Yorktown News 03.18.21

Vol. 9 No. 52 Visit TapIntoYorktown.net for the latest news. Thursday, March 18, 2021

COVID-19

More than 1,000 vaccinated in Yorktown last week

BY NICK TRUJILLO population of 65 and over who tion for a pop-up vaccination rants that are here.” Ryan Kao, owner of Save Mor
STAFF WRITER were not already vaccinated was site because of its community Latimer added that o ering Drugs in Croton, readies a
running thin,” Yogi Kao said. and commercial draw. vaccine at Jefferson Village on
COVID-19 vaccines are be- “So, I did some outreach and the vaccine at a local location Wednesday, March 10.
coming more readily available called a former classmate.” “Yorktown Heights, this area, that members of the Yorktown
in Westchester County, thanks is a central location,” he said. community are familiar with can PHOTO: BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER
in part to the federal approval of at classmate was Yorktown “People who live in Yorktown help ease some nerves surround-
Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Town Supervisor Matt Slater. and neighboring communities ing the vaccination process. PHOTO: NICK TRUJILLO
vaccine, which was distributed will come here to shop with the
on Tuesday and Wednesday last “As we cross the one-year an- various businesses and restau- “If you can put them in an Signage outside the Capellini
week at a pop-up vaccination niversary of this terrible pan- environment that they’re accus- Community Center directing
center inside Yorktown’s Albert demic, we once again showed eligible residents
A. Capellini Community and how local and county o cials tomed to being in, that’s near
Cultural Center. can collaborate with each other where they live, it reduces some
and private-sector partners like of the anxiety,” he said.
Yorktown, Somers, and Cort- Save Mor to vaccinate more
landt residents 65 and over were than 1,000 people in a matter Slater said it was unfair to
eligible to receive the 720 doses, of days,” Slater said. “But we’re ask the seniors in the York-
which were made available by not stopping there as this vac- town community to drive to the
Westchester County’s Depart- cine is the key to reopening our County Center in White Plains
ment of Health. community and society safely to receive their vaccines. “It was
for all.”
Also last week, on Wednes- SEE VACCINE PAGE 2
day and ursday, Save Mor When the community cen-
Drugs, a Croton-based pharma- ter opened its doors Monday,
cy owned by Yorktown’s Ryan March 8, Slater said, the line
Kao, o ered 250 doses of the wrapped around the parking lot.
Moderna vaccine to residents “It was a very obviously needed
of the Je erson Village, and service for the town of York-
100 doses to the Beaveridge and town and for our residents.”
Wynwood Oaks communities.
Another 300 doses are expected e town put the vaccina-
to be administered ursday tion center together on a two
(March 18). days’ notice, according to Slater.
“We’ve been working with the
Yogi Kao, the supervising county on this for a while, but
pharmacist at Save Mor, is a we didn’t get nal authorization
2004 graduate of Yorktown until Sunday,” he said.
High School.
Westchester County Execu-
“We were nding that the tive George Latimer said that
Yorktown was chosen as a loca-

2020 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 30 S pr ing
CLASSIFIEDS 28 HUDSON VALLEY Guide
LEGAL NOTICES 29
LEISURE 27

#11# YASYACOGOGHEROERNKNTKTOOTTLINWODINNIWSTNRICT OBITUARIES 20 NMeawhsopac A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO HALSTON MEDIA ~ MARCH 18, 2021
SCHOOL“Did I tell you... DISTRICT OPINION 10
I love Yorktown!” SPORTS 21 2
“Did I tell you... TOWN GREEN 20 TRACKS
D ODIUOlGUoLvGAeLSYADSoIrDLkLItLoLwn!”
AsAsoscsioatceiaRteealREesatal tEesBtarotekeBr roker PHOTOS: TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL

MM . . SEE INSIDE:
SPRING GUIDE
DDDilDl@[email protected] L

ADsosuoDgcoliaaustgDelialRlsHeDaoimlllEHesso.tcmaotmeesB.croomker

Source: OKMLS 1/1/20-12/31/20, total dollar volume of single family

M . .Shooumrcees:sOolKdMbyLaSg1en/1t,/Y2o0r-k1to2w/3n1s/c2h0o,otlodtiasltrdicotllar volume of single family
homes sold by agent, YorktowDn Dschilolo@l dhisotruicltihanlawrence.com

DouglasDillHomes.com

Source: OKMLS 1/1/20-12/31/20, total dollar volume of single family
homes sold by agent, Yorktown school district

Page 2 – Yorktown News Christopher Steers (Westchester Thursday, March 18, 2021
County emergency services
The Staff commissioner), Town Clerk VACCINE

EDITORIAL TEAM Diana Quast, Town Supervisor FROM PAGE 1
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER Matt Slater, Sherlita Amler
EDITOR: 914-302-5628 (Westchester County health too much for many of them,” he
[email protected] commissioner), County said. “We wanted to make sure,
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER especially for our seniors and
SPORTS EDITOR: 914-302-5628 Executive George Latimer and our elderly, that we brought it
[email protected] Ellen Hendrickx (Westchester right to our community.”

ADVERTISING TEAM County assistant director of Gov. Andrew Cuomo ex-
PAUL FORHAN intergovernmental relations) at panded the age group that is eli-
the Capellini Community Center gible to receive the vaccine from
(914) 806-3951 65 to 60.
[email protected] on Tuesday, March 9
Somers resident Diann Buro
BRUCE HELLER PHOTO: NICK TRUJILLO said she had been having trou-
(914) 486-7608 ble nding an appointment
[email protected] COVERING anywhere prior to last week.
WESTCHESTER “I was even willing to drive to
LISA KAIN AND PUTNAM Albany for goodness sake,” she
(201) 317-1139 said. “You start to feel like you’re
[email protected] LICENSED & INSURED never going to get it.”
CORINNE STANTON • Removals
(914) 760-7009 Buro received an email from
[email protected] • Pruning the Somers Town Board on
• Stump Grinding Monday morning. After calling
JAY GUSSAK • FREE Estimates Somers town hall, the town su-
(914) 299-4541 • Credit Cards Accepted pervisor’s o cer registered her
[email protected] for an appointment and she was
JENNIFER CONNELLY MENTION THIS AD able to receive her vaccine that
(917) 446-7757 FOR 10% OFF FIRST SERVICE afternoon. “It was so easy; it was
[email protected] like a blessing,” she said.
SHELLEY KILCOYNE Jimmy Trees, Inc.
(914) 924-9122 Slater thanked Latimer, say-
[email protected] (914) 497-8326 ing, “It wouldn’t have happened
GABRIELLE BILIK www.jimmytrees.com without his support and this is
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/DESIGNER what government is supposed to
[email protected] do. We’re supposed to work to-
gether to get important services
PRODUCTION TEAM like this together.”
TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL
Latimer praised Slater and
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Somers Town Supervisor Rick
PHOTOGRAPHER Morrissey for their composure
and their ability to work to-
[email protected] gether to do good for their com-
CHRISTINA ROSE munities.
ART DIRECTOR/
“What you’re watching here is
DIGITAL PRODUCTION MANAGER bipartisan cooperation between
[email protected] di erent levels of government
and between di erent politi-
EXECUTIVE TEAM cal parties,” he said. “ is is not
BRETT FREEMAN something to play politics over.”
CEO & PUBLISHER
845-208-8151 COVID Counter

[email protected] • Active: 152
• Last Week: 182
Deadlines • High: 541 ( Jan. 10)
• Low: 6 (Aug. 13)
YORKTOWN NEWS DEADLINE • Total: 3,809
THE DEADLINE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS According to information
provided by Westchester
AND EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS FOR County

YORKTOWN NEWS IS THE THURSDAY CLARIFICATION
BEFORE THE NEXT PUBLICATION DATE.
For the past two weeks,
FOR MORE INFORMATION, Yorktown News has pub-
CALL BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER AT lished photos and brief
914-302-5628 OR EMAIL write-ups of members of
[email protected]. Lakeland High School’s
Class of 2021. is con-
Subscribe tent is being provided
entirely by parents of stu-
TO REQUEST YORKTOWN NEWS dents. Yorktown News has
WEEKLY DELIVERY, CALL 845-208-8503 extended the same invi-
OR EMAIL [email protected]. tation to parents in the
SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE COMPLIMENTARY FOR Yorktown Central School
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE TOWN. District.
OUT OF TOWN MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE
$150 PER YEAR FOR FIRST CLASS MAIL.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT
SOMERS, NY AND AT

ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.
POSTMASTER:

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO
YORKTOWN NEWS AT

118 N. BEDFORD ROAD
SUITE 100

MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549

(ISSN 2329-8693)
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY
HALSTON MEDIA, LLC AT
118 N. BEDFORD ROAD

SUITE 100
MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549

©2021 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC

Thursday, March 18, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 3

White Oak Farms in the midst of sugaring season

e farm is the only commercial maple syrup producer in Westchester

BY NICK TRUJILLO toothpaste.“It’s that freeze and thaw,

STAFF WRITER that expansion and contraction,” he

said. “ at draws sap up from the

Maple syrup production and roots up to the crown.”

farming have been a part of Bri Sap is collected on its way back

Hart’s life for as long as he can re- down to the roots from holes drilled

member. e owner of Yorktown’s in the trees and is transported to the

White Oak Farm grew up on a evaporator tank by 15 miles of tub-

500-acre syrup-producing farm in ing that stretch across the property

northeast Connecticut that his fam- to connect the trees.

ily has lived on and run since before Many of the maple trees at White

the Revolutionary War. Oak Farm are located on Turkey

“I’ve been making syrup since I Mountain, which rises behind the

was probably 4 years old in a fam- sugarhouse. “We have a natural

ily business,” he said. “I’ve spent my downhill run where all the maples

whole life outside,whether it’s work- are,” Hart said. e farm uses a vac-

ing on a farm or just being out there, uum suction system within the tubes

doing endeavors outside is just what that helps draw the sap down the

I do and what I enjoy doing.” hill and into the sugarhouse tanks,

Hart bought White Oak Farm but Hart said a 3-percent slope is White Oak Farm
owner Bri Hart
in 1973 and turned it from an over- required for sap to ow e ciently in front of his
sugarhouse
grown and disheveled disaster into a through the tubing system.
The main line of the
commercial maple syrup-producing Once the 1,500-gallon bulk tank tubing system feeds
into the 1,500-gallon
farm.He said it took 20 years to turn lls up with sap, the evaporator is sap collection tank.

the land into something that resem- turned on. “It’s a constant process PHOTOS: NICK TRUJILLO

bled a farm, adding that it is still a because we’re not just putting one

work in progress. batch in the evaporator,” Hart said.

e farm is home to just under e evaporator can process 900 gal-

2,400 maple trees owing with sap, lons of sap an hour, so processing a

a sugarhouse, two sawmills, two dry full tank takes about 90 minutes to

kilns, and a full woodworking shop. two hours.

Tucked away on the southern hill e raw maple

of Turkey Mountain, White Oak sap drawn from the

Farm is the only commercial maple trees is mainly water A maple tree
syrup producer in Westchester and and contains a very tapped for sap
the southernmost producer in New small percentage of and connected
York. One of the main reasons for sugar, around 1.5 to the expansive
that is because there is not a lot of percent, accord- tubing system

open space in the county that maple ing to Hart. e

producers require to operate. evaporation process

“ ere is open land but there reduces the amount

aren’t large tracts of land where of water in the sap

somebody’s going to have the op- and takes the sugar

portunity to tap hundreds of trees,” percentage up to

Hart said. over 67 percent, as

e sugaring business also re- required by state law.

quires a large investment of time e concentrated

and money. Hart estimates that he sugary sap is then

has invested $250,000 in equipment boiled and ltered

for the farm. An evaporator alone to turn it into pure

can cost around $100,000. maple syrup. Hart

“ is could be a 24/7 job,” Hart said that 60 gallons

said. “We have the background. It’s of sap produce one

not something you just jump into gallon of syrup.

feet rst.” All the syrup produced is stored District buys in bulk for their

Sugaring season takes place for for the year in stainless steel food- home economics program, and the

four to six weeks during February grade barrels. When it comes time Blue Pig in Croton is a big buyer

and March of every year. It is the to crack a fresh barrel, the syrup is for their maple walnut ice cream.

only time of year when sap can be reheated up to a minimum of 190 One of the biggest bene ts

collected for syrup production.Tem- degrees, re- ltered, and packaged in White Oak Farm o ers the lo-

peratures must be below freezing at glass bottles. cal community is its agrotourism

night and warm during the day for Hart said they strictly package in draw. As the southernmost com-

sap to be tapped from maple trees. glass bottles because “we want peo- mercial producer of maple syrup in

e syrup produced during sugar- ple to see what our product looks the state, most people who visit the

ing season is all the syrup made by like. It’s crystal clear, it’s got a beau- farm come from New York City,

the farm for the year. Once it gets tiful color, there’s no sediment in it.” Long Island, and New Jersey, Hart

too warm and trees start to blossom, Most of the syrup is sold at the said.

sugaring season is over. White Oak Farm store, but Hart “ ese people come up and they

“We’re scrambling to make as said they sell wholesale to local want to get gas, or they want to

much syrup as we can before it gets stores and markets and in ve-gal- have lunch,”said Hart.“We’ll bring

too warm and trees begin to bud lon bulk pales to local restaurants or thousands of people into town to

out,”Hart said. anyone who needs large amounts of visit retail stores and restaurants,

Hart likened the process of sap syrup. which is a big plus and what agro-

tapping to squeezing a tube of Hart said the Lakeland School tourism is all about.”

Page 4 – Yorktown News Thursday, March 18, 2021

Concession stand proposed Yorktown man
for railroad station killed in hit-and-run

BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER Resident charged with leaving
EDITOR the scene of fatal accident

A proposal that would bring a con- PHOTO: BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER BY BRIAN police headquarters for an
cession stand to the recently renovated interview, after which he was
train station in Railroad Park is be- The station in Railroad Park was renovated in 2020. MARSCHHAUSER arrested.
ing reviewed by the Yorktown Town EDITOR
Board. If no food preparation is allowed pi told the Yorktown Town Board at its Because it is a pending le-
A 45-year-old Yorktown gal matter, police Chief Rob-
e non-operational station, which on site, for example, Sinapi said he work session on Tuesday, March 9. He man has been arrested fol- ert Noble said he could not
once served the Old Putnam line,is the lowing a fatal hit-and-run share all the details that led
only place in Yorktown listed on the envisions selling pre-packaged foods, also discussed the possibility of selling accident on Route 6. to Suscal’s arrest. However,
National Register of Historic Places. he said, “It was a combina-
After falling into disrepair, the station snacks, and produce. e 44-year-old soups or salads, or using a microwave According to the York- tion of the public, technology,
was restored to its former glory, with town Police Department, and excellent, old-fashioned
the town footing about $148,000 of Sinapi said he is a veteran of the res- or air fryer to heat food. Marcos Suscal’s eastbound police work.”
the project’s $467,000 price tag. Fed- car hit 40-year-old Demetri-
eral and state grants covered the rest. taurant industry, having worked in his “It’s going to depend on what I’m al- os Doupis between Sunny- e crash is being investi-
side Street and Barger Street gated by the Yorktown Police
Because of its proximity to the family’s restaurants since he was 12 lowed to do and what I can’t do.” around 7 p.m. Wednesday, Department’s Accident In-
North County Trailway, the idea was March 10. Police responded vestigation Unit, with assis-
to occupy the town-owned train sta- years old.His family once owned Sina- Sinapi said he will reach out to the to the area after they received tance from the Westchester
tion with a concession stand. e town reports that a person was ly- County Department of Pub-
went out to bid twice, but received no pi’s Ceola Manor near Osceola Lake health department and begin the per- ing in the roadway. Doupis lic Safety Accident Investiga-
submissions, said Robyn Steinberg, the was declared dead at the tion Unit.
town planner. (which is now known as Vittoria’Z on mitting process. In the meantime, Yor- scene.
Suscal is charged with
However, the project caught the the Lake). ktown will start drafting a lease agree- Following an investiga- leaving the scene of an ac-
attention of Tino Sinapi, a Yorktown tion, police identi ed the car cident resulting in death, a
resident, who expressed interest after “I do have experience in being able ment. and went to Suscal’s home Class D felony. He was ar-
the bid’s deadline has passed. Sinapi around 3 p.m. the following raigned by Town Justice Sal
said his vision for the concession stand to make pre-packaged food and pre- “I’m 100 percent on board,as long as day. Suscal, whose car was Lagonia. He was due back in
is dependent on what the Westchester seized, was contacted by po- Yorktown Justice Court on
County Department of Health allows pare food ahead of time for sale,”Sina- you guys are,”Sinapi said. lice and agreed to come to Tuesday, March 16.
him to do.

CATER YOUR NEXT EVENT
—GREEK STYLE

Call us to guide you to the

perfect order for any size gathering!

Every Tuesday in March
WE WILL DONATE 10%
of any take-out order to
Yorktown High School

CLASS OF 2021.

Just Mention “YHS Class of 2021”

Gyro Baklava Sangria

Don’t forget to order As usual, curbside pick-up is always available.
our wildly popular
Cabana Sangria in red or white 914-455-2111

www.PappousGreekKitchen.com
1983 Commerce Street, Yorktown Heights

PAPPOUS_GREEK_KITCHEN

Thursday, March 18, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 5

A True Historic Dining Experience

SERVING NORTHERN WESTCHESTER SINCE 1926!

AMERICAN CUISINE

DINE IN • TAKE-OUT • PRIVATE EVENTS • CALL FOR RESERVATIONS
914-962-4090

673 Croton Heights Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

www.peterprattsinn.com

Wed – Sun • Serving Dinner 5PM-9:30PM

Page 6 – Yorktown News Thursday, March 18, 2021

Family of overseas officer
supported by YPD

BY BRIAN He started his police career the Employer Support of Members of the Yorktown Police Department with Officer Tillistrand’s family
in 2006, joining the NYPD. the Guard and Reserve. e
MARSCHHAUSER He transferred to the Pelham ESGR, a Department of De- PHOTOS COURTESY OF YPD
EDITOR Manor Police Department in fense program, promotes co-
2011 and came to Yorktown operation and understanding Police Chief Robert Noble, left, is presented with the ESGR’s Patriotic Employer
Yorktown Police O - in 2014. He lives in Yorktown between Reserve Component Award by Officer Michael Tillistrand.
cer Michael Tillistrand was with his wife, Nicole, and Service members and their
about 6,000 miles away in the their three children: Michael, civilian employers.
Middle East when the pan- Aubrey, and Willow.
demic reached a fever pitch in He also recommended
the United States a year ago. In September, on young Police Chief Robert Noble
Over the next nine months, Michael’s rst day of kinder- for the Patriot Award, given
Tillistrand’s family became garten at omas Je erson to supervisors who provide
the Yorktown Police Depart- Elementary School, o cers support for a service member
ment’s family. volunteered their time to give and their family. e award
him a police escort. was approved by the ESGR,
“ ey would conduct regu- and a ceremony is expected to
lar welfare checks at the resi- When Tillistrand returned take place in the next several
dence, in-person and drive- home on Dec. 18, he was weeks.
by check-ups, with regular greeted by his wife and about
phone calls,” Tillistrand said. 30 members of the Yorktown Additionally, he recom-
“ eir support while my Police Department. mended the entire depart-
family was in seclusion was a ment for the Above and
great relief of stress.” “All members, civilian and Beyond Award, which is
sworn, exhibited examples of given in limited numbers to
Tillistrand, a major in the continuous outstanding sup- employers who have had at
New York Army National port throughout the time of least one of their supervisors/
Guard, was assigned as a bat- my absence,” Tillistrand said. managers recognized with a
talion operations o cer to “All these gestures were a re- Patriot Award.
the Headquarters Battalion, lief of stress for my wife, my
42nd Infantry Division. e family and myself.” “Small tokens for the orga-
unit served throughout the nization’s dedicated attention
Middle East as part of Op- In turn for their support, to my family in knowing that
eration Spartan Shield under Tillistrand nominated the assistance was always avail-
U.S. Central Command. Yorktown Police Depart- able,”Tillistrand said.
ment for several awards with

DINE IN/ TAKEOUT/ CURBSIDE/ DELIVERY

NOW OPEN! ORDER ONLINE OR CALL: 914-302-6713
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

ExwMFppRi.tueEah3nrEn/ctad3iKhnoa1IgynD/seSt$e2th1!I1aCi0sEad WEBSITE: WWW.PBPIZZAANDBEER.COM

914-302-7711 • ritasofyorktown.com LOCATION: JEFFERSON VALLEY MALL (2ND FL NEAR MACY’S)
1881a Commerce Street, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
PIZZA - BEER - BURGERS - WINGS - SALAD

Thursday, March 18, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 7

On behalf of Nadine’s Restaurant,
Christian and Pamela Schienle and

sta wish to thank the Yorktown
Community and all our wonderful
customers for their loyal support.

Whether dining in or taking out,
we could not do it without you.

Thank you,
Nadine’s

Our Biergarten
is NOW OPEN!

715 Saw Mill River Road,
Yorktown Heights

914.962.4298 | nadinesrestaurant.com

Hours: Mon-Thurs 4pm-9pm | Fri 4pm-10pm
Sat 12pm-10pm | Sun 12pm-8pm

German, Austrian and French Cuisine | Full Bar with Dinner Menu | Weekend Brunch

Page 8 – Yorktown News Thursday, March 18, 2021

PLANNING BOARD Police bust large gathering
at Yorktown gym
Public hearing closed for
mixed-use building BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER March 25.

Would be built on 0.36-acre lot next to CareMount EDITOR Lt. John DeIulio said the man does

not work for Solaris, but rather rent-

About 150 maskless people were ed the space for a “volleyball tourna-

gathering in the early morning hours ment.”

of Sunday, Feb. 14, at Solaris Sports “It’s alleged that this was a large

BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER when your clients ask you to paint a mustache Club, according to the Yorktown Po- social gathering (unknown the rea-
EDITOR
on the ‘Mona Lisa,’you’re going to end up with lice Department. son for the gathering) that violated
An 8,200-square-foot building featuring a
mix of apartments and retail would rise on a not such a good picture.” Around 1:30 a.m., police received New York State COVID-19 proto-
0.36-acre site on Kear Street, if plans are ap-
proved by Yorktown’s Planning Board. He was joined by Susan Siegel,a former town a call that loud music was coming cols on gatherings,” DeIulio told Yor-

e building, located on the corner of Kear supervisor, in expressing concern over the park- from the tness center on Veterans ktown News.
Street and Saw Mill River Road (Route 118),
would have 2,800 square feet of retail space on ing situation, especially considering how busy Road. When they arrived, “o cers e managing member of Solaris
the bottom oor. e upper two levels would
each have three apartments. ere would be the neighboring CareMount Medical building observed approximately 150 people declined to comment for this story,
two parking areas: an 18-space upper park-
ing area for apartments and a ve-space lower tends to be. ey also noted the location of the inside Solaris Sports Club, allegedly saying it was a pending legal matter.
parking area for the retail.
dumpster, which would require a garbage truck not wearing masks and not socially
e plan conforms to the existing zoning
(C-2R) and is not part of the proposed York- to back out of the site and into the CareMount distancing.” YORKTOWN POLICE BLOTTER
town Heights Overlay District.
parking lot. e organizer of the event, a The following items are from the
e public hearing on Monday, March 8,
drew comments from a few critics of the plan, e property being developed is owned 22-year-old Sleepy Hollow man, was Yorktown Police Department. Please
including John Flynn, a former Planning
Board member. by Nantucket Sound Sons LLC, a company allegedly unable to produce sign-in be aware that these summarizations

“ e plan, I think, contains a number of owned by the Murphy family, including Ter- sheets and COVID-19 pre-screening represent only one perspective. In
negative features, which are a result of the
many challenges of developing a very small rence Murphy, a former state senator and town forms. Additionally, neither social most cases, attempts will not be made
piece of land,” Flynn said, noting that he does
not blame the engineers and architects.“I think councilman. e family also once owned the distancing markers nor barriers were to contact the accused nor will pur-

neighboring CareMount site, the former home in place, “thus knowingly endanger- suits be made to publish additional

of Murphy’s Restaurant, before selling it to ing the health of all in attendance,” information or updates. For those

Unicorn Contracting for $2.1 million in 2018, police wrote. reasons, names of the accused are

according to a deed agreement led with West- e 22-year-old, who turned him- usually withheld.

chester County.. self in to police headquarters on • March 4, 1:38 p.m. – Arrest-

Joe Riina, of Site Design Consultants, said Wednesday, March 10, was arrested ed a 19-year-old Shrub Oak man.

he does not feel the site is too small for the de- and charged with second-degree Charged with third-degree criminal

velopment. “We feel we’ve comfortably t ev- criminal nuisance, a Class B mis- mischief (Class E felony). Accused

erything onto this site. It works.” demeanor. He was released without of smashing a car window with a

e hearing was closed and left open 10 days bail and is scheduled to appear in
T:9.5” Yorktown Justice Court on ursday, SEE POLICE PAGE 9
for written comment.

The region’s newest T:6.05”
maternity center for your
newest addition.

Designed with mothers and babies in mind, our new Maternal
& Newborn Care Unit features modern amenities that reimagine
the birthing experience. With Columbia doctors and award-winning
nurses, you’ll receive comprehensive, personalized services in
a certified Baby-Friendly® hospital. And our family-focused private
rooms are spacious and comfortable so you can enjoy those first
sweet moments in comfort together.

Discover more at nyp.org/hvmaternity

Laila, the first baby 1980 Crompond Road, Cortlandt Manor
born in the new
maternity unit.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 9

POLICE Yorktown offered $150,000 grant for
mental-health support
FROM PAGE 8
NICK TRUJILLO grant would allocate resources to help Lakeland School District administra-
stick, causing more than $1,000 of dam-
age. Released without bail. Due in York- STAFF WRITER parents and faculty select the correct re- tion and clinical team were invited to
town Justice Court on March 18.
sources needed to support the second- attend, as well as members of York-
• March 10, 2:05 a.m. – Arrested a
23-year-old Cortlandt Manor man. e Yorktown Central School District ary students. town’s clinical team.
Charged with seventh-degree crimi-
nal possession of a controlled substance has received an o er from the West- e o er for the grant stems from “Mr. Orth invited a number of agen-
(Class A misdemeanor) and second-
degree unlawful possession of marijuana chester Medical Center for a $150,000 a set of two meetings that took place cies and individual providers in West-
(violation). Accused of possessing alpra-
zolam pills and marijuana. Had active grant to put towards mental health sup- during November and December of chester County to participate and he
warrant for his arrest. Released without
bail into the custody of the Peekskill Po- port and services for their middle- and last year. e meeting in November asked them to provide updates on their
lice Department. Due in Yorktown Jus-
tice Court on March 25. high-school students. was with Michael Orth, Westchester services and availability,” said Rosen.

• March 15, 10:40 a.m. – Arrested a Michael Rosen, director of pupil per- County commissioner of community Westchester Medical Center was one
50-year-old Bronx man. Charged with
fourth-degree criminal possession of sto- sonnel services at Yorktown, announced mental health. It was set up by Hattar of the agencies that had representatives
len property (Class E felony). Accused of
stealing a 2016 Tesla car from New York the news during Yorktown’s Board of and attended by Rosen and Dr. Lisa that attended, and Rosen said a doc-
City. Released without bail. Due in York-
town Justice Court on April 1. Education meeting on Monday, March O’Shea, assistant superintendent for tor from the agency was impressed by

DIBARTOLO CASE ADJOURNED 8. Dr. Ron Hattar, schools superinten- curriculum. the Yorktown district’s work in mental
After being arraigned on a felony grand
dent, said, “ is is a very, very big mo- “Mr. Orth is a wonderful resource health and their dedication to support-
larceny charge in Cortlandt Town Court
last month, Eric DiBartolo, the former ment for our school district.” He added who just this past year, helped us navi- ing the social and emotional wellness
Yorktown highway superintendent ac-
cused of stealing some $15,000 worth that Westchester Medical Center will gate all the red tape in order to arrange of their students, prompting them to
of merchandise from Home Depot, was
due back in court on ursday, March 11. be applying for the grant on behalf of for appropriate services for one of our o er the district the grant.
However, his case has been adjourned,
a court employee told Yorktown News. the district. students,” Rosen said. Rosen said via email that more de-
He is now scheduled to conference with
members of the Westchester District At- e details of the grant are still be- Following the initial meeting, a fol- tails on the grant will be available fol-
torney’s O ce on Wednesday, April 7.
ing worked out, according to Rosen, but low-up December meeting was set up lowing the district’s return from spring

he reported to the board that the o er for a wider audience. Members of the break.

includes a liaison that will help school

faculty and parents identify mental-

health needs in their students and strat-

egies for support. e liaison is “one of ‘ is is a very, very big moment for our school district.’
the most exciting aspects of the grant,”

Rosen said. –Dr. Ron Hattar
“It is very di cult for our families Superintendent, Yorktown Schools

and our sta to navigate through is-

sues of nding appropriate services and

available providers,” Rosen said. e

Adve
When y
Yorktow
com.

Scan for more
information

We’re Here To Stay Let’s Get Everyone Covered

Caring for your health and wellness for more than 25 years. More than 2.3 million New Yorkers count on Fidelis Care
for quality, affordable coverage.
With Top Providers
If your health insurance is changing, or you need coverage for
Choose from more than 80,000 primary care providers, specialists, yourself or a family member, give us a call. We can help you
health centers, and hospitals near you and across New York State. enroll - right over the phone.

In Your Community 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547); TTY: 711
fideliscare.org
With hundreds of local partners, we’re right by your side all year long.

Page 10 – Yorktown News Thursday, March 18, 2021

Where is e gift of a lifetime
this in
Yorktown? In our family, this week brings BRUCE the same combative spirit as his
with it not only the promise of THE BLOG Philadelphia soulmate of the silver
Congratulations to Karen Mattson DosSantos, who was spring, but the moist remem- screen, whom he idolized as an
the rst to correctly guess that last week’s photo was taken brance of 18 springs ago that is underdog hero.
cause for pause, re ection, pride,
at the Commerce Street shopping plaza (G&G Euro
Market/Yorktown Pizza and Pasta). If you know where this gratitude, and eternal love. BRUCE TINY AS TOM THUMB
When Elyse’s and my son and APAR Where our son and Rocky
week’s photo is, email [email protected].
Elissa’s brother Harrison needed were not at all alike, though, is
PHOTO: BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER
his third open-heart surgery in in physicality. e rare form of

2003, the rst available date of- dwar sm Harrison had was never

fered us by Children’s Hospital of fully identi ed, but it stunted his

Philadelphia was March 20. We took that as a divine growth short of even the legendary Tom umb of

sign of providence. It’s my birthday. P.T. Barnum fame.

Philly is the city where Harrison sprang to life What we—and anyone who ever met him—grew

in 1987 in Pennysylvania Hospital, where Rocky Bal- to greatly admire is a fortitude, self-esteem, and quick

boa’s son also was born, in the movies. Oddly enough, wit that made his 37-inch, 37-pound frame almost

upon arrival, Harrison even had a bit of a shiner an illusion.

under one eye. anks to Harrison’s passion for sports—he played

basketball in Yorktown Athletic Club among peers

LITTLE ROCKY virtually twice his size and was a sportswriter—I

Fifteen years later, it also seemed serendipitous that learned the inner strength it takes to hold your head

we had returned to Harrison’s birthplace for a critical, high even when low to the ground.

even risky, operation. It was the onset of spring, and anks to his canny insights and way with words, I

the opening round of the NCAA March Madness learned—when he addressed classmates as a speaker

basketball tournament, with Harrison cheering on at the 2001 Mildred E. Strang Middle School

his dad’s alma mater, Syracuse (which went on to graduation—“Dreams do not come easily, but if you

win its only championship). Elsewhere, as that day’s stretch enough, nothing is out of reach.”

newspaper headline declared, the U.S. had just in-

vaded Iraq. e world was up in arms and our world BIRTHDAY GIFT PROMISE

was spinning at dizzying speed. Starting a secret diary the night before his surgery,

“Hope springs eternal in the human breast,” wrote we later discovered Harrison expressed characteris-

19th Century poet Alexander Pope. tic con dence by noting that the next day he fully

In that spirit, tethered to the oxygen tank that let expected to “give my dad a refreshing birthday gift

both him and us breathe easier while he was quar- wrapped in esh—a son’s healthy heart.”

antined in our Yorktown Heights home for the prior Less than 24 hours after writing those words,

11 weeks, Harrison walked purposefully through SEE APAR PAGE 18
the hospital to his appointment with destiny, full of

e power of language

If you are like me, you often nd your- curious souls dared to ing rules of logic to some profound issue for the ages, clear and
self tempted to debate a particularly challenge the status quo. e ective communication skills are vital. We
hot issue with a friend with whom you MY guide the journey. e must recognize what words mean not only
vigorously disagree. If you were to follow ey began to ask ques- PERSPECTIVE thinking was that since to ourselves, but also in society at large.To
my mom’s advice, you would resist the urge tions venturing beyond mathematics and science make any headway at all, employing exact
because she believed that most topics of what they were taught and precise language is essential. We should
debate are too emotionally anchored. She to accept as reality. ey JAMES led us to indisputable always be cognizant of the importance of
had a point. Most people are not receptive posited questions like: MARTORANO truths, why couldn’t we avoiding the linguistic traps of vagueness,
to reasoned exchanges of ideas and that is What is the universe ambiguity, and the overriding in uence of
especially true in the areas of politics and made of? How do we duplicate the process in culture in our language.
religion. However, the entire history of perceive the world? How can we know
philosophy is predicated on the inquisitive anything? How do we acquire knowledge? the realm of philosophy? At rst glance, it looks easy. Words are
nature of humankind and our willingness to How do we test the truth of statements? used to refer to objects. Simple enough. But
boundlessly explore ideas tested by a robust And at that very moment, our western is sentiment made a cursory examination reveals real problems.
exchange of competing proposals. philosophical tradition was born. For example,“house cat”refers to a furry,
sense, and it is therefore not a surprise that domestic animal that many cherish and
But there was a time when, under penalty All the queries these intellectual adven- love, whereas “cathouse”refers to something
of death, no one questioned the traditional turers posed had already been answered by three of the most famous philosophers, altogether di erent. Referring words and
myths and legends about the universe religions and cultural myths; however, they
and the gods. Despite the risks, brave and now sought answers based on reasoning. Pythagoras, Descartes, and Leibniz, were SEE MARTORANO PAGE 14
Aristotle went even further by construct-
also mathematicians. But, unlike mathema-

ticians, philosophers must construct logical

arguments, framing their propositions using

words, not numbers or symbols. And that

posed its own set of problems.

e truth is that whether you are de-

bating an issue with a friend or exploring

BRETT FREEMAN, PUBLISHER 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER, EDITOR MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those
TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR ©2021 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC
Editorial Office: 914-302-5628 of Yorktown News or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phone
[email protected] 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 914-302-5628.

Thursday, March 18, 2021 OPINION Yorktown News – Page 11

LETTERS

Educate; don’t dark years, but we have come a here for 20 years and value see- Don’t forget about problem with groundwater and
indoctrinate long way in a short period of his- ing the trees as you drive to the ‘Lake Caldor’ runo has been solved, a building
torical time.To this day, there are Taconic, think for a second that if of this size may have construction
To the editor, people in parts of the world who that was the town philosophy, your To the editor, problems. I remember hearing the
As I read the article from two would sacri ce much to be able house would never have been built. e Yorktown Town Board and sound of pilings being driven into
to have what we take for granted. the ground as I drove by on Route
weeks ago, “New courses for a Why else would they want to is project is well thought the Yorktown Planning Board 118 during construction in that
changing world,” I became curi- come here, if not for that fact? out and o ers many people the should consider the fact that the shopping center. In addition, with
ous as to what the intent and goal opportunity to stay in town while development proposed to replace so many vacant storefronts that we
of the new course on equality Yes, teach cultural awareness adding much-needed assessables the Kmart building will be built currently have, do we need more?
and cultural awareness would be. and equality in our schools, but to the tax roll. on the lowest land in Yorktown
I spent 40 years as a teacher and also teach all the history and let Heights. is area was once fondly Dorothy Meier
my goal was always to educate our youth decide on their own, Brian Wolfson called “Lake Caldor.”Unless the
and not indoctrinate my students. the path they wish to follow. e Yorktown Heights
My beliefs, whether political or past should not be erased by those Yorktown Heights
religious, were mine alone and who know little of which they
not stepping stones to convincing speak. Only by knowing our past A lifetime of love,
anyone that what I believed in will we improve our future. ese continued.
was the only path. words that I have written are not
meant to in uence one’s think- At Benchmark, we believe couples are better together. Spouses and companions
As an educator, I witnessed ing, but merely to enlighten and who come through our doors, move in together and stay together. And we
changes in curriculums which re- remind us all, there is always more wouldn’t have it any other way.
sulted in failures, a waste of time, than one side, to every story. We make this possible by accommodating individual care levels while living
tax dollars, and to the detriment together, right from the start, while tailoring services and experiences to
of the young minds in front of me. Give thought to this quote by each person*.
Robert Penn Warren. “ e lack of
Growing up, as a young student a sense of history is the damna- Benchmark Senior Living at Ridgefield Crossings
through high school, I was taught tion of the modern world.”
American and world history, as 640 Danbury Road, Ridgefield I RidgefieldCrossings.com
it was recorded by those who Pavel Paces
lived through it and those who Assisted Living | Mind & Memory Care
researched it. Good or bad, it Yorktown Heights
was explained and left for me Life is Better with Your Better Half. Call 203.563.8126 to schedule a tour today.
to decide how to interpret it. It Underhill Farms is
wasn’t until I went to college right for Yorktown *Please check with the community for any residency requirements.
and encountered professors who
expected their students to accept To the editor, Mamma Rosa Thank you
their interpretations of the events This letter was written in Gift Certificates for your continued
that occurred in this country and
around the world. response to last week’s letter by are the support during
Christina Beecher (“Underhill Perfect Present these difficult times
However, having been born Farms is not in Yorktown’s best
in the Czechoslovak Socialist interest”). Year-Round! ITALIAN CONTINENTAL CUISINE
Republic, I was well aware of
how an educational system can e Underhill Farms project
turn a society against one another. will preserve many ne attributes
Fortunately, my family escaped of open space and o er the town
the cruel grip of a regime that the needed historical building
promised equality and prosperity to house many town purposes. I
for all, but delivered only divi- challenge the fact that the space
sion and misery for 40 years until is needed to be preserved exactly
the people nally had enough of in its current con guration, and
broken promises and realized that the new proposal will be available
those politicians who promised to everyone, whereas the current
these things were the only ones one I’m guessing has never been
who actually enjoyed them. visited by 95 percent of the town
residents.
Yes, this country has had its
Where you say you have lived

WWhahtaist itshethmeomstocsotmcmomonmon Now Taking Reservations For Easter Sunday & Mother’s Day
myoisummsaeinseam?gtahenadatcygooenuddistcieooenn?dthitaiot n
(Serving Special Holiday Menu)
TThheeItIctchhy yDoDgo!g!
Every Week is Restaurant Week at Mamma Rosa!
IIssyyoouurrppetetscsractrcahticnhg,inligck, ilnicgk, ing, 3-Course Lunch Special $20.95 & 3-Course Dinner Special $30.95
cchheewwinigngfefeeteotrohravhianvginchgrocnhicronic skin
sinkfinecintifoenctsio?ns? • Gluten Free Pasta and Menu Items Available
• Private Party Rooms Available• Reservations Recommended
Stop taresaicmtiaSnputgolsepethbtwreleoittasohhatydeiannmdgtfserpiestmsthtqotoe.pumplGesestynehbmtatelonptyfrodtroiodepumqfstriuenstpesdoatne.ntottGhdtufreeetfiitpentvyslhdeiontetuoog.ruutphtbneetedhttevetfreeelutyre.nliaindnngegdrclbyaseitnutotgseper 252 Route 100, Somers 10589 • 914.232.8080 • www.mammarosaristorante.com
with
Open Tuesday-Sunday for Lunch and Dinner • Closed Monday
PPrrooggrreesDssr.siAvinevdreAewnAiFnmriisamhml aHanlosHpoistaplital

149 Route9D210r.24A&-n2Ldov4reel8l wS-t.6FSor2mise2rhs0,mNYa1n0589
2N6o8wRwAowcuwct.eperpo2tg0irne2sgsSivCoea-mvreeteC.crorsme,dNitY! 10589

914-248-6220$25 OFF First Exam for new clients, just bring in this ad!
Discount only applies to in office visits.

www.Progressive-Vet.com

Page 12 – Yorktown News OPINION Thursday, March 18, 2021

A shot in the dark

With a little bit of pre- It was such a fortuitous occasion storm out in a snit and never speak they were very nice, very calm, and MAN
existing asthma, I was that I felt I should wear a suit and to each other again. I’ve been wait- very e cient, moving me and my OVERBOARD
able to schedule a coro- tie, but I settled on something in ing a whole year for this day. wife from one side of the oor
navirus vaccination for 11 p.m. at between that and what I usually to the other, where we followed RICK
the Javits Center in Manhattan. I wear in quarantine, so the com- e Javits Center is a huge a maze of ribbon barriers, di er- MELÉN
was so happy I could have kissed promise was: clothing. It seems convention space, and the whole ent colored tape on the oor, and
proceedings had the distinct avor

a stranger, if Governor Cuomo like we’re getting there. It feels of being at the airport. ere were numbered signs to get us where

hadn’t already beaten me to it. I as if soon we will be able to get people dressed in National Guard we needed to go, which looked

wasn’t sure how to dress for the together, in person, and have such uniforms, which made me nervous remarkably like where we started.

vaccination. a contentious argument that we that we might be hijacked. But I began to feel like that one red you don’t have grandchildren, the

canvas bag on the luggage carou- CDC has said that it is perfectly
sel, the one that has been there okay to visit theirs.

since the Kennedy administration, I hear rumblings, and I’m not

going around and around waving talking about my stomach right

at you while you’re waiting for now, that there are people out

your own suitcase to appear. there that don’t want to get the

ESTABLISHED 1979 Centrifugal force threw us o Coronavirus vaccine, so I’d like
the line in front of a panel of nurs- to have a few words with them

es, who were running a quiz show, right now. Are you afraid that it

OStafrfteingrinOugrF4aa3mridlvyYaOewarnireedSteayrnvdinogOfpYearoarftktetedo.wrnscChhildoreon.l and if you answered the questions might hurt? It won’t hurt nearly
progOrwanemrs sAlwdaaysiloyn ,thfeoPrreamilslesa. ges. correctly, you got to move on.“Are as much as me hitting you over
you feeling sick today?”One asked. the head with a ball-peen ham-
• Aero-Tumbling • Group Piano I said,“No, my hair always looks mer to knock some sense into you.
like that.”“Do you have any under- Are you afraid that it doesn’t have
BEFORE &•AHFaTpERpySCFeHeOtOSoLcAcDeVrENTURES lying conditions?”“No, they’re ly- decades of track record for you to
ing right there on the top.”“What pore through the data and study?
is your race?”“I am an Earthling.” Come on now, you weren’t really
“Are you pregnant?”“No, but going to do that anyway, you were
the night is young.”“Are you an going to trust the same authori-
essential worker?”“I work for tative bodies that told you that

• HDiiprec-tHor:oMpollyDDainenenc-Ceare•y, MTaA CeCCK- SwLPoTSnSLDDo. television—is there anything more Skittles were safe to eat. Maybe
essential than that right now?”“Do you’ve been gleaning your science

• Large Indoor And Fenced In Outdoor Playgrounds you pass out after shots?”“Only if from the QAnon 6:00 News and
I have more than eight of them.” you now believe that the “vaccine
F•aBHumomseilTwyroarOknAwsssipsntaonecredt•aaFtoinooddnAndOPDrproinevksirdParoetveidded.d , And so forth. We got our inocula- gives you the virus?”Listen: you
Owners •aKlwindaerygasrteon n- 5tthhGeradepremises. tions, and the nurses had us sit probably have a family doctor that
for a while to make sure we didn’t you’ve trusted for years. I’ll make
WW•W•O.nBPluysIPsiEinegdDTPoiPpAenIrPdStFuErdoeRmntBSsrAConoHdksPiOdipee,OrMPoLihpYaenrOsSicta,RfAfnKInd TCOruOormBWpuoilndNdin. g.COM have an abnormal reaction. Once you a deal: I won’t make fun of
they realized that my reaction was you anymore if you promise to ask
as normal as it was going to get, your doctor what he or she thinks
they not only let us go but encour- you should do, and then do it.
aged it.
I’m ready to get back to real
e CDC published a list life, a life where people can once
of things you still can’t do after again see that I have a pimple on

2090 C•roNmo SphaorenddSpRacoesaWdit•h YOtoherrkBtuosiwnensseHs eights receiving your vaccine. I found, my chin. I’ve already canceled my
9•1Fu4Fn-oP9Brla6army2bCi-eeos5n,rt1Aeecr9tsii:o6nLnefFogoiogrrsu,mr9Bels1oa, cA4tknis-o,d8AnM1rto,s5rc&e-a5Clr2laf8ts1, for instance, that after receiving appearance on the masked singer
the vaccine I still could not play and the masked dancer. And I
the piano. What you CAN do is still might kiss a stranger, so do
visit your grandchildren, even if yourself a favor and don’t be too
they are not vaccinated, as long as strange.
they are not exhibiting any signs

• Maximum Of 38 Before & of being extremely annoying. If Say hello at [email protected].

After-School Children

• Small, Personal Atmosphere

• Building and Equipment Professionally
Cleaned Throughout the Day

• Family Owned And Operated For 43 Years

Registration forms available on our website Brewster NY

WWW.PIEDPIPERSCHOOLYORKTOWN.COM

2090 Crompond Road - Yorktown Heights

For more information call
914-962-5196 or 914-815-5281

Thursday, March 18, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 13

Spring Sale
Starts Now!

Big Selection • Big Savings!

All Styles Now In Stock!
Gas Grills • Portable Grills

• Smokers
Delivery and Assembly Available*

* Available on select model grills. Ask for details.

FREE mattress event

FINANCING WE GIVE YOU
MORE AT
FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS*
APPLIANCE SALES PLUS!
FREE
LARGE SELECTION OF MATTRESSES
DELIVERY IN STOCK!

OF YOUR NEW MATTRESS ALL SIZES! ALL COMFORT LEVELS!
TWIN • FULL • QUEEN • KING
FREE

REMOVAL

OF YOUR OLD MATTRESS

We Make Your Next Purchase... Instantly Affordable!™

3 Lovell Street • Somers, N.Y. Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Friday 9AM-6PM,
(914) 248-5800
(845) 628-5241 Thursday 9AM-8pm
Sat. 9AM-5PM,

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Sears Customers: You Are Welcome At Appliances Sales Plus

Page 14 – Yorktown News OPINION Thursday, March 18, 2021

MARTORANO mation, or a piece of jewelry. Opacity can lead important issue with a friend, I invite you to One Year
to communication problems if the author ignore my mother’s advice and instead follow Ago
FROM PAGE 10 intends to be understood one way, but the the best traditions of western thought—re-
reader takes it another way. Over the years, spectfully and thoughtfully engage in an BY JOHN F MCMULLEN
expressions are often vague, meaning that philosophers have used descriptive meanings exchange of ideas.To accomplish this, I GUEST WRITER
there is a degree of unclarity built into them. or had their counterparts stipulate to a de ni- propose you begin your dialogue by listening
Words like “bold,”“great,”“beauty,”“jus- tion to circumvent the problems associated intensely to your friend’s points. Ask them A year ago today,
tice,”“art,” and “responsibility” are subject to with vagueness and ambiguity. You can do to clarify, de ne, and precisely explain their by coincidence,
interpretation. Sometimes their vagueness is the same in your discussion with friends. positions while you keep an open mind. I wrote my rst
exactly why we employ them. Political slo- Next, instead of objecting to or contradicting Coronavirus poem
gans often trumpet vague words in the hope A third challenge with language is its what they have advocated, ask questions that It ended with
that the targeted individuals will supply their inherent ties to culture. Society imbues lan- point to the fallacy of any argument to which In this war, we must
own meaning, and enthusiastically join the guage with meaning and cultural context. For you take exception. Your friend will either develop
cause. Make America Great Again, allows example, the classic western philosophical respond in kind or withdraw from reasoned all new weapons and
the listener to decide what it means for them question, what is the meaning of life, makes discussion. e hope is that in the process of strategies
and then jump on board. no sense when translated into the culturally rational inquiry, that somehow the truth may Will we? Yes! But when?
imbued language of many other societies. be reached. My experience is that often the and how many casualties
Vague expressions or words can lead to Our inability to extract exact meaning from best you can hope for is that at least bad ideas will we take?
vague sentences and vague ideas. We are left culturally infused language has led many will be exposed and discarded. As uncom- Who knows?
with the nagging question, what does this or 20th century philosophers to conclude that fortable as this exercise may be, in the nal Well now,
that mean? So, when you are discussing an most philosophical debates are really about analysis, everyone bene ts from this rigorous a year later
issue with friends and they use a term, which language. An entire philosophical move- exchange, regardless of whether the proposal we do know
you recognize as vague, ask them to clarify ment called Linguistic Analysis suggested is ultimately found to be logically and factu- over half a million dead in
more fully what they are referring to. If they say that so-called deep philosophical issues were ally correct or incorrect. We must always keep the Country
something is unfair, ask them to tell you what really misunderstandings brought about by in mind that the goal is not to win the argu- almost fty thousand
they mean by unfair and why the situation they linguistic and cultural di erences. One of my ment but to attain the truth. And, in so doing, dead in my state – New
are referring to would qualify as unfair. favorite philosophers, Ludwig Wittgenstein, by keeping our inquisitive nature alive, we York
famously said, “the limits of my language are continue an ancient western tradition dating over three hundred dead
Another linguistic pothole is the fact that a the limits of my world.” back to a pre-Socratic age. For me, it just does in my town – Yorktown
word that has more than one speci c mean- not get any better than that! for most of the year
ing can often create ambiguity.“Fast”can Despite all the above linguistic inadequa- we were ghting a war
have many di erent meanings including a cies, when you are invited to “discuss”an with an invisible enemy
“diet”or “speed.”“Ring”can be a sound, a for- and losing

My Community Bulletin Board But my town had it
better than most
BUYING ONLY Items for sale? Office: 914.736.9230 ext 107 with regular reports
Call us! Direct: 914.788.4549 from the Governor
Cell: 914.659.2051 and Town Supervisor
W•EPBAUINYT: IGNOGLSD••BSR•TOAERNNLZTIEINQSGU• ESCSILLO•VECETKRCS•. JEWELRY • COINS Fax: 914.930.1111 we understood the
• COLLECTIBLES Douglas C. [email protected] severity of the situation
Branch Managerwww.asapmortgageinc.com and were encouraged
845-628-0362 49CALL FOR APPOINTMENT NMLS# 39875 to be responsible
3565 Crompond Road • Suite 202 • Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567aCRreorgarirnsegtseeprdeodnthdMreonoutrgtLhgea3ngrdedeBrp.raMortkoyerrptgr-oaNvgieYdBeSrrsoD.kCeeproamLrtipcmeanennsyetNdoMfinFLFiSnloa#rni4cd3iaa6.l8LS,iCecreovnristcleeadsn.bdCytTMth-aenMPoeronrBntrgsaaynglvceahnBNiraoMkDeLerSpOa#rn3tml2y5.e5nN3to8ot,fYABoanMnkkoeirrnstggBaarganendLcSheenNcduMerriLtoiSers#.MA1o1ll4rlt0og0aa6ng8es
years! Mask-wearing moved
from an annoyance
Service: 914-669-9679 GOLD • SILVER • DIAMONDS to a public service
Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 and social distancing
WE BUY WATCHES • COINS • FURS from an inconvenience
Fax: 914-669-9685 to a-way-of-life
PAINTINGS • FULL ESTATES
6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 And then vaccines
The Buying Service arrived in record time
meccanicshop.com We simply pay more! and former Presidents
of both parties publicly
Contact Barry were injected to
encourage all of us
914-260-8783 to do the same

[email protected] I received my second
shot of Moderna two
DENTAL Insurance days ago and now
should not die of
from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coronavirus --
nor should you
Call to get your FREE Information Kit once vaccinated
A year of tragedy
1-855-225-1434 and now hope!
dental50plus.com/nypress
John F McMullen is the
Isasntibmacoltuiueladtsr.etsAohcfitsfhceeerip.nPtsCaauenrrrtcatieicnfiicpcgeaauttasienroagClinc2(ti5ietn0aetAdGioA(fn:IoD.Dr: TeCohs2niigs5en0saiEnpt;esePudcAr)ifia: PncCrc2ooe5vf0ifpdeQoer)lr;isciIsnya/sncnueodrrtatPniarficevcevaaeiPtlneaotblioilvcefeytiBPnhe1is5nC0eOtfiy;(ptGcseAa.R:llCiPdo11e5-n8r0t.0aGP0cAr-to;9duN6us9Yc-: f4tPo7n1r85o10ctoNoamYrv;parOlieelKsatp:beoPledn15edi0ntaOfaioKllsrl; poet laureate of the town of
TN: P150TN); Rider kinds B438/B439 (GA: B439B). Yorktown.
6255

Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in the Yorktown News Bulletin Board and reach over
7,000 USPS delivered addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today!

Thursday, March 18, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 15

1952 Route 6
Carmel, NY

See dealer for details. All rebates included. Lease includes lease loyalty. Must finance with GMF. Must qualify for rebates. Leases are 10k per year with $3998 down, plus 1st payment, dmv and bank fee due
at signing. Must qualify for tier 1 credit. Residuals: Terrain 8244/18852, Acadia 10044/23521, Canyon 12132/34926 and Sierra 15228/31033. Not responsible for typographical errors. Vehicle pictures for
illustration purposes only. See dealer for details, Restrictions apply. Tax and reg extra. Ends 3/31/21.

Page 16 Yorktown News – Thu

What’s happening in Yorktown?

Hill Boulevard Closed clude a canopy system, a ground-mount system, and an energy-storage unit.
e agreement was approved by the Town Board at its work session on Tuesday,
Hill Boulevard, from Village Road North to Route 6, closed Monday, March 8, for
a culvert replacement project that is expected to last 12 weeks. Feb. 23.
Additionally, the board is requesting the New York State legislature’s permission in
ree years ago, the town received two grants from the New York State Depart-
ment of Transportation: a 95-percent reimbursable $2.6 million grant for Hill Bou- alienating the parkland for the construction of the solar facility.
levard and a 100-percent reimbursable $820,000 grant for Veterans Road. “It’s just a formality,” said Councilman Vishnu Patel. “We are not giving the land

In September, the Town Board awarded the bridge contracts to Transit Construc- to anybody.”
tion for $2,995,000 ($2,176,166 for Hill and $818,833 for Veterans). e proposed solar array will be installed above a carport on the sports complex’s

e Veterans Road repairs, which began in January, are nearly done. e road is parking lot, which the town is looking to pave. HESP is required to provide the
expected to reopen shortly,Town Supervisor Matt Slater said. town with an up-front lump-sum payment so the town can pave the parking lot
this summer before construction of the carport begins. e project, according to the
Hill Boulevard runs over the Barger Brook. e project involves the “removal of the town, is expected to generate an estimated $140,000 a year in revenue for the town
existing bridge in its entirety and replacement with a new longer-span precast concrete and would provide Con Edison customers in town with an opportunity to get a 10
three-sided frame founded on an invert slab,”according to the project fact sheet. percent discount on their electric bills.

e tra c lights at the Hill Boulevard/Route 6 and Lee Boulevard/Route 6 inter- Roma Building Owners to Pave Parking Lot
sections will have updated signal timings to account for the detoured tra c follow
during construction. More than two months after receiving notices of violation from the town of York-
town over the condition of its parking lot, the owners of the Roma Building have
Granite Knolls Solar Carport Approved agreed to make the required improvements.

e town of Yorktown has entered into a 25-year lease agreement with HESP So- Four-and-a-half-years after two large holes were lled in following a legal dispute
lar for the construction and management of a solar facility and four electric-vehicle with town, a portion of the lot remains unpaved, unstriped, and lacks required sig-
charging stations at the Granite Knolls Sports Complex. e solar facility will in- nage.

e condition of the parking lot puts the Roma Building’s owners, 1331 Metro A solar
Holdings Corp., in violation of its site plan and certi cate of occupancy, according to built ove
notices issued on Wednesday, Dec. 30. lot at Gr

Town Supervisor Matt Slater said the parking lot is expected to be paved and
striped by the end of April.

Large holes, caused by the removal of gas tanks, were in the middle of the Roma
Building’s parking lot for about three years before the town took legal action in 2016.

7-Eleven Under New Ownership

On Saturday, March 6, Yorktown welcomed Shakhawat (“Shak”) Hossain, the
new owner of the 7-Eleven at 1949 Commerce St., with a ribbon-cutting at his store.

The Hunt Is On

Shak Hossain is joined by elected officials and business leaders at a ribbon- Beginning Monday, March 22, outdoor gatherings in New York are being expanded
cutting ceremony on Saturday, March 6. to 200 people.

at means Yorktown’s Easter Egg Hunt is on, per Parks & Rec Superintendent
Jim Martorano Jr. e event, held jointly with the Yorktown Lions Club, will be held
Saturday, March 27, at the Route 202 ball elds at Downing Park. ere will be four
sessions with 80 kids per session.

Residents will be able to register in advance with the Parks and Rec Department
at yorktownny.org. Residents who arrive at Downing Park without a reservation will
be turned away.

Because of COVID-19, the event will be closed after 320 children (aged 2-11)
are registered.

Everyone in attendance must wear a mask and bring their own bags/baskets.

Unparalleled CREATING CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE Prepare for
power outages
Service, • In Home Electrical Upgrade • with a Generac
Quality & • Smart Home Setup • home standby
Compassion • Electric Car Chargers • generator
• Generators •
We have years of experience caring for REQUEST A FREE QUOTE!
families, from all walks of life. Each family • All of Your Electric Needs! •
comes to us because they know we are 877 516 1160
leaders in our profession, dedicated 10%WheOnFYFouSPreersevnitcTehisCAadlls 914.455.2158
to excellence in service, and have SpirelliElectric.com • [email protected] FREE
the highest integrity. Licenses in Westchester, Putnam, NYC & CT!
7-Year Extended Warranty*
Family owned and operated A $695 Value!
945 East Main Street, Yorktown, NY 10588 O er valid February 15 - June 6, 2
(914) 962-0700
www.YorktownFuneralhome.com Special Financing Available
[email protected]
Subject to Credit Approval
*To qualify, consumers must request a quote, p
generator with a participating dealer. Call for a

ursday, March 18, 2021 Page 17

The parking lot at the Hill Boulevard will be
Roma Building remains closed until at least May
unpaved and unstriped. for the replacement of
a culvert.

canopy will be
er the parking
ranite Knolls.

Yorktown’s Easter
Egg hunt will be held
Saturday, March 27, at
Downing Park.

PHOTOS: BRIAN
MARSCHHAUSER

2021 Rooney Orthodontics YOUR PRIMARY CHOICE FOR GROUP
Children & Adults HEALTH INSURANCE & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
purchase, install and activate the 17 Miller Rd.
a full list of terms and conditions. Mahopac Charles Newman Co.
845-621-1222
RooneyOrtho.com 2021 Hudson Valley Gateway
Chamber Business of the Year

Phone: 914-345-1000
[email protected]

Life, Disability, Health Insurance,
Employee Benefits

906 South St.,
Peekskill, NY 10566
www.charlesnewman.com

Page 18 – Yorktown News OPINION Thursday, March 18, 2021

APAR UTTER DESPAIR as we like to say, life isn’t fair, why
At rst, you only can wonder should death be?
FROM PAGE 10
forlornly if hope, as Pope po- At 12 years old, Elissa found
Harrison emerged from the oper- eticized, ever again will spring herself an only child. Struck by
ating room with his dad’s birthday eternal. You feel nothing but utter the catatonic mask of mourning
gift pulsing proudly. despair. “What are we going to that replaced my face in the days
do?” wept Elyse, the rock of our following her sibling’s death, she
Our elation would quickly be family, as the shock set in after asked her mom, “Will daddy ever
cruelly crushed. After sudden car- an ashen surgeon apologetically be happy again?”
diac arrest on March 21, the best delivered the paralyzing news.
e orts of a befuddled team of six HEALING AND RESURGENCE
doctors surrounding his bed were All I could do was bid my son She and Elyse are the life-
not enough to revive my birthday goodbye, as I slumped over his
gift, or its bearer. Harrison was lifeless body in the ICU, keening a rming answers to 12-year-old
gone. helplessly, raging against reality. If, Elissa’s plaintive question.

Overwhelmed Just as spring always returns, Harrison Apar didn’t let
so, somehow, does the prospect of his size stop him from
Caring For healing and resurgence. It is a gift competing in basketball for
Your Loved One? in itself for us to be swaddled by a Yorktown Athletic Club.
community teeming with com-
Call us today! passion for others, where our son’s every other eld, making the joy-
vibrant spirit inspires a local char- ful noise of bat on ball and giddily
Owned and operated by two Registered Nurses ity founded in his name, which cheering on their teammates. at was my way of signaling
with over 80 years of combined experience! also is a xed to an eponymous to Harrison that his light still
town ball eld. For our family, that’s the cher- shines.
Proudly Serving Putnam and Westchester Counties ished legacy of a little person with
At the foot of the agpole at an outsized in uence on those he I draw sustenance, too, from
Dementia Care Companion Care Nursing Care Harrison Apar Field of Dreams will continue to touch far beyond choosing to believe that Harrison
In-Home Evaluations Respite Care 24 Hour Care in Yorktown Heights, a dedica- his brief but eventful sojourn in knows he came through on that
tion plaque is mounted on a post this mortal world. March 20, 2003, birthday wish
www.ecstaffingsolutions.com that is the same three-foot height for his old man, by giving not
as Harrison. It’s built that way to For 4,000 days, from March only me but all of us the gift of a
CALL US TODAY for a free phone evaluation! remind kids and adults alike that 2003 until we moved out of our lifetime: His.
the true measure of a person is not house in February 2014, every
Route 202 Suite #3 Somers, NY 10589 914.265.4299 in inches, or in material trappings, night before turning in, I’d go to Bruce Apar is a writer, actor,
but in heart and soul and character. Harrison’s room to ick on the consultant, and community
light switch, then ick it o . volunteer. He can be reached at
PLAY BALL! [email protected]; 914-275-6887.
As the rites of spring are

renewed, I revel in the return of
kids like Harrison to that and

Family Owned and Operated | Serving the Yorktown Area Since 1955 Replacing scores of
Allstate | State Farm | Geico
Serving All Faiths
With Grace and Compassion Policies Everyday!

Ample Parking | Modern Chapels Your safety is our concern!
Burial & Cremation Services THANK YOU to all our

Consult with us first responders and those
for Pre-Planning arrangements on the front line.

Planning a funeral is generally the last thing someone wants to ONE CALL… MULTIPLE QUOTES
do. Nevertheless, this part of life is inevitable and, like most other So You Can Get The Best Buy!

things, planning ahead assures that you have time to consider Come See
your options under less emotionally stressed circumstances. Such Hy Reichbach, Susan Rohrig & Carmen A. Ritter

preplanning allows for more balanced decisions to be made. For Experience, Knowledge and Service
Whether you prefer to fund your arrangements or simply record
your wishes, we are prepared to assist you. Families find comfort We Offer Many A-Rated Companies

knowing that their affairs are in good order. No one has ever Travelers • Foremost • Progressive • Safeco • Kemper • Hartford
regretted that they had prearranged a funeral, but many have Mercury • 1st American • Main Street America • Utica Mutual

commented that they wished they had. Aardvark Insurance
600 Rt. 6 | Mahopac NY
914.962.3333 845.208.3707 • 845.225.1007
[email protected]
If you have any questions, feel free to email us
or call and we will be glad to answer all questions. The Carmel Aardvark Insurance office is merged with the
Mahopac office effective 11/25/2015.
~ www.clarkfh.com • [email protected]~

2104 Saw Mill River Road (Route 35, 118 & 202) Yorktown Heights NY 10598

Thursday, March 18, 2021 OPINION Yorktown News – Page 19

Ain’t it the tooth?

TRACY a complete breakdown. I broke o some more and applied I’d probably swallowed enough wax to “I’m really sorry, honey,”he said,
BECKERMAN I knew that I had to do some- that one. And then I swallowed it. grow a candle in my stomach. sympathetically.“How about we
get some ice cream to take your
Most of the time, my thing about the situation until I Apparently, the stu was very “How’s the wax thing going?” mind o it?”
tongue and my teeth could get to the dentist, so my good at sticking to your teeth. It just asked my husband when he got
are blissfully unaware of tooth, my tongue, and I all left the wasn’t very good at staying there. home from his outing. “No, thanks,”I said.“I’m full.”
each other. ey each just do their house and went to the drug store.
thing, and everyone gets along just I went home and repeated this pro- “It’s not,”I said glumly. For more “Lost in Midlife,” follow
I looked around the mouth aisle cess about 14 times throughout the day. “Why?” Tracy on Facebook at facebook.com/
ne. But then one day I lost the and didn’t see anything speci cally No matter what I did, I couldn’t get the “ e wax won’t stay put,”I said. LostinsuburbiaFanPage.
bonding on the back of my bot- made for when your tooth and your wax to stay on. At this point, I thought “I keep swallowing it.”
tom, front tooth and suddenly my tongue are ghting. But then I re-
tongue was all over it. My tongue membered something. e thing that Russell Girolamo Jr Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Gregory Bell
was like,“tooth tooth tooth tooth made my children’s lives manageable
tooth,”all the time until it was through their orthodontic years. Auto | Home | Business | Life
raw and sore. I was sure my tooth Let us help you protect what’s most important.
was antagonizing it, so nally I Wax.
yelled,“Cut it out, you guys. Don’t When their braces were scrap- 914-962-9777 • www.girolamoagency.com
MAKE me come back there!” ing their cheeks, they would put a
little piece of wax on the braces to
Naturally, this happened at the create a shield.THIS was going to
end of the day Friday and because save me from the tonguepocalypse.
it wasn’t technically an emergency, I At rst, I couldn’t nd the stu
had to wait three days to get it xed. and I thought I was going to have
In the meantime, my husband was to go to an orthodontist’s o ce
blissfully unaware of my situation, disguised as a middle schooler and
or didn’t actually care, and ordered a get some there. I thought if I wore
pizza to eat while he watched “the a pair of Uggs with leggings and a
game.”I grabbed a slice, which was pu er jacket while my face was bur-
piping hot, and then thought better ied in my cellphone, it might work.
of it because I was sure if I burned Fortunately, I spotted the wax
the roof of my mouth, I would have very low on the display, in a tiny little
plastic container, lined up in strips.
I grabbed one, paid for it and
broke it open, and applied a little
bit to my broken tooth.

e sun shone down. e angels
sang. I had relief.

And then I swallowed it.

What steps have you
taken to protect your
life savings from the
cost of long term care?
CALL NEW YORK’S
ELDER LAW TEAM

914.948.1500

WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM

• Asset Protection • Elder Law • Wills, Trusts & Estates
• Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association
• Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 10 consecutive years

Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ.

Managing Member • Fluent in Italian

914.948.1500

Page 20 – Yorktown News Thursday, March 18, 2021

Susan Catalano OBITUARIES TOWN GREEN

val Rocks, where he and his wife they have made many lifelong Government at Work

judged all over the country in- friends. James would do anything • Monday, March 22, Planning Board, 7 p.m.
• Monday, March 22, Yorktown Board of Education, 7 p.m.
cluding Brunswick, Georgia; for his family. He was a baseball • Tuesday, March 23, Town Board, 7:30 p.m.
• ursday, March 25, Zoning Board of Appeals, 6:30 p.m.
Memphis,Tennessee; Ocean City, coach for his son, a Girl Scout • ursday, March 25, Lakeland Board of Education, 7 p.m.
Visit yorktownny.org, yorktown.org, or lakelandschools.
Maryland; and Lake George, troop leader for his daughter, and org for agenda information or to watch/participate.

New York. James also loved Billy would do anything for his chil- Easter/Spring Parade

Joel and would attend many of his dren’s friends. James had the ab- On Saturday, March 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the York-
town Lions Club will hold an Easter/Spring Parade will be
local concerts. solute biggest heart. You needed held at the Je erson Valley Mall—with the help of the mall’s
marketing sta . Similar to the Halloween event, families will
One of his greatest loves was a friend, and James was there, remain in their cars. Candy and plastic eggs will be distrib-
uted to each child by the Yorktown Lions. e Easter bunny
classic cars. James, alongside his no questions asked. One of the and various cartoon characters will greet the families as they
drive by. No advance registration is necessary for this event.
childhood best friend, Johnny, ran proudest moments in James’ life
Passover Kids Hour
Emerald Car Club for many years was when he became a Poppy. He
e Chabad of Yorktown will host Passover Kids Hour on
in Yonkers. James and Kathleen absolutely adored his grandson, Sunday, March 21. e free event, for children aged 2-8, will
include a Passover story, songs, and crafts. To register, visit
are members of Coopers Cave Maverick. James will always be re- ChabadYorktown.com, or call 914-962-1111.

Car Enthusiast, where they both membered as a wonderful, loving,

participated in good Samaritan and compassionate man.

activities. ey hosted classic car He is survived by his devoted

Susan Catalano, of Yorktown shows at various nursing homes. wife, Kathleen; loving children,

Heights, passed away on Feb. 15, ey also attended classic car James Jr. and Kimberly; son-

at the age of 75. She was born in shows all over the east coast, in- in-law, Jason; and his cherished

1945, in White Plains, to Evelyn cluding the Adirondack Nation- grandson, Maverick James.

and Charles Ozell. She married als, a huge classic car event, which Family and friends honored the

her beloved husband, Anthony is held every year at Lake George. life of James Sr. on Friday, March

Catalano II, in 1965. ey cel- James and Kathleen own a mint 12, at Yorktown Funeral Home.

ebrated their 56th anniversary on condition 1972 El Camino, which Mass of Christian burial was held

Feb. 13. She is survived by her they are so proud of. at St. Patrick’s Church. Interment

husband, Anthony; her three sons: Between the several Elvis Pre- followed at Assumption Cem-

Michael (Kathleen), TC (Chris- sley events and classic car shows, etery.

tine), and Brian (Vanessa); and her

seven grandchildren: Sara, Kyle,

Matthew, Tim, Paul, Cole, and

Adriana.

Susan was a devoted registered

nurse at Northern Westchester

Hospital Center for 30 years be-

fore retiring in 2016. She loved her

family, dogs, reading, gardening,

and the beaches of Rhode Island.

In lieu of owers, memo-

rial contributions may be made to

Support Connection or Memorial

Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

James P. Hunter Sr.

Ring “Bell” For Your AIR CONDITIONING Needs!

James P. Hunter Sr., of Queens- CALpLrNeOvWentTaotisvcehmedauinleteynoaunrce visit! In business for over 40 years!
bury, died on March 4. James was
born on March 2, 1947, in Yonkers, PRE-SEASON A/C CHECK UP
to William and Grace Hunter.
SCHEDULE $99.00 $129.00 $149.00
James married the love of his NOW AND
life, Kathleen Monaco, on Oct. When scheduled by When scheduled by When scheduled by
11, 1970. James attended Sacred SAVE! March 31st April 30th May 31st
Heart grade school, then gradu-
ated Gorton High School in Coupon must be presented at time of service. Coupon must be presented at time of service. Coupon must be presented at time of service.
Yonkers, and then attended West-
chester Community College in Cannot be combined with any other offers. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Cannot be combined with any other offers.
Valhalla. He served honorably for
the United States Army. 845-628-2580 • WWW.BELLHVAC.COM

James worked for 25 years for ASK ABOUT OUR SERVICE CONTRACT!
Finest Super Market as a shop
steward for Union 464A. James
was an Elvis Presley a cionado
and a judge for Tribute Festi-

Page 21 – Yorktown News Thursday, March 18, 2021

Lakeland rebounds from 0-5 start to win title

BY MIKE SABINI
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Basketball is a game of runs,

and that was clearly evident

when No. 5 Lakeland traveled to

No. 2 Briarcli in the Putnam-

Northern Westchester Small

School tournament title game

on Saturday, March 13.

e Hornets (9-6) led by as

much as 14 in the third quarter,

before Briarcli stormed back

with a 15-2 run, to get to within

one of the lead, 39-38, early in

the fourth.

at was as close as Briarcli

got, as Lakeland’s Andrew Shi-

land, came up with a huge three-

pointer from the left corner to

stop the Bears’ run.

Shiland’s hoop started a 13-6

Hornet run, which gave Lake-

land a 52-44 victory and the

tournament championship.

“After Briarcli cut it to one

the team came together and

knew it was now or never,” said

Lakeland’s Rob Nardelli, who

tallied a team-high 17 points,

including 8 in the fourth quar-

ter. “For many of us, it was our

last high-school basketball game

and we wanted to come out as

champions. So, we locked in on

defense, and on o ense we hit

some big shots, which ultimately

sealed the deal for us.”

Nardelli had a big shot of his

own, a trey from the left corner,

which put Lakeland up 47-38 Lakeland’s Reed Thompson goes up for two. The Hornets’ Aidan Welcome soars. FILE PHOTOS/ROB DIANTONIO
with 2:10 to go in the game

and essentially sealed the title

in a season that had its ups and said it was great just to be able to our seniors and wish them the Two days earlier on urs- Cummins said. “We kept shoot-

downs. get his players back on the court best of luck moving forward.” day, March 11, Mark Cummins ing and in the nal quarter we

“ e 0-5 start was tough for and play again this winter. Nardelli, Bryan Cummins (8 points) hit a game-winning were able to knock down a cou-

us,” Nardelli said. “We lost a lot “Winning is always special, (3 points), Mark Cummins (9 shot, just inside the three-point ple clutch ones from deep, which

of close games, but we knew our and for this team to go from 0-5 points), Aidan Welcome (14 line near the top of the key, with brought us back into the game.

record didn’t represent us as a to champions says something points), Reed ompson (4 1.5 seconds left, in Lakeland’s Knowing we had a chance, we

team. In the few practices we about their commitment and points), James Apostolou, and 51-50 win at No. 1 Haldane in picked up a lot of con dence

had, we were able to sharpen up character,” said Fallo, whose as- Ashton Welcome are Lakeland’s the semi nals. and it de nitely showed late in

and improve for the games. We sistant coaches are Will Fallo seniors. Sophomore Andrew “We were able to get the ball that fourth quarter.”

got our rst win in the Giglio and Bill Casey. “ ey never Mendel (2 points) also scored back and coming down the court Lakeland defeated host No.

Games and we carried our mo- doubted themselves. Our coach- for Lakeland. we didn’t have anything set,” 4 Hendrick Hudson 66-52 in

mentum ever since that game. ing sta is very proud of how David Mula, Tyler Ronk, Da- Mark Cummins said. “I was able the opening round on Tuesday,

e team will never forget the they played and represented vid Pinkowsky, and Jason Portel- to get the ball with around ve March 10, avenging two regular-

championship in this crazy year.” Lakeland during these di cult la round out Lakeland’s champi- seconds and knew I had to make season losses to the Sailors.

Lakeland coach Steve Fallo times. We would like to thank onship squad. the most of it. It de nitely wasn’t “It always feels great to win

one of the prettiest shots, but it a playo game and it feels even

felt good coming o my hands better to beat a team that previ-

and super thankful the game ously beat us,” said Nardelli, who

‘ ey never doubted themselves. Our coaching sta is very ended how it did.” scored a team-high 27 points
proud of how they played and represented Lakeland during these
Lakeland, who was led by against Hen Hud. “ e team
di cult times.’
Nardelli and Shiland (11 points had con dence going into the
–Coach Steve Fallo
Lakeland Boys Basketball each) had trailed the whole game and we knew we could get

game, including being down at the job done.”

one point by 12 points in the Shiland (13 points), Mark

fourth quarter. Cummins (11 points), and Adi-

“ e whole game we were an Welcome (10 points) also got

getting open looks from three, into double gures against the

just shots weren’t falling,” Mark Sailors.

Page 22 – Yorktown News SPORTS Thursday, March 18, 2021

FOOTBALL/VOLLEYBALL

‘Fall 2’ season ready to begin

BY MIKE SABINI Greeley. tains, along with three other seniors, Allie

CONTRIBUTING WRITER “I am really looking forward to starting Silverman, Jackie Cane, and Jackie Knoesel.

this season,” said Lakeland senior quarter- “Our team goal is to rst win our league

YORKTOWN FOOTBALL back, Tyler Santucci, who will play football title and then go on to win one of the

Yorktown’s football squad, coming o a at Sacred Heart University. “Our team has Westchester regional championships, since

2019 season where they were the Class A come a long way through this entire pan- sectionals have been canceled due to CO-

nalist, will open this year’s campaign at 7 demic, and we are all really ready to play our VID-19,” Waschenko said. “I feel we can

p.m. Saturday, March 20, hosting John Jay- rst game.” achieve this by believing in our abilities.

Cross River. Santucci, and fellow seniors Danny Li- We have a very talented team, including 10

“I’m really looking forward to the sea- bretti, Michael Mulhern, and Rob Nardelli, seniors, and by bringing our skills to every

son,” said Yorktown senior running back, are the Hornets’captains this year. single practice and then execute it at the

Keith Boyer, who will play lacrosse at Duke “Our team goal is to improve from last matches, I truly believe we’ll win that cham-

University. “It’s been a long time since we’ve year and take the next step this season,”San- pionship.”

played a game, so we are all grateful and ex- tucci said.

cited to get back out on the eld.” LAKELAND VOLLEYBALL

Boyer said that, as a team, the Huskers are YORKTOWN VOLLEYBALL Lakeland’s volleyball squad is also coming

looking to get better each day. Yorktown’s volleyball squad, a Section 1 o a nal-four campaign and is scheduled

“We have plenty of guys preparing to step Class A Final Four team in 2019, opens at to start this season at 4:30 p.m. ursday,

into bigger roles this season,”said Boyer,who home in a non-league match against visiting March 18, at sister school Walter Panas.

is one of the Huskers’ captains, along with Ardsley at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 20. “I’m really excited that we are able to start

seniors Evan Makar, Albert Esposito, and “I’m extremely excited for the start of the our season since we couldn’t have one in the

junior Vincent Cappelli. “Our goal is to car- season and so grateful it’s really happening fall,” said Lakeland senior all-around mid-

ry the Yorktown football tradition through since our fall season was postponed,” said die, Emily Kubicsko. “I’m looking forward PHOTO: BOB CASTNER/CASTNERPHOTO.NET
the work we put in both on and o the eld. senior Olivia Waschenko, who will play to playing Panas our rst game because they
Yorktown’s Olivia Waschenko
With the lack of summer camp and doubles, outside hitter for the Huskers. “I was then are a very competitive team and fun to play.

practice will be essential for us going for- worried the rescheduled season might not Hopefully, we can take a win for our rst

ward.” happen, but here we are and I cannot wait to game against them.” ing team so we need to keep being able to

get on the court and compete.” Kubicsko, who is one of the team leaders get the other team out of system with our

LAKELAND FOOTBALL Yorktown will play its rst league match at along with seniors Caitlin Wisker and Vic- serves,” said Kubicsko, who will play beach

Lakeland’s football team, which, in 2019, 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 22, against visit- toria Tsui, said that the Hornets’goal for this volleyball at Jacksonville University.   “We

hosted a playo game for the rst time in re- ing Somers. season is to be competitive and play the best also have to be able to play defense and put

cent memory, starts this season at 1:30 p.m. Waschenko, who will play volleyball at volleyball they can play while having fun. up strong blocks in order for us to be suc-

Saturday, March 20, against visiting Horace Pace University, is one of the Huskers’ cap- “We have always been a really strong serv- cessful during the season.”

Thursday, March 18, 2021 SPORTS Yorktown News – Page 23

BOYS BASKETBALL

Yorktown’s winning season comes to an end

Rival Somers gets revenge on Huskers

BY MIKE SABINI points), and David Dippolito (2 Yorktown did play better in program in the right direction
CONTRIBUTING WRITER points) did the honors for host
No. 3 Yorktown (8-5) in their the second half, but the Tusk- for future years. I think we def-
Yorktown enjoyed a solid 87-64 loss to No. 6 Somers.
campaign on the court, but it ers’ rst-half advantage was just initely accomplished that.”
came to an end in the opening e loss allowed the Tuskers
round of the Section 1 Put- to get revenge on Yorktown, as too much to overcome. Faivre said that the pandemic
nam-Northern Westchester the Huskers had won the two
Large School Tournament on regular-season games against e season didn’t end the put things into perspective for
Wednesday, March 10. Somers.
way the Huskers wanted, but the team, especially the seniors:
Jared Faivre (16 points), Ed- e Huskers’ rst win of the
die Brucaj (14 points, 11 re- season against Somers came this was Yorktown’s rst season himself, Granitto, Dippolito,
bounds), Antoine Coles (14 in their home opener, a 39-36
points), Tony Granitto (11 victory against the Tuskers on with a winning record since Dan Trashani, and Sam Pincus.
points, 11 rebounds), Jack Pry- Feb. 19. Yorktown also won the
bylski (4 points), Justin Price (3 second game against its rivals 2017, when they quali ed for “Having the opportunity to
61-43 on Feb. 23 at Somers.
PHOTOS: ROB DIANTONIO the Section 1 Class AA Final play 13 games was already a
Somers, though, turned the
Yorktown’s Tony Granitto puts up tables in the playo contest Four, at the Westchester Coun- success, regardless of the wins
a shot in the paint over Somers’ between the two rival schools,
Matt Fitzsimons in quarterfinal getting o to a big lead. ty Center in White Plains. and losses,” Faivre said. “I’m so
loss.
e Tuskers’ Bennett Lietner “Overall, I’m extremely hap- grateful that we had four weeks
scored 7 of his 20 points in the
opening quarter, going 2 for 2 py with how the season went,” together to come out and play
at the foul line, draining a trey
and registering a eld goal. Faivre said. “Even though we the sport we all love.”

at helped Somers jump out didn’t nish how we wanted
to a 28-11 rst-quarter advan-
tage. to, we had a winning season,

Coles did his best to keep the which is the rst one for Yor- Yorktown’s Jared Faivre fires a
Huskers in the game, register- ktown basketball in four years. corner three in the second half
ing 6 points by making a eld Us seniors and the coaches of quarterfinal loss to Somers.
goal and a three-pointer, while spoke prior to the season, and
converting on a foul shot, in
the opening quarter. we talked about setting the

Coles continued his hot hand We prioritize your case,
in the second quarter, making investigate thoroughly,
two shots from long-distance. and help you make
Brucaj was also a force in that sound decisions.
quarter, tallying 8 points, with
three eld goals and two foul
shots with Faivre connecting
on two three-pointers.

Unfortunately for Yorktown,
the Tuskers were just a little
hotter in the second quarter,
outscoring the Huskers, 28-25,
to go up 56-36 at halftime.

musical vocal group We are open and
ready to assist you.
playing an eclec�c mix of favorites, old and new
LAW OFFICES OF JOSEPH J. TOCK
[email protected] 914-248-5135
963 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541
join Lauren, Colleen and Rick and bring a li�le
harmony to your next event! TOCKLAW.COM • 800-869-8080