Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
December 9, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 50 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Court awards Hampshire $350K in tax cert case By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
BANNER YEAR Prior to Mamaroneck’s Dec. 2 game against Rye, the Tigers raised the banner from their 2016 state championship at Hommocks Ice Rink. Mamaroneck followed up the ceremony with a 4-3 overtime win over the Garnets. For more, see page 14. Photo/Mike Smith
‘Larchmont’: A father, a son, and a small town By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Assistant Editor With a population of 6,000 in an area just over 1 square mile, the village of Larchmont may not seem so small to its residents. However, “Larchmont,” a new indie film from two village natives, highlights just how
quickly news can spread, and how inescapable that can be. Twenty-four-year-olds Ben Zuckert and Will Seife, both former Larchmont residents who now live in Brooklyn, co-produced the movie. “We were born [in Larchmont] and grew up there; we both went to Chatsworth, and
then Hommocks and then Mamaroneck High School,” Seife said. “We actually grew up down the street from each other [in Larchmont Manor],” Zuckert added. “Larchmont” marks the duo’s first feature film, which was shot in various locations in Larch-
mont in the summer of 2015 in just 18 days with help from about 70 people—many of them local residents—in front and behind the camera. “The shoot was very exciting, but also very stressful,” Zuckert told the Review. “We had to LARCHMONT continued on page 5
After a failed $55 million lawsuit against the village and town of Mamaroneck, Hampshire Country Club will receive a six-figure refund after the lower courts shot down an appeal of its tax assessment case. According to Thomas Nappi, a representative from Hampshire, the refund—which comes after a tax certiorari case launched in 2013—will total in excess of $350,000, and Nappi said there may be more refunds forthcoming, with the club recently submitting paperwork to grieve its tax assessments for years 2013 through 2016. “This ruling’s impact on subsequent years will be significant,” Nappi said. The decision to award the club a refund for tax years 2010 to 2012 comes after the club’s initial grievance in 2013 of its tax assessment by the town. While this grievance by the club was shot down by the town Board of Assessment Review and subsequently a county court in 2013 after Hampshire appealed the board’s decision, a second appeal from Hampshire which brought the case to the state level, reversed the county court’s ruling in January of this year. The state ruled that
the town and village’s decision to assess taxes based on the last sale value of the property—$12 million—was incorrect, and decreased the assessment of the property to approximately $5 million for both the town and the village. A final motion by the town to appeal the state appellate court’s decision was shot down in late November. Now, the town must retroactively refund the club based on a new revaluation. According to the most recent decision, the club’s property went from a total taxable value of $12 million in total to $5.4 million for its town of Mamaroneck portion of property and $5.2 for the village of Mamaroneck portion. As a result of the denied appeal, the town and village will be required to refund the club for what would now be considered an overpayment in the club’s taxes for those years. According to town of Mamaroneck Attorney William Maker, as of press time, the town—which handles assessment for both itself and the village—does not currently know how that cost will be split between the two entities. The village, Maker said, will pay the bulk, however. Both the village of Mamaroneck and Hampshire TAX continued on page 8
2 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
Thornton-Donovan holds first-ever pep rally The Thornton-Donovan School cheerleading squad led the school’s first-ever pep rally on Friday, Oct. 14, under the supervision of cheerleader advisor, Ms. Angela M. Tudisco. Grades nine through 12 gathered on the basketball court to bond and socialize. The athletic director, Mr. Schlitten, spoke about the start of the athletics program at Thornton-Donovan. Currently,
the school’s sports program consists of male and female basketball, cheerleading, male rugby, and volleyball. The cheerleading squad captain Naya Brown-Yohay and cocaptain Jordan Campbell were integral parts of the rally being such a success. Even though the school colors are blue and gold, the squad wore pink and white shoelaces for Breast Cancer
Awareness Month; half of the purchase price went to cancer research. The pep rally was extremely interactive between the cheer squad and the crowd. The squad started the pep rally with an energizer to get the crowd going. Not only did the students get involved, but the teachers did as well. Students participated in the mummy wrapping game where the students wrapped the teachers in paper towel. There were more games galore. One game was a trick contest where teachers and students had to mimic the movements of a cheerleader with whom they were paired. Also, the cheerleaders taught their cheers to some in the audience. Another fun activity was the tug-of-war. It was grade against grade on the field as they tugged to see which grade was the strongest. The junior class ultimately prevailed. There was also a potato sack race and a hula hoop competition. Each sports team was introduced while the ThorntonDonovan lion mascot, Jordan
Drew, kept the energy going. The entire high school took part in a conga line, followed by line dancing activities to songs like “Cupid Shuffle” and “Juju
on That Beat.” To conclude, the cheerleading squad released blue and gold balloons to commemorate this event.
Thornton-Donovan School’s first pep rally was nothing short of a success and brought an immense amount of spirit and unity to the school. (Submitted)
December 9, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 3
SUNY Purchase seeks $125K for substance abuse
Fox manslaughter case adjourned again Emma Fox’s Dec. 6 court date was adjourned, and the Rye resident is now due to reappear in White Plains City Court after the holidays, on Jan. 6. Fox, 24, is being charged in the death of a 21-year-old Manhattanville College student in October. She has been charged with an aggravated DWI and firstdegree vehicular manslaughter for striking and killing Robby Schartner on Oct. 9. Schartner was walking along Westchester Avenue during the early morning hours on his way back to the college after a night out on Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains when he was killed.
White Plains police reported that Fox had been intoxicated at the time of the incident, with a blood alcohol content of 0.21; the legal limit in New York state is 0.08. According to police, Fox had been travelling eastbound on Westchester Avenue at about 5 a.m. when she fatally struck Schartner with her car, a 2012 Nissan Sentra. Fox, who had been held at the Westchester County Jail on a $100,000 bail, was released on Nov. 10. Stephen Lewis, Fox’s attorney, could not be reached for comment, as of press time. -Reporting by Franco Fino
Emma Fox was due to reappear in White Plains City Court on Dec. 6, but the case was adjourned to Jan. 6. Photo courtesy White Plains Police Department
Like us on facebook facebook.com/mamaroneckreview SUNY Purchase is seeking $125,000 in New York state aid annually for five years to establish an addiction prevention program. File photo
By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer SUNY Purchase has applied for state funding to establish a program aimed at preventing underage drinking and substance abuse on campus, college officials said. According to Betsy Aldredge, a spokeswoman for the college, the Purchase-located school is seeking state funding administered through the New York state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to implement a potential abuse prevention program, as part of a recent plan announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, on Nov. 28. “In any way we can, we want to support students dealing with substance issues and, as a whole, support them academically and socially,” she said. As part of Cuomo’s $2.5 million initiative to fund SUNY and CUNY schools statewide, the state will award 20 colleges with $125,000 annually for five years to develop campus efforts to prevent drug and alcohol addiction. Further, the state is seeking to specifically grant the award to colleges aiming to curb prescription drug misuse
and underage drinking. Cuomo’s initiative comes in wake of the tragic death of a 21-year-old Manhattanville College student. On Oct. 9, Robby Schartner was struck and killed by Emma Fox, of Rye, who was driving under the influence in the White Plains area. “Time after time, we have seen the reckless behavior, and bad decisions with often life-altering consequences that come with underage drinking,” Cuomo said. “This funding will build on our progress to prevent senseless tragedies and equip students with vital knowledge to curb underage and binge drinking, and provide critical services to those at risk for addiction.” Aldredge told the Review that SUNY Purchase currently institutes an addiction help program through its wellness center, Wellness@Purchase. The program offers individual and group counseling for students seeking addiction recovery and help with stress management. The college also requires all first-year and transfer students to complete the interactive online AlcoholEdu and Haven programs, which assist schools in complying with the fed-
eral Department of Education General Administrative Regulations, a set of codes that establish administrative requirements for federal grants awarded to educational institutions. According to research conducted by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is still the primary abused drug on college campuses across the country. The institution’s research estimates that more than 80 percent of college students drink alcohol nationwide. A recent study released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that on an average day throughout the past year, 1.2 million of the 9 million full-time college students in the country drank alcohol, and 703,759 used marijuana. Further, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that one in four people ages 18 to 20 report using prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. As of press time, the anticipated date for the announcement of the selected grant recipients is Feb. 22, 2017. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
4 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
What’s going on... Mamaroneck Public Library
caregivers, and a craft simple enough for the little kids and creative enough for the big kids.
Visit larchmontlibrary.org for more information on library hours and programs.
On Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Village Center. No registration required. Join certified yoga instructor, Vincenza Madonia, for these five sessions of chair yoga. Chair yoga consists of arm, leg and head movements, as well as twisting your torso, that are done while seated in a chair. There are also standing movements that use a chair for support. These sessions also include learning breathing exercises that are incorporated into each yoga position. Chair yoga is a terrific way to maintain fitness of your body and mind through very low-impact exercises.
Saturday Sahaja Meditation
Graphic Novel Book Group
On Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon in the Michael P. Coords Activity Room. No registration required. Imagine being able to awaken your spiritual energy and to experience and enjoy the many benefits of meditation almost immediately. You will feel calmer, more relaxed and better focused every time you meditate. Try it for free and see.
On Friday, Dec. 16 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. For grades 3–5. Online registration required. Love graphic novels? Join the club. Come to the Children’s Desk to pick up a copy of the book to read before the meeting.
‘A Christmas Carol’ featuring Frank Connelly
Volunteers needed
Larchmont Public Library
Visit mamaronecklibrary.org for more information on library hours and programs.
Do You Need Health Insurance? Make an appointment for a one-on-one information session with a Westchester County health department navigator, who will be in the library’s Tech Room on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Representatives will answer questions about health insurance-related topics, including essential plans, Medicaid, Child Health Plus and health coverage for business owners’ employees. Clients should be prepared with their Social Security numbers, documents for legal immigrants, birth dates, employer and income information and insurance policy numbers. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the Westchester County Department of Health at 813-5192. Appointments are available in English and in Spanish.
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
Chair Yoga with Vincenza Madonia
On Monday, Dec. 12 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. in the Michael P. Coords Activity Room. No registration required. Be a part of this holiday tradition and join Frank Connelly as he reads the timeless classic by Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol,” at the Larchmont Public Library. No holiday season can be complete without attending this performance.
will hold its first toy drive on Sunday, Dec. 11 at Columbia Firehouse, 605 N. Barry Ave. at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a lot of activities for the kids, so please bring them along with your donated toy (unwrapped) that day, which will be given to disadvantaged children. Enjoy complimentary holiday photos, face painting, a tattoo booth, a balloon entertainer and a raffle. All proceeds will be donated to charity.
St. Thomas Episcopal Church Blue Christmas Service
On Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Dec. 17. The farmers market is located at the Metro-North parking deck off Chatsworth Avenue. Peruse produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, specialty foods and much more through the summer and fall and support local farmers and businesses.
A special service observing Blue Christmas will be presented at St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11. The service, with liturgy and music, is intended for those for whom the holidays are not a joyful time. Those attending the service will be invited to write their loss, sorrow or grief on index cards to be placed in a basket at the back of the church. They will be read during the service, and candles will be lit for each prayer intention. The service is composed of sacred music, readings from the Bible, prayers and a homily. While Blue Christmas is traditionally on the longest night of the year, this service will be held on Dec. 11. St. Thomas Church is located at 168 W. Boston Post Road, at the corner of Mount Pleasant Avenue, in Mamaroneck. There is ample parking space, and it is five blocks from the Metro-North station. St. Thomas’s welcomes “seekers, searchers and doubters.” It offers worship services in English and Spanish, Christian education for children, Bible study and book groups for adults, and a concert series with internationally acclaimed musicians. It also offers a weekly food pantry, the Brown Bag Lunch, a thrift shop, and a monthly free community dinner. St. Thomas Episcopal Church is the site of an after-school child care program, a winter farmers market and an annual Christmas Fair that raises money for community nonprofits.
Larchmont Avenue Church
Mamaroneck United Methodist Church
The Westchester Chorale Concert
A Swingin’ Christmas Show
At Home on the Sound 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.
Village of Larchmont news Down to Earth Farmers Market
On Saturday, Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. at Larchmont Avenue Church, 60 Forest Park Ave. in Larchmont. Douglas Kostner will conduct The Westchester Chorale, accompanied by The Westchester Children’s Chorus, as they perform John Rutter’s gorgeous “Mass of the Children,” followed by William Dawson’s soulful, melodic arrangements of familiar American spirituals. There will be free refreshments, a 50/50 raffle, and a silent auction after the concert. Tickets are $25 and will be available at the door. For more information, call 2379546, email info@westchesterchorale.org or visit westchesterchorale.org
Village of Mamaroneck Fire Department Toy Drive
On Sunday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. at Mamaroneck United Methodist Church, 546 E. Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck. Bring the family to enjoy all your favorite holiday music with a jazz twist. A Nordic Sound jazz orchestra, under the direction of worldrenowned recording artist Jens Wendelboe, brings you original arrangements of songs that make the holidays so special. Tickets will be available at the door; $20 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and free for children under age 12. 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.
The village of Mamaroneck Fire Department
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December 9, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 5 LARCHMONT from page 1
A scene from the movie “Larchmont” featuring actor Brian A. Mason, who plays the role of a son who is questioning his choice to go to medical school upon returning home after graduating from college. Photo courtesy Ben Zuckert
make sure we got everything in those 18 days.” Obstacles included working with actor union guidelines and labor rules. “It was a blind faith operation that it was going to work out,” Zuckert said. “We both lost a lot of weight.” Seife said, “We were both wearing a lot of different hats for the shoot.” Zuckert said he realized he wanted to shoot a movie in his “beautiful” hometown while he attended Tufts University. “Larchmont” focuses on the relationship between a recent college grad questioning his choice to continue on to medical school and a recently unemployed father. “[Larchmont] affects both of the characters’ stories; at least for the dad, who lost his job but doesn’t want his friends to know,” Zuckert added. “But because Larchmont is such a small
town, word starts to get out quickly, and people start to approach him about it.” The son is affected by the village because not many people his age, between 22 and 30, live there, while his father has to deal with neighbors and friends wondering what he is doing with his life. “If we had taken this story and placed it somewhere else, it would have been a totally different story with how these characters would’ve coped with these situations,” Seife said. “Larchmont” is an independent release; the company that released the film, Sugarsoap Productions, was founded in the fall of 2014 by Zuckert and Seife, a few months after the movie was conceptualized. The film simultaneously premiered on Oct. 22 at the Yonkers Film Festival, YoFiFest, and the Twin Cities Film Festival in Minneapolis.
“It was really nice to have the premiere very close to Larchmont so we could get a lot of the cast [and crew] out, and people who are close to us,” Seife said of the Yonkers premiere. The Larchmont Public Library will hold a free screening of the film on Sunday, Dec. 18 starting with refreshments and popcorn at 3:30 p.m. The Emelin Theatre in the village of Mamaroneck, in conjunction with the Center for Continuing Education’s Notable Neighbors series, will hold a screening on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. “People have been hearing about this [movie] or maybe saw us shooting around town,” Seife said. “We want to give a lot of opportunities for [local residents] to see it.” For more information, visit larchmontmovie.com. CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com
County officials rally to ‘ban the barge’ By JAMES PERO Staff Writer Amidst allegations that the U.S. Coast Guard circumvented proper procedure in order to fasttrack approval of 43 additional commercial barge anchorages along the Hudson River, Westchester County officials and environmental watchdogs are calling for the agency to withdrawal its proposal. According to a statement by Pace University’s Environmental Policy Clinic, the proposal— which would speckle anchorages across the lower Hudson River shorelines, from Kingston
to Yonkers—skirted procedure in order to avoid scrutiny of its environmental impact. “This is one of the most egregious violations of public transparency and public trust I have seen in four decades working on Hudson River issues,” said John Cronin, a fellow at the Dyson College Institute for Sustainability and the Environment at Pace. The clinic’s chief concerns, according to Cronin, are the Coast Guard’s failure to complete any environmental surveys and failure to coordinate with mariners, environmental groups and residents of impacted areas, as per the Coast Guard’s own in-
teragency requirements. “Any projects like this, whether it’s a pipeline, or anchorages, or a power plant, or a proposed development,” Cronin said, “the first thing you’re supposed to look at is the worst possible negative impact. All of this information is completely absent.” Among the Westchester ports that would be affected by the proposal are Montrose Point in Cortlandt Manor, as well as a port in Yonkers that would see the addition of 16 new anchorages alone. While the U.S. Coast Guard BARGE continued on page 7
Tasting
6 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
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A chef from Hive Living Room + Bar at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel hosts a cooking demonstration for attendees with his son acting as sous chef.
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The community’s opinion matters. If you have a view to express, write a letter to the editor by email to chris@hometwn.com. Please include a phone number and name for verification purposes.
Cerebral Palsy of Westchester sponsored a food and wine tasting event on Nov. 7, featuring more than 25 of the area’s finest restaurants and beverage establishments. The event took place at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel in West Harrison, where attendees purchased tickets to benefit the nonprofit organization. In addition to tastings from throughout the county and Connecticut, Marty’s Jazz Trio provided a relaxing musical accompaniment, as chefs from Hive Living Room + Bar as well as Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant and Inn performed cooking demonstrations. Cerebral Palsy of Westchester’s mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. The organization provides essential services, vocational training, recreation, rehabilitation and advocacy to thousands of children
Family members from family-owned Walter’s Hot Dog Stand in Mamaroneck serve hot dogs from their Palmer Avenue restaurant, a registered historical landmark.
Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, a local microbrewery based in Elmsford, taste-tested some of its most famous craft beers.
and adults in Westchester and Fairfield counties. All proceeds from the event will be put towards efforts to aide children and adults suffer-
ing from cerebral palsy who require need services in order to better enjoy activities regardless of the level of their abilities. -Reporting by Andrew Dapolite
Community Events
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A fondue fountain coats fruits and sweets with chocolate.
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From left, CPW board President Richard Osterer; Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont; Linda Kuck, executive director; Kiyoko Brown, board secretary; and Venita Osterer, board member.
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Fairfield Cheese Company, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, provides all sorts of artisanal cheeses. Photos/Andrew Dapolite
December 9, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 7 BARGE from page 5
has offered its plan to add additional anchorages—the largest of which would be the Yonkers port, which would span more than 700 acres—as a means of increasing safety and thru traffic on the waterway, both county officials and environmental advocacy groups have cast doubt on the Coast Guard’s motives. “The point that’s being made is that this is needed for safety,” said Leah Rae, a spokeswoman for the environmental advocacy group, Riverkeeper. “We don’t feel they’ve made any rationale for that claim.” In a letter to the U.S. Coast Guard sent by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey in January, which urges the Coast Guard to move forward with the construction of additional anchorages, one particular passage has given Riverkeeper pause. “For several years the [U.S.] has developed as a major energy-producing nation and the great port of Albany as a leading export port for Jones Act trade of American Bakken Crude Oil and Ethanol,” the letter reads. “Trade will increase on the Hud-
son River significantly over the next few years… and federally designated anchorages are key to supporting trade.” According to Rae, it’s not just the letter that has drawn the attention of her organization, but also what Riverkeeper has characterized as the “reindustrialization” of the Hudson Valley. Among the factors contributing to this perceived shift, Rae said, are plans to expand the capacity of a shipping port in Albany, and potentially ship oil extracted from Canadian tar sands—a bitumenrich sediment abundant in Alberta—on barges down the Hudson River to refineries in New Jersey. “The bigger picture is using the Hudson [River] as a corridor,” she said. Likewise, the county government has shared similar concerns over the proposal that has managed to unite both Westchester lawmakers and the Republican administration of County Executive Rob Astorino in rallying against it. Astorino, after the plan’s initial introduction in June, criticized the project, calling
it a “giant parking lot” for barges containing oil that, under the parameters of the proposal, could sit for months on end in county waterways. “In the language of the proposal, ‘long-term’ is defined as 30 or more days. That’s not stopping by, that’s moving in,” Astorino said. “It’s classic federal-governmentvagueness: Today’s ‘30 or more’ could be tomorrow’s ‘in perpetuity.’” Likewise, county Legislator Catherine Borgia, a Peekskill Democrat, whose district would be directly affected by the proposal, has spoken out against the new anchorages. “Placing what amounts to floating parking lots for oilfilled vessels is both economically and environmentally unsound,” she said. “These anchorage grounds would be placing our community at risk by allowing millions of gallons of oil to park in our backyard.” Online comments for the proposal located on the federal register website, which have been pouring in since August, have swelled to more than 8,200, as of press time,
With the close of a public comment period for a U.S. Coast Guard proposal, that would see the addition of 43 anchorages located on the Hudson River from Kingston to Yonkers, both Westchester County officials and environmentalists are rallying to “ban the barge.” Photo courtesy flickr.com/photos/hudsonriverkeeper
and have taken an overwhelmingly negative spin; according to Rae, unprecedentedly so. “We’ve seen that level of outcry for things like fracking,” Rae said. “The number of comments isn’t unprecedented, it’s the unanimity of people that live along the river; the bipartisan nature of people against this plan.” With the public comment
period closed as of Dec. 6, the U.S. Coast Guard will now pore over feedback and may or may not schedule a round of hearings based on the response. According to Cronin, though a hearing is warranted in both his opinion and his peers’, the Coast Guard is not required to do so by law. Furthermore, since naviga-
tional issues in the U.S. are handled strictly from a federal level, there is little recourse for state or county government to block execution of the project from a legislative standpoint. “I suspect that if they don’t have a hearing, there will be litigation,” Cronin said. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
8 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
State pushes new transparency law
TAX from page 1
By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer
Hampshire Country Club will be on the receiving end of a large tax refund after the town and village of Mamaroneck’s appeal of a 2013 tax certiorari case was rejected. As a result, the two communities will likely have to pay out more than $350,000 to the club for the years 2010 through 2012. File photo
Country Club have been embroiled in litigation since 2014, when the club sued for $55 million in damages after the village denied the club’s proposal to add more than 100 residential units on the property. Another lawsuit launched by the club, which is currently
being heard on the state level, alleges that the village violated New York state Open Meetings Law during the process of hearing the club’s proposal. Currently, the club is pursuing a similar plan to add what it considers to be a more zoning-compliant development on its 116-acre property locat-
ed on the waterfront-adjacent Orienta Point. That latest plan would divide the development between 44 single-family homes and 66 townhouses and is currently in the process of undergoing a draft environmental impact statement. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
A new law will make it more difficult for government agencies to hide information from the public. The law, which was proposed by state Assemblyman David Buchwald, a White Plains Democrat, in April, will limit the amount of time which a government agency has to appeal a judge’s ruling on a Freedom of Information Law request, FOIL, to a higher court. Before the law was passed, an agency had up to nine months to appeal a judge’s ruling that records should be released, potentially delaying the appeals process in order to delay the release of information for as long as possible. The new law, which passed unanimously in both legislative houses, cuts that deadline to 60 days to file appeal paperwork; it was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, on Nov. 28. “New Yorkers have the right to access information from state and local governments,” Buchwald said. “With this new measure, we have empowered all New Yorkers in the name of government accountability and responsiveness.” In a released statement, Robert
Freeman, executive director of the New York Committee on Open Government, said, “This measure will solve a problem involving the reality that access delayed is often access denied.” Freeman could not be reached for additional comment as of press time. This was not Buchwald’s first attempt to create a law that would expedite the FOIL process. He pushed for a similar bill in 2013 which passed through the state Assembly but did not even make it onto the state Senate floor; and he sponsored another similar bill last year which passed unanimously in both houses before being vetoed by the governor. In December 2015, Cuomo struck down two laws related to the FOIL appeals process—including Buchwald’s law—and instead instituted an executive order directing state agencies to file appeals to judicial rulings on FOIL requests within 60 days. However, that order applied only to state agencies—not municipalities or local departments— and did not outline legal penalties for violating the order. State legislators, however, remain exempt from FOIL laws. The other law which Cuomo vetoed, proposed by Assembly-
woman Amy Paulin, a Scarsdale Democrat, would have mandated that government agencies reimburse attorneys’ fees to those who won FOIL-related lawsuits against the agency, an amendment to the current law which allows a judge to decide whether the agency is responsible for the filer’s legal fees. Buchwald told the Review that he hopes the newest amendment to the state FOIL law will make it easier for lawmakers to push for transparency-related laws in the future. “One of my hopes is that by enacting this law it frees up opportunity for myself and others to continue working for improvements for the Freedom of Information Law,” he said. Buchwald said he has worked toward increasing government transparency since he first took office in 2013. “It takes a lot of persistence,” he said. “But that’s OK, because a lot of reporters and citizens have also shown a lot of persistence when trying to obtain public records.” According to the legislation, the law will take effect in early March 2017. Paulin could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: corey@hometwn.com
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a law that will substantially reduce the amount of time that a government agency has to appeal a judge’s ruling to disclose information via a Freedom of Information Law request. The law will apply beginning in March 2017. Photo courtesy Albany.edu
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December 9, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 9
Citizens march against fear, hate By SIBYLLA CHIPAZIWA Assistant Editor
The back of JCA’s T-shirt draws attention to police brutality as he performs a song that features audio from the 911 call made by Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. the morning he was killed by White Plains police five years ago.
“No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” said a group of citizens as they practiced a right that is protected by the U.S. Constitution. At noon on Black Friday, Nov. 25, a few hundred people of all ages, races and religious denominations gathered at the fountain on Main Street in downtown White Plains, just feet from the Trump Tower at City Center. The diverse group convened, organized by the WESPAC Foundation, an organization working for peace and justice, to march and rally with a goal
Westchester County residents assemble by the fountain on Main Street in White Plains to rally against the possible ramifications of a Donald Trump presidency.
of making Westchester County a “sanctuary” for immigrants, Muslims, and other marginalized groups that could be negatively affected by the imminent Donald Trump presidency. Other organizations that participated were the Lower Hudson Valley Chapter of the NYCLU— which has threatened to take the president-elect to court if he
The rally gathers around the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. in front of the county courthouse. On the statue’s base is a timeless message from King: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Photos/Sibylla Chipaziwa
creates a registry for Muslims, something Trump mentioned during his campaign; the White Plains-Greenburgh Chapter of the NAACP; Westchester Coalition Against Islamophobia, WCAI; and the Westchester Martin Luther King Jr. Institute for Nonviolence. After a collective march from Main Street to the Westchester County Courthouse, chanting and eventually gathering in front of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr., some members of the aforementioned groups let their voices be heard. “We’ll continue to stand in opposition to any attempt to register and reduce anyone to noncitizen, non-human status,” said Lena Anderson, president of the local NAACP chapter, as Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” played in the background. “Dr. King will say, ‘Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.’” Many have begun to compare Trump’s presidency to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany, where the oppression of Jews and other people was legal and ignored for too long by the rest of the world. The undoing of all the decades of fighting for civil rights and the rights of women and LGBTQ people is of real concern to many, especially with the president-elect making some questionable appointments to his cabinet, which includes Steven Bannon, former executive chair of the so-called “alt-right,” conservative Breitbart News, who has made comments on the “genetic superiority” of white people over other races. Many news organizations, including The New York Times and the Associated Press, say
“alt-right” is a deceptive term; it is a blend of racism, white nationalism, white supremacy, and populism, which rejects the American democratic ideal that all people are equal. “The people united will never be defeated” was another chant reiterated by speakers and those gathered. City of White Plains Mayor Tom Roach and Greenburgh Town Supervior Paul Feiner, both Democrats, were the elected officials present at the rally. “We are proud, in White Plains, of our diversity,” Roach said. “We need to stand up for the rights that some of us have taken for granted, and make sure that we keep them.” Feiner added to cheers and applause, “None of us should be afraid to speak out, no matter how much our new president tries to intimidate us.” There were two performances, a spoken word piece and a rap song, that focused on police brutality against black men. The song, “Abuse of Power,” performed by artist JCA, features the recording of the 911 call from Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. the morning he was killed by White Plains police in his home five years ago. The rally closed with a prayer from the Rev. Doris Dalton, the executive director of the Westchester Martin Luther King Jr. Institute for Nonviolence and member of the First Baptist Church of White Plains. “Your civic duties have to be part of your daily life,” she said, reminding people that all marches and rallies will be for naught if citizens do not act against bigotry and hate. CONTACT: sibylla@hometwn.com
10 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
New village trustees made official
Keith Waitt, a Democrat, will also serve his first term as a trustee, and will constitute one of three Democrats on the village board that make up its Democratic majority.
After a hard-fought election cycle that saw six different candidates competing for only three open trustee seats, two new faces, and one familiar one, were sworn into their positions on the village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees on Monday. New on the Board of Trustees dais will be Democrats Keith Waitt and Victor Tafur, both of whom will serve their first-ever terms on the village board after winning convincing victories against their Republican counterparts. After Village Justice Dan Gallagher, a Democrat, who would swear in the rest of Election Day’s victors, was sworn into office by town of Mamaroneck Supervisor Nancy Seligson, a Democrat, Waitt, thanking village voters and peers for their confidence, chose to frame his first term through the lens of a famous quote from American theologian and political commentator, Reinhold Niebuhr. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the
Leon Potok, a Democrat, will retake his mantle as a trustee for a third term, serving as the only Democratic candidate to seek re-election. Photos/Andrew Dapolite
difference,” Waitt said. Tafur, who has been involved with village environmental issues for several years, however, reflected on his first-ever term as village trustee with an anecdote. “I stood at that podium about five years ago, not knowing anybody in this village. I read the comprehensive plan and came to suggest a few things,” Tafur said, referring to a document updated in 2012 that serves as the framework for the future development
of the village. “I suggested they do a generic environmental impact statement for the plan; I was dismissed. No hard feelings. Five years later, I get a chance to sit here. Who would have imagined that?” The only incumbent running in this year’s election, Leon Potok, a Democrat, was also among the three victors in the race, and after being sworn in, offered those in attendance yet another perspective.
“We will have disagreements from time to time,” said Potok, who will now serve his third term as trustee. “But I hope to solve them in a civil manner, with dialogue and conversation, and an exchange of ideas, and ultimately let the majority determine where we go; and determine based on what’s best for the village.” The first official meeting for the new Board of Trustees is scheduled to take place on Dec. 19. -Reporting by James Pero
Victor Tafur, a Democrat, will serve his first-ever term as a trustee on the village board after advocating for environmental issues over the past several years.
December 9, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 11
What’s headed for your plate RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
OK, I did it. I actually gave my head a pitying shake when a friend told me she’d just discovered a fantastic restaurant in Jackson Heights that sells the giant Indian crepes called dosas. “It’s so great!” she said. “It’s called–” “Dosa Delight,” I interrupted, as condescending as if she’d just discovered a great fast food restaurant called McDonald’s. But food pride goeth before a food fall. Just a day later, I found myself speaking with Katie Sutton, vice president of culinary innovation at the food trendwatching company (yes, there are such things) Food and Drink Resources. I’d read some of their predictions—egg pizza from Georgia (the country), Japanese cuisine by way of Peru, and even fried Brussels sprouts—in an industry newsletter called Restaurant Hospitality. Could these eats truly be coming our way? Turns out they’re already here… and I’m one of the last to know. But possibly, so are you. For instance, Sutton said, both coasts are currently obsessed by poke, and it’s not a virtual reality game on your phone. It’s a Hawaiian dish consisting of cubes of raw fish marinated in sauce and served in a bowl, sometimes with rice. There are already several poke (poh-kay) shops in the city, some so popular that long lines form at lunchtime. Having once been absolutely positive that sushi was going to prove a flash in the pan (or, more accurately, a flash in the non-pan, since it’s
raw), I feel reluctant to predict a quick demise for this new fad. But really, how many Hawaiian creations have made it to the big time and stayed there? Besides Obama, I mean. For now, though, poke is so ubiquitous that New York eateries are already cross-pollinating it with other popular foods, leading to items like the poke burrito. Meantime, the “phorrito” is another rising star. That’s a burrito filled with Vietnamese pho, a soup of braised meat, herbs and noodles. All of which leads me to my Food Theory No. 1: Wrap a burrito around anything that’s already delicious and it will be a hit. Theory No. 2 is: The gloppier the better, which is why we’re talking about eating a wrap filled with soup. But you can also see this trend with egg sandwiches. Sutton pointed to a West Coast restaurant called Eggslut, famous for the runniest eggs around. Another big trend she’s seeing is fruit soups. “It’s like taking a smoothie and dumping it into a bowl and putting chunks of fruit into it,” she said. So here’s my Food Theory No. 3: Anything chunked and put into a bowl is going to be a hit. One particular ingredient finding its way into these soups is dragon fruit, which I’ve seen at Asian fruit stands for years but have always been too unnerved to try. They’re pink and green and look straight out of Dr. Seuss. But to catch up with the trends, I finally got two in Flushing, sliced them open and: Total shock! One was white inside with poppy seed-like seeds, but the other was ruby red, same seeds. So gorgeous! And so incredibly bland!
Yecch. They tasted like giant kiwis, minus all the flavor. And the fact that they cost about $5 each just makes me wonder how popular this fruit can ever be. But I’m the gal who bet against sushi, so let’s move on. Another counter-intuitive trend is dark food on dark plates. After what feels like a century of ever lighter cuisine, Sutton says the trend has gone 180. Charring, once known as “overdone,” “burnt” or “ruined” in my family, is now one of the two hippest methods for preparing vegetables. (The other is deep frying.) She says she has started charring her salad greens on the grill, which I could understand if they got kind of pleasantly caramelized. But I tried charred broccoli recently, and simply cannot understand why my own, equally unhip method of broccoli prep—steaming till it is bendably soft and slightly gray—lost out. Douse really soft broccoli in melted butter and I say yum. Of course, I say that when you douse almost anything in melted butter. (I’m convinced that why lobster made it big: The shameless butter-dipping it made chic.) And speaking of dipping, the last food trend we’ve got time for today is deconstructed ramen called tsukemen. The noodles are separate from the broth. You dip them in and slurp them down. Slurping, glopping, chunking and wrapping are clearly the order of the day, so here’s Food Theory No. 4: Any obscure cuisine that we haven’t discovered yet will burst onto the scene in 2018. And in 2019, it will be wrapped in a burrito. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Formation of Spruce Partners, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 10/20/2016. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 520 Fenimore Road, Mamaroneck, NY 10543. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of Montgomery Advisors, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with NY Sect’y of State (SSNY) on 08/22/2016. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: United States Corporation Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. United States Corporation Agents, Inc. at 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228 is designated as registered agent upon whom process against it may be served. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of Bianco28, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 10/13/16. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 261 madison St. Mamaroneck NY, 10543. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of The Law Office of Sean J. Rush, PLLC. Filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 09/30/2016. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 96A Rutgers Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of Life Savor, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 7/7/16. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 528 Munro Ave., Mamaroneck. NY 10543. Purpose: any lawful activity.
‘Sister Act’ comes to White Plains White Plains Performing Arts Center is proud to present “Sister Act,” playing through the holiday season from Friday, Dec. 16 to Sunday, Jan. 8. “Sister Act” is the feel-good musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film that had audiences jumping to their feet. Featuring original music by Tony and eight-time Oscar winner, Alan Menken (“Newsies,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Little Shop of Horrors”), this uplifting musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent. Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover.
Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood. Filled with powerful gospel music, outrageous dancing and a truly moving story, “Sister Act” will leave you breathless. Experience this sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship; “Sister Act” is reason to rejoice. The cast features the talents of Shaunice Alexander; Susan Cohen DeStefano; Joanna Connolly; David Thomas Cronin; Najee Gabay-Knight; Kerri George; Deanna Giulietti; Tamar Greene; Andrew Hendrick; Gerard Lanzerotti; Katelyn Lauria; Steven Liberto; Andrea McCullough; Mary Mondlock; Dick Nagle; Triona O’Callaghan; Daniella Painton; Isaac Saunders; Corinne Scott; Rebecca Skowron; Shawn William Smith; Christina Tompkins; Cartreze Tucker; and Arianna Valdes; with Paulette Oliva as Mother Superior, and Lindsay Roberts as Deloris Van Cartier. The creative team features
direction by Frank Portanova; music direction by Stephen Ferri; choreography and musical staging by Lexie Fennell Frare; scenic design by Gabriel Firestone; lighting design by Ross Graham; wardrobe supervision by Emily Grace Mays; and sound design by Scott Tunkel. “Sister Act” will play the White Plains Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Dec. 16, Dec. 17, Dec. 23, Dec. 27, Dec. 28, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Jan. 6, Jan. 7.; and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 18, Dec. 22, Dec. 28, Jan. 7 and Jan. 8. White Plains Performing Arts Center is located on the third level of City Center off Mamaroneck Avenue and Main Street in downtown White Plains, minutes from the White Plains Metro-North station. Tickets start at $22. For tickets, visit the theatre box office Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; purchase the tickets online at wppac.com; or call 328-1600. For group sales, email boxoffice@wppac.com. (Submitted)
12 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
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SPORTS
December 9, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 13
Missing the ePoint LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
At the risk of sounding like an old, out-of-touch curmudgeon, I have to admit; I do not understand the world of eSports. In late October, as all four major American professional sports were in full swing, Madison Square Garden played host to a competition of a different sort, something called the League of Legends World Championship semifinals. The event pitted four of the best professional video gaming teams from around the globe against each other as they battled for the chance to compete for something called the “Summoner’s Cup”—presumably by hurling digital fireballs at one another— in front of a full house at MSG, a historic venue that once hosted phenomenal bouts of actual athletic competition, including the first fight between Muhammad
Ali and Joe Frazier. Now, I don’t begrudge anyone their particular areas of fandom—lord knows that I have my fair share of interests that stray from the beaten path—but seeing the throngs of excited cosplayers streaming into the world’s most famous arena to watch eAthletes eCompete on the Jumbotron, I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, popular culture is starting to pass me by. I may not consider myself a “gamer,” but I’ve played my fair share of video games through the years. Nintendo—and all of its subsequent successors—played a big part in my childhood, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ll still fire up the Xbox once in a while for a quick game of FIFA against my buddies. But spending my hard-earned money to watch teams of strangers manage squads of digital sprites in virtual combat? For me, that’s just a bridge too far. I enjoy watching sports, be-
cause I can appreciate the inherent drama in seeing the human body overcome its very real limitations; until I see Eli Manning cast a real-life Chaos Bolt at the Philadelphia Eagles, please forgive me if I don’t find the feats of these professional gamers impressive. But, I appear to be on the wrong side of this one. Over the last decade or so, eSports—the name given to professional, competitive video gaming—has become a big business. Arenas all over the world—especially in Asia—sell out for events; well-known companies toss money at the world’s top gamers in an attempt to woo free agents; and the best teams in the world are often embroiled in controversies about illegal tactics, espionage and tampering. Heck, some colleges here in the United States have even begun establishing scholarships for promising eHighSchoolers. My nephew, who is 10, spends less time playing video
Ex-NBA player shares story
Chris Herren speaks at Eastchester High School on Nov. 28. A former NBA player, Herren struggled with drug addictions that cost him his career—and nearly his life. Photo/Mike Smith
By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On Monday, Nov. 28, the Eastchester school district held its first event in an ongoing series about student wellness and drug abuse prevention, as former NBA player Chris Herren, an ex-heroin addict, spoke with local students and parents about
his own battles with drugs and alcohol that cost him his athletic career—and nearly his life. With an escalation in heroin use in the area and several recent overdoses among youths in Westchester, the district decided to bring Herren in to speak on three different occasions over a two-day span— twice on Monday, and once
again on Tuesday morning—in an attempt to shed light on the dangers and consequences of drug and alcohol use for teens, framing his own struggles to overcome addiction as a warning. Herren, a father of three, stressed that although teenagers are often quick to shrug off cautionary tales of drug use, insisting the same won’t happen to them, addiction is an all-tooreal threat that destroys lives— and families—indiscriminately. “I remember being at these, listening to some 35-year-old guy talking and I didn’t take it seriously,” Herren told the audience in the high school’s auditorium. “But I was ignorant; I thought I was above it.” A native of Fall River, Massachusetts, Herren, 41, rose to prominence as a high school basketball player, becoming a McDonald’s All-American and one of the most highly coveted college recruits in the nation. He committed to play for Boston College in 1994, but drug
Fans pile in to the Key Arena in Seattle to watch professional video gamers square off in a Dota 2 tournament. Sports Editor Mike Smith may not understand competitive gaming, but that doesn’t mean that the sport isn’t growing. Photo courtesy Wikipedia
games and more time watching the YouTube videos of Internet celebrities who make millions of dollars by posting their Grand Theft Auto play-throughs online.
Imagine that; people making money by playing a child’s game. It’s a pretty preposterous proposition. You can keep your eSports,
thank you every much. I think the Knicks are playing tonight.
addiction quickly cut short his career with the Eagles, prompting a transfer to Fresno State where—despite his struggles with prescription pain pills, including a stint in rehab during his junior year—he played well enough to get selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. Unable to kick his habit to prescription opioids—at his peak Herren said he took 1,600 milligrams of Oxycontin painkillers a day—he lasted just two years in the NBA before playing abroad and getting hooked on heroin. He would overdose four times, be charged with seven felonies, and contemplated suicide at various times before finally getting clean on Aug. 1, 2008. Three years later, he formed The Herren Project to increase drug awareness education and to provide help and treatment to those hoping to break their addiction. His story was also the subject of an Emmy award-winning ESPN documentary titled “Unguarded,” which aired in 2011. Herren, who gives motivational talks ranging from prep schools to prisons roughly 250
times a year, told the audience that he believes that his story is not atypical of many addicts. What started as “harmless” alcohol use in high school, often in homes where adults were present, became a steppingstone to harder and more dangerous substances. Of his 14 high school teammates, Herren said, seven ended up becoming addicted to heroin. In that vein, he believes that open dialogue between parents and children is an important first step toward combatting future addiction. “I grew up with the attitude and belief that drinking beers and smoking pot on Friday nights was right, that there was nothing wrong with it,” he said. “I hung out in basements where parents told us we were safe, and allowed us to drink, as long as we didn’t drive.” Herren, who said his goal is to impact just one person each time he gives a talk, also proposed that schools across the country take steps toward focusing more class time to address these issues. “Wellness should be a core class,” he said. “In a lot of schools, kids aren’t having
these classes and these talks until they are 16 or 17.” Herren’s talk was the first in what the school district hopes will be a path toward an ongoing dialogue in the community about the pressures and challenges facing students today. On Dec. 5, Dr. Michael Nerney will give a lecture about risk assessment and stress in the adolescent brain. In February, the family of Justin Salamone, a Mahopac teen who died of a heroin overdose in 2012, will share their story, and the speaker series will be rounded out by an appearance by police officer Jermaine Galloway, who will discuss how parents can identify telltale signs of drug and alcohol abuse in teens. On Monday night, Herren admitted that while there is no surefire way to completely stamp out drug use, lines of communication between parents, teachers, students and law enforcement officers can go a long way toward saving lives. “Addiction is tricky,” he said. “Nobody knows who is carrying that card in their back pocket.”
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
14 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
SPORTS
Tigers edge Garnets ICE HOCKEY
league
MAMARONECK 4 (OT) RYE 3 HOMMOCKS ICE ARENA
12/2/16
Game Notes: • Rye goalie Jack Petrucelli made 25 saves for the Garnets • Prior to the game, Mamaroneck raised its 2016 state champs banner By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor Prior to Mamaroneck’s Dec. 2 home-opener against rival Rye, the Tigers celebrated their 2016 New York state title by raising their championship banner in the corner of the Hommocks Ice Arena. However, when the puck finally dropped, the reigning champs got a taste of just how tough life at the top can be, as they fended off a stiff test from the Garnets to come away with a 4-3 overtime win. For the Tigers, the game was
proof that they should expect every team’s best efforts from here on out, while the Garnets, still searching for their first win of the season, acquitted themselves nicely with a strong showing against one of the state’s top teams. “I think we have a tendency to raise our game to our competition,” Garnet coach Pete Thomas said. “We had a good practice this week; we came into the game feeling pretty good.” Rye drew first blood, as goals from Will Hynson and Ryan Kirkpatrick gave the Garnets a 2-1 lead heading into the second period. Mamaroneck owned the next stanza however, getting an early score from Connor LeBlanc and a power-play goal by Jack Dente with less than a minute to go in the second. Seamus Carrol evened the score at 3-3 with 12 minutes to play, but it would be Dente’s game-winner—with just 1:42 left to go in overtime—that ultimately sealed the win for the Tigers. “I’m absolutely proud of how we played, even if the end result
is obviously a disappointment,” Thomas said. “You never know how overtime goes, a bounce here, a bounce there, but we had ourselves in a position to win.” With the victory, the Tigers improved to 3-0 on the season, and will look to keep their win streak going as they head up north to take on Shenendehowa and Saratoga this weekend. The Garnets, at 0-2, will tangle with White Plains on Dec. 7, after press time, before taking the ice against two non-section teams at Pelham’s annual winter tournament this weekend. After a good performance against Mamaroneck, Thomas said he believes his team is ready to turn the corner. “We might not have [one or two standouts], but we are a very deep team and we just have to figure out our chemistry,” he said. “We want to be challenged early and often, and see some tough competition right off the bat; we just have to approach every game like we approached Mamaroneck.”
Henry Alimanistianu dives for the puck against Rye. Photos/Mike Smith
CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
Rye goalie Jack Petrucelli blocks a shot from Mamaroneck’s James Torre. Petrucelli had 25 saves in a losing effort for the Garnets.
Patrick Lee takes a hit from a Rye player at the Hommock’s Ice Arena. Mamaroneck topped Rye 4-3 in overtime.
Harrison Schreiber battles for control of the puck against Rye on Dec. 2.
INSIDE
December 9, 2016 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 15
Lifestyles of Westchester County/DECEMBER 2016 VOL. 5 NO.9
INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY
Holiday
GIFT GUIDE 2 Decorate for the year, not just the holidays 2 Shop for the holidays at Lester’s 2 Take care of yourself at Addison Street Spa 2 Fine gifts from Talner’s storefront
16 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • December 9, 2016
GIFT IDEAS
for last-minute shoppers
Avoid theft during the season of giving
Early bird shoppers may purchase and even wrap gifts before December, but eleventh-hour shoppers may need some help come the holiday season. For those last-minute folks, there still are plenty of ways to ensure your shopping list is checked off. The following gifts are quick to purchase and can still make for thoughtful presents. Liquor or wine basket: Prepackaged spirits often come with decorative glasses and other accoutrements for entertaining. What’s more, they’re convenient to purchase if you’re on a time crunch. Fueling station gift card: Drivers will appreciate a gift card to their favorite fueling station. Such cards suit anyone who has a car and frequently travels or commutes. Food basket: A visit to the supermarket or a convenience center can yield many tasty finds that can be packaged together into a gift basket. Pair foods with a gift card to that retailer. Streaming service: Offer to treat a loved one to a month or two of their favorite streaming television or movie service. If they already have streaming subscriptions, offer to cover the cost of the subscription for a few months. Premade gifts: Don’t overlook your local pharmacy as a place to find convenient gifts. Look for unique items in the seasonal aisle, where you might be able to find stocking-stuffer toiletries or cosmetic gifts that suit several people on your shopping list.
The holiday season is a special time of year to give thanks and spend time with loved ones. While the holidays are an inherently happy time, that joyful mood can be marred by the crooks who like to take advantage of people’s generosity, as well as their propensity to pay less attention to their surroundings as they do during less hectic times of year. Instances of certain crimes, particularly theft and identity theft, increase around the holiday season. Allstate Insurance advises that breakins in residential areas may increase during the holiday season as well. That’s because thieves know that many homes are empty or cars are full of high-priced presents. To put the focus back on good cheer, delicious food, celebrations and gifting, individuals can heed the following tips to protect themselves and their property this holiday season. Park in well-lit areas while shopping. Aim for a spot under a street lamp or as close to the front door of the store as possible. Routinely put packages in the car so they do not become too cumbersome and bog you down. Some thieves prey on people who cannot defend themselves because their hands are full of packages. Place gifts in the trunk of the car. Make sure they are covered up and out of sight if you do not have a trunk. Take your packages straight home after each shopping trip. Do not carry excess cash or credit cards you don’t plan to use. Leave the full wallet at
home so it does not fall into the wrong hands or end up being stolen. Keep important credit card numbers in a safe place at home. Exercise caution around strangers. While you want to be friendly this time of year, this is a time when thieves may use various tactics to distract or disarm potential targets. Always leave lights on at home and do not forget to lock doors and windows when leaving the house. Empty houses are prime targets for burglars. Always give the impression that someone is home. Don’t advertise purchases. Keep mum about that big-screen TV or gaming system you purchased. Do not leave packages or boxes lying around outside your home. Instead, discard them only on the morning of garbage pickup. Keep an inventory of purchases and belongings. This will prove handy if you are a victim of theft and have to file an insurance claim. Use encrypted shopping sites. Many online retailers employ encrypted websites so customers can securely make purchases. Patronize only these retailers when shopping online. Be aware of credit card skimmers. Thieves may put skimming devices on ATM machines and credit card machines to steal card information. If a machine does not look right, do not use it. Avoid being victimized by crooks this holiday season by prioritizing safety at home and when shopping for gifts.
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Select educational gifts for children When shopping for holiday gifts for children, shoppers can easily be overwhelmed by the many toys, electronics, apparel and other items available for kids. Those who may not be up-to-date on the latest trends may even find shopping for kids a bit like solving a difficult puzzle. While some shoppers may want to get kids the flashiest toy, others may prefer gifts that are both fun and mentally stimulating. Developmental toys and educational games for kids make for popular gifts. Toy and game manufacturers continue to develop products that integrate logic, reasoning, language stimulation, and motor skill development. Shoppers looking for fun, educational toys and games for the kids on their shopping lists have a host of items to choose from. Building blocks: Blocks that enable children to design and construct are popular among youngsters of various ages. Blocks come in many different forms, from early education wooden blocks that fill nursery floors to the more intricate, interlocking building sets that are coveted by older children. STEM toys: Some of the latest trends in children’s toys veer away from regular video games and apps and cater to the rising interest in STEM. STEM is an acronym for science, technology and math. Early introduction to STEM-related skills can pay dividends later in life, considering students who have an emphasis on STEM knowledge are highly coveted among employers. STEM toys
may include robot-building kits, toys that help young learners test the boundaries of physics, apps that help kids learn computer programing, and even scientific experiment kits that illustrate cause and effect. Sensory toys: Young children can benefit from toys that stimulate the senses. Items to consider include water toys, sands (including the newer kinetic varieties), playdoughs, musical instruments, and bubbles. Even food-related toys, such as those that encourage baking or cooking, will appeal to various senses and can help kids learn valuable skills. Imaginative play toys: Imaginative play is an effective way to stimulate creative thinking and may help children become better learners. The Creativity Institute, specializing in toys for creative play, says playing is important to children and the way they practice growing up. According to an article by Dr. Scott Kaufman that appeared in Psychology Today, “Systematic research has increasingly demonstrated a series of clear benefits of children’s engagement in pretend games from the ages of about two and one half through ages six or seven.” Dress-up toys, puppets, dolls, action figures, and toys that mimic real-life activities are all examples of products that promote imaginative play. Educational toys can be included on holiday gifting lists. Not only will they encourage children to play and have fun, but they’ll serve as building blocks to a lifetime of learning as well.
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Decorate for the year, not just the holidays We all know the hustle and bustle that goes along with the holidays. We shop, plan our menus, and adorn our homes with festive décor, all in anticipation of opening our homes and sharing our traditions with loved ones. But take a step back and ask yourself, why do we wait until for the holidays to arrive to make our homes a reflection of our best, brightest dreams? Our homes should be where we are truly most comfortable and surrounded by
our favorite things every day of the year. Our homes should be a furnished to mirror our taste and lifestyle. This is easier said than done for many people. One way to bring your yearround style to life is engaging with an interior decorator. If you’re like most of the clients Decorating Den works with, you want a beautifully custom designed look, but truly don’t know how to make that vision a reality. You might not be
sure of how to put it all together. You may have sentimental items that you do not want to remove. You might fear that if you call a professional decorator, your home will end up featuring that decorator’s taste—not yours. And last, but certainly not least, you might not be even sure you can afford the services of a professional decorator. Fortunately, a new Decorating Den Interiors has opened in your area to bring design and style to everyone. From design concept to completion, designers can help save you valuable time and money by guiding your decisionmaking process through a myriad of functional and decorative ideas. When they come to your home, you’ll be shown samples of custom window treatments, bedding ensembles, floor covering, wall covering, accessories, lighting, upholstered furniture and case-goods. Clients enjoy the collaborative design process used by designers from Decorating Den as we work together to fulfill your vision. This process gives homes a unique look, different from what we always see in the big retailers or
neighborhood stores. Designing around how you live in your home can help you make it not just comfortable, but a place you will be proud to show to friends and family not just during the holidays, but 365 days a year. Decorating Den Interiors serves the Westchester County area, including Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, Harrison, Bronxville and New Rochelle. For more information, contact owner and interior decorator Marni Sugerman at 829-5100, or visit marni.decoratingden.com. (Submitted)
technology and online marketing workshops for communities in Westchester in order to help our local businesses thrive. We are also available to provide private consultations for companies looking to succeed online. This holiday season, give the gift of a 2
hour in-person, one-on-one online marketing & brand strategy session at our office in White Plains for $150 (usually $450) available now through Dec 31st. For more information, contact Jaime Urteaga, the owner of Digital Chair, Inc., at jaime@digitalchair.com.
Buy for your business this holiday season
As another New York winter creeps in with its cold and westwardly breeze, it’s easy for the streets of Westchester to misplace their hustle and bustle of foot traffic and community energy. Worse yet, the allure of local stores and restaurants fall victim to the stay-at-home giants of couch-side shopping, Amazon and Seamless. The holiday season peaks as the biggest retail-spending season of the year, with more and more business being done online now more than ever. What most local companies don’t realize is that they don’t have to go to the mattresses to leverage some technology to their advantage and “get in the game” so to speak. It’s nearly 2017 and technology is becoming cheaper and more available than ever. Websites, for better or worse, can be made by anyone with some technological savvy and a few hours at their disposal. Social media accounts can be
used to communicate offers and drive brand reach locally, yet their untapped power is often overlooked and underestimated. By mixing some business and technology know-how, one can change the competitive field around them and leverage certain tools to drive a far-reaching and conversion-centered marketing campaign that helps attract people to you or your business. For the sake of brevity, I’ll focus on Google, the low-hanging fruit for local businesses. If you look up a local business (food, legal, home, fun), statistically, you’re most likely to look them up on Google’s search engine. Google has a free business listing that takes under an hour of time to set up. All you have to do is fill out a form, verify your business information (they send you a postcard with a code and call you), and then you’re done. From there you can start benefiting from the positive reviews your clients leave you and how they affect the choice of the eager consumer searching for a local service in their town. You can upload pictures that show your products, staff and the service providers. This simple tool and can distinguish you from your competition when it comes time for a consumer to decide where to spend their money. Keep in mind, your competitor may be Amazon, or another global internet giant, so a loss of a client could be a loss for the local community. At Digital Chair, we’re putting together some
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How to find great gifts for the family handyman For those people who don’t know a box cutter from a box saw, shopping for men and women who like to get their hands dirty around the house can be a difficult task. Home improvement projects are complex undertakings that often involve the use of complex tools, and novices may be lost in the proverbial woods as they look for gifts for their loved ones who can’t wait to swing hammers around the house. Though there’s always an element of risk when shopping for gifts for loved ones, the following hints might help shoppers with no knowledge of home improvement projects find gifts that will please their favorite handyman. Take inventory of his or her existing tools. When shopping for the DIY enthusiast in your family, try to take inventory of his or her tool chest before beginning your search. Make note of any tools that look new, checking those off your shopping list, and any that look like they need replacing. Use your phone to photograph any unfamiliar tools that you might want to replace so you know what to look for when visiting the hardware store. Think of what your relative likes to do most. The family handyman may have a particular area of home improvement expertise or something he or she is especially passionate about. Does your loved one prefer to work in the garden? Is he into woodworking and making decorative items for
the house? Think of what he or she likes to do most and then look for something that will make that hobby more enjoyable. While multipurpose tools might make for welcome gifts, something more specific to his or her particular passion may make an even better gift. Think outside the (tool)box. While new tools might make a handyman’s day, they are not the only items that make great DIY gifts. Consider enrolling your loved one in an advanced class so he or she can learn more about a favorite hobby. Or gift a magazine subscription so he or she can stay abreast of the latest DIY trends and topics. Such gifts are great options for shoppers hesitant to purchase potentially costly tools that may or may not be hits with their relatives. Speak with a professional. If you can’t access your loved one’s workshop or simply don’t know what he or she might want, ask a local contractor for gift recommendations. For example, a carpenter might know just what will elicit a smile from woodworking enthusiasts, while landscapers might be able to suggest items for gardening or lawn care enthusiasts. Advancements are always being made in the home improvement industry, and those people who make their living in that industry might be great resources as you try to find the go-to gift for your loved one. Finding a gift for the family handyman might be difficult for shoppers with no DIY experience
of their own. But a little forethought and perhaps some professional assistance can be just what
shoppers need to find gifts their loved ones will cherish for years to come.
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Shop for the holidays at Lester’s
The holidays are better at Lester’s, where you’ll find the biggest selection of uniquely chic gifts from wow-factor brands that do cool best. Beyond the most wanted clothing and footwear, some of the season’s bestselling musthave items include S’well Bottles, fur slides and other cold weather accessories, stylish tech toys, statement jewelry, fun pillows, whimsical snow tubes, patched up clothing, cozy blanket sacks, sports team logo and player gifts and more. Every gift, perfectly wrapped and ready for giving. Don’t miss a great selection of grab bag and teachers’ gifts, too—perfectly priced at $30 and under. Set your sights on sun, sand and Lester’s for the best collection of cruise essentials for your winter getaway. Bold beachwear, breezy coverups, night out styles, gorgeous sandals, and chic totes for women, men, kids and baby.
How to organize office gift exchanges
Happy shopping, happy holidays and happy travels! Lester’s is located at 18 Rye Ridge Plaza in Rye Brook. For more information, visit lesters.com. (Submitted)
Close-knit groups of employees commonly exchange gifts with one another come the holiday season. Friendly coworkers enjoy bringing smiles to the faces of their friends and fellow employees, and these informal gift exchanges can benefit company morale and establish a familial atmosphere at the office. In spite of the good-natured reasons to exchange gifts with coworkers, some people are nervous about the prospect of gifting fellow employees. Questions regarding what makes for an appropriate gift or how much to spend may arise, turning office gift exchanges into potentially puzzling situations. Those ready to participate in office gifting can follow certain etiquette guidelines to take the anxiety out of office gifting. Determine if there is an office policy governing gift exchanges. Some businesses may have a specific policy in place that establishes guidelines on what makes acceptable, appropriate gifts for coworkers. The larger the company, the more specific the policy is likely to be. Consider the overall office climate. Is yours a relaxed working environment, or is it ultraformal? Allow the corporate culture to play a part in your gifting decisions. A gift that may be appropriate for a smaller, casual company may not be fitting for a large, rules-heavy corporation. Always let common sense prevail. Establish a spending limit. Spending limits let
everyone know just how much to spend. Resist the urge to go above and beyond. While you may just want to be generous, others may view an expensive gift as a way to show off or an attempt to flatter a coworker oreven a boss. Think of life outside the office. When shopping, start thinking about what your coworkers like to do when they are not at work. For example, golf enthusiasts may enjoy a box of balls or a gift certificate to play at an area course. Stick to generic gifts if you are unsure of what your coworkers do when they are not working. Personalized holiday mementos, gadgets for entertaining, items that can be used around the office or foodrelated gift baskets make great holiday gifts. Remember to take into account others’ religions and traditions when shopping. Avoid gifts that are overly personal. Steer clear of giving fragrances or cosmetic products because you do not know what the other person will like. Scented products also may send the wrong message, indicating you think someone needs to cover up with an aroma. Clothing is another gift to avoid, as certain items may be seen as suggestive and you may not be in tune with the recipient’s personal style. Consider personal or handmade gifts as well. Engraved picture frames, hand-picked gift baskets filled with homemade treats or gift certificates to favorite coffee shops or lunch spots in the vicinity of the office make ideal office gifts.
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How to navigate return policies
The holiday season is rife with merriment and gift-giving. Shoppers flock to stores in an effort to find the ideal gifts for everyone on their lists. While shoppers hope the presents they select will be well-liked, many know that not every gift will be the perfect fit. It’s in shoppers’ best interests to familiarize themselves with store return policies to avoid being stuck with unwanted purchases or losing money on exchanges. Knowledge of store policies also is useful information to pass on to gift recipients, so that they will be able to realize the full benefit of their gifts should something need to be replaced. Shoppers who anticipate a loved one returning their gift would be wise to always include a gift receipt with gifts. Some stores offer only store credit to people who return gifts without receipts, while others may not allow non-receipt returns at all. In addition, some retailers only offer non-receipt refunds that are equivalent to the lowest recent sale price. Consumers can arm themselves with this information and take a proactive approach to holiday shopping. Visit the customer service desk and ask for the complete return and exchange policy. Study the policy to understand how exchanges or
refunds are handled. Think about purchases before making them, which may cut down on the number of exchanges or returns necessary. Keep all receipts in a safe place. Opt for emailed receipts whenever possible, as such receipts may be easier to catalog and less likely to go missing. Ask for gift receipts if you are uncertain if the gift recipient will like the gift or you aren’t sure on sizing or fit. Attach this receipt to a tag so it does not get lost during wrapping. Visit the return desk during off-peak hours, such as dinnertime or early in the morning, when employees will be less harried and better able to work with you on facilitating exchanges. Make purchases on store credit cards or other credit cards. Doing so may make the purchases easier to track if the receipt goes missing. Shop at retailers with notoriously good return policies. Money magazine and GOBankingRates say that Nordstrom; L.L. Bean; Bed, Bath & Beyond; JC Penney; and Costco have the most generous return policies. Returns and exchanges are a part of holiday giving. Consumers who educate themselves on stores’ return policies can make the holiday season easier for themselves and their loved ones.
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Take care of yourself at Addison Street Spa
At Addison Street Spa, “It’s about wellness.” Since 1999, that has been our motto. Our mission is to provide a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation. Addison Street Spa is a getaway conveniently located in the quaint village of Larchmont in lower Westchester. We are easy to access by personal or public transportation and welcome anyone seeking to look and feel their very best. We offer exceptional therapeutic, energetic and specialized bodywork treatments, including favorites like Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, hot stone massage, pregnancy massage and Reiki. We offer personalized facials for all skin types and treatments to address your skin care issues. Our product line, Dermalogica, is highly recognized and provides effective skin care solutions for in-spa services and home care. For the finishing touches, waxing and other beauty enhancement services are available. Our talented staff of aesthetic and bodywork
professionals has many years of experience and a wide knowledge of therapeutic bodywork techniques and skin care treatments. Awarded “The Best Deep Tissue Massage’” in Westchester in 2015, we are well-known for the amazing hands, caring hearts and skill of our practitioners. We welcome you to come and experience our cozy space where our friendly service coordinators are excited to recommend the perfect services for your needs and ensure you have an enjoyable experience. Men, women and teens ages 13 and up are sure to find services to please. It’s the perfect time and the perfect season to share a pampering experience. To make it easy and affordable, we are happy to offer special prices on our highly acclaimed, client-recommended service packages. Gift certificates are now on sale for these service combinations: • Age Smart facial and Trilogy hot stone massage: $260
• Swedish massage and 30-minute foot massage: $140 • Swedish massage and European facial (two hours): $190 • 45-minute massage and 45-minute facial: $160 • Series of six Swedish massages or European facials: $570 Instant gift certificates can be printed from our website at addisonstreetspa.com. You can also
call us at 833-3223, or come and see us at 9 Addison St. in Larchmont. Don’t forget to pamper yourself in this demanding, high stress time of year. We look forward to serving you this holiday season and continuing to be a part of your wellness journey in the coming new year. Happy Holidays from all of us at Addison Street Spa! (Submitted)
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Last-minute holiday shopping tips
Fine gifts from Talner’s New Rochelle storefront Leonard Italiano would be amazed by the vast and prestigious selection of jewelry, crystal, china and other fine gifts that fill the Main Street store at the corner of Centre Avenue. Italiano was one of New Rochelle’s premier jewelers, first working door to door and then in an upstairs store on Mechanic Street as early as 1924. Despite his birth name, Italiano was not of Italian descent; he was one of New Rochelle’s early Jewish shopkeepers. By the time he opened a small Main Street store near Centre Avenue in 1928, he had changed his name to Leonard Talner. His brother, Joseph, joined the business and took over its management when Leonard died in 1941. Like his brother, Joseph also died in his early 50s, just seven years later. Leonard’s widow and her cousin, Arnold Heaps, ensured the continued operations and high standards of the store. Leonard’s son, Robert, joined the family business after serving in the Korean War. In 1960, he and Heaps purchased the store from the other Talner family members and began expansions. By 1962, they enlarged the store by purchasing the adjacent hat store, dress shop and Fannie Farmer Candies. Seventeen years later, when Robert Talner died, Heaps became the sole owner. Talner Fine Jewelry and Roadside China
Holiday shopping season typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and extends all the way to Christmas Eve. While that’s a considerable amount of time for shoppers to find gifts for everyone on their shopping list, many people will still find themselves putting holiday shopping off until the last minute. In certain ways, last-minute holiday shopping is easier than ever. Thanks to online retailers who can ship products overnight, men and women who delay their holiday shopping have more options at their disposal than they did before the arrival of the Internet. And unlike the days of yore when the best deals were largely exclusive to Black Friday, some shoppers find that competition between online retailers and traditional brick-and-mortar stores is so great that deals can be found regardless of when they begin shopping. But while waiting until the last minute to begin holiday shopping may not be as risky as it used to be, shoppers may still benefit by sticking to certain strategies so they can find the perfect gifts without breaking the bank. Stay within your budget. Even last-minute shoppers have holiday shopping budgets. But it can be harder for last-minute shoppers to stick to their budgets because they have less time to comparison shop and hunt for deals. As the holiday shopping season winds down, resist the temptation to go over budget. If a gift you had in mind is available but more than you can spend, look for something else. Overspending on holiday shopping in December is a recipe for debt in January, and no shopper wants to begin the new year weighed down by consumer debt.
Shop local. National chains and big box retailers are renowned for rolling out great deals during the holiday season, but such stores may have very limited or unimpressive inventory left by the time last-minute shoppers begin shopping. Local retailers are often incapable of slashing prices as significantly as their larger competitors, and that may mean they have more extensive inventories available throughout the holiday shopping season. In addition, shoppers who stick with local retailers won’t have to pay shipping costs to ensure items arrive on time. Shop during off-peak hours. Shopping during off-peak hours can help last-minute shoppers make efficient use of the limited time they have to buy gifts for their loved ones. Visit stores early in the morning or late at night, or schedule a midweek afternoon shopping trip so you aren’t spending what little time you have left waiting on lines or hunting for parking. Give something less traditional. Holiday gifts need not come from stores. Rather than spending their time shopping for gifts for loved ones who seemingly have it all, last-minute shoppers can give the gift of a donation in their loved one’s name. Last-minute shoppers who want to give something more tangible can create a homemade gift that’s both unique and heartfelt. If your DIY skills are lacking, give a loved one the gift of a night out on the town at your expense. Shoppers who wait until the end of the holiday shopping season to begin their searches for holiday gifts can still find great gifts without going broke.
draws customers from throughout Westchester and Fairfield counties who want quality merchandise and superior service. The shop carries a select line of fine jewelry, including many set with diamonds or gemstones, watches and estate jewelry. In addition, Talner is renowned for expert watch and jewelry repairs, serving generations of loyal satisfied customers, even those who have moved away from the region but still return to purchase that special engagement ring or gift. Talner holds a special place in the hearts of many. Talner also offers the largest selection of tabletops in Westchester County, with a full line of elegant china and beautifully crafted crystal from prestigious companies such as Lalique, Lenox, Baccarat, Waterford, and Herend. It is the place to shop for gifts of distinction and the perfect place for bridal registries. The shop’s distinctive gift boxes are recognized and welcome everywhere. Over the years, Talner’s gracious and accommodating service, and distinctive and top-quality jewelry has attracted the likes of Tommy Manville, Theresa Brewer, Dennis James, Peter Lind Hayes, and other celebrities who made their home in New Rochelle. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren of the Talner store’s first customers are now buying engagement rings here. (Submitted)
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