SFCS Offers Warning About Excessive Drinking on "Blackout Wednesday"
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Blackout Wednesday, or the evening before Thanksgiving is a cultural phenomenon among young people in which binge drinking is promoted, often to the point of blacking out. The phenomenon is spurred by college students returning home and using the night as an occasion to celebrate with friends. Thanksgiving eve is also celebrated by high school students and has become one of the deadliest nights of the year for drunk driving and alcohol poisoning.
Underage drinking is a major public health issue in the United States and locally. In 2023, excessive drinking accounted for 3,900 deaths in people under the age of 21, with males accounting for 75% of those deaths. Girls however have more recently out-paced boys in binge drinking rates nationally. According to the Pride Surveys administered to Scarsdale High School students in 2014, 2021 and 2024, alcohol remained the most widely used drug of choice for youth. Binge drinking, defined as 5 or mor standard drinks, accounts for 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism). In short, young people do not drink responsibly.
This year, Scarsdale parents are encouraged to take back Thanksgiving Eve and help protect our youth by spreading the word about the dangers of Blackout Wednesday and setting expectations for behavior. Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service and the SAY coalition encourage parents to have a conversation with their teens, including their college age children before they return home for break about their Thanksgiving Eve plans. Parents are encouraged to discuss the health, safety and legal consequences of underage drinking, including the dangers of alcohol poisoning and sexual assault.
The legal risks of possessing fake ID's should also be considered. Possessing fake ID’s is one of the primary ways underage youths obtain alcohol or obtain service at bars. Third party sales, where someone over 21 or someone with a “fake” purchases alcohol and knowingly resells it to underage youth, typically for a profit, is another.
So, let’s work together this Thanksgiving to ensure that this year’s holiday season is a safe and healthy experience for everyone. Thanksgiving is a holiday best celebrated sitting around a table of food, and not in the emergency department.
For more information about Blackout Wednesday or strategies to reduce underage drinking, please consider participating in the Scarsdale Action for Youth or contact Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service or any of the community’s Youth Outreach Workers.
Vote for the Citizen's Nominating Committee Today, Tuesday November 12
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Wait - there's one more election:
On Tuesday November 12, residents will elect 11 members of the Citizen’s Nominating Committee. All Scarsdale residents who are 18 years old and a resident for at least 30 days are eligible to vote. Please vote in the Citizens Nominating Committee election this Tuesday November 12, 2024, from 7:00-10:00 am and 2:00-9:00 pm at the Scarsdale Library.
Or mail in the ballot you can download. Click here and then on the link that says 2024 CNC Election Brochure and Mail-in Ballot
Your mailed ballot must be received by the Procedure Committee by election day, Tuesday November 12, 2024.
Each year the 30 members of the Scarsdale Citizen’s Nominating Committee (CNC) choose a slate of non-partisan candidates to run in Scarsdale’s March election for Mayor and Village Trustee positions. There are 11open CNC spots up for election on Tuesday, November 12.
The current and proposed new CNC members are: 
“The Procedure Committee thanks the 16 volunteers who agreed to run this year, most of whom are first time volunteers for the CNC,” said Ralph Geer and Heath Sroka, Chairs of the Procedure Committee. “We encourage all Scarsdale residents to come out and vote to show support for the CNC on November 12.”
Be Here Now: Mindfulness in Everyday Moments
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The following was written by Scarsdale Mindfulness Coach Pragya Jindal
I recently peeked into a chair yoga session at the Scarsdale Library, where participants were quietly focused on their movements. Some held light dumbbells, raising and lowering their arms in sync with their breath—inhale as the weights lifted, exhale as they lowered. The room radiated a calm presence, as everyone let go of their distractions and simply focused on the now.
This is the power of mindfulness: the ability to fully engage in the present moment. A simple mantra—’Be Here Now.’ It serves as a reminder that true peace and clarity come from being present, not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
Practicing mindfulness can be as simple as taking a walk along the Bronx River Parkway. Pay attention to the rustling leaves, the sound of the river, or the rhythm of your breath. By tuning into these details, you create space to quiet your mind and reconnect with yourself.
Even a brief coffee break at Starbucks in the Village can transform into a mindful moment. Instead of rushing through your day, pause and savor the warmth of your cup, the rich aroma of fresh coffee, and the sounds of life around you. These little pauses help ground you in the present, reinforcing the message to ‘Be Here Now.’
Eckhart Tolle emphasizes the importance of presence, saying, “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.” Whether through yoga, a nature walk, a game of pickleball, or savoring a scoop of chocolate ice cream at Mimi's Ice Cream Shop with your kids, strive to return to the here and now.
Thoughts may drift to the past or future; don’t indulge them. When you catch yourself wandering into a different time space, gently bring your focus back to the present. Don’t overthink it. Remind yourself, ‘Be here Now.’ By slowing down and embracing the now, you can find peace and happiness right where you are.
Pragya Jindal
Mindfulness Coach
www.powerofyourmind.life
‘Power fo your mind’ is a course in happiness and emotional intelligence.
Text: 347 850 7078
SHS Raiders Dominate Carmel 35-7 on October 18
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- Written by: Dave Taber
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Junior Alex Krupkin (15) strips the ball to force an incomplete pass.The Scarsdale High Varsity Football team dominated a solid Carmel team on Friday, Oct. 18 by a score of 35 to 7. The Raiders were strong on both sides of the ball and one of their five touchdowns was a “pick-six” by Senior Logan Mancusi. Scarsdale’s record is now 5-1 and their last regular season game is next Friday at home against Arlington.
Senior quarterback Nicholas Ebner Borst (5) pitches the ball to Senior Ryan Gilligan (44).
Photos by Dave Taber of Shots of the Game
To see more game photos and/or download photos, please visit https://www.shotsofthegame.com/
Senior Michael Vibbert (17) scores on an inside run.
Junior Leo Green (50) tackles a Carmel runner with an assist from Ryan Gilligan (44).
Michael Vibbert (17) stays on his feet despite the effort from multiple would be tacklers.
Junior Richard Lohse (6) kicks an extra point with Michael Vibbert (17) as the holder.
Ryan Gilligan (44) breaks free on a run to the left.
Senior Michael Walsh (10) Junior Joseph Pappalardo (9) and Senior Josh Potters (52) celebrate Ryan Gilligan's (44) touchdown.
Sophomore Lucas Handweger (7) dives to deflect a would be Carmel completed pass.
Nicholas Ebner Borst (5) dives to score the Raiders fifth touchdown.
An Aurora Borealis Light Show Over Scarsdale
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- Written by: Wendy MacMillan
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Photo Credit: Elizabeth HoexterThe autumn sky was awash in a spectacular array of colors with a beautiful aurora borealis light show on the night of October 10, 2024. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the rare show of Northern Lights in our area was the result of a geomagnetic storm which they define as, “A major disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth. These storms result from variations in the solar wind that produces major changes in the currents, plasmas, and fields in Earth’s magnetosphere.”
Photo Credit: Ralph Geer
While a geomagnetic storm can be blamed for disruptions to things like power grids and radio frequencies, they also can create the circumstances for aurora borealis to be seen far further south than traditional viewing locations like Reykjavik, Iceland. And some lucky Scarsdale residents not only caught the show, but had their cameras ready. See their amazing photos here:
Photo Credit: Wendy O'Neil
Photo Credit: Preeti Kishore
Photo Credit: Wendy MacMillan
Photo Credit: Steven Pisani
