VOL. 13 NO. 36 Visit News.HalstonMedia.com for the latest news. CLASSIFIEDS 31 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 30 LEISURE 23 OBITUARIES 8 OPINION 10 SPORTS 18 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 Taconic League Champs! pg 20 YOUTH FOOTBALL Special guests came to Arnie Guyot’s display! Rabbi Yehuda Heber lights the menorah outside The Elephant Hotel. PHOTO: TOM WALOGORSKY Oh, Christmas tree! PHOTOS: CAROL REIF Celebrating in Somers Nobody rings in the holidays quite like Somers! The community got into the spirit of the season at the town’s tree and menorah lighting ceremonies, and also came out to see the debut of a favorite local Christmas lighting display. See more photos on pages 3 and 16! HOPEMAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker cell: 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com MAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Sunday, December 17 • 12-3 pm Join Us for some Holiday Ch r Come Tour this newly completed Modern Sanctuary. Set on 4 private acres, this 7,000 sf of gracious space showcases truly special fi nishes and a dramatic, beautiful retreat. Other showings by appointment $3,818,000 16 Hollow Ridge Road, Bedford Corners SCAN TO VISIT PROPERTY
PAGE 2 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 155 Rt 202, Village Plaza, Lincolndale All varieties of wines and liquors (Next to J’s Quik Stop) 845-475-7574 • 914-248-6000 Mon-Sat open 9:30AM-9:30PM • Sun open 12PM-9PM HUGE SELECTION OF YOUR FAVORITE WINES & LIQUORS Free Local Delivery (on purchases of $90 or more) NOW OFFERING 15% OFF any 12 bottles of wine mix & match 10% OFF any 6 bottles of wine mix & match Happy Holidays from our family to yours!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 3 The dazzling holiday lights and decorations are springing up all over Somers. Wouldn’t it be great if a special route was designed to easily see all of the best displays? Wouldn’t it be even better if you could travel on that route with your friends and neighbors? The Illuminate Somers Parade of Lights is back for its 10th year on Sunday, Dec. 17 to provide that very experience. The evening starts at Reis Park, where you will be welcomed by Santa, and greeted with hot chocolate, holiday music, glow sticks for the kids and a route map with turnby-turn instructions. From there, your car will be led by the Somers Highway Department on a journey to see the best, brightest and most creative displays that Somers has to offer. From your phone, you will be able to vote for your favorite decorations and play on our interactive Holiday Lights Bingo card. While on the tour, participants can compete for Bingo by checking off specific decorations that they spot, such as a Grinch or Santa Mickey Mouse. Everyone who submits a bingo card with a valid bingo will be entered into a drawing for a holiday prize (a printable card also available at the website). It is a perfect way to experience the excitement and pageantry of the season. It’s easy to sign up for one of the five starting times: 5:00; 5:30; 6:00; 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. Simply go to www.IlluminateSomers.com, click on “Parade Sign Up,” choose your start time and click “Submit.” Please note that this year each grouping will be limited to 30 cars. To join the holiday display competition, click the “Register” link on the same page. Prizes for decorations will be awarded in several categories, including Best Overall/Community Choice, Most Original/Creative, Best Figurines/Inflatables and Best Classic Decorations. This is made possible through the generous support of the Kearney family. This community event is sponsored by the Somers Lions Club, with the amazing support of The Paramount at Somers, the Somers Police, and the Somers Highway and Parks and Recreation Departments. We hope that you will join your friends and neighbors on Dec. 17 in this wonderful Somers tradition, embracing the joy of the holidays and creating lasting memories that your family will cherish. Article provided by Somers Lions Club. Light the night! ‘Illuminate Somers’ returns Dec. 17 The best and brightest of Somers will be on display! PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB ONDROVIC In what has become a favorite community tradition, folks gathered on Dec. 1 to view the unveiling of Somers resident Arnie Guyot’s annual Christmas display! Special guests included Supervisor Rob Scorrano and Santa himself, helping to get everyone into the holiday spirit. A very Guyot Christmas! Raymond Rosado with Christina, Jackson, and Francesca Reynolds PHOTOS: CAROL REIF HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com The Artist House... Your home for the finest in hair style 374 Route 116 and 100 in Somers Call Jovan Tesone 914-617-8633
PAGE 4 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 The Staff EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] ADVERTISING TEAM Paul Forhan (914) 806-3951 [email protected] Bruce Heller (914) 486-7608 [email protected] Lisa Kain (201) 317-1139 [email protected] Corinne Stanton (914) 760-7009 [email protected] Jay Gussak (914) 299-4541 [email protected] Pam Zacotinsky 845-661-0748 [email protected] PRODUCTION TEAM Tabitha Pearson Marshall Creative Director/Photographer [email protected] Noah Elder Designer Bri Agosta Designer Haven Elder Designer EXECUTIVE TEAM Brett Freeman CEO & Publisher 845-208-8151 [email protected] Deadlines The Somers Record The deadline for advertisements and editorial submissions for The Somers Record is the Thursday before the next publication date. For more information, call Tom Walogorsky at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected]. Subscribe To request The Somers Record weekly delivery, call 845-208-8503 or email [email protected]. Subscriptions are complimentary for residents and businesses in the town. Out of town mail subscriptions are $150 per year for First Class Mail. Periodicals Postage Paid at Somers, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Somers Record at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 (ISSN 2330-1597) Published Weekly by Halston Media, LLC at 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 Halston Media, LLC Somers Lions Club Illuminate Somers Parade of Lights Sunday, Dec. 17 Join in for a caravan tour of the holiday lights around town! Beginning from the Reis Park parking lot, starting times can be scheduled in half-hour increments beginning at 5 p.m. Each tour should take approximately 90 minutes. To sign up for the parade or register your home, visit www.illuminatesomers.com Somers Parks & Recreation Department 2024 Winter Programs The winter programs are now available online, and registration begins Jan. 4. at 10 a.m. Visit www.somersny.com, then click “Parks & Recreation” and scroll down to “Program Registration.” Available programs are in the blue tab. Chabad of Yorktown 2629 Old Yorktown Rd, Yorktown Heights www.ChabadYorktown.com Ladies Chanukah Party Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. Enjoy the spirit of Chanukah, and make your own exquisite Jewish Star glass brooch or pendant. Am Yisrael Chai! Hot latkes, soup, and salad will be served. For more information and to RSVP, visit www. ChabadYorktown.com or call 914-962-1111. Somers Library Please register using the online calendar at www.somerslibrary. org to have access to online meetings. If virtual, you will receive an invitation prior to the start of the program. Programs are supported by the Friends of the Somers Library through patrons’ generous contributions. Snacks Around the World - Holiday Edition Monday, Dec. 18, from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. This is the return of the very popular snack program, where teens sample the cookies, chips, crackers, and candy that teens are eating in other countries! Each month you will have to sign up anew, and this month, the snacks are coming from all over the world. It’s the holiday edition! Middle School Classic Book Club Wednesday, Dec. 20, from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Classic books are those books that have been favorites for different generations. Some have been forgotten and others may be your favorite already. Even if you have read the book come along and talk about it with other teens Gr. 6-8. Snacks are provided and often fit the theme of the book. Registration is preferred but drop ins who have read the book are welcome. Stop by the library reference desk to pick up a copy. Somers Football State Championship Parade Saturday, Dec. 16, at 8:30 a.m. Celebrate the Tuskers’ second straight state championship win! Route 139, from Van Tassel Park to Somers High School, followed by a rally and a chance to meet the players in the SHS gym. A Message from The Friends of the Somers Library The Friends of the Somers Library is dedicated to supporting and enriching the Somers Library. Over the years, the library has played an essential role in the Town of Somers by providing access to knowledge, fostering literacy, and serving as a gathering place for residents of all ages. Our organization has been working to fund the library’s resources and programs. We have witnessed firsthand the positive impact that the library has on our ELEPHANT’S TRUNK SEE TRUNK PAGE 8 Croton Falls Community Church presents: A Moravian Christmas Putz (Nativity Scene) Nightly, December 17th–24th • 7pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 8pm & 11pm Discover Moravian Traditions: a multi-media presentation, Beeswax Candles, Hot Chocolate and Cookies. “How Far is it to Bethlehem” For details Contact Pastor Tim (917) 554-7853 tmwag5@gmail FULL BAR WITH MENU • PRIVATE PARTY ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR UP TO 70 PEOPLE • Gluten Free Menu Items Available • Reservations Recommended NOW OFFERING CATERING TO GO AND DOORDASH DELIVERY 252 Route 100, Somers 10589 • 914.232.8080 • www.mammarosaristorante.com Serving a Complete Special Dinner menu All Day Long on Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve. Make Your Reservations Early! Book your Holiday Party Early! Italian Continental Cuisine Restaurant Week ALL YEAR ROUND at Mamma Rosa! with 3-Course Lunch Special $29.95 & 3-Course Dinner Special $39.95 Open Tues-Sun for Lunch and Dinner • Closed Mon • Gift Certificates Available! Great Idea for Family & Friends!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 5 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER While financial considerations may have forced Lincoln Hall to press the pause button on one of its longstanding programs, it has not wavered in its commitment to the vulnerable youths it serves, representatives of the residential school assured Somers officials last week. “Despite all the changes, one thing that hasn’t changed is our mission, which has always been to provide young men with a safe environment, all the basics, an education, the opportunity to grow, to teach them moral values and to really, we always say, guide them to useful manhood,” said the facility’s chief program officer, Dr. James T. Coughlin, at a presentation made to the Town Board on Thursday, Dec. 6. The update was part of the town’s and the facility’s ongoing attempt to keep the lines of communication open, to head off any misinformation, and to keep the community informed and involved. Stating that Lincoln Hall has “tried to foster a good relationship with the town,” Coughlin pointed to the school’s hosting of events such as Boy Scout jamborees and youth soccer games. It’s also allowed John F. Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School and Somers High School to use its sports facilities. Lincoln Hall has “suspended” its acceptance of placements from the New York Family Court system, Coughlin said, stressing that it doesn’t mean that the program might not be reopened “sometime in the future.” “It’s just that, in the present, it’s not financially viable to continue to do so,” he added. (A trend toward keeping youths closer to home has resulted in reductions in these types of populations at places such as Lincoln Hall, experts say.) However, as one of the 10 or so youth facilities in the state that contracts with the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an adjunct of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it will continue to house unaccompanied children who have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) after crossing the southern border illegally. Lincoln Hall first became licensed to care for up to 100 such children – ages 12 through 18 – in 2012. Many of them come from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico and may already have relatives in the U.S. (It’s the ORR’s responsibility to provide food, shelter, and education to these youths until they can be reunited with family members or sponsors. The average stay is 43 days. The family members or sponsors must also undergo a vetting process before the youth can be released to their care. If for some reason a family member or sponsor can’t be found, the youths will eventually be transferred to a foster family or group home or returned to their home country.) Saying she had reached out to Lincoln Hall but hadn’t gotten “much of a response,” resident Kristy DiDona Thursday raised a number of concerns about the vetting process, licensing, capacity, and security measures. “How are we verifying the ages of these males since I assume they’re all coming in illegally? Is a 17-year-old male saying he’s a 17-year-old male when he’s actually a 40-year-old male?” she asked. DiDona also wondered about security measures related to what she mistakenly called a “new program.” Also bringing the town up to date Thursday was Vincent Madera, of Children’s Village, a private, nonprofit residential treatment facility and school for troubled children located in Dobbs Ferry. Madera was hired as Lincoln Hall’s assistant executive director after its executive director Noble Varughese stepped down in October. (Acting as executive director during the transition is Jeremy Kohomban, also of Children’s Village.) While specific cases can’t be talked about because of HIPAA and federal privacy, and family social service, laws, Madera and Coughlin were able to discuss the main issues generally. They explained that the federal government has its own vetting program and different levels of placement, which is admittedly different than what Lincoln Hall had to go through with the children placed by the state. As part of its “thorough referral process,” the facility itself could check the court records. It also interviewed the families and spoke with the lawyers and judges involved, Coughlin said. It’s a little more complicated with an unaccompanied minor who may or may not have brought certain papers with him, but the federal government does do its due diligence. “It’s different, but it doesn’t mean they come in unchecked,” he added, noting that Lincoln Hall’s is a “shelter program” for what the government perceives as the “lowest risk” children. If in doubt, there are medical ways of ascertaining a person’s age, such as bone density scans, Madera said. Addressing concerns about security and safety, Coughlin told the board that Lincoln Hall has been “vigilant and responsible.” Officials hear update on Lincoln Hall SEE LINCOLN HALL PAGE 24
PAGE 6 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 The Kennedy Gaels VEX Robotics teams competed at the WAVE at WPI Signature Event alongside 72 other teams last week. Team A finished with a record of 6-4, ranking 23rd and making it to Round 16. With new drivers in place getting their first taste of real competition, Team B went 2-8, ranking 72nd and Team C went 5-5, ranking 50th. A big thank you to media manager Lucas Hung ‘24 for his great work covering the event and, of course, working with his team on their robot! Article provided by Kennedy Catholic. Kennedy Robotics takes on WAVE at WPI BY TOM BARTLEY & TOM WALOGORSKY HALSTON MEDIA STAFF After declaring her candidacy for a seat in New York’s 17th Congressional District in April, Katonah’s Liz Whitmer Gereghty announced the suspension of her campaign last month. Gereghty had announced her intentions to challenge Rep. Mike Lawler earlier this year at an event celebrating the opening of the Greater Bedford chapter of the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus. “When we started this journey, we had one goal: to ensure the Hudson Valley was no longer represented by an anti-choice, shape-shifting extremist out of step with our values,” Gereghty said in a media release. “That remains the most important goal. However, as of today, I will suspend my campaign for this seat.” Gereghty is the younger sister of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. A veteran member of the KatonahLewisboro school board, Gereghty had been re-elected to a three-year term in 2022, so she still had two years remaining when she stepped down in June. Trustee William Rifkin, who had been planning to leave the board after nine years’ service, was asked to fill Gereghty’s seat until next May, when an election will decide who serves the final year of her term. Gereghty, who could run again for a board seat next year or even relieve Rifkin right now, did not immediately respond to questions about her future KLSD plans, if any. With the suspension of her campaign for the seat in the 17th Congressional District, Gereghty has now given her endorsement to Mondaire Jones. “I remain committed to doing everything possible to elect Democrats across the board in 2024, especially here in NY17,” Gereghty’s statement continued. “Uniting our party and focusing our resources on taking back the House is critical to fighting back against the radical extremism plaguing our politics. In that spirit, I endorse Mondaire Jones’ campaign for Congress. To my family, our volunteers, my fantastic campaign staff, and all the organizations who dedicated their efforts to this campaign – thank you. I have a tremendous sense of gratitude for your help, advice, talents, and hard work.” Liz Whitmer Gereghty suspends congressional campaign Liz Whitmer Gereghty Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 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 Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 7 BY VIM WILKINSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER Enhancing your home with exquisite bathroom or kitchen products becomes effortless when you choose Best Plumbing Tile & Stone. Renowned for its unwavering commitment to customer service and an extensive array of high-quality products, Best Plumbing is dedicated to transforming homeowners’ visions into reality. Remodeling a home should be a thrilling experience, not an overwhelming task. Best Plumbing’s team of seasoned professionals not only possess a keen understanding of design but also grasp the intricacies of remodeling. Whether your preference leans towards contemporary, classic, or eclectic styles, the knowledgeable staff is well-equipped to help make your home-design dreams a reality. “Customer satisfaction is important to us, which is why we go the extra mile to create a positive experience for everyone that walks through our doors,” said Phyllis Lupi, Best Plumbing’s manager in Somers. “Our staff greets everyone with a friendly smile and takes a genuine interest in all our customers. It’s this level of service that sets us apart from everyone else. The buying experience is different here than at a big box store. Customers can rest assured that they are getting quality products backed by manufacturer’s warrantees, and a high level of service and satisfaction.” Best Plumbing stands out with its impressive showrooms conveniently located in Somers and Yorktown, offering a centralized and accessible destination for homeowners in the area to explore the latest home design trends and innovations. “Our qualified design consultants offer full-service care to our customers,” said Zulie Lozada, Best Plumbing’s merchandising and marketing manager. “They assist with product selection and manage the order process from start to finish. Our beautifully curated displays improve the shopping experience by helping customers visualize products in their own home. This results in a much easier and less overwhelming decision-making process.” Best Plumbing Tile & Stone Showroom – Somers 49 Route 138 • Somers • 914-232-2020 Best Plumbing Tile & Stone Showroom - Yorktown 3372 Old Crompond Road • Yorktown Heights • 914-736-2468 bestplg.com Best Plumbing Tile & Stone redefines home Bathroom Choose from a stunning array of products that combine functionality with aesthetics by such renowned brands as Kohler, Rohl, Kallista, and Robern. Best Plumbing specializes in offering a complete range of bathroom fixtures, including faucets, sinks, shower appliances, bathtubs, and accessories such as mirrors, medicine cabinets, and more. Kitchen Explore Best Plumbing’s comprehensive kitchen collection of faucets, sinks, accessories, and accents. Best’s diverse range allows customers to delve into numerous styles and price points, ensuring the perfect fit for every home. Tile and Stone Best offers a myriad of stones, including marble, granite, and slate, along with an impressive range of porcelain and ceramic tiles to complement any style and situation. Best Plumbing Tile & Stone is not just a destination for premium products; it’s a partner in turning your home into a masterpiece of design and functionality. elegance ADVERTORIAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEST PLUMBING TILE & STONE
PAGE 8 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 Restaurant & Bar scar’s II Oscar’s II Restaurant & Bar Oscar’s II ITALIAN RESTAURANT / BAR Flavors Inspired by the Seasons Happy Hour Sunday thru Thursday 4 - 7pm Special 10% OFF with this coupon 325 ROUTE 100 | SOMERS, NY 10589 914-556-6687 Open 7 days a week • www.oscars2restaurant.com Come with family & feel the joy of mouthwatering food! GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE! Grades 6–12 with 5-day boarding for 9–12 in Katonah, NY harveyschool.org/apply Apply Now for 2024-25 Priority Deadline Jan. 15 community, and we are committed to ensuring its continued success. To that end, we are reaching out to you to request your support in our mission. The financial support of town residents has played a pivotal role in the growth and improvement of the Somers Library over the years, and we are grateful for the continued dedication. Your generous donations have enabled us to: Enhance Educational Programs: Through your support, we’ve been able to offer engaging and educational programs for children, teens, and adults, including author talks, workshops, and live events. Improve Facilities: Your contributions have helped us make vital improvements to the library ensuring a comfortable and welcoming environment for all visitors. Promote Involvement: Your donations have enabled us to launch initiatives aimed at community involvement in our town, including summer reading programs for children and educational programs for adults. As we look ahead, we are eager to expand our offerings. To achieve these goals, we kindly ask for your continued financial support. To make on online donation, please visit the library’s website at www.somerslibrary.org and click on the “support” tab in the menu. Follow the prompts to the Friends of the Somers Library. To donate in person, there are membership flyers available at the front desk of the library that you can fill out and leave with one of the librarians. If you received one of our mailings, you can send a check in the envelope provided. Your donation, will make a significant difference in helping us fulfill our mission. Donating to the Friends of the Somers Library is an investment in the future of our town. Steve Ucko Steve Ucko died peacefully at home in Somers after a series of medical challenges. He was the glue that held his family together, finding and connecting relatives from around the world and arranging monthly Zoom calls to keep everyone close. He was a loving and conscientious son, nephew, uncle, brother, and cousin. He lived with and supported his widowed mother in Riverdale, the Bronx, until her death in 1990. A graduate of Hunter College and Fordham University, he became a well-loved social studies teacher and junior high school principal in New York City schools that might have challenged others. Steve was active in the Boy Scouts of America for many years. After moving to Somers, he soon became an integral part of the community, serving as board member at Heritage Hills, president of his local Rotary Club, trustee of the Somers Board of Education and Somers Education Foundation, and volunteer captain at Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts until shortly before his death. He recently received the Golden Baton Award from the Westchester Philharmonic, where he served on the board. Steve lived a full life, visiting 83 countries, including Iceland in the winter to see the Northern Lights. He had countless friends and family who loved him dearly. His final journey took him to the Sanctuary at Cedar Park cemetery in Paramus, N.J., where his parents are buried. Despite lifelong diabetes and ill health, he always answered the question “How are you?” with “I can’t complain.” OBITUARIES During this year’s wine tasting event at Lincolndale Wines & Spirits, the Somers Republican Club raised $500 and collected Chanukah and Christmas gifts for the children in our community. The SRC board voted to donate the presents to the Somers Lions Club to be distributed through their Adopt-a-Family program. Giving back! PHOTO COURTESY OF REY SOLANO TRUNK FROM PAGE 4 SEE TRUNK PAGE 25
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 9 SOMERS Central School District Forward in Exceence A child’s education in the Somers Central School District is built on two foundational principles: excellence for all and the International Baccalaureate Programme. These principles ensure that every student meets or exceeds universally high goals in a safe, nurturing, inclusive learning environment. What is the International Baccalaureate Programme? The International Baccalaureate Programme is an internationally recognized educational framework for kindergarten through 12th grade that follows New York State Education Standards. It is not what we teach and learn, but rather how we teach and learn. Think of a “guide on the side” rather than a “sage on the stage”. The Four Frameworks of the IB Continuum The PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME empowers students to develop and excel as learners as people. The MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME (accredited) builds a solid academic foundation, develops students’ confidence in managing their own learning and makes connections between their learning and the real world. The DIPLOMA PROGRAMME (accredited) prepares students for success in higher education and life in a global society. Students can choose to take one or more IB courses, or earn a full IB Diploma. The CAREER PROGRAMME equips students with future-ready skills and prepares them to follow their career pathways— combining academic subjects with their own professional interests. IB in Somers IB complements the SCSD mission, vision, and collective commitments. It is a whole child approach that gives Somers students distinct advantages by: supporting research-based teaching practices building students’ critical thinking skills nurturing their curiosity emphasizing creative problem-solving, hands-on projects, inquirybased learning, and community service Why become an IB Continuum District? The International Baccalaureate Continuum of programs provides a seamless educational experience for students K-12 and a common language for families and teachers to talk about how we teach and learn. Focus on Inquiry-Based Learning: Students investigate real-world problems, develop curiosity, and nurture critical thinking skills. Development of Key Skills: Strong focus on a range of skills including communication, collaboration, research, and self-management. Emphasis on Personal Development: Committed to students’ personal, social, and emotional well-being, fostering qualities such as empathy, resilience, and a sense of responsibility. Preparation for a Globalized World: Students are prepared to navigate diverse cultures and perspectives in an increasingly interconnected world. Community Engagement: Students engage in their communities through service, instilled with a sense of social responsibility and belonging. Inclusive Approach: The IB framework is designed to reduce barriers so that every student can fully participate. Inclusive education is facilitated in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and problem-solving. International Baccalaureate Programme Exploring Careerrelated Programme Exploring Primary Years Programme Up next in part two: the seamless fit between the IB framework and the SCSD mission. This is part one of a series exploring how the Somers Central School District uses the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework to provide an excellent education for all students, developing lifelong learners who thrive and make a difference. Learn more about IB at PTA meetings and principal coffees. Dates and times on the district calendar at www.somersschools.org.
Opinion 118 N, BEDFORD ROAD, SUITE 100 MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 ©2023 Halston Media, LLC Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of The Somers Record or its affiliates. Submissions must include a phone number and address for verification. Not all letters and op-eds will necessarily be published. Letters and op-eds which cannot be verified or are anonymous will not be published. Please send your submissions to the editor by e-mail at [email protected]. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830 Brett Freeman, Publisher Tom Walogorsky , Editor Tabitha Pearson Marshall, Creative Director Editorial Office: 914-302-5830 [email protected] PAGE 10 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 With Christmas looming on the horizon, it got me thinking about the winters in my neighborhood when I was growing up. Today, as a cranky old man, I loathe winter. I don’t like being cold and I hate it when it gets dark at 2 in the afternoon. I prefer summer... sun dresses, flowers on the side of the road, fresh produce from the garden, sun dresses, the smell of freshly cut grass, sun dresses, fishing, baseball, barbecues. Did I say sun dresses? The street I grew up on was called Grandview Avenue, and while I don’t think the views were as grand as that of the Grand Canyon or from the top of the Empire State Building, they were still very nice. I guess when the land was subdivided, the developers felt that “Grandview” was a more marketable name than “Pretty Decent View.” The neighborhood was filled with little hills and valleys, flower-strewn meadows, and several ponds and small streams, which were the perfect place for a young boy to hunt for salamanders, painted turtles and bullfrogs. Besides black-eyed Susans, pussy willow and golden rod, those meadows teemed with grasshoppers and fireflies. But the coolest thing about that neighborhood was that it abutted the 296-acre Holiday Hills YMCA Conference Center, which featured the 38-acre Green Mountain Lake (where we all learned to swim and paddle a canoe), tennis courts, a tiny Aframed church (with a pipe organ!), a string of little cottages known as Cottage Row, bocce courts, horse barns, hiking trails and toboggan runs. It also had an “inn,” which boasted a huge dining room that overlooked the lake and could host wedding receptions. Lots of teens had their first job working in that kitchen. The best thing about Holiday Hills— or as we called it, the “Y”—was that it was run by the father of one of my best friends. So, we pretty much had the run of the place and could hang out there as much as we pleased. It was my backyard—and a great place to ride our bikes. I swear, Norman Rockwell could not have conjured up a better slice of 1960s/70s Americana. But when winter came—Oh, my!— Grandview and the neighboring Y took on a whole new aura. Back then, we actually got snow in the winter. Often... epic snow. And that transformed the neighborhood into a sparkly bleached landscape that would become eerily quiet as all living things huddled away from the frosty wonderland. When the sunshine hit the icecovered snow, it could be blinding and disorientating. It was awesome! We celebrated snow days off from school as if it were the first day of summer vacation. We would begin putting on our snow clothes around 8 a.m.; that way we could get outside by noon. It was an arduous process. It was hard to decide what to do first. Snowball fight? Snowman? I loved building snowmen. My grandparents still had a coal-fired furnace back then and would give me a bag of coal lumps to use for the snowman’s eyes, his smile and his buttons. Mom provided the carrot for the nose; Dad had an old top hat he’d let us use. (To this day, I have no idea where he got that thing—never saw him wear it. But every time I watch Slash play in his trademark chapeau, I am reminded of those days.) An old scarf completed the classic snowman look. All those hills and valleys I mentioned earlier became the perfect venues for sledding. Every kid on the block owned either a sled, a saucer, or a toboggan. I myself was a sled guy. There was one particular hill that was most popular for sledding. A frozen pond lay at its bottom and if you steered just right and hit the right speed, you could fly across the pond’s frozen surface and crash into the bushes clear on the other side. I wrote a fictional story based on that hill called “Dead Man’s Hill” when I was in seventh grade and won an award and got it published in the school’s monthly literary magazine known as The Hydrofoil. Several ponds in the neighborhood would freeze over pretty good and were perfect for hockey. The problem was, I couldn’t skate. Never could... at least not very well. I had to use figure skates, which provided more ankle support. But for hockey, I was always the designated goalie because I could wear my snow boots and just stand in front of the goal (two orange road pylons someone pilfered from a construction site). We always played hockey at “The Pond,” the one that was closest to our homes. I remember one day when a bunch of us kids were hanging out there Grandview winters BOB DUMAS OUT OF MY HEAD Dear Dr. Linda, I’m a sixth-grade English teacher. I’ve been teaching for 20 years. I believe in homework and always give my students what I consider is necessary. Lately, I’ve been giving more because there’s more material to cover and my students have to be prepared for the state tests. I give at least an hour of homework a night, and I think it’s necessary. However, I’ve had more complaints from parents than ever before. I’m annoyed that the parents have this power to tell me how much homework I should assign. I don’t want to be defensive, yet I think I’m right. What do you think? -Old Time Teacher Dear Old Time Teacher, Because there is more information kids need to know and more skills they need to master to be able to compete in this information-driven global economy, the amount of homework seems to have increased in the past few years. As the amount has increased, the effectiveness of homework as a way of reinforcing material discussed in class has decreased. More and more kids rush through piles of homework— not necessarily learning anything from it, not always completing it and not always handing it in. Balancing homework and learning Expert advice for teachers on managing assignments DR. LINDA SILBERT STRONG LEARNING SEE DUMAS PAGE 13 SEE DR. LINDA PAGE 11
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 11 Your Family Car Care Center! LOCATIONS: Baldwin Place • 44 Route 118 • (845) 628-7900 Croton Falls • 1 Center St • (914) 769-3206 Visit us at www.ProperService.com For over 100 years of combined auto experience, Joe Ferone and his sta of Proper Service have been serving the community, creating releationships, and building a remarkable company with an amazing team of employees! Find out why Joe Ferone of Proper Service needs to be YOUR Go-To Automotive Service Center! In order to meet demands from administrators, teachers are pressured to cover the specifics of an ever-expanding curriculum, which increases the need for homework, but the very same time constraints often make it impossible for most to even check if the homework is done correctly, much less go over the answers in class. For younger children, homework often curtails or displaces time to play, denying them valuable experiences that, like recess, help grow their bodies and minds. Guidelines for homework assignments 1. Ensure that homework is purposeful. If children, particularly older ones, perceive that homework is purposeful, they’re far more likely to buy into it and do it well. In my view, there are three main purposes of homework, which give rise to my “Three-Step Homework Plan” or “RAP”: • R=Review what was done in class in order to ensure comprehension. • A=Apply and practice exercises relating to the material covered during class. • P=Preview the material that will be covered in class the next day. Reviewing and applying what was done in class has been the main purpose of homework forever. Using homework time to preview is now coming into its own. It’s a brilliant way to help make learning easier and more efficient. Previewing is like a “sneak peek”—it allows students to see what will be covered the next day in class to help them get more out of the lesson. For example, imagine that you’re going to the opera. If you read a summary of it first, learn who the characters are, become somewhat familiar with the story, you’ll be more engaged in the opera and get way more out of it. 2. Ensure that the quality of your homework assignments is consistent with that of your classroom instruction. Students are quick to notice and react to “low-quality” homework, which we define as not fulfilling an obvious purpose. Examine the homework assignments you’ve given in the past and consider finding ways to “upgrade” any of them, if necessary. Here are a few suggestions: • If the textbook homework questions are poor quality or don’t relate to what you taught in class, don’t use them. Assign only those items that reinforce classroom exposure. • Supplement textbook items with quality homework questions or tasks that you borrow from other sources or create yourself. • When selecting items to include in your homework assignments, be sure to include some that require each level of thinking. Assembling great homework items requires an investment of time, but it is time well spent— once done, you’ll likely be able to use the assignments or simply add to them for many years to come. 3. Remember that homework quantity does not correlate to homework quality. Many teachers assign a considerable amount of homework, believing it demonstrates that they’ve covered the material required by the curriculum. But, homework isn’t about quantity. Homework is about helping children learn. Limit the number of items assigned to correspond with the realisticallyassessed capacity of your students. 4. Be an ally with homework, not an adversary. You’ll be amazed how kids will learn to trust you once they perceive that you really are on their team. If you’re fair, assign homework that’s reasonable and valuable and care enough about them to review their work and provide the support they need, it will dramatically reduce the homework challenges you face. For older students, once you establish a trusting relationship, you can save valuable class time by simply providing your students with the answers and letting them come to you only if they have problems. (Those few who are inclined to cheat will do it anyway—the rest will be able to check that they’re doing the work correctly and will be able to get much more out of their homework sessions.) 5. Use the 10-minute rule. There is no set rule as to how much homework is the right amount, but remember to consider the age of your students and their not-yet-full-grown capacities for attention and understanding. The 10-minute rule has proven reasonable in the past: Multiply the grade level by 10 minutes and that’s approximately the right amount of time children should have to spend doing all their homework each night. For example, Grade 1—10 minutes; Grade 4—40 minutes, Grade 12—120 minutes. This will vary considerably, depending on subjects, projects due, upcoming tests, etc., and may be slightly longer on weekends, as needed, to complete major projects or prepare for exams. If your students consistently take more time doing their homework night after night, give thought to modifying your assignments. Since you’re teaching sixthgrade, your students should have approximately an hour of homework. That includes homework from each teacher. If you’re giving an hour or more just from you, then you need to rethink what you’re doing. 6. Collaborate with colleagues. Middle and high school teachers often need to talk among themselves to keep informed about what’s being assigned in other subjects. If left to chance alone, there’ll be many times when there’s a homework bubble—that is, an unusually large amount of homework or tests that fall on the same day. This creates an untenable situation for kids that serves no useful purpose for anyone. By making your colleagues aware of when you plan to schedule major projects, an occasional massive homework assignment, or major tests, they may be able to adjust what they assign to balance the load on your mutual students. Work together. -Dr. Linda Dr. Linda, along with her husband, Dr. Al, own Strong Learning Tutoring and Test Prep serving Westchester and Putnam counties for over 40 years. Strong Learning tutors students K-12 in any subject, in person or remotely. Drs. Linda and Al are also the authors of “Why Bad Grades Happen to Good Kids,” available on Amazon and at stronglearning.com. DR. LINDA FROM PAGE 10
PAGE 12 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 CALL FOR A TOUR (914) 248-4020 • Traditional preschool with morning classes for 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s. • Evolved play-based curriculum which builds a lifelong love of learning. • Spacious and light classrooms and outdoor play space. • teachers. • Serving the local community for over 25 years. Amanda Casabona-Cohen aka “Mrs CC”, Director 25 Lincoln Ave | Lincolndale, NY 10540 info@lilepeoplesomers.com lilepeoplesomers.com New student registration for 2024/2025 school year begins January. 4 Heritage Hills Plaza, 202 Ctr. • Somers, NY 10589 914-277-4222 • www.somerssmiles.com A new generation of family dentistry Last call, Don’t forget to use your benefits! The older I get, the longer it takes to get myself into the holiday spirit. I guess that’s only natural, since it takes me longer now to do just about anything, especially if I have to get up out of a chair to do it. But I’ll get there. When I was growing up, my family used to decorate our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and that would certainly excite each of my senses. The smell of the pine, the sight of the lights playing through the branches, the feel of the resiny boughs, the sound of the cat throwing up in the corner. I told it not to try to eat tinsel, but cats think they know everything. If Hallmark Christmas movies can get you into a yuletide frame of mind, they started in July and they’re still going on. A weird apogee will one day occur when Hallmark will have finally produced enough Christmas movies to run them back-to-back from Dec. 26 for the entire year. I just want to get through the day without thinking that I blew my chance to make someone happy. I concede that I’m not the greatest giftgiver. You’re supposed to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and figure out what they would want if you were them. I do the next best thing, and put the other person in my shoes and figure out what they would want if they were me. And when Christmas is in the rear view mirror and you can barely make it out, I see those very same shoes in the closet and ask, “Hey Honey, it doesn’t look like you’ve worn these size 11 shoes I got you- do you mind if I try them on?” Part of the problem is timinganything we really need, we never seem to need two weeks before Christmas. And that leaves two categories: stuff that we don’t really need, and stuff that we REALLY don’t really need. There’s another rule of thumb that says to get a gift that the other person wouldn’t get for themself. I can always check that box with no problem. If you want to get someone a traditional present, there are some time-honored favorites, like the Chia Pet. In 2008 the Chia company introduced versions of their sprouting figures based on presidential candidates, and according to their website, sales figures have predicted the winner of the White House. I will say that Chia hair was not a flattering look for Mitt Romney, and it may have cost him the presidency. Another great gift is Flex Seal, and the entire Flex Seal family of products. Armed with a roll of that, you can cut your powerboat in half with a chain saw, then duct tape it back together for your next fishing trip. On their website, you can purchase a leatherbound Flex Seal journal in which you can document the best two days of boat ownership: the day you buy the boat and the day you sell it. If you did cut it in half, it will be easier to split the profits. A lot of gifts these days focus on technology. One of the “Best Gifts of 2023,” according to an online article of The New York Times, is a flame-less lighter that emits a plasma arc. I’m not sure what a plasma arc is, but just for fun I’d like to point it at Superman and see if anything happens. How about the Black Falcon minidrone? It comes with a 360-degree camera and it’s own carrying case, although if you have to carry it with you, you probably don’t know how to work it. The promotional video shows beautiful aerial views from it soaring high above the Alps, and not over the house down the street that has a pool and is rented by four college girls. And yet some gifts hearken back to a day when words like “hearken” were popular. Like Tote-A-Fort, the portable fort-making kit that comes with nylon sheets and Velcro straps so your kids can make their own private hideaway anywhere, and indulge themselves outside of your purvey with something that will eventually get them sent to military school. What about a bouquet of flowers that you assemble yourself using Lego parts? If you know someone who just retired and is getting on your nerves staying at home all day and has already cut his boat in half, why not put him to work making a pretty parcel of posies made up of parts that will eventually somehow get stuck in your foot? The gift of giving is the thing that will put you into the holiday mood. Seeing that smile on her face that says, “It’s just like YOU to get me THAT,” makes it all worthwhile. And while Flex Tape may not be the most romantic gift, it did save our waterbed, and that is a TRUE Christmas miracle. Join Rick and No Options at Mohansic Grill in Yorktown Heights, Saturday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m.! Say hello at [email protected]. Finding Christmas RICK MELÉN MAN OVERBOARD
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 13 Somers Republican Club, Inc. CONGRATULATIONS to the Somers High School Varsity Football Team on their back-to-back State Championships Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Rey Solano, President Pro Tem • Meredith Faulkner, Vice President Barbara Lloyd, Secretary • Frank Sisti, Treasurer www.somersrepublicanclub.org after school, skating and practicing hockey moves. For reasons I can’t quite recall, one of the boys, a kid named Chris who was a year younger than me,” took my sister’s boots (she had her skates on) and tossed them over a fence into someone’s backyard. “Hey! Go get them!” I roared. He just skated away. But here is where not being able to skate was to my advantage. Wearing my boots, I followed him out onto the ice and caught up. “Hey, Chris! What did you do that for? Go get those boots!” “No.” I laid him out with one punch. He pinwheeled for a moment, windmilling his arms to try to keep his balance, but to no avail. He wobbled on his skates and then fell over like a bag of wet cement. I looked down at him and his bloody nose and soon-to-be black eye and said, “It’s OK. I’ll get ’em.” Which I did. Then I went home. But here’s the rub. Chris’s father was the principal of our high school. I figured that wouldn’t bode well for me. About an hour later he called and spoke to my father, who calmly but firmly explained to him what had transpired. A short while later, Chris and his dad appeared on our doorstep and Chris tearfully apologized for being such an unmitigated ass hat. Chris wasn’t at the bus stop the next day, but I saw him a few days later and he was sporting the most awesome shiner. I will always remember his dad and what he did that day. He wasn’t one of those parents who blindly believed his kid could do no wrong. I guess we could use more of that today. The other pond in the neighborhood was Umshied’s Pond because it was on the Umshied family’s property. They were the ones who used to own all the land that eventually became Grandview Avenue. They would let us kids fish in the pond each spring and summer. One day, in early winter, my friend George and I decided to take a shortcut and walk across the frozen surface of Umshied’s Pond to get to wherever the hell we were going. (Constant readers may recall George from a previous column called “9-11 and the Lemonade Stand.” He was my friend who was inside one of the Twin Towers when the planes attacked.) I should note that before I left the house that morning, my mother actually warned me: “Don’t go on the ponds, the ice isn’t thick enough yet.” So, of course, the first thing we did was go on the pond. And of course, the ice cracked, and I plunged through. It was terrifying. And a bit chilly. I was able to grab the lip of the hole as I dropped so my head was never submerged. But my heavy winter coat was soaked and was making it difficult to pull myself out. “George!” I cried. “Help! Pull me out!” He turned and assessed the situation. “I can’t... I’ll fall through too.” I was finally able to pull myself up out of the hole and onto the ice. I then crawled on my belly (just like we were taught in Boy Scouts) to the safety of the shore. I was dripping wet. I couldn’t go home like that. My mother would bust me hard. Fortunately, George’s mother wasn’t home, so we went there and tossed all my clothes, including the coat (a Navy P coat) into the dryer. George lent me his bathrobe while we waited. It was nearly impossible to pull a fast one on my mother, but somehow, I think we got away with that one. To this day, I still razz George about that incident, praising him for his “bravery” in saving my life. But I am glad I never punched him in the eye. But the moral of all this is... always listen to your mother. She may be a buzzkill, but she is usually right. DUMAS FROM PAGE 10 We humans tend to take some things for granted. Take local newspapers, for instance, like this one. We don’t consider what it would be like if we had no source of local news to keep us informed – shades of “It’s a Wonderful Life” – but we should consider it. We’ve all heard of the Sahara and the Mojave, but have you ever heard of a News Desert? These days, at a rather alarming rate, News Deserts are a thing in the journalism profession and they are a thing in U.S. communities to which the label applies. It means a well-populated geo-political area – for instance, a town or a county – in which there is not a single media company whose primary purpose is covering such hyperlocal and essential news as a town council meeting. If that sounds like a marginal concern, it is anything but. A News Desert can cost taxpayers dearly. The lesson of Bell Consider the object lesson of Bell, Calif. It’s a small community, with 25% of the populace below the poverty line. You’d never know it, though, from what had been the annual income of the town’s top elected official, whose base salary by 2010, built up over 17 years, reached $800,000, and whose total take-home per year was $1.5 million. Is it any wonder that homeowners in Bell paid higher property taxes than Supporting local media is all our business ‘No news’ is terrible news BRUCE APAR BRUCE THE BLOG SEE APAR PAGE 14
PAGE 14 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 2 6 N O C H A N G E F R O M 2 0 2 2 S O M E R S M A R K E T U P D A T E N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 7 5 8 , 7 4 2 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 1 2 4 2 2 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 L E S S T H A N 1 % I N C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 S I N G L E F A M I L Y A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 1 9 2 7 % I N C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 5 8 0 , 7 8 0 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 1 0 6 2 8 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 1 0 % I N C R E A S E C F R O M 2 0 2 2 O N D O M I N I U M S Source: OKMLS, single family & condominium, active, sold & average sale price, 01/01/2023 - 11/30/2023 as compared to 01/01/2022 - 11/30/2022, Somers school district. T H I N K I N G A B O U T S E L L I N G YO U R H O M E O R C O N D O ? I T ' S T H E P E R F E C T T I M E T O B E O N T H E M A R K E T. W E H AV E L O W I N V E N T O R Y A N D M A N Y B U Y E R S . P L E A S E F E E L F R E E T O C O N TA C T M E A N Y T I M E . I ' M H E R E T O H E L P. D O N N A O ' C O N N E L L A s s o c i a t e R e a l E s t a t e B r o k e r S o m e r s B r o k e r a g e M 9 1 4 . 2 6 3 . 9 1 0 8 O 9 1 4 . 2 7 7. 8 0 4 0 Ext. 3 3 4 D o c o n n e l l @ h o u l i h a n l a w r e n c e . c o m d o n n a o c o n n e l l . h o u l i h a n l a w r e n c e . c o m residents of Beverly Hills?! The town’s corrupt leadership eventually earned substantial prison terms and multi-million-dollar fines, but how on earth did they pull off such a grotesque grift for almost two decades? The Bell ringers’ reign of ripping off an unsuspecting citizenry picked up momentum right about the time Bell’s last newspaper went out of business in the mid-1990s. Coincidence? More like cause-and-effect. Of course, the Bell story is extreme, but it also is a cautionary tale. As reported by Steven Waldman in the August 2023 issue of Atlantic Magazine, “On average, two newspapers close each week. Some 1,800 communities that used to have local news now don’t.” What does this have to do with you and your community, whether you’re a local business owner or a customer? For business owners who are not advertising in local media – which, by the way, includes sponsorship and other opportunities your Chamber of Commerce offers – you owe it to yourself to give it serious consideration. It’s the best way to reach current and future customers. Don’t rely solely on social media Many business owners are under the impression social media alone is a marketing solution. It emphatically is not. (I know of at least one seemingly robust local business that only used social media; it recently was forced to close.) It’s one way to keep your name in the game, but it is far from a panacea. And, unlike the professional, responsible content that is created and distributed by a media company like this newspaper or a Chamber of Commerce, many social media posts are infamously unreliable. They are rumor mills that create a less than credible sales environment. Advertising is not the only way to take advantage of news-driven print and digital marketing channels. If you have something of general value to say to the community of customers who are reached by local media, contact the editor. Strike up a relationship. Editors and their reporters always are looking for good content. One of the ways to leverage advertising is to also get your name and message in the editorial pages. As an advertiser, it’s a good bet that you will be given all due deference by the media company. Their welcoming your input is simply good business. The bottom line, by engaging more with your community’s local media, in terms of both advertising and editorial content, you’ll be doing your part to ensure your community doesn’t become a dreaded News Desert. Ask not for whom the story of “Bell” tolls. It tolls for all of us. Bruce Apar is VP of the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce, where this article first appeared. Apar is a writer, community volunteer and actor. He is nominated in the Broadway World Regional Awards as Best Performer in a Play for his title role in “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Voting is open to the public at broadwayworld.com/rockland/ voteregion.cfm. For more information, contact him at 914-275-6887 (text or voice) or [email protected]. APAR FROM PAGE 13 Happily Ever After
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 FOCUS ON ELDER LAW THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 15 With the holidays fast approaching and the possibility that the current Federal Estate and Gift Tax exemption will be reduced from $12.92 million per person for 2023 ($13.61 million for 2024) to approximately $6 million as of January 2026, the importance of deciding whether to make significant monetary and/or property gifts to one’s children, grandchildren and other loved ones or to a Trust for their benefit is significantly higher. For high net worth individuals, the potential loss of millions of dollars because of estate taxes is an important issue, especially if the opportunity to gift significant amounts is to expire in the near future. Thus, utilizing one’s exemption before Jan. 1, 2026, should be explored. Additionally, if one’s estate is near the New York Estate Tax exemption of $6,580,000 for 2023, utilizing one’s federal gift tax exemption is a valuable tool in reducing the possibility of an onerous New York Estate Tax as well. As to the issue of taxation of a gift, a donor can gift up to $17,000 per donee per year for the year 2023 ($18,000 per donee in 2024) free of any gift taxes. The donee/recipient of the gift is not taxed on the amount of the gift even if it is greater than $17,000. However, if the donor makes a gift in excess of $17,000 per donee this year, he or she is required to file a gift tax return by April 15 of the following year. The filing of a federal gift tax return does not mean that the donor will have to pay any gift taxes, as they will be able to apply their federal exemption for federal estate and gift taxes to the amount of any gift above the $17,000 per donee in any calendar year. For example, a single (non-married) donor makes a gift of $100,000 in the year 2023 to his son or daughter, $17,000 of the gift is tax free and $83,000 would be subtracted from the donor’s federal exemption amount of $12.92 million for Federal estate and gift taxes (available through 12/31/2023). If the donor is married, their spouse can join in on the gift and then reduce the taxable amount of the gift to $66,000, and only $17,000 would be subtracted from the lifetime exemption for each donor. It should be noted that New York does not have a gift tax. The existence of a large Federal estate and gift tax exemption, which expires on 12/31/2025 unless made permanent by law, creates a great opportunity for individuals to remove highly appreciating assets from their taxable estate. It is also a great way of reducing the assets one owns, which may be subject to one’s long-term care costs. Because the above stated exemption expires/sunsets, many affluent individuals are using the current exemption and the 2024 exemption to make significant gifts. They are also taking advantage of the IRS previously stating that they will not claw back into one’s taxable estate any gifts made before the exemption changes, if it is later reduced. The other issue that needs to be addressed by the donor is whether he or she wants the gift to the donee to be an outright gift that is free of any trust. This is a decision that often requires consideration of a number of factors, such as the age of the donee (child or adult), the ability of the donee to appropriately manage his or her financial affairs and whether or not the donee is financially responsible. The creation of an Irrevocable trust for the beneficiary is a prudent way of gifting and managing assets for a loved one. The trustee of the trust can be given the discretion to use the assets and income of the trust for the benefit of the trust beneficiary as delineated in the Trust. The trust can also specify the age the trust beneficiary is to receive the trust assets outright, and the trust can also have more than one beneficiary. The trust can also be for the lifetime of the beneficiary. Furthermore, if the creator of the Trust wishes to do so, they can be responsible for the payment of any income taxes on the interest and dividends the trust assets generate, thereby creating another mechanism to get assets out of the name of the Trust creator for tax purposes. Additionally, the assets transferred to the Irrevocable trust will be protected against any claims the beneficiary(ies) could have against them until the time the trust makes a distribution to them outright. Additionally, one can give the trustee(s) the authority to continue the trust beyond the set termination date if doing so is in the best interest of the beneficiary. The assets in the trust will also not be subject to equitable distribution claims in New York in the event the beneficiary gets divorced. Furthermore, if the beneficiary develops any disabilities during the term of the trust and the beneficiary needs any federal and/ or state aid, a properly drafted trust will allow the beneficiary(ies) share to be continued as a Special Needs Trust for the beneficiary, which will not impact their eligibility for any Federal and/or State programs. In conclusion, unless one is making a relatively small gift to a donee and there are no concerns as to the donee squandering or wasting said monies, an outright gift may not be appropriate. In most instances, the use of a trust to hold the gift is a much wiser option. Even the three wise men would have approved of it! Anthony J. Enea is the managing attorney of Enea, Scanlan and Sirignano, LLP of White Plains. He focuses his practice on Wills, Trusts, Estates and Elder Law. Anthony is the Past Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), and is the past Chair of the 50+ Section of the NYSBA. He is a Past President and Founding member of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Anthony is also the Immediate Past President of the Westchester County Bar Foundation and a Past President of the Westchester County Bar Association. He can be reached at 914-948-1500 or at esslawfirm.com. Lauren C. Enea, Esq. is a Senior Associate at Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP. She concentrates her practice on Wills, Trusts and Estates, Medicaid Planning, Special Needs Planning and Probate/ Estate Administration. She believes that it is never too early or too late to start planning for your future and she enjoys working with individuals to ensure that their plan best suits their needs. Ms. Enea received a B.S. in Business Management from Quinnipiac University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and a J.D. from the Pace University School of Law, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida. She can be contacted at 914-948- 1500 or esslawfirm.com. Tis the season to consider gifting! ‘In most instances, the use of a trust to hold the gift is a much wiser option. Even the three wise men would have approved of it!’ -Anthony J. Enea and Lauren C. Enea Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP ANTHONY J. ENEA GUEST CORNER LAUREN ENEA GUEST CORNER &
PAGE 16 THE SOMERS RECORD – THUHRabbi Yehuda Heber speaks to the crowd outside The Elephant Hotel. PHOTO: TOM WALOGORSKY John Fiscella The community enjoyed crafts and refreshments inside The Elephant Hotel. PHOTO COURTESY OF HOWARD ROBINSON Corinne and Helga Stanton with Santa and Mrs. Claus PHOTOS: CAROL REIF ROCK & ROLL WITH NMOHANSSaturday, Decemb1500 Baldwin Rd, Yo(914) 96NMLS #60828 Registered Mortgage Broker NY & CT Banking Depts. All Loans Arranged through Third Party Providers. Call Us Today! 800-771-1071 YOUR LOCAL HOME MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS 1013 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 - www.putcap.com The Consumer’s Choice for Discount Heating Oil! SAVE WITH OUR LOW C.O.D. PRICES! • No Contracts or Commitments • Oil Burner & A/C Service/Tune-ups • Quality Heating Oil • Senior Citizen & Volume Discounts • Heating, Cooling & Generator Installations • Price Matching (Restrictions apply) Order online at: www.codoil.com CALL US TODAY AND SAVE! 914.737.7769 Leo and Rosemary Walogorsky enjoying the first night of Chanukah.
URSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 PAGE 17 Our community knows how to get into the holiday spirit! On Sunday, Dec. 3, residents gathered outside The Elephant Hotel to open the holiday season. The day began with the dedication and blessing of the Nativity Scene, sponsored by The Msgr. Raymond M. Collins Council 6205 of the Knights of Columbus. Attendants were able to enjoy an open house at the Somers Historical Society, and hot cocoa and a sing along on the front lawn, sponsored by the Somers Lions Club, Somers Historical Society, Somers Chamber of Commerce, and Somers Girl Scout Troop 1455. The evening capped off with the lighting of the town Christmas tree with Supervisor Rob Scorrano, members of the Town Board, and Santa Claus! On Thursday, Dec. 7, the community would once again gather at The Elephant Hotel, this time to join in the lighting of the menorah for the first night of Chanukah. The ceremony was led by Rabbi Yehuda Heber and sponsored by Chabad of Yorktown, and also featured refreshments and a sing along on the front lawn. Everyone at The Somers Record hopes that all of our readers have a safe and happy holiday season! Happy Holidays Everyone hoping to be on Santa’s “nice” list this year! in Somers Everyone got into the Chanukah spirit on Dec. 7. PHOTO COURTESY OF HOWARD ROBINSON Melissa and Jonathan Chiotis with Ash, Autumn, and Finn Julie and Dominic Genovesi NO OPTIONS AT SIC GRILL ber 16th- 7:30PM orktown Heights, NY 62-9300 Is a new home on your list this year? 358 Rte 202, Somers | 914.276.1010 | ManciniRealEstate.com Your Home Is Where Our Heart Is! Give us a call! 914-277-4424 • 440 Rt 22 North Salem, NY • www.theblazerpub.com CELEBRA CELEBRATING 521 YEARS! 52 From our home to yours, have a wonderful holiday season!
Sports PAGE 18 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 Call for your FREE consultation today 293 Route 100 Suite 209 Somers, NY (914) 277-1111 www.BBOsmiles.com GET YOUR LOVED ONE A GIFT THEY CAN ACTUALLY USE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Braces and Invisalign for all ages Flexible, interest-free financing available Your hometown board-certified orthodontic specialists Sydney Ingraham PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI Lindsey McCullough BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER After Lindsey McCullough went glass to get the first points of the season on Friday Dec. 9, visiting Eastchester scored nine straight. So the Tuskers obviously needed a reset. “We had to calm down, pull ourselves together and make sure we played good defense and rebounded the ball,” said Olivia Allegretti. The agenda laid out, Somers delivered. Getting the lead by the end of the quarter, the Tuskers notched their first win by a score of 42-30. Still, Somers had to endure the introduction to the Eastchester backcourt. In between Deanna Biancardi dropping a three and driving the baseline for two, Leonida Perlleshi knocked down coast to coast layups on consecutive steals. In front by seven, Eastchester didn’t enjoy the advantage for long. Ashley Kuchinsky broke the string with her own baseline drive, and not quite on holiday, Allegretti also went bicoastal to get her team within three. One minute left in the first, Eastchester then played the very obliging guests to close the quarter. First Kayla Comizio put Lindsey McCullough on the line for three, and two free throws sunk, backcourt pressure had Sydney Ingraham getting the fast break layup on the steal. Biancardi didn’t go away, though, and Allegretti could attest first hand. “She’s a really good player,” said the junior, and the point guard opened the second with a three. Now 12-10 in favor of the Eagles, the game would go back and forth. In keeping, Caitlin Mayfield fed Kuchinsky after getting the offensive rebound, and Comizio went around the screen to re-nail a one point Eastchester lead. Not for long, Julia Schmidberger did her part off the bench. “I’m pretty much there to take the pressure off Kaycie,” said the backup, and refusing to give up on a loose ball down low, her mini hook regained the lead for Somers. 3:10 left in the half, Somers applied the pressure again. Ingraham would get the steal and dish to an open Lindsey McCullough for the easy layup. Separation or a lead for Somers was not to be, though. Comizio got one at the line after her steal, Lily Joyce’s penetration did the same for Riley Conway, and Biancardi’s explosive drive from half court gave the visitors an 18-17 lead at the buzzer. So the needed adjustments were obvious for Coach Kevin Mallon. “We kept going under the screen GIRLS BASKETBALL SEE BASKETBALL PAGE 22 Tuskers open with win over Eastchester Olivia Allegretti
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER The start of any new season always means the old reliables graduate, and holes are left to fill. The John Jay/Somers/Yorktown gymnastics team is no different, but head coach Teodora Cepoi is taking the losses in stride. “We have other kids coming up,” she said, and so far the results prove it’s not simply a coach being optimistic. First, the girls beat Lakeland/Panas by 4 tenths of a point, and on Dec. 7, the team defeated Suffern by a score of 176.15 - 123.55. One of those new contributors is Arianna Gulli. The Yorktown gymnast felt best about her performance on the beam. “I stuck all my landings and didn’t fall,” she said. Good for a 7.5, Gulli had no problem settling for a 7.1 on the floor either. “My one and a half was good and so was my tumbling,” said the freshman. On the speaker, Heart of Courage helped provide the necessary lift and soften the blows. “I like that the song is dramatic,” she said. “That fits my personality.” Kayla Cambareri, on the other hand, stood more lighthearted on the floor with her Irish jig sounding song. “I like how action packed it is and lets me show off my skills,” said the John Jay gymnast. She scored an 8.85. But she was most pleased with her (9.0) performance on vault and the improvements so far. “I landed more upright then I usually do,” said the sophomore. “Compared to last year, I think my vault is getting there.” The same seems true for Amelia Carozza on beams. A 9.15, she still had measured praise for her showing. “I stepped all my skills, and I thought it was a clean routine,” said the Yorktown student. Then on the floor, the gymnast doubled down. Another 9.15, she felt her performance was also pretty unblemished but fell short when gravity took over. “I need to clean up sticking my landings,” said the junior. In the other direction, Kaitlin Gannon made the most of her springboard. “I executed very well today,” said the Somers gymnast of her 8.05 on vault. The sophomore still hopes to improve on her landing too, but her coach likes what she sees so far. “She’s clean and very graceful,” said Cepoi. The three-time Olympic medalist would know. A teammate of Nadia Comăneci in 1976, the years have not slowed her passion for the sport. “I’m still ready to go,” her eyes put a concluding exclamation point on another day for herself and the girls. Combined team already in stride Kaitlin Gannon GYMNASTICS SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 19 C: 914-447-7064 | New York and Conneticut [email protected] | GulliHomes.kw.com Dina DiPaola-Gulli, Wishing our clients a joyful holiday season! Thank you for making this year unforgettable. Cheers to a bright and prosperous new year ahead! Happy Holidays 2023! R.E. Salesperson Carmel, NY Carmel, NY Carmel, NY Yonkers, NY Fishkill, NY Yonkers, NY Yonkers, NY Carmel, NY Beacon, NY Mount Kisco, NY Yonkers, NY Bedford Hills, NY
SPORTS Last month, Somers Youth Football’s 13u team claimed the Taconic League championship for the third straight year. The squad topped Yorktown 14-8 at Michie Stadium at West Point on Sunday, Nov. 5, marking the first time that a team in the program captured three consecutive titles. The victory would not come easily, as Somers found themselves trailing with 4 minutes remaining and the ball on their own 25-yard line. Undeterred, the Tuskers marched downfield, ultimately scoring the deciding touchdown on an amazing pass from Evan Stanczuk to Tayton Castro on 4th and goal. The victory brings the 13u Tuskers’ overall record to 27-0 over the past three seasons. For the past six years, the team has been coached by Head Coach Rob Seeger, Joe Gaudio, Chris Klein, Charlie Balancia, Dave Sposito, Chris Nyikos and Nick Antonucci. In addition to 13u’s milestone victory, Somers’ 9u, 10u, and 12u teams also claimed championships at West Point, another first for the program. Three-peat! Somers 13u claims third championship The team celebrating by giving a Gatorade Bath to Head Coach Rob Seeger. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROB SEEGER PAGE 20 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 Starting our 44th year serving Yorktown children Family Owned And Operated, Owners Always On The Premises. WWW.PIEDPIPERSCHOOLYORKTOWN.COM 2090 Crompond Road - Yorktown Heights For more information call 914-962-5196 or 914-815-5281 PRESCHOOL • Ages 18 months to 5 years • Operating Hours 7am to 6pm • New York State Certified Curriculum • Before & After Care Available BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL ADVENTURES • Ages 18 months to 10 years • Large indoor and fenced in outdoor playgrounds • Homework Assistance • Bus Transportation Provided By The Yorktown School District • Food and drinks provided Happy Holidays from the Pied Piper Family! Enrollment Opens Feb 1st For The 2024-2025 School Year SUMMER CAMP • Ages 18 Months To 10 Years • Flexible Days, Weeks & Times • Indoor Air Conditioned Playground • Weekly Themes And Activities Including Sports, Arts & Crafts, Music, Cooking And Theatre. • Bls, Cpr, Rit First Aid, Epipen & Mat Certified Check out our new website. Call today and sign up for a tour. Our family can’t wait to meet your family! A Gift Shop Born Out Of Love For Hand Crafted + Quality Goods Tues–Sat. 11-5 • CLOSED Mon Open Sundays through the holidays 11-3 914-556-6006 | Somersgeneral.com 2 OLD TOMAHAWK ST. SUITE 5, YORKTOWN HEIGHTS (NEAR BARNWOOD GRILL & TRADITIONS) It’s holiday shopping time. Shop local. Come find the perfect gift from our curated collection of goods.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 21 www.aonpt.com GOODROW BUILDING 862 Route 6 Mahopac NY 10541 (845) 208-0963 MILL POND OFFICES 293 Route 100 • Suite 107 Somers, NY 10589 (914) 276-2520 BREWSTER 3 Starr Ridge Road Brewster, NY 10509 (845) 279-9288 The Road To Recovery Starts Here Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season! BY WES ADAMS CONTRIBUTING WRITER We see them on our daily commutes, those hardy, reliable runners, joggers, and walkers who can be glimpsed churning through a workout alongside this or that stretch of road most mornings as we flash by at 40 mph. On my weekday commute from Katonah to Brewster, I often spot one such athlete near that tangled intersection of four busy roads, a rail line, and a river just west of Croton Falls. In spite of the constant traffic where 202 hits 22, it is an idyllic spot, overhung with trees on all sides yet offering a good peek-aboo view to the north of the babbling East Branch Croton River. Here I see occasional fishermen with poles and waders slipping through the trees down to their favorite spots. Here also I see a silver-haired, mustached runner, usually chugging southbound with a placid yet determined expression. This week I stopped and introduced myself. His name is Lorin Woolfe and he lives in Somers. On the basis of my flimsy press credentials (flashing him a link to a previous column for this paper on my phone screen) he kindly agreed to give me his contact info so we could chat later. And then he waved goodbye and carried on down Route 202. Roadside runner Somers jogger Lorin Woolfe inspires morning motorists Lorin Woolfe Lorin on a foggy morning. PHOTOS: WES ADAMS THE RUNAROUND SEE RUNNER PAGE 22
PAGE 22 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 and she (Biancardi) was hitting threes,” he said. Going over, Somers stayed strong on the picks, and Allegretti laid out the other blueprint in regards to the guard. “We had to stay to her dominant hand,” said the forward. An implementation that began immediately. Kuchinsky stayed left, and after Biancardi gave up the ball, Comizio tried to force a pass inside. Somers came away with the turnover, and Ingraham put her team on the break by quickly getting the rock ahead to Allegretti. She went the distance and converted the three point play to gain the lead for good. Somers wasn’t done hitting triples either, and defense allowed the Tuskers to swing away. On consecutive possessions, backcourt pressure led to a steal for Lindsey McCullough and a traveling call on Comizio, and the ball on rotation, McCullough and Kuchinsky opened a 26-18 lead. Of course, Somers could play inside too, and Kaycie McCullough made it sound simple. “My job is to post up,”she assured, and the center got three baskets underneath to give her team a 32- 22 lead. Still, Biancardi scored another layup at the buzzer and then crossed through the paint for a hard earned lay up. But the mini run didn’t knock Somers off its game, and Allegretti stood tall on the pedestal. She drove hard to the hoop for the conventional three point play, dribbled penetrated for Kuchinsky’s corner three, and grabbing the defensive board, the Ursuline transfer went the length of the court to the coach’s delight. “We’re very lucky to have her,” said Mallon. But her play wasn’t, and Allegretti knew for score for the sea change that brought victory. “I think this team staying together and picking each other back up was really important,” she concluded. BASKETBALL FROM PAGE 18 RUNNER FROM PAGE 21 Julia Schmidberger PHOTO: RICH MONETTI Lorin, whose age is on the golden side of 60, has been running since high school. “I did the two-mile run, which was considered the ‘distance’ run for the guys who had more endurance than speed.” He came back to running in his thirties. “I realized you can’t stay in shape as easily then as when you’re in high school.” Why running? “It is a great form of exercise, keeps me in good external and internal shape.” Over the years, his doctors have been impressed. But for Lorin it’s about more than earning gold stars at his annual physical. “I like the ‘runner’s high’ when those endorphins start percolating through the system. Once I’ve run and had my shower, my body is loose in all the right places and tight in all the right places and I’m energized for my work day. I’m a psychotherapist.” He likes his very regular 3-mile route. “The shoulders on the road are nice and wide.” He also likes the fact that following the same path day in and day out puts him in regular communion with his neighbors. “I get honks or waves from people I know, like friends, clients, and the guys who service my garage door. I also get the occasional honk or wave from a stranger. One woman rolled down her window and shouted, ‘You’re amazing!’ She was about my age with about the same amount of gray hair, so I guess to her anyone with that amount of gray hair who can run long distances is amazing.” Most of us onlookers might admire Lorin for his daily fortitude, but for him his proudest running achievement to date is completing the NYC Marathon – twice. “The first time I did it in four hours and one minute. Of course I had to do another one the next year to break four hours, which I did in 3:53.” Since the clock is running down on 2023 and the starting line of a new year is now in sight, I asked Lorin if he had any running resolutions for the coming year. I like that he is keeping it short and simple: “Continue three miles a day at least four times a week and occasionally do a five-miler.” In other words, we commuters can count on this reliable roadside athlete to continue inspiring us in the weeks and months ahead. DR. AMANDA WIECHERT, DMD & DR. FELICIA NICOLAS, DDS. 1855 COMMERCE STREET YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY 10598 (914) 302-7717 www.northeastdentalny.com [email protected] Dentistry with the personalized touch EXPERIENCE THE NORTHEAST DENTAL DIFFERENCE Long-time Yorktown dentist Dr. Amanda Wiechert founded Northeast Dental in 2014, with the idea that patients should be #1. We know that life can be hectic, and our team goes the extra mile to make patients’ care convenient, comfortable, and reliably high in quality. 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com • [email protected] DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor • BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director • RONALD P. CERASO ~ Director • 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. FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT Both pre-payment and no-payment options Serving all Faiths since 1858 • Cremations and Burials
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 LEISURE THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 23 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. Mimic 4. Payroll firm 7. Perform in a play 10. Opine: __ philosophical 11. Crony 12. Political action committee 13. 1991 Wimbledon winner 15. Affirmative 16. Exclamation of disgust 19. Action of connecting 21. A way to calm 23. Especially fine or decorative clothing 24. Walked proudly 25. Group of people related through male heir 26. Supplemented with difficulty 27. Soft touch 30. Erases 34. Spanish river 35. A princess can detect it 36. Clouds of gas 41. A way to get through 45. Part of a book 46. Southwestern US state 47. Fields where rice is grown 50. Area in Ghana 54. Sayings 55. Involve deeply 56. Compels to act 57. “Ignore all rules” 59. Indoor entertainment space 60. Born of 61. Back muscle 62. Sea dweller 63. Tools that resemble an axe 64. Prefix denoting class or kind 65. Tooth caregiver CLUES DOWN 1. Inspiring 2. Put into a box 3. Breathes out 4. Pacify 5. Patriotic society for women 6. Fell down 7. Clothing 8. Dishwasher detergent brand 9. Former French republic 13. Single lens reflex 14. Men’s fashion accessory 17. Consumed 18. Marry 20. __ up: intensifies 22. Body of water 27. People of southern Benin 28. Decorate a cake with frosting 29. Snag 31. Yearly tonnage (abbr.) 32. Records brain activity (abbr.) 33. Car mechanics group 37. Brought up to snuff 38. __ faire: Economic approach 39. Phil __, former CIA 40. Affixed 41. Period of adolescence 42. Substance 43. Danced 44. Baked without its shell 47. Parts per billion (abbr.) 48. Satisfaction 49. Balkans river 51. Christmas carols 52. Partner to tonic 53. “The Godfather” character Johnny 58. Swiss river Eggnog is a rich and delicious beverage that has become synonymous with the most festive time of year. This milk- and egg-based concoction is tasty on its own, or it can be dressed up with other flavors and spiked with a favorite spirit when celebrating the holiday season with other adult partygoers. December is National Eggnog Month, and Dec. 24 is National Eggnog Day. There is no more perfect time of year to learn everything you can about eggnog — all the while sipping a cup of this creamy concoction. Indulge in these festive facts about the beverage, courtesy of Mental Floss, The Fact Site and Tastemade. • Eggnog likely originated in the medieval period and was known as “posset,” a hot, milk-based drink made of spices and wine. Even though posset could be a cocktail, it also was used as a remedy for colds and flu for its soothing properties. • Milk, eggs and sherry used in the early recipes were difficult to come by, so when eggnog first appeared it was a drink only the wealthy could enjoy. That changed when eggnog was popularized in the American colonies, where dairy products and liquor were more readily available. • Entymologists believe “eggnog” stems from the word “noggin,” which refers to small wooden mugs often used to serve strong ale, known by the slang word “nog.” • In the Medieval period, it was risky to drink milk straight because it wasn’t pasteurized. Eggnog contained alcohol so that it would kill off any harmful bacteria in the milk. • A typical homemade version of eggnog has roughly one egg per serving. However, commercial eggnog is regulated by the FDA and can only contain 1 percent of the product’s final weight in egg yolk solids. That stems from fear of raw egg and salmonella. • President George Washington apparently enjoyed serving eggnog at Christmas, and even had his own special recipe (see below), according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. • There is no right or wrong alcohol to use when preparing eggnog. Distilled spirits like rum, sherry, cognac and whiskey all have produced suitable eggnogs. • Puerto Rican coquito is a traditional drink that is very similar to eggnog. • Individuals concerned about eggs or milk in eggnog can enjoy a vegan recipe made from nut milk instead. Commercially produced vegan eggnog offerings are now more widely available. • One of the more notable flavors in eggnog comes from the use of nutmeg. Nutmeg is a fragrant spice made from grinding the seed of the nutmeg tree. Now that you’ve learned about eggnog, whip up a batch of George Washington’s original recipe this holiday season. Eggnog (George Washington’s original interpretation) • 1 quart cream • 1 quart milk • 1 dozen tablespoons sugar • 1 pint brandy • 1/2 pint rye whiskey • 1/2 pint Jamaican rum • 1/4 pint sherry Eggs (Washington forgot to include the number of eggs, so home chefs can improvise or use six, which seems to be the standard in traditional recipes) Mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Let sit in cool place for several days. Taste frequently. Tip: Today’s recipe makers may want to set the eggnog in the refrigerator as the “cool place” of choice. Tasty tidbits about eggnog Enjoy President George Washington’s recipe
PAGE 24 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 Just steps away from the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley is a home-away-fromhome for families facing the emotional stress of caring for a medically fragile child, like Bella. Your support is crucial as we provide accomodations and meals for families during their most trying times. Help us this holiday season to achieve our goal of supporting 100 Nights of Hope. Make a donation today! 100 Nights of Hope Scan QR Code or visit www.rmh-ghv.org FINANCING AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT Call today and receive a FREE SHOWER PACKAGE PLUS $1600 OFF With purchase of a new Safe Step Walk-In Tub. Not applicable with any previous walk-in tub purchase. Offer available while supplies last. No cash value. Must present offer at time of purchase. CSLB 1082165 NSCB 0082999 0083445 1-855-916-5473 Safety issues are addressed at every one of its board of directors’ meetings and it regularly trains staff on protocols, he said. Madera emphasized that the federal program is not changing, but merely being continued. Councilman Richard Clinchy asked if more security would be required. “No, it’s a line-of-sight program. We know where every child is at any given time,” Madera responded, explaining that the federal government requires it to keep records in “terms of census, numbers, ratio (of staff to students).” “We do the numbers in every movement, wherever the child goes,” he added. Residents never travel unescorted, even if it’s walking the 150 feet from the school’s gymnasium to its cafeteria. Head counts are conducted every time a student moves from location to location, Coughlin said. STAFFING CUTS Between the state and the federal programs, Lincoln Hall employed about 200 people. That number is expected to go down to 140 because of the change in course, Coughlin said. Supervisor Robert Scorrano asked if staff members would be replaced if the federal program reaches its maximum capacity of 100 children. “We are prioritizing bilingual staff with experience because, obviously, of the kids we’re serving. We will replace them to make sure that we get the ratio that we need to serve these children,” Madera answered. CHILDREN’S VILLAGE’S ROLE Madera stressed Thursday that Children’s Village has been engaged only to provide “transitional executive leadership.” “Our main goal is to keep Lincoln Hall Lincoln Hall. This is not a merger. We’re not trying to buy property. Lincoln Hall will be Lincoln Hall. Lincoln Hall has been part of this community for a very long time,” Madera said. The biggest difference between Children’s Village and Lincoln Hall is that each has a different “level of care.” While the services Children’s Village offers are more complex, Lincoln Hall’s has “the lower level of care, shelter. And the children there have the least amount of behaviors that are high risk,” Madera said. There are similarities between the two, of course. Lincoln Hall was founded in 1863 in Manhattan with the goal of serving Civil War orphans and indigent children. It later moved to the Bronx and then to Somers, where, in 1907, it purchased about 1,200 acres from several family farms and set up an agricultural training school. Children’s Village began in 1851. It credits itself with being the first such organization in the state to focus on “immigration and humanitarian work,” Madera said. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, Lincoln Hall’s population switched to court-mandated youth. These were kids involved with crimes against property, not people. The all-male facility does not accept anyone with a background of violence, heavy drug abuse, sexually oriented crimes, or arson. Explaining the changes, Coughlin said: “That became pretty much our forte over the years, but the juvenile justice system has since changed radically because of the spirit of the times, politics, and money.” The state program is significantly “underfunded,” he added. Madera said the goal now is to increase its federal program of caring for unaccompanied minors to the currently allowed 100. When asked if Lincoln Hall planned to pursue licensing for more than that or if it plans to take in girls as well, he promised board members that “if there are any changes you will be the first to know.” Lincoln Hall revamped some of its residential cottages a while ago. A certain percent used to be laid out in an open dorm format, but are now individual bedrooms. So its capacity would be limited to about 190 students at the very most, Coughlin said. Under the federal program, the average stay is 43 days. Students placed through the courts are at Lincoln Hall usually 12 to 18 months. In any case, the ultimate goal is to safely reunite the children with family members or sponsors. If that can’t happen, they might be placed with a foster family or in a group home. While they’re there, however, they are entitled to an education. They do not attend Somers schools as Lincoln Hall has a state accredited one of its own. In the federal kids’ case, the focus might be on cultural acclimatization, namely English language skills, and preparing them for life in their new country, Madera explained. SUCCESS STORIES, SETBACKS Coughlin acknowledged Thursday that there have been some “tragic situations” involving former Lincoln Hall students after, he explained later, they left the program and returned to their sometimes violence-prone communities or dysfunctional families. There are success stories too, he said, pointing to alums who earn GEDs and high school diplomas, and go on to attend college and trade school as well as have careers, create families, and lead productive lives. Many former residents maintain a lifelong contact with Lincoln Hall staffers, including Barbara Morris, the school’s director of alumni relations, who gets multiple calls each week from them. Lincoln Hall made regional and national headlines back in 1980 when two of its residents murdered 67-year-old Somers resident Eleanor Prouty and brutally beat her disabled husband, Norman. Both teens were convicted and spent many years behind bars. “That was the most significant, horrible thing that’s happened here,” said Coughlin, who recalled that the tragedy occurred during his first week at Lincoln Hall. Other incidents have included the 2011 arrests of several Lincoln Hall students for assaulting a classmate and a 30-person riot in 2010 that took an hour to get under control. Then there are the occasional runaways. In April 2022, the Somers Central School System was in a LINCOLN HALL FROM PAGE 5 SEE LINCOLN HALL PAGE 25
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 25 Law Offices of Joseph J. Tock 963 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 TOCKLAW.COM • 800-869-8080 CRIMINAL DEFENSE/DWI • PERSONAL INJURY REAL ESTATE • BUSINESS LAW • WILLS, TRUSTS, ESTATES, PROBATE ‘ I have used the Law Offices of Joseph J. Tock for real estate and estate planning. Joe and his staff were professional, courteous, efficient, and they always returned my calls promptly when needed. I would never consider going to another law office for my legal needs. ~B.W. Service: 914-669-9679 Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 Fax: 914-669-9685 6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 meccanicshop.com Happy Holidays! Happy Holidays! brief lockout status after a 17-year-old Lincoln Hall student left the campus without permission. He was located and returned to the school. Later that year, a 16-year-old student took off and hasn’t been seen since. Varughese explained then that going AWOC (Absent Without Consent) is not a crime, but because the school is part of the foster care system, it is a violation of internal policy. “If they run – for whatever reason – and they get picked up by the police, all they do is bring them back,” he said. Generally speaking, the court-mandated kids had more behavioral issues than the unaccompanied minors the school serves. In the former case, if they ran off it was because they wanted to return to their hometowns; in the latter, the kids are anxious to be reunited with their families, and to do so, they have to follow the process. “You had one guy that went to college and was a good football player,” Clinchy reminded Coughlin Thursday. One alum went on to become a state senator in California, Coughlin said, adding that two students were able to use their Lincoln Hall scholarships to earn master’s degrees at St. John’s University in recent years. PUBLIC PERCEPTION Councilman Anthony Cirieco wanted to know if Lincoln Hall’s new course will change what “the public sees in terms of children coming in.” “It’ll be the same charter buses you’ve seen,” Madera said, noting: “Just because you see a charter bus, it could be just two to three kids in there.” The youth shelter program has nothing to do with New York City’s current immigrant housing crisis, he and Coughlin said. “Again, this is humanitarian work. We work with children and that’s what I want to make very clear. Again, the Number One goal for all the children that come is their safe and timely release,” Madera explained. TRANSPARENCY ‘IMPORTANT’ Cirieco told Coughlin and Madera that the town appreciated their “candor” because it gets “a lot of questions from the public” and “transparency is important.” “There’s no question we’re in the middle of a humanitarian crisis, but it’s testing our services. Some of this is selfinflicted in that it gets political and not everybody agrees with participating in something that they may not agree with, but Lincoln Hall’s been here for decades. You’ve been doing your mandate and doing it in a way that’s seamlessly worked with the community,” he said. LINCOLN HALL FROM PAGE 24 Somers BSA Troop 376 WEEKLY MEETING Most Tuesdays, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Somers Middle School Cafeteria. Embark on a journey that your son will remember and benefit from for a lifetime! There is no youth program quite like Scouts BSA, which offers leadership development, teaches citizenship and responsibility, embeds useful outdoor survival skills, can spark career interests, and boasts exciting activities that few outside of Scouting have the opportunity to experience. Celebrating 30 years in Somers, Troop 376 is sponsored by the Somers Lions Club and proudly offers a well-balanced “AdultGuided, Youth-Led” program that includes activities for all skill levels and interests. As a slightly smaller Troop, Scouts enjoy ample opportunities for direct involvement and leadership, as well as a significant voice in suggesting future troop activities. Camping trips, day hikes, family-friendly activities like bowling nights and ropes courses, community service projects, annual “high adventure” excursions, and visits to historic destinations like Gettysburg are just some of the activities you can look forward to with Troop 376. To learn more, email Somers [email protected] and visit www.SomersTroop376.org. Somers BSA Troop 228 Weekly meeting Mondays, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the Amawalk Firehouse Give your son the tools to develop his confidence, leadership skills, and interest in community service while experiencing the outdoor adventures of Scouting. Discover the natural wonders of New York State, whether canoeing in the Adirondacks, hiking the Appalachian trail, or camping at one of our State Parks. Excursions for all ages and levels of experience. Scouts explore their personal interests through over 135 merit badges. Troop 228 is sponsored by the Somers Volunteer Fire Department. We are proud citizens and actively give back to Somers through community service and environmental conservation projects. To find out more, email us at somerstroop228@ gmail.com or visit our website at Troop228somers.com. Somers Library Foundation Needs You Are you a passionate supporter of the Somers Library and looking for a way to help improve the services and capabilities? The Somers Library Foundation is looking for new board members. There are lots of opportunities to use your talents and build new skills. Send the foundation an email at somers [email protected]. Watch the Somers Library Foundation website (https://somers libraryfoundation.org) for details on upcoming meet and greet events to learn more about the Foundation and what it means to be a board member of the board. Somers Lions Club In 1966, the Somers Lions Club was chartered and has grown exponentially with dedicated men TRUNK FROM PAGE 8 SEE TRUNK PAGE 26
PAGE 26 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 and women who volunteer their time, skills, and energy to make a difference in people’s lives, both in our community and for the charities we support. Lions can be found working on “handson” projects, fundraising, and running numerous community events in and around Somers. If you are in need of assistance, there is a good chance that the Lions can help. Visit www.somerslionsclub.org for more information. Follow on social media @somerslions. The Somers Lions would like to welcome its newest members and are proud to serve alongside you. Virtual Support Groups Support groups for women with breast and ovarian cancers have been transitioned to virtual platforms. Virtual groups are accessible to women from the comfort of their homes, regardless of where they live. All groups are open to new members as well as past participants. Advance registration is required by calling 914-962-6402 or 800- 532-4290. Support Connection’s Peer Counselors are also available for individual counseling and assistance via phone and email. Call 800-532-4290, or submit an online request at supportconnection.org While on a tour of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, four travelers discovered they were from the same neighboring towns in Westchester. Pictured from left to right are Rosa Peysakh from Katonah, Galina Kanevsky from Yorktown Heights, and Ivelisse and Paul Forhan, also from Yorktown Heights. (Paul is also the Vice President of Advertising at Halston Media.) It certainly is a small world! It’s a small world after all! PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL FORHAN TRUNK FROM PAGE 25 SPECIAL OFFER Waiving All Installation Costs* *Add’l terms apply. Offer subject to change and vary by dealer. Ends 12/31/23. CALL NOW 855.564.2680 YOUR BATHROOM. YOUR WAY. IN AS LITTLE AS ONE DAY 914.455.2158 SpirelliElectric.com • [email protected] Specializing in residential & commercial services. Licenses in Westchester, Putnam CREATING CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE Family Owned—Over 40 Years Experience! $25 OFF Service Calls When You Present This Ad. New Customers Only. Keep the lights on. • GENERATORS • Outdoor Lighting • Smart Home Setup • Electric Car Chargers AND ALL OF YOUR ELECTRIC NEEDS! Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962 Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 27 Elder Law Wills, Trusts & Estates Estate Planning Medicaid Applications Guardianships Probates Elder Law & Estate Planning A Tradition of Excellence in Elder Law (845) 621-8640 thefellergroup.com 625 Route 6, Mahopac NY 10541 We make home & hospital visits Contact the team today! (845) 621-8640 Newburgh, NY RWHudsonValleyNY.com MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO PLAY THE NEW YORK LOTTERY GAMES. PLEASE PLAY RESPONSIBLY. 24-HOUR PROBLEM GAMING HOTLINE: 1-877-8-HOPENY (846-7369) Friday, December 29 • 10pm Earn Entries All Month Long! *Actual model and colors may vary. SANTA’S ELECTRIC SURPRISE Win A New Tesla!* BY TOM WALOGORSKY EDITOR “After 30 years, I wanted to do something special for the congregation,” said Pastor Tim Wagner of Croton Falls Community Church. After three decades at the helm of “the little church that could,” Wagner and his congregation have embarked on a yearlong project that will culminate next week as the church presents an authentic Moravian Christmas celebration. Inspired by the Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the festivities will include a number of unique holiday customs for both the congregation and community to enjoy. As part of the celebration, families and friends of the CFCC all contributed to the creation of a Moravian Putz, also commonly known as the Nativity Scene. Beginning on Sunday, Dec. 17, the nightly Putz presentation will be accompanied by narration to create an immersive experience that will show the story and demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas. The festivities will lead into the church’s Christmas Eve Love Feast and Christmas Eve services on Dec. 24. The reason for the season Moravian Christmas comes to Croton Falls Pastor Tim Wagner with Ann Bryson and LeeAnn Adams in front of the Croton Falls Community Church’s Putz display. PHOTO: TOM WALOGORSKY REGIONAL SEE MORAVIAN PAGE 28
PAGE 28 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 MORAVIAN FROM PAGE 27 A VISIT TO BETHLEHEM The Moravians are a small Protestant Church that originated in Czechoslovakia. The congregation would relocate to Germany in 1722 as refugees under the guidance of Count Zinzendorf. Eventually, members would again relocate, this time to an area of Pennsylvania. Following a visit to the group’s log cabin for a Christmas Eve service in 1741, Count Zinzendorf named the settlement “Bethlehem.” In preparation for the celebration, Pastor Wagner and 25 members of the congregation embarked on a bus trip to Pennsylvania earlier this month to experience the Central Moravian Church’s Putz presentation firsthand. While there, the group also learned about the creation of Moravian Beeswax candles, which have been a staple of the Christmas celebration for the church. The beeswax candles have been used since the 1700s, originally used as part of the children’s services before becoming part of the Moravian Christmas Eve ceremony. While viewing the Putz display and learning proper candle making procedures were important for bringing the traditions to Croton Falls, the experience had an additional benefit for everyone involved. “The most important part of the project wasn’t something that I had envisioned,” explained Wagner. “We made some awesome friendships there.” Several members of the Central Moravian Church have visited to check on the CFCC’s progress, and a busload of congregation members will be coming for the first Putz presentation on Dec. 17. CHRISTMAS PUTZ The centerpiece of the Croton Falls Community Church’s celebration will be the Moravian Christmas Putz. Like a traditional Nativity Scene, the Putz recounts the story of Jesus’ birth using carved figures. Derived from the German word “putzen,” meaning “to decorate,” the tradition also involves music, narration, and lights to illuminate the scenes. The practice of creating a Putz is unique to the Moravian Church, dating back to the 18th century when the new settlers brought their own figures along. The CFCC’s Putz display has been a labor of love over the past year, created through contributions from the congregation and community. “We’ve had a lot of fun getting people excited about the project,” said Paster Wagner. “From the kids to adults, it’s all been about involvement.” The display includes scenes of Christ’s birth, the decree from Caesar Augustus, the wise men, the shepherds in the fields, and a group of angels floating high above. Featured in the arrangement are a number of exquisite, hand carved figures originating from Oberammergau, Germany. Other pieces were donated or created by members of the congregation, including a flock of sheep made by children in the church’s Sunday school class. In addition, youngsters will also be able to enjoy a Christmas Eve Love Feast, a non-sacramental part of the Moravian service where they will enjoy juice, sweet buns, and music. HELPING HANDS To pull the project together, Pastor Wagner received help from throughout the congregation. “People connect as they feel they can connect,” he said. “We have some people who aren’t artistic, and they’ve done some wonderful behind the scenes things for us.” When Halston Media arrived to view the newly finished project, Pastor Wagner was joined by Ann Bryson and LeeAnn Adams. The pair, along with several others, had been putting in upwards of 120 hours of work each week leading up to the church’s Christmas celebration. For Bryson, who lost her husband two years ago, the process of helping to create the Putz has been transformative. “For myself, it’s been illuminating. It helped lift my spirits,” she explained. “It’s given me a sense of purpose and helped me to be a part of the community again. It’s been lifesaving in a lot of ways.” Adams, a longtime resident of the community, extolled the virtues of being a part of the CFCC “I just love going to church here,” she said with a smile. WAGNER REFLECTS With preparations for the Moravian Christmas celebration nearly complete, Pastor Wagner took a moment to reflect on his time with the Croton Falls Community Church and the reason behind bringing the celebration to the community. “When I came here 30 years ago, I inherited a museum,” Wagner recalled. “I told them I wanted to create a zoo. Someone told me, ‘you’re not creating a zoo out of my church.’ But think about it. If you ask a kid if they want to go to Sunday school, they won’t be excited. But if you tell them they’re going to a zoo… A zoo is a place where you encounter different animals that you wouldn’t encounter in your daily life. For a church, you can create creative experiences for people to experience the eternal one, God, however you define it. That’s why we have a Putz. It allowed everyone to participate. It’s been a wonderful process.” Finally, Pastor Wagner offered a message to the community for the holiday season. “However you live your life, you need to approach that with love. As a pastor in a broken world, with all the hatred we see, we all need to find a little bit more love. That’s why we did this. This is a gift of love to the community.” The Christmas Putz presentations will take place from Dec. 17 - 24, at 7 p.m. The Moravian Children’s Christmas Eve Love Feast will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 24, and Christmas Eve services will be held at 8 and 11 p.m. The Croton Falls Community Church is located at 628 Rte. 22 in Croton Falls. 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PAGE 30 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Somers, Westchester County, New York will conduct a Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 7:30 P.M. at the Somers Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York, 10589 on the application of Rudolf Ten-Pow for three Variances and a Special Exception Use Permit. The property included in this application is located in an R-80 Residential District at 2546 Mohansic Creek Road, Amawalk and is known and shown on the Town Tax Map as Section: 36.12, Block: 3 Lot: 11. All persons having any interest in the application are invited to attend and will be given an opportunity to be heard. BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS VICTOR CANNISTRA CHAIRMAN Denise Schirmer, Secretary December 7, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Somers, Westchester County, New York will conduct a Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 7:30 P.M. at the Somers Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York, 10589 on the application of Peri Nacaj for a Variance. The property included in this application is located in an R-10 Residential District at 16 Wright Road, Yorktown Heights and is known and shown on the Town Tax Map as Section: 16.14, Block: 3 Lot: 15. All persons having any interest in the application are invited to attend and will be given an opportunity to be heard. BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS VICTOR CANNISTRA CHAIRMAN Denise Schirmer, Secretary December 7, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Somers, Westchester County, New York will conduct a Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 7:30 P.M. at the Somers Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York, 10589 on the application of Thomas and Vaness Janec for a Variance and a Special Exception Use Permit. The property included in this application is located in an R-40 Residential District at 51 Raemont Road, Granite Springs and is known and shown on the Town Tax Map as Section: 27.13, Block: 1 Lot: 13. All persons having any interest in the application are invited to attend and will be given an opportunity to be heard. BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS VICTOR CANNISTRA CHAIRMAN Denise Schirmer, Secretary December 7, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Somers, Westchester County, New York will conduct a Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 7:30 P.M. at the Somers Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York, 10589 on the application of Elton and Jennifer Paul for a Special Exception Use Permit. The property included in this application is located in an R-40 Residential District at 8 Old Croton Falls Road, Somers and is known and shown on the Town Tax Map as Section: 17.08, Block: 2, Lot: 1. All persons having any interest in the application are invited to attend and will be given an opportunity to be heard. BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS VICTOR CANNISTRA CHAIRMAN Denise Schirmer, Secretary December 7, 2023 One touch of a button sends help fast, 24/7. alone I’m never Life Alert® is always here for me. 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Online Auction Closing Begins: Wednesday, December 27TH, 2023, 10AM Auctions_Intnl_Riverhead_2x2.crtr - Page 1 - Composite Contact Us The Somers Record 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]. Advertising Deadline The advertising deadline for The Somers Record is the Thursday before the next publication date. Advertisements can be submitted by you as a camera-ready PDF via email at [email protected]. We also offer our clients a free ad design service. For more information, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151.
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This specific offer is not available in CO; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN); Rider kinds B438/B439 (GA: B439B). 6255 DENTAL Insurance NEW YORK HOMEOWNERS: HELP IS AVAILABLE EVEN IF YOU COULD PAY CASH ROOFING | SIDING | WINDOWS | DOORS & MORE! Approved applications will have the work completed by a quality repair crew provided by: HOMEOWNER FUNDING. Not affiliated with State or Gov Programs. Contractor License: NY: #2719-h14 888-254-6006 or visit NYProgramFunding.net NEED HELP WITH EXPENSIVE REPAIRS? WE MATCH YOU WITH FUNDING YOU CAN AFFORD. ...but it won’t last! Enrollment is only open during a limited time. Programs, appointments, and installations are first come, first serve. ACT NOW! WHY DO WE ADVERTISE IN HALSTON MEDIA’S LOCAL NEWSPAPERS? TO ADVERTISE WITH US, CALL BRETT FREEMAN AT (845) 208-8151 “By promoting our business in Halston’s local newspapers, we have attracted many new customers and it has helped us stay connected to our existing clients. Readers love our monthly specials, and Halston’s staff is always there when we need them.” ~Mary & Ted Kugler Bee & Jay Plumbing & Heating Pana Infiniti LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/31/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Grunwald & Seman, PC, Attn: Milton Grunwald, Esq., 100 Garden City Plaza, Ste 203, Garden City, NY 11530. General Purpose Silverlake Estimating LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/31/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Chris Bisceglia, 1 Main Place, West Harrison, NY 10604. General Purpose 99 North Broadway LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/31/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 11 Quarry Ln, Irvington, NY 10533. General Purpose 589 Building Management LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 9/29/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Fation Syla, 140 Brendon Hill Rd, Scarsdale, NY 10583. General Purpose Cosmic Art Studio LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/25/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 354 Mamaroneck Rd, Scarsdale, NY 10583. General Purpose
PAGE 32 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 ILLUMINATE SOMERS Parade of Lights WILL BE PROVIDED UNTIL WE RUN OUT • O R G A N I Z E D B Y T H E S O M E R S L I O N S • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17th J O I N U S F O R A C A R A V A N T O U R O F T H E H O L I D A Y L I G H T S A R O U N D T O W N Beginning from the Reis Park parking lot, starting times can be scheduled in half-hour increments beginning at 5 P.M. Each tour should take approximately 90 minutes T O S I G N U P F O R T H E P A R A D E O R T O R E G I S T E R Y O U R H O M E V I S I T W W W .I L L U M I N A T E S O M E R S . C O M • P R I Z E S C O U R T E S Y O F T H E G E N E R O U S S U P P O R T O F T H E K E A R N E Y F A M I L Y • PRIZE CATEGORY Best Overall / Community Choice Most Original/Creative Best Figurines & Inflatables Best Classic Decorations PRIZE $100 or plaque $50 $50 $50 E V E N T S P O N S O R