BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Fox Meadow High School student Zane Murphy has been honored as a “Student of Distinction.” e Somers teen also studies media at Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES’s Career and Technical Education Center in Yorktown and hopes to go into music production someday. e ceremony was attended by BOCES administrators and held during the Board of Education’s meeting Tuesday, Jan. 17. BOCES Assistant Superintendent Lou Riolo presented Zane with a certi cate noting his “outstanding leadership skills, academic progress, and community spirit.” Somers schools Superintendent Dr. Raymond Blanch then placed a medal around the teen’s neck while BOCES board member Jennifer Rosen looked on. Fox Meadow Principal Michael Colvin noted that although Zane had just started as a senior there this past September he’s “quickly become a role model and leader on campus.” “Zane has the distinction of being well regarded by both students and sta ,” said Colvin. “He is described as kind, respectful, inquisitive, hardworking, driven, and goaloriented.” e principal added that he has observed that while in class, Zane “diligently works each day on assignments and actively participates in classroom discussions with thoughtful questions or comments.” Sta members will also tell you that after class the teen “can often be seen talking to various folks about his job, his participation on the wrestling team, or his future goals,” Colvin said. Zane also helps peers by “o ering advice based on his knowledge and experiences” and by helping them “problem solve and advocate for themselves,” he added. Saying BOCES is “honored” to have Zane as a student, Colvin noted that with “his strong work ethic and leadership skills we know he will succeed in anything he pursues.” Each school trustee then o ered him their personal congratulations. Zane didn’t speak during the presentation, but a statement was issued by school o cials later. “If you really want to learn, you can do that at BOCES. ey provided me with all of the programs and hardware that I needed,” he said. PHOTO COURTESY OF PNW BOCES PNWBOCES board member Jennifer Rosen, teacher’s aid Gina Monte, Director of Special Education Dr. Nicole Ginexi, Fox Meadow Principal Mike Colvin, Zane Murphy, Barbara Murphy, Social Studies teacher Nate Ball, and BOCES Assistant Superintendent Lou Riolo VOL. 11 NO. 42 THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 27 CLASSIFIEDS 26 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 2 HEALTH & WELLNESS 16 LEGAL NOTICES 25 LEISURE 24 OBITUARIES 7 OPINION 8 SPORTS 19 Snow Flake Showdown pg 14 CHEER! Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. Student of Distinction! BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER e Somers Board of Education held a planning session last week that focused on the noninstructional aspects of the proposed 2023-2024 school budget. ose included auditing, legal, and insurance costs as well as what it takes to maintain the district’s buildings and grounds and transport students. Assistant Superintendent for Business Chris Platania noted at his budget presentation on Jan. 17 that the numbers were “only good for a moment in time.” e slide shown to trustees had already been prepared by the time he had met with district insurers and was told that rates could be going up anywhere between 8 and 12 percent – much more than “anticipated.” “So some of these numbers will change before the nal budget is adopted,” Platania explained, adding: “ ere are still some unknowns. We project what we anticipate but then sometimes those numbers don’t come in where we’d like them to be.” e district retains counsel to handle its legal a airs and to provide advice if needed to the school board and administration. It also has to have insurance covering commercial property/ re, general liability, school board legal liability, boilers and machinery, pollution liability, commercial auto, commercial crime, cybercrime, excess catastrophe liability, and student accident liability. BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS e district’s department of buildings and grounds consists of a director of facilities, one fulltime clerk, 23 custodial sta ers, one courier, and seven maintenance workers. It maintains four school buildings and one bus facility (totaling 577,721 square feet) and 55 acres of grounds. ese areas are also subject to a Board of Ed continues budget examination Director of Learning Kevin Guidotti moves on SEE BOE PAGE 3 DON’T MISS OUT— Only 4 lots left in the current phase - Call Larry directly at 914-282-6440 to reserve your lot! LAWRENCE ZACKS Looking to move? We can help you relocate anywhere in the world! Scan me! 914-282-6440 [email protected] ZACKS RE/MAX Classic Realty Services Provided Property Evaluation | Home Staging High Definition Photography | 3D/Virtual Tours Custom Digital Marketing | Five-Star Service 25 homes sold in 18 months - stunning homes in this private luxury community, with all the amenities. Totally custom - the highest quality at the best prices, from $714,900... 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PAGE 2 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 The Sta EDITORIAL TEAM TOM WALOGORSKY EDITOR: 914-302-5830 [email protected] WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR [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] NOAH ELDER DESIGNER [email protected] EXECUTIVE TEAM BRETT FREEMAN CEO & PUBLISHER 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines THE SOMERS RECORD DEADLINE THE DEADLINE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS AND EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS FOR SOMERS RECORD IS THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE NEXT PUBLICATION DATE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL TOM WALOGORSKY AT 914-302-5830 OR EMAIL [email protected]. Subscribe TO REQUEST THE SOMERS RECORD WEEKLY DELIVERY, CALL 845-208-8503 OR EMAIL CIRCULATION@HALSTONMEDIA. COM. SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE COMPLIMENTARY FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE TOWN. OUT OF TOWN MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE $150 PER YEAR FOR FIRST CLASS MAIL. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT SOMERS, NY AND AT ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE SOMERS RECORD AT 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 (ISSN 2330-1597) PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY HALSTON MEDIA, LLC AT 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2022 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC • HEATING • AIR CONDITIONING • PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE • AIR QUALITY • DUCT CLEANING/SEALING •GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS YOUR TRUSTED HVAC COMPANY WITH DECADES OF EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO 845-600-8004 | www.bellmech.com 0 DOWN 0% FINANCING AVAILABLE! No Matter How Cold It Gets... Bell Mechanical Will Keep You & Your Family Warm & Comfortable! $ 250 OFF New Heating System EXP 3/15/23 Coupon must present at time of service. Cannot be combined with any other offer. 0 DOWN $ 174 Preventative Maintenance Visit Starting at Only Plus Tax WHAT IS A HEAT PUMP? Heat pumps will help you find the perfect balance of comfort and savings all year round, while reducing your carbon footprint. These all-in-one heating and air conditioning systems optimize the temperature throughout your home to use less energy, and can save you up to 30% on your cooling and heating costs. Don’t miss your chance to lock in rebates and incentives today— VALUED UP TO 50% of your Heat Pump project while program funding lasts… CALL NOW TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY! Somers Girl Scout Troop 1457 PRIVATE INDOOR ICE SKATING EVENT Friday, March 3, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Open to everyone in our community! Come enjoy an afternoon of private skating with your friends and family on the main ice. Help the troop raise money for their trip to the Girl Scout National Convention this summer in Florida. To be held at Brewster Ice Arena, 63 Fields Lane in Brewster. Includes a 1.5 hour private session on the main ice. Please arrive early to get skates. $20 per skater, includes skate rental, hot cocoa, snack, and craft. Organizers will provide nut-free and glutenfree snacks as well. ($16 if you bring your own skates.) $10 for adults, including skate rental. With any questions, please contact Michelle Quinn at super[email protected]. Google Form to RSVP and pay can be found at https://forms.gle/ ZRD8A8BXutpRJJXc6 Somers AYSO Indoor Soccer Through March 11 AYSO soccer is back with a full schedule! To be held Saturdays at Somers Sports Arena: U5/U6 Division (10 - 11 a.m.), U4 Playground (11 a.m. - 12 p.m.), U7/U8 Boys Division (12 - 1 p.m.), U10/12 Boys Division (1 - 2 p.m.), VIP Division (1 - 2 p.m.), Teen League (2-3 p.m.), U7/U8 Girls Division (3 - 4 p.m.), U10/12 Girls Division (4 - 5 p.m.) To register, visit www. AYSO95.org. For any questions, email [email protected] Somers Parks and Recreation WINTER PROGRAMS 2023 Winter programs are now available online. Visit www.somersny.com, then click on “Parks & Recreation,” and scroll down to click on “Program Registration Site.” Available programs can be found in the blue tab. DAY CAMP REGISTRATION March 29 at 10 a.m. O ering a variety of fun lled activities, sports, group games, arts & crafts, performers, special theme days and a new on-site in- atable waterslide! e camp fee includes all programs, themed days and entertainment. Grades: Entering Kindergarten - 8th in Sept. 2023 Camp Dates: 6/26 - 8/4 (No Camp 7/3 & 7/4) Camp Fee: $850.00 for the entire 6 weeks For program information, visit www.somersny.com and click on “Parks and Rec.” For any questions, call 914-232-8441 or email [email protected] DAY CAMP POSITIONS e Department of Parks and Recreation is now accepting applications for the following day camp positions: First Aid Supervisor, Division Head, Arts & Crafts Specialist, Sports Specialist, and Counselor. To be a camp counselor applicants need to be at least 16 years old by the start of camp, 6/26. Must be able to work entire 6 weeks of camp, Monday - Friday, 6/26-8/4. To apply, visit www. somersny.com ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUE Somers Parks and Recreation is excited to o er a COED Adult Softball League. is is a call for teams. All interested teams, please email [email protected] and you will be sent the team entry form to complete and return to the Recreation O ce as soon as possible or by 3/1 at the latest. Rosters may not exceed twenty- ve players and must be comprised of not less than 50% Somers residents. Anyone ELEPHANT’S TRUNK SEE TRUNK PAGE 7
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 3 number of unknowns, speci cally heating oil and electricity costs. is school year, the district had budgeted $536,250 for heating oil and $519,356 for electricity. e proposed spending plan currently calls for $750,000 to $850,000 for the former and between $550,000 and $700,000 for the latter. Having to use a range like that is “not typical,” but it’s necessary, Platania said. e district is right in the middle of its heating season and so won’t have more concrete numbers for 2023-2024 until after it gures out how much heating oil and electricity it used. In light of skyrocketing energy costs, the district’s Energy Performance Contract couldn’t have come at a better time. e district’s new boilers and upgraded lighting help with the bills, but unfortunately costs are still going to rise “beyond the savings” the EPC will give it, Platania said. TRANSPORTATION e transportation budget pays for o ce sta , 21 bus monitors, bus garage, and taking students to athletic and co-curricular activities. Each day, district vendor Royal Coach transports 2,600 students to in-district schools and 115 to private and parochial ones. Some of the latter are West eld Day School, Windward, Wooster School, Anderson School in Staatsburgh, Fox Meadow MS/ HS, Eagle Hill, Rippowan Cisqua, and Green Chimneys. Currently budgeted for transportation is $4,772,295. Proposed for the 2023-2024 school year is $4,840,050, a di erence of $67,755 or 1.4 percent. is year the district had to use 56 buses and vans. Because of declining enrollment, it will need one less bus in 2023-2024. Royal Coach is actively seeking more drivers. BENEFIT HIGHLIGHTS e employer contribution rate for the NYS Teachers Retirement System will be between 9.5 percent and 10 percent, a decrease from the current 10.29 percent. at’s the good news. e not-so-good news is that the NYS Employees Retirement System’s “contribution composite rate is estimated to increase to 13.1 percent from 11.6 percent. “For budgeting purposes, we’re going to err on the side of caution, but even 13 percent might not be enough,” Platania told trustees. e district provides health care coverage for instructional sta through the New York State Health Insurance Program’s (NYSHIP’s) Empire Plan. e plan year runs from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. In 2023, the actual rate increase was 16.6 percent, which Platania called an “anomaly.” Rates are expected to go up by 13 percent in 2024. He remains “hopeful” that the numbers will come down because as is they’re “not sustainable.” “If we continue to have 16 percent increases in health insurance (costs), it would be very di cult to manage that,” he said. Another budget item of note involves health bene ts for noninstructional sta . at plan runs from July 1 through June 30. A rate increase of 5.5 percent is set for 2023-2024. Currently set aside in that category is $13,944,012. e district is anticipating having to pay out $15,421,084, an increase of $1,477,072 or 10.5 percent. “Again, that’s nothing we did or can do about it,” Platania noted, adding: “As far as the rates increasing? at’s what we’re left with having to manage.” According to Board president Dr. Lindsay Portnoy, Somers’ situation is far from unique. Rate increases are happening across the “entire industry” and it’s not just “this one particular insurer’s,” she pointed out. Schools Superintendent Dr. Raymond Blanch noted that the HB Consortium Plan covers more an “a million people in the state.” “So there are a lot of school districts that are having this exact same conversation with the board,” he said. e district currently has a total of $24,227,619 budgeted for bene ts, namely TRS, ERS, Social Security, health insurance including Medicare and buy-out payments, unemployment, workers’ comp, dental, life, and vision. e proposed 2023- 2024 spending plan calls for $25,856,509, an increase of $1,628,890 or 6.7 percent. e board also heard about the district’s lease purchase program, debt service schedule, and future infrastructure needs. And speaking of the last item, voters will be asked this May to authorize the district to use $6 million to $7 million from its Capital Reserve Fund for new athletic facilities and for building renovations at the high school and elementary school. e sports program upgrades include six new tennis courts at SHS; a synthetic softball eld at Primrose; a synthetic baseball eld at SHS; and shotput/hammer throw/discus throwing areas. GUIDOTTI MOVING ON Trustees approved the resignation of the district’s director of learning, Kevin Guidotti. It’s effective Sunday, Feb. 26. Con rming that Guidotti had accepted a position elsewhere, the district’s communications coordinator noted: “We’re going to miss him!” e director of learning job was posted on Wednesday, Jan. 18, she added. e board made no comments on this development when approving the personnel consent agenda Tuesday. When reached by the Somers Record, Guidotti con rmed that he had taken a position with the Eastchester Union Free School District, saying only that it “better aligned” with his personal “career goals.” Guidotti was an assistant principal at SHS in 2016 when he was hired for the newly created position of “director of innovations in learning.” Prior to that, he was a physics teacher at Byram Hills High School. According to its newsletter, the EUFSD appointed Guidotti as its new director of technology/chief information o cer on Tuesday, Jan. 10. He is taking over for longtime Director of Technology Bill Blum, who retired. (Guidotti’s new district has ve schools and about 3,200 students.) Eastchester Superintendent Dr. Ronald Valenti noted that Guidotti’s “familiarity with curriculum and innovative learning” and background in both technology and education will be “a major boon for the school district.” “Kevin has a broad overview of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and teaching,” Valenti elaborated. “All the good things that go into the classroom.” Guidotti is partnering with Dr. Greg Stowell, Eastchester’s interim director of technology and assistant superintendent for pupil personnel services, “to ensure a seamless transition,” the newsletter read. “My hope over the next couple Somers Town Clerk Patricia Kalba and Yorktown Town Clerk Diana Quast have both received the prestigious designation of Master Municipal Clerk through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Diana and Patricia have worked side by side for years to earn this designation. Town Clerk Patricia Kalba said, “Diana and I have always agreed that it is important to serve our respective communities at the highest level of professionalism.” Patricia and Diana also received their New York State Registered Municipal Clerk and Certi ed Municipal Clerk designations at the same time. Town Clerk Diana Quast said, “It has always been a priority for Patricia and I to serve our residents with integrity, commitment, and compassion.” e International Institute of Municipal Clerks is a premier organization for Municipal Clerks and has 75 years of experience improving the professionalism of Municipal Clerks. e Master Municipal Clerk Program (MMC) is a professional designation granted by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and is an advanced continuing education program that prepares participants to perform complex municipal duties. e program has an extensive and rigorous educational component and a professional contribution component. In New York State there are 937 Towns and approximately twenty-three (23) Master Municipal Clerk designations. In Westchester County, there are only two Master Municipal Clerks: Somers Town Clerk Patricia Kalba and Yorktown Town Clerk Diana Quast. Article provided by Town of Yorktown. Town Clerks earn Master Municipal Clerk designation FILE PHOTO Somers Town Clerk Patricia Kalba BOE FROM PAGE 1 SEE BOE PAGE 4 HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com PLEASE HELP OUR COMMUNITY GIVE TO THE SOMERS FOOD PANTRY
PAGE 4 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 of months as I start to transition into the district is to get a granular understanding of what the needs are from each of the di erent stakeholder groups,” the newsletter quoted Guidotti as saying. “I am trying to engage as much as I can to understand what it is that we’re doing quite well as a district, and also where technology can help to augment and support teaching and learning.” NEXT UP e board’s next budget planning session will address instructional costs and is set for Tuesday, Feb. 14, at SMS. Other dates to watch are March 21 (budget planning session – summary); April 18, public summary and budget adoption; May 2, public hearing on the budget; and May 16, the budget vote and trustee election. Two school board seats will be up for grabs this year. Trustee MaryRose Joseph has said she won’t seek re-election. Portnoy hasn’t yet confirmed her plans. Both of their terms are up on June 30. BOE FROM PAGE 3 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 Do you know what the cost of your long-term care will be if you are not eligible for Medicaid? CALL NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 914.948.1500 BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER CONTRIBUTING WRITER Earlier this month, a young pup named Maverick came through the doors of a Westchester Veterinary Associates facility. Struggling to eat, the weeks-old dog was diagnosed with an extremely rare medical condition that would cost about $10,000 to remediate. e nancial cost was too much to bear for Maverick’s owner, who made the di cult decision to have him put down. en something unprecedented happened. “We took a vote,” said Jillian Santana, practice manager. “As a hospital, as a sta , we weren’t ready to give up on him.” e sta at Westchester Veterinary Associates, which owns Yorktown Animal Hospital, contacted the Maverick’s owner, who gave his blessing to allow the practice’s sta to “adopt” the dog. Maverick is now being cared for by the sta until they raise enough funds to afford the costly surgery. Maverick was diagnosed with a genetic abnormality of his heart called a persistent right aortic arch. is abnormality obstructs his esophagus and prevents his food from making it to his stomach for digestion. Maverick’s condition is so unique, that the surgery can only be performed by a specialist utilizing techniques not available at Yorktown Animal Hospital. e sta launched an online fundraising campaign that has so far raised about $9,500. (To donate, visit GoFundMe.com and search “Let’s help sweet Maverick!”) As Maverick awaits his surgery, the sta built a chair that allows him to sit upright while eating his mostly liquid diet. Once he has digested his food, Maverick is free to run and play just like any other dog. “You would never know anything is wrong,” Santana said of Maverick’s disposition. Santana said nothing like has ever happened in the history of Westchester Veterinary Associates. Re ecting on why an exception was made in Maverick’s case, she said, “We just knew. Something in his eyes told us that he was a ghter.” With the funds raised, the sta is in the process of scheduling Maverick’s surgery, which they expect will result in Maverick being able to live a normal life. During the day, Maverick bounces around Westchester Veterinary Associate’s several facilities, including Yorktown Animal Hospital. At night, the sta has taken turns bringing Maverick home. As di cult as it will be to say goodbye, Westchester Veterinary Associates hopes that Maverick will be adopted by a loving family. “We wanted to give him the chance to live a life, be with a family, run around in a yard,” Santana said. Go, Maverick, go! Animal hospital staff adopts dog, seeks funds for life-saving surgery PHOTOS COURTESY OF JILLIAN SANTANA Maverick sits in his custom-built chair, ready for his meal.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962 Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER It was really an all-hands-ondeck situation. Were it not for the concerted e orts of numerous rst responders, things might not have turned out so well for a horse that had become mired up to its shoulders in mud last week in North Salem. e dramatic rescue took place in a large swamp on Tuesday, Jan. 17, according to the Croton Falls Fire Department. Reports vary on how it all came down. One had it that the unidenti ed rider was exploring the woods deep o Hardscrabble Road around dusk. Another said Nico was being ridden around a vineyard when he was spooked by something and took o into the trees, losing his passenger along the way. e 11-year-old horse then stumbled into the swamp and got sucked in. at much can be con rmed. e rider was able to go for help, but couldn’t tell re ghters exactly where to nd the trapped animal. e fact that it was by then completely dark complicated rescue e orts as well. Croton Falls called in the cavalry, including technical rescue teams from Westchester and Putnam counties; the Patterson Fire Department, which has a horse rescue special operations unit; and several other agencies including the Goldens Bridge Fire Department and the Yorktown Fire Department, which deployed a drone equipped with an infrared camera. An employee of the property’s owner gets a big shout-out for helping to locate the equine victim. He knows the area “like the back of his hand” and was able to accurately guess where Nico could have wandered, said Croton Falls Fire Chief Je ery Daday Jr. A front-end excavator was brought in to carve a path so that utility vehicles and all-terrain vehicles could access the general area. A veterinarian sedated the frightened, exhausted, and muck-covered beast and rescuers literally used their hands to shovel Nico out. Footing had to be established so the humans wouldn’t get stuck as well, Daday said. e 11-year-old patient stood an estimated 17 hands tall and likely weighed about 1,400 pounds. A makeshift stretcher was constructed from EMS backboards and plywood. It took more than two dozen folks to drag him to solid ground. Nico was a little groggy at rst but managed to walk out of the woods on his own to the staging area where a nice warm horse trailer awaited him. Transported to a local veterinary hospital and examined for injuries, the horse was doing well and was expected to be released on Friday, Jan. 20, Daday said. e rider was not seriously injured. She was treated at the scene and released. ‘A MIRACLE’ Charlotte Harris, co-president of the North Salem Bridle Trails Association, said last week that it was a “miracle” that the horse made it through the four-hour ordeal in one piece. She credited that to the e orts of all the rst responders at the scene. “ ese guys did an incredible job. It was truly an amazing feat of skill, dedication, and compassion,” Harris said, adding: “It gives me goosebumps just thinking about what they did.” MANY HANDS According to the Croton Falls Fire Department, WCDES Battalion 13, County Car 2, County Car 4, County Car 8, County Car 36 with Communications Sta , WCPD Aviation, WCDES TRT Car 2001, North Salem PD, and PCBOES Battalion 12 and 15 operated and provided assistance throughout the incident. While operating, EMS from North Salem VAC, WCEMS, and WEMS 45 Medic 3 treated multiple patients at the scene, while Lewisboro VAC stood by for North Salem VAC in their headquarters. While all units operated for four hours, the Carmel Fire Department stood by at the Croton Falls Fire House until they returned to service. All were thanked profusely by CFFD for their “assistance in accomplishing a successful outcome!” No horsing around Local fi rst responders perform equine rescue A makeshift stretcher was constructed from EMS backboards and plywood to free the animal. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATTERSON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. Emergency responders were dispatched into the woods off of Hardscrabble Road on Jan. 17. 11-year-old Nico was successfully saved from his muddy predicament. PAGE 6 – THE SOMERS RECORD
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 7 that does not live in the Town of Somers is considered a nonresident. All participants must be 18 years old. Please remember, teams would need to eld a minimum of 4 women and no more than 6 men each game. Games will run from May through July. Team fee would be $600.00 and will include 10 games plus playo s, umpire and game balls. Chronic Pain Support Group Research tells us that 50 million Americans live with chronic pain, or pain that lasts most days or every day for three months or more. Of this group, 20 million experience high-impact chronic pain, or pain that interferes with basic functioning and activities of daily living. Pain is the number one reason that Americans access the health care system, and costs the nation up to $635 billion each year in medical treatments, disability payments, and lost productivity. Support groups provide a forum for those with pain to gain support and learn about ways to manage pain and progress from patient to person. is group takes place over Zoom every other week. For more information, please call Ted Bloch at 914-552-6281 or email him at tednbloch@gmail. com. All conversations are kept strictly con dential. Somers PTA Council SPIRIT WEAR SALE e Somers PTA Council is selling Somers Sprit wear. e store is open year round and items ship to your home. Promo codes available on the website. Visit our store at teamlocker. Grace Ann Gilligan Grace Ann Gilligan, a 28-year resident of Somers, passed peacefully into eternal life on Friday, January 20, 2023. She was a glorious 103 years of age. Daughter of the late George Krueger and Anne Krueger Bullinger, Grace was born in New Rochelle, NY, on January 15, 1920. Grace was a graduate of A. B. Davis High School. Grace was married for 55 years to her predeceased beloved life partner, traveling companion and father of four children, Bernard M. Gilligan Sr. Her husband Bernard passed away in 1996. e former Pleasantville couple moved to Heritage Hills in Somers where Grace resided for twenty-eight years. After raising her children until the fourth child was of school age, Grace was employed by the Byram Hills Central School District. She was dedicated to her position as assistant to the principal at the Wampus Elementary School where she worked until her retirement. Grace is a survivor of the Great Depression. While her husband Bernard was ghting in WWII, she became a “Rosie the Riveter,” assembling the wings of the airplanes at the General Motors plant in Tarrytown, NY. She was a real trooper! She was vivacious and energetic. She volunteered with the Girl Scouts when her girls were young, and was involved in all four children’s sporting activities. When retired, she became the Vice President of the Women’s Club, captain of her condo cluster, treasurer of Chat and Sew, and a member of the Heritage Hills Society. She was the center of attention while entering a room, always putting a smile on everyone’s face. Grace loved to golf, enjoyed gardening, travel, and especially loved to paint and dabble with oil paintings. Grace is survived by her son Bernard M. Gilligan Jr. (wife Edith) of Somers, three daughters, Patricia Arnold (Gary) of Dove Canyon, CA, Colleen Quartuccio {Dave) of Poughquag, NY, and Maureen Desimone (Michael) of Somers. She was blessed with 10 Grandchildren: Bernard M. Gilligan III, Shannon Gilligan, Chris Gilligan, Melissa Arnold, Jason Arnold, Kerin Desimone, Michael Desimone [Marni], Kristin Schopac {Jon], David Quartuccio {Brooke} and John Quartuccio, as well as 13 great-grandchildren: Ethan Gilligan, Gabriel Gilligan and Ashley Costello, Kayla, Gilligan, Preston Arnold, Hunter Osborne, Logan and Demi Desimone, Dalton, Brody and Ashley Schopac, Clara and Josephine Quartuccio. Grace, being an only child, truly cherished and loved her beloved family, and her family so adored her. “She had style, she had grace, and she always knew her place.” A beautiful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, friend, and neighbor. She will continue to be in our hearts and prayers. Family and friends of Grace were received at Clark Associates Funeral Home in Katonah on January 24. e Mass of Christian Burial was held on January 25, at St. Joseph’s Church in Somers. Burial followed at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY. Memorial Contributions may be made to e Paramount of Somers Rehabilitation and Nursing Home, 189 NY-100, Somers, NY 10589. OBITUARIES TRUNK FROM PAGE 2 SEE TRUNK PAGE 25 Valentine’s Day Event Please call for Reservations! TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14th 7-10pm DINNER & ENTERTAINMENT 489 E. MAIN STREET JEFFERSON VALLEY, NY 10535 TO VIEW MENU: TheJeffersonOnTheLake.com/special-occasions 929-614-3021 • Glass of Red or White Wine • 4 Appetizers • 5 Entrees• Dessert • Coffee/Tea • Prosecco Toast (Cash bar available) “Sounds Familiar” with Sean & Valerie PRIX FIXE DINNER INCLUDES CHOICE OF: ENTERTAINMENT PROVIDED BY: PER PERSON +TAX/GRATUITY
Opinion 118 N, BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2021 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC 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 The Somers Record or its a iliates. 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 BRETT FREEMAN, PUBLISHER TOM WALOGORSKY , EDITOR TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Editorial O ice: 914-302-5830 [email protected] PAGE 8 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 “Daddy, you no longer have superpowers,” said my son, mocking me for my hubris over the past three years. My wife, Lauren, who followed every COVID protocol imaginable from the very beginning – even double masking in some situations – was the rst among us to get the dreaded virus. Like dominoes, the virus captured my son and daughter, my mom and dad, and my brother, sister-in-law and nieces. But for three years, I managed to avoid it. What was wrong with me? Was I like Spider-Man, living in some sort of chemically altered super-body? e day before Lauren was formally diagnosed with COVID in 2021, I sat next to her in a car for about four hours. We even kissed. I never got it. e second time she got COVID, about a year later, I threw all caution to the wind and entered her quarantined space without a mask. Still nothing. But after three years, the virus nally caught up to me. On the night before I tested positive, I attended my daughter’s jazz band concert without a mask. I had a slight tickle in my throat, and Lauren tested me. I was negative. I thought it was probably nothing. Before any keyboard warriors decide to write a letter to the editor saying how awful I was for not wearing a mask, I concede that in hindsight, I should have worn one. I feel pretty awful that I didn’t. I’m one of those jerks that keeps this thing spreading. Even a small tickle should have prompted more caution on my part, and I hope and pray that I didn’t make anyone else seriously ill by the ripple e ect I may have caused. At the end of the concert, I asked Lauren and several people sitting near us if it was just me or if the auditorium was freezing. Lauren looked at me with total bewilderment and embarrassment, as apparently it was just me. Not only should I have been masked, but I clearly shouldn’t have been there. e next morning I had a fever and the red stripe indicating a positive test appeared immediately. So far, it’s been like a mild u. In July, I came down with bronchial pneumonia (not COVID), and that was far worse than this. But given my recent history with bronchial pneumonia and given the fact that my wife and mom think I’m extremely overweight (I think the word “extreme” is extreme; I like to call it a dad-bod), I was instructed by the two women in my life to call the doctor and request to be prescribed the anti-viral medication, Paxlovid. So, that’s the update in a nutshell. Of course, now that I just Googled Paxlovid to make sure I was spelling it correctly for this column, I happened to look up the side e ects, and now all of a sudden I’m nauseous. Putting all irreverence and joking aside, I think all of us can use a little common sense when it comes to COVID. e truth is that it can be deadly for people with comorbidities. My good friend’s sister, who was in her 50s, just died after catching COVID in the hospital, where she was being treated for cancer. So, the virus is deadly serious. At the same time, my son recently had the u followed a bit later by COVID, and the u was exponentially worse for him. He got up to a 105 fever with the u, which would have surely killed someone else with a comorbidity. So obviously the cautions that we learned from this pandemic are applicable in preventing all sorts of other potential bugs, which can be deadly to the wrong person. One of the best practices many of us developed during the height of the pandemic is to avoid shaking people’s hands. While part of me feels that it’s a shame to stop this time-honored tradition, especially when it comes to conducting business, I think a good st bump is preferable over spreading COVID, u or a cold. Unfortunately, the one good thing about being sick – getting some rest and relaxation, is hard to achieve when you run a business fueled by technology. With COVID, I have the privilege of replying to emails and answering phone calls while working from my laptop and cell phone while lying in bed. e press never sleeps. e ‘VID’ nally caught up to me BRETT FREEMAN PUBLISHER’S MEMO I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions this year. I used to make them, but they always fell by the wayside by the second week in January. I also used to say that now that the previous year was gone, I could concentrate on starting over fresh and new, but the ending of 2022 has left me feeling sad and a bit unsettled. Last September, we lost a family member, my son-in-law’s mother, Linda. She was a petite, quiet woman who worked as a school librarian for about 30 years. She loved her son and grandson dearly, not to mention her two dogs, Barney and Betty. After her husband passed away about ve years ago, she took on the monumental task of getting her nances and life in order to accommodate her new status in life. She cleaned out her large, three-story home and bought herself a beautiful apartment not far from her son’s home. Linda enjoyed being with our big, boisterous Italian family, and held her own and laughed with us when we teased her. She was a good sport. Last September, after she returned home from doing her errands, she realized she had left her phone in her car. She took the elevator down to her parking lot, retrieved her phone and while walking back to the elevator, she was struck by a car. e person driving said that he never saw her. Our hearts were heavy as we celebrated anksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and the New Year. I had a particularly di cult time with Linda’s passing in such a tragic and unexpected way and nally reached out to one of my best friends from high school. She had become a priest. My letter to her just kept asking, “Why?” and she nally told me that we may never know why Linda was taken from us in such a sudden and shocking way. Her words helped me. At this time, as much as I want to put 2022 behind me, I want to keep my memories alive. I want to remember all the fun times with Linda, our trip to Greece together and how much she loved being a grandmother. I think of Linda most days and am sad that she will not see our grandchild, Drew, grow strong and con dent; and I am sad that he will never remember Linda. I will keep this special lady in my heart and let Drew know that Grandma Linda and I share a very special bond: we became grandmothers at the exact moment in time. How special that was for us. I know I said I was not going to make any resolutions for 2023, but if I did, they would be to enjoy every single moment of every single day with the people I love, forget petty annoyances and enjoy the beautiful world that the good Lord has given us. Hello 2023 and Happy New Year to all. [email protected] Goodbye 2022 JO ANN FRANCELLA JUST JO ANN Fun Facts by Jo Ann Studies show that on average you can only remember about four pieces of information at any given time.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 9 I know it’s a little late, but one of my new year’s resolutions is not to be put o by putting things o . So here they are, the stories you can’t live without, and I’m surprised you made it this far without them. It’s the 2022 Year In Review, and I swear every one of these items is true, or my name isn’t George Santos. And I’m not entirely sure it isn’t, either. WOMAN LINKED TO CRIME BY CHEETOS DUST In Oklahoma a woman was arrested for an attempted home burglary because she left an empty bag of Cheetos at the scene, and orange residue on her teeth con rmed her involvement in the snack-jacking before she could try any cheese pu rough stu . e occupants were home at the time and called 911 when they heard a crispety, crackly sound that can only mean that a crunchy crime was being committed. Nothing else of value was taken, but it does once again prove that Cheetos never prosper. M&MS CHARACTERS EVOLVING TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE In order to “create a world where everyone feels they belong,” M&Ms ads are now using characters that emphasize their sparkling personalities instead of their genders. For instance, the green M&M will now wear sneakers instead of high-heeled go-go boots, which I’m guessing will be empowering for her. e orange M&M’s shoes will no longer remain untied, which was causing it undue angst, even more so than melting in somebody’s mouth, not in their hand. e implications of candy footwear have been weighing heavily on the people at the Mars Wrigley company, when really, it’s their hair and wardrobe that could use an update. On the other hand, if the world that you don’t t in involves pants that are all-of-asudden too small, then you might have M&Ms to blame. CROCODILE JUMPS OUT OF ZOO VAN INTO FLORIDA TRAFFIC A zoo in St. Augustine was transporting several crocodiles to another location when one of them popped out a window and onto busy Route A1A. Upon seeing the rampant reptile an astute citizen lmed the incident on his smartphone, because if you tried to tell people that you saw an alligator jump out of a moving vehicle they would tell you that sounds like a croc. Even after seeing the video I couldn’t believe that any living being would jump out of a perfectly good van in order to get a closer view of Florida tra c. Before anyone could shed any crocodile tears, two female members of the zoo crew wrestled it back into the van and told the animal that while Florida highways can be fun, don’t make a habitat of it. CRISPR STARTUP WANTS TO RESURRECT THE WOOLLY MAMMOTH A company called Colossal has raised $15 million to genetically modify Indian elephants using gene-editing technology, with the eventual goal of bringing back the long-extinct woolly mammoth. eir rst order of business will be to create a hybrid animal that withstands the cold weather of the tundra, a sort of a “mammopoo,” if you will, and I certainly don’t know why you would. I got very excited when I rst saw this story because I thought CRISPR was a new cereal. When I read that it was a company trying to resurrect the woolly mammoth I thought, why bring back something that could kill me without even knowing it? Why not resurrect something less itchy, like the McDonald’s hot apple pie or the Plymouth Barracuda? MAN RETURNS FROM SHOPPING TO FIND 15,000 BEES IN HIS CAR Just when you thought that downtown parking was hard enough, you should know that a New Mexico man returned from grocery shopping to nd 15,000 bees massed in his car. e only thing worse than that would be to nd say, 15,000 televangelists in your car. He was absolutely crestfallen, because he had JUST bought two jars of honey. I would have gured that the person who counted all of those bees was eventually killed, but there were no major injuries reported, since one of the responding o cers happened to be a beekeeper and possibly recognized some of them. I’m not allergic to bees, but I always thought it ironic if a bee sting could cause you to break out in hives. If these stories were not quite enough, stay tuned for Part II next week. And if that’s not quite enough for you, perhaps your medication levels are too high. Look for Rickster Melen on Facebook! Say hello at: rlife8@ hotmail.com 2022: e Year in Review - Part I RICK MELÉN MAN OVERBOARD LETTER TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: I begin this letter by stating up front that it is a plea to our Somers community. Do you receive e Somers Record, and if you do, are you a subscriber? Many people receive it free, but have never taken advantage of the free subscriber option. I mention this because if you are not a registered subscriber, it costs them an additional mailing fee. In each issue, there is a form to ll out to become a subscriber; take a moment to ll it out if you are in doubt. It’s no secret that papers survive due to paid ads, but e Somers Record also needs additional assistance to continue providing us with weekly information on our town and residents. Just think... if the paper no longer existed, we would not know what our Town Board was doing, how our schools are fairing, local info on local people and wonderful deeds being done by e Rotary, e Lions Club, SEF and other organizations. ere would be a huge void of info and day-to-day meetings and actions. We have a chance to keep the paper viable by taking the time to make donations. Consider one less Starbucks co ee per week for a month or two, one less alcoholic beverage per week for a month, one less hamburger over time. at’s all it would take to keep us informed weekly. Again, the form provided can assist with a donation as well as subscribing. I am not an employee or connected in any way with e Somers Record. However, I do enjoy it weekly and it keeps me informed on a town that I truly love. ank you for taking the time to read this and possibly make a decision on my plea. -Don Penzine Somers A plea for this newspaper Law Offices of Joseph J. Tock 963 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 TOCKLAW.COM • 800-869-8080 Criminal Defense/DWI Personal Injury Real Estate Business Law Wills, Trusts, Estates, Probate ‘ The whole team is friendly and compassionate. When my mom passed, they helped me through the whole process of the estate.’ ~R.W.
PAGE 10 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 Happily Ever After The last time I rocked you to sleep, I didn’t know it was going to be the nal time you would need me to hold you so close to rest. Did I know the last time I smelled your baby scent that it wouldn’t stay forever? I often feel guilt when I think about how I longed for you to be just a little bit older so I could rest a little longer. Did I not appreciate every second? Every quiet moment together? Even every hard one? I look back at your picture from when you were rst born and I remember the day so clearly. e joy, the excitement, the nervousness, the exhaustion…even the pain. How could it be that it is three years later, and you are your own person now. You have your likes and dislikes and your own opinion, a strong one for that matter. It hit me this morning. You’re not a baby anymore. And I’ll never get to nurse you again, hush and rock you to sleep, or smell your hair as you sleep on my chest. Not in the newborn way at least. ose days are behind us. ey really did pass so quickly, even when the nights were so very, very long. Sometimes I look at you and I still see your face as an infant, and it brings me back to those early moments. I’ve had a few tears, but mostly I smile just watching those expressions on your face. ank you, my baby, my last baby, for having me as your mother. One day you will be six, and then fteen, and even forty. But you’ll forever be the baby, my baby. ere’s something cathartic about the realization (and the tears) that your last baby is the end of what was a very long phase of your life. But it’s also the start of a new chapter. ank you, my baby, my last baby, for helping me through motherhood, for teaching and guiding me, for everything. I will miss your baby smiles, giggle quietly when thinking about your attempts at crawling, smile softly when remembering your rst steps and happily laugh when visualizing your reactions to rst trying peas and plums. I will always remember our cuddle sessions, dances in the living room, swaying until you smiled, and our baby talks, which I hold forever in my heart. ank you my baby for giving me that precious time. And I even thought I can’t have it back, it’s forever with me and I’m eternally grateful for our time together and for all the memories we have yet to make. Nicole Dooley is a Somers mom who enjoys writing for her parenting blog. If you enjoyed her column, you can read more of her entries at www.mamaexplains. com or follow her on Instagram at @mamaexplains for relatable parenting tips and stories. Ode to my last baby NICOLE DOOLEY MAMA EXPLAINS Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! EOE Administrative Opening Monticello Central School Assistant Principal The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social, emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate. NYS SDAISDLISBL Certlflcatlon Required plus 1 yr. of previous administrative leadership and 2 yrs. exp. as a classroom teacher preferred. 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THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 11 A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 2 5 1 4 % I N C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 1 S O M E R S M A R K E T U P D A T E D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 1 6 7 2 8 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 1 3 % I N C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 1 S I N G L E F A M I L Y A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 8 5 8 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 1 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 5 0 6 , 0 0 0 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 1 5 6 1 1 % I N C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 1 1 1 % I N C R E A S E C F R O M 2 0 2 1 O N D O M I N I U M S Source: OKMLS, single family & condominium, active, sold & average sale price, 01/01/2022 - 12/31/2022 as compared to 01/01/2021 - 12/31/2021, Somers school district. I T H A S B E E N A R E C O R D - B R E A K I N G Y E A R I N S O M E R S I F YO U R P L A N S C A L L F O R S E L L I N G O R S H O P P I N G F O R A H O M E O R C O N D O, P L E A S E F E E L F R E E T O C O N TA C T M E A N Y T I M E . I ' M H E R E T O H E L P. D O N N A O ' C O N N E L L A s s o c i a t e R e a l E s t a t e B r o k e r S o m e r s B r o k e r a g e M 9 1 4 . 2 6 3 . 9 1 0 8 O 9 1 4 . 2 7 7. 8 0 4 0 Ext. 3 3 4 D o c o n n e l l @ h o u l i h a n l a w r e n c e . c o m d o n n a o c o n n e l l . h o u l i h a n l a w r e n c e . c o m Ok, I’m a little compulsive when it comes to order in my home, but not ALWAYS. Sometimes, I have to fool myself into getting things done. For example, yesterday I wanted a salad for lunch, but that was too much work. But then I thought that if I needed ve minutes to warm up the chicken, then maybe I could throw a few things in a bowl for a salad while I waited. In the end, the chicken took longer to heat than the salad to make! e bonus also turned out to be that I had too much salad for one meal - so I saved the rest for later! I’m tricking myself all the time to get things done. Sometimes it just takes a little push to get me started. Before I get too tired at night and collapse on the couch, I take one more lap downstairs to throw the recycling into the blue bucket there. It’s these incremental steps every day, every week that help me get things done and stay on top of my organizing. Don’t think that my house is in perfect order either – I do have a husband who has di erent ideas and timing when it comes to getting things done. Sometimes you have to be patient, even with yourself when it doesn’t come together immediately. For example, I was just in the kitchen to have a quick bite before I started to work on a computer project. I was very tempted to throw the dishes in the dishwasher and clear the sink but decided that my computer project was more important and the dishes could wait. I have to be careful not to let the little things get in the way of the bigger things I want to get done! Pacing yourself is also a good way to get organized and breaking down the job into time increments or categories, can make it more manageable. For example, set yourself a timer for 15 minutes and see how well you can clean out the utility drawer in the kitchen. It’s a manageable goal that will give you some satisfaction. If you’re doing the front hall closet, choose the category of coats and go through what you have. Decide what’s to stay and what can go. If this goes well and you have the energy, then tackle the baskets of gloves, scarves and hats next! If you don’t want to stop, then do the oor of the closet and make sure it’s vacuumed. After that, close the door even if there were cobwebs in the corners - you can get them next time! ere’s a balance to being organized and being compulsive or worse, a perfectionist. Ironically it’s the perfectionists who are most often overwhelmed and end up with the most clutter. You can have the best taste and most money in the world, but if you can’t make a decision on what goes where and what goes out, than all your beautiful things end up in piles that look like junk. Do yourself a favor in this New Year and learn to trick yourself into getting organized and then having a home you can enjoy. Happy Organizing! Andréa Deinstadt is a professional organizer who helps families manage their homes for e ciency and comfort. Contact: [email protected] or call/ text 914.391.8816 or check www. OrganizingWisdom.com for more articles like this! How to fool myself to get organized ANDRÉA DEINSTADT ORGANIZING WISDOM There is so much we do not get to choose. We don’t choose our DNA, when in the timeline of history we are born, our family, our body type and so many of our circumstances. We can focus on that, even blame that if we want, and use it as an excuse to not live up to our potential. Or we can choose to show up, ght for and decide the type of person we want to be. What will you choose? Kim Stoll empowers women to nd joy in every day and build a life they love through positive habits in mindset, tness and smart nutrition. Virtual coaching available. [email protected] You have a choice KIM STOLL GUEST CORNER Contact Us The Somers Record 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].
PAGE 12 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 For many of us, a license plate is just a number. en there are those who create and acquire a special plate that has a personal meaning, not to mention coughing up DMV’s “vanity plate” fee. Our Dad had such a special plate of which he was so proud: WP 148, the WP representing “White Plains.” He had that plate for as long as we could remember. When he passed away years ago, our mother announced she would renew the registration and insurance on his 1969 Dodge Monaco, and she was going to learn how to drive! Oh, good Lord, she was 68 years old and had never expressed a desire to drive; she walked everywhere! In fact, Dad used to say if she drove, she’d probably stop the car and let a bird cross the street. My brother, Jack, wisely said that these were her emotions talking, just let it be and don’t make a big fuss. e following year, Mom said it was too expensive to keep the insurance and registration; she was going to sell the car and turn in the plates. An idea blossomed: maybe I could take over Dad’s plate number and keep it in the family. I contacted DMV and as fate would have it, my registration was due the same time Mom was going to surrender Dad’s. With a bit of paperwork and some notarized documents, WP 148 became mine. We knew this would have made Dad happy. However, years later after my husband, Bud, passed away and before I reconnected with Art, I spread my wings and moved to Vermont. I asked my family if anyone wanted to take over WP 148—there were no takers. Reluctantly and sadly, I turned in the plates. Upon returning to New York a couple of years later, I needed to re-register my car. While at the DMV window, I told the clerk the story of WP 148 and asked if she could check to see if it had been assigned to someone else. Just the idea that I might see a strange car with Dad’s plate made me cringe. “Oh, wow, you’re in luck,” she exclaimed as she turned the screen toward me. “Look, that plate number is still available; it’s yours if you want it!” Want it? I was elated! WP 148 was back where it belonged. e clerk was smiling while I lled out forms and paid the fee. She congratulated me and said I’d made her day. Made my day, too! A few years later, I stopped at a car wash in White Plains. An older gent came up to the car to ask what type of wash I wanted. As I paid him, he said: “WP 148, eh? at’s an old-time number.” “Yes, it is,” I answered. “It was my dad’s and has been in the family for years.” He asked me who my dad was, and when I told him, he laughed out loud. “Joe? Years ago, he and I used to bowl in the same league! What a good bowler and a great guy!” I proudly display the WP 148 plate on my car—and pay the “vanity plate” fee—while ying the American and USMC ags. I’ve been spotted in Somers and White Plains frequently. at’s my legacy! P.S. Mom never learned to drive. What a relief! I’m sure Dad nally did rest in peace. [email protected] ‘ at’s an old-time number’ RUTHANN SCHEFFER WHAT WAS I THINKING? Serving all Faiths since 1858 Cremations and Burials FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT Both pre-payment and no-payment options • Only 1/4 mile from 684 exit 6. • Only 1 block from the Katonah • Less than 60 minutes from N.Y. City. • Railroad station. • Parking facilities for over 100 cars. • Monuments & inscriptions available. 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director RONALD P. CERASO ~ Director MARISA A. GIULIANO ~ Director ADNER J. MONTENEGRO-LEE ~ Director CLARK ASSOCIATES FUNERAL HOME
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PAGE 14 THE SOMERS RECORD – TH Somers cheerleading had a great showing at the Snow ake Showdown! Competing at Mahopac High School on Jan. 14, the squad took second place in the large school/small team division. Snowflake Showdown! 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 SAVE WITH OUR LOW C.O.D. Freelance Writer, Editor, and Content Producer Bill Bongiorno | (914) 533-7065 | [email protected] For All Your Writing Needs One touch of a button sends help fast, 24/7. alone I’m nev Life Alert® is alway here for me. I’ve fallen and I can’t get up! ® Help at Home sends help fast, 24/7. with GPS! Help On-the-Go For a FREE b 1-800-40 Saving a Life EV
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PAGE 16 – THE SOMERS RECORD HEALTH & WELLNESS THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 17 Miller Rd. Mahopac 845-621-1222 RooneyOrtho.com Rooney Orthodontics Children & Adults MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY THIS NEW YEAR! lose weight eat healthier exercise go to the chiropractor Dr. Frank Turchioe 4Chiropractic Care 4Soft Tissue Therapy 4Injury Rehabilitation 4Movement Assessment 4Personal Training 4Sports Performance Training 4Webster Technique (914) 556-6800 somerssportandspine.com 336 US-202, Suite B1N Somers, NY 10589 (next to Somers Pharmacy) 4 4 SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT TODAY! 4 4 Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), part of Northwell Health, has been named one of the best hospitals in the nation by the Women’s Choice Award®, a leading referral source for the best in healthcare. e award signi es that NWH, which is located in Mt. Kisco, is one of the top healthcare providers in the country based on a review of almost 5,000 hospitals. is is the only designation that takes into consideration the preferences of women when selecting a hospital. NWH was recognized in the following areas: bariatric surgery, obstetrics, cancer care, comprehensive breast care, mammogram imaging, minimally invasive surgery, outpatient experience and women’s services. “On behalf of our entire sta , it’s an honor to be named a top healthcare provider in all of these clinical areas,” said Derek Anderson, executive director at Northern Westchester Hospital. “It’s especially rewarding since the award is based upon patient satisfaction in our community and recognizes the excellent care provided by every single member of our sta . From our awardwinning culinary service to the administrative sta , nurses and doctors – they are all dedicated to delivering expert, compassionate care to every person who walks into our hospital.” e methodology for the Best Hospitals award recognizes excellence in patient services based on robust criteria that considers patient satisfaction and clinical excellence. Additionally, each service line award has supplementary criteria that are speci c to the service line, including accreditations and clinical outcomes. Founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award, Delia Passi, emphasized that hospitals that earn the Women’s Choice Award as a Best Hospital truly deliver on the care that matters most to women, who make the majority of healthcare decisions. “In addition to high-level performance on a national level, the Best Hospitals provide the care that women value most, including easily accessible services, timely diagnosis, exceptional care and a true dedication to their community,” she said. “ e Women’s Choice Award makes it easier for her to trust her decision that she is choosing one of the best hospitals for herself and her family.” NWH is also ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals 2022-23. It rated high performing in 12 categories including: heart failure, neurology & neurosurgery, stroke, uterine cancer, lung cancer surgery, pulmonology & lung surgery, pneumonia, COPD, orthopedics, hip fracture, kidney failure and geriatrics. And NWH received a top Healthgrades ranking, placing fth for neurosciences in New York. To determine this year’s State Ranking recipients, Healthgrades evaluated clinical performance for nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide, focusing on 18 key specialties across a mix of chronic, urgent, and surgical specialty areas. Hospitals recognized as among the top 5 in their state by Healthgrades are providing patients with consistently betterthan expected clinical outcomes. As the No. 1 platform for nding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, Healthgrades helps millions of consumers each month nd and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatmentfocused content. Meanwhile, NWH is internationally known as one of the best person-centered hospitals worldwide. e hospital has been awarded the Gold Certi cation for excellence in Person-Centered Care by Planetree International and is the only hospital to achieve this certi cation ve times. e hospital is also Magnet-designated for nursing excellence, a prestigious and coveted recognition that only one in 10 U.S. healthcare organizations qualify to receive. To learn more about all the services available at Northern Westchester Hospital, visit nwh.northwell.edu or call 914-666-1200. Northern Westchester Hospital recognized for excellence Given Women’s Choice Award and receives top Healthgrades ranking PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWELL HEALTH Caption: Dr. Amanda Messina, surgeon of excellence in robotic surgery at Northern Westchester Hospital (seated) and Maureen Merullo, RN recovery room nurse, tend to a patient at Northern Westchester Hospital demonstrating the hospitals quality, award-winning patientcentered care. e common cold is synonymous with times of year when temperatures dip. When people spend more time indoors, they’re more vulnerable to contagious cold viruses. But the common cold is not the only health issue that presents itself most often when the mercury drops. Seasonal a ective disorder, also known as “SAD,” a ects millions of people every year. e National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) notes that SAD is a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern. Symptoms of SAD, which can include nearly daily and day-long feelings of depression, changes in appetite or weight and feelings of lower energy, last around four to ve months. Researchers are unsure about the exact cause of SAD, but in most people, its onset is believed to be connected to the reduction in hours of sunlight during the winter. (WebMD notes that around 10 percent of people with SAD get it in the reverse, experiencing symptoms of depression at the onset of summer as opposed to winter.) Despite uncertainty about the causes of SAD, the NIMH notes there are ways to treat the condition. How to combat seasonal a ective disorder SEE SAD PAGE 17
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 HEALTH & WELLNESS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 17 And it might bene t people who have experienced SAD to begin treatment prior to winter, as NIMH notes treatments that begin before fall could help to prevent or reduce the depression associated with the condition. Individuals who suspect they have SAD should relay their concerns to their health care provider, who will then ask patients to ll out a questionnaire to determine if symptoms meet the criteria for SAD. If such a diagnosis is con rmed, individuals may be presented with any of the following treatment options. LIGHT THERAPY e NIMH notes that light therapy has been used to treat SAD since the 1980s. e crux of light therapy is to expose individuals with SAD to bright light every day with the hope that such exposure can serve as a stand-in for natural sunlight. Individuals undergoing light therapy typically begin their day sitting in front of a very bright light box for around 30 to 45 minutes. e boxes lter out potentially harmful UV light, but alternative therapies may be recommended for individuals with certain eye diseases or those taking particular medications. PSYCHOTHERAPY According to the NIMH, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been adapted to help treat people with SAD. CBT is a type of talk therapy, and CBT-SAD typically entails two weekly group sessions for six weeks. ese sessions focus on replacing negative thoughts related to winter with more positive thoughts. e therapy also tries to help individuals identify and schedule pleasant, engaging indoor or outdoor activities. e NIMH notes that researchers’ comparison of CBT-SAD with light therapy found both treatments were e ective at improving SAD symptoms. MEDICATIONS Doctors may recommend patients with SAD take medications known as selective serotonin reuptake SAD FROM PAGE 16 BY ALAN D. FELLER, ESQ. GUEST COLUMNIST How many things have you screwed up in your life? Too many to count? In my spare time, I have created categories to help you organize your screw-ups. ere are daily screw-ups – daydreaming while a tra c light turns green and squirting balsamic vinegar on your new white sweater. ere are annual screw-ups – putting o painting the closet door and not cutting down the 80-year-old giant dead tree precariously hovering next to your roof. e last category can be easily guessed: lifetime screw-ups. What does that list look like? Turning down Warren Bu et’s request to have you invest in Berkshire Hathaway in 1967 or skipping the last Beatles concert in 1966, thinking you will catch them again on their next tour. Not having a Power of Attorney could be one of the bigger screw-ups. Powers of Attorney (POAs) are documents that appoint an authorized representative (agent) to handle your nancial a airs if you are incapable or unable to do so. New York State has a statutory POA form that designates an agent to handle a variety of nancial tasks such as: paying bills, obtaining nancial records and changing bene ciaries. POA’s come in handy if you are buying a home, but cannot attend the closing. POAs also allow agents to transfer property and resources to qualify for Medicaid. e IRS has its own Power of Attorney form and so do most nancial institutions. In June of 2021, an updated New York State Power of Attorney form was released, which was designed to simplify the execution and acceptance of the document. For years, banks would routinely deny New York Power of Attorney forms and insist that their customers utilize their own bank POA forms. is was a terrible idea because a customer may have lost capacity and was unable to execute a new POA form. e whole point of having a validly executed New York POA form was nulli ed by the banks’ arbitrary policies. e new POA law from 2021 corrects that injustice by holding banks accountable for their failure to accept a valid New York Power of Attorney form. For aging adults, accident victims and severely ill individuals who are incapable of handling their nancial a airs, POAs are vital to handle dayto-day money matters. POAs are used to move assets to qualify for Medicaid as well as create Trusts for asset and income protection. Without a POA, family members of compromised adults would have to petition for an Article 81 Guardianship in New York. Article 81 court proceedings can be expensive, time-consuming and laborious. ey are often contentious if siblings disagree. Article 81 reporting and accounting requirements are also substantial. Not having a POA document directly leads to delays in handling nancial a airs and unnecessary long-term care expenditures because Medicaid cannot be obtained timely. Long-term care costs can be many thousands of dollars, with nursing home bills routinely costing $16,000 per month. Simply creating and executing a POA could save thousands of dollars, avoid a major court expense and provide fundamental nancial stability for a family dealing with a healthcare crisis. Missing out on the Beatles is pretty bad, but not having a Power of Attorney will have your loved ones calling the eldercare attorney and asking for “Help!” Alan D. Feller is co-founder of e Feller Group in Mahopac, a multi-disciplinary law practice specializing in elder law, estate planning and business advisement. He can be reached at 845-621-8640 or thefellergroup.com. Contact the professionals at e Feller Group today to go over long-term care options. Why you need a Power of Attorney SEE SAD PAGE 25 Elder Law Wills, Trusts & Estates Estate Planning Medicaid Applications Guardianships Probates Elder Law & Estate Planning A Tradition of Excellence in Elder Law (845) 621-8640 thefellergroup.com 625 Route 6, Mahopac NY 10541 We make home & hospital visits Contact the team today! (845) 621-8640 4 Heritage Hills Plaza, 202 Ctr. • Somers, NY 10589 914-277-4222 • www.somerssmiles.com A new generation of family dentistry CALL US & make your appointment TODAY! PREVENTATIVE CARE STARTS HERE! Seal out tooth decay!
PAGE 18 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 Snowfall is magical and the excitement of playing in the snow can turn into a painful reality when you need to dig your way out of your house as snow keeps piling up. With snow shoveling comes the risk of injuries. Be smart when shoveling snow. Approach it as your first session in a gym. You can only work out for 15-20 minutes for the first time: pace your body, especially with wet, heavy snow UNDERSTANDING HOW SNOW SHOVELING MAY LEAD TO INJURIES Shoveling is a strenuous, repetitive activity and can lead to lower back strain, shoulder tendinitis to name just two. As in the case of any repetitive exercise, you should warm up your body with gentle dynamic stretches that will help to loosen your muscles and joints, improve blood circulation. WARMING-UP EXERCISES TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF SNOW SHOVELING INJURIES The following warm-up exercises and dynamic stretches will get you ready for snow shoveling: • Hold light weights (3-5lb) in your hands and march or walk in place for 5-10 minutes keeping your elbows bent and shoulders down. March with your shoulders and arms as you bring your knees high up to your waist. • Stretch your hamstrings: place your one leg up on a step, keep your front knee straight and gently lean with your body forward until you feel a stretch behind your leg. Hold for 5 seconds, and move in and out of the stretch; never bounce. Repeat 10 times with both legs. • Stretch your adductor: open your legs wide, hold onto a sturdy counter and bend your one leg deep down in a side lunge until you feel a stretch on the inner thigh. Hold 5 seconds and lunge from side to side. Repeat 10 times. • Stand upright with your core tight and gently rotate your body from side to side stretching your arm across your body as you rotate. Repeat 10 times. OTHER SNOW SHOVELING TIPS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURIES • Choose the correct size shovel with lightweight material. A bigger scoop may carry more snow, but is more strenuous on your back to lift. • When shoveling - - keep your feet separated with one leg forward and your knees in a soft bent position. Keep your ribcage up, your spine straight, and hinge from the hips slightly forward; - Bend your knees and not your back; - Keep the shovel close to your body, and your elbows tucked in. Let your thigh muscles do the work to push the shovel and keep your core tight; - Avoid lifting the shovel with arms stretched out, because that puts extra strain on your spine and shoulder tendons; and - Avoid twisting your back. Instead, take an extra step to face with your shoulders and hips in the direction of where you shovel. • Avoiding shoveling only to your dominant side. Alternate sides; shoveling to the left leading with your left foot and left hand on the bottom of the snow shovel and when shoveling to the right, reverse the above. • Create distance between your hands on the snow shovel. It provides more leverage when lifting the shovel. • Lift smaller loads of snow at a time. • Never throw snow over your shoulder. Instead, go forward with a load to avoid twisting and torquing of your lower back. STRETCH AFTER YOU SHOVELED SNOW Gentle stretches will assist your body to relax and cool down. • Stand on your hands and knees (Quadruped), and do gentle cat-cow movements lifting your head to the ceiling and arching your back as you inhale then tucking your behind and head down, rounding your spine to the ceiling. You can modify this movement if you have difficulty kneeling on your hands and knees: hold onto a sturdy counter, feet shoulder width apart, knees bent and gently arch and tuck your spine. Repeat 10 times. • In Quadruped lift your one arm up to the ceiling as you gently rotate your body and head to follow the outstretched arm to the ceiling. Then needle through bringing you stretched arm underneath the supporting arm, following the movement with your head and upper body. The modified position can again be done leaning against a sturdy counter. Repeat 10 times. • Sit on a chair with one leg straight out and foot flexed back. Lean forward with your body until you feel a stretch behind your knee to stretch your hamstring. Hold for 20 deep breaths. Repeat 5 times. • Sit on a chair and cross your one ankle over your knee in a “cross 4” position and lean with your body forward to your ankle to feel the stretch in your buttocks. Hold for 20 deep breaths. Repeat 5 times. • Stand in a doorway with one leg in front and arms up against the doorframe. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in front of your shoulders. Hold for 20 deep breaths. Repeat 5 times. Stay warm and safe. If you experience any pain or injury, please contact your medical practitioner or physical therapist. LIZE LUBBE GUEST CORNER ADVERTORIAL Minimizing snow shoveling injuries 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 [email protected] or visiting www.lizelubbept.com. 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)
Sports THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 19 BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Hosting Peekskill in their gym, Somers Wrestling honored its seniors with a touching tribute pre-match and added a cherry on top with a smooth 66- 12 win over the Red Devils last Friday, Jan. 20. After his early pin against Tommaso Sodano, Luca D’Orazio (152 lbs.) spoke on his experience wrestling for Somers, and what the program has done for him. “ e program means so much to me,” said the senior captain. “ is is where I got my con - dence from. I always considered myself overweight. With wrestling, I got on a regimen that got my weight down, and then I built con dence with something that I’m good at and I love doing with my friends. On top of that, I have a relationship with all my teammates, even the younger kids, I love all of them. ey are all a big family. It’s been a great season.” Anthony Tucci (145 lbs.) had a special night. Not only was the senior captain honored with his family, but he made his season debut coming o a hand injury, defeating Eddy Zhinin on a pin. “First match back, I knew it was going to be a little tough with my stamina and trying to gure it out with my nger and everything,” he said. “But it was a good match to start, I’m not too upset about it...I have been part of this program since I was six or seven years old. It’s just been a great experience the entire way. I never want it to stop. I cannot wait for winter every single year. e coaches are great, the program is great. e school supports us, it’s a great program.” Unable to wrestle due to injury, Nate Traver (189 lbs.) gave his thoughts on the program as well. “Somers Wrestling has shaped me, not just as a wrestler or athlete, but as a person. It has instilled everything from work ethic, respect, to everything you want to see in a person in the community. e wrestling community has taken in the whole team. We have come so far from my rst year doing this to now.” Senior Matt Cascio (132 lbs.) also earned a win over Elvin Acevedo. Michael Amante, Mike Aquilino, Kevin Haxhari, Peter McIntyre, and Zane Murphy are the other seniors on the team. e next day (1/21), SomersNorth Salem traveled to Lincoln High School for the Westchester County Championships. A solid showing all around, the team took eighth place amongst 25 teams, and three wrestlers earned All-County honors. Ethan Steuber (102 lbs., 2nd place), Ryan Ball (110 lbs., 3rd place), and Liam Dwyer (126 lbs., 3rd place) all had standout days according to Coach Ron DiSanto Jr. “Dwyer looked really sharp,” he said. “He has increased his intensity lately. Combining that with his good technique and instincts, he has taken his wrestling to the next level. Steuber and Ball looked good as well, with their losses coming to quality opponents.” Also contributing valuable points were Cal Ehrmann (118 lbs., 1-2), Derek Kuchinsky (118 lbs., 1-2), Robert Vrabel (138 lbs., 1-2), Ethan Burns (145 lbs., 2-2), and D’Orazio (152 lbs., 2-2). Earlier on Wednesday (1/18) at John Jay-Cross River, the Tuskers/Tigers pulled out a 35- 30 dual meet victory. JP Hurley (285 lbs.), Steuber, Ball, Kuchinsky, Dwyer, Cascio, and Vrabel all picked up crucial wins. Somers wins big on Senior Night Tuskers take on Counties PHOTO: CHRIS BALL The Somers-North Salem seniors were honored prior to their match against Peekskill last Friday. PHOTO: WHIT ANDERSON Anthony Tucci, coming back from injury, got the win in his season debut. PHOTO: CHRIS BALL Ethan Burns earned the Tuskers big points by going 2-2 at Counties last Saturday. PHOTO: WHIT ANDERSON Luca D’Orazio has his hand raised in victory after his 152-pound win. WRESTLING 66 Miller Road, Mahopac 845-628-2050 www.mavistireofmahopac.com With This Coupon • Expires 2/28/23 FREE 6-POINT WINTER MAINTENANCE CHECK $20 OFF ANY CAR BATTERY With This Coupon • Expires 2/28/23 CARING FOR YOUR CAR & OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 35 YEARS! The Friendly Mavis Team Get Your Car Ready for Winter Travel!
PAGE 20 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Picking up two road wins against Sleepy Hollow and Nanuet the previous week, Somers Girls Basketball looked back on track and primed to take on a tough Brewster squad in their gym. Getting out to a massive lead early in last Thursday (1/19) evening’s matchup, the Tuskers could not keep the offense going, as the Bears bullied their way inside for a 53-34 win. The Tuskers saw their outside shot falling out the gates. After a Lauren McCartin (9 pts) jumper got it started, the rest of the starters followed suit with their own baskets, and the defense contained the Bears. Up 6-0, Maddie Lyle cashed a three off a drive and kick, followed by Lindsay McCullough hitting a triple at the end of the first quarter to put the home team up 15-2. “It was as simple as shots were going in,” said Coach Kevin Mallon on the team’s early success. “They were in a 2-3 zone, we had a lot of open threes we were hitting, knocking down off good ball movement. And then in the second quarter, and the rest of the game, we went cold. We had decent looks.” The roles reversed in the second frame, Brewster outscored the Tuskers 13-2. However, most of the Bears’ points came from pounding the ball inside. Specifically, Jordan Niles bullied her way down low, forcing the front court of Alexa Warycha and Aleksiana Rukaj to foul and send her to the line. And once Warycha went out of the game with three fouls, the paint opened even further for Jordan and Madison Dakin to go to work down low and cut the deficit to 17-15 at half. “She’s (Warycha) our rim protector. With her out of the game, we didn’t really have a rim presence, rebounding, or shot blocking. So that was a tough loss,” said Mallon, as Warycha missed long periods and fouled out early in the fourth. Out from halftime, the Bears found more success in their game plan. Niles took a 19-17 lead for Brewster, Dakin extended that lead, and the biggest killer of all, the team got hot from three. Hitting a triple in transition to make it 30-23, the Bears got the ball back a possession later off an offensive board and swished a catch and shoot trey through contact for a four-point play. Ava Giudice (13 pts) did some damage control with a buzzerbeating three to end the quarter down 35-28. But Somers’ attempts to increase their pressure and intensity fell short as Brewster started getting out in transition, and the Bears put the nail in the coffin by getting in the bonus up 51-34 with only 1:34 left. Mallon hopes to see the offense ramp up as the Tuskers start playing their league rivals. “It’s as simple as scoring the basketball. All year we have struggled with scoring. In practice we have worked on putting in new sets and all of that. Right now, we compete, and that’s all I care about. Defensively, I think we play really well, it’s just that offensively we struggle a lot. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming into league play and just figuring out ways to score the basketball.” Bears halt Tuskers’ turnaround Alexa Warycha PHOTOS: CHRIS SMAJLAJ Lindsay McCullough hit a big three in the first quarter. Bailey Atkinson Ava Giudice led the Tuskers with 13 points. Lauren McCartin leads the break. GIRLS BASKETBALL
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 21 It was an evening of celebrations at the Mildred E. Strang pool for the Yorktown-Somers combined swim and dive team last Friday night (1/20). The Huskers and Tuskers cruised to 49-33 victory against Eastchester, taking nine out of 11 firstplace finishes. Starting with the 200-yard medley relay, the team extended its winning streak in this event with strong laps by Brady McEnroe (backstroke), Jason Muroski (breaststroke), Jay Wilkinson (butterfly), and Luke Hopper (freestyle). Joseph Aoukar and Erik Hanson continued the momentum, finishing first and second, respectively, in the 200-yard freestyle. McEnroe dominated two events, winning both the 50 and 100-yard freestyle. Wilkinson took the lead and won the 100-yard butterfly, with Muroski securing second place. Hopper stole the show in the long distance event with his stellar performance to win the 500-yard freestyle, finishing the 20-lap race with an impressive 5.53:25. Danny Sherry, Tristan Kerr, Hanson, and Aoukar topped it off with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay. Aoukar also won the 100-yard backstroke, clocking in at 1.09:56. Muroski and Nicholas Fraser won first and second place in the 100-yard breaststroke, respectively. The team wrapped up their victory with an exciting finale in the 400 freestyle relay by Wilkinson, Muroski, Aoukar, and McEnroe at 3.57:23. DIVING On Jan. 17, team co-captain and diver Jay Wilkinson won the 2022 Horace Greeley Dive Invitational with a New York State Championship qualifying score of 527.30 points, shattering his own team and school record. Wilkinson competed in a total Swimmers shine at Senior Meet BY MIKE SABINI CONTRIBUTING WRITER It may have just been a game between two local high school squads, but when BYSNS (Brewster/Yorktown/Somers/North Salem) and Cortlandt play against one another, it has the intensity of a Stanley Cup playoff contest. That competitiveness between both squads was on display Friday (1/20) at the Brewster Ice Arena as BYSNS rallied for two third-period goals to defeat the Rebels 4-3. “It was a great team effort,” said BYSNS coach John Veteri. “The kids really deserved this win.” BYSNS goalie Ty Wingfield said that the win meant a lot for the entire team. “We were definitely able to gain momentum off of that win, and I’m proud of each and every one of my teammates,” he said. The Rebels’ Frankie Kowal said that playing a rival team is just a different feeling. “The intensity on the ice and in the locker room is always at its highest, and it’s just the best hockey to play.” Spearheading the Bisons’ effort defensively was Wingfield, who recorded 28 saves. “Ty is great,” Veteri said. “I have never seen a high school player that is so focused and so prepared. He is the backbone of our team.” Kowal led the Rebels offensively with two goals. “I definitely could not have scored two without any of the other guys on the ice,” Kowal said. “They all contributed to the scoring chances.” Kowal’s second goal gave Cortlandt a 3-1 lead with 9:36 to go in the second period. “Just playing my role on the ice and always looking to move the puck up definitely helped my teammates and myself create scoring opportunities and go ahead early in the game,” he said. A Charles Heese goal before the end of the period cut the Rebels’ lead to 3-2, with two goals by Owen Cunningham in the final period giving the BYSNS the victory. “We never gave up,” Veteri said. “We had a great week of practice, and we focused on what we could control. We simplified the game and played till the last whistle.” Wingfield shut out the Rebels in the third period with 10 saves. “I knew that my performance in the second period was definitely substandard,” he said. “My team was doing everything right at the time, and I forced myself to change my mindset and win the hockey game.” Wolfgang Cook (2A), Matteo Guastadisegni (1G), Bryan Kottmann (1A), Danny Luis (1A), and Dylan Filmer (1A) also produced for BYSNS with Jack Jimenez (2A), John Gannon (1G), Nate Garofalo (1A), Brendan Morea (1A), and Nick Mele (20 saves) doing the job for Cortlandt. “It was a good, spirited game on both sides,” said Cortlandt coach Bart Mucci. BYSNS (4-10) will next play in its senior-night contest against Horace Greeley at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27, at the BIA. Wingfield excels in rivalry win PHOTOS: ROB DIANTONIO Charlie Heese fights for possession with Cortlandt’s Brendan Morea. Wolfgang Cook controls the puck along the boards. The BYSNS celebrate a second-period goal. HOCKEY PHOTO: GARY BRICKER The Yorktown-Somers Swim & Dive team. PHOTO: JODY CALDERON Somers senior Jay Wilkinson swimming the 100-yard butterfly. SWIM & DIVE SEE SWIM PAGE 22
PAGE 22 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Georgia Nekos is a Somers captain on the varsity combined gymnastics team (Somers/Yorktown/John Jay-Cross River/Hen Hud/Ossining/Peekskill). Starting gymnastics from a young age, Nekos has dedicated herself to the sport, overcoming stress and injuries in order to reach a new level on her high school and club teams. Not to be messed with, she has also trained in karate for 10 years. Nekos looks to qualify for States in her nal varsity season. HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU BEGAN GYMNASTICS AND WHAT GOT YOU STARTED? I started gymnastics when I was three. I went to preschool at World Cup Gymnastics and started out with their Mommy and Me classes. Although I was young, I instantly fell in love with the sport. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING ON THE GYMNASTICS TEAM? ere are so many things I love about being on the Somers gymnastics team, but I especially value my teammates. It’s so fun to be able to compete with gymnasts outside of my club gymnastics team, and it helps me become immersed in the local gymnastics community. HOW DO YOU STAY LEVELHEADED IN SUCH A HIGHPRESSURE SPORT LIKE GYMNASTICS? Finding ways to stay levelheaded through my gymnastics career was de nitely one of the hardest skills I have learned, but the most crucial. While my competition nerves give me adrenaline, too much can throw my routines o , a ecting my performance. Before each event, I always take a second to envision my routine while focusing on my breathing. I try to concentrate on the things that will go right rather than the possibility of things going wrong. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PREGAME AND POSTGAME ACTIVITIES WITH TEAMMATES? While I do not have many pregame traditions, my teammates and I love to go out and get food after our meets. Our favorite post-meet activity is de nitely getting frozen yogurt to celebrate. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EVENT IN GYMNASTICS? My favorite event is vault because I have made the most progress on it. Vault used to be my weakest events, but through many years of dedication, I have grown to love vault as it has become one of my strongest. I went from barely placing on vault to becoming the NY state level 6 vaulting champion in 2019. AS A SENIOR, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THIS SEASON? As a team, my goal is to continue our undefeated season. While I was injured for part of the season last year, my goal this winter is to qualify for States. As a captain, my goal is to make sure my teammates have fun and enjoy the season as gymnastics can be such a stressful sport. WHO ARE SOME GYMNASTS THAT YOU WATCH AND LEARN FROM? By far, one of my favorite gymnasts is Sunisa Lee. She really amazed everyone at the 2020 Olympics as she was named the all-around champion. While she competes for the Auburn gymnastics team, I admire her uneven bars routine as it inspires me to stay dedicated to bar even though it is one of my weaker events. Another gymnast that I look up to is Svetlana Boginskaya. She is a three-time Olympic champion from Belarus. While she retired from her gymnastics career in 1997, she continues to coach at International Gymnastics Camp. ere, I was fortunate enough to be coached by her. She taught me so many skills, including my favorite skill: a switch leap on the beam. TELL US SOMETHING OTHERS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU. I am training to receive my gymnastics judging license. DO YOU PLAN ON DOING GYMNASTICS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? Yes, I plan on doing club gymnastics in college. DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO STUDY IN COLLEGE? I want to major in special education. I have always loved teaching, as I volunteer at Camp Summerset and help students grow during the summer. Senior excels in gymnastics and karate ATHLETE georgiaSPOTLIGHT nekos ‘There are so many things I love about being on the Somers gymnastics team, but I especially value my teammates.’ Georgia Nekos Somers Gymnastics Senior Captain SEE NEKOS PAGE 23 of 11 dives, including six highdi culty dives. e Somers senior, who is currently ranked third in the state, will be competing at the NYSPHSAA state diving championship in Ithaca this March. SENIOR NIGHT Five seniors were honored at the senior meet; Jay Wilkinson (Somers), Parsa Tirabady, Nicholas Fraser, Sean Horlacher, and Nathan Gutierrez, all from Yorktown. Teammates congratulated the seniors and gave speeches honoring their team spirit, dedication, and contribution in a celebration attended by friends and family. SWIM FROM PAGE 21 PHOTOS: GARY BRICKER Yorktown-Somers seniors. From left: Coach Brittney Pisano, Nicholas Fraser, Parsa Tirabady, Jay Wilkinson, Sean Horlacher and Nathan Gutierrez. Yorktown senior Sean Horlacher swimming the butterfl y. PHOTO: TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL Once one of her weaker events, Nekos put in the work to excel at vault.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 23 TRACK & FIELD Section 1 League Champs Sunday, Jan. 22 Both the boys and girls track and field squads won the league title last Sunday at The Armory. The girls, winning their 24th in a row, had great sprinting, distance, jumping, and throwing performances. Senior Corryn Watt won both the 55M Hurdles and the pole vault, with a huge 9.64 personal best in the hurdles. Haylie Donovan blazed around the track to win the 55M and the 300M. Chelsea Lewitt (600M), Mia Sandolo (1000M), Maren Kellock (High Jump), Olivia Sherman (Long Jump), and Sienna DeMarinis (Weight Throw) also won their events. The relay teams had their way with the field, as the 4x200M, 4x400M, and 4x800M all won their races. “It was a great day all around for the girls and a complete team effort,” said Coach John Vegliante. “I was proud of all the girls and how well they competed.” The boys were no slouches either. Andrew Fasone ran a season best 6.70 to win the 55M, and also won the 300M. Arjun Ojha (1:30.77) got a PR to win the 600M. Michael Falcone (2:52.15) ran his best time for first in the 1000M. And in the field, Padraig Goff (Long Jump), Matthew Horowitz (Pole Vault), and Jared Googel (Shot Put, Weight Throw) won their events as well. The boys also came together to come out on top in the 4x200M and 4x800M relays. BOYS BASKETBALL Somers 63, Brewster 37 Thursday, Jan. 19 The Tuskers bounced back from their Lakeland loss the previous week with an easy win over visiting Brewster for their first league victory. Matt Fitzsimons (17 pts, 9 rebs), Nate Cohen (12 pts, 3 stls), Dylan Ingraham (10 pts, 4 stls), and Brady Leitner (10 pts, 4 stls) all filled the stat sheet. Somers 70, Hen Hud 53 Friday, Jan. 20 Somers moved to 10-2 after a convincing road win against Hendrick Hudson. Fitzsimons (27 pts), Andrew Violante (13 pts), Leitner (11 pts), and Mac Sullivan (10 pts) all brought their A-game. JFK BASKETBALL Cathedral 62, Kennedy Catholic 54 Saturday, Jan. 21 Kennedy Catholic could not get it done last Saturday, moving to 4-10 (2-3 league record) after a home loss to Cathedral. Max Abrahams lead the Gaels with 16 points and Sebastian Jackson had 11. Track & Field wins at Leagues Boys Basketball bounces back WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? My favorite movie is Mama Mia because I am a huge ABBA fan and am in love with the soundtrack. BEST PLACE TO EAT IN SOMERS? My favorite place to eat is Bobos Cafe. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM VACATION SPOT? My dream vacation spot is Greece because I am Greek and love the culture. FOR A YOUNG ATHLETE ON THE FENCE ABOUT TRYING OUT FOR SOMERS GYMNASTICS, WHY SHOULD THEY GIVE THE PROGRAM A CHANCE? For a young athlete not sure about trying out for the team, I would definitely recommend joining. You will make so many unforgettable memories and build strong friendships. NEKOS FROM PAGE 22 Brady Leitner Mac Sullivan PHOTOS: CHRIS SMAJLAJ Ted Mitchell Dylan Ingraham Phil Santore VARSITY ROUNDUP PHOTO: TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL Georgia Nekos is leading her combined gymnastics team to an undefeated season.
PAGE 24 – THE SOMERS RECORD LEISURE THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 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. Tax collector 4. Fishes without the line touching water 8. Brooklyn hoopsters 10. Actress Lathan 11. A metric for athletes 12. Food storage location 13. Colossus 15. Desolations 16. Accustom to something unpleasant 17. __ Kubrick, filmmaker 18. You might ask this at Thanksgiving 21. Arkansas city 22. Gave food to 23. Request 24. V-shaped open trough 25. Make lively 26. It accompanies feather 27. Blonde bombshell 34. One who revolves 35. Bluish greens 36. Charity 37. Having the shape of a cube 38. Unwind 39. Believed by some to be the supreme being 40. Checks or guides 41. Leak slowly through 42. Top-quality 43. Midway between south and southeast CLUES DOWN 1. Part of your foot 2. It’s at the back of the eyeball 3. Where things stand 4. Offered 5. Contains pollen 6. Boisterous get-together 7. Asserts out loud 9. They’re in the sky 10. Canonized 12. A politician’s official stances 14. It can catch fish 15. British thermal unit 17. Helps little firms 19. Where patients go for treatment 20. Large red deer 23. Pokes holes in 24. ‘Star Wars’ hero Solo 25. One in a hospital 26. Scandinavian god of battle 27. Famous cat 28. __ Angeles: City of Angels 29. Type of drug (abbr.) 30. City along the Rhine 31. Animal disease 32. Martini ingredients 33. Get away 34. Rare species of rodent 36. Suppress Soup can be a delicious meal for lunch or dinner or even make for a comforting snack. e versatility of soup undoubtedly contributes to its appeal. Just about any ingredient can go into a soup to yield the ideal result. e bene ts of soup do not end with avor alone. A bowl of soup can be lling, helping to corral hunger and reduce over-eating. Plenty of studies also link soup to increased wellness and recovery from respiratory illnesses. Soup also is a perfect comfort food on a cold day. It warms from the inside out, helping to chase away chills from damp or frosty conditions. Mushrooms can be the star of soups, adding earthy notes to the broth. Enjoy this creamy recipe for “Easy Mushroom Soup,” courtesy of the Mushroom Council. Dip your spoon into a creamy mushroom meal Easy Mushroom Soup Yield: 3-4 servings 3 tablespoons of butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 shallot, fi nely chopped 4 ounces crimini mushrooms, chopped 4 ounces white button mushrooms, chopped 2 tablespoons all-purpose fl our 3 cups chicken stock 1/4 teaspoon fi ne sea salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste Sliced sauted mushrooms for garnish, optional Chopped parsley for garnish, optional 1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot such as a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot, cook for 1 minute, until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, until tender and browned. Transfer all the contents of the pot to a bowl. 2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pot. Once melted, sprinkle in the fl our and whisk it quickly into a paste. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the stock a little at a time, whisking out the clumps between each addition. 3. Increase the heat back to medium-high and allow the soup to simmer well for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms back to the pot and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. The stock will thicken slightly to be somewhat creamy. 4. Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with mushrooms and parsley, if desired.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 25 squadlocker.com/#/lockers/ somers-pta-council-store The Somers Library Foundation Needs You Are you a passionate supporter of the Somers Library and looking for a way to help improve the services and capabilities? The Somers Library Foundation is looking for new board members. There are lots of opportunities to use your talents and build new skills. Send the foundation an email at somerslibraryfoun[email protected]. Watch the Somers LIbrary Foundation website (https://somerslibraryfoundation.org) for details on upcoming meet and greet events to learn more about the Foundation and what it means to be a board member of the board. TEAM Tuskers MENTORS SOUGHT FOR INTERMEDIATE & MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM TEAM Tuskers Mentoring is looking for adults interested in spending time with a 3rd – 8th grade student at their school for the upcoming school year. The commitment is to spend 1 hour a week, every week with a student and make a difference in their life. You will develop a relationship and help open new lines of communication while playing games, doing puzzles or just chatting. Please consider volunteering for this great program. A child will benefit from spending time with you! For more information, visit somersschools.org/Page/7356 or call 914-481-2716. RideConnect Rideconnect has volunteers ready to help drive seniors to their medical appointments and assist with shopping. Services are free to seniors residing in Westchester and southern Putnam Counties. To request assistance call (914) 242-7433. Anyone wishing to volunteer for Rideconnect may do so by emailing [email protected] TRUNK FROM PAGE 7 inhibitors, or SSRIs. Various types of depression have been found to disturb serotonin activity, and SAD is no exception. SSRIs have been proven to effectively improve patients’ moods, but it’s important that individuals discuss the side effects of SSRIs with their physicians prior to taking medication. Vitamin D has been linked to improving symptoms of SAD, but the NIMH notes this is a misconception, as the research regarding vitamin D supplementation as a treatment for SAD has thus far produced mixed results. Individuals who suspect they may have SAD are urged to speak with their physicians so they can overcome this often treatable condition. This article is from Metro Creative Connection. SAD FROM PAGE 17 FINANCING AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT Call today and receive a FREE SHOWER PACKAGE PLUS $1600 OFF With purchase of a new Safe Step Walk-In Tub. Not applicable with any previous walk-in tub purchase. Offer available while supplies last. No cash value. Must present offer at time of purchase. 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Advertise With Us When you advertise with The Somers Record, you are reaching thousands of households and businesses throughout the Town of Somers, including all of its hamlets and Heritage Hills. To advertise or to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email freeman@halstonmedia. com. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for The Somers Record is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sports and recreational sports items should also be submitted to the same e-mail address by the Thursday before the next publication date. header: Univers Bold 11pt/12leading body: Franklin Gothic Book reg10pt/11leading paragraph rule top Univers Bold 10pt/11 leading paragraph rule top Your ad could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. SR legals specs: STANDING HEAD: Gill Sans (TT), bold, 18pt, M100-Y100 HEADER-Univers 57 condensed regular 12/14, all caps, underline, centered BODY-Adobe Caslon pro 10/11 Left Justified, no hyphens LLC FORMATION NOTICE Notice of Formation of Rosslyn Farm LLC. Arts. of Org. filed w/ SSNY 2/23/18. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copies of any process served against LLC to 104 Delancey Road, North Salem, NY 10560. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. LEGAL NOTICES Somers Record News Fillers Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com, or give us a call at 914- 302-5830. Photo Submissions Photos submitted to The Somers Record need to be high-resolution. Images that are submitted at a low resolution cannot be published. Submit photos to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. Send a selfaddressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Share Your Milestones Let your neighbors know about the special moments in your life, whether it’s a birth, engagement, wedding or anniversary. Send us a photo and announcement at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. There is no charge for this announcement. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Letters and Op-Ed Policy 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 The Somers Record 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 somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830. Editorial Submissions Press releases and photos should be submitted to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Contact Us The Somers Record is located at Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. You can contact us at 914-302-5830 or email somersrecord@halstonmedia. com. Advertising Deadline The advertising deadline for The Somers Record is the Thursday before the next publication date. Advertisements can be submitted by you as a cameraready PDF via email at [email protected]. We also offer our clients a free ad design service. For more information, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151. Advertise With Us When you advertise with The Somers Record, you are reaching thousands of households and businesses throughout the Town of Somers, including all of its hamlets and Heritage Hills. To advertise or to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email freeman@halstonmedia. com. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for The Somers Record is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sports and recreational sports items should also be submitted to the same e-mail address by the Thursday before the next publication date. header: Univers Bold 11pt/12leading body: Franklin Gothic Book reg10pt/11leading paragraph rule top Univers Bold 10pt/11 leading paragraph rule top Your ad could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. SR legals specs: STANDING HEAD: Gill Sans (TT), bold, 18pt, M100-Y100 HEADER-Univers 57 condensed regular 12/14, all caps, underline, centered BODY-Adobe Caslon pro 10/11 Left Justified, no hyphens LLC FORMATION NOTICE Notice of Formation of Rosslyn Farm LLC. Arts. of Org. filed w/ SSNY 2/23/18. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copies of any process served against LLC to 104 Delancey Road, North Salem, NY 10560. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. LEGAL NOTICES Somers Record News Fillers Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com, or give us a call at 914- 302-5830. Photo Submissions Photos submitted to The Somers Record need to be high-resolution. Images that are submitted at a low resolution cannot be published. Submit photos to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. Send a selfaddressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Share Your Milestones Let your neighbors know about the special moments in your life, whether it’s a birth, engagement, wedding or anniversary. Send us a photo and announcement at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. There is no charge for this announcement. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Letters and Op-Ed Policy 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 The Somers Record 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 somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830. Editorial Submissions Press releases and photos should be submitted to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Contact Us The Somers Record is located at Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. You can contact us at 914-302-5830 or email somersrecord@halstonmedia. com. Advertising Deadline The advertising deadline for The Somers Record is the Thursday before the next publication date. Advertisements can be submitted by you as a cameraready PDF via email at [email protected]. We also offer our clients a free ad design service. For more information, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151. Advertise With Us When you advertise with The Somers Record, you are reaching thousands of households and businesses throughout the Town of Somers, including all of its hamlets and Heritage Hills. To advertise or to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email freeman@halstonmedia. com. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for The Somers Record is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sports and recreational sports items should also be submitted to the same e-mail address by the Thursday before the next publication date. header: Univers Bold 11pt/12leading body: Franklin Gothic Book reg10pt/11leading paragraph rule top Univers Bold 10pt/11 leading paragraph rule top Your ad could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. SR legals specs: STANDING HEAD: Gill Sans (TT), bold, 18pt, M100-Y100 HEADER-Univers 57 condensed regular 12/14, all caps, underline, centered BODY-Adobe Caslon pro 10/11 Left Justified, no hyphens LLC FORMATION NOTICE Notice of Formation of Rosslyn Farm LLC. Arts. of Org. filed w/ SSNY 2/23/18. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copies of any process served against LLC to 104 Delancey Road, North Salem, NY 10560. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Formation of THE PURSUIT OF NAILS LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2022-09-13. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Legalinc Corporate Services Inc.: 1967 Wehrle Drive Suite 1-086 Buffalo NY 14221. Purpose: Any lawful purpose PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Somers will conduct a public hearing on February 9, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York on a proposed Local Law to amend Chapter 154 entitled Taxation, Article II entitled Senior Citizens Tax Exemption, of the CODE of the Town of Somers. All persons having an interest in the proposed local law are invited to attend the public hearing and will be afforded an opportunity to be heard. A copy of the proposed local law will be available and may be examined in the Office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours. By Order of the Town Board of the Town of Somers Patricia Kalba Town Clerk Dated: January 26, 2023 PLANNING BOARD TOWN OF SOMERS WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Planning Board of the Town of Somers, Westchester County, New York has scheduled a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York, to consider the application of a two lot subdivision located at 19 Olive Drive, TM 5.15- 1-90. The proposal is more specifically shown on a plan titled “Integrated Plot Plan”, prepared by John Karell, Jr. PE dated November 22, 2022. The application is for Preliminary Subdivision, Tree Removal, Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control and Steep Slope permits for the creation of two lots from one existing lot with a single family house and where proposed access to a new lot is only available from an unimproved, but mapped, Town road in an R-10 Residential Zoning District located at 19 Olive Drive. All persons having an interest in the proposed application are invited to attend the Public Hearing and will be heard on the aforesaid matter. BY ORDER OF THE PLANNING BOARD John Currie, Chairman Mariann Aakjar/Office Assistant STRONG AS STEEL WITH THE ATTRACTIVE LOOK OF VARIOUS ROOF STYLES Upgrade Your Home with a NEW METAL ROOF Guaranteed to Last a Lifetime! From Dimensional Shingles to classic styles reminiscent of Cedar Shake and Spanish Tile, an architectural roo ng system by Erie Metal Roofs can enhance the beauty of your home while protecting your family and property for a lifetime. 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PAGE 26 – THE SOMERS RECORD CLASSIFIEDS THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 Check out our Facebook & Instagram pages! Putnam Humane Society, 68 Old Rt. 6, Carmel 845-225-7777 www.puthumane.org Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Putnam Humane Society Lola This beautiful girl loves to play. She is friendly with people, but does not care for other dogs. Two beautiful cats were left behind when their owners moved. A forever home where they can be together is what they wish for! Becca & Bloomer This ad was generously donated by Halston Media. Take advantage of the new 30% Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) with PWRcell, Generac’s fully-integrated solar + battery storage system. PWRcell will help you save money on your electric bill and be prepared for utility power outages. Plus it’s compatible with most existing solar arrays. Now’s the Right Time SAVE 30% WITH THE SOLAR TAX CREDIT^ Call to request a free quote! 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THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 27 WHY DO WE ADVERTISE IN HALSTON MEDIA’S LOCAL NEWSPAPERS? TO ADVERTISE WITH US, CALL BRETT FREEMAN AT (845) 208-8151 We’ve advertised with Halston newspapers since the beginning because we know they connect us to the communities we serve. We view our ads as an extension of word-of- mouth advertising; they have definitely played a role in our continued success with both new and returning families. -Jamie Sirkin Summer Trails Day Camp & Baseball Camp APAR PUBLICITY WITH PERSONALITY PR Public Rela ons For... Businesses | Individuals | Organiza ons | Events Your Message Is Our Mission Leave Your Message Here... (914) 275-6887 | bruceaparpr@ gmail.com BRUCE APAR Have you recently retired, but are now thinking of going back to work? If so, you aren’t alone, as many people are choosing to “unretire.” But if you do re-enter the workforce in some capacity, what opportunities might be available to you? And how will your renewed employment affect your nancial outlook? For starters, though, what reasons might motivate you to go back to work? For many people, the primary cause has been in ation, which has presented a huge challenge to retirees living on a xed income. In addition, the volatile nancial market of 2022 caused many people’s investment portfolios to decline in value — a real problem for retirees who needed to start selling investments to supplement their income. But non- nancial factors could also be driving you to unretire. Like other retirees, you may miss the chance to use your work experience to engage with the world, and you may miss the social interactions as well. In any case, if you do decide to rejoin the working world in some fashion, you may have several options. For example, if you enjoyed the work you did for your former employer, you might want to see if you could go back on a part-time basis. Or you could use your skills to join the “gig” economy by doing some consulting or freelance work in your former industry. You might also consider going to work for a nonpro t organization, as many of these groups lost employees during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and are now facing labor shortages. Going back to work, even part time, can improve your cash ow, which helps cover the cost of regular expenses. Furthermore, the added income can possibly help you delay or reduce withdrawals from your investment accounts. And it’s important to increase the longevity of these accounts considering you may spend two, or even three, decades in retirement. (Once you turn 72, however, you will have to start withdrawing certain amounts from your 401(k) and traditional IRA.) But your earnings can a ect another source of your retirement income — your Social Security bene ts. If you return to work before your “full” retirement age, which is likely between 66 and 67, the Social Security earnings limit in 2023 is $21,240. For each $2 earned over that amount, Social Security will deduct $1 from bene ts. If you reach your full retirement age in 2023, the earnings limit is $56,520; Social Security will deduct $1 from your bene ts for each $3 earned over this amount until the month you turn your full retirement age. But in all future years after you’ve reached your full retirement age, you can earn as much as you want without losing any bene ts. Social Security will then recalculate your payments to give you credit for the months your bene ts were reduced or withheld due to your excess earnings. Be aware, though, that your earned income can potentially result in higher taxes on your Social Security bene ts at any age. Returning to work can be rewarding, both nancially and emotionally. And you may get more out of the experience when you’re aware of the issues involved. is article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local nancial advisor, Michael O’Donovan, at 247 Route 100, Suite 200, Somers, NY 10589 (next to Somers Sports Arena). Reach him at 914-401-9218 or michael.odonovan@edwardjones. com. Are you ready to ‘unretire’? MICHAEL O’DONOVAN GUEST CORNER
PAGE 28 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 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. to keep sending you The Somers Record for FREE. The post office charges us more without it. Please print your first and last names and address legibly, sign and date (all required to continue receiving your subscription to this newspaper). YES, I wish to receive a FREE 3-year subscription to The Katonah-Lewisboro Times. YES, I really enjoy The Katonah-Lewisboro Times, and I’d like to continue receiving it for 3 years, along with a monetary contribution this year. (Please print legibly.) First (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required. Please print legibly.) 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YES, I wish to receive a FREE 3-year subscription to The Somers Record YES, I really enjoy The Somers Record and I’d like to continue receiving it for 3 years, along with a monetary contribution this year. (Please print legibly.) First (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required. Please print legibly.) Last (Required) City: State: ZIP: Name: Signature: Email: Snowbird Dates (if applicable): Date: Phone: Address: (Optional) (Optional for TAPinto E-News) Checks payable to Halston Media LLC. Please include this form in your envelope. Please Include the following additional papers as part of this subscription: North Salem News The Katonah-Lewisboro Times Yorktown News The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times Mahopac News Mail to: P.O. Box 864 Mahopac, NY 10541 While we need your Full Support to keep this newspaper strong, we include the option for Basic Support because we don’t want financial reasons to get in the way of our readers receiving this newspaper. Basic Support vs. Full Support Basic Support Full Support $100 $50 $20 other OR Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com OR Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com Don’t Miss a Week of The Somers Record. Please Re-Subscribe Today! Thursday, November 3, 2022 Vol. 11 No. 30 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 32 CLASSIFIEDS 34 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 28 LEISURE 26 OBITUARIES 30 OPINION 10 SPORTS 20 Tuskers Batter Brewster pg 22 FOOTBALL Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. Please note that the Nov. 10 edition of The Somers Record will go to press before the Nov. 8 election results are available. Please visit TapIntoSomers.net to view our full election coverage. BY BOB DUMAS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR When voters go to the polls this election season, they will have a choice between two candidates who are vying for the state’s 40th Senate District seat. Incumbent Democrat Pete Harckham of South Salem, seeking his third term as state senator, will be opposed by Republican Gina Arena, an administrative assistant from Somers. Here is a look at the two candidates, including their platforms, accomplishments and goals. PETE HARCKHAM Now nearing the end of his second term in o ce, Pete Harckham is chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. He worked to make the 2% property tax cap permanent; delivered record aid to education and addressed the opioid crisis by doubling minimum treatment times and reducing barriers to life-saving treatment. Harckham helped pass the toughest climate-protection legislation in the nation, and also introduced a measure, later enacted, requiring all new passenger-car and truck sales to be zero emission by 2035 and allowing municipalities to build solar canopies and jumpstart community renewable-energy projects. Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul placed Harckham’s wetlands legislation protecting Class C streams statewide, which will safeguard drinking water resources, into her proposed 2023 state budget. Harckham has been a leading voice to hold the utilities accountable in the wake of failed responses to natural disaster. To date, he has held 13 food drives to ght hunger, assisted thousands of residents with unemployment claims and delivered personal-protection equipment to rst responders and municipalities throughout the 40th Senate District. From 2008 to 2015 Harckham served on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, where he was a leading voice for protecting the environment and maintaining vital services. In addition to his professional work, Harckham served on the President’s Council for the Northern Westchester Hospital, was a board member for the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, the Junior League of Northern Westchester Community Advisory Council and the Livable Communities Council. “I come from a labor family and have been endorsed three times by the Westchester Building Trades, Westchester-Putnam AFL-CIO Central Labor Body, a host of service and public unions, as well as nurses and teachers,” Harckham said. “I work very closely with my union partners around the issues of decommissioning Indian Point and passed a law to protect wages and local jobs, as well as created the Decommissioning Oversight Harckham, Arena face off for 40th Senate District seat Sen. Pete Harckham Gina Arena SEE SENATE PAGE 28 SellYour Home for TOP DOLLAR with Somers’ Real Estate Specialist Visit: SomersHouseValues.com or Email: [email protected] Michael Trinchitella Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker FREE Home Evaluation Anytime — No Cost or Obligation Call 914.243.3051 SomersHouseValues.com CLASSIC REALTY IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER! Vol. 11 No. 35 Thursday, December 8, 2022 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 31 CLASSIFIEDS 30 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 28 LEISURE 21 OBITUARIES 9 OPINION 10 SPORTS 18 Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Winning is always great. But making your way back to the top after a heartbreak is unmatched. Motivated by the crushing 32-31 defeat against CBASyracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome (Carrier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Syracuse. Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we were supposed to do, weathered several storms, weathered injuries, and we got it done,” said the second-year head coach. Wasting no time on the big stage, Ravi Dass (3 Rec, 2 TDs) answered the call on the opening return, taking it all the way to the Tigers’ 39, then catching an 18-yard pass from Matt Fitzsimons for the rst touchdown 22 seconds into the game. “Walking out as state champs, it’s awesome,” said the senior receiver. e defense’s turn, George Forbes (6 Tk) began his Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Winning is always great. But making your way back to the top after a heartbreak is unmatched. Motivated by the crushing 32-31 defeat against CBASyracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome (Carrier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Syracuse. Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win Ravi Dass put his team ahead early with two huge touchdowns. SEE CHAMPIONS PAGE 18 The 2022 Tuskers cemented themselves in Somers history with the 58-21 win over Union-Endicott. PHOTOS: CHRIS SMAJLAJ HOPEMAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker cell: 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Your House Could Be the #1 Item on a Homebuyer’s Wish List During the Holidays Each year, homeowners planning to make a move are faced with a decision: sell their house during the holidays or wait. And others who have already listed their homes may think about removing their listings and waiting until the new year to go back on the market. The truth is many buyers want to purchase a home for the holidays, and your house might be just what they’re looking for. Call me for a no-obligation consultation about selling your home and the 5 great reasons you shouldn't wait until Spring. #UGottaHaveHope Thursday, December 8, 2022 rier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we were supposed to do, weathered several storms, weathered injuries, and we got it done,” said the second-year head coach. Wasting no time on the big stage, Ravi Dass (3 Rec, 2 TDs) answered the call on the opening return, taking it all the way to the Tigers’ 39, then catching an 18-yard pass from Matt Fitzsimons for the rst touchdown 22 seconds into the game. “Walking out as state champs, it’s awesome,” said the senior receiver. e defense’s turn, George Forbes (6 Tk) began his Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win SEE CHAMPIONS PAGE 18 MAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Thursday, December 15, 2022 Vol. 11 No. 36 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 37 CLASSIFIEDS 39 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 2 LEGAL NOTICES 37 LEISURE 31 OBITUARIES 9 OPINION 10 SPORTS 24 Toys for Tots pg 3 GIVING BACK Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. PHOTO: ROB DISTASIO BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER e Somers Board of Education got its rst o cial peek last week at the scal fallout from the settlement of the old PepsiCo property’s tax certiorari case. Also cited for their potential impact on local pocketbooks were fuel and electricity costs, which are rising at an “alarming” rate, according to the school district’s assistant superintendent for business, Chris Platania. Platania presented trustees and the public with an initial overview of the 2023-24 school budget on Tuesday, Dec. 6. ere won’t be preliminary numbers to share until after the governor’s rst budget comes out in January and the district gets a clue about what its state aid is going to be. TAXING CIRCUMSTANCES e 206-acre PepsiCo property, along with its 540,000-squarefoot o ce, o Route 35 was sold in 2015 to Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim Helú for $87 million. e new owners, listed as One P Way LLC, went on to challenge their real estate tax assessment as well as that of the old IBM campus’ on Route 100, which Slim had acquired in 2017. e former tax certiorari case was Board of Education begins budget process The Somers community got into the holiday spirit at the tree lighting ceremony outside The Elephant Hotel on Dec. 4. See more photos on page 22! Oh Christmas tr ee! SEE BUDGET PAGE 33 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 “Hope is quite simply the best agent I’ve ever come across in all my years living in Westchester County. Her complete knowledge of the market in the area has impressed even a skeptic like me. Once you hire her, she will represent you at every step in your journey with enthusiasm, professionalism and candor. She is a woman with smarts and integrity and does so much to help others even when she stands to gain nothing for herself. Hope is a quality human being that you should have on your team. I can’t say enough about Hope other than #UGottaHaveHope!” — TI, Somers about Your Local Expert! Rave Reviews Rave Reviews