Yorktown News 01.28.21

Vol. 9 No. 45 Visit TapIntoYorktown.net for the latest news. Thursday, January 28, 2021

Down but not out

Nadine’s sees light at the end of the tunnel

BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER side takeout and pickup. Later, e Schienles, who have also
EDITOR
Hudson Valley restaurants were owned Sel et Poivre in New York

allowed to have indoor dining City for 32 years, understood the

It’s been 318 days since March at 50-percent capacity, which is mantra of: “If you build it, they

16, 2020. about 30 people for Nadine’s. will come.” But building “it”—

“D-Day,” as it known to many “But that didn’t help, because an outdoor dining area, in this

in the restaurant industry. And nobody wanted to come inside,” case—wasn’t cheap. ey dipped

every single one of the 318 days Pamela said. into their personal savings to

has been a grind for Christian Despite investments in new invest in propane heaters, a re-

and Pamela Schienle, owners of lters, air puri ers and plexi- place, picnic tables, and more.

two New York eateries, including glass dividers, many customers Nadine’s has not made a pro t

Nadine’s in Yorktown Heights. remained skeptical about dining in 10 months, she said, and the

“On March 16, the govern- inside. So, in July, the Yorktown owners have not taken income.

ment kind of shut everybody Town Board permitted Nadine’s “You should be making a pro t

down, so everybody didn’t know to have outdoor dining. [when you own a business], but

what was going on,” Pamela said. “We’ve been trying years to get we’re not,” Pamela said. “We did

“Who would ever think it would that and we couldn’t do it. at it because we need to survive.

be 10 months?” saved us,” Pamela said. “We had is is in our blood. is is our

e German restaurant, which the bike lane right here, and ev- livelihood. We didn’t want to lose

opened in May 2019 and is locat- erybody was a bicycle rider this this. is is my baby.”

ed at 715 Saw Mill River Road, year. So, people would be riding Unfortunately for restaurants,

was closed for two full months, by, they’d stop and have some outdoor dining has a shelf life

reopening in May with curb- food, a beer and stu .” in the Northeast. She joked that PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN SCHIENLE
people can still dine outside in Pamela Schienle, co-owner of Nadine’s, in a moment of despair
the winter, but recommended during the early days of the pandemic

‘ e winter, we knew was going to be dark. they bring blankets and a ski
We knew it was going to be a struggle. We
jacket. rants like Nadine’s is simply to a later date.

“On nice days, people do still survive, at least until the spring “ e winter, we knew was go-

didn’t think it was going to be this bad.’ sit out there. We have propane when COVID-19 vaccines ing to be dark,” Pamela said. “We
going and a re pit,” Pamela said. are more widespread and nicer knew it was going to be a strug-

–Pamela Schienle “But it’s dropped tremendously. weather returns. In the mean- gle. We didn’t think it was going
Nadine’s Restaurant e other night we did two peo- time, if people are skittish about to be this bad.”
dining inside, she said, people can
ple. Winter is killing us.” buy gift cards and use it to dine at SEE NADINE PAGE 3
As of now, the goal for restau-

Discover the CLASSIFIEDS 22
Compass Difference HEALTH & WELLNESS
914.960.5577 LEGAL NOTICES 15
LEISURE
OPINION 22
SCHOOLS & CAMPS
SPORTS 21

8 ELECTIONS

14 Democrats endorse
19 candidates.

pg 3

Catherine Duff-Poritzky
[email protected]
Licensed Assoc. R.E. Broker
1857 Commerce Street
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Page 2 – Yorktown News Thursday, January 28, 2021

The Staff Yorktown a Top 5 ‘Safest Town’

EDITORIAL TEAM BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER eyGeek, Yorktown had the eighth-lowest sta either live in Yorktown or have family
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER EDITOR violent crime rate (22 per 100,000 residents) that still calls Yorktown home.
EDITOR: 914-302-5628 and the 38th lowest property crime rate (587
[email protected] What makes a town safe? per 100,000 residents) among small American “Even the o cers that do not have that
BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER According to MoneyGeek, one of the many cities and towns. Yorktown reports its crime bond to Yorktown quickly realize that this is a
SPORTS EDITOR: 914-302-5628 independent institutions that rank these sorts of statistics to the FBI, which are then used by special community,” he said.
[email protected] things, a low rate of both property crimes and MoneyGeek in compiling its rankings.
violent crimes makes for an ideal environment. According to Yorktown’s website, the de-
ADVERTISING TEAM Yorktown Police Chief Robert Noble said partment has one chief, three lieutenants, eight
PAUL FORHAN ese types of crimes have been low in the statistics speak to the partnership his de- sergeants, six detectives and 31 o cers.
Yorktown, earning it the fth spot on Mon- partment has with the community.
(914) 806-3951 eyGeek’s “Safest Small Cities and Towns “I’m proud of the professionalism and em-
[email protected] in America” list. e website only evaluated “Folks are not afraid to contact us to check pathy that the members of this agency put
towns and cities with populations between on conditions or provide us with tips that forth in protecting and serving the town of
BRUCE HELLER 30,000 and 100,000. Yorktown’s population is help us, help them,” Noble said. “Patrols are Yorktown,” Noble said. “We will continue to
(914) 486-7608 estimated to be 36,426. very visible, which should act as a deterrent to do our best to keep Yorktown a safe place to
[email protected] criminal activity.” live, work, visit and raise a family.”
According to statistics reported by Mon-
LISA KAIN It helps, Noble said, that the majority of his Carmel, at No. 3, is the only New York mu-
(201) 317-1139 nicipality ahead of Yorktown on the list.
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Thursday, January 28, 2021 Yorktown News – Page 3

Democrats endorse local slate

Patel, Gilbert for council; Cohen Pierson for town justice

BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER intendent.” FILE PHOTO/GABRIELLE BILIK
EDITOR Patel is in his 12th year on the Town
Councilman Vishnu Patel, Ilan Gilbert, and Aviah Cohen Pierson (pictured in
e Yorktown Democratic Committee Board. A retired IBM scientist, he unsuc- 2017)
will make no e ort to reclaim a majority on cessfully ran for town supervisor in 2015.
the Town Board this fall, potentially allow-
ing Supervisor Matt Slater to run uncon- Gilbert currently serves as administra-
tested for a second term. tive law judge for the Health Department
of Westchester County and is on the New
In the race for town council, Vishnu Pa- York State Board of Commissioners for the
tel, seeking his fourth term, will be joined New York State Bridge Authority. Before
on the ticket by Ilan Gilbert, a former town becoming town supervisor in 2018, he spent
justice (2006-11) and town supervisor 36 years as a principal court attorney for the
(2018-19). New York State Uni ed Court System.

Councilwoman Alice Roker, who was Democrats also endorsed Aviah Cohen
elected to the Town Board in 2017 after Pierson, a lawyer who will make her sec-
spending 26 years as town clerk, is not seek- ond run for town justice. In addition to
ing reelection. her time on the Yorktown Board of Eth-
ics, Cohen Pierson has worked as a litigator
e committee did not endorse a can- in state and federal courts. She is currently
didate to challenge Republican-held posi- the chief legal o cer at ENT and Allergy
tions of town supervisor or highway super- Associates. She unsuccessfully ran for town
intendent. justice in 2017. If elected, she would be-
come the rst female town justice in York-
“ e Yorktown Democratic Committee town’s history.
decided that, in this time of division and
uncertainty, consistency in the leadership Republicans up for re-election this year
of the town seemed a wise course,” said are Slater, Highway Superintendent Dave
Mark Lieberman, co-chair of the Yorktown Paganelli, and Town Justice Sal Lagonia.
Democratic Committee. “ is applies to Republican candidates for town council
both town supervisor and highway super- have not yet been announced.

NADINE

FROM PAGE 1

Christian and Pamela Schienle e thought of shutting down and cutting
celebrate their restaurant’s their losses has crossed their mind—but the
grand opening in 2019. feeling doesn’t last long.

PHOTOS: BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER “We wake up in the morning and we’re like,
‘Oh my God. Can we do this?’” Pamela said.
Nadine’s Restaurant, 715 Saw Mill River Road, Yorktown Heights “We’re tired and drained and trying to have
your smile underneath your mask. But it’s in
our blood. I wouldn’t know what else to do.”

e pandemic has forced many industries
to adapt or die. In addition to outdoor dining,
Nadine’s now o ers online ordering for curb-
side pick-up (nadinesrestaurant.com). Envi-
ous of the long lines she sees at Popeyes and
other fast-food restaurants, Pamela joked that
she is even willing to open up a drive-thru at

Nadine’s.
“I have a window down there that opens up,”

Pamela said.“I can just roll that down. I’ll make
little schnitzel McNuggets or something.”

What keeps the Schienles going is the
thought of a post-pandemic world. A return
to normalcy. A return to what made her fall
in love with the restaurant industry, fall in love
with her customers, and fall in love with Yor-

ktown.
“We hope that we’re going to be ‘Oom-Pah-

Pah’ and have a nice big Oktoberfest, keep our
outdoor garden, and this is going to be like a
new ‘Cheers’ or something,” Pamela said. “Peo-
ple are going to come and everybody’s going to

know your name.”

Editorial Submissions
Press releases and photos should be submitted to Yorktown News by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissions can be emailed to yorktownnews@
halstonmedia.com or mail it to Yorktown News, 118 N. Bedford Road, Suite 100, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your
photo returned.

Page 4 – Yorktown News Thursday, January 28, 2021

Board pushes back against accusations
O cials: Nothing ‘nefarious’ happening with Soundview property

BY BRIAN MARSCHHAUSER e framework for the over- 1-acre single family to multifam- against any implications of im- in my eyes,” Slater said at the
EDITOR lay zones was introduced by the ily zoning without going through proper behavior. meeting. “At the end of the day,
Town Board ve days later, on the regular zoning process.” She everyone is going to go through a
“Nefarious” was the word of the Oct. 20, and approved on Nov. 5. added that, in her view, Unicorn is “ ere’s a lot of,pardon me,crap transparent process to make sure
hour at last week’s Town Board getting “special treatment.” being ung against the wall, and I that it ts for the town, that it ad-
meeting. A month later, on Dec. 8, the just think it’s very inappropriate,” heres to the law.”
rst two overlay districts were Several other residents spoke said Councilman Ed Lachterman.
During the public portion of the presented to the Town Board— against the inclusion of Underhill On Friday, Jan. 22, Unicorn
board’s virtual meeting on Tuesday, one for Lake Osceola and one Farms in the Yorktown Heights Councilman Tom Diana said submitted the project’s Environ-
Jan. 19, nearly a dozen residents for Yorktown Heights, which in- Overlay District,calling on the town he found the accusations “insult- mental Assessment Form to the
shared their thoughts on a 165- cludes the Soundview property. A to preserve the property and its cen- ing.” town’s planning department. e
unit development proposed for the day after the Yorktown Heights turies-old buildings. Others shared project was described as being
corner of Route 118 and Underhill Overlay District was introduced, tra c and environmental concerns. Town Supervisor Matt Slater submitted under the town’s “re-
Avenue on the former Soundview Unicorn submitted its plans for o ered his own timeline, saying cently enacted”Yorktown Heights
Preparatory School property. the 165-unit Underhill Farms to Sergio Esposito, president of his administration rst broached Overlay District. However, the
the town’s planning department. the Yorktown Chamber of Com- the idea of overlay districts in district has not yet been approved.
Several speakers questioned merce, said he was hearing “nefar- January—before Soundview Prep It is subject to a public hearing at
the origin of the proposal, which e timeline raised the eyebrows ious undertones” in many of the closed its doors and before Uni- a Town Board meeting.
would not conform to the prop- of some members of the public. night’s remarks. corn entered into negotiations
erty’s single-family zoning. e Ilan Gilbert, who served as town to buy the property. e districts Slater told Yorktown News that
project cannot move forward supervisor from 2018 to 2019, “We should all reserve our judg- were not crafted with any devel- he welcomes any merit-based ar-
unless the Town Board either wondered whether Unicorn knew ment, hold o , keep an open mind opment in mind, he said. guments on both the overlay dis-
changes the property’s zoning or that the property would be includ- and be reasonable, and let’s hear tricts and the Underhill Farms
approves a new Yorktown Heights ed in the overlay district when the the proposals rst,”Esposito said. “ ey’re entitled to their own project.
Overlay District, which would company agreed to buy it. opinions, but they’re not entitled
give the Planning Board exibility If untoward behavior was in- to their own facts,” Slater told “While I appreciate the com-
in reviewing its site plan. If that were the case, Gilbert deed being alleged, said resident Yorktown News of those who had ments from the public, I would
said, “ at could be, I would say, Jay Kopstein, those speakers raised questions about council- also, frankly, ask for a certain
After months in bankruptcy equivalent to something like in- should produce evidence. members’ motivations. “We were level of respect because some of
court to nalize its sale, Unicorn sider trading.” working on this well before any- those comments were borderline
Contracting closed on the Sound- “I resent the implication by one body purchased the property.” disrespectful,” Slater said at the
view property on Oct.15 for $2.85 Susan Siegel, another former of the speakers that people on the meeting. “In fact, I’m being kind.
million ($2.5 million was due at town supervisor, was more direct. Town Board are giving this prop- Additionally, he said, the idea I think they were actually disre-
closing with $350,000 contingent erty special privileges,” Kopstein of overlay districts has been in spectful, especially comments ac-
on the development coming to “It’s very obvious that the over- said. the town’s comprehensive plan for cusing the board of taking nefari-
fruition). lay concept is being used as a back years. ous action.”
door or a de facto way to rezone When the public-comment
the Soundview property from portion of the meeting was closed, “Any accusation of nefarious
board members pushed back wrongdoing is just unacceptable

Receiver of Taxes 914-962-5722 x212
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