Mahopac News 03.05.20

VOL. 11 NO. 1 Visit TapIntoMahopac.net for the latest news. THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Headed for the
checkered flag!

Members of Cub Scout Pack 71 cheer on the Pinewood Derby
cars during the annual race event held last Friday (Feb. 28) at the
Mahopac rehouse. Four awards were given out and pizza was do-
nated by D’Berto’s to make the night complete. For more pictures
of the derby, see the centerspread on pages 14 and 15.

PHOTO: TABITHA
PEARSON MARSHALL

ZBA says no to sober living home at old theater

Say it would put a business in residential neighborhood

BY BOB DUMAS project move forward. [by the vote],” said Debbie Fos- decision. time accommodated the actors
EDITOR Margaret Fossati, who owns the sati, Margaret Fossati’s daughter- “I think they are discriminating and actresses who stayed there
in-law. “ ere is a need here [for during extended production runs.
A plan to put a sober-living 12-acre piece of land located at sober-living facilities] and I think against addicts,” she said. “Every- Before becoming a theater, the
home in Mahopac was dealt what 345 Croton Falls Road, sought to it’s a perfect spot. We don’t know one has addicts in their family, so property was a horse farm.
looks to have been a fatal blow sell the property to A nity One, where to go from here. We are at they are being hypocrites.”
when the Zoning Board of Ap- a company that owns 22 upscale a complete loss. We thought we e property is in a residen-
peals (ZBA) voted last week sober-living facilities throughout had it in the bag. We met all the e property in question is the tially zoned neighborhood, but
against giving the property own- the country. criteria.” site of the old Putnam County the Fossati’s attorney, William
ers and prospective buyers a use Playhouse, which was in existence Schilling, argued that the building
variance that would have let the e board voted 4-2 with one Debbie Fossati had some harsh from 1949 to 1969. e large
abstention to deny the variance. words for the ZBA regarding its building features eight bedrooms SEE SOBER PAGE 6
and nine bathrooms that at one
“We were all very surprised

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 27 WE MOVED!
CLASSIFIEDS 26
LEGAL NOTICES 25 26O8uSrRnoeomwuloetcerasti2on0: 2,
LEISURE 24
MAHOPAC MUSINGS DeCJiuccsot n&exStodnos oarndtoCVS!
OPINION 2 ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
SCHOOLS & CAMPS
SPORTS 8

16 Hockey captain Cooper NOW OPEN OUR NEW LOCATION
18 Betancourt says goodbye. IS NOW A REALITY!

pg 20 So excited to add value to
our wonderful community of

pets and owners!!

Progressive Animal Hospital

(914) 248-6220 • Progressive-Vet.com

268 Route 202 • Somers, NY 10589

Privately Owned

PAGE 2 MAHOPAC NEWS MAHOPAC MUSINGS THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

The Staff Illusion of the program. Registration required. Register his/her craft. Registration is requested; register

EDITORIAL TEAM online at www.mahopaclibrary.org, or call 845- online at www.mahopaclibrary.org, or call 845-
BOB DUMAS
Mahopac High School’s annual showcase of 628-2009, ext. 100. 628-2009, ext. 100.
EDITOR: 845-208-0774
[email protected] its nest musicians and vocalists, known as “Il- Virtual Reality Gaming for Kids Teen Library Council
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER
SPORTS EDITOR: 914-302-5628 lusion,” will be held at Mahopac High School Tuesday, March 10, 3:30 p.m. For grades 6-12. ursday, March 12, 3:15 p.m. If you are
[email protected]
Auditorium on March 12, 13, and 14 at 7 p.m. Play great games on our Oculus Rifts! Parent/ a teen in grades 6 and up, join the TLC and
ADVERTISING TEAM
CORINNE STANTON each night.Tickets are $10 at the door. guardian must sign a Mahopac Library Virtual have a say in what happens at your library and
845-621-4049
Tai Chi for Arthritis Classes Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) liabil- community. Each month we will do something
[email protected] ity release form for attendee to participate. Regis- di erent: help prepare materials for children’s
LISA KAIN
tration required. Register online at www.mahopa- programs, make chocolate pops for the Wom-
914-351-2424
[email protected] Tai chi For arthritis classes will be held at clibrary.org, or call 845-628-2009, ext. 100. en’s Resource Center or organize a food drive.

PAUL FORHAN Temple Beth Shalom in Mahopac on Mon- e Art of Long-Term Care Planning Bring your energy and ideas. is is a great way
914-202-2392
[email protected] days and Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. ere will Wednesday, March 11, 6:30 p.m. e right to earn your Community Service hours. Reg-
JENNIFER CONNELLY
917-446-7757 be 16 one-hour sessions starting on March 23. long-term care plan can help you safeguard ister online at www.mahopaclibrary.org, or call
[email protected]
BRUCE HELLER e fee is $80/person. is event is open to the your family, your savings, your retirement, and 845-628-2009, ext. 139.
914-202-2941
[email protected] public. For more information and to register, your peace of mind. is workshop will provide Coloring for Adults
SHELLEY KILCOYNE
call 845-628-6133 or visit https://tbsmahopac. information about long-term care including: ursdays, March 12, 26, 7 p.m. Re-connect
CO-FOUNDER
914-924-9122 org/tai-chi/ .Class size will be limited and early what’s covered and not covered by government with your inner child. Join us for an evening of
[email protected]
registration is recommended. programs; how much long-term care services relaxation, stress relief, focus, and fun. For ages
PRODUCTION TEAM
TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL Mahopac Library Events cost in your local area; when long-term care is 18 and up; materials are provided. Drop-in
being delivered, and much more. Registration group; no registration needed. For more infor-
PRODUCTION MANAGER
DESIGNER/PHOTOGRAPHER is requested; register online at www.mahopacli- mation visit www.mahopaclibrary.org, or call
[email protected]
Virtual Reality Gaming for Adults brary.org, or call 845-628-2009, ext. 100. 845-628-2009, ext. 100.
CHRISTINA ROSE
ASST PRODUCTION MANAGER Saturday, March, 7:30 p.m. Play great games Poetry Writing Workshop Charity Poker Tournament
on our Oculus Rifts! All attendees must sign Wednesday, March 11, 6:30 p.m. In this
DESIGNER
[email protected] a Mahopac Library Virtual Reality (VR) and workshop, participants will create new poems

EXECUTIVE TEAM Augmented Reality (AR) liability release form to share and receive feedback from other par- e Italian American Club of Mahopac will
BRETT FREEMAN
CEO & PUBLISHER to participate. Children over the age of 14 are ticipants. Each monthly session will feature hold a charity poker tournament at its club-
845-208-8151
welcome to attend provided they are accom- poetry readings and discussion in a format that SEE MUSINGS PAGE 4
[email protected] panied by a parent or guardian for the entirety is aimed to be helpful to each poet in honing
JOSEPH R. TESONE
Keep Your Family
SENIOR VP & ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Cool This Spring
845-621-1116
And Summer
[email protected]
Have your
Deadlines A/C System
Inspected
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, Additional costs for multiple units. Not combinable with any other offer.
CALL BOB DUMAS AT Call Early and Schedule Your Maintenance
Before the Warm Weather Arrives!
845-208-0774 OR EMAIL 845-628-2580 | www.bellhvac.com
[email protected].

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 Your Neighbor MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 3

Mahopac resident champions
Make-a-Wish Foundation

BY JESSICA JAFET ple who want to give back to the community, like Karl Karl Thimm, left, and Thomas J. Conklin
CONTRIBUTING WRITER imm and Appliance Sales Plus,” Conklin said, adding
are skilled people and donate their time and expertise to
About the same time Karl imm was launching Ap- that the Somers Lions Club has also been a tremendous the makeover,” he said.
pliance Sales Plus, his family-owned home appliance supporter of the organization.
business in Somers, the Make-a-Wish Foundation was e bene ts are not only felt by the child with a wish,
also just getting o the ground. In the Hudson Valley alone, 2,900 wishes have been but have ripple e ects for the family as well. imm said
granted and for imm, a veteran of the United States he has seen the stress levels ease for the kids and fami-
Now over 40 years later, the successful retailer sits on Air Force, being able to help kids in such di cult situa- lies alike, and their well-being improved when a wish has
the board of the charity’s local chapter and is committed tions has touched him in a special way. been granted.
to spreading awareness of the organization’s mission to
grant the wish of every child diagnosed with a critical “Make-a-Wish takes a moment in the life of a child “It emotionally helps the children and the emotion be-
illness. and gives them a happy memory that lasts—when you comes physical because their mind feels better and their
see them, the children that have been helped over the body will feel better, he said.“And hopefully that will help
“I want to enlighten the community and let them know years—you just have to be involved,” he said. them in a cure.”
how we grant wishes to kids and ful ll their dreams,” said
Conklin noted that supporters range from local busi-
imm. nesses such as Appliance Sales Plus all the way to the
Make-a-Wish began in 1980 when a seven year-old biggest names in sports and entertainment.
boy named Christopher James, who was battling leuke-
mia, expressed his wish to be an Arizona State trooper for It was revealed after the tragic loss of Kobe Bryant, that
a day. Friends made it possible for James to wear the uni- the NBA legend had granted over 200 wishes to children.
form, sit in a helicopter and realize his boyhood dream. Not only was Bryant in the Top 10 list of celebrities who
e gesture eventually grew into the foundation that now have participated with Make-a-Wish, but he was also
has 60 chapters in the United States with 55 international someone who insisted on letting the child meet him one-
a liates—and has granted over 330,000 wishes to chil- on-one in order to make a personal connection.
dren.
“ e stories are coming out about how great a wish-
omas J. Conklin, who is the president of the Hudson granter [Bryant] was, and it just reinforces Make-a-Wish
Valley chapter of Make-a-Wish, said that the funding of with the community,” Conklin said.
the children’s wishes comes from the generosity of indi-
viduals, companies and private organizations; they do not Various types of wishes are granted for the children,
take any government money. beyond meeting their heroes, he added. A “room make-
over,” for example, is a popular request—for a kid who
“We look for individual donations and business peo- is used to spending a lot of time in a hospital or is living
with challenging circumstances, a new bedroom can rep-
resent a healing safe-haven. “We have electricians who

Mahopac resident, business owner to chair Alzheimer’s Walk

e Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter than 30 years and previously worked as the director of an Denise Kuhbier Saini Smith-Clarke
has named Denise Kuhbier of Mahopac and Saini Smith- assisted living and memory support unit.
Clarke, a Mahopac business owner, co-chairs of the plan- ADG-LAW.COMscares me most is how early-onset Alzheimer and demen-
ning committee for the Putnam Walk to End Alzheimer’s, “As the years continue, I hear daily of more cases of tia is becoming more and more common. I am committed
scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, at Putnam Veterans Me- Alzheimer’s with even younger onset. I am continuing to to the Alzheimer’s Association and Putnam Walk to End
morial Park in Carmel. work harder to raise money to nd a cure. is devastating Alzheimer’s to raise awareness and funds to help nd treat-
illness must have a cure in my lifetime, and I won’t stop ments and ultimately a cure.”
Walk Manager Tina Eckert said she was pleased to have
Kuhbier and Smith-Clarke continue their partnership for ghting,” Kuhbier said.
a second year as leaders of the Putnam Walk. Clarke-Smith has run her own Allstate agency, Clarke
Agency, in Mahopac since 2016. She started her career with
“I am so pleased to be working with these two excep- Allstate Insurance in 1994 in customer service, sales and of-
tional women who do so much to make our Putnam walk a ce management. She serves on the board of directors of the
success,” said Eckert. “ e Alzheimer’s Association is very Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce and the Nation-
lucky to have them supporting our cause.” al Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.
She rst got involved with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
e senior vice president of Care Operations at Lea- a few years ago as a walker and was co-chair of the Putnam
nOnWe, Kuhbier is a member of the advisory board of Walk planning committee for the rst time in 2019.
directors for the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley “I walk because I lost my grandpa to Alzheimer’s and my
Chapter and has served on the walk’s planning commit- Grandma Ti any to dementia,”Clarke-Smith said.“What
tee for ve years. She has been a registered nurse for more

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PAGE 4 MAHOPAC NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

To advertise in Mahopac News, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 Sheriff:
or email [email protected]. Counterfeit money
cases on the rise
HELP WANTED
Putnam County Sheri Rob- The suspect wanted for passing
MANAGEMENT/ ert Langley reports an increase a phony $100 bill in Carmel last
DISPATCHER in counterfeit currency cases week.
POSITIONS throughout the county, as well
as adjoining counties, and is re- authenticity. Counterfeit currency
• Full time jobs minding merchants and consum- can easily by detected using the
• Health benefits ers to be vigilant. proper tools commercially avail-
• 401k plans able or, if you suspect the currency
• Paid holidays & Paid vacations e Sheri ’s Department is is counterfeit, contact local law
• Starting Salary $39,000 actively investigating cases in enforcement.
which counterfeit $100 bills
Call: 914-733-7016 are being used to make smaller
purchases at convenience stores,
MAHOPAC HIGH SCHOOL drug stores and eateries. e
small purchase allows the sus-
pects in these cases to walk away
with legal U.S. currency, leaving
their unsuspecting victims short

nancially. According to police,
one suspect is wanted for passing
counterfeit currency in the ham-
let of Carmel on Feb. 23. Anyone
with information should contact
the Putnam County Sheri ’s Of-

ce at 845-225-4300
Langley reminds all merchants
and consumers to check currency
passed during a transaction for its

COLLEGE & GREAT MHS SENIOR St. Patrick’s Day
CAREER READY EXPECTATIONS CLASS SNAPSHOT Parade set for Sunday

3130 We see each student as an individual with a unique CLASS OF 2019 e Northern-Westchester Putnam St. Patrick’s Day Parade
set of skills and strengths. Our goal is not only to Committee will host the 44th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade
COLLEGE CREDITS prepare them for the future, but to ensure that our 95% along Route 6 in Mahopac on Sunday, March 8, at 2 p.m. sharp.
AWARDED IN 2019
students enjoy the journey. GRADUATION RATE e parade is one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parades in New
23 Mahopac Central School District aims high to graduate York State. It is meant to recognize and celebrate Irish culture, heritage
students who are curious, compassionate, resilient and (80% NYS, 90% Putnam County) and pride, for those who have emigrated here from the Emerald Isle,
COLLEGE COURSES innovative critical thinkers and problem solvers. We do the Irish- American community,as well as those who are Irish in spirit.
OFFERED including college credit courses, technical education 57%
courses and advanced learning. It all takes place in a e grand marshal this year is Yorktown resident, Elizabeth
14 ADVANCED REGENTS DIPLOMA/ “Liz” Flannery.
as well as its outstanding athletic programs. ADVANCED REGENTS DIPLOMA
AP COURSES Come out and celebrate Irish heritage rain or shine this Sunday.
HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS? See for yourself! WITH HONORS For more information, visit www.SaintPatricksDayParade.net.
160
81%
CAREER & TECH EDUCATION
PROGRAM STUDENTS TOOK AT LEAST ONE
COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE
80
93%
WISE INTERNSHIPS
ATTENDING COLLEGE

5%

JOINED THE
US MILITARY/WORKFORCE

ACADEMICS FOR ALL SCHOLAR ACCOLADES MUSINGS Tom at 845-628-5909. Fundraising

Regents/Honors/AP 1 National AP Scholar 443 309 FROM PAGE 2 is for the IAC’s 2020 charity: Put-
BOCES Vocational Training 13 AP Scholars with Distinction
WISE Internships 10 AP Scholars with Honors AP EXAMS GIVEN AP EXAM SCORES nam County Children’s Committee.
College Credit Courses 31 AP Scholars IN MAY 2019 BETWEEN 3-5
Advanced Placement (AP) house at 141 Bucksholllow Road. NY Boating Classes
World Languages Mahopac, on Sunday, March 15.
Project Lead the Way
National Merit® Scholarship Program Awards: Homemade Italian dinner at 2 p.m.
National Scholar Winner, Commended Scholars, National Hispanic Scholar,
included; game begins at 2:30 p.m. NYS boating instructor Lynn
Puerto Rican Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute Winner

Admission is $100 and includes Glassman will be teaching classes

413 8,000 chips. Pre-pay at italiana- at the Society Hill at Mahopac’s

STUDENTS ATHLETICS mericanclubofmahopac.org (Web Club House, 38 Jonathan Drive.
MUSIC PROGRAM
43 28 19 44 store/Poker) and receive 1,000 free All classes are on Saturdays, from 9
525 CLUB
PROGRAMS chips. Bring a friend or new player a.m.-5 p.m. on March 28, April 25,
STUDENTS
PERFORMING ARTS and receive 500 chips. Donate an May 16 and June 27. is year is the

403 ATHLETIC SPORTS SCHOLAR additional $20 to the charity and rst time that Brianna’s Law takes
TEAMS ATHLETE
STUDENTS receive 2,000 extra chips. Re-buys e ect where anyone who drives a
VISUAL ARTS TEAMS
during the rst ve rounds. You boat must have a boating certi -

NYSPHSAA School of Excellence for 2019 (90%+ GPA) must be at least 21 years old to play. cate. For more information, contact

For additional information or to Lynn Glassman at 914-522-2140.

MAHOPAC.ORG play, call Frank at 914-400-6751 or

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 Coloring contest winners MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 5

e following children were chosen out of more than 50 submissions as winners of the winter coloring contest hosted by DeCicco & Sons:
Campbell, Aditi, Elise and Madison. Winners were given a $25 Amazon gift card. anks to all who participated!

Francesca Sgammato and Chris DeCicco pick Campbell Aditi Elise Madison
the winners of the winter coloring contest.

Rollover Come join
sends
Mahopac THE FUN 8March
motorist to
hospital under the tents!

BY BOB DUMAS St Patrick’s Parade Special Menu
EDITOR
IRISH BREAKFAST STARTING AT 8 ALL DAY!
A motorist was transported to
the hospital last week after her ve- AM
hicle rolled over on Baldwin Place
Road in a single-car accident. OUTDOOR BARBECUE PLUS ALL YOUR IRISH FAVORITES!

e Mahopac Falls Fire De- THE PARADE— (Cash only)
partment, EMS, and Carmel PD Concert With THE
were called to the scene around AFTER HAPPY CRABS
7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Ini-
tially, it was reported that extrac- MUSIC LINEUP—• March 7 - Mahopac’s own SLOWBURN
tion from the vehicle might be
necessary, but upon arrival rst • March 8 & March 14 - THE HAPPY CRABS
responders discovered the driver
had already climbed out of the Largest selection • March 18 - LIVE BLUES BAND
vehicle. of Craft Beer and for our Blues & Brews night special
Liquor around!
Police identi ed the motor- • March 21 - Crossfire
ist as a 50-year-old Mahopac
woman. e preliminary investi- Weekly musical events
gation, police said, revealed that including freestyle nights
the driver might have reacted to
another uninvolved vehicle that Sunday Bottomless Sangria/ KLAZYJAX.COM
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Mahopac Falls Volunteer Fire
Department transported the
woman to Westchester Medical
Center by ambulance.  Police said
the driver stated she didn’t have
any injuries and initially declined
medical attention; however, EMS
on the scene convinced her to be
transported for evaluation due to
the severity of the accident.

Fire crews stood by to keep
check on any uid that may have
leaked from the vehicle as they
waited for the tow company to
arrive.  Fire crews were back in
service within an hour.

PAGE 6 MAHOPAC NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

SOBER governing their placement and than a sober home would gener- it wasn’t a case of “not in my back- ere is no public bus or a sidewalk
yard,” they didn’t want it in their for people to walk on.”
FROM PAGE 1 operation and the town of Carmel ate. “You don’t know who is going backyard. Many noted that A n-
ity One was a for-pro t entity and Neighbor Ann Marie Burke also
in question, now in disrepair, zoning codes do not address them to live there,” she said. therefore a business, which, they made the argument that it would
could never serve as a single-family said, doesn’t belong in a residential be putting a business in a residen-
home and sought to have a vari- either. Micheletti told the board that neighborhood. tial neighborhood.
ance to change it to a multi-family
designation and thus pave the way “ e code makes no mention of A nity One has “a great track “We do need this, we need “I really commend the idea
for the sober home, which would more help, but not in a residen- where you are trying to get some
have anywhere from 12 to 14 cli- sober houses,” Schilling said. “We record.” tial neighborhood,” said nearby help for people, but that area is not
ents at a time living there. Schilling property owner Brian Long. “Af- for business,” she said. “It sounds
presented the board with a letter believe our use meets the very de - “We treat approximately 2,500 like it could almost be a hotel.
from a local Realtor opining that nity One is a business and they If you were to approve this then
the property couldn’t be sold as a nition of multifamily. When you lives a year,” she said. “ e opi- are trying to put a business into a you could have other people who
single-family home due to its size residential neighborhood. is is might want to put in things like a
and con guration. have a single-family house and oid epidemic has impacted this not a multifamily [home] where bed and breakfast.”
people are going to live there, join
During the presentation by want to convert it, there are six country in a terrible way and our the community and be there for a ZBA Vice Chair Philip Aglietti
Schilling and Lynda Micheletti, long period of time.” voted in favor of the variance, say-
chief operating o cer of Praesum conditions, and we meet all six. We organization tries to enter com- ing that he felt the applicants met
Healthcare, which owns A nity Frank Monaco, who lives across the requirements and that the so-
One, it was revealed that the facil- seek a use variance, and we meet all munities in a respectful manner the street from the property, also ber home would be a positive addi-
ity would have been sta ed by two contended it was business,but add- tion to the community.
counselors, 24 hours a day, seven the criteria.” and improve the services that ed that he feared for the safety of
days a week, year-round. Residents his family should the sober home “Counsel’s submission, I believe,
would not have cars but would be Schilling also provided the are o ered. We have policies and move in. [met] all the requirements for a use
driven by separate sta to appoint- variance,” he said. “ e property is
ments,recreation and wherever else board with four letters from resi- procedures for people who sup- “ is is for-pro t, so it’s a busi- a ected by unique or highly un-
they needed to go. ness and you have to protect the common circumstances that were
dents who supported the plan. port safety. Our sta is second to neighborhood,” he argued. “It shown by a number of di erent
New York State has no regu- would be a very undesirable change matters mentioned by counsel.
lations speci c to sober homes “ is is a great choice for this none.” to our neighborhood. I am worried I think this is something that is
that people could wander out and needed, and that the town would
piece of property,” Schilling ar- e renovated property would get down to our neighborhood be proud to have, and I think the
across the street. I have grandchil- variance is the proper thing here.”
gued. “But if we fail, we will come have included chicken coops, a dren who visit me all the time.
But fellow board member Sil-
to you next month seeking [a large garden, hiking trails, and an “I feel bad for the people who vio Balzano, disagreed, citing “the
would have to go there but they business in a residential neighbor-
variance for multifamily housing] upgraded swimming pool. should have a location near the hood” argument.
center of town, next to the police
and we meet all the criteria—we Micheletti noted that the resi- station or someplace that could “In nity One is a business and
take care of them,”he added. would probably need a use variance
are entitled by law. But [a sober dents who would enter a home for commercial, not an interpreta-
Neighbor Connie Schaefer said tion of this being multifamily,” he
home] is a better choice for prop- such as the one proposed for Ma- she commiserated with the plight said. “I read this as a business and
of the addicts, but argued that a not multifamily, so I am not feel-
erty.” hopac are in the nal stages of sober home had no place in this ing that.”
particular neighborhood.
Debbie Fossati pointed out that their rehabilitation and have long- Jim Starace also voted against
“I have watched friends and the variance.
with a regular multifamily home, since detoxed and are assimilating family battle addiction themselves.
some of its residents could be ac- back into the community. I have watched people go in and “I do feel that for a use variance
tive drug users and the neighbor- But neighbors of the property out of rehab. I have no problem it would alter the essential char-
with getting people the help they acter of that neighborhood as was
“Yowuearnedthyoourorusgtahflyfhood would see much more tra c were unmoved, saying that while need,” she said. “ e problem I stated by many of the neighbors in
knowledgeable about have is putting them [in this lo- this room tonight,”he said.
cation], down the block from my
our case, prompt, home. is is a residential neigh- Julie McKeon voted for the vari-
borhood. Croton Falls Road is ance along with Aglietti, while
responsive, courteous... a dark and windy road at night. Balzano, Starace, Rose Fabino,
and Bill Rossiter voted “no.” ZBA
employees like yours Chair John Maxwell abstained.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 7

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PAGE 8 MAHOPAC NEWS Opinion THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Distinctions… How did we get here? Look to
the Democrat leadership
HERE Republican voters claim to want
AND positive change: more well-paying We are standing at a very odd moment ting to Biden. And he keeps making unfortu-
NOW! jobs; higher education that is ac- in time for Democrats. nate verbal ubs that make him look like he has
cessible and reasonable; a ordable At the moment, it looks like slipped mentally. Perhaps this is showing more
BERNIE healthcare; and an abundance of
KOSBERG decent housing—all accomplishable Democrats are poised to reject their entire his- now that his stress level is up and perhaps it was
goals. But, instead, they’ve allowed
Donald Trump and the themselves to be exploited and tory by nominating Bernie showing before among his
Republican Party have dragged into Trump’s self-destructive
made playing to the low- descent into division. ere is no Sanders, who is a socialist, LIFE, intimates. But it does beg the
est common denominator an art better example of this, today, than to run for president. ough HEALTH, question as to why none of
form. Instead of harnessing the Trump’s proposed budget for 2020,
most basic fears and insecurities of in which he endeavors to eliminate at the moment, Sanders, the his family members sug-
white Middle America and convert- the A ordable Care Act, to signi -
ing it into valuable political capital, cantly reduce the availability of So- man who enjoyed honey- POLITICS gested he not run. It’s just an
Trump and his Republican toadies cial Security bene ts, and to decrease mooning in the USSR, is unpleasant fact with some of
have perfected the art of demagogu- Medicare and Medicaid funding. All now publicly pretending he is MARA these long-time politicos that
ery—stoking anger, sexism and racial while o ering another round of huge the more socially acceptable SCHIFFREN they are unable to retire from
animus throughout the country. tax cuts to the already lthy rich.
Democratic candidate. o ce with dignity. And so
Broadcasting from the bully pulpit And, then, we have Bernie Sand-
a steady stream of ignorant, intoler- ers, who has become the clear favor- So, how did we get here? Biden could not refrain from
ant and hateful rhetoric, Trump and ite of progressives, young voters and
his loyal minions work hardest at minorities, and may soon be the only Two points are instructional. running yet again for president, this time when
scapegoating immigrants, Mexicans, Democratic candidate left standing,
women, the judiciary, the intelligence preparing to take on Donald Trump To some extent, this fracturing of the Demo- he is manifestly too old for the job. Joe Biden is
community and the media. Ruth- in November. He’s not my rst
less and unrelenting, their focus is choice, but I can live with that. crat eld after a wide-open primary run, with 77 and his 78th birthday will fall just past the
single-minded: to divert the collec-
tive attention of white lower- and As he inches his way toward the tens of candidates, mirrors what happened to 2020 election.
middle-class voters from issues that nomination, there is one striking
should matter to them most—jobs, di erence between Bernie Sand- Republicans. And that is its own irony, since Bernie Sanders, however, who is currently
education, healthcare, the environ- ers and Donald Trump—Sanders is
ment, and the disproportionality of neither decadent nor cruel. We may they spent so long laughing at Republicans for in rst place, is a year older than Biden at 78.
our tax laws. disagree with some of his ideas, but
in no way, shape or form will he turn this in 2016 and predicting that the Republi- But he, at least, does not appear to be losing
Republicans have long used abor- out to be a harsh and authoritarian
tion, race, religion, guns and gay wannabe sovereign who is more than cans could never win because of it. his mental grip by repeatedly coming out with
rights as diversionary tactics, deceiv- willing to sell his country down the
ing their own Republican voters river in order to enhance his family’s Nevertheless, it’s basically the same scenario nonsense phrases. At least, discounting the
who—more than anything—need and friends’ business interests, while
economic help, not just mindless placating the tyrants of the world. that occurred in 2016. ere has been such a nonsense of socialism, which he cannot help
bloviating. But, to Trump and his
submissive sycophants, a brutal Sanders is a decent, brilliant, hard- long run-up to the election, with so many can- praising.
autocrat from a hostile nation such working man with over 40 years’
as Russia is revered as a world leader experience in government—as a didates and debates, that all of the candidates Nancy Pelosi, who will be 80 in late March,
and allowed to hack into and in u- mayor, a congressman, and a sena-
ence our elections. We are in the tor. Comparing Sanders to Trump have emerged from this in a weakened state. was recently queried as to whether her she felt
utmost danger of living in an Amer- is like comparing an apple to a
ica, today, where an attack on our lemon—one nourishes and sustains, On top of that, the Democrat congressional comfortable with Mr. Sanders as the nominee,
democracy by foreign governments the other leaves a bitter taste. Under
is more tolerable than holding this a President Sanders, America would leadership, rather stupidly in retrospect, decided to which she replied,“Yes.” And the progres-
megalomaniacal president account- be America, again. Not just because
able for his actions. We are living in a Sanders is an obviously a ner hu- as a strategic matter that it was their duty to sives in her party respond to her comment by
country where fear, anger and hatred man being than Trump, but also
trumps facts and truth. because the Democratic Party would help their election prospects along by weaken- saying that if Nancy is comfortable with it,
not enable nor participate in the
ing or taking out Trump. So, they manufactured everyone should be. But here is the problem.
SEE KOSBERG PAGE 13
a non-meritorious impeachment charge. en Nancy is trying to achieve unity by not

they ran an incredibly partisan trial in the alienating the progressive wing of the party so it

House Chamber, which was evident to every- doesn’t break o . is is the same policy that—

one. As a result,Trump jumped 10 points in some argued—that led her to impeach the

the national polls. ey looked self-righteous president and to play footsy with such radicals

and weak. And they drastically overplayed their as AOC and Ilhan Omar. But to the rest of the

hand as they very obviously politicized the im- country, it simply look like repeat kowtowing to

peachment process in a way never before seen. people who are very far beyond the mainstream.

at was a very unpopular move. e Democrats seem unable to put boundaries

e result of all this was to weaken Joe Biden, on the far left these days.

the candidate who, at the time, had a wide lead. What if, quite simply, Pelosi has out-strate-

As we heard, over and over, about the corrup- gized herself? And as a result, the Democrats

tion of his son, Hunter Biden in taking a job are heading for a disastrous election, when

at Burisma Holdings in Ukraine, for which Bernie’s true electoral weakness will become

he appeared unquali ed and for which he also known to the party.

received a small fortune, and as Biden kept

on acting like he was surprised that anyone Mara Schi ren, PhD, is a writer, certi ed

thought that was a problem, Biden’s lead inevi- Functional Medicine Health coach, certi ed

tably slipped. Apparently, in Biden’s world, that Peak Performance coach and psychological tness

is SOP—and utterly normal. specialist. You can reach her at healthascent1@

Since then, the stress of the run has been get- gmail.com.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 OPINION MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 9

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After reading the article in the Mahopac misdemeanors and, not being able to post

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PAGE 10 MAHOPAC NEWS OPINION THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Problem could be the husband, not the teacher

STRONG Dear Dr. Linda, he wanted for his birthday. have you been going to those of yourself.
LEARNING I’m a senior citizen who is tak- I have to admit that it was classes? I’d ask for my money What happened to you
back!” I felt as if I had just been
DR. LINDA ing classes to learn German. I’m exciting for me that I was able punched in the stomach. happens to students every day.
SILBERT actually enjoying it. at is, I was to put a few sentences together, Learning new things is hard
until the other day when I tried but my excitement was quickly At this point, I want to drop for everyone. Some things are
out my German on my hus- quashed by his response. “Your out of the class. ose comments harder for some more than
band—whose native language is accent is horrible and you’re took away every bit of enjoy- others. If signi cant others in
German—and asked him what speaking so slowly. How long ment for me in learning Ger- the lives of students, whether
man. Maybe he’s right. Maybe it’s Mom, Dad, a teacher—or
For All Your Plumbing, Gas, Heating Do Your I’m not good at it. Should I just a spouse—criticizes them, are
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Machine with my life as it was? But then them, their feelings of self-worth
56 Years of Excellence Hoses Need again, does that mean I’m weak can be a ected. Especially when
Replacing? if I drop out of something? Why we’re young, our self-esteem,
TAKE $25 are his comments bothering me and our resultant self-con dence
OFF so much? comes from our perceptions of
what signi cant others think of
Replacement of Washing Machine Mary us and our abilities. Yet, some-
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use every day. When we learn understand that it can crush the
something new, it doesn’t matter enthusiasm of the person they’re
how long it takes. What matters saying it to. Although you’re a
is that we’re learning. senior citizen, it certainly hap-
pened to you.
Just think about it. You were
able to recall words you hadn’t Let’s step back and take a look
known before and string them at what happened.
together to make a sentence or
two—no matter how long it “Your accent is horrible.” Is
took you or how you said it. You
did it and should feel very proud SEE DR. LINDA PAGE 11

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GARO From Grand Central, we hur- for the train. Five minutes later e cop cu ed John and told how it’d been in there.
ried to catch the shuttle. It was John came running. He hurdled me that I could bail him out at “Dark,” he said. “It feels like I
FROM PAGE 9 going to be close as to whether over the turnstile, right into the the Tombs. So, instead of watch-
we would make the opening arms of a transit cop, who ar- ing Mark Messier y down the was there for a week.”
At the end of the year I o ered face-o . When we got to the rested him. ice, I caught a cab and drove Earlier in this column, I said
him deal. Instead of a bonus, I’d subway John had to go to the down to the Manhattan Deten-
take him to see the Rangers, all bathroom. “You’re going to jail,” the cop tion Complex, better known as that it’s easy to take justice for
expenses paid. He jumped at the said. the Tombs. John stayed the night granted. I spoke as a white man
chance. Of course, he didn’t know “Can’t you wait?” I said. “We’ll and most of the next day, before I raised in a white, privileged sub-
we’d be sitting in the cheap seats, be at the Garden in 15 minutes.” We were dumfounded. Nei- was able to get him out. urb, Mahopac. No doubt, John’s
not that we ever made it to them. ther of us knew about Giuliani’s night facing injustice changed
He couldn’t. I gave him his new policy. I begged for mercy. After nally arriving at Grand him. What, I wonder, would it
I liked taking the train to the ticket and told him that I wasn’t Central and boarding the train have done to him if he’d been in
Garden. You didn’t have to worry going to miss the train while he “Please, he’s just a kid,” I said. back to Croton Falls, I asked him there a month? Or, for that mat-
about parking or getting stuck was peeing. If he missed it, he “We didn’t know. Give him a ter, a couple of centuries?
in tra c and being late for the could take the next train and I’d break.”
game. I met John at Croton Falls. see him at the Garden. I know, it
We ate a pizza, had a few too was a lousy thing to do. A SPECIAL INVITATION
many beers and got psyched to TO THE SENIOR COMMUNITY
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through the turnstile and waited

DR. LINDA Everyone learns at their own pace (Sorry, Fellas, Ladies Only!)
and it sounds like you’re doing great!
FROM PAGE 10 ADMISSION IS...FUN!:

that true? Possibly, but the expert Tell your husband that you’re Bring 5 or more clothing items (on hangers),shoes and/or accessories to swap.
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“You’re speaking so slowly!” If your husband’s remarks still

Is that true? Probably, but that’s leave you feeling more than an

normal. You haven’t been taking understandable level of disappoint-

classes long enough to be uent. ment that he is unable to provide

“How long have you been appropriate emotional support for

going to those classes? I’d ask for your attempts to learn, contact a

my money back!”You probably quali ed psychotherapist to help

interpreted that to mean that you you build up your con dence and

chose a poor teacher or you’re realistically assess your skills.

stupid because you’re not speaking Or perhaps consider a marriage

German up to his standards. counselor. I’ll bet this isn’t the rst

• Is your instructor a poor teach- time your husband has spoken to

er? Could be, but if you’re enjoying you in a way that left you feeling

the class and are progressing at a diminished.

speed that you can see, it’s working And, in the meantime…keep up

for you. If you get to a point where the good work!

you aren’t seeing progress anymore, Dr. Linda

then change teachers.

• Are you stupid? Unable to learn? Dr. Linda is co-author of “Why

Of course not.Whether your accent Bad Grades Happen to Good Kids”

was o , or you spoke slowly, you and director of Strong Learning

managed to ask your husband what Tutoring and Test Prep. If you

he wanted for his birthday in a have any questions, email her at

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PAGE 12 MAHOPAC NEWS OPINION THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

OP ED e Kobe Bryant tragedy

BY DR. ANDREW FRISHMAN
GUEST COLUMNIST

It is human nature to try puppy visit. Later that week, we Pregnant female dogs some- Every veterinarian has treated Everyday I am asked about
and structure one’s life with a found out he ingested a toxic times have labored pregnancy a dog that has been hit by a car my medical opinion or protocol
sense of purpose and structure. houseplant and died at an emer- that result in stillbirths and the or had a life-threatening emer-
We insulate ourselves from the gency clinic. mother also dies in labor. gency stomach torsion. SEE FRISHMAN PAGE 13
chaos and fragility of life. On
the news there are stories of loss
of life, locally, and from around
the globe.

Living in the suburbs we so
often put “lipstick” on life’s cel-
ebrations, and tragic events. We
like to think that we deserve
everything that life has to o er.
Tragic events that happen in the
inner city are explained away
as something that could never
a ect you, or a loved one.

When a household name
such as Kobe Bryant dies in
the prime of his life, the news
rattles our very sense of order
and wellbeing in our world. It
breaks all of the windows in our
glass house.

As a veterinarian I am
confronted with the fragility of
life on a daily basis. I can recall
several cases in the recent past
that illustrate life’s transience.
An energetic sweet puppy was
recently brought in for a rst

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 OPINION MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 13

FRISHMAN food you eat, and the people threatening irreversible kidney understand life’s fragility and Media. Contact Progressive
in your life. Start your day o damage from an infected tick, trust your veterinarian. Animal Hospital at progressive-
FROM PAGE 12 writing in a gratitude journal. my only concern is to help the vet.com; 149 Route 202 and
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actionable ideas you can make life of my patient. I don’t take
in your life: my medical responsibilities
lightly. When I recommend a
1. Have an attitude of grati- Lyme vaccine to prevent life-
tude: appreciate everything
from the air you breathe, the

KOSBERG electability, though, and wish When did you last update your last will
he’d stop identifying himself as and testament and power of attorney?
FROM PAGE 8 a socialist. He’s far from it. He’s
a social democrat willing to • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Past Chair of Elder Law Section of
abuse of power that we’ve expe- share the wealth of the nation, NYS Bar Association
rienced over the last several years not super-impose his will on the • Medicaid Applications
with Trump and the Republicans nation. (Nursing Home/Home Care) • “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law
in control. for 10 consecutive years
I also like my Medicare • Guardianships
I speak to conservative friends, Advantage program and wish (Contested/Non-Contested) Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ.
and they worry about Sand- he’d keep quiet about insisting
ers’ economic agenda—that on Medicare for all. I can surely • Wills, Trusts & Estates Managing Member
he’ll raise taxes on the rich. understand that many like their Fluent in Italian
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its social welfare programs on let them keep it. Why ght? It
took years for the populace to 914.948.1500
rmer ground, its infrastructure appreciate the A ordable care
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the climate crisis. at he’ll run course.
budget de cits? Are you kidding
me? Trump is exploding the Our freedom is on the line. If
de cit and the economic e ects, Sanders proceeds to the election,
it appears, have been relatively I will be in his corner and cheer-
positive. ing him on.

I do worry about Sanders’

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Silent Killer

What you need to know about a lifesaving screening…

Ask the Doctor Q: Why is it important to be screened for lung cancer? able to make tiny incisions, so there’s less bleeding and
A: Lung cancer is a silent killer. In its early stages, it has pain for the patient. At NWH, we also offer advanced
Darren Rohan, MD, FACS no symptoms and can spread without warning. That’s ablation techniques, which use image guidance to insert
Westchester Regional Director, why lung cancer screening for people who are high-risk a needle through the skin into the tumor. Other options
Thoracic Surgery Program is so important: They often feel perfectly healthy. Often, include burning or freezing the tumor; or stereotactic
Northern Westchester Hospital people don’t develop symptoms until the disease has radiosurgery, which uses radiation without an incision.
either spread or grown too large to cure. Research shows Q: What if surgery is too risky for the patient?
Learn more about that if a person’s lung cancer is detected at an earlier A: Some patients have advanced lung disease, very bad
Dr. Rohan, visit stage, their ve-year survival rate can increase from four emphysema, or heart disease, and surgery is too risky. If
nwhroboticsurgery.org/ percent to fty- ve percent, according to the American the patient is too high-risk, the cancer is too advanced
DrRohan Lung Association. or the patient doesn’t want surgery, an option is
Q: Who is considered high-risk? immunotherapy, a newer treatment. Immunotherapy is
A: If you currently smoke or have a long history of a targeted treatment that revs up the immune system so
smoking, you may be considered high-risk. Of course, it’s better able to ght the cancer. It’s been remarkably
even lifetime non-smokers sometimes get lung cancer. effective. I have patients who are in complete remission.
Exposure to second-hand smoke, asbestos, or a family It’s a wonderful advancement in the treatment of lung
history of lung cancer can all increase risk. For the safest cancer. As part of the Northwell Health Cancer Institute,
approach, speak to your doctor about any of the above we’re able to expand our ability to bring top-rated cancer
risk factors. If your physician recommends a lung cancer specialists, state-of-the-art technology, leading-edge
screening, don’t delay. clinical trials and a full range of support programs so
Q: How are patients screened and treated? community members can get the best cancer care right
A: Patients are screened with a noninvasive low-dose near home, in Westchester. Patients who want the most
CT scan, which only takes a minute. It’s a very sensitive advanced cancer care don’t need to travel to NYC.
test for diagnosing lung cancer. If the cancer is in the Q: Are marijuana smokers or those who vape at risk?
early stages, the most advanced treatment option is A: While researchers still don’t know the precise risks
minimally invasive robotic surgery, which enables me for long-term marijuana smokers or those who vape,
to move surgical instruments more precisely, so I’m not any type of inhalation is not a good thing and could
damaging healthy surrounding tissue. In addition, I’m increase your risk.

rPAAGE14aatcnetisgh.he.t. MAHOPAC NEWS THU
Cub Scout Pack 71 (from Fulmar Road Elementary School)
held its annual Pinewood Derby on Friday evening, Feb. 28, at All the Pinewood competitors pose after the races.
the Mahopac rehouse on Route 6. Scouts from kindergarten
through fth grade participated in the event.
e Pinewood Derby is a racing event for unpowered, un-
manned miniature cars. Scouts build their own cars from wood,
usually from kits containing a block of pine wood, plastic wheels,
and metal axles. en they paint it with their own original design.
is year, rst place went to Rylan McIntyre; second place went
to Frankie Korovich; and third place went to Isaiah Mitchell. e
trophy for Firemen’s Choice went to Ben Rucker. e Firemen’s
Choice Award is selected by members of the Mahopac Fire De-
partment, who pick the car whose design they like best.
To complete the festivities, D’Berto’s Pizza donated pizza to the
Pinewood Derby event.

Trophies await for the first, second and third place winners, as
well as the Firemen’s Choice Award.

NMeawhsopac After th
the

PHOTOS: The winners, from left, Isiah Mitchell (third place); Frankie Korovich (second place);
TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL Ryan McIntyre (first place); and Ben Rucker (Firemen’s Choice Award)

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URSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 PAGE 15

The crowd cheers for their
favorite cars.

he regular races, Scout volunteers Dayton Leone Scouts Owen Klein and Raven Barksdale help set up the cars
ere was a sibling and Davin Barksdale get ready with the assistance of Pack 71 Leader Tom Ereditario.
to release the cars.
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PAGE 16 MAHOPAC NEWS SCHOOLS & CAMPS THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Contact Us Microcomputer class readies
Mahopac News is located at Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, students for careers in growing field
Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. You can contact us at 845-
208-0774 or email [email protected].

Rooney Orthodontics
Children & Adults

Mahopac students Mike Barnett
and Sam Barcenas with CTE
teacher Dr. Joseph DeCicco

PHOTO COURTESY OF PNW BOCES

17 Miller Rd. Employment for cybersecurity dent from Mahopac, was check- adding that there are many jobs
Mahopac analysts is projected to grow a ing for computer viruses on one that go un lled due to lack of
whopping 32 percent from 2018 computer while doing coding on quali ed workers.
845-621-1222 to 2028, according to the Bureau another.
of Labor Statistics, much faster Cybersecurity, or information
RooneyOrtho.com than the average for all occupa- “I love learning about coding,” security, analysts plan and carry
tions. Which is why the micro- she said. “I’ve learned how to out security measures to protect
computer technology class at the make games as well.” an organization’s computer net-
Career and Technical Education works and systems. But there
Center at PNW BOCES is pre- While creating computer are many more elds open to
paring students to be extremely games may sound like fun, it is students interested in computer
marketable in the workplace. big business. “ e gaming indus- technology.
try is huge,” said DeCicco, “and
e two-year class focuses learning how to make them is a While some students begin the
on cybersecurity, computer net- creative, lucrative eld.” class already pro cient in many
working, programming and PC areas of computer technology,
troubleshooting. In the second Mike Barnett, also of Ma- some come in as novices.
year, students actually create and hopac, agreed that the computer
maintain the computer lab. “I assume everyone is starting
eld is “very creative.” from square one,” said DeCicco,
“Every September the seniors “You really can make what you “but it becomes apparent when
literally build the lab,” said CTE want to make,” he said. He envi- some students are way ahead.
teacher Dr. Joseph DeCicco.“ e sions himself pursuing work in I try to tailor the class to each
students install the OS [operat- the eld one day. “I am 100 per- student’s level of knowledge, so
ing systems], clean and con gure cent sure I want to go into this everyone feels challenged to go
them, and do repairs on them if eld,” he said, citing cybersecu- further in their learning.”
needed, for each PC.” rity as a particular area of interest.
“Companies cannot keep up Article courtesy of Karen ornton/
Sam Barcenas, a BOCES stu- with the demand for cyberse- PNW BOCES
curity analysts,” noted DeCicco,

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 SCHOOLS & CAMPS MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 17

Fulmar Road students learn basics of calling 911

Mascot Red E. Fox helps with the lessons

BY LAURA LEE HOLMBO not hang up until the dispatcher says it’s • Give the o cer a description of the PHOTO: LAURA LEE HOLMBO
CONTRIBUTING WRITER OK to do so.” stranger, including age, height, weight, and
color of hair and eyes. Also, mention any Robbie Shannon talks to the students
Red E. Fox, the mascot for the Putnam Knowing when it’s not appropriate to unusual articles of clothing you may have about calling 911.
County Bureau of Emergency Services call 911 was also emphasized.  “ ere is an noticed.
911 for Kids program, recently made a alarmingly high number of 911 calls that about how and when to call 911 means
surprise visit to Fulmar Road Elementary are not an emergency,” Shannon said.  In “We started the 911 for Kids program more lives can be saved,” Fox said.
School’s rst graders.  e smiling, orange, particular, Shannon reinforced not to dial in Putnam County to start the conversa-
furry fox greeted students while dispatcher 911 when there is no emergency; the situ- tion early with kids about emergency call- More information about Red E. Fox
Robert (Robbie) Shannon, and other team ation involves animals; to practice, or as a ing.  e more education students have can be found on Facebook at @RedEFox-
members of the Putnam County Bureau joke or prank. PC911 or [email protected].
of Emergency Services, provided the stu-
dents with the fundamentals for calling Prank calls not only waste time and
911 in an emergency. money, but they can also be dangerous. If
911 lines or 911 call takers are busy with
As it was explained to the rst graders, prank calls, someone with a real emergen-
911 is the number to call to get help in a cy may not be able to get the help they
police, re, or medical emergency. A 911 need. In some communities, it is consid-
call is transmitted over dedicated phone ered illegal to make prank 911 calls. “We
lines to the 911 answering point closest will nd you if you make a prank call to
to the caller. Trained personnel then send 911,” said Shannon.
emergency help as needed.
If you call 911 by mistake, do not hang
Shannon also shared the basics of when up. Tell the dispatcher what happened so
and why you need the police, re depart- there is con rmation that of no emergency.
ment or an ambulance.  He then covered
the proper way to dial 911 in an emer- Students and Shannon talked through
gency if there is not an adult available to “real life” situations for using 911. For in-
make the call. stance, if a student suspects being followed
by a stranger, then they should:
“Stay calm. Give your name and address
loudly and clearly. If you do not know the • Look for the nearest house with an
address, then you can help describe where adult at home – look for an open garage or
you are. Be sure to answer all questions kids playing outside.
that are asked of you,” said Shannon. “Do
• Tell the adult that someone is follow-
ing you and ask him or her to call the po-
lice, the sheri ’s department or 911.

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PAGE 18 MAHOPAC NEWS Sports THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Third-quarter drought dooms Indians in playoff loss

BY SKIP PEARLMAN Mahopac’s Mia Klammer Mahopac’s Kristina Rush
CONTRIBUTING WRITER drives to the basket. looks to get a shot off.
Caitlyn O’Boyle gets off a
e No. 5 Mahopac High PHOTOS: SKIP PEARLMAN shot in the paint last
School girls basketball team hung week at Albertus Magnus.
with the No. 4 Falcons of Albertus Lauren Beberman
Magnus for most of the rst half battles for a rebound.
of last Friday’s Section 1 Class AA
playo quarter nal. But a third-
quarter surge by the host,for which
Mahopac had no answer, resulted
in Magnus taking rolling to a 65-
45 decision.

Mia Klammer and Lauren Be-
berman each had 14 points to lead
Mahopac, which closes a solid
winter season at 15-7.

Magnus (20-4) advances to
the semi nals, where the Falcons
will face No. 1 Ursuline (22-0) on

ursday, March 5, at the West-
chester County Center.

Mahopac looked uncomfortable
from the start, unable to nd their
rhythm. e Falcons quickly took
advantage, jumping to a 22-12 lead
with 4:20 left in the half.

e Indians managed to chisel
the de cit to six (27-21) by half-
time.

But for Mahopac, things didn’t
get better in the third.

Magnus came out of the locker
room smelling the kill and rolled
o a quick 10-0 run in the rst
2:26 to make it a 16-point game.

By the end of the period, it was
over. Magnus had outscored Ma-
hopac 20-7, and was sitting on a
47-28 lead.

“We just couldn’t get shots to go
down in the third quarter,” Indi-
ans coach Chuck Scozzafava said.
“We missed layups, we just weren’t
doing what we normally do. We
weren’t passing, cutting, moving
the ball well. We weren’t making
smart decisions, and we did not

nish at the basket.”
e silver lining? Mahopac only

loses two seniors and returns its en-
tire starting lineup.

“We’re a young team,” Scozza-
fava said. “We have three sopho-
mores who start, so it was a learn-
ing experience, and I’m proud that
they didn’t stop ghting. For a
young team, we had a good year,
we learned a lot.”

e coach complimented
Klammer’s hustle and Caitlyn
O’Boyle’s work on the glass.

“Mia played her heart out,”
the coach said. “Hustling all over,
getting steals, and Lauren o
the bench did a great job for us.
O’Boyle also did a nice job on the
board.She had a tough day scoring,
but she continued to rebound and
get us going.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 SPORTS MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE 19

CentroneWRESTLING places
seventh at state
championships

BY SKIP PEARLMAN nals to one of the same wrestlers ment, where he wrestled at 160

CONTRIBUTING WRITER he beat at the Eastern States pounds. Roa lost his rst match,

tournament. “In that match he won his second, and then lost

Angelo Centrone’s quest for a was wrestling well, moving well,” again and was eliminated from

state title was derailed—at least Tornambe said. “But he (the op- competition.

for now—in the quarter nals ponent) got an early takedown, Roa closes his senior season as

of the state championships last and was very tough. an All-Section pick, with a 39-6

week at the Times Union Cen- “Angelo wrestled a heck of a record.

ter Albany, where the Indians tournament,” Tornambe added. “He had an opportunity, and

captain ended up placing sev- “He really showed his leader- he made the most of it,” Tor-

enth. ship and determination, to come nambe said. “He’s been so im-

e Mahopac sophomore, back after losing, and then still portant to our program. We have

who was fth at last year’s state take seventh. I think it was a four captains, but his leadership

championships, won three of his great way to nish out his soph- skills really showed through.

ve matches at the state tourna- omore season. He’s pretty happy He’s had a great career for us,

ment, and closes the winter sea- with being All-State the last two and he will be tough to replace.

son with a 46–4 record, and All- years, and he’s been around the “It just goes to show, if you

State recognition for the second sport long enough to know that do what you’re supposed to do

straight year. this was a great season for him. all season, good things can hap- FILE PHOTO/SKIP PEARLMAN
“He won a 6-0 decision, and He’s the rst sophomore captain pen,“ the coach added of the
in our program history, and he wild-card invitation. “To be able Indians captain Angelo Centrone placed seventh at last weekend’s
was dominant in his last match makes coaching easier. He’s a to nish his career at states was state tournament.
to nish the state tournament

(to earn seventh),” said Indi- leader in the room, and one of great. e wrestling state cham-

ans coach Steve Tornambe. “Of the hardest workers, and he’ll pions are one of the best state

course he wanted to do better get back to work, follow the pro- championships there are. e

than last year, and he had all the cess, and be successful.” arena is packed, it’s a great atmo- Good

tools. But sometimes things just Indians senior captain Ty- sphere, and for him to be able to

don’t go your way.” ler Roa received a wild-card close his career there was truly

Centrone lost in the quarter - invitation to the state tourna- amazing.” Hands®

Within
arm’s reach.

I’m proud to protect Mahopac because
I know Mahopac. As your local Allstate
agent, I know the ins and outs of all your
insurance needs. Call, email, or stop by
my office any time so I can provide
protection for the things you love.

Shari Zimmerman
845-621-2557
957 Route 6
Mahopac, NY 10541
[email protected]

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