Rabies Alert: Rabid Kitten in New Rochelle on Pelham Manor Border
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- Written by Adrienne Fishman
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The Westchester County Department of Health is issuing a rabies alert to residents who may have had contact with a stray kitten or cat any time since early June on the grounds of the New York Athletic Club and/or the Winged Foot Day Camp, both located at 31 Shore Road in New Rochelle, adjacent to Shore Park in Pelham Manor.
A small grey kitten that was on the grounds in early June has been confirmed rabid, and it may have exposed other kittens or cats nearby. It was removed from the grounds on June 6 and taken home by a resident, who was caring for it until it began acting aggressively last week. The kitten was taken to a local veterinarian’s office, where it was euthanized and was then confirmed rabid this week.
The health department used robo-calls to notify residents who live within a half-mile of the area where the cat was found and produced flyers for the camp and the club to post and distribute to members, employees, campers and their families. Flyers also were posted in Shore Park.
Anyone who believes that he, she, a child or a pet may have had contact with stray cats or kittens during the past month in these areas of New Rochelle should contact the Westchester County Department of Health IMMEDIATELY at (914) 813-5159, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to assess the need for life saving rabies treatment.
“When you see a stray or wild animal acting strangely, it’s best to avoid contact with the animal and alert local authorities to avoid possible exposure to rabies,” said Westchester County Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD. “A woman who was bitten by the kitten is being treated.”
Unusual behavior may be the first sign of rabies in an animal. A rabid animal may become either abnormally aggressive or unusually tame. It may lose fear of people and become excited and irritable, or, conversely appear particularly passive and lethargic. Staggering and frothing at the mouth are sometimes noted.
Direct contact with wild or stray animals, even baby animals, is inadvisable. Residents are also reminded not to feed wild or stray animals to avoid bringing rabies to their doorstep. Parents should teach children not to touch unfamiliar animals and to immediately tell an adult if they have been bitten or scratched by an animal. Any physical contact with a wild or unfamiliar animal should be reported to a health care provider. All animal bites or contacts with animals suspected of having rabies must be reported to the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000, 24 hours a day.
Keeping pet rabies vaccinations up to date is also important for protection against rabies. New York State law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies and receive regular booster shots. For more information, go to www.westchestergov.com/health or call the RABIES INFOLINE at (914) 813-5010.
Free Family Synagogue Membership
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Shaarei Tikvah, the Scarsdale Conservative Congregation, at 46 Fox Meadow Rd. in Scarsdale, is offering a special promotion for families whose children are in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade, and are ready to begin this WEEKDAY-ONLY religious school (no week-end). The entire family will get a free one-year membership to the synagogue, including tickets for the High Holidays.
For registration information, call 914-472-2013, ext. 300, or to speak with the school's principal, call ext. 305. Shaarei Tikvkah's religious school is innovative and creative and highlights heritage and culture using music and the arts. Shaarei Tikvah (Gates of Hope) is a multi-generation warm community that is fully egalitarian and welcoming.
Have a Blast: Where to See Fireworks in Westchester and NYC
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Grab the bug spray and blankets and head out for an almost free evening of fireworks in Westchester. For those with deeper pockets, I’ve included information on the Macy’s Fourth of July firework extravaganza and where to take in a world-class music concert that has fireworks. This year I’ll be seeing the fireworks at Disney in California, though, truthfully, I’d prefer to watch the Macy’s celebration on TV. Sorry Mickey.
July 3, 6:00 PM-10:00 PM, Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla
Head to the Kensico Dam Plaza in nearby Valhalla for some free local fun. There’s entertainment to celebrate Independence Day starting with a DJ show at 6:00 PM. From 8:00 PM-9:15 PM, Bensen-Scott Big Band will entertain the crowd. The firework show kicks off at 9:15 PM rain or shine. Come early or be prepared to walk a bit as parking spots may be in short supply. Kensico Dam, Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla (914) 864-PARK. www.westchestergov.com/parks .
July 3, 9:15 PM, Scarsdale Pool Complex, Scarsdale
Scarsdale’s very own annual fireworks display is open for all residents and held at the pool. Non-pool members may only enter the pool complex at 5:00 PM. A $2 fee will be charged to everyone who enters the pool after 5:00 PM. Come back the next day (July 4) for Carnival Day, held for pool members only from 11:00 AM-4:00 PM. Kids love the pool games, inflatables and this year, a sandcastle building contest. 311 Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale Pool office (914) 722-1292.
July 4, 8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Katonah
For something a bit more sophisticated, take I-684 to Caramoor in northern Westchester, land of Martha Stewart, Richard Gere, David Letterman and Alec Baldwin. Enjoy the orchestra of St. Luke's with Jamie Bernstein, host; Darius DeHaas, Carla Jablonski, vocals; John Musto, piano; Michael Barrett, conductor. Fireworks follow the concert (for ticket holders only). The sky will be lit up 15-20 minutes after the concert and can best be viewed by standing on Friends Field. Come early and enjoy pre-concert picnicking on the grounds. Tickets range from $30 to $70, children 16 and under are half price. Parking is free on-site on a first-come, first-serve basis. 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah (914) 232-5035 www.caramoor.org .
July 4, dusk, Harbor Island Park, Mamaroneck
Just a short drive away and held in the beautiful 44-acre Harbor Island Park, the annual Fireman’s Fireworks Spectacular is a good free option for fireworks with easy parking. Harbor Island Park, Mamaroneck, 777-7784.
July 4, 9:30 PM, New Rochelle Waterfront
Grucci Fireworks will once again light up the night in New Rochelle on July 4 thanks to a last-minute donor who stepped in to pay the bill. The “Spark the Sound” Independence Day Fireworks Display will begin at 9:30 PM rain or shine and be presented by the Gruccis of New York. The Gruccis were responsible for the firework programs for seven presidential inaugurations; the Lake Placid Olympics in 1981; the Los Angeles Olympics in 1985; the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002; the Athens Olympics in 2004; and the world's largest fireworks program ever produced for the grand opening of Dubai's Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis the Palm Resort. So, it should be (really) good. The Fireworks can be seen from New Rochelle’s waterfront parks, especially Hudson (1 Hudson Park Road) and Five Islands (1 Lefevre Lane). Free (914) 654-2087.
July 4, 9:20 PM, New York City
The 36th Annual Macy’s Fourth of July firework display is impressive and perhaps the best in the country (sorry Boston). Approximately 40,000 shells explode at a rate of more than 1,500 per minute with fireworks reaching heights of 1,000 feet in the air. At about 9:20 PM on July 4, the 26-minute display will be set off from six barges positioned between 18th and 43rd Streets on the Hudson River. The Macy’s celebration dates back to 1958. The theme for 2012 is “Ignite the Night.” The best place to view the fireworks is on the New Jersey waterfronts of Hoboken (with a stop at Carlo’s Bakery?) and Weehawken. In NYC, the best views will be on the West Side Highway below 59th Street. For those with deep pockets, consider a water taxi tour (NY Waterway Tours, Circle Line, World Yacht Dinner Cruise, Pier 83 Rooftop Fireworks BBQ) where, for about $145 per person (complete with snack box), you can watch the show from a rooftop or a bobbing boat. You can also catch the fireworks action from the comfort of home on NBC. Starting at 8:00 PM, the one-hour special will feature celebrity performers including Katy Perry and Kenny Chesney. Macy’s Fireworks Hot Line (212) 494-4495.
July 4, 9:30 PM, Rye Playland, Rye, NY
A fireworks spectacular choreographed to music. July 4 holiday show on the Rye Playland pier at 9:30 PM. Fireworks also every Wednesday and Friday in July and August at 9:15 PM. Parking $5. 1 Playland Parkway, Rye, 914-813-7000. http://ryeplayland.org .
A Sizzling July 4th at the Scarsdale Pool
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It was a sizzling Fourth of July at the Scarsdale Pool Complex, where the fun began on Tuesday night July 3rd with a dazzling fireworks show. Residents and non-residents were invited to see the colorful display. Fortunately the thunderstorms which were predicted for the evening held off until the early hours of July 4th – so everyone could enjoy the show.
On July 4th, the pool hosted games and fun for parents and kids. Below, see photos of a 
conga line led by Winnie the Pooh and Cookie Monster, a parent/child swim race, and two jumpy castles set up near the diving pool.
Photos by Lindsay LeBoyer and Greg Seiden. 
Musician Jess Turner Enlightens Quaker Ridge Elementary
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On Thursday, June 7th the Quaker Ridge orchestra invited classically trained pop artist Jess Turner to do a showcase of her musical flair. With a program that demonstrated her command of the cello, piano, and guitar and also revealed a warm and sumptuous voice, Ms. Turner had students locked in sync with her alluring songs. Whether led in pensive thought through her fanciful lyrics in “Deeper” and “Shakespeare” or swinging with upbeat melodies in “Just the Way You Are,” the Quaker Ridge audience was truly captivated by Ms. Turner’s charismatic performance.
Jess Turner’s visit was one of several musical performances organized for Quaker Ridge, which together worked to expose the students to diverse sounds of music, from classical to modern, instrumental to vocal, local to international. But Ms. Turner’s unique fusion of her classical training and pop influences really separates her visit from other musical experiences. “I believe that a classical music background can mesh flawlessly with a pop music sensibility,” states Turner, who cinched her point with a cover of Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit “Call Me Maybe,” a show-stopping final number that had both district administrators and students boogying. Accompanied by Jessica Elkhatib on the cello and Jessica Li (high school senior intern) on the violin, this song especially revealed the higher purpose of the event. By creating popular sounds that incorporate these classical string instruments, both Turner and Elkhatib hoped to reemphasize the continued relevance, the “cool factor” of the instruments that orchestra students play. “People always respect pop artists more if they’re classically trained—their traditional knowledge adds an element of sophistication to their music,” says Elkhatib. As an orchestra teacher who enjoys diversifying her classical instrument lessons with refreshing, modern sounds, Ms. Elkhatib hopes to inspire in her students not only a lasting knowledge of how to play, but also of how to love to play.
With the overwhelmingly positive response, Ms. Turner herself enjoyed a first experience playing for a large group of children. “I really liked it. I didn’t anticipate that they would be so mature. One shy kid in the back asked ‘Why did you start writing music?’ which was unbelievably perceptive, mature, and intellectual. I think they’re really grasping what goes into creating music.” With insightful reflections from her experience at Quaker Ridge, Ms. Turner hopes to move forward to continue imparting important messages to young musicians. “What I need to emphasize is that I started somewhere. I remember seeing more mature and developed musicians when I was young and feeling incredibly intimidated and rather hopeless. Not only was I not good when I was their age I wasn’t even good when I hit 16!” With a successful experience for both performer and audience, Turner and Elkhatib plan to collaborate in the near future for follow-up song-writing workshops and other musically educational activities.
For more information on Jess Turner, please consult her website. Also be sure to check out her latest album in iTunes to sample the songs she played at Quaker Ridge:
This article was contributed by Scarsdale High School student Jess Li.
