BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 26 CLASSIFIEDS 27 FOX TRACKS 4 LEISURE 20 OBITUARIES 21 OPINION 8 Hillside Food Outreach pg 14 DANCE OFF! VOL. 3 NO. 3 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST CALDWELL, NJ PERMIT #992 JUNE 6 –JULY 2, 2024 Visit News.HalstonMedia.com for the latest news. The community gathered outside Village Hall in Mount Kisco. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN MIKE LAWLER On Monday, May 27, our communities gathered in observance of Memorial Day, paying respect to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Remember & Honor BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER The woodchips have really hit the fan in Mount Kisco. Local volunteers and village officials went toe to toe recently over what the former see as a personal affront and the latter, as an attempt to bring things back under control. At the center of the dust-up was an email sent to members of the Mount Kisco Historic/ Nature Trail Team by Village Manager Ed Brancati. He opened by thanking the volunteers for “all the work that you have done and continue to do for the village.” Then Brancati dropped the other shoe, informing the team that -- effective immediately -- it was to cease working on any village property, including conservation areas. That meant no removal of invasive plants or diseased trees, no picking up of trash or debris, no pulling of weeds, and no spreading of woodchips. Until further notice, that type of work was to be done solely by “full-time, paid employees” of the village – namely members of the Department of Public Works -- under Brancati’s direction or anyone that he designates, the email said without explaining the exact reasons for the change. The move impacts the trail team and other closely entwined entities such as the Conservation Advisory Council and the Mount Kisco Historical Society. Volunteers do everything from hosting nature/history walks, monitoring, maintaining, and making maps of the village’s walking trails, and Village and volunteers clash over property maintenance SEE TRAILS PAGE 19 5-bedroom, 5 1/2 bathroom 4,751 sf - 2.09 acres NEW CONSTRUCTION - READY AUGUST, 2024 - Step into the future of sophisticated living in this architectural gem situated in one of Bedford’s foremost estate areas. This exquisite residence, set on a serene cul-de-sac, spans over 2.09 acres of level and beautifully landscaped grounds, featuring an approved pool site for your private oasis. Time to customize! Off ered at $2,845,000 #UGottaHaveHope 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 Just Listed
PAGE 2 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 BY TOM BARTLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER As the calendar turned into June, Bedford lawmakers were considering important changes in the regulation of gasoline-powered leaf blowers and the financing of open-space acquisitions. The blowers—noisy, virtually everyone agrees, but necessary, many maintain, for heavy-duty leaf cleanup—could see their permitted use this fall increased from two weeks to six. And buying up land in the name of preservation could be financed as soon as next year by a one-time fee on the town’s most expensive real estate deals, not the property taxes that have funded acquisitions up to now. Both subjects were expected to be taken up at the Town Board’s June 4 meeting, after The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times went to press (visit news.halstonmedia.com for June 4 meeting coverage). Leaf Blowers A proposed easing of Bedford noise restrictions would give gasoline-powered leaf blowers six weeks, from late October to midDecember, to clear away this autumn’s fallen leaves. The change, not totally unexpected and scheduled for a June 4 public hearing, would scrap for now a tightening that would have limited the machines to only two weeks for the fall cleanup. Set down in a 2022 revision to noise regulations, the tighter window relied in part on expected improvements in batteries powering electric blowers. But battery technology has not yet achieved that strength, Supervisor Ellen Calves said in an email interview last month. “We have heard support for the fall window staying where it was last fall,” she said, “which Bedford examines leaf blower regulations BY TOM WALOGORSKY EDITOR Voters in the Bedford Central School District turned out on May 21, opting to approve the district’s proposed 2024-25 budget of $155,825,000 by a measure of 794-299. The Board of Education election was uncontested, seeing incumbent Steven Matlin and Lisa Mitchell elected to three-year terms with 696 and 874 votes, respectively. “I want to thank the voters for overwhelmingly supporting the budget for next school year,” said Matlin following his re-election. “I am also honored to be able to serve our community for another three years. Our primary focus for the upcoming year must be on the rollout of our Science of Reading based literacy curriculum. We only get one chance to get this right. The board and administration must dedicate most of its time and resources next year to this key initiative.” Also focusing on the work ahead was Board of Education newcomer Lisa Mitchell. “BCSD is ahead of the curve on implementing curricula aligned to the science of reading,” explained Mitchell. “Thanks to the work of the current board, administration, teachers, and consultants, the district has selected evidencebased curricula that will better serve our students. I’m pleased that a bilingual curriculum was selected for the dual language program at MKES, and that all our schools will benefit from an approach rooted in teaching and learning. It will be essential that we support our teachers in successfully implementing these new materials with fidelity, and I see that as a priority this summer and throughout the school year. I am also invested in better understanding the operational systems and processes in the district, and look forward to partnering with the board and administration to leverage our strengths and fine tune areas for improvement.” Voters approve Bedford school budget Mitchell and Matlin elected to Board of Ed SEE BEDFORD PAGE 24 The Bedford Town Board meeting in Cherry Street office building PHOTO: TOM BARTLEY 1. Clip the short form on the page 2.Fill out the information. 3.Mail it to P.O. Box 864, Mahopac, NY 10541 4.Or Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com 5.Or Scan our QR Code to Subscribe. We need you to subscribe. is NOT necessarily good news! It’s FREE & it’s Easy! 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 Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times YES, I really enjoy The Mt. 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JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 3 HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com Great Food and Great Place for Special Parties BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Jonathan Vigliotti has always been drawn to the natural world. While growing up in Mount Kisco, he loved to explore the woodlands, meadows, marshes, ponds, and streams near his home. One day, the youngster commandeered one of his parents’ chairs and dragged it deep into the woods where he sat drinking in the sounds of leaves rustling, birds calling, bugs buzzing, and squirrels chittering. It was when the coyotes started yapping and howling that Vigliotti decided to hightail it out of there, leaving the family furniture behind. These days he’s much more likely to head towards danger than away from it. Now 41 and a CBS News national and foreign correspondent, Vigliotti has spent two decades reporting from the front lines of the climate crisis, around America and across the world. The award-winning, bootson-the-ground journalist has braved wildfires in California and Hawaii, rushed into war zones, chased hurricanes in Louisiana, diabolical dust storms in Arizona, and record-breaking tornadoes in Arkansas, climbed ancient redwoods, and dodged kamikaze iguanas in Florida. He’s also witnessed rapidly eroding coastlines in Massachusetts and the fallout from a collapsing fishing industry in Alaska due to rising ocean levels and warming temperatures. America is at a crossroads, Vigliotti warns in his newly published book, “Before It’s Gone: Stories from the Frontline of Climate Change in Small-Town America.” But it’s not game over, yet. “I like to think the book is more filled with hope than anything else,” he told The Mount Kisco-Bedford Times recently. Vigliotti’s on-camera work has appeared on CBS Sunday Morning, Face the Nation, 48 Hours, and other media platforms. His reporting has taken him to more than 40 countries and territories across six continents. Colombo. The Gaza Strip. The West Bank. Istanbul. Dublin. Nairobi. Tel Aviv. Nice. Sydney. Syria. Marrakesh. Rome. Tonga. Beirut. Paris. Auckland. Edinburgh. These were places that he says he was only able to dream about while flipping through old National Geographics in the basement of his parents’ Mount Kisco home. Highlighting Humanity Vigliotti tackles each assignment with both an archivist’s zeal and compassion for each person, community, landmark, and tradition tragically impacted by what he calls “radicalized weather” or under threat by impending ecological disasters. By putting a human face on things, he makes it relatable and shows that the repercussions of global warming are no longer just a theory, they are reality. (His story about Cindy Miller, a 14-year-old girl killed when a tree fell on her Leesville, La., home during Hurricane Laura in 2020 was especially heart-rending.) Vigliotti dedicated “Before It’s Gone” to his dad, Ralph, a retired school principal and current president of the Mount Kisco Historical Society. Ralph said he’s proud that his son’s stories have been able shed light on the science of climate change and of the way “Before It’s Gone” connected the dots and explained things “in a way that’s easy to understand.” Early on, Jonathan was a bit resistant to his dad’s suggestion that he keep journals on every story he was working, saying he didn’t have the time. But he eventually came around. At last count, he had filled 30 journals with names, dates, places, observations, and other details that came in very handy when he finally sat down to write the book. “He captured everything in written form,” Ralph said. Vigliotti has an older and a younger brother, who while not intrepid reporters, are also very “adventuresome,” according to proud mom and retired educator, Diane. Greg, the youngest, likes to rock climb and Marc, the oldest, trekked a good section of the Appalachian Trail by himself at the tender age of 13. He went back as an adult and did the whole thing. It was Diane who let the cat out of the bag about Jonathan’s near encounter of the coyote kind. Calling her son extremely “selfmotivated,” she’s not surprised that he focuses on the climate crisis because it “goes hand in hand with his love of nature.” Vigliotti and his husband, Ivan, Jonathan Vigliotti Mount Kisco native examines climate change in new book CBS news correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti gets ready to broadcast from the scene of a wildfire in Sonoma County, California. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN DURAN Vigliotti out in the field for CBS News PHOTO COURTESY OF CARLOS ASCENCIO SEE VIGLIOTTI PAGE 22
PAGE 4 – MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES The Staff EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky (845) 661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director Photographer [email protected] DESIGNERS Noah Elder Bri Agosta Haven Elder Jacob Elder EXECUTIVE TEAM Brett Freeman CEO & Publisher 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times The deadline for advertisements and editorial submissions is the Wednesday before the next publication date. For more information, call Tom Walogorsky at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected] Location 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY HALSTON MEDIA, LLC ©2024 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 914-277-4424 440 Rt 22 • North Salem, NY www.theblazerpub.com CELEBRATING 521 YEARS! 52 CELEBRATING 521 YEARS! Congrats to Grads & Happy Dads! Your One-Stop Shop for Deck Building Materials Mahopac Railroad Tie Experts in Deck Lumber 911 Route 6, Mahopac, NY • 845-628-8111 • www.decklumber.com DECKING & RAILING FOX TRACKS Bedford 2030 www.bedford2030.org Let’s Talk Panel Discussion Tuesday, June 11, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Fear, despair, uncertainty— these are all common emotions when contemplating the fate of our warming planet. How do we cope, stay hopeful, and work towards solutions to climate change? Join in for a thoughtprovoking discussion led by mental health professionals who actively focus on climate change in their practices. Bedford 2030 is hosting a special discussion as part of Bedford Playhouse’s Let’s Talk series. Everyone, including high school students and adults of all ages, is invited to participate in this community conversation. Climate Triggers: Understanding how environmental changes affect our mental health. Eco-Anxiety: Coping strategies for managing anxiety related to climate change. Cultivating Hope: Exploring ways to stay hopeful and actively engage in positive change. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights, share experiences, and explore strategies for maintaining mental wellness in the face of climate change. Reserve your tickets now at Bedfordplayhouse.org. Bedford Bears Hockey Registration Now Open Come be a part of the Bears Family! Players are invited to join the 6U or 8U Mites today. The Bedford Katonah Hockey Association is a non-profit organization that competes at Tier III youth hockey level. The teams play their home games on the Harvey School campus in Evarts Rink. For more information, visit www.bedfordbearshockey.com Play It Forward Adaptive Skate Clinic Saturday, June 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A free adaptive skate clinic, supporting the organization’s goal of empowering children, adults, and veterans with disabilities to overcome barriers through adaptive sports. Programs strive to forge an inclusive world where disabilities do not limit potential by creating a sense of inclusion and personal growth while inspiring self-discovery and community empowerment through transformative experiences. For more information, visit www.wheelingforward.org/ playitforward Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce www.mtkiscochamber.com Chalk the Walk Saturday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring your creativity to Kisco’s downtown to celebrate diversity and respect for others. The MKCC invites you to “Chalk the Walk” and share your positive message in support of our freedoms through artistic expression. Pails of chalk will be placed along the sidewalks of Main Street and So. Moger Avenue for your enjoyment. Friday Night Food Trucks Friday, June 14, at 5:30 p.m. Come enjoy an evening of great food and entertainment with your friends and family! Each Friday Night Food Truck event will feature a variety of food trucks, a kids/family activity and live music! To be held at Bedford Hills Memorial Park at 60 Haines Road in Bedford Hills. Pound Ridge Partnership www.poundridgepartnership. org Free Father’s Day Concert Sunday, June 16, at 11 a.m. Ramblin Dan will entertain the whole family. Start Father’s Day with the best children’s musical action the NYC scene! To be held at The Green in Scotts Corners, 77 Westchester Avenue in Pound Ridge. Juneteenth in Pound Ridge Wednesday, June 19, at 7 p.m. Continuing the tradition of celebrating Juneteenth with live SEE TRACKS PAGE 5
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 5 music, this year organizers are thrilled to welcome Tamar Greene (George Washington in Hamilton on Broadway); Stephanie Umoh (Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton’s National Tour); and Dan Micciche (musical director of Wicked on Broadway)! Bring your families, bring your picnic blankets, and join us for a free Broadway concert on the Green! 10th Annual Run for Recovery 5K Walk/Run Run 4 Recovery, Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, Search for Change and the Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK) proudly announces the kickoff of the 10th Annual Run for Recovery to celebrate National Recovery Month this September. This year’s event will support individuals on their journey toward recovery while providing a fun-filled day for all members of the community. The in-person 5K will take place on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at FDR State Park, with the option to participate virtually throughout the month. This year’s Run for Recovery will feature an on-site Save A Life Wellness Fair, providing attendees with access to crucial resources and information. Additionally, a virtual tool will debut on race day, connecting the public to essential resources year-round. In a unique opportunity for local businesses and groups to sponsor a meaningful initiative, the Run for Recovery invites participation and sponsorship from all sectors of the community. By joining forces, Run 4 Recovery, Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, Search for Change and the Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK), sponsors contribute to fostering community well-being and supporting individuals in need. Now is the time to come together as a community to support individuals in reclaiming their lives. You can participate in the Run for Recovery by visiting the event’s fundraising page via text at RUN4RECOVERY to 71-777 or by going to https://bit. ly/RunforRecovery to Register, Sponsor, or Donate. For further information about this event or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Philomena Rivalsi at (914) 428-5600 ext. 9226 or via email at privalsi@ searchforchange.org. Rugby Camp July 22 - 25 Improve your rugby skills and have serious fun! Harvey School in Katonah is proud to offer a 4-day (5th optional day), non-contact rugby camp, catering to prospective and experienced rugby players aged 8 years through 14 years. Located on the beautiful Harvey School campus, the camp will focus on building the skills and knowledge required to play rugby at all levels. The camp, led by Nic Denyer and Lisa Lake, will offer training and instruction from USA Rugby coaches and seasoned college and high school coaches. The staff will follow basic principles of rugby and will execute a small-group approach, allowing each camper to directly interact with coaches and instructors throughout the week.For more information emailmbonelli@harveyschool. org or visit www.harveyschool. org/ athletics/summer- athletic-programs 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 Marietta Manoni at mmanoni@ fsw.org Mount Kisco Seniors Craft Sale Friday, Nov. 18 & Saturday, Nov. 19 To be held at Mount Kisco Library, 100 East. Main Street. Proceeds to benefit programs at the Fox Senior Center. Rock n’ Rescue Charity Golf Tournament Wednesday, June 12 South Salem’s Rock n’ Rescue will hold their annual golf tournament at Richter Park Golf Course in Danbury, Connecticut. Funds raised will go towards updating a new Rock n’ Rescue facility and the expansion of the organization’s animal adoption and therapy programs. Programs are entirely funded by donations, and the organization does not receive any government subsidies. The golf tournament serves as one of Rock n’ Rescue’s primary fundraisers for all of their programs. Fees are $200 per person, or $800 per foursome. Individual golfers and twosomes will be paired into foursomes. Guests may attend the dinner for $85 per person. The tournament includes driving range, golfer swag bag, and a dinner with silent and live auction/raffle festivities for golfers and guests following the tournament. Sign up is available by visiting https://bit.ly/49LmRXK 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. This 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 confidential. TRACKS FROM PAGE 4 Men’s Health Month underscores the importance of proactive health management. If you or the men in your life have been neglecting health concerns, seize this opportunity to initiate positive changes. Here are some healthy lifestyle tips: Men’s Health Matters: Taking Charge of Wellness For more health and wellness tips, scan the QR code or visit optum.com/medicalcare • Get fit: According to the CDC, adults aged 18-64 should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, along with muscle-strengthening exercises of all major muscle groups at least twice a week. For those 65 and older, balance-improving activities are also recommended. Before ramping up your activity level, consult your doctor for personalized advice on the best types and amounts of exercise for you. • Eat healthy: For a healthy diet, prioritize fruits and veggies, aiming to fill half your plate with them. • Have regular check-ups: These are crucial for early problem detection, as recommended by the CDC. Discuss with your doctor about necessary screenings and vaccine updates. • Seek help: Men may be less likely to seek help for mental health issues. Addressing mental health is essential for encouraging men to seek support. Coping with stress: • Prioritize self-care • Ensure sufficient sleep • Exercise regularly • Avoid tobacco and illegal substances • Maintain a balanced diet Reach out for support: • Discuss your concerns and feelings with trusted individuals. • Engage with your community or faith-based groups. • Confide in a friend, or community leader, or seek professional assistance from your doctor for additional support and resources to regain joy in life. Remember, prioritizing health isn’t just an act of self-care—it’s a gift to oneself and loved ones, ensuring a healthier and happier tomorrow. Optum Medical Care, P.C. (“Optum Medical Care”) is a physician owned and led practice having complete authority for all medical decision-making and patient care through its physicians and other licensed professionals. Optum, through its owned management organizations, provides non-clinical administrative services to support Optum Medical Care and its physicians. Neither Optum nor its management companies employs, engages, or supervises physicians or other licensed professionals, or determines or sets the methods, standards, or conduct of the practice of medicine or health care provided by Optum Medical Care or by any of its licensed professionals. “Part of Optum” reflects that Optum Medical Care is part of Optum’s effort to support forward-thinking physician practices in helping their patients live healthier lives. Optum is a registered trademark of Optum, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. All other brand or product names are the property of their respective owners. Because we are continuously improving our products and services, Optum reserves the right to change specifications without prior notice. Optum is an equal opportunity employer. © 2024 Optum, Inc. All rights reserved. 06/24
PAGE 6 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER The restoration of the historic Merestead property, an estate that straddles the Mount Kisco-Bedford line, can now get underway thanks to two momentous developments. The first came in April when a state Supreme Court judge’s order lifted and modified longstanding restrictions – at Westchester County’s request – to better align with the intent and purposes of the 130-acre estate’s donors, Dr. Robert Lee Patterson Jr. and Margaret Sloan Patterson. Merestead, Scottish for farmland, is known for its 1906 28- room Georgian Revival mansion, artwork, and gardens. The Patterson family deeded the mansion and land to the county in 1982. It became the county’s property in 2000 when Sloane Patterson died. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Properties. Sloane Patterson was the wife of orthopedic surgeon Robert Patterson and the daughter of William Sloane (1873-1922) who was president of W&J Sloane. The landmark decision allows the county greater autonomy over the property’s management and unlocks crucial funds for community use. Specifics of the judge’s order include that the majority of monies from trust accounts associated with Merestead will now be freed for use at Merestead, that a trust account be established for the remaining funds, that the county be able to draw 5 percent each year to cover ongoing maintenance costs and new development projects, and introduces a “Collections Management Policy,” which will provide a structured approach to managing the estate’s valuable assets, including artwork and other items. In other words, the county now have the funding to fulfill its dream of turning Merestead into a recreational and cultural mecca. The second arrived in May when County Executive George Latimer signed into law a $1.5 million bond act to finance a capital project involved Merestead’s “out buildings.” It will pay for the cost of additional design, construction, and administration services associated with the restoration of Merestead’s farmhouse. (That figure incorporates $400,000 in previously authorized county bonds.) The judge’s decision “signifies a significant step forward in our efforts to preserve and enhance Merestead for future generations,” Latimer said, pledging to uphold Sloane Patterson’s “vision for her family home.” Bedford Supervisor Ellen Calves was thrilled to see the restoration of such an important historical asset to be able to continue. “We look forward to having this park as a beautiful place for neighbors and residents to enjoy,” she said. Equally pleased, Bedford historian John Stockbridge said that the state’s move to transfer Merestead to county management “marks a significant turning point, unlocking resources to breathe new life into the neglected 1860 farmhouse.” The farmhouse was built more than 40 years before Merestead’s construction, he noted, adding that “for over 160 years, it has provided the town with an agrarian treasure” because of its roadside location and “beautiful supporting landscapes.” “It must be saved,” Stockbridge said. Among those on hand at the Merestead restoration moves forward Westchester County Executive George Latimer signs into law a Bond Act for the restoration of the farmhouse at Merestead Park in Mount Kisco. SEE MERESTEAD PAGE 23 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER It looks like the upcoming Mount Kisco elections will be contested after all. In March, Democrats endorsed seven-term Trustee Karen Schleimer and party chair Tom Luzio for the two open seats on the Village Board. Now throwing their hats in the ring are Braille Diaz and John Mullen, who’ve confirmed that they will run as a team on the independent Village Inclusive Party line. (There are no Republican candidates.) The young challengers told The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times on Sunday, May 26, that while they’ve already secured enough signatures on their nominating petitions, they planned to continue circulating them. The New candidates declare for Mount Kisco election SEE CANDIDATES PAGE 25 Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • Wills, Trusts & Estates Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 16 consecutive years CALL NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 914.948.1500 When did you last update your last will and testament and power of attorney?
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 7 Stop by in store or order online at phatoliveoil.com From olive oils and balsamic vinegars to hot sauces and salts, our products are perfect for the dad who loves great flavors. Whether he’s a foodie or just enjoys delicious meals, it’s a gift that adds zest to his life. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @phatoliveoil Summer! There are so many amazing opportunities for fun, volunteering, and exploring. The Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce has many exciting plans for the upcoming months. June is Pride Month, and we will host our annual Chalk the Walk on Saturday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Businesses will have sidewalk chalk outside their shops for you to leave messages. Please be kind and creative, leaving words or pictures of hope, understanding, inclusiveness, and positivity. Find the list of participating businesses on our website, www.mtkiscochamber.com, and our social media. Our downtown looks beautiful with the many hanging flower baskets and large planters at several intersections that the Village has put up and maintains. Thank you to the Village and a special shout out to DPW for watering, and to Michelle Terlizzi, owner of Michael’s Garden Gate Nursery! The Chamber has partnered with the Mount Kisco Arts Council to beautify the Gazebo on So. Moger Ave. as our “Adopt an Area.” Nato Cambareri and Isi Albanese started this program in an effort to defray costs and time for the village. We hope you can reap the benefits of this beautification project. Recently, the board of the Chamber took part in the Beautification Committee’s annual program of cleaning a specific street. We chose Main St. from Frannie’s to Moore Ave. and collected quite a bit of debris. We would like to ask people to toss their garbage into the numerous refuse bins. Otherwise, it only serves to make our village look like we do not care - and most of us do. Businesses also need to ensure that the space in front and back of their shops is swept clean. It truly makes a difference. Thank you! Coming up: Restaurant Week in August! We are excited to present this year’s theme: Watermelon! Stay tuned for participating food-based members’ offerings. It may be a specialty beverage, dessert, or main dish, all incorporating watermelon. Oh yum, how refreshing! More information is coming shortly, so start using your imagination. Enjoy your summer, maybe you are off on an adventure away from Mount Kisco, but if in town, explore some of the shops you are unfamiliar with, dine at a few of the outstanding restaurants, enjoy free concerts at Fountain Park (info on the Mount Kisco Arts Council Facebook and Instagram pages), pick some veggies grown in the Tower Garden at the library, hike one of the wooded Trails, buy a Pool Pass for the gorgeous Memorial Pool at Leonard Park, play Pickle Ball, or see a movie. There’s no shortage of great ways to spend your days and evenings in Mount Kisco. The Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce is also spending the summer getting ready for the biggest, most thrilling, Block Party of the year—SeptemberFest! We are planning for some of the same showstoppers and can’t wait to unveil the new and fun things we are working on - showing off Mount Kisco and what we offer. Contact the Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce if you would like to participate and/or volunteer at [email protected] or 914-666-7525 Matt Grasso Board President, Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce Corner Fox Lane High School’s Chamber Orchestra was recently awarded its third consecutive Gold with Distinction rating on a level 6 at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Majors — the highest level of difficulty and honors achievable at NYSSMA Majors in New York State. Congratulations to Rachel Agnello, Anushka Arvind Sriram, Cami Bly, Jordan Brown, Catherine Cerone, Eliana Chiarello, Clare Dorgan, Miko Drouot, Oliver Fishlin, Samuel Griff, Lauren Horowitz, Jonah Kim, Liliana Kimble, Hannah Laskaris, Aggie Mazurek, Lily Moore, Tyler Nakajima-Graham, Chase Tynan, Meg Uday, Alexander Wolf-Cynamon, Emma Xiong and Isabella Zapsky! Gold standard! PHOTO COURTESY OF BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
PAGE 8 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES 118 N, BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2024 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 Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please send your submissions to the editor by e-mail at [email protected]. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830 BRETT FREEMAN, PUBLISHER TOM WALOGORSKY , EDITOR TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Editorial Office: 914-302-5830 [email protected]. JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 Happily Ever After Ten years ago, I joined the board of Allied Community Enterprises – ACE, which is an affordable housing advocacy group. In addition to providing education and raising awareness about affordable housing and the lack of it, the group also develops properties for qualified applicants. The experience has given me a greater appreciation for the challenges related to building more affordable housing options. During my decade on the board, we developed and sold two properties. One in Croton Falls and the other in Mount Vernon. The amount of effort and time, mostly by our executive director and president, was substantial. Clearly, for them, it was a labor of love with an emphasis on the labor. Navigating the maze of government regulations for grants as well as preparing the property for marketing to qualified buyers was overwhelming, not to mention local zoning issues and building code requirements to bring the properties “up to code.” The property that was developed in Mount Vernon was a lesson in “no good deed goes unpunished.” ACE bought a property off of the foreclosure rolls just before COVID struck. The ensuing three years were spent negotiating with contractors, the City of Mount Vernon’s building inspector and their affordable housing corporation. Bringing the property up to modern codes added tens of thousands to the cost. Ripping out the sheet rock and replacing four inches of insulation with six was just one example. The effort was rewarded with a bill for years of back taxes and penalties. There has to be a better way. There is affordable housing and then there is housing that is affordable. The former is housing that comes through the red tape and government system of grants, rules and subsidies; the latter occurs organically via the market, or as “naturally occuring.” Building naturally occurring affordable housing is where we could make the most progress. Interestingly, improving the availability of affordable housing is something that unites the left and right. The cost of housing has risen much faster than inflation and it is impacting family formation and fertility, since young people wait much longer to get married and have children, if they decide to have children at all. The economy takes a hit because of the loss of mobility. People can’t take that new job in a new place because they can’t find housing within an acceptable commuting distance. Affordable housing: Challenges, solutions & a path forward DON SCOTT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT I ’ve written about Pawling in this space plenty of times before. If you haven’t actually been there, you are at least probably aware of its existence. It is a small community of about 7,000 people located in the southeastern corner of Dutchess County. That is what the population was back when I graduated high school in 1976. I had always imagined that due to the megalopolis effect (the expanding growth of urban areas), within a few decades it would grow to 20,000... maybe 30,000 people. Well, 50 years later the population of Pawling is, um, about 7,000. It was always anticipated that the stretch of Route 22, from about the state troopers’ barracks/Red Rooster area in Brewster up to Pawling (and maybe even beyond) would expand to six lanes, and just become a continuation of I-684. As a young man, I was excited about that idea. Maybe Pawling would become a thriving metropolis filled with culture, music, art and progressive ideas. I thought that if I couldn’t move to the city, maybe the city would move to me. Obviously, that never happened. And I am so glad it didn’t. I am not sure why the town never grew even just a little bit in the last four decades. I think some wanted to see it trapped in time, a relic of a bygone “Leave it to Beaver” era when women wore pearls while they vacuumed, and men wore jackets and ties to baseball games. Many of you might know of Daryl’s House. It is the club/restaurant venue in Pawling owned by Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates fame. It serves great food and has amazing international acts that come and perform there on an almost nightly basis. It is truly a gem of midHudson Valley. A couple of years ago, the club wanted to expand its outdoor seating for its gospel brunches and some other performances because they’d grown in popularity. We are talking about a few dozen extra seats, not hundreds. It went before the planning board, and the board made rumblings about how it wouldn’t approve such an expansion. (Too many people, too much noise.) But the club said, well, this is what we need to do to survive financially, so either figure out a way to make it happen or we will close down and move somewhere that is more business-friendly. I was terrified that the town planners would just double down and that would be the end of it, but fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and the board decided this was not the hill they wanted to die on. A compromise was eventually reached. As you know, the club is still there and is thriving. So, the one thing in town that actually put Pawling on the map was saved. (When I lived in L.A., I met folks who knew of Pawling simply because of Daryl’s House even though they’d never been My brush with greatness BOB DUMAS OUT OF MY HEAD SEE SCOTT PAGE 9 SEE DUMASPAGE 9
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 OPINION THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 9 HOME FURNISHINGS • MATTRESSES • KIDS’ ROOMS • HOME OFFICE • LIGHTING • WINDOW TREATMENTS • RUGS • ART • DECOR VISIT OUR 30,000 SQ FT BEDFORD HILLS SHOWROOM: 230 RTE 117 BYPASS ROAD, 914.241.7000 COUNTRYWILLOW.COM COMPLIMENTARY DESIGN SERVICES SUMMER LIVING SHOP OUR EXTENSIVE COLLECTION I recommend an entertaining and funny graphic novel, “Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation” by Bryan Caplan, a George Mason economics professor and illustrated by Ady Branzei. The format is a great way to break down an otherwise dry topic and capture my short attention span. As the title implies, the only way to solve the housing crisis is by a dramatic increase in building fueled by deregulating housing. Local changes in approaches to zoning are more desirable than top down solutions coming from Albany, like last year’s failed attempt by Gov. Hochul to rezone large swaths of local communities to promote transit oriented development. Rezoning selected areas and changing non safety-related building codes to make them more attractive to affordable development will have to come locally. The big gains will naturally come from the more urban areas where large developments make more sense economically because of existing density and sewer and water infrastructure. But that doesn’t mean that opportunities don’t exist in semi rural areas like ours. Thoughtful mixed use development not only could provide more housing opportunities, it could have a positive impact on the vitality of downtown areas, which is a major challenge for many of our suburban towns. There is no time better than the present to act. SCOTT FROM PAGE 8 out of the state of California.) What seemed to escape Pawling officials at the time, is that it was more than just about the club. It was about the entire business community. Hundreds of people from all over the tri-state area would come to the club and then head out into the community and patronize other businesses while they were in town. It was a total shot in the arm for the local economy. While Daryl Hall doesn’t live in Pawling (he’s just across the border in Connecticut), over the years there have been some pretty iconic figures who have called that place home, and that eventually led to my brush with greatness. “Brush with Greatness” was a bit David Letterman did in which viewers would call in and recount their humorous encounters with celebrities. Pawling has some celebrities—Randy Levine, president of the NY Yankees (he would donate tickets to local fundraising raffles), Sally Jessy Raphael (the former daytime talk show host) and the famously baritone actor James Earl Jones, to name a few. But it also was the home of some iconic historical figures as well. Thomas E. Dewey lived there. (For a while, Pawling even had a museum dedicated to all things Dewey.) Quick history lesson: Dewey was a New York City district attorney who went after the mob and played a big part in tempering the Mafia’s influence (not unlike Guiliani) and he eventually became governor of New York. He twice ran unsuccessfully for president as the G.O.P. nominee. In 1948, he lost to Democrat Harry Truman in what is widely considered to be the greatest presidential election upset in U.S. history. There is the famous picture of Truman smiling and holding up the Chicago Tribune with a front page headline that read, “Dewey Defeats Truman!”, which, of course, he did not. Back in Pawling, a Republican town to say the least, they were gearing up to throw a huge parade in honor of their native son. But it was a parade that never stepped off. Now, I wasn’t born yet when this all happened, but my dad, one of a handful of Democrats in town at the time, loved to tell the story and even years later he couldn’t recall it without a snicker and tinge of devilish glee in his voice. One of Pawling’s other great celebrities was a gentleman named Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. (You’re always famous when you get to use three names.) Peale shot to fame in the 1950s when he wrote a self-help book called “The Power of Positive Thinking.” The book came under fire from both mental health experts and theologians alike because it was filled with anecdotes from unverifiable sources. So, of course, something that sketchy instantly became a bestseller. It spent 48 weeks at No. 1 on The New York Times Bestseller List. Running on the popularity generated by the book (he wrote many more), Peale created The Foundation for Christian Living (FCL) and built a small campus in the middle of the Pawling village. They employed dozens and dozens of locals over the years. Many teens, including myself, got summer jobs there working on the maintenance crew. What exactly FCL did—other than generate revenue—was never really clear. One thing they did was take paid prayer requests. For a simple cash donation, Peale and his employees would pray for you to find solace. For example, “Dear Dr. Peale, My daughter is 17, pregnant, and addicted to cocaine. She has been arrested six times. Would you please pray for her salvation? Here are 10 bucks.” If the writer ponied up the appropriate fee, a slip of paper got passed around to the employees who could then pray for the girl’s salvation. No money? Well, no salvation. Folks could also buy one of Peale’s many books and pay a little extra to have it autographed. The thing is the good doc didn’t actually sign the book himself. They had a machine that replicated Peale’s signature to do it. I saw it. Years later, after I took over as the managing editor of the local paper, I was invited to FCL for some type of outdoor event they were having. They wanted the paper to cover it and I thought, “Sure, why not?” I got there and they had tents set up all around the big sprawling lawn. A DUMAS FROM PAGE 8 SEE DUMASPAGE 10
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JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 OPINION THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 11 KNOCKOUT 30: Get ready to unlock your inner champion with our 30-minute boxing class! KICKBOXING: Experience the hype firsthand with Patrick Consing. These classes offer a dynamic workout that will challenge and energize you. UNLOCK YOUR INNER CHAMPION FOR MORE INFO CONTACT ANNIE AT [email protected] BART FROM PAGE 10 at Ambleside, which Hodgson estimates has a clientele split evenly between expats and local families. The pub honors British drinking traditions, serving imperial pints and promoting the camaraderie of buying rounds. Ambleside’s partnership with Old Glenham Brewery ensures a supply of cask ales, brewed in a traditional manner that emphasizes natural ingredients and processes. Old Glenham founder and brewer Ian Hatton explained, “Cask Brewing utilizes natural aspects: Water, grain, hops and yeast. That’s it. No filtering, no pasteurization, no chemicals to make it seem like something else. It has essentially been brewed the same way since the Middle Ages!!!. The main differentiator compared to ‘regular ales’ is that cask ales are taken out of the fermenter a little earlier and finished off naturally fermenting in the cask (no CO2 added). The beer is always alive as it’s never served below 50 degrees.” This is not warm for a beer and is actually right in the range that fuller flavor American beers should be served. Also, ice cold beer dulls your taste buds! OK, I’ll come off my soapbox. The food at Ambleside is freshly made, featuring British classics like fish and chips, pies, and pasties. They plan to introduce Sunday Roasts soon. Our meal of shepherd’s pie, mushy peas, and fish and chips was delicious and authentic. Visiting Ambleside required a shift from our usual dining expectations, but it was a rewarding experience that enhanced our sense of community. I encourage you to visit and share your thoughts on this intriguing adaptation of British pub culture. Cheers! The Katonah Beer Man can be reached at TheKatonahBeerMan@ gmail.com or visit thekatonahbeerman.wordpress. com. Please check out our friends at Vista Beverage, vistabeerandbeverage.com; 204 Oakridge Commons, South Salem; 914-533-7512. Being raised in an Italian Catholic family in Providence, RI, Sundays were sacrosanct. Each week we went to the 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. Mass. The 9 was the kid’s Mass, which was not my parents’ favorite with all the screaming babies. After the service was over, it was off to the bakery to buy pizza strips, some hot out-of-the-oven Italian bread, and pastry for dessert after our Sunday meal. The pizza strips are not what you would think of today. They were about 4 inches wide and 10 inches long, covered with gravy (same as red spaghetti sauce), no cheese on top and eaten cold. Hard to believe, but they were delicious. We were usually famished upon exiting church. One tiny “host” did not stave off those hunger pangs. We ate the pizza strips in the car, or maybe even standing on the sidewalk outside the bakery, if you just could not wait. We would then return home and Mom would turn the gravy back on to finish cooking. Sunday was always macaroni day (never called pasta back then), as were Wednesdays. We kids begged to tear off the heel of the fresh Italian bread and dunk it into the gravy as a little snack before dinner. Yum! Was that ever good. Then the family headed for the living room with the Sunday paper, while Mom continued dinner preparations. My brother and I fought over the comics, and Dad insisted we share. Without tearing the paper to pieces, I somehow got Little Orphan Annie and he got Tarzan. We read while lying on the living room carpet until at precisely 1 o’clock Mom would announce that dinner was ready, and dinner it was, served in the dining room with many courses. Wine or beer was the adult’s drink and water with a few drops of wine for us kids. We felt so grown-up drinking wine. Dessert was the fresh Italian pastry we had picked out at the bakery, with a little demitasse cup of espresso for the parents, and a tall, cold, glass of milk for my brother and me. After the table was cleared by all of us, Mom retreated to the kitchen to clean up while Dad snoozed a bit in his favorite chair. My brother then had a chance at the sports section, and I had the whole comic section to myself. Sometimes Dad’s eyes would flutter open and he would yell in to Mom, “Why don’t we take the kids for a ride when you finish up?” There was always an audible groan from the peanut gallery because we usually went to the same few places: • Purgatory Rock up on Route 146 somewhere • Stump Pond (after a fire only stumps were left in the small body of water) • The Mt. Hope Bridge These were the most boring places on earth, and I could not believe that even Mom and Dad enjoyed them. We did not get out of the car, just sat there for 20 to 30 minutes and looked. In winter we even had to keep the engine running to keep warm. It was an outing though, and special, as we never got driven anywhere as Sunday excursions MARILYN A. PELLINI MUSINGS: PAST AND PRESENT SEE PELLINI PAGE 12
PAGE 12 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES OPINION JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 845-279-9555 • TankRemovalServices.com Before you place your home on the market, contact ENVIROSTAR about replacing your aging underground storage tank (UST). It is required by most insurance companies prior to insuring property. We replace above ground tanks as well! Call us today for a free estimate and evaluation of your current above ground tank. SUMMER SPECIAL! $100 OFF IN-GROUND TANK REMOVAL With this coupon only. Coupon must be presented at the time of the estimate. Not to be combined with any other offers. Expires 7/31/24 FREE ESTIMATES WE WILL MATCH OUR COMPETITOR’S ADVERTISED OFFER! We are the name you trust for environmental needs Since 1998 DON’T GET CAUGHT WITH AN AGING OIL TANK! FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING, HOT WATER HEATER & GAS NEEDS 60 Years of Excellence 845.628.3924 • beeandjay.com TAKE $25 OFF YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL Happy Father’s Day! kids. If you couldn’t walk, you couldn’t go. Besides, Mom did not even know how to drive, and Dad had the car at work all day. So groans and all, we really enjoyed our Sunday excursions. The car always seems to smell like new, and the back windows rolled all the way down. It’s a wonder lots of kids were not lost out those windows. The Mt. Hope Bridge was our least favorite destination. If we went to either of the other two spots, there was a chance Dad would stop at the Milk Jug for ice cream. (Yes, it was in that shape, and it still stands, shuttered, and weather worn out on Route 146). Such a treat – a second dessert. As we drove happily home at the end of the most special day of the week— Sunday, we embraced the importance of family dinner, family time, and family fun. PELLINI FROM PAGE 11 Welcome to “News & Notes,” where we look at the happenings here in Westchester County. June is busting out all over, as is my waistline, so no more hot dogs for me. I’m off to buy some kale and write this week’s “time to tighten my tummy” edition of “News & Notes.” A very special evening is on tap on June 26, as our friends at The Hub at Hotel MTK in Mount Kisco are partnering with the Hudson Valley Alzheimer’s Association to help raise awareness of this terrible disease with a live in-person event with our wild and crazy sports radio show “The Clubhouse,” which will air the event live on WGCH, 1490AM. Also, I want to thank POW’R Against Tobacco, our wonderful sponsor. We hope to see you there. Muscoot Farm’s weekly Farmers Market is back every Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The market supports farmers and sustainable efforts in our area, featuring over 25 local vendors each week. Seniors who are homebound or recovering from a hospital stay and are unable to prepare meals and have no one to do so for them may be eligible for a hot midday meal delivered by caring volunteers. Call Jim Whiting at 914-666–7203 for more information. Having raised three daughters, we have often attended the annual Katonah Fireman’s Parade & Carnival. The carnival runs through Saturday, June 8, until 10 p.m. This year celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the Katonah Fire Department. Come enjoy rides, games and food with your neighbors. I have been working on my cannon ball splash all winter long and ready to jump into the pool. The Town of Bedford has three beautiful hamlet pools for you to enjoy. Each pool is located at each hamlet’s park, Bedford Hills Memorial Park, Bedford Village Memorial Park, and Katonah Memorial Park. Membership to one gets you into all three. On June 9 from noon to 4 p.m., you will want to head over to Caramoor as their grounds are open. Come open your ears at Caramoor’s Soundscapes, a day to explore their sound art collection and discover a world of aural fascinations. Our friends at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater in Peekskill have some Jolting June shows lined up. Lez Zeppelin hits the stage on June 7. The brainchild of New York guitarist Steph Paynes emerged onto the music scene in 2004, boldly breaking ground as an all-female quartet paying homage to the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. Then on June 15 get ready for an evening of sidesplitting laughter as Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, the dynamic duo from TV’s “Whose Line is it Anyway?” take the stage in a one-night-only uproarious live show, “Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: Asking for Trouble.” Happy Father’s Day to all those great dads out there. Did you know that June is National Dairy month, so go buy Dad a double twist ice cream cone! Welcome to ‘News & Notes’ of June MARK JEFFERS NEWS & NOTES 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 Mount Kisco-Bedford Times or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please email your submissions to [email protected].
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 13 Do Not Resuscitate Orders (DNRs) are often confused with a different advance directive known as a Health Care Proxy (HCP). A HCP allows you to select someone to make health care decisions for you when you are no longer able to do so yourself. You can either give the agent you select specific written instructions as to your health care wishes and end-of-life wishes within the HCP, or you can give them to your agent verbally. The HCP is generally prepared as part of one’s estate plan by an attorney, or it is often given to a patient at the time of admission to the hospital if the patient is competent. A HCP must be signed and dated by the person making the appointment of an agent, and must be witnessed by two disinterested individuals over the age of 18. Unlike the HCP, a DNR is a medical order written by the patient’s doctor or a health care provider. It advises all health care providers that the patient does not want Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) if their breathing has stopped. Patients that sign DNRs are generally those that have chronic illnesses (for example, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder or COPD) and are prone to pneumonias and respiratory failure, thus requiring resuscitation. Additionally, a patient that signs a DNR is often one that has already experienced the need to be resuscitated and no longer wishes to be kept alive by CPR. This also often occurs when one believes they are at the end of life and have given up the will to live. The health care provider/doctor will only write the do not resuscitate order after a discussion with the patient (if mentally competent). If the patient is not competent, the discussion would be held with the patient’s health care agent or the family of the patient, depending on the circumstance. From my own personal experience, I can assure you that the decision to sign a DNR on behalf of a loved one is daunting and traumatic. It is also important to understand that a fully executed DNR will instruct all health care providers not to (a) perform mouth to mouth resuscitation on the patient; (b) utilize electronic shock to restart the heart (a defibrillator); and (c) insert breathing tubes into the patient (use a ventilator) and offer to administer any medications to the patient that will restart breathing. The patient’s decision to sign a DNR should be made with full knowledge of one’s medical condition and of the patient’s medical diagnosis and prognosis. It is clearly a document that requires significant consideration and should be discussed with one’s family members and named agent and contingent agent in the HCP. The DNR can be printed in wallet size or can be part of a medical bracelet. It also should be prominently displayed in one’s home so that any emergency medical personnel/EMT can see it upon entering the patient’s home. In a hospital setting, the DNR will be part of the patient’s medical records. A document that works well with the DNR is a Living Will. It allows the patient to state that they do not want to be kept alive by extraordinary circumstances if they are brain dead or comatose with no hope of recovery. Finally, while your attorney can prepare many advanced directives for you, such as a HCP, Living Will, Power of Attorney or HIPPA form, they can not prepare a DNR for you. Anthony J. Enea is the managing attorney of Enea, Scanlan and Sirignano, LLP of White Plains, New York. He focuses his practice on Wills, Trusts, Estates and Elder Law. Anthony is the Past Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), and is the past Chair of the 50+ Section of the NYSBA. He is a Past President and Founding member of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Anthony is also the Immediate Past President of the Westchester County Bar Foundation and a Past President of the Westchester County Bar Association. He is also fluent in Italian. He can be reached at 914-948-1500 or at [email protected]. The ABCs of a DNR It is clearly a document that requires significant consideration and should be discussed with one’s family members and named agent and contingent agent in the HCP [Health Care Proxy].’ -Anthony J. Enea Managing attorney of Enea, Scanlan and Sirignano, LLP FOCUS ON ELDER LAW ANTHONY J. ENEA GUEST CORNER
PAGE 14 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMBUYING845-62WE WILL COWE BUY: Gold • Sterling SJewelry • CoinPaintings • BronClocks • CollectiAntiques • ETItems for saINDEPENDENTLY OWNED and OPERATED 268 ROUTE 202 SOMERS, NY 10589 progressive-vet.com Rooted in the Community with Excellence & Love 914•248•6220 Scan Here To Sign Up (It’s FREE!) Get YOUR Town’s Local News In Your Inbox Daily Hillside Food Outreach recently hosted the 15th annual “Dancing with Our Stars” competition at The Summit in Danbury, attracting more than 100 supporters to the ballroom and raising $30,000 to combat food insecurity within the community. All proceeds from the benefit support the nonprofit’s mission to provide high-quality, nutritious food to thousands of low-income families, seniors, and the chronically ill each month. Four champions showcasing the most dazzling dance moves were crowned by a panel of judges amidst cheers and applause from the crowd. Billy Clifford and Arthur Murray dance pro Dolly Zurzusi wowed the judges with their Country Medley dance to Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl (Shake it for me),” while Shelly Hardie and Arthur Murray Danbury owner Andy Cabel scored high with their Swing performance to Glen Frey’s “The Heat is on.” Taking home the Peoples’ Choice Awards – the dance duos who generated the most votes and fundraising dollars from the audience – were Stacey Cohen and Denzel Santos, who stole the show with their Hustle/Merengue style dance to Maroon 5’s “Moves like Jagger,” while Michael Grace and Yulya Zubava mesmerized the crowd with their Argentine Tango & Paso Doble to “Spanish Tale for Two.” CEO and Founder of Hillside Food Outreach Kathy Purdy expressed immense gratitude to all who supported the competition. “Dancing for a great cause is about as good as it gets, and this annual event directly helps change lives and offer hope to so many neighbors in need. Access to nutritious food is a right that everyone deserves, but unfortunately food insecurity is at a decades-long high, and too many vulnerable members of our communities are forced to choose between eating healthy or paying for basic necessities.” Hillside is a delivery-only food pantry providing high quality, nutrient-dense foods, staples and essentials to nearly 1,000 households and over 2,000 individuals across Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield Counties, including elderly residents who find it difficult to travel and carry grocery bags; those who are housebound due sickness or disability; and people with health conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension who require nutritious diets. The nonprofit fills the nutrition need while establishing both connection and engagement with those feeling hopeless, alone, or forgotten. Hillside Food Outreach is headquartered in Mount Kisco and operates in Fairfield County, Conn. through its Danbury satellite location. For more information, visit www.hillsidefoodoutreach.org. Dancing with Our Stars! Hillside Food Outreach Founder and CEO Kathy Purdy Andy Cabel, Shelly Hardie, Stacey Cohen, and Denzel Santos Mount Kisco’s Hillside Food Outreach raises $30,000 to combat food insecurity PHOTOS COURTESY OF HILLSIDE FOOD OUTREAC
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BY JULIANA URRICO GUEST COLUMNIST Four years ago, my paternal grandfather was diagnosed with vascular dementia. Like most people, I was not prepared for my own dementia journey from a loving granddaughter to caregiver, and finally, to a stranger in the latter stages. I experienced the progression of the disease as analogous to a house full of lights, each of which go out one by one. Each time a light turns off, a part of grandpa shut down and was lost. Our family was heartbroken, hopeless and helpless. Although there were challenges, finding the ability to live in the moment can be beautiful. It brings me joy to know that I was still able to enjoy my time spent with him and to listen, be present and laugh. He still loved dancing and singing, but most of all he never forgot how much he loved baseball. I want people to know that individuals with dementia can still lead meaningful lives and inspire others. It is the family that needs to find connection with the person transforming before them. Being his caregiver required more than simply assisting with the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as eating, bathing and mobility. Consistent positive messaging that includes active listening and speaking kindly helps to maintain dignity and preserve quality of life. Being his caregiver taught me more than I ever thought possible. It taught me to appreciate the small moments, and not to take anything for granted. As I accepted the fact that there is no cure, I remained committed to finding ways to bring him comfort and maintain his dignity. I earned a Master of Arts degree at Sacred Heart University, specializing in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Because of my grandfather, I decided to intern at The Greens at Greenwich Assisted Living Community – a community that specializes in dementia care. Regardless of where a resident is in their progression of the disease, The Greens at Greenwich incorporates the therapeutic use of creative arts to improve quality of life and tailors to individual preferences based on their functioning level. They believe the use of creative arts engages the resident in ways that bring joy and connection. I am responsible for developing and conducting specialized programs in the arts. This affords me the opportunity to build meaningful connections with each resident and provide care that goes beyond physical needs. The programs are a stimulating tool which allows me to tend to the resident’s emotional needs and make a tangible difference. As a Clinical Mental Health Counselor, I now have tools to work with people like my grandfather. People with dementia experience changes in how they understand the world around them. By entering their reality, this offers a sense of security as empathy is established and trust is built. It is important to understand that the resident’s perception is their truth. The stigmatizing view that individuals are no longer themselves without their memory erodes our ability to communicate and treat dementia. Although dementia results in the decline and ultimate loss of cognitive functioning, the essence of the person remains. Let us enjoy the privilege of knowing who they once were and appreciate who they are in each moment. For more information, visit thegreensatgreenwich.com or call 203-486-8642. PAGE 16 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES HEALTH & WELLNESS JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 Discover The Greens at Greenwich Home is a Feeling The Greens provides safety, comfort, and a loving home filled with laughter and joy. We are a small intimate assisted living community for your loved one with memory impairment. Awarded the Best Practice for Resident Care by the Connecticut Assisted Living Association Schedule a Tour 203.531.5500 [email protected] thegreensatgreenwich.com Get This Newspaper’s App On Your Phone Always Stay Informed About News Involving YOUR Town & Schools Android Scan Here iPhone Scan Here Get Our App! A loving approach to dementia care Intern Juliana Urrico with a resident of The Greens at Greenwich PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREENS AT GREENWICH
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 17 ADVERTORIAL Proper body mechanics involve using our body efficiently and safely during our daily activities and are a combination of posture, movement, and balance. Maintaining proper body mechanics is crucial to prevent injury and to promote our overall wellness. As a body movement specialist, I recommend the following to assist you in maintaining proper body mechanics: BALANCED POSTURE ALIGNMENT AT REST Avoid staying in the sitting or standing position for too long and follow the suggestions below while sleeping. Sitting: • Sitting at a desk: place your buttocks towards the back of your chair. Position your feet flat on the ground at a 90-degree angle and elongate your spine from your pelvic sitting bones to the tip of your head. Leaning forward from your waist to get closer to your computer or workstation. Tuck your chin slightly and relax your jaw and shoulders. • Sitting on a couch: support your arms on the armrests or a pillow, relax your neck and shoulders. Elevate your legs and feet on a footrest or ottoman with the knees slightly bend and sufficient lower back support. Use a lumbar roll or pillow to provide extra support behind your back and neck if needed. Standing: • Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Lift your ribcage up and away from your diaphragm and elongate the whole spine up to the ceiling. Tuck your tailbone slightly down and under your pelvis to get your lower spine in a neutral alignment, meaning not too arched back or too rounded forward. Relax your shoulders and neck and tighten your abdominal and glutes (buttock muscles). Keep your knees straight but not locked. Sleeping: • Sleep on a firm mattress with soft pillow topper. Back and side sleeping are considered better to maintain a neutral spine alignment. Support your neck with a softer pillow and tuck the pillow in the nape of your neck to support your neck. Keep a pillow under the knees for the back sleepers and between the knees for side sleepers. PROPER BODY ALIGNMENT DURING MOVEMENT • We move in and out of a neutral spine alignment during daily activities. The aim is to keep the body as close to the neutral position, meaning a straight spine using the postural muscles to support your body frame and the center of gravity within your base of support. The base of support (BOS) is the contact your body makes with the surface. If you use a cane, your BOS has three points. A wider BOS provides more stability for the body. • Sit to stand: scoot to the edge of the chair. Feet shoulder-width apart on the ground, lean forward and bend from the waist. If needed, use the arm rests to push up, contract your core and glutes to get up to standing. Lengthening your spine up to the ceiling, pelvic muscles tight and straightening your knees by tightening your Quads (thigh muscles). Exhale as you get up to get to your neutral standing alignment. • Walking: keep the spine elongated and walk with long strides contacting with your heels first as you weight-bear, then roll through your foot to push off with the ball of your feet. Clear your back foot to swing your leg through. Keep shoulders relax and swing arms gently. • Lifting and carrying: the process of lifting frequently places the greatest loads on the low back and, therefore, has the highest risk of injury. It is more important to use the correct lifting techniques to prevent injuries, than how heavy the weight is that you lift. Here are a few tips for a safe lifting technique, whether it is a bag of mulch, or picking up your grandchild from the floor: o Stand close to the object immediately in front of you. o Have a wide stance to get a big BOS. o Bend your knees into a wide, full squat, keeping your back straight. o Engage your core, and glutes, hinge from your hips and exhale as you pick up the object. o Bring the load close to your body and chest. o Straighten the knees and come to the upright position. MAINTAIN YOUR BALANCE DURING MOVEMENT Balance is defined as the ability to maintain the body’s line of gravity through the center of your BOS. When carrying groceries or a grandchild, your center of gravity changes and will affect your balance and stability. Therefore, LIZE LUBBE GUEST CORNER stay active, fit, and flexible to keep your muscles and joints strong and flexible. Here are a few suggestions to keep you balanced during movement: • Never hold your breath when you lift a heavy object, always exhale when your muscles contract. • Rather push than pull a heavy object. • Avoid any torquing or twisting of your back when lifting objects. • Use a wide BOS to protect your body and back when lifting. • When you feel unstable walking, increase We are hands on PTs! The professional services of the team at Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy include: • Pre & Post Surgery Rehabilitation • Sports Injury Rehabilitation • Neurological Rehabilitation • Treatment of Musculoskeletal & Orthopedic Conditions • Postural, Balance & Gait Training • Pain & Headache Management • Body Rebalancing through Diaphragm, Breathing & Pelvic Stability www.lizelubbept.com [email protected] 914.875.9430 892 NY-35, Cross River, NY 10518 (blue office building) Lize Lubbe is the owner of Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy with its main practice located at 892 Route 35 in Cross River and a PT Studio in the premises of Apex Fitness (where her team focus on the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries). Learn more by calling 914-875-9430, emailing [email protected] or visiting www.lizelubbept.com. your BOS by using a cane or walker. • Strengthen your core, pelvic and leg muscles. • Ask for help if something is too heavy to lift by yourself. Stay healthy and safe and enjoy the summer months ahead. Be mindful of using correct body mechanics to prevent injuries and protect your body. If you have any concerns or pain, please contact your physician or physical therapist for further guidance. Correct use of body mechanics to protect your body HEALTH & WELLNESS
PAGE 18 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES HEALTH & WELLNESS JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 WE’RE NOT YOUR ORDINARY DENTISTS. Affiliate of Astoria | Bay Shore | Garden City | Hoboken | Howard Beach Huntington | Lake Success | Long Island City | Mt. Kisco | Oceanside White Plains | Yonkers | Yorktown Heights Put Your Health Where Your Mouth Is™ and book an appointment today, call 914-770-8555 For more information: CareMount Dental is now ProHealth Dental. ProHEALTH Dental proudly announces a groundbreaking affiliation with Northwell Health. Northwell is New York State’s largest health care provider, with more than 900 locations. ProHEALTH Dental has a network of 16 state-of-the-art dental offices throughout the NY Metro Area. Together, we will treat patients holistically, focusing on how oral health improves overall health. phdental.com Oral Surgery General Pediatrics Orthodontics Endodontics Sleep Cosmetic Dentistry Periodontics Implants Physical activity benefits people of all ages, including kids. Despite widespread recognition of the positive impact physical activity has on children, many kids are not getting enough exercise. In an analysis of data collected as part of the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that less than one in four children between the ages of 6 and 17 participates in 60 minutes of physical activity per day. When established in childhood and adolescence, good habits like exercising regularly can set young people up for a long, healthy life. Perhaps in recognition of that, parents often look for ways to promote physical activity to their youngsters. Setting fitness goals is one way to help young people exercise more, and the following are a handful of strategies parents can try as they seek to promote a love of physical activity in their children. • Include fun activities in a fitness plan. Adults recognize the importance of planning when aspiring to achieve certain goals, and a plan can be just as integral to getting kids to be more physically active. When devising a fitness plan, parents should be sure to include activities kids find fun. Just because Dad liked playing baseball doesn’t mean his children will. Identify activities that kids enjoy, whether it’s hiking or cycling or playing an organized sport, and include that in the fitness plan. • Involve kids’ friends. Parents often make exercising a family affair, but a 2015 study led by a researcher affiliated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that children who exercised with friends were far less likely to cite barriers such as lack of enjoyment or lack of energy as reasons for not exercising. In essence, kids are more inspired to exercise with friends than they are with family members. When establishing fitness goals for kids, parents can work with other parents so kids can pursue those goals together, increasing the chances that those pursuits will be successful. • Set aside time to exercise each day. Physical activity should be part of everyone’s daily routine, and kids are no exception. Such activity does not need to be a grueling workout, and indeed children’s bodies will need time to recover after especially strenuous exercise. But setting aside time each day to be physically active is a good way to ensure kids’ lifestyles are not predominantly sedentary. • Make the goals attainable. Parents may know before kids begin exercising or notice shortly after they start being more physically active how much kids can reasonably handle. The YMCA notes that’s an important factor to consider, as fitness goals should be attainable so anyone adjusting to a new regimen, even kids, stays motivated. A child’s pediatrician can advise on how much exercise youngsters should get each day, and parents can help kids gradually reach that point by setting challenging but attainable goals. Regular physical activity can benefit kids for the rest of their lives. Parents can pitch in by embracing various strategies to help kids establish attainable goals that make fitness fun. This article is from Metro Creative Connection. How to establish fitness goals for kids
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 19 helping create and tend pollinator gardens to planting trees in Leonard Park and cleaning and performing housekeeping duties at important sites such as the 172-yearold Kirbyville Schoolhouse. (Thankfully, there doesn’t appear to be a ban on programs such as the nature/history walks or the very popular annual release into the Kisco River of trout fingerlings raised by local students.) “Basically, this is just kind of a slap in the face because we’ve been working together on this stuff for 10 years,” John Rhodes told the Village Board on Monday, May 20. Furthermore, he noted, the timing was unfortunate because it’s now that volunteers go whole hog prepping the trails for the summer season. The fact that there was “no real communication or meeting” prior to the issuance of the directive, leads him to believe, Rhodes said, that “this is not a one-shot thing or an accident thing.” “I’m very concerned that it not be an ongoing policy trend, because if it is I’m not going to stand for it and neither will 100 volunteers,” he vowed, arguing that the trail team has always had the village’s permission to do whatever was necessary. That includes taking care of Gristmill Park off Byram Lake Road and Route 117 (Main Street), where the village’s 1828 Stone Arch Bridge is located. The Kisco River flows underneath. Hoping to raise funds to restore the aging structure, the historical society hatched plans to show it off to potential donors, according to Historical Society President Ralph Vigliotti. To prevent visitors from stumbling on uneven ground or tripping over tree roots, volunteers asked for woodchips to spread around on the trail. The village supplied them with several truckloads. Then a neighbor complained about the way the woodchips looked, Vigliotti said without naming the person. Volunteers also removed invasives near large boulders on Route 117 because the overgrowth had been giving vagrants a place to hide and drink. Brancati countered Monday that he’d been forced to take action because there were things happening that he hadn’t been told about ahead of time and that he didn’t directly approve. He did not specify what those things were and had not responded to several requests for further clarification as of Wednesday, May 29. “I’m tired of getting it from all sides about: Who authorized that? Who did this? Who did that? I didn’t sign off on any of that,” he said. Brancati said he appreciated that folks have “good intentions” and that everybody’s “entitled to their opinions.” However, “they are different thoughts and ideas” on how best to address the situation and that’s why he called a timeout – in order to make sure everyone’s on the same page. Both he and Mayor Michael Cindrich cited Chapter 54 of the town’s code on conservation areas. Under the heading of “Disturbing Land, Trees, or Other Vegetation,” it states that no person shall “take up, remove in any manner, disturb, cut, or in any way injure any tree, shrub, plant, grass, soil, sod, compost, gravel, or any other property in a conservation area” -- and/or cut or remove any fallen trees or branches -- except by the direction of the village manager or his/her designated agent.” They also pointed out that the law was in place before either of them took office. “It’s been here and we’re living with it,” Brancati said, addressing Rhodes. “The only way I can control what happens out there again is that it’s going to happen by village personnel,” he emphasized. “That’s not to say that won’t change in the future. I’m just saying for now there’s a lot of people out there doing a lot of different things without any permission or approval. It’s just gotta stop.” Again, he did not specify what those things were. Both Vigliotti and Rhodes disagreed strenuously with the lack of permission remark, saying they’ve not only had the village’s unwritten OK to do what’s needed, but have been consistently communicative and have had meetings about plans and projects. Both men had nothing but positive things to say about the DPW crews that have worked side by side with them on certain things. “They’re good guys; they do so much for the trail team,” Vigliotti told The Mt. KiscoBedford Times later. DPW foreman Dean Rice had not responded to requests for comment by press time. (Because of liability issues, volunteer groups are constrained from doing difficult or dangerous things such as cutting down trees.) What’s bothering the volunteers the most was that they feel they’re “not being treated correctly,” Vigliotti said. Before issuing what was essentially a stop-work order, Brancati should have considered gathering all parties together for a heart to heart, he added. “Call a meeting! Say, ‘You know what guys, we’ve got a problem with what you’re doing. Let’s talk about how we can fix this. Let’s talk about what your scope is.’” Vigliotti said. Private theories abound about what might have triggered the current strained relations. However, besides woodchips, the only other things that were brought up in public were the clear cutting of trees on the south side of the Early Settlement Trail (between East Main Street and Lexington Avenue, behind Washington’s Rock) and the condition of Flewellyn Park at the corner of Grove Street and East Hyatt Avenue, where the Laura Flewellyn Memorial Pollinator Garden is located. “Neighborhood kids have been breaking the fence (at the garden) and throwing garbage in there and all of a sudden the people who have been working on it for five years – with the approval of the town, county, and the family’s estate – all of a sudden we’re the bad guys?” Rhodes asked. Collateral Damage? Founder of the trails team Harry McCartney spoke passionately about importance of the trails and the meaning they have for the folks who partake in nature and history education walks, both virtually and in real life. Those community stakeholders range from seniors, members of faith-based organizations, and the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester to teens in the Horace Greeley High School History Club, and Neighbors Link, a nonprofit that assists new immigrant families. “We take them on the Early Settlement Trail, teach ‘em how to hug a tree,” he told the board. The trail team is the village’s eyes and ears because it’s out there all the time and can report potential safety hazards, such as fallen trees, illegal fire pits, and blocked streams. And like all volunteers, they need support. “That’s all we’re looking for. We’re looking for help. Just help us out,” McCartney pleaded, pointing out that the village and volunteers have collaborated for a very long time. (He wrote to village officials last month in the hopes of coming up with approaches to making the relationship more holistic and effective.) Referring to “the notes that have been going back and forth,” McCartney said: “I’m not into drama. I’m into getting out in the woods helping a little kid find a crayfish as we’re going on one of our walks.” Before leaving the podium, he thanked village officials for their past contributions, concluding: “Make it better.” The next day McCartney resigned as village historian and from his posts on the Conservation Advisory Council and the Tree Preservation Board. He also quit as the lead of the trail team but promised to continue with educational programs for seniors. McCartney declined to comment later, other than to say he was moving on to his next phase. It’s not the first time he’s decamped in disgust. Last fall, McCartney quit the historian’s post and the trail team due to, he said, years of frustration over what he saw as the village’s insufficient support for the nature trails. Gina Picinich was mayor at the time. Specifically, it had denied the team’s request for a dedicated park ranger and instead announced it would use DPW workers to monitor them. The “last straw” was when the village manager held an organizational meeting with the DPW folks and didn’t invite him, McCartney claimed. He returned to the fold this past February at Cindrich’s behest and in April he received a “Distinguished Service Award” from the historical society. If A Tree Falls... Then Deputy Mayor Theresa Flora joined the fray. She said there are a lot of folks – like herself -- who now have trails behind their homes that they did not ask for. While she and others have come to live with -- and love -- them, the trails have naturally made places more accessible and this, in turn, has caused some problems, including public intoxication, littering, and other troubling behaviors involving the denizens of numerous homeless encampments, she said. The trail team argued that increased recreational activity on the trails has actually cut back on these types of incidences. Upset about the removal of more than 20 trees near a trail in the wooded area behind Washington Rock, Flora lambasted Vigliotti for what she assumed was his “brainchild.” “You left that area in a disaster and blamed it on the DPW,” she charged. “Oh, please!” Vigliotti responded. Also taking issue with that accusation, Rhodes said that the leader of the trail team, Harry McCartney, himself, Assistant Village Manager Ken Famulare, Vigliotti, Historical Society vice president Michael Kirsch, and Rice had spent several hours at the site. They determined that between eight to 10 large trees – either because they were invasives or were diseased and dying – had to go. Rice marked the trees himself, said Rhodes who was “really shocked” when he returned later and found that “virtually every tree in that area had been chopped down” including “some fairly rare native trees,” such as a chestnut, that were “in very good health.” Their felling was not done by the trail team, so it had to be either the DPW or a contractor working with the village, Rhodes guessed, adding: “We made our displeasure known.” Rice had not returned calls for comment by press time. Removing invasive species that are not directly impacting the trails themselves “is not trail maintenance,” Flora told McCartney, claiming that this has made homeless folks burrow deeper into the woods and nearer private properties. It may have been a well-intentioned attempt to the area in question more safe, but it wound up “taking the bad element you were trying to get rid of – and the bad behaviors – and just moving them behind the residences,” she said. That included hers. “In 34 years, I have never had an encampment behind my house,” said Flora, noting that after the trail was created, she had to put up a “very expensive” fence to keep people from trespassing on her property. (Vigliotti later disputed that, saying Flora simply hadn’t noticed them before.) Maintaining trails ultimately makes them more pleasant and safer for all people to walk, countered Rhodes, saying the team has received many “testimonials” from happy users. Lots of activity tends to chase away the bad actors, who simply go to other less obvious spots. “Yes, we have some problems but it’s not because the trail team hasn’t busted its gut trying to solve them,” he said. Homelessness and alcoholism are “serious societal” issues and “frankly, the town and the county (police) have not come up with the solutions they promised,” Rhodes said. When asked later for her take on the situation, Flora sent the following email. “I think the comments at the board meeting speak for themselves. Safety on the trails and throughout the village is paramount to me, Mike (Cindrich), and Angie (Trustee Angie Garcia-Guerre). We campaigned on TRAILS FROM PAGE 1 SEE TRAILS PAGE 25
PAGE 20 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES LEISURE JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 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. Baby’s dining accessory 4. Something free 8. Ancient Egyptian deity 10. Set-like mathematical categories 11. Top-quality 12. Expansive 13. Seizure 15. People with congenital absence of pigment 16. Gains 17. Mocked online 18. Clint’s son 21. Body part 22. Humor 23. Code number 24. Your physique 25. Family of regulator genes 26. LA football player (abbr.) 27. “The Blonde Bombshell” 34. Charity 35. Bluish greens 36. Examined closely 37. A type of equation 38. Stretched uncomfortably 39. Indian religious god 40. Clocks 41. Slowly leak through 42. Witnesses 43. Midway between south and southeast CLUES DOWN 1. Nestlings 2. Induces vomiting 3. A place to eat 4. Partner in the air 5. Offered one’s take 6. Nobel-winning French biologist 7. Farm animals 9. Prevent from growing 10. Sensationalist periodical 12. Soft-bodied beetle 14. Very fast airplane 15. Imaginative creation 17. Recipe measurement (abbr.) 19. Evoked a response 20. French river 23. Shiny yellow minerals 24. Make illegal 25. U.S. military branch 26. River in France and Belgium 27. A woman of refinement 28. Male child 29. Type of medication 30. German city 31. Animal disease 32. Mediterranean dietary staple 33. Sneak out 34. Radioactivity unit 36. Performs on stage Travel opens people up to new experiences. Among those experiences are myriad opportunities to try new foods and styles of cuisine. After all, what would a trip to Italy be without some indulgence in the various culinary specialities each part of the country is known for? But one need not stray from home to enjoy regional fare. For instance, f o o d i e s who enjoy foods typically associated with the southeastern United States can indulge that passion in the comforts of their own kitchens. This recipe for “SouthernStyle Buttermilk Fried Chicken” from AllRecipes.com is sure to satisfy anyone’s craving for southern cuisine. Serve up some southern cooking from the comforts of home Southern-Style Buttermilk Fried Chicken Makes 8 servings • 2 cups buttermilk • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 1 tablespoon garlic powder • 1 tablespoon onion powder • 5 cups vegetable oil for frying Whisk together buttermilk, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Pour buttermilk marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken pieces, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for two to eight hours. Combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in another resealable plastic bag; shake to mix thoroughly. Working with one piece at a time, transfer marinated chicken to the dry ingredient bag, seal the bag, and shake well to coat. After all chicken pieces are coated, repeat the process by dipping them in buttermilk marinade and shaking in the dry coating again. Then heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken on the pan. Fry chicken in batches in hot oil, turning chicken occasionally, until golden brown and juices run clear. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat should read at least 165 F.
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 21 Peter Perez Peter P. Perez a long-time resident of Bedford, passed away peacefully on May 5, 2024, at the age of 90. Peter was born in Brooklyn, NY to Thomas and Elena (Leggio) Perez. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for more than 30 years and was also a Benevolent Founder at the Bedford Fire Department. Peter enjoyed spending time with his wife at their vacation home in Myrtle Beach, SC. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Adaline. His devoted daughters, Tami Perez, Patricia Barlow, and Mia Belanger. His adoring grandchildren, Billy, Alexa and Brooke. Peter is also survived by his brother, Joseph Perez(Louise), as well as many other relatives. Peter is predeceased by his parents, his sisters, Lillian and Mary and his son-in-laws, Bill Barlow and Robert Belanger. He will be greatly missed. Carolyn Ann Diterichs On Saturday May 11, 2024, Carolyn passed away surrounded by her family. Born January 19, 1933, to Peter and Freida Waeger in the Bronx, NY. She was raised in the Bronx before moving to Mt. Kisco in high school. Carol was a graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh and was a teacher for over thirty years in the Somers school district spending most of her career at Primrose Elementary and Somers Intermediate School. She was happily married to Ilia (Neil) Diterichs, Jr. for over 67 years. Carol is survived by her loving husband and her two children her son Gregory (Theresa) Diterichs and her daughter Donna Genovesi. She also is survived by her 10 grandchildren and great grandchildren Matthew, Ryan ( Jessica) and Tyler Diterichs. Nicole (Kevin) Rogers and Corey Genovesi. And five great grandchildren, Julian, Kai and Kiara Diterichs. Rhett and Beau Rogers. She was predeceased by her sister Madeline Tyndall. In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial tribute to Hospice Visiting Nurse Association at RVNAHealth.org. Family and friends were invited to a Memorial Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mt. Kisco on Monday May 20. Wilma G. Falco Wilma G. Falco of Southbury, CT, died Friday, May 24, 2024, at the Cascades Assisted Living Facility in Bethel, CT. Wilma was born on February 5, 1926, in the Bronx, N.Y. to the late George and Caroline Koerber. She was a graduate of Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx, N.Y. in 1944. Wilma then attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Business School and, upon graduation, worked at Mount Saint Ursula High School as an executive assistant to the principal of the academy from 1945-1946. Wilma’s career was short-lived since she married the love of her life and childhood sweetheart, Anthony Falco, in 1947. Her career after that consisted largely of being a dedicated and loving homemaker to her husband and two children, Georgette (Fred) of Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Randy (Susan) of Bedford. She also was a devoted daughter and caregiver to her mother and father who lived with all of us in the loving home Wilma created. A home filled with laughter, music, good books and lots of rich German food. Wilma also devoted her entire life to the service of others volunteering countless hours to schools as a guidance counselor, to her local parish as a member of the vestry and to a number of charitable endeavors in Heritage Village, winning the, “Volunteer of the Year” Award in Southbury. Wilma leaves behind her beloved grandchildren Diana, Michael, Danielle, Matthew, and Jessica. With great delight, she lived long enough to enjoy her great-grandchildren Luke, Caroline, Anthony, Jake, and Maren. Friends called at Clark Associates Funeral Home in Katonah on Thursday, May 30. OBITUARIES SEE OBITUARIES PAGE 23 We see you here. The things you love doing are more than just passions. They’re what make you “you.” This is why at The Bristal, our expert team members dedicate their time, attention, and energy to creating customized social activities that ensure each resident continues being the unique person they are. And, in the process, create the one-of-a-kind community we are, too. Schedule your visit today and see for yourself. THE BRISTAL AT ARMONK | 914.444.2636 THE BRISTAL AT WHITE PLAINS | 914.862.7667 thebristal.com Licensed by the State Department of Health. Eligible for Most Long Term Care Policies. Equal Housing Opportunity. Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care
PAGE 22 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 Add Value to Your Home We specialize in targeted home improvements — both big and small — to maximize your home’s value, comfort and beauty. • Bathroom Remodeling • Kitchen Remodeling • Durable Vinyl Siding • Room Additions • Add-a-Levels • • Replacement Windows • General Carpentry • Basement Finishing • Painting • Interior Trim • Handy Man • Sero’s Contracting When we’re done, there is nothing left to do. Licensed & Insured • Local References • Brewster, NY • 845-216-1955 • 845-279-6977 • [email protected] live in California with their dog, Toast. This reader found the way Vigliotti chronicled his ongoing journey empathetic, illuminating, and ultimately, optimistic. Said one reviewer, Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature, “We call it ‘global warming,’ but as this fine book makes clear, it takes its toll one place at a time –and every one of those places is loved and mourned.” Go, Go, Go! Vigliotti has no stomach for the razzle-dazzle style of reporting where the drenched reporter clutches a microphone while dramatically leaning into the wind and rain as waves crash ominously in the background. But to win it – as they say – you have to be in it. There’s no point in broadcasting from a nice, safe hotel miles away from the scene, said Vigliotti, noting: “There’s a greater service going to the front lines.” It’s like the old saying “If a tree falls in the forest.” “If there’s a storm, and no one’s around to cover it, did it happen?” he asked. News crews are well-trained to handle whatever risks may arise, but that doesn’t mean Vigliotti’s never experienced one of those life-flashing-before-one’s-eyes moments. In 2019, CBS deployed him to cover a wildfire in Sonoma County, aka California’s renowned “Wine Country.” Started by a broken power line, the so-called Kincade Fire subsequently torched nearly 80,000 acres of land and destroyed 374 homes and other structures. Miraculously, no one was killed. When Vigliotti and his producer, Chris Weicher, arrived his videographer, Gilbert Deiz, and sound technician, Bryan Baeta, were already filming firefighters as they watched the glow from flames in the far distance. The closest homes were miles away and the canyon winds “didn’t feel all that strong,” and the threat “seemed minimal at best,” he recalled. It was 3 a.m. on the West Coast, meaning they only had an hour before the live broadcast in New York. Because many wildfires burn out or are stopped before “they become monsters,” the possibility that the mad dash had been wasted occurred to Vigliotti. Deiz suggested that they tape a “debrief,” the term for a short report where correspondents explain -- in real time -- what’s going on around them. By the time Vigliotti had retrieved a can of Red Bull – his fuel of choice in the field – from the car, the wind had grown strong enough to carry burning embers into a nearby pasture. A small tree about 10 feet away burst into flames. Within seconds the journalists and firefighters were nearly surrounded by “a wall of fire.” Vigliotti recalls one first responder yelling “Get out! GO, GO, GO!” “But it was his eyes that were the loudest. “Leave now or you will die!” they said, he wrote. Weicher peeled out. Baeta jumped into his van and Vigliotti and Deiz piled into Deiz’s Suburban. They followed the flashing lights of a fire truck and were tailed by other emergency vehicles. Then came the smoke, thick and toxic. Almost blinded, the two struggled to keep up. Suddenly, they realized they’d turned off the main road and onto a dirt road and were no longer heading away from the fire but back into it. They continued to drive, not because they thought they were going the right way, but because there was nowhere else to go. Flames licked at the vehicle, making its windows too hot to touch. Smoke filled their car. Then they hit a dead end where they could turn around. Should they stay or should they go? asked Vigliotti. They went -- right back through what he called “a river of fire.” “We had zero visibility. I was drenched in sweat. It was an escape guided by faith. God or a spirit or whatever pins stars in the sky must have been listening that morning,” he wrote. They finally caught up with the convoy near a vineyard in the “much safer” foothills. Vigliotti, a relative newbie to the wrath of wildfires, was naturally shaken to his core. Deiz, although an old hand at covering disasters, confessed he’d never been as “terrified” as he’d been that day. “There was a moment I really didn’t think we were going to make it,” Deiz said as they tried to recuperate. Then Weicher, who had no idea what the men had just gone through, tapped on the window to inform them that they had 20 minutes to feed the debrief, adding: “New York is ready when you are.” Diane said that her son doesn’t like his parents to worry unnecessarily, so he kept the details of his close shave to himself. So reading about in a draft of his book was “really scary,” she said. Hope on the Horizon There’s still hope, but only if us humans only use our brains, Vigliotti said. “No other species on this planet is capable of reengineering a smarter way forward than we are – one that protects our climate and habitat, stabilizes our radical elements, reduces the impact of environmental disasters, and lowers the threat of ecosystem collapse,” the author wrote, noting that: “We manifested this destiny and can manifest a newer, more sustainable one.” Everyone has a voice, and the power to fuel change, he said. It starts in our own backyards. “The more we’re plugged into our community, the more resilient we will be. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true.” Meanwhile, Vigliotti still occasionally returns to the Mount Kisco woodlands of his childhood to daydream, listen to music, and, of course, write in his journal. VIGLIOTTI FROM PAGE 3 CBS news correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti in Tres Fronteros, Columbia. PHOTO COURTESY OF IVAN CARRILLO
JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 23 MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO PLAY THE NEW YORK LOTTERY GAMES. PLEASE PLAY RESPONSIBLY. 24-HOUR PROBLEM GAMING HOTLINE: 1-877-8-HOPENY (846-7369) Newburgh, NY RWHudsonValleyNY.com I-84 | Exit 36B I-87 | Exit 17 Earn Entries All Month Long! Saturday, June 29 • 10pm Win a 2024 Chevy Camaro! *Actual model and colors may vary. CHEVY CAMARO DRAWING The funeral service was celebrated at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Katonah on Friday, May 31. Interment followed at Woodlawn Cemetery. Dora Maria Albano Dora Maria Albano was called home on May 20, 2024 to be blessed with eternal rest. She was at her home in Glen Mills, PA which she had shared with her beloved husband Fred until his passing in 2021. Her family was beside her. Meeting through mutual friends, Dora and Fred had a relationship that spanned 67 married years. Over those years their union was, for their family, an enviable model of spousal devotion. They weathered life’s struggles and relished its joys closely beside each other; truly best friends and each other’s rock. She missed him dearly. Dora was born on June 1, 1930 in Hackensack, New Jersey and was raised there until moving to Bedford upon marriage. She lived and raised her family in Bedford until 2007 when she and Fred moved to her current home in Glen Mills, PA. She was a homebody who came from humble beginnings, determined to give her children opportunities she hadn’t had. She was selfless towards that end and incredibly resourceful. To see her children and grandchildren progress towards her dream of education brought her great happiness and pride. Dora had an astute mind. After the children had grown she took a solidly supportive role in the family electrical contracting business until retirement. Daily Sudoku, handling all of her own affairs and a love of jigsaw puzzles kept her sharp into her nineties. Over the years she enjoyed crochet, needle work and mostly her sewing projects. She could repair or repurpose anything with a needle and thread and left her children with particularly fun memories of creative Halloween costumes. Dora loved to spend time at her Poconos home, sharing time with Fred in his fishing boat, gathering family for summer weeks together, and just spending an afternoon on the porch with an ever-present puzzle. It was the respite she and Fred counted on to “get away” in the hectic years and sustain them in peaceful surroundings in the twilight years. She is the daughter of Giovanni and Rosa Lagomarsino, being predeceased by them, her brother Charlie Lagomarsino and sister-in-law Peggy. Also she is predeceased by brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ted and Anita Albano and brother-inlaw and sister-in-law Paul and Mary Lou (Albano) Paulli. Dora leaves the legacy of her children Dianne Siemon (John), Robert Albano (Ellen Bowen) Donna Osmon (Michael) and Arlene Fagans. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren Dana Siemon Scarpino (John), JT Siemon (Jeanette), Timothy, Nicholas and Deanna Osmon, Weston and Allison Fagans and sweet great-granddaughter Liliana Scarpino. There are also many nieces, nephews and cousins who made her life complete. All are beneficiaries of her strong faith and constant prayers. We will miss her. Friends were received on Wednesday, May 29 at Clark Associates Funeral Home in Katonah. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Thursday, May 30, at St. Patrick’s Church, in Bedford. Interment followed at Bedford Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: St Jude Children’s Research Hospital or The Salvation Army, recipient: [email protected]. OBITUARIES FROM PAGE 21 signing of the bond act were Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, state Sen. Pete Harckham of South Salem, County Legislator Erika Pierce of Katonah, County Board of Legislators Chair Vedat Gashi of Yorktown, former County Legislator Kitley Covill of Katonah, Merestead Conservancy president Jacques Boubli, Merestead family member Nancy Sevcenko, and Mount Kisco Mayor Michael Cindrich. Gashi congratulated Pierce and Covill for “their truly unwavering dedication to Merestead and the people of Westchester County.” He also thanked Latimer for “always seeing the potential in this property.” Pierce predicted that Merestead’s future was “looking bright indeed” while Covill said she was looking forward to “watching Merestead bloom!” Boubli celebrated Merestead’s Conservancy Board of Directors and all those who played a role in making it happen. “It took a village,” he said, pointing out that none of it would have been possible without the dedication of Covill and Stockbridge, the leadership and support of Latimer and his team, and the Westchester County Parks Department. “The Merestead Conservancy looks forward to all the exciting things that lie ahead at Merestead and sharing this treasure with our fellow residents and beyond.” Sevcenko, Sloane Patterson’s daughter, said the county’s long-term plans for Merestead “perfectly align” with her mother’s vision for the property while also adapting “to the modern era.” “It is my hope that new ideas and projects for Merestead – agricultural, cultural, and historical – will arrive eagerly tumbling over themselves and that the residents of Westchester County and points beyond will find the place as beautiful and soulnourishing as it was for my mother,” she said. Good to Know Merestead is located at 455 Byram Lake Road, Mount Kisco, N.Y. For more information, visit www. parks.westchestergov.com/ merestead. MERESTEAD FROM PAGE 6
was sufficient to enable cleanup of leaves falling at different times.” But, in Town Board discussions at the May 21 meeting, last year’s two-month fall window was reduced by two weeks. So, landscapers and homeowners will have the six-week window—Oct. 21 to Dec. 15— to use gas-powered blowers. Firing up the noisy machines outside of those dates could bring fines of $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second and $1,000 for a third, as well as any thereafter. Calves said the police department has issued 43 summonses since enforcement of the noise restrictions began last fall. Under the code, homeowners as well as contractors hired for the leaf cleanup and their employees risk a summons for violations. Councilman Andres Castillo, speaking at the board’s May 7 meeting, questioned the propriety of hauling a worker into court for using the equipment supplied by his employer. “I’m concerned about tickets being issued to [wage-earning] landscapers themselves,” he said, noting the difficulties at times in distinguishing between an employee and a company’s owner. “I don’t think it’s fair,” Castillo said, to issue a summons to a worker who is simply following the boss’ directive. “I think we need to do the right thing, which is only issue [a summons] to the business owner and the household, in my opinion,” the councilman said. Calves was cool to the idea, saying, “I’m afraid that if the person who is operating the leaf blower is not given the summons . . . everyone’s going to point to other people, and no one’s going to be accountable.” Moreover, if someone regularly turns up in court, she said, “It’s quite clear that you know the law and you’re going to have to be fined for it, even if you’re just taking direction from your boss.” Restrictions on gas leaf blowers, enacted in May 2022 in revisions to the Bedford noise ordinance, cut back their use in stages. Most were confined that year to a month and a half in spring and two and a half in fall. Last year, the spring cleanup window narrowed to one month, April, and the fall’s to two months, Oct. 15 to Dec. 15. This year, both cleanups had been scheduled to last only two weeks, April 15 to April 30 and Nov. 7 to Nov. 21. In proposing those restrictions two years ago, Calves acknowledged that her timetable could be overly optimistic and might require tweaking. Open-Space Funding Back in March, in Bedford’s spacious town hall, officials heard the outline of a plan to fund openspace acquisitions through a onetime fee of up to 2 percent on the purchase price of the costliest real estate. At the Town Board’s May 21 meeting, in much smaller quarters across the street, advocates presented details of the plan to a score of interested spectators, many of them in real estate sales. On the unseasonably warm evening, with the office building’s cooling system scheduled for repairs, the public had been urged to take in the meeting via Zoom to avoid the potentially uncomfortable venue. Still, many of the seats were filled in the secondfloor meeting room of the town’s Cherry Street office building. John Needham, a member of Bedford’s Open Space Acquisition Committee, led a task force’s presentation of the funding plan. Under it, he told the board, the town could realize $2 million annually from such a “transfer tax,” paid by people buying the property. But professionals selling that property also gave the board an earful. For more than 90 minutes of give and take, Needham recited the plan’s benefits—chief among them the assertion that it could provide millions annually to replenish a depleted land-acquisition treasury. But at least some in the real estate community called the added fee a disincentive to buy in Bedford and questioned projections on just how much it would really bring in. Already, the latest forecast of the town’s potential transfer receipts—$2 million—was half the amount initially given the board in March. Changes in details of the transfer tax could account for some of that reduction. Originally presented as a flat 2 percent fee on any transaction over the median sale price, the transfer tax discussed May 21 was a graduated levy. Sales on property priced above $778,000, up to $1 million, would be taxed at 0.5 percent; only sales over $1 million would pay the full 2 percent charge. New York’s Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act allows towns in specified counties to establish the preservation fund. Six towns in four counties—Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Columbia—now have the funds; Bedford would be the first community in Westchester to establish one. Before a transfer tax could go into effect, the Town Board must have a public hearing, adopt a law to create the proposed fee, then put it on the ballot for a November vote by town residents. PAGE 24 – THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 BEDFORD FROM PAGE 2 Editorial Submissions Press releases and high-resolution photos should be submitted to The Mount Kisco-Bedford Times by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissions can be emailed to [email protected]. WHY DO WE ADVERTISE IN HALSTON MEDIA’S TO ADVERTISE WITH US, CALL BRETT FREEMAN AT (845) 208-8151 LOCAL NEWSPAPERS? “People recognize us all over town and compliment us on our advertising. Our ability to reach patients and inform the community about different aspects of our practice has allowed us to grow.” - Drs. Richard Bridgham and Anita Barr Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Mt. KiscoBedford Times Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! 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JUNE 6 - JULY 2, 2024 THE MT. KISCO-BEDFORD TIMES – PAGE 25 TRAILS FROM PAGE 19 the promise of truth and transparency, and that is what residents will always get from us … no matter how uncomfortable it is.” Proceed with Caution Earlier in the meeting, Robert Dagostino, who lives right next to Gristmill Park, said he believes that the trails, though “well-intentioned,” should be “approached with extreme caution and awareness.” While walking on the Early Settlement Trail, the former police chief said he’s seen makeshift shelters (including one in a hollowed-out tree), beer bottles and used toilet paper strewn about, and once, a man bathing in the Kisco River. He also claimed to have interrupted a drug deal on the Peninsula Trail off Leito Drive. Dagostino asked the village to close the entrance to the park because, he claimed, the “speed and volume” of traffic there makes going in and coming out “extremely dangerous.” “Sadly, Mr. Dagostino wants to deny the residents of the village the opportunity to see the 1828 Stone Arch Bridge and the remnants of a 1791 gristmill,” Vigliotti said later, adding that the historical society would “love to be able to work with the mayor” on finding funds for the bridge’s restoration. Securities offered through Cantella & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Cantella and Co., Inc. does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. 845-628-5400 SFGtaxes.com | [email protected] 824 Route 6, Suite 4 | Mahopac, NY 10541 from other accountants and tax preparers is our ability to work with you not just on taxes, but on financials, college planning, divorce, retirement planning, changes in life planning... We don’t just process tax forms, we advise on how to handle your income and expenses in the future with personalized recommendations. We help you navigate the tax code, and in the end, help you set sound financial goals. What separates us filing deadline was Tuesday, May 28. Last November, VIP candidates for mayor and two trustee spots – Michael Cindrich and Theresa Flora and Angie Garcia-Guerra respectively -- stunned political insiders by sweeping the Democrats. (Cindrich had served 14 years as mayor before being ousted in 2017 by Gina Picinich. Flora and Garcia-Guerra were newcomers.) They beat then-deputy mayor Lisa Abzun, who had sought the mayor’s position, as well as incumbent Trustee Karine Patiño and hopeful Jean Farber. Abzun stayed on as trustee but is not seeking reelection this go-round. Mount Kisco native Mullen, the 26-year-old co-proprietor of the brand-new Blue Heron Tea & Coffee shop, said that he and Diaz, who is 23, have been warmly received by the community. “People are excited to see fresh, new faces” running for public office, he said, adding that Diaz is a “great running mate” and that together they hope to bring about significant change. Luzio issued the following statement on Tuesday, May 28. “I am surprised but not shocked at their entry into the race because Karen Schleimer and I supported the VIP last November. I have 36 years of government experience and a long history of getting folks to meet in the middle in order to resolve a problem. An example of this is when I became chair of the Mount Kisco Democratic Committee in January, I immediately asked Mayor Cindrich and Trustee Garcia-Guerra, who are registered Democrats, to consider joining the committee as district leaders. I also asked Jean Farber and former Trustee Karine Patiño to return to the committee. Mayor Cindrich and Trustee Garcia-Guerra declined; Farber and Patino expressed interest and were voted back on. If elected, that’s exactly how I would work, whether the issue is our public safety, the work of our volunteers, our taxes, sensible development, or anything else.” Schleimer’s statement was short and sweet. “I’m pleased that so many young people have expressed an interest in getting involved in local government.” Mullen Prior to opening the Kirby Plaza biz with Matthew Paratore, Mullen was an assistant manager with Mount Kisco Seafood on Lexington Avenue. So he knows full well the challenges that small businesses are facing nowadays. Mullen said he decided to run in response to what he perceives is a continued lack of action on the village’s part relative to issues such as public intoxication and homelessness. Diaz added the overcrowded housing situation to that list. Mullen, who has also worked in lease management and as a sales intern, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, and operations at Quinnipiac University. Diaz Born in White Plains, Diaz moved to Mount Kisco with his family when he was five. After graduating from Fox Lane High School in 2019, he went on to attend a Catholic seminary school and study philosophy in Rome. Diaz eventually returned to Mount Kisco where he now acts as a “self-employed community representative,” according to his LinkedIn profile. Appointed to the village’s Ethics Board this past February, he also is proud of his roles as a former counselor advocate for the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester, as an intern with the Westchester County Board of Legislators, the Town of Bedford Court, and the New York State Senate. After advocating for religious displays such as menorahs and creches in the village after they’d faced some opposition on the Village Board, Diaz said he was moved to take a deeper dive into local politics. Diaz said he was also inspired by the “compassion” of his late mentor, Mel Berger, tireless volunteer and founder of the Mount Kisco Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Council and the village’s Drug Court. It was Berger’s desire to help the homeless that led to the establishment of the Emergency Shelter Partnership. Looking Ahead Being at the beginning of their adult lives, Diaz said he and Mullen both want to “have a future in Mount Kisco.” “In order to do that, we have to take action,” he said. Mullen echoed that thought. “The young blood needs to come in and shake it up a little,” he said. CANDIDATES FROM PAGE 6
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