Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
March 24, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 12 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Village manager, attorney candidates narrow By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
of the
Luck Irish
The sixth annual Sound Shore St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held on Sunday, March 19 on Mamaroneck Avenue. The event brought hundreds of onlookers out to the Sound Shore community. For more, see page 11. Photo/Charlie McLaughlin
Rye lawsuit over Playland thrown out by judge By JAMES PERO Staff Writer A lawsuit filed by the city of Rye seeking to overturn Westchester County’s authority over capital projects slated at Playland was thrown out by a state judge this week. The suit, filed by the city in
August 2016, sought to overturn the county’s status as lead agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, SEQR, which would have given Rye a greater say in the approval of millions of dollars in improvements slated to take place at the park this year. The historic amusement park is lo-
cated within the city. “We gave it our best shot, but we didn’t prevail,” said Rye Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican. “One thing that has not changed is that the residents of Rye bear 100 percent of the quality of life impacts at Playland.” Sack added that the city will not appeal the judge’s de-
cision due to cost and time constraints. While the city has consistently argued that projects at the park—which abuts Rye’s residential neighborhoods— should fall under the scrutiny of the City Council, a state judge PLAYLAND continued on page 7
As the search for a new village manager continues, a temporary replacement may come internally in order to keep the post operating on an interim basis, according to village of oMamaroneck officials. According to Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, in order to ensure a “smooth transition” with the village’s administrative helm—which will be vacated by current Village Manager Richard Slingerland on April 1—the role will be filled temporarily by someone “in house.” While Rosenlbum declined to say who exactly that replacement would be, the closest staffer in the administrative hierarchy would be Assistant Village Manager Dan Sarnoff. Slingerland is leaving Mamaroneck to accept a similar position with the village of Tarrytown. His resignation comes in the wake of an initiative by board Democrats to audit his performance in the role; a review process that has since been scrapped. According to Trustee Keith Waitt, a Democrat, the village received 27 applications for the village manager opening and has narrowed those options down to nine potential candidates. He said the Board of Trustees will conduct another round of inter-
views on March 24. Waitt acknowledged that until a final decision is made, current staff may be required to fill in the gaps in the village administration for the time being. Though the process of vetting a new village manager has moved forward mostly unabated, a concurrent search for a new village attorney, according to trustees on both sides of the political aisle, has riled some tensions on the board. Rosenblum, who said he “disagrees” with the process of seeking a new attorney to replace current Village Attorney Charles Goldberger, characterized the decision to seek an attorney and manager simultaneously as shortsighted. “I strongly felt this to be negative; the fact that we are taking the top administrator and legal advisors at the same time,” he said, “resulting in no transition whatsoever.” According to Waitt, Rosenblum has consistently advocated for keeping Goldberger—who has filled the role as village attorney since 2012— despite a push by board Democrats to shake the position up. Rosenblum said he plans to make a public statement regarding the process—which is currently being debated behind closed doors due to ongoing contract negotiations—at an SEARCH continued on page 9
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March 24, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 3
Westchester Airport deal ready to go to bid
A crucial deal privatizing the Westchester County Airport is readying to go out to RFP after being sidelined by county lawmakers during last year’s budget deliberations. File photo
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer A plan to privatize the county’s airport is ready to go through a more rigorous vetting process after lawmakers collectively pumped the breaks on a previous version by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican. Earlier this month, consultants hired by the county presented a plan to send out a request for proposal, RFP, for a multi-million dollar deal privatizing the Westchester County Airport that was sent down by the administration late last year just before the passage of the 2017 county budget. Dan Branda, a spokesperson for the county, declined to say what type of interest the county has received for the airport, if any. Lawmakers plan to have the RFP out by the end of the month. Absent from the most recent version of the plan, however, is an exclusive deal with the investment firm Oaktree Capital Management, which was previously slated by Astorino in November 2016 to become the sole operator of the county-owned airport. After criticism from lawmakers who accused the Oaktree deal of skirting proper bidding procedure, it was eventually sidelined
from the county budget, but a new proposal, resulting from the RFP process, will be vetted by lawmakers who hope to finalize a plan before the passage of the 2018 budget later this year. According to a schedule proposed by the county’s hired consultants, all proposals to operate the county’s airport would have to be submitted by July with a final deal potentially in place by November 2017. Adding pressure on lawmakers will be $15 million in prospective revenue from the plan that was going to be used to help balance the 2017 budget; that money has become an increasingly critical piece of the county’s fiscal future amidst projections of waning sales tax revenue and burdensome health care costs. Lawmakers are still hoping to transfer extra revenue from any potential airport deal this year into the county’s general budget in order to deal with ongoing fiscal shortfalls. But in order to redirect revenue from the airport, lawmakers will have to register it through a Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, privatization program; a process that was initiated last year. Before the county can execute on its plan, the FAA must ap-
prove the process. In some cases, approval processes have dragged on for years. Of the 10 airports that applied to the FAA’s program since its introduction in 1996, only one—Luis Muñoz Marín airport in Puerto Rico—has completed the process and has since remained privatized. Currently, under federal law, any revenue earned at the airport can only be used for airportrelated purposes. Many of the county lawmakers, who had previously criticized the deal’s last minute introduction—it was sent down to legislators for approval less than a month before the budget deadline—and lack of bidding process, have since changed their attitudes toward the plan. “The Board of Legislators insisted that any deal to privatize our county’s airport had to result from a fair and open bidding process,” said Mary Jane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hudson Democrat, who initially opposed the privatization plan. “In my mind, only deals that properly address… the county’s long-term financial interests, the traveling public, the neighboring communities and the environment are worthy of consideration.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
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What’s going on... Mamaroneck Public Library
there will be no sessions. Call the Teen Library at 630-5875 for further details.
Teacher in the Library
Visit mamaronecklibrary.org for more information on library hours and programs.
All ages story and craft hour On Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon in the Children’s Room. No registration required. There will be stories to appeal to all ages of kids and their caregivers, and a craft simple enough for the little kids and creative enough for the big kids.
Bilingual Storytime / Hora del cuento bilingüe On Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A drop-in Spanish and English storytime for children ages 6 months to 7 years old with siblings and caregivers. Lunes de 10:30 a.m. hasta 11 a.m. Una hora del cuento en español y inglés para niños de los 6 meses a 7 años con hermanos y cuidadores/as.
Math Help for Teens On Mondays from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Teen Library. Math help follows the Mamaroneck school district schedule. If the schools are closed,
On Mondays from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Children’s Room. Free homework help for children in grades K–5 when school is in session. This program follows the Mamaroneck school district schedule.
AARP income tax assistance On Fridays through April 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Room. AARP tax aide volunteers will offer free tax preparation and assistance at the Mamaroneck Public Library. Assistance is available on a drop-in basis for seniors and low- and moderate-income taxpayers.
AARP Driver Safety Program On Monday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Community Room. The library is currently taking reservations for April’s AARP Driver Safety Program. Please call 630-5888 to make your reservation.
Free SAT practice test On Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Community Room. For students in grades 7–12. This is your chance to register for an academic practice SAT exam. Upon registration, Adam Ratner, Brienza’s Academic Advantage advisor, will schedule a score report review at a
time convenient for you. During the session, he will breakdown your score to understand areas of strength and weakness and develop a custom preparation plan. To register, please email mamkteens2017@ gmail.com and include your name, parent/guardian name, telephone number, email address, school name and grade in school. Questions? Please call the Teen Library at 630-5875.
Larchmont Public Library Visit larchmontlibrary.org for more information on library hours and programs.
Become a Mentor On Monday, March 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Village Center. No registration required. Learn how to be a champion in your community. Join representatives from iMentor and learn how it matches high school students with college-educated mentors to help them on their college journey. The iMentor program is tailored for busy professionals and designed to insure the mentoring pairs have the structure and guidance they need to achieve their goals. Refreshments will be available at this program.
Adult Children and Parent Dialogues On Monday, March 27 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Michael P. Coords Activity Room. No registration required. Join this panel discussion led by Abby Rosmarin, and get helpful tips on how to get a dialog started between adult children and parents on aging issues. Discussing health, legal planning, housing or finances with a parent can be intimidating to everyone involved—but it doesn’t have to be. The diverse panel of experts will provide guidance on keeping the discussion positive and productive and ending the conversation with a plan.
How’s Your Water? On Thursday, March 30 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the Village Center. No registration required. Our community sits beautifully on the shore of Long Island Sound. As beautiful as it is, just how healthy is the water? Join Leanne Bloom with the Save the Sound organization and learn about efforts to clean the water and the shoreline of Long Island Sound. In fact, the water along the Manor Park shore has a significantly degraded quality, with very poor nutrient and clarity levels due to pollution and little water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean. This program will provide information about what is being done to clean up the sound and how you can help.
Teen Gaming Afternoon On Friday, March 31 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Michael P. Coords Activity Room. No registration required. The library will set up the Wii U, Xbox, and board games. Of course, there’ll be plenty of snacks, too. Come join the fun.
St. Thomas Episcopal Church Down to Earth Winter Farmers Market On Saturdays through April 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check out local vendors offering food of the season and other goodies. St. Thomas Episcopal
Church is located at 168 W. Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck. For more information, visit downtoearthmarkets.com.
Christians Come Together for Lent Observe the season of Lent The churches of Mamaroneck are gathering to observe the season of Lent by holding ecumenical services throughout Lent every Tuesday night at 7.30 p.m. at a different church. The schedule is: March 28 at United Methodist Church, 546 E. Boston Post Road; and April 4 at St. Vito’s - Most Holy Trinity, 816 Underhill Ave.
The Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund 80th Birthday Bash The Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund, an organization that for 80 years has been providing scholarships to help Mamaroneck High School students afford college, will be celebrating with a birthday bash on Thursday, March 30 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Larchmont Shore Club. Complimentary red, white and sparkling wine will be served along with hors d’oeuvres and a giant birthday cake. Past presidents will be honored and stories of past scholarship recipients will be presented. Music by members of the MHS Jazz Band and the Force. Tickets are $100 at MLSAF.org.
Town of Mamaroneck news Annual 5K Run and Lil’ Bunny Hop The town of Mamaroneck Recreation and Fire departments will be hosting the third annual 5K Run and Lil’ Bunny Hop at Memorial Park on Myrtle Boulevard in Larchmont. The Lil’ Bunny Hop is for ages 12 and under and will start at 8:30 a.m., with the 5K run starting at 9 a.m. Registration is online at townofmamaroneckny.org/ recreation or in person at the Recreation Office at the Town Center, located at 740 W. Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck. For more information, call 381-7865.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester Little Playtimes On Tuesday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Little Playtimes at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester lets little LEGO lovers enjoy big fun. Activities include DUPLO Story Time, Farmer’s Workshop, and the newly added Animal Bingo. Appropriate for children under the age of 5. Cost: $22 for one adult and one child; additional children are $10 and children age 2 and under are free. LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester is located at 39 Fitzgerald St. in Yonkers. For more information, call 866-243-0770 or visit legolanddiscoverycenter.com/westchester. 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 24, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 5
Rye Neck students learn Spanish at Fordham
Rye Neck High School students participated in a college-level Spanish lesson during a recent visit to Fordham University. Photo courtesy Rye Neck school district
Rye Neck High School students, who are enrolled in Lina Carolini-Cannavo’s Advanced Placement Spanish class, participated in a college-level Spanish lesson during a recent visit to Fordham University. They attended Dr. Jiménez Belmonte’s Approaches to Hispanic Literature course and discussed a piece of literature during a lesson of Gabriel García Márquez’s “Crónica de una
muerte anunciada” (“Chronicle of a Death Foretold”). “The students were able to fully participate and engage in the lesson because they are studying the same literary work,” Carolini-Cannavo said. As part of their trip to Fordham University, the students toured the campus, visited the Modern Language and Literature Department, and discussed with professors their college ex-
pectations and the importance of studying a foreign language and studying abroad. “The students left more comfortable, confident and excited for college,” Carolini-Cannavo said. “It was a valuable and interesting experience that helped bridge the gap between high school and college. I also hope they walked away appreciating more the Spanish language and Hispanic literature.” (Submitted)
Student Aid Fund celebrates 80 years The Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund, SAF, an organization that has been providing college scholarships to Mamaroneck High School students since 1937, will be having an 80th Birthday Bash on Thursday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Larchmont Shore Club. The celebration will include hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast, birthday cake from Bradley’s and music by the MHS Jazz Band and The Force. The event will honor the organization’s past presidents and will feature profiles of past scholarship recipients. Claudia Huter, owner of the Larchmont Music Academy and a 1990 SAF scholarship recipient, will speak at the event. “When I was applying to college, I was desperately in need of financial assistance. The Student Aid Fund scholarship helped me cover basics such as books,” Huter said. “When you give someone a scholarship, you give them more than just financial aid; you give them the knowledge that someone believes in them.” The SAF began during the
Claudia Huter, center, owner of the Larchmont Music Academy, with the Mamaroneck-Larchmont Student Aid Fund’s 80th Birthday Bash co-chairs Naomi Lowenthal and Lynn Zerbib. Huter was a 1990 SAF recipient and will be speaking at the Birthday Bash on March 30 at the Larchmont Shore Club. Contributed photo
Depression, as community members reached out to help needy MHS graduates attend college. To date, the SAF has assisted nearly 2,000 MHS students achieve their dreams. In recent years, more than one in seven MHS graduates received an SAF scholarship. More than half were the first generation in their families to attend college. According to SAF board Presi-
dent Amy Guenzl, “The Student Aid Fund reflects what a special community we live in—with people helping their neighbors’ children afford college.” Tickets are $100 and include complimentary red, white and sparkling wine, provided by Wine Gems in Bronxville. For tickets and more information, please visit MLSAF.org. (Submitted)
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Mamaroneck THE
REVIEW
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Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Reporter | James Pero ext. 20, james@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lynne Starr ext. 29, lynne@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers Corey Stockton, Franco Fino Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Aaron Kershaw, Charlie McLaughlin Columnist Lenore Skenazy
By TAYLOR BROWN General Assignment Reporter The spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week featured La Chinita Poblana, a Mexican restaurant located in Irvington, as part of a celebrating the end of the event. This two-week semi-annual event is presented by The Valley Table, a quarterly magazine that explores different restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley. This season’s restaurant week ran from March 6 to March 19, and featured 119 restaurants throughout the county, and 230 restaurants in the Hudson Valley area. A representative for Westchester County Tourism and Film explained that restaurant week tries to encompass all types
of cuisines. Restaurant week usually begins with a kickoff, which Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino attends as well. The restaurant week kicked off on March 7 at Benjamin’s Steakhouse in White Plains. Astorino along with Benjamin Prelvukaj and Benjamin Sinajaj, owners of the steakhouse, created the “Astorino Sirloin.” The event began to wind down on March 16, where Astorino and members of the Westchester County Office of Tourism and Film paid a visit to La Chinita Poblana. Astorino met with Roberto Facal, the manager,
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Left, linguine Mama Tereza. Right, octopus under the bell. Both dishes are from Dubrovnik in New Rochelle, one of the locations featured during the restaurant week. Photos courtesy Valley Table
Juan Aguilar, the owner, and the waitstaff of the Mexican restaurant. Astorino donned a traditional white apron, and joined Aguilar in the kitchen where the two prepared a dish. Astorino also signed a plate decorated with a Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, HVRW, logo and the restaurant’s name. Astorino ended the visit with a speech highlighting how Aguilar’s accomplishment of opening this restaurant shows “that the ‘American Dream’ is alive and well.” “The immigrant experience, and Juan’s was something we had heard about it, it was something we thought
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, center, poses with the manager of La Chinita Poblana Roberto Facal, left of Astorino, and the owner Juan Aguilar, right of Astorino, along with members of the restaurant staff. Photo courtesy Gregory Garvey
was really neat,” said Gregory Garvey, communications manager for Westchester County Tourism and Film. Aguilar, who emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. when he was 13, started out working for a restaurant as a bus boy, and worked his way up the chain of command until he was ready to open his own establishment. Aguilar opened La Chinita Poblana four years ago, saying that after working for restaurants for so many years, he wanted to take a chance at creating and running his own place. He explained that he liked the area, and wanted to bring a different style of cuisine to Irvington. Aguilar said that the hardest part about starting his restaurant was the beginning. “It’s a lot of work, and a lot of p r e s s u r e ,” he added.
The restaurant, which is located on Main Street, serves lunch and dinner. The restaurant is open from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. “This year, we hadn’t done it yet, we wanted to highlight [the] culture cuisines that we have,” Garvey said. Included in some of the restaurant week deals were brunch, lunch and dinner specials, including $22.95 for three-course lunch specials and $32.95 for three-course dinner deals. These prices were for the fixed price menus which include multiples options for appetizers, entrees and desserts. The restaurants participating in HVRW are made available online for diners to explore and make reservations. The website gives diners the option to view restaurants under certain categories like “hot and new” including restaurants like Little Crepe Street in Mount Kisco, Red Zebra in Sleepy Hollow, and Tutta Bella Trattoria in Scarsdale. Another category was “Zagat rated,” which included Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, PLATES in Larchmont, and Moderne Barn in Armonk. “Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is the perfect time to try new restaurants and cuisine throughout the county, while getting to know our local entrepreneurs,” Astorino said. For those who miss-ed out on restaurant week, there is a fall event that begins on Oct. 30 and ends on Nov. 12. CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com
March 24, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 7
MHS students receive 10 awards at fair
PLAYLAND from page 1
Original Science Research students had a tremendous experience recently at the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair. Many Mamaroneck High School students were recognized for their work. Chloe Weiser was also one of nine sophomore and junior students who won an all-expense
paid trip to present her work at the GENIUS Olympiad at SUNY Oswego in June. At GENIUS Olympiad, these students will compete against more than 400 students from 40 countries. The Westchester Science and Engineering Fair offers high school students from Westchester and Putnam counties the
opportunity to present their research to scientists, business leaders and the general public. Students prepare a poster detailing their projects, which, in most cases, have involved complex research conducted under the guidance of a professional researcher in their field of interest. (Submitted)
Chloe Weiser second place, engineering Sophia Howard second place, behavioral and social sciences A lawsuit against Westchester County filed by the city of Rye was thrown out by a state judge on Monday, March 20, sinking its hopes of overseeing $60 million in capital improvements slated at Playland Park. File photo
ruled in favor of the county, which owns Playland as a part of the county parks system. According to a decision by Judge Gretchen Walsh, among other things, the city failed to show reasonable evidence that its neighborhoods would be adversely impacted by the projects. In a statement, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, championed the decision to dismiss the suit. “This ruling means the county can get back to the business of saving Playland,” he said. “We are pleased with this ruling as it enables Standard Amusements, in collaboration with the county, to move forward on our plans to upgrade the grounds in
support of our mission.” As per an agreement struck in May between the county and the management company Standard Amusements—the new operators of the nearly 100-year-old amusement park—the park is set to undergo $60 million in capital improvements, the cost of which will be split between the two parties. Under the terms of the deal, Standard would manage the park for 30 years and also pay the county a fee that rises annually by 2 percent. The agreement punctuated years of failed negotiations between the Astorino administration and prospective organizations or companies interested
in managing the amusement park; most notably a previous deal brokered between Astorino and local nonprofit Sustainable Playland Inc., which dissolved in the wake of potential litigation from Rye and growing public outcry over the size and scope of the plans, and in particular a sports bubble that was slated for Playland’s main parking lot. According to Dan Branda, a spokesman for the county executive, an engineer’s consortium to arrive at a construction schedule was held on March 1, but said the specifics of the schedule are “too premature” to discuss. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
David Hilden second place, medicine and health Lauren Barragan third place, behavioral and social sciences Ali Mann fourth place, Plant Science and Association for Women Geoscientist Award Lauren Pogostin and Ellie Lundberg fourth place, medicine and health Andrew Katz fourth place, engineering Rebecca Marcus fourth place, animal science Willie Quinn and Marina Tosai fourth place, behavioral and social sciences Mallory Warner Walter Kass Memorial Award for Exceptional Behavioral Science Project
8 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 24, 2017
ADVERTISE IN OUR SPECIAL SECTION! Don’t miss this opportunity to reach over 38,000 Westchester County residents in nine of our local communities! PUBLICATION DATE:
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For more information, contact Lynne Starr at (914) 653-1000 ext. 29 or lynne@hometwn.com
March 24, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 9 MANAGER from page 1
upcoming public meeting on March 27; a date trustees indicated may coincide with a final decision on the new attorney. According to Waitt, a reconfiguring of village government comes as part of a “hands-on” approach by the new majority of board Democrats, which took office in December 2016. The decision to seek a new attorney, in particular, comes after a successful push by Democrats this past election year to transition the power of appointment of the village attorney from the mayor to a majority of the trustees. Democrats on the village board hold a 3-2 voting majority. “The appointment by the board of a village attorney rather than by the mayor is in accordance with the mandate
As the search for a new village manager and attorney continues, partisan disagreements over the process are boiling to the surface. Pictured is Richard Slingerland, Mamaroneck’s village manager who is leaving the position at the end of March. File photo
we received from voters in the referendum in November,” Waitt said. That initiative passed com-
fortably in a public referendum vote on Election Day. In response, it was the subject of a short-lived lawsuit by Rosenblum, which was then thrown out of court by a judge less than a month after it was filed. According to Trustee Leon Potok, a Democrat, while the search for village manager has yielded a bevy of eager candidates, a request for a new village attorney has seen less than a dozen. Rosenblum told the Review that the final candidates for attorney have been narrowed down to about five possible options. A decision on a new village attorney will likely be made before the end of the month, while the hiring of a village manager may take a month or more. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
United Hospital redevelopment passes crucial hurdle By JAMES PERO Staff Writer The village of Port Chester Board of Trustees has voted to allow a set of zoning changes that will pave the way for a long-debated multimillion dollar development on the village’s former United Hospital site. But by moving the project forward, the village may be opening itself up to litigation. Amendments to the village zoning code, passed during the Board of Trustees meeting on March 6, will alter various zoning laws, including the addition of a density bonus that will see the developers, Starwood Capital, transfer $3 million into a fund for community planning and rehabilitation. According to Eric Zamft, the village director of planning and economic development, that money—which will be used at the discretion of the village— could be spent on things like
housing creation and affordable housing, or neighborhood revitalization efforts. In addition to 36 affordable housing units, according to Zamft, the development’s floor area ratio is set to 0.8 with a 0.8 bonus, an amendment that the village Board of Trustees included in order to expand the amount of money the developer would contribute to its community fund. While that number is currently $3 million, previous iterations of the project would have only seen $1 million contributed to the fund. The zoning amendments will allow for the required density sought by the developers to see their project to fruition. Starwood’s mixed-use, 1 million-square-foot development would also feature restaurants, offices and a hotel. Overall, the project contains 730 residential units, the majority of which are one-bedroom, studio or loft units.
With the zoning laws altered, Starwood’s $400 million development will soon go to a site plan review process. The decision to allow the zoning changes marks a major step forward in a project that has gone through multiple transformations since Starwood purchased the property, which sits on one of the village’s entry points, for $28 million in 2006. While a previous proposal would have installed a zoning overlay allowing the site to double its amount of developable space, that plan was rescinded in November 2016 amidst vehement public backlash. Likewise, in 2014, a previous iteration of the project was amended by Starwood, which reduced the number of proposed units from 820 to 730 and expanded its inclusion of both public space and retail space significantly. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Meet Red! This beautiful setter/collie mix is about 7 years young and very handsome. Red is looking for a calm, quiet home to hang out with his human family. He will alert you to people at your door and will happily go to his place so that you can welcome your guests. He likes playing with his toys and going for long walks. Red is neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped. Make him part of your family for an adoption donation of $300 to Pet Rescue. To meet Red, call 834-6955, visit at NY-PetRescue.org, or meet him in person at 7 Harrison Ave. in Harrison. (Submitted)
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Business Briefs
New Rochelle resident Melba Herrera Kelly has affiliated with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Larchmont. As a real estate salesperson, Kelly will provide residential real estate services in Larchmont and New Rochelle, as well as the surrounding communities of Mamaroneck, Rye Neck, Rye, Pelham and White Plains. Kelly has extensive experience in residential real estate sales. She has been a sales associate since 2008 achieving silver award status at her previous brokerage. “We are greatly pleased to welcome Melba to the Larchmont office. As a successful real estate professional, she brings with her a breadth of experience and a strong understanding of the local market,” said Alice Horowitz, senior managing director of the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Larchmont. “I look forward to watching Melba continue to grow her business in the months and years to come.” As a member of the New Rochelle community, Kelly has been an active volunteer in the school system, including co-chairing the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence Gala Auction Committee. Kelly can be reached at the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Larchmont at 8347100. For more information, visit coldwellbankerhomes.com/tri-states.
JCC names new director of development, donor engagement The Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester recently announced that Beth Grafman is its new director of development and donor engagement. Grafman, who has more than two decades of experience in community and nonprofit development and programming, joins the JCC of Mid-Westchester senior management team. “We are excited to have Beth join our team,” said Karen Kolodny, executive director. “Her deep experience building and funding community collaboration will inspire support for the important role we play in Westchester. Beth’s civic involvement and deep commitment to the Jewish community will help us continue our tradition of connecting with and serving the JCC’s diverse constituencies.” Roger Kahn and Helen Samuels, co-presidents of the JCC of Mid-Westchester’s board of directors, agree. “Beth Grafman is a wonderful addition to the dedicated team of professionals in place here at the JCC. Her experience at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and ability to manage a
portfolio of philanthropic investments in over 80 communities throughout North America has certainly prepared her well to quickly build strategic relationships and support,” they said. Grafman lives in White Plains with her husband Allan and four children, where they have been active members of Temple Israel Center synagogue for nearly 20 years. A five-term Sisterhood president, she currently serves on the synagogue’s board of directors and is a former board secretary for Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake. Born and raised in Chicago, Grafman earned her MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She began her professional career at GE Capital in sales and marketing, and served for nine years on the faculty of Schechter Westchester in White Plains. “Westchester is a world-class community. It deserves to have a world-class JCC with broad-based support,” Grafman said. “Having spent more than five years helping to grow the PJ Library program throughout the country, I understand the incredible power of stories. Now I’m looking forward to sharing stories of the JCC’s impact as a true community convener. I’m confident these stories will inspire even greater participation in the JCC’s bright future.”
dous asset to The Westchester as it completes its transformation. “Steven brings energy and highly relevant experience to us at The Westchester,’’ Guerra said. “We are most fortunate to have someone who understands today’s retail environment and who has recently been through a major renovation at his previous property.” The Westchester in downtown White Plains has recently completed a multi-million dollar enhancement with modernized elevators and lobbies; new facades at major mall entrances; new landscaping and store flooring with grey and beige Italian limestone tile; new carpeting, as well as soft seating areas with complimentary charging stations. In December, it opened two entertainment areas: PLAY, a 2,300-square-foot interactive, educational play area; and CONNECT, a technology lounge featuring nine flat screen televisions, complimentary iPads and phone charging stations.
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The Westchester names new general manager The Westchester has named a new general manager to oversee operations at Westchester County’s premiere shopping destination. Steven Sayers comes to Westchester from Brea, California, where he was the general manager of the Brea Mall, a super-regional shopping center in Orange County, California, that recently completed a multimillion dollar renovation. Sayers attended college at the State University of New York at Albany where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. “I am thrilled to return to the New York area and to be leading our team at a time when The Westchester has recently undergone a total transformation,” he said. “With the opening in April of Savor Westchester, our new dining destination, the transformation will be complete and The Westchester will have the most ambitious redesign of any mall in the region. I am very proud to be taking the helm during this exciting time.” Sayers joined Simon Property Group in 2010 as the assistant mall manager at Knoxville Center and West Town Mall in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 2011, he joined the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California, where he was involved in planning a major redevelopment of the property. Sayers moved to Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida, in 2012 to lead the newly renovated asset and management team through a period of transition. The following year, Sayers was promoted to Square One Mall near Boston. Robert T. Guerra, regional vice president of Simon Property Group, said that Sayers’ experience with the renovation at Brea Mall will be a tremen-
The final piece of the renovation is a brand new 350-seat dining venue featuring seven eclectic eateries, including some of Manhattan and Connecticut’s most popular and notable casual dining hot spots, and an outdoor dining terrace overlooking downtown White Plains, scheduled to open in April. Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom have also recently completed major remodeling projects to their stores at The Westchester. “We look forward to having a fresh perspective as we begin this new chapter,” said Paula Kelliher, director of marketing for The Westchester.
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March 24, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 11
Parade brings Emerald Isle to downtown
The Larchmont Historical Fire Company marches in this year’s parade, replete with their classic fire vehicles and old fashioned uniforms.
Bagpipes and drums fill the streets of the village of Mamaroneck with festive music in celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day.
Hundreds of spectators gather in the downtown to view the parade procession, including a crowd outside of Molly Spillane’s on Mamaroneck Avenue. Photos/Charlie McLaughlin
Mamaroneck Avenue in the village of Mamaroneck was a sea of green for the sixth annual Sound Shore Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, which drew hundreds of spectators on Sunday, March 19. The procession was led by a motorcade of Mamaroneck’s finest, followed by dozens of community organizations, elected officials and Irish-themed performing groups. The pipes and drums from the Police Emerald Society of Westchester provided musical entertainment for the event, along with Habitat for Humanity’s drum line band. Crowds were also entertained by the O’Rourke Irish Dancers, a Westchesterbased dance company. Former Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe held the honor of serving as the first female grand marshal, and was recognized at a ceremonial sash presentation at Larchmont Shore Club preceding the parade. Officials from the town and village of Mamaroneck accompanied Westchester County and New York state representatives, which included County Executive Rob Astorino, state Assemblyman Steve Otis and state Sen. George Latimer. According to Chris Regan, a parade committee member, the cultural celebration is meant not only to entertain Sound Shore residents, but also to provide scholarship funds to local students. “The Sound Shore St. Patrick’s Day Parade exists to throw a great parade for the Sound Shore communities, to celebrate Irish and Irish-American culture, as well as to provide scholarship funds for deserving students who have dedicated part of their lives to preserving Irish culture and heritage in our communities.” Each year, two $2,500 scholarships are offered to students aged 16 to 22. To date, the committee has awarded $17,500 in scholarships to local high school students. The deadline for this year’s scholarship application is May 5. For more information, visit soundshoreparade.com/ scholarship. -Reporting by Andrew Dapolite
The annual Sound Shore Saint Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates Irish-American culture, while also providing scholarship funds to deserving students.
A drummer from the Police Emerald Society of Westchester marches up Mamaroneck Avenue.
12 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 24, 2017
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March 24, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 13
The genetic crystal ball RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
Congratulations, you’re going to have a baby! Would you like to know if, 50 years or so down the line, he or she might develop colon cancer? And by the way, the baby may also have a slightly increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Would you like to know about that, too? And how about the odds of acne? Aieee! These are not the questions any of us have ever had to answer… till now. But thanks to an ever-expanding arsenal of genetic testing, sometimes at birth, sometimes in utero, and sometimes even before the baby is conceived (that is, by testing the potential parents for genetic abnormalities), new dilemmas are headed to a pregnancy near you. The genetic tests being developed today are “revolutionizing what we can know about babies, and how we perceive and treat and prevent disease,” says Bonnie Rochman, the former health reporter at Time Magazine and author of the new book, “The Gene Machine: How Genetic Technologies Are Changing the Way We Have Kids – and the Kids We Have.” Back in 1971, when Rochman was an embryo, all her mom knew was that a baby was going to appear in about nine months. No one could test the gender, much less any genetic anomalies. But today, I myself have two sons who were tested back when they were eight-cell embryos for a genetic mutation they had a 50 percent chance of inheriting: Marfan syndrome. It’s a disease my husband has, which can cause things like blindness and
heart trouble. Thanks to Yale geneticist Dr. Petros Tsipouras, who located the gene and then figured out how to test for it even while our kids were still in test tubes, we “engineered” the Marfan syndrome out of them. This was not an easy or cheap process, but we are very grateful for the results—our Marfan’sfree sons. But today, 20 years later, genetic testing is even more widely available, for far more issues, and it is this expanding universe that Rochman dives into. “How much information do we want to know?” asks Rochman. That’s the heart of the matter. We already routinely test babies for certain diseases, “some of which may quickly prove fatal if not detected,” she says. Early detection leads to early intervention and “there’s little question that newborn screening has saved countless lives.” But now, if a new test shows that a baby has a slightly elevated chance of developing, say, schizophrenia, is that something parents would want to be aware of? Or would it simply make them worried? One mom Rochman interviewed in her book had a prenatal test where the doctor announced he’d found something abnormal, but added, “We don’t know what it’s going to mean.” So the woman had new information—something was “off”—but no clue as to whether it would affect her child’s life, or when, or how seriously. “This is going to happen more and more,” says Rochman, as science develops tests “so sensitive they can uncover information no one fully understands.” That is precisely the issue Dr. Tsipouras, our geneticist, is working on now, as CEO of a new company called Plumcare.
The company will be sequencing newborns’ genomes, but he realizes a full-blown report is not something everyone is ready for. “My mother would say, ‘Don’t interfere with God’s plan.’ My wife would say, ‘What can I do with this information?’” says the doctor. But younger people, he believes, are more comfortable handling and assessing information. And frankly, they’re the ones doing the reproducing. So his company is developing a rubric of when and what information to share. The questions that must be answered before passing on any information are: 1. Is this information relevant to you, specifically? For instance, if a baby has a genetic variation, but it’s one shared by his completely healthy dad, uncle and grandpa, it probably won’t have any ill effects. 2. What are the odds? If seven out of 10 people with this genetic variation get seriously ill by age 5, that’s quite different from nine out of 10 living to a ripe old age. The odds must be taken into account. 3. When and how will this change affect the child? Is it in 10 years, or 70? Will it pack a wallop or is it often mild? The idea is not to freak parents out. It’s to alert them to problems before they occur, rather than reacting to them once they appear. Medically, it means we’re moving from curing diseases to prevention via prediction. “When we talk about the info tech revolution, this is the next stage,” says Rochman: Using deep data to understand and change our DNA destiny. “And,” she adds, “we’re only at the beginning.” CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
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Astorino announces keynote for fathering conference Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino recently announced that Mike Brady, president and CEO of Greyston, a leading social enterprise whose world-renowned Greyston Bakery provides employment opportunities that help lift people out of poverty, will be the keynote speaker at the third annual New York Fathering Conference taking place on Tuesday, April 4 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. “Mike Brady offers a visionary approach to business growth and social empowerment,” Astorino said. “Greyston Bakery’s model of Open Hiring creates opportunities for everybody, regardless of their background or work history. It provides people who want to work with the employment, skills, resources and dignity they need to break the cycle of poverty while supporting the overall growth of the business. We are honored to have him as our keynote speaker at this year’s Fathering Conference.” The theme of this year’s event is “Ready to Work: Navigating Home, Job and Community.” The program will include 21 workshops on topics such as job retraining, hiring trends, navigating government programs, men’s health and wellness, parenting skills, and ways to better engage fathers. Up to 400 fathers and service providers are expected to attend, so please register in advance to secure your spot at readytowork. eventbrite.com. Registration is $45 and includes continental breakfast, lunch and beverages. The County Center is located at 198 Central Ave. in White Plains. For more information, please contact Joseph D. Kenner, deputy commissioner of social services, at jkenner@westchestergov.com. As president of Greyston Bakery in Yonkers for four years, Brady drove strategic business development with long-standing partner Ben & Jerry’s and with new partners such as Whole
Mike Brady, CEO and president of Greyston, will cover topics like hiring trends, men’s health, and ways to become a better father as the keynote at this year’s New York Fathering Conference. Photo courtesy linkedin.com
Foods Market. During this time, the bakery realized nearly 100 percent revenue growth and became New York state’s first registered benefit corporation. Brady recently took responsibility for all Greyston’s programs and businesses, including workforce development, community gardens, housing, health services and an early learning center. Brady’s passion lies in the integration of business and social good, particularly through the scaling of Open Hiring throughout the country. “Open Hiring has the potential to create opportunities all across the country for people facing barriers to employment,” Brady said. “Our commitment to the community and to the people is at the core of everything we do and I look forward to sharing our approach with everyone at the Fathering Conference.” Following the morning keynote address, a panel discussion will focus on the theme of the conference, “Ready to Work: Navigating Home, Job and Community,” featuring: Donald Somerville of The Children’s Village as moderator; Mike Brady, president and CEO of Greyston; Dion Drew,
Greyston Bakery employee and father; Rosa Boone, DSS deputy commissioner; and Alphonso Simmons, R.E.A.L. Parenting Program coordinator, of Family Services of Westchester. Organized by the New York Fathering Conference Planning Committee, a collaboration of government and nonprofit leaders, the conference is part of Astorino’s ongoing #DadBeThere fatherhood initiative. The goal is to target the full spectrum of fathers, from those who are present in the home to those who are not. One of the highlights of Astorino’s fatherhood initiative is the R.E.A.L. Parenting Program, which is helping participants to find and keep employment, manage their child support payments, improve their parenting and relationship skills and most importantly, to be the positive role models their children and families need. To learn more, please visit westchestergov.com/ dadbethere. “The role of a father is critically important,” Astorino said. “Families are stronger when a dad is actively involved, and society is stronger as a result.” (Submitted)
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14 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 24, 2017
SPORTS
The purest joy in sports LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
Shortly after Duke’s basketball team won the ACC tournament two weeks ago, a group chat between my buddies and I began blowing up. Our friend Phil, an avid Blue Devil fan, sent a litany of texts explaining in no uncertain terms that, as Duke was far and away the best college basketball team in the country, it would only be a matter of time before they’d be cutting down the nets once again as longtime coach Mike Krzyzewski took home his sixth national title. The messages were peppered with casual denigrations of the teams the rest of us supported and rooted for in the deep-seated sense of entitlement that Cameron Crazies—much like Yankee fans—seem to exude. So boy, did it feel good on Sunday night when the Dukies
got eliminated by South Carolina. The Blue Devils were trailing by 10 in the final minutes when we started letting Phil have it. Memes of Duke guard/villain Grayson Allen tripping random opponents, images of Blue Devils with Jordan Crying-Faces superimposed on them, secondby-second updates of a score that was increasingly going the Gamecocks’ way; we were pouring it on thick. Thirty minutes after the game, Phil finally responded to us, although both AP Style and common decency pretty much prohibit me from telling you what he said. Outside of watching your own team win (my Villanova squad was similarly eliminated in the second round on Saturday), seeing the teams you despise—especially when your friends root for them—can provide some of the purest joy in the sports world. I don’t think it makes me a bad guy to take such delight in the failures of my buddies’
teams, but that’s just the nature of sports. Heck, that kind of schadenfreude even caused me to root against my own selfinterests. I had Duke advancing to the finals in most of my tourney pools, but it was absolutely worth having my brackets busted in order to see Coach K get bounced by a No. 7 seed. As it turned out, this weekend turned out to be a veritable cornucopia of petty fandom on my part. On Saturday night, the USA knocked the Dominican Republic out of the World Baseball Classic, and although I was proud that the Stars and Stripes lived to play another day, thanks in part to a spectacular home run-robbing catch by Adam Jones, I was positively cackling at the idea of being able to twist the knife a little bit when I saw some of my friends from San Pedro the following morning. I had a litany of “Plátano Power” jokes lined up to go, and suffice it to say, I used them all. Maybe it’s an ugly part of
On March 19, the Duke Blue Devils got eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Despite it ruining his bracket, Sports Editor Mike Smith couldn’t be happier. Photo courtesy Duke.edu
sports fandom, maybe it’s spiteful, but honestly, right now, I don’t care, because I got the chance to gloat.
Just please don’t make fun of me when the Red Sox finish third in the American League East this year. That would be
supremely uncool.
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SPORTS
March 24, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 15
Local fighters take the stage By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor Only hours before prizefighter Bryant “Pee Wee” Cruz stepped through the ropes at Madison Square Garden on March 18, his stablemates at Champs Boxing Club in New Rochelle had a local showcase of their own as they faced off against a squad of boxers from Ireland at the club’s Division Street gym. And although Cruz was ultimately unsuccessful in his attempt to challenge for a lightweight title that evening, Champs’ owner Ryan O’Leary feels that the day was a runaway success—both for his professional pupil and for his newer charges who got the chance to compete in front of a packed house earlier in the day. Although fighters from Champs often take part in events throughout the tri-state area, Saturday’s seven-fight card gave several pugilists—including many first timers—a chance to compete in the familiar confines of the club’s New Rochelle gym. Opponents on the afternoon
Heather Flaherty, right, embraces opponent Rebecca Weiss and trainer Ryan O’Leary following a 130-pound Masters bout at Champs Boxing Club. Flaherty took the decision.
included a handful of fighters from Ireland’s Kinsale Boxing Club who often travel to the states to take on international competition. “This was in the works for about three months, we mostly had some younger boxers and some of the older, senior boxers,” O’Leary said. “We
generally fight all over the [New York] boroughs so to have it here, in our small space with a lot of fans, it really was an impressive time.” “I just think that for those having their first fight, this was the most comfortable place it could have happened,” he added. The Champs squad earned a
Elvis Cardenas fires a straight right hand during his 135-pound bout against John O’Brien.
Brittany Plummer from Champs Boxing Club lands a right hand against Denice O’Leary from Ireland on March 18. Plummer was victorious in her first amateur fight.
clean sweep over Kinsale’s fighters, and a few others, including Heather Flaherty, found success against domestic competition as well. Flaherty, a 47-year-old mother of three from Greenwich, Connecticut, outpointed Rebecca Weiss from Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn in her in-ring debut, much to the delight of a boisterous throng of fans from her hometown who traveled down to New Rochelle to watch the fights. “[Flaherty] comes in every day and works her head off, and she must talk to everyone, because she had a group of people there who all had shirts with her name on it,” O’Leary said. “And she was in there against a good experienced girl, it was nonstop action and that was a huge victory.” Elvis Cardenas, a 16-yearold New Rochelle resident, who won his first bout as a member of Champs, beating 135-pounder John O’Brien from Ireland, said that getting the chance to show off his skills in front of a rabid home crowd made all of the work that he has put in over the last two years worth it. “It’s exciting when people come in, it’s exciting for everyone,” Cardenas said. “When the bags
Champs coach Keith Brown waits for the decision after his fight against Kinsale Boxing Club’s Will Rosall. Photos/Mike Smith
are here, you’re working, but getting the chance to spar, it’s just more, more, more.” After the afternoon bouts concluded, several members of the club headed down to Madison Square Garden where Champs professional Pee Wee Cruz got a chance to battle for the WBC Continental Americas Lightweight Championship against undefeated prospect Ryan Martin. The fight was Cruz’s first since returning to O’Leary’s gym a few months ago, and marked the longest layoff of his professional career as the Port Chester native had not had a bout since last April’s win over Moises Delgadillo. Though Cruz was game, the undefeated Tennessean stopped
him in the eighth round of the first televised undercard of the Gennady Golovkin versus Danny Jacobs pay-per-view. Despite the loss, O’Leary was happy with the way Cruz shook off some of the ring rust. “[Martin] was really tough and Pee Wee hadn’t fought in a year, so I thought he did some really good things,” O’Leary said. “The most important thing is that [Cruz] knows that he belongs there now. If we’d had more training, he definitely would have gone the distance, so we’ll just have to tweak some things and hopefully we will be back there, fighting for another title.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
16 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 24, 2017