Thursday, Jul 03rd

brp3The Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) will participate in “Pitch In for Parks,” in coordination with the Bronx River Parkway Reservation Conservancy (BRPRC), www.bronx-river.com to clean up the Bronx River parkland on Sunday, April 15th from 10am to 3pm.

The Reservation is a significant natural feature along its 12.5 miles from the Bronx border to Kensico Dam. It provides valuable green space passing through densely populated urban areas like Yonkers, Mount Vernon and White Plains, as well as the hamlets, villages and towns of Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Crestwood, Eastchester, Scarsdale and Hartsdale.

“Pitch In for Parks” is the largest single-day volunteer activity of the year for Westchester County Parks. The JLCW’s participation is being coordinated by the “Let’s Save the Earth” committee, and will be staffed by JLCW members, their families, and friends. The JLCW welcomes any additional help from the community. The JLCW is planning on vine cutting and trash pickup. Trash bags, disposable gloves, and tools for vine cutting will be provided, but we recommend bringing your own heavy-duty garden gloves. Also please remember to wear suitable clothing, and bring some water bottles, especially for your children.

Help the Bronx River Parkway Reservation Conservancy care for our County's first park, and the location of the nation’s first public parkway designed explicitly for automobile use. Volunteers are asked to meet at the location, on the pathway just north of the Harney Road entrance, on the day of the event between 10am and 3pm. Nearby parking is available on Garth Road.

Please call 914.723.6130 or email JLCW@verizon.net, if you have questions.

 

 

greenacres100This year is Greenacres 100th Anniversary, and to celebrate, the Greenacres Neighborhood Association is planning a series of Centennial celebrations. All Greenacres residents – past and present, are welcome to participate in these events – so mark your calendars to join the fun.

Friday, April 27, 2012 - Tree Planting at the Greenacres Elementary School: Commemorate Arbor Day as The Greenacres Neighborhood Association continues to support and beautify our community with a tree planting.

Tree Planting to Celebrate the New Public Safety Building: (Spring date to be announced) Greenacres beautification continues with the planting of a tree to celebrate the opening of the new Public Safety Building.

Saturday, June 2, 2012 - Centennial Gala at the Scarsdale Golf Club: Come celebrate the 100th Anniversary with dinner, dancing and libations. Space is limited so RSVP as soon as possible. Be on the lookout for your invitation!

July 4th Celebration and Time Capsule at the Greenacres Elementary School: Bring the entire family for a good old time celebration with fun and games for all! Enjoy watermelon, bagels, coffee and lemonade, and cool off at a thrilling water display by the Fire Department. The day will be highlighted by the commemoration of a Time Capsule.

Tour of Greenacres Historical Homes: (Fall- date to be announced) A rare opportunity to view some of Scarsdale’s most beautiful homes and to learn a bit of neighborhood history as well.

Please check the website www.greenacres10583.com for updates and information.

 

 

butterflyweedA happy by-product of flooding in Scarsdale will be the development of a rain garden at Cooper Green, across the street from the public safety building on Fenimore Road. The construction of this garden is one segment of the South Fox Meadow Stormwater Improvement Project that has already been approved and funded. The project is designed to alleviate flooding and extends from George Field in Greenacres to Harcourt Woods south of Scarsdale High School, ultimately flowing into the Bronx River. At George Field, a seven-acre detention pond will be built to hold 2.3 million gallons of water at a depth of 1-3 inches. Bids are currently being evaluated and the work is scheduled to begin in April.

And the rain garden at Cooper Green won’t be just any rain garden--it will be one of the largest rain gardens in the Hudson Valley with 2,900 square feet of gardens traversed by a pervious walkway. This portion of the watercourse will include 2.5 acres of water storage to hold 815,000 gallons of water when needed.

The planting plan for the rain garden shown here includes native plants that will flower and thrive in both dry and wet

mallow
Mallow
conditions. In addition to absorbing water, the garden should enhance the Village landscape. The plan, supplied by landscape architect’s Gibney Design of Wading River, New York includes hundreds of plants. There are grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees. Among the plants on the extensive list are 110 pye weed, 155 purple love grass, 130 blue flag iris’s, 250 switch grass, 270 verbena plus yarrow, cone flower, mallow, goldenrod, winterberry and even knock-out roses.

The trees on the plan include Heritage Birch, Red Maple, Dogwood, Scarlet Oak, Sweetgum, American Elm and three yellow flowering Magnolias.

Take a look at the plan for Cooper Green as well as some of the plants you’ll find there soon. This is a very ambitious project that should have a big impact on the Village, managing water flows and beautifying public space.

raingarden

 

coneflower
Coneflower
yellowmagnolia
Magnolia

 

nativeplants

 

 

hmartFood giant H Mart (H = Han Ah Reum, Korean for “arm full of groceries”) is expanding yet again. The Korean mega supermarket will open 9:30 am on Friday, March 23 in the old Pathmark location on Central Park Avenue in Hartsdale. Opening day events at the 37,000-square-foot location include Korean cultural activities and Asian food tastings and will continue on Saturday and Sunday. H Mart began as a small Korean grocer in Queens in 1982 and now has 40 locations nationwide.

According to the main office in New Jersey, the Hartsdale store will be larger than most other H Mart locations. In addition to a large assortment of fresh produce (some of which has not been seen in Westchester before), there will be prepared Asian food, with an emphasis on Korean, Chinese and Japanese delicacies. Try chapchae, one of the most popular noodle dishes in Korea; mandoo, Korean dumplings; bindaeduk, a mung bean pancake; and bibimbap, a mixed vegetable and rice dish). In the fresh fish area, look for clams of all sizes and shapes, eel, mackerel, largehead hairtail, octopus, cuttlefish and squid, among others. The meat counter will have traditional cuts (think Korean ribs), in addition to specialties such as chicken feet, tripe, and offal. An expanded housewares section will feature futuristic rice cookers and high-end woks. There will be also an in-house French-Asian bakery, Tous Les Jours (French for “every day”). The Tous Les Jours brand was launched in Korea in 1996 and produces high-quality American and Asian breads and sweets. Be sure to sign up for the Smart Card. For every purchase, shoppers earn Smart Card points that can be redeemed for special gift certificates. Also, as a Smart Card member, shoppers receive other exclusive benefits such as coupon books in the mail. There is no fee to join and no annual fee.

H Mart has a long history of community involvement and provides scholarships and educational support within the community. So, say an-nyeong-ha-se-yo (hello) to our newest supermarket neighbor on Central Park Avenue and plan a visit. For more information about the company, visit www.hmart.com . H-Mart. 371 North Central Park Avenue, Hartsdale, NY. (914) 448-8888.

 

 

VillanuevaPhiilipAt 9:50 am on Monday March 5, police responded to a 911 call about a break-in at 1101 Dobbs Ferry Road near Elmwood Country Club. The caller said that someone was breaking into the house. Uniformed patrol units responded to the area and found two young men walking along Dobbs Ferry Road, near Forest Boulevard. The men fit the description of the suspects. The suspects were detained at the scene by the officers and were positively identified as the persons who allegedly broke into the house. Both were placed under arrest and were charged with Burglary 2nd degree, a Class C Felony.

The defendants were identified as Jose M. Delacruz, age 18 of Yonkers and Phillip B. Villanueva, age 17 of Yonkers. A subsequent investigation by the Greenburgh Police Detectives has led to additional burglary charges against Phillip Villanueva. He was charged with two additional counts of Burglary 2nd degree for burglaries at 61 Manhattan Avenue, in the Fairview section of town, on December 16, 2011, and at 298 Chatterton Parkway, Hartsdale, on January 27, 2012. An additional charge of attempted Burglary 2nd degree was filed against Mr. Villanueva relating to a burglary of a second apartment at 298 Chatterton Parkway, Hartsdale, on the same date.

RodriguezEdgar_copy
Philip Villanueva
Both defendants were arraigned in Town of Greenburgh Court on Tuesday March 6. Mr. Delacruz has four prior felony arrests related to narcotics possession and Mr. Villanueva has five prior felony arrests for robbery and weapons possession.  On Tuesday March 6 police apprehended a third suspect, Edgar Rodriguez age 21 of Yonkers and charged him with one count of Burglary in the Second Degree and one count of Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree in connection with the burglaries on Chatterton Parkway on January 27, 2012. Rodriguez acted with Philip Villanueva to burglarize a two family home on Chatterton Parkway in Hartsdale.

 

josedelacruz
Jose Delacruz

(pictured at top: Phillip Villanueva)

Additional reports:

Another stray pit bull was found, this one on Sprain Valley Road on the night of February 28. The dog was picked up and taken to an animal shelter.

At 4:50 am on Saturday March 3rd, police stopped the driver of a 2011 Camry for speeding and going through a red light without stopping. When police spoke to the driver they smelled alcohol, and the man who identified himself as Clarence Burnha,, age 25 of Hartsdale, admitted to drinking a “twenty two of Old English”. He was given sobriety tests and found to have a BAC of .20. Burnham’s car was towed and he was taken to police headquarters where he was charged with DWI and multiple traffic violations.

While exiting a parking space at the Christmas Tree Shop on Central Avenue in Hartsdale, on Saturday morning 3-3, Miriam Cuesta, age 69 of Yonkers hit the accelerator, struck another car and then ran into the front wall of the store. She was not injured and there was no structural damage to the store.