Jim Amico on Midland Road, 2010

RYE– A stop sign has finally gone up on a stretch of a busy Rye Road where two children were hit by cars.

In 2006, Jarrid Amico, 10, was struck and killed by a car on Midland Road near Midland School. In 2010, another ten year old was hit, and injured.

At the second incident, Jim Amico, the father of Jarrid, who was killed in the first incident,  got into a scuffle with police. As the outspoken proponent of stop signs for pedestrian safety in the area, his efforts had been getting mixed results.

At 8am, Rye Police announced new stop signs have been installed on Midland Avenue at the intersection with Palisade Road. It’s a pilot project- hopefully it will be permanent.

View Larger Map

playland by june marie sobrito

WESTCHESTER COUNTY– Park it this summer- Passes for over 50 county parks go on sale today.

Passes are available at the Westchester County Center and the Parks Department on 450 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley on Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following locations:

• Rye Playland
• Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake Golf Course in Yonkers
• Hudson Hills Golf Course in Ossining
• Maple Moore Golf Course in White Plains
• Saxon Woods Golf Course in Scarsdale
• Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Golf Course in Cross River
• Glen Island Park in New Rochelle (tickets go on sale here May 26)

Some of the County Parks include not only those above, but Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers, Saxon Woods Pool in White Plains and Willson’s Waves in Mount Vernon.

Beginning June 16 passes will be available daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Brook at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers, Saxon Woods Pool in White Plains and Willson’s Waves in Mount Vernon.

More information here.

Paige Bradley: "Expansion"

from the Rye Arts Center:

RYE– The Rye Arts Center is staging Beyond Rodin – New Directions in Contemporary Figurative Sculpture, through June 16.  at 51 Milton Road, Rye, NY.

The exhibit will feature the work of 20 U.S.-based sculptors who are creating innovative contemporary works built on a foundation of anatomical rigor and classical training in sculpting the human form.

(more…)

Information:

Mamaroneck

New Rochelle

Rye

Rye Brook

Rye Neck

Scarsdale

White Plains

for those not listed above:

Ardsley | Bedford | Briarcliff Manor | Bronxville | Byram Hills | Chappaqua | Croton-Harmon | Dobbs Ferry | Eastchester | Edgemont | Elmsford | Greenburgh 7 | Harrison | Hastings | Hendrick Hudson | Irvington | Katonah-Lewisboro | Lakeland | Mount Pleasant | Mount Vernon |  North Salem | Ossining | Peekskill | Pelham | Pleasantville | Pocantico Hills | Port Chester | Somers | Tarrytowns | Tuckahoe | Valhalla |  Yorktown |

Did you miss these stories?

(more…)

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

(more…)

submitted by Loop reader Mark Lane:

There are people who think I am knowledgeable about beer.   Probably because I drink a lot of it.  And because much of the time, no one has ever heard of the strange brands they find me with.  So the topic comes up a lot.  I try to steer people towards a good American-made craft beer, particularly India Pale Ales, which have become an art form in this country in the last decade.

I now have a fairly narrow range of IPA’s that I will drink.  Has to be a strict IPA, not some “chocolate IPA” or something.  I prefer “American style” IPA: basic stuff, not the “San Diego” or “Belgian” style IPA’s, which I regard as abominations and insults to an intelligent palate.

(more…)

From LWV Chapters in the Sound Shore Area:

The timely issue of campaign finance in the midst of this presidential election year is the focus of the League of Women Voters annual luncheon at noon on Friday, April 27th at the Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck.

Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause NY, will tackle the controversial topic, “Money in Politics – Can Americans Beat the Odds and Establish Fairness in Campaign Finance?” at the luncheon that is co-sponsored by the LWV chapters of Larchmont-Mamaroneck, New Rochelle and Rye, Rye Brook and Port Chester.

The event is open to the public. To make a reservation, please mail a check for $45 payable to LWV Larchmont/Mamaroneck to LWV, PO Box 811, Larchmont, NY 10538. Please e-mail questions to lwv10538@aol.com.

Common Cause New York, and its national counterpart, is the citizen’s lobbyist for clean elections and ethical standards for our elected officials. CCNY is a leading force in the battle for honest and accountable government. This nonpartisan, nonprofit organization often works together with the League of Women Voters on public interest issues.

Susan Lerner was the executive director of the California Clean Money Campaign before assuming her current post as the executive director of Common Cause New York. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago and NYU School of Law.

The Sound Shore Leagues will invite local high school students chosen to participate in this year’s Students Inside Albany Conference (SIA) to report on their experience at the luncheon. Students from throughout the state participated in the League’s 4-day public policy training program March 25-28th in Albany. The program brought these student leaders together to educate them on how they can influence public policy and provided them with an opportunity to meet and shadow their elected representatives, debate current policy issues, tour the capitol, and more.

The League of Women Voters of the United States was founded in 1920 by suffragists who had organized over decades for passage of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. The League’s mission is to promote informed citizen participation in government. Membership is open to all citizens 18 and older, regardless of gender, and associate membership to noncitizens.

The Town of Mamaroneck, the Village of Mamaroneck, the Village of Larchmont and the City of Rye are joining forces for the Sound Shore “No Idling Day” on April 23. 2012.

The idea is to educate everyone about the harmful effects of engine idling and the local laws prohibiting it.

Town of Mamaroneck Supervisor Nancy Seligson writes,

“Idling vehicles create air pollution that is hazardous to human health, especially children. Idling wastes gasoline and damages the environment. The US EPA has identified idling as a major contributor to particulate material emissions. Exposure to vehicle exhaust increases the risk of cancer, lung disease and asthma. Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution because their lungs are still developing and they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults do.”

So turn it off April 23 and whenever you can.

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.

(more…)

10 Brevoort Ln, Rye

This home in move-in condition starts with an inviting front porch & welcomes you to this meticulous property on a private road with modern amenities. Rye Neck Schools. Living room w/built-ins & gas fireplace leads to dining room, updated kitchen and family room w/gas fireplace & doors to deck.

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

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

Here’s a look at the LinkedIn profile of the Rye man who helped subdue the freaking pilot on Jet Blue Tuesday.

Rye Patch reports Anthony Antolino, who lives in the Greenhaven section of Rye, says he was sitting in Row 10,  ” ‘…and first noticed that things were awry when one of the captains came out of the cockpit in somewhat of an unexpected manner, without the normal protocol of the cabin crew,’ said Antolino. ‘When he came out he was very erratic. He was very, very agitated…moving rapidly around …’”

Missy Palmisciano of County Harvest

Anne Avenius, St. Augustine's

The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS) Spring Fling Benefit will honor “Sound Shore Superwomen,” says  member Sonya Cronin, Saturday March 31 at 7:30 at The Winged Foot Golf Club.

“We will pay tribute to five local women (non-JLWOS members) making significant contributions to the Sound Shore Community:

Anne Avenius of St. Augustine’s Church (Larchmont, NY)

Deborah Blatt of The Sharing Shelf of Family Services of Westchester

Melinda Lehman of Larchmont-Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force

Marissa Massa of Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Port Chester, NY)

Missy Palmisciano of County Harvest.

This special evening also hosts a silent auction accompanied by food, cocktails, and live music.

(more…)

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

Frank Alvarez, Schools Superintendent in Montclair, NJ, will be the next Superintendent of Rye City Schools, signing a five year contract. He replaces Ed Shine, who is retiring after 16 years.

Read more at MyRye

The story in Montclair, from our friends at Baristanet.com

photo: courtesy baristanet

We received an email from Steve Otis, former City of Rye Mayor and Chief of Staff to State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, announcing today that he is running for the 91st State Assembly District, which George Latimer is leaving to run for State Senate. The 91st covers the Sound Shore communities of New Rochelle, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, Port Chester and Rye Brook.

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

New Rochelle

Larchmont

Debra Kling

Debra Kling of Larchmont turned color into a career. (You may remember where she turned your editor’s old stone heap into something a lot more fun.)

Now, Debra has been awarded the “Best of Remodeling Award” from Houzz.com, a popular web platform for residential remodeling and design.

The Architectural Color Consulting firm was chosen by the more than 1.2 million registered members of the Houzz community.

Here are some of her color consults in the towns indicated:

Bronxville

(more…)

George Latimer at one of his "Coffee with George" meetings in Mamaroneck

Assemblyman George Latimer,  Rye Democrat, may not have voted for the re-configured State Senate districts, as he told us last week, but he’s going to run for the seat being vacated by longtime Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer.

Latimer announced the run in a letter that went out to district leaders this week, which, according to LoHud, reads:

“The changes we need – the changes I have fought for all my life – involve sacrifice from everybody, not just from ‘the other guy’,” Latimer wrote. “Property taxes are too high, and I have worked hard to address that major worry many of us face; it always comes up as the #1 local issue homeowners are concerned about.”

At least two Republicans have announced their intention to run for the seat: Bob Cohen, a New Rochelle businessman who was narrowly defeated by Oppenheimer in 2010; and Diane DiDonato-Roth, a North Castle councilwoman.

Cohen spokesman Bill O’Reilly responded:

“We welcome Mr. Latimer into this race, but find it head-scratching, frankly, that he would bring up property taxes in his announcement. Westchester families pay the highest property taxes in America because of what George Latimer did as a county legislator and as an assemblyman. He and the other career politicians are directly responsible for the staggering property taxes Westchester families pay today. On top of that, Mr. Latimer voted against last year’s historic property tax cap vote and he went MIA for Governor Cuomo’s pension reform vote last week that will ease costs on local governments. We look forward to discussing all these issues at length throughout this campaign.”

Latimer spokesman Brian Hegt:

Bill O’Reilly is a mouthpiece for the Senate Majority who has once again proven that the misrepresentation of facts is the only way they can hold onto their gerrymandered majority. Here’s the truth: George Latimer worked with the Governor to establish the lowest individual income tax rates in decades and repeal the MTA Payroll Tax for Small Businesses. In 2009, he voted against the State budget, which included a series of taxes and he also opposed the soda tax and entertainment tax. As Chairman of the County Board of Legislators, property taxes decreased for 3 years consecutively while George was in that position. We thank Mr. O’Reilly for his warm reception into this race and look forward to debating the FACTS, with Mr. Cohen, Ms. Roth or Mr. Terenzi, whoever the Republicans choose to nominate.

22 Park Lane, Rye

Here’s the view from the deck of this expanded 4 Bedroom Colonial with views of Rye Marina and LI Sound in Milton Point. State of the art kitchen, bright Master Bedroom suite and private deck to enjoy water views year round.

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

Many people first moving to the Mamaroneck School District, with about 5000 students in six schools, and coming from the Village of Larchmont, the Village of Mamaroneck and the Town of Mamaroneck, are surprised to find there are no traditional school bus routes.

Unlike most school districts in the County and the Country, children here do not ride school buses to and from their homes to school, unless they attend a private school within a certain distance. The latter provision comes under New York State law.

Historical reasons for this include the “neighborhood schools” concept, and practical reasons include the fact that families sending their children to private schools, even as far as Greenwich, still pay taxes to the Mamaroneck District and are entitled to some services.

Now, with the tax cap, according to the Lower Hudson Valley Council on School Superintendents,  if New York State funded or reduced the mileage limits for private school out-of-district transportation from 15 to 5 miles, and allowed consolidation of services, it could save over $3.5 million in one year. The Mamaroneck School Board is also investigating cost savings related to completely outsourcing its transportation services.

Tuesday night, the Mamaroneck School Board discussed the idea of public transportation for kids at:

• French American School (Upper School- Mamaroneck)
• German School (White Plains)
• Holy Child (Rye)
• Iona Prep (New Rochelle)
• Rye Country Day
• Ursuline School (New Rochelle)

You can imagine the response from parents of the approximately 100 private and parochial school students in grades 6-12, who may soon be on Bee Line buses to school. In some cases, the commuting time is estimated at an hour or more.

The Mamaroneck Board will continue this discussion March 20 at 7:30 p.m. The full presentation can be viewed on the district’s website .

We are talking a lot about food today …you will see a recipe from a local Greek restaurant chef at 3:00.

But Larchmont blogger Hugh Yeman is not buying his ingredients. He is picking them:

This morning I was sitting at Aroma Coffee Roast, drinking my tea and tinkering with a website as usual. Jack noticed the stevia sweetener sitting on my table, and we got talking about sweet and tart foods. He loves tart flavors for their own sake, whereas I tend to see them as an accompaniment and counterpoint to sweetness. He likes apple pie with no added sugar. I’ll talk your ear off about the importance of adding just enough sugar to offset the tartness of the near-obligatory Granny Smith apples.

The conversation moved on to other kinds of tart pies, such as strawberry-rhubarb and my all-time favorite, strawberry-raspberry-rhubarb. Then I started talking about wineberries. This was a lot less unlikely than you might think. Actually, it’s hard to get me to stop talking about wineberries.

The wineberry is a Japanese cousin of the raspberry, and it does very well for itself right here in Westchester. As an invasive species it may not be fondly regarded, but I can’t help but smile at the red undertones it splashes onto the landscape. The stems arc through the bracken, loosely stitching their way over the dun cheerlessness like a gravity-defying garland. If you take a walk in the Marshlands Conservancy on a sunny day, like my wife and I did last weekend,

MORE

photo: Hugh Yemen

The police chase in Rye yesterday that caused three schools to be temporarily locked down, ended with the arrest of a suspect near Playland last night.

It started at 12:27 pm, say State Police, when a State Trooper driving north on I-95 near exit 19 spotted a  man speeding in a 2011 Dodge.

The driver, with a female passenger, was reportedly going too fast and changing lanes without signalling. When the trooper turned on his sirens, the driver revved it up and escaped off Exit 20 in Rye. The Trooper then lost sight of him, according to State Police Sgt. John Antinelli.

Rye City police set up a perimeter, and began chasing the suspect on local streets.

Antinelli says the trooper later spotted the car in a driveway on Oakland Beach Ave. The passenger, “an unwilling participant,” was still in the car. It was then that school officials decided on the temporary lock down, because Rye police believed he was running in the direction of the schools.

At 6:00 pm, Rye police received a call about an individual in a wooded area on Forest Avenue near Playland Market. Rye Police arrested 31 year old Julian Brown who had five outstanding New York City warrants on assault and drug charges.

Brown was charged with unlawful fleeing and traffic offenses and handed over to the New York City Police.

photo: Wikimedia commons

Rye Police Department

Rye police report the search for a suspect that caused a lockdown at three area schools is over; the suspect is believed to be out of the area. Stepped up patrols will continue.

If you observe suspicious activity, please call the police. For full details, view this message on the web.

Police now say some Rye Schools are in lockdown, and a manhunt is underway.

“The Rye Police have notified Rye High School, Rye Middle School, and Midland School that they are chasing an individual on foot in the Playland Road area,” the Rye School District wrote to parents. “The three schools are in lockdown until the police provide further information.”

LoHud reports a police scanner said the search followed a car chase from Interstate 95 and that one of two suspects has been taken into custody.

earlier:

Alert: Police are searching for a black male, 6′ tall, wearing a blue coat in the area of Milton Rd/Intervale.

He is wanted by State Police on an unspecified charge. If you see any suspicious activity, call 911. View this message on the web.

Alert: Police are searching for a black male, 6′ tall, wearing a blue coat in the area of Milton Rd/Intervale.

He is wanted by State Police on an unspecified charge. If you see any suspicious activity, call 911. View this message on the web.

Larchmont Citibank

Larchmont police now say six individuals reported unauthorized withdrawals from their bank accounts – one of whom lost a total of $130,000.

The other victims reported losses of $9,500, $5,800,  $3,200, $2,400 and $1,000.

This is what a bank skimmer looks like.

A similar scam was discovered recently at a Rye Citibank.

Citibank sent us this response to the ATM skimming that occurred at its Larchmont branch:

The safety and security of our customer account and personal information is a top priority. Citibank identified illegal skimming devices placed on our ATM location at 1920 Palmer Ave and took corrective action to prevent this type of skimming fraud.  Any affected customers will not be responsible for unauthorized charges.  Customers with questions or concerns are welcome to contact customer service or stop by the branch.  We will continue to cooperate with the Larchmont Police Department as they conduct their investigation.

The Village of Larchmont Committee on the Environment’s Green Screen Festival begins Saturday. Most films are free. The Lorax, which just opens nationwide this weekend, will screen for $5 but is fast selling out. You can reserve Lorax tix here.

The Green Screen line up:

THE LORAX
DATE Saturday March 3, 10 AM. 86 minutes
Tickets sold for a reduced rate of $5 per ticket, first-come, first-served. Click here to reserve yours.
VENUE Clearview Mamaroneck Playhouse, Mamaroneck, Mamaroneck Avenue. For kids and grown ups of all ages. CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT

BAG IT
DATE Saturday March 3, 2 PM. 78 minutes
VENUE Mamaroneck Library
SPEAKER SARA GODDARD, Chair of the Sustainability Committee of the City of Rye, which recently became the first municipality in Westchester County to ban plastic bags. Ages 12 and up

FRESH
DATE Sunday March 4, 2 PM. 70 minutes
VENUE Larchmont Village Center (adjacent the Larchmont Library)
SPEAKER Filmmaker ANA SOFIA JOANES will be on hand afterwards to answer questions. Ages 10 and up

NO IMPACT MAN
DATE Monday, March 5, 7:30 PM. 92 minutes
VENUE Mamaroneck Town Center (Conference Room C)
SPEAKER  Director and cinematographer JUSTIN SCHEIN will lead a question-and-answer session after the film. Ages 12 and up

EXTREME ICE
DATE Saturday March 10, 1 PM. 56 minutes
VENUE Mamaroneck Library
Ages 12 and up

FLOW: FOR THE LOVE OF WATER
DATE Saturday, March 10, 2 pm. 93 minutes
VENUE Mamaroneck Library
SPEAKERS ELIZABETH ROYTE, author of Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and How We Bought It, and PAUL GALLAY, executive director of Riverkeeper, will lead a discussion after the film. Ages 12 and up

GASLAND
DATE Sunday, March 11
VENUE Larchmont Village Center (adjacent the library),
2 pm. 104 minutes
SPEAKER PAUL GALLAY, executive director of Riverkeeper, will talk after the film about fracking and the threats to our local water supply. Ages 12 and up

CARBON NATION
DATE Monday, March 12 7:30 pm. 82 minutes
VENUE Mamaroneck Town Center (Conference Room C)
SPEAKER GEORGE KLEIN, Chair of the Sierra Club, Lower Hudson Valley Group. Ages 12 and up

 photo: Mockba1_1999 on theLoop flickr pool

A local Town Supervisior wants to be the only Republican Senator from New York. The New York Times reports Rye Town Supervisor and hedge fund manager Joe Carvin will run to unseat Kirsten E. Gillibrand, a Democrat.  Carvin is a Port Chester native.

In a statement, Carvin said he decided to run out of concern over the dire state of the country’s economy.

Who can tell us more about him?

Rye lost a true war hero Monday with the death of Dr. Tina Strobos, who as a young medical student in Amsterdam hid about 100 Jews from the Nazis.

She was 91.

Strobos and her family’s work as “rescuers” started when they hid Tina’s best friend, who was Jewish, in their home, not far from the house where Anne Frank and her family hid. The family ultimately built a hiding place, big enough for five people, which she described in a 1992 interview with the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington:

When we started taking in people we realized that they had to get away if the Gestapo came. So we had a first floor on which electrical button could open the door and so you could look through a wall window to the door downstairs on the first floor and see who [was] coming in. Then we had a alarm that we rang for the third floor so the people on the third floor could creep out the window in the gutter and get lost and go to the attic on the back side of the house, of the school that was connected with us. There were two, a front, part of it was a school, they had this wing, we had this wing, and then in the back was the school behind the courtyard, and there were, there was an attic that we had access to. So they could, you could go in hiding there. And that we had as escape route. And we rehearsed that, to get out of the window and out in there quietly, very fast. So when time, time came and a man called and he said, “I’m a carpenter from the underground.” And he had tools with him, and he looked so honest and reliable, we trusted him. My mother said, “Do you know this man?” I said, “No, but let him make a hiding place.” And he made such a good hiding place that when I go back to that house it’s very hard to find. It doesn’t hold too many people, though, two or three, crammed sitting together..

Strobos also found places for Jewish children to hide, forged passports and worked as an underground courier.

The Nazis interrogated Strobos on several occasions but never proved anything against her.

Strobos, who went on to have a successful career as a psychiatrist, was honored by Holocaust memorial organizations. You can read Strobos’s story in her own words on the Holocaust Museum or  Humboldt State University websites.

Picture: Strobos appeared recently on CBS News

Sustainable Playland  presented its vision for Playland last night at the Mamaroneck Public Library.

The project is one of four proposals under consideration by the County.

The group argues that their plan is the only one that reclaims Playland as a park, with a Great Lawn on the waterfront and ballfields at the northern end of the parking lot. Overflow parking next to Edith Reade Sanctuary would still be available for large events.

The plan also includes retaining the historic rides and buildings and removing the newer thrill rides that detract from the historic venue.

Using the Central Park Conservatory as an economic model, the group is projecting a total initial investment of $33.5 million, which includes improvements to the ice casino, bath house and other parts of the park.  Sustainable Playland would invest $8.2 million:  $4.1 million in donations and sponsorships, $4.1 million in bonds. The remaining $25.3 million would be financed by individual operators of the park’s lease holders.

Several restauranteurs are apparently interested in an all-season venue on the water. The group pointed out that on the Hudson River, there have been quite a few successful restaurants that capitalize on the view. Sandhya Subbarao, President Of Sustainable Playland, said “We think there are plenty of opportunities to create year-round revenue streams.

“If you can’t make money with a restaurant that has a view of Long Island Sound, you are doing something wrong.”

County Executive Rob Astorino is also considering other proposals from for-profit companies including Central Amusements International LLC and Standard Amusements, LLC.

As you probably know, Playland will close in its current form, and a few proposals are being considered for its future. Among them is Sustainable Playland , a plan that “takes a holistic approach to create a year-round destination that will unlock the full recreational, environmental and entertainment value of Playland while respecting the historical integrity of the Park.”

Sustainable Playland will hold an open meeting Tuesday, February 28, 7:00 PM at the
Mamaroneck Library (enter by Emelin Theater)

Come learn about the only locally generated proposal for the re-invention of
Playland from the architects and developers who hope to make it a reality.

About Sustainable Playland:
Sustainable Playland is a grass-roots, non-profit organization that submitted a proposal for the re-invention of Playland Park in March 2010. We are the only homegrown proposal among the three finalists being considered by the County Executive.

Our proposal envisions a year-round, family-oriented destination that retains the historic amusement park, while adding such new attractions as a Great Lawn, ballfields, a water-deck, restaurants, an event space and more.  Created by the architects and developers responsible for such landmark projects as the renovation of Grand Central Station and the Highline; the Sustainable Playland proposal lays out a bold new vision for one of Southern Westchester’s great public spaces.

photos: June Marie Sobrito

The 22 year old man struck by a subway in the Spring Street station in Lower Manhattan Saturday was Rye resident Michael Ice, Jr., says DNAinfo, and a 2007 graduate of Rye High School.

The University of Richmond grad, a promising financial analyst, may have been searching the tracks for a lost cellphone, says his father, a former member of the Rye School Board.

The wake will be held today. Full obit in Rye Patch. theLoop sends our deepest sympathies to the Ice family.

photo: Ice family and Rye Patch

Larchmont Citibank this morning

A Loop reader writes in:

Skimming has hit Larchmont. I was a victim from the Palmer Citibank, for $3800. The LPD said several reports came in before mine. While the Citibank folks at the branch were empathetic (one woman brought me to the machine and explained how skimming worked), the “investigators” at the bank are impossible to reach. The fraud dept tells me that they will take “up to 45 days” to “decide” whether they will restore the money. Maddening.

 

You will recall it was the Citibank in Rye that was hit last. We are in touch with the Larchmont Police and will report back if we can add more information.

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

Dr. Elizabeth Thompson

As a radiation oncologist, Elizabeth Chabner Thompson focused much of her career treating breast cancer, a disease her mother battled.  But it wasn’t until Thompson was a patient herself and chose to have preventative mastectomies to reduce the risk of the developing the disease, that she realized how hard it is to be on the other side.

“Getting prepared for treatment, coping with side effects … feeling undignified and exposed, organizing medications and therapies can all make treatment seem overwhelming,” the Scarsdale resident says.

Outdated garments and accessories didn’t help.

Last year Thompson launched  Best Friends for Life, a Scarsdale company that creates and sells products to help make patients’ recovery easier. Specially designed pillows, designer-style BFFL bags filled with comforts like cozy socks, skin cream, and post-surgery needs are among the products currently available. Special bras that patients can wear during treatment and after surgery are among the items that will become available this year.

Thompson has also expanded the business to serve patients battling traumatic brain injury. Inspired by her best friend Sara Kerr Reges, a nurse whose son was in a four-month-long coma after being hit by a car, the BFFL bags geared toward individuals with brain injuries and their caregivers are filled with items from rehab tools to word games.

Recently four local 12 and 13-year-old boys boys – Larchmont twins Will and Jack Powers, Rye’s Gus Rodriguez of Rye and Solomon Thompson of Scarsdale – filled 100 bags assembly line-style, personalizing each with a hand-written note to its recipient. The bags are being donated to help those with brain injuries through Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

The breast bags normally retail for about $100 and the brain bags cost $120, with 15% of the profits going to specific charities.

Photos: Elizabeth Chabner Thompson

Back in the old Loop, we profiled a few of our favorite dive bars.

This needs serious updating. We know you can help.  Please add a comment below, and we’ll rewrite this dated list (and give you credit, if you want…)

 “A dive bar, or simply a dive, is a drinking establishment (or sometimes a restaurant) with a dated or ramshackle appearance and atmosphere. In a dive bar, the drinks tend to be cheap.” (Wikipedia)

Billy Budd’s  - a swashbuckling tale.

Carlyn’s Cove It’s not about the food. Pub crawl staple. Great pool table and LAMP (Larchmont Area Mens Playgroup) hang. They just think we don’t know.  2118 Boston Post Road, Larchmont. 914.834.9788.

Cellar Bar  Good place to hide. No clocks. No credit cards. No girlie drinks. Live music Saturday nights. Free chili dogs Thursday nights. Live it up.   8 Railroad Way, Larchmont. 914.834.8723.

Duck Inn  Reviewer’s recollection is fuzzy. Local feel, good dart board and juke box. Friendly barkeep and sports on TV. And what’s with all the ducks?  128 W Boston Post Rd, Mamaroneck.  914. 835-8791

Kelly’s Sea Level  413 Midland Avenue, Rye. 914.967-3148.  and we hear there are more some good pubs in Rye. Anyone?

Silkie’s Saloon 454  Main Street New Rochelle 914.633-1857 .Can anyone else tell us about this place? jphresh already has.

-
Town House  One reviewer writes, “Dive bar. But not in a good way.”  Across from the Mamaroneck train station. We spot a trend here (see bar across from a train station above.)  217 Halstead Avenue, Mamaroneck. 914.698-9600

Metro North Pub Crawl 

Meet Haley Tanner, author of the impressive, inventive and magical debut, Vaclav & Lena (Dial Press, 2011) on February 28th at 7 pm at the Rye Library.

In Vaclav & Lena, two Russian immigrants seemed destined for each other. They meet as children in an ESL class in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Vaclav imagines their story unfolding like a fairy tale, or the perfect illusion from his treasured Magician’s Almanac. But one day, Lena does not show up for school. She has disappeared from Vaclav and his family’s lives as if by a cruel sleight of hand. For the next seven years, Vaclav says goodnight to Lena without fail, wondering if she is doing the same somewhere. On the eve of Lena’s seventeenth birthday he finds out. In Vaclav & Lena, Haley Tanner has created two unforgettable young protagonists who evoke the joy, the confusion, and the passion of having a profound, everlasting connection.

Tanner will read from Vaclav & Lena and talk about her experience writing her first novel.  A Q&A period and book signing will follow.
Praise for Vaclav and Lena:
“Wonderful and wrenching . . . Vibrant characters, believable romance and dark undertones make for a moving tale.”—The New York Times

“The magic Tanner makes is as dazzling as it is profound.”—Booklist
“This debut novel by Brooklynite Tanner about the inarticulateness of young love was preempted at the Frankfurt Book Fair, and rightly so. The author captures the subculture of the Russian émigré subculture in New York with verve and realism but infuses her two leads with such innocence and zeal that they become impossibly charismatic by the story’s end…. A terrific, enlightened debut that captures the fervor that hides in naïveté.”— Kirkus

News 12 coverage of Kujtim Nicaj story

Gothamist, WNBC and many others have pounced on the Rye Building Super story– the man who was busted at Rye Colony apartments for allegedly having sex with a tenant’s dog. Apparently he was caught on tape with the owner’s nanny cam.

An attorney for Kujtim Nicaj, who is married with two kids, maintains his innocence, says LoHud. Nicaj was charged with burglary and bestiality.

The victim, a Labrador Retriever, could not be reached for comment.