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Northern Westchester

Why NBC4 NY’s Lynda Baquero is Proud to Call Northern Westchester Home

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PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON

The burbs got Baquero! Recovering close to six million dollars for consumers since 2013, our very own Northern Westchester resident Lynda Baquero and her “Better Get Baquero” team have brought much relief to aggrieved consumers. The talented NBC4 NY consumer reporter, Baquero, along with her husband and two teenage daughters relocated from Manhattan, where Baquero was born and raised, to our neck of the woods in 2015.

Reporter as Empathetic Investigator

With an ambitious pledge on their website to answer every call or email, the “Better Get Baquero” team seeks to help consumers who feel they have exhausted all means to resolve a consumer issue. Living up to their promise, all complaints submitted by the public are vetted by their Consumer Investigative Center, who after a thorough review and allowing companies ample time to respond, attempts to mediate and resolve the issue at hand. Even when there is no resolution, Baquero strives to provide a takeaway for her audience of a lesson that can be learned from someone’s experience.

Oftentimes, “people just want to be heard,” says Baquero, and after spending time on the phone flushing out their story, they may decide they got something out of it and prefer not to go on television. Sometimes after talking to Baquero and her team, they may realize the law is not on their side and then they learn something.

Baquero feels lucky in her role as consumer advocate. “What I love about this is that it’s really an opportunity to be involved directly with the viewer, and do something positive, rather than just reporting on a situation,” she says.

She has even “saved a few lives and resurrected some people,” says Baquero. A woman needing oxygen equipment was having an issue with her health insurance and literally running out of oxygen until Baquero and her team stepped in and called the insurer. “I can’t even explain how that feels…it’s very gratifying,” says Baquero. As far as resurrections, they have had several cases in which the social security administration has mistakenly declared someone dead and they have assisted these people in proving them to be alive.

Now, in the age of Covid-19, Baquero has provided essential information to her viewers about navigating our “new normal.” In recent segments, she has tackled applying for Paycheck Protection Program loans, obtaining mortgage relief, common mistakes made in unemployment applications, budget management, procuring refunds for canceled travel, and frequently asked questions for families during this crisis. She has provided vital information needed now more than ever.

Although back in the office now, Baquero quickly adjusted to covering stories based from home when New York State shut down in mid-March. Donning masks, utilizing boom microphones, and conducting interviews outdoors along with her cameraman, Baquero continued to work throughout the pandemic reporting mainly from Westchester and Fairfield counties.

The segment airs every weekday at 4:45 pm and Baquero also reports the consumer news of the day during the next news hour.

Baquero also hosts the weekly series Visiones which highlights issues that affect the Hispanic community by presenting informational and inspirational conversations with community leaders and newsmakers on arts, education and health. Visiones airs on Saturdays on Weekend Today in New York at 6:45 am.

A Career Born in High School

Baquero began cultivating her passion for investigative journalism as a young 12-year-old high school freshman. After winning a school competition involving producing a short newscast, Baquero “got the bug” and was drawn in by the opportunity to meet interesting people and have unique experiences. At 14-years-old, she had her own public access cable television show that aired on Paragon Cable and Manhattan Cable, the two cable outlets in Manhattan at that time. She did this for four years with her father as her cameraman, editor, lighting and technical director. Later, while attending New York University, she worked at Channel 47, now part of Telemundo, where she wrote and co-produced various Spanish-language specials. She then went on to work as an associate producer at WCAU-TV, Philadephia. Subsequently, at WCBS-TV, she worked her way up in the newsroom to associate producer of the consumer action segment Troubleshooter. Afterwards, she worked at the local cable news network, NY1 News, as anchor, consumer reporter, and video journalist responsible for researching, writing, shooting and editing her own stories.

Baquero joined NBC4 from NY1 and has been with NBC4 in a variety of prominent positions. She has co-anchored NBC 4’s Weekend Today in New York, “News 4 New York at 6 P.M. with David Ushery and “NewsChannel 4 at 6 P.M. with Chuck Scarborough. She has also served as host of the nationally broadcast business program, Hispanics Today.

The recipient of two Emmy Awards, Baquero received one in 1998 for “Religious Programming” for her coverage of the Pope’s visit to Cuba, and another in 2006 for “Best Evening Newscast” with Chuck Scarborough.

Discussing her inspiration, Baquero says she always looked up to Barbara Walters, who was a “no-nonsense, strong woman who was able to accomplish so much professionally and balance everything in her life.”

Striking a Balance

Baquero has managed to deftly balance it all, achieving professional excellence while creating a beautiful family. Television reporters are notorious for keeping odd hours and Baquero is no exception.

“We’re a 24-hour business, 365 days a year. I work holidays, late nights, and I’ve worked weekends for fifteen years. Thank goodness my husband is patient, wonderful and supportive. I can’t get to every family function or school production, but I knew that going in so I manage as best I can and take it as it comes.”

As far as being present for her daughters, Baquero admits it is challenging and she has to pick and choose her battles. “There are times I fight to leave work early to attend an event and other times I tell my daughter ‘I’m sorry I can’t make that concert but I promise I will be at the next one.’” To compensate, she has dedicated special days to each daughter to make them feel extra special and takes a “girls trip” with them every year.

Baquero is an inspirational role model for her daughters, showing them a real life example of how hard work can make one’s dreams a reality. “I hope they understand that if they set their minds to a goal and work hard, they can have choices and really shoot for the moon. I hope they realize perhaps what women like myself have gone through and what we’ve been able to do and they can do that and much more.”

As for the glamour, “I explain to them that not everyone has hair and makeup in their office. I love that they’re nonplussed and they know this is mom’s job, her passion, her way of helping other people, and something she had to work really hard for. I hope also that seeing me on television accepting an Emmy and then in my pajamas at home without makeup eating popcorn teaches them that people they see on the screen or on social media are presenting their public persona, but they are real people too,” says Baquero.

Choosing Westchester

Although a city girl at heart, Baquero has really embraced country living. She enjoys her large vegetable garden, frequents the farmers market, takes advantage of the hiking trails, and enrolls her daughters in horseback riding lessons.

When choosing the perfect locale in the suburbs, the Baqueros were drawn in by Northern Westchester’s top-notch schools, a major priority for them, the easy commute to the city, and the beauty and tranquility here.

“I’m so grateful we have the best of both worlds; the hustle and bustle of the city during the day and then we get to come home to this peaceful environment that still feels cosmopolitan with great restaurants and a very vibrant community.”

Baquero feels blessed to have ended up in this small community. As appreciative as she was with everyone’s warmth and neighborly reception when she first moved here, she truly felt the support of her neighbors throughout this Covid crisis. “Everyone reached out to see if we needed anything, if they could get us anything from the market, and just to check in on us.”

Baquero and her husband have made the best of the commute to the city. His interior design business, Richard A. Baquero Interior Design, is located close to her office. Driving together whenever they can, they use the time to catch up, make plans, and de-stress after a long day.

“He has been my biggest supporter, even with my crazy schedule. He is really my rock and we have fun together. People see us yapping at a restaurant and think ‘you’ve been together 29 years–what do you still have to talk about?’” laughs Baquero. “He’s my buddy.”

“We have been more grateful than ever for moving out here, even though we love and miss our city. We’ve been trying to do our part in helping the local restaurants through this pandemic by ordering out at least once a week and giving them some business. We were so happy to support our local hospital and frontline workers by donating to a meal train for the doctors. It feels really great to be part of such a small and caring community.”

Serving the greater community has always been important to Baquero. She serves on her local school board’s foundation and has also served on the Board of Directors of Let’s Get Ready, an educational non-profit. She has also worked with NBC and Telemundo on their Clear the Shelters pet adoption campaign, where they partner with shelters in the tri-state area to try and find forever homes for the pets. Close to home, she has reported live from Adopt-A-Dog in Armonk showing the available pets. This year, Clear the Shelters had a virtual campaign throughout the month of August to practice safe social distancing.

She has also worked with NBC on their annual Feeding Our Families community project, one of the largest multi-state food drives in the northeast that partners with food pantries and Stop and Shop supermarkets. Baquero has always made an appearance at the Stop and Shop in Mount Kisco to support this event. This year, food banks were particularly hit hard due to Covid, so NBC and Baquero’s efforts were crucial. To practice social distancing, the event was made into an online giving event, supporting nine tri-state food banks, including Feeding Westchester. Baquero promoted the event through social media.

Baquero is always “on the go.” Asked when she finally felt like “I’ve arrived,” she responds, “Never. Life is always about having the next goal or the next dream so I don’t take anything for granted. I’m grateful but I still think there’s more to do. I don’t know what’s ahead but I’m ready to take it on.”

Getting to Know Richard Bloom: The Making of a Great Financial Advisor

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Richard Bloom’s first memory of the stock market was when he was a young child. He would hear his grandfather talking about buying shares of GE. “I didn’t know what it meant, and actually thought he owned the whole company! Eventually he taught me what it really meant to buy and own a piece of a company.  As a way to educate myself and my siblings, he asked us to pick a company we liked and agreed to buy us each 10 shares of that company.”

Of course, as any kid would do, Bloom chose Toys R Us! “As this was the pre-internet era, he bought us graph paper and taught us how to look up the ticker in the newspaper each day and chart the price of the stock,” said Bloom. It was his first introduction to investing, “but more importantly, it was a great learning experience and bonding opportunity with my grandfather.”

This early introduction ignited a desire in Bloom many years later to study finance in college. From his career’s start nearly 15 years ago, he has worked with the same team, The MayerGelwarg Group at Morgan Stanley. His two partners, each with over three decades experience have taught him that what makes a great advisor is not only helping clients develop sound financial plans, but doing so at the highest level of service.

Building Relationships

Today, the part of Bloom’s job that he loves the most is the deep lasting relationships that he has built with his clients. “My job is not only to ensure they are taking the right steps toward financial security, but to assure and reassure so they can handle the emotional side of investing in the markets,” he explained. “This entails asking very specific individualized questions during a first and second meeting to understand how the client views the world and what impact that will have on their emotional fortitude during the inevitable ups and downs we will experience together.

“From the moment I meet a prospective new client, it is my responsibility to demonstrate financial acumen and understanding of their unique needs,” Bloom continued. “Knowing my clients seek out and trust my guidance is incredibly rewarding.    

Since the pandemic, Bloom has interacted with many individuals within and outside of the industry who wonder how he and his clients are handling the stress and uncertainty. While acknowledging the increased demand in terms of time and energy, Bloom has also found it to be one of the most fulfilling moments of his career. “Now more than ever, clients and potential clients are razor focused on the importance of having an experienced financial advisor. I continually remind my clients of the plan in place to ensure their short-term needs will be met under any market conditions without jeopardizing their long-term financial goals. And most importantly, if/when there are changes to their personal situation, we can make any necessary adjustments needed. While we cannot control the markets, we have complete control over the decisions we make together.”

Discipline as Key to Success

Bloom emphasized that although there are virtually no barriers to investing in the markets on your own, a great deal of discipline is required to be successful in the long run. “Investors must develop a strategic asset allocation and stick to it; they have to rebalance across asset classes including selling outperforming investments; they also must understand the tax ramifications of each trade because at the end of the day, it’s not about what you make, but what you keep.”

If any one thing frustrates Bloom, its hearing of investors who panic and sell out of the markets at the lows and miss the inevitable rebounds. During his local “Wine and Wealth” seminars at Le Jardin in Chappaqua, Bloom has maximized the opportunity to educate numerous members of the community. “These are fun, low-key social and educational events where I team up with one of our portfolio managers to present on different investing topics,” he said. “My goal is for all attendees to walk away with a few investment concepts that they can use to prevent themselves from making financially detrimental mistakes.”

Bloom and his partners also practice what they preach. “We make it a focal point of our business not to invest our clients’ assets in anything we ourselves or our families are not invested in. Most financial advisors cannot say that,” he stated. “Our asset allocation, or the mix of stocks and bonds, may differ but the portfolios we utilize for various asset classes are the same. We do this to eliminate any conflicts of interest and our clients take comfort in knowing that we are invested alongside them.”

Westchester Living

Bloom is proud to call Westchester home, a perfect choice to establish roots personally and professionally. His wife Marisa grew up in Chappaqua. Bloom, originally from the Philadelphia suburbs, originally thought he would move back there. “However, I quickly learned that once I married a New York girl, I’d be here for life. And now I absolutely love it.

He said his kids love spending time at Gedney Park, and always look forward to the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival and the Armonk Cider and Donuts Festival. His family visits the local farmers markets every weekend as well. “We make it a priority to shop at and support local businesses. We couldn’t be happier living up here.”

But no matter how grounded one might feel in the community, Bloom understands how ‘unsettling’ the markets can be right now, and the feeling of uncertainty that comes along with it. “The markets also tend to operate in the exact opposite way of how we live our lives and are hardwired to think,” said Bloom.

“In the very short term, people generally know what is going to happen to

them–what their schedule is going to be tomorrow or next week or next month. Where we will be in 10 years has a much wider range of outcomes and very little certainty.

The ‘Long Term’ Mindset Advantage

“The markets, on the other hand, have much more certainty in the long run while there can be extreme volatility in the short term. Understanding this helps alleviate my concerns for what is happening in the world right now. No doubt we are experiencing sea-level changes in our country and society; however, when you look back in history, changes are always taking place with industries being disrupted. Being able to take advantage of these changes, block out the noise, and stick to your long-term plan through it all provides you with the best chances of success.”

A recent article by Bloom in this press discusses strategies to help investors remain focused during turbulent times, even when it can be hard to think clearly. (https://www.theinsidepress.com/staying-focused-in-turbulent-times/)

Most meaningful for Bloom has been growing with his clients and witnessing wonderful things that happen to them in their lives. What he has found is that many times those great things do not have anything to do with wealth. That thinking has accorded Bloom perspective. “There are three simple rules I try to live by: First, be a good person and respect others. Second, surround yourself with people you like and can learn from. And lastly, don’t ever sweat the small stuff, including a bad day in the markets!

To reach Bloom, write to Richard.Bloom@morganstanley.com

Teens Show How to Have Fun While Social Distancing

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Mount Kisco, NY–Hoping to make a difference during COVID-19 quarantine and concerned their peers were getting antsy to get out and socialize, Northern Westchester Hospital’s (NWH)  President’s Junior Leadership Council (PJLC) produced a video encouraging teens to social distance and have fun at the same time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0-9yp54HZU .

The video stars students at high schools throughout Northern Westchester– enjoying at home activities that include dancing, painting, playing basketball and cooking.

“We’re hoping to motivate teenagers to find interesting and enjoyable activities they can do in quarantine,” says 15-year-old Byram Hills High School sophomore Sydney Levy. “Ultimately, staying home is the answer to ending the spread of this pandemic, and it is important to physically distance whenever it is necessary to leave home.”

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If you want to be cool, follow one simple rule: Stay home, the video begins.  It concludes by saying, We know everyone is feeling FOMO from COVID-19 and ends with students, each in their home, holding a word to collectively spell out The Shorter It Will Be Is Up To You And Me.

“Physical distancing contributes to the safety of the community and the health and wellbeing of the doctors, nurses and staff at Northern Westchester Hospital,” says 17-year old Sacred Heart junior Madison Mezzatesta, “We hope our video inspires others in the community to find things that they love doing at home to make the most of this difficult experience.”

PJLC is currently working on more COVID 19 videos, in an effort to create a series of inspirational messages for teens.

The NWH PJLC is a leadership organization that helps high school students in northern Westchester connect to their community; promotes the health, safety and wellbeing of adolescents and young adults; and engages them on issues that matter to them and affects their lives. Its members include 50 high school students from communities served by the hospital: Chappaqua, Armonk, Yorktown, Byram Hills, North Salem, Bedford, Katonah-Lewisboro, Somers and Pleasantville.

NWH relies on the PJLC to help hospital administrators understand issues facing teens and adolescents, and the students provide input on health-related educational programming that the hospital offers at local schools. Each year, students from the PJLC identify a major health concern within their peer group and develop creative, relatable ways in which educators can inform students, parents, and the community.

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital

“Restaurant Relief” Site Seeks to Help Hard-Hit Local Restaurants

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One-stop website lists Northern Westchester restaurants’ gift-card vouchers–so customers can “buy today, eat later”

Mount Kisco, NY– March 24, 2020 – Restaurants have taken a big hit from the Covid-19 crisis, as they’ve had to suspend their businesses and lay off hourly staff. Most restaurants don’t have two to three months of capital in the bank to weather this storm.

With that in mind, the Mount Kisco–based website designer Laura Kelly had an idea: What if local patrons could pay for a dining experience at a favorite local restaurant now–then enjoy it later, when the restaurant has reopened?

This week, Kelly launched RestaurantRelief.net, a one-stop site that makes it easy for northern Westchester diners to support their favorite restaurants by buying digital gift cards today when the restaurants most need support, to be redeemed later. The site has already pooled together restaurant listings and gift-card links for 18 eateries in Mount Kisco, Pleasantville, Croton-on-Hudson and other northern Westchester towns. Kelly plans to continue adding restaurants’ gift-card links to the site. “All area restaurants are welcome, and it doesn’t cost them anything to be included,” she says.

Before launching the site, Kelly discussed the idea with a number of local restauranteurs and got enthusiastic feedback from owners such as Bobby Epstein, who runs Kisco River Eatery and Muscoot Tavern. “I just had to furlough 20 people,” Epstein said. “These people rely on a paycheck, and this support would help me give them a stipend.”

Kelly is spreading the word about Restaurant Relief through local press and via social media platforms such as Nextdoor.com. “There are thousands of us in northern Westchester who love to go out to eat in our communities and have gotten to know the people working in those restaurants,” she says. “While we’re all cloistered at home with our smartphones in hand, I wanted to find an easy but meaningful way to show support when it matters most to these folks.”

RestaurantRelief.net will be adding to the list of northern Westchester dining gift-card links. Since not every area restaurant has a digital gift-card or voucher program already in place, RestaurantRelief.net will offer free tech assistance to help restaurants quickly set up secure digital gift card transactions. If a restaurant wants to be listed on the site or wants help with a digital gift-card offer, contact info@restaurantrelief.net.

This story is courtesy of Restaurant Relief.

The Best Volunteer Opportunities: Where to Lend a Hand Locally in 2020

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COURTESY OF (914) CARES

Tatum Krase, Emma Schwartz, Molly Reinmann, and Amanda Pohly volunteer to sort clothing at Kids’ Kloset. PHOTO COURTESY OF (914) CARES

Planning on making a New Year’s Resolution to give back to your community? Have a teen who would like to volunteer? We sat down with (914) Cares’ CEO, Jessica Reinmann to put together a list of the top 10 volunteer opportunities in Northern Westchester.

1. Kids’ Kloset – Pack a “Bag of Love” for a child in need.

Kids’ Kloset provides underserved Westchester County children with donated clothing, books and related items. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/kids-kloset.

2. Baby Bank – Stock the shelves with donated baby items.

Baby Bank provides basic necessities and essentials for babies, 0-2. The mission is to help local families in need keep their babies clean, healthy and happy. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/baby-bank.

3. Coachman Family Center – Host a holiday celebration for children.

Located in White Plains, the Coachman Family center has over 60 homeless children in their youth program at any given time. Create a fun-filled afternoon with food, activities and games. For additional information, contact angela.damore@westhab.org.

4. Neighbors Link – Cook dinner for Family Night.

Neighbors Link’s mission is to strengthen the whole community through the healthy integration of immigrants. Every other Friday, an evening workshop is offered to Neighbors Link families and a buffet dinner is needed. For more information, please contact mpalomino@neighborslink.org.

5. DonationDrives – Collect urgently needed items.

DonationDrives helps individuals and groups coordinate and manage collection drives for those in need. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/donate-things.

6. JCY-Westchester – Read to a child.

Help kids become life-long readers at one of the 26 programs run by JCY-Westchester Community Partners.  Programs are run during the school day, right after school and over the summer. For more information, please contact mfinesmith@jcy.com.

7. Ossining Schools – Sort donated books.

The Ossining School District is committed to making sure every student has access to books at home. Sort through donated books so we can help create these home libraries. For more information, please contact info@914cares.org.

8. #FilltheVan – Help gather diapers and wipes for babies in need.

#FilltheVan is a community-wide diaper and wipe drive that helps struggling families. Participants will receive flyers, program brochures and collection boxes and on February 14th, we will pick up all of the collected donations. For more information, please go to www.914cares.org.

9. Cottage School – Host a Lunch Bunch.

The Cottage School helps abused, neglected and traumatized children heal physically and emotionally through compassionate, quality care. Lunch bunch occurs once a month, during the week for adults and on the weekends for teens. For more information, please contact rosenthals@jccany.org.

10. Volunteer at your local Food Pantry.

21% of Westchester residents are food insecure and your local food pantry provides essentials to those in need. For more information, please contact your local food pantry or send an email to info@914cares.org.