Northern Westchester

The Board put out this announcement today:

Dear Community Member:

We are writing to call your attention to the tax cap legislation already passed by the New York State Senate and currently under consideration by the State Assembly.  We are told the tax cap could be approved as soon as tomorrow.

A tax cap on local school districts transfers control of our school budget away from local voters.  The cap as currently proposed ignores the urgent need for mandate reform.  The current proposal means locally levied tax dollars will continue to be diverted away from our educational programs in order to pay for federally and state imposed unfunded mandates.  For a community like Chappaqua which so highly values the quality education we provide to all our children, this is potentially devastating.

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Here’s the latest from the Human Rights Campaign, which has gotten many prominent New Yorkers to sign on to its campaign to pressure the New York State Legislature to vote for same-sex marriage this session:

Vanessa Williams is a New Yorker for Marriage Equality

WASHINGTON – Actress and Grammy Award winner and native New Yorker Vanessa Williams has released a video with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to support the group’s New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign. In the video, Williams proudly states “I’m a New Yorker for Marriage Equality.” The video can be viewed at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

“Vanessa Williams has been breaking down barriers for most of her life,” said HRC’s Senior Strategist for New York, Brian Ellner. “We’re grateful that she’s speaking out for our campaign, especially now that we’re so close to a vote in the legislature.”

Williams was the first African-American to win the title of Miss America, having competed in the pageant as Miss New York. She has been nominated for Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Awards, winning the latter for her song, Colors of the Wind. She currently stars as Renée Perry on ABC’s Desperate Housewives. (more…)

Touching Many Lives — John Jay High School senior Thomas Fischetti wanted his Eagle Scout project to help as many people as possible. His parents’ volunteer efforts at the Community Center of Northern Westchester gave him an idea: to collect one ton of non-perishable food to donate to the Center. By soliciting monetary donations and running food drives— at his church and with his John Jay High School hockey team— Tom collected more than 2,000 pounds of food, delivered it to the Community Center and stocked the shelves. He efforts earned him his Eagle Scout award and will help people facing food insecurity throughout the coming months.

Photo: Thomas Fischetti unloading collected food at the Community Center of Northern Westchester

Good Tuesday morning. Here’s a glance at opinion content published over the holiday weekend in The Journal News:

Saturday, May 28
Westchester County government: Commentary
May Krukiel and Carlla Horton of the Westchester Women’s Agenda are strongly critical of County Executive Rob Astorino’s proposal to merge the county’s Office for Women with the Youth Bureau in a Community View.

Sunday, May 29
Marriage equality: Editorial
We call on the Legislature to make marriage equality a reality in New York. Such an effort failed in the state Senate in 2009 — we conclude public opinion merits is success in 2011. We write:

… Proponents of same-sex marriage are hoping for better in 2011, inasmuch as public opinion, along with the political and legal landscape, have changed since lawmakers last considered the issue. Public support for gay marriage in New York has shown a steady creep in the direction of fairness: a recent Siena Poll had proponents leading opponents, 58 percent to 36 percent; supporters led 56 percent to 37 percent in a recent Quinnipiac Poll. About the time the Senate came up short two years ago, the margin was 51 percent to 42 percent favoring gay marriage, according to a Marist survey.

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BRIARCLIFF — The Briarcliff Manor Education Foundation has announced 14 school-related projects that will receive money in 2011.

The grant total is $31,786.

The foundation was incorporated in 1995 to provide funds to enhance educational programs in the district. To date the foundation has given out roughly $1 million in grants. A BMEF committee reviews the annual grant applications.

The highest award this time around, $9,000, will fund “alternative seating desks” at Todd Elementary School.

The description reads: “Pilot project to equip a second grade classroom with desks offering alternative seating options to address issues of inattentiveness and high levels of distractibility.”

Others projects include “A Christmas Carol” field trip for middle schoolers, an iMac for the Arts Program at the high school and shirts for the Greenhouse Club.

For a complete list, go to the foundation’s Facebook page.

For information about the grant process go to the foundation’s website.

At 2 p.m. today on Editorial Spotlight, health advocates discuss how New York lags in establishing a “health insurance exchange,” as required by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The exchanges provide a “marketplace” for individuals and small groups to compare and join health plans. Blair Horner of the American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey, Bill Ferris of AARP and Elisabeth Benjamin of Community Service Society explain best practices for setting up the exchanges, and how state legislators’ lack of action could leave New York out of the running for federal grants.

Watch LIVE at www.lohud.com/editorialspotlight, and join the discussion by engaging the “CoverItLive” feature. To view the discussion later, go to www.lohud.com/ editorialspotlight and click “videos” and choose the video from the menu.

Justin Maguire of Brewster won the 3200-meter run at the Section 1 Class A championships at Suffern Middle School.

See more photos of the Class A Track Championships

BRIARCLIFF — The Fourth Annual Briarcliff Has Heart Memorial Day Walk-Run will be held on Monday.

This year more than 500 participants are expected to turn out for this annual family-friendly event that has become a local tradition. Proceeds benefit the Briarcliff Manor Public Library.

The event features an official chip-timed 5K (3.1 mile) run and 2-mile walk. Starting time is 8:30 a.m. with registration beginning at 7:20 a.m. at Law Park Pavilion, adjacent to the Briarcliff Library.  The route is through the streets of Briarcliff Village.

Runners and walkers from all over are welcome to participate. Post-race refreshments and awards for all age groups will cap off the event.

In addition to the efforts of many volunteers and the Village of Briarcliff Manor, the 4th Annual Briarcliff Has Heart Run/Walk would not be possible without the generous support of the community sponsors that really help to make things happen, says the organizers.

“This has been the most successful year so far in terms of sponsorship, both from businesses and families,” said Diane Kahn. The Platinum/Title sponsor for this year is Dr. Renuka Rao Bijoor, DDS, of Briarcliff Pediatric Dentistry.

The Gold sponsors are Wilson & Son Jewelers and Jake Chatzky of the Chatzky Family Foundation. Other 2011 sponsors include: Thalle Industries, Houlihan Lawrence (Briarcliff Manor Brokerage), Leg Resource, Eric T. Lebenson Real Estate, Club Fit, Robison Oil, Camp Nabby, Guard Hill Realty (Rivertowns), Goldie’s Table Matters and Better Homes and Gardens/Rand Realty (Briarcliff Office).

Those eager to donate, but unable to participate on race day, can go online and take part in the “Virtual Run” program.

Good Friday afternoon. Here’s a glance at opinion content published today in The Journal News:

Rob Astorino’s appointees: Editorial
We comment on a special report from staff writer Gerald McKinstry that documented raises and promotions given by the administration of Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino to supporters who are county employees. We write:

This week’s report on the big-dollar pay boosts to Westchester County government staff will not surprise taxpayers who are mindful of the real world: the political spoils system lives on, notwithstanding the recession and sky-high property taxes. Who gets what, and how much, though, might stick in the craw of taxpayers who have been rooting for Rob Astorino, who was elected on a platform of thrift and frugality, and continues to sound those themes. He hasn’t exactly slain the political-payout monster either, despite making significant gains in downsizing the government. …

Fox Lane’s Charlie Ghriskey returns the ball against New Rochelle’s Jeremy Court during the boys Section 1 singles semifinals at Veteran Town Park in Ardsley on May 26, 2011. Court beat Ghriskey in a close contest. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

See more photos from the boys tennis match between New Rochelle’s Jeremy Court and Fox Lane’s Charlie Ghriskey in a photo gallery, and go to Lohud.com to read the day’s game story.