VOL. 13 NO. 9 THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 CLASSIFIEDS 27 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK 2 LEGAL NOTICES 27 LEISURE 20 OBITUARIES 6 OPINION 8 SPORTS 17 Memorial Day in Somers pg 14 REMEMBER & HONOR Visit TapIntoSomers.net for the latest news. BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER It may have taken decades, but one Somers man nally feels that he’s truly been welcomed home. Vietnam veteran Jim Panettiere Jr. was among dozens of military folks and their “guardians” who participated last month in Hudson Valley Honor Flight’s 30th mission. HVHF is one of more than 100 “hubs” of the National Honor Flight Network, a nonpro t whose goal is to express gratitude to vets for their sacri ces and service. Having just marked its 10th anniversary, HVHF serves WWII, Korean, Cold War, and Vietnam veterans from Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan counties in New York; Pike County in Pennsylvania; Bergen County in New Jersey; and Fair eld County in Connecticut. Veterans from other surrounding counties are considered as well. So far it’s own more than 2,000 vets to Washington, D.C. and back. Terminally ill veterans of any con ict are also eligible for the program. ere were originally four WWII vets scheduled to come on Saturday, May 20, but two passed away. In one’s stead came his son and grandson. Panettiere rst heard about HVHF at a meeting of the Heritage Hills Mens Club in 2019. It took four years to hear he’d been accepted, but he attributes that to things being delayed by the pandemic. Of the 68 honorees, 34 were from Westchester and the majority had served during Vietnam, an era when there were no victory parades or welcome home rallies. at was partly due Honor flight Jim Panettiere receives a hero’s welcome Jim Panettiere during active duty at Fort Bragg. Panettiere arriving at Reagan Airport SEE HONOR PAGE 4 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 fi SUMMER AT THE LAKE. Pure vacation joy! Experience the beauty, tranquility and fun of lakefront living in this stunning 3 BR, 2.1 bth home on Truesdale Lake. Every comfort you could ask for and every toy imaginable including SUP, canoe, kayak, long board, ping-pong, bikes, tennis, more... $25,000/month
PAGE 2 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 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 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! A Message from Somers Girl Scout Troop 1457 fi is summer, our Cadette Girl Scout Troop is attending the Girl Scout National Convention in Walt Disney World. We have been working hard to raise money for this trip. Cookie season is about to begin, and we have set a goal to sell 7,000 boxes of cookies as a troop. fi e pro t we earn from cookie sales will help pay for plane tickets, park tickets, hotels, meals, and convention entry fees. Not only will we be representing Somers Girl Scouts, we will also be representing our local Girl Scout council, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson. fi is trip will allow us to meet with industry leaders and explore potential career paths. We will also be meeting with girl scouts from all over the world. We would love the support of our local businesses. Some ways you can help are: purchase cookies from us to share with your employees, family, and friends, invite us to sell cookies to your sta , buy cookies from us to give to your clients, customers, patrons, business prospects, donate boxes of cookies to the military and veterans through Operation Cookie Drop, allow us to host a cookie booth outside your establishment or during a business event, or share our troop QR code to order cookies. If you have any other suggestions on ways to support us to please let us know by contacting [email protected] VFW Post 8213 7TH ANNUAL CHARITY CAR SHOW Sunday, June 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In memory of Louis DeMarco. Sponsored by Horton Landscaping and Leewood Beverage Center. To be held at Somers Intermediate School at 240 US-202 in Somers. Registration from 9 to 11 a.m. Registration fee: $20. Entry bag given to rst 125 cars, all proceeds will be donated to the veterans. Featuring a 50/50, trophies, and a DJ! For more information, contact Kenny at 914-248-0883. The Fabric of Our Community Monday thru Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Through June 30 Hosted by Coldwell Banker Realty, featuring an exhibit by local artists. Free admission. Located at fi e Bailey House, 338 Route 202 in Somers. Somers Education Foundation www.sefny.org 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 now open! Visit www.somersny.com, then click on “Parks & Recreation” and scroll down to “Program Registration Site.” Available programs are in the green tab. DAY CAMP REGISTRATION O ering a variety of fun lled activities, sports, group games, arts and crafts, performers and special theme days. fi ere is also a NEW on-site in¥ atable waterslide! fi 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 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK SEE TRUNK PAGE 6
Your Neighbor THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 3 BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER Simply de ned, social fabric is the connections we make and the relationships we have with one another. So it’s very apropos seven Somers artists – including a quilter and needlepointer -- are using their talents to weave together a show titled “ e Fabric of our Community.” ey all work in di erent mediums, but they share the common thread of creativity and love of the town they live in. Hosted by Coldwell Banker at its o ces in the historic Bailey House, the show has “lots of things to excite the eye,” says curator Fran Schultzberg. An artist herself, she has taught arts and crafts for 40 years. Schultzberg started as a painter, moved on to pottery, sculpture, metalsmithing, jewelry fabrication, and then came back “full circle” to painting. She was once asked “Why?” by a student. “My honest response was: ‘It’s easier than getting a divorce,’” Schultzberg jokes. But seriously folks… “I had no choice, I had to be creative, otherwise I would wither like a bloom and fall o the vine. It’s almost a compulsion. You HAVE to make something,” she says. Photographer Jane Gordon has an “open mind” approach to her work. According to her biography, that’s when images “start in the camera and then are creatively altered to assume a non-real appearance.” “ e only limit to the alteration possibilities is the vision of the maker,” Gordon explained. Places where she’s exhibited include Iona College, Northern Westchester Hospital, and libraries in Harrison, Ossining, and Greenburgh. Jerry Lefkowitz has studied glass-working but drifted to wood when he lived in California and learned to love beachcombing. He has scoured the shorelines of everywhere from the Bay of Fundy to Martha’s Vineyard for the found objects he turns into beautiful artworks. Raina Lefkowitz went to the High School of Music and Art – now called LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts. She has since taken classes in pottery, design, and jewelry making. A resident of Heritage Hills, she has taken lessons in stone sculpture from Debra Scha er and from multi-media artist, the late Jeanne Demotses. Evelyn Albert was an art teacher in both private and public schools for 40 years. Retired from the RippowamCisqua School in Bedford where she taught ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, glass mosaics, and silk painting, Lefkowitz now teaches silk painting at Heritage Hills. She exhibits her scarves during her condo community’s annual art show and sells them in a number of local retail shops. Albert is currently collaborating with a fellow artist on handpainted silk clothing. Also taking part in the show are master quilter Marie Sugar and Margie Forrest, an amazing needlepoint artist. The fabric of our community PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAMMY BENKWITT Show curator Fran Schultzberg Jerry and Raina Lefkowitz Marie Sugar ‘The arts are a critical component to any community, and we want to give the arts a home at the Bailey House.’ Tammy Benkwitt Senior Managing Director, Coldwell Banker SEE COMMUNITY PAGE 24 HOME, AUTO, BUSINESS, LIFE & HEALTH 914-232-7750 www.forbesinsurance.com fifffflfflffffiflffflffffiff fflffiffi flffffifffffffl ff
PAGE 4 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 914.455.2158 SpirelliElectric.com • [email protected] Specializing in residential & commercial services. Licenses in Westchester, Putnam CREATING CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE Family Owned—Over 40 Years Experience! 914.455.2158 10% OFF Service Calls When You Present this Ad First Time Customers Only Light up your summer • Outdoor Lighting • Smart Home Setup • Electric Car Chargers • GENERATORS AND ALL OF YOUR ELECTRIC NEEDS! fifffflfflffiflffiffffi www.summertrailsdaycamp.com 914.245.1776 ffiffi CURRENTLY HIRING STAFF! ffi ffifi ffiffi to the length of the war, which became increasingly unpopular as it stretched into the 1970s. Unlike members of WWII’s “Greatest Generation,” Vietnam vets were often scorned. Some recall being spit on and cursed at, causing additional psychological trauma. Panettiere, a retired corporate accountant who currently volunteers as a mentor in Somers schools, was in the Army from 1969 to 1975. He did basic training at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and “advanced individual training” at the Fort Lee Army base in Virginia. He did his stint in the Bronx. It makes no di erence to HVHF if a vet has served stateside or overseas, said the organization’s vet coordinator, Mary Edwards, noting that some feel “less worthy” if they haven’t seen combat. “We remind them when you take that oath and you raise your right hand and promise to do whatever the country wants you to do, your service is as important as anyone else’s,” she explained. (On May 7, participants got together for a meet-and-greet at the Port Chester Senior Center. ey had snacks, heard speakers, and mingled with ightmates.) According to Panettiere, fanfare was not lacking on ight day. With much pomp and circumstance, the group’s eet of three buses was escorted by police and motorcyclists on their way to Westchester County Airport where crowds of cheering and ag-waving folks gave them a rousing send-o . When the convoy was being escorted, there were no vehicles permitted on the road. “I felt like the president of the United States,” Panettiere said. e ight to our nation’s capital took about 50 minutes. “On the plane, we were like 20-year-olds, just laughing and having fun,” he recalled. Once there, the mood was at turns somber, joyful, re ective, and at times very emotional, as they toured the WWII, Vietnam, Korean, and Lincoln memorials and attended a private Changing of the Guards ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Panettiere had seen the Lincoln Memorial when he was in high school but didn’t remember it being, he said with awe, “SO big.” Accompanying the vets were “guardians,” people who were either someone they knew or a HVHF volunteer. e trip was free for vets, but guardians had to pay their own way at $500 a head. ey didn’t have to bring any money, unless they wanted to buy souvenirs. His wife of 45 years would have come along but, alas, spouses are not allowed. “I think it’s absolutely fantastic,” said Rosemary Panettiere of the program, adding: “It honors vets, but also gives (their) guardians an understanding of what they went through.” Panettiere’s guardian was sonin-law Francesco Notaristefano, husband of his daughter, Lisa Marie, and dad of eight-yearold Francesco Jr., who made him a homemade card featuring the American ag and a message thanking him for his service. “He got all 50 stars and 13 stripes on it,” granddad pointed out proudly. (Rosemary is a retired travel agent; Lisa Marie is a speech language pathologist; and Francesco Sr. is a special ed teacher.) Francesco Sr., who knew almost nothing about military life, much less what went on during the Vietnam era, enjoyed the experience and learned a lot. He was “like a kid in a candy shop,” Panettiere said. Each ight costs $140,000. Most of the money is for the private plane that they charter. e rest goes for bus transportation, meals, and incidentals. e nonpro¥ t depends on donations from individuals and organizations and on corporate sponsorship. ShopRite is its primary corporate sponsor. For the May 20 ight, the supermarket chain handed over a check for $182,500. “It’s been very good to HVHF,” said Edwards last week, adding that the organization jokes that without ShopRite, it would “be the honor bus and not the honor ight.” Vets with mobility issues or who need oxygen or medication are accommodated “as long as their doctor says it’s OK to come,” she said. HVHF has its own eet of wheelchairs so participants don’t have to worry about bringing their own. Panettiere was impressed that HVHF seemed to have thought out every little detail, right down to having cold water on hand. “It all went so smoothly,” he said. It’s the comradery that counts, according to Edwards. “One of the things that we hear over and over, is ‘Oh, I just went down to DC to see the memorials with my grandkids or buddies,’ but they soon learn that it’s a very di erent experience when you go with 70 of your (military) brothers and sisters,” said Edwards, adding that many say it was “the best day of their lives.” Her husband, a Vietnam vet, was treated “horribly” when he came home, she said. Afterward visiting the memorials, the vets repaired to a hotel ballroom where they had dinner, tapped their toes to robust military music, and were serenaded by a group of West Point grads. Many got up to share their stories and thoughts with the rapt crowd. ey ew back to Westchester afterwards where they were greeted with more cheers and ag-waving. Firetrucks were on the tarmac at both the Westchester County Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in DC to give their plane a water spray salute as it left. All along the way, folks stopped to shake their hands and to thank them. “It made us feel so good,” Panettiere said, adding that it was a day he will “never forget.” Being recognized in that fashion was healing and “beautiful,” according to Panettiere who said that, as a Vietnam veteran, he felt the ight was a kind of “vindication.” “It makes you love America and that’s what we need today because there’s so much hate,” he said. GOOD TO KNOW Hudson Valley Honor Flight is a 501c3 nonpro¥ t organization. Donations should be made payable to Hudson Valley Honor Flight or HVHF and mailed to: P.O. Box 375, Walden, NY, 12586. Donations can also be made online via Paypal at www. hvhonor ight.com/donate. Applicants are generally selected and own on a ¥ rst-come, ¥ rst-served basis. Initial con¥ rmations usually go out three months prior to the next ight. Priority is given to WWII vets and those with terminal illnesses. HONOR FROM PAGE 1 PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM PANETTIERE Panettiere with Honor Flight guardian and son-in-law Francesco Notaristefano at the Lincoln Memorial.
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 5 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 As is commonplace, local Scouts never hesitate to serve our community. Recently, BSA Troop 376 and Troop 228 joined forces to replace more than 600 fl ags at Ivandell and St. Joseph’s Cemeteries. The fl ags were purchased by Troop 376 with the assistance of a generous donation from the Somers Volunteer Fire Department. The Troops also partnered once again on Memorial Day to lower the fl ags at The Elephant Hotel and Ivandell Cemetery to half-mast, as well as participating in the town’s parade and observance ceremony with Troop 376’s bugler Matthew Hirsch performing a rendition of Taps. Honor and service Somers Scouts give back for Memorial Day PHOTOS COURTESY OF BSA TROOP 376 Scouts lowering the fl ag to half-mast at Ivandell Cemetery. BSA Troops 376 and 228 joined forces to serve the community. Matthew Hirsch performing Taps at Somers’ Memorial Day ceremony.
PAGE 6 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 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. A RESPECTFUL APPROACH TO NAVIGATING FAMILY TRANSITIONS AND CONFLICT - Family, Elder and Divorce Mediation - Collaborative Divorce - Co-Parenting Plans - Pre-Nuptial and Marital Settlement Agreements ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION OFFERS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES - Privacy - A Voice in Decision Making - Preservation of Assets - Child Focused Options - Avoidance of Often Toxic and Costly Court Proceedings NEW LOCATION: 340 Route 202 • Suite M, Somers • 914-669-5224 www.margaretnicholson.com • [email protected] “I am honored to have been selected by my peers for Hudson Valley Magazine’s annual “Top Lawyers” publication. THE LAW & MEDIATION OFFICE OF Margaret A. Nicholson Free Half Hour Consultations Virtual Options Available DAY CAMP POSITIONS AVAILABLE First Aid Supervisor, Counselor. To be a camp counselor applicants need to be at least 16 years old by the start of camp, 6/26. Applicants available to work the entire 6 weeks of camp, Mon.-Fri. 6/26- 8/4, will be given preference. To apply, visit www.somersny.com. If you have any questions, please call the Recreation Department at (914) 232- 8442 Westchester Female Flag Football Registration is open for Summer Female Flag Football under the lights! Westchester Female Flag Football, powered by Gridiron Partners, o ers a summer league for adults ( ursday evenings) and youth (Tuesday evenings) from late June through early August at the Somers High main football turf eld. Please visit their website to learn more and register https:/clubs.bluesombrero.com/gridiron. Visit them on Instagram and Facebook @gridironpartnersinc The Somers Library Please register using the online calendar at www.somerslibrary.org to have access to online meetings. If virtual, you will receive an invitation prior to the start of the program. Programs are supported by the Friends of the Somers Library through patrons’ generous contributions. NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO ELIMINATE PAIN Saturday, June 3, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Are you experiencing pain? You are not alone. Dr Edward Markowitz, D.C., CFMP, will discuss the following topics: Spinal Disc decompression, Acupuncture, erapeutic massage, Anti-in ammatory diet, and Postural correction, as well as nutritional, exercise and lifestyle advice to help reduce pain and in ammation without medication or surgery. TEENS AND ADULTS: CREATE BEADED EARRINGS Thursday, June 8, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Can’t make it at 4:30 p.m.? Join in anytime up until 6 p.m.! Come to the Somers Library to make your own beaded earrings and make additional pairs to donate. For example, for every pair of earrings you make for yourself, you will also make the same amount to be donated to a local women’s shelter. is free program is intended for adults, teens & tweens in 6 grade & up. (Since this workshop bene ts a women’s shelter, it could be considered for community service hours.) HEALTHY LIVING FOR YOUR BRAIN AND BODY Friday, June 9, from 1 to 2 p.m. Presented by the Alzheimer’s Association. At any age, there are lifestyle habits we can adopt to help maintain or even potentially improve our health. ese may also help to keep our brains healthy as we age and possibly delay the onset of cognitive decline. is workshop covers four areas associated with healthy aging: Cognitive activity, exercise, diet/nutrition and social engagement. Drawing on the latest research, this program explores steps to take to improve or maintain overall health in each area. Please register. NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION Saturday, June 17, f rom 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Ever wonder about natural solutions to reduce anxiety and depression? Join in for this interesting presentation. Dr Edward Markowitz, D.C., CFMP, will discuss optimizing nutrition, balancing hormones and brain chemistry, reducing in ammatory foods, increasing antiin ammatory foods, improving digestion, and stress reduction techniques. TEEN CRAFT: MAKE YOUR OWN FELT SUCCULENT AND MINI PAINTED POT Saturday, June 17, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. In the latest teen craft program, participants will be painting a mini plant pot and creating succulent plants out of felt. Lots of fun and you never have to water them! Please come wearing clothes you can paint in. Doris L. Kaplan Doris L. Kaplan of Somers, died peacefully in her home May 18, 2023, at the age of 93. Dorie was born in New York, New York to the late Betty and Benjamin Bressler. She graduated from the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan and received her undergraduate degree from Adelphi University, majoring in Education. She worked as an elementary school teacher, and o¨ ce manager, and an assistant at the Motor Vehicle Bureau while raising three children. She was a pro cient pianist and a lover of animals. Dorie was married to Cli ord Kaplan (deceased). She is the beloved mother of Karen Solomon of Boston, Laurie and William Young of Norwalk, Connecticut, and Harry and Kee Kaplan of Towson, Maryland. She is the Grandmother of Ben and Emily Solomon, Victoria Solomon, Elizabeth Young, Molly Young, Aaron Young, Maddy Kaplan, and Noah Kaplan. She is the great Grandmother of Maisie and Libbie Solomon. Her life will be celebrated by a private family ceremony. Memorial contributions may be made to the New York Times Neediest Cases Fund: PO Box 5193, New York, NY 10087 or to the World Wildlife Fund. OBITUARIES TRUNK FROM PAGE 2 SEE TRUNK PAGE 7
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 7 Treat your home like a work of Fine Art. IDC Shrub Oak • 1248 E Main St • Shrub Oak, NY (914) 245-5050 IDC Greenwich • 184 S. Water St • Greenwich, CT (203) 531-8050 IDC Westport • 800 Post Rd E. • Westport, CT (203) 221-1620 Welcome to the Interstate Design Centers in Greenwich, Westport & Shrub Oak, where the very best in windows, doors & hardware are on display. The view outside your window is like a painting, so give it the frame it deserves with Andersen Windows & Doors, the #1 recommended window and door brand. At the IDC, we believe that a home is more than just a house, it's a work of art. Explore new designs, brands and styles to turn your next home into a masterpiece. “Andersen” and all other marks where denoted are trademarks of Andersen Corporation. ©2023 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. DROP-IN MAHJONG CLUB Fridays, through June 30, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Drop in to play MahJong with your neighbors. is is for anyone who loves the game, wants to meet new people, and have some fun. e library has some Mahjong sets, but players should try to bring their own. All are welcome, but enough knowledge to play unassisted is best. Genesis Jewelers of Yorktown 2023 BOOK DRIVE June 3 - 10 Help support the need to read! Donate your gently used children’s books at Genesis Jewelers of Yorktown, located at 32 Triangle Center in Yorktown Heights. e 914 Cares Literacy Library provides books to families and school districts in under resourced communities in Westchester County. Every family and every classroom in Westchester deserve to have a su cient supply of age-appropriate books to foster literacy, learning, and a love of reading. All books distributed are in good, clean condition and inspected by 914 Cares for ageappropriateness. e goal is to collect 1,000 books! Yorktown For Justice YORKTOWN PRIDE MARCH / FESTIVAL Saturday, June 3 Yorktown For Justice (YFJ) is hosting ird Annual Northern Westchester-Yorktown Pride, offering a full slate of festivities celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. March with us! Step o at 1 p.m. sharp from Yorktown Town Hall for the 3rd annual Yorktown / Northern Westchester Pride March. March will end at Railroad Park. Join the festival! 2 - 6 p.m. Pride Festival Celebration at historic Railroad Park, 1826 Commerce Street in Yorktown Heights featuring performances, grassroots speakers, information The Heritage Hills Pickleball community recently showed their pride and respect, honoring those who gave their lives in service to Pickleball Patriots our country for Memorial Day. PHOTO COURTESY OF HERITAGE HILLS PICKLEBALL CLUB TRUNK FROM PAGE 6 SEE TRUNK PAGE 26
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, JUNE 1, 2023 With Memorial Day just having passed, I wanted to take a moment and set the record straight on a critical aspect of our federal government’s work - funding and providing services for our veterans. For weeks, Democratic darkmoney groups and far-left activists have been lying about the Limit, Save, Grow Act and its impact on funding for our veterans here in the 17th Congressional District. In fact, in May, the Working Families Party, who have consistently advocated for the defunding of our military, stooped so low as to use veterans as political pawns by protesting outside of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Hospital in Montrose. e WFP and other dark-money groups have spent millions of dollars across the country to spread this insidious lie and, not surprisingly, some people are confused, scared, or both. Let me be clear: I never have and never will support cuts to the Department of Veterans A airs. e Limit, Save, Grow Act they reference contained zero language outlining any cuts to veterans programs. In fact, it didn’t touch on veterans bene ts at all, not even mentioning the word “veteran” once. Even the Washington Post admitted there are no cuts to veterans in the bill. A recent poll shows that 60% of Americans believe we need to lift the debt ceiling while reducing runaway federal spending, something that drove in ation to record levels and created economic instability for families right here in the Hudson Valley and across the country. e Limit, Save, Grow Act Setting the record straight about support for our veterans With some interesting school board elections in the books–much higher turnout for a change–we return our attention to all the other elections on the horizon. We are not even six months into the current congressional term, yet fundraising is underway and new candidates are throwing their hats in the ring for an election that is still 18 months away. And of course, the presidential election cycle is never ending, soaking up at least a third of all media coverage. e rst presidential primary, the Iowa caucuses, is tentatively set for January of next year. And while all this is going on, it is an odd numbered year, so local town and many village elections will take place in November of this year with those campaigns getting underway too. Sometimes I long for the British system where the campaign season is limited to only six weeks. But since we are in perpetual election season, I started thinking about how we vet candidates at all levels of government. Do we ask the right questions? Sometimes we don’t see George Santos. When evaluating candidates, I always remember the Groucho Marx line that he would never want to join a club that would have him as a member. Sometimes I think that’s true of political candidates–wanting the job might be a disquali er. Evaluating candidates at all levels is akin to a job interview, a process which is intended to arrive at the best person for the job. In the real world, that process doesn’t always get you where you were aiming and the same is true in politics. It’s too bad we can’t hire candidates for a 90-day trial and then decide if we want to keep them. It works for mattress companies. A not-so-quick query on the internet, I think they call it going down a rabbit hole, revealed hundreds of questions to ask candidates. Here is a baker’s dozen of my favorites in no particular order. is is one of my favorite questions job candidates are always asked: Is there a question that you wish we had asked you that we didn’t? It is a good question for political candidates too. When did you decide to run? What speci cally attracted you to the job? With partisanship and tribalism at an all-time high in our country, what speci c strategies will you employ to turn down the temperature? Talk about the role your political party plays in your campaign and what role the party will play when you are elected? How will you ensure that you represent marginalized or underrepresented groups? Who are some of those groups? Talk about some speci c goals you would like to accomplish and the timeline for accomplishing them? How would you like to be evaluated? What speci c skills have you developed both personally and professionally that will help you do the job? What, if anything, needs xing at the level of government you seek to join and what can you do about it? How will you approach your constituents who have di erent political views or ideologies? Do they deserve a seat at the table? Everybody talks about transparency and accountability; what does that mean to you? How important is it? Is there a story that comes to mind when you had to compromise to progress? What can you do to promote small business and entrepreneurship? How do you measure success? I am sure you have a few questions of your own to add to the list. Let’s hope we are provided with a forum to ask them. What to expect when you’re electing DON SCOTT IN CASE YOU MISSED IT MIKE LAWLER CONGRESSMAN SEE LAWLER PAGE 9
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 9 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 ‘ Our family received outstanding service from Joe and his staff. They are accomplished and professional, yet accessible and friendly— a wonderful community resource that I would recommend to anyone. ~A.W. The Consumer’s Choice for Discount Heating Oil! SAVE WITH OUR LOW C.O.D. PRICES! • No Contracts or Commitments • Oil Burner & A/C Service/Tune-ups • Quality Heating Oil • Senior Citizen & Volume Discounts • Heating, Cooling & Generator Installations • Price Matching (Restrictions apply) Order online at: www.codoil.com CALL US TODAY AND SAVE! 914.737.7769 SAVE WITH OUR LOW C.O.D. tackles spending head-on. In conjunction with capping federal spending, however, we must not forget our commitment to America’s veterans. To that end, House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee announced over $18 billion in new funding for veterans, their care, and services for our brave heroes. I will never stop ghting to secure funding for the veterans in our district, and the $18 billion commitment from House Republicans will enable the U.S. Department of Veterans A airs to improve care, provide additional services, and keep our promise to America’s veterans and their families. My o ce has been proud to assist dozens of veterans so far this year with claims at the VA, Social Security and Medicare issues, and more. I remain hopeful that, at some stage, the Democratic dark-money groups and farleft activists will stop using our veterans as political pawns and treat them with the respect they deserve, just as House Republicans are working to do. Congressman Mike Lawler is the U.S. Representative to New York’s 17th Congressional District, which includes all of Halston Media’s newspaper coverage area. Lawler was elected to Congress this past November. LAWLER FROM PAGE 8 Ken and I are both retired. We now enjoy traveling and also visiting our daughter and her family. It wasn’t always this way. About a hundred years ago (it seems), Ken was working at an investment research rm and I was a stay-at-home mom. It was 1993 and almost Christmas. Ken’s rm was hosting a cocktail party at the Bedford Country Club for some of their prominent clients. While dressing for the party, I asked Ken if there was anything interesting or important I should know about the people I would be meeting so I could engage them in conversation. He told me to just relax and be myself. We arrived early and I was immediately taken in by the stately elegance of the club. Ken and I walked around taking in the atmosphere, and when guests began arriving about an hour later, we made our way to each person or couple. We rst greeted a lovely woman and her distinguished-looking English husband. Ken introduced me and I learned that she was the editor of Vanity Fair Magazine. Her short, frenzyhaired husband was a duke with an infectious laugh and a dry sense of humor. I was totally charmed. I was also impressed and would have loved the opportunity to speak about the magazine and some of the recent articles I had read. Next, Ken greeted and introduced me to a woman who from ages 12 to 15 was a United States national junior tennis champion. She and I spoke for a while, as I was an avid tennis player at the time and loved hearing her story. After we mingled with more clients, Ken and I sat at a small table with some champagne and a plate with about six small triangle watercress sandwiches. It seems the richer you are, the less food you get to eat, and I was starving. I asked Ken why he hadn’t given me the background information of these very impressive people, when a gentleman joined us. He was tall, thin and military-looking. When we were introduced, I was told that the man’s wife was Penny Crone, a reporter at Fox News and someone I had been watching on television for years. She was not with him, as she was working that evening. “How exciting,” I blurted out. “You must get special insight into all the relevant and current news.” Ken then explained that the gentleman was, in fact, part of the news himself. Before he came to work with Ken, he was Secret Service for President Reagan. A few hours later on the way home, I asked Ken why he hadn’t mentioned any speci c details about the people I had just met. Ken has always been rather low-key and perhaps that is why he had always been so successful at his job. ey say opposites attract, so I’m thinking my lively personality must blend perfectly with him. Yes, I’m going with that thought, as the alternative would be to admit that I married someone who could be just that clueless. Jo Ann can be reached at jkjfranc@gmail. com. Just that clueless JO ANN FRANCELLA JUST JO ANN Fun Facts by Jo Ann Living low-key allows one to appreciate the simple pleasures in life.
PAGE 10 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 I f you want to meet some of your neighbors and their canine friends, there’s no better way to do it than to support the important work of the SPCA by walking in the annual Dog Walk at FDR Park in Yorktown. My dog Gidget can always use a little socialization herself, since she doesn’t get a chance to interact with other dogs very much. So I welcomed the opportunity to let her introduce herself to some other four-legged friends, and one or two who had only three legs. It’s been proven that pets can have a very positive e ect on people’s wellbeing. According to counselor Dr. Larena Davis, “Ancient Greeks found that horses appeared to lift the spirits of those very ill.” My dog recently lifted my spirits when I was down, wouldn’t give them back and ran out the door with them and buried them in the back yard. But it’s the thought that counts. ere were quite a few pets and some vendors set up in the meet-and-greet area. ere was a temporary tattoo booth, that was for dogs. Gidget was partial to the kind you would get in prison, so we moved on. ere was face painting, that was for people. I wanted mine done like a Picasso, so we moved on. ere was a free T-shirt, that was for people. I take size extra-medium. ere was a sign-up sheet for an obedience class. I’m not sure if that was for dogs or people, but when someone told me to sign up, I didn’t, so maybe I should have. ere was a booth with a veterinarian, and whenever I see a vet I thank him for his service. Gidget is a Eurasier, which is a breed not prone to excessive barking. So who do you think was the only dog barking at this event? She barked at dogs that were far away, thinking that they wouldn’t bother to walk all the way over to ask what was her problem. She was just barking out insults and asking for trouble. One dog was wearing a bow tie for some reason, and Gidget had something to say about that. Another dog looked and walked like a skunk and Gidget didn’t let that go. ere was a Whippet, and she had a little gibe about that too. A dog came over to Gidget and got into the “submissive pose,” but if it was me I would want to know exactly what I was submitting to beforehand, possibly in writing. e owner said, “Look, she wants to play!” And I said, “Gidget likes to play, but she prefers Scrabble.” Making friends is much the same for people as for dogs, although instead of sni ng around when you bend over, I’ll just ask, “How ya doing?” I think we can both agree on that. Instead of wagging my tail, I’ll just give you a smile that could light up a room. If neither of us are wagging our tails, you’d better just use the light switch. Gidget had made a friend, so I listened in on their conversation. “What kind is that you have there?” And Gidget replied, “Oh I guess he’s mostly Swedish but basically a mutt. He has kind of a quirky disposition. He’s barely paper trained but at least he recycles it after he reads it.” “Omigod he has such a beautiful coat. Does it shed?” “No it’s leather.” “How old is he?” “He’s 9, but he looks younger, doesn’t he? With that cute puppy face. Shaves his whiskers.” “So adorable. What’s his name?” “His name is Rick, but he only answers to ‘Woof ’ for some reason.” “Has he had all his shots?” “I think so, he had six of them last night and it seemed to cure everything that was wrong with him, until today of course.” e SPCA introduced some of the candidates that were up for adoption, and it was a little like “ e Dating Game” for dogs. “ is is Sparky! He loves rainy days, Haiku poetry, romantic dinners, eating grass and drinking from the toilet bowl.” I asked the contestant, “Sparky, if you could be a candy bar, what kind would you be, and why?” I thought it was a meatball question but he didn’t pick me. Finally it was time for the walk, and since I still have a broken foot with a walking boot on, I’m moving kind of slow these days. I don’t even think I could keep up with the Kardashians. In the event of a slug fest, it might even be over by the time I got there. at may be one too many jokes on the subject, but anyway the walk was not arduous and I let my little sled dog pull me along a little. Gidget was happy to do it and we had a bonding moment. I told her I loved her and I was glad I didn’t get a service dog, even though it would have helped me in tennis. She said she loved me too and was sorry she threw up in my new car. You WHAT? Say hello at [email protected]. Hound dog monologue RICK MELÉN MAN OVERBOARD Contact Us The Somers Record is located at 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. You can contact us at 914-302-5830 or email [email protected]. LIMITED TIME ONLY EXTRA CHARGE FOR TOPPINGS ©2023 Rita’s Franchise Company, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Valid at participating locations. REDEEMABLE AT FROZEN TREAT $1 OFF WHEN YOU BUY ONE Expires 04.15.2021 RITAS OF YORKTOWN 1881A COMMERCE STREET YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY 10598 914 302 7711 ritas.com www.facebook.com/ritasof $1 OFF BUY ONE, GET $1 OFF ANOTHER ritasofyorktown ritasofyorktown.com Discount applied to lowest priced item. Not valid on take home treats, catering, or novelty items. Not valid with any other offer. Limit one offer per guest per visit. Not valid at cart or theme park venues. Not for resale. ©2020 RITA’S FRANCHISE COMPANY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. VALID AT PARTICIPATING RITA’S LOCATIONS. Exp. 6/30/2023 We Carry A Complete Line of BioGuard Pool Treatments
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 11 Join us at the opening for some, art, wine, and cheese The show will remain open in the gallery space for the entire month of June SISTERS IN ART & LIFE John C. Hart Memorial Library, Gallery Space 1130 E Main St. Shrub Oak, NY 10588 2 PM to 4 PM, June 3rd ART EXHIBITION: I'M ABSTRACT I'M A REALIST OVER HALF A CENTURY OF LOVE, ART & COMPANIONSHIP I ’m half-Irish. My mother’s maiden name was Cunningham. I think my Irish heritage is where my stoicism comes from. Oh, I can get irate and animated under certain circumstances, but most times I roll with the changes with a shoulder shrug. Maybe I borrowed a little of that from the AA “Serenity Prayer” ... Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Sometimes my stoicism is mistaken for indi erence. But it shouldn’t be. ose who mistake it aren’t privy to the roiling mess that sometimes goes on inside me when things go wrong. ey don’t know that when I am by myself, things are different. I am like that boiling pot of water you forgot was on the stove. When the Giants fail to punch the ball into the endzone on fourth and goal; when a Mets hitter strikes out with two outs and the bases loaded, when some talking head on Fox News says something deliberately false, stupid and reckless, no one sees me throw my shoe at the television. While I was going through my health crisis that wound up with me losing my left leg due to diabetes, folks praised me for my strength, sense of humor and positive attitude. But that was just my Irish fortitude shining through. And while I appreciated the kudos, they weren’t invited to my pity party and didn’t see me crying myself to sleep every night. Grandpa Cunningham was a bit like that. He didn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve. He was a curmudgeon with a heart of gold, only without the heart-of-gold part. I guess that is my way of saying that he was perpetually grumpy. He was a World War I veteran. He never talked about it all that much, but I know he saw combat. He actually brought back souvenirs, and this is pretty crazy. ey included a German helmet (with a dent where a bullet grazed o it), a German infantry ri e, one of those weird German army hats with the spikey thing on top, and a German machine gun. Yup... a machine gun. I am not talking about the kind you held in your hand like an Uzi. is was a big, heavy metal model that sat on a tripod. Soldiers would feed bullets into it that were on a cloth belt. He still had the belt, but no bullets. It came with a big metal box that held the ammo. Sometimes he would let me play with it. He would set it up on its tripod in the living room and I would put on the metal helmet (which was really uncomfortable and made me look like Darth Vader) and sit behind the gun and pretend to re it. Dat! Dat! Dat! Dat! Dat! ere was no danger. e gun was inoperable and, as I said, there were no bullets. But it was a unique way for a 10-year-old to spend a Saturday afternoon, Grandpa was also a great baseball player and he contributed to my love for the game. I never saw him play, but he was a catcher and still had his old mitt and chest protector. (I played with them, too.) He played in a semi-pro league and was later inducted into the Dutchess County Baseball Hall of Fame. He was a war hero and a baseball star, so why was he so grumpy all the time? I can never say for sure, but when I was younger, there was talk around the family—aunts and older cousins—that he was still bitter about the racism he suffered from when he got out of the service and began looking for a job. Racism? Grandpa Cunningham was the pastiest white guy you’d ever want to meet. How could he be the victim of prejudice? Well, we’ve all heard about those “Irish Need Not Apply” signs often found in storefront windows so long ago. e sentiment could also be found in the help wanted classi ed ads. From the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, Irish immigrants were not well-liked. Why? In the wake of the Irish Potato Famine (aka e Great Famine, aka e Great Hunger), which lasted from 1846 to 1851, more than a million Irish emigrated to North America, and they were all looking for jobs. I don’t know if there were any protest marches back then with people chanting, “ e Irish will not replace us!” but it was clear Americans thought these inferior lowlife immigrants wanted to steal their jobs. By the 1920s, the anti-Irish sentiment was less transparent, but it still festered in more subtle forms. Family lore says Grandpa had trouble nding employment, which in the wake of his military valor, made him bitter... and grumpy. He took a job as an iceman, using a team of horses pulling a giant blade to slice blocks of ice from Green Mountain Lake in Pawling, then loading it onto a wagon and delivering the ice to local households for their “ice boxes.” It was hard work. Eventually, he found a job as a typewriter repairman for IBM (well before they had anything to do with computers) and stayed with them until his retirement. Now, as Fox News enthusiasts are well aware, we’ve had some issues with immigration again, particularly at our southern border. Hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers have traveled countless miles in search of a better life and have overwhelmed our border patrol agents Welcome to the melting pot... sort of BOB DUMAS OUT OF MY HEAD SEE DUMAS PAGE 12
PAGE 12 – THE SOMERS RECORD OPINION THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962 Russell Girolamo Jr. Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Auto | Home | Business | Life (914) 962-9777 www.girolamoagency.com 60 YEARS IN BUSINESS EST. + 1962 join Lauren, Colleen and Rick and bring a li� le harmony to your next event! musical vocal group playing an eclec� c mix of favorites, old and new [email protected] 914-248-5135 862 Route 6 Goodrow Building Mahopac NY 10541 (845) 208-0963 SOUTHEAST EXECUTIVE PARK 185 NY-312 • Suite 301B Brewster NY 10509 (845) 279-9288 MILL POND OFFICES 293 Route 100 • Suite 107 Somers, NY 10589 (914) 276-2520 www.aonpt.com The Road To Recovery Starts Here and tapped our resources to the limit. If the same problem was happening at our Northern border with Canadian refugees, or if it was Norwegians teaming our shores, I doubt there would be as much handwringing. ose folks are so white, they are practically transparent. Now, our former president would have you believe that most of these asylum-seekers are rapists, murderers, drug dealers, and liberal arts professors who are coming here to take our jobs and lower property values, but in reality, many are just single moms with their kids attempting to escape suppressive authoritarian regimes and create a better life for their families. It was recently reported in the New York Post and Fox News that several motels (in Newburgh and Wallkill) have kicked out disabled vets to make room for these “illegals.” Turns out, none of that was true (surprise, surprise). e MidHudson News, which had joined the feeding frenzy and reported the veteran eviction story, has since repudiated it. ey were given receipts that allegedly proved that veterans had indeed been removed, but it turns out those receipts were doctored. e motels’ management also denied it ever happened— some saying they never even had vets in the rst place—so the MidHudson News retracted the story. e Post and Fox News did not. But I agree there is a problem here. It is not the color of the immigrants’ skin or the language they speak. It is simply a matter of resources. Where do we house them; how do we feed them; how do we provide medical services? It’s overwhelming and it costs a lot of money! ere are no easy solutions. But we are America, dammit. We can gure it out. We sent a man to the moon. We cured polio. We do big stu . We just need the wherewithal. Just remember... times change. Today, every March we have a big parade celebrating the Irish and we all wear green in their honor. When you apply for a job, no one cares anymore if you are Irish. en again, the Irish are mostly white. DUMAS FROM PAGE 11 SEE MARTORANO PAGE 13 On a rainy July evening in 1965, as I drove to my family’s beach house in Milford, Conn., my car’s axle suddenly snapped. My vehicle lurched o the road, careening straight toward a telephone pole. In the split second between my nearcertain death and the car coming to a safe stop, I experienced a small epiphany. In that moment, I appreciated the true nitude of my life. at realization was instantaneously accompanied by profound questions, interspersed with thoughts of how I would pay for the broken axle: What is the point of my existence? Does my life make a di erence? Does my life have meaning? Indeed, these are weighty questions. But, before we begin to answer these inquiries, we need to put things in perspective. Fourteen billion years after the Big Bang, we now know that the universe is a lot larger than we ever imagined. It contains a few hundred billion galaxies, each with a hundred billion stars. We, on the other hand, are quite diminutive beings, recent arrivals on an insigni cant planet orbiting a nondescript star. And to make matters even more dire, our existence is measured in decades, not billions of years. Sounds really depressing, but as my mother used to say, “it could be worse.” ere have been incredible advances in our understanding of the universe since I had my rather elementary epiphany. We know beyond question how we came to be as we are today. e National Association of Biology Teachers puts it this way: “the diversity of life on earth is the result of evolution: an unpredictable and natural process of temporal descent with genetic modi cation that is a ected by natural selection, chance, historical contingencies and changing environments.” As science, particularly neuroscience, has reached new heights, our desires, propensities, and thoughts have been examined, dissected and, to a great extent, predicted and explained. We are, from a physics perspective, blobs of organized mud who developed over millions of years. Now that I have described our What makes us special JAMES MARTORANO MY PERSPECTIVE
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 OPINION THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 13 Nestled in a lush green hideaway of Yorktown Heights amidst tall evergreens and nature’s beauty, sits The Country House, recently named a Best Assisted Living community by U.S. News & World Report. We invite you to tour and learn more about how our services can benefit you or your loved one. Call (914) 249-9144 to schedule. Experience the Best THE Country House in westchester 2000 Baldwin Road · Yorktown Heights · thecountryhouseinwestchester.com LIC # 800-F-007 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 existence in in nitesimal terms, both in size and lifespan, how can we possibly nd meaning? Although we are a far cry from the humancentric view of the universe that the world mistakenly basked in for hundreds of years, all is not lost. Let me begin our inquiry by referencing some of the themes depicted in the movie “Pleasantville” (1998). In case you didn’t see the lm or have long since erased it from your memory, let me provide a brief synopsis. In a scene reminiscent of the Garden of Eden, the main protagonists are thrust by God (in the form of a TV repair man) into a world that is perfect in every respect. On the basketball court, every shot scores. In life, there is no sin, no mistakes, no aging, no death, no snapped axles, no regrets. Sounds OK to me so far. But in this pristine black and white world, a few humans eventually desire more. Gradually, the characters in the movie choose a dynamic, awed humanity, with all its sloppy imperfections, excitements, passion, anger, disappointments, art, mistakes and, yes, grand achievements. As the transition from robotic perfection to unpredictable humanity proceeds, color is introduced to the previously black and white lm. As small and temporary as we are, compared to the everlasting, in nitely large universe, we are much more than a collection of atoms. Additionally, we have one immense advantage over the array of stars and space we see before us: consciousness. We have developed the capacity to consider, cherish and interact with the intimidating complexity of the world around us. Like the protagonists in the movie “Pleasantville,” we strive for more, much more. And although our lifespans are nite, our capacity to think and feel is truly unlimited. But what about life’s meaning? My rst issue is with the question itself. By “meaning,” are we referring to some other-worldly purpose—God’s or perhaps the universe’s plan for us—or do we mean a life path that provides us with happiness? Regarding the former, Rick Warren, in his bestselling book, “ e Purpose Driven Life,” suggests that your life’s meaning has nothing to do with you. In his appeal to people’s feeling of being overwhelmed with life’s problems, he provides a reprieve by suggesting that meaning comes from without. In particular, he posits it comes from God. I respectfully disagree. On both interpretations of the question of “meaning,” I submit that the answer is in your hands. It is you who creates the meaning, values, and direction of your life. Yes, as living, thinking organisms, we are creatures of motion and motivation. But our essence is not de ned by the atoms that make us up. As scientist Sean Carroll points out in his book, “ e Big Picture,” our essence is de ned “by the dynamic patterns we trace out as we move through the world. e most important thing about life is that it occurs out of equilibrium…to stay alive, we have to continually move, process information, and interact with our environment.” During my adult years, as I delved more deeply into these issues, I experienced another epiphany and, this time, I didn’t need to have a near death experience. I had the realization that our evolutionary heritage is only part of the picture. What truly de nes our place in the universe is the emergence of consciousness. at development means, as Sean Carroll insightfully points out, that what we care about, what we love, desire, and understand “can change over time as a result of our learning, our interactions with others, and our own self-re ection.” In short, we are dynamic beings in every sense of the word. In the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George Bailey is saved from killing himself by his guardian angel. But what changes George’s mind about taking his own life isn’t angelic wisdom, but rather his realization that his life had a tangible, positive e ect on the lives of other people in the town of Bedford Falls. e act of ascribing meaning to our lives is a fundamentally individual, subjective and creative endeavor. Adding to that, our nitude lends both profundity and a sense of urgency to our situation. We can choose to embrace the teachings of a religion which, with a checklist of doctrines, will explain to us our life’s meaning. Or, as I personally prefer, we can take on the responsibility ourselves. Either way, we don’t need our axle to snap to appreciate life’s preciousness. My nal admonition is that you enjoy and appreciate every moment, knowing that your life does have meaning, both to you and the people who love you. MARTORANO FROM PAGE 12
THE SOMERS RECORD – BY CAROL REIF STAFF WRITER A somber crowd gathered in Somers on Memorial Day to honor and mourn those who died while serving in the military. e parade started at the middle school and took marchers along Route 202. It ended at Ivandell Cemetery where the ceremony was held under sunny skies. Providing the patriotic music was the Somers Middle School Fife & Drum Corps. In welcoming participants and attendees Grace Zimmerman, vice president of the Somers Historical Society, noted that the town was also marking the beginning of a “new tradition.” Because of Eagle Scout candidate Simon Daley’s military banner project, there are American ags and banners honoring veterans on utility poles. ey will be installed every Memorial Day and removed shortly after every Veteran’s Day. “Today, we gather, as Americans have done for more than 150 years, to remember the more than 1 million Americans who lost their lives in military service to this country. Most we don’t know; some we do, like our town’s namesake – Master Commandant Richard Somers – whose bust looks down on this ceremony today. Somers died ghting terrorists o the coast of Libya in the early 19th century under the presidency of omas Je erson,” Zimmerman said. “Although we can’t thank these people personally, we can honor them by re ecting on their sacri ces,” she added. Zimmerman also thanked Kate O’Keefe of the Somers Lions Club for organizing the parade, which was headed up by Arnie Guyot driving the 1917 Model T Ford that had belonged to Caroline Wright Reis. Reis Park is named after the late philanthropist, artist, businesswoman, and su ragette sympathizer. Father Mike Watson, pastor of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, gave the invocation. Scouts then led the Pledge of Allegiance and the Somers Middle School Advanced Choir, directed by Marie Williams, sang the National Anthem as well as America the Beautiful. “ eir names may be etched in stone monuments and their stories passed down through the ages, but it is their indomitable spirit that lives on within us,” Supervisor Rob Scorrano said of the war dead in a poignant speech. e traditional prayer was then given by the Rev. Fr. John Lagiovane of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Gina Arena, a member of Daughters of the American Revolution (Polly Cooper Chapter), recited the poem “Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak.” After the red, white, and blue wreaths were placed, Somers High School student Matthew Hirsch played Taps. e benediction was given by Rabbi Shoshanna Leis of the Hebrew Congregation of Somers. Remember & Hon Supervisor Rob Scorrano Vietnam veteran Tony Nazzaro, and Kate O’Keefe of the Somers Lions Club Luann Grieco, Carol Cirieco, Jacqueline Cirieco, Isabella Villareale, and Odin Tony Nazzaro, Denis J. Timone, Pat Mulholland, and Dennis Caruso Memorial Day in Somers PAGE 14
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 The Somers Middle School Advanced Choir sang the National Anthem. PAGE 15 PHOTOS: CAROL REIF
PAGE 16 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 Somers High School Featured Seniors As the Class of 2023 counts down to graduation on June 21, The Somers Record is proud to highlight another group of seniors! Hanna Stavola Are you a morning person or a night owl? It takes seven alarms to get me up in the morning, so I would say I am not a morning person. What interests you most? What activities do you participate in, both in school and outside of school? In school, I am the Vice President of Somers Buddies & Special Olympics. I am also a part of National Honor Society, Italian Honor Society and Science Honor Society. Outside of school, I love to hang out with my friends. What is something that motivates you? My family motivates me to be the best person I can be. What is Somers’ best attraction? Friday night football games. Were your years at Somers High School what you expected them to be? How would you describe your high school experience in one word? Overall, my years at Somers High School were what I expected. I would describe my years as “di erent” because every year something changed. We started o as freshman getting cut o by Covid. e years following, there were many changes every year to accommodate to Covid including virtual classes, schedule changes and limited fan sections at events. Ava Svoboda What three words would your friends use to describe you and your personality? Protective, emotional, and bratty Favorite movie? Howl’s Moving Castle What is your idea of the perfect day? A movies and video game day with a ton of junk food with my family and close friends. What would you miss most about Somers if you were to ever leave? I’ll miss the calm this town has, and strangely, the rehouse siren that goes o at noon. Were your years at SHS what you expected them to be? How would you describe your high school experience in one word? ey were absolutely not what I expected, Covid kind of ruined it. e word I’d use to describe it is “bumpy.” Nicholas Maurantonio What is something that most people don’t know about you? Not a lot of people know that one of my dreams is to be a math teacher. What is Somers’ best attraction? Our state championship winning football team is Somers’ best attraction (and the carnival the few days a year it comes to town). Where do you see yourself in ve years? Getting ready to graduate college with my MBA. Favorite comfort food? Pasta with a little bit of olive oil is a top tier comfort food. Were your years at Somers High School what you expected them to be? How would you describe your high school experience in one word? High school was not what I expected it to be. If I had to summarize freshman to junior year in one word, it would be “pandemic.” I would summarize senior year up to now as “redemption.” Sophia Pappas Favorite TV show? e Golden Girls What interests you most? What activities do you participate in, both in school and outside of school? Inside of school, I hold o cer positions for the French Club and Culture Club, and I am involved in four honor societies. Outside of school, I love to bake, read, and spend time with my family and friends. What is your idea of the perfect day? Waking up early, grabbing an acai bowl, and spending the whole day at the beach (mostly tanning). Once the sun sets, I’ll leave and go get Chick-Fil-A. I’ll blast my music on the drive home. Life will be good. Favorite sports team? e SHS Girls Varsity Tennis Team (shoutout to Coach Frank!) Were your years at SHS what you expected them to be? How would you describe your high school experience in one word? I’d say I had a pretty positive high school experience, even with the pandemic a ecting my freshman and sophomore years. I met so many amazing people and made a lot of memories, and I gured out a lot about myself along the way. In one word, I’d say my high school experience was “unforgettable.”
Sports THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 17 66 Miller Road, Mahopac 845-628-2050 www.mavistireofmahopac.com With This Coupon • Expires 7/31/23 $10.00OFF Synthetic Oil change (MOST CARS) 25%OFF 25 % OFF STRUTS & SHOCKS With This Coupon • Expires 7/31/23 CARING FOR YOUR CAR & OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 35 YEARS! The Friendly Mavis Team BY WHIT ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR For the third time in three years, Somers Girls Lacrosse (No. 4) found themselves tasked with beating John Jay-Cross River (No. 1) in the Section 1 Class C playo s. is time in the semi nals, the Tuskers again could not get over the hump of beating their crosstown rival in a 14-7 road loss on Tuesday, May. 23. Concerning from the start, John Jay catapulted themselves to a 3-0 lead early, but were thankfully halted for a moment by a Teagan Ryan (2G) score at 16:42 in the rst half, assisted by Molly Fink (2G, 3A). But that goal turned out to be just a pause on the Wolves’ run as they returned with three more goals, capped o by Mia Puccio at 11:52 to push it to 6-1. Sydney Ingraham (2G, A) then tried to dampen the re after she was the recipient of a penalty shot rebound and pass from Fink, but a goal just one minute later (8:30) that clanked o the post for Puccio kept the lead at 7-2. Not ready to give in, Lauren McCartin (G, 4DC) showed oall her skill by scoring while falling down to make it only a 7-3 de cit at halftime, hoping to spark a run for the Tuskers. at run looked promising to start the second half. After giving up a quick goal at 23:25, Fink made her presence felt on a drawn penalty, getting the ball past the goalie on the freebie to make it 8-4. Next possession down, Ryan set a picture-perfect screen, rolled o , and found herself wide open for a pass from Fink. e score at 21:37 brought the de cit within three. Unfortunately, the momentum would be futile as John Jay scored o a won draw and fastbreak just 11 seconds later. en on a defensive lapse that left the middle lane wide open, the Wolves found Annabel Brennan in the crease to give themselves another cushion on the scoreboard. Extending the lead to 14-5 with just 10:20 left, the Wolves’ defense had Somers gured out on the other end. Ingraham netted another goal to cap o her special sophomore campaign, also ttingly scoring her 100th career varsity goal in this nal game, but the Wolves waited the buzzer out to move onto the sectional nals. “(It) obviously was not the way we wanted to end our season,” said Coach Debbie Daly. “We did not have a great game, but I do not want to take away from how well JJCR played. ey had a stick on every pass, ground ball, and shot. We had 16 turnovers, more than any other game we played this season. But this game does not de ne our season. We grew and had some great moments and accomplishments. We beat Hen Hud twice, had a great team win against Yorktown, and beat Bronxville for the rst time (in program history). Our players grew and will continue to do so in the o -season. (We are) already planning for next year.” Marissa Grippo (left) GIRLS LACROSSE Wolves pounce on the Tuskers Sydney Ingraham (2G, A) scored her 100th career varsity goal vs. the Wolves. Cambell Sternberg (right) had four saves last Wednesday. PHOTOS: RICH MONETTI Milestone-setting season
PAGE 18 – THE SOMERS RECORD SPORTS THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 SOMERS AYSO SOCCER CAMP August 21st to August 25th at Van Tassel MORNING AND FULL DAY CAMPS ARE BACK! The session is delivered by UK INTERNATIONAL SOCCER COACHES! A full day ranges from 9am-3pm, ages 6-14 years old, $195. A morning session ranges from 9am-12pm, ages 4-14 years old, $145. UK International Soccer camps are run by professional coaches from the United Kingdom and Europe. The sessions available are for players of all ages and skill levels! Players will be inspired and motivated through a creative learning environment and better understand the skills needed to take their game to the next level. Each player will receive a T-shirt and an individual evaluation. SCAN FOR MORE INFO Email us at: [email protected] TRACK & FIELD Section 1 Class B Championships 2023 Thursday, May 25 Suiting up for the last big meet before state quali ers, Somers Track & Field took to Hendrick Hudson High School for the Section 1 Championships and the nal meet for many Tuskers. e girls were highlighted by the sprinters and their heroics. Haylie Donovan proved herself to be the best of the best in the 200M with her rst-place nish thanks to a 25.93. She then took home the doublegold by clocking a 58.58 in the 400M. Not to be outdone, however, her teammates also came to play. Lindsay Gill ran a season-best 12:81 for third in the 100M dash, Keira Cleary ran her best times (26.86 & 1:00.98) for seventh and fth in the 200M and 400M respectfully, and Isabella Milojevic (1:09.40, season-best) crossed the nish line in second in the 400M hurdles. e four of them them joined forces in the 4x100M relay squad that took home the gold with a 50:46. ey all look to qualify for States at the meet taking place ursday and Friday ( June 1-2) this week at Su ern. For the longer distances, Julia Aquilino (5th, 3000M, 10:44.43 SB), Jessica Masterson (5th, 2000M steeplechase, 7:38.10 SB), and Julia Duzynski (7th, 2000M steeplechase, 7:58.90) all put up seasonbest performances. Lastly, Rebecca Jandrasits, Eliana Hametz, and Watt all leaped to 8-0’s in the pole vault. “ e Class B Sectional meet went very well for the girls!” said Coach John Vegliante. “We nished third overall as a team behind Tappan Zee and Pearl River. is was the last time the whole group would be competing together, and the last meet ever for some of our seniors. It was such a great year overall due in large part to this senior class. ey have been incredible for us over the years and helped push this program forward. It was a nice sendo for them - they are going to be missed.” e boys were led by Arjun Ojha and his third-place nish and season-best 52.82 in the 400M. en in the longer distances, Aiden Meza (4th, 800M, 2:01.81), Kyle Kirchmann (5th, 1500M, 5:06.48), Christian Wissa (7th, 3200M, 10:18.71), and Michael Maguire (9th, 3200M, 10:35.65 SB) all gritted their to great times. e eld activities saw Luke Armstrong (2nd, high jump, 5-11), Sam Parsons (2nd, triple jump, 40-9), Ethan Steuber (3rd, pole vault, 11-0), and Jared Googel (8th, discus, 117-11) get it done. GOLF Section 1 Championships Wednesday, May 24 Senior Maya Shirakura went out in style last Wednesday in the Section 1 Golf Championships at Whippoorwill Country Club in Armonk. Her 84-93-177 got her 11th overall, just missing out on the state quali er cut but earning All-Section. Tuskers race at Class B meet Shirakura makes All-Section PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN VEGLIANTE The Somers girls track and fi eld team at Section 1 Championships. VARSITY ROUNDUP
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 19 Mahopac News Mahopac News 2 TRACKS 118 N. BEDFORD ROAD SUITE 100 MT. KISCO, NY 10549 • PH: 914.202.0575 $60 for a 1/8 page ad to participate. 10% of all revenue earned from this section will be donated to your school's PTA as a parting gift to the organization. Ad booking deadline: JUNE 21 Ad approval deadline: JUNE 22 fifffflffiflflffiflffffffifflffi fifffflffiflfflfflflfffiffifflff fifffflffiffiflffffffifflffi fifffflffifl ffi fflflfffiffifflff ffifl Graduate! fififffiffl fflfifflffffifl fflff flffifffiffi fifffflffiflflfiffi fl fifififflfifflfi Movin' On Up! ffi ffffffiflfifl ffiflffifflfflffifi fifffi fflfflflfifi fififfiffi fflffiffi fiffffiffl fiffifflflfffifflfiffiffl flfflfiffifl fifflffiflflflfflffl fflffffffl ffi ffi ffi ffi ffififlffi ffiffifflflffiffifflflffiflfiffi fififi fifflffi fiflffiffififfl flffiffiffifififi ffl fi fififififfifflfffifflfi flfiffiflffifflflfflfflfffiffififffifflfifi fffifflfiffiffifffifffflffiflfififififl fi fi fi fi fiflfiflfi fifl fi fi fi fifi fi fififfifi fifl fififififlfi flflfiflfi flflfi fifi fi fifflffffiflflfiffififflfflfiffifflfi fflfififfiffl fflfl fiffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi ffi Parents!
PAGE 20 – THE SOMERS RECORD LEISURE THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle! For puzzle solutions, please see theparamountrehab.com 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 CLUES ACROSS 1. Relative biological eectiveness (abbr.) 4. Chinese philosophical principle 7. Branch 8. Jewish spiritual leader 10. Slang for requests 12. ÒSo Human An AnimalÓ author 13. Rocker Billy 14. British Air Aces 16. Type of tree 17. ÒTough Little BoysÓ singer Gary 19. State attorneys 20. Goddess of fertility 21. Localities 25. Beloved singer Charles 26. Clue 27. Ridge of jagged rock below sea surface 29. Helsinki neighborhood 30. Farm resident 31. Ocean 32. Where ballplayers work 39. Unable to hear 41. Cool! 42. Cape Verde capital 43. One point north of due east 44. Kilo yard (abbr.) 45. Middle Eastern nation 46. It yields Manila hemp 48. People operate it (abbr.) 49. Regenerate 50. Not healthy 51. Chinese sword 52. Mild expression of surprise CLUES DOWN 1. Unit of angle 2. Headgear to control a horse 3. Clots 4. Follows sigma 5. A woman who is the superior of a group of nuns 6. Greek units of weight 8. Radio direction finder (abbr.) 9. Systems, doctrines, theories 11. Stony waste matter 14. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! 15. Hostile to others 18. U.S. State 19. Not wet 20. Something one thinks up 22. Where beer is made 23. Clumsy person 24. Belonging to us 27. Canadian flyers 28. Greek goddess of the dawn 29. Snakelike fish 31. Unhappy 32. Fruit 33. Not good 34. Zero degrees Celsius 35. Goo Goo DollsÕ hit 36. Crawls into the head (folklore) 37. Legally responsible 38. Move in a playful way 39. Regarded with deep aection 40. Partner to flowed 44. Native American tribe 47. Head honcho On May 18, we accidentally re-published the May 11 puzzles. Here is what should have run on May 18. Please refer to the May 25 classieds page or visit our valued sponsor at theparamountrehab.com for the solutions. CORRECTION 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. Sloping position 5. Descendant of a notable family 10. Following accepted norms 12. Root vegetable 14. Having a shape that reduces drag from air 16. Integrated circuit 18. Records electric currents of the heart 19. Used to anoint 20. Japanese city 22. After B 23. Mu les 25. Pass over 26. Vase 27. Soft touch 28. A baglike structure in a plant or animal 30. Patti Hearst’s captors 31. Israeli politician 33. Degrade 35. Type of wrap 37. Polyurethane fabric 38. Avoids capture 40. Vegetarians avoid it 41. Decay 42. Soviet Socialist Republic 44. Vessel to bathe in 45. Inches per minute (abbr.) 48. Frosts 50. Dipped into 52. Controversial replay system in soccer 53. Comforts 55. Needed for yoga 56. Ands/__ 57. South Dakota 58. Printing system 63. Dramatic works set to music 65. Highest points 66. Social division 67. Used to treat ParkinsonÕs disease CLUES DOWN 1. Hill or rocky peak 2. Initial public o ering 3. Type of light 4. Test 5. Flaky coverings 6. Former NFLer Newton 7. Part of the eye 8. Roman god of the underworld 9. Negative 10. Indiana pro basketball player 11. Replaces lost tissue 13. Denotes one from whom title is taken 15. Historic college hoops tournament 17. Hut by a swimming pool 18. Defunct European monetary unit 21. Feeds on insects 23. Adult male 24. Melancholic 27. Sheets of glass 29. Slang for famous person 32. Not good 34. ÒGhetto SuperstarÓ singer 35. The ÒWorldÓ is one 36. Used to make guacamole 39. Midway between south and southwest 40. Wet dirt 43. Ancient Egyptian name 44. Set of four 46. Strips 47. Wife 49. More dried-up 51. Socially inept person 54. Clusters on fern fronds 59. Bar bill 60. Prefix indicating Òaway fromÓ 61. Very important person 62. Fiddler crabs 64. Special therapy
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 LEISURE THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 21 TICKS ARE HERE. MOSQUITOS CAN BE DEADLY! CALL TODAY! ANTS • TERMITES • TICKS • MOSQUITOES SQUIRRELS • RACCOONS • BATS • MICE RATS • WASPS • BEES SPIDERS • MOLES • SKUNKS • BEDBUGS NEW SERVICE ONLY - ALL PEST AND WILDLIFE DON’T LIVE WITH ANY CRAWLING PESTS THIS SPRING & SUMMER. WE “ELIMINATE ‘EM! SpCB23 TERMITE ELIMINATION OR RODENT/BAT EXCLUSION PERFECTION IS EFFORTLESS Order Now OmahaSteaks.com/GrillFaves5235 | 1.833.613.1482 Ask for your 8 FREE burgers with off er 73375STX Savings shown over aggregated single item base price. Limit 2. 8 free 5 oz. burgers will be sent to each shipping address that includes 73375. Free product(s) may be substituted. Standard S&H added per address. Off er available while supplies last. Items may be substituted due to inventory limitations. Cannot be combined with other off ers. Other restrictions may apply. All purchases acknowledge acceptance of Terms of Use: OmahaSteaks.com/terms-of-useOSI or call 1.800.228.9872 for a copy. Expires 06/30/23. | Omaha Steaks, Inc. THE BEST STEAKS OF YOUR LIFE OR YOUR MONEY BACK Limited Time: Get 8 FREE Burgers All-Time Grilling Faves 4 Butcher’s Cut Top Sirloins (5 oz.) 4 Air-Chilled Chicken Breasts (5 oz.) 4 Boneless Pork Chops (6 oz.) 4 Gourmet Jumbo Franks (3 oz.) 4 Potatoes au Gratin (2.8 oz.) 4 Caramel Apple Tartlets (4 oz.) 1 jar Omaha Steaks Seasoning (3.1 oz.) 8 FREE Omaha Steaks Burgers (5 oz.) 73375STX separately $248.93 SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE $9999 Picnics are a fun way to bring people together to enjoy food and conversation. While there are no limitations to what a picnic may entail, when it comes to food, it may be best to pack items that are portable and do not require many accoutrements for eating. at is why nger foods make such great picnic fare. Fried chicken long has been a popular picnic menu item, but other chicken dishes can ll in for this staple quite easily. For example, this recipe for “Sesame Chicken Fingers with Honey Dip” can be enjoyed by kids and adults on a picnic or even at casual events at home. is recipe, from “125 Best Chicken Recipes” (Robert Rose) by Rose Murray, features a sweet honey dip, but other dips can complement the meal as well. Chicken fingers make picnics fun Sesame Chicken Fingers with Honey Dip Serves 4 1/3 cup light mayonnaise 3 tablespoons liquid honey 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup light mayonnaise 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs 3 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into fingers, 2 inches long by 1/2-inch wide 1. Honey Dip: In a small bowl, stir together the 1/3 cup mayonnaise, honey and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until well combined. Refrigerate if making ahead. 2. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. 3. On waxed paper or in a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, sesame seeds and Italian seasoning. 4. Coat chicken with mayonnaise mixture, then with bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and the chicken is no longer pink inside, turning once. Serve hot with the honey dip and potato wedges, if desired.
PAGE 22 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 1 DETAILS OF OFFER: Offer expires 7/31/2023. Not valid with other offers or prior purchases. Buy one (1) window or entry/patio door, get one (1) window or entry/patio door 40% off, and 12 months $0 money down, $0 monthly payments, 0% interest when you purchase four (4) or more windows or entry/patio doors between 3/26/2023 and 7/31/2023. 40% off windows and entry/patio doors are less than or equal to lowest cost window or entry/patio door in the order. Subject to credit approval. Interest is billed during the promotional period, but all interest is waived if the purchase amount is paid before the expiration of the promotional period. Financing for GreenSky® consumer loan programs is provided by federally insured, federal and state chartered financial institutions without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or familial status. Savings comparison based on purchase of a single unit at list price. 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BY SOPHIA CASELNOVA STAFF WRITER Yorktown’s Front Street has been renamed Jake Arcara Memorial Highway to honor the memory of the late Yorktown Highway Department employee. Arcara, 28, was a Machine Equipment Operator who tragically lost his life in an accident on Sept. 14, 2022. He was struck by a motor vehicle while working on a drainage project on London Road. e 88-year-old driver of the vehicle also passed away. “Jake was, as most of my people are, like a son to me,” said Highway Superintendent Dave Paganelli. “e loss was unfathomable.” Paganelli said that the goal of the road dedication is to keep Arcara’s memory alive. He added that there are plans to honor Arcara annually through scholarships and shing derbies. Kelly Arcara, Jake’s mother, said that she is trying to pass new legislation called “Jake’s Law,” requiring elderly drivers to be mentally and physically tested so roads can be safer. Yorktown dedicates street to late highway department employee COURTESY OF KYRA BRUNNER Highway Superintendent Dave Paganelli unveiling the new sign REGIONAL Putnam Pride will host its fourth annual Pride event and parade on June 24 in Brewster. e event begins at 1 p.m. with music, dancing, and speakers on the steps of the Old Town Hall on Main Street in Brewster Village. e parade will start at approximately 1:45 p.m. and march up to Wells Park, where there will be entertainment by local artists, along with food, face painting, an open mic, and dozens of vendors. Local celebrity entertainers Angel Elektra and ShayD’Pines will host for the third year in a row. Putnam Pride’s mission is to promote visibility and community for LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups in Putnam and neighboring counties. As part of the eort to collaborate and support other grassroots organizations, Putnam Pride made a donation of $300 this year to the Community Alliance for Empowerment (CAFÉ), a parent-led organization that has been integral in eorts to implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programming in Carmel Central School District in recent months, following the discovery of racist and threatening videos targeting Black and Brown students earlier this year. CAFÉ’s mission is “to build a better community through mindfulness, inclusiveness, and cultivating relationships that promote togetherness and kindness” in Carmel schools and beyond. Putnam Pride will make another donation to a local organization this year if funds allow. “In 2023, anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry and defamatory rhetoric have been escalating both locally and nationally, in the schools and in the wider community,” said Eileen McDermott of Putnam Pride. “On June 24, LGBTQ+ residents of Putnam and allies have a chance to stand together against such hate and to reiterate that we will not be silenced or made invisible by threats of violence or fabricated and slanderous accusations.” Last year’s Pride event drew more than 200 attendees and included an array of local performers, speakers, and vendors. Brewster Police John Delgardo described it as “a joyous day in the Village.” Putnam NY Pride is a registered 501c(3) organization. For more information, visit putnampride.com. Article courtesy of Putnam Pride. Putnam Pride to celebrate diversity PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURIE DOPPMAN Putnam Pride will be in Brewster on June 24 REGIONAL
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 23 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 VIKING LYNX MONOGRAM SUBZERO SCOTSMAN BERTAZZONI BOSCH BEST DCS GE MARVEL MIELE MAYTAG ELECTROLUX WHIPSPERKOOL FRIDGIDAIRE Trusted Repair That Will Stand the Test of Time Grills | Washers | Dryers | Refrigerators | Ovens | Ranges | Wine Coolers Serving Westchester County PH: 914.864.1252 6 Mark Mead Road • Cross River, NY 10518 Email: [email protected] www.appliancegenie.com AUTHORIZED SERVICE FOR VIKING, LYNX, FRIGIDAIRE Service: 914-669-9679 Auto Sales: 914-485-1195 Fax: 914-669-9685 6 Dingle Ridge Road - North Salem, NY 10560 meccanicshop.com fifffflfflffiflfifffflff ONLINE AUCTION By Order of Oswego County, NY 518-895-8150 x 3003 Waterfront, Camps, Single Family Homes, Multi-Family Homes, Vacant Land and Commercial Properties. By Order of Rensselaer County, NY TAX FORECLOSED PROPERTIES BUYING ONLY 845-628-0362 WE WILL COME TO YOU! 52 YEARS! WE BUY: GOLD • STERLING SILVER • JEWELRY • COINS • PAINTINGS • BRONZES • CLOCKS • COLLECTIBLES • ANTIQUES • ETC. Items for sale? Call us! 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 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! 59 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE 719 Rte. 6, Mahopac, NY 10541 email: [email protected] 845.628.3924 • beeandjay.com For All Your Plumbing, Heating, Hot Water Heater & Gas Needs AFFORDABLE Dumpster Rentals! CIRONE CARTING 845-533-5262 * Maintenance * Planting * Pruning * * Shrubs * Plants * Lawn Maintenance * Soil Test * * Landscape Architectural Planning * Horticulturist * (914) 248-7768 One Marina Drive, Lake Mahopac NY 845-628-2333 www.macdonaldmarineny.net SALES • SERVICE • STORAGE
PAGE 24 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 According to its senior managing director, Tammy Benkwitt, Coldwell Banker is “delighted to be able to o er this space” to the arts community. “Yes, we’re a real estate rm, and that’s awesome, but we’re in this historic old Bailey House, and it’s great to be able to offer another place for culture in Somers,” she told e Somers Record last week. e o ces, located right across the street from e Elephant Hotel, aka Town Hall, underwent a major renovation last year. Benkwitt recalls scanning the empty walls in the recon gured space and thinking that they would be the perfect spots for exhibiting the works of local artists. She and her colleagues have been “pleasantly surprised” by the response from the community so far. at includes an o er by a poetry club to do a reading there. “As Fran will tell you, the arts are a critical component to any community and we want to give the arts a home at the Bailey House,” Benkwitt said. e house was built in 1870 for the son of a cousin of 19th century Somers farmer and circus pioneer Hachaliah Bailey. It was passed down through the family until it was sold in the 1950s and fell into disrepair. It has since been beautifully renovated into o ces and retains a lot of its original charm and features, Benkwitt said. Bailey, who died in 1845 at the age of 70 after being kicked by a horse, is buried in nearby Ivandell Cemetery. On his monument are the words: “Enterprise, Perseverance, and Integrity,” the same values, local historians say, that have kept the Bailey House going. Within its eyesight (if a house could see) is a monument to the star of Bailey’s menagerie, Old Bet. e aging statue of the elephant, the town’s mascot, was taken down and an unveiling ceremony for a new bronzed beast, made by Somers sculptor Luigi Badia, held. e Somers Historical Society is hoping the new Old Bet will be in place by the end of the summer. e current show began in April and ends on June 30. It is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Admission is free. Also planned are a summer and a fall exhibit. Artists who wish to participate can email Schultzberg at [email protected]. Benkwitt said they’d love some submissions from local high school and college students. As for attendees of the current show, they “will be delightfully surprised because it’s very rich and makes your heart sing,” Schultzberg promised. GOOD TO KNOW Coldwell Banker Realty is located at 338 Route 202, Somers, N.Y. It can be reached at (914) 277-5000. COMMUNITY FROM PAGE 3 Jane Gordon PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAMMY BENKWITT Margie Forrest Evelyn Albert 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. Promote Your Charity Send us a press release at somersrecord@halstonmedia. com, or give us a call at 914- 302-5830. Join us for an evening of fine cuisine and spirits JUNE 8, 2023 | 6–10 PM THE HANGAR AT 743 743 Albany Shaker Road, Building 202, Latham Cocktail Attire | Open Bar| Silent Auction Specialty Drink Stations | Cigars Presented by Deffiin Betances Meet Former New York Yankee Dellin Betances will be joining us to autograph baseballs, take photos, and mingle with guests. Baseballs will be available for sale at the event, no autographing of personal items permitted. To purchase tickets or to sponsor the event, please visit cfdsny.org or email [email protected] or call 518-944-2107. Deffiin Betances fifffflffifl ffifflfl ffl ffl 845-225-7777 • www.puthumane.org Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Surf fifffflffiflflflflflfl fflfl fl fl ffflflfl ffl flflflflfl flflflffflflfl fl ffflflfflflflflfl flflflflflffifl ffifflfl ffiflffl flflfl flffflfl flflfl flflflffflfl fl fl fl fl ffi flflflffffiff flffl fl flflfflfl flffl flfifl flfffflfflfflflflfflfl fflflfl fflflflfflflffifl ffl flfiflflflflfl fflflflffflfl flfflfl flflflflflfl 845-225-7777 • www.puthumane.org Katia fifffflffiflfififlfiflfifffififflflfffiffi 68 Old Rt. 6, Carmel
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 25 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! Administrative Opening Monticello Central School High School Principal The Monticello CSD is seeking forward thinking and dynamic School Building Principal who can lead MCSD’s highly engaged faculty, staff , parents, students, and community. The successful candidate will have a vision of educational excellence, be highly motivated, and demonstrates an ability to impact student learning. Starting Salary: $150,000 NYS SDA/SAS/SBL Certifi cation Required plus 2 yrs. of previous administrative leadership and 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred. Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE 113456 One time use only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other coupon or offer. Coupon offer good until December 31, 2022. Valid for any new service except subscription fees. Must mention coupon at time of sale. One time use only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other coupon or offer. Coupon offer good until December 31, 2022. Valid for any new service except subscription fees. Must mention coupon at time of sale. 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! from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company Call to get your FREE Information Kit 1-855-225-1434 Dental50Plus.com/nypress Product not available in all states. Includes the Participating (in GA: Designated) Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN). 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Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000 NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certifi cation Required plus 3 yrs. exp. as a classroom teacher preferred. Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE Administrative Opening Monticello Central School 113458 Assistant Elementary Principal The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate. Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000 NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certifi cation Required plus 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred. Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE Administrative Opening Monticello Central School 113460
PAGE 26 – THE SOMERS RECORD THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 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! 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If you call the number provided, you consent to being contacted by telephone, SMS text message, email, pre-recorded messages by Erie or its affiliates and service providers using automated technologies notwithstanding if you are on a DO NOT CALL list or register. Please review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use on homeservicescompliance.com. All rights reserved. License numbers available at eriemetalroofs.com/licenses/ MADE IN THE U.S.A. 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 1.855.492.6084 FREE ESTIMATE Expires 6/30/2023 Before After Make the smart and ONLY CHOICE when tackling your roof! 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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Contact Yorktown for Justice for more information, to exhibit, to speak and to amplify YFJ’s message that “Hate has no home here.” 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. TEAM Tuskers MENTORS SOUGHT FOR INTERMEDIATE & MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM TEAM Tuskers Mentoring is looking for adults interested in spending time with a 3rd – 8th grade student at their school for the upcoming school year. e commitment is to spend 1 hour a week, every week with a student and make a di erence in their life. You will develop a relationship and help open new lines of communication while playing games, doing puzzles or just chatting. Please consider volunteering for this great program. A child will bene t from spending time with you! For more information, visit somersschools.org/Page/7356 or call 914-481-2716. Somers PTA Council SPIRIT WEAR SALE e Somers PTA Council is selling Somers Sprit wear. e store is open year round and items ship to your home. Promo codes available on the website. Visit our store at teamlocker. squadlocker.com/#/lockers/ somers-pta-council-store Somers BSA Troop 228 WEEKLY MEETING Mondays, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the Amawalk Firehouse Give your son the tools to develop his con dence, leadership skills, and interest in community service while experiencing the outdoor adventures of Scouting. Discover the natural wonders of New York State, whether canoeing in the Adirondacks, hiking the Appalachian trail, or camping at one of our State Parks. Excursions for all ages and levels of experience. Scouts explore their personal interests through over 135 merit badges. Troop 228 is sponsored by the Somers Volunteer Fire Department. We are proud citizens and actively give back to Somers through community service and environmental conservation projects. To nd out more, email us at somerstroop228@ gmail.com or visit our website at Troop228somers.com. TRUNK FROM PAGE 7 ELEPHANT’S TRUNK
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Approved applications will have the work completed by a repair crew provided by: HOMEOWNER FUNDING. Not ailiated with State or Gov Programs. Don’t Pay For Covered Home Repairs Again! American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. 833-398-0526 DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/31/24. 1-866-595-6967 DIRECTV. New 2-Year Price Guarantee. The most live MLB games this season, 200+ channels and over 45,000 on-demand titles. $84.99/mo for 24 months with CHOICE Package. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918 THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023 CLASSIFIEDS THE SOMERS RECORD – PAGE 27 PUZZLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF 5/25/23 AUTO DONATIONS BUYING/SELLING Buying diamonds, gold, silver, all fine jewelry and watches, coins, paintings, better furs, complete estates. We simply pay more! Call Barry 914-260-8783 or e-mail [email protected] EDUCATION/CAREER TRAINING HEALTH HOME IMPROVEMENT TV INTERNET PHONE FINANCE HELP WANTED Assistant Chef The Anglebrook Golf Club, a prestigious private club in the northern Westchester town of Lincolndale, NY, is seeking an experienced assistant chef for immediate full-time work. Must have experience and references. Work Schedule is 12-8 p.m. TuSat and Sundays 1-6 p.m. Base salary $59,000 with possible benefits and 401k program. Must have reliable transportation. No mass transit available in the area. Call (914) 245-5588 for more information. 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. Notice of Formation of Athenian Rhapsody LLC. Articles of Organiaation filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023- 04-20. 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 Nicola Papalia: 350 North Bedford Rd. 1046 Mt. Kisco NY 10549. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of HuckleXueen PMD. Articles of Organiaation filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023- 03-27. 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 Jami Schulta: 18 Parkway Dri Cortlandt Manor NY 10567. Purpose: Any lawful purpose Notice of Formation of SSND Reality LLC. Articles of Organiaation filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023- 03-23. 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 Neha Desai-Jimenea: 65 Route 116 Purdys NY 10578. Purpose: Any lawful purpose NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF 2023 TENTATIVE ASSESSMENT ROLL OF THE TOWN OF SOMERS WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK Pursuant to §506 & §526 of the Real Property Tax Law Information on Filing of the Tentative Roll; & Pursuant to RPTL §508 & §525 on Grievance Day: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2023 Tentative Assessment Roll for the Town of Somers, County of Westchester, will be completed and will be available for inspection online at www.somersny.com beginning June 1. ;he Assessor will be in attendance with the ;own of Somers 2023 tentative assessment roll on the following days and times" appointments are reXuired: Monday, June 5th from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Wednesday, June 7th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm ;uesday, June 13th from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, by phone appointment only Saturday, June 17th from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, by phone appointment only Call (914)277-3504. For phone appointments, call by 4 pm on June 12th. 1. Notice is hereby given that the Board of Assessment Review for the ;own of Somers, Westchester County, will meet to hear and examine all properly filed grievance complaints on real property assessments on Grievance Day, ;uesday, June 20th, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm and from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Somers ;own Hall Meeting Room. ;he completed grievance complaint application, RP-524, and supporting documentation must be received by the Board of Assessment Review prior to completion of the Grievance Day hearings. 0f mailing, please send to: Board of Assessment Review" C/O ;own of Somers Assessor" 335 Route 202" Somers, NY 10589. Grievances may also be dropped off at the Assessorڝs Office during normal hours, or dropped in the mail slot of the Annex Building any time up until Grievance Day. For grievance hearing and scheduling information, please contact the Assessorڝs Office at (914) 277-3504. Applications and general instructions for contesting your assessment are available online at: http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/publications/orpts/grievancebooklet.pdf 2. Judicial review of your assessment is available if you are dissatisfied with the determination made by the Board of Assessment Review. Dated this 1st day of June, 2023 Teresa A. Stegner, IAO Assessor 3. 393 Main LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 12/20/2022. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to C/O Della Mura & Ciacci LLP, 981 Allerton Ave., Bronx, NY 10469. General Purpose 220-230 S Fulton LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/29/2022. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to C/O Joseph Briody, 716 S Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon, NY 10550. General Purpose 4388 Park LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/14/2022. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Alan Merovitch, 3 Elm Ave., Somers, NY 10589. General Purpose 153 Valentine LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/13/2022. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 5600A Broadway, Bronx, NY 10463. General Purpose Clinical Case Management Solution 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 57 Bank St., apt. PHA, White Plains, NY 10606. General Purpose Odessa 18 Realty LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/11/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 57 Bank St., apt. PHA, White Plains, NY 10606. General Purpose 44 New Ave, LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 12/8/2022. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Kastriot Pepaj, 90 Colonial Pkwy. North, Yonkers, NY 10710. General Purpose Washington Street Garage, LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/11/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to David A. Nigrelli, PLLC, 115 E Stevens Ave., Ste. 102, Valhalla, NY 10595. General Purpose Downtown Rye LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/6/2023. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Jonathan D. Kraut & Michael K. Petrillo, C/O Harfenist Kraut & Perlstein LLP, 2975 Westchester Ave., Ste. 415, Purchase, NY 10577. General Purpose
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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 fi 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 fi 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 fi “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