A few events from theLoop events calendar:

Saturday, May 19th, 2012

E-CYCLE @ Mamaroneck Library
10:00am – 2:00pm | FREE!
In the Emelin Theater Parking Lot
Green Solutions Group Ltd. Will be on hand to collect and recycle your unwanted electronic waste products
What is Electronic Waste?
E-waste can encompass a variety of equipment including, but not limited to comput… MORE INFO

Rolling in the Deep
10:00am – Sat 5:30pm | FREE!

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A selection of Friday- Sunday events from theLoop Events Calendar:

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Harrison Train Station

PELHAM, LARCHMONT, MAMARONECK, HARRISON–Pelham police says a 19 year old New Rochelle man confessed Friday to the series of  gunpoint robberies of commuters near train stations in several Sound Shore towns since January.

Robberies occurred in Larchmont, Mamaroneck, three in Pelham and two in Harrison.

Police arrested Olivier Famby Friday when he was caught with a handgun that had been reported stolen in Pennsylvania.

LoHud reports Police say that Famby told them that he had been scouting out the area of the Larchmont train station for a potential victim prior to coming to Pelham on Friday. When Famby couldn’t find a suitable victim, he came to Pelham to see if he could spot one  arriving into the Pelham station.

photo: June Marie Sobrito

After asking fans to vote for which movie they want to see, The Picture House is proud to be showing ANNIE HALL for our Date Night. At times hilarious, nonsensical, romantic and tragic, this is truly one of the greatest and most sincere films to ever touch American screens.

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This house is located at 139 Country Club Ln, Pelham Manor, Pelham, NY 10803:

View Larger Map

The listing says:

“Gracious Country French Colonial situated on private cul-de-sac. Features include expansive living room with fireplace, formal dining room, family room and renovated eat in kitchen. Master bedroom with new marble bath plus three additional bedrooms. Prospect Hill School. Full finished walk out basement complete this exceptionally attractive home.”

This 4 bed/3 bath is going for $685,000.

See this home and all the MLS listings at theLoop Real Estate Marketplace.

Goldfinger at original NYW&B bridge over right-of-way, Bryant Ave. White Plains.

It’s not hard to find people around here that are fascinated with trains.  Two of our favorite blogs, Trainjotting and IRidetheHarlemLine,  write in the realm of Metro North.

But there is also much deep fascination with a local railroad that has ceased to exist, the New York, Westchester and Boston, or NYW&B.

railroad cut near Goldfinger's house (and in 1937 photo he holds, below)

“Scattered about Westchester and the Bronx are original, authentic pieces of a once glamorous and noteworthy railroad,” says New Rochelle’s Eliot Goldfinger.

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If you don’t know about Farm Share, you should.

Every week an over-stuffed box of organic vegetables and/or fruit and/or eggs arrives at your door from the Norwich Meadows Farm in Upstate New York, and you  help Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to thrive.

Farm Share, run by the Brussel family of Larchmont, is available in Southern Westchester, Chappaqua, Mt. Kisco, Bedford, Manhattan, and Stamford and Greenwich, CT. and it’s time to sign up! Shares run 22 weeks from June to November.

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Harrison Train Station

This is getting old.

Mamaroneck Mayor Norm Rosenblum is warning residents of his Village about the  11:55 pm, April 9  robbery in Harrison, another in a series of robberies this year of commuters walking home from a train station in the shore towns.

This is the second robbery near the Harrison Train Station in the last two months.

These two robberies are similar to the robberies that occurred in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, Pelham and New Rochelle. It appears the suspect is targeting commuters along the New Haven train line.

In all of the robberies the suspect is a black male wearing a mask and dark clothing. He approaches the victims from behind, displays a handgun and demands the victim’s personal possessions, including cell phones, wallets and electronic devices.

Rosenblum says, “It is always advisable that you are aware of your surroundings while walking home from the train station.Use electronic devices while walking home only if absolutely necessary. Always walk in well lit areas and preferably with another person.

If you see any suspicious person(s) or incidents call the Village of Mamaroneck Police directly at: (914) 777-7783.

Highbrook Bridge, Pelham

The dream of creating a Highbrook Highline in Pelham is closer to reality with the designation of the Highbrook Bridge as eligible for the National Registry of Historic Places.

The Highbrook Highline, much like the High Line in New York City, proposes a linear High Line plan for the entire 1.9 acre site, reclaiming an historic rail bed of the New York, Westchester and Boston railroad as green space.

We reported about a section being worked on this month where there is consensus.

The website of the Friends of the NYW&B Highbrook Highline  says, “The Highbrook Avenue Bridge was designed for The New York, Westchester & Boston Railway in 1910 to attract development in the Village of Pelham and Westchester County. Given the current density of population, it can be said that the effort was successful. Today the “Highbrook” stands as a living memorial to the inventions, investments, design, competition and physical challenges of a century ago.”

images courtesy Friends of the NYW&B Highbrook Highline

Check theLoop Events Listings

Collect eggs at Stone Barns

What’s at Jacob Burns

What’s at the Emelin

What’s at the Picture House

What’s at Paramount Center for the Arts

What’s at Tarrytown Music Hall  (Joan Osborne April 7)

Some ideas from Found in Yonkers:

• Benjamin Manry and the Crimson Journal by Owen Palmiotti Signing B&N Central Plaza Apr 7
• Easter Bunny Photos @TheWestchester through April 7
• City of Yonkers FREE Easter Egg Hunt April 7

A nearby section of the line under construction in 1910

A Pelham section of the old NY Westchester & Boston Rail line, north of Harmon Avenue, between Young and Storer Avenues may return to life as green space.

Organic landscaping company Greener by Design is working with the Village of Pelham to prepare this closed off public land for possible return to public use.

The community is invited to help plant Saturday April 21 from 9 a.m. to noon; and learn about native plants and sustainable land care. More information soon.

Greener by Design has also recently taken over maintenance of Manor Park in Larchmont.

courtesy: NY,W & B Archives

Pelham police say another man was robbed at gunpoint while walking home from the Pelham train station Wednesday night.

This is the third person robbed while walking home from the Pelham train station this year, the other two occurred in January. And it’s one of several in a string of robberies of commuters walking home from train stations from Pelham to Harrison.

A possible suspect nabbed in February turned out not to be related to these crimes, say cops.

Pelham Patch reports the robbery took place at about 10:55 p.m. when the victim heard footsteps behind him in the area of Elderwood Avenue and East Second Street. The victim turned and saw a man holding a gun.

The robber forced the victim to lay on the ground and took a portfolio bag containing a wallet, cell phones and an iPad before fleeing the scene. The robber is described as a black male about 5-foot, 10 inches tall and about 180 pounds.

The robber wore a dark jacket with a dark hood covering his face. The victim was not injured.

New York Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information that will lead police to the individuals responsible.  Anyone with information regarding any of these robberies is asked to contact NYS Crime Stoppers at its hotline number 1-866-313-TIPS

See the story of Pelhamdale.

Photo: Jacqueline Silberbush

Joe Carvin

Strap yourself in, folks, and try to follow this.

Joe Carvin announces today he’s running for Nita Lowey’s seat in Congress.

This is the Rye Town Supervisor that originally announced he would run for Senate against Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand.

Then on March 16, the day of the Republican convention in Rochester, he announced that he was bowing out of the race for U.S. Senator.

Wednesday, Mar. 21, Republican candidate Mark Rosen dropped out of the race and endorsed his friend Carvin.

Rosen dropped out of the race because a magistrate judge redrew the district lines, and Larchmont,  where he lives, and much of the Sound Shore, was drawn out of the district in which he intended to run. Harrison and Rye Town remain in the District, as doe Rye Brook, where Carvin lives.

The new Congressional districting  reduces New York’s congressional districts from 29 to 27, combines the southern portion of Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel’s 17th District (Mt. Vernon and Yonkers) and the southern portion of Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey’s 18th District (the Sound Shore area) to form the state’s new 16th District.

photo: Town of Rye

New 18th Congressional District. Sound Shore area was in the 17th

Congressional redistricting has claimed its first victim.

Mark Rosen, a Larchmont Republican who had announced his intention to seek the Congressional seat now held by Democrat Rep. Nita Lowey, dropped out Wednesday.

“Given the redistricting that was just announced, I regret that I can no longer run the effective race we envisioned with Congresswoman Nita Lowey. My kids go to Murray Avenue School. This is our home. And, we are not moving. The redistricting has me living outside of Ms. Lowey’s district, and I regret that I must leave the race.”

He lives in Larchmont, which like other areas of Westchester County,  moves into Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel’s district.

Lowey is getting all of Rockland County, which Engel had mostly represented, as well as the Bronx.

Rosen will endorse Joe Carvin, Rye Town Supervisor,  who dropped out of a run for U.S. Senate against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand last week.

On the State Senate side, Democrat George Latimer, current State Legislator, announced a run, which he told us will also be harder–to Democrats– due to redistricting:

“More Republicans in communities like Bronxville, Eastchester and Yonkers and Democrats in New Rochelle and White Plains were artfully carved out,” he told theLoop.

“This will be a much tougher seat to win than under Suzi (Oppenheimer)”

map courtesy Mark Rosen for Congress

Voters in 15 villages in Westchester go to the polls today to elect local offices.

Contested elections in (alphabetically) Buchanan, Irvington, Pleasantville, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown.

Elections are uncontested in Briarcliff Manor, Bronxville, Elmsford, Hastings-on-Hudson, Larchmont, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Rye Brook and Tuckahoe.

Find out who’s running: Visit LoHud.com’s Village Elections 2012 guide.

With the kids home from school for a “Superintendent’s Day”  (and because my car was towed in NYC late last night) we’re going to mix up the schedule today a bit and start with….

Pelhamdale, at 45 Iden Road, is the oldest home in Pelham.

According to HistoricPelham.com , “Philip Pell II built portions believed to be part of today’s structure between about 1750 and 1760. The home is one of two in Pelham Manor that include sections built before the Revolutionary War. The other is the “Kemble House” located at 145 Shore Road.

Philip Pell II was a grandson of Thomas Pell, so-called “3rd Lord of the Manor of Pelham”. After the Revolutionary War, Col. David J. Pell, a son of Philip Pell II, owned the property. The home is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and has been granted a New York State Historic Marker.

Notice the cupola on the historic picture.

top photo and photo below: Jacqueline Silberbush

Print: courtesy Blake A. Bell

If you spend any time following #westchester on twitter, you may know the chatty girls at the Chat Shop. We think of it as a virtual talk-fest where no one yells and you can come and go as you please.

Readers have come up with a Westchester “bucket list,” each making a list of some of the local treats they’d like to experience before they well, you know.

Have a peek.

photo: Jacqueline Silberbush

Ridge Hill, Yonkers

Speaking of why some towns get shopping and others do not, (and thanks for your comments on the Armonk supermarket story,) with Whole Foods’ announced move into Port Chester, and Ridge Hill opening in Yonkers, Talk of the Sound recently asked what

Best Buy
Whole Foods
Fairway
Target
Barnes and Noble
and Kohl’s

had in common?

They are “some of the retailers who recently took a pass on New Rochelle. The old adage in real estate is location, location, location. Well, for the purposes of future development in New Rochelle, it should be parking, parking, parking.”

How do you think New Rochelle can begin to attract the kinds of businesses it wants, if there are any left?

55 1st St Pelham

This is the newish condominium building in Pelham you see from the train. Advertised as “one of Marbury Corners finest 2 bedroom units”  this apartment has crown moldings,  Brazilian cherry floors, and much more; the building has concierge service and a gym. One block to train.

See this home and all the MLS listings at theLoop Real Estate Marketplace.

Pelham police may have a suspect in the recent armed robberies that have taken place in Pelham, Larchmont, Mamaroneck and Harrison during the last month, according to published reports.

Kyle Taylor, 23 of New Rochelle and Mt. Vernon was arrested by Pelham police Feb. 15 following a traffic stop at Lincoln Ave. and Second Avenue. Yonkers police had a warrant out for his arrest in relation to robbery with a handgun.

A Beretta 9 millimeter handgun was recovered on an adjacent lawn near where Mr. Taylor was apprehended. The weapon matches the description of the weapon used in the other robberies.

photo: arenamontanus on flickr

If you’re sticking around, there’s plenty to do. Here are some suggestions from the Journal News to do with kids, and as always, watch our Coming Up column.

If you’re leaving for the break, listen up:  In light of a marked increase in local break-ins, police say prep the house to make it look like you’re not away.

Speaking at a crime prevention workshop last week, Town of Mamaroneck police urged residents to create a “vacation plan” that includes steps like putting house lights on timers and stopping mail and newspapers. Alerting neighbors to your departure is another wise move, they said.

In addition, the Town also has a “dark house” program that under which residents can notify police that their house is going to be vacant so they can keep a closer eye on it. Residents in other municipalities can request police drive-bys as well.

Holidays, vacations times and summer breaks are burglars’ biggest opportunities, police said.

photo courtesy audobon center on flickr

Eco-friendly hybrids and sporty foreign numbers have their place, but, Nick Pagani only has eyes for Big American Cars.

“I go down to my garage at night and I sit and look at my cars,” Pagani says. “To me, they’re beautiful.”

Pagani – a guy born and raised in Pelham Manor who restores cars in the same New Rochelle shop his granddad opened in 1920 – has no shortage of stuff to gaze at.

His collection of 80 vintage cars frequently appears in period-piece movies (often with Pagani behind the wheel) such as Revolutionary Road, The Wrestler and Angel Heart. Pagani’s wheels are currently being used in the production of Inside Llewyn Davis, the latest Coen brothers’ movie.

This car will be driven in a Coen Brothers movie by Justin Timberlake

There’s usually one parked each morning in front of Aroma Coffee in Larchmont, where Nick generally starts his day.

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Cold turkey commute. Don’t even think about lighting up while waiting for your Metro-North train. Doing so could get you kicked off the platform, up to $50 in fines or a trip to jail.

The MTA‘s new ban on outdoor smoking starts today, following a months-long grace period the agency gave smokers to get used to the idea. The ban, which had a soft launch in November, prohibits smoking on Metro-North and Long Island Railroad outdoor platforms, as well as ticketing and boarding areas.

The ban does not apply to Metro-North stations in Connecticut.

Violators have gotten away with just warnings since November. But after several months of  leafleting, signs, announcements and electronic alerts, the MTA now expects passengers to play by the rules.

Mamaroneck Train Station

The armed robberies that targeted Metro-North commuters in Mamaroneck Village and Harrison last Thursday — as well as similar crimes in Mamaroneck Town, Pelham and possibly New Rochelle — are likely related, police say.

The robber behind the Thursday incidents, which occurred one hour apart, could have taken the train between crime scenes, police say.

Each incident involved individuals walking home from train stations being robbed at gunpoint by someone described as a male, 5’10 to 6″0″ with a medium build wearing a mask over his face and dark clothing.He was carrying a black or silver handgun, police say.

Police from around the area, as well as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, are joining forces to nab the robber or robbers.

New York Crime Stoppers is offering up to $2,5oo for information that will lead police to the individuals responsible for the two most recent robberies as well as the earlier ones. Anyone with information regarding any of these robberies is asked to contact NYS Crime Stoppers at its hotline number 1-866-313-TIPS.

Meanwhile, Larchmont residents report that the rash of home burglaries in the Village also continued late last week when a Birch Lane family became the latest victims of a home invasions that started in December. Police have not confirmed that report.

Photo by June Marie Sobrito

Larchmont: There are real estate bargains to be had

The Grey Lady’s piece today about Westchester real estate quotes local agent Jim Whittemore saying that, “until recently his agency had listed only ‘a sprinkling’ of houses under $600,000. ‘If there were three before, there are now eight,’ he said.

‘As the years have gone by since 2007, prices have steadily gone down. Now they’re stabilizing, interest rates are low and not surprisingly, buyers are jumping in with both feet.’

The example they use is a Dutch colonial built in 1923 with three bedrooms and one bath listed at $499,000. We found the house at 288 Weaver St. The price is the current “mid-range” in the area.

“The median sales price in Mamaroneck, of which Larchmont is a part, was $996,999 last year.” says the Times.

In Scarsdale, a couple scooped up a fixer-upper for $500,000.

Says the Times, “In recent months, similar scenarios have been playing out throughout Westchester in expensive towns and villages like Bedford, Armonk, Larchmont, Irvington and Pelham.”

All together in Westchester, 336 homes priced under $500,000 were in contract as of Dec. 31, up 39 percent from a year earlier.

Be sure and check out theLoop Real Estate Marketplace

photo: Jacqueline Silberbush

Harrison Train Station

Mamaroneck Village And Harrison police report two more armed robberies involving local residents walking home from a train station at night.

According to Mamaroneck Village Det. Sandra DiRuzza,  at about 8 pm, a 59 year old man reported he was approached from behind on Stanley Avenue and robbed at gunpoint. The suspect demanded his (undisclosed) property and fled on foot with it. The victim called 911. He was unharmed.

In Harrison an armed robbery was reported on the South Road Bridge about 9:00 pm Thursday near the train station. Police say the same man is assumed to be involved in the two robberies last night, and possibly all of them. Harrison police say he wore a light colored bandana mask and had a silver handgun.

“Ours does appear to be similar to the crimes in Mamaroneck, Pelham, New Rochelle and Harrison,” said DiRuzza.

The suspect, like that in recent similar crimes in the Town of Mamaroneck, Pelham and New Rochelle (see summary below) is described as approximately 6 ft tall and approximately 185 lbs; in those crimes he was wearing all black including a black mask covering his face.

• On January 12th a Pelham commuter was approached from behind while walking home from the train on Cliff Avenue at 12:10 a.m.
• On January 17th a Mamaroneck commuter was approached from behind on Glenn Road near Chatsworth Avenue at 10:20 p.m.
• On January 29th, two females, one a student at Iona College, was followed into a building on Eastchester Road and White Oak Street at 4:45 a.m.
• On January 31st a commuter was approached while walking home from the train on Monterey Avenue in Pelham at 8:20 p.m

The Town of Mamaroneck held a crime prevention workshop this week.

Crimestoppers has offered a reward for any information. Anyone with information is also asked to call the Village of Mamaroneck Detective Division at 914-825-8541.

Apparently 35 homeowners live in a special zone that’s both Pelham and the Bronx, with only the advantages of each. The listing for this house doesn’t even bother with minor details such as number of beds and baths. What the agent wants you to know is that you’ll pay New York City taxes instead of Westchester’s…and have Pelham Schools and a Pelham PO.

It’s two separate lots, one with a house, perhaps not in great shape given the lack of detail, plus a building lot with views of the Long Island Sound, and it’s all near Pelham Bay Park, which is still surprisingly wild.

This and much more in theLoop Real Estate Marketplace.

Det.Sgt. Matthew Mehlrose talks to residents about recent crime in TOM

A lot of crime prevention comes down to common sense.

It’s safer to walk in groups then alone. A home alarm that rings inside and out is a better deterrent then the quieter kinds that don’t offend the neighbors. And don’t bother hiding keys under those fake rocks and other gadgets you see in ads.

“The bad guys watch TV too,” said Mamaroneck Town Police Det. Sgt. Matthew Mehlrose.

That was the Town of Mamaroneck Police Department’s message to the 30 or so neighbors who congregated Wednesday night at the VFW on Boston Post Road for a crime prevention workshop.

Rattled by the recent rash of crimes in the area, neighbors wanted to know the best ways to stay safe.

Town leaders reassured said that the Town of Mamaroneck is indeed a safe community; it has not been affected by the recent surge in home burglaries the way neighboring Larchmont has.

In fact, the number of burglaries and robberies in Town has dropped since 2010.

But the brazen armed robbery in January of a man walking home from the Larchmont train station – possibly linked to similar crimes in Pelham and Eastchester – and multiple car break-ins on Friday, show that no one is immune.

All it takes is two to three minutes for burglars to get what they want out of a home, police said. Leaving house and car doors unlocked makes it all the easier.

As Det. Donn Emonds said, “We understand that you should be able to leave your stuff in your car and it should stay untouched.  But realistically, it doesn’t work.”

You may recall our conflicted feelings about the new M-8 rail cars on the Metro-North Red Line.

Your chances of riding a cleaner, more comfortable | more sterile, computer-voice   train between Connecticut and Grand Central just increased. Metro-North and the State of Connecticut added more new cars to the New Haven Line.

As of Monday, 78 new cars are operating on the line — enough to cover about 24% of regular weekday rides.  The new M-8 railcars will cover an even higher percent of weekend travelers.

It will be years, though, before the entire existing fleet is replaced.  There are a total of 380 new cars on order. More sticky floors to enjoy for years to come.

New York State Crime Stoppers has offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest in armed robberies in Mamaroneck, Pelham and New Rochelle in January.

The Mamaroneck and two Pelham incidents involved commuters walking home from the train station being held up at gunpoint; the New Rochelle robbery victim was a female Iona College student.

The Journal News reports a fourth robbery occurred on Eastchester Road near White Oak Street in New Rochelle on Jan. 29.

In the Mamaroneck, Pelham and New Rochelle robberies, a black man, 5 foot 10 to 6-feet and weighing 175 to 200 pounds, showed a black semi-automatic hand gun, officials said. The suspect, or suspects, was said to have worn a black ski mask and dark clothing.

Crime Stoppers’ announcement came after another weekend touched by the crime wave.

Town police say five cars were broken into while parked overnight Friday at the Carlton House, a North Chatsworth Avenue condominium apartment building in the Town of Mamaroneck.

Car vandalized in lot at Carlton House apartments

News 12 reports New Rochelle had multiple robberies over the weekend. Police arrested a suspect in a Monday afternoon robbery.

The Town of Mamaroneck and Larchmont Gardens Civic Association will host a crime prevention workshop at 7 p.m. Wednesday  at the VFW/Senior Center, 1288 Boston Post Road in Larchmont.

Anyone with information on any of the incidents is asked to call NYS Crime Stoppers at 1-866-313-TIPS(8477).

Broken glass from vandalized cars at Carlton House

PCRA Girls Varsity team

It started, about ten years ago, with a few neighbors who wanted to take advantage of the coastline and do some rowing.

Now the Pelham Community Rowing Association (PCRA) is the only community rowing program in all of Westchester, and its competitive high school rowing team draws students from Mamaroneck High School, Pelham Memorial High School, Ursuline, Harrison High, Fordham Prep, The Masters School and Scarsdale High School and others.

They hit the fall’s largest regional regattas including Head of the Charles, Head of the Housatonic and Head of the Fish. PCRA took home the prestigious Joe Marfuggi Cup as the most outstanding youth program at the Head of the Riverfront Regatta in Hartford, according to spokeswoman Jean Ippolito.

She added that this year also marked PCRA’s most successful college recruiting and admission season to-date. Seniors gained early decision admittance to Harvard University, Dartmouth College, Williams College, Syracuse University, and University of Virginia, among others.

The New York State Scholastic Rowing Association (NYSSRA) awarded the Varsity Team the coveted Scholar Athlete designation for maintaining a team-wide grade-point average of 90% or above during the highly competitive fall season.

PCRA rows out of Glen Island State Park on the 1964 Olympic Time Trial Course that they share with the New York Athletic Club.

For more information about Pelham Community Rowing Association email jippolito.ny@gmail.com.

Larchmont Police Dept.

Larchmont neighbors are on guard – and continue informing neighbors by email and texting  – following the most recent burglaries in the normally low-crime town.

Late last week, residents circulated a text message urging others to step up protecting themselves against thieves:

Important alert! Make sure all doors are locked @ night & garage too. 2 more burglaries since last week, willow ave & ocean ave. houses were entered at night when people were home.  Pass this on. 

The current rash of burglaries and car break-ins in Larchmont and Mamaroneck started before the December holidays and, according to residents, continue.  The January robbery of a man on Glenn Road in the Town of Mamaroneck as he was walking home from the Larchmont train station left neighbors particularly frightened.

There were two armed robberies near the Pelham train station last month as well and Pelham Police Chief Joe Benefico thinks the suspect in those crimes may be the same as that in the robbery on Glenn Road.

The Town of Mamaroneck and Larchmont Gardens Civic Association will host a crime prevention workshop at 7 p.m. Wednesday  at the VFW/Senior Center, 1288 Boston Post Road in Larchmont.

“I never gave walking home from the train a second thought and now I do,” says Larchmont’s Dave Bradley, one of the victims of a car break-in.

Bradley says he used to be lax about locking doors before becoming a target. “This community was used to not having these things happen,” he says.

“Now we’re getting used to it,” he says. “I know I am.”

Larchmont Village Police continue to be unresponsive to our inquiries.

Haley Hasler, Portrait of a Lady Bearing Snacks, 2010, oil on linen

From the Pelham Arts Center, a very cool looking exhibit of fourteen artists exploring “modern notions of parenthood.”  It’s called, what else– Separation Anxiety. February 3 through March 31.

An opening reception will take place on Friday, February 3, 6:30-8:00 p.m. during which time you may participate in some related art projects in the Gallery.

As significant numbers of women have entered the work force since the 1970s in response to shifting economic needs and the influence of the Feminist movement, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s long honored notion of the “Good Mother” and the demand that she blithely sacrifice all for the good of her children and family has been challenged and reevaluated. But as women have taken a place within the domestic AND public realms, conservative groups have predictably lamented the decline of “family values.”

Within that cry, the child has often been portrayed as endangered and lost while mothers seeking to redefine their roles and obligations are seen as frantic and on the verge of unraveling. While far from being resolved, such debates are symptomatic of a cultural anxiety over the state of popular ideals of familyhood and a realization that these idealistic, largely unattainable notions of the family should continue to be frankly reconsidered in the 21st century.

Separation Anxiety will feature the work of: Claudia Alvarez, Monica Bock, Erika DeVries, Leslie Dick, Elizabeth Douglas, Haley Hasler, Connie Hatch, Ellina Kevorkian, Kate Kretz, Marcos Rosales, Karen Schwenkmeyer, Mark Stockton, Abbey Williams, and Jennifer Wroblewski.

U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, who represents most of Westchester and parts of Rockland Counties in Congress, made fast friends with a group of New Rochelle High School seniors during a classroom visit Monday, inviting them to meet again online Tuesday night during President Obama’s State of the Union address.

“I don’t want to talk at you,” Congresswoman Lowey, a Democrat who represents New York’s 18th District, said.  ”I want to have a conversation.”

Lowey’s visit to teacher Darren Gurney’s AP macroeconomics class was a precursor to the virtual Facebook and Twitter chat with students she has planned for before and after the President’s speech. Students can participate by going to Lowey’s Facebook page  or using the hashtag #LoweyChat on Twitter.

She also will meet with New Rochelle High AP government students in Washington later this week.

Lowey reiterated several times her commitment to staying non-partisan during the classroom discussion, which touched on her priorities: creating jobs, investing in education and tax relief.

She did, however, come right out and say how important she thinks it is for young people to get involved in their government as soon as they are old enough.

“It’s sad to me that in this great country of ours such a small percentage of people vote,” she said.

“Whatever you do with your life, I hope you will take some time for public service because it is very rewarding.”

Photo courtesy of Paul Costiglio

Willy Wonka at Murray Avenue

Brrrrr…there’s a Winter Storm Watch in effect from tonight to Saturday afternoon…

Some warm picks this weekend:

Willy Wonka at Murray Avenue School, Larchmont. 

note: all Saturday performances cancelled due to snow. All shows will take place tomorrow, Sunday, January 22. 
Cast A performances will be held at 9:30 and 11:30am.  Cast B performances will take place at 2:30 and 4:30pm.  Saturday tickets will be honored at any Sunday performance.

Four performances of the musical based on Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by students in grades 2-5. Golden tickets available at the door for performances Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm.

At New Rochelle Library:
Saturday, January 21, 1:00 pm, Magic and Comedy with Jim McClenhan.
Sunday, January 22, 1:30 – 3:30 pm: Sunday Afternoon Music with Eric Jennings: Celebrating America’s Almost-Forgotten Composers:  Lehar, Weill and Korngold.   Franz Lehar’s Merry Widow created a waltz frenzy that made it Broadway’s biggest hit in 1907, with songs and melodies that still thrill audiences today. Kurt Weill and Erich Korngold may have disappeared into Hollywood’s musical history, but Professor Jennings will show why their legacy continues.

The Picture House, Pelham. Family Flicks Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville. A screening of seven short films from the Sundance Festival. Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. $6 and $11. Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Road. (914) 747-5555; burnsfilmcenter.org.

At Larchmont Library: Larchmont Music Academy presents the second in the series of the introduction to the orchestra concerts at 3:30. Featuring flute, clarinet, oboe and all members of the saxophone family from the tiny soprano saxophone to the huge baritone saxophone. Children will enjoy an interactive concert, exploring each instrument and even a fun make your own wind instrument project.

to list your event here, please email thisweekend@theloopny.com beginning 1/23/12.

Shopping carts are rolling away. Cars are shaking. Hold onto your hats — and just about everything else.  The strong winds that blew into Westchester this morning, prompting a National Weather Service Wind Advisory, are expected to stick around at least through midnight.

The gusts could reach up to 50 miles per hour, according to the Weather Service, meaning travel could be hazardous.

Flight delays at area airports were already growing long by early afternoon.  Flights at La Guardia, for example, were running an hour and 40 minutes behind schedule at 1 p.m. The speed limit on area bridges, including the Tappan Zee, had reportedly been reduced.

Although the winds are expected to die down overnight, forecasters are calling for a weekend that feels like winter. The Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies with a high of 37 on Saturday and just 29 on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to bounce back a bit on Monday, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, to a high of 39.

Tony Vanacore (courtesy Talk of the Sound)

After 50 years, he’s decided he will now lock his front door.

The 92 year old New Rochelle man who apparently foiled a home invasion last week at 3 Cadillac Drive in the North End, is still making headlines.

“You keep your left hand out and counterpunch,” Tony Vanacore told CBS2.

“God gave me the strength to go down those stairs and punch this guy”,  Vanacore told Talk of the Sound, when he found his caregiver struggling with the perp. The invader then ran for it.

Fortunately the invader’s gun was a toy.

There is a possibility that the shocked criminal may have been involved in recent home invasions in Pelham Manor and Mount Vernon. In those instances the victims were considered easy prey.

Until this time.

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Of 531 Members of Congress, including all U.S. Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat Nita M. Lowey (D-NY)  ranks #20 in personal wealth, with an average net worth of  $41,210,018 , according to data prepared by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Lowey represents New York’s 18th District, which includes Lower Westchester and part of Rockland Counties.

The New York Daily News recently reported Lowey has the “highest privately funded travel tab of any New York rep.”

Times are good for the 12 term Congresswoman.

Lowey’s husband, Stephen, is a partner in a White Plains law firm.

photo: US House of Representatives

The Sanborn Map Company Building is more than 100 years old

Apparently, insurance risk was an issue even way back in 1867, when the Sanborn Map Company began creating maps of cities and towns for insurance companies to use to assess fire risk.

Eventually, they would map every structure in over 12,000 communities in the U.S., with much of the work done at the company headquarters, built in 1905 right here in Pelham. There were also branches in Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco.

Sanborn,now owned by EDR, Inc., still occupies a portion of the building, located at 629 Fifth Avenue. The remaining space is rented out as offices.

Police have discovered ATM card skimmers and hidden cameras at bank machines in four Westchester communities, sparking Loop-area police to urge residents to be on guard.

The most recent incident occurred in Bronxville, where police on Sunday discovered the devices installed at HSBC Bank on Pondfield Road. Similar illegal set-ups have been found at banks in Pelham, Yonkers and Poughkeepsie as well.

On Friday, Rye police issued a warning, urging residents to take precautions when using an ATM machine. It says:

“Four communities in Westchester County have reported incidents of bank card skimmers and secret cameras being installed on automated teller machines (ATMs). The skimmers record information from a user’s ATM card, and the cameras record the user’s PIN (personal identification number) as it is punched in on the ATM keypad.

“Although these incidents have not affected our community, it is always wise to take basic precautions when using ATMs here or in your travels:

– Before inserting your card into the slot of an ATM, wiggle the slot. Normal ATM slots should not wiggle, but a skimmer installed on the slot may seem loose.
– Cover the keypad with your free hand while keying in your PIN, so if a hidden camera is installed it will not be able to record the number.
– Always be aware of your surroundings when making an ATM transaction, and be alert for suspicious activity or people loitering nearby.”

David Piparo

A Bronx man today plead guilty to stealing a woman’s car at gunpoint in Pelham Manor last November.

David Piparo, 48, faces a sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison when sentenced on November 17, according to the Westchester County District Attorney’s office.

The robbery occurred about 8:45 p.m. on Nov. 24 near the CVS Pharmacy located at 4760 Boston Post Road when Piparo approached a woman inside her 2001 BMW vehicle and displayed a gun.

Pointing the gun at the woman, he ordered the woman to get out of the car and drove it away. The car was subsequently found nearby.

Piparo also faces federal charges related to three additional armed robberies, one of which occurred at Tes Oros Jewelry Store in Pelham Manor, also in November, and two others in the Bronx.

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Five youth boats from Pelham Community Rowing Association (PCRA) joined 150 teams from all over the United States for National Rowing Championships in Oak Ridge, TN. PCRA rowers had qualified for Nationals in the recent New York State Scholastic Rowing Championships, held last month in Saratoga Springs, New York.

PCRA practicing in the Sound

After qualifying heats on Friday and Saturday, the Girls Quad came away with PCRA’s best showing at Sunday’s finals, coming in 10th out of 22 boats, notwithstanding humid temperatures in the mid-90’s each day.  This was an impressive achievement, as the girls had only been rowing together since March.  Freshman Liliane Lindsay (Harrison High School) joined juniors Tessa Dikkers (Pelham Memorial High School), Yasmine Hemida (Mamaroneck High School) and Claudia Jensen (Bronxville High School) and narrowly only missed coming in 9th place by 2.5 seconds.  A PCRA Girls Lightweight Double was the fourth fastest boat in their division, although they finished 13th due to the structure of the racing heats. That impressive boat was rowed by Nina Byers (Junior, Bronxville High School) and Maraiah Ippolito (Sophomore, Pelham Memorial High School).
“It was so exciting,” said Mieke Dikkers, mother and PCRA rower. “I was watching the boats come in to view halfway down the 2,000 meter course live at the Tennessee venue while receiving play-by-play color commentary from my brother, who was watching the finals live streaming on his computer a quarter of a world away in Amsterdam, courtesy of US Rowing! “
The Boys Quad, consisting of Pat Goldstein and Nick Ippolito, both seniors at Pelham Memorial High School, Giancarlo Paternoster (Junior, Scarsdale High School) and Matt Palmer (Junior, Pelham High School) also had an impressive showing, placing 11th out of 22 boats in their event.  Rowing in a Double, Kaitlin Campbell (Senior, Rye High School) and Mary Gail DiBuono (Junior, Mamaroneck High School) finished 11th out of 14 boats in their event. The Boys Lightweight Double was rowed by Ian Klein and Christopher Selvaggio, both juniors at Scarsdale High School, and garnered a 16th place finish out of 20 other lightweight doubles in their event.
This recognition of her rowers was quite a feather in the cap of PCRA’s new head youth coach, Kaitlin Coulter of New Rochelle, who herself was a varsity rower at Rutgers University, trained for the National Team and is a current member of the New York Athletic Club, for whom she has also competed.
“It’s is a huge achievement for that so many of our kids got to Nationals and I think the fact that they were all invited to attend a national development camp because of their achievements is great,” added Jean Ippolito, who rows, runs the PCRA Master and Youth programs and is a rower herself.
As many PCRA members were departing for Nationals, rowers back at home were competing in the 5th annual New York Athletic Club/PCRA Invitational. This 1000 meter regatta included community rowers from local clubs like Saugatuck Rowing Club in Connecticut and Nereid Boating Club in New Jersey. Pelham resident Susan Sales came in second in the women’s age 40-49 single. In the men’s single, PCRA Master Gerry Houlihan came in second in the men’s over 50 race. Laura Aust and Kristy Skeffington came in second in the Women’s Double and a quad comprised of PCRA rowers Charles Ippolito, Angelo Rubbo and NYAC rowers Khalil Shalabi and Chuck Windeknecht came in first.
PCRA’s summer season is about to begin and there’s still time to register for the Masters programs. The community club welcomes any adults who may be beginners, recreational rowers and experienced rowers to join us on the water under the guidance of our expert coaches. We also offer opportunities for rowers of all levels to compete in regattas throughout the season. For more information or to register, please visit www.pelhamrowing.net
PCRA is a not‐for‐profit 501©(3) corporation dedicated to sharing the benefits of rowing with athletes of all ages and abilities. PCRA encourages the pursuit of excellence—fitness, discipline and teamwork—through community youth and adult rowing.  If you’re interesting in learning to row, junior or adult competitive rowing, email Jean Ippolito at jippolito.ny@gmail.com for information about Pelham Community Rowing Association.