Details

Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 27 May 2021

Created: 27 May 2021

Last Updated: 27 May 2021

Hits: 13494

Another Scarsdale mainstay is leaving the Village. Zachys Wine and Liquor, founded in a shop in Scarsdale in 1944, announced that they will relocate operations from Scarsdale to Port Chester in January 2022 where they will consolidate their retail store, warehouse, e-commerce, auction and storage businesses.

According to an article in Wine Industry Advisor, their new facility in Port Chester will encompass 70,000 square feet on the site of the former Strauss Paper Company. There they will have the capability to ship 400% more packages, making them the largest wine shipping facility in the Northeast. Both their online and auction businesses have grown and the consolidation will help them to streamline operations.

Their move will leave another 4,000 square feet of prime retail space on East Parkway without a tenant. Similar to the announcement of the closing of Lange’s Deli, residents were surprised and dismayed that another local favorite was closing its doors in the ‘dale. The vacancy is sure to compound problems for the remaining Scarsdale retailers as the store was a big draw and brought foot traffic to the streets.

Commenting on the news, DJ Petta from Scarsdale Improvement Corp. who owns the store said, “We are saddened by Zachys move as we're sure the rest of the community is. We worked collaboratively to try to keep them in Scarsdale but their opportunity in Port Chester was something we could not offer them here. Zachys has been a staple in Scarsdale for decades and we know they will continue to be involved with the community. We are excited about the current retail environment and the way the Village has responded creatively during the pandemic. We are optimistic that we will find a new tenant on East Parkway that will continue to stimulate the downtown village center.”

Marcy Berman Goldstein, who heads the Scarsdale Business Alliance and worked with Andrew McMurrary of Zachys on many initiatives to build business in the Village said, “Although Zachys departure is bittersweet for Scarsdale, we understand that the nature of their business has changed, and Zachys continued success warrants a different type of space to support their sales. We are grateful for their many years of support of our Village and community, and welcome their continued involvement in future events, including the 2022 Scarsdale Music Festival.”

Details

Published: 19 May 2021

Created: 19 May 2021

Last Updated: 12 December 2022

Hits: 2248

Scarsdale Village Ambulance Corps is now offering free Pfizer vaccines at their headquarters on Weaver Street. Last week they administered 50 vaccines to adults and teens ages 16-17. This week, on Thursday May 20, 102 teens, primarily between the ages of 12 and 15, have signed up to be vaccinated. No one had a bad reaction.

The shots are being given by SCARVAC’s paramedics and the vaccines come from the Westchester County Department of Health. Second doses will be given three weeks after the first dose.

The vaccines are by appointment only and are 100% free. SCARVAC is not billing patients insurance companies.

To make your appointment, call 914.722.2288
Pictures by John Thaler Click here to see more.

Details

Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 11 May 2021

Created: 11 May 2021

Last Updated: 13 May 2021

Hits: 3600

To the Editor: We are Jim Dugan and Jessica Resnick-Ault, and we write as the School Board Nominating Committee (“SBNC”) nominees for Scarsdale School Board. Scarsdale has a long and proud history of selecting nominees for public office through a non-partisan vetting process designed to bypass the often ugly political battles that characterize our electoral process on the national, state and local levels. We run as citizens, committed to doing what is best not for a political party, and not for ourselves, but for the community at large and specifically for our children. We are grateful and humbled to have been chosen by the SBNC, in a highly competitive process, and are thankful to have the opportunity to ask for your vote in this year’s election.

We approach service on the Board as working professionals with children in the schools and with proven track records, who know what it takes to tackle a challenge and see it through to a successful conclusion. We bring not only a strong desire to help Scarsdale redouble efforts to maintain its reputation as a great school district, but also proven skills and know-how to get the job done. As you consider your choices for School Board this year, ask yourselves these questions: would you rather vote for candidates who have shown that they have what it takes to succeed in challenging and demanding circumstances? And, if you are one of the many people who feel disappointed with the Board’s performance in recent years, and in particular this past year, ask yourself: would you rather vote for candidates who stand for change, transparency, and open dialogue?

If you answered yes to the questions above, please vote for us. We are those candidates. We are strong believers in the power of public education to mold lives and build minds, and we believe that excellence in public education is a key to maintaining Scarsdale as a strong and successful community. We are running for School Board, as the SBNC’s nominees, because we believe strongly in maintaining the excellence of the Scarsdale public schools. We would bring a fresh perspective to the Board, one that is firmly rooted in the voice of our community. We are prepared right now to work for you and, if elected, we promise to give it our all. Our children, and community, deserve nothing less.

Yours truly,
Jim Dugan and Jessica Resnick-Ault

Shirley Salmeron, Jim Dugan and their three girlsTo the Editor:

My husband and partner of over 22 years, Jim Dugan, is running for School Board and I wanted to share my perspective to help your readers understand why he’s running.

Jim and I met through friends who grew up in Scarsdale. Over 15 years ago, after a devastating personal loss, we moved to Scarsdale from Brooklyn, begrudgingly on my part. We yearned to start a family, and Jim persuaded me to build a life in Scarsdale, in large part due to the excellence of the public schools. Although I doubted my husband sometimes (particularly when it came to DIY plumbing or paint colors), Jim’s passion in researching and executing our move was one honed by his years of training as a lawyer, tempered by his wisdom in knowing when to call in experts. Against all odds, a scant year after leaving Brooklyn, we welcomed our first daughter to our Scarsdale home, one whose ancient bones had finally been shored up by experts. We now have three girls, all of whom attend the public schools.

I share this story because it typifies Jim’s response to problems. Jim is focused on executing excellent solutions every single day in his career and he relies on experts and consensus to help him do that, extending this approach to his personal life. During this pandemic when many experienced “languishing” and/or depression, I felt it too. We lost our part-time childcare, but Jim took up the slack, helping our three daughters with schoolwork and cooking most of our meals. Jim had never cooked the family meals before, but he zealously approached the project with gusto and became an excellent chef. I missed my friends and family, but I was happy to spend more time with my best friend.

Jim’s commitment to pro bono work left an impression that I still remember from our first conversation over 22 years ago (at the time he was representing the indigenous Onondaga nation in a civil rights lawsuit). Jim’s passion for pro bono work wholly aligns with my own values. To borrow a phrase from Fred Rogers, Jim is “one of the helpers”. He is dedicated, passionate and committed to excellence and progress in everything he does. Jim’s vision and world view is one of global citizenry and non sibi, especially as he raises bilingual, multi-racial daughters. Many of you know Jessica Resnick-Ault vis-a-vis her work with Bake Back America; she is also one of the helpers. Service work exemplifies love, let’s bring back that culture and tone to our board. Vote for Jessica and Jim for School Board on May 18th.

Sincerely,
Shirley Salmeron Dugan

Jessica and Jim are Leaders We Need On the Board of Education

Michelle Sterling with Ron SchulhofLetter to the Editor:

I strongly endorse Jessica Resnick-Ault and Jim Dugan for the Board of Education. The SBNC nominating committee considers the characteristics of every applicant, including experience, and chose Jim and Jessica. That says a lot to me and I hope it speaks to the community about how strong Jim and Jessica are as candidates.

Jessica is bright, hard-working and has the background and skills to be a valuable member of the Board of Education. Her career as a journalist provides ideal communications experience for this position. She has the skills to synthesize complex ideas and present them succinctly and clearly. Despite single-parenting and working full-time she has also made time to give back to the community through her extensive volunteerism in our schools and with Bake Back America. She also has an acute awareness and experience with those who have special needs and physical disabilities through personal familial experiences. She is an exemplary candidate in every way.

Jim is smart, hard-working, and committed to our children’s education. He is also a great communicator – which is so important given the expressed need for clarity and transparency that we have heard over and over from the community. He will find solutions, express them clearly to the community, and get things done. We need someone like Jim right now! He is level-headed and thoughtful – a true consensus builder. He also doesn’t just talk about problems – he faces them with solutions. He does this as part of his work every day as an attorney and he can now bring his intelligence, and calm and collaborative nature to the Board of Education for the benefit of our school community.

In times of challenge, we see the mettle of our leaders – hardship shines a light on them. Our elected SBNC members have nominated Jessica and Jim, two outstanding candidates who will make their voices heard in support of the best education for our children, and who have a clear understanding that they are our elected representatives. I urge you to vote for Jim and Jessica on May 18 for our Board of Education.

Respectfully, submitted,
Michelle Sterling
Brayton Road

It is with pleasure that I write to endorse the candidacies of Jim Dugan and Jessica Resnick-Ault for the Scarsdale School Board.

I have had the pleasure of working with Jim on the vestry at St. James the Less Church when Jim served as warden. The warden is the lay head of the vestry, the governing organization of our church, and wardens are nominated and elected much like the members of the school board.

From working side by side with Jim, I know him to be an outstanding leader. Jim would bring many strong talents to his position of the school board.

Professionally as an litigator, he must be very thorough as he approaches decision making. He does his homework, but most importantly he listens to all sides of an issue before making a decision. He is an excellent advocate, but he is also skilled at consensus building. And although he may not agree always with your position, he treats each individual involved and the discussion with respect.

I believe the Jim would be a very strong addition to the Scarsdale School Board.

While I do not know Jessica personally,
I am so impressed by her work in the community in conjunction with the Bake for America program. Her volunteer work in leading the Scarsdale community’s response to the pandemic is admirable. She has set such a fine example for all of us on how important it is for us to take care of our neighbors in need. And in developing this outreach effort, she has demonstrated strong organizational skills.
She is clearly passionate about her belief and helping those in the community and encouraging others to step out and join the effort. Professionally her experience as a journalist requires strong research and communication skills. Both skills will be valuable for member of the Scarsdale School Board.

Finally, personally I have served on the Citizens Nominating Committee. Just like the CNC, the School Board Nominating Committee performs exhaustive research in soliciting and vetting its candidates for the school board. We elect the SBNC and count on them to find the best candidates to put forth for the school board. I trust the nonpartisan procedure for selecting the SBNC slate, and believe that this year, they have chosen the best two candidates for the school board: Jim Dugan and Jessica Resnick-Ault. I will enthusiastically
vote for both candidates at the May 18 school board election.

Jeannette Warner
Farley Road
Scarsdale

Details

Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 03 May 2021

Created: 03 May 2021

Last Updated: 03 May 2021

Hits: 2342

Here are three letters in support of Irin Israel for School Board – one concerning cheerleading, another about trust and a third from a colleague who worked with Irin on events for Historic Hudson Valley.

This year our Scarsdale High School Cheerleaders practiced hard all season, with hopes of competing for the Section 1 Championship in March. They’re really good. They could’ve won.

But an organization called the American Academy of Pediatrics advised against it.

Now before you get confused, this is the American Academy of Pediatrics we’re talking about, not the American Pediatric Association – a common mistake – or the American Pediatric Society or the American Board of Pediatrics. This is the one based out of Itasca, Illinois.

The AAP justified their advice based on: “The theoretical risk that the mask may get caught on objects and become a choking hazard.”

They did not weigh in on other theoretical risks such as a rip in the time/space continuum sucking our athletes into a wormhole, but perhaps they will address that over the summer.

Despite the hypothetical dangers of evil medical equipment and multidimensional anomalies, the NYSPHSAA decided to hold the cheerleading competition anyway. And 27 out of the 30 eligible cheerleading squads participated. But not our girls.

Why? Because the Board of Education voted against it, unanimously. The stated reason was not safety - that would be absurd – it was “liability”. Or possibly COVID. It depends on whom you ask.

The Board could have taken a stand for our kids. The other towns did. Instead, they chose to outsource the leadership and common sense which we elected them for to whichever alphabet soup agency declares itself most hysterical.

This was a travesty. But worse than that, it was a pattern. When given a choice between a hard decision standing up for our kids or an easier decision not to, the board has consistently chosen the latter.

That’s why I’m voting for Irin Israel for school board.

For those of you who don’t know Irin, he is, I believe, the individual most responsible for getting our kids back in the classroom. He saw Scarsdale lagging behind neighboring towns in in-person learning, and the harm it caused our kids. He simply refused to accept it.

He spent hundreds of hours researching laws, regulations and science. He advocated tirelessly and spoke up courageously. He even designed effective and creative ways to safely get our kids back in the classroom by improving upon the prevailing models.

Irin is a natural problem-solver, a dedicated advocate, and a great negotiator whose arguments are rooted in the best data. He is also a particularly nice guy. I met him recently.

We have an abundance of bright, competent, well-meaning people on the board already, and four more running. We are stocked up on those virtues. But we are sorely lacking others. Maya Angelou once said, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently.”

Irin Israel has the courage to always stand up for our kids. We need Irin’s voice in that room. His voice is our voice. And he is not afraid to use it.

Frank Murtha
Jefferson Road

I am the parent of a SMS student and a Fox Meadow Elementary student. I am thrilled that our Scarsdale schools have returned for full time, in person learning. However, I firmly believe that damage has been done to our community by the lack of transparency and the seeming unwillingness of our school administration to lead. For these reasons, I strongly support Irin Israel as he runs for the Scarsdale Board of Education.

Like all districts, we faced unique and unprecedented challenges during the pandemic. Simply put, our district did not rise to the occasion. Our Board of Ed, which is there to provide oversight, didn’t do enough to ensure transparency of process to the community at large or hold the administration accountable for their misrepresentations. There was little creativity, out of the box thinking, or urgency to get the students back in school. There was obfuscation, refusal to answer questions, and uncorrected misrepresentations made to the community regarding the reopening process. We often heard through rumors about changes to reopening plans, before we heard if from the top.

The community responded to this by searching for clarity, answers, vision, and yes…. fracturing.

Facebook groups were formed, petitions circulated, and people from all corners of town were coming out of the woodwork with ideas, questions, suggestions, and successful implementations seen being used in other districts. It was a great mass sharing of the struggle we were all in, the struggle to get our children back into their classrooms, as safely as possible. And in the often noisy discourse that took place, one voice cut through it all with a clear, resolute mission; fact based analysis and the determination to keep the pressure up for the good of our children. That voice was Irin Israel’s.

You don’t have to take my word for it, see facebook and read it for yourself. Irin invested an incredible amount of time, energy, knowledge and good old fashioned “can do” attitude to illustrate (quite literally) for the district how ALL of our elementary students could have fit in the buildings and maintained the social distance required at the start of the school year. He provided the district with this study in the fall. They chose to, basically, ignore it. Yet, it was clear he was right all along when the district DID INDEED get all the elementary students back into the buildings, in March.

Irin spent incalculable hours doing research on health and safety guidelines, learning what other districts were doing, speaking directly to agencies such as the Department of Health, and having an open dialogue with all those who had questions for him. He was always civil and clear in discussions with other parents and community members. There were intense discussions and debates, yet Irin never wavered in his core principle. He pressed the district to openly share the metrics, facts, data, and decision making processes they were using to arrive at the decisions they arrived at. He took a lot of heat, weathered a lot of criticism, but he never wavered.

And so we find ourselves with a School Board election coming up, in a year where we need to rebuild not only our student’s education, but also the trust between the community and the administration. As far as I can see, the only way to get there is with full accountability. We need fresh eyes, fresh drive, and fresh ideas. We need someone on the board who has sat where so many of us have been sitting... at the kitchen table with our struggling children. Sitting there, wondering if the rumors we heard in the neighborhood are true. I believe Irin Israel is the person to hold our district accountable and be a voice for all of us who want clarity and excellence to be the hallmark of our Scarsdale schools for many years to come.

Sincerely,
Colby Mulvey
Olmsted Road

To the Editor,
I applaud Irin Israel for stepping forward and running for Scarsdale School Board, a position so important to the continuing proper education of our children.

I met Irin Israel three years ago during our managerial and planning positions on local Westchester events the Great Jack O Lantern Blaze and the Horseman’s Hollow, events attended by 200,000 adults and children. These events are vital to both the sustainability of Historic Hudson Valley, as well as the communities they support. Although they can be seen as fun family Halloween events, they are rooted in historical locations, and are used to garner interest and support in both history and community.

I realized Irin’s dedication, and communication skills right away. Although he was new to the group, you would have thought he was a veteran of these specific events. If the weather, or attitudes of people around him changed suddenly, he remained himself, always unruffled. An active listener, compassionate, and a guide through the storm however trivial it may seem to another individual. He was able to resolve issues, while continuing to motivate his team, with the end goal in mind.

Having Irin with us brought a new perspective to an event which had been running for over 10 years. Although one would have thought it was a well-oiled machine by then, but Irin engaged management with both staff and vendors to enable it to run smoother.

In today’s world, it is important to have some who is level-headed, and not afraid to go against the grain and ask questions. Even though sometimes Irin did not agree with the way the establishment was directing him, he would seek to change their direction with new information, and work to a consensus. Always maintaining civility without arrogance or fears of being looked down upon then allowed him to earn the respect of senior members quite quickly.

Wouldn’t you want someone like that on your team?

Ted Sherman
Ossining, NY