March 11, 2016

Mamaroneck REVIEW THE

March 11, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 11 | www.mamaroneckreview.com

Board rejects building moratorium appeal

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer

Embrace the challenge

Tucker Leicht and Alex Ewald celebrate during Mamaroneck’s 5-1 win over Massena on March 5. The Tigers are just two wins away from a state title. For more, see page 19.

Photo/Bobby Begun

Rye councilwoman to challenge Latimer for state Senate

By CHRISTIAN FALCONE Editor-in-Chief Julie Killian, a city of Rye councilwoman, will try to do what no other Republican has been able to: beat George Latimer.

Killian announced that she plans to seek the New York state Senate seat for the 37th District currently occupied by Latimer, a Democrat, at a Rye City Republican Committee meeting last month, the Review has learned.

She is in her first full term on the Rye City Council and earlier

this year was appointed deputy mayor. Killian, a mother of five, first joined the council in 2012 after being appointed to the seat following a vacancy.

Tony Sayegh, a political analyst for Fox News and News12 Westchester, said the 37th District, which stretches from the city of Yonkers north to the town of Bedford, is one of the Senate’s very few true swing districts in the state, meaning that either political party could wrestle control in a given election cycle. “It really requires somebody who is independent in some respects,”

he said, adding that it’s also a very diverse district.

Sayegh, also a Republican strategist, has already been retained by the Killian camp as she prepares to officially launch her candidacy with an announcement expected on Friday, after press time. According to Sayegh, she has been listening to people’s issues and gaining a better understanding of the district.

“Julie is trying to understand all of the concerns and slowly we’ll be rolling out some of the solutions to those problems,” said Sayegh, adding that as far as

a platform, it’s still too early for Killian to start talking specifics.

But the analyst said, based on her record of service, Killian

The village of Larchmont Board of Trustees decided to uphold a residential villagewide building moratorium and deny the appeal of a developer looking to demolish the iconic house on 40 Ocean Ave. Now, according to members of the village board, a lawsuit may be imminent.

The Review has also learned that the village is facing a second appeal of the moratorium for a project on Larchmont Avenue.

The decision comes after the developer of the 40 Ocean Ave. property filed an appeal in hopes that the village board would grant the company—KOSL Building Group, owned by Bobby Ben-Simon—a variance to continue its plan to demolish the historic home at 40 Ocean Ave. and construct four brand-new homes in its place.

Attorneys from Cuddy & Feder, the firm representing KOSL Building Group, claimed in the appeal filed on Feb. 3 that the project on 40 Ocean Ave. had been singled out in the moratorium—which was passed on Jan. 1—and has, as a result of the law, faced undue financial hardships.

Among the financial resources already put forth by the developers for the project on 40 Ocean Ave. were costs associated with developing preliminary site plans.

The moratorium temporarily

restricts subdivisions and demolitions in any of Larchmont’s residential areas, including any projects with pending site plan approval like the one proposed for 40 Ocean Ave. According to village Trustee Lorraine Walsh, a Democrat, the decision to uphold the conditions of the moratorium for 40 Ocean Ave., which was passed unanimously by the village board, was not an easy one.

“I would say all the decisions that relate to this process have been difficult,” she said. “There are lots of issues and lots of ramifications.”

Despite claims from the developer that the moratorium has been engineered specifically to block the potential demolition of property on 40 Ocean Ave., the resolution denying the variance—much like the original moratorium resolution—states that there is a much larger and more insidious trend at work when it comes to residential development.

“There is clearly a relatively new phenomenon occurring throughout the village where one home is demolished and two or more are [or planned to be] constructed,” the resolution states.

Walsh, who is running uncontested for the seat of current Mayor Anne McAndrews, a Democrat, who will leave office on April 4, said that while 40 Ocean Ave. may have factored apPeal continued on page 12

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2 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 3

Town bans truck traffic on select streets The town of Mamaroneck has passed a local law that will ban trucks that weigh more than 11 tons from driving on a few of the town’s residential streets following complaints from residents about safety and the tranquility of their neighborhoods.

According to Town Administrator Steve Altieri, the streets affected will include Rockland Avenue (between Baldwin Place and Weaver Street), Myrtle Boulevard (between Lakeside Drive and Weaver Street), Lakeside Drive and East Hickory Grove Drive. The recommendation to implement the ban came from

the town Traffic Committee.

Before unanimously passing the law at the March 2 Town Council meeting, the board allowed members of the community to give their thoughts.

Many residents showed up to the public hearing to express their support for the proposal.

George Talt, a resident of East Hickory Grove Drive, reminded the board and his neighbors why they were all really there: to protect their children and to make their streets safer.

Another Hickory Grove resident, Kim Giarraputo, said it has become increasingly difficult for her two children to

play outside on the front lawn.

With trucks on the roadway and other cars speeding, the residential road is a danger.

Talt and Giarraputo’s neighbor, Derek Moore, who has 4-year-old twin daughters, said he didn’t realize how dangerous the road was when he first moved onto the street.

After the law passed, Councilman Tom Murphy, a Democrat, commended the residents for joining together to use local government effectively.

“This is a real illustration of democracy in action,” he said.

The law will take effect once it is filed with the state.

-Reporting by Kiley Stevens

The town of Mamaroneck has passed a law that will ban trucks weighing more than 11 tons from driving on a few of the town’s residential streets. Pictured is East Hickory Grove Drive. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

Register now for annual Larchmont Spelling Bee The Friends of the Larchmont Public Library will present its fourth annual Spelling Bee for adults and teens on Sunday, April 3, commencing at 4 p.m. The Spelling Bee will be held in the Social Hall at Larchmont Temple, located at 75 Larchmont Ave. in Larchmont.

Admission is free for spectators and refreshments will be available at 3:30 p.m.

Since its inception, the bee has attracted swarms of residents, both as participants and spectators. According to Ellie Fredston, Bee organizer, “Last year, the Bee attracted 20 teams whose members included government officials, lawyers, business owners, high school

students and spelling bee enthusiasts.” She added, “There were also hundreds of spectators lending their support and enjoying a fun afternoon.” Fredston noted that contributions from the Spelling Bee will help fund programs at the Larchmont Public Library that benefit the entire community.

Lou Young, Larchmont resident and CBS-TV news personality, returns as the master of ceremonies. Nancy Seligson, Mamaroneck town supervisor; Anne McAndrews, village of Larchmont mayor; and George Latimer, New York state senator, will again serve as bee judges.

For entry forms, Spelling Bee rules and other informa-

tion, visit friendsoflarchmontlibrary.org. The deadline for all entries is March 23.

The fourth annual Larchmont Spelling Bee is sponsored

by Houlihan Lawrence and Ray Catena Lexus of Larchmont. For additional information about the Friends of the Larchmont Public Library, visit friendsoflarchmontlibrary.org.

(Submitted)

4 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

What’s going on...

Mamaroneck Public Library

Department of Health at 813-5192. Appointments are available in English and in Spanish.

De-stress and self-express

All ages story and craft hour On Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon in the Children’s Room on the second floor. No registration required. There will be stories that will appeal to kids of all ages and their caregivers, and a craft simple enough for the little kids and creative enough for the big kids.

Information session: ‘Do You Need Health Insurance?’

Make an appointment for a one-on-one information session with a Westchester County health department navigator, who will be in the library’s Tech Room on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Representatives will answer questions about health insurance-related topics, including essential plans, Medicaid, Child Health Plus and health coverage for business owners’ employees. Clients should be prepared with their Social Security numbers, documents for legal immigrants, birth dates, employer and income information and insurance policy numbers. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the Westchester County

This coloring program for adults will be held on Monday, March 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Community Room on the lower level. The program will operate on a drop-in basis. Since the latest craze is coloring books for adults, and adult coloring books have more intricate designs and patterns than those for children, the library will be offering coloring books, art supplies, relaxing music and refreshments to adults during this program.

Adults must be 18 or older to attend this program.

For more information, call 698-1250.

Crafternoons All crafters and non-crafters are welcome to this afternoon of crafting on Thursday, March 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Community Room on the lower level. Crafts will include knitting, crocheting, embroidering and felting. Participants are welcome to bring crafts they are working on, ideas to explore and their best teaching skills to help others. This program is free and open to the public.

Larchmont Public Library

Free math study help On Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Teen Room on the lower level. Arithmetic got you down?

Need some help with homework or maybe just a refresher? Former high school math teacher Lynne Prior will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about middle and high school math.

Mamaroneck Artists Guild ‘Shouts And Whispers’

Women’s Book Club The Mamaroneck library Women’s Book Club will come together to discuss the book “Montana 1948” by Larry Watson on Wednesday, March 16 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Room on the lower level. Copies of the book have been reserved for the book group and will be available by the hold shelf.

The book discussion is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 698-1250 ext. 7.

yet to be written, this “reliably clever and funny improv troupe” (The New York Times) creates a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your eyes. Nothing is plannedor rehearsed.

The dialogue and characters are created as you watch, resulting in an evening of off-the-cuff comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare. Tickets are $42 each. See more at emelin.org/event/comedy/improvised-shakespearecompany.

The library will be closed for construction until the summer of 2016. Existing shelves will be moved to the Village Center and the Burchell Children’s Room will remain open. For more information about the library’s relocation, call the Reference Desk at 834-2281 ext. 3, email larchmontlibrary@wlsmail.org or visit larchmontlibrary.org.

Parachute storytime Storytime for children will be held on Saturday, March 12 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The program, which is appropriate for children ages 2 to 4, will focus on gross motor skills and encouraging a child’s love of stories. Registration is required for this program. For more information or to register for the program, call 834-2281.

Stories and crafts Children ages 5 to 7 are welcome to participate in St. Patrick’s Day-themed stories and crafts on Thursday, March 17 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A free ticket is required to attend this event. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 3 p.m. the day of the program. For more information, call 834-2281.

Emelin Theatre The Emelin Theatre is located at 153 Library Lane in Mamaroneck. The box office is open Wednesday to Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and two hours before every show, and can be reached at 698-0098. Tickets and information on shows are also available on emelin.org.

Room on the Broom On Saturday, March 12 at 11 a.m. with another show at 1:30 p.m. The witch and her cat are flying happily on their broomstick—until a stormy wind blows away the witch’s hat, bow and wand.

So begins this “high-energy treat” (The New York Times) filled with songs, laughs and scary fun adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of “The Gruffalo.” A Tall Stories production. For ages 3 and up. Tickets are $15 each. See more at emelin.org/event/family/ room-broom.

The Improvised Shakespeare Company On Saturday, March 12 at 8 p.m. Based on an audience member’s suggestion of a title of a play

H. David Stein, photographer, and Larry Gordon, artist, will be featured in a two-person show at the Mamaroneck Artists Guild, located at 126 Larchmont Ave. in Larchmont. “Shouts And Whispers” will run through March 26. Stein’s photographs are paired prints with subtle white flowers contrasted with even more subtle black flowers. Some are hand-cut to allow the flowers to grow over the mats. Gordon uses transparency, overlapping shapes and images. His paintings aim at a joyful and playful celebration of color embracing color. The shapes become dematerialized and abstract. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. Admission is free and open to the public. This exhibition is made possible, in part,

by ArtsWestchester with support from Westchester County government. Call 834-1117 or visit mamaroneckartistsguild.org for more information.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church Winter farmers market The indoor Mamaroneck farmers market is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, located at 168 W. Boston Post Road. The market will run until April 16. Mamaroneck’s staple farmers market goods will return, including local produce, fresh fish, pasture-raised meat, eggs, artisanal breads, baked goods, pickles, prepared foods to go and savory yogurt. Several new vendors will join in 2016 as well, including GoGo Pops, Natural Contents Kitchen and The Cheese Guy. In February, renowned Lani’s Farm will also begin selling their unique produce. For more information or a full list of markets and vendors, visit DowntoEarthMarkets.com.

Congregation Emanu-El Purim celebration Parents are welcome to celebrate Purim with their children on Saturday, March 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Congregation Emanu-El, located at 2125 Westchester Ave. East in Rye. The celebration will consist of stories, songs, snacks and a brief morning Shabbat service. Parents are invited to enjoy mimosas while kids spin groggers. Familes are encouraged to bring a container of chewable children’s multi-vitamins to donate to Afya. For more information or to register for the event, call 967-4382.

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.

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 5

Despite permit, Molly Spillane’s critics await summer

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer A debate over noise complaints at Molly Spillane’s bar in Mamaroneck has gone silent for now, but some residents and zoning board members are hesitant to enjoy the newfound peace and quiet as Spillane’s summer season approaches.

Molly Spillane’s special permit, which was renewed by the Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 7 and passed by a 4-1 vote, renews much of the original restrictions included in the last permit passed in 2014 and will last three years before a renewal is needed.

Barry Weprin, the chairman of the village zoning board, was the only vote against renewing the special permit.

According to Weprin, he feels that the conditions enumerated in the first permit had been effective and didn’t need to be altered.

Specifically, the newest permit—similar to the first one— dictates that windows and doors to the bar must be closed after

10 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and after 11 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays preceding a Monday holiday.

The biggest change in special permit, according to Weprin, is that hours for patrons to utilize the balcony have been extended an hour on both weekdays and weekends.

According to the resolution, patrons will be allowed to use the bar’s deck until 12 a.m.

Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday preceding a Monday holiday.

Because these times have been extended for an hour each, the newest permit also includes a clause limiting amplified sound on the deck until no later than 10 p.m., which was not included prior.

Shortly after its inception in 2009, the bar, located at 211 Mamaroneck Ave., has been at the center of noise complaints from nearby residents in the Regatta, located at 123 Mamaroneck Ave. According to Kate Priest, a resident of the Regatta, those formal complaints

with the police snowballed to 148 between the years of 2011 and 2013. And in 2014, repeated noise complaints culminated in a petition that gathered 183 signatures from residents which eventually lead to the passage of the initial special permit placing restrictions on the bar.

Now, Lucia Tatavitto, a resident of the Regatta, explained that the results of the most recent special permit have been mostly satisfying; a sentiment which she said is shared by other residents in her vicinity.

The pleasing results, however, are also coupled with a healthy dose of caution.

“I’m happy with the outcome,” she said. “But only time will tell… we have to wait and see what happens.”

Tatavitto said that during the winter months, the noise from Spillane’s generally subsides because patrons are reluctant to use the outdoor deck in the cold weather. The real test, she explained, will be in the summer months when the bar’s outdoor area is in its peak season.

While a decision to uphold many of the original provisions restricting patrons of Molly Spillane’s bar was passed in January, not everyone is convinced it will solve its constant noise issue. File photo

Even after the renewal, Weprin is also somewhat skeptical of just how effective the permit’s conditions will be.

“I think there’s always going

to be a noise problem with Molly’s,” he said. “It’s unfortunate where the place is located and its proximity to residences.”

Michael Hynes, the owner

of Molly Spillane’s, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

6 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

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Business council visits Cuba

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A peak into a room at Ernest Hemingway’s Cuban home named Finca Vigia, meaning “lookout house.” The home, which houses the Hemingway Museum, is located 10 miles outside of Havana.

Editorial Assistant | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Editorial Assistant | Suzy Berkowitz ext. 30, suzy@hometwn.com Reporter | James Pero ext. 20, james@hometwn.com Reporter | Kiley Stevens ext. 23, kiley@hometwn.com Education Reporter | Sarah Varney ext. 17, sarah@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | John Oleynick ext. 29, john@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writer Angela Jordan Staff Photographer Bobby Begun Columnist Lenore Skenazy Letters

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Twenty-eight members and guests of the Business Council of Westchester embarked on a six-day trip to Cuba in February. Photos courtesy Marsha Gordon

By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant The Business Council of Westchester took advantage of improved relations between the U.S. and Cuba by sending a group of members and guests off to the country for a six-day culture trip in February.

Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of the BCW, was one of 28 council members and guests who traveled to Cuba. “The purpose of a people-to-people exchange

is to really see what is going on in [a foreign] community,” Gordon told the Review, adding that it was not a business or trade trip, rather an opportunity for the BCW to see Cuba during such a unique time in its history.

It had been more than 50 years since U.S. citizens were able to visit Cuba due to government and economic sanctions placed on the country.

The six-day trip included tours of Havana and Old Havana, an American antique car ride and

visits to the Arte Corte Community Project, the Muraleando Community Project and a local tobacco farm and cigar plant.

Gordon called the trip an eyeopener in terms of being exposed to Cuba’s culture and history and the community-oriented projects that the group visited.

One such project they learned about was The Arte Corte project. The project is a hairdressing salon that also features a school for barbers run out of someone’s home, with tools and memora-

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Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester, said one of her trip highlights was touring Old Havana ahead of Cuba modernizing, as tourism is expected to increase now that U.S. and Cuba ties have improved.

bilia collected over the years.

The money the salon raises goes toward helping to build a playground for children and to help a local senior citizen center.

“They are training people to become barbers, including four deaf people, which I though was amazing,” Gordon said.

The Muraleando Community Project, started by two Cuban artists in a Havana barrio, centers on painting murals in local streets and holding classes on site. Gordon called the murals works of art, adding that one of the artists sells prints of the murals to support various community projects.

In order for the trip to materialize, the BCW teamed up with Chamber Discoveries, a Fresno, California-based travel company that caters to chambers of commerce nationwide. Chamber Discoveries provided a guide and organized fun activities for the council, like a visit to Ernest Hemingway’s home 10 miles east of Havana, which is perhaps Gordon’s favorite highlight of the trip.

The program that allowed BCW members to visit Cuba was organized under the peopleto-people license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The license came to be in 1999, following policy changes that allowed Americans to travel to Cuba with the goal of enhancing cultural relations between the two countries. Although travel restrictions were enforced in 2003, the license was revived again in 2011, with one company legally allowed to bring American tourists to Cuba.

Differences between the two countries began in 1959, when Fidel Castro came to power. Castro’s regime started to develop ties with the Soviet Union, and he nationalized property owned by the U.S. and increased taxes

on American imports. The U.S. retaliated by imposing a full economic embargo, which included tough travel constraints, and ending diplomatic ties.

Isolation became the policy of the U.S. toward Cuba over the years, and the embargo was strengthened in the 1990s. But in December 2014, with Castro’s health failing, President Barack Obama and Raul Castro, Fidel’s younger brother, announced that the two countries would restore full diplomatic ties.

Despite the stark differences between the two countries over the years, some similarities are evident today. While there, Gordon took notice of Cuba’s booming farm-to-table industry, a food movement that focuses on locally producing and delivering food to consumers.

“There were some really fine restaurants,” she said. “The farmto-table [trend] is [as much] a phenomenon there as it is here.”

And yet, according to Gordon, most people work for the government and doctors make less than taxi drivers.

“While it was very interesting, boy, did we all come home proud to be Americans and thankful to have been born in America,” she said.

Gordon said looking at Cuba’s history and seeing its remnants made her think about the country’s future, such as upgrades to tourism facilities now that more Americans are able to visit. “I think when there are more opportunities and the rules are less stringent, [Cuba] will probably—just by the nature of the market—have to modernize,” she added. “Just being there and having the opportunity to see Cuba at this moment [in time] was fascinating.”

CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 7

8 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

Letters to the Editor

On Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance

All children should not suffer academically

To the Editor, Along with millions of other people, I tuned in to watch the Super Bowl. While not a big fan of pro football (I prefer college), I do get into the excitement and look forward to the half time show and commercials as much as the game.

So there I was, watching Coldplay open up the show. For the life of me, I cannot recall a hit by Coldplay, but was curious as to how they would perform. They did a fine job and Chris Martin seemed to enjoy himself. Bruno Mars, who is an excellent performer, also exhibited talent and was thrilled with given the opportunity to perform on football’s biggest day. I knew Beyoncé was appearing and figured she would be as entertaining as the prior acts.

As I watched the performance, I realized her agenda was not to entertain but to use this stage as a platform for her prejudiced, anti-cop opinions. It was obvious that her backup dancers, the costumes worn and the lyrics sung were to promote prejudiced feelings that have been so in your face over these last seven years. Beyoncé sang her new song, “Formation,” and if you watch the video, its anti-cop message is evident. I was disgusted with her, her performance and the show’s producers for allowing this to be seen on football’s biggest night. The producers should be ashamed of themselves for permitting this to take place.

While America gives everyone the right to voice their opinions, the Super Bowl half time show is a private enterprise and it should not have been allowed. Instead of singing anti-cop lyrics, Beyoncé should say thank you to the cops who protect her at every concert in every city. Cops will continue to protect her because that is what they do. They are not asking for anything special and risk their lives every day. So Beyoncé, the next time you travel, it will be the local police who protect you when you get to your destination.

Remember a little respect or thank you to the men and women in blue would be worth more than your next hit single.

To the Editor, I am writing in response to your article, “Income inequality hits Mamaroneck schools hard,” published on Feb. 26, 2016.

Schools should notice students that suffer in school because of how their home life is, and try to make a difference. It is sad to see that students who are from low-income families do not perform as well on tests as students raised in wealthier families, even though they attend the same school.

There are a variety of reasons why students who are homeless do worse in school.

Clearly, the major reason is because they do not have the same resources that students from wealthier families are privileged with. It is great that the Mamaroneck Avenue School is giving these students the opportunity to experience things that they may not have been able to do just because of the place that they are raised in.

The place or background someone is from can have a great influence on a person’s experiences, just like these students for example. It is also really hard to try and break students from the vicious cycle of not being able to do well in school just because they do not have the same privileges or confidence that wealthier students may have. Not doing well in school can prevent these students from bettering their future, which would force them to follow the path of raising their families in the same environment they were raised in.

Therefore, the fact that Mamaroneck schools are trying to focus on improving lowincome students test scores is a really big deal because it can start to get them out of this cycle. It will also eventually offer privileges to their children just as the wealthier students have now.

Matthew Westermann, Mamaroneck

Gianna Cutrone, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia

Re: ‘Income inequality hits Mamaroneck schools hard’ To the Editor, For two consecutive years, I failed to gain a position on the Mamaroneck school board.

The Journal News [May 12, 1998], who interviewed me, wrote, “Although active in the community… his school involvement falls short… nor has he displayed the same understanding of the educational needs facing the district as it gears to meet higher state standards. Quiros, as an advocate of more after-school activities and greater participation by families, particularly as to help minority students…”

Often I mentioned the need to use technology to increase socio-economic opportunities—well before any dialogue of today’s social media frenzy.

Since 1998, the school district continued its practice to limit poor communities of color from succeeding by creating a “science” that promoted an ideology that “environment is destiny.” They named this racist science an “Achievement Gap” as opposed to my moral and academic expertise, which I insisted was an “Opportunity Gap.” The difference is enormous.

The school district, under a curriculum/instruction program that practiced “measuring distance between the haves and have-nots” as opposed to understanding their own distanced privileges so as to put aside genetic and environmental characteristics, mastered an intellectual genocide on the colored poor. To enforce this exclusive practice, they hired Dr. Anthony Minotti as its enforcer through his role of assistant superintendent in special education and at a time for personnel. You name it, the superintendent and his loyalist worked diligently to physically and intellectually stop my movement from focusing on social and economic opportunities rather than this “destiny” dictated by those in power.

In short, there existed no difference or very little difference between the style of former Supreme Court Justice Scalia and our school district. “There are those who contend that it does not benefit African-Americans to get them into the University of Texas, where they do not do well,” Scalia said, “as opposed to having them go to a less-advanced school... a slower-track school where they do well.”

The racial attacks exhibited by our school district continue because those in power do not seem to get it, as we are referred to as “them” (themitizations creating epistemic violence) though the district seems lucky to have found “small groups of smart, low-income students chosen for this kind of attention.”

Another white privileged operating practice is “the right to fail for decades” without losing jobs or intentionality questioned. I continue this dialogue every day and have for decades with much finger-pointing as the one who is “wrong” and “radical” without reason. It is a “new day” for those caught in a “complex [problem] plagu[ing] educators for decades.”

Luis Quiros, Mamaroneck

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 9

Harrison supergirl sings in memory of ‘Superman’ dad

By Christian Arango Contributor Two days after she brought a cheering Capitol Theatre audience to its feet with her stirring rendition of “Stars” at a benefit concert to honor her slain stepfather, NYPD Det. Joseph Lemm, nicknamed “Superman,” the Harrision High School senior Brooke Chaco told “Fox and Friends” that “it’s easier for us to get through this because we have so much support.”

Lemm died shortly before Christmas when he thrust himself between a suicide attacker and his comrades-in-arms while serving his third deployment as an Air National Guard technical sergeant in Afghanistan. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the nation’s fourth highest military decoration.

Chaco took to the venerable stage in Port Chester last Thursday night to sing with American Idol finalist Jax in covers of “Empire State of Mind” and “Climb,” and finished center stage with her rendition of “Stars” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. In a moving interlude, she explained why the lyrics mean so much to her and her family.

“He always went beyond,”

the 17-year-year-old aspiring singer said of her stepfather— nicknamed “Superman” by fellow detectives—“so it just feels like he would know we’d expect him to be up with the stars now.”

In the Saturday interview with “Fox and Friends’” Ainsley Earhardt, Chaco said, “In situations like this, I always remember his laugh.” And she advised listeners: “Don’t take the moments you have with people for granted, because I wish he was still here.”

Also on stage with Chaco on Thursday night were “Saturday Night Live” alum Joe Piscopo and the New York Tenors, a singing group comprised of NYPD officers. As tenor Daniel Rodriguez sang “America the Beautiful,” artist Scott LoBaido speed-painted a portrait of the slain hero in a Superman shirt with the American flag as a backdrop.

“This is a special one just for him,” LoBaido said after donating the painting to the Lemm family.

Video montages of Lemm with family and friends provided a backdrop for performers.

The benefit was put together by the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to help Chaco, her mother and Lemm’s wid-

ow, Christine DeGuisto, 42, and younger brother Ryan Lemm, 4, with financial burdens they face after Lemm’s death.

“They can use it however it can be used to help,” said John Hodge, the foundation’s chief operating officer.

Ticket sale figures were not immediately available.

The Suffolk County Police Department Third Precinct donated $2,000 to the benefit. The Rafael Ramos Foundation, created in the wake of the murders of NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, donated $1,000. The Liu family was in attendance.

The Harrison Police Department purchased 30 tickets, and many Harrison residents turned out for the event.

Outside the theatre, the strip of Westchester Avenue was closed off by Port Chester firetrucks and police vehicles. A large American flag was hung across the avenue in remembrance.

The Stephen Siller Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps the families of those who lose a loved one in the service of the NYPD and NYFD, and was created in the memory of Stephen Siller, who was killed on 9/11.

A large American flag hangs outside the Capitol Theatre, which caused part of Westchester Avenue to be closed off by Port Chester firetrucks and police vehicles. On Feb. 25, the venue held a benefit concert to honor slain NYPD Det. Joseph Lemm, of West Harrison, who was killed in action in Afghanistan.

Photo/Christian Arango

10 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 11

12 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

Town FD to spend $29K on roof repairs

appeal from page 1

By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Editorial Assistant

An appeal, following a villagewide residential building moratorium, by the developer looking to demolish an historic property on 40 Ocean Ave. in the village of Larchmont, was shot down by the Board of Trustees on March 3, after it was deemed detrimental to maintaining the village’s character. Just this week, a second appeal was filed with the village over a construction project proposed for 219 Larchmont Ave. File photo

into the decision to pass a moratorium, other properties across the village have also been the subject of a similar process.

Among the properties affected, she said, are historic homes torn down on 1810 Palmer Ave. and another on 5 Vanderburg Ave., where multiple new homes are in varying stages of construction.

According to village Administrator Justin Datino, there are three projects currently being blocked by the moratorium, where preliminary site plans had been submitted.

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t more appeals yet to come

forward, he said.

Another project planned for 219 Larchmont Ave.—where no preliminary site plan approvals were sought prior to the moratorium going into effect— also sent a letter to the village informing the board that they would file an appeal last week.

“The potential is there,” Walsh said regarding another appeal.

Now, the village’s planning and zoning boards, and Board of Trustees in addition to an independently contracted planner, will use the rest of the moratorium—which expires on June 1— to continue mulling over the cur-

rent planning and zoning laws on the books to see if changes need to be made.

More public hearings regarding how to redevelop the village’s zoning laws in order to best protect the character of Larchmont will be held for the remainder of the moratorium, according to village officials.

Among the topics being discussed, according to Walsh, will be infrastructure, water retention and architectural character.

Cuddy & Feder could not be reached for comment.

The town of Mamaroneck Fire Department will see repairs made to its Weaver Street firehouse roof after a few winters of ice damming. On March 2, a $29,400 contract with BBR Contracting Corp. was approved.

According to a memo from David Goessl, the civil engineer of the town’s Engineering Department, two small areas of the Fire Department’s firehouse roof have experienced “severe ice damming” over the past few winters. Ice dams are buildups of ice on roofs, especially on slopping ones, which can lead to water damage and leaks.

This has resulted in water damage to interior surfaces, particularly in the department’s garage bays. The firehouse is located in the village of Larchmont at 250 Weaver St. Goessl also said that in 2004, these problem areas on the roof were replaced with shingles, an

ice barrier and underlayment to help prevent water from penetrating damaged areas, but no work was done to deal with the areas where water would collect.

The Engineering Department prepared a request for proposal, RFP, this January and sent it to six contractors. The RFP called for the replacement of roof materials in the two damaged areas, as well as “redirecting the surface water runoff” with gutters toward new piping that was installed last summer.

BBR Contracting Corp., a company based in Brooklyn, was the only respondent to the town’s RFP. BBR is the same contractor who performed the recent replacement of the Town Center roof. Goessl recommended the company based on its “quality of workmanship and professionalism” during those repairs. Also, BBR’s quote for the contract, $29,400, falls within the Fire Department’s budget.

Town Supervisor Nancy

Seligson, a Democrat, said that council members were aware of the problems with the roof because of the effects of 2015’s “harsh winter,” especially with roof leakages.

Councilwoman Jaine Elkind Eney, a Democrat and liaison to the town Fire Department, added that perhaps the leakages may have contributed to the malfunctioning of the department’s alarm systems in the past, which was considered “a very serious problem.”

Town Administrator Steve Altieri told the Review that BBR will begin work before the end of March, once the contracting company has gathered the materials needed to start the roof repairs. He added that the Fire Department’s service will not be disrupted.

The town Fire Department Chief Noah Goldberg could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

City of Rye awarded $1.55M over golf club fraud The city of Rye will walk away with $1.55 million as a result of a settlement with its insurance carrier, Travelers, regarding money stolen by former Rye Golf Club manager Scott Yandrasevich between 2007 and 2012.

Though the city’s original insurance claim against Travelers, which was filed in August 2013, sought a sum of $2.1 million, according to Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, the city is more than pleased with the results of its efforts.

“It took a good amount of fortitude to stick with it over time,” Sack said. “Our hard work was rewarded with a $1.55 million settlement. This is a big win for the city of Rye and the members of the Rye Golf Club.”

After Traveler’s repeated failure to respond to the city’s claim for close to two years, in July 2015, the Rye City Council filed a formal suit against the insurance carrier.

An insurance agency, Travelers, has awarded the city of Rye $1.55 million in a settlement that sought to recover money stolen by its former golf manager, Scott Yandrasevich. File photo

The settlement comes as a result of Yandrasevich pleading guilty to stealing approximately $271,000 from the city-owned golf club by setting up shell companies in order to bill the city for services.

However, city officials, including Sack, always felt the level of financial theft conduct-

ed through Yandrasevich’s shell companies exceeded the amount he was prosecuted for.

Yandresevich was convicted of grand larceny and falsifying documents in August 2015 and is serving a one- to three-year sentence in state prison. He is currently serving out his sentence in Altona State Correctional Facility in upstate New York.

According to City Attorney Kristen Wilson, the city can actively pursue the additional $271,000 that the Westchester County District Attorney’s office charged Yandrasevich with stealing. Whether the city will be successful in its pursuit of money stolen by Yandrasevich, however, remains unclear. As a part of his plea agreement, Yandresevich was required to pay restitution but was sentenced to extra time after failing to pay the sum.

-Reporting by James Pero

The town of Mamaroneck Fire Department’s roof will undergo repairs that will start as soon as late March.

Areas of the firehouse’s roof have been damaged by ice buildup over the past few winters.

Photo/Andrew Dapolite

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 13

Westchester names third female police chief

By SUZY BERKOWITZ Editorial Assistant Westchester County recently gained its third female police chief when Anne FitzSimmons was sworn into the position on Monday, Feb. 22 in the city of White Plains’ Department of Public Safety.

FitzSimmons, 61, who has worked on the force for 36 years, said she’s proud to have been given this opportunity and is excited to examine and improve the department’s everyday operations.

White Plains Police Commissioner David Chong said although it’s nice for the department to have a female police chief, FitzSimmons’ gender played no part in her promotion from assistant chief; rather, he said, it was something she earned through her hard work and merit.

“When you make a decision to go into a male-dominated field, you have to have tough skin and just keep going,” FitzSimmons said. “I’ve always worked hard and gave more than

what I had to.”

She is now the third appointed and second currently employed female police chief in the county. Betsy Gelardi was hired in Dobbs Ferry in 2007 and still serves on the force, and Barbara Duncan was hired in Mount Vernon in 2008, but moved on to a chief position in Salisbury, Maryland, in 2010.

Gelardi, who recently attended a conference with FitzSimmons, said she always admired her over the years and says she is well-deserving of this promotion. She said FitzSimmons’ strong leadership skills will help propel the department forward.

After entering the force in 1985 and maintaining her position as police chief of the Dobbs Ferry Police Department for almost a decade, Gelardi said her gender has become less of a cause for commotion over time.

“I never walk into this building thinking, ‘I’m a female police chief,’” she said. “Your job becomes a part of you; it becomes your life.”

Gelardi said she didn’t understand the depth of making histo-

ry as the first female police chief of Westchester County municipality until she saw the crowd that showed up to her swearingin ceremony back in 2007. She said people were more resistant to her success when she first broke into the force in 1985, but over time, she’s gained people’s respect and recognition.

As a founding board member of the organization New York Women in Law Enforcement, FitzSimmons said being one of the first female police officers to have ascended the ranks has allowed her to help pave the way for younger women to be given the opportunities she’s had.

FitzSimmons said all officers have to undergo a process in order to be promoted, but women are still rising to the top.

“Women have been moving up since we’ve become police officers; there are just less of us so it’s not as noticeable,” she said.

FitzSimmons’ responsibilities as police chief include overseeing patrol, communication, administration and personnel operations, and she said she will be

Anne FitzSimmons is sworn in as the White Plains Police Department’s new police chief on Monday, Feb. 22.

Fitzsimmons, a resident of White Plains, has been working on the force since 1979. Photo courtesy Barry Rothman

working on new ways to implement technology within the department on a daily basis.

Chong said FitzSimmons has been part of his executive staff for years and has risen up through the ranks during her time on the force, making her a highly recommended candidate for the position.

“Her breadth of experience in all the different areas of this department speaks for itself,” Chong said. “I truly believe she’s

the one to guide this department forward as we work diligently to keep crime down and keep our community safe.”

He said FitzSimmons will also be a great asset to the department’s mission to work toward implementing technology and social media in an effort to maintain transparency and communication with the public.

After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Pace University and a master’s in public admin-

istration from Marist College, FitzSimmons joined the White Plains Police Department in 1979.

FitzSimmons said her department’s administration has always been supportive and encouraging of her success, and although she has faced some resistance from colleagues, she said it comes with the territory of choosing this career to pursue.

CONTACT: suzy@hometwn.com

14 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

St. Patrick’s Day parades around Westchester

Opinion-Editorial

No matter where you reside in Westchester, there are numerous events throughout the county for you to enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

Peter Liang’s conviction sends the wrong message

Eastchester/Bronxville/ Tuckahoe Sunday, March 13 at 3 p.m.

White Plains Saturday, March 12 at noon

Steps off from Immaculate Conception School on North Main Street, ends at Lake Isle Country Club

Steps off from Livingston and Mamaroneck avenues, ends at City Hall Info: whiteplainssaintpatricksday.com

Info: eastchesterirish.org/st-patrick-s-day-parade

Mahopac Sunday, March 13 at 2 p.m.

Steps off from Route 6 and Mount Hope Road, ends at Knights of Columbus

Yonkers Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m.

Steps off from Hyatt and McLean Avenue, ends at McLean Avenue and McCollum Place Info: yonkersstpatricksparade.org

Info: saintpatricksdayparade.net

Mamaroneck Sunday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m.

Info: soundshoreparade.com

have a news tip?

Contact your local reporters

James pero

james@hometwn.com

kiley stevens kiley@hometwn.com

sarah varney sarah@hometwn.com

By Clifford Jackson I think the recent manslaughter conviction of former police officer Peter Liang sends the wrong message, as far as the prosecution of police officers engaged in this type of accidental or wrongful death goes. It also shows a double standard as far as the treatment of white police officers and officers of color.

I watched, like many others, the competing demonstration after the verdict of members of the Black Lives Matter movement and the counter demonstration from the friends, family and supporters of Liang.

Now, as much as I support the Black Lives Matter movement and their efforts to make many people understand that there is an incredibly racist institutionalized system that defines black life as less important, especially when it comes to crimes committed by the police, the conviction of former officer Liang should not have happened because there have been numerous crimes committed by white police officers

in New York City and across the country against people of color where the police officers were exonerated and the culpability was more definitive.

The killing of Ramarley Graham by a white police officer, where he was chased down into his home and was unarmed and killed, warranted a conviction. The slaughter of Amadou Diallo, where he was shot 44 times by four white police officers, warranted a conviction. Officer Panteleo who strangled Eric Garner to death warranted a conviction, and once again, a white police officer involved in the killing of another black man is let off the hook.

One of Liang’s relatives said the same thing. “There have been numerous instances of white police officers engaging in brutal and violent behavior against AfricanAmericans and they did not go to prison.”

She is definitely right, and I think it shows how racist this system is, that, a tradition of white police officers who have been able to savagely

beat, choke and kill men of color get away with it. This case showed a police officer who was relatively inexperienced, who may indeed have not followed departmental procedure as far as the use of his gun. However, he did not show the malice and depraved indifference to human life as well as the racism of many of the aforementioned police officers in this piece and many others that have been exonerated committing crimes that were much more egregious.

I think Liang’s actions were a terrible tragedy that in this case should not have led to a conviction. Those other police officers should not be free; they should be in prison.

Once again, American justice has failed. Eliot Engel’s statement that all police officers are “heroes” is a continuation of the hypocrisy of this system and how mendacious he is as a politician.

Clifford Jackson is a resident of Larchmont.

The views expressed are his own.

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 15

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16 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

King Tut’s treasures on display on Fifth Avenue Legislators join ArtsWestchester to present grants RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy

On Nov. 26, 1922, Howard Carter took out the little chisel his grandmother gave him on his 17th birthday when he, an English lad, was already obsessed with ancient Egypt. Now pushing 50, a middle-aged archeologist who’d seemed promising, then washed up, then possibly promising again, Carter was standing in a hole in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, sweating.

Hoping against hope, he tapped his childhood chisel on the underground doorway of what looked like a tomb, or at least some kind of repository.

Once he finally made a hole, he poked a candle through.

“Can you see anything?” asked his companion and benefactor, George Herbert.

“Yes,” Carter replied. “Wonderful things.”

And I just saw them, too: The gold and glories—and tchachkes—of King Tut’s tomb.

At The Discovery of King Tut, a midtown exhibit that faithfully recreates exactly what Carter saw when he became the first human to lay eyes on Tut’s tomb in 3,000 years, you wander through room after room of amazing artifacts, with the special excitement of seeing them just the way they were when first discovered.

Which is to say, in a jumble. The room full of “amazing things” that Carter saw looks exactly like the attic of an eccentric aunt. There are beds shaped like animals, wheels leaning against each other like a bunch of ancient bike tires, and trunks, stools, vases and—oh yes—a baby throne made out of gold.

It’s sitting in the back, abandoned as any highchair you’d

put in your own attic once your child—or child king—outgrew it.

Weirdest of all are the dozens of egg-shaped containers slightly larger than footballs. These held food for the afterlife—the sacred lunchboxes of their day.

As you wind your way through the exhibit, chock-ablock with dazzling golden coffins and surprising hieroglyphics (including a whole wall done in a baboon motif), your audio guide informs you that Carter had been searching for King Tut’s tomb ever since he learned that the statue of a later pharaoh once actually had another name on it: “Tutankhamun.” The later pharaoh had chiseled Tut’s name off the front and replaced it with his own. But, like lazy criminals in any era, he forgot to remove Tut’s name from the back.

An ancient cup also inscribed with Tut’s name made Carter increasingly certain that history had not accounted for King Tut, and neither had archeologists. But who was Tut? There was no other trace of him. If he had ruled, where was he buried?

Why had no one found him yet?

Carter convinced Herbert, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, to fund his search, and spent years digging fruitlessly—well, directing a lot of Egyptian workers to dig fruitlessly—searching for Tut’s tomb. Carnarvon was about to call it quits when Carter begged him for one more season of funding. Reportedly worried that Carter would finally find the tomb just when he pulled out, the earl signed another check.

(And, weirdly enough, you can see how the earl could have afforded this hobby if you watch PBS Masterpiece: “Downton Abbey” was filmed in his modest little home.)

Around the time of this final, funded season, one of Carter’s minions—a boy who brought

jars of water to the workers— dug into the sand to make a little hole to hold one of the jars. He always did this, to make them stand upright. But this time, his hand hit a smooth, flat surface.

It was the top of a long-buried staircase.

The rest is history—ancient history. But the exhibit is so vibrant, this history doesn’t feel that far removed. In an era when ISIS is blowing up monuments because it wants to erase the past, Tut’s successor chiseling his name off of statues seems familiar. And once you learn the soap opera of Tut’s family—his grandfather was a great and beloved ruler; his dad reversed everything the grandpa had done, even changing the country’s religion and capital, then Tut changed all it back— the young king doesn’t seem so unreachable. You see the tiny coffin that contained his stillborn daughter. You learn there were flowers still on his casket when Carter uncovered it. It’s as if you could reach out and (sorry) Tut him.

Then you exit back to the modern kingdom of New York City: dazzling, magnificent, invincible; and you wonder who will wander an exhibit about us?

Information on admission and hours is available at tutnyc.com/ visit/#tickets. The exhibition is located at 417 Fifth Ave. on 38th Street. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is $27 for adults; $17 for children ages 5 to 16; $22 for seniors, college students, AAA and the military; $15 on Museum Mondays; and $65 for a “Family 4 Pack” (two-child minimum).

ArtsWestchester has announced a 20 percent increase in funding from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Decentralization Grants Program for the allocation of grants totaling $55,000 to local arts organizations and artists.

ArtsWestchester distributes these funds through its competitive Arts Alive grants, supporting community-based cultural activities throughout the county, as well as the creation of new work by Westchester artists.

“On behalf of ArtsWestchester, we would like to thank Gov. Cuomo for increasing the state allocation to NYSCA last year by $5 million, making it possible for the 20 percent increase to all decentralization sites throughout New York state,” said CEO Janet T. Langsam.

On Jan. 29, members of the New York state Legislature joined ArtsWestchester’s board of trustees for a private breakfast to present Arts Alive grants to 25 organizations. The breakfast took place at ArtsWestchester, located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains.

This year’s grant recipients represent artistic expression from cultures from around the world in an array of genres that include dance, writing, visual art, music and theater. The variety of projects range from public art installations and African drum workshops to affordable jazz performances and a dance with an anti-bully-

From left, Angela Belsole and Sr. Beth Dowd, representing Arts Alive grantee Songcatchers, and New York state Sen. Andrea StewartCousins. Songcatchers of New Rochelle will use the Arts Alive grant for intergenerational community music programs.

From left, New York state Assemblyman David Buchwald, Westchester County Legislator Benjamin Boykin, Bernard Tamosaitis, Solange De Santis and William Eckfeld, representing Arts Alive grantee St. Thomas Orchestra, and New York state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins. St. Thomas Orchestra in Mamaroneck will use the Arts Alive grant for a fall 2016 concert. Photos/John Vecchiolla

CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com

From left, Billie Tucker and Karen Allen, representing Arts Alive grantee Tutti Bravi Productions Inc., with New York state Sen. Andrea StewartCousins. Tutti Bravi Productions of New Rochelle will use the Arts Alive grant for “Spirits and Souls—Huguenot Voices from the Trinity Burial Grounds.” New monologues will be written and original music composed from the perspective of Huguenot settlers buried in Trinity Burial Grounds for a new historical production.

ing message. Additionally, these grants represent 17 municipalities throughout the county, including Yonkers, Ossining, Peekskill and Mount Vernon.

Arts Alive grants are awarded in two categories: Arts Alive Project Grants, which provide Westchester-based organizations and artists with financial and technical support for projects at the grassroots level; and Arts Alive Artist Grants, which support works that relate to the community in a significant way.

The grants are chosen through a competitive process that includes a panel of community members and arts professionals.

Arts Alive Project Grants are made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature, and administered by ArtsWestchester. (Submitted)

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 17

Legislators concerned with Playland funding

SENATE from page 1

is viewed as a problem solver.

“She knows how to build consensus, she’s worked across the aisle [and] she has been a thoughtful leader in the realm of public policy,” he said.

Killian, 54, has been a member of the Westchester County Charter Revision Commission, a group established to recommend changes to the county charter, as well as New Yorkers for Growth, a PAC that promotes fiscally responsible policies in the state.

In Rye, she has served on the city Finance Committee, been a volunteer in the Rye school district, and a supporter of the Rye library, Rye Historical Society and Rye Arts Center. Her latest project was helping to launch an anti-drug coalition in Rye in 2015.

“Julie is a positive person, that is one thing that overwhelms you when you talk to her,” Sayegh said. “I imagine she will stand up for issues she believes are right and also draw a contrast where there is a difference of opinion.”

Conversely, Sayegh criticized Latimer by calling his record of bipartisanship hollow, adding that he has voted with the Democratic leadership more than 98 percent of the time. “He has aligned himself with the Bill DiBlasio New York City agenda,” he said, referring to the liberal mayor of New York City.

For Latimer, 62, the criticism is nothing new, as he seems to always be the target of state Republicans, who want to maintain control of the Senate. The senator told the Review that he has a bull’s-eye on his back.

“It’s because I don’t have personal wealth,” he said. “I have lived within my means.

Given the fact that my salary as

City of Rye Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican, plans on launching a campaign for state Senate. Killian will try to upend popular Democrat George Latimer. Both candidates live in the city of Rye. File photos

an elected official is all the income I have, that is not a lot of money in a place like Rye. It’s probably laughable to people [with] successful business careers. [Republicans] know they can always outspend me.”

But Latimer, who is seeking his third term in the Senate, said there is a reason why he has been consistently re-elected.

“I don’t think anyone has proven they care more about the people they represent than I do, day after day,” he said.

Latimer has never lost an election, winning 14 consecutive races dating back to his one term on the Rye City Council in 1987.

Killian’s campaign is likely to be well-financed with a high level of organization and full of support from some of the top Republicans throughout the state.

However, the last time the GOP put an all-out assault on Latimer, it backfired.

In 2012, with Latimer seeking the Senate seat following the retirement of longtime Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer, a Democrat, the state Republicans ran Bob Cohen, who nearly defeated

Oppenheimer just two years prior.

Many pundits predicted 2012 was Cohen’s time.

Cohen and Latimer battled it out before a statewide audience. The duo set the record for campaign expenditures in a state race at the time; the Cohen campaign spent more than $4 million on attack ads, including radio spots and TV commercials. But Latimer won the seat in surprisingly easy fashion, with 54 percent of the vote, and celebrated his hardest fought victory to date.

In 2014, Latimer defeated Republican Joe Dillon, a late entry who didn’t launch his campaign until July.

The district encompasses the cities of Yonkers, White Plains, New Rochelle and Rye; and the towns of Eastchester, Harrison, Mamaroneck, Rye, Bedford and North Castle.

Candidates are elected to the Senate for two-year terms with an annual base salary of $79,500.

Killian could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: chris@hometwn.com

Town of Mamaroneck

Official Newspaper Mamaroneck Schools

An amended agreement between Westchester County and the management company Standard Amusements is drawing heat from members of the Board of Legislators after what has been dubbed an undue burden on taxpayers. File photo

By JAMES PERO Staff Writer An amended agreement between Westchester County and the management company Standard Amusements, designed to eventually transfer ownership of county-owned Rye Playland, is drawing scrutiny after what some county legislators have deemed an undue burden on taxpayers.

The newest agreement, which was introduced to the county Board of Legislators in February, marks nearly a threefold increase of the approximately $20 million in capital projects outlined in the original agreement signed between Standard and the county.

County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, agreed to the deal that would call for the county to foot the bill for the $58 million.

Additionally, it will see an increase of $5 million invested on the part of Standard, putting their overall investment at $30 million.

“The idea of a public-private partnership for Playland was to revitalize the park,” said county Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, regarding the new agreement that entails $58 million in taxpayer-funded capital projects, “not to further burden the taxpayer with massive new debt without a chance to reap the rewards.”

Despite such unanticipated increases, on March 7, during a joint meeting between the legislators’ infrastructure, budget and parks subcommittees, Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett, a Republican, painted the

newest agreement as a win for taxpayers.

“This park needs an injection of capital,” said Plunkett during Monday’s meeting.

Although the current agreement ironed out by the administration would put the county on the line for $58 million, Ned McCormack, the communications director for the county executive’s office, said that the final deal—which the full county Board of Legislators must approve by March 31—may include a different figure.

“What are the projects on the critical path to completion?”

McCormack said. “Does the whole $58 million need to be done?”

It’s possible, the communications director said, that some projects in the current agreement may be nixed before the deal is finalized.

Among the 11 capital projects included in the amended agreement are various renovations to rides, structures and areas of the park, including a plan to repurpose the park’s iconic swimming pool, the latter of which was not part of the original plan between Standard and the county administration.

According to McCormack, one project, which plans to rehabilitate the park’s colonnade, could cost $20 million alone.

The amount that the county will spend on capital projects wasn’t the only area of the agreement that drew attention from legislators. An aggressive timeline for just when the county would expend the money for such projects also garnered concern,

and according to the agreement, the transfer of the park to Standard Amusements may rest in the balance.

According to the amended agreement, the county will not completely transfer control of the park to Standard until 50 percent of the money needed for the capital projects is expended.

Therefore, the two parties will maintain a co-management period until that time.

While the agreement sets a tentative Oct. 31 deadline for the final expenditure of those funds, county Legislator Ben Boykin, a White Plains Democrat, said that such a date may be overly optimistic.

“We’re talking about 2017 or 2018,” he said in regard to a more realistic date for when those funds might be delivered.

According to Boykin, specifically of concern is the fact that Standard doesn’t expect to bring in any profit for at least the first five years, according to information provided by Plunkett to legislators.

Concerns had already been voiced by board Democrats upon the initial agreement over numbers that project a net loss for the county over the 30-year period with Standard.

Initial projections show the county only bringing in $13.9 million by 2045 without factoring in the $58 million in proposed capital projects.

Nicholas Singer, who runs Standard Amusements, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

CONTACT: james@hometwn.com

18 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016

SPORTS

First signs of spring LIVE MIKE Mike Smith

You know you’ve been missing baseball when hearing the voice of John Sterling comes as a relief.

As a die-hard Red Sox fan— and, more importantly, someone with ears—I have no great love for the bombastic Yankees radio man, but even I was happy to hear John and Suzyn Waldman on the airwaves last week.

Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age, or maybe I’m just pumped that spring is finally here.

Spring Training games kicked off last week, marking the beginning of a wonderful time for fans of our national pastime. I, for one, couldn’t get enough.

Sure, I love Opening Day. More often than not, I’ll fire up the MLB.tv app and veg out on baseball for the better part of two days until I lapse into the sort of

couch coma usually reserved for post-Thanksgiving lounging.

But those first couple of days of spring training? Those are special.

All winter long, I’ve got to scratch and claw just to get my baseball fix. I mean, on Feb. 11, I spent an hour-and-a-half watching a World Baseball Classic Qualifying Game between South Africa and New Zealand. Yankees-Red Sox it was most certainly not, but getting the chance to watch actual baseball on my television in the dead of winter?

It’s like Christmas came early for a baseball nut like me.

Of course, Major League Baseball doesn’t make it easy— at least early on in the spring.

Only a few games last week were televised and a few more had radio broadcasts. As a result, I spent an inordinate amount of time glued to MLB GameCast, watching little colored dots that (probably) correspond to MLB players circle around the diamond.

It may not be a box seat at Citi Field, but it is certainly better than watching the New York Knicks.

Do I plan on tuning in to each and every game for the remainder of Spring Training? Of course not. I’ve got a life, a job and plenty of other things to do with my time. March Madness is starting up soon, which provides a muchneeded respite from the doldrums of winter, but the knowledge that baseball is back still warms my heart.

Right now, everything is perfect. The Yankees haven’t won the division, my Red Sox haven’t begun to underachieve, and, for the Mets, the sky is still the limit with the heaps of young, talented pitching they have locked up.

That might all change by midMay, so right now, I’m simply enjoying the moment, and dreaming of a pennant race.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

For the first week of MLB Spring Training, following teams on MLB Gameday has been trying—and rewarding—for Sports Editor Mike Smith. Photo courtesy MLB.com

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Tigers’ relay team wins states

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On March 5, four Mamaroneck runners brought home a state title, taking first place in the 4x800-meter relay event at the New York State Track and Field Championships held at Cornell University’s Barton Hall.

Seniors Shari Rauls, Lauren Chapey, Katie DeVore and sophomore Lauren Shpiz dominated the competition on Saturday, posting a time of 9:09.05, besting the secondplace finisher from Saratoga by more than four seconds and topping third place Fayetteville-Manlius by 13 seconds to bring home the gold.

“We knew this was going to be a strong year for us, and these girls have been running since the eighth grade,” head coach Bob Morrisey said. “Early this winter, when they took fourth at the New Balance Nationals, we knew

we were going to have high expectations.”

Part of those expectations, Morrisey said, meant that the foursome had to sacrifice some of their personal goals in order to put 100 percent of their concentration into grabbing the gold at the relay event.

“Katie could have gone in the 1,000-meter, Shari could have gone in the 600-meter, but these girls really wanted to reach this goal,” he said.

“They wanted to be fresh for the 4x800.”

Saturday’s victory marked the first time a Mamaroneck relay team has taken top honors at states, a fact that Morrisey said was not lost on his runners.

“It’s stressful to go after a state championship, but this was a really hardworking group with a lot of team spirit and school spirit,” he said. “They knew that this was a big deal to bring this home.”

The foursome was hardly Mamaroneck’s lone bright spot at the state meet, however, as Sean Ideozu took fourth in the 300-meter event with a time of 35.63 and junior Sam Morton took 10th place in the 3,200-meter by posting a time of 9:24.91, more than three seconds quicker than his previous personal best. Ideozu also won the Sportsmanship Award for Section I athletes.

According to the head coach, the achievements of the Tigers’ runners at Cornell would not have been possible without a positive team atmosphere.

“It’s definitely a team, and the kids got along really well,” Morrisey said. “Even the kids who may not be as talented all worked hard for their personal bests this winter, and all of our runners did their best to do better than they did last year.”

Contact: sports@hometwn.com

From left, Katie DeVore, Lauren Chapey, Lauren Shpiz and Shari Rauls pose after winning the state title in the 4x800-meter relay at Cornell University on March 5, the first time a Mamaroneck relay team has taken top honors at states. Contributed photo

SPORTS

March 11, 2016 • The MAMARONECK review • 19

Tigers skate to states HOCKEY

DIVISION 1

REGIONAL FINALS

MAMARONECK 5 MASSENA 1 MONSEY, NEW YORK

3/5/16

Game Notes: • Will Arbo’s first-period goal helped the Tigers overcome an early effort by the Red Raiders • Tommy Spero made 33 saves in Mamaroneck’s 5-1 win over Massena • Mamaroneck’s state semifinal opponent, Pittsford, topped Williamsville North 2-1 to advance to the Final Four

By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On March 5, the Mamaroneck Tigers took one more step toward a state title with a dominant 5-1 win over Section X champion Massena in the regional finals at the SportO-Rama in Monsey, New York.

Against the Red Raiders, the Tigers were able to withstand a first-quarter barrage and take over the game and advance to

Will Arbo skates past a Massena defender at the Sport-O-Rama. Arbo’s first-period goal set the tone for the Tigers’ 5-1 win.

Mamaroneck celebrates after its 5-1 win over the Red Raiders. Photos/Bobby Begun

the state semifinals, which will be held in Buffalo, New York, on March 12.

Massena challenged the Tigers early on, peppering netminder Tommy Spero in the opening minutes of the game.

But 12 minutes into the game, it was Mamaroneck that broke through when Will Arbo scored on a backhand to give the Tigers their first lead of the game. “[Massena] came out flying, and I think we were in trouble,”

game’s final goal, with just 7:26 seconds left to play.

“You never expect that, it was a pretty amazing game,” Chiapparelli said. “If [Massena] had scored early, I don’t know how it would have turned out, but we got that first goal and that got us really relaxed.”

The Tigers coach believes that his team’s depth has been a difference-maker all year, and his ability to send out multiple skaters against the Red Raiders

Matt DiCicco handles the puck behind the goal.

Tiger coach Mike Chiapparelli said. “But Tommy did a great job back there and Will scored on that nice pass from James Torre and I think that got us relaxed.”

Jason Bienstock made the score 2-0 with one second left in the first period and found the net again early in the second to give the Tigers a comfortable threegoal cushion. Alex Ewald added a goal of his own with time running out in the second period, and Tucker Leicht scored the

helped wear down the Section X champs.

“We’ve got four lines, three defensive lines and I think we’re just a little fresher,” he said.

“We can even kill penalties with these third and fourth lines, which makes a huge difference.”

With the win, the Tigers will move on to the Division I state semifinals, which will be played on March 12 in Glens Falls, New York. Their semifinal opponent will be Section V champ

Pittsford, who advanced to the semis with a 2-1 win over Williamsville North on March 5.

“Right now, we just want to make sure we’re healthy,” Chiapparelli said. “We’re going to work on a few things at practice—2-on-1s, 3-on-2 power plays—and we’re going to head up there on Friday morning, practice, shower, eat and go back to the hotel.”

Contact: sport@hometwn.com

Tommy Spero makes a save on March 5. Spero stopped 33 shots in the Tigers’ win.

20 • The MAMARONECK review • March 11, 2016