by Rick Pezzullo

(L-R:) Doug Zollo Independent), Drew Fixell (Democrat),
Becky McGovern (Independent) and Tom Butler (Democrat)

The Tarrytown Democratic Committee has endorsed Mayor Drew Fixell and trustees Tom Butler, Becky McGovern and Doug Zollo for reelection in the November election.

Fixell is running for a seventh term. He has been on the Board of Trustees since March 2000, having served five years as a trustee before being elected mayor.

An executive of a family-owned financial investment firm who holds economic degrees from Harvard and Cornell universities, Fixell said he would like to build on the village’s record of accomplishments since he has been in office.

Among the many projects Fixell hopes to focus on are: further strengthening the village’s financial position while holding the line on taxes; pursuing additional progressive environmental and development policies; continuing to expand and enhance Tarrytown’s recreation and parks programs; finding ways to more efficiently and effectively provide services residents expect; working with the Chamber of Commerce and merchants to make the downtown more vibrant; and ensuring the opening of the new bridge has no negative impacts on residents.

“Perhaps the most pressing issue facing the village is accomplishing the first goal while also succeeding at objectives two through six (and others),” Fixell stated. “In particular, this task is made especially difficult since we operate under a tax system that leads to significant commercial assessment (and tax revenue) reductions despite strength in the local economy.”

Butler, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, has served the last year as deputy mayor and is seeking a seventh two-year term on the board. He has worked for the last 16 years as a senior manager-procurement officer for AECOM-Tishman Construction Corp.

He cited the most pressing issues facing the village as bringing tax certioraris to a closure, creating more parking in the downtown area, perhaps with parking structures, and sharing services with neighboring Sleepy Hollow and Irvington.

“I look forward to continue leading the “Tarrytown Connected” project team to the next phase of development: and working with my BOT colleagues on improving the village’s quality of life, enhance services, create new revenue sources and make Tarrytown a great destination for waterfront and Main Street activities and events,” Deputy Mayor Butler said.

McGovern is running for a sixth term. She is a school teacher and Church Administrator at the First Baptist Church in Tarrytown. She said she enjoys the current board makeup, emphasizing no one has any personal agendas.

She noted the Board of Trustees will be working on a new Comprehensive Plan for the village which will lay the framework for the future of the waterfront and downtown areas. She is the respected liaison to the Tarrytown Senior Center and an engaged connection to the DPW and Parks and Recreation Departments – instrumental in getting work done on the RiverWalks, the south end of the village and key village parks.

“The village faces many challenges in the next couple of years, everything from the completion of the Loh Park storm water management project, to the newly opened TZ Bridge span and visitor center, which will be the starting point for the bike/pedestrian traveling path,” McGovern said. “We will continue to look at opening up the Tarrytown Lakes to some recreational activities like kayaking. And, of course, the village will be monitoring the new development at the old GM site.”

Zollo has been a trustee since 2005 after serving a previous two-year term from 1999-2000. He is owner and operator of a manufacturers’ representative and property management firm and the trustee liaison to the police and fire departments. “My main areas of concern are to protect and enrich the lives of our most vulnerable residents…children, seniors and our immigrant community. I believe that fiscal oversight is also important because heavy debt load restricts our ability to make much needed repairs to our infrastructure. The Mayor and Board take pride in the better than anticipated early success of Tarrytown’s new fitness center and outdoor pool.”

“The BOT made a very conscious decision to improve the morale and make up of our police department and did so with great success. The BOT recognized that we needed more diversity within the police department and, while adhering to civil service guidelines, appointed African- American, women and Spanish speaking officers, some of whom were born and raised in Tarrytown.”

No Republican slate was fielded this year.

by Barrett Seaman 

A rendered image of a Main Street block in Irvington with no overhead wires.
—Photo: Saratoga Associates

Imagine driving down Broadway into Irvington sometime in the late 2020s. The hillside to the east, on your left, is a mosaic of attached condo units in clusters, a modestly proportioned assisted living facility, along with occasional low-rise office buildings not much different in architectural style from nearby homes.

As you pass the large white mansion on your right, Villa Lewaro, the home of renowned African-American entrepreneur Madame C.J. Walker, a clutch of tourists debarks from a trolley and enters what is apparently now a museum as well as a private residence.

Turning down Main Street, you note the exceptionally clean line of sight down to the river; something is missing. It’s the overhead wires that a decade earlier posed a distracting entanglement on either side of the street. Power now passes beneath the sidewalks. Just beyond a row of bicycle racks on the sidewalk, you see a low-slung multi-story garage on the site of the old fire station. It is partially underground and has a garden on its top deck. You pull into a recessed curb and run a wire from your subcompact Tesla to an electrical re-charging kiosk that looks much like an ATM machine. While you wait, cars pull up to Mima Vinoteca restaurant where a valet waits to park them at a lot nearby.

A 10-seat jitney bus coming up Main Street from the train station stops at the corner. Tourists from Europe disembark and carry their bags down a residential side street to take a rented Airbnb room in one of the homes. Further down Main Street, other visitors flock to a microbrewery for a taste of Hudson Valley homegrown ale.

West of the Metro North tracks (which pedestrians can now cross on a bridge south of the library) yachts bob in a new marina designed to attract “dock-and-diners” to nearby restaurants.

These images and many like them are the product of Irvington’s ongoing Comprehensive Plan Committee, a group of village officials and a few dozen engaged citizens envisioning the future of the community and examining the changes in village code and practice that would enable that future to become reality. In July, the board of trustees released a mid-term report on the work of four working groups formed back in March. While the process has fallen about a month behind schedule, the Committee still hopes to hold public hearings and an environmental impact review (SEQR) in the fall and present a final plan before the end of the year.

Irvington’s last Comprehensive Plan was done in 2003. The thrust of that plan was the preservation of the historic character of the village and protection of its environment. Many of the recommendations aimed at protecting open spaces and limiting growth were enacted into law, though others, including expansion of affordable housing and codification of the village center as an Historic District, are ongoing.

By contrast, the 2017 Comprehensive Plan, as it is emerging, seems focused on bringing the village into the modern age while still protecting its essential character. Implied in some of its proposals, like permitting microbreweries and distilleries and contemplating multi-story parking, is that some of the 2003 recommendations might have been too restrictive.

Motivating some of the recommended code changes, such as permitting bed and breakfast usage and Airbnb rentals, is a concern that rising property taxes are forcing some owners to sell and that these alternative uses may relieve some of the financial pressure. Others, like permitting beekeeping and raising chickens (but not roosters) in residential neighborhoods, fall under the category of clearing the books of anachronistic laws.

Many of the proposals under consideration would require only minor tweaking to existing village law. Others, like burying utility wires on Main Street or opening a waterfront marina, are beyond the village’s current budgetary capacity or would require significant private investment. And then there are those—like relocating the Department of Public Works from its current home on South Astor Street and the fire station from its home on Main Street—that are daunting challenges, because no one, so far, knows where to put them or what opposition might arise from the choice.

In his remarks at the close of the July 13 presentation, Mayor Brian Smith cautioned that even the simplest changes were a year away, and that many of the grander schemes were out much further. He also stressed the need for further public input. “It won’t be successful otherwise.”

Residents interested in contributing to the process should contact Village Administrator Larry Schopfer at lschopfer@irvingtonny.gov or 914-591-4358.

by Robert Kimmel

Tarrytown’s multi-faceted project to set visions, goals and policies for its future development is pursuing public input as it continues to shape a series of themes to help guide the planning project toward completion.

Among the many general goals targeted by the village’s Comprehensive Plan and Station Area Zoning Project are to “create an affordable, connected community that attracts and supports residents and workers of all ages and backgrounds; encourage a robust and diverse economic base with thriving commerce,  strong businesses and clear value for taxes levied; ensure safe and convenient movement for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, with ready access to transit and connections to other municipalities and commercial centers.”

Other pursuits include an effort to “enable active enjoyment of village amenities, including its open space, trails and waterfront facilities, as well as commercial and entertainment opportunities.” Tarrytown’s comprehensive plan project also sees a need to support these objectives with “way-finding and related information.” Also noted in a status report outlining goals was the need to “preserve natural resources and features, and promote development infrastructure that reduces resource dependence and increases resiliency to a changing climate.”

As part of its current phase, the project is also conducting briefings and symposiums during the summer months outlining those subjects for both village officials, boards, residents and business owners.

A brief plan update to the Board of Trustees was provided recently by David Aukland, chairman of the steering committee overseeing the project, and the Village’s Project Manager, William Brady, who has been “borrowed” from his post as an Associate Planner at Westchester County’s Department of Planning. They liaison with the board through Deputy Mayor Thomas Butler.

Symposia sessions during June and July explored themes such as “Built Environment,” which accounted for “Land Use and Zoning, Housing Affordability & Choice,” “Historic Preservation,” “Wayfinding and Accessibility.” “Mobility,” the topic of a July meeting, brought attention to “Transportation infrastructure, – roads, rail, sidewalks, transit systems, congestion and parking, carshare, street design, bicycles and walkability.”

The session on mobility offered some definitive points of discussion such as the “need to understand how the Village can interpret trends”…such as the declining use of personal vehicles and the increase in shared modes of transportation. It also noted the need to “further investigate and support transportation links between Tarrytown and  the other rivertowns.”

An August 9 symposium at Village Hall will deal with “Natural Environment and Open Space,” and “Sustainability,” while additional research will delve into the village’s “Fiscal condition and tax base,” “Employment and Workforce,” and “Community Culture and Education,” among others.

Public workshops, giving residents opportunities to both learn more about the project, and voice their opinions, are planned for the fall; the first is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, September 17, at Warner Library.

Emphasizing the project’s intent on public outreach recently were Joan Raiselis, a Planning Board member who chairs the Station Area Zoning Work Group, and Tiffany Zezula, Director for the Land Use Law Center at Pace and an Adjunct Professor at Pace University School of Law. They described coming efforts to alert residents to associated events via flyers, posters, mailings, stickers and the like, as well as the possibilities of questionnaires soliciting comments at settings such as the library or Tarrytown Farmers’ Market (TaSH). “We want to get the information out to as many people as possible,” Zelzula noted. Raiselis added that, “We want people to be engaged in the process.”

Raiselis was co-chair of an initial planning effort that began several years ago which focused on the train station area and developed proposals that it labeled “Tarrytown Connected.” Those are now integrated into the Comprehensive Plan.  Zoning guidelines based on those proposals for the Metro-North station area and waterfront could lead to greater mixed-use development in that district, running from residential to recreational. Work on re-zoning the area is scheduled to start in the fall.

Zelzula and Raiselis concurred that the plan “…to shape Tarrytown for the coming decades,” will likely be completed by April of next year.

In its quest for help from persons with further expertise, the project recently added three “advisors:” Ed Burroughs, former Westchester County Planning Commissioner, John Nolon, a Distinguished Professor of Law at Pace University Law School and former adjunct professor of land use law and policy at the Yale School of Forestry and Environment, and Linda Viertel, who has been instrumental in Tarrytown land preservation, spear-headed the creation of RiverWalk Park, and served on the committee which developed the 2007 Comprehensive Plan for Tarrytown.

Firefighter Parade

Some 20 visiting fire departments, mostly from
Westchester but also from Rockland County, and one from New Jersey,
participated in the Tarrytown Fire Department’s parade Saturday, with
equipment, marchers and bands stretching for blocks along village
Streets.
              Neighboring firefighters from Irvington and Sleepy
Hollow were among the marchers.
              Clusters of residents and visitors lined Main Street
and applauded  as the various departments’ members strutted to music
and  their pumper and ladder engines rolled along, heading west to
Losee Field where they assembled before disbursing.
           The parade, which began shortly after 4 p.m. closed off
several streets, including Broadway, for a couple of hours for the
marchers.  They initially assembled off Leroy Avenue in the Temple
Beth Abraham parking lot, turned up Park Avenue and Independence
Street to Broadway and north to Main Street and then over the H
bridge.

— by Barrett Seaman

As expected, County Executive Rob Astorino vetoed the
Immigration Protection Act that passed the County’s Board of Legislators by a 10-5 vote on August 7th.
Though the bill, based on similar measures passed by governments in Irvington
and other Westchester villages earlier this year, was written to avoid labeling the county as a “sanctuary,” County Attorney Robert Meehan determined that it would make Westchester a “Sanctuary County,” as defined by the U.S. Department of Justice and thus put in jeopardy nearly $13 million in federal aid.
Astorino said the act “endangers public safety, violates federal law, infringes
upon long-established principles of law enforcement cooperation and jeopardizes
millions in federal safety grants.” He said he is working on an Executive Order he says
will assuage the fears of many undocumented workers that they will be deported if they cooperate with police or seek medical attention.
Twelve votes are needed to override the County Executive’s veto, but
knowledgeable observers of county politics say it is highly unlikely Democrats will be
able to turn the two additional votes needed to achieve that. A vote to override will not happen until September 25th.

By Barrett Seaman

At 1:36am Saturday morning—a full day and a half after the official ceremony featuring Governor Cuomo—the first few cars began the three-mile trek across the westbound span of the new Mario  C. Cuomo Bridge. By daylight, cars and trucks were pouring through, while Westchester-bound traffic continued to use the southernmost four lanes of the old Tappan Zee Bridge, deemed “functionally obsolete” years before construction of the new bridge began in earnest in 2013.

For the next few months, Tappan Zee Constructors, the designer/builder of the new bridge, will be demolishing the landings on either side of the old bridge and connecting the new span to land. Sometime in the late fall, all traffic will shift onto the new span and workers will begin to tear down the old Tappan Zee and dole out its usable parts (including the giant “zipper” that controls how many lanes are used during morning and evening rush hours).

The new bridge has a feature the old one sorely lacked: a cross ramp that will connect the two parallel spans, allowing for emergency turnarounds and traffic redirections if necessary.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, widely applauded for championing the project since he took office, presided triumphantly over the opening ceremony, spreading the credit to a variety of officials, four of whom preceded him on the dais: State Thruway Authority Chair and Onondaga County Executive Joanne M.” Joanie” Mahoney, New York State AFL-CIO chief Mario Cilento, Bill Mooney, president of the Westchester County Association, and Congresswomen Nita Lowey.

Receiving the loudest applause—and a standing ovation, however, was Sleepy Hollow’s Pearl Harbor veteran, Armando “Chick” Galella, 96, who drove across the original Tappan Zee Bridge in a brand new 1955 Corvette, owned by his then-employer, Frank Chevrolet, the local dealership. As the festivities ended shortly past noon, Galella climbed into the passenger seat of an identical vintage ’55 ‘vette while Governor Cuomo took the wheel. The canary yellow classic came from the personal collection of Long Island attorney James Newman.

The bridge project has set a number of firsts and some breathtaking statistics associated over its four-year history—with more to come before it is completely finished and in full operation in mid-2018:

Scope:

3.1 miles of bridge

Each of the eight towers at center rise 419 feet from water level—100 feet taller than the old Tappan Zee Bridge.

192 cables tying the bridge deck to the towers support the center span.

Eight lanes (versus seven for the old bridge) plus a 12-ft. wide “shared use” lane for bikes and pedestrians; space left for future rail line.

110,000 tons of 100% American-made steel used in construction.

Costs:

$3.98 billion, which was a billion dollars lower than the original estimate.

A $1.6 billion federal loan –  the largest infrastructure loan in history.

New York State added $1.2 billion gained from penalties incurred by banks during the financial crisis.

$850 million raised by Thruway Authority bonds.

Tolls will remain at $5 for eastbound cars until at least 2020.

Labor:

All told, 7,000 workers, 100% union members, worked over 9 million hours.

On any given day, 500 men and women are on the job.

764 New York-based businesses, including 219 from Westchester, had contracts on the project.

On Monday night, August 28th, more than 150 mostly local citizens lit candles and walked from Temple Beth Abraham on Leroy Avenue up through the center of Tarrytown to Patriot’s Park under the banner, “Say No to Hate.” On Tuesday, a hardy group of about 25, under a similar “March for Justice” banner, arrived at Christ Church on South Broadway in Tarrytown in the early stages of a 180-mile, 18-day effort to bring attention to injustices in New York State prisons. They hope to convince state legislators to close Attica, end human rights violations in all state prisons and reform the entire criminal justice system.

by Oscar Dring  

Oscar Dring (far right) and other teens on an indian reservation in Montana.

This summer I participated in a service adventure program called Visions. I was stationed on the Blackfoot Native American reservation in Browning Montana. Visions (https://visionsserviceadventures.com/teen-service-programs/) has similar service programs in Alaska, The British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, and six other countries. For a month, I stayed in a small ranch on the reservation and, along with 18 other teenagers, helped with local community service projects that the natives had requested.

Although the community service work was very rewarding, the part of this trip that stood out for me the most were the cultural events to which my group was invited. We were able not only to watch but also participate in the Blackfoot Pow Wow; we learned how to create a Sun Dance lodge, and we were even allowed to join the Sun Dance festival, which included sweating in a Blackfoot sweat lodge.

One characteristic of the Blackfoot Tribe that was very visible, was their proud sense of generosity. I could really see this in the Sundance Festival, which celebrates their Creator’s good spirit and gifts bestowed to the tribe. In this celebration you dedicated your energy to the need of someone else. As a form of prayer, you eat, drink, and dance with that person in mind. I was really able to witness this first hand.

Unfortunately, on our way to a backpacking trip in Glacier, one of our cars was involved in car accident, which resulted in one of our volunteers needing to be medevaced to the nearest hospital. Thankfully, she turned out to have had only minor head trauma and has been since medically cleared. Needless to say we were all very shaken up by this event. Our backpacking trip was postponed, which in turn gave us the opportunity to attend the Sundance festival.

Having been told about the accident, an Elder asked our group to stand and place our hand on the center pole. He then explained to the gathered tribe what had taken place earlier that day. In their native tongue, the tribe prayed aloud for us, and the quick recovery of the fellow volunteer. In this sincere form of prayer, the tribe took time out of their festival to make sure that my group felt supported.

Unlike Sundances from other tribes around North America, the Blackfoot Sundance is a private festival. Very seldom do they invite guests to their Sundance, let alone allow them to participate in it. The Elders of the Blackfoot Tribe’s willingness to teach and welcome my group to the rules and history of the Sundance was extremely kind and generous. I truly felt honored to have been a part of the festival.

Since I’ve been back from Montana, I can’t help thinking about how lucky I am to live here in Irvington. I feel so lucky to have access to a good education. I am very fortunate to have been born into a family that has the freedom to choose where we want to live and how we want to be educated. Before this trip, I may have taken these blessings for granted. However, after experiencing the way the Blackfoot Tribe lives and some of the hardships they endure, I feel that I must make the most out of the freedoms and privileges I have—and not take them for granted.

Oscar Dring, who turns 16 this month, is a rising junior at Irvington High School.

Oscar Dring (far right) and other teens on an indian reservation in Montana.

by Joan Potter

Joan Potter and children in her workshop.

It was the first day of my fourth-grade writing workshop at the RSHM Life Center in Sleepy Hollow. The mission of the Center, which is directed by Sister Susan Gardella, is to serve the needy. Among its many services is an after-school program, in which I participated. I was told that most of the 22 boys and girls in my workshop come from Spanish-speaking homes; I would be teaching two groups of 11 each.

This would be a new experience for all of us. I began teaching memoir at The Hudson Valley Writers’ Center in 1998, and I’ve also taught in other places. My students were always adults. But when the Writers’ Center asked if I’d like to teach fourth-graders in a community-based program, I immediately said yes. I figured I’d use the same approach as I did in my adult workshops, just adapted for nine-year-olds.

I was directed to a small, quiet room, and soon the first group filed in clutching bright pink binders. They arranged themselves around a long table, boys on one end, girls on the other. Then they looked up at me to see what’s going to happen next.

I introduced myself to the children and told them they will be writing short stories about real things that happened in their lives. “Pick any memory and write about it,” I said. “When you’re finished you can read your story out loud.”

Some started to work immediately, others gazed into the distance, thinking. Some of the boys spent a few minutes poking one another and giggling. After 20 minutes, they were ready to reveal their memories.

A girl wrote about a surprise: “My dad woke me up and I went to the hospital. My mom was holding a baby. So I asked, ‘Who is this?’ She said it was my brother.”

One boy wrote about himself: “I am best at math in class. I love apples, bananas, and oranges. I am moral. I want to dye my
hair red.”

Over the 10-week session, the children covered many topics: descriptions of their street, their mothers, and their friends; a special event; and a popular subject – their favorite food. They wrote about family parties, trips to amusement parks, and their goals for the future.

For the last class of the semester, I asked them to express their thoughts about writing and what they’ve learned. The responses of these wonderful children thrilled me.

Mariely said the workshop “made me get better grades on my writing and my writing got very pretty and my mom is happy.”

Jake wrote: “The writing workshop taught me how to be not afraid to share my life with people and I got a little better with my handwriting and lost a bit of stage fright.”

And Jason cogently summed it up: “Writing can take anyone to the zoo, space, the city, and many places that you go to in your mind.”

To learn more about HVWC’s community outreach programming, which will continue at LIFE this fall, and our in-house events and workshops, please visit www.writerscenter.org.

Joan Potter and children in her workshop.

Margaret Mintern, 86

Margaret T. Cresswell Mintern, a lifelong resident of the Tarrytowns, died peacefully August 10. She was 86.

Born and raised in North Tarrytown, she attended North Tarrytown High School, graduated Mercy College and was employed at Pergament Press and SPAR in Elmsford, as an accountant. She was an active member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 11, the Ladies Auxiliary 1040 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Tarrytown Seniors.

Elizabeth Anzovino, 68

Elizabeth M. Anzovino, a resident of Beacon and formerly of North Tarrytown, died unexpectedly at her home August 10. She was 68.

Born in North Tarrytown on February 16, 1949, she had worked for many years at Vassar Brothers Hospital. She was a member of the VFW Drum Corps and had been a member of the North Tarrytown Fire Department Ambulance Corps before moving to Beacon.

Alfredo Soares, 80

Alfredo A. Soares, a longtime Tarrytown resident, died August 10. He was 80.

Mr. Soares was born on August 23, 1936 in Ovar, Portugal. He came to the United States in 1978. He worked at General Motors for many years until his retirement. He was a member of the Portuguese American Club of Tarrytown and UAW Local 666. He was a parishioner of St. Teresa of Avila Church.

Mr. Soares served in the Armed Forces of Portugal in Angola and in 1964, he married Maria Lourdes Dos Santos in Angola. He loved to cook and he will be remembered for his love of all animals. One of his greatest joys was spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

Josephine Moore, 73

Josephine Moore, a lifelong area resident, died at home in Sleepy Hollow August 4. She was 73.

Born in East Irvington, she had worked for the Village of North Tarrytown as a crossing guard and later worked for the Village of Tarrytown in Parking Enforcement. She retired from that position several years ago.

Domenica Iannarelli, 85

Domenica Iannarelli, a resident of Tarrytown, died peacefully August 24. She was 85.

She grew up in Italy during the Depression and WWII. She came to America with her mother when the war ended and was reunited with her father. She had many fond memories of her life in Italy. After the start of her new life in America, she met and married Antonio Iannarelli on November 24, 1956. They lived in Croton-on-Hudson from 1960-1974 when they moved to Tarrytown, where they raised their six children.

Mrs. Iannarelli worked in real estate and loved helping people find their new home, and was an active member of the Transfiguration Seniors and Tarrytown Seniors for many years. Her passions were family, cooking and feeding friends and family. She was an amazing cook who loved to have big Sunday dinners with family and friends. Her family was her life. She was a kind and generous person who made everyone feel welcome and important.

Robert Hill, 89

Robert Donald Hill, a resident of Sleepy Hollow and Pilot Knob, NY, formerly of Irvington, died peacefully August 22 at Kendal-on-Hudson in Sleepy Hollow from complications following a fall. He was 89.

Born in the Bronx, he was educated at The Barnard School for Boys (1945) and then Dartmouth College (1949). From 1952 to 1954, he served on active duty in the U.S. Naval Reserve as an officer (LTJG) aboard the U.S.S. Parle (DE 708). Following his naval service, he joined his father’s real estate firm, Robert E. Hill, Inc., in Riverdale, NY. At the time of his retirement in 1991, he was president of the firm.

He was a member of the Ardsley Country Club in Irvington, and the Glens Fall Country Club of Glens Falls. He was also a member of the Ardsley Curling Club in Irvington for many years, serving on its board as director, treasurer, president, and editor of the Club’s newsletter, Duck Soup.

He enjoyed curling, sailing, reading, skiing, oysters, back rubs, singing, waterskiing, and spending time with family at West Gilgo Beach, Lake George, and Chaumont, NY.

by Barrett Seaman 

As expected, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino vetoed the Immigration Protection Act that passed the County’s Board of Legislators by a 10-5 vote on August 7.

Though the bill, based on similar measures passed by governments in Irvington and other Westchester villages earlier this year, was written to avoid labeling the county as a “sanctuary,” County Attorney Robert Meehan determined that it would make Westchester a “Sanctuary County,” as defined by the U.S. Department of Justice and thus put in jeopardy nearly $13 million in federal aid.

Astorino said the act “endangers public safety, violates federal law, infringes upon long-established principles of law enforcement cooperation and jeopardizes millions in federal safety grants.” He said he is working on an Executive Order he says will assuage the fears of many undocumented workers that they will be deported if they cooperate with police or seek medical attention.

Twelve votes are needed to override the County Executive’s veto, but knowledgeable observers of county politics say it is highly unlikely Democrats will be able to turn the two additional votes needed to achieve that. A vote to override will not happen until September 25.

by Kevin Brown

The Sleepy Hollow Football Club finished its spring season and third full year of soccer in June with tremendous success on the field with three teams winning their division championships.

The U10 girls Blaze, coached by John Sutherland, Howard Allen, and Chris Junge, won the second division after winning the third division in the fall. The U13 boys Argentina squad, coached by Luis Lewis, Michael Lund, and Bill Julian, dominated Division 6 with a perfect 9-0-0 record, scoring 48 goals and only allowing five.

Coach Scott Burnett, Pepe Monteforte, and Dan Black led their U13 boys River Titans team to a perfect 10-0-0 record and clinched the title beating second place Harrison 6-0 in the final game.

These three championships were on top of seven championships earned by the Sleepy Hollow Football club in the fall. Also, the Junior Varsity boys Tornados finished their seven-year run as a Club Team and are well prepped by coach Gary Fairley and Herbert Weltig for Horseman high school soccer success.

A ceremony honoring the 44 former North Tarrytown High School students who gave their lives for their country during World War II will be held Sunday, September 10 at 2 p.m.

Organized by Chick Galella and the Alumni Association of North Tarrytown High School, the featured speaker at the event, which will be held at Winfield L. Morse School, will be former Marine Captain Greg Lobato.

by Alexa Brandenberg

“How Do You Feel About the New Bridge Being Named for Mario Cuomo?”

Polly Holland
Tarrytown

“I like Mario Cuomo but I am not in favor of spending a lot of money to change all the signs. Tappan Zee is a good name.”

Nadya Kuzmenko
Tarrytown

“I wish it wouldn’t have been named after a particular politician but rather for the veterans of this country. Now I feel that the bridge is a political statement.”

Luc Most (left)
Tarrytown

“I don’t agree with the name because people will always know the Tappan Zee Bridge but they won’t know what the Mario Cuomo Bridge is.”

Caleb Curry (right)
Tarrytown

“I’m just going to call it “The New Tappan Zee Bridge.”

Ralph Miccio
Sleepy Hollow

“I don’t care one way or the other. I’ll always just call it the Tappan Zee Bridge.”

As many of you may know, the Scenic Hudson RiverWalk has been transformed. Invasives are gone and thousands of new plants are in place. New sitting areas have emerged near the Overlook spiral and, in the northwest lawn –  amphitheater seating formed from relocated boulders. Cedar Hill Landscaping of Katonah, the contractors responsible for the large project, have done their work through heat, holidays and many questions from visitors along the way. Watering continues to be done by hand from a truck or from a Senior Center feed. Many plants are flowering but there is general overall dryness. A permanent solution is still needed. Once the two-year maintenance period of the contract is over, it is unlikely that the Village will be able to maintain the manual watering schedule. Friends of the RiverWalk Tarrytown urge residents to let the Village Administration and Board of Trustees know that you care about the RiverWalk, appreciate the work done but would like to see the necessary infrastructure in place.

RiverWalk Tarrytown South has also been transformed. The bank east of the walk has been weed-whacked, cleared of dumped timber and the asphalt has been patched. Thanks to the DPW team who did the work and to Trustee Becky McGovern, and residents Linda Viertel and Karen Garibaldi for their persistent advocacy. Take a walk on the south side to appreciate what can be done when we work together.

Pat Jones

Co-Chair, Friends of the RiverWalk

Article Captured Essence of Life at Brace Cottage

Brace Cottage in Wilson Park will soon be demolished.

What a wonderful job Elaine Marranzano did capturing the essence of life at Brace Cottage and Braceholme for posterity in her article in the August issue of The Hudson Independent. The article will be a permanent testament to the vision of Dr. Brace, the daily work of the good Mr. Hutchinson, and the efforts of the highly skilled masons who proudly did their finest work to build the place to survive for centuries

The beautifully written and evocative piece fully deserves to be kept in a suitably permanent and historic manner so I’ve decided that in addition to keeping it in an ephemeral electronic format, I’m going to print a copy on heavy stock and put it under glass in a frame of heavy mahogany which I’ll cut from some very old boards from my boat workshop.  Then I’ll hang it on my plastered wall, and I’ll smile, and perhaps occasionally sigh, whenever I see it. It will be a reminder of a long and hard battle which I felt compelled to fight, even though the odds of winning were very slim from the outset.

Ms. Marranzano did a wonderful job capturing the feeling of the place, the time, and the life of the people who lived there. I’m thankful that she reached out to Dr. Brace’s great-grandson R. Scott Brace for some charming historical details that only he could provide.

I hope the article will inspire your readers and others in our community to recognize our collective loss, and get involved to change our local laws to better protect our extraordinary historic heritage in the future.

With warm regards,

 Mark J. Fry
Scarborough Manor

By Robert Kimmel

At six feet, nine inches tall, Jermaine Galloway stands out,  but his height is not what has made him a  nationally known, and respected figure; it’s his understanding of the prevailing drug culture and the means to curtail it.

Known as the “Tall Cop,” Galloway lectures across the country about the drug and alcohol addiction problems, particularly as they effect the young. He recently spoke at a series of sessions at the Marriott Hotel in Tarrytown to “…a group of very sharp professionals, who knew what was going on,” as he described them.

Galloway has served as an Idaho law enforcement officer for 20 years, and for the past 15 his focus has been on underage drinking and drug use. “You can’t stop what you don’t know” is his salient point. Galloway says, “You can’t just sit back and look at one item by itself.” He cites the need to deal with, “All of the things associated with today’s drug problems.” He noted, “drug marketing, the products that are available, recidivism, trends, each part of the drug culture. If you slice a pizza, and make each part of it a part of the drug culture, that is what I am talking about.”

In dealing with young people, Galloway emphasized that, “It takes an effort all the way through from the professionals to the parents, pretty much everybody working together. Whether it is the opioid epidemic, the use of marijuana, or underage drinking, you can’t just sit back and look at one aspect by itself. If you do that the other issues will arise.”

“Over prescribing opioids by some doctors has been a problem, but not in general now; most doctors are very responsible in what they do and how they do it. I would not say it is the major problem now,” Galloway added. “There are multiple reasons we are seeing these drug issues.”

Substance abuse among the young is being encouraged by “…the new products that are hitting the market, all the technology,” said Galloway, in referring not only to emerging drugs, but also to the paraphernalia that are used for storing, concealing, transporting and administering illicit substances. Logos, clothing and entertainment associated with the drug culture also play a part.

“Some parents are too lenient,” he explained.  “You are expected to do that,” Galloway said, referring to what some parents might say to their children who start on drugs. For parents he said, “You have to draw the line. It is your job as a parent to tell them how wrong that is. Don’t be their best friend. They have best friends. Be their parents.”  And he cautioned that, “…all users don’t start with hard drugs; they start with other substances and build up to that.”

Officer Galloway developed a website, “Tall Cop Says Stop,” which is “…dedicated to education and resources for the detection and prevention of substance abuse to help keep young people, families and communities safe.” He is credited with having trained and lectured to more than 105,000 people nationwide, and won national and international awards for his efforts.

by Barrett Seaman

Rivermarket Bar and Kitchen – 127 W Main St, Tarrytown

Get ready for the stampede: Tarrytown has been named as one of the top five foodie destinations in the northeast—just behind tony Newport, Rhode Island. The rankings were done by RewardExpert, an online newsletter whose mission is to help those with credit card, airline and hotel rewards points make the best use of them.

The site described Tarrytown as “a wonderful side-trip or day-trip for both New York residents and tourists,” noting that 13% of the village’s 270 (really?) restaurants have five stars on Yelp, TripAdvisor and other restaurant review services. Singled out in the blurb were Cellar 49 on the grounds of Tarrytown House and Rivermarket Bar and Kitchen adjacent to the Hudson Harbor complex on the waterfront.

by Barrett Seaman  

After the fire, the Grand Dining Room, now enclosed, has the capacity for large social events.

In the wee hours of December 14, 2014, random individuals—a woman in Dobbs Ferry having trouble sleeping, a state trooper across the Hudson—reported seeing flames shooting skyward on the hilltop straddling the border between Irvington and Dobbs Ferry. A fire that started in a dumpster abutting the kitchen of the Ardsley Country Club (The Hudson Independent, January 2015) eventually gutted a third of the building, Though no one was hurt in the fire, clubhouse activities were shut down for more than two-and-a-half years.

Over this past Labor Day weekend, following insurance investigations, negotiations with architects and builders, Planning Board approval by the Village of Irvington and frequent updates by the club’s board to a longsuffering membership deprived of facilities ostensibly covered by their dues, the club opened its doors with an all-members cocktail party and buffet dinner—back in business at last.

Serendipitously blessed with insurance coverage expanded less than a year before the fire, the club was able to use the catastrophe to upgrade the facility significantly with a relatively modest financial burden on members. An elevator has been installed, bringing the clubhouse into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. What had been a large, canopied outdoor porch has been expanded and enclosed for year-round use as a venue for weddings or charity events. A new chef has a state-of-the-art kitchen from which to serve diners in three indoor and outdoor dining areas—each with views out over the Hudson.