March 22, 2007 - WestchesterGuardian.com

Transcription

VOL. I NO. XXXIII
Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2007
We Ask The
Westchester DA’s Office:
rO
u
O
n
I
p4
.
.
.
n
o
pini
How Many More
Are You Concealing?
Pistol Permit Showdown - Judge Speaks Out... see p.3
PAGE 2
THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN
Peekskill Mayor Testa Peppered by
Overflow Crowd at Common Council
Residents Angered by Activities of
Housing Commissioner Leesther Brown
tor of the Housing Authority, Mr. Gheevarghese Thankachan, who has
By Carol Waldman
Last Monday night, March 12, the regular meeting of the Peekskill been with the Housing Authority since 1983. The complainant declared,
Common Council was attended by more than 100 city residents, fill- “She tried to bribe me with a job.” Turning directly to Mayor Testa,
and pointing a finger, the resident,
ing the Council chambers to capacity. More than 15 residents availed
referring to Thankachan, said,
themselves of the opportunity to address the Council, the majority
“He does a great job at Bohlmann
speaking directly to Mayor Testa with regard to Leesther Brown, one
Towers. We all know she’s working
of the appointed commissioners of the seven-member Peekskill Housfor you, Mr. Mayor, and we don’t
ing Authority.
want to be moved somewhere that
Many of the speakers, long-term residents of Bohlmann Towers,
we don’t want to go. Everything is
voiced their opposition to Ms. Brown’s recent “intimidating and terunder the table.” His remarks were
rorizing” activities with regard to their children and themselves. One
greeted with encouragement and
mother complained of Ms. Brown’s physically pulling her children
applause across the room.
aside and reprimanding them. Another mother complained, “I have
Another disgruntled Peekskill
never experienced anything like Leesther Brown, calling me six times
resident,
a Mr. Miller, asked the
and threatening me that she was going to Chief of Police Tumolo to
Mayor, “Who’s going to protect my
complain about my children doing drugs.”
old neighborhood?” Miller angrily
One man stood up to complain that he had been approached by Ms.
told Testa that he, Testa, wrongfulBrown, who wanted him to write a letter against the Executive Direcly granted a variance to Foreman
Peekskill Mayor John Testa
Brothers Contractors to build a
The Advocate:
four-story condominium in his neighborhood, an area zoned for sinChief Judge Judith Kaye is Totally Out of Touch ............................................... 5
gle, private residences, no more than two and a half stories tall. Miller
Classified .......................................................................................................................26
declared, “These condominiums are being built on a postage-stamp
Clip-Out Community Calendar ...................................................................22, 23
lot. There are codes to protect old neighborhoods from being over-deDesign Inspirations:
Index
The Sweet Smell of Spring ......................................................................... 9
Continued on page 12
Great Chefs of Westchester: Great Chef Michael Sheel ....................10
Horoscope: Shimmering Stars, March 22 - 28 .......................................14
In Our Opinion:
We Asked the Westchester DA’s Office: How Many More Are You Concealing? ........ 4
Living Latino in Westchester:
Business Was Good in 2006, But Will It Continue in 2007? ...................... 8
Marriage and Family in Westchester:
Teach Your Children Respect for Women ................................................ 19
On The National Scene:
And The Democratic Winners Are... ......................................................... 11
Our Readers Respond .................................................................... 4, 17
Passport Alert!
County Clerk Tim Idoni Urges Residents to Apply Now ............................. 6
Taking Judicial Notice:
Crime Busting in the Complaint Bureau ................................................... 20
The Court Report:
Judge Speaks Out Against Politicizing of Pistol Permits ............................ 3
The World Traveler:
What’s In A Name? ..................................................................................... 7
This Week in History: March 22 - 28 ....................................................26
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Published Every Thursday
PAGE Judge Speaks Out Against
Politicizing of Pistol Permits
Last Thursday, in County Court Judge Rory Bellantoni, conducting a Pistol Permit Hearing, speaking to the Assistant County Attorney
Matthew Gallagher, and County Police Lieutenant Frank Donovan, demanded to know, “To what extent are the recommendations from the
County Department of Public Safety about public safety, and to what
extent are they about political agendas?” The issue that brought James
Donaghy, 56, a Yonkers resident, and long-time holder of pistol permits for target practice, to court was his
application for a permit for hunting.
Mr. Donaghy, had originally received approval by Sergeant Seaman of
the Pistol Permit Unit of the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, and the approval of Judge Rory Bellantoni, only to have the Department’s
approval retracted by County Police
Inspector Roger Rokicki, without benefit of Due Process. Judge Bellantoni,
turning to Gallagher and Donovan,
asked, “A person who was granted a license for target shooting should be denied one for hunting? To what extent is
a political agenda being advanced?”
Bellantoni, obviously not convinced, came right back, “Even a
random request to have it go to a different judge of concurrent jurisdiction was wrong. And, that was why Judge Cacace brought it
to me.”
The Judge, still troubled by the lack of Due Process, and the manner in which the County Department of Public Safety had attempted to
reverse a pistol permit for hunting that he had approved, declared, “We
have a duly licensed applicant, with no
evidence of any crime since his original license, and we are being asked to
revoke his license. With no new arrests
and no new crimes we are puzzled.”
Lieutenant Donovan addressed
the Court with, “I’m very sorry that
the Court feels slighted. We are basing our recommendations upon the
applicant’s history of aggressive behavior.” Donovan waas making reference to a misdemeanor conviction in
1969 when the applicant was 18, and a
violation in 1974 at 23.
Asked by the Court if he wished to
speak in his own behalf, Mr. Donaghy
explained that he had applied for a pistol permit for hunting so that he might
hunt on the property of a friend in upstate New York. Interviewed after the
hearing, he expressed his dismay with
the way in which the County Department of Public Safety had gone about
attempting to revoke his licenses without benefit of Due Process.
Bellantoni then questioned why the
County Police Department’s rejection was
forwarded to Judge Susan Cacace, also a
County Court Judge of equal judicial authority, and not back to him, suggesting
that they might have been attempting an
“end run” around his Court.
Mr. Gallagher responded, “Your
Honor, no one was trying to circumnavigate this Court. The fact that it went to
Judge Cacace was just a random event.”
County Court Judge Rory Bellantoni
PAGE THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN
In Our Opinion...
The Westchester Guardian, having reviewed much of the 376 pages of Brady material, information tending to establish his innocence, unlawfully hidden from Anthony DiSimone for thirteen years, in the massive effort to perpetuate Jeanine Pirro’s
confabulated lie, must now ask, when will the DA’s Office make a full and truthful
accounting to the People of Westchester? Fifty-two boxes of exhibits, and 376 pages
of exculpatory testimony and statements are not things that were likely to be lost, or
missing, in the offices of any law-abiding District Attorney.
We were present several months ago when Assistant DA Valerie Livingston was compelled, at the very last moment, to tell Federal District Court Judge Charles L. Brieant
that there would be no need to go forward with the scheduled evidentiary hearing
because the District Attorney’s Office “was withdrawing opposition to the granting
of a writ of Habeas Corpus to Anthony DiSimone,” as they had found 376 pages and
52 boxes of Brady materials that they were turning over to DiSimone’s attorneys, “in
the interest of justice.” Of course, having made that admission, the DA’s Office was
opposed to an unconditional grant, petitioning the Court, instead, to keep DiSimone
locked up, anyway. Livingston left Brieant’s Court literally in tears.
The truth is the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office had its back to the wall.
Simply put, they could not allow the evidentiary hearing to go forward that would
have lasted for weeks, exposing in minute detail all the evidence, including a confession that clearly pointed the finger of guilt at Nick Djonovic, an Albanian youth, who
had stabbed Louis Balancio to death at the Strike Zone Bar in 1994, and who Pirro
had allowed to escape to Albania as she pursued the prosecution of someone more in
keeping with her self-promotional agenda.
Pirro saw the tragic death of young Louis Balancio, reportedly a member of the Hell’s
Kitchen Gang, as an opportunity to prove that, despite her husband Al’s known connections to the Mob, the Cosa Nostra, she could prosecute Organized Crime.
In light of all of the above, and further, in light of the fact that on February 27th, in
New York City, at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, ADA
Livingston handed Mr. DiSimone’s attorneys a one-paragraph letter informing them
that “additional material from 1997, which may, or may not, constitute Brady material,” had been found, We believe it is long past the time that District Attorney’s Office
must come forward and level with the People of Westchester.
If the District Attorney’s Office was really intending to act “in the interest of justice,”
upon Mrs. Pirro’s exit an inventory of all the outstanding cases on appeal, particularly
homicides and other major crimes, should have been taken. And, all of the evidence,
including all of the Brady material that had been intentionally withheld from those
Defendants in each case, should have been turned over, thus separating the Office
from the treachery and lies that had been employed by Jeanine Pirro.
Perhaps the Office did, in fact, review all of the major appeals, as they should have.
In that case they were perfectly well aware that they were concealing a mountain of
evidence that would have cast more than “reasonable doubt” upon the guilt of Anthony DiSimone, but chose nevertheless not to do the right thing! Any way one looks
at it, the Office’s continuing pursuit and harassment of Mr. DiSimone perpetuates the
unlawful conspiracy of Jeanine Pirro, Clement Patti, Steven Bender, and the entire
supporting cast, whose prosecutorial misconduct sent an innocent man to prison.
We now ask two very important questions:
• How many more innocent individuals, sent away to prison by the prosecutorial
misconduct of Jeanine Pirro, are you covering up? And,
• When will you stop protecting Mrs. Pirro and start protecting the People of Westchester?
Our Readers Respond...
Greenburgh Board of Ethics Member Resigns in Protest
Dear Editor:
After 15 years of service on the Board of Ethics of the Town
of Greenburgh, I have resigned as a member and chairman.
I no longer have confidence in the integrity of the present Town Board which by inaction and attempts at political
intimidation has rendered the Board of Ethics impotent.
The Town Board has repeatedly failed to fill vacancies on
the Board of Ethics, leaving it without a quorum and frustrating its ability to conduct business..
On March 1, I was notified that the Town Board had not
reappointed Louis Schenkel as a member of the Ethics Board.
Mr.Schenkel is Associate General Counsel for four major New
York City hospitals and has the responsibility for overseeing all
ethical and conflict of interest issues of more than 17,000 employees. Since the Ethics Board was revived fifteen years ago,
Mr.Schenkel has served with integrity and distinction and was
unanimously reappointed by four previous Town Boards.
It was not until Aug. 1, 2006, a month after Mr. Schenkel’s
term expired, that he was scheduled to meet with the Town Board.
After waiting for an hour, he was told that the Board could not see
him and he would have to come back. On Aug. 8, after waiting for
an hour and a half, Mr. Schenkel met with Town Board members
and for an hour they didn’t discuss his credentials, but spent the
time criticizing the Board of Ethics. At the end of the meeting, I
asked the Town Board members to act expeditiously so that the
Ethics Board would have a quorum. Without his appointment,
there would be only two of the five-member Board of Ethics remaining, Mrs.Robin J.Bauer, an attorney for over thirty years, a
senior attorney with the Legal Aid Society and former counsel to
the state Grievance Committee, and myself.
The Town Board later took a vote; Supervisor Paul Feiner
and Councilwoman Eddie Mae Barnes voted to reappoint Mr.
Schenkel; Councilmen Steven Bass and Francis Sheehan voted
no, and Councilwoman Diana Juettner deferred her vote. It
was not until eight months later that Mr.Schenkel was advised
that he was not reappointed.
After repeated criticism in the media of the manner in
which the Board of Ethics was handling a matter involving
Mr.Feiner’s request for an Ethics opinion, I met with the Town
Board on July 5, 2006. I advised them that finally, at my insistence, the District Attorney’s Office officially notified me only
four days earlier that the complaints involving Mr.Feiner’s
campaign contributions were not criminal in nature and the
matter was closed in their office. I advised the Town Board
that as soon as they reappointed Mr.Schenkel we would have a
quorum and the matter would be resolved within a week. That
was eight months ago. As of March 1, 2007, the Board of Ethics
still did not have a quorum.
In its fifteen-year existence, no opinion of the Board of
Ethics has ever been challenged or appealed but once. In 2003,
the Town Board requested Councilman Bass to recuse himself
from a pending matter due to a conflict of interest. Mr.Bass
refused to do so and the Town Board referred the matter to the
PAGE Chief Judge Judith Kaye
Is Totally Out Of Touch
Last Monday afternoon, New York State’s Chief Judge, Judith Kaye appeared on
National Public Radio’s Brian Lehrer Show. Mr. Lehrer, not generally known to be
unprepared with subject matter, squandered an excellent opportunity to bring some
meaningful dialogue regarding New York State’s failing court system to his listeners,
unless, of course, it was his intention to give the Judge a ‘PR Freebee.’
For openers, his willingness to permit the Chief Judge of the State, while
making reference to the enormous number of pro se litigants in the Matrimonial
Part of Supreme Court, to get away with, saying, “I never understand those Latin
phrases,” as she was uncertain whether she meant to say pro se, or pro bono, without some expression of surprise, was both scary and disappointing. Her admission was scary, and his failure to recognize and pursue her ineptness was most
disappointing. Lehrer’s ‘marshmallow treatment’ of her
was reminiscent of Archie Bunker addressing his letter
to Richard Nixon with “Dear Mister President, Your
Honor, Sir:”
It was evident from the outset that Judith Kaye was
not prepared to have a meaningful discussion of the
dreadful condition of New York State’s Unified Court
System, and Brian Lehrer was either unwilling, or unprepared, to hold her feet to the fire. Shame on them
both! To listen to her reassurances one has to wonder
where she has been for the last 14 years? Clearly, former
Governor Cuomo’s decision to appoint Kaye, a woman
with no prior judicial credentials, whose legal career
had been spent in corporate law, was a badly failed experiment.
Kaye’s remarks, intended to convey the impression that the judiciary, particularly the Matrimonial
and Criminal Parts of Supreme Court, are in essentially good shape could not be further from the truth, as
many Westchester residents are well aware. It is common knowledge that numerous Supreme Court Justices
purchased their nominations through political power-brokers. One such case recently exposed in Brooklyn, involved a complaint by a judge’s wife that she paid
$200,000 to secure his nomination.
Here in Westchester, The Guardian has been exposing for several months the
role of Giulio Cavallo, Larry Schwartz, and others, in the sale of judicial nominations, for as much as $15,000, and more. And, of course, the practice is not limited
to judges. It’s well known in political circles that Giulio Cavallo is furious with DA
Janet DiFiore’s spouse, attorney Dennis Glazer, for reneging on his promise to pay
Cavallo $30,000 for the Independence Party’s cross-endorsement of Janet for DA
against Tony Castro in 2005.
One wonders how Kaye can accept the fact that her Chief Administrative
Judge, Jonathan Lippman, a Democrat, to ensure his election to State Supreme
Court, a 14-year position, schemed with then-Westchester County Court Judge
Joseph Alessandro, who had been found “Unqualified,” by the State Commission
on Judicial Credentials, to cross-endorse each other, thus underhandedly guaranteeing their election two years ago? Judge Alessandro, when last seen in Westchester, was the subject of a suit by Barbara Battista, his former campaign treasurer, for
having allegedly defrauded her out of more than $250,000.
Judge Kaye certainly cannot deny knowledge of the shameless enterprise that
has been flourishing on her watch in the Matrimonial Part of Westchester Supreme Court, involving certain judges and matrimonial attorneys, and law guardians. The complaints were so numerous, many litigants having gone to federal authorities, that Kaye was compelled, in June of last year,
to instruct Judge Francis Nicolai to remove the four sitting judges in the Matrimonial Part, and replace them
with others, the so-called “Historic Rotation.” No, Judge
Kaye, despite her remarks to Brian Lehrer, to the contrary, is only too well aware of the scandalous scheme
by which the ‘monied spouse’ in divorce after divorce,
invariably gets control of the marital assets, and custody
of the children, by employing the services of the unscrupulous clique of lawyers, law guardians, and mental
health professionals, who use Temporary Orders of Protection, perjury, and outright fraud to achieve control.
Too many of the easy questions put to Kaye by Lehrer were answered with expressions such as ”I hope
that.” She would prefer to appear unknowing, rather
than engage in open discussion of the serious day-today realities citizens encounter in our State Courts. Her
responses to questions regarding Family Court were
most discouraging in light of what has been happening to Jing Kelly and her infant son Tristram for more
than four years at the hands of New York County Family
Court Judge Sara P. Schechter. Listening to Kaye’s uninformed responses, it is little
wonder that a bigoted creature like Schechter has been able to keep this ChineseAmerican mother and her six-year-old son apart for four years, in total defiance
of both the order and mandamus of the Appellate Division, First Department.
It doesn’t do the People of New York State one bit of good to have a politician
the like of Judith Kaye as our Chief Judge. It’s one thing not to know pro se from
pro bono, but it’s quite another to be totally out of touch with what is going on in
our courts. And, furthermore, to speak in meaningless and irrelevant terms simply serves to further undermine public confidence in our judicial system. Worse
yet, we must continue to labor under her lack of initiative and leadership for two
more years thanks to Governor Spitzer’s reappointment of her. n
PAGE 6
As Federal Government Notifies County of Passport Delays,
County Clerk Tim Idoni Urges Residents to Apply Now
Westchester County Clerk
Timothy C. Idoni has been notified by the U.S. Department of
State’s Passport Services Office that
routine passport processing which
had taken four to six weeks in the
past, is now taking ten weeks. Even
the expedited application process,
which had guaranteed delivery in
two weeks, has been extended to
four to six weeks. The increase in
processing time follows new requirements put into effect in January which mandate that all air travelers possess a passport to travel
into the United States.
In light of these processing delays, County Clerk Idoni is urging
Westchester residents to renew or
obtain a United States passport
now to avoid any inconvenience
when traveling. “We recognize
that national efforts to provide for
safe and secure air travel may cause
inconvenience to travelers without
United States passports,” Idoni stated. “And so we encourage residents
to let our knowledgeable staff help
them apply for a passport as soon
as possible. Routine passport applications only take a few minutes
and our staff is expert at assisting
with more complex cases.”
The Office of the Westchester
County Clerk, which serves as an
agent for the United States Department of State, processes U.S. passport applications in their office
located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and
5:45 p.m., Monday through Friday,
Wall & Floor Tile • Marble • Granite • Countertops
307 Central Avenue, White Plains 328.3030
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285 Central Avenue, White Plains 948.7267
excluding
legal holidays.
In
addition,
passport
applications are
processed
by
the
County
C l e r k’s
community outreach staff
throughout
the county.
Please review
the
Mobile Office calendar on our
website,
www.westchesterWestchester County Clerk Tim Idoni
clerk.com,
to see where our community out- be obtained by calling the office at
reach staff will appear in the com- 995-3086 weekdays between 8 a.m.
ing weeks.
and 5:45 p.m. The fee for an adult
Passport applicants must pro- passport (age 16 and over) is $97.00
vide proof of identity, proof of citi- and the fee for a child’s passport
zenship and passport photos. Chil- (from birth to age 15) is $82.00. If a
dren must be present when their passport is needed in fewer than ten
passport is being applied for. Specif- weeks, an expedite fee of $60.00 per
ic requirements are outlined on the application can be paid in order to
Westchester County Clerk’s website decrease the processing time to four
at www.westchesterclerk.com or can to six weeks. ■
will publish Legal Notices
and Obituaries at competitive rates.
Call 914.328.3096 for prices and information.
The study of word origins, called
etymology (not to be confused
with entomology, the study of insects. Just think of ants as in ‘ents’,
and you won’t forget the
difference), is a fascinating subject to the point
of being addictive. It can
lead one in so many unforeseen directions, as any
true research can. The
etymology of the names
of nations is for the most
part easier to trace than a
typical noun picked out of
a hat. On the other hand,
there are quite a few that
are disputed or of questionable origin.
Today I’d like to highlight a number of countries as to the etymology
of their names, broken
down into the following
categories: geographical,
historic, based on names
of actual people, biblical,
coincidence, and a few
other outliers of curious
origin. In some cases, more than one
category needs to be assigned. Please
keep in mind this is only a sampling,
and is not meant to be authoritative, though I do hope it piques your
curiosity enough to look into them a
bit more.
•••
In most cases, whether or not the name is an
exonym or an endonym
can be discerned, though
there are gray areas. An
exonym is the name used
by foreigners, differing
from the endonym used
by nationals.
Keep in mind that the
names of most nations
are relatively young entities, and that the further back in
time you go, the more you see the
PAGE 7
What’s in a Name?
names of territories based on the
names of rulers, dynasties or geography. Also, keep in mind that
many are disputed, such as Ven-
ezuela, which I wrote about a few
weeks ago (means ‘Little Venice’
when interpreted generously, and
something like ‘lousy little Venice’
otherwise).
First, some names are based
on names of historical people. The
most obvious are countries such as
the Philippines,
named after King
Phillip II
of Spain,
or Bolivia,
deriving
from the
name of
their national liberator Simon Bolivar. Don’t forget
Columbia, after Christopher Co-
lumbus, though he never set foot
there. Did I mention the United
States of America, as in Amerigo
Vespucci?
Second, names based
on geography. Ecuador
comes to mind first, as
it is straightforward and
easy to see it means equator, which does indeed
pass through the country. The Netherlands
is another, and simply
means ‘low lands’. Polynesia is Greek-derived
and means ‘many islands’.
Micronesia, as well as Indonesia,
are also Greek-derived and refer to
‘small islands’ and ‘Indies islands’
respectively. Europeans referred to
them as the Dutch East Indies or
just The Indies. Another, Iceland
needs no further explanation, nor
does the Central African Republic, and Australia simply refers to
the land being south.
Third, a few
are of Biblical
origin. Israel is
the most obvious, but so are the Solomon
Islands.
Fourth, tribal names are very
common. Hungary (no, not the
Huns), Turkey, England (the
Angles), France (the Franks, or
‘free men’), Russia, The Czech
Republic are some examples. Slovenia and
Slovakia
both refer
to the Slavs, though the origin of
that term Slav itself is in dispute.
The al-Saud family still rules the
country that that family founded,
Saudi Arabia. The nation of Kyrgyzstan means the ‘land of forty
tribes’, which is probably a good
way to keep everybody there happy.
Fifth is what I call coincidental
names. China and Korea both refer the reigning dynasty at the time
of the arrival of the first Western
explorers or envoys: the Chin dynasty and the Koryo (or Goryeo)
kingdom respectively. These are
good examples of exonyms. The
shortened forms of their respective endonyms are Chung Guo and
Hanguk. Another example is the
Christmas
Islands, which
were discovered by Captain William
Mynors on Christmas Day, 1643.
You could create a sixth category based on dreams of riches.
Argentina was named after the
precious metal silver. Cote d’Ivoire
(the ‘Ivory Coast’) as well as Costa
Rica (‘Rich Coast’) not to mention
Puerto Rico (‘Rich Port’) fall into
that fantasy.
There are some oddities as well.
My favorites, though, are Pakistan
and Spain.
Pakistan is actually an acronym, though you wouldn’t notice
it, as there are a number of other
stans out there. For example, Afghanistan, Baluchistan, etc. Stan
simply means land or home, kind
of like stead in English. With the
PAGE THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN
Living Latino in Westchester
Eridania Camacho
Juan Carlos said business was
great last year in the construction industry in Westchester. He
reflected happily that he couldn’t
keep up with the work, and in fact
sometimes had to pass on jobs and
recommend them to friends. Juan
Carlos is a painter who also does
masonry work and plumbing, “a
jack-of-all-trades.”
“If you want work, there’s always work to be found,” Juan Carlos said. “My father told me when
I was young, if you learn to paint,
you’ll always have work. There is
always a need for painters.”
The expression that comes to
my mind is, “Give a man a fish, he
eats a meal. Teach him to fish and
he eats for life,” or something like
that. Only thing I would change
is the gender, give a women a fish,
and she eats a meal. Teach her to
fish and she eats for life.
Many men come to America to
Business Was Good In 2006,
But Will It Continue In 2007?
find work,
Table 1
Employment of All Workers and Hispanics
and often
2004 to 2006 (in thousands)
the conChange in Employment
s t r u c t i on Employment
industry is 2004
2005
2006
2004 to 2005
2005 to 2006
where they
Total: All Workers
139,385
142,012
144,732
2,627
2,719
find it. Na17,906
18,649
19,648
743
999
t ionw ide, All Hispanics
H i s p a n i c Foreign-Born Hispanics
9,742
10,223
11,048
482
825
workers
Hispanics: Recent
1,619
2,185
2,833
565
649
landed two Foreign-Born
Arrivals
out of every
three new Shares in total employment
construc- All Hispanics
12.8%
13.1%
13.6%
28.3%
36.7%
tion jobs in
Foreign-Born Hispanics
7.0%
7.2%
7.6%
18.3%
30.3%
2006. That
1.5%
2.0%
21.5%
23.9%
is accord- Foreign-Born Hispanics: Recent 1.2%
Arrivals
ing to data
r e l e a s e d Source: Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of Current Population Survey data
by the Pew Note: Data for 2004 and 2005 have been adjusted to account for the effects of annual revisions to the CPS. All numbers
and percentages are rounded after changes or shares have been computed. Recent arrivals are foreign-born person who
H i s p a n i c arrived in the U.S. in 2000 or more recent years.
C enter.
And the good news is not lim- analysis, recently-arrived workers
Hispanic workers benefited from ited to Hispanics. The employment are defined as those who arrived no
strong employment growth in the trend in construction reflected a earlier than 2000.
industry even as the housing mar- strong growth for both HispanIn September of last year, the
ket endured a year- ic and non-Hispanic workers in Center reported that the Hispanic
long slump.
2006.
unemployment rate reached a hisThe
construcThere were 19.6 million His- toric low of 5.2% in the second
tion industry is a key panic workers employed in the U.S. quarter of 2006. According to the
source of jobs for His- labor market in 2006, accounting report, data has been tracked since
panics, and especially for 13.6% of the total employment 1973. Wages for Latino workers also
for those who are for- of 144.7 million workers. The share rose between the second quarters of
eign-born. Juan Carlos of Hispanics in total employment 2005 and 2006, and at a faster rate
is in the right business. has increased steadily in the past than for other workers. Hopefully,
The industry added three decades. Most recently, it this trend will continue in 2007.
nearly a half a million was 12.8% in 2004 and 13.1% in
In a statement issued by United
jobs between the sec- 2005.
States Secretary of Labor Elaine
ond quarters of 2005
Foreign-born workers account Chao in February 2007 employand 2006, the majority for a majority of the Latino work- ment situation the economy had reof them filled by for- force and a significant share are cently created over 97,000 new jobs.
eign-born Latinos.
individuals recently arrived. In this
PAGE 9
Design Inspirations
Veronica Imperatrice
The Sweet Smell of Spring
If you are anything like I am,
Spring never seems to come around
soon enough. Every day becomes a
bit of a tease. Well perhaps with the
moving up of “daylight savings” we
will feel differently. But in the
meantime we
will only have
the use of our
imagination
when we wish
to see, feel, and
smell the sweetness
of
spring.
Getting one’s
h o m e
ready for
a new season always
has an incredible
effect on
the entire
f a m i l y.
Having every one involved
in the SPRING CLEANUP is
just what the doctor ordered!
Winter is behind us, no matter what the temperature outside may say. The magic of
this season is knocking at our
door. Are you ready for it?
So let’s put on our working gloves and begin to do
some heavy duty cleanup! This is
the time when we must bite the bullet, open our closet doors and let
out those monsters that we have al-
lowed to live there far too long. Remember, I said it’s a family project.
Everyone should get involved and
take on some responsibility for his
or her junk. Be willing to part with
it now, and then
you can look
forward to a
fresh, new beginning.
Perhaps this
is the perfect
time to think
PA I N T I N G ,
again. I know it
seems like you
might have just painted the
entire house, but odds are you
only did a room or two. Have
you considered wallpapering
some of the walls and painting
others? Since this is the season
of daisies and tulips, why not
take your color selection right
from Mother Nature herself.
to purchase some new sheets, towels,
bath mats, etc. Go for something a
little bit less you, like stripes, checks
or florals. Bring the colors of your
bed and bath together. Isn’t that what
you really want to have happen anyway? The luxury of one’s bathroom
and the intimacy of the bedroom
should be coordinated.
Moving along to
the other areas in your
home, create a hit-andmiss list. Be honest
about the choices that
you have made in the
past that are just not
cutting it now. They
are on the miss list, so
a quick remedy may be
in order.
Begin by collecting
the items that you are
not sure of, and removing them from the scene.
You can always go back
and replace an item
or two. I believe
that we tend to clutter up our lives with
things we can well
do without. The
cleaner the rooms
look, the better you
will feel. It’s kind of
like removing our
winter layered look,
and dropping ten
pounds.
The sun is now
shining and the air has
never smelled sweeter,
so open those windows and let’s
breathe some new life into our home
and our lives. Let’s take down some
of the heavy window treatment, and
replace it with lightweight cottons
and sheers. None of this will cost
you a bundle but what it will do for
how you feel is worth a million! ■
DreamWork
You may have more fun with color
than you ever thought possible.
A very simple, and yet effective,
way to begin your ‘design therapy’ is
K
I
T
C
H
E
N
S
Paul & Liz Bookbinder
www.DreamWorkKitchens.com
PAGE 10
at home with... The Great Chefs of Westchester
Great Chef Michael Sheel
A sudden vacancy on the line propelled Chef Michael Sheel from a high school, part-time job washing
dishes, to fry cook, and then sauté and grill chef. “I could
have been a plumber, like my dad,” said Chef Sheel, “but I
decided to apply to Atlantic Community College for their
Culinary Arts program, graduating with High Honors. I
went to school there for two years, and then I interned at
Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, one of the top 50 French Restaurants in the world, with a 5 star rating.”
“French cooking is definitely the basis for all Western
cooking; even Asians use that now. I worked at Le Bec Fin,
for free, and as an intern, you are a ‘nobody’. I cleaned
herbs and diced vegetables and learned all of the basics,
again. The kitchen was headed by Chef Georges Perrier.”
“After graduation, I bounced around various restaurants in Philadelphia, then moved to the Virgin Islands,
where I worked at The Ritz, in St. Thomas. I stayed there
for two and a half years. When I returned, I worked at
Passarelle Restaurant and Bravo Bistro, where I eventually moved up to Sous Chef and gained added responsibilities. My work schedule changed, and I became responsible for everyone working under me. I had to make
sure they were doing their jobs and doing them correctly.
I also had to make the Chef ’s job easy, that he had everything he needed to do his job. At Passarelle Restaurant,
and Bravo Bistro, I worked under Chef Allen Venesco for
almost five years. He taught me to respect food and how
to get the best value from everything I buy. ”
“My next job was at The Continental Restaurant
and Martini Bar - the Philadelphia chefs favorite hangout. We always had a good meal that didn’t cost a lot and
turned out 400 dinners on Friday and Saturday nights.”
Prior to joining Monteverde, Chef Sheel was a partner and Executive Chef at restaurant Blue, in Surf City,
which was consistently named one of the best restaurants
on the Jersey Shore. He sold his interest in the restaurant
to travel a bit and met the new owner of Monteverde
through a friend who was on vacation in South Carolina. “I grew up in lower New Jersey, and I had only been
up here once, to Hunter Mountain,- it’s beautiful here.”
“We are at the beginning of a very long goal,” said
Chef Sheel. “The restaurant will constantly change and
it will get even better as time goes by. We took over a
place that had been here for 35 years, and we are making
their menu more modern.” The menu changes seasonally and currently includes: Filet Mignon served with
Lobster Potato Hash and Béarnaise Sauce; Kobe Beef
Monteverde at Oldstone Manor
28 Bear Mountain Bridge Rd.,
Cortlandt Manor, NY
Tel. (914) 739.5000 x1
Open for Lunch and Dinner 7 Days
Brunch Sat & Sun. 10:30-2:30PM
Reservations Suggested
Steak with Frites;
Pan Roasted Halibut with Salmon
Dumplings, Long
Green Beans and
Soy Butter; Parma
Ham
Wrapped
Trout with Roasted
Fingerling Potato
Salad, Wilted Arugula and Brown
Butter;
OvenRoasted Rack of
Lamb with Rosemary mashed Potatoes; Penne Carbonara and Chop
Chop Chicken Salad with a Lemongrass Vinaigrette,
Asian Slaw and Crisp Wontons. A special Prix Fixe
Menu will be available for Easter.
Owner Richard Friedberg fell in love with and acquired Monteverde, in 2005, after being diverted into
the driveway, when a tractor-trailer jackknifed on the
road just above the restaurant. Friedberg invested
$3.1 million into a whirlwind sixty-three-day renovation, (using all local tradesmen), to renovate the Oldstone Manor, originally built in 1760, by Pierre Van
Cortlandt, as a summer residence.
The property now includes a gracious two room
inn offering spa services, a restaurant, catering, and entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings. Guests
enjoy unparalleled views of the Hudson, outside dining in good weather and a separate grill menu, served
under a vine-covered pergola. A fresh vegetable and
herb garden supplements locally-grown produce for
the kitchen. Future plans for the property include an
inn with 39 suites and 20 spa rooms and villas with
fractional time -shares. ■
Chef ’s Tips
“Take your time and do it right. I would rather have
my staff take an extra 15 minutes to dice carrots correctly than to fly through it and do it wrong.”
Gadgets:
“A Santuko Japanese knife-it is very versatile; you
can cut anything with it, and a mandolin, for speed,
alone.”
Can’t Cook Without:
“Salt! Salt makes everything taste better. I use at least
3 kinds: Kosher, Red Hawaiian and Himalayan.
Greatest Influence”
“Chef Georges Perrier.”
Chef Quote:
“Your name is your reputation. People see your
name and they will associate anything with you.”
Favorite Recipes
Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto
1- ounce sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan finely chopped
Fresh parsley leaves for sprinkling risotto, if desired
In a small saucepan simmer the tomatoes in the
water for 1 minute, drain them, reserving the liquid,
and chop them. In a saucepan combine the reserved
cooking liquid and the broth, bring the liquid to a
simmer. In a large saucepan cook the onion and the
garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring,
until they are softened, add the rice, stirring until
each grain is coated with oil, and stir in the tomatoes.
Add 1/2 cup of the simmering liquid is absorbed.
Continue adding the liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring
constantly and letting each portion be absorbed adding the next, until the rice is tender but still al dente.
(The rice should take about 17 minutes to become al
dente.) Stir in the Parmesan and salt and pepper to
taste and sprinkle the risotto with the parsley.
Monteverde Frisee Salad with
Bleu Cheese Dressing
For the Sandwich:
1 part Maytag Bleu Cheese
1 part cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
thin-sliced white bread
Mix all ingredients till smooth; spread on bread
and cook like grilled cheese sandwich.
Cut into 1/4’s
The Dressing:
1/4 cup bleu cheese
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/2 shallot
3/4 cup blended oil
salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients into blender except oil. Turn
on and add oil slowly.
Season with salt and pepper
For Salad:
diced cooked bacon
frisee lettuce
halved cherry tomatoes
Mix all ingredients; arrange on plate.
PAGE 11
On the National Scene
Fred Polvere
And the Democratic Winners Are…
Now that The Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences has made its
Oscar presentations and the hubbub
has subsided, it is fitting to hand out
awards to the real actors in the public
arena - politicians. Unlike movie stars
who act for short periods of time, are
thronged by adoring fans, and face
puffball interviews, politicians, especially presidential candidates, must
act non-stop and (except for Bush and
Cheney) are sometimes questioned by
hostile interviewers.
Here are the Democratic Party
Presidential Candidate winners:
The Award for Best Improvisational Performance: Sen. Joe Biden.
In a chance encounter, a contingent
of White House reporters met Senator Joe Biden at Dulles Airport. Biden
showed why he is the Press Corps’ favorite candidate by inviting them to sit down
for an unscripted press conference that
lasted four hours. Imagine that – in this
day and age, Biden held an unrehearsed
four-hour press conference. Biden was
almost finished with the second question
when he had to board his plane.
The Award for the Best Surprise
Performance: Former Sen. Mike Gravel.
Former Senator Mike Gravel won
this award with his announcement that
he was officially running. This was the
only unanimous award, as no one knew
who he was.
The Award for the Most Impressive
Performance: Sen. John Edwards.
Senator John Edwards has been
a tour-de-force on the road. He has
made a dramatic change from his last
campaign. His speeches as John Kerry’s
running mate were bland, uninspired,
almost mealy mouth – best described
as Kerryesque. Now, he has refined his
act. He is aggressive and on target. No
other candidate can clearly articulate as
many details in such a short time. In a
24-minute speech recently, Edwards was
able to remind us 39 times that his father
worked in a mill and he was raised in a
mill town. Now, that is impressive.
The Award for the Most Hopeful
Performance: Sen. Barack Obama.
Senator Barack Obama sealed this
award on Oprah a few weeks ago. He
showed why he is such a hot candidate.
He oozed charm and charisma. He
spoke about hope, the audacity of hope,
hope springing eternal and his desire
to replace cynicism with hope. He engrossed viewers across the nation. He
completely raised our hopes. Now, we
hope he tells us his positions on the
major issues before the primaries.
The Award for the Comeback-Kid
Performance: Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.).
A more seasoned General Wesley
Clark (Ret.) is flirting with running again.
In his first inept run for President, someone mentioned a draft and Clark closed
the window. His Chief of Staff said he
needed “white papers” so Clark called Office Depot and ordered some. He would
often give speeches without a word about
his background but that has changed.
Now, in his stump speech, he mentions, more than a few times, that he was
NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander,
Europe. In fact, speaking before the Democratic National Committee in Las Vegas,
it took him 2 minutes and 13 seconds to
say Supreeeeeeemme Alliiiiiiiiiiieeed Comaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnder.
If Bob Sheppard ever retires as the
public address announcer for the New York
Yankees, Clark is poised to replace him.
The Award for the Most Promising
Performance: Gov. Bill Richardson.
Keeping his campaign pledge not to
be a “Beltway Insider,” President Bush has
taken more vacation time than any other
president in history. When Governor
Bill Richardson was Secretary of Energy
in the Clinton administration, he took
more vacation time than any other cabinet member. Richardson has promised,
that if elected president, he will better
President Bush’s unprecedented amount
of time on vacation. It is refreshing to see
a candidate aiming so high.
The Award for the Oh-I-Get-It Performance: Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
Congressman Dennis Kucinich is
running again. Oh-I-Get-It, the RePoman took his car.
put it bluntly when he said he couldn’t
raise the $20 million he needed in the
short term let alone the $100 million
needed before the primaries next year.
Vilsack was smart enough to see that the
contribution cash register just doesn’t kaching when one is an ex-governor.
The Award for the Most Artful Method Performance: Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Senator Hillary Clinton won this
most prestigious of awards with her unwavering ability to deny that she ever
made a mistake. Clinton’s adroit maneuver in attacking President Bush for going to war in Iraq, while she insisted that
her vote for war was the correct one, has
been ranked as one the best triangulation
methods ever performed. Adherents of
Konstantin Stanislavski and those of Lee
Strasberg have already started battling for
credit of Clinton’s masterwork. President
Vladimir Putin of Russia teared up at
Clinton’s performance. He jealously said
that she has the soul to be president.
Next week - the Republican Party
winners. n
The Award for the Most Thoughtful
Speech Performance: Sen. Chris Dodd
Senator Chris Dodd’s vote was second only to Mike Gravel’s unanimous tally. Every babysitting instructional website
has videos of Dodd’s speeches. Turn on
one of his speeches and recalcitrant children are asleep in minutes.
No other politician from
either party has had more
success at putting children
to sleep faster than Dodd.
Thoughtfully, Dodd gives
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Apartment Buildings • Office Buildings
babysitters to step out of
the room lest they fall Mixed Use • Shopping Centers • Construction
Underlying Cooperatives
asleep too.
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& Associates, Inc.
(Mortgages)
The Award for the Most
Intelligent Performance: Former Governor Tom Vilsack.
Former Governor Tom
Vilsack dropped out of the
presidential race shortly
after he entered it. Vilsack
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PAGE 12
Testa Peppered by Overflow Crowd, continued from page 2
Another speaker referred to Ms. Brown as
an “undesirable person,
trying to take and give
bribes.” He went on,
“This woman came out
of the woodwork. She
came from the streets.
We used to smoke together.”
Most of the residents
were responding to a letter signed by four members of the Peekskill
Housing Commission
that had been served
upon
Mr.
Thankachan,
calling for
his resignation. The letter, signed by
Commissioners Leesther Brown, Sandra
Bond, Eric Hines and,
very recently appointed, Lorraine Robinson, is widely believed
to be at the behest of
Mayor Testa.
The majority of
residents
appeared
motivated by their
long-standing appreciation of, and loyalty
to, Mr. Thankachan
as well as their openly-expressed distrust
of the cozy relationship between Leesther
Brown, Mayor John
Testa, and Police Chief
Fratelli Ristorante
Eugene Tumolo.
237 East Main St., New Rochelle 633.1990 633.1991
On another subFratelli Pizzeria
ject Mr. Gary Shaw
9A Huguenot St., New Rochelle 636.4072 636.4050
spoke of problems
Grand Opening Mario’s Pizza • Feb 1
and safety concerns
624 Main St., New Rochelle 914.636.0800
at Indian Point. Mr.
TOLL FREE 866.944 A-PIE
Shaw stated, “Many
veloped by over-zealous new developers.” He went on, “Foreman
Brothers receives no-bid contracts
because of their contributions to
Mayor Testa’s campaign.” He concluded his remarks with the quip,
“How do we punish contractors
who don’t abide by the codes? We
give them more contracts.”
Testa, attempting to defend
himself, accused several of the
speakers of “telling tall tales.” He
told the angry crowd, “There are
no plans under the table and nobody can do anything about public housing except for HUD.”
Peekskill City Hall
workers at the
plant are concerned with the
abundant leakage of radioactive
waste into the
river.” He said,
“These
workers are scared
to address the
safety concerns
with the people
in charge.” Shaw
called upon the
Mayor for help.
Testa agreed that
problems at IndiChapel Hill Condos, overlooking the Hudson
an Point were an
important issue for the citizens of school students are gang memPeekskill because of its proximity bers,” Fisher asked the Mayor
to the community.
what plans were being developed
Janet Fisher, a distraught moth- to deal with the gangs.
er residing at Bohlmann Towers
Testa replied, “The Peekskill
with her ninth-grade daughter, Police Department is on the case
complained bitterly about the at- and they will continue to come up
tack on her child by several male with further strategies.” He sugstudents at the high school. De- gested that Fisher speak with Poclaring, “Fifty percent of the high lice Chief Tumolo privately. n
PAGE 13
What’s In A Name?, continued from page 7
division of India just a matter
of time, deciding what to name
East Bengal was straightforward,
and simply became Bangladesh,
meaning ‘nation of Bengalis’.
Muslim nationalist Rahmat Ali
conjured up West Bengal’s new
name in 1933. Pakistan derives
from P=Punjab, A=Afghania,
K=Kashmir,
I=Iran, S=Sindh,
T=Turkharistan
( r o u g h ly the modern central-Asian
states),
A=Afghanistan
and
N=Balochistan.
Spain, on the other hand, is of a
more curious origin. It is initially of
Phoenician origin, as they thought
the abundant hares they found there
to be African hyraxes. Big rabbits,
in other words. The name Hispania
comes directly from that, and the
Anglicization to Spain is no stretch
of the imagination.
One last oddity is Scotland,
which means “inhabitants of Ireland” of all things! Evidently, after
the Romans left town, the English
witnessed people
invading Scotland
who they thought
were Irish and
that was that.
PS Hydronyms are the names
of bodies of water. Interestingly,
unlike nations, they tend not to
change over time. Just maybe that’s
because it’s much harder carving
out a homeland with troops and
cavalry in a liquid.
Though I did not intend to get
into the names of cities today, I
feel compelled to leave you with
the following full name of an
Asian city, as it is in
The Guinness Book
of Word Records for the
title of longest
city name. The original name of
Bangkok is Krung Thep, meaning the “City of Angels”, as in
Los Angeles. However, the city’s
full ceremonial name is, (take a
deep breath) Krung Thep Maha
Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilok
Phop Noppharat Ratchathani
Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Ma-
hasathan Amon Phiman Awatan
Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanu
Kamprasitwhich, which means
city of angels, the
“The
great city, the eternal jewel city, the
impregnable city of
God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with
nine precious gems, the happy
city, abounding in an enormous
Royal Palace that resembles the
heavenly abode where reigns the
reincarnated god, a city given by
Indra and built by Vishnukam.”
Got that? WT
Travel quote of the week
If you look like your passport
photo, you’re too ill to travel.
-Will Kommen
Business Was Good in 2006, continued from page 8
She noted that a significant portion perienced a decline. This did not
of the new jobs created over the appear to have a negative affect on
past 12 months have been in ser- job prospects for Hispanic workers
or, in parvice sectors
which pay There were 19.6 million Hispanic work- ticular, for
foreignabove aver- ers employed in the U.S. labor market
born Hisage wages. in 2006, accounting for 13.6% of the
panics.
The econtotal employment of 144.7 million
S o ,
omy
has
now seen workers. The share of Hispanics in total how does
Juan Car42 straight employment has increased steadily in
months of the past three decades. Most recently, it los think
job growth was 12.8% in 2004 and 13.1% in 2005. that will
af fect
for a total of 7.6 million new jobs created him? “I’ll see. I think that there is
always plenty of work out there. I
since August 2003.
The question is, “Will it con- don’t follow reports. I think positinue?” Recent reports predict that tively. Like I said earlier, I believe
2007 may not be the greatest year I am in a business that will always
for employment growth. We’ll sim- be in demand. Of course, some
years may be better than others.”
ply have to wait and see.
In September, the Pew HispanThe Pew Hispanic Center report also stated that housing starts ic Center reported that since the
fell steadily in 2006, from 2.1 mil- recovery began in 2003, nearly 1
lion in the first quarter to 1.6 mil- million Latinos have found work.
The data from the study was
lion in the fourth quarter, and
that housing permits and housing obtained through the Bureau of
units under construction also ex- Labor Statistics and the Census
Bureau. Most of the
data is from the Census Bureau’s Current
Population Survey, a
monthly survey of approximately
60,000
households. Monthly
data are combined to
create larger sample
sizes and to conduct
the analysis either on
an annual or quarterly
basis. The analysis was
for 2004-2006. ■
Coming April 26...
Free Classified Ads!
For Sale, Rentals,
Services, Help Wanted,
Personals
PAGE 14
Horoscope
© Shelley Ackerman 2007. The author is a New York-based
astrologer, journalist and broadcaster.
Visit her online at www.karmicrelief.com
Shelley L. Ackerman
March 22 - 28
Photo/Kate Lacey
National Council for Geocosmic Research
Conference WOWS Baltimore-
Astrological Interest Expands Significantly in the Mainstream: 5 Day Event Draws Record Crowd
By Shelley l. Ackerman
I’ve just returned from the great
state of Maryland, where more than
400 astrologers, students, educators,
and like-minded individuals gathered
at the Tremont Grand Hotel to pick
up on the latest ‘Astrological Tools for
the 21st Century’ at the NCGR ‘Geocosmic Alchemy’ conference which
took place March 8-12 in Baltimore.
The event was covered by ABC,
FOX News, The Baltimore Examiner,
and streamed online by Eric Francis
of www.planetwaves.net, drawing participants from all over the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Central and South
America and Australia. Quite the buzz
was generated, proving once and for
all that not only is astrological interest
here to stay and growing but that it has
captured the imagination and, dare I
say, even the cautious respect of skeptics (who are taking a second look)
while renewing and deepening the exploration of the subject for aficionados
and committed enthusiasts.
Michael Lutin, Vanity Fair astrologer and author of SunShines: The
Astrology of Being Happy and president of the NYC local chapter of the
organization, was thrilled and encouraged by the response and said, “What
we saw at the national conference of
NCGR in Baltimore was a meeting of
serious philosophers, counselors and
social commentators. No more lunatic
fringe, the astrological community is
about to step into the ‘real world’ and
show everybody the stunning accuracy
and usefulness of astrology. So there.”
Liane Thomas Wade, executive
secretary of the NCGR agrees, “The
astrological community was enriched
and enlivened by the success of this
conference. Going forward, there is
strong evidence that astrology is no
longer alone in the wilderness but is
becoming more and more a vital tool
for understanding and coping with the
great changes that are about to occur”,
she said.
Changes, what changes?
In addition to what one might
expect covered at this type of conference: relationships (Michael Lutin’s
presentation was entitled, Astrology,
Obsession, and Love), psychology (NY
astrologer and NCGR education director Shirley Soffer offered ‘Astrology
and Jungian Psychology), astrolocality
(Cape Cod’s Madalyn Hillis-Dineen,
national chair of the NCGR, taught
Where in the World: Principles of Astro-locality), and prediction (Predictive
Synthesis was taught by Donna Van
Toen of Canada), and economic-financial astrology (Grace Morris and
Alphee Lavoie specialize), there were
many sessions on the upcoming segue
of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune,
and Pluto into different signs which
will take place from 2007-2012, and
the probable correlations to sweeping-dramatic changes on planet Earth
(Astrolabe’s Gary Christen sees volcanic activity being more the norm), as
well as my offering on the upcoming
presidential election of 2008, which is
sure to get more volatile, and perhaps
even explosive as it nears.
Astrologer Veronica Willson,
originally from the UK, who now consults for a prominent clientele in the
Ridgefield-Wilton area of Connecticut,
asked, “How can people exist without
knowing what we astrologers do? It
(the conference) was a definitive expression of where we are culturally and
historically. We are at a tremendous
turning point and the clarity that as-
trology offers in a time of enormous
turmoil and transition cannot be found
anywhere else.”
The keynote speaker was Richard
Tarnas Ph.D., a highly respected academic whose first book, The Passion
of the Western Mind is a textbook in
many universities. He now has a second book, Cosmos and Psyche which
has rocked both the astrological community and the academic world. Dr
Tarnas was, at first, a skeptic as far as
astrology was concerned, and he has
risked much by coming forward as
one of astrology’s greatest champions.
In his new book, Tarnas makes an extraordinary case for a vibrant, caring,
and conscious universe, one that is
dramatic and Shakespearean as op-
posed to random and mechanistic in
its expression and evolution. While
most scientists and academics subscribe to a Newtonian-Cartesian paradigm in which faith and reason are
separate, Tarnas presents a new world
view: Using astrology and planetary
correspondences to illustrate patterns
in world history, he convinces that the
stars do, in fact, light the way for humanity on its spiritual evolution and
current struggle with maturity.
*For my complete interview with
Dr. Tarnas, please visit my homepage
www.karmicrelief.com.
Over 40 astrologers presented in
Baltimore. And Yes: a good time was
had by all! ■
Solarfire Chart courtesy of Astrolabe
PAGE 15
Shimmering Stars, continued from the previous page
Aries (March 21-April 19): Your
ruler Mars is highly
active this week:
The
opposition
from Saturn may
bring a sudden end
to something fun
and frivolous, but
the
Jupiter-supported conjunction Reese Witherspoon
to Neptune in your
March 22
11th house of group
activities on the 25th brings good news:
Support for all of your wild, crazy, and
innovative ideas is
gathered very easily.
The bad news is that
if you don’t take the
reality of airborne
infections seriously,
you won’t have the
‘mojo’ to act on any
of it. No one is inWilliam Shatner
vincible. And while
March 22
you may feel superhuman, you’re not.
Taurus (April 20-May 20): The difficulty of deciding between tending to
responsibilities of home versus career
comes to an abrupt end, and it’s as if a
decision is made for you. When fate intervenes, what can you do but go along
and accept what can’t be changed while
making the best of it? If this sounds
ominous, it doesn’t
have to be. But don’t
waste energy and
don’t cry over spilt
milk. In the past
week, you’ve realized
how much you’re
valued and appreciated. Allow yourself Stephen Sondheim
to be nourished by
March 22
the love around you.
Gemini (May 21-June 21): Revisit the story of Don Quixote or listen to
the Man of LaMancha CD for clues/inspiration re: this week’s experience. Your
active imagination
is to be commended
and
encouraged,
but can a complete
fantasy materialize?
The opposition from
stern Saturn in your
3rd house of ideas,
Chaka Khan
c om mu n i c at i on ,
March 23
and transportation to Mars-Neptune in
your 9th will stop you dead in your tracks
if you’re not attentive to what’s real and
before your eyes. Seat belts are your
friend and please shut off that cell phone
while driving or crossing the street.
Cancer (June 22-July 22): Promises, promises. Be clear and I mean very
clear when it comes
to finance, loans, and
other people’s money in general. Bankers are not priests,
and sometimes even
priests aren’t priests
Elton John
either- if you catch
March 25
my drift. If something sounds too good to be true- it is,
and if you feel like you’re in a fog, bring
a trusted friend or advisor to sit in on
anything important.. Healthy suspicion
should be your mantra all week long.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): If a significant other, spouse, or best friend makes
outrageous and/or indelible demands
you need not respond to the diatribe
immediately. Gently, and with patience
and your signature
refinement,
you
might ask for clarification without being
insulting. By next
week, the craziness
should subside and
the situation should
Sarah
be revisited. On a
Jessica Parker
practical level, love
March 25
means insisting that
the object of your affection and adoration dress weather-appropriate. lest
they land in the ER with one heck of
a flu.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Let your
co-workers giggle at all of your overthe-top precautions regarding germs
and the like. But truth be told, you can’t
do enough to protect yourself and them
(the nay-sayers) this week. Mars and
Neptune in your 6th house can spread
the most innocent of
sneezes and coughs
so carry your Lysol
(or whatever you
use) and for extra
credit bother whoever’s in charge of it to
check the vents and
make sure they’ve
Curtis Sliwa
been cleaned. ‘SickMarch 26
building syndrome’
is real and cuts productivity. Find those
articles and show ‘em to the boss.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): A wild
and crazy romantic prospect may dance
across your computer screen or come into
your life from outer space and knock you
for a loop. But wherever he or she comes
from, a friend’s annoying suspicion and
lack of encouragement may be on target.
Enjoy the buzz but buyer beware. On another front, the same Mars/Neptune opposite Saturn aspect could focus a very
novel creative project into a ‘what’s really
possible?’ scenario.
Stick with it - this
‘birth’ may be arduous but so worth the
effort.
Scorpio (Oct.
24-Nov. 21): If on
Diana Ross
the home front, the
March 26
natives are restless
and hard to contain, it might be necessary for you to play the role of the ogre
and keep them in line. Do so with finesse
and if you must play bad cop, be sure to
have a good cop on board. Mars and
Neptune in your 4th house of home base
reminds that it’s time to check plumbing and vents for possible allergens and
chemicals that you definitely don’t want
around. Spring cleaning is the way to go.
Postponing this kind of home-improvement isn’t wise or prudent.
$$, can make for a sudden and shocking reality check in that department of
life. And while it’s reasonable to expect
a quick recovery, getting it right the first
time will be easier on you and all concerned.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Hitting a brick wall (and one with no sense
of humor) in the form of an unreasonable partner can be avoided if you remember your limits. With Mars and
Neptune conjoined in your sign, it may
feel as if you have no limits and that
the most ridiculous ideas make perfect
sense. The goal this week should be to
find the balance between inspired vision
and inventiveness and finding the right
audience for it. Trying to sell mini skirts
in Tehran would be foolish, right? On
the other hand, there is nothing as powerful as an idea whose time has come.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Your
co-ruler Neptune rules dreams and with
Mars and Neptune
in your 12th house
this week you’re sure
to be working overtime while sleeping.
Psychically, you’re as
plugged in as you’ve
ever been. The challenge is for you to
Dianne Weist
stay here with the
March 28
rest of us and effectively deal with and respond to the demands of time and space. Don’t expect
your co-workers to totally understand
why you’re tired and distracted. Yet
they’ll all clamor for your gift of attunement when it helps them. Go figure.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Though there’s every reason to remain
upbeat and enthusiastic about life, Sagittarians prefer to look skyward for inspiration and hope while all too often ignoring
the boring details of day-to-day existence.
Let this be a reminder that you must pay
attention to what’s going on
here on earth, especially in
your neighborhood lest you
miss something important.
Also a must this week: have
your car checked for leaks,
malfunctions, or faulty
Heavy Duty Cleaning
speedometers. The law will
be on your case if you don’t
keep on it yourself.
Capricorn (Dec. 22Jan. 19): You’re always
so on top of things, but
even you this week can
use a spot check. The opposition from your ruler
Saturn in your 8th house
of other people’s money
to Mars and Neptune in
the 2nd house of your own
No Extra Charge for Stairs,
Holidays or Weekends
PAGE 16
...cont’d from pg. 3
Analysis
Several weeks ago The Guardian brought to our readers’ attention the fact
that Deputy County Executive Larry Schwartz was engaging in still another
political power play, attempting to pass legislation through the County Board
of Legislators, and, ultimately with the State Legislature’s approval, that would
have taken the authority to review and approve pistol permits out of the hands
of elected County Court Judges, placing that power solely under the authority of
County Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tom Belfiore.
We explained why such an arrangement would be against the best interests
of County residents, citing the fact that Commissioner Belfiore is under the total control of Larry Schwartz, and reminding our readers that Mr. Schwartz,
and Mr. Belfiore, had conspired with former State Senator Nicholas Spano to
criminally divert $100,000 from a State Grant, issued for the specific purpose
of bolstering the efforts of the County’s Pistol Permit Unit in tracking down
unregistered handguns, instead using the funds to provide an unnecessary
chauffeur for the Senator’s father, former County Clerk Leonard Spano.
Additionally, The Guardian has on numerous occasions revealed the close
relationship between Larry Schwartz and Guilio Cavallo, former Chairman
of the Westchester Independence Party, currently under investigation for election fraud, and conspiracy. Mr. Cavallo who, in fact, sits on a citizen’s advisory
board of the County Department of Public Safety, is known to have offered his
services and influence, for payment by individuals seeking pistol permits. ■
Larry Schwartz, Deputy County Executive
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Our Readers Respond,
PAGE 17
continued from page 4
Board of Ethics which then twice voted unanimously that he should recuse
himself. I then received a telephone call
at home from a county legislator and
a letter from Mr.Bass’ attorney stating
that he was advising him not to recuse
himself. To my knowledge, Mr.Bass did
not do so, despite the long standing position of the Town Board for over thirty
years “its intention to abide by the opinions issued by the Board of Ethics”.
On July 11, 2006, the Board of Ethics and Town Board received a letter
from a town resident alleging that Mr.
Bass improperly received campaign
contributions. The resident further
requested a review of the campaign
contributions of all council members.
I advised him that under the Code of
Ethics, our Board could only render
advisory opinions at the request of the
Town Board and that his request had
been forwarded to them for appropriate action. It is now nine months later
and nothing has been done.
Campaign contribution reform is
long overdue. When Mr. Sheehan was
a candidate for the Town Board he submitted lengthy proposals to the League
of Women Voters calling for campaign
contribution reform and the right of a
Town resident to file a complaint directly to the Board of Ethics. He has been a
Town Councilman for 15 months and
no action has been taken on those issues other than to impede the Board of
Ethics in its duties.
The Board of Ethics must vigorously
defend its responsibility to be independently free from political and partisan
pressure and influence. I am unable to
do so under the present Town Board.
I have served our Country, State,
County and Town in the enforcement
of the law for over 50 years, and in all
those years I have not compromised
my principles or duties.
I will not now.
I have been advised that Robin
J.Bauer,Esq. has joined me in resigning
from the Board of Ethics..
Thomas A. Facelle
Justice (ret),
NYS Supreme Court
Brigadier General (ret),
USAF
Reader Apprciates The Guardian
age didn’t matter, they were told that
it is extremely difficult and that the
The Editor:
I just want to congratulate you on government likes to keep the children
such an informative paper. I look forward with their natural parents whether the
to reading it weekly. Your staff should be parents are in rehab or jail, didn’t matcommended. The topics are relative and ter. Yet, in Jing’s case her child was
up to date, with old references for us to taken away and never returned! And
her in-laws are doing their hardest to
use as a guide to do research.
I especially enjoy reading The Ad- keep her from getting her own child.
I didn’t know that our governvocate and Freedom isn’t Free articles. ment
catered to people with a reI have cut out issues & mailed to others,
vengeful motive. The government
the topics were that good.
Please continue the great work and the power-hungry people in this
you are doing, it is really appreciated. Country have been given wayyyyyy
too much power. Jing’s only true
Please convey my thanks to your staff.
Gladys Ramsey crime was escaping her abusive husReader Appalled by Treatment band who, by the way, no longer exists, and yet she cannot have custody
of Jing and Tristram Kelly
of her only child.
Dear Editor:
What I couldn’t understand at first
I am a stay-at-home mother of
was considering that her husband had
three and an American born and raised
passed away and the abuse he had done
in NYC, who lives in Westchester. Not
to her, why she does not have her son. I
that this has any bearing, but I just
understand that I am just a reader and
wanted to make clear who I am.
don’t really know the gist of the entire
I am writing to you as I happened
story, but coming from the news it
to be food shopping and came across a
sounds like she had done her time livnewspaper called the Westchester Guarding with the man she married and who
ian and saw your article on Jing Kelly
abused her.
who I first read about back when she and
I know that there is always two
her son return to the United States to
sides, but I’ll say it again, her husband,
clear her name, and was arrested.
the only true problem party in this
I have to tell you that your article
case, no longer exist so why does she
has made me extremely upset and
not have her son and why
that my whole day was anti-law, not
do the in-laws continue to
to mention distorted. I’m a big advobadger her by fighting to
cate for the children and never really
keep her son away from
ever get involved especially in news
her? Tristram is Jing’s
articles as I don’t always get the full
son!!!!
story. But the very first article on her I
If Jing was smart she
first thought she should have just been
should appeal to the
given a slap on the wrist even though
American public and fight
she committed a crime of custodial
interference. She did it not for herself,
but for her child and the fact that her
husband no longer was living I felt the
case should have been dismissed. Also,
the fact that the in-laws got custody is
the BIGGEST joke of them all. Boy
they must have some POWER and according to the way the Judge is behaving throughout this entire case what is
her take? Or, rather how much are they
paying her outside the court room?
I have personal friends who have
had difficulty having children. So when
they went to adopt an American child
fire with fire, go to Warner Brothers or
a famous celebrity and have the public
make the decision as it will break their
hearts to see what the courts are doing
to this poor women.
Lisa Kenny
Editor’s Note:
Jing Kelly, who was voluntarily
returning to the United States with her
two-year-old infant son, Tristram, when
she was arrested and her child was
kidnapped by Gail Hiler, sister of Jing’s
deceased, abusive husband, in Vancouver, British Columbia under arrangements made with Canadian authorities
by then-DA Jeanine Pirro. Ms. Kelly,
by definition, because of voluntarily
returning, was never guilty of Custodial Interference in the First Degree, a
felony, as she was overcharged by Pirro.
A jury of her peers recognized that fact
and found her guilty merely of Misdemeanor Custodial Interference.
Ms. Kelly’s appeal of that conviction was recently heard by a panel of
the State Supreme Court, Appellate
Division, Second Department, sitting in
White Plains. That appeal was essentially based upon the trial court’s refusal
to permit Kelly’s attorneys to offer an
affirmative defense.
PAGE 18
Guardian Supports Assemblyman Bradley’s Opposition
to Governor Spitzer’s School Aid Formula
property taxpayers.”
In the governor’s education proposal, accepted by the Assembly,
Westchester is grouped with the following counties: Dutchess, Orange,
Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and
Ulster. The cost-of-living in these
counties is much lower than the
cost-of-living in Westchester County.
Bradley is advocating for Westchester to be included in the more comparable cost-of-living group with New
York City and Long Island. Placing
Westchester in this group will accurately reflect the education costs
of the county and ensure that districts in the future receive more state
funds. All but one school district in
Westchester is in the hold harmless
category, which limits the amount of
aid they receive. I am
afraid that without the
Stop Paying Rent NOW!!
correct cost-of-living
Own A Home in 90 DAYS OR LESS
factor, all our districts
We’ll show you how EASY it is to buy
will remain in this cata home in Westchester
egory for many years to
1-800-667-0516 ID#3050
come, severely limiting
their ability to receive
(Free recorded message-just call, listen and order your free report)
Assemblyman Adam Bradley (DWhite Plains) announced he voted
against A.4303-B and A.4307-B, the
two education budget bills that the
Assembly passed last Monday, because they failed to provide sufficient
funds to Westchester schools. Bradley explained that while he supports
the more transparent and simplified school aid formula, his schools
are getting shortchanged. Under the
new formula, counties are classified
under Regional Indexes based on
cost-of-living factors.
Bradley states: “I have serious
reservations about the Governor’s and
Assembly’s education proposals. The
school aid formula in each budget plan
shortchanged Westchester schools and
as a result, will further burden local
the state funding they deserve.
Westchester loses under this classification and our schools will receive
less aid than they are entitled to. Losing vital state aid will have a negative
impact on local property taxpayers. I
will fight during joint budget conference committees to reclassify Westchester County and to make sure
our schools receive the funding they
need.”
The Westchester Guardian concurs with Assemblyman Adam Bradley and applauds his courage in voting against Assembly Bills A.4303-B
and A.4307-B. To lump Westchester County together with Putnam,
Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, for purposes of determining our share of
state school aid, is not merely unfair but fraudulent. Anyone living
in Westchester County knows perfectly well that the cost of housing,
transportation, clothing, food, etc.
are clearly more comparable to New
York City and Nassau County, and
far higher than in any of the counties north
of here.
E l i o t
Spitzer’s
researchers know
that
as
well.
However, We
are encouraged
by
Mr.
Spitzer’s
attempt
to bring
m o r e
transparency
and simplicity to New York State’s
school aid formula. Nevertheless,
we recognize, as we have previously publicly stated, that the notion of deriving the lion’s share of
public education funding from local property taxes is both unfair
and unproductive and, must be replaced by a system that is more equitable and efficient. Simply stated,
public education is the responsibility and resource of every member
of the statewide community, unlike
sewer, water, and lighting districts,
the education of our youth does
not anure to the benefit of property
owners alone. We must ultimately
derive the funds to finance public
education from state income tax,
drawn from the income of every
elegible individual and corporation
able to contribute.
Under the present system, far
too many individuals and corporation escape payment of their rightful share. Others, such as senior
citizens, whose income-earning
potential is limited, are often driven
from their homes by burdensome
property taxes, mostly school tax.
For the majority of Westchester homeowners, school taxes comprise
more than two-thirds of their property tax bill, a portion that in most
school districts in Westchester, has
been steadily increasing by about 10
percent per year for many years.
Tax reduction programs, such
as STAR are, at best, a temporary
band-aid. Governor Spitzer, elected as he was by 70 percent of the
voters, must muster the courage to
appoint a commission to study the
most equitable and efficient way to
make public school financing come
from the state’s income tax revenue
stream. n
PAGE 19
Marriage and Family in Westchester
Dr. Maria Munoz Kantha
Teach Your Children
Respect For Women
In today’s world, we are faced
with an interesting but sad situation. Women, no longer lawfully discriminated, still face discrimination
in many social and economic situations. Throughout the United States
of America, women still earn less in
the workplace and hold fewer positions of authority. How can we address those problems?
Having already taken legal corrective action, what can we do next? A
major step involves instilling notions
of equality, impartiality, and tolerance
in our children. Education from the
earliest age is the most efficient and
effective way to prevent children from
developing notions of inequality between the genders. If taught from a
young age that people of both genders
are equal, it is only logical that they
will maintain this concept for the rest
of their lives. Parents must assume
that responsibility in earnest.
Now, during Women’s History
Month, many of us celebrate the
accomplishments and contributions that women have made to our
society. However, how many of us
celebrate women’s history with our
children and explain the trials and
tribulations of women? We owe
it to our children to tell them just
how important a role women have
played in history, in order that they
may continue to respect the abilities
of women throughout their lives.
Women’s History Month marks a
time for women of all nations to be
acknowledged for their contributions
to society. However, throughout history, it is a known fact that women
have enjoyed fewer legal rights and
career opportunities than men.
We must not forget women such
as Frances Perkins, a long-time advocate for working women, sworn in
as Secretary of Labor on the day that
Franklin Delano Roosevelt became
President. She was, in fact, the first
woman appointed as a Cabinet Officer in his administration. The fact
that she was a woman created a great
deal of controversy. She fought for,
and to a large degree accomplished,
a reevaluation of traditional perceptions about women’s roles in society.
Prior to that appointment, in
1928 when Roosevelt was Governor
of New York, he had appointed her
as the first female state industrial
commissioner. In her advocacy for
equal rights for all people, Perkins
remained ever aware of her responsibility to represent all women. In a
1933 speech, she stated, “I have always felt that it was not I alone who
was appointed to the cabinet but that
it was all the women in America.”
The following are a number of
guidelines for effectively instructing young children about the role of
women:
a. Share your own stories about
the role of women in your family;
b. Teach your children about
respect for women;
c. Encourage them not to allow other children to bully or oppress girls;
d. Teach your daughters about
self-empowerment;
e. Don’t repeat intergenerational patterns of oppression against
women.
Ironically, today women continue
to struggle with these very same issues.
Women leaders continue to strive for
progressive development and for the
dismantlement of stereotypes and
misperceptions about women. It is
time for women to become aware of
women leaders and mentors.
Even as women struggle with
today’s conflicts, we can recognize
females such as Frances Perkins who
battled stereotypes and discrimination
in spite of the hardships she faced.
Oppression of women will continue for as long as we permit it. However, merely speaking honestly to
children about the history of women
and oppression is not enough. Children and families will benefit from
researching the history of women in
our country. n
PAGE 20
Taking Judicial Notice
Judge Kenneth Lange
Crime Busting in the Complaint Bureau
The first stop for generations of
young assistant district attorneys in
Westchester was the Complaint Bureau. During my tenure, in the early
1960’s, there was no “Bureau Chief,”
and what little supervision we fledgling
prosecutors received came from the office receptionist/telephone operator, or
one of the ladies in the record room.
The idea was that anyone could walk in
off the street with a complaint, and they
would receive a polite hearing by an assistant prosecutor, who would then take
whatever action was appropriate.
This was probably the only contact
the average law-abiding citizen would
have with the county prosecutor’s office in their lifetime. Of course the
D.A.’s office had authority only to prosecute “crimes,” but the average citizen
does not distinguish between a private
wrong (which might give rise to a civil
lawsuit), and a criminal act defined in
the Penal Law or other statutes.
As might be expected, many of the
complaints had to do with debt collection. In this category of complaints, there
were often some facts, i.e. issuance of a
bad check, or violation of wages and hours
laws, that could arguably be prosecuted as
crimes. My first complainant was a carpenter, with a heavy German accent, hired
by a small contractor to do some work on
a spec house under construction. He had
been paid with ‘rubber checks’, and was
irate, wanting not only his money, but that
the contractor be subjected to protracted,
painful punishment.
After I took the information, and
listened to him vent, I told him that we
would look into it. (What I really intended
to do was ask someone else, anyone who
had been in the office longer than I, what I
should do next.) “Look into it! Vat kind uf
place ist dis? I’ll take care uf dis myzelf!”
he bellowed, as he snatched up the checks
and stormed out the door, embarrassing
me in front of the receptionist and several
people in the waiting room.
This was not a good start to my new
career. I was afraid he was going to kill the
contractor, because I had not been forceful enough. One of the older assistants told
me I could send the contractor a “Come
See Me” subpoena, and see if I could collect the man’s money without a formal
prosecution. I then called the complainant’s home and spoke to his wife (I suspect
he stopped for a drink after he left my
office), and she told me, “He’s very excitable.” I explained that we would contact
the contractor, and try to get him to pay
up, and if not we would charge him with a
crime. She said she would get her husband
to leave off the checks. He returned with
the checks that same afternoon.
Judge Kenneth Lange is retired from the
Westchester County Court, where he served for 20 years.
He is now in private practice with the law firm of
Banks, Shapiro, Gettinger and Waldinger, LLP in Mt. Kisco.
A “Come See Me,” I discovered on
reading one, was not a subpoena at all,
but a fairly-convincing look-alike document, with gothic script at the top declaring, “In The Name Of The People of
The State Of New York,” that the named
person (the contractor), was to appear
at the “Office Of The District Attorney of
Westchester County,” at a specified date
and time, in connection with the case
of The People Of The State of New York
vs. (the name of the contractor, or “John
Doe,” was typed in here.) The only differences between this and a real subpoena,
was the use of the word “Requested,” instead of “Commanded,” no mention of a
court or grand jury, and the color. These
were blue, to help the receptionist distinguish the people bearing these papers
from people with grand jury subpoenas.
I couldn’t believe it would work, but it
did, and the carpenter was all smiles
when I handed him postal money orders from the contractor, covering the
entire amount owed.
I was soon to learn that the Complaint Bureau also served as a de facto
out-patient mental health clinic. Once
the receptionist brought in a nicelydressed, middle-aged woman, and,
with an effort to suppress a smile,
handed me a complaint form indicating that the subject of the complaint
was “Arthur Godfrey.” For our younger
readers, Arthur Godfrey was the host
of a nationally-broadcast daily daytime
television variety show. He was one of
the relatively few performers to make
the successful leap from radio to television, and also had a weekly evening TV
show called “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent
Scouts.” Wally Cox (Mr. Peepers) was
“discovered” on that show. Godfrey
was also featured in national advertising campaigns: in short, he was BIG.
But now I was hearing that he spent
every weekday morning peeping at
this woman while she got dressed! Not
through the windows, but through the
TV set! I had already learned to control
my giggling. I excused myself so I could
have a good laugh in the hallway, and
encountered the late Jim Duggan, then
an ADA and formerly an FBI agent for
many years in Minneapolis. I told him
about the story the woman, now sitting
in my office, had just told me. He offered this advice: “Tell her we are going
to assign a surveillance team immediately.” “We don’t have that kind of manpower,” I naively replied. “You don’t tell
her that!” he retorted. “But what if she
calls and says the men are not there?”
I persisted. Jim replied, “Tell her they
are undercover; if she could see them,
Godfrey could see them too!”
I followed his advice, and told her
that I had just been arranging for a surveillance team. She left, seemingly feeling better than when she arrived. Maybe Arthur Godfrey spotted our guys,
and got scared off.
On another occasion an elderly
woman, wearing paint-stained blue
jeans and sweatshirt, and dirty white
sneakers, was led into my office. This was
at a time when no women (except skid
row types) were seen in public without
a dress or skirt and shoes, usually high
heels. Unlike the uniform for today’s seniors, no one wore sneakers, except on
the tennis court. Most of her teeth were
missing, and her hair looked as if it had
Continued on the next page
Crime Busting in the
Complaint Bureau, continued from the previous page
not been washed since VJ Day! Written
on the complaint form, as the nature of
her complaint, was, “Sabotage and Conspiracy.” The complaint was against the
Building Inspector and various officials
of the City of Yonkers. It was hard to get
the basic information from her, because
she was intent on telling me about how
she had discovered a cure for cancer;
complete with hand-drawn diagrams,
and references to a dog-eared paperback
book she carried about Einstein’s Theory
of Relativity.
As best I could figure out, she had
somehow gotten hold of the huge plywood hull of a World War II patroltorpedo boat (like PT 109), and had it
partially beached along the Yonkers waterfront. She was living (and conducting her scientific research) in this hulk,
which did not meet any of the manifold
requirements of the New York State
Residential Building Code, or the Yonkers Zoning Ordinance. I believe that
after listening to her explain the benefits of “sub-atomic air” (below decks at
the riverfront), and how she was building a concrete block oven down there,
I had enough guts to tell her, politely,
that there was no criminal activity of
the City officials that we could act on.
I smilingly took her hand, and escorted
her to the front door. I didn’t have the
stomach for stringing her along.
Sometimes, though, the complaints
were from real victims about real (if
sometimes bizarre) crimes. A young, nervous priest escorted a girl of about twenty
into my office. He was clearly uncomfortable reciting the story that this girl had
brought to him.
She had confided in him because she
had no family. She had a job in the stock
room at an electrical supply house, that
she really enjoyed. (She was pretty, but
appeared to me to be mildly retarded).
Her supervisor at work had a small office
in the back of the stock room. He would
invite her into his office, and they would
talk. She told him about how much she
enjoyed going to church because she had
no family, and how much comfort she
got from her religious beliefs. He told her
that he too was involved with the Catholic
Church, and had been commissioned by
the Church to develop an invention that
would help to hold families together, and
eliminate divorce. He called his invention
the “Psycho-Gallant Response Indicator,”
and even showed her the prototype he
was working on.
Unfortunately, he said, he couldn’t
turn it over to the Church until it had
been field-tested and calibrated on a live
subject. The girl was anxious to help on
this wonderful project, and agreed to be
hooked up to various wires, a belt, and
a gauge. She was to give a numerical
score to various sensations, so he could
calibrate the machine. She thought something might be wrong, though, when the
testing progressed to his touching various
parts of her body that she was not comfortable about him touching.
He reassured her that this was necessary for helping married couples for
the Church’s project. When the project
went beyond mere touching, she began
to doubt that the Church would sanction
this, and she told what had happened to
the young assistant parish priest, who
brought her to our office. Our investigators and the police laid a trap for the supervisor, and arrested him. He was fired
on the spot, convicted of a crime, and
sent to jail. The girl kept her job and her
friendship with the young parish priest,
who saw to it that several young families
in the parish invited her regularly for dinner and family activities.
A year later I was sent to Yonkers to
try a drunk driving case. I sat through a
call of the criminal calendar before the
late Judge Albert Fiorillo. I was startled
when the clerk called the name of the
PT boat lady. Apparently the violations
filed by the Building Inspector were
still pending, and the City was willing
to adjourn the proceedings for more
than a year from term to term. Judge
Fioriello was the gentlest of judges,
and clearly was happy to avoid a nasty
confrontation over this weird case. In
his cute, soft-spoken style, the Judge
told the courtroom full of people: “We
should all be proud to have in our presence today, Miss________, who while
working at her laboratory on the Yonkers waterfront, has discovered a cure
for cancer!” We all clapped, and she
turned to the gallery and gave us her
best toothless smile. I reckoned that
judges too, are in the community mental health business. n
PAGE 21
PAGE 22
community calendar - march 22-28
CLIP AND SAVE
Current Exhibitions
Through April 1:
• A Different Point of View. An
exhibit of paintings and drawings
inspired by Marshlands Conservancy.
Open weekends and holidays.
Free. Hours: Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Marshlands Conservancy, Rt. 1, Rye.
Info: 914.835.4466.
Through April 3:
• Yonkers Riverfront Library is
hosting an exhibition by Yonkers
resident Sally Delmerico in the
Yonkers Room. Photos include
various subjects, including wildlife
as well as people. One Larkin
Center, Yonkers. Free three-hour
parking available at the Buena Vista
garage. Info: 914.337.1500
Through April 13
• Landscapes & Still Life Oil
Paintings. An exhibition of
works by New York resident
Moshgan Rezania is currently
in the Community Room at the
Dobbs Ferry Public Library, 55
Main St., Dobbs Ferry. Info/hours:
914.693.6614.
Through April 30
• The Cubist Works of Pablo Picasso:
A Multi-Arts Presentation by
Yonkers International Baccalaureate
High School 10th Grade Art Classes.
Opening night March 28 (see listing);
exhibition continues through April
30. Free and open to the general
public. Grinton I. Will Library, 1500
Central Park Ave., Yonkers.
Thurs., March 22
• Introducing Merestead. Take a
tour to discover the elegance and
history of a Georgian-style 1906-07
main dwelling. Free, by reservation
only. 1pm. Merestead, 455 Byram
Lake Rd., Mt Kisco. Info/reservations:
914.666.4258.
Fri., March 23
• The Life and Operas of Giuseppe
Verdi. The New Rochelle Public
Library. Lectures, illustrated by
live and recorded music, will be
presented by Prof. Rosemarie
Serrano. 1-3pm, Ossie Davis Theater,
One Library Plaza, New Rochelle.
No registration required. Info:
914.632.7878 x34.
Sat., March 24
• Creature Connections. Discover
how animals and their habitats are
linked together. Explore the food
web, animal life cycles and the
Health/Support Groups
• Ovarian & Gynecological Cancer Support Group. This monthly support
group for women with ovarian or gynecological cancer is offered by
Support Connection, a nonprofit organization that provides free support
services to people affected by breast and ovarian cancer. The group is led
by a trained peer facilitator, and focuses on topics related to life after a
cancer diagnosis. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Meets: 2nd Thursday
each month through Dec. 30, 2007 at 7PM at Putnam Hospital. Free. For
info/registration: 914.962.6402. www.supportconnection.org.
• Stroke Survivors Group. Spiritual and emotional support group for
stroke survivors. Free. Fridays 10-11am, through Dec. 14, 2007. Burke
Rehabilitation Hospital, Outpatient Facility Building #8, 785 Mamaroneck
Ave., White Plains. Info: 914.597.2449.
• Psychotherapeutic Support Groups. Victims Assistance Services is
offering ongoing psychotherapeutic support groups to victims of crime.
They include: Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse, Homicide Survivors
Support Group (every 2nd Wed. of the month), and a Sexual Assault
Survivors Group (TBA). All groups are ongoing and have no end date.
Free. Wednesdays 6-7:30pm, 2269 Saw Mill River Road, Building #3,
Elmsford. Info: 914.345.3113
• Breast Cancer Support Groups. Breast cancer support groups are
offered once, twice or four times per month, by Support Connection,
Inc. Facilitated by trained peer counselors who have experienced breast
cancer. Focus is on life after a cancer diagnosis. Includes groups for
young women, women in treatment, women with recurrence, and all
survivors. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Free to women with breast
cancer. Meets various days and times, Yorktown & Carmel locations. www.
supportconnection.org
relationships between predators
and prey. Meet predator and prey
animals up close in this live animal
program presented by naturalist
Anthony Cogswell. Free; parking
$4 with Park Pass, $8 without.
1pm, Trailside Nature Museum,
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Rts.
35 & 121 South, Cross River. Info:
914.864.7322.
• Preparing a Butterfly Garden. Join
discussions which include plant and
butterfly relationships with a focus
on native species in order to let you
know which are the best to attract
these wonderful pollinators. You’ll
even take home a native plant
to get you started. Co-sponsored
by the Friends of Read Wildlife
Sanctuary, Inc. Free. 1pm, Read
Sanctuary, Playland Park, Playland
Parkway, Rye. Info: 914.967.8720.
• Teeth and Skulls. Learn how
to compare the kinds of teeth
belonging to different types of
mammals. Activities included. Free.
1pm, Cranberry Lake Preserve, Old
Orchard Street, North White Plains.
Info: 914.428.1005.
Sun., March 25
• Music Makers of New Rochelle.
This month-long exhibit, presented
by the New Rochelle Council on the
Arts, highlights the songwriters and
composers who lived in New Rochelle.
Today: Little Mermaid, with music by
New Rochelle graduate Alan Menken.
Free. 1:30pm in the Ossie Davis
Theater, New Rochelle Public Library,
One Library Plaza, New Rochelle. Info:
914.632.7878.
• Dinner on Broadway. Singers
Joanne Kant and Wanda
Grochowski and pianist Marcia
Slater perform Broadway favorites,
while meeting and chatting at a
Broadway bistro. Songs from Guys
and Dolls, My Fair Lady, and many
others. Presented by the Friends
of the Somers Library. Free. 3pm,
Somers Library, Rt. 139, Somers.
Info: 914.232.7159.
Mon-Thurs
• Homework Helper. After-school
homework help with a certified teacher
when Yonkers schools are in session.
Grades 1-6. Free. 4-6pm, Grinton I.
Will Library, 1500 Central Park Ave.,
Yonkers. Info: 914.337-1500 x306.
• Homework Help. The New
Rochelle Public Library offers free
homework help, grades 1-6. When
school is in session. 3:30-5pm. Info:
914.632.7878.
Mon., March 26
• Free business counseling sessions
are being offered by Score
Westchester. The sessions are for
those interested in either starting
their own small business or those
already running a business but
in need of help and new ideas.
The counselors will help with
pertinent information on financing
options, strategy, marketing,
product development, cash flow,
management and more. Sessions are
on a drop-in basis or by appointment.
6-7:45pm in the Second floor
conference room, New Rochelle
Public Library, One Library Plaza, New
Rochelle. Info/appts: 914.948.3907.
Wed., March 28
• Downtown Music at Grace’s
Noonday Getaway Concert: Masters
from the MET: Cello Suite No. 6 in
D Major, featuring cellist Stephen
Ballou. Free. 12:10-12:40pm, Grace
Church, Mamaroneck Ave. @ Main
St., White Plains. Info: 914.949.0384.
• The Greening of the Yonkers
Public Library. Irish songs presented
by Kaz Galas. Free and open to the
general public. 7pm in the Story
Room, Grinton I. Will Library, 1500
Central Park Ave., Yonkers. Info:
914.337.1500 x315.
• The Cubist Works of Pablo Picasso:
A Multi-Arts Presentation by Yonkers
International Baccalaureate High
School 10th Grade Art Classes.
Opening night the students will
assemble a 30-piece cubist sculpture
before a live audience as other
costumed students sing, rap, dance,
play instruments, mime, juggle, step,
and perform acrobatic movement.
Free and open to the general public.
7pm in the Auditorium at the
Grinton I. Will Library, 1500 Central
Park Ave., Yonkers. The sculpture will
be on display at the library through
April 30.
• Why Do Birds Sing? David
Rothenberg, musician, philsopher
and author will talk about his
unique approach to bird song that
combines the insights of science,
poetry and music. Co-sponsored by
Bronx River/Sound Shore Audubon.
Free. 7pm, Lenoir Preserve, Dudley
Street, Yonkers. Info: 914.968.5851.
Events for inclusion in our clip and save Community Calendar must be free and open to all.
Items are published, subject to the discretion of the Editor, and space availability.
Calendar listings should be submitted no later than two weeks prior to event. Email listings to: editor@westchesterguardian.
PAGE 23
Places of Interest
Cortlandt:
Cortlandt Heritage Museum - New
museum located in Cortlandt’s first
town hall and jail. 1-3pm on the
second Sat. and third Sun. of each
month and 7-9pm the fourth Wed.
Donation. 137 7th Street, Verplanck.
914.734.1110. www.cortlandt.advinc.
com /museum/
Croton-on-Hudson:
Van Cortlandt Manor - 18th and
19th century estate known for
elegant antique furnishings and
gardens. Was home of the Van
Cortlandt family. Tours, special
events and demonstrations. Hrs:
10am-5pm daily (except Tues.),
April-Dec. 10am-5pm Sat. & Sun.,
Jan.-March. Closed Thanksgiving,
Christmas, New Year’s Day.
Admission. South Riverside Ave.
(just off Rt. 9). 914.631.8200. www.
hudsonvalley.org
Hastings-on-Hudson:
Jasper F. Cropsey Home and Studio Former home and studio of Hudson
River School artist Jasper Cropsey.
Features an art collection from
the famed school of painting. Hrs:
April-Nov. 10am-3pm Mon.-Fri. or
by appt. Free. 49 Washington Ave.
914.478.1372.
Ossining:
Ossining Heritage Center - Replicas
of an aqueduct section, three prison
cells and the Sing Sing electric chair.
Audiovisual presentation about the
prison. Hrs: 10am-4pm, Mon.-Sat.
Free. 95 Broadway. 914.941.3189.
Ossining Historical Museum - 19th
and 20th century decorative arts,
costumes and Indian artifacts, as
well as a Victorian dollhouse. The
program features permanent and
rotating exhibits. Hrs: 2-4pm Mon.,
Wed., Fri. and by app’t. Donation.
196 Croton Ave. 914.941.0001.
Peekskill:
Peekskill Museum - Clothing from
the 18th through 20th century,
furnishings, decorative arts,
tools and products from local
foundries. Hrs: 2-4pm Sat., Sun.
and holidays, March through
Dec. and by app’t. Donation. 124
Union Ave. 914.737.6130. www.
peekskillmuseum.com
Pocantico Hills:
Union Church of Pocantico Hills
- Works of Marc Chagall and Henri
Matisse are featured in the stained
glass windows and boasts the only
cycle of church windows created
by Chagall in the United States.
Hrs: 1-4pm Wed. – Fri.; 2-5pm Sun.
April-Dec. Groups may schedule
special appointments for tours.
Donation. Route 448 Bedford Road
(off Route 9). 914.631.8200. www.
hudsonvalley.org.
Kykuit - The house and gardens
were home to four generations
of the Rockefeller family. Tours
include the house, gardens and
coach barn and are available with
advance reservations. Open AprilNov. Admission. 914.631.9491. www.
hudsonvalley.org
Sleepy Hollow:
Philipsburg Manor, Upper Mills
- Early 18th century farm owned
by the Philipse family; includes a
fully furnished Dutch-style manor
Up and Coming
• The Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle will have an Open House and
community meeting at each of its three locations on the following dates
from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.:
Friday, March 23, 2007 – Remington Unit, 116 Guion Place, New Rochelle,
NY
Friday, March 30 2007 – RESPECT Extension, 570 Fifth Avenue, New
Rochelle, NY
Come meet the staff and volunteers, learn about programs, and tour the
facility. Light refreshments will be served. The Club accepts for membership
all young people ages 6-18. Members can access programs and services
at any Club location, though some programs, activities and extended
hours may have additional program fees. Some local businesses provide a
discount to Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle members when they show
their membership card. For a current list of participating businesses,
contact the Club. Info: 914.235.3736
house, barn and a restored gristmill,
gardens, reception center, gift shop
and orientation film. Special events
throughout the year. 10am-5pm daily
April-Dec.; 10am-5pm Sat. & Sun.,
Jan.-March. Closed Thanksgiving,
Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Admission. Route 9. 914.631.8200.
www.hudsonvalley.org.
1883 Lighthouse – Built and began
operation in 1883 off the shores of
Kingsland point Park. Open by appt.
and on selected weekends. Appt’s for
tours. 914.631.1440.
Tarrytown:
Sunnyside - 1835 Romantic/Dutch
Colonial Revival-style estate once
occupied by author Washington
Irving. Tours, an orientation film,
demonstrations, special events, gift
shop. 10am–5pm daily, April – Dec.;
10am-5pm, Sat. & Sun. Jan. - March.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and
New Year’s days. Admission. West
Sunnyside Lane. 914.631.8200.
Lyndhurst - Features 19th and 20th
century decorative arts, furnishings
and toys. The museum is a property
of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. Tours, educational
programs and gift shop. 10am5pm Tues.-Sun., April 15 - Oct.
The Carriage House Cafe is open
for dining from 10am-3pm Wed.Sun., April-Oct. Open weekends
only, 10am-3:30pm Nov.-April
15. Admission. 635 S. Broadway.
914.631.4481. www.nthp.org/main/
sites/lyndhurst.htm.
The Historical Society (serving
Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow)
- Native American artifacts; items
from the area’s early Dutch
settlers; Revolutionary War
artifacts featuring a display on
the capture of British Major John
Andre; a display on American
writer Washington Irving; firearms;
jewelry; clothing; items from World
War I and II. Guided tours and
lectures. 2-4pm Tues., Wed. and Sat.
1 Grove St. 914.631.8374.
Yonkers:
Hudson River Museum - A cultural
complex including the historic
Glenview mansion, The Andrus
Planetarium and modern gallery
space which displays changing
exhibitions from its permanent
collection of nineteenth- and
twentieth-century American art. The
Museum’s specialty is combining
the elements of art, history and
science on a given subject. The
modern wing of the Museum also
houses The Red Grooms Gift Shop
and the Museum Cafe. Weekly Sun.
Family Programs and workshops
for families, bi-weekly Seniors and
the Arts programs, tours by appt.
and many special events. Hrs: Oct.Apr.: Wed.-Sun. 12-5pm; May-Sep.:
Wed.-Sun. 12-5pm, Fri. 12-9pm.
Admission: $3/Adults, $1.50/Children
12 & under & seniors, and free/
Members. Planetarium admission:
$4/Adults, $2/Children 12 & under &
seniors, Free/Star Family members
and above. Discounts for groups;
special Museum/Planetarium
admission packages available.
Guided tours of the galleries
available by appt. 511 Warburton
Ave. 914.963.4550. www.hrm.org
Beczak Environmental Education
Center - Located near the Yonkers
train station, the Beczak Center
has its own beach and provides
interactive exhibits and workshops
on the ecology, culture and history
of the Hudson River tidal estuary.
Hrs: Mon.-Fri.: 9am-6pm, with
occasional weekend programs. Call
ahead for schedule. 35 Alexander
St. 914.377.1900. www.beczak.org
will publish Legal Notices
and Obituaries at competitive rates.
Call 914.328.3096 for prices and information.
PAGE 24
1-800-NEXT-DEAL
The Westchester Guardian
Mission Statement
OUR MISSION: The Westchester
Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the unbiased reporting of
events and developments that are
newsworthy and significant to
readers living in, and/or employed
in, Westchester County. The Guardian will strive to report fairly, and
objectively, reliable information
without favor or compromise. Our
first duty will be to the PEOPLE’S
RIGHT TO KNOW, by the exposure of truth, without fear or hesitation, no matter where the pursuit
may lead, in the finest tradition of
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
The Guardian will cover news and
events relevant to residents and businesses all over Westchester County. As
a weekly, rather than focusing on the
immediacy of delivery more associated with daily journals, we
will instead seek to provide the broader, more comprehensive,
chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened
with analysis, where appropriate.
From amongst journalism’s classic key-words: who, what,
when, where, why, and how, the why and how will drive our pursuit. We will use our more abundant time, and our resources, to
get past the initial ‘spin’ and ‘damage control’ often characteristic
of immediate news releases, to reach the very heart of the matter:
the truth. We will take our readers to a point of understanding
and insight which cannot be obtained elsewhere.
To succeed, we must recognize from the outset that bigger is
not necessarily better. And, furthermore, we will acknowledge
that we cannot be all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentation of relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news
and commentary, with features and columns useful in daily living
and employment in, and around, the county. We must stay trim
and flexible if we are to succeed.
PAGE 25
ALESSANDRO PROPERTIES, INC.
Carmine Alessandro, Lic. Real Estate Broker
Available:
1-Bedroom • 2-Bedroom • 3-Bedroom Apts.
Houses for Sale, Co-Ops, Condos
Management, Commercial & Residential
Financing Available
(Serving Bronx & Westchester)
Tel: (914) 377-1140
Fax: (914) 377-1145
Fully Insured
Elite III Contracting Corp.
Great Work
Fair Prices
917-335-0960
718-822-5319
Contact
Nick Nespolini
Masonry • Brickwork • Concrete • Home Extensions
Renovations • Kitchens • Bathrooms
Serving
Bronx • Westchester • Rockland • Connecticut
No Job Too Small or Too Big
PAGE 26
CLASSIFIED
HELP WANTED
BARTENDERS WANTED
Westchester County night club.
Very busy location. Experience
a must, and over 21. Call Maria
914-636-0018
LICENSED SECURITY
WANTED
Westchester County night club.
Busy location. Experience a must.
Fri and Sat night. Call Maria
914-636-0018
STREET PROMOTERS
WANTED
Early morning hours. Westchester County location. $1012/hr. Call Anthony
914-325-7323
RESIDENTIAL RENTALS
APT TO SUBLET
1 bdrm apt on 10th floor new bldg,
downtown White Plains near train
station. Assigned pkg, indoor
swimming pool & gym.
$1750/mo. Call Yung Lee.
914.462.2620
Mount Vernon - 1-bdr apt in a
building. Sec 8 ok. $950. Avail
immed. Call Maribel
914-632-1230
Mount Vernon - 2-bdr apt in a
building. Sec 8 ok. $1250. Avail
immed. Call Maribel.
914-632-1230
Yonkers East - 3-bdr apt, two
floors, 1.5 baths, very nice
kitchen. Wood floors, 1 parking spot. Tenant pays utilities.
$1750. Call Maribel.
914-632-1230
INVESTMENT PROPERTY/
RESIDENTIAL
Bronx - Parkchester vic. 5-story
walkup with 19 units. Very nice
bldg. RR. $201K. Price: $1.5
million. Make offer.
914.632.1230
Bronx - Parkchester. 30 units/
great building. RR $300K. Asking $2,300,000. Must see, will
not last. Great return.
914.632.1230
Bronx - 5-story walkup w/27
units, mostly 2BR. Well maintained. RR $300K. Asking
$2,250,000. Cash cow.
914.632.1230
Mount Vernon - Five story w/up
with 18 apts. Very nice building. Many Sec 8, good tenency.
RR. $202k. Asking 7.5 x RR
1,550,000. Ask for Sam
INVESTMENT PROPERTY/
UNIMPROVED
Mount Vernon - 2 bldgs, 39
units. Very well maintained,
RR. $449K. Asking $3,375,000.
Must sell.
914.632.1230
914-576-1481
914.632.1230
Mount Vernon - Commercial
bldg lot, 9500 sq. ft. Corner
bldg. Apts with stores. Must
sell. $875K. Make offer.
SITUATION WANTED
WAYNE MAURICE VITO GREEN, SR.,
Most talented, gifted singer,
songwriter and composer,
seeks stable employment to:
teach, play, collaborate music
with and for serious minded
individual(s) who truly desire to
express their love for music.
203.223.2666, 914.368.2144
Coming April 26...
Free Classified Ads!
For Sale, Rentals, Services,
Help Wanted, Personals
THIS WEEK
IN HISTORY
March 22 - 28
This Week’s Highlight:
1979 - Egyptian President Anwar
el-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister
Menachem Begin signed an historic
peace agreement negotiated by
President Jimmy Carter which
ended three decades of hostilities
between Egypt and Israel. The
agreement established diplomatic
and commercial ties between the
two Middle East nations. For their achievements both Sadat and
Begin were jointly awarded the 1978 Nobel Prize for Peace.
March 22
1765 - In an attempt to raise
necessary funds to defend the
American territories won in the
Seven Years’ War against France,
the British government passed
the Stamp Act. The legislation
placed a direct tax on all
materials printed for commercial
and legal use in the colonies,
including everything from
broadsides and insurance policies
to playing cards and dice. The
colonists protested, arguing that,
as British subjects, Parliament
could not impose taxes on them
without their consent, as given
through the various colonial
representative assemblies.
1820 - US Navy Captain Stephen
Decatur, hero of the Barbary
Wars, was mortally wounded in
a duel with Navy Commodore
James Barron at Bladensburg,
Maryland. At one time friends,
Decatur had been called upon
to sit on the court-martial that
suspended Barron from the Navy
for five years beginning in 1808.
Barron had been brought up on
charges that he failed to resist a
British attack on his flagship, the
Chesapeake, during the Tripolitan
War in 1807. Barron’s expulsion
ended in 1813, during the War
of 1812, but the commander was
overseas and did not return to
fight in the ongoing war. This
led to criticism of him by Decatur
who, in 1818, used his influence to
prevent Barron’s reinstatement.
March 23
1775 - In his speech before the
second Virginia Convention,
Patrick Henry, responding to the
increasingly oppressive British
rule over the colonies, declared,
“I know not what course others
may take, but as for me, give me
liberty or give me death!” After
the signing of the Declaration
of Independence, Henry was
appointed governor of Virginia
by the Continental Congress.
1983 - After talks with the
Soviets had been stalled
concerning control of nuclear
weapons, President Ronald
Reagan proposed the United
States embark on a program to
develop antimissile technology.
The technology, called Strategic
Defense Initiative, would utilize
antimissile satellites which could
knock Soviet nuclear missiles
out of the sky before they had a
chance to impact on the United
States. This was hoped to make
the country virtually impervious
to attack. Never getting off the
ground, the project was shelved
in the mid-1990s following the
collapse of the Soviet Union.
March 24
1603 - Queen Elizabeth I,
daughter of King Henry VIII
and Anne Boleyn, died after
a 44-year reign as England’s
Protestant monarch. During
her reign England became
a world power, and an
attempted invasion by Spain
in 1588 was aborted with the
English Navy’s defeat of the
Spanish Armada. Elizabeth
also encouraged voyages of
discovery which included Sir
Continued on the next page
History, continued from the previous page
Francis Drake’s circumnavigation
of the world and Sir Walter
Raleigh’s expeditions to the
North American coast. English
Renaissance also flourished
during her reign, with such
notables as William Shakespeare.
Upon her death King James
of Scotland succeeded to the
throne, which served to unite
both England and Scotland.
March 25
1774 - In response to the Boston
Tea Party of Dec. 16, 1773, British
Parliament passed the Boston
Port Act, which closed the port of
Boston and demanded the city’s
residents pay for the tea dumped
into Boston Harbor. The Boston
Port Act was one of four acts
imposed on Massachusetts, the
other three being the Quartering
Act, the Administration of Justice
Act and the Massachusetts
Government Act. Known
collectively as the Coercive Acts,
they were meant to intimidate
Boston’s increasingly unruly
residents. It was hoped these
Acts would isolate Boston, as well
as Massachusetts and the rest
of New England, from the rest
of North America and prevent
a unified colonial resistance to
the British. The effort backfired;
the colonial population shipped
much-needed supplies to Boston
formed Provincial Congresses to
mobilize resistance to the Crown.
1911 - In one of the darkest
moments of America’s industrial
history, the Triangle Shirtwaist
Company factory in New York City
burned down, killing 145 workers.
The tragedy led to the development
of a series of laws and regulations
that better protected the safety of
factory workers.
March 26
1953 - American medical
researcher Dr. Jonas Salk
announced in national radio that
he successfully tested a vaccine
against poliomyelitis, which
causes polio, which mainly
affected children. In 1954 clinical
trials using the vaccine and a
placebo began on nearly two
million schoolchildren and, by
April 1955, it was announced
that the vaccine was effective
and safe. In 1962 an oral vaccine,
developed by Albert Sabin,
became available.
March 27
1775 - Thomas Jefferson,
a Virginia delegate who
established himself with the
publication of a paper entitled,
A Summary View of the Rights
of British America, was elected
to the second Continental
Congress. The following year
he was chosen to write the
Declaration of Independence,
the draft of which he composed
in a few days. After a few minor
changes, the draft was adopted
by Congress as the formal
Declaration of Independence
on July 4, 1776. Jefferson
later served as the first U.S.
Secretary of State under George
Washington, Vice President
under John Adams, and then as
the third President of the United
States.
1958 - The Supreme Soviet, the
Soviet legislature, unanimously
voted Soviet First Secretary
Nikita Khrushchev as the Soviet
Premier, becoming the first
man since Joseph Stalin to
simultaneously hold the USSR’s
two top offices. Khrushchev’s
stated policy was one of
PAGE 27
“peaceful coexistence” with the
West. In 1961 he authorized the
construction of the Berlin Wall to
settle the East German question,
then began the placement of
missiles in Cuba which led to the
Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. A
secret agreement made with the
United States, where he agreed
to remove the missiles in return
for a US pledge not invade
Cuba, was the first of many
humiliations which would lead
to his downfall in 1964.
March 28
1979 - At Three Mile Island in
Pennsylvania, a nuclear accident
occurred when a pressure valve
failed to close, allowing cooling
water, contaminated with
radiation, to drain into adjoining
buildings, releasing radioactive
gases. The reactor’s core,
deprived of its cooling water,
began to dangerously overheat
and coming to within 1,000
degrees of a meltdown.
• BACHELOR & BACHELORETTE PARTIES
• TABLESIDE DANCING
• PRIVATE VIP ROOMS
• 100S OF TOP FEMALE ENTERTAINERS
• NEW YORK’S PREMIER GENTLEMEN’S CABARET
PAGE 28
Photo: Richard Blassberg

March 22, 2007 - WestchesterGuardian.com

Transcription

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