city review-new rochelle 11-21-2014

THE NewRochelleCityREVIEWNovember 21 & November 28, 2014 | Vol. 2, Number 21 | www.cityreviewnr.com

that’s up to county government to really come together to form a consensus,” Morque, a resi-dent of Rye, said. “That should be done on a countywide ba-sis then a RFP should be con-structed.”

SPI was chosen by County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, in 2012 among a pool of 12 respondents to the county’s request for proposals, RFP, but had to withdraw its proposal in June 2014 after the City of Rye injected itself into the issues claiming jurisdictional rights to review any propos-als to redevelop the historic amusement park, backlash from the park’s neighbors and criti-

cism from the Democratic-led Westchester County Board of Legislators.

The rift began in 2013, when Rye community members ob-jected to SPI’s original plan that included a smaller amuse-ment park, a 92,000-square-foot field house along with field space and a sizeable great lawn, to satisfy Astorino’s vi-sion of a year-round destina-tion and public park.

During the forum, Morque said the county has to decide whether it wants “an amuse-ment park or a park with amusements.”

“Get that issue out there so the respondents can target what they’re doing. [Then]

I think you should start [the RFP process] all over,” Morque said.

Parker told the Review in a phone interview this week that she agreed with Morque, saying there wasn’t a clear vision put forth by Astorino in the original RFP drafted back in 2010.

“But I don’t agree with re-doing the RFP process,” the county legislator said. “I think after four and a half years, we have an idea of what will work and won’t work. And we be-gan the [RFP] process in 2010, 2011, and we’re here, almost five years later, and still don’t have an operator.”

SPI head: Start Playland RFP overBy CHRIS EBERHART

Staff Writer

The president of Sustain-able Playland Inc., which pulled its proposal to renovate Playland back in June, said Westchester County should come up with a clearer vision for Playland’s future, and then redo the RFP process before moving forward.

During a Nov. 3 Playland forum hosted by Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, SPI president Kim Morque said the county’s process to rein-vent Playland lacked clarity.

“There wasn’t a consen-sus from the get-go, but I think SPI continued on page 5

A new bill before Westchester County government looks to ban usage of plastic bags. A recent press conference highlighted the importance such a ban would have on the environment. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy cawrecycles.org

BANNED?

By ALINA SURIELStaff Writer

The City of New Rochelle makes the state tax cap by a hair with not an inch of wiggle room, according to the tenta-tive 2015 budget released by City Manager Chuck Strome on Nov. 10.

Total spending in 2015 is set to decrease, from $169 mil-lion in the 2014 adopted bud-get down to $156 million.

The city just managed to make the state tax levy cap, raising it up to the 1.79 per-cent maximum tax levy rate increase allowable. This will result in an increase of 0.5 percent to the average hom-eowner on their combined tax bill from the city, county and school district, or about $95 per year. This is a sharp im-provement from the current year’s budget, which saw a tax levy increase of 5.83 percent, more than three times higher than the state mandated 1.63 percent increase allowable for that year.

Property tax rates are set to increase 2.9 percent over the current budget.

In order to make the tax cap limit, the city had to use $894,000 of its near $4 million in unassigned fund balance to avoid reducing the level of ex-isting services.

“Unfortunately, due to state tax legislation we’ve had to use more fund balance than we would like to meet the tax cap” Strome said. “We met the tax cap down to the penny.”

The state tax cap was passed into law in 2011 and limits the amount that elected municipal governments can raise proper-ty taxes to 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. If a budget calls for a tax hike greater than what the state mandates is the limit, the rul-ing board can override it with

City budget just under capa 60 percent affirmative vote.

The city is expected to see a 1 percent, or $2.9 mil-lion, decrease in the city’s as-sessed valuation of property due to successful tax certiorari claims, resulting in $2.25 mil-lion lost in litigation and tax refunds issued. An increase in the property tax exemption of-fered to veterans also contrib-uted to the decreased assessed valuation, and accounted for $750,000 of the total decrease.

The capital improvement portion of the city budget to-tals almost $6 million, and half of it is funded by debt. Capital projects include the replace-ment of a bucket-equipped tower ladder for the New Ro-chelle Fire Department, as well as replacement of vehi-cles in the Department of Pub-lic Works and storm drain and sanitary sewer repairs.

According to the budget sales tax, the city’s second larg-est source in revenue after prop-erty taxes, is expected to in-crease next year by 1.5 percent over the $25.9 million expected in the adopted 2014 budget.

Salaries of municipal em-ployees take up nearly half of the funds allocated in the 2015 budget, and are proposed to be raised around 2 percent to $54.4 million. This increase can be attributed to union con-tracted agreements for pay raises, but the number was tempered slightly by replace-ment of retired employees with lower-paid new hires.

There are no layoffs pro-posed in the plan as staff lev-els are to stay the same. There will, however, be two part-time employees who will be converted to full-time in the financial assessments depart-ment, bringing the total full-time staff headcount to 588.

Strome said although the

BUDGET continued on page 10

2 • THE CITY REVIEW • November 21 & November 28, 2014

November 21 & November 28, 2014 • THE CITY REVIEW • 3

St. Vito’s Church at 816 Underhill Ave., pictured, where parishioners from both St. Vito’s and Most Holy Trinity will combine following a merger handed down by the state Acrchdiocese of New York. Photo/Marissa Penn

Catholic churches to merge, closeBy MARISSA PENN

Staff Writer

Catholic churches can no longer afford to keep their doors open and parishes alive, according to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, which announced tenta-tive plans to merge some 50 churches throughout the state last week.

From the Bronx to the Catskills, there was wide-spread heartache when thou-sands of Catholics across the state learned that their church-es would be effectively closed in what would be the largest reorganization in the history of the archdiocese.

With shrinking congrega-tions, decreasing attendance, and a declining number of prac-ticing priests, Catholic churches are struggling to survive, ac-cording to statistical data pro-vided by the archdiocese.

Mamaroneck is feeling the effects as St. Vito’s, located at 816 Underhill Ave., and Most Holy Trinity, 320 E. Boston Post Road, are tentatively scheduled to merge in an ef-fort to combine resources.. According to the archdiocese, the two parishes will come to-gether at St. Vito’s church and Most Holy Trinity’s church will close with its space no longer in use, if the merger is finalized.

The fate of the Most Holy Trinity Church building will essentially belong to St. Vito’s, according to Joseph Zwilling, director of communications at the Archdiocese New York.

The archdiocese announced that in total 112 parishes are set to be merged, creating 55 new parishes. In 31 of those new par-ishes, one of the churches will no longer be used for regular

services, meaning those churches will be effectively closed by August, according to the archdiocese. This means for congregations, which hold masses and sacraments, such as baptisms and marriages that they will no longer be cel-ebrated at those churches as they merge over the next sev-eral months, according to the archdiocese

“It is our hope that the peo-ple will become fully active members of their new parish family,” said Zwilling. “In-stead of having 40 people in mass, the hope is to have a full house of 80 or 100.”

Although it might be more convenient for parishioners to ignore the merger and choose another church because of lo-cation, convenience of mass times, the music or architec-ture, it is the hope of the arch-diocese that parishioners de-cide to go to the church that theirs has been merged with.

“By bringing the parishes together the emphasis will once again be on the people

instead of maintaining build-ings and that was what really motivated this process,” Zwill-ing said.

Of the 20 or so churches that will essentially be clos-ing down for regular worship in the state, nine are in Man-hattan, six are in Westches-ter and another six are in the Bronx.

Final decisions by Cardinal Timothy Dolan on mergers and closing are still months away as the archdiocese contemplates what the best move is. Ideas in-clude mergers where churches combine their resources, lim-ited closings where parishio-ners would attend entirely new churches and collaborating on church programs, which would save funds and resources. All mergers, once finalized, are expected to take effect by Au-gust 2015.

Representatives from both Most Holy Trinity and St. Vi-to’s declined to comment when reached by phone.

CONTACT: [email protected]

WVOX president named grand marshallWe are pleased to an-

nounce the selection of David O’Shaughnessy as the grand marshall of the 51st New Ro-chelle, Valenti Family, Thanks-giving parade. As the president of Whitney Media, the parent of WVOX and WVIP radio stations, as well as publishing and consulting interests, David heads one of New Rochelle’s

iconic community treasures.The flagship WVOX AM

1460 is the nation’s best known community radio station, and has served as a lynchpin of social, political and artistic dis-course for more than 50 years. Founded by its chairman, Wil-liam O’Shaughnessy, the sta-tion has provided a beacon of free speech to New Rochelle

and surrounding communities that hardly exists anyplace else. David proudly carries on the family tradition, and we are proud that he has agreed to serve as grand marshall.

The parade offers the city a chance to say thank you to Da-vid and his family, and salute the city institution he leads. (Submitted)


What’s going on...Recruit Week and New Rochelle’s other contri-butions to the War effort. Complimentary cof-fee and light refreshments will be served. Free. Meeting Room.

Friends Holiday Book SaleFriday Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Finish-up your holiday shopping at the

Friends’ annual sale Select from a variety of gift-quality books popular novels and myster-ies in hardcover and paperback, non-fiction in hard-cover and paperback, to children’s books, brand new jigsaw puzzles, CD’S, and classic lit-erature in attractive editions. The sale will also include gift wrap, holiday cooking and craft books, sets of books, and other bargain items for affordable gift-giving. For this holiday sale, we’ll also have a “Give a Gift of Local History Table” – with books about New Rochelle and historical postcards, pamphlets, and books. Li-brary Lobby.

Adopt a pet

If you’re looking for a new four-legged friend, you’ve come to the right place. With a variety of dogs and cats available for adoption of all ages, breeds, sizes and colors, you just might find your perfect match. Visit the center or go online for more detailed information about adoption and to see photos of pets available.

Founded in 1911, the New Rochelle Humane Society is a private, nonprofit organization ded-icated to providing individual loving care for lost, abandoned, injured and mistreated animals. While bringing service to 19 communities in Westchester County including Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Eastchester, Elmsford, Greenburgh, Har-rison, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irving-ton, Larchmont, Town of Mamaroneck, Mama-roneck Village, New Rochelle, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale and Tarry-town, the center rescues over 500 dogs and 900 cats each year.

About 50 percent of the shelter’s funding is from services provided for animal control, res-cuing homeless cats and dogs. The other 50 per-cent comes from donations, wills and bequests. No state or federal funding is given to the non-profit. For more information, please visit the site at newrochellehumanesociety.org.

4th Annual Joyous Christmas Celebration at NR Methodist Church

New Rochelle United Methodist Church, in association with Acts of Faith Productions, will present the “14th Annual Joyous Christmas Cel-ebration” featuring internationally renowned concert and recording artist Kay Boyd and her ensemble, Acts of Faith, at NRUMC, 1200 North Ave. on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

A New Rochelle native, Ms. Boyd is an award-winning singer, songwriter and recording artist, who has performed nationally throughout the U.S. and abroad in Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. Featured guest artists will include The Cocolo Japanese Gospel Choir, directed by the celebrated Minister of Music at Convent Ave. Baptist Church in NYC, Dr. Gregory Hop-kins, and concert pianist Jeremy Jordan, a Chi-cago, Illinois native.

Proceeds from this concert will benefit the Capital Improvement Air Conditioning Project at NRUMC. Tickets are: $30 in advance; $35 aT door; $20 for students; Free for children 12 and under. For information/reservations, please call 632-2166, 699-3041 or 668-0280.

Red Cross blood donation opportunities

New Rochelle library events

Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at 3 p.m. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to

accommodate your listing. Please send all items to [email protected].

region’s most popular children’s performers, Louie Miranda. He always delivers a totally en-joyable, high energy performance of music with a terrific Latin beat, interactive songs, games and surprises. If it is cold, rainy or windy, the performance will be held in the library’s Ossie Davis Theater. Free.

Gospel concert: Giving Thanks

Sunday, November 23, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.The award-winning, Mount Vernon Inter-

faith Community Choir will perform a joy-ous, moving concert of Gospel music to set the tone for the upcoming holiday season. Comprised of magnificent singers represent-ing various local houses of worship and many socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, the choir has been enthralling, inspiring, and uniting audiences since it was formed for the Mount Vernon Arts on Third Festival in 2000. Directed by founder Maureen Wilson, the choir has appeared on nation television and in prominent programs from Westchester, NY to Miami, FL. A donation of $2 is suggested at the door. Seating is on first-come, first-served basis to the capacity of the 138-seat Ossie Da-vis Theater.

BID Family Day: Make a gift fair

Saturday, Dec. 6, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.One of our most popular events, the BID

staff of teachers and teens will be ready to help children ages 5 and older use their creativity to make three lovely presents to give to family and friends this holiday season, including painted picture frames, soup-mix-in-a-jar, tiles, necklac-es, and more. Wrapping and gift tags included. In the main library’s meeting room and lobby. Free. Made possible by the New Rochelle Busi-ness Improvement District (BID), in partnership with the Library, City School District, and De-partment of Parks and Recreation. Drop-in.

Adolph Grant Award Show

Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014 – Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015Sponsored by the New Rochelle Art Associa-

tion, the annual Adolph Grant Award Show is open to all exhibiting members of the Associa-tion with the grand prize of $75 reserved for a New Rochelle resident working in oils, water-colors, acrylics or pastels.

This award was established by the New Ro-chelle Art Association in 1924, in memory of noted member Adolph Grant, and has been awarded annually to an outstanding New Ro-chelle painter ever since.

Another cash award will be given for Best in Show, as well as ribbons for second, third and honorable mentions for outstanding entries in all media and categories, regardless of the art-ist’s residence. Lumen Winter Gallery during regular hours.

Bliss Music Center Located on the 3rd floor, the Bliss Music

Center has a wide collection of music CDs.Nearly 4,000 titles including classical, jazz, folk, Broadway, big band, popular, country and international selections are just a few of the types of generes the library holds.The center is equipped with listening stations that allow pa-trons to preview their music before making a borrowing decision.

Computers are equipped with selected elec-tronic resources that allow for the download-ing of music and audio books to a patron’s iPod or MP3 compatible device, including iPhone® and MP3 music-enabled mobile phones.

New Rochelle Art AssociationThe New Rochelle Art Association, which

began exhibiting in the former New Rochelle Library in 1914, presents four exhibitions in the library’s Lumen Winter Gallery each year. The Annual Open Juried Exhibition is held un-til the third week of October and includes orig-inal works in oil, watercolor, graphics, mixed media, pastel, sculpture or crafts, including jewelry, basketry, fiber, ceramics and fine craft; plus digital media and photography by mem-bers and non-members. The Jules Bauer Award Show of work by exhibiting members has been presented in the library each June since 1980. The annual Adolph Grant Award Show, estab-lished in 1924 and the Dermot Gale Award Ex-hibit are also open to all exhibiting members of the association.

Lunch-time yogaGuided by yoga instructor Nora LeMorin,

these mid-day sessions designed to help relax and strengthen involve traditional and adapt-ed poses that are practiced either standing or seated in chairs—no mats needed. Ossie Davis Theater/meeting room. Space is limited; first-come, first-served. This program is made pos-sible by the Friends of the New Rochelle Pub-lic Library. Donations are gratefully accepted. Come to the New Rochelle library, event takes place in the first floor meeting room.

“New Rochelle’s Part in the Great War” Slide Presentation League of Women Voters

Coffee and ConversationFriday, Nov. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.Eight months after America entered into

World War I, a drama of national proportion arrived at New Rochelle’s doorstep. When the December 1917 crisis began to subside, the city had achieved country-wide fame and praise. Ironically, the rave reviews came on the heels of the community’s highly-publicized fall from grace. City Historian Barbara Davis will present a digital sideshow on the extraordinary story of

The American Red Cross asks eligible donors to give something that means some-thing this season , a lifesaving blook donation. Blood donations often decline this time of year when donors get busy with holiday fes-tivities and travel. Severe winter weather and seasonal illnesses, like the flu, can also have a serious impact on blook donations, but the need for blood remains steady. On average, the Red Cross must collect 15,000 blood prod-ucts every day for patients across the cournty.

Eligible donors with all types are need-ed, especially those with O negative, A negative and B negative. To learn more about donating blood and to schedule an apointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1800-733-2767). The next blood donation happening in Westches-ter will take place on Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Mamaroneck Elk’s Lodge 1457, 417 East Post Road and in White Plains at Acadia Realty Trust, 1311 Mamaroneckk Ave. in White Plains on Dec. 15 at 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Young musicians concert

Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m.The public is invited to hear some of West-

chester’s most accomplished rising musicians as they perform on the 51st annual Westchester Musicians Guild “Young Artists Concert.” Top student musicians in grades 7 through 12, se-lected through a competitive audition process, will present a variety of riveting works. Found-ed in 1938, the WMG promotes goodwill and fellowship among professional musicians and music devotees in our community by sponsor-ing a variety of formal and informal events. The Guild also supports the advancement of young musicians through student recitals, the WMG Young Artists Concert, and scholarship awards. The concert is free; donations gratefully accept-ed. Ossie Davis Theater.

Live performance

Saturday, Nov. 22, 1:30 p.m.Head on over to the Farmers Market on Li-

brary Green right after New Rochelle’s Thanks-giving

Parade, for a live performance by one of the


Ned McCormack, spokes-man for Astorino, refuted criti-cism of the county administra-tion’s RFP. McCormack said the RFP was “very clear” and said the county has come too far to redo the process.

“We’ve been through that [RFP] process,” McCormack said. “We are happy where we are right now. The Ice Casino is up and running and that facil-ity is coming along nicely. The response has been very posi-tive. And now we’re waiting for Dan Biederman’s consul-

SPI from page 1

Kim Morque, the president of Sustainable Playland, Inc., said Westchester County officials should go back to the drawing board with their plan for Playland by crafting a new request for proposals.

tant report [in December].”Dan Biederman is a renown

developer best known for his redevelopment of Bryant Park in New York City. He was paid $100,00 for five months of consultant work to review Playland and recommend the best steps going forward.

“Everything is on hold until we receive Biederman’s re-port,” said Board of Legisla-tors Chairman Mike Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat. “Once his report comes back, Play-land discussions will heat up again because we need to plan for the 2015 budget. Redoing

interesting thing to identify. And the bike path was a new thing brought forward. There were a lot of new ideas that we haven’t thought of before.”

Port Chester’s Deirdre Cur-ran, who attended both Play-land forums, wants to see the county continue to operate the park and abandon the idea of a public-private partnership.

Kaplowitz said the county spends approximately $14 million, including debt service on annual operating expenses for Playland. However, those figures do not include any capital investments into infra-structure upgrades, something necessary in maintaining an

amusement park. The county only makes be-

tween $10 million and $13 million in revenue, resulting in a tax levy loss of between $750,000 and $4 million. This year’s projected loss is expect-ed to be around $2.5 million, Kaplowitz said.

With expenses continually outpacing revenues, Parker dis-agreed with the idea of aban-doning the private-public partnership route and said the much-needed renovations for Playland would cost too much for a municipal government to absorb on top of the already high expenses and mandates that the county has to pay.

“Pension and healthcare costs are escalating, and it’s hard to do more with less,” she said. “We know the price tag of investing into Playland is a big price tag, and it’s difficult to weigh that against the other county infra-structure and program needs. So I think the private-public partnership is the model to go with.”

Parker said this is “only the first draft” and there will be more forums early in 2015, which have not yet been scheduled but will look to continue the discussions tak-ing place now.


the RFP process is one of the options. So is bringing in of two finalists [of the RFP process].”

In the meantime, Parker has hosted forums in an attempt to give locals an opportunity to share their vision for the park’s future. The first forum, held in October, introduced Central Amusement Interna-tional’s vision, and the Nov. 17 forum is expected to showcase the Standard Amusements’ plan; all will have taken place at the Rye library.

During the Nov. 3 forum, people mentioned a bike path, preserving the amusement park and Playland’s historic rides, a café on the boardwalk, restau-rants, food trucks in the park-ing lot, restoration of the pool area and even the suggestion that the county foregoes its intention for a public-private partnership and instead retains its ownership of the iconic county-run amusement park.

“I thought there were a lot of good ideas,” Parker said about the Nov. 3 forum. “It was the first time we heard about the food trucks and having that experience as part of something that goes on after the season. It was an

Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, has been holding Playland forums in Rye to discuss what residents would like to see happen with the amusement park. File photo


LettersThe community’s opinion matters.

If you have a view to express, write a letter to the editor by email to

[email protected]. Please include a phone number and name for

verification purposes.

Community EventsIf you have an event you would like

to share with the community, send it to [email protected].

Delivery For home delivery or to subsribe,

call Marcia Schultz at (914) 653-1000 x27.

Classifieds & Legals To post your notices or listings,

call Marcia Schultz at (914) 653-1000 x27.

PostmasterSend address changes to: The Mamaroneck Review

c/o HomeTown Media Group, 200 William St.

Port Chester, N.Y. 10573

Visit us onlinewww.mamaroneckreview.com

The Mamaroneck Review (permit #106661) is published by Home Town Media Group weekly for an annual subscription of $32. Application to mail at the peridcals postage

rate is approved at Port Chester, N.Y., 10573. Periodicals postage paid at Port Chester and

additional mailing offices.

Follow us on Twitter, @mamaroneckview

Like us on facebook, facebook.com/mamaroneckreview

200 William St., Port Chester, N.Y. 10573

Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000

Publisher | Howard Sturmanext. 21, [email protected]

Editor-in-Chief | Christian Falconeext. 19, [email protected]

Sports Editor | Mike Smithext. 22, [email protected]

Editorial Assistant | Laura Romeroext. 25, [email protected]

Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin

Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Clark Morehouse

ext. 31, [email protected]

Advertising | Lindsay Sturmanext. 14, [email protected]

Advertising Coordinator | Marcia Schultzext. 27, [email protected]

Staff WritersJohn Brandi, Chris Eberhart Jackson Chen, Marissa Penn,

Alina Suriel

Staff PhotographerBobby Begun

ContributorsPeter Lane, Rich Monetti,

Christopher Petrowski

ColumnistsEmily Giove, Paul Bookbinder

THE

NewRochelleCityREVIEW Parker announces countywide plastic bag ban

By JACKSON CHENStaff Writer

Westchester County Leg-islator Catherine Parker an-nounced a new bill she is sponsoring that proposes to limit the use of plastic bags and Styrofoam containers by retailers in Westchester.

Parker, a Rye Democrat, in-troduced the bill, which is be-ing co-sponsored by four other Democratic county legislators, including Majority Leader Catherine Borgia, of Ossining, during a Nov. 12 press confer-ence at the Mamaroneck Town Center.

“Judging from the preva-lence of plastic bags and poly-styrene objects as litter and garbage in our environment, this legislation is long over-due,” Parker said. “When it comes to doing the right thing in terms of safeguard-ing our environment and nat-ural resources for future gen-erations, there should be no

Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker, a Rye Democrat, announces a new bill she is sponsoring that proposes banning plastic bags throughout the county.

Approximately 50 students from Mamaroneck High School attend the press conference in a show of support for a plastic bag ban.

second guessing.”The bill, which remains in

the preliminary draft stage, proposes to regulate retailer and food establishment use of plastic bags and polystyrene containers, more commonly known as Styrofoam. Instead, retailers would be required to provide reusable or recyclable paper bags to customers as checkout bags. The new law, if adopted, would also restrict businesses that use Styrofoam as any form of loose fill pack-aging, like packing peanuts that cushion fragile shipments. However, the restrictions in the bill don’t include plastic produce bags, garment bags or large-sized garbage bags. In the proposed bill, violators would be liable for up to $500 after a hearing.

Several communities in the county have already enacted plastic bag bans, including Rye, when Parker was a coun-cilwoman on a majority Re-publican City Council.

In 2011, Rye was the first community in Westchester to ban the distribution of plastic bags. In the years following, the Village of Mamaroneck adopted its local ban in 2012 and the Village of Larchmont followed suit in 2013.

According to Parker, the lo-cal legislations of these com-munities would be able to work in conjunction with the county legislation, as most of it is similar.

But for some municipali-ties, a plastic bag ban is seen as too imposing. In Tuckahoe, Trustee Stephen Quigley, a Democrat, sponsored a plas-tic bag ban that was ultimately voted down by a Republican-led Village Board of Trust-ees last year. Quigley said he supports Parker’s bill as an idea and it should, in theory, accomplish what he was at-tempting in Tuckahoe.

“Alternatives to plastic bags are essential to sustainabil-ity because we have a huge amount of waste with these bags,” Quigley said. “The bio-degradability is for hundreds of years and they’re petroleum-based products.”

The trustee added that even if his bill in Tuckahoe had passed, it would not have accounted for the litter that could potentially have come from neighboring communities.

“I think a countywide re-striction is probably better for everybody because our com-munities blend into each other,” Quigley said.

Tuckahoe wasn’t the only

community that was met with resistance with its local laws re-garding plastic bag bans. Hast-ings-on-Hudson is currently facing a lawsuit to overturn its ban on plastic bags that was filed by the Food Indus-try Alliance, a statewide trade association that represents the grocery industry. Parker said that the board should tackle a regional solution instead of “municipalities coming up with their own legislations and then having to defend it.”

County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky, a Hastings-on-Hud-son Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, said the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson is work-ing to figure out how to defend against the suit.

“Countywide government is perfect, instead of passing it 8,000 people at a time, we can pass it one million people at a time,” Shimsky said. “That is not only better for the envi-ronment and our local govern-ments, but at the same time, it’s easier for the supermar-kets because you have less of a patchwork quilt of legisla-tion to work with.”

Much like Hastings, the Town of Mamaroneck was threatened with legal action when its board proposed a plastic bag ban. The pending lawsuit caused the town to withdraw the proposal.

“It didn’t make sense for the Town of Mamaroneck and my town board didn’t have the stomach to take on the super-market industry on its own in a lawsuit,” said Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Nancy Seligson, a Democrat. “That’s why it makes sense for the county to address this issue and take the action.”

Shimsky said she expects people to come in to voice their concerns of the bill,

which would prompt discus-sion among the Westchester County Board of Legislators, which must ultimately approve the legislation before sending it to the county executive’s of-fice for his approval. Parker added that she would meet with representatives from the grocery and plastic bag indus-try to understand the effects of the proposed bill on them.

County Legislator James Maisano, a New Rochelle Re-publican who serves as vice chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, said there are many pros and cons to look at.

“I’m open-minded and happy to consider it, but I do know there [are] some issues I’m concerned about,” Mai-sano said.

According to Maisano, legislators dealt with a simi-lar bill a few years ago which ultimately didn’t get past an environment and energy sub-committee of the board. That bill was squashed due to pub-lic health concerns of the re-usable bags from salmonella and since the majority of the county’s plastic bag garbage is incinerated debunking claims that the bags end up in land-fills, he said.

The new bill is currently being drafted by the county’s Law Department and there is no estimation as to when it will move forward, according to Parker.

“We will bring in all the stakeholders and we will have a thorough review before it leaves the committee,” she said. “My belief is that this [bill] will prevail.”

The Food Industry Alliance declined comment until the bill was completed.


Various Westchester legislators and local elected officials were on hand at the Mamaroneck Town Center on Wednesday, Nov. 12, for the announcement of proposed legislation that would ban plastic bags. Photos/Bobby Begun


Federal ruling may impact affordable housingBy CHRIS EBERHART

Staff Writer

A federal district judge’s recent ruling in Washington D.C. and a pending Supreme Court case could completely change the complexion of the affordable housing saga in Westchester County.

Both are taking aim at dis-parate impact liability, which is defined as when a “defen-dant can be held liable for dis-crimination for a race-neutral policy that statistically dis-advantages a specific minor-ity group even if that negative ‘impact’ was neither foreseen nor intended,” according to Judicial Watch, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education group that’s devoted to promoting transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and law.

In Westchester County, dis-parate impact has been used in the federal monitor’s analyses to show evidence of exclu-sionary zoning in Westches-ter municipalities based on socio-economic factors and

race, respectively. Under one analysis, the Berenson analy-sis, seven municipalities in the county were deemed as having exclusionary zoning; under the other analysis, the Huntington analysis, six municipalities were identified.

The latest report, complet-ed on Sept. 8 by the federal-appointed housing monitor Jim Johnson, it analyzes the “discriminatory impact,” or disparate impact, but “does

not make findings with re-spect to whether any munici-pality drafted its zoning code with the intent to discriminate against minorities.”

But U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said in a Nov. 3 decision that plaintiffs must show intent, or disparate treat-ment, and arguments for dis-parate impact liability “appear to be nothing more than wish-ful thinking on steroids.”

“This is yet another exam-ple of an administrative agen-cy trying desperately to write into law that which Congress never intended to sanction,” Leon wrote in his decision against disparate impact. “It is nothing less than an artful mis-interpretation of Congress’s intent.”

Gustavo Velasquez, assis-tant secretary for Fair Hous-ing and Equal Opportunity, said the federal department of Housing and Urban Develop-ment, HUD, is reviewing the ruling and is “considering its options on an appeal.”

In Westchester, County Ex-ecutive Rob Astorino, a Re-

Federal district judge Richard Leon struck down the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s longtime held standard of disparate impact, or use of statistics, under the Fair Housing Act to prove discrimination in municipalities.

publican, has been at odds with HUD over the implementation of a 2009 affordable housing settlement, between his prede-cessor then Democratic Coun-ty Executive Andy Spano and HUD. The agreement was for the county to build 750 units over a seven-year period, com-plete an analysis of impedi-ments, which is a review of the barriers that prevent afford-able housing, and promote fair housing practices.

The build out in Westches-ter is ahead of schedule and legislation that promotes fair housing was passed. All that remains is the analysis of im-pediments, which has been the source of contention between Astorino and HUD.

Ned McCormack, spokes-person for Astorino, said Le-on’s ruling supports Astorino’s narrative that HUD is over-reaching in its authority.

“[This decision is] signifi-cant for the 2009 settlement and throws into question why HUD turned down the coun-ty’s eight analyses of impedi-ments,” McCormack said. “HUD says [the county] has exclusionary zoning based on data, but the judge is saying

you need to prove intent which the county has been saying all along…Clearly, HUD is trying to expand the law and has been in Westchester.”

In his decision, Leon refers to HUD’s 1968 Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimi-nation in the sale, rental or fi-nancing of dwellings and in other housing-related activi-ties on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, famil-ial status or national origin. In February 2013, HUD formal-ized the use of the disparate impact standard under the Fair Housing Act.

This was subsequently used in discriminatory cases against mortgage lending institu-tions—including Wells Fargo in 2012, when the bank paid a $175 million settlement af-ter the Department of Justice accused the bank of discrimi-nating against minority bor-rowers, and Bank of America in 2011, when the bank paid $335 million to settle a simi-lar case.

Robert Popper, a senior at-torney for the nonpartisan Ju-dicial Watch, said Leon was “rightfully unsparing in his decision” and called the ruling

a “welcomed decision.”“The court properly identi-

fied the fact that HUD was try-ing to draft disparate impact standard into statute,” Popper said. “[Disparate impact] can still serve to show intent, and that’s how it originally was de-signed, but it has morphed into a surrogate for intent, even if there clearly is none.”

Disparate impact liability will be further scrutinized in the coming months when the U.S. Supreme Court hears the final appeal of a Texas court case—Texas Department of Housing and Community Af-fairs v. the Inclusive Commu-nities Project, a Dallas-based group advocating integrated housing. The Inclusive Com-munities Project sued Texas officials under the Fair Hous-ing Act for allocating a dispro-portionate number of federal low-income housing tax cred-its to minority neighborhoods.

This will be the third time the Supreme Court has accept-ed a disparate impact liabil-ity case. The previous two—Magner v. Gallagher in 2012 and Township of Mt. Holly v.

HOUSING continued on page 12


Cooking for a great cause On Nov. 3, Cerebral Palsy

of Westchester held its annual Taste of Westchester: Interna-tional Food and Wine Tasting Event. Great people combined with sensational food and de-lightful beverages make for an evening of success. With a new interior design, the Renaissance Westchester Hotel in West Har-rison welcomed and accom-modated all the attendees. At-tendance was more than 250 people; it was heartwarming to see people come out and show support for Cerebral Palsy of Westchester. The event featured the area’s finest restaurants and top chefs noted for their inter-national cuisine as well as a worldly selection of wine, beer and beverages. Two beauti-ful demonstrations courtesy of Hive Living Room and Bar and by Rockland Bakery.

Restaurant participants in-cluded: Angelina’s Ristorante, Antonees Gourmet Catering, Atlantic Wine and Spirits, Aries Wine and Spirits, Blue Moon Mexican Café, Captain Law-rence Brewing Co., Chocola-tions, Coffee Labs, Crabtree Kittle House Dolce Vita Cater-ing, Don Couqi, Emma’s Ale

House, Gina Marie’s Chianti Ristorante, Haiku Asian Bistro, Hive Living Room +Bar, La-dle of Love, Longford’s Own-Made Ice Cream, Opici Family Distributing, Polar Beverages, Quenas Restaurant, Quint-essential, Rockland Bakery, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Texas De Brazil, The 808 Bistro, The Iron Tomato, The Melting Pot, The Olde Stone Mill, Tito’s Vodak, Wine Worldwide and Wobble Café.

All proceeds from this event went towards the new play-ground for the children we

serve with developmental dis-abilities. The playground will provide a recreational space for our children as well as be a highlight for our summer camp. Over the past 50 years the camp has enabled thou-sands of children with spe-cial needs to enjoy summers filled with adventure, fun and friendship. With your sup-port; we can continue CPW’s mission to ensure that chil-dren can receive services and enjoy activities regardless of the level of their abilities. (Submitted)

Executive chef Jean-Claude Lanchals performs a cooking demonstration cutting tuna steak.

Executive director Linda Kuck, Richard Osterer, center, the board president of Cerebal Palsy of Westchester, and New York State Assemblyman Steve Otis show support at CPW’s “A Taste of Westchester.”

Jennifer Feldenstein belts out a tune for the audience at The Cerebral Palsy of Westchester’s fundraiser “A Taste of Westchester.” Photos/Bobby Begun

Local chefs prepare fine dining for participants.

The Iron Tomato displayed its fine foods at “A Taste of Westchester” at The Renaissance Hotel.

There were various bids to purchase gifts to raise money for Cerebral Palsy of Westchester on Nov. 3 at The Renaissance Hotel in White Plains which hosted “A Taste of Westchester.”

Numerous eating establishments lend their support.


Yandrasevich pleads guiltyBy CHRISTIAN FALCONE and CHRIS EBERHART

City Review Staff

Scott Yandrasevich, the for-mer general manager of the Rye Golf Club, pleaded guilty in White Plains court on Nov. 6 to grand larceny and fal-sifying records; he will now serve one year in Westchester County jail.

Yandrasevich, 50, accepted the plea deal just days before he was set to stand trial in con-nection with allegations that he stole approximately $343,120 over a six-year period from members of the city-run golf club through several shell staff-ing companies, most notably RM Staffing, that he set up. The former general manager is also required to pay restitution to Rye for $271,120 of the money that he defrauded from the club and its members by his sentenc-ing, which is expected to be sometime in April 2015. If he cannot pay the money back in time, Yandrasevich will serve a longer sentence of one to three years in state prison but also still owe the money.

Kerry Lawrence, Yan-drasevich’s attorney, had been opposed to a plea bargain in the months leading up to the trial but said after his client pleaded guilty, “When faced with the potential consequenc-es of going to trial, Mr. Yan-drasevich decided to resolve the case.

“Mr. Yandrasevich gave his heart and soul to Rye Golf Club while he was gen-eral manager, and his tire-less, outstanding, innovative work there brought the club to a standard it had never reached before. He is glad to put this episode behind him,” Lawrence said in a released statement to the media.

Yandrasevich was arrested after turning himself in to the Westchester County District Attorney’s office in November 2013 and was later arraigned on an indictment of 10 felony counts of falsifying records and one felony count of grand

larceny in the second degree. At his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to all charges. Yan-drasevich was facing up to 15 years in state prison, if con-victed in a trial.

Yandrasevich’s guilty plea last week included just two of the 10 counts of falsifying records.

Rye City Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, said through the city’s investigation, they knew Yandrasevich was guilty of stealing.

“So this is certainly vindica-tion for us,” Sack, who was a councilman when the golf club scandal first unfolded in the summer months of 2012, said. “The restitution amount is wel-come, but it’s only a portion of what he stole. We will continue to pursue all of our legal rem-edies including recovering on our insurance claim in order to be made whole.”

While Rye waits to receive $271,120 from Yandrasevich, City Attorney Kristen Wilson said the city took out an insur-ance claim in August 2013 for $2.4 million and continues to await the insurance company’s review of that claim.

Lucian Chalfen, spokes-man for the district attor-ney’s office, said the restitu-tion payment that DA’s office ordered has to be traced and

Scott Yandrasevich, the former manager of Rye Golf Club, pleaded guilty on Nov. 6 to grand larceny and falsifying records and will serve a year in Westchester County jail. Yandrasevich, who now lives in Danbury, Conn., is also ordered to pay approximately $271,000 in restitution to the City of Rye. File Photo

proven beyond a reasonable doubt, which is why Yan-drasevich’s restitution to Rye is significantly lower than the city’s insurance claim. As for the difference between the initial $343,120 that the dis-trict attorney’s office claimed that Yandrasevich stole and the $271,120 he is ordered to repay, Chalfen said it is be-cause “it is unclear what ser-vices were rendered.”

In October 2012, Rye commissioned its own in-vestigation into the ques-tionable financial irregu-larities that had surfaced at the club. The investigation was completed in February 2013, and a report was issued claiming Scott Yandrasev-ich had stolen “hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Yandrasevich used the mon-ey to purchase, among other things, two boats and a house for his mother in North Caro-lina, according to the report.

The report also implicated Yandrasevich’s wife, Anna, who acted as the “bookkeep-er” and “office manager” at RM Staffing. While in that capacity, Anna Yandrasevich received a salary from RM Staffing of nearly $175,000 between November 2009 and September 2012 as well as other payments total-ing $70,000. By May 2012, months prior to the scandal surfacing, Anna Yandrase-vich was taking home bi-weekly checks of more than $4,000 from RM Staffing payroll.

However, Chalfen said, to his knowledge, Yandrasev-ich’s wife was not part of the district attorney’s probe.

Scott Yandrasevich, who was hired by the city to run the golf club back in 2002, resigned from his position with the club in January 2013 following an internal investigation by the city that exposed the financial scandal. He relocated his fam-ily to Danbury, Conn.

CONTACT: [email protected]; [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter@cityreviewnr

city had seen financial growth in 2013, the upward surge in economic revenue was only temporary and reached a pla-teau in 2014. While the city was able to maintain all ser-vices, lasting economic hard-ship from the recession and the financial pressure of meet-ing the tax cap legislation prevent New Rochelle from

improving infrastructure or instituting any expansion into municipal programs.

Mayor Noam Bramson, a Democrat, acknowledged the challenges faced by the city and celebrated the consistency of services that officials are able to ensure for residents.

“Overall, the positives and negatives balance pretty even-

ly, and the resulting budget is largely a status quo document that would maintain municipal services, provide for neces-sary, albeit inadequate, capi-tal expenditures, and preserve a level of taxation that is the lowest among Westchester’s big cities,” Bramson said.


BUDGET from page 1

The 2015 tentative city budget proposes a 2.9 percent rise in tax rates to ensure compliance with the state’s mandated tax cap. File photo


The Classifieds • Advertising that gets resultsOUR RATES:

UP TO 4 LINES $42.50 for 2 weeks minimum. Each Additional Line $2.00

HOW TO REACH US:(914) 653-1000x27 Fax: 653-5000

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: 200 William Street, Port Chester

DEADLINE:Placement, correction or cancellation of an ad may

be phoned in any time before noon on Monday for publication

ADOPTIONA childless young married couple (she-30/he-37) seeks to adopt.† Will be hands-on mom/devoted dad.† Financial security. Expenses paid.† Call/text.† Mary & Adam.† 1-800-790-5260.

ADOPT: Married financially secure loving teachers hope to adopt your baby. Help us make our dreams come true! Expenses paid. [email protected] Call- Text 631-807-1531 www.megandscot-tadopt.com

AUTO DONATIONSDonate your car to Wheels For Wishes, ben-efiting Make-A-Wish. We offer free towing and your donation is 100% tax deductible. Call 315-400-0797 Today!

Donate your car to Wheels For Wishes, bene-fiting Make-A-Wish. We offer free towing and your donation is 100% tax deductible. Call914-468-4999 Today!

CAREER TRAININGVETERANS- Thank you for your service. Start your new career. POST 9/11 G.I. BILLÆ - If eligible; Paid tuition, fees & military housing allowance. Become a pro-fessional Tractor trailer driver with National Tractor Trailer School, Liverpool/Buffalo, NY (branch) full/part-time with PTDI cer-tified courses & job placement assistance with local, regional & nationwide employers! Tuition, transportation & housing packages available: ntts.edu/veterans ï1-800-243-9300† Consumer Information @ntts.edu/programs/disclosures

HELP WANTEDAIRLINE CAREERS begin here Get FAA approved Aviation Maintenance Technician training. Financial aid for qualified students ñ Housing available. Job placement assistance. Call AIM 866-296-7093

Needed-part-time medical/nursing assistant for New Rochelle medical practice Tues and Thurs 10-5.CPR certification mandatory. Spanish helpful. Fax resume914-576-5583.

HOME IMPROVEMENTHAS YOUR BUILDING SHIFTED OR SETTLED? Contact Woodford Brothers Inc, for straightening, leveling, foundation and wood frame repairs at 1-800-OLD-BARN. www.woodfordbros.com. “Not applicable in Queens county”

HOUSES FOR SALEOFF THE GRID HOME on 15 acres.† $84,900.† Finger Lakes Region.† Year-round residence or cabin.† Updates.† Carl Snyder, RE Broker 607-280-5770.† NY LAND QUEST† nylandquest.com

LAND FOR SALEREPOSSESSED LAND! 10 acres -$19,900. Woods, awesome view, just off the NY Thruway! Quiet country setting! Town road, utils. Hurry! Financing avail! NO CLOSING COSTS!†888-701-7509

MISCELLANEOUSSAWMILLS from only $4397.00- MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD:† www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1-800-578-1363 Ext.300N

BAZAARSaturday November 22nd, 10am-4pm X-MAS decorations, gifts, toys (including large Little Tykes Toys) sports equipment, electronics, baby items and grandma’s attic. Swedish meatball lunch, Pies, Cakes and Coffee. Covenant Church: 280 Mayflower Avenue, New Rochelle

OUT OF STATE REAL ESTATESebastian, Florida Beautiful 55+ manu-factured home community. 4.4 miles to the beach, Close to riverfront district. New mod-els from $99,000. 772-581-0080, www.beach-cove.com

REAL ESTATEDiscover Delaware’s Resort Living Without Resort Pricing! Milder winters & low taxes!† Gated Community with amazing amenities! New Homes $80’s. Brochures available- 1-866-629-0770 or www.coolbranch.com

WANTEDCASH for Coins! Buying Gold & Silver. Also Stamps, Paper Money, Comics, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call Marc in NY: 1-800-959-3419

SITUATIONS/SERVICESADVANTAGE COMPUTER SUPPORT

We make your computer “people friendly” in your home or office. Fast Resopnse * Upgrades * Repairs * Network Support. Call Richard Klein 914-422-1798 or 203-781-8672.

Follow us onTwitter

@cityreviewnr

Mt. Holly Gardens Citizens in Ac-tion, Inc., in 2013—were settled be-fore the case was heard by the Su-preme Court.

Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators Mike Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat, had no comment when reached other than to say the county attorneys are reviewing Judge Leon’s decision.


HOUSING from page 7


ArtsWestchester to honor supportersArtsWestchester, the coun-

ty’s oldest and most influential organization dedicated to art-ists and cultural organizations, later this month will honor two steadfast supporters of the arts.

ArtsWestchester will hon-or Robert Wiener, Chairman of MAXX Properties, and Westchester Medical Center’s Healing Arts Program at the organization’s annual gala at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22. The event, to be held at 900 King St. in Rye Brook, will also jump start ArtsWest-chester’s 50th Anniversary, which will consist of a year-long celebration of the arts.

The theme for the gala is “When it All Began” and will include live music and danc-ing. The festive space will include imagery and music from the likes of Janis Joplin, Star Trek, Woodstock, Rolling Stones, Andy Warhol and the best of the 1960s.

“As ArtsWestchester ap-proaches its 50th anniversary year in 2015, the gala is one way to gather friends and sup-porters who believe in the val-ue of the arts in society,” saID ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam. “This year, we look forward to celebrating our two honorees as we reflect on the arts council’s beginnings in 1965.”

The honorees are as fol-lows:

• The individual 2014 Arts-Westchester honoree is Robert Wiener, chairman of MAXX Properties. An exemplary sup-porter of the arts and leader on ArtsWestchester’s Board of Trustees, Wiener is particu-larly passionate about provid-ing access to the arts for chil-dren throughout Westchester

County. A grandfather to 16, Wiener wants young people to have quality arts education experiences because he under-stands the arts boost academic performance and inspire cre-ative thinking. He also knows that the arts have enormous and positive impact on thou-sands of low-to-moderate in-come children in Westchester County who are in need of the “springboard” that arts enrich-ment can provide.

• The corporate 2014 Arts-Westchester honoree is West-chester Medical Center. A longtime advocate for a place for the arts in patient health and wellbeing, Westches-ter Medical Center’s vision for its Healing Arts Program is to employ integrative arts therapies and complimentary healing practices to enhance the health and wellbeing of patients, family members, visitors and caregivers at Westchester Medical Center. Elements of its innovative pro-gram include art and music therapy, visual art, perform-ing art, nutritional counseling, Yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki, aroma-therapy and massage.

The gala will kick off a year-long celebration of Arts-Westchester and the role that the organization has played in Westchester County during the last 50 years. Some initiatives that will be launched include recognizing 50 artists of ex-traordinary merit through the 50 for 50 Initiative campaign; mounting a countywide Be-yond NYC: A Festival of New Work in Westchester recogniz-ing 50 Westchester artists; de-veloping 50 new Arts & Busi-ness Partnerships by 2015; providing 50 new artist resi-

dencies in the neediest schools by 2015; securing funding for Challenge for the Arts, which provides matching grants to cultural organizations; and launching a five-year Cam-paign for the Arts beginning in 2015.

All gala proceeds will ben-efit the programs and servic-es of ArtsWestchester. Table sponsorships, tickets, and journal ads are available at artsw.org/gala. A high-tech si-lent auction will allow people to bid electronically on ex-citing prizes, from luxurious vacations to sports memora-bilia and beautiful jewelry. For more information on this year’s gala, visit artsw.org/gala or contact Ann Fabrizio at [email protected]. Silent auction bidding runs from now until the night of the gala at biddingforgood.com/artswauction.

The Gala dinner is being co-chaired by Betty Himmel and Bob Roth, members of ArtsWestchester’s Board of Trustees.

“This gala is the single most important fundraising event of the year for our organization,” said Himmel. “The funds raised at this year’s gala support the arts in our community year-round, by bringing artists into our classrooms, exhibitions into our galleries, performances in our theaters and tourists into our cities and towns.”

“The arts not only boost the local economy, they provide opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged youngsters, to learn new skills and achieve academic success,” said Roth, who is also a principal with John Meyer Consulting. (Submitted)

Hello, my name is July, and everyone says I’m a sweet and cuddly, bouncy puppy. At just seven months old, I’m very curious and active but also very attentive and just learning how to be a dog. I’m so lucky to have volunteers teaching me to walk on a leash without pulling and jumping up and how to sit on command. I was so scared when I was abandoned on a busy boulevard in Queens and luckily Pet Rescue saved me, as I was next on Animal Care and Control’s euthanasia list. I show my thanks every day with loads of kisses. I get along well with older kids and other dogs and I just love being petted and hugged. I’m about 40 pounds and think I’m a mastiff/pit mix. My professional evaluation gives me an excellent behavior rating. I easily give up my food or toys if taken away and show no aggression. I am spayed, vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm tested and even micro-chipped. I’m hoping you will pay $250 to make be part of your home. To find out more about me, please contact Larchmont Pet Rescue at 834-6955 or on the web at NY-PetRescue.org.(Submitted)

14 • THE CITY REVIEW • November 21 & November 28, 2014 SPORTS

For the first time in about as long as I can remember, I won’t be making my way up to the Carrier Dome this year.

It has become something of an autumn tradition for me over the years; hitting the road early the day after Thanks-giving, making the four-hour drive up NY-17 to Syracuse and stalking the sidelines of the iconic venue as Section I’s top teams took to the gridiron to battle for a state title.

This year, however, Section I won’t be sending any teams up north after a quarterfinal sweep at the hands of burgeon-ing Section IX powers.

Five classes, five teams, and five losses this weekend ended our area’s hopes of claiming a state titlist, as our neighbors to the north continued to close the gap between the two sec-

A section sweeptions. But unlike some local fans, I’m not ready to proclaim that the sky is falling.

Not yet, anyhow. Over the last few years,

Section I’s dominance over Section IX—our geographic opponent in all quarterfinal games—has certainly been eroding. In the first 15 years of the state tournament—from 1993 to 2008—Section I squads posted an impres-sive record over their Section IX counterparts, going a com-bined 51-11 and outscoring their opponents by a whop-ping margin. In the last few years, save a 2010 Section I sweep, that simply hasn’t been the case. Since 2011, Section IX has gone 14-5 against our local squads, cul-minating with last weekend’s whitewashing.

So what does this mean? Are we beginning to fall be-hind the rest of the state in the football arms race?

I don’t think so.

Neither does heralded Rye coach Dino Garr, whose Gar-nets lost a 21-17 heartbreaker against powerhouse Cornwall on Nov. 15.

“I can only speak for what happened in our game,” Garr told the Review. “But I don’t think this means that Section I is in dire straights.”

I’m inclined to agree. Like many other things,

athletic dominance is a cycli-cal thing. We see it happen on the micro level right here in the section. Oftentimes, even historically dominant pro-grams go through dry spells. Why can’t the same be true for our section as a whole?

It’s not that we haven’t been sending some fantastic teams to the state playoffs. This year’s Rye squad—with its record setting offense and stingy defense—might be one of the most talented teams I’ve seen in my time here. Teams like Woodlands and Tuckahoe, two smaller

Chester’s Angel Suarez finds a hole in the state quarterfinal game against Tuckahoe on Nov. 15. Suarez carried the ball 41 times on the day as Chester beat Tuckahoe—one of five victories by onetime Section I doormats on the weekend. Photo/Mike Smith

programs whose seasons were marked with a certain tenac-ity and resilience, simply ran into two tough customers in Millbrook and Chester, two Section IX squads that seem

destined to make an appear-ance in Syracuse this year.

So chalk it up to bad breaks, tough luck or a good run of talent up north. Just don’t count Section I out.

You never know when things are going to turn around.

Follow Mike on Twitter, @LiveMike_Sports

Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary

Follow @cityreviewnr for Mike’s live, in-game action updates

TO COVER LOCAL SPORTS, YOU NEED A

LIVE MIKE!

November 21 & November 28, 2014 • THE CITY REVIEW • 15SPORTS

Huguenots cheer at countiesBy MIKE SMITHSports Editor

On Nov. 17 and 18, the New Rochelle cheerleading squad got their season off to a good start, winning the Small Team Division I trophy and earning a right to compete in the Grand Championships at the 66th Annual Westchester County Center Cheerleading Invitational. Although the Hu-guenots did not walk away as the overall winners, however, the season promises to be an exciting one for this New Ro-chelle team.

“It was our first time out there, our first competition,” said New Rochelle coach Chrissy Stanionis. “So I didn’t expect a perfect routine, but I was pleased with the way we performed.

Expectations are always high for New Rochelle, which won a national title in the 2012-2013 season. This year, the team has a host of returning

athletes, which should be a good sign for the Huguenots.

“We had just one senior last year, so where we finished last year is our starting point this year,” Stanionis said. “We’re starting out with our difficulty level high, and our tumbling skills are very good.”

New Rochelle’s bid for the Grand Champion title was dashed for the second year in a row by North Rockland, who advanced out of the large school division. According to Stanionis, competing with larger or smaller teams always comes with its own sets of ad-vantages or disadvantages.

“As far as the smaller teams go, your skillset has to be the same, and any mistake you make, you can’t hide it,” she said. “But with the larger teams, you have more athletes and more can go wrong.”

The Huguenots hope to use this week’s competition as a springboard into the winter season. On Dec. 6, New Ro-

A New Rochelle cheerleader urges on the crowd at the County Center.

chelle will host its own cheer-ing competition at the high school. Although the Hugue-nots will not be competing at their own invitational, they will be performing an exhibi-tion routine, giving them one last run-through in front of an audience before they take their show on the road the following week to perform at the Uni-versal Cheerleaders Associa-tion, UCA, regionals. A good showing there could qualify the Huguenots for a trip to the

national championships, held in February in Florida.

If the Huguenots hope to contend for a title, said Stan-ionis, they will need to learn from this first outing and con-tinue to improve their routine.

“For a better performance, we’re going to need better presence on the floor,” she said. “We need to sell our routine out there as much as we can.”


Huguenot tumblers go head-over-heels at the Grand Champion finals on Nov. 18. According to coach Chrissy Stanionis, tumbling is a strength for the team this year

New Rochelle cheerleaders strike a final pose in competition. Photos/Bobby Begun

New Rochelle cheerleaders go through their floor routine on Nov. 18 at the Westchester County Center. The Huguenots won the Small Team Division I trophy.


Lifestyles of Westchester County/NOVEMBER 2014 VOL.15 NO.108

INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTYINSI

DE

Avoiding the Christmas Credit CrunchHow to effectively manage credit this holiday season

Page-turning PresentsGreat gifts for people who love to read

2014Holiday toys predictions


How to send gifts to faraway friends and family

Travel gifts can make for unexpected and unique holiday gifts.

Travel gifts wrapped and ready for holiday giving

The holiday season is a time to share

happy experiences with friends and family. But reconnecting with loved ones come the holidays is not always possible, especially when family and friends are spread out across the country, if not the globe. Even though these people may not be close geographically, they’re still close in our hearts and, therefore, still on our holiday shopping lists.

Some issues arise when sending gifts to faraway friends and family. Distance necessitates shipping gifts or making travel arrangements. To make that process less complicated, consider these suggestions.

Package gifts wisely. When shipping gifts, exercise caution to ensure the item arrives on time and in one piece. The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for the shipping industry, and packages may endure a few bumps along the way. For fragile items, use extra packing peanuts, newspaper or other protective wrapping material. Choose

the right size package so the gift does not move around much inside of the box. If the gift is expensive, insure the package in the event it gets lost or damaged. Also, you may want to spend a little more money to have the shipment tracked and a confirmation sent when the package is delivered. This can offer some peace of mind during a hectic time of year.

Take advantage of free shipping offers. Many retailers offer discounts on shipping rates during the holiday season. Shop at retailers that offer such discounts, as shipping costs can be exorbitant depending on the sizes of the packages being sent. In addition, online retailers may allow you to ship the gift directly to its recipient, which can help you ensure the gift gets to its destination on time.

Give gift cards and certificates. Gift cards are an easy item to ship, and can be sent within the regular mail for the cost of a stamp. Certain retailers may have digital gift cards or certificates that allow buyers to email a special

code to the gift recipient, who can then redeem the code for a purchase credit. This is a convenient, fast and inexpensive way to send holiday wishes.

Don’t forget about inspections and customs procedures. Items shipped out of the country may be delayed by customs inspectors at their ultimate destination. Assume that certain packages may be opened or detained, and ship such packages early so the gifts still arrive on time. Packages that look unusual or like they’re hiding something may be prone to inspection more so than others. Be honest about declarations of value and what is contained in the package. Also, realize certain items, like fruits, vegetables, plants, or seeds, may be prohibited. Learn the international shipping rules for your gift’s destination prior to sending anything.

Distant family members and friends may be out of sight but certainly not out of mind come the holidays. When it comes to sending gifts, ship smart.

Certain gifts are standard fare come the holidays. Adults often receive clothing while kids typically get toys. But shoppers who want to employ the element of surprise this season may want to consider travel-related gifts to put smiles on the faces of their loved ones.

Many people cannot afford to travel. Gifting travel enables couples or families who may not have the means to get away to hit the road in style.

When giving the gift of travel, shoppers should consider gift certificates or vouchers that can be applied to flights or lodging. Many travel businesses and websites now offer gift registry services that make it easy for shoppers to pay for getaways for their loved ones. Some travel agencies also incentivize travel gifts by offering coupons or discounts to shoppers who purchase travel packages for friends or family members.

Those on the lookout

for travel-inspired gifts can explore the following options.

Airline gift certificates: A gift certificate makes it easy for travelers to book their own flights at their leisure. These certificates typically can be applied to any flight the airline offers and may even be transferable.

Frequent flier miles: Find out if your frequent flyer miles can be deposited directly into your loved one’s account. Later on he or she can redeem the miles for a desired flight.

Luggage: Frequent travelers may appreciate new luggage. Monogrammed tags can help make luggage easy to identify at luggage carousels in crowded airports.

Small ship voyages: Some cruise lines offer working vacations, where passengers participate in some of the responsibilities aboard the ship. These voyages are ideal for someone who enjoys being active and a part of the travel experience.

Scuba lessons: Travel enthusiasts who frequently jet off to tropical locales may want to learn to scuba dive, which means they must be certified after taking lessons. Foot the bill for those lessons so their next water adventure is complete.

Traveler’s checks: Sometimes the best gift is the simplest one. Traveler’s checks may seem like an outdated notion in the era of credit cards, but they’re still available. Banks and credit card companies are the best place to find traveler’s checks. These checks are safer than bringing cash along on a trip because they provide travelers with protected purchasing power for the duration of their trips. Prepaid gift cards also can be used for travel. Just confirm that the card is accepted by retailers at your loved one’s travel destination.

Travel gifts can bring smiles to the faces of your loved ones. These unique gifts are a novelty that’s not often found tucked under the tree.


2014 HOLIDAY TOY PREDICTIONS

Parents often find themselves waiting in long lines to snag the hottest toys for children’s holiday gifts. Shoppers arrive at retail stores in droves to grab the newest video game consoles or must-have dolls or action figures.

From Cabbage Patch Dolls of the 1980s to the Elmo craze of the 1990s, every generation seems to have its own “must-have” holiday gift. This year, holiday shoppers may want to start shopping early if they hope to land any of the following items that figure to be this year’s hot toys.

“Frozen”-themed toys: Mega-retailer Walmart predicts that toys inspired by the smash hit film “Frozen” will continue to be hot commodities this holiday season. To meet demand, the retailer already is stocking up on the popular characters and other products banking on the popularity of the film. If the special girl in your life is still enamored with all things “Frozen,” it’s a smart

bet to start your holiday buying early this year.

“Hunger Games” athletic items: Fans of the “Hunger Games” trilogy, be it the books, movies or both, are familiar with lead character Katniss’ prowess with a bow and arrow. Bows inspired by the movie are in demand and will appeal to both girls and boys testing their archery skills.

Beats by Dr. Dre: Music-lovers still consider these headphones must-have items. They’re especially prevalent among the teen market. Available in a variety of colors, users can coordinate their Beats headphones with their clothing or accessories.

Lego Minecraft: It was only a matter of time before Lego got in on the action of one of the hottest games to sweep the Internet and video game console world. Minecraft is a digital building game

that has enthralled gamers of all ages. Now Minecraft enthusiasts can recreate on-screen worlds in tangible Lego versions.

Xeno: Xeno is a “friend-toy” that is neither robot nor doll, but an interactive pet. Made from nontoxic elastic material and including eight sensors, the creature is a moving, reacting companion. Xeno even can dance to music. And parents will love that Xeno does not need to be taken for walks.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: On the heels of summer blockbuster inspired by these gifted turtles, fans of the weapon-swinging shelled warriors will certainly want to surround themselves with all things turtle, so expect to see plenty of movie-inspired gifts on store shelves this season.

The holiday season is on the horizon, and it’s never too early to begin shopping for the toys and games experts predict will be this year’s must-have items.


Eco-friendly gift ideas for ‘green’ giving

Music lessons and other gifts of service do not require a great deal of natural resources, making them ideal eco-friendly gifts.

Giving eco-friendly gifts is now easier than ever before. As more and more people are conscious of reducing their impact on the planet, the demand for environmentally conscious products and services has grown.

Choosing earth-friendly gifts is not only generous, but gift-givers also can rest assured they’re doing their part to safeguard natural resources for future generations. The following are some gift ideas for the eco-conscious people on your holiday shopping list.

Locally made productsLocally made products

make great holiday gifts. Such gifts are not produced halfway around the world, meaning they don’t contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and global

warming like products that need to be flown or driven across the globe. Craft fairs and artisan shops are good sources for locally made gifts, which also are a great way to support businesses in your community.

Gifts of serviceA massage or music

or tutoring sessions are examples of gifts of service. These gifts do not require much use of natural resources, and recipients find their personal nature very thoughtful. Gifts of service also can include tasks you do yourself for the gift recipient, rather than paying another person to handle. For example, teach a senior member of your family how to navigate their new smartphone or agree to help them shop for groceries.

Recycled goodsWhen many people think

of recycling, they tend to picture piles of discarded plastic bottles, glass jars and aluminum cans. While the end product of many of these recycled pieces is new cans, bottles and jars, recycled materials also can be turned into new and unique pieces. Trivets and spoon rests made from recycled and melted wine bottles make for clever and attractive gifts. Recycled fire extinguishers have been turned into vases, and you can even find bike parts that have been used to make wind chimes and belts if you know where to shop.

Natural giftsNatural gifts are among

the most environmentally friendly ones you can give. Foodies may appreciate

an herb-growing kit that enables them to experiment with freshly picked basil or thyme in the kitchen, while tree-growing kits and flower seed packets are nice stocking stuffers for budding gardeners. Offer to purchase a living Christmas tree for a relative, so that he or she can plant the evergreen after the holidays

have come and gone.

AntiquesNew, shiny gifts are

not the only ones that have appeal. Gifting a sentimental piece of family history is an earth-friendly way to share the holidays. Pass down a cherished piece of jewelry or, if you do not have anything

in your own collection, browse antique shops for items that have interesting histories.

The holiday season is often a time of excess, but giving doesn’t have to be detrimental to the environment. Givers can seek out earth-friendly gifts and share even more this time of year.


As the cost of living continues to rise, holiday shopping also has become much more expensive in recent years, and it can be easy for shoppers to overextend themselves financially come the holiday season.

According to a recent Gallup poll, the average American plans to spend around $790 per holiday season, although many go above and beyond that amount. Starting off the new year in debt is a recipe for stress, which can have negative repercussions for the rest of the year.

In addition to overspending during the holiday season, many people stretch themselves thin on Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. One way to make shopping more manageable is to establish spending limits that dictate how much each family member can spend on each gift he or she buys.

It is important to exercise tact when approaching the subject of gift limits.

How to establish gift spending limits

Holiday spending limits can help individuals avoid overspending come the holiday season.

The Dining Lab at Monroe, home to great meals and the State Champs

Discuss the topic with friends and family members with whom you usually exchange gifts long before the holiday season. Agree on a reasonable amount of money each person will spend on gifts. If necessary, ask everyone to write down a figure and then determine the average, using that figure as your spending limit.

Establishing a spending limit makes it easier for every family to afford their holiday purchases. If there are six people on your shopping list and you’re spending $50 per person,

you know to allocate $300 for gifts. Saving and budgeting can be adjusted accordingly.

When no such limit is established, you may go overboard to compensate, even if you cannot afford to do so.

Another way to save money is to suggest giving the gift of experiences rather than tangible and potentially costly gifts. For example, take a loved one out for dinner or suggest going on vacation together to make better use of your collective funds. A well-timed extended family vacation in lieu of gift exchanges may alleviate the stress of the holiday season, much of which can be traced to holiday spending.

Establishing a gift-giving strategy and budget for each person to work with can make for a more peaceful holiday season by freeing up time to spend with loved ones and placing the focus on family instead of shopping.

Anyone who has enjoyed a meal at the Dining Lab Restaurant at Monroe College knows the food is tops. So, it turns out, are the students preparing it. On Nov.1, the Monroe Culinary Team was crowned 2015 State Champions at the American Culinary Federation, ACF, New York State Championships. Monroe squared off against the state’s culinary elite and managed to earn five gold medals in a competition that judged overall teamwork on culinary skills and menu production. The victory was especially satisfying for the Monroe squad, a mix of three veteran seniors and two underclassmen, who had come so close in recent years. The team now turns its attention to

the ACF Regionals in Buffalo next month, where they try to earn the right to represent New York in the national culinary competition.

Less than a week after being crowned state champs, the culinary team was back in competition in New York City at the 146th annual Salon of Culinary Art Competition. This event, organized by the prestigious Société Culinaire Philanthropique, pairs a Monroe confectionary and savory team in the preparation of a magnificent culinary table. The confectionary team displayed awe-inspiriting chocolate sculptures, sugar showpieces and cakes. The savory team accented the table with gorgeous platters

of meat, seafood and poultry and other table sculptures. Weeks of preparation paid off as Monroe was awarded the grand prize for buffet presentation. The confectionary team was also honored as “best of show” for its extraordinary sugar sculpture, and Monroe took home its third Marc Sarrazin Cup in four years.

The Monroe students now return to campus to continue honing their professional skills by serving real customers in the Monroe Dining Lab Restaurant in New Rochelle. A three-course price fixed menu of Contemporary American cuisine is just $25. Reservations can be made at [email protected] or by calling 740-6421.


Effectively manage your credit this holiday seasonSpending is synonymous

with the holiday season. According to the U.S. Census Monthly Retail Trade Survey, spending rose throughout the holiday season in 2013, when consumers spent more than $300 billion in the month of December alone.

If spending and the holiday season go hand-in-hand, so, too, does January and the financial hangover that results from having spent so much in November and December. Many consumers find themselves in considerable debt come the new year, having decided to put many of their holiday purchases on plastic when the season was in full swing. But just because the holidays are a season of spending does not mean the first months of the new year need to be an exercise in extricating yourself from

but they’re not as valuable if you overspend and end up paying substantial interest charges.

Avoid retailer credit cards. Retailer credit cards also entice shoppers with deals. When purchasing items in-store, customers often are asked if they would like to earn a percentage off of their purchase by signing up for a retailer credit card. Such discounts may fall anywhere between 10 and 20 percent, a deal that many men and women may find too tempting to resist. However, retailer credit cards often come with much higher interest rates than standard credit cards. Unless you know you can pay off the balance immediately, decline the offer to sign up for a retailer credit card, opting instead to pay for your items with cash or a preexisting card that carries a much lower interest rate.

Use only one card. Using multiple cards when

making holiday purchases is a great way to lose track of how much you have spent. Even though the Internet makes it easy to check balances on all of your cards multiple times per day, managing credit is still easier if you only need to log in to a single account to monitor your holiday spending. Make a daily effort to monitor that spending, as it’s free to view your balance online and such monitoring can greatly reduce the likelihood that you will overspend.

Don’t exceed your credit limit. One of the biggest yet most preventable mistakes consumers make come the holiday season is exceeding their credit limits. Exceeding your credit limit not only means you will have a rough month of January when the bills come due, but such a mistake also has a more long-term effect, as your credit score suffers anytime

you exceed your limit.

Know your interest rates. Though it’s best to only use a credit card when you know you can repay the balance in full when the bill arrives, some consumers simply must carry a balance. In such instances, know the interest rate held by a particular card before you swipe that card to make a purchase. Some cards hold variable interest rates, which means the interest charged back in June may be far lower than the interest you will be charged in January. Before using any of your credit cards, determine which one holds the lowest interest rate and use that one when making holiday purchases.

Though spending might be synonymous with the holiday season, consumers need not accept credit card debt as a harsh reality of January. Taking steps to manage credit effectively when holiday shopping can make January a more enjoyable time of year.

debt. The following are a few ways shoppers can effectively manage their credit this holiday season.

Don’t use credit just to earn bonuses. One way to fall into significant debt is to justify your use of credit cards as a great way to earn miles, points or cash-back bonuses. While such

rewards can be appealing, if you’re afraid that you will overspend this holiday season if you put everything on plastic, then don’t do so just so you can earn bonuses. Credit cards should only be used when you have enough money to pay off a balance in its entirety before you incur any interest charges. Those rewards might be tempting,


Great gifts for people who love to read

Many people love to read, and such people do not often cause headaches for holiday shoppers. Readers typically are easy to shop for come the holiday season, when shoppers stuck on what to get a friend or family member can always fall back on a book or two if they know their loved one likes to get lost in a good book.

But books aren’t the only gifts shoppers can give the readers on their lists this holiday season. The following are a few gift ideas no book lover can balk at.

E-reader: Before buying an e-reader, shoppers may want to first learn where the intended recipient of this thoughtful gift stands on the book versus e-reader debate. Some book lovers feel a sentimental attachment to traditional books, while others love the versatility of e-readers, many of which serve as tablets that allow users to peruse the Internet, play games and, of course, read books. If your friend or family member does not have an aversion to e-readers, then this might make the ideal gift. The price of e-readers varies depending on their

capabilities, but you can expect to spend anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars depending on which model you ultimately choose.

Storage: For those readers who prefer traditional books, a new bookshelf can help them store their favorite titles. Books take up a lot of space, and avid readers tend to buy many new books each year, so homeowners and apartment dwellers alike will no doubt appreciate the extra space to store their collections. But even e-reader enthusiasts may find their storage filling up faster than they might have liked. To remedy that problem, holiday shoppers can buy a Wi-Drive with ample extra storage space so readers who keep both books and movies on their e-readers and tablets have plenty of extra space to store all of those new books they plan to read in the coming year.

Decorative bookends: Those who have a passion for books and home décor might appreciate a unique set of handcrafted bookends to store the books they

keep on their desks or those they keep out as decorative accents that guests can enjoy when visiting. Such gifts will please your friends or family members who have a flare for interior decorating while also appealing to their love of literature.

Book club membership: A membership to a Book of the Month Club may be right up the alleys of those readers who read too fast to join a local reading group or simply don’t have the time to devote to a community book club. Such memberships often sell classic titles and the latest bestsellers at a fraction of the cost of the publisher-established prices, and members typically can order as many books as they would like. This can be a great way for readers to find new titles and keep the books coming in without breaking the bank.

Avid readers are passionate about their books, and holiday shoppers can feed those passions by giving their favorite readers gifts that indulge their love of literature this holiday season.

One of the best steaks in NYC and Westchester

There are more than

24,000 restaurants in New York City. But there are only 100 coveted spots on Zagat’s list of “Top 100 NYC Restaurants.” Benjamin Steakhouse beat out all but 14 restaurants in the city on this year’s list, coming in at No.15.

So what does this have to do with Westchester? Well, not only do we have our very own Benjamin Steakhouse right here, and we don’t have to go anywhere near the West Side Highway to access it, one might even say that Westchester influenced Zagat’s list.

We named Benjamin Steakhouse Westchester the “Best Steakhouse” and “Best Rib Eye,” Westchester Magazine, as well as “The Best of Westchester” two years in a row, for 2013 and 2014.

Owners Benjamin

Prelvukaj and Ben Sinanaj, along with Chef Arturo McLeod, aren’t dedicated to keeping up with food trends; they’re dedicated to doing what they do, the best way they know how to do it. So it’s no surprise they credit much of their success to the signature flavor they achieve by dry-aging their six different cuts of steak for 28 days in special aging boxes. They’re also committed to using only the best USDA prime beef.

Located in Hartsdale, Benjamin Steakhouse Westchester is offering a prix fixe specialty Thanksgiving menu, for those who do not want to cook or host,

but are in search of the perfect place to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones in Westchester County. The traditional

menu features puree of pumpkin soup, traditional turkey with stuffing, roasted yams, potatoes au gratin and cranberry relish. The fireplace, a centerpiece of Benjamin Steakhouse, lends itself to a cozy Thanksgiving feast. The restaurant also offers private rooms for your next event or family holiday celebration. These newly renovated spaces can host from 10 to 300 guests—perfect for any occasion.

Benjamin Steakhouse Westchester is located at 610 West Hartsdale Road White Plains, New York, 10607. Call (914) 428-6868 to make a reservation or to reserve your next event.


Gifts to keep kids engagedHow to save on high-tech gifts

Select gifts that will have a longer shelf life, guaranteeing more opportunities for play.

Shoppers can employ several strategies to save money on gadgets this holiday season

Gadgets are among the most popular gifts come the holiday season. In 2013, CreditDonkey.com surveyed shoppers to determine what they planned to give during the holidays, and electronics were second only to gift cards among the most popular gifts to give. Sixty-three percent of respondents cited their intentions to give electronics, while the survey also found that 76 percent of people planned to request electronics as holiday gifts.

Gadgets figure to be popular gifts again this holiday season. Unwrapping the latest tablet or a big-screen television can be exciting, but electronics can be expensive. Those who plan to give their loved ones the latest gadgetry should be happy to learn there are ways to do so that don’t require breaking the bank.

Scale back. Oftentimes people are buying more computer or data than they actually need. For example, when buying computers, it’s tempting to go for those that boast the most memory, but that extra memory is only useful to those people who truly need it. A less expensive model that suits your loved one’s genuine needs will make for an impressive and more practical gift.

Determine necessity. Some gadgets are more a desire than a necessity. Decide if a particular device will be an asset to your loved one or just another trendy item that soon will be gathering dust. Look for devices that your loved one will make the most of. If the purchase is not warranted, save your money and look for something else.

Consider refurbished items. Don’t shy away from refurbished items, as the discounts can be steep. Refurbished items are often just items that were returned to the store because they’re not needed or because the item was malfunctioning. Returned items are factory-tested and then repackaged. Opt for refurbished items that carry a manufacturer-backed warranty for greater peace of mind.

Consider open box items. Just because packaging is dented or torn does not mean the merchandise inside is damaged. Purchasing a product that’s not inside a pristine box can sometimes yield a 10 to 15 percent discount at retailers that offer open-box specials. Just verify that all cords, manuals and other accessories are inside the box before leaving the store.

Peruse previous generation models. Manufacturers release a new version of their devices seemingly every year. That doesn’t mean last year’s phone, video game console or computer is any less effective than the updated version. Models from previous years likely won’t be much different from the latest models, but they do figure to be considerably less expensive.

Look for coupon codes. When researching products, search for coupon codes for desired electronics and retailers. Web-based retailers may post coupon codes that add up to significant savings. Just ensure that the total cost after taxes and shipping fees are calculated makes the purchase worth your while.

Skip the warranty. Extended warranties often cost more money than potential repairs. In addition, after a few year’s time, your loved one may be looking to upgrade his or her gadget anyway, making the extended warranty an unnecessary expense.

Gadgets make for popular yet expensive holiday gifts. But holiday shoppers can save money on electronics by employing a few savings strategies.

Store aisles are filled this time of year with every must-have gift retailers can advertise. Children often plead and beg for the hottest toys weeks ahead of the holidays, hoping to find their requests wrapped up come the big day.

But once the gift wrap is torn away and kids have played with their presents for a day, some already grow bored with their new belongings and cast them aside. Certain toys are not engaging enough to warrant extended periods of play — no matter what the advertisements boast.

No gift-giver wants to spend money on a present only to have it collecting dust days later. With that said, employing these strategies can help anyone select a gift that will continue to inspire and excite children long after the holiday season has come and gone.

Don’t believe the hype. It’s easy to fall hook, line and sinker for ultra-popular

trendy gifts. While such gifts may have popular appeal, that does not mean they’re a perfect fit for your child. When shopping for youngsters come the holiday season, choose a gift because your child will truly enjoy it and not because it’s the trendy item of the year.

Focus on the play factor. Too often shoppers get caught up in toys’ appearances. Instead, think about how the toys will work with imaginative play. The more a child can envision himself doing with a particular toy, the more likely he or she will exhibit a continued interest in that toy.

Look for minimal bells and whistles. Kids often find toys that leave more room for imagination more interesting than toys that are loaded with gadgets. Children prefer to make up their own stories and create modes of play that are more about what they like rather

than the “right” way to play or win.

Choose gifts that grow. Shoppers want to select gifts that are age-appropriate for children so they will be safe during play time. But shoppers also should look for toys and activities that can be modified and grow with the child as he or she ages. A game that gets progressively harder through levels or a toy set that can be supplemented as kids grow older may make good gifts. Musical instruments also can grow with a child, as the instruments become easier to master with practice.

Figure out the child’s interests. Toys that cater specifically to a child’s interests will be the most warmly received. It may take going the extra mile to find a gift that matches a child’s interest rather than picking up the first trendy gift you see, but the results will be well worth it.


How to simplify the process of returning gifts

Returns are an inconvenient reality of the holiday season. Whether you’re returning clothes that don’t fit or big-ticket items that don’t suit your lifestyle, the idea of making those returns is unlikely to inspire enthusiasm. However, the following are a few ways to simplify the process of returning gifts so it goes as quickly and as smoothly as possible.

• Gingerly open packages. Much of the frustration associated with returning gifts can be traced to returning the items in boxes that were torn apart when opening the gifts. Before tearing into a package or removing tags from any clothing, consider the gift and if you think you might want to return it. Some stores will not allow returns unless packaging

is completely intact, while some clothing retailers will only accept returns that include the original tags. So examine all gifts before you go tearing into any packaging so your initial excitement may impede your ability to return ultimately unwanted gifts.

Don’t delay a return. Men and women who wait to return an item may be making things more difficult on themselves. Some stores only allow returns for a predetermined number of days after the product is purchased, while others may not offer cash back after that period has expired. If you know you want to return a gift, do so soon after receiving the gift to minimize the headaches that come from procrastinating with regard to returning gifts.

Bring the original receipt. When possible, bring the original receipt instead of just the gift receipt. Returns made with only a gift receipt may only be eligible for store credit or a retailer may not give you full credit for the amount spent on the gift. In the latter case, without the actual receipt, you likely won’t know how much store credit you deserve or how much cash back you can expect.

Know the return policy before visiting the store. Return lines can be long, and no one wants to finally make it to the front of the line only to be told an item must be returned via the mail or that returns are subject to fees they don’t want to pay. Save yourself the time and frustration of a failed return by researching the retailer’s return policy before you head out to return any items.


Give the gift of indulgence this holiday season

Did you know?Though there is no official data that declares the best-selling holiday toy

for children of all-time, it’s fair to assume the lovable “Sesame Street” figure Elmo is high on the list of most popular holiday toys. Much of that

popularity can be traced to the introduction of Tickle Me Elmo in 1996. Though not the first Elmo doll, Tickle Me Elmo became the must-have gift of 1996, when parents searched far and wide for the doll that laughed when users tickled its stomach. During the holiday season of 1996, many people paid far beyond market price just so their children could wake up on Christmas or Chanukah and have a Tickle Me Elmo doll to call their own. Since 1996, Elmo has been reincarnated many times over, and each Elmo doll seems to inspire its own craze come the holiday season. Released in 1998, Walk ‘N’ Talk Elmo was a popular children’s gift, as was Rock ‘N’ Roll Elmo (1999), Tickle Me Elmo Surprise (2001), Chicken Dance Elmo (2002), and SHOUT Elmo (2005). In 2006, Mattel®, the company that produces the Elmo dolls, announced a special commemorative Elmo to mark the 10-year anniversary of the introduction of Tickle Me Elmo. That, too, sparked a buying frenzy, as some reports indicated private sellers were selling the latest Elmo, known as TMX Elmo, for thousands of dollars.

The holiday season is rife with tradition. Families have their own unique traditions, whether it’s gathering at Grandma’s to enjoy a holiday meal or singing carols together around the neighborhood with friends who live nearby.

One tradition that seems to have made it into many families’ holiday celebrations is indulging in delicious baked goods. Desserts are a big part of the holiday season, when many people relax restrictions on their diets to enjoy some of their favorite cookies and cakes. While such delicacies are often served

at dinnertime, homemade baked goods also make great gifts come the holiday season. Whether a friend or family member is a fully devoted foodie or simply a person who loves a decadent dessert, gifting homecooked baked goods is a great way to show your loved ones just how much you appreciate them. This holiday season, give the gift of decadence by cooking up the following recipe for “Sticky Chocolate Gingerbread” courtesy of Maxine Clark’s “Chocolate: Deliciously Indulgent Recipes for Chocolate Lovers” (Ryland, Peters & Small).

Sticky Chocolate GingerbreadMakes an 8-inch cake

21⁄3 cups dark molasses6 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70

percent cocoa solids), grated13⁄4 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons ground ginger5 ounces whole pieces preserved

stem ginger, drained and roughly chopped

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, sifted (to remove lumps)

2 medium eggs, beaten1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda2 tablespoons milk, warmed A pinch of salt Extra-large crystallized ginger

pieces, to scatter (optional) A deep 8-inch square cake pan or

8 x 6 x 3-inch oval cake panPreheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and

line the base and sides of the cake pan with nonstick parchment paper.

Put the molasses in a pan and heat

gently until hot, but do not allow it to boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until melted.

Sift the flour, ground ginger and salt together in a bowl. Add the stem ginger and toss it around in the flour until every piece is coated.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, then the molasses and chocolate mixture and finally the flour mixture. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and gradually beat this into the batter.

Pour into the prepared cake pan, scatter with the crystallized ginger, if using, and bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F and bake for another 30 minutes. (If using the oval pan, cook for about 45 minutes at the higher temperature, then about 1 hour at the lower temperature, as it will be deeper.) A metal skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely. When cold, store in an airtight container for at least a couple of days to mature and become sticky. Don’t worry if it sinks a bit in the middle — this is normal.

city review-new rochelle 11-21-2014

Documents

rfp process

westchester county government

original rfp

city of rye

playland forum

countys process

county executive rob

able playland