VOL. 6 NO. 41 Visit News.HalstonMedia.com for the latest news. JANUARY 25 – FEBRUARY 7, 2024 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 31 LEGAL NOTICES 30 LEISURE 26 OBITUARIES 29 OPINION 10 TOWN CROSSING 4 SPORTS 20 A Win for Brooke pg 20 BASKETBALL PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST CALDWELL, NJ PERMIT #992 Earlier this month, John Jay High School performers - past and present - joined together to create Broadway magic at the 10th Encore Cabaret KLSD ArtsAlive Encore Cabaret. See more photos on page 16! returns to John Jay PHOTO: ROB DISTASIO BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Two New Jersey businessmen are facing federal charges in connection with the bombing of a private residence in Bedford Hills, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Bedford police were called to the McLain Street home near the Mount Kisco border around 7 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, to investigate a report of a suspicious fire. The fire was contained and there were no injuries or property damage reported. Two days later, police arrested Damjan Stanivukovic, 52, of Closter, and Vladamir Radunovic, 47, of Pompton Lakes, and charged them with one count of unlawful possession of a destructive device and one count of conspiracy to commit stalking apiece. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the defendants are accused of exploding a “homemade destructive device” in the driveway of someone with whom they had had a “contentious business relationship.” Recovered from the scene was a box that bore Stanivukovic’s name and address, as well as a 2.5-gallon can of gasoline, firework NJ men arrested in Bedford Hills bombing SEE BOMBING PAGE 30 HOPEMAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker cell: 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com MAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Scan Here to learn more about what your home may be worth. Just Sold I’m pleased to announce that I just sold this lovely Heritage Hills condo and a fantastic 4 BR Contemporary home at 11% over-asking. Call Your Local Expert today (that’s me) to help with a purchase or sale you are considering. #UGottaHaveHope Bringing Buyers & Sellers Together is My Specialty
PAGE 2 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 BY ROB SAMPLE CONTRIBUTING WRITER At its first meeting of the new year on Monday, Jan. 8, Town Supervisor Tony Gonçalves appointed Mary Shah as his deputy for what will likely be a threemonth stint. The appointment of a deputy town supervisor is just one of a myriad of resolutions that take place at the first meeting of every year, which includes a host of other governance measures for 2024. These included staff appointments, volunteer committee assignments, and the authorization of measures such as salaries, banking agreements, and the meeting schedule for the upcoming year. Instead of appointing a deputy for an entire year, Gonçalves proposed to rotate the assignment every three months. First up for the Deputy Supervisor post is Town Board member Mary Shah. “The deputy is entirely a supervisor’s decision and serves at the pleasure of the supervisor per state law,” said Gonçalves. “Any person including a town officer official or employee may be appointed deputy supervisor. It is not required that they be a Town Board member.” The term of service of board member Dan Welsh expired on Dec. 31, creating the opening. Of note, if the Deputy Supervisor is not a Town Board member, he or she cannot vote at meetings – even if they are presiding over a meeting. The deputy can also be appointed to perform the Town Supervisor’s duties in their absence. A deputy also cannot serve as a successor to the supervisor. The length of the appointment is at the supervisor’s discretion, Gonçalves noted. The one remaining vacancy within the Lewisboro government is the Deputy Highway Supervisor. The post will be filled by the town’s highway supervisor, John Winter, who was elected in November. The Town Board approved, unanimously, the creation of a new committee: the Town Pool Advisory Council. This new group will advise Lewisboro’s recreation superintendent and the Town Board on pool-related issues, including seasonal staffing, operational and safety procedures, pool policies, and facilities. Chantal Detlefs, Meg Kaplan, Melanie Melillo, and Bill Tackler were appointed to three-year terms, along with Melissa Farella, an associate non-voting member who will serve for one year. Because town committees and boards consist mainly of volunteers, Gonçalves gave a special shout-out to the people who serve on them. “We’re able to run the various programs and initiatives that make this town function as good as it does,” Gonçalves said. “So, thank you for volunteering. If anyone out there would like to volunteer, there is still room.” Valerie Monastra, principal planner for Nelson, Pope, Voorhis LLC, offered an update on the town’s Comprehensive Master Plan. “The Comprehensive Plan and all zoning changes to date are posted on the town’s website,” Monastra said. “Our team will be facilitating the final public workshop on this, which will be held on Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lewisboro Town House. This will be an inperson event as well as over Zoom. “There will be a presentation on the draft plan as well as a high-level explanation of the zoning changes that are being contemplated and the additional zoning changes that are being undertaken,” she continued. “Then we’ll open it up for questions and answers.” Monastra also said she intended to do some sort of additional open-office sessions where members of the community could contact her by phone or Zoom to pose specific questions. In addition, all zoning changes must still be approved by both the Planning Board and Town Board. “The last time we had a master plan – which is now called the Comprehensive Plan – was in 1985,” noted Shah. “So, it’s important that everybody step up and share their perspective for a richer and diverse outcome.” During the public comment period, Welsh continued to receive blowback from his recent posts on social media, which were critical of Israel and its recent invasion of Gaza. “Congratulations, Dan Welsh, you singlehandedly made many of people in the Jewish community feel unwelcome and some even feel unsafe in their own community,” said Elizabeth Katz of South Salem. “When you think about a smalltown government, you think it should be used as a force to unite people. Instead, Dan, you seem to be focused more on creating division.” “You simply don’t understand the impact your words have,” said Kevin Uretsky of Goldens Bridge. “You are a forwardfacing elected official: Everything you say, everything you do reflects upon your office and the town at large.” “I’m sorry if things that I said traumatized people or triggered them,” said Welsh. “The Oct. 7 attacks were horrific Shah appointed as Deputy Supervisor LEWISBORO TOWN BOARD SEE LEWISBORO BOARD PAGE 8 NO NEWS... 1. Clip the short form on the page 2. Fill out the information. 3. Mail it to P.O. Box 864, Mahopac, NY 10541 4. Or visit www.halstonsubscribe.com 5. Or Scan our QR Code to Subscribe. We need you to subscribe. It’s FREE & It’s Easy! is NOT necessarily good news! Please print your first and last names and address legibly, sign and date (all required to continue receiving your subscription to this newspaper). 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BY BOB DUMAS EDITOR AT LARGE Nate Cicero has had the need for speed for as long as he can remember. The 19-year-old resident of nearby Pound Ridge said his love of cars began simply with collecting Hot Wheels and other toy autos. But over the years that passion has led to Cicero clinching the Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year award last month outside Atlanta, and winning the $80,000 in prize money. Cicero just finished his second year of pro sportscar driving, after having been the first-ever two-time Mazda scholarship winner in 2021 and 2022. “When I was about 2 or 3 years old, I loved seeing the different cars on the road and started collecting Hot Wheels and other toy cars,” he said. “I would go up to anyone who had a car and ask to see their keys so I could guess what kind of car they had!” Cicero’s first time behind the wheel in a competitive setting was at Grand Prix New York, the mega-entertainment complex in Mount Kisco where he was part of a go-kart league from 2015 to 2020. “I won eight championships during that time,” he said. “We had a competitive group and a lot of us are still racing. It pushed us to be the best we could be.” Cicero attended and graduated from the private Fusion Academy in New York City because the class schedule there was more flexible, and it allowed him to focus on his racing career. In 2016, he started outdoor go-karting competition at Oakland Valley Race Park (OVRP) in Orange County. “It’s quite a bit faster and [the karts have] less bodywork,” he said. “It’s actually a fast kart at a more competitive level. In 2019, I won my first championship called the New York State Championship, and later the OVRP Junior Championship.” Cicero said at that point he was trying to figure out what his next step should be to move up the ladder in competitive racing. The answer sort of fell into his lap. “It was a combination of luck and success and timing,” he said. “I won a national championship and had joined the right team at the right time—they had had a successful year. That got me nominated for the Mazda scholarship [for emerging drivers].” Cicero said about 40 drivers nationwide receive the nomination and then must send in a video in which they explain why they should be chosen. Nine are then selected to come to a track and drive a racecar—a step up from gokarting. The most recent event was held at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. “It’s for transitioning from karts to cars,” Cicero explained. “They look at not just how you drive, but how you handle yourself off the track, things like giving interviews, socialization, [receiving] coaching. They want you to be yourself and not be phony.” In 2021, Cicero was one of two scholarship winners. He received his for the spec MX-5 (Mazda Miata). In 2022, he was the sole winner. “It is a lot to take in,” he said. “It’s a ladder system and [as you go upward] the cars get faster and there is a higher level of competition.” Cicero said he will continue to compete for the MX-5 cup again this year— the season begins this month in Daytona, Fla., and ends in October in Atlanta with the winner receiving a $250,000 grand prize. Cicero said that he had no real muse growing up that inspired him to become a driver (“It was just me liking cars”), but cites his coaches and mentors Steven and Stuart McAleer, who are brothers, as one of the main reasons for his early success. “They started with me with the karting now MX-5 and are building my journey with them,” he said. “I am following in their footsteps. “To make it in racing, you can’t just be a good driver,” he continued. You have to be a coach too. On the weekends, if you are not racing, you can be a coach. So, that is what I am trying to learn from them. They are always doing something—coaching or driving or running the go-kart team. And that is what I am now trying to do.” If he keeps hustling, Cicero believes, there will be plenty more checkered flags in his future. Cicero during his go-karting days PHOTOS COURTESY OF NATE CICERO JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 3 Your Neighbor Your Neighbor Cicero holding the award at his Rookie of the Year celebration with team McCumbee McAleer Racing Cicero, left, with teammate John Jodoin Nate Cicero is driven to succeed Westchester teen finds early success in sportscar racing HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com Local & Reliable –Bill Hassett
PAGE 4 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 The Staff EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky 845-661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director/Photographer [email protected] DESIGNERS Noah Elder Bri Agosta Haven Elder Jacob Elder EXECUTIVE TEAM Brett Freeman CEO & Publisher 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines The Katonah-Lewisboro Times The deadline for advertisements and editorial submissions is the Thursday before the next publication date. For more information, call Tom Walogorsky at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected] Location 118 N. 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As a local small business, we are very thankful for the local papers & their readers!” Dawn Deluca and Craig Flynn Owners of Somers General Store 914-556-6006 • Somersgeneral.com Lewisboro Comprehensive Plan Workshop Monday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring a presentation on the draft comprehensive plan and draft zoning code amendments and a Q&A period for public feedback. To be held at the Lewisboro Town House at 11 Main St. in South Salem, and on Zoom. For more information, visit www. lewisborogov.com/cmpsc St John’s Episcopal Parish 82 Spring St., South Salem Winter Gala Saturday, Feb. 3, From 6 to 11 p.m. To be held at the Roger Sherman Inn in New Canaan, including a silent auction, cocktails, dinner and dancing. Part of the proceeds will benefit the charity Food for the Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the United States. The church invites everyone in the community to come and celebrate all that they have accomplished, and support a very worthy cause. Tickets can be purchased by contacting [email protected] Food Pantry Spread the word and get involved with the St. John’s Food Pantry! Distribution is every Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. at St. John’s. A food pantry box is available in the church parking lot 24/7 for those who cannot make it to pick up on Saturday morning - please take whatever you need from the box, as it will be replenished. Free Square Dancing Fun Nights Mondays, Feb. 5 and 12, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Singles, couples, and families welcome! To be held at the Katonah Methodist Church Parish Hall at 44 Edgemont Road in Katonah. For more information, visit www. friendlysquares.com Lewisboro Library 15 Main St, South Salem, NY 10590 Please register for programs by visiting www.lewisborolibrary.org Taste of the Town Raffle Want to dine your way through the New Year? Buy a ticket for a chance to win the library’s “Taste of the Town Raffle.” The Raffle is a great way to sample the finest dining at the area’s best restaurants. The winner will receive a package valued at over $400, which includes gift certificates to: The Horse and Hound Inn, La Vista Ristorante Italiano, One Twenty Three Restaurant, The Blazer Pub and Bacio Trattoria (all generous sponsors of the raffle!) Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased at the library or online via the library website. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, Feb. 4. Family Fun Saturday The Library continues “Family Fun Saturdays” in January with a “Family Collage” program on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 10:30 a.m. Create a special family collage using your own family pictures and supplies from our MakerSpace corner. Bring your family photos, then create a personal collage with pictures, magazine clippings, fabric & more! Learn How to Motivate Your Unmotivated Student On Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m., the library is offering a virtual program on “How to Motivate Your Unmotivated Student.” In this 30-minute interactive webinar, parents are invited to learn a few tips, tools, and strategies to motivate, inspire, and support their student out of the “January Slump.” The webinar is presented by Successful Study Skills 4 Students. Library will be Closed on Jan. 30 The library will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 30 so the staff can work on reorganizing files, storage, etc. The outside bookdrop will be open all day for those who need to return Library materials. Virtual Support Groups Support groups for women with breast and ovarian cancers have been transitioned to virtual platforms. Virtual groups are accessible to women from the comfort of their homes, regardless of where they live. All groups are open to new members as well as past participants. Advance registration is required by calling 914- 962-6402 or 800-532-4290. Support Connection’s Peer Counselors are also available for individual counseling and assistance via phone and email. Call 800-532-4290, or submit an online request at supportconnection.org. TOWN CROSSING
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PAGE 6 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING, HOT WATER HEATER & GAS NEEDS 60 Years of Excellence 719 Rte. 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 • 845.628.3924 • beeandjay.com TAKE $25 OFF YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL! VALID ON CALLS OVER 1 HOUR. Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks to the efforts of O’Donnell & Cullen Property Tax Consultants and Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley, nine-year-old Olivia from nearby Putnam County was able to take the trip of a lifetime with her family. Described as a “kind, funny, and adventurous kid,” Olivia was diagnosed with a blood disorder at age seven. While in the hospital, she discovered her love of “America’s Got Talent,” which provided a needed break from her daily treatments. For her wish, Olivia and her family traveled to Las Vegas to see AGT Live at the Luxor, where they enjoyed front row tickets, photo opportunities, and VIP passes. Making dreams come true! Olivia and her family at America’s Got Talent Live at the Luxor. BY TOM BARTLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER A shorthanded, divided and clearly reluctant Bedford Town Board agreed this week to release thousands of residents’ email addresses to former councilman Don Scott, who has sought them since October. Still opposed on privacy and safety grounds to providing personal email data, board members said, in a 3-1 vote, that they nevertheless felt compelled to do so under threat of a Scott lawsuit and current state law. “I do not think personally that we should enter into years of litigation that our chances are not very good at winning,” Supervisor Ellen Calves said. Calves said she and other local supervisors will press state lawmakers for legislative protection to prevent future releases of such sensitive material under the state’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), which provides broad public access to government records. Scott was again a candidate for the Town Board when he filed a FOIL petition for the emails in October. Although a similar request had been granted two years earlier, the town denied him the 2023 email information in November. A month later, Scott appealed the decision to the Town Board, pointing out that state law mandated the information’s release and predicting the town would lose in court if he was denied. Scott, in an emailed response for comment, said he was “happy that the Town Board, with one exception, recognized their obligations under the law.” But Scott, who served on the board from 2015 through 2019 and was seeking to return last fall, was less than thrilled by his drawn-out victory. “What should have taken 3½ days and not involved politics took 3½ months and became a partisan process,” he said. “Their argument—that they were protecting the privacy of citizens—is pure spin. I am glad that, in the future, community members will be on equal footing with the Town Board to disseminate important information.” Some 7,000 email addresses are part of the information provided by subscribers to the town’s weekly newsletter. Citing residents’ privacy and concerns over phishing and other cyberscams, Town Board members initially resisted in the December hearing but softened their stance in the new year. At a Jan. 2 session, they discussed a compromise under which residents could “unsubscribe” to the newsletter, thus protecting their personal email addresses. On Tuesday ( Jan. 16), Town Attorney Eric Gordon, who had sought Albany’s guidance on the compromise, said it remained unclear whether courts would uphold the move. By then, a majority of the board members had been persuaded the lawsuit Scott threatened would be both expensive and likely a loser for the town. Gordon said state officials overseeing FOIL “certainly understand the concerns about public privacy.” But they pointed out that nothing under current state law allows the town to withhold some email addresses. “I can’t tell you how a court would view that,” Gordon said. Councilwoman Bobbi Bittker, adamant since December in her opposition to the release, cast the lone “no” vote. Councilman Tom Catoliato was not present. Bedford board agrees to release residents’ email addresses
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 7 BY SOPHIA CASELNOVA STAFF WRITER Yorktown Police have arrested a 34-year-old Lewisboro man in connection with an Oct. 2023 fentanyl overdose death in Yorktown Heights. The defendant, Philip Stevelman, is charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, both class B felonies. According to an online announcement by YPD, officers responded to a report of an apparent overdose at a Baldwin Road residence on the evening of Oct. 23, 2023. “Upon arrival and despite extraordinary lifesaving efforts on the scene by Yorktown Patrol Officers, Yorktown Volunteer Ambulance Corp, and Empress Paramedics, the victim was pronounced deceased,” the police department post said. Based on an investigation by Yorktown detectives Hannigan and Curtis, police allege that the defendant possessed and sold a quantity of fentanyl to the victim, which allegedly resulted in the victim’s death. Police said the defendant was located outside his residence on Jan. 11. He was taken into custody by Yorktown Police detectives, transported to Yorktown Police headquarters, and processed. He was then arraigned by Judge Cohen-Pierson at Yorktown Justice Court. Bail was set for $100,000 cash, $200,000 bond, or $300,000 partially secured bond. The defendant was unable to post bail at the time of arraignment and was remanded to Westchester County Jail. He is due to appear at Yorktown Justice Court on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. Yorktown PD said the Westchester County Department of Public Safety Forensic Investigation Unit and Westchester County DA’s office assisted in the investigation. Lewisboro man arrested in fatal OD case BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Two Westchester County police officers who pulled a Bedford man from a burning car have been nominated for an award honoring their lifesaving actions. Michael Miller, 51, was fleeing from an attempted traffic stop on Friday, Dec. 1, when he lost control of his Chevy Malibu on the Saw Mill River Parkway and crashed, police said. Thrown into the back seat, he was unconscious when the vehicle caught on fire. According to Commissioner Terrance Raynor of the Department of Public Safety, Officers Niall Nerney and Christopher Duffy used a portable fire extinguisher and then broke through the car’s damaged windshield to help Miller. They pulled him to safety just as flames reached the passenger compartment. “This suspect fled at high speed on a rainy night, putting himself, other motorists and these officers in jeopardy. Regardless of this man’s reckless behavior, Officers Nerney and Duffy did not hesitate to put themselves in harm’s way to save him as the flames spread,” Raynor said, adding that he commended them “for the decisive, skillful and courageous actions they took when every second mattered.” The dramatic incident began around 9:30 p.m. in Hawthorne, when Miller sideswiped another car, police said. He did not stop at the accident scene, but instead continued north on the parkway. The driver of the other vehicle called County Police and gave them a description of the fleeing vehicle. Nerney and Duffy positioned their patrol car on Grant Street in Pleasantville to observe passing traffic. After spotting the Chevy Malibu, they tried to stop Miller near Route 120 in New Castle but he sped off. Miller skidded on wet pavement about a mile south of Readers Digest Road and collided with another car before flipping his vehicle, police said. He was transported by Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. Nerney was treated for smoke inhalation and cuts to his hands. Miller’s condition was not released. A 33-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter, occupants of the vehicle that had been struck, were taken to the hospital, evaluated, and released. A loaded handgun was found in Miller’s car, police said. Charged with second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, second-degree Criminal Contempt, Fleeing an Officer in a Motor Vehicle, and Reckless Driving, he was also issued summonses for speeding and leaving the scene of the initial accident in Hawthorne. The criminal contempt charge was lodged because he is barred from possessing a firearm due to a pre-existing Order of Protection, police said. Westchester officers honored after heroic save Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • Wills, Trusts & Estates Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 16 consecutive years CALL NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 914.948.1500 Do you know what the cost of your long-term care will be if you are not eligible for Medicaid?
PAGE 8 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO! ENJOY 0 DOWN, 0% FINANCING! CALL US TODAY! ACT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE! LIMITED TIME OFFER 845-600-8004 | www.bellmech.com CALL BELL before the Winter Spell! Heat pumps are a cleaner & healthier alternative to traditional heating & cooling systems. This all in one system will eliminate your need for fossil fuel and help you save thousands. Learn more about rebates & financing options! EXCLUDES SERVICE CONTRACT • EXP 2/29/24 Coupon must be presented at time of service. Cannot be combined with any other offer. $50 OFF ANY OF OUR SERVICES UP TO SAVE THOUSANDS in Federal, State and Local Incentives on your new HEATPUMP PROJECT BY TOM BARTLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER Next year’s Katonah-Lewisboro School District budget can likely come in tax-cap-compliant, district officials predict, but achieving that goal will be tougher than in past years. Much can change in the weeks ahead as KLSD fiscal planners complete their draft of a 2024-25 spending plan. Still, Superintendent Andrew Selesnick told the trustees at their Jan. 11 meeting, “We’re cautiously optimistic that we can bring you a budget in February that will be within the cap.” Such a budget, officials said, could hike spending by as much as $3.5 million over the current budget’s $120 million. In a session postponed from December, the superintendent and the district’s interim business chief, Lisa Herlihy, briefed the school board on what Selesnick called “conditions that exist around us in the world that are going to influence our formation of the budget.” Budget calculations have focused on priorities set by the school board. Addressing the trustees, Selesnick said, “We’re going to ask you in the end, ‘Do you think your goal is still the right goal [and] do you want to adjust it in anyway in light of what you heard?’” In a slide accompanying the presentation, Selesnick said the board’s goal was to “adopt a budget that is responsive to demographic trends and financial conditions, does not exceed the tax cap, and ensures excellence in academic and extracurricular programming.” Several factors impact budget making, including anticipated revenue and expenses, enrollment and—key to cap compliance—the likely headroom available for added spending, if only to keep pace with what Herlihy described as inescapable increases in the cost of meeting students’ educational needs. To achieve the board’s stated goal of a tax-cap-compliant spending plan, Herlihy said, “We foresee that we’ll be capped at approximately a $3.5 million budget-to-budget increase.” Property taxes—always the KLSD budget’s principal revenue source—would likely shoulder a greater share of school financing next year to offset expected declines in other income streams. State aid, for example, is expected to be lower next year than last. When all state lawmakers and the governor were up for re-election in 2023, school aid was the largest it had been in years. With other revenue streams, at least for now, deemed essentially flat, preliminary calculations have penciled-in a 3.4 percent increase in the property levy, to $106 million (compared with a 1.56 percent rise to $102.5 million last year). “These are estimated numbers,” Herlihy said of the early budget making math, “based on the information that’s available.” Indeed, both officials took pains in addressing the board to emphasize the likelihood of figures changing before the board sees a draft budget next month. “When we present in February,” Herlihy said, “we’ll have more-refined numbers and more trends to look at.” Selesnick emphasized, “This is not a budget presentation. . . . That will begin on Feb. 22.” Filling the role of assistant superintendent for business, vacant since last year’s resignation of Danelle Pacella, Herlihy is getting a first-hand look at the myriad problems built into perhaps the job’s most formidable test. “One of the principal challenges we encounter,” she noted, “is the unavoidable increase in operational cost. The rising price of goods and services, coupled with inflationary pressures, impact every aspect of our daily operation.” Premiums paid for health insurance, for example, are expected to jump 12 percent this year, with rates for 2025 still unknown. Herlihy called the “continued increase in health insurance one of the major pressure points of the budget.” Snow day makeup Last month’s snowy one-day intrusion into the KLSD calendar will be made up in March by shortening what had shaped up as an extended spring break. March 28, originally seen as an early start for a break running through April 8, now becomes a school day instead. Katonah-Lewisboro schools hoping for tax-cap compliant budget and heinous, and I harbor no hatred towards Jewish people.” Welsh also said that there is a “moral injury” on all sides in any kind of war. “That’s a very serious thing and something that I think people underestimate,” he said. “There’s just no question …that this needs to stop. I hope you join me at some point in calling for a ceasefire. That’s just my personal opinion. It’s not town business.” Others chimed in on different topics. “I request that the board at its executive session consider forming some sort of a working group or committee to discuss the traffic situation on Ridgefield Avenue,” said Lewisboro resident Richard Holl. Mickey DeNicola of Goldens Bridge noted that the proposed Comprehensive Master Plan does not address a noise ordinance. She also talked about an ongoing flooding issue she has had on her property. “We’re also going to be getting another storm this week and I don’t know how much more my septic fields can take,” said DeNicola. “I hate to be beating a dead horse, but that dead horse is laying in my backyard and it’s the time I got rid of it. I would appreciate somebody minding the store on my behalf.” LEWISBORO BOARD FROM PAGE 2
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 9 Starting 2024 with the sale of 6 Lois Lane Katonah, NY. Happily represented both the seller & the buyer. INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Multi-Million Dollar Producer Lic Real Estate Salesperson CT & NY Coldwell Banker Realty Direct (914) 393-8361 [email protected] pattyhinkleyrealestate.com 2023 Closed Volume: $15,868,898 # of Transactions: 42 Looking forward to helping you or someone you know with any real estate need you may have in 2024! 6 Lois Lane, Katonah | 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath colonial on gorgeous 2 acre parcel. $1,243,000 Patty Hinkley PLic Real EstColdDirepatty.hipattyh2023 Closed Volu# of TransactionsCT & NYScan to visit my website INTERNATIOMulti-MPATTY H MARStarting 2024 with the sale of 6 Lois Lane Katonah, NY Represented both the seller & buyer. Looking forward toknow with any rea@pattyhinkley_ realestate SOLD
PAGE 10 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 Opinion 2 TRACKS BRETT FREEMAN, PUBLISHER TOM WALOGORSKY, EDITOR TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Editorial Office: 914-302-5830 [email protected] Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of Katonah-Lewisboro Times or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please send your submissions to the editor by e-mail at [email protected]. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2024 Halston Media, LLC I was surprised to receive an email from Ed Baum, editor of The Bedford Record Review, letting me know he was retiring after 10 years at the helm. He said that the Jan. 12 edition of the paper would be his last. It was only a few days later that we learned the paper was suspending operations completely according to their Facebook page, “in order to look for solutions to bring us back to financial sustainability.” So it was not only Ed’s last issue, it may have been the last issue for the paper. I have had my differences with Ed and the Record Review over the years, and I let him know it when it was appropriate. I always found him accessible and thanked him and reminded him that the work he was doing was important. The loss of this paper is a loss for our community. The Record Review was founded in 1995. Two local papers, The Pound Ridge Review and The Bedford Record, owned by Acorn Press and based in Connecticut, had failed earlier that same year. Some community-minded local residents led by Dick Pearl raised money to help publisher Deborah White restart a local paper covering Pound Ridge and Bedford. In 1999, the New York Press Association recognized The Record Review as the best community newspaper in the state. Recently, you could see the handwriting on the wall as the paper became thinner and full-page real estate ads nonexistent. A lot had changed in the ensuing 29 years leading up to the shuttering of the paper. Consumers are increasingly relying on digital media to keep up with the news via Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Pew surveys show GenZ rarely relies on traditional media to keep up with current events. There is a lot of quantity out there without much expertise or quality. Those platforms also aim at national audiences and topics in order to achieve scale. I am a fan of local papers. Years ago, my mom helped pay for my college by selling display advertising for the Patent Trader, a local paper based in Mount Kisco. That paper was absorbed by the Reporter Dispatch, which became Lohud. The Lohud paper still exists in print, barely. Local news is so important, yet it’s becoming harder and harder to find. Without local journalists to cover our local school board, planning board, town board, etc., who holds them accountable? In some ways, those local institutions have more impact on our life than national politics does, yet we lose our connection to them without local journalism. And keeping up with happenings on the ballfields and the police blotter keeps us connected to our neighbors. In an earlier column I mentioned that according to Steven Waldman, chair of the Rebuild Local News Coalition, over 3,400 local papers have closed since 2004. He points out, “communities without local news have less civic engagement, lower voter turnouts, more waste and more corruption. Towns with less local news even have lower bond ratings and higher taxes. Polarization and misinformation grow.” There are some interesting efforts underway at the state and federal level to pass legislation to provide financial support for local journalism, including tax credits for subscribing to local news sources and advertising in local newspapers or local online news services, as well as incentives to hire local journalists. These efforts deserve our support. Could a local paper be run as a notfor-profit? Changing the business model could allow them to conduct fundraisers, sell memberships and ask for stipends from the towns they cover. It would also allow for grant applications and crowdfunding. Shameless plug warning: Luckily, if you are reading these words, you are in a town covered by a Halston Media publication providing vital local journalism. Thank you for your support. Sad day for local journalism The Bedford Record Review suspends operations DON SCOTT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Well, beat the drum and hold the phone The sun came out today We’re born again, there’s new grass on the field... -John Fogerty “Centerfield” On a recent Saturday night a couple of weeks ago, it snowed for the first time since 1965. I didn’t care. That’s one of the positive sides of being homebound and a non-driver. As long as the weather doesn’t knock a tree onto my house or cut off the power, internet, or cable, I don’t give a fig about what goes on out there. Eighty degrees and sunny with cute fluffy clouds gliding by in the breeze, or an apocalyptic nor’easter stranding hundreds on the interstate in sub-zero temperatures—it doesn’t matter to me. It’s all the same from here. So, as I write this, I am looking out my living room window at a vast blanket of glistening whiteness sprawled before me in the dusty-gray chilly twilight and I can’t help but think of one thing. Baseball. It’s not just the game itself, it’s what it represents to me. And the first thing it represents—most importantly—is warm weather. Usually, at some significant milestone during the winter months (Christmas, New Year’s, the first snowfall), one of my baseball friends will cheekily remark something such as, “Well, only 45 days until pitchers and catchers report.” They’re referring to Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training where pitchers and catchers must report a week or two ahead of the rest of their teammates. Knowing when pitchers and catchers report is a sure sign that winter is well on its way to hospice care. But you are probably thinking, “Bob, didn’t you just say you don’t care what the weather is like because you’re stuck indoors?” OK, well, first of all... shut up. But secondly, I like summer because the house isn’t constantly chilly, I can get fresh produce from the garden and farmers markets, and it’s a nicer view out my window during the summer— not looking like it does now... the cold, desolate landscape of a dead planet on the outskirts of the galaxy. Plus... in the summer we get baseball. After all, they’re called the Boys of Summer for a reason. Now, I don’t want to go too far off on the baseball thing because this is not (usually) a sports column. But over the years, the game and its language have sort of become a metaphor for life: Three-strike law (felonies); that’s The joys of summer BOB DUMAS OUT OF MY HEAD SEE DUMAS PAGE 14
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 OPINION THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 11 For delivery or curbside orders please email [email protected] or call 914.533.7512 Bring in your Empties for Recycling! No limit on returns! YOUR LOCAL CRAFT BEER & BEVERAGE SOURCE Treat yourself to a huge selection of the finest craft beer, ciders, & soft drinks in the area. Beer& Beverage 204 Oakridge Common, South Salem, NY 914.533.7512 Hours MON 12-6 TUE-FRI 10-7:30 SAT 10-8 SUN 11-5 visit our website: vistabeerandbeverage.com to see our daily “Beer Menu” vistabeer vista.beer From our Shelves to Your parties. all this and so much more! Victor Hugo once remarked, “A stout heart may be ruined in fortune but not in spirit.” This profound observation speaks not just to the resilience of the human spirit, but intriguingly mirrors the multifaceted nature of the term ‘stout’ itself. At its core, Hugo’s quote celebrates the indomitable character of a person, evoking images of courage and bravery. Yet, ‘stout’ also traditionally describes a robust physicality— bulky, heavily built or corpulent. This dual meaning provides a perfect segue into the world of stout beers, where the term takes on yet another rich dimension. In the chilly embrace of colder months, the flavorful Stout style stands out. Many are familiar with the iconic Guinness Stout, a gold standard in its class. Despite its roasty glory, Guinness is surprisingly light in both alcohol content (4.2%) and caloric profile, making it an excellent ‘gateway stout’ for those new to the genre. Stout beer, a dark, top-fermented ale, boasts a variety of sub-styles: dry stout, oatmeal stout (an unexpected source of fiber!), milk stout (enhanced with lactose), imperial stout (notably strong), and the innovative dessert stouts. A common thread among these variations is a backbone of roastiness, often accompanied by a creamy texture. The stout’s origin traces back to the 1600s with the popular dark beer style known as Porter. Originally lighter in body and color, with a balance of malty sweetness and bitter hoppiness, Porters evolved as brewers experimented with recipes, intensifying flavors and increasing the alcohol content. This evolution in boldness and strength led to the emergence of the Stout style. When it comes to pairing stouts with food, remember the mantra: Complement, Contrast & Cut. Stouts beautifully complement roasted or grilled proteins (think chicken, pork, beef ), as well as vegetables. They elevate a homemade stew to new heights, especially when considering the Maillard Effect and its synergy with darker beers. For dessert, the higher alcohol content of an Imperial Stout can superbly cut through the richness of chocolate, offering a delightful culinary experience. Explore the diverse world of stouts and discover how this robust beer style, much like a stout heart, embodies depth, complexity, and enduring appeal. Reader Recommendations In this month’s Reader Recommendations, we fortuitously delve into the world of Stouts, and it seems almost as if we had planned it! Stout enthusiast Ryan The Great shares his eagerly awaited annual insights on Goose Island’s Bourbon County winter selections: “As the chill of winter sets in and the festive cheer lingers, it’s time for the much-anticipated release of Goose Island’s new stout lineup! “The 2023 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout is a standout year-round The enduring spirit of stout In heart, body and brew PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KATONAH BEER MAN Bart Brewery Chocolate Mint Stout Excellent rotating beers at Vista Beverage • vistabeerandbeverage.com • 204 Oakridge Commons, South Salem • 914-533-7512 JOHN BART THE KATONAH BEER MAN SEE BART PAGE 14
PAGE 12 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES OPINION JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 914-277-4424 • 440 Rt 22 North Salem, NY • www.theblazerpub.com 53 CELEBRA CELEBRATING 531 YEARS! Forget the Big Game— The real winner is our food Service: 914-669-9679 Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 Fax: 914-669-9685 6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 meccanicshop.com RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL GENERATOR INSTALLATIONS 914-763-5555 CHARLES GEORGE • POUND RIDGE, NY • LICENSED & INSURED NY & CT ELECTRIC BUYING ONLY 845-628-0362 WE WILL COME TO YOU! 53 WE BUY: YEARS! Gold • Sterling Silver Jewelry • Coins Paintings • Bronzes Clocks • Collectibles Antiques • ETC. Items for sale? Call us! To advertise in The Katonah-Lewisboro Times, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email freeman@halstonmedia. com. The popularity of mysteries in every format -- books, movies, TV shows, and podcasts -- has never been higher. Think back to your childhood. Do you remember reading the Nancy Drew Mystery books or were you a Hardy Boys fan? The iconic yellow covers of the Nancy Drew Mysteries (first published in 1930) and the blue covers of the Hardy Boys series (first published in 1927) held pride of place on library shelves. Perhaps you recall playing hours of the board game, Clue, with your family and friends? Fun fact: this classic murder mystery board game was created by British board game designer Anthony E. Pratt. Manufactured in the U.K. in 1949, the British version was called Cluedo and the American version was sold as Clue. I remember hearing the children’s rhyme about legendary murderess, Lizzie Borden. “Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.” Why did she do that? American writer Edgar Allan Poe published the mystery story, “The Fall of the House of Usher” in 1839. Poe is considered one of the most famous writers of mystery and horror stories. He is credited with writing the first detective story published in the U.S., “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” in 1841. Classic Edgar Allan Poe mystery/horror stories include “The Black Cat,” “The Pit and the Pendulum” and “The TellTale Heart.” English novelist and playwright Wilkie Collins wrote what is considered the first mystery novel, “The Woman in White,” in 1859. This tale of murder, madness and mistaken identity paved the way for the popularity of the mystery genre with subsequent novels and short stories written by American, British and French authors. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is considered a master of the mystery genre, best known for creating the characters of detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Doyle published his first story in 1887 and continued to write hundreds of short stories and two dozen novels. Classic Sherlock Holmes stories include “A Study in Scarlet,” “The Hound of the Baskervilles” and “A Scandal in Bohemia.” In 1878, Brooklyn born American author, Anna Katherine Green, published her detective novel, “The Leavenworth Case.” This mystery novel was immensely popular and went on to sell 750,000 copies over the next 15 years. In 1908, American writer and playwright Mary Roberts Rinehart published her mystery novel, “The Circular Staircase” about a spinster aunt who solves mysteries. A prolific author, Rinehart wrote 40 novels and hundreds of short stories. By the time of her death in 1958, Rinehart’s novels had sold 10 million copies. British author Agatha Christie is considered one of the most famous mystery and suspense writers. She is best known for her Belgian detective character, Hercule Poirot, and her senior citizen sleuth, Miss Marple. Christie published more than 100 novels, plays and short story collections beginning in 1920, including “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Death on the Nile,” and “The Mysterious Affair at Styles.” The murder mystery, “The Mousetrap,” is considered the world’s longest running play. You can be an armchair detective and join me for a new fiveweek program, True Crime Fiction Writing, via Zoom on Wednesday evenings, 7-8:30 p.m. starting on Feb. 28. Investigation meets imagination as we explore a true crime case each week and put a new spin on the facts by writing stories from different points of view: a neighbor, co-worker, newspaper reporter, the victim or the accused. Register on the Lewisboro Library website! Kim Kovach agrees that truth is stranger than fiction! Visit kimkovachwrites.com. The appeal of mysteries KIM KOVACH READING, WRITING & CHOCOLATE Posting hurtful comments after election shows Welsh’s true character In his letter to the editor (‘Councilman Welsh: Criticism of Israel not antisemitic...” Jan. 11, Page 10), Lewisboro Councilman Dan Welsh states that “I am not the problem here.” As someone who has seen his social media posts and heard him speak, I respectfully disagree. Mr. Welsh represents all the people of Lewisboro, not just the ones who agree with his ideology. The fact that he won’t even acknowledge that his rhetoric is hurtful to some of his constituents shows how arrogant and out of touch he is. The fact that he made these divisive posts after the election shows his true character. Yes, Mr. Welsh, you are the problem. -Robin Gersten South Salem LETTERS SEE LETTERS PAGE 13
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 OPINION THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 13 We see you here. What’s our greatest asset at The Bristal Assisted Living communities? It’s the lifetime of interests and experiences you bring to it. After all, that’s what makes you special. A caring team that spends the time getting to know you so you can continue nurturing, sharing and exploring those interests? Well, that’s what makes us special, too. Schedule your visit today and see for yourself. THE BRISTAL AT ARMONK | 914.344.6595 THE BRISTAL AT WHITE PLAINS | 914.745.6655 thebristal.com Licensed by the State Department of Health. Eligible for Most Long Term Care Policies. Equal Housing Opportunity. Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care Lifelong Democrat appreciates support for Israel shown by Congressmen Lawler and Torres at bipartisan conversation Dear Editor, I’m a registered Democrat. I’ve voted for every Democratic presidential candidate from Jimmy Carter to the present, and I plan on continuing to vote this way in 2024. I did not vote for Rep. Mike Lawler when he first ran for Congress in 2022. Since his election, I have been critical, in this newspaper, of his positions on issues such as climate change, abortion rights, gun control and the Republican House impeachment investigation of the President. I’m a Zionist. I believe that Israel must maintain its Jewish majority, both for the protection of the roughly 74% of Israeli citizens that are Jewish (many are surprised to learn that almost one-quarter of Israeli citizens are non-Jews), and as a safe haven for Jews currently living elsewhere who, because of antisemitism, may seek safety in Israel in the future. For decades, I supported a “two-state solution” in which Israel and a Palestinian state could coexist in peace. After the murder and abduction of Israelis (including both Jews and Arabs) and nonIsraelis by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, I doubt it will happen in my lifetime, if at all. I’ve been to Israel many times. I have friends and relatives living in Israel, including relatives that lived in a kibbutz near Gaza on Oct. 7 and miraculously managed to survive by hiding in their “safe room” with their three children as Hamas terrorists ransacked their home, and murdered and abducted a number of their friends and neighbors (some, including young children, remain Hamas hostages to this day). I believe in the right to engage in legitimate political protest. I do not believe that shouting down those you oppose or preventing them from speaking is legitimate political protest. I believe the scope of Israel’s military response to Oct. 7, as well as the extent of U.S. support for Israel’s response, are legitimate subjects for debate and political protest. But after Oct. 7, pro-Palestinian protests (often by younger people and students) against not only Israel, but Jews, have become increasingly vicious, sometimes veering into antisemitism. On Dec. 21, 2023, I attended an event at the 92nd St. Y in Manhattan intended to be a conversation (with some Q&A) in which Rep. Lawler and Bronx Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres (who is both pro-Israel and a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus) shared their perspectives on U.S. support for Israel during the Israel/Hamas war in Gaza, as well as the sharp increase of antisemitism in the U.S. Instead, it turned into a circus, in which waves of protesters staged various interruptions, including chants of “blood on your hands,” “genocide is not peace,” “free Palestine” and “ceasefire now” in an attempt to disrupt the event and prevent Representatives Lawler and Torres from speaking. Of course, the protesters’ chants and interruptions omitted any mention of the fates of the roughly 130 men, women and children that remain Hamas hostages in Gaza. Despite the numerous interruptions, both Congressman Lawler and Congressman Torres were able to express their bipartisan support for Israel, as well as their hope for a better future for the Palestinian people of Gaza if Hamas rule is ended. At the end of the event, I briefly spoke with Rep. Lawler, and told him I was one of his Democratic constituents, and that although I often disagreed with him on various policy matters, I was grateful for his support of Israel. He graciously thanked me. I continue to disagree with Rep. Lawler about many issues, and it’s likely I will be critical of him in the future, in this newspaper. Nevertheless, this lifelong Democrat thanks Rep. Lawler for his continued support of Israel during this difficult time. -Lou Sorell Katonah LETTERS FROM PAGE 12 Welcome to “News & Notes,” where we look at the happenings here in Westchester County. Here are some of my favorite, fun February facts… The groundhog will miss its shadow; I will eat too much at our friends’ Super Bowl party; my wife will not be too happy with the wilted flowers and stale candy I give her for Valentine’s Day, and I will hurt my back watching her shoveling snow. So, fire up a hot cocoa, sit back and enjoy this week’s “Funky February” edition of “News & Notes.” Especially now with the cold and snow, seniors who are homebound, recovering from a hospital stay and are unable to prepare meals, or have no one to do so for them, may be eligible for a hot midday meal delivered by our caring volunteers. News & Notes for ‘Funky February’ MARK JEFFERS NEWS & NOTES SEE JEFFERS PAGE 31
PAGE 14 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES OPINION JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 112 North County Center • Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 914-232-9012 • www.northcountycleaners.com Mon - Fri: 7am - 7pm • Sat: 8am - 5pm Tailoring • Repairs • Leather Cleaning • Drapes & Curtains Over 30 Years Experience Pick Up & Delivery for New Customers First Orders Only Mention Promo Code NCCT10 $10 OFF Weekly Delivery in your Area • All Dry Cleaning Done on Premises • Same Day Service (in-store drop off only) drop off by 10am The Consumer’s Choice for Discount Heating Oil! SAVE WITH OUR LOW C.O.D. PRICES! • No Contracts or Commitments • Oil Burner & A/C Service/Tune-ups • Quality Heating Oil • Senior Citizen & Volume Discounts • Heating, Cooling & Generator Installations • Price Matching (Restrictions apply) Order online at: www.codoil.com CALL US TODAY AND SAVE! 914.737.7769 DUMAS FROM PAGE 10 choice. Aged for 12 months, this year’s iteration introduces a delightful cherry twist to its already exquisite flavor profile. As a long-time fan, I can attest that the cherry addition enhances the experience – it’s a commendable and delicious choice at a fair price, making it their most approachable stout yet. [KBM: I wholeheartedly agree!] “But the real showstopper this year is the Bananas Foster Stout. This innovative brew immediately captures your attention with its clear banana notes, but it’s the intricate blend of three types of almonds and the sharpness of cassia bark – a type of Chinese cinnamon – that truly sets it apart. It’s a must-try for those who seek unique stout flavors. “Then there’s the Backyard Stout, a dream for berry aficionados. With an ABV close to 13%, it’s as potent as it is flavorful. Goose Island skillfully melds mulberries, boysenberries, and marionberries with touches of vanilla and chocolate, resulting in a rich, berry-forward profile. My personal preference is the bottled version of this stout, which seems to enhance its complex layers. “Continuing our stout journey, the Bourbon County Brand Eagle 2 Year Reserve is back. This two-year-aged stout is a testament to the art of aging, boasting rich flavors of toasted almonds and vanilla. Its thickness is a hallmark of a well-crafted stout – it’s so rich that it can leave a lasting impression on your glass, a trait that enthusiasts cherish. The only downside, as with all special reserves, is its price. “Lastly, as a fellow admirer of Angel’s Envy bourbon [KBM: Indeed, I am], the Cask Finish Angel’s Envy-inspired stout is a revelation. This unique stout spent a year in former Angels Envy barrels followed by a year in Ruby Port Wine barrels, resulting in an explosion of cherry and cocoa notes. It’s an ideal after-dinner indulgence. Despite my initial apprehension about it being overly ‘boozy,’ this stout pleasantly balances its strong flavor profile. “I hope my reviews inspire you to explore these exceptional stouts this season!” Cheers! The Katonah Beer Man can be reached at [email protected] or visit thekatonahbeerman.wordpress.com. Please check out our friends at Vista Beverage, vistabeerandbeverage.com; 204 Oakridge Commons, South Salem; 914-533-7512. BART FROM PAGE 11 a home run (a successful idea); a curve ball (a tricky question); a soft ball (an easy question); that came out of leftfield (something caught you offguard); getting to second base (well, you know). The Little League in our town used to take all the players and coaches to a Mets or Yankee game every summer. They would alternate each year between Yankee and Shea stadiums. My dad was a Little League coach for 18 years, so even before I was eligible to play, I got to go on the bus with the “big kids” and go to a game. There are two things I remember most about those adventures: 1. The overwhelming smell of diesel fuel as the bus sat rumbling in the parking lot next to dozens of other running diesel buses as we waited to disembark. 2. How incredibly green the grass on the field was. It was like it was so green that your brain couldn’t comprehend it if you’d never seen it before. And with our front yard... trust me when I say I’d never seen it before (sorry, Dad). Another sensory experience that I associate with baseball and summer was when on a lazy summer weekend afternoon, someone in the neighborhood had a ballgame playing on their transistor radio. (If you were born after 1990, you probably don’t know what a transistor radio is.) You might not see them or even be able to tell exactly where it was coming from due to some weird acoustic anomaly, but you heard it—distant and tinny but with a familiar cadence and rhythm. You might not even be able to discern what the announcers were saying and who was playing, but you could definitely tell it was a baseball game, and that was immediately comforting and relaxing. The other thing I liked about baseball was that no two fields were the same. We had Fenway Park in Boston, which pretty much looked the same as it did in 1925; we had Wrigley Field in Chicago, which had no lights so they couldn’t play night games; we had the Astrodome in Houston, which was space-age modern (for the times) and had huge dimensions. In fact, the dimensions of a field varied from park to park, unlike the other major sports such as basketball and football, which had hard-and-fast dimensions that were the same no matter what city or arena you were in. The other thing I adored about baseball is it was the only sport that didn’t utilize a clock, unlike games like soccer where the clock, for some reason, runs backward. At least baseball used to be the only sport without a clock. Last season, MLB added what they call the “pitch clock.” (Players now have 30 seconds between batters to resume play.) The idea was to speed up the pace of the game, as game lengths were spiraling past three and a half hours. So... what were players doing now that they weren’t doing 30 years ago that was slowing down the pace? Actually, they weren’t doing anything different. The reason game lengths were increasing was because MLB and the broadcast channels they worked with were trying to squeeze in more and more commercials between innings. It never dawned on them that if they cut back on the number of commercials, game times would be shorter. Well, it probably did dawn on them, but they would never consider eliminating something that was bringing in more revenue. All (Every. Single. One.) decisions made by professional sports are based solely on what will generate the most money. So, why haven’t we heard before, that lengthy baseball games are a problem? Say hello to Gen Z—kids in their teens and early 20s. They have the attention span of a fruit fly, so they view any sporting event that goes past two and a half hours as an affront to their personal dignity, which could trigger their anxiety and make them retreat to their safe space. The next thing you know, they will demand that pitchers should never throw the ball more than 60 mph because anything faster would seem too aggressive and mean. As I said... baseball is a metaphor for life. It just might not be the life you want to lead. Contact Us The Katonah-Lewisboro Times is located at 118 N Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. You can contact us at 914- 302-5830 or email [email protected].
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 15 At least three to four times per month I receive a phone call from a client who is distraught and angered about the behavior of a sibling or family member toward their mom or dad. The caller’s primary complaint is that their family member has a Power of Attorney (POA) from their parent and is not keeping them informed as to what they are doing with the parent’s finances and/or they believe the family member is taking advantage of their parent financially and misappropriating the parent’s assets for their own personal use. The allegations are often serious. However, whether or not they are true is another matter. While it may be valuable for an agent under a POA to keep immediate family members informed as to what financial actions they are undertaking, Section 5-1505 of the New York General Obligations Law (GOL) enumerates the individuals and/or entities entitled to receive said information and records. For example, the agent only has a fiduciary relationship with the principal under the POA, an acting coagent or successor agent under the POA, or a Court Evaluator or Guardian Ad Litem appointed by a Court for the principal. A government entity or official investigating a report that the principal may be in need of protective services resulting from alleged fraud, abuse or neglect is also entitled to such information and records, as is the personal representative of a deceased principal’s estate (executor/trustee), who may receive the principal’s bank records and information regarding the agent’s actions taken pursuant to the POA. In addition to making the financial records of the principal and an accounting of the agent’s actions available to the abovestated individuals or entities within 15 days of a demand, under Section 5-1505 of the GOL, the agent has the obligation to act in accordance with any instructions from the principal and, where there are no instructions, in the best interest of the principal. Thus, the principal can request that the agent provide the information and records to the principal’s children and other family members. Additionally, the agent must at all times keep their personal finances separate and apart from those of the principal. The agent must not comingle the principal’s finances with the agent’s own personal finances. It is advisable that the agent keep records of all bank and investment accounts of the principal and a spreadsheet showing all transactions (bills paid, checks issued, deposits and withdrawals made, as well as all credit card charges and payments) so as to document all of their actions as agent. If the principal has investment accounts in addition to real property, the agent’s retention of a financial advisor, as well as a CPA and attorney, should be strongly considered provided that it is permitted by the POA. Acting under the advice and counsel of a professional can be invaluable. Furthermore, it should be noted that authorizations given to the agent to make gifts of the principal’s assets and income to such agent and others must be specifically stated in the POA. The agent may not make gifts of the principal’s assets to him or herself or others without express authorization in the POA. To this end, the gifting of assets must also be in the best interest of the principal. Although the agent is not required to provide an accounting to all who ask, their failure to do so often results in the principal’s children or other family members with concerns taking steps such as seeking the appointment of a Guardian for the principal under Article 81 of the New York Mental Hygiene Law (MHL). In this proceeding, the Court has the authority to appoint a Court Evaluator to review the financial records of the alleged incapacitated person (AIP) to determine whether or not the agent has betrayed their fiduciary duty to the principal and engaged in any behavior that calls for their removal as agent under the POA. Because an Article 81 Guardianship is a special proceeding, it is an expedited proceeding wherein the hearing for the appointment of a Guardian is to be scheduled within 28 days of the Court signing the Order to Show Cause. The failure of the agent to make the records available to an individual or entity entitled to receive them can also result in the commencement of a special proceeding against such agent pursuant to Section 5-1510 of the GOL–for example, if the agent has failed to make available a copy of the POA and records of all receipts, disbursements and transactions to those authorized to make the request under Section 5-1505 of the GOL. A proceeding in accordance with Section 5-1510 of the GOL can delve into the validity of the POA, the capacity of the principal at the time the POA was executed, and whether the POA is the product of undue influence, duress or fraud. The agent can be forced to account. The Court can review the accounting and any objections thereto, and determine whether it should be approved. The Court can also remove the agent. Unfortunately, this proceeding does not address who is to be appointed as agent under the POA if the acting agent is removed, no successor agent is named in the POA, and the principal lacks capacity to appoint another agent. In my opinion, a proceeding under Section 5-1510 of the GOL fails to meet the comprehensive needs of an incapacitated principal, as does the commencement of an Article 81 Guardianship proceeding. In conclusion, if the agent has been acting in accordance with their fiduciary duties, they would be well served by regularly keeping the principal’s family informed of their doings. It is not worth the ramifications of family members becoming suspicious about the agent’s activities, which can result in possible litigation against the agent and potentially the agent’s removal as agent under the POA. Anthony J. Enea is the managing attorney of Enea, Scanlan and Sirignano, LLP of White Plains, New York. He focuses his practice on Wills, Trusts, Estates and Elder Law. Anthony is the Past Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), and is the past Chair of the 50+ Section of the NYSBA. He is a Past President and Founding member of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Anthony is also the Immediate Past President of the Westchester County Bar Foundation and a Past President of the Westchester County Bar Association. He can be reached at 914-948- 1500 or at www.esslawfirm.com. Important to keep family members in the loop Why regular reporting by the Agent under a Power of Attorney is the best practice ‘It is not worth the ramifications of family members becoming suspicious about the agent’s activities.’ -Anthony J. Enea Managing Attorney of Enea, Scanlan and Sirignano, LLP ANTHONY J. ENEA GUEST CORNER FOCUS ON ELDER LAW
PAGE 16 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES 2 TRACKS On Jan. 6, the stage at John Jay High School came alive as KLSD ArtsAlive proudly presented the 10th Encore Cabaret! The special afternoon featured current students and alumni coming together to perform musical theatre acts and create Broadway magic, as well as a film of original artwork and music provided by students from the JJHS Visual Art and Music Technology Departments. The talented cast performed numbers from such hit broadway shows as “Miss Saigon,” “A Chorus Line,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Wicked.” Andre Catrini of the JJHS Class of 2007 once again returned as the show’s Musical Director. Life is a Lily Mostero Sami Sperling Musical/ Artistic Director Andre Catrini (Class of 07) Nate Greenspan PHOTOS: ROB DISTASIO
– JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 PAGE 17 Emma Gleacher Alec Schwartz cabaret! Jake Sperling Casey Leff Aya Greenspan Julia Johnston
PAGE 18 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES HEALTH & WELLNESS JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 Progressive Animal Hospital What is the most common mismanaged condition that you see? THE ITCHY DOG! Is your pet... scratching • licking • chewing feet or having chronic skin infections? Stop treating the symptoms and find out the underlying cause with a simple blood test. Get your pet feeling better and stop the frequent trips to the vet. INDEPENDENTLY OWNED and OPERATED 268 route 202 l somers, ny 10589 914.248.6220 l progressive-vet.com Voted “Best of Somers” 2020-2023 Discover The Greens at Greenwich Home is a Feeling The Greens provides safety, comfort, and a loving home filled with laughter and joy. We are a small intimate assisted living community for your loved one with memory impairment. Awarded the Best Practice for Resident Care by the Connecticut Assisted Living Association [email protected] thegreensatgreenwich.com Schedule a Tour 203.531.5500 BY MARIA SCAROS GUEST COLUMNIST As you reflect on the holidays and enter a new year with memories of family gatherings, you may have noticed changes in your loved one’s cognitive abilities. You have a gut feeling that something is “off.” Is it your imagination? Do you chalk it up to aging? How should I deal with this? Should I deal with this? The first suggestion is to visit your loved one more frequently to see what is actually going on. Are they safe? Can they make informed decisions to handle their activities of daily living? How is their hygiene? This is a huge red flag. Are they eating well? Are they steady on their feet? Can they find their way around? To help you in your assessment, consider any or all of the five A’s associated with most memory impairment. Amnesia Do they remember that they saw you yesterday? Do they remember where they saw you? Do they remember your name? What do they recall short term? Long term? Apraxia What is their relationship with their environment? What is their spatial awareness? How are they walking and navigating their environment? As people progress in their disease, they have difficulty navigating space and become unsteady in their gait. In many instances, they can no longer see in three dimensions. Floors and rugs that have contrasting colors may be especially challenging. Agnosia Do they know what an item is and what is its function? Do they know what the “key” is for, for example? Do they know what it is called and what it does? Can they use the “key”? Do they eat with the proper utensils? Aphasia How is their ability to access language? Do they have difficulty verbally communicating? Are they saying things that don’t make sense to you but seem to make sense to them? Is their dialogue becoming a “word salad?” Note that if they speak in word salad, they hear in word salad as well. That may be why it may be difficult for them to follow your conversation. Anomia Are they unable to access words? They may substitute words for those they cannot recall. They may replace one noun or verb for another. The A’s do not come all at once. The A’s develop gradually over time. The A’s don’t affect everyone, but they are visible in most who have a form of dementia. How do you know it is time to place a loved one in Memory Care? It is different for everyone. Your loved one may become incontinent or wander aimlessly. They may forget who their family is or may become aggressive. Each person’s tipping point is different. The time will come when you realize that you are not equipped to provide the care they need. You will realize your quality of life is suffering. If you are honest with yourself, you will recognize the tipping point for you. You must act on it. Why would you consider a Memory Care Community over a home health aide? Isn’t it better if your loved one stays in their home? Initially staying home with help may be the best way to go. There will come a time when “home” is not the place they “live” anymore. The space becomes unfamiliar and the treasured objects will have lost their magic. Those who work in memory care understand that “Home” is not a place, but a feeling of safety and familiarity. Home is being in a community that is accepting, compassionate, joyful and kind. Home is a community where we are celebrated and accepted for the imperfect person we are. Staying isolated with one or two caregivers cannot provide what is needed for a dignified life. What does a memory care community provide? When the person becomes more compromised with any one or more of the A’s, they may need to go to a memory care community. It is in the community where they can sustain a healthy baseline. The professionals there help your loved one maintain the independence they still have and care for them with appropriate distance and compassion. A memory care community provides trained professionals to give your loved one the care and dignity they deserve in a supportive social environment. An excellent community will look at your loved one’s strengths, not their limitations, and work with their strengths. Your loved one will be guided through their journey, developing a sense of purpose in their new normal. Their day will be gently structured with times to be active, creative, thoughtful and restful. Body, mind and spirit are focused upon. Nutritious meals, lectures, social events, exercise and spiritual services, along with medical supervision enhance health and well being. As a caregiver, you will find peace of mind in knowing that your loved one is safe. This allows you to visit and enjoy their company in their new normal. You are facing difficult decisions. You don’t need to do it on your own. Senior advisors and geriatric care managers are resources to help you decide. I suggest you find someone within the community. They will help you find the best fit for you and your loved one. Maria Scaros is Executive Director at The Greens at Greenwich, a small family-owned assisted living home for memory impairment. For more information, visit www. thegreensatgreenwich.com or call 203-531-5500. How much support does your loved one need? Check the 5 A’s How much support does your loved one need? Check the 5 A’s. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREENS AT GREENWICH
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 HEALTH & WELLNESS THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 19 ADVERTORIAL LLPT wishes all readers a happy, healthy, and blessed 2024! Several patients (and readers) have mentioned to me they benefit as much from the whole mind-body connection and awareness I frequently underscore in my articles to improve their full well-being as my suggested handson therapy treatment and alignment exercises. Hence, the focus of this article is on the universe’s basic elements and how they positively impact our well-being and pain-free movement. IT IS A NEW YEAR, AND TIME TO REFLECT AND MAKE CHOICES Life is the C between B & D (birth & death), and C entails the choices we make in life. Since our birth, we constantly make choices about all aspects of our lives: from the career we choose, where to live, what clothes to wear, what to eat, and whether to exercise. We are in a new calendar year. Whether we choose to make New Year’s resolutions or not, it is always healthy to reflect on our life during the past year and the challenges and changes that occurred. We are in the driver’s seat of our own life and whether to make changes to improve our health and lifestyle. INTEGRATE THE FOUR BASIC ELEMENTS OF LIFE This article borrows inspiration and ideas from the Greek philosophy that the Universe consists of four basic elements: solid (earth), gas (air), liquid (water) and plasma (fire). To survive and thrive, we must balance all four basic elements in our life. The four basic elements are symbolical and integrating them in a therapeutic way in our life can enhance and bring positive changes in our day-to-day well-being. • Earth: the earth is our strong foundation and keeps our body and mindset grounded. A strong core foundation in our body is crucial to our balance, posture and keeps us connected with nature. • Air: every breath we take delivers oxygen and fuel for our body and brain. It is our determination to help us stay focused, helps us relax, and helps with the movement of our body and the expansion of our mind. • Fire: fire represents the energy and vigor to act. The warmth from the sun and the heat from our bodies help with pain relief, reduce joint stiffness, and improve mobility. • Water: water keeps us hydrated and symbolizes our creativity and adaptability. INTEGRATE CHANGES USING SMALL, SIMPLE STEPS Set achievable goals to make changes. Start with small, simple steps on which to build as you get motivated from the changes and improvements you see and feel. 1. Earth: • Get grounded: stimulate your feet nerve endings by taking your shoes off and roll your feet around on a small ball, pick up paper scrunches with your toes, trace the alphabet in the air with your feet. • Connect with nature by taking daily brisk walks for 15-20 minutes. • Focus on using your core as a strong foundation to help support your body. Start with simple steps: every hour when you exhale try to suck your belly button into your spine, squeeze your Glutes, pull up your pelvic floor and tighten your abdominal muscles. Take a deep breath in and relax all your muscles. Repeat ten times. 2. Air: • Take deep breaths through your nose and feel how the air travels deep into the base of your lungs, expands your ribcage, and expands your diaphragm, and then feel how your whole body relaxes as you exhale. • Include deep breathing when you walk outside connect the earth with air element. 3. Fire: • Feel the warmth of the sun fill your body with heat as you walk outside and get energized. Move around either dancing around your kitchen, doing Yoga, Pilates, or any form of exercise. Movement increases circulation in your body, it reduces pain and stiffness and helps with muscle flexibility. 4. Water: • Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day; it helps with bodily functions and keeps us energized. Water symbolizes fluidity and healing and how to adapt to our changing bodies. Take time every day to be still and focus on your own emotions and how it affects your actions as well as how it affects the people around you. Life is a one-time remarkable gift LIZE LUBBE GUEST CORNER Choices and Changes for Healthy Living in 2024 and, as the pilot of our own life, the choices we make define who we are and how we can change to improve our own well-being and contribute to our family, friends, and We are hands on PTs! The professional services of the team at Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy include: • Pre & Post Surgery Rehabilitation • Sports Injury Rehabilitation • Neurological Rehabilitation • Treatment of Musculoskeletal & Orthopedic Conditions • Postural, Balance & Gait Training • Pain & Headache Management • Body Rebalancing through Diaphragm, Breathing & Pelvic Stability www.lizelubbept.com [email protected] 914.875.9430 892 NY-35, Cross River, NY 10518 (blue office building) Lize Lubbe is the owner of Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy with its main practice located at 892 Route 35 in Cross River and a PT Studio in the premises of Apex Fitness (where her team focus on the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries). Learn more by calling 914-875-9430, emailing contact@ lizelubbept.com or visiting www.lizelubbept.com. community. At LLPT, our team of therapists incorporate holistic, healing principles, mindfulness, and the integration of various therapeutic approaches to restore and enhance patients’ overall well-being. Consistent with the focus of Greek philosophy on the four basic elements, we address all for basic elements in the rehabilitation of patients: 1) earth - helping you with pain-free movement, working on core and stability exercises; 2) air - guiding you to use correct breathing techniques during all movement and daily activities; 3) fire - prescribing dynamic, coordination movement to energize and improve your balance; and 4) water - adding fluidity and reducing the impact of movement on your joints and spine. Embrace the four elements in your life to enrich and grow to a more balanced, harmonious you.
PAGE 20 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 Sports John Jay honors classmate with inspiring victory over Fox Lane Jordan Kauftheil BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER On Jan. 13, John Jay was looking for their third straight win, with Fox Lane standing in the way. Even so, there was more on the minds of the community and the team than basketball. Brooke D’Aleo is battling cancer, and Marc McAlley gave voice to the overall sentiment. “You’re not alone, stay strong,” the teacher’s words echoed. Of course, win or lose, nothing would change. But just the same, the Wolves were definitely driven and really put their teeth into honoring their classmate. “It means a lot to get a win for her,” said Jane Brennan after the 49-38 victory. After Cara Drapala got the game’s first three points on a baseline drive, Sela Halaifonua gave the Foxes a preview. She hit two consecutive shots from downtown and tallied the first of her game-high 29 points. The guard wasn’t put off either when Drapala answered with another layup. Halaifonua got ahead of the field for a fast break layup and played give and go with Brennan for a 10-5 lead at 1:54 of the first. That left it to Brennan to close the quarter by going solo. Two hard drives put her on the line twice and opened a 12-5 lead. There the score stayed until Lily Moore hit a three with 4:45 remaining in the half. So the alarm sounded, the Wolves got back to work, and Brooke Habinowski had both her feet and her head up to answer the bell. Halaifonua’s backcourt pass sailing a little high, Habinowski leapt on the sideline to secure the ball and put Halaifonua in position to make up for her mistake. Caught in stride by Habinowski, the junior drove to the hoop and Jay was up by five. No surprise, Halaifonua was in on the next bucket too. She ripped down the defensive rebound, took off up court and found Natalie Ellrodt on the baseline. Not alone for long, the defense closed the path, but Ellrodt notched a reverse layup. Now 16-9 at 4:05, Fox Lane did a little damage. Drapala burst through the paint for two, and Morgan Clinton sank one from the line. A four point game, Halaifonua again threw cold water on the Fox Lane spark. Off glass for three at 1:23, no apologies were forthcoming, and Nora Dooley wasn’t waiting for one anyway. She muscled the offensive rebound and closed the quarter scoring at 19-15 with the put back and free throw. The teams retreating to the locker room, Ryan Valdes of the boys basketball team got the chance to talk about the warmup jerseys he designed for the day. “I hope Brooke realizes the entire community is standing behind her, and this helps give her whatever encouragement she needs to get through,” said the guard. Either way, Valdes is also just returning the favor. Friends since Kindergarten,” he said. “Brooke has always been one of the kindest people I’ve ever known.” No argument, the teams returned, and Riley New began the scoring. She drove straight down the paint, and only two points separated the teams. Of course, Halaifonua was still in the building. First she got the defensive rebound, and the Wolves in possession, Ellrodt took the open three for a 22-17 lead at 6:16. Then the high scorer nearly broke the bleachers. Seemingly trapped in the corner, Halaifonua did a little twostep between the shocked defenders, took the lane, and when the layup went down, the fan reaction shook the structure. Still, Fox Lane kept coming. Riley New got the old school three-point play, and Drapala went above the arc for hers at 3:52. 26-23, the Wolves didn’t relent and kept the Foxes chasing. Jordan Kauftheil made a perfect bounce pass for Ellrodt’s layup, and then Coach Matt Gallagher got hit with some Déjà vu. “They remind me of Anna (Brennan) and Mia (Puccio),” he said of the ESP between Jane Brennan and Halaifonua Another give and go play netted for Brennan, and a moment later, Halaifonua picked Brennan out of a crowd on the inbound. All the way to the hoop from half court, the basket still had the game well within reach at 32-26. The Foxes kept coming too. Clinton and Riley New each got to the line on drives, and the game stood 32-30 with 7:14 left in the game. Timely hooping in need, Halaifonua answered the call. From almost the same spot above the key, she calmly drilled two triples, and the clutch play didn’t have Gallagher switching gears. “She’s been ready for this for a couple of years,” the coach beamed at the way Halaifonua has stepped up. An eight-point game, a Fox Lane timeout didn’t chill the momentum. Brennan this time, waiting out the arc, the moment only elevated, and on the drop, the house came down. The curtain call was next, and no surprise, top billing went to Brennan and Halaifonua. Brennan grabbing the defensive rebound, she launched a perfect pass just above the defense, and into the hands of Halaifonua. One step and the layup opened up a thirteen point lead with 4:35 left in the game. “They have such chemistry,” Gallagher reiterated. The lead would grow to 15 on a Habinowski fast break, and Halaifonua in on the play again, she brought the victory back to what matters. “It’s really powerful. Everyone is rooting for Brooke to get stronger and better,” she concluded. “So the win definitely means a lot.” GIRLS BASKETBALL The team wore warmup jerseys designed by Ryan Valdes PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 SPORTS THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 21 Wolves come up short against Yorktown James Arefieg Will Civetta PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI BOYS BASKETBALL BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER After facing a pretty tall and wide order in Byram’s Hills Zachery Efobi, John Jay faced Yorktown at home on Jan. 10, and the good news was that the Huskers weren’t nearly as hulking. But they were still pretty tall and pretty quick, and the combination again proved too much for the Wolves. The visitors built a 13-4 first quarter lead, expanded to 18 in the second and ultimately took the day by a score of 61-39. Yorktown showed speed, finesse and quickness first, though. Justin Price grabbed the defensive rebound, spotted Billy Feeks ahead of the field, and he put the moves on in the paint for the first bucket. Adding one on the foul line, Price orchestrated basket two also. The guard penetrated the lane and dished to Ryan Duffy at center for a 5-0 lead. So John Jay answered with some basketball of their own. Above the arc, Jacob Jones spotted Colin Bishop alone on the baseline, and he dropped the layup to get the Wolves on the board. Yorktown got back to business anyway. Off the inbound, Brandon Montero received and was in step with Price’s cut to the hoop. The bounce pass made, Price crashed through the lane and went glass for a 7-2 lead. 3:28 left in the first, John Jay did contain when Sam Rickel stepped into a Feeks’ drive, but Yorktown could play tough too. After Bishop pulled down the defense board, Thomas Costello ripped the ball away and sunk the layup. With a 9-2 lead, the Huskers continued the paint ball. Forward Drew Duncan went up strong between three defenders, and Feeks pulled up just inside the foul line to close the quarter with a nine-point lead. Not losing a step into the second, Costello sunk a fast break layup and then did double duty on defense. The guard stole the ball from Ryan Valdes and had another layup. Now up 17-4, the Wolves put up another brief pause. Will Rickel got the ball in the paint, nailed the jumper and added one on the foul line. An offensive foul got John Jay the ball back, and Rickel gave Yorktown a double take. He drove the paint, pulled up and dropped another deuce for a 17-9 score with 5:49 left in the half. A game still, Yorktown dismissed the notion. They went on a 12-2 run on threes by Feeks and Sander Stone, while the duo also had steals that provided fast break layups for each other. John Jay did respond again, though. Jones connected with Bishop underneath for two and then the forward crashed through the lane for the layup. A 29-15 game, Yorktown reasserted. Montero kept John Jay occupied with his dribble down low, found Troy Diaz, and he skied over the defense for two. Still, Will Rickel’s triple from the corner looked pretty nice but Feeks was not distracted. Open in the corner, he let fly and maintained a 34- 18 halftime advantage. Intermission didn’t interrupt the flow either, and it began on the inside. Kaden Gonzalez and Montero got put backs and opened a 20 point lead. Valdes did drive baseline to free Matias Baez for a layup, but another brief blip just gave Yorktown more resolve. Costello hit a three, Montero got inside on a Feeks entry pass, and Drew Duncan muscled a put back to make it 45-23. 2:12 left in the third, John Jay did make a run, and a little luck began the spurt. Bishop launched above the arc and made no apology when the triple went off the glass. The same applied as the Rickel brothers closed the quarter with a flurry. Sam Rickel’s offensive rebound set up Will for a short jumper, and after Jared Weitman stole inbound, Will Rickel put up a shot that resulted in two free throws. Down 16 going into the fourth, a Feeks three did not help, but Will Rickel kept at it. He hit two threes, and John trailed by only 13 with 5:33 remaining. Unfortunately the game would soon end on the boards. Inside with the ball, Duncan followed his two misses with rebounds and landed on the line. He made one, and John Jay could not get the rebound on the miss. Montero making good, he then got inside, upped the lead to 51-37 and Yorktown scored the next 10 points to ice the game. Jacob Jones
PAGE 22 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES SPORTS JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 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 advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. 2023 was a CRAZY YEAR! 845-628-5400 SFGtaxes.com | [email protected] 824 Route 6, Suite 4 | Mahopac, NY 10541 We can help make your taxes less crazy. BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER Emanuel Giumarra and Adam Concadoro were both stand out baseball players for John Jay and North Salem respectively, and went onto success at the college levels. So when their playing days were over, they saw no reason to disconnect from the game and met up playing club ball for the New York Swarm. Interested in the game from the instructional side too, the duo coached a team together in 2020, and the positive results got the gears of their business majors grinding. “Why don’t we try to do something on our own,” remembered Giumarra. “So we started EA Training.” Their approach begins outside the lines, though. An overall family affair at the core, Giumarra said, “We’re trying to teach them, there is more than just baseball.” That leaves a support system that encourages growth and confidence and only then will the boxscore get its due. “I’m trying to inspire them and get them to work hard, so they can go after their goals relentlessly,” said Giumarra. For now, the regimen means going along with an old adage. “Me and Adam take a lot of pride in having teams that play good defense and pitch well,” he added. So the outfielder knows how much the first step matters. “My coaches would say I got insanely good jumps on the ball,” said Giumarra, who was an All-Section centerfielder. Not much chance to roam in the winter, vigorous conditioning, agility and plyometrics drills take off the chill. “We work on making their jumps explosive,” said Giumarra. Then outside, he goes low tech to start. A barrel of tennis balls, he starts rapid firing away and covers the various game scenarios. In front, right at the fielder, behind, to the left and the right, he throws low line drives, high pops and deep balls. “I do that everyday, and that helps their reaction time,” said Giumarra From there, he likens the rundown to being a cornerback. “They have to think about beating the ball to the spot,” said Giumarra. Of course, being quick on the stick extends to the infield and comes under Concadoro’s direction. On the other hand, it’s not the shortest distance between two points. “I teach our kids that we are always trying to round to the right side of the baseball and work through to the left side,” said the former All State shortstop. Or in the words of the outfielder, “You want to dance with the baseball and be in rhythm.” You also want to keep the chin music away, and EA uses Blast Motion to address bat speed and swing mechanics. The technology measures the speed of a player’s swing and upping the velocity is one possible step to a higher batting average. The weight room is the obvious elixir, but EA works short term too. “We do overload and under load bat training,” said Concadoro, whose Misericordia team made it to the College World Series. In this, batters work with a heavy bat to strengthen their movements. Then the kids use a bat that is 20% lighter than their normal bat, and a more efficient swing can emerge. Now, when they go back to their regular bat, it seems lighter, and both the speed and swing have been upgraded. Still, bat speed can be overcome by better mechanics and Blast Motion can help. The technology can identify how to keep a swing compact and allows batters to maximize the skill set they already have. Not just smoke, he points to Luis Arráez of the Miami Marlins to make the case. “He has one of the slowest bats speeds in the major leagues and batted .354 this year,” said Giumarra. They have the mound covered EA Training gets players in the game John Jay and North Salem alums join forces Adam Concadoro and Emanuel Giumarra PHOTO: RICH MONETTI SEE TRAINING PAGE 25
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 SPORTS THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 23 Add Value to Your Home We specialize in targeted home improvements — both big and small — to maximize your home’s value,comfort and beauty. • Bathroom Remodeling • Kitchen Remodeling • Durable Vinyl Siding • Room Additions • Add-a-Levels • • Replacement Windows • General Carpentry • Basement Finishing • Painting • Interior Trim • Handy Man • Sero’s Contracting When we’re done, there is nothing left to do. Licensed & Insured • Local References • Brewster, NY • 845-216-1955 • 845-279-6977 • [email protected] BY WES ADAMS CONTRIBUTING WRITER In my running life, resolutions are an everyday thing, not an annual New Year’s Day exercise. Each morning, I find myself needing to make a new resolution to get out the door for a workout. Usually, before my head hits the pillow that night, I am able to follow through and get it done. But not always. Definitely not. For those times when I don’t succeed, it helps to have framed my resolution to run as a mundane daily enterprise. This keeps the stakes low and lessens the need to agonize when things don’t work out. Missed a workout? No problem, I tell myself as I’m beating myself up about it. Tomorrow brings a clean slate and another chance to push the rock back up the hill. Embracing this small-scale approach to resolutions is one survival technique I use to help me chase after my fitness goals. Another thing I try to do is make room for the ebbs and flows of my running life, anticipating my lows as well as my highs. Sure, once in a while, I manage to blast out a brag-worthy effort or string together a few days or weeks where I do what the training plan asks of me. But from heaps of letdowns in the past, I also know that any big exciting workout or pride-worthy achievement is going to be followed by a crash back to reality. For the following day or three, I’ll be drained. I’ll lack motivation. I’ll call it quits early if I even manage to get out the door. Not to worry. It’s all part of the biorhythms of my running. One big step forward, then a few half-steps back. Maybe it’s my body’s way of resetting and recharging. Maybe it’s my brain’s way of reconnecting with the purpose behind this fundamentally absurd athletic enterprise that I love so much. After that, if I’ve let myself rest on my laurels for a bit without getting in a twist about it, I’m ready to rumble again. Another key to keeping myself moving in the right direction: Understanding that a little can be a whole lot. Some days, life gets in the way of the perfect workout, often in the form of a time crunch. Once in a while I just have to admit defeat, forget my resolution, and let go of my goal for the day. But there are other days when I can shake off the all-or-nothing mentality of perfectionism and turn these frustrating setbacks into opportunities. If I am pressed for time and, say, have only a half hour between Zoom meetings, I can slip in a sneaky twenty-minute out and back. Going strictly by my watch, I’ll give myself exactly ten minutes to jog any which way. At the ten-minute mark I’ll do a hard 180 and head back to base. Extra points if I pick up the pace and make it back in nine. Yes, at the front and back ends, lightning-fast wardrobe changes and showering is required, but that’s just part of the workout. Other days, if I am swamped with errands, I might try to work some of the chores into a utility run, something I used to do all the time on the sidewalks of Brooklyn. A few days before Christmas, I ventured with my wife to the Mt. Kisco Target for some lastRunning resolve Resolutions are for June as well as January PHOTO PROVIDED BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION THE RUNAROUND SEE RUNAROUND PAGE 25
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JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 SPORTS THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 25 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com • [email protected] DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor • BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director • RONALD P. CERASO ~ Director • Only 1/4 mile from 684 exit 6. • Only 1 block from the Katonah Railroad Station. • Less than 60 minutes from N.Y. City. • Parking facilities for over 100 cars • Monuments & inscriptions available. FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT Both pre-payment and no-payment options Serving all Faiths since 1858 • Cremations and Burials TRAINING FROM PAGE 22 RUNAROUND FROM PAGE 23 I’m trying to inspire them and get them to work hard, so they can go after their goals relentlessly.’ Emanuel Giumarra too. Adam Jones and Kadeem Miller are their pitching coaches, and while expediency is nice, it’s location that hits the spot, according to EA’s approach “As we go into games, if you can’t throw strikes, if you can’t hit spots than you’re never going to be successful,” said Concadoro. “So my philosophy is throw strikes then build your arm strength (and velocity).” On the other hand, any doctrine is always open to debate. “We want the guys to question us. We want them to be curious. If they are unsure, we want them to come to us,” said Giumarra. The results speak for themselves. Giumarra and Concadoro coach three GHVBL teams, and all 45 kids are in the program. It’s not a requirement to sign on to EA, but the coaches hope the area momentum continues with the next round of 13 year olds. Either way, they aren’t stopping their impact at the doors of EA. Coaching the JV team at John Jay, the tandem led the Wolves to a 12-6 record this past year and the same formula applies. “We’re a family, and if you’re going against one of us, you’re going against all of us,” said Giumarra. That said, the coaches make sure they do their part at the head of the table. “We’re very hungry and passionate about what we do. We study and research the game every single day. So we never stop learning,” concluded Giumarra. To learn more about EA training, visit www.eatrainingllc.com. minute holiday shopping. In the parking lot, after safely isolating my melting AmEx card in the glove compartment and unloading the overstuffed shopping cart, I did a quick backseat change into my running togs from the Go Bag I always keep in the trunk, grabbed a couple of shockingly overdue library books, tied four dirty dress shirts around my waist, and started to jog 3 miles north on the Bedford Road to the cleaners and library in Katonah while my wife drove off to do a little more shopping. Forty minutes later she pulled up just as I was making a final sprint to the drop box. It wasn’t a competition, but I gave myself the win. Someone who knows all about jogging down the road to victory is Megan Searfoss, owner of Ridgefield Running Company. Judging by the swarm of customers in her Ridgefield store getting fitted for new shoes when I stopped by the last day of 2023, Megan has seen a lot of resolutions come and go through the years. I asked her if she had any tips for helping folks set and achieve their goals. “Make smaller bites into a bigger goal,” she says. “Instead of, ‘I want to run a marathon in 2024,’ which is achievable but a big goal, start with, ‘In order to run a fall marathon, I will start running three times per week.’” Setting a bite-sized, realistic goal gives you the best chance to succeed, and also protects you from injury. “Add mileage slowly,” Megan suggests. “Not only is it more achievable, your tendons and ligaments will adapt, which will allow you to enjoy the process.” Running is a never-ending challenge, for newbies and old-timers alike. One way to stay motivated is to share the pain and make yourself accountable to others. From both their Darien and Ridgefield locations, RRC offers group runs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning. All levels, and all types of running resolutions, are very welcome. For more information, visit www. ridgefieldrunning.com Adam Concadoro and Emanuel Giumarra PHOTO: RICH MONETTI
PAGE 26 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 LEISURE To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle! For puzzle solutions, please see theparamountrehab.com CLUES ACROSS 1. Defensive nuclear weapon 4. Moved back and forth 9. One-time coach of the Cowboys 14. Last letter 15. Cause to become less intense 16. Genus of tree bugs 17. Body art 18. Romance novelist 20. Be filled with love for 22. City 23. Make vivid 24. Horses 28. Mauna __, Hawaiian volcano 29. Atomic #18 30. Shortly 31. A type of prejudice 33. Whirls 37. Six 38. Old world, new 39. __ Hess, oil company 41. Talk 42. Not off 43. Begets 44. Cars need them 46. Computing architecture (abbr.) 49. Of I 50. Journalist, activist Wells 51. Takes apart 55. Lists 58. Positively charged electrode 59. Hard, colorless compound 60. Inflammation of the peritoneum 64. Trent Reznor’s band 65. Simply dry fruit 66. “Ivanhoe” author 67. Google certification 68. French commune 69. Medieval circuit courts 70. Soviet Socialist Republic CLUES DOWN 1. Indigenous people of Mexico 2. Dietary supplement 3. Having a particular sheen or luster 4. Views 5. Academic Bill of Rights 6. Automobile 7. When you anticipate arriving 8. Beef or chicken intestine 9. Conspiracy 10. Blood disorder 11. Long-time NBAer Shawn 12. Time zone 13. US, Latin America, Canada belong to 19. Upton Sinclair novel 21. What a cow does 24. Cavalry-sword 25. Ancient Greek war galley 26. Stars 27. Rebukes 31. Billion year periods 32. Some are in a bottle 34. Tears down 35. Lethal dose 36. Humorists 40. Midwestern US state (abbr.) 41. Frameworks 45. Rocker Billy 47. More thin 48. Dog 52. Habitual repetitions 53. State of fuss 54. Uneasy 56. Chemical compounds 57. More cognizant of reality 59. A place to build 60. Exclamation that denotes disgust 61. Supplement with difficulty 62. Very slick 63. Hill or rocky peak Soup is a staple anytime the weather is chilly or when a person feels like they are coming down with a cold. The warm, therapeutic effects of a delicious bowl of soup are hard to dismiss, and may sometimes work as well as the best medicines available. While zucchini may be known as a summer vegetable, this popular squash is at home in a tasty soup any time of year. Top with giant, cheesy croutons for a filling and scrumptious crowd-pleaser. This recipe for “Zucchini Soup with Cheddar Rusks” from “The Culinary Institute of America Book of Soups” (Lebhar-Friedman Books) by The Culinary Institute of America makes for a warming winter meal. Zucchini Soup with Cheddar Rusks Makes 8 servings • 4 bacon strips, minced • 2 onions, diced (about 2-1/2 cups) • 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons) • 4 medium zucchini, diced (7 to 8 cups) • 6 cups chicken broth • 4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, (about 1 cup) • 1/2 cup tomato puree • 4 tablespoons tarragon or cider vinegar • 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste • 8 cheddar rusks (see below) Cook the bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until the fat is released and the bacon bits are crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are a light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the zucchini, cover the pot and cook until the zucchini starts to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato puree, and vinegar. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are very tender and the soup has developed a good flavor, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the basil to the soup, and season with salt and pepper. Serve in heated bowls, garnished with cheddar rusks. Cheddar Rusks Makes 8 • 8 slices French or Italian bread (1Ú2-inch thick) • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese Toast the bread until golden brown on both sides. Preheat the broiler. Scatter the cheese evenly over the toasted bread and broil until the cheese bubbles and begins to brown. Chase away chills (and sniffles) with soup PUZZLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF 01/11/24
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 27 Scan Me! Read your local news online now!
PAGE 28 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 New York State Senator Pete Harckham concluded 2023 as his most productive year yet in terms of having legislation he introduced being passed and signed into law, with 25 of his bills receiving signatures from the Governor, up from 23 last year and 16 in 2021. Additionally, Harckham guided 31 bills into law through the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee during his first year as its chair. “New York residents and business owners are working hard to strengthen their communities for the challenges ahead, and to aid these efforts I introduced legislation that fights climate change, protects public health and assists our municipalities,” said Harckham. “Whether it entails cutting red tape to move clean energy projects forward, safeguarding infrastructure against storm damage or honoring our veterans, I will continue to partner with stakeholders statewide on innovations and policies that positively impact our wellbeing here in New York.” Added Harckham, “I am grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and my colleagues in the State Legislature for their support and hard work in ensuring that these bills moved to the governor’s desk.” In total, Harckham was the prime sponsor on 187 bills that were introduced or amended, an increase from last year’s total of 176 and 137 from 2021. The State Senate approved 62 of these bills and the full State Legislature approved 32 in 2023 Notable among Harckham’s bills signed into law this year was S.6893, the “Save the Hudson Act,” which prevents the dumping of radioactive wastewater from the decommissioned Indian Point nuclear power facility into the river. “It is our duty to protect the economic livelihood of the communities alongside the Hudson River, which is the backbone of the region, any way we can,” said Harckham, “and I am dedicated to keeping this important natural resource as free from contamination as possible.” Another top bill signed into law, S.6604 reforms regulations for geothermal heating and cooling systems by allowing boreholes for geothermal wells to be dug deeper than 500 feet, which will benefit cities and other densely populated areas statewide where space for this energy innovation is limited. “As we work to achieve the ambitious goals in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the best way to ramp up our fight against the climate crisis is to reduce our use of fossil fuels and push toward a carbon-free future,” said Harckham. “Enacting this law shows how New York can help lead the nation to positively impact our environment and boost our economy with green jobs.” One bill introduced by Harckham and enacted this year was prompted and advanced through his work for four years as chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. S.2099C—“Matthew’s Law”—allows pharmacists in New York to dispense testing kits to detect drug adulterants like fentanyl. Residents statewide applauded the enactment of Harckham’s bill S.2988A requiring utilities and cable television companies to trim the vines growing on and around utility poles as part of their regular maintenance. Overgrown vines on utility poles can cause power and service outages, especially in ice storms. A key bill of Harckham’s enacted this year was among the 89 bills passed out of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee and the 31 signed into law in 2023. S.3365 now requires the disclosure of insurance information on permit applications for the construction of pipelines traversing any freshwater wetlands. The necessary information, which will be shared with relevant municipalities, includes the name of the insurance company covering the construction project, the amount of coverage and what is covered under the plan. Harckham’s Save the Hudson Act and geothermal borehole bill were among the key legislation passed out of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee and signed into law this year. Three of Harckham’s signed bills honor veterans statewide: · S.5372A and S.5394A authorize the Adjutant General (the state’s highest ranking military official in the New York National Guard) to present in the name of the State Legislature medals known as the “New York State Afghanistan War Commemorative Medal” and the “New York State Iraq War Commemorative Medal,” respectively, to members of the armed forces who served in those two conflicts; and · S.4085A designates a portion of Route 121 in Lewisboro as the “John Jay High School Veterans Memorial Highway.” Other enacted laws from legislation that Harckham introduced now increase the age from 10 to 14 that minors can legally operate an all-terrain vehicle (S.2702); continue efforts by Rockland County’s Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children to thwart sales of alcohol to minors (S.6538); and require children’s non-regulated camps to ascertain whether an employee or volunteer is listed on the sex offender registry (S.6063). A number of Harckham’s bills enacted by Governor Hochul benefit municipalities: · S.3594 lowers the number of petitioners necessary to call for a vote on increasing the amount of funding for a library; · S.5541 names a portion of Crompond Road (Route 202) in the Town of Yorktown as the “Captain Kenneth Sgroi Memorial Highway”; Sgroi, a lieutenant in the Yorktown Police Department, was only 37 years old when an abrupt illness took his life in January 2023; he was promoted posthumously to the rank of captain in honor of his dedication and service to the department; · S.5886 exempts Buchanan Engine Company No. 1 from a residential requirement for members in order to maintain a force of capable volunteers for the department; · S.6062 waives residency requirements for the Putnam County Commissioner of Planning, Development and Public Transportation; and · S.6363A expands the charter of the South Salem ExemptVolunteer Firemen’s Benevolent Association to help increase membership. Lastly, the most recently enacted bill of Harckham’s was the Green Light Law (S.5397), which now allows mobile crisis response staff members to equip their personal vehicles with a green emergency light and use them while responding to emergency calls. Green lights are an effective tool to alert drivers that they must pull over to allow for emergency vehicles to go by. This procedure allows for timely responses to emergency calls. For complete information on all legislation sponsored by Senator Harckham, please visit www. nysenate.gov/senators/pete-harckham/legislation. Article courtesy of the Office of Senator Pete Harckham. Sen. Harckham finishes 2023 with 25 bills signed into law Sen. Harckham in Albany ease referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Katonah-Lewisboro Times Bulletin Board and reach over 3,500 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board INCREASE REFERRALS AND NAME RECOGNITION. 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Savings comparison based on purchase of a single unit at list price. Available at participating locations and offer applies throughout the service area. See your local Renewal by Andersen location for details. Central CA License #1096271. CA License CLSB #1050316. License #RCE-50303. WA License# RENEWAW856K6. WA License #RENEWAP877BM. OR License #198571. Some Renewal by Andersen locations are independently owned and operated. "Renewal by Andersen" and all other marks where denoted are trademarks of their respective owners. © 2023 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. RBA13228 PLUS $0 Money Down, $0 Interest, $0 Monthly Payments for 12 Months1 Minimum purchase of 4 – interest accrues from date of purchase but is waived if paid in full within 12 months. CALL BY JANUARY 31 to schedule a FREE consultation. 866-944-1728 Minimum purchase of 4. BUY 1, GET 1 40OFF % Windows, Patio & Entry Doors1 Monthly Payments Minimum purchase of 4 – interest accrues from date of purchase but is waived if paid in full within 12 months. 866-944-1728 Windows, Patio & Entry Doors Minimum purchase of 4. 1 Margaret Mary Goode Margaret Mary Goode (Marge), formerly of Goldens Bridge, passed away unexpectedly on January 1, 2024, at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta. The only daughter of the late Michael and Mary Goode, Margaret was raised in the Bronx. She attended high school at the Academy of the Sacred Heart of Mary and was a proud graduate of Fordham University. She went on to have a career in human resources and employee benefits management, spending a large portion of her career at American Ultramar. Marge loved to travel. She made many trips to her parents’ homeland of Ireland where she enjoyed spending time with family. She also made two trips to New Zealand to visit her dear friends, the Prebbles. Marge left behind boxes of photos documenting her travels to Hawaii, Alaska, California, Florida, England, and many other destinations. Margaret was a communicant of St. Joseph’s in Somers where, for many years, she assisted with parish blood drives. Margaret is survived by her cousin and godson, Terrence Dwyer and his wife Joan who lovingly looked after Marge for the past two years, her cousins David Flynn, James Dwyer, Mary Flattery, the Bucci Family, as well as many friends. She was predeceased by her parents, two newborn infant brothers, and her dear cousins Marie Bucci, Anne Dwyer, Margaret Caulkins, and Kate Flynn. A Mass of Christian Burial ws celebrated at St. Joseph’s Church in Somers, on Tuesday, January 16. Burial followed at Mount Carmel Cemetary, Tenafly, NJ. The family deeply appreciates the loving attention and care Marge received at Hampshire House Assisted Living in Oneonta. Memorial donations in Margaret’s memory can be made to the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, 50 Wilson Park Dr., Tarrytown, NY 10591 Michelangelo Carbone Michelangelo Carbone passed away on Saturday, January 6, 2024. He was born in Solano, Italy, on October 10, 1938, to the late parents of Giuseppe Carbone and Carmela Legatto Carbone. He was the oldest of three children. He was also known to many as Mike. Mike attended a limited amount of schooling in Italy, but that did not hinder his abundance of knowledge, strength or courage. Mike migrated to the US in 1955 through Ellis Island, settling in Mount Kisco. He joined the carpenter’s Union, helping build many structures such as Fox Lane High School, John Jay High School, Bedford Hills Elementary School, Mount Kisco Elementary School, and even the Mount Kisco Movie Theater to name a few. Meanwhile, he also started his own landscape business. In 1965, he traveled by boat back to Italy and married his wife Concetta Musico` on May 28th 1966. They returned to the United States in Bedford Hills where he built their home. He was blessed with 3 children; Carmela, Pasqualina and Michaelangelo Giuseppe Carbone. He then went on to be self-employed as a contractor, builder, excavator, masonry, fabricator, engineer and inventor. A jack-of-all-trades. A master of all trades. Mike was always helping his family, extended family and friends. He helped many family members from Italy migrate to the U.S. Whether it was financially or with his knowledge, he helped them pave their way and find their own direction. Mike touched many lives and will be deeply missed. He leaves to mourn his passing; his loving wife Concetta Carbone;his daughter Camela Carbone with her children, John and Alexis Smart (grandchildren); daughter Pasqualina Carbone with her children, Mason Dylan and Jade Carbone (grandchildren); and son Michelangelo Giuseppe Carbone along with his children Chancey Carbone (granddaughter)and Alisha Sierra (granddaughter) her husband Gio and their children, Amber and Aurora (greatgrandchildren) Husband, Dad, Uncle, Nonno We will miss you tremendously. Ella D. White Ella “Ellie” White passed away on January 02, 2024, at the age of 92 in Trumbull, CT. Ellie was born on December 12, 1931, to the late Niels & Mary (Bala) Jensen in Stamford, CT. She was a bus driver for Katonah-Lewisboro for 25 plus years, and a lunch monitor at Lewisboro Elementary, along with the before and after-school care teacher, until she retired in the late 2000s. Ellie left a positive impact on so many lives and helped anyone in need and never wanted anything in return. She helped to get so many people on their feet and showered many with nothing but love and understanding. She is survived by her granddaughter Dannielle Hall-Messenger of Plano, TX and, grandson Zander Messenger. Memorial Hours were held on Saturday January 13, at Beecher Funeral Home in Brewster. Memorials may be made to Dementia Society of America in Ellies name at www. dementiasociety.org/donate. Katherine Pappagallo Katherine “Kathy” Pappagallo of Katonah, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Saturday, January 13, 2024. Kathy is survived by her husband, Nino, OBITUARIES SEE OBITUARIES PAGE 30
PAGE 30 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 tubing, and firework residue, the complaint said. The complaint also charges that the victim had later that same day gotten a text message that read: “Knock knock, show up and what do you think is next. This is your final warning.” Stanivukovic, the owner of a contracting company, is involved in a long-running legal dispute with the victim, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Around the time that text message was sent, the cellphone associated with that particular phone number was located in the vicinity of Stanivukovic’s business address and the black Jeep Grand Cherokee that was allegedly used to transport the bomb, it added. Seized from Stanivukovic’s home – among other things – were multiple loaded firearms, gas canisters and fireworks matching those allegedly used to make the device, and a book titled “Make Fireworks and Explosives at Home -- The Ultimate Instruction Manual for Beginners and Pyrotechnicians to Build Firecrackers, Fireworks and Explosives from Scratch,” the complaint said. (According to authorities, Radunovic was staying with Stanivukovic.) The two defendants were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik and held without bail. The charge of unlawful possession of a destructive device carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. If found guilty of conspiracy to commit stalking, the defendants could also face five years behind bars. The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that the statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and were provided for informational purposes only. Any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge. District Attorney Damian Williams praised the investigative efforts of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), the Bedford Police Department, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, and the Closter, N.J., Police Department. Pointing out that the suspects were “in custody” just two days after the incident, Williams emphasized Tuesday, Jan. 16, that “the career prosecutors of this office and our law enforcement partners stand ready to act around the clock when our communities are threatened.” “This case is a testament to the critical and effective work that our interagency collaborations accomplish on a daily basis. We have no tolerance for violence in the Southern District of New York,” he added. Bedford Police Chief Melvin Padilla agreed, saying: “The safety and security of our residents is our primary focus, and thanks to the diligent work of our detectives and the cooperation and assistance from our federal partners, the defendants were quickly identified and apprehended.” Also weighing in was FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith. “Damjan Stanivukovic and Vladamir Radunovic allegedly tried to resolve a contentious business relationship with threats of violence and a homemade bomb. While business deals aren’t always successful, neither are overt acts of violence that bring forth federal charges,” he said, adding: “Thankfully, in this case, no one was injured. The FBI will continue to ensure that anyone willing to solve personal grievances with threats and attempts of violence are punished to the fullest extent in the criminal justice system.” Said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo: “Perpetuating violence against others, under any context, is unacceptable behavior. The men and women of ATF NY Hudson Valley Field Office will continue to work alongside our partners at FBI and Bedford Police to address acts of violence in our communities.” Terrance Raynor, acting commissioner of the county’s Department of Public Safety, also commended all the agencies involved in the case “for their skillful and effective collaboration in bringing this investigation to a swift conclusion.” “This is yet another example of the value and importance of multi-agency partnerships, which help us keep Westchester safe,” he added. The prosecution is being handled by the White Plains division of the U.S. Attorney Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is in charge of the prosecution. The allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. whom she was married to for over 50 years; her daughters, Ann Marie and Diane; her sonsin-law, Marc and Chris; her granddaughters, Kayla, Sydney, and Hannah; and her brother, John. Kathy was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and sister who always thought of her family. Kathy was an avid reader and enjoyed being outside in the sun. Kathy loved animals, especially dogs, and regularly donated to animal rescue organizations. Memorial contributions may be made to the Putnam Humane Society at www.puthumane. org or P.O. Box 297 Carmel, NY 10512. John G. Iodice John G. Iodice, 79, of Katonah, formerly of Mt. Kisco, passed away on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at Northern Westchester Hospital. John was born June 24, 1944, in the Bronx, to Gennaro and Jennie Iodice. He was proud to be a member of Local 14-14B Operating Engineers and a Veteran of the Marine Corps. He was the beloved husband of Anne (nee Scala) and was the most loving father to Jerry Iodice of Deerfield Beach, FL, Lisa (Michael) Aquilino of Somers, NY and Joanne Brancati of Somers, NY. He was a devoted grandfather to John T. Iodice, Christopher Aquilino, Michael Aquilino III and Julia Aquilino. John was the cherished brother of Austin (Roberta) Iodice of Fairfield, CT and Jerry Iodice of Southbury, CT. He is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that were like family to him. Family was at the center of all he did, and he loved to reminisce about special times and memories. His stories and memories will live on in everyone he knew. To know John was to love John. Family and friends called at Clark Associates Funeral Home in Katonah, on Thursday, January 18. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mount Kisco, on Friday, January 19. OBITUARIES FROM PAGE 29 BOMBING FROM PAGE 1 Check out our Facebook & Twitter pages! 845-225-7777 • www.puthumane.org Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Atlas This almost 3 y/o bundle of energy is ready to bring some sunshine into your life. He’s the perfect size for snuggling and can't get enough of chasing balls and hiking. You’ll love his wide, open, smiling face and velvety, slightly floppy ears. The adults in his former family, which included a child and another dog, thought it wasn’t a good fit, but he doesn’t let that get him down. He’s eager to become your affectionate sidekick. 3 y/o, this handsome tuxedo guy was found outdoors, but the vet thinks he’s lived with people, and staff’s experience with Kevin bears that out. He enjoys petting andis calm and quiet. The black smudge on his nose is just darling. kids Kevin THIS AD WAS GENEROUSLY DONATED BY HALSTON MEDIA. 68 Old Rt. 6, Carmel an be a very hocke that o one NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION Vista Fire District in the Town of Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Fire Commissioners, a special election of the qualified voters of the Vista Fire District in the Town of Lewisboro, County of Westchester, State of New York, will be held at the firehouse located at 377 Smith Ridge Road, South Salem, New York 10590 on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 pm. to vote on whether to approve the following resolution adopted by such Board of Fire Commissioners: RESOLUTION FOR FINANCING OF ENGINE: RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF THE VISTA FIRE DISTRICT, TOWN OF LEWISBORO, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK (THE “DISTRICT”), AUTHORIZING THE FINANCING OF AN ENGINE; ESTIMATING THE TOTAL COST THEREOF AT A MAXIMUM OF $1,200,000 PRINCIPAL; APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR; AND AUTHORIZING THE FINANCING BY A COMBINATION, IN FULL OR IN PART, OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: BY ISSUANCE OF A SERIAL BOND OR STATUTORY INSTALLMENT BOND FOR UP TO $1,200,000 UP TO TWENTY (20) YEARS OR AN INSTALLMENT PURCHASE AGREEMENT; AND USE OF RESERVE FUNDS UP TO $1,200,000; AND TO ISSUE BOND ANTICIPATION NOTES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ABOVE, FOR UP TO FIVE (5) CONSECUTIVE YEARS. That pursuant to Local Finance Law Section 80, the validity of such bonds or notes or any bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of the sale of such bonds may be contested only if such obligations are authorized for an object or purpose for which the fire district is not authorized to expend money; or if the provisions of law which should be complied with as of this date are not substantially complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity, is commenced within twenty days after the date of such publication; or such obligations are authorized in violation of the provisions of the constitution. All persons registered to vote in the district and residing in the district for at least thirty (30) days prior to the day of the vote may vote in such special election.
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 31 Call Jim Whiting at 914-666– 7203 for more information. Speaking of our beloved seniors, there will be a senior Valentine social coffee hour from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 9, at the Bedford Hills Community House. The town is honoring our senior adults with a special coffee hour with a Valentine theme. Bring a friend or your sweetheart and have coffee, bagels, pastries and more. John Jay Homestead is holding their second Scholars Lecture at 7 p.m. Feb. 11. The topic is “Dissent in Our Democracy,” featuring Joanne Freeman, Steve Luxenberg and Eric Foner. The great team at the Bedford Recreation Department will hold a Paint Escape for adults from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 9, at the Bedford Hills Community House. If you ever saw some of my paintings, you would certainly want to escape. Our friends at Lasdon Park present “Sip, Nibble & Learn: The History of Glass Houses” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25. You will be welcomed to the Lasdon Main House with your host Gigi Carnes as she takes you on a journey through the ages that spans Ancient Rome through today. Enjoy a glass of wine and some light snacks as you settle in for a presentation about the history of glass houses and why they actually exist. The good folks at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater have some great shows in February. On Feb. 10 at 5 p.m., step into the enchanting realm of Cirque Zuma Zuma, a mesmerizing spectacle that has earned acclaim from audiences and critics alike in Europe and Australia. This one-of-a-kind show, often likened to an African-style Cirque du Soleil, showcases the extraordinary talents of dedicated performers. Then on Feb. 16, get ready for an unforgettable night with Naturally 7. These vocal virtuosos go beyond traditional a cappella, coining the term “Vocal Play” to describe their jaw-dropping audio pyrotechnics. Did you know that February is National Pet Dental Health Month. I just finished brushing my daughters’ dogs’ teeth and a bit nervous as flossing is next; wish me luck. JEFFERS FROM PAGE 13 Halston Media News, with its innovative approach to digital journalism, and Halston Digital Agency, a pioneer in video advertising, have embarked on separate yet complementary missions to transform how local businesses connect with their audiences. A prime example of this synergy is the recent collaboration with Appliance Sales Plus in Somers, an established local business with a rich history in appliance sales and service. Halston Media News: A New Platform for Local Businesses Halston Media News has launched a new website, becoming a digital beacon for local news and business stories. This platform, which features a premium video spot at the top of the page, offers an invaluable opportunity for businesses like Appliance Sales Plus to share their narratives, reaching an audience that values community-centric news. The story of Appliance Sales Plus, from its inception in the 1970s to its present status as a trusted appliance and mattress retailer, while also providing excellent customer service, is a testament to the enduring strength of local businesses. Halston Digital Agency: Streaming TV as the New Advertising Frontier In a separate but equally impactful initiative, Halston Digital Agency has taken the lead in placing local business advertisements on streaming TV platforms. This innovative strategy has placed the commercial of Appliance Sales Plus on high-profile platforms such as Amazon, Samsung, Apple and Roku. Moreover, the agency has succeeded in featuring these ads on renowned TV channels including Fox News, CNN, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1 and AMC among others. This approach not only diversifies the reach of advertising campaigns, but also aligns with the evolving media consumption habits of the public. Appliance Sales Plus: A Symbol of Quality and Trust Appliance Sales Plus, under the leadership of Karl Thimm, his brother-inlaw Len Losito and Karl’s wife Janis, has grown from a humble parts supplier to a revered name in the appliance and mattress industry. Their journey, fueled by expertise and customer trust, is a shining example of the impact local businesses have in their communities. From Roots to Success: The Journey of Appliance Sales Plus The business began by addressing the appliance and mattress needs of residents in Northern Westchester County, Dutchess County, and Putnam County. Recognizing the potential in appliance and mattress sales, Thimm, now with the help of his nephew Kevin Losito and Thimm’s daughter Dena Gruppuso, has been able to expand their offerings, thereby establishing Appliance Sales Plus as a household name and a retail leader in the community. Competitive Edge through Strategic Partnerships Their membership in large buying groups such as Intercounty Appliance Corp. and NECO, and their affiliation with Nationwide, positions Appliance Sales Plus uniquely in the market. This alliance ensures competitive pricing, a diverse range of products, and significant cost advantages over larger chain competitors. Why Choose Appliance Sales Plus? • Community Commitment: As a veteran-owned family business, it represents the spirit of local entrepreneurship. • Unbeatable Prices: Leveraging substantial buying power to offer customerfriendly pricing. • Wide Product Range: A diverse selection of appliances from top brands caters to every need. • Knowledgeable Team: Expert staff provide tailored advice and insights. • Focused on Customer Satisfaction: Commitment to exceptional service, including after-sales support and installation. • Serving a Wide Area: Catering to multiple counties in NY and CT, widening their customer base. The collaboration between Halston Media News, Halston Digital Agency and Appliance Sales Plus illustrates the power of combining traditional business values with innovative advertising techniques. This partnership not only elevates the profile of Appliance Sales Plus, but also sets a precedent for how local businesses can effectively engage with modern audiences through diverse media channels. Appliance Sales Plus is located at 3 Lovell St., in Somers. Call them at 914-248-5810 or visit ApplianceSalesPlus.com. Find out more about digital and streaming TV advertising by visiting HalstonMedia.com or call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151. Halston Digital Agency partners with Appliance Sales Plus Revolutionizing local business advertising through streaming TV
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