The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

New Castle News

The Solar Wall at the Millwood Water Treatment Plant

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The water in the town of New Castle is crystal clear and delicious.  It also happens to be  processed in a particularly green facility in the town of New Castle.  The water treatment plant harnesses the power of the sun to heat the building.

The idea for the solar wall arose at a presentation to the Sustainability Board by the firm Earth Kind Solar.  As part of the greening of the community, the town decided to install the wall at the water treatment plant.  This building is the only one in town with a southern facing wall which is large enough to accommodate the technology.

Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Gerry Moerschell categorized the tools being utilized as “passive solar thermal technology.”  No fans are required.  Instead, hot air is pulled into the building through tiny perforations on the exterior of the wall.  At the top of the wall, hot air is funneled into the building through ducts.

“This is one of the most cost efficient operations in town,” Moerschell noted.  It saves 3,000 gallons of heating a year which translates to $10,000.  The wall was financed by a $150,000 grant from NYSERDA.

The town is a forerunner in the implementation of this type of solar wall in the area.  “We’re pioneering technology in the Lower Hudson Valley,” Moerschell said.

Ron Kamen, Chair of Earth Kind Solar, pointed to another advantage of the solar wall.  “It’s virtually maintenance free,” he noted.

The solar wall at the water treatment plant.

Scores of local school children visit the plant annually.  Residents may contact the Department of Public Works to schedule a tour.

Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce General Membership Meeting

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Join the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce for dinner at the Kittle House and a great presentation about Signage and Branding for our businesses

January 9th, 2013
Wednesday January 9, 2013
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST

Crabtree Kittle House
11 Kittle Rd
Chappaqua, NY 10514

Dinner includes: hors d’oeuvre, Salad, Chicken Entree (Vegetarian meal upon request), Dessert with coffee

Members $25
Non-members $35

Whether you’re launching a business or trying to breathe new life into an established one — developing your own “brand” and the right “positioning” is perhaps, the most important aspect of any business, organization or association. Simply put, it’s defining a powerful identity that sets you apart and goes far beyond your logo, name or slogan.

Dawn Dankner-Rosen, president of DDR Public Relations, will share some strategies for developing an image for your new business or repositioning the image of an established company.

Dawn is an award-winning public relations specialist with expertise in strategic communications strategies and media relations for 30 years. She has developed successful campaigns for an extensive range of national and Westchester clients including Prudential Financial/Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, Gilda’s Club Westchester, Westchester Institute for Human Development, the Katonah-Lewisboro School District, JP McHale Pest Management, Coyaba Beach Resort & Club and Chappaqua’s new “talk of the town” — WeeZee World of Yes I Can!

Register Now!

CHAMBER CHAT – CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Since this Friday is the 1st ChamberChat of the month we will be featuring our Calendar of Events.  So for this week’s ChamberChat, please only send notices for upcoming special events (such as fundraisers, presentations, sales events, tasting events, grand openings, etc.).  If you don’t have an event planned, plan one & the chamber will help you promote it.

KenKen Tournament on Dec. 8

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The third annual KenKen Tournament will take place on Saturday December 8 at 10 a.m. in the Chappaqua library. Spots are limited so please register at the Chappaqua library or at http://www.chappaqualibrary.org. The tournament is free and open to all ages.

Tournament sign-in begins at 9:15 AM.

KenKen is a mathematical grid puzzle developed by Japanese math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto, as an instruction-free method of training the brain.  In 2008, Bob Fuhrer, a Chappaqua resident and owner of the company Nextoy brought the puzzles to the attention of Michael Harvey, an editor of  The Times (London).  Harvey, impressed with what he calls its “depth and magnitude”, arranged for publication of such puzzles, starting in March 2008.  The New York Times followed suit and  KenKen now appears in more than 100 newspapers in the United States, as well as numerous international publications.  The name derives from ken, the Japanese word for cleverness.

For more information, please visit www.kenken.com

Stately Home Receives Landmark Designation

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Isaiah Williams House

Part of the charm of the hamlet is found in its old houses.  Located most frequently along major roads, these structures often undergo extensive renovations in keeping with the original design.

The mission of the Landmarks Advisory Committee in the Town of New Castle is to identify buildings and sites steeped in history.  This information is then utilized by the Board of Architectural Review, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, when considering applications by home and property owners.

When Gray Williams, Town Historian and Chair of the Landmarks Advisory Committee, toured the majestic blue grey home at 300 Quaker Road, he posed his usual question:  “Can I go to the basement?”  In his estimation, the best way to determine the age of a building is by examining the basement and the attic.  Here, he found a very shallow cellar and a very steep staircase on the upper level, definitive characteristics of old homes.  The committee asked the homeowner whether they would be interested in having the house added to the landmarks list.  When they responded in the affirmative, a letter was submitted to Town Supervisor Susan Carpenter and the house was subsequently accorded landmark status by the Town Board.

This Italianate home is steeped in the ancestry of the hamlet.  It has been owned by several families including the Reynolds and the Keelers.  Another owner was Isaiah Williams, Horace Greeley’s lawyer.

Homeowners are often interested in receiving this designation.  “They know it has been acknowledged and vetted by the town,”  Williams noted.  “That makes it more attractive.”

Jean Baker, the selling agent for the home at Houlihan Lawrence, concurred:  “It gives you a sense of character and roots.

Thanksgiving Day Sandy Relief For Rockaway

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Food and More Still Needed For Thanksgiving Day Sandy Relief

Help us put together a Thanksgiving dinner for thousands of people have been displaced from their homes. The group, Rockaway Help is a collection of Rockaway natives working to organize resources and support the area’s recovery after Hurricane Sandy’s devastation in October 2012.

So, as a result, Susan Rubin & Grace Bennett are rounding up Turkey day food and bringing it on out to Rockaway on Thanksgiving morning.  If you live near Chappaqua or Pleasantville  and would like to donate anything, simply get it to me by Wednesday night or first thing Thursday morning. 

Leaving for Far Rockaway Thursday at 10 a.m.

Email drsusanrubin@gmail.com for details.

Here’s what the Rockaway folks need:

  • Food ( Sides, Turkey, Ham, Desserts, Salad etc)
  • Beverages (REALLY in need of this)
  • Tablecloths
  • Eating Utensils
  • Napkins, cups,plates
  • Disposable gloves
  • Take-out containers (For folks to take food to where they are staying in case we are unable to seat them)

Here’s the link for more information:

http://rockawayhelp.com/thanksgiving-dinner-in-far-rockaway/