Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
March 3, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 9 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Murphy mulling village mayoral candidacy By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
TWICE AS NICE! Mamaroneck’s hockey team celebrates its second-straight Section I championship after a 4-0 win over Suffern at the Brewster Ice Arena on Feb. 26. The Tigers will play Section IX champ Monroe-Woodbury on March 4. For story, see page 15. Photo/Mike Smith
New Democratic majority strides toward village reform By JAMES PERO Staff Writer With a new Democratic majority firmly rooted on the village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees, reform efforts—many of which have honed in on the village’s own processes and protocols—have taken center stage.
And while the board’s newest trustees—Democrats Keith Waitt and Victor Tafur, both elected to their first terms this past November—symbolize a cosmetic shift in the board’s makeup, recent projects sparked by the village’s new Democratic cadre have been anything but exterior.
In less than four months, Democrats have unleashed a torrent of new initiatives: an audit of Village Manager Richard Slingerland—a move that has since been rendered moot by his resignation earlier last month; requests for a new village attorney; evaluations of both the village zoning code and Building
Department; and a review of the overarching comprehensive plan. According to Tafur, a newcomer to politics, the process of enacting new laws and spurring analysis has been a natural one. “We’re not just trying to bulldoze things or change the entire MAJORITY continued on page 9
Town of Mamaroneck Councilman Tom Murphy, a Democrat, will mull a return to village politics after being approached by party leaders about running for village of Mamaroneck mayor, the Review has learned. “I’ve had a couple conversations,” he said. “I’m looking at my options.” While Murphy, 55, has served on the Town Council since 2014, most of his tenure as an elected official has been spent in the village of Mamaroneck, where he served as a trustee from 2004 to 2010, after filling out the remainder of an expired trustee term in 2001. In addition to his experience serving on the Board of Trustees, Murphy has also served on the village of Mamaroneck Harbor & Coastal Zone Management Commission and as an appointee to the village Recreation Committee, where he began his involvement in public service. Murphy—who currently works as an elevator mechanic—was recently re-elected to an all-Democrat Town Council last November in an uncontested race. In 2013, Murphy launched a bid for higher office losing in a hard fought Democratic primary for Westchester County legisla-
tor to then-Rye City Councilwoman Catherine Parker. Parker went on to win the general election that year, and still holds the legislative seat. In Mamaroneck this year, both Republican seats on the village board—currently filled by Mayor Norman Rosenblum and Trustee Louis Santoro—will be up for re-election, opening village Democrats, who already maintain a majority, for a full sweep of the board’s makeup. In November, three Democrats beat out three Republican candidates by a comfortable victory to maintain a seven-year Democratic majority on the village board. However, unseating Rosenblum has been the one feat Democrats have failed to accomplish. Since winning office in 2009, Rosenblum has thwarted numerous attempts by Democrats, securing successive re-election bids in 2011, 2013 and 2015. MURPHY continued on page 9
2 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 3, 2017
March 2017
Planning ahead... SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
1
Ash Wednesday
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
2
Read Across America Day
National Women’s History Month
SATURDAY
World Wildlife Day
3
4
All County Concerts SUNY Purchase College
MHS Musical 7 p.m., McLain Auditorium
CEN Parents Night Out
Rye Neck HS Musical 7 p.m.
MHS Musical 7 p.m., McLain Auditorium Rye Neck HS Musical 7 p.m.
5
VOM First Sunday Birdwalks 8:30 a.m., Marine Edu. Center All County Concerts SUNY Purchase College
PTA Council meeting 9:15 a.m.
6
Larchmont trustee work session 7 p.m., Village Hall Larchmont Planning Board 8 p.m., Village Center
12
13
Daylight saving time starts
Holi
MHS Antiques Show 10 a.m.
Rye Neck PTSA meeting 9 a.m., MS/HS library
NCAA Selection Sunday
VOM trustee meeting 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
19
Sound Shore St. Patrick’s Day Parade 1:30 p.m.
Spring Equinox
20
VOM trustee work session 5:30 p.m., Courtroom HOM Gr. 8 Parent Network 7:30 p.m., MHS library
26
School House Open & Demonstration 1 p.m., Harbor Island Park
27
VOM trustee meeting 7:30 p.m., Emelin Theatre TOM Coastal Zone Commission 7:30 p.m., Town Center
7
HOM Hoops for Hearts 3:30 p.m.
MAS Gr. 5 Square Dance 6:30 p.m. VOM Board of Architectural Review 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
National Pi Day
14
School board meeting 7 p.m., MHS Tiered Classroom
8
Dos Caminos applications due
MHS Antiques Show 10 a.m.
TOM Planning Board 7:30 p.m.
MHS AP Show 6 p.m., Palmer Gallery
MAS International Fair 11 a.m.
Larchmont zoning board 8:15 p.m., Village Hall
MUR, CHAT Parents Night Out
Purim begins at sundown
15
Rye Neck school budget 9 a.m., MS/HS library TOM town board 5 p.m., Town Center
VOM deer committee 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
VOM harbor commission 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
School board meeting 7 p.m., MHS Tiered Classroom
22
28
Gr. 3–8 NYS ELA exams start VOM flood mitigation meeting 7:30 p.m., Emelin Theatre
23
Rye Neck MS Science & Tech Fair 6:30 p.m.
TOM zoning board 7:45 p.m.
29
Larchmont Architectural Review Board 8 p.m., Village Center
MHS mock SAT 9 a.m.
18
VOM Board of Architectural Review 7:30 p.m., Courtroom
PACE 3 Presents 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
VOM Budget Committee 7:30 p.m., Regatta Conf. Room
17
SAT tests
MHS Gr. 11 & 12 college admission 7 p.m.
CEN Pizza Bingo Night 6 p.m.
VOM Planning Board 7 p.m., Courtroom
St. Patrick’s Day
HOM Gr. 6 orientation 7 p.m.
Spanish Book Fair 3 p.m. & 5:30 p.m., MAS
Larchmont trustee meeting 7:30 p.m., Village Hall
Diabetes Alert Day
16
CHAT International Day
Rye Neck Jr./Sr. Day
11
VOM Planning Board 7 p.m., Courtroom
MHS Padres Unidos meeting 7 p.m.
21
10
World Kidney Day
VOM Ethics Board 7:30 p.m., Regatta Conf. Room
Larchmont election day
9
International Women’s Day
24
STEM-tastic Choose Your Challenge Night 6 p.m., HOM
VOM drug committee 7 p.m., Courtroom
30
31
Gr. 3–8 NYS ELA exams end
Rye Neck Superintendent Conference Day
MAS Crunchy Carnival 6 p.m.
MHS Jr. Prom
MHS Latino Student Panel 7 p.m., MHS library
CHAT Musical 7 p.m.
MHS mock SAT 9 a.m.
25
March 3, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 3
State DMV increases railroad crossing violations The New York state Department of Motor Vehicles is cracking down on motorists that violate traffic regulations near railroad crossings. In August 2016, the DMV increased the points assigned to automobilists from three to five for infractions made near rail-
road crossings in an effort to prevent train crashes at the nearly 2,700 crossings statewide. The announcement was made recently during a state legislative budget hearing on transportation on Feb. 15. “If you are knowingly reckless at railroad crossings, you are
putting yourself, those around you, and those in the train at risk for a catastrophe,” said state Assemblyman David Buchwald, a White Plains Democrat. “I’m pleased that the state government is taking seriously the concerns of Westchester residents by showing how important it is
The New York state Department of Motor Vehicles has increased the points assigned to motorists for violating traffic infractions made near railroad crossings. Photo courtesy wikipedia.org
to be careful at these crossings.” Prior to the change in the rules of the road, a traffic infraction near a railroad crossing only warranted a fine and a three-point penalty, which is the same value for speeding one to 10 mph above the speed limit anywhere else. In New York, the DMV may suspend drivers’ licenses if a motorist accrues 11 points in an 18-month period. According to Theresa Egan, the executive deputy commissioner of the state DMV, the new
rule aims to protect motorists rather than punish them. “It’s very difficult to change behavior, [but] saving lives is certainly [our] main priority,” she said. The change in the DMV regulations comes just two years after the deadly Metro-North Harlem Line train crash in Valhalla in which six individuals were killed as a result of a train’s collision with an SUV. The crash was the deadliest in Metro-North history; it was also the deadliest crash in the country since the Washington Metro
train collision in 2009, in which eight passengers were killed. “In my mind, the rule change comes directly from the unfortunate tragedy [in Valhalla],” Buchwald said. Initially, changes to increase the points for railroad crossing violations were rejected by the DMV, according to Buchwald, who introduced legislation in 2015 for a law change related to traffic infractions near railroad crossings; that proposal was made before the DMV changed the rule. -Reporting by Franco Fino
4 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 3, 2017
What’s going on... Mamaroneck Public Library
dren’s Room. Free homework help for children in grades K–5 when school is in session. This program follows the Mamaroneck school district schedule.
AARP income tax assistance
Visit mamaronecklibrary.org for more information on library hours and programs.
All ages story and craft hour
On Fridays through April 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Room. AARP tax aide volunteers will offer free tax preparation and assistance at the Mamaroneck Public Library. Assistance is available on a drop-in basis for seniors and low- and moderate-income taxpayers.
Free SAT practice test
Annual Larchmont Spelling Bee Registration is open now through Thursday, March 23. The fifth annual Larchmont Spelling Bee has become a community tradition and is one you don’t want to miss. Team registration is now open and is available online at friendsoflarchmontlibrary.org/spellingbee. Entry forms are also available at the front desk of the Larchmont library. The spelling bee will be held on Sunday, April 2 at 4 p.m. in the Social Hall at Larchmont Temple, located at 75 Larchmont Ave. in Larchmont.
Great Courses DVD lecture series
On Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Community Room. For students in grades 7–12. This is your chance to register for an academic practice SAT exam. Upon registration, Adam Ratner, Brienza’s Academic Advantage advisor, will schedule a score report review at a time convenient for you. During the session, he will breakdown your score to understand areas of strength and weakness and develop a custom preparation plan. Registration begins Monday, Feb. 20 at 9:30 a.m. To register, please email mamkteens2017@ gmail.com and include your name, parent/guardian name, telephone number, email address, school name and grade in school. Questions? Please call the Teen Library at 630-5875.
On Thursday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Village Center. No registration required. “Turning Points in American History” is your chance to relive the most powerful and groundbreaking moments in the fascinating story of the United States of America. These DVD lectures present a captivating and comprehensive tour of those particular moments in the story of America, after which the nation would never be the same again. After each DVD lecture, there will be a brief discussion period. On March 9, the topics will be “1777: Game Changer—The Battle of Saratoga” and “1786: Toward a Constitution—Shay’s rebellion.”
Teacher in the Library
Larchmont Public Library
Reader’s Theater: How the Drum Came to the People
On Mondays from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Chil-
Visit larchmontlibrary.org for more information on library hours and programs.
On Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon in the Children’s Room. No registration required. There will be stories to appeal to all ages of kids and their caregivers, and a craft simple enough for the little kids and creative enough for the big kids.
Get Connected! On Sunday, March 5 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Technology Lab. Are you feeling a little intimidated or confused about technology? Need help setting up your cellphone, online accounts, laptop, iPad or other devices? Why not schedule a free session with our teen tech volunteers and get the assistance you need? Please contact the Reference Desk to register at 630-5888.
On Saturday, March 11 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. For ages 6 to 9. Online registration required. Join Paula Romero and listen to the Native American tale of how the drum came to be. Find out how Sun, Coyote, Wind and Fire help a young hunter bring forth the music that lives in the hearts of his people. Participants will have fun picking their favorite part of the story, creating dialogue for the characters, and then acting out our dialogues for each other.
St. Thomas Episcopal Church Down to Earth Winter Farmers Market On Saturdays through April 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check out local vendors offering food of the season and other goodies. St. Thomas Episcopal Church is located at 168 W. Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck. For more information, visit downtoearthmarkets.com.
At Home on the Sound
Volunteers needed At Home on the Sound is seeking additional year-round 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.
Emelin Theatre Tony Trischka Territory On Friday, March 10 at 8 p.m. With featured performer Michael Daves. Perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world, Tony Trischka’s stylings have inspired a whole generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians with the many voices he has brought to the instrument. An International Bluegrass Music Association multiaward-winner, Grammy nominee and United States Artists Friends Fellow (in recognition of the excellence of his work), Trischka will perform from his critically acclaimed release, “Territory.” For this performance, Trischka will be joined by Daves, who has been heralded as “a leading light of the New York bluegrass scene” by The New York Times. Experience all the banjo is capable of in the hands of a true virtuoso and his band of extraordinary musicians. For more information and tickets, visit emelin.org.
Furniture Sharehouse MHS annual furniture drive On Saturday, March 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mamaroneck High School students will sponsor their annual furniture drive to benefit Furniture Sharehouse, Westchester’s furniture bank. They collect items, which Furniture Sharehouse redistributes free of charge to families in need. The drive takes place in the parking lot of Mamaroneck High School, at 1000 W. Boston Post Road, rain or shine. Only basic home furniture in good condition will be accepted, so before you load up your car, please visit furnituresharehouse.org to make sure your furniture meets the donation guidelines. Furniture Sharehouse helps you “recycle with a difference!” For more information, or donation questions, please contact Leslie Garwood at lgarwood10@gmail.com or 315-1982.
Westchester County news County golf courses scheduled to open The six Westchester County-owned golf courses are scheduled to open for the season on Wednesday, March 15, weather and conditions permitting. Tee time reservations may be made online at golf.westchestergov.com. Reservations may also be made by calling the individual courses. Walk-up reservations will also be accepted at the courses. The courses are: Mohansic in Yorktown Heights; Maple Moor in White Plains; Saxon Woods in Scarsdale; Hudson Hills in Ossining; and Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake, both in Yonkers. Any available E-Z Reserve spots will be sold at the courses. E-Z Reserve enables golfers with a Westchester County Park Pass to block out a regular Saturday or Sunday tee time for a period of 25 weeks. More information about Westchester County golf courses is available at golf.westchestergov.com. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
March 3, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 5
F.E. Bellows students study marine life Third- through fifth-grade students at F.E. Bellows Elementary School took on the roles of scientists as they examined marine wildlife and performed a variety of experiments during a visit from Marine Education Center naturalist Kyle Troy on Feb. 14. Troy brought in living creatures from the Long Island Sound to educate the students about the different habitat, and introduce them to basic environmental science concepts. “The students learned about the hardiness of sea stars, horseshoe crabs, spider crabs, sea urchins, whelks and hermit crabs,” fifth-grade math and science teacher Nicole Pelosi said. “They talked about the impact from factories and industries upstream and how it affects the fish population.” The naturalist’s visit coincided with the students’ study of water and the environmental impacts from humans. They’ve been examining the concepts during their Earth Action Team co-curricular enrichment program, which is part of the dis-
F.E. Bellows Elementary School students took on the roles of scientists as they examined marine wildlife last month. Photos courtesy Rye Neck school district
trict’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model and F.E. Bellows’ Seekers and Solvers STEAM, science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, workshops. Throughout the Earth Action Team program, the students engaged in a variety of hands-on activities. They collected and tested rainwater and
samples from the school’s water fountains and sinks. They also performed experiments to demonstrate how surface tension affects the water’s ability to “stick” to itself and surfaces. In addition, they made models of boats and proposed ways to make them more environmentally friendly. (Submitted)
6 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 3, 2017
Mamaroneck THE
REVIEW
170 Hamilton Ave., Suite 203 White Plains, N.Y. 1060 Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000
Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com Reporter | James Pero ext. 20, james@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lynne Starr ext. 29, lynne@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers Corey Stockton, Franco Fino Staff Photographers Andrew Dapolite, Aaron Kershaw, Charlie McLaughlin Columnist Lenore Skenazy Letters
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.
County adds provisions to proposed
immigration law By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The Westchester County Legislature’s Democratic Caucus has added new provisions to its recently proposed Immigration Protection Act, which sets forth a policy on immigration enforcement, in an effort to strengthen the language in the bill. On Feb. 8, Democrats first introduced the proposed legislation, which aims to prevent Westchester County from aiding the federal government in investigations made on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity and national origin. The legislation was submitted to codify existing policies while also drawing from model ordinances put in place by the New York state attorney general’s office to alleviate concerns about the treatment of immigrants living in county. The Democratic Caucus’ proposal comes in wake of President Donald Trump’s recent initiative to deport undocumented immigrants nationwide.
“The intent of this act is to alleviate fear and create protections for our county’s immigrant population without violating federal law,” said county Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat. “All too often members of our community, documented and undocumented, are fearful of calling the police or utilizing county services.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, agents have arrested 41 people in the New York metropolitan area in February, according to the federal department. With a growing fear of many more immigration raids to come, on Feb. 24, county Democrats added four new conditions to the proposal, including language that prohibits county officers and officials from honoring requests made by ICE and Customs and Border Protection, CBP, that do not give rise to probable cause, and protects Westchester from liability due to false arrests and imprisonments. Additionally, county Democrats specified that municipal
services should be made available to all who are eligible notwithstanding their immigration status, and that confidential information shared amongst county departments should remain safeguarded. According to Joe Sgammato, the press secretary representing the county Democratic Caucus, the new provisions are intended to fortify parts of an existing executive order previously made by former County Executive Andy Spano, a Democrat, in 2006, which relates to confidential information and immigration status. Sgammato added that with uncertainty about the opinion of current County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, the Democratic Caucus has proposed new provisions to the Immigration Protection Act to prepare for any potential plan in the future to repeal Spano’s executive order. In Westchester County, the current county executive can repeal any executive order made by someone who previously held the position.
Westchester County Democrats have added more to their recently proposed Immigration Protection Act, which has garnered support from several state and county officials, including county Legislator Ken Jenkins, left, who plans to run for county executive this year.
But, according to Ned McCormack, the communications director for the county executive’s office, Astorino has no intention of rescinding Spano’s order. “When County Executive Astorino came into office, he went through and rescinded a number of executive orders, but not this one because he thought it had merit,” McCormack told the Review. McCormack declined to comment on the proposed legislation however, which he confirmed the county administration has not even read to this point. “We want to make sure the county and all its citizens are taken care of, but we first want to wait and see when the [bill] is final,” he said. The bill, which was referred to the committees on Budget and Appropriations, Legislation, and
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On Feb. 20, residents and elected officials gathered in downtown White Plains to protest President Donald Trump’s recent federal initiative to deport undocumented immigrants. Photos/Franco Fino
Public Safety and Social Services on Feb. 13, is sponsored by eight Democrats on the Westchester County Board of Legislators. If passed in committee, the bill would then require the vote of nine members of the full 17-member Legislature for it to be approved. County Legislator David Gelfarb, a Rye Brook Republican, said he could not support the legislation without hearing from the Westchester County Department of Public Safety first. “I think we should do everything we can to promote legal immigration and protect hardworking immigrants that contribute to our county,” he said. “However, we need to hear from [the Department of Public Safety] on how it might impact them.” On Feb. 27, a number of Democratic elected officials held a rally in support of the proposed law in White Plains, including state Sen. George Latimer, of Rye; state Assemblyman David Buchwald, of White Plains; county Majority Leader Catherine Borgia, of Ossining; and county Legislator Ken Jenkins, of Yonkers, who recently announced his bid for county executive this year. “In the days since the Immigrant Protection Act was written and introduced, we have seen a huge swell in grassroots support,” Borgia said. “At a time in our nation when divisions run deep, it is encouraging to see so many of my neighbors ban together to say we must pass this bill to help our immigrant brothers and sisters.” George Longworth, the commissioner of the county Public Safety Department, could not be reached for comment, as of press time. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
March 3, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 7
New operator to take over Seaside Johnnies
IAC to recommend 2 overlay zones By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
The Rye Town Park Commission has selected Homestyle Caterers Inc. as the vendor to manage the restaurant and snack and concessions stands at the park this year. File photo
By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The Rye Town Park Commission has selected a company to manage its restaurant and snack and concession stands at the park this year, following a twomonth vetting process that began at the end of last year. On Feb. 16, Homestyle Caterers Inc. was named as the next vendor to succeed Starfish Grill Inc., which owned and operated Seaside Johnnies, the park’s former beachfront restaurant that shut down at the end of 2016 after a 17-year relationship. The company, which is expected to begin operations in May, was selected among a pool of at least 11 candidates that submitted offers to operate either one, some or all of the food facilities at the park. Homestyle Caterers has offered to pay $92,000 in rent to operate a steak, seafood and grill outlet in the vacated restaurant space and a Nathan’s Famous fast food chain in the concession
space for 2017. The catering company, which has two Nathan’s franchises located at the Westchester County Center in White Plains and at the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Park in Yorktown Heights, is proposing a one-year contract with $58,000 in capital improvements to the food spaces. “We’re really excited that we’re going to have someone in there this season that will help the park financially, and much more importantly, will provide food and drink for parkgoers,” said Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican and member of the park commission. “This is a really positive thing for the park, and we’re happy to get started with a licensee that seems to work really well with us.” Homestyle Caterers, which has been in business for more than 25 years, started out running its first restaurant, Morley’s Steak and Seafood, located at 123 Lake Ave. in the city of Yonkers. After expanding to several
other locations, the company now manages food services in a number of golf courses, including the Dunwoodie Golf Course in Yonkers, the Putnam National Golf Course in Mahopac, and the Blue Hill Golf Course in Pearl River. Homestyle Caterers also manages the food services at Sacred Heart School in Yonkers and the Lincoln Tech School in Whitestone in New York City. Additionally, the company has locations in Lee Farms in Danbury, Connecticut, and Fort Skylar in New York City. According to Al Ciuffetelli, the president of Homestyle Caterers, the company employs more than 80 people and has a net worth of $5 million annually. Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, a Democrat and president of the park commission, said that the park commission is expecting to finalize the contract negotiations before the next meeting, which has not been scheduled as of press time. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
Fox DWI, manslaughter case adjourned again Emma Fox, who has been charged for the death of one of Manhattanville College’s students, is due to reappear in White Plains City Court on March 16 after her Feb. 23 court date was adjourned. Fox has been charged with an aggravated DWI and first-degree manslaughter for striking and killing Robby Schartner on Oct. 9. Schartner was walking along Westchester Avenue in White
Plains at the time of the incident. The case, which has been adjourned six times since the incident, was postponed once again for “further proceedings,” according to the White Plains Court Clerk’s office. In October, police reported that Fox, 24, had been intoxicated when she struck and killed Schartner, 21, of Fishkill, who was returning to Manhattanville from a
night out on Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains. According to White Plains police, Fox was travelling eastbound on Westchester Avenue at around 5 a.m. when she struck the Manhattanville student with her car, a 2012 Nissan Sentra. Stephen Lewis, an attorney representing Fox, did not respond to a request for comment. -Reporting by Franco Fino
A re-envisioned village of Mamaroneck industrial area will take another step toward fruition after the Industrial Area Committee unveiled its initial recommendations on the historic manufacturing districts crucial rezoning. According to a report issued to the village Board of Trustees in January, the committee— which has since rebranded the area as the “Maker Zone”—is suggesting two overlays zones; one retail and one mixed-use that would allow a swath of new businesses to open up shop. Among the new frontiers, the committee hopes, could be boutique hotels, theaters, indoor recreation facilities, and microalcohol establishments. One important feature of the overlay zones, said Trustee Keith Waitt, a Democrat, and also a member of the village Industrial Area Committee, would be the retention of current allowed uses in the area; a stipulation that would allow existing businesses to continue operating
in compliance with village zoning code. “The overlay allows much more business flexibility,” Waitt said. “Rezoning does not.” Currently, various warehouses—like the Mamaroneck mainstay, Chatsworth Antiques—and business spaces for plumbing, electrical and auto trades, are situated in the heart of the district. In addition to opening up the allowed uses of current zoning laws using overlays, the committee has also recommended amendments to the code regarding height restrictions that would allow for buildings to extend 5 additional feet over what is currently permitted. From here, the committee hopes to have its recommendations vetted by several of the village’s land use boards in a “summit meeting” format, that would see members of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board and Harbor & Coastal Zone Management Commission coalesce to provide input. Parallel to those analyses, the industrial committee recommends a parking study to help
assess further needs in the area. The committee’s zoning recommendations are the product of two years’ worth of study from the committee, a group that was originally tasked with developing a plan—in tandem with hired consultants—on how to steer the area’s undeveloped industrial area toward a new future beginning in 2015. Waitt who has worked on the area’s revamp since the committee’s inception, called the project “one of the most exciting initiatives the village has.” Plans to redevelop the area have garnered bipartisan support from the Board of Trustees, which will wield authority over many of the projects’ final approvals. Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, who has seen the project develop from its infancy, said the plans represent a new economic future. “[We’re looking] to increase the tax base and have more businesses, and reasons to have the village become a destination,” Rosenblum said. “It’s very exciting for the village.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
8 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 3, 2017
Lawmakers push to ban sale of synthetic weed By JAMES PERO Staff Writer With a new piece of legislation, Westchester lawmakers will look to piggyback on a recently passed New York City law blockading the spread of a synthetic marijuana known commonly as “spice.” The county legislation, introduced jointly by Republican legislators David Tubiolo and John Testa, would enact a countywide ban on the sale of the synthetic drugs—which are currently sold legally over-thecounter under state law—by amending portions of the county’s consumer protection code. “We’re doing what we can to make our county as safe as possible,” said Tubiolo, of Yonkers. “These are deadly toxins.” In New York state, both the sale and consumption of the drug have been under increasing scrutiny over the past year, spurred in part by 33 Brooklyn residents who overdosed
this past summer on a popular brand of the product sold under the moniker “K2.” The side effects experienced by users of that strain of the drug included extreme disorientation, loss of motor control, and erratic behavior that required police intervention. According to Testa, of Peekskill, at times, the reach of drugs like K2 has hit close to home. Earlier this year, Testa ex-
plained, White Plains first responders were called to intervene after multiple individuals began exhibiting what he described as “strange behavior.” Later, Testa said, it was determined that they had ingested synthetic marijuana which had been sold to them only a block away from the county government’s White Plains headquarters. “It was a wake-up call for us to pay attention to this and combat it in Westchester,” Testa said. This past summer, the drug also swept multiple Yonkers residents which resulted in police intervention according to Yonkers Police Sgt. Dean Politopolous. While regulators on both a state and federal level have made attempts to quell the spread of synthetic marijuana —most notably through a 2012 congressional act that listed many of the compounds found in those drugs as Schedule I substances, the most serious
class—the fight has often been a battle from behind. According to Tubiolo, while state and local governments have banned many of the compounds found in the commercially sold drugs, manufacturers have skirted embargos by altering their recipes by just a few molecules. “We were aware that people had been changing the chemicals,” Tubiolo said. “We’re trying to be pre-emptive.” The county law currently before the Westchester Board of Legislators hopes to combat what lawmakers have described as a “cat-and-mouse game” of altering chemical cocktails by providing a broader definition of the banned substances that might catch more products in its net. Now, Tubiolo said, lawmakers will move forward in hashing out details of just how the ban will be enforced, whether through the county Department of Health, consumer safety, law enforcement or all three. Testa said a law could potentially be introduced as soon as this summer, but not beWestchester lawmakers will work to block the sale of legally sold synthetic marijuana that have swept the state for the past several years. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.org
fore legislators receive additional input from relevant agencies as well as the public. “Hopefully it’s [introduced] sooner, rather than later,” Tubiolo said. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Mamaroneck Union Free School District’s
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Muffin is a charming, pastel dilute calico mix, about 7 months old and kittenish as can be. Grayish with a wonderful contrasting ginger face, she is very playful and gets along well with her foster’s other cats and kids. She will be wonderful as a family cat. Muffin is spayed, up-todate with all vaccinations and microchipped. The donation for Muffin is $100. To meet this lovely girl, please contact Pet Rescue at 835-3332 or 835-4133, or visit NY-PetRescue.org. (Submitted)
March 3, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 9
United Hospital rezoning vote nears
As a $300 million development proposal at the village of Port Chester’s United Hospital site lurches forward, the city of Rye will look to negotiate larger sums of money to go toward traffic mitigation from Starwood Capital, the developers. File photo
By JAMES PERO Staff Writer In the wake of multiple public hearings and a completed environmental impact statement, the village of Port Chester’s multimillion dollar United Hospital redevelopment project will move toward a key vote from the village Board of Trustees. Last month, the mixed-use development proposal from Starwood Capital—which plans to repurpose the former United Hospital site to accommodate 307,000 square feet of office and retail space in addition to 730 residential units—underwent its last public hearing in advance of an upcoming vote to accept necessary zoning changes from Port Chester’s village board. According to Rye City Manager Marcus Serrano, the city of Rye, which has sought to help minimize the impact of the $300 million project on abutting Rye neighborhoods—the two communities border each other— will await a “finding statement.”
That statement, Serrano explained, will be the blueprint for how details of the potential development would come together, including specifics on traffic studies, hours of operation, when truck deliveries to the development’s various storefronts will be made, and more. According to Rye City Councilman Terry McCartney, a Republican, the city is currently in negotiations with Starwood over financing that the city is requesting to be put toward traffic mitigation efforts. McCartney said Starwood has set aside $107,000 toward the mitigation plans, but given the complexity of the mitigation efforts needed—updating several stop lights and several traffic mitigation projects in Rye neighborhoods—the overall cost could exceed $1 million. “[Starwood] has been somewhat cooperative,” McCartney said. “We just want to make sure we’re covered.” The Port Chester Board of Trustees now must mull a deci-
sion on whether or not to alter zoning laws in the site’s district to allow the project to proceed. Among the major changes to the zoning code, according to Eric Zamft, village of Port Chester director of planning and economic development, would be an increased floor-area-ratio, altered height regulations, and some alterations to allow certain design aspects of the project. Zamft said the board will likely vote on whether to accept the project’s finding statement this month, and after that, a decision on whether to allow the zoning changes. Discussions over redevelopment of the site—which would be the biggest development in Port Chester history—have dragged on for a decade since Starwood, a Greenwich-based investment firm, purchased the site for $28 million in 2006, just a year after the hospital closed its doors following bankruptcy filings. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
MURPHY from page 1
As of press time, neither Rosenblum nor Santoro have announced whether they will seek re-election. In the meantime, the village Democratic Party will work to shore up its best candidate for the upcoming off-year November election. “Tom would be a great candidate and a great mayor,” said Nora Lucas, chairman of the village’s Democratic Party. “[Santoro and Rosenblum] have been trustees for four full terms now. We’re a small community and it’s time for a change.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
Town of Mamaroneck Councilman Tom Murphy, a Democrat, will contemplate mounting a return to the village board after being approached by village Democrats about running for mayor in November. File photo
MAJORITY from page 1
village,” he said. “The premise is to engage in the process and not precipitate things.” And though the initiatives may be new, the underlying issues they aim to address are anything but; much like the board’s Democratic majority, which, despite new players, has existed since 2009. According to Tafur, recent progress may be less about any partisan makeup of the trustees, and more about how they interact with one another. “By recognizing some of the things that were not working [on the board] and having ideas being floated more openly, we’re having a more open debate on the merits of issues,” he said. Aiding Democrats in their quest to retool aspects of the village’s administration, according to Trustee Leon Potok, a Democrat, has been a reinvigorated sense of bipartisanship between members of the village board, which he said has forged a more regular consensus. “I think the environment on the board has improved substantially,” Potok said. “I think it allows us to make progress when issues aren’t contentious.” Potok, who has served on the village board since 2009, has seen the municipal governing body’s starkest division, spending the entirety of his tenure as a part of the partisan majority; from near-shouting matches hashed out in public meetings, to actual litigation launched by Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, following the introduction—and eventual passage—of a public referendum orchestrated by Democrats aimed at altering his powers of appointment. At times, the dysfunction of the Board of Trustees has even caught the eyes of members of neighboring governing bodies. In a previous interview, town of Mamaroneck councilman, Tom Murphy, a Democrat and former village board member who will mull a village mayoral bid in the upcoming November election, gave the Review his analysis. “The level of vitriol was never as great as what I’ve seen at recent village of Mamaroneck board meetings,” he said in November 2016. Likewise, Rosenblum, who has long been an adversary of board Democrats, has often
Four months into a new Democratic Board of Trustees majority, a slew of initiatives aimed at retooling the village’s departments and processes are beginning to take shape. File photos
found himself siding with his new Democratic colleagues. The mayor said that sentiments on the board have been more agreeable. “The current board gets along a lot better than the previous board,” the mayor said. “There’s more respect for each other, regardless of whether we agree or not.” According to Waitt, fostering better relations on the board is something the new trustees had set their sights on even before being elected. “We purposely wanted to go in without being antagonistic or confrontational,” he said. “We were pragmatic about saying we all have to get along over a period of time and you have to understand the give and take of the issues.” Waitt also cited the Democrats’ pointed agenda as a major facilitator. “We decided, as a Democratic majority, to address [issues],” he said. “We have a plan on what needs to be addressed. That may be the difference from previous years.” The result—coupled with a backlog of nagging issues—has been a renaissance in progressive village policy. For instance, an ongoing discussion over the Westchester Sandbox Theatre on East Boston Post Road, which was cited with myriad building citations— including violations to the New York state fire code—and found to be operating outside the bounds of the zoning district’s allowable uses in December, has given way to an assessment of Building Department protocol. That scrutiny has only been overshadowed by a more holistic analysis of the zoning code that seeks to clarify large swaths of its zoning text using hired
consultants. Tafur described many of the changes currently underway as “organic,” but also acknowledged that most have stemmed from a push by the new board majority to recalibrate the village’s departmental apparatus which he admitted has displayed “serious issues.” Though Sandbox has been the most recent catalyst for a shift in Building Department protocol, the spotlight on the department has lingered, stoked previously by a clash over Ralph’s Italian Ices & Ice Cream—a business now mired in controversy after being misclassified by the building inspector as a retail establishment last summer. To address those intrinsic problems, Tafur said reforms can’t be myopic. “Getting to the bottom of having a better functioning village is not just one force, but a combination of the tides,” he said. “It’s a larger momentum.” Though much of the groundwork for the initiatives has been catalyzed by Democrats—who campaigned last year on a promise of greater transparency and government efficacy—consensus with their Republican colleagues has followed suit. “Most of the decisions by this board—with the exceptions which I can count on one hand— have been done with consensus,” Tafur said. That level of cooperation, Tafur explained, didn’t happen spontaneously, but rather is the result of concerted effort on both sides. “It’s not that everyone magically became different,” he said. “But with a little more civility… there seems to be a clear room for five different views.” CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
10 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 3, 2017
‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired’ By CLIFFORD JACKSON 2017 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fannie Lou Hamer, and March 2017 is the 40th anniversary of her death. Hamer was the epitome of the struggle of the human rights movement in this country, as well as setting an incontrovertible standard of womanhood for women across the world to emulate, especially black women. She was born poor, living a typical plantationstyle form of 20th century slavery for African-Americans in the South with brutal working conditions as sharecroppers and little pay in Mississippi. Being raised during the heart of the “Jim Crow” era did not stop Miss Hamer from having a sense of what was right and wrong and that she was a human being, even though there was an assault and criminalization of her humanity daily by white society. Hamer picked 200 to 300 pounds of cotton daily, and because of poverty had to leave school at the age of 13, in the same way relatives of mine on my mother and father’s sides had to during that time because of the brutal racist hierarchy of America. Her political activism began in the 1950s attending civil rights and self-help conferences that would include Mahalia Jackson, Thurgood Marshall and Charles Diggs. The evil response of white Mississippi against Hamer’s activism manifested itself many times, but in 1961 it was as inhumane as a woman could imagine. Fannie Lou Hamer was in the hospital because of a tumor, the racist barbarians in retaliation, instead of removing the tumor, administered a hysterectomy. This was common practice by Southern states as evil, bar-
baric and uncivilized, as this was toward black women in order to keep the black population down. In 1962, Miss Hamer began working with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Dr. King and James Bevel in order for black Mississippians to have the right to vote. Blacks, even though the 15th Amendment 100 years earlier were constitutionally given the right to vote, had been denied through beatings, loss of jobs, mutilation and lynching. Hamer’s courage in the face of this white, racist, institutionalized terrorism is beyond words. Three days before the assassination of Medgar Evers, Hamer, because of her efforts to get blacks across the state to register to vote, was arrested with her supporters in Winona, Mississippi. There she was savagely beaten by two white Mississippi police officers who used a “blackjack” for several hours to the point that the more she screamed, the more they administered the beating. She was nearly beaten to death and it took more than a month for her to recover. Hamer was also a part of the voter registration effort in Mississippi during the period of Freedom Summer where she worked with James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, as well as Pelham, New York, native Michael Schwerner. All three of these men, as well as Sammy Younge Jr., another activist that Miss Hamer mentored during this time, would be slaughtered by the brutally racist, evil forces of this country just because they were trying to have AfricanAmericans exercise their constitutional right to vote. In 1964, Hamer was a member of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party that challenged the all-
white Mississippi delegation that would be seated in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Democratic convention. She would not accept that the Freedom Democratic Party would not be seated as delegates. There were negotiations that went on between Dr. King, Hubert Humphrey, Miss Hamer and President Lyndon Johnson. Johnson was quite irritated by the efforts of Hamer and the Freedom Democratic Party, calling her “that illiterate woman.” Hamer rejected the compromise that said that the Freedom Democrats could be seated with no “voting rights.” “Is this America?” she asked. “The land of the free and the home of the brave where we have to sleep with our telephones off of the hook because our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings in America?” The delegation was eventually seated in the 1968 convention, mainly because of Fannie Lou Hamer’s efforts. Hamer died of breast cancer in 1977. She was a beautiful woman on the outside, as well as the inside, who was not like the “Barbie doll images” that are manufactured throughout the media today whether the people are white or people of color, male or female. Miss Hamer retained her dignity and Afro-centric appearance through all of the adversity and hate and violence that she personally endured. She is a hero that belongs on Mt. Rushmore for everyone in society to see. On her grave site, it reads, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Clifford Jackson is a resident of Larchmont. The views expressed are his own.
From Larchmont to ‘La La Land’ Fred Berger, Oscar-nominated producer of the musical film “La La Land,” will be speaking at The Center for Continuing Education’s Notable Neighbors program on Wednesday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at his alma mater, Mamaroneck High School. “La La Land” won a historic seven Golden Globes and was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It has been a busy awards season for Berger, with “La La Land” also taking prizes at the Producer’s Guild, Director’s Guild and Screen Actors Guild. Berger graduated from Mamaroneck High School in 1999, and will be discussing his film career
with his former MHS film teacher, Dr. Michael DiGennaro, who teaches independent film at The Center for Continuing Education. “I didn’t realize at the time how formative my high school years were, and how vital they would be in defining my life and career,” Berger said. “I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up in a community that elevates the arts, and thrilled to have the chance to thank ‘Dr. DiG’ for infecting me with a love of film and storytelling.” Berger began his career with Sofia Coppola on her films “Lost in Translation” and “Marie Antoinette.” Currently, he has thriller “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” in
release and is in production on “The Mountain Between Us,” starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba. His next film, “I Think We’re Alone Now,” brings Berger full circle as it begins shooting this spring in Westchester. “It will be great fun to hear Fred’s insider view of the awards season and the film business,” said Blythe Hamer, The Center’s executive director. Tickets are $40. Proceeds raised will fund ongoing programming by The Center for Continuing Education, a nonprofit organization. For tickets as well as information on upcoming classes, visit LMCCE.org or call 698-9126. (Submitted)
Women in STEAM leadership panel On Wednesday, March 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Women in Innovation and The Rye Arts Center will celebrate International Women’s Day with their second annual panel discussion on Women in STEAM leadership. Women in Innovation is a community focused on elevating women who are pushing the boundaries of innovation in
Westchester and Fairfield counties. It brings together women who are accelerating the pace of change across industries including technology, digital media, advertising, marketing, IT, venture capital, entrepreneurship, engineering and science, biotech and pharmaceuticals. Its goal is to empower women in innovation by hosting events that feature top speakers and great
networking opportunities. It also strives to educate women with the latest innovation and technology trends so they can stay at the forefront of change in their fields. The panel discussion will be followed by networking. Daughters are welcome to attend. The fee is $5 per person to be paid online at ryeartscenter.org. The Rye Arts Center is located at 51 Milton Road in Rye. (Submitted)
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March 3, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 13
Danny and the dinosaur(s) RHYMES WITH CRAZY Lenore Skenazy
If anyone could lay claim to the excuse “I’m not fat—I’m big boned,” it’s the titanosaur on view at the American Museum of Natural History. This creature has a thigh bone 8 feet tall. Taller than Shaq! That’s not just a big bone; it’s the biggest bone in the biggest dinosaur ever discovered. And yet, the titanosaur began life in an egg the size of a “large grapefruit,” said Danny Barta, a Ph.D. candidate in the museum’s Richard Gilder Graduate School. Barta is studying dinosaur growth—how do you go from the size of a piece of fruit to something 120 feet long, especially when you’re a vegetarian? “They must have spent most of their day eating,” Barta said. It just goes to show that anyone hoping an all-kale diet will do the trick may end up sorely disappointed. (And extinct.) The titanosaur is so big, you see it burst into a grin, Holy moly! It doesn’t even fit in one of the museum’s cavernous rooms. Instead, its giant skull sticks out into the hallway, like a dog who can’t wait to go for a walk. And, for the record, what’s on display is not the actual skeleton. It’s a 3-D scanned cast of the bones, which is in some ways even more amazing: Something 100 million years old has been recreated by a technology that didn’t come into its own until the 2000s. But if you’re hankering for “real” relics, all you have to do is turn around. There, on display for the first time, are about 30
fossilized bones from the museum’s “Big Bone Room”—a room Barta compares to a library’s “oversize book section.” These bones include a leg bone the size of a 7-year-old North American Studentis (that is, a third-grader), and vertebrae that look like snow tires. They’re all part of a longnecked plant-eating diplodocus dug up by the museum’s dinosaur hunter Barnum Brown (yes, named for the circus meister himself), with Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1897. Ironically the men had gone to Wyoming seeking fossil evidence of ancient mammals, the bones of which do not make for amazing crowdpleasers. Instead, they found this giant beast, which launched the museum’s dinosaur collection. Barnum would go on to discover the first tyrannosaurus rex. Barta actually hails from Wyoming himself, and when he went on trips to the local museum, he fell in love with the dinosaurs. Now he spends his time studying the specimens at the museum and heading out to find more. He spent last summer in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, which sounds like a dream come true. “You wake up, you have breakfast—we’re in a tent—and then you walk around and look to see if there are any bones or eggshells sticking out of the ground. And probably every few minutes you’re seeing something. Oftentimes, it’s just some fragments, but sometimes it can be part of a skeleton,” he said. Sign me up! “We had really nice weather—it barely topped 100,” Barta added. “And we experienced one sandstorm.” Okay, maybe he doesn’t re-
ally need my help. Once someone discovers what looks like a decent set of bones, the team carefully covers these with the tools of the trade: tin foil, paper towels or toilet paper. “Fossil collecting has hardly changed at all since Barnum Brown’s day,” Barta said. With the bones protected, the team digs a trench around the skeleton and covers the whole thing with a plaster of Paris “jacket.” Then they dig it up, and ship it to the museum, where three “preparers” excavate the bones, using brushes, dental picks and a whole lot of patience. But what excites Barta is that the Gobi site has yielded dozens of specimens of one of the dinosaurs he is studying most intently, the “Haya griva” (named for the Hindu god Hayagriva). Adults of this species are about the size of a beagle, the littlest ones are the size of crows. What he has now are a series of skeletons, affording him a sort of time-lapse look at how they grow. “Each is a snapshot from a stage of life,” Barta explains. Imagine if the only skeleton left of humans 100 million years from now was that of a 5-year-old. Future earthlings would assume Homo sapiens generally grew to the height of a Great Dane. So how do you get a full picture of the life cycle of an animal that’s extinct? “Any living animal, we could watch,” Barta points out. But with dinosaurs, you need skeletons of all different ages. That’s what he has in front of him now. And if he or anyone else ever needs a different dino to study, the museum has tons more—literally. CONTACT: lskenazy@yahoo.com
It’s a mouthwatering March in Westchester There are plenty of tasty opportunities for visitors in Westchester County this March. “With more than 100 Westchester restaurants participating, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week offers diners every cuisine imaginable,” said County Executive Rob Astorino. “The county is also thrilled to be participating in New York’s Maple Festival this spring. Bring the whole family for a pancake breakfast and discover how maple syrup is made right here in Westchester.” Fit for Foodies The most popular foodie event is back. Spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, HVRW, takes place from Monday, March 6 through Sunday, March 19. More than 100 Westchester County restaurants will be participating in HVRW from classic favorites to brand new spots. Participating restaurants offer a threecourse, prix fixe dinner menu for $32.95 per person (plus tax, beverage and gratuity) and may offer a three-course lunch menu for $22.95 per person (plus tax, beverage and gratuity). For more information on Spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, visit valleytable.com/hvrw.
A Sweet Spring Celebrate New York’s Maple Festival on Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19 and, and Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26. Visit White Oak Farm, the only commercial producer in Westchester County and the closest sugar house to New York City offering visitors tours of the beautiful sugar house and the opportunity to learn how maple syrup is made. No registration necessary for tours. Complete your sweet experience by enjoying a delicious pancake breakfast at Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center, which is just up the road from White Oak Farm. Advanced registration is required for the pancake breakfast. Visit brownpapertickets.com/profile/128237 to purchase pancake tickets. Stay and Play At The Ritz-Carlton New York in White Plains, luxury hotel packages allow visitors to experience everything that makes the hotel unique. The Ritz Carlton has several special offers this spring, including the Reconnect Package and the Discover With You Package. Visit ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/ new-york/westchester/offers for
more information. The Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown is offering many opportunities for rest and relaxation. Visit its spa or enjoy delicious dining at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Find out more information at marriott.com/ hotels/hotel-deals/nycwe-westchester-marriott. For the latest events and happenings in Westchester, log onto visitwestchesterny.com, like on Facebook at facebook.com/westchestercountytourism, follow on Twitter @westchestertour or call 1-800-833-9282. View the new travel guide by visiting instagram.com/visitwestchesterny. To view the Westchester County Destination Guide, please visit bit.ly/2cCFErf. Tourism & Film is Westchester County’s official destination marketing organization. Its mission is to generate economic benefits by enhancing the image and promoting Westchester County as a premier business and leisure destination in the Hudson Valley region. The Tourism & Film office in Westchester County is a division within Astorino’s Office of Economic Development. (Submitted)
SPORTS
14 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 3, 2017
A shot at greatness LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
The last time I took in a showdown between New Rochelle and Mount Vernon at the Westchester County Center, the result was undoubtedly the best game that I’ve had the privilege of covering during my tenure at the Review. In the 2013 Class AA finals, a game in which the Knights were heavily favored over the Huguenots, the finish—New Rochelle standout Khalil Edney’s half-court, game-winning, buzzer-beating heave— remained atop ESPN highlights for weeks. The aftermath of what became known as “The Shot,” however—the fans storming the court, the conference by the officials and the wild Huguenot celebration— may have been more memorable than the play itself. Between the confusion and the
euphoria in the building, it reminded me a lot of the Best Picture announcement at the Academy Awards last Sunday. It would have been a wild scene no matter where it took place; Mount Vernon High School, New Rochelle’s O’Brien Gymnasium, or a blacktop court at a random playground. But the fact that it took place at the County Center just made it feel more important, and now there’s a chance for a repeat performance when the two teams square off in the Class AA quarterfinals on Friday night. Every year, athletes, sports writers and basketball fans alike look forward to Championship Week. From Monday to Sunday, there’s a full slate of games at Westchester’s most famous arena featuring the best teams from all around Section I going at it for the ultimate prize in local basketball. It’s not that the games seem to matter more at this time of year; it’s that they actually
do. Every team comes into this week just two wins away from hoisting the gold ball, and you can invariably see that in the pace of the games. Each possession, each shot, each defensive stop is its own mini drama in a four-quarter game that is already chock full of narrative arcs. It’s impossible to not get caught up in all the hoopla, regardless of if you have a dog in the fight or not. Now, I have no way of knowing if this year’s teams are going to reach the promised land. The Review has three teams still alive as of press time, and the Tuckahoe boys, the top seed in Class C, will kick things off on Wednesday afternoon, after press time. But regardless of how it turns out for Tuckahoe, New Rochelle or Eastchester’s girls, one thing is for certain; each of these ballclubs has a unique opportunity ahead of them. It’s unlikely that any of these teams will, like those 2013
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New Rochelle senior Jarett Haines grins after the Huguenots’ Class AA quarterfinal win against Fox Lane on Feb. 24. With the win, the Huguenots earned the right to play at the Westchester County Center this week. Photo/Mike Smith
Huguenots, find themselves as the darlings of the national sports media, but you don’t need
a “shot” to make this a worthwhile experience. All you need is a chance.
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SPORTS
March 3, 2017 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • 15
Tigers repeat at Brewster ICE HOCKEY
division I
CHAMPIONSHIP
MAMARONECK 4 SUFFERN 0 BREWSTER ICE ARENA
2/26/17
Game Notes: • Mamaroneck took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission • James Torre led the Tigers with two goals; Michael Carducci had two assists • The Tigers will take on Section IX champ Monroe-Woodbury on March 4
By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor If there has been a knock on Mamaroneck’s hockey team this year, it has been that despite the squad’s gaudy 21-1-1 record, the Tigers have had a penchant for starting games slowly. In the Section I championship game against Suffern on Feb. 26 at the Brewster Ice Arena, however, it
James Torre scores on a first-period slapshot against Suffern on Feb. 26. Torre had two goals in Mamaroneck’s 4-0 win over the Mounties.
didn’t take very long for Mamaroneck to assert its dominance, as the defending state champs took control from the opening faceoff, scoring three first-period goals en route to a 4-0 romp over the Mounties to claim their
Michael Carducci keeps the puck in the zone at the Brewster Ice Arena. Carducci had two assists on the day.
second-straight section title. Jack Dente drew first blood two minutes into the game, getting his stick on a shot by Patrick Lee to beat Suffern netminder Ryan Fueg. Seven minutes later, sophomore Harrison Schreiber gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead after a nifty backdoor pass from Michael Carducci, and senior captain James Torre also found the net off a Suffern miscue with 5:30 left in the period to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission. In three games against the rival Mounties this year, the Tigers have outscored Suffern by a whopping 13-2 margin. “We show up in big games,” Torre said. “When we played Suffern at their place [in a 6-2 win on Feb. 3] we did the same thing, we just came out strong.” Torre added another goal 10 minutes into the second period to give the Tigers’ a four-goal cushion; one that they wouldn’t relinquish. “They’re a good team and we knew we couldn’t take the lead for granted,” he said. “We didn’t want to let up; we wanted to come out and continue to play hard.” Mamaroneck goalie Tommy Spero kept a clean sheet, making 25 saves to post his 19th career shutout, which puts him tied for the lead all-time in New
Connor LeBlanc skates along the boards against Suffern. Photos/Mike Smith
Tommy Spero makes a glove save against the Mounties in the second period of the Section I championship game. Spero’s shutout win was the 19th of his career.
York state. Suffern’s frustrations mounted and finally came to a head in the third period when Mounties’ standout Evan Cama took a run at the Tiger goalie away from the puck, sending Spero sprawling on the ice, and earning an ejection in the
process. In those late minutes, Torre said, the Tigers had to keep their composure in order to ensure that any retaliation didn’t lead to suspensions for the team’s upcoming regional game against Monroe-Woodbury on March 4.
“It got chippy out there, but we knew we had another game coming up in a week,” Torre said. “So we didn’t want to get involved with that, even when it was getting physical.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
16 • THE MAMARONECK REVIEW • March 3, 2017