Yorktown News 01.21.21

Vol. 9 No. 44 Visit TapIntoYorktown.net for the latest news. Thursday, January 21, 2021

YHS gymnasium What you need to know
renovation approved about COVID-19 vaccines

BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER CareMount exec talks distribution,
allergic reactions, and more
EDITOR signs, and bids for the project came in about

$400,000 lower than expected—perhaps

A $2 million project to renovate the high attributable to the current business climate.

school gymnasium and improve ameni- e project includes new bleachers with

ties at the turf eld was approved last week safety rails; acoustical panels in the ceiling;

by the Yorktown Central School District Minimum E ciency Reporting Value l- On Friday, Jan. 15, Yorktown Town

Board of Education. ters; new wall mats and retractable basket- Supervisor Matt Slater talked about

In 2017, district voters approved the cre- ball hoops; a re nished oor; new lighting, COVID-19 vaccines with Dr. Lewis

ation of a capital reserve fund of up to $12 and new mechanical dividers. Kohl, chief medical information o cer,

million. Voter authorization is required to At the turf eld, a 48-foot section of senior medical director, and chief safety

withdraw funds and $8 million has been ADA-compliant bleachers also would be o cer at CareMount Medical.

spent.Voters also have greenlit spending the added to increase capacity on the home side e video, one of 70-plus COVID-19

remaining $4 million, from which funding by about 50 percent, and a patio with high- updates Slater has provided during the

of the gym renovations would be derived. top tables (no seating) would be added near pandemic, is available to view on the

At the Dec. 21 school board meeting, the concessions trailer. town’s website, Facebook page, and You-

however, some trustees questioned whether “We had a good discussion at the last Tube channel.

the money could be spent elsewhere, per- meeting,” said trustee Michael Magnani. is interview has been edited for

haps on more pressing matters, especially “We had questions. ey’ve been answered. clarity and space considerations.

considering the budget shortfalls that many And right now, based on where we are in Slater: Can you give us an update

New York school districts are facing in light the process and the situation that we nd on the vaccine, speci cally for our

of the state’s 20-percent reduction in nan- ourselves in, I think it makes sense to move area?

cial aid. forward with the project as outlined.” Kohl: e state and feds have unfor-

Dr. Ron Hattar, superintendent of Trustees unanimously awarded three tunately done a bit of over-promising

schools, said he was informed by the dis- bids: electrical work (AG Electric Inc. of and under-delivering to this point.

trict’s legal counsel that money could be Mount Kisco, $254,000), HVAC (ACS When you read what’s going

borrowed from the fund to pay for COV- System Associates Inc. of Mount Vernon, around—“sign up, sign up”—it seems

ID-19-related expenditures. However, that $933,000), and a motorized gym curtain like you can just get the vaccine this

money would have to be paid back with divider, padding and exterior site and drain- weekend. at’s not the case.

interest. age work ( Jennings Co. Inc. of Harrison, New York State is only getting

“So, it’s a loan against ourselves, which $599,000). 600,000 doses a week, which is just not

essentially contradicts the purpose of cre- e board also approved two non-com- enough to vaccinate everybody. PHOTO COURTESY OF
e good news is: Production is PUTNAM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
ating the capital reserve fund,” Hattar said. petitive contracts: $210,369 to Nickerson
ramping up for the P zer and the Mod- A Putnam County resident receives a
“It’s just a di erent entity to which we’re Corp. for gymnasium bleacher replacement erna vaccines that are already on the COVID-19 vaccine from Victoria Maxino,
RN, a volunteer with Putnam’s Medical
indebted.” and furnishing of athletic folding chairs,and

Additionally, Hattar said, the district has $70,830 to Dant Clayton for the outdoor SEE VACCINE PAGE 2 Reserve Corps.

already expended funds to draw up the de- bleacher addition.

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Page 2 – Yorktown News Thursday, January 21, 2021

The Staff VACCINE of energy into their centers— P zer vaccine, you’ve got to keep of course, going to do that, but
FROM PAGE 1
EDITORIAL TEAM the big vaccination centers— it frozen at -80 degrees. ese you’ll have to go on the state
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER
EDITOR: 914-302-5628 like the Westchester County two [new] vaccines are just ei- system to sign up for those.
[email protected]
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER market. And we have two more Center, and they’re running very ther a regular freezer or regular For our patients, we’re going
SPORTS EDITOR: 914-302-5628
[email protected] vaccines—the Johnson & John- nicely but it’s a limited number refrigerator. And the Johnson & to do it for the people we think

ADVERTISING TEAM son and AstraZeneca—that I’m of patients with a limited num- Johnson is a single dose instead are at greatest risk. e real-
PAUL FORHAN
guring we’re going to get on ber of vaccines. You’re going to of the regular two doses. ity is: If you’re 32 and perfectly
(914) 806-3951
[email protected] the market in the next four to see vaccines in some of your So far, we have received no healthy, you don’t need the vac-

BRUCE HELLER six weeks, maybe eight weeks, pharmacies. Some businesses doses, and we don’t really know cine as badly as someone who’s
(914) 486-7608
[email protected] and that will really improve sup- are supposed to become sites. when we will. How I manage 75 with 12 medical problems.

LISA KAIN plies and make things better. And eventually medical prac- it is going to be very di erent On the other hand, I really want
(201) 317-1139
[email protected] So, I think everybody should tices will. if they give me 300 doses next the 32-year-old to get vaccinat-
CORINNE STANTON
(914) 760-7009 just take a breath—we’ve made I think the main point is: week vs. 6,000. We’ve asked for ed, so they stop spreading it to
[email protected]
it this far and this long—and re- ere will be enough vaccines. more than 4,000. the 75-year-olds.
JAY GUSSAK
(914) 299-4541 alize you’re probably not going Each one of these companies is Everything’s going to be by As we get vaccines, we will
[email protected]
JENNIFER CONNELLY to get vaccine this week and you planning on millions and mil- appointment. e state wants start notifying you, that you
(917) 446-7757
[email protected] might not get it next week, but lions of doses. And especially, us to hold a certain number of can come in and you can book
SHELLEY KILCOYNE
(914) 924-9122 you’re going to get it. when the other two companies appointments open for the gen- these appointments. For folks
[email protected]
GABRIELLE BILIK But it’s going to take some come online, they’re a little eral public—people who aren’t who don’t have internet access
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/DESIGNER
[email protected] windup. e state is putting a lot easier to manage also. With the necessarily our patients. We are, or email, we’ll end up calling

PRODUCTION TEAM them, particularly if you are in
TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL
any of our care-management
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PHOTOGRAPHER programs. I would expect that

[email protected] other medical groups and medi-
CHRISTINA ROSE
ART DIRECTOR/ cal practices will do this. For the

DIGITAL PRODUCTION MANAGER pharmacies and the Westchester
[email protected]
County Center, those are going
EXECUTIVE TEAM
BRETT FREEMAN to be sign ups with the state.
CEO & PUBLISHER
845-208-8151 Some of the hospitals, like

[email protected] Northern Westchester, are go-

Deadlines Russell Girolamo Jr Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Gregory Bell ing to be holding vaccine clin-

YORKTOWN NEWS DEADLINE ics as well. And right now, you
THE DEADLINE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS
probably have to sign up with
AND EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS FOR
the state. But the big systems—
YORKTOWN NEWS IS THE THURSDAY
BEFORE THE NEXT PUBLICATION DATE. like NewYork Presbyterian and

FOR MORE INFORMATION, Northwell Health—will proba-
CALL BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER AT
914-302-5628 OR EMAIL bly, in the next week or two, have
[email protected].
their own sign ups. So, you’re
Subscribe
going to see a lot of advertising.
TO REQUEST YORKTOWN NEWS
WEEKLY DELIVERY, CALL 845-208-8503 Auto | Home | Business | Life If you’re our patients, and some-
OR EMAIL [email protected]. body wants to give you vaccine,
SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE COMPLIMENTARY FOR
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE TOWN. Let us help you protect what’s most important. I wouldn’t tell you not to get it.
OUT OF TOWN MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE is is a vaccine where if
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PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT
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118 N. BEDFORD ROAD medical practice because no
SUITE 100
medical practices have received
MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549
vaccines. A few urgent care
(ISSN 2329-8693)
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY APARPR centers—not the CareMount
HALSTON MEDIA, LLC AT urgent centers—in the area got
118 N. BEDFORD ROAD vaccine. It was supposed to be
for their sta . But they ordered
SUITE 100 too much. And the state said,
MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549 if you ordered it, you can give

©2021 HALSTON MEDIA, LLC PUBLICITY WITH PERSONALITY some out. So, you may see some
in local urgent cares. e hos-

pitals tend to have it rst. But

other than that, it’s going to be

a little while.

Individuals who are im-

munocompromised but under

65, do you know if they’re a)

Public Rela ons For... eligible and b) can you provide
some advice for them if they

Businesses | Individuals | Organiza ons | Events should be vaccinated?
ey absolutely should be

vaccinated. New York State

Your Message Is Our Mission has not opened up vaccination
to them yet. But they’re going

to. e governor, from what I

Leave Your Message Here... heard, had planned to announce
(914) 275-6887 | bruceaparpr @ gmail.com that this week. But the reality
is there’s not enough vaccine

BRUCE APAR around for everybody.

SEE VACCINE PAGE 3

Thursday, January 21, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 3

VACCINE a place like the County Center? It’s not an infection. It’s just a local reac- We’ve made it this far. We’re going to
FROM PAGE 2
e County Center has EMS and tion to the vaccine. ere is nothing you make it a couple more months. Don’t

paramedics there who can at least start need to do about it. Nobody’s going to invite people into your house without

If you have or are prone to allergies Epinephrin. e County Center said it’s the hospital for it. But it is so well worth masks. I don’t care if you know them. I

of medication, what steps should you ready to handle medical emergencies. taking this vaccine. It’s the only way we’re don’t care if it’s your nephew or your

take to make sure that you’re getting It’s not a medical desert. ere is atten- going to get our world back, is to take this cousin and she’s such a nice girl. She’s

the vaccine in the safest environment? tion there. So, it’s probably something in vaccine. going to give you COVID. I guarantee it.

ere are di erent types of allergies. between. It’s not an allergist’s o ce, but If somebody gets their vaccine, they We’re in the homestretch. It’s kind of

ere are what we call, in medicine, im- there will be people who will attend to get the double dose, is the expectation like you’re in the trenches in World War

mediate allergies; immediate hypersen- you. that it’s a one-time or are they going I and you just heard that there’s going

sitivity to allergies. And then delayed. What types of reactions are people to have to come back, whether it’s next to be peace signed tomorrow but you

Delayed basically means rash. Immedi- having to the vaccine? year or a few years down the road, to get stuck your head up and you got shot in

ate means you can’t breathe, your blood ese vaccines cause more reactions vaccinated again? the head. You’re the last one to go down.

pressure goes down—that’s what we call than something like u vaccines. ey It’s a great question. We don’t know Don’t do that. ere’s just a little time

anaphylaxis. A lot of people will have that do make a lot of people achy. We’re see- yet, unfortunately. Because the problem left. Be careful. Be a mask wearer.

to bee stings, so they carry EpiPens to jab ing fevers, we’re seeing aches. For most with these viruses is they can mutate. So, For anybody who tells you that the

themselves with. people, that’s gone by the next day. In the we already see it mutating. We see this masks are not protective, they’re wrong.

If you have a history of having im- rst two or three days, it’s not unusual for strain running around that makes it more ey’re highly protective. We have kept

mediate reactions, I probably would not people to feel a little bit cruddy. at’s not likely to spread. It doesn’t make it more our medical sta safe. Our urgent care

choose to take a vaccine outside of a scary. at’s telling you that your body is dangerous, but more likely to spread. Vi- centers have literally been pounded with

medical facility. reacting to the vaccine. at’s what you ruses mutate, and they mutate as they go COVID over the last year. ey’re all

Right now, we’re being told you’re re- want. You want to make an immune re- through more and more and more people. safe. Our sta s have not gotten sick. e

ally not at risk if you have a bee-sting al- sponse, so that if the virus shows up, your In Asia every year, u virus goes from patients coming through our facilities

lergy, for example. I know some of those immune system stomps it. people to chickens to pigs to people and have not gotten sick. And it’s because we

people have been vaccinated recently and Some people are getting low-grade back to chickens—and that’s why it mu- mask. at’s number one, two, and three.

they did ne. But if you couldn’t breathe fevers. But they’re not sick. ey’re not tates so much—which is why every year CareMount has a great presence here

and you ended up in an emergency de- coughing, their nose is not running. we have to get a new u vaccine, and we in Yorktown, and I hope we can count

partment because you got an injectable None of these vaccines, the vaccines that have to guess which strains are going on that presence to continue. And I

medication or a di erent vaccine, I would are going to get approved in the next six around. Hopefully birds and pigs won’t know you’re working diligently to bring

want to be vaccinated in a medical facil- months, they are not a whole virus. ey pick up this virus, so we won’t see that the vaccine here to our residents.

ity. are not a weakened virus. ey’re tiny chain with farm animals like we do with We will have—I’m not going to say

We are seeing people who are very pieces of the virus. ey cannot give you the u. But the bottom line is we don’t where—a vaccine clinic in Yorktown, but

prone to rash from drugs who got a rash COVID. ey can’t give you the u. ey know yet. We hope this is long lasting, it’s going to be by appointment. Honestly,

from this vaccine. It’s still just a rash. But can’t give you a COVID-like illness. once in a lifetime protection. But it’s too I think in May, we’re going to have all the

it’s not a bad idea if you’re still really con- What about the second dose? Should soon to tell. vaccine we want for everybody. When

cerned about having a lot of allergies to they expect similar reactions to the rst Our seniors are just so concerned, that happens, we will just open the doors,

see an allergist. dose? they’re nervous, they’re frankly scared, and just like a u clinic, it’ll be a walk-in

If you are the “I took this medication Yes, people are de nitely having reac- and they’re trying desperately to get clinic. We’re a little bit a way, but it’s go-

and I almost died” kind of allergy, I prob- tions to the second dose. Some a little this vaccine. What guidelines can we ing to be this year.

ably would not take the vaccine in a phar- bit more than to the rst dose. ere are give our seniors as they wait to receive e million-dollar question that’s

macy, because all the pharmacy can really people who had [no reaction] to the rst their vaccination? out there is: Is the summer going to be

do is call an ambulance for you. But most dose but after the second dose they were ey should be doing what they’ve ba- the summer?

people that we have seen so far, and sev- achy and fever-ish. So, it’s achiness, fever, sically done now for a year, which I hope Personal prediction? Don’t hold me

eral million have been vaccinated already, and fatigue. Most people don’t get fever- they’re good at: Stay in their bubble. e to it because I’ve lied before, but I think

are doing just ne. You are more likely to ish. A few have. We’re seeing achiness, only bubbles that most people seem to we’re going to have a real summer. I think

have a rash, from what we’ve seen so far, we’re seeing soreness in the arm where have seen on New Year’s Eve were cham- we’re going to get our lives back for the

than the u vaccine. But most people are you got vaccinated, we’re seeing redness pagne bubbles with their friends, which is summer. I think we will have enough

doing just ne. three, four, ve days later. e arm swells why so many people got COVID. people vaccinated or with natural immu-

Should [people with allergies] avoid a little bit at the site and is getting red. Stay in your bubble, wear your mask. nity that we’re going to have a summer.

MLK Day Food Drive

Some of the donations

On Monday, members of Yorktown for Justice honored the legacy of PHOTOS: BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER
Martin Luther King Jr. by hosting a food drive at Jack DeVito Veterans
Memorial Field. Yorktown for Justice collects food donations on Monday, Jan. 18.

By the end of the day, the group had received enough donations to
ll 11 cars and trucks. e food will be delivered to food pantries at the
First Prebyterian Church of Yorktown and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
in Mohegan Lake. Additionally, more than $650 in cash donations was
collected for the First Presbyterian Church food pantry.

Page 4 – Yorktown News Thursday, January 21, 2021

Yorktown
students are
Regeneron

scholars

Valedictorian Sayani Aggarwal Salutatorian Blake Franklin Sean Lopez Yorktown High School’s Scott Weitman and Ni-
harika Bhattacharjee have been selected as two of the
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAKELAND HIGH SCHOOL Top 300 scholars in the Regeneron Talent Search, a
science and math competition for high school seniors.
Lakeland School District Honors
e 300 scholars and their schools will be awarded
NATIONAL HISPANIC Qualifying Test. About 7,000 stu- VALEDICTORIAN/ $2,000 each.
RECOGNITION PROGRAM dents, less than 3 percent, qualify SALUTATORIAN ANNOUNCED
SCHOLAR for the program. ese students: e scholars were selected from 1,760 applica-
Sayani Aggarwal and Blake Frank- tions received from 611 high schools across 45 states,
Sean Lopez, a senior at Lakeland • Take the PSAT/NMSQT in lin are the valedictorian and salutato- Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 10 countries.
High School, has been named a October of their junior year rian, respectively, of Lakeland High Scholars were chosen based on their research skills,
2021 National Hispanic Recogni- School’s Class of 2021. commitment to academics, innovative thinking, and
tion Program Scholar. • Are at least one-quarter His- promise as scientists.
panic/Latino Aggarwal has a weighted GPA of
e program was initiated in 101.73 and has never earned less than Weitman’s project was titled: “Emotional and So-
1983 by the College Board to iden- • Get the minimum qualifying an “A” in any subject thus far, includ- cial Impact of Autoimmune Diseases.”
tify outstanding Hispanic high PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index ing in her lauded science research
school students and to share their score work. She is interested in pursuing Bhattacharjee’s project was titled: “Digital Dental
information and accomplishments the area of chemistry. Triage: Automated Digital Diagnosing System for
with member colleges and universi- • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 Dental Cavities Using Arti cial Intelligence.”
ties. or higher by the middle of their ju- Franklin has a weighted GPA of
nior year 100.94, earned in the context of the Advertise With Us
Each year, 250,000 Hispanic/La- most di cult classes. He will poten- When you advertise with Yorktown News, you
tino students take the Preliminary • Identify as Hispanic/Latino on tially study political science or com- are reaching thousands of households and
SAT/National Merit Scholarship the PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet munications. businesses throughout Yorktown. To advertise or
to place a classified, call Brett Freeman at 845-
• Only junior-year PSAT/ 208-8151 or email [email protected].
NMSQT scores count.

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