harrison review 2-20-2015

February 20, 2015 | Vol. 3, Number 7 | www.harrisonreview.com

Harrison REVIEWTHE

development and the way it pays homage to the original theater. The vintage facade on the defunct 1920s theater is to be restored and the front door will be located in the same spot as the previous entrance to the theater lobby.

The plan, if approved as is, would see the height of the current building increased to six stories high, which is two stories more than the amount currently allowed for in zon-ing regulations for the towns central business district. To get around the code, which man-dates only four-story buildings in the downtown, the develop-

ers, Verco Properties LLC, of Mamaroneck, have applied for two relevant variances, one for the additional two stories and another one to allow for the extra height measurement of the structure.

Verco representatives said the additional height of the building and, therefore, an increased number of units, is needed in order to obtain a reasonable return on their in-vestment while still providing adequate space and resources for underground parking for residents of the building.

A virtual, 3-D tour of the proposal for the 42-unit build-

ing was used to show how the enhanced height would affect views from the streets, includ-ing 360 degree views of sight-lines from walking distance of Harrison, Halstead and Colonial avenues. The model had previously been used in a similar demonstration at a town Planning Board meeting to great effect, and members of the zoning board were also pleased with the rendering of the buildings appearance, according to John Verni, co-owner of Verco.

The biggest question as it

Playhouse proposal shifts to zoning board

PLAYHOUSE continued on page 8 QUARRY continued on page 9

By JOHN BRANDIStaff Writer

The litigation surrounding West Harrisons Lake Street Quarry, ongoing for almost six years, has finally ended af-ter the town and the property owner reached an out of court agreement.

At the Feb. 11 Harrison Town Council meeting, Town Attorney Frank Allegretti said the town had reached a settlement with quarry owner Lawrence Barregoafter sev-eral legal skirmishes in Town Court, Westchester County Supreme Court and in the ap-pellate divisionregarding stop work orders and 37 town code violations against the property and its business.

A global settlement on the property is better than continu-ing litigation on many fronts, Allegretti told the town board.

The town attorney also said that Barrego hasnt done any quarry-related activity or chipped on the rock wall that is on the property in five years, since a first stop work order was issued back in 2009. He said there are significant ben-efits to the agreement, but Allegretti didnt disclose any specifics.

The town code violations ranged from bringing in illegal fill, to improper fencing of the property, commercial vehicles parked on the site, as well as a lack of plans and permits for the offices and parking lot lo-cated on the property.

Barrego was issued two stop work orders in response to the 37 violations; the one from 2009 halting all exca-vation and heavy machinery on the premises and one five years later, in May 2014, that stopped any and all activity on the private property.

When pressed about the

$825,000 in unpaid fines lev-ied against the quarry over the years, Councilman Jo-seph Cannella, a Republican, said theres contingencies in place. These include monetary penalties being suspended if quarry activity is ceased per-manently and those supplies are removed during the day-light hours.

The councilman said resi-dents in the neighborhood, whove been vocal about the quarrys issues since the late 90s, should be pleased with the outcome as they now have peace.

However, Barrego contin-ues to try and petition the town board to re-zone his property.

An old idea, one that was presented to the town board back in June 2014, would have seen the property reclassified from its current one-family residential designation to a neighborhood business zone. This was proposed in order for Barrego to transform the property from a quarry site to a 35,000-square-foot multi-use space with a grocery store, bank and offices.

Barregos current inten-tions, which were unofficially discussed at the Feb. 11 town board meeting, was to build a 150 to 185-unit assisted living facility, which would still re-quire a zoning change on the property.

Allegretti said Barrego was allowed to submit an applica-tion for a site plan proposal, as per the agreement reached with the town, and it was ei-ther up to the town board or the Planning Boards discre-tion whether it would move forward.

Councilman Stephen Mal-fitano, a Republican, said with the 37 violations smoothed

By ALINA SURIELStaff Writer

Things are looking up for the Harrison Playhouse Lofts, a proposed mixed-use devel-opment slated for Harrison Avenue which had its first ap-pearance before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Nov. 12.

The project, a six-story, 42-unit building, located at 227-239 Harrison Ave., with renovations to four pre-exist-ing retail spaces at the ground level, has so far received some encouraging feedback. Zon-ing board members were im-pressed with the design of the

Town, quarry settle

Harrison firefighter A.J. Fusco does more than save lives. The fourth generation resident has cultivated his skills in the kitchen and created a cooking blog offering recipes and healthy eating tips to firefighters around the world. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy A.J. Fusco

Cooking with fire

2 THE HARRISON REvIEw February 20, 2015

February 20, 2015 THE HARRISON REvIEw 3

Harrison addresses DEP violation By JOHN BRANDI

Staff Writer

The organic waste load has gotten a little lighter for Har-risons Department of Public Works, as the organic waste station on New King Street will no longer accept grass clip-pings as part of a conditional agreement with Manhattans leading environmental agency.

The West Harrison organic waste transfer station is lo-cated too close to the Kensico Reservoir and, as a result, was flagged by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, DEP. The agency claimed that potential pollut-ants could enter the watershed and cause significant damage.

The station, located on proper-ty owned by the New York State Department of Transportation, is within 700 feet of the reservoir, which is less than the required 1,000 feet set by state law.

The city DEP issued a vio-lation to the town against the station in October 2013, and of-fered an ultimatum to Harrison officials to clean up their act or

be shut down indefinitely. Anthony Robinson, com-

missioner of the towns DPW, felt there was a way to work around the violation through an upgrade of the facilitys stormwater controls and by eliminating a waste product that the DEP considers most toxic. Robinson said DEP found that grass clippings were the highest offender, and potential runoff of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer from processing this waste could negatively impact the water supply.

Their contention was the runoff from this material may have had a deleterious effect on the drinking water supply in the vicinity, Robinson said. After consulting with our le-gal team, the best course of ac-tion was to apply for a variance that would allow us to continue to operate.

Two years later, Rob-inson said the facility was finally awarded the vari-ance by DEP on Jan. 5, un-der certain conditions which the facility must abide by,

in terms of its upgrades. Before the improvements are made, however, the town en-tered into a professional servic-es contract with Dolph Rotfeld Engineering for its design. The cost associated with these de-signs will run roughly $10,000. The town board approved doing so unanimously with Council-man Stephen Malfitano, a Re-publican, abstaining from the vote.

In terms of the proposed improvements, Robinson said there will be some regrading to the contour of the land, repave-ment to certain areas around the facility, improvements to drain-age and the installation of spe-cial contaminant filters within each basin. Robinson estimates the cost of these improvements at $250,000.

The second condition is to eliminate the collection and pro-cessing of grass clippings. The commissioner said this measure has already gone into effect.

[That leaves] bagged leaves, brush and bulk leaves when in season, Robinson said regarding what will still be col-

lected. Our forces will begin mulching all grass clippings.

Robinson has encouraged residents to begin mulch mow-ing their grass clippings, which he said would reduce overall organic waste, create healthier soil and turfs, provide a free source for landscape bedding and allow for the

DPW to attend to other affairs. It helps DPW forces to focus more on other matters, like roadway and sidewalk mainte-nance and trees, Robinson said. Still, if residents would like to get rid of their glass clippings by traditional means, Robinson said they could go through a private vendor.

A spokesman for the New York State Department of En-vironmental Protection previ-ously told the Review the wa-tershed regulation the town has been found in violation of has been in place since 1997.

Meanwhile, the facility has been operating since 2004 and was opened in conjunc-tion with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation who issued the initial permit for the facility.

CONTACT: [email protected]

The Town of Harrison has suspended the collection and processing of grass clippings as part of an agreement with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to continue operations at its organic waste transfer station near the Westchester County Airport. Photo courtesy mrgrassblog.com


Whats going on...

Childrens programs will continue at the Jew-ish Community Center of Harrison, 130 Union Ave.

Mondays-9:30 a.m. Rockin Tots for ages one to three.

10:30 a.m. Parachute Play Time for ages two to five.

Tuesdays-9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Wiggle and Giggle with Dawny Dew for ages one to five. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

West Harrison LibraryTwo sessions of the Potty Party

Making potty training fun, learn potty train-ing signs, learn potty training songs, includes a book as well as an activity. Program devised by the originators of Baby Signs.

Dates: March 10 and 17, at 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Harrison library events The West Harrison Library is located at 2 Madison St., in West Harrison. Contact via phone at 948-2092 or go online at harrisonpl.org.

Sign, Say and Play Interactive workshops where parent/caregiv-

er and child learn baby sign language through activity, song and story. Communicate before your child can speak, perfect for babies from 6 months to toddler.

Each week focuses on an everyday activity like mealtime, the program devised by the origi-nators of Baby Signs will take place on Feb. 24 and March 3 from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the West Harrison Library, 2 Madison St., West Harrison.

Neuberger Museum of Art

survey to consider the vintage prints alongside the enlargements and also the ways in which Disfarmers images have been revalued and recast. Neuberger Museum visitors parking is at the Purchase College Parking lot W1.

A $6 per car, campus parking fee applies all days, for all visitors.

Please stop at the Park-2-Fly booth, pay the attendant in advance of your visit and place your ticket on your dashboard before walking to the museum. The museum is located at Pur-chase College State University, 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase.

Westchester Jewish Adult EducationWarm your mind in the cold winter months,

by joining Westchester Jewish Adult Education for one or more of these exciting classes:

History of Judaism in AmericaFive Thursday mornings beginning on Feb.

26, at the Temple Israel Center in White Plains.

The Book of Ruth and Song of Songs

Two Wednesday evenings beginning March 18, at 800 Westchester Ave., 5th floor boardroom in Rye Brook.

Rye Historical Society

from Yale University with a major in English and spent several years writing for TV and on-line new outlets. Allison Pataki is the daughter of former New York State Governor George E. Pataki.

Thursday, March 5thTime: 12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.Reservations strongly suggested as space is

limited.

Childrens Program: Spring Vacation Workshops

Details TBA.Tuesday, March 31-Thursday, April 210:00am-12:00 p.m.Childrens ProgramDetails TBA.Saturday, April 25thTime: 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

Annual GalaDetails TBA.Saturday, April 25thTime: 1:00pm-2:30 p.m.

Blood supplies low

Deadline for our Whats 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].

Becoming DisfarmerShowing until March 22.Becoming Disfarmer is a critical evalu-

ation of Mike Disfarmers vernacular photo-graphs, including approximately 50 examples of his skillful portraits on postcard-sized pa-per. The exhibition will be the first museum

Since the beginning of the year, dozens of American Red Cross blood drives were can-celed due to inclement weather in parts of the country. In addition, widespread flu has kept some regular blood donors from donating. The Red Cross asks that healthy individuals help ensure a sufficient and diverse blood supply by giving blood.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Rye:Feb. 28, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rye YMCA,

21 Locust Ave.

Harrison:Feb. 26, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Harrison High

School, 255 Union Ave.

Childrens Program: Irish DancingCome see the ORourke Irish Dancers perform

at the Square House! Learn about the history and traditions behind Irish dance and costume. Re-freshments will be served. All ages welcome.

Saturday, Feb. 28thTime: 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.$15 per child; half of the proceeds will go to

the ORourke Irish Dance Foundation.

Annual History Luncheon: Women Lost to History

Join us at American Yacht Club for our an-nual lecture and boutique shopping. This year our guest speaker will be Allison Pataki, author of the New York Times bestselling and critically-acclaimed historical novel, The Traitors Wife. Allisons second novel, The Accidental Em-press, will be published by Simon & Schuster in Feb., 2015. Ms. Pataki graduated Cum Laude


State decides if county receives HUD fundingBy CHRIS EBERHART

Staff Writer

The fine print of last weeks agreement between the gover-nor and area congresswoman will force Westchester mu-nicipalities to prove theyre providing low-income hous-ing opportunities in order to receive previously lost federal funding.

On Feb. 9, New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Dem-ocrat, and U.S. Congress-woman Nita Lowey, a Demo-crat, announced an agreement that would provide eligible Westchester municipalities with a portion of $23 million worth of federal funding that was lost as part of an ongoing feud between the Westchester County executive and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, over implementation of the 2009 affordable housing set-tlement.

As part of the agreement between Cuomo and Lowey, $3.3 million in 2015 com-munity development block grant money from HUD along with an additional $1.5 mil-lion in state programs will be funneled through the state, rather than the county, which the federal funding typically is disbursed to, before being disbursed to 31 eligible West-chester municipalities identi-fied in the 2009 settlement.

But, according to two fed-eral analysesthe Huntington and Berenson reports, which determine if there is exclu-sionary zoning in a given area based on racial and socio-eon-omic factors, respectively10 different municipalities have exclusionary zoning and are not in compliance with the national Affordable Hous-ing Act. Three of which were named in both reports.

Since the first report was released, the Town of Mama-roneck altered its zoning and was taken off the list of exclu-sionary zoning municipalities, and Ossining and Pound Ridge are close to doing the same.

Holly Leicht, a HUD re-gional administrator, said there is language in the Cuo-mo/Lowey agreement that will preclude municipalities deemed as not being in com-pliance with the Affordable Housing Act from receiving federal grant money.

Instead of using the Hun-tington and Berenson reports as the standards, the state will determine if the munici-pality is in compliance on a case-by-case basis based on a set of state-imposed criteria. Leight said the exact language of such criteria is still being fi-nalized between HUD and the governors office.

Its a small distinction but an important one, Leicht said. By doing it this way, the mu-nicipalities that are in compli-ance will receive their fund-ing and wont be hurt by the municipalities that arent in compliance. And the ones that arent in compliance wont be able to circumvent the Afford-able Housing law.

During a phone press con-ference after the Feb. 9 an-nouncement, Westchester County Legislator John Testa, a Cortlandt Republican and minority leader, was weary of the fine print of applying to these grants.

For the funding youre go-ing to get, the devil is in the

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said the agreement between the governor and congresswoman does not preclude Westchester municipalities from being in compliance with the national Affordable Housing Act. File Photo

details as to what youre go-ing to be required to perform or what youre going to have to do to participate in the pro-gram, Testa said at the time. And were finding out with the settlement, the rug was pulled out from under our communities by added re-quirements that were not part of the settlement. And they are going to be a little gun shy about participating.

Testa has followed the lead of Republican Westchester County Executive Rob Astori-no, who maintains his opinion that there is no exclusionary zoning in Westchester, despite the federal analyses that say otherwise.

The Astorino administra-tion submitted eight analyses of impediments, which in-cludes the countys version of the Huntington and Berenson tests, but all have been rejected by HUD.

The analyses of impedi-ments is one of the conditions of the housing settlement that was agreed to by HUD and former Democratic County Executive Andy Spano, along with constructed 750 afford-able housing units by the end of 2016 and a completed source of income legisla-tion that bans discrimination against potential rents and home buyers based on their source of income. The county is on pace to reach the thresh-old for number of units built by the deadline and has al-ready completed source of in-come legislation.

The analysis of impedi-ments remains the holdup.

The disagreement between Astorino and HUD has led to the loss of federal grant mon-ey totaling $23 million for the years 2011 through 2014. Those funds are lost to West-chester County and wont be returning.

The Cuomo/Lowey agree-ment is designed to fund the county with almost $5 million for 2015.


Man found dead on train tracksMTA police are investigat-

ing a dead body found on the Metro-North railroad tracks in Rye on the morning of Feb.13.

According to the MTA, a 6:56 a.m. a New Haven Metro-North train out of Stamford, Conn., and headed for Grand Central terminal reported see-ing a deceased individual on the tracks at 7:23 a.m. while passing through the Locust Avenue area of Rye. The trains conductor stopped the train and made a reverse move in order to be rerouted.

The body of an African-American male was located by MTA police, who are investigat-ing whether he was struck by a train. This week, the man was identified as William Joseph, 27, of Far Rockaway, N.Y.

As a result of the investiga-tion, one track, the inbound lo-cal, was closed to train traffic until 10:25 a.m., which caused delays of 20 to 30 minutes. Congestion on the main New Haven line also impacted the smaller New Canaan and Dan-bury branches, which are part of the New Haven line and run

adjacent to it.This incident came just two

weeks after six people were killed when a Metro-North Harlem line train headed to Chappaqua collided with an SUV on the tracks in Valhalla.

The Rye Police Department

has not been involved in the in-vestigation, according to Rye Lt. Scott Craig.

Aaron Donovan, an MTA spokesman, could not be reached for comment as of press time.-Reporting by Marissa Penn

A man was found dead on Friday, Feb. 13 on the train tracks in Rye. MTA police are investigating the incident. File photo


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HarrisonTHEREVIEW Firefighter fans kitchen flames

RECIPE:ROPA VIEJA

Serves 3 to 4 people

1 FLANK STEAK CUT UP INTO THIRDS

1 ONION, PEELED AND SLICED

2 GARLIC CLOVES, CHOPPED

3 BELL PEPPERS, STEMMED, SEEDED

AND SLICED BUNCH OF CILANTRO

RED WINE VINEGAR

LARGE CAN OF TOMATO SAUCE

SMALL CAN OF LOW SODIUM BEEF BROTH

CUMIN

SALT

PEPPER

OLIVE OIL

RICE, COOKED ACCORDING TO PACKAGE

Season steak with salt and pepper.In a large dutch oven or pot, heat a few glugs of olive oil

over medium-high heat.When the oil just starts to smoke, brown the steak in

batches on all sides and set aside on a plate. Add the on-ions to the pot, season with a pinch of salt. When onions are translucent add the peppers and garlic to the pot. When garlic just starts to brown, pour in a few splashes of red wine vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom.

Add the tomato sauce to the pan and season with salt, pepper and cumin to taste.

Return the steak to the pan and just enough beef broth to cover. Cover the pot and simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the steak is fork tender.

When the steak is done, remove to a bowl and shred. Return the steak back to the pot and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes to thicken the sauce up a little.

Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

By ALINA SURIELStaff Writer

Arthur Joseph Fusco is both a firefighter and an amateur chef.

Fusco has been one of Har-risons bravest since 2005, and is also the cook who stirs the pot behind forkandhoseco.com, a cooking website in which he shares his own reci-pes as well as recipes sent in by firefighters all over the world.

Fusco, 31, began crafting his art for cooking in the firehouse of Local 2245, located at 206 Harrison Ave. He said much of life in any fire company re-volves around the kitchen ta-ble. Fusco, a fourth generation Harrison resident, works two, 24-hour shifts, or tours, per week. The firefighters in his crew start each tour by talking together around their kitchen table, getting news on the pre-vious shift and sharing life tips such as how to build a house or change the oil on your car.

I saw right away the im-portance of the kitchen table and then I realized the cama-raderie of when you cook to-gether. Fusco said. Every-ones got their own skill.

According to Fusco, its quite common for firefighters to cook together, so much so that, it has become part of the culture of their profession. He started his website as a blog to share his own recipes after realizing how much attention firefighters garner during joint trips to the supermarket to buy ingredients for their meals for the day. It has since expanded into a way

for him to connect with rescue workers in firehouses around the world. He received some of his earliest recipe submissions from his own friends who were also local firefighters, but some of the entries on his site today have come from as far away as Australia.

Fuscos preference is bar-beque and anything with a rus-tic flavor and this style of cui-sine is prominently featured on Fuscos site.

Since launching Instagram and Facebook profiles for Fork and Hose Co., he has enjoyed an unexpected explosion in ex-posure with 2,122 Instagram followers and 1,166 more on Facebook. Many of those in his audience are not just fire-fighters, but also civilians who want to eat like heroes.

I think its a combination of people being curious and then a lot of people just want recipes that are firefighter ap-proved, Fusco said.

Frank Tesoro, a Harrison firefighter in his 25th year on the job, has tasted Fuscos cooking although they are not normally in the same crew. Tesoro, said he has noticed the younger firefighter constantly trying to improve his culi-nary skills since the beginning of his time in Local 2245, 10 years ago, and that he himself visits Fuscos website to see which meals are featured.

He has a desire to go a lit-tle bit farther than what the av-erage meal would be, Tesoro said. Hes quite creative.

As part of Fuscos outreach, he works with charitable orga-nizations aiming to improve awareness about the impor-

tance of fitness in the firefight-ing profession. Every Friday on his site, he posts workouts and exercise tips from 555 Firefighter Fitness, Inc., a non-profit founded to help reduce the amount of on-duty deaths in the fire service. The non-profit provides daily workouts geared towards the physical demands of firefighting, and, as part of its partnership with Fusco, every Monday, a fea-tured recipe from Fork and Hose Co., is shared on its Facebook page.

According to 555 Firefight-er Fitness, approximately 50 percent of firefighter fatalities are due to cardiac related in-juries.

Rob Piparo, a lieutenant of the City of New Brunswicks fire company and co-founder of the fitness organization, said that Fusco fit well with their overall mission because he is interested in spreading information without making a profit from what he does.

Thats what this whole thing is about, Piparo said, sharing information with fire-fighters across the country.


One of A.J. Fuscos dishes, Ropa Vieja. Photo courtesy A.J. Fusco

A.J. Fusco uses his cooking website to connect with firefighters from as far away as Australia about healthy eating and recipe tips. Photo courtesy Don Dearborn

Fork and Hose Co., is a website that aims to provide information to firefighters interested in healthy eating and exercise tips. Photo courtesy A.J. Fusco

A.J. Fusco has been a Harrison firefighter since 2005, having learned his skills in the kitchen while in the firehouse. Photo courtesy Don Dearborn


relates to this project seems to be whether the towns land use boards will allow for the con-struction of a building taller than all others in the area.

In November 2014, the zoning board rejected a height variance of a similar proposal which would have led to the creation of a five-story, 19-unit building at the location of 241-247 Halstead Ave. The status of that project remains in limbo, as of press time.

The Playhouse project may very well stand a greater chance of passing through the land use boards, as the setting could be considered more hospitable for a taller building. Harrison Av-enue is a less traveled road then Halstead Avenue, therefore, Verco representatives claim a tall building would not loom as obtrusively, and the top two floors would be set back to less-en the impact of the height.

Thats why local control of zoning is important, in that each project needs to be decided on

its own merits and its own lo-cation in the town, said Verni, a resident of Mamaroneck who ran unsuccessfully for West-chester County legislator in 2013. This one is a little differ-ent than being right on Halstead Avenue.

Although the need for the two requested variances, in par-ticular, are the most important issues standing in the way of the project coming to fruition, three other variances are also considered necessary.

The other variances deal with the small amount of open space on the property, a parking variance to address the lack of parking available for use by pa-trons of commercial businesses on the first floor which current-ly include a bar specializing in craft beer, a tailor and a hair sa-lon. The last variance is regard-ing the entrance of the parking area, where there will only be room for one vehicle at a time exiting onto the street instead of the required two vehicles.

Joe Mazzullo, the proprietor of Awesome Items, a hobby shop on the ground level, said he was fine with the building being added onto as long as it was part of an overhaul of the whole site. The space has been subject to littering and other acts of vandalism in recent years and can often been seen covered in bags of garbage and debris.

Anything is an improve-ment on the building thats there right now, Mazzullo said. As for height, I really dont care. They could build six, eight stories.

The matter will be dis-cussed by the zoning board again at its March 12 meeting.

Board members felt more time was needed to discuss possible implications of grant-ing a height variance and whether or not it would set a precedent for future develop-ment in the downtown area.


PLAYHOUSE from page 1

The question still remains whether developers looking to transform the abandoned 1920s theater on Harrison Avenue, pictured, into a mixed-used building, will be allowed to construct a building six stories high and above what is allowed for in the towns zoning code. File photo

have a news tip?

ContaCt your loCal reporter

alina suriel

[email protected]


By CHRIS EBERHARTStaff Writer

An overabundant deer pop-ulation doesnt abide by mu-nicipal boundaries as theyre roaming about lower West-chester, so county officials are taking a top-down approach to addressing the issue by imple-menting a countywide plan thats already been established within parks in the northern portions of the county.

Regional deer manage-ment is important for any suc-cessful deer management pro-gram, said John Baker, direc-tor of the Westchester County Conservation, Parks and Rec-reation Department, which created the countys deer man-agement program in 2008.

Baker said a bow-hunting program was implemented, among other places, in coun-ty parks such Ward Pound Ridge in Northern Westches-ter, where the deer population decreased from about 65 deer per square mile in 2008 to less than 20 deer per square mile last year.

The success is not just our program, Baker said. We view deer management as a regional issue, not just an is-sue of one municipality or one location.

To date, the countys deer management program has only been implemented in ru-ral, county-owned parks up north, but the overpopulation of deer has become an issue for Southern Westchester mu-nicipalities in suburban and

County addressing deer overpopulation

urban areas, such as Rye, Ma-maroneck and Harrison. In Rye, there was a car accident involving a deer as recently as last month along Boston Post Road, one of the citys main thoroughfares.

Baker said for sure there will be a marshlands hunting program to address the issue in Rye. Currently, he said, his staff is reviewing a density study to determine the popu-lation of deer in Rye and has been coordinating with Rye City Mayor Joe Sack, a Re-publican. Baker will be at-tending a deer summit sched-uled for Rye on Feb. 25.

Managing deer south of I-287, such as in the marsh-lands area of Rye, will require a different strategy, Baker said.

The program thats already been established north of I-287 is consistent for five or seven days by 50 to 60 hunt-ers. But Baker said, in lower Westchester environments such as Rye, the hunting should be erratic and limited to one day a week so the deer dont adapt to the hunting rou-tines. Baker suggested using just two or three marksman bow hunters in those types of settings.

In a southern park, the hunting would be very limited and the hunters would be very skilled, so you dont have the issue of a wounded deer going into a surrounding neighbor-hood or surrounding streets, Baker said.

Immuno-contraception pro-grams have also been a point

of discussion as an alternative to hunting, but Baker said, be-cause of the high costs of the program, its not yet avail-able to the county department overseeing the deer issue.

Dan Lemons, chairman of the CUNYs Animal Care & Use program who has been involved in the immuno-con-traception program for the past two years, said Hastings-on-Hudson is trying the im-muno-contraception program as an experiment because the population of the village is too dense to hunt the deer. Lem-ons is a resident of Hastings-on-Hudson.

Lemons said, in addi-tion to immunizing does, the Hastings-on-Hudson immuno-contraception program is also looking at the metrics of what deer are doing and the acci-dents in the area.

We may have immunized some does, Lemons said, but if we dont budget those metrics after four or five years and dont see changes in acci-dents and vegetative damage, we are going to have to say this isnt working.

At the local levels, elected and appointed officials from the City of Rye, Village of Mamaroneck and Town of Harrison will meet in Rye City Hall on Feb. 25 to discuss options.

County Legislator Cath-erine Parker, a Rye Democrat, could not be reached for com-ment as of press time.


Westchester County is looking into establishing a deer management program similar to the one thats been implemented in Northern Westchester, for places like Rye, Mamaroneck and Harrison. File Photo

QUARRY from page 1

over in the agreement, this al-lows Barrego to come to the town board and the Planning Board with other proposals, beyond the assisted living facility.

Some residents took issue with what they saw as Bar-rego getting off scott free. Elizabeth Prichard, a resident for nearly 30 years and chair-

woman of the Harrison Dem-ocratic Party, felt there were still unresolved issues, such as the fines that Harrison did not collect that could have been a real source of revenue for the town. She said this could have totaled $125 per Harri-son resident.

I would like to think this town would make sure Mr.

Barrego makes that [site] clean again, Pritchard said, for what he did for years and years.

A meeting in Town Court between Harrison attorneys and Barrego is still sched-uled for March 5, according to court officials.


The ongoing litigation regarding the town code violations against the quarry on Lake Street has finally come to a close, pending an agreement between the owner and the town. File photo

LIU/Bronxville announces teacher residencyIn 2013, LIU Hudson, en-

compassing Long Island Uni-versitys Rockland and West-chester campuses, collaborated with the Bronxville Union Free School District to offer a high-ly desirable teacher residency program.

This competitive program provides a limited number of paid, clinically rich and inten-sive experiences to aspiring teachers while they complete graduate work in education. Bridging the gap between theo-ry and practice, the residencies facilitate the transition of highly talented students from novice to full-fledged professional. At completion, they are able, with confidence, to take on the chal-lenges of the classroom and make a positive impact on their students.

Candidates presenting ap-propriate academic credentials

and prepared to commence M.S.Ed. coursework in summer or fall 2015, undergo a screen-ing process in order to gain ad-mission to the September 2015 Teacher Residency cohort. Ap-pointments are awarded on a competitive basis.

Accepted LIU Hudson masters degree candidates are granted one to two-year appointments comprising a combination of immersive, classroom-based experiences that capitalize on the students talents and meet professional, academic and individual needs.

Teaching residents benefit from:

Mentoring, supervision and support by a university-based field advisor and a school-based cooperating teacher

Practical application of concepts learned in the class-room

Seminars providing numer-ous networking opportunities

An insiders perspective on school culture, philosophy and operation

Career-readying, on-site ex-periences with teachers and ad-ministrators

A rsum-building, paid position

Teacher residency program applicants can apply to LIU Hudson at http://liu.edu/Hud-son/Admissions/Apply and to the teacher residency program at http://liu.edu/Hudson/About/News-Events/Press-Releas-es/2015/February/Bronxville-Teacher-Residency.

Register at bronx-villeschool.org/elementary/ for an onsite information ses-sion on March 24 at 3:30 p.m., at Bronxville Elementary School 177 Pondfield Road in Bronxville. (Submitted)

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Business Briefs

NYPA adds senior VP just as they would in a family setting. We are thrilled to see this longstanding

dream of opening an intergenerational center in lower Westchester become a reality, FSWs president and CEO, Susan Wayne said. This is a tremendous milestone not only for FSW, but for all the community members who can now take advantage of this unique programming.

The Lanza Family Center for All Ages is named for Patricia Lanza who generously pro-vided a $1 million challenge grant that enabled FSW to embark on this project. Thanks to the enthusiastic response of many generous donors, FSW was able to meet this challenge, purchase a property in White Plains, and renovate the existing building to create a warm and inviting new center that will meet the needs of a diverse group of participantsolder adults, young chil-dren and teens.

We are so grateful to the donors who shared our vision and enabled us to reach this mo-ment, director of special projects who spear-headed FSWs fundraising efforts, Lynn Green said. We also appreciate the support we have received from the City of White Plains, which has enthusiastically welcomed us to the com-munity.

The building will be comprised of two wings, The Marjorie and Richard Dammann Youth Wing named after the founders of FSW and The Sperling Family Adult Wing. Programming at the center will include adult day services with caregiver support, early childhood education and a home base for FSWs many youth devel-opment programs. Importantly, the center will include space where the diverse age groups can come together.

Participants will interact during planned in-tergenerational activities as well as through in-formal encounters throughout the day. Together, children, teens and older adults will enjoy gar-dening, sharing meals, singing songs, cooking side-by-side, and participating in special events that allow them to break down age barriers and form lasting impressions.

For more information about the Lanza Fam-ily Center for All Ages, or to make an appoint-ment to see the flagship facility, contact Lynn Halpern, director for communications and de-velopment outreach.

FSW was founded in 1954 and runs more than 50 social service and mental health pro-grams for all ages, including adoption, head/start/early head start, adult and youth residences and veterans outreach and support. Please visit fsw.org for more information.

Pelham Picture House announces new board officers

The Picture House Regional Film Center announced an anniversary, a change in board leadership and the naming of a new organiza-tion president following the meeting of the Ex-ecutive Committee of the Board on Feb. 9. The transition began with a unanimous vote for the new officers at the full meeting of the board in December and continued at a celebration later that month at the home of James Palmisciano, the new chair of the Board of Directors.

At the meeting, the outgoing board members and founders of the organization, Kathy Cor-

ton, Tom Peer and Ann Sorice, as well as Chair Emeritus John Calvel-li and longtime board members Thomas Can-ning and Dale Hisiger were toasted, applaud-ed and given directors chairs emblazoned with their names and the Picture House logo.

I am deeply honored to be stewarding this incredible organization into its second decade, chair-elect Palmisciano said.

Palmisciano is the chairman and chief in-vestment officer of Gracie Asset Management. Brian Eccleston, newly elected treasurer for The Picture House, is northeast assurance managing partner at BDO U.S.A. Ellen Chandler was re-elected as board vice chair, as was Tracie Cohen as secretary. Laura deBuys, executive director of The Picture House since January 2014, was named president of the organization.

The Picture House will celebrate its 10th birthday as a nonprofit organization at events throughout the year and at The 10th, a festive mid-May birthday party for the organization honoring co-founder Ann Sorice.

Since 1921, The Picture House has served as a cultural center and community hub and is the oldest, continuously running movie theater in Westchester County. Today, after an extensive renovation and the addition of state of the art technology, The Picture House shows the best in new, independent and classic cinema and pro-vides students of all ages with the opportunity to learn about the art, science and business of film.

In a world where you can carry a movie screen in your pocket, The Picture House pre-serves the sense of community, wonder and engagement that has existed since the forma-tion of the first theaters. The Picture House is located at 175 Wolfs Lane in Pelham, thepic-turehouse.org, [email protected], via phone at 738-3161. The Picture House is a com-munity-based, mission-driven, nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization.

Westmed receives national recognition for cancer care

WESTMED Medical Group has been recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Ini-tiative Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. This is a three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet the highest standards for quality cancer care.

WESTMED is the only oncology prac-tice in Westchester County with QOPI Certification.This means that WESTMED is in an elite group of outpatient oncology practices, signaling our strong commitment of quality to patients and to our referring physicians, WEST-MED Oncologist Dr. Stuart Feldman said.

WESTMED voluntarily chose to participate in the QOPI certification process, which was designed by ASCO to measure the quality of care that oncology practices provide to their pa-tients. To become certified, medical practices are evaluated to determine whether they meet core standards in all areas of treatment, including treatment planning, staff training and education, chemotherapy orders and drug preparation, pa-tient consent and education, safe chemotherapy administration, monitoring and assessment of patient well-being.

ASCO is the worlds leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. WESTMED Practice Parners is located at 2700 Westchester Ave., in-Purchase. Contact via phone at 681-5282 or go online at westmedpartners.com.

The next Business Briefs section will run in February. Please send any submis-

sion for our February edition to [email protected]. Each submission may

include one picture. If you have any ques-tions, email Editorial Assistant Laura Romero at [email protected].

Kristine Pizzo, formerly an executive at Co-lumbia University, has joined the New York Power Authority, NYPA, as senior vice presi-dent of Human Resources.

Pizzo will oversee all employee benefits, programs, services and talent development at the Power Authority, which has 1,700 employ-ees in New York State, including 600 at its ad-ministrative headquarters in White Plains.

We have a diverse mix of employees from the Canadian border to eastern Long Island and ensuring they all have the proper benefits and training is a complex task. said NYPA president and CEO, Gil Quiniones said.

Pizzo, a resident of Eastchester, was pre-viously chief of administration at Columbia University where she led several key depart-ments including human resources, finance, marketing, communications and information technology. She had previously been the ex-ecutive vice president of human resources and chief administrative officer at the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

Pizzo has also worked in managerial roles in human resources at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the United States Olympic Committee, and was a judicial fellow at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

She has a bachelors degree from St. Johns University and a law degree from the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law School at Touro College.

NYPA has already established itself as a leader in the utility industry when it comes to providing a comprehensive array of benefits and programs for its employees, Pizzo said. Im excited to build on that already robust foundation.

NYPA is the nations largest state power or-ganization, with 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. Its low-cost power supports hundreds of thousands of jobs statewide while reducing costs for the public sector.

NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It fi-nances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. NYPA has been designated as the lead entity via Executive Order 88 by Gov. An-drew M. Cuomo to form a central management and implementation plan to carry out his Build Smart N.Y. plan to reduce energy used by state facilities by 20 percent by 2020.

Family Services of Westchester opens Lanza Family Center

Family Services of Westchester, FSW, cel-ebrated the opening of the Lanza Family Center for All Ages in White Plains, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The cen-ter, modeled after My Second Home, FSWs award-winning Intergenerational program in Mt. Kisco, will bring children, teens and seniors together at one site to participate in programs, share experiences and benefit from one another,


Six ways to beat camp homesicknessFuture stars summer campsPreparing for campTips for campers (and Parents!)

Lifestyles of Westchester County/February 2015 VoL.16 No.111

INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTYINSID

E


Six ways to beat camp homesickness

By MARI-JANE wILLIAMS

Worried about your child getting homesick at summer camp? There are ways to ease separation anxiety so it will be smooth sailing.

When Peg Smith went to sleepaway camp for the first time when she was about 10 years old, she was wracked with separation anxiety. Smith missed home so much that she was almost physically ill, and had to leave. When her friends came back full of sto-ries about their fun adventures, Smith immediately regretted bailing on the experience and felt like she had missed out on something really special.

So the following summer, she went back. She got home-sick again, but fought through it. Smith, who is now the CEO for the American Camp Association, is glad she did.

Homesickness is natural, Smith said. But its not fatal.

About 10 percent of chil-dren will experience separa-tion anxiety at sleepaway camp, Smith said. For about 6 percent of kids, the anxi-ety will be severe enough that camp staff will have to call their parents. Its normal for kids to be afraid of the unknown and to miss home, Smith said. But if they can stick it out, they will not only have that camp experience, they will learn how to be more independent and work through problems.

Staffs are trained around homesickness, how to spot

it and keep kids busy and engage them and make sure theyre informed about whats going to happen, Smith said, noting that sometimes a childs anxiety stems from not knowing what to expect. Counselors are trained to notice when a child seems sad or quiet, and reach out to him, acknowledge the feel-ings and then distract him, Smith said.

Once the child gets dis-tracted and busy, most of the time they are feeling okay, Smith said. That doesnt mean they wont feel the homesick-ness again, but they learn how to take care of it or at least re-alize that theyre not going to feel this way for very long.

So if, in addition to the standard pre-camp lectures about changing underwear daily, eating at least some vegetables and wearing sun-screen, you find yourself talk-ing about the homesick blues, dont despair. Its normal and, most of the time, surmount-able. Here are suggestions on how to prevent or beat back separation anxiety when your child heads off to camp this summer.

Let the child help choose the camp. The most successful camp experiences are the ones where the child and parent se-lect the camp together, Smith said. If he feels as if hes had some input and control in the decision, hes more likely to want to stick it out.

Practice sleeping away. Have your child sleep over at

the home of a friend or rela-tive so that camp is not her first night away from home, Smith said.

Emphasize the positive. Talk about what a great op-portunity it will be to see and do new things, and make new friends, and tell your child you cant wait to hear all about it, Smith said. In the course of the conversation, acknowledge that new things can be difficult at first, but that shes good at learning new things. If she ex-presses concern about getting homesick, tell her the counsel-ors are there to help.

Take something from home. Have your child pack a fa-vorite stuffed animal or book, or a family picture that she can hold or look at if she gets lonely for home.

Keep the lid on your own anxiety. Its fine to feel ner-vous or sad about your child going away to camp, Smith said, but dont talk to the child about those feelings. Discuss them with your spouse or a friend, instead, so your child isnt burdened with worrying about you being lonely while he is away.

Dont plant seeds of doubt. Never, never tell your child that if she gets sad or upset or homesick he can call you and you will come get him, Smith said. That sends the subliminal message that you dont expect him to have a good time. In-stead, talk to the camp coun-selor or director about what they will do if your child is homesick. (Submitted)


Future Stars Summer Camps

For more than 30 years, Future Stars has been provid-ing families in Westches-ter, Manhattan and Long Island with the finest, most comprehensive, specialty day camp programs in the New York Metropolitan area. The campsite they have chosen at SUNY Purchase College is exceptionally suited to meet the diverse requirements of the camp day. Their staff is com-prised of certified high school/college coaches and educators, all of whom are highly trained in their area of expertise.

In summer 2015, they will be operating weekly special-ized day camp programs for

ages 4 to16. Starting June 22, offerings include tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, football, multi-sports, field hockey, horseback riding, swim, Rising Stars, children entering K to 1,, cheerleading, volleyball, circus arts, magic, softball, diving, S.T.E.M. Edu-cation and academic. Children will have supervised swim-ming every day (instructional swim for Rising Stars). Door to door transportation is available.

Their camp philosophy is to provide every camper with a fun, safe and disciplined environment in which they feel comfortable and secure. Through their limited enroll-

ment policy, they get to know all campers and address their individual needs. All of the programs are led by a highly trained team of professionals who are carefully chosen to ensure each campers safety, skill development and indi-vidual enjoyment. Kids ben-efit from concentrated drilling and personalized instruction designed to inspire individu-als to pursue excellence while having fun.

Play with confidence, en-thusiasm, and a genuine love of the game with Future Stars. For more information, call 273-8500 or visit fscamps.com. (Submitted)


Preparing for Camp: Tips for Campers (and Parents!)

By BROOkE CHELEY-kLEBE

I love those rare moments of parenthood when I am not preparing for the next thing. Most of the time as a par-ent, I feel as if my day is full of getting something ready. Small things like breakfast, sack lunches, and backpacks. Big things like preparing my children to become productive adults. Our job as a parent is to prep!

Its spring, and summer camp is on the horizon. Here are some things that you can do to prepare your camper and yourself for camp.

CamperPlan several sleep overs.

Resist the urge to pack their bags for them or to check on them while there. If they have a phone, have them leave it at home. This is a good way to practice not having direct or constant contact.

Have them write a good ol letter to someone. You will thank me when you re-ceive a letter from camp!

Gear up physically. If you have purchased hiking boots, break them in with a long walk.

Especially for teenagers, have them take a mini-vaca-tion from their devices. A couple of hours or a weekend.

Have them write a state-ment for their social media pages. Peace out Facebook, I wont be sharing my day-by-days with you, I will be at camp. Your teenager may not post that, but maybe some-

thing like it. Have them write down

their goals.Make a homesick plan:Homesickness isnt en-

tirely bad. Its great to love your home. Its sometimes part of the process, and its a confidence booster when a camper gets through it.

Make a happy place plan and write it down. This is an amazing opportunity to learn a life skill. Todays youth go to technology to escape, and studies show this increases their stress. Some ideas might be: taking 10 deep breaths, traveling to a happy place in your mind, packing a cer-tain stuffed animal, shooting hoops, or tossing a football. They are capable of this inde-pendence.

Your plan should NOT be, Give it a couple of days and if you dont like it, we will come get you. This will set them up to give it a couple of days and knock the confi-dence right out of them.

Let your camper know what to expect with corre-spondence. You dont need to write everyday, but let them know what to expect.

YourselfYou are giving your child

an incredible gift. I cannot promise you that they wont lose some socks, that they will love every meal or activity, and that they will adore every counselor. But you are prepar-ing them for college and be-yond; you are giving them the

freedom to gain confidence, independence, and leadership skills; and you are instilling in them that they can do it.

What do YOU want dur-ing their time at camp? Think about a vacation, time to orga-nize, time to have one-on-one time with your other children, or some date nights with your spouse or friends.

If you have apprehensions, work to resolve them. If you are worried that your camper is not going to know any-one, set up a pre-camp get-together. If you are worried about your campers medical needs, become friendly with the camp nurse. If you are anxious about their food aller-gies, talk to the camps head cook. Make a camper-sick plan for yourself. :) Make sure there is only excitement and optimism coming from you, and share your anxiety with another adult.

Pack self-addressed enve-lopes in their luggage.

Whether they are flying or driving, refrain from bawl-ing until they cant see you. Take a deep breath, trust, and remind yourself that you are giving them an awesome gift.

Brooke Cheley-Klebe is the 4th generation to oper-ate Cheley Colorado Camps. She is the proud mom of three girls, Ellie, Kate, and Saman-tha, and loves being involved in the camp industry.

Photo courtesy of Cheley Colorado Camps, Estes Park, Colorado


Join a magical summer at Play Group Theatre

The Play Group Theatre has just entered its 20th year, and is celebrating five years in its beautiful home in downtown White Plainsa 20,000 square foot, fully air-conditioned state-of-the-art theatre complex, including two theatres, multiple re-hearsal studios, a scene shop and a costume shop. All that space is fully dedicated to children and teenagers and their pursuit of an authentic experience within the per-forming arts.

For young actors, The Play Group Theatre, PGT, offers the best in performing arts training and performance op-portunities. With a staff of 25 teaching artists, specializing in a variety of disciplines, PGT Summer Theatre pro-vides each student an immer-sive summer theatre experi-ence, guided by the principals of joyful collaboration and artistic integrity.

From Little Theatre, 4 to 6, to PGT Kids, 7 to 10, to the Young Actors Ensemble, 11 to 13, to Teen Conserva-tory, 14 to 18, to Design Tech Track, 12 to 17, and from a one-week Improv Workshop to the six-week MainStage cast, PGT Summer Theatre actors come together at a variety of stages in their cre-ative journey. No matter what brings you through PGTs doors, what you will find there is an artistic havena creative home where you are chal-lenged to think creatively, to strive toward a higher level of artistry and to work within a group of dynamic, exception-al, emerging young artists in a collaborative environment.

PGT Summer Theatre is a conservatory style program, with half the day devoted to rehearsals, and half to a myriad of classes, including acting, dance, voice, Shake-speare, improv and more. A

trip to Broadway and a work-shop with Chicago City Lim-its are just some of the special events that round out the PGT summer experience. The PGT staff are professionals in the field and dedicated to providing a warm, nurturing, creatively charged, artistically challenging environment for every student.

At The Play Group The-atre, the focus is entirely on the love of the craft and the life lessons that are a natural result of a healthy and non-competitive creative process. The PGT staff sees the artists that students can become, while celebrating the children that they are and the result is great theatre for actors and audiences alike.

Join The Play Group The-atre for a magical summer.

For a sneak peek into a day at camp or for more informa-tion, go to playgroup.org or call 946-4433. (Submitted)


Summer fun at The Rye Arts Center

Keeping kids creativity flowing is key to summer fun. Look no further than The Rye Arts Center to find the perfect summer program or class for your child.

With a broad range of

weekly as well as summer long programs for kids ages four through teen and adults, The Rye Arts Center provides complete flexibility to keep a child of any age, ability and interest busy with creative

fun. Programs begin June 29 and can be combined for a half or full day, by the week, or multiple weeks to suit ev-eryones schedule. New this year is an early drop off op-tion starting at 8:30 a.m.

Also new is the centers Makerspace classes which feature both high tech and high touch fun in designing, creating and making. Classes include: coding, Minecraft, 3-D design and printing, film-making, LittleBits, Makey-Makey, Scratch animation, circuitry, Arduino, electronics and creative building. Musical theater workshop weeks will feature opportunities to per-form stage favorites such as Willy Wonka and Frozen. For young teens, get some fresh air and learn the fine art of plein-air painting.

Rounding out The RACs summer offerings are tra-ditional fine arts including painting, drawing, cartooning, ceramics, digital photography, writers workshops, vocal pop workshops and music instruc-tion. For young artists ages 4 to 10, the RAC offers a three-hour creative arts immersion morning program.

The summer guide can be found online at ryeartscenter.org beginning Feb. 23. For questions, call 967-0700 or stop in at the Main Office lo-cated at 51 Milton Road, Rye. (Submitted)


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18 THE HARRISON REvIEw February 20, 2015 SPORTS

Huskies girls win sectionBy MIkE SMITHSports Editor

Given the success of Har-risons girls track team over the last decade or so, it might be surprising to hear that the team has gone 28 years with-out claiming a sectional title. That all changed last week, as Harrisons girls bested a deep classand perennial champs Pearl River to claim their first-ever Section I Class B cham-pionship at the Armory on Feb. 11.

Harrisons 148 points gave the Huskies a sizeable win over the Pirates, who scored 109 points, and third-place Nanuet, 89 points. Harrison was led by three wins on the track, as Marisa Gazzola won the 55-meter dash and ran a leg on the first place 4 x 200- meter relay team, along with Elisa Arcara, Christine Cardascia and Julia Provino, while Jia Luo set a new school record with a 41.49 time in the 300-meter dash. The Huskies also had success in the field

events, as Bianca Diniz took first place in the shot put and weight throw, Erica Lamanna captured the long jump and Kate Murabito won the triple jump.

It may not have looked like we were dominating the meet on the track, head coach Dom Zanot said. But we had a re-ally good group of athletes in the field event and that made all the difference.

Coming into the year, Za-not said he knew the Huskies had a talented group, but as the season progressed, it became more evident that Harrison might have what it would take to unseat Pearl River.

From the girls perspective, every year since theyve been a part of varsity, it is almost as-sumed that Pearl River is go-ing to win it, Zanot said. But we came into the year thinking it was possible, and when we looked at our early marks, it began to look like an attain-able goal.

According to senior captain Michelle Aguirre, Harrison en-

tered the meet with more confi-dence than it had in years past.

I dont know if it was be-cause I was a senior or be-cause we came into it with more specific goals, but we all came in thinking we could win it, Aguirre said. I knew our team was strong in a lot of events and coach [Zanot] told us we had a good chance to do it this year.

For Zanot, the win was an especially meaningful one, given that it was the first time the Huskies girls walked away with a sectional championship.

Over the last decade, our boys teams have had a lot of success. Winning the county meet. Sending medalists to the state meet, he said. And its a testament to the girls in the program, who have had really good teams to not let themselves get overshadowed and reach the pinnacle them-selves.

As far as legacy goes, added Aguirre, the thrill of winning a section title is tough to top in terms of setting a high-bar for

future Harrison girls.Every runner comes in

with the goal of setting a school record, the captain

said. But as a senior, know-ing that you were a part of the team that won the first sec-tion title, breaking a 28-year

streak, I think that could be more meaningful.


A Harrison athlete competes in the triple jump at the league championship meet on Feb. 2. On Feb. 11, the Huskies girls won the first ever Section I Class B title in the programs history. Contributed photo

not fill up the stat sheets but are no less integral to the success of the unit.

And when the show lacked that singular star, it was up to the cast to forge their own identities. Sometimes it took a few years of tinkering with the personnel, but when it started to click we sometimes got greatness; the crude, frat-boy years of the Sandler-Farley era or the women-driven cast of the early 2000s with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Ru-dolph. When that all comes to-

gether, its like watching those great Yankee teams of the late-1990s shift into playoff mode.

Over 40 years of program-ming, SNL has become as icon-ic a New York institution as just about any of our local sports teams. Online pundits even cov-er it as if it were, giving weekly grades to cast members, mak-ing note of which established veteran seems stuck in a rut or which up-and-comer seems poised to make the leap to mega-stardom.

Perhaps nothing else in the

entertainment world gives us a closer approximation to the world of sporta group work-ing in concert, on live televi-sion, to find something that works and constantly evolving to remain relevant.

Thats the beauty of SNL, and thats the beauty of profes-sional sports.

It might not always be pret-ty, but theres always some-thing going on.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

When I was eight years old, I was convinced of two things: first, that I was going to pitch in the major leagues, and second, that I was going to spend my offseasons tour-ing the country as the first-ever professional athlete/stand-up-comedian.

Neither one of these dreams may have come to pass, but I still love both sports and com-edy as much as I did when I was a youngster.

On Sunday night, I began to think about why these two pas-sions of mine never wavered.

On Feb. 15, Saturday Night Live celebrated its 40th anni-versary with a star-studded gala that paid tribute to the show that has launched as many cul-turally significant characters and catchphrases as any other program I can recall.

As I sat there, watching

Saturday night specialwith my roommate and com-municating with other friends via Twitter and Facebook, I was struck by something; ar-guments about the showbest skits, best hosts, best castswerent all that dissimilar from sports arguments Id had with the very same people.

In many ways, being a fan of SNL over the years has become akin to following a sports team. SNL, like a sports franchise, has had its ups and downs, its all-stars and its also-rans over the last four decades. And like sports, it invites debates about which era is the best?

Theres a common idiom that states that your favorites SNL-era is likely to be which-ever one you watched when you were in high school. Like-wise, sports fans are always quick to tell younger fans about the good old days. In the sports world, you can see this play out in countless ar-guments about the merits of Jordan vs. Lebron. With SNL fans, its about who manned

the update desk better, Dennis Miller or Kevin Nealon?

But what fascinated me about the sketch comedy show wasnt so much the individual per-formers, but how each castor teamwas constructed.

Like a sports team, many it-erations of the SNL cast were centered on a singular break-out star. Chevy Chase was the guy when the show first start-ed and SNL became a vehicle for his stardom. In the 1980s, it was a young comedian named Eddie Murphy who took the reins and made the show his, firing fastballs every Satur-day night like a prime Doc Gooden.

But, as in sports, a superstar cant do it alone.

The great casts, even ones anchored by a breakout star, needed the glue guy, the guy who would do the dirty work. The rebounder, the straight man. Guys like Dan Akroyd, Phil Hartman and Jason Sude-kis all filled this role, the gritty Scott Brosius-types who might

On Feb. 15, Saturday Night Live celebrated its 40th anniversary with a television special. Sports Editor Mike Smith sees a lot of similarities between the long-running program and the world of sports. Photo courtesy NBC.com

February 20, 2015 THE HARRISON REvIEw 19SPORTSHuskies fall in quarterfinals

By MIkE SMITHSports Editor

Harrisons high seed and home-court advantage wasnt enough to stop a red-hot Tap-pan Zee team on Feb. 18, as the surging Dutchmen earned yet another upset victory in the Class A tournament, beating the Huskies 49-40 to advance to the sectional semifinals.

Showcasing deadly marks-manship from beyond the arc and a commitment to defen-sive pressure, the Dutchmen got off to a good start, out-scoring the Huskies 23-9 in the first half. Although No. 5 seed Harrison was able to step up its game in the second half, the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

No. 13 seed Tappan Zee has made a habit of downing favored foes, dropping No. 4 Eastchester on Feb. 12 in simi-lar fashion. According to Har-rison coach Louis Kail, the Huskies just had the misfor-tune of running into the Dutch-men at the wrong time.

Theyre as a good a 13-seed as youll see, Kail said. They play a tough sched-ule and theyre really well coached. And theyre just play-ing with so much confidence right now and theyre peaking at the right time.

Although the Huskies played solid basketball in the second half, an off-shooting night put them in a deep hole to start the game. Despite getting good looks at the basket in the open-ing minutes of the game, Har-rison managed only two points in the first quarter.

Gabby Morris would fin-ish the game with a team-high 14 points for Harrison, but the Dutchmen spread out their scoring as well, getting 15 from Brianna McCleary and contributions from a host of other shooters.

Weve shot the ball well all year, but were young and I think the moment got the best of us, Kail said following the loss. But we could have packed it in and called it a day, the girls didnt do that, they kept fighting.

In the long run, Tuesdays loss to Tappan Zee might benefit the teams returning

players, Kail said. With so many underclassmen on the team, many of the Huskies had never previously played in such a lively playoff atmo-sphere, so they will take this

new experience with them as they get ready for next season.

You have got to go through things like this, you learn more from losses than wins, Kail said. Do you want to win

these games? Absolutely. But youre also learning how to play in these games which is just as important.


Gia Mancini soars to the hoop against Lakeland. Photos/Bobby Begun

A Harrison player battles for control of the ball on Feb. 12. Harrisons stellar play this year earned the Huskies a No. 5 seed.

Avery LaBarbera drives to the hoop against Lakeland on Feb. 12. On Tuesday, she had eight second-half points in the Huskies playoff loss to Tappan Zee.

Gia Mancini goes up for a layup in a sectional playoff game on Feb. 12. Mancini and the Huskies fell to Tappan Zee 49-40 in the quarterfinals on Feb. 17.

20 THE HARRISON REvIEw February 20, 2015 SPORTS

Huskies fall to Dutchmen By MIkE SMITHSports Editor

In front of a packed house at Harrison High School on Tuesday, the No. 4 seed Hus-kies battled valiantly to keep its season alive against No. 5 seed Tappan Zee in the quar-terfinals of the Class A play-offs. But a furious Harrison comeback in the third quarter proved moot, as the Dutch-mens stars took over the fourth, sending the Huskies packing with a 67-59 loss.

Tappan Zees Robert Mc-Williams had a monster fourth quarter against the Huskies, scoring 20 of his 29 points in the final eight minutes of play to send Tappan Zee back to the Westchester County Center. McWilliams and senior Luke McLaughlin combined for 48 on the night, and Harrison coach Gary Chiarella conceded that stopping both stars is a tall order for just about anyone.

Theyve got two of the best players in the section in McLaughin and McWilliams, and that can make it tough, Chiarella said. Plus theyre a hard-nosed team. Everybody does their job and theyre well-coached, so thats a good com-bination.

Harrisons own toughness was on display as well, how-ever.

Coming into the second half, Harrison trailed the Dutchmen 36-22 and couldnt seem to find an offensive rhythm. But they bounced back in the third quarter, cut-ting Tappan Zees lead to just two.

Two big reasons for the teams resurgence were Har-risons renewed effort on the defensive end to confound the

Dutchmens ball handlers, and the fact that Justin Stagg, who had been held scoreless in the first quarter, erupted for nine of his 15 points in the third. Stagg and guard Jack Hoch-man both finished with 15 points which led the Huskies.

I think the press bothered them a little bit and we were able to make our layups, Chiarella said after the game. That helped us get back into it.

Ultimately, however, fight-ing back from a big deficit can take an emotional toll on even a team with a deep bench like Harrison.

At the end of the day, we missed a couple of chippies to stay even and just fell too far behind early on, the head coach said. It takes a lot out

of you to come back from that.

Harrison will return eight players from this years squad, and as the program contin-ues to remain a player in the Class A landscape, Chiarella believes that games like Tues-days lossespecially given the high turnout of fans from both schoolsshould serve to motivate Harrisons players going forward.

Ive never seen the gym like this, not even last year, Chiarella said. Its all do or die playoff experience, which is great because we hadnt had that before last year. So we expect to be in this situation, playing to get into the County Center again.


Jack Hochman goes up for a layup against Rye on Feb. 12. On Feb. 17, Hochman had 15 points in Harrisons quarterfinal round loss to Tappan Zee.

AJ Magee shoots from the outside on Feb. 12. On Feb. 17, Harrison was bested by Tappan Zee, 67-59. Photos/Bobby Begun

Joe Nannariello takes a shot against the Garnets on Feb. 12. Harrison fell one game short of a County Center appearance this year.

harrison review 2-20-2015

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