The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

New Castle Releases

Governor Cuomo Announces Impaired Driving Crackdown During Holiday Season

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Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Enforcement Campaign to Run Through January 1

More than 159,000 Vehicle and Traffic Law Violation Tickets Issued During Last Year’s Enforcement Campaign, Including 5,677 Arrests For DWI

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that state and local law enforcement agencies throughout New York will be stepping up patrols to crack down on impaired driving during the holiday travel season. The enforcement campaign will run through Friday, January 1. This crackdown is part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiative designed to reduce alcohol and drug-related traffic crashes. It is sponsored by STOP-DWI with funding from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

“New York has zero tolerance for impaired driving,” Governor Cuomo said. “Motorists who drive under the influence not only put themselves at risk, but endanger the lives of everyone else. Be safe and smart this holiday season, whether you’re on the road or not. If you must travel, drive sober or have a plan in place to get where you’re going safely.”

During the 2019 enforcement campaign, law enforcement throughout the state arrested 5,677 people for impaired driving. In total, 159,133 tickets were issued for vehicle and traffic law violations. Full breakdown here:

 

Violation Number of Tickets
Impaired Driving 5,677
Distracted Driving 6,118
Move Over Law 1,014
Other Violations 113,637
Seatbelt 3,602
Speeding 29,085
Grand Total 159,133

 

DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is proud to support these initiatives that help get impaired drivers off New York’s roads. I thank our law enforcement and STOP-DWI officials for their work in making holiday travel safer for everyone. It’s simple, have a plan to get home safely.”

NYS STOP-DWI Foundation Chairman Reginald Crowley said, “Every year, too many lives are ruined by impaired driving. Make sure you have a safe ride home.”

State Police Acting Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, “As we celebrate the holiday season, we want to remind motorists to celebrate safely. If plans include alcohol, please plan ahead for a safe ride home. Driving impaired is a choice that can have serious, and sometimes deadly, consequences. The public’s safety is our top priority. As always, our Troopers will be highly visible and will have zero tolerance for impaired, reckless and distracted drivers.”

NYS Association of Chiefs of Police President Chief Patrick D. Phelan said, “I encourage all of our association members to actively participate in this critically important statewide high visibility enforcement campaign. We share a unified goal in partnership with local, county and state law enforcement personnel to detect and remove impaired drivers from our roadways and to make them as safe as possible during this holiday season.”

Washington County Sheriff and NYS Sheriffs’ Association President Jeffrey Murphy said, “The Sheriffs of New York State know many things will be different this holiday season but one thing remains the sameour dedication to keeping people safe on our roads. Impaired driving is unnecessary, dangerous, and illegal. Enjoy the holidays and have a plan to not drive impaired.”

A major component of New York’s efforts to combat impaired driving is the STOP-DWI program. STOP-DWI stands for “Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated.” The state’s STOP-DWI program is the nation’s first self-sustaining impaired driving program. The program’s efforts are funded from fines paid by convicted impaired drivers. Importantly, the program’s coordinators are comprised of diverse professional backgrounds, including law enforcement and non-law enforcement.

The STOP-DWI program was created to empower counties to coordinate local efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. All 62 counties have opted to participate. Some examples of programs funded by STOP-DWI are: specially trained police units dedicated to DWI enforcement, hiring of special prosecutors and probation officers to handle the caseload, monitoring ignition interlock devices, supporting rehabilitation services, and developing public information and education campaigns tailored to communities within their respective regions. To learn more, visit http://www.stopdwi.org/.

In addition to STOP-DWI, the GTSC supports training for Drug Recognition Experts (DRE). DREs are specially trained officers utilized by law enforcement when a driver appears to be impaired, but police have ruled out alcohol as the cause or sole cause of impairment. A DRE receives extensive training that has been approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The training allows officers to observe and document signs and indicators of impairment within each of seven drug categories including illicit and prescription drugs.

For more information about GTSC, visit https://trafficsafety.ny.gov/, or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook and Twitter.

For more information about DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov, or follow the DMV conversation online at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

COVID-19 Antibody Testing Available at Northern Westchester Hospital’s Center for Healthy Living

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Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) has issued a release announcing the availability of serology COVID-19 antibody testing for community members living in the villages, towns (and hamlets within the towns) of:  Armonk, Bedford, Chappaqua, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, Pleasantville, Somers, North Salem, Yorktown, Pound Ridge, and Mt Pleasant. In order to accommodate the local community with minimal wait times and to maintain appropriate social distancing guidelines, all individuals coming for a test must be pre-registered and will be expected to wear a mask. In compliance with NY State Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, effective immediately and through July 31, antibody testing is available at:

Center for Healthy Living

480 South Bedford Road, Chappaqua, New York, 10514

Located in Chappaqua Crossing – Next to Whole Foods. Ample Parking

Hours of Operation:

Antibody testing will be offered Monday through Friday between 7am and 3pm through July 31st.  You can come anytime during this designated time period.

Pre-registration is required 24 hours in advance and can be completed at https://bit.ly/3dFyuSG

Upon arrival please bring:

  • A copy of your confirmation email (from pre-registration). No prescription is needed but pre-registration is required.
  • A copy of your insurance card (copayments are waived)
  • Please know that you will be asked screening questions and will be masked upon entry per NYS regulation

Information about Antibody Testing:

What is serology (antibody) testing? After a simple blood draw, the antibody test may determine whether or not people who have been previously infected or exposed to COVID-19 have antibodies in their blood. Antibodies are proteins in the blood made by one’s immune system that help fight infection.

What does a negative result mean? Negative means that COVID-19 antibodies were not detected in your blood. Most commonly, this indicates you have not been infected with the COVID-19 virus. A negative result does not rule-out early or recent infection and antibody testing should not be used to diagnose COVID-19 infection.

What does a positive result mean? A positive result indicates that you have COVID-19 antibodies in your blood. This means you have been exposed to COVID 19 and developed antibodies. At this point scientists are unsure how detected antibodies impact immunity and protect against re-infection.  Therefore, it is important to note that regardless of your test result, it is essential that you continue to adhere to the Governor’s Executive Order and the New York State Department of Health guidelines for masking, social distancing and hand washing.

Why participate? Scientists are still working to understand many things about COVID-19, like how it travels from person to person, why it affects people differently, if it is a seasonal disease (meaning it can come back year after year like the flu), and if people can be infected again. That’s why these efforts are so important for you, your family and the community as a whole.

Reminder- Pre-registration is required 24 hours in advance and can be completed at https://bit.ly/3dFyuSG.

Participants will receive a confirmation email after successful pre-registration.  Please note that pre-registration takes 24 hours to be processed so please plan accordingly so there are no delays when you arrive for your test. 

Testing continues to be available for first responders and essential workers who live or work in the towns served by NWH and for family members of NWH staff.

Why participate? Scientists are still working to understand many things about COVID-19, like how it travels from person to person, why it affects people differently, if it is a seasonal disease (meaning it can come back year after year like the flu), and if people can be infected again. That’s why these efforts are so important for you, your family and the community as a whole.

Reminder- Pre-registration is required 24 hours in advance and can be completed at https://bit.ly/3dFyuSG.

Participants will receive a confirmation email after successful pre-registration.  Please note that pre-registration takes 24 hours to be processed so please plan accordingly so there are no delays when you arrive for your test. 

Testing continues to be available for first responders and essential workers who live or work in the towns served by NWH and for family members of NWH staff.

News and photo courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital

 

The Harlem Wizards are Coming to Town!

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Chappaqua’s favorite day of hoops and alley oops is back on Sunday, January 26that 1:30 pm. Come watch the beloved teachers of the Chappaqua Challengers as they take on the Harlem Wizards! This annual highly anticipated event, hosted by the Chappaqua School Foundation, is the definition of local family fun. Not only an opportunity to support your schools, it’s guaranteed laughs as the tables are turned and the kids cheer on their teachers.

Make this event even more memorable by purchasing the coveted Benchwarmer or Courtside Plus VIP seats! Both include premier seating, a meet & greet with the Wizards, a souvenir lanyard, team poster and discount on team jerseys.  The newly introduced Benchwarmer seats, however, is the only way to watch the action straight from the Wizards bench and includes a half-court photo opp.

Don’t miss out on the fun and purchase tickets today.

Courtesy of the Chappaqua School Foundation

Donate Your Graduation Gowns

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Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and New Jersey has teamed up with Horace Greeley High School Junior Daniel Greenstein to recover graduation gowns.  Goodwill has agreed to accept the donated gowns as a part of its sustainability efforts.

After the big day, graduating seniors, and even alumni, can drop off their gowns and caps at the high school.   Graduates can look for the bins outside the gym at the graduation, and for the week after graduation.   The gowns will be donated to Goodwill Industries of Greater New York & Northern New Jersey.

Daniel Greenstein said “hundreds of graduation gowns worn by students sit in closets for years before they end up in the trash.  We need to keep graduation gowns out of landfills.  This effort will maximize the sustainability of graduation gowns”

About Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey

Goodwill NYNJ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  They exist to uplift the local communities of New York and Northern New Jersey by using funds generated in their retail stores and donation centers to support employment opportunities for people with disabilities or other obstacles to employment.

For more information contact Daniel Greenstein –dgreenstein221@gmail.com