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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Category: The Goods

Published: 29 November 2023

Flags are flying at half-staff at Scarsdale’s elementary schools this week for a local family who was in a tragic car accident in Bristol, CT on Thanksgiving night, November 23, 2023.

Toby and Brooke Cohen of Mamaroneck Road were driving with their three children when their car ran off the road into the woods around 7:18 pm. The parents, Toby and Brooke Cohen, were killed at the scene and their three children, Cooper, Jake and Addison were critically injured.

A funeral was held for the couple in Livingston, NJ on Tuesday November 28, 2023.

Brooke Cohen, age 37, worked for the Brooklyn District Attorney for ten years. DA Eric Gonzalez said, “Throughout her time in Brooklyn, Brooke demonstrated unwavering dedication, relentless advocacy and a steadfast commitment to combatting gender-based violence. From her early days as an assistant to her role as a supervisor in the criminal court she fought for justice with positivity, resilience, and a contagious smile that inspired those around her.”

Her husband Toby Cohen, age 41, worked for the Red Apple Group.

The family purchased the house on Mamaroneck Road in July 2023 and their two older children attended Heathcote Elementary School. They were members of Westchester Reform Temple.

Here is the police report from the Bristol Police Department:

"On the above date and time, Bristol Police, Fire and EMS responded to the Bristol/Farmington town line for a serious crash that occurred on Stevens Street in Bristol. Upon arrival, a vehicle was located off of the roadway along the northern side of the road.

The initial investigation showed that a westbound vehicle was traveling on Morea Road in Farmington, had crossed into Bristol on Stevens Street, east of Cherry Hill Drive and had left the roadway to the right, striking a roadway sign and vegetation/trees. The vehicle continued through the woods until coming to a stop.

Two adults were pronounced dead at scene and three children were transported to area hospitals. The Bristol Police Department worked with several out of state agencies to identify all occupants of the vehicle and to notify next of kin. All involved occupants were not Connecticut residents and were visiting from out of state for Thanksgiving."

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Category: The Goods

Published: 13 December 2023

Michael V. Curti has been appointed Scarsdale Village JusticeScarsdale Village Justice Cynthia Dunne has resigned. Mayor Justin Arest announced the news at the December 12 meeting of the Scarsdale Village Board. With court scheduled to be in session the following day, the Mayor announced that the current Associate Justice, Michael V. Curti would step up and fill the role until the election in March.

Curti has served as Associate Justice for the Village since April 2022. His prior public service includes tenures as Corporation Counsel of the City of Yonkers, Westchester County assistant district attorney and principal law secretary in New York State Supreme Court. He lives in Scarsdale with his wife (an SHS alum) and two children.

Here are the remarks he made at Village Hall on Tuesday night:

I would like to thank the Mayor and the Board of Trustees for considering my appointment as Village Justice this evening. It is a privilege to serve in this incredible position of trust and responsibility alongside my colleagues at the Court, the clerks, court officers, attorneys, and stenographers who make our Village Court hands down the best in New York State.

Tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., we will have Court in this room. Along with the gratitude I am feeling this evening is a sense of sadness that the journey will continue without Judge Dunne on the bench. But what will carry forth and continue is her legacy of achieving and maintaining excellence in giving the people of this exceptional community the level of service in the pursuit of justice that they both expect and deserve.

The two years I have been on the Court have been among the most professionally and personally rewarding moments of my life. Judge Dunne always treated me as a peer and I can say without reservation that we worked collaboratively to achieve the best results possible: fairly and impartially, efficiently and effectively.

Of course, that’s no surprise to anyone who has seen her commitment to family, volunteerism in our community in the League and Rotary, and service to our country as an Assistant United States Attorney.

I pledge to you that I will do my best to continue the work of this superb public servant. Thank you.

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Written by Wendy MacMillan

Category: The Goods

Published: 21 November 2023

‘Tis the season to be jolly…or so goes the famous Christmas song! While the holidays can inspire feelings of joy and merriment, for some this time of year can also be full of pressure and stress. If you are the kind of person that can get easily overwhelmed by crowded shopping malls, out of town visitors, and trying to prepare the perfect meal, you are not alone! But luckily for us, there are some steps we can take to cultivate an inner peace and to help us stay grounded even when the self-checkout at Target stops working or “grandma’s famous gravy” turns out lumpy.

By now many in our community have probably heard how beneficial meditation can be. Whether it is practiced to improve attention and focus or to help us control our emotions and relieve anxiety, mediation produces true, measurable benefits (and can even help us keep our cool when that gift we ordered online doesn’t show up in time!). The beauty of meditation is that it can be used by anyone, anywhere! If you are new to meditation and need help getting started, there are dozens of apps you can use or articles you can read that will help you build a practice in no time at all. If you prefer the help of an expert or want to meditate with other like-minded friends, you can also check out https://kelsadebrabant.com/. Kelsa is an amazing meditation teacher and mindful practitioner that leads sessions right here in Scarsdale!

Yes, it may sound cliche…but really, remember to take care of yourself! It’s hard to stay “jolly” when our tanks are running on empty! Maybe you like to exercise to keep the stress at bay or maybe you need to soak in the bath with a good book, whatever little acts of self-care might help, remember to build time into each day to recharge your batteries! And if you are in need of a little deeper healing, don’t hesitate to treat yourself to a massage or maybe even a healing sound bath. If you haven’t experienced the wonder of a sound bath, check out https://www.sshealing.com/. Susie Sands is also a Scarsdale local and performs sound baths both in person and virtually.

This last tip can be a little tricky, especially in a world that feels so topsy-turvy, but focusing on the positives has proven to be a successful tool in helping to improve one’s mood and well-being. One easy way to focus on all of the good things that we are surrounded by is to engage in the practice of gratitude. When we practice gratitude, we actively look for things in our lives to be thankful for and it can be as easy as saying what you feel grateful for before dinner each night. Other easy ways to practice gratitude include: writing down three things you feel grateful for in a journal before bed each night, writing thank you notes, or sitting in nature for a few moments while trying to focus your attention on all of the blessings our lives are filled with. Focusing on the positive doesn’t mean that we negate hardships or feelings of sadness or frustration, it just means that we take time each day to remind ourselves and refocus our attention on all of the good that is out there too.

Whether you are a person that lives for the magic of this season, or you are someone who might need these tips and tools to help keep stress at bay, we hope your holidays are filled with light, love, and laughter.