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Published: 16 April 2013

Created: 16 April 2013

Last Updated: 16 April 2013

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The Scarsdale Police have announced a step-up in neighborhood patrols in response to the deadly bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday. Here is a statement from Scarsdale Police Lieutenant Thomas Altizio: The Scarsdale Police Department has increased its patrols around the train station, houses of worship, schools and public facilities. Although there is no intelligence to suggest the tragic events in Boston pose any increased threat to our local area, our police officers are operating at a heightened state of awareness, being diligent to look for any suspicious circumstances. We ask that the public remain alert for any unusual or suspicious circumstances, and follow the "If you see something, say something" guidelines by reporting it immediately.

The Scarsdale Police Department can be reached 24X7 at 914-722-1200. For Emergencies dial 911. Suspicious activity can also be reported to the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services through "SAFE NYS" at 1-866-SAFE-NYS. All calls to SAFE NYS are toll free and remain strictly confidential.

Citizens can obtain counter terrorism information at the SAFE NYS website at: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/oct/.

A link to this website is also available on the Scarsdale Police Department website at http://www.scarsdale.com/police.

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Published: 22 April 2013

Created: 22 April 2013

Last Updated: 22 April 2013

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If your eyes are watering and your nose is running read this advice from Dr. Cynthia Jerome in White Plains: Seasonal allergic rhinitis, often referred to as "hay fever" affects more than 35 million people in the United States. Airborne pollens and mold spores are outdoor allergens that commonly trigger symptoms during the spring and fall. During these times, seasonal allergic rhinitis sufferers experience symptoms of sneezing, congestion, a runny nose, and itchiness in the nose, roof of the mouth, throat, eyes and ears.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis in the spring is usually triggered by tree pollen, followed by grass pollen in the late spring and early summer. In the late summer and early fall, pollen from ragweed and other weeds is prevalent. Each plant has a period of pollination that does not vary greatly from year to year. However, weather conditions can affect the amount of pollen in the air at any given time.

Pollen counts measure the amount of airborne allergens present in the air. While many patients develop symptoms when pollen counts are 20 to 100 grains per cubic meter, one's symptoms may also be affected by recent exposure to other allergens, the intensity of pollen exposure, and individual sensitivity. Pollen counts reported to the public are generally taken the preceding one to three days, and may vary widely from day to day during a season.

Weather can influence hay fever symptoms. Allergy symptoms are often minimal on days that are rainy, cloudy or windless, because pollen does not move about during these conditions. Hot, dry and windy weather signals greater pollen and mold distribution and thus, increased allergy symptoms. In addition, climate change has been shown to cause increased pollination of allergenic plants.

If your seasonal allergy symptoms are making you miserable, your allergist can perform the appropriate tests to determine your allergic triggers. To lessen your symptoms, your allergist may prescribe an allergy nose spray, non-sedating antihistamine, decongestant or other medications.

If your symptoms continue or if you have them for many months of the year, your allergist may also recommend immunotherapy treatment, also called allergy vaccinations or shots. This treatment involves receiving injections periodically as determined by your allergist-over a period of three to five years. This treatment helps your immune system to become more and more resistant to the specific allergen, and lessens your symptoms as well as the need for future medications.

Steps to Avoid Allergy Triggers:

Following are some dos and don'ts that you may want to follow during the allergy season to lessen your exposure to the pollens that trigger your allergy symptoms.

• Keep windows closed at night to prevent pollens from drifting into your home. Instead, if needed, use air conditioning, which cleans, cools, and dries the air.
• Minimize early morning activity outdoors when pollen is usually emitted-between 5 and 10 a.m.
• Keep your windows closed when traveling.
• Try to stay indoors when the pollen count or humidity is reported to be high, and on windy days when dust and pollen are blown about.
• Don't hang sheets or clothing out to dry. Pollens and molds may collect in them.

Dr. Cynthia Jerome, M.D., Allergist/Immunologist-ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP White Plains office

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Published: 09 April 2013

Created: 09 April 2013

Last Updated: 10 April 2013

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Here is a letter to the Scarsdale Board of Education from Scarsdale resident Robert J. Berg about the proposed 2013-2014 schoo budget that he read at the April 8, 2013 School Budget Forum.
Dear Members: What do the following public school districts in Westchester have in common: Edgemont; Bronxville, Chappaqua, Rye City, Rye Neck, Blind Brook, Mamaroneck, Byram Hills, and Pelham? These school districts all are considered excellent school districts, and include the districts to which Scarsdale generally compares itself.

What else do these same school districts have in common? Each of these districts has proposed a school budget for 2013-2014 that falls within the state adjusted tax cap.

These districts face the identical pressures as we do in Scarsdale. Yet their school boards have followed the only responsible course to protect their taxpayers from even more ridiculous property tax increases. Unfortunately, this Board of Education has yet to step up to the plate.

I have repeatedly stood before this Board this year and urged you to adopt a budget that falls within Scarsdale's adjusted tax cap. I have explained how such a budget can be attained without cutting any educational or extra-curricular programs and without increasing class size.

To reiterate, I have asked you to eliminate funding of about $1,000,000 for a fancy, new Wellness Center -- a number that undoubtedly will increase because the Administration will certainly want to finish the unfinished core into a classroom/lab.

I have also asked you to eliminate the $115,000 in funding for a second public information officer whose task would be largely to act as a Twitter blogger and webmaster.

These two expenditures are low hanging fruit in a budget approaching $150 million. They are easy to challenge because they epitomize the Administration's spendthrift "If we spend it, they will come" approach to our tax dollars.
By eliminating these ill-considered expenditures and by drawing down our wildly excessive reserves, the Board can present the community with a budget that falls within the adjusted tax cap and that, at least, tries to lessen the rate of increase in our property tax growth.

Fundamental fairness to our taxpayers requires this approach. At the present time, close to one half of Scarsdale households have no students in the school district. Yet they must bear the incredibly heavy burden of educating the other half's children. Already, many long-term residents find that the property tax burden makes it irrational for them to remain in Scarsdale after their children have been educated. I see it repeatedly on my street and all around town. As soon as their children graduate or within a year or two thereafter, my neighbors are putting their houses on the market and moving away to avoid Scarsdale's ever increasing taxes. This is not a theoretical construct – it is happening all the time. And soon, it will lead to the Bronxville "death spiral" where eighty percent of households have children in the Bronxville schools, raising property taxes inexorably higher.

I have a neighbor who is in her early 80s. She was literally born in Scarsdale, was in one of the first classes at Fox Meadow Elementary School, and has lived in Scarsdale her entire life. Her children graduated the Scarsdale Schools probably over forty years ago. In 2012, she paid $36,000 in property taxes, of which $23,000 was the school property tax. I paid $43,000 in school property taxes alone in 2012. This is madness, and at least, I still have two children in the district.

It is just plain wrong to fund unneeded luxuries and maintain excessive reserves for a "rainy day" at a time when Scarsdale's taxpayers are faced with crushing property taxes that are driving our residents away.

I urge the Board not to indulge Dr. McGill's pedagogical peccadillos any further, and to adopt a budget that falls squarely within the tax cap.

Respectfully,
Robert J. Berg
32 Tisdale Road
Scarsdale, New York 10583