SHS Seniors Show Up to School in Their PJ's
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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SHS seniors arrived at school in their pajamas to celebrate the first day of the second semester on Monday, January 28. Some call it “Senior Slump Day,” as it marks the end of tension-filled semesters when each grade is weighed on transcripts for college.
Unlike chalking day or the Halloween costume breakfast, Slump Day is not an official school event. In fact, there’s mixed opinions on this rite …. However, most kids simply view it as an opportunity for seniors to show off their onesies and begin to enjoy rather than stress over school work.
Village Announces New Superintendent of Public Works, Residents Voice Support for Limiting Gun and Vape Sales
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- Written by: Laura Halligan
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Jeffrey Coleman has been selected to be the new Superintendent of the Department of Public WorksOver the past few months, the village has been actively recruiting for a replacement for Benny Salanitro, former superintendent of the Scarsdale Department of Public Works (DPW). Salanitro’s last day on the job was Friday, January 18. According to Scarsdale Village Manager Steve Pappalardo, “This title of superintendent of public works is a competitive Westchester County civil service position, with an active list of candidates… Many are local DPW professionals known to us, and our preference was to hire one with a professional engineering license in civil engineering, such as our predecessor.”
The unanimous choice of both village staff and the board of trustees is Jeffrey Coleman, who currently serves as the DPW director for the town of Cortlandt. Pappalardo and Salanitro know Coleman well, as he served as the commissioner for public works in New Rochelle for a number of years. Coleman holds a master’s degree in public administration, and is a New York State-licensed professional engineer and a certified professional traffic operations engineer, and has a Westchester County “class D” potable water distribution license.
“Jeff is more than qualified for the position, having the requisite responsibility and experience in union management, personnel matters, public works operations, including sanitation, highway, central garage, emergency management and water, budgeting experience, experience with public presentations, and very importantly, constituency services.” He is scheduled to join the village on February 11, and said his new role was “a unique opportunity, considering Scarsdale’s reputation as a professional run government.”
Fire at 72 Mamaroneck Road
Photo provided by the Scarsdale Fire Department
Pappalardo also addressed Monday’s devastating fire at 72 Mamaroneck Road. “At approximately 1:00 am… the Scarsdale Fire Department was dispatched… When (firefighters) arrived, the residents of the property had already exited the home, and were being treated and sheltered by Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps members, eight of whom responded to the scene with an ambulance.”
He continued, “A mutual aid response was activated, with 11 departments responding, consisting of roughly 80 fire and EMS personnel, including over 20 Scarsdale volunteer firefighters. The firefighters valiantly battled the blaze in extreme weather conditions. The severe weather complicated the response and suppression efforts, with wind, cold and ice influencing the performance of the equipment and fire personnel safety on scene. A Westchester County Bee-Line bus was deployed to provide warming for the firefighters, as did the SVAC ambulance, while on site. In addition, SVAC members treated firefighters while on duty, and transported a handful to White Plains Hospital for additional medical attention.“
Pappalardo went on to say that the fire continued to smolder into the afternoon, with the fire department continuing to work until any additional flare-ups were unlikely. A Westchester County “Cause and Origin” team was called in to determine how the fire started, but was unable to do so because of limited safe access to the home site. The team did say that it was accidental and may have been related to a wood fire in the fireplace lit earlier in the evening.
Pappalardo concluded by saying, “As the manager, I want to take the opportunity to thank the members of the fire department, both career and volunteer; the police department, who helped with traffic control; the Scarsdale volunteer ambulance corps members; the mutual aid communities responding; and members of the public works and water departments, who provided assistance throughout the day, keeping the fire hydrants and fire hoses functional… It was truly a team effort under extreme, severe conditions. We wish we could have saved the home, but most importantly, the family is safe.”
Eight-Hour Parking on East Parkway
In other news, Josh Ringel, assistant to the village manager, announced that there is new eight-hour parking available in 34 spaces on East Parkway, between the Scarsdale Police Department’s sub-station and the current merchants’ parking lot.
A meter permit will be required to park from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, Monday through Friday, but please note that payment is required Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 am through 6:00 pm. The meters will be open to the general public after 11:00 am, Monday through Friday, and after 8:00 am on Saturdays.
Permits may be purchased from the village clerk Village Clerk for $85; however, permit holders are not guaranteed a space. All motorists parking in the area (including permit holders) must pay at the pay station at times payment is required. Motorists may use the permit at the 12-hour meters along Scarsdale Avenue if the East Parkway spaces are occupied.
Ringel also mentioned that the meters in this location have been placed as part of trial program with the company Flowbird. The village welcomes any public feedback as part of its review of the devices; email [email protected] with comments or questions about the time and equipment change.
Support for Restricting ENDS and Gun Sales
Later in the meeting, Trustee Carl Finger moderated a public hearing on a proposed zoning code revision that would regulate the sale of electronic nicotine delivery services (ENDS) and guns. Specifically, the amendment would prohibit the sale of ENDS within 1000 feet of “sensitive-use” areas, frequented by youth, including day care centers, schools, playgrounds, arcades and houses of worship, etc., and prohibit the sale of guns within a radius of 250 feet of those same locations.
Jordan Copeland (Woods Lane) began the public commentary by stating, “I’m here on behalf of the (Scarsdale) Advisory Council on Youth, of which I am the chair. We are unanimously and enthusiastically in favor of this zoning change. If there’s one word to describe teenagers, I would say it would be ‘impulsive.’ …All the brain science bears out that they’re not ready to calculate long-term decisions. I see the zoning change (as a way) of taking the candy away from the cash registers. We don’t want teenagers walking around making impulsive decisions.”
Barry Kramer, president of the Garth Road Cooperative Council, followed, and asked how the zoning change would affect Garth Road. “I know there’s a Chabad on Garth Road (in Scarsdale) and a Cornerstone Children’s Daycare Center, also on Garth Road. With your current zoning, would these not be allowed on Garth Road?”
Village Attorney Angela Sapienza-Martin responded, “(ENDS) sales cannot occur within 1,000 feet of those areas… regardless of whether they’re located in Eastchester or Scarsdale, or any other municipality that Scarsdale is located adjacent to, whether that be New Rochelle, White Plains or Yonkers… At this juncture, it would not be possible to have (ENDS) sales (on Garth)… Chabad would be considered a house of worship and (Cornerstone) is a daycare facility.” With regard to gun sales, she emphasized that a different restriction, a radius of 250 feet, applied, which can lead one to assume that it’s unlikely that gun sales would be permitted on Garth either.
Elissa Ruback (Carthage Road), representing the Scarsdale PT Council, read a statement detailing the negative health impacts of ENDS and related statistics, and expressing support for the amendment. Karen Ceske, who spoke on behalf of the high school PTA, followed and echoed the PT Council statement.
Michelle Sterling (Brayton Road) spoke next and shared her observations about e-cigarette use. She began by saying that she noticed several evacuations at the high school recently. After some research, she discovered that “there’s frequent e-cigarette use (in the school)… and it sets off fire alarms, most of the time in the bathrooms… It’s pretty much a weekly occurrence… and there have been some weeks where it’s happened more than once.” Sterling continued, “What do we do about this? It’s really serious… For younger kids, they’re giving them a lot of education… But, kids who are already in high school didn’t have that because this is such a new thing. I think it’s really great that the village is doing something about this.”
Noah Kroloff (Butler Road) then said, “The ability to get addicted to vaping is very high… once kids start using it, it’s extremely difficult to stop… I’m very happy that the board is taking some action here; I wish we could do more… I’ve spoken to other parents and they feel the same way. On the topic of guns… the epidemic of shootings in schools is a crisis in this country and the federal government has done nothing. To the extent we can do something locally, I think it’s necessary; I think it’s admirable, and I thank you for that. Again, I wish we can do more.”
With no additional public comments, Finger then reported that the legislation would be addressed in two weeks.
Before the hearing was closed, Trustee Justin Arest added, “We are not infringing on anyone’s legal right to use… ENDS products or to bear arms… This is our community doing what we can at the local level, for the safety and welfare of our families and, most importantly, our children.”
Scarsdale Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team Now 5-5 and Shooting for the Playoffs
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Captain Kayla Maroney '20 shooting a free throwThe Scarsdale Girls Varsity Basketball team has had a solid season so far with a record of 5-5. When five strong seniors graduated from the team last year, the players and head coach Mike Blanco knew that this would be a rebuilding year and that they would have to put in effort to bring the new team together. The new players include five freshmen, two sophomores and one junior and they worked hard with the six returning players to prepare for a tough schedule. The Raiders began with a good showing in the Kari Pizzatolla tournament hosted at Scarsdale and then lost their first league game to a strong Mt. Vernon team.
They continued to practice over the December break and participated in the Stamford Tournament, where they had a tough loss to Kolbe Cathedral with a score of 52-36, but several players put up strong numbers. Returners Kayla Maroney ’20, Nina Metviner ’19 and Meghan Quirk ’20 scored 18, 6 and 5 points respectively. Newcomers Ava Morin ’22, Abigail Talish ’21 and Moira Conlan ’22 contributed as well. The team fared better in their second game, beating Westhill 36-22. The final score was composed of Maroney’s 11 points, junior Jess Solodar’s 9 points, senior captain Emmeline Berridge’s 8 points and Quirk’s 4 points. Coach Blanco was pleased with the team’s defensive effort while playing without starters Hope Walker and Nina Metviner, who were out due to injury and illness respectively. Maroney’s performance in these games earned her the All-Tournament title.
After spending all of December break on training, competing in the Stamford tournament and bonding outside of practice, the team has grown very close. “The entire team works extremely well together and everyone supports each other on and off the court,” said Solodar. The girls knew their chemistry would be a key asset for them as the season moved forward.
The Raiders moved on to win a nail biter against league opponent New Rochelle with strong showings from several players and a game-winning basket by Solodar.
On January 3rd, the girls beat rival Mamaroneck , with Maroney, Berridge and Metviner scoring 17, 13 and 8 points.
The Raiders on defense
The next day, they fell to powerhouse team Our Lady of Lourdes but not without strong performances by several players, with Solodar scoring 13 points.
The following week, the Raiders hosted White Plains. Scarsdale took an early lead, but their opponent soon stepped up their defensive efforts and forced several turnovers. A few Scarsdale starters got in foul trouble early in the game, leaving some of the newcomers to fight the battle. Scarsdale eventually lost to White Plains 47-36, with Maroney and Metviner scoring 15 and 12 points each. Solodar, Berridge and Walker added 5, 3 and 1.
Coach Blanco is pleased with the team’s progress and the strong performances from his returners and new players alike, but he is also focused on maximizing the team’s chances in the playoffs. “At the moment, we are going through some position changes to adapt to each player’s skill level,” said Captain Nina Metviner ’19. Today the team is facing Fox Lane, where they can use their chemistry and possibly try out position changes.
Photos by Jon Thaler. See more and buy yours here.
Preparing for the game
Sign Up Now for the Scarsdale Recreation Department Teen Trip to NY Knicks Game
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The Scarsdale Parks and Recreation Department will be conducting a trip for teens to Madison Square Garden on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 21st 2019. Join us to watch the New York Knicks take on Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and the Oklahoma City Thunder! Trip includes adult chaperones, coach bus transportation, and a ticket to the game. For more information, and to register, visit our website. For questions, please call the Recreation Department at 722-1160.
Have a Heart Luncheon Raises $7,500 for WJCS
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale resident Linda Plattus hosted a luncheon for the WJCS 13th Annual Have a Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive. The gift drive benefits needy children in underserved communities in Westchester County and raised a record- breaking $7,500 in donations. Pictured here from left to right: Suzanne Yearley, WJCS speaker Tyler, Sarah Kayle, Linda Plattus, and Nina Ross
For more information about the Have a Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive, please click here: http://www.wjcs.com/have-a-heart-for-the-holidays/
