hearings are scheduled on Tuesday, June 21 and Wednesday, June 22 at 4:30 p.m. The first hearing will be held at the DPS office at 90 Church St. in Manhattan and the second will be held at the Yonkers Public Library at 1 Larkin Center. The Public Service Commission and Con Edison have arranged an initial meeting to begin settlement negotiations for the morning of June 23. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com