VOL. 11 NO. 44 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 CLASSIFIEDS 26 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 26 LEISURE 22 OPINION 8 SPORTS 16 Varsity Score Board pg 19 TUSKERS Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Somers Middle School is now a proud member of a prestigious global community of educators. It took lots of hard work for SMS to become authorized as an International Baccalaureate World School and local learning leaders are understandably thrilled about this latest feather in the school district’s cap. is means the school now has the ability to o cially o er the worldwide, nonpro t’s Middle Years Programme. It started implementing the framework three years ago and this school year piloted the “capstone project,” a required MYP component. Somers High School already has an IB Diploma Programme, a rigorous, academically challenging initiative designed to prepare 11th- and 12th-graders for success in college and career. SHS has applied to be a MYP candidate school, which means the initiative could eventually cover grades six through 10. If approved, it would seek authorization in two years. As of this month, there were more than 7,800 IB programmes being offered worldwide. ey involve more than 5,600 schools in 159 countries, according to ibo.org. e district learned of SMS’s new status back in November, but didn’t want to make a formal announcement until the o cial certi cate was in hand. “A key component of the district’s vision is to develop a sense of global citizenship within our students. e International Baccalaureate Program, as a whole, focuses on helping students become con dent and caring contributors to their community,” said schools Superintendent Dr. Ray Blanch last week. Because IB DP was implemented at the high school, “students have a greater understanding of how to make a positive impact on the world around them,” he said, adding that everyone’s “excited about continuing to embed this philosophy at the middle school.” “ e accomplishment of becoming an accredited MYP is a testament to the entire middle school faculty and the dedication they have to the children of Somers,” Blanch said. Excellence in education! Somers Middle School to offer prestigious Middle Years Programme Somers Middle School is now a proud member of a prestigious global community of educators. It took lots of hard work for SMS to become authorized as an International Baccalaureate World School and local learning leaders are understandably thrilled about this latest feather in the school district’s cap. nonpro t’s Middle Years Programme. It started implementing the framework three years ago and this school year piloted the “capstone project,” a required MYP component. Somers High School already has an IB Diploma Programme, a rigorous, academically challenging initiative designed to prepare SHS has applied to be a MYP candidate school, which means the initiative could eventually cover grades six through 10. If approved, it would seek authorization in two years. As of this month, there were more than 7,800 IB programmes being offered worldwide. ey involve more than 5,600 schools in 159 status back in November, but didn’t want to make a formal announcement until the o cial certi cate was in hand. “A key component of the district’s vision is to develop a sense of global citizenship within our students. e International Baccalaureate Program, as a whole, focuses on helping students become con dent and caring contributors to their community,” said schools Superintendent Dr. Ray Blanch last week. Because IB DP was implemented Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. Excellence in education! SEE MYP PAGE 6 Principal Jeff Getman, SMS MYP Coordinator Jenna Schettino, Assistant Principal Jennifer Mangone, and Superintendent Dr. Ray Blanch were all smiles thanks to Somers’ latest educational achievement. PHOTO COURTESY OF SCSD SellYour Home for TOP DOLLAR with Somers’ Real Estate Specialist Visit: SomersHouseValues.com or Email: [email protected] Michael Trinchitella Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker FREE Home Evaluation Anytime — No Cost or Obligation Call 914.243.3051 SomersHouseValues.com CLASSIC REALTY
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 BY TOM WALOGORSKY EDITOR At Somers High School, you would be hard-pressed to nd a student more involved in the instrumental programs than Marissa Abramson. After discovering the bass in second grade, she has been consistently involved with Somers’ musical o erings, including the GWOYA orchestra groups, jazz band, and both pit and chamber orchestras. She also currently serves as president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and her musical talents have even seen her perform at New York City’s prestigious Lincoln Center. The Somers Record caught up with Marissa to learn more about her musical stylings, plans for the future, and how being involved in the school’s music programs shaped her time at SHS. When did you begin your musical career? Like most kids in Somers, I participated in an exploratory music class in second grade. e music teachers in the district were displaying di erent instruments, and when my eyes landed on the double bass, I was hooked. It stood out among the crowd because it was the biggest instrument, which made me love it even more. In third grade, I broke both of my arms at the same time, so I started playing my instrument after everyone else. I really wanted to play, so after the casts came o , little Marissa started playing and never stopped. From SHS to Lincoln Center PERFORMING ARTS SPOTLIGHT What is your favorite type of music to play? My favorite type of music to play is classical. In the classical genre, there are so many di erent sub-genres that have very di erent feels. Classical music has some of the most speci c complexities that sound pretty easy to perform, but are very hard to execute. My favorite composer to play will always and forever be Beethoven. His music is so energetic and lyrical, and it makes me happy when I am able to perform it. With that being said, my guilty pleasure is playing pop music. I love listening to and performing orchestral arrangements of pop and classic rock music. ey are usually easy and are a nice break from the insanity roller coaster that is classical music. Is it di cult to balance being a vocalist and playing an instrument? How do you think singing a ects your playing and vice versa? When I sing during my practice sessions, it really helps me hear what the music is supposed to sound like. Even if the notes that I am singing are the exact pitches, the relativity of each note compared to one another is what I listen for. Singing really helps me lock in the notes and makes getting over musical di culties a faster process. My bass tutor taught me that trick, and while I would never admit it to him, it really does help. How much time do you devote to practicing? How do you balance that time with studying and other endeavors? It really depends on the day. Sometimes, I go days without practicing because I have a test to study for or a presentation to prepare for. Most days, I try to get in 30 minutes of practicing in. I don’t really do a straight 30-minute practice session, because I get distracted or have other homework to do. Usually, in between doing homework I like to practice. I take 15 or 20 minute breaks from homework and focus on a small portion of music during practice. I have found that this method allows for me to have meaningful practices, and I always focus on a di erent portion of music every time. Currently, I am preparing to play in the pit orchestra for the high school’s musical. Have you been involved in any performances outside of school that you are particularly proud of? Since 5th grade, I have been in the GWOYA orchestral groups. We get to perform at some pretty cool venues, but every year we play either in David Ge en Hall or Alice Tulley Hall at Lincoln Center. I almost got to play at Carnegie Hall but wasn’t able to because of COVID. At these venues, we have been able to play in the background for some soloists and perform symphonies for large crowds. Currently, we are preparing the Italian Symphony by Mendelson at Lincoln Center this spring! Are you involved in any other activities at SHS? At SHS, I am the president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. We plan trips to Broadway, run a mentoring program for younger Somers students, and organize our big Coffeehouse event. I love being a part of this honor society, because I love connecting with others all around the music department. Before becoming president, I knew a lot of people in orchestra and a couple in band and choir. Now, it feels like I know everyone, and it’s great. Being able to organize these events makes me feel like I am giving back to the community that supported me. I am also a part of the high school chamber orchestra, jazz band, and pit orchestra. I love being a part of these smaller groups and playing more music that challenges me as a musician. What are your plans after SHS? Do they include performing arts? My plan after leaving SHS is to attend college and go to medical school. Besides music, I love science and math. I’ve always wanted to go into the medical eld, and I love to help people and give back. In college, I am most de - nitely going to be a part of the performing arts. Music has always been a safe spot for me and a way for me to relieve stress, so I really want to continue performing in college. e music community is a very welcoming space, especially at Somers, and I want to be a part of that in college. If you could fast-forward to where you think you want to be in 10 years, where would you be? Do you plan to continue with your music? In 10 years, I hope to be in medical school or starting my residency program. SEE ABRAMSON PAGE 24 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 3 Marissa Abramson and her double bass. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARISSA ABRAMSON HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com Forbes Helps You Through the Process! Frozen Pipe Damage Claims Driving You Crazy?
PAGE 4 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 The Sta EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] Whit Anderson Sports Editor [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky 845-661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director/Photographer [email protected] Noah Elder Designer [email protected] EXECUTIVE TEAM Brett Freeman CEO & Publisher 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines The Somers Record The deadline for advertisements and editorial submissions for The Somers Record is the Thursday before the next publication date. For more information, call Tom Walogorsky at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected]. Subscribe To request The Somers Record weekly delivery, call 845-208-8503 or email [email protected]. Subscriptions are complimentary for residents and businesses in the town. Out of town mail subscriptions are $150 per year for First Class Mail. Periodicals Postage Paid at Somers, NY and at additional mailing o ices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Somers Record at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 (ISSN 2330-1597) Published Weekly by Halston Media, LLC at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 Halston Media, LLC Look your best for Valentine’s Day! •Precision Cuts • Sets • High-End Color • Highlights • Perms • Blow-Dry • Facial Waxing (914) 232-7070 Hours: Tues • Wed • Fri 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Thurs 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Sat 9:00 am - 4:30 pm We follow strict CDC guidelines. We pledge to keep everyone safe! You Too Can Be PAIN FREE for the Big Game! (914) 556-6800 somerssportandspine.com 336 US-202, Suite B1N Somers, NY 10589 (next to Somers Pharmacy) SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT TODAY! Dr. Frank Turchioe 4 Chiropractic Care 4 Soft Tissue Therapy 4 Injury Rehabilitation 4 Movement Assessment 4 Personal Training 4 Sports Performance Training 4 Webster Technique Feeding Westchester MOBILE FOOD PANTRY March 2, April 6, and May 4, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. is specialized 26-foot refrigerated truck brings a “market on wheels” to underserved communities so that fresh, nutritious foods can be delivered directly to those who need it. To be held at Shrub Oak Memorial Park, located on Sunnyside Street in Shrub Oak. For more information, visit https://feedingwestchester.org/our-work/ Church of the Good Shepherd 39 Granite Springs Road, Granite Springs SENIOR SATURDAY LUNCH Saturday, Feb. 18, at 12 p.m. e Church of the Good Shepherd will host its next non-denominational, free lunch gathering of local senior citizens at the church. A delicious hot meal will be served, and will be accompanied by companionship, conversation and community! e meal will conclude with dessert and co ee. A second meal will be given to everyone attending to take home. RSVP is required by calling 914-248-5631 or emailing seniorssaturdays@goodshepherdny.org. The Somers Library Please register using the online calendar at www.somerslibrary.org to have access to online meetings. If virtual, you will receive an invitation prior to the start of the program. Programs are supported by the Friends of the Somers Library through patrons’ generous contributions. (IN PERSON) VALENTINE’S DAY DESSERTS Thursday, Feb. 9, from 7 to 8 p.m. Join in to learn how to make Molten Lava Cake & Persian Love Cake in this virtual baking class with Chef Empress Vasquez! (HYBRID) SOMERS LIBRARY BOOK GROUP Friday, Feb. 17, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. e group will meet both in person and virtually to discuss Marie Benedict’s “Personal Librarian.” e novel tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian, who became one of the most powerful women in New York, despite her secret preserving her carefully crafted white identity. is Library-sponsored book group is led by Diana Cunningham, Librarian, who selects the books to be discussed, chosen in consultation with Tara Ferretti, Head of Public Services, with feedback and suggestions from the group. New members are always welcome. (VIRTUAL) CLASSIC BOOK GROUP DISCUSSES GEORGE ELIOT’S “MIDDLEMARCH” Monday, Feb. 27, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Set in Middlemarch, a ctional English Midland town, the story follows distinct, intersecting stories with many characters. Issues include the status of women, the nature of marriage, idealism, selfinterest, religion, hypocrisy, political reform, and education...all issues of concern to modern life. Group meets on Monday nights, bimonthly. Meetings are via Zoom with plans to move to in-person/ Zoom as desired by the group. Meetings are open to all interested Somers residents. Copies of the current title to be discussed are available at the circulation desk. Somers Girl Scout Troop 1457 PRIVATE INDOOR ICE SKATING EVENT Friday, March 3, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Open to everyone in our community! Come enjoy an afternoon of private skating with your ELEPHANT’S TRUNK SEE TRUNK PAGE 24
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 5 Valentine’s Day Event Please call for Reservations! TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14th 7-10pm DINNER & ENTERTAINMENT 489 E. MAIN STREET JEFFERSON VALLEY, NY 10535 TO VIEW MENU: TheJeffersonOnTheLake.com/special-occasions 929-614-3021 • Glass of Red or White Wine • 4 Appetizers • 5 Entrees• Dessert • Coffee/Tea • Prosecco Toast (Cash bar available) “Sounds Familiar” with Sean & Valerie PRIX FIXE DINNER INCLUDES CHOICE OF: ENTERTAINMENT PROVIDED BY: PER PERSON +TAX/GRATUITY BY BOB DUMAS EDITOR AT LARGE A GoFundMe page has been established to help the family of a Putnam Valley girl who su ered a severe brain injury after in a September car accident that took the life of a Mahopac man and injured two other teens. Emily Quinn, 15, is on a long journey to recovery after the traumatic brain injury. A talented gymnast who represented Putnam Valley and the Lakeland/ Panas combined team at the state championships last year, she was being trained by former Olympians at Dynamic Gymnastics in Mohegan Lake and competed at the National level. Friends have described her as a “bubbly, happy and hardworking girl.” On the GoFundMe page, her family writes that during her time in the hospital, Emily overcame several health scares. After months of hospitalization, she has transitioned from the ICU to a rehabilitation facility where she will have to relearn many daily tasks. “She is incredibly strong, a true ghter and continues to amaze us every day. She is truly a miracle in progress,” the family wrote. Emily was injured in a two-car accident on Sept. 27 on Wood Street near Meadow Crest Drive in Putnam Valley near the Mahopac Falls border. e driver of the rst vehicle, 23-year-old Bryan Tumolo of Mahopac, was pronounced deceased at the scene. e second car contained Emily, her older sister, Caitlin, 17, and Catlin’s boyfriend, Ethan Cruz, 18, of Lake Peekskill. Cruz was also seriously injured, and a GoFundMe page has been set up in his name as well. Police said that the preliminary investigation indicated that the rst vehicle was northbound on Wood Street when it crossed over into the path of Cruz’s vehicle, e Quinn family said that Caitlin experienced a brief setback from her injuries around late November and was readmitted for another surgery. She has since recovered and is o cially back in school. While she was hospitalized, she submitted her college applications. “We are also happy to announce [Caitlin] has been accepted into multiple colleges with merit scholarships. We are incredibly proud of how strong and resilient she is,” the family wrote. e link to the GoFundMe page for the Quinn family is gofund.me/d9dbc48e. Ethan Cruz’s page is at gofund.me/9462cdb3. You can also support the Quinn family by purchasing a leotard from Melody’s Leotards. e leotards say “She is Strong” on the front, and “Quinn Strong” on the back and are available in a variety of color options and back styles. Cost is $30. Find them at melodyleotards.com/ product/quinn-strong-fundraising-leotard. “We are blessed to have such an extended community who has shown tremendous support during this di cult time,” the Quinn family wrote on their GoFundMe page. “We recognize we will not be able to individually thank everyone. We ask that you extend our gratitude to your friends, family, churches and communities who have continued to keep the girls in their thoughts and prayers.” GoFundMe page to aid local gymnast Accident near Mahopac Falls left Emily Quinn with traumatic brain injury REGIONAL THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 5 e Quinn family said that Caitlin experienced a brief setback from her injuries around late November and was readmitted for another surgery. She has since recovered and is o cially back in school. While she was hospitalized, she submitted her college applications. “We are also happy to announce [Caitlin] has been accepted into multiple colleges with merit scholarships. We are incredibly styles. Cost is $30. Find them at melodyleotards.com/ product/quinn-strong-fundraising-leotard. GoFundMe page to aid local gymnast Accident near Mahopac Falls left Emily Quinn with traumatic brain injury Emily Quinn performs her fl oor routine in last year’s divisionals for the LPPV varsity gymnastics team. a true fighter, and continues to amaze us every day. She is truly a miracle in progress.’ - e Quinn Family ‘She is incredibly a true fighter, STRONG, PHOTO: TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL
FORWARD MOTION e next big step is educating folks about what MYP really means, SMS Principal Je Getman said last week. ere are a lot of moving parts, so administrators are putting together a primer for parents and other members of the school community. It will be presented at the school board’s March 7 meeting. So what’s the chief di erence between what a traditional classroom looks like and one guided by the MYP philosophy? First of all, the MYP is NOT a curriculum and doesn’t affect academic content. In other words, it forms an interdisciplinary “framework” for HOW students are taught, not WHAT they’re taught. “It really takes from all the best approaches to teaching and brings them together,” Getman said. It’s also important to note that every subject – whether it be math, science, art, music, languages, or social studies – “is valued equally in an MYP building,” said MYP Coordinator Jenna Schettino last week. “ at really aligns with our mission to focus on the whole child here in Somers,” she added. A typical lesson will be “teacher-facilitated” but also “studentdriven.” “Gone are the days of just the teacher up there on the stage saying all information has to pass through me before it gets to the student,” Schettino said, noting that MYP creates more 21st-century opportunities for individual inquiry and research. Students get to explore topics they’re personally curious about while being held to “a higher standard,” she added. Of course, that’s not all there’s to MYP. ere are still things teachers need to cover, but there’s more choice for students. “We think kids are going to be more engaged because they see the meaning of their learning. ey see the connection to their lives, maybe more so than they did in the past,” Getman said. UNITS UNIFY Teachers have to create three units, or groupings of sequential lessons by theme, steps in a process, skills, and essential questions -- all components of a particular course. Simply put, a “unit” is a learning experience that happens over a set period of time. “It’s kind of a big idea that’s broken down into daily lessons with an assessment at the end,” Getman explained. One example would be the 8th-grade science “unit” that asks students questions such as “How do we respond to our environment?” and “How has the Earth changed?” is is where the MYP’s interdisciplinary approach really comes in handy. Students are encouraged to dig deep into multiple subjects to nd the answers. An example. ey just did a social studies unit in which they read “A Long Walk to Water,” a short novel that’s based on the true story of Salva Dut, one of the so-called Sudanese “lost boys,” and on a ctional account of Nya, an 11- year old girl who walks eight hours to fetch water from a pond. “So they’re seeing di erent perspectives, what others their own age have to go through in a day compared to what they do. In the book, kids have to walk forever to get water,” Getman said. Teachers used the MYP framework to assign various exercises and activities to kids so they can apply what they learned from other subjects. “When you think about this activity, they’re not just answering questions about a book; they’re asked to think about what the current issues involving water are. So there’s a science component to that,” Getman explained. “ ey’re asked to think about empathy, about PAGE 6 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 MYP FROM PAGE 1 SEE MYP PAGE 7 'The accomplishment of becoming an accredited MYP is a testament to the entire middle school faculty, and the dedication they have to the children of Somers.' Superintendent Ray Blanch Source: OKMLS, 1/1/22-12/31/22, total dollar volume of single family homes and condominiums sold by Agent, Somers school district AGENT IN SOMERS & HERITAGE HILLS DONNA O’CONNELL Associate Real Estate Broker M 914.263.9108 O 914.277.8040 Ext. 334 [email protected] donnaoconnell.houlihanlawrence.com SOMERS BROKERAGE 104 VILLAGE SQUARE, SOMERS, NY 10589 As we head into the spring market, it’s a great time to list your home or condo. I would be happy to provide you with a complimentary market analysis. With over twenty-five years of real estate experience and an unmatched devotion to each client, I make the transaction process easy. Sellers are receiving multiple offers for their properties! Source: OKMLS, 1/1/22-12/31/22, total dollar volume of single family homes and condominiums sold by Agent, Somers school district HERITAGE HILLS DONNA O’CONNELL Associate Real Estate Broker M [email protected] donnaoconnell.houlihanlawrence.com SOMERS BROKERAGE 104 VILLAGE SQUARE, SOMERS, NY 10589 With over twenty-five years of real estate experience and an unmatched devotion to each client, I make the transaction process easy. Sellers are receiving multiple offers for their properties! Thinking about selling your home or condo? I can help!
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 7 putting themselves in someone else’s shoes. And so there are a lot of bigger ideas and a debatable question: How does where you live determine how you live?” It’s not about being able to parrot back the book’s contents, “it’s really thinking about bigger issues.” ASSESSMENT PROCESS Grades aren’t going away, but the focus is shifting to the learning process and giving students multiple ways to “show what they know.” Assessments could be made through traditional testing, but students can also make presentations, engage in debates, write letters or essays, and create public service announcements, etc. ey are provided with sets of criteria for grading assignments. “Rubrics” let students know what’s expected of them if they want to achieve a certain score. With traditional learning the “test was kind of a secret,” said Getman. “Here we’re sharing it right up front. Here’s what you need to know, this is how you’re going to show it, and here’s the rubric we’re going to use to score you at the end. So everything’s out in front for kids and it’s a more authentic experience.” Students are not only more engaged, they also come away with the ability to make connections between what they learned in the classroom and what’s happening in their own lives as well as in the world at large. An example of an exercise could be having students create their “dream vacation,” which takes math chops such as budgeting and time-management skills such as planning. Knowledge of geography and current events doesn’t hurt either. Employers love folks who can problem-solve, organize information e ectively, and work together as a team. e MYP’s aim is to better prepare them for the rigors of college, career, and life. Research shows that children are more likely to learn and remember things if they can relate them to their lives. “So they see these things don’t happen in silos, that they are interconnected,” Getman said. LIFELONG LEARNERS e aim is to produce “internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world,” ibo.org said. According to the organization’s “learner pro le,” students should strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, openminded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and re ective. Teachers are asked to re ect after each unit. Calling it part of the “MYP way of being,” Getman said this “forces us to be more thoughtful about teaching, assessments, the student’s experience, and how we will make it better next time.” “So this is never fully done. It is a constant process of re ection and improvement both with kids and adults,” he added. “ e main tenant is being a lifelong learner and that’s part of the mission statement for both MYP and our school,” Schettino said. at goes for teachers and administrators too. Being part of a global learning community creates opportunities for professional development and information sharing. “I’ve made so many connections with other schools and other coordinators,” Schettino said. MYP FROM PAGE 6 SEE MYP PAGE 23 Brewster, NY and Bethel, CT Showrooms On your project everyday until completion... GUARANTEED! 845-278-0070 Southeastkitchenandbath.com Celebrating 50 years Your Family Car Care Center! LOCATIONS: Baldwin Place • 44 Route 118 • (845) 628-7900 Croton Falls • 1 Center St • (914) 769-3206 Visit us at www.ProperService.com For over 100 years of combined auto experience, Joe Ferone and his sta of Proper Service have been serving the community, creating releationships, and building a remarkable company with an amazing team of employees! Find out why Joe Ferone of Proper Service needs to be YOUR Go-To Automotive Service Center!
PAGE 8 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 Opinion 118 N, BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of The Somers Record or its a iliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please send your submissions to the editor by e-mail at [email protected]. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830 BRETT FREEMAN, PUBLISHER TOM WALOGORSKY , EDITOR TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Editorial O ice: 914-302-5830 [email protected] For nearly 10 months, I spent day after day speaking to Putnam and Westchester County residents in the 94th Assembly District about the future of New York State. Without question, the leading concern expressed by local voters was New York State’s high cost of living and the a ordability of our region. Since taking o ce in January, this has remained my focus. Despite projected revenue shortfalls and a national recession, Gov. Hochul put forward the largest budget in state history for 2023-2024--increasing state spending by billions of dollars. While I support an expanded investment in public education and mental healthcare, the Governor’s continued attack on suburban taxpayers in the Hudson Valley is deeply troubling. First, Hochul’s budget proposal would shift $1 billion in Medicaid expenses to local property taxpayers and raise property taxes by approximately 10%. Because of our high taxes, New York State continues to lead the nation in outmigration, with millions of New Yorkers relocating to states like Florida and Texas with no state income tax. For years, Westchester County homeowners have paid the country’s highest property taxes and, through Albany’s legacy of unfunded state mandates, Putnam County is also among the 10 counties with the highest property tax burden. Instead of the relief area homeowners so desperately need, the New York State Association of Counties is rightly raising the red ag about Governor Hochul’s latest scheme. If that is not enough, the Governor is once again penalizing local businesses by increasing the hated MTA Payroll Tax in order to funnel an extra $800 million per year to subsidize the MTA. is will adversely impact businesses all across our region at a time when New York State remains last in the nation in attaining prepandemic job levels. At this point, Governor Hochul and the rest of the Albany politicians should understand that a tax on jobs does not create jobs! e Governor’s tax proposal is on top of her e orts to implement congestion pricing, which would cost suburban commuters up to $23 just to drive below 60th Street in Manhattan. With no reforms or accountability of the MTA, Governor Hochul is only enabling the same mismanagement that has perpetuated for years and siphoned billions of dollars from Hudson Valley taxpayers. Hochul’s assault on our suburban quality of life becomes even more clear when looking at her proposals for local transportation and housing. Our region has the most state and local lane miles of road in the entire state, yet 57% of those roads are rated in fair or poor condition. We also have more state-maintained bridges than anywhere else, exceeding New York City and Long Island combined. Despite this critical situation, Governor Hochul’s budget fails to provide any additional funding to address these shortfalls and she refused to help o set the in ation-driven increase in the costs borne by municipal governments to repave their roads. As Town Supervisor and a candidate for the State Assembly, I vocally opposed Hochul’s plan to supersede local zoning through her ill-advised accessory dwelling unit law. I rmly believe in the importance of local decision-making and the review processes our towns and villages follow. Governor Hochul’s so-called Housing Compact is a direct attack on the fabric of our communities and will mandate housing projects go through a virtually automatic process that circumvents state environmental review requirements and prevents localities from averting adverse impacts on their residents. Worse, if any project is rejected, there is an appeal process that can compel towns and villages to approve the new housing proposals even if it con icts with their master plan and zoning laws. For communities with train stations, the Governor’s plan is even more intrusive. It mandates high-density Transit Oriented Development within a half-mile radius around these stations and empowers the State Attorney General to enforce this requirement if a municipality does not approve proposed projects. Finally, as it relates to the quality of life enjoyed by Hudson Valley residents, I am extremely concerned about Governor Hochul’s plan to cut 17 di erent programs for our veterans. With so many brave men and women who valiantly served our nation living in this region, the Governor’s decision to divert critical resources away from the vital services upon which our veterans rely is nothing short of a failure of leadership. is year’s state budget could either help ease the burden on Hudson Valley families or exacerbate the a ordability crisis. As the budget negotiations progress, I will continue ghting for Hudson Valley taxpayers and ensuring that our region and its residents receive their fair share from Albany. Matt Slater is currently serving his rst term as Assemblyman in District 94, which includes Yorktown, Somers, and the eastern part of Putnam County, including Mahopac and Carmel. Governor’s proposed budget harms Hudson Valley residents J ust like McDonald’s, we love to see our clients smile. But all too often, prospective clients approach us with a disastrous plan: they want to advertise for just one week. You know…to try us out. As our client, unless you have an urgent call to action because of an event planned next week, this is what my sales colleagues will tell you to do with your money: “Use the $150 (or whatever you planned to spend based on ad size) and take your wife or husband out to dinner.” While we don’t like to turn down a sale, we are not going to let a client waste their hard-earned cash on an ill-advised marketing approach. One-and-done ads rarely see much success and the client will be unhappy with the results (and they’ll tell the world they were unhappy with the results). Seasoned marketing professionals will say that advertising frequency (repetition) separates winning campaigns from losing ones, among other important approaches. ey will also say that just like a business owner needs to pay essential expenses like rent and utilities, they also need to dedicate money towards building their brand’s awareness and image. “Fifteen minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.” I could recite that quote in my sleep. Or if you decide to go with your local Allstate insurance agent, you’ll be “in good hands.” ese brands have simple, memorable messages that are repeated all day long, 365 days per year. Of course, small businesses don’t have multi-billion-dollar budgets. But most industry associations are able to recommend a percentage of a business’s budget that should be devoted to marketing. is is true whether you own or run a restaurant, an insurance, law or medical practice, or if you are in real estate, home improvement or retail. Ideally, you should take that marketing budget and divide it by 52 or 26 weeks, and that is what you should spend every week or every other week annually. If a year or 26 weeks is outside of your budget, then perhaps go with the idea of ighting, where you run four to six weeks at a stretch a few times per year. While the size of the ad is important, we’d rather you run a smaller ad repeatedly versus running a full-page ad just once or twice. You’ll have more success with the repetition of a smaller ad than you would with a one-hit wonder. For seasonal businesses, divide your budget by the number of weeks in your season, but be sure to start several weeks early to build awareness before your prospective clients start making purchasing decisions. If you have an urgent call to action, it’s important that you advertise more than just one week. You should be promoting the event a few weeks before the sale and during the sale week. is is not self-serving. You don’t need to spend any of your marketing budget with us. at is our advice whether you decide to advertise in newspapers, on radio, on the Internet, on cable/streaming TV, or all-of-the-above. Any salesperson who wants to take your money for one week of advertising is doing you a disservice. Marketing your business for the long-haul is a necessary expense. As Nike says, “Just do it!” Marketing is all about repetition Marketing is all about repetition BRETT FREEMAN MARKETING 101 ASSEMBLYMAN MATT SLATER GUEST COLUMNIST
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 9 MUSCOOT Since the 1920’s MUSCOOT T A V E R N SINCE THE ROARING 20’S Our legendary and charming tavern is the ideal spot for a scrumptious dining experience. Our Chefs fresh daily seafood specials, famous Mussels Muscoot & signature thin crust pizza has our neighbors coming back time and time again! www.muscoottavern.com 914 • 232 • 2800 105 Somerstown Turnpike, Katonah, NY 10536 MUSCOOT Since the 1920’s MUSCOOT T A V E R N SINCE THE ROARING 20’S Our legendary and charming tavern is the ideal spot for a scrumptious dining experience. Our Chefs fresh daily seafood specials, famous Mussels Muscoot & signature thin crust pizza has our neighbors coming back time and time again! www.muscoottavern.com 914 • 232 • 2800 105 Somerstown Turnpike, Katonah, NY 10536 MUSCOOT Since the 1920’s MUSCOOT T A V E R N SINCE THE ROARING 20’S Our legendary and charming tavern is the ideal spot for a scrumptious dining experience. Our Chefs fresh daily seafood specials, famous Mussels Muscoot & signature thin crust pizza has our neighbors coming back time and time again! www.muscoottavern.com 914 • 232 • 2800 105 Somerstown Turnpike, Katonah, NY 10536 HAPPY HOUR! Daily from 4-6 and again from 9-11 on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights. ENJOY DINING on our heated, covered patio! JOIN US FOR Valentine’s Day! All Ladies Receive a Rose! The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) caused quite a kerfu e last month when they announced they would recommend banning gas stoves due to indoor air pollution and climate change concerns. Agency commissioner Richard Trumka, Jr. said, “Besides barring the manufacture or import of gas stoves, options include setting standards on emissions from the appliances.” e reaction from gas stove enthusiasts was swift and spirited. Get your hands o my stove! e Internet memes were hilarious – from pictures of gas stove removal SWAT teams to “Don’t Tread On Me” ags with gas stove emblems. It turns out that 40% of the homes in the country and 94% of the restaurants rely on gas stoves, so the pushback was predictable. e “we didn’t really mean that” walkbacks started within days of CPSC’s announcement. e gas- re in ated trial balloon didn’t gain much altitude before crashing back to earth. You shouldn’t mess with grandma’s stove. Along with the White House, Gov. Hochul issued a statement assuring everyone that she was not coming for your stove, which was reassuring to some. However, she did say in her State of the State address that she will be phasing out the sale of fossil fueled heating equipment by 2025 and requiring the new construction for residential to be all electric by 2030 – a pretty aggressive timetable. She also wants to phase out fossil fueled vehicles following California when it comes to electric vehicles, eventually banning the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. She has joined California in requiring that all cars and light duty trucks sold in 2035 must be electric. Now, I think electric cars are cool, but Unintended consequences of all-electric mandates We would love to know what you think. Please take our survey by visiting halstonmedia.org/3YIegzp (the address is case sensitive) or scan the QR code. Who made a more compelling argument? Take our reader survey Scan the QR code to take this survey. BY ANSHUL GUPTA GUEST COLUMNIST The most recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, prepared and reviewed by thousands of scientists and experts from 195 countries, conclude that barring immediate concerted e orts to tame carbon pollution from fossil fuels, our world could be unrecognizable by the end of the century – within the lifetime of a child born today. Climate deterioration marked by worsening res, oods, droughts and extreme weather is already tracking worse than scientists’ predictions. Mass migrations, geopolitical upheavals, biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruptions are some of its other perils. For instance, if this winter ends without a su cient stretch of deep frost, we could see an overabundance of all kinds of pests right here in Westchester in the spring and summer. Mending our energy-extravagant ways will be a challenge, so it behooves us to kickstart the easiest actions without delay. Transitioning construction to all-electric buildings in New York State is one such impactful move that would actually save money and is worthwhile for its health and economic bene ts alone. With the U.S. becoming the world’s largest exporter of liqui ed natural gas, the era of cheap natural gas is over. e tens of thousands of new gas customers each year create enormous extra demand that increases pressure on everyone’s supply prices. Most New Yorkers are unaware that new gas hookups with service lines e case for all-electric Impact on climate, health & economics DON SCOTT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ANSHUL GUPTA GUEST COLUMNIST SEESCOTT PAGE 10 SEEGUPTA PAGE 10
PAGE 10 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • Wills, Trusts & Estates Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 16 consecutive years Do you understand the difference between an irrevocable and a revocable trust? CALL NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 914.948.1500 SCOTT FROM PAGE 9 they are expensive and they do have their limitations. If my six numbers come in on the lottery, I’ve got my eye on that Porsche EV I saw at the electric car show last summer. e sticker price starts at 100 grand. I’ve been relying on the quick pick for the lottery, which isn’t working. I think I need to be more thoughtful in my number selection strategy if I am going to succeed. Hybrids seem to make more sense to me than all-electric. ey deliver the range and exibility of ICE vehicles while providing the savings and reduced environmental impact of an EV. Interestingly, most owners of EV’s also own an ICE vehicle. I’m not sure if hybrids will be banned in New York, like they have been in Europe’s new targets, by 2035 or not. Details to follow. What doesn’t get much coverage is the impact on the electric grid that banning all these fossil fuel powered vehicles and appliances will have. Is there capacity? Clearly, there isn’t currently, and it is questionable whether it can be ramped up in time to meet the new demand. And what will the impact be on electric rates, which in New York are already among the highest in the country. EVs are cleaner than ICE vehicles, but not by as much as you might think. e majority of the electricity generated to charge those batteries comes from fossil fuels, and in New York only 6% of the power generation comes from renewable sources. EVs just move the ame from under the hood to the power plant. Also to be considered is that the energy devoted to mining and re ning the rare earth minerals needed for battery manufacturing is signi cant, not to mention environmental impacts and the fact that China has a stranglehold on the supply chain. Central planners always fail to account for the unintended consequences of their actions, which will be shouldered by their constituents. In this case, the unintended consequences will be the higher costs for vehicles, appliances and the energy to power them. New York’s actions will make our state even less competitive nationally. ese technologies, both in power generation and vehicle technology, need to be given time to evolve prior to mandates being handed down. and meters costing thousands of dollars each are mostly given away for free and their cost is tacked onto everyone’s delivery charges. Not only would it be cheaper to construct and power new buildings with highly e cient and reliable cold-climate heat pumps, it could also o er cost reprieve to existing gas customers. According to the 2022 Clean Energy Industry Report, building electri cation and energy-e ciency is the largest segment of New York’s clean energy jobs that grew 13% over ve years. Mount Kisco-based Dandelion Energy has never stopped hiring since installing its rst geothermal heat pump in 2018 and has expanded into three neighboring states. Each year, its systems enable hundreds of new households to start heating and cooling their homes without paying astronomical utility bills or polluting their neighborhoods. e outdoor pollution from fossil fuels in New York’s buildings is estimated to be responsible for about 2,000 deaths each year, with about $22 billion in associated healthcare costs. Similarly, indoor pollution from leakage and combustion of gas is linked to myriad health risks, including asthma among children and dementia among the elderly. None of these bene ts have prevented the fossilfuel industry and its allies from attempting to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt about our clean energy future with scaremongering over grid capacity and reliability and with culture wars over gas stoves. Our electric grid is stressed in the summer while the heat pumps add to the winter electricity demand. Major utilities like Con Edison support all-electric new construction to begin an orderly transition to a pollution-free buildings sector. According to the Energy Information Administration, 26% of U.S. homes are already all-electric; 33% rely on electricity for space heating, and 57% for cooking. A majority of Americans do not cook on gas. Even fossil-fueled heating doesn’t work during power failures without expensive generators. A look at poweroutage.us would reveal that beyond severe weather events, power outages are uncommon. However, almost every winter day, HVAC technicians and plumbers rush to rescue thousands of customers with broken boilers, furnaces and water heaters. e state of Washington recently mandated electric heat pumps for heating, cooling and hot water in all new buildings starting July 2023. e prohibition on fossil-fuel hookups in new construction in New York City and Montreal, which is colder than most of New York State, will start phasing in starting 2024. e technology is ready and economical; all we need for saving money while saving lives is to muster the political courage to stand up to special interests and hasten the transition to allelectric buildings. Hopefully, our legislature and Governor Hochul would do just that. Anshul Gupta is a research scientist and a member of the Westchester chapter of the Climate Reality Project, a 501(c)3 not-for-pro t international organization founded and led by former Vice President Al Gore. GUPTA FROM PAGE 9
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 11 My opinion is that you can spend a fun weekend just about anywhere, as long as you are willing to bring your own fun. People who expect magic at every turn are often in for life’s little disappointments. But every town has at least a weekend’s worth of great things to do if you take a few moments to look for them. We spent last weekend in Scranton, Pa., home of the ctional Dunder Mi in Paper Company featured in the show, “ e O ce.” ere was evidence around town that they kind of miss Dunder Mi inthere’s an exhibit at the Steamtown Mall commemorating the show. We visited the Electric City Aquarium and Reptile Den, which is also inside the mall. Scranton is known as the Electric City because it was the rst in America to have motor-driven cable cars. ey would have been even more famous if anyone had thought to name a streetcar “Desire.” e aquarium was the perfect size and not too crowded on a Sunday, so that we could spend a little time with the animals. More time than we probably should have, because a good many of the amphibians and reptiles there are poisonous. It was not hard to nd the coral snake or the Amazon milk frog, because the prettier the colors, the more poisonous they are. It’s all part of nature’s grand plan. If they were drab AND poisonous, who would want a serious relationship with them? I don’t know why, but for some reason it made me remember those girls in high school with the gorgeous red hair, nice clothes and vivid smiles. Other animals there thrive by blending into their surroundings using natural camou age. It took me a good ve minutes to identify the Vietnamese mossy frog, but my wife insisted it was a rock. e aquarium could save a bundle each year in food by having four or ve tanks with rocks in them that look a little like frogs, and people like me could marvel at how motionless they can sit in order to lure their prey. In the next room was a rainforest section, home to Mort the bush baby, Quilliam the porcupine and Molasses the two-toed sloth. If you prefer a three-toed sloth, well, keep it away from the woodworking shop. ere was an Asian water monitor, which is a huge lizard. I had assumed it was a nifty imported device to make sure you’re not too wasteful in the restroom. I can imagine living in the rainforest and complaining how it was sunny for six days straight. Hey, I tell my crew, into each life a little sunshine must fall. I know: Rick, stop being such a bush baby. In one tank they had an alligator lizard, which sounds made up, but is a small reptile that coincidentally doesn’t look that much like an alligator. I rst heard about it in the song “Ventura Highway,” where they sing a chorus about “alligator lizards in the air,” and that’s the No. 1 reason why I take Route 118 instead if I’m headed out of Pasadena. is is o -topic, but that band, America, had a lot of weird songs, like “Horse With No Name.” I would have had that horse named by the second verse. It’s a wonder they even named the song. And “Sister Golden Hair” surprise? Was she a nun? I don’t like too many surprises where women are concerned. We were late for the shark feeding and the alligator feeding was at 2. By the way, if there’s an alligator feeding and you happen to be there and it’s more like 3 or 3:15, I would start screaming loudly. Somebody might just be able to hear you over the toucans, which are louder than you would think and maintain a constant chatter worse than I do. ere’s also a “touch tank,” which is like an underwater petting zoo, where you can see what stingrays and horseshoe crabs feel like, if you feel like it. We poked around the mall a bit more and left right near Mi in Street. I was a big fan of “ e O ce,” and I was sad to see it close just because people don’t use paper anymore. In the morning, I like to read e New York Times in actual newsprint. I don’t have to scroll, I just look further down, and there it is: the rest of the story. You can read my column in a Halston Media paper, and then line your helmeted iguana tank with it when you’re done. If he doesn’t like my writing, he’ll let you know. Look for Rickster Melen on Facebook! Say hello at: [email protected]. 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PAGE 12 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 I t’s a little after 8 p.m., and the kids are nally in bed. Well, if you’re in my house, it’s probably after 9 p.m. before all three are nally tucked away. You make sure the garbage is taken out, the dishes are done, the lunches are packed and alarms are set. You sit down and nally you breathe. Oh wait, you get back up and let the dog out. You sit down again. A huge “Ahhh!” leaves your mouth and you smile. It’s nally mommy’s time. Now, you’ve been here before. It’s now close to 10 p.m. and you know you should go to bed. You’re well aware of how every article and Instagram meme advise on getting enough rest and anything under six hours a night isn’t going to cut it. You are reminded how undereye circles and bloating can pop up without warning if you’re over 35 and without a good night’s rest. But you haven’t had a moment to yourself all day! You deserve some quality me time. You know there are a million things you can do. You can catch up on laundry, nish that novel you were reading, start grading those papers you’ve had for a week, but girl, this is your time! You forgo all of the smart advice, grab your granny sweater, change into your frumpy sweats and grab a glass of wine and some snacks. And honestly, who are you kidding? You have been in your frumpy sweats since you got home. You decide it’s Net ix for the win. Now to nd a show… oh wait, you’re up again…you almost forgot to let the dog back in. Back to a show, the possibilities are endless! Should you catch up with your guilty pleasure of reality TV? Maybe a little Bachelor in Paradise to remind yourself that your day was hard, but at least you’re not on an island trying to nd someone to marry you. However, maybe after a glass of wine, that island isn’t looking too bad. Or maybe you had a rough day and are looking for some kind of rom-com that’s easy and light. You know you’re going to have one hand on your phone scrolling while the other is elbow deep in a bag of chips. You suddenly feel judged. And you should. Net ix is in fact judging you. You sco at the TV and choose something cheesy, but in a good way. You’ve chosen…Outlander. Hey, it’s historical ction! You’re being educated about the history of Scotland all the while enjoying some eye candy. is was the perfect choice…as if you haven’t watched the series three times already. e thing about Outlander is it will pull at your heart strings. You fall in love with Jamie and Claire’s love. You start getting mad at your husband because he isn’t a big Scottish man in a kilt who lives his life to serve you. And anyone who says they haven’t watched Outlander is lying to you. Find friends who aren’t embarrassed to admit they watch this show and then giggle and smack each other when dying over Jamie Fraser. Your husband walks into the room and asks you why Black Jack Randall is trying to kill your precious Jamie. You shush him and tell him that it will take too long to explain. He shrugs and leaves the room. Ah, peace. He comes back in ve minutes later to ask where his good gray T-shirt is. You grit your teeth and tell him that it’s clean and folded in his drawer. He shrugs and leaves again. You take a sip of wine. Back to Jamie. Oh, and Claire, too. He returns. “Yessssss?” (a hissing sound escapes). “Would you mind…” he begins innocently before the following words come ying out of your mouth: “What?! What do you neeeeed?! is is mommy’s time! Me! I’m the mommy!” It happens all too often. ere’s no down time for moms. And not having down time leads to the inevitable breakdown. Self-care is not a trip to the grocery store or showering by yourself. at is not enough! Self-care should be doing something for yourself that you love. at you deserve. at you need. And it should be uninterrupted! Yoga, meditation, shopping, reading, whatever you want! My kids know that when mommy is on the Peloton, she’s unreachable. When mommy is singing her heart out in the basement riding away on her bike, they just know to leave the poor woman alone. ey know I’m available 24/7 day and night. And in reality, that’s the only time I get to myself where they get to “ gure it out” or ask daddy. Imagine telling a dad that he couldn’t use the bathroom without an audience, couldn’t go to the doctor without bringing all his kids (with entertainment and snacks), or lugging all the groceries inside with the kids in tow. So forgive me if I need at least a half hour at the end of the day to look like a train wreck while shoving my face and watching nonsense on TV. Don’t. Bother. Mommy. I refuse to feel guilty over this. I am entitled to decompress in whatever way I see t. Now, could my delivery to those who interrupt me be a bit sweeter? Yes, 100%! But it’s now 11:30 p.m. and I should have been in bed an hour ago. I’m cranky and tired and I promise myself tomorrow Don’t. Bother. Mommy. NICOLE DOOLEY MAMA EXPLAINS SEEDOOLEY PAGE 13 Serving all Faiths since 1858 Cremations and Burials FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT Both pre-payment and no-payment options • Only 1/4 mile from 684 exit 6. • Only 1 block from the Katonah • Less than 60 minutes from N.Y. City. • Railroad station. • Parking facilities for over 100 cars. • Monuments & inscriptions available. 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director RONALD P. CERASO ~ Director MARISA A. GIULIANO ~ Director ADNER J. 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UP TO Don’t miss your chance to lock in rebates and incentives today— VALUED UP TO 50% of your Heat Pump project while program funding lasts… CALL NOW TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY! DOOLEY FROM PAGE 12 I’ll get some yoga in and have some time to myself. As for my husband, he knows Jamie would never tell Claire that she was being unreasonable. He gives me a hug, takes my chips and tells me to make sure I don’t fall asleep on the couch again and to get some rest. He reminds me that my neck can’t handle the wrong pillow and that tomorrow he’ll try to be home early so I can try and have some time to myself. One of these days I’ll get more than a moment to myself. For now, I’ll do my best and remember to be more patient at the end of the night. After all, there’s always tomorrow for another episode and maybe if there’s time, I’ll give my husband the recap on how Jamie and Claire met so he can watch too. Nicole Dooley is a Somers mom who enjoys writing for her parenting blog. If you enjoyed her column, you can read more of her entries at mamaexplains. com or follow her on Instagram at @mamaexplains for relatable parenting tips and stories. Looking through columns that I’ve written over the years, I came across one that I think is still relevant, at least to me. It referred to a “Dear Abby” column and a letter written by a gent, 91 years of age, who called himself an “Old Geezer out West.” Old Geezer wrote that he had outlived many of his family members and longtime friends, and he complained that social events were few and far between because advanced age and distance had made it almost impossible for him to see those who are left. He further stated that at a family gathering—and he looked forward to these—when folks looked up from their cell phones, they discovered that he had something to contribute. He had lived through the Depression, several wars and a variety of inventions. is hit home and I’m now gently stepping up on my soap box (with moral support from a couple of close friends). Anyone who knows me or is familiar with my columns knows how precious my family is to me. When we are together, the love and a ection is obvious and easily ows. e perfect example, at the time, was my 80th birthday party when all my sons were with me for the rst time in ve years. I will never forget the happiness I felt--I was in heaven! But what happens, though, in the course of the week and on the weekends? During the week, my sons are working and involved with their wives, kids, schedules and the like. We may celebrate a birthday and birthday dinner on a weekend, but more than likely, it’s quiet time for me. Saturday is errand day and then home to silence; I might go for brunch or lunch with friends on a Sunday, but again, I return to a quiet home. I fully understand and appreciate that my kids have families and their own lives and activities—their lives are full. I would be content to get a phone call or even a text during the week or on the weekend: “How’re you doing, Mom?” “Do you have any medical tests on the horizon?” “Hey, how about having dinner with me one night next week?” I have the wisdom now of 85 years— some good, some “meh.” Fortunately, I can still remember many events from childhood along with loving/funny/ weird stu about my folks and family members who’ve passed, that I can share. Signi cantly in my mind, heart and soul, I have lots to o er and can contribute thoughts and opinions. Maybe I need to reach out more often to them—just a thought. In “Dear Abby’s” answer to Old Geezer, she summed it up as only she could: “Senior citizens have much wisdom to o er. ey can also be great fun to be around. However, they are a diminishing resource. Geezer is right. ey won’t be around forever, so engage with them while you can.” ank you, Dear Abby and Old Geezer. At that time, I needed a gentle push to put into words what my friends and I had been thinking and feeling for some time. We can add love, memories and our unique thoughts to life as it is today. Seniors have plenty to contribute RUTHANN SCHEFFER WHAT WAS I THINKING? Years ago, Ken announced that we should stop working so hard on the weekends to clean the whole house and suggested that we hire someone to help with the housework. Several years before that, I had made the same suggestion to him as I watched him mowing our lawn. I had to wait for him to nish and then shower before we could run our Saturday errands or just go out for a bite to eat. His process involved trimming, mowing, cleaning up and showering. It was just too many hours out of our day, not to mention the wear and tear on Ken. It was di cult for him to give up the chore, A helping hand JO ANN FRANCELLA JUST JO ANN SEEFRANCELLA PAGE 22
PAGE 14 THE SOMERS RECORD – TH Tour Your Future At The Tech Center at Yorktown For Middle and High School Students February 13th and 14th 8:00am-10:00am and 12:00pm-2:00pm • Visit over 40 programs within our career academies • Learn about opportunities to earn high school academic credits, college credits, and national technical certifications • Please see your home school counselor for further information and a permission slip. Information Contact: Samantha Vredenburgh at 914.248.2427 or [email protected] The Consumer’s Choice for Discount Heating Oil! SAVE WITH OUR LOW C.O.D. PRICES! • No Contracts or Commitments • Oil Burner & A/C Service/Tune-ups • Quality Heating Oil • Senior Citizen & Volume Discounts • Heating, Cooling & Generator Installations • Price Matching (Restrictions apply) Order online at: www.codoil.com CALL US TODAY AND SAVE! 914.737.7769 SAVE WITH OUR LOW C.O.D. NEW YORK HO YOU MAY *Q NEW REL HELP IS AVAILABLE EVEN Qualify Today: 80 or visit NYProgramFundi Do you need a New Roof an Do you need Energy Efficien for it? Approved applications will have the work completed by a q Not affiliated with State or Gov Program *Enrollment is only open during a limi installations are on a first come, first serve Any leaking, visible damage, Drafty windows, energy cost BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER P t to you Punxsutawney Phil for predicting six more weeks of winter; if Cluxatawney Henrietta says spring is going to come early, then I’m going with that. Instead of seeing her shadow (or not) like the Pennsylvania groundhog, the barnyard bird has gained meteorological fame by laying an egg (or not). Westchester’s very own weather forecaster resides at Al DelBello Muscoot Farm in Katonah. On ursday, Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, dozens of bundled-up folks both big and small braved the cold to hear Cluxatawney’s prediction. Kicking o the event was a clutch of county o cials -- including County Parks Commissioner Kathy O’Connor -- who crowed about Muscoot’s many assets and contributions. e farm has built up the excitement of Groundhog Day over the last ve years by “putting Cluxatawney Henrietta in the spotlight,” O’Connor had said earlier. She noted ursday that Muscoot’s not just a great place where people can visit its historic buildings or hike its wooded trails, it’s a real farm. Cows, horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, pigs, turkeys, ducks, and, of course, chickens live there. Due to the pandemic, the Groundhog Day event was previously held online. County Legislators Erika Pierce of Katonah and Vedat Gashi of Yorktown and Deputy County Executive Kenneth Jenkins were there as well. “ is place is a real gem and a real community resource,” Pierce said, mentioning Muscoot’s numerous programs, summer camps, and farmers market. As members of the crowd waved signs indicating they were either on “Team Spring” or “Team Winter,” farm manager Jonathon Benjamin took the stage to read Cluxatawney’s poetic proclamation while the avian soothsayer murmured approvingly. (When asked why one little guy was on the “Team Winter” side, his mom explained: “He really wants to go sledding.”) “Good Morning to all my twoand four-legged farm friends! E S Farm manager Jonathon Benjamin with Cluxtawney Henrietta as she made her prediction. Allison and Kerrie Ghiozzi enjoying the festivities. It was all smiles at Muscoot Farm on Groundhog Day! Farm manager Jonathon Benjamin with Cluxtawney Henrietta, Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Parks Kathy O’Connor, County Legislator Vedat Gashi, County Legislator Erika Pierce, Deputy County Executive Kenneth Jenkins, and Orion Lesko
URSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 PAGE 15 358 Rte 202, Somers | 914.276.1010 ManciniRealEstate.com Your Home Is Where Our Heart Is! Your Home Is Where Our Heart Is! Your Home Is Where Our Heart Is! NMLS #60828 Registered Mortgage Broker NY & CT Banking Depts. All Loans Arranged through Third Party Providers. Call Us Today! 800-771-1071 YOUR LOCAL HOME MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS 1013 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 - www.putcap.com OMEOWNERS: QUALIFY THROUGH LIEF PROGRAMS! IF YOU COULD PAY CASH 00-944-9393 ng.org to see if you *qualify nd Help paying for it? nt Windows & Help paying quality repair crew provided by: HOMEOWNER FUNDING. ms. Contractor License: NY: #2719-h14 ted time. Programs, appointments, and basis in your area. or roof age, may *qualify you! too high, you may *qualify! Today is Feb. 2nd and you know what that means? It’s time to predict the weather. More winter or early spring? The chickens have been chattering and the news travels fast, All the farm animals wonder Will the winter weather last? Will the goats take off their coats? Will the sheep ditch their sweaters? The turkeys have been talking to the horses who say ‘neigh’ to more chilly weather. Each year you all visit and ask What will it be? This morning I even got a call from a Phil in Punxsutawney. Today has been EGGciting and I’m ready to say I predict an early spring Have a Happy Groundhog Day!” Grinning, Benjamin plucked Cluxatawney from her special crate and held her oval-shaped present aloft. Both the pro-spring and the pro-winter folks clapped and cheered, the latter maybe a tad less enthusiastically. ey all then retreated to the farm’s nice warm activities center for snacks and chicken-inspired crafts. e grown-ups noshed on cream cheese and bagels and sipped co ee while the little ones nibbled on cookies and fruit and drank hot cocoa. e feathered celebrity modestly retired to her coop where she was rewarded, Benjamin said, with cracked corn and oats for her e orts. GOOD TO KNOW Muscoot Farm is an early1900s interpretive farm/museum nestled between Somers, Katonah, and Yorktown. Operated by the county’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation, it is located at 51 Route 100 in Katonah. It features year-round displays of farm animals, farming implements, and historic buildings. It has hiking trails and in the summer hosts a farmers market and in the late winter, maple sugar harvesting and syrup making. For other information, visit www.muscootfarm.org. To see Cluxatawney do her stu visit https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ME59UkMVbos Early Spring? PHOTOS: CAROL REIF William McTernan and Elena Lezarra threw their support behind “Team Winter.” County Legislator Erika Pierce getting into the spirit. David, Max Merianos at the crafts table. Katlyn and Oliver Kane Muscoot meteorologist makes ‘fowl’ prediction
Sports PAGE 16 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Hundreds of fans from both sides gathered in the SHS gym for the rst matchup of the season between Somers and rival Yorktown last Tuesday, Jan. 31. Both teams ghting for Section 1 supremacy, the Tuskers made it a mission to prove they were on a di erent level in an easy 82-66 win. Led by Nate Cohen’s 16 points and seven steals in the opening half, the Tuskers got out to a 22- 13 rst quarter lead and added fuel to the re to go into halftime up 49-32. “We came out hot,” said Matt Fitzsimons (24 pts). “We were playing in front of a huge crowd. Our home fans were amazing. ey (Yorktown) honestly could not hang with us to start. We knew they were going to come back and battle, but we just played our game.” As the captain predicted, the Huskers did ght back, closing the de cit to 58-47 with 2:17 left in the third. Billy Feeks (25 pts, 6 threes) hit a couple corner threes to make it even closer, but Andrew Violante (12 pts) and Brady Leitner (14 pts, 3 stls) made the most of their size advantage over Yorktown, taking it to the paint for layups and keeping the lead at 62-52 after three. “We knew that we were bigger, so we didn’t try to live on the perimeter,” said Fitzsimons. “Our whole plan was to stay inside with our big man, Mac Sullivan (8 pts, 2 stls), get it to him, let him do some work, and he did.” Fitzsimons elaborated on the e orts of Leitner and Cohen, citing them as the sparkplugs for the team. “ eir energy helps us so much. Sometimes the energy levels are down, and they are always able to pick it up. eir ball pressure on defense is immaculate. ey spark a lot of fast breaks and give the whole team energy.” Staying locked in, Somers executed on both ends in the nal frame to keep their rival at bay. Up by 13 with 20 seconds to go, a Fitzsimons dagger was all she wrote, and the Tuskers went home with a little pep in their step after beating their storied foe. “It feels great. ey are our biggest rival, so it feels great, especially at our place. We are looking to take it to them again at their place next week (2/10, 6:30 p.m.).” Back at home on ursday (2/2), the Tuskers improved to 4-0 (15-2 overall) in league play with a 70-55 win on Senior Night. Fitzsimons, a senior himself, made the night even more special by breaking the 1,000-point barrier for his varsity career with an emphatic dunk for his 35th point. Dylan Ingraham (13 pts), Jack Repp, Nick Sylvester, and Dan O’Brien were the other Tusker seniors honored. Tuskers stampede rival Yorktown Fitzsimons reaches 1,000-point mark on Senior Night Coach Chris DiCintio (left) with Fitzsimons after the senior broke the 1,000-point barrier. PHOTOS: CHRIS SMAJLAJ The Tusker seniors (Left to Right): Nick Sylvester, Dylan Ingraham, Matt Fitzsimons, Jack Repp, Dan O’Brien. BOYS BASKETBALL Brady Leitner gave the Tuskers a sparkplug with 14 points off the bench vs. Yorktown. 66 Miller Road, Mahopac 845-628-2050 www.mavistireofmahopac.com With This Coupon • Expires 2/28/23 FREE 6-POINT WINTER MAINTENANCE CHECK $20 OFF ANY CAR BATTERY With This Coupon • Expires 2/28/23 CARING FOR YOUR CAR & OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 35 YEARS! The Friendly Mavis Team Get Your Car Ready for Winter Travel!
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 17 BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Somers Girls Basketball has spent most of the season knocking on the door. Giving scares to John Jay and other league rivals in the previous weeks, it looked like the Tuskers were nally going to break through with a statement win over Yorktown on Senior Night (1/31). But up 27- 24 after three, a couple timely triples for the opposition and a few bad bounces for Somers saw them fall 38-35 at home. After honoring Ava Giudice (7 pts), Alexa Warycha (4 pts), Maddie Lyle, Lauren McCartin (4 pts), Aleksiana Rukaj (2 pts), and Bailey Atkinson (3 pts), the Tuskers came out with visible focus. However, shots were not falling for either team. e defenses tight on both sides, Atkinson broke the drought with a three, and Rukaj went to work in the post for her own score, putting the Tuskers up 6-5 after one. Sidney Ingraham (9 pts) then acted as instant o ense coming o the bench. e sophomore nailed a triple at the top of the key, later found McCartin in transition to take back the lead at 14- 13, and capped o her run with a shot clock buzzer-beating beating three. Good Somers defense on the other side kept them up 17- 14 heading into the locker room at intermission. A Giudice pull-up jumper got the Tuskers going to start the second half, and Ingraham hit another trey ball a few possessions later. Somers with the momentum, Maia Cassin hit her own long ball to put the Tuskers up 25-18 with 3:18 left in the third. Su ocating Somers’ defense had the Huskers sweating, but Olivia Lucas answered the bell Tuskers come up short in final seconds Senior Night vs. Yorktown The senior Tuskers (Left to Right): Alexa Warycha, Ava Giudice, Bailey Atkinson, Maddie Lyle, Lauren McCartin, Aleksiana Rukaj GIRLS BASKETBALL PHOTO: CHRIS SMAJLAJ SEE BASKETBALL PAGE 18 4 Heritage Hills Plaza, 202 Ctr. • Somers, NY 10589 914-277-4222 • www.somerssmiles.com A new generation of family dentistry CALL US & make your appointment TODAY! 1/2 PRICE SEALANTS for the month of February! Happy National Children’s Dental Health Month. 845-279-9555 • TankRemovalServices.com Before you place your home on the market, contact ENVIROSTAR about replacing your aging underground storage tank (UST). It it 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. WINTER 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 2/28/23 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!
PAGE 18 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 with a tough basket, and Yorktown added to that with a transition score to make it 25-24. Warycha converted a putback to keep it at 27-24 entering the fourth, but Yorktown was looming. Both teams with misses to start, Kaitlyn Judge hit a triple to tie it up at 6:25. Back and forth, Giudice returned the favor with three of her own, but Judge said the bank was open on her second consecutive long ball, this time o the glass. Giudice forced to sit after picking up her fourth foul, Lucas took advantage of the absence by hitting a transition three for the 33-30 lead (5:06). Down 35-30, Lindsay McCullough tried to stop the bleeding with an and-one putback in transition at 3:01. But another Yorktown score had them down 36- 35 with two minutes remaining, and Somers could not nd the basket. Still, down one with 20 seconds to go, Somers had one more chance. Unfortunately, great Yorktown defense forced a Giudice turnover on the nal possession, and the visitors escaped with a win. BASKETBALL FROM PAGE 17 Alexa Warycha with the post hook. Lindsay McCullough from long range. Sydney Ingraham had nine points off the bench. Ava Giudice shoots over traffi c. Lauren McCartin with a transiton basket. PHOTOS: CHRIS SMAJLAJ
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 19 WRESTLING Section 1 D1 Divisionals Saturday, Feb. 4 Somers-North Salem Wrestling traveled to Horace Greeley for Section 1 Divisionals, coming away with two winners and nine athletes who quali ed for Sectionals. e team placed third overall. Ryan Ball (110 lbs., 2-0) came out on top of his division with a win over Carmel’s Kenneth Keltto in a majority decision, and Anthony Tucci (145 lbs., 3-0) got a tech fall against Anthony Russo of JJEF for rst place. “It’s been 10 years since we have sent this many to Sectionals,” said Coach Ron DiSanto Jr. “(Anthony) Tucci had an incredible day, earning two technical falls and one pin. When he got injured in December, we were not sure if he would be able to wrestle again this season. He persevered to return after missing a lot of time. He has been an elite team leader with his intense passion, toughness, and work ethic. I am extremely proud of him.” Ethan Steuber (102 lbs., 2nd), Derek Kuchinsky (118 lbs., 4th), Dalton Baloy (118 lbs., 3rd) Liam Dwyer (126 lbs., 2nd), Luca D’Orazio (152 lbs., 3rd) Justin Daniyan (160 lbs., 2nd), and Kevin Haxari (189 lbs., 4th) all had stand-out days in their weight bracket. “Overall, the team wrestled with toughness and con dence,” DiSanto Jr. said. “We stayed calm and level-headed throughout the tournament, knowing that the goal was to qualify for Sectionals.” TRACK & FIELD Section 1 Class B Champs Sunday, Feb. 6 Both the girls and boys teams nished in second place behind Pearl River in their Class B meet last Sunday at e Armory. “ e boys left it all on the track on Sunday,” said Coach Mike Lacko. “Going into the meet ranked third in Class B, getting runner-up is an amazing accomplishment and I am so proud of this team.” e boys scored 83 points thanks a plethora of standout performances. Jared Googel won both the Weight row (55-06) and Shot Put (41-07), Andrew Fasone sprinted towards a victory in the 300M (35.58) and second place for the 55M (6.72), Aiden Meza (4th) and Christian Wissa (6th) continued to improve in the 3200M, Matthew Horowitz nished fourth in the Pole Vault (10-6), and Liam Kim got second for the High Jump (5-8). e 4x200M team of Fasone, Matt Hirsch, Jaden Abreu, and Luke Armstrong won the relay with a season-best 1:34.24. ey are now ranked sixth in Section 1. “One of the greatest relay races I have ever in my 12 years of coaching,” lamented Lacko. “Nights like this are what brings a team closer.” e girls also bought in and left it all out there for second place. Haylie Donovan, Isabella Milojevic, Lindsay Gill, and Keira Cleary teamed up to win their 4x200M relay with a school record time of 1:47.31. Donovan also broke the school record for the 300M (40.37), winning the sprint. She also nished second in the 55M (7.45). Chelsea Lewitt (600M, 4th), Kaeleigh Picco (1500M, 4th), Corryn Watt (Pole Vault, 3rd), and Eliana Hametz (Pole Vault, 4th, season-best 7-0) all got the Tuskers major points. “I was proud of all the girls and how they stepped up and performed at this championship meet,” said Coach John Vegliante. “It was a team e ort - this is a great group and they showed that.” ICE HOCKEY John Jay-CR 4, BYSNS 2 Friday, Feb. 3 (Brewster Ice Arena) Owen Cunningham (1G, 1A), Wrestling takes third at Greeley Gymnastics compete at Divisionals Ryan Ball (110 lbs.) continued his standout sophomore campaign with a win last Sunday. PHOTO: CHRIS BALL VARSITY ROUNDUP SEE ROUNDUP PAGE 20 Law Offices of Joseph J. Tock 963 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 TOCKLAW.COM • 800-869-8080 CRIMINAL DEFENSE/DWI • PERSONAL INJURY REAL ESTATE • BUSINESS LAW • WILLS, TRUSTS, ESTATES, PROBATE Joe and his staff are AMAZING!! They stay on top of everything and communicate with you all the way. You won’t find a better law firm when in need of representation. ~T.D. ‘ 855.281.6439 I Free Quotes American Made Family Owned Award Winning Could your kitchen use a little magic?
PAGE 20 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 e Somers fourth and fth grade basketball teams were invited by current Fordham Men’s Basketball Coach, and Somers dad, Keith Urgo to watch his Rams defeat A10 rival George Washington at Rose Hill on Saturday, Jan. 28. e boys enjoyed the game, and also got to go on the court postgame to meet the players and get autographs. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANTHONY ZURICA The Somers 4th and 5th grade basketball teams. The Rams signing autographs for the Tuskers. Tuskers visit Fordham YOUTH BASKETBALL ROUNDUP FROM PAGE 19 PHOTOS: CHRIS BALL Nine Tuskers/Tigers placed in their brackets at Divisonals and are moving onto Sectionals. The Somers combined gymnastics team won the Division One Championship on Monday. The Somers boys track squad placed second at their Class B meet on Sunday. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIKE LACKO The girls’ 4x200M team won their relay and broke the school record (1:47.31). Michael Bonelli (2A), James Munoz (1G), Matthew Guarini (1A), and Ty Wing eld (27 saves) led BYSNS (Brewster/ Yorktown/Somers/North Salem) in its 4-2 loss to John JayCross River. Cortlandt 4, BYSNS 2 Saturday, Feb. 4 (Brewster Ice Arena) Led by Joe Riggio (2G, 1A), Dominic Kulan (1G), Jack Jimenez (1G), Frankie Kowal (1A), and Nick Mele (17 saves), Cortlandt defeated BYSNS 4-2 to win the season series two games to one. “It meant a lot to beat BYSNS,” Mele said. “To beat a rival and to win the season series is huge for our team. With this win, our team is playing better than ever, and we are hitting our stride right in time for playo s.” Munoz (1G), Matteo Guastadisegni (1G), Cunningham (1A), Bryan Kottmann (1A), Dylan Filmer (1A), and Wing eld (32 saves) did the honors for BYSNS. GYMNASTICS Division One Championship Monday, Feb. 6 (Eclipse Gym) e Somers combined gymnastics team (181.600) defeated Clarkstown (171.400) and Wappingers (167.300) to take rst in their divisional meet on Monday. ey compete again in Sectionals on ursday, 7 p.m. Georgia Nekos (35.850) led the way for a fourth place overall nish. BOWLING All matches at Cortlandt Lanes Somers 7, Horace Greeley 0 Wednesday, Feb. 1 e Tuskers recorded their one-game collective high series with a 537 in a sweep of Greeley. Guiseppe Arena had a season-high series (368). Ossining 7, Somers 0 Thursday, Feb. 2 Dan Roth recorded his highest game of the year (151) and Jack Dwyer had a 335 series in a valiant e ort vs. Ossining. North Salem 7, Somers 0 Monday, Feb. 6 In their season nale, the Tuskers beat their previous season high against Ossining with a 579. Arena recorded a 360 and Dwyer topped his season best (395) while also bowling his highest game of the season (143). “It was such a successful inaugural year for the Somers bowling team,” said Coach Erik Tetro. “ e boys improved every week, and they grew up together as a team...It was a pleasure to watch them connect, improve, and grow together. BYSNS portion provided by Mike Sabini. Anthony Tucci (145 lbs.) battled back from an early-season injury to win his bracket at Divisionals.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 21 On Sunday, Jan. 29th, the Somers varsity team held their rst Tuskers Volleyball Clinic, and it was an overwhelming success. With the support of Athletic Director Marc Hattem, Coach Pitt (Pittman), JV Coach Alison Pepe, and four varsity players (Caroline Conti, Chiara Ginty, Emma Barton, and Alex Googel), the Tuskers led three di erent sessions to help grow the game of volleyball in Somers. e team is also trying to fundraise for their upcoming trip to Disney. In total, 44 volleyball players attended the session on Sunday. e players were divided based on age and skill into Black, Red, and White training sessions where they worked on basic skills such as passing, setting, serving and attacking. A good portion of the instruction focused on proper techniques and tips to help avoid injury from bad form and to make sure the new players learn the basics. Coach Pitt said, “It was great to see the support of the community and to see all of the players come out, learn a little, have some fun and improve their game. We had kids as young as ve years old, all the way up to HS junior boys come out to see what the buzz is all about. I’m really excited about the future of Somers Volleyball.” e Somers volleyball program is the strongest it has ever been. e women’s varsity team was named league champs last fall. Furthermore, there are plans to launch a boys varsity team for the fall of 2023. ey recently held one interest meeting with almost a dozen boys present. All interested in learning more should send an email to Coach Pitt at spittman@ somersschools.org. ere are two additional clinics scheduled for Feb. 12th and Mar. 26th (see yer for details). Pre-registration is required to ensure the courts do not get too crowded. Registration will be limited. Send an email to spit[email protected] if interested. Boys & girls welcome – appropriate for all ages! Tuskers holding clinics for all ages Plans for boys team next fall The varsity players working with the younger participants in the White Session last Sunday. PHOTOS COURTESY OF STACEY PITTMAN Chiara Ginty demonstrating proper form to get into the Zeus pose before attacking the ball. VOLLEYBALL Somers Custom Framing & Gifts 253 Route 202, Somers • 914.276.3173 [email protected] • SomersFraming.com Unique Valentine’s day Gift ideas and accessories! Complimentary Gift Wrapping Always Available! We now Carry Sterling Silver Jewelry! Unique Valentine’s day Gift ideas and accessories! We now Carry [email protected] • SomersFraming.com Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962 Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962
PAGE 22 – THE SOMERS RECORD LEISURE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 FRANCELLA FROM PAGE 13 since he felt he had nursed and cajoled our property to be the beautiful landscape that it is. When we purchased our home about 30 years ago, there was a half-full, broken-down aboveground pool sitting on a slanted lawn. We had the pool removed, had yards and yards of topsoil delivered to level out the land and Ken began the arduous task of seeding and trimming. From that moment on, he was like a new parent raising and caring for each of the billions of blades of grass. Before giving up the lawn mowing task, he interviewed several landscapers and carefully explained what he had been doing to maintain our lawn. Finally, he found someone who truly understood his vision, and Ken became a happy man who now has plenty of time to spend with family on the weekends. As for me, giving up scrubbing down the house each weekend was a no-brainer. As soon as Ken made the suggestion, I agreed wholeheartedly. In fact, I think my words were, “Oh hell, yes!” We’ve had two di erent cleaning services over the years. e rst was a husband and wife team from Poland. ey were amazing, detail-oriented, friendly, trustworthy people who made our home shine. Sadly, they returned to Poland several years ago. We still keep in touch with cards and Facebook posts. Now, a wonderful lady helps me with my housework. I was visiting a friend of mine one day and as I entered his home, I noticed a lovely woman who was working hard. e house looked and smelled wonderfully clean. I quickly asked if she had time to do the same to my home, and the rest is history. I feel very fortunate to have met her. We all reach a point in our lives where we would like to take more time for ourselves and with our families; and let’s face it, who really has the energy to keep up with all that must be done. So perhaps it’s time to step back, think about how much you really want to do and nd someone to give you a helping hand. Jo Ann can be reached at [email protected] Don’t break up Yorktown, Somers & Eastern Putnam in Assembly District 94 Dear Editor, Recently, I provided testimony at a hearing held by the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission (NYIRC) regarding the potential redrawing of the lines for State Assembly. During my testimony, I encouraged the Commission to preserve the core of the existing Assembly District 94 and to revise its initial draft so as to keep the Town of Carmel and Mahopac whole and preserve the existing community of interest connecting the northern Westchester towns of Yorktown and Somers with the Town of Carmel and the rest of eastern Putnam County. For the last 20 years, eastern Putnam County and the northern Westchester towns Yorktown and Somers have shared representation in the State Assembly. In the upcoming redistricting, preserving this continuity of representation is both critical and vital, respectively. Communities of interest typically share commonalities with their neighbors that are not present with other communities who share commonalities and similarities with their respective neighbors. Such is the case with eastern Putnam County, including the Town of Carmel and Mahopac, and the towns Yorktown and Somers. We, indeed, are a single community of interest with integrated economies and local community concerns. What is of extreme importance is that we are also connected by the Route 202 and Route 6 corridors, forming a unique and cohesive integration. Alternatively, eastern Putnam County and the western Putnam County town of Philipstown, which includes Cold Spring, are very di erent. In large part, this is because Philipstown is served by the Route 9 corridor, while Eastern Putnam County, as well as Yorktown and Somers, are served by the Route 202 and Route 6 corridors. It would be detrimental to separate the core of the existing 94th Assembly District, its continuity of representation and the interests that these communities indisputably have in common. -Sergio Esposito Councilman, Town of Yorktown LETTER Fun Facts by Jo Ann 35% of people who hire a professional cleaning service admit to cleaning up before the help arrives. 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. Functions 5. Records electric currents associated with contractions of the heart 8. Trigonometric function (abbr.) 11. Secret political clique 13. Type of gibbon 14. Nocturnal S. American rodent 15. Famed American playwright 16. Mesopotamian goddess 17. Abba __, Israeli politician 18. Long ridge of gravel and sediment 20. A place to stay 21. Actor Idris 22. One who behaves in a rebellious way 25. A way to measure movement 30. Distinguish oneself 31. Type of drug (abbr.) 32. Basketball great Baylor 33. Masses of salivary matter 38. Calls balls and strikes 41. Plant that grows along the ground 43. A recreational activity in the air 45. Consumes too much 47. Island nation 49. Pistol 50. Mixtures of soul and calypso 55. Ancient Greek City 56. Similar 57. Roughly trimmed tree trunk used in a Scottish game 59. Semitic fertility god 60. Born of 61. Frogs, toads, tree toads 62. School in the northeast (abbr.) 63. Soviet Socialist Republic 64. “__ the Man” Musical, baseball player CLUES DOWN 1. Fiddler crabs 2. Discount 3. Partner to “flows” 4. Ethnic group of Laos 5. Beloved “Seinfeld” character 6. Book of tickets 7. The last name of “Hermione” 8. Type of TV package 9. Helps to heal a cut 10. Town in Galilee 12. Actor Horsley 14. “Hocus Pocus 2” actor Ed 19. Bird-loving group (abbr.) 23. They respond when someone is sick 24. Emerged 25. Midway between south and southeast 26. Monetary unit of Afghanistan 27. Unit of work or energy 28. Indicates near 29. Famed river 34. For each 35. News organization 36. CNN’s founder 37. They __ 39. Areas off to the side 40. Satisfies 41. A spare bed 42. Legendary singer Diana 44. Frothy mass of bubbles 45. A kind of sorcery 46. River in South Africa 47. Philippine Island 48. County in China 51. S. American plant 52. Beverage containers 53. Edge 54. Protein-rich liquids 58. Moved quickly on foot
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 23 HOW THEY GOT THERE In 2018, Somers educators started thinking about how they could expand the IB program “and make it not so exclusive to high schoolers,” Schettino said. A feasibility committee was set up and its members visited a half dozen established IB schools in Westchester, New York City, and on Long Island. Members canvassed teachers and administrators, observed classes, read all the research they could get their hands on, and met regularly to share what they’d found out. e team did a “deep dive” to gure out how to streamline the IB programme for middle school purposes. e initiative matched SMS’s core mission and values, so “it was never a question of should we, but how could we not?” Schettino asserted. Unlike students in the high school’s IB diploma program, middle schoolers don’t have to apply to be included. MYP is “just how you teach. It’s part of the culture and not something that only certain students get access to,” she explained. e middle school applied to be an IB candidate school in 2018. When the pandemic hit, the pace had to be slowed. It began implementation in 2019. Knowing that SMS enrollment would be dropping in 2020, Blanch asked educators in 2018 what they’d like their middle school to look like if they were “starting it from scratch,” Getman recalled. at exercise employed a book titled “Breaking Ranks in the Middle: Strategies for Leading Middle School Reform.” eir wish list included more hands-on learning, more authentic assessments, and a “capstone project” – something that’s required for MYP authorization. It’s now being piloted with a core group of eighth-graders. It will be extended to all eighthgraders next year. Sixth- and seventh-graders will work toward that goal. Students have to focus on something that they want to improve in their community on a local, national, and global level. Working with an adult mentor, they do research, apply the skills they’ve learned, and then make a presentation. e project’s advisor is SMS world languages teacher Jenna Iazzetti. Asked for an example of such projects, Schettino gave a couple. Some students in the pilot are looking into ways to create handicapped-accessible playground equipment. Others are exploring changing compost into bricks. Many things identi ed during the 2018 exercise “aligned perfectly with the IB MYP,” Getman said. e school then sought to become a candidate school. During that phase, it had to deepen its knowledge of the IB philosophy and the particular programme it was interested in and then take actions necessary to meet the requirements for authorization. Having started to implement the MYP framework, SMS applied for authorization in the spring of 2022. en came the IB site visit. Preparing for that was, Schettino admitted, “no easy task.” e authorization process can be tedious. It requires MYP candidates to produce curriculum maps, detailed lesson and grading plans, and to create relevant policies, among other things. e IB folks arrived at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2022 and stayed until 5 p.m. “with hardly any breaks.” at was just the rst day; they stayed for two. Team members met with students, teachers, administrators, and parents and visited 14 classrooms. ey pored over documents and gave SMS “very targeted feedback,” said Schettino, claiming that the school was told it was “one of the best they’d ever been to.” e IB team was especially impressed with how all students are treated with respect and have access to the curriculum and academic, social, and emotional support. It also noted the number and variety of extracurricular activities available. “ ere’s really something for every student to feel like a valued member of the school community and that’s what we want,” she said. A mere week later, SMS received a letter telling it that it had been authorized, supposedly the “fastest” school to do so. Somers couldn’t divulge that happy news until it got its o - cial certi cate and the IB system had been updated. e organization’s world headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland, so it took a bit of time to get all the t’s crossed and the i’s dotted. No doubt the rewards of all that e ort will be reaped for decades to come. IB World Schools must reapply for re-certi cation every ve years. ere will be ongoing monitoring via an IB Programme portal, too. Schettino called the school’s acceptance into such a prestigious program a “true testament to every single teacher, student, and administrator who really worked hard.” “ is does not end with authorization. e work is really just beginning,” she added. To Getman, the bottom line is that this is all about helping kids feel “enthusiastic” about -- and to have some “ownership” of -- their education. “So many times we hear the question: ‘When will I ever need to know this in real life?’ Our hope is to answer that question,” he said. MYP FROM PAGE 3 STRONG AS STEEL WITH THE ATTRACTIVE LOOK OF VARIOUS ROOF STYLES Upgrade Your Home with a NEW METAL ROOF Guaranteed to Last a Lifetime! From Dimensional Shingles to classic styles reminiscent of Cedar Shake and Spanish Tile, an architectural roo ng system by Erie Metal Roofs can enhance the beauty of your home while protecting your family and property for a lifetime. Call today to schedule your FREE ESTIMATE 1-855-492-6084 Made in the USA New orders only. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Minimum purchase required. Other restrictions may apply. This is an advertisement placed on behalf of Erie Construction Mid-West, Inc (“Erie”). 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PAGE 24 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 friends and family on the main ice. Help the troop raise money for their trip to the Girl Scout National Convention this summer in Florida. To be held at Brewster Ice Arena, 63 Fields Lane in Brewster. Includes a 1.5 hour private session on the main ice. Please arrive early to get skates. $20 per skater, includes skate rental, hot cocoa, snack, and craft. Organizers will provide nut-free and glutenfree snacks as well. ($16 if you bring your own skates.) $10 for adults, including skate rental. With any questions, please contact Michelle Quinn at super[email protected]. Google Form to RSVP and pay can be found at https://forms.gle/ ZRD8A8BXutpRJJXc6 Somers AYSO Indoor Soccer Through March 11 AYSO soccer is back with a full schedule! To be held Saturdays at Somers Sports Arena: U5/U6 Division (10 - 11 a.m.), U4 Playground (11 a.m. - 12 p.m.), U7/ U8 Boys Division (12 - 1 p.m.), U10/12 Boys Division (1 - 2 p.m.), VIP Division (1 - 2 p.m.), Teen League (2-3 p.m.), U7/ U8 Girls Division (3 - 4 p.m.), U10/12 Girls Division (4 - 5 p.m.) To register, visit www.AYSO95. org. For any questions, email ayso[email protected] Somers PTA Council SPIRIT WEAR SALE e Somers PTA Council is selling Somers Sprit wear. e store is open year round and items ship to your home. Promo codes available on the website. Visit our store at teamlocker. squadlocker.com/#/lockers/ somers-pta-council-store The Somers Library Foundation Needs You Are you a passionate supporter of the Somers Library and looking for a way to help improve the services and capabilities? e Somers Library Foundation is looking for new board members. ere are lots of opportunities to use your talents and build new skills. Send the foundation an email at somerslibraryfoundation@gmail. org. Watch the Somers LIbrary Foundation website (https://somerslibraryfoundation.org) for details on upcoming meet and greet events to learn more about the Foundation and what it means to be a board member of the board. RideConnect Rideconnect has volunteers ready to help drive seniors to their medical appointments and assist with shopping. Services are free to seniors residing in Westchester and southern Putnam Counties. To request assistance call (914) 242-7433. Anyone wishing to volunteer for Rideconnect may do so by emailing [email protected] TRUNK FROM PAGE 4 I love large cities, so I would be in a hospital in either New York City or Boston. Music has always been a part of my life and I don’t see that changing. If I have the time, I would join a community orchestra, or just continuing practicing bass by myself. Playing bass has always been a stress reliever for me, so I think that would be an amazing hobby to continue. How has being a musician shaped your high school experience? Music was one of the best things about my high school experience. It was one of the few consistent things throughout COVID that I was able to do at school. e con dence and happiness that being a part of the music program has given me has enabled for me to make better and more con dent decisions. When I wasn’t able to be in school or see some of my peers, music was the thing that connected me to people. Most importantly, I gained some of my best friends from the performing arts program in Somers. We bonded immediately, and I now have my friends for life. Orchestra gave me access to make these amazing friendships with these amazing people, which otherwise I would not know. What is your favorite performance memory? My favorite performance memory was playing the Don Quixote suite at Lincoln Center. is is one of my favorite pieces to perform, and the work that the orchestra put into it was incredible. I was in the middle GWOYA orchestra, and we were having some di culties when rehearsing this piece. Something wasn’t clicking, either someone was playing at the wrong tempo or playing when they weren’t supposed to. About three weeks before the concert, something nally clicked, and the whole piece sounded di erent. I knew then it was my favorite piece ever, because of how beautiful it sounded in that moment. It was our closer for that orchestra, and it was the best piece of the night. My friend introduced me to the actual story of Don Quixote, and that made me fall in love with it even more. What kind of advice would you give to younger students who want to be involved in the performing arts? What I tell students that I tutor, and sometimes their parents, is do what you love and don’t let anyone in uence you to do something else or let them take it away from you. I love to play the bass, and I was never forced by my parents to continue it throughout my schooling. I always played because I wanted to. e community in the performing arts is truly the best group of people that you will ever meet, and the performing arts get more fun as you get older. Also, don’t be afraid to try new things. Often as musicians, we like to attach a label to ourselves saying that we can only perform a speci c type of music. Take and make your own opportunities, because I guarantee that those will be the best experiences that you remember. ABRAMSON FROM PAGE 3 Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! 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PAGE 26 – THE SOMERS RECORD CLASSIFIEDS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 Drive Out Breast Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755 Wheels For Wishes benefiting Make-A-Wish® Northeast New York. Your Car Donations Matter NOW More Than Ever! Free Vehicle Pick Up ANYWHERE. We Accept Most Vehicles Running or Not. 100% Tax Deductible. Minimal To No Human Contact. Call: (877) 798-9474. Car Donation Foundation d/b/a Wheels For Wishes. www.wheelsforwishes.org. COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 844-947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required. ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. 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Promo Expires 1/31/24. 1-866-595- 6967 PUZZLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF 02/02/2023 AUTO DONATIONS BUYING/SELLING Buying diamonds, gold, silver, all fine jewelry and watches, coins, paintings, better furs, complete estates. We simply pay more! Call Barry 914-260-8783 or e-mail [email protected] EDUATION/CAREER TRAINING FINANCE HEALTH HELP WANTED HOME IMPROVEMENT MISCELLANEOUS TV INTERNET PHONE To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845- 208-8151 or email [email protected]. from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Call to get your FREE Information Kit 1-855-225-1434 dental50plus.com/nypress Includes the Participating (in GA: Designated) Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider. Product not available in all states. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN); Rider kinds B438/B439 (GA: B439B). 6255 DENTAL Insurance FINANCING AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT Call today and receive a FREE SHOWER PACKAGE PLUS $1600 OFF With purchase of a new Safe Step Walk-In Tub. Not applicable with any previous walk-in tub purchase. Offer available while supplies last. No cash value. Must present offer at time of purchase. CSLB 1082165 NSCB 0082999 0083445 1-855-916-5473 Check out our Facebook & Instagram pages! Putnam Humane Society, 68 Old Rt. 6, Carmel 845-225-7777 www.puthumane.org Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Putnam Humane Society Nova Nova is a sweet young girl who loves people and is good with other dogs. Bob is a handsome, affectionate guy looking for someone to love. Bob This ad was generously donated by Halston Media. Health Infusion NY LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/3/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 32 Lakeview Ave., Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591. General Purpose Behind The Wheel Mobile Detailing LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/3/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to William J Murphy, 155 Concord Ave., White Plains, NY 10606. LLC FORMATION NOTICES Somers Record News Fillers Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com, or give us a call at 914- 302-5830. Photo Submissions Photos submitted to The Somers Record need to be high-resolution. Images that are submitted at a low resolution cannot be published. Submit photos to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. Send a selfaddressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Share Your Milestones Let your neighbors know about the special moments in your life, whether it’s a birth, engagement, wedding or anniversary. Send us a photo and announcement at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. There is no charge for this announcement. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Letters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of The Somers Record or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please send your submissions to the editor by e-mail at somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830. Editorial Submissions Press releases and photos should be submitted to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com or mail it to The Somers Record, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Contact Us The Somers Record is located at Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. You can contact us at 914-302-5830 or email somersrecord@halstonmedia. com. Advertising Deadline The advertising deadline for The Somers Record is the Thursday before the next publication date. Advertisements can be submitted by you as a cameraready PDF via email at [email protected]. We also offer our clients a free ad design service. For more information, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151. Advertise With Us When you advertise with The Somers Record, you are reaching thousands of households and businesses throughout the Town of Somers, including all of its hamlets and Heritage Hills. To advertise or to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email freeman@halstonmedia. com. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for The Somers Record is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sports and recreational sports items should also be submitted to the same e-mail address by the Thursday before the next publication date. header: Univers Bold 11pt/12leading body: Franklin Gothic Book reg10pt/11leading paragraph rule top Univers Bold 10pt/11 leading paragraph rule top Your ad could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. SR legals specs: STANDING HEAD: Gill Sans (TT), bold, 18pt, M100-Y100 HEADER-Univers 57 condensed regular 12/14, all caps, underline, centered BODY-Adobe Caslon pro 10/11 Left Justified, no hyphens LLC FORMATION NOTICE Notice of Formation of Rosslyn Farm LLC. Arts. of Org. filed w/ SSNY 2/23/18. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copies of any process served against LLC to 104 Delancey Road, North Salem, NY 10560. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Formation of THE PURSUIT OF NAILS LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2022-09-13. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Legalinc Corporate Services Inc.: 1967 Wehrle Drive Suite 1-086 Buffalo NY 14221. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of Caprio Ventures, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2022- 12-13. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Caprio Ventures, LLC: 808 Route 35 Cross River NY 10518. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of CNNJ L.L.C. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023-01-16. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Colin Jennings Jr.: 76 esplanade Mount Vernon Mount Vernon NY 10553. Purpose: Any lawful purpose UPDATED Halston Media fillers 12/31/20 (new address) *NOTE: when putting these into place, please take hyphenation off as it can get very confusing for web and/or email addresses. thanks! Somers Record Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com, or give us a call at 914- 302-5830. Photo Submissions Photos submitted to The Somers Record need to be high-resolution. Images that are submitted at a low resolution cannot be published. Submit photos to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Share Your Milestones Let your neighbors know about the special moments in your life, whether it’s a birth, engagement, wedding or anniversary. Send us a photo and announcement at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. There is no charge for this announcement. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Letters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of The Somers Record or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please send your submissions to the editor by e-mail at somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830. Editorial Submissions Press releases and photos should be submitted to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com or mail it to The Somers Record, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Contact Us The Somers Record is located at 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. You can contact us at 914-302- 5830 or email somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com. Advertising Deadline The advertising deadline for The Somers Record is the Thursday before the next publication date. Advertisements can be submitted by you as a cameraready PDF via email at [email protected]. We also offer our clients a free ad design service. For more information, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151. Advertise With Us When you advertise with The Somers Record, you are reaching thousands of households and businesses throughout the Town of Somers, including all of its hamlets and Heritage Hills. To advertise or to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for The Somers Record is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sports and recreational sports items should also be submitted to the same e-mail address by the Thursday before the next publication date.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 27 1. Clip the short form on the page 2. Fill out the information. 3. Mail it to P.O. Box 864, Mahopac, NY 10541 4. Or Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com 5. Or Scan our QR Code to Subscribe. to keep sending you The Somers Record for FREE. The post office charges us more without it. Please print your first and last names and address legibly, sign and date (all required to continue receiving your subscription to this newspaper). YES, I wish to receive a FREE 3-year subscription to The Katonah-Lewisboro Times. YES, I really enjoy The Katonah-Lewisboro Times, and I’d like to continue receiving it for 3 years, along with a monetary contribution this year. (Please print legibly.) First (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required. Please print legibly.) 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YES, I wish to receive a FREE 3-year subscription to The Somers Record YES, I really enjoy The Somers Record and I’d like to continue receiving it for 3 years, along with a monetary contribution this year. (Please print legibly.) First (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required. Please print legibly.) Last (Required) City: State: ZIP: Name: Signature: Email: Snowbird Dates (if applicable): Date: Phone: Address: (Optional) (Optional for TAPinto E-News) Checks payable to Halston Media LLC. Please include this form in your envelope. Please Include the following additional papers as part of this subscription: North Salem News The Katonah-Lewisboro Times Yorktown News The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times Mahopac News Mail to: P.O. Box 864 Mahopac, NY 10541 While we need your Full Support to keep this newspaper strong, we include the option for Basic Support because we don’t want financial reasons to get in the way of our readers receiving this newspaper. Basic Support vs. Full Support Basic Support Full Support $100 $50 $20 other OR Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com OR Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com Don’t Miss a Week of The Somers Record. Please Re-Subscribe Today! Thursday, November 3, 2022 Vol. 11 No. 30 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 32 CLASSIFIEDS 34 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 28 LEISURE 26 OBITUARIES 30 OPINION 10 SPORTS 20 Tuskers Batter Brewster pg 22 FOOTBALL Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. Please note that the Nov. 10 edition of The Somers Record will go to press before the Nov. 8 election results are available. Please visit TapIntoSomers.net to view our full election coverage. BY BOB DUMAS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR When voters go to the polls this election season, they will have a choice between two candidates who are vying for the state’s 40th Senate District seat. Incumbent Democrat Pete Harckham of South Salem, seeking his third term as state senator, will be opposed by Republican Gina Arena, an administrative assistant from Somers. Here is a look at the two candidates, including their platforms, accomplishments and goals. PETE HARCKHAM Now nearing the end of his second term in o ce, Pete Harckham is chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. He worked to make the 2% property tax cap permanent; delivered record aid to education and addressed the opioid crisis by doubling minimum treatment times and reducing barriers to life-saving treatment. Harckham helped pass the toughest climate-protection legislation in the nation, and also introduced a measure, later enacted, requiring all new passenger-car and truck sales to be zero emission by 2035 and allowing municipalities to build solar canopies and jumpstart community renewable-energy projects. Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul placed Harckham’s wetlands legislation protecting Class C streams statewide, which will safeguard drinking water resources, into her proposed 2023 state budget. Harckham has been a leading voice to hold the utilities accountable in the wake of failed responses to natural disaster. To date, he has held 13 food drives to ght hunger, assisted thousands of residents with unemployment claims and delivered personal-protection equipment to rst responders and municipalities throughout the 40th Senate District. From 2008 to 2015 Harckham served on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, where he was a leading voice for protecting the environment and maintaining vital services. In addition to his professional work, Harckham served on the President’s Council for the Northern Westchester Hospital, was a board member for the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, the Junior League of Northern Westchester Community Advisory Council and the Livable Communities Council. “I come from a labor family and have been endorsed three times by the Westchester Building Trades, Westchester-Putnam AFL-CIO Central Labor Body, a host of service and public unions, as well as nurses and teachers,” Harckham said. “I work very closely with my union partners around the issues of decommissioning Indian Point and passed a law to protect wages and local jobs, as well as created the Decommissioning Oversight Harckham, Arena face off for 40th Senate District seat Sen. Pete Harckham Gina Arena SEE SENATE PAGE 28 SellYour Home for TOP DOLLAR with Somers’ Real Estate Specialist Visit: SomersHouseValues.com or Email: [email protected] Michael Trinchitella Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker FREE Home Evaluation Anytime — No Cost or Obligation Call 914.243.3051 SomersHouseValues.com CLASSIC REALTY IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER! Vol. 11 No. 35 Thursday, December 8, 2022 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 31 CLASSIFIEDS 30 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 28 LEISURE 21 OBITUARIES 9 OPINION 10 SPORTS 18 Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Winning is always great. But making your way back to the top after a heartbreak is unmatched. Motivated by the crushing 32-31 defeat against CBASyracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome (Carrier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Syracuse. Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we were supposed to do, weathered several storms, weathered injuries, and we got it done,” said the second-year head coach. Wasting no time on the big stage, Ravi Dass (3 Rec, 2 TDs) answered the call on the opening return, taking it all the way to the Tigers’ 39, then catching an 18-yard pass from Matt Fitzsimons for the rst touchdown 22 seconds into the game. “Walking out as state champs, it’s awesome,” said the senior receiver. e defense’s turn, George Forbes (6 Tk) began his Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Winning is always great. But making your way back to the top after a heartbreak is unmatched. Motivated by the crushing 32-31 defeat against CBASyracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome (Carrier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Syracuse. Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win Ravi Dass put his team ahead early with two huge touchdowns. SEE CHAMPIONS PAGE 18 The 2022 Tuskers cemented themselves in Somers history with the 58-21 win over Union-Endicott. PHOTOS: CHRIS SMAJLAJ HOPEMAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker cell: 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Your House Could Be the #1 Item on a Homebuyer’s Wish List During the Holidays Each year, homeowners planning to make a move are faced with a decision: sell their house during the holidays or wait. And others who have already listed their homes may think about removing their listings and waiting until the new year to go back on the market. The truth is many buyers want to purchase a home for the holidays, and your house might be just what they’re looking for. Call me for a no-obligation consultation about selling your home and the 5 great reasons you shouldn't wait until Spring. #UGottaHaveHope Thursday, December 8, 2022 rier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we were supposed to do, weathered several storms, weathered injuries, and we got it done,” said the second-year head coach. Wasting no time on the big stage, Ravi Dass (3 Rec, 2 TDs) answered the call on the opening return, taking it all the way to the Tigers’ 39, then catching an 18-yard pass from Matt Fitzsimons for the rst touchdown 22 seconds into the game. “Walking out as state champs, it’s awesome,” said the senior receiver. e defense’s turn, George Forbes (6 Tk) began his Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win SEE CHAMPIONS PAGE 18 MAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Thursday, December 15, 2022 Vol. 11 No. 36 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 37 CLASSIFIEDS 39 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 2 LEGAL NOTICES 37 LEISURE 31 OBITUARIES 9 OPINION 10 SPORTS 24 Toys for Tots pg 3 GIVING BACK Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. PHOTO: ROB DISTASIO BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER e Somers Board of Education got its rst o cial peek last week at the scal fallout from the settlement of the old PepsiCo property’s tax certiorari case. Also cited for their potential impact on local pocketbooks were fuel and electricity costs, which are rising at an “alarming” rate, according to the school district’s assistant superintendent for business, Chris Platania. Platania presented trustees and the public with an initial overview of the 2023-24 school budget on Tuesday, Dec. 6. ere won’t be preliminary numbers to share until after the governor’s rst budget comes out in January and the district gets a clue about what its state aid is going to be. TAXING CIRCUMSTANCES e 206-acre PepsiCo property, along with its 540,000-squarefoot o ce, o Route 35 was sold in 2015 to Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim Helú for $87 million. e new owners, listed as One P Way LLC, went on to challenge their real estate tax assessment as well as that of the old IBM campus’ on Route 100, which Slim had acquired in 2017. e former tax certiorari case was Board of Education begins budget process The Somers community got into the holiday spirit at the tree lighting ceremony outside The Elephant Hotel on Dec. 4. See more photos on page 22! Oh Christmas tr ee! SEE BUDGET PAGE 33 HOPEMAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker cell: 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com MAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 “Hope is quite simply the best agent I’ve ever come across in all my years living in Westchester County. Her complete knowledge of the market in the area has impressed even a skeptic like me. Once you hire her, she will represent you at every step in your journey with enthusiasm, professionalism and candor. She is a woman with smarts and integrity and does so much to help others even when she stands to gain nothing for herself. Hope is a quality human being that you should have on your team. I can’t say enough about Hope other than #UGottaHaveHope!” — TI, Somers about Your Local Expert! Rave Reviews Rave Reviews
PAGE 28 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 S O M E R S B RO K E R AG E | 10 4 V I L L AG E S Q UA R E , S O M E R S , N Y 105 8 9 | 914. 27 7.8 0 4 0 DONNA O’CONNELL Associate Real Estate Broker Platinum Award Brokerage Top Producer LIN CRISPINELLI Associate Real Estate Broker Platinum Award ANNPAULINE CREAMER Associate Real Estate Broker Platinum Award TERESA CHANG Associate Real Estate Broker Gold Award CHRISTINE MACDONALD Real Estate Salesperson Gold Award C. J. NADLER Real Estate Salesperson Gold Award MARY WARD Real Estate Salesperson Gold Award LUCILLE C. ETTERE Associate Real Estate Broker Gold Award MARTHA (MARTI) LOWENFELD Associate Real Estate Broker Gold Award DAVID HOVSEPIAN Real Estate Salesperson Gold Award LYNN CONWAY Associate Real Estate Broker Silver Award CAROL A. CIRIECO Real Estate Salesperson Silver Award SUSAN THERESA SALAMONE Real Estate Salesperson Silver Award CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2022 AWARD WINNERS C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S T O O U R E N T I R E T E A M O F R E A L E S T A T E P R O F E S S I O N A L S F O R M A K I N G T H E H O U L I H A N L A W R E N C E S O M E R S O F F I C E THE #1 REAL ESTATE OFFICE IN SOMERS. Source: OKMLS, 1/1/22-12/31/22, total dollar volume of single family homes and condominiums sold by offi ce, Somers school district