The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Hillary Clinton

Back to Calm & Peace

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Grace Bennett Photo   by Donna Mueller

While it may seem counterintuitive, ‘back to school,’ with its flurry of activities and family fun events, can also bring a renewed sense of calm and peace. Maybe that involves setting some new goals for yourself… a class, a job search, a new exercise (pickleball anyone?), eating more healthfully, joining a book club, taking in a hot new movie (or two, or three!), a live arts performance, or just browsing anew inside one of the independently owned bookstores, we are so lucky to have in abundance in northern Westchester. If this time of year brings you calm, if it brings you peace, then it’s also likely bringing you joy. Hey, run with that and accept your good fortune with a healthy dose of gratitude.

If you are dealing with hardship in any arena, and I can relate, it might also be a good time to study the art and science of resilience. At a workshop I attended on Navigating Change at Kripalu, a popular yoga and spiritual retreat in the Berkshires, we were advised to face and respect that which is difficult. The challenge, a wise instructor offered, is to shift even slightly to imagining a more positive story than the one you’re living, to eliminate obstacles (she called them ‘goblins’), and slowly take steps, even baby ones, so that the change you are seeking can become your new reality.

So with a greater sense of calm and peace, I had a great time getting these editions ready, from visiting the Miller House to help celebrate a new grant to playing pickleball in Armonk’s Lombardi Park with “the pickleball ladies.”  Kudos to Dawn Greenberg and her team for a 10th year of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, and to the Greeley Boys Swim & Dive Team who are aiming for a third NYS win (which would be unprecedented)!  More notes of congrats: to the Pleasantville Children’s Center on 50 years of excellence, and to Megan Stopera, a Curling champ in Briarcliff Manor, who could be a contender for an Olympic medal! 

As for the Inside Press, well into a 20th year, we have already shared a variety of testimonials and will continue doing so.

In fact, following dinner with a very special neighbor and friend in town – who so many know and admire as a paragon of resilience and perseverance – I asked if she’d be open to writing a testimonial about this press. And voila! I’m very proud and grateful to include Hillary Clinton’s kind words during this publishing period, with only one more ‘cycle’ to go! (Our holiday/winter 2023 editions mail November 10.)

Please enjoy all our contributors’ fine work here. Wishing you all calm and peaceful days this fall season and year round.  –  Grace

Hillary Rodham Clinton on Inside Chappaqua

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I’ve been known to say, “It takes a village,” and I still believe that’s true. In a world where negative forces are everywhere, nothing gives me more cause for optimism and hope than Americans coming together with their neighbors to celebrate joyful moments and care for each other in hard ones. That’s why Inside Chappaqua’s mission to “share the heart of the community,” is so urgent and so meaningful.

Local news is an increasingly rare resource. Since 2005, about 25 percent of America’s newspapers have shuttered. Today, nearly 70 million Americans live in communities without a local news source – also known as “local news deserts.” Our communities and country suffer for it.

When Bill and I first moved to Chappaqua 22 years ago, the only local media outlets were school and town newsletters. Grace Bennett, a longtime Chappaqua resident and graduate of Columbia University’s journalism school, knew that a community as remarkable as ours needed more local coverage. So she did what all gutsy women do when they identify a problem: she came up with a solution. That solution was Inside Chappaqua.

I’ve been fortunate to be interviewed by Grace, and to read her coverage of everything from extraordinary Chappaqua residents to forgotten local histories to the Democratic National Convention. She even came with me to Africa when I was Secretary of State. She and her talented freelance staff make sure that no Chappaqua story, small or large, goes unnoticed. Since 2003, Grace has maintained and expanded readership through huge changes and difficult times in the world, by keeping our communities connected and informed.

The events reported in local press may seem small, but these happenings are the stuff of our lives. Memorials, performances, local traditions and histories: these are the things that bring us together and remind us of our shared humanity. And local reporting has a measurable impact on how we relate to and care for each other. Research shows that places with less access to local news have lower voter turnout and greater polarization.

For 20 years, Inside Chappaqua has been one of the positive forces that help keep our town vibrant and big-hearted. Under Grace’s leadership, this mighty news magazine helps us stay connected to our neighbors, our community, and to the world outside our village. Here’s to the next 20 years!

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Chappaqua, NY

Following a 2006 interview inside Lange’s Deli in Chappaqua and shortly before marching in that year’s Memorial Day Parade in Chappaqua: Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton (then U.S. Senator Clinton running for a second term which she won) with Inside Press Publisher and Editor Grace Bennett.
Photo by Marianne Campolongo for the Inside Press

Honoring Fallen Heroes: Memorial Day in the Town of New Castle

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Like towns and cities across America, you can count on the Town of New Castle to host a Memorial Day parade and ceremony on the last Monday of May. The tradition of honoring the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our country began after the Civil War. Continuing through the decades it was known earlier as Decoration Day until 1967 when the U.S. government officially adopted Memorial Day as the name.

Chappaqua resident Captain Peter Gaudet, a West Point graduate, has been the Parade Grand Marshal since 2017, taking over the command from longtime Marshal and Memorial Day Committee chair Captain Jim McCauley, who remains on the committee. Months of planning precede the parade and ceremonies. Committee member David Egerton compiles the biographies that are read by Girl Scouts during the ceremony. Other committee members are Dr. Michael Finkelstein and Eric Rosenfeld. The committee works closely with Jill Shapiro, Town Administrator, Tiffany White, Assistant to the Town Administrator, Town Hall staff, and Town officials, who help with logistics, produce the program, and invite Federal, New York State and Westchester County dignitaries.

President and Secretary Clinton are among the dignitaries who attend. “Hillary and I love marching in Chappaqua’s Memorial Day parade. It’s not only a chance to connect with so many of our neighbors, but to join in honoring those who have served and sacrificed on behalf of our country. We look forward to it every year as an event that truly represents our community, what it stands for, and what makes it so special,” says President Bill Clinton. The Clintons’ participation is greatly appreciated in the community. “They bring out a lot of people, which is nice,” says McCauley.

Gaudet was Grand Marshal for the virtual and video Memorial Day celebrations in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic and was glad to have the in-person parade last year. “In 2023, we’ll continue to make sure we have this special day to come together as a community and take the time as Americans to reflect on those who gave so much including their lives for our freedom.”

Gaudet credits McCauley and his predecessors for the structure of the day. “We want to maintain the traditions as much as possible, but one of the new things is we’ve had a lot of success accessing interesting speakers with interesting backgrounds, including last year’s speaker my West Point classmate Dreux Coogan, a Chappaqua resident who was a Green Beret and is one of the top executives at Pepsi.” Along with the committee, Gaudet selects the keynote speakers. He couldn’t reveal the Keynote speaker for this year’s ceremony. “We want the element of surprise. People have preconceptions about who Veterans are. We pride ourselves on showing you who the modern American warriors are.”

For Gaudet the involvement of young people is essential. “The most important thing and the focus for me is the children of our community. Children are looking at their parents who are coming out to remember.  This is an opportunity to remind our children and ourselves how fragile democracy is, how fragile freedom is. The least we can do in our community is pass that down to our children.” And since those in the military pledge to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, Gaudet always carries some copies of the Constitution with him to hand out on Memorial Day.

Gaudet hopes that the playing of the national anthem and the speeches at the ceremony all resonate with the community. “I always start the program by asking parents to hug their children and children to hug their parents.” And Gaudet explains to them that they should take the time to hug each other because there are many parents and children who can’t hug each other because they were killed in action.

Commemoration of Memorial Day begins at Victory Corners at the top of hill on King Street in Chappaqua. Girl Scouts present the wreath and taps is played by high school students. The parade then commences down the hill to Memorial Plaza by the Chappaqua train station for a ceremony. At both ceremonies members of local clergy offer prayers, an invocation and benediction. Gaudet says that it’s a good way to start off and end the parade with the words of the religious representatives.

For decades until his death in 2015, long-time Chappaqua resident Gabby Rosenfeld was an integral part of the day.  His son, Eric, remembers how important Memorial Day was to his father. “He served as Grand Marshall for many years and remained as a parade Marshall after that. Community and giving to the community were very important to Gabby and to his wife Louise. Giving his time by participating in the parade and serving on the parade committee was one way to show his support for the town and for those who served.” Gabby Rosenfeld was appointed a “Chevalier” of the French Legion of Honor in 2011. “Only those who have been in the wars and have seen the lives that are lost can truly appreciate the sacrifices that they have made. Gabby saw a lot of that in World War II and considered himself lucky to have returned and been able to live a full and rewarding life. Honoring those who were not as fortunate was important to him.”

New Castle honors those fallen heroes who gave their lives in many ways. One example is the Route 120 bridge named in honor of Sgt. Kyu H. Chay who was killed in Afghanistan by an explosion in 2006. And each year fire department members place fresh flags on the graves of fallen soldiers buried in the Quaker Ridge Cemetery in Chappaqua.

Town of New Castle Historian Gray Williams has seen parades in town since he moved here as a child in the 1930s. “The parade has always served as a celebration of community pride and harmony.”

People line the streets waving flags and encouraging those marching in step. Hearing residents cheer means a lot to McCauley who is a Vietnam Vet.

“It’s a wonderful small-town America feeling,” says Vicki Bergstrom, a lifelong Chappaqua resident. “I still remember the excitement I felt as a Brownie participating in the parade. We made our own banners and I felt so much pride marching down King Street, hearing the cheers and applause as we passed by.” It’s been a family tradition as well. Bergstrom’s daughter Madeline marched when she was a Girl Scout. Her parents, Krista and Richard Lange marched with the Rotary, and her husband Ex-Chief Charlie Bergstrom marched with the Chappaqua Fire Department.

Town of New Castle Supervisor Lisa Katz reflects on the spirit of the day. “It’s an atmosphere of festive reverence, as we come together to honor the memories of those who have given their lives in service to our country. The parade is an embodiment of the best of our community, as we come together to honor our veterans and to never forget the tremendous debt we owe to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

From the marching bands to the muskets, and all the cheers and applause in-between, the sounds of celebration are memorable. Gaudet is optimistic that the day has real meaning for the community. “The concept is to bring out the family and kids for entertainment, and hope there is entertainment plus some deep thought about what makes America special, and why people signed up to give their life for our freedom.”

Photos by Grace Bennett, Ronni Diamondstein, Hannah Rosenberg and Carolyn Simpson. (All rights reserved)

A Call for Unity as Bill and Hillary Clinton Swear in New Castle Town Officials

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PHOTOS BY Chad David Kraus
“What has really prepared me is simply the love I have for our town… I’m here tonight to build bridges… Let’s start by reconnecting with each other…”
– Newly Sworn in
New Castle Town Supervisor
Lisa Katz

Despite the challenges wrought from an ongoing pandemic, a 2022 inauguration of New Castle town and county officials still managed to deliver an overriding message asking for unity following a divisive election in town–along with words of admiration and appreciation for the Clintons who presided over the January 12th ceremony at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.

On ChappPac’s signature purple-lit stage, the ceremony streamed live to those who had registered via a virtual invite. Among those who came in person were proud family members of the officials sworn in, and who, despite the pandemic, also had the opportunity for a meet and greet with the Clintons. In her remarks welcoming the Clintons, Lisa Katz thanked the Clintons “for always making time for your community in ways large and small,” she said. “You can’t possibly know how much our town appreciates you.”

President Bill Clinton swore in Lisa Marlo Spivack Katz as the newly elected Town Supervisor, and Christian Hildenbrand and Tara Kassal as newly elected Town Council members. Secretary Hillary Clinton swore in Vedat Gashi, as a re-elected County Legislator, Noah Sorkin as a re-elected Town Justice and Victoria Bayard Tipp as a newly elected Town Council member.

Remaining on the board until his term expires at the end of 2023 is town council member Jeremy Saland. Saland had served as deputy and acting supervisor until this past December after former town supervisor Ivy Pool resigned, relocating with her family to Chicago.

Gashi expressed gratitude for the role the Clintons played preventing an ethnic cleansing in his hometown of Kosovo–noting landmarks in Kosovo honoring them including a shop named ‘Hillary’ that he said, ‘sits on Bill Clinton Boulevard.’ Bill Clinton responded in his remarks: “One secret to our unity is not to be anti-immigrant… Anytime an election can be made about the people, you’re much more likely to a get a happier country, a more united country.”

As for the local election and the early evening event, Bill Clinton noted: “This is a celebration of Democracy… this is the way that Democracy is supposed to work.”

Vicky Tipp expressed the prevailing unity sentiment. She said she had “a lot of hope and optimism” that the new board might be “a community model to heal divisions,” and one to “foster a climate of inclusion and collaboration.”

The row of masked public officials on stage facing a largely empty auditorium was a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by Covid. For his part, Saland thanked County Executive George Latimer and Deputy Executive Jenkins “for exuding calmness and leadership throughout the pandemic.”

Left to right: Town Councilman Chris Hildenbrand, Town Councilwoman Vicky Tipp, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Town Supervisor Lisa Katz, President Bill Clinton, County Legislator Vedat Gashi and Town Justice Noah Sorkin

County Executive George Latimer introduced Hillary Clinton with his remarks, and later State Senator Peter Harckham introduced Bill Clinton. Statements were made by Assemblyman Chris Burdick, and also by town residents Robert Kirkwood, Zhengxi ( Larry) Liu, and Alexandra Chemtob. Rabbi Aaron Brusso from Congregation Bet Torah officiated with the opening invocation and his own remarks, too.

Latimer, before introducing Hillary Clinton, noted that as Secretary of State, “she had visited every possible place on anyone’s bucket list… that she and the President chose to live in Chappaqua and make this town their home is a statement about Chappaqua.”

Hillary Clinton offered that she “wished to support our local government to make the community the best it can be.” She noted the appropriateness of the event’s location inside ChappPac, which she called “a labor of love” by Lisa Katz.

Harckham applauded the ceremony as a “uniquely American tradition… we come together in unity… We are all vested in your successes,” he said.

Miaoyan (Barbara) Hou, Greeley Class of ’22

Bill Clinton shared that “Hillary and I have lived in Chappaqua together longer than in any other place… and 2 ½ times longer than in the White House.” He expressed fondness for the town, noting the Memorial Day parade, as one example. He called Chappaqua “a rich in history, diverse and wonderful place… America needs more of this–badly.”

Chris Hildenbrand called the Clintons “town treasures” and “part of the fabric of the community” after commending New Castle’s “many volunteers dedicating their precious time to the town” in the spirit of Hillary’s “It Takes a Village.”

Tara Kassal, who was sworn in remotely, stated she was looking forward to sharing her “expertise in the area of sustainable development.”

In closing remarks, Supervisor Katz called the new council members “a dream team transcending party politics… with a shared vision of inclusivity, unity and collaboration.”

Newly sworn in: Victoria Bayard Tipp
Newly sworn in: Christian Hildenbrand
Newly sworn in: Tara Kassal

Chappaqua Library Author Talk with Dorothy Wickenden, Author of The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought For Abolition and Women’s Rights

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March 8 @ 7pm

Dorothy Wickenden Photo by Jayme Grodi

From the executive editor of The New Yorker, comes The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women’s Rights, a riveting, provocative and revelatory history of abolition and women’s rights, told through the story of 3 women–Harriet Tubman, Frances Seward and Martha Wright–in the years before, during and after the Civil War.

“These friends are the examples we need right now–another time of divisiveness and dissension over our nation’s purpose ‘to form a more perfect union.’” –Hillary Rodham Clinton

Ms. Wickenden has offered to visit Scattered Books ahead of the event to sign copies which you can pre-order at  info@scatteredbooks.com

Grace Bennett, publisher and editor, Inside Press, will interview Ms. Wickenden.

Please register at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KJ6nv9HYRVS6VrlH-z2i5Q