eastchester review 6-5-2015

June 5, 2015 | Vol. 3, Number 22 | www.eastchesterreview.com

Eastchester REVIEWTHE

under the state-mandated tax levy cap since it was first im-plemented in 2011.

Colavita said the town has been able to remain under the cap through privatization of areas such as the Lake Isle Golf Course maintenance and consolidation of positions. Most recently, the 2014 bud-get included the consolidation of the superintendent of parks, buildings and grounds, who accepted a retirement package, and the superintendent of rec-reations, which Colavita said saved the town $75,000 in sal-ary costs and another $40,000 in benefits.

“I have a proven record of accomplishment, particularly in cost-savings and consola-tion,” Colavita said. “I think I’ve done a good job of keep-ing taxes low while preserving the services the town has come to expect.”

The town scored highly on the Office of the New York State Comptroller’s fis-cal stress monitoring system, which reviews all financial information of municipalities to identify local governments and school districts that are in fiscal stress. The lower the score, the less likely there is fiscal stress. Eastchester had a score of 9.6 percent in 2013, the most recent number, which was among the lowest in the state.

Nicholson, 52, said she wants to encourage more volunteer-ism in the town as a cost-saving

opposed to Standard employ-ees—so they won’t lose their pensions. The agreement will also include Standard Amuse-ments’ promise to eliminate the temporary fields, included in a consulting report and in the management agreement with Standard, which had some Rye City residents and neighbors of the amusement park up in arms.

Temporary fields were an option that was included in the contract between Standard Amusements and Republican County Executive Rob As-torino when he chose the ven-dor to run Playland, which is the only county-owned park in the nation. But residents abut-

ting the Rye-based amusement park still had a bitter taste in their mouths from the propos-al of Astorino’s first choice, Sustainable Playland, Inc., to build a 95,000-square-foot field house in the main park-ing lot of the park.

Aware of the sensitivity of the park’s neighbors towards the fields, Nick Singer, who leads Standard Amusements, previously told the Review that the fields were pushed by Astorino and his administra-tion but they weren’t part of Standard’s vision. Singer re-peated his assertions during a subsequent parks subcommit-tee meeting of the Board of

Legislators, which has been vetting the management agree-ment with Standard.

The memorandum, which is still in draft form and will be finalized in the coming week, was drawn up by Standard Amusements’ legal team and originally intended to be be-tween the Board of Legislators and Standard. The Astorino administration was included after Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett and Astorino’s Chief of Staff George Oros at-tended the June 3 parks subcom-mittee meeting to discuss what capital projects the county

playland continued on page 8 GOp continued on page 9

Colavita tops full GOP ticket

Playland concerns addressed in committeeBy CHRIS EBERHaRT

Staff Writer

The nearly two-month re-view of the county executive’s Playland management agree-ment with Standard Amuse-ments by the Westchester County Board of Legislators has been chiseled down to a memorandum of understand-ing—a written agreement—that answers the major ques-tions raised during the review process.

Included in the written agree-ment will be the promise the county made about retaining the 29 full-time Playland work-ers as county employees—as

By CHRIS EBERHaRTStaff Writer

Eastchester Town Super-visor Anthony Colavita will headline the town’s Republi-can slate this November, which includes all incumbents.

Town Council members Joe Dooley, Glenn Bellitto and Theresa Nicholson, are all seeking re-election.

For Colavita, 53, this year’s election will be a run at his seventh, two-year term as town supervisor. In 2013, he defeated former Eastchester Police Officer Michael Den-ning, the first time Colavita was opposed for the supervi-sor’s seat since taking over the position in 2004. Councilmen Dooley and Bellitto are run-ning for their second, four-year terms and Councilwoman Nicholson will be running in a special election to fill out the remainder of the unexpired term of former Councilman Fred Salanitro, who vacated his seat for a judgeship fol-lowing Town Judge Domenic Porco’s resignation last Octo-ber. Salanitro’s council term doesn’t expire until the end of 2018.

For all four council mem-bers, taxes remain the top pri-ority along with the continued revitalization of Lake Isle as a profit-generating entity and beautification of the town, spe-cifically the town’s ball fields.

“I don’t think things have changed, taxes are the big is-sue,” Dooley, 57, said. “And I want to continue to do my share in keeping costs under control. That’s important to me. That’s why I got into this thing.”

Bellitto, 57, said keeping costs down is important for both keeping residents and attracting new residents to the town, and Eastchester has done just that in remaining

American eaglesEastchester Boy Scouts Troop 353 success continues with four more boys reaching Eagle, the highest honor in the scouts. For story, see page 6.

2 • THE EaSTCHESTER REvIEw • June 5, 2015

June 5, 2015 • THE EaSTCHESTER REvIEw • 3

Mixed-use building gets green light By JOHn BRandI

Staff Writer

A pre-existing building on Eastchester’s main thorough-fare is set to be remodeled, as the town’s Planning Board, at its May 28 meeting, gave its

final approval to the proposed site plan.

The 233 Main St., build-ing, which is significantly set back from the street, is cur-rently a two-story, landlocked space with an office and studio apartment on the ground level,

and another residential stu-dio above that. The applicant, John Iannacito Architect, has submitted plans to renovate the building into a mixed-use space and gut the first floor, to add just a hair salon while moving any apartment units

to the second story. This will include two, one bedroom dwellings.

The Planning Board ap-proved the proposal at its most recent meeting. The next step is for the applicant to obtain the appropriate building per-mits from the town before the remodeling can begin.

Iannacito previously told the Review that the construc-tion effort could take between six and eight months to com-plete.

Meanwhile, with the studio removed, the first floor hair salon will gain an additional 1,689 feet in floor space, ac-cording to the architect. And the building will also once again meet the sidewalk and street, having been previously set back, as part of the restora-tion efforts, according to East-chester’s Director of Planning Margaret Uhle. This will cre-

ate one, metered parking spot in front of the location.

Uhle had previously antici-pated that the project would have been approved back in March, but the applicant ran into some trouble with the town’s Architectural Review Board, ARB, over a proposed pattern to the arched windows on the front of the building. The applicant, Uhle said, had stepped away from the town’s land use boards to address the issue and has incorporated the suggestions from the ARB into an updated design.

The applicant was also re-questing four variances asso-ciated with his proposal, and on Feb. 10, the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals approved them.

The variances consisted of asking for a front yard set-back of 1.66 feet, where the town allows for 10 feet; a right

side yard setback of zero feet, where 10 feet is allowed; a left side yard setback of also zero feet, where the allowable num-ber from the town is the same. And the applicant also sought an increase of zero parking spaces, where the allowable number is 12.

Iannacito said work done to the hair salon will be ADA compliant with a lift up to the hair cutting station, and green technology will be considered with a more efficient heating and cooling system for the building as a whole.

The architect also said pre-viously that, for a hair salon, it’s important to provide ad-equate lighting per chair in the hair cutting station.

Iannactio could not be reached for further comment as of press time.

COnTaCT: [email protected]

The proposed renovations to a pre-existing structure on Eastchester’s Main Street are moving forward after the Planning Board, at its May 28 meeting, gave final approval to the applicant.

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What’s going on...Call the reference desk at 337-7680 for more information and to register. You can also get in-struction online at learningexpresshub.com.

Tuckahoe Public LibraryElectronic resources

The Tuckahoe Public Library is offering new tools to help you lead a more productive and enjoyable life. The library has added several new apps and databases to help you attain your goals. Why not give them a try and let us know what you think?

NoveList offers reader-focused features such as reading recommendations, series informa-tion, book reviews, book jackets and more.

ComicsPlus is the new digital revolution bringing thousands of digital graphic novels and comics only a click away.

Total BooX lets Westchester Library System patrons read, share and discover books with no restrictions, no waiting lists and no tokens.

Lynda.com is a leading online learning com-pany that helps anyone learn software, tech-nology, creative and business skills to achieve personal and professional goals through a video library of engaging, top-quality courses taught by recognized industry experts.

University of Fashion brings together the best fashion industry professionals to create les-sons that inspire and educate students, teachers, home sewers and the fashion curious.

In partnership with Driving-Tests.org, the Westchester Library System is proud to offer free New York State Driver Permit practice tests and driver handbooks. Automobile, motorcycle and commercial handbooks and practice tests are available.

Tuckahoe Senior Center

The Tuckahoe senior citizens is an active vital community made up of men and women, 55 years of age and older, who gather Tuesdays and Thursdays from September through July at Father Fata Hall at the Assumption Church in Tuckahoe. Members enjoy a wide range of ac-tivities including weekly exercise, tai chi, bin-go, cards and games, as well as presentations on topics of particular interest: health, legal issues, history, music, culture, food, crafts, politics, art, literature, film, dancing and more.

All of these programs are included in the $20 annual membership fee. Seniors also enjoy monthly luncheons and day trips for an addi-tional fee.

Operating in Westchester County for almost 45 years, the senior center primarily serves those residents in the 10707, 10708 and 10709 zip codes. However, membership is open to all who consider Tuckahoe and Eastchester their commu-nity, including some who live nearby in adjacent areas of Yonkers, Mount Vernon and Scarsdale.

Referrals to important services for older adults are provided by a professional direc-tor, who has a growing list of trusted partners around Southern Westchester that who can help our member’s age in place where appropriate, as well as discussing other needs as necessary.

The Tuckahoe Senior Center’s operations are overseen by the Senior Citizens Council, a community-based organization established in

tration is required, and will begin on Tuesday, June 23 at 9 a.m. For Read-to-Me game par-ticipants only. Please register for each attendee including parents/caregivers. For more informa-tion, contact Teresa Chang at 721-8105.

New iPads The Friends of the Eastchester Public Library

have purchased two new iPads, one for children and one for teens. The Children’s Room iPad is loaded with educational games, such as 50 States with Flat Stanley, while the Teen iPad can be used for homework or to play games, includ-ing the ever-popular Minecraft. To access the iPads, stop by the reference desk.

Bronxville Public LibraryThursday Matinee

On Thursday, June 4 at 1:30 p.m., the Bronx-ville Public Library will be screening the film, “The Imitation Game.” The film is based on the real life story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing, and portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team of code-breakers at Britain’s top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, dur-ing the darkest days of World War II. Rated PG-13, runtime: 114 minutes.

Electronic instructionOn Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 9 a.m. and

10:30 a.m., we are offering free instruction in internet access and Microsoft Office software.

1970 to provide professionally run programs and services for elderly residents of Eastches-ter, Tuckahoe and Bronxville.

The Chapel School Kids ‘R’ Cookin’ Camp

This summer, The Chapel School Explor-er Camp is excited to present two options for your budding chef. The Kids ‘R’ Cookin’ Camp is for budding chefs who are aged seven to 12 and runs from July 6 through July 10, 9 a.m. until noon. We are excited to bring the professionals from Kids ‘R’ Cookin’ to our explorer program this summer. Students will have a unique opportunity to ex-press their love of cooking while having lots of fun exploring a variety of foods to prepare and cook. Some items might include stuffed French toast, enchiladas, fruit pies, fresh spaghetti and meatballs. Your child will learn basic food safe-ty, utensil use and the fundamentals of cooking fresh, healthy and delicious recipes.

Baking with Mrs. PriceThis camp is for budding bakers aged nine

through 12. It will run from July 20 through July 24, 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Campers will bake easy desserts and breads that will have their friends thinking they slaved in the kitchen for hours. They will learn to make delicious baked treats including Linzer (jam) tarts, bagels, choc-olate walnut coffee (decaf), muffins and more.

Everest VBSA summer kids event called Everest VBS

will be hosted at Village Lutheran Church from July 13 to July 17, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. At Everest, kids discover what it means to hold on to God’s mighty power in every-day life. Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, make and dig into yummy treats, experience one-of-a-kind Bible adventures, collect Bible memory buddies to remind them of God’s love, and test out scien-cy-fun gizmos they’ll take home and play with all summer long. Plus, kids will learn to look for evidence of God all around them through something called God sightings. Each day con-cludes with a summit celebration that gets ev-eryone involved in living what they’ve learned. Kids at Everest VBS will join an interna-tional mission effort to provide Thai-lan-guage children’s Bibles to kids in Thailand. Everest is for kids from kindergarten to fifth grade and will run from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm each day. For more information, call Mimi Blanco 337-3202, extension 1026. The suggested registration fee is $20 ($30 per family).

“How many miles are on your menu?”Did you know that your food choices leave

a carbon footprint? On Saturday, June 13 from noon to 1:30 p.m., we will compare families in different geographic locations and analyze their food intake. We will learn how food has been produced and transported, and about its impact on the environment. You will take home a “car-bon footprint” chart to help you make more en-vironmentally responsible food choices.

This is the first in a series of “Environmen-tal Literacy” programs at the Eastchester Public Library. Completion of all programs for your age group will earn a “Green Citizen” badge of honor. This program is intended for grades 3 through 6. Online pre-registration is required.

Read-To-Me Kickoff PartyOn Tuesday, June 30 at 11 a.m., join musi-

cian Jeffrey Friedberg and the Bossy Frog Band for a fun-filled music concert to kick off this summer’s Read-to-Me game. Online pre-regis-

Eastchester Public Library

Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Wednesday at noon.Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send

all items to [email protected].


Colavita holds Macaroni Night

Last month, more than 250 friends and supporters gath-ered at the newly renovated Mulino’s at Lake Isle in sup-port of Supervisor Anthony S. Colavita at his Annual Maca-roni Night.

Colavita thanked everyone in attendance for their continued

support and pledged to continue his hard work for the residents of Eastchester, Tuckahoe and Bronxville. Many of his fellow elected officials and community leaders were present.

“It was great to see such a large turnout,” the supervisor said. “Macaroni Night is more

like a big family reunion than a fundraiser. Our town is mov-ing in the right direction and our residents are confident in our leadership and I pledge to continue this advancement and to maintain the confidence residents have in this adminis-tration.” (Submitted)

Eastchester veterans attend the annual Macaroni Night at Lake Isle.

Mary Cade and Erin Baker with Supervisor Anthony Colavita at Macaroni Night on May 6 in Eastchester.

From left to right, Larry Tumminia, Patricia Fazzinga, Georgiene Walsh and Supervisor Anthony S. Colavita enjoy some laughs at the annual event. Contributed photos

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EastchesterTHE

REVIEW

By CHRIS EBERHaRTStaff Writer

The success of Eastchester Boy Scout Troop 353 con-tinued on May 30 when four more Boy Scouts from the troop reached Eagle, the high-est honor in the scouts, during the Court of Honor Ceremony.

Since 2013-2014, 10 of 70 scouts in the Eastches-ter troop—approximately 14 percent—have become Eagle Scouts. In comparison, only six to seven percent of all the Boy Scouts in the country reached Eagle in 2013, accord-ing to the latest statistics from the Boy Scouts of America.

The four new Eagle Scouts—Jack Flannery, 17, of East-chester, Jason Chin, 18, of Eastchester, Gabriel Cohen, 18, of Eastchester, and James Sullivan, 18, of Scarsdale—were recognized during a ceremony last weekend at the Immaculate Conception Church on Winterhill Road in Tuckahoe.

The Scouts moved up through the ranks, starting as Cub Scouts between the ages of 7 and 10, while earning all 21 merit badges. The last step before becoming an Eagle Scout is completing a final project, and each one complet-ed a different project that in-volved planning, leading other Scouts and weeks of work.

JACK FLANNERYFlannery constructed a

4 more Boy Scouts reach Eagle

Cohen’s project provides HOPE’s constituents with free computer and internet access, which allows them to look for jobs and affordable housing, among other uses.

A representative from HOPE could not be reached for com-ment, as of press time.

JAMES SULLIVANSullivan’s Eagle Scout

project was created to assist the Judea Garden, the Giving Garden of Washington, Conn., which is a volunteer-based project that grows, harvests and distributes fresh vegeta-bles to local families in need. Sullivan led a team of volun-teer friends and classmates in building two raised garden beds and three benches from scratch,

Denise Arturi, of the Judea Garden, said the raised garden beds allow the garden’s volun-teers, most of whom are elder-ly, stand up while gardening, as opposed to straining their necks or hurting their knees while kneeling.

Arturi went on to praise Sul-livan for his work. “It was dif-ficult to do some of these gar-dening tasks during this past, tough winter but James found a way to complete them,” she said.

And the three benches have been on Judea Garden’s wish list for years.

They were purposefully built in shady areas of the garden so volunteers could take cool-ing breaks during the summer months. “The benches give a place for volunteers to rest out of the sun and for visitors to sit and enjoy the beauty of Judea Garden,” Arturi said.


35-foot stone path from the parking lot to the entrance of the Immaculate Conception Church, which is a sponsor of the local Cub Scout pack and parish church of many of the troop members.

In the past, the walk for parishioners, especially the elderly, from their cars to the church during inclement weather had become hazard-ous. Flannery led a team of Boy Scouts during the project, which included excavating a wide path, laying down a base of crushed stone and then a layer of stone dust and finally brick pavers.

The walkway was com-pleted with the installation of wrought iron handrails, which were donated by parishioners.

came up with the idea of new shelving units in the basement. The new shelves provided more storage of donated food, and made it easier to sort and organize the foods, and protect the food from damages caused by flooding, which was an oc-casional problem when the food was kept on the floor.

“It was one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time,” Brown said. “And Jason [Chin] did an excellent job. If there’s a better word than excellent, than that’s what he did.”

GABRIEL COHENCohen helped HOPE Com-

munity Services of New Ro-chelle, which helps low-in-come residents maintain ad-equate nutrition through the maintenance of a soup kitchen and food pantry, undertakes housing initiatives for the homeless, immigrant services, citizen classes, crisis interven-tion medial referrals and social services. Cohen designed and built three, moveable comput-er desks and upgraded three old computers with new hard drives for the facility.

Rev. Eric Raaser, Immacu-late Conception’s pastor, could not be reached for comment, as of press time.

JASON CHINAs his Eagle Scout project,

Chin built four metal shelving units in the basement and three wooden shelving units on the second floor of the Eastchester Community Action Program, ECAP, which is a local com-munity center that offers after school programs, an adult ca-reer center and serves as a food pantry. Chin was able to collect all the materials needed for his project through donations.

Don Brown, the director of ECAP, said Chin was working with ECAP during the Thanks-giving food drive, when he

Four boy scouts from the Eastchester Boy Scout Troop 353 reached Eagle, the highest honor in the scouts. File courtesy Rose Chin

State Sen. George Latimer, a Rye Democrat, poses with the four newest Eagle Scouts from Eastchester Troop 353. Contributed photos

From left to right, Jason Chin, James Sullivan, Jack Flannery and Gabriel Cohen with Westchester County Legislator Sheila Marcotte, an Eastchester Republican, after the scout ceremony on May 30.


Locals support pediatric cancer researchThe Interact Club of East-

chester/Tuckahoe has been supporting pediatric cancer re-search at Memorial Sloan Ket-tering Cancer Center, MKCC, this school year as part of their community service re-quirement. Interact is a club for high school students who want to connect with others in their community and organize at least two service projects a year: one that benefits their community and one that en-courages international under-standing. While Interact clubs receive guidance from individ-ual rotary clubs, they govern and support themselves.

The main focus for the Eastchester/Tuckahoe Inter-act in 2014-2015 has been on two initiatives: The students

volunteered at the Eastches-ter Community Action Part-nership, ECAP, after school program during the first half of the school year and raised funds for MKCC during the second half of the school year.

The first phase of the MKCC fundraising was orga-nized in conjunction with the Quarry Restaurant on May 19 as 10 percent of all dining proceeds for the day supported MKCC. The second phase of the MKCC fundraising will be on June 6 at Lake Isle Coun-try Club and the annual Ducky Derby race.

In addition to the fundrais-ing efforts of the Interact Club for MKCC, David Carraturo, club director of the Eastches-ter Rotary, will be competing

in the Wall Street Decathlon on June 14 and he has been sup-porting MKCC through this effort for the past four years. The Wall Street Decathlon is an NFL Combine/Track and Field decathlon inspired event in which more than 150 Wall Street professionals come to-gether to determine who is the best athlete as well as raise money—now more than $5.1 million—for a truly great cause.

To support the Interact Club and the Ducky Derby con-tact your local Eastchester or Tuckahoe High School mem-ber. Each duck costs $10. The top three finishers will receive cash prizes.

To support Carraturo in the Wall Street Decathlon go to thedecathlon.org. (Submitted)

Children’s Zoo reopens at Bronx ZooThe Children’s Zoo at the

Wildlife Conservation Soci-ety’s Bronx Zoo has under-gone a renovation and offi-cially reopened on Saturday, May 30 with a weekend-long celebration.

Species new to the Chil-dren’s Zoo include a giant ant-eater, Linne’s Two-toed Sloth, South American coatimundi and the world’s smallest deer, the pudu. Other wildlife favor-ites returning to the children’s zoo include American alliga-tors, black-tailed prairie dogs, and South American squirrel monkeys which now live on an island habitat surrounded by wading Caribbean flamingoes and other dabbing waterfowl.

“Originally opened at the Bronx Zoo in 1941, the Chil-dren’s Zoo is a historic part of any visit to the Bronx Zoo,” said Jim Breheny, Wildlife Conservation Society’s execu-tive vice president and Bronx Zoo director. “The Children’s Zoo is an experience people remember from their child-hoods and represents many people’s first up-close encoun-

ter with wild animals. The new Children’s Zoo maintains the nostalgia from the past while creating new experiences and introducing a variety of differ-ent species to the exhibit.”

The exhibit improvements are substantial, but maintain the walk-through trail expe-rience and key features such as the aviary, prairie dog tun-nels, bird nests, turtle shells, and tree house slide that have become iconic and a source of

The Children’s Zoo at the Bronx Zoo now includes a petting zoo where visitors can interact with the animal.

nostalgia for many.Wildlife Conservation Soci-

ety, WCS, worked with author and artist Brendan Wenzel on the new whimsically illus-trated interpretive graphics that identify species, provide key facts about the animals, and educate about the spe-cies’ conservation needs in the wild. Wenzel will be on-site all weekend to sign his new book, “Some Bugs.”

The Children’s Zoo offi-cially reopened on Saturday, May 30 with a weekend-long celebration. As part of the fes-tivities, Peppa Pig, the world-famous star of the hit animat-ed TV series airing daily on Nickelodeon joined families for a weekend full of fun at the zoo.

The mission of WCS is to save wildlife and preserve wild places worldwide through sci-ence, conservation action, ed-ucation and inspiring people to value nature. WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, val-ued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, har-nesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by four million people annually. WCS com-bines its expertise in the field, zoos and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission.

For more information about the Bronx Zoo’s new Chil-dren’s Zoo or the grand re-opening events, visit bronx-zoo.com. (Submitted)

Some wildlife favorites returning to the children’s zoo include American alligators, black-tailed prairie dogs, pictured, and South American squirrel monkeys which now live on an island habitat surrounded by wading Caribbean flamingoes and other dabbing waterfowl. Contributed photos

The newly renovated Children’s Zoo at the Bronx Zoo emphasizes its deep history dating back to 1941.


Burglary and break-ins have a major impact on everyone’s sense of safety and well-being as we are so demonstratively aware in our village these past few weeks.

The most common threat to residential home safety is bur-glary, but it is also the easiest crime to prevent. The normal burglary M.O. is daytime in-vasion when no one is home and most often in the summer months. Small yet valuable goods that can be fenced or pawned—laptops, electronic gadgets, watches or jewelry and cash—are the cache of choice. As a precaution, they should never be left in areas easily seen from a door or window.

Contrary to popular think-ing, burglaries are most of-ten quite planned. The main pre-requisite is easy access. It is a crime of opportunity. Skilled burglars know just by looking at your locks if they can pick them or not. If they do not have the special tools to open a high security lock, they will not waste time trying and will bypass your house for a neighbor’s. Burglars often target homes and then observe the neighborhood for daily ac-tivity. This is the reason why it is imperative that you call the police desk if you notice anything out of the ordinary in your neighborhood. Let trained professionals then as-sess the situation.

Working with Police Chief Satriale, we composed a list of things you can do so that your home doesn’t say, “Easy ac-cess.”

Since garage doors and back doors are the most com-mon points of illegal entry, they should always be locked

using deadbolts and most pref-erably with an ANSI Grade I rating. These locks are ex-tremely hard to pick, pry or saw.

All doors for that matter should have deadbolt locks with at least a one-inch throw bolt.

In addition to a normal latch, sliding glass doors need a stick in the track to limit movement. For good measure, add a highly recognizable se-curity emblem, guard dog im-age or decal on the glass.

On ground floor windows, the above are also helpful as well as secondary blocking devices that stop the window opening from opening more than six inches.

Interior lights as well as ra-dios and televisions should be on staggered timers so on/off times vary.

Leaving a porch or garage light on 24/7 gives the impres-sion that no one is ever home.

Exterior lights should ide-ally be on a timer with a dim mode until a bright light is ac-tivated when motion is detect-ed. These dim to bright sys-tems are now relatively inex-pensive and readily available at Home Depot type stores.

Home alarms should be ac-tivated day or night when no one is home, regardless of how brief you may be away. They not only protect from intruders but also monitor your home in case of fire.

A small home safe located away from the common loca-tions in bedrooms and closets not only protects important belongings from burglars but also from fire and flood.

Bringing it down to our vil-lage level, our Bronxville Po-lice Department offers many services to increase residents’ security just by calling our po-lice department desk.

An officer will do interior and exterior security surveys

of homes and apartments and suggest safety measures.

If traveling and/or doing construction, our officers will do vacant house checks and walk around properties and/or visually inspect for unusual activity.

Our police department has ordered highly visible cling-on decals with the department logo to be distributed to every village alarm permit holder. Now is the time to register and renew alarm permits and make sure all contact information is up to date.

Please contact our police department if you have sur-veillance cameras that are in the vicinity of any reported in-cident. They are often invalu-able investigative tools.

Having neighbors you can trust is like being home all the time. Build a trusting and comfortable relationship with folks on your street as they can be your eyes and ears while you are away. A point of com-fort, if our police department is called by you or your neigh-bor, the response time aver-ages an incredible one to two minutes.

Finally, the children know more than you might think about the recent events in the village. Having a frank discus-sion can alleviate some of the uneasiness by dispelling the rumors which are most often worse than the reality. Share with them all that the family is doing to protect your home and encourage them to tell you anything at all that just seems not right in your neighbor-hood.

Our officers have been working extra shifts and co-ordinating with neighboring police departments as well as the county police in an effort to solve the recent crimes and restore the security we some-times take for granted. They are to be commended.

playland from page 1

Village of Bronxville’s

Official Newspaper

Members of the Eastchester Police Department take part in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics on Wednesday, May 27. The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the movement’s largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle. Annually, more than 85,000 dedicated, compassionate and volunteer law enforcement officers participate in the torch run throughout 35 nations, 12 Canadian provinces and 50 U.S. states, raising more than $500 million since its inception in 1981. Photo courtesy Dean Ghiozzi

In light of recent burglaries, tips for home safety

is responsible for, and those projects will be outlined in the memorandum.

Plunkett said the capi-tal projects for the first five years—2015 to 2019—of the 15-year agreement with Stan-dard Amusements are already outlined in the county’s 2015 capital budget, which includes, among other projects, replac-ing the crumbling colonnades and small buildings at Playland. A full list of projects to be re-viewed by the county will be included in the memorandum.

But there’s no schedule of capital projects for years 6 through 15 of the agreement, and Plunkett said the county doesn’t know what those proj-ects would be until Standard Amusements has been running

the park for a period of time. “We’ve done a five-year

analysis not a 15-year analy-sis,” Plunkett said. “So I can’t sit here and tell you exactly what those projects would be. We would be working with our parks department and DPW and Standard, as the manager, to come up with a capital plan of what [Standard] needs to do for their operation and what we need to do as the owner of the infrastructure.”

While Plunkett said a list of capital projects would be pro-vided in the memorandum to be reviewed, there is no writ-ten commitment from the As-torino administration to spend the money and undertake the projects that may arise.

But Board of Legislators

Chairman Mike Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat, said he isn’t concerned.

“The legislators and the ad-ministration have interests in completing the capital projects and now you add a third play-er [Standard Amusements]. They’re not going to want to put a Maserati engine in a bro-ken down car,” Kaplowitz said.

The subcommittee vote on the management agreement is scheduled to take place during its June 10 meeting. If it’s vot-ed out of committee, the full Board of Legislators vote will then vote on the agreement the following Monday, June 15, during the board’s regularly-scheduled legislative meeting.


A draft of a memorandum of understanding among the Astorino administration, Board of Legislators and Standard Amusements will include the promises to retain Playland’s workers as county employees and eliminate the temporary fields as well as a list of capital projects that the county will be responsible for.


method, using the landscaping work around the library that she and other town volunteers did as an example.

Nicholson, who has been on the Town Council for about six months, wasn’t involved in the creation of the 2015 Eastchester budget, but she said she’s look-ing forward to using her profes-sional experience in finance and accounting to comb through the budget and trim areas.

“We definitely want to keep our town running smoothly and affordable,” Nicholson said. “The goal is always to keep the taxes down and provide the best quality of services. When we go through the budget process this year, it will give me a bet-ter chance to find opportunities where we can save.”

Colavita and Dooley touted the town’s beautification ef-forts and the progress made at Lake Isle—with the indoor tennis bubble and hiring a new caterer, who renovated the ca-tering hall.

As part of the 2014 capi-tal budget, the town set aside $140,000 to fund refurbish-ment and drainage-installation

GOp from page 1

projects at the Chester Heights and Parkway Oval fields. In the 2015 capital budget, there’s another $30,000 to install handicap-accessible bleach-ers at Parkway Oval. The next project, Colavita said, will be focused on Leewood Park.

Dooley said the town will also turn its attention to the restoration of the vacant prop-erty next to the Marble School-house. The property previous-ly thought to be owned by the state, but Dooley, who spear-headed the town’s 350th anni-versary activities last year, dis-covered through land records the property was actually

owned by the town. Included in the 2015 capital budget was $15,000 to hire an architect and an engineer to see what Eastchester can do with that property, which is located at the intersection of New Ro-chelle and California roads.

Collectively, the goal for the council members, if re-elected, is to continue to return Lake Isle back to its glory days from 2006 to 2008, when it was gen-erating more than $4 million in revenue for the town. The next project, Colavita said, would be the construction of an in-door swimming pool at Lake Isle, which he said the town is

already looking into. Bellitto, who is heavily in-

volved with the Eastchester library and has served as the council liaison to the Eastches-ter Environmental Committee, touted the upgrades at the li-brary. The town board com-mitted more than $100,000 over the past two years’ capital budgets to fix the leaking roof in the library, which hasn’t been replaced since the 1960s, and another $35,000 to replace the overhead lights with LED lighting.

“As the board liaison to the Eastchester Environmental Com-mittee, I have encouraged our

use of LED lighting on town streets,” Bellitto said. “This lighting will cut the cost of electricity because of its ef-ficiency…and the board now appropriates funds yearly for this purpose.”

Elected members of the Town Council take home $15,831 a year stipends, while the town su-pervisor position makes an an-nual salary of $97,717.

As of press time, there has been no indication whether the town’s Democratic Party will field any candidates for this year’s elections.


From left to right, Eastchester Republicans are running a slate of incumbents including Town Supervisor Anthony Colavita and members of the Town Council, Joe Dooley, Glenn Belitto and Theresa Nicholson.


Aguilera said. “We use what we have and we try to get cre-ative with it.”

The owner said he works with local farms, some from in state and in neighboring Con-necticut. He said if the farms have an abundance of spaghet-ti squash, then customers can expect that to be the special for a time. Aguilera admits this can be challenging.

“We’re open to trying dif-ferent ideas, but we don’t have the same ingredients Mexico has,” he said.

However, he said a test run with a new product is a great opportunity for the res-taurant to overcome being the new kid on the block and to really see what works via trial and error. Aguilera said that so far the menu has ex-panded from 10 items to 25, and even incorporates some customer suggestions like mole, a traditional Mexican sauce which comes in a va-riety of colors and spiciness.

Meanwhile, a shift in dining experience seems to be evolv-ing which makes Aguilera think this is the perfect time to introduce Westchester County to an authentic taqueria. While construction began on his own restaurant, he saw about four similar restaurants open up,

an authentic adventure for all

By JOHn BRandIStaff Writer

From his roots in Mexico, to his stomping ground in New York City, Luis Aguilera is bringing the lessons he’s learned about food, heritage and the culinary industry to-gether to create a bold and cre-ative experience with his new Taqueria restaurant on Hal-stead Avenue in Harrison.

“Taqueria is basically a taco shop,” Aguilera said. “In Mexico, you find them more on the street. In Manhattan, you have the hot dog carts, [and] in Mexico you have the taco carts. You eat it with your hands: it’s messy, but it’s delicious. It’s quick, but it’s cheap.”

The mission behind the res-taurant, Aguilera said, which opened on April 13, is staying true to his traditions. It’s try-ing to retain the customers that the Halstead Avenue Taqueria first attracts, but also not shy away from bridging the gap between new ideas and flavors that would push the restaurant in a positive direction. In that pursuit, Aguilera’s not against sampling to customers so those unfamiliar with the food can have something to com-pare previous tastes to.

Aguilera, 32, is from Pueb-la, which is two hours south of Mexico City, the country’s capital. He said growing up, his mother would introduce him to foods that she had to get creative with, including

cow tongue and thighs, as the cuisine options were limited.

Fast forward to today and mom’s in Aguilera’s Harrison kitchen acting as his biggest critic.

“My mom comes in to check on sauces and to tell me if [I’m] losing my authen-tic touch,” he said. “If there are missing vegetables in that stock, if the sauce is too thin or thick.”

It doesn’t end there though. Aguilera’s wife Daisy, who is eight months pregnant, also works at the Taqueria where she primarily takes orders or cleans the counters. Mean-while, Aguilera’s daughter, a student in the Harrison Central School District, skips around the vibrantly painted stools,

a mix of 12 bright yellows, blues and reds.

But that’s the kind of envi-ronment Aguilera wants to ex-ude, one that attracts families.

“We are going for the par-ents who want a quick bite on their day off. The moms who want to grab a quick salad be-fore they go pick up their kids or while they’re with the baby-sitter,” Aguilera said.

The Taqueria, at 261 Hal-stead Ave., has been testing the waters and seeing what works ever since its April open-ing. Aguilera said he’s been ironing out the issues in the kitchen—he’s currently under-staffed—and trying to teach the other employees the art of Mexican cooking—Aguilera being the only one of Mexican descent over the stove.

“Right now my main con-cern is the kitchen and making sure the food is consistent,” he said. “I want you to come on a Monday and have it to be the same when you come [back] on a Friday.”

The owner said the best-sell-ing items currently are the bris-ket taco and the vegetable taco.

Aguilera, who has worked in the culinary industry and has managed restaurants for nearly 10 years, isn’t afraid to get cre-ative. This is what traditional Mexican cooking is all about, using what you have. And Aguilera has translated this model into his new endeavor.

“We do more southern Mexican food, with bolder fla-vors, the meat and vegetables,”

Owner Luis Aguilera is sticking to authenticity for his new project.

Halstead Avenue Taqueria, which opened in April, is located at 261 Halstead Ave., in Harrison.

Inside the new Halstead Avenue restaurant, vibrant seating can host up to 12 people. Photos/John Brandi

primarily on the Hudson River side of the county.

“I have seen the restaurant industry change, and I’ve seen more people go toward the fast, casual type dining con-cept, with no VIP treatment, as opposed to fine dining,” Agu-ilera said.

The age of the customers could also be a positive factor in the future, with development plans in the works for down-town Harrison, like Avalon Harrison near the Metro-North train station or the Playhouse Lofts proposal which is a block away on Harrison Avenue. This could draw a possible younger crowd that commutes and is searching for something to eat

at night when everything else in the area is closed.

Still, Aguilera is certain he’s on the right path.

“Even when I go to people’s barbeques, somehow I end up getting tricked into jumping on the grill,” he said. “I just can’t help say ‘hey, your steaks [are] overcooking.’ So I kind of do it to myself. This is my passion.”

Halstead Avenue Taqueria is soon to be changing its hours of operation starting mid-spring, to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on week-days and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. The restaurant is also in the process of obtaining its wine and beer license.



Harry Connick Jr. performs at The Palace

Harry Connick Jr.

Following a successful win-ter tour and his second season as a judge on “American Idol,” Harry Connick Jr. announced a 20-plus city summer concert tour including a stop at The Palace Theater in Stamford, Conn., on Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13, at 8 p.m.

The show, which takes place on the Harman Stage, features music from Connick’s vast musical catalog, includ-ing songs from his most recent releases “Smokey Mary” and “Every Man Should Know.” To date, Connick has released 29 albums, won three Gram-my Awards and two Emmy Awards, and garnered sales of 28 million albums.

With “Every Man Should Know,” Connick triumphs once again, with a depth of feeling that signals another milestone for one of the mu-sic world’s most multi-faceted artists. Critics have been quick to agree with People Maga-zine calling it “impressive,” and the Boston Globe saying the album features “his most thoughtful and personal songs

to date” and says its “an album that every Harry Connick Jr. fan should own.”

Connick recently returned for a second year as judge on “American Idol,” with sea-son 14 of the show currently airing on FOX. Since his addi-tion to the judges’ panel, crit-ics and fans alike have praised Connick’s contributions to the show, with Variety proclaim-ing that Connick “brings fun back to ‘American Idol,’” and Entertainment Weekly raving that he brings a “frank honesty but also lighthearted energy” to the show, “offering

thoughtful critiques” resulting in a “fun, rollicking viewing experience.”

Regarding his debut as a judge in season 13, USA To-day stated that “Connick de-serves most of the praise for what promises to be a creative turnaround for ‘Idol’… While Connick can be as tough as he needs to be, he’s also charm-ing, engaging and, when he wants to be, hysterically funny.”

For more information about the event, please visit pal-acestamford.org or call at (203)325-4466. (Submitted)

Community Fund announces awards

By dOnna RuHanEn

The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Inc., held its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 26 to announce that during 2015-2016 it will award $563,700 in grants to 26 social service agencies and community pro-grams serving the Bronxville 10708, Eastchester and Tucka-hoe communities.

“We are thrilled to be pro-viding such significant fund-ing to the many dedicated and hard-working organiza-tions that serve those in need throughout our Bronxville, Eastchester and Tuckahoe communities,” said Katharine Outcalt, fiscal year 2015 presi-dent of the Community Fund.

“Thank you to our generous donors who have supported our fundraising efforts this year, my colleagues on the board and the many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to help us identify the greatest needs in our communities and en-sure that every dollar we raise makes the greatest possible impact.” Ron Mager, evalu-ations co-chair, added, “The evaluation process ensures

that those nonprofits applying for grants meet best practice standards. The Community Fund works closely with the nonprofits in solving problems and maximizing their effec-tiveness in carrying out their mission.”

As part of the annual grant award process, The Com-munity Fund also announced nine recipients of the Michael Frey Scholarship Award. This award provides scholarships to local graduating seniors in memory of Frey, an Eastches-ter police officer who lost his life in the line of duty, and in appreciation of the dedi-cated emergency workers in Bronxville, Eastchester and Tuckahoe.

These students are nominat-ed by their guidance counsel-ors for demonstrating a com-mitment to dedicated service and support of their fellow students and the community at-large. Eileen Frey, Michael Frey’s mother, was in atten-dance to hand out the awards and acknowledge the follow-ing students:

Bronxville High SchoolBrendan Patrick Carty

Sally Kwok Ariana Sher Eastchester High SchoolGary DelVecchioLisa Iwagami Noah Orlando Tuckahoe High SchoolNatzinet Ghebrenegus Nicole NastiMorgan Slocombe

Melinda Burge, executive director of The Community Fund, said, “We are pleased to continue our tradition of remembering Michael Frey with this scholarship that cel-ebrates student leaders who embody the same spirit of generosity and commitment to public service.

Having Eileen with us to hand out the awards is an honor and made the evening particularly special.” The Community Fund of Bronx-ville, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Inc., is a nonprofit corporation organized to provide funding and support for local agencies serving the health, education, and welfare needs of local resi-dents. For further information about The Community Fund please log onto their website at thecommunityfund.org.(Submitted)

From left to right, Katharine Outcalt, Natzinet Ghebrenegus, Nicole Nasti, Morgan Slocombe, Lisa Iwagami, Brendan Patrick Carty, Sally Kwok, Ariana Sher and Eileen Frey. Contributed photo


LEGAL NOTICES

EXCELSIOR MILL MANAGEMENT, LLC. Articles of Organization of Limited Liability Company (“LLC”). Articles of Organization filed with Sec. of State of NY (“SSNY”) on 03/19/15. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY has been des-ignated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any such process served to the LLC at The LLC, 30 Essex Place, Bronxville, NY 10708. Purpose: To engage in all things that the compa-ny may legally engage in under the Laws of the State of New York. Organizer: Jacobowitz & Gubits, LLP, 158 Orange Avenue, Walden, New York 12586.

Notice of Qualification of INDIAN FIELDS, LLC. Application for Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (“SSNY”) 03/18/15. Office location: Westchester County. LLC formed in Delaware (“DE”) on 03/06/15. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 30 Essex Place, Bronxville, NY. Purpose: Any lawful activity. DE address of LLC: 3500 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Name and address of authorized officer in jurisdiction of organization where a copy of Certificate of Formation and any amendments may be obtained is The Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, Division of Corporations, John G. Townsend Building, 401 Federal Street - Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Organizer: Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, 158 Orange Avenue, Walden, NY 12586.

Notice of Qualification of NARO BUILDING, LLC. Application for Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (“SSNY”) 03/18/15. Office location: Westchester County. LLC formed in Delaware (“DE”) on 03/09/15. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 30 Essex Place, Bronxville, NY. Purpose: Any lawful activity. DE address of LLC: 3500 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Name and address of authorized officer in jurisdiction of organization where a copy of Certificate of Formation and any amendments may be obtained is The Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, Division of Corporations, John G. Townsend Building, 401 Federal Street - Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Organizer: Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, 158 Orange Avenue, Walden, NY 12586.

Notice of Qualification of ROCK MEADOW PARTNERS, LLC. Application for Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (“SSNY”) 03/24/15. Office location: Westchester County. LLC formed in Delaware (“DE”) on 03/18/15. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 30 Essex Place, Bronxville, NY. Purpose: Any lawful activity. DE address of LLC: 3500 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Name and address of authorized officer in jurisdiction of organization where a copy of Certificate of Formation and any amendments may be obtained is The Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, Division of Corporations, John G. Townsend Building, 401 Federal Street - Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Organizer: Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, 158 Orange Avenue, Walden, NY 12586.

Notice of Formation of Marula Global LLC. Arts. Of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/9/2014. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 131 Wallace Street, Tuckahoe, NY 10707. Purpose: any lawful activity.

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Your future . . . in the stars

Throughout history there have been a group of people who believe that the stars and planets could predict their future, (although with Pluto gone I would question the ac-curacy). However, the stars that I’m referring to are not in the sky, even on a “Starry Night.” These are the stars pre-sented to you on your internet search engines when you’re seeking feedback on stores, designers, contractors, or just about anything or anybody.

These new stars, albeit smaller, are almost as impor-tant as the older ones that you see up above, on a clear sum-mer’s night. But, unlike the as-tronomical bodies, the internet stars must be interpreted for their accuracy, because they are subject to manipulation by unscrupulous star gazers.

I’ve found that houzz and Angie’s List seem to have the most reliable feedback, and interestingly, for two com-pletely different reasons. All comments submitted to houzz are carefully checked for ac-curacy by their Review De-partment, prior to publishing the remarks. They confirm that the submissions actually relate to real projects at the appropri-ate location, and that the IP address of the submitter (your location in the clouds) is accu-rate and authentic, as well.

Angie’s List is different from most review sites in that you have to pay to be a mem-ber, which makes it an ex-pensive proposition to post a multitude of fictitious reviews. The posted reviews are com-ing from people who are will-ing to pay to view legitimate evaluations posted by others who have made their own fi-nancial commitment. This gives them a high degree of authenticity.

Other sites will accept re-views from anyone with lim-ited or no vetting. One site, (that rhymes with help) claims that they have a computer al-gorithm that determines if a review is legitimate or fab-ricated. This site has been brought to court many times by companies claiming that when they refused to advertise on the site, their good reviews disappeared. The management claims that the algorithm made the decision to delete those re-views and they do not have the ability or inclination to ques-tion the decision. However, it seems, when money changes hands, reviews reappear.

Google Reviews can be very helpful but must be evaluated carefully. Anyone who creates a gmail account can post a review on Google. Although I’m sure that most of the evaluations on Google are legitimate, anyone who is determined, can create 10 or 20 new gmail accounts at no cost and post to their hearts

content. Who would do such a thing? Perhaps a devious, corrupt vendor, who has many low-star reviews to boost up.

And let’s not forget the good old Better Business Bu-reau. I always thought that they were above reproach, un-til I received a phone call and was told that they have only heard good things about my company and have decided to invite me to become part of their auspicious community. I was so moved, as I had always held them in high regard, that I said I’d be proud to be part of such an organization. Until I was informed that I had to pay them $600 a year, and in return they would indicate I met their “accreditation standards.” I said, “No thanks.”

So like everything else in this world, it’s best to use your common sense when evaluat-ing the stars. Just as Nick Co-pernicus did when he mapped out the stars above, you need to evaluate the sources of your information when checking out the stars below. If your fu-ture has you “Swinging on a Star” and making your choice by internet feedback, remem-ber, the more legitimate the stars, the merrier.

Paul Bookbinder, m.i.d., c.r., is president of DreamWork Kitchens,

Inc. located in Mamaroneck. He can be reached for questions

at 914-777-0437 or www.dreamworkkitchens.com.

Museum hosts new 20th century exhibitIn the 1967 film “The Grad-

uate,” Mr. McGuire dispenses fatherly advice to recent col-lege graduate Benjamin Brad-dock. “I want to say one word to you, Benjamin. Just one word. Are you listening? Plas-tics! There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?”

He did. So did many of America’s artists, who, fas-cinated by the technology, seized on its potential and in-corporated the material into their work as technological and commercial developments in plastics flourished.

Plastic was malleable, thin, translucent, lightweight and could be stitched together or spliced, glued, melted, col-ored and molded. For artists and designers, plastic in all its forms promised the possibil-ity of creating unprecedented forms. At the same time, as it became the “material of mo-dernity,” plastic was embraced as a vehicle to comment on ideas about disposability, as society began to use synthetics for everyday objects and then just throw them away.

So, whether encouraged by industry or responding to be-havior or just excited by plas-tic’s inherent qualities, artists created works that showcased the medium’s diverse, expres-sive and complex qualities.

Between May 9 and Aug. 23, 2015, the Neuberger Mu-seum of Art will present

“Plastic: Art in an Era of Ma-terial Innovation,” an exhibi-tion drawn from the museum’s permanent collection of more than 30 works dating from the late 1950s to the early 1970s that were fabricated from ep-oxy, Plexiglas, polyester resin, polyurethane, vinyl and other synthetics by approximately 20 artists including Roy Lich-tenstein, Andy Warhol, Louise Neverlson, Leroy Lamis and Robert Rauschengerg. The styles range from conceptual-ism and minimalism to op and pop art, and illustrate artists’ fascination with new materials and their desire to comment on its implications.

“Spanning the dominant art movements of the mid-twen-tieth century, the show dem-onstrates the unique versatil-ity and dominance of plastic in art at its apex,” said Grace Converse, exhibition curator

An original plastic innovation by Roy Lichtenstein. Contributed photo

and a Neuberger curatorial fel-low and graduate student in the Purchase College MA Pro-gram in Art History, Criticism and Theory. “While negative connotations about plastic be-ing a cheap medium and the use of it for that very reason are polemical, we want to em-brace the negative as part of the conversation.”

During World War II, the push to create new industri-al materials encouraged the chemical industry to develop new synthetic materials. “A paradigm for innovation was set: if it could be imagined, it could be created,” Converse said. “Because artists of the time were not confined by im-peratives to make better con-sumer or military products, they were able to more fully explore the material’s poten-tial and question the ramifica-tions of its use...The fact that plastic was amanifestation of chemical and technological in-novation, it [became that much more] appealing to many art-ists. Working with the materi-al...allowed them to participate in, reflect upon and actively

shape the course of this new technological development.”

By the 1960s, the excite-ment about using synthetic plastic to make art reached a fevered pitch. As artists exper-imented with the shapes, col-ors textures, dimensions and luminosities made possible by this medium, exhibitions specifically focused on art and plastic abounded across the

United States. And while certain critics hesitated in cel-ebrating the use of synthetic materials, artists explored its exceptional properties and the plastics industry press, exhibi-tion catalogues, and curators touted the value of artists’ ex-periments. Geometric works, for example, called attention to the unique properties of the material and in pop art con-ventional connotations of it as cheap, disposable, mass-pro-duced and commonplace con-tributed to the overall message communicated by the work.

The Neuberger Museum of Art is located at SUNY Pur-chase College at 735 Ander-son Hill Road, Purchase, N.Y. 10577. (Submitted)

14 • THE EaSTCHESTER REvIEw • June 5, 2015 SPORTS

It’s a good thing I had to work on Saturday, because if I didn’t I was planning to spend most of the day, in bed, ruminating about the Game 7 stinker the Rangers put forth the night before.

But I had a full slate of championship games on the docket, which was good enough to get me out of the house. But in addition to some sunshine, I got something a little more valuable.

Perspective. I could sit and wax poetic

about the anguish of a sports fan, but on Saturday, up in North Rockland, I got the chance to see first-hand the emotional impact of real ath-letic competition.

It’s easy to talk about a fan’s devotion to a profession-al sports team, but on May 30, I got a nice little reminder of just how important sports can

The real beauty of sportsbe, not only to those who play it, but to the families of those players as well.

I watched four games on the day—one at North Rock-land High School and three at Provident Bank Park—and each game was a tempest of emotion; joy, relief, despair and resignation, the very best—and worst—that sports can make one feel.

There were some wonder-ful moments out there on the field.

Rye Neck softball coach Joan Spedafino collecting her-self on the bench as her team celebrated its first section ti-tle since 2002 before joining them in the wild jubilee, Ma-maroneck catcher Andy Kar-lan bringing the Tiger faithful to their feet after legging out a lead-off triple. These are the indelible moments of sports—when the moment bubbles over and becomes more than just another athletic event.

But there was a certain beauty in the sadder moments as well.

After battling Albertus Mag-nus through 14 innings of baseball in the Class B finals, Keio’s title hopes were dashed when Unicorns pitcher Ma-sayoshi Shimojima walked in the winning run.

Shimojima fell to his knees on the mound as his team-mates converged to lift him up and console him. The Uni-corns then lined up behind home plate as their captain addressed the hundreds of fans that came out to cheer them on, fighting back tears as he delivered his heartfelt message.

It was impossible not to em-pathize with those kids in that moment. They left everything on the field, and although they didn’t win, they earned the re-spect of everyone in the build-ing that day.

And that’s what sports are about, at their best.

It’s not about the fans that don a lucky jersey a couple of times a year and scream at professional athletes on their flat-screen televisions. It’s

about the work that goes in to reaching goals as a team; the blood, the sweat, and—some-times—the tears you shed along the way.

So while I offer my con-gratulations to our teams that

persevered in their quest for section titles, I also want to thank the teams that fell just short.

They say you learn more from your failures than your successes. But after seeing

the things I saw last Saturday, it’s hard to find any real losers at all.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports Byram Hills celebrates its Class A title win over Rye on May 30. The Bobcats beat the Garnets 4-3.

A Keio player is overcome with emotion following his team’s extra-inning loss to Albertus Magnus.

Rye Neck fans line the field to congratulate the Panthers on a Class B title win at North Rockland High School. Photos/Mike Smith

June 5, 2015 • THE EaSTCHESTER REvIEw • 15SPORTS

Tigers take titles

Tuckahoe’s baseball team celebrates with the 2015 Class C Section I title. The Tigers will kick off their run toward states on June 5. Photos/Bobby Begun

By MIKE SMITHSports Editor

Tuckahoe crowned two champions last week, as the varsity softball team and base-ball team clinched section titles on successive days with wins over Haldane and Solo-mon Schechter, respectively. Both teams are currently gear-ing up for the state regionals, which take place on June 4 and June 5, after press time.

On May 28, the baseball team took on Schechter in a rescheduled Class C final at Mercy College. Tuckahoe was dominant, topping the Lions 10-0 to win its first Class C title in four years.

Junior right-hander Austin Pope proved nearly unhittable on Thursday, throwing six in-nings of shutout baseball. He retired the first 13 batters of the game before an infield sin-gle in the fifth inning broke up a potential perfect game.

Pope also shined at the plate, driving in two runs on the day, en route to capturing the game’s MVP honors.

“I’ve seen Austin throw very well this year, so I had

complete confidence in him,” Tuckahoe coach Jerry DeFab-bia said. “The one thing he was really able to do was keep control of his emotions during the game.”

Anthony Castracucco dou-bled in three runs in the fifth inning to help extend the Tiger lead, and Mike McLaughlin, Andy Rivera and Rob Kiernan all drove in runs for the Class C champs.

On May 30, it was the Ti-gers’ softballers’ chance to hoist the section title, as they topped Haldane 3-2 with a wild walk-off win at North Rockland High School.

Alessandra Gallousis was responsible for the game-win-ner, singling home the decid-ing run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“For me it was a surreal mo-ment,” head coach John Mc-

Grath said. “I saw the ball get past the pitcher, it seemed like Jess Berger was running home in slow motion, and the next thing I knew, the girls were all pilling on each other on the field.”

Tuckahoe hurler Cassie McGrath surrendered two un-earned runs on the day and fanned 12 batters to keep the Tigers in the game. Despite her dominance, however, the Tigers came into the sixth in-ning trailing 2-0.

“I knew that our girls had the heart to come back,” Mc-Grath said. “We’d been hitting the ball hard all day, but we just hadn’t gotten that one big hit that we needed.”

On June 5, the baseball team will head to Cantine Sta-dium in Saugerties, N.Y., to take on Section IX champion Chester.

“I think they have an iden-tical record to us,” DeFabbia said. “We’re going to focus on the same things we’ve focused on all season, which is playing hard, being aggressive, and re-specting our opponent.”

On June 4, after press time, the softball team will travel to North Rockland where they will also take on Chester.

“Chester’s a good team, it’s going to be a tough game,” McGrath said. “We’ve just been keeping things loose at practice, letting the girls soak everything in.”


Tuckahoe junior Austin Pope throws a pitch on May 28 during the Class C title game at Mercy College. Pope retired the first 13 batters of the game and earned MVP honors as Tuckahoe beat Solomon Schechter 10-0.

Cassie McGrath throws a pitch during Tuckahoe’s semifinal round game on May 26. McGrath helped lead the Tigers to a section title on May 29, as Tuckahoe topped Haldane 3-2. Photo/Mike Smith

eastchester review 6-5-2015

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