VOL. 13 NO. 21 THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 CLASSIFIEDS 27 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 2 HEALTH & WELLNESS 16 LEGAL NOTICES 26 LEISURE 21 OBITUARIES 6 OPINION 10 SPORTS 22 New Somers Store pg 3 SABR HOUSE Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. 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 Driven by an outstanding effort from Somers varsity soccer coach Kelci Hegg, Looking to Score claimed the Westchester Female Flag Football League championship! Read more on page 22. Kelci Hegg rushes past a defender. PHOTO: RICH MONETTI BY BOB DUMAS EDITOR AT LARGE A 14-station sporting-clay range built several years ago at a Mahopac gun club remains at the center of controversy even though the Carmel Planning Board approved the site plan back in May, albeit without requiring an environmental impact statement (EIS). The club’s neighbors in Somers are saying stray lead shot and clay targets now litter their land and have contaminated their soil and water. The Willow Wood Gun Club is a private, 200-member club located on 86 acres off Union Valley Road. The club built the sporting-clay course several years ago without the requisite Planning Board approvals and Zoning Board of Appeals variances and when neighbors complained about the excessive noise that they say it created, the club was issued a cease-anddesist order by the town of Carmel. The club abided by the order and its leaders then went before the Planning Board to get the requisite approvals, which have now been granted with certain stipulations and conditions. But now those Somers neighbors—the Somers Land Trust and parts of Heritage Hills—contend that during the time when the sporting-clay range was operating illegally, lead shot and clay pigeons landed on their property resulting in both ground and water contamination. On Aug. 11, Jack Stein, vice president of Condominium 22 in Heritage Hills, wrote a letter to George Calcagnini, a Somers attorney who serves as president of Willow Wood Gun Club, informing him that tests have revealed the soil on Gun club neighbors: Lead shots contaminated soil, water Looking to Score! SEE CONTAMINATION PAGE 5
PAGE 2 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 The Staff EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky 845-661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director/Photographer [email protected] Noah Elder Designer Bri Agosta Designer Haven Elder Designer 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 offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Somers Record at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 (ISSN 2330-1597) Published Weekly by Halston Media, LLC at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 Halston Media, LLC 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! Labor Day Fundraiser for BluePath Service Dogs Sunday, September 3, at 5:30 p.m. To be held at Uncle CHEEF’s, located at 988 Route 22 in Brewster. Dawn Derow and Peter Calo will reunite for a special end-of-summer concert to support BluePath’s mission to unlock life’s potential by providing expertly trained autism service dogs that offer safety, companionship, and opportunities for independence. The evening will feature folk and classic rock from the 1960s to the present, with songs by The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Webb, Shawn Colvin, Brandi Carlile, among others. General Admission: $40 ($15 of the ticket price is taxdeductible). There will be a $25 food/drink minimum. The Church of the Good Shepherd 39 Granite Springs Road, Granite Springs SENIOR SATURDAY LUNCHEON Saturday, August 26, at 12 p.m. The Church of the Good Shepherd will be hosting a nondenominational, 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! The meal will conclude with dessert and coffee. 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. CRAFT VENDORS WANTED The church is seeking craft vendors to participate at its Oktoberfest event on Saturday, September 30 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The fee is $40 per space and organizers ask that you supply your own table(s). There will be flowers, pumpkins, baked goods and much more for sale. To register, please call the office at 914-248-5631 or email admin@ goodshepherdny.org. Somers Girls Field Hockey Car Wash Fundraiser Saturday, August 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Help support the girls field hockey teams! $10/car and $15/ SUV. To be held in the Somers High School parking lot. Somers Women’s Club RENT-A-SPACE TAG SALE Sunday, October 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To be held in Reis Park, rain or shine. Spaces are $45 each for a 12’ x 12’ square. No assigned spaces, selection at setup time. Bring your own tables and tents. No raffle sales. No baked goods or fresh food sales. Please note that pets are not allowed in the Town Park. For any questions, please email SWC2023TagSale@ comcast.net or call 914-406-1593. 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. TIKTOK CONTEST FOR TEENS Submissions end August 25 The Somers Library is looking to start a TikTok account and want our creative teens to make their first TikTok! The theme is Somers Library and could be about books (think BookTok), events, things the library offers, or something humorous about ELEPHANT’S TRUNK SEE TRUNK PAGE 6
Your Neighbor THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 3 BY TOM WALOGORSKY EDITOR “When I was a kid, I knew I was going to have a store someday,” explains Lia Milton. Last month, that prediction came true with the opening of Sabr House. Located at 253 Route 202, the new Somers shop features a wide array of women’s fashion ranging from formal dresses to casual hoodies and tees. In addition to making her childhood dream come true, Lia Milton also aims to use Sabr House as a springboard to help promote an anti-bullying message for students. WHAT’S IN A NAME? Originally conceived as a boutique named “My Sister’s Closet,” Lia realized that the moniker had already been taken. “I’ve always been a lover of words and lyrics and anything to do with words, and somebody told me about the word ‘sabr’ and its meaning,” she explains. “To have faith and persevere even when things are challenging or you don’t see the outcome. Sabr means to continue having that faith and keep doing good, even when things are difficult. I just thought it was so beautiful.” And so, with a new name and the spirit of perseverance, Sabr House was born. MOTHER, TEACHER, ENTREPRENEUR The proud mother of four has lived in Somers for 12 years, but the combination of qualities that led Lia to beginning Sabr House were rooted in childhood. “When I was young, I already loved clothes and fashion,” she explains. “And my mother was a personal shopper.” Carrying her affinity for fashion with her, Lia’s career path would eventually move to education. She completed her undergrad at the University of Rhode Island, obtained her master’s degree in social work from Adelphi University, and then her special education certificate from Manhattanville College. AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE In addition to wanting to provide exceptional fashions at reasonable prices, Lia plans to use a portion of the store’s proceeds to promote a campaign of kindness. “We had a lot of issues with kids being really unkind and a lot of bullying,” Lia relates. “It prompted me to write out a fourpart program.” The planned video series will address a number of issues that students are faced with as they make their way through school. Topics will include mental health, bullying, substance abuse, and self esteem. Once the videos are produced, she plans to make them available, free of charge, to any middle school or high school to share with students. “It would let students look at those issues from another perspective,” she adds. “It’s an issue that’s close to my heart for personal reasons, and I want to dedicate part of the proceeds to addressing that and offering it to anyone who wants to implement it within the schools.” FASHION CONSCIOUS One look through the selection of clothing at Sabr House reveals a treasure trove of affordably priced items from brands such as Prada, Michael Kors, Ann Taylor, Anthropology, Banana Republic, Theory, Vince, Levi’s, and many others. Shoppers can browse racks containing casual and formal dresses, work attire, casual ware such as hoodies and jeans, and outfits ideal for parties and date night. “The store is a mix of new and used, with vintage name brands like Chanel and Gucci, and new items with the tags still on them,” says Lia. “Everything is priced in a way that pretty much anyone can come in and find something to buy.” While there are some unisex items in stock, Sabr House caters more to women’s fashion. “I wanted a place where the kids from the high school can come and find something to wear out to a party or an event and actually be able to afford it,” she adds. Sabr House is currently open on Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m., but Lia aims to potentially add weekday hours in the future. Sabr House can be found on both FaceBook and Instagram. For more information, contact [email protected] Sabr House Facing hardships with style Proceeds from Sabr House will help to produce a series of anti-bullying videos. Clothing in the store ranges from casual to formal. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SABR HOUSE ‘Sabr means to continue having that faith and keep doing good, even when things are difficult.’ Lia Milton Owner, Sabr House Sabr House is located at 253 Route 202 in Somers. HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com Call “Mrs. CC” Amanda Casabona-Cohen Owner and Director (914) 248-4020
PAGE 4 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 24/7 TOWING Car, Motorcycle & Light/Heavy Truck Full Automotive Repair Shop & Auto Engine Diagnostics 260 N. BREWSTER RD. BREWSTER, NY 845-287-0139 9-5pm Mon - Sat BRAKES • OIL CHANGES • TIRES 10% OFF any Oil change not valid with other offers must present at time of service FREE Tow to our shop with most repairs not valid with other offers must present at time of service lilpetesautony.com ©2023 Rita’s Franchise Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Valid at participating locations. Display Date: 00/00/2023 - 00/00/2023 EXTRA CHARGE FOR TOPPINGS Unicorn Cone Unicorn Gelati Discount applied to lowest priced item. Not valid on take home treats, catering, or novelty items. Not valid with any other offer. Limit one offer per guestNot valid at cart or theme park venues. Not for resale. ©2020 RITA’S FRANCHISE COMPANY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. VALID AT PARTICIPATING RREDEEMABLE AT FROZEN TREAT $1 OFF WHEN YOU BUY ONExpires 04.15.202RITAS OF YORKTOWN 1881A COMMERCE STREET YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY 10598 914 302 7711 ritas.com www.facebook.com/ritasof $1 OFF BUY ONE, GET $1 OFF ANOTHER ritasofyorktown ritasofyorktown.com Discount applied to lowest priced item. Not valid on take home treats, catering, or novelty items. Not valid with any other offer. Limit one offer per guest per visit. Not valid at cart or theme park venues. Not for resale. ©2020 RITA’S FRANCHISE COMPANY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. VALID AT PARTICIPATING RITA’S LOCATIONS. Exp. 9/7/2023 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Efforts by Somers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to an everchanging climate have been recognized in a way that will benefit future local initiatives, according to the chairman of the town’s Energy Environment Committee. As a participant in the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s “Clean Energy Community” program, Somers racked up a whopping 1,200 points by adopting the NYStretch Code last year, Don Bleasdale said at a recent Town Board meeting. The program is assisted by The Hudson Valley Regional Council, which is an organization of county governments comprising Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan counties. According to the HVRC’s mission statement, it not only provides a “regional perspective,” it offers planning, education and outreach, and advocacy for the communities it serves. NYStretch, a supplement to the state’s Energy Conservation Construction Code (ECCC), contains standards for insulation, windows, ventilation, electrical systems, and lighting that are intended to make commercial and residential buildings roughly 11 percent more energy efficient. Neighboring North Salem adopted NYStretch in 2021. It has since also created a Climate Action Plan that lays out specific goals and is one of more than 600 local governments, including Bedford, that have done so. The statewide model applies to new construction as well as “significant” renovations or alterations of existing structures. Adopting NYStretch helped the town snag a hefty grant, Bleasdale told the board Thursday, Aug. 10, while proudly holding a mock-up of a $5,000 check from NYSERDA. Besides helping the environment, there are financial benefits to implementing the NYStretch Code as well. It helps the local economy because energy efficiency reduces operating costs, keeping dollars in the pockets of property owners. Such investments also create jobs in the construction industry and help local or regional sellers of building materials. “Green” job creation can also include next-generation technologies, code enforcement, quality control, building commissioning, and energy auditing. POINTS MOUNT UP Counting points for doing things such as enrolling in a community solar program that supports renewable energy sources on the NYSE&G grid, the town now has a total of 1,800 points in its piggy bank. If it reaches 3,000 points, it will be eligible for an additional $10,000 NYSERDA grant, the chair explained. Having deposited the $5,000 in the town’s coffers, the EEC now has to decide how to spend it. There’s definitely a “wish list,” said Bleasdale, noting that the town has been “supportive” of all the work the committee is doing. “We’re trying to keep chipping away at some of these initiatives,” he added. The EEC is comprised of Bleasdale, Rick Warren, and Michael Scorrano. Run through Sustainable Westchester, a nonprofit organization, the community solar program was drawing a lot of interest right around the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Signing up doesn’t require folks to install solar panels on their homes or businesses. Energy produced by a solar farm is sent to the power grid. Subscribers get a credit on their electricity bill that represents their share of the value of that energy. They pay the farm’s owner a discounted amount for that credit through an automatic debit from a designated bank account. The savings that result can amount to 10 percent, according to Sustainable Westchester. (In October, the EEC and the nonprofit plan to partner on a public presentation on clean energy.) Bleasdale told the board that the EEC is seeking “more clarity” on the actual availability of solar power before it officially revives its campaign. Councilman Rich Clinchy agreed with the cautious approach. “It’s true, there are people in town who signed up for that who had to wait to get the credits until there were more solar farms upstate. Supply follows demand,” he said. The EEC is still gung-ho about it and other green initiatives such as installing EV charging stations and changing over to LED lighting, especially now that state funding is more readily available. “There’s still a bunch of money to be accessed, so we’re trying to get some of that,” said Bleasdale. Going Green Somers recognized for clean energy initiative
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 5 their property now contains dangerous levels of lead. Stein said broken and unbroken clay pigeons can be found scattered throughout the area. (Heritage Hills is broken down into 30 condo clusters, each with its own governing board. Condo 22 is closest to Willow Wood and the only one claiming to be affected by the lead.) Stein notes that if lead shot and clays are being found on the property, that means those hiking in these areas are literally being shot at when the sport-clays range is being used. “Originally, they fired west to east, but when they opened [the sporting-clay range] illegally they started shooting in the opposite direction,” Stein said. “They made an error. They were firing from their property, but it came onto our property. Until five years ago there was no lead on our property. They did not give themselves enough room, and they thought no one would find out what they were doing.” Stein said once he discovered the clay pigeons on the property, he knew it meant there was likely lead contamination due to stray shots. “Once you have skeet discs on the ground it means lead is on the ground,” he said. “Condo 22 has land adjacent to the gun club and I am a hiker and walk a lot and use that property a lot.” Stein said the neighboring Somers Land Trust, which also borders the gun club property, has also experienced the same thing. “I walked the boundary line and lo and behold right on the surface were thousands of skeet discs and fragments which told me that if the Land Trust was polluted then Condo 22 was polluted. We spent $4,200 to hire a land survey company and they discovered and marked on a map five distinct fields of skeet discs and fragments on our property. We hired a lead testing company for $1,600. They took samples to test for lead and nine of 17 test sites had very elevated levels of lead.” The study, conducted by Lincolndalebased BNF Consultants, stated that “... the analysis of the data collected indicates that a significant proportion of the soil samples (53 percent, nine out of 17) exceeded the background lead concentration observed in New York State surface soils. Notably, the highest recorded lead concentration in the Heritage Hills parcel reached a staggering 729.8 ppm, surpassing the 98th percentile value of 75 ppm for lead by nearly 10 times, based on data from rural New York State surface soils. These findings provide compelling evidence that shooting clay target activities are a major contributing factor to the elevated lead levels observed in the surface soil of the subject property.” “Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge the limitations inherent in this assessment,” BNF Consultants continued. “These limitations include the inability to access the lower east end, the challenge of covering a large area comprehensively, and the relatively small sample size. These constraints have the potential to affect the overall accuracy and representativeness of the findings. To acquire a more thorough understanding of the lead contamination, it is highly recommended to continue ongoing observation and conduct additional evaluations. This approach will allow for the collection of more data and ensure a more robust assessment of the lead risk at the site. Addressing these limitations will enable the attainment of a more dependable and comprehensive depiction of the lead contamination situation.” Condo 22 has yet to file a lawsuit against Willow Wood but instead wants the club to rectify the situation before any legal action is taken. Stein said they are requesting just two things from the club: “Stop shooting at us and clean up the mess you made.” Stein’s letter to Calcagnini states, “Discharging firearms in the direction of Condo 22 property is a reckless and dangerous act which Condo 22 cannot tolerate any longer. We are deeply concerned about the safety of our residents who should be able to enjoy their property without fear of being injured due to shooting activity at Willow Wood. Our residents’ property should also be free of contamination by lead shot and debris from skeet discs.” “We, therefore, insist that Willow Wood and its members immediately cease and desist from discharging any firearms in the direction of Condo 22 property, and in the depositing of lead shot, skeet discs, or any other material onto Condo 22 property,” the letter continues. “Willow Wood must take steps to ensure the safety of its neighbors and their property before the shooting activity continues. Condo 22 intends to hold Willow Wood responsible for all the costs incurred by Condo 22 in determining the extent of the damage done on its property and for the costs it will incur for the cleanup of the soil, the skeet debris, and any other materials discharged from the firearms. It is also our intent to file complaints with the NY State Police, the town of Carmel police, and the town of Carmel in the event that any other further material is observed entering our property from Willow Wood.” Stein said the state police will definitely be called if it is discovered club members are shooting in Condo 22’s direction. He also wants the club’s insurance carrier notified of what he alleges has happened. “We want them to remove the lead and not put any more in and make it as pristine as before the skeet course opened,” he said. “And remove the thousands of skeet discs and fragments all over our property. They were operating illegally. Did their insurance company have any idea they were doing that and that they polluted two properties?” “There are statistics that show how far lead from a shotgun travels and based on that, it would be easy to determine they put these shooting sites in the wrong place,” he added. “I think it’s unconscionable they would fire weapons like that. If they want to redesign [the course] and shoot in a different direction, that’s fine.” While calls by Halston Media to Calcagnini seeking comment were unreturned, Stein provided a copy of a letter that the gun club president sent to him in response to Condo 22’s demands. That letter, in its entirety, reads as follows: CONTAMINATION FROM PAGE 1 SEE CONTAMINATION PAGE 7 Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • Wills, Trusts & Estates Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 16 consecutive years CALL NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 914.948.1500 Do you know what the cost of your long-term care will be if you are not eligible for Medicaid?
PAGE 6 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 the library. The library has a green screen, a blue screen and a ring light which can be used to create. If you want to film in the library you will have to make an appointment with Terre Thomas, the teen librarian, by calling 232- 5717 or emailing somersteens@ wlsmail.org. All videos will be screened prior to posting and the top winner will receive a prize. All videos will be posted on TikTok. Submit by sending video to [email protected] Nominate a senior citizen for County Hall of Fame Westchester County Executive George Latimer has opened nominations for the 41st Annual Westchester County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Celebrate a senior who makes a positive difference in Westchester County through their contributions by nominating them for this year’s Westchester County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Latimer said: “I am thrilled to open nominations for the 41st Annual Westchester County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Westchester County seniors are an integral part of our communities, and they deserve this special recognition. The Senior Hall of Fame is a tradition I look forward to each year, as an opportunity to honor those who have given their time, energy and talents to improve the quality of life for others in Westchester.” Department of Senior Programs and Services Commissioner Mae Carpenter said: “Our Senior Hall of Fame is an George P. Pappas George P. Pappas, 93 of Somers, NY formerly of Queens, died Monday, August 14, 2023 peacefully at his home. George was born on December 31, 1929, in Astoria, Queens to the late Peter and Agnoula (Agnes) Pappas. He grew up in Astoria, graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic High School and went on to attend New York University where he received a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree. He was in the ROTC program at NYU, became a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army upon graduation, and served as a Company Commander in Korea during the Korean War. After the war, he came home to New York where he worked in the transportation industry as a structural engineer building roads and bridges for many years until his retirement in 1997. In 1968, he bought property in Somers, where he built a house and raised his family until 2006 when he sold it to his son and moved to Heritage Hills. He loved sports and was a devoted Yankees, Giants, Knicks and Rangers fan. Throughout his time in NYC, he loved to play ice hockey and skip class to watch games at Yankee Stadium. After returning from Korea, he developed a deep interest in skiing. He fell in love with the sport and passed his passion on by teaching many other people how to ski including his son, both grandchildren, niece and her daughter. He continued to ski throughout his life and took his final run with his son and grandchildren when he was 81. George is the beloved husband of Caroline, the loving father of Peter and his wife Ellen, and the devoted grandfather of William and Elizabeth of Somers. He is the brother of John Pappas and his wife Anna of Manhattan. A Funeral Service was celebrated on Saturday, August 19, at The Greek Orthodox Church of Our Savior in Rye, NY. Entombment followed at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Putnam Valley. OBITUARIES TRUNK FROM PAGE 2 SEE TRUNK PAGE 8 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 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 99th Annual Yorktown Grange Fair September 8 — September 10 Yorktown Grange Fairgrounds 99 Moseman Road, Yorktown Heights Antique Tractor Parade Saturday at Noon! All proceeds benefit the Yorktown Grange Agricultural Society, a 501(c)(3) corporation. YORKTOWN GRANGE Celebrating 125 Years 1899-2023 P of H #862 Rides ~ Exhibits ~ Contests ~ Live Music All Weekend Livestock ~ Craft Vendors ~ Great Food & Craft Beer Only $10 per Carload Presented by the Yorktown Grange Agricultural Society
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 7 Dear Mr. Stein, At no time during our conversation did I indicate that I would provide you with the insurance information for Willow Wood. What I indicated was that if you sent me a survey showing the areas you say have target debris and/or elevated levels of lead, I would investigate the matter and then get back to you. To be clear, I have no intention of providing you with Willow Wood’s insurance information. Please note that the survey you sent is not legible. I cannot make out any notes about clay targets or elevated levels of lead. Please send me a clear legible copy—either digital or print. As requested, please send me any reports by your lead expert along with the lab reports on the soil samples. Kindly also state whether you are claiming to have found lead shot on your property or just what you claim is elevated levels of lead microparticles in the soil and in what areas. Please also advise me as to what you are looking for from Willow Wood. If there are broken clays on the Condo property that came from Willow Wood (which I doubt), then I will send a crew to clean them up. If you want a fence in the area where you claim the clays crossed the line, we can also discuss that. If you want a swale to divert surface water away from the Heritage Hills property, we could discuss that also. If your demand is to cease shooting at any of our stations, that is a non-negotiable no. Yours truly, George J. Calcagnini Graeme Cooper, a Somers resident who lives across the valley from the gun club, has been warning residents and both Mahopac and Somers town officials about the alleged impact of the gun club’s clay-shooting range for years. His research and complaints helped get the crease-and-desist order levied against the club when the new range first opened illegally. He said he’s not surprised to learn of the alleged lead contamination in Heritage Hills and the Somers Land Trust. “I’ve been Chicken Little sending letters for the past year and a half with tons of supporting documents,” he said. “‘You are shooting into Somers... lead bird shot.’ They won’t shoot anything but lead shot. But [my complaints] fell on deaf ears.” Cooper said the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) own ballistic studies illustrate that the lead shot from the club’s shooting stations could reach the Heritage Hills property. “The new sight plan has three stations pointed toward their property,” he said. “[Club officials] say [the shots] will travel into the hillside but I can’t figure out how that would work. Are they shooting into the ground?” Asked if it was possible that the lead and clays found on the Land Trust and Condo 22 property could have come from someplace other than the gun club, Cooper said, “I didn’t witness it but there is no other shooting in that area, so I think it safe to say. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it’s a duck.” And while the gun club has been at its current location since the early 1950s, before Heritage Hills was built, Cooper contends that the lead had to have been placed there more recently because those clay skeets are biodegradable and would have disappeared by now. While not all clay targets are biodegradable, Cooper says the brand used by Willow Wood is. “These clays are biodegradable and only last about six years, so they couldn’t have been there very long,” he said. “The clay targets they found [at Heritage Hills and Somers Land Trust] are White Flyer [brand], which is what the club uses.” On the White Flyer website, the company does confirm its clays are indeed biodegradable. Meanwhile, lawyers for the Somers Land Trust have filed an Article 78 against the Carmel Planning Board in an effort to have the site-plan approval overturned. An Article 78 suit does not seek monetary damages but instead seeks to overturn actions or inactions by the state or local governments. Todd Ommen, an attorney with the Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic in White Plains, which represents the Somers Land Trust, said the Carmel Planning Board failed to call for an environmental impact assessment, which, he said, should have been done under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). “With the shooting range expansion, lead shot is landing on the [Land Trust] property and stream and they did not take into account that environmental impact,” he said. “There was a failure to look at that under SEQRA. They gave a negative declaration and said there was no impact and there is no basis for [an EIS], yet there is clear evidence.” In a document containing the reasons supporting its negative declaration, the Planning Board wrote, “The proposed action does not present any opportunity to adversely affect public safety, nor would it create a hazard to human health. The fields of fire at the sporting clays course... cannot extend off the site, and fully comply with all safety guidelines. The sporting clays course has been designed to take advantage of the site’s elevation changes that serve to intercept any errant shot. No significant adverse public safety impacts will result from the proposed action.” But Ommen contends that is simply not the case. “We found there is significant lead downstream [on the Land Trust property],” he said. “These issues should have caused them to investigate. Their decision was arbitrary and capricious. [The shooters] are pointed in the direction of the [Land Trust] property. That is the whole purpose of an environmental impact statement. That is all we are asking for.” Ommen said the goal of the Article 78 is to have the Planning Board’s decision vacated and then “they would have to complete an EIS to make sure they are not causing any environmental impacts.” A spokesperson for the Carmel Planning Department said she could not comment on the issue due to the pending litigation. CONTAMINATION FROM PAGE 5 A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 2 7 4 3 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 S O M E R S M A R K E T U P D A T E J U L Y 2 0 2 3 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 7 2 6 , 7 8 9 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 7 3 2 8 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 3 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 S I N G L E F A M I L Y A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 1 3 4 1 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 5 7 2 , 8 6 3 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 6 5 3 2 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 1 1 % I N C R E A S E C O N D O M I N I U M S F R O M 2 0 2 2 Source: OKMLS, single family & condominium, active, sold & average sale price, 01/01/2023 - 07/31/2023 as compared to 01/01/2022 - 07/31/2022, Somers school district. T H I N K I N G A B O U T S E L L I N G YO U R H O M E O R C O N D O ? I T ' S T H E P E R F E C T T I M E T O B E O N T H E M A R K E T. W E H AV E L O W I N V E N T O R Y A N D M A N Y B U Y E R S . P L E A S E F E E L F R E E T O C O N TA C T M E A N Y T I M E . I ' M H E R E T O H E L P. D O N N A O ' C O N N E L L A s s o c i a t e R e a l E s t a t e B r o k e r S o m e r s B r o k e r a g e M 9 1 4 . 2 6 3 . 9 1 0 8 O 9 1 4 . 2 7 7. 8 0 4 0 Ext. 3 3 4 D o c o n n e l l @ h o u l i h a n l a w r e n c e . c o m d o n n a o c o n n e l l . h o u l i h a n l a w r e n c e . c o m
PAGE 8 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 Nestled in a lush green hideaway of Yorktown Heights amidst tall evergreens and nature’s beauty, sits The Country House, recently named a Best Assisted Living community by U.S. News & World Report. We invite you to tour and learn more about how our services can benefit you or your loved one. Call (914) 249-9144 to schedule. Experience the Best THE Country House in westchester 2000 Baldwin Road · Yorktown Heights · thecountryhouseinwestchester.com LIC # 800-F-007 important tradition as we recognize seniors who have helped shape the quality of life in Westchester through their significant contributions. The Senior Hall of Fame is one of the highlights of our year, and we look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our older generation.” To be nominated, a person must: • Be at least 60 years old and live in Westchester County, and cannot be a past Hall of Fame inductee (past honorees can be found here: https://seniorcitizens.westchestergov.com); • Have made significant contributions to improving life in Westchester; • Be an outstanding leader or advocate; • Have professional achievements that reflect innovative solutions to fulfill unmet community needs (if based on the nominees’ paid professional work). Nominations are due by Sept. 8, and will be reviewed by a judging committee. A nomination should be submitted for each person, with organizations and individuals to be allowed only one nomination. To complete your nomination, please visit bit.ly/2023SHOF or visit www. westchesterpartnership.org to download the form. If you have questions about the nomination process, contact Amanda Seebeck at AmandaS@EventsRemember. com or call 914-218-3968. This year’s Senior Citizens Hall of Fame will be held in person on Friday, Dec. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown. The Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services (DSPS), Westchester Parks, Recreation and Conservation, and the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services will be hosting this year’s celebration. Additional sponsorships and congratulatory journal ad opportunities are available. For details, visit www.westchesterpartnership.org. To learn more about the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services (DSPS), call 914-813-6300 or visit www.westchestergov.com/seniors. Sculpture III Through August 27 Three Hudson Valley sculptors, Bob Madden, Karen Madden, and Lila Turjanski-Villard, present their 3D artworks embracing structure, movement, and grace during the 3rd annual sculpture show, SCULPTURE III at Live 4 Art Gallery, located at 20 Charles Colman Blvd in Pawling, NY. Their works encompass abstract and modern figurative forms in stone, metal, and mixed media. An artists’ reception will be held on Saturday, July 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. The annual sculpture show has become a signature event to showcase sculptures at the Live 4 Art Gallery. It is a spacious and contemporary venue, providing the perfect setting to display these captivating works of art. Its open layout and natural lighting create an immersive and engaging experience for visitors, allowing them to fully appreciate the intricate details and unique forms of each sculpture. For the love of art and animals, 25% of all sales will be donated to the SPCA. Sculpture III will be open Friday (2 - 6 p.m.), Saturday (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Sunday (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and by appointment. For more information, contact raspstudio@rockandasoftplace. com A Message from Somers Girl Scouts This summer, our Cadette Girl Scout troop is attending the Girl Scout National Convention in Walt Disney World. We have been working hard to raise money for this trip. Cookie season is about to begin, and we have set a goal to sell 7,000 boxes of cookies as a troop. The profit we earn from cookie sales will help pay for plane tickets, park tickets, hotels, meals, and convention entry fees. Not only will we be representing Somers Girl Scouts, we will also be representing our local Girl Scout council, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson. This trip will allow us to meet with industry leaders and explore potential career paths. We will also be meeting with girl scouts from all over the world. We would love the support of our local businesses. Some ways you can help are by purchasing cookies from us to share with your employees, family, and friends, inviting us to sell cookies to your staff, buying cookies from us to give to your clients, customers, patrons, and business prospects, donating boxes of cookies to the military and veterans through Operation Cookie Drop, allow us to host a cookie booth outside your establishment or during a business event, or share our troop QR code to order cookies. If you have any other suggestions on ways to support us, let us know by contacting [email protected] Support Connection TEAM SPIRIT CAMPAIGN Sunday, Oct. 1 Support Connection announces the launch of the “Team Spirit” campaign for their 2023 Annual Support-A-Walk. This year’s Walk will take place in FDR Park in Yorktown Heights and in communities nationwide! Support Connection is based in Yorktown Heights, but their toll-free and web services allow for a nationwide reach. Whether showing your support locally or from afar, you can participate in the Support-A-Walk wherever you are! The Support-A-Walk is held to bring attention to the needs of people affected by breast, ovarian, or any gynecological cancer and to raise funds for Support Connection’s free cancer support programs and services for those living with these diseases. Since the organization was founded in 1996, many thousands of people locally and across the country have received help from Support Connection. The Team Spirit Campaign encourages friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors to “team up” for the Support-AWalk. Teams are groups of people who decide to participate together in any way they wish. Team activities can include seeking donations, planning fundraising activities, inviting others to participate, and spreading the word about the Walk. Teams can create their own t-shirts and signs or banners to share their stories and TRUNK FROM PAGE 6 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK SEE TRUNK PAGE 26
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 9 BY VIM WILKINSON SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR The newly opened Somers General Store, nestled among a couple of popular eateries on Old Tomahawk Street, exudes exactly the warmth and local charm that’s becoming a lost art in an era dominated by impersonal retail chains and online shopping. With their eye for tasteful, high-quality gifts and a sense of hometown pride, lifelong Somers residents Dawn DeLuca and Craig Flynn, who have been friends for over 30 years, opened the store recently as both a labor of love and as a way to fill a void that’s been missing in the area for far too long. Former preschool teacher DeLuca has always had an affinity for small boutiques and mom-and-pop stores, and says she never missed an opportunity to visit such cute retail spaces on her travels to vacation spots and small towns. In March 2022, she decided to try to bring the boutique flair she loved home to Somers and asked Flynn if he would join her. "We wanted to create a space that feels inviting and offers something that no other store here in town does," said DeLuca, who wanted the store to sell products that only use clean ingredients. "All our candles and skincare products have no undisclosed chemicals, unlike many other store-bought products," she added. "They are all small batch, made with health and wellness as a priority in order to offer our customers products that are safe for their peace of mind." As its name suggests, the Somers General Store carries a variety of items, all tastefully displayed—from children's, men's, and women’s apparel to houseware and more. Flynn says they take pride in working with vendors from the area. "We have stocked the store with locally sourced small business-owned brands, as well as products from makers nationwide," he said. "The store is meant to bring a sense of hometown pride. We have invited a handful of Somers alumni to sell their wares with us." You can find local artisan Nicole Zusi’s beautiful line of Forlanya jewelry, books by Jennifer Cohen Harper, a children's author focusing on mindfulness, handcrafted cutting boards by fifth grade teacher Jake Ringer, and custom pottery by local ceramicists Jill Leary and Jeanne Allen of Railyard Arts Studio. There will also be a small section devoted to the paintings by co-owner Flynn. A small in-house studio will not only display his original works; it will also provide a space for him to create new pieces on a daily basis. Somers General Store has taken the idea of “shop local” to a whole new level, offering carefully curated items that are designed to create a positive impact in the community and the environment. "Having lived in this town nearly our whole lives, we know that there has always been one thing missing—a great place to shop that offers something new and interesting, an ever-changing space with a vibe all its own," DeLuca said. "We really hope to become a staple of the community, which we know and have always loved." Somers General Store An exciting addition to Somers ADVERTORIAL SOMERS GENERAL STORE • 2 OLD TOMAHAWK ST. SUITE 5 • YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY 10598 • 914-556-6006 • SOMERSGENERAL.COM PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID CASTELLANO Somers General Store owners, Dawn DeLuca and Craig Flynn.
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 affiliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please send your submissions to the editor by e-mail at [email protected]. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830 Brett Freeman, Publisher Tom Walogorsky , Editor Tabitha Pearson Marshall, Creative Director Editorial Office: 914-302-5830 [email protected] PAGE 10 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 Over the last several years, no fewer than six employees at Halston Media have been the victims of major cyber theft. The latest victims were my wife and me. A few weeks ago, someone pretending to be one of our employees asked us to change their bank account for direct deposit. To explain, employees and independent contractors request bank changes from time to time, so the request wasn’t out of the ordinary. The real employee didn’t notify us of his missing paycheck until a couple of weeks later. Of course, we reimbursed him for the missing amount. While every email address is unique, a person can choose any name when setting up an account. Many email programs only show the sender’s name in the “from” line. In order to see the actual address, you have to actively click on the name. This is especially true when reading emails on your cell phone. So, thieves can pretend to be anyone, and they can make it look quite real by copying the person’s signature. This particular type of cyber theft is known as a phishing scam. Obviously, my wife and I should have done more due diligence before changing an employee’s bank account. After we discovered what happened, my wife filed a criminal complaint with our local police department and our bank tried to recover the missing funds to no avail. Through the routing number, I was able to find out that the thief set up his account with Green Dot Bank, which is headquartered in Ohio. After putting me on hold for over a half hour, a Green Dot Bank employee instructed me to send them a formal letter to explain what happened, and we “may” be able to recover our money. Since the incident, we’ve changed our procedures, and employees and independent contractors must request changes of this nature over the phone (although AI reportedly will facilitate even scarier types of identity theft in the future, where thieves will be able to steal a person’s voice). A few months before this, another employee was tricked into surrendering a vast sum of money. The thief in that instant convinced our colleague that his/ her bank account was hacked, and said that if he/she tells anyone, then the investigation would be compromised. So, our colleague physically went to his/her bank and transferred his/her funds into a new “uncompromised” account. For months now, our colleague has been unable to recover the funds. A few years ago, someone pretending to be me asked an employee to send them a few hundred dollars in gift cards. That employee obliged. And finally, our editor-at-large, Bob Dumas, has written extensively about being the victim of cyber theft on a number of occasions. In his case, the thieves actually hacked into his accounts, and one even hacked directly into his computer. In all instances, the local police departments where we’ve filed complaints have told each of us that there’s really not much they can do, and that this happens all the time. Why are the police unable to arrest anyone for this crime? If six people on our team have been victims of this crime, how many of our readers have been victims as well? If banks are required to know the identity of their customers, how are the thieves able to get away with it? What can the government do to fix the problem? We have a lot of questions and we assume our readers do as well. So, our editorial team plans to investigate. We’d love to hear from you during the course of our investigations. We recently fell prey to cyber theft We’d like to hear from readers who have been victimized by this crime too Have you been the victim of cyber and/or identity theft? If so, please contact us. • Email [email protected]. • Write “cyber theft” in the subject line. • Tell us your story. • We understand that falling prey to this crime can be embarrassing and we are happy to keep you anonymous in any published story. BRETT FREEMAN PUBLISHER’S MEMO
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 11 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 ‘ Our family received outstanding service from Joe and his staff. They are accomplished and professional, yet accessible and friendly— a wonderful community resource that I would recommend to anyone. ~A.W. 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 How fortunate am I to have a sister who married a dentist and who later became a colonel in the Army? But that’s not the best part. They were stationed in Belgium and invited me, Ken and Kim to visit them for the summer of ’84. So, in June of that year, Kim, age 6, and I traveled to Europe and Ken joined us about a month later for the remainder of the summer. During that first month, we explored the landscape and learned much about the culture and the people in Ghlin, Belgium. My sister and her family lived in an authentic European home, and I fell in love with Europe that summer. When Ken arrived about a month later, we visited many cathedrals, castles and museums. The Gallery St. Hubert and Restaurant Street were filled with quaint shops from which I bought clothes, trinkets and a hand-painted clock. In front of many shops, you could stand and watch women and young girls knitting, weaving and crocheting lace. This beautiful art form is called tatting. I still have the tablecloth and napkins edged in handmade lace, which I purchased during that summer. Open air markets provided the freshest and tastiest vegetables and fruits for our meals. Those markets were a feast for the eyes and gave my sister and me the opportunity to practice our French. We visited Waterloo and climbed the nearly 250 steps up to the Butte De Lion, the mound where the Battle of Waterloo took place and where Napoleon was defeated in 1815 by British and Prussian forces. During the 1980s, Ken was an avid builder of scale model planes from WWII, so it was exciting for him to visit the Musee de la Guerre, The War Museum, in Mons, Belgium, where he was able to photograph most of the planes up close. We also spent time in Brugges, one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been. The town housed a nunnery and I felt that I could stay wrapped in the serenity forever. In Dinant, Belgium, we visited a cookie factory like no other, where cookies at least a foot high and a foot across were baked in great, old wall ovens. The centuries-old molds used to make the cookies were displayed on shelves throughout the old stone factory and the cookies were sold from huge floor chests. The cookies had various themes and were meant to be displayed in your home, but, of course, they could also be eaten. I took my time selecting just the right designs and the baker carefully and lovingly packed them well for our trip back to the States. Those enormous, beautiful cookies hung in the kitchen of my first home for over 15 years. We all traveled to France by train several times, as well. We visited the Louvre and I stood in awe in front of the Winged Victory statue and the Venuse De Milo. But for me, the stunner was the Mona Lisa. It was surreal standing just feet away from the woman with the mysterious smile and I was fortunate enough to snap a picture of all these treasures. For our children, we went to the Mauberge Zoo in Paris and realized that the cages and pens surrounding the animals were nowhere near as secure as the ones in the States. If I’m being honest, I was uncomfortable with how open the penned areas were and how close the animals were, but the children were delighted. We were able to easily walk from the Arc de Triomphe, go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, light a candle in Notre Dame and take a glass-topped boat ride along the Seine. I made sure to cover Kim’s eyes when we spotted the nude sunbathers along the shore. Since we spent several days in Paris, we stayed in a hotel with a view of the Eiffel Tower. This was certainly an experience that we would never forget. One last stop for Ken before we left Paris was a visit to the Musee De L’Air et de L’espace (The Air and Space Museum). After our return to Belgium, we finished our souvenir shopping and spent our family time playing board games and catching up on life since we had last seen each other. I made sure that I had plenty of room in our luggage for all our souvenirs. The day before our return to the States, my sister saved almost the best for last. Sitting in an outdoor café in Brussels, we enjoyed the world’s best Belgium waffles. Jo Ann can be reached at jkjfranc@ gmail.com. Bon Voyage – Belgium/France JO ANN FRANCELLA JUST JO ANN Fun Facts by Jo Ann Belgium, or Liege, waffles were invented in Ghent in 1839 and are made from brioche dough, not a liquid.
PAGE 12 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 My two most recent columns explored broader future planning. The first discussed projecting your future market -- after all, you are planning for the future -- offering an easy-toremember framework called “the 5 C’s” – category, customer, channels of distribution, competition, and capability requirements. The second reviewed a productive exercise called the “SWOT” analysis, laying out a business’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and then thinking through the strategic implications of that analysis. This column will share one more helpful strategic tool, to help businesses define in the broadest terms their strategic positioning. I call it the “Michael Porter model,” named for the Harvard Business School professor who popularized its use. It’s surprisingly simple. The best tools often are . . . even at the Harvard Business School! Porter defines strategic positioning as the position a business occupies within its marketplace. His premise is that sustainable success requires a business to differentiate itself versus its competitors, first deciding on the most basic differentiation. According to Porter, businesses can be segmented in two major ways: (1) the scope of their products or services (broad or narrow) and (2) the source of their competitive advantage (product/service differentiation or lower cost). This suggests the four foundational strategic options highlighted below. I’d add to this the opportunity for carefully crafted strategic hybrids, for example a low cost-focused business that differentiates itself versus other low cost-focused competitors based on some important focused product or service differentiation as well. I’ll discuss this in the illustrations of businesses fitting into each of the four strategic option boxes in the attached graph. Broad Scope/Cost Leadership: Walmart is an obvious example. Amazon fits the bill too, while also differentiated (for example versus Walmart) by its proprietary distribution system. Target also fits into this box, while differentiating itself versus Walmart through its fashion superiority in clothing and home furnishings. While it’s tough for local businesses to compete in this positioning box without the resource scale and buying clout of national leaders, in the supermarket category Shop Rite’s locally owned stores are an example. Broad Scope/Broad Product or Service Differentiation: Nordstrom’s department stores represent an easily understandable example. So too do high end automotive brands offering broad lines of premium models such as Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercedes Benz and Audi. Narrow Scope/Focused Cost Advantage: This strategic option box is occupied by low-end specialty retailers such as Forever 21. Motel 6 is another recognizable example. An interesting success in this strategic box is the grocer Aldi. They claim to be No. 1 in price for six years running, without offering the complete range of recognized national brands carried by the likes of Walmart or Shop Rite. Locally, a low priced service provider, bargain restaurant, or dollar store could fit into this box. Narrow Scope/Focused Product Differentiation: This is the prevalent “sweet spot” for local small business successes. Examples abound – gourmet grocers such as DeCicco Family Markets; smaller specialty food retailers such as Sgaglio’s; Mexican Shack for many years in jewelry and specialty gifts; elder and estate law specialists such as Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano; and Country Willow in the high end furniture category to name just a few. To achieve sustainable success, businesses need to decide which strategic positioning option to pursue and then to pursue it consistently, so prospective customers know what you stand for. Do you want to learn more? Visit www. halstonmedia.com, and fill out the “Get in Touch” form on the home page. Before helping his son found Halston Media, Kenneth Freeman led a global marketing research company. Freeman earned his MBA from Harvard University and has led the marketing departments at major Fortune 500 corporations throughout his career. How will your business succeed? The basic strategic positioning options WITH KEN FREEMAN FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT Both pre-payment and no-payment options Serving all Faiths since 1858 Cremations and Burials DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director RONALD P. CERASO ~ Director www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 • Only 1/4 mile from 684 exit 6. • Only 1 block from the Katonah Railroad station. • Less than 60 minutes from N.Y. City. • Parking facilities for over 100 cars • Monuments & inscriptions available.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 13 Grandparents are a special breed. We spend time with our grandkids, loving them, listening to their ideas, letting them have fun and maybe doing things that mom and dad would just shake their heads and say “No” to that! And then we send them home until the next visit! When my first son, George, was a toddler, Mom and I would go shopping, usually to Macy’s in White Plains. Mom would hold him and ride up the escalator--he loved it and always had a big smile on that precious face. One day, the devil must have been lurking in Macy’s. We stepped on the escalator and rode up to the second floor. I followed as Mom and George got off and prepared to go to the furnishings department. Not going to happen: George let out a yowl and started screaming and carrying on. Mom did the only thing she could think of: got on the down escalator and then came back up. Still couldn’t quiet her grandson. I was on the opposite escalator and Mom yelled to me: “You get what you need and I’ll ride the escalator with this child!” During the umpteenth ride, George still exercising his lungs and poor Mom looking so harried and exhausted, two women commented on what a brat her grandson was. Mom could dress us down, but God forbid you criticized one of her children or a grandchild—She was a fearsome lioness. “You just mind your own business, ladies. He’s just a little child and I will keep riding this escalator if it keeps him quiet,” she warned. I contributed to grandmother-isms. My grandkids stayed up past their bedtimes, I gave them treats, we watched movies and I just loved them to pieces. My granddaughter, Kala, and I had a memorable breakfast when she was about 2 years old. She was wearing a pretty summer dress (this is Florida, folks). We went to a family-type restaurant; I told her she could have anything she wanted for her special Kala/Grandmopps breakfast. She started with orange juice and moved on to French Toast with lots of syrup and powdered sugar and a glass of milk. Kala enjoyed every bit of her breakfast and it showed: syrup and sugar in her beautiful blond hair, all over her dress and her hands were stuck together with syrup and juice. Folks sitting around us were laughing behind their menus at this sight. One gentleman told me he was taking lessons from me so that he could be a fun grandpa when his time came. When we returned home, Helen took one look at her sweet—no pun intended—child and burst out laughing. We took Kala into the bathroom, drew a nice bubble bath for her and scrubbed away her breakfast. Some years later, I took Kala to The Palm Court in The Plaza Hotel for tea. I explained to her the niceties of an afternoon tea (e.g., linen napkins, not paper, using one’s fork to place a dessert on the plate, dabbing at one’s mouth instead of a full-on wipe and so on). My darling granddaughter’s comment? “This is too high-class for me, Grandmopps!” This past weekend Val and Kurt had a family BBQ. It was a “good luck in college” for grandsons Nick and Brennan. They will be leaving for their respective college campuses in a few days. I quietly sat for a few minutes watching them and their sister, Brie, and their cousins. I saw them as they were years ago: splashing in the pool with their cousins, eating S’mores, sharing their thoughts and ideas with me, and just being kids. My heart swelled with love and memories of these special grandchildren. If you are a grandparent or will be some day, it is a rewarding and loving experience. I’ve always listened carefully to my grandkids’ ideas and comments on life. I come away shaking my head in wonderment—and envying them their tech savvy! This is not an easy world for them; somehow, love and understanding from their grandparents can smooth out some of the rough spots for them and us. Enjoy your special place in your grandchild’s life—it is a blessing and honor for all! Ruthann Scheffer can be reached at [email protected]. The joys of being a grandparent! RUTHANN SCHEFFER WHAT WAS I THINKING? JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMS FOR MORE INFO CALL: 914.669.9500 or email: [email protected] HardscrabbleClub.com • 22 Sutton Pl, Brewster, NY 10509 ENROLLING NOW for FALL 2023 Week of Sept. 4 onward GRAB YOUR SPOT BEFORE THEY’RE ALL TAKEN! STAGES: Red Ball, 5-7 years Orange Ball, 8-9 years Green Ball, 9-10 years Yellow Ball, 11- 18 years CLASSES: Weekdays: 4-5pm, 5-6pm & 5-6:30pm. Saturdays: 3:30-4:30pm & 3-4:30pm ALL LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, Middle School and JV/Varsity Team Players AFTER-SCHOOL BENEFIT CONCERT AT UNCLE CHEEF FEATURING DAWN DEROW AND PETER CALO A LABOR DAY WEEKEND FUNDRAISER FOR BLUEPATH SERVICE DOGS Scan QR code for tickets SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD DOORS OPEN AT 5:30PM • CONCERT AT 6:30PM General Admission: $40 per ticket Food/drink minimum: $25 988 Route 22, Brewster, NY 10509 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.
PAGE 14 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 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. Please print legibly.) Last (Required) City: State: ZIP: Name: Address: Checks payable to Halston Media LLC Please include this form in your envelope. Basic Support Full Support $100 $50 $20 other OR Visit https://bit.ly/HalstonSubscribe 914.455.2158 SpirelliElectric.com • [email protected] Specializing in residential & commercial services. Licenses in Westchester, Putnam CREATING CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE Family Owned—Over 40 Years Experience! 10% OFF Service Calls When You Present this Ad First Time Customers Only Light up your summer • Outdoor Lighting • Smart Home Setup • Electric Car Chargers • GENERATORS AND ALL OF YOUR ELECTRIC NEEDS! When I was in sixth grade, they had a reading program where you would read a short story and then answer a series of questions about it. If you got them right, you got to move on to the next level. The levels were color-coded, so you would start at the entry-level, which was yellow, and the stories were simple, and the questions were easy. Then you might move on to the green level (which was tougher) and then blue and all the way to purple, which was the top of the game. There was a big cardboard bin at the back of the classroom that contained the stories on stiff paper known as oaktag. The questions were on the back. We got to pick what we wanted to read at our designated level, and this was how I discovered my love for scary stories and all things paranormal, which was why I was one of the first kids in the class to reach the purple level. I couldn’t get enough of that stuff. One of the first stories I read was O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi.” That is the story of a poor couple at Christmas time. The wife sells her hair to buy a silver pocket watch chain for her husband. But he’s already sold his watch to buy her a set of fancy ornate combs, which, of course, she could now no longer use. It wasn’t exactly a horror story, but it taught me a lot about irony, which is often a big horror story component. One of the next stories I read was “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. That story scared the bejesus out of me, and I loved it. It kick-started my lifelong fascination with Poe and the horror genre in general. At home, I was able to find horror on the TV. The best was Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone.” Those episodes were made in the late ‘50s-early ‘60s, so the stories were often influenced by the Cold War. There was a lot of nuclear bomb stuff. In one episode, the media announced that nuclear missiles were on their way and the end was near. But one family had a safe room in their basement and locked themselves in. The entire neighborhood came by begging to be let in, but the family wouldn’t let them. They didn’t have enough room or supplies to sustain them all. Then, it’s announced that the missile thing was a false alarm. So, the family has to come out of the shelter. Can anyone say, “awkward?” Those future block parties are going to be really uncomfortable. Remember the episode where Burgess Meredith played the mousy old nerd who only wanted to read books? Then he survives a nuclear holocaust that leaves the library standing. He is overjoyed because now he has all the time in the world to just read. Then he accidentally steps on his glasses and crushes the lenses. He can no longer see to read. There is the irony I was talking about! There were other similar shows such as “The Outer Limits” and “One Step Beyond.” They were often broadcast on Saturday afternoons and my poor mother could never figure out why I was inside watching TV on such a beautiful day when I should be out riding my bike. In the 1970s, Serling got a new show called “Night Gallery.” It was an hour long and usually contained two or three stories. It was far more terrifying than “The Twilight Zone,” plus it was in color. It was on Wednesday nights, the same night my parents went square dancing. I was a 13-year-old boy home alone watching an episode of “Night Gallery” called “The Sin Eater.” It freaked me out so badly that I went out and sat on the front porch until my parents came home. So, people ask me if this stuff scares me so badly, why do I watch/read it? Well, “The Sin Eater” thing was really the only time I’ve had such a visceral reaction to horror. (Watch the damn episode and see how you do.) Most of the time when I close a book or the credits on the movie start rolling, I can walk away from it without a care. I never have nightmares. Because I know vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and assorted other monsters don’t really exist. Watching cable news at night is far more terrifying because that stuff is real. One time, when I was about 18, I was wandering around the local grocery store (Grand Union—remember those?) and I passed a wire rack display with paperbacks. One book, in particular, caught my eye. It had a glossy black cover with the embossed image of a young girl with a red blood drop on the corner of her mouth. It was called “Salem’s Lot” and was Stephen King’s second book. It was about vampires. There hadn’t been any vampire books since “Dracula.” I was sold. I read it in about two days and thought it was the coolest thing ever. I’ve pretty much read everything he’s written ever since, including his nonfiction. King fans will know what I mean when I say his characters are so beautifully drawn and richly textured that when the supernatural hits the fan, you can actually believe it. It’s why he is considered the master of modern horror. Anyway, that began a lifelong obsession with King, who I admire not only as a writer, but as a person. I would love to Now that’s scary! BOB DUMAS OUT OF MY HEAD
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 15 NO NEWS... 1. Clip the short form on the page 2. Fill out the information. 3. Mail it to P.O. Box 864, Mahopac, NY 10541 4. Or visit www.halstonsubscribe.com 5. Or Scan our QR Code to Subscribe. We need you to subscribe. It’s FREE & It’s Easy! is NOT necessarily good news! # Please print your first and last names and address legibly, sign and date (all required to continue receiving your subscription to this newspaper). 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 for TAPinto E-News) (Optional) 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 or visit www.halstonsubscribe.com 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 Mahopac News Yorktown News The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times The Katonah-Lewisboro times With friends and neighbors packing up to bring their kids to college, it welled up some memories in me. When I attended college in the late Stone Age, things were different. When I showed up on the Vanderbilt campus, it was the first time I’d seen the college in person. I picked it from a combination of glossy brochures and their writeup in Barron’s Guide to Colleges. By comparison, when our kids were looking at colleges, it required several road trips to schools across the country for dozens of tours and interviews. Times change. When I was looking at college, most people in Westchester had never heard of Vanderbilt, which was part of my strategy for getting admitted. Back then, one of their objectives was to have a geographically diverse student body; it was part of their charter when Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt endowed the university with $1 million after the Civil War. Their standards were a little looser for a kid from New York, which worked to my benefit. Suffice it to say, I wouldn’t have a chance to get in there today. I’m also pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to afford it, even if they would admit me. Tuition back then was $2,100 per semester. Now, all in, it is an $80,000 annual investment. That’s $320,000 for a four-year degree. Talk about inflation. Although our kids were in college over 10 years ago, our families’ single largest investment was in their college education. I’m sure that is true for many other families as well. I’ve always found it puzzling that banks, colleges and the government who are in the business of financing this investment in human capital don’t spend any time doing an appraisal of the value of the education and the degree. That’s certainly not the case when you are interested in buying a home where a buyer’s appraisal, a seller’s appraisal, and of course the bank’s appraisal is the norm. If we dove into appraisals of our majors and the schools we attend and compared them with the price tag, would we come to different conclusions? An interpretive dance major from an Ivy League school would probably appraise much lower than a civil engineering degree from a SUNY school. Yet the system does not make it easy to make the comparison. Milton Friedman, the Nobel prizewinning economist, felt that the investment in education was like any other capital investment and would probably benefit from the application of market economics. His thinking probably gave rise to the development of another way to finance college and graduate education. The technique is known as an Income Share Agreement (ISA). The concept of the ISA is straightforward. The organization financing the loan, whether a hedge fund, university, or technical school, does not ask for the repayment of a specific amount, but rather a fixed percentage of the graduate’s income over a period of time; say, 10% of the graduate’s income for 10 years. The lender is rolling the dice with the graduate. If the graduate underachieves, the lender does not get their money back. If, on the other hand, the graduate is financially successful, the lender, or should we say investor, gets a nice return. The benefit of this approach, if it became more widely accepted, would be the development of a standard for understanding the value of the diploma. It would also have the added benefit of helping students make better choices. As haberdasher, Marcy Syms was famous for saying, “an educated consumer is our best customer.” More efficient markets benefit everyone, even in education. Appraising college DON SCOTT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT have a beer with him someday. We’d talk about writing and horror, of course, but also about baseball (he loves it, but sadly is a Red Sox fan), rock music (he digs AC/DC and the Ramones), and politics (he is no fan of Trump and has sharp opinions). I have written plenty of horror fiction myself. I wrote a screenplay called “The Providers” about a creepy ancient family that lives in the walls and tunnels of a vacation home in New England, which is where a bestselling author goes to overcome his writer’s block. My agent called it “unsettling” and doubted he could sell it. He was correct. I also wrote a collection of 13 short stories (13-get it?) that I called “Grave Concerns.” I wrote that over a period of about four years and was very proud of those stories. Then one day my computer crashed, and a repairman tried everything to retrieve the files but to no avail. But I didn’t worry. I had the whole thing backed up on a thumb drive. But then the thumb drive went missing. I still have five or six of those stories on hard copy somewhere around here, but basically “Grave Concerns” is dead. To this day, I am convinced that a gremlin crashed my computer, and a poltergeist stole the thumb drive. Hey... that might make a good story. DUMAS FROM PAGE 14
SoftWave Therapy of New York 311 North St., Ste. 410, White Plains 914-686-6200 Celebrating oneyear anniversary Dr. George Gertner offering unique therapeutic technique SOFTWAVE PAIN THERAPY OF NEW YORK SoftWave Therapy, a patented, FDA-cleared treatment for inflammation, chronic pain, diabetes and joint issues, has been available in Westchester for one year. In that time, SoftWave Therapy of New York has successfully treated more than 700 patients suffering with severe pain. These are patients that have already exhausted every single health care option, including medication, chiropractic, physical therapy and in many cases surgery. All without success. Dr. George Gertner is owner and director of SoftWave Therapy-NY, which shares office space with his existing chiropractic practice, Upper Cervical Chiropractic of NY. Dr. Gertner explained that the therapy is a drug-free, injection-free, surgery-free approach to ending pain. The treatments themselves are painless. They promote fast healing by stimulating new stem cells, increasing circulation, and breaking up scar tissue and/or painful calcifications. Clinical studies show SoftWave Therapy has a 91 percent success rate. “Most patients experience relief as soon as their first 15-minute treatment, and are expected to complete the entire treatment plan in about eight visits,” Dr. Gertner said. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in five American adults could be living in chronic pain, defined as pain most days or every day for the past six months or longer. There’s a higher prevalence among older people and women. SoftWave Therapy uses various lens configurations to produce safe, regenerative soft-pressure waves within the body, he explained. The results include a dramatic reduction of inflammation in the body as new, healthy stem cells are encouraged to grow. Dr. Gertner said it can treat discomfort associated with a number of conditions, including diabetes, joint pain, chronic back pain, wound pain, numbing or tingling, tennis elbow, torn ligaments, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. For more information or to book an appointment, call 914-686-6200. Upper Cervical Chiropractic of NY is a Halston Media marketing partner. Dr. George Gertner PAGE 16 – THE SOMERS RECORD HEALTH & WELLNESS THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 Preferred provider with Aetna, Cigna, Delta Dental, Guardian, MetLife, United Healthcare and other PPO insurance plans. mycaremountdental.com 914-730-5390 Next to Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace 331 Downing Drive $ Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 800 Value! Comprehensive preventative care services twice a year. $500 OFF Full Orthodontic Treatment* 15% OFF Most Dental Procedures *Orthodontic treatment will be provided at our Mt. Kisco location ANNUAL 279 MEMBERSHIP $ VIP Plan Dental Cleanings • Tooth Colored Fillings Non-Surgical Gum Disease Treatment Teeth Whitening • Crowns & Bridges Dentures & Partials • Cosmetic Dentistry Valid for new patients at our Yorktown Heights office only. Applies to standard cleaning in the absence of gum disease Not valid with insurance or any other offers. Expires 10/31/2023. Dental Cleaning, Exam and X-Rays Includes: $ 79 $500 New Patient SPECIAL Value! Healthy Smiles Start Here!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 HEALTH & WELLNESS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 17
PAGE 18 – THE SOMERS RECORD HEALTH & WELLNESS THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 Elder Law Wills, Trusts & Estates Estate Planning Medicaid Applications Guardianships Probates Elder Law & Estate Planning A Tradition of Excellence in Elder Law (845) 621-8640 thefellergroup.com 625 Route 6, Mahopac NY 10541 We make home & hospital visits Contact the team today! (845) 621-8640 4 Heritage Hills Plaza, 202 Ctr. • Somers, NY 10589 914-277-4222 • www.somerssmiles.com A new generation of family dentistry Start your school year with a healthy smile! Which of these three sentences is true? • My pet octopus likes to be walked three times a day. • An 18-year-old is an adult. • Hudson Valley drivers never tailgate and always follow traffic rules. The smart money is probably on the octopus story, but lo and behold, an 18-year-old is actually an adult…legally. Why this matters will be clear to every parent who has called a college health center to get an update on their child’s status. Adulthood confers a right to privacy. Specific authorizations must be prepared to allow a parent of a college-age child to receive important health information or handle finances. Once a son or daughter crosses the age of majority threshold, the free and easy parental access and control over their child goes away. Many colleges believe it is their obligation to protect their students’ privacy at the expense of a parent’s natural interest in safeguarding their child. Legally, colleges are technically correct, even if the methodology is heavy handed. It is then up to the child to reestablish those links through legal documents and think constructively about personal finance. Every young adult needs basic estate planning to ensure that the people who care about them most have the ability to help. An estate plan for college students looks something like this: Before college begins, your 18-year-old should complete a Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney naming parents as decisionmakers. With those documents in place and filed with the college, parents can more easily communicate with college officials should something happen. Set up a basic student checking and savings account with one or both parents as joint owner. The account should have a debit/credit card, which can be augmented by a parent if funds get low. While establishing credit with a non-bank account linked credit card is important, the danger of overspending with punitive interest rates is something that should be discussed. A low-fee brokerage or mutual fund account makes sense as your child accumulates income from working part-time and looks for some growth with limited risk. Naming parents as beneficiaries on these accounts is a good idea. If parents have a trusted financial advisor, then seek out advice to fine tune their child’s money education. The key is the word “education.” This is the time to learn how important saving is and how the routine of having a set amount of earnings automatically sent to an interest bearing savings or growth investment account must be maintained. For the really motivated, establishing a Roth IRA to begin their retirement planning journey may be useful. While nudging 18-year-olds to prepare a Will feels a little off, thinking about preserving their digital lives is logical. The vast amount of time and attention an 18-year-old has spent online means that there is a tremendous amount of content that needs protecting and cataloguing. Except for older sites like Facebook, not enough social media sites include memorialization options, but that could change as this generation ages. Eighteen is where estate planning and financial literacy cross paths. Form good habits early and try not to deviate from those habits as expenses and work begin to pile up. For more information on estate planning and college students, speak to the professionals at The Feller Group, P.C. today. The Feller Group is a multi-disciplinary law practice specializing in elder law, estate planning and business advisement. Alan D. Feller can be reached at 845-621-8640, or visit thefellergroup.com. Do college students need an estate plan? ‘Specific authorizations must be prepared to allow a parent of a collegeage child to receive important health information or handle finances.’ -Alan D. Feller The Feller Group, P.C. ALAN D. FELLER, ESQ. GUEST CORNER
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 HEALTH & WELLNESS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 19 ADVERTORIAL Our bodies are made to move in natural patterns. As infants we develop our gross motor movements first. Learning to roll over, crawl, run, and jump. Then, as we become more confident in our flexibility, agility and strength, we challenge ourselves with more complex gross motor activities: to ride a bike, swim and play sports. Gross motor skills are important to help kids control and coordinate their bodies to perform daily activities. Fine motor skills develop around the age of 9 to 12 months and is the connection between our brain, nervous system and smaller muscle groups: • In our tongue: to eat and speak; • in our hands and fingers: to write, pick up/release objects; and • in our feet: to wiggle our toes. Our ancestors used to be hunters and gatherers, constantly on the move on different terrains, bending and twisting their bodies in a natural way to get through their day. As children, we could easily roll around on the grass and jump up from the floor. Our movement was easy and did not require a conscious mindbody awareness. As we age, however, we lose the ability to move with ease, whether it is due to stiffness, an injury, or obesity. THE EVIL OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY Modern conveniences make it easy and comfortable to accomplish our regular tasks with minimum physical movement. For example, we get up from a seat using arm rests, use a lever to push our recliner up from lounging in front of the TV, and use arm-reachers to pick objects up from the floor These modern conveniences make life easier, but have put our bodies at risk to become stiffer, weaker and unbalanced. HOW OUR BODIES COMPENSATE Over time, most of us develop poor movement habits to cope and adjust to body parts not moving well. We frequently continue moving with a dysfunctional body part and use another body part to compensate, and we become aware of our nonaligned body only when pain sets in. The area of pain is not always the cause of the pain. It may be the body part that started compensating. Even a small injury such as stubbing your toe can change your body’s normal alignment and set of a wrong kinetic chain when we start limping. More so if a serious problem such as a neurological (stroke or Parkinson’s disease) or and orthopedic (joint replacement) issue arise. MUSCLE MEMORY RESET A neuropathway (muscle memory) is a habit-good or habit-bad that we do repetitively over time. If it is reinforced the wrong way, it needs to be reset. To form a new neuropathway takes repetition to organize correctly in our subconscious level to become a new muscle memory or habit. Luckily, we can hit the “reset” button in our bodies to tap back into the previously correct movement patterns of our muscle memories, by doing repetitive big muscle group exercises. DON’T BECOME A FALL STATISTIC. MAKE CHANGES NOW According to the CDC, more than one in four adults over the age of 65 fall per year. Once we fall, our body becomes hesitant to move in fear of further falls, and frequently results in us becoming less active, weaker and with balance challenges, which increases our risk of falling again. For those of us who are “baby boomers” (born between 1946-1964), we should start using our big muscle groups again in our day-to-day life to become more physical active, balanced and reduce our fall-risk. Here are a few basic movement exercises to improve our safe mobility: • Sit to stand without pushing up from the arm rests: move forward onto your chair, keep your ribcage up, hinge from your hips with arms stretched out forward-exhale and stand up using your core, buttock and thigh muscles. • Take a brisk walk outside: start on a level surface, take long strides making heel contact first, tighten your core, buttock and thigh muscles when you step on your leg then push off through the ball of your feet. Swing arms naturally and coordinate breathing in and out as you walk. Feel you are walking tall, elongate your spine up to the sky. • Retrain your body to be able to bend down to the floor: open your legs wide in a forward lunge stance (hold onto a solid surface if you need to) and kneel down to one knee to touch the ground and stand up again using your core, buttock and thigh muscles. LIZE LUBBE GUEST CORNER NATURAL MOVEMENT… USE IT… DON’T LOSE IT • Retrain your feet to clear the floor to prevent tripping: tape a thin rope in a doorway (from one doorframe to the other at about shin height), lift one foot with toes flexed back and move it over the rope and touching the ground with your heel. Repeat the movement back. Repeat the exercise x10 with each leg. Start by holding onto the doorframe with your hands for safety and progress to no hands and/or raising the rope slightly higher. Recapture your natural movement again. Get in a good habit of using your big muscle groups to a path of a healthier, stronger, fit and safer body. If you have any difficulty moving with ease or experience pain, please contact your physician or physical therapist for help. We are hands on PTs! The professional services of the team at Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy include: • Pre & Post Surgery Rehabilitation • Sports Injury Rehabilitation • Neurological Rehabilitation • Treatment of Musculoskeletal & Orthopedic Conditions • Postural, Balance & Gait Training • Pain & Headache Management • Body Rebalancing through Diaphragm, Breathing & Pelvic Stability www.lizelubbept.com [email protected] 914.875.9430 892 NY-35, Cross River, NY 10518 (blue office building) Lize Lubbe is the owner of Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy with its main practice located at 892 Route 35 in Cross River and a PT Studio in the premises of Apex Fitness (where her team focus on the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries). Learn more by calling 914-875-9430, emailing contact@ lizelubbept.com or visiting www.lizelubbept.com.
PAGE 20 – THE SOMERS RECORD HEALTH & WELLNESS THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 We see you here. The things you love doing are more than just passions. They’re what make you “you.” This is why at The Bristal, our expert team members dedicate their time, attention, and energy to creating customized social activities that ensure each resident continues being the unique person they are. And, in the process, create the one-of-a-kind community we are, too. Schedule your visit today and see for yourself. THE BRISTAL AT ARMONK | 914.306.8580 THE BRISTAL AT WHITE PLAINS | 914.594.5787 thebristal.com Licensed by the State Department of Health. Eligible for Most Long Term Care Policies. Equal Housing Opportunity. Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care 17 Miller Rd. Mahopac 845-621-1222 RooneyOrtho.com Rooney Orthodontics Children & Adults Orthodontics, a specialized branch of dentistry concerned with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities, has long been associated with picture-perfect smiles. While a straight set of teeth can certainly boost confidence and aesthetic appeal, the health benefits of orthodontics extend beyond mere cosmetics. Let’s delve into some of the profound health advantages that orthodontic treatments offer. IMPROVED ORAL HYGIENE Crooked, overcrowded or misaligned teeth can make cleaning more challenging. The overlapping and tight spaces often become breeding grounds for bacteria and plaque, increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease. With the alignment of teeth through orthodontic treatment, brushing and flossing become more efficient, leading to better oral hygiene and decreased risks of dental complications. REDUCED RISK OF TOOTH WEAR Misaligned teeth can lead to uneven wear patterns. Protruding or crowded teeth often grind against each other in ways they weren’t designed to. This can result in enamel wear over time, leading to more sensitive teeth and an increased risk of cavities. By aligning teeth into their proper positions, orthodontics can ensure an even distribution of biting forces, reducing unnecessary wear. BETTER CHEWING AND DIGESTION The primary function of our teeth is to break down food into smaller, digestible pieces. Misaligned teeth might not meet correctly, making it challenging to chew some foods properly. Efficient chewing is crucial for digestion as it ensures that food is adequately broken down and mixed with saliva, facilitating smoother digestion in the stomach. Orthodontics aids in aligning the teeth and bite, optimizing the chewing function. PREVENTION OF JAW STRAIN AND TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT (TMJ) ISSUES An improper bite, known as malocclusion, can result in undue stress on the jaw muscles and joints. Over time, this strain can lead to TMJ disorders, causing pain, clicking sounds or even locking of the jaw. Orthodontic treatments can correct bite issues, leading to a balanced distribution of force when the jaws close, preventing potential TMJ problems. DECREASED RISK OF DENTAL TRAUMA Protruding front teeth, especially in the upper jaw, are more susceptible to injury, be it from falls, sports or other accidents. By realigning such teeth, orthodontics can reduce the risk of traumatic dental injuries, saving individuals from potential pain, expensive restorative treatments, and tooth loss. IMPROVED SPEECH CLARITY Teeth play a crucial role in speech. Misalignment can alter the way we pronounce certain sounds, leading to speech impediments or unclear speech. Aligning the teeth and ensuring a proper bite can drastically improve speech clarity, enhancing effective communication. POSITIVE IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH While this isn’t a direct physical health benefit, it’s essential to acknowledge the mental and emotional advantages of orthodontic treatments. A straight smile often leads to increased self-confidence and self-esteem. Feeling good about one’s smile can reduce social anxiety and promote more social interaction, leading to a better overall quality of life. While the allure of a beautiful smile is undeniable, it’s clear that orthodontics offers a myriad of health benefits that go beyond aesthetics. From fostering better oral hygiene to optimizing digestive functions, preventing potential jaw issues, and boosting mental wellbeing, orthodontic treatments present a holistic approach to health. Whether considering orthodontics for cosmetic reasons or functional needs, one can be assured that the journey will lead to both a healthier mouth and a happier life. The health benefits of orthodontics
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 LEISURE THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 21 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. Russian painter 6. Very fast jet 9. Phillipine municipality 13. Intestinal 14. Small freshwater fish 15. Algerian coastal city 16. Vomit 17. Famed astronomer 18. Ghanaian currency 19. Improved the condition of 21. Int’l association of interpreters 22. Infections 23. Dish made with lentils 24. Thou 25. Former CIA 28. Unit used to compare power levels 29. Members of Pueblo people 31. Myanmar monetary units 33. Polished 36. Signed a contract 38. Nothing 39. Once-ubiquitous department store 41. Neural structures 44. Thick piece of something 45. Slang for trucks with trailers 46. Longing 48. Senior officer 49. Levels of frequency 51. Bird’s beak 52. Move rapidly downwards 54. Koran chapters 56. Streteches out 60. Top of the human body 61. A Chinese temple and Indian town are two 62. Fertility god 63. Sea eagle 64. Dry 65. Zodiac sign 66. “Horizon Call of the Mountain” character 67. Have the ability to 68. Take somewhere CLUES DOWN 1. “Iron Man” actress Leslie 2. Wings 3. Adjust the spacing 4. They’re usually locked 5. Atomic #43 6. Wise individuals 7. Horse mackerel 8. Pearl Jam’s debut album 9. Confines 10. Colorless crystalline compound 11. Unsatisfactorily 12. Plant of the parsley family 14. Determines time 17. Causes the birth of 20. Small ornament on a watch chain 21. Richly decorated cloth tapestry 23. Vito Corleone was one 25. Igbo musical instrument 26. Put in harmony 27. Japanese alcoholic drinks 29. Tinseltown 30. Closes tightly 32. Songs sung to one’s lover 34. One thousandth of an inch 35. Small drink of whiskey 37. Political divisions in ancient Greece 40. Helps little firms 42. Baby’s eating accessory 43. Very long periods of time 47. Small block of wood 49. Town in Surrey, England 50. Enquiry 52. Murdered 53. Bura-__: Chadic language 55. Crater on Mars 56. Mammal genus 57. Sock 58. Make 59. Stony waste matter 61. Partner to cheese 65. Pound Potatoes are often the unsung heroes of meals. They work any time of the day and with most meals. Hash browns accompany eggs at breakfast, French fries are ideal with sandwiches come lunchtime, and there’s no limiting potatoes at dinner. They can be the star of the show with potato gnocchi or baked potato soup, or serve as mashed or baked complements to roasts and more. Steak and potatoes long has been a popular pairing that wins rave reviews around the table. This recipe for “Steak with Crispy Potatoes and Pistachio Pesto” from “Real Simple Dinner Tonight: Done” (Time Home Entertainment) by the editors of Real Simple highlights what a winning combination steak and potatoes can be. Potatoes are the perfect side dish Steak with Crispy Potatoes and Pistachio Pesto Serves 4 1-1/2 pounds red new potatoes (about 18), sliced 1/4-inch thick 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and black pepper 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios 1 small garlic clove 2 strip or sirloin steaks (1 inch thick; about 1-1/2 pounds total) 1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 pound) Heat oven to 425 F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the parsley, pistachios, garlic, 1/4 cup of the remaining oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper until finely chopped. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steaks with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook to the desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Wipe out the skillet. Add the broccoli rabe and 1/2 cup water and simmer, covered, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the steak, potatoes and pesto. Tip: The pistachio pesto in this dish makes an excellent accompaniment to lamb, chicken, shrimp or fish. Or serve it on toasted country bread for an easy appetizer.
Sports PAGE 22 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER On August 17, the Westchester Female Flag Football League’s season came to an end. In the championship game, She Unit of Yorktown matched up with Looking to Score comprised of members from Somers and Yorktown. A hard-fought game at Somers High School, the difference maker may have graduated from high school a while ago, but calling the player a step ahead of the competition does not do justice. The Somers varsity coach had all the moves of the youths she mentors and proved too much for the She Unit team. Tuskers soccer coach Kelci Hegg got Looking to Score on the board with a pick-6 and threw two touchdown passes for a 20-6 victory. “We feel super blessed to have the success we’ve had,” said Hegg after cashing in the team’s third straight championship. Nonetheless, the first half proved a defensive struggle. Quarterback Cat Rhatigan drove her team past midfield with a couple of keepers for a first down, and Hegg scampered the sideline to put Looking to Score ten yards away. But on fourth down, Maggie Braig broke up the pass in the end zone, and She Unit took over. Now, it was Looking to Score’s turn to bend. Christine Koenitzer completed a fourth down pass to Alana DiSanzo to keep the drive alive past midfield and then hit Bianca Raniolo at the 15. Two incompletions keeping the score status quo didn’t deter She Unit team captain Morgan Donohue, though. On first down for Looking to Score, Donohue stepped into the passing lanes and gave her team the ball right back with an interception. Unfortunately, her Units answered with a four and out, and Looking to Score had just that in mind on the possession change. Even more so when Hegg added QB to her offensive duties. Her fourth down completion to Andi Geraghty gained a first down past midfield and then she lined up wide right with Rhatigan back in the cockpit. With a step on the right, the ball was just high on third down, but only ten yards away, a TD was still in reach. Donohue’s lengthy stretch said otherwise, and on fourth down, the defender came down with her second pick. Going two ways, Donohue caught Koenitzer’s pass over the middle on second down, cut back and didn’t have her flag pulled until reaching the five. Definitely knocking, two incompletions still had She Unit waiting on third down. So Koenitzer fixed her glare on Donohue again. The ball went to the goal line, and Hegg got there at the same time as the receiver. “I read the quarterback’s eyes, stepped in front, made the catch and ran like hell,” said Hegg of the interception that yielded a 6-0 halftime lead. Undeterred, She Unit went right to work in the second. Koenitzer hit DiSanzo to get up the field on second down, and Raniolo got the first down on the option after Koenitzer eluded the blitz. 30 yards away, Donohue caught another pass over the middle and DiSanzo put She Unit on the 15 when she took the fake reverse from Koenitzer. A third down incompletion kept the drive in doubt. But Koenitzer waited out the defense until Raniolo came open on the right side of the end zone. A 6-6 game, Hegg was now ready to dance. On two quarterback keepers, she cut and juked the She Unit defense and gave her team a first down at the 30. “Her agility is outstanding,” said coach Kelsey Sickles. “Her college soccer playing skills really shine bright.” Of course, Hegg has more than footwork to her game. She stood in the pocket, and surveying the receivers, the coach found Geraghty cutting across the end zone for a 13-6 lead. Hegg ran in the conversion for an eightpoint lead, and she wasn’t done yet. On defense, the two-way player broke up a first down pass and on the next play stepped up for the interception. Ten minutes left in the game, Looking to Score was looking to close, and on second down, Hegg made the pass of the game. With the seven-count running down, the QB threaded a pass into traffic and Anna O’Connor had the first down. A little juggle on the reception, O’Connor praised her QB’s mettle. “Kelci is so patient. She lets the receiver make that initial cut, which allows us to center back. Then we connect with her eyes and make the catch,” said the receiver. Almost there, Hegg connected with Geraghty to the 15 and put on the finishing touch with another two step. Delaying on the snap, she made her move right, switched directions on the dime and went into the end zone to seal the 20-6 victory. Even so, the score does not reflect the difficulty for this game or any other, according to Hegg. “It’s so hard to win these games. There are so many talented women,” said the standout. But winning wasn’t all that mattered. “We’ve become so close on and off the field,” Hegg assured. As for the other side, the disappointment was dissipated by the same notion. “My team is comprised of all my best friends,” said Donohue. There were no hard feelings in defeat either. “They are fun to play against because they are so competitive and we love them at the same time,” said the Yorktown Math Teacher. She’s not leaving Looking to Score off the hook, though. “We’re coming from them next year,” concluded Donohue. Looking to Score brings home the crown Kelci Hegg leads squad to 20-6 victory Anna O’Connor Jena Hinspeter PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI Steph Burke and Morgan Donohue match up at midfield. 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THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 23 Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company Call to get your FREE Information Kit 1-855-225-1434 Dental50Plus.com/nypress Product not available in all states. Includes the Participating (in GA: Designated) Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider. 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, NY; 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). 6208-0721 DENTAL Insurance © 2023 Consumer Cellular Inc. Terms and Conditions subject to change. New service activation on approved credit. Cellular service is not available in all areas and is subject to system limitations. Savings calculation is based on a comparison of Consumer Cellular’s average customer invoice to the average cost of single-line entry-level plans o ered by the major U.S. wireless carriers as of May 2022. CALL CONSUMER CELLULAR 844-919-1682 Switch & Save Up to $250/Year On Your Talk, Text and Data Plan! NOTHING YOU NEED. YOU DON’T. EVERYTHING EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER! Promo Code: 285 FINANCING THAT FITS YOUR BUDGET!1 1 Subject to credit approval. Call for details. FREE GUTTER ALIGNMENT + FREE GUTTER CLEANING* SENIORS & YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY! PURCHASE* 20 + % % OFF 10 OFF *For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. **Offer valid at time of estimate only. 2The leading consumer reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” Manufactured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMT Mercer Group in Ohio. See Representative for full warranty details. Registration# 0366920922 CSLB# 1035795 Registration# HIC.0649905 License# CBC056678 License# RCE-51604 Registration# C127230 License# 559544 Suffolk HIC License# 52229-H License# 2102212986 License# 262000022 License# 262000403 License# 2106212946 License# MHIC111225 Registration# 176447 License# 423330 Registration# IR731804 License# 50145 License# 408693 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration# H-19114 License# 218294 Registration# PA069383 License# 41354 License# 7656 DOPL #10783658-5501 License# 423330 License# 2705169445 License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 CALL US TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE BACKED BY A YEAR-ROUND CLOG-FREE GUARANTEE 1-855-478-9473 Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST 855.281.6439 I Free Quotes UP TO Could your kitchen use a little magic? ON YOUR FULL KITCHEN REMODEL* SAVE 10% *Discount applies to purchase of new cabinets or cabinet refacing with a countertop. Does not apply to countertop only projects. May not combine with other offers or prior purchases. Exp.3/31/23. NP-263. NY: Nassau: H1759490000 Suffolk: 16183-H NY/Rockland: 5642 Visit Our Display Center: 747 Pierce Road, Clifton Park, NY, 12065 • Sales • Rentals • Service • Buybacks New and Reconditioned Lifts Stay in the home you Love! ELEVATORS • STAIR LIFTS • WHEELCHAIR LIFTS • RAMPS Locally Owned & Operated Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. C ONN E C T S FREE INTERNET Qualify today for the Government Free Internet Program CALL TODAY (877) 651-1637 YOU QUALIFY for Free Internet if you receive Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefi ts, Lifeline and Tribal. Bonus offer: 4G Android Tablet with one time co-pay of $20 ACP program details can be found at www.fcc.gov/affordable-connectivity-program-consumer-faq BOGO 40% OFF OFFER ENDS 10/31 888-448-0421 Sullivan County Property ONLINE AUCTION FREE Brochure, visit web site or call NYSAuctions.com ABSOLUTE AUCTIONS & REALTY, Inc. | (800) 243-0061 Homes, Vacant Land, Seasonal & Commercial Property Tax Foreclosures, 2 Day Auction: Wednesday, September 6 & Thursday, September 7 @ 9:30AM
PAGE 24 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS When the weather gets warm, the basketball courts at Reis Park definitely get a good workout! Late afternoon arrives and the courts fill up for pickup basketball, and the intensity doesn’t let up when the sun goes down. The lights go on, and anywhere from 10 to 15 games begin. The winner then stays on and the guys in the bleachers shoot for the next starting five. There is also an informal Facebook page that can be found at Reis Park Summer Basketball and sometimes a post sends out the call. Mostly, players just show up, ready to throw down! PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI Scholastic sports can teach studentathletes valuable lessons they take with them for a lifetime, all the while engaging them in the thrill of competition. High school student-athletes may aspire to continue their playing careers in college, but data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association indicates only a small fraction of young people will get that chance. The NCAA reports that roughly eight million students currently participate in high school sports in the United States, while less than half a million athletes compete at the collegiate level. Football is among the most popular sports at both the high school and college level. Though more than one million student-athletes compete in high school football, data from the NCAA 2018-19 Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Report indicates that just a little more than 73,000 played college football during that school year. Did you know? FC Somers Arsenal had a strong season, with a dominant victory at the 2023 US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships in Loudoun County, Va. earning the elite squad a place in the national championships. And while the team ultimately went 1-1-1 in that competition, Arsenal had a lot to be proud of in 2023. The squad won all six of its games to take the Boys Under-19 Regional title, outscoring its opponents by an emphatic 20 - 2 along the way. In the Regional final on June 29, FC Somers Arsenal defeated another Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) team, the South Shore Bulldogs, 3-0, reversing their 3-0 loss to the same Bulldogs on June 4 in the N.Y. State Cup final in LaGrange. “We have forged an amazing rivalry with South Shore and have been battling those guys for championships since Under-13. We have the most respect for their coaches and all their players,” Somers coach Mark Hopper said. “The key to the game was scoring the first goal. That allowed us to play more on the counterattack which is one of our biggest strengths. When the Bulldogs score first, they are a very difficult team to break down. Plus we had superb team and player performances across the board.” Coach Milan Davidovic added, “Team spirit is our greatest attribute as it’s always been so special with this group. I have never seen a team so close and willing to continue to put the team first. In addition, they are really superb players who have had great success and experiences in their youth careers.” Article courtesy of Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association and has been updated. 19U team took title in dominant style Back Row, from left to right: Philip Hovers, Brady Leitner, Noe Messer, Andre Insalaco, Christian “Grillo” Torres, Dwyant Sauzo, Abdallah Soulemana, Paolo Mangiafico, MO Maroc, Coach Milan Davidovic Bottom Row, from left to right: Tayte Wong, George Popovic, Nico Mangiafico, Daniel D’ippolito, Eduardo Godinez, Coach Mark Hopper, Aedan Hopper, Gerrardo Guerra Camera shy: Bennett Leitner, Michael Micceri, Jacques Verard, Peter Tinaj PHOTO COURTESY OF ENY PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCCER Picking up at Reis Park! THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 FC Somers Arsenal win Eastern Regionals
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 25 Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board DSL Construction The Home Team! Floors • Decks • Kitchens • Bathrooms Workman's Comp, Liability • No Job Too Small! FREE Consultation and Design Fully Insured to Meet Your Needs Complete Remodeling of Your Home OFFICE: 845-276-8608 LOU: 845-494-9857 Proudly Serving Heritage Hills Community VIKING LYNX MONOGRAM SUBZERO SCOTSMAN BERTAZZONI BOSCH BEST DCS GE MARVEL MIELE MAYTAG ELECTROLUX WHIPSPERKOOL FRIDGIDAIRE Trusted Repair That Will Stand the Test of Time Grills | Washers | Dryers | Refrigerators | Ovens | Ranges | Wine Coolers Serving Westchester County PH: 914.864.1252 6 Mark Mead Road • Cross River, NY 10518 Email: [email protected] www.appliancegenie.com AUTHORIZED SERVICE FOR VIKING, LYNX, FRIGIDAIRE Service: 914-669-9679 Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 Fax: 914-669-9685 6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 meccanicshop.com BUYING ONLY 845-628-0362 WE WILL COME TO YOU! 52 YEARS! WE BUY: GOLD • STERLING SILVER • JEWELRY • COINS • PAINTINGS • BRONZES • CLOCKS • COLLECTIBLES • ANTIQUES • ETC. Items for sale? Call us! DSL Construction Inc. Windows, Doors, and Painting Full Service Window and Door Installations Call for Free Quote and Measure We deal with all the major window, door, and paint brand manufacturers Office: 845-276-8608 • Lou: 845-494-9857 Fully Licensed to meet your needs! Workman's Comp, Liability • No Job Too Small! Established 1979 Hunter Douglas Showcase Priority Dealer WESTCHESTER 914-277-4229 • PUTNAM 845-278-2575 AS FEATURED ON FREE ESTIMATES AND FREE INSTALLATION DISCOUNTED BLINDS & SHADES VERTICAL-MINI BLINDS-SILHOUETTE SHUTTERS-WOOD BLINDS-VIGNETTE LUMINETTES-ROMAN BLINDS-VALANCES Shades Above the Rest for Home & Office SAVE AN ADDITIONAL $25 PER BLIND! www.westrockwindowdesigns.com Somers Resident COUPON Honest and Reliable, 30+ years experience. Local Collector/Seller (Westchester/Putnam) Call or text: 917-699-2496 • email: [email protected] Hope to hear from you! Thanks! BUYING COMIC BOOK COLLECTIONS! TOP PRICES PAID! 59 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE 719 Rte. 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 email: [email protected] 845.628.3924 • beeandjay.com For All Your Plumbing, Heating, Hot Water Heater & Gas Needs AFFORDABLE Dumpster Rentals! CIRONE CARTING 845-533-5262 * Maintenance * Planting * Pruning * * Shrubs * Plants * Lawn Maintenance * Soil Test * * Landscape Architectural Planning * Horticulturist * (914) 248-7768 One Marina Drive, Lake Mahopac NY 845-628-2333 www.macdonaldmarineny.net SALES • SERVICE • STORAGE
PAGE 26 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023 express their inspiration for participating. Team members can live close to one another or far away. Those who can’t all be in one place can make plans to walk at the same time in different locations. It’s a great opportunity to connect with loved ones to work for a common cause. Team Spirit Awards will be presented as part of this campaign. Awards will go to the top 3 teams for the amount raised; the top 3 teams for the number of donors; the most creative team sign or banner. To learn more about the Support-A-Walk, or to make a donation, call 914-962-6402 or visit www.supportconnection.org/ support-a-walk Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry Fundraiser The Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, a weekly choice pantry with a 32 year history, will hold a fundraiser on Sunday, October 15, from 1 - 4 p.m. at the Captain Lawrence Barrel House in Mount Kisco. Come enjoy suds, sliders and songs while supporting the incredible work of this predominantly volunteer run community mainstay. This past year saw a staggering increase in the number of guests - over 92,000 ‘person visits’, 28% of which were children and 12% seniors. This is up 40% since last year. Food for over 1.2 million meals was provided, purchased at inflationary prices. There is no expectation of the need decreasing or prices of food falling. Individual tickets and sponsorships are available. Please visit www.mountkiscopantry.org or email outreach@mountkiscofood pantry.org for more information. Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival 10TH ANNIVERSARY Saturday, September 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Taking place at the Chappaqua Train Station in Chappaqua. This year’s Festival will be the largest one yet, with 180 authors in attendance and celebrity authors Mary Pope Osborne and Alan Gratz leading the charge. Organizers look forward to introducing the community to new writers joining this year, like Alex Gino, and reconnecting with returning authors like Bryan Collier. Admission and parking are free, and the event will be held rain or shine (http://www. ccbfestival.org/). CCBF is proud to announce that it is a recipient of the WestchesterArts 2023 Arts Alive grant, given to support community-based arts and cultural projects developed by cultural groups and organizations. Somers BSA Troop 376 WEEKLY MEETING Most Tuesdays, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Somers Middle School Cafeteria. Embark on a journey that your son will remember and benefit from for a lifetime! There is no youth program quite like Scouts BSA, which offers leadership development, teaches citizenship and responsibility, embeds useful outdoor survival skills, can spark career interests, and boasts exciting activities that few outside of Scouting have the opportunity to experience. Celebrating 30 years in Somers, Troop 376 is sponsored by the Somers Lions Club and proudly offers a well-balanced “AdultGuided, Youth-Led” program that includes activities for all skill levels and interests. As a slightly smaller Troop, Scouts enjoy ample opportunities for direct involvement and leadership, as well as a significant voice in suggesting future troop activities. Camping trips, day hikes, family-friendly activities like bowling nights and ropes courses, community service projects, annual “high adventure” excursions, and visits to historic destinations like Gettysburg are just some of the activities you can look forward to with Troop 376. To learn more, email SomersTroop376@ gmail.com and visit www.Somers Troop376.org. Somers BSA Troop 228 WEEKLY MEETING Mondays, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the Amawalk Firehouse Give your son the tools to develop his confidence, leadership skills, and interest in community service while experiencing the outdoor adventures of Scouting. Discover the natural wonders of New York State, whether canoeing in the Adirondacks, hiking the Appalachian trail, or camping at one of our State Parks. Excursions for all ages and levels of experience. Scouts explore their personal interests through over 135 merit badges. Troop 228 is sponsored by the Somers Volunteer Fire Department. We are proud citizens and actively give back to Somers through community service and environmental conservation projects. To find out more, email us at somerstroop228@gmail. com or visit our website at Troop 228somers.com. TRUNK FROM PAGE 8 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK AJSRJ LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/11/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 60 Elm St., Yonkers, NY 10701. General Purpose Royalty Day Care LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 7/27/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 167 King Ave., Yonkers, NY 10704. General Purpose Gillespie Consulting Group LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/3/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Thomas W Gillespie, 2 Coolidge Ave., Yonkers, NY 10701-5906. General Purpose Kokum Kitchens LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/2/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Arun Menezes, 2 Eastchester Rd., New Rochelle, NY 10801. General Purpose K&D Peekskill Realty LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 7/13/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 1457 Main St., Peekskill, NY 10566. 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