The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Town of New Castle

Namaste

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The Team at the Center for Health and Healing
Front Row (L-R)): Joy Matalon, Jodi Baretz, Alice Pan, Dana Canneto; Back row (L-R): Claudia Gukeisen, Beryl Hay, Dr. Kurt Beil, Judie Kaplan, Dr. Larry Stern, Melanie Ryan, Andy Steigmeier, Dr. Karen Faccenda, Deborah Amjadi-Fusco

At a late March Open House at the Center for Health and Healing in Mount Kisco: Anyone stopping by had a chance to ‘sample’ a healing art, whether exploring your inner self through art or in a guided meditation of love and kindness. Visitors learned about a full range of healing modalities practiced at the Center. The treats were all healthy and delicious, too. To learn more, visit center4healing.net

Lyme Disease Prevention

The Center’s Open House was held in collaboration with the newly formed New Castle Task Force on Health and Wellness—which provides educational resources and support to the community in connection with a wide variety of Health and Wellness matters. To that end, on May 17th, from 12:30-2:30, a special Lyme Disease Education and Prevention Program will be held at the Chappaqua Library. For more information, please contact health@myNewCastle.org.

At the Center’s Open House: Town of New Castle Health and Wellness Task Force members (L-R): Lynette Zinberg, Derin Edip Walden with Mindfulness expert Jodi Baretz.

A Community Delights in Frank Shiner & in the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center

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By Grace Bennett

Frank Shiner tells his audiences that “Love,” in all its permutations (the agony and the ecstasy), serves as the theme for his musical selections. By every indication last night: love and a palpable excitement permeated the air as the audience rose for a standing ovation for Shiner–cheering for the exuberant and talented singer but also for the future of the all new Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. 

Frank Shiner   PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson, Doublevision Photographers

It was just emotion taking him over at first when Shiner took the stage, looking out into the packed room, and a little choked up, he said, “Thank you, Chappaqua.”

And then he proceeded to engage a hometown audience with a thoughtful selection of blues/soul songs including stirring titles from Amy Winehouse (“Love is a Losing Game”): and The Young Rascals (“How Can I be Sure?”), backed up by a group of mega talented musicians who have worked with celebrity performers. They were:

 

Jon Cobert, keyboard – Lennon, Springstein

 

Sherrod Barnes, guitar- Whitney, Roberta Flack, Earth Wind Fire

 

Jay Rodriguez sax,flute- Prince, Patty Labelle, Elvis Cost Miles Davis                    

 

Chris Anderson Bass, toured with A Great Big Wold and Rachel Platten and has a band with his wife. 

 

Dan Weiner drummer – Amer. Got talent house, Woo Tang Clan

 

(L-R) Joining Frank Shiner on stage with stellar performances of their own too: (L-R) Jon Cobert, Sherrod Barnes, Dan Weiner, Chris Anderson and Jay Rodriguez PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson, Doublevision Photographers
Frank Shiner with cast members from Greeley’s production of Grease. PHOTO BY Grace Bennett, Inside Press

 

Shiner and his daughter Lindsay  PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                    Frank also announced the debut of his daughter Lindsay Shiner, a Greeley senior who was just accepted to the BFA Program at Baldwin Wallace University, singing as backup and in a duet with her father (“When Something is Wrong with my Baby” with the lyrics changed slightly to reflect a father/daughter relationship!).  Toward the end of the show,  members of Greeley’s cast of Grease, the senior musical, joined Frank on stage as well to perform “We Go Together.”

David Restivo, executive director of the Chappaqua Orchestra and on the Town’s Arts and Culture committee, volunteered with sound, together with John Flanagan, who ran the lights too. Area restaurants including Le Jardin du roi and Quaker Hill Tavern in Chappaqua offered donations before and after the show with tie ins on their menus. Shiner himself donated $5K in proceeds from the show to the newly formed Friends of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. Shiner’s upcoming album, Lonely Town, Lonely Street will be available May 19th on RED/SONY with his single On a Rainy Night in Georgia.

Most of all, it was a warm and enthusiastic community gathering signifying the continuing aspirations for the evolving venue. Prior to Frank taking the stage, the audience heard Town Councilwoman Lisa Katz, who conceived the Center working with the town’s Arts and Culture committee, describe an array of plans by the Town of New Castle–including a town theater camp for kids this summer and a special art show in September–to ultimately position the site of the old Readers Digest Wallace Auditorium as a key cultural destination in Northern Westchester, and for the county, as well.

John Fanelli, director of the Lighthouse Youth Theater in Armonk, with a years-long track record of directing shows in the county, has been brought in as theater manager to help produce an array of musicals and shows to the venue.  He expressed his enthusiasm about the venue and told the audience that he is open to receiving ideas for productions from the community, too.

Chappaqua’s Michele Gregson and Tracy Stein are heading the new Friends of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center and have plans to raise an initial $50,000 for program development at the Center.

A website is under construction and a calendar of events is being created soon too. 

Next up: an all new Storybook Family Concert by the Chappaqua Orchestra on April 29th directed by Maestro Michael Shapiro. Shiner graciously encouraged everyone attending to purchase tickets for the show which he described as a high caliber event and “not just for kids.” Visit www.chappaquaorchestra.org for tickets and more information.

No doubt about it… Chappaqua’s Got Arts.

Grace Bennett, Publisher and Editor of the Inside Press, is excited about the future of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.

New Castle Police Promise: “We will not ask about someone’s Immigration Status”

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Chappaqua, NY, April 13–  An individual’s immigration status will not be questioned by the New Castle Police during law enforcement activities, according to a release issued today by the Town of New Castle. “The New Castle Police Department want all people – regardless of their immigration status—to feel comfortable talking to its officers,” stated Robert Greenstein, Town Supervisor.

In a separate exchange with the Inside Press, Greenstein stated  the idea was raised when he met to discuss immigration policy with Chief Ferry a few weeks back in a public work session. “The Chief loved the idea and encouraged us to do it,” said Greenstein.

“We are not doing anything different,” Police Chief Charles Ferry said. “We are not going to engage in law enforcement activities solely based on somebody’s immigration status. We want people to speak up and not feel intimidated to talk to our officers.”

“They will not ask about someone’s immigration status!  They want witnesses and crime victims to know they are here to help you,” Greenstein stated in the release. “Their message is simple: Crime victims should feel comfortable reporting crimes. Witnesses should feel comfortable reporting crimes.”

The Town created a flyer (see below) to distribute around town; Greenstein said its information would also be “printed on business cards for our officers to carry with them.”     — Grace Bennett

 

Public Demonstration Tonight in New Castle to “Embrace All”

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Chappaqua, NY– New Castle’s Community Inclusion & Diversity Committee is holding a public  demonstration tonight, Feb 1st, 7 p.m. at the Town Gazebo “to build awareness, to promote inclusion, and to embrace and support all in our community–regardless of race, religion and sexual identity.” 

Participants are being invited to wear a name tag “with both your name and the name of the places from which your family originally immigrated.”

Town of New Castle Statement Condemns “Acts of Unlawful Discrimination,” and More

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 ‘Inclusion and Diversity’ Committee Established

On November 18, 2016, the Governor and Governor-elect of the State of Vermont, together with a number of Vermont education and business leaders, released a Joint Statement reaffirming their longstanding and unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusiveness.

Last night, the New Castle Town Board expressed their support for the Vermont Joint Statement and reaffirmed its own commitment to those principles expressed.  The New Castle Town Board issued the following statement: We, as a Town Board, condemn any acts of unlawful discrimination, violence, and intimidation that target differences in national origin, race, gender, sex, religion, disability, or political viewpoint across our nation. 

Such acts run counter to the rights and freedoms upon which our country was founded and to the core values of the Town of New Castle.  New Castle is committed to fostering welcoming communities and an equitable, diverse, and inclusive society.

As well, last night, the Town of New Castle established the “Inclusion and Diversity Committee.”  The resolution creating the committee set forth that the Town seeks to celebrate diversity and the value of a diverse community through meaningful visible strategies rooted in education, understanding and respect.  the Town finds that there is a need in the Town of New Castle for the organization of an Inclusion and Diversity Committee to highlight the beauty and benefits of appreciating different backgrounds, interests and sexual orientations. 

The Committee will work to effectively create community awareness about differences in others as related to race, religion, cultural differences, sexual preferences and gender identity.  The Committee will work to develop and implement programs designed to create a spirit of diversity and inclusion of all that live and work in the Town of New Castle as part of “one” unified community.  The Committee will work to promote the diversity goals of the Town–to understand and respond to the needs of an increasingly diverse community–and encourage respect and tolerance for those individual differences that enrich our community.

New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein stated “After the election, so many in our community are looking for ways to promote inclusion & tolerance. One such initiative was already in the works. After the Orlando shooting earlier this year, I suggested forming a Community Inclusion & Diversity Committee.  Now was the perfect time to press ahead with this initiative, and last night we did just that.  I look forward to working with this committee to support diversity, equity & inclusiveness.”