Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
May 12, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 19 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Community drug talk arms residents against addiction By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
The Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce hosted the 11th annual A Taste of Mamaroneck Wine Trail on May 7, drawing 300 patrons to explore the friendly village to sample food and wine from local businesses. Adam Martilotta, left, and Josh DeSiena of Doc James Cigar Lounge offered visitors wine and cigars. For more, see page 6. Photo/Sibylla Chipaziwa
Standard delays Playland payment again By JAMES PERO Staff Writer With an appeal of a lawsuit over slated renovations at Playland Park looming large, new park manager Standard Amusements says it will again wait to issue its first contractual payment to Westchester County until litigation with the city of Rye is resolved. The extension, which was announced by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s administration last week, will prolong the transfer of a $750,000 payment from Standard—half of a contractual $1.5 million payment initially due in June—until a “final determination is made with regards to litigation with the city of Rye.”
Last month a lawsuit filed by the city, which sought to declare itself lead agency on environmental review of capital projects at the park, was thrown out by a judge, and Rye has since filed a notice of appeal—the precursor to an official appeal—of the court’s decision. The city will have approximately five months to finalize an official appeal. Another $750,000 payment, according to a statement from the Astorino administration, will be made to the county following a Board of Legislators decision on $10 million in improvements for Playland’s pool, which has remained in limbo since last year. A contractual deadline on the pool’s fate is Dec. 31. But this week, tensions over
Playland’s pool escalated after representatives from Standard floated a plan to build a removable deck that would support a café or restaurant area over the rehabbed pool site; an option that drew concern from Democrats. “I don’t think anyone would have a problem with a more of a passive use,” said Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, of Playland’s pool location. “Unfortunately, something like a coffee shop or restaurant would create a lot of noise and trash.” In addition to Parker, Rye elected officials have also spoken out against the idea of adding a dining space, citing the potential to PLAYLAND continued on page 11
five years ago at 29 years old. What started as an addiction to prescription opioids, Justin would go on to eventually become a heroin addict; the drug that would kill him. From early childhood, where the Salamones detailed warning signs that their son may have suffered from anxiety and developmental problems, to Justin’s foray into drug use and how both of them reacted, the couple attempted to guide audience members through their follies as parents and offer advice on how they might avoid them with their own children. In addition to urging parents— even those that might be separated—to unify to treat a child who may be suffering from drug ad-
With the effects of an opioid epidemic sweeping across the country, local communities are working to equip residents with the tools they need to help combat the scourge of addiction: Narcan for saving lives, drug counseling for rehabilitation, and most importantly, education toward prevention. On Tuesday night in Mamaroneck High School’s PACE auditorium, where a local drug coalition hosted their first-ever community event on drug prevention and intervention, knowledge was the name of the game. And for Mamaroneck, which, in the village, saw five overdoses in less than two months last summer—two The government is not going of which were confirmed fatal—that to save you from this. We’re not knowledge could be going to arrest our way out of it. vitally important. Starting with Westchester parents Susan – MICHAEL NERNEY, on powerful prescription drugs and Steven Salamone, who run Drug Crisis in our diction, and describing the effects Backyard, a nonprofit to help pre- that an addiction has on everyvent drug abuse, the night’s talk one involved, Steven Salamone opened on a personal note. left the audience with one last “Our mission is to bring aware- piece of advice. ness to the rampant use of heroin “My wife would always say to and opiates in our community,” me, ‘There’s something wrong,’” explained Susan Salamone to the he said. “And she was always modest-sized audience. “We de- right. I’m not just saying that becided to come out and speak to cause she’s my wife.” parents and community members Following the Salamones’ stoabout what we were able to see ry, attendees got a more empirical in retrospect that we did not see approach to the issue of drug adwhen my son was growing up.” diction from former director of the The Salamones would go on National Drug Research Institute, to discuss the life and eventual Michael Nerney. death of their first-born son Justin, DRUGS continued on page 8 who fell victim to a fatal overdose
INSIDE County executive nomination still unclear Story on page 9.