December 2015

Transcription

December 2015

“Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper”
T H E MO U N T V ER NO N
M
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PL
IM
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http://www.mvinquirer.com
Volume 10, Number 12
INQUIRER
“The People’s Newspaper”
Serving the news and information needs of Mount Vernon, NY – “A City That Believes”
December 2015
Arts on Third Festival
to continue under Thomas
FEATURES
Story by Joe Parisi
Mt. Vernon City Council
honors distinguished
citizens
Page 22
Mayor-elect Thomas: What are
his initial biggest issues?
Page 9
F
ounded in 1999 as a vision of
Mayor Ernest D. Davis and the
Third Street Task Force, the Arts
on Third Festival has become one
of lower Westchester’s largest and most
prestigious cultural celebrations of creative and artistic genius. The idea behind creating Arts on Third was to help
transform downtown Mount Vernon’s
“Third Street” into a flourishing arts and
entertainment district. Unfortunately, that
never materialized.
It was estimated by Mayor Davis and
Judy Williams, one of the festival’s directors, that the festival attracted over
100,000 people this past September.
The organizers of the festival did an
outstanding job showcasing local and
mainstream artists in music, theatre, film,
literature, dance, performance art, visual
art and spoken word. Their goal was always to entertain, educate and enhance
the quality of life within the Mount Vernon
community.
When Mayor Davis lost the mayoral race to Clinton Young, there was a
four-year hiatus without the festival. But
People enjoying the 2015 Arts on Third Festival
after Davis returned as mayor, the festival drew a record crowd of over 50,000
people that first summer – and has not
stopped growing.
Many have been concerned that af-
ter Davis’ departure from office, Arts on
Third will be abandoned. But according
to Mayor-elect Richard Thomas, Arts on
Third is expected to thrive under his administration.
Continued on page 5
Hundreds attend gala to
celebrate Davis’ legacy
Story by Joe Parisi
O
Traphagen Elementary School
Veterans Day Celebration
a huge success
Page 8
Record crowd attends
Mt. Vernon Veterans
Day Ceremony
Page 21
Mayor Ernest D. Davis addressing a near-capacity crowd at the
Surf Club in New Rochelle
n Monday, November 16,
nearly three hundred die-hard
supporters of Mayor Ernest D.
Davis attended a gala at the
super-luxurious Surf Club on the Sound in
New Rochelle.
Led by Mayor-elect Richard Thomas,
the crowd was comprised of many old
friends, current and former city workers,
many elected officials, and a host of others.
With only weeks away from giving up
the helm to Thomas, a Legacy Tribute
Planning Committee was quickly organized by some of Davis’ strongest supporters to thank and honor him for his
many years of service to the City of Mount
Vernon.
The Mistress of Ceremonies for the elegant gala was Nichelle Johnson, an attorContinued on page 6
2 l December 2015
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Mt. Vernon Mayor’s Advisory Committee announced
D
Mayor-Elect Richard Thomas speaking during the important
press conference
uring a very well attended November 24th press conference
held at The Wartburg, Mount
Vernon’s Mayor-Elect, Richard
Thomas, announced the members of his
Mayoral Advisory Committee.
The Mayoral Advisory Committee will
advise the new mayor on key issues and
challenges facing Mount Vernon, and will
recommend policy solutions. A goal of the
group is to enable urban innovation and
a better quality of life for all Mount Ver-
nonites.
The committee has been designed to
provide a fresh look at the operations of
the City of Mount Vernon by a combination of prominent regional leaders and
successful Mount Vernon stakeholders.
Members of the new advisory committee
include:
• Arthur “Jerry” Kremer (Co-Chair) – former Chairman NYS Assembly Ways &
Means Committee
• Bruce Jackson (Co-Chair) – Assistant
David Gentner (standing), a member of the newly formed committee, hosted
the press conference at The Wartburg
General Counsel at Microsoft
• David Gentner – CEO of The Wartburg
• Dr. Marsha Gordon – President/CEO of
the Business Council of Westchester
• Kenneth Theobalds – Vice President of
Governmental Affairs at Entergy
• Robin Harmon-Myers – Owner of Harmony Designs & President of the 4th
Avenue Merchants Association
• Debra Stern – Founder and Executive
Director of the Amani Charter School
• Richard Powers – Former President,
North America, Combe Inc.
• Ben Gordon – NBA Basketball Player
and Mount Vernon native
“We will be meeting periodically to discuss pressing issues and to get input from
members of sub-groups that will also be
formed. In addition, please be advised
that hiring will be a transparent process
and I will be focusing strictly on competence,” said Thomas.
Many applauded when Thomas announced that Ben Gordon has proudly
Continued on page 4
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3 l December 2015
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4 l December 2015
Mayor Davis gives
his support to
Mayor-Elect
Richard Thomas
Mayor Ernest D. Davis looking somber soon after losing the
Democratic Primary
E
ven though the election
outdistanced any other
in recent history with its
competitiveness
and
lack of decorum, Mayor Ernest
D. Davis, rising above this, realizes that the people have spoken
and feels Mount Vernon residents need to join hands around
the incoming mayor, Richard
Thomas.
The mayor noted, “Mount
Vernon will never be the city
it is destined to be when we
have people, especially at the
top, leading the charge for divisiveness. It has reverberated
throughout the community, particularly amongst those who are
not sophisticated or orientated
towards seeing the big picture.”
Despite the city moving forward in the last 4 years, its progress has not found a domicile
within the minds of too many
people – north, south, east and
west – as demonstrated by a
lack of acknowledgment of the
considerable
achievements
made in the city during that time.
Mayor Davis also said, “Richard Thomas is no stranger to me.
I have known him since he was a
child and consistently supported
his ambition. In order for this city
to be successful, he, too, has to
be successful, and surrounded
by those who see the big picture.”
Davis feels that residents must
immediately change their own
perception of the city and realize that its trajectory cannot be
sidelined by heightening the
negatives that have been promulgated within and without the
city. “Richard Thomas possesses the intelligence and possibilities of an even greater city but
he cannot do this alone. We, the
people, must join in to help fashion the future of the great City of
Mount Vernon,” said the mayor.
Continued from page 2
stated that he wants to act as an ambassador for Mount Vernon. Gordon will also
be heavily involved with the Mount Vernon
Recreation Department.
“As mayor, I will advocate for a tightening on spending and implement transparency measures so all can see how
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tax dollars are utilized. Additionally, I will
conduct a comprehensive review of the
budget and streamline services to identify potential savings and revenue growth.
These are some of the steps I will take to
regain the public trust in City Hall,” said
Thomas.
EDITORIAL
Transparency still an issue
with red light cameras
and other matters
A typical red light camera
T
he City of Mount Vernon
continues to increase the
number of red light cameras
clandestinely placed, and
citizens have been shafted for nearly
$600,000 in fines through August of
this year.
As a City Councilman, Mayor-Elect
Richard Thomas always complained
about the City’s lack of transparency, and he focused mostly on the
Comptroller’s office. Now that he has
been elected to be the new mayor, he
might be able to reverse that negative trend.
Since I have been working in
Mount Vernon-- and I go back to
2004--I have always noticed that the
citizens of Mount Vernon have lacked
a voice within their own government.
Will that change when Thomas takes
over on January 1st?
There was no transparency when
the City forged a deal with the new
manager of the tennis courts at Memorial Field. I understand he got an
incredibly ‘sweet deal.’
There is never any transparency
when people are hired or fired. I never
knew that the Planning Department
had an interim Commissioner in Mr.
Hernandez until I asked. Everything
has always been hush-hush within
the Mount Vernon government. Why?
The City’s much-hated red light
camera program continues to grow,
with new locations being added, all
very quietly. The public does not have
a voice in this controversial matter.
The manufacturers of red light camera systems say that the “. . . traffic
safety cameras are working to keep
people safe on our roads.” But critics
say red light cameras are less about
saving lives and more about generating revenue for cash-strapped
municipalities. Studies continue to
conclude that red light cameras almost always lead to a steep increase
in rear-end collisions.
Investigations across the country
have exposed other issues at intersections with red light cameras, including that yellow light intervals are
too short.
Federal guidelines say yellow lights
should last at least 3.2 seconds. But
in most cases they last 3 seconds
or less, making this an outrageous
scam and possible crime not being
monitored by the Federal government.
The red light camera programs
are really the result of an unholy alliance between the manufacturers and
cash-strapped municipalities. And
they combine the worst of both.
As far as I’m concerned, red light
camera revenue is municipal crack
cocaine. Cities will go down fighting
before they give up the revenue from
the cameras.
The City of Mount Vernon needs to
stop squeezing the already heavily
taxed people of Mount Vernon with
these red light cameras. It needs to
be more creative in raising cash and
drop the red light camera program.
Perhaps the incoming mayor will
listen to the voice of the people and
do away with these cameras.
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Mount Vernon’s Cachet
Story by Derickson K. Lawrence
Executive Chef
at Wartburg
honored
5 l December 2015
INQUIRER
Founded in 2004 by
JOSEPH A. PARISI
AND LUISA PARISI
Published by
The Mount Vernon Inquirer
P.O. Box 458
Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0458
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mvinquirer.com
A
Film crew of “THE BLEEDER” on Gramatan Avenue
ll attention was focused on the
local election in the waning days
of October in the City of Mount
Vernon. The City’s leadership
was soon to be decided, and that was
enough for some to believe that nothing
else mattered at the time.
But for others who were not politically
transfixed, they may have noticed several
film projects underway around City Hall
during the weeks of October 19 and 26,
2015.
Greeted with tents, film gear, long trailers, larger-than-life light screens, spot
lights, and no-parking signs in and around
City Hall’s parking lot, steady streams of
onlookers and employees gawked and
strained to get a glimpse of lead actors in
the SHOWTime flick, “The Affair.”
After being featured in the cable franchise’s first season, I was told that Mount
Vernon City Hall was an excellent location
for shooting the second season of the
show.
Another perspective was offered by
Mike Brant, Production Supervisor for
“The Bleeder,” a biopic film in the works
about Chuck Wepner. “Tax incentives and
financial rebates from NY State make all
the difference,” he said. Chuck, whose
claim to fame was going 15 rounds with
champ Muhammad Ali, and that his life
story was the inspiration for the movie
Rocky, trained and fought many of his
title bouts in New Jersey. “For the location
spots in New Jersey and given NY State’s
incentives, Mount Vernon is more viable,”
Brant continued.
Yet a third perspective was offered by
City Council President, Marcus Griffith.
“Mount Vernon has all the features needed in the film industry to recreate locations based on a wide range of settings,”
he proudly proclaimed. As he enumerated the features, he morphed into a
sales pitchman that would have made any
Mount Vernon resident blush. Of course,
the local economy gets a boost with these
types of projects. “We are grateful for all
forms of revenue and notoriety to our
wonderful City,” he concluded. So take
note, Mount Vernon: elections and leaders
will come and go, but the fabric, culture
and true grit of Mount Vernon endure.
The following is a statement provided by Thomas:
“I am fully committed to the expansion of Arts on Third in Mount Vernon.
Our community thrives from this annual event and I have included it as
part of my economic plan. The fourth
pillar of my Prosperity Plan calls for the
creation of “City Fairs.” These events
would be neighborhood-based and
use Arts on Third as a blueprint, so
that all of Mount Vernon can take part
in showcasing its entertainment and
cultural components.
Mount Vernon’s identity is so unique
in relation to the state of New York and
festivals like Arts on Third allow us to
showcase talent from here. Our city
has been home to many cultural icons
from the likes of Dick Clark, Nina Simone, Heavy D, Pete Rock and Sean
Combs. Mount Vernon has a robust
music and film economy that can be
cultivated and connected to support
Arts on Third and other events critical
to the city. With a real management
plan in place, Arts on Third is poised
to grow into something even greater.
To be clear, Arts on Third will not
be cancelled. In fact, the tradition will
continue and my administration will
work to bring back “Parade of Flags,”
the “Grand Prix,” and other innovative
events to bring back “fun” to our city.
The citizens of this great city will
play a crucial role in the coming years
in making Mount Vernon great again,
and Arts on Third will be a part of that
greatness. The challenge will be for the
people to remain engaged in this process to redeem the promise of Mount
Vernon’s bright future.”
Truly yours,
Mayor-Elect Richard Thomas
Executive Chef, Kevince Pierre-Louis
W
artburg’s Meadowview Assisted Living Executive Chef,
Kevince Pierre-Louis, recently won the Kraft Food Fight
Eastern Region Championship.
Kevince Pierre-Louis was chosen to
represent the Viviano Region of Morrison
Community Living in the Kraft Food Fight
competition. Forty contestants vied for
the top slot at this year’s event in Buffalo,
New York. Mr. Pierre-Louis beat the fierce
competition with his recipe for Cheesy
Devilish Deviled eggs for the sought-after
title of Eastern Region Champion. His win
also landed him a spot to compete in the
National Food Fight Competition in San
Diego, California, where he finished as a
Top 5 Compass Chef in the country.
Mr. Pierre-Louis hails from Haiti and
joined Wartburg as a food and beverage
associate in 2007. It was readily apparent he had the “chops” to be a top chef.
He was encouraged to hone his culinary
skills and enrolled in the Culinary Institute
of America in Hyde Park, NY. Mr. PierreLouis continued to work his way through
the ranks while enrolled in school, then
graduated with high honors and became
Executive Chef at Meadowview in 2015.
“While proper nutrition is important to
keep the body strong and healthy, especially for older adults, it doesn’t mean
our meal planning shouldn’t be creative
and fun. I am a big fan of Kevince and it
doesn’t surprise me that his talents have
been recognized nationally,” stated David J. Gentner, Wartburg’s President and
CEO.
Charles Fox, Jr., Wartburg Director of
Dining Services said, “I am Kevince’s
number one fan and am so proud of all his
accomplishments. He is not only one of
our Wartburg success stories professionally, but he is one of those people in the
world I hold up in very high regard personally. I congratulate him on his talent, skills
and courage.”
Wartburg is very proud of Chef Kevince
and congratulates him on a job well done!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Readers are encouraged to send us
letters expressing their viewpoints
on any issue. Letters should not
contain inflammatory or provocative language and will be subject to
editorial review. Please keep your
letters brief and not to exceed 300
words. Your name and address must
be included, but will be withheld
upon request.
SUGGESTED NEWS ITEMS
We welcome all suggestions concerning news we should cover in our
newspaper. Please call the Editor
with suggestions at (914)665-7004.
Editor
Joe Parisi
Assistant Editors
Hafeezah Basir
Cheryl Parisi
News Reporters / Writers
Joe Parisi, Chief Reporter
James Fair
Tamara Stewart
Sales and Advertising
Darryl Walker, Director
Paul Stewart
Graphic Design
Ashley Covelli
Cheryl Parisi
Member
INQUIRER
6 l December 2015
www.mvinquirer.com
ney who once worked as the Corporation
Counsel for Davis. Her husband, Brother
Arthur Muhammad, entertained the guests
as the DJ.
Outstanding musical selections were
performed throughout the evening, and
many impressive speeches were delivered. Notable among the speakers was
Councilwoman Roberta Apuzzo, who stated: “Mayor Davis is the best mayor Mount
Vernon has ever had. And when all those
projects that are currently under construction are completed, remember who made
them happen – especially when the ribbon
cutting ceremonies are attended by a different mayor.”
Needless to say, when Davis approached the podium, he received a long
and thunderous applause.
He spoke mostly about his early years
as mayor and how Mount Vernon has progressed under his leadership. He definitely attracted everyone’s attention when
he stated: “The young man who will be
replacing me as mayor I have known since
he was a little boy. We all need to stand
behind him if he is expected to be successful as mayor. I will do everything I can
to help him, but he must listen to me. If he
refuses to listen to me, you won’t be able
to say later that I didn’t try to help him.”
Mayor Davis’ legacy is viewed by many
as mostly favorable, since he has always
fought to uphold Mount Vernon’s rights as
a poor city, surrounded by mostly affluent
communities, and his accomplishments
are many.
Davis, who grew up in Charlotte, N.C.,
began his career in the county legislature
where he was best known for arguing that
all parts of the county are “inextricably
intertwined.” The phrase was meant to
remind wealthy suburbanites that there
were poor people in their midst.
In 1995, after 12 years on the Board of
Legislators, Davis was elected mayor and
quickly established a reputation for his big
ideas. He pushed for a hotel and sports
stadium downtown, the Sandford Boulevard plan, and an arts district on crimeridden Third Street.
But the proposed $300 million hotel
and sports stadium never materialized,
evidence, perhaps, of overambitious
dreaming by Davis. Several years ago,
his longtime critic, Maureen Walker, City
Comptroller, stated, “I don’t think this is a
city that can build a hotel,” adding that the
project has already been on the table for
many, many years.
Similarly, the idea for the Third Street
corridor has not made any real progress
until recently, since the long-planned
Mount Vernon Hip-Hop Art Center never
Leslie Albert and Mayor Davis
Nichelle Johnson was the Mistress of Ceremonies
Sheryll Brownlee-Fox singing the National Anthem
Eve Soto singing, while accompanied by two young performers
became a reality. However, a different
type of historical transformation is currently taking place, thanks to one local
Black developer. Terrence Horton, CEO
of Sentinel Construction & Development,
and his team of professionals known as
(l to r) Danna M. Wood, Doryne Isley and Diane Atkins
The Sentinel MLK 3rd & 3rd Development
Group, are actively contributing to this renaissance that will be changing the face
of Mount Vernon forever.
Levister Towers, a low-income housing
development once overrun with pigeons
Continued on page 7
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7 l December 2015
Mt. Vernon residents
earn academic honors
at the Harvey School
Cassells
(l to r) Steven Horton, Mayor Davis and Terrence Horton
Henry
T
Pearl
Blake
McKenzie
Myers
he Harvey School (Katonah) has
announced the names of the
students who have earned academic honors for the first marking
period of the fall term.
Senior Rohan Cassells has been awarded a Cavalier Scholar certificate for registering a grade-point average of 4.0 or
higher. Earning places on the Headmaster’s List with GPAs of at least a 3.7 are
Francis
Johnson
Dell
Williams
Ashley Peart, grade 12, and Densley
Blake, grade 7.
Making the Honor Roll with at least a 3.3
GPA are: sophomores Jacinth Francis and
Nikkita Johnson; juniors Amaya Henry,
Ashley McKenzie and Sage Myers; and
seniors Lamar Dell and Taylor Williams.
The Harvey School is an independent,
coeducational college-preparatory school
for students in grades six through 12.
Veterans Service Agency
not only for soldiers
and vets, but for their
families as well
Cathlin Gleason-Boncardo
on the upper floors and drug dealers below, is another one of Davis’ accomplishments. The privatization of the complex in
2001 led to a $40 million overhaul of the
towers and a sharp drop in crime. More
recently, further improvements throughout
the development have taken place.
Davis can also toot his horn about the
Sandford Boulevard Center which houses
a Best Buy, Target and T.J. Maxx, among
other stores. The development has proven
to be an economic powerhouse that city
officials had envisioned before it was built.
Davis had faced significant opposition
to the project in the form of more than a
dozen lawsuits from neighboring Pelham,
where there were concerns about traffic congestion and the safety of children
attending school nearby. But drawing on
connections he had forged with developers and elected officials over the years, the
mayor was able to outflank his opponents
with a series of shrewd legal and political
maneuvers. “I think all the experience I
had in the county came to roost,” was his
assessment back then.
Another big Davis accomplishment was
the creation of the Roundabout and its
“Fountain of Hope,” as it was first called.
It was dedicated on November 8, 2006.
“The Roundabout is part of a tapestry
of redevelopment plans I dreamed up for
the city’s lackluster downtown. The project, I hope, will transform Mount Vernon
from a bedroom community suffering from
a bad reputation and a lack of self-esteem
to a lively destination for businesses, tourists and artists. I’m not putting it there for
traffic,” he once intoned. “I’m an architect;
never forget it.” The Fountain has since
become a tourist attraction, where people
visit frequently to take pictures.
Davis’ accomplishments are many, but
will his guilty plea to federal tax charges
tarnish his legacy? “Absolutely not,” according to the many that attended his farewell celebration. “Mount Vernon will never
be the same again after he steps down
as mayor,” said one woman attending the
gala who declined to give her name. “His
accomplishments are simply too many to
count,” she said.
“Mayor Davis might be stepping down
as mayor, but he will not be leaving us. He
will continue to help Mount Vernon move
ahead in any capacity he can,” said Serapher Conn-Halevi, a guest speaker at the
festive event.
W
estchester
County
Executive Robert P.
Astorino recently announced the Military
Family Appreciation Project to let
Westchester families of military personnel and deceased veterans know
that the county’s Veterans Service
Agency is available to help them,
too.
“Veterans Day is a day to celebrate and honor all of our soldiers
and veterans, but as we recognize
and appreciate their great sacrifice,
we sometimes forget that the families they left behind are sacrificing as
well,” said Astorino. “We want to let
the families know that we’re here for
you, too--whether it’s for yourself or
your veteran loved one whose pride
may be preventing him or her from
reaching out for assistance.”
Astorino said that the county’s
Veterans Service Agency has helped
veterans or their families with securing veterans benefits, securing employment, being treated for
substance abuse or post-traumatic
stress disorder, and many oth-
er issues. Last month, Astorino
announced that as a result of the Patriot Housing Initiative, that permanent housing had been secured for
329 previously homeless veterans in
the past two years. He also stated
that there were no known homeless
veterans living on the streets in the
county.
Four families joined Astorino to
tell their stories of how the county
assisted them or their loved one.
Assistance included help with VA
benefits, survivor benefits, treatment of alcoholism, and funds for a
memorial tree.
Veterans, military personnel or
their families in need of assistance
can contact the Veterans Service
Agency by calling: 914-995-2145
or by visiting: 112 East Post Road,
Room 442, White Plains, NY 10601.
Veterans Service Agency Director
Ron Tocci said if his office can’t assist directly, they know who to call
and how to navigate, whether it’s
another county department, private
entity, non-profit or state or federal
agency.
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8 l December 2015
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Traphagen Elementary School Veterans Day Celebration
a huge success
Students displaying their patriotism by waving small American flags
O
ne of Mount Vernon’s top elementary schools, Traphagen,
held its annual Veterans Day
Celebration on Friday, November 6, in the school’s spacious gym. It
was a huge success.
The yearly celebration has blossomed in
the last five years thanks to the school’s
principal, Ilene Bichler, who continues to
create new ideas to improve the way the
students honor the veterans every year.
The students invite family members,
friends and neighbors who are either ac-
A performance by the Traphagen Dazzlers
tive duty or retired veterans, and each
guest gets to address the students.
The entire school population attended
the ceremony, along with many family
members and friends.
Kouter Benchehida and Ibrahim Conteh
acted as the Master and Mistress of Ceremonies and opened the program by welcoming the hundreds in attendance.
After the singing of “Stars and Stripes”
by the Traphagen Dazzlers, the Principal,
Ms. Bichler, welcomed the many guests
in attendance and thanked her staff mem-
Traphagen’s principal, Ilene Bichler
Traphagen’s popular music teacher, Charlotte Moore
Members of the Traphagen Intergenerational Choir watch while one of their
members sings a song
Traphagen veteran parents being introduced
bers for helping to organize the event.
Next, several students recited poems
and sang patriotic songs, including an impressive performance by the Traphagen
Intergenerational Choir.
Benchehida and Conteh had the honor
of introducing Traphagen veteran parents
who each spoke briefly about his or her
experiences while serving on active duty.
Clearly, many of the students were in awe.
Near the end of the program there was
a moment of silence for the many veterans
who never made it back home, followed
by a musical tribute to all veterans by Ms.
Sandra LoPresti.
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INQUIRER
9 l December 2015
Mayor-elect Thomas: What are his initial biggest issues?
Mayor-elect Richard Thomas standing in front of City Hall, his new home
for the next four years
M
ayor-elect Richard Thomas is
unquestionably a rising star
in the political arena. First,
he became Mount Vernon’s
youngest City Councilman; then, on November 3rd, he became Mount Vernon’s
youngest mayor-elect. In both cases, he
embarrassed his much older and more
seasoned veteran opponents by receiving
a record number of votes.
Thomas’ grassroots campaign was impressive. Led by his sister and brother, his
army of young supporters worked tirelessly for prospective votes.
Memorial Field is expected to be placed on the ‘front burner’ by Mayor-elect
Richard Thomas
Mayor-elect Richard Thomas had a rough tenure as City Councilman
Mayor-elect Richard Thomas, accompanied by his wife, Cherish, after
addressing his supporters on Election Day
During the recent mayoral race, Sam
Rivers and other community activists
helped drum up votes for Thomas, and
they may likely be his adversaries as soon
as he takes office. Regrettably, Thomas
had several of these activists turn on him
just a couple of days before the November
3rd general election. It has been rumored
that Thomas refused the promise of commissioner posts to some of the individuals
that turned on him.
Mayor Davis will probably shake Rich
Thomas’ hand, give him the keys to the
mayor’s office, and wish him well as the
new mayor. Then Thomas will begin the
daunting task of running a city that is in
the worst shape it’s been in since John
Stevens founded Mount Vernon. The City
is badly divided and can’t move forward
under these adverse conditions.
Initially, Thomas will have to deal with
the many distractions associated with the
unhappy campers that turned on him just
before the election. The negative email
blasts have already begun, and will intensify as soon as he is sworn in as the new
mayor.
Undoubtedly, Thomas’ biggest challenge will be selecting suitable individuals
for his new administration. When Mayor
Davis was reelected in 2012, a committee comprised of prominent citizens was
formed to assist him in selecting qualified
individuals for his administration. Davis
ignored the list of recommendations and
hand picked his own people. Choosing
a team will be crucial for Rich Thomas,
since it will make or break him within the
first two years.
Thomas’ second big concern will be
the City Council. The City has been dysfunctional for several years since Council
members have never been on the ‘same
page’ with one another. The City Council
has the final say on all matters, and the
new mayor needs to get the old members
and the two new members to unify as a
team.
Memorial Field will also need to be at the
top of his immediate priorities, since that
is an issue that helped to send Mayor Davis packing. With Mayor Davis out of the
way, County Executive Astorino may be
more receptive about providing funds to
renovate Memorial Field. The restoration
of Memorial Field needs to be finalized as
quickly as possible, since it is Mount Vernon’s precious jewel, and its use is sorely
missed by everybody.
Thomas must learn quickly to make sure
his constituents have a voice, especially
during budget hearings. In addition, he
must also work on establishing transparency in matters of the City’s governance,
which has not existed in decades.
Finally, and most importantly, Thomas
must find a way to bring down the taxes at
any cost, since people are leaving Mount
Vernon in droves.
10 l December 2015
INQUIRER
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Mayor-elect Thomas seeks court order to stop all work
at Memorial Field
Elected officials and community members broke ground at the new Stadium
at Memorial Field on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A
ccompanied
by
Legislator
Lyndon Williams, Mayor-elect
Richard Thomas held his first
significant press conference at
Memorial Field on Monday, November 9.
At the press conference, Williams, who
is an attorney, announced that a court order would be sought to stop all work at the
field during the balance of Mayor Davis’
tenure as mayor.
The tennis courts at the field have been
completed and additional ones are currently in the process of being built. For
some time now, caravans of trucks loaded
with dirt have been dumping that dirt at
the field.
During the press conference, Thomas
expressed concern that the dirt may be
contaminated and he wants it tested as
soon as possible. “Right now we need to
assess the damage that has been done
and right now it’s very costly,” Thomas
said.
Many readers may recall that Mayor
Clinton I. Young, Jr., Legislator Williams,
as well as hundreds of elected officials
Mayor-elect Thomas during one of his many visits to Memorial Field
this past summer
Legislator Williams speaking during the ground breaking
ceremony held August 31, 2011
and community members broke ground
at the new Stadium at Memorial Field on
Wednesday, August 31, 2011.
The $12.7 million renovation of Memorial Field had pushed forward back then,
despite attempts to derail its progress. On
that day, Mayor Young and Legislator Williams were joined by U.S. Congressman
Eliot Engel, State Senator Ruth HassellThompson, Council members Steven Horton and Yuhanna Edwards.
“I thank Legislator Williams for delivering the funding for this important project.
Memorial Field is a jewel for the city and
the County of Westchester. It’s a real exciting day for the City of Mount Vernon,”
said Mayor Young at that time.
The new Stadium at Memorial Field was
to include the following: an illuminated,
synthetic turf football/soccer field, grandstands, an all-weather eight-lane track,
new buildings to include a ticket booth,
concession stand, bathrooms, press box
with restroom and elevator, service building and locker rooms, an upgraded score
board, along with other associated equipment.
But when Davis defeated Young and returned as mayor, he sacked Young’s plan
to rebuild Memorial Field. Many are saying
this led to Davis’ downfall as mayor.
Memorial Field has been closed for over
six years; only the tennis courts are in operation, used mainly by the wealthy from
outside the Mount Vernon community.
Thomas has been vehemently against
Davis’ plan to renovate Memorial Field for
a very long time, and, as the new mayor,
he will soon have an excellent opportunity
to acquire the funds so Memorial Field can
be completed as expeditiously as possible.
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INQUIRER
Westchester County Takes
Steps to Create Dedicated
Veterans Treatment Court
O
n Monday November 9th, just
two days before Veterans Day
2015, Legislator Catherine
Borgia held a press event at
the American Legion Post in Ossining to
announce that the County will be pursuing the creation of a Veterans Treatment
Court. Borgia was joined by local officials
and veterans.
The new Veterans Treatment Court
would direct veterans with combat experience towards treatment for PTSD (Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder) and other traumatic brain injuries, as opposed to merely
the standard corrections process that may
push them towards incarceration without
giving them the specific services they really need and to which they are entitled.
The City of Buffalo was the first to create a dedicated Veterans Treatment Court
in 2008. Bronx County followed in 2013
by creating the Bronx Veterans Court
Mentors, in addition to their own Veterans
Treatment Court, to address the special
needs of men and women who served in
combat.
“Our current culture often speaks of
supporting our armed services while they
are fighting overseas, but the services
available to our veterans often neglect to
address the issues many of these veterans will face when they return home,”
explained Legislator Borgia (D-Ossining.)
“Creating this entity to show our veterans
there is somewhere to turn for help will
greatly improve the channel for recovery
for our veterans who are suffering.”
Patrizia Hodge, the Veterans Justice
Outreach Coordinator at the Montrose VA
said, “There are approximately 700,000
veterans in the United States criminal justice system with charges directly related
to their mental health conditions, addic-
tion and trauma. In Westchester County
there are approximately 30-35 veterans
incarcerated at the Westchester County
Department of Corrections. However, that
number does not include the veterans who
have not self-identified as veterans when
incarcerated, nor does it include the veterans that still have open criminal cases
and are out on bail or ROR’d (Released on
their Own Recognizance) from court.
Having a Veterans Treatment Court here
in Westchester County would provide an
alternative to incarceration and the veterans would be given the opportunity to
receive treatment for Substance/Alcohol
Abuse, PTSD, TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
and other mental health conditions that
may be related to their service. VA Hudson Valley HCS (Veterans Administration
Hudson Valley Health Care System) has
both residential and outpatient programs
where these veterans can get the specialized treatment they need. As of today,
there are over 200 Veterans Treatment
Courts across the United States, including
those in NYC, Nassau County and Suffolk
County, and Veterans Tracks in Orange
County, Rockland County, and Sullivan
County. We need to give the veterans of
Westchester County the opportunity to put
their lives back together so they can have
a chance to break free of the vicious cycle
of untreated addiction, untreated mental
health conditions and incarceration.”
The Board of Legislators will vote on a
resolution, sponsored by Legislator Borgia, in support of creating the Veterans
Treatment Court. The final decision for
creating the Veterans Treatment Court will
be made in conjunction with Judge Alan
Sheinkman, the Administrative Justice for
the Ninth Judicial District.
Junior League of Bronxville’s
Holiday Winter Coat and
Gloves Drive to benefit CSA
T
he Junior League of Bronxville
is reaching out to the community for our Annual Holiday Winter Coat and Gloves
Drive. Please join us in giving the gift of
warmth this season.
As in years past, items will benefit the
soup kitchen at Community Service Associates (CSA) in Mount Vernon. CSA
recipients will be able to select their
winter wear during a special holiday
party in December.
“Last year, more than 800 coats and
nearly 350 pairs of gloves were collected on CSA’s behalf,” says Junior
League of Bronxville President, Sheridan Denfeld. “This would not have
been possible without the community’s
help.”
Please donate gently used winter
coats and new gloves for men, women
and children from November 6 through
December 10 at one of our drop-off locations:
• Bronxville Montessori School
• Bronxville Public Library
• Bronxville Lower School
• Bronxville Village Hall
• Eliza Corwin Frost
• Gramatan Court
• May Flower Gardens, Mount Vernon
• Pure Barre, Bronxville
• Westy’s Tuckahoe
• Yoga Haven
11 l December 2015
Statement of Mayor Ernest D.
Davis regarding Memorial Field
I
Mayor Ernest D. Davis
t is unfortunate that Westchester County Legislator Lyndon D. Williams, whose
deliberate stalling of funds for Memorial
Field was politically motivated, would
be joined by Mayor-Elect Richard Thomas
to continue the charade to get the public
to believe that they now have a plan for
Memorial Field.
What is now clear, but was always suspected, is that together the Legislator and
the City Councilman constructed a plan to
prevent the completion of Memorial Field.
I believe the public is tired of these shenanigans and brain drain.
If the city has any hope of continuing the
progress of this administration, we must
hold these two individuals accountable.
The public must be reminded that the
County released 3 million plus dollars of
Legacy Funding before I came back into
office, most of which was for consultants
(architects, engineers and demolition).
Even though the project’s estimated cost
showed that a new stadium could not be
built with county monies solely through
the Legacy Fund, demolition of the stadium was allowed without drama or objection and with the apparent acquiescence
of Legislator Williams.
Understanding, as an architect, that
the Clinton Young administration was
making a huge, unpardonable mistake
by tearing down the only iconic stadium
in Westchester, which was built with the
assistance of World War I veterans in the
late 1920’s, I stopped the demolition in order to preserve a sentimental community
symbol. I, and a number of people, felt
the stadium should not be summarily discarded but rather preserved.
A junior architect on our Public Works
staff, under my direction, drafted a new
plan calling for the preservation of this
local landmark. This was parlayed first
to the City Council and Legislator Williams and ultimately to the County Executive. Everyone knew of my direction and
agreed with our plans.
What we accomplished since I have
been in office was on our own, without
any new financial infusion from the county
or assistance from our elected County
Legislator Lyndon Williams.
Recreation Commissioner Darren Morton has helped manage the finances
spent during this administration for the
construction and completion of the tennis
courts. He has kept in touch with Legislator Williams throughout this process and
can provide details, including our face to
face meeting with County Executive Rob
Astorino and his staff in 2012, up to our
last conversations with the County Legislator.
Mt. Vernon Veterans attend
annual Veterans Day Breakfast
at the Marriott Hotel
Several Mount Vernon veterans, joined by Gerri Christiana, Director,
Office for the Aging in Mount Vernon, recently attended the annual
Veterans Recognition Breakfast at the Marriott Hotel, led by Ronald Tocci,
Director of Veterans Service Agency.
INQUIRER
12 l December 2015
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Boys & Girls Club of Mt. Vernon kicks off Holiday Season
F
YORK INTERNATIONAL Insurance Company volunteers
or the past 20 years, the holiday
season kicks off a week with the
annual Thanksgiving community
dinner early at the Boys & Girls
Club of Mount Vernon. Over 200 guests
came together in the gymnasium of the
Clubhouse to celebrate, give thanks, network, and enjoy fellowship.
The purpose of the dinner is to bring
together a cross-section of the community who may not otherwise interact with
each other. In attendance were 70 senior
citizens from the Doles Center and the Ar-
mory, 20 veterans from Mount Vernon, and
110 children and families from the Boys &
Girls Club.
The dinner was underwritten by the
York International Agency, LLC, who also
provided 20 volunteers to put the event
together. Ivy Torres, Special Assistant to
York’s CEO Rob Kestenbaum, led the York
team.
The evening began with arriving guests
being greeted by Mount Vernon High
School’s Cheerleading Team, and listening to the sounds of Mandela High School
A view of the packed gymnasium where the dinner took place
Principal, Ralph Burts.
The Boys & Girls Club’s Chief Professional Officer, Mel Campos, began the
program by welcoming everyone and talking about the importance of community.
Executive Director for Development, Lowes Moore, gave the blessing and thanked
everyone who contributed to making the
evening possible. Moore gave special acknowledgement to his mother, Jeanette
Moore, who did a lot of the cooking and
coordinated the kitchen.
New Rochelle United
Methodist Church presents
“Joyous Christmas Concert
Celebration”
Three happy mothers relaxing while their kids ate
N
Senior citizens serving themselves
After dinner, the guests were treated to
performances by the Revelators and the
Alpha Stars. Both gave high-energy performances that put wide smiles on guests’
faces. Following the performances, guests
danced and had dessert. Many community leaders stopped by to wish the guests
a Happy Thanksgiving.
The evening was a great success and
everybody celebrated the contributions
made by generations of Mount Vernon
residents!
Kay Boyd
ew Rochelle United Methodist Church, in association with
Acts of Faith Productions, will
present the 15th Anniversary
“Joyous Christmas Concert Celebration.” The concert features Westchester’s renowned concert singer and
recording artist, Kay Boyd, and her ensemble, Acts of Faith. The concert will
take place at 6:30 pm on Saturday, De-
cember 12, 2015, at 1200 North Avenue
in New Rochelle.
This concert, entitled “For Every
Mountain,” will celebrate 15 consecutive years that Boyd has successfully
produced her annual Christmas concert.
Kay Boyd is a Mount Vernon resident,
and she has sung nationally for countless numbers of churches and civic associations. Ms. Boyd has performed in
concert in Europe, the Caribbean, and
Africa.
Guest artists include LaFredrick
Coaxner (tenor), who is a featured soloist at the historic Abyssinian Baptist
Church in New York City, in addition to
performances by the Mount Vernon 7th
Day Adventist New Creation Choir, and
Emmanuel Temple Angels of Praise Liturgical Dancers.
Tickets are $35 for adults, $25 for
students, and free for children under
12. Net proceeds from this concert will
be used to benefit the church’s capital
improvement project and scholarship
fund.
Tickets and information may be obtained by calling (914) 632-2166, (914)
699-3041 or (914) 668-0280.
www.mvinquirer.com
INQUIRER
13 l December 2015
14 l December 2015
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15 l December 2015
16 l December 2015
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17 l December 2015
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18 l December 2015
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jaFa’s Poets Corner
Alternative Medicine
Options
2007 - PRESENT
Poems Submitted by Our Readers
Edited by jaFa (James Fair)
JAFA’S POETS CORNER
(8TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY)
Edited by james “jAFa” Fair
May the Muse of Poetry continue to inspire.
To receive a compliment is to agree with it.
“You look pretty today.”
BLACK ON BLACK CRIME
Author: Sherry Mason/poetry from within
Bronx resident
To receive a letter is to embrace every word;
by picturing the words as
if they’re scenes in a movie. So when you read
- the words come to life.
It used to be the Klu Klux Klan Killing off the
black man
Now in this day and time it’s black on black
crime
When a youth is feeling anger He puts one in
the chamber in a hurry
To put his brother in the cemetery
Another black brother dies
Another black mother cries
How could this be?
Did we forget our
Ancestor’s atrocities
Bondage in slavery
In our history
They walked through
The doors of no return
Houses being burned
Whips and chains
Cries of pain
Stripped of their names
Now from this were finally free Only to be
recaptured
By ourselves as the enemy
‘Thank you. I know I do.’
To receive a call is to answer it. Without rolling your eyes
because you already know who it is. Thank
God for caller ID.
To receive, embrace whatever comes. Be open
for the adventure that awaits;
like a present or a gift.
To receive is a choice. I can receive your call,
your compliment or your letter
and your words.
I can choose to keep them or let them go.
WHAT IS WORK
A Collaborative Work Sonnet
Authors::Tthe students of the Creative Writing Class at Westchester Community College
Mount Vernon. Professor Kristin Prevallet Fall 2015
Work is when you find energy, energy you
didn’t think you had.
PROFANITY
Author: Charles Roda
Mount Vernon resident
...is an insult to the mind.
...burns the heart.
...inflicts pain on the soul.
...invades personal privacy.
...degrades the speaker.
...displays lack of expression.
...shows a lack of education.
...is an inability to think clearly.
...illustrates disrespect for others.
...is an abuse of free speech.
...reflects poorly on parents.
...covers up mental insecurity.
...is spiritual arsenic.
...offends humanity.
...injures children and the elderly.
...is a disease of society.
RECEIVE
Author: Chante Thomas
Mount Vernon resident
What does it mean to receive? To embrace
whatever comes as it is without analyzing it.
Just placing it in a proverbial basket and keeping it and never letting it go.
The basket can be the heart or the mind or
even the body.
To get out of bed, early in the morning, that
warm, cozy bed,
where the covers are wrapped around you
just right,
the pillows are fluffed perfectly, and your position is comfortable
I stand on my two feet though I have a car.
I am lucky to live the way I do, but some
aren’t so lucky.
Work has destroyed most people in my family
And maybe yours
Work is something that takes a toll on your
physical and emotional being
It is competition, competition that develops
hate towards the ones you love
Work should be calming
Work shouldn’t make you go crazy
Work is sitting in a patient’s home waiting for
him or her to expire.
Work is sitting in a patient’s home for 12 to 14
hours as you tire
Work is walking down the hallway of the
west wing
Work is one of my favorite places to be
People work to better themselves, it can be for
them or for their family members
Work is work, without work you don’t eat
Work is chicken, work is mullah!
When what you do becomes work it’s time to
go
When what you love becomes a bore it’s time
for a change.
Work is my alarm clock, never a time for rest.
TO OUR READERS & SUPPORTERS
From the editor: james “jAFa” Fair
This year JAFa’s Poets Corner celebrates its 8th year. We are the longest,
continuously, running poetry column in any local area monthly publication.
We have reached this milestone because of you, the community, who have
so generously supported us. THANK YOU!
Please email your poems to [email protected] or mail a (typed copy please)
to James Fair, 153 South 5th Ave., Apt 6B, Mount Vernon, NY 10550
by
Joe Parisi
Using garlic to combat
antimicrobial resistant
urinary tract infections
G
arlic extract may be
an effective weapon
against multi-drug resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria associated with urinary
tract infections (UTI), according
to a recent study published in the
Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science.
Conducted by researchers at the
Birla Institute of Technology and
Sciences in India, the study found
that “even crude extracts of [garlic] showed good activity against
multidrug resistant strains where
antibiotic therapy had limited or no
effect. This provides hope for developing alternative drugs which
may be of help in fighting the menace of growing antibacterial resistance,” the team states.
Urinary tract infection is the second most common infectious disease encountered in community
practice. Worldwide, about 150
million people are diagnosed each
year with UTI, at a total treatment
cost in the billions of dollars. Although UTI is usually treated with
antibiotics, “emerging antimicrobial resistance compels us to look
back into traditional medicines or
herbal products, which may provide appropriate/acceptable alternative solutions,” the authors
argue.
Garlic (Allium sativum) has been
traditionally used for the treatment
of diseases since ancient times.
A wide range of microorganisms
-- including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses -- are known to be
sensitive to garlic preparations. Allicin and other sulphur compounds
are thought to be the major antimicrobial factors in garlic.
In this study, the team found
that 56% of 166 bacteria strains
isolated from the urine of people
with UTI showed a high degree
of resistance to antibiotics. However, about 82% of the antibiotic
resistant bacteria were susceptible
to a crude aqueous extract of Allium sativum. According to the researchers, “ours is the first study
to report the antibacterial activity
of aqueous garlic extract against
multidrug resistant bacterial isolates from infected urine samples
leading to UTI.”
“To conclude, there is evidence
that garlic has potential in the
treatment of UTI and maybe other microbial infections,” says the
team. “However, it is necessary to
determine the bioavailability, side
effects and pharmacokinetic properties in more detail.”
INQUIRER
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Jim and Annie Kiselak’s
Natural Food Column
Direct from the sunny island of
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Natural sugar
occurring in fruit
Since the USDA classifies fruit
as a major food group, it’s easy
to get the impression that you can
eat as much of it as you want without ill effects. That’s not entirely
true, but the health benefits of fruit
do trump its relatively high sugar
content. Fruit is far more nutritious than candy and cookies, but
partially due to how much sugar it
contains, it’s important to enjoy it
in balance with a healthy diet.
Quantities
The sugar in fruit is a monosaccharide called fructose, a type
of carbohydrate. Table sugar, in
contrast, is a disaccharide known
as sucrose. Although most fruits
have the same type of sugar in
them, they don’t all have the same
amount of it. In a 3-ounce serving,
for example, strawberries have
just 4 grams of sugar but grapes
have more than 13 grams. Papayas, watermelon and grapefruit
are relatively low in sugar, but
mangoes, cherries and bananas
have much more per serving.
Nutrition
The fructose in fruit has a natural advantage over table sugar
because fruit contains so many
vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. According to the USDA,
the nutrients in fruit can help reduce the risks of heart attack,
stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity,
high blood pressure and other
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
19 l December 2015
diseases. Table sugar boasts no
such benefits; in fact, it has been
linked to coronary heart disease in
a study published by the American
Heart Association.
Implications
Eating too much sugar of any
kind, whether it occurs naturally or
not, can be harmful for the body –
and it’s often associated with consuming excess calories. CNN’s
physician nutrition specialist, Dr.
Melina Jampolis, acknowledges
that eating a lot of fruit is not very
likely to cause weight gain or fat
gain on its own. Fruit is relatively
low in calories, but still has about
three times the calorie value per
serving as vegetables. She recommends limiting fruit servings to
three per day if your goal is weight
loss.
Balance
The key to enjoying fruit’s health
benefits without consuming too
much sugar is to eat it as part of
a balanced, well-rounded diet.
Eat the two to four servings per
day that the USDA recommends,
but also eat plenty of vegetables,
whole grains, protein-rich foods
and low-fat dairy items. If you feel
your diet is imbalanced or that the
amount of sugar you’re consuming with fruit is negatively impacting your health, speak with your
doctor or a nutritionist for personalized advice.
T
o the Editor:
November 19, 2015 was the
American Cancer Society’s
Great American Smoke Out.
As tobacco use is responsible for nearly
1 in 5 deaths across the United States,
please join me in supporting tobacco
free policies, cessation programs, and
helping others to quit smoking and live
healthier lives.
Tobacco is the only product sold today that, when used as intended, kills
its consumers. A recent report by the
EDUCATION COLUMN
By Diane Fulves, M.A., M.Ed.,
Director, EMPOWERING OUR PARENTS
Email: [email protected]
Help for the Holiday Season
T
he next few weeks will be
very busy ones for our children. There will be preparations for Christmas concerts
during the school day. In many
classrooms, children will be preparing Christmas decorations and participating in holiday activities. Amid
all this happy activity, children must
keep up with their academic work in
school and at home. We should allow
them to enjoy holiday events, and
help them continue to succeed in
school. It is important that we make
accommodations for them to help
them maintain a balance and continue to achieve during this busy time.
Many children can handle all this
extra activity, however, many children
have difficulty. This is true particularly
for children who have special needs
and those who just need a little extra attention. Special needs children
require our vigilance and our willingness to accommodate their needs.
Here are some suggestions that may
help.
Keep a schedule at home to help
your children know what is expected
of them, and make sure that they are
not out every night. Gift shopping
and holiday activities are fun, but
kids still need time to do homework
and prepare for tests. Make sure
that children have sufficient time and
a quiet place to complete assignments. If something unexpected
happens which prevents homework
from being completed, send a note
to the teacher to tell her what happened and assure her that the work
will be completed.
American Cancer Society rated the
tobacco policies of 201 colleges and
universities across New York State. In
our area, Westchester Community College, Rockland Community College
and Nyack College were among the top
ranking institutions for the most comprehensive policies to protect students
and staff from the dangers of tobacco.
On behalf of the American Cancer
Society Board of Advisors of Westchester and Rockland Counties, we applaud
these schools for their top grades and
If your child has two or three tests
on one day and you know that he
needs more time to prepare for these
tests, let the teacher know and request that your child take at least
one test on the following day. This
is an appropriate request and makes
sense. The extra day will give your
child time to learn and master the
material.
There may be many holiday activities going on in the classroom. When
most of the class has completed assignments and students are working
on these activities, some children
may still need more time to finish
classwork. It is difficult for some children to concentrate when the rest of
the class is having a good time. Ask
the teacher to provide a quiet place
to complete assignments and, if necessary, additional supervision and
attention to assure that children can
focus and complete work accurately.
Keep a consistent bedtime. Children need adequate sleep, particularly when there is a lot more
excitement and activity in their lives.
By the time the winter recess begins, our children will have completed four months of the school year.
They cannot afford to lose time during the next three weeks. We must
be extra attentive to accommodate
their needs at home and in school.
Although this is a happy time, it
can also be a very stressful time for
children. Positive attitudes and children’s continued academic success
will contribute to our enjoyment of
this wonderful season, and academic success may be the best gift of all!
encourage all academic institutions
with lower grades to begin or complete
the process of implementing a tobacco
free campus policy.
We also call upon the Governor and
Legislature to pass legislation that requires all New York public colleges to
be 100 percent tobacco free.
Please join me in creating a world
with more birthdays!
Sincerely,
Linda B. Whitehead, President
20 l December 2015
INQUIRER
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Statement of County Legislator Williams concerning Davis’
actions at Memorial Field
I
Legislator Lyndon Williams sitting by a rendering of a newly designed
Memorial Field
was hoping that after a highly contested
primary election for Mayor, Mount Vernon City leaders could come together
in unity to move the City forward. So it
is baffling to me that, after sixteen years
as Mayor of Mount Vernon, Ernest Davis
would not leave gracefully but instead
spends the waning days of his administration undermining the incoming administration and placing obstacles in the way of
Mount Vernon’s residents. Recently, Davis had tons of dirt dumped on the space
dedicated for soccer, accessory fields and
open-space for picnic areas reserved for
children and families. The trucks delivering the dirt had out-of-state license plates
and no decals identifying which company
was delivering the soil, which raises ques-
tions about testing procedures and the
chain-of-custody if the soil is contaminated at any level. As the County Legislator,
who had the County commit $9.7 million
under its Legacy Program for Memorial
Field, I cannot remain silent while these
recent developments jeopardize the development of Memorial Field.
The purpose of Legacy funding is to
preserve ball fields and open space for
recreational activities, not for the development of private “for-profit” projects
like Davis’ tennis courts. The dumping of
tons of dirt on the open-space designed
for ball fields under the City’s agreement
with the County violates that agreement.
Article II, Section 2 of the Inter-Municipal
Agreement states that all work on Memo-
rial Field must conform to the plans and
specifications prepared by the City with
review and approval by the County. [The
Agreement further states] that the City
cannot deviate from the approved plans
and specifications without prior written
consent of the Commissioner of Parks,
Recreation and Conservation.
Those
plans and specifications were approved in
2010, based on the original design for the
new facility. The Agreement also says that
the City’s compliance with those plans
and specifications is a critical element
to the Agreement. Mayor Davis’ dumping of tons of dirt on open-space so that
he could build more tennis courts is not
in compliance with the plans and specifications and the County Commissioner
of Parks gave no prior written approval.
The County would not approve soil being
dumped on parkland without careful testing procedures and supervision to ensure
the soil is not contaminated.
Mayor Davis blames everyone for his
failures rather than taking responsibility
for his actions. He falsely accuses me of
stalling county funds for Memorial Field.
However, the Mayor had 28 years to
change the conditions at Memorial Field –
16 years as Mayor and 12 years as County
Legislator--but, after all those years, he
leaves the facility as a pile of rubble.
The County funds are stalled because
of the lack of accountability for $3.4 million advanced by the County: the mismanagement and waste of the County’s
money, Davis’ diversion of $2.2 million of
proceeds from the City’s bonds dedicated
for Memorial Field, and flawed decisions
made by Mayor Davis to restore the decayed stadium structure, resulting in $5
million additional costs to the project –
money the City does not have.
Of the $3.4 million advanced by the
County to the City, $1.3 million was for the
cost of designing the new facility and $2.1
million was for demolition of the existing
decayed stadium, and clearing and preparing the site for installation of the new
track and ball fields. When Mayor Davis
came back into office in 2012, he threw
out the $1.3 million design and, without
authorization, used County money to develop his own plans. The bids for demolition of the existing stadium and clearing
and preparing of the field came in at $1.6
million. Davis stopped the contractor from
demolishing the stadium and clearing the
field, but provided documents claiming
that he spent $1.4 million of the County
money for stadium demolition and site
preparation work. Anyone could see that
the stadium was not demolished and the
site was not cleared or prepared.
Based on the agreement between the
City and the County, the City borrowed
$2.25 million by selling 3 bonds. Here is
the breakdown: $750 thousand for Memorial Field Entrance; $750 thousand for
Memorial Field Parking; $750 thousand
for Memorial Field New Stadium. Mayor
Davis diverted these funds from Memorial
Field and used them to build tennis courts,
which he privatized. A private company
will now reap the benefits of Mount Vernon taxpayers’ investment. This diversion
could cause problems for the City with the
IRS.
Again, the reasons why more County
money was not released to the Davis administration was because of lack of accountability for public funds and the failure
to comply with legal agreements.
Legislator Lyndon Williams
HEAP program helps low-income households with heating cost
T
he Westchester County Department of Social Services is now
accepting applications from income-eligible people in need of
some help paying heating bills, County
Executive Robert P. Astorino announced.
The funds are available through the
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP),
a federally funded program. The maximum
regular benefit an eligible household can
receive is $625 for homes that heat with
oil, kerosene or propane, and $400 for all
others. A family of four can have a household income of up to $51,792 annually and
still qualify for a HEAP benefit.
“Last winter, more than 40,000 households in Westchester County received
some assistance through the HEAP program,” Astorino said. “I urge low-income
families to look into whether they qualify.”
To find out more about eligibility, call
United Way’s 2-1-1 or the Department of
Social Services HEAP unit at (914) 9955619. You may also check your eligibility
by going to www.myBenefits.ny.gov. Ap-
plications can be downloaded from the
county’s website at www.westchestergov.
com/heap .
Anyone who received a HEAP benefit
last season must submit the HEAP application received in the mail to re-qualify.
Anyone who was receiving ongoing Temporary Assistance (Cash) or SNAP (Food
Stamps) on Sept. 10, 2015 and remains
active through November 30, 2015 is automatically eligible and does not have to
file an application. Households with cases
opened after September 10, 2015 must
complete a form obtained from the local
Social Services district office or by calling
(914) 995-5619.
HEAP also offers benefits for households that have heat-related emergencies
but don’t have the resources needed to
resolve them. Assistance is available to repair or replace furnaces, boilers and other
direct heating components necessary to
keep the home’s primary heating source
functional. Applications for this emergency assistance are now open.
INQUIRER
www.mvinquirer.com
21 l December 2015
Record crowd attends Mt. Vernon Veterans Day Ceremony
A Mount Vernon HS student reciting a poem in honor of all veterans
P
atriotism seems to be on the rise
in Mount Vernon, since more and
more people are turning out to
honor its veterans every year.
This past Memorial Day Parade had a
record number of participants and the
streets were heavily lined with spectators. And on Wednesday, November 11,
nearly 200 people packed the City Council
Chambers in Mount Vernon to attend the
yearly Veterans Day Ceremony.
It used to be that aging veterans were
the only ones that attended the annual
ceremony, but that has changed dramatically. Now the yearly event is comprised
of many young people and children, accompanied by their parents, eager to celebrate Veterans Day with Mount Vernon’s
veterans.
The City of Mount Vernon, the Mount
Vernon Veterans Service Agency and the
Central Committee for Veterans Affairs
sponsor Mount Vernon’s annual event.
Acting as the Master of Ceremonies was
Jonathan Logan, who continues to do an
excellent job as the replacement for the
late and legendary, William DuBose, who
was the former Commissioner of the Veterans Service Agency and the Mount Vernon Auxiliary Police.
This year’s ceremony had several
speakers, which included Mayor Ernest D.
Davis, who made his last appearance as
mayor. State Assemblyman Gary Pretlow
was present, and Congressman Eliot Engle was a last minute surprise as a guest
speaker.
In attendance were many elected officials, including Mayor-elect Richard
Thomas, who was accompanied by his
young son.
Three young ladies from Mount Vernon
High School drew much applause when
one of them recited a poem in honor of all
veterans.
The keynote speaker was David M.
Johnson, an Army Veteran and former
candidate for the United States Congress.
Cornelia Brown, who has become a
regular musical entertainer at many Mount
Congressman Eliot Engel addressing the guests
Mayor-elect Richard Thomas attended the ceremony with his personable
young son
David M. Johnson (l) was presented an award by Mayor Ernest D. Davis and
Jonathan Logan
Cornelia Brown providing a vocal selection
Vernon venues, performed vocal selections.
Prior to the end of the ceremony, an
Honor Guard fired a volley of rounds
and Captain Roy Hastings, a member of
Mount Vernon’s Finest, played Taps.
Rev. Alfred Gordon, a CCVA (Central
Committee for Veterans Affairs) Chaplain,
who provided the Invocation prior to the
start of the ceremony, delivered the Benediction.
22 l December 2015
INQUIRER
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Mt. Vernon City Council honors distinguished citizens
Angela Freeman (l) being honored by Councilwoman Roberta Apuzzo
P
rior to the commencement of
the regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council, a capacity crowd packed the City
Council Chambers on Wednesday
night, November 12, to witness the
honoring of five distinguished Mount
Vernon citizens.
Twice a year, the City Council honors remarkable individuals who have
served the City of Mount Vernon with
dedication and sacrifice and have made
significant contributions to the Mount
Vernon community.
The following is a list of those who
were honored:
• Allen Ayers, Sr.
• Angela Freeman
• Damia Harris-Madden
• Jeannine Richardson
• Kevin E. Townes, Sr. (Posthumously)
A few years ago, Roberta Apuzzo,
a relatively new member of the Mount
Vernon City Council, suggested the
idea of honoring extraordinary citizens
and organizations annually. The City
Council liked her suggestion, a vote
was taken, and the yearly event was
born. Due to the popularity of the program, the City Council is now honoring
citizens twice a year.
According to Councilwoman Apuzzo:
“By spotlighting these individuals who
toil with a smile in relative anonymity,
we are actually reflecting upon the quality of citizens in our community. These
quiet heroes are sprinkled throughout
the city of Mount Vernon. They perform deeds silently, or with an assuring voice, without the expectation of
reward or honor. They serve with grace
and humility. This pillar of the community might be a teacher, business owner,
mother, father, soldier, teenager, athlete,
community leader, or volunteer – the list
is endless.”
Each honoree was given a citation
from the City of Mount Vernon and a
special award (Resolution) from the City
Council.
Damia Harris-Madden (c) accompanied by family members after
receiving her awards
Allen Ayers, Sr. (c) was accompanied by his immediate family members
during the presentation of his awards
Firefighter Kevin E. Townes, Sr. was honored posthumously, and
numerous family members and firefighters were in the audience during
the presentation of his awards.
Jeannine Richardson was honored by Mayor-elect Richard Thomas.
www.mvinquirer.com
INQUIRER
23 l December 2015
Henry Kissinger and William Burns at Westchester
Community College event
DR. HENRY A. KISSINGER: Former
United States Secretary of State, National
Security Advisor, diplomat and political
scientist, whose opinion continues to be
sought by Presidents and world leaders.
Prolific author of books on politics and international relations, Dr. Kissinger is currently founder and chairman of Kissinger
Associates, an international consulting
firm.
DR. WILLIAM J. BURNS: Former United States Deputy Secretary of State who
holds the highest rank in the Foreign Service, Career Ambassador. Dr. Burns was
Ambassador to Russia and Jordan, and
Montfort senior signs
Letter of Intent to play
Division I Tennis at
Tulane University
Dr. Belinda S. Miles, President of WCC, Dr. Henry Kissinger,
Lester Crystal, moderator of the event, and former Deputy Secretary
of State William J. Burns (left to right).
W
estchester Community College presented the institution’s annual President’s
Forum event, Building a
World Order: Strategies and Tactics, with
former Secretary of State Dr. Henry A.
Kissinger and former Deputy Secretary of
State William J. Burns. The Forum took
place on Sunday, November 15th in the
was Assistant Secretary of State for Near
Eastern Affairs. He speaks Russian, Arabic and French and is currently President
of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
LESTER CRYSTAL: Longtime Executive
Producer of the PBS NewsHour and former President of MacNeil Lehrer Productions was the moderator.
The President’s Forum, a fundraising
event for student scholarships and faculty
and institutional development, has been
presented by the college’s Foundation for
the past 30 years.
Academic Arts Theatre.
How best do we build a global architecture of security and cooperation? Can
we learn from crucial episodes in recent
conflicts and world history? Kissinger and
Burns were able to wrestle with these
questions at this thought-provoking event
at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York.
Christina Sisti (c) flanked by her parents, soon after signing her
Letter of Intent to play tennis for Tulane University
T
he Montfort Academy, which
was recently named one of the
20 highest ranking private high
schools in New York State, is
enormously proud of Senior, Christina
Sisti, a Mount Vernon resident, for her
acceptance at Division I Tulane University for a full tuition tennis scholarship. At a signing ceremony held at The
Montfort Academy on National Signing
Day, Christina Sisti, wearing a Tulane
baseball cap, formally signed her Letter
of Intent to attend Tulane and play Division I tennis for the school.
President of The Montfort Academy, Richard Greco, Jr., said, “We are
tremendously proud of Christina and
the hard work she has put into both
academics and athletics. She is a true
scholar-athlete and we wish her much
success as she goes on to play Division
I tennis for Tulane University.”
At the signing ceremony, Headmaster
Lt. Col. David Petrillo, commented on
the character of Christina. “Christina
is a wonderful student at Montfort but
what I appreciate most is that, at school
and in class, she is a friend and a fellow
student to her classmates. She does
not act, nor is she treated, as a superstar tennis player. That takes great humility on her part.”
Christina is very excited about her
future college career at Tulane. “I was
looking for a school with a strong tennis
program, for sure...The school is [also]
very strong academically, and it is in a
fantastic city...What most impressed
me was how strong the players were
- and also how seriously they take the
school and their education...I am grateful to Montfort for providing me an excellent education with the flexibility to
also pursue my passion for tennis.”
INQUIRER
24 l December 2015
www.mvinquirer.com
Korean Foundation introduces the language
to MVHS students
MVHS Students with members of the Korean Foundation
M
ore than two-dozen students
travel
halfway
around the world before
starting their day at Mount
Vernon High School. They don’t hop
on a plane or even leave the school
grounds. Rather, the 25 students voluntarily spend zero period two times
a week experiencing all things Korean
by exposing themselves to a different
culture, mindset and tradition. And
they do it, in large part, by learning
the language.
It’s all part of an ever growing group
effort by Ms. Giusti, Mr. Mihailidis and
the United Nations Club, who are
working with the Korean American
Heritage Foundation to expand the
Korean Language and Culture program at Mount Vernon High School.
Dr. Choi comes to the high school
and teaches the Korean classes,
which began at the end of September and will continue throughout the
school year. And the students, who
previously only had the option of
learning Spanish, are taking it upon
themselves to get the most value
possible out of this unique opportunity. Some have even taken the studies outside the traditional classroom
setting and attended the Korean
Festival on November 7 and 8. They
were intrigued and excited by this
new language and culture, and voluntarily immersed themselves in the
local gathering on their own time. The
students have an eagerness to learn,
equally matched by the knowledge
and information to make it possible.
On Friday the 13th of November,
Ms. Giusti accepted a recognition
award on behalf of Mount Vernon
High School. The honor was presented by the KAHS for the expansion of
the Korean language and culture program. This program affords students,
who previously could only learn Spanish, the opportunity to learn a second
foreign language. It’s the passport the
students need to explore a part of the
world with a curiosity and a certain
understanding that comes from firsthand experience.
www.mvinquirer.com
W
INQUIRER
25 l December 2015
Westchester wins another court victory on affordable
housing settlement
estchester won another victory involving the affordable
housing settlement with the
federal government.
The
U.S. Magistrate assigned to the case ruled
today that the county had provided financing for enough units to meet its 2014
benchmark, and that there was no basis
for the county to be held in contempt.
“This is another win for our residents,”
said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “From the beginning, the county has
worked hard to comply with the terms of
the settlement. But we have also stood
firm against overreaching by the federal
government to force the county to do
things that are not in the agreement. The
magistrate’s decision clearly shows that
the county has met its obligations and
that the federal government’s contention
of contempt was wrong and without legal
merit or justification.”
The latest ruling centers on 28 units of
affordable housing being developed in
New Castle under the name Chappaqua
Station. The units are part of the 2009 affordable housing settlement reached between the federal Department of Housing
and Urban Development and the administration of former County Executive Andrew
Spano. Under the terms of the agreement,
the county must ensure the development
of 750 units of affordable housing in 31
mostly white communities by the end of
2016.
The settlement also calls for the county
to meet annual benchmarks. By the end
of 2014, the county had to have 450 units
with financing in place. In November of
2014, the Westchester County Board of
Legislators approved financing for the
Chappaqua Station project, putting the
county over the benchmark by four units.
However, the federal monitor assigned to
the case, James Johnson, who serves at
the pleasure of HUD, and the Department
of Justice claimed the units should not
count because the financing was “subject
to” the development receiving all the necessary approvals. Not counting the units
would have left the county 24 units short.
However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel
W. Gorenstein dismissed the federal government’s contention, saying the 28 units
“should be counted.” “The record is devoid of evidence that the inclusion of this
[‘subject to’] provision makes the financing any less available for the Chappaqua
Station development,” wrote Judge Gorenstein.
The magistrate also sided with the
county on the contempt issue, saying the
federal government had failed to meet the
standard for showing such a charge was
warranted. The county argued successfully that its behavior had to be measured
against what the settlement actually says,
not what the Monitor claimed it said in his
report.
“We cannot conclude on the current
record that the Settlement language was
clear and unambiguous … such that the
County could be held in contempt for not
taking the additional actions stated in the
Report.”
Astorino said the ruling was critically
important for showing once again that the
county has been complying with the terms
of the settlement. In September, the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
gave Westchester a resounding victory
when it declared that “there has been no
finding, at any point, that Westchester actually engaged in housing discrimination.”
That finding by the nation’s second highest court clearly repudiated the allegation
that Westchester’s zoning laws are discriminatory and exclusionary.
“The federal government has tremendous power and can do tremendous
damage to the reputations of people and
institutions simply by throwing out charges like contempt even if they are later
found to be baseless,” said Astorino. “The
U.S. magistrate’s ruling corrects the false
narrative by the federal government that
Westchester County has done anything
wrong with respect to implementing the
housing settlement.”
For 2015, the county has already surpassed its 600-unit benchmark for financing with 635; and has 466 units with
building permits, 59 short of the goal with
101 applications pending.
Mt. Vernon students attend
12th Annual UN Conference
at Fairfield University
Students engaged in a debate at Fairfield University
O
n November 13th, Fairfield
University held its annual
Model UN High School
Conference. A total of 11
High Schools participated in the conference from the Tri-State area. A total of 12 students from Mount Vernon
High School were invited to participate in the program.
The purpose of the annual conference is to allow high school students
to discuss and debate relevant global
issues. The college students act as
the chairpersons for each committee,
while the high school students take
the role of delegates. This format allows the students to broaden their
horizons on an international level. In
addition, it enables students to work
with college students and have exposure to the university way of life.
Brianna McLaughlin, a senior at
Mount Vernon High School stated:
“The overall experience was great. It
was nice to see everyone hold their
character and not get personal feelings involved and try to find resolutions to the issues presented.”
Bryce Kennedy, a junior at the High
School said: “Topics discussed at the
conference are going to help me in
dealing with issues in the classroom
and the community.”
The committees, topics and delegate students consisted of the following:
• Syrian Refugee Crisis: Shadae
Leslie, Brianna McLaughlin, Britania Rose, Granderson Cross, and
Kiana Graham
• Israeli-Palestinian Crisis: Nia Alexandre, Brenda Alves and Angilee
Sewkarran
• COPUS: Bryce Kennedy and Aliyah Dinkins
• Game of Thrones: Zoe Roswell
and Brenda Bertanholi
A special thanks goes out to Fairfield University for hosting the event,
to the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau
and the Westchester Chapter of the
Links Program for sponsoring the
event and giving Mount Vernon students the opportunity to participate in
this program.
“I am very proud of all the delegates and their accomplishments at
the conference. You are exemplary
students and represented MVHS with
distinction. You truly are future ambassadors,” said Mr. Mihailidis, UN
Advisor.
INQUIRER
26 l December 2015
www.mvinquirer.com
Record crowd attends Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon at Armory
T
The Honorees displaying their awards
he 69th Annual Mayor’s Advisory
Board Thanksgiving Luncheon
was held on Monday, November
23rd at the Mount Vernon Armory,
and a capacity crowd attended the event.
Once again, Geraldine Christiana, Director of the Office for the Aging at the Armory, opened with welcoming comments,
and put together a spectacular event that
was attended by hundreds. Many residents were bused in from local nursing
homes.
Rev. Darren M. Morton, who is the
very visible Pastor of Macedonia Baptist
Church and also Mount Vernon’s Recreation Commissioner, provided the invocation soon after the Pledge of Allegiance
was recited.
Mayor Davis was busy at a meeting
and showed up late, but filling in for him
was Diane Atkins, Deputy Commissioner
of Recreation, who warmly greeted the
guests.
Several high profile individuals were observed serving food, one being Dwayne
Brown, the President of the Chamber of
Commerce.
Mayor Ernest D. Davis was in attendance for his very last Mayor’s Advisory
Board event as mayor, accompanied
by his wife, Bettye. When introduced by
Christiana, Mayor Davis received a long
and warm round of applause. “This great
city of Mount Vernon offers many great opportunities. We care for the young and not
so young. Some of us need to reassess
our opinion of Mount Vernon and stop hating on each other,” said the mayor.
Unfortunately, Guest Speaker Angela
Ciminello, Director of Development and
Marketing for the Wartburg, had an emergency and was unable to attend the event.
Speaking in her place was Catherine
O’Mahoney, Community Outreach Professional for the Wartburg.
“The Wartburg is excited about our upcoming 150th anniversary and the ongoing creation of a Wartburg Museum. The
museum will highlight Wartburg’s historical
tradition of caring for those in need, first
as The Wartburg Orphans’ Farm School,
and now as a premier senior living community and healthcare services provider,”
said O’Mahoney.
After lunch, a money raffle was held,
and then twenty-one individuals and organizations were honored with Certificates
of Appreciation presented by Mayor Davis. Those honored included:
• Food Bank for Westchester
• The Wartburg
• Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon
• Visiting Nurse Services of New York –
Elizabeth Ruiz
The Mistress of Ceremonies, Geraldine Christiana
Catherine O’Mahoney, Community Outreach Professional for the Wartburg
Dwayne Brown, President, Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce
Staff and residents of the Westchester Center
• Guardia Lombardi Association
• Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital –
Geneva Jermin
• Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health
Center
• Kiwanis Club of Mt. Vernon
• New Covenant Church
• Westchester Community College –
Hannah Gross
• HealthFirst – Orlando Marrero
• Sunrise of Fleetwood – Joyce Malone
•W
estchester Center for Rehabilitation
& Nursing
• ElderServe Health
• Mount Vernon Inquirer – Joe Parisi
• Stephen Hess
• Henry Hall
• Barbara Schementi
• Elderplan Homefirst
•Y
annantuono Burr Davis Sharp Funeral
Home
• Urban League – Marian Noel
www.mvinquirer.com
INQUIRER
27 l December 2015
28 l December 2015
INQUIRER
www.mvinquirer.com

December 2015

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