North Salem News 02.08.2024

BALANCED ROCK 2 LEISURE 17 OBITUARIES 6 OPINION 8 SPORTS 14 Tigers Celebrate Seniors pg 14 BASKETBALL Vol. 9 No. 44 Visit News.HalstonMedia.com for the latest news. February 8 - February 28, 2024 A local farm dodged disaster last week thanks to the quick arrival by first responders. In the early hours of Tuesday, Jan. 30, members of the Croton Falls Fire Department raced to the scene of a reported barn fire on Vail Lane. On arrival just after 6 a.m., responders found a structure fire originating from a conex box housing a small commercial farming operation. Members of the department were able to quickly extinguish the blaze before it could spread to a pair of wooden barns nearby. Members of the North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps were also standing by at the scene.  After an investigation by the Westchester County Cause and Origin Team, it was determined that the fire was caused be an electrical issue. CROTON FALLS FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE FARM BLAZE The fire at a farm on Vail Lane on Jan. 30. PHOTO COURTESY OF CROTON FALLS FIRE DEPARTMENT BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Does grading homework help or hamper the overall learning process? Extensive scholarly research has found that the latter’s the correct answer, North Salem educators were informed during a recent discussion of the topic. Offered for the Board of Education’s consideration at its first meeting of 2024 was a proposed policy that would have, if approved, banned the practice. Teachers would still be required to assign, collect, and keep completion records for, homework, but they would not be allowed to grade it in the traditional way. Instead, they would give each student individualized feedback. After making his presentation on Jan. 3, the district’s director of instruction and human resources, Dr. Julio Vazquez, and schools Superintendent Dr. Duncan Wilson fielded numerous questions from board members. No vote on the proposed revisions to Homework Policy 4730 was taken that night. The Policy Committee ultimately decided to shelve the discussion and revisions, its chair, Brandy Keenan, confirmed Thursday, Feb. 1. “This means that the policy is no longer in its third reading. When, and if, it is reintroduced, it will begin an entirely new process,” the school board vice president explained in an official statement sent to The North Salem News. It read: “The board believes that this is the most prudent decision because the planning and implementation of policy changes to grading and homework practices should include more time to ensure an opportunity to gather feedback from the community Making the grade? Board of Ed shelves homework policy discussion SEE HOMEWORK PAGE 18 WE DELIVER! 1041 Rt 22 Danbury Rd, Brewster NY 10509 • pizzaandpasta22.com • 845-582-0791 Order for the Big Game! Pizzas - Appetizers- Entrees Fresh Salads Wraps-Pastas-Calzones Stromboli - Stuffed Rolls Wings $55 1/2 Tray $110 Full Tray LET US CATER YOUR NEXT EVENT! OPEN 7 DAYS 10 AM TO 10 PM SUPER BOWL SUNDAY ONLY: BUY 2 PLAIN PIZZAS GET ONE FREE

Page 2 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News USPS #22110 Published Weekly by Halston Media, LLC at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2024 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC The Staff EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky (845) 661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director/Photographer [email protected] DESIGNERS Noah Elder Bri Agosta Haven Elder Jacob Elder EXECUTIVE TEAM Brett Freeman CEO & Publisher 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines North Salem News Deadline The deadline for advertisements and editorial submissions for North Salem News is the Thursday before the next publication date. For more information, call Tom Walogorsky at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected] Online Follow Us Periodicals Postage Paid at Somers, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to North Salem News at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ItalIan ContInental CuIsIne Take-out Available • Full Bar with Menu • Private Party Rooms Available up to 70 People Gluten Free Menu Items Available • Reservations Recommended 252 Route 100, Somers 10589 • 914.232.8080 • www.mammarosaristorante.com Open Tuesday-Sunday for Lunch and Dinner Make Your Reservation for a Memorable Valentine’s Day Serving Special Menu Mamma Rosa Gift Certificates are the Perfect Present Year-Round! 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! $25 OFF Service Calls When You Present This Ad. New Customers Only. Keep the lights on. • GENERATORS • Outdoor Lighting • Smart Home Setup • Electric Car Chargers AND ALL OF YOUR ELECTRIC NEEDS! Ruth Keeler Memorial Library The library is open for browsing, computer use and reading! Please visit www.ruth keelermemoriallibrary.org for more information. Most programs are in person or on ZOOM. Send an email if you want to participate to keeler [email protected]. When you email, a link will be sent to click on, including a password to enter. Fun with Puppets Thursdays, Feb. 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Bring your little ones to the library for fun-filled story time and a puppet show! Our toddler storytime will engage the imaginations of our youngest library visitors. With a mix of classic children’s stories and new favorites, these story time sessions promise an adventure in learning and fun. Music of the Civil Rights Movement with Carla & Keyes Monday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. Join in for a musical journey through the American Civil Rights Movement, featuring iconic songs from that era. This event is free and open to all ages, with no registration required. Author Talk Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. “Benjamin Banneker and Us, Eleven Generations of An American Family,” by Rachel Jamison Webster. Books are available at the library. Toddler Storytime Wednesdays, Feb. 14, 21, and 28, from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Join in for fun and interactive toddler story time! This program is designed for children birth - 5 and their caregivers to enjoy stories, songs, and activities together. Ms. Elizabeth will read engaging stories and lead interactive activities to help build early literacy skills and encourage a love of reading. The library will also provide a safe and welcoming space for children to socialize and make new friends. North Salem Recreation Department 914-669-5665, recreation@ northsalemny.org Winter Programming All programming will be held at the North Salem Community Center at 3 Owens Road in Croton Falls, unless otherwise noted. Register online at www.north salemny.org/recreation PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS Sensory Play Exploration With Sensory on Wheels for children to experiment, explore and enjoy different stations, including dry, mess and  dough. Improve fine motor skills, coordination, socio-emotional and sensory development. Caregivers will learn sensory strategies. Ages 18 months to 6 years, Mondays 10-10:45 a.m., $100/4 weeks. YOUTH PROGRAMS Learn to Skate at Brewster Ice Arena A program for children of varying levels of experience. Fee includes public skate before lesson. Skate Rental not included. Ages 4 to 12 years old, Fridays 5:30 - 6 p.m. OR Sundays 11:30- 12 p.m. Session 4 starts 3/1. $185/7 weeks. Babysitter’s Training Course Learn vital skills with Denise Schirmer for the safe and responsible care of children and earn a certification of completion. Ages 11+ years, Saturday, Mar.  2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. $20 fee. Afternoons @ The Community Center Join in for an afternoon of fun with the Rec Crew! Grades K-5. Craft Corner: Mondays 4 to 5 p.m., $120/6 Weeks. Bizzy Kids Entrepreneur Workshop Buddy entrepreneurs get to create a business doing something they love.  From product development to logo and signage, SEE ROCK PAGE 5 BALANCED ROCK

February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News – Page 3 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER The North Salem Open Land Foundation recently announced that it had received a “generous conservation easement” of six acres at Artemis Farm on Wallace Road from Carol and Jesse Goldberg. The donation means that the land will be forever protected. It remains private property, meaning that it’s not open to the public. According to the NSOLF, a conservation easement is “a recorded deed restriction” that runs with the land forever and restricts some, or all, development. Grantors continue to own and control their properties. They can live on it, mortgage it, sell it, and pass it along to heirs, the foundation says. As a “charitable donation,” it’s also tax deductible. Easements can be tailored to the property owner’s wishes and the NSOLF’s requirements. For instance, they may ban the construction of a new residence, but allow grantors to “graze horses, mow fields, harvest hay, build a barn, or undertake a variety of other agricultural or equestrian uses.” It’s also the property owner’s decision whether to allow the public access to his or her land. However, in order to meet federal tax code requirement and to qualify as a charitable donation, a conservation easement “must provide a public benefit by permanently protecting important conservation values,” the NSOLF says. How does my garden grow? A NSOLF trustee, Carol Goldberg was president of group’s board of directors for 15 years. The Goldbergs moved into their circa 1890 farmhouse in 1972. Back then, its 10- plus acres were basically unadorned. Carol is a real estate agent specializing in horse farms and luxury properties and her husband is an antiques dealer specializing in American Federal furniture and accessories. They named their farm after Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt. At the beginning, Carol was more interested in keeping her fox-hunt horses than in planting flowers. But then garden guru Page Dickey, who happened to be a friend and neighbor, popped by. After Dickey casually remarked that one of the Goldbergs’ stone walls might make a nice backdrop for a garden, Carol dug up a few daylilies from the roadside and transplanted them there. Then she got bitten by the gardening bug. Within a few years, Artemis Farm was abloom with roses, iris, echinacea, and phlox among dozens of other flowers and plants. Eventually, she took down an unused barn and built a formal garden with eight beds surrounded by a boxwood hedge. After the hedge died, it was replaced with a walking path. The border garden frames a sweeping view of the back pasture. There’s a “secret” garden, a vegetable patch, and a pergolacovered outdoor dining room. When an ash tree succumbed to old age, the Goldbergs gave it new life as a garden bench. Even horse troughs were recruited for growing things. Ancient maples still stand guard and shade-loving plants such as hostas, heucheras, and hellebores grace various spots around the property. Artemis Farm’s been featured in numerous magazines and had been on the National Garden Conservancy’s annual tour for many years. As she’s gotten older, Carol’s decided to let the garden “have free rein.” As far as the land the Goldbergs granted as an easement goes, it’s beautiful and biodiverse. “There’s bobcats, foxes, lots of wildlife,” she says proudly. It’s not an accident or a coincidence that North Salem has retained its rural beauty over the years despite the amount of development that’s going on in other parts of northern Westchester. That’s due to the efforts of the NSOLF and all the generous folks who donate their lands, purchase land for preservation purposes, or grant conservation easements. Carol was among those who sprung into action when property off Keeler Lane came up for sale. Thanks to the generous donations of neighbors and NSOLF members, 38 acres were purchased and set aside for the creation of the Hayfield on Keeler preserve. She recalls teaming up with former town supervisor Lois Lippman to almost literally “beat the bushes to raise money for the land.” Another example? Golden’s Bridge Hounds, a fox-hunting organization, galloped in to “save the day “when a condo development was proposed for a parcel off Baxter Road, Carol says. Acting as The Baxter Group, it bought the land in 1979. The property’s now the 114-acre Baxter Preserve, aka The Racetrack – so called because of the point-to-point horse races that were held there in the 1950s. Enjoyed by hikers, dog walkers, horse-back riders, and the occasional fisherman, it’s part of the NSOLF’s stable of 26 preserves. Another 37 acres on the south side of the road were also preserved. The NSOLF also has a baker’s dozen of conservation easements. Carol and Lois continued to hit the phones and to turn up at Town Board meetings whenever “bad developments” reared their ugly heads. In Carol’s estimation, it’s not enough to sit around bemoaning attacks on the environment, you have to be willing to pull on your big girl muck boots, go to Town Board meetings, and “stomp your feet.” In other words, be PROACTIVE. Her dearest wish is that the NSOLF’s enthusiasm for land preservation is contagious, especially among newcomers. “I tell people: “If you move here, you’re going to help’,” she promises with a laugh. Good to know For more information about conservation easements, visit www.nsolf.org and click on the “Preserve Your Land” button. North Salem OLF receives conservation easement The easement of six acres at Artemis Farm on Wallace Road. PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROL GOLDBERG BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER The Ruth Keeler Memorial Library in North Salem is planning several programs this February in honor of Black History Month. The first was held on Saturday, Feb. 3, featuring Carla Lynne Hall and Jim Keyes. The married couple, performing as Carla & Keyes, took audience members on a lively and educational trip through the history of the African American influence on musical genres. Their interactive performance encompasses everything from work songs and spirituals, blues, ragtime, jazz, R&B, rap, and hip hop. The Yorktown residents will return to the library at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12, with a concert inspired by the late Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” and other music associated with the civil rights movement. The iconic song’s lyrics explored themes of racism, poverty, and the Vietnam War. The library is also hosting a month-long “collaborative community art” project that will create a 20-foot-long mural featuring history-making Black Americans. Starting on Thursday, Feb. 1, folks can pop into the library to collect pre-printed paper banners or sheets to which they can add their own artistic touches. Once fully assembled, the mural will be prominently displayed at the library in honor of Black History Month. Assistant Library Director Jennifer Gileno said that the project has the potential to be “so impactful” because each separate depiction will be differently interpreted. Seen as a whole, the mural will “connect us and show that we are all the same when we come together,” she said. Good to know For more information, call 914-669-5161 or email info@ keelerlibrary.org. RKML is located at 276 Titicus Road in North Salem. Ruth Keeler Library honors Black History Month 914-277-4424 • 440 Rt 22 North Salem, NY • www.theblazerpub.com CELEBRATING 531 YEARS! From Our Kitchen with Love PRE-ORDERS BEING TAKEN FOR THE BIG GAME. Reservations for inside & outside dining are strongly encouraged.

Page 4 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 CALL FOR A TOUR (914) 248-4020 Amanda Casabona-Cohen aka “Mrs CC”, Director 25 Lincoln Ave | Lincolndale, NY 10540 info@li‡lepeoplesomers.com li‡lepeoplesomers.com Accepting new student registration for the 2024/2025 school year. • Traditional preschool with morning classes for 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s. • Evolved play-based curriculum which builds a lifelong love of learning. • Spacious and light classrooms and outdoor play space. • teachers. • Serving the local community for over 25 years. BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER North Salem school officials are aiming to provide a more diverse group of students with fundamental skills in computer science. According to Dr. Julio Vazquez, director of instruction and human resources, the proposed new course, “Discovering Computer Science,” could be offered to ninthand 10th-graders as an elective starting this fall and then worked into their regular schedules the following school year. He’s been working out the details with the middle/high school’s leadership team, Principal Vincent DiGrandi and Vice Principal Katheen Murphy, and members of the math department. “This would be a great way for us to be assured that all students have these foundational skills in computer science,” Vazguez told the Board of Education at its Jan. 17 meeting. At present, students from kindergarten through 12th grade are taught age-appropriate methods of so-called “computational thinking.” That’s defined as the process of identifying and solving problems by breaking them down into simple steps. Educators agree that it’s a critical tool regardless of what degree or career an individual might pursue. What’s missing in North Salem’s curriculum, however, are “specific experiences” with computer science, Vazquez explained, adding that the only way at present high schoolers can further those skills is by enrolling in Advanced Placement (AP), or college-level courses, such as “CompSci Principles,” and/or “Introduction to Computer Science with Multimedia and Python.” The latter was launched in the 2022- 2023 school year. “Python” is a programming language used in coding and data science. It can be applied to a number of areas, including artificial intelligence, software development, and graphic design. The school district is partnering with Siena College and students who take the introductory course are given a chance to earn three college credits. The proposed course, “Discovering Computer Science,” could demystify things for those students reticent about taking a more high-stakes AP class, Vazquez explained. It will also satisfy all the state’s computer science and digital fluency standards, he added. Reading from a statement, Vazquez noted that because “computing is a key part of many academic fields,” it’s in the “best interests” of school districts to offer computer science “to a larger and more diverse set of high school students.” He predicted the impact will be to strengthen student interest in computer science, broaden the student body exposed to computer science, and add to foundational skills students already have. “Learning aspects of computer science will also help fulfill the district’s mission of engaging students in critical and creative thinking,” Vazquez added. Trustees Fran Havard and Carolyn Aversano both wondered if the new course would replace any of the foundational courses. Vazquez said it would not, adding that “flexibility” is baked in because the new course would only be offered – once it’s a required course in 2025-2026 – for one semester in the ninth grade and one semester in the 10th grade. Trustee Paul Giamundo brought up the subject of money. “The only cost to it is a professional development course for our teachers, over the summer, and that’s already built into the budget,” Vazquez said, emphasizing that “there’s no additional ask.” Aversano called the proposed course “an exciting opportunity to create kind of a pipeline for students who have an interest in technology and computer science” but might have a “hard time going to college and financing that.” Vazquez agreed, saying: “It’s a way to provide an equitable experience for students who would traditionally shy away from taking an AP class. It certainly would give them a good introduction (to computer science).” On a related note, the district is surveying students, teachers, and parents to suss out how well each stakeholder group understands North Salem’s “graduate profile,” which is basically a visual representation of essential skills – including computational thinking -- and “habits of mind” that define learning experiences at a particular school. Once the district gathers up those impressions, it will analyze the data and prepare for next steps with the help of a focus group. STARK RESIGNS; BRIGANTI’S BACK The Board of Education also accepted the resignation of Assistant Superintendent for Business Administration Eric District proposes new computer science course Assistant Superintendent for Business Administration resigns SEE COMPUTERPAGE 18

February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News – Page 5 CHASE AWAY THE CHILL with WINTER REBATES from BELL! SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO! ENJOY 0 DOWN, 0% FINANCING! ACT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE! LIMITED TIME OFFER 845-600-8004 | www.bellmech.com Heat pumps are a cleaner & healthier alternative to traditional heating & cooling systems. This all in one system will eliminate your need for fossil fuel and help you save thousands. Learn more about rebates & financing options! EXCLUDES SERVICE CONTRACT • EXP 2/29/24 Coupon must be presented at time of service. Cannot be combined with any other offer. $50 OFF ANY OF OUR SERVICES SAVE THOUSANDS in Federal, State and Local Incentives on your new HEATPUMP PROJECT CALL US TODAY! each student learns the skills to market, sell and analyze cost/ profit margins. Pop-up store during the last session helps students learn to engage with customers, sell their products and keep their earnings. For boys & girls ages 8 – 12. School Break Mini-Camp: Feb. 20 - 23, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. $295/4 days. ADULT PROGRAMS Core & Sculpt Power your potential with Doris Ornstein! Build lean muscle, strengthen your core, and boost your metabolism in this fantastic targeted weight training class for adults. Thursdays, 5:45 - 6:45 p.m. Session 2 starts 3/7. $80/4 weeks Zumba A full body workout with Jane Tulley that combines elements of cardio, muscle conditioning, balance, coordination and flexibility. Mondays, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., $105/8 weeks. Mindful Meditation A guided meditation program with Colleen Casale accompanied by gentle stretching in chairs or on a mat and can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood and  promote overall well-being. Suitable for all fitness levels. Tuesdays, 11 to 11:45 a.m. Free for Residents. Men’s Basketball Join others from the North Salem community for weekly indoor pickup basketball games. The listed ages for each group are just a suggestion, feel free to join the group you feel is most appropriate for you. Fee: $20 for season. Over 40: Mondays, 7:30 - 9 p.m., in the PQ Elementary Gym. Under 40: TBD, call for more information. SENIOR PROGRAMS Fitness Hour This is a fun, low-impact workout with Doris Ornstein, designed for older adults, to increase strength, mobility & help prevent injury. Suitable for all fitness levels, using chairs and walls for stability & accessibility. Thursdays, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Session 2 starts 3/7. 4 weeks sessions. Free for residents. Craft Corner for Adults & Seniors Work on your own projects or be inspired to craft something new with our materials, use your own creativity or suggestions. Mondays, 1:30 - 3 p.m. Free for residents. Osteoporosis Safe Strength Training This light and easy strength and flexibility class with Cheryl Aiello will help participants to gain, maintain or build body strength and confidence. Suitable for all fitness levels. Mondays, 5:45 – 6:20 p.m. 8 week session. Free for residents. Fun & Games Friday Join us for a few hours of fun and games in our newly renovated lounge! Relax on our new couches, catch up with friends, play Mahjong, checkers, chess, Scrabble, puzzles, and more! Fridays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free for residents. Call or email to reserve a spot. Senior Soup for the Soul This fun, interactive cooking workshop with Chef Debra Rizzo focuses on basic cooking skills, shortcuts, and secrets that will simplify your life. Use common food ingredients and prepared staples, create hearty, delicious soups that will fill stomachs and warm souls. Wednesday, from 1 to 2 p.m. $20 per person. Tech Academy for Seniors 90-minute instructional classes with Susan Moyer include 60 minutes of instruction and 30 minutes for questions. Attend one or attend them all! $5 per class (iPhone Tips & Tricks is 2 parts: $10) Apple Watch: Feb. 8, 2 - 3:30 p.m. EVENTS Moon Circle Workshop Music, movement, guided meditation, and a moon related craft.  Explore astrological aspects, focus positive attentions, craft personal affirmations and leave feeling refreshed and recharged. For teens, adults, and seniors. Free for residents. March Full Moon: Monday, Mar. 25, 6 to 7:30 p.m. CoveCare Center Virtual Trivia Night Thursday, Mar. 7, at 6:30 p.m. Get your friends together and host a Trivia Party! Join in for a fun night of virtual trivia and laughs to support the programs A number of North Salem students have been recognized for their academic achievements during the fall semester at colleges across the country! Dean’s List Siena College Adrianna Spagnuolo SUNY Cortland Livia DeRose University of Delaware Sofia Dileo Anna Novakaj Goldie Selig Kai Weinstein University of Rhode Island Mark Head Christian Norberto President’s List Siena College Brianna Spagnuolo Do you have a scholar you would like to recognize in an upcoming issue? Let us know at [email protected]. Celebrating our scholars! ROCK FROM PAGE 2 SEE ROCK PAGE 21

Page 6 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 David Donald Groff On June 18, 2023, Father’s Day, David Donald Groff, of Brewster, passed following a 3-month battle with metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma. He had just celebrated his 56th birthday in May. Dave was born on May 27, 1967, and raised in East Rochester, NY. He put himself through community college and graduated SUNY Buffalo in 1990 with a degree in Economics and Political Science. Upon graduation Dave moved down to NYC and found his first job at Putnam-Tarcher/Penguin, eventually becoming an editorial assistant, then editor. Editing was the job that Dave had the greatest enthusiasm and talent for and told the most stories about. Dave worked with such diverse artists and writers as Jack Higgins, Mary Tyler Moore, Angie Bowie, Julia Cameron (The Artist’s Way) and Nichelle Nichols (Uhura, Star Trek), who liked him so much that she took him and her mother to the Broadway opening of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” with Chita Rivera. The needs of a young family caused Dave to leave publishing, and he spent the remainder of his career in advertising as a copy writer/copy director for the pharmaceutical industry working with medications used to treat cancer. But in his heart Dave was a writer with a passion for books. He was always writing and had started quite a few deeply researched creative novels. Unfortunately, he never did make or have the time to finish them. Dave had also been involved with his community. Some years ago, when he was President of the Bloomerside Community in North Salem, he worked with the Peach Lake Environmental Coalition (PLEC) to help get the sewer system approved by the towns of North Salem and Brewster and Westchester and Putnam Counties. From his youth he was an amateur genealogist with a particular love for his upstate NY, Mohawk Valley, heritage. As with everything else he did: he immersed himself in this passion of his. He read, he took courses, and he amassed a collection of documents and books (which will be donated for public use.) In his rare free time Dave greatly enjoyed gardening. His grandfather had been a florist, and generations before that, farmers. He read, took courses, and applied himself to it fully. He took his small plot of clay soil and worked on it for years, creating a garden full of beautiful native flowers and grasses. Music was another art form Dave loved and shared with his family and others. He was always on the hunt for new sounds and bands covering diverse genres. Last but most importantly, Dave’s greatest joys were his two children, Thomas, and Celeste. He was an amazing father, always playful, endlessly creative; putting together narrative “adventure!” family videos, or claymation with Thomas when they were both younger. He liked to try out recipes and did around-the-world cooking with Celeste. He taught the whole family basic woodworking skills. He involved Celeste in making some improvements to his cars. Yes, she can handle a table saw, and knows a bit about installing a cold air intake and front-end stabilizer. He was a devoted Scoutmaster (North Salem Troup 1), participating in that program with Thomas for years. Together they did a roughly 80- mile Philmont New Mexico hike and the Sea Base Adventure. Nearly anyone who ever encountered Dave found him to be an incredibly intelligent, kind, friendly, helpful, giving, funny, and lovable person. He will be sorely missed. Dave leaves behind his wife, Liz Getter-Groff, his brother Kevin Groff, sisterin-law, Becky, (their children Alex and Jillian), his brother-in-law Chip Getter, his cousin, Debbie Freivald, (her children Gabe and Hannah). He will be missed most dearly by his parents Sandra and Donald Groff, the mother of his children and first wife, Michele, and her family. Finally, his playmate and Metro North commuting buddy, his cat, Jack. Dave was interred alongside his parents-in-law in Sharon Gardens, Valhalla. A family-only service was held graveside. A Celebration of Life event was held at the Vails Community Pavillion in July of 2023. OBITUARY 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 steps you can take to avoid your estate going to probate?

February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News – Page 7 Scan Me! Read your local news online now!

118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2024 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC BRETT FREEMAN, PUBLISHER TOM WALOGORSKY, EDITOR TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Editorial Office: 914-302-5830 [email protected] 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 North Salem News 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 to [email protected]. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830. Opinion Page 8 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 Happily Ever After J an. 28 was effectively the last day of football season. The Chiefs bested the Ravens and the Forty Niners beat the Lions. What lies ahead is the Taylor Swift Super Bowl featuring hours of pregame hype, way too many commercials and an hour-long halftime show, making it almost impossible to watch for most football fans. It is an event not for football fans, but for everyone else. So we are at that depressing time of year when football is over and baseball season is still two months away. I thought I could at least fill the void by focusing on the presidential primaries for entertainment during the lull, but it looks like both contests were already decided before the process even got going. Is our system for picking presidents broken if 99% of the electorate won’t participate in picking a candidate for November? Probably. The primary system for amassing delegates in order to secure a major party’s endorsement is a relatively On football and the Taylor Swift presidential sweepstakes I have a cousin who suffers from a persecution complex. A textbook paranoid, he thought everyone was out to get him. (Looking back, I think now maybe they were.) He felt the local paper had done him wrong and they were looking to smear his reputation (he had none to begin with). I don’t remember the specific circumstances of what was written about him—this was the ’80s—but he was not happy at all. So, did he write an angry letter to the editor? Did he hire an attorney and sue for libel? No. He decided instead to start his own paper and put the other one out of business. Now, the poor guy couldn’t write a grocery list or spell CAT, even if you spotted him the C and the T, but righteous indignation is a powerful motivator, even if you’re misguided. He actually did it and printed a few issues. He was doing everything... reporting, photographing, selling ads. But he had such a prickly personality that being a salesman was a bit of a challenge for him. His paper folded pretty quickly. The average person has absolutely Adventures in newspapering DON SCOTT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT BOB DUMAS OUT OF MY HEAD SEE SCOTT PAGE 9 SEE DUMASPAGE 9

February 8 - February 28, 2024 OPINION North Salem News – Page 9 LOCATIONS: Baldwin Place • 44 Route 118 • (845) 628-7900 Croton Falls • 1 Center St • (914) 769-3206 Find out why Joe Ferone of Proper Service needs to be YOUR Go-To Automotive Service Center! YOUR FAMILY CAR CARE CENTER For over 100 years of combined auto experience, Joe Ferone and his sta of Proper Service have been serving the community, creating relationships and building a remarkable company with an amazing team JOE FERONE, owner of employees! recent phenomenon. Most of the reforms in the presidential nomination process came after the tumultuous 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. Party rules were changed to ensure the delegates to their national nominating convention were selected by primary voting rather than by party leaders at state conventions. Republicans followed suit. The idea was to let the people decide rather than “party bosses.” Like most reforms, there were unintended consequences. Only a small percentage of voters in each party participate in their respective primaries. Those voters are generally the activists and tend to be the most extreme in each of the parties. The characteristics and policy positions that make a candidate appealing to the most strident members of their party may not be helpful in a general election. The result is candidates that appeal to the base of the party, but not necessarily to those in the middle. Polarization among other things is the result. With 50 states, we have 50 different sets of rules for voting in a presidential primary. In most states, you must be a registered member of the party to participate in the primary. Approximately 20 states allow open primaries where a voter can participate in whichever primary they choose regardless of their party affiliation. Independents get to vote in those primaries. Open primaries are attractive because the inclusive electorate more closely resembles the general election, hence more appealing candidates could emerge from those states.  Party leaders from both sides don’t like open primaries because they feel it dilutes the power of party membership. However, about 27% of the country identifies as Democrat and about the same percentage identifies as Republican. Forty-three percent identify as independent - a number that has been growing for years. If the goal is to select candidates that will fare well in the general election, why wouldn’t you want to know what independents think? Doesn’t that help build a coalition? Both parties are working hard to button up the primary cycle as quickly as possible, attempting to crown their respective nominees, shortcircuiting the entire process. I’d be a fan of cutting to the chase, perhaps, if the product was appealing. But in all likelihood, we will be getting a rematch of the 2020 election. Gallup reports that 70% of those surveyed said they won’t vote for either candidate. It doesn’t look like the system is working. The two party duopoly is not turning out a good product. They are weak institutions, which seem to want to follow the parade rather than lead it. As a recent piece in the Economist opined, “political parties do not plot or strategize anymore to anoint a candidate, at least not with much effect; they have instead become vehicles idling by the curbs of American life until the primaries approach, waiting for successful candidates to commandeer them.” There has been a lot of chatter recently about how each candidate covets a Taylor Swift endorsement, which could make the difference in a tight race. It’s quite possible she may know more about picking presidents than the major parties do. Look how good she’s been at picking football teams. SCOTT FROM PAGE 8 DUMAS FROM PAGE 8 SEE DUMASPAGE 10 no idea what goes into owning and running a newspaper. It’s a business like anything else— you have to worry about things such as payroll, insurance, utilities, IT stuff, dealing with printer issues, post office issues, legal stuff and taxes. And within all that, you need to find specialized talents that can write, report, edit, photograph, have a working knowledge of journalistic styles, design ads, and lay out pages using a computer with the help of an array of complex programs. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. My cousin’s inclination would be the same as me walking into a bank and yelling, “You charged me a $40 overdraft fee when I bounced a check! Well, that does it... I’m starting my own bank!” When I was running the paper up in Pawling in the ‘80s, I would get calls all the time from people who told me they always wanted “to try writing” and asked if they could write for us. And when I asked, “Write what?” they inevitably didn’t exactly know. “I’d just always wanted to try it,” they’d explain. They had no experience, no education, and, apparently, no clue. But clearly, all they needed was some paper, a typewriter, and a willingness to try. Yet I needed five years of college and two degrees to get there, which wasn’t cheap. My parents were gonna be pissed. When I first got out of college, I needed a job as quickly as possible because I had student loans to pay off and beers to buy. I had a journalism degree but really had no idea how to get my foot in the door. So, I took a non-journalism job to keep the wolves at bay. Back then, one of the biggest employers in the region was the state-run Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center located in the little hamlet of Wingdale about eight miles north of Pawling. Both my parents worked there at one time or another. But in the ‘70s, the state decided it no longer wanted to warehouse psychiatric patients and set them free. The days of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” were over. So, the state converted the abandoned psychiatric center into a DFY facility. DFY stands for Division for Youth. While that may sound like some sort of patriotic youth organization,

Page 10 – North Salem News OPINION February 8 - February 28, 2024 MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO PLAY THE NEW YORK LOTTERY GAMES. PLEASE PLAY RESPONSIBLY. 24-HOUR PROBLEM GAMING HOTLINE: 1-877-8-HOPENY (846-7369) Newburgh, NY RWHudsonValleyNY.com I-84 | Exit 36B I-87 | Exit 17 FORD BRONCO GIVEAWAY Earn Entries All Month Long! Saturday, February 24 • 10pm *Actual model and colors may vary. FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING, HOT WATER HEATER & GAS NEEDS 60 Years of Excellence 719 Rte. 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 • 845.628.3924 • beeandjay.com TAKE $25 OFF YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL! VALID ON CALLS OVER 1 HOUR. Happy Valentine’s Day! it definitely is not. DFY is the sister agency to the state Department of Corrections. It houses kids under the age of 18 who’ve committed serious felonies and were tried as adults. When they turn 18, if there is still time left on their sentence, they are sent off to big boy prison. So, at the former Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center, they put bars on the windows, keycard locks on the interior doors, and then wrapped the whole thing with a 12-foot-tall chain-link fence topped with some nasty-looking razor wire. They hired anyone with a college degree—no vetting, no background check, no psychiatric evaluation to make sure they were fit to work in such a place. So... they hired me. These weren’t hubcap stealers or shoplifters they were housing here— they were scary dudes who’d done some very bad things. We had one “kid” who was about 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds. The word about him was, “Don’t shoot him, you’ll really piss him off.” Not that we had guns. All we had was life insurance. Hiring people to work in a place like that without proper evaluation is a dicey game. It can attract some damaged people with delusional and/or sadistic tendencies... narcissistic bullies. But my first year there was uneventful. I worked the graveyard shift—from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. It was very quiet. Two of us would hang out in the office and once an hour we would walk the hallway of the dorm and peer through the windows in the doors with a flashlight to make sure the inmate (sorry... client) was still in his bed. They often were. It was when I got transferred to the day shift that things got weird. I was able to observe staff-client interaction up close and personal. You could tell pretty quickly the ones who were more suited to working security at a selfstorage facility rather than with incarcerated disenfranchised youth. I am not going to go into it all just now, because it’s not what this particular column is about, but I (for reasons I still can’t figure out 45 years later) became a target of the administration. I began getting written up for petty things, and some things that were completely made up. I saw a memo on my boss’s desk that said, “Dumas must be out by July 20th.” That was when my probation was up, and I could join the union and basically become unfirable. Up until then, if they didn’t like the color of your socks, they could let you go without cause. I put in a request to get transferred back to the nightshift and they wrote me up again for that— insubordination. The writing was on the wall, and I was gone within a couple of weeks. Classic blessing in disguise. About a month later I landed my first reporting job and hit the ground running. After three years I made it to managing editor. Not long after, I started getting calls at the paper from former DFY coworkers who were still employed there. Bad things were happening, they told me. Inappropriate relationships between the clients and the female staff... staffers running drugs for clients between the Bronx and Wingdale... administrators being paid hush money to look the other way. Those workers began smuggling out copies of documents, logs, Polaroids and audio tapes. We’d meet late at night at the Triangle Diner—a local greasy spoon. Very skullduggery for so early in my career. It turned out to be a four-part story—front page, above the fold, banner headlines. They fought us... tried to say I was a disgruntled fired employee, that we obtained documents illegally, and that they’d been taped without their knowledge. There were veiled threats; there were blunt threats. But we published anyway and... Nothing ever happened. Crickets chirping. I called the news editor at The Poughkeepsie Journal—the big daily in the region at the time—and asked him if he’d seen our series on the DFY. He said he had and thought it was strong. He said they were thinking of doing something about it. I encouraged him to do that and offered him our box full of documents, pictures and stuff. We didn’t need it anymore. They came and got it (and gave us credit). The Poughkeepsie Journal’s fourpart series began two weeks later. Not long after, the state then began its own investigation. There were resignations, firings and arrests resulting in a little national coverage. The place eventually closed. We won a New York State Press Association award for best reporting. Studies show that towns with a community newspaper have lower taxes. That’s because, with a newspaper nosing around all the time, folks are less inclined to get into any monkey business. I offer up the DFY story as an example of what a boots-on-the-ground community newspaper can do. Perhaps my cousin should have opened up his own bank. It probably would have been a lot easier. DUMAS FROM PAGE 9 Advertising Deadline The advertising deadline for North Salem News is the Thursday before the next publication date. Advertisements can be submitted by you as a camera-ready PDF via email at [email protected]. We also offer our clients a free ad design service. For more information, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151.

I regularly meet clients who have been retired for 10 to 15 years and, remarkably, have not had the time to implement an estate and/or elder law plan for themselves. I understand that retirees have busy lives: After all, traveling and playing golf, tennis, pickleball and bocce can be quite time-consuming! (Perhaps not as time-consuming as babysitting, chauffeuring around the grandkids, or arranging and attending doctor appointments, but still…) Yet, for the life of me, I just can’t understand why one would wait until their 80s to implement an elder law and/or estate plan. While implementing an estate plan at any age is better than not doing so at all, the risks and adverse consequences of waiting are significant. For example, delaying the execution of a Durable Power of Attorney with broad gifting provisions and a Health Care Proxy creates the possibility that if one has become incapacitated (mentally and/or physically) and is unable to make financial and personal decisions, they will need to have a Guardian appointed for them. A Guardianship proceeding must be commenced in the Supreme Court of the County where one resides in New York. It is expensive, time-consuming, and can be emotionally taxing for all parties involved, particularly if it ends up being contested. Ultimately, the person appointed as Guardian may still be unable to make the financial transactions necessary to protect the incapacitated person’s assets from the cost of long-term care (especially, if the objective is eligibility for Medicaid home care). This outcome can be easily avoided by executing a broadly drafted Durable Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy long before this could come to pass. The failure to be proactive also rears its ugly head if one has not implemented an elder law plan at least five years before requiring nursing home Medicaid and, once the new law is implemented in 2025 or 2026, at least two-and-a-half years before requiring Medicaid home care. If one waits until their late 70s and/ or 80s to execute and fund a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT), they are increasing the risk that they will need to privately pay for their care in a nursing home or at home, which could potentially dissipate their life savings. It is quite common in the New York metropolitan area for a nursing home to cost between $175,000 to $220,000 per year and for home care to run approximately $150,000 to $175,000 per year. For a person of modest means, this can be devastating. Even for the affluent, the risk of delaying implementation of an estate plan with estate tax planning techniques can be detrimental. This is especially true for New York residents who have estates greater than approximately $7 million in the year 2024, and thus, may be subject to New York’s onerous estate tax cliff. Additionally, while the Federal Estate and Gift Tax exemption will be $13.61 million per person in 2024, said exemption will sunset if it is not extended by Dec. 31, 2025, and on Jan. 1, 2026, it will be reduced to approximately $7 million per person. Moreover, the failure to utilize part or all of the Federal Gift Tax exemption before it sunsets, by gifting assets and implementing an estate tax plan, subjects one’s estate to the potential for significant estate taxes, with a combined Federal and New York estate tax rate of 49.9%. While being proactive is a great idea during any stage in life, the failure to do so when one has reached retirement age can be quite expensive. Anthony J. Enea is the managing attorney of Enea, Scanlan and Sirignano, LLP of White Plains, New York. He focuses his practice on Wills, Trusts, Estates and Elder Law. Anthony is the Past Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), and is the past Chair of the 50+ Section of the NYSBA. He is a Past President and Founding member of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Anthony is also the Immediate Past President of the Westchester County Bar Foundation and a Past President of the Westchester County Bar Association. He is also fluent in Italian. He can be reached at 914-948-1500 or at www.esslawfirm.com. February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News – Page 11 ANTHONY J. ENEA GUEST CORNER FOCUS ON ELDER LAW Being proactive in retirement Risks for waiting to implement an estate plan are significant If one waits until their late 70s and/or 80s to execute and fund a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT), they are increasing the risk that they will need to privately pay for their care in a nursing home or at home, which could potentially dissipate their life savings.’ -Anthony J. Enea Managing attorney of Enea, Scanlan and Sirignano, LLP 

Page 12 – North Salem News OPINION February 8 - February 28, 2024 Add Value to Your Home We specialize in targeted home improvements — both big and small — to maximize your home’s value, comfort and beauty. • Bathroom Remodeling • Kitchen Remodeling • Durable Vinyl Siding • Room Additions • Add-a-Levels • • Replacement Windows • General Carpentry • Basement Finishing • Painting • Interior Trim • Handy Man • Sero’s Contracting When we’re done, there is nothing left to do. Licensed & Insured • Local References • Brewster, NY • 845-216-1955 • 845-279-6977 • [email protected] Dear Dr. Linda, My husband and I had a conference with our daughter’s thirdgrade teacher and I’ve been upset ever since. She told us that Julie’s a lovely little girl and does well in school. She also added that all her scores are average. I asked what I could do to get her scores above average and she looked at me and said, “She’s fine.” Since kindergarten, I’ve been told that Julie’s a good student with average intelligence. Every year I ask what I should do to help her get above average and I always get the same answer, “She’s doing just fine.” My husband thinks I’m awful because I work with her all the time in hopes of making her above average. I don’t see anything wrong with trying to help her improve, and I’m scared that if I don’t push her, the school will do nothing and she won’t be able to get into a good college. -Caring and Concerned Mom Dear Caring and Concerned Mom, Every parent would like to be able to say that their child is above average. I think that there are some who would rather say that their child has a learning disability than to have them described as “average.” Our culture has a lot to do with that— consider the words of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion: “Well, that’s the news from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.” When it comes to success, being average or above average in intelligence is only one standard of measurement. To succeed in or out of school, we need many other skills — organizational skills, time management skills, interpersonal relationship skills, perseverance, strategies for setting goals and working toward them. I’ve worked with students who scored average on every intelligence test and still graduated from colleges and universities of note. I’ve also worked with students who scored in the gifted range, and yet never finished college or even applied to go. When we apply for jobs, if a college degree is required, that we graduated and in what academic area is far more important than the college(s) we attended. Unless one’s goal is to become a lawyer on Wall Street, it’s usually not important. There are countless examples of people who score high on intelligence tests who fail to achieve anything of note in the real world and even more examples of wellrounded, intellectually “average” people who break barriers athletically, artistically, musically and academically. Scoring in the average range on school intelligence tests is not only perfectly normal, but it’s perfectly wonderful, too. It’s finding our own unique niches in life that eventually leads to a happy and successful life. Let Julie know how very proud you are to be her mother just the way she is. Otherwise, because your focus is on changing her, you run a greater risk of communicating that Embracing the unique brilliance of ‘average’ kids DR. LINDA SILBERT STRONG LEARNING SEE DR. LINDA PAGE 13

February 8 - February 28, 2024 OPINION North Salem News – Page 13 Securities offered through Cantella & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Cantella and Co., Inc. does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. 2023 was a CRAZY YEAR! 845-628-5400 SFGtaxes.com | [email protected] 824 Route 6, Suite 4 | Mahopac, NY 10541 We can help make your taxes less crazy. she’s not good enough — not tall enough, not thin enough, not smart enough — when she is uniquely and wonderfully perfect. I expect your husband thinks so too. If your daughter enjoys reading, writing stories, or playing math games with you, then keep it up. There is nothing wrong with enriching her environment and spending time with her. But…if she resists the routine, stop and think about what you’re doing. Chances are your efforts are designed to make you feel better. Which means they have much more to do with your own self-esteem than hers. -Dr. Linda Dr. Linda, along with her husband, Dr. Al, own Strong Learning Tutoring and Test Prep serving Westchester and Putnam Counties for over 40 years. Strong Learning tutors students K-12 in any subject, in person or remotely. Drs. Linda and Al are also the authors of “Why Bad Grades Happen to Good Kids,” available on Amazon and at stronglearning.com.   DR. LINDA FROM PAGE 12 A great Zen Master was once asked to explain the essence of Zen. In what became known as the “Flower Sermon,” he wordlessly held up a flower. His disciples smiled in silent understanding. The Zen Master’s meaning is almost too simple to grasp. Look. Every person reading this has experienced a Zen state. When you look at the clock and wonder where the time has gone, chances are you have been in a focused, Zen-like state of mind. Zen Meditation also promotes an intuitive state. It teaches you what you already know.   Marcy was 34 when she lost her 16-year-old daughter to a drug overdose. A friend gave me her book, a thin, self-published little gem. There is not one word in the book about Zen. But what she experienced, brought on by her single-minded attempt to bring her daughter back to life, is the heart of Zen. After her daughter died, Marcy suffered a crisis of faith and became obsessed with trying to understand what happened. She began wearing her daughter’s clothes and hanging out with her friends. She basically attempted to reenact her daughter’s life. Many of the people around her- Marcy included- thought she was losing it. But then she had an experience that restored her faith. Zen Meditation is difficult to master. If it were golf, I’d still be trying to break 100. Yes, one can have a Zen-like experience without even knowing, as did Marcy. But the ability to hold a posture and maintain one’s breathing until the mind quiets and one discovers a force inside of them that’s known and remembered, a force that desires them as much as they desire it, is unique only in the sense that very few end up devoting their lives to it. I have a teacher who doesn’t teach. We sit facing each other on soft cushions, the idea being to practice breathing and posture and meet in our authentic selves. On one occasion, I told her that I was thinking of giving up meditation because I thought it was making me feel deranged. I didn’t want to be permanently crazy. She said, “You must decide whether you want to be permanently crazy or permanently normal.” She checks all her students’ progress. On another occasion, a student, only half in jest, claimed that he knew how evil had got into the world. “Don’t tell me that you’ve been enlightened,” she said, half in jest herself. “Adam and Eve!” he cried. “Through the story itself! The guy who wrote it is the evil one!” “Not bad. Not bad,” she said, knowing full-well that Buddhists do not accept evil as a supernatural force. The Zen tradition de-emphasizes doctrine and scholarship. No Hell, no Heaven, no Purgatory, the present is enough. When the heart speaks, that’s the doctrine. “Faith makes life possible,” Marcy wrote near the end of her book. I don’t think I fully understood her words until 2023. Endless war, savagery limited only by the imagination, a planet on fire, a planet underwater, how does one live in madness without losing faith, without allowing the monsters to make you hate life as much as they do? I wish I could write that Marcy found her faith after being visited by an angel. That you might believe. But the truth is that Marcy walked into her kitchen one morning and noticed that the tablecloth looked different. It appeared to her as it once did, full of light and color and beauty, the way it looked when her daughter was still alive. Marcy found her daughter-and herself- in a beam of morning light that fell over the table where they once sat for breakfast. Nothing so much as a sunbeam saved Marcy. In researching his book, “Varieties of Religious Experience,” widely considered one of the most comprehensive works on the subject, William James found that believers aren’t any more likely to have “religious” experiences than atheists. The foundation of Zen Buddhism rests on this point and I think helps explain what happened to Marcy. She never truly lost her daughter. She lost her faith.   Faith is a glass of water to quench a thirst. It’s the sound of a communion bell in a hushed church; it’s a sunset, a sudden kiss; it’s eyes meeting eyes. Faith is an ordinary beam of light. The same beam that unified Marcy with her daughter and unifies all the rest of us. “One inside the other,” Marcy wrote of the light, Zen-fully, on the last page of her book. It didn’t feel like an ending, though. It felt like a beginning. Once life begins, it never ends. How Marcy got her faith back LORENZO GARO OF HUMAN INTEREST

Sports Page 14 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 With the playoffs looming, North Salem’s student-athletes have been fine tuning their game and look to make some noise in the postseason. BOYS BASKETBALL Leffel School 61, North Salem 59 Thursday, Jan. 25 The Tigers were edged out on their home court behind solid offensive efforts from Max Cotrone (26 points) and Connor Meehan (14 points). Brewster 70, North Salem 54 Friday, Jan. 26 The squad took another tough home loss, this time to a visiting Bears squad. Meehan provided a bright spot for North Salem with an explosive 27-point performance. Haldane 68, North Salem 41 Tuesday, Jan. 30 The Tigers honored their graduating squad members on an evening that also served as the team’s Dunk Pink game to benefit the Side-Out Foundation and their work helping those suffering with metastatic breast cancer. North Salem basketball would recognize the contributions of seniors Nate Baer, Reilly Denneen, Luke Loftus, Nick Foglia, David Torres, and Peter Guiliano. Coach Regan would also recognize 4-year varsity player Matt Moia, who was unable to compete this season due to an injury.   Unfortunately, the Haldane Blue Devils arrived to spoil the party.  The visitors outscored the Tigers 23-9 in the opening frame and never looked back, cruising to a 68-41 win. Cotrone (15 points) and Meehan (12 points) led the scoring for North Salem. GIRLS BASKETBALL North Salem 55, Haldane 42 Monday, Jan. 22 The Tigers topped the Blue Devils at home behind strong performances from Jaiden Donovan (20 points) and SaraFina DiPaola (14 points). North Salem 55, Briarcliff 48 Thursday, Jan. 25 The squad kept things rolling on the road, led once again by Donovan (20 points) and DiPaola (14 points), with Maddy Horel chipping in 8 points in the win. Tigers basketball celebrates seniors BYSNS pummel Monroe-Woodbury VARSITY ROUNDUP BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER On Wednesday, Jan. 24, the John Jay/North Salem/Somers ski team took to the slopes at Thunder Ridge and the landscape wasn’t quite a winter wonderland. “It was definitely annoying because of how wet you could get,” said Emma Klares. “It soaks through your suit, which is really uncomfortable.” But stating a rainy day fact doesn’t mean the skier could think of a better way to spend the evening. “I’m glad we got to ski today,” said the senior, and the John Jay Wolf hydroplaned the drizzle to a 15th place finish (34.32). The challenge was denser snow and the ruts that made it harder to carve through. The water splashing up in her googles wasn’t great either.  Still, Klares made do. “It went better than expected,” said the softball pitcher/ skier. The 4th best time on the team, the top Wolf was Mia Bourla. “I did fairly well,” she said of her 5th place finish (29.32) Of course, the junior noticed the conditions too. “The snow gets really wet and heavy, so you got to make sure you stay nice and loose,” Bourla said. “This way you don’t get thrown around.” The lesson plan went in reverse, though. “I think I got in my head a bit,” she said of her second run (30.75). But the John Jay student doesn’t have to overthink the postseason. “Last week at Mohawk, I already qualified for the sectionals,” Bourla revealed.  Not there yet, Daniella Dziedzic took 8th place (31.11) and skied the Combined team beats the rain James Bysshe, Josh Burkart, Sean O’Meara and Matt Wolfe PHOTO: RICH MONETTI SKIING SEE ROUNDUPPAGE 16 Luke Loftus and Nate Baer battle for a rebound. PHOTO: ROB DIANTONIO SEE SKIING PAGE 16

February 8 - February 28, 2024 SPORTS North Salem News – Page 15 BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER On Friday, Jan. 26 the Avalanche girls varsity hockey team faced Ridgefield at the Brewster Ice Arena, and good skating playing out once again, the growing popularity of the sport always makes the setting joyous. But the evening also came with a serious undertone. “Morgan’s Message strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student athlete community,” states the program’s vision.” And the combined team of Northern Westchester players chose this cause for their annual senior give back. Specifically, Ossining’s Adrienne Kantrowitz was the driving force as the team’s only senior. “Morgan’s Message spreads awareness, it’s an organization that empowers athletes and is something so special to me,” said the young advocate. Scoring the go-ahead goal in a 4-1 Avalanche victory probably wasn’t bad either.  “I came from my goal, went through mid ice, took it wide to the left and ripped it,” she said of her second period goal at 7:00. But the first period did have more opportunities land in the path of Avalanche goalie Lily Stanzione. Not giving any ground, the Byram Hills freshman turned away seven shots, and it didn’t go unnoticed “I’m biased, but we have the best goalies in the state of New York,” said John Jay’s Kathryn Becker. A two man disadvantage included, she kept the game even up until Lindsey Smith’s rush disrupted the status quo. The Brewster Bear’s shot going wide, Becker garnered the puck on the boards, got it to Devan DiCintio and she scored at 3:55. Keeping the pressure on, the Avalanche drew a penalty 38 seconds later and Kantrowitz didn’t relent. The lefty almost had a tip in and put another tough one on Ridgefield’s Casey Rosenberg. Ridgefield didn’t succumb to the momentum, though. With 32 seconds left in the first, Kelsey Gott fed Zener Dzaferovic, and she evened the game. Even so, John Jay came out shooting after the first intermission. North Salem’s Abigail Lehr maneuvered for a shot on the side and another Smith rush harried Rosenberg. Denied nonetheless, the coach saw the writing on the wall. “We started to play the hockey we normally play,” said Wierl. The defense still had to do their thing, though, and Stanzione stood first. Delaney Sheppard skated on the right, and after hitting Mia D’Andraia on the left, the goalie got the snare. Moments later, D’Andraia was on it again, and so was Stanzione. A load thud off the pads, the goaltender deflected the shot wide at 8:15. So Kantrowitz took her turn. She lifted the shot above Rosenberg’s shoulder, and the team was up in arms. Halfway there, the Avalanche implemented their platoon system in goal, and in came Jasmine Korinek. She quickly got a save and then the Carmel Ram got a 90 second hiatus. Katie Anderson drew a penalty, and the Pawling Tiger kept the pressure on in front of the goal. Putting Ridgefield on scramble, Lehr unleashed a shot from the point and Smith tipped in the rebound at 4:20. The lead holding up into the third, the Avalanche kept skating.  Three times Lehr put Rosenberg on alert, but Ridgefield wasn’t giving in.   No problem, Korinek had three crucial saves to keep it a two goal game, which had Wierl sending praise in both directions. “I believe our offense begins with our goaltending,” she said. The defense then takes the cue, according to Wierl’s philosophy, and Lehr made good with 48 seconds left in the game. “I wanted the goal so bad - especially since I’ve played with a lot of these girls from Ridgefield,” said the defender. All on the same team when it comes to the cause, Wierl gave voice to the universal need. “We are all dealing with something,” she said. “The highs and lows of life, we need to take care of one another and surround ourselves with the right people.” So an organization supporting student athletes, Wierl praised Kantrowitz’s choice and commitment. “Adrienne did a fantastic job,” concluded the coach. On Senior Give Back Night, the Avalanche send a message Abigail Lehr PHOTO: RICH MONETTI GIRLS HOCKEY 845-279-9555 • TankRemovalServices.com Before you place your home on the market, contact ENVIROSTAR about replacing your aging underground storage tank (UST). It is required by most insurance companies prior to insuring property. We replace above ground tanks as well! Call us today for a free estimate and evaluation of your current above ground tank. WINTER SPECIAL! $100 OFF IN-GROUND TANK REMOVAL With this coupon only. Coupon must be presented at the time of the estimate. 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perilous ruts and divots in stride. “I think it’s exciting,” she said. “You have to ride the rut and really go through it.” Ellie Sheridan turned into the weather too. “You just have to not let it affect you,” said the Somers Tusker Good for 13th place (33.49), the senior got ahead of this curve by studying the grain beforehand. “I knew the visibility wasn’t going to be there,” she said. “I really memorized the course, so I could ski it in my head.” Looking forward, she puts postseason success on being less static on the turns. Instead of going side to side,” said Sheridan, “I need a more up and down motion to keep my momentum going through the curves.” Isabella Dziedzic shared a similar sentiment after finishing 19th (35.90). “I have to put more pressure on my outside ski and be more aggressive,” said the freshman.   Even so, the skier knows her greatest strength doesn’t hinge on a swivel.  “Knowing what I want, I have a good mindset,” Dziedzic assured.  And there’s no way to lose - especially when it comes to expressing her love for the sport. “Everything,” the younger Dziedzic didn’t hesitate.  Emmy Corlett, on the other hand, did a 180 on what she liked about the rain. “Nothing,” she implored. But the senior still kept her sense of humor.   “Really slushy,” she joked, “It smelled like mashed potatoes.” A fan of the dish nonetheless, her teammates make up for any shortfalls. “The most spirited people, we cheer each other on, and we’re like a family,” said Corlett. As for the boys, James Bysshe was the top gun - despite the fact that he was flying blind. “I could not see anything,” said the John Jay Wolf.  Still, the sophomore was more concerned with beating the clock than arriving in one piece. “Big holes,” he said, “just look out and ride.” Second place overall (32.49), his flight plan to return to the states is about as complicated as a nonstop one way ticket. “Just go faster,” Bysshe deadpanned. On his coattails, his brother Porter is a frequent flier too and didn’t get bogged down in the weather report. “I find the rain fun,” said the third place finisher (33.44). A trip to the states on his wish list too, the freshman got a little more specific on what needs to improve. On the stepper part of courses, he said “I think I can increase my speed.” The Wolf would also like to beat his brother and so probably would Sean O’Meara. In ninth place (36.90), the traverse takes him to the top no matter the results. “You feel like you’re flying,” O’Meara explained.  Grounded either way,    the skier knows where he can make up the difference. “I’m hoping to get more aggressive and make better turns,” said the John Jay sophomore. “I have to put more pressure on my downhill ski.” A little tough on a day like today, according to Josh Burkart. On the gates and turns, said the Somers Tusker, “You get a splash of water in your face.” The good news is in the absence of vision, he knows the course and the game. “It’s muscle memory,” said Burkart, who finished 33rd (44.83). No matter, the senior has tunnel vision for the season’s end. “Get to the states,” Burkart concluded. Page 16 – North Salem News SPORTS February 8 - February 28, 2024 John Jay-Cross River 35, North Salem 29 Monday, Jan. 29 The Tigers hit a roadblock to open the week against a tough Wolves squad. Donovan and Horel powered the offense with 13 points and 9 points respectively. Haldane 53, North Salem 47 Tuesday, Jan. 30 The Blue Devils got a measure of revenge when they upended the visiting North Salem squad. Jaiden Donovan was sharp for the Tigers with an outstanding 35-point game. Croton-Harmon 42, North Salem 24 Thursday, Feb. 1 The squad hosted a Tiger tussle on an evening that doubled as Senior Night and Dunk Pink Night. Ella Dallow, SaraFina DiPaola, Jaiden Donovan, and Addela Florentino were honored for their contributions to North Salem basketball. Heading down the stretch to the playoffs, North Salem will square off against New Rochelle on the road on Feb. 9, and then host Brewster on Feb. 10 at 12 p.m. “It is a long stretch of games, but we will use each one to help prepare ourselves for the sectional tournament in the upcoming weeks,” said Coach Matt Mackenzie. BYSNS ICE HOCKEY (7-7) BYSNS 13, Monroe-Woodbury 2 Monday, Jan. 22, Ice Time Sports Complex, Newburgh Lucas Salvatore (4G, 1A), Wolfgang Cook (3G, 2A), James Munoz (2G, 2A), Matteo Guastadisegni (1G, 2A), Henry Rossi (1G, 1A), Hunter Gershen (1G, 1A), Chris Gardner (2A), Ryan Dean (1G), Jordan Millar (1A), Paul Rienzi (1A), Patrick Vaughn (10 saves), and Dylan Weber (8 saves) propelled Brewster/Yorktown/ Somers/North Salem (BYSNS) to a 13-2 triumph against Monroe Woodbury. “We played as a team,” BYSNS coach John Veteri said. BBDI 6, BYSNS 1 Saturday, Jan. 27, Brewster Ice Arena Bethel/Brookfield/Danbury/ Immaculate (BBDI) defeated the BYSNS 6-1 on senior night, with Cook (1G), Guastadisegni (1A), and Weber (22 saves) producing for the Bisons. Seniors Weber, Gardner, Guastadisegni, and James Shea were honored before the game. Mike Sabini and Tom Walogorsky contributed to this report. ROUNDUP FROM PAGE 14 SKIING FROM PAGE 14

February 8 - February 28, 2024 LEISURE North Salem News – Page 17 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. One point south of due east 4. Coagulated blood 8. Fortifying ditch 10. Devotee of Hinduism 11. Trunk of a tree 12. Bank note 13. Capital of Guam 15. Study again 16. Covered with hoarfrost 17. Opening 18. Legendary Rolling Stone 21. Stray 22. Computer storing system 23. Signal 24. Pitching statistic 25. Human being 26. Malaysian isthmus 27. The “Blonde Bombshell” 34. A gland 35. Bluish greens 36. Endangered 37. Three-dimensional 38. In a way, precipitated 39. God associated with dissolution 40. Blemished 41. Flow or leak slowly 42. Disco legends The Bee __ 43. Midway between south and southeast CLUES DOWN 1. A way to board 2. Get down 3. Highly seasoned sausage 4. First day of month 5. Eurasian shrubs 6. The organ that bears the ovules of a flower 7. Small lake 9. Belief 10. Sunrooms 12. Metric weight unit 14. Vasopressin 15. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! 17. One-time family room staple 19. Got back together 20. Anger 23. Sang merrily 24. Sea eagle 25. Military men 26. Kilo yard (abbr.) 27. Found in the sea 28. Protects from weather 29. Type of medicine 30. City along the Rhine 31. Animal disease 32. Martini ingredients 33. Get away 34. Lack of disunity 36. One-time European Commission officer PUZZLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF 01/25/24 It’s that much more fun when hosting or attending a game watch party for the Big Game, as food and fellow fans only add to the enjoyment of the competition on the field. Though many foods are at home during game watch parties, perhaps no dish is more associated with football than chicken wings. Wings make the ideal food when watching football, and this recipe for “Grilled Buffalo Wings” courtesy of cookbook author Katie Lee Biegel and The Food Network can make a delicious addition to your game day spread. Grill some wings for the Big Game Grilled Buffalo Wings Yields 6 to 8 servings 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 3 pounds whole chicken wings 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 cup hot sauce 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey Directions 1. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a large bowl, toss the wings with the salt mixture to evenly coat. 2. Preheat a gas grill to medium heat (about 350 F). 3. Place the wings on the grill, crowding them together so that they are all touching (this goes against the conventional wisdom of giving meat room so it doesn’t steam; you want them to steam so they stay moist). Grill, flipping the wings every 5 minutes, for a total of 20 minutes of cooking. 4. In the meantime, heat the butter, hot sauce, vinegar, and honey in a saucepan over low heat and whisk to combine. 5. In a clean large bowl, toss the wings with the sauce. Turn the heat up on the grill to medium-high. Use tongs to remove the wings from the sauce and put them back on the grill until the skins crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Put the wings back in the bowl with the sauce, toss and serve.

Page 18 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 and for the faculty and administration to study research on both sides, determine implementation should such a policy be approved, and clearly see where this policy fits in with the overall vision of student success and learning. Shared decision-making has continuously served our community well. Tabling  Homework  Policy 4730 gives us the time to make the best and most informed decisions for North Salem Students by ensuring that every voice is heard and considered.” EQUITABLE EDUCATION A push toward more equitable educational practices has districts across the country re-examining grades and homework in general. So, it’s no surprise that proponents of this latest teaching trend feel homework – when combined with grades -- poses a real problem. Poor marks can be a motivation killer, especially for those struggling with a certain subject, and isn’t a real reflection of a student’s mastery or abilities, some experts claim. There are arguments on the other side of the equation as well. One is that graded homework encourages students to stay on track with their learning and to seek assistance if they’re having a hard time. Vazquez laid out the accepted rationale behind eliminating graded homework at the school board’s Jan. 3 meeting. Grades should accurately reflect student proficiency demonstrated at the course’s end and not be “a report of the road they traveled to get there,” he argued. The administrator cited scholarly studies and statistics and shared with the board several published articles that tackled the subject, including one in the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s magazine, titled “The Problem with Grading,” and another in The Washington Post that promised a “deep dive” into whether – and how – homework should be graded. Vazquez was also careful to emphasize no one was advocating for the elimination of homework itself. Giving personalized feedback will, he said, ensure that students are held “accountable” while being given the chance to focus on growing their skills and knowledge rather than wasting time fretting over a poor grade. “This is a much more in-depth way that teachers can interact with their students to improve their thinking and their learning and it’s aligned to our mission,” he told trustees. It was a lot of information to unpack, board members agreed as they raised questions about everything from fairness and impact on the higher grades and implementation to teacher training, parental participation, costs, and scheduling. Trustees did not take a vote that night and the topic was subsequently removed from the school board’s Jan. 17 agenda. (The current homework policy was adopted in 1999.) Vazquez also underlined the fact “policies are revised on a cyclical basis, not only in North Salem, but in surrounding districts as well.” POINTS TO PONDER Eliminating graded homework’s obviously a major paradigm shift and one that couldn’t happen overnight. Before it was shelved, the proposed policy called for a transition period of between one to two years. The process would allow the district to continue its conversations with parents and students and give teachers the time “to revise their documents and then move in this direction,” Vazquez explained on Jan. 3. Trustee Carolyn Aversano, who owned having what she called “a healthy skepticism on policy these days,” asked Vazquez and Wilson if the district could deploy a ban on grading homework as a “pilot” program in order to “work out the kinks.” “It would be a proof of concept that gives us the confidence to say, ‘We’re here. We’re ready. Let’s go’,” she suggested. Vazquez allowed that might be an approach “if what we were doing weren’t already grounded in extensive research and educational theory.” “I think we’re putting this forth because we have expertise and knowledge behind what we’re putting forth. We’ve studied this and we feel confident that this is what’s best for students,” he said, adding that “it seems it would be inequitable, knowing the research behind this, that we would only provide this for some students and not all of them.” That’s all moot now that the policy discussion has been shelved. WHY HOMEWORK’S GOOD Homework in itself is not a bad thing. It extends the school experience, equips students to use outof-school resources, gives students the chance to pursue individual interests, and helps them develop habits of mind that they can use throughout their lives. By using the feedback approach, rather than just red penciling in an A+ or a D-, teachers can give students more of an opportunity to reflect, re-do, and improve, people who opposed homework grading say. Also to be taken into account is the amount of homework that’s appropriate for each grade level and each child’s individual learning needs. The so-called 10-minute rule is attributed to the research of Dr. Harris Cooper, a psychology and neuroscience professor at the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. Cooper concluded that a certain amount of time could be attached to homework assignments, starting at 10 minutes at the kindergarten/first grade level and working its way up to an average two hours per evening from grades 9 through 12, or about 30 minutes per subject. Of course, that should be adjusted to accommodate differences in student interests, abilities, background knowledge, and motivation. Projects, honors, and AP level courses may require longer time frames to complete. TAKING RESPONSIBILITY Teachers should, as usual, assign homework “clearly and regularly” and make sure that its amount, frequency, and degree of difficulty are based on each student’s abilities, activities, and needs, the thenproposed policy read. The biggest change, had the proposed revisions moved forward, would have been that teachers would continue to collect and check homework and keep a record of assignments c ompleted but they could not grade it. Instead, they would have been required to give each child tailored feedback. Students have responsibilities too. They should complete homework to the best of their abilities and in a timely manner. If they’re having problems, they need to communicate that to their teachers. The language also encouraged parents and/or guardians to get involved in their children’s homework assignments and to reach out for support when necessary. HOMEWORK FROM PAGE 1 Stark. His last day in the post is Friday, Feb. 16. The former economics and history teacher had previously been the Carmel Central School District’s assistant superintendent for business. He was hired in 2021 after Barbara Briganti retired. He could not be reached for comment before press time. Briganti has agreed to act as interim business superintendent until the district finds a permanent replacement. Officially ushering her back into the fold that Wednesday, schools Superintendent Dr. Duncan Wilson told Briganti that the district is “happy for your help while that process is under way.” “North Salem is a special community with unique needs and we welcome your vision, your insight, and extensive experience as we plan both this year’s budget as well as for longer term facilities,” he noted. Thanking the board for inviting her back, Briganti said she was “very happy to be working with the team.” “You have a great team here and a marvelous staff upstairs in the district office,” she said, adding: “Everyone works so well together and they’re so kind and welcoming.” The district has just started the budget development process for 2024-2025 so she’s going to have to hit the ground running. Briganti had to deliver the news that night that the district had just received a “key piece of information” from Albany, and it wasn’t good. “Our state aid is down from last year, but,” she said optimistically, “it is the first run, the first pass, and hopefully as they (legislators) get closer to passing a budget, we’ll get new reports that will pump our aid back up to where it was last year, or a little bit closer.” The state Constitution mandates that the budget be approved by April 1. According to media reports, many school districts in New York will see a rare reduction in their state aid under the $233 billion budget just presented by Gov. Kathy Hochul. After three years of record spending, Hochul proposes to end the “hold harmless” clause that had been in place for decades. That clause meant that school districts could count on getting as least as much state aid as they had in the previous year. The budget still has to pass muster with the state Senate’s and Assembly’s Democratic leaders. These negotiations have traditionally resulted in spending increases beyond what governors propose. COMPUTER FROM PAGE 4 Check out our Facebook & Twitter pages! 845-225-7777 • www.puthumane.org Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Winona This little girl was found outdoors. About 4 y/o, she’s dainty, enjoys snuggling, and easily engages with staff. She has some special needs; please ask Stacy for more information. In the prime of her life, this 6 y/o girl has the lean agile form and energy of a youngster, and her run is more of a glide, beautiful to behold. Observant and curious, sweet and soulful, she’s also very shy and will need you to bring her out of her shell. When she knows you, she’s a trusting and loving companion. Lucie THIS AD WAS GENEROUSLY DONATED BY HALSTON MEDIA. 68 Old Rt. 6, Carmel

February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News – Page 19 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER A 67-year-old Bedford Hills man is being sued under the New York Child Victims Act now faces federal criminal charges. According to the complaint unsealed Wednesday, Jan. 24, by U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, James Collins, Jr. has been charged with one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and with one count sexual exploitation of a minor. The former charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; the latter, a maximum sentence of 30 years behind bars. Williams pointed out that the potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and were provided in the document for “informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.” Collins was arrested by FBI agents and arraigned before Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Collins’s attorney, Kerry Lawrence, of the White Plains law firm Calhoun & Lawrence, saying his client did not pose a flight risk, had argued for a bail package that would include house arrest. However, McCarthy found that Collins posed a danger to the public and ordered that he be held without bond. Collins was due back in court on Wednesday, Feb. 7. According to a Jan. 23 affidavit sworn by a special agent with the FBI, Erica Buonocore, the former baseball coach and camp coordinator had been arrested by New Castle police last November after allegedly arranging to meet with who he thought was a 15-year-old boy for sex. (Buonocore is assigned to the Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force.) The teen had previously informed police that a man had paid him $200 after they had had a sexual encounter in a bathroom stall at the Chappaqua Library in July, 2023. When shown a photo-array, the teen identified Collins as that man, police said. The teen allowed authorities to use his Snapchat account to contact Collins. An undercover detective posing as the 15-yearold agreed to meet Collins at the library on Nov. 7, 2023, according to the federal complaint. (The library is located on South Greeley Avenue right across from New Castle Town Hall and the town police department.) The complaint states that detectives observed Collins sitting in the library parking lot in his red Toyota Rav 4. He appeared to be typing on his phone, it said. Meanwhile, the undercover officer who was posing as the boy continued the Snapchat conversation with a person identified in the teen’s account as “Jim Collins,” the complaint said. Collins eventually went in around 3:42 p.m. and came back out again a short while later, the complaint said. He was arrested and searched in the parking lot. Police reported searching Collins and finding a phone, small towel, and a container of petroleum jelly. Collins was subsequently charged with third-degree criminal sex act, a Class E felony, relating to the alleged July encounter with the 15-year-old. He was released on $7,500 bail and is due to appear in New Castle Justice Court on Feb. 22 on that charge. The federal complaint also states that Collins had -- under the Snapchat username of jimc202337221 – had coaxed a 17-year-old boy from Illinois into sending him sexually explicit videos and photos by promising him “gifts.” The images were discovered after authorities obtained a search warrant in December for Collins’s phone, according to the complaint, which also noted that the teen told police that the only present he had received was a “Pokémon plush toy.” The communications between the two began in mid-September 2023 and continued until Nov. 7, the day Collins was arrested in Chappaqua, the complaint said. Police said phone records also showed that Collins had communicated via the app with other underage youths. Federal authorities have jurisdiction in cases of enticement and exploitation that involve the use of the internet, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them,” Williams said after unsealing the complaint. “As today’s arrest shows, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those alleged to have sexually exploited children,” he added. According to a media report, Lawrence said in court last month that the two alleged victims in the federal cases told Collins that they were 19. Lawrence confirmed last week that Collins’s “family” still owns Jimmy’s, a popular pub in Katonah. He had no comment other than to say that his firm would continue to defend Collins “in all the cases.” The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, Williams emphasized. The U.S. Attorney praised the FBI, the Westchester District Attorney’s Office, the New Castle Police Department, and the Oswego Police Department in Oswego, Ill., for their efforts in connection with the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is heading the prosecution.   CIVIL SUIT Collins is also a defendant in a civil lawsuit that had initially been brought by four plaintiffs in 2020 and then amended to include 13 more in 2021 just before the deadline for making sexual abuse allegations under the New York Child Victims Act. The 2019 legislation allows a victim of child sexual assault to bring civil lawsuits up until his or her 55th birthday. That lawsuit accuses Collins of allegedly, grooming, harassing, and/or sexually abusing a number of underage youths at or around the village Recreation Department’s Camp Iroquois in Mount Kisco and the Memorial Pool at Leonard Park where he’d been employed as a camp coordinator; at the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester (then called the Boys Club) in Mount Kisco where he organized sports activities; and at a school in New Castle. According to media reports, before the lawsuits, Collins had been working for several years as a bus driver and custodian at the Cedar Knolls Union Free School District in Hawthorne. The civil complaint also alleges that some of these incidents took place at Collins’s home. The alleged offenses occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s, the plaintiffs claim. The litigation had to be civil because the criminal statute of limitations had expired. Two of the plaintiffs who publicly identified themselves in 2020 are Scott Roth, then 45, and Gregory Ardanowski, then 49. In a press conference, Ardanowski claimed the abuse began when he was 13 and “lasted for years.” Bedford Hills man faces federal charges in sexual exploitation case SEE COLLINS PAGE 20 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 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com • [email protected] DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor • BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director • RONALD P. 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Page 20 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 He added that he’d only recently come to terms with “the profound impact that it’s had on my life.” Ardanowski also told the media then that he and his “brother survivors” had learned through discussions with local, county, and federal law officials that “serial pedophiles do not stop sexually abusing children until they are either caught or are physically incapacitated.” Roth, the married dad of two children, also claimed he’d been abused by Collins while at Camp Iroquois and at the Boy’s Club of Northern Westchester in Mount Kisco. Roth, who claimed he was first abused when he was 14, blamed adults at the camp and club for failing to protect him and other boys. Roth was a camp counselor at Camp Iroquois and Ardanowski first met Collins when the then-20-something-yearold was a Little League coach. “I knew this man from the time I was six years old,” Roth said at the 2020 press conference. “I thought he was my friend and I thought I could trust him. I could not. He is a predator.” Also named in the civil suit are the Boys & Girls Club, the village/town of Mount Kisco, and the Chappaqua Central School District. Collins could not be charged with a crime in those alleged cases because the criminal statute of limitations had passed, according to the plaintiffs’ attorney, Saul Wolf, of the California-based Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, which bills itself as “America’s leading sexual abuse law firm.” Wolf told Halston Media that “it’s not uncommon for (sexual abuse) survivors to never tell anyone what happened” and that “the average age for disclosure is 52 years old.” In his clients’ case, the alleged abuse “will continue to haunt them the rest of their lives,” he said. HELP SOUGHT In December, after news of the New Castle arrest broke, Wolf and his clients appealed to the public for help in locating any more possible victims. “My clients want to make sure that this isn’t buried and if there are any alleged victims of James Collins out there that they come forward,” he explained. They urged people to call the New Castle Police Department at (914) 238-4422 or to email [email protected], or to call the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office at (914) 995-3000 if they believe they have any pertinent information. Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is asking “anyone who may have encountered Collins or whose child may have had any communications with Collins” to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). COLLINS FROM PAGE 19 New York State Senator Pete Harckham secured $100,000 in state grant funding in 2022 for the Westchester County Department of Public Safety to purchase a Hazardous Response Vehicle, and yesterday he inspected the new “bomb squad” truck and its auxiliary mobile robot used for explosives handling, SWAT operations and more. The new hazardous response vehicle, with a Rosenbauer Rescue Body built on to 2022 Ford F550 Cab and Chassis, is replacing the county’s existing former heavyduty Hazardous Devices Unit (HDU) Bomb Response Vehicle, a 2008 GMC Utility Truck. “One of my top priorities, as a Westchester legislator and in the Senate, has been making sure that county police and emergency personnel have up-to-date equipment and proper resources in order to safeguard our communities,” said Harckham. “These tumultuous times we are experiencing pose certain challenges in terms of public safety, and this new Hazardous Response Vehicle will benefit both police officers and residents. I am happy to have helped gain this important investment for the county while also alleviating some of the financial burden on taxpayers.” The new Hazardous Response Vehicle has four-wheel drive capacity, giving it extra range throughout the county on back roads and remote areas while maintaining full equipment loads. The plan is to utilize the new vehicle for a minimum of 10 years of service, and the vehicle will be used as a regional tool to respond to bomb threats and hazardous device calls, as well as storing updated equipment to maintain the bomb squad’s accreditation status. Westchester County’s Hazardous Devices Unit (HDU), also known as the Bomb Squad, is one of only 13 such units in New York State. The unit is accredited by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is comprised of seven trained officers / technicians. In 2022, the HDU responded to 59 operational deployments and an additional 219 pre-event and dignitary security sweeps. Westchester County Department of Public Safety Commissioner Terrance Raynor said, “Our Department is grateful to Senator Harckham for obtaining this significant grant for the Hazardous Devices Unit. The funding enabled us to replace an aging, outdated vehicle, and it ensures that our bomb squad officers have the resources they need to keep themselves and the public safe. Our Hazardous Devices Unit not only supports all municipal police departments in Westchester, but it is a regional resource as well. HDU also assists law enforcement in Putnam and Dutchess counties when circumstances call for a highly trained bomb squad to respond.” The full cost of the new Hazardous Response Vehicle was $258,732. About two-thirds of the vehicle’s cost is being funded with a 2019 Bomb Squad Initiative grant awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administered through the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. The awarded grant funding was secured within the State and Municipal Facilities Program (SAM), which is among the grant programs administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to support community and economic development. Harckham has delivered more than $2 million of state grant funding to first responders and emergency personnel for critical vehicle and equipment investments in SD40 municipalities and nonprofits over the past four years. Article courtesy of the Office of Sen. Pete Harckham. Sen. Harckham secures $100K for hazardous response vehicle Sen. Harckham with Det. Nicholas Piqueras, Police Officer David Lincoln, County Executive George Latimer, Commissioner Terrance Raynor, Chief Inspector James Luciano, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, Lt. Paul Cusano and Det. 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February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News – Page 21 BUYING ONLY 845-628-0362 WE WILL COME TO YOU! 53 WE BUY: YEARS! Gold • Sterling Silver Jewelry • Coins Paintings • Bronzes Clocks • Collectibles Antiques • ETC. Items for sale? Call us! Service: 914-669-9679 Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 Fax: 914-669-9685 6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 meccanicshop.com and services of CoveCare Center! Prizes will be awarded to the first place team, and beat team name. Teams of up to 10 will compete through 4 rounds of trivia (8 questions per round). A surprise “Google proof ” final round to keep it interesting (name that tune, cross word puzzle, etc.) All team participants are encouraged to gather in one location and sign on to the event together. Host a trivia party! Reservations are for teams of up to 10 at $25/per person. If you don’t have a team, they will find one for you! Mulligans are available at $30 per pack of 3. Limit of one (3) pack per team, rounds 1-3 only (cannot be used in the final round). If you are registering team members in addition to yourself, please email [email protected]  with your team members’ names and email addresses. As a nonprofit organization, CoveCare Center relies on your support to continue to provide the programs and services that our community so desperately needs. They have continued to experience a steady rise in services for those struggling with mental health and substance use issues, especially in our youth and senior populations. To learn more, visit https:// covecarecenter.org/covecarevirtual-trivia-night-2024/ True Crime Fiction Writing Series Author and fiction writing teacher, Kim Kovach, presents a new 5-week series - True Crime Fiction Writing via Zoom  on Wednesday evenings 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. starting on Feb. 28. Investigation meets imagination for arm-chair detectives and true crime fans as Kim Kovach introduces a True Crime case each week. Participants can put a new spin on the facts by writing stories from different points of view - a neighbor, a co-worker, a witness, the victim or the accused. The weekly  True Crime Fiction Writing program begins on Wednesday, Feb. 28, and continues on Wednesday evenings through March 27. This virtual five-week series is offered in cooperation with the Pound Ridge Library, the Lewisboro Library and the John C. Hart Library. Registration is limited. Please register online through the library websites - poundridgelibrary.org or lewisborolibrary.org or yorktownlibrary.org A Message from the North Salem Senior Club Don’t you want to join us? We meet each month on the second Tuesday at the North Salem Firehouse at 301 Titicus Road. You must be over 50 years old, fill out the enrollment form and send it in with $15 dues. Members are looking forward to the Thanksgiving celebration, our holiday luncheon, Penny Social and Silent Auction, a variety of speakers and many fun-filled activities. So become a member and join us! Contact Jinx at jinx [email protected]. Free Square Dancing Fun Nights Monday, Feb. 12, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Singles, couples, and families welcome! To be held at the Katonah Methodist Church Parish Hall at 44 Edgemont Road in Katonah. For more information, visit www.friendlysquares.com Race Amity of Northern Westchester & Putnam We welcome you to join us for monthly discussions as we work to advance cross-racial and crosscultural amity. Monthly events feature speakers, screenings, and presentations, followed by discussions. Many meetings are hybrid (in person and on Zoom). Find us on Facebook or contact [email protected]. Chronic Pain Support Group Research tells us that 50 million Americans live with chronic pain, or pain that lasts most days or every day for three months or more. Of this group, 20 million experience high-impact chronic pain, or pain that interferes with basic functioning and activities of daily living. Pain is the  No. 1 reason  that Americans access the health care system, and costs the nation up to  $635 billion each year in medical treatments, BY TOM WALOGORSKY EDITOR On Saturday, Jan. 27, members of the Somers Volunteer Fire Department and Westchester County DES Hazardous Materials Team were called to the scene of a mercury spill at a residence on Lakeview Terrace in nearby Somers. Around 7:30 p.m., responders arrived at the home where residents reported that a mercury thermometer had broken on the first floor bathroom. One of the inhabitants had tried to clean the material, resulting in potential contact with the substance. A SVFD hazmat tech entered first, utilizing an advanced detection meter which confirmed readings of mercury. Upon confirmation, members of the department exited to the residence. Members of the Westchester County hazmat team entered next, conducting a more thorough search that detected mercury in both the bathroom and kitchen areas. Members of both teams were able to stabilize the area to ensure there was no further danger. Six people and three pets were checked and cleared for potential exposure. The residents were displaced until a specially trained contractor could arrive to dispose of the mercury. Units were assisted at the scene by Westchester EMS and the Somers Police Department, and were on scene for approximately 4.5 hours. Mercury rising Hazmat teams handle toxic spill Residents were displaced until the material could be properly disposed of. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOMERS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT A broken mercury thermometer caused a potentially dangerous situation. Members of the Westchester County DES Hazardous Materials Response Team were called in. ROCK FROM PAGE 5 SEE ROCK PAGE 23

Page 22 – North Salem News February 8 - February 28, 2024 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Mystery solved, armchair sleuths. Eagle-eyed TV fans might have detected that there was something awfully familiar about the setting for a production of the Peacock series “Poker Face.” And they were right. It was IBM’s former regional headquarters in nearby Somers where scenes from the critically acclaimed comedy-drama were filmed in 2022. The tech colossus’s campus, located on Route 100, is renowned for its I.M. Pei-designed, glass pyramid-topped structures. IBM departed in 2017 leaving the town to ponder the fate of the 700-acre property. A proposal to open a private STEM school there never took off. Being computer-centric, it was an apropos spot to film “The Orpheus Syndrome,” the plot of which centers on mysterious deaths at a visual effects company. Episode 8 aired in January 2023. On set was Natasha Lyonne, who stars as Charlie Cale, a former cocktail waitress, poker hustler, and human lie detector running from a casino boss following a suspicious death. During her road trip across the U.S., Charlie encounters colorful characters and solves a whole bunch of murders. “The Orpheus Syndrome” episode also featured actors Nick Nolte, Cherry Jones, Luis Guzmán, Tim Russ, and Rowan Blanchard. Lyonne wrote – along with Alice Ju – and directed “Orpheus.” Westchester’s tourism folks proudly note that several shows filmed in the county garnered a total of 56 Primetime Emmy nominations and notched nine wins at the award ceremony broadcast on Fox on Monday, Jan. 15. Lyonne was nominated for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series” for the 2023 season. She was up against Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”), Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), and Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”). Brunson took home the winged statuette. The number of nominations and awards given to shows that filmed in Westchester was a “testament” to the county’s “growing prominence” as an entertainment industry hotspot. It’s “film-friendly” also propelled, they said, success in the Golden Globes, Critic’s Choice, and Directors, Producers, and Screen Actors Guild awards and nominations. That gives Westchester more than bragging rights, it helps boost the local economy, according to County Executive George Latimer. “The film industry’s impact on Westchester is undeniable. A driving force for investment, film production is a $1.1 billion sector in Westchester. It showcases our assets, creates jobs, supports local vendors, and attracts audiences here and around the world,” he said. HBO’s “Succession” swept awards this year, scoring six Emmys, including “Outstanding Drama” and “Best Writing in Drama for the show’s creator, Jesse Armstrong; four Golden Globes, and three Critic’s Choice Awards. The series is set in New York City and in locations around the world, but the production filmed several episodes in Westchester, including at Westchester County Airport in the “shocking” episode that centered on the death of family patriarch Logan Roy. Also pointing to the recent “numerous recognitions,” Westchester County Tourism & Film Director Natasha Caputo said that they prove that the county’s diverse locations “provide excellent backdrops for storytelling, exemplified by these numerous recognitions.” The film biz has grown steadily due to the efforts of the county’s tourism team. The office provides location guidance, offers technical visits, and facilitates the permit process, she pointed out, adding that that support “makes a big difference in choosing where to film, according to many industry professionals.” The long-running Amazon Prime show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” filmed at Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle for its last season. The comedy earned two Emmy awards, for period makeup and cinematography. This year’s winners also include the Hulu murder mystery, “Only Murders in the Building,” which filmed at the Westchester County Records Center. The series received an Emmy for outstanding production design and a Critic’s Choice Award for acting for star Meryl Streep. Also notably, Alchemy Post Sound, a post-production sound studio in Peekskill took home a Creative Arts Emmy for its sound editing work on FX’s “The Bear.” Besides “Poker Face,” productions filmed in Westchester that earned award nominations this season include: · “The Watcher” (Netflix), filmed at a private home and country club in Rye. · “FBI: Most Wanted” (CBS), films regularly and extensively throughout Westchester. · “The Other Two” (HBO), filmed at Haven Studios NY in Mount Vernon. · “White House Plumbers” (HBO), filmed in the Michaelian Building in White Plains, Purchase College, Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle; and the Belvedere Estate in Tarrytown. · “The Gilded Age” (HBO), filmed at Lyndhurst, Glenview Mansion/Hudson River Museum, Manhattanville College, Jacob Purdy House, Pace University, and more · “Maestro” (Netflix) filmed in Rye. · “The Crowded Room” (Apple TV+), filmed at Untermyer Park and Gardens in Yonkers and downtown Hastings-onHudson. Location manager for “FBI: Most Wanted” Mike Hartel said: “They understand our needs and pave the way for successful filming.” The county “provides a wide range of looks and plenty of space to park trucks and equipment, set up complicated shoots, and establish base camps,” he said, adding: “Whether I need a traditional English garden, a Florida marina, a suburban home, or a wooded area, I know that Westchester has a location and facilitators to make filming as easy as possible.” “The Gilded Age” director Michael Engler agreed. “We love shooting in Westchester. When we go up there, everyone enjoys it and stays for a few days ... People are extremely friendly and gracious … creating a sense of community.” The Director’s Guild and Producer’s Guild Awards take place on Feb. 10 and 25, respectively. The SAG Awards are set for Feb. 23. ‘Poker Face’ films in Westchester, earns Emmy nominations Luis Guzmán starring alongside Natasha Lyonne PHOTOS COURTESY OF PEACOCK Cherry Jones as Laura in “Poker Face” Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in the North Salem News Bulletin Board and reach over 3,500 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in the North Salem News Bulletin Board and reach over 3,500 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! 845-278-7312 ALL FUEL CO. The Shelley Family Home Heating Fuel 1606 Rte 22, Brewster • Burner Sales, Service & Installation • Tank Removal & Installation • Propane Available for Cooking & Heating

February 8 - February 28, 2024 North Salem News – Page 23 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Attention late night TV fans. Legendary musician Paul Shaffer and his wife, Cathy, have put their Bedford home on the market for $2.7 million. The Canadian native was talk show host and North Salem resident David Letterman’s musical director, band leader, and sidekick for the entire run of both Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show with David Letterman. Shaffer was the special guest of singer Emily Bindiger and composer/musician Robbie Kondor, who also live in North Salem, at their Valentine’s Day concert at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library in 2020. A supporter and patron of the Bedford Playhouse, home of the Clive Davis Arts Center, Shaffer gave the entertainment venue the Baldwin that he had played on television. The Shaffers’ gated four-bedroom, 4 ½-bath colonial was built in the late 1960s and sits on a wooded eight-acre property on Cedar Hill Road in a toney enclave known as Middle Patent Estates. Bedford is home to a plethora of celebs such as lifestyle guru Martha Stewart, comedian Chevy Chase, and actress Glenn Close. According to media reports, the couple bought the home in 1991 for $680,000. Amenities touted by real estate agent Frances Torres of Houlihan Lawrence Bedford include an outdoor space that’s “a haven of relaxation and entertainment.” There’s a saltwater swimming pool with a jacuzzi, which, the listing says promises “refreshing dips and serene evening,” and a tennis court that “invites friendly matches.” It has a three-car garage as well. Inside, there’s an “exquisitely renovated chef’s kitchen” that features top-of-the-line appliances, including two ovens with a warming drawer and a custom range hood. The layout offers “flexibility to suit various lifestyles.” The home also has two fireplaces, a studio/office with its own spa-like bath and sauna, a great room with a vaulted ceiling and a wall of windows, and a custom library. The property is located just over an hour from downtown Manhattan and just minutes from Greenwich, Ct. Shaffer told Realtor.com that he and his wife became “empty nesters” after their children moved out. The couple plan to relocate to an apartment they own on the Upper West Side. Legendary musician Paul Shaffer to sell Westchester home for $2.7 Million Paul Shaffer PHOTO COURTESY OF THEWORLDSMOSTDANGEROUSBAND.COM disability payments and lost productivity. Support groups provide a forum for those with pain to gain support and learn about ways to manage pain and progress from patient to person. This group takes place over Zoom every other week. For more information, call Ted Bloch at 914- 552-6281 or email him at [email protected]. All conversations are kept strictly confidential. RideConnect Rideconnect has volunteers ready to help drive seniors to their medical appointments and assist with shopping. Services are free to seniors residing in Westchester and southern Putnam Counties. To request assistance, call 914-242-7433. Anyone wishing to volunteer for Rideconnect may do so by emailing Marietta Manoni at mmanoni@ fsw.org. Tai Chi and Chi Gong Classes Master Ron Statler will be offering new classes to the community of North Salem. First on the list is Tai Chi and Chi Gong. Tai Chi and Chi gong are wonderful health exercises for any age. Historically, they have been used to treat a host of health problems, including circulation and nervous disorders, muscle injuries, arthritis and even asthma. Because both Tai Chi & Chi Gong include meditation, they help people manage stress and relax. Come learn the “Art of Tai Chi” and give yourself the gift of a lifetime! Classes will be held at Union Hall Dance & Yoga Studio located at 2 Keeler Lane in North Salem, with a lunchtime class at 12 p.m. For more information call 203-470-2441 or email at [email protected]. Support groups for women with breast and ovarian cancers Support groups for women with breast and ovarian cancers have been transitioned to virtual platforms. Virtual groups are accessible to women from the comfort of their homes, regardless of where they live. All groups are open to new members as well as past participants. Advance registration is required by calling 914-962-6402 or 800-532-4290. Support Connection’s peer counselors are also available for individual counseling and assistance via phone and email. Call 800-532-4290, or submit an online request at supportconnection.org. ROCK FROM PAGE 21 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. 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