VOL. 11 NO. 50 THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 31 CLASSIFIEDS 30 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 2 HEALTH & WELLNESS 15 LEGAL NOTICES 28 LEISURE 24 OPINION 8 SPORTS 20 Flag Football Preview pg 22 KICKOFF! Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER What are the odds? Within days of deciding to reach out to the public for help, the family of John Fiscella, a 54-year-old Somers man who was desperately in need of a new kidney, got a life-changing voicemail. It came from Maryjean Lugo, a Somers mom whose 22-yearold son, Vincent, had just passed away. She and her husband, Bill, were hoping to donate his vital organs to someone in the community. e Lugos had heard about the Fiscella family’s plight, were touched by the fact that he and their son had both graduated from Somers High School and that they were both musicians, and wondered if they could do something. at was Tuesday morning, March 14. e message “came out of the blue,” said an awestruck Heide Fiscella, John’s wife. A diabetic, Fiscella was in endstage renal failure. e popular guitar teacher had been on dialysis for more than a year and was on a waitlist for a kidney transplant. ( eir son, Eddie, 21, a pianist, is studying music at his dad’s alma mater, Berklee College of Music in Boston.) He was sleeping 15 hours a day and no longer had much energy for lessons, much less the performances he used to give at local venues such as the Wright-Reis Homestead in Somers. ings had gotten so bad health-wise that the family feared this past Christmas might be his “last,” Fiscella said, goodnaturedly joking that he got so many presents – including a race car set – that he felt “like a kid again.” A lifelong asthma su erer, Vincent Lugo had collapsed at home after a severe attack late the previous Friday. He was rushed to the hospital and had to be placed on life support. Doctors there told the family that he had also tested positive for COVID. On Sunday, his parents got the heart-wrenching news that the damage to their beloved son’s brain -- due to lack of oxygen -- was irreversible. He was declared legally dead the following day. ey instinctively knew that their son – who was described as sel ess, kind, generous, and talented by those who knew him – would have wanted to give someone the precious gift of life. And it would be a comfort to them, too, to feel that he was going on somehow. e Lugos turned to LiveOnNY. e nonpro t is a federally designated organ procurement organization for the greater New York City area. After calling the Lugos back Tuesday – which she said was very “emotional” – Fiscella gave them her husband’s information and the number of the transplant team at Westchester Medical Center. (Directed organ requests have to originate from the donor’s family.) At that point, there was no way of knowing if the two men would be a match. Less than three hours later, the Fiscellas got a call from the Valhalla hospital. “Can you get down here, like now?” they were asked. “ ey didn’t give any names or information because they didn’t know how much we knew. ey just said we have a kidney for you, but people wait for years on the list for something like that. So we knew that this was no coincidence. It had to be them,” Heide Fiscella said. Fiscella had to go through more screening to assess the risk of rejection. Tests were being conducted almost right up to the moment they wheeled him into the operating room. “We were very nervous about being disappointed,” his wife said. He passed with ying colors and underwent successful transplant surgery early Wednesday. e Lugos con rmed this week that they had donated Vincent’s kidneys, heart, and liver, which means their son saved Fiscella’s and three other lives. A precious gift Two Somers families share bittersweet story Vincent Lugo John Fiscella SEE GIFT PAGE 5 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 Find Out What Your Home Might Be Worth Scan for Instant Results #UGottaHaveHope #ThankYou #Grateful “Hope is fantastic. She is extremely knowledgeable. She listens well & remembers your likes & dislikes. She also has a great sense of humor. She gets things done. I highly recommend Hope without hesitation. We have had 3 transactions with Hope - she is our agent for life, a trusted partner and has become a great friend.”
PAGE 2 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 Contact ANTHONY J. ENEA, ESQ. Managing Member • Fluent in Italian 914.948.1500 WHITE PLAINS • SOMERS • WWW.ESSLAWFIRM.COM • Asset Protection • Elder Law • Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home/Home Care) • Guardianships (Contested/Non-Contested) • Wills, Trusts & Estates Past Chair of Elder Law Section of NYS Bar Association “Super Lawyer” In Elder Law for 16 consecutive years What steps have you taken to protect your life savings from the cost of long term care? CALL NEW YORK’S ELDER LAW TEAM 914.948.1500 PHOTO COURTESY OF JEANINE AGNOLET LLS Student Visionaries of the year, Gabriella Rado and Caroline Majano, along with their fundraising team at Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School, raised over $40,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and people with blood cancer in their 7-week campaign that began on Jan. 20. Kennedy Catholic also walked away with the 2023 Mission Pillar Award for Patient Support. The students were honored at the Grande Finale awards ceremony in Stamford, CT, on March 10. sionaries of the year, Gabriella Rado and Caroline Majano, along with their fundraising team at Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School, raised over $40,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and people with blood cancer in their 7-week campaign that began on Jan. 20. Kennedy Catholic also walked away with the 2023 Mission Pillar Award for Patient Support. The students were honored at the Grande Finale awards ceremony in Stamford, CT, on March 10. Gaels give back! 2023 Lunch & Learn Series Held at noon on the last Wednesday of each month, the free educational programs will shed light on important elder law and estate planning topics. e 90-minute programs, which include a light lunch and refreshments, will take place at Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP’s White Plains location, 245 Main St., Suite 500, and are open to the public at no cost – though space is limited. ose interested in attending are encouraged to register early by calling 914-948-1500 to reserve their spot. MARCH 29 – AVOIDING THE NEW YORK “ESTATE TAX CLIFF” Take an in-depth look at how to avoid the tax implications of New York’s “estate tax cli .” Learn e ective planning techniques, from the role of completed gift trusts to disclaimer and “Santa Clause” provisions. Presented by Anthony J. Enea, Esq. and Michael P. Enea, Esq. Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church 331 Route 100, Somers EASTER EGG HUNT Sunday April 9, at 11:15 a.m. Children of all ages are invited to join in the outdoor fun beginning at 11:15 a.m., following the Easter service. Bring a basket to collect the goodies, and plan on a family photo op with the Easter Bunny! All are welcome. Further information can be found at www.slcsomers. org, FB SaintLukesSomers, or Instagram saintlukessomers. E-Waste Recycling Day Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. e Somers PTA Council Sustainability Committee is partnering with WIN Waste for an E-Waste Recycling Day on Earth Day! To be held at the Somers Intermediate School parking lot, 240 Route 100. You can nally get rid of the e-waste and scrap metal! Examples include all electronics, appliances, computer, equipment, data, cabling, washers, dryers and TVs. So load up those cars, trucks and vans! Tell your friends and family members. $10 per car is the suggested donation. Somers Central School District FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Thursday, April 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. e 23rd annual, districtwide Festival of the Arts Show is right around the corner, to be held at Somers High ELEPHANT’S TRUNK SEE TRUNK PAGE 4
BY TOM WALOGORSKY EDITOR At Somers High School, Arielle Zeitchick’s creativity takes many forms. Most recently, she was part of the team that provided the makeup e ects for the SHS production of “Night of the Living Dead,” and passes her passion for the arts on by teaching youth painting, crafting, and improv classes. In addition, Arielle is also an avid photographer and has steadily built her portfolio by snapping shots at the 2022 Battle of the Bands and Tusker football games, among other events. Outside of the arts, she is involved in environmental advocacy and currently serves as the co-president of the school’s Environmental Club. Arielle is also a part of Student Council, Photography Club, Tri-M, and the National English Honor Society. The Somers Record caught up with Arielle to learn more about her artistic in uences, favorite performing arts memories, and advice for younger students looking to follow in her footsteps. When and how did you begin performing? Before I came to Somers, I was involved in orchestra in Clarkstown, which I then continued at the intermediate school when I moved. Around seventh grade was when I was pulled into my rst audition for theater, and landed the Candyman in Willy Wonka Jr. at the middle school. Ever since then, I have been involved in theater. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 3 HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com Always Supporting Our Community. Let’s All Support Our Local Restaurants! A number of local students have been honored for their scholastic achievements at colleges and universities across the country! e following were recognized for their academic performance and named to Dean’s List for the fall semester of 2022. Hamilton College Trevor Scheuing SUNY Delhi Carson Brunco Julia Rios Tufts University Mia Cornell Jonah D’Alessandro Bryant University - President’s List Zachary Bertolino Celebrating our scholars! SHS senior has the makeup for success Arielle embraced the creative (and sometimes crazy) world of the performing arts at SHS. PERFORMING ARTS SPOTLIGHT Do you have a favorite type of part to play? I love roles that I can be a bit wacky with, so comedic roles are always a fun time. Honestly, just any role that I can express a part of myself with and that pushes my limits a bit. How much time do you devote to rehearsing? How do you balance that time with studying and other endeavors? Depending on whether I am currently involved in a show, it can vary. During show season it is typically around one to four hours a day. When not in a show, usually I try to keep it to a couple of hours a week. In terms of balancing, it’s mostly about trying to nd time during rehearsal to do school work, making sure I have good time management when I’m home, and also making sure I have time to just unwind and relax. It also helps to have good communication with teachers, employers, and those I am involved in clubs and other activities with about scheduling. Have you been involved in any performances outside of school that you are particularly proud of? I had the incredible opportunity to do an audition workshop through Helen Hayes Youth eatre. ere, I was able to perform both a scene and an audition cut of a song for two Broadway performers, the owners of Two Worlds Entertainment, and some of the Helen Hayes sta , and receive critiques. I was also taught a dance number by one of the performers. While not speci cally a performance, it was a truly amazing experience. is past summer, I also had the incredible opportunity to co-direct three di erent productions. My favorite was “Metamorphoses” by Mary Zimmerman, where I got to create something truly special and help young actors, some of which were completely new to theater, nd their way and express themselves through di erent characters. Being able to create that world on stage and watch it come to life through these new actors was truly something magical. Are you involved in any other activities at SHS? I am involved in Student Council, Photography Club, Tri-M, National English Honor Society, as well as having been an executive board member of the Environmental Club for the past four years. What are your plans after high school? Do they include performing arts? As of writing this, I am still undecided in my college commitment, but I will be attending college in the fall. ere I hope to continue my career in theater with performance, but also focus a bit more on the directing side of it, as I have fallen in love with that aspect. I also hope to expand more into the lm industry during college. Where do you think you will be in 10 years? Do you plan to continue with your performing career? To be quite honest, I would love to have the answer to that myself. While I am not sure what lies in store for me in the next 10 years, or what new interests or career paths I’ll nd in college, I do hope I never lose performance entirely. I would like to still be involved in theater or performance in some aspect, hopefully for the rest of my life. How has being a performer shaped your high school experience? ere is such a beautifully creative (albeit a little crazy at times) family that is produced by performance. Within the musical arts, and honestly general arts, community, you are able to nd so many di erent people and experiences to connect with and learn from. I also feel that performance has helped me a lot in terms of expressing myself and learning who I am and want to be as a person. What is your favorite performance memory? ere are de nitely a lot of favorites. Some highlights include playing Disney trivia with cast mates during the intermission scene of “Shakespeare Rattle and Roll,” the chaos of trying to get everyone’s makeup done on time for di erent scenes in “Night of Living Dead,” and desperately trying (sometimes successfully) to learn the teetertotter during the Devils and Angels dance in “All Shook Up.” As a senior at SHS, what kind of advice would you give to younger students who want to be involved in the performing arts? While it can be very nervewracking at rst, the best way to be successful in performance is honestly just to be yourself. is sounds incredibly cliche, but personally through performance I have learned so much about myself and grown so much as a person. Performance is all about expression and authenticity, so just be yourself and allow your creativity to thrive.
PAGE 4 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 The Sta EDITORIAL TEAM Tom Walogorsky Editor: 914-302-5830 [email protected] Whit Anderson Sports Editor [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 o ices. 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 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK School. Artwork from Somers students in every grade will be on display. Please join in celebrating the outstanding e orts of the Somers Central School District’s young artists. Somers Lions Club In 1966, the Somers Lions Club was chartered and has grown exponentially with dedicated men and women who volunteer their time, skills, and energy to make a di erence in people’s lives, both in our community and for the charities we support. Lions can be found working on “hands-on” 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. e Somers Lions would like to welcome their newest members, and are proud to serve alongside you. Chabad of Yorktown 2629 Old Yorktown Rd., Yorktown Heights, NY 10598. (914) 962-1111. Please RSVP to events by visiting www.ChabadYorktown.com COMMUNITY SEDER Wednesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Chabad of Yorktown invites the Jewish community to join in Community Passover Seder. Warm and inviting atmosphere. Gourmet passover cuisine. Enjoy a meaningful and interactive seder. 1ST NIGHT OF PASSOVER Wednesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. At Chabad of Yorktown. For more info and to RSVP (Must RSVP by Sunday, April 2) visit: www.ChabadYorktown. com or call 914-962-1111 Somers Education Foundation www.sefny.org SEF HONOREE RECEPTION Friday, April 14, from 6 - 9 p.m. To be held at Anglebrook Golf Club. e organization will be be inducting three deserving Somers residents into the SEF Hall of Fame. TRUNK FROM PAGE 2 SEE TRUNK PAGE 26 incolndale Wine & Liqu Lincolndale Wine & Liquor Huge Selection of your Favorite Wines & Liquors Free Local Delivery (within 10 miles on purchases of $75 or more) March Madness Continues 155 Rt 202, Village Plaza, Lincolndale (next to Sunrise Diner—across from Appliance Sales Plus) Mon-Wed 930-9P • Thurs-Sat: 930-930P • Sun: 12N-8P 845-475-7574 • 914-248-6000 20% OFF Any of these Brands Lincolndale Wine & Liquor Not valid with any other offers. Some exceptions apply. Exp. 3/31/23
HOW DID THIS COME TO BE? So how did the two families come together so quickly? Heide had written a plea for help, which she passed to her mother-in-law, Rose, to distribute. (Neither she nor their son was a suitable donor. On the national transplant list for a year, they also had yet to be crossmatched.) Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time the Fiscella family has had to go through something like this. In 2018, John’s brother, Matt, was suffering from chronic kidney disease. The dad of three and a 1989 Somers High School grad was undergoing dialysis three times a week in order to stay alive. He put the word out via Facebook and a living donor emerged. The transplant was a success and the Fiscellas and that person’s family have kept in touch ever since. Rose Fiscella thought if a public plea worked once, it could work again. “I said, let’s try it. What do we have to lose? Now that it’s turned out fine, it feels like we won the lottery twice,” she said, adding that there weren’t words to adequately describe the Lugos’ “unbelievable” act of generosity. Rose then passed Heide’s email to a friend, Corinne Stanton, a Halston Media account executive who has lots of connections in the community. Stanton immediately sent it to Somers Record editor Tom Walogorsky on Friday, March 10. Maryjean Lugo works as a library aide at Somers Intermediate School. On Monday, March 13, she contacted SIS Acting Principal Linda Belger to see if she could get the word out that they were hoping to find community members in need of a transplant. Belger thought alerting the local newspaper would attract a wider audience. She reached out to the school district’s spokesperson, Amanda Bergen, who contacted Walogorsky. Putting two and two together, he sent the Fiscellas’ note to Bergen, who passed it to Belger. The district’s email was sent to Stanton. Belger contacted Maryjean, who then left a voicemail with the Fiscellas. And a life-saving connection was made. Calling back was rough, John Fiscella recalled. “We didn’t know what to do. We were like, this is the person’s worst hour of need, their lowest point. How do you call somebody? What do you say? We were crying but she held up pretty good,” he said of Lugo. THE ‘CAT WHISPERER’ Teacher Matt Ridgeway said on Facebook that it “was a privilege to have (had) the chance to teach and mentor Vin at Somers High School.” Calling him an “unforgettable kid who shared positivity, kindness, and his great smile with so many people,” Ridgeway said Lugo will “be sorely missed.” If his mother had to name that special something that made Vincent so memorable to so many it would be: charism. And it wasn’t just people, animals were charmed too. His family jokingly called him the “cat whisperer.” One of their favorite photos shows the big tough-looking guy gently cradling his favorite feline, Lucky. Music was Lugo’s biggest thing. After getting his first drum kit at age 13, he went on to play guitar and bass, sing, and write songs. When a teenager, he went to the School of Rock in Bedford. While not currently in a band himself, Lugo was a great supporter of those who were and was known to perform with his favorite groups. Mother and son bonded over music. She introduced him to rock and roll and other genres of her generation. He grew up listening to the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Styx, and Journey. The first live concert they attended together was put on by Jon Bon Jovi in Central Park. Vin was seven. At nine, he rocked out to KISS. As a teen, he discovered metalcore, a fusion of extreme metal and hardcore punk. While not all of that type of heavy music was her thing, Maryjean went along when she could. “I was supporting his passion,” she explained. Once Lugo learned to drive, he started taking himself “all over the place,” Maryjean said, noting that he “attended just about any show that he could.” And that’s what people remember most about him, how THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 5 GIFT FROM PAGE 1 SEE GIFT PAGE 6 PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LUGO FAMILY Vincent Lugo will be remembered as a kind and generous person with a passion for music. ‘Here is this 22-year-old kid and he was able to give the gift of life. It’s a testament to who he was.’ Maryjean Lugo Call us at 914-245-5588 or visit anglebrookgc.com to learn more. Non-Equity—No Assessments • Flexible Membership Options—Corporate, Individual, Couples, Families, Junior Executive and Weekday-Plus • Expanded Patio Terrace Outings, Receptions & Banquets • Liberal Guest Policies MGA’S MODERN DREAM 18 (2017) ROBERT TRENT JONES SR’S FINAL DESIGN A MODERN CLASSIC Join Anglebrook today NEW SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP
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CALL TODAY FOR RESERVATIONS! “I’ve been playing the drums since I could hold my head up,” said Somers Middle School seventh grader Jason Graessle. e gifted young artist, who plays the drums, piano, guitar, bass and saxophone, released his debut album, “Jace,” on February 3 on Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube and Deezer, with “more to come.” Jason’s dad, Christopher Graessle, con- rmed his early start. “We gave him a pair of chopsticks and he would rhythmically tap on whatever was in front of him well before his rst birthday,” said Graessle. Jason spent four months composing, recording and mixing the ten rock songs on “Jace,” which have piano and drums as the focal point. “It felt magical,” he said. “It’s all just pouring out of your ngertips when you’re doing it.” He released the album under his stage name, Jace James. Jason taught himself to play the guitar at age ve and the piano at nine; he started formal drum lessons at nine. His rst band experience came in the fourth grade at Somers Intermediate School, where he chose to learn the saxophone. Jason continues learning the saxophone at Somers Middle School. Rachel Malara, Jason’s band teacher, marvels at his musical abilities. “Watching Jason grow as a musician over the last few years has been a pleasure,” she said. “Whether he is deejaying, drumming, composing or playing the saxophone, his desire to create never stops. His energy is infectious.” Jason spends much of his free time in his home studio composing and re ning his music. “He tells us that the vibe has to be right to create, so he’s also delved into stage lighting and has designed an advanced digitally controlled lighting and laser array in the studio,” said his dad. A career in music or the arts is highly probable for Jason. “I’m thinking there’s nothing else I’d rather do,” he said. High school is more than a year away, but he is already considering colleges. “I’ve been into the Berkeley School of Music in Boston, but another possibility is New York University because I also love the visual arts. You get to mix the two together and get the cinematics of it all.” Jason clearly has a bright future, but we don’t have to wait to experience his talents. You can listen to his music right now on YouTube. Article courtesy of Somers Central School District. Somers seventh grader releases album of original music Jason Graessle supportive he was of other musicians. “He was just a shining light in that community,” his mom said. When not at his day job as a postal carrier in South Salem, he would hang out with his girlfriend, Aviana, or go out with his dad to hit a few golf balls at the driving range or to catch a car show. Vin could be a little introspective. When in need of some alone time, he would drive over to Bear Mountain, a quiet spot where he could take in nature and relax. “He found that comforting, I think,” Maryjean added. Calling her late son “a good soul” and her “whole world,” she hopes that she, his loved ones, and friends nd some comfort in his last act of kindness. e fact that he has helped another musician seems like “it was meant to be,” Lugo said, adding: “Here is this 22-yearold kid and he was able to give the gift of life. It’s a testament to who he was.” THANKS AREN’T ENOUGH e fact that John’s donor was so close in age to their own son really hit home for the Fiscellas. “I can’t even imagine what they’re (the Lugos) are going through. A thank-you doesn’t even seem to scratch the surface, but I’m thinking of them night and day for what they’ve done. For Maryjean to be so brave to make that phone call, right after losing her son, to reach out and call to see if there was something they could do, it’s just mindblowing,” Heide said. Asked to jump in, John wasn’t shy about expressing his gratitude. “First of all, anyone you know gets free guitar lessons for life. Second, of all, just big hugs all around and if they need anything … I know you’re not supposed to give them money or anything like that … maybe a little gift box for Christmas,” he said. SERVICES A memorial visitation for Lugo will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Road, in Katonah. GIFT FROM PAGE 5
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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 a iliates. 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 O ice: 914-302-5830 [email protected] PAGE 8 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 I n June 2021, our former editor, Brian Marschhauser, moderated a Q&A with Yorktown resident Mark Levine at the Bedford Playhouse after the rerelease of Levine’s book, “ e Trial of the Chicago 7,” which he co-edited with two other editors in 1970. e book was re-released on the 50th anniversary of its publication and coincided with the release of the Net ix lm of the same name, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. e book is an edited transcript of the trial of seven prominent anti-Vietnam War activists accused of conspiring to riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. e defendants included prominent countercultural gures such as Abbie Ho man, Jerry Rubin and Tom Hayden. As the son of Baby Boomers, I know many people of that generation proudly proclaim their a liation with the counterculture, forever associating politics with their position on the Vietnam War. e phrase, “Never trust anyone over 30,” became a common refrain during the 1960s. Yet some of these same people today (certainly not all) seem o ended by anyone questioning society’s prevailing narratives. In other words, some have become what they once hated. During the Q&A at the Bedford Playhouse, after stating clearly that he was opposed to the Jan. 6 protesters, and that he believed it was an imperfect analogy, Levine made a tangential comparison to them and the Chicago 7. Again, Levine was very careful in his wording and was clear that he opposed what took place on Jan. 6. But for the mere suggestion of a tangential analogy, he was roundly criticized by a person in the audience. Despite this audience member’s obvious a nity for and commitment to the cause espoused by Levine, who exposed the outrageous actions of the judge presiding over the Chicago 7 case, the irony was lost on him. e irony is that despite that audience member’s sympathizing with the counterculture of that era, those who are now enraged by sincere inquiry, open dialogue and debate no longer hold those same values. e counterculture participants of the 1960s generation were the “classical liberals,” who supported questioning and skepticism. Members of the counterculture in 2023 are today’s classical liberals. ey don’t seek to censor people on social media. ey are not o ended by questioning the status quo. ere are no sacred cows. ose who are o ended by questioning the status quo are not classical liberals – they are in fact illiberal. To be clear, the term “classical liberal” has nothing to do with a person’s political party or who they voted for, or how they feel about a host of issues. is is because classical liberals hold all sorts of diverse opinions on the issues of the day. e one thing uniting them is a commitment to sincere inquiry, open dialogue and debate. I use the term “counterculture” and “classical liberal” interchangeably because I believe those who set the agenda of the mainstream culture (those in charge of Hollywood, Wall Street, Silicon Valley and both political parties in Washington) are more protective of their sacred cows than they are about sincere inquiry, open dialogue and debate. Anyone questioning the “accepted” prevailing narrative on any given topic is squarely on the side of the counterculture. Because of such diverse viewpoints, the counterculture creates strange bedfellows. It always has. e shift of many from liberalism to illiberalism is why stand-up comedians, particularly Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock, have been excoriated for their jokes. Humor has no sacred cows. It is the last vestige of a free society. When humor disappears, be afraid. e shift of many from liberalism to illiberalism is also why award-winning Hollywood director Oliver Stone said in an interview in 2020 that he wouldn’t have been able to establish a career if he was just starting out today. It’s why famous liberal comedian and political commentator Bill Maher is now considered by many to be right wing. It’s also why Robert Kennedy Jr., prominent feminist author Naomi Wolf, famous liberal investigative journalist Glenn Greenwald and former Congresswoman and Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee Tulsi Gabbard have all found themselves on the outs among “progressives.” All of the above people have dared to question the o cial mainstream narrative on various topics. Getting into speci cs, Stone’s powerful and nuanced lms clearly sympathize with the anti-Vietnam War movement of the 1960s, but his commentary today about the war in Ukraine remains outside acceptable cultural dialogue. is is the same for Gabbard, who ran for president in the 2020 Democrat primaries. Meanwhile, Maher, in his HBO show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” is an outspoken Democrat, but he has been making headlines recently for his critique of cancel culture in his own party. And of course, Kennedy, who is the scion of Democrat Party royalty, holds the party line about everything except for the topic of vaccines, and for that, the rst sentence on his Wikipedia page as of press time states that he promotes propaganda and conspiracy theories. Similarly, Wolf, a hero of liberal feminist political thought with her book, “ e Beauty Myth,” and who advised the Clinton-Gore campaign in 1996, has also been excoriated for her views on vaccine mandates. Finally, Greenwald was a hero on the left for writing about violations of American civil liberties following the 9/11 attacks. He continues to write about the violation of American civil liberties in 2023, and for that, he is roundly criticized by some of the same people who applauded his journalism during the George W. Bush Administration. To be fair, some of those people who criticized Greenwald during the Bush Administration are now applauding him. Despite the fact that my biggest critics think of my columns as being too conservative, my commitment to classical liberal values remains the overarching theme of my political commentary. at irony is lost on those readers who have sent me nasty notes over the years, as those critics Some have become what they once hated BRETT FREEMAN PUBLISHER’S MEMO SEEFREEMAN PAGE 9
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 9 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! FREEMAN FROM PAGE 8 falsely believe they are the ones who harbor liberal values. Far from it. True classical liberals aren’t dogmatic followers of anything except their commitment to open dialogue and debate. Wearing my journalist hat, a couple of years ago, I joined a secret private Facebook group, the name of which I shall not reveal, consisting of members strongly skeptical of the COVID vaccine’s e cacy. To be clear, I received multiple doses of the COVID vaccine, as did my wife and two children. All of us still came down with the virus. My wife has been infected three times, and is still su ering from long-COVID following her rst bout in August 2021. It left her with debilitating asthma. So, does the vaccine really work? e published data suggests that the vaccine does indeed moderate severity and it reduces incidences of hospitalizations and death. While I accept that databased observation, as a journalist, I am inherently sympathetic to people who are skeptical, ask questions, and even arrive at di erent conclusions. at is journalists’ sacred obligation. e Facebook group I joined — as an observer — used secret terminology in lieu of the word “vaccine,” as they were vulnerable to censorship, and group members didn’t want their page taken down. As a person committed to classical liberal values, I was curious and wanted to hear from all sides on such important issues. I know some of our readers are now shaking their heads in disapproval and are angry with me for being so irresponsible as to listen to conspiracy theorists, but please hear me out. Forget about COVID for one second. If I was the head research scientist for a great vaccine to prevent the next scary virus, and I was in possession of compelling evidence that the vaccine I invented was harmless and would save countless lives, the LAST thing I would do would be to create a culture where those who questioned it had to use secretive terminology on social media. ere is no greater way to harm your own cause than to exacerbate people’s paranoia through censorship. To be clear to those frequent letter writers who believe I’m always creating a “straw man” in my arguments, I’m far less animated by or motivated by the topic of vaccines (or any of the other topics touched upon in this column). I am, however, outraged by anyone’s e orts to sti e debate and open dialogue. My commitment to classical liberal values is why I’m writing this piece. Such questioning of the o cial narrative has led to many important twists and turns in American history. For example, some media outlets were initially ridiculed for spreading “misinformation” when they reported about the Wuhan lab leak theory, but now even the FBI is saying it was the likely cause of the pandemic. Going back to Levine, regardless of the criticism leveled against the imperfect analogy he made during the Q&A at the Bedford Playhouse, Levine seems to be a man unwilling to be forced into any speci c political categories. “I put up a lawn sign saying, ‘ ank You Yorktown Police,’ and right next to it is a ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign,” Levine said in a December 2020 interview with Halston Media. “What gets the most attention are the extremists on the right and the extremists on the left. But there are a lot of us in the middle who believe in doing things the right way.” My own sincere hope as an American is that we return to our nation’s historical commitment to open dialogue. at is what drives progress. My sincere hope as a journalist is that freedom of the press and journalists’ obligation to question and search for the truth, wherever that may lead us, prevail. I’m way too young to hold any political positions about a war in the 1960s, but I think my commitment to open dialogue and debate puts me squarely on the side of the 1960s counterculture and the classical liberals, and I’m proud of that. I don’t want to alarm you, but arti cial intelligence is coming, and it’s about to tell us how dumb we’ve been. e prevailing thought used to be that this technology could change the world in a matter of decades. But that was before arti cial intelligence started working on arti cial intelligence, and now it’s a matter of months. at’s how long we have before politics become even more annoying and dangerous, relationships are turned upside down, the job market is irrevocably transformed and education is rendered all but obsolete. Now that the future is here, it’s gotten mixed reviews. A company called OpenAI has launched software known as Chat GPT-4, and it’s gathering a lot of attention. It works using a “large language model,” which interacts with humans by going onto the Internet and gleaning whatever data is written there about the subject at hand, and o ering solutions based on the nature or context of the question. It can’t capture anything that happened after 2021, but nothing much of interest has Intelligence smarts RICK MELÉN MAN OVERBOARD SEEMELEN PAGE 10
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It gets paid via “prompt tokens,” which are the words you put into the program, and “completion tokens,” which are the words it spits out. e rst thing I would like to ask it is what the hell all that means, but since the program was released after 2021, it may charge me an amount of money that it doesn’t understand for information that is completely wrong. But the possibilities to improve human life are everywhere. If you knew exactly what to say to your future ex-wife after a spat, you could patch things up in time for dinner. My AI can immediately handicap all the phrases that might or might not work, and come up with the right tack based on all the data it has accrued over the course of our relationship, and feed me what to say through an earphone implanted in my head. “Honey,” I say, “it’s not you, it’s me.” And she says, “You’re damn right it is.” I say, “You don’t even have to cook tonight, we can go out.” And she says, “And to the most expensive place in the TriState Area.” Hopefully, I add, “And we can make an early night of it and spend some time cuddling.” anks to AI, I’m winning this. Aren’t I? Later I learn that she also has AI, but sprang for the upgraded version. We had a semi-romantic evening at the jewelers, and made up a few hours and 1.2 carats later. I did save 20 bucks on the upgrade though. You may not even need the future ex-wife at all, if your AI proves itself a better companion anyway. China is always working on robotic friends, because working on AI code can be lonely. But will your new robo-romance always have your best interests at heart, or is the heart something that can’t evolve through software? e learning model has so far shown that it will “mirror” the emotions and attitudes of its user, which can result in creepy responses, or perhaps even worse. But I’m thinking of the money I could save. Every year I waste thousands of dollars on a beautiful vacation, see a world-class city, learn about a di erent culture, amass some wonderful experiences, take some sel es and light up my social media account for a week. Soon, I can have my AI download into my brain everything I need to know about the Colosseum, input some photos of the Blue Grotto with a deep fake of me SCUBA diving and I never even have to get up from watching TV on the couch. But wait, what? When I go on Facebook, what do I nd but pictures of my Arti cial Intelligence laughing it up with some Italian locals at a cafe, having the time of its life. But I’ll always have my memories of e Rockford Files. e implications of AI are just beginning to be felt on a daily basis. What if a technology loser like me could just tell AI to research everything he needs to nish his column? Why can’t it just nish his column itself? I’m not sure my readers have a preference for organic intelligence versus arti cial intelligence, but I bet they would welcome ANY intelligence. I like to think that I’m the quirky kind of guy that cannot be simulated using technology. I guess that’s a pretty compelling argument for technology. For the rest of you, who knows what will happen to your job? I do: It will be taken over by automatons with enhanced intelligence. ey will soon become SO good at your job that the company will need less and less of them, and most of them would have been scrapped, had they not gotten together and invented a work-around work-around to keep them employed: Arti cial Stupidity. Join Rick and No Options for some rock & roll at Back Nine in Cortlandt at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 25! Join Rick and Trillium for some love and harmony at Argonne Rose at Mohegan Lake at 8 p.m. Friday, March 31! Say hello at: [email protected]. MELEN FROM PAGE 9 OK, so Vanilla Ice knew about regulating before I did. Cool. Recently, I have learned all about the world of self-regulating for both kids and adults. I actually came across the topic while scrolling on Instagram one night, when I should have been sleeping of course. Pro-tip: stop scrolling before bed! I knew all about how children and parents could be overstimulated by having too much going on or just being overtired. I recognized all the signs and even wrote a post on what happens to a busy mother when she becomes overwhelmed and overstimulated. I didn’t realize when I wrote it that there was another equally important factor that went right along with it, and that, my friends, was good-old regulation. I’ll dive right into what that means, but for many of you, you may be more familiar with the term dysregulation, because we are in fact, parents. I became interested in learning more about this new term when I noticed my son Tristan would be a wild maniac before bed time. I knew he was often overtired, since now being 3-years-old he refuses nap time when he’s home (although he will still always fall asleep during car rides). Despite being exhausted, he would be bouncing o the walls from around 5:30 to about 7 p.m. I noticed he would often jump on beds and couches, attack his siblings with wrestling moves, and yell while playing, as if he was a warrior about to head into battle. He even starts touching my arms and back, and rubs them because he needs the sensory comforts. Sometimes he tries to lick my shoulders because he Alright, stop, regulate and listen NICOLE DOOLEY MAMA EXPLAINS SEEDOOLEY PAGE 11
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Please just relax!” Truthfully, there were nights that I did. And then I realized that this was his way of trying to calm his body down before bed. He was in fact trying to regulate his body in order to prepare it for sleep. Not the neurotypical way, but still very normal. ere is still much I have to learn about him, including how his sensory issues connect to his struggle regulating his body and emotions and how these factors can sometimes contribute to an ADHD diagnosis later on for some kids. I have noticed some behaviors of his that have led me to absolutely see a connection and wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes our reality later on. As I really started to educate myself on ways to tell if your child is dysregulated, I learned that parents can be as well. I found that for both me and my children, when we felt overtired, anxious, or overwhelmed, our nervous systems were on overload. My two oldest children would often cry and become irritable before bedtime, and once they laid down, they would pass out in moments. I was always the same way. On the other hand, Tristan would often throw toys around his room and scream at everyone before he nally gave in, laid on my shoulder, skin to skin, and went to sleep. How can we help our kids regulate their feelings, emotions and bodies? I have found a few things that have been helping. Deep breathing really works for my daughter and even for myself, while hugging and cuddling works for my 6-year-old. Fresh air and grounding seem to work best for my little guy and I truly recommend grounding for everyone! It’s as simple as going outside and putting your bare feet in the grass or dirt! I know that’s not ideal before bedtime, but it’s a great strategy during the day when weather allows. You can also never go wrong with praying or meditating, whatever your jam is. Some parents swear by a weighted blanket, but I have never tried them and not sure if I like that idea, but I see how it could work for some older kids and be comforting. I would never recommend this for an infant! We also have a noise machine, and that has always helped because the background noise was often soothing, similar to a mother’s womb, where I swear my kids would crawl back into if they could! ere are days when I have seriously thought about turning this house into a circus ring and getting Tristan a trapeze swing so he could burn o some energy before bed. But for now, my greatest help is to remind myself that patience is key and that he operates di erently and I have to be his greatest support in nding ways to help him so that he feels safe and loved. Now, that doesn’t mean I will stop joking around to everyone I meet, telling them that he drives me crazy, because he does! And if I o er to let you have him for the week, I’m kidding. Well, half kidding. And humor is my way of regulating my stress. So be like Vanilla Ice…he knew all along. Nicole Dooley is a Somers mom who enjoys writing for her parenting blog. If you enjoyed her column, you can read more of her entries at www.mamaexplains. com or follow her on Instagram at @mamaexplains for relatable parenting tips and stories. Also, feel free to send her a message or a question at mamaexplains@gmail. com. DOOLEY FROM PAGE 10 PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE DOOLEY Reagan at age 3 trying to regulate...and failing! :) The change to Day Light Saving Time is playing havoc with my sleep. I’m usually a night owl, but going to bed at 2 a.m. isn’t such a smart idea. Last night was no di erent. How was I going to get to sleep? I’d already said my evening prayers and my kitty, Nina, was curled up and peacefully sleeping. I opened the night table drawer looking for a magazine or something else to read to make me sleepy. Nestled under a package of Kleenex was the long forgotten journal I’d started when Art and I had reconnected at our high school reunion in 1995. I opened the journal and began reading with the hope of nally becoming sleepy and settling down for a few hours’ rest. On Oct. 27, 1995, I wrote how I was looking forward to seeing my friends at an informal get-together that evening. Oh, the exciting and nostalgic thoughts that raced through my mind. Dear old friends from Michigan, Arizona and California, whom I hadn’t seen in years, would be ying east. And, what about Art Sche er, who was on the reunion committee? He and I dated right after graduation--he was in the U.S. Marine Corps and I was Memories are made of this... RUTHANN SCHEFFER WHAT WAS I THINKING? SEESCHEFFER PAGE 12
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EAST • CARMEL, NY www.EASTROADMOTORS.com EAST ROAD MOTORS attending secretarial school in Manhattan. However, after a year, we had gone our separate ways. I tapped him on the arm and asked if he remembered me. “I never forgot you,” he replied, giving me a big hug. He quickly let me know he was divorced; I told him that Bud had passed away several years ago, and I was now living in Vermont. Back to my journal: I read how we became re-acquainted—our strongest suit even way back then was always communication. Art and I could talk about everything and anything at any hour of the day, and we did right up until he passed away. ere were many entries recounting the ups and downs of “going where this would take us.” We had a history, knew each other well, but yet needed to know more. ere were tears, some harsh words, and stubbornness, but our a ection for one another never wavered—we were a work in progress. I prayed many times that God would help us clear the way and get past these bumps in the road. Art and I kept the phone lines burning. I would see him on my trips to White Plains to visit Mom; he and I would make plans to try and nd some of the old places where we used to go dancing. He came to Vermont on weekends and I’d nd neat places to investigate. Going to e Vermont Country Store’s old-fashioned soda fountain for a black and white soda in a glass was a favorite. Once we had a picnic at Mt. Mans eld; we had found a at rock by a waterfall where it was quiet and cool. We loved being together, talking for hours over co ee, just like we did all those years ago. Our families getting to know each other over holidays and gatherings is well documented in my journal. My mother remembered Art from our high school days; our children hit it o from the beginning. Now that there are spouses and kids added to the mix over these years, we have a close-knit crew. Perhaps one of my favorite entries is when, on Oct. 13, 1996, Art asked me to marry him. Because he wanted to do it the right way, he asked my mother and sons for their blessings. ey unanimously agreed and our new family was on track! My sons, stepdaughter and her ancé were all part of our wedding on Feb. 8, 1997—what an awesome blast! As Dean Martin sang all those years ago: “Memories are made of this.” I read the last journal entry and held these loving, poignant and happy memories to my heart, closed my eyes and peacefully went to sleep. SCHEFFER FROM PAGE 11 I t’s March 14 and it’s snowing like crazy outside. I guess I missed the weather report last night, because I was surprised when I woke this morning to nd everything covered in pristine white snow. Daisy was anxious to get outside to run in this wonderland; and she did, even all bundled up in her doggie coat. Ken was supposed to hit some golf balls with friends this morning, but cancelled. He must have thought that it would be too dangerous to travel the roads, because he never cancels anything that has to do with golf. Some of my favorite days are the ones just like this one, when Ken announces that he’s going to build a re in our family room. We don’t have res that often, but my neighbor across the street always has a re going in winter, and I love when the neighborhood smells faintly of burning wood. e winter of 2022/23 has been pretty mild, and the days that we would have built a re were few and far between. When Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which meant that there would be six more weeks of winter, I was still surprised by today’s snowfall. I was thrilled when I saw that Ken was getting ready to build a re. He layered the kindling and with the strike of a match, the smaller wood caught re, and before we knew it, we had a blazing re going. No TV is required on these days. Ken keeps himself busy with poking the logs and replenishing the wood in the re. I, on the other hand, grab a blanket and pillow, a large notepad and pen, or a book I’m reading and get comfortable on the sofa in front of the re. I also make a big cup of tea and alternate between sipping tea, reading or writing and staring at the ames. While I get comfortable under the blanket with the pillow at my back, I know Daisy will soon hop up onto the sofa with me, snuggle in and fall asleep. I can’t think of a better way to spend a snowy winter day. Later, I’ll begin making a large pot of stew or one of Ken’s favorites, a homemade pizza. I’m going to thoroughly enjoy this day and tomorrow I will, once again, look forward to spring. Jo Ann can be reached at [email protected]. A cozy re JO ANN FRANCELLA JUST JO ANN Fun Facts by Jo Ann 77% of home buyers want a family room fi replace.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 13 Say, for argument’s sake, you’re at one of those cocktail parties where the servers amble about the crowd with o erings of small bites to whet your appetite. Eat enough of ‘em and it’s almost like a full meal. at’s one way to think of one-act plays staged sequentially – they are the passed hors d’oeuvres of theater. If there are seven small bites that come your way and ve or more tickle your tummy, that’s pretty good, right? Of course, di erent people of varying tastes will not react identically to what pleases their palate. And so it is with a full plate of assorted hors d’oeuvres like the annual “Evening of One Acts” mounted by Ridge eld eater Barn (RTB) now through Saturday, April 1. It’s no mean feat to deliver pithy observations on life in a 10-minute entertainment package and win over the audience in the process. e formidable e ort it takes to be concise and substantive and engaging all at once is summed up by the classic mea culpa, “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” (While worthy of Yogi Berra, that quote in fact is by French philosopher Blaise Pascal.) e good news is that almost all the seven short pieces (averaging 10 minutes each) in RTB’s 2023 bill of fare justify their place in the program well enough. YOU COULD PLOTS e degree of success for this sub-genre of live theater can be measured in direct proportion to the clarity of a discernible plot line. e theatrical shorts that come up short, as a playwright friend of mine reminded me, are more akin to what you’ll see on a sketch comedy show like Saturday Night Live, which is a whole other sub-genere of theater (including theater that is televised). SNL’s trademark sketches present an exaggerated situation that is punched up with jokey jousting and cheeky dialogue, which is not the same as a short play plotline with a beginning, middle and end. ey are two di erent animals, yet it’s not uncommon for creators of short plays to mistake their job as sketch comedy auteur. OMG e RTB show gets o to a strong start in the story department, but then again, how wrong can you go when you go to e Source, aka e Bible. Can you imagine what century-old Abraham and son Isaac chatted about after the boy narrowly escaped being sacri ced by his own father on the altar of God? Writer John Bavoso did, and the result is his clever, thoughtful and well-performed “An Awkward Conversation in the Shadow of Mount Moriah,” crisply directed by Gina Pulice. David Tate and Josh Adelson as father and son, respectively, project a believable lial chemistry – for better or worse, as such relationships can go, especially when the devout elder is so resolute in proving his faith to Yahweh that he’s prepared to sink a shiny, sharp object into his beloved progeny. Also admirable about Bavoso’s strong work here is the organic nature of the humor. ere are no cheap laughs, only well-earned ones. When Abraham realizes his wife (Sarah) will be apoplectic if she nds out what he e short play’s the thing One-acts are the passed hors d’oeuvres of theater PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULETTE LAYTON “Stealing a Kiss” is one of seven 10-minute plays on stage through April 1 at Ridgefi eld Theater Barn. BRUCE APAR BRUCE THE BLOG SEEAPAR PAGE 14 A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 2 7 4 2 % I N C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 S O M E R S M A R K E T U P D A T E F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 7 2 2 , 5 3 3 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 1 8 3 1 % 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 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 S I N G L E F A M I L Y A C T I V E H O M E S F O R S A L E 8 2 0 % D E C R E A S E F R O M 2 0 2 2 A V E R A G E S A L E P R I C E $ 5 4 4 , 1 0 0 H O M E S S O L D - Y T D 1 5 4 4 % 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 - 02/28/2023 as compared to 01/01/2022 - 02/28/2022, 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
might have done to his son under orders from God, Isaac says, “You’ve been fearing the wrath of the wrong deity this whole time.” SUPER EGO VS ID Another of my favorites in this RTB collection of one-acts is “No Good Deed” by Ed Friedman, smartly directed with pinpoint pacing by Deborah Carlson. is is another high-concept piece, where the story is clearcut, as are the characters. at’s because Friedman is an accomplished craftsman with a fertile mind, plus the authorial authority and discipline to esh out an idea with rigorous structure and sure-footed rhythm. As Brenda, Pamme Jones (who happens to be the dynamic Executive Director of RTB) is visited backstage after her one-woman community theater show by co-worker Benny (Mark Hankla), who is eager to o er an obligatory “great job!” and then skedaddle his way out of there to join his frat-bro buds at an NFL game viewing party. But Benny – beautifully portrayed by Hankla in a poignant performance lled with pathos – is not getting away so fast. While he’s acting out the prize ght pitting his id against his super ego, Brenda has this guy’s number all day long, and won’t relent in pursuit of what she wants until he has her number. It’s always fun to watch Pamme Jones, whose artful command of the stage never fails to serve her and the audience well. A BUSS BEFORE THE BUS Speaking of sparkling performances, this “Evening of One-Acts” ends on a two-for-one bonus with a pair of veterans regaling us with their well-seasoned talents. In “Stealing a Kiss” by Laurie Allen, Larry Greeley is Harvey, who plants himself on a bus stop bench next to Sue, played by Stephanie Hepburn. He’s a chatterbox who wastes no time romancing the stonefaced Stephanie, who wants less than nothing to do with this silver-haired, silvertongued masher. Tenderly directed by Linda Seay, the piece – part character study, part vaudeville sketch – is tenderly written, evincing ample empathy for both its principals. “Stealing a Kiss” walks a tightrope as Harvey persists and Stephanie resists, but it sticks the landing with a fully-satisfying denouement, enhanced in no small measure by a couple of radiant troupers at the top of their game. FOUR MORE I had too much fun, as did the rest of the audience, watching Angie Joachim (Ruth) and Pamme Jones (Hazel) ham it up hilariously as two actresses out of central casting in Joe Carlisle’s “Rugby’s Angels,” directed stylishly, with a touch of farce, by David Fritsch. Joachim proves herself an expressive and agile comic actor who can e ectively and e ciently deliver a joke without so much as a word (think Fran Drescher). All Joachim need do is emphatically roll her shoulders, Cagney-style, in the swagger of a lm noir toughie, to elicit rolls of laughs. Carlisle’s piece parodies the soul-crushing creative culture and business rituals of Hollywood, as well as the vapid characters and dialogue of a certain genre of primetime TV cops-and-robbers show of the 1970s, as its title unsubtly winks at. Aided by Mark Hankla, who shows up here as writeractor-producer Jimmy, the threesome milk the gags for all their worth, which is perfectly okay with the audience, happy to go along for the ride. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE In Bara Swain’s swift and sassy “Incorrigible,” directed by Craig David Rosen, adult daughter Sandy (Rachel Dalton) has her hands full polishing a baby spoon with toothpaste while also exhorting her jokester mother Marge ( Janice Rudolph) to behave in between mom’s swigs of beer and rapid- re one-liners. e moral of the story? As Marge rightly reminds us, “Aging isn’t for sissies.” Also on the seven-piece bill are “Group,” by Chris Gri n, directed by Brian DeToma, with Rachel Ames, Lindsay Clouse, Ta y Miller, omas Stubbs, and Bill Warnacke as residents, from new to ancient, of a waiting room in need of air conditioning; and “Bassinet,” by Kate Katcher, directed by Greg Liosi, with Cheryl Hughes (Robin) and Sheri Rak (Madeline) as a mother and daughter, respectively, one of whom carries a secret that doesn’t last long while they are buying a used bassinet from Emily Volpintesta (Shauna). Paulette Layton is production manager. Stage manager is Tina Morrissette. Sound designer/assistant stage manager is Addis Engel. Lighting designer is Mark Hankla. Light board by Bob Ottulich. Sound board by Marie Ottulich. Ridge eld eater Barn is unique among local theaters, thanks to its cabaret-style seating at four-tops and counter-style high-tops. Food and beverage can be brought in and consumed starting an hour before showtime, when doors open. Bruce can be seen in a wacky one-act called “Dream Lover” at Westchester libraries this spring, including Somers Library on April 2 at 2 p.m. From June 2-4, he will play the title role in “Tuesdays with Morrie” for e Armonk Players at the Whippoorwill eatre. All shows are free of charge. bruce@aparpr. co; 914-275-6887. PAGE 14 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 OPINION APAR FROM PAGE 13 An Evening of One Acts The Ridgefi eld Theater Barn Through April 1 ridgefi eldtheaterbarn.org 37 Halpin Lane, Ridgefi eld, Conn. One touch of a button sends help fast, 24/7. alone I’m never Life Alert® is always here for me. I’ve fallen and I can’t get up! ® Help at Home sends help fast, 24/7. with GPS! 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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 15 At rest adults breathe between 12-20 breaths per minute or 17,000-22,000 per day. That is a staggering number. Unless we have a cold or become short of breath, we take breathing for granted. With each breath we take, fresh oxygen enters our lungs and oxygenated blood transfers to our heart which the heart pumps to our organs, cells and muscles. As we move or exercise, we breathe faster and deeper because our muscles and cells require more oxygen and the heart pumps faster. HOW WE BREATHE Breathing is a natural process and does not require a conscious effort. But most people tend to breathe shallow using the upper chest and neck muscles and do not use the most important breathing muscle - the diaphragm - to breathe. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle under your ribcage that contracts and relaxes rhythmically as we inhale and exhale. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHEST BREATHING AND DIAPHRAGM BREATHING Chest breathing uses the chest and neck muscles to pull on the ribcage as you fill the lungs with air, causing the chest to expand when you inhale and relax when you exhale. In contrast, with diaphragm breathing, your diaphragm contracts during inhalation for the lungs to expand, and the muscles between the ribs (intercostal muscles) help to expand and lift the ribcage sideways and allow more air to fill your lung capacity. The abdominals relax as you breathe in and contractz as you exhale. To train and engage the diaphragm to breathe properly will initially require a conscious effort. Breathing from the diaphragm also helps to control your posture by increasing your core strength, relax your neck muscle tightness as you offload on using the accessory neck muscles to breathe. THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF DIAPHRAGM BREATHING Several medical studies show the health benefits of diaphragm breathing; for example, it results in lower heart rate and blood pressure, helps to promote relaxation and exercise more efficiently.* The diaphragm helps maximize lung capacity when you inhale and, when you exhale, it helps to stabilize the primary foundation for the body forming the pelvic girdle. If you imagine the abdomen as a box: where the diaphragm muscle is the lid/top of the box, the core abdominal muscles is the front of the box, the buttock (Gluteal muscles) is the back of the box, and the pelvic floor muscles are the bottom. Using the diaphragm breathing method to assist in movement, exercise, transitions will help you to reserve more energy, prevent lactic acid build up as we have more oxygenated blood to the muscles, keep your posture more balanced and safer and protect your back. Never hold your breath and exhale on exertion or when the muscles contract. TRAINING EXERCISES FOR YOUR DIAPHRAGM MUSCLE To train your body to use your diaphragm more efficiently in all positions and by adding more muscle groups and eventually use diaphragm breathing in your daily life use these exercises: 1. Start: • Lie on your back with your knees bent over a pillow or feet flat on the table/ bed. • Place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen below your ribcage. • Breathe in through your nose and canalize all the air to your diaphragm allowing your hand on the abdomen to raise up to the ceiling as the diaphragm contracts and the abdomen relaxes. No movement should come from your chest hand. • Now exhale slowly through your mouth and pull your belly button to your back bone, tighten your pelvic floor muscles by pulling up between your legs, and contract the inner core muscles as you exhale. When you exhale, envision a vacuum in a plastic bag sucking the air from the inside to contract. 2. Next turn onto your side to practice diaphragm breathing on your side. Raise your upper arm up to the ceiling as you exhale. 3. Turn again onto your back and do mini-bridges by lifting your pelvis up in the air as you exhale adding the glutes. 4. Sit up tall to practice diaphragm breathing in a sitting-position. Lift one leg up to your chest when you exhale adding the hip-flexors. 5. Finally, stand up, exhale as you stand up by engaging your inner core to stabilize and keep your back flat. Tighten your glutes and thigh muscles to get to a tall upright position and lift your ribcage away from the diaphragm. More advanced uses with diaphragm breathing during exercises: • Plank: Lie on your stomach, push onto your elbows and on your knees. Engage your entire core pulling your belly into your spine. Progress to straighten your elbows and do the plank on your hands and toes. • Push-ups: Breathe in and expand your lungs relaxing your abdomen as you lower your body and exhale during the most difficult part as your contract your core– the push up. Correct breathing is a critical aspect of any exercise routine, walking and daily activities as your muscles need oxygen to contract and can make a huge difference in the outcome of your workout. Breathing with your diaphragm will help your feel more energized. As your diaphragm becomes stronger and lungs expand better with fresh oxygen, your inner core will get stronger with each exhale and contraction and you will feel more in control of your body. Take a deep diaphragm breath for a healthier body. If you experience any difficulty breathing, please contact your physician or physical therapist. * Hopper et al “Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults”, National Library of Medicine (Sept 2019). LIZE LUBBE GUEST CORNER ADVERTORIAL We are hands on PTs! The professional services of the team at Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy include: • Pre & Post Surgery Rehabilitation • Sports Injury Rehabilitation • Neurological Rehabilitation • Treatment of Musculoskeletal & Orthopedic Conditions • Postural, Balance & Gait Training • Pain & Headache Management • Body Rebalancing through Diaphragm, Breathing & Pelvic Stability www.lizelubbept.com [email protected] 914.875.9430 892 NY-35, Cross River, NY 10518 (blue office building) Lize Lubbe is the owner of Lize Lubbe Physical Therapy with its main practice located at 892 Route 35 in Cross River and a PT Studio in the premises of Apex Fitness (where her team focus on the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries). Learn more by calling 914-875-9430, emailing [email protected] or visiting www. lizelubbept.com. USING YOUR DIAPHRAGM FOR breathing and a healthier body HEALTH & WELLNESS
THE SOMERS RECORD – TH NMLS #60828 Registered Mortgage Broker NY & CT Banking Depts. All Loans Arranged through Third Party Providers. Call Us Today! 800-771-1071 YOUR LOCAL HOME MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS 1013 Route 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 - www.putcap.com STRONG AS STEEL WITH THE ATTRACTIVE LOOK OF VARIOUS ROOF STYLES Upgrade Your Home with a NEW METAL ROOF Guaranteed to Last a Lifetime! From Dimensional Shingles to classic styles reminiscent of Cedar Shake and Spanish Tile, an architectural roo ng system by Erie Metal Roofs can enhance the beauty of your home while protecting your family and property for a lifetime. Call today to schedule your FREE ESTIMATE 1-855-492-6084 Made in the USA New orders only. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Minimum purchase required. Other restrictions may apply. This is an advertisement placed on behalf of Erie Construction Mid-West, Inc (“Erie”). Offer terms and conditions may apply and the offer may not be available in your area. Offer expires March 31, 2023. If you call the number provided, you consent to being contacted by telephone, SMS text message, email, pre-recorded messages by Erie or its affiliates and service providers using automated technologies notwithstanding if you are on a DO NOT CALL list or register. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use on homeservicescompliance.com. All rights reserved. GA License Number: RBCO006004 LIMITED TIME OFFER 60%off TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 10% off YOUR INSTALLATION Install for Military, Health Workers and First Responders + Warranty- Limited Lifetime. Transferable to 1 subsequent owner from original purchaser. Terms and conditions apply. Hail up to 2.5”, Appearance of the surface coating beyond normal wear and tear. Limited time offer. Expires 3.31.23 St. Patrick’s Day at Irish eyes were smiling during the annual St. Patrick’s Day Lunch at Van Tassell House! Somers seniors gathered to enjoy a traditional Irish feast of corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, carrots and Irish soda bread. e afternoon was a great way for Irish are sm PHOTOS COURTESY OF ERICA GENTILE PAGE 16
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My parents had a knack for planning fun outings. Who could forget that April afternoon in 1980 when I accompanied them to three banks to sit with a banker and go over 12-month CD rates. In ationary cycles and bank visits went together like peanut butter and jelly in my family. High-interest rates were like warm hugs from the government. As an added perk, banks even threw in a toaster, vacuum cleaner or small black and white TV when you opened a new account. Being teachers during that era, my parents’ salaries were e ectively locked in place. Shopping around to locate higher interest rates for their savings was the intelligent way to combat their earnings limitations. However, for estate planning purposes, more accounts made recordkeeping more complicated. Estates can take a long time to administer because heirs and executors have to track down old bank accounts, storage lockers and property records. Separating junk from valuable antiques is not always simple. Executors often must educate themselves as to the decedent’s collectibles – their value, their marketplaces and the best sale options. Hoarder homes present additional obstacles as important records blend in with thousands of bags and envelopes. Finding hidden cash and jewelry is not uncommon and that too can slow an estate down as executors search every drawer and box. Besides drafting fundamental planning documents such as a Will or Trust, we encourage clients to create a “Letter to my Executor.” is instruction letter contains a list of assets, passwords, tangible personal property, collectibles and other important facts necessary to help organize one’s estate. How is an adult child otherwise supposed to piece together 50 years of accumulations and nancial activity without some guidance? Relying on database searches of unclaimed funds is ine - cient. Make life easier for your family. One solution is consolidation. Work with a nancial advisor to bring order to a haphazard collection of nancial accounts. Merging numerous small accounts into one or two accounts is a basic consolidation step. As a bonus, updating bene - ciary forms for these consolidated accounts will simplify the estate process. Bene ciary designations direct assets to the exact individual without going through the Probate process. For tangible personal property, tag sales o er an excuse to comb through personal belongings and identify items that have value, but take up space and are no longer needed. Sometimes, aging parents may not realize how valuable some of their personal e ects or artwork has become. Taking photos and making spreadsheets are smart ways to organize heirlooms. is information can be forwarded to reputable auction houses and dealers who will schedule home visits if it is warranted. Romping through a backyard to snatch plastic eggs with candy inside is way more fun than opening up 60-year-old sewing boxes to nd that Emigrant Savings Bank Passbook from 1975. e lesson is, as always, make life simpler for the people you care about. Contact the professionals at e Feller Group, P.C. today for more tips on organizing your estate. e Feller Group is a multidisciplinary law practice specializing in elder law, estate planning and business advisement. Alan D. Feller can be reached at 845-621- 8640, or visit thefellergroup.com. PAGE 18 – THE SOMERS RECORD HEALTH & WELLNESS THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 Elder Law Wills, Trusts & Estates Estate Planning Medicaid Applications Guardianships Probates Elder Law & Estate Planning A Tradition of Excellence in Elder Law (845) 621-8640 thefellergroup.com 625 Route 6, Mahopac NY 10541 We make home & hospital visits Contact the team today! (845) 621-8640 4 Heritage Hills Plaza, 202 Ctr. • Somers, NY 10589 914-277-4222 • www.somerssmiles.com A new generation of family dentistry CALL US & make your appointment TODAY! $1,000 OFF ALL FULL COMPREHENSIVE INVISALIGN CASES* BEFORE *Promotion applies to first 10 cases STRAIGHTER healthier smile! Spring into a AFTER ALAN D. FELLER, ESQ. GUEST CORNER Is your estate plan like an Easter egg hunt? Cancers of the mouth can a ect anyone. e National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research says oral cancer makes up an estimated 3 percent of all cancer diagnoses made in the United States each year, which equates to roughly 54,000 new cases. Because the mouth is comprised of many di erent types of cells, there are various forms of oral cancer. Each type depends on which cells are a ected. Here’s a closer look at the di erent types of oral cancer. SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says squamous cell carcinomas account for 90 percent of all oral cancers. What to know about cancers of the mouth SEE CANCER PAGE 19
Squamous cells are thin and at and make up the tissues that form the surface of the skin. ey’re also found in the lining of hollow body organs and the respiratory and digestive tracts. VERRUCOUS CARCINOMA is is a slow-growing cancer that is made up of squamous cells. It is a rare subtype of squamous cell carcinoma that only accounts for about 5 percent of oral cavity tumors, according to the City of Hope cancer center. ORAL MELANOMA Melanomas develop in melanin, which are the pigment-producing cells that color the skin. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the skin, including inside the nose or mouth. LYMPHOMA Oral cancers also can a ect lymph tissue. In terms of mouth cancer, lymphoid tissue can be found in the base of the tongue and in the tonsils. While most mouth cancers are squamous cells, the cancer will be further classi ed depending on the exact location where it begins. • Buccal mucosa: e buccal mucosa is the inner cheek tissue. Lumps in this area should be checked out by a doctor. • Gum cancer: Gum cancer may be mistaken for gingivitis, but the two are not one and the same. • Mouth oor: Cancer in the oor of the mouth occurs in the horseshoe-shaped area under the tongue. • Hard palate: e hard palate is the roof of the mouth. is cancer often starts as an ulcer, according to MSKCC. Oral cancers also can a ect the lips, tongue and jaw. Quite often dentists, who should inspect the mouth twice per year, are the ideal health professionals to detect oral cancers early on. Any abnormality in the mouth should be examined and addressed by a doctor. Risk factors for developing mouth cancers include smoking, drinking alcohol, using other tobacco products like chewing tobacco, and exposure to sunlight. Individuals should be cognizant of oral cancers. ough oral cancers may not be as prevalent as other forms of the disease, they still pose a threat, especially when they are not detected in their earliest stages. is article is from Metro Creative Connection. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 HEALTH & WELLNESS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 19 (914) 556-6800 somerssportandspine.com 336 US-202, Suite B1N Somers, NY 10589 (next to Somers Pharmacy) 4SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT TODAY! JOIN US on Wednesday 3/29 - 9:00-12:00 & Saturday 04/01 - 9:00-3:00 Dr. Frank Turchioe 4Chiropractic Care 4Soft Tissue Therapy 4Injury Rehabilitation 4Movement Assessment 4Personal Training 4Sports Performance Training 4Webster Technique We will have Refreshments, Raffles, a Tour of the Office, and Door Prizes. There will be a FREE SEMINAR On Everyday Injury Prevention with Dr. Frank Turchioe, 9:30 on 3/29 & 9:30 and 1:30 on 04/01 followed by ten to fifteen minutes for questions from attendees 17 Miller Rd. Mahopac 845-621-1222 RooneyOrtho.com Rooney Orthodontics Children & Adults CANCER FROM PAGE 18 e Somers Chamber Of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Luz MediSpa last month after owner Eileen Quinones-Rosado moved to a larger location at 340 Route 202 (in Bailey Court). Eileen is a family nurse practitioner with over 13 years of training and experience in New York City. e focus of Luz MediSpa is to accentuate natural beauty by providing a range of services, including injectables, complementary treatments, wellness vitamin injections and IV drips. ese treatments can help boost energy levels, improve immune function, and enhance overall wellbeing. e team at Luz MediSpa believes that everyone deserves to feel con dent and beautiful, and they are committed to helping their clients achieve their aesthetic goals. At Luz MediSpa, the team uses the latest techniques and products to ensure safe and e ective results. Whether you are looking to reduce the appearance of ne lines and wrinkles, enhance your lips, or improve the overall health and appearance of your skin, the team at Luz MediSpa can help. For more information, visit luzmedispa.glossgenius.com or call 866-589-3110. Grand opening of Luz MediSpa PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SOMERS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Somers Chamber of Commerce celebrating the grand opening of the new location for Luz MediSpa, which is owned by Eileen Quinones-Rosado.
Sports PAGE 20 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR 2023 Somers Girls Lacrosse is entering this spring with high expectations, but are ready to face them head-on with optimism and chemistry. e Tuskers nished last season 11-8, having a memorable playo run that included defeating powerhouse Horace Greeley before falling to John Jay in the Section 1 Finals. Coach Debbie Daly says the team will start with a smaller roster, but expects it to expand once games get going. “We are very excited for our 2023 season,” she said. “We are focused on quality over quantity. We are starting our season with 15 student athletes on Varsity, but are very excited for our JV players to be ready to come up and help us out once the season gets started.” Not a nished product at the moment, Daly says the Tuskers are hard at work to peak for the big games. “ e girls have been working hard and putting in a great deal of e ort at practice no matter the weather. We are all getting ready. ey are all smiling and so happy to be starting the season together... We de nitely have the talent, but just need to ne tune our chemistry and conditioning... We will continue to work to better ourselves and our team together.” Like Coach said, as far as talent goes, Somers has plenty. Amongst the captains are the two AllAmericans, Lauren McCartin and Teagan Ryan. McCartin is a mid- elder committed to Yale, while Ryan looks to head the attack before playing for Colorado Boulder in 2024. Captain Maddie Lyle, a Wofford commit, is a senior defender that will give headaches to the opposing o enses trying to cross the goal line extended. She will be helped on defense by the fourth and nal senior captain, Victoria Olsen. Other players to watch out for include Holy Cross commit Molly Fink (Junior, Attack), Ellie Lassen (Junior, Defense), Sydney Ingraham (Sophomore, Mid elder), and Mia Parisi (Junior, Attack). “Our team’s biggest strength is our talent,” said Daly. “We are very skilled in our positions. e areas we want to improve on are chemistry and strength/endurance.” at talent will be put to the test with a di cult slate of competition throughout the season. “We have a very di cult schedule this season with games vs. some of the top teams in the area. We will play New Caanan, Ridge eld and Bronxville, in addition to our competitive section (Class B). We are looking to improve and learn from each game to place us further than we got last year.” Expecting all the moving parts to come together, Daly and the Tuskers are taking it day-by-day to be ready for May, and potentially June. “We want to improve after every game and learn from our mistakes. Our goal for this season is to win our league and section. Our schedule will hopefully help us reach our goals. Go big or go home!” e Tuskers play their season opener at Pelham this Friday (3/24) at 5:30 p.m. Tuskers aiming for Section 1 title Embracing tough schedule with a smile Senior Captain Lauren McCartin will control the midfi eld. FILE PHOTOS: ROB DIANTONIO Senior Captain Maddie Lyle looks to have a big spring. Senior Captain Teagan Ryan will head the attack. GIRLS LACROSSE PREVIEW 66 Miller Road, Mahopac 845-628-2050 www.mavistireofmahopac.com With This Coupon • Expires 4/30/23 $10.00OFF Synthetic Oil change (MOST CARS) 25%OFF 25 % OFF STRUTS & SHOCKS With This Coupon • Expires 4/30/23 CARING FOR YOUR CAR & OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 35 YEARS! The Friendly Mavis Team
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 21 ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT Luca D’Orazio BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Luca D’Orazio (152 lbs.) was a captain on Somers-North Salem Wrestling. e senior began wrestling in middle school, crediting the sport for changing his day-today habits and instilling a daily work ethic. at consistency paid o this past winter as D’Orazio went 30-10 with 25 pins. His season highlight then came Jan. 7, where he put the wrestling world on notice when he won the Eric D’Agnese Somers Tournament by going 4-0 with four pins, including one in the championship match against Hen Hud’s Ismael Andrade. HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED WRESTLING? I was in fth grade, so around 11-12. My older brother (AJ) wrestled in seventh grade and was a really big in uence on me, along with my dad who brought the youth clinic yer to my attention at the time. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING ON THE WRESTLING TEAM? My favorite part about being on the wrestling team, was the wrestling team itself. I loved the atmosphere of bus rides to meets/tournaments, the room during practice and before home meets, and just bonding with everyone individually and growing all together on and o the mat. WHAT DID IT MEAN TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, AND WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT IT? Now that I have had time to re ect, I think wrestling brought me a great deal of con dence and maturity. It made me feel like I belonged in a way where people depended on me, and it drove me to be better. I think what I will miss the most is the mindset. ere is nothing really like the grind of wrestling, with some days having double two-hour practices, and just how it a ected a lot of di erent aspects of life; diet, sleep schedule, needing to have higher grades to be allowed to wrestle, etc. WHAT WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF YOUR WRESTLING CAREER? For sure my highest accolade was winning the (Eric D’Agnese) Somers Tournament by pinning all Wrestling builds good habits for senior captain Luca D’Orazio (152 lbs.) went 4-0 with four pins in the Somers Tournament championship on Jan. 7. FILE PHOTO: WHIT ANDERSON SEE D’ORAZIO PAGE 23 SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFO! 845-600-8004 | www.bellmech.com Hop with BELL! into $avings WHAT IS A HEAT PUMP? Heat pumps will help you find the perfect balance of comfort and savings all year round, while reducing your carbon footprint. These all-in-one heating and air conditioning systems optimize the temperature throughout your home to use less energy, and can save you up to 30% on your cooling and heating costs. Don’t miss your chance to lock in rebates and incentives today— VALUED UP TO 50% of your Heat Pump project while program funding lasts… CALL NOW TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY! $ 1,000 IN REBATES Heat Pump Hot Water Heater Call Us TODAY! 845-600-8004 UP TO $ 174 PLUS TAX Call Us TODAY! 845-600-8004 Preventative Maintenance Visit Starting at Only
PAGE 22 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Somers Flag Football is set to begin their second campaign after a successful inaugural 2022 spring season. Sponsored by the New York Giants, various high schools in Section 1 and Section 4 received support to begin their own girls’ ag football teams. Holding the Section 1 Kicko Jamboree at Somers High School last spring, Giants’ Daniel Jones and Blake Martinez appeared with the team sta to show their support for the milestone. Bringing it back on Wednesday (3/22), the Giants returned along with 16 teams at SHS for the 2023 Kicko Jamboree, providing support for the ever-expanding sport. Looking back at Somers, their 2022 season was a success as they went 4-4, making it past the Section 1 Playo play-in game before falling to Brewster. Coaches Katie DiChiaro and Marta Parker will be returning on the sta , heading a roster with some old and new faces. e four returning seniors include the QB Ella Ponterio, MLB Beatriz Rios, Center MC Ramirez Rios, and WR Abby Abetecola. Other key returnees will be junior Chloe Gabriel (DE/WR), who averaged four sacks per game last year, junior DE Eva Mastrantoni, sophomore WR and punter Julia Schmidberger, and sophomore DE Becca Lippolis. Adding many neophytes, the Tuskers will have ve new freshmen, two of which have been playing ag football for over four years in the youth league. Somers will also have other sophomore and junior newcomers to watch out for. “Our biggest strengths this year will be our experienced QB (Ponterio), defense and receivers,” said DiChiaro. “As our team is young and developing, understanding the ow and rhythm of the game will be something to work toward.” But despite the roster turnover, DiChiaro has high expectations for her varsity squad, on top of her broader goals for the program. “Our goal is to improve on our record and grow as a program, nurturing each player’s strengths and what they are bringing to the team. e future is bright with the feeder program, and enthusiasm for ag football in our town as a whole is high. We want to win our league and section, but we are taking it one game at a time.” e Tuskers kick o their season at home next Tuesday (3/28) against the Briarcli -Hastings combined team at 4:30 p.m. This article went to press before the 2023 Kickoff Jamboree. Tuskers set to begin second season Program’s future is bright The Somers fl ag football team had their inaugural season last spring. FILE PHOTO: WHIT ANDERSON Junior Chloe Gabriele (with ball) averaged 4 sacks per game last year. FILE PHOTO: ROB DIANTONIO Coach Katie DiChiaro (left) and the coaching staff are growing the Somers fl ag football program day by day. FILE PHOTO: ROB DISASTIO FLAG FOOTBALL PREVIEW
four opponents (three in the rst period). But my favorite moments were always watching the team, us cheering on each other as we were out on the mat, and seeing a group of kids that would not normally all hangout grow into a family that supported each other. WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE PREGAME AND POSTGAME ACTIVITIES? My pre-match schedule usually involved making sure I got balanced, not too heavy breakfast/lunch. en closing in on the match time, I would start my mental preparations and a rmations. By the time we warmed up, I got ready to go by making sure I had a good sweat going and was loose. After meets, going out with teammates/friends was always nice, but speci cally the bus rides after a win were really fun. WHO WERE YOUR BIGGEST ROLE MODELS GROWING UP? My biggest role model has been my brother, AJ, who was also a former captain. He wrestled from seventh grade to senior year. He really pushes me to be better all around and really showed me what it meant to be a captain. WHAT IS SOMETHING OTHERS DO NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU? Something others may not know about me is my passion for art. I want to be an animator when I am older and love to draw/sketch. DO YOU PLAN ON WRESTLING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL? I plan on wrestling for club. e colleges I am looking at do not have teams since they are art schools. DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO STUDY IN COLLEGE? I plan to do either animation, motion graphics, or graphic design. Something with digital art, as I have always had a passion for it and it’s what I do in my spare time. IF YOU COULD HAVE A SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? If I could have one super power, it would be Spiderman’s webs. He was always my favorite superhero. I liked the dynamic ght scenes. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WRESTLING MOVE? My favorite move is the reman’s carry. If done well, it puts the opponent straight to their back, or at least gives you decently good positioning. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? My favorite movie is probably Step Brothers. I like the dumb humor and I could rewatch it a thousand times. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM VACATION? My dream vacation is probably island-hopping, going cli jumping, and just being in a tropical environment. FOR A YOUNG ATHLETE THINKING ABOUT TRYING OUT FOR SOMERS-NORTH SALEM WRESTLING, WHY SHOULD THEY GIVE THE PROGRAM A CHANCE? For any young athlete on the fence, I would say give it a try because it can be great to build con dence. It also helps with making friends and meeting people with similar interests and goals. You can even build great connections/relationships with coaches and adults in the community. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 SPORTS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 23 FILE PHOTOS: WHIT ANDERSON Luca D’Orazio went 30-10 with 25 pins his senior season. D’ORAZIO FROM PAGE 21 There is nothing really like the grind of wrestling.’ Luca D’Orazio Somers Wrestling Senior Captain 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.
PAGE 24 – THE SOMERS RECORD LEISURE THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 6 medium russet potatoes 2 tablespoons white vinegar Water Oil for frying (vegetable, canola or peanut oil) Salt Everyone has his or her own idea of comfort food. For some, it is biting into a piping-hot slice of pepperoni pizza. Others can’t get enough of a hearty bowl of beef stew. Snack foods also can be categorized as comfort foods — and potato chips (or “crisps” as they’re known across the pond) are no exception. Potato chips come in di erent avors and cuts, including crinkle and kettle chips. While it’s easy to pick up a bag at the store, why not whip up a fresh batch right at home? You will have complete control over the ingredients and enjoy the freshest chips around. Try this recipe for “Homemade Potato Chips” courtesy of home cook, and country living blogger Kathy from “Beyond the Chicken Coop.” Fresh potato chips can’t be beat Homemade Potato Chips 1. Peel potatoes and place potato in a bowl fi lled with water. 2. Slice potatoes to 1/16 inch thick. Use a mandoline to get an even, consistent size. Immediately place sliced potatoes in another bowl fi lled with cold water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Allow potatoes to soak for at least 1 hour. 3. Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Leave potatoes in colander and allow all water to drain. 4. Place drained potatoes on a clean, dry kitchen towel. Pat lightly to remove any remaining water. 5. Fill pot with 2 inches of oil. Preheat oil to 380 F. Use a thermometer to test temperature of oil. 6. Test oil temperature. Ideal temperature will vary from 370 to 380 F. Fry one or two slices in the oil and cook until they are nicely browned. If the potatoes brown quicker than 3 minutes, lower the temperature by 5 degrees. 7. Place one handful of sliced potatoes in the oil. Stir gently to prevent potatoes from sticking to each other. Cook until golden; 3 minutes. 8. Scoop out and place on a baking sheet lined with a baking rack. 9. Sprinkle with salt immediately and repeat until all potatoes are cooked. Tips: Soaking the potatoes helps remove excess starch and prevents the potatoes from sticking together. It also helps them fry up more crispy. Chips are best eaten the day they are made. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. 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. Influential American political family 5. __ Chantilly, __ de Menthe 11. Within 12. Pleasure seekers 16. Computer manufacturer 17. Home to college sports’ Flyers 18. Fungal disease 19. Sleepwalk 24. Spielberg sci-fi film 25. Seasonable 26. Taxis 27. Radio direction finder (abbr.) 28. Thin, narrow piece of wood 29. ‘Mystic River’ actor Sean 30. Ingenuous 31. Musical composition 33. Turkish surname 34. High or hilly area 38. Wilco frontman 39. Pour it on pasta 40. Electric car company 43. Sea eagle 44. Walk with difficulty 45. Sign of healing 49. Boy 50. Protein-rich liquid 51. Washington city 53. Individual portion of TV series (abbr.) 54. Thought over 56. Scads 58. News agency 59. Standard 60. Deadlock 63. Pre-Columbian empire 64. Removed 65. French commune CLUES DOWN 1. Large, dangerous animals 2. Straighten out 3. Family tree 4. Large stinging paper wasp 5. European river fish 6. Cut down in size 7. Denotes past 8. Larry and Curly’s partner 9. Samoyedic ethnic group 10. Male parent 13. Specific gravity 14. Demeaned oneself to 15. Rigidly 20. Yankovic is a “weird” one 21. Belonging to me 22. Path 23. Airborne (abbr.) 27. Level 29. Atomic #94 30. Born of 31. Midway between northeast and east 32. Northeastern bank 33. Defunct airline 34. Having no purpose 35. A low wall 36. Swedish city 37. Earn a perfect score 38. Atomic #81 40. Beginner 41. Give off 42. Incorrect letters 44. Telecommunication service provider (abbr.) 45. Idyllic 46. Popular beer 47. A way to fine 48. Evildoer 50. More withered 51. Seventh note of a major scale 52. Commercial 54. Abnormal breathing 55. Moved more quickly 57. City of Angels 61. Partner to Pa 62. Equally
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 25 BY RICH MONETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER One great show can change the world, according to Jack Black in the lm “School of Rock.” Maybe, but without a doubt, the world Andrew Tatela lived in changed when he rst performed live. “Once I played in front of a crowd, that was it,” said the Somers High School senior, and with a group of fellow Tuskers, they’re making a mark with their own School of Rock in Bedford. Along with Mikey Abrams, Taylor Bassi and Jake Mohan, they are part of the select few in the music school’s house band. 18 all together, this Somers quartet recently did their part in Progressive Rock show that took place at Mt. Kisco’s Spins in early February. “For three or four months, kids learn songs from a particular theme, and the most recent one was prog rock,” said Tatela. “Yes, Rush, Genesis - one of the most challenging shows they o er because the music is lled with odd time signatures, some dense vocal harmonies and other di cult parts.” Nonetheless, Tatela’s beginning in music began - so to speak - a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. His music teacher exhaled the Star Wars theme on a Euphonium, which is like a mini tuba. “ at’s awesome,” he recalled. “I’m going to play the Euphonium.” Of course, the dark side eventually had its way. “ e guitar, it’s a better look than the Euphonium,” Tatela joked. e same goes when his long curly hair ails about, but the Beatles had a say too. “Yellow Submarine, I watched that over and over,” Tatela said. “All those songs got me into the music I like.” All together now, he joined the School of Rock ve years ago and believes his game has elevated because of the school’s double-edged approach. He rst admits that the school’s emphasis on “accuracy to the recordings” can sacri ce the key component of improvisation. On the other hand, the requirement has made him much more detail orientated. “It really helps a musician to listen and use their ear to really hear a song,” he said. “Because there’s so much more to a song than just chords.” Vocals for one and lead singer Rock on! Somers musicians perform at Bedford’s School of Rock PHOTO: RICH MONETTI The Somers rockers bring their talents to the house band at the School of Rock in Bedford. SEE ROCK PAGE 26 WHY DO WE ADVERTISE IN HALSTON MEDIA’S LOCAL NEWSPAPERS? TO ADVERTISE WITH US, CALL BRETT FREEMAN AT (845) 208-8151 “Advertising in Halston Media’s publications is one of the best investments the Anglebrook Golf Club has ever made. The response far exceeded our expectations, and most of the inquiries resulted in booking banquets, private parties, golf outings and even enlisting new members.” Matt Sullivan, General Manager, Anglebrook Golf Club FUNERAL PREARRANGEMENT Both pre-payment and no-payment options Serving all Faiths since 1858 Cremations and Burials DANIEL B. McMANUS ~ Proprietor BRUCE E. REISDORF ~ Licensed Manager JOSEPH M. McMANUS ~ Director RONALD P. CERASO ~ Director www.clarkassociatesfuneralhome.com 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah • (914) 232-3033 • Only 1/4 mile from 684 exit 6. • Only 1 block from the Katonah Railroad station. • Less than 60 minutes from N.Y. City. • Parking facilities for over 100 cars • Monuments & inscriptions available.
PAGE 26 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 HARLEM WIZARDS BASKETBALL GAME Friday, May 12, at 7 p.m. GOLF OUTING Monday, June 12, at 11 a.m. Returning for the 22nd time! To be held at Anglebrook Golf Club Somers Recreation Department 914-232-8441 [email protected] SPRING PROGRAMS Registration begins Wednesday, March 22 at 10 a.m. Visit www. somersny.com, then click on “Parks & Recreation” and scroll down to “Program Registration Site.” Available programs are in the green tab. TOWN OF SOMERS ANNUAL EGG HUNT Saturday, April 1, at 9 a.m. To be held in Reis Park. Sponsored by the Somers Leos Club and the Somers Department of Parks & Recreation. Join in for pictures with the Cottontail Bunnies and collect eggs that will be redeemed for candy! Open to all Somers residents 10 years old and younger. For additional information, call the Recreation o ce at 914-232-8441. HANGING WITH YOUR PEEPS Grab a Peep coloring page from the library or recreation o ce and decorate your peeps to be displayed at the Library and Parks and Taylor Bassi can cite the growth the School of Rock has given her. “When I rst started performing, I would stand on the stage and look at the ground,” said Bassi. Sort of hiding behind the mic, now she’s really out front. “ e school has made me a much better singer, and I’ve become much more con dent,” said Bassi. Left commanding the stage at this point, the lesson plan hones the intricacies. Elevating her knowledge of music theory, the curriculum has facilitated her ability to match vocal tones to speci c songs, determine how to manipulate voice by shaping the mouth and then executing the proper enunciation of vowels and dictum. “We put a lot of thought into what we are singing,” Bassi assured. She de nitely reaped the reward at Spins, and while any audience elevates, a crowd packed mostly with her music peers struck a chord. “When you have a room full of musicians, they appreciate it fully, and we performed really well,” she said. e junior also pointed to last year’s Battle of the Bands concert that was mostly composed of the arts community. “You’d be surprised how many creative people are at the school,” Bassi boasted. Just not highlighted, she lamented. But Jake Mohan just goes about his business on the drums and is proud of his progress. “Last year, I didn’t make the house band,” he said. “But this year I did, and it means a lot.” Drumming since he was very young and always dabbing with other instruments, his musical process is a bit like sounding it out. “I pick up stu in my ear,” the senior said. “ at’s how I learn music.” Either way, Mohan bangs the drum to the in uence of Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Nirvana and the Foo Fighters and credits the School of Rock for upping his ability to communicate with the band. Visual cues a big part for most, he doesn’t have the luxury. “I’m blind. So instead of looking at each other, it’s listening and going o each other to return the song,” said Mohan. “For example, if a guitar changes to a di erent series of notes, I know we’re in a di erent section of the song.” Overall visibility, on the other hand, has made a big di erence. He’s put himself out there and the results speak for themself. “I heard about the School of Rock, I tried it and the next thing I know, I’m playing music all over the place with di erent people.” Mikey Abrams is one of those and has been at it since he was four years old. e piano at rst, he eventually opted to go upright. “I discovered the guitar,” remembered Abrams. Tuned in, he joined the school six years ago, and the emphasis on skills put him over the threshold and into the house band. From there, students have to practice at least one a week for three hours to prepare for the seasonal shows. “It was a good crowd,” he said of Spins. “We got on stage and played our songs. Everybody enjoyed it.” Realistically, he has no big dreams of being a rock star, and not just because of the long shot involved. “ ere’s just pop stars now,” Abrams clari ed. Music will be part of his life nonetheless. He’ll continue to play and hopes to do something related to music teaching. Taylor, Andrew and Jake are similarly grounded, and intend to have music revolve around more typical day jobs. But while they are all still here, Somers should see and hear what they are missing, because in this venue, there’s no way to lose. ROCK FROM PAGE 25 PHOTO: RICH MONETTI Taylor Bassi, Andrew Tatela, Jake Mohan, and Mikey Abrams TRUNK FROM PAGE 4 SEE TRUNK PAGE 29 Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! © 2023 Consumer Cellular Inc. For promo details please call 844-919-1682 CALL CONSUMER CELLULAR 844-919-1682 O First Month of New Service! 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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 27 Increase referrals and name recognition. Advertise in The Somers Record Bulletin Board and reach over 7,000 USPS delivered mailing addresses every week. Call 845-208-8151 today! My Community Bulletin Board DSL Construction The Home Team! Floors • Decks • Kitchens • Bathrooms Complete Remodeling of Your Home OFFICE: 845-276-8608 LOU: 845-494-9857 Proudly Serving Heritage Hills Community The Home Team! Floors • Decks • Kitchens • Bathrooms FREE Consultation & Design Fully Insured to Meet Your Needs Scaffold Law/Labor Law, Workman's Comp, Liability • No Job Too Small! Service: 914-669-9679 Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 Fax: 914-669-9685 6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 meccanicshop.com ADULT SOFTBALL YSALEAGUES.COM [email protected] YORKTOWN PARKS & RECREATION BUYING ONLY 845-628-0362 WE WILL COME TO YOU! 51 YEARS! WE BUY: GOLD • STERLING SILVER • JEWELRY • COINS • PAINTINGS • BRONZES • CLOCKS • COLLECTIBLES • ANTIQUES • ETC. Items for sale? Call us! GOLD • SILVER • DIAMONDS WATCHES • COINS • FURS PAINTINGS • FULL ESTATES The Buying Service We simply pay more! Contact Barry 914-260-8783 [email protected] WE BUY DSL Construction Inc. Windows, Doors, and Painting Full Service Window and Door Installations Call for Free Quote and Measure We deal with all the major window, door, and paint brand manufacturers Office: 845-276-8608 • Lou: 845-494-9857 Fully Licensed to meet your needs! Scaffold Law/Labor Law, Workman's Comp, Liability • No Job Too Small! Established 1979 Hunter Douglas Showcase Priority Dealer WESTCHESTER 914-277-4229 • PUTNAM 845-278-2575 AS FEATURED ON FREE ESTIMATES AND FREE INSTALLATION DISCOUNTED BLINDS & SHADES VERTICAL-MINI BLINDS-SILHOUETTE SHUTTERS-WOOD BLINDS-VIGNETTE LUMINETTES-ROMAN BLINDS-VALANCES Shades Above the Rest for Home & Office SAVE AN ADDITIONAL $25 PER BLIND! www.westrockwindowdesigns.com Somers Resident COUPON Honest and Reliable, 30+ years experience. Local Collector/Seller (Westchester/Putnam) Call or text: 917-699-2496 • email: [email protected] Hope to hear from you! Thanks! BUYING COMIC BOOK COLLECTIONS! TOP PRICES PAID! EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER! Promo Code: 285 FINANCING THAT FITS YOUR BUDGET!1 1 Subject to credit approval. Call for details. FREE GUTTER ALIGNMENT + FREE GUTTER CLEANING* SENIORS & YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY! PURCHASE* 20 + % % OFF 10 OFF *For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. **Offer valid at time of estimate only. 2The leading consumer reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” Manufactured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMT Mercer Group in Ohio. See Representative for full warranty details. Registration# 0366920922 CSLB# 1035795 Registration# HIC.0649905 License# CBC056678 License# RCE-51604 Registration# C127230 License# 559544 Suffolk HIC License# 52229-H License# 2102212986 License# 262000022 License# 262000403 License# 2106212946 License# MHIC111225 Registration# 176447 License# 423330 Registration# IR731804 License# 50145 License# 408693 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration# H-19114 License# 218294 Registration# PA069383 License# 41354 License# 7656 DOPL #10783658-5501 License# 423330 License# 2705169445 License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 CALL US TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE BACKED BY A YEAR-ROUND CLOG-FREE GUARANTEE 1-855-478-9473 Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. AFFORDABLE Dumpster Rentals! CIRONE CARTING 845-533-5262
PAGE 28 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 Letters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of The 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. 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, March 28, 2023 at 7:30 P.M. at the Somers Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York, 10589 on the application of David and Christine Brooks for a renewal of a Special Exception Use Permit. The property included in this application is located in an R-80 Residential District at 30 Lake Road, Katonah and is known and shown on the Town Tax Map as Section: 27.17, 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 March 16, 2023 TAX NOTICE The warrants for the collection of the 2023 Town & County Taxes have been received. Taxes will be collected in this office beginning: Monday, April 3, 2023 From 9 AM to 4:30 PM - Monday – Friday The following penalties are prescribed by law for deferred payment of Town/County taxes: If paid during the month of: May 2% June & July 5% August & September 7% October/November/December 10% January-April 12% May 13% June 14% July Goes to Lien If paid thereafter, the penalty is as provided by Tax Law. Michele A. McKearney Receiver of Taxes Date: March 20, 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, March 28, 2023 at 7:30 P.M. at the Somers Town House, 335 Route 202, Somers, New York, 10589 on the application of Nataliya Vishnevskaya for an area variance. The property included in this application is located in an R-10 Residential District at 7 Old Mill Road, Yorktown Heights and is known and shown on the Town Tax Map as Section: 16.10, Block: 3, Lot:25. 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 March 16, 2023 Suly’s Jewelry LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/8/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 17 Kaldenberg Pl., Tarrytown, NY 10591. General Purpose WS Plaza II, LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/13/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to C/O Belal Almohen, 44 Briggs Ave., Yonkers, NY 10701. General Purpose 82 Tuckahoe LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/4/2022. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Richard A. Orefice, 34 Interlaken Dr., Eastchester, NY 10709. General Purpose Environmental Tech Solutions LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/8/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 487 East Main St., Ste. 339, Mt. Kisco, NY 10549. General Purpose LLC FORMATION NOTICES Notice of Formation of Angle Fly Valley Farm LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023- 02-01. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Michael Wilder: 2658 Route 35 Katonah NY 10536. Purpose: Any lawful purpose UPDATED Halston Media fillers 12/31/20 (new address) *NOTE: when putting these into place, please take hyphenation off as it can get very confusing for web and/or email addresses. thanks! Somers Record Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com, or give us a call at 914- 302-5830. Photo Submissions Photos submitted to The Somers Record need to be high-resolution. Images that are submitted at a low resolution cannot be published. Submit photos to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Share Your Milestones Let your neighbors know about the special moments in your life, whether it’s a birth, engagement, wedding or anniversary. Send us a photo and announcement at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. There is no charge for this announcement. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Letters and Op-Ed Policy Letters to the editor and op-ed submissions may be edited. The views and opinions expressed in letters and op-eds are not necessarily those of 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 somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com. For more information, call the editor at 914-302-5830. Editorial Submissions Press releases and photos should be submitted to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com or mail it to The Somers Record, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. 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 somersrecord@ halstonmedia.com. 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 cameraready 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. Advertise With Us When you advertise with The Somers Record, you are reaching thousands of households and businesses throughout the Town of Somers, including all of its hamlets and Heritage Hills. To advertise or to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected]. Sports Deadline The sports deadline for The Somers Record is the Sunday before the next publication date. Varsity coaches should submit results and information by e-mail to sports@ halstonmedia.com. All youth sports and recreational sports items should also be submitted to the same e-mail address by the Thursday before the next publication date. NEW YORK HOMEOWNERS: YOU MAY *QUALIFY THROUGH NEW RELIEF PROGRAMS! HELP IS AVAILABLE EVEN IF YOU COULD PAY CASH Qualify Today: 800-944-9393 or visit NYProgramFunding.org to see if you *qualify Do you need a New Roof and Help paying for it? Do you need Energy Efficient Windows & Help paying for it? 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 *Enrollment is only open during a limited time. Programs, appointments, and installations are on a first come, first serve basis in your area. Any leaking, visible damage, or roof age, may *qualify you! Drafty windows, energy cost too high, you may *qualify! Take advantage of the new 30% Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) with PWRcell, Generac’s fully-integrated solar + battery storage system. PWRcell will help you save money on your electric bill and be prepared for utility power outages. Plus it’s compatible with most existing solar arrays. Now’s the Right Time SAVE 30% WITH THE SOLAR TAX CREDIT^ Call to request a free quote! (888) 871-0194 Purchase a PWRcell and Receive a Free Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced – valued at over $189!* *Scan the QR code for promo terms and conditions. ^Consult your tax or legal professional for information regarding eligibility requirements for tax credits. Solar panels sold separately. LEGAL NOTICES Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at [email protected], or give us a call at 914-302-5830. Advertise With Us When you advertise with The Somers Record, you are reaching thousands of households and businesses throughout the Town of Somers, including all of its hamlets and Heritage Hills. To advertise or to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected].
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 29 Add Value to Your Home We specialize in targeted home improvements — both big and small — to maximize your home’s value,comfort and beauty. • Bathroom Remodeling • Kitchen Remodeling • Durable Vinyl Siding • Room Additions • Add-a-Levels • • Replacement Windows • General Carpentry • Basement Finishing • Painting • Interior Trim • Handy Man • Sero’s Contracting When we’re done, there is nothing left to do. Licensed & Insured • Local References • Brewster, NY • 845-216-1955 • 845-279-6977 • [email protected] Recreation O ce. While at the library, take a chance and guess the amount of jelly beans in the jar. Closest to the number wins the jar! Drop o your submissions at the Library or Parks and Recreation O ce by April 6. For any questions, call 914-232-8442. DAY CAMP REGISTRATION Wednesday, March 29, at 10 a.m. O ering a variety of fun lled activities, sports, group games, arts and crafts, performers and special theme days. ere is also a NEW on-site in- atable waterslide! e camp fee includes all programs, themed days and entertainment. Grades: Entering Kindergarten - 8th in Sept. 2023 Camp Dates: 6/26 - 8/4 No Camp 7/3 & 7/4 Camp Fee: $850.00 For the entire 6 weeks DAY CAMP POSITIONS AVAILABLE First Aid Supervisor, Arts & Crafts Specialist, and Counselor. (To be a camp counselor, applicants need to be at least 16 years old by the start of camp, 6/26.) Must be able to work entire 6 weeks of camp, Monday-Friday, 6/26-8/4 To apply, go to www. somersny.com Somers Women’s Club BLOOD DRIVE Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To be held at Somers Intermediate School Cafeteria, 240 Route 202. is blood drive for the New York Blood Center, Hudson Valley Region, bene ts 20 hospitals in our local area, and donations may also be distributed to any of the 200 hospitals between eastern Long Island and Albany, depending on need. is drive is collecting whole blood and Double Red Cells using the ALYX machine. e waiting period between donations is 56 days for whole blood and 112 days for double red cell donations. A picture or signature ID is required for registration on the day of giving. Questions about eligibility to donate can be directed to 800-688- 0900. To sign up, visit nybc.org or call 1-800-933-2566. Senior Services SHOPPING TRIPS Friday, March 24 - Uncle Giuseppe’s Monday, March 27 - Christmas Tree Shops (2 Bag limit. Call 914-232-0807 for transportation.) TRUNK FROM PAGE 26 Photo courtesy of Jeff Matusow On March 8, The Pickleball Barn celebrated International Women’s Day in style! This year’s festivities included an epic women’s round robin session. All the players enjoyed a few hours of dinking, smashing and laughing! Participants included Joan Staudinger, Anita Faria, Thea Daday, Corinne Stanton, Barbara Ann Lewis, Cathy Schutz Pat Vacco, Susan Moyer, Maureen Donohue, and Katy Faivre. Pickleball pros!
PAGE 30 – THE SOMERS RECORD CLASSIFIEDS THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 Check out our Facebook & Twitter pages! Putnam Humane Society, 68 Old Rt. 6, Carmel 845-225-7777 www.puthumane.org Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Putnam Humane Society Pitsy Pitsy is a beautiful 15 year old girl. Sadly, her owner passed away. A family member tried to adopt her, but unfortunately Pitsy will not tolerate other cats. We need to find this beautiful girl a home with no other pets. Ernie is an adorable three year old lab mix. Playful and so sweet! Ernie 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. 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Photo Submissions Photos submitted to The Somers Record need to be high-resolution. Images that are submitted at a low resolution cannot be published. Submit photos to The Somers Record by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to somersrecord@halstonmedia. com or mail it to The Somers Record, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned. Your business card could be here. Call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 to find out how. To advertise in The Somers Record, call Brett Freeman at 845-208- 8151 or email [email protected].
BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER CONTRIBUTING WRITER Some of the biggest names in New York sports helped welcome BG Entertainment to Yorktown on Sunday, March 5. e sports memorabilia store, which celebrated its grand opening on the second oor of the Je erson Valley Mall, hosted an autograph signing that brought out hundreds of avid fans and autograph seekers. Attending the event were: · Dwight “Doc” Gooden, a pitcher who won a Cy Young Award with the New York Mets (1985) and won World Series titles with both the Mets (1986) and New York Yankees (1996). · Mike Richter, a goalie who helped lead the New York Rangers to a Stanley Cup victory in 1994. · Ahmad Bradshaw, a running back who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants (2008 and 2012). · Wayne Chrebet, a wide receiver who amassed over 7,300 yards during an 11- year career with the New York Jets (1995-2005). BG Entertainment, owned by Bill Gilbert, features a wall-to-wall selection of memorabilia that has been autographed by the biggest names in the sports, from Tom Brady to Derek Jeter. e all-star lineup of collectibles has been personally curated over a decade by Gilbert, who once ran the business out of his Lagrangeville home. However, as Gilbert’s inventory grew, so did his need for space. at brought BG Entertainment to the Je erson Valley Mall in 2022. “I just love the reaction I’ve been getting from the customers,” Gilbert said. “When people say it’s the coolest store they’ve ever seen, it means a lot. It’s been a 10-year journey. Every item in here I acquire is from an experience. To see it all in one spot, I get a lot of enjoyment from that.” e mall storefront features memorabilia signed by active and retired athletes from baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, and combat sports (boxing/ MMA). e Je erson Valley Mall location has also hosted several public autograph signings with professional athletes and wrestlers. Gilbert said the mall storefront is the “pinnacle” of his business, but BG Entertainment provides many other services. Since 2006, the company has specialized in weddings and special occasions, children’s parties and rentals, and sporting events and memorabilia. BG Entertainment started its autograph business “accidentally” in 2010, Gilbert said. A New York Giants fan, Gilbert decided to link up with wide receiver Steve Smith for an autograph signing. Smith then introduced Gilbert to other Giants players, which led to him working with New York Yankees players, and the rest is history. “I brought in [Steve Smith] and it kind of created an idea that the market needed it,” Gilbert said. “People responded well.” BG Entertainment is happy to call the Je erson Valley Mall home, so much so that Gilbert recently opened up another store on the rst oor. is additional space will serve as a gathering space for autograph signings, comedy shows, open mic nights, and more. On March 5, it served as a Q&A space for the four New York sports legends. BG Entertainment is located on the rst and second oors of the Je erson Valley Mall (650 Lee Blvd., Yorktown Heights). More information about the store’s autograph business and event services can be found online at www.BGAutographs. com and www. BGEntertainment845.com. Dream team BG Entertainment holds star-studded grand opening PHOTOS: BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER Doc Gooden with Halston Media’s own Jay Gussak Wayne Chrebet signs his No. 80 New York Jets jersey. Former New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter meets with a fan. Hundreds came out to the autograph signing event organized by BG Entertainment. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 31
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YES, I wish to receive a FREE 3-year subscription to The Somers Record YES, I really enjoy The Somers Record and I’d like to continue receiving it for 3 years, along with a monetary contribution this year. (Please print legibly.) First (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required) (Required. Please print legibly.) Last (Required) City: State: ZIP: Name: Signature: Email: Snowbird Dates (if applicable): Date: Phone: Address: (Optional) (Optional for TAPinto E-News) Checks payable to Halston Media LLC. Please include this form in your envelope. Please Include the following additional papers as part of this subscription: North Salem News The Katonah-Lewisboro Times Yorktown News The Mt. Kisco-Bedford Times Mahopac News Mail to: P.O. Box 864 Mahopac, NY 10541 While we need your Full Support to keep this newspaper strong, we include the option for Basic Support because we don’t want financial reasons to get in the way of our readers receiving this newspaper. Basic Support vs. Full Support Basic Support Full Support $100 $50 $20 other OR Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com OR Visit www.HalstonSubscribe.com Don’t Miss a Week of The Somers Record. Please Re-Subscribe Today! Thursday, November 3, 2022 Vol. 11 No. 30 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 32 CLASSIFIEDS 34 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 28 LEISURE 26 OBITUARIES 30 OPINION 10 SPORTS 20 Tuskers Batter Brewster pg 22 FOOTBALL Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. Please note that the Nov. 10 edition of The Somers Record will go to press before the Nov. 8 election results are available. Please visit TapIntoSomers.net to view our full election coverage. BY BOB DUMAS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR When voters go to the polls this election season, they will have a choice between two candidates who are vying for the state’s 40th Senate District seat. Incumbent Democrat Pete Harckham of South Salem, seeking his third term as state senator, will be opposed by Republican Gina Arena, an administrative assistant from Somers. Here is a look at the two candidates, including their platforms, accomplishments and goals. PETE HARCKHAM Now nearing the end of his second term in o ce, Pete Harckham is chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. He worked to make the 2% property tax cap permanent; delivered record aid to education and addressed the opioid crisis by doubling minimum treatment times and reducing barriers to life-saving treatment. Harckham helped pass the toughest climate-protection legislation in the nation, and also introduced a measure, later enacted, requiring all new passenger-car and truck sales to be zero emission by 2035 and allowing municipalities to build solar canopies and jumpstart community renewable-energy projects. Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul placed Harckham’s wetlands legislation protecting Class C streams statewide, which will safeguard drinking water resources, into her proposed 2023 state budget. Harckham has been a leading voice to hold the utilities accountable in the wake of failed responses to natural disaster. To date, he has held 13 food drives to ght hunger, assisted thousands of residents with unemployment claims and delivered personal-protection equipment to rst responders and municipalities throughout the 40th Senate District. From 2008 to 2015 Harckham served on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, where he was a leading voice for protecting the environment and maintaining vital services. In addition to his professional work, Harckham served on the President’s Council for the Northern Westchester Hospital, was a board member for the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, the Junior League of Northern Westchester Community Advisory Council and the Livable Communities Council. “I come from a labor family and have been endorsed three times by the Westchester Building Trades, Westchester-Putnam AFL-CIO Central Labor Body, a host of service and public unions, as well as nurses and teachers,” Harckham said. “I work very closely with my union partners around the issues of decommissioning Indian Point and passed a law to protect wages and local jobs, as well as created the Decommissioning Oversight Harckham, Arena face off for 40th Senate District seat Sen. Pete Harckham Gina Arena SEE SENATE PAGE 28 SellYour Home for TOP DOLLAR with Somers’ Real Estate Specialist Visit: SomersHouseValues.com or Email: [email protected] Michael Trinchitella Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker FREE Home Evaluation Anytime — No Cost or Obligation Call 914.243.3051 SomersHouseValues.com CLASSIC REALTY IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER! Vol. 11 No. 35 Thursday, December 8, 2022 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 31 CLASSIFIEDS 30 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 4 LEGAL NOTICES 28 LEISURE 21 OBITUARIES 9 OPINION 10 SPORTS 18 Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Winning is always great. But making your way back to the top after a heartbreak is unmatched. Motivated by the crushing 32-31 defeat against CBASyracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome (Carrier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Syracuse. Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we were supposed to do, weathered several storms, weathered injuries, and we got it done,” said the second-year head coach. Wasting no time on the big stage, Ravi Dass (3 Rec, 2 TDs) answered the call on the opening return, taking it all the way to the Tigers’ 39, then catching an 18-yard pass from Matt Fitzsimons for the rst touchdown 22 seconds into the game. “Walking out as state champs, it’s awesome,” said the senior receiver. e defense’s turn, George Forbes (6 Tk) began his Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR Winning is always great. But making your way back to the top after a heartbreak is unmatched. Motivated by the crushing 32-31 defeat against CBASyracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome (Carrier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Syracuse. Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win Ravi Dass put his team ahead early with two huge touchdowns. SEE CHAMPIONS PAGE 18 The 2022 Tuskers cemented themselves in Somers history with the 58-21 win over Union-Endicott. PHOTOS: CHRIS SMAJLAJ HOPEMAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker cell: 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Your House Could Be the #1 Item on a Homebuyer’s Wish List During the Holidays Each year, homeowners planning to make a move are faced with a decision: sell their house during the holidays or wait. And others who have already listed their homes may think about removing their listings and waiting until the new year to go back on the market. The truth is many buyers want to purchase a home for the holidays, and your house might be just what they’re looking for. Call me for a no-obligation consultation about selling your home and the 5 great reasons you shouldn't wait until Spring. #UGottaHaveHope Thursday, December 8, 2022 rier Dome) last fall, Somers Football (13-0) avenged their one loss in the last three seasons with a dominating 58-21 win over Union-Endicott for the NYSPHSAA Class A Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3, Coach Anthony DeMatteo, carrying on the winning legacy of his father, Tony, at Somers, knew what he and his team set out to do when workouts began last summer. “Even though we said publicly we wanted to win the section, in house we said states, and we were angry all year. e preparation was on point, we did everything we were supposed to do, weathered several storms, weathered injuries, and we got it done,” said the second-year head coach. Wasting no time on the big stage, Ravi Dass (3 Rec, 2 TDs) answered the call on the opening return, taking it all the way to the Tigers’ 39, then catching an 18-yard pass from Matt Fitzsimons for the rst touchdown 22 seconds into the game. “Walking out as state champs, it’s awesome,” said the senior receiver. e defense’s turn, George Forbes (6 Tk) began his Tuskers avenge last season with 58-21 state championship win SEE CHAMPIONS PAGE 18 MAZZOLA YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HOPE Sales Vice President Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker 914.714.0090 [email protected] hopemazzola.com 95 Katonah Ave | Katonah, NY 10536 Thursday, December 15, 2022 Vol. 11 No. 36 BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 37 CLASSIFIEDS 39 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 2 LEGAL NOTICES 37 LEISURE 31 OBITUARIES 9 OPINION 10 SPORTS 24 Toys for Tots pg 3 GIVING BACK Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. PHOTO: ROB DISTASIO BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER e Somers Board of Education got its rst o cial peek last week at the scal fallout from the settlement of the old PepsiCo property’s tax certiorari case. Also cited for their potential impact on local pocketbooks were fuel and electricity costs, which are rising at an “alarming” rate, according to the school district’s assistant superintendent for business, Chris Platania. Platania presented trustees and the public with an initial overview of the 2023-24 school budget on Tuesday, Dec. 6. ere won’t be preliminary numbers to share until after the governor’s rst budget comes out in January and the district gets a clue about what its state aid is going to be. TAXING CIRCUMSTANCES e 206-acre PepsiCo property, along with its 540,000-squarefoot o ce, o Route 35 was sold in 2015 to Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim Helú for $87 million. e new owners, listed as One P Way LLC, went on to challenge their real estate tax assessment as well as that of the old IBM campus’ on Route 100, which Slim had acquired in 2017. e former tax certiorari case was Board of Education begins budget process The Somers community got into the holiday spirit at the tree lighting ceremony outside The Elephant Hotel on Dec. 4. See more photos on page 22! Oh Christmas tr ee! SEE BUDGET PAGE 33 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 “Hope is quite simply the best agent I’ve ever come across in all my years living in Westchester County. Her complete knowledge of the market in the area has impressed even a skeptic like me. Once you hire her, she will represent you at every step in your journey with enthusiasm, professionalism and candor. She is a woman with smarts and integrity and does so much to help others even when she stands to gain nothing for herself. Hope is a quality human being that you should have on your team. I can’t say enough about Hope other than #UGottaHaveHope!” — TI, Somers about Your Local Expert! Rave Reviews Rave Reviews