Mahopac News 08.27.20

VOL. 11 NO. 26 Visit TapIntoMahopac.net for the latest news. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Sheriff Robert Langley Jr. speaks to the crowd
before the walk gets underway.

PHOTO: PHIL ROCCOZZO

Mahopac marches in support of police

‘Prayer walk’ draws hundreds who rally for law enforcement

BY BOB DUMAS worldwide. in police] suicides, I had to do something.” “It was the best thing I ever did,” she
EDITOR Chaluisan said the walk was in response She said she posted the idea on social said. “We got along and respected each
other’s opinions. ere was a lot of leg-
Hundreds of area residents came out on to all the anti-cop sentiment that swept media, and more than 600 people re- work involved—permits, lots of meetings
Sunday, Aug. 23, to take part in a “prayer the country recently in the wake of the sponded. with law enforcement.”
walk” to show solidarity in their support killing of George Floyd and other such
for the police. cases. However, putting the event together Chaluisan said the walk was originally
proved to be more daunting than she real- intended to take place on Route 6 in mid-
e walk was the brainchild or Ma- “I’m from a law enforcement family and ized, and she knew she couldn’t do it alone. July, but she realized it had grown too big
hopac resident Marianne Chaluisan, who I didn’t like seeing the cops getting cursed So, she formed a committee. She recruited and was told the road couldn’t be closed
said the event was not just for local po- at and spit on and the way they were being local residents Nicole Barile Stern, Mi-
lice but was a tribute to law enforcement treated,” she said. “ ey put their lives on chael O’Brien and Michael McDonald to SEE POLICE PAGE 16
the line every day and with the [increase help.

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PAGE 2 MAHOPAC NEWS THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

The Staff County marks 3,000 food bank Clarification on photo about
grocery bags delivered to seniors Councilman Lombardi
EDITORIAL TEAM
BOB DUMAS On ursday, Aug. 13, the government come together to sort In “Our voices will not be the newspaper before Lombardi

EDITOR: 845-208-0774 County O ce for Senior Re- and bag truckloads of goods. Of- stopped,” (Aug. 20, Page 5), Ma- announced at the Town Board
[email protected]
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER sources (OSR) sta marked the cials say that the response of the hopac News published a photo meeting that he does not sit on
SPORTS EDITOR: 914-302-5628
[email protected] 3,000th grocery bag delivered by Putnam County community to submitted by a resident who was the HOA board.

ADVERTISING TEAM to the seniors of Putnam. those in need during the pandem- part of a group protesting the Lombardi’s statement, which
PAUL FORHAN
914-202-2392 Seniors who come to one of ic has been extraordinary and has Town Board’s decision to permit was published on the jump page,

[email protected] OSR’s four Friendship Centers been most appreciated by seniors the Maple Hill Estates Home- provided context to the photo,
BRUCE HELLER
914-202-2941 to pick up a grab ’n’ go lunch dur- who look forward to each weekly owners Association (HOA) to which was published front and

[email protected] ing the pandemic also share in the surprise. lease a portion of their property to center on the lead page. Residents
LISA KAIN
bounty and receive a weekly gro- Seniors are most at risk to the Homeland Towers. who didn’t read to the end of the
914-351-2424
[email protected] cery bag. dangers of the coronavirus, and Homeland Towers is contract- article would have lacked that

CORINNE STANTON is food is provided by the the daily home-delivered meals, ed to erect a Verizon Wireless counter-balancing context, which
845-621-4049
United Way of Putnam and daily grab ’n’ go lunches, and the cell phone tower on the HOA we regret.
[email protected]
SHELLEY KILCOYNE Westchester and the Food Bank weekly United Way Food Bank property bordering Walton Drive. “Maybe that’s part of the con-
CO-FOUNDER
914-924-9122 of Hudson Valley under the di- Grocery Bag programs all work Residents of Walton Drive,which fusion,”Lombardi said at the Aug.

[email protected] rection of food drive coordinator to help minimize the amount is located outside the HOA, were 12 Town Board meeting. “I don’t
JENNIFER CONNELLY
917-446-7757 Faith Butcher. Each week the bag of shopping and the subsequent excluded from the decision-mak- sit on any [HOA] board.I just live

[email protected] is di erent, and it might contain public exposure risk to seniors. ing process. One of the residents there.”
GABRIELLE BILIK
pieces of fruit, vegetables, onions, Any seniors interested in nd- in the photo held a sign that While Lombardi did vote as a
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/DESIGNER
[email protected] yogurt, snacks, co ee, tea, canned ing out more can call the O ce said Town Board member Frank Town Board member to approve

PRODUCTION TEAM goods, eggs, bread, cheese, and for Senior Resources at 845-808- Lombardi “sold you out.” the settlement, he said to Ma-
TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL
other items. 1700. Mahopac News takes no edito- hopac News that several attorneys
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PHOTOGRAPHER Each ursday morning, doz- rial position on the deal between assured him that no con ict of in-

[email protected] ens of volunteers from the United Article courtesy of County Homeland Towers and the HOA, terest existed, as he was not part
CHRISTINA ROSE
Way, local food banks, other com- Executive’s O ce but we do want to clarify that the of the HOA team negotiating the
ASST PRODUCTION MANAGER
DESIGNER munity organizations and local photo was taken and submitted to deal.

[email protected] There is no better place

EXECUTIVE TEAM to go than
BRETT FREEMAN
CEO & PUBLISHER SCHNEIDER
845-208-8151 FINANCIAL
GROUP
[email protected]
for professional, sound advice
Deadlines
on your business or personal
MAHOPAC NEWS DEADLINE
THE DEADLINE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS tax and financial situation

AND EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS FOR 845-628-5400 | [email protected] | SFGtaxes.com
824 Route 6, Suite 4 | Mahopac, NY 10541
MAHOPAC NEWS IS THE THURSDAY
BEFORE THE NEXT PUBLICATION DATE. Securities offered through Cantella & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Cantella and Co., Inc. does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This
material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
CALL BOB DUMAS AT advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

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PAGE 12 MAHOPAC NEWS OPINION THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

LETTERS way BNYSEG (and other utilities) respond to storm Fire y summer
events is part of their model. NYSEG is not going
FROM PAGE 11 to change that business model unless they are truly OF HUMAN imagination, who could repeat
forced to. Slap-on-the-wrist nes are just passed INTEREST God’s act of creation just by
If Nancy Pelosi suggested that to defeat President along to the rate payers. It doesn’t hurt! opening their eyes.
Trump, liberals should walk around with a bucket of LORENZO
manure on their heads, Bunny would be speeding for e politicians can hu and pu all they want, GARO Darn, those lousy krackles,
a dairy farm with a pitchfork. but ask yourself, what has improved since the last the nastiest bird going, have
storm? e politicians hu ed and pu ed in the past; “Imagination is the living overtaken my lawn this morn-
Donald Trump is what he has always been—a handed out dry ice in the past and will continue to power and prime agent of all hu- ing. ey chase away the robins,
bumptious, arrogant, opinionated businessman who hu and pu in the future. All of this hu ng and man perception.” charge at squirrels and strut as
gets things done. Has Bernie ever mentioned that pu ng is for show. e past “investigations” have if they own the place. I can-
President Trump gave us the best economy in many produced little, if any, positive results, or changes in - Samuel Taylor Coleridge not deny their wicked beauty,
decades,the lowest unemployment numbers in many NYSEG’s response. e past is prologue, and most e best thing about sum- though. ey hop through
years, got rid of the lousy NAFTA deal, etc.? people have short memories. So, why would NY- the shadows, their black coats
SEG change? mer, at least for me, is that it’s shining like polished metal, but
With such media distain, how did Donald Trump easy to get out of bed. In fact, when light hits their feath-
ever get elected? Because while Barak Obama was a Besides mandating that every gas station in because all I have is hillbilly ers, they suddenly turn an
talker who accomplished little except roiling the wa- Putnam County have a backup generator, maybe air-conditioning (a fan), I can electrifying, iridescent purple.
ters of racial discontent,Trump is a doer. e Ameri- County Executive Odell should mandate that ev- hardly wait to shed my sticky It’s their plaintive, crow-like
can people want a doer. As neither a Republican nor ery year-round property owner should do the same. cocoon, get outside, and breathe squawking that drives me nuts.
a Democrat, how can I vote for Joe Biden? 1. He Ms. Odell, look into the possibility of New York some country-morning air. Who do they think they are?
doesn’t have both oars in the water. 2. He will raise State funding a project for this, similar to the sep- Lady Gaga? Finally, perhaps
taxes to crazy numbers. 3. He will take the country to tic eld rebate program. I commend Ms. Odell for I suspect that anyone discontent with the fare, they
socialism. Deal me out on that. calling in the National Guard to aid us. It may be who’s ever lived in the city scatter into the woods. I watch
one of the reasons I was powerless for three days remembers their rst country them picking through the dead
So, if you see someone hopping down Route 6 and not the six days I endured in March 2018. Or morning. Who hasn’t wished leaves, looking for worms. Now,
with a Biden sign and a bucket of manure on his maybe I was just lucky this time. What about next to go back in time and experi- just like people, they’re attack-
head, it could be Bunny Kosberg. time? ence things the way they rst ing each other.
must have felt? But as Marcel
Tom Stern e National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- Proust demonstrated so well It’s 9 a.m. and the tempera-
Mahopac istration’s latest predictions call for the 2020 hur- in, “Remembrances of ings ture is already 80 degrees. It’s
ricane season to “run through the alphabet” (that’s Past,” fragrances, like that of too hot to do anything today.
NYSEG isn’t going to change possibly 17 more storms). Isaias my not be the only a summer morning, have the Why is it that we place such a
storm to a ect Mahopac this year. power to awaken an inmost high value on keeping busy, but
To the editor, part of us, that little person complain constantly about being
Once again, the citizens of Mahopac have endured I call on all of us with the means to do so to install who assembled the world with too busy? I’m not going to paint
legal backup generator. Living here without one is
another storm. Once again, NYSEG did not come to asking for hardship. And besides, it’s very di cult SEE GARO PAGE 14
the rescue in a timely manner for many of us. to take a shower with dry ice and bottled water, let
alone ush a toilet.
Back in April 2018, I wrote a letter to Mahopac
News regarding NYSEG’s response to the storm John Dollinger
of March 2018. In that letter, I predicted very little
would change in the future. Tropical Storm Isaias Mahopac
left 85 percent of Mahopac in the dark. Why? e

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020 MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 13

One-stop shopping
for homeowners

Honey-Do-Men contractors can do it all

When Darrell Babboni started a small and remodeling company is somewhat of in supporting the local community, as well Winner,and named Business of the Year by

business out of his mom’s house in 1997 a disservice. It would probably be easier to as the Honey-Do-Men Entrepreneurial the Somers Chamber of Commerce.

doing home repairs, he had no idea it list what they don’t do than what they can Scholarship Program, which awards up to “ ere was a hole in the market, we

would grow to the size it is today.It’s now a do, but let’s give it a try. Exterior services four graduates $1,000 each who show an found it, and lled it,” Babboni said. “My

multi-million-dollar business with 38 em- include roo ng, gutters, siding, windows, entrepreneurial spirit. goal was to become a one-stop-shop for

ployees and 21 trucks. ey complete over doors, driveways, deck, patios, and fenc- Babboni also created the Holiday Light homeowners to call for anything they

1,000 jobs each year. ing, to name a few. Interior services include Show, which is an event he does every year need. And that’s what we have done.”

His company, Honey-Do-Men, a home bathroom and kitchen remodeling, oor- at his o ce with over 40,000 LED lights In addition to providing an extensive selec-

improvement and repair company, has a ing installation, tiling, painting, re nish- all timed to music just to raise the spirits of tion of remodeling, repair, and maintenance

brick-and-mortar headquarters in Carmel ing, custom carpentry, plumbing, electric, the local community services, Honey-Do-Men also ensures each

where Babboni spends most of his days fo- diagnostic repairs, new additions, and a full Babboni went to college and got a de- customer has an outstanding experience.

cusing on customer service, the one thing array of small handyman services. Babboni gree in the performing arts. He was acting “I stand behind my work and every job

he said is missing most in this industry. calls it one-stop shopping for homeowners. and singing, but quickly discovered people my company does,” Babboni said. “I think

Babboni says his pillars of success are But it’s not just about the quantity of the were willing to pay more for those self- it’s that commitment to the job and to the

ve simple things; 1) Answer the phone work or the quality of the jobs it performs; taught home-improvement skills than the customer that has ultimately propelled the

when it rings. 2) Show up on time. 3) it’s mostly about customer service. Maybe ones he learned in school. success of the company.”

Give a written estimate, not a number on that’s why more than 68 percent of the “It was the late ’90s, and I was work- Babboni says diagnostics is his strong

the back of a business card. 4) Do the job jobs they do each year come from repeat ing out of a Honda Civic stripped-down suit, noting it doesn’t help to x something

right,don’t cut corners.5) If there is a prob- customers and direct referrals. If you talk hatchback with the seats folded down, a if you don’t know what caused it to break

lem, go back and x it, no questions asked. to Babboni, who also aspires to become a milk crate full of tools, gutter parts, and a in the rst place. “It seems [other contrac-

Honey-Do-Men services all of West- motivational speaker, you can feel his pas- backpack blower,” he said. “I was working tors] just want to replace everything; they

chester and Putnam counties. However, sion for the work, his company, and for the out of my mom’s house, using her com- don’t want to x it,” he explained. “ ey

Babboni is now in the process of devel- industry he works in. puter and my ladder was strapped to the just want to tear it all out, charge a ton of

oping a franchise model that will take it Babboni, who graduated from Somers roof of my car with no roof rack because I money, and put in all new instead of taking

national as early as next year and will be High School in 1996, and then West- couldn’t a ord one. But I was working out- the time to see what the problem is and if

lming a pilot for a possible series on cable chester Community College in 1998, was doors; I was my own boss, and I loved it.” it can be repaired.”

TV this fall. raised by a single mom. He began by doing Babboni was the typical one-man shop In fact,the company’s mission statement

To simply call Honey-Do-Men a repair simple home repairs to help out around the until a horri c accident where he broke his is, “Raising the expectation level between

house because his mom couldn’t a ord to neck and back in 2004, followed by another the homeowner and their contractor.”

pay someone to make home repairs. traumatizing accident only two years later “I also have a personal motto,‘ ink fast,

“I probably broke more things than I where he broke both his legs, which forced move faster,’”Babboni adds. “Without it, I

xed,” he said with a laugh. But that strug- him to start hiring people to do the work wouldn’t be where I am today.”

gle would lead to the creation of Honey- he couldn’t. Over the next 14 years, Bab- Call 914-837-0411 to nd out more or

Do-Men and several programs Babboni boni started hiring people, bought more to get a free estimate.

would create such as the Good Samaritan trucks, and started building an o ce sta ,

Program, which gives home repair and im- and began winning awards. He was named Article provided by Darrell Babboni/

provement jobs away for free to a home- one of the Top 500 Quali ed Remodelers Honey-Do-Men

owner who can’t a ord it and to nonpro t in America,Top 3 Percent of Roo ng Con-

organizations that show extensive goodwill tractors, Angie’s List Super Service Award

Honey Do Men

1995 Route 6, Carmel NY | 914-837-0411 | www.honeydomen.com

ADVERTORIAL

PAGE 14 MAHOPAC NEWS OPINION THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

e itsy-bitsy snack GARO takes to keep him in his mansion.
Every time I lift my head from the
TRACY that sucker across the bedroom oor. FROM PAGE 12 paper, he’s staring at me in what I
BECKERMAN is is not to say that I haven’t eaten a few believe is a threatening manner. He
the house when I can watch a gold- has the gall to chirp at me, things I
Irecently read that the average person will bugs accidentally over the years. I distinctly nch teach her edglings how to y. can’t repeat in a family newspaper.
ingest eight spiders in his or her lifetime. remember the joy of ying down a big hill on Gold nches are the aristocrats of But this is where I draw the line.
Apparently, this happens when we are my bike when I was kid, and then the feeling I will not be pushed around by a
sleeping, which would make sense, because I of pure horror as a bug ew into my mouth birds. ey nest later than any other chipmunk. We stare at each other for
don’t know anyone in their right mind who and down my throat. I had no idea what kind species, when seeds are the most a long while. I give the paper a good
would choose to eat a spider when they’re of bug it was, other than the knowledge that plentiful. Why should they hunt rattle and he’s gone. I know, I’m ter-
conscious, except maybe my dog, although it buzzed and crunched before it went down. for bugs to feed their chicks like ribly mean, but sometimes you have
he prefers slugs to spiders. Apparently slugs Distraught, I told my mother, who responded the commoners do? And the males, to be tough.
taste like chicken and spiders just taste like… that it was just a little extra protein in my diet arrayed as nely as medieval dukes,
spiders. that day. preen like schoolboys in their bright After he quit the working life, an
yellow sarapes. ere’s still time to old friend of mine, the “Professor,”
While this might explain that full feel- Still, it’s one thing to inadvertently inhale catch a mate. got plastered every day. Actually, he
ing I sometimes have when I wake up, I was a beetle, and quite another to nd out that an really was a professor. He didn’t have
reluctant to believe that even one spider would army of spiders are playing tonsil hockey with What do I say when someone asks any answers, but he asked a lot of
willingly climb into bed with me and take a you on their way down to your stomach. how I spent the day? Should I say, good questions. One day, he looked
kamikaze dive into my mouth. I’ve smelled at the risk of sounding looney, that I out from his barstool and said to no
my morning breath. It would kill anything Since I do not believe everything I read on think I heard a baby gold nch chirp one in particular, “Why do the days
smaller than an elephant upon impact. the internet, I decided to do a little research for the rst time, or that I had a stare go so slow and the years so fast?”
into the matter to help allay my fears. down with a chipmunk?
Moreover, being a light sleeper, I’m pretty at’s the way I would describe a
sure I would wake up if I felt someone or e rst site I checked said we swallow four Normally, I keep those kinds of lazy summer day. e hours pass so
something tickling my tongue. It’s just not spiders in our lifetime. at was better, but still things to myself. But allow me to tell slowly but then all of a sudden, it’s
the kind of thing you can continue to sleep not great news. you about the new tenant I’m hav- evening, the crickets are singing, and
through. I have to imagine that somewhere ing some trouble with, a chipmunk. the day is done. Was it just a dream?
in the deep recesses of my sleeping mind, it e second site I checked said the number He lives, rent free, behind a row of I mean the whole thing—life. at
would register that a spider was crawling into was closer to 20. After reading that, I felt holly bushes. It’s shady and cool, a might su ce as an answer to the
my mouth, and before you could say “Char- compelled to wash my mouth out with Lister- perfect place to spend the summer, professor’s question.
lotte’s Web,”I’d be wide awake and spitting ine and lay down with a cool washcloth across but unfortunately where I like to
my head. But then I was worried I might fall read the newspaper in the morning. I ask: When the edgling gold-
asleep and swallow a spider, so I got up and What a life he has, all the holly ber- nch fell from his nest and chirped
went back on the internet. ries he can eat, fescue seeds nearby. as if he was lost, did I dream it? Did
I call him Hermann. We de nitely I dream that I have a brash chip-
Another site said we swallow a pound of have territorial issues. I know he’s munk for a neighbor? And did I
spiders over our lifetime. According to the thirsty and I’m in his way. I’m sitting dream that the momentary spark of
site, that would be about 20,000 average-sized in front of a gutter drain. Both of us a re y illuminating a hot night in
house spiders. I decided this information can hear a trickle of water. I remind July amounts to but one in nitesimal
him that this is my house and how life on this big lumbering planet?
SEE BECKERMAN PAGE 19 high the taxes are and all that it

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914.948.1500

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020 MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 15

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PAGE 16 MAHOPAC NEWS THUR
Assemblyman Kevin Byrne
POLICE gestures to the crowd.

FROM PAGE 1

down for that long. So, she met with Town A family honors their
Supervisor Ken Schmitt, who told her she fallen police officer.
could hold the march on East Lake Bou-
levard, where it would it start at the monu-
ment and proceed down to the street to the
Chapel of Angels near St. John’s Church.

“We didn’t really want to call it a march or a
rally, so we called it a prayer walk in support of
police o cers all around the world—transit
cops, correction o cers, NYPD, state troop-
ers, all of them,” she said.

A tent was set up near the monument,
where participants signed in and received a
blue bracelet. Before the march kicked o ,
Putnam County Sheri Robert Langley
made a few remarks. e prayer walk then
proceeded down East Lake Boulevard,
which was festooned with balloons provided
by Fun Time Amusements.

At the conclusion of the walk, participants
gathered near the chapel as Schmitt recited
the Pledge of Allegiance and Pastor Andrew
Columbia of the Mount Carmel Baptist
Church gave an invocation. Neil MacMa-
hon sang “God Bless the USA” and Michael
Maroney played the bagpipes.

Joe Beberman of the NYPD took part in
the walk, using a bullhorn to get the crowd
chanting.

ere were also representatives from the
state police and sheri ’s department as well
as the Carmel, Kent, Brewster and Yonkers
police departments.

Chaluisan said she had 450 miniature
ags to hand out to the walkers and held a
free ra e to award two homemade wreaths.

e cost of the event came out of Chalu-
isan’s own pockets, as well as those of the
committee members, but she says that it was
more than worth it and that she appreciates
the turnout and all the support the event re-
ceived.

“I really want to thank Sheri Langley for
all his support,” she said.

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-oOnneea-odnv-icoen.e advice.FREEm-Ron6opcC2uiaa1at-cle8s,Ae6N6d4yYv7, i1As0oA5r4M1 SMTF186®4ioan,35hmaC8MT1FTF1M8-R66F8T1Mon44ii6oo6Raann334ioopca55nC32hhmmaaP5uiahm-R-Raooa1nna66C-Rt-conoolppcc6eCC8s22o,p®cuuiiACaa2a1ea1,6Naaui6att--cca1lldaC4eey88sst-c,,YlAAe8vsee667,,NNR66Ae6ddiN44yy16AsYYPd04vvy77,,oYSAvii571,1AAssr00i®14ooAsM0AA55orr1A454SMMr411M®SS1,S®®C,,®CC,RCRRPRPPCCCP®gh,7CSA8®®-CYS,,eoCe7HS®anCCmEE,r7SRDeESRRCUexMrtPL5eaEPPERsnNSYdt1tSSTeOPoa6d®TU®®rnOSWRDad1F®ArRr1YbaE!n6EytyIN*0HOME
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RSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020 PAGE 17
The walk included supporters of all ages.
Michael
Maroney plays
the bagpipes in
honor of police
officers lost in
the line of duty.

e

Kevin McConville helps event organizer Marianne Volunteers help register people to
Chaluisan during her remarks to the crowd. take part in the walk.

Community leaders and event Supervisor Ken Schmitt
organizers lead the walk down addresses the crowd.

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PAGE 18 MAHOPAC NEWS OPINION THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Helicopter parents may do more Piano lessons
harm than good
READING, composition after not playing
STRONG Helicopter Parents essential for a successful life. WRITING & an instrument for years. As I
LEARNING Dear Helicopter Parents, Understandably, many par- CHOCOLATE enjoyed my live concert while
eating yogurt and a banana,
DR. LINDA From your description, it ents are concerned that their KIM I thought back to the many
SILBERT seems that your children are children will fall behind. Prob- KOVACH years I had taken piano lessons
doing ne and so are you. ably, there will be some falling as a child.
Dear Dr. Linda, However, don’t have a false behind, but most children will My neighbor called to
My friends call us helicopter sense that everything is great catch up and move ahead once ask if I could move I was in rst grade when
just because they’re doing a lot we return to more of a sense of my car on Saturday my parents announced that
parents and that’s OK with us. of schoolwork. Remember, that normalcy. An interesting fact is morning. She was expecting we were getting a piano. My
We have two great kids, Joey, 8, childhood is not only academ- that most children forget what a shipment from Europe and father’s partner and his wife
and Jillian, 11. During CO- ics. Getting enough physical ex- they learn anyway. Why do wanted to make sure there was were re-decorating their
VID-19, we’re proud to say that ercise, using your imagination, you think the same material is enough room for the delivery Manhattan apartment and
they’ve done every Zoom lesson learning how to problem-solve taught year after year? ere’s a truck. o ered my family their piano.
their teachers have given them, and having downtime are just as great deal of repetition. I remember the day our piano
plus assignments we’ve given important. at’s why social and After moving my car that was delivered. It was a beauti-
them. emotional learning, SEL, has Whatever children lose morning, I went for a walk ful shiny cherry colored wood.
been added to the curriculum. during COVID-19, they will around the neighborhood. e
Over the summer we’ve con- be taught again and again in large white truck had arrived e padded piano bench lifted
tinued doing schoolwork. We Life isn’t simply learning facts future years. Will they miss precisely at 8:30 a.m. and was up to store sheet music. Each
actually think they’re learning and knowledge. Childhood a classic book or a particular gone by the time I returned black and white key beckoned
more now than when they were is a time to learn social skills, topic in history? Maybe—but home. at afternoon, I sat to be plinked to hear the dif-
in school. ey’re doing great! which is di cult to do during they may have missed it anyway. down at the kitchen table to ferent sounds. Now I needed
But, both sets of grandparents a pandemic, and to develop eat my lunch and was treated piano lessons.
and our siblings, who have their emotional strength. Childhood e point is that parents need to an impromptu tinkling of
own children, think we’re hav- is a time to become bored! Yes, to calm down and allow their the ivories from next door. My rst piano teacher was
ing them do too much school- bored! When a child is bored, it children to calm down too. As My neighbor had inherited a old Mrs. Anderson. She lived
work. We don’t think so. ey forces them to “think” in order long as your children remain in- piano. in the dark apartment build-
seem ne. I’m emailing you to to gure out what to do. ey’re terested, follow the curriculum, ing two blocks away from our
see if you think we’re doing not just following orders and review it with your child, and I was surprised at how house and taught piano lessons
anything wrong. directions. ey are creating talk to them about their online clearly the sound traveled. I in her living room. I have no
from scratch, planning ahead, assignments, but don’t become was even more impressed by idea what songs I was taught
organizing and more. ese are obsessed in making sure your the fact that my neighbor was to play. I do remember a spring
some of the higher order skills able to sit right down and piano recital. Mrs. Anderson
SEE SILBERT PAGE 19 launch into a classical music had folding chairs set up in

SEE KOVACH PAGE 19

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020 OPINION MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 19

KOSBERG SILBERT If you’re doing that, KOVACH not a good t.
stop. Otherwise, remem- Mom was not a fan of driving
FROM PAGE 10 FROM PAGE 18 ber that more schoolwork FROM PAGE 18
isn’t always better. It’s all over town to take my brother
He mocks the people we elect. A children have learned every just more. e quantity of her living room for the proud and me to afterschool activities.
hero, no; a bully, yes. little detail. school-related assignments Moms and Dads to sit and listen Mom found a guitar teacher who
completed does not equate and realize where their hard- made house calls when my brother
Trump has even tried to under- Let’s address the term to learning. But if you in- earned money had gone. decided to learn acoustic guitar.
mine the U.S. Postal Service in you used to describe your- teract with your kids about Old Mr. G arrived at our house
an all-out attempt to stop mail-in selves. True “helicopter their assignments, letting After a couple of years, my next once a week and supervised my
voting so he can diminish our ca- parents” hover over their them demonstrate that they piano teacher was a family friend brother’s guitar lessons in our liv-
pacity to decide who will lead this children, making sure they are learning by explaining named Mrs. Hempe. I remember ing room.
country. Given the coronavirus cross every “t” and dot every the assignments to you, all bringing sheet music for an Elton
pandemic and the fear it strikes “i.” By not giving their will be well. John song. I wanted to play rock Mom was happy to learn that
in most Americans, forcing us to children breathing room and roll. Mrs. Hempe said that old Mr. G had a 40-year old son
vote in person is not just corrupt, to attempt assignments by en again, some kids I was not ready for that and just who taught piano lessons and also
it’s immoral. themselves, they are deliver- like doing schoolwork. And turned to the next page in the made house calls! Mr. M waltzed
ing the tacit message to the if that’s the case with your piano lesson book. into our home reeking of cologne.
No matter what I say,Tim, and children that they believe kids, and they continue to I placed my Elton John sheet
no matter how much informa- them incapable of doing enjoy it, keep it up! My parochial school did not music on the music stand, but Mr.
tion I provide you, you’ve always the work themselves—and have any musical instrument in- M preferred the classics. I learned
got some puerile comeback at the that they don’t measure up Dr. Linda struction. We had music apprecia- to play Beethoven’s Fűr Elise.
ready—“Fake news and LOL.” to whatever your standards tion class once a week with Mrs.
Your verbal swordplay is o -put- are (irrespective of what Dr. Linda is co-author of West. We learned to read notes My piano lessons ended after
ting, and I’ve had enough. the teacher’s standards are, “Why Bad Grades Happen and sing songs.We also learned all Mr. M asked my mother what
which are the only things to Good Kids” and director of of the musical terms like fortis- time I arrived home from school,
Attempting to have a reason- that matter). Not only does Strong Learning Tutoring simo and arpeggio.We learned where my bus stop was and which
able give-and-take with you is like this harm their self-esteem, and Test Prep. Send your all about the great composers like direction I walked home.
spitting into the wind. No matter it denies their children questions to Linda@ Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.
what evidence is presented, you the opportunity of taking stronglearning.com. Find Kim Kovach appreciates
are harnessed to Trump’s band- responsibility for their own more articles on her blog at e next piano teacher lived in musical talent in others. www.
wagon and celebrate his blatant work. StrongLearning.com. a high-rise apartment building. kimkovachwrites.com
biases and malevolence, without She wore a lot of make-up. I barely
compunction. practiced during the week. It was

As the election draws nearer—
one I consider to be the most im-
portant in my lifetime—I’m sure
you’ll have the urge to text me
soon and say something unset-
tling. I’d rather not hear it any-
more. Please delete my number.

BECKERMAN Add Value
to Your Home
FROM PAGE 14

must be awed. If we had 20,000
spiders in our house, I wouldn’t
BE in the house long enough to
swallow them.

I nally decided to check out
Snopes.com, the go-to site for
veri cation of urban myths. Ac-
cording to them, the whole thing
is a made-up crock of arachnids.

Flies, however, are another
story.

If you’d like to nd something to
laugh about EVERY DAY, come
join my Lost in Midlife community
on Facebook at facebook.com/
groups/lostinmidlife.

SCHIFFREN When we’re done, there is nothing left to do.

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PAGE 20 MAHOPAC NEWS HEALTH & WELLNESS THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Families in crisis

What they should know about addiction

BY SUSAN SALOMONE, a loved one. As a community, we intervention and a solid support es increase for addiction in the ey watch their brother or sis-
have been pleased to see agencies network-AA, NA, Smart Recov- bloodline. Educate your children ter create chaos in the house and
MS, CASAC work together for the better good. ery, or any like-minded mutual aid on this important health condi- struggle with the anger that they
GUEST WRITER We have participated as hundreds group. tion in the family. feel toward them. If the sibling
rally in Albany to stop the stigma dies, they then feel guilt for not
COVID-19 has hit the recov- associated with addiction. We learned that this is a brain We learned that people su er in trying harder and being there for
ery community hard with many of disease. We learned that more silence because of the stigma asso- their sibling. ey need help too.
those trying to be substance free We have learned so much in the than 50 percent of the people that ciated with addiction and mental
relapsing because of isolation and last eight years. We learned things use substances su er from some illness. People think that they are is is a family disease everyone
lack of support. Unfortunately, that I wished we knew while my form of mental health issue which the only ones when in reality ap- in the family is a ected. Fam-
we have lost many lives over the son was still alive. We learned might include social anxiety, gen- proximately 20 million Americans ily therapy is strongly recom-
last 4 months due to overdoses. that continued attempts at recov- eralized anxiety, depression, obses- age 12 and up, according to the mended if someone is addicted
Like so many other families that ery raises the chances of success. sive compulsive disorder, ADHD, National Survey on Drug Use and to a substance. ere are also sup-
have lost loved ones to this opioid Once is not enough and some- and bipolar. Early intervention by Health 2017, need treatment and port groups for families: Alanon,
epidemic, I divide my life into the times 10 times is not enough, but parents, teachers and friends can only a small percentage of them Naranon and Spotlight Family
before and after. e before was the important thing is to keep try- help an adolescent before they seek help.We learned that Ameri- Support Group.
May 28, 2012, and the after was ing.Even if you think you’ve heard seek alcohol and drugs to ease cans consume close to 80 percent
May 29, 2012 when my son Justin everything before just maybe you their mental health symptoms. of all painkillers For the many families that are
died of a heroin overdose. Today, are ready to hear it now. Remain- in crisis today, there are supports
eight years later, I ask myself what ing hopeful under the most dis- We learned that early use of any according to Express Scripts that did not exist when we were
has changed and what have we tressing circumstances is di cult drug by a child, including alco- 2014 report, manufactured in struggling with my son’s addic-
learned? but very important to the recovery hol and marijuana lead to higher the entire world. at many in- tion. Family Support Naviga-
of your loved one. rates of addiction. e adolescent surances will only cover only a tors have been trained in NYS
rough the e orts of many brain is still developing, and it is short treatment stay and there is to help families learn strategies
grassroots organizations like Medication-assisted treatment imperative to delay any use until no wonder that this is a revolv- to live with active addiction in
Drug Crisis in our Backyard, we is the rst line of defense against after early adulthood. Drinking ing door with people coming out their household. One evidence-
have brought awareness of the opioid use disorder. is includes and vaping marijuana is not a rite of treatment and relapsing within based model that we recommend
rampant use of heroin and opi- Suboxone, methadone and Vivit- of passage! hours. With opiates, months and is CRAFT (Community Rein-
oids in our community, we have rol. MAT with behavioral therapy years are needed for the brain to forcement and Family Training).
helped countless families under- increases the chance of recovery. We learned that there is a fam- recovery, to learn how to live with-
stand substance use disorder (ad- We cannot make anyone get well; ily propensity for the disease of out the drugs and learn strategies is model helps families prac-
diction) as a disease and rallied to- they have to do this on their own. substance use disorder, same as is to manage the desire to use again. tice self-care and communication
gether in an e ort to support each However, recovery is possible with with diabetes and heart disease. skills to in uence change.
other live with the symptoms in the support of family, professional If you have a family member no We learned that the family, the
matter how distant, the chanc- siblings are victims to this disease. SEE SALOMONE PAGE 23

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020 HEALTH & WELLNESS MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 23

Nuvance puts plasma donation centers on hold

Decline in COVID cases prompts temporary suspension

e Nuvance Health Convales- dition to a sizable supply of plas- and potentially help critically ill Presently, the database has 2,182 study may necessitate re-opening
cent Plasma Donation Centers at ma already in reserves. Nuvance patients ghting COVID-19. registered donors. While Nuvance one or more of the donation cen-
Danbury Hospital, Norwalk Hos- Health has more than 600 units of Health is no longer collecting ters.
pital and Vassar Brothers Medical plasma stored for future use. Since then, 302 patients were plasma donations, the registry will
Center have been put on hold for treated with convalescent plasma remain open should the need arise. “We thank our community for
the near term. After working with the New across the Nuvance Health system, their tremendous generosity in
York Blood Center and the Amer- both through in-house donations Nuvance Health has been in- donating their own plasma to help
Nuvance Health is the owner of ican Red Cross to procure dona- and those from the New York volved in the Mayo Clinic conva- others during these unprecedented
Putnam Hospital Center in Car- tions at the start of the pandemic, Blood Center and American Red lescent plasma research protocol times and making it possible for
mel. Nuvance Health opened its own Cross. for its hospitalized patients and is research like this to occur,” Chief
donor centers in April to meet now starting participation with the Quality O cer Dr. Diane Kanta-
e program is no longer ac- demands and to rapidly increase To participate in the program, Johns Hopkins protocol to treat ros said.
tively collecting donations due to available plasma. Plasma contains interested donors were asked to non-hospitalized patients with
a decline in COVID-19 cases in antibodies that can ght infection register at www.nuvancehealth. convalescent plasma. is new Article courtesy of Nuvance Health
New York and Connecticut, in ad- org/plasmadonorregistration.

SALOMONE very important. Denial has judgement and caused such get in the way. ere are FELLER
no place here and is non- anger and resentment that more people dealing with
FROM PAGE 20 productive. During one of I couldn’t see my son’s pain. substance use disorder then FROM PAGE 22
the many sessions we spent I only saw the symptoms of you could imagine. Please
Recovery coaches and with Justin’s addiction psy- the disease: lying, stealing, reach out to one of our of proper planning may avoid days and weeks of
peer advocates are trained chiatrist, he said as long as and manipulating. So, now I Family Support Navigators aggravation.
and certi ed to help those there is life there is hope. know the truth and pass this at 845-745-0896 or email
in early recovery stay the Truer words were never onto others. us at ssal@drugcrisisinour- When the temperature drops and every part
course during the most spoken, and I think of this backyard.com. of you is freezing you appreciate the warm jacket
di cult times. Recovery statement often. When I As long as there is life and the smart packing job. Pulling out the
coaches help guide the re- there is hope. It is important We are accessible through completed power of attorney during a health
coveree in their journey to rst heard it, there was no to believe that they can die our website www.drugcrisis- crisis o ers a similar sense of security. Contact
a stable sobriety that is hard connection for me because and once they are gone there inourbackyard.com and on the professionals at Sloan and Feller to discuss the
to maintain without the ex- deep inside I never believed is no going back and trying Facebook. power of attorney and its role in protecting your
tra support. that Justin would die. e again. Now that there are family’s assets.
pain and anxiety caused by many more resources for Susan Salomone is co-founder
Accepting that your loved living daily with the disease help for your loved one don’t of Drug Crisis in Our Alan D. Feller is cofounder of Sloan & Feller in
one has a disease and at least of addiction clouded my let shame or embarrassment Backyard. Mahopac, a multi-disciplinary law practice spe-
for now this is the reality, is cializing in elder law, estate planning and business
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