Trump Wins, Locals React

December 1, 2016 by Andrew Vitelli

If there was one common theme among Armonk residents and locals Wednesday, after Donald Trump’s election night win over Chappaqua’s Hillary Clinton, it was shock. Speaking to Inside Press the day after the election at Tazza Café in the hamlet, here is what a few of our neighbors had to say.

“I had more confidence in our country to look at the bigger picture, instead of thinking about our nation as just a nation. I wish that people had thought about humanity and voted for someone who believed in climate change and would work to give us a better shot to improve our current situation,” Liza Scher, a 17-year-old senior at Byram Hills High School (though too young to vote, she preferred Clinton).

“I just feel like this country is going back. We’re taking back a lot of the progress we just made. I was just very stunned because I really thought she was going to win,” Monica Aguirre, a 20-year-old Bedford resident who supported Clinton. Aguirre said she was afraid of the impact Trump’s election would have on executive orders issued by President Obama to stop deportations of immigrants who entered the country illegally.

“I didn’t like either one of them. I voted for Gary Johnson. Out of the two of them, I was glad it was Trump,” Joe Souerzoef, a Mamaroneck resident. Souerzoef said he doesn’t trust Clinton and doesn’t believe Trump is a true conservative. He would have preferred Florida Senator Marco Rubio or Texas Senator Ted Cruz win the Republican nomination.

“I think the morning after people need to recognize that we have a new president. Enough mourning, for those who mourn, and it’s time to come to grips with the reality and maybe find and see what positives there are about it,” Gideon, an Armonk resident. A Republican, Gideon crossed party lines to vote for Clinton. However, he hopes that Trump’s election and Republican control of the Senate will break the gridlock that Washington has seen since 2010, when Republicans took control of the House of Representatives.

‘We Will Go Forward Together’

December 1, 2016 by The Inside Press

Concert goers came from near and far the night before Election Day; the all-star lineup in Philadelphia at a GOTV Rally for Hillary Clinton may have been impossible to resist. Rock star icons Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi entertained the crowd with their hit songs, and President Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama all joined Hillary Clinton in a most memorable, show of solidarity.

PHOTOS BY CHAD KRAUS

HOME STRETCH

At Westchester County Airport: the Clintons scheduled 3:30 a.m. arrival time on Election Day from a final campaign stop in Raleigh did not deter the enthusiastic supporters who had gathered patiently for hours as temperatures dipped below 40 degrees. With Katy Perry’s The Fight Song booming, a hometown crowd cheered as Hillary and Bill Clinton stepped off the Boeing 737; and per usual, the Clintons took time to greet and thank many who came before heading home to Chappaqua.

PHOTOS BY CHAD KRAUS

“Post-Election Anxiety” Strategies for Hillary supporters

November 29, 2016 by Jodi Baretz, LCSW, CHHC

After the shock, denial, anger, etc., we have to acknowledge that this is happening, allow ourselves to feel our feelings, but then do whatever is in our control to fight for what we believe.

I am writing this the day after the election and I can’t seem to shake this gnawing in the pit of my stomach; this sense of impending doom. I’m sad and afraid for so many reasons. I’m sad that our deserving neighbor didn’t break the glass ceiling and become our next President, and I’m fearful of a President with no experience, who ran a campaign based on anger and hate.

I’m terrified by the racists and bigots he energized and the actions they might take. I have followed this election campaign holding my breath, wanting it to be over to breathe a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, now that it is presumably over, all I want to do is turn back time.

This election was a big shock and disappointment to many, but approximately half of those who voted chose him. We need to honor and respect the democratic process and face the reality of who is our next President, but how?

Mindfulness has taught me how to face many stressful situations with grace and ease. Life is difficult; it is filled with adversity and struggle. There are many things we cannot control, but how we respond to life’s challenges is within our power and can make all the difference.

In my mindfulness boot camp group today, everyone was shocked, distraught and disappointed, so we explored how mindfulness can help us cope with post-election blues.

Acceptance: Not arguing with reality, even if we don’t like it.
Non-judgment: Not judging yourself for experiencing feelings that are real. Also, trying not to judge others who disagree with you. You may have experienced some heated discourse at the Thanksgiving table, but listening to others with an open mind can help us understand, instead of dismissing others viewpoints.
Present moment: Be here now. Notice when your thoughts veer off into the future fearing the worst scenario. Bring yourself back to the present. Our minds are often stuck in a negative fantasy which leads to anxiety. Let’s take this day by day. As the late Leonard Cohen said, “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
Beginner’s Mind: Look at situations without preconceived notions. As difficult as that may be, we do not really know how things will turn out. We can leave room for the possibility of our party becoming stronger than ever and more people becoming activists for change.

Consider a Taoist story of an old farmer who worked his crops for many years …

One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit.
“Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.
“We’ll see,” the farmer replied.
The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses.
“How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed.
“We’ll see,” replied the old man.
The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.
“We’ll see,” answered the farmer.
The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.
“We’ll see” said the farmer.

If Hillary represents anything, it is that a life of public service and doing good is the cornerstone to contributing in society. Let’s take our lead from her and channel our energies into action. We cannot be complacent, but must lead with dignity and grace, just like Hillary. We need to go high when they go low, like Michelle Obama. We need to be stronger together and not divided. We need to model for our children by our actions as well as our words. We need to look for opportunities to make a difference and practice “compassion in action.” We may have lost this battle, but not the war.

As I share my feelings and meditate on what actions I will take moving forward, I am reminded of a comment made today during the group session. One of the moms shared with us the experience of telling her child, who is four, that Donald Trump was the winner. She thought he’d cry or be upset but he looked up at her with a smile and said, “maybe now he won’t be so angry.” What a way to look at the world, through the optimistic eyes of a child.

Jodi Baretz, LCSW is a psychotherapist, mindfulness and health coach at The Center for Health and Healing in Mt. Kisco. She runs a mindfulness bootcamp called “Mindful is the New Skinny,” and specializes in stress reduction for busy moms. Jodi lives in Millwood with her husband and two sons. Visit her website jodibaretz.com

Clinton vs. Trump: The Race to the White House

October 21, 2016 by The Inside Press

By Amber Mildenhall

Hillary Clinton vs Donald Trump, it’s a race to the White House. Both are leading the course by becoming their parties’ representatives. In addition to the obvious difference, namely the political parties they support (Hillary Clinton being Democratic and Donald Trump Republican), the two candidates have opposite opinions on so many matters.

I moved to the United States at the age of eight. I didn’t even think about politics until I was in second grade, the same year Barack Obama became President.

My elementary school simulated the election of 2008; each student was given a chance to enter a booth where we could either circle a picture of Barack Obama or his republican opponent John McCain, and therefore “vote” for each candidate.

Unaware that an election was even going on, I chose Barack Obama (whom I didn’t even realize was Barack Obama) based on whatever preference I had as an eight-year old (although I still do support my decision now, eight years later). I went home that day and asked my parents what this alien booth-circling activity even meant. They gave me facts and pointers comparing Obama and McCain, which all seemed quite complicated to my eight-year-old self. So, without further ado, here are the facts of this year’s candidates for all those as confused as I was eight years ago.

Gun control has been a major debate between many politicians. The Second Amendment to the Constitution allowing the right to bear arms is viewed by many as no longer relevant. The United Kingdom has already instituted many laws to prohibit firearms. Hours of paperwork, applying for a license, and proving that you are not a threat to society has limited the violence that results from firearms. The United Kingdom’s firearm-related death rate per 100,000 per year in 2011 was 0.23, and the United States’ rate in 2014 was 10.54. Hillary Clinton wishes to abolish the Second Amendment and have gun control more similar to the UK’s.

Hillary Clinton said, “More than 33,000 Americans are killed by guns each year. It’s time to act. As President, I’ll take on the gun lobby and fight for commonsense reforms to keep guns away from terrorists, domestic abusers, and other violent criminals—including comprehensive background checks and closing loopholes that allow guns to fall into the wrong hands.” Donald Trump has an opposite opinion, and wishes to keep the right to bear arms. Donald Trump wrote, “Democrats want to confiscate all guns, which is a dumb idea because only the law-abiding citizens would turn in their guns and the bad guys would be the only ones left armed.” Donald Trump believes that it is every US Citizen’s right to bear arms, whereas Hillary Clinton views the existence of the second amendment as dangerous.

Donald Trump’s and Hillary Clinton’s postions on immigrants, like gun control, are also opposite. Donald Trump wants to build a wall on the Mexican border and have Mexico pay for it. Hillary Clinton stands for the less extreme measure of a fence along the Mexican border. “They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists,” Trump said of undocumented Mexican immigrants while announcing his candidacy last June. Donald Trump wishes to allow legal immigration, triple the number of ICE officers (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers), and end birthright citizenship.

Hillary Clinton supports a path to legalization for illegal immigrants whereas Donald Trump believes they should be deported effective immediately. Clinton also wishes to toughen penalties for hiring illegal immigrants, and supports Obama’s executive decision which would have allowed for illegal immigrants who are parents to legal citizens to remain in the USA for a certain amount of time.

Terrorist threats are a major factor in the immigration issue the USA is currently facing, but Clinton continues to believe that, “First, we rely on partners in Muslim countries to fight terrorists. The immigration ban would make it harder.”

Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s views on gun control and immigration are opposite. Healthcare is yet another subject in which Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton must agree to disagree. Donald Trump wishes to get rid of Obamacare, the unofficial name for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, whereas as Clinton wishes to expand it. When one of these two candidates becomes President, completely different policies will be instituted.

Amber is a legal alien, a citizen of the United Kingdom, and a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School who is currently obsessed with Pokemon Go.

Editor’s Note: One of Seven Girls’ Essays featured in the November “If Our Neighbor Becomes President” Cover Story. The girls were directed by Keri Walsh, Ph.D., who heads the Chappaqua Summer Writing Program for Girls at the Greeley House.

New Community Leader Voices: Hala Makowska and Jeremy Saland

March 6, 2016 by The Inside Press

Editor’s Note: It was a hotly contested election this past November with Jeremy Saland and Hala Makowska winning two Town Board seats. Last election, we featured “Team New Castle,” so I decided to meet with Hala and Jeremy too in December at Chappaqua Station to simply glean their thoughts–at least the way they stood at holiday time–and for some “quick takes” on various hot button topics in town! It was a pleasure getting to know each of them a little better!

Hala Makowska

Since the election, I enjoyed some down time with my family and am ready, excited and looking forward to my role and responsibilities for the town of New Castle. We have everything we need to be a very well-functioning board, and I feel that our diverse perspectives will help us have healthy discussions and ultimately lead to excellent decision making. At this particular point in time, I am focusing on the Master Plan and the downtown revitalization strategies–and making sure that the process ends up being as productive as it can be for the town.

I see Chappaqua Crossing on the top of our priorities, and I would like it to be successful so that our tax base can increase. Also, I think the Roundabout to address the traffic problem on 117 is another good focal point. I think that valid concerns remain about the intersection between the high school and the Whole Foods entrance and the exit from the Saw Mill Parkway coming into the retail zone. The safety concern is for the amount of traffic from retail shoppers, from the high school, and from the parkway.

Regarding Chappaqua Affordable Housing and the Hunts Lane location: As we know, I am not in favor. It is an unsuitable piece of property. That is where a town parking lot could conceivably go, and I am disappointed that no new site has been identified or rezoned, frankly. I think that should have been the first priority. Now this will be more difficult. I have started to take a look at both the original permit and the present specifications. I am hoping that we can help find alternative locations. This is a timely issue since the provision expires next year.

The ChapLine is another hot topic. (The ChapLine is a functional recreation path which could connect downtown Chappaqua to Horace Greeley High School and to Chappaqua Crossing.) I think we need to closely weigh how the $1.5 million contribution from Summit Greenfield would be spent before it is committed to the ChapLine. And, I think that a more inclusive process to discuss how the available money could best be invested to make Chappaqua an even better place to shop, eat, and socialize, etc. I believe it’s local government that has the greatest impact on the quality of our everyday lives and the value of our property. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Town Board to protect and improve both for all New Castle residents and business owners.

Hala Makowska can be reached at hmakowska@mynewcastle.org

Jeremy Saland

I am very excited to get to work on behalf of New Castle to move the town forward. I am grateful our community had the confidence in me to do so. There are a lot of things going on now and I expect there will be many more things happening during my term and in the years to come. I believe we all benefit when each one of us tries to do our part.

Conifer and affordable housing is one issue that demands immediate attention. It is simply a horrendous location. Living between the Saw Mill Parkway, an exit ramp and the train tracks is not the most welcoming place even though we, as a community, are open and inclusive. It is incumbent upon the Town Board to find a solution, and make sure any development of this type is a safe, inviting and a healthy place to reside.

Whether you support Chappaqua Crossing or not, it is here to stay. Of grave concern is that Chappaqua Crossing created a new hamlet and business district. This development will have a significant traffic impact and change our quiet community as we know it. We need to concentrate on downtown Chappaqua’s development and revitalization to offset this third hamlet. The same is true for Millwood. It is critical that we examine how we can better develop and utilize our existing hamlets while building their infrastructure and making them more attractive destinations.

Another important issue is the proposed ChapLine. On an island it is a good idea, but residents, not just Summit Greenfield and the Town Board, should be involved in this discussion. It’s not often a municipality can potentially access $1.5 million dollars. This opportunity should not be squandered. If the developer wants the best for a community that they are vastly changing and profiting from, then this process should be an open one. Whether it is giving matching funds to businesses, purchasing property, or some other idea, a common good can be reached if all of us are engaged.

Whatever issue New Castle faces, I am confident that with an ethical government, we can work alongside our neighbors and businesses to reach our true potential. Jeremy Saland can be reached at jsaland@mynewcastle.org