May 21, 2014 - WestchesterGuardian.com
Transcription
May 21, 2014 - WestchesterGuardian.com
PRESORTED STANDARD PERMIT #3036 WHITE PLAINS NY Vol. X, No. IXX Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly Thursday May 21, 2015 • $1.00 Justice in The Land of the Free Thoughts on the Criminal Justice System and the Sam Zherka Trial Editorial Page 2 WWW.WESTCHESTERGUARDIAN.COM Page 2 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Community/GovernmentSection Editorial Justice in The Land of the Free What happened to the rights of the accused in America, wonders CNN reporter Fareed Zakaria in his April 30th, 2015 column (FareedZakaria.com). Legal scholars throughout the world marvel that with “nearly 5 % of the world’s population, the United States has nearly 25% of the world’s prisoners and 50% of the world’s lawyers,” according to Zakaria, quoting former Canadian newspaper publisher Conrad Black’s research. “The United States locks up more people every year than Stalin held in his gulags at the height of his power*”, is another frequent observation among those who have studied the statistics. According to Black, “the high U. S. conviction rate is not because our prosecutors are so much better, it is because of the plea bargain, a system of bullying and intimidation by government lawyers for which they ‘would be disbarred in most other serious countries, [and which] enables prosecutors to threaten everyone around the target with indictment if they don’t miraculously recall, under careful government coaching, inculpatory evidence.” And Conrad Black should know. Black’s newspaper publishing empire once controlled a third of the world’s English language newspapers. Following a U. S. investor initiated investigation he served 37 months in a United States Federal Prison for alleged Fraud and Obstruction of Justice. Most charges were overturned on subsequent appeals and he was released on May 4, 2012. Black returned to Canada upon his release and is barred from returning to the States for 30 years, though one doubts he would ever care to return. Zakaria also quotes U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff ’s essay for the New York Review of Books, who “wrote that because of the plea bargain, ‘the criminal justice system in the United States today bears little relationship to what the Founding Fathers contemplated, what the movies and television portray, or what the average American believes. There is, more often than not, no ‘day in court,’ no trial, no rights for the accused. The prosecutor almost always gets what he wants. When I served on a grand jury, I quickly realized that it was a rubber stamp for the prosecution, the opposite of its original intent.’” Roll-Off Containers 1-30 Yards Home Cleanup Containers Turn-Key Demolition Services DEC Licensed Transfer Station www.citycarting.net City Carting of Westchester Somers Sanitation B & S Carting AAA Paper Recycling Bria Carting City Confidential Shredding Creative Disruption.................................................................7 Guardian Arts.........................................................................7 Travel.......................................................................................8 Book Review.........................................................................10 Eye on Theatre.......................................................................10 Calendar..................................................................................6 Local Lore.............................................................................12 Legal Ads..............................................................................14 Community Calendar...........................................................14 Cultural Perspectives.............................................................15 Mary at the Movies...............................................................16 Licensed Demolition Contractor Locally Owned & Operated Radio Dispatched Fully Insured - FREE Estimates On-Site Document Destruction 8 Viaduct Road, Stamford, CT 06907 Same Day Roll Off Service Mission Statement Community.............................................................................3 Letters to the Editor...............................................................6 DEP Licensed Rail Serve Transfer & Recyling Services 800.872.7405 • 203.324.4090 Editorial...................................................................................2 Government............................................................................5 Continued on page 3 Commercial • Industrial & Residential Services Table of Contents Memorial Day.........................................................................4 Conrad Black’s portrayal of the tactics employed by Federal Prosecutors is eerily similar to those Sam Zherka, Publisher Mary Keon, Acting Editor /Advertising Publication is every Thursday Write to us in confidence at: The Westchester Guardian Post Office Box 8 New Rochelle, NY 10801 Send publicity 3 weeks in advance of your event. Ads due Tuesdays, one week prior to publication date. Letters to the Editor & Press Releases can only be submitted via Email: WestGuardEditor@aol.com westguardpressreleases@aol.com westguardadvertising@aol.com Office Hours: 11A-5P M-F 914.216.1674 Cell • 914.576.1481 Office Read us online at: www.WestchesterGuardian.com The Westchester Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the unbiased reporting of events and developments that are newsworthy and significant to readers living in, and/or employed in, Westchester County. The Guardian will strive to report fairly, and objectively, reliable information without favor or compromise. Our first duty will be to the PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KNOW, by the exposure of truth, without fear or hesitation, no matter where the pursuit may lead, in the finest tradition of FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The Guardian will cover news and events relevant to residents and businesses all over Westchester County. As a weekly, rather than focusing on the immediacy of delivery more associated with daily journals, we will instead seek to provide the broader, more comprehensive, chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened with analysis, where appropriate. From amongst journalism’s classic key-words: who, what, when, where, why, and how, the why and how will drive our pursuit. We will use our more abundant time, and our resources, to get past the initial ‘spin’ and ‘damage control’ often characteristic of immediate news releases, to reach the very heart of the matter: the truth. We will take our readers to a point of understanding and insight which cannot be obtained elsewhere. To succeed, we must recognize from the outset that bigger is not necessarily better. And, furthermore, we will acknowledge that we cannot be all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentation of relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news and commentary, with features and columns useful in daily living and employment in, and around, the county. We must stay trim and flexible if we are to succeed. THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Page 3 GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY Valet Parking and Energy Proposals for New Rochelle By Peggy Godfrey Though the proposed Valet Parking Law had been spelled out in great detail, questions still remained at the May 12, 2015 meeting of the New Rochelle City Council Committee of the Whole session. Councilman Lou Trangucci wanted to know who would check where the needed parking spaces were potentially available. He was told the valet company would put the information together and would list this information with the Department of Buildings officials. The rules for valet parking are firmly spelled out and an operator who accumulates three violations within a year would lose the valet permit. False statements will also be regarded harshly. The non-compliance in the first instance would require a fine of $50; the second and third, $100 each. Councilman Trangucci felt the third fine should be $500. Commissioner of Development, Luiz Aragon, suggested this fine could be increased, but City Manager, Chuck Strome, said the court could determine the fine. Trangucci stated that even if the court decided differently, a minimum fine of $500 would discourage non-compliance. Councilwoman Shari Rackman asked about the restaurant fee for valet parking and Aragon answered that perhaps a cost of $5 for valet parking could include a free drink voucher. No other charges can be added. The use of a few metered sparking spaces in front of the store was suggested. Councilman Al Tarantino asked if a valet parked car later received a ticket (for $50) would the person have the information about who parked the car on the stub? The answer by Aragon was that the valet company would be responsible for the ticket. Aragon insisted the operator will pay the fees (or fines) and these terms can be reinforced by the lawyer. That evening at the public hearing, David Lacher, attorney for Dubrovnik Restaurant which had been previously granted a zoning board variance with the condition that the restaurant implement a valet parking plan, claimed the need for valet parking was obvious. The current law will increase both permitting requirements and costs. He did ask that the current establishments in New Rochelle now using valets be exempted from these new costs. He stated he was fully aware of the responsibilities inherent in valet parking. The only other issue raised was a legal one by Joyce Furfero, who noted that under New York State law VAT AS 338, a vehicle owner who “allows someone else to drive his or her car is still responsible for the negligence of the other person.” This law does nothing to mitigate or eliminate vehicle owners’ liability for any negligence of these valets... “This ordinance,” she continues, is “short on indemnity for vehicle owners,” and she asks that this be addressed. Two guests from AACommunity Choice Aggregation spoke at the next section of the meeting. The speakers featured were from Sustainable Westchester: Mark Gordon and Glenn Weinberg. According to their website, “Sustainable Westchester is a consortium of Westchester County local governments that facilitates effective sustainability initiatives, engages community stakeholders, and shares tools, resources, and incentives to create more healthy, vibrant and attractive communities, now and in the future.” Sustainable Westchester has been procuring energy supplies from energy service companies, (ESCO’s represent 41 out of 44 Westchester dues paying municipalities). Commissioner Aragon introduced them as a group offering community choice on energy costs, creating green environments and jobs. Sustainable Westchester has merged with Energy Action and all but three municipalities in Westchester are in the merger. They are also working with other states. Sustainable Westchester believes that government regulated utility suppliers should be in competition for delivery costs and that if all communities work together, municipalities could achieve a projected aggregate five to ten percent better price on utilities. Individual consumers that do not like their service are free to return to their previous supplier or Con Edison. There would likely be two rates in a zone: commercial and residential. The ability to opt out to another provider is the same as now. When Bramson asked what actions would be necessary to link New Rochelle to the other communities, he was told a resolution would have to be passed. Rackman highlighted a difference that residents would experience. Now, she said, “we” select an ESCO or stay with New Rochelle. The new way would mean residents would have to switch back to Con Edison if they were not satisfied. The new fixed rate should be lower than the Con Edison rate. The one glitch suggested was that if the consumer leaves an adopted city’s plan, they may not be able to get back into it. Councilman Barry Fertel asked which communities were in this plan and was told: Somers, North Salem, Lewisboro, Croton and Pleasantville. When he asked about the discount on the fixed rate he was told it could be as much as 20%. When the fee for this service was addressed, the council was told there is a commission. A price given was $8 for each $100,000. A referendum is not needed to change to this system. Mayor Bramson suggested asking the staff to prepare legislation for consideration at a future meeting. Editorial Justice in The Land of the Free C Continued from page 2 is difficult for Mr. Zherka to assist in his own defense from Manhattan Correctional, where even in the attorney’s room, there is no expectation of privacy. As we celebrate Memorial Day, ask yourself if the men and women who died for our country gave their lives so others can be compelled by the government to testify against someone untruthfully to get a better deal for themselves? They did not and the government’s behavior in too many cases should outrage us all. * Adam Gopnik, The Caging of America, The New Yorker, Jan. 30, 2012 Mastering Outcomes M Y while Minimizing Surgery CM MY CY CMY K ©2015 Hudson Valley Surgical Group | All Rights Reserved. we have seen employed against Sam Zherka. In an effort to build a case against our Publisher, at least one of his business associates involved in the case was threatened with incarceration in a facility in Colorado, if convicted, where there is 23 hour lockdown,” a euphemism for “SuperMax,” (again, we are talking about alleged white collar crimes here), by prosecutor U. S. Attorney Jacobson, while others stood there and did nothing. Mr. Zherka is being held without bail, as Conrad Black was, on “garden variety white collar crime” charges, though he has not yet been convicted of a crime. It “Hudson Valley Surgical Group was my choice for caring and thorough breast care.” Niaja G., breast patient Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy Robert J. Raniolo, MD • Har Chi Lau, MD With 4500+ surgeries performed to date Hudson Valley Surgical Group’s Minimally Invasive Center provides their patients a better quality-of-life option and access to full breast care center support. Robert Raniolo, MD & Har Chi Lau, MD Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors™ in America Women diagnosed with breast cancer face a tough decision. New studies suggest less invasive treatment for early stage breast cancer may provide better outcomes. The experts at the Hudson Valley Surgical Group’s Minimally Invasive Center take the time to counsel their patients on the best decision. Hudson Valley Surgical Group MINIMALLY INVASIVE CENTER 777 N. Broadway, Suite 204, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591 914.631.3660 | HudsonValleySurgeons.com Page 4 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 MEMORIAL DAY Memorial Day Observances:* We must hold dear and never forget the sacrifices of the men and women who died in defense of our country. Bedford Hills May 25th Bedford Hills Memorial Day Parade and Ceremonies sponsored by the Bedford Hills Fire Department and Bedford Hills Lions Club. The Parade starts @ 9:00 AM sharp at BHES on Babbitt Road. Parade Route: Babbitt Road to Church Street BHCH, Main Street to the BHFD. Ceremonies: Held at the BHCH WW I memorial followed by a ceremony at the end of the parade at the WW II, Korean and Vietnam War memorials at the intersection of Bedford Road and Main Street. Bedford Village May 25th Bedford Village Memorial Day Parade and Ceremonies sponsored by the Bedford Fire Dept. and Bedford Village Lions Club. Parade starts at 11:15AM (approx.). at the corner of Seminary Road and Pound Ridge Road right onto Pound Ridge Road (Route 172) to the Village Green. Ceremony held at the WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam and Gulf War Memorials located at the Village Green. At the conclusion of the ceremony residents are invited to the BFD for light refreshments. Bronxville Memorial Day Parade Monday, May 25. Participants assemble at Leonard Morange Square Memorial Park, (south side of the Bronxville railroad Station) promptly at 8:45AM. The Parade will commence at 9AM and will end with ceremonies at the Bronxville School on Pondfield Road. The Parade Grand Marshal is Fr. Peter McGeory from St. Joseph’s Church in Bronxville. Cortlandt The Town of Cortlandt will honor Veterans with a Memorial Day ceremony on Friday, May 22 2015 at 1:30 PM at the Muriel H. Morabito Community Center, 29 Westbrook Drive, Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567. Light refreshments will be served. William Nazario is the Chairman of the Cortlandt Hudson Valley’s Veteran’s Committee; Rudolf Grexa is ViceChairman. RSVP to the Supervisor’s office, Karen Grexa at 914.734.1002. or kareng@townofcortlandt.com Harrison God Bless Our Veterans. Memorial Day will be celebrated this year on Monday, May 25, 2015 and we invite you to participate in Harrison’s annual parade. We will be honoring the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom. As our country is once again at war, this day of commemoration takes on an even greater significance. Line Up time is 9:30 AM on Halstead Avenue and Thatcher Avenue/ Step Off time is 10:00 AM. Parade Participants: Veterans Groups, Harrison Police, Harrison Fire Departments, Harrison High School Marching Band, Harrison Ambulance Corps and any and all other civic groups who would like to march with us. We hope you will join us on this most important day. Please call (914)835-2052 or (914)527-0803 to join the parade. Irvington Memorial Day celebration Monday, May 25, 2015: participants are asked to be in place by 10:30AM to ensure a prompt start at 10:45AM. 10:45 ceremony at the War Memorials on Main Street (in front of the Main Street School) followed by a parade to Memorial Field for ceremony. Katonah May 25th 2015: Katonah American Legion Post 1275 and the Katonah Fire Dept.sponsor the Memorial Day Parade. All Veterans are invited to march in the Katonah Memorial Day Parade. Meet at the Katonah Fire Dept; the Parade Begins at 10 A.M. From the Fire Dept. the Parade marches down Katonah Ave and up Parkway to Lawrence Circle. Ceremonies are held at the Lawrence Circle WW I, WW II and Civil war memorials followed by a ceremony at the end of the parade at the KFD bell honoring all veteran’s who were also volunteer firefighters. After the ceremonies at the War Memorials the parade continues from Lawrence Circle to down Bedford Rd. to the Katonah Fire Dept. All town residents are welcome at the annual Town of Katonah Memorial Day Picnic, 12Noon - 3PM, held at the Katonah American Legion, 136 Jay St., Katonah, NY 10536. Veterans interested in joining Post 1575 should call Carlo Marotta at 845.277.4457. Larchmont Memorial Day Parade May 21, 2015 7:00 pm Line-up begins at 6:30 PM in train station Lot #3 (above I-95) and the parade will start at 7:00 PM. New Rochelle Memorial Day Observance Weekend events Sunday May 24: Grave Decoration at Beechwood Cemetery Monday, May 25: Ceremony at Memorial Plaza 10AM followed by waterfront ceremony at Glen Island Park and “Veterans Appreciation Event” 12-5 PM with helicopter landing at 2 PM White Plains Parade starts 10AM at the Library Plaza, 100 Martine Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 and proceeds to the White Plains Rural Cemetery Yonkers The Yonkers Annual Memorial ADVERTISE YOUR DISPLAY HELP WANTED ADS IN THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN! Do you have jobs available at your business? The Westchester Guardian publishes every Thursday and we would love to run your Help Wanted Display Ads, due Wednesday one week prior to publication date. Call today to reserve Display Ad Space in our next issue: 914.216.1674 Day Parade takes place on Saturday, May 30, on McLean Avenue. The City will host the parade in conjunction with the Charles N. Bajart American Legion Post 1122. The parade will commence at 1:00 pm with a ceremony at Stillwell Park (McLean Avenue at 241st Street) and proceed along McLean Avenue to the Bajart American Legion Post, 840 McLean Avenue. A ceremony will conclude the parade at the Post with the placing of wreaths. Additional local Memorial Day events in Yonkers include: • 7th Ward Memorial Service – May 18 at 6PM • Donna Walshin Community Center Memorial Day Parade May 21 at 6PM • City of Yonkers Memorial Day Ceremony – May 25 at 9AM • Crestwood Memorial Day Parade – May 25 at 10AM • Catholic Slovak Club Memorial Day Parade – May 25 at 12PM • Empire VFW Post 375 Memorial Day Service – May 25 at 2PM For additional information on all the Memorial Day ceremonies, contact the City’s Department of Veterans Services at 914-377-6700 or visit www.yonkersny.gov. Yorktown Monday, May 25, 2015 - 11AM Service at Memorials located at Town Hall. 11:15 AM: Parade followed by speeches and ceremony at John “Jack” DeVito Gazebo located at the Yorktown Community and Cultural Center Join in the tradition of Memorial Day as we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts and in wars. * This is the available information at deadline and is not exhaustive. MK THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Page 5 not back down on their principles, but these politicians can’t be allowed to dominate the process. If they do, the legislative process deadlocks and representative government becomes impossible. Skillful legislators know how to honor their firmly held principles while still finding common ground. The progress we’ve seen of late on Capitol Hill is proof that these legislators exist. May their ranks increase. Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years. GOVERNMENT The Way Forward for Congress By Lee Hamilton There have been encouraging signs on Capitol Hill of late that Congress’s long slide into irrelevance may be slowing Agreements on Medicare reimbursements in both houses, and on Iran, No Child Left Behind, Pacific trade and other issues in various committees led last month to a chorus of relieved approval both in Washington and in the press. Less noticed, but equally important, a report from the Bipartisan Policy Center found that Congress worked more during the first quarter of this year than the past few years, and that the amendment process in the Senate is once again functioning as it’s supposed to. But let’s not go overboard. Major challenges lie immediately ahead, chief among them how Congress handles the budget. Politicians on Capitol Hill are coming more to agreement. Modest bills are being passed. And we have a taste of bipartisanship. If Congress finds that it likes feeling productive, then I’ve got some suggestions for turning these first, tentative steps into full-blown progress. First, it needs to remember that our founders placed Congress first in the constitutional firmament. It has been far too timid. As has been noted, “Congress today is a reactive body, taking its cues . from the President: sometimes in deference to him, sometimes in opposition to him, occasionally in agreement with him — but always in reference to him.” That’s not the definition of a co-equal branch of government. And it’s not just the President. Congress leaves regulatory decisions to federal agencies with little direction or oversight, hands economic power to the Federal Reserve, and has allowed the Supreme Court to become the central policymaking body on controversial issues from campaign finance to affirmative action to environmental regulation. Second, Congress needs to return to good process. This is not a panacea, but it enhances the prospect of getting things right. Returning in both houses to the so-called “regular order” of committee hearings and amendments would do wonders for restoring transparency, encouraging fact-finding, hearing all sides, weighing options, and finding agreement. Congress has adopted some really bad habits on procedure by passing huge bills in secret, bypassing committees, curbing participation of members, and sharply limiting debate and amendments. Calling an end to all of that would boost Capitol Hill’s chances of crafting legislation that represents what’s best for Americans. And discouraging legislators from tying two unrelated issues together — the tactic that led to the unconscionably long approval process for Attorney General Loretta Lynch — would help policy get made on its merits. Third, members need to understand that their conduct has a direct impact on Americans’ trust in Congress. Too many have a constricted view of what it means to serve. They understand their responsibility to represent their constituents, but apparently feel little or no responsibility to get legislation enacted into law or to make the country work. They are satisfied with issuing political statements, casting a vote, or passing a bill — but not caring if it can pass the other house and get signed by the President. This approach fails the ultimate test of the legislative process, which is to find remedies to the nation’s challenges. Members spend too much time raising money, politicking, and legislating on trivial or pointlessly political matters. Too few take the time and effort to master the legislative process or to bear down on the work their constituents sent them to pursue: crafting legislation, debating bills, deliberating with their colleagues and reaching a consensus on the serious problems confronting the country. They don’t need new rules to fix this. They just need to go to work. Finally, Congress should heed the lesson of these past few months and re-energize its commitment to negotiation and compromise. There’s room in politics for elected leaders who do Lee Hamilton is Director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University; Distinguished Scholar, IU School of Global and International Studies; and Professor of Practice, IU School of Public and For information about our educational resources and programs, explore the website at www.centeroncongress.org. Go to Facebook to express your views about Congress, civic education, and the citizen’s role in representative democracy. “Like” us on Facebook at “Center on Congress at Indiana University,” and share our postings with your friends. Source URL: http://www.centeroncongress.org/the-way-forward-congress The Armonk Players Present Time Stands Still Time Stands Still is the story of James and Sarah, a journalist and a photographer, who share a passion for documenting the realities of war. But when injuries force them to return home to New York, the adventurous couple confronts the prospect of a more conventional life: a blazingly important new work about responsibility - to ourselves, to our loved ones, to our community, and to our world. This Broadway-hit play by Pulitzer Prize-winner Donald Margulies is a witty, intelligent look at what happens when ordinary life is refracted through the lens of war. Featuring: Tom Coppola, P. J. Glazer, Liz Harrington and Amber Mason Directed by Pia Haas. Designed by Anthony Valbiro. Lighting design by Rodd Berro. Production Stage Manager: Jeff Rocco. Friday, June 5, 2015 at 8pm • Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 8pm • Sunday, June 7, 2015 at 4pm • Thursday, June 11, 2015 at 8pm • Friday, June 12, 2015 at 8pm • Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 8pm Adults: $20, Students (18 and under): $10 • Whippoorwill Hall of The Armonk Public Library • 19 Whippoorwill Road East (the entrance is on Kent Place) Armonk, NY. 10504 Info & tickets: www. armonkplayers.org Diana O’Neill Holistic Health Services I will journey with you during challenging times such as grieving the loss of a loved one or recovering from a negative relationship. Counseling • Energy Healing • Hypnotism • Spiritual & Psychic Healing By Appointment, Only. Free consultation given on first visit. 914.630.1928 Holistic Health Services • 212 North Ave. Suite 204 A, New Rochelle, NY 10801 • 914.630.1928 Page 6 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 COMMUNITY LETTER TO THE EDITOR Senator Murphy Comments on Indian Point Emergency Request - Every Local Government inWestchester Needs More Funds for Road Repaving. The Funds Allocated Were Not Adequate JEFFERSON VALLEY, NY May 11, 2015 Senator Terrence Murphy today commented on the fire at Indian Point energy center inside a transformer on Saturday. The plant is located in the Village of Buchanan in Murphy’s senate district. “I have been in constant contact with Entergy and the Department of Environmental Conservation as they address this incident. Thankfully, no workers were hurt. We are fortunate that this was not any worse. “Our focus is now on protecting the Hudson from any chemical disturbances due to the failed transformer. Oil containment booms have been deployed and we are told that any remaining cleanup should be completed within the next few days. This incident exposes new concerns for regulators to address, and it remains paramount that Indian Point must be operated safely if it is to remain open.” Dear State Legislator: The NYS Legislature recently approved the state budget which includes funds for extreme winter recovery. The additional funds were added to the budget supposedly to help local governments address some of the significant road problems due to the extreme winter. I am attaching the dollar amounts being given to localities in Westchester. The amount the Town of Greenburgh is receiving $44,059.03 is inadequate. $44,059.03 will not enable us to repave any major section of road. It costs at least $250,000 a mile to repave a road sometimes much more. I recently met with other colleagues - Town Supervisors, Mayors, Council Members, and Municipal Administrators. Those who I talked to all believe that the Legislature must do a better job of advocating for Westchester municipalities since we all need help addressing horrible road conditions. Our roads are crumbling. Many municipalities are not spending what is needed to address road conditions due to the tax cap. Before the legislative session ends I hope you will find extra dollars to help every locality in Westchester with road repaving. There may be some settlement money or surplus accounts that could be found to help every local government. Our crumbling infrastructure is a crisis. We need results. We need more funding for road repaving from Albany. We’re getting a new Tappan Zee Bridge, but the local roads that will be used to get to the bridge are full of potholes! And, people will get flat tires getting to the new bridge once it’s built - unless you help. Sincerely, Paul J. Feiner, Town Supervisor Cc: Mayors and Supervisors NYS Conference of Mayors Westchester Municipal Officials Association NYS Association of Towns FLEETWOOD THE ROMA BUILDING RENOVATED APARTMENTS FOR RENT Prime Yorktown Location Beautiful, Newly Renovated Apartments COMMERICAL SPACE FOR RENT Great Visibility • Centrally Located STORE 950 Sq. Ft. Rent: $3250 /Month OFFICE SPACE: 470 Sq. Ft. Rent $850/Month • 1160 Sq. Ft. Rent $1650/ Month 914.632.1230 2022 SAW MILL RIVER RD., YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY 1 Bedrooms Starting at $1400/month • Studios Starting at $1200/month Brand New Kitchens, Living Rooms & Bathrooms • Granite Counter Tops • Laundry On-Site New Cabinets, Stoves & Refrigerators, Credit Check Required Elevator Building • 1 Block from MetroNorth Fleetwood Station • Monthly Parking Nearby Available Immediately Call Management Office for details: 914.632.1230 80 West Grand Street, Fleetwood THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Page 7 blur the owner’s picture. We aren’t there now but, hopefully, we will be. As I was reading the book, my mind, as mentioned above, went off on some tangents. The author writes of “happiness” – has this totally connected world made us any happier? Some have written that the hyperconnectivity puts inordinate pressure on us to be “on call 24/7” but many seem to thrive on the “always on world” or at least act as though they do. I’ve been doing some consulting for a firm in the Wall Street area and every morning when I get on the elevator, at least one person, usually more (and, most often, female), will immediately whip out her / his smartphone and begin reading something or other – whatever it is, it’s enough to occupy her / his attention until the 21st or 22nd floor is reached (about a 20 second trip). In days gone by, an elevator ride in a skyscraper was a time of boredom or reflection -now it is just like all the rest of our day, attached to technology. In the same days gone by, our circle of friends might include some folks we grew up with, some we met at various schools or jobs, people from our current neighborhood, parents of our children, long time friends of our spouse, etc. -a rather small number, a few hundred at best. Now, we have “friends” from all over the world – hundreds, even thousands. Are these people really friends in the traditional use of the word? Would I turn to most of them for help if I had an ill child or marital difficulty or needed a loan? Of course not – most are merely acquaintances, yet a greater number of acquaintances than we could ever have had in the “days gone by” (Before going further, I must admit that I have 5,000 Facebook “friends” – the most allowed by that system – many are students or former students, contacts and sources from 35 years as a journalist, persons met in the various “virtual worlds” that I wrote about as well as the usual suspects mentioned above. Of the 5,000, I probably have direct interaction with fewer than 200 on a regular basis). Are we better off for having these new friends or is it a dilution of the time and energy that we might devote to family and “real-world’ friends? There are many anecdotal tales of life partners met on line but just as many of marriages ruined by on-line relationships that went nowhere. After 40 years of the Internet and a mere 20 of the World Wide Web (which brought “normal” nontechnology professionals into the online world and brought computers into our homes), we really can’t say “good” or “bad;” we can just accept the fact that this is the world and, if we recognize the problems that Havens points out, use his or other methods to try to correct the problems. After all, this is our world and we must take responsibility for it. Creative Disruption GOVERNMENT Hacking Happiness? By John F. McMullen I just began reading “hacking h(app)iness: Why Your Personal Data Counts and How Tracking It Can Change the World” by John C. Havens (Jeremy P. Tarcher / Penguin, 2014) and, right from the start, I find it very interesting and thought provoking, not totally because of its content but also because of tangential thoughts that it triggers. Although the title of the book may sound as though it is one of those “touchy-feely” books that technologists and data scientists would deplore, it seems to be far from that. The author recognizes the power of the new “app”based totally-connected world and embraces it. He just wants us, the individual users, to have control over the data that we provide to others. More than that he wants us to understand the data that we provide and to be responsible and accountable for it. Further, he wants us to provide data to the system that promotes users’ desire that benefit gained from the data be equitably shared with those who provide it. Finally, he wants to persuade the user to be proactive in using the power of the system to promote personal and public well-being --all-in-all, not bad goals for a book! Havens lays out in the book’s introduction what he sets “out to prove in the book: • “Data is getting personal – Data about people’s sleep, dietary and work habits, sex lives, and emotions is being collected and analyzed. Our current online economy is built on the management of people’s data without their full knowledge of the process. It’s a dangerous precedent that needs to be reversed, • “Happiness can be quantified and increased – The science of positive psychology is empirically based. Mobile sensors in our phone and data from the world around us can contribute information about our lives that we can utilize to increase positive well-being and essential, long-lasting happiness. While emotions are ephemeral and subjective by nature, data-identifying triggers leading to or around them are being leveraged to improve other people’s lives in revolutionary ways. • The happiness economy is redefining wealth – Countries such as Bhutan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, and the United States are using happiness indicators that reflect multiple metrics beyond money to measure and improve the lives of their citizens. People are being encouraged to leverage skills and talents for civic engagement that are providing previously untapped stores of resources that are changing the world for good.” (pp xiv-xv) In the section on “Accountability,” Havens discusses “Connected Identity” and breaks it down into three different elements: • The Internet – where we “are” when we are on our computers. • The “Outernet” – the combination of technologies that affect us when we are away from our computers – smart phones, containing GPS, accelerometer, microphone, GUARDIAN ARTS Taconic Opera: World Premiere—DANIEL Currently in its 17th season and the recipient of the Westchester County 2012 Arts Organization of the Year Award, Taconic Opera will be performing the world premiere performance and professional recording of the oratorio Daniel on Saturday, May 30, 2015, at 7:30 pm at the Ossining United Methodist Church, 1 Emwilton Place/ corner of Route 9, Ossining, NY, and on Sunday, May 31 1, 2015, at 3:00 pm at the White Plains Presbyterian Church, 39 North Broadway, White Plains, NY. The work was composed by the company’s General and Artistic Director, Dan Montez and will be one of the featured entries in ArtsWestchester’s ArtSee Festival of 50 new art works in 2015. Tickets are $27, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and can be purchased at the door, in advance online at www. taconicopera.org, or by calling Taconic Opera’s toll-free number (855) 886-7372. etc.; and the “Internet of Things,” “which includes sensors and devices in cars, buildings and the world around us that we typically don’t see.” (p 4) • How we relate to one another as people. The confluence of these elements makes up each of our individual connected identities. The rest of the book (which I am just getting into – but already recommend it strongly – available from Amazon in hardcover ($23.34), paperback (13.47) and Kindle versions (12.80) -- http://goo.gl/ W31UUT) details first how our data is being collected, what we might do to obtain a fair return on its use, and how we might use our knowledge and technological skill to provide well-being for ourselves and others. One example that caught my attention of using technology to attempt to provide a fair return on our image or, at least, cause the person to stop recoding us without our permission is given on page xxix of the book – “Rather than worrying about strangers filming and tagging without permission, people can broadcast their identities in public places while notifying how they’d like to interact with the world. If you’re at Starbucks and someone looks at you wearing Google Glass, your digital avatar could appear in their vision and say ‘If you’d like to record and I’m in your shot, my face will appear blurry and I can’t be tagged without my permission. If you’re tagging me for commercial purposes, please text me the specifics of how I’ll be compensated for the use of my personal data.’” In this example, the protagonist is expected to be knowledgeable enough to recognize the Google Glass (or any other recording device) and technically astute enough to possess such an app that would both send an avatar out to talk and have the wherewithal to Creative Disruption is a continuing series examining the impact of constantly accelerating technology on the world around us. These changers normally happen under our personal radar until we find that the world as we knew it is no more. John F. McMullen is a writer, poet, college professor and radio host. Links to other writings, Podcasts, & Radio Broadcasts at www.johnmac13.com, and his books are available on Amazon. © 2015 John F. McMullen Lightning Protection! ASSOCIATED LIGHTNING Rod Company, Inc. www.alrci.com (518) 789-4603 (845) 373-8309 (860) 364-1498 Free Estimates Free Inspections Page 8 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 TRAVEL MONTAUK POINT: The Great Ocean Escape By Richard Levy Need a break? Escape to Montauk. In fact if you try to escape any further, you’ll fall into the Atlantic Ocean. Located way out on the very tip of Long Island, Montauk is surrounded by pristine ocean and endless powdery, un-crowded beaches. No less an authority than National Geographic rates the Long Island seashore from The Hamptons to Montauk Point among the top 10 beaches in the world– and, it’s just three hours away! Unlike the trendy, pretentious Hamptons, (where you might possibly run into folks you don’t want to run into), in Montauk, you can actually relax, kick back and be yourself. (Yes, you can leave your Manolo Blahniks at home.) One of the things I love about Montauk is that you don’t absolutely need a car to have a good time here: Taxis will take you wherever you would like to go. Where to stay? I love the rustic and charming Daunt’s Albatross Motel, smack in the middle so you can walk to everything: just two short blocks from the beach and two short blocks from town. The hotel offers large, very clean rooms with a small kitchen, a coffee maker, cable with HBO, a lovely pool, BBQ grill and bikes to explore Montauk. A complimentary breakfast of fresh bagels and coffee will be available for guests after July 1. Hosts Jimmy Daunt and his son Leo will treat you like family. (It’s very reasonable, so book early; they’re filling up for July and August.) The Hampton Jitney, departs from points in Manhattan and drops you in town, two short blocks from the Albatross Motel. (I will tell you why I love the Hampton Jitney later.) The Atlantic Terrace and the Ocean Surf Motels are nearby and also moderately priced. If your budget allows, there are three marvelous, luxury hotels. My favorite is Gurney’s Resort & Spa, the only luxury resort located on the beach with a world-class Spa. Chief Concierge Maureen and her staff will help make your time there fabulous in every possible way. There’s also the luxurious Montauk Yacht Club and the austere, old world Montauk Manor. Taking a long walk along the waters Montauk Harbor Courtesy of The Montauk Chamber of Commerce edge is one of my favorite things to do best time is dawn or twilight when out here, anytime of the day. (It’s better the fish are feeding.) Bring your catch than Meditation and your don’t need to Wok & Roll Chinese restaurant in a Mantra.) Montauk is home to the town and the Chef will prepare it for historic 108-foot Montauk Lighthouse you Chinese style. Both the Lazy Bones that has served as a seafarer’s beacon for Party Boat and Viking Five Star offer an over 200 years. Designated by George enjoyable half or full day of fishing. And Washington and Congress in 1792, the even if you don’t love fishing, taking lighthouse is now a National Landmark a lovely ride out to the middle of the and has a small museum inside. Walk idyllic Atlantic Ocean is worth the cost all the way to the top for fabulous ocean of the trip. Boats leave 8:00 am or Noon vistas. and supply everything you need to fish. Montauk is a fisherman’s paradise. You can rent just about any kind of boat The area is dotted with fresh water on Montauk: zippy speedboats, sailfish, ponds stocked with white perch along large sailboats or you can charter a party with large and small-mouthed bass. boat for the day. Wonderful “Whale There’s great fishing in the salt water of Watching” cruises sail from Montauk Lake Montauk. A surf-casters dream on Sunday’s from 9:30 -- 3:30 pm July come true, you can catch huge fish off and August. Call Viking Five Star for any of Montauk’s many beaches. (The reservations. The Hampton Jitney Montauk Lighthouse Montauk also has some of the best a seafood lunch overlooking the water. horseback riding you’ve ever enjoyed. A little known fact is that during Ride on picturesque trails with pan- World War II we maintained a Naval oramic ocean views or canter along the Base on Montauk that was constantly beach. For reservations call The Deep on the lookout for German U-Boats. Hollow Ranch. For golfers there’s the We were worried about German spies 18- hole championship length pan- coming ashore at night in Montauk oramic golf course, Montauk Downs and there is supposedly a U-Boat –considered one of the 10 best munici- sunk off Montauk. (Don’t ask me pal golf courses in the country. Tennis what happened; the details are still buffs can warm up for the U.S. Open at classified.) Montauk Downs State Park, where the As you can imagine, “Seafood 6 Har-Tru courts for rent $23 hour; $13 Rules” in Montauk and I always look for Seniors. forward to their sensational restauThe seaside town of Montauk is rants. My very favorite restaurant lined with charming shops, lovely bou- is the romantic East-By-Northeast tiques, nautical stores and restaurants. restaurant with views of scenic Fort (There is a fabulous clam bar on the Pond. They serve inventive, delicious harbor.) Ladies, make reservations at farm-to-table food and their presentaGurney’s Resort & Spa for a couple of tion of every course is so breathtaking, hours pampering, while your husband is you feel guilty about eating them. Start out fishing. with the sushi. (Best I’ve ever had). The Village Green in the center Then order the “Feisty Camille” roll of town is the setting for free Monday with shrimp tempura, cucumber and night music concerts, presented weekly avocado, topped with lobster salad.The throughout the summer, by local groups. “Mango Tango” roll consists of real One day, hike or rent bikes at Mike’s King Crab, avocado and cucumber, Bikes and explore the many trails in topped with mango, soy seaweed the woods or along the beach. Hiking and mango Yuzu sauce. My favorite Montauk’s marvelous trails is one of appetizers are their delicate Octopus my favorite escapes. Go to Hither Carpaccio, to-die-for Duck Tacos Hills State Park and take the “Walking and the amazing Steamed Brisket Dunes” Trail that reaches a height of 80 Buns. My favorite entrees include feet. Remember that it is very important their acorn fed Heritage Pork Belly to do a thorough “tick check” follow- with salsa, pomegranate molasses and ing hiking or biking through the dunes, baby fennel salad; and the pan-roasted tilefish with spring pea puree and herb grasslands or woods. Consider taking a romantic sunset roasted Sunchokes. Order the Carl cruise or scenic day-trip to Block Island, Fisher Burger. Made with Wagyu just a 45-minute boat ride away. Explore Beef, aged Gruyere cheese, Foie Gras unspoiled Block Island on rented Continued on page 9 bikes or just take a hike and stop for THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Page 9 to Montauk for a four-day ocean escape, renting a place for July or August, taking a week’s well-deserved vacation, or coming out for a day-trip, you couldn’t find a more enjoyable, ocean escape. For an even more relaxing Montauk trip, instead of driving out, do what I do, take the Hampton Jitney Montauk, which takes three hours and it’s the last stop. Directions to Montauk: Take the LIE to Manorville, Route 27, Sunrise Highway, which is 50 miles to Montauk, including a nightmare “twolane highway” from the Hamptons all the way out to Montauk. To avoid beach and Hampton’s traffic, drive out on Thursday and come back on Monday. Whether you’re just coming out to Montauk for a four-day ocean escape or renting a house for the summer, a visit to Montauk is an enjoyable, ocean escape that is close to home: where a two-pound lobster, ten pound striped bass, a charming beach cottage and endless unspoiled, pristine beaches are just waiting for you. TRAVEL MONTAUK POINT: The Great Ocean Escape Continued from page 8 and onions, this has to be the most decadent burger, ever. The other Montauk restaurant I’m sure to go to every time I visit is Duryea’s Lobster Dock, where third generation owner Chip Duryea oversees this “Temple of Lobster.” The food is simple, but delicious and nothing is fried. Enjoy your meal along with the lovely sunsets from their dock on Fort Pond Bay. Start with their OMG lobster roll, overflowing with hunks of claw meat. The steamed lobster tastes like it just jumped out of the ocean. (Go for the two –pounder.) Duryea’s does not serve beer or wine, so BYOB. You can have an amazing picnic on the beach by ordering lobster rolls and steamed lobster from the Duryea retail store next to the restaurant. (They even have lobster crackers.) Swallow East is another restaurant I enjoy, with their great ocean views and even greater “small plates” of gourmet treats. I loved their asparagus fries, butternut squash soup, Mac n’ Cheese with Asiago cream and bacon bits. (You’ll want all of them.) For lunch go to Six-Six-Eight The Gig Shack on Main Street. I fell in love with their Blackened Fish Montacos, with mango salsa, coleslaw on a crunchy corn tortilla. (Came back twice for them.) as well as the Spicy Tuna Tartar Taquitos, with toasted sesame seeds, avocado, micro greens. Other restaurants you’ll enjoy include the Harvest On Fort Pond, sister restaurant of Harvest in Hastings-onHudson. And finally there’s the huge Gosman’s restaurant, the Montauk icon in the Harbor. (Get a table where you can watch fishing boats passing by with their catch.) For your “bagels n’ lox fix” go to Goldberg’s in town. For the best breakfast in Montauk go to the Bird on the Roof Restaurant If You Go: The Pool at Daunt’s Albatross Motel East By NorthEast Restaurant, Montauk Blackened local fish Montacos at Six-Six-Eight The Gig Shack Duryea’s Lobster Dinner across from Daunt’s Albatross Hotel. Order their Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon, California Omelette with avocado, mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes, or their super-thin (Crepelike) pancakes filled with fresh blueberries: hands down, the best pancakes in Montauk. While in Montauk, if you need to know, find or do anything, be sure to call the helpful folks at the Montauk Chamber of Commerce at (631) 668-2428 or visit MontaukChamber. com. So whether you’re coming out from midtown Manhattan right out to Montauk. It’s hassle-free and a comfortable way to go to: instead of fighting the traffic, you can sit back, nod off or start that book you never get to read. In less than three hours you’re in Montauk. The Jitney serves complementary beverages and snacks and there’s a lavatory in the rear. Catch the Jitney at 43 St. and Third Ave. (a block from Grand Central and at several other NYC locations but be sure to reserve early. You can also take the LIRR from Penn Station to Atlantic Terrace: atlanticterrace.com Bird on The Roof Restaurant: facebook. com/pages/Bird-on-the-Roof Daunt’s Albatross Motel: dauntsalbatross.com East By Northeast Restaurant: eastbynortheast.com Gosman’s Restaurant: gosmans.com Gurney’s Inn & Spa: gurneysmontauk. com Hampton Jitney: hamptonjitney.com Harvest Restaurant: harvestfortpond. com Hither Hills State Park nysparks.com/ parks/122 Lazy Bones Party Boat: montauksportfishing.com/lazybones Mikes Bikes Montauk Chamber of Commerce: MontaukChamber.com Montauk Downs Golf Course: http:// nysparks.com/golf-courses/8 Montauk Downs State Park: http:// nysparks.com/parks/29 Montauk Lighthouse: montauklighthouse.com Montauk Manor: montaukmanor.com Montauk Yacht Club: montaukyachtclub.com Ocean Surf Motel: oceansurfresort.com 668 The Gig Shop: 668thegigshack.com Swallow East: swalloweastrestaurant. com Wok & Roll Restaurant: mtkwoknroll. com Viking Five Star: vikingfivestar.com The Deep Hollow Ranch: deephollowranch.com Page 10 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 BOOK REVIEW Charles King’s Midnight at the Pera Palace – The Birth of Modern Istanbul By Lee Daniels “To catch a glimpse of oneself in a gilt-framed ten-foot mirror at the Pear Palace Hotel in Istanbul, “ wrote Paul Theroux in his 1975 book, The Great Railway Bazaar, “is to know an instant of glory, the joy of seeing one’s own face in a prince’s portrait. The décor in the background is decayed sumptuousness, an acre of mellow carpet, black paneling, and rococo carving on the walls and ceilings, where cupids patiently smile and flake. Overhead are complicated chandeliers, like giant wind chimes in crystal, and past the ballroom’s marble pillars and potted palms is the mahogany bar…” So it was that 10 years after Theroux’s visit to the famed Istanbul landmark that I found myself pausing for a moment outside the entrance (I was staying in a cheaper hotel nearby) in an attempt to absorb some aurae from notable writers who stayed there in the past. Thus, when I received an invitation in March to attend a lecture by noted author, historian and Georgetown professor of International Affairs and Government Charles King, at the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach in March, I jumped at the opportunity. “The likes of Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, poet Joseph Brodsky and Agatha Christie, who wrote her 1934 classic, Murder on the Orient Author Charles King Photo by Miriam Lomaskin Express while staying at the Pera Palace, are all part of the rich tapestry of the hotel’s history” King said at the lecture. “The significance of the title of this book is that, as midnight struck on Dec. 31, 1925, at the end of the second year of the Turkish Republic, Turkey entered a new era,” King continued. “While this was a time of social upheaval, transformation and modernization in Turkey, it was also a euphoric time, a time of joy,” King explained. King’s book is much more than an historical overview of the hotel and Istanbul: it is an entertaining and colorful description of the cultural flavor of the city, its coming of age in the 1920s, and political revolution following the death of the country’s first president and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in 1938, at the brink of World War II. The author’s detailed illustration of the various social and ethnic classes that comprised the city’s quickly evolving melting pot of a population during the era is highlighted by his richly anecdotal depiction of behind-the-scenes goings-on in the world of the of dancers, musicians, spies, wealthy émigrés, literati and professional partygoers who frequented the hotel and regarded it as the nexus of political intrigue and social movement in the city. In addition to extensive travel to Istanbul, King, a former Marshall and Fulbright scholar, also performed exhaustive research at the U.S. Consular Archives at the National Archives in College Park, MD. His 19-chapter book is one that not only history buffs, but also those interested in travel and the arts, will enjoy, as its unique historical perspective covers the city’s varied ethnic composition and related cultures--beginning with its Byzantine roots as the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilization--providing lively detail on both the artistic as well as the complex political evolution of the city. “Istanbul’s rise began with the journey away from a place that visitors often knew as Constantinople. The new city was the product of immigrants as well as emigrants—women and men who, by choice or necessity, had come to Istanbul as well as those who had left it…In an era of leave-taking and …the storied old hotel was a symbol of the transition between East and West, between empire and republic, and between nostalgia and experiment in the only place on earth to have been the epicenter of both Christendom and global Islam.” – Charles King, Midnight at the Pera Palace-The Birth of Modern Istanbul. restlessness, a time we now call the interwar years, the Pera Palace was not the only place where these transients and newcomers began their reinvention. But for wave after wave of refugees, migrants, and exiles, the storied old hotel was a symbol of the transition between East and West, between empire and republic, and between nostalgia and experiment in the only place on earth to have been the epicenter of both Christendom and global Islam,” writes King in the book’s prologue. “Istanbul is today a global city, a sprawling urban place of more than thirteen million people, making it more populous than Greece, Austria, or Sweden larger, in fact, than twothirds of the world’s countries. Old fishing villages have become fashionable suburbs, and old suburbs have become city centers in their own right, with glass-clad skyscrapers rising above new mosques and malls. Even during Muslim holy days, the Arabic-language call to prayer competes with Turkishlanguage pop music pounding through the thin walls of café-bars.” Lee Daniels,a former reporter for the Journal News and Reuters, is Arts & Leisure writer for the Westchester Guardian. His work has appeared in the Danbury News-Times, Litchfield County Times, and Orlando Sentinel. He is the winner of the first-place prize in Non-Fiction in the 2013 Porter Fleming Literary Competition, and an M.F.A. candidate at the School of Letters of the University of the South. EYE ON THEATRE From Nowhere to Nowhere Much By John Simon Finding Neverland Surprisingly, the program for the musical “Finding Neverland” mentions only a couple of its probable sources. It is the story of the Scottish playwright James Barrie encountering in Kensington Gardens the Llewelyn Davies boys, befriending them and their family, and deriving from them the inspiration for his most famous work, “Peter Pan.” It rehashes that ever-popular piece about the boy who wouldn’t grow up, and becoming tight with these siblings, taught them to fly, and spend a happy time with him on his exotic island along with friendly Indians, the elusive fairy Tinkerbell, and the comic-book-ferocious Captain Hook and his pirates. In “Peter Pan,” Barrie wrote more than a play: a legend. Not growing up was precious to Barrie, who was scarcely over five feet tall, and whose marriage to actress Mary Ansell apparently remained unconsummated, ending in divorce after her affair with Lord Cannan came to light. Barrie never remarried, but became a close friend of the boys’ widowed mother, Sylvia (daughter of George Du Maurier), upon whose death he got to be a guardian of the “lost boys.” But what a lackluster show this musical, and how dishonest! Barrie is played by matinee idol Matthew Morrison, who is nothing like the real Barrie, who was quite possibly a closet homosexual and pedophile. Yet Morrison does manage the difficult Scottish accent persuasively, even, what is still harder, while singing. Dialect coach Dawn-Elin Fraser has done praiseworthy work with both Morrison and the child actors, all of whom sound believably British, notably Aidan Continued on page 11 Finding Neverland © Carol Rosegg (Back) Courtney Balan and Chris Dwan. (Front L-R) Tyley Ross, Kelsey Grammer, Teal Wicks, Matthew Morrison THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Page 11 GOVERNMENT EYE ON THEATRE From Nowhere to Nowhere Much Gemme, who, as Peter Llewelyn Davies, speaks, sings and acts remarkably. Outstanding too is the scenery by Scott Pask, which ingeniously replicates the illustrations in children’s books. Finding Neverland © Carol Rosegg (L-R) Matthew Morrison, Jack (dog), and Aidan Gemme Projections by Jon Driscoll, illusions by Paul Kieve, air sculptures (?) by Daniel Wurtzel, crafty lighting by Kenneth Posner, and no less than two companies to handle the flying in a somewhat tacked-on feeling prologue and epilogue for Melanie Moore to buzz aloft hither and yon, still cannot lift the show into high gear, let alone art. Unimpressive remain the book by James Graham (too much for kiddies, not enough for adults), and the pedestrian music and lyrics by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy. The supporting cast, though decent, is given too little to work with, except for Kelsey Grammer, who, as Barrie’s producer Charles Frohman, gets the meatiest role, presumably to reflect favorably on the musical’s producer, Harvey Weinstein. Almost lost in the shuffle are Laura Michelle Kelly, who is Sylvia, and Carolee Carmello, as a dour mother-in-law. What I find most interesting is that, despite poor reviews, the show is doing very well, proving either that the charisma of Johnny Depp in the movie version or the benightedness of Broadway audiences are forces to reckon with. The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek What are we to make of Athol Fugard and his latest play, “The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek”? Fugard has been a playwright, director and actor for more than half a century, and some of his plays have been estimable, although perhaps less for artistry than for their outcry against apartheid. So what about today, with apartheid gone, like a rug pulled out from under Fugard’s feet? The more recent plays inherit diminished relevance and resonance, rather like the sermons of a hell-fire revivalist in a world gone agnostic, if not actually atheistic. This has to do with Fugard’s slightly preachy, less than eventful theater, in which talk, granted the lifeblood of drama, preponderates over action, its no less important muscle. We get here a mountain top strewn with scattered quaintly painted rocks, surrounding one huge central one. (Christopher H. Bareca is the apt set designer.) This is the property of a Boer farmer whom we don’t get to see. We do get an old black man, Nukain, and his grandson, endearingly referred to as Bokkie, Afrikaans for a small buck. They have come for their regular Sunday visit, bringing paint and paint brushes. Act One (1981) culminates in Nukain, assisted by the eleven-year-old Bokkie, painting colorful symbols of the oldster’s strenuous and anonymous life onto the big rock, on which Elmarie, the farmer-owner’s wife, had requested flowers. She appears, rebuking and demanding those flowers, to which the old man acquiesces, while the brave little boy rebels. In Act Two, in 2003, the boy, now a grown man named Jonathan turned schoolteacher, returns to Revolver Creek alone, Nukain having died long ago, and weather and the land owners having erased most of the paint on the rock. He has brought paints to restore it to its pristine memorial status. Elmarie, now a similarly time-worn older lady, reappears with a gun to shoot the man she doesn’t recognize and takes for a threat. Recognition follows and, with it an agon in which the two debate the new dispensation. She cites the brutal murder of white farmers by liberated black thugs; he, without justifying it, discusses what further changes are needed. After some debate, they reach a hopeful understanding, albeit with Jonathan discoursing in too manicured a language. For the audience, there are diverse problems. First, a leaflet in the program explicates 36 terms in Zulu, Xhosa or Afrikaans used in the text. But we are unlikely to memorize, or even perhaps read, all of them before curtain time, which proves a bit of an irritant. Next, (L-R) Sahr Ngaujah (Jonathan) & Bianca Amato (Elmarie) (L-R) Leon Addison Brown (Nukain) & Caleb McLaughlin Photo Credit © Joan Marcus (Bokkie) mostly good effect. Nevertheless, it all Leader, New Criterion, National Review, goes to show that even from something New York Magazine, Opera News, Weekly better than a sow’s ear, it’s still too long a Standard, Broadway.com and Bloomberg News. He reviews books for the New York way to a silk purse. John Simon has written for over 50 Times Book Review and for The Washington years on theatre, film, literature, music and Post. To learn more, visit his website: www. fine arts for the Hudson Review, New JohnSimon-uncensored.com L a s t Pe r for m a n c e s of t h e S e a s on ! ©2010 José Rivas, used by permission Continued from page 10 (L-R))Caleb McLaughlin (Bokkie) & Leon Addison Brown (Nukain) Photo Credit © Joan Marcus a note informs us that the old man is suggested by the life of Outsider Artist Nukain Mabuse, but that the play is a work of fiction. How much, then, approaches reality, and how much departs from it? Further, although the process of painting on the rock is fun to watch, the static nature of everything else is wearisome and more suited to a lecture hall. Finally,we may feel that all this is Monday morning quarterbacking and, however worthy, ultimately otiose. Especially so since much remains bypassed. Why is the place called Revolver Creek; why don’t we get more of anything about Bokkie’s parents, only about the hard life of granddad; what ensues in the aftermath of the reconciliation between Jonathan and Elmarie—where do they go from there? Still, there is bracing acting from Leon Addison Brown (Nukain), Bianca Amato, and Sahr Ngaujah (Jonathan), and a superb performance by young Caleb McLaughlin (Bokkie), As director, Fugard has tried to infuse as much stage motion as possible into the verbiage to DANIEL Dan Montez Saturday May 30, 2015 Ossining United Methodist Church Corner of Emwilton & Route 9 Ossining, NY · 7:30pm Sunday May 31, 2015 Presbyterian Church of White Plains 39 North Broadway White Plains, NY · 3:00pm Winner of the 2012 Arts Organization of the Year for Westchester County For tickets, order online at www.taconicopera.org or call (855) 88-OPERA This production is made possible, in part by the New York State Council on the Arts and Arts Westchester with funds from Westchester County, government, corporations, and individuals. Page 12 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 LOCAL LORE Scattered to the Four Winds: The Lenape Diaspora By Robert Scott On May 11, 1647, 55-year-old Petrus Stuyvesant stomped ashore at New Amsterdam on a wooden leg decorated with incised bands of silver. Only three years before, while attacking the Spanish-held Caribbean island of St. Martin, he had lost his right leg to a cannonball. Among those witnessing his arrival was Adriaen Van der Donck, the young lawyer whose title Yonkheer survives today in the name of Yonkers, Westchester’s largest city. He described Stuyvesant as “Peacock like, with great state and pomposity.” Adriaen Van der Donck Peter Stuyvesant Areas of the colony Stuyvesant had inherited from the unpopular Willem Kieft had already been carved from the original Dutch lands. As one of his first actions following the creation of a municipal charter for New Amsterdam in 1653, Stuyvesant would endorse the decision “to surround the greater part of the City with a high stockade and a small breastwork.” Along the northern edge of the settlement, a palisade consisting of New Amsterdam as it appeared in 1664. by Johannes Vingboons stout oak logs 12 feet long, six inches in diameter and “sharpened at the upper end” were sunk three feet into the ground. This ambitious structure would give the name to Wall Street. Contrary to popular belief, it was erected not to defend against Indians, but against the English threat from New England. New Amsterdam, capital of New Netherland, was a mess. Stuyvesant later reported to the directors of the Dutch West India Company that Kieft’s “landdestroying and people-expelling wars with the cruel barbarians” had ruined the colony. Settlers abandoned farms on the frontier, entire villages were destroyed and many colonists gave up and headed elsewhere. Some 700 people, afraid to return to outlying homes, huddled in makeshift dwellings near the settlement’s fort. The Dutch West India Company was under the impression that the bitter enmity caused by Governor Kieft’s ruthless killing of Indians had been calmed with the treaty signed in 1645. They couldn’t have been more mistaken. Stuyvesant, under orders not to provoke another devastating war, tried to placate the Indians, but sporadic Indian attacks continued. The Peach War On September 15, 1655, a fleet of 64 canoes landed at New Amsterdam and about 500-armed Indians attacked the settlement. They broke down doors, smashed furniture, ransacked homes and threatened the terrified occupants. Finding barrels of beer and brandy, they drank themselves into a stupor. Stuyvesant and his entire army were absent. They had sailed down the Jersey coast, and rounded Cape May to attack Swedish forts along the Delaware River, established along the lower Delaware in 1638. Colonies of Swedes and Finns were diverting the local fur trade away from the Dutch. The Indian attacks were the first act of retaliation in what would be known as the Peach War. A prominent citizen and former West India Company soldier, Hendrick van Dyck, had caught an Indian woman stealing peaches from his orchard and shot her. Before the Peach War was over, Dutch settlements at Pavonia (Jersey City) and Staten Island were laid waste. Indians murdered fifty colonists and carried off into captivity more than a hundred more, mostly women and children. Two-dozen farms were burned, and 600 head of cattle and 12,000 bushels of grain were destroyed. Too weak to take military action, the Dutch paid ransom to the Indians for the captives. The Peach War dragged on inconclusively until 1657, with the ransoming of the last of the Dutch prisoners. When Dutch settlements expanded north of the Hudson Highlands, a series of bloody conflicts erupted with a Delaware tribe, the Esopus. These clashes became known as the Esopus Wars. Thanks to treaties they had made with the Dutch, most of the Indians of Westchester managed to avoid becoming involved. To lessen the risk of the Westchester Indians being drawn into the conflict, in the summer of 1663, Stuyvesant moved the Wickquaskeck, Kitchawanck, Sint Sinck and Keskistkonck tribes to the northern end of Manhattan Island near Spuyten Duyvil. The British Take Over In May of 1664, a treaty finally ended the Esopus Wars, leaving the Dutch exhausted once again. British King Charles II, recognizing that Manhattan was the key to the Hudson River and the untapped fur trade of the west, made a gift of the vast stretch of land between Maine and Delaware to his brother, James, the Duke of York, who would later rule as James II. Less than four months later, New Netherland easily fell to an English squadron of four gunships and 450 men commanded by Colonel Richard Nicolls. With a fort that was weak, few men and supplies, and a populace on the brink of rebellion over the shortsighted policies of the West India Company, Stuyvesant had no choice but to surrender. The English moved quickly to set up an alliance with the Iroquois. Called the Covenant Chain, its purpose was to use the fierce Indian tribe as a buffer, protecting the newly named colony of New York from the French in Canada. By the early decades of the 18th century, most of the remaining Indian lands in the Hudson Valley had been sold to the English. The Hudson Valley had long since been trapped out. Lenapes of the lower Hudson Valley were forced to travel as far as the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes for pelts. Many returned empty-handed from such expeditions. Some never returned, having been killed by Mohawk, Seneca, Mahican or Susquehannock Indians who resented intrusions into their fur-rich lands.. No conspiracy among colonial governments was needed to obliterate Indians or their culture. Acquisition of Indian lands was driven by the oldest of motives: greed. Facing chronic problems caused by friction between Indians and a fast-growing, expanding population of newcomers, colonial leaders decided that civilizing the natives and encouraging them to settle down as farmers was the only practical solution. New Jersey established the first Indian reservation on the North American continent. In 1758, the colony purchased 3,044 acres of land for a reservation called Brotherton at the present village of Indian Mills in Burlington County. The following year, about a hundred Indians, mainly Lenapes, moved to the reservation. Waiting for them were comfortable homes, a log meeting house, general store and gristmill. Although they accepted the fruits of European technology, the Indians clung desperately to their native hunter/gatherer lifestyle. Confining them to small tracts of land conflicted with their Indians’ concept of freedom and mobility. Indian men considered it demeaning to become farmers. Traditionally, Indian women cultivated the fields, while the men hunted and fished. The Indian population on the Brotherton Reservation soon dwindled. Mahican vs. Mohican vs. Mohegan First, Mahican and Mohican are synonymous. Mohican is a variation of the Mahican tribal name. The Mahican/Mohican and Mohegan tribes are frequently confused. The names refer to two very distinct Algonquian tribes in two different and widely separated locations. Mahicans inhabited the upper Hudson Valley in New York. Mohegans lived in the upper Thames River Valley in eastern Connecticut. Despite the presence of a hamlet named Mohegan Lake in Westchester County, there were no Mohegans in Westchester nor anywhere near the lake that bears this name. Popular novelist James Fenimore Cooper, who wrote The Last of the Mohicans in 1826, was partly responsible for the mix-up. Cooper lived in Cooperstown, N.Y., and the setting of his story was the upper Hudson Valley. The Mahicans in his book could only have been the Mahicans of the area in which he lived. Unfortunately, Cooper chose “Mohican,” a spelling variation of the Mahican tribal name. He also linked the name of Uncas--an important Mohegan sachem in Connecticut—to it, only adding to the confusion. The Mahican homeland was on both sides of the upper Hudson River, from the Catskill Mountains north to Lake Champlain. Uncas and the Mohegans occupied the upper portion of the Thames River Valley in Connecticut, which empties into Long Island Sound at New London. Continued on page 13 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Page 13 LOCAL LORE Scattered to the Four Winds: The Lenape Diaspora Continued from page 12 The Lenape Diaspora Begins under infamous Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton, descended on them. Pursued by the British, the Indians retreated into an open field at the northeast corner of today’s Van Cortlandt Park. Outnumbered and lacking bayonets, the Indians mounted a valiant but doomed defense. A bronze plaque erected by the Bronx Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution marks the site and memorializes Chief Nimham and 17 Stockbridge Indians, noting that they “gave their lives for liberty.” The exact number of killed and wounded may never be known. For many Indians in the Hudson Valley, the response to settler encroachment was to move west to unspoiled forests rich in game--land that had not been disturbed by the plow. The Susquehanna and Ohio River valleys beckoned. Once the Indians arrived, it seemed almost like old times again--but not for long. Colonial America was expanding. No matter where the Indians moved, it was only a matter of time before white settlers The Lenape Indians used specific symbols to represent their clans as well as the earth and animal spirits they believed played key roles would begin to pour in. in their daily lives. Painting courtesy of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Lenapes who moved to set aside land for them in Ontario along baskets and brooms from door to door. 1907. The tribe now numbers about Pennsylvania and later to Ohio found Migration to Canada the Grand River. The Stockbridge Indians remained 10,000 members and makes its Other Indians, notably the haven in missions German-speaking Known as the Six Nations Reserve, in Massachusetts until 1788, when headquarters at Bartlesville, Okla. A Moravian pastors had established for Iroquois and their dependent tribes this reservation is today home to they joined Oneida Indians in central small group of separately organized them and were converted to Christianity. and some Lenapes, fought on the side Mohawks and other tribes, includ- New York at a town they named New Delawares (called “the Absentees”) are Housed in log cabins, Indian of the British during the Revolution. To ing some who identify themselves Stockbridge. located in Anadarko, Okla., on lands converts ate well, and learned agricul- punish them, the new American gov- as Delawares, the alternate name they jointly control with the Wichita Other Indians arrived, includture and other useful skills. They were ernment confiscated their lands sfter the used by the Lenapes. Nearby are two ing Lenapes from the Brotherton and Caddo tribes. Interestingly, encouraged to abandon their primi- war. To show gratitude to their former smaller Canadian reservations that Reservation in New Jersey. Now calling there are no Indian reservations in tive way of life and live in peace and Indian allies, the Canadian government include Delawares among their poputhemselves Munsees, from the name Oklahoma. harmony. The story of our treatment lations. One is called of their Lenape dialect, they traveled Ignoring the westward Moraviantown, and farther west again with their Oneida of Indians over the years is a sad movement and reversing directhe other is a hamlet hosts to Indiana, and on to Wisconsin chronicle. Four hundred years after tion, a large group of Mahicans, called Muncy Town. in 1822. Although the Munsees had Europeans first strong-armed their the Lenapes’ neighbors in the Reconstructing remained only briefly along the White way into their homeland, American upper reaches of the Hudson the movements of River in Indiana, their stay is recalled in Indians as a whole remain economiValley, traveled east to converge Delaware bands is the name of the present city of Muncie. cally the poorest, the least employed, on a new Scottish Presbyterian the unhealthiest, the lowest in educanot easy. Famine, mission settlement for displaced tion and income level, and the worst disease and alcohol- Moving Still Farther West The Stockbridge-Munsee Indians housed ethnic group in America. For Oneida Indians at Stockbridge, ism took their toll, Mass. and bands went out established a town named New our disgraceful treatment of these During the Revolutionary of existence. Some Stockbridge on the eastern shore proud people, we should all be ashamed. War, Stockbridge Indians Lenapes quietly moved of Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago. enlisted in the Continental Army, to Seneca villages Refusing a government offer of land The Delaware Indian hoping a new government--if it along the Allegheny even farther away in Minnesota, in 1856 the Stockbridge band moved Research Center should become a reality--would and Genesee rivers again to a 40,000-acre reservation Readers interested in learning look more favorably on Indian of western New more about the Delawares, or purchased by the government from problems. York, where traces Lenapes, should visit a valuable an Algonquian tribe, the Menominee On August 31, 1778, of them can still be local resource and repository of Indians, near Bowler, Wis. American troops were posted found. Others headed information, the Delaware InThe Wisconsin tribal group near the present northern to New Jersey and dian Research Center at the now call themselves the Stockbridge boundary of New York City. Pennsylvania. Trailside Nature Museum in the With them was a company of 40 Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Homesick for their Munsees and operates a comprehenor 50 Stockbridge Indians under A large library of books, tapes former lands, from sive health care center, a residential their chief, Daniel Nimham. and photographs, as well as a time to time Indians facility, and a family recreation and fitness center. For tribal parents who collection of local Delaware artiThe Indians were south of what would return to the facts is available here for viewing work, it offers children’s day-care is now McLean Avenue, the Hudson Valley to visit and study. The museum is mainservices. Their secret? A highly sucAmericans north of it. ancestral gravesites or tained by Westchester County’s cessful gambling casino on the While the Stockbridge even to die. Strangers Department of Parks, Recreation Indians attacked a British force in a changed land, reservation between Green Bay and and Conservation (Tel.: 914/864Wausau. advancing from the east, a second they would trade pelts 7322). The entrance to the park, Other Lenape/Delawares found British force struck the Indians Westchester’s largest, is near they had trapped in from the south. Before they The Lenape Indians used specific symbols to represent their clans as their new homeland, their way to Kansas and from there the intersection of Routes 35 and could reload their muskets, a well as the earth and animal spirits they believed played key roles in or peddle homemade to the Indian Territory, which would 121 in Cross River. become the state of Oklahoma in third column, mounted dragoons their daily lives. Page 2 Page 14 Community/Gover THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 COMMUNITY Westchester Community College Unde GOVERNMENT CALENDAR News and Notes from Northern Westchester By Mark Jeffers Congratulations and happy graduation to all our college friends & families, a very special shout out to my daughter Amanda for her finishing up her studies at Lafayette College, with all this celebrating, I almost “failed” to finish this week’s “proud papa” edition of “News & Notes.” The good folks at the KatonahBedford Hills Ambulance Corps will be sponsoring a Blood Drive on Monday, May 27th at their facility in Katonah. KBHVAC is entirely managed and supported by volunteers from the local community. Sponsored by Westchester County Parks and the county’s Department of Senior Programs and Services, the annual Senior Pool Party and Barbecue is set for June 23rd, from 10am to 3pm and open to Westchester County residents aged 60 and older. Seniors are welcome to bring their young grandchildren to the event being held at Saxon Woods Pool in White Plains, rain date is Wednesday, June 24th. Grand Prix New York (GPNY) recently hosted the Third Annual 90-minute endurance race that raised $4,600 for Project Yellow Light, an organization that promotes awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. If you want to see some terrific lacrosse, the Section One Girls Lax Championships will be played at the Fox Lane High School in Bedford on Wednesday, May 27th. Refreshments will be available from the Fox Lane Sports Booster Club’s brand new concession trailer. On June 5-7 and 11-13 The Armonk Players Present “Time Stands Still,” the story of James and Sarah, a journalist and a photographer, who share a passion for documenting the realities of war. This Columbus Ships Pinta and Nina To Land in Newburgh On Thursday, May 28th, the ‘Pinta’ and the ‘Nina’, replicas of Columbus’ Ships, will open in Newburgh. The ships will be docked at Riverfront Marina, 26 Front Street, until their departure early Monday morning, June 1st. The ‘Nina’ was built completely by hand and without the use of power tools. Archaeology magazine called the ship “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.” The “Pinta” was recently built in Brazil to accompany the Nina on all of her travels. She is a larger version of the archetypal caravel. Historians consider the caravel the Space Shuttle of the fifteenth century. Both ships tour together as a new and enhanced ‘sailing museum’ for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the ‘caravel’, a Portuguese ship used by Columbus and many early explorers to discover the world. While in port, the general public is invited to visit the ships for a walk-aboard, THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Photo Courtesy of ninapinta.org self-guided tour. Admission charges are $8.00 for adults, $ 7.00 for seniors, and $6.00 for students 5 - 16. Children 4 and under are Free. The ships are open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. No reservations necessary. Teachers or organizations wishing to schedule a 30 minute guided tour with a crew member should call 1 787 672 2152 or email columfnd1492@gmail.com . Minimum of 15. $5.00 per person. No Maximum. Visit our website at www. ninapinta.org The ships arrive on Wednesday, May 27th, and there will be a private viewing of the ships for the media after docking. Broadway hit play by Pulitzer Prizewinner Donald Margulies is a witty, intelligent look at what happens when ordinary life is refracted through the lens of war. Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center in Yorktown Heights will distribute Vegetable Kits on Saturday, May 23rd, each kit contains Hilltop Hanover seedlings & Hudson Valley Seed Library seeds, and there will also be a one-hour lecture on gardening techniques to help you get started. There is nothing that gives you more of that hometown feel than supporting your local Memorial Day parade. Here in the town of Bedford there are three parades, one for each of the hamlets, Bedford Hills starts at 9:00am sharp at the Bedford Hills Elementary School on Babbitt Road, then jog over to Katonah for a 10am start at the Katonah Fire Department and finish at the Bedford Village parade set to march off around at painting. festival willaward takewinning place scholarship.The He played on the rain or shine. Seating informal; team and was granted, upon is completion of what was thought to a two-year stint with bring blankets orbefolding chairs for WCC, a on full the scholarship to play ball and with seating lawn, admission nationallyare ranked parking free.Florida A&M University. Not Congratulations long after his arrivaland at Florida goodA&M, luck an Chappaqua anonymous tipster informed the college to resident Alyzza Ozer and the NCAA that Walker’s scholarship at who was recently promoted to CEO WCC had been stripped a year prior, after it of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern was revealed he only taken one class at the Westchester. college. In order to maintain a scholarship at The Schoolhouse Theater and the college, a student must be matriculated Gallery in load. Croton Falls, NY, in for a full credit collaboration with The Katonah Upon further investigation, it was Museum Artists revealed that there are severalAssociation other former (KMAA), proudly an WCC students who are announces also playing basexhibition of diverse visual works ketball for Division 1 schools and that they too KMAA might be members, at a new school undernow less by on view than transparent St John’iss through May circumstances. 31. The Gallery University, famous for theirfrom Red 11am Storm open Monday-Friday team, has opened investigation into the to 2:30pm andanone hour prior to all main stage performances at the theater. Beware college summer breaks are underway, students are returning home, couch positions will be challenged and TVPlains watching is at risk: of the White Department of enjoy children being home…see Publicyour Safety to commemorate the you week. of the shooting death thirdnext anniversary Director of Athletics (NY): Responsible for managing all aspects of Gaelic sports program. Educate sports teams on Gaelic Athletic Association’s rules & regulations. Implement & monitor systems & procedures to ensure compliance & tracking of all GAA & conference rules & regulations. Prepare budgets & monitor the program’s expenditures, including costs for equipment, & facility maintenance. Evaluate performance of each athlete individually & as a team, determine the fitness of each athlete to compete in games, & prepare & file reports with the GAA based on such evaluations. Stay abreast of the evolving rules, regulations, & techniques applied to sports under the GAA. Req.: Master’s Degree in any field or its foreign equivalent plus two years of experience as a Physical Education Teacher. Must have knowledge of the rules, regulations, and techniques applied to sports under the GAA. Mail CV to Gaelic Athletic Association of Greater New York, 893 McLean Avenue, Yonkers, New York, 10704, Attn: J. McGirl. LE G A L N O T I C E THE SIERRA GROUP HOME INSPECTIONS, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 2/24/15. Office in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Registered Agent: Incorp Services, Inc 99 Washington Ave Ste. 805-A Albany, NY 12210. Purpose: Any lawful activity. eligibilit WCC Connec scripts o who als College and SU all of th to thei attendin At assistan Last m provide an adm so. Odd anythin though Nearly athlete script fr Community Marks 3 Years Since vigil was held in front of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. The 68 year old former marine was shot to H ELP WA N T ED WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN LEGAL ADVERTISING WestGuardAdvertising@aol.com 11:15am. By NANCY KING I always thought my daughters Westchester and wife were the ladies of laughter, Community College is the but there is actually a comedy show latest public institution to by the samecomename…Westchester under scrutiny of the Community New College will Inspector present York State “The Ladies Laughter’s Funny and General when of it was revealed that a former Fabulous Tour on May 23rd. The assistant basketball coach falsified academic cabaret-style nights transcripts and standup forged ancomedy administrator’ features three funny divas andcollege will signature. As a result, the community hasheld canceled Basketball be at 8pmitsin2014-2015 the Academic Arts season. However the story doesn’t stop Theatre on the Valhalla Campus. there,The because18th many Annual student athletes use AsianWestchester Community College as American Heritage Festival, first ina springboard playofatcultural NCAA heritage four-year the annual to series colleges; the scandal has now spanned several festivals in county parks will be held states and several teams. on Saturday, May 30th, from noon Former Mt. Vernon High School star, to 6pm at Kensico Dam Plaza in Jamell Walker was a star player for WCC Valhalla. planned for the and was at Festivities the school on a full basketball festival include: live performances displaying the music and dance of COMMEMORATION many Asian countries (including China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Burma), Asian arts, cultural exhibits, custom cuisine andBy NANCY healthKING screenings. Activities for kids include: learning On paper a cutting, frigid the art of Chinese November evening, Origami, balloon sculpture and facea Reserve Now for Holiday Parties! ITALIAN CUISINE Zagat Rated “Excellent” Voted “Best Italian Restaurant ” Westchester Magazine, 2006 Open 7 Days : Mon.-Thurs. Noon - 10PM • Fri. Sat. & Sun. Noon -11PM RESERVE NOW FOR HOLIDAY PARTIES 2 PARTY ROOMS AVAIL. SEATING 75 & 100 914.779.4646 www.ciaoeastchester.com Ciao • 5-7 JOHN ALBANESE PLACE, EASTCHESTER, NY 10709 PUBLICATION EVERY THURSDAY: 914.216.1674 M-F 11A- 5P SUBMIT ADS TUESDAY, 10 DAYS PRIOR TO RUN DATE death the ear 19, 201 went o mornin that h he wan should check officers elderly the el more a Chamb killed b alleged Sh Attorn Grand and of the de justifia that th him w in per officer inciden Hart. H out the In Chamb Chamb THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 Page 15 GOVERNMENT CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES Stratos By Sherif Awad The character of the hit man has fascinated film writers and directors alike for ages. Actors ranging from Max Von Sydow and John Reno in Europe to John Cusak and Tom Cruise in the U. S. have all played assorted contract killers. I remember watching a rerun of The Mechanic (1972) starring Charles Bronson in a downtown Cairo cinema and its double twist ending still fascinates me. (Please let’s forget it was recently remade). Some international art house films have their own take on such characters and it is quite a different approach from the trigger-happy stereotype we see in Hollywood’s films time and again. A recent arrival in the hit man genre is the two hours plus Greek drama Strato in the process, showing the effect of the current Greek recession upon the dwindling middle class and the growing criminal class, who profit from the situation. We learn that Stratos uses all the money he gets from his contract jobs to fund an escape plan for his former boss Leonidas. In a scene where the two Stratos getting paid off by the Mob for another hit. Jan Micheal Vincent and Charles Bronson in 1972 movie The Mechanic by Cypriote born writer and director, Yannis Economides, who studied filmmaking in Athens. Following several short films and documentaries, he wrote and directed his first feature film, Matchbox in 2003. Economides’ second feature, Soul Kicking, premiered in La Semaine De La Critique in 2006 and his third, Knifer (2010) won seven awards from the Greek Film Academy, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. On the surface, Stratos is a thrilling drama about the title character who is also a part-time hit man, often contracted by the mob to settle scores when he is not working as an unassuming baker. The film manages to get under the skin of the main protagonists, confront each other, Strato visits Leo in jail and their dialogue reveals that, at the age nineteen, Stratos committed a crime of passion and spent half his life in prison where Leonidas took him under his wing. But one day, during a rival gang attack, Leonidas saved Stratos’ life and took the fall for him, which is why Stratos continues to kill to free him. Call it “a code of honor among thieves.” Vangelis Mourikis who plays Stratos, has appeared in more than thirty films since 1982. He studied in Australia and then returned to Greece in 1990s, where his devotion to independent cinema won him five acting awards for leading and supporting roles. Mourikis knew how to play Stratos, not only because he is credited as a co-writer Vangelis Mourikis as Stratos of the film, but also because his expressive face allows him to effectively reflect the dark world of grief and despair in which such a character lives. In this film, Mourikis has very few lines until the film is nearly over, when the climax between Stratos and the mob explodes. Director Economides relies upon wide-angle shots of Athens’ empty streets and Landscape Mountains, by cinematographer Dimitris Katsaitisof, under-scored by Bavis Papadopoulos’s solo guitar soundtrack to evoke the loneliness that Stratos experiences. The original Greek title of Stratos is To mikro psar meaning the little fish (Stratos) who will eventually and tragically one day be eaten by a bigger fish. Following the premiere in the Berlin Film Festival last February, Stratos continued a highly successful track record in major international festivals, winning The Grand Prize of the Med Film Fest in Rome. European distributors have picked up the film for releases in England, Ireland and Serbia. A distribution agreement in the U. S. is in the works and once that is accomplished, I predict that Stratos will be remade in the US featuring a major American star. Born in Cairo, Egypt, Sherif Awad is a film/video critic and curator. He is the film editor of Egypt Today Magazine (www. EgyptToday.com) and the Artistic Director for both the Alexandria film Festival , and the Arab Rotterdam Festival in The Netherlands. He also contributes to Variety, in the United States and is the Film Critic of Variety, Arabia (http:// amalmasryalyoum.com/ennode189132 and The Westchester Guardian: www. WestchesterGuardian.com The Belle of Belfast Extended Through Sunday, June 14, 2105 The The Irish Reperatory Theatre (Charlotte Morre, Artistic Directore and Ciaran O’Reilly, Producting Director) announces that Irish Repertory Theatre (Charlotte Moore, Artistic Director and Ciarán O’Reilly, Producing Director) announces that the critically acclaimed New York premiere of Nate Rufus Edelman’s THE BELLE OF BELFAST, directed by Claudia Weill, will extend one week, and will be now be performed through Sunday, June 20th, 2015. The fourth production of the Irish Rep’s 27th theatre season, THE BELLE OF BELFAST, began previews on April 15th and opened on Thursday, April 23, 2015 at the DR2 Theatre, located at 103 East 15th Street in Union Square (the Irish Rep’s temporary home during renovation of its home base in Chelsea). Page 16 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN Thursday, May 21, 2015 MARY AT THE MOVIES MOVIE REVIEW: Far From The Madding Crowd By Mary Keon Before we had Soap Operas, we had Thomas Hardy novels. Written during the reign of Queen Victoria, Hardy’s well-drawn characters have progressive ideas and complicated lives. They struggle to overcome the constraints Victorian society placed upon them, with varying degrees of success Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene and Tom Sturridge as “Sergeant Troy” in FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD. Photos By Alex Bailey. © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved and small missteps have far-reaching consequences. Set in the countryside of central and northwest England, an air of melancholy is pervasive throughout Hardy’s novels, kind of like “listening to Chopin on a rainy Saturday afternoon,” as a friend once put it. Written in 1874, Far From the Madding Crowd, Hardy’s fourth novel, was originally serialized and wildly successful; the movie is based upon this book. Bathsheba Everdene, the central character, was orphaned at a young age. Upon her uncle’s death, she inherits his farm and becomes a woman of property. Bathsheba is independent, educated and determined to make her own way in the world. She takes charge of the farm, vows to “astonish everyone,” and soon has it running like a top. However her success in managing the farm is inversely proportionate to her ability to manage her romantic relationships. Headstrong and forthright to a fault, Bathsheba understands she is too independent for most men but this just seems to make them try harder. Three men court Bathsheba. Bachelor #1 is Sheep Farmer Gabriel Oak, played by Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts. Farmer Oak is handsome, strong, silent and self-assured. He is determined to succeed and rise in the world, despite a crushing setback. Farmer Oak offers Bathsheba a cottage, and in time, her own piano. Bachelor #2 is the brooding and handsome William Boldwood. Wealthy and the owner of the large neighboring estate, Boldwood can offer Bathsheba a home even more stunning than the one she has inherited and her own piano. She would want for nothing. Bachelor # 3 is the dashing, dangerous army Sergeant Frank Troy, about whom little is known, but he is prepared to give up his commission to marry Bathsheba. Through a thoughtless flirtation, Bathsheba sets in motion a series of events that play out with disastrous Matthias Schoenaerts as Gabriel Oak and Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene in a scene from Far From The Madding Crowd. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved Michael Sheen as “William” in FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD. Photos by Alex Bailey. © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved consequences for two men. Pride and stubbornness nearly cause her to lose the third. Though this is a romantic costume drama set in Victorian England, the issues of love gone wrong and how to set it right are timeless and will resonate with modern audiences. An excellent Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene in Far From The Madding Crowd. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved adaptation of literary classic, all principal actors, especially Mulligan, Schoenaerts and Sheen do justice to their respective characters. England’s bucolic countryside is always the unnamed character in Hardy novels and this movie is beautifully filmed by Charlotte Bruus Christensen; edited by Claire Simpson and directed by Thomas Vinterberg; screenplay by David Nichols. Far From The Madding Crowd was produced by Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich; distribution by Fox Searchlight Pictures who provided the photos for this review. Open 10AM - 8PM Mon-Sat. Juice Bar • Smoothies • Salads Paninis • Rice Bowls Dine In -Take-Out • Dobbs Ferry Delivery 914.479.5555 MIXONMAINNY.com 63 MAIN ST., DOBBS FERRY, NY WWW.WESTCHESTERGUARDIAN.COM