Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
July 29, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 31 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Army Corps project hits another roadblock
THE
TRUMP
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
CARD?
Donald Trump accepted the Republican Party’s nomination for president at its national convention in Cleveland on July 21. The four-day gathering brought out some of the party’s biggest names and supporters. For more, see page 6. Photo/Charles McLaughlin
Rye threatens lawsuit over Playland redevelopment By JAMES PERO Staff Writer A legal battle between Westchester County and Rye could be imminent after city officials threatened to sue for a say in the future of Playland. In a letter to County Attorney Robert Meehan dated July 18, Michael Gerrard, who was
retained by the city of Rye, asserted that Rye, not Westchester County, should enjoy the status of lead agency for an upcoming round of capital projects at the amusement park. “Unfortunately, the county hasn’t followed the law,” said Rye Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican. “Months ago, apparently, the county had declared itself
lead agency.” According to Sack, the county declared itself lead agency in May. Gerrard told the Review that if the county continues to ignore the city’s request for inclusion into the park’s process, litigation will be imminent. “I think [a lawsuit] would be a fair assumption,” he said. “We
would only file a lawsuit if we thought we had strong grounds.” The city has set a July 28 deadline, after press time, for the county to respond before filing an Article 78 proceeding. According to Gerrard, the county has yet to respond, as of press time, but Ned McCormack, PLAYLAND continued on page 9
Even despite a more stringent review process from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a $75 million flood project drew lingering concerns from the village Harbor and Coastal Zone Management Commission, which deemed the project “potentially consistent” last week. At a meeting on Wednesday, July 20, the commission—which was asked by the Department of State to help determine whether or not the project complies with the village’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, LWRP—found that the project still contradicts a portion of its waterfront policy. “The [harbor commission] determined unanimously there were seven policies in the LWRP that were potentially consistent if certain attributes we modified or changed,” commission member Clark Neuringer said. “At this point, they could not be considered consistent.” Among the major concerns identified by both the harbor commission and consultants hired by the village to evaluate the newest iteration of the project was its impact on the surrounding environment. An analysis by hydrologist Paul Rubin—a consultant hired by members of the harbor commission to help assess
the project—stated, “As planned, [the] project design will degrade aquatic ecosystems, wildlife habitat, water quality, and fishing and recreational opportunities while diminishing river access….” Cindy Goldstein, chairwoman of the harbor commission, said that these concerns could be addressed by considering alternative methods of flood mitigation that rely less heavily on structural engineering. “A major concern of the whole project was that alternatives that would not be so potentially damaging to the environment are available,” she said. “Those alternatives weren’t investigated by the Army Corps to the extent they should have been.” While members of the harbor commission have shown reservations about the flood plan, members of the Army Corps have expressed concerns of their own; namely worries that opposition may put a stop to the project once and for all. Gene Brickman, deputy chief of the Army Corps’ planning division—who has also worked on a previous iteration of the flood mitigation project in the ‘80s— spoke to a full audience at the commission meeting. “The only thing that’s going to stop this project is you,” he said, addressing residents in attendance. PROJECT continued on page 8
2 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016
July 29, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 3
HUD monitor resigns after 7 years By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer The court-appointed monitor overseeing Westchester County’s compliance with a 2009 affordable housing settlement will resign seven years after accepting the assignment. James E. Johnson sent a letter to Judge Denise Cote on July 18, announcing his impending resignation, which he said would be on or before Aug. 10, his seven-year anniversary as monitor. Johnson did not disclose his reasoning for stepping down, but did say that he also retired from his law firm, Debvoise & Plimpton, in March. Johnson said he is committed to working with his replacement, who will be appointed by the U.S. Department of Justice following consultation with the county and approval by Cote. As a result of a 2009 settlement with the federal government under the watch of former County Executive Andrew Spano, a Democrat, Westchester agreed to build 750 units of affordable housing in 31 of its wealthiest communities by the end of 2016. However, Johnson’s letter suggested that he expected the terms of the settlement to continue beyond that timeframe. “Accordingly, the new monitor should recognize that the assignment may extend for months, if not years, beyond the end of this year,” he wrote. The relationship between Johnson and County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, has been shaky throughout the settlement. During his State of the County address in April, Astorino accused Johnson and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, of making unfair demands of the county in order to provoke “a settlement that never ends.” Earlier in the year, Johnson had recommended that Cote hold the county in contempt of court and subject it to $60,000 fines. Ned McCormack, communications director for the county
James E. Johnson, the court-appointed monitor who has been overseeing Westchester County’s compliance to a 2009 affordable housing settlement, will step down seven years after he was appointed to the post. Photo courtesy Debevoise.com
executive, told the Review, “The county’s position from the start is that Westchester will fully comply with its obligations under the settlement, but that the federal government has no right to expand the terms or the length of the agreement.” McCormack added that all the Astorino administration asks of the new monitor is that he looks at the terms of the settlement “objectively and fairly.” County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz, a Democrat and chairman of the county Board of Legislators, said he and the monitor have had a more cordial working relationship. He added that Johnson, while “far from perfect,” conducted his job professionally. “The monitor engaged in a very important study, the Huntington study, which has helped clear the way for a lot of communities to see that they do not have exclusionary zoning,” Kaplowitz said. In what turned out to be his final action as monitor, Johnson removed two communities from a list of seven which he recommended that HUD sue; Crotonon-Hudson, Harrison, Lewisboro,
Pelham Manor and Larchmont remain on the list. Both Kaplowitz and McCormack said that the county lawmakers and the administration, respectively, would work to meet but not exceed the terms of the settlement before the end of the year. But according to Cote, the county is currently in breach of the settlement. On July 8, Cote ruled that the county was violating two terms of the agreement. She claimed that the county failed to introduce and implement an affordable housing public education campaign, and that it failed to develop and submit an approved Analysis of Impediments, AI, a document which lists possible systemic roadblocks in creating affordable housing. The county has submitted eight AIs since the settlement, each of which has found no exclusionary zoning. HUD has rejected each of the county’s analyses. As a result of Cote’s ruling, the county was ordered to hire a consultant to help them complete the analysis. The county, however, has appealed the ruling. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
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4 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016
What’s going on... Mamaroneck Public Library
quired. For more information or to register for this program call 630-5894.
Creepy Peg Dolls and Ugly Pets
Visit mamaronecklibrary.org for more information on summer hours and programs.
Pokémon Go Pokémon Go is a free game app for your smartphone that lets you catch Pokémon in real world locations, like the Mamaroneck Public Library. The library is a PokéStop, where you can stock up on Pokéballs, potions and other items to help you catch ‘em all. Is Pokémon draining the battery of your smartphone? Remember to use the free Kwikboost charging stations in the front lobby, Teen Room or Children’s Room to recharge your device. Post pictures of the Pokémon you find at the library on the Mamaroneck Public Library’s Facebook page. Each week, a winner will be chosen to receive a 3-D-printed Gym Badge. Remember, the picture must involve the library in order to qualify.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Boogie Children and teens are welcome to dress up in their best ‘70s attire and come to the library on Tuesday, Aug. 2 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. to groove to soulful music and play games. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is re-
Teens will be able to make creepy peg dolls and ugly pets on Wednesday, Aug. 3 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Teen Library. Participants will stuff, stitch and paint creatures of their own design. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is required. For more information or to register for this program call 630-5894.
Summer Movies: ‘Open Season: Scared Silly’ The library will be screening the animated movie “Open Season: Scared Silly” on Thursday, Aug. 4 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room. Elliot, Boog and all of the beloved woodland creatures are back in a brand new comedy adventure. Rated PG; running time: 85 minutes.
Larchmont Public Library Although the main library is under renovation, the library is open and operating from the Larchmont Village Center, located directly behind the main library building. For information about the library’s renovation, call 834-2281 ext. 3 or visit larchmontlibrary.org. Find more programs on the website, as well as summer hours.
Saturday morning yoga with Damien Germino Adults will be able to welcome their weekend
with yoga on Saturday, July 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Michael P. Coords Activity Room. Learn about the history, philosophy and practice of yoga with instructor Damien Germino. Germino will guide participants to understanding the poses and breathing techniques that will bring peace and beauty to relieve stress while they stretch. Participants should bring their own yoga mat or towel to class. This class is free and open to the public, and registration is required. For more information or to register for this class, call 834-2281.
Saturday Sahaja Meditation On Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon at the Village Center. No registration required. Sahaja Meditation is unique because of how quickly it can help you achieve self-awareness. You will feel calmer, more relaxed and better focused every time you meditate. Try it for free and see.
Project Linus Knitting and Crochet Group On Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon in the Village Center. Join this knitting/crochet group and use your talents for a good cause. The group has created and donated several blankets to Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital for the benefit of local children. No registration required. For all questions related to Project Linus, email Doris Patt Smith at momdsmith1@yahoo.com.
Read Around The World Storytime: Australia Every Tuesday, children will be able to visit a different continent through stories, music and crafts. On Tuesday, Aug. 2 from 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., children will visit Australia to learn about the culture of the area. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required. A free ticket is required to attend this event, and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 3:15 p.m. on the day of the program.
Young and Restless for toddlers Children from 18 months to 3 years old are welcome to come to the library on Wednesday, Aug. 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Little movers and shakers will be able to embrace their inner groove in this early literacy program. This program requires a parent or caregiver to attend. This program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required. A
free ticket is required to attend this event, and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10 a.m. on the day of the program.
At Home on the Sound Volunteers needed At Home on the Sound is seeking additional summer volunteers to drive older neighbors in Mamaroneck and Larchmont to errands, shopping or appointments. The local nonprofit supports adults who want to remain in their own homes as they age. Rides will be provided on weekdays, and volunteers can determine when and how often they drive. For more information or to become a volunteer, call 899-3150 or email athomeinfo@athomeonthesound.org.
Larchmont Newcomers’ Club Community softball games All players ages 18 to 70 are welcome to join the Larchmont Newcomers’ Club softball team for a community softball game every Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Flint baseball field next to Hommocks Ice Rink. Participants should bring a baseball glove. For more information, email the organizer at rjhellman@verizon.net.
Mamaroneck Artists Guild Exhibition: ‘Summertime II’ The Mamaroneck Artists Guild just finished exhibiting “Summertime I,” which included ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography and works on paper, and will be exhibiting “Summertime II” until July 30. “Summertime II” uses wood, fiber, sculpture and works on canvas, board, or non-paper surfaces. The gallery, which is located at 126 Larchmont Ave. in Larchmont, will be open from Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public. The gal lery will be closed for the month of August and will reopen on Sept. 1. For more information about the Mamaroneck Artists Guild, call 834-1117. 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.
July 29, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 5
Ralph’s owner likely to sue village By JAMES PERO Staff Writer The owner of a controversial new Mamaroneck business, Ralph’s Italian Ices and Ice Cream, has threatened to sue after the village Zoning Board of Appeals voted to tighten restrictions on the shop’s hours and zoning classification. “They allow you to open a business and then make decisions without any kind of due diligence,” said Long Island resident and owner of Ralph’s, Scott Rosenburg. “I’ll file an appeal and I’ll sue them.” The impetus for Rosenburg’s suit comes after a determination by the zoning board on Monday, July 18 that reduced the business’ hours and also mandated that Rosenburg apply for a special permit by Aug. 17, otherwise he could face the revocation of his certificate of occupancy. Prior to the zoning board’s decision, the business’ hours of operation ranged from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Sunday.
New stipulations by the zoning board dictate that until Rosenburg applies for the permit, Ralph’s will have to close at 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 p.m. on weekends. When making their decision, zoning board Chairman Barry Weprin, who spoke to the Review regarding Ralph’s this week, said board members acknowledged that Ralph’s— which is currently classified as a retail establishment—should not be classified as such under the village’s zoning code. “The consensus among the board is that [Ralph’s] meets the definition of food service establishment,” he said. Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, who has attributed many of the problems spurred by Ralph’s to the business’ unforeseen success, said that if the situation comes down to litigation, it could be bad for everyone. “He has the same option as the residents to sue,” Rosenblum said. “Neither side is going to be happy.” Rosenburg could file an Article 78, which would appeal the
zoning board’s decision and possibly end up in court. However, despite a potential lawsuit looming, Democratic Trustee Leon Potok said that the village always takes precaution to guard itself against litigation. “The outside attorneys retained to work with the [zoning board] and the other land use boards do a good job protecting the village,” Potok said. Fervor over Ralph’s has bubbled to the surface over the past several weeks after what residents have highlighted as onerous traffic conditions, unsightly garbage, and disruptive noise levels as a result of the business’ opening in May. A meeting held on July 18 drew dozens of village residents, who took the podium in front of zoning board members to voice their concerns on the matter and their case for revoking the business’ certificate of occupancy. While Ralph’s must apply for the special permit before Aug. 17, it has been permitted to stay in business in the interim. The owner of a controversial business, Ralph’s Italian Ices and Ice Cream, may sue after the village of CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Mamaroneck’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted to restrict the shop’s hours and impose a stricter review process. File photo
6 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016
Mamaroneck THE
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Trump accepts GOP nomination in Cleveland
Republicans from across the nation descended on the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, from July 18 to July 21, to take part in the official nomination of Donald Trump’s candidacy for president. In just 13 months, Trump went from announcing his candidacy, which came as a surprise to most political pundits, to presumptive
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Delegates of the GOP filter into the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Photos/Charles McLaughlin
Columnist Lenore Skenazy
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New York State Sen. Terrence Murphy, a Yorktown Republican, is all smiles at the Republican National Convention.
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Donald Trump gives the thumbs up sign to delegates as he accepts the Republican nomination for president.
Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the house, addresses the media during the Republican National Convention.
nominee to accepting the party’s nomination as the clear choice after knocking out 16 opponents in a lengthy GOP primary season. His ascension to the top of the Republican ticket proved to be one of the most historic rises in modern political history. Trump will now go on to face CONTINUED on next page
July 29, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 7 former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election. In receiving the nomination, which he concluded with a more than an hourlong speech on July 21, Trump’s appeal to voters was viewed as an anti-establishment candidate who is fed up with what he has termed a “rigged”
political system. Trump’s political run brought out the most Republican voters in the history of the party’s primaries. But his candidacy has not come without controversy due to his rhetoric, which has been viewed as divisive and hateful by several groups. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Calls to “Lock her up” were heard throughout the four-day convention as delegates set their sights on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Photos/Charles McLaughlin
-Reporting by Christian Falcone
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, left, shakes hands with Douglas Colety, chairman of the Westchester County Republican Party, right, while Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino looks on.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz drew one of the biggest reactions of the convention when he was cascaded with a chorus of boos for refusing to endorse Donald Trump’s candidacy.
Donald Trump, right, talks with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, his vice presidential running mate.
Trump supporters rally for the nomination of Donald Trump as the Republican Party’s candidate for president on the convention floor.
8 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016
2 Republicans square off in county DA primary
PROJECT from page 1
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer
Pictured above are representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who unveiled a $75 million plan to mitigate the village of Mamaroneck’s flooding in February. The project continues to hit roadblocks as it contradicts local waterfront policy. Photo courtesy Hector Mosely
In the ‘80s, a similar project was nixed due to funding concerns and a lack of governmental support. Similarly, Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, has advocated for the federal project since its inception. On Monday, the village Board of Trustees adopted a resolution showing its support for the project. “We want to tell the [Department of State] that the village of Mamaroneck is fully behind this project,” he said. Previously in March, the harbor commission, a volunteer organization responsible for reviewing projects that fall within the scope of the LWRP, concluded that the project did not meet the village’s standards for waterfront development. As a result, the commission issued a recommendation to the
Department of State—which is responsible for conducting the project’s final environmental review—stating it should deem the project unsuitable to move forward. The Department of State agreed with the commission and blocked the project from moving forward, a move which necessitated a second and more LWRPcompliant draft of the project from the Corps. The project, which must still be approved by Congress before it comes to fruition, aims to mitigate a long and destructive history of serious flooding in Mamaroneck. According to initial projections, the project, using a combination of widening and deepening channels of the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake rivers and the construction of approximately 7,500 feet of retaining wall, could re-
duce first-floor flooding in the village by as much as 86 percent. Funding for the project would be split between federal, state, and local sources, with federal funding constituting $45 million, a majority of the $75 million needed. Goldstein told the Review that the harbor commission will now send a letter of recommendation, stating that the project is still partially incompliant with the village’s LWRP, to the Department of State as early as next week. The State Department will then have 60 days to review the Army Corps’ newest submission and issue its own determination, and if found inconsistent, the Corps will be forced to tinker with the project until it’s deemed compliant. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Two Westchester County Republicans will run for their party’s nomination in a Sept. 13 primary before the winner goes on to face Democratic nominee Anthony Scarpino for the county’s district attorney seat. Bruce Bendish, 69, the candidate who is being backed by the county Republican Party, will face Mitch Benson, 56, in a primary as a result of Benson securing enough petition signatures for the county’s top prosecutor seat. According to information from the Westchester County Board of Elections, Benson earned approximately 2,700 signatures to trigger the primary. The minimum number of signatures required for a Republican candidate seeking a countywide position is 2,000. Bendish amassed more than 4,000 signatures of support. And during the Westchester County Republican Convention in April, Bendish received support from about 75 percent of the more than 1,000 Republican delegates. Bendish, a White Plains attorney who has served as assistant district attorney in Westchester for 14 years—which included a stint as the head of the homicide bureau—said the motto of his campaign is “experience matters.” Bendish said he has tried cases in each of the county’s courts, and hundreds of cases as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney. His experience as a prosecutor included working with the county’s judges, making decisions about the viability of cases, requesting wire taps, and working with each of the county’s police departments. “I have familiarity with all of them,” Bendish said. “I’ve dealt with all of them and I will easily have a working relationship with all of them.” Benson, of New Rochelle, was a prosecutor for two decades
Mitch Benson, left, and Bruce Bendish will face off in a Sept. 13 primary to represent the Republican Party in the race for Westchester County district attorney, with the winner then going on to face Democratic nominee Anthony Scarpino on Election Day. File photos
in Brooklyn and then a prosecutor for another 10 years in Nassau County. Like Bendish, Benson also addressed his experience as a key to his success. “When the voters have a choice either in the primary or in the general election, they will realize the importance of having a career prosecutor in the office of the district attorney,” he said. However, unlike Bendish, who has served as a defense attorney for years, Benson has minimal experience as a defense attorney. Both candidates plan to focus their time in office, if elected, on the county’s growing heroin epidemic. “The most immediate and pressing concern is to ensure that we bring all of the most important resources to the heroin epidemic, which means bringing aggressive prosecution to dealers, making alternative sentencing available to appropriate candidates and then partnering with community groups such as schools to ensure that we educate the public,” Benson said. Bendish told the Review that his plan is to establish local drug courts, claiming that a drug court in each individual jurisdiction
would minimize recidivism, or the rate at which one relapses into criminal behavior. In addition to establishing drug courts across the county, Bendish said he wants to establish a veteran’s court in Westchester. There are 18 veteran’s courts across New York state, but none yet in Westchester, although one has been proposed in Yonkers. Harrison native James McCarty, a Republican, has occupied the county seat since January, when former District Attorney Janet DiFiore, a Democrat, was appointed as chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The elected district attorney will serve until 2017, filling out DiFiore’s unexpired term, but would have to run again in 2017 to earn a full four-year term. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
Village of Mamaroneck’s
Official Newspaper
July 29, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 9 PLAYLAND from page 1
communications director for County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, said the county will do so before Rye’s deadline. Gerrard contends that following an agreement transferring the management of Rye Playland struck between the management company Standard Amusements and Westchester County, the county has continuously skirted proper procedure. Among the concerns listed in Gerrard’s letter are several perceived SEQRA violations, as well as the county’s lack of communication on its intentions with Playland. Rye City Attorney Kristen Wilson told the Review that although the Article 78 has not been filed, the city could also ask for a temporary injunction on park projects, which would halt any work at the amusement park pending the outcome of the litigation. Wilson said that the city has not yet decided whether it will do that. County Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, said she understands the Rye City Council’s perspective. “There has been very little in way of
communication to Rye to make Rye feel like it can have a seat at the table during discussions,” she said. “I would characterize the lack of communication as a hallmark of the Astorino administration.” In March, both the county and Standard Amusements agreed to a contract that would see both sides investing $30 million in capital improvements to rides, facilities and the park’s ailing infrastructure, and would eventually transfer the sole management of the park to Standard. However, McCormack says that the county has the right to steer the future of Rye Playland, given its status as a county park. “The county is lead agency on reviews and all land use decisions,” he said. “And the logic for that is simple. If every county park is subject to municipal control, we wouldn’t have [a] county park system.” A debate over which body has agency over a review process and procedures regarding projects at the park harkens back to 2014, when both the county and Rye battled over a controversial field house project that was eventually scrapped due to local opposition. The project, which was pro-
posed by Sustainable Playland Inc., a prior management company that was selected by the county executive to manage the park, aimed to build an 82,000-square-foot field house on park grounds. As a result, Rye appealed to the DEC and both parties sought control over park projects’ official review. Eventually, after complications from the litigation as well as growing public opposition, Sustainable Playland withdrew its interest in the park. Despite both battles being similar in nature, Sack says there is one key difference. While a prior dispute between the city and the county pre-empted a declaration of lead agency on Playland projects, the city is now working from behind. “At least the last time we became aware, therefore we were able to step in and protect our interests and preserve our rights,” the mayor said. “That’s what may necessitate the existence of the courts.” Representatives from Standard Amusements could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
A legal dispute harkening to a previous disagreement in 2014 is brewing after the city of Rye retained attorney Michael Gerrard to address concern over the county’s declaration of lead agency at Playland Park. File photo
10 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016
Opinion-Editorial
No one should be surprised by recent carnage By JOSEPH LANNI Carnage is a regular presence in our violent nation and all too often imposed on the innocent and most powerless among us. The carnage in Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas recently brought to mind something said to me a while back by a community activist about America’s long willfully ignored problems “coming home to roost.” That prescient remark echoes as I follow the news about these events. Our centuries-long history of racism and our modern-day protracted failure and resistance to address the racism pervading our law enforcement, criminal justice system, politics and otherwise is truly “coming home to roost.” None of us should be surprised about the recent carnage in America. What we saw—with the senseless and unjustifiable killings in Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas—was the byproduct of a confluence of factors that were plainly in sight for anyone to see: 1. Systemic racism pervading our law enforcement and criminal justice system and our utter failure to recognize, acknowledge and effectively address the problem. 2. The policies promoting the militarization of our police forces and the consequent excessive aggression directed toward our citizenry, particularly the aggression directed toward our AfricanAmerican fellow citizens. 3. Our “societal suicide pact” interpretation of the Second Amendment that allows for virtually any civilian to arm themselves to the teeth with military-grade weaponry designed for mass slaughter and inflict battlefieldscale casualties in a civil society. 4. Our delusional “myth” of violence as a purportedly effective means to resolve conflict and advance agendas. This myth feeds and provokes the pathologically angry, hateful and deranged among us to commit indiscriminate murder. 5. The willful refusal of too many of us to see, recognize, understand, acknowledge and speak the truth about these problems. If we continue to deny the existence of our problems and fail to do something about it, then we are acquiescent, perhaps even complicit, in allowing the carnage to continue.
Don’t we have a duty to live up to our ideals that require “equal protection of the laws?” Aren’t we charged with the responsibility to make “a more perfect union” that is inclusive and respectful of every American’s rights and lives? The answers to those questions can only be “yes,” but we have continually failed to meet that duty and responsibility. It is not far-fetched to consider that the confluence of the factors that produced the recent carnage and our acquiescence in them causes a “vicious cycle.” The systemic racism pervading our law enforcement appears to produce example after example of tragic, unjustifiable deaths at the hands of the police among our fellow African-American citizens on a scale that would be unfathomable in our white-majority community. The militarization of law enforcement seems to enhance the willingness and ability to direct aggression toward the most aggrieved of our minority communities. The sheer numbers and lethality of the weaponry that we allow civilians to possess understandably results in a heightened level of wariness, suspicion, alarm and “skittishness” by police officers to potential threats. The ready availability and access to military-grade weapons in our society enables the pathologically violent to impose mayhem on schoolchildren, churchgoers, clinic workers, movie patrons, public employees and police officers, to name only a few recent examples. On and on the cycle continues, doomed to be repeated by the tacit acquiescence and complicity of our silence and denial. That cycle has no hope of ending until we acknowledge these problems and commit to doing something about them. Yes, my acquaintance, the community activist, a middleaged man of African-American ethnicity, was spot on when he made it very plain that these societal problems would “come home to roost.” I understood this portent of things to come for good reason. More than two decades ago, I awoke to it out of my own white privileged complacency when, by mere chance of circumstances, I became involved as a lawyer
in representing innocent young African-American and Hispanic men from Harlem, Washington Heights and the Bronx who had been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned under 20-years-tolife sentences by corrupt officers in the long forgotten NYPD “Dirty Thirty” scandal. The “Dirty Thirty” scandal made clear to me that the same police officers who were assigned to protect and defend the public had essentially used their shield to turn adversary and wage “war” on the citizens in the community. After that came another case involving middle-aged African-American men wrongfully arrested by police in Nassau County as “suspected robbers” when their only “crime” was to be walking the aisles of a pharmacy looking for toothache medicine. And, after that, another case of a young African-American teenage girl in the Bronx forcefully awakened in the dark at 5 a.m., pulled out of bed, handcuffed, shackled and dragged out of her own house in pajamas by raiding cops brandishing guns and a fugitive warrant that bore a different woman’s name. She was dragged off despite her own startled parents’ vehement insistence that the police had the wrong person. There were several similar cases during this time, all bearing the same “trademark” of wrongful arrests of innocent citizens of African-American or Hispanic origin under circumstances that would have been unthinkable in the white-majority communities where I grew up and now resided. What I saw and learned back then shook me free of my uninformed beliefs and assumptions. I was shocked and astonished by what I saw and learned at the time about the racism pervading our law enforcement and criminal justice system that so clearly devalued the lives, liberties and rights of our black and Hispanic citizens. I was also astonished by the blasé reaction to it by some prosecutors, lawyers and judges involved in these cases—people who should know better. I recall one white lawyer defending the city and NYPD on the civil rights cases from the “Dirty Thirty” scandal telling me, “Your client may have been innocent of this crime, but I know
he is a bad guy and I’ll bet he did a lot of other bad things.” I gathered from this comment that his real “crime” was being young, black, Spanish-speaking and living in Washington Heights. When I argued to the jury that racial profiling and the “poison seed of bigotry” explained the unlawful arrests of my clients in the Nassau County case, an opposing white lawyer claimed in summation that I was “playing the race card,” despite the police officers admitting on the witness stand to the absence of “probable cause” or “reasonable suspicion” for the arrests. Such commentary implied that race should somehow be off limits or was a bogus issue at a trial when holding police departments to account for civil rights violations. (Thankfully, the jury didn’t buy the “race card” argument.) When I would talk about my experiences and observations back then, I felt it mostly fell on deaf ears. When I said things like “We have a racist criminal justice system,” and “racist practices” or “racial profiling” are imbued in our policing, and “we are running a racist Ameri-
can gulag in our prison system” at, for example, dinner parties 20 years ago, it was met with scoffing, derisiveness and heated resistance that was reflexively defensive of the status quo. That was all 20 years ago, but really nothing has changed since then. I don’t know how anyone in America can continue to ignore these problems; however, I have to sadly admit to myself that it remains to be seen. When I see the mainstream TV media shift from coverage of the killings to presenting the same tired old “law and order” pundits and politicians with their hollow canards and divisive polemics falsely blaming the Black Lives Matter movement for the deaths of the Dallas police officers, or even falsely saying Black Lives Matter is “inherently racist,” I have to ask myself, how can such people be so oblivious, so willfully ignorant, so dismissive of objective reality? And what is the real agenda underlying such outrageously phony rhetoric? Our nation focused three weeks ago on the sad, tragic and unspeakably horrendous carnage that claimed the lives of a father in Louisiana trying to make a
few bucks selling CDs, a young man in Minnesota traveling with his girlfriend and her small child, and five Dallas police officers ironically engaged in guaranteeing the First Amendment rights of protestors and ensuring the safety of a peaceful protest. Will that focus remain or fade again as it becomes obscured by the sensation of the next “big news story?” Will we listen to the voices of our fellow citizens most aggrieved by these injustices? Will we keep these issues forefront on the national agenda? My hope is that good eventually comes out of these tragedies, and they will be the catalyst for meaningful change. The necessary first step in addressing our deepest problems is to acknowledge the systemic racism that pervades American law enforcement and the criminal justice system; then there is a lot of work to do after that. The time for action is long overdue; as the man said, our problems have already “come home to roost.” Joseph Lanni is a resident of Larchmont. The views expressed are his own.
July 29, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 11
August 2016
Planning ahead... SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
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Larchmont Board of Trustees work session 7 p.m., Village Hall
Marine Education Center Committee 6:15 p.m., Regatta Conference Room
WEDNESDAY
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THURSDAY
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Summer Olympics start
VOM Board of Architectural Review meeting 7:30 p.m., Courtroom VOM Tree Committee meeting 7:30 p.m., Regatta Conference Room
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VOM Board of Trustees work session 5:30 p.m., Courtroom
VOM Deer Ad Hoc Committee 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
Larchmont Board of Trustees work session 7 p.m., Village Hall
VOM Ethics Board meeting 7:30 p.m., Regatta Conference Room
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VOM Council of the Arts 7 p.m., Regatta Conference Room
VOM Block Party 6:30 p.m., Mamaroneck Avenue
VOM Planning Board meeting 7 p.m., Courtroom
VOM Board of Traffic Commissioners 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
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VOM Board of Trustees meeting 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
VOM Budget Committee 7:30 p.m., Regatta Conference Room
Larchmont Board of Trustees work session 7 p.m., Village Hall
Larchmont Board of Trustees meeting 7:30 p.m., Village Hall
VOM Committee for the Environment 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
VOM Harbor Coastal Zone Management Commission 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
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VOM Board of Architectural Review 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
VOM Flood Mitigation Advisory Committee meeting 7:30 p.m., Regatta Conference Room
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Senior Citizens Day
World Rowing Championships start
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Larchmont Board of Trustees work session 7 p.m., Village Hall
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Summer Olympics end
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World Rowing Championships end
U.S. Open starts
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Larchmont Board of Trustees work session 7 p.m., Village Hall BOT Accounts Payable and Minor Items 7:30 p.m.
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VOM Planning Board meeting 7 p.m., Courtroom
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VOM Recreation and Parks Commission meeting 7:30 p.m., Harbor Island Park
Women’s Equality Day
12 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016
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July 29, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 13
Amazons, Prime RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
Years ago, when Marcia Zug read a GQ magazine article about mail-order brides, she was revolted. A high-flying New York City photographer, fed up with all the demanding models he was dating, wanted to find a subservient woman to make him happy. So he ordered a pretty bride from a foreign country. When the bride got here, he found her annoying, too, so he sent her home—pregnant with his child—and went back to dating models. Zug never forgot that piece. And even after she left her hometown of Manhattan to become a professor of family and immigration law at the University of South Carolina, she felt she had to expose the evil men who get their brides by mail. She delved into her research and guess what? Now she’s married to a very different narrative. “I’m not suggesting that this is the marital path for everybody,” Zug said in a phone call. But in her new book, “Buying a Bride: An Engaging History of Mail-Order Matches,” she presents “the exact opposite idea” she went in with. Far from depressing and degrading, mailorder matrimony “can actually be a very good choice for certain people in certain situations.” Yes, even for the women. The book starts at the very dawn of mail-order love: Jamestown, Virginia, circa 1600. Unlike New England, which was settled by families, Jamestown was settled by men. Not only were conditions horrendous—one settler described it as “hell, a misery, a death”—there weren’t even any English-speaking women to
commiserate with. Some men high-tailed it home; others married Native American women and went to live in their villages. (Far comfier than Jamestown!) In desperation, the Virginia Company decided to try attracting Englishwomen. The incentive was to pay their dowries. For young women toiling as servants just to save up enough to marry, the offer was liberating, and about 140 came over. They got to choose their husbands and seem to have been treated quite well, thanks to the laws of supply and demand. In fact, real laws were written to keep them happy. They could, for instance, legally break an engagement—something they couldn’t do back in England. Fast-forward to the western frontier a couple hundred years later, when once again, American men were heading out, and women weren’t. As much as these men needed wives, some women back east needed husbands, including women appalled by the local prospects, like the gal who placed this ad in a Missouri paper in 1910: “Attractive women, not a day over 30, would be pleased to correspond with eligible man…. Would prefer one with property, but one with a good paying position would be satisfactory. The young lady is of medium height, has brown hair and gray eyes, not fat, although, most decidedly, she is not skinny. Her friends say she is a fine looking woman. Object matrimony. Reason for this advertisement, the young woman lives in a little dinky town, where the best catches are the boys behind the counters in the dry goods and clothing stores, and every one of ‘em is spoken for by the time he is out of his short pants.”
Gosh, I’d marry her—what spunk. Zug found little evidence of exploitation or mistreatment of these brides, and if you fastforward to the current day, the same still holds. Today, American men seeking brides can go on the computer and meet prospects as easily as online dating. Most of the women live in Asia or Eastern Europe. And while it seems like a terrible imbalance—seemingly any schlub with U.S. citizenship can attract a desperate catch from overseas—what’s really happening is a better marriage market for everyone. “The women come from countries where their prospects are not great,” says Zug. Some live where they’re not allowed to pursue a career. Some live where they are worthless if divorced, widowed, already have children, or are simply too old, at perhaps 25. These ladies look to America, and the path to get here is marriage. “The part that’s overlooked,” says Zug, “is that these men are often much more attractive to them than the men they see in their countries.” For their part, the men are not allowed to marry women sight unseen. Legally they must meet at least once before they marry, and the mail-order sites organize trips to meet the prospects. Once here, says Zug, the brides not only have far rosier prospects than back home, they often make the men shape up, too. As in, “I’m learning a whole new language. Go get your GED!” And unlike the GQ article, many of these couples live happily ever after—maybe even happier than most, since everyone likes to get a surprise in the mail. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
Be prepared for summer safety: Learn CPR School’s out and summer is finally here. If your summer safety plan consists of stocking bandages, anti-bacterial spray and sunscreen, you might be missing an important lifesaving tool—CPR. If a family member, friend or infant in your care had a cardiac emergency, could you recognize the signs and respond quickly and appropriately? This summer season, the American Heart Association, AHA, encourages families to be prepared for summer safety by learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. With the swimming season and hot weather upon us, people should be prepared to act in case of a medical emergency. Accidents, choking and drowning are leading causes of death in children. Every day, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control, CDC. Of these, two out of the 10 are children aged 14 or younger. Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. The fatal drowning rate of African-American children ages 5 to 14 is almost three times that of white children in the same age range. Learning CPR can help save lives in cases of drowning. Pool safety like locking gates, pool alarms, and closely monitoring children near pools and bodies of water are key to preventing drowning. Children and beginner swimmers should take swimming lessons and never swim alone. Find a local Heartsaver CPR class at cpr.heart.org. CPR is also vital when sudden cardiac arrest—a leading cause of death in America— strikes without warning. Nearly 326,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur annually in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die. But CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. Since 2008, the American
The man pictured is performing hands-only CPR, an important lifesaving tool for those having a cardiac emergency. Photo courtesy American Heart Association
Heart Association has recommended that when you witness an adult or teen suddenly collapse to use hands-only CPR— CPR without breaths. Hands-only CPR teaches basic steps: First, call 911 and then push hard and fast on the center of the chest until professional help or an AED arrives. By using handsonly CPR, bystanders can still act to improve the odds of survival, whether they are trained in conventional CPR or not. The AHA encourages everyone to view a one-minute hands-only CPR video at heart.org/handsonlycpr. Here are 10 pool and swimming safety tips from the CDC, the American Heart Association and PoolSafety.gov: • The American Heart Association recommends that if you have a swimming pool, learn CPR. Find classes at cpr.heart.org. • Install pool safety like selfclosing and self-locking gates, and pool alarms—and use them all the time. Latches should be out of reach of children. • Closely monitor children near pools and bodies of water to prevent drowning. No adult supervision? No swimming! Everybody out of the water!
• Because drowning occurs quickly and quietly, adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity (such as reading, playing cards, talking on the phone or mowing the lawn) while supervising children, even if lifeguards are present. • Supervisors of preschool children should provide “touch supervision,” be close enough to reach the child at all times. • Air-filled or foam toys are not safety devices. Don’t use air-filled or foam toys, such as “water wings,” “noodles” or inner-tubes, instead of life jackets. These toys are not life jackets and are not designed to keep swimmers safe. Plastic “water wings” or “floaties” can fall off while the child is in the water. • Never use floatation devices in lieu of supervision. • Watch children near any water, even in small plastic pools of less than 2 inches of water. • Children and beginner swimmers should take swimming lessons and never swim alone. • Avoid alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming, boating, or water skiing. Do not drink alcohol while supervising children. (Submitted)
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14 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016
SPORTS
The first cut is the deepest LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
The great thing about sports is that, even when you think you’ve seen it all, the game always finds a way to surprise you. Whether it be an epic upset, an improbable catch or an impressive pitching performance, the one underlying fact about sports is that it has the ability to make you think, “What in the heck did I just see?” And it doesn’t always have to be on the field, either. On Saturday night, White Sox ace Chris Sale was slated to take the mound against the Detroit Tigers, in what many speculated to be his last start for Chicago’s north-side club before he was shipped off to a contender at the trade deadline. Shortly before the game was scheduled to begin, however, news came down that Sale had been removed from the lineup. At this time of year, a late
scratch like that generally only means one thing: The White Sox and a Sale-suitor were obviously close to hammering out a deal for the lanky left-hander. But this weekend, truth was stranger than fiction indeed. The reports came flying in on Twitter: Sale was traded, Sale was hurt, Sale had the flu. But then, the truth came out. Sale, unhappy with the White Sox’s decision to play the game in the team’s ugly, collared, throwback uniforms, did the only logical thing a rational human being would do in that scenario: he went into the clubhouse during his team’s batting practice session, grabbed a knife, and sliced up all the jerseys. I’ve been a sports fan all my life; I’ve seen all manner of clubhouse disputes find their way past locked doors, but this one? This one is a real doozy. However, as with all clubhouse explosions, one would have to imagine this goes a bit deeper than the sartorial choices of the
White Sox. Sale has been at odds with the Sox management all season long. From the flap about team officials asking Adam LaRoche to limit the amount of time his son spent in the clubhouse—a move that led to LaRoche’s retirement and some protestations from White Sox players, including Sale—to his displeasure with the team’s general inability to win games, and the swirling trade rumors, this was a potential maelstrom just waiting to boil over. Add to that, the reports that Sale had previously asked the White Sox to forgo the throwbacks on days he was pitching. He said it interfered with his delivery, and this became a perfect storm of frustration. Does that make Sale’s slashhappy actions justified? Definitely not, but it at least puts them in perspective. So what happens now? In 2008, when Manny Ramirez was in the midst of his acrimonious departure from the
On July 23, White Sox pitcher Chris Sale was scratched from Chicago’s lineup after cutting up his team’s jerseys prior to the game. As far as wacky clubhouse disputes go, Sports Editor Mike Smith thinks this might be a first. Photo courtesy Keith Allison
Red Sox, it was his mid-summer altercation with a clubhouse attendant that proved to be the final straw. A few weeks later, the right-handed slugger had his bags packed and was on his way to Los Angeles. I would imagine the same will
be true for Sale. The White Sox suspended him for five games, which, given the schedule for a starting pitcher, is more symbolic than anything else. But I bet that he’ll be shipped off to greener pastures before his spot in the rotation comes around again.
I don’t know where he’s going to end up, or what the White Sox are going to get for him, but let’s hope they can snag a new batch of throwback uniforms in return.
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SPORTS
Ott breaks county mark By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On July 25, the Westchester County Swimming Association kicked off its 91st annual County Championships at Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester. Over the next two weeks, swim
and dive teams from all across the area will vie for a county championship, but on the event’s opening day, it was Rye resident Devon Ott who shined the brightest, as the diver set a new county record with a terrific performance. Ott, diving for the Shenorock
Devon Ott looks on as her name is announced as the first-place finisher at the 91st annual 13U Westchester County Swimming and Diving Championships on July 25. Ott edged her close friend and teammate Maddy Seltzer to claim the title.
Julia Hricay prepares to enter the water on July 25. Photos/Mike Smith
Shore Club, scored an impressive 214.30 on Monday—which was enough for a first-place finish in the 13U division—and shattered the previous record of 205.25, which was set by Westchester Country Club’s Carolina Sculti in 2012. The Shenorock diver has been competing at Counties for the past three years. “I’m really happy, I expected to make it, but I didn’t expect to get first,” she said. “I felt like I had a good chance, but I wasn’t quite sure.” According to the 13U champ, it was especially important to execute correctly on Monday because of the stiff competition. Ott’s Shenorock teammate Riley Vincent took fourth place with a score of 150.80, Yasmin Hill from the Briarcliff Country Club placed third with a score of 153.20, and Scarsdale’s Madelyn Seltzer took Ott right to the limit, scoring 212.60. “Maddy and I both dive at the Greenwich YMCA and we’ve both been diving competitively for three years now,” Ott said. “We’re close friends too, and we’ve been so supportive of each other, so it’s been really fun.” If Ott’s performance represented the pinnacle of success
at Counties, however, there are a number of other divers looking to eventually make their mark on the competition. Lauren DeLucia, 11, from Lewisboro, entered into Monday’s event as the day’s youngest participant and finished ninth with a score of 138.35. She said she was happy with her first experience at the County Championships and hopes to do better next year. “I think I did well for my age,” DeLucia said. “I finished ninth and the top eight get medals so next year, I’m going to work harder to get a better place.” The results were announced for the girls’ competition on Monday, and the boys’ competition resumed the next day due to the rain. August Hibler from Pound Ridge won the boys 13U event. The 14 to 17 divers competed on July 26, after press time, and the swimming portion of the County Championships will be held on Aug. 1 to Aug. 5 at the Rye Playland pool. As dive champs, both Hibler and Ott have earned the chance to head to Playland and cheer on their teammates next week. “I’m excited,” Ott said. “I’m excited to see what happens next and everything that goes forward.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
July 29, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 15
Devon Ott from the Shenorock Shore Club prepares to dive at Lake Isle Country Club on July 25. Ott broke the county record in the 13U competition, scoring a 214.30.
Lauren DeLucia from the Lewisboro Town Swim Team soars through the air.
16 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • July 29, 2016