The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Inside Press

Westchester Officials Stand Firm In Support Of Israel

by

"Let us be clear: Westchester stands with Israel in this difficult time." State Assemblyman David Buchwald as he opened his address--the first of many offered by a bipartisan gathering of public officials early this eve at White Plains City Hall."
“Let us be clear: Westchester stands with Israel in this difficult time.” State Assemblyman David Buchwald opening his address–the first of many offered by a bipartisan group of public officials affirming their unequivocal support for Israel at White Plains City Hall.  Photo by Grace Bennett

(Compilation of statements here supplied by David Buchwald’s office)

Assemblyman David Buchwald (D-Westchester), along with Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman Eliot Engel, hosted a press conference with federal, state, county and local elected officials at White Plains City Hall to demonstrate their support for- and solidarity with- the people of Israel in the midst of the conflict there.

“My heart is with the people of Israel,” said Assemblyman Buchwald. “It saddens me that innocent families are once again being subjected to unconscionable acts of violence. I wholeheartedly support Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks, and I pray that this conflict soon comes to an end.”

“The loss of innocent life on both sides is deplorable,” said Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland). Hamas is responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence, and is putting not only innocent Israelis at risk but ruthlessly using Palestinian civilians as shields. Israel, the only democracy in the region and our steadfast ally, has every right to defend innocent civilians under terrorist threat from the onslaught of Hamas’ rockets just as the United States would respond were we here in the Lower Hudson Valley under constant attack. Continued U.S. support for Israel’s defense is critical, and a Palestinian “unity government” that includes the terrorist group Hamas must not receive U.S. assistance.”

“No one will ever forget September 11, 2001, a day when terrorists attacked us on our own soil. As a result of that terrible day, America had to take steps to defend herself and her citizens against future attacks, much as Israel has had to do for decades,” said Congressman Eliot Engel. “Hamas is a terrorist organization whose sole purpose is to destroy Israel. The Hamas rockets that have been fired into Israel have forced the hand of the Israeli people, who have a right to defend themselves against the threat of terror.

The strong bipartisan support for Israel in Congress is indicative of the strong support for our valued allies across America. I thank the Westchester Jewish Council and its member organizations, the UJA-Federation of New York in Westchester, and Assemblyman Buchwald for hosting this event, and everyone who came out to show support for Israel.”

Congresswoman Nita Lowey: “Hamas is responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence…”
Congresswoman Nita Lowey: “Hamas is responsible for the ongoing escalation of violence…”

Buchwald, Lowey and Engel were joined at the press conference by a cross-section of Westchester leaders from every level of government. They included: Democratic Conference Leader Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins; State Senator George Latimer; State Assemblymembers Sandy Galef and Amy Paulin; Westchester Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett; Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators Michael Kaplowitz; Vice-Chairman of the Board of Legislators James Maisano; County Legislators Benjamin Boykin, Peter B. Harckham, Catherine Borgia, Catherine Parker and Alfreda Williams; Westchester County Clerk Tim Idoni; White Plains Mayor Tom Roach; Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner; Harrison Town Board Member Marlane Amelio; Pound Ridge Town Board Member Daniel S. Paschkes; Special Assistant for Community Affairs in Governor Cuomo’s Office David Lobl; Representatives from the offices of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney and Yonkers Mayor Michael Spano; President of the Westchester Jewish Council Paul B. Warhit; Westchester Regional Chair of the UJA-Federation of New York Martine Fleishman; and New York Region Assistant Director of the Anti-Defamation League Michael Arlen. Reverend Dr. Gregory Robeson Smith of Mt. Hope AME Zion Church provided the opening prayer. Attendees used the occasion to voice their support for Israel during this time of crisis.

Rockets aimed at innocent Israeli civilians have continuously been launched from Hamas-controlled Gaza. Israel has responded with airstrikes in Gaza in an effort to protect its people and restore peace. Terrorism has no place in our world; Israel has the right to defend itself and its civilians against such heinous acts, noted Assemblyman Buchwald. He hopes that the current threat to innocent life of both Israelis and Palestinians will soon be ended.

Governor Andrew Cuomo made the following statement on July 14, 2014 on this issue: “Over the past week, rocket attacks on Israel by terrorist organizations have put six million lives at risk. For years, rockets have targeted the Israeli population; what were once indiscriminate acts of terror have now become an onslaught. Friends stand together in times of crisis, and the people of New York stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Israel. Our state has always had a special relationship with Israel. We are home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. At a time of upheaval across the Middle East, Israel remains a bulwark of democracy and a beacon of courage and freedom. We strongly support Israel’s right to defend itself. As New Yorkers, we have experienced global terrorism firsthand. At my direction, New York’s Department of Financial Services has aggressively cracked down on institutions that bankroll terrorist organizations. And we will continue to work closely with our ally Israel to fight global terrorism.”

“I join with many New Yorkers in calling for a peaceful resolution to the continuing strife in Israel and the Gaza Strip, while also recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks launched against it,” said Democratic Conference Leader Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

“Like all sovereign nations, Israel has an absolute right to defend itself.

My daughter Sarah is a photographer living in Jerusalem. While I worry about her, I am proud of her commitment to Israel. My thoughts and prayers are with her and the State of Israel,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.

“We must continue to support our ally, Israel, as it defends itself against this onslaught of terrorist attacks. I hope that these senseless acts of violence will cease and Israel and its neighbors can finally sit down together and negotiate a true lasting peace,” said Assemblywoman Sandy Galef.

“Israel is the only true democracy in the middle east. The people of Israel share our love of freedom and opportunity. I stand with Israel and pray that a solution will be achieved that will finally bring peace to all people of the middle east,” said Westchester Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz.

“I’m proud to stand with Israel. The only true free and democratic society in the middle east as it stands up to aggression by neighbors who unfortunately reflect dictatorship and ties to terrorism,” said Westchester County Board of Legislators Vice Chairman Jim Maisano.

“In times of crisis it is important to know your friends are beside you and so we stand today with the nation and people of Israel and pray for a peaceful resolution of this conflict and for the protection of the innocent whatever their background,” said White Plains Mayor Tom Roach.

Though he wasn’t able to attend the event, Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino issued a statement of support that said, “Peace-loving peoples and nations across the globe must remain united and aggressive in working to defeat terrorism and in working to achieve a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. At times it seems this will forever be a fruitless endeavor but we mustn’t waver in our faith and resolve to make it so.”

Similarly, State Senate Co-Leader Jeffrey Klein issued a statement of support, saying “Our sacred bond with the people of Israel remains ironclad and is stronger than ever before. In these challenging times, we are proud to stand up and support one of our closest allies as it defends itself from enemies foreign and domestic. No matter how difficult circumstances may arise, the Israeli people will continue to have our unwavering support for generations to come.”

“Now is a time to put politics aside and support Israel as she struggles to defend herself against Hamas, a terrorist organization whose mission is to destroy the Jewish State and make life miserable for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Now is a time for solidarity,” said Westchester Jewish Council President Paul B. Warhit.

“We are proud to stand in solidarity with our Westchester community in support of Israel. UJA federation of NY supports the State of Israel in its pursuit of peace and security for all its citizens. These are very challenging days and it is in times like this that we are reminded of the responsibility and commitment we have to the people of Israel. Because of UJA-Federation of New York’s strong network of nearly 100 remarkable agencies, we’re ready to spring into action when crisis hits. And we are on the ground responding in Israel,” said Westchester Regional Chair of the UJA-Federation of New York Martine Fleishman.

“The Anti-Defamation League expresses solidarity with the government and people of Israel and is proud to stand with the Westchester Jewish Council, UJA-Federation of New York in Westchester and Assemblyman David Buchwald as hundreds of rockets continue to be launched from Gaza, threatening millions of Israeli civilians. We are proud to be part of the Westchester community as it supports Israel’s desire to live side-by-side in peace with its neighbors,” said Lawrence W. Bahr, Anti-Defamation League’s Westchester Advisory Board Chair and Evan R. Bernstein, Regional Director New York for the ADL.

Repaving to Commence Soon on Routes 133 and 117

by

Assemblyman Buchwald (D-Westchester) announced that two New York State roads within the Town of New Castle are set to be repaved in the coming months.

State Route 133 (also known as Millwood Rd or W Main St) will be resurfaced between Route 120 (Quaker Road) in the west and the Mount Kisco border in the east. The New York State Department of Transportation confirms that the Route 133 repaving is scheduled to begin construction in September or October of this year. This project, which has been allocated $2.1 million, is both state and federally funded through the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and has been accelerated due to damage caused by recent storms and harsh winter weather.

In addition, State Route 117 (otherwise known as Bedford Rd. in Chappaqua and Main St in Mount Kisco) will be repaved between Route 172 in the north (next to Northern Westchester Hospital) and Route 141 in the south (at the intersection of Bedford Rd and Manville Rd). Preparation on the project begins next week while construction and milling are expected to begin this summer. This project is both state and federally funded, and has been allocated $5.1 million. This is in addition to the $2 million awarded in federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funding for a New York State Department of Transportation project to realign the intersection of State Routes 117 and 172 in Mount Kisco, as well as add pedestrian signals and facilities at all four crosswalks at that intersection.

“My first priority is the health and safety of my constituents, and I’m very pleased that these state roads in New Castle and the surrounding area will be repaved following one of the worst winters in recent history,” said State Assemblyman David Buchwald. “As a result of the storms, our roads in northern Westchester have made it more difficult to commute to work or drop off kids at school, and I’m pleased to play a part in restoring our community infrastructure.”

“While we are all relieved that the long, bitter-cold winter is behind us, the effects of the season are still being felt by many commuters and residents every day,” said Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland). “Potholes in roads aren’t just a jarring annoyance; they also damage cars, force costly visits to the mechanic, and require costly repairs for local and state taxpayers. As the Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, I’ve fought hard in Congress to make sure that New York receives its fair share of federal funds to repair roads so that everyone can get where they need to go safely.”

“I have been trying for years to get Route 117 properly repaved, and I am sure that many drivers have blown out a tire or damaged a rim while traveling on the road,” said Amy Pappas, resident of Chappaqua and constituent of the 93rd Assembly District. “

Assemblyman Buchwald was one of the first representatives to both acknowledge the problem and help get the funding. It is a long time coming to have this well-traveled road finally paved, and as a commuter on Route 117 for the past 15 years, I am thrilled to hear that it will finally be done.”

Kindergarten Readiness: How to Know and Ways to Help

by

Kindergarten 1By Dawn Lorenz, World Cup Kindergarten, Chappaqua

For better or worse, kindergarten isn’t what it used to be.  Are we rushing children beyond their developmental abilities?  Are all of the tests valid or necessary?  No matter how we feel about it, agree or disagree, it’s what we are facing right now.  There are ways you can help make your child’s transition to kindergarten as smooth as possible. Even though children learn and develop at different rates, they are all born with an amazing capacity to learn.  Kindergarten readiness doesn’t have to take over your summer; just 15-20 minutes a day of playing, exploring, and learning can make quite a difference.

There’s no one perfect formula for knowing if a child is ready for kindergarten. You may be surprised to hear that; especially with all of the recent national focus on standards and academic skills, most kindergarten teachers are hoping for a range of abilities that are mostly social and emotional in nature.

A student entering kindergarten “ready to learn” sets the perfect foundation for the academic endeavors that are to come.  Independence, the ability to listen and follow directions, the capacity to play well with others (sharing, turn taking, compromising), good manners and respect for authority, the ability to focus and concentrate, developed fine-motor skills, a diverse vocabulary, and a curiosity for learning are good indicators for kindergarten readiness.

A strong, positive self-esteem and a “can-do” attitude will also go a long way in making your child a successful learner.  It’s important to remember that no child will be equally competent in all areas; rather they’ll have areas of proficiency and areas that will require more support.

Kindergarten 2We can’t disregard the academic skill set totally, however.  Most kindergarten teachers expect students, especially those who have attended one or more years of pre-school, to come in being able to label the letters of the alphabet, name shapes and colors, recognize numbers 1-10, count to 20, and recognize, write, and spell their name.

Without a foundation of skills such as these, young students are at risk of falling behind with the more rigorous curiculums being presented.

Here are some things you can do at home or on vacation to work towards academic readiness this summer:

Read every day: at the pool, at the beach, on the hammock, under a tree, in the bathtub…!

  • Discuss stories and ask comprehension questions. Who? What?  Where? When? Why? …
  • Point out common sight words. The, a , an, as, at, on, of, or, …
  • Bring attention to conventions of print: capital letters, spaces between words, upper vs. lower case letters, punctuation, …
  • Point out letters in words, signs, books, …
  • Encourage curiosity.  Be ready to GOOGLE together questions that arise.

Play with rhyming words.  Great activity for the car! 

Play turn-taking games like Chutes and Ladders, Hi Ho Cherry-O, Trouble … Encourage sportsmanship.

Limit screen time to an hour – TV, I-PAD … Limit your screen time too so you’re available and engaged.

Play with math:

  • Sort objects like legos by color, shape, or size.
  • Count cookies, goldfish, pretzel sticks,… by ones and groups of 10.
  • Group items and have your child count and label the group with a # quantity.

Work with play dough to strengthen fine motor skills – rolling, squeezing, and cutting with kid-safe scissors.

Roll play dough “snakes” and make letters and numbers—even your name!

Practice name and alphabet writing in a tray filled with sand, rice, shaving cream, pudding .

Build letters with pompoms, legos, buttons, blocks, bead …

Encourage independence–tying shoes, zipping a jacket, buttoning, cleaning up …

Get a Kindergarten Readiness activity book for the car, plane rides, rainy days, down-time …

Explore websites like Abcmouse, Starfall, ABCya, Funbrain, Cookie …

Talk about the tough stuff—being yourself, bullying, friendship, anxiety about school.  Check with your local library for books on these topics and more.

Most importantly, take time to enjoy your child and make wonderful memories together.  Once school begins they’ll be lots more things to do to support their learning–but that’s a thought for the fall!  Happy learning!!

 

Offer to “Love at 10514” Station Eatery Rescinded by Town Board

by

By Eileen Gallagher

A recent flurry of social media postings has added to uncertainty about whose restaurant will be located at the Chappaqua Train Station.

After hearing four proposals for the space, the town board voted four to one in favor of Love at 10514, the proposed eatery by Leslie Lampert, owner of Ladle of Love and Cafe of Love located in Mt. Kisco.

However, it was announced at Tuesday’s town board meeting that, rather than contest the referendum filed with the town by Peter and Erin Chase, (New Castle residents and restaurant proprietors who had also vied for the train station space),  the town has rescinded its offer to Lampert and will reopen the process.

Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein issued the following statement this morning regarding the situation:  “This year, when this Board decided to reopen the application process, the second RFP helped create a level playing field and get all of the applicants on the same page.  All of the applicants saw the second RFP.  All of the applicants had the same opportunity to respond to the second RFP.  The overall result was more applicants, and better proposals, in my opinion, than at any other point during this two-year process.  Nevertheless, we’re going to do it again.  When the Board reviewed the referendum petition and weighed its options, the most prudent choice was to rescind its lease award and reopen the selection process once again.  We invite all prior applicants for leasing the Chappaqua Train Station to resubmit their proposals for consideration.”

The board has directed the town administrator, Jill Shapiro, to publish a Request for Proposal (RFP) “in substantially the same form as the RFP the town published on March 19, 2014.”  In addition, they also encourage all previous presenters to apply again.

More History

Initially, postings from Carla Gambescia, who proposed Via Vanti! Piccolo for the site, were mainly about the issue of the bathroom policy mandated in the lease. For example, on May 29 Westfair Online quoted Gambescia, “It’s really ridiculous that we’re even talking about this. If it was simply said to me this is mandatory, it’s like ‘fine, no biggy.’”

Gambescia recently joined the efforts led by Erin and Peter Chase for a referendum which stated in part, “Presentations were conducted in March prior to an RFP being issued; the complete reverse of what is standard practice.”

Gambescia had initially been accepted by the town board led by Susan Carpenter, after she presented her proposal in February 2013.  Ironically, that proposal was not in response to an RFP.   The RFP issued in May of 2012 which had long expired stated that the bathrooms were to be kept open to the public.

After several months elapsed due to station repair work paid for by the town, a draft lease was sent to Gambescia in November. Regarding bathrooms, it stated, “At all times that the Building is open for business, the restrooms to be located within the Building shall be and remain open and available for free use by the public, and not limited to use by patrons of the Concession or Business and the general public shall be permitted to enter the Building for such purpose.”

Gambescia did not agree to the bathroom stipulation. She replied, “Lease currently stipulates that the restrooms be open to the public at all times; however, beyond the hours of 11a.m. on weekdays this is not a workable condition for us as it will be disruptive for our guests and an ambiance killer; in order to get to the bathroom persons would have to pass through a gauntlet of guests seated and being served in the main dining area.”

The town’s response was, “Public access to restrooms has always been a condition of this tenancy. No change.”

Shortly before the old board’s term ended, Gambescia contacted Carpenter in an ongoing attempt to get her version of the lease approved.  “The deal could easily fall apart in the next week or so, especially if this is just left to the board’s weekly meeting agenda and/or if the current board prefers to defer decisions to the new board which will probably need to reassess the entire situation for a longer period of time than I am now willing to wait… If we cannot square away the details after over a year of meetings and discussions we may need to just move on.”

Then in January of this year, she wrote to Adam Brodsky of the new town board, “Chappaqua residents and diners expect and demand quality. ‘Quality’ in a restaurant involves more than simply food and service–as importantly, it’s the overall ambiance and dining experience provided to the guests. Allowing the general public to walk through a small and intimate dining space in the evening to use its bathrooms is completely incompatible with establishing a dining experience that our guests would enjoy and gladly repeat. Such a requirement on the board’s part would be a business handicap and therefore a compromise I am unwilling to make for my guests and the Via Vanti brand.”

On February 13, Gambescia appealed to Penny Paderewski, former town administrator, for help in trying to “hold [new town board’s] feet to the fire.” She claimed that the town was “reneging on the deal with me,” and extended an invitation to experience Via Vanti. That same day she wrote to Brodsky and Rob Greenstein, “There was never anything explicitly stated by the board regarding specific bathroom hours.”

She continued, “Further, if open bathrooms, including Monday-Friday dinner hours, had been of ‘paramount’ importance to the past board, why was it a point of discussion when I first received a lease draft in November?” Paderewski, however, must have known about the importance of the bathrooms, because Dan Pozin (town attorney) wrote to her on December 2, “There are many substantive comments [in the lease comments from Gambescia], some of which question crucial issues such as availability of public access to restrooms.” Paderewski in turn forwarded to Carpenter, “Want to leave [this matter] for new board?”

The town board maintains that public access to bathrooms during the building’s open hours had been, and continues to be, non negotiable.

Walgreens Presents Maria Fareri Hospital with Generous Donation

by

walgreens checkThis past Thursday, Eric Buff, manager of Chappaqua’s Walgreens, proudly presented the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital with a check for $5,707.

The store’s contribution was the second highest in the county at the close of a recent fundraising campaign (raising $350,000) undertaken by the hospital.

Buff partnered with the Walgreens in Thornwood to gather the dollars after setting up scannable coupons—area customers shopping at the two stores generously rose to the occasion with their donations, making  the nearly $6,000 raised possible.

“As a company, we try to get as involved as we can because we have a vested interest in the health and wellness of our customers and the community at large,” said Buff. “Our employees were  also behind us 100 percent which made all the difference.”

Speaking on behalf of Maria Fareri Hospital, Kelli Teglas noted: “Walgreens was a pleasure to work with. They really stepped up and got their employees on board and we are just very grateful.”

The fundraising efforts were also a natural outgrowth of an established relationship with Westchester Medical Center via a “bedside delivery system” in place with WMC.  Prescriptions are filled and as a convenience delivered to the hospital campus with the pharmacist’s instructions.

“Nurses or social workers coordinate with our pharmacy to go over the use of the medications with patients,” explained Supendeep Dosanoh, Walgreen’s pharmacy manager in Chappaqua. “These efforts are critical toward helping decrease the readmission rate at the hospital,” he said.