Drug Take Back Day at Scarsdale Village Hall
- Details
- Hits: 3566
On April 27th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Scarsdale Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public yet another opportunity prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for disposal to Scarsdale Village Hall at 1001 Post Rd. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last September, Americans turned in 244 tons of prescription drugs at over 5,200 sites operated by the DEA and its thousands of state and local law enforcement partners. In its five previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in over 2 million pounds—over a thousand tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
Four days after the first event, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an "ultimate user" of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents' controlled substances in certain instances. DEA is drafting regulations to implement the Act. Until new regulations are in place, local law enforcement agencies like [agency] and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.
HUD Threatens to Reallocate $7.4mm of Westchester County Funding
- Details
- Hits: 4315
Westchester County stands to lose an estimated $7.4 million in federal HUD funding for failing to comply with the terms of the Fair and Affordable Housing Settlement. In a letter to County Executive Rob Astorino dated March 25, 2013, HUD Director of Planning and Development Vincent Hom chides the county for failing to provide "a satisfactory plan to overcome exclusionary zoning practices" or providing a plan to promote sources of income legislation that would bar landlords from discriminating against tenants who use Section 8 vouchers or other government income to pay their rent.
Specifically, the Federal Monitor has asked the county to:
- Identify local zoning practices that are having exclusionary impacts
- Develop a process for notifying municipalities of zoning issues that hinder the County's ability to meet the terms of the settlement and assign consequences for municipalities who fail to change their zoning
- Identify types of zoning practices that would lead the county to pursue legal action
- Provide a plan to promote source of income legislation that is consistent with the direction from the Monitor and the District Court.
According to the letter, if Westchester County does not comply with its "civil rights obligations", HUD will begin reallocating $7,440,184 in funds that were allocated for Westchester in the FY2011 and FY2012 budgets to "address housing and community development needs."
Ned McCormack, Director of Communication for Astorino issued a statement in response to the March 25th letter, arguing that the county is well ahead of schedule on building the units, and has met the benchmark of completing 305 of the 750 required homes by the end of 2013. According to the County Executive's Office, "the county has supplied volumes of data as well as a thorough legal analysis showing Westchester's zoning is not exclusionary." Furthermore, the issue about the source of income legislation is now before the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
The $7.44 million in funds had not been intended to build affordable housing but to communities in need and were going to be used for a pedestrian safety project in Bedford, a senior medical van in Eastchester, sewer work in Ossining, homelessness prevention and affordable housing.
Here is Astorino's response to Hom's letter:
The county's position is that it is in full compliance – in fact ahead of schedule – with the settlement's requirements and that HUD's most recent letter of March 25 is just one more example of the federal government trying to bully Westchester to do things that go far beyond the terms of the settlement and dismantle local zoning.
HUD's latest action of unilaterally demanding that the county give up either its constitutionally protected rights or $7 million that it was promised two years ago – money that goes not only to build affordable housing but to communities not involved in the settlement and most in need – shows that HUD has no regard or respect for fairness, due process and the judges of the U.S. Second Circuit who are charged with resolving this dispute.
The county is a year ahead of schedule in meeting the key benchmark of having 300 affordable units with financing in place by the end of 2013. As of today, the county has 305 units.
In all matters, the county has complied with the dispute resolution process outlined in the settlement. On the issue of source of income, the matter is now before the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, where the county is confident that the U.S. Magistrate's ruling in its favor will be upheld.
On the zoning issue, the county has supplied volumes of data as well as a thorough legal analysis showing Westchester's zoning is not exclusionary. The county would not be ahead of schedule in developing affordable housing in the 31 eligible communities if the zoning in those communities was exclusionary. The impasse is over HUD's refusal to accept the county's well documented conclusions.
However, the Anti-Discrimination Center who originally brought the lawsuit against Westchester County argues that HUD has not gone far enough and wants HUD to hold the county in contempt.
Here is an excerpt from a March 26 letter on their site:
But the real story is not that HUD is exercising authority that it is supposed to exercise in respect to any of more than 1,000 jurisdictions that receive federal housing funds, it's that HUD still is not prepared to act on the fact that Westchester is uniquely situated: the county, unlike those 1,000+ other jurisdictions, has obligations pursuant to a binding federal court order. HUD just won't act on the fundamental principle that obligations arising from a court order that haven't been fulfilled need to be vindicated by going back to court and seeking to hold the non-complying party in contempt. This is Law Enforcement 101.
Sadly the dispute between the county and HUD has now reached a critical point where the impasse is depriving Westchester residents of badly needed Federal funds. While the verbal sparring continues the real cost to the county is now painfully evident.
Students Speak Up to the Board of Education
- Details
- Hits: 3560
The Civ Ed program, school clubs, interdisciplinary courses, stress and the competitive environment at Scarsdale High School were all discussed on Wednesday March 6, when a select group of students met with the Scarsdale Board of Education and administrators. Board members and school leaders, including Principal Kenneth Bonamao and teacher and school government leader Neil Ginsberg, were present at the meeting and encouraged honest opinions from the students.
Civ Ed, a program designed to help freshmen transition to high school through interaction with upperclass advisors, received high praise from the students. "Civ Ed makes school friendlier and warmer," said Freshman Harry Gale. "I know I have people looking out for me." Other Civ Ed students agreed that the program made a huge difference in their transition to the high school.
Another topic raised was interdisciplinary courses, which are classes that connect two subjects. Students present at the meeting generally favored these classes. "If someone is passionate about one subject, it is good for them to see it through a different lens to enjoy another subject," said Solange Azor, SHS student president. The courses allow students to master subjects in which they are weak by learning them through subjects in which they may be stronger.
The importance of "real-world" learning experiences to complement traditional classroom learning was also discussed. Ginsberg spoke of a course about old age that he taught in 1979. He took students to nursing homes to spend time with the elderly. His students and the elderly formed unexpectedly strong bonds that helped bring the subject to a personal level. When an elderly woman who the students were actively visiting died, the whole class mourned. Ginsberg reflected on this time as a critical and personal learning experience for his students. "The stuff we do inside the school is great, but getting outside the school is really important to learn things that cannot be taught in a classroom," said Ginsberg.
When asked what the students would change about SHS, most students seemed generally content with the schools' organization. Azor spoke of ideas under discussion by the school government including music rather than bells on the P.A. system between classes, the implementation of a "hug day," and a school day starting at 10 am instead of the usual 8 am.
The topic of a new fitness or "wellness" center was also up for discussion. If built, the center is planned to be a more gender-neutral environment than the current fitness center that largely attracts boys. It would also include labs where students would study health-related issues. Most students agreed that the old, cramped fitness center needed a change, but some thought a new wellness center may not be used by a lot of students because they are so busy with sports, clubs, and other activities.
Despite the divergence of opinions on many issues, both students and board members embraced the school's motto of "Non Sibi," or "not for oneself," and agreed that Scarsdale as not just a town of 17,293 people, but a strong community.
Contributor Isabel Klein is a sophomore at Scarsdale High School where she can be found using an abundant amount of exclamation points, writing for Scarsdale10583 and dreaming about wandering the streets of Manhattan, Africa, and hopefully one day, the moon. Follow her on twitter @isabel_ellis.
Girl Rising Premieres to a Full House
- Details
- Hits: 3974
March 7th marked the premiere of Girl Rising, a documentary that showcases the strength of the human spirit and the power of girl's education to change the world. Thanks to Jenny Glucksman and Julie Waxman, the Scarsdale community came together on this snowy night for the sold-out private screening at The Emelin Theater in Mamaroneck. The film premiered in over 400 theatres across the country. "Girl Rising is a call to action to inspire global and meaningful change for girls everywhere", said Julie Waxman. "By bringing Girl Rising to Scarsdale, we feel we are showing our community a beautiful film that demonstrates the impact education can have on girls' lives around the globe," said Jenny Glucksman.
Girl Rising is directed by Academy Award nominee Richard E. Robbins and narrated by Cate Blanchett, Priyanka Chopra, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, Salma Hayek, Alicia Keys, Chloë Moretz, Liam Neeson, Freida Pinto, Meryl Streep, and Kerry Washington. It tells the stories of nine unforgettable girls born into unforgiving circumstances and gives us a glimpse into the struggles faced by millions around the globe. Girl Rising was produced in conjunction with the global 10x10 campaign to educate girls in developing nations.
A portion of Girl Rising ticket sales go to support girls' programs around the world through the 10x10 Fund for Girls' Education. The Fund goes to 10x10's high-impact network of non-profit partners and leaders in girls' education: A New Day Cambodia, CARE, Girl Up/United Nations Foundation, Partners in Health, Plan International USA, Room to Read, UNICEF, and World Vision.
Additional screenings are planned throughout Westchester and tickets can be purchased online through www.Gathr.com.
Greenburgh Police Report: Rapist Caught and Car Thieves Plague Edgemont Homes
- Details
- Hits: 5804
An illegal immigrant has been arrested for forcible rape after he met three escorts on the website Backpage.com and assaulted them at hotel rooms in Westchester. In the latest incident on Sunday March 3, police were called to La Quinta Hotel on Saw Mill River Road in Greenburgh about a sexual assault. The 19 year-old victim was a Pennsylvania resident who had placed an ad in the "Escorts" section of the website and arranged to meet the respondent at the hotel.
When Silvio Raul Illescas, age 40 of Elmsford came to the room he raped the woman at knifepoint. Using phone records, police were able to locate Illescas on Monday and charged him with two counts of rape in the first degree (Class B- Felony) for the rape on March 4 as well as another assault that occurred on February 13. He is being held at the Westchester County Jail without bail.
In the 2/13 incidient, Illescas has been charged with raping a 29 year-old woman from Washington state and holding her for five hours before fleeing. Then on February 23, Illescas allegedly attempted to rape a woman from California in a Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown. He slashed the woman's neck but evaded the police.
Greenburgh Police believe that prostitutes are travelling to Westchester for liaisons here because there is a wealthy client base. The women place ads in Backpages.com and arrange multiple appointments at Westchester hotels. According to police, the going rate is $200 per hour.
Thefts at Sunningdale: Two Edgemont residents reported that their iPhones were stolen from their bags during a bar mitzvah at Sunningdale Country Club on Underhill Road in Scarsdale on Saturday March 2. The guests had left their seats to observe the festivities and when they returned to their seats the two iPhones were gone.
Car thieves target Edgemont and Hartsdale:
Thieves swept through Edgemont on the night of February 25 -26 and entered man cars. Here's the report:
Overnight on 2/25-2/26, two cars parked in a Hadden Road driveway were ransacked by thieves who made off with $600 in cash and a hand-held power drill valued at $300.
A Honda Civic and a Toyota Sienna parked in the driveway of a Kempster Road home were entered overnight on 2/25 – 2/26. $20 in cash was stolen.
On the morning of 2/26, an Audi Q5, parked in the driveway of a Cotwold Way home was entered. Missing was $10 in quarters, and an iPod.
An unlocked Lexus parked in the driveway of a Withington Road home in Edgemont was entered overnight on 2/26 – 2/27 and change was stolen. There was no sign of forced entry.
On Campden Road an unlocked 2012 BMW X3 was entered sometime on 2/25 or 2/26 and a pair of broken sunglasses, valued at $800 as well as change was stolen. A Toyota Highlander parked on Campden Road was entered overnight 2/25-2/26 and $20 was stolen. A Land Rover, also on Campden was entered that same night – and thieves made off with $160 in cash, an Apple nano, a pair of sneakers valued at $200, an Apple iPad valued at $800 as well as the $100 cover.
Thieves were also busy in Hartsdale.
A 2008 BMW 328I, valued at $20,000 was stolen from a garage at 45 East Hartsdale Avenue sometime on 2/24 or 2/25.
Overnight on 2/26-2/27 a 2009 Acura parked in an indoor garage on East Hartsdale Avenue was vandalized. On Wednesday morning 2/27, the car's owner found that all four wheels were missing and the car was resting on folding chairs and an aluminum ladder. The driver's side window was smashed and there was damage to the hood as well. An attempt was made to remove the tires from another car at that same location that night. The bolts on the passenger side tires of a 2006 Acura were also removed, but the tires remained.
Inside Job at Sunshine Bagel: The owner of Sunshine Bagels on Central Avenue in Hartsdale reported that an employee had stolen $350 from the cash register on Saturday night March 2. The owner reported that the incident had been captured on videotape and wished to press charges.
