The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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Teatown’s Hudson River EagleFest is just a few weeks away: Time to celebrate the return of the eagle

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Hudson River EagleFestOSSINING, NY — Each winter, between December and March, bald eagles from Canada and northern New York and New England fly south to the lower Hudson Valley to feed on fish and waterfowl found in unfrozen waters. The bald eagle, which was considered an endangered species prior to 1995, shed its federal threatened status in 2007.  Today, biologists estimate that about 150 bald eagles overwinter in the lower Hudson Valley. Every year the bald eagles’ return affirms the continued health of the Hudson River and nearby habitats for wildlife and people.

Teatown’s 11th Hudson River EagleFest will celebrate this conservation success story and the return of the eagle to the lower Hudson Valley at Croton Point Park (Eagle Headquarters) on Saturday, February 7, 2015 from 9 am – 4 pm. Thousands of area residents will be in attendance at EagleFest to get a glimpse of these majestic birds of prey.

Last year during EagleFest at one site along the river more than 36 eagles were seen at one time. It was truly an amazing sight to see!   This year, in addition to eagle shows and fun activities in the heated tents at Croton Point Park, we will host eight eagle viewing sites up and down the Hudson River.

We are grateful to our generous sponsors who help make the event possible including, Club Fit, L.L. Bean, WHUD, Wheelabrator, Earth Alterations, Green Guru and Saw Mill River Audubon. The event is made possible with the support of Westchester County and Westchester County Parks.

Amazing live raptor shows are always a fan favorite and will be held throughout the day, including Teatown-led programs with Teatown’s Animal Ambassadors. Additional activities range from guided and independent eagle viewing, bus tours, storytelling, a tent brimming with children’s programs and activities, bird walks and displays from 30 area organizations. Entertaining and educational shows take place all day long in The Eagle Theatre and Eaglet Stage under much-appreciated heated tents. Food for purchase will be provided by the Wobble Café.

Purchase your discounted online general admission tickets now at www.teatown.org. Discounted online tickets available until Wednesday, February 4 at 5 pm. Parking is free at the park.

EAGLE THEATRE SCHEDULE:
EagleFest arts and craftsAll shows feature live birds of prey

9:15 am – Hudson Valley Wildlife – Teatown

10:00 am  and 11:00 am – Skyhunters in Flight – Brian Bradley

12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – Close Encounters with Wintering Eagles and Owls  – Bill Streeter/Delaware Valley Raptor Center

2:00 pm – Birds of Prey – Brian Robinson

3:00 pm – Hudson Valley Wildlife – Teatown

TICKETS AND INFORMATION:  General Admission tickets allow you to enter all of the tents at Croton Point Park and to take advantage of all of the day’s activities for one price (bus tours are an additional fee). Pre-sale tickets will be $13/adults (12+), $8/children (6-11) and free for children 5 and under. To purchase discounted pre-sale General Admission tickets, visit www.teatown.org (available until Wed., Feb. 4 at 5 pm.)

EagleFest birds 1Tickets sold at the venue on the day of the event will be $15/adults (12+), $10/children (6-11) and free for children 5 and under. We encourage everyone to arrive early to the bird shows in the Eagle Theatre as seating will be on a first come, first served basis. A general admission ticket allows you to attend as many shows in the Eagle Theatre/Eaglet Stage as you want (as long as there are available seats). Purchase bus tour tickets by calling the Teatown office at 914-762-2912, ext. 110.  Tickets for the bus tours (for age 14 and up) are $25 each and often sell out.   For additional questions, please call 914-762-2912 x110. Visit www.teatown.org for up-to-date scheduling information. (All tickets are non-refundable and will be honored on the snow date, Sunday, February 8, should the event be rescheduled due to severe weather.)

EagleFest birds 2BUS TOURS: Guests can travel by charter bus with a Teatown educator at 9:30am or 2:00pm for an in-depth two-hour view of eagles in their natural habitat. Tours begin at Croton Point Park and stop at three locations along the river which may include the Croton Boat Ramp at Croton-Harmon Train Station, George’s Island Park in Montrose, Riverfront Green in Peekskill, Steamboat Dock Park in Verplanck and the new Croton Dam in Cortlandt. Bus tours are intended for guests ages 14 and over.  Participants must be able to walk up to ¼ mile to view birds at some of the stops, at times over snowy or icy terrain. Tickets are $25 per person (limit of 25 seats per bus). Purchase bus tour tickets by calling the Teatown office at 914-762-2912, ext. 110.

ALL ABOARD THE METRO NORTH EAGLE TRAIN!: Ride the train like never before! Attendees coming from Manhattan can take the 9:51am Metro-North Eagle Train car from Grand Central Station to Croton-Harmon Train Station. Along the way, they can view Hudson Valley birds with guest naturalists sponsored by Wave Hill. Free shuttle buses will bring attendees to/from the Croton-Harmon Train Station to Croton Point Park.

To participate in this event, guests must purchase a regular train ticket from Metro North (train ticket does not include admission fee). Metro North personnel will direct guests to the correct train car to hear the wildlife presentation.

EAGLE VIEWING SITES: Guests can enjoy eagle viewing locations and activities along the Hudson River for free. Each is staffed by eagle experts with spotting scopes. When it’s time to warm up, attendees can take a break in the heated tents/buildings at the following sites:

  • Trailside Museum and Zoo, Bear Mountain State Park
  • Boscobel House and Gardens, Garrison
  • Croton Boat Ramp at Croton-Harmon Train Station
  • New Croton Dam, Cortlandt
  • George’s Island Park, Montrose
  • Riverfront Green Park, Peekskill
  • Rockwood Hall, Sleepy Hollow
  • Steamboat Dock Park, Verplanck

Detailed maps will be available at Croton Point Park and at Teatown prior to the event to guide visitors to each unique viewing destination.

BIRD WALKS: Spot eagles and other native birds around Croton Point Park with an expert guide. Walks are given every hour from 9am-3pm. The duration of the walk is 30-45 minutes and proper footwear for the weather conditions is advised.

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING: Parking is free and available in the park. Shuttle buses will bring guests from the Croton-Harmon Train Station to Eagle Headquarters throughout the day.

SNOW DATE: In the event of severe weather, the alternate date for EagleFest℠ will be Sunday, February 8, 2015. Please check Teatown’s website, www.teatown.org, for program details and weather updates, or call Teatown at 914-762-2912 x110.

SPONSORS: Teatown’s Hudson River EagleFestsm 2015 is generously sponsored by Club Fit, L.L. Bean, WHUD, Wheelabrator, Earth Alterations, Green Guru and Saw Mill River Audubon. The event is made possible with the support of Westchester County and Westchester County Parks.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?:
EagleFest birds 3An Environmentally Healthy Hudson Valley Depends on YOU!!

  • We all live in a watershed!! Do your part by conserving water, participating in community clean-ups, and supporting environmental legislation.
  • Plant trees! Trees tame stormwater, clean the air, naturally cool your home, save water and fight climate change.
  • Limit use of pesticides and fertilizers.
  • Plant natives! Native plants need less water, and attract birds, bees and butterflies.
  • Recycle and dispose of household chemicals and pharmaceuticals properly.
  • Inspect and maintain septic systems.
  • Become involved in land use and development decisions – open space protects our natural resources.
  • Join an environmental organization like Teatown!

Teatown Lake Reservation, an environmental education organization with a 1,000-acre private, not-for-profit nature preserve in Westchester County, is one of the largest and most active environmental education and science centers in the region. Teatown impacts more than 20,000 adults and children every year through its full schedule of year-round programs and nature-focused summer camp, as well as through 15 miles of hiking trails. Teatown’s mission is to inspire our community to lifelong environmental stewardship. It has grown continuously since it was established on 194 acres in 1963, 50 years ago. More information about Teatown is at www.teatown.org.

Governor Cumo Defends Juno Storm Strategy to Err on Side of Caution

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Travel ban lifted; Mass transit to operate by 9 a.m today on a Sunday 60% Schedule; Normal service to resume by Wed a.m.

All bridges and tunnels reopened.

Heavy flight cancellations still being reported.

While noting at the outset of a press conference that “it is fair to say the storm has been less destructive than what has been predicted,” Governor Cuomo asserted that the precautions taken for 13 Counties were the right call and ultimately positive. “There was less snow than anticipated…. But because roads were empty we could actually plow the roads; we did a good job clearing the roads because they were empty. Train lines got back on track more quickly…”

‘At the end of the day, it may have brought us up to snuff sooner than later.” He noted that Suffolk County was the hardest hit (much harder than Nassau) with still “blizzard like conditions” and that state equipment is being redeployed to Suffolk, though travel ban lifted there too.

Cuomo noted that on the theory of live and learn, weather forecasters do the best they can.

“If there was a lean one way or the other, lean toward safety. I’ve seen the consequences the other way… we’ve had people die in storms. Much rather be in a situation where we say, we got lucky, then say, we didn’t get lucky and someone died.

Cuomo thanked NJ Gov. Christie and CT Gov. Malloy for coordination efforts. “We can’t open the traffic ban in one state unless you coordinate with the other,” he said.

Cuomo also announced the state would invest in a state in the art forecasting system though “weather prediction remains an imperfect science.”

He pointed to Buffalo’s recent storm and a decision not to close… “we had people stranded on roads for 15-20 hours.”
While the roads are open, Cumo noted, “I also don’t want to give people a false sense of security…. that while they may be passable, they could still dangerous that even with salting, etc., a layer of ice can exist under the snow. Also, unnecessary cars on the road cause significant traffic and clean up delays if they are out in any volume. — Grace Bennett

Gov. Cuomo: At 11 p.m., a Travel Ban in 13 Downstate Counties Go into Effect

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MTA Completely Closing all Public Transit Systems at 11 p.m.

Ban on Tandem Trailers on Major Highways Remains in Effect

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo this afternoon announced a travel ban on all state and local roads in thirteen downstate counties effective at 11 p.m. tonight. All MTA and Port Authority public transit systems will also be suspended beginning at 11 pm. until further notice.

The Governor urged commuters and motorists to get home well in advance of the 11 p.m. closures as the storm intensifies throughout the evening and travel conditions worsen. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for the greater New York City metropolitan area effective today and through Tuesday night. The National Weather Service forecasts snow accumulation of at least 1 ½ to 2 feet combined with wind gusts of up to 70 MPH on Eastern parts of Long Island. People in the region should continue to closely monitor weather forecasts and advisories.

“This blizzard is forecasted to be one of the worst this region has seen, and we must put safety first and take all necessary precautions,” Governor Cuomo said. “Commuters and drivers need to get home as quickly as possible before the storm completely cripples our transit networks and roads. The State will close all roads and public transportation effective at 11 p.m. and we urge all New Yorkers to prioritize safety and be patient as we wait for this storm to pass.”

Details of the road and transit closings are as follows:
•For all local and state roads, a travel ban will go into effect at 11 p.m until further notice in the following 13 counties: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester.
•New York City subways and buses will operate only local service beginning at 8 p.m. and service will be suspended beginning at 11 p.m. until further notice.
•Long Island Rail Road, Metro North, Staten Island Railroad service will be suspended beginning at approximately 11 p.m. until further notice.
•PATH service will operate on a weekend schedule beginning at 9 p.m. and be suspended at 11 p.m. until further notice.
•A ban on tandem trailers on I-84, the Long Island Expressway, and the Thruway from Exit 17 to the New York City line, including on I-287 and I-95, went into effect at 4 p.m. and remains in effect until further notice.

On closed roads, only authorized emergency vehicles will be permitted. A violation of the travel ban is punishable as misdemeanor that includes fines of up to $300. The Governor today signed an Executive Order authorizing the State to institute the travel ban on local and state roads.

For more information or to keep up to date with the most recent information, New Yorkers can visit: http://ny.gov/blizzard2015.

Metro-North and LIRR customers can visit MTA.info and monitor MTA email and text message service alerts, or @LIRR or @MetroNorth on Twitter for information about train resumption schedules. LIRR station waiting rooms will remain open around the clock through Friday, January 30.

For road updates, New York State provides a travel advisory system that features real-time travel reports and road conditions, which can be accessed by dialing 511 or online at www.511ny.org. Thruway motorists are encouraged to sign up for TRANSalert e-mails which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway. Motorists can sign up for TRANSalerts by following this link: http://www.thruway.ny.gov/tas/index.shtml. Thruway travelers can also get real-time updates by following @ThruwayTraffic on Twitter or by visiting http://www.thruway.ny.gov to see an interactive map showing traffic conditions for the Thruway and other New York State

Jewish Students in Westchester Gather to Address On Campus Anti Semitism

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By Grace Bennett
Photos by Orly Benun

It was a remarkable and ultimately courageous and empowering gathering. Jewish students home on winter break, who might otherwise have spent the evening at home or out with friends, instead arrived by the dozens to the JCC of Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale on a weeknight earlier this month to partake in a forum created by a newly formed, Westchester based group, “Students and Parents Against Anti Semitism on Campus.”

_ORB1773Jewish Student Meeting

A panel of speakers pointed to a growing anti-Israel sentiment — and as a seeming recurring consequence, anti semitic incidences — taking place on college campuses across the U.S. “There is a problem on college campuses. It is systemic; it is not just in one place,” one speaker said.

A panel of five speakers included a representative from New York University (a young woman who led the panel described herself as a “lone ranger” sometimes in this battle), and four others from Stand with Us and the Jewish National Fund.

The anti-Israel mood on some campuses, the speakers said, appears to be the outcome of well organized groups whose members seek to actively influence student body perception of Israel—frequently referring to Israel as an apartheid state or by laying the blame squarely on Israel’s door for the war in Gaza this past summer. They drive home their messages via rallies or staged “die ins.”

All this might be fine in the free speech arena, however footage shared — via a short film: “The New Face of Anti-Semitism: Crossing the Line” — showed Jewish students being shouted down, or otherwise made to feel vulnerable in sharing a pro Israel stance. “There are regular comparisons of Israelis to Nazis; it is twisted, repulsive and becoming increasingly commonplace,” one of the speakers noted.

Following the individual talks, the speakers and the students broke into smaller group workshops, in which students shared their own experiences, everything from seeing a swastika painted on a Hillel wall to feeling intimidated in class by a professor holding pro Palestinian views. Parents were led into a separate room for a workshop as well.

Students were generally advised that these groups and their dismissive attitudes are ultimately small “with scripted messages and that the public as a whole does not support these messages.”

“Keep your composure,” the NYU student leader urged. “Take a step back. Arm yourself with the facts. The facts are on our side. Educate yourself about the issues. It’s also best to ignore some of the tactics, such as the die ins. Don’t give them the press they want.”

“Stand with Us is here for you,” said one of its representatives. “If you encounter anti-Israel activity on campus, reach out to us.”

Blood Donation Opportunities in honor of Black History Month

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American red Cross logo

This February, and in the spirit of Dr. Charles Drew, an African-American surgeon who was the first medical director of the American Red Cross and a modern blood-banking pioneer, eligible donors as diverse as the patients who need their blood donations are encouraged to give blood to ensure a sufficient blood supply. (Editor’s Note: A Pleasantville location is noted here.)

Blood from a donor with a similar ethnic background as that of the patient is less likely to cause complications, particularly for those patients whose chronic conditions require repeated transfusions. Sickle cell disease is one such chronic condition affecting as many as 100,000 people in the United States.

Prior to transfusion, blood type and Rh factor are matched between donated blood and the patient in need. In some cases, additional red cell markers in donated blood must be matched, as well. These markers are best found in blood from donors of a similar ethnicity.

With seasonal flu and inclement winter weather preventing many regular donors from giving, the Red Cross urges healthy, eligible donors to make an appointment to donate blood in the coming days and weeks. All blood types are currently needed to help maintain a diverse and sufficient blood supply, especially types O negative, A negative and B negative.

To learn more about donating blood and to schedule an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in Westchester

Pleasantville: 2/4/2015: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Pace University, 861 Bedford Road

Mount Vernon: 2/13/2015: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Thornton High School, 121 South 6th Street

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.