VOL. 12 NO. 33 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 CLASSIFIEDS 30 LEGAL NOTICES 29 LEISURE 25 OPINION 10 SPORTS 18 TOWN GREEN 4 Yorktown filmmaker scares up success pg 3 OH THE HORROR! Visit news.halstonmedia.com for the latest news. BY SOPHIA CASELNOVA STAFF WRITER Nyack varsity cheerleaders were reportedly targeted and taunted with racial epithets by spectators at a football game last Friday at Lakeland High School. “Racist and hurtful comments have no place in our community, and we take reports very seriously,” said school superintendent Dr. Karen Gagliardi in a prepared statement. “We are working closely with the superintendent of Nyack schools, our administrative team, and local police to investigate and ensure all feel welcomed and safe on our school grounds.” Gagliardi said that going forward, all middle school and elementary students are to be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all athletic games, and there will be Nyack cheerleaders racially taunted at Lakeland game District officials vow to investigate BY BRETT FREEMAN PUBLISHER Area civic, community and religious leaders of multiple faiths have come together in recent days to support their Jewish neighbors in the face of brutal violence in Israel. The Jewish community in Northern Westchester and Putnam counties was left reeling last week after the Palestinian Hamas terrorist organization on Oct. 7 murdered more than 1,500 Jews, including at least 29 Americans living in Israel. “What are we feeling? Disbelief, anger, confusion. Distraught, horrified, numb, anxiety, tears, maybe some panic,” said Alan Gunzburg during Friday night’s prayer service at Temple Beth Shalom in Mahopac. “This is not a random act of violence or terrorism; this is war. “Last Saturday was the single worst day for attacks on Jews since the Holocaust.” According to reports, Hamas has also abducted close to 200 hostages, including babies and seniors. Jewish women and girls were paraded around Gaza with blood-soaked pants, indicating many instances of rape. As of press time, the casualties from the conflict were continuing to rise and are almost certain to far surpass any figures so far reported. Hebrew Congregation of Somers Rabbi Shoshana Leis told a multi-faith gathering at Yorktown First Presbyterian Church about an exchange she had with Ossining Episcopal Priest Hal Roark as she tried to explain how devastating the attacks were to her community. “[I told him] I need to grieve with my people and be held by other people who are witnessing us in our grief now,” Rabbi Leis said. “And we did that on Thursday, which you can see on YouTube. I and others in the communities that I serve felt completely transformed having been held and seen in our grief.” Yorktown for Justice’s Judyth Stavans repeated a statement multiple times during the service. “We’re making space to hold each other, to mourn together, to grieve together to stand together,” said Stavans, who organized the vigil as a show of support for both Israelis and innocent Palestinians. “We are holding every victim here and abroad in our hearts as we pray for peace.” Images of horror Reporting from the attacks and their aftermath has uncovered brutal violence, with documents recovered from dead Hamas fighters allegedly showing that the organization explicitly targeted schools and vulnerable civilians. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed seeing images of a baby riddled with Region rallies in support of Israel, Jewish community Crowd shows support at Yorktown multi-faith vigil SEE LAKELAND PAGE 27 SEE ISRAEL PAGE 6 People gathered at Yorktown First Presbyterian Church on Sunday in a multi faith vigil for the victims of Hamas. PHOTOS: ROB DISTASIO Owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC.*Per OneKeyMLS data 1/1/23-10/11/23 SOLD Yorktown School District Real Estate Salesperson | 914.610.6277(m) | [email protected] | DebraBravoco.com MBA, Corporate Finance | President’s Circle Award Winner | Smart Home Certified | 366 Underhill Ave., Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 Exceeding Expectations… One Home at a Time! Ask the #1 Coldwell Banker agent in the Yorktown School District. Contact me at 914.610.6277 to discuss your real estate goals and how I can help you achieve them. What do the current market conditions mean for you? 1336 Ellen Lane Yorktown Heights 2989 Ferncrest Drive Yorktown Heights
PAGE 2 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 135 Mahopac Ave, Granite Springs, NY Jilco Window Corp. 914 248-6100 jilcowindow.com Please Contact Us for Special Savings on Select Marvin Products. ® SALE RUNS through December 13, 2023
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 3 BY BOB DUMAS EDITOR AT LARGE Gregory Van Voorhis’s road to Hollywood has been pretty scary. OK... maybe it isn’t literally Hollywood, but the Yorktown resident’s first horror film wrapped shooting last month and is in the can awaiting some post-production magic and editing before its release in late spring/ early summer of next year. And like most of the movies that have inspired Van Voorhis to be a filmmaker—it is meant to frighten you. “The Pitchfork Retreat,” is – as the name would imply – a horror movie, a genre Van Voorhis has been enamored with since he was a kid. Van Voorhis, 44, grew up in Cliffside Park, N.J., and went to private school in the Bronx. He said his love for cinema was planted early on by his cinephile parents. He remembers being as young as 3 years old and lying in bed with his dad watching movies. “I grew up in the ‘80s, the decade of all those amazing films,” he said. “We would go to Blockbusters and on Fridays and you could get two videos. That always stuck with me. That was our weekend routine.” Van Voorhis didn’t go to college with the aim of becoming a movie writer and director. Instead he majored in journalism and eventually got a job as an English teacher in the Bronx. Still, his passion for filmmaking got a boost when he attended an intensive workshop at The New York Film Academy in 2002 while a senior at Lehman College. At the NYFA, he was able to complete his first 16 mm short film, “The Eye of the Vulture,” an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” “I was a journalism major, but I took those courses at the Film Academy and fell in love with it,” he said. “I thought it was something I would love to do but I realized I hadn’t really lived long enough to tell stories yet. So, I just kept working and writing. I became as good of a teacher as I could be and thought: ‘Now let me go back and revisit my love.’ “I had just turned 30 and was about to get married,” he added. “I thought, if I don’t make it now, I don’t see it happening, so I went for it.” Actually, Van Voorhis says he was just 8 years old when he wrote his first horror screenplay. “It was called ‘The Stalker,’” he said with a laugh. “But I fell in love [with horror] at an early age. I watched ‘The Exorcist’ when I was very young and [horror] has been my favorite genre ever since. It was my passion.” He eventually fell under the spell of the classic ‘80s horror films such as “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween,” and “Friday the 13th,” even though he says he is not really a slasher movie fan. “I prefer a slow burn. I like to get invested in the characters,” he said. “I really love the ‘Insidious’ films and ‘The Conjuring’ franchise. I like something outside the box. I like jump scares, but I love sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen.” He cites Stephen King, whom Van Voorhis has met several times, as a master at creating richly drawn characters. “He has been a big influence,” he said. “I did my thesis on him and have a huge collection of his stuff.” Van Voorhis first foray into filmmaking outside of school was in 2010 when wrote and directed “Four Corners Road,” which he describes as a “dramedy.” “It was out of my comfort zone, and I knew it was not my genre,” he said. Van Voorhis began writing “The Pitchfork Retreat” in 2014. “I had an itch to scratch” he said. “This was the time [to write a horror movie].” In the beginning, friends volunteered to serve as actors. But after a few table reads, they encouraged Van Voorhis to hire professionals. The cast now reads like a list of who’s who in the horror movie genre. It boasts Dee Wallace (“Cujo” and the mom in “E.T.”), Tony Todd (“Candyman”), Danielle Harris (“Urban Legend’ and a bunch of “Halloween” films), and Adrienne Barbeau (“The Fog,” “Swamp Thing,” “Escape from New York”). “Horror icons from my childhood,” Van Voorhis said of the cast. “Tony [Todd] read the script and said, ‘I have to be your lead in this,’ and I wanted no one else. We became great friends, and he connected me to all these other great actors like Danielle Harris.” Van Voorhis then met Michael Leavy, creator of the “Terrifier” films, who came onboard as a co-producer. The next “Terrifier” film is being released next summer so Van Voorhis hopes “The Pitchfork Retreat” will drop at around the same time. The movie is the story of three writers who head to a private island for a writers’ retreat where they are told they will compete in a life-changing writing competition. But not everything is as it seems, and they are in for one hell of a surprise. “The Pitchfork Retreat,” which was codirected by Van Voorhis’s sister, Nicole, is actually a trilogy of sorts. “I love anthology [movies] but what they lack is that wrap-around story [that connects all the other stories together],” he said. “I wanted to create that world and have it woven in and out of the other stories. It goes in and out of the [characters’] consciousness as they tell their stories over dinner.” Van Voorhis had high praise for his cast and crew, which, besides his sister, also included his kids, Madison and Mason, and his mother Lynne. Lynne served as a co-producer, while Madison and Mason, students at Ben Franklin Elementary, have prominent roles in the film. At one festival, Madison, 11, was nominated for Best Young Talent, and Best Supporting Actress, a nomination she shared with Wallace and Barbeau. Van Voorhis said his cinematographer Steven Della Salla played a huge role in getting the right look for the film. “He is a genius and an artist,” he said. “It is nice to work with an artist. “And Dee, who was in ‘Cujo,’ was instrumental in getting the movie made,” he added. “And two other actors, Lukas Hassel and Joseph Reitman, who play two of the leads, were very supportive. Without them, it would not have happened. There would be no film at all.” Van Voorhis has already begun writing a sequel to “The Pitchfork Retreat.” And maybe with Halloween looming ominously, there will be a little supernatural inspiration in the air. Gregory Van Voorhis is...the frightener Yorktown writer/director’s new horror film wraps shooting From left, Nicole Van Voorhis (co-director, actress in the film, producer), Tony Todd, and Gregory Van Voorhis (writer, co-director, producer) PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREGORY VAN VOORHIS “Pitchfork Retreat” cast members, from left, Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernie’s), Tony Todd (Candyman), and Kimberley Crossman (Deathgasm)
PAGE 4 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 Periodicals Postage Paid at Somers, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Yorktown News at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 (ISSN 2329-8693) Published Weekly by Halston Media, LLC at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 Halston Media, LLC The Staff EDITORIAL TEAM Emile Menasché Editor: 845-208-0774 [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky 845-661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director/Photographer [email protected] Noah Elder Designer Bri Agosta Designer Haven Elder Designer EXECUTIVE TEAM Brett Freeman CEO & Publisher 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines Yorktown News The deadline for advertisements and editorial submissions for Yorktown News is the Thursday before the next publication date. For more information, call Tom Walogorsky at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected]. Subscribe To request Yorktown News weekly delivery, call 845-208-8503 or email [email protected]. Subscriptions are complimentary for residents and businesses in the town. Out of town mail subscriptions are $150 per year for First Class Mail. DR. AMANDA WIECHERT, DMD & DR. FELICIA NICOLAS, DDS. 1855 COMMERCE STREET YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY 10598 (914) 302-7717 www.northeastdentalny.com [email protected] Dentistry with the personalized touch EXPERIENCE THE NORTHEAST DENTAL DIFFERENCE Long-time Yorktown dentist Dr. Amanda Wiechert founded Northeast Dental in 2014, with the idea that patients should be #1. We know that life can be hectic, and our team goes the extra mile to make patients’ care convenient, comfortable, and reliably high in quality. Repair Café The next Yorktown Repair Café will be on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Grace Lutheran Church located at 3830 Gomer Street in Yorktown Heights. While signups are not required, they help minimize waiting and give volunteers some insight into what may be coming through the doors for repairs. Please sign up at shorturl.at/ mADJ7 for a slot. If you have any questions or would like to lend a hand, please contact sarahdwilson @optonline.net. Music Booster Tag Sale The Yorktown High School Music Boosters are hosting a tag sale on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. The organization is looking for donations of new or gently used collectibles, books, household items, small (working) appliances, clothing, furniture, toys, sports equipment or other treasures. The Boosters cannot accept baby items (except clothing), stuffed animals, upholstered furniture, mattresses, pillows, or exercise equipment. Donations will be accepted on Friday, Oct. 20 from 2:30 to 7 p.m. Please bring all donations to the YHS Band Room. For more info, contact band director Ms. Kluga (ekluga@ yorktown.org), choir director Ms. Stock (astock@yorktown. org), or orchestra director Dr. Bhasin (dbhasin@yorktown. org), or call 914-243-8050. K of C Fr. LaFarge Council 4012 The Knights of Columbus of the Fr. LaFarge Council #4012 is recruiting new members. There will be a social meeting at St. Seton Parish Hall in Shrub Oak on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. Upcoming initiatives include collecting food items for the Yorktown-area food pantries and judging entries in the Knights’ Grade 8-12 essay contest. Other Council 4012 activities include volunteering for Battle of Yorktown cleanup and Special Olympics events, golf outings in support of Guiding Eyes and for high school student scholarships, delivering Memorial Day cards to veterans, providing wheelchairs for veterans, hosting hospitality breakfasts, and raising funds for Birthright and St. Joseph’s Seminary. The Council also attends summertime Hudson Valley Renegades games at Heritage Financial Park. The Knights are dedicated to the principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. To learn more, visit KofC4012.org or contact Andrew Amenn at [email protected]. Organic Yard Waste Facility Is Open Yorktown’s Organic Yard Waste Facility, 2200 Greenwood St., Yorktown Heights The town of Yorktown has “closed the loop on recycling” with the collection, processing, and giving-back of organic yard waste. The Organic Yard Waste Facility is available, without charge, to Yorktown residents delivering organic yard waste in vehicles without commercial license plates. Proof of residency is required. In addition, residents can help themselves to wood chips. This facility is also the depot for biodegradable paper leaf bags, branches, logs, and Christmas trees collected by Yorktown’s Refuse and Recycling, Parks, and Highway departments. Yorkville Sports Association Free Open Play Sundays, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Free open play get togethers, including softball, for seniors (50 plus) every Sunday. To be held all summer long at Shrub Oak Memorial Park, located at 3800 Sunnyside Street in Shrub Oak. For more information, contact [email protected] TOWN GREEN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 5 HHHHHHHH PAID FOR BY THE FRIENDS OF JENNA LENNOX BELCASTRO VOTE NOVEMBER 7 Early In-Person: Oct 28 - Nov 5 LEARN MORE ➜ jennaforyorktown.com ORGANIZE mobile office hours with State and Federal offices to assist you MOVE forms online to make the Town Clerk’s office more accessible MAKE the Town Clerk’s office more transparent and accountable to residents LOWER fees and costs to protect your taxpayer dollars H Graduated from Yorktown High School H Senior staff member to the Yorktown Supervisor for over 3 years H Served as Director of Westchester’s Narcan Program H Managed the Westchester County Health Commissioner’s Department of Constituent Relations A vote for Jenna is a win for Yorktown Jenna Ad #7 9.5x12.25.indd 1 10/6/23 1:46 PM
PAGE 6 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 bullets, young people burned alive and soldiers beheaded. Blinken said the carnage is reminiscent of atrocities committed by ISIS. As of press time, 10 area synagogues were planning a gathering in support of Israel on Oct. 17, hosted by Congregation Sons of Israel of Briarcliff. Organizers included Temple Beth Am of Yorktown, Hebrew Congregation of Somers, Temple Beth Shalom of Mahopac, and Temple Shaaray Tefila of Bedford Corners. Attendees were asked to bring the names of loved ones who have died, who are missing or who are currently in harm’s way in Israel. Meanwhile, while no specific threats had been reported in this area, the entire community has been on edge, particularly last Friday when Hamas called for a global day of jihad. Tensions were exacerbated when the New York City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) showed support for the terrorist attacks in a rally on Oct. 8. “It is absolutely disgusting that the NYC-DSA held a rally celebrating the murderous rampage of Hamas terrorists through Israel,” Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) stated in a release. “There is no moral equivalency between Israel defending its right to exist and these coldblooded killers who went door to door indiscriminately butchering men, women, children and the elderly. It is unconscionable that these fringe lunatics stand in solidarity with Hamas murderers.” A widely circulated photo showed an attendee of the DSA’s rally holding a swastika. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Chicago chapter of BLM shared an image of a paraglider holding a Palestinian flag, declaring “I Stand With Palestine.” The paraglider image was in reference to some of the Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israel by air on Oct. 7, including terrorists who killed at least 260 young Israelis at a concert dubbed a “Festival of Peace and Love,” which likely consisted of social justice-oriented Israelis who had been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. The DSA was condemned by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who vowed to protect the city’s Jewish residents. “Your fight is my fight,” Adams said at last week’s New York Stands With Israel rally. “That [DSA] swastika not only displays the pain of antisemitism, it displays the pain of racism among African Americans. You marched with us with Dr. King. You stood with us with all the fights we have. And I’m saying we’re going to stand with you and stand united together.” Several local social justice organizations also denounced the attacks perpetrated by Hamas. Yorktown for Justice (YFJ), which sponsored a “Peaceful Vigil for Israelis and Palestinians” at the Yorktown First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, put out the following statement: “As advocates for peace and justice, Yorktown for Justice is appalled by the recent slaughter and kidnapping of innocent Jewish civilians by terrorists. We condemn the ongoing death and destruction in Israel and Gaza. We are in grief over the loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives over the past week. We do not condone attacks on civilians or violence of any kind. We hope for a solution that will ISRAEL FROM PAGE 1 SEE ISRAEL PAGE 27 THE YORKTOWN TEAM will put people over politics. PAID FOR BY FRIENDS FOR TOM DIANA Cantor Jamie Tortorello-Allen of Temple Beth An Reverend Chip Low Co-Pastor at Yorktown First Presbyterian PHOTOS: ROB DISTASIO Pastor Christopher Chantelau of Grace Lutheran Church
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 7 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27TH | 5:00-9:00PM JEFFERSONVALLEYMALL.COM Join us this Fall for trick or treating, carnival games, a Halloween walkthrough, and beer garden. SPONSORED BY JEFFERSON VALLEY MALL’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY IN CELEBRATION OF
PAGE 8 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 BY SOPHIA CASELNOVA STAFF WRITER The Yorktown Stage hosted a candidate forum and debate last Wednesday night (Oct. 11) as hopeful public servants from both sides of the aisle laid out their platforms and challenges. On hand were candidates for town supervisor, town clerk, town justice, and two Town Board seats. While each candidate offered an opening statement, only the candidates for supervisor and Town Board debated. Candidates for supervisor are Republican incumbent, Tom Diana, and Democratic challenger Jann Mirchandani. Vying for town clerk are incumbent Diana Quast (D) and challenger Jenna Lennox Belcastro (R). Running for Town Board are incumbent Ed Lachterman (R), Patrick Murphy (R), Steve Shaw (D), and Tom Marron (D). Current town justice Gary Raniolo is also seeking re-election. After each candidate gave opening statements, the debate began with Diana facing Mirchandani. Questions were posed by a bipartisan panel and included some submitted by constituents as well. The supervisor debate covered topics such as the budget, the garbage problems, solar power, and making the town more pedestrian- and bike-friendly. They also tackled issues such as the timeline of ARPA funding, taxes, the expansion of town infrastructure, zoning, and trees, and creating a future direction for the town. The Town Board debate included discussion on senior housing, bipartisan cooperation, as well as making the town more pedestrian- and bike-friendly. The event was arranged in cooperation with the town’s Democratic and Republican committees and was streamed online. You can find a link to the video at news. halstonmedia.com. Supervisor Race Diana, a third-generation, 65-year resident, has been the supervisor since January and was a member of the Town Board before that. He described his love for the town and said that he sold his business two weeks ago so he could continue to invest himself in being supervisor. He is also a member of the Elks Club, the Sons of the American Legion, and Circolo da Vinci. “I’m proud to call Yorktown home and to serve my community to the best of my ability,” he said. Mirchandani, a 20-year resident of Yorktown, said her goals include improving Yorktown’s ethical standards, stopping wasteful government spending, fostering entrepreneurship, and connecting local businesses with resources to aid in their success, according to her profile on the campaign’s website. She has 35 years of non-profit board service, is the first female council commissioner for the Greater Hudson Valley Boy Scout Association, is a 25-year small business owner, and is a Leadership Westchester graduate. “Earlier this year when I saw some of the challenges this town was facing, I decided to run because I believe that I can help Yorktown do more for the people that live here,” said Mirchandani. “If elected, I will make sure that I ask the tough questions. I will ensure that our town board is asking the right questions.” For more information on Mirchandani, visit anewdayforyorktown.com. Town Clerk Race Quast, born and raised in Yorktown, has been the town clerk for the town for eight years but has a total of 24 years of experience serving as a deputy clerk and town clerk for two different municipalities. She has a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice and was designated Master Municipal Clerk from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. “I love my job and I am committed to serving my community and all of its residents,” said Quast. “I am dedicated to our town, I have the skill set to move forward, and will continue to work for the people of Yorktown every day.” In her time as clerk thus far, she has created a mobile town clerk’s office to provide community outreach and better serve seniors, veterans, and citizens with disabilities. More recently, she initiated the Senior identification program. She said with over 1.5 million town documents scanned and available to the public already, she plans to mcreate a scanning facility at the records center. Quast also oversees the town museum. Lennox Belcastro, also born and raised in town, has worked as director of Westchester’s Narcan Program and managed the Westchester County Health Commissioner Department’s constituent relations. She works as an executive assistant to the town supervisor and went to school to be a special education teacher. In her speech, Lennox Belcastro said that she is the right for the job because “It is time for new leadership and I am asking for your vote to help me make Yorktown a better town for everyone.” She said that if elected, she would focus on enhancing customer service and would expand office hours to include weekends. Her overall goals are to move all forms online to modernize the town clerk’s office and lower costs, make town government more transparent and accountable to residents, and lower fees and costs to protect taxpayer dollars Town candidates face off at debate SEE DEBATE PAGE 25 Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • Wills, Trusts & Estates Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 16 consecutive years CALL NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 914.948.1500 What steps have you taken to protect your life savings from the cost of long term care?
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 9 Scan Me! Now you can read all about Yorktown AND the region!
118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 Halston Media, LLC Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of Yorktown 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 at [email protected]. For more information, call the editor at (914) 302-5830 Brett Freeman, Publisher Tom Walogorsky, Editor Tabitha Pearson Marshall, Creative Director Editorial Office: (914) 302-5830 [email protected] PAGE 10 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 BY TALIA P. GUEST COLUMNIST The Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and events which have unfolded since then are ones that most people, especially Jews, would have never believed could happen again. The brutal murder of innocent people, decimation of communities and kibbutzim, taking of hostages, and dehumanization of people which have been carried out by Hamas, whose intention is to obliterate the Israeli and Jewish population, are beyond horrifying for nearly anyone with a connection to Israel, and they should be for any human being. The despicable actions of these terrorists not only affect Israelis, but they are now affecting innocent Palestinians, who are being asked to evacuate by the Israeli Army before they attack, while being told differently by Hamas. The suffering of innocent people, and specifically the attempt of this group to wipe out centuries of Jewish culture - once again - is one of the reasons this is so personal on many levels to so many Jewish people. The culture of a kibbutz, which is an Israeli communal settlement and often based off a farm, is unique to anything else. Kibbutz Ein-Hashofet has been an important part of my family history since before the founding of Israel. My grandmother grew up on this kibbutz, her father helped found it and the state of Israel, and it is also where she and my grandfather, who also had family there, would meet. I was lucky to visit EinHashofet for the first time this past year, and I immediately fell in love with everything about it - the emphasis on music and dancing, focus on family, the fresh smell, beauty of endless fields; even the rundown, small apartment we stayed in felt special. Everything about this place made sense; my grandma has always tried to implement so many of these focuses into our lives for as long as I can remember, having Shabbat dinners, using music as a way of bringing us together, always having a beautiful, fresh garden and flowers in her and my grandpa’s house, and so much more. Visiting the kibbutz allowed me to understand this and gain such a greater appreciation for our culture and where we came from. I was grounded in a different way than ever before from staying on the kibbutz and being around such special people. There is a sense of pureness all around - in the air and in the people. Family I had never met before and friends my grandparents and mom introduced me to were kind, welcoming and genuine. Everyone knows each other, everyone says hi to one another, and I felt like people were so much more focused on enjoying and appreciating the present moment, rather than endlessly thinking ahead, which is something that I was most definitely not used to. It was so freeing being able to be a part of this community, laughing with my cousins, trying to communicate while most of us barely knew the other’s language, wandering around the kibbutz without knowing where we’re going but also knowing that we can’t get lost. I treasure the memories I made from barely four days on Kibbutz EinHashofet and constantly think about the next time I can go back. If such a short amount of time in this special place had such a great impact on me, I cannot imagine how a person who’s lived there for their entire life feels knowing that terrorists have attempted to destroy a place like this and have even succeeded in many cases. Several kibbutzim outside of Gaza have been attacked by Hamas, including Be’eri, Kfar Aza, Urim, Nir Oz, and many others. Due to Ein-Hashofet’s existence beginning before the founding of Israel - earlier than most kibbutzim - several of the people in the kibbutzim attacked had connections to Ein-Hashofet. My grandparents, having been involved in this kibbutz from the beginning, know people who have died or been taken hostage in kibbutz Nir Oz. I have only stayed on and really gotten to know one kibbutz, however I am certain that almost all kibbutzim share similar values and have a similar uniqueness to EinHashofet. An attack on a kibbutz is an attack on this special, rare culture, which Jews have worked so hard to preserve after being deemed unfit and unwanted in society several times throughout history and most significantly, the Holocaust. The deep appreciation and feeling of connection that I gained to Israel and specifically, Ein-Hashofet and the culture of a kibbutz in general, is the reason that the idea of a terrorist organization destroying these unique communities, which reflect so much Jewish history, is so incredibly appalling to me personally. Several Palestinian communities containing innocent people are now being destroyed because of Hamas’s actions as well, which is just as horrific. Regardless, the intentional killing of innocent people is never acceptable and can never be justified. Both Israelis and Palestinians are suffering, and these recent events prove that no matter how horrific, history can repeat itself. It is important to understand what exactly these terrorists have attempted and continue to attempt to destroy in order to understand the depth of this atrocity. Attack is personal after spending time on kibbutz Reflections from a Yorktown High School student Ed Lachterman is right for the town Dear Editor, I have known Ed Lachterman for the past 10 years, serving with him as a Yorktown Lion. As someone who has lived in Yorktown for 56 years and worked for the town of Yorktown for 20 years, I know when someone is the right person for our town. Lachterman is dedicated to all the residents of the town, but especially to the seniors and veterans. He is a natural leader, as he demonstrates with the Lions, and does so much for the veterans with his service in the Sons of the American Legion. I have never seen him not have time for anyone that has a problem or issue. If it is something that he can help with, he will come over and look to help. I know this from personal experience. I wholeheartedly endorse Ed Lachterman for Town Board and we need to keep him in office. -Carol Roberts Yorktown In support of my mom, Diana Quast Dear Editor, Diana Quast has been our town clerk for eight years; there is nobody who is more qualified than she is to continue the job. Quast serves this town faithfully every day, helping as many residents as she can. She has transformed the look and the feel of the Town Clerk’s office, making it more modern and welcoming, which you immediately feel when you walk up to the window. She expanded the accessibility to the office by creating the first ever Mobile Town Clerk’s office, which has helped residents who can’t drive to Town Hall. The Office of the Town Clerk runs smoothly and efficiently with the effort that Quast and her team have put into rolling out new online fillable forms and accepting credit cards for easy transactions. Quast embodies the spirit of “Progress through Preservation,” the town motto, as she has installed modern office amenities while also digitizing town archives. Quast works closely with the Yorktown Museum, and she secured a local record book from over 100 years ago for the town’s archives that she also oversees. The two-term incumbent can be seen throughout the town and at various functions to support the town’s causes, which are too many to list. Quast also spearheaded the annual electric lights parade that draws thousands of spectators each year. In addition to the experience Quast gained working under the tutelage of her predecessor, past Town Clerk Alice Roker, Quast has shown eight years of unwavering leadership. To say that she knows the office backwards and forwards would be a cliché and an understatement. Not only does she have the multiple certifications necessary to hold the office, but she is also knowledgeable of the laws that govern and protect the town. Quast is someone I speak to almost every day, LETTERS SEE LETTERS PAGE 11
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 OPINION YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 11 Join Us for a Joyful Celebration of our Relaunch as Flow Vineyard Church 2084 Crompond Road Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 [email protected] 914.245.1715 Find God Build Relationships Make A Difference Sundays 10:30 AM and I can tell you first-hand that each day at work she helps the residents of this town in ways that are above and beyond. She is caring, successful and an inspiration to many. I write this letter in support of re-electing Yorktown Town Clerk, the one and only, Diana Quast. While she may be my mom, and I may be a little biased, it’s evident that she deserves to continue her career as town clerk. -Amy Mentrasti Yorktown A vote for Jenna is a win for Yorktown Dear Editor, For those of you who may not know Jenna Lennox Belcastro, she has a Yorktown story. Belcastro was raised here and graduated from Yorktown High School Class of 2005. I have known her for almost her entire life and I personally have seen her grow and mature into a very loving, caring person. I believe the Town of Yorktown was blessed when Belcastro and her husband Dan, a White Plains police officer, decided to make their residence here and raise their two young boys. I realize that the position of Town Clerk is not merely an administrative one, but one that also is the gateway through which residents engage with their local government. Belcastro definitely has the personality to make all people feel welcome. Every time I have stopped by the Supervisor’s office, I have been greeted with one huge smile. When Belcastro worked directly for the Commissioner of the County Health Department, she served as the director of our county’s Narcan program. This was very personal to her as she has lost friends to drug addictions. Belcastro was also great at managing the department’s constituent relations, a trait that she brought with her three years ago to the Yorktown Supervisor’s office. I will be voting for Jenna Lennox Belcastro for Town Clerk as I know she will make the clerk’s office more friendly, more productive and a place where all residents will be served equally. This has always been her modus operandi. A vote for Jenna is a win for Yorktown. -Charlotte Sausedo Jefferson Village Endorsing Tom Diana and Ed Lachterman Dear Editor, The Town of Yorktown is managed by a supervisor who holds both an executive position and a legislative position and four members of the Town Board who compose the balance of the legislative authority. In November, the supervisor and two Town Board positions will be filled through the elections process. Supervisor Tom Diana and Town Board member Ed Lachterman, who is also the deputy town supervisor, are running for re-election. Town Board member Mary Capoccia is not running for election. To the best of my knowledge, none of the existing Town Board members or those who are running for the town supervisor or Town Board are attorneys. Diana, Lachterman and the balance of the Town Board have done an excellent job considering the trying fiscal times that we are in. The town infrastructure, some visible and some not so visible, has been enhanced or improved through the judicious use of town funds while maintaining a stable tax rate and budget. The major criticism of the Town Board has been the trash contract. The bidding process that was held was in compliance with NYS municipal procurement process and procedures as to the lowest responsible bidder. The lowest responsible bidder at the time the contract commenced was fully licensed and permitted by the state and county. Unfortunately, due to, I think, an inadequate analysis of the scope of work by the contractor, the contractor was unable to properly perform. The two Democrat candidates for the Town Board have occasionally attended Town Board meetings. Neither of them have municipal government experience. At the very few Town Board meetings that they attended, they only offered criticism of the Town Board. Not once have I seen or heard a concrete suggestion for the improvement of the town or to a solution for any of the issues concerning the town. The Democrat candidate for the position of town supervisor, Jann Mirchandani, has been attending Town Board meetings. She has taken notes and asked questions about issues facing the town and, I think, is learning about how the town functions, including municipal requirements. In my opinion, in a few years, if she continues to attend Town Board meetings, she will be a viable candidate for a town office. However, based on the infrastructure improvements to the town, the stable tax rates and budget and the overall management of the town by Supervisor Diana, Deputy Supervisor Lachterman and the balance of the Town Board, I recommend and endorse Diana and Lachterman for re-election to their present positions. -Jay Kopstein Yorktown Heights Supporting the Democratic candidates for Town Board and Supervisor Dear Editor, When voting in a few weeks, Yorktown residents have a lot to consider in terms of the poor performance of the current Town Board: poor vetting of the garbage contractor, resulting in a 25% increase in costs with the town being LETTERS FROM PAGE 10 SEE LETTERS PAGE 12
PAGE 12 – YORKTOWN NEWS OPINION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 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! DISFRUTE DE LA DELICIOSA COMIDA TIPICA ECUATORIANA ENJOY THE DELICIOUS FOODS OF ECUADOR! DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS: $13.00 MONDAY-FRIDAY 976 SOUTH LAKE BLVD., MAHOPAC NY 10541 (914) 689-6862 @LAHUECAMAHOPAC sued by the original contractor, failure to clear town water easements, resulting in peoples’ homes flooding, failure to reign in out-of-control ATV/dirt bike riders with a senior citizen in the hospital and people afraid to walk sections of Hunterbrook Road, and failure to complete infrastructure projects such as sewers needed for years. However, lost in the airing of all of these problems is a discussion of a bigger problem: the current Town Board’s lack of a vision for the future of our town. While all over the country, towns are looking for ways to convert existing vacant retail and office space to housing and other uses, the current Town Board is actually going in the opposite direction, giving tax breaks to developers to build more unneeded commercial space in the business sections of our hamlets. This is creating a ghost town of vacant stores and wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, the tax break for the new Caremount (now called Optum) medical building on Route 118 in the Heights section has cost the town more than $330,000 in lost tax revenue (which we taxpayers have to pay). And this same tax break policy is eroding our commercial tax base, costing the town additional hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost tax revenue. Building new, unneeded commercial space doesn’t just create more vacant stores, it reduces the value of existing space, which means that all commercial property owners can file for reductions in their taxes. The building on Veterans Road with doctor offices and a building on Kear Street with mixed medical and commercial space both recently received reductions in their tax bills. In recent years, owners of a wide variety of properties have had their taxes reduced by more than $262,000. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, because filing for a tax cert to reduce your taxes is a legal process, which can take years. Recently, the Town Board has continued this disastrous policy by offering tax breaks to the developer to add more unneeded commercial space at Underhill Farms. Development policy should be based on a comprehensive vision of what is needed for our town in the 21st century; it should not increase the tax burden on citizens to benefit developers. The moment the town rezoned the Soundview property to mixed use, they should have solicited other proposals. You don’t know if a proposal is a good deal if you have just one proposal. For example, there is a major flaw in the developer’s estimate of tax revenue; they are significantly underestimating the number of school kids (contrary to the school board estimates), because they are not accounting for seniors who will sell their homes to families with kids. I want a Town Board that will take the lead in reviewing and finding errors in a developer’s self-serving analyses instead of leaving us taxpayers to do the work. If you ask the Town Board, and I have, they will tell you to look at the bottom line. However, they are using the Underhill Farms developers’ bottom line that is biased and so narrowly focused that it is meaningless. I am supporting the Democratic candidates for Town Board in Yorktown: Jann Mirchandani, Tom Marron and Steve Shaw, who will favor taxpayers over developers and restore competence to town government. And I am voting for Diana Quast to continue her excellent service as Town Clerk. -Larry Kilian Yorktown Heights Patrick Murphy is man of integrity Dear Editor, It is with great enthusiasm that I am writing this letter of support of Patrick Murphy’s election for the Town Board. Murphy has been a resident of Yorktown since birth and recently celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary with his wife, Marijo. Their three daughters are graduates of the Yorktown Central School District. While working at IBM, Murphy obtained his master’s degree in computer science. This accomplishment led to his employment with ABC/Disney as a consultant. After multiple promotions, Murphy had over 100 people reporting to him throughout multiple bureaus in the U.S. as well as from a London office. After Murphy left ABC as a director of executive support, he and some of his siblings opened Murphy’s Restaurant. Throughout Murphy’s existence, the restaurant employed over 500 employees. As a proponent of giving back to the community, Murphy’s organized frequent fundraisers for the Yorktown High School sports teams, YAC Team, Support Connection and Relay for Life. Murphy’s extensive business acumen has given him the ability to make good judgments, which will be of great benefit for our community. I sincerely believe that Patrick Murphy is a man of integrity and honor and that he will work tirelessly for the Yorktown community. I hope you will join me in voting for Murphy either by absentee ballot, early voting or by traditionally voting on Election Day, this year being Nov. 7. -Maureen Rohan Yorktown Heights Experience means everything Dear Editor, “Yorktown” experience means everything! As a longtime resident of Yorktown, I feel that one of the most important traits a candidate for office should have is an institutional knowledge of the town they want to serve. The slate of Diana, Lachterman, Murphy, Raniolo and Lennox-Belcastro have this knowledge. Three of them have been born and raised in Yorktown, while Raniolo and Lachterman have lived here for decades. This is the type of experience that will be able to keep moving Yorktown forward with an eye on progress and preservation. -Jennie Menton Yorktown Heights Mirchandani needs more experience before running town Dear Editor, As the summer is coming to an end, we begin to pay attention to the upcoming election for Town Board. Town government is not about national issues; it is about keeping our infrastructure (roads, water, sewers and property issues, etc.) in working condition effectively. It is also about making sound decisions regarding the police, fire and EMS to keep you and your family safe, especially out children, seniors and our homes. Supervisor Tom Diana is the most qualified to maintain your investment in your home and more importantly the safety of you and your family. His experience includes serving as deputy supervisor and councilman, and he served more than 25 years as a police officer. As much as I appreciate Jann Mirchandani for coming forward, I do not believe she has ever served on any town committee or board. I believe she attended her one and only Town Board meeting after announcing she wanted to run for supervisor and run the town. I hope she stays involved and participates, thereby gaining the experience necessary to make sound decisions for you and your family should she run for office again. At this time, she does not have the experience necessary to run Yorktown. -Giulio & Maria Eliseo Yorktown LETTERS FROM PAGE 11 SEE LETTERS PAGE 14
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 13 Connecting you to what matters most, like neighbors do. There’s nothing quite like local. That’s why your local AARP creates experiences with your community in mind. We’re neighbors, connecting you to free events, learning opportunities, and resources right in your backyard. Wherever you live, we’re here to help your money, health, and happiness live as long as you do. Find us at aarp.org/local @AARPNY @aarpny
PAGE 14 – YORKTOWN NEWS OPINION THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 SUNDAY, October 22, 2023 9:00am - 11:00am 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) RWHudsonValleyNY.com Sunday, October 29 • 6pm Earn Entries All Month Long! 2023 JEEP RENEGADE DRAWING Newburgh, NY What you see is what you get with Tom Diana Dear Editor, Tom Diana is truly Yorktown’s “favorite son.” As a thirdgeneration resident, he raised his children here, served in law enforcement and was instrumental in initiating the K-9 Unit in the Yorktown Police Department. He also owned a small business here in Yorktown for many years, which he recently sold, giving his full attention to the people of Yorktown. He is also an active member of the Sons of the American Legion. He served on the Town Board for eight years. His dedication to our town was recognized by former Town Supervisor Matt Slater, who appointed him to the position of deputy supervisor and was made acting supervisor by a vote of the council in 2023. During this time, his accomplishments included: the opening of Legacy Park again, the completion of the Par 3 Golf Course, the expansion of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, to name a few. In December 2022, he initiated the first tree lighting ceremony in front of the Hart Library. Diana was able to obtain donations for the huge tree and planting. Unfortunately, the tree did not survive. Diana removed the tree using his own equipment. It was replaced at no cost. The electrical work, Christmas lights and refreshments were also donated. This holiday festivity did not cost the taxpayers a dime! Attending the ceremony, I thought I was in a Hallmark Christmas movie! The holiday spirit was contagious and enjoyed by all. We are fortunate to live in the “Safest Town in the Country!” Tom, I’m sure, will continue to keep it that way. He has proved himself to be a hard worker, staying in touch with the community. If there is a water main break or a gas pipe leak or a plane landing in Shrub Oak, yes, you read that correctly, A PLANE! Tom is on site, wearing a hard hat, not afraid of ‘getting his hands dirty.’ He makes the right decisions based on years of experience. I have enormous respect for a man who is true to his unwavering values. I am confident that with Tom Diana at the helm, our beloved town has a bright future ahead! -Jo-Ann Sillik Yorktown Heights LETTERS FROM PAGE 12 Endorsing candidates running for public office used to be a standard practice in the media, notably by local newspapers. The trend in recent years, though, is that fewer and fewer media choose to endorse. As reported by journalism trade journal Editor & Publisher, by 1996, 70% of newspapers had exited the presidential endorsement game. When I served as publisher 15 years ago of a local newsweekly that historically had issued endorsements for local races, I came to the same conclusion that was pithily put forth by the periodical Mental Floss (.com): “With so many avenues available for voters to get to know the candidates, it seems rather quaint to think of anyone voting how an editor tells them to.” To glean some insight into how much impact, if any, that endorsements have on voters and on election outcomes, we went to Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) bot, named Bard. It tells us, for example, that endorsements can wield greater influence when candidates are less known. Another variable, logically, is the perceived credibility of the endorser in the eyes of the voter. INCONCLUSIVE RESULTS Academic analyses on the effect of endorsements, says Bard, produce inconclusive results. A University of Michigan study found that endorsed candidates stood a better chance of winning. More specifically, the University of California said that endorsements by unions significantly helped candidates vying for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. (A subset question we’ve heard is whether civil service unions, whose compensation is funded by taxpayers, should issue endorsements at all?) Research by the University of Chicago, reports Bard, concluded that newspaper endorsements “had no significant impact on the outcome of presidential elections.” The general consensus, via Bard, is that the value of endorsements varies according to circumstances. They mean more, supposedly, in local elections than in national, where the candidate has a low profile, and when the endorser is trusted by the voter. GO WITH YOUR GUT Of course, in the end, says Bard, it is the voter’s own political beliefs and values that determine to what degree endorsements make a difference in how each ballot is cast. Do you endorse endorsements? Own your own vote BRUCE APAR BRUCE THE BLOG SEE APAR PAGE 15
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 OPINION YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 15 Law Offices of Joseph J. Tock 963 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 TOCKLAW.COM • 800-869-8080 CRIMINAL DEFENSE/DWI • PERSONAL INJURY REAL ESTATE • BUSINESS LAW • WILLS, TRUSTS, ESTATES, PROBATE ‘ I have used the Law Offices of Joseph J. Tock for real estate and estate planning. Joe and his staff were professional, courteous, efficient, and they always returned my calls promptly when needed. I would never consider going to another law office for my legal needs. ~B.W. BBrreewwsstteerr, , NNYY aannd d BBeetthheell,, CCT T SShhoowwrroooommss On your project everyday until completion... GUARANTEED! On your project everyday until completion... GUARANTEED! 884455--227788--00007700 SSoouutthheeaassttkkiittcchheennaanndbdbaatthh..ccoomm Celebrating 50 years Harking back to what Mental Floss opined about the rich trove of information available nowadays to assess candidates, we all should do as much research as practical in the interest of rendering the best-informed decision on who is most equipped to represent our interests. Some voters will place ideology above a candidate’s resume by reflexively voting party line. Others (notably non-affiliated independents, like yours truly, who do not subscribe to any political party) are more comfortable voting for the person, regardless of which political labels they wear. In that regard, it’s not an oversight when a candidate does not list their party affiliation on campaign materials; they’re logically looking for crossover votes by not pigeon-holing themselves. Whatever your process, your ballot does count. Whatever the election outcome, the right to vote is a gift too precious to squander. Whether or not endorsements from third parties influence how you cast your ballot, the truest path is to vote your conscience, not someone else’s. Bruce Apar is a writer, community volunteer and actor. He can be seen on stage Nov. 3-5 in the title role of stage play “Tuesdays with Morrie” in New Haven, Conn, at Powerhouse Theater (Town Players of New Canaan). For more information, contact him at 914-275-6887 (text or voice) or [email protected]. APAR FROM PAGE 14 During the last several months, I have had the privilege of working with the Peekskill Drug Court Team, helping individuals who have become victims to addiction. The team tries to encourage all participants to understand that the path to a drug-free life is never a straight line. There are ups and downs, advances and setbacks. Through it all, we encourage participants to never give up but, rather, to always persevere. This past week, I was reminded of the power of perseverance when a person whose name is synonymous with that trait was, finally, given the recognition she so rightly deserved. Katalin Kariko was born in Hungary in 1965. She is a butcher’s daughter, but rather than following in her father’s footsteps, she dreamed of becoming an important scientist. She received a degree in her native country, from the University of Szeged. But her country lacked the necessary resources for the type of research she felt she was born to do. When her research program ran out of money in 1985, she decided to come to the United States. Her efforts to find funding here did not meet with much success either. She was told that she was not “faculty quality.” She languished in relative obscurity for years. Time and time again, her grant proposals, much less her applications for a permanent faculty position, were denied unceremoniously by several institutions. In a rather serendipitous event, in 1989 she met a fellow scientist, Dr. Drew Weissman, when both tried to use the same copy machine at the same time at the University of Pennsylvania. They got to talking. Their ensuing friendship eventually morphed into an informal partnership that continues today. Contrary to the consensus of the scientific community, Dr. Kariko believed that messenger RNA has potential as a tool to deliver innovative medical therapies and vaccines. Our RNA provides instructions to our cells to make proteins, but the orthodox position was that mRNA was a dead end because it was believed to be clinically unstable. While Dr. Kariko worked on her RNA project, her new friend, Dr. Weissman, was trying to advance a new, better delivery system to fight AIDS. It dawned on them that they should combine forces. So, their collaboration began. Not able to get grants, and against the wall on funds, Dr. Weissman was able to acquire minimal seed money to keep their joint research afloat. Yet their joint research appeared hopeless. Seemingly proving the scientific community’s skepticism correct, mice injected with mRNA became lethargic and died. For years, their experiments failed. Give up? Not a chance. Why were their efforts losing out? It turns out that our immune system interprets mRNA as an invading pathogen and attacks it, sickening the host while destroying the mRNA. The researchers finally realized that cells protect their mRNA with a specific chemical Power of perseverance JAMES MARTORANO MY PERSPECTIVE SEE MARTORANO PAGE 25
BY SOPHIA CASELNOVA STAFF WRITER With former Mets icon Mookie Wilson on hand (and cooking up a storm) the Kids continued their wining ways against the Cops last month as Yorktown’s 10U Huskers took on the Yorktown Police Benevolent Association in the town’s annual fundraiser baseball game to benefit Camp Sunshine. The game marked the 20th anniversary of Pinetree Field being renamed Harrison Apar Field of Dreams, which is located at the intersection of Benjamin Boulevard and Broad Street. According to Yorktown councilman Sergio Esposito, an organizer of the event, this year’s game raised more than $11,000. “This year, The Cops vs. The Kids was particularly special because we were able to both honor and remember Harrison Apar, who suffered from a rare disease called dwarfism,” said Esposito. “Having many of his fellow students participate in Harrison’s honor was particularly special. It is always so amazing to watch these kids donate their time for a cause they may not necessarily understand. “It is a true testament to these children and their parents,” Esposito continued. “I am also consistently amazed by the tremendous community commitment and involvement by the the Yorktown Police Department. When a community comes together, special things happen, and I look forward to putting the funds raised to help those children that are suffering.” But before the Cops could take the field, the Kids faced off against the Friends of Harrison Apar, an organization honoring Harrison’s memory. “We couldn’t have properly marked 20 years of Harrison Apar Field of Dreams, and the foundation of the same name, without the presence of two of Yorktown’s finest organizations – the Police Benevolent Association and Yorktown Athletic Club,” said Bruce Apar, Harrison’s father. “Both were there at the beginning of our journey to support our fundraising efforts and help our family cope with unimaginable loss. We are indebted to them and to the late Brendan Frail (Yorktown HS class of 2008), who led the effort to rename Pinetree Field as the Harrison Apar Field of Dreams. “Mcomdozeus tofavoneveDlook“Theachthrosaid also withmenThe Kids outslug the Cops oncPlayers from the 10U Huskers charge the plate in celebration Officer Samantha Dubray at bat PHOTOS: SOPHIA CASELNOVA Includes FREE Eye Exam 2 Pairs of Glasses for $7995* with single-vision uncoated plastic lenses Cortlandt Town Center 3145 East Main Street Mohegan Lake, NY (845) 823-4063 Visit americasbest.com to book your eye exam. *Ask associate for details. BEDFORD GRAVEL & LANDSCAPE SUPPLY 27 Norm Ave., Mt. Kisco (next to Kohl’s) www.bedfordgravel.com 914-241-3851 FIREWOOD One Face Cord (Single Row 4’x8’) . . . $189 Two Face Cords ($187 each) . . . . . . . . $374 • Small amounts available for pick-up • Fatwood firestarter & kindling wood DEER FENCING, NETTING, POSTS & REPELLENT Gravel • Mulches • Topsoil • Fieldstone Serving the Area Since 1949 Pick your play anDon’t miSEPT 28 - OCT 21 • 1• • LiveArtsInNyack. For program details833-681-480®NYSDED PAGE 16 YORKTOWN NEWS – THU
My wife Elyse, daughter Elissa, and I were overme with emotion and honored to have almost a en of Harrison’s YHS class of 2005 classmates with o remember him and play a memorial inning of his orite sport,” Apar added. “That is something we’ll er forget.” Despite losing to the kids each year, the PBA said it ks forward to the game every time. The police officers enjoy participating in an event h year that provides opportunities and support ough Camp Sunshine, for those that need it most,” YPD Sgt. Anthony DiPietrantonio. “This event is a great way for the police department to interact h the youth of Yorktown, and further our commitnt to community policing.” ce again The “Cops” team and Mookie Wilson The 10U Huskers, their coaches, and Mookie Wilson The friends of Harrison Apar on the mound Councilman Sergio Esposito speaking at the game Austin Koenitzer pitching Mets icon Mookie Wilson and Sergio Esposito People enjoy Mookie Wilson’s catering Chief Robert Noble announcing the game 17 Miller Rd. Mahopac 845-621-1222 RooneyOrtho.com Rooney Orthodontics Children & Adults 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 nd order today! (Gasp!) Don’t have tickets? iss out! 10 dierent shows to choose from Matinee and evening shows 9 Nyack stages .com s & tickets: 00 RSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 PAGE 17
PAGE 18 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 BY MIKE SABINI CONTRIBUTING WRITER Lakeland knew it would need a great team effort if it was going to clinch a playoff berth in the Section 1 Class B Tournament and it got just that in a 55-24 triumph against visiting Nyack on Oct. 13. “Our goal at the beginning of the season was to be a playoff team and to host a home playoff game,” said Lakeland coach Ryan Shilling. “It was great to secure a playoff spot and do it with a performance like that.” Lakeland got on the board when Grady Leonard (10/15, 174 yards, 4 passing TDs; 2 rushes, 19 yards, TD) connected with Anthony Frobose on a 10-yard touchdown pass 1:32 into the game, which was the Hornets’ pink contest. The Hornets then showed their defensive prowess 2:17 later when DJ Brody (7.5 tackles, 2 interceptions) had a picksix he ran in from the Nyack 26. Robbie Policastro (7 rushes, 127 yards) continued the Hornets’ scoring by going right down the sideline on a 68-yard touchdown run, giving Lakeland a 20-0 advantage with 5:51 remaining in the opening quarter. Leonard started the scoring in the second quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run, putting the Hornets up 27-0. The Hornets’ lead increased to 34-0 when Grady connected with Sean Perry (6 receptions, 148 yards) on a 47-yard touchdown pass. “On the first touchdown, Grady stepped up in the pocket and I was there in the flat, got a Hornets clinch playoff berth Leonard registers 5 TDs vs. Nyack The Hornets’ Sean Perry looks for running room. Lakeland’s Luca Sancimino delivers a key block. PHOTOS: ROB DIANTONIO Lakeland celebrates with D.J. Brody after his pick six. FOOTBALL Lakeland quarterback Grady Leonard runs for the end zone for a score. Lakeland’s Nick Alleva celebrates a fumble recovery. SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 24
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 19 Rob Bergmann (left) and Tim Berlow. PHOTOS COURTESY OF UMAC SHRUB OAK. Build Confidence, Leadership Skills and Fitness BY JESSICA JAFET CONTRIBUTING WRITER For young and old alike, becoming empowered to embrace positive and healthy habits is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. So says Master Tim Berlow, who is a Program Director, Head Instructor and a 5th-degree Black Belt at the United Martial Arts Center in Shrub Oak. “It is really developing the mind-body-spirit connection and having everything work together,” Berlow said. “The training that we do is that we start, we learn it, we practice it, and we make habits out of it.” Since January 2017, when the martial arts school that specializes in Taekwondo opened its doors at 691 East Main Street, its staff of seasoned instructors have been welcoming children as young as four years old, along with teens and older adults, to sharpen their sense of personal discipline, self-control and physical agility—while helping them to increase self-confidence and promote social skills. Berlow has been practicing Taekwondo, a Korean martial art that involves punching and kicking techniques, for over twenty years, and believes that the benefits are enormous, as each student progresses at their own pace. “We really try to elevate and develop a strong mind while mastering moves; kids need to get off electronics a little bit more and develop skills in a surrounding that is based on positive characteristics,” he said. “It is all based upon the martial arts values, and I think there is nothing better.” Beyond instructional classes, UMAC is licensed by the Childcare Council of Westchester and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, and has therefore been vetted as a safe, accredited facility that offers after-school supervision, as well as programs that are held on days when schools are closed, according to longtime UMAC instructor and educator Rob Bergmann. “Kids are bused here from Lakeland Schools; they have a snack, get homework assistance, independently read and play math games, and then they are trained in a Taekwondo class; we do activities that help kids build community with their peers,” Bergmann said. “And we have camps that run during school breaks and in the summer.” Whether a student chooses to come once, twice a week, or more, the UMAC membership commitment is offered on a month-to-month basis, which makes the decision to join even easier for busy families. The clean and sunny martial arts school has a large open space with Olympic-quality mats that are professionally cleaned each evening, and a viewing area provides ample room for parents to observe their children in action. The UMAC staff is also happy to host birthday parties that include martial arts instruction and a room for food and celebration. "Here at UMAC, our mission is to inspire and educate children and families to develop the work ethic, confidence and discipline it takes to find success in all areas of life,” Bergmann said. For more information on class schedules and enrollment, visit: umacnation.com at United Martial Arts Center in Shrub Oak ADVERTORIAL United Martial Arts Center (UMAC) 691 East Main Street • Shrub Oak, NY 10588 • 914-743-1683 • umacnation.com
BY MIKE SABINI CONTRIBUTING WRITER Lakeland girls brought home two league championships last week, including a repeat in soccer and yet another league win in field hockey, while Yorktown’s football team hopes to stay undefeated when it takes on Somers on Friday. Here’s a rundown on recent action. YORKTOWN FIELD HOCKEY (10-3-2) Yorktown 4, Carmel 0 Tuesday, Oct. 10, Yorktown High School Clare Ryan (2G, 1A), Sammy Robustelli (1G), Katie Taormina (1G), and Lily Diaz (1A) ignited Yorktown to a 4-0 seniornight win versus Carmel. “While we started off slow (0-0 half), after a motivating half-time talk, we truly came together and came out on top,” Taormina said. “Yes this was a win, but it was a very special win. Us seniors were freshmen when Coach (Courtney) Hyndman began her career at YHS. That being said, the bonds we have with each other, our teammates, and our coaches is unmatched. Our growth from then to now is evident and this win was very memorable.” Robustelli, Taormina, Layla Mirkin, Madison Tobin, Gianna Popovic, Ellie Glicksman, and Ali Passarella (manager) were the seniors honored before the game. Yorktown 5, Brewster 1 Wednesday, Oct. 11, Brewster High School Marrisa Madden (1G, 1A), Ava Cuneen (1G, 1A), Brie Gaccino (1G), Taormina (1G), Robustelli (1G), Diaz (1A), Ryan (1A), and Annie Durante (9 saves) propelled Yorktown to a 5-1 win versus Brewster. John Jay-CR 2, Yorktown 0 Friday, Oct. 13, Yorktown High School Durante recorded 14 saves in Yorktown’s 2-0 loss to John Jay-Cross River, in its pink game. LAKELAND FIELD HOCKEY (11-3-1) Lakeland 9, Panas 1 Tuesday, Oct. 10, Walter Panas High School Charlotte Sabert (3G), Gabby Santini (3A), Riley Waters (2G), Emily Yazzetti (2A), Emme Numme (1G), Ashley Glass LHS girls take league titles in field hockey and soccer Yorktown FH wins on senior night, football goes to 7-0 Yorktown’s Clare Ryan battles with John Jay’s Laney Daly. Yorktown’s Clare Ryan battles with John Jay’s Laney Daly. PHOTOS: ROB DIANTONIO Yorktown’s Dana DeCourcey makes her move across midfield as John Jay’s Jojo Degl defends. Lakeland’s Gabby Santini (shown in action earlier this season) scored twice vs. Hen Hud to help the Hornets clinch their 27th straight league title. VARSITY ROUNDUP SEE ROUNDUP PAGE 22 PAGE 20 – YORKTOWN NEWS SPORTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 21 Why Choose Kennedy Catholic Prep? Register Let Our Students Tell You Why! kennedycatholic.org/admissions Join Our Class of 2028 Learn more at Open House October 25th @ 7pm “Outstanding reputation for its education and sports” – Caroline, 2025 Carmel “More structure and discipline” - Justin ‘27, Putnam Valley “Legacy and tradition. My five older siblings attended and got into great colleges!” - Blake ‘25, Brewster “At Kennedy, students are challenged more acadenically and are prepared well for college” - Sophia ‘26, Somers “Strong sense of community and school spirit” Sean ‘27, Ossining “Strong academics, build my faith and opportunity for a fresh start and make new friends” - Sophia ‘26, Somers “The honors program and how the teachers put you #1” - Emma ‘26, Mount Pleasant “The baseball program, good people, great culture and school environment” - Christian ‘26, Briarcliff
(1G), Aditi Parambath (1G), Keirra Gallagher (1G), Bella Basulto (1A), and Gianna Santini (1A) led Lakeland to a 9-1 victory against sister school Walter Panas. Lakeland 5, Hen Hud 0 Saturday, Oct. 14, Lakeland High School Lakeland won 5-0 against Hendrick Hudson, winning the Conference 2 League B Championship, which clinched its 27th consecutive league title, led by Santini (2G), Keira Gallagher (1G, 1A), Emily Yazzetti (2A), Glass (1G), Basulto (1G), Maeve Dineen-Herzog (1 save), and Jenna Yazzetti (1 save) “Winning the league gets harder every year,” said Lakeland coach Sharon Sarsen. “I am happy for our seniors, on a rainy senior day.” Sabert, Basulto (captain), Numme (captain), Glass, Emily Yazzetti (captain) Summer Willbright, Maeve DineenHerzog, and Leigha Chotalal, were the seniors honored. YORKTOWN FOOTBALL (7-0) Yorktown 37, Brewster 6 Friday, Oct. 13, Brewster High School Kaden Gonzalez (16/25, 178 yards, 2 TDs), Dylan DelVecchio (16 carries, 82 yards, 2 TDs), Chris Constantine (13 carries, 58 yards, 6 receptions, 82 yards, 1 TD, 5 tackles), Tommy Costello (5 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD), Andrew Weissman (15- yard carry, 3 receptions, 25 yards, 1 interception), Conor Duncan (2-yard TD run, 3 tackles, 1 interception), Ryan Vogel (3 tackles, 1 interception), and Chad Bowen (5 tackles) propelled Yorktown to a 37-6 win against Brewster. “We were so dominant because we all bought into what we had started in the beginning of the year,” Gonzalez said. Yorktown, No. 7 in the Class A state poll, will host defending Class A state champion Somers, ranked No. 1 with Garden City, at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20, in its pink game, for the Class A North League title. YORKTOWN GIRLS SOCCER (11-4-1) Yorktown 3, Lakeland 1 Monday, Oct. 9, Yorktown High School Yorktown won its tournament title game with a 3-1 victory against Lakeland, paced by Amanda Linahan (1G), Liv DelGaudio (1G, All-Tournament), Sydney Soliz (1G), Ciara O’Brien (7 saves, All-Tournament), and Kaitlyn Judge (Most Outstanding Player). “Even with all the rain delays and our tournament being rescheduled a month later, our mentality didn’t change,” Judge said. “We knew from the start that our tournament was ours to win and nothing was stopping us. Judge said it felt amazing to win the tournament for a third straight year. “We’ve worked so hard this year to connect and truly play as a team,” Judge said. “Our game against Lakeland and our record this year definitely shows that. These girls are outstanding players, and it’s such a blessing being able to play so well this year together.” Gianna Pace (1G, All-Tournament), Amelia Calisi (4 saves), and Kellie Sullivan (All-Tournament) led Lakeland. Pelham 2, Yorktown 0 Tuesday, Oct. 10, Pelham Memorial High School Yorktown fell to Pelham 2-0. Yorktown 6, Brewster 0 Thursday, Oct. 12, Brewster High School Judge (1G, 3A), DelGaudio (2G), Kendall Kardon (1G), Mackenzie Meola (1G), Kaitlin Meola (1G), and Cori Rosenberg (5 saves) did the job in the Huskers’ 6-0 win versus Brewster. Yorktown 3, Byram Hills 0 Saturday, Oct. 14, Yorktown High School DelGaudio (1G), Kardon (1G), Ava Chibbaro (1G), and O’Brien (5 saves) produced in Yorktown’s 3-0 win against Byram Hills. LAKELAND GIRLS SOCCER (10-6) Lakeland 2, Peekskill 0 Tuesday, Oct. 10, Torpy Field, Peekskill Kayleigh Mula (1G), Pace (1G), and Caroline Daly (1A) led the Hornets in their 2-0 win against Peekskill. Lakeland 4, Hen Hud 0 Thursday, Oct. 12, Lakeland High School Lakeland clinched back-to-back league titles for the first time since 1991-’92 with a 4-0 victory against Hendrick Hudson, paced by Victoria Caiazzo (2G, 1A), Grace Nugent (1G, 1A), Caroline Daly (1G, 1A), Kellie Sullivan (1A), Calisi (4 saves), and Emily Fields (1 save). “It’s an amazing feeling,” Sullivan said. “Knowing that Lakeland soccer hasn’t done something like that in years makes it just that more special. It’s a fabulous accomplishment that my teammates and I are very proud of. We have worked so hard for this, so claiming that title felt so good.” John Jay-CR 1, Lakeland 0 Saturday, Oct. 14, John Jay-CR High School John Jay-Cross River nipped Lakeland 1-0, with Calisi recording 6 saves. LAKELAND GIRLS VOLLEYBALL (13-3) Lakeland 3, Sleepy Hollow 0 Wednesday, Oct. 11, Lakeland High School Lakeland defeated Sleepy Hollow 3-0 (25-13, 25-10, 26-9), paced by Kelly Mallon (5 kills, 9 digs, 7 aces), Sophia Cruz (9 kills), Bella Sommovigo (4 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks), Emma Dedushaj (16 digs), Ava Conetta (8 assists), and Kaycee Aurigemma (6 assists). “The key to getting the win was our serves and our defense,” Mallon said. “We switched up our rotation a little bit which I believe helped us a lot defensively. Also our long service runs and always keeping the ball in play while serving aggressively was a huge part to our win.” John Jay-CR 3, Lakeland 0 Friday, Oct. 13, John Jay-CR High School Lakeland lost 3-0 (20-25, 17-25, 21- 25) to John Jay-Cross River, led by Cruz (8 kills), Mallon (4 kills, 14 digs), Dedushaj (16 digs), and Sommovigo (4 blocks, 10 digs). YORKTOWN GIRLS VOLLEYBALL (5-9) Yorktown 3, Panas 2 Tuesday, Oct. 10, Walter Panas High School Nicole Dennison (26 assists, 5 digs, 3 aces), Amy Tinton (14 digs, 1 ace), Lexi ROUNDUP FROM PAGE 20 SEE ROUNDUP PAGE 24 Yorktown’s Sammy Robustelli gets the ball out of the Huskers’ defensive end. The Huskers’ Ellie Glicksman sends a pass up the field. Kaitlyn Judge, shown earlier this season, was named Most Outstanding Player in Yorktown’s home tournament. Kellie Sullivan (shown earlier this season) helped Lakeland to its second straight league title. PHOTOS: ROB DIANTONIO PAGE 22 – YORKTOWN NEWS SPORTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 SPORTS YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 23 BY MIKE SABINI CONTRIBUTING WRITER Yorktown hosted the No. 11 ranked Class AA team in the state Somers, on Oct. 11, in a battle between two teams that have alternated winning sectional titles the last two seasons, with the Huskers winning theirs in 2022. While the Tuskers have earned that lofty ranking this fall, that doesn’t mean anything when two rivals hit the pitch. “It’s like many other rivalries in the world of soccer, doesn’t really matter the rankings, the records, or the studs that they have, when we play, it’s always tense, it’s always unpredictable, and I hope the crowd enjoyed it,” said Yorktown coach Zoran Milojevic. It was an entertaining one for sure, as the two local squads exploded for 6 first-half goals in a 4-2 Somers’ victory. Yorktown’s Marcelo Diaz tied the game at 1-1 with 31:35 remaining in the opening half before Somers scored twice to take a 3-1 lead. The Huskers, however, by drawing a penalty kick. “Confidence was a big thing,” said Yorktown’s Nick Varela. “We went into this game very confident. We were trying to get the ball up the field, playing direct. (Antonio) Frucco, was able to draw the pens. He is very good with the ball at his feet and was able to draw it.” Varela calmly converted from the spot with 15:37 to go before halftime, cutting the Somers’ advantage to 3-2. “Obviously, there is a lot of pressure but I try not to let the pressure get to me,” Varela said. “I just take my time and put it where I want to.” Somers went back up by two with just 2:38 to go in the first half. After that, the defenses took over. “Both of us readjusted a bit, tried to fix what was the shortcomings,” Milojevic said. “For us, it was the crosses that we couldn’t defend. So we were trying to close it in the second half, which I think we did. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put anything in.” Yorktown goalie Jason Douglas made 6 saves versus Somers. Arsenal, Fusion, and United, all U12 teams in the Yorktown Youth Soccer Club, took the field during the national anthem. “It’s really important to show solid character to inspire them to want to be like us,” Varela said. “This is the next generation of the Yorktown soccer program, so we have to make them want to play in high school.” The Huskers led 2-0 at halftime in a 4-0 triumph at Brewster on Oct. 9, led Christian Beitler (2G), Varela (2A), Frucco (1G), Ricky Tiberii (1G), Diaz (1A), Haniel Flores (1A), Douglas (2 saves), and Jozef Popovic (2 saves). Yorktown (7-8) won at Gorton on Oct. 13, paced by Varela (1G, 2A), Frucco (2G), Tristen Duranti (1G, 1A), Colin Worden (1G), Justin Soliz (1G, 1A), Owen Tomeny (1G), Tiberii (1A), Ryan Dean (1A), and Nick Pozo (1A). Lakeland Lakeland blanked visiting Peekskill on its senior night 5-0, led by seniors, captain Connor Daly (2G, 1A), Silvio Ahmataj (2G), Anthony Abbondanza (2A), Jake Pepaj (1G), and Dylan Coppola (1A), in the Oct. 11 contest. Matthew Cumbal, Anthony Villa, Arjun Parambath (captain), Aidan Rodriguez, Richie Lobato, Christian Guinansaca, and Jack Maja are the other Hornet seniors. “It felt great to win on senior night, a 5-0 win against a good Peekskill team as well but the fact that all 5 of the goals were scored and assisted by seniors made it even better,” Ahmataj said. Lakeland (9-5-2) hosted sister school Walter Panas on Oct. 14 in game to decide the league title, with Panas winning 2-1. Ahmataj (1G) and Daly (1A) provided the offense for the Hornets. Oban Rader made a save in the Hornets’ 0-0 tie against last year’s Section 9 champion, visiting Beacon, in the Section 1-Section 9 challenge, on Oct. 9. Yorktown falls to Somers Lakeland seniors produce Yorktown’s Christian Beitler leaps for the header. PHOTO: ROB DIANTONIO SOCCER FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING, HOT WATER HEATER & GAS NEEDS 59 Years of Excellence Putnam & Westchester County’s Premier Plumbing Professionals Since 1964 719 Rte. 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 • 845.628.3924 • beeandjay.com TAKE $25 OFF YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL! VALID ON CALLS OVER 1 HOUR. EXPIRES 10/31/23 Fall Savings! Breathe Easy 3379 Crompond Rd (in the BJs Plaza) Yorktown Heights NY 914.930.5550 afcurgentcare.com/yorktown-heights M-F: 8am-8pm, S-S: 8am-5pm At American Family Care, getting you better quickly is our number one priority. We offer the Respiratory Panel test - a one swab test for all of your needs including Flu, COVID, RSV, and so much more! We’re open every day with extended hours to fit your schedule. No appointments needed.
NO NEWS... 1. Clip the short form on the page 2. Fill out the information. 3. Mail it to P.O. Box 864, Mahopac, NY 10541 4. Or visit www.halstonsubscribe.com 5. Or Scan our QR Code to Subscribe. We need you to subscribe. It’s FREE & It’s Easy! is NOT necessarily good news! # Please print your first and last names and address legibly, sign and date (all required to continue receiving your subscription to this newspaper). YES, I wish to receive a FREE 3-year subscription to Yorktown News YES, I really enjoy Yorktown News and I’d like to continue receiving it for 3 years, along with a monetary contribution this year. (Please print legibly.) First (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required. Please print legibly.) Last (Required) City: State: ZIP: Name: Signature: Email: Snowbird Dates (if applicable): Date: Phone: Address: (Optional for TAPinto E-News) (Optional) Mail to: P.O. Box 864 Mahopac, NY 10541 While we need your Full Support to keep this newspaper strong, we include the option for Basic Support because we don’t want financial reasons to get in the way of our readers receiving this newspaper. Basic Support vs. Full Support Basic Support Full Support $100 $50 $20 other or visit www.halstonsubscribe.com OR or visit www.halstonsubscribe.com Checks payable to Halston Media LLC. Please include this form in your envelope. Please include the following additional papers as part of this subscription: The Somers Record Mahopac News North Salem News The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times The Katonah-Lewisboro times great block from Anthony Frobose, and took it all the way,” Perry said. Perry registered his second touchdown on a 49-yard pass from Leonard, where he went down the sideline untouched, giving Lakeland a 41-0 halftime lead. “The second one we just got called for holding, so we were back at third and 15,” Perry said. “They called a screen play for me and I knew I had to take this all the way. I just read my blocks and went the distance.” A 1-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to Jake Berlingo in the third quarter and a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Frobose (2 receptions, 25 yards, 2 tackles, fumble recovery) in the final stanza finished the Lakeland scoring. “We played well in all three phases of the game and for all four quarters, which has been a coaching emphasis the last few weeks,” Shilling said. “We lost our last two games to a couple of really good teams in Pleasantville and Ardsley. We give a ton of credit to them, but we didn’t execute consistently enough to win. It was great to put it all together last night. We are thrilled with the outcome, but now need to refocus on a very good Byram Hills team in a game that has huge playoff ramifications.” Excelling in the kicking game for the Hornets was Anthony Ramirez (7/8 PATs). “It was a great job by him all night in that area and on kickoffs and punts,” Shilling said. Anthony Farroni (6 tackles), Nick Alleva (5.5 tackles), Kyle Gallagher (5.5 tackles, interception), and Nick Ferrante (5 tackles) excelled defensively for Lakeland. Lakeland (4-3) will host Byram Hills at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 in its regular-season finale, which is also its seniornight contest. “This was a huge win for us because it gives us momentum into next week against a good Byram team and got us into the playoffs, which is a great feeling,” Perry said. FOOTBALL FROM PAGE 18 Lakeland’s Anthony Frobose locks in on a ball carrier for Nyack. PHOTO: ROB DIANTONIO Livadhi (9 kills, 2 digs, 1 block), Scarlett Segal (14 digs, 2 kills, 2 assists, 5 aces), Sadie Forde (12 digs, 1 assist, 2 aces), Katie Piehler (10 digs, 1 kill, 11 assists), and Valentina Nezaj (10 kills, 3 digs) ignited Yorktown to a 3-2 (19-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-11) victory against Walter Panas. “Coming from such a rough record all of us girls were desperate to win a game like this,” Dennison said. “We have had many talks and connected more with each other at every level so that we know we can be a confident team now. We all are each other biggest supporters and our energy constantly kept us going which I would say brought us to such a well-deserved win.” Yorktown 3, Brewster 0 Wednesday, Oct. 11, Brewster High School Dennison (14 assists, 5 digs, 4 aces), Livadhi (10 kills, 1 dig, 1 block), Segal (15 digs, 3 assists, 1 ace), Jax McDonald (7 aces), and Nezaj (8 kills, 2 digs) led Yorktown to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-18) win versus Brewster. Somers 3, Yorktown 1 Friday, Oct. 13, Somers High School Yorktown fell to Somers 3-1 (13-25, 13-25, 27-25, 25-18), with Tinton (12 digs, 1 assist, 1 ace), Dennison (15 assists, 4 aces, 4 digs), Segal (16 digs, 1 kill, 3 assists, 1 ace), and Nezaj (10 digs, 10 kills, 1 assist, 3 aces) leading the Huskers. YORKTOWN BOYS VOLLEYBALL (10-5) Croton-Harmon 3, Yorktown 1 Tuesday, Oct. 10, Yorktown High School Yorktown lost to Croton-Harmon 3-1 (25-27, 20-25, 25-20, 23-25), led by Jack Brunner (26 assists), Justin Sek (21 kills), and Tommy Vano (4 blocks). Suffern 3, Yorktown 2 Thursday, Oct. 12, Suffern High School Yorktown was nipped by Suffern 3-2 (24-26, 25-16, 18-25, 26-24, 8-15), paced by Brunner (28 assists) and Sek (15 kills). LAKELAND BOYS VOLLEYBALL (3-13) Lakeland 3, Carmel 1 Tuesday, Oct. 10, Carmel High School Lakeland defeated Carmel 3-1 (14-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-23). “Timely serving and keeping the ball in play allowing us to win most long rallies,” said Lakeland coach Justin McCarthy. Somers 3, Lakeland 0 Wednesday, Oct. 11, Somers High School The Hornets lost to Somers 3-0 (23- 25, 23-25, 24-26). Panas 3, Lakeland 1 Friday, Oct. 13, Lakeland High School Walter Panas defeated Lakeland 3-1 (25-17, 25-14, 20-25, 25-22), with Hornet captains Lucas Cruz, Andrew Marricco, and Kris Domenico, along with Nick Paladino, the seniors honored on their senior night. ROUNDUP FROM PAGE 22 PAGE 24 – YORKTOWN NEWS SPORTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 LEISURE YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 25 MARTORANO FROM PAGE 15 modification. The two scientists made the same change to mRNA using synthesized material produced in the lab before injecting it into the cells. It worked. The cells accepted it without an immune system response. The breakthrough was not heralded but, rather, ignored. Their joint paper in 2005, describing their amazing finding, was rejected by journals like Nature and Science, but one publication, Immune, did print it. Finally, two companies approached the scientists with the idea of employing their innovation in flu vaccines, Moderna in the United States and BioNTech in Germany. Despite the companies’ interest, the scientists’ creation lingered in clinical tests for years. It seemed like Dr. Kariko’s complete life’s work would never see the light of day. Her mom, who stayed in Hungary, would call her every October and ask, “did you win the Nobel Prize?” Dr. Kariko’s response was always, “mom, you know, I never even got a grant.” You may wonder, why did this brilliant scientist continue to scrap, despite being thwarted time and time again? When she was asked that question, she said, first, she was motivated by not wanting to be called a quitter. But, more importantly, it was her mindset. “You don’t persevere and repeat and repeat just to say I am not giving up.” Giving up was not in her DNA. As fate would have it, the coronavirus emerged. Drs. Kariko and Weissman’s work came together, and it put vaccine makers ahead of the game in developing much needed shots. About 400 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 250 million of the Moderna vaccine have been administered in the United States. Hundreds of millions more have been given around the world. There is no way to underestimate how important this was, nor estimate the millions of lives they saved. Vaccines using this new technology are now being developed against several diseases, including influenza, malaria and HIV. Personalized cancer vaccines are also showing promise. In that application, the mRNA is tailored to the tumor, teaching the patient’s immune system to attack the proteins on the malignant cells. As a result of her groundbreaking work, Dr. Katalin Kariko, the scientist who was not “faculty quality,” was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine this October. Upon learning of this great honor, she immediately called her co-winner and partner, Dr. Weissman, to joyously share the news. Katalin Kariko’s life journey is a testament to the power of resilience, determination and perseverance. Despite facing numerous setbacks throughout her career, she never lost sight of her dreams. Her story serves as an inspiration for anyone facing what appear to be insurmountable challenges in their life. The truth is that, no matter what our life path, we can overcome any obstacle if we believe in ourselves and, to quote the famous basketball coach, Jimmy Valvano, “never give up.” 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. A device to disengage without a key 5. Subdivision 8. Network of nerves 12. Lounge chair 14. Ocean 15. C. European river 16. Bowl-shaped cavity 18. __ Caesar, comedian 19. Lyric poems 20. Tia’s sister 21. A way to develop 22. Cows collectively 23. Areas close by 26. Slightly disreputable 30. Made a mistake 31. One who cites 32. Food stall: __ pai dong 33. Narrow valley between hills 34. Members of people living mainly in the Congo 39. More (Spanish) 42. Classroom implements 44. Cognizant of 46. One who tells on others 47. Free from slavery 49. Thick piece of something 50. Containing two nitrogen atoms between carbon atoms 51. Removed entirely 56. Late rocker Turner 57. Appreciated 58. Observation expedition 59. Opposite of subtracts 60. Unit of work 61. Wreckage on the sea bed 62. Affirmative! (slang) 63. Witness 64. River in England CLUES DOWN 1. A dissenting clique 2. Japanese city 3. Spiritual leader 4. Second letter of Greek alphabet 5. Musical term 6. Ruled over 7. Fortified wine 8. First year player 9. Moved in a circular way 10. Adolescents 11. Scottish or Irish Gaelic language 13. Someone who serves in the armed forces 17. Bring up 24. Factual written account (abbr.) 25. Having three sides 26. Annoy 27. Hustle 28. American WW2 leader 29. Stale atmosphere 35. US Treasury 36. Sound unit 37. They __ 38. Soviet Socialist Republic 40. Places to play video games 41. Medical event 42. When you hope to arrive 43. Fixed prices 44. Popular Boston song 45. Valley in Indiana and Illinois 47. Omit when speaking 48. German explorer of the Congo Basin 49. Stick around 52. From a distance 53. Heroic tale 54. Amounts of time 55. Eat “I believe with the right leadership, Yorktown’s best days are still ahead of us,” she said. Visit jennaforyorktown.com to learn more about Lennox Belcastro. Town Board Race Marron, a 20-year resident of Yorktown, is a teacher, union leader, and assistant scoutmaster for a local troop. “We all know that Yorktown is a great place to live. We believe that; that’s why we’re all running here,” said Marron. “But we believe there are serious issues that need to be addressed and I believe that I could be one of the people to address them.” Shaw has worked as a project manager and corporate trainer for a global electronic discovery firm, where he has developed skills that he says make him an ideal candidate for Town Board. “Our community here in Yorktown is second to none which is why I am so disheartened to see some of the decisions this town board has made over the last couple of years,” Shaw said. For more information on Shaw and Marron, visit anewdayforyorktown.com. Murphy said if he is elected, he will focus on the local issues for seniors, vets, and first responders and will address filling vacant stores with the goal of keeping taxes low and making sure property values stay sustainable. Murphy is a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, an Elks member, a member of Saint Pat’s golf committee for 20 years, coached girls lacrosse for 10 years, and is on the Fam Jam committee. For more information on Murphy, visit www.murphy4yorktown.com/. Lachterman, a Yorktown councilman since 2015, is a small business owner and a member of multiple organizations throughout town including the Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, Sons of the American Legion, and Circolo da Vinci. He has also held multiple board positions. “The past eight years have been a delight working for the people of Yorktown,” said Lachterman. For more information on Lachterman, visit edlachterman.com. Town Justice Raniolo, who is running unopposed, was first elected as town justice in 2011. He formerly worked as an assistant district attorney for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. He says it was there that he learned how the courts can best serve the public; a lesson he applies in the town court. He added that promoting safety and security is his campaign pledge with one of the largest issues being alcohol and substance abuse. He also works in his free time to make the court more accessible to the public. “I’m grateful for the trust the voters of Yorktown have shown me when first elected in 2011, again in 2015, and again DEBATE FROM PAGE 8 SEE DEBATE PAGE 27
PAGE 26 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 Hart Library’s Haunted House is coming together, and the staff can’t wait for people to see what’s new this year! Meet the ghost of John C. Hart himself, and learn about the mysteriously fictitious story of the “Hart Daughters.” The Haunted House experience, which has six rooms, is suitable for children ages 8 and up. The library will also have interactive activities on the porch for kids of all ages. This is a fun and free community event for the whole family, created by the Hart teen volunteers and sponsored by the Friends of the Library. You can join in on Friday Oct. 27, from 7 – 9 p.m.; Saturday Oct. 28, 6 – 8 p.m.; and Sunday Oct. 29, 4 – 6 p.m. Calendar Programming Key: A - Adults; Y - Young Adults; C- Children’s. Visit (yorktownlibrary.org) and select the library’s online calendar page for more information. Please register online except for drop-in programs. FRIDAY, OCT. 20 C - Music and Movement with Lori Cohen (Drop - in). 11 - 11:45 a.m. A - Mah Jongg (Drop - in). 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. A/Y - One - on - One Tech Help with a Teen (Drop - in). 2:30 - 4 p.m. MONDAY, OCT. 23 A - Mah Jongg (Drop - in). 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Y - Haunted House Set Up. 4 - 6 p.m. C - PAWS to Read with Izod. 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. TUESDAY, OCT. 24 A - Learn to Play Mah Jongg. 10 a.m. - 12pm. A - Medicare Counseling (Drop - in). 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. C - Toddler Time: Exploring Emotions (Drop - in). 10:30 - 11 a.m. A/Y - One - on - One Tech Help with a Teen (Drop - in). 2:30 - 4pm. Y - Haunted House Set Up. 4 - 6pm. C - Music and Movement with Lori Cohen (Drop - in). 6 - 6:45pm. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 25 C - Stories and Rhymes with Ms. Terry (Drop - in). 10 - 10:30 a.m. C - Bouncing Babies (Drop - in). 10:30 - 11am. C - Bouncing Babies (Drop - in). 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. A - Canasta (Drop - in). 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. Y - Haunted House Set Up. 4 - 6 p.m. THURSDAY, OCT. 26 A - Quilting & Needlework (Drop - in). 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. C - Song and Dance Storytime (Drop - in). 10:30 - 11:15am. Y - Haunted House Set Up. 4 - 6pm. C - Lego Free Build (Drop - in). 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 27 C - Music and Movement with Lori Cohen (Drop - in). 11 - 11:45 a.m. A - Mah Jongg (Drop - in). 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. A/Y - One - on - One Tech Help with a Teen (Drop - in). 2:30 - 4 p.m. C – Haunted House Event. 7 - 9 p.m. SATURDAY, OCT. 28 C – Haunted House Event. 6 - 8 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 29 C – Haunted House Event. 4 - 6 p.m. Hart Library Corner Prepare to be scared at Hart’s ‘Haunted House!’ FACTORY TRAINED SERVICE TECHNICIANS WE SERVICE ALL BRANDS OF COMMERCIAL & HOMEOWNER POWER EQUIPMENT EAST ROAD MOTORS 58 CAROLAN RD. EAST CARMEL, NY 10512 www.EASTROADMOTORS.com 845-225-3503 PICK-UP AND DELIVERY AVAILABLE email: [email protected] * LEAF BLOWERS * LAWN MOWERS * STRING TRIMMERS * CHAIN SAWS * SNOWBLOWERS * GENERATORS * QUADS * SNOWMOBILES SERVICE & REPAIR ON YOUR INSTALLATION 50% OFF Limited Time Offer! SAVE! TAKE AN ADDITIONAL Additional savings for military, health workers and fi rst responders 10% OFF MADE IN THE U.S.A. 1.855.492.6084 FREE ESTIMATE Expires 12/31/2023 Before After Make the smart and ONLY CHOICE when tackling your roof! New orders only. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Minimum purchase required. Other restrictions may apply. This is an advertisement placed on behalf of Erie Construction Mid-West, Inc (“Erie”). Offer terms and conditions may apply and the offer may not available in your area. If you call the number provided, you consent to being contacted by telephone, SMS text message, email, pre-recorded messages by Erie or its affiliates and service providers using automated technologies notwithstanding if you are on a DO NOT CALL list or register. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use on homeservicescompliance.com. All rights reserved. License numbers available at eriemetalroofs.com/erie-licenses/. Up to
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 27 provide a future based on justice, equality and human dignity for all.” Race Amity of Northern Westchester and Putnam put out a nearly identical statement. Marisa Ragonese, a co-founder of YFJ, said she hadn’t seen the anti-Semitic BLM memes, but she emphasized that it’s possible to both denounce Hamas’ actions and support the Palestinian cause. “I haven’t seen the memes, but to me denouncing terrorism by Hamas or by any group or government is not akin to denouncing calls for ‘Free Palestine’ or the existence of Israel,” Ragonese said. “There is a distinction between a government and its people, meaning if the Israeli government is perpetrating violence against Palestinians, it does not justify violence against Israeli citizens.” Distant war, local pain Given the large Jewish population in New York, the Hamas attack hit close to home. Rabbi Robert Weiner of Temple Beth Am in Yorktown described a lot of Zoom meetings he has attended with members of the congregation. “They’re crying, they’re hurt, and they’re angry,” said Weiner, who has Facebook friends living in Israel who have family members who have been kidnapped. Mahopac’s Rabbi Sarah Freidson of Temple Beth Shalom was unequivocal in an email she sent out to the congregation. “There will inevitably be voices that claim this brutal violence was provoked by Israel,” she wrote. “Nonsense. This is terrorism, plain and simple. There is no justification for going door to door, kidnapping children and the elderly or murdering parents in front of their children. There is no justification for the brutal murder of young people dancing at a music festival.” Rabbi Yehuda Heber of the Chabad of Yorktown noted that his congregation was in the midst of celebrating Simchat Torah when the attacks happened. Literally translated as “Joy of the Torah,” the holiday is among the most joyous in Judaism. On Oct. 9, congregants gathered together and had a day of prayer for Israel at the Chabad, and they were joined by elected officials. “The Jewish nation has gone through many persecutions in our history,” Rabbi Heber said. “We were crushed, beaten, slaughtered, but we emerged, rebuilt, and grown. WE SHALL AGAIN OVERCOME – AM YISRAEL CHAI [the Jewish nation lives on]!” Heber added, “We believe this is pure evil. Evil needs to be eradicated. We choose to respond on our end with increasing goodness and kindness. Evil is darkness, and we choose to light up the world with goodness and kindness to counter hatred and evil. That’s our personal response.” Speaking to her congregation on Friday, Rabbi Freidson said, “Tonight we are all mourners.” Neighbors supporting neighbors While Jewish leaders have been among the most vocal in condemning the attacks on Israel, other religious and civic leaders have also stood up to voice support for their Jewish neighbors. Carmel Town Board members and Carmel Police Department officials attended a memorial at the Temple Beth Shalom on Friday night to grieve and offer condolences for the victims. “Personally, my heart breaks for the victims and the people of Israel and the Jewish people at large and I hope for a quick end to the war and hope they bring stability back to the Gaza strip,” Carmel Supervisor Mike Cazzari said in an interview. Two days following the attack, the Putnam County Sheriff ’s Office notified religious institutions that they would continue to perform frequent and random checks at all houses of worship. “The Operations, Standards, and Intelligence Division continues to monitor the situation and is in constant communication with our Law Enforcement partners,” Capt. Michael Grossi wrote in a release. “Additionally, we have conferred with our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to ensure information and intelligence is shared.” Grossi said there was no specific alarming information for the region. Westchester County Police also assured the public that there was no specific threat, but it increased its patrols around schools and Jewish houses of worship on Oct. 13. The increased uniformed police presence occurred in the five school districts where the county police provide school resource officers, and in the two communities, Mount Kisco and Cortlandt, where it provides municipal police services. The school districts are: The Lakeland Central School District, Hendrick Hudson School District, Somers Central School District, North Salem Central School District and Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District. On the state level, support for Israel was bipartisan from the local representatives. State Sen. Peter Harckham had attended a number of vigils at local synagogues. “We have many constituents who have family in Israel and they are gravely concerned about their family members,” Harckham said. “New York State has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, so this is deeply personal for all of them and it is important we be there to show support during this time.” Assemblyman and former Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater (NY-94), said, “The unprovoked terrorist attacks on Israel is an unsettling reminder that our enemies continue to plot harm and destruction against the United States and our freedom-loving allies. I proudly stand with Israel and pray for the victims of these heinous acts of war.” Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg (NY-95), who covers a portion of Yorktown, said in a statement, “There are no words to describe the devastation and anguish wrought by Hamas’s attack on Israel. I strongly condemn their actions. Nothing justifies violence against civilians, and all people deserve to live without fear of unprovoked violence. Many of those who share my Jewish heritage, or are themselves Holocaust survivors or children of survivors, as I am, are experiencing collective trauma right now. These attacks evoke strong memories of our recent history. My heart breaks for the hostages, for those who have died, for those who have lost loved ones, and for those who have been displaced and are living in fear as this conflict continues. It is all horrific.” Local governments throughout the region did their parts to demonstrate solidarity with Israel. At the Yorktown Town Board meeting on Oct. 10, Town Supervisor Tom Diana added Israel to the customary moment of silence he holds for police, fire, ambulance and our armed forces. “Let us please keep in our thoughts and prayers the people of Israel and those fighting men and women over there who are trying to regain some type of normalcy for the horrific acts that are occurring at this point in time,” Diana said. Yorktown Councilman Ed Lachterman was also unequivocal in his support for Israel. “As a Jew who grew up in a very diverse area and dealt with antisemitism throughout my life, it’s very disheartening to see this brutal attack, which goes way past simple anti-Semitism,” Lachterman said. “Hamas is the leadership party in Palestine, and for this to be acceptable behavior to anyone is lunacy. What I find even more abhorrent is that we have elected officials in our own country who are trying to defend this and people who cried ‘foul’ when the United States gave Israel missiles for the Iron Dome, which is purely defensive, and now they do not want Israel to defend their citizens from brutal and bloody slaughter. I think people should be ejected from Congress if they believe that the behavior of Hamas slaughtering innocent people is acceptable and justifiable… that’s not what leadership is about, and that’s not what America is about.” Tom Walogorsky, Emile Menasché, Bob Dumas, Carol Reif, Sophia Caselnova and Tom Bartley contributed to this report. a stronger focus on more active crowd control and supervision at athletic events to reinforce the district’s “core values and beliefs.” “While I know our community to be kind and caring, whenever a situation arises that warrants intervention, we must take appropriate action,” said Gagliardi. “It is our mission to provide a safe learning environment that extends to events and into the larger community for all.” Nyack administrators reportedly found out from a Lakeland official that the RedHawks cheerleaders were insulted during halftime and then heard racial epithets directed toward them as they waited in line at a concession stand after the game. According to reports, the alleged perpetrators were spectators. In response to the incident, Lakeland Residents in Support of Education (RISE) called upon the district to take stronger action, noting that this type of behavior is not new. “We’re dismayed to learn that spectators at a Lakeland High School football game taunted Nyack cheerleaders with racial epithets,” said Karen Haines Pressman and Jessica Mayes, co-founders of Lakeland RISE. “While despicable, it’s not surprising. The district has not undertaken any serious equity work, and in fact, has still not selected members of its 2023/2024 Equity for All committee. “In its statement, the Administration once again dodged responsibility by turning attention to improving crowd control and working with local police. These are fine but there is absolutely no self-reflection on how the district can better engage with students and train staff to help put a stop to this behavior – something that has long been a problem in our schools.” Lakeland Rise acknowledged that the district cannot share personal information about the people involved in the incident, but said it wants more information on what happened and wants to hear an “actual thoughtful and robust plan” to address it. The group also pointed out that Nyack and its Office of Equity stands “above Lakeland” in this regard and welcomes the opportunity to connect with their district leadership and those impacted. “The Lakeland Central School District strives for understanding, empathy, and equality for all. Incidents of harassment, bullying or discrimination will not be tolerated,” Gagliardi said in the statement. Yorktown News reached out to the district for a response to Lakeland RISE’s comments but did not hear back by press time. LAKELAND FROM PAGE 1 ISRAEL FROM PAGE 6 in 2019,” said Raniolo. “I am a person of integrity who is honest, fair, and dedicated and have demonstrated the experience, legal knowledge, work ethic, and judicial temperament necessary to serve as an effective judge for the town of Yorktown.” Raniolo is also a member of the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce, the Elks Lodge 2324, Circolo Da Vinci, and the Sons of the American Legion 1009. He also coached youth soccer, basketball, and baseball. Where and When to Vote Early voting begins on Saturday, Oct. 28, and will run through Sunday, Nov. 5. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Yorktown’s designated polling locations are the Albert A. Capellini Community & Cultural Center (AACCCC) Gym at 1974 Commerce St. and the Jefferson Village Annex at 3500 Hill Blvd. If voting at the AACCCC, the town asks that you enter from the Veterans Road entrance to the back of the building. DEBATE FROM PAGE 25
PAGE 28 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 Contact Us Yorktown News is located at 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. You can contact us at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected]. FINANCING AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT Call today and receive a FREE SHOWER PACKAGE PLUS $1600 OFF With purchase of a new Safe Step Walk-In Tub. Not applicable with any previous walk-in tub purchase. Offer available while supplies last. No cash value. Must present offer at time of purchase. CSLB 1082165 NSCB 0082999 0083445 1-855-916-5473 One touch of a button sends help fast, 24/7. alone I’m never Life Alert® is always here for me. I’ve fallen and I can’t get up! ® Help at Home with GPS! Help On-the-Go For a FREE brochure call: 1-800-404-9776 Saving a Life EVERY 11 MINUTES Batteries Never Need Charging. REQUEST A FREE QUOTE CALL NOW BEFORE THE NEXT POWER OUTAGE *To qualify, consumers must request a quote, purchase, install and activate the generator with a participating dealer. Call for a full list of terms and conditions. (877) 516-1160 $0 MONEY DOWN + LOW MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTIONS REQUEST A FREE QUOTE FREE 7-Year Extended Warranty* A $735 Value! Whether you are home or away, protect what matters most from unexpected power outages with a Generac Home Standby Generator.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 29 To advertise in Yorktown News, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. Notice of Formation of ICaT Services LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023- 08-06. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to ICaT Services LLC: 37 Andover Ct Cortlandt Manor NY 10567. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of Hudson River Sports Collective LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023-06-12. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Alexis Bernard: 184 Kings Ferry Road Montrose NY 10548. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of City Gardeners LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023- 07-23. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Pedro Cintron: 25 Abner Place Yonkers NY 10704. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of MyBase LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023-10-12. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Vladimir Gilinsky: 77 Beacon Hill Rd Ardsley NY 10502. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of EVMERCH LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023-10-11. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to EVMERCH LLC: 77 Fairmount ave Yonkers NY 10701. Purpose: Any lawful purpose UPDATED Halston Media fillers 12/31/20 (new address) *NOTE: when putting these into place, please take hyphenation off as it can get very confusing for web and/or email addresses. thanks! Yorktown News Contact Us Yorktown News is located at 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. You can contact us at 914-302- 5830 or email yorktownnews@ halstonmedia.com. Editorial Submissions Press releases and photos should be submitted to Yorktown News by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissions can be emailed to yorktownnews@ halstonmedia.com or mail it to Yorktown News, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Letters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of Yorktown 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 publishedPleasesendyourShare Your Milestones Let your neighbors know about the special moments in your life, whether it’s a birth, engagement, wedding or anniversary. Send us a photo and announcement at yorktownnews@halstonmedia. com or mail it to Yorktown News, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. There is no charge for this announcement. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your Photo Submissions photo returned. Photos submitted to Yorktown News need to be highresolution. Images that are submitted at a low resolution cannot be published. Submit photos to Yorktown News by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissions can be emailed to yorktownnews@halstonmedia. com or mail it to Yorktown News, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for Yorktown News is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sports and recreational sports items should also be submitted to the same e-mail address by theThursdaybeforethenextYorktown News Fillers YourcouldbYour business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for Yorktown News is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sportsandrecreationalsportsLetters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of Yorktown News or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phonenumberandaddressYN legals specs: STANDING HEAD: Futura BT, bolheader-Univers 57 condensed regulbody-Adobe Caslon pro 10/11 Left Justified, no hyphens LLC FORMATIONNotice of Formation of Rosslyn Fw/ SSNY 2/23/18. Office location:designated for service of process. SSprocess served against LLC to 104 DNY 10560. Purpose: Any lawful purpLEGAL NOContact Us Yorktown News is located at Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. You can contact us at 914- 302-5830 or email yorktown [email protected]. Lakeland Central School District Notice is hereby given that the fiscal affairs of the Lakeland Central School District for the period beginning on July 1, 2022 and ending on June 30, 2023, have been examined by an independent public accountant, and that the management letter prepared in conjunction with the external audit by the independent public accountant has been filed in my office where it is available as a public record for inspection by all interested persons. Pursuant to §35 of the General Municipal Law, the governing board of the Lakeland Central School District may, in its discretion, prepare a written response to the report of external audit or management letter by independent public accountant and file any such response in my office as a public record for inspection by all interested persons. Lynn Cosenza District Clerk NEW YORK HOMEOWNERS: HELP IS AVAILABLE EVEN IF YOU COULD PAY CASH ROOFING | SIDING | WINDOWS | DOORS & MORE! Approved applications will have the work completed by a quality repair crew provided by: HOMEOWNER FUNDING. Not affiliated with State or Gov Programs. Contractor License: NY: #2719-h14 888-254-6006 or visit NYProgramFunding.net NEED HELP WITH EXPENSIVE REPAIRS? WE MATCH YOU WITH FUNDING YOU CAN AFFORD. ...but it won’t last! Enrollment is only open during a limited time. Programs, appointments, and installations are first come, first serve. ACT NOW! SPECIAL OFFER Waiving All Installation Costs* *Add’l terms apply. Offer subject to change and vary by dealer. Ends 12/31/23. CALL NOW 855.564.2680 YOUR BATHROOM. YOUR WAY. IN AS LITTLE AS ONE DAY BOGO 40% OFF OFFER ENDS 10/31 888-448-0421 NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Board of the Town of Yorktown, Westchester County New York, at a meeting held on the 10th day of October 2023, duly adopted the resolution published herewith SUBJECT TO A PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM. Dated: Yorktown Heights, New York October 13, 2023 Diana L. Quast, Town Clerk Town of Yorktown Master Municipal Clerk RESOLUTION DATED OCTOBER 10, 2023 A RESOLUTION SUBJECT TO PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM, AUTHORIZING THE SUPERVISOR TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITH YORKTOWN STAGE INC. TO LEASE MULTIPLE ROOMS WITHIN THE ALBERT A. CAPELLINI COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL CENTER BE IT RESOLVED, by the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the total voting strength of the Town Board of the Town of Yorktown, Westchester County, New York, as follows: RESOLVED, that the Town Board authorizes the Supervisor to execute and deliver a certain Agreement to Yorktown Stage Inc., the right to lease multiple rooms within the Albert A. Capellini Community and Cultural Center. This resolution is subject to permissive referendum and shall be posted and advertised accordingly. Upon this resolution taking effect, the same shall be published in The Yorktown News, which is hereby designated as the official newspaper of said Town for such purpose. Diana L. Quast, Town Clerk Town of Yorktown Master Municipal Clerk Editorial Submissions Press releases and photos should be submitted to Yorktown News by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissions can be emailed to yorktownnews@ halstonmedia.com or mail it to Yorktown News, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at [email protected], or give us a call at 914-302-5628.
PAGE 30 – YORKTOWN NEWS CLASSIFIEDS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 ORDER ON OUR ONLINE STORE AND PICKUP LOCALLY! BEST PRICES IN THE AREA! PICKUP HOURS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! www.american-arms.com [email protected] 1928 Commerce St, Suite C Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 NRA Basic Pistol/Personal Protection UTAH Concealed Firearms Course Private Lessons Permit Assistance Refuse To Be A Victim™ Group and Private Classes Gun Sales & Ammunition Gun Accessories FFL Services & Transfers 914-455-4210 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023 JAVIS CENTER, NYC FREQUENT TRAVEL CONSUMERS • How to plan a life changing vacation — that won’t break the bank • Hidden Gems of Travel • Live your wildest dreams using miles and points SATURDAY 10/28 SESSIONS NEW ITS2023 BENEFITS PRESENTERS INCLUDE: Darley Newman • Pauline Frommer • Dave Grossman MilesTalk • Michael Luongo • Nancy Barkley DON’T DELAY, REGISTER ONLINE TODAY VIEW THE SCHEDULE ON OUR WEBSITE Use featured ITS2023 Attendee Systems to increase the effectiveness of your participation • Attendee Appointment System • Info Retrieval System nyinternationaltravelshow.com TO ATTEND Visit: NYINTERNATIONALTRAVELSHOW.COM Click: the ATTEND Tab to register for the Consumer Day Exhibition & Seminars on Saturday October 28. Promo Code: Use Promotion Code ITSNYN to save $5 off $25 attendance fee. DIVORCE $389 - Uncontested divorce papers prepared. Only one signature required. Poor personApplication included if applicable. Separation agreements. Custody and support petitions. 518-274-0380 Drive Out Breast Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755 HEARING AIDS!! High-quality rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-day money back guarantee! 855-598-5898 VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 50 Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW! 855-413-9574 ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 888-514-3044 My Caring Plan’s local advisors have helped thousands of families with unique needs find senior living. Can you afford 2k a month in rent? We can help for free! 866-989-1812 BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636 Secure your home with Vivint Smart Home technology. Call 866-601-1219 to learn how you can get a professionally installed security system with $0 activation. Do you need a Roof or Energy Efficient Windows & Help paying for it? YOU MAY QUALIFY THROUGH NEW RELIEF PROGRAMS (800) 944-9393 or visit NYProgramFunding.org to qualify. Approved applications will have the work completed by a repair crew provided by: HOMEOWNER FUNDING. Not affiliated with State or Gov Programs. BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months freepremium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 888-508-5313 DIRECTV Sports Pack – 3 Months on Us! Watch pro and college sports LIVE. Plus over 40 regional and specialty networks included. NFL, College Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, Golf and more. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918 ATTORNEY AUTO DONATIONS HEALTH HOME IMPROVEMENT MISCELLANEOUS PUZZLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/12/23 Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at [email protected], or give us a call at 914-302-5628. Your ad could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. To advertise in Yorktown News, call Brett Freeman at 845-208- 8151 or email [email protected].
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 YORKTOWN NEWS – PAGE 31 Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in the Yorktown News Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board Honest and Reliable, 30+ years experience. Local Collector/Seller Putnam/Westchester/Orange/Dutchess and more Call or text: 917-699-2496 • email: [email protected] Hope to hear from you! Thanks! BUYING COMIC BOOK COLLECTIONS! TOP PRICES PAID! Service: 914-669-9679 Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 Fax: 914-669-9685 6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 meccanicshop.com Connect Anywhere, Anytime. fifffflffiflffffffiffffiffi ffi ffiffff flffiffi flflffi CALL TODAY (877) 651-1637 • Medicaid • SNAP • SSI • WIC • Veterans Pension • Survivors or Lifeline Benefits • Tribal Assistance Program • Housing Assistance fifffflffiflffiffffififfiffiflfffflffi ffi from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company Call to get your FREE Information Kit 1-855-225-1434 Dental50Plus.com/nypress Product not available in all states. Includes the Participating (in GA: Designated) Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN). Rider kinds: B438, B439 (GA: B439B). 6208-0721 DENTAL Insurance Visit Our Display Center: 747 Pierce Road, Clifton Park, NY, 12065 • Sales • Rentals • Service • Buybacks New and Reconditioned Lifts Stay in the home you Love! ELEVATORS • STAIR LIFTS • WHEELCHAIR LIFTS • RAMPS Locally Owned & Operated BUYING ONLY 845-628-0362 WE WILL COME TO YOU! 52 YEARS! WE BUY: GOLD • STERLING SILVER • JEWELRY • COINS • PAINTINGS • BRONZES • CLOCKS • COLLECTIBLES • ANTIQUES • ETC. Items for sale? Call us! SAVE 10% FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS, LET’S MAKE YOUR KITCHEN MAGIC ON YOUR FULL KITCHEN REMODEL* NEW CABINETS | CABINET REFACING | COUNTERTOPS | BACKSPLASHES Discount applies to purchase of new cabinets or cabinet refacing with a countertop. Does not apply to countertop only. May not combine with other o ers or prior purchases. Nassau: H1759490000 Su olk: 16183-H NY/Rockland: 5642 OFFER EXPIRES 12/31/23 855.281.6439 | Free Quotes KITCHEN REMODELING EXPERTS AFFORDABLE Dumpster Rentals! CIRONE CARTING 845-533-5262 EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER! Promo Code: 285 FREE GUTTER ALIGNMENT + FREE GUTTER CLEANING* CALL US TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE 1-855-478-9473 Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST CLOG-FREE GUTTERS FOREVER **Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms for 24 mo. apply to qualifying purchases of $1,000 or more with approved credit. Minimum monthly payments will not pay off balance before end of promotional period. APR for new purchases is 28.99%. Effective - 01/01/2023 - subject to change. Call 1-800-431-5921 for complete details.2The leading consumer reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” *For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. Offer valid at time of estimate only. See Representative for full warranty details. Manufactured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMTMercer Group in Ohio. AR #0366920922, CA #1035795, CT #HIC.0649905, FL #CBC056678, IA #C127230, ID #RCE-51604, LA #559544, MA #176447, MD #MHIC148329, MI # 2102212986, #262000022, #262000403, #2106212946, MN #IR731804, MT #226192, ND 47304, NE #50145-22, NJ #13VH09953900, NM #408693, NV #0086990, NY #H-19114, H-52229, OR #218294, PA #PA069383, RI #GC-41354, TN #7656, UT #10783658- 5501, VA #2705169445, WA #LEAFFNW822JZ, WV #WV056912. APR FOR 24 MONTHS** SENIORS & YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY! PURCHASE* 15% +10 + 0 % % OFF OFF Switch to DISH for access to every professional football game this fall on YouTube, Prime Video, Peacock, and ESPN+ Plus, get the Multi-Sport Pack on us! Sign up for AT120+ or above and get 15 additional sports channels with the Multi-Sport Pack at no cost. DISH has the most college football with SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12, and Longhorn Networks. FOR LIMITED TIME* DON’T MISS ANY OF THE ACTION! 8,000 TOUCHDOWNS ONE PLACE TO WATCH! Plus, Multi-Sport Pack Included for a Limited Time 1-866-782-4069 3-year price guarantee requires credit qualification and 2-year commitment and covers core programming, local networks, and equipment. Call I-Tech for details at 1-833-682-2047. Gift Card Offer ends 10/11/2023: Requires offer code DTV2DISH. Eligibility requires: 1) continuing active DISH service, 2) completion of the first 31 days of DISH service, 3) payment of first DISH bill, 4) submission of a recent DirecTV satellite bill for the same name or address, and 5) online redemption after validation. After completing the redemption process, the gift card will be shipped within 4 to 6 weeks. For full details, visit https://my.dish.com/support/helpful-tools/gift-cards. All packages, programming, and offers are subject to change without notice.New customers only. Must subscribe to AT120+ or above or DishLATINO Max by 11/13/23. Multi-Sport Pack access ends 1/11/24. Offer subject to change without notice. Local blackouts and other restrictions apply. Streaming apps require separate subscription. *FOR QUALIFYING CUSTOMERS SWITCH TO DISH & GET UP TO A $300 GIFT CARD!
PAGE 32 – YORKTOWN NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 Catherine Duff-Poritzky Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker M 914.960.5577 | [email protected] 1857 Commerce Street, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 Catherine Duff-Poritzky and The CDP Team are real estate agents affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity Laws. The CDP Team knows what it takes to sell your home. We’re here to make sure your home receives maximum exposure and the highest price. Take the first step towards success: Call 914.960.5577 today for a no obligation analysis of your home. THE CDP TEAM’S RECENT SUCCESSES: (5/1/23 – 10/1/23) 75 Travis Road | Somers 2376 Hawthorne Drive | Yorktown 475 Bedford Road | Bedford 73 Lakeview Drive | Somers 3478 Munson Place | Yorktown 2623 Ridge Street | Yorktown 26 Meadow Sweet Road | Cortlandt 1380 Hunterbrook Road | Yorktown 385 Saw Mill River Road | Yorktown 29 Aberdeen Road | Cortlandt 35 Wilson Avenue | Mount Pleasant 243 Canopus Hollow Road | Putnam Valley 109 Krystal Drive | Somers 172 Mexico Lane | Carmel 2738 Moreland Street | Yorktown 1613 Heights Drive | Yorktown 360 Saw Mill River Road | Yorktown 3112 Muir Court | Yorktown LIST PRICE: $1,099,000 $629,900 $525,000 $419,900 $539,900 $579,900 $779,900 $1,395,000 $639,000 $699,900 $769,000 $510,000 $499,999 $639,000 $575,000 $829,900 $939,900 $799,900 SOLD PRICE: $1,115,000 $680,000 $527,000 $460,000 $565,000 $625,000 $830,000 $1,435,000 $662,500 $730,000 $820,000 $550,000 $508,000 $660,000 IN CONTRACT OVER ASK IN CONTRACT OVER ASK IN CONTRACT OVER ASK IN CONTRACT OVER ASK