Westchester Guardian

www.westchesterguardianonline.com

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

PERMIT #3036WHITE PLAINS NY

Westchester’s Most Influential WeeklyVol. VI No. XXIII Thursday, June 7, 2012 $1.00

JOHN F. McMULLENTV

From Baird to the WebPage 4

CARLOS GONZALEZSenate Democrats’ Coup-Coup’s Nest

Page 19

RICH MONETTISignature “Bell

Tower” PreservedPage 7

EDWARD I. KOCHUnjust Verdict

Rutgers Cyber-spying CasePage 23

SHERIF AWADArt Attack

Page 6

ABBY LUBYHoliday Inn Express Coming to Peekskill

Page 20

BOB PUTIGNANO2012 Chesapeake Bay

Blues FestivalPage 10

BOB WEIRPaying the Price of

FreedomPage 27

Books Without BordersCelebrating Literature, Books and Authors

Yonkers Public Library, Saturday June 9, 2012See pages 13-16 for more information

Presented by

The Yonkers Downtown / Waterfront BID

The Yonkers Public Library

The Westchester Guardian, Yonkers Tribune

Westchester on the Level, WGRN Radio

Hezi Aris, Sam Zherka

Dennis Sheehan, author of Purchased Power

Yonkers

Metro North Station

Ella

Fitz

gera

ld

Par

k

Amphitheater

Main Street

CO

ND

OS

CONDOS

Authors

Riv

er S

tree

t

Saw Mill River

The Pier

Xavier's X20

Hu

dso

n R

iver

Celebrating Literature, Books and Authors

Mee

t th

e A

uth

ors

Dolphin

Meet the Authors along the River

Visit the Children’s Authors in the Park

Attend the Seminars, Workshops and

visit the Booksellers in the Library

Gail Carson Levine in the Kid’s Library

Event Entrance

Registration

Riverfront Library

1 Larkin Center

Yonkers NY 10701

Children’s Authors in Ella

Fitzgerald Park

Have fun with the

Face Painters

A Wonderful Story Teller

And Music

Trai

n O

verp

ass

Books Without Borders

Dock St. Buena Vista Parking

Ridge Hill Lawsuit Award in Jeopardy

Legislator MaryJane Shimsky

Funding May Soon Expire

http://www.westchesterguardianonline.com

Page 2 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012 Page 3THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 Page 3THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012THE WESTcHESTER GUARDiAn

Of Significance

Community Section ...............................................................................4Business ................................................................................................4Calendar ...............................................................................................4Charity ..................................................................................................5Contest ..................................................................................................6Creative Disruption ............................................................................6Education .............................................................................................7Fashion ..................................................................................................8Fitness....................................................................................................9Health ..................................................................................................10History ................................................................................................10Ed Koch Movie Review ...................................................................12Spoof ....................................................................................................13Sports Scene .......................................................................................13Najah’s Corner ...................................................................................13Writers Collection.............................................................................14Books ...................................................................................................16Transportation ...................................................................................17

Government Section ............................................................................17Albany Correspondent ....................................................................17Mayor Marvin’s Column .................................................................18Government .......................................................................................19

OpEd Section .........................................................................................23Ed Koch Commentary.....................................................................23Letters to the Editor ..........................................................................24Weir Only Human ............................................................................25

Legal Notices ..........................................................................................26

Mission StatementThe Westchester Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the unbiased reporting of events and developments that are newsworthy and significant to readers living in, and/or employed in, Westchester County. The Guardian will strive to report fairly, and objectively, reliable informa-

tion without favor or compromise. Our first duty will be to the PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KNOW, by the exposure of truth, without fear or hesitation, no matter where the pursuit may lead, in the finest tradition of FREEDOM

OF THE PRESS.

The Guardian will cover news and events relevant to residents and businesses all over Westchester County. As a weekly, rather than

focusing on the immediacy of delivery more associated with daily journals, we will instead seek to provide the broader, more compre-

hensive, chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened with analysis, where appropriate.

From amongst journalism’s classic key-words: who, what, when, where, why, and how, the why and how will drive our pursuit. We will use our more abundant time, and our resources, to get past the initial ‘spin’ and ‘damage control’ often characteristic of immediate news releases, to reach the very heart of the matter: the truth. We will take our readers to a point of understanding and insight which cannot be obtained elsewhere.

To succeed, we must recognize from the outset that bigger is not neces-sarily better. And, furthermore, we will acknowledge that we cannot be

all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentation of relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news and commentary, with features and columns useful in daily living and employment in, and around, the county. We must stay trim and flexible if we are to succeed.

westchesterguard ian .com

Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly

Guardian News Corp. P.O. Box 8

New Rochelle, New York 10801

Sam Zherka , Publisher & President [email protected]

Hezi Aris, Editor-in-Chief & Vice President [email protected]

Advertising: (914) 562-0834 News and Photos: (914) 562-0834

Fax: (914) 633-0806

Published online every Monday

Print edition distributed Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

Graphic Design: Watterson Studios, Inc. www.wattersonstudios.com

RADIO

Westchester On the Level with Narog and ArisWestchester On the Level is heard from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon on the Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel. Join the conversation by calling toll-free to 1-877-674-2436. Please stay on topic.Richard Narog and Hezi Aris are your co-hosts. In the week beginning February 20th and ending on February 24th, we have an exciting entourage of guests. Every Monday is special. On Monday, February 20th, Krystal Wade, a celebrated participant in http://www.TheWritersCollection.com is our guest. Krystal Wade is a mother of three who works fifty miles from home and writes in her “spare time.” “Wilde’s Fire,” her debut novel has been accepted for publication and should be available in 2012. Not far behind is her second novel, “Wilde’s Army.” How does she do it? Tune in and find out.Co-hosts Richard Narog and Hezi Aris will relish the dissection of all things politics on Tuesday, February 21st. Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick will share his perspective from the august inner sanctum of the City Council Chambers on Wednesday, February 22nd. Stephen Cerrato, Esq., will share his political insight on Thursday, February 23rd. Friday, February 24th has yet to be filled. It may be a propi-tious day to sum up what transpired throughout the week. A sort of BlogTalk Radio version of That Was The Week That Was (TWTWTW).For those who cannot join us live, consider listening to the show by way of an MP3 download, or on demand. Within 15 minutes of a show’s ending, you can find the segment in our archive that you may link to using the hyperlink provided in the opening paragraph. The entire archive is available and maintained for your perusal. The easiest way to find a particular interview is to search Google, or any other search engine, for the subject matter or the name of the interviewee. For example, search Google, Yahoo, AOL Search for Westchester On the Level, Blog Talk Radio, or use the hyperlink above.

Page 3THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012THE WESTcHESTER GUARDiAn

Of Significance

Community Section ...............................................................................4Business ................................................................................................4Calendar ...............................................................................................4Charity ..................................................................................................5Contest ..................................................................................................6Creative Disruption ............................................................................6Education .............................................................................................7Fashion ..................................................................................................8Fitness....................................................................................................9Health ..................................................................................................10History ................................................................................................10Ed Koch Movie Review ...................................................................12Spoof ....................................................................................................13Sports Scene .......................................................................................13Najah’s Corner ...................................................................................13Writers Collection.............................................................................14Books ...................................................................................................16Transportation ...................................................................................17

Government Section ............................................................................17Albany Correspondent ....................................................................17Mayor Marvin’s Column .................................................................18Government .......................................................................................19

OpEd Section .........................................................................................23Ed Koch Commentary.....................................................................23Letters to the Editor ..........................................................................24Weir Only Human ............................................................................25

Legal Notices ..........................................................................................26

Mission StatementThe Westchester Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the unbiased reporting of events and developments that are newsworthy and significant to readers living in, and/or employed in, Westchester County. The Guardian will strive to report fairly, and objectively, reliable informa-

tion without favor or compromise. Our first duty will be to the PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KNOW, by the exposure of truth, without fear or hesitation, no matter where the pursuit may lead, in the finest tradition of FREEDOM

OF THE PRESS.

The Guardian will cover news and events relevant to residents and businesses all over Westchester County. As a weekly, rather than

focusing on the immediacy of delivery more associated with daily journals, we will instead seek to provide the broader, more compre-

hensive, chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened with analysis, where appropriate.

From amongst journalism’s classic key-words: who, what, when, where, why, and how, the why and how will drive our pursuit. We will use our more abundant time, and our resources, to get past the initial ‘spin’ and ‘damage control’ often characteristic of immediate news releases, to reach the very heart of the matter: the truth. We will take our readers to a point of understanding and insight which cannot be obtained elsewhere.

To succeed, we must recognize from the outset that bigger is not neces-sarily better. And, furthermore, we will acknowledge that we cannot be

all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentation of relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news and commentary, with features and columns useful in daily living and employment in, and around, the county. We must stay trim and flexible if we are to succeed.

westchesterguard ian .com

Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly

Guardian News Corp. P.O. Box 8

New Rochelle, New York 10801

Sam Zherka , Publisher & President [email protected]

Hezi Aris, Editor-in-Chief & Vice President [email protected]

Advertising: (914) 562-0834 News and Photos: (914) 562-0834

Fax: (914) 633-0806

Published online every Monday

Print edition distributed Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

Graphic Design: Watterson Studios, Inc. www.wattersonstudios.com

RADIO

Westchester On the Level with Narog and ArisWestchester On the Level is heard from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon on the Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel. Join the conversation by calling toll-free to 1-877-674-2436. Please stay on topic.Richard Narog and Hezi Aris are your co-hosts. In the week beginning February 20th and ending on February 24th, we have an exciting entourage of guests. Every Monday is special. On Monday, February 20th, Krystal Wade, a celebrated participant in http://www.TheWritersCollection.com is our guest. Krystal Wade is a mother of three who works fifty miles from home and writes in her “spare time.” “Wilde’s Fire,” her debut novel has been accepted for publication and should be available in 2012. Not far behind is her second novel, “Wilde’s Army.” How does she do it? Tune in and find out.Co-hosts Richard Narog and Hezi Aris will relish the dissection of all things politics on Tuesday, February 21st. Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick will share his perspective from the august inner sanctum of the City Council Chambers on Wednesday, February 22nd. Stephen Cerrato, Esq., will share his political insight on Thursday, February 23rd. Friday, February 24th has yet to be filled. It may be a propi-tious day to sum up what transpired throughout the week. A sort of BlogTalk Radio version of That Was The Week That Was (TWTWTW).For those who cannot join us live, consider listening to the show by way of an MP3 download, or on demand. Within 15 minutes of a show’s ending, you can find the segment in our archive that you may link to using the hyperlink provided in the opening paragraph. The entire archive is available and maintained for your perusal. The easiest way to find a particular interview is to search Google, or any other search engine, for the subject matter or the name of the interviewee. For example, search Google, Yahoo, AOL Search for Westchester On the Level, Blog Talk Radio, or use the hyperlink above.

Of Significance

Community Section ...............................................................................4Business ................................................................................................4Calendar ...............................................................................................4Creative Disruption ............................................................................5Cultural Perspective ...........................................................................7Energy Issues .......................................................................................8In Memoriam ....................................................................................10Medicine .............................................................................................10Najah’s Corner ...................................................................................11Movie Review ....................................................................................12Music ...................................................................................................12Community ........................................................................................13Writers Collection.............................................................................14Books ...................................................................................................16People ..................................................................................................18Eye On Theatre ..................................................................................18Leaving on a Jet Plane ......................................................................19

Government Section ............................................................................20Campaign Trail ..................................................................................20Economic Development ..................................................................20Education ...........................................................................................21The Hezitorial ....................................................................................21Legal ....................................................................................................23People ..................................................................................................24Strategy ...............................................................................................24

OpEd Section .........................................................................................25Legal Notices ..........................................................................................27

RADIO

Westchester On the Level with Narog and ArisWestchester On the Level is usually heard from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon on the Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel. Because of the importance of a Federal court case purporting corruption and bribery allegations, programming with be suspended for the days of March 26 to 29, 2012. Yon-kers Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor James Sadewhite is our scheduled guest Friday, March 30.

It is however anticipated that the jury will conclude its deliberation on either Mon-day or Tuesday, March 26 or 27. Should that be the case, we will resume our regular programming schedule and announce that fact on the Yonkers Tribune website.Richard Narog and Hezi Aris are co-hosts of the show.

Page 26 The WesTchesTer Guardian ThursdaY, FeBruarY 23, 2012

George WeinbaumATTORNEY AT LAW

175 MAIN ST., SUITE 711-7 • WHITE PLAINS, NY 10601

FREE CONSULTATION:

Before speaking to the police... call

Criminal, Medicaid, Medicare Fraud, White-Collar Crime &Health Care Prosecutions. T. 914.948.0044

F. 914.686.4873Professional Dominican

Hairstylists & Nail Technicians

Yudi’s Salon 610 Main St, New Rochelle, NY 10801 914.633.7600

Hair Cuts • Styling • Wash & Set • PermingPedicure • Acrylic Nails • Fill Ins • Silk Wraps • Nail Art Designs

Highights • Coloring • Extensions • Manicure • Eyebrow Waxing

LEGAL NOTICESCLASSIFIED ADSOffice Space Available-

Prime Location, Yorktown Heights1,000 Sq. Ft.: $1800. Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230

Prime Retail - Westchester CountyBest Location in Yorktown Heights

1100 Sq. Ft. Store $3100; 1266 Sq. Ft. store $2800 and 450 Sq. Ft. Store $1200.

Suitable for any type of business. Contact Wilca: 914.632.1230

HELP WANTEDA non profit Performing Arts Center is seeking two job positions- 1) Direc-tor of Development- FT-must have a background in development or expe-rience fundraising, knowledge of what development entails and experi-ence working with sponsors/donors; 2) Operations Manager- must have a good knowledge of computers/software/ticketing systems, duties include overseeing all box office, concessions, movie staffing, day of show lobby staffing such as Merchandise seller, bar sales. Must be familiar with POS system and willing to organize concessions. Full time plus hours. Call (203) 438-5795 and ask for Julie or Allison

FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF WESTCHESTERIn the Matter of ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE SUMMONS AND INQUEST NOTICE

Chelsea Thomas (d.o.b. 7/14/94),

A Child Under 21 Years of Age Dkt Nos. NN-10514/15/16-10/12C

Adjudicated to be Neglected by NN-2695/96-10/12B FU No.: 22303

Tiffany Ray and Kenneth Thomas, Respondents. XNOTICE: PLACEMENT OF YOUR CHILD IN FOSTER CARE MAY RESULT IN YOUR LOSS OF YOUR RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILD. IF YOUR CHILD STAYS IN FOSTER CARE FOR 15 OF THE MOST RECENT 22 MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO FILE A PETITION TO TERMINATE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, AND MAY FILE BEFORE THE END OF THE 15-MONTH PERIOD.

UPON GOOD CAUSE, THE COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETH-ER THE NON-RESPONSENT PARENT(s) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A RESPONDENT; IF THE COURT DETERMINES THE CHILD SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM HIS/HER HOME, THE COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NON-RESPONDENT PARENT(s) SHOULD BE SUITABLE CUSTODIANS FOR THE CHILD; IF THE CHILD IS PLACED AND REMAINS IN FOSTER CARE FOR FIFTEEN OF THE MOST RECENT TWENTY-TWO MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED TO FILE A PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS OF THE PARENT(s) AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, EVEN IF THE PARENT(s) WERE NOT NAMED AS RESPONDENTS IN THE CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE PROCEEDING.

A NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CUS-TODY OF THE CHILD AND TO SEEK ENFORCEMENT OF VISITATION RIGHTS WITH THE CHILD.

BY ORDER OF THE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT(S) WHO RESIDE(S) OR IS FOUND AT [specify address(es)]:

Last known addresses: TIFFANY RAY: 24 Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, NY 10701

Last known addresses: KENNETH THOMAS: 24 Garfield Street, #3, Yonkers, NY 10701

An Order to Show Cause under Article 10 of the Family Court Act having been filed with this Court seeking to modify the placement for the above-named child.

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear before this Court at Yonkers Family Court located at 53 So. Broadway, Yonkers, New York, on the 28th day of March, 2012 at 2;15 pm in the afternoon of said day to answer the petition and to show cause why said child should not be adjudicated to be a neglected child and why you should not be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of Article 10 of the Family Court Act.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that you have the right to be represented by a law-yer, and if the Court finds you are unable to pay for a lawyer, you have the right to have a lawyer assigned by the Court.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that if you fail to appear at the time and place noted above, the Court will hear and determine the petition as provided by law.

Dated: January 30, 2012 BY ORDER OF THE COURT CLERK OF THE COURT

Get Noticed Get Noticed

Legal Notices, Advertise TodayLegal Notices,

Advertise Today

1 column2 column

[email protected]

(914) 562-0834

Of Significance

Community Section .....................................................................................3Calendar .....................................................................................................3Creative Disruption ..................................................................................4Current Commentary ..............................................................................5Economic Development..........................................................................6Health ..........................................................................................................6Heritage ......................................................................................................7History ........................................................................................................7Music ...........................................................................................................9People ........................................................................................................10Police .........................................................................................................11Sports ........................................................................................................11The Spoof .................................................................................................11Eye On Theatre ........................................................................................12Leaving of a Jet Plane .............................................................................13Housing Litigation ..................................................................................14Business ....................................................................................................15Writers Collection ..................................................................................16Books .........................................................................................................18

Government Section ..................................................................................19Albany Correspondent ..........................................................................19Mayor Marvin .........................................................................................20Budget .......................................................................................................21Economic Development........................................................................21Elections ...................................................................................................24

Legal Notices ................................................................................................25 OpEd Section ...............................................................................................28

Ed Koch Commentary ..........................................................................28Letters to the Editor ................................................................................29New York Civic .......................................................................................29




FREE CONSULTATION:
































Advertise Today

1 column2 column

[email protected]

Westchester On the Level with Narog and ArisWestchester On the Level is heard from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon on the Internet: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/Westchester OntheLevel. Join the conversation by calling 1-347-205-9201. Please stay on topic.

RADIO

914-562-0834

http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/Westchester

mailto:[email protected]




http://www.wattersonstudios.com

http://www.wattersonstudios.com

http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/WestchesterOntheLevel

http://www.TheWritersCollection.com






Page 3THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012

CommunitySectionCALENDAR

The Young to Publishing Group (YPG), an imitative of the Association of American Publishers (AAP) has shown its support of “Books Without Borders” which is an event to be held on the Yonkers Waterfront on June 9th.

YPG is an organization that enables young people, new to publishing, an opportunity to network and build a community outside of the publishing houses they are currently employed. “Books Without Borders” will be a great oppor-tunity for these young people to network with their peers from other publishing companies and begin to build relationships with new authors.

The purpose of “Books Without Borders” is to allow authors and booksellers to promote books and themselves, as well as, meeting and developing relationships with agents, publishers and distributors. The hope is to develop a dialogue for the entire publishing industry to enter into the new world of Literature. What better way to go forward than with the new and future executives of the publishing industry?

The YPG is a wonderful addition to the literary professionals already committed to “Books Without Borders”. Free exchange of ideas is the fuel for advancement in any industry. With the advent of eBooks and electronic book sales the traditional publishing industry is hard pressed to keep up with the pace of new and innovative strides now being taken by some. These young and vibrant members of the YPG are the future. Venues like “Books Without Borders” will promote that free exchange of ideas needed to bring the publishing industry into the future.

The members of YPG may be the junior employees of today, with less than five years experience in publishing, but they are the execu-tives of the future. These young people will decide where this industry goes and will deter-mine how people will read in the future.

The founders of “Books Without Borders” are excited that YPG is participating, due to the fact, that “Books Without Borders” was founded

with the concept of helping develop the future of publishing. How authors get their stories out, how books are presented, how publishers get those stories to market and ultimately how we will read in the future.

Organize opportunities for industry peers (entry/junior level) to mingle, network and get to know one another.

Contact: Becca Worthington email : [email protected]

The Young to Publishing Group is an initiative of the Association of American Publishers (AAP) that strives to give entry-level and junior industry employees (typically with 0-5 years of publishing experience) a chance to build a community outside of their own publishing house and to educate them-selves about the publishing industry as a whole. MEMBERSHIP IS FREE, and is open to all “young” (not far advanced in growth, junior, lacking experience) persons currently employed by an AAP member book-publishing house. For a complete list of AAP member houses, click here (http://www.publishers.org/main/Membership/member_02.htm).

Why is there a need for this group?Based on a survey of assistant level

publishing employees done in the fall of 2000, the Recruit and Retain Task Force (now the Diversity Recruit and Retain Task Force) witnessed a void in opportunity for newcomers to publishing (typically at the assistant/asso-ciate level) to network with their peers at the other publishing houses and to learn about the industry at large.

What are the goals this organization is trying to accomplish?

Provide an environment in which indi-viduals new to the industry (0-5 years) feel welcomed and part of a bigger picture.

Create opportunities for individuals to learn about the publishing industry as a whole—all the departments and steps that influence the making of a book.

YPG Supports “Books Without Borders”

Books Without BordersCelebrating Literature, Books and Authors

Yonkers Public Library, Saturday June 9, 2012See pages 13-16 for more information


http://www.publishers.org/main/Membership/member_02.htm

http://www.publishers.org/main/Membership/member_02.htm

Page 4 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012

CALENDAR

By MARK JEFFERSGood news to report, my oldest daughter is home and ready to help research the summer editions of this wonderful column. Thanks to Kate and we both hope you will all enjoy this week’s,

“News and Notes…”I can’t think of a better way to spend the

weekend...the second annual Laxin4Tony Jamboree to benefit Tony Ciccone, a former Fox Lane lacrosse player who was paralyzed playing for Fox Lane in the spring of 2001 is being held at the Fox Lane High School on Saturday June 9th and Sunday, June 10th. From 8 am to 5 pm more than 35 boys and girls teams in grades five through eight will arrive at the Fox Lane campus for rousing competition, raffles, skills contests, food and more. There will be appearances from three-time Team USA member and MLL star Ryan Boyle (Princeton ’04) and NLL & MLL star Mitch Belisle (Cornell ’07) and for the youth lacrosse players participating in the jamboree, it

is an opportunity to be more than just a great lacrosse player; it is a chance to support one of their own. The backs of the event t-shirts say it all, “We R 1 Tribe”. Come out and support this great event.

Congratulations to our friends at Kelloggs & Lawrence in Katonah as they celebrate their 125th anniversary, and no I was not their grand opening…

Since 1992, the Community Center of Northern Westchester has been dedicated to helping neighbors in need by sharing the essentials of living. With the support of 29 Community Partners, and the generosity and volunteer power of residents from all over Northern Westchester, they offer food and clothing, as well as other programs designed to meet the needs of those living in the Northern Westchester community. Did you know, during the month of May, the very generous folks in this area donated 6,931 pounds of food to neighbors in need.

June is busting out all over, as is my stomach, so I am ready to run once again at the Pound

Ridge 5K Race on June 30th starting at the Pound Ridge Elementary School, see you there.

Then on the Sunday after I run, maybe I will hop on my bike and head over to the Bronx River Parkway and take advantage of Bicycle Sundays.

If walking is more your style, then you won’t want to miss the Homestead historic walking tour on June 9th at the John Jay Homestead in Katonah.

Three cheers to our good buddy Rob Labritz the director of Golf at Glen Arbor in Bedford as he won the Polo Golf Metropolitan PGA Head Professional Championship for his first victory of the season…way to go Rob!

Bedford Hills Free Library has started offering commuter parking spaces for lease in their lot on Griffin Avenue. These spaces, open to both residents and non-residents, are extremely convenient to the Bedford Hills train station and are available for $100 per month. The income from this parking lot will help the library make up for recent budget cuts in their annual operating funds.

Summer reading is for the whole family so stop by the Chappaqua Library at 198 S. Greeley Avenue and take advantage of the Friends of the Library Annual Used Book Sale. Sale days run June 7th through June 10th. If you are a real bargain hunter, books go to half price on the 9th and what ever is left is FREE from 1 pm to 3 pm on June 10th, so stop by to stock up on your beach books.

If you have a damaged, faded or worn American flag the Briarcliff Manor American Legion has set up a collection box for the proper disposal. The collection box is located outside the main entrance of the Briarcliff Fire Department.

The Croton Falls Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary is holding their 4th Annual Croton Falls Street Fair on June 10th, there will be bake sales, games, clowns, music and much more.

June is the month for a bunch of area Fire Department to parade and show off their great engines in parades and festivals, hats off the brave folks who are there when we need them, we salute and thank you…see you next week.

Mark Jeffers resides in Bedford Hills, New York, with his wife Sarah, and three daughters, Kate, Amanda, and Claire.

News & Notes from Northern Westchester

By JOHN F. McMULLENOn January 26, 1926, Scottish inventor John Logie Baird demonstrated in his London office to a news-paper reporter and members of the Royal Institutions what is recognized as the

world’s first demonstration of a working televi-sion system. In Fall 2012, ex-NBA star Shaquille O’Neal will debut the “Comedy Shaq” channel on YouTube. We’ve come a long way, baby, in less than ninety years … and the path along the way

has included invention, government regulation,

business decisions, program selection, and, now, the impact of the Internet.

American inventor Philo Farnsworth designed and built the world’s first working all-electronic television system and first demonstrated his system to the press on September 3, 1928. After rejecting David Sarnoff ’s offer to sell his patents to RCA and join the company, Farnsworth moved to Philadelphia, joined the Philco Company, and demonstrated the system to the public at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. He also become embroiled in litigation with

RCA, which now claimed that Farnsworth’s patents were invalid because of earlier work of Vladmir Zworykin, who had been recruited in 1930 by RCA from Westinghouse. Farnsworth eventually won the various legal suits and was paid royalties by RCA.

The Federal Radio Commission (created in 1926 to regulate US radio use and later replaced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1934) issued the first television station license (W3XK) to Charles F. Jenkins on July 2, 1928 to broadcast from an experi-mental station in Wheaton, Maryland. Hugo Gernsback (later the most important person in Science Fiction publishing – for whom the “Hugo” science fiction award is named), owner

of New York City Radio Station WRNY, began a series of live television broadcasts on August 14, 1928. Over the next thirteen years, experi-mentation with television continued until the FCC determined that television was ready for commercial licensing, issuing licenses to NBC and CBS-owned stations in New York on July 1, 1941 (the same day, the first commercial tele-vision advertising appeared on NBC’s WNBT (now WNBC) when the station broadcast a test pattern modified to look like a clock, with the words “Bulova Watch Time” in the lower right quadrant, just prior to that afternoon’s telecast of a Brooklyn Dodgers game live from Ebbets Field).

World War II brought a moratorium to development as production of new TVs, radios and other civilian broadcasting equipment was suspended from April 1942 to August 1945. The end of the war and the general boom in the country jump-started the proliferation of televi-sion sets and, by 1947, there were about 44,000 television sets (with probably 30,000 in the New York area).

The post-war years also brought the begin-nings of Television Networks; NBC had begun in 1944 and the Dumont Television Network followed in 1946 and CBS and ABC in 1948.

Television, however, would not have prolif-erated as it did were it not for the “killer apps,” Milton Berle, Howdy Doody, and Hopalong Cassidy. Just as VisiCalc would later sell Apple IIs and “1-2-3” IBM-PCs, “Uncle Miltie” and

CREATIVE DISRUPTION

TV – From Baird to the Web

Continued on page 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_television#Electronic_television

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_television#Electronic_television


“Hoppy” sold TVs. In 1948, NBC brought “The Texaco Star Theatre” to television with Berle as one of four hosts, naming him sole host in Fall 1948. The show became so popular, gath-ering 80% of the TV audience that some movie theaters in New York closed on Tuesday nights. The morning after the show, workplaces would be filled with discussion of the Berle show the previous night – a great incentive for TV hold-outs to go get a set.

Howdy Doody, a pioneer in children’s televi-sion, ran on NBC from 1947 to 1960. Originally created as a voice by NBC radio announcer Bob Smith, the character became so popular that there was demand for a visual character and a red-headed puppet was created (with 48 freckles on his face, one for each of the then 48 states) and it was “Howdy Doody Time” for 14 years (the final words of the last show were said by the up-to-then mute character Clarabell the Clown, who had only communicated through the use of his horn and by squirting seltzer. He said “Goodbye Kids.”)

Of equal importance to the slightly older young set was Hopalong Cassidy, the first Western network television series, debuting on NBC on June 24, 1949. Cassidy was the fictional hero of a series, begun in 1904, of novels and short stories by author Charles Mulford. Beginning in 1935, sixty-six Hopalong

Cassidy movies were made starring the actor William Boyd. When the movies began to be less successful than other films, Boyd gambled his future by putting all his assets on the block to purchase the character rights from Mulford , the film backlog from producer Harry Sherman, and the rights to the old films from the studios. He then sold NBC on the idea of a television series – all NBC had to do was to edit the movies down to broadcast time length. The series was tremendously successful, making Boyd a bigger star than he had ever been in the movies and paving the way for other movie cowboys, such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, to move to tele-vision -- “Daddy, why can’t we have our own television? I don’t like to keep going to Peter’s to watch Hoppy (or Howdy).”

The success of these shows led the networks to begin a policy that continues to this day -- “If it works, copy it ... ad nausium” and so, variety shows, kid shows, and westerns were duplicated for years. “Lucky Pup” (the vehicle for “Pinhead” and “Foodini”), “Time For Beany,” “Kukla, Fran, & Ollie,” “Snarky Parker,” and “Rootie Kazootie” arrived for kids; Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason, Perry Como, and Arthur Godfrey all had variety shows; and Wikipedia lists 183 west-erns that sprung from the success of Hopalong Cassidy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TV_Westerns) -- including “Gunsmoke,” “Maverick,” and “Have Gun, Will Travel.”

A second part of the above policy might be “... if these shows begin to lose viewership, never

try that genre again” and today we have no west-erns nor variety shows on network TV.

As we moved through the years, color tele-vision arrived. NBC introduced two shows that became staples up until today -- “Today,” which began broadcasting on January 14, 1952 (hosted by Dave Garroway, assisted by chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs), and “The Tonight Show” which debuted in 1954 (and has been hosted by Steve Allen, Jack Parr, Johnny Carson (30 years), Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien – and back to Jay Leno). Three major corporations (ABC, CBS, & NBC) controlled all network content and television sets had only 13 channels. During that time, Quiz Shows and Documentaries came and went; Situation Comedies (“SitComs”) became popular and we moved from simplistic and light (“Ozzie and Harriet”) to socially relevant (“Maude”) to “adult sleezy“ (“Three and a Half Men”); mysteries became mainly cop procedural shows; and soap operas dominated day time television until they were replace by talk shows.

Creative Disruption is a continuing series exam-ining the impact of constantly accelerating technology on the world around us. These changers normally happen under our personal radar until we find that the world as we knew it is no more.

Next – The Landscape Explodes: Cable Television, High Definition Television, & The Internet – A Whole New Ball Game.

John F.McMullen has been involved in technology

for over 40 years and has written about it for major publications. He may be found on Facebook and his current non-technical writing, a novel, “The Inwood Book” and “New & Collected Poems by johnmac the bard” are available on Amazon. He is a professor at Purchase College and has previously taught at Monroe College, Marist College, and the New School for Social Research.

CREATIVE DISRUPTION

TV – From Baird to the WebContinued from page 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TV_Westerns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TV_Westerns


Art Attack By SHERIF AWADCan an artist kill for inspi-ration? Can art inspire vicious crimes? These are the questions raised by many films I have seen during Tribeca Festival last

month. Eddie the Sleepwalking Cannibal, a Danish-

Canadian co-production was the first film. It stars Danish actor Thure Lindhardt who plays Lars, an artist who suffers from creativity problems. However, his inspiration is only resurrected in the form of carnage – blood, guts and scenes of violence. Concerned about his young protégé, Ronny, Lars’s long-time art dealer, arranges for him a teaching job in a small town, at a school for the mentally challenged. Arriving there, he gets introduced to the deaf and dumb Eddie, one of the school’s students. One night, Lars wakes up only to discover that Eddie is a cannibal suffering from a rare form of sleepwalking that drives him to crave for the fresh meat of human beings. Initially horri-fied by Eddie’s deep dark secret, Lars becomes enthralled by the not-so-gentle giant who becomes his muse for a new series of bloody and violent paintings.

I met Boris Rodriguez, the writer-director of Eddie, who, after studying filmmaking in Montreal, went to direct the award-winning documentary Havana Kids in 1996. Rodriguez, who is making his feature debut in Eddie, told me that the original draft of the script was about a werewolf and a novelist in Carolina and, after few rewritings, became the final film whose poster’s design, colors and composition, was given a retro feel with a tribute to the poster of the classic horror The Exorcist and some Italian horror film known as Giallo. During the shooting, Rodriguez discovered how difficult it was to mix violence and dark humor, which is a common formula nowadays. But near the end, he was successful in causing the violence to escalate from the beginning of the film to the

end into a more graphic and detailed climax. However, Rodriguez did not show us any of the paintings inspired by Eddie’s crime realized by Lars because he wanted to leave the recogni-tion to our imagination. Eddie reminded me of a very old film I have seen in 1980s though it was released in 1974. Craze starred Jack Palance as Neal Mottram, a nutty antiques dealer who starts to sacrifice women to an African idol he kept in his gallery.

The second film about art, mayhem and madness is Francophrenia, a brilliant, cutting-edge collaboration between famed actor and avant-garde artist James Franco and award-winning filmmaker and editor Ian Olds. A couple of years ago, Franco signed up for a guest appearance in one of the episodes of General Hospital, then brought along a crew to film behind-the-scenes action on a set at Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), creating a glimpse into the strange world of celebrity in both its public and private moments. In that episode, Franco was playing a deranged artist who was about to commit a crime while opening his show at the MOCA.

Later on, after wrapping up the episode, Franco contacted Olds who started to work on this “found footage,” to repurpose Franco’s material into an experimental psychological thriller focusing on the actor’s escalating paranoia. Olds added his own voiceover as the conscience of Franco and edited the material to make it look like Franco is losing his mind on the set as the line between reality and fiction was blur-ring with the performance artist Franco plays in the television soap opera and the movie star James Franco are in internal conflict. Olds and fellow screenwriter Paul Felten worked

on this subjective interior monologue that underscores the conflicted relationship

between these various facets of the same being. The film is a crazy ride with the

director playing with

many tools: action, reverse-action abstraction, animation, and multiple-screen imagery, all set within the context of a dramatic suspense narrative. Also Franco and Olds succeeded in using Franco’s celebrity status to create an orig-inal work that defies the trajectory of stars who usually move from soap to silver screen.

After Tribeca, I went to see The Raven starring one my favorite actors, John Cusack, in a thriller taking the real-life character of novelist Edgar Allan Poe into a fictitious narrative where he faces a lunatic commit-ting horrific murders inspired by his writings. James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), directed The Raven with high efficiency and fast-pacing and succeeding to pull out another one of Cusack’s intense performances.

Born in Cairo, Egypt, Sherif Awad I a film / video critic and curator. He is the film editor of Egypt Today Magazine, and the artistic director for both the Alexandria Film Festival, in Egypt, and the Arab Rotterdam Festival, in The Netherlands. He also contributes to Variety, in the United States, and Variety Arabia, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Francophenia.

Director Boris Rodriguez.

Jack Palance in “Craze”.

Dylan Smith.

Thure Lindhardt.

CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

PART MUSE... PART SLEEPWALKING CANNIBAL PART SLEEPWALKING CANNIBAL PART SLEEPWALKING

a Boris Rodriguez fi lmstarring Thure Lindhardt

THE SLEEPWALKING CANNIBAL

GLOBAL SCREEN PRESENTS A QUIET REVOLUTION PICTURES FRIDTHJOF FILM MAJIKA PICTURES PRODUCTION WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF TELEFILM CANADA DANISH FILM INSTITUTE IN ASSOCIATION WITH CAPTIAL MOTION PICTURE GROUP SUPER CHANNEL AND MAKEAMOVESTARRING THURE LINDHARDT GEORGINA REILLY DYLAN SMITH AL GOULEM PAUL BRAUNSTEIN AND STEPHEN McHATTIE PRODUCERS MICHAEL A. DOBBIN RONNIE FRIDTHJOF BORIS RODRIGUEZ EXECUTIVE

PRODUCERS MICHAEL SOLOMON STEVE MORETTI SVEN SCHNELL ASSOCIATEPRODUCERS MIRIAM NØRGAARD ALEX SANDAHL

ASSOCIATEPRODUCER CHRIS HASTINGS WRITTEN &

DIRECTED BY BORIS RODRIGUEZ STORYBY JON RANNELLS STORY

EDITOR ALEX EPSTEIN ORIGINALSCORE DAVID BURNS CINEMATOGRAPHY PHILIPPE KRESS, DFF EDITOR SARA BØGH JENSEN SOUND

DESIGN THOMAS ARENT PRODUCTIONDESIGN COLLEEN MARCHAND COSTUME

DESIGN SUE FIJALKOWSKA STARSCASTING 1066 PRODUCTIONS CASTING SARAH KAY JENNI LEWIS


Commercial • Industrial & Residential Services

Roll-Off Containers 1-30 YardsHome Clean-up Containers

Turn-key Demolition Services

DEC Licensed Transfer Station

DEP Licensed Rail ServeTransfer & Recycling Services

Licensed Demolition Contractor

Locally Owned & OperatedRadio Dispatched

Fully Insured - Free Estimates

On Site Document Destruction

Same Day Roll Off Service If You Call By Noon

City Carting of Westchester • Somers SanitationB & S Carting • AAA Paper Recycling • Bria Carting • CRP Sanitation

800.872.7405 • 8 VIADUCT RD., STAMFORD, CT • 203.324.4090

www.citycarting.net

DEVELOPMENT

By RICH MONETTIOn Tuesday, May 15th, The Bedford Town Board heard the appeal of Dr. Darel Benaim and her husband Carlos in regards to their application to demolish

an architecturally distinctive structure on their property known as the Belfry.

The Benaim’s had purchased the property on 44 Holly Branch Road in 2011 with the intent of tearing down the hundred year old building and incorporating the home of stone, wood and glass into the rolling hill. “Our real estate broker assured us we would be able to complete the designs in full compliance,” said Dr. Benaim in addressing the board and public hearing.

Four months later, the couple was confronted with the Historical Building Preservation Ordinance and found their prop-erty among 500 other Bedford properties affected. Stopping their plans cold, she said, “We were shocked.”

The ordinance calls for the preservation of properties and structures that contain distinc-tive architectural and historical significance. The point of contention has hinged on the transpar-ency of the document.

The Benaim’s claimed neither they nor the various real estate and legal agents enlisted in the acquisition knew nothing of the Ordinance, and in fact, it was not available to the public. Otherwise, she said, “We never would have purchased the property.”

In response, John Stockbridge, the Town of Bedford’s Historian denied the so-called “secrecy” of the list, as he argued in favor of the preservation of the Tudor Style structure for the Bedford Village Historic District Review Commission. “There is no intent to have secrets. This is a survey that is available for people to look at,” he said. “Is it sent to everybody? – No! But is the wetland map sent to everybody?”, he asked rhetorically.

In turn, he believed “due diligence” was not done in regards to the property owners and the real estate brokers and lawyers that acted on their behalf. Mr Stockbridge chose not to speculate on the intent of the various parties.

The main details in the dispute aside, the board fashioned a compromise. The Benaim’s will be able to demolish the main structure known as the Belfry but must preserve its signa-ture Bell Tower. They can either relocate it or incorporate it into a new structure. The Benaim’s

Legal Counsel, Al DelBello, confirmed that the Benaim’s were satisfied with the ruling.

Mr Stockbridge was however disappointed that the ordinance’s intent did not fully stand up to the challenge but was relieved the Bell Tower was spared. He also recognized the bigger picture approach the Town Board was faced with. Pointing to possible ambiguities in any document and the willingness of the residents to continue the fight, he said, “Basically, they didn’t want to get involved in an expensive, time

consuming litigation.”Going forward, Mr Stockbridge sees the

outcome as a wake up call for the commission. “We need to be on the same page as the Town Board so if an ordinance is accepted, it can be relied upon by the public to get a proper review,” he concluded.

Rich Monetti lives in Somers. He’s been a freelance writer covering Westchester County since 2003.Peruse his work at www.monetti.blogspot.com.

Bedford Property Owners Win Right to Demolish Historic Tudor Structure Signature “Bell Tower” Preserved

Continued on page 8

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

By NANCY KINGThis week, the government released their monthly jobs report and the news was dismal. Unemployment is up to 8.2% from last month’s 8.1%, and the nation added a mere 69,000 jobs during the

month of May. This is hardly the news that cash strapped, already uneasy Westchester workers wanted to hear. Though these numbers are modest, throughout the county there seems to be a tentative step towards economic recovery.

White Plains, which for many years was the home of multiple $1.00 stores, has seen the emergence of new businesses along both the Mamaroneck Avenue and Main Street corridor. In the past year, White Plains has welcomed nearly a dozen small businesses to their commu-nity. However these new businesses center around the hospitality industry and are mainly restaurants and bars; most of them are privately owned. While these stores may not be the type of small business that we grew up seeing on Main Street, these are the types of businesses that are attracting entrepreneurs and consumers

alike. To cash strapped municipalities, they are contributing to the sales tax revenue stream that keeps a municipality fiscally healthy.

According to Stuart Levine of Vino 100 situated on East Post Road, small merchants are grateful for the bustling dining and nightlife crowd that now frequent the downtown. Those patrons provide foot traffic to areas that normally halts to nothing once the county office workers leave at 5:00 P.M. Increased foot traffic encour-ages other businesses to stay open later and thus make some sales. On the topic of sales, Levine stated that he is seeing an increase in all the businesses. While Liquor stores are generally a recession proof industry, wary consumers spent somewhat less purchasing low end wine and spirits; they still drank, just did it on the cheap! Other small business owners echo Levine, but are also concerned about those storefronts that have been empty for over a year now.

East Post Road in White Plains, once a street with upscale shops, is rife with empty storefronts. The farther away from Mamaroneck Avenue you travel, the more empty stores you encounter. Landlords of those storefronts claim

Small Business Returns; One Plate and a Glass at a Time

http://www.monetti.blogspot.com

http://www.citycarting.net


By SHANNON AYALAAnnie Smith, a senior citizen whose house has been gradu-ally destroyed by rainwater in Mt Vernon, was not aware (when asked on May 24th) of Habitat for Humanity, not to

mention its Westchester County Chapter and its particularly recent presence in her city.

The Mount Vernon Mayor’s Office was nonetheless inclined in May to approve an initiative to receive national HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) funds to have Smith’s roof fixed (for $33,026), despite its involvement with Habitat, the worldwide,

homebuilding, humanitarian organization. (Habitat is a substantial nonprofit: according to its website, they’ve repaired over 500,000 houses since 1976; they’re also known for one volunteer, President Carter. In Westchester specifically there are over thirty high school-Habitat clubs according to the HFH Westchester High School Website).

Jim Killoran, the exuberant Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Westchester, was inversely well aware of Annie Smith before The Westchester Guardian exposed her decaying walls to the public last week. He said it would be better if Mount Vernon contracted a company to fix the roof because

it’s a job that would be too dangerous for volun-teers. He said that Habitat could then step in to handle interior work such as plastering.

A representative from Habitat International only added that such funding decisions (when asked if a chapter would ever fund a private company) are determined at the local group. The chapter can’t do it all, says Killoran, adding that more seniors are contacting Habitat WC; he suggests that taxes should be lowered for seniors in Westchester.

Killoran then doesn’t stress the incapacity (if not boundaries) of the county chapter, but instead insists that “the little things add up,” referring to such materializations as the flower

pots of about two-by-four feet in top-surface area or the “pothole gardens” that now line streets in southwest Mt Vernon since Mt Vernon Month began in May and continues into June.

(Mt Vernon Month is not over: seniors as well as anyone could attend an open house forum with Habitat Westchester on June 16th at 9:30 AM in their Renew Store at 2 Cortland Street in the southwest corner of Mt Vernon).

Now Killoran’s description of the organiza-tion’s place in the City as well as the County at large goes well beyond flowerpots. He provides a tour around the blocks surrounding the Renew Store, at what he regards as one of the entry-ways of the town. Beyond this area are two new community garden projects of Habitat and one just around the corner is a possible third, a

there has been no interest in their space but this reporter suspects that they might not be so inter-ested in subdividing space or are simply charging too much rent. Perhaps former gubernatorial candidate Jimmy McMillian was onto some-thing when he ran in 2009 on the mantra that the “rent is too damn high”.

Grapes, The Wine Company didn’t let those sky high, White Plains rents deter them

from expanding their business in a sluggish economy. Daniel Posner, proprietor of Grapes, The Wine Company, moved into a 1600 square foot retail space in a small strip mall carved into the bedrock on Rt. 22, in North White Plains, in the Town of North Castle. Grapes, founded in 1997, has been twice named Best in Westchester by Westchester Magazine and was recently a sponsor of Westchester Wine Week at the Ritz-Carlton in White Plains. Grapes also boasts

a climate controlled wine room with rare and expensive wines for those who are collectors of fine wine. According to staff at the store, busi-ness is brisk both on the retail and commercial side of business.

So it seems that economic recovery in the County is based on the need for food and drink. Communities with busy bars and restaurants generate the foot traffic that help support local specialty shops. Tarrytown, Bronxville, North Castle, and White Plains are all perfect examples of such. These village and city governments have

extended the invitation to small business owners that they are indeed open for business and they have the sales tax revenues to prove it. Main Street and small business isn’t dead, it has just reprioritized itself. We’ll shop for our clothing and goods in the mall, but when we want a home cooked meal and a drink, we’d just as soon stay home in our own hometowns.

Nancy King is a freelance investigative reporter; a resident of White Plains, New York.

Continued from page 7


Small Business Returns; One Plate and a Glass at a Time

HISTORY

HOUSING

BROOKLYN, NY -- The Holocaust Documentation Committee of the Polish American Congress was one of the voices echoing in the White House after President Obama forgot it was Nazi Germany which was responsible for the crimes of the Holocaust.

It happened at the ceremony when the President posthumously awarded The Presidential Medal of Honor to, among others, Jan Karski who is known today as “the man who tried to stop the Holocaust.”

A member of the Polish Underground during the German occupation of Poland in World War II, Karski was an eyewitness to the way the Nazis maltreated and murdered Jews in one of their camps.

Karski tried to inform the world about the killings he saw by going to London and Washington to warn the Allies about the state of terror facing the Jews back home. They refused to believe him.

Unfortunately, the President’s speech writers led him astray when they provided him with a text which had him say that Karski witnessed the atrocities against the Jews inside a “Polish” death camp. It was really a German camp.

This is not the first time this type of misidentification has drawn the ire of the Polish American Congress. The organization has been in the forefront of the fight against this misnomer for several decades.

“It stunned us to hear it from someone like

the President of the United States,” said Frank Milewski who currently heads the Holocaust Documentation Committee.

After an Administration spokesman issued a statement claiming the President only “misspoke,” the committee called the White House and followed up with a request for further action: (see below).

To: The White [email protected]: Frank Milewski, ChairHolocaust Documentation

CommitteePolish American [email protected] behalf of the President’s

National Security Council, Tommy Vietor stated that the President “misspoke” at the Presidential Medal

of Freedom ceremony when he referred to a Nazi death camp as “Polish” instead of German.

One of the objectives of the Holocaust Documentation Committee of the Polish American Congress is to safeguard the integrity

of Holocaust history by correcting errors which come to our attention.

Errors like the one the President made are generally brought to our attention by our members and constituents, as was the case here.

In all candor, the President’s error hit a raw nerve in the Polish American commu-nity as evidenced by the comments sent us. Our membership includes many registered Democrats whose families have been loyal to the party even for generations.

In view of the fact the President’s statement was so egregious, we would suggest that he be advised that, at the very least, an apology is the appropriate way to deal with this problem rather than merely saying he “misspoke.”

Misstatements damaging Poland’s history continue to be a grave concern of the Polish American community. We are also relying on the President’s promise to finally include Poland in the Visa Waiver Program and his assurance Poland’s security is a priority for his administration.

We are convinced his appropriate and prompt response will do much to reassure all of us.

Obama Stuns Polish Americans with His Holocaust Mistake

Jan Karski, before a wall-map of the Warsaw Ghetto at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, recalls his secret 1942 missions into the Nazi “prison-city-within-a-city”. Photo by E. Thomas Wood, 1994

Local Humanitarian Group Steps Aside for Government Funding



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Holocaust_Memorial_Museum


HOUSING

vacant lot; next door is a house painted by volun-teers, one of the many sites of the “Brush with Kindness” campaign.

Though they’ve been in the town for a couple of years, these are projects that Killoran says have only been going on in a few weeks. Some of the stops on his tour, immediate in proximity, are small businesses in which the owners enthusiastically praise Humanity’s recent progress. “So many folks have noticed the differ-ence,” says Sharon Coulborne of Sharon’s Realty, where she’s been established for eighteen years.

“After we saw him show up, the whole thing changed,” says Winston Shillingford of the West Indies Market Place/fish and chip shop. “People are coming out in the evenings. We’re seeing people we don’t normally see.... He’s changing the face [of the neighborhood]”. There are customers in the store at tables and chairs

provided by Habitat. A colleague of Winston notes that they don’t see prostitutes outside the store anymore.

The last stop is the Renew Store, one of 700 in the country, says Killoran. He calls it a second-hand Home Depot, though it has Ikea aspects, carrying new-looking furniture, a flat screen TV, a vintage pinball machine and a South Pacific piano. The items are either slightly used and donated, he says, or unused, such as photo-model lights. He says the store is considered out of sight, like a “diamond in the rough” but is an asset to the community: it’s employed at least two or three people and offers low-priced items such as a $3,500 cabinet set that he and his partner say would otherwise go for over 20 thousand, or $20 wicker-seated bar stools. It’s not completely local however, since customers visit from beyond New York State.

And yet the presence of Habitat is also its volunteerism. One enthusiast, David Simkins, CEO of Hyperlink sent three different groups of ten employees to volunteer this month, having been inspired by Killoran’s spiel on volunteerism over ten years ago. Killoran says, “New York State is last in the country in volunteerism.” According

to a 2010 list on VolunteeringInAmerica.gov/rankings.cfm, he’s right.

Shannon Ayala is a Class of 2013 student at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He also writes New York environmental news for www.Examiner.com. His work can be found at www.SEArchives.wordpress.com.

”The little things add up”

Renew Store men at work

Local Humanitarian Group Steps Aside for Government Funding




FREE CONSULTATION:
































Advertise Today

1 column2 column

[email protected]

914-562-0834

http://VolunteeringInAmerica.gov/rankings.cfm

http://VolunteeringInAmerica.gov/rankings.cfm

http://www.Examiner.com

http://www.Examiner.com

http://www.SEArchives.wordpress.com

http://www.SEArchives.wordpress.com


Another stellar lineup for the Chesapeake Bay Blues, Saturday’s performances included the Chesapeake Bay Blues Band with local hero Tom Principato, the Honey Island Swamp Band, Janiva Magness, a Michael Burks tribute with Bernard Allison’s band and Lurie Bell, Ruthie Foster, Big Head Todd, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

I arrived late for Saturday’s festivities, and only got to see Tedeschi Trucks who put on a solid set. This was the first time I saw the husband and wife team and I really enjoyed hearing Trucks’ soloing over a very tight horn section, and background singers. Tedeschi proved to be

no slouch on guitar and rolled out dynamite guitar licks, but was no match (intensity wise) for Trucks. I walked away thinking that as good as this unit was, I must say that I prefer seeing the Derek Trucks band over the Tedeschi Trucks ensemble as the DTB band is more creative and daring, and is more apt to take more chances. I had similar feelings about the Tedeschi Trucks studio and the just released double disc set.

I arrived much earlier on Sunday and caught the end of Albert Cummings so-so performance, how many more blues-rock trios can one endure? Up next was the tiny dynamo

Movie Review “Moonrise Kingdom” (+)I saw this film after reading Manohla Dargis’s glowing review of it in The New York Times. If I had not read her analysis, I would not have known that Wes Anderson, director and co-writer of the picture, has a cult following.

This fantasy involves two 12-year-olds: Suzy (Kara Hayward) and Sam (Jared Gilman). The well-known supporting actors include Edward Norton as a scout leader, Bruce Willis as a

police captain, Tilda Swinton as a social worker, and Bill Murray and Frances McDormand, as Suzy’s parents, both of whom are lawyers. Sam is a foster child whose foster parents no longer want him.

At the beginning of the movie I thought to myself, “What am I doing in this zoo?” Fortunately, I stuck to my rule of never leaving a film before it ends, and I began to enjoy it and became interested in what was happening.

The story takes place on an island soon to be devastated by the storm of the century. Suzy and Sam, who make very mature comments about

life, run away to be together. They are pursued by the local police and a group of boys, known as Khaki Scouts, to return them safely home.

The best actor in terms of getting the atten-tion of the audience is Tilda Swinton, known only as “Social Services.” Representing the government, she comes to collect Sam and place him in an orphanage now that his foster parents have renounced him.

While I’m not yet a full-fledged member of Wes Anderson’s cult, I will probably see his next film.

MOVIE REVIEW

Ed Koch Movie ReviewsBY EDWARD I. KOCH

Movie Review: “Hysteria” (-)This ridiculous movie, set in Victorian London, received undeserved good reviews. The premise of the film is that many of the diseases suffered by women in the late 1800s were imagined. Two physicians believe that they can relieve the hysteria and make the women feel better by manipulating their genitalia.Dr. Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy) is a progressive physician working with an older doctor who does not believe in germs. Mortimer does and disobeys the senior doctor’s instruc-tions by changing bandages on a patient and is subsequently fired. He secures another posi-tion with Dr. Robert Dalrymple (Jonathan

Pryce) who specializes in treating the hysteria of women patients.

From that point on the movie becomes a one-trick pony. Granville and Dalrymple manip-ulate the genitals of their female patients. Word spreads and their practice grows, especially when they begin to use an electric vibrator invented by Granville’s millionaire friend, Edmund (Rupert Everett), causing one woman to burst into song.

Other cast members include Dalrymple’s two daughters: the timid and obedient Emily (Felicity Jones) who practices phrenology, and the outgoing and rebellious Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who created a home for underprivi-leged and homeless individuals.

The directors went to great lengths to furnish the homes and dress the actors in

authentic Victorian styles of the day, and they also assembled a marvelous cast. Regrettably, they provided the performers with a vehicle that can only be described as unworthy tripe, and an infantile leaden script that adds up to nothing more than dressed-up smut. What a waste of talent and money. (The Victorian ties that the men sported in the picture look to me as the new attire for men today. I hope Brooks Brothers buyers agree.)

Visit the Mayor at the Moview to ;earn more: http://www.mayorkoch.com/. The Honorable Edward Irving Koch served as a member of Congress from New York State from 1969 through 1977, and New York City as its 105th Mayor from 1978 to 1989.

THE SOUNDS OFBLUEBy BOB PUTIGNANO

MUSIC

2012 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival

Philipp FankhauserContinued on page 11

http://www.mayorkoch.com/


Lydia Pense, with her latest incarnation of Cold Blood who were brought back to Chesapeake (they appeared last in 2009,) and made a lasting impression on me, and Pense and her fine unit did not disappoint again. Cold Blood’s perfor-mance was all about Funk and Soul, but their opening number had the Blues-based crowd mesmerized as they ripped through a killer version of “I Just Want To Make Love To You.” This was Cold Blood’s second east coast visit in about twenty-five years, which is a shame as Lydia and Cold Blood would be a welcome addition to festivals and clubs throughout the. They are that good. The crowd never danced harder all weekend long. There was a long line of fans that had purchased the latest Cold Blood CD, “Live Blood,” on www.digmusic.com. Many told Pense that she was the main reason

they had attended the festival. It was also cool to see how much vinyl Pense’s adoring fans brought along for her to autograph. Catch this band live, you won’t be disappointed. Also, check out their current recording that just burns! Kudos to the Cold Blood two-piece horn section that often sounded like a full-blown ensemble!

Philipp Fankhauser’s flight from Switzerland was late, so Shemekia Copeland came on earlier and took his time-slot, by the way Shemekia was also booked several times by this festival and is obviously a fan and bookers favorite. Fortunately Fankhauser made it to the Bay Bridge in time to take Shemekia’s spot and really lit it up with his excellent guitar playing, strong (and soulful) vocals, and dynamite

band. Fankhauser was the consummate pro throughout, tantalizing the crowd with his command of the stage. I have to hand it to this Euro star who came out wearing a all white suit who summoned and sang songs by Bobby “Blue” Bland, Solomon Burke, and a man he considers one of his mentors; Johnny Copeland, pretty ballsy, but right-on. I was hopeful that during Fankhauer’s Copeland segment that Shemekia might join in, but that did not happen. Kudos to the Chesapeake booking team for bringing Fankhauser to the USA, not only was it a rare opportunity to see this fine band stateside, but they were that good leaving a very memorable impression on yours truly. Unfortunately I don’t have similar kind sentiments about JJ Grey and Mofro who performed sloppily, and authors some of the lamest lyrics on the planet. Closing the show was Jonny Lang (who was also at

Chesapeake in ’09) who blistered on his opening number and throughout the eve. When I saw him in ’09 here he would not allow any picture taking, but this time he allowed the press to take photographs for- one song… Jonny’s not my full cup of tea, but I found it interesting to see his youthful fans (especially the young ladies) thoroughly enjoying his set, a rarity for a blues performance.

Festival CEO and President Don Hooker is a true lover of Blues music, he first organized the fest in 1998. It was an immediate hit bringing in more than 13,000 people to the park in two days. Since their maiden voyage this picturesque festival has become one of the biggest music festivals in the mid-Atlantic region. By the way:

Hooker isn’t trying to make any personal mone-tary gain from the festival. Each year he donates all of the net profits to various charities. Over the years, Hooker raised nearly one-million dollars, an amazing accomplishment. In summary; if you looking to attend a great festival with a stellar lineup that is held at one of the most scenic venues around, and if you dig the

outstanding local shellfish (Mike’s Crab House Restaurant (www.MikesCrabHouse.com) was outstanding, I even brought home seafood from them); keep checking out bayblues.org for 2013 updates. Bob Putignano www.SoundsofBlue.com

Your Full Service Laundromat Since 1966Wash & Fold Service • Dry Cleaning & Pressing

Dry Clean By The Bulk • Shirts LaunderedLeather & Suedes Cleaned / Treated

914.962.5539

Yorktown EconoWash

2018 Crompond Rd. (Rear) Yorktown Hts.Routes 35 & 202 -Crompond

TICKET PRICES INCLUDEA COMPLETE MEAL & SHOW

Westchester Broadway Theatre Group

WBT_theatre

A NEW NIGHT OF BALLROOM’S BEST

XIII

ALWAYS NEW AND EXCITING!TUES., JUNE 12$75 PER PERSON PLUS TAX

ALL THE MAGIC OF THE FAB FOUR MON., JUNE 18$75 PER PERSON PLUS TAX

A Razzle-Dazzle Tap Dance Spectacular!

MUSIC

2012 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival

Susan Tedeschi Derek Trucks Lydia Pense

Jonny LangContinued from page 10

http://www.digmusic.com

http://www.MikesCrabHouse.com

http://www.bayblues.org

http://www.SoundsofBlue.com


By JOHN SIMONIt is nice for a musical to address territory more high-brow than usual. That is what “February House” appears to attempt, with music and lyrics by Gabriel Kahane and book

by Seth Bockley. But good intentions, even if they can avoid the proverbial road to hell, are not enough. Whatever the exact intent was here, it proves that pretentiousness, usually limited to words, can extend to notes as well.

The show is meant to be the freely imagined story of a famous real-life situation, the occu-pancy of a since torn-down building in Brooklyn inhabited by a constellation of celebrities under the landlord George Davis, a homosexual writer and editor. This included W. H. Auden and his young lover and fellow poet Chester Kallman; Benjamin Britten and his lover , the singer Peter Pears;, escaping from wartime Britain; the Southern decadent novelist Carson McCullers, escaping her husband Reeves McCullers; Erika Mann, Thomas’s lesbian writer daughter, escaping the Nazis, whom Auden platonically married to give her protective U.S. citizenship; and Gypsy Rose Lee, writing a novel under the aegis of George Davis.

Also present, though not included in the script, were Paul and Jane Bowles, Richard Wright, Marc Blitzstein, and Oliver Smith. The

place was dubbed February House by Anais Nin, because so many tenants had February birthdays. But even as February is the shortest of months, so this togetherness during the early 40s did not last long.

It must, however, have proved more stimu-lating than this musical. Seth Bockley, whose oeuvre thus far is more eccentric than impressive, is unable to convey what the talk must have been like. Especially gross is turning Britten and Pears into a kind of comic vaudeville team in language

and behavior. Somewhat better are Auden and Kallman, though here I am at a disadvantage, having known Kallman slightly and Auden better and not recognizing them in the actors. Although A. J. Shively is a conceivable Kallman, Erik Lichtefeld, for all his British accent, has none of Auden’s patent charm. Kristen Sieh behaves tomboyishly enough as McCullers, and, thanks considerably to a convincing wig, comes

across to one who never met her as believable.Erika Mann’s politics and editing an unsuc-

cessful magazine are there all right, as is her probable crush on Carson, but Stephanie Hayes can do little with a basically uninteresting part. As Reeves, trying brashly to retrieve his wife, Ken Clark is a credible outsider and straight

man, but Kacie Sheik, a somewhat diminutive Gypsy Rose, has only one number, and that an intellectual striptease better in the Rodgers & Hart “Pal Joey.”

In the longest part of George Davis (who was to become one of Lotte Lenya’s gay husbands), Julian Fleisher is conspicuously uncharismatic, and looks much less good than on the program cover. But finally, what matters is the score by the singer-musician Kahane. He has received many commissions and awards, and

is to have a solo evening at Carnegie Hall, but I really liked only one early number, “A Room Comes Together,” however haphazardly staged.

David McCallum’s direction did what it could on Riccardo Hernandez’s rudimentary set, much of it taken up by the onstage orchestra. Danny Medford’s choreography was barely embryonic, but then you don’t really want a dancing Auden and Britten.

“February House” marks “the first commis-sion of The Public Theater’s Music Theater Initiative,” but is scarcely more auspicious than the political campaigns concurrently staged around us.

Will Eno is the darling of certain reviewers, though he functions mostly through indirection. It is, of course, possible to thrive on suggestions between the lines. But as often as not, what we get between the lines is a void.

Now we have a one-man show (a favored genre of his) titled “Title and Deed,” with only the most tortured relevance. It is performed by the Irish actor Conor Lovett, and staged by his wife, Judy Hogarty Lovett. The Lovetts have been at it the world over under the similarly whimsical signboard Gare St. Lazare Players Ireland, chiefly with solo plays, often by Beckett.

“Title snd Deed” is very heavily indebted to the Beckett monologues, whether intended for the theater or culled by others from his fictions. The difference is that Beckett’s monodramas are only passingly cute, whereas Eno’s are barely anything but.

What we get here from a character named Man is essentially a comic existential cry on our shoulders, delivered in frequently faltering, repet-itive, audience-cajoling, and steadily cutesy detail, starting with the 70-minute show’s subtitle, “A Monologue for a Slightly Foreign Man.” The whimsy greets us from above the entrance with a screen reading, “I try to live every day like it was my third-to-last.” And early on in the show we hear, “I believe my life happened,” and a bit later, “I once was . . . nah, I probably never was,” which

is promptly repeated. From Eno, even what didn’t happen, happens in duplicate.

There is lots of interplay with the audience. “You look like you just got born. Most people get over that.” Or, “Please stay seated. Thank you. Well done. Very neatly done. Again, well done. Thank you.” Or, “Don’t get too lost. For too long.” Also, “I like repeating myself. Because, you know, who else is going to do it?” This seems to get the audience where it lives: they lap it up amid long laughs.

The story, in so far as there is one, has the Man saying, “I’m describing it from the point of view of the living, which is how we see every-thing.” He also explains, “I’m not from here. I guess I never will be. That’s how being from somewhere works.”

I forgo quoting more of this copious less-ness. Conor Lovett certainly looks like and is dressed as a man of exemplary ordinariness. He seldom moves from center stage, once notably to pick up a satchel he dropped behind him. From it he removes a metallic lunchbox, which he holds before him for close to a silent minute. Then he comments, ‘Now this object has an interesting story. Not in words, I guess.”

In words, though, we get not much more. Above the stage, Christine Jones has hung a number of those giant shards we get in some concert halls to improve the acoustics. Here there is nothing audible or visible improved.

Photos by and courtesy of Joan Marcus.

John Simon has written for over 50 years on theatre, film, literature, music and fine arts for the Hudson Review, New Leader, New Criterion, National Review, New York Magazine, Opera News, Weekly Standard, Broadway.com and Bloomberg News. Mr. Simon holds a PhD from Harvard University in Comparative Literature and has taught at MIT, Harvard University, Bard College and Marymount Manhattan College.

To learn more, visit the JohnSimon-Uncensored.com

EYE ON THEATRE

Kacie Sheik as Gypsy Rose Lee and Julian Fleisher as George Davis.

A.J. Shively and Erik Lochtefeld.

The cast of February House.

For Special Tastes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor of Philosophy

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.3744444444,-71.1169444444&spn=0.01,0.01&q=42.3744444444,-71.1169444444 (Harvard University)&t=h

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.3744444444,-71.1169444444&spn=0.01,0.01&q=42.3744444444,-71.1169444444 (Harvard University)&t=h

http://www.mmm.edu/

http://yonkerstribune.typepad.com/JohnSimon-Uncensored.com

http://yonkerstribune.typepad.com/JohnSimon-Uncensored.com


Presented by The Yonkers Downtown / Waterfront BID

The Yonkers Public Library The Westchester Guardian, Yonkers Tribune

Westchester on the Level, WGRN Radio Hezi Aris, Sam Zherka

Dennis Sheehan, author of Purchased Power

Yonkers Metro North

Station

Ella

Fitz

gera

ld

Par

k

Amphitheater

Main Street

CO

ND

OS

CONDOS

Authors

Riv

er S

tree

t Saw Mill River

The Pier Xavier's X20

Hu

dso

n R

iver

Celebrating Literature, Books and Authors

Mee

t th

e A

uth

ors

Dolphin

Meet the Authors along the River

Visit the Children’s Authors in the Park

Attend the Seminars, Workshops and

visit the Booksellers in the Library

Gail Carson Levine in the Kid’s Library

Event Entrance

Registration Riverfront Library

1 Larkin Center Yonkers NY 10701

Children’s Authors in Ella

Fitzgerald Park Have fun with the

Face Painters A Wonderful Story Teller

And Music

Trai

n O

verp

ass

Books Without Borders

Dock St.

Buena Vista Parking


Featured Authors

Norb Vonnegut

Warren Berger Frank Prete

Bruce Fabricant

Dennis Sheehan

Paul Anthony


Charles Salzberg is a notable writer and publisher. His company Greenpoint Press is well known to writers. Mr. Salzberg will be joined by several of the authors published by Greenpoint Press in an animated dis-cussion on creative writing, They will be in the Community Room at the Library from 11:00 AM until noon. Mr. Salzberg and his group will be available to sign books the rest of the day.

Time Community Yonkers Auditorium Room 2B Arts & Crafts Room Room Room

Seminars Discussions Workshops

11:00 AM 11:30 AM 12:00 PM 12:30 PM 1:00 PM 1:30 PM 2:00 PM 2:30 PM 3:00 PM

Creative Writing Charles Salzberg

eBooks -Print Books Where is the future

Digital Marketing

Laura Kelly

How to write a Query letter

Julie Just

Writer’s Groups

Warren Berger

New Program for Libraries

Baker & Taylor

Book Reading Susan Hodara

Why your local bookstore is impor-

tant to you

Getting the most om your eReader Barnes & Noble

Julie Just, a top Literary Agent from Janklow & Nezbit. Ms. Just special-izes in representing YA authors and will be sharing her in depth knowledge with us. Her talk is entitled :

“How to Write a Successful Query, it’s not what you think!” She will be in the Yonkers Room at 12:00 PM

Laura Kelly is an accomplished book marketer and social network spe-cialist. She is a very sought after consultant and marketing executive. Her presentation at the event will be on Digital Marketing, a must for any of to-day’s authors. Laura will be enlightening us in the Community Room at 1:30 PM

Warren Berger is a successful author and head of the Marmaduke Writer’s Group. Warren is a featured author at Books Without Borders. He is willing to share his experience as an author and explain the importance of a Writer’s Group. He will be appearing in the Yonkers Room at 2:00


The Writers Collection ___http://thewriterscollection.com___

Meet the Authors on the Riverfront

Discover New Bookshops at The Library

Hunter Shea Edward Wilkes Mindy Lewis Frank Juliano Jackie Kingon Jenna Kernan Adam Bertocci Giftus John Sammie Chandler Valerie Albarda Norb Vonnegut Dennis Sheehan Melissa Foster Waithra Mbuthra Erin Cashman

Carole Bugge Dave Custance Helmut Degen Sharon Farber Ph.D. Warren Berger Sergio Troncoso Frank Prete Stacey Glick Charles Salzberg Margo Stever Wade Garret Saul Weber Beth Kendrick Gail Carson Levine William Schiff

Brian Renda Matthew Abuelo Bruce Fabricant Paul Anthony Mary Ann Esposito

Book Stores The Village Book

Store Pleasantville

Anderson’s Books

Larchmont

The Voracious Reader Larchmont

Womrath Books

Bronxville

Barnes & Noble Yonkers

AUTHORS

http://thewriterscollection.com___


By ALLAN LUKSJoel, who reported about the four couples for a daily news-paper, is now finishing a book about what happened to them over the last five years. As he drafts the final chapter, he writes, “These men and women

started off to prove that retirees were still individu-ally vital, and their efforts grew into the present national campaign encouraging seniors to take a greater role as public leaders to end the nation’s bitter polarization. In this last chapter, I’ve inter-viewed these leaders how they see their own future.”

Nancy and Steven“When I worked for the city’s transportation

department,” Nancy tells Joel, “I used to wear very large earrings to try to get people arriving with peti-tions, who were usually angry about something, to start off asking about the earrings and not argue so much about my department’s slow response to problems. I cared—but everything just seemed to chug along at a slow pace.

“But now, retired, with the Senior Women’s March and Talk Centers started by our group, I want people to ask what I do. This is a good feeling, which I never thought I’d have, especially at my age.”

Her husband, Steven, explains to Joel: “When we march now, I call to people on the sidewalks to join us. But as a social worker, I’d go to commu-nity meetings, describe a problem the needy had, and rarely had time to return to speak again to that group.

“But with marches usually a couple of days a week in most places, and feeling the support of all the seniors marching around me, I’m a continuing voice. Like Nancy said, that feels good at our age.”

Joan and Bob“The two commercials Bob and I co-directed

not long ago, using seniors as spokespersons, rather than the young and handsome and beautiful, continue being shown, and most important the products advertised are selling more,” Joan tells Joel. “I recognize advertising’s credibility is not the highest, but it is still is a powerful force. I believe these commercials are getting the public to further accept seniors as honest deliverers of information.

Bob and I could be asked to do more commercials.“Look, I’ve had breast cancer, I’m constantly

being checked, now my daughter-in-law is too, and my son still doesn’t have a regular job. But at the same time, I’m contributing an important message. I’m not saying it makes me completely happy, but I’m not down.”

Bob tells Joel, “I directed too many commer-cials not to know that an agency’s ad clients suddenly can kill a great commercial, because they’re never confident about what the public is thinking. You can always be moving ahead—and then suddenly you’re shoved aside. But I’m marching—and waiting.”

Mimi and Myron“When I was a buyer for high-end furniture,”

Mimi tells Joel, “my goal was to show why buying the latest style would make people feel good about themselves. But I’ve changed and point out that in our film we explain that seniors usually aren’t working and so have less money and need to cut back on their expenses. That means seniors can discuss how to feel satisfied with less.

“If that sentiment could catch on, then poli-ticians might gain the popular support to cut earmarked programs that help just a few and use these freed-up resources for programs that can help the large public good and that they can be united on, and so start to break their own and the country’s polarization.

“I realize that people can say: ‘Sure, today’s seniors want us to pay for programs that they should’ve helped when they were our age.’ That thinking could send us back to being just older people whom the public would like to see disap-pear. I feel that possibility.”

Myron tells Joel: “I emphasized in my campaign for City Council that because of our limited clocks, seniors want to take on important issues. That was a reason for my bringing up ideas that aren’t within the jurisdiction of local Council members, like increasing organ donor donations and encouraging Social Security recipients to put aside a portion of their monthly check and leave it for their children when they retire, which also would help the nation’s current budget woes. Except I lost the election.

“When I run again will I use the same

campaign? Yes. My senior clock hasn’t changed.”Roz“I’m living with my son and his family in

California, and my two grandchildren are a daily, feel-good boost. I push myself to wake up early to see them when they go to school, but then they and my son and daughter-in-law leave and the house is empty. I need the Senior Woman’s March.

“I’m marching in the area where I now live. I also attend a Talk Center at least once a week, and when they see this older woman giving her views, challenging back, the others appreciate that. It’s like, hey, there are all these seniors out there, and if they’re going to get involved in not just senior issues but all issues, like this woman, that could be big. Of course, I had five years experience, from doing our senior dating advice film and then organizing the original marches, to become a confident speaker.

“It’s not great being alone, and I know many

seniors who feel this. Yet every day I imagine Kenny, my late husband, who was an actor and saw seniors at society’s center stage because of our great helping potential. If the marches continue and I stay able to march, knowing seniors are spreading the word for a better future for our children, grandchildren, and yes, ourselves. To feel a new future. Yes, at my age—“

This is my last column, completing a year of ongoing weekly chapters about four retired couples trying to show they’re vital individuals and who discover that seniors have attributes that might make them the public leaders who can break the country’s angry polariza-tion. I appreciate the so many seniors who contributed their views. A great thanks toPublisher Sam Zherka and Editor-in-Chief Hezi Aris and “The Westchester Guardian”. Let’s see if these stories are right about a new national role for seniors.

By GAIL FARRELLYTo show the world that she’s still in great shape, the famous Mattel doll has taken up Zumba, the Latin dance fitness craze that’s sweeping the U.S.

Dressed in sexy, curve-fitting exercise togs, her blonde locks in a perky ponytail, she was spotted at a Westchester

exercise studio, taking a Zumba class. Observers reported that she was jiving to the music as well as kicking faster, higher, and with more enthu-siasm than classmates half her age. At the end of class she signed autographs for a crowd of admirers and scoffed at rumors that she was too old to cut the mustard anymore. She said she agrees with Mark Twain who once commented: “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t

mind, it doesn’t matter.”But those in the know say that behind

the scenes, it’s another story. Barbie has had cosmetic surgery on her eyelids, four

tummy tucks, and numerous botox treatments. In addition, she will probably need knee replace-ment surgery within the next year or two. Her medicine chest looks like an ad for the cosmetics industry. It’s packed with items such as: anti-wrinkle creams, hair dye, skin softeners, etc. You get the picture.

Barbie’s favorite book at the moment? How

Not To Look Old by Charla Krupp.“Okay, okay, I admit it -- I need all the

beauty help I can get these days,” Barbie has told friends. And she’s reminded them of what Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.”

Barbie, we have three words for you. You go, girl!

Learn more about The Farrelly Sisters – Authors. Visit http://www.farrellysistersonline.com/ on the internet.

THE SPOOF

Barbie is 53 Years Old, Takes up Zumba

BOOKS

The Retired (Try To) Strike BackChapter 52 - This Last Chapter Isn’t

http://www.farrellysistersonline.com/


“Sheehan might be one of the best storytellers of our time, He has done his homework on this one and I’m looking forward to his next.” -Bill Lind, ABC News

WASHINGTON TIMES -- “Purchased Power” by Dennis Sheehan is a debut novel by Tom Clancy's newest rival.” -Cecie O’Bryon England

The Intrigue of International Finance and Politics From the pen of

Dennis Sheehan

Purchased Power by first time (!) author Den-nis Sheehan has to be read to be believed. It's a taught, tense thriller filled with espionage, intrigue, and engaging characters that will keep you turning the pages. Think of it as a more intelligent Tom Clancy novel, with a level of detail that could only be crafted by someone who really knows their stuff. Highly recommended. -Brett Gillin

Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and anywhere Fine Books are sold!

The for young people with an appetite for books

Enjoy our selection of

wonderful books for

children and their families.

Visit our adjoining teashop,

A Proper Cup for tea & treats.

By BOB MARRONEThe period between my breaking away from Marianne, on through my marriage, and up to the birth of my daughter was filled with obligations, distractions and revolving priorities. I was

in charge of client service for two regions of the country in the world’s largest brokerage firm; still in the heart of my serious hockey playing days and dealing with the issues associated with that; had accepted the position of coach for my company’s industrial league basketball team; and, obviously, I was in the midst of planning my wedding.

Looking back now, knowing what followed several months later, the downward spiral I was on is clear to me. And what is still astounding to me, as well, is how I could obsess on a problem at the same time that I avoided it. My commitments, as well as extra-curricular activities, served as great displacements for the turmoil that was percolating inside me. As for the “activities,” it was and is not uncommon for a young man in his early twenties to spend a good deal of time partying, and I was no different. I would often have a “fun” commit-ment on five or more nights a week. With the basketball team we always went out drinking after games and practices. On Wall Street in those days, It became a regular Friday night ritual to go out and have a few drinks.

I never became a problem drinker, fortu-nately, as I did not like it that much, my stomach did not like it and I was allergic to most beers and wines. Nonetheless, I got my buzz from it and have my stories to tell. But, I preferred marijuana, at least for the short time that I tried it. It gave me a dreamy feeling, did not upset my stomach

and never left me incapacitated. It did, however, serve to unmask some emotional issues that were precursors to my emotional collapse in April of 1975.

Before I explain what occurred I want to extend a sincere and heartfelt warning. If you are suffering from depression that is not yet under control, and are prone to hypochondria, do not read what follows. I am not trying to be dramatic, but this is one of those things that can become frighteningly self-fulfilling if you are so inclined. Talk to your doctor about it first.

As I noted, I had begun to prefer marijuana over alcohol as my social intoxicant. Funny, I did it with a different group of people than the ones I drank with which led to more nights partying than I should have; just something to be kept in mind in the overall scheme of things.

The first signs that my “smoking” was revealing a problem were subtle and scary. On several nights, while walking home from a friend’s house after smoking, out of nowhere, I would react as if someone came out from a dark corner and yelled BOO! However, there was no one there and I did not hear anything. It was an effect without a cause, a reaction without a provocation. Physically it was akin to the reaction you have when you jump in a cold body of water; think the uncontrolled gasp and a start. These little episodes were often accompanied by the visual sense that the lights went off and on, as if someone leaned against a light switch.

Another odd reaction would occur when I went to bed. As I was falling asleep, again out of nowhere, I would feel a sudden burst of intense terror, as if I was thrown off a building or some other such frantic event. I would snap awake,

again with a great gasp, before falling back to sleep. I tended to overlook these things as stress related…which of course they were…and only focused on them in the way a hypochondriac does with any unknown symptom. What I did not know is that these reactions were the harbingers of more serious horrors to come.

Hypochondria: Certainly not all hypo-chondriacs develop depression, but it is a sign on insecurity as well as a cry for assurance, certainty and order in a world that can offers none of these. It is, perhaps most dangerously, one more heavy duty way to avoid one’s real problems. I slowly began to obsess about these episodes as a possi-bility of an as yet undiagnosed illness. In my case, my hypochondria became a huge factor in how I dealt with the more severe presentations of my illness later on. It had the dual quality of being both a fire unto itself, and an accelerant.

On a spring night in 1974, while at a party at a friend’s home, I took the last drag of marijuana I would ever try. My buddy had some new good “grass” that we smoked in a water pipe. The good of a water pipe is that the smoke does not burn your throat. The bad is that you will inhale more deeply than you otherwise would and cannot monitor your level of intoxication as well. You get much higher faster.

All of a sudden I was more stoned than I had ever been. It made me nervous. The more nervous I got, the more paranoid I became that I was having some kind of a freak-out the likes of which were written about in the press about more powerful psychedelic drugs, like LSD. Then, out of the blue, I thought that my left arm was numb, and that I was having a stroke or some other kind of brain damage. I panicked, which led to a

full-fledged panic attack and subsequent fixation. My voice quivered, my heart pounded through my chest, the terror crawled over my body like a thousand daggers, and I was at the brink of incontinence. I honestly felt like leaping out of the window. I needed to go to the hospital, but in 1974, the drug was less acceped than it is today.

I paced and babbled, trembled and moaned. I was sure it would never end. All of the muscles in my body cramped and went into spasm, and I urinated about a dozen times. Several hours later, through the patience and care of good friends, I did manage to get through the night. But I was petrified in a deep existential way. It left me scarred and more hypochondriacally than I had ever been. “Was I brain damaged?” Did I alter my DNA with the pot?” “What was wrong with me.?”

The worst thing the episode left me with was the tendency to both experience anxiety attacks and, worse, learn how to make them exponen-tially worse, by obsessing on them when they began. Thus, a fire was lit that would take many years to put out. And now for the kicker: Pot had nothing to do with what was happening to me. It simply opened the door a crack into the turmoil of my soul, and gave me an unconscious convenient displacement for what was really ailing me.

Before long, my job performance started to slip from outstanding to just good; my dimin-ishing hockey skills were eroding my sense of manhood and worth; and I was pretending to myself and others that I could not wait to be married.Bob Marrone is the host of a Monday to Friday local morning talk show.

No Guarantees: On Man’s Road Through the Darkness of DepressionChapter Thirty Eight – Smoke Before Fire

BOOKS


NEW FROM WESTCHESTER AUTHOR

BRUCE FABRICANT

Come back to Mount Vernon, NY of the 1940s & ‘50s and relive the memories of a

city in a bygone era

mmmmmmpix

Hear men reminisce about living in a community 60 years ago where playing baseball was not just a sport but a way of life

Visit long forgotten places in “The City of Homes” where kids did nothing more than go to school, play and stay out trouble

Both books available at www.lulu.com Contact Bruce Fabricant: [email protected]

ALBANY

ALBANY, NY -- A mandate relief bill spon-sored by Senator Stewart-Cousins was approved by the State Senate Wednesday. Senate bill 6634A would extend the repayment terms of short term loans issued to local governments in 2007 and 2008 -- the beginning of the economic downturn. The repayment terms would be extended from five to seven years, which will save local governments hundreds of thousands of dollars over the two year period.

Known as bond anticipation notes (or BANs), these short-term loans carry a lower interest rate than long-term bonds. They are issued to local governments for capital projects such as building restorations, sewer improve-ments or parks and recreational repairs. If not

paid off within five years, the BANs must be converted into long-term debt at a higher interest rate.

Senator Stewart-Cousins introduced the legislation at the request of Westchester County village officials.

“This bill gives local governments around New York more flexibility to deal with their expenses,” said Senator Stewart-Cousins. “BANs issued at the beginning of the recession are due this year, but many cash-strapped municipalities are struggling with budget deficits. Mandate relief measures such as this help local govern-ments manage their difficult financial situations and save taxpayer money.”

In a statement of support, the New York

Conference of Mayors commented, “Local governments are currently facing some of their greatest challenges… Even the limited extension proposed by this bill will assist local governments at a time when they need it most.”

The Village of Tarrytown strongly supported this bill and urged Senator Stewart-Cousins to carry it through the Senate. The Village esti-mates that it could save approximately $300,000 annually as a result of this legislation.

Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell said, “I want to thank Senator Cousins for taking the lead in pressing forward with this fiscally prudent legislation that will deliver real savings to the taxpayers throughout the state.”

Mandate Relief Bill Sponsored By Senator Stewart-Cousins Approved by SenateSaves Taxpayer Money and Increases Flexibility for Local Governments

GovernmentSection

By CARLOS GONZALEZIt’s a coup-coup’s nest at the Capitol.

With six months before the general election, several names have surfaced regarding

the potential replacement of the Senate’s top Democrat.

The current Senate Minority Leader, John

Sampson (D-Brooklyn), vows to remain on as leader and compares the uprising to replace him as “family squabbles.”

Sampson’s nest unrest were made public last week when he got pigeon pooped by the New York Daily News who exposed the Democratic conference’s rising no-confidence sentiment in their leader.

After the loss of key Democratic races, months of negative press, and after the most recent report on Sampson authorizing a $50,000 raise for a close confidant on senior staff, coup discussions gained traction.

The $50,000 raise never happened, but that’s only after Democrats got wind of the story through the New York Daily News.

One member called the Sampson paycheck maneuver as “legalized taxpayer extortion”.

Another member indicated it was “time for change”, citing Sampson’s rise was meant merely to be temporary.

We spoke with Westchester’s own Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson who currently serves as the Democratic Conference Chair, a position appointed by Sampson.

Hassell-Thompson admitted that she’s had discussions pertaining to succeeding Sampson, but denied initiating them.

“There are several of my colleagues who suggested to me that I might take the leader-ship,” said Hassell-Thompson. “It was suggested to me though, not the other way around.”

When asked if she would be interested in being Minority Leader, Hassell-Thompson didn’t dismiss interest.

“I’d be lying if I said that everybody doesn’t think about it at one time or another,” she said.

“Certainly I have given thought to it, but I haven’t taken any action toward it.”

Hassell-Thompson added that she was “not prepared to say” whether Sampson should remain leader this year, or next year, when a new Legislature is seated following this fall’s elections.

Leadership discussions are not new around the Capitol. We can confirm that the leader-ship chatter commenced last spring when members quietly floated the name of Hassell-Thompson, but they’ve also suggested others. Senator Hassel-Thompson dismissed our inquiry last June stating that she had no interest on challenging Sampson and was focused on her legislative platform.

A year later, clearly things have changed.A few Democratic senators dismissed the

notion that Hassell-Thompson is a credible candidate. Most of those critical of Hassell-Thompson’s potential leadership are deeply embedded in Sampson’s status quo team, or most likely have an agenda themselves.

Some suggested Hassell-Thompson is too old, opinionated and too aggressive. Others state that she is not strong with fundraising, some-thing Democrats need in order to compete. One other member cited previous health issues as a concern.

When asked about not being considered credible, the fiesty Democrat shot back admit-ting that she “may be opinionated and considered aggressive, but things have to get done,” and that if she were a male in politics, these words would not be used to describe her.

She has a point.Insiders have also floated the name of

Senator Stewart-Cousins, a Yonkers Democrat.Stewart-Cousins expressed support for

Sampson and said she is focused on her legis-lative work, thus taking the heat off of her. Another member being rumored for potential is Senator Liz Kruger (D-NYC) who was unavail-able for comment.

Meanwhile, we caught up with Senator Sampson who attended Senator Hassell-Thompson’s forum on Domestic Violence in the Legislative Office Building.

Sampson indicated that the Democrats are interested in discussing the issues affecting the residents of New York State.

“We’re not going to be sidetracked by any antics pertaining to the leadership,” said Sampson.

That may be true, so long as he has the majority.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpi_wMXIyQs&feature=youtube - Sampson Press Gaggle on Leadership.

Share your thoughts with Carlos Gonzalez, The Albany Correspondent, by directing email to [email protected].

Senate Democrats’ Coup-Coup’s Nest THE ALBANY CORRESPONDENT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpi_wMXIyQs&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpi_wMXIyQs&feature=youtu.be

http://www.lulu.com





My name is Diana N. O’Neill, and I’m a Holistic Health Practitioner. I‘ve earned my degrees from the American Institute of Holistic Theology, and I am board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I adhere to the highest standards of research and professionalism, and dedicate myself to the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of my clients.

I will help you uncover your inner healing power, by counseling you to discover the effect of your illness. You’ll be guided through the phases of acknowledgement and naming, claiming (excepting), and letting go. I will journey with you during challenging times, such as grieving a loved one, recovering from a negative rela-tionship, as well as experiences that seem initially strange and unknowable. You’ll also learn how to employ meditation to achieve greater clarity and purpose.

My years of study have enabled me to expertly direct you through these drug-less alternatives to healing:

· Chakra Therapy· Counseling· Exploring the course of illness by ministering to body, mind and spirit · Energy Healing: Reikki-Therapeutic Touch-Laying on of hands,· Hypnotism

· Guided Meditation · Power of Prayer/Mind Power

· Spiritual and Psychic Healing· Spiritual Development

Please contact me at my office at:Holistic Health ServicesDiana N. O’Neill, Holistic Health Practitioner1600 Harrison Avenue, Suite 307AMamaroneck, New York 10543

Holistic Health Services914-630-1928

By appointment onlyFree consultation will be given on first visit

ADVERT ISEMENT

ADVERT ISEMENT


By ABBY LUBYPEEKSKILL, NY -- After a four year hiatus, the City of Peekskill will have its first water-front hotel, the Holiday Inn Express.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Anthony Ruggiero, Planning Director for the city. “The project started back in 2008 and was able to get all the building permits. But then the financing fell through when the economy collapsed.”

The developer is Garrison resident George Liaskos, owner of the Cortlandt Colonial restau-rant in Cortlandt Manor. For the last three years Liaskos has been seeking financing to the tune of about $8.5 million to build the hotel. He finally secured a bank loan a few weeks ago.

The hotel will be built according to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, an envi-ronmental standard that guides construction companies to build on sustainable sites and incorporate water efficiency, efficient design and appliances and the use of renewable and clean sources of energy.

The hotel will be built on a 1.25-acre parcel at the corner of John Walsh Boulevard and Louisa Street, where a footprint of the hotel foundation from years ago cn be discerned. The property is at the cusp of the Charles Point Industrial Park,

home to some of Peekskill’s major employers, including Wheelabrator, BASF Corporation, Waste Management, White Plains Linen, and Perini Civil Construction. But Ruggiero said the waterfront has been the focus of studies that support development geared toward attracting tourists and boating enthusiasts.

The hotel is expected to attract business customers from the nearby industrial park, according to James Slaughter, Director of Peekskill Economic Development. “There are a lot of companies in the city who have employees

who come for extended stays, including the hospital and Entergy.” Slaughter said the current plan is to restore Charles Point and develop it for pedestrian access, as well as access to [Riverfront] festivals.”

In 2008 Liaskos got the nod to build a 72-room Holiday Inn Express which included a few suites. According to Ruggiero, Liaskos’ new financial backing is asking for four more rooms instead of the suites, bringing the total to 76 guest rooms. The overall building size remains the same and will include a pool.

“The site doesn’t need any reconfiguration and there is expected to be no reduction in the amenities,” said Ruggiero.

The city is now reviewing Liaskos’ new proposal for more rooms after which they are expected to issue another permit. Another public hearing will follow.

“There should be no problem,” said Ruggiero. “Everybody thinks this will be a good thing. I don’t remember any real controversy.”

The city, anxious to see the project move forward, has extended Liaskos’ payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement from 10 to 15 years and they intend to honor their original offer of a $500,000 GAP loan to Liaskos. Peekskill plans to impose a three percent hotel tax once the Holiday Inn Express is up and running The tax will apply to future hotels and inns in the city.

The only other hotel in Peekskill is the Inn on the Hudson on Main Street, overlooking the Hudson. The Inn, which has a restaurant, is undergoing room upgrades. “Besides that place, most people looking for rooms in the area go north to Fishkill,” said Slaughter.

Construction is expected to start by the end of the summer, Slaughter said. “We’re hoping the hotel will open by next spring, 2013.”

The new hotel will be right across from Peekskill Bay that opens out to the Hudson River, a locale that boasts scenic views of both bay and river as well as of the Bear Mountain Bridge. The hotel will be located less than one mile from Route 9 and half a mile from Peekskill’s Metro North Train Station.

Holiday Inn Express Coming to Peekskill, Finally

A rendering of the new Holiday Inn Express in Peekskill. Photo courtesy of the City of Peekskill.

Ridge Hill Lawsuit Award in JeopardyFunding May Expire to Mitigate Safety Improvements at Dangerous IntersectionARDSLEY, NY -- Following an on-site tour of the intersection of Jackson Avenue and North Sprain Road with concerned local offi-cials, Westchester County Board Legislator MaryJane Shimsky on Friday, June 1, 2012, called for County and Town of Greenburgh

officials to make necessary safety improvements as soon as possible “because lives are at stake.”

To break the impasse, the Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) Government Operations Committee, chaired by Legislator Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining),

has requested all of the pertinent stakeholders, including officials from the Town of Greenburgh and relevant County agencies, to attend its next meeting on June 5 at 10 AM.

Currently, the two heavily trafficked road-ways create a “Y” intersection with three different

stop signs and less-than-perfect visibility to see oncoming vehicles. A traffic consultant suggests improvements based on the intersec-tion becoming a “T” instead, with a traffic light.

“This intersection is one of the most dangerous in Westchester County,” said Shimsky. “There have been eleven major accidents here in the past two years, with one fatality. It is time for County and Town officials to work together so

Continued on page 21

http://peekskill.patch.com/listings/cortlandt-colonial-restaurant-ballroom

http://peekskill.patch.com/listings/cortlandt-colonial-restaurant-ballroom


safety improvements can move forward—before too many more accidents occur, and while funding is available.”

The funding for the road safety improve-ment project is already in place, Shimsky noted. As part of a settlement with Forest City Ratner, the developer of Ridge Hill Village in Yonkers, $5 million was awarded to the Town of Greenburgh and Villages of Ardsley and Hastings-on-Hudson, following a lawsuit that was initiated because the City of Yonkers and developer’s environmental review of the proposed development failed to prop-erly consider traffic the Yonkers development would dump onto the roads of the three plain-tiff municipalities. Both the Greenburgh town board and the two village boards identified this particular intersection as a top priority for

funding from the $5 million settlement.But this funding is at risk because the

settlement states the money needs to be spent, at the latest, in 2014—which is a tight dead-line for a project that will require a complete environmental review and design before construction can finally begin.

Westchester County Board of Legislators (BOL) Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) and Legislator Shimsky spearheaded discus-sions with the developer about a two-year extension for use of the settlement funds. To date, the Town of Greenburgh has not communicated to the BOL whether the developer has agreed to the request. Now, Greenburgh officials are talking about aban-doning the road safety improvement here altogether.

Also, for this project to move ahead, Westchester County has to convey to

Greenburgh a narrow strip of land at the front entrance to Sprain Ridge Park. The County and Greenburgh also have to agree on how wide the shoulders at the new intersection will be.

“I have lived here forty-six years, and I travel this route every single day,” Beverly Levine, a Village of Ardsley Trustee, said yesterday standing along North Sprain Road. “It’s time for the Town, County and State to get together and improve this intersection because it’s very dangerous.’

“I’m calling on County Executive Astorino and Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner to work together and reach an agreement as soon as possible on safety improvements here at this Jackson Avenue intersection,” stated Shimsky. “Otherwise, the Town of Greenburgh could risk losing millions in settlement money for the project.”

GET ABSOLUTELY FLOORED!

Floor Covering Auction! Huge Savings $$$1800NewFloors.com


Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings on Hudson) at the intersection of Jackson

Avenue and North Sprain Road. Photo by and courtesy of Aviva.

Shimsky Calls for Improvements at Dangerous IntersectionContinued from page 20

LEGISLATION

ALBANY, NY -- Assemblyman George Latimer (D-Rye) announced his support for legislation deemed priorities by the American Legion Department of New York. The two bills, A.2055 and A.682 are vital measures that are being pushed by the Veterans communities throughout New York.

In support of the legislation, Latimer stated, “Various traditions give everyone a great oppor-tunity to remember the brave men and women that have served our country. However, as elected officials, we owe it to our troops, currently and previously enlisted, to do more to honor their sacrifices and support them in addressing the many critical issues that face the Veteran’s community.”

Currently, members of the public retirement system may buy back prior service credit with 2 years of credited service. Members in the public

retirement system who wish to buy back military service credit cannot do so until they have 5 years in the system. A.2055 gives these members the option to buy back their military time with just two years of credited service.

“The American Legions have thousands of members in Westchester and hundreds of thou-

sands throughout New York. They are the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms; passing smart legislation that will ensure the quality of life they deserve is very important and frankly, long overdue,” Latimer stated.

In addition to A.2055, Latimer is also a cosponsor for A.682, which would improve outreach assessment and care for veterans and their families who are experiencing mental health or substance abuse problems. Combat related mental illness has been and still is a

critical issue for American war Veterans. More than 85,000 New Yorkers have participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or both. The lack of integrated services is a longstanding problem in the mental health service-delivery system and will be improved with the passage of A.682.

Latimer concluded, “These two pieces of legislation go hand in hand; too often soldiers come back from duty and are not able to seam-lessly re-enter society. If we pass these bills, they will more effectively have the resources available to them to reintegrate with their families and communities and pass on the valuable lessons they have learned to our next generation.”

Latimer Announces Support for Veterans Pension and Health Legislation


By MARY C. MARVINA good morning to our clergy, distinguished colleagues and honored guests, firemen, police, community organi-zations, residents and our children AND welcome to the

92nd Annual Bronxville Memorial Day Parade and commemoration. Memorial Day holds a unique place in the history of our Village and its traditions are many. In the last few years we have renewed our efforts to insure that honoring our servicemen and women takes its rightful place on center stage so we do not ever take for granted those most deserving of our gratitude - and our Grand Marshall, this year, George Palmer is precisely one of those so deserving of our thanks. George, thank you for letting us honor you here today.

Mr. George B. Palmer, Jr. is a Midwestern boy who was born in Minneapolis. He enlisted in the Army/Air Corp after Pearl Harbor after only one semester at the University of Minnesota.

Following expedited training, George was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and received his wings and navigation certification.

Flying only his 10th B-24 sortie over Hungary on a mission to disable oil refineries, his plane was shot down and he went from college freshman to George B. Palmer Prisoner

of War No. 7910. George ended up at Stalag Luft III - the camp that was the subject of the movie “The Great Escape”. He was then trans-ferred to a POW camp in Munich arriving 45lbs thinner than on the day of his fateful flight.

Finally in April of 1945, General George Patton’s Seventh Army arrived and liberated the camp. Within hours, George stood at attention as the General walked through the barracks.

But George’s service did not end there. He served again in the Korean War for almost two years.

Blessed to come home, George finished college and moved to Bronxville to begin a career with Lehman Brothers. Three of his four sons graduated from the building right behind us.

George, you are so very modest, but you are a hero and your hometown is so proud to honor you today. Serving our country is the noblest of callings and love of country and devotion to freedom must never go out of fashion.

And true to the character of our very special Village, we have many more heroes like George and many sadly not as lucky as George to come home to Bronxville. Many went to heaven far too young.

Young men like Charlie Flammer, Princeton Class of 1941 and B25 Bomber pilot, he lost an engine and then maneuvered his plane so that his entire crew could get out while he went down with his plane. Still considered MIA, he has a

nephew named after him and if you go by Christ Church a full size stained glass window is dedi-cated to Charlie.

Or…. Douglas von Buskirk who knew of the exploits of WWI ace and Village resident Eddie Rickenbacker, who lived at 26 Prescott and belonged to the Leonard Morange American Legion Post named after another of our local heroes, Rickenbacker won the Congressional Medal of Honor as well as virtually every other military decoration having shot down 25 enemy planes and logged 300 combat flying hours, the most in WWI. Doug’s father was an Olympic fencer participating in the 1924, 1928 and 1932 games and saw Hitler’s evil up close and shared his stories with his son.

Galvanized by both his dad and Rickenbacker, Douglas joined the RAF in 1939, his only opportunity to take a side against Hitler at the time. While he was fighting in the European theater, his mom was managing our Womrath’s Book store and his dad volunteered on the Village’s Housing Commission. Doug was shot down during a night bombing raid in 1941. There is a plaque in his honor in the Reformed Church.

Mike Ransom – Bronxville High and Colby College graduate lost his life in 1968 just two months after arriving in Vietnam. He was a respected platoon leader and the eldest of six Bronxville sons.

Or……Ed Keeble, Bronxville School, Deerfield and Princeton who joined the Marines and became a gunship pilot. He kept

enemy fire trained on him so an air ambulance could Medivac the injured out of the jungle. He was shot down by the North Vietnamese and he is buried at Arlington.

And there are so many, many more.These young men were our neighbors,

someone’s son, your child’s best friend in school, the boy you coached in soccer. They truly were the hero next door. Disraeli said, “The legacy of a hero is the memory of a great man and the inheritance of a great example.” Their bravery, service and sense of duty must continue to be an ethos that defines our Village.

I believe their message to us, young and old, is to answer the call. Ours may not be as dangerous or a galant pursuit but answer; be brave at whatever you try; follow your conscience, step up when needed; volunteer even when not called.

By behaving this way we honor our heroes every day.

So as you leave today, do not be sad rather follow General Patton’s advice who said, “We should not mourn those men who died while serving, rather we should thank God that such men lived.”

Thank you to all of our veterans and God Bless America.Mary C. Marvin is the mayor of the Village of Bronxville, New York. If you have a suggestion or comment, consider directing your perspective by directing email to [email protected]

GOVERNMENT MAYOR MARVIN’S COLUMN

2012 Memorial Day Speech

OP EDSection

By DAMON K. JONESThe recent reports of welfare fraud by the Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore have confirmed the day-by-day unethical standards of her

leadership as District Attorney of Westchester County.

We are demanding the Democratic Party leaders, Westchester Chairman Reggie Lafayette and State Chairman Jay Jacobs request DiFiore’s resignation as Westchester County District Attorney. This ongoing investigation and her questionable actions in the past on fair dealings of the law against the poor and people of color have shown that the ethical transparency of our District Attorney’s

office has long been compromised.As a national organization of law enforce-

ment professionals, we question Governor Cuomo’s appointment of Ms. DiFiore as the Chair of his “Super” Ethics Committee. With recent allegations of covering civil and human rights violations of victims of police crimes, investigation of welfare fraud, Janet DiFiore’s leadership will be a continuation of corrup-tion and foul dealing that will be business as usual in this so-called State “Super” Ethics Committee.

“As a national organization of Law Enforcement Professionals, We are demanding the Democratic Party leaders, Westchester Chairman, Reggie Lafayette and State Chairman Jay Jacobs request DeFiore’s resignation as West chester County District

Attorney. This ongoing investigation and her question able actions in the past on fair deal-ings of the law enforcement crimes against the poor and people of color have shown that the ethical transparency of our District Attorney’s office has long been compromised. As long as Janet DiFiore stays in office, any decision that will come out of the office of the District Attorney will forever be questioned. We must bring back credibility to the justice system of Westchester County.”

Karen Edmonson, former Yonkers NAACP President said, “As a proud and law-abiding Jamaican immigrant, I find the allegations as reported in the media against Mrs. DiFiore and Ms. Buchanan to be disturbing. Jamaicans are hard working and law-abiding people and I don’t want

anyone to think otherwise. One would hope that this sort of situation would not have the District Attorney at the center of such alle-gations, especially because she is the chief law enforcement officer of Westchester County. I empathize with Ms. Buchanan especially since the media has reported that she is not in good health and has not been able to defend herself.

Damon K. Jones is the New York Representative of Blacks In Law Enforcement of America.

Blacks in Law Enforcement of America Call for Resignation of Westchester County District Attorney



By EDWARD I. KOCHA terrible tragedy took place at Rutgers University when two eighteen-year-old men were randomly selected by the University to share a bedroom

at a student dormitory. One of the young men, Dharum Ravi, was an immigrant from India; the other, Tyler Clementi, an Italian-American.

Ravi, suspecting that Clementi was gay, entered into a plan with a female student – later given immunity for her testimony – to videotape his roommate’s activities at night when Clementi had a male visitor to the bedroom he shared with Ravi, having arranged with Ravi to have the room for himself the evening of September 19, 2010 and again on September 21 for a number of hours. Ravi alerted fellow students to watch the Webcam video he took on September 21, and sure enough, the video showed Clementi in a sexual embrace with a male partner. Clementi learned of the taping and on September 22, 2010 committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge, posting on Facebook from his cell-phone, “Jumping off the gw bridge, sorry.” His suicide note on his computer was not released to the public.

Ravi was not tried for the death of Clementi, but was tried and convicted, the New York Times editorial of May 22, 2012 reported, for “invasion of privacy, witness tampering and multiple counts of a hate crime called bias intimidation. The jury found that Mr. Ravi knew his conduct could make Tyler Clementi, his roommate, feel targeted because he was gay.” Ravi was found guilty on March 16, 2012 and sentenced on May 21, 2012.

In sentencing Ravi, Judge Glenn Berman of the Superior court in Middlesex County, New Jersey, began his remarks by saying “I heard this jury say guilty 288 times – 24 questions, 12 jurors, that’s the multiplication” and “I haven’t heard you apologize once.” Listening to those remarks undoubtedly caused some in the courtroom to think the court was going to sentence Ravi to the max of 10 years. But no, the judge went on to say, “I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi. I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity.” The jury thought it was a hate crime. The judge has the right to reject a jury’s verdict if he believes there wasn’t sufficient evidence to support it. He did not do that. Putting

aside the hate crime aspect, what about the crime of witness tampering which Ravi was convicted of? Apparently, that is not a serious crime in New Jersey. If it were, wouldn’t Ravi have been sentenced to serious time just for that one crime?

What did the judge mete out as punishment? Thirty days in jail, three years of probation, 300 hours of community service, counseling about cyber-bullying and alternate lifestyles and about $11,000 in fees.

I say not enough. Tyler Clementi is dead. It is true that Ravi was not charged with his death, but he was charged with witness tampering and tampering with physical evidence and hindering his appre-hension and prosecution. Those are serious matters. Surely at least a year in prison of the ten available under the law would have provided greater justice and closure for Clementi’s parents. Hopefully, on appeal, although Appellate Courts do not like to substitute their judgment on sentencing for that of the trial judge, the Appellate Judges will set aside the lower court’s sentencing decision and send the case back for re-sentencing in accordance with their direction.

The trial court’s unjustifiably lenient sentence has shocked the public’s conscience. Adding to the outrageousness of the sentence and anger of the public is the decision of the defendant to appeal the sentence on the ground it is too onerous. The defenders of the judge’s sentence refer to the fact that there was no physical violence committed by Ravi. However, in my view, they ignore the reality of the shame, depression and psychic violence visited upon Clementi by Ravi which can have a more devastating impact than phys-ical violence.

Finally, isn’t it clear that Ravi, who has never apologized for his actions and did not do so when given the opportunity before the court imposed its sentence, has clearly conveyed his lack of remorse? Allowing the sentence to stand would be a flagrant injustice.

The Honorable Edward Irving Koch served as a member of Congress from New York State from 1969 through 1977, and New York City as its 105th Mayor from 1978 to 1989.

ED KOCH COMMENTARY

An Unjust Verdict in the Rutgers Cyber-spying Case


At the Compliance Part_____ of the Supreme Court, State of New York held in and for the County _______ of Westchester, at the Courthouse located at 111 Grove Street, White Plains, New York 10601 on the 15th day of May, 2012.

P R E S E N T: Joan B. Lefkowitz J.S.C.

------------------------------------------------------------------x

MELANIE KEENE, Plaintiff,

-against-

60-64 ELLIOTT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND CORPORATION and WESTHAB, INC., Defendants.

------------------------------------------------------------------x

S I R S:

Upon the reading and filing of the annexed Affirmation of ARGIRO DRAKOS, ESQ. dated the 16th day of April 2012, and all exhibits annexed hereto and upon all pleadings and proceedings heretofore had herein, and sufficient cause having been shown;

The Order to Show Cause issued by this court on April 23, 2012 directed service upon non-party, Marc Jones, by personal service, but movants have informed the court they were unable to personally serve the nonparty.

LET the plaintiff, MELANIE KEENE, and/or her attorneys, show cause before this Court, at the Compliance Conference Part of the Supreme Court, State of New York, County of Westchester, located at 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, White Plains, New York on the 9th day of July 2012, at 2:00 in the afternoon of that day or as soon thereafter as counsel may be heard,

WHY, an Order should not be entered, pursuant to CPLR §3103, granting the defendant a pro-tective Order precluding the plaintiff from calling on Marc Jones as a witness at the time of trial, or in the alternative, an Order of the Court pursuant to CPLR §2308(a) holding Marc Jones in contempt of Court and compelling his deposition as a non-party witness in this matter, along with such other and further relief as this Court deems just, proper and equitable.

The defendant has not previously sought the relief requested herein.

ORDERED, that sufficient cause appearing therefore,

LET service of a copy of this Order to Show Cause, together with the papers in support thereof be served upon plaintiff’s counsel, by regular mail on or before May 16, 2012, and on nonparty Marc Jones by publication, pursuant to CPLR 316, in the Journal News and the Western Guardian which are circulated in Yonkers, New York, the nonparty’s last known city of residence, at least once in each newspaper for four successive weeks commencing on May 23, 2012, be deemed good and sufficient service.

ORDERED that answering papers shall be served, and filed with the court, so as to be received on or before June 27, 2012 at 12 P.M. No reply papers shall be accepted. Proof of service shall be filed wwith the court on or before June 27, 2012. All papers shall be filed with the civil calendar clerk located in the 9th floor of the Westchester County Courtho9use.

ORAL ARGUMENT WILL BE HEARD. APPEARANCES OF COUNSEL AND NONPARTY, MARC JONES, IS REQUIRED.

Dated: White Plains, NY May 15, 2012 ENTER: HON. JOAN B, LEFKOWITZ, J.S.C.

L E G A L N O T I C E

By EVAN PALENSCHATAlbany’s campaign finance system may be in need of a makeover. Soaring contribu-tion limits, major loopholes, lax enforcement, and the use of corporate and special

interest money are only a few of the problems confronted by the state. In March, a nationwide State Integrity Investigation study conducted by the Center for Public Integrity gave New York a “D-” for “political financing.”

In response to a seemingly apparent need for reform, Governor Andrew Cuomo prom-ised to introduce a bill on campaign finance reform during his State-of-the-State address this year. Cuomo said he embraced “public financing, matched contributions, lower limits, and increased enforcement . . . .”

A coalition of pro-reform groups has taken Cuomo up on his promise. The groups, which include several good government organiza-tions and celebrity philanthropists, led an email campaign on April 18 asking 1 million New Yorkers to contact Governor Cuomo and pres-sure him to reform the way New York funds elections.

Many agree that New York needs to change its system. However, proponents of reform often fail to specify what reforms need to be made, instead relying on broad statements such as “ending corruption.” The question for lawmakers in Albany now is how to enact new rules while complying with recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2010, the Court released its Citizens United decision ruling that corporations and unions have an absolute right to spend without limit to influence elections. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority, reasoned that independent expenditures by corporations are protected speech under the First Amendment. Further, Kennedy found that such “expendi-tures . . . do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption” since they are not “coordinated” with candidates. Finally, the Court believed that laws requiring disclosure of who is spending would adequately inform the citi-zenry of where the money was coming from. Therefore, Kennedy ruled that the government did not have a compelling interest in restricting or limiting the spending.

Over two years later, it is not clear whether the Court’s reasoning is sound. Super PACs backing Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, and President Barack Obama were and are all run by former employees or staff members. Staff members for the candidates often attend fund-raisers held by the super PACs.

Steven Colbert emphasized the absurdity

of the coordination rules on his political satire “The Colbert Report,” when he handed over the reins of his super PAC to business asso-ciate Jon Stewart so that Colbert could run for “President of South Carolina” during the GOP primaries. Trevor Potter, former commis-sioner of the Federal Election Commission and now Colbert’s lawyer, came on the show to tell Colbert and Stewart the rules. Stewart could take over Colbert’s super PAC while he ran for office as long as they did not “coordinate.” Colbert and Stewart rejoiced like schoolchildren that had just fooled their teacher with a forged note.

Loopholes in disclosure laws have also been exploited. Groups that qualify as a section 501(c)(4) “social welfare organization” under the Internal Revenue Code need not disclose the identities of their donors.

While it is true that Citizens United did not impinge on the ability of law makers to close the loopholes on coordination and disclosure, recent history evidences the difficulty of such a task. It is unlikely that a candidate for office will be unaware of large expenditures made on their behalf. This knowledge can lead to the creation of political debts once in office. Also, many lawmakers believe that strict disclosure rules overly burden free speech and refuse to vote for such bills. This was demonstrated on the federal level when the Disclose Act, requiring 501(c)(4) organizations to disclose donors publicly, passed the House but was defeated by a Senate Republican filibuster.

New York may need to reform their coor-dination and disclosure laws in order to limit corruption and the effect of Citizens United.

Another Supreme Court case will limit Albany’s ability to pass an effective and effi-cient public financing system. In Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Freedom Club PAC v. Bennett, the Court invalidated Arizona’s public financing system. Arizona supplied money to opt-in candidates when expenditures by other privately funded candidates and their outside supporters exceeded a specified amount. The Court found these “trigger-funds” unconstitu-tional since they penalized the speech of private candidates and their supporters.

Bennett’s ruling has led many states to abolish trigger-funding or any language in their laws that would seem to “level the playing field,” as the Supreme Court described it. For example, New York City’s Campaign Finance Board no longer allows trigger-funding, but instead allows publicly funded candidates to use personal funds once private candidates spend over a certain amount.

So what can New York do in the wake of Citizens United and Bennett?

The following represent a few reform ideas currently being proposed by reformists and debated by commentators.

Lower Individual Contribution Limits and Eliminate Contributions from Special Interests

The contribution limits in New York are very high. Individuals can donate over $60,000 annu-ally to a state-wide general election. Compare

this to federal elections, where individuals can only give $2,500 per candidate and $5,000 to a political action committee. The Census reported that the median household income for New York was $55,603 for 2006-2010.The New York contribution limits cater to the wealthy, since candidates need only rely on a few donors giving the full amount. This reliance may lead to the creation of political debts that are repaid once the candidate is elected.

New York also allows corporations and unions to contribute. While corporate

Campaign Finance In The Post-Citizens United EraCampaign Finance Reform In Albany (Part 3 of 8)

NEW YORK CIVIC

Continued on page 26

http://nycivic.org/source/evan-palenschat


26 SALISBURY ST, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 4/12/12. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of C/O Stern Keiser & Panken, LLP 1025 West-chester Ave. Ste. 305 White Plains, NY 10604. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

OFFICE SNIPER LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 3/13/12. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of ALAN LOUGHLIN 325 MAIN ST. APT 3H WHITE PLAINS, NY 10601. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

A.P.E. FITNESS, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 10/27/11. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy THE LLC ATTN: LORI SCHNEIDER 23 WOODLAND DR RYE BROOK, NY 10573. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

MADISON-DAVIS LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 5/7/12. Of-fice in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy The LLC 303 S. Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591 Purpose: Any lawful activity.

THE TRENDY VEGAN, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 4/20/12. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom pro-cess may be served. SSNY shall mail copy THE LLC 56 QUARRY LN BEDFORD, NY 10506. Registered Agent: YONNI MI-CHELLE WATTENMAKER 56 QUARRY LN BEDFORD, NY 10506. Purpose: Any law-ful activity.

QUICK CASH OF BROADWAY LLC Ar-ticles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 5/4/12. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy The LLC 1150 Broadway New York, NY 11221 Purpose: Any lawful activity.

ENDRIM HOUSE LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 4/24/12. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy THE LLC 191 BEECH ST. EASTCHESTER, NY 10709. Registered Agent: PHILIP DENNING 191 BEECH ST. EASTCHESTER, NY 10709 Purpose: Any lawful activity.

L E G A L N O T I C E

CLASSIFIED ADSOffice Space Available-


Prime Retail - Westchester County

Best Location in Yorktown Heights1100 Sq. Ft. Store $3100; 1266 Sq. Ft. store $2800 and

450 Sq. Ft. Store $1200.




FREE CONSULTATION:
































Advertise Today

1 column2 column

[email protected]

SUMMER JOBS With ENVIRONMENT NEW YORK

$10-$15/HR -Protect the Catskills!-Work with Great People!

White Plains, NY

www.jobsforgoodcauses.org CALL WILL 914-358-5141914-562-0834

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Child AbuseTo the Editor:I would like to commend Mayor Koch on his

stance regarding child abuse in the Hasidic Community. Child abuse, regardless of where it is happening and by whom, should never be treated lightly by a specific community of people as well as receive preferential treat-ment by members of our legal system.Thank you Mayor Koch!John BashianMahwah, NJ


http://www.jobsforgoodcauses.org




FREE CONSULTATION:



F. 914.686.4873

Professional DominicanHairstylists & Nail Technicians




contributions are limited to $5,000, unincorpo-rated unions are allowed to contribute up to the individual limit. In addition, the $5,000 limit on corporations applies separately to each subsid-iary. Since some corporations own dozens of subsidiaries, they easily circumvent the lower limit. Corporations also get around the limita-tion by donating to “housekeeping accounts,” maintained by the various political parties.

New York could completely ban corporate and union contributions, or at the very least allow only $5,000 in aggregate contributions from a corporate family. Some argue that these special interests are not part of “We the People.” They have no right to vote in our elections, so why should they be able to do so indirectly prior to the election? Elected representatives should be dependent on the People alone for their re-elec-tion, thereby forcing them to focus on what is good for the citizenry, as opposed to a special interest’s bottom line.

Albany may want to take a page from New York City’s playbook in this area. The City has adopted rules that ban contributions from corporations, partnerships, and LLCs. The City also greatly reduces the allowed contribu-tion amount from individuals “doing business” with the City and from lobbyists or their family members. These so called ‘pay-to-play” rules are meant to reduce corruption, or its appearance, and were recently upheld by the Second Circuit inOgnibene v. Parkes. The case is awaiting acceptance of an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Create Strict Rules Against “Coordination” and Require Increased Disclosure

New York could limit the effect of super PACs and other outside expenditure groups by creating stricter rules on what counts as “coor-dination” with a candidate and requiring more disclosure of who is spending.

For starters, people that have personal connections with the candidates could be restricted from running super PACs, supporting such candidates or rallying against their competitors. Even if the family member, former employee, or business associate is able to stay truly separate from the candidate, there could still be the appearance of corruption. In Citizens United,the Supreme Court acknowledged that limiting the appearance of corruption is a

compelling governmental interest since such appearance dissuades the citizenry from partici-pating in elections.

Secondly, New York could attempt to pass disclosure rules that require all organizations (even 501(c)(4) “social welfare organizations”) spending on behalf of candidates to promptly disclose the identities of their contributors and the amounts of each contribution. These disclo-sures could be publicly available on the web for all to see. This will stop the practice of donor identities being released, if at all, long after votes have been cast.

Finally, the state needs to ensure enforce-ment of its rules. The Center for Public Integrity reports that the New York State Board of Elections is weak and usually able to levy only $500 fines for missed filing deadlines. The Center reports that Bill Mahoney, a research coordinator for New York Public Interest group, has said that the State Elections Board is “underfinanced, understaffed,” and susceptible to political influence. Clearly, if new rules adopted in Albany are going to have any influence they need to be effectively enforced. This may entail scrapping the current Board and replacing it with a bipartisan entity such as New York City’s Campaign Finance Board.

Create a competitive and Efficient Public Financing System

If New York creates an opt-in public financing system it should be both competitive and efficient.

It needs to be competitive enough to persuade candidates to opt-in instead of using private funds. The state cannot force candidates to accept public funds, so if there is no opting-in, the system will be worthless. To be competitive, at a minimum, advocates of a public financing system claim that it must provide candidates with enough money to mount an effective campaign against privately funded candidates. One way to achieve this goal was to use trigger-funds. However, Bennett invalidated this type of funding. New York will need to adopt a new method.

One method would be to supply candi-dates with lump-sum amounts at the start of a campaign. The state could determine what this amount should be relative to the median amounts spent in the last five elections adjusted for inflation. The problem with this approach

is that privately funded candidates, and their outside spenders, will have advance notice of how much they need to raise and spend to buy a campaign.

New York could reduce this certainty by distributing funds throughout the campaign cycle based on a mechanism that does not burden a private candidate’s speech (as trigger-funds do under Bennett). Backers of a matching funds system for the State say that lawmakers could adopt New York City’s matching system. The City matches qualifying contributions up to $175 by a ratio of 6-to-1. For example, if an individual contributes $10, the City matches it with $60. This does a few things. First, it allows candidates to gather funding as needed to compete with privately funded candidates. Second, it provides average citizens with an incentive to donate, since their donation’s value will be magnified by the City’s matching. Finally, more small donations mean more participation in elections as more voters will feel like they have skin in the game. Also, since the City can decide what to match, they can refuse to match contri-butions from entities that may pose a corruption problem, such as corporations, unions, lobbyists, and those “doing business” with the City.

While a matching system such as New York City’s seems more competitive, New York State should also take into account efficiency concerns. Namely, the State must aim not to overburden the public treasury. For example, if all candi-dates in a race opted-in to the public system, this could result in a funding race as candidates gather as many contributions as possible in order to procure the 6-to-1 matching. If there is no ceiling on the amount of public funding, the state could find itself spending too much taxpayer money.

So why not just cap the amount of state aid? Once again, this will put privately funded candidates and their super PACs on notice of how much they need to raise and spend to buy an election. To address this problem, New York City has allowed publicly funded candidates to begin using private funds after privately funded candidates have surpassed a specified spending ceiling. In addition to the City’s rule, the state may also want to consider providing additional public funds once the spending cap has been breached. To do this and avoid invalidation under Bennett, the state could advance funds not in correlation to private spending by an opt-out

candidate, but in relation to some other mecha-nism, such as gathering a certain number of voter signatures.

Two Problems Reform May Not SolveIn the end, even if Governor Cuomo

convinces the lawmakers in Albany to adopt all or some of these changes, Citizens United and Bennett still leave the state with two problems.

The first is that even strict rules on coor-dination and disclosure may be inadequate to end the influence of super PACs and other outside spenders, if that is a goal of the state. It is highly unlikely that a candidate will not know about large expenditures on their behalf, even if there truly is no coordination. Also, even if there is heightened disclosure, some commen-tators believe that this disclosure is actually just publicizing the corruption and making it seem legitimate. Thus, after Citizens United, it seems candidates may still depend on outside spenders, possibly resulting in the creation of political debts, or the appearance of corruption.

The second problem originates with the Bennett decision. Since trigger-funds or any other attempt to “level the playing field” is outlawed, lawmakers’ attempts to create a truly competitive and efficient public financing system may be limited. To be competitive there cannot cap on public funding, and to be efficient it seems there needs to be a cap. Trigger funds relieved this problem since the state only spent in relation to private spending.

As lawmakers in Albany debate these issues and the possible solutions they will have to grapple with whether the decisions by the Supreme Court will prevent them from reaching their goals in the area campaign finance. Regardless, it seems clear there may be a lot of room for improvement.

Evan Palenschat is a graduate of Columbia Law School, having received his J.D. in May, 2012. Prior to attending law school, Evan worked at TCF National Bank in Bloomington, MN in their lending department. During his time in law school Evan’s studies have centered on business and finance law. He also worked for Civil Rights scholar Dale Carpenter researching and writing about gay rights under the First Amendment. Evan will be joining Jones Day in their mid-town Manhattan office as a first year associate in October, 2012. Peruse the entire New York Civic archive at www.NYCivic.org.

Continued from page 24Campaign Finance In The Post-Citizens United Era

NEW YORK CIVIC

http://www.NYCivic.org


By BOB WEIRAs we celebrate this Memorial Day at community gatherings and barbecues with our families, let’s not forget the meaning behind the holiday. Countless numbers of men and women have lost

their lives in battlefields around the world. Those of us who have never worn the uniform of this great country in hostile territory will never fully understand the horrors of war. That’s because we’re fortunate enough to have volunteers who do the fighting for us. Not only do they sacrifice their time with families, they face the daily threat of losing life and limb. While struggling to survive, they must also maintain a code of military conduct that their enemies are not bound by. In addition to being killed in combat, our men and women in uniform have been tortured, hacked to pieces, soaked with gasoline and set afire before being hung upside down in public. That’s the way the enemy treats its prisoners! After seeing their fellow soldiers suffer the most ghastly deaths imaginable, it is never-theless expected that every US serviceman and woman use kid gloves to treat those whom they capture. And, when one of our troops steps out of line, even for the slightest infraction, there’s a rapid apology from our State Dept. and a Court-martial for the offending soldier.

I know, we are a civilized country and we’re supposed to be above any and all inhumane treat-ment. As an orderly society, with readily enforced rules of behavior, including stop lights, speed limits, and cross at the green, not in between regulations, it’s easy to follow a pattern of civility. However, our soldiers are not fighting the battles on Maple Avenue in East Cupcake, Nebraska. They’re in war-ravaged tribal societies, dodging bullets and bombs every day, and seeing their friends get their heads blown off on a regular basis. They’re sleeping intermittently amid the cacophony of explo-sions and mortar fire; their beds are made of dirt and sand, and they wouldn’t place a bet on living past tomorrow. Under such conditions, one tends

to view the world through a dysfunctional prism. The rest of us lucky folks are well fed, clothed, and sheltered in our antiseptic bubble, free from the psychotic influence of battle. We connect to the war with a remote control button that brings us sound bite journalism and flashy images that we have come to associate with the pyrotechnic displays we see in the movies. For some it’s entertaining, for others, informative, but for all it’s a simple and safe method of staying in touch with the war, and discussing its merits and demerits while passing the mashed potatoes and gravy at the dinner table.

When an investigation of abuse begins, US Senators take their turn questioning and criticizing the generals and the civilian authorities who have responsibility for the warriors in the field. They make it clear that Americans don’t tolerate abuse of any kind, notwithstanding the conditions under which the soldiers must struggle daily against an unmerciful enemy. Civility, being profoundly more important than self-preservation, means the soldier must conform to the rules, even as his adversary plots to disembowel him. Some years ago, accu-sations of conduct that “humiliated” prisoners became a global news story. Perhaps if our troops had shot the prisoners, instead of humiliating them, there would be no outrage. Human rights groups protest bitterly against any abuse by US soldiers, but are oddly reticent when terrorists make bonfires with the bodies of our soldiers. Because our troops are sold as the good guys, I suppose they should not allow themselves the luxury of anger, hatred, and revenge against those who wantonly kill their buddies.

We expect them to resemble little toy soldiers, marching into the smoke and fire with uniforms neatly pressed and Colgate smiles on their faces. These young men and women, raised in small towns and large cities in the good old USA, are never quite sure what to expect if called to fight on the other side of the world. Weary from battle fatigue, and the constant struggle for survival, even some of the most milk-fed, religious minded, values based products of this great democracy can become

corrupted from exposure to a culture of death and degeneracy. Some will say this is merely an excuse for bad behavior in a war zone. To those I would ask, how many times have you had to wipe off your friends’ blood and brains when they showered your uniform after a sniper attack? If you’ve never had the experience, you simply don’t know what you’re talking about! Therefore, enjoy your mashed pota-toes with gravy and be thankful that the closest

you’ll ever come to war is that large flat-screen TV in your safe and comfortable living room.Bob Weir is a veteran of 20 years with the New York Police Department, ten of which were performed in plainclothes undercover assignments. Bob began a writing career about 12 years ago, publishing a total of seven novels. He has also become a syndicated columnist under the title, “Weir Only Human”.

2022 Saw Mill River Rd., Yorktown Heights, NY THE ROMA BUILDING

Office & Store Space for Rent Prime Yorktown Location

Office Space 965 sq ft.: Rent $ 1650/mo.Store Karl Ehmers: 1100 sq ft- $3100/mo.

Store in back: 1300 sq ft. $2650/mo.

914.632.1230

Paying the Price of Freedom WEIR ONLY HUMAN

OP-ED

By FRANK V. VERNUCCIO, JR.Why is Moscow so vehemently against a European-based anti-ballistic missile (ABM) program designed to protect America and its allies from an Iranian nuclear

assault?The Russians have assisted the Iranian nuclear

program, and are attempting to reinstitute their sphere of influence in Eastern Europe’s former “captive nations.” They seek to prevent the U.S. from deploying any ABM technology as long as possible, while developing their own system. They are playing on President Obama’s reluctance to fund ABM programs.

In 2001, then-State Senator Obama empha-sized that he was opposed to missile defense; as

a candidate for president, he pledged to eliminate funding for it. The President continues to advocate the

slashing of funding for ABM systems.The NEW START Treaty with Moscow

mandates that Washington reduce its strategic capabilities but permits the Kremlin to expand theirs. While the U.S. delays implementing an effective ABM shield, the Russians are moving ahead. Rep. Denny Rehberg (D-Mont.) told The Hill newspaper that “The NEW START treaty with Russia will go down as one of the worst, most one-sided deals in our country’s history.”

The President’s position has resulted in signifi-cant embarrassment for the White House. Plans to move ahead with limited ABM protection against an Iranian threat were a product of extensive nego-tiations between the Bush Administration and Eastern European nations. The former Soviet

satellites, where key ABM elements would be based, braved a war of words from Moscow. However, President Obama proclaimed on Sept. 17, 2009, that he was unilaterally stopping the plan. The date he announced this was the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland. The President’s decision infuriated Warsaw’s leaders. The resulting loss of trust in the White House directly led to the Czech Republic’s withdrawal from related agreements.

The second major White House embarrass-ment came in March. At a meeting in South Korea at a global security summit, the president, believing that microphones were turned off, pleaded with Russian President Medvedev to delay ABM discussions until after his re-election.

Despite its opposition to American ABM efforts, Moscow has long been a leader in anti-missile efforts. In 1962, the USSR initiated construction of the globe’s first operational ABM

system, and engaged in a major upgrade in the late1970’s.

Russia has resorted to threats reminiscent of the Cold War. Despite Washington’s concessions to Moscow’s demands that have already alien-ated the Obama Administration from America’s allies in Eastern Europe, the Associated Press reports that Russia’s top military officer, Chief of General Staff Nikolai Makarov threatened a pre-emptive strike on NATO missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe if they are built. The Russian threats, which are not particularly creditable, are hypocritical since Moscow continues to develop its own ABM capability.

Over thirty nations, among them terrorist and irrational states like Iran and North Korea, are developing missiles that can target the USA and its allies. Defensive measures are urgently required.Contact Frank Vernuccio by directing email to: [email protected].

The New Missile Threat




W W W . W E S T C H E S T E R G U A R D I A N . C O M

HAVE A BBQON CHARLIE!

ENTERTO WIN!Look for oursweepstakes

beginning June 15th

599

ASSORTED

TIDE 2XLIQUID DETERGENT

4/$1012 PACK

ASSORTED FULL LINE

PEPSI

2/$559 OZ.

ASSORTED

FLORIDANATURALORANGEJUICE

10/$28 OZ.

GOYA TOMATO SAUCE

10/$1014.75-15 OZ.

ASSORTED

CHEF BOYARDEE

2/$66.5-26 OZ.

2/$460 OZ.

2/$4 3/$312.5-14 OZ.5-5.36 OZ.

ASSORTED 10 PACK

CAPRI SUN DRINKSASSORTED

CELESTE PIZZA

79916 OZ.51/60 CT.

FRESH FROZEN FULLY COOKED

PANAMEI SHRIMP

699LB. 50 OZ.

BOAR’S HEADDELUXE HAM

OR SWISS CHEESE

2/$516 OZ. 699

12 PACK, 12OOO SHEET

SCOTT BATH TISSUE

29930 OZ.

REGULAR ONLY

HELLMANN’SMAYONNAISE

LIMIT 2 JARS WITH ADDT’L. $10.00 PURCHASE

2/$511.75-12 OZ.

ASSORTED

DORITOS

LIMIT 2 OFFERS PER SHOPPING FAMILY

ASSORTED FULL LINE

ENTENMANN’S

1299

18 PACK

COORS BEER

ASSORTED QUAKER

CAP’N CRUNCH CEREAL

LIMIT 1 PACK WITH ADDT’L. $20.00 PURCHASE LIMIT 1 BTL. WITH ADDT’L. $10.00 PURCHASE

NOT AVAILABLE IN NEW JERSEY

FRESH BAKED JUMBO 4 PACK

BLUEBERRYMUFFINS

2/$4HASS

AVOCADOS

99¢

GREEN & JUICY

LIMES

2/$5

JUMBO SWEET

PINEAPPLES

DRISCOLL’S CALIFORNIA

STRAWBERRIES

ROMA PLUM

TOMATOES

LB.

EACH

COSTA RICA

10/$1

1 LB. CONT.

MEXICO

MEXICO

MEXICO

LIMIT 2 BOXES WITH ADDT’L. $10.00 PURCHASE

FRUITKABOBS 299

LB.

69¢

WE ACCEPT • EBT • WIC CHECKS • ATM MACHINES AVAILABLE

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.WESTERNBEEF.COMQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS: CALL TOLL FREE 1-888-554-2333WB & THE CACTUS LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF W.B.I. INTERNATIONAL, INC.

SALE DATES2012

FRI.JUNE 8

SAT.JUNE 9

SUN.JUNE 10

MON.JUNE 11

TUES.JUNE 12

WED.JUNE 13

THURS.JUNE 14

Not responsible for typographical errors. Prices effective in these stores only. No beer in NJ. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Items designated MFR require sales tax on gross retail before savings. Pictures in this circular are for design purposes only and do not necessarily represent item for sale. 6/8/12 P1VERS. 3 - MT. VERNON, EAST ORANGE

49¢LB.

FRESH QUARTERED

CHICKENLEGS10 TO 15 LB. BAG

LIMIT 1 BAG WITH ADDT’L. $10.00 PURCHASE

299LB.

FRESH USDA CHOICE BEEF

SHORT RIBS

12-20 LB. AVG.CUSTOM CUT INTO: SHORT RIBS & FLANKEN

FRESH PORK LEAN & TASTY

SPARE RIBS10-12 LB. CRYO

499

REGULAR OR GOLD

CAROLINA RICE 20 LB.OR CORN OR VEGETABLE

WESSON OIL 128 OZ.

ASSORTED

HUNT’SBBQSAUCE

4/$521.6 OZ.

299LB.

FRESH FROZEN

BEEF OXTAILS

LB.198

LIMIT 1 OF EACH WITH ADDT’L. $50.00 PURCHASE

15 LB.BOX ONLY

$44.85

Documents

Westchester Guardian