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Written by: Wendy MacMillan

Published: 17 November 2025

Created: 17 November 2025

Last Updated: 17 November 2025

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Though the topic of the PTC program held on Wednesday, November 12 was sensitive, and the information shared during the panel discussion could feel uncomfortable, the presentation made clear that talking about “Children as Digital Targets” is nonetheless an incredibly important conversation for parents to engage in.

The panel discussion, moderated by the program’s organizers Erika Papir and Rachel Fingeroot, aimed to help parents better understand how students in our immediate community are impacted by online sexual offenses including sexual extortion, harassment, and forgery. The program also provided the audience with knowledge about issues that currently exist in our children’s digital world and with actionable steps to better navigate parenting in these complicated times.

Giving the topic a somewhat softer edge, the panelists shared their information in a more relaxed round table discussion with the moderators posing questions to the three expert panelists who included:

Laura Forbes - Bureau Chief & Internet Safety Coordinator, Westchester County D.A.’s office
Detective Chris Moleski - Scarsdale Police Department
Liza Fahey, LCSW - Scarsdale Middle School Youth Outreach Worker

The panel discussion was packed with important and helpful details and here are some of the main take aways:

-Yes, it happens here in Westchester and in Scarsdale. Some parents might believe (because Scarsdale is such a quiet and safe suburb and the students here are incredibly smart and well-educated) - that their kids are protected from cybercrime. Unfortunately, Ms. Forbes related that her office investigates and prosecutes a variety of abuses impacting our children on the internet. As she stated:

“We're seeing harassment , people texting hurtful things to each other. We're seeing bomb threats and school shooting threats, what we call swatting threats. That is not limited to social media, we're seeing that, especially in gaming communities. So when kids are on Xbox or any of those devices, people forget it is actually the internet…We're seeing forgeries. We're seeing kids who are creating fake social media accounts in order to damage a reputation or deceive other people and certainly we are seeing more than ever before internet crimes against children involving sexual extortion. We're seeing it committed by adults on children, as well as we're seeing it children on children, because there are a lot of times where kids don't realize that the behavior that they're engaging in online can get them the attention of law enforcement, it can get them to be the midst of a criminal investigation, whether they realize it or not.”

Ms. Forbes went on to detail instances of sextortion, sex predation, and child sexual abuse material (formerly know as child pornography) that have happned right here in Westchester.

-How do criminals gain access to children? According to the panelists, criminals will use social media platforms, video games, and even text messages to gain access and start chatting with children. They will then try to establish trust with a child by making them feel special often by listening to the child and showing empathy, showing favoritism, and complimenting the child on their looks, personality, and even their intelligence.

Once they feel they have gained the child' s trust, criminals will then try to isolate the minor and try to gain power and control over them. In addition, they will start to desensitize the child by inserting inappropriate jokes into conversations, “accidently” touching them, and keeping secrets with the child.

-What are some possible warning signs that your child has engaged with an online predator? According to the panelists, children might start to become more secretive…they might turn their device (pad or phone) away when a parent is close by. The child might become more moody or withdrawn. The child might have unexplained gifts or money. And they might have a new “friend” that they are defensive of.

-What can parents do to keep their children safe online? Discussed by the three experts during the program, the Westchester County District Attorney Office shares:

HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE: Acquaint yourself with all the features of social media platforms used by your children. Review your children’s friends and followers and regularly monitor usage.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS A FAMILY ENDEAVOR: Use of social media should be a family discussion, including what kinds of pictures are appropriate to post. Parents should have full access to their children’s accounts. Set age-appropriate parental controls when possible. DIGITAL SAFETY Criminals use the internet, social media and text messaging to harass and threaten people, steal money and property, and exploit children. Additionally, children may fall victim to bullying by one or more of their peers through social media posts or direct messages. Here are some useful strategies to help your children avoid falling prey to this conduct.

OBSERVE YOUR CHILD’S PHONE USAGE: Make sure you know how much time your child is spending on their smartphone, tablet and computer. An abrupt change in phone usage patterns (such as suddenly becoming preoccupied with one’s phone), or changes in behavior or personality, could indicate an underlying problem.

TALK WITH OTHER PARENTS: Get to know the parents of children whom your child is communicating with online or via text. Make sure to establish shared expectations for how your children message and interact with their friends online.

-If you or your child is the victim of an online crime, report it to your Local Police or Westchester County District Attorney's Office multi-lingual tips line (914) 995-TIPS (8477) and in case of an emergency always call 911.

For more information please see the following resources:

NCMEC - https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources
Internet Matters - https://www.internetmatters.org
Childnet - https://www.childnet.com
Kidpower Online Learning Center - https://learn.kidpower.org/courses-for-parents
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children https://ncmec.org/home
Take It Down https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/ -
Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 05 November 2025

Created: 05 November 2025

Last Updated: 05 November 2025

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What’s your favorite digital puzzle? The Mini, Wordle, Spelling Bee or Connections?

And who dreamed up these addictive games?

These and many more questions were answered by NY Times Digital Puzzles Editor Joel Fagliano at Barnes and Noble in Eastchester on November 4, 2025. Fagliano, who visited Eastchester to launch his new book, Puzzle Mania, explained that the genesis of the NY Times suite of online games was a special print section of puzzles that was periodically included with the paper edition. They were so popular that the NY Times decided to develop them as games that could be played online.

Today there is a team of seven puzzle editors at the paper who formulate the puzzles, test them and share feedback. Every team member works on the traditional crossword puzzle offered in the daily paper in addition to their digital puzzles. Each week the team receives 150 puzzles from the public and each one is reviewed and critiqued. Seven of these are accepted for publication each month.

Fagliano developed a passion for puzzles as a kid growing up in a puzzle-loving family who played word games and Scrabble. After his mother gifted him a NY Times Crossword Puzzle Book at age 11, he learned how to solve them and ultimately became interested in formulating his own. In high school he started submitting puzzles to the NY Times and experienced a long series of rejections until one was accepted for publication during his senior year.

During college, he asked NY Times Puzzle Master Will Shortz if he could work as his intern and ended up coming back every summer. He said, “It was a combination of going for it and luck.”

After graduation, he got a job at the Times where he developed “The Mini,” the first new puzzle from the Times since 1942. The small crossword features a maximum of five letter words during the week and expands to seven letters on Saturdays. They are intended to be solved quickly.

What has he learned from Shortz? First to respect the ideas of all colleagues and second to “put the puzzle solver first.”

His new book, designed to delight puzzle lovers of all skill levels, includes word puzzles, logic puzzles, mechanical puzzles and more – all original for the book. In addition to the puzzles published in the book, there is a large removable giant crossword that can be spread out and shared with friends and family. The 223-page book will supply hours, if not weeks of fun for all the puzzlers in your life.

It’s beautifully and colorful and you may have a hard time putting ink on this deluxe edition.

Get one for yourself or as a gift at Barnes and Noble or at PuzzleManiaBook.com.

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 29 October 2025

Created: 29 October 2025

Last Updated: 29 October 2025

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September marks new beginnings for parents.

Some walk their child to kindergarten to begin the adventure of elementary school. Others send their kids out the door to catch the bus for their first day of middle school. Parents of high school seniors wave goodbye as their new drivers head off alone to school for the first time.

But for parents of college freshmen, September signifies something bigger — the end of one era and the beginning of another. The kids aren’t just going to school; they’re moving out. There’s nothing quite like dropping your child off at a dorm room to make time feel suddenly fleeting.

After the initial shock of returning to an empty house, most parents slowly settle into a new rhythm. The days feel quieter, but along with the wistfulness comes an unexpected sense of freedom — a new chapter of their own.

We asked a few newly minted empty nesters to share their reflections on this transition. Here’s what they had to say:

Flexibility

I love that my time is my time. I can get to work early or leave late. I love planning outings with my husband to sporting events, museums, and concerts - we did this before being an empty nester, but we can plan at the last minute and that feels great. And as a bonus, when I tidy up my house (or not), everything is where I left it! And honestly, I've been thinking a lot about that phrase "absence makes the heart grow fonder." It does. It makes the visit when the kids come home from school that much sweeter - I appreciate them differently and I think they feel similarly.

State of Gratitude

Becoming an empty nester for the first time is full of contradictions. It feels strange and quiet, but it’s also gratifying to know our kids are happy, thriving, and out in the world where they should be. The house feels too big, but week by week we’re slowly expanding into it. And on the plus side, the house has never been so clean, with no mysterious dishes in random places, and when something gets put away, it actually stays put away! I think it helps that my husband and I genuinely enjoy each other’s company; we haven’t had this much uninterrupted time together in 20 years. Plus we’re still surprisingly busy with school visits, vacations, and their periodic calls—sometimes it feels like we talk with our kids more now than we did when they lived at home! It feels like I have different emotions about everything daily, but overall I’m just trying to stay in a state of gratitude. That seems to be the key.

A Clean House

While I do miss my kids we facetime at once a day. I do really like being on my own schedule and not having my day revolve around their activities. My house has never been cleaner. My grocery bill is tiny and I barely do laundry and dishes. The house does feel a little empty though. I am hoping to start some projects and maybe learn mahjong.

Reframing the Relationship

The anticipation of living in an empty nest was profoundly sad but also thought-provoking. I imagined our home as a quiet echo-chamber rather than the once frenetically paced world filled with competing activities. My mind was full of nostalgic thoughts of that former bustling home and all the trips and outings we took as a foursome. When you have young children, you imagine all the wonderful things they will do in the future as they gain knowledge and confidence. The time for imagining is over as the future is here. Entering this new phase with all the unknowns prompted an array of new questions. One of the biggest questions was, “is my parenting job complete?” Has the guidance and nurturing provided over the last few decades run its course? How do I define myself in this new phase? What would it look like to revisit my husband and our partnership as a twosome? What are we going to do together? Will I find joy in my daily life without the purpose of raising our children?

Two months into this new lifestyle, many of those uncertain thoughts are beginning to take shape. Although I miss seeing my children every day, without question, there is still a lot of parenting to do. One of my children needs a weekly scheduled check-in to make sure all is well and to hear the latest accomplishments. The other child still checks-in almost daily and does not mind my ongoing texts to stay connected. Gratefully, my marriage is blossoming as we plan new things together! It feels lighter and a bit more fun without the endless decision making or problem-solving that comes with full-time parenting. Although I cried a bit to visit our family beach location as a twosome, the beach was still warm after Labor Day with the newfound liberation of adventures in early September. I miss seeing my children every day, but I am beginning to experience them as adults, especially my oldest, and I am pleased that traces of our parenting are shining through. The foundation is there, but parenting is not over, it is simply different now. The possibilities of who they are becoming, as independent people, brings a smile to my face and makes me feel proud of the great people they have become. It is a time for life review, renewal, redefinition, and accepting the wonder of new possibilities. My skepticism for this new chapter is fading, and my anxiety is turning into excitement. I think peace may even be around the corner.

Do you have thoughts on the empty nest? Please share them below or email [email protected].

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 19 October 2025

Created: 19 October 2025

Last Updated: 23 October 2025

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Westchester Ethical Cultural Society: Photo Credit: Andrew Dolkart

(Update: At their October 21, 2025 meeting, the Committee for Historic Preservation approved the application to tear down the Ethical Cultural Society)

Though I often drive by the A-frame structure on Saxon Wood Road, I did not realize it was primarily sited in Scarsdale, though it sits next to the Saxon Woods Pool. I did a bit of digging and found that though the entrance to the Westchester Ethical Cultural Society is from White Plains, the property is within the borders of Scarsdale and is now adjacent to the Ambassador Senior Living Center. And the Saxon Woods Pool, which opened in 1958 also sits on land owned by Scarsdale.A 1958 clipping announcing the opening of Saxon Woods Pool.

Now the fate of the structure, built in 1963, hangs in the balance as an application has been filed by Sunrise Senior Living to raze the building and construct a 110 room senior leaving facility in its place.

The Committee for Historic Preservation considered the applicatiaon at their Spetember 16, 2025 meeting and requested the opinion of expert Andrew Dolkart on whether or not it merits preservation.

Below find Dolkart’s history of the building and the movement and his suggestion that the A-Frame portion of the building be incorporated into the structure of the senior living facility. Read below for some interesting local history:

(From Dolkart)
Westchester Ethical Culture Society, 7 Saxon Wood Road, Scarsdale: Preservation Assessment

As part of my contract with the Village of Scarsdale to review buildings for which a demolition permit has been requested and which may meet the criteria for historic status under the laws of the Village, I visited the Westchester Ethical Culture Society Building at 7 Saxon Woods Road in September 2025. I have also undertaken research on the buildings at the site, including an examination of the limited number of drawings in the Village records.

The site on which the Ethical Culture Society Building stands is located on a large plot of land at the eastern edge of the Village of Scarsdale, surrounded on three sides by Scarsdale's Saxon Woods Park. The site is accessible only via Saxon Woods Road in White Plains. The site consists of the Ethical Culture Society's A-frame auditorium, a long, one-story education wing connected to the auditorium, and a freestanding cottage. Construction of the Ethical Culture Society' auditorium and school wing took place in 1962-63 to the design of architect Harry Wenning. The cottage pre-dates this construction, but it was redesigned by Wenning.

The Ethical Culture Society was founded in New York in 1877 by Felix Adler. Adler, the son of the rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, was studying to become a rabbi himself, but became increasingly interested in ethical concerns that were not deist centered. He believed that individuals could lead a just life by following a code of ethics and that these ethical concerns could help improve the world. Adler's new organization focused on morality, social reform, and education. He preached "deed over creed." The Ethical Culture Society never had a large number of adherents, but it was influential in teaching ethics and in educational reform. In its early years, the Society was centered in large cities, but after World War I it grew in suburbs such as Westchester. It was a significant alternative to religious organizations, but like these religious organizations, it sponsored Sunday schools and other educational endeavors that taught ethics to children.

The Ethical Culture Society's building in Scarsdale was a significant part of the suburban development of the organization, consisting of an auditorium that seated 250 people and a school wing with twelve classrooms that could be combined into a single space when needed.

The Ethical Culture Society's building was designed by architect Harry Wenning. Wenning was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1928 and educated as an undergraduate at William and Mary College and then studied architecture at MIT. After serving in the army, he established his architectural practice in Westchester, working primarily in the lower Hudson Valley, in Westchester, Putnam, and lower Dutchess counties. He designed a variety of buildings, including Modern houses, apartments, a garage, and the Ethical Culture building. His works were published in several newspapers and magazines, including articles in Popular Science, and an article about an all-electric house that was syndicated nationwide in newspapers. Several of his works are featured in the New York Times. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects, and its 1970 Yearbook notes his office in Hastings-on-Hudson and home in Fishkill. In the listing of his principal works (submitted by Wenning), the Westchester Ethical Culture Society is The rear facade: Photo Credit Andrew Dolkartthe first work listed, indicating the importance that Wenning placed on this design.'

The Ethical Culture Society's auditorium is an A-frame structure that was both stylish in the early 1960s and economical to build. This stylish modern character and the economy of building explain why A-frames were especially popular for religious structures (although the Ethical Culture Society was not a religious organization, it did hold meetings in the same way that churches and synagogues held religious services).

According to the architectural historian Gretchen Buggeln, an expert on A-frame design, the form was popular across the country, but especially in the Midwest in the decades following World War II.? The form was far less common in the northeast. The form is distinguished by a rigid triangular frame with a steeply pitched roof and, generally, has substantial windows at the front and the rear. According to Buggeln, the form "emerged out of a matrix of national and international historical and vernacular influences, economic necessity, and contemporary design." The form was modern, without being radical, served the needs of congregational meetings, and could be constructed in a cost-effective manner.

Cost was especially important for the Ethical Culture Society, which did not have a significant budget for its new building. The first two architects that the society met with presented proposals that were too expensive. Members of the society then spoke ot Hary Wenning who proposed the economical A-frame. When contractor bids were too high, Wenning suggested that the Society act as the general contractor and he worked with them to keep costs down.* One way to erect an economical A-frame was construction using glulam, a laminated timber product that was quite strong structurally. Glulam became popular in America after World War II. Construction was begun on the auditorium and school wing in 1962, and it was completed a year later.Ornamental glass: Photo Credit: Andrew Dolkart

Wenning designed an unusual building within the format of the A-frame. The front of the building, marking the location of the lobby and offices, is constructed of an unusual red brick. The bricks chosen were probably manufactured by the Belden Brick Company and were known as "tex-shadow" bricks (texture providing shadows). These are long and thin Roman bricks with a raised central horizontal band on each brick that has a rough texture. Some of the bricks project slightly. The texture and projections provide interesting overall texture to the lower facade. This front pavilion also includes the entrances, wide glass openings separated by a brick pier and capped by a canopy. The original entrance doors have been replaced.

The A-frame rises behind the entrance pavilion. On the front and rear facades, the large triangular window expanse is separated into two sections by a central vertical support. The glass is then divided by muntins into irregular rectangular shapes. These are filled with an unusual ornamental glass, with abstract patterns probably created by sandblasting. At the rear elevation, one section has a large star or sunburst. The glass echoes contemporaneous abstract art and is an especially notable feature of the building. One panel is missing on the front elevation. In an email Gretchen Bugge notes that she has never seen this type of blasted glass on an A-frame. At the side and rear elevations, the A-frame meets the ground in an unusual tent-like arrangement, not typical of A-frame construction. The tapering "buttresses" of the A-frame are anchored at ground level by concrete bases cast with a rough aggregate. This permits light to enter interior spaces.

The Auditorium: Photo Credit Andrew DolkartThe interior of the auditorium is a large open space that is extremely flexible as befits the requirements of the Ethical Culture Society for a space to hold meetings and community events. The New York Times likened the interior to a concert hall. The glass is especially striking from the interior, linking the members to nature outside. Another interesting feature of the interior is the rear with the speaker's platform which includes a wall of the same brick used on the exterior and a central door with a beautifully carved tree design. The door leads out to an outdoor stage where the group could hold outdoor meetings (the land to the north has been sold and is now senior housing)

On the exterior, to the left of the entrance is an office with a row of windows. The office is separated from the school wing by an area of brick. The school is largely glass, with stucco panels below the windows and brick piers. The design is not significant although the use was important to an organization that stressed youth education and instilling ethical values in young people. The site also includes a cottage that predates the construction of the Ethical Culture Society's building but was redesigned with irregular ashlar stone facades by Wenning at the same time as the designed the main building. This cottage is not of major significance.

The current proposal calls for the demolition of all of the buildings on the site and their replacement with senior housing. I believe that the auditorium building meets the criteria for preservation and should be considered for preservation. I do not believe that the school wing or the cottage need to be preserved. The major criteria on which t h e conclusion for preservation rests is that the building "embodies distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction that possesses high artistic value." The building si a significant example of A-frame construction, a type of construction that is relatively rare in the northeast as compared with the Midwest and far west. It has a number of significant material and artistic features, including the unusual brickwork, the sandblasted brick, and the carved door, as well as the beautiful sense of space and light on the interior. For a building to be significant, it does not need to be the first of its kind or a pioneering example. The fact that the Ethical Culture Society's building was erected a decade after the form first became popular and that it is not an early use of glulam in no way takes away from its place as a distinctive work of local significance.

The Ethical Culture Society site is quite large. With some creativity, I think that the senior housing could be pushed back on the lot, permitting the preservation of the auditorium and its conversion into a handsome, light-filled community space for residents of the new housing complex. There is extensive land to the rear of the plot, between the auditorium and Saxon Woods Park, as well as a large parking lot to the south.

Although I hope that this building can be preserved and I believe that it meets the criteria for preservation as set out by the Village of Scarsdale, if the Village Board opts not permit demolition, I hope that the Board will require that the building be documented to HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey) standards and the photographs be deposited in local depositories, such as the Scarsdale Public Library, the White Plains Public Library, and/or the Westchester Historical Society, where they will be available to future researchers.

Andrew Scott Dolkart October 2025