Inside Armonk PDF - Inside Chappaqua
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Inside Armonk PDF - Inside Chappaqua
Find us on Armonk Cider and Donut Festival/Jamie’s 5K Run for Love, Sept. 18 www.theinsidepress.com Sept/Oct 2016 Inside the North Castle Public Library NWH’s Junior Leadership Council Affordable Housing: A Special Report Coming to Town on September 24 and 25 Please join us to “Spin for a Cure” In 2015, the William Raveis Charitable Fund expanded its mission to “Supporting Cutting-Edge Research Against All Forms of Cancer” The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation was founded in 1946 following the death of Damon Runyon, a writer whose beloved Broadway stories inspired the hit show Guys & Dolls. Please join us at EQUINOX GYM in Armonk on THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15th at 5:30 PM Walter Winchell, renowned journalist and radio personality, founded and led the fund with the help of celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio. Since 1946, the Foundation has invested over $300 million in more than 3,500 of the best and brightest scientists in the nation. Twelve of their Alumni have received the Nobel Prize. It will be a fun filled, energetic SPIN class taught by Lisa Gagliardi, appropriate for all levels. DAMON RUNYON BROADWAY TICKETS Our unique service offers the best seats to Broadway’s most popular shows and the opportunity to make a voluntary, tax-deductible donation to cancer research at the same time. To order tickets, simply call 212-455-0550 The cost is $75 per bike and ALL proceeds go to the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation To learn more, visit www.damonrunyon.org/broadway To reserve your bike for “Spin for a Cure” or to donate any amount to our Team Fund, please go to the link below https://williamraveischaritablefu.regfox.com/spin-for-a-cure-armonk-office-event 395 Main St | Armonk, NY | 914.273.3074 • 1 Palmer Ave | Scarsdale, NY | 914.723.1331 Ranked 5th in The Leading Real Estate Companies of The World, The World’s Largest Luxury Real Estate Network, 3,500 Ofces raveis.com "The best website in real estate" The DelVecchio Scarano Team 914.490.1928 | 914.646.9322 Introducing Our Two New Exceptional Listings Armonk Thornwood Stately Colonial bordering Whippoorwill Country Club $1,649,000 The DelVecchio Scarano Team Spacious custom built 1928 Colonial privately situated on 1 acre $1,800,000 The DelVecchio Scarano Team Ranked 5th in The Leading Real Estate Companies of The World, The World’s Largest Luxury Real Estate Network, 3,500 Offices raveis.com "The best website in real estate" L u c i l l e Liang 914.447.1024 Introducing My Two New Exceptional Listings Armonk Young and exceptional Cedar and Stone Colonial $2,299,000 Armonk Spacious and sunbathed brick Colonial on 1.68 acres on cul de sac $1,699,000 Lucille Liang Lucille Liang Ranked 5th in The Leading Real Estate Companies of The World, The World’s Largest Luxury Real Estate Network, 3,500 Offices raveis.com "The best website in real estate" A R M O N K OFFICE 914.273.3074 Bedford Private gated entrance to this stunning custom built brick Bedford Colonial $2,695,000 Amy Singer Bedford Immaculate young sun filled Colonial great for entertaining $1,399,000 Keri Cipriano 395 Main St | Armonk, NY Ranked 5th in The Leading Real Estate Companies of The World, The World’s Largest Luxury Real Estate Network, 3,500 Offices raveis.com "The best website in real estate" September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 1 A R M O N K OFFICE Armonk 914.273.3074 7+ private acres with lake views $1,375,000 The Costa/Looney Team Bedford Pleasantville Armonk Sunny Contemporary set on over 2 acres $1,150,000 Angela Schuler Armonk Perfect sunlit Split Level in Windmill Farm $1,399,999 Stacey Sporn New York City sleek & sophisticated $1,295,000 Diane Freedman Sun lit Colonial in The Estates $1,325,000 Stacey Sporn Warmth & sunshine define this home $495,000 A. Schuler & J. Varvara Armonk Armonk Charming Ranch with open floor plan $745,000 Lisa Koh Armonk Whippoorwill Hills Gloucester Model $1,175,000 Lauren Goldenberg Chappaqua Lakefront property on 5.5 acres $1,850,000 Amy Singer 395 Main St | Armonk, NY Ranked 5th in The Leading Real Estate Companies of The World, The World’s Largest Luxury Real Estate Network, 3,500 Offices raveis.com "The best website in real estate" 2 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 A R M O N K OFFICE Armonk 914.273.3074 Robert A.M. Stern masterpiece on 4+ acres $1,950,000 Stacee Massoni Armonk Armonk Armonk Custom Colonial in Whippoorwill $1,995,000 Amy Singer Armonk Renovated Whippoorwill Ranch $1,749,000 Nancy Perito Armonk Rockland model in gated community $1,075,000 Stacee Massoni Turn-key Colonial completely rebuilt $1,125,000 Lucille Liang Elegant open-flow entertainer’s paradise $2,699,000 S. Slotnick & A. Manson Stately brick Colonial on private 4 acres $1,995,000 The Costa/Looney Team Armonk Armonk Beautifully maintained and updated $699,000 Lucille Liang Bedford Custom built home has dock on lake $1,300,000 Stacey Sporn 395 Main St | Armonk, NY Ranked 5th in The Leading Real Estate Companies of The World, The World’s Largest Luxury Real Estate Network, 3,500 Offices raveis.com "The best website in real September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 3 A R M O N K OFFICE Armonk 914.273.3074 Mini-Estate with Guest cottage on 2 acres $1,499,000 Jeanne Looney Armonk Armonk Armonk Renovated hideaway on 10.6 acres $2,995,000 Lucille Liang Armonk Bright updated Contemporary Colonial $939,000 Lucille Liang Armonk Windmill Farms waterfront home $1,395,000 Amy Singer Sunny open Ranch $749,000 A. Schuler & J.Varvara Prestigious Whippoorwill Ridge $1,325,000 Lisa Theiss Stone and shingle home on level acre $849,000 Angela Schuler Bedford Corners Armonk Sunlit open flow Windmill Farms split $749,900 Amy Singer Armonk Traditional Colonial on 1.25 acres $1,080,000 Robyn Eckhaus 395 Main St | Armonk, NY Ranked 5th in The Leading Real Estate Companies of The World, The World’s Largest Luxury Real Estate Network, 3,500 Offices raveis.com "The best website in real estate" 4 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 Sept/Oct 2016 The Magazine for North Castle and Beyond Features Page 13 www.theinsidepress.com 10. Cider and Donuts Whether you’re a runner or just into good food and music, the Chamber’s Cider and Donuts Festival this fall has something for you. By Justin Ellick COVER STORY: 18. Summer Sounds The Summer Concert Series brought a diverse array of musical acts into the hamlet. Inside Press contributor, photo journalist Marianne Campolongo stopped by one and enjoyed the Swingaroos! 22. More than Books Library Director Edie Martimucci explains what the North Castle Public Library has to offer and how the library fits into the community. By Deborah Raider Notis 26. Special Report on Affordable Housing in our Towns Fighting over the housing settlement between HUD and Westchester County has gone on for seven years. We look at how the settlement has affected North Castle and neighboring New Castle. By Andrew Vitelli 32. NWH’s Junior Leadership Council Discovering creative ways to address student anxiety. By Janine Crowley Haynes This September, a small village will spring up in Armonk, with some of the region’s best artists displaying their work. By Brian Donnelly 16. Q & A with Anne Curran The Executive Director of the Armonk Art Show explains what goes into making the show a success. By Andrew Vitelli Departments Editor’s Note 6. A Local Perspective By Andrew Vitelli Just Between Us 8. The Capacity to Love Reflections from Philadelphia’s Democratic National Convention 35. Let’s Dance Armonk Dance, located just off Old Route 22, has something for all dancers. By Stacey Pfeffer Inside Thoughts 24. Mindfulness in a Crazy World By Jodi Baretz 36. Understanding Evan’s Law An insightful report about the fight for legislation that would help end texting and driving. By Justin Ellick 38. Leaf-Spotting It’s almost fall; where should you go for the best views once the leaves start to turn? By Andrew Vitelli Happenings 34. Spirit of the Olympics & The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence Etcetera 40. A Body’s Memory A visit to a temple in Kyoto triggers memories of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. By Dana Y. Wu Rockefeller Preserve 38 Sponsor Spotlights 20 21 COVER PHOTO 2016 Armonk Art Show Committee Photo by Andrew Vitelli 26 31 33. Division One–Bringing Fun & Positivity to Workouts Karl Pfistner explains how to do just that. 30. Five Biggest Financial Mistakes in Divorce By Ilene Amiel 34. Paying for College 101 By Scott Kahan September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 5 LET TER FROM THE EDI TOR Andrew Vitelli As readers of the Inside Press know, summer marks the longest break between issues of both Inside Armonk and Inside Chappaqua, making this our first issue since June. The theme of the issue is “fun,” and most of our stories go along with this theme. The cover story is on the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, describing how a village of art will arise in the hamlet later this September. Don’t forget to visit this year’s Cider & Donut Festival, sponsored by the Armonk Chamber of Commerce. Details, page 10 We also feature a preview of the Cider and Donuts Festival, another exciting local event to which we can look forward. For nature lovers, we have a feature on where Armonk residents can go to see the leaves change colors, and we’ll also take a look back at some of the fun Armonk had in the summer that just passed, including the Summer Concert Series. the many local businesses that make the hamlet unique. Finally, I take a look at how a housing settlement signed between the county and the federal government is impacting North Castle as well as neighboring New Castle. Admittedly, this doesn’t really go along with the whole “fun” theme for the issue. Along with these event previews and look backs, we give readers a look at the North Castle Public Library, a dynamic institution of which every Armonk resident should take advantage. And we feature Armonk Dance, one of As both a reporter in and resident of Westchester, I’ve covered and followed the county’s battles over the housing settlement for years. After learning this spring that North Castle faced the www.theinsidepress.com It’s impossible to tell the full story of the settlement in one magazine article–it would probably be impossible to tell it in a book. My hope for this article is that it will give readers a look beyond some of the slogans coming from those for or against the settlement and a sense of what the settlement has meant for them and their neighbors. Armonk Outdoor Art Show 55th AnnuAl Sept/Oct 2016 • Volume 13, Number 4 Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Grace Bennett Editor Graphic Designer Publisher Associate Andrew Vitelli Dina Spalvieri Caroline Rosengarden Web Design Accounts Manager Ryan Smith, Rick Waters Ilene Amiel threat of litigation under the settlement, I began thinking about how I could tell the story of the settlement from a local perspective. General Counsel Brian Hand Mailing address: Inside Armonk PO Box 643, Millwood, NY 10546 © 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Reproduction of any portion is p rohibited without permission from the publisher. Phone Number: 914-238-2600 Sat./Sun. SePtembeR 24 & 25 10am–5pm Rain oR Shine • FRee PaRking • no DogS Inside Armonk is not responsible for and does not endorse any advertisers, products or resources referenced in advertisements appearing in this publication. The Inside Press shall not be liable to any party as a result of any information, services or resources made available through this publication. The Inside Press is published in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in advertising that appears in this publication. The views of advertisers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher’s. For Story Ideas or Press Release submissions, please email: [email protected] For Advertising Inquires, please email: [email protected] For more information, rates and advertising calendar, go to www.theinsidepress.com. Enjoying your free copy? To help support us, consider a gift subscription! SIX Issues of Inside Armonk or Inside Chappaqua for $24 each or $36 for both (inc. Shipping & Handling) Choose your publication(s)! Inside Armonk Inside Chappaqua Recipient Address: toP-RateD Fine aRt & Fine CRaFtS Show 205 Business Park Drive • Armonk, NY Admission: General $12 ($2 Off General Admission with coupon or this ad: up to 2 admissions) Seniors: $10, 18 and under, FREE. Gift From: Send this form with your payment to: Inside Press, Inc. P.O. Box 643, Millwood, NY 10546 6 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 www.armonkoutdoorartshow.org Proceeds Benefit The North Castle Public Library IA-16 Repeat At Family BRitches. Make Tracks To Our Tent Sale. Save up to 50% on skiwear and ski gear at Hickory & Tweed, Sept. 17 & 18 only. Save 50% and more on last winter’s skiwear. Save up to 50% on last season’s ski equipment and Burton snowboards. l Save up to 40% on bikes for the entire family from Cannondale and Specialized. Voted #1 l l Nationwide Save 15% on ski leasing equipment now thru Sept. 30 Come in now and get first dibs on our best ski and snowboard leasing equipment for the whole family. l No deposit required. l Meet representatives from Repeat on Saturday, October 15 at Family Britches in Chappaqua and New Canaan. BRITCHES F A M I L W Y 70 King St., Chappaqua, NY n 914.238.8017 39 Elm St., New Canaan, CT n 203.966.0518 www.familybritches.com Ski Magazine named Hickory & Tweed the Best Ski Shop in the Country. Ski & Bike SINCE 1961 Celebrating our 55th Year 410 Main Street, Armonk, NY l 914.273.3397 www.hickoryandtweed.com Mon-Fri,10-5:30lThurs ‘til 8lSat, 9:30-5:30lOpen Sun, 12-4 Follow us on September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 7 JUST BETWEEN US The Capacity to Love As the long time publisher of our flagship publication, Inside Chappaqua–the hometown magazine for Hillary Clinton– and a life-long Democrat, I was very proud to attend the Democratic National Convention as press, and thought I might offer Inside Armonk readers a glimpse of the experience too. I was as excited as any friend, family or delegate visitor to Philly’s Wells Fargo Arena to witness first the allstar line-up of our nation’s Democrat Superstars throw their full weight squarely, and often, ever so eloquently into our hometown candidate’s corner. Then, of course, etched in my mind forever…witnessing Hillary make her way to the mic, waving to the crowds in every direction, and fully embracing her party’s historical nomination of her for POTUS. Grace Bennett Photo When Barriers Fall Midway through her speech, it was no surprise to me that Hillary extended her accomplishment from family to, well, everyone else: “Standing here as my mother’s daughter, and my daughter’s mother, I’m so happy this day has come. I’m happy for grandmothers and little girls and everyone in between. I’m happy for boys and men–because when any barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone. After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky’s the limit.” was very touching; Chappaqua really is home, sweet home to Hillary. I was also glad to head to Philly with my long-time friend and former classmate at Columbia’s ‘J-school,’ Susan Youngwood, a self-described ‘political junkie,’ with both a daily newspaper and magazine background. From the outset, we both agreed that we would focus much less on national-style coverage of the major speeches which our Susan Youngwood Photo readers would naturally turn to national media for. Instead, we set out to capture an eclectic ar- I remember too: the abundance of heartfelt hugs–Hillary hugs. To me, they symbolize Hillary’s ubiquitous “Love Trumps Hate” campaign slogan… hugs for Bill, for Chelsea, for her running mate Tim Kaine, and on the night before, for and from President Obama. And countless other ones for those closest to her and seemingly always plenty to spare for her fans too. When hate gets thrown at her, Hillary Clinton doubles down on her capacity to tap into a bottomless reservoir of love– and hugs! And daily, inside the Philadelphia Convention Center, dozens of public service organizations promoted their missions via buttons, literature and animated conversation; at a daily breakfast briefing, caucuses and roundtables, open primarily to delegates and press, speakers delved into issues near and dear to their hearts. The general public attended rallies or packed “PoliticalFest,” a fun, interactive festival related to American history and politics. Whatever your political leanings, Hillary Clinton’s official nomination represents a huge historical milestone for Chappaqua too. I learned at one point that Hillary Clinton really appreciates the nights on the campaign trail when she can sleep in her own bed. So learning of a surprise celebration for her at the Kittle House on the very night following Roll Call in the arena 8 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 Grace Bennett Photo ray of stories that you might not see in other press, particularly anything that could qualify as having a local angle. Please visit www.theinsidepress.com for links to all our 2016 DNC coverage and Hillary’s Run articles. You can also follow our future coverage of Hillary Clinton’s historical campaign to become the first woman POTUS. I caught up with Governor Martin O’Malley for his reaction immediately following Michelle Obama’s much lauded endorsement of Hillary Clinton. He said Michelle’s words “summed up in a beautiful way why our country is already great.” GET BACK TO THE LIFE YOU LOVE BURKE REHABILITATION IS NOW OPEN IN ARMONK! For more than 100 years, Burke has been a leader in rehabilitation medicine. Now we've brought our quality physical therapy to Armonk. We are conveniently located next to White Plains Hospital Medical & Wellness at 99 Business Park Drive. The same quality physical therapy you have come to expect from Burke is now available closer to home. PHYSICAL THERAPY NOW AVAILABLE BURKE OUTPATIENT CLINIC 99 BUSINESS PARK DRIVE ARMONK, NEW YORK (914) 597-2165 BURKE .ORG/ OUTPATIENT Pioneering Rehabilitation™ A member of the Montefiore Health System, Inc. EXCLUSIVELY AT EYE DESIGNS EYE DESIGNS OF ARMONK 575 MAIN STREET ARMONK NY 10504 273-7337 – eyedesignsofarmonk.com September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 9 Cider, Donuts and Racing Mark Chamber’s By Justin Ellick Fall Festival The 5th Annual Cider and Donuts Festival, previously called the Armonk Fall Festival, is coming to Wampus Brook Park. The event, sponsored by the Armonk Chamber of Commerce, will be held Sept. 18 and gathers residents and merchants of Armonk to welcome the changing of seasons and to reflect on yet another spectacular summer. The festival, which brings together the town’s residents for a day of activities each year, focuses on Armonk’s long history as a cider and donut hotbed. Over the years, the festival has grown rapidly, with more events and more guests showing up every year. Last year was the first year the Cider and Donut Festival partnered up with Jamie’s 5K Run for Love, and the Chamber of Commerce is confident that the race’s popularity and participants will skyrocket this year as a result of the great success of last year’s festival. This year, the Chamber decided to add on another wing to the festivities, as the Byram Hills Pre-School Association and its annual carnival will join the fun. With so many activities to get through in so little time, people are excited to see what kind of impact the festival has on the small hamlet of Armonk. “Ideally we’d like the festival to serve as a way of getting Armonk values and the people who display them out in the open a little more,” said Neal Schwartz, president of the Cham- The donuts, from Beascakes Bakery, will be freshly out of the oven, practically melting in festivalgoers’ mouths. To accompany the donuts, there will be plenty of apple cider to go around. This year, the festival is merging with another popular Armonk event in the Pre-School Association Fall Carnival. This will also get underway at around 10 a.m., with rides and activities for children, as well as Mike Dardano Photos pizza and ice cream. The festival has become an Arber of Commerce. “Armonk is filled monk tradition, and one that continwith many small businesses trying to ues to grow. expose themselves to a wider range of consumers. The festival offers a great opportunity for these smallbusiness owners to increase business as well.” The festival, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is the largest it’s ever been. The fun will start with some races, as the kids will get a chance to test their speed with the Donut Dash (ages 2-8) at 10 a.m., followed by the McIntosh Mile at 10:10 a.m. After the children have had their fun, Jamie’s 5K Run for Love is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. This portion of the festival is a continuation of a popular annual event, with runners coming from all over to honor the late Jamie Love, who was a track and field star at both Byram Hills High School and the University of Vermont. This year, net proceeds from the run will benefit the North Castle Public Library’s children’s programs along with the Armonk Chamber of Commerce, so that the town can continue to run popular programs and events. Once the festival and races start at 10 a.m., non-racing attendees can jump right into the Cider and Donut Festival games and activities. These will include donut fishing, as well as pie-eating contests and dunk tanks. 10 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 “Our first year, all we had was a couple of booths and limited activities, along with the fact that not many people attended the festival,” continued Schwartz. “In under five years we’ve been able to grow significantly the festival and the events it offers, and in turn have attracted more and more people every year.” The Cider and Donuts Festival has quickly become one of Armonk’s biggest events of the year, as local merchants and residents of Armonk look forward to coming together as a community. Greeley grad Justin Ellick, a sophomore Media and Communications Major at Ursinus College in Philadelphia, is an intern for Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines this summer. DE Inside Armonk Sept/Oct 2016_Layout 1 7/29/16 3:11 PM Page 1 MANHATTAN | BROOKLYN | LONG ISLAND | THE HAMPTONS | THE NORTH FORK | RIVERDALE | WESTCHESTER | PUTNAM/DUTCHESS | GREENWICH | ASPEN | LOS ANGELES | FLORIDA © 2016 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS ARE DEEMED RELIABLE, BUT SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. PRIME LOCATION BUILDER’S OWN SMART HOME Armonk | $2,100,000 | Located directly on Main Street in Armonk, this rare property includes 3 buildings: ~2,048 sf retail renovated in ‘97 and ‘08 with permit for food use; ~1,390 sf residential; ~1,296 sf residential. Two driveways; a must see. Web# 4544161 Armonk Office 914.273.1001 Armonk | $1,395,000 | Intelligently and expensively renovated in 2014, this 5-bedroom, 4 new bath home offers truly carefee living - you can control systems from your SMART phone. Highlights include a true chef's kitchen, heated garage and generator. Web# 4626131 Armonk Office 914.273.1001 CUSTOM DESIGNED HOME COVETED ROUND HILL ROAD Armonk | $1,280,000 | Gracious ~3,800 sf, 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath residence has been tastefully rebuilt both inside and out. French doors throughout the first level bring the outside in with gorgeous water views from every room. Full length deck. Web# 4620783 Armonk Office 914.273.1001 Armonk | $925,000 | Nestled on tranquil, level 2-acre prime property overlooking a pond, this updated, upgraded 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath versatile Contemporary lives like a Colonial. Enjoy the deck from the living room, family room and young kitchen. Web# 4632618 Armonk Office 914.273.1001 A SPECIAL PROPERTY ENTERTAINER’S DELIGHT Chappaqua | $799,000 | Enjoy the serene setting of cul-de-sac living set back from a pond in this turn-key, energy efficient, 3-bedroom, 3-bath home. Doors from living room open to patio overlooking peaceful backyard. Web# 4632836 Chappaqua Office 914.238.3988 Armonk | $784,000 | Set on 1.72 acres with a level backyard with in-ground pool, this 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath gem offers a light-filled living room with fireplace,dining room, eat-in kitchen and den. Oversized patio is covered with a canopy for outdoor fun. Web# 4617377 Chappaqua Office 914.238.3988 For a complete list of properties, visit elliman.com KNOWN GLOBALLY. LOVED LOCALLY. September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 11 Life can be hectic .... Taking care of your health shouldn’t have to be. We are here to help. Conveniently located in the heart of Armonk at 99 Business Park Drive, White Plains Hospital Medical & Wellness wants to make it easy for you and your family to get the care you need. Whether an annual physical, checkup for your child or help with planning a family, our experienced physicians are available to help. Call 914-849-7900 or visit us online at wphospital.org/armonk. W H I T E P L A I N S H O S P I T A L I S A M E M B E R O F T H E M O N T E F I O R E H E A L T H S Y S T E M Athletes are made in the off season. - Specializing in sport specific training for student athletes and injury prevention for all ages - 40 yards of indoor field turf, top-grade cardio equipment, advanced weight-training set up, stride classes and circuit training classes DIVISION n e w y o r k 4 New King Street • White Plains, NY 10604 Karl Pfistner • 914-346-1701 12 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 A rmonk O utdoor A rt Show Building the Photo Courtesy/Tompkins Excavating By Brian Donnelly Every year within the hamlet of Armonk an entire city gets built, only to disappear two days later. Work always begins on a Thursday. By Friday, an open grassy field flanked by trees is lined with stakes in the ground where 185 vendors then erect tents in symmetrical rows. Lining the old IBM parking lot, nearby roads, and highways are signs directing people to this annual phenomenon. This year those signs will read, “The 55th Annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show.” “By the end of the day Friday after the artists have erected their tents, it’s like a miniature city,” said Stacy Wilder, one of four co-chairs and 300 volunteers, some of whom work yearround to stage the art show. Slated for Sept. 24 and Sept. 25, rain or shine, the nationally renowned show features 185 artists spanning 33 states, Israel, and Canada. The exhibits run the gamut, including fine arts – paintings, mixed media, printmaking, drawing, pastels, sculpture, photography/digital art, and wearable art – and fine crafts. “It’s well-selected and juried, and even though it is fine arts and crafts there are things there for people with all different budgets,” Wilder, a 22-year resident of Armonk, said. “Whether you’re looking for a print that’s $50, or a bronze statue for many, many thousands of dollars, we’ve got a full range of quality art.” Armonk resident Lanni Sidoti, 52, exhibits enamel jewelry and wall pieces. “I kind of consider it the highlight of the year,” she said, looking forward to her fourth time exhibiting at the show, which happens to be within walking distance from her home. “I’m very happy that I’m in it. Just because I’m in it one year doesn’t mean that I’m in it the next year.” Even returning artists have to be juried in every year, with the exception of the award winners of the prior year. Hundreds of artists apply to be a part of the show, including more than 600 this year alone. Among those selected, 46 are new to this year’s show. “We get to look at the cream of the crop and boil it down to who we think is really the best,” Wilder said. “So, we have a reputation for having really great quality work.” The art show’s executive director, Anne Curran, has been working on the show’s administrative aspects since the beginning of this year. “The art show is a premiere two-day event that has broad appeal for corporate sponsors,” Curran says. “There is great value in sponsorships for all of us.” September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 13 then again to the Legion Field behind Town Hall. In 1997 it moved to its current home at Community Park, the old IBM field, according to the art show’s website. By Christine Mackellar–jewelry Long-time volunteer and interior designer Susan Geffen said the show has, in years past, featured renowned artists like New York wire artist Skye Ferrante and Brooklyn painter Ken Solomon. His work has been shown at the Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). “Some artists do it as a stepping stone to other things. For others this is how they sell their art,” she said. The last move, Geffen said, turned a nice community event into a nationally-ranked attraction. "Art Fair Sourcebook," which Wilder called a bible for art fair exhibitors, named it among the “Prime 50” Fine Art and Fine Craft Fairs in the U.S. "Sunshine Artist Magazine" has consistently named it among the “Top Fine Art and Design Shows” in the New York Metro Area. “It was the move that started it because we were able to contain the show so that we had an entrance, and we were able to charge an admission fee,” said Geffen, whose many volunteer roles include offering free personal consults connecting visitors with art that best fits their taste and decor. “So, we started to make more money, more money for the library.” The show is sponsored by Friends of the North Castle Public Library, Inc. The proceeds, which Wilder said have topped $100,000 each of the past 15 years, benefit the North Castle and North White Plains libraries. Approximately 8,000 people visit the show every year, Geffen said. By Denis Leblanc–watercolor The latter category includes Sidoti. “It’s my best show,” she said. Geffen first attended the art show when she moved to Armonk in the early 1970s, a decade after its inception in 1961. The first show featured only a handful of artists displaying their work on the lawn of the Armonk Methodist Church bordering Main Street. As turnout grew through the years the show relocated to the parking lot in front of the library, and “The Armonk Outdoor Art Show is the largest fundraising event that’s held by the Friends,” said Edie Martimucci, executive director of the North Castle Public Library. “And the impact that it has on our library is that it enables the Friends to help us with our programming.” In addition to supporting programs like the summer reading program, movie series, yoga classes and art lectures, the proceeds from the art show have funded many renovations and upgrades to the library. They include a new circulation desk and an interactive play and reading area in the children’s room. 14 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 Andrew Vitelli Photo (L to R) Art Show Artist Liaison Judy Moniz; Executive Director Anne Curran; co-chairs Debbie Heidecorn, Marian Hamilton, Stacy Wilder, and David Africk; and co-chair advisor Susan Geffen. Martimucci recently presented to the Friends plans to open an art gallery in the library. She hopes to open it in late 2017. Wesley Rasko–glass “We are a library that is a result of the art show and we want to have more cultural programming that reflects art,” she said. First-time exhibitor Luis Perez, 54, will debut in style with a double booth. He will help run another double booth, which features the Byram Hill High School students exhibiting their work. “Most high schools have great art programs and we want to pursue this wonderful experience for teenagers to know what it’s like to be a pro artist,” he said. High school artists have been an integral part of the art show for the last few years. This year they more than doubled in number from about 10 to 24. Perez plans to make it even bigger next year by inviting students from Valhalla High School to submit applications, too. of last year’s high school booth. While the Armonk Outdoor Art Show has grown into a city of a show in its 55 years, Geffen said it’s still the same “great hometown thing to do” that it was when volunteers baked pies, cakes and the muchloved art show brownies in Steven Kolodny– the early days. jewelry piece Today, the show features a wide selection of food vendors. Valerie Bunnell–sculpture “I’ve always enjoyed seeing the show. I think it’s a really well put together show and the fact that I get to be a part of that is really exciting,” said Andrea Conrelius, 18, who was a part Marvin Blackmore–clay 25, rain or shine. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors or with coupon, while children under 18 get in for free. Visit www.armonkoutdoorartshow. org for more information. "We all really like each other," Wilder said of her fellow volunteers. "It's a great group of people and it makes you feel good about where you live because you're working with your friends and neighbors for a common cause." Brian Donnelly was born and raised in Westchester. He is a freelance reporter, videographer and social media specialist, whose hobbies include riding bicycles, waves and rooftop hammocks. The art show is held at 205 Business Park Drive in Armonk and runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 24 and Sept. Andrew Vitelli’s interview with Anne Curran, Executive Director of the Armonk Art Show, appears on the next page. DISCOVER your talents, your friends, your success at The Harvey School Small School… Big Opportunities… Endless Possibilities. 260 Jay Street • Katonah, NY 10536 914.232.3161 • [email protected] www.harveyschool.org A coeducational college preparatory school enrolling students in grades 6–12 for day and in grades 9–12 for five-day boarding. COME VISIT US AT OUR ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22 AT 9 A.M. September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 15 Question and Answer with Anne Curran By Andrew Vitelli tion of applications is time-consuming and takes place during the early months of the year. Soliciting contributions and corporate sponsors is key to successful fundraising and this year we have provided Gold Sponsors with the opportunity to have a booth at the show. This has been very well received and we hope to continue to offer special opportunities for our highest level donors to connect with art show visitors. The planning of all aspects of communications, field operations, volunteer committees and volunteer staff for the two-day event is a team effort. Fortunately, the team works very well together and has a good time, too! We are always looking for new volunteers to take on small or larger assignments. The work is rewarding and there is a wonderful community of art show friends that will warmly welcome new volunteers. When did you first get involved with the Armonk Outdoor Art Show? What made you get involved? I first attended the show in the early 1990’s when I lived in White Plains. My husband and I became acquainted with Armonk because of coming to the art show, and we still credit the art show as what motivated us to find our home here, 18 years ago. We felt that a community that supports a wonderful art show and theatre group (The Armonk Players), as well as the local library, had to be a great place to live, and that is still true today. Over the past decade, I volunteered at the annual shows and always enjoyed working with neighbors and meeting old and new friends. Early this year, after completing my final term as town clerk, I accepted the position of Executive Director of the Art Show. I work very closely with the co-chairs of the show and others who have key organizational roles. I’m happy to work for the Friends of the North Castle Public Library, and contribute to the wonderful work done by so many long serving and dedicated volunteers. In many ways, I feel like assumREGISTER ing the role of Executive Director NOW! of the Art Show has brought me full circle to what originally brought me to Armonk. ART Classes Afterschool and Saturdays Pleasantville, NY CLASSES FOR KIDS, TEENS, ADULTS for more information 914-238-5252 ART 2016 Westchester Studio FALL PROGRAM WEBSITE: www.westchesterartstudio.com 16 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 Is running the art show a yearround effort? What are some of the biggest challenges in preparing for the show? The organizational requirements are tremendous and it is very much a year-round effort. Since the show is juried, marketing to exhibitors is important so that we continue to draw a large quality pool of applicants. The evalua- What makes the show so unique and valuable for the community? It is a high quality show that is nationally recognized as one of the top Fine Art and Fine Craft Shows, and while extremely well organized, it maintains a very personal, small community feeling that artists and visitors appreciate. The community benefits from the recognition of hosting such a highly regarded and well attended show in Armonk, while the net proceeds help fund a broad spectrum of library programs, entertainment, new technology, and facility enhancements. Besides that, there is huge satisfaction in putting on the show, now celebrating our 55th year. How can businesses who want to support the art show get involved? Corporate Sponsorships are available at three levels: Gold Sponsors ($5,000); Silver Sponsors ($2,500); Bronze Sponsors ($1,000). Business can also support the show as a Community Booster for contributions of $500 and $250. We promote all donors in our communications and maximize corporate visibility for our sponsors. Visit armonkoutdoorartshow.org for more details and to contact me. I would be happy to discuss the unique value to any business by supporting the art show. TOP TEN ANYTHING! Useful Tips for a Successful Kitchen or Bathroom Renovation Westchester’s Premier By Custom Cabinet Maker since 1978 Richard Mucci 6. Start a “kitchen ideas” file. 2. Remember that your renovaFrom Classic…to Contemporary When something catches your eye in tion is an investment! Kitchens and 10. When shopping for kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, be sure to compare apples to apples as to cabinet manufacturer, construction options, and most importantly quality of finish. 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G C L I C . # W C - 16 2 2 4 - H 0 5 164 Harris Road, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 914.241.3046 | www.euphoriakitchens.com H O U R S : T U E S - F R I 10 : 3 0 A M - 5 P M S AT 11 A M - 4 P M | G C L I C . # W C - 16 2 2 4 - H 0 5 September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 17 March/April 2012 Inside Chappaqua 39 A FOND LOOK BACK Armonk Summer Concert Series By Marianne A. Campolongo Stormy weather did nothing to hamper the opening night of the Armonk Summer Concert Series. Although they had to postpone their plans for a picnic under the stars at Wampus Brook Park’s gazebo until the following weekend, a near-capacity crowd turned out at Whippoorwill Hall Theatre to see The Swingaroos, a spirited young band who cover jazz, blues, and pop standards from 1930 to 1945, as well as performing original tunes penned by the band’s vocalist Kimberly Hawkey and pianist Assaf Gleizner. The other band members are Dan Glaude on the saxophone and clarinet, Nat Ranson on trombone, Ray Cetta on bass and Uri Zelig on drums. Hawkey said she and the band actually The Swingaroos (front row from left): Kimberly Hawkey (vocals), Dan preferred the Glaude (clarinet), Nat Ranson (trombone), Ray Cetta (upright bass) seen indoor space. in rear. “It felt like an old 1940’s theatre and the sound was great. The audience was really receptive. Some of them were grooving in their seats. You need inspiration, especially when you’re playing jazz because much of it is improvised. It was a fun group to play for, a great audience.” Jazz and Marianne Campolongo Photo More Wonderful Summer Concerts... Soul, Charlie Lagond Opera, New Rochelle Opera Broadway Classics Hager, Ibarra, Schulman, Spielman, and Johnson The free Summer Concert Series, held twice a month in July and August, is produced by Sam Morell, a semiretired chemical engineer, who volunteers for many town activities, under the aegis of The Small Town Theatre Company. “We have very gracious sponsors,” said Morell. The Town of North Castle and several local businesses lent financial support, and raffles were held during intermission. 18 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 Marianne Campolongo Photo Kimberly Hawkey of the Swingaroos performs during a first show in July at the Whippoorwill Hall Theatre. The summer’s line-up included Charlie Lagond (jazz), the New Rochelle Opera, and Hager, Ibarra, Schulman, Spielman, and Johnson singing Broadway show tunes. “The best social media are people getting together not virtually but bringing a picnic basket, a lawn chair and sharing some food together with friends and listening to a concert,” said Morell. “Saturday evening under the stars and the moon.” Marianne Campolongo is a professional photographer and writer from Chappaqua. Visit www.campyphotos.com. 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Martimucci, who has worked in the library system for more than 18 years, has been director of the North Castle Public Library since April 2016. She helps to bring the highest quality of free programming to both the Armonk and North White Plains branches of the library. The creative, intellectual, and community-enhancing programming at The North Castle Public Library has one other added benefit. Nearly all of these programs are free to the public. For the past 70 years, the funding for many of these free programs can be attributed to the Friends of the North Castle Library. The Friends of the North Castle Library funds special programming that makes the library a greater draw for residents of both North Castle and the greater Westchester area. Library provided funding for the original library building, Whippoorwill Hall, and various other building renovations. The Friends of the North Castle Library’s annual Art Show, one of the most prestigious art shows in the United States and their largest fundraiser, helps to support many of these programs. Over the past year, attendance at library programs went up astronomically, but Martimucci is hoping to spur even greater community participation in library events going forward. She has helped to bring diverse programs into the library, including weekly Tai Chi, art history, and Italian language and culture programs, all of which are exceptionally well-attended. This year, the North Castle Public Library also added weekly Bridge lessons. For the younger set, the North Castle Public Library offers everything from yoga for mothers with children They are responsible for the Sunday Music Concert Series, teen programs including a songwriting program, family programs like Family Chess, and various health and wellness programs. The Friends of the North Castle Library also sponsors bi-annual productions of The Armonk Players, a community theater group. Additionally, the Friends of the North Castle 22 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 North Castle Public Library Director Edie Martimucci ages one to four to sewing to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) programs. According to Megan Dean, Director of Youth Services for the North Castle Public Library, “We are looking at the future of libraries. Thus far libraries have been all about circulating books. Now we are looking at different programming and circulating other materials that allow for exploration and trial and error. We want to find new things and ways that the library can contribute to the community.” To that end, the library has added maker programs, science labs, Photoshop and print-making programs for middle schoolers, and 3-D printing workshops for middle and high school students. These programs meet once a week and typically have between 10 and 20 participants. Dean has also started a program through which maker kits are circulated for two weeks to library members. With so many options, Dean hopes to encourage more members of North Castle’s younger community to become active at the library. Knowledgeable instructors, including Pace University professor Val Franco and Alka Kaminer, who runs a weekly Chair Yoga class, give these programs even greater appeal. “We have quite a few independent teachers who love to teach and enjoy our library community,” states Martimucci. Unique programming, like cooking classes sponsored by the White Plains Hospital in conjunction with the library and the Sunday Music Concert Series, has been a significant draw, and both the “A Taste of Sinatra” and “Love Songs of World War II” concerts packed the house with approximately 175 attendees each. Martimucci has great aspirations for the library for the coming year. She hopes to build the library’s academic reputation, making it an educational hub for the North Castle community. Adding four-week continuing education classes, on any topic from history to science, is a high priority for Martimucci. But most importantly, Martimucci wants input from the community. She encourages people to provide the powers that be at the library with their ideas and feedback. Go onto the library’s website and submit suggestions to the virtual suggestion box. And show up. The North Castle Public Library is a phenomenal resource that is open to the whole community. “The library should open up endless possibilities. I want to help to incite people’s desire to learn.” Whether you’re interested in nutrition, cooking, physical well-being, music, academics, science, youth programming, or the arts, the North Castle Public Library has something for you. Deborah Raider Notis lives in Westchester with her husband, four boys, and her dog. She is the co-owner of gamechangernow, LLC (gamechangernow. com), a free referral service connecting Westchester families to instructors. You can find Deborah’s writing for the Inside Press and on suburbanmisfitmom.com. She would also like to implement an annual community spelling bee. Structurally, she wants to reconfigure the rooms throughout the Armonk branch to allow for programming. “If we create more dedicated spaces, programming won’t interfere with studying,” notes Martimucci. She hopes that this will encourage even greater participation in programming. Learn about our amazing Hebrew School Engage in Tot Shabbat Enjoy expanded Adult Education Join us for Come home to... Back to Shul Night Friday, September 9 at 7:30pm Joyful Judaism! Welcoming and inclusive. High Holiday Tickets Available on limited basis Warm and engaged. Everyone can find a connection at Pleasantville Community Synagogue. www.shalompcs.com [email protected] 9 1 4 .76 9 . 2 672 September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 23 INSIDE THOUGHTS Mindfulness in a Crazy World By Jodi Baretz, LCSW, CHHC Listen to your self-talk, and notice without judging yourself how your biases and beliefs have affected you. We each have to do our part to be more understanding of others and accept those who are different than ourselves. Lately, it seems like on a weekly basis we are hearing about some awful terrorist attack, or act of gun violence. Our flags are constantly at half mast, and we barely mourn one tragedy before another one hits. This is a constant reminder of how intolerance, hate and racism are still present around the world. This unrest adds to the chronic anxiety many of us already feel on a daily basis. A story I heard at a seminar about a soldier returning from Iraq can speak to compassion and non-judgment. He was having difficulty managing his stress and anger, and enrolled in a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction class. He was at a supermarket behind a woman that was handing over her baby to the cashier and delaying his check out. He would normally have said something, but waited and felt the frustration course through his body. When he got to the front of the line, he asked the cashier about the baby, and she revealed that her husband was killed in Iraq, that was her baby, and her mother was watching her because she couldn't afford child care. The tragedies we hear about are real, but we have to be mindful of the stories we tell ourselves. It is easy to get carried away with doomsday scenarios, because our hyperactive brains are programmed for survival. The 24-hour media coverage of shootings, killings and terrorist events perpetuates worry, and creates anxiety. The media often seems to thrive on fear because they know you will tune in. The reality is that “we didn’t start the fire, it was always burning since the world’s been turning.” It just seems that the Armageddon is closer now than ever before. “If every eight year old in the world is taught meditation, we the recent awful news will eliminate violence from the hasNonetheless, an effect on us, especially those of world within one generation.” us with children. We worry about them –Dalai Lama. growing up in a world that is volatile. While we are so down on the events of the day, we must remember that our current society is much better off than in the past. For example, look at the changes in the LGBT community. It is much safer now for teens and adults alike to be proud and embrace who they are, without tremendous fear of persecution. Additionally, in the past, children with Down’s Syndrome would be institutionalized, and now they are often mainstreamed and have become valued members of society. Remarkably, there is a black President in the White House, which had been unthinkable just a short time ago. We certainly have come a long way, and hopefully can continue along this path. We worry when they travel overseas. We worry about them being exposed to hate and violence at such a young age. How do we cope with the weight of the world on our shoulders? Mindfulness practices are not only ways that we can improve focus and be present, but also ways to cultivate love, compassion and bring peace to ourselves and others. When we practice meditation and mindfulness, we open our hearts and realize that although we have different beliefs, races, and religions, we all share a common thing–humanity. We can begin to notice our judgments and biases. Look at your own life and be curious if there are others you have unfairly judged or rejected because they are different than you. 24 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 So, what can we do to protect ourselves from sadness, depression and anxiety that the world puts on our shoulders? Shutting off the news every so often, as well as turning off social media, can give our minds a break from the onslaught of negativity. Noticing when your mind races and when you are creating stories that are not facts, help to work with the brains negativity bias. Learning to sit with sadness and grief, without letting it take over our whole beings can be a helpful practice for coping. When compassion and kindness win out we have less hate, anger and intolerance. In addition, being good role models for our children is crucial, because they are watching us all the time. What we say matters. When we engage in these behaviors daily, hopefully, person-byperson, we can change the world, and make a difference. Jodi Baretz, LCSW, CHHC is a psychotherapist, mindfulness and holistic health coach at The Center for Health and Healing in Mount Kisco. She is the founder of the program and upcoming book, “Mindful is the New Skinny.” Visit jodibaretz.com for more info or FB group@mindful moms. ARMONK SELF STORAGE PART OF WHAT’S IN STORE FOR FALL? “THE WESTCHESTER SELF STORAGE GROUP” www.armonkselfstorage.com 273-0077 Residential & Commercial Storage WE ARE A GOLD KEY ® FACILITY FREE Pick Up Service Available | Open 7 Days A Week Is Your Financial Life in Balance? WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT • We are a fee-only financial planning & investment management firm. • The relationship we have with each client is personal and unique. • We are bound by a fiduciary standard, putting your needs and interests above everything else. • Call for a free consultation. September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 25 As One Town Resolves HUD Dispute, Another Fights On By Andrew Vitelli no choice but to agree to the settlement, under which Westchester admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to commit $51.6 million to building 750 affordable housing units, mostly in municipalities, including New Castle and North Castle, with few black or Latino residents. “It’s really mindboggling, if you think about it,” New Castle Supervisor Rob Greenstein says. Sitting just a stone’s throw from the site of the controversial Chappaqua Station housing project, Greenstein is referring to criticism of the town coming from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and from a monitor appointed following a 2009 settlement between HUD and Andrew Vitelli Photos Westchester County. That NovemAffordable housing is being built on Old Route 22 in Armonk. “I think they should ber, Rob Astoribe singing our praises no, a Republican communications,” Supervisor Michael and holding us up as an example of do- Schiliro says. and an opponent of the settlement, ing more than our share. And instead, unseated Spano to become county we’re criticized.” executive. While Astorino vowed to These towns are just two of more comply with the settlement, the last than 30 towns and villages impacted In purely numerical terms, New Cas- by the settlement, but their stories six and a half years have been marked tle has more than carried its weight; by recurring conflict between HUD give a closer look at how the settleand the county. There have been spats even without Chappaqua Station, ment has played out in many of these which Greenstein opposes, more than over which projects should be counted communities. towards the settlement, over legisla30 units are in the pipeline. But the fight over Chappaqua Station, built tion banning landlords from rejectThe Settlement on Hunts Lane between the railroad ing people with government housing The housing settlement, which has tracks and a Saw Mill Parkway exit vouchers, and over the county’s effort cast a shadow over Westchester poliramp, has dragged on for years and put tics for nearly a decade and brought to press towns and villages to adopt a the town in the middle of a bitter fight the county to the center of a battle model zoning ordinance. between HUD and county leadership. over federalism, government overA continuing source of strife has reach, and allegations of modern-day On Old Route 22 in Armonk, meanbeen the county’s obligation to segregation, was signed in August while, a row of freshly-built multifami- 2009 by then-County Executive conduct an analysis of impediments, ly homes has sprung up, construction including those based on race or resistAndrew Spano. In 2007, the Antiequipment sitting outside. In July, ance to affordable housing, to identify Discrimination Center, a Manhattan North Castle was removed from a list exclusionary zoning. The county has based non-profit which fights housing of municipalities facing legal action submitted eight analyses to HUD, discrimination, sued the county over over their zoning laws and the concen- accusations that the county had been finding no exclusionary zoning regulatration of multi-family housing within collecting federal funds earmarked for tions. HUD has rejected every submisthe municipality. The town’s presence sion. This dispute has cost the county low-income housing without meeting on the list, the town’s supervisor more than $20 million in grant money the requirements necessary to receive says, had more to do with the lack of from HUD. these funds. In February 2009, U.S. infrastructure throughout much of District Court Judge Denise Cote ruled the town–along with the flooding of For both sides, though, the printhat the county had failed to conduct Kensico village a century ago–than any an analysis of impediments to address ciples in play go beyond the sum of discriminatory intent on the town’s the projects and the dollars involved. claims of housing discrimination. part, and in the end the HUD-apAstorino has called HUD’s actions Facing the possibility of liabilities of pointed housing monitor agreed. “I’ve “Washington-driven social engineermore than $150 million, Spano had found them to be very receptive to our ing,” a sentiment echoed by, among 26 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 many others, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board. On the other side have been allegations of thinly-veiled racism, with The New York Times editorial board accusing the county of “keeping Jim Crow’s spirit alive.” The Challenge in Chappaqua New Castle is not only one of the richest communities in the country, but home to both the Clintons and Governor Cuomo. Add to that the town’s role on the wrong side of a watershed 1977 zoning ruling, Berenson v. New Castle, and it’s understandable that Chappaqua would end up in the spotlight, Greenstein says. “The truth is, it makes it a perfect little town to make an example of, and I think that’s part of the problem,” says the town supervisor. “Because of those three reasons, I think that there are some people biting at the bit to make an example of us, and we have definitely felt that pressure.” New Castle, which adopted the model zoning ordinance in 2011, has one major affordable housing project that has sailed through with little opposition: a 28-unit affordable housing project called Chappaqua Crossing at the site of what was once the Reader’s Digest building on Roaring Brook Road. Conifer Realty purchased the Chappaqua Station site in September 2010. Conifer’s plans for the site (originally 36 units) were at the time backed by Barbara Gerrard, then the town’s supervisor, as well as the town board. One of the proposal’s early critics, as Greenstein now points out, was James Johnson, the HUD-appointed monitor overseeing Westchester’s compliance with the settlement, who in an April 2012 letter to the board suggested that the site was isolated and stigmatizing. the necessary variances and permits. By then, however, public opposition to the project had begun to take hold. In the 2013 town board elections, Greenstein ran on the Team New Castle ticket along with town board candidates Lisa Katz and Adam Brodsky. Opposition to Chappaqua Station was a significant factor in Team New Castle’s election to all three positions. With the supervisor and a majority of the town board opposed to the project at its current location, along with concerns voiced by Building Inspector Bill Maskiell, progress on the development has slowed in the last two and a half years. The root of the resistance to Chappaqua Station–whether born from flaws in the project or a wider resistance to public housing–is much contended. In February 2014, Conifer filed a Housing Discrimination Complaint with HUD, stating that during public debate opponents of the project claimed that “the project would be a stigmatized ghetto, that the children who lived there would be ostracized by children who live in the Village, and that the project would be where the ‘blacks and Hispanics’ live.” Holly Leicht, HUD’s regional administrator for New York and New Jersey, says it’s hard to answer with any certainty whether opposition is due to the project itself or reflects a fear of any affordable housing. “There are probably people on both ends of the spectrum,” Leicht explains. “There usually are in these situations, where there’s a controversial project.” But Greenstein points out that the town’s other major affordable housing project under the settlement, Chappaqua Crossing, has received little pushback from the community. “When you look at that building, you’re not going to say, ‘That’s affordable housing.’ You’re going to say, ‘That’s housing,’” Greenstein says, referring to Chappaqua Crossing. Turning his attention to Chappaqua Station, he remarks, “Now compare that to this project over here. That’s on a third of an acre, from lot line to lot line there’s not a blade of grass.” “There’s no question that people are opposed to this particular location,” Greenstein adds. “I want to make it clear that people are not opposed to affordable housing.” The battle over the project has also ensnared the county. In December of 2013, the county’s Board of Legislators voted to withhold funding for the project; a year later, the board approved funding, on the condition that the project must receive all the necessary variances. The monitor faulted the county for counting the units towards the settlement agreement (it needed financing in place for 450 units by the end of 2014) but also blamed the county for failing to push New Castle to end the impasse. This May, Judge Cote said the units could count towards the settlement but also said the county had breached its obligation by not weighing in on behalf of the developer against local opposition. The monitor signed off, however, after the developer made changes to the site’s design to help integrate the project into the community aesthetically, created public space within the building, and addressed traffic concerns. One change was to downsize the complex from 36 to 28 units. “Some would say he flip-flopped on the issue,” Greenstein says of the monitor, who recently resigned from the case. “I haven’t changed my opinion. I think that site is isolating and stigmatizing.” The town board granted Conifer a special permit in September 2013, contingent on Conifer obtaining The proposed site of Chappaqua Station has drawn opposition from a wide segment of New Castle residents and officials. September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 27 Mike Kaplowitz, the chairman of the Board of Legislators, says the project has been problematic from the get-go. “Pretty much, nobody is happy,” Kaplowitz says. “That project is so messy. I don’t meet many people in New Castle who are happy on either side of that issue.” households as the town as a whole. Additionally, large parts of the town are zoned for single-family housing, with these districts primarily white. For the housing monitor, this itself amounted to prima facie (legal language meaning presumed until proven otherwise) evidence of clustering un- ing New Castle). “In the absence of remediation,” the report stated, “the Department of Justice is encouraged to give serious consideration to bringing legal action against one or more of these municipalities.” “I was disappointed because genuinely I felt that we had made a lot of progress,” Schiliro says, looking back at the May report. “So our reaction was, let’s sit down with the monitor and the monitor’s office again. It wasn’t any animosity, any anger. It was just, let’s communicate.” Schiliro again met with officials from the monitor’s office in June following the report’s release and pressed the town’s case. A month later, the monitor withdrew his recommendation of legal action, noting progress made by the town and also acknowledging environmental and infrastructural constraints. While the issue was ultimately resolved, the monitor’s decision to place North Castle on such a list in the first place was viewed by some of HUD’s critics, particularly the North Castle Supervisor Michael Schiliro explains restrictions imposed by his town’s infrastructure. Astorino administration, as an example of “breathtaking” government overreach. A spokesman for Astorino der what’s known as the Huntington Leicht acknowledges that the town said the county executive was puzzled test (named for the 1988 watershed has some legitimate concerns over the case Town of Huntington v. NAACP). by the monitor’s initial decision, as project, but says HUD is worried that was Westchester Legislator Margaret the town is dragging its feet. Cunzio, who represents North Castle. “Do I disagree with their findings? No. They’re mathematical. We techni“I think that a legitimate back and “I think it was unfair because since cally fail the Huntington test,” Schiliro forth, and focusing on the health and day one they had been compliant and admits. “But part of it is something safety issues, is fine. The sense was they had been working with both the that happened 100 something years that this is being protracted for a very monitor and the HUD office,” says ago, which developed a denser zoning long time,” she says. “I think part of Cunzio, a Conservative. “The town has or development here.” the frustration is that things keep done nothing since day one but try to coming up sequentially rather than fulfill their requirements.” The town’s zoning is based more on part of one process that is condensed.” the limits of its infrastructure than anything else. In the rural northern parts Schiliro carefully avoids any critiof the city, sewer and water is sparse cism of HUD or the monitor. A Solution in North Castle outside downtown Armonk. This Around a century ago, the Village of prohibits the kind of housing density “It must be a challenge for them,” he Kensico was flooded due to the creasays. “It’s a lot of work to really undertion of the Kensico dam, leading many seen in North White Plains. Schiliro, stand all the towns in the county, and of the village’s residents to move south a Democrat elected in 2013, met with officials from the monitor’s office his each town is very different.” to what is now the Hamlet of North first year in office, giving them a tour White Plains. Supervisor Schiliro beof the town to show them the restricSchiliro also notes that the town lieves this piece of history along with the hamlet’s proximity to White Plains tions preventing multi-family housing has made progress since the monitor’s 2014 visit. North Castle adopted has led to a higher population density, throughout most of North Castle. the model zoning ordinance in 2014, and a concentration of the town’s and 25 affordable housing units are in In May of this year, however, the minority population, in North White development throughout Armonk. housing monitor released a report Plains that exists to this day. placing North Castle on a list of seven “The town has always had affordable municipalities whose zoning could Today, one zoning district in downtype housing for decades,” Schiliro result in liability under the Huntingtown North White Plains has threenotes. “We listened to what the latest ton test or the related Berenson test and-a-half times the rate of minority communications were from the moni(named after the 1977 ruling involv28 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 tor and we made some adjustments to our code like creating the model ordinance so the future units would conform with what the parameters of the lawsuit were.” Light at the End of the Tunnel? At the end of the year, the county is obligated to have financing in place for the 750 units required under the settlement. But the county’s need for affordable housing has no end date. “If we get to the end of the settlement and 750 units have been built but everyone is saying, ‘I never want to have to deal with the federal government, or the federal government’s money, or affordable housing, again,’” Leicht explained to legislators at a June meeting, “then we have not really met our goal here.” Speaking to the Inside Press, Leicht circles back to this idea when asked whether New Castle, with 60 affordable housing units in the works including Chappaqua Station, has in fact done more than its share. “These projects are happening, and I am optimistic that the 750 units will be met, but I don’t really think “When people move into that housing [in Chappaqua], we will do everything in our power to make them feel welcome and part of the community.” Robert Greenstein anybody would say that’s the entire affordable housing need in the county,” Leicht comments. “I haven’t had anybody, no matter where they stand on this settlement, not acknowledge that Westchester really has affordable housing needs.” Even some of Chappaqua Station’s opponents now seem resigned to the likelihood that it will be built. “I’d like this project not to go forward because it’s a terrible site,” Kaplowitz says. “But unfortunately the wheels are in motion and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.” Greenstein notes that there’s no guarantee the project will meet the conditions required for the building permit, but acknowledges the futility SPORTS In his letter of resignation Johnson, the housing monitor, wrote that his successor should be prepared to deal with the case for some time to come. Andrew Vitelli, a Westchester native, is the editor of Inside Armonk Magazine. NURSERY KIDS CLASSES FITNESS CENTER EVENTS SAUNA SWIM TEAM At year’s end, the county is set to have the 750 units in the works, theoretically winding down its obligations under the settlement. But if the past is a guide, nothing is that simple. TENNIS CAFE THE SHOP GROUP FITNESS PARISI With the housing monitor absolving North Castle of its Huntington test failure, this reporter asks the town’s supervisor, is the town in the clear regarding settlement compliance? “I would think we should be,” Schiliro replies diplomatically. “We will just continue on this path,” he continues. “As new developments come about, the model ordinance is in place; we’ll continue to further affordable housing like we’ve been doing for decades.” TRX TWO INDOOR POOLS of risking litigation to try to stop it from moving forward. MASSAGE ENERGY CENTER PARTIES RACQUETBALL PERSONAL TRAINING Briarcliff 914-762-3444 584 N. State Road Jefferson Valley 914-245-4040 600 Bank Road www.clubfit.com September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 29 Five Biggest Financial Mistakes Made During a Divorce By Ilene Amiel Divorce is a stressful time. It’s hard to think clearly and be organized when your life is turning upside down. Once you decide to divorce, you begin a process new to you. I tell my clients that getting divorced is like playing a board game that doesn’t come with instructions. You’re not sure what to do, how the game works, what the rules are and how to win (or not lose). You hire a lawyer or mediator and hope that he/she will help you get a fair settlement. From a legal standpoint, you may be in good shape. But from a financial standpoint, you really need to understand the game. Not understanding your finances can cost you a lot of money and affect you and your children for the rest of your life. The five biggest mistakes that people make involve budgeting, taxes, medical insurance and credit score management. Here they are: 1. Underestimating Budgets The most important documents that you will be required to prepare are the Financial Affidavit aka Statement of Net Worth and a monthly budget. Your attorney can help you put them together but, ultimately, it’s up to you to provide accurate and complete information in each category; these will be the basis for negotiations and for the courts. The challenge is to create detailed financial documents based on dozens of line items to properly reflect your assets, liabilities and monthly expenses. You must include every single expense even if it occurs only once or twice a year. Unexpected expenditures that arise such as appliance, home or car repairs along with unforeseen medical expenses have to be included. Although the Statement of Net Worth and budget can be revised, once you have submitted your final documents, your lawyers will use them to negotiate a settlement. If you underestimate your monthly expenses, you will have to deal with it once the divorce is completed. 2. Misunderstanding Marital Status on Tax Returns If you’re in the middle of a divorce on December 31, and you both agree to the filing, you can file a joint return. However, once the divorce is final, the IRS considers you divorced for the entire year. You must file as single or head of household (if you have custody of the children). The reason this is important is that generally filing jointly provides the most beneficial tax outcome for most couples. If one of the spouses owes taxes, it could be considered a marital liability. I highly recommend that you consult with your CPA or tax preparer. He/she can review your previous returns and evaluate the current situation to choose the best financial option. 3. Forgetting about a Maintenance Tax The second issue that is often forgotten is tax on maintenance (aka alimony or marital support). Maintenance is taxable as income to the recipient and tax deductible for the payor. Many people neglect to save a percent of their monthly payment for taxes and then need to come up with a large payment on April 15. You do have a choice and for some couples, the tax consequences are more favorable if they make payments nondeductible and nontaxable because of tax consequences. 30 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 Advertorial Taxes are an ongoing obligation and need to be planned for during the year. 4. Inadequately Researching Medical Insurance Once your divorce is final, each spouse will be responsible for their own medical insurance. For those individuals whose spouse was insured by an employer sponsored plan, COBRA allows for you to stay on the same plan as you had when while married for three years post divorce. With the costs of insurance changing constantly, it is best to research the options before the divorce is final in order to determine the most cost effective plan to meet your needs. 5. Failing to Check Credit Rating And now, the last but not least most important mistake that divorcing individuals make: not checking and understanding their credit rating. Your credit rating is used to determine what rates you can get on loans, lines of credit, car leases and credit cards. While you were married, anything in a joint account or jointly owned will be reflected on your individual credit report and score. Before your divorce is complete, you should get a copy of your credit score and report from all three reporting bureaus--Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. If your credit score is low or contains errors, now is the time to fix it. If you have late payments on your report, they can remain on there for seven years. You need to fix these mistakes on the reports and learn how to improve your score so you will have the highest rating possible as you move from a married person to a single person with your own identity. Ilene Amiel is a CDFA (Certified Divorce Financial Analyst) who helps divorcing individuals with the financial aspects of their divorces. For more information about Ilene, please visit divorcefinancialconsultant.com or call (914) 980-0898. BF BF BEECHER FLOOKS FUNERAL HOME, INC. BEECHER FLOOKS FUNERAL HOME, INC. BEECHER FLOOKS FUNERAL HOME, INC. BEECHER FLOOKS FUNERAL HOME, INC. place toturn turn your time of “The place turn inin your time ofneed!” need!” ““The The place your time need!” “ The place to to turn in in your time of of need!” “The place to turn in your time of need!” “ The place to turn in your time of need!” Personally Owned and Supervised “The place to turn in your time of need!” Personally Owned and Supervised William F. 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Although the plan is in its infancy, raising awareness and dismantling the stigma surrounding mental health issues is a top priority. Northern Westchester Hospital’s President’s Junior Leadership Council is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. The Council consists of 48 students from various high schools including Horace Greeley, Byram Hills, Pleasantville, Fox Lane, Somers, John Jay and Yorktown, to name a few. NWH Director of Community Health Education & Outreach Maria Simonetti oversees the Council along with Amy Rosenfeld, RD. They have been conducting the program for ten years and have watched student participation grow from eight students to an impressive 48. Each year, the Council decides on a public health project, like underage Maria Simonetti, Director drinking, NWH Community Health smoking, Education & Outreach, with body imProgram Coordinator, Amy age, nutriRosenfeld, RD. tion, etc., targeting peers via social marketing campaigns. The projects are designed to grab the attention of their peers and are jampacked with vital information. With the Be Smart Not Sorry campaign, the Council created at-a-glance fold-up cards that fit easily into a wallet, addressing alcohol, alcohol poisoning, and what to do “when things go awry.” Another campaign targeted smoking with a shockingly graphic handout showing the toxic ingredients in cigarettes. This year’s campaign targets anxiety. The students on the Council work in groups and pitch creative ways to construct an effective campaign to address the anxiety issue all too common in young people. The Council just decided NWH President’s Junior Leadership Council that the overall campaign tagline will be: There is a World Outside...Branch Out. The Council’s main concern is dismantling the stigma and helping young people to not feel so alone while encouraging them to seek support. It’s of no surprise that students in Westchester face a heavy workload that can cause stress and anxiety. Students have enormous pressures placed on them not just to get good grades, but also to join clubs, take music lessons, be athletes, and volunteer time without having much downtime. They also struggle with social pressures from peers. For the anxiety project, the Council intends to reach out not only to the students but to act as liaisons and meet with school administrators, teachers, and PTAs to enlighten and communicate the overwhelming issue of anxiety plaguing many students, and to possibly effect change. In June, all 48 students of the leadership Council came together for their end-of-school-year meeting. However, they will also be working over the summer months on the new campaign. By October, they will be ready to unveil its latest project targeting anxiety. The students will come up with creative ideas for the collective project. One idea comes from Greeley senior Chloe Krugel and sister and sophomore at Greeley Alexa Krugel. They will be submitting an application to 32 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 The club will also focus on implementing ways of dealing with stress and anxiety by encouraging healthy habits and behaviors possibly through yoga, breathing exercises, pet therapy, etc. They would also like to organize a walk for mental wellness. Another idea the Council is exploring is handing out adult coloring books. There are studies that show when one is feeling anxiety, a distraction can be quite effective in lessening the immediate feelings of anxiety. Another thought is to create a poster and/or handouts addressing anxiety targeting the shame and stigma. The anxiety project is, no doubt, ambitious and complicated and will be tackled from different angles. At the end-of-year meeting, all 48 students went around the room and introduced themselves and stated what being a member of the NWH President’s Junior Leadership Council means to them personally. Aside from the overwhelming gratefulness to the Director Maria Simonetti and Program Coordinator Amy Rosenfeld, RD, the students expressed feeling more connected to the community and realize the importance of giving back. Learning the skills of collaborating with students from other high schools gives them an advantage and has given them a sense of making an impact to create positive change. Finding a common bond and taking a pulse on what issues need to be addressed amongst their peers is a worthwhile experience going forward. Janine Crowley Haynes is a Chappaqua resident and author of My Kind of Crazy: Living in a Bipolar World. 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Even after you’ve lost your goal weight, our team will continue to offer ongoing support and coaching for as long as is needed. 344 Main Street, Suite 303 • Mount Kisco • (914) 241-6249 www.BrionesWeightLoss.com Divison One — Bringing Fun & Positivity into Every Workout Advertorial Every summer time seems to slow down just a bit only to pick back up at record speed the morning after Labor Day. Everyone has their own sources of stress during this frenetic time but for our high school athletes it’s often fueled by the worry of another year balancing the pressures of schoolwork and athletic training. Indeed, most parents and administrators would agree that this pressure has only increased over the years as the college recruiting process now begins earlier than ever. Some might even argue that the demands of this process have reached a level that has taken the ‘fun’ out of high school athletics. Division One gym owner and Armonk-based father Karl Pfistner understands the unique worries high school athletes face year-round. As a former athlete at the high school, collegiate and Arena Football levels, Pfistner was inspired to open a gym specializing in the type of training that enhances both a student’s athletic skills and their quality of life. He envisioned Division One as a gym which would bring fun with training back into the workout, for students and adults alike. “Good time management is such a vital part of a well-rounded life for these student athletes so we focus on teaching them how to be more effective in their training sessions to better maximize their time,” Karl explains. “When a training routine is done properly a client is achieving the absolute best results as quickly as possible, leaving more time for other areas of daily life.” To that end, Division One’s staff includes a Nutritionist and Life Coach to better serve his high school and adult clients with a true 360-degree approach to their health and well-being. As a trainer, Pfistner believes training methods for student athletes need to go beyond the physical workouts to address the mental toughness necessary for competition. He balances this focus with providing 40-yards of indoor field turf and creative, cutting-edge and workouts which promote positivity. He attributes the success of many of his former clients, who have gone on to compete at the collegiate level, to his unique approach. High school athletes are certainly at the prime age to push their bodies during training to discover new levels of potential but it should never come at the cost of happiness and balance during these key developmental years. As Pfistner watches his own children grow up within today’s competitive athletic climate, Karl continues to help athletes achieve this elusive balance– maximizing physical success and fun during their high school sports career. September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 33 HAPPENINGS In the Spirit of the 2016 Olympics! Cedar Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center residents and staff celebrated the 2016 Olympics with an opening ceremony of their own on Cedar Lane in Ossining. The Therapeutic Recreation Department staged a festive indoor parade complete with patriotic torch. The health-care facility’s hallways echoed with fanfare and the Olympic anthem–Bugler’s Dream. Employees gladly joined in, showing their support by dressing in their favorite athletic attire. (L-R): Staci Hickey, Georgina Garcia, Catherine Carpenter, Lucille Lopez and Marilyn Hoermann. •At Chappaqua’s First Congregational Church, Dave Bickler will be singing, Keith Robellard, Minister of Music at FCC will be playing, and other special guests will be performing and speaking. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 4 p.m. at FCC, 210 Orchard Ridge Road. I’m inspired by the organizers for the Chappaqua concert, whose hard work has made the message from the Lower Hudson Valley loud and clear: we cannot wait one more day for commonsense gun safety measures that are supported by the vast majority of Americans. I will continue fighting in Congress to keep our families and communities safe. And together, we will win this fight.” –Congresswoman Nita Lowey •Producers of the main event at the Beacon Theatre include: Live Nation New York; Jerry Foley, former director of “The Late Show with David Letter- PAYING FOR COLLEGE 101 By Scott Kahan On August 6th, Jodi’s Gym celebrated Team U.S.A. Olympic Pride by hosting two hours of team building games, Olympic arts and crafts, gymnastics (Olympic style!) and a yummy pizza dinner. The children were invited to dress in red, white and blue; they enjoyed the excitement of the game with Jodi’s Gym teachers and staff. The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence From here in New Castle, to the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan, to the Top of the Standard in Los Angeles, and to Lola’s Trailer Park in Fort Worth, Texas, musicians are banding together for The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence on Sunday, Sept.25th. Advertorial man”; John Rosenthal of SHV, and Donna Dees-Thomases, the founder of the Million Mom March, Mother's Day 2000--still the largest protest against gun violence in U.S. history. •Woodlands Community Temple in White Plains will host a participatory "Sing-In" from 4 p.m.-6 pm. Folk and contemporary song will be led by Cantors Ellen Dreskin and Jonathan Gordon, and other favorite singers: Kenny Green, Adam Hart, Ira and Julia Levin, Jenny Murphy and more. Free and open to the public. RSVP to wct.org/concertacrossamerica. Spearheaded by Massachusettsbased Stop Handgun Violence (SHV), Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, and dozens of other organizations committed to reducing gun violence, the concerts will feature a diverse array of artists performing at venues ranging from churches and school gymnasiums to honky-tonks and hotel rooftops. Artists are asked to perform at least one song that gives voice to the more than five million Americans who’ve been murdered by a firearm since the mass shooting at the University of Texas on Aug. 1, 1966. Artists with pre-existing commitments can still participate with a social media shout-out on their own Facebook fan pages and on their Twitter accounts using hashtags, #ConcertAcrossAmerica to #EndGunViolence 34 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 As a financial planner who has worked with many clients over the years figuring out how to pay for college, and as a parent who has sent two Greeley graduates to college, January 1st was never a date to look forward to. Just the uttering of the term FAFSA will send many parents into a panic. For high school seniors who will be entering college in the fall of 2017, the quest for financial aid is beginning and FAFSA is a term you will get to know quickly. What is the FAFSA? The short answer is that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, are the forms that are filed each year to be eligible for financial aid. Many parents tell me that since their child will not be eligible for aid, they don’t need to bother with the forms. Assuming that you have saved enough for college and will not need to borrow money, then you may not need to file the forms. On the other hand, if you are like many families that will either need financial aid and/or need to borrow, you will still need to file the FAFSA forms to be eligible for some of the loans offered for both parents and students. Big Changes Coming The main reason for the struggle each year is that when you file the forms in January, you have not even filed your tax returns, let alone received your W-2’s, 1099’s and other financial information needed from the prior year. Beginning with the 2017-2018 college year, the FAFSA forms can now be filed as of October 1, 2016. The good news is that since this is a transition year, you will use your 2015 financial information. For those with returning students, you will again use your 2015 financial information that you used when you filed earlier this year. If this is the first time you file the FAFSA, you should already have all the financial information you will need from 2015. Going forward, you will use the prior year information. For example, for the 2018-2019 school year, the forms will be filed starting October 1, 2017, using 2016 information. Get started early and don’t panic! Scott M. Kahan, is a Certified Financial Planner® professional and President of Financial Asset Management Corporation, a fee-only wealth management firm located at 26 South Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua. Call Scott Kahan at 914-238-8900 Armonk Dance: Where Fancy Footwork is Fun By Stacey Pfeffer er. D’Angelo trained additionally with the Boston Ballet, Walnut Hill of the Performing Arts and Jacobs Pillow 12 + 12 program, which toured in Russia. At the end of a side street off of Old Route 22 in town, there’s a special place called Armonk Dance where children pirouette, plié and practice their latest hip-hop moves all in a warm, welcoming environment where the emphasis is on fun. Owner Cynthia D’Angelo envisioned opening a type of dance studio where anyone from Broadway-bound hopefuls to children with special needs can dance. D’Angelo strives to make the studio “all inclusive.” Kids with Down syndrome or children with autism are included in classes and not segregated. “For us our mission statement is not just about the teams or medals on the wall, which I think can sometimes take over a school,” D’Angelo says. “Our philosophy is that all kids can dance. You don’t have to be the perfect height or the perfect weight.” The dance studio has been in its current location for 13 years and houses As a student enrolled at the University of Missouri – Kansas City obtaining her fine arts degree, she began to study other forms of dance including hip-hop, contemporary, flamenco and jazz. D’Angelo eventually became an adjunct professor of dance at the university. She later moved back to the East Coast and taught at Armonk Dance for more than a decade. She was offered the chance to buy the studio after its previous owners decided to relocate. Even as the studio’s owner, she still enjoys teaching several classes a week there. four spacious studios with sprung floors or multipurpose flooring to ensure the dancers’ safety and prevent injury. It also contains a dancewear boutique, which is open for students of the studio as well as the general public. D’Angelo takes great pride in the fact that the children from her dance company also designed the murals on display on the studio walls. The space also features a large lobby, homework area, child’s play area and changing rooms and cubbies. This past season D’Angelo’s studio had more than 600 dancers enrolled and had almost 100 classes to choose from with students ranging in age from three through 18. “I started dancing when I was nine because I was lazy,” laughs D’Angelo, who considers herself a “late bloomer” in the dance world. Despite her late entry into dancing, D’Angelo excelled at ballet and trained with Judi Drozd of the Joffrey Ballet as a teenag- D’Angelo ensures that her staff is top-notch and looks for them to have a dance background or degree “so that they have the pedagogy of dance and understand anatomy and physiology so that we can build healthy dancers.” She also likes to hire local graduates of Manhattanville College in Purchase. Her staff has obviously been very successful at honing the children’s talents. The school boasts some notable alumni such as Lauryn Ciardullo, who is the swing/Jasmine understudy in Aladdin on Broadway. Another recent alumni was on the national tour of Evita. Although D’Angelo likes to keep the focus on fun in her studio, dancers who yearn for more practice time can join the company or competition team. Interested students can visit www.armonkdance.com for more information. Stacey Pfeffer lives with her husband and three young children in Chappaqua. She has written for Inside Chappaqua, New York Family Magazine, Westchester Parent and Kveller.com. September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 35 Evan’s Law Marks First Big Step Toward Texting & Driving Reform It’s time we started taking the distracted driving impairment as seriously as the drunk driving impairment. By Justin Ellick road fatalities spiked up a staggering 8 percent in 2015. Driver distraction seems the most likely culprit but because police are limited in how they can investigate –the problem remains dramatically underreported and therefore, we remain far away from proper understanding and far away from a viable solution. civil lawsuit trying to retrieve phone records, which eventually showed that the driver, who claimed he had fallen asleep, was texting throughout the drive and moments before the crash. The collision happened in a dead cell area so the exact moment remains controversial. This is where Ben learned there is very little police protocol in place to examine phones or phone records after a crash. He has been an advocate for driving safety ever since, and has been working tirelessly to get peoples’ hands off the phone and back on the wheel. As a result of this effort, Ben, his wife Debbie, and Deborah Becker (whose son was also a surviving passenger in the crash) have introduced legislation that would essentially start to treat distracted driving like drunken driving in New York State. The bill, dubbed Evan’s Law in honor of Lieberman’s son, would give police officers at the scene of a crash roadside technology similar to that of the Breathalyzer, allowing them to tap into any operating system in order to check for recent illegal activity on the device (as opposed to legal Bluetooth use) all while avoiding any With the way technolcontent. Also, if ogy has progressed over a passenger were Ben Lieberman speaking at the introduction of Evan’s Law at the State Capitol in Albany. the past five to ten years, Behind him (left to right) are bi-partisan Bill Sponsors Senator Terrence Murphy (R-Westchusing the driver’s phones are now so much ester) and Assistant Assembly Speaker Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn) along with New Castle Town phone, neither more than just a way of Supervisor Rob Greenstein. person would be communicating. Smartpenalized. phones have taken over the world, and as a result have taken over people’s Legislators and public health experts However, the legislation has raised lives. Most of us can’t go a 15-minute are fighting to change a distinctly concerns by privacy organizations. car ride without checking our Instamodern behavior. One man at the They suggest that phone records can gram or taking a Snapchat. The fact forefront of this fight is Ben Lieberbe subpoenaed or a warrant can be obthat most people can acknowledge man, a resident of Chappaqua, who tained to examine the phone. Lieberthis problem and yet are still offendknows all too well the problems and man understands the concerns but ers, should be enough of a red flag to dangers phone use while driving notes that, “Phone records only reveal pursue additional legal action regardpresents. In June of 2011, Ben’s son texting and phone calls which would ing the issue. Evan was asleep in the back of a car exclude so many popular activities like when the driver lost control. Evan, 19, social media, selfies and even a comAfter a ten-year decline in auto ultimately passed away from the injumon email. Also, a warrant to examine collisions mainly due to a decrease in ries he suffered in the crash. His father the phone is far more difficult and drunk driving and better built cars, spent the next several months in a time consuming to obtain than people When it comes to driving, we can all agree that using your phone while behind the wheel is a nogo. Doing so clearly takes the driver’s attention and eyes away from the road. It’s something we know is unsafe, so why do most of us do it so regularly? The danger phone usage presents while driving is obvious enough to society that laws were put in place to prevent it, but those laws have quickly become outdated and most concerning is that those laws are near impossible to enforce. 36 September/October 2016 16 Inside Inside Armonk Chappaqua September/October 2016 could ever imagine. It’s also important to note that a phone can be wiped to original ‘store settings’ long before a warrant arrives.” “The legislation’s intent is to meticulously respect privacy by emphasizing usage over content,” Lieberman continued, “There’s obviously going to be a kneejerk reaction from people that their phone is being looked at. We want to make sure people understand that such a device would only report how much you’re touching your cellphone, not what your touching it for.” The technology behind the legislation has been nicknamed The Textalyzer. As for the company that would create such a device, Mr. Lieberman has teamed up with Cellebrite U.S.A., the mobile forensics company that has been reported to have cracked the San Bernardino terrorist’s IPhone when Apple was deadlocked with the FBI. Cellebrite has gone on record that they are confident they can develop the technology. The fact that a highly regarded tech company like Cellebrite vouched for the Textalyzer was huge for the Liebermans when it came to getting politicians behind the bill. Democratic assemblyman Félix Ortiz, who is a strong supporter and sponsor of Evan’s Law, said that the Textalyzer would not give officers access to the contents of any emails or texts. It would simply give them a way to catch distracted drivers. If Senator Terrence Speaking at at TerrenceMurphy Murphy(R-Westchester) (R-Westchester) speaking July 26th progress onon thethe a bill like Evan’s law becomes July 26th Evan’s Evan’sTeam Teamouting outingtotodetail detail progress legislation and driving. andefforts effortstotocurtail curtaildistracted distracted driving. reality, people are going to be legislation more afraid to put their hands and without a doubt a killer. But for on the cellphone,” concluded Ortiz. some strange reason–phone usage is still socially acceptable. If we truly In six short months, Ben and his understood the scope of the damage, wife Debbie have made tremendous people would have more urgency. strides in changing the perspective It’s time that distracting drivers are people have on texting and driving. viewed with the same stigma as drunk By bringing Evan’s Law and the Texdrivers. Passing of Evan’s Law and the talyzer technology to the forefront, development of the Textalyzer are esthey’re forcing a conversation hoping sential to that process. that people will realize that not only is distracted driving a destructive behavGreeley grad Justin Ellick, a sophoior but also, that there is very little in more Media and Communications Major place to deter this. at Ursinus College in Philadelphia, is an intern for Inside Chappaqua and Inside Distracted driving should be taken Armonk Magazines this summer. just as seriously as drunk driving. They are both dangerous, crippling, September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 37 September/October 2016 Inside Chappaqua 17 The Mental Health Association of Westchester presents AN EVENING OF CONVERSATION AND SONG WITH LEGENDARY SINGER-SONGWRITER Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 7pm Emelin Theatre, Mamaroneck, NY Please join us for an intimate evening with legendary singer-songwriter Judy Collins, who will provide audiences with a glimpse into her life as she shares her story and touches upon alcoholism, depression, the suicide of her son and her own recovery from a suicide attempt. Proceeds from the event, which also features a special VIP reception with Collins, will benefit MHA's vital mental health services. Call 9142657511 or visit www.mhawestchester.org for information and tickets. The Inside Press is a proud media partner for this upcoming fundraising event. 38 Inside Armonk September/October 2016 Where to go When the Leaves Change By Andrew Vitelli For many of us, this writer included, the fall months are a little bittersweet. With summer over, we know that the refreshingly-moderate temperatures pus Brook Park, you can find a nice day to take advantage of the park’s gazebo and picnic grounds to relax and enjoy the scenery. At Betsy Sluder Nature Preserve, located off Old Route 22, you’ll be able to take a walk through the woods to take in the beauty which surrounds you. Rockefeller State Park Preserve Just a 20-minute drive from Armonk, Rockefeller features 1,600 acres of woodlands, wetlands and waterways, made even more beautiful in the fall. Originally purchased by John D. Rockefeller in 1893, the park was deeded to New York State 33 years ago. You can walk along the 55 miles of carriage roads and enjoy the nature all around. The park is open every day from 7 a.m. to sunset, with a $6 parking fee. Hiking in Cold Spring So this requires a little bit of a drive –about 45 minutes. But if you’re the hiking type, a trip up to the Hudson Highlands is a must. One of our favorite hikes, Anthony’s Nose, offers a great view of the Bear Mountain Bridge, the Hudson River and the highlands surrounding it. A slightly tougher hike is Breakneck Ridge, a few miles north, which will also give you breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley. Kensico Dam Plaza and Cranberry Lake Preserve A county park, Valhalla’s Kensico Dam Plaza offers not just views of the dam but of the reservoir and the nature around it. The plaza is also perfect for picnicking or anything else requiring large, open spaces. If you want to get a little bit into the woods, the plaza is a short drive from Cranberry Lake Preserve, another county park where trees line the edge of the water above the Kensico Reservoir. Westmoreland Sanctuary In our last issue, we ran an article on Westmoreland Sanctuary, a 640acre preserve located on the border of three towns including North Castle. If you didn’t get a chance to make it over there this summer, make sure to get there this fall. Especially beautiful this season is the “Lost Pond,” with the leaves reflecting off the water. Andrew Vitelli is a Westchester native and editor of Inside Armonk Magazine. mean winter is just around the corner. But one saving grace is the beauty of this region’s fall foliage. People come from throughout the U.S. to see the beautiful colors of the Hudson Valley and nearby Catskill Mountains, but Armonk residents can enjoy it without leaving town, or going just a short drive away. Here are a few of the many spots to go this season (the second week of October until the end of the month is usually best) before the leaves fall. Wampus Brook Park and Betsy Sluder Nature Preserve These are two places you can see the beauty of autumn without leaving the Town of North Castle. At Wam- Photos Courtesy of Rockefeller Preserve September/October 2016 Inside Armonk 39 I N S IEDTEC T HEORUAG H T S ET By Dana Y. Wu A Body’s Memory The mountain-top Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto is dedicated to Dai-zui-gu Bosat-su, the mother of Buddha. It is said that she can grant one’s wish, whatever it may be. and ran out to the stairwells with my co-workers from the Port Authority of NY/NJ. We had to walk downstairs in darkness, with the smell of smoke and panic swirling as we evacuated the building. It was stop and go as we moved slowly down those stairs. “rebirth” but it also triggered some deep fear in me. Mike reassured me that we were coming to some light. “A few more steps.” Well, that’s what the firefighters said to us in 1993 on our way down those smoke-filled flights of stairs. Hannah (my Near the end of then 13 year-old the temple “tunnel,” daughter), my there was a stone, husband, Mike rotating and bathed and I took off in light, on which our shoes, paid is written the word our donation and “womb” in Sanskrit. started down the I was grateful for the stairs under the dim light, gasping temple–a “tunup the stairs for air. nel” to remind us The entire temple of the womb of a tunnel adventure mother. The sign was probably less on the wall simthan 10 minutes in ply said to hold duration. My own onto the railing. daughter was unaIt was made of ware of my fearful round wooden “rebirth” during this ball–not a solid sightseeing stop. wood handrail, but like a string When the taxi of prayer beads dropped us off that that swayed as morning at the we walked. ApKiyomizu temple, parently, I hadn’t I hadn’t expected The author’s husband and daughter, Mike and Hannah, in Japan in 2013 read the fine to be transported (Japanese!) print saying you’d better The stairwells were completely dark back 20 years to a memory that I had hold on because it was very, very dark after a while–the emergency lights forgotten. I emerged from that temple inside…so dark, you couldn’t even see didn’t seem to be working, and we experience with a visceral and physical your hand in front of you. were proceeding down into increasreaction. In a world where we feel the ingly smoky darkness. Somehow, my constant threat of terrorism and gun I started to feel my heart pound. colleagues and I managed to get to violence, where in every corner of the I suddenly wanted to bolt backwards the World Financial Center where the globe there is disease, war and abuse, and run out. I heard noises and smelled Red Cross had set up tables. We were hunger and inequality, I was faced with incense, and felt an intense wave of covered in soot and dust–we didn’t my body’s own memory of how our life fear. I knew where I was, but I felt like even realize what we looked like until can be taken away in an instant. I couldn’t catch my breath. I called we reached daylight. out “Mike, I’m having a panic attack” What did I wish for when I reached and felt the blood rush from my head. To this day, I can’t remember how that stone and the light? What would There were a couple of turns to naviI got home from work on February you wish for? gate, but my feet were stuck. My heart 26, 1993. It must have been cold, but was pounding and I thought I’d pass I don’t think I even had my coat. At Dana Y. Wu, a Chappaqua mom of four, out. I heard him say, “It’s okay.” that point we didn’t yet know that it is an author, visual storyteller and local I was having a flashback to the first had been a bomb or imagine that our volunteer. Her not-for-profit manageWorld Trade Center bombing. world would be forever changed by that ment career includes experience at the I couldn’t breathe. single act of violence. New York Public Library. A life-long New Yorker, she graduated from Stuyvesant Back in 1993, I was on the 63rd So here I was in Kyoto, all these High School and Columbia University. floor when terrorists detonated a years later, paralyzed with fear in the She pursues her writing with the vibrant, truck bomb in the basement garage of womb of the female Bodhisattva. My creative community at the Jacob Burns One World Trade Center. The power hand gripped the swaying railing ball. Media Arts Center. was knocked out immediately, so I I knew this was a memory triggered by just grabbed my purse from my desk the darkness and incense of the temple 8 Inside September/October 2016 40 InsideChappaqua Armonk September/October 2016 RESIDENTS RAVE ABOUT RITZ-CARLTON RESIDENCES “We love living at The Ritz-Carlton Residences Westchester. It provides security and tranquility with awesome views.” Carole and Bert Mitchell “After living in our spacious home for 40 years, we became empty-nesters and moved to the Ritz-Carlton Residences. The amenities offer a five-star lifestyle.” Monica and Edward Kaufman “We are an active retired couple and enjoy traveling around the world. Living here is a dream come true — no hassles, no worries. We just enjoy life.” In-aie and Edward Kang “We’re thrilled with the living experience here. 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