Harrison REVIEW THE
October 25, 2019 | Vol. 7, Number 42 | www.harrisonreview.com
Clergy, law enforcement talk house of worship safety
Rye rolls
again Declan Lavelle throws a pass against Harrison on Oct. 19. Rye topped Harrison 21-7 in the Class A playoff qualifier to advance to the quarterfinal round this week. For story, see page 16. Photo/Mike Smith
Rev. Anthony Thompson, a Charleston, South Carolina-based pastor whose wife Myra was among nine people murdered by a white supremacist during bible study, had a simple and direct message about forging ahead after tragedy: Forgive, unite and work together. Thompson was one of the keynote speakers at a conference on Oct. 17 at Pace University entitled Safety & Security for Faith-Based Institutions where more than 150 clergy, community leaders and law enforcement from the region convened to learn facets of keeping their institutions safe at a time where hate crimes, hate groups and gun violence are on the rise in this country and around the world. “Forgiveness heals everything–spiritually, physically, and mentally,” Thompson told the crowd. “I urge you. I plead with you to forgive whoever you need to forgive. Life will be so much better. It gives you everything positive.” For Thompson, author of “Called to Forgive: The Charleston Church Shooting, a Victim’s Husband, and the Path to Healing and Peace,” forgiving the shooter was not only a personal story of healing, but a broader one for the city of Charleston, which has a long history of racial strife.
“We’re not just talking about it in Charleston, we are trying our best to live it in our hearts,” he said, referring to vigils, community events and a dialogue that began after the shooting. “We realized from this tragedy that it’s time to put our differences behind. It’s not only the act of an individual, but an act that changed a community and started a movement,” he added. The conference, a partnership between Pace University and New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, also featured experts from the FBI, New York State Police, Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Westchester Medical Center and the Port Authority of NYNJ, among other regional first-responders. Other highlights of the conference included: • A threat briefing from Anthony Molloy, supervisory special agent with the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force that provided background on hate crimes, offenses associated with religious bias, the rise in white supremacy groups, and techniques for detecting and disrupting threats. Between 20002018, there have been 277 active WORSHIP continued on page 7
Latimer announces repaving projects in Harrison, Port Chester Westchester’s commuters. Our infrastructure is in need of real investment and my Administration is providing it.” Capital Project ID# RB183— totaling $2.4 million—will fund the rehabilitation of approximately 1.12 miles of roadway on Union Avenue in Harrison from West Street to Route 127 including milling resurfacing and concrete curb replacement. This main thoroughfare leads to two
Harrison Public Schools and two houses of worship. Capital Project ID# RB201— totaling $1.4 million—will fund the rehabilitation of approximately 0.7 miles of roadway on Willet Avenue in Port Chester from King Street to Putnam Avenue including milling, resurfacing, concrete curb replacement, drainage repairs, new traffic loops and new pavement marking. County Legislator Nancy Barr,
who represents the district and in early September requested funding for these projects be included in the 2020 Capital Project Budget, said: “These are crucial roadways for the people in my district. The stretch of Union Avenue in Harrison set for repair leads to two public schools and houses of worship; and Willet Avenue in Port Chester is a heavily trafficked road whose repair is long overdue.” (Submitted)
P u b li s h
es
Harrison REVIEW REVIEW Mamaroneck THE
THE
Eastchester CityREVIEW NewRochelle REVIEW THE
THE
INSIDE
As a continuation of his plan to rebuild Westchester’s infrastructure, County Executive George Latimer is announcing funding for two projects in the Harrison/ Port Chester part of the county totaling $3.8 million. “The roads in our Capital Program are oft-traveled and in need of repairs,” Latimer said. “With these repairs comes jobs, increased access to local destinations and peace of mind to
INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY
www.hometwn.com | P.O. BOX 485, White Plains N.Y. 10602 (914) 653-1000