Katonah-Lewisboro Times 09.14.2023

VOL. 6 NO. 26 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 23 CLASSIFIEDS 22 LEISURE 20 OPINION 10 TOWN CROSSING 2 SPORTS 18 Back to School pg 4 STUDENTS Visit TapIntoKLT.net for the latest news. PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST CALDWELL, NJ PERMIT #992 Folks came from far and wide for one of the community’s largest events when the Lewisboro Library Fair returned on September 9! See more photos from the day of literature, food, and fun on page 12! Fair Play! PHOTO: ROB DISTASIO BY TOM BARTLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER Law enforcement took some self-congratulatory bows, but it was a concerned mom’s pluck that put a 40-year-old man behind bars, accused of luring her 15-year-old son to a sexual tryst in the Katonah woods. The mother, who has not been identified, was guided only by her cellphone’s locator app, authorities said, when she broke up the woodland encounter—recording it on video—then chased the near-naked man and captured his license plate on video as he drove off. Not finished, she then made her way, son in tow, to Bedford police headquarters where she reported the incident and turned over the boy’s cellphone, including its lewd text exchanges. Hours later members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office arrested the man, identified as John Lord of Sedona, Ariz., at his brother’s home in Kent where he had been staying. Handed over to Bedford authorities, he was charged initially with a thirddegree criminal sexual act. But Lord now stands accused of a federal offense. He’s charged with using the internet to entice and coerce the teen to take part in sex acts, a felony under the U.S. Code, punishable by fine and imprisonment of at least 10 years to as much as life. Lord quickly found himself before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court, charged with a single count of coercion and enticement. Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, later issued a statement saying, “This case underlines the urgent need for law Arizona man arrested for coercion of a minor in Katonah Mother tracks, confronts accused SEE ARREST PAGE 6 HOPEMAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker cell: 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536  Featured Property Somers | 2 BR | 2 BA | 2,003 sf | $489,000 Until now you could only dream about something this special. Absolutely stunning ranch-style townhouse set on a quiet cul-de-sac with total privacy. Fully updated and offering finished lower for recreation and entertaining. An absolute gem! #UGottaHaveHope

The Staff EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky 845-661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director/Photographer [email protected] Noah Elder Designer Bri Agosta Designer Haven Elder Designer EXECUTIVE TEAM Brett Freeman CEO & Publisher 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines The Katonah-Lewisboro Times The deadline for advertisements and editorial submissions is the Thursday before the next publication date. For more information, call Tom Walogorsky at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected] Location 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 Published Weekly by Halston Media, LLC ©2023 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC PAGE 2 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 845-600-8004 | www.bellmech.com EXCLUDES SERVICE CONTRACT EXP 10/31/23 Coupon must present at time of service. Cannot be combined with any other offer. $ 50 OFF ANY OF OUR SERVICES SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO! FALL into BIG $AVINGS with New Energy INCENTIVES WHAT IS A HEAT PUMP? Heat pumps will help you find the perfect balance of comfort and savings all year round, while reducing your carbon footprint. These all-in-one heating and air conditioning systems optimize the temperature throughout your home to use less energy, and can save you thousands on your cooling and heating costs. DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE to lock-in these incentive savings! FEDERAL INCENTIVE: 30% off the total cost STATE INCENTIVE: $5,000 UTILITY COMPANY INCENTIVE: Up to $20,000 HYBRID HOT WATER HEATER: $1,000 Rebate SUPER SAVINGS on your Heat Pump project while program funding lasts... CALL NOW TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY! ENJOY 0 DOWN, 0% FINANCING! Katonah Village Library 26 Bedford Rd, Katonah, NY 10536 www.katonahlibrary.org Living with the Seasons Saturday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. Join Leslie Dock (Leslie Dock Farms & Gardens) for this hands-on workshop: reviewing the basics of seed anatomy and development, stratification techniques, and how to harvest each for propagation. There will be a discussion about the importance of planting our native species. Participants are encouraged to look for all types of seeds everywhere (vegetable, fruit, shrub, tree and flower seeds) and bring them into the workshop for identification, demonstration, and sharing. Be prepared to go home with shared seeds. A collection will also become available in the Seed Library. This free workshop will take place in the library’s accessible lowerlevel Garden Room. Esmeralda Santiago In Conversation with Molly Friedrich Sunday Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. Esmeralda Santiago  is the author of three groundbreaking memoirs; “When I was Puerto Rican” and “Almost A Woman,” which she adapted into a Peabody Award-winning movie for PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre, and “The Turkish Lover.” Molly Friedrich founded The Friedrich Agency in 2006, following nearly three decades at The Aaron Priest Literary Agency. Join us in conversation with the author followed  by light refreshments. This free event will take place in the accessible lower-level Garden Room. Books will be available for sale and signing through Booksy Galore. A Message from Braver Angels Braver Angels will be showing a documentary called “Better Angels: Reuniting America.” Braver Angels is a national grass roots organization which has been doing workshops, debates, and speaking engagements around America. The 50-minute documentary and discussion will be highlighting the genesis of Braver Angels and will be showing moments from our signature workshop. If you care about the future of our local, state and national government, then this documentary is for you. If you want our political parties to work together and find common ground, and get things done, please join us at Somers Library on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. Free Square Dancing Fun Nights Sept. 25 & Oct. 2 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Singles, couples, and families welcome! To be held at Katonah Methodist Church Parish Hall, located at 44 Edgemont Rd in Katonah. For more information, visit www.friendlysquares.org or call 914-433-2919. Chavura Beth Chai Conducting services at the Lake Lincolndale Clubhouse, 11 Lake Shore Drive North, Lincolndale High Holiday Services Chavura Beth Chai, a nontraditional Jewish congregation without walls (except for the High Holidays, to accommodate a larger number of worshippers), invites the community to its services. Attendance is free. Rosh Hashanah services will begin on Friday evening, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. and Saturday morning, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. Yom Kippur services will begin on Sunday evening, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. and Monday morning, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. For more information about this unique congregation, visit www.chavurabethchai.org or call (973) 380-7995 and leave a message.  TOWN CROSSING SEE CROSSING PAGE 6

Your Neighbor Your Neighbor THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 3 BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER The Yellow Studio in the Yellow Monkey Village aims to be a place where women can nurture their creative side and showcase the work they produce, according to founder/ owner Tina Villaveces. An art gallery, residency and performing space, Reservoir Road got the call on August 23, and lead singer Robin Reitzes was on chord with the studio’s mission. “Supporting women, art and community,” she said. “That’s me in a nutshell.” A mix of pop and rock songs on the agenda, Glenn Gian didn’t get too deep in regard to his anticipation. “I know the vibe of all the little businesses here,” he said. “So, I thought this would be a nice relaxing evening.” The opening number definitely reinforced the feeling. “Easy Like Sunday Morning”  began the festivities in front of about 25 people, and the back end was even better, according to Reitzes.  “I love these people behind me,” she said of Julie Rosenberg and Steve Giner.  On the acoustic guitars, the strum continued with  “Don’t Know Why”  by Nora Jones and “In My Life” by the Beatles, while “At Last” gave Reitzes the chance to show off her comedic timing. “If I ever get married again, I’ll sing that song,” she joked. Even so, the Etta James hit really allowed the lead singer to show off the base of her talent. “Singing is her true love in life and gives her the most passion,” said Giner. In the audience, Michele Miller was more specific. “She sings a song, and the feeling from her own life comes through,” said Miller. “We can hear the emotion.” Suzette Kraus  agreed. “She sings with her soul, not just her heart,” said the good friend and loyal fan. “Every Breath You Take,”  “The Girl From Ipanema,”  “Kiss Me”  by Sixpence None The Richer and Al Green’s  “Let’s Stay Together”  cascaded the audience into a brief interlude, and Julie Rosenberg gave voice to overall break at hand.  “Music gives us a chance to relax and unwind,” said the guitar player and Board president of the Katonah Museum Artists’ Association. Also in between, Allison Belolan reveled in Robin’s voice, and the perfect setting that facilitated the rise of the melody. “I just love this space, the mission and the community,” said Belolan, who just completed her residency and had several pieces of artwork displayed.   Reservoir Road then got back on track with,  “It’s too Late Baby Now”  and  “I Try” by Macy Gray, and then Reitzes got down to it with our favorite material girl.  “I like Madonna, she’s good for bad behavior,” said the John Jay mom. So are partners in crime, and the musician issued a call to arms. “I need some backup dancers,” she directed. A little hesitation ensued, but Miller, Kraus and Gretchen Fleisher rose from their seats and grooved to Borderline. “Robin is my jam,” beamed Kraus. In step too, Fleisher explained what puts the kick in her moves. “Robin brings a concept to the songs and reinterprets them,” she explained. “So they’re not cookie cutter covers.”  A few others joining in, Reitzes was ready to put their cool sway on the payroll. “You’re hired,” she declared. From there, the Road closed with  “Baby One More Time”  by Brittany Spears,  “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”  and  “Sweet Child ‘O Mine”  by Guns ’n Roses. Maybe a little out of the demographic, 91-year-old Diana Giner didn’t suffer a generation gap. “A beautiful voice, I love everything about Robin,” assured the Giner family matriarch.  Motherhood going for her too, Reitzes did some reminiscing of her own and brought it full circle. “I used to come up from Chappaqua as a kid and loved the old Yellow Monkey village. So I love what Tina and the women here have done to revitalize the area and bring back the old vibe,” the singer concluded. Reservoir Road brings community and music to the Yellow Studio Michele Miller, Suzette Kraus, and Gretchen Fleisher PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI Robin Reitzes HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com Leo’s Tree & Lawn Service: Reliable Work Done Right! 914-222-5554 [email protected]

PAGE 4 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • Wills, Trusts & Estates Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 16 consecutive years 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? Students across the KatonahLewisboro School District packed their lunches, put on their backpacks, and headed back to the Back to school! classroom on Wednesday, Sept. 6! Penny and Sawyer Jones PHOTO COURTESY OF JEN BAYLEY Darian Dedvukaj PHOTO COURTESY OF YULIA DEDVUKAJ Duke Dedvukaj PHOTO COURTESY OF YULIA DEDVUKAJ Mila and Bautista Berdichevsky PHOTO COURTESY OF SEBASTIAN BERDICHEVSKY Teigan, Isla, and Harper McKimmie PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH MCKIMMIE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 5 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Westchester health officials are urging folks to take precautions when they’re outdoors after two batches of mosquitoes collected in Rye and Mamaroneck tested positive for West Nile Virus. “Protect yourself and your family by using repellents, especially from dawn to dusk, when many mosquitoes are active. Apply sunscreen first, and repellent second,” advised county Commissioner of Health Dr. Sherlita Amler. Areas surrounding the positive batches will be inspected and, if needed, nearby catch basins that hold standing water will be treated in order to prevent further mosquito breeding. To date, these are the first positives out of 108 batches of mosquitoes submitted to the state Department of Health for testing. Last year, 11 Westchester batches had West Nile Virus out of 151 submitted for testing. Then the virus was first detected on Aug. 4. West Nile symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, and joint pain. These can be more serious for people 60 and older and anyone with an underlying medical conditions. Large areas of standing water on public property should be reported to the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000. Tips to avoid West Nile · Avoid the outdoors in the late afternoon and early evening when skeeters are active and feeding, or use insect repellents then and follow the label instructions. · Adults can use insect repellents with up to 30 percent DEET on infants over two months of age by applying the product to their own hands and then rubbing it onto their children, avoiding their children’s hands, eyes, and mouth. · Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), or IR3535. Always use as directed and wash treated skin with soap and water after returning indoors. · Pregnant and breastfeeding women can use all EPA-registered insect repellents, including DEET, according to the product label. · Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). You can buy pretreated clothing and gear or treat them yourself. · Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks when outdoors, especially in areas where mosquitoes are active and feeding. · Check around your property for anything that can hold water and pour it out or put it away. · Check and remove standing water from children’s toys and playhouses left outside. · Remove discarded tires. · Drill holes in the bottoms of all recycling containers that are left outdoors. · Cover outdoor trash containers to keep rainwater from accumulating inside · Drain water in birdbaths, plant pots and drip trays twice a week. · Turn over plastic wading pools, buckets, and wheelbarrows when not in use. · Change the water in birdbaths at least twice weekly. · Keep storm drains and gutters clear of leaves and debris. · Continue to chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor spas, and hot tubs until properly winterized or drained for the season. Also, if not chlorinated, drain any water that collects on their covers. · Stay and sleep in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms. · Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens and repair or replace screens that have tears or holes. DEAD BIRDS People only get West Nile Virus when they are bitten by a mosquito that’s fed on an infected bird. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Westchester County Health Department are no longer taking reports of dead birds or submitting birds for West Nile virus testing. If you find a dead bird, please dispose of it properly. To dispose of a dead bird: · Use gloves and a double layer of plastic trash bags to pick it up. · Using your gloved hands and a doubled trash bag, enclose the dead bird in the bags. · Close and tie the bags and dispose in the trash or as directed by your municipality. · Wash your hands with soap and warm water. West Nile virus is not transmissible via touching a dead bird. Officials urge caution after West Nile Virus detected in Westchester Two batches of mosquitoes collected in Rye and Mamaroneck tested positive for West Nile Virus. V O TE F O R DON SC O T T FO R B E DFO R D T O W N C OUN C I L Local Roots, Committed to Bedford Don first moved to Bedford Village in 4th grade and his love for our community has only grown since. After graduating from Vanderbilt, Don returned to Katonah to raise his family and build a business. Proven Track Record on the Town Board Fiscal Responsibility: Held the line on taxes while maintaining a AAA bond rating. Infrastructure Investment: Increased investments in roads and town assets. Critical Road Paving: Fought to get I-684 paved, addressing safety and noise. Protecting Our Youth: Stopped the sale of vaping products in our hamlets. Supporting Community Groups: Reduced the fees paid for town services. V OTE FO R MIKE P A L LADIN O FO R B EDFO R D T O WN C OUNCIL A True Bedford Love Story Mike moved to Bedford in 2016 but has ties dating back over two decades including being a Camp Counselor at the Bedford Hills Day Camp where he entertained campers at the very same Community House that is now right outside his living room window. His first job out of college – a sports marketing firm on Adams Street – was where he met his now wife, Nell. Service Before Self Motivated by his profound engagement in the community, Mike seeks a Town Board seat to provide Bedford residents with enhanced representation and commitment. WE CAN DO BETTER MIKE PALLADINO & DON SCOTT FOR BEDFO R D T O W N BO A R D Don & Mike celebrating Flag Day 2023 at the Bedford Hills Community House. [email protected] 914-263-9681 www.MikeForBedford.com [email protected] 914-262-7697 www.DonForBedford.com “I come with a neighborly spirit, not a politician’s agenda.” -Mike Palladino Paid for by Bedford United 2023

PAGE 6 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them.” The press release went on to applaud multiple law-enforcement contributions, but not the mother’s. It said, “Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, the Bedford Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office in connection with this investigation.” Similarly, Bedford Police Chief Melvin Padilla Jr. was quoted in the same press release as crediting “the diligent work of our officers and the cooperation and assistance from our federal partners” for Lord’s quick identification and apprehension. Although the press release overlooks the actions of an intrepid mom, FBI Special Agent Erica Buonocore detailed her exploits in a complaint filed with the White Plains court. Buonocore wrote that Lord had “persuaded and enticed a 15-yearold minor (‘Victim-1’), who he had met and communicated with on an online application, to engage in sexual activity with him.” The teen’s mom was unaware of the text exchanges, Bedford police say, but she was concerned when her son had not returned home as it neared mid-afternoon on Aug. 30. So, she went looking for him, guided by a locator app that searched for his cellphone’s signal. Buonocore, in her narrative for the court, wrote that “between 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., the mother of Victim-1 went looking for her 15-year-old son and discovered John Lord, the defendant, with Victim-1 in a wooded area in Katonah, New York. She recorded the encounter on video using her cellphone. “When the mother of Victim-1 arrived, Lord was naked from the waist down (wearing only socks), with his penis exposed. Victim-1 was in his underwear.” Seeing the woman approach, “Lord grabbed his underwear and fled,” Buonocore continued. “The mother of Victim-1 attempted to follow Lord and captured on video the license plate of a nearby parked vehicle.” Buonocore quoted the teen as telling his mother he had initially met Lord through an online application. “At approximately 3:30 p.m.,” the FBI investigator said, “the mother of Victim- 1 traveled to the Bedford Police Department with Victim-1 and reported the incident.” While at police headquarters, Buonocore said, the mother authorized authorities to search her son’s cellphone and its vulgar textmessage exchanges. BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER A former Westchester man has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of his roommate in Colorado. Garrett Littenberg, 27, went to North Salem High School where he played soccer and lacrosse and was named an AP Scholar when he graduated in 2014. The victim was identified as 30-yearold Kurt Smolker. Littenberg is being held on $10 million bond. Police responding to a report of a disturbance at 1663 Zamia Ave. in Boulder around 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29 found the door open. Upon entering, officers discovered footprints leading from the first-floor living room and up the stairs. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by the media outlet Daily Camera, Littenberg yelled that he was “unarmed” and was coming out with his hands up. The document further stated that he was shirtless and that his arms were covered in blood, it reported. The mortally wounded Smolker was found bleeding in an upstairs bedroom, lying on the floor with a flannel shirt wrapped around his neck and head, according to the Daily Camera. Several knives were recovered nearby. Smolker was pronounced dead at the scene. A coroner’s report found that he had been stabbed “dozens” of times in the head, neck, and abdomen, according to media reports. The Daily Camera noted that the affidavit said Smolker had called Littenberg’s family around 10:02 p.m. that night to report that he was not “acting right.” A family member told police they had heard “muffled” noises and that Littenberg had been ranting about “Putin” and “rape,” according to the document. When that person asked Littenberg where his roommate was, the affidavit said he allegedly responded: “Don’t worry about him. He’s dead. I killed him.” According to the Daily Camera, the affidavit also said that Littenberg’s family had told police that he’d been taking medication for anxiety and psychosis. Littenberg, who had no criminal history in Colorado, was to appear in court on Tuesday, Sept. 5, for a status conference. The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact Boulder police Det. Starks at  [email protected] or (303) 441-3067 and reference case 23-08516. North Salem High School alum faces murder charge in Colorado Mug shot of Garrett Littenberg PHOTO COURTESY OF BOULDER COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT REGIONAL ARREST FROM PAGE 1 Lewisboro Library 15 Main St, South Salem, NY 10590 Please register for programs by visiting www.lewisboro library.org Dungeons & Dragons Returns September 23 Players in grades four through twelve are invited to join a new season of “Dungeons and Dragons” at the Library, beginning Saturday, Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. The group meets monthly. Both new and experienced players are welcome. Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy role playing game, where players work collaboratively through a series of adventures, gathering treasure and experience points along the way. CROSSING FROM PAGE 2 INDEPENDENTLY OWNED and OPERATED 268 ROUTE 202 SOMERS, NY 10589 progressive-vet.com Rooted in the Community with Excellence & Love 914•248•6220 112 North County Center • Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 914-232-9012 • www.northcountycleaners.com Mon - Fri: 7am - 7pm • Sat: 8am - 5pm Tailoring • Repairs • Leather Cleaning • Drapes & Curtains Over 30 Years Experience Pick Up & Delivery for New Customers First Orders Only Mention Promo Code NCCT10 $10 OFF Weekly Delivery in your Area • All Dry Cleaning Done on Premises • Same Day Service (in-store drop off only) drop off by 10am

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PAGE 8 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 BY SOPHIA CASELNOVA STAFF WRITER Police are warning local residents—especially seniors—about a group of thieves using distraction and sleight-of-hand to rob them as they exit stores, banks, and ATMs. So-called “distraction scams”—both successful and attempted—have been reported in Yorktown, Mahopac, and some surrounding towns by what police describe as an organized ring operating throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond. Last week, two separate but similar “distraction” robberies were reported in Yorktown. Incidents have also been reported in Mahopac by what police believe are members of the same group. Parking lot robbery Police said the two Yorktown incidents were initiated by separate teams of people, but both targeted senior citizens in parking lots during daylight hours. “This past week, grifter-like criminals hit us on both sides of town, targeting our most vulnerable population, our senior citizens,” Yorktown Police Chief Robert Noble said. “Senior citizens are targeted for many reasons, the most prevalent being that they are the most trusting and tend to have considerable savings or valuable possessions.” The Yorktown Police Department (YPD) posted photos of the alleged perpetrators to its Facebook account on Aug. 23 and continues to seek information about the suspects and any additional crimes. Police are asking anyone who has been approached, victimized, or has witnessed such crimes, to contact them. Meanwhile, the Carmel Police Department (CPD) said a similar attempt was made on the same day in Mahopac but was unsuccessful. In addition to the confirmed cases, police believe there may have been others that have not yet been reported. “I would say with a reasonable degree of certainty that there were additional attempts, probably even a successful one or two, that weren’t reported,” Carmel Police Chief Anthony Hoffmann said. According to Yorktown police, the first incident took place in the parking lot of TD Banknorth in Jefferson Valley. The victim— a woman in her 70s—had just made a bank withdrawal and gotten into her car when she was approached by a younger woman who allegedly told her not to back her car out of the spot because there was “something behind her rear tire.” When the victim got out of her car to look, a man allegedly reached into the car and took the bank envelope containing the victim’s cash, which police say which police say contained a few hundred dollars. Both suspects walked away from the incident but were reportedly later apprehended in upstate New York. According to YPD, multiple jurisdictions are coming forward to press charges. Noble said that the perpetrators are suspected of committing similar crimes as far away as Batavia, N.Y., but the ring has been operating locally as well. According to Hoffmann, the same two suspects in the TD Banknorth incident were allegedly in Mahopac the same day that they were in Yorktown. The second Yorktown incident took place in the parking lot of Uncle Giuseppe’s in Yorktown Heights, according to Noble. The victim of this incident, a man in his 70s, was approached ‘Distraction’ scams target seniors Multiple robberies reported near area businesses Female suspect in the Jefferson Valley scam. PHOTOS COURTESY OF YORKTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT Male suspect in the Jefferson Valley scam. REGIONAL SEE SCAMS PAGE 9 DENTAL Insurance Physicians Mutual Insurance Company A less expensive way to help get the dental care you deserve Get help paying dental bills and keep more money in your pocket This is real dental insurance — NOT just a discount plan You can get coverage before your next checkup CALL NOW! 1-877-690-2680 Don’t wait! Call now and we’ll rush you a FREE Information Kit with all the details. Product not available in all states. Acceptance is guaranteed for one insurance policy/certifi cate of this type. This specifi c offer is not available in CO: call 1-800-969-4781 for a similar offer. For complete details about this solicitation of insurance, please contact us. Certifi cate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN) 6129-1118 FREE Information Kit 1-877-690-2680 Visit us online at www.dental50plus.com/seasonal FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT Both pre-payment and no-payment options Serving all Faiths since 1858 Cremations and Burials DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director RONALD P. CERASO ~ Director www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 • Only 1/4 mile from 684 exit 6. • Only 1 block from the Katonah Railroad station. • Less than 60 minutes from N.Y. City. • Parking facilities for over 100 cars • Monuments & inscriptions available.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 9 by a male/female team posing as jewelry sellers in the supermarket parking lot. The male suspect invited the victim to try on a necklace. The female allegedly placed the necklace on the victim while “skillfully removing” the necklace he was already wearing, police said. After taking the necklace (valued at around $3,000) the perpetrators fled in a Jeep. Using trust as a weapon Carmel police officer Erin Macom said that frauds and scams are becoming more frequent and complex every day, and while not all scams target seniors, many criminals see elderly people as easy targets. But, she adds, part of what makes the scammers’ job easier is that people think it will never happen to them. “It is easy to say you may never fall victim to a scam but we have plenty of intelligent and professional people come forward as victims,” said Macom, who is deputy public information officer for the Carmel PD and a member of its Community Relations Team. “The truth is that scammers work night and day thinking of effective ways to trick people. They are professionals and put a lot of time into looking credible.” Macom said Carmel PD “makes special efforts to teach people how they can identify scams and protect themselves from becoming a victim.” In her role as deputy public information officer, Macom and fellow CPD officer Vincent Serio frequently visit senior groups in the area to outline the dangers of crimes and explain how they can protect themselves. “Everyone has a story of someone trying to scam them, so we like to teach the basics on how to identify one,” Macom said. “There are three tell-tale signs people can look for.” First, the scammer will pretend to be someone you can and should trust, such as a bank employee or a loved one. Second, they will create an emergency situation and say you have to act immediately. “People often do not think clearly in an emergency,” Macom said. “Scammers know this is when people are most vulnerable.” Third, the scammers will create very short deadlines that you must meet or pay severe penalties. “The purpose of this is to deprive you of the time you need to think and verify their claims,” Macom said. “The best thing you can possibly do if presented with this situation is to stop and think through what the person is telling you. Is it likely? ‘How can I verify what they are saying? Are they trying to prevent me from verifying it on my own?’” Noble said that another sign that you might be a scam target in a public place is being approached by strangers with “a tale of woe.” Police recommend a quick response should you choose to engage such as, “I will be happy to call the police to assist you.” Noble said if you receive “no thanks” as a response, “something isn’t right.” Noble also said that if someone is trying to sell you something in a parking lot, continue walking to your destination, consider calling your local police, and do not engage. “Trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to be skeptical,” Hoffmann added. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” The scammers are smart, Noble said, and in communities such as Yorktown, they usually walk away with hundreds of dollars in cash. “You will also tend to see grifters in parking lots requesting money in suburban areas,” added Noble. “Some play musical instruments, others just stand there with a cardboard sign. Most are not genuine and in communities like ours, they tend to walk away with hundreds in cash. These scammers are smart. “For these individuals and groups that commit these scams, this is their job,” he added. “They work on their social engineering skills and how to play on people’s emotions like the rest of us work at our legitimate jobs. So we need to stay vigilant, and not be afraid to ask trusted friends and merchants for help when something doesn’t seem on the up and up. These scammers will try to disarm you with cunning and kindness, but you need to trust your gut.” Macom said scammers work night and day thinking of effective ways to trick people. “They are professionals and put a lot of time into looking credible,” sh said. “So if you think something may be a scam or a deal is ‘too good to be true’ trust your instincts that it probably is.” “It is our hope that sharing this information both on social media and with the [media], will serve to better alert and protect the public,” said Noble. “It seemed to go viral, as our post was shared a few hundred times in several communities. Our patrols and detectives continue to work hard in an effort to prevent crime and to investigate crimes when they occur.” “Yorktown is a law and order community that supports its police department. We ask that all in our community continue to help us, help you,” he concluded. “We do live in a safe community and we all should endeavor to keep it that way.” Despite the aftorementioned arrests of the alleged perpetrators, Hoffmann said people should remain vigilant. “It appears that the same group that was in Yorktown and Mahopac was doing the same thing down county in the [Long Island] Sound shore area a few days prior, and they may even have been arrested,” he said. “Unfortunately with them being released with an appearance ticket rather quickly because they can’t get bail, arrests don’t seem to be a deterrent. So they’ll hang around until we catch them enough or we get the word out enough for people to be aware and they move onto another area.” SCAMS FROM PAGE 8 Male suspect in the Uncle Giuseppe’s parking lot scam. PHOTO COURTESY OF YORKTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMS FOR MORE INFO CALL: 914.669.9500 or email: [email protected] HardscrabbleClub.com • 22 Sutton Pl, Brewster, NY 10509 ENROLLING NOW for FALL 2023 Week of Sept. 4 onward GRAB YOUR SPOT BEFORE THEY’RE ALL TAKEN! STAGES: Red Ball, 5-7 years Orange Ball, 8-9 years Green Ball, 9-10 years Yellow Ball, 11- 18 years CLASSES: Weekdays: 4-5pm, 5-6pm & 5-6:30pm. 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Opinion PAGE 10 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 2 TRACKS BRETT FREEMAN, PUBLISHER TOM WALOGORSKY, EDITOR TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Editorial Office: 914-302-5830 [email protected] Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of Katonah-Lewisboro Times 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 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 Halston Media, LLC Editor’s Note: Don Scott is a candidate for Bedford Town Board. All candidates on the ballot for Town Board are invited to send columns to this newspaper. Send them to [email protected]. Please keep to a 1,000-word limit.   I n June, I wrote about a drastic overhaul of the New York State voting system. The new law will move all local elections, traditionally held in odd-numbered years, to even-numbered years to align with presidential and national elections. Most fair observers – there are a few – saw it for what it was, a partisan power grab, which would subjugate local issues to national politics. Like most poor legislation, it was passed in the wee hours at the end of the legislative session without any testimony or public feedback. A Newsday editorial said, “The bill’s backers defend it as a boon to voter turnout. While nobody interested in democracy opposes more participation, this bill cannot be viewed as a nonpartisan goodgovernment reform.” Curiously, the new law won’t apply to cities or villages in New York -- only to towns. The bill has been uniformly panned by town supervisors across the state. Apparently, imposing the law on cities and villages would have required a time-consuming change to the state constitution. It would require deliberations during business hours and pesky public feedback. Sadly, all indications are that the governor will sign the bill later this fall. A lawsuit will undoubtedly follow. I’m holding out hope that the governor will listen to those involved in local government, who are uniformly against the change, and veto it; although, I’m probably dreaming. With towns across the state being steamrolled by Albany, and not having the built-in legal protections of villages, I wonder if there are advantages to being a village instead of a town. Municipalities in New York fall into three different governing models under state law: cities, villages and towns. In our area, Mount Kisco is interesting in that it is one of a handful of villages in the state that are also towns with identical borders for both. The technical term is a coterminous municipality. Try to use that in a sentence this week. The Town of Mount Kisco exists primarily to collect taxes for the the school districts and the county. At the annual organizational meeting, it delegates nearly all other functions to the Village of Mount Kisco. The Village of Mount Kisco used to be split between the towns of New Castle and Bedford. In 1978, then Mayor Hank Kensing led the movement to secede from those towns and form the Town of Mount Kisco, containing the Village. The residents had to vote for the change in a referendum. There are several advantages to operating as a village instead of a town. As recent events show, a village has some protections from the political whims of the state legislature, which in these partisan times, is no small thing. They also operate under different rules than towns. Each village has a village manager, who is a professional public administrator. All departments and employees are under that administrator’s management rather than being managed by an elected political figure not trained in public administration. That manager reports to the mayor and council. Another thing I love about the village form of government is that most of them hold their elections in March instead of November, although they do have the option of having them in November if they choose. March elections allow voters to focus on local issues since the only positions on the ballot are local officials such as mayors, judges and council members. In many villages, candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans. As you may know, I am a huge fan of non-partisan local government. Frequently, local parties are created, which align with local, not national issues. These affairs are frequent lower-turnout elections, but those who do turn out are locally focused. High turnout, like that in a presidential election year, is not necessarily a good thing for local government, since most voters just vote the party line without knowing much about the differences between local candidates. I am OK with a smaller turnout of well-informed voters that a “local only” election would draw. In a future column, I will talk about Scarsdale’s story – a village and a town – that switched to nonpartisan elections in 1911 “after a particularly bitter partisan election” according to the League of Women Voters. Historian Harry Hansen wrote, “it was felt that the injection of politics into our local affairs can only lead us away from the high standards of unselfish service our Village has enjoyed.” Adopting the village approach is appealing, especially as the national partisan divide deepens. Maybe it does take a village DON SCOTT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT “It is easier to change a man’s religion than to change his diet.” -Margaret Mead The other day I found an old picture of myself posing with my brother and sister in our front yard. It was taken around 1968 when I was 10 years old. I was so thin that if I had turned sideways, you probably couldn’t see me. I wanted to be a football player when I got to high school—like my big brother, who was captain of the varsity—but weighing in at about 99 pounds soaking wet, I knew I would make a better water boy than a middle linebacker. “If you want to gain weight, eat potatoes,” was my brother’s advice. So, eat potatoes I did. When I got to high school, I weighed in at a robust 165 pounds my freshman year and made the JV as a fullback. But I wasn’t a very good footballer. Baseball was my game, and I was named All-League in both my junior and senior years and helped lead those teams to several championships. In my senior year, I batted close to .400. I was about 185 pounds at that point. The Potato Initiative was doing fine. Unfortunately, I continued the Potato Initiative well after college, but without all that pesky exercise and movement that comes with being an athlete. I gained more than 50 pounds in about two years, and settled quite nicely into a sedentary lifestyle. Becoming a journalist didn’t help. We spend a lot of time sitting at a desk talking on the phone and typing. That doesn’t burn as many calories as you might think. If it did, I’d be back to the 1968 picture again. Like anyone else with weight issues (I like to call it being “gravitationally challenged”), I tried all kinds of ways to get skinny again: Fad diets, sketchy supplements and short bursts of exercise regimens that I never maintained. To make things even more criminal, I knew full well that diabetes ran through my family like a busload of sumo wrestlers heading to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Even when my feet started getting tingly and numb, I thought, well, this is the worst that it gets. When the numbness started climbing up my A weighty problem BOB DUMAS OUT OF MY HEAD SEE DUMAS PAGE 11

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 OPINION THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 11 Securities offered through Cantella & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Cantella and Co., Inc. does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. 845-628-5400 SFGtaxes.com | [email protected] 824 Route 6, Suite 4 | Mahopac, NY 10541 from other accountants and tax preparers is our ability to work with you not just on taxes, but on financials, college planning, divorce, retirement planning, changes in life planning... We don’t just process tax forms, we advise on how to handle your income and expenses in the future with personalized recommendations. We help you navigate the tax code, and in the end, help you set sound financial goals. What separates us DUMAS FROM PAGE 10 legs and I had to start using a cane, I figured, well, this was the worst it could get. Wrong. I eventually had a heart attack, which resulted in bypass surgery. Then I got an infected diabetic foot ulcer that led to the amputation of all the toes on my left foot and eventually my entire leg. There is no cure for diabetes, but a healthy diet and some exercise can often stave off the really bad stuff. I paid no attention. Another pack of Skittles, please. There are some who don’t want to hear this, but obesity is a national health crisis. But instead of trying to combat it, we Americans are embracing it. And now we have even gone from fat acceptance to fat celebration. The term “body positivity” has come to mean “I am perfect the way I am because I’m me.” It’s Orwellian when positivity is used to describe what is not healthy. But, if you notice, no one has ever pretended there is “positivity” in smoking. Last year, The New York Times reported that poor diet is the leading cause of mortality in the United States. The paper also reported that military recruitment is at its lowest since the draft because 17- to 24-year-olds are either too obese to qualify or have criminal histories. Now, they even sell business suits with drawstring pants. It shows how much we’ve given up. But at some point, acceptance just becomes enabling. I am all in favor of the Woke movement standing up for the rights of minorities and the LGBTQ+ community, but proselytizing that being overweight is just you being you is not just wrong, it’s dangerous. And fiscally irresponsible. So many health issues are generated by obesity: Diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and immune system breakdowns (COVID taught us that obesity is horrible for the immune system.) This leads to more doctor visits and hospitalizations and the soaring cost of health insurance. That being said, I am not advocating fat shaming. The only thing that does is make people sad and then eat an entire meat lover’s pizza while sitting in the back of a dark closet. I know because I’ve been the victim of such cruelty. Let me share. I used to play in a men’s slow-pitch softball league. It’s the perfect sport for former baseball players who’ve gotten fat. Now when I look at pictures of me in my uniform, I realize I resembled an anaconda that has swallowed a baby gazelle. Anyway, one evening after we had finished a game, my teammates and I were sitting around enjoying a post-competition libation when an old high school classmate whom I hadn’t seen in about 12 years approached. I was so happy to see her. We hugged and laughed. She looked me up and down, smiled, and patted my belly. “So, when are you due?” she asked. It took a moment, but then I realized she was implying I was pregnant. Funny joke. I hadn’t seen this “friend” in a dozen years, and she insulted me within the first 30 seconds of our reunion. It really stung, and I cried a little bit when I got home. Here’s another one: I am a big New York Rangers fan and one time, for my birthday, a friend bought me a Mark Messier jersey, replete with the hockey legend’s number 11 and name on the back. I was out at a bar one night, proudly wearing the jersey. I was standing at the jukebox mulling what songs to play when another friend who I hadn’t seen in a long time came up and put his arm around me. He didn’t say anything like, “Wow! Bob! Long time, no see! How ya doing?” No. Instead, he patted my belly (what is up with that?) and said, “Geez, ‘Mark,’ you really let yourself go!” I wanted to punch him in the neck, but I just smiled and said something like, “Yeah, retirement’s been good.” So, no—shaming someone suffering from weight issues is not the way to go. But, geez, neither is shaming someone who has lost weight. Remember when Adele shed all those pounds? Instead of being praised and congratulated, she was mocked and ridiculed on social media. Her critics felt she should have embraced her fatness. Apparently, losing all that weight was an insult to obese people everywhere. But as Bill Maher once said, “You are not a freedom fighter just because you want to keep eating donuts.” At one point, about three years ago, I discovered I weighed nearly 280 pounds. I was just a couple of bacon cheeseburgers away from the 300-pound threshold, which I considered the point of no return. Then the illnesses hit—first the congestive heart failure/heart attack, then kidney and thyroid issues, and then the diabetic infections and subsequent amputations. I began to lose weight. After the heart surgery, I went from 280 to 230 pounds. When I was in the hospital after the amputation, I began losing weight so rapidly that the head nutritionist was so concerned that she came into my room to see me. I told her the food was inedible. Thus, the weight loss. They actually paid to have Chinese food delivered to me from a local restaurant. I now weigh about 190... nearly the same as I did in high school. When people ask me how I did it, I just smirk and say, “You don’t want to know.” But I call it the “I Damn Near Died Diet.” So, if your doctor tells you that you are pre-diabetic, pay attention. Your life isn’t over. You can still have a deep-fried Twinkie at the county fair. You just can’t have one every day. Moderation is the key. And go for a walk every once in a while. I wish I could. But I’m in this dang wheelchair. So, now, instead, I go for rolls. Look at me, on the right. So thin that you can practically see through me. I was 10.

PAGE 12 2 TRACKS Rain and humidity couldn’t keep the communittember 9! Held at Onatru Farm Park in South Sadunk tank, food trucks, live music, vendor marketthe Book Sale. The day was also attended by numeby Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge, The HudsoOil Company, Captain Lawrence Brewing Compstruction, Meccanic Shop North, Rings End and Lewisboro Volunteers from the Lewisboro Land Trust Jonah and Julian Rappaport The Verdeschi family Kevin Fitzmartin, Andre Molle, Jean Luc LeGall and Jay Luzzi Lewisboro Garden Club Members Tracey Carriera, Teri Eaker, George Scott and Ursula Bisconti Scouts BSA Troop 301 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES PHOTOS: ROB DISTASIO

ty from coming out for the Lewisboro Library Fair on Sepalem, the community favorite event featured a beer garden, t, silent auction, and a literature-lover’s dream come true at erous community organizations and was proudly sponsored on Milk Company, Houlihan Lawrence Katonah, Marshall pany, Cross River Demon Shell, ECR Eurocar, JPL Con South Salem Auto Care. Library Fair Patrick and Rebecca McMahon and son Joseph Riley McCaffrey – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 PAGE 13

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I hate to see the summer come to an end. To make matters worse, as the days get shorter, I can almost hear the autumn breezes whispering a warning that much more challenging weather awaits. Ugh.  It’s not that my summers are packed with trips to the shore or faraway places. I went nowhere this year. I guess it comes down to the fact that I enjoy the sunshine and, even if it’s my imagination, people seem much happier during the summer months. But are they really? A recent scientific study suggests that they are not. High temperatures are statistically linked to a dramatic increase in suicides as well as widespread depression, anxiety and a host of mental disorders. This summer was witness to parts of the West and South recording off the charts heat. But, counterintuitively, the increase in mental health issues during the hot months is normally greater in the northern parts of the United States. The explanation is that we northerners are less prepared to cope with heat waves. As a result, a dramatic surge in mental health conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders, stress disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and self-harm are not unusual developments in our neck of the woods.   It seemed curious to me that summer months would be more stressful. To satisfy my inquisitiveness, I did a little research. It turns out that during periods of high temperatures, our pulse and heart rates tend to be higher. That increase can lead to physical changes, which spark emotional and mental changes. On a chemical level, we need to look at serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood, anxiety and depression, which is also involved in regulating our body’s ability to sense temperature. Studies have shown that increased sunlight and heat can raise serotonin levels and may lead to mood swings, aggression and irritability. Equally troubling is the fact that a wide range of drugs, including ones used to treat mental health conditions, like antibiotics, beta blockers, anti-depressants and antihistamines, adversely affect the body’s ability to regulate body temperature. The fact is that warm weather can pose real challenges for our mental health. Dr. Asim Shah, a psychiatrist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, sees daily a direct link between rising temperatures and rising mental health issues among his patients. In a recent interview, he pointed out the dangers of extreme heat. Medications normally prescribed for schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder weaken the body’s ability to sweat and cool itself. Lithium levels, for example, can elevate to dangerously high toxic levels, which can lead to serious physical and mental problems. So maybe September is not so bad after all? Not so fast. Just because the weather is cooling doesn’t mean that all of life’s stresses have abated. As a criminal defense attorney, I meet countless clients whose struggles with mental health and drug dependency persist all year round. Over the years, my advice to them has evolved into a long list of heartfelt suggestions: • Develop a support system. Surround yourself with people who offer emotional support, whether it’s friends, family, or support groups. I am so blessed in this regard; • Practice self-care. Take time for yourself to engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. I love to read with my dog by my side. I find it both intellectually stimulating and soothing; • Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly will greatly increase your ability to cope with stress. Your physical wellbeing directly impacts your psychological health; • Practice stress management techniques. Deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness and journaling are all practices that have been shown to reduce stress and promote a sense of calm; • If needed, seek professional help. Life’s challenges can, at times, be overwhelming. During periods when you feel lost or unable to cope, it can be extremely important to seek the help of a counselor or therapist. These professionals will work with you to tailor an approach to meet your specific needs. Do not be too proud to ask for help; • If you are in pain, rather than suppressing or denying it, accept it. Acknowledge its presence and allow yourself to fully feel and experience it. As uncomfortable as this may sound, it is the first step in real growth; • Take “me time.” Set aside private quiet time for self-reflection on the causes and impact of whatever is causing you pain. What can you learn from this experience? What patterns or beliefs does it reveal about yourself or your life? This time of self-reflection, hopefully, will produce much needed insight and understanding; • Practice self-compassion. Be kind and gentle with yourself as you navigate through your issues. Treat yourself with the same empathy and care that you would your best friend who has asked you for help. This exercise will allow you healing and growth; • Set boundaries and make changes. This one is tough, but it’s critical that we recognize what is unhealthy and painful in our lives and remove it. This includes patterns of behavior and relationships; The September blues JAMES MARTORANO MY PERSPECTIVE SEE MARTORANO PAGE 16

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PAGE 16 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES OPINION THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 Prepare for power outages today WITH A HOME STANDBY GENERATOR $0 MONEY DOWN + LOW MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTIONS Contact a Generac dealer for full terms and conditions *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. REQUEST A FREE QUOTE CALL NOW BEFORE THE NEXT POWER OUTAGE (844) 536-2370 FREE 7-Year Extended Warranty* – A $695 Value! I s there anything safe to eat? In July, certain brands of cookies were recalled because they “may contain rocks.” How exactly does that happen? Broccoli soup from the same well known grocery store chain was recalled because the soup contained insects. No quality control? No screens on the windows at the processing plant? In June, July and August, dozens of FDA-regulated food products were recalled. Consumers were warned not to eat Zespri brand organic green kiwifruit (possible Listeria contamination), cheese products from Cooperstown Cheese Company (potential Listeria contamination), Private Selection brand frozen fruit with mango (potential Listeria contamination), and Cadia/Trader Joe’s brands of organic frozen pineapple and frozen fruit blend containing organic pineapple (potential Listeria contamination). Even spices are not exempt from making us sick. Everest brand of Garam Masala and Sambhar Masala spices were recalled (potential foodborne illness: Salmonella). Products from frozen dinners to packaged cereals and baby food have been recalled because they might contain “pieces of glass, metal or plastic.” Is this because the entire food supply is operated by AI (artificial intelligence) robots? Maybe a robot can’t tell the difference between a piece of metal and a chopped walnut, but I sure can. Human beings make lots of mistakes in the food industry. We’ve all received a coffee cup with red lipstick on the rim from a waitress who didn’t notice and kitchen staff who were not careful. But I’ll take people over machines any day. An automated coffee bar opened up in Brooklyn and received lots of media coverage. No human baristas needed! The automated AI set up can take your order, make your latte and charge your payment. Can the automated coffee barista tell if a stray cockroach is sitting in the bottom of the cup before filling it with hot coffee? Can the AI barista tell if the milk has gone sour? A big fast food chain has announced their new AI avocado machine that can cut avocados and remove the pits and skins faster than human kitchen workers. Can the AI avocado machine (the Autocado) tell if the avocado is unripe or rotten inside? Can it discern which avocados to keep and which to toss out? I buy avocados every week. I choose each one carefully. I can tell exactly when the avocado is perfectly ripe after a day or two on the kitchen counter. But every once in a while, I will slice into an avocado and it will be rotten inside – black lines or black rotten spots inside. I throw it out and grumble about the waste of money. I have purchased perfectly nice looking red apples only to discover brown spots inside when I cut the apple into slices before tossing it straight into the garbage! I bought six firm California nectarines and placed them on my kitchen counter. By the next day, four of the nectarines had large mushy brown patches on the outside and were rotten when I sliced them open!   A new exotic fruit fly from Asia has been discovered in California and has the potential to decimate the produce industry. Entire crops can be ruined overnight by this yellow bug that looks like a cross between a bee and a horse fly. This past spring, lettuce grown in California was infested by some kind of insect that turned fresh picked heads of lettuce into brown wilted leaves overnight. Will rotten fruits and wilted vegetables begin showing up in the grocery stores on a regular basis because that’s all there is for consumers to purchase? Kim Kovach once found a dead fly inside a head of romaine lettuce. Read more at kimkovachwrites.com. Don’t eat that! KIM KOVACH READING, WRITING & CHOCOLATE • Cultivate resilience and emotional intelligence. Learning to cope with challenges in a healthy way is a lifelong struggle, but it’s one we can surely achieve. Your path may involve a combination of some of the strategies listed above like therapy, self-help, self-care, the development of new skills, or pursuing meaningful experiences. Upon reflection, maybe I should rethink my aversion to September’s cooler temperatures and shorter days. But whatever time of the year it is, none of us are immune from the constant struggle to deal with life’s trials. The important question is, how will we deal with these challenges? The answer to that query will determine the direction and quality of our lives. Like all of you, I have experienced life’s ups and downs. I have learned that each of us, individually, has the power to chart our own unique path. However, you should always remember that you are not alone. If you find life’s dilemmas overwhelming, you should seek help. All you must do is ask. Happy autumn, my friends. MARTORANO FROM PAGE 14

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 OPINION THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 17 We’re back from a wonderful trip to Alaska, and whether you like it or not, I’m going to tell you all about it. People have asked, “How long was your trip?” Well, it was a total of nine days and one night. That’s because during the summer, Alaska is the “Land of the Midnight Sun.” And you can see a beautiful sunset if you stay up past your bedtime until 11:30 or so. But don’t forget, in the winter Alaska is also the land of the noonday moon, with only a couple hours of sunlight a day. I thought I could pack casual to save suitcase room, but then I thought, what if I get caught in a long line at the Anchorage airport and get swallowed up by a glacier? And 30,000 years from now experts will dig me up and evaluate my clothing from an archaeological standpoint. Why was he wearing that ugly shirt? Was it to ward off predators? We began our trip outside of Fairbanks at the Chena Hot Springs Resort, an unassuming conglomeration of buildings that belies the innovations of its forward-thinking owner. The place is run by its own on-site geothermalpowered turbine. When I asked if they were “off-the-grid,” the answer was, “What grid?” We did eventually see evidence that Alaska would soon be getting the telegraph. The plant also makes plants, in a hydroponic vegetablegrowing facility that produces all the produce for its restaurants. Great weather always follows us on vacation, but we were not expecting 85-degree sunshine in the Last Frontier, and our tour of the Aurora Ice Museum was postponed until the next day. When we got there, the 1,000 tons of frozen water kept at 25 degrees contained intricate pieces by renowned ice sculptor Steve Brice, and an ice bar serving cocktails. If you ask for a margarita, you need not specify that it be frozen, and I would be suspicious of any wine served at room temperature. We also toured their kennel facility, where dogs can train for the Iditarod, an annual re-enactment of a 1925 life-saving run of diphtheria serum by dogsled from Anchorage to Nome. A statue of Balto, the lead dog who became a national hero, was erected in Central Park that year. The lead dog runs the show, but the swing dog is the second-in-command, and must take the lead should the number one dog fail to fulfil its duties. The wheel dog is in the rear, keeps an eye on the other dogs and initiates turns. My own dog Gidget is Canadian, and she was bred to be a sled dog. I can easily picture her traveling the almost 1,000-mile route, as long as there is a comfortable place for her to sit on the sled. She’s not going to pull anything. She is very easily distracted, and spends much of her time trying to lick things. I sometimes ask her, you’re licking random objects all the time and you never once had a bad experience with that? I guess if you can’t lick ‘em, don’t join ‘em. The resort boasts a very refreshing man-made wading pool, which cools the incoming 165-degree underground spring water to a more humane temperature. I could not confirm the legendary healing powers of the mineral-laden waters, but a breakdown of the chemical content showed a lithium value of 250 PPM, so I guess it’s a great place to go to recharge your batteries. I’m thinking of turning my own swimming pool into a resort for people trying to escape global warming, since it seems to sustain a constant temperature of about 33 degrees. Back in Fairbanks the next morning, we took the historic Alaska Railroad south on a breathtaking tour of the vistas that are just a normal occurrence here. Gold Star service means fine dining as well as a seat in the upper domed sight-seeing car. You can gorge on great food as well as gorgeous gorges in between the stunning Alaska Mountain range. The railroad, begun in 1903 by a private company, was finished by the federal government in 1923, at a cost of about five times what the U.S. paid for the entire state 56 years prior. We de-trained in the kitschy town of Talkeetna, native for “Three Rivers.” The unofficial but popular mayor of the place is a cat named Aurora who lives at the general store. We met her, and while I wouldn’t ask her to outline this year’s budget, I would trust her with decisions regarding fair mousing, and duties related to the purr-formance of the Town Pouncil. In the center of town is a grass airstrip, common in the state, used in bygone days for supplies and now mostly for tourism. The next day we took an ATV tour of the local trails. We made a few stops to admire the scenery, one of which held a dramatic sighting of Mt. Denali. The 20,000-foot behemoth, as big as it is, is only fully visible 30% of the time, so we were lucky to have a full view of it just before it hopped in the shower. Denali means “The Great One” in native Koyukon, and was restored as the official name from Mt. McKinley in 2015, since William McKinley, not a horrible president, was certainly not The Great One. I’ll see you in Anchorage next week for Part II. Wear something comfortable.  Say hello at [email protected].  Half-baked Alaska, Part I Contact Us The Katonah-Lewisboro Times 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]. RICK MELÉN MAN OVERBOARD Letters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of the Katonah-Lewisboro Times 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. TALENT SEARCH FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES! or Email: [email protected] Call: (914) 997-8000 Fax: (914) 940-4730 APPLY NOW! GO TO CMCS.ORG/CAREERS Visit our website for career listings. • Teacher (Birth-2) • Family Worker/Advocates • Home Visitors • Health Specialist/Nurse • Custodians • Cooks • Teachers on Study Plan • Health Nutrition & Safety • Social Worker • Education Specialist

Sports PAGE 18 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER Volleyball Opens with Sweep of Brewster On September 1, John Jay opened the season at home by jumping out to a 2-0 lead versus Brewster. A possible bad sign since the Wolves blew three such leads last year, and the collapses have still been a topic of conversation. “We talked a lot about cracking under pressure,” said Megan Flynn. So finishing was the outcome in mind, and taking the second ball for her team, Zoe Dollar praised her hitters for completing a storyline that always takes place at the net. “They were just putting the balls away,” said the John Jay setter. Even so, Dollar helped John Jay gain the early advantage on the end line. She served the Wolves to a 7-0 lead and painted the sideline twice for aces.  Of course, she made her way forward and settled under the ball. The senior assisted a pair of kills for Katherine Martin, a dink and a kill for Flynn and teed up her sister Hellen for a right side beatdown. Still, a serve into the net ended the run. But Martin got another knock from the middle and Flynn took off where Dollar left off. Her blistering serve bumped awry off Brewster’s Shay Rookwood, and a 9-1 lead looked pretty good. A wide serve by Flynn seemed a blip too. Instead, the Bears accepted the opening and took a big bite to make it a game. After Ilirjana Ahmetaj hit long, Rookwood served a pair of aces and Avery Dudones and Nora Keating registered kills to make it 10-7. Not done yet, Brewster really dug in to pull within one. Subsequent whirlwinds by Ahmetaj and Flynn sent Rookwood and Avery Dudones to the floor for saves, and Dollar opted for the kill when the ball popped over in perfect position to hit. “I like that, it’s the element of surprise,” Dollar revealed. Unfortunately, the one hitter went just long, and the game now stood at 11-10.  No problem, Avery Dudones gave it right back on a wide serve, and a 7-3 John Jay run began.  Three kills to Flynn, Dollar loves when her hitters are money. “It makes my job easy,” she assured. Brewster would not oblige, though. Taylor Dudones dropped a dink and then doubled-walled with Cassidy Fallon to deny Hellen Dollar’s hit. 18-17, the differential remained when Keating powered down a center set to make it 21-20, which paved the way for the tie.   First Kiley Brooks’ return dropped untouched on Ahmetaj’s blast, and Taylor Dudones stood tall on another block to deadlock at 22. The game up for grabs, Avery Dudones’ serve long gave Jay a reprieve but not for long. Taylor Dudones doing it with with length again, she got the block and the lead was next.   Flynn hit long for the Wolves, and it was game point for the Bears. So Coach Tom Rizzotti called time, and the Bear attack would whimper. Keating served into the net for deuce, Gabby Gileno whiffed the set, and Olivia Casabona’s serve went off the fingertips of Rookwood for the 26-24 victory.  Up one, John Jay went down briefly. Casabona’s bump gave Dollar a late start, and the ball fell for the first point. So on the next point, the Kennedy Catholic transfer took care of the setting duties. Dollar’s bump going straight up, Casabona settled under and pushed out Hellen Dollar for the kill 1-1. All calm in appearance, the Wolves off and running Football, volleyball teams top Brewster James Dachik Luca Duva Jack Marcogliese after grabbing the game-sealing interception. Zoe Dollar Megan Flynn PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI VARSITY ROUNDUP SEE WOLVES PAGE 20

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 SPORTS THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 19 BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER On Saturday September 9, John Jay traveled to Somers for the Big Red Invitational and did not get a break from the heat. A long hot week, Meg Winter gave voice to the plan that any good runner brings to changing conditions. “You don’t take rest days when it’s hot. You got to push through your training plan,” she said, and while her 9th place finish (21:37) was impressive, a pair of deuces really made John Jay’s day. Sloan Wasserman took 2nd place with a time of 19:44 and Andy Condon followed by minting some silver of his own. Wasserman was first to admit that the day was no breeze. “It was rough out there,” she admitted. At the same time, Big Red was new ground for her. “I genuinely love soccer with all my heart,” Wasserman revealed, and the decision was hard to opt out of the beautiful game this year. Not so great for the cross-country field, and now first place finisher Julia Duzynski is on notice. “Watch out,” the sophomore playfully joked. But Condon’s personal best by a minute shows he means business. Enlisting Wasserman’s coach over the summer, he went from 20 miles a week during track season last year to 50. “I did a lot of work, it clearly paid off,” the junior said. In elevating his game, though, Condon didn’t get to pace with his usual running mate. On the other hand, he’s still pulling for Lucas Mongiello to even up. “I’m hoping he puts in the work and catches up to me,” said Condon. “We can be a powerhouse.” Second best for John Jay, Mongiello still got into the act with Condon early. “Today, our plan was to go off good, stay together, and once we got an easy pace, we separated,” said the junior. As it turned out, the long haul was the hardest for Mongiello. “The heat only got to me on the big open fields,” he said, and regulating his breathing was a big help. The junior also added a new wrinkle to his run. “My strategy is to sprint down hills and go steady on the uphill,” Mongiello said. A bit of a fake on the other runners, there’s no denying the long look to the finish line. “The last loop feels like it’s forever,” said Winter. Just behind in 10th place was Emma Barniv (21:42), and she felt plenty of upheaval in the heat. “When I got to the second part of the field, I felt like I was going to throw up,” said the sophomore.  She took pride in the pit of her stomach nonetheless. “Finishing felt incredible,” Barniv asserted. Ainsley Graham felt pretty accomplished too - especially since this was her first varsity run.  5K instead of 1.5, she said of her 22nd place finish, “It’s so much longer. It requires so much more endurance, and this trail is pretty rough.” But the girls second place overall finish didn’t surprise Coach Dey. “They went for it and gave it everything,” the coach concluded. John Jay shines at Big Red Invitational Sloan Wasserman, Emma Barniv, Ainsley Graham, Ciara McGroary, and Meg Winter Dylan Scott PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI Lucas Mongiello CROSS COUNTRY Coach Alex Morse hopes the third time’s the charm when it comes to winning the Housatonic Valley Athletic League (HVAL) soccer championship. As he begins his 20th season coaching Harvey boys soccer, Coach Morse looks to guide the 2023 squad to an HVAL title after two straight seasons of losing to Wooster in the championship game, finishing twice as the runner-up. Coach Morse, along with his third-year assistant Simon Leibovic, should be able to count on a large group of returning players who experienced the disappointment and frustration of falling short two years in a row. Coach Morse believes having 11 returning players is a major plus. The coach also likes the strength of the team’s midfield and attack. Among the key returning players is senior captain Eli Cornell, a talented defenseman who will lead the back line. Cornell will get help from defensive midfielder senior Dylan Gueli who Coach Morse says “will be a key transitional player who will defend well, but also jump into the offense when appropriate.” The offense will be sparked by sophomore forward Patrick Cuneo, who enjoyed a breakout 2022 season in leading the team with 25 goals as a ninth grader and earning an HVAL AllLeague selection. The offense will get a boost from having senior Chris Conscente return to form after being injured last season. “We’re looking forward to Chris’ skill sets at forward and midfield to add offensive punch,” Coach Morse said. Another key returner is junior Jonah Kass who will play both at forward and goalkeeper. Coach Morse appreciates the versatility of Kass. “Jonah is a strong-skilled player who will play wherever he is most needed,” the coach said. Coach Morse also said two newcomers, seniors Luke McCarty, slated to see some time as midfield and back, and Joseph Altman at forward and midfielder “will bring some grit and skill.” The roster could also include a few international students who were scheduled to arrive a few days before the start of the season. Coach Morse likes his team’s prospects for the 2023 season. “With so many returning players and several upperclassmen joining the team, our team is poised to have a very successful season,” Coach Morse said. “We should be ready to challenge Wooster for the HVAL championship while not looking past other league rivals,” he added.    Harvey’s boys varsity soccer season gets underway Sept. 8 at home against St. Luke’s. Article courtesy of The Harvey School. Harvey boys soccer aims for top prize Patrick Cuneo Ryan Byrne

PAGE 20 – THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES LEISURE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 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. Type of crayon 7. Fashion accessory 10. Most cerebral 12. Incline from vertical 13. Dependent on 14. Broken in 15. Strongly desires 16. Mounted soldier 17. Ad __: when necessary 18. Cattle 19. Ottoman military commanders 21. __ student, learns healing 22. Composed in poetic meter 27. Promotional material 28. Where people live 33. Sodium 34. Embarrassing 36. Medical man 37. Mother of Hermes 38. One who saves the day 39. Tooth caregiver 40. Not clothed 41. Slope covered with loose stones 44. Used to cook 45. Praises enthusiastically 48. Rooney is a famous one 49. Beekeeper 50. Pigpen 51. Potato chip brand CLUES DOWN 1. Living quarters 2. Horizontal passage 3. Attacks 4. Vietnamese offensive 5. Midway between east and southeast 6. Confined (abbr.) 7. Book of Esther antagonist 8. Port in Yemen 9. CNN’s founder 10. Type of bulb 11. Prepare 12. Promoted 14. Dinner jackets 17. Partner to cheese 18. Nebraska city 20. Human gene 23. Pays no attention to 24. Lowland South American plain 25. Blood group 26. Mauna __, Hawaiian volcano 29. Atomic #37 30. Unit of electrical resistance 31. Jeweled crowns 32. Nastiest 35. Traditional cars need it 36. Bowler hat 38. Robust 40. Not straight 41. Stony waste matter 42. Have an interest in 43. Jacob __, journalist 44. Maintains possession of 45. Swiss river 46. Average cost of market goods 47. Spanish soldier: El __ libero’s insides were a different matter. “I was so nervous, my hands were shaking when I put on my jersey,” said the junior. No matter, Ahmetaj was steady in expanding the lead. The junior had a block and two kills on the way to a 10-5 lead. But Brewster would stay in reach on an errant Dollar set over the net. Keating easily made the knock and an 11-8 game resulted. So Dollar opted to go long at 12-10. She hit Flynn in the back row, and the hitter didn’t disappoint for a 13-10 lead. Then Ava Calandros changed it up too. On serve, she lofted two rainbows, which fell for winners, and with a 17-11 lead, McKenna Flynn got into the act. Not wasting her chance, she first got the block and then killed from the center. An 18-11 game, the Bears still refused to retreat to the guest room. Keating’s block made it 19-16 and Dollar’s hit into the net made it 20-19. A last gasp it turned out. Flynn and Katherine Martin both registered kills for 22-20 lead, and the clutch was not a coincidence, according to Flynn. “Everyone just believes in each other,” said the senior. Two service winners from Flynn set up Hellen Dollar to deliver good on the words, and the little sister made the family proud with her game winning kill. So now it was time to close. A 2-0 Brewster lead may have brought up bad memories but a kill by Flynn, and consecutive service winners by Martin allowed the gym to exhale. Breathing easy, Hellen Dollar made it 6-3 with her kill, and Ahmetaj unleashed a twin-killing to make it 8-3 and 20-11. She also completed the day by ripping one final blast from the right, and the Wolves had a 26-24, 25-20, 25- 14 sweep. Marcogliese and the Wolves put the finishing touch on Bears Last season, John Jay played several games down to the wire and mostly drew the short straw. So Jack Marcogliese definitely took note of the senior class’ departing advice. “Zaccagnino, Shapiro, Mendicino and Garofolo all told us to finish,” said the senior, and with Brewster knocking for the game winning score, Marcogliese was positioned to make good.   A 25-22 game with Brewster on the 15, Ken Dillon threw a balloon into the right corner, and plenty of Wolves in the area, the cornerback’s eyes widened like Santa was coming down the chimney.  “I saw Christmas coming early,” he said, and the easy pick ended the game. The game started just as abruptly, though. On play one, Barrie Mohammed took the handoff, bust through and cut to the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown. The kind of shock John Jay usually unleashes had James Dachik smarting for sure. “It hurt,” the defensive lineman lamented. He also knew there was plenty of game left, and first year quarterback Tommy Machado wasn’t hesitating. On second down from the 25, Machado saw an opening and Marcogliese went high to pull down a 35-yard reception. “He made a read, he’s a gutsy kid, and Jack made the play,” said Coach Joe Candarelli. But what of a first game rookie quarterback calling audibles? “He ain’t a rookie anymore,” the coach boasted. Still, the drive stalled, and the defense showed they weren’t pushovers.    Mohammed got stopped twice and James Arefieg was quick to the play on Nick Howell’s screen reception. John Jay unfortunately answered with only three plays, so the defense got the chance to make some noise again.    Playing the sounding boards, Dillon got rung up by Austin Omin, and in dropping Howell in the open field, Cameron Wierl had Candarelli gritting his teeth. “He’s an animal out there,” said the second-year coach. Another turn for Machado, he got Brewster to bend again. A couple of keepers got the Wolves past midfield, and a 19-yard Luca Duva run put Jay at the 21. Breaking was another matter. But Brewster ran into the same problem when Dillon couldn’t complete a third down from midfield. Kicking away turned out to be a good strategy nonetheless. From the Jay 42, Brewster pressure forced a blind throw by Machado, and Colin LaMoreaux had the pick. 38 yards away, Dillon connected with Trey Ficara to the 16, and after Mohammed rumbled to the four, the running back set up his team at the one.    A QB sneak away, Kevin Fox temporarily took the reins and gave the visitors a 13-0 lead. No response on the next two drives for John Jay, the Wolves also thought better of letting the offense do all the work. On the third and fifteen from the Brewster 15, Dom Savastano snared Dillon’s pass and returned 30 yards for a 13-6 game. 2:44 left in the half, Brewster didn’t allow the sting to linger. Mohammed went outside for 17 yards to the 45 and a third down play action left Ryan Brace wide open.   A 40 yard play to the ten, and Savastano’s big play seemed negated. Jay not breaking this time, Kevin Perez’ 17 yard kick made for a 16-6 halftime. So the momentum shift dulled, John Jay sharpened up at intermission. “We had a bounce back in the locker room,” said Machado. “The boys got hyped up.” A quick three and out said otherwise, but Brewster helped by getting flagged for roughing the kicker.  Still, the Wolves simmered more than they sizzled.  Duva and Machado ate up small chunks on the ground until the boys stood fourth and five from the 31. So Duva took the handoff, ignited the gas, and his burst found a hole that left Jay their fill in the end zone. Of course, Duva acknowledged why his candle can burn at both ends.  “They’re small but mean, and without the line, I couldn’t have done anything,” said the RB. Now 16-13, Justin Barry deflected Dillon’s pass to complete another three and out, and the Bear’s lead was next to fall. Wierl would begin their demise. WOLVES FROM PAGE 18 SEE WOLVES PAGE 21

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 21 WOLVES FROM PAGE 20 The captain ran right, broke a tackle and seamlessly switched directions. He then cut through and credited vision and happenstance for his freewheeling first down run to the 37. “I see my blockers and try to make plays happen,” said Wierl. Not done yet, the all purpose back caught two passes to the Brewster 45, and after a Duva run set up a fourth and three, Machado refused to pump the breaks. He rolled right, faked a throw, and the Bear bite left the quarterback with a first down keeper to the 35. Still a holding penalty didn’t help and neither did the ensuing third and 16 from the 40. No problem, Craig Galea’s shoes fit just fine, and Machado lofted a perfect pass into Marcogliese  at the six. A play later, Machado faked the handoff and kept for the score. 28 seconds left in the quarter, the three-point lead didn’t sit well with Brewster, and they got the same number of plays before another punt was in the air. The final quarter up, screen passes to Patrick Ryan, and Duva had the Wolves smelling blood at the 18. A fourth and 14 put a pause on, but full steam ahead, the changing guard lay just ahead. The proof was delayed one, though. Machado stepped up and Wierl ran in between three defenders. Not quite as tall as Zaccagnino, the crowd did not celebrate the score until Wierl scurried out from under the cluttered morass. 8:22 remaining, the game seemed in hand - especially when Brewster faced a fourth and 15 from the John Jay 40. But Matthew Thompson went high for the reception at the 15 and then Dillon connected with Nick Smith for the touchdown. 3:46 to kill, the Wolves remained grounded anyway. Duva ran 11 yards to the 35 and then nine to the 44.  A yard to go and the 2:21 remaining wouldn’t leave much for the Bears. But a fiveyard loss returned uncertainty to the night. A run would have drained Brewster last time out, but Candarelli didn’t have expediency on his mind. “We don’t play not to lose,” he asserted. At the same time, he wasn’t counting on a failure to communicate. So when Machado rolled left to throw across his body, the sight was perplexing. “We ran the play the wrong way,” Candarelli admitted. So Brewster had 1:56 to make do, and on second 20 from their own 44, they wouldn’t shrink. Dillon hit Thompson on the sideline, and he flipped to Bruce Ryan for a gain to the John Jay 35. A pass interference put the Bears at the 16, and 33 seconds was an eternity. But Marcogliese didn’t have to float what the gift he landed meant. “Relief,” he concluded. Field Hockey News & Notes On Saturday September 2, John Jay Field Hockey opened their season at home versus Mamaroneck, and the Wolves could not find the back of the box in a 7-0 loss. Still, Molly Gallagher had eight saves and Emily Fuller registered six. The loss disheartening to Coach Debbi Walsh, she didn’t sugarcoat the shutout. “Very simply, Mamaroneck came to play, and we did not,” the  coach lamented. One game in, she still hopes the positives seen so far take hold. “There is quite a bit that is being done well at practice but not in games.    We will definitely feel some growing pains given the seniors that graduated last year.  I’m just going to wait and see who is confident enough to step up,” Walsh concluded. On Thursday September 7, John Jay defeated John Jay EF by a score of 2-0. Jojo Degl and Kaycie Keeley had the goals and Molly Willingham had an assist. In goal, Molly Gallagher has four saves. Tommy Machado Katherine Martin Ilirjana Ahmetaj PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI Letters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of the Katonah-Lewisboro Times 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 KLT@halstonmedia. com. For more information, call the editor at 914-302- 5830. 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. NEW YORK HOMEOWNERS: YOU MAY *QUALIFY THROUGH NEW RELIEF PROGRAMS! 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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE THE KATONAH-LEWISBORO TIMES – PAGE 23 I t’s probably not on your calendar, but September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. And that means it’s a good time to become more aware of the benefits of having life insurance — and the dangers of not having it. Unfortunately, confusion about some of the basic elements of owning life insurance may be keeping people from getting the protection they need. More than half of uninsured Americans say they have put off purchasing coverage because they don’t know what to buy or how much they need, according to Life Happens and LIMRA, two nonprofit organizations that provide research and education about life insurance. Yet, while this confusion may be understandable, a delay in acquiring appropriate insurance can be costly in more ways than one. From a strict dollars-andcents perspective, it’s generally much more affordable to buy life insurance when you’re younger. But there are potentially much greater costs involved in not having insurance when it’s needed — and these costs are personal. To be specific, what is it worth to know the following? • To know your family could stay in your home if something happened to you? • To know your children could continue their education plans? • To know your debts could be paid without burdening your family? Clearly, if you were to assign these benefits a “price tag,” it would be pretty high. And that’s the value of owning sufficient life insurance. So, let’s return to the issue of people putting off buying insurance because they don’t know how much they need, or what type they should have: How much is enough? You might hear that you need life insurance equal to about seven to 10 times your pretax annual salary. That’s not a bad “ballpark” figure, but not everyone is playing in the same ballpark. To get a true sense of how much of a death benefit you require from your life insurance, you’ll need to consider a variety of factors, possibly including your current income, spouse’s income, the size of your mortgage (in addition to other liabilities), number of children, educational expenses and final expenses for funeral arrangements.  What type? You can essentially choose between two basic types of life insurance: term and permanent. As its name suggests, term insurance is designed to provide coverage for a designated period, such as 10 or 20 years. Generally speaking, term insurance is quite affordable for most people, especially when they buy policies as young adults. On the other hand, permanent insurance, such as whole life or universal life, is usually considerably more expensive than term insurance. This is because permanent insurance premiums, in addition to providing a death benefit, help build cash value, which you can typically access through loans or withdrawals, giving you additional flexibility should your financial needs change over time. In choosing between term and permanent insurance, you’ll want to evaluate several issues, such as how long you think you’ll need coverage and how much you can afford to pay in premiums.  Finding out about the benefits, costs and types of life insurance can help you make informed choices to help protect your family for years to come — so don’t delay learning what you need to know.  This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Financial Advisor, Judi McAnaw, a resident of Katonah. She has an office at 200 Business Park Drive, Suite 107, in Armonk. Judi can be reached at 914-669- 5329. Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states and Washington, D.C. What does it cost not to have life insurance? A delay in acquiring appropriate insurance can be costly in more ways than one.’ -Judi McAnaw Edward Jones Financial Advisor JUDI MCANAW GUEST CORNER NO NEWS... 1. Clip the short form on the page 2. Fill out the information. 3. Mail it to P.O. Box 864, Mahopac, NY 10541 4. Or visit www.halstonsubscribe.com 5. Or Scan our QR Code to Subscribe. We need you to subscribe. It’s FREE & It’s Easy! is NOT necessarily good news! Please print your first and last names and address legibly, sign and date (all required to continue receiving your subscription to this newspaper). YES, I wish to receive a FREE 3-year subscription to The Katonah-Lewisboro Times YES, I really enjoy The Katonah-Lewisboro Times and I’d like to continue receiving it for 3 years, along with a monetary contribution this year. (Please print legibly.) First (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required. Please print legibly.) 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