The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

New Castle News

Rosie, The Courthouse Dog Who Made History In New York State, Passes Over To The Rainbow Bridge On November 12, 2012

by

Rosie, ECAD’s beautiful Golden Retriever, who became known worldwide as “Rosie the Courthouse Dog” passed away on November 12 at the age of 13. Dale Picard, co founder and Executive Director of ECAD, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities, made the sad announcement about “our faithful, loving, hardworking Rose.”

“From the beginning, when she was just a pup, we knew we had something special with our own Rosa Parks who was named after the Civil Rights icon by the students at Children’s Village. She was feisty and smart. She had that knack of knowing just which child in the cafeteria was having a bad time and she would go stand next to him until he had finished his lunch. For years she spent four hours a day at Green Chimney’s in Brewster working in the speech room helping children find themselves, “Mr. Picard recalled.

It was just two years ago that Rosie came out of retirement and was dispatched to the Children’s Home in Poughkeepsie, NY, at the request of the Home’s Director, Dr. David Crenshaw. Rosie subsequently enabled one of their charges to testify in court against the man who had repeatedly abused her. Rosie was the first Assistance Dog allowed by a New York State court to accompany a witness into the witness box during testimony. In order to do this, Rosie learned to lie motionless in the confined space for an indeterminate time, using only her snout to press into the teen’s lower leg to bring calm when needed.

In addition to being a superb Therapy and Assistance Dog, Rosie was also one of ECAD’s top breeders giving them four litters. Her offspring are the living, breathing embodiment of ECAD’s Open Doors Program: among Rosie’s children are Hunter who is with an Autistic Child, Lilly and Compass who are Facility Dogs at Memorial Hospital in Hollywood, FL, Stutz, the Service Dog for a retired US Army Colonel who has both TBI and PTSD. and Eli, a bomb and drug sniffing specialist.  Rosie’s good looks and strong work ethic will continue forever as a number of her children are among ECAD’s top breeders.

In honor of Rosie’s life of unconditional love and hard work, ECAD has established “Rosie’s Legacy Fund” to benefit the Open Doors Program. For more information, please visit www.ECAD1.org or www.Facebook.com/ECADServiceDogs

 

For further information contact: Patricia Robert, 917-664-8092

Cleaning Up

by

When Hurricane Sandy hit, the Department of Public Works leapt into action.  One of the first steps it took was to set up the Emergency Operations Center in town hall and a warming center at the senior center.  After that, the focus remained on the highest priority – keeping the roads open.

In describing the EOC, Anthony Vaccaro, Commissioner of Public Works noted that this was “the first time it was really used to its full extent.”  The center facilitated operations between town personnel and first responders.  “During the height of the storm, we were in constant communication,” Vaccaro said.

In addition, staff from the DPW worked closely with “cut and clear” crews from Con Edison.  The utility company was responsible for determining whether downed wires were alive or dead to insure the safety of all involved.

The highway department has been dealing with an extraordinary amount of debris and mulch.  The recycling center is overflowing.  Some mulch is being stockpiled at Warburg Park and excess may be sent to a private facility.  The town has employed the services of Almstead Tree and Shrub Care, a private contractor who has been working with the town for a couple of years to provide assistance when resources are stretched.

When asked how the water treatment plant fared, Vaccaro beamed.  “We’ve maintained running water throughout the entire event,” he said.

The building and maintenance department worked steadily to insure that the generators at town hall were operational.  The EOC was powered by generators which have been in place for about ten years.

The town’s mechanics played a critical role in maintaining vehicles.  When breakdowns occurred, repairs were completed as fast as possible.

During the first ten days after Sandy came to town, the department was staffed round the clock.  Tuesday, November 13 was the first day on which no overtime hours were recorded.

The Chappaqua Challenge at the Chappaqua Library

by

The Chappaqua Library has begun registering for the Chappaqua Challenge. This highly popular, low-key reading program has been an annual event since 1983. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders form teams of 3-4 people, take four months to read from a list of twelve selected books, and write questions about one of the books. During the actual Challenge, which will take place on March 16th, 2013 at 2 p.m., the teams will quiz each other. No score is kept and there are no winners or losers. Each participant will earn a gift certificate to a local bookstore, and there’s a party immediately afterwards.

Space is limited, so those interested in participating should register as soon as possible. Please see our website, www.chappaqualibrary.org, or call the Children’s Room of the Chappaqua Library at (914) 238-4779, ext. 3, for more information.

Nature Uprooted

by

Around 4:00 a.m. on Monday, October 29, Bill Davies’s phone started ringing. The co-owner of Westchester Tree Life was ready.  Thanks to accurate weather forecasts, he had already begun preparations for Hurricane Sandy and had taken precautions during the previous week to insure that his firm was well equipped to provide assistance to as many homeowners as possible.  The equipment was in excellent working condition and crews had been working feverishly; steeling up weak trees and pruning.

Increased profits were far from Davies’s mind as he began assigning workers and divvying up tasks.  “I hate seeing storms like this,” he noted.  “Our business is preservation.”   He spoke with reverence about the many trees his firm has planted and maintained for 27 years.  To this avid hiker, seeing so many of them destroyed was devastating.

The destruction left in Sandy’s wake, gave Davies pause.  As a veteran of his industry, he has definitely noticed a dramatic change in the severity of storms.  “The four or five worst storms have occurred in the past two and a half years,” Davies said.  The greatest number of sizable trees – in terms of diameter, were lost in this storm than ever before.

In Davies’s eyes, the character of the entire area has been altered by the storm, leaving a leafy suburb in need of reforestation.  “It changes the whole suburban woodlot,” Davies began.  “If I could suggest one thing to property owners, I’d say start to replace.”  He urges everyone to place a high priority on replanting at least one or two trees a year to reconstitute landscapes.

Instead of rushing to replant here and there, Davies prefers a measured approach.  As a certified arborist, he counsels people on choosing sturdy, disease resistant replacements and stresses the importance of “diversity.”  When blights strike, an entire species can be wiped out.  By choosing a variety of trees, the homeowner mitigates the chances of massive loss.  An optimal mix also includes trees of different ages.  While Davies cited oaks, maples and sycamores as being viable choices, he also stressed that different types will thrive on every site.

The process of deciding whether damaged trees can be saved is a delicate one.  In last year’s October storm, heavy snow took a toll on many branches.  This kind of destruction meant that many more trees could be saved.  In contrast, vast numbers of trees were toppled by gusts of 75 to 80 miles per hour during Hurricane Sandy.  “With enough wind, even healthy trees can fail,” Davies observed.  Large numbers of white pines and Norway spruce fell due to their shallow roots.

Topography also played a major role during Sandy.  Davies explained that many of the old oaks in Chappaqua are located on hillsides.  The strength of their root systems is hindered by growing in rocks, thus rendering them too weak to resist gale force winds.

Two weeks after the storm, activity changed to clean-up mode.  Due to the extraordinary amount of mulch generated from the fallen trees, it is first hauled away from individual sites and then picked up by a contractor.   For those looking ahead to preparing beds in the spring or cushioning playgrounds, mulch may be left on site.

The environmental impact of the storm was monumental.  The loss of so many trees means an increase in erosion.   This affects not only the individual homeowner but their neighbors as well.  “That’s why there’s a tree permit law,” Davies observed.  This regulation requires property owners to obtain a permit before removing any trees.

Tree companies were definitely not the only ones working tirelessly in the aftermath of the storm.  Workers from utility, cable, phone and heating companies flooded the area.  Davies noted that everyone cooperated and helped each other whenever possible.  His firm made sure that driveways were clear so that other workers could gain access to damaged properties.

On the subject of prevention, Davies mentioned the importance of having a solid maintenance program in place.  One of the techniques his workers used before the storm was cabling.  By securing elements of a tree together with cables, the entire structure is fortified.  Another tool is the resistograph; a device that checks for decay.  When significant weakness is detected, removal is recommended.

As the pace of his work slowed down a wee bit, Davies took a moment to reflect.  “Go see the Bedford Oak,” he exhorted.  This approximately 500 year old treasure still reigns at the intersection of Hook Road and Old Bedford Road.

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service and Community Meal

by

The Chappaqua Interfaith Council will hold its annual Thanksgiving Service at St. John and St. Mary’s Catholic Church (30 Poillon Road, Chappaqua) on Sunday, November 18 at 4 pm. A community meal will follow the interfaith service.  Everyone in the community is welcome. Prayers, readings, music and song will be performed by members of all the participating faith communities. The Kittle House will again provide the turkey for the community meal and other local stores and individuals are contributing additional food items. There is no charge for this event. This is the seventh year that the Chappaqua Interfaith Council has offered a meal following the service. Last year over 400 guests attended both the service and the dinner.  This event is an opportunity for the residents of New Castle and to give thanks for the bounties in our lives and to share this experience with our neighbors and friends.

This year the Council will accept tax-deductible donations on behalf of Open Door Family Medical Center to assist in reaching their goal of $3000 to purchase vital signs monitoring equipment. According to Desta Lakew, Open Doors’s Director of Development, “These automated devices check blood, pressure, temperature and heart rates in the exam rooms and are connected to our electronic management system.  Donations of non-perishable foods will also be accepted on behalf of the Interfaith Emergency Food Pantry in Pleasantville, which serves the elderly, disabled, and other needy clients from several surrounding communities, including Chappaqua, Hawthorne, Millwood, and Thornwood.

The Chappaqua Interfaith Council includes representatives, both lay and clergy, from the following eight faith communities: Baha’is of New Castle; Chappaqua Friends Meeting; The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Episcopal; First Congregational Church; Lutheran Church of our Redeemer; St. John and St. Mary’s Catholic Church; Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester and the Upper Westchester Muslim Society.

For further information, please contact Candace Downing, 914 419-7216 or candiedow9@gmail.com.