Northern Westchester

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli discusses various issues with the Editorial Board at 1 p.m. Thursday on Editorial Spotlight.

The state comptroller audits municipalities, school district and other entities. The comptroller also administers the New York State and Local Retirement System for public employees and maintains the state’s accounting system, along with other duties.

DiNapoli has been critical of quasi-governmental agencies, including local development corporations and industrial development agencies. In a 2011 audit of the Town of Ramapo, the comptroller’s office was highly critical of the financial relationship between the town and the Ramapo Local Development Corp., which built the Provident Bank Park, home field of the Rockland Boulders baseball team.

To submit a question or comment for DiNapoli before the live session, email adelgado@lohud.com or tweet @lohudopinion.

To watch, go to www.lohud.com/editorialspotlight.

To submit a question or comment during the LIVE session, engage the “CoverItLive” blogging feature.

It looks like the June 26 Congressional primary, the second of three primaries this year, will feature contests for the Republican challenger to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; the Republican challenger to U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey in the newly-drawn and newly-numbered District 17, which takes in all of Rockland and large parts of Westchester; and the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Nan Hayworth in District 18, which takes in all of Putnam and part of Westchester (and Orange and part of Dutchess).

In the Republican primary in the 17th, Francis Morganthaler was thrown off the ballot and is challenging the decision in court. Joe Carvin, one of the Republican candidates, didn’t succeed in securing the Conservative line. Lowey failed to get the Independence line.

So far there are no primaries in the new District 16, held by Eliot Engel. Aniello Grimaldi, who wanted to challenge Engel on the Democratic line, was thrown off the ballot. Engel’s Republican challenger is Joseph McLaughlin. The final names could change as court challenges play out but should be final by the middle of next week. Here is the list of candidates. A * indicates a primary contest:

United States Senator:

Republican*

Wendy Long of Manhattan

Bob Turner of Breezy Point

George Maragos of Great Neck

Democratic

Kirsten Gillibrand More →

Lisa Mitchell  and Valerie Goodwin  are organizing a second annual Somers Walk for Stroke. It’s set for  May 20th, a week after Mother’s Day.

The goal is to raise money and awareness  for Strokes and Goodwin and Mitchell, sisters and registered nurses, emphasize  that May is National Stroke Awareness Month.

“Our mother is a 52-year-old stroke survivor. In August of 2009, she woke up to her alarm clock but was unable to turn it off. She had no use of her left arm. When she went to get out of bed, she felt dizzy and was off balance. She tried waking up our dad to tell him how she was feeling, but he couldn’t understand her slurred speech. We took her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a Stroke. After speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy, our mom has 95 percent recovered. Our mom was a healthy, young, physically fit and active woman with no known health issues. That is why we want to raise awareness in our community and the surrounding communities,” the women wrote in an email to The Journal News.

The event is a 3-mile walk. All proceeds will go to the National Stroke Association.

Last year, the Mitchell sisters drew more than  200 walkers and raised close to $9000, surpassing their goal, they said.  This year they hope to raise $10,000.

The Somers Walk for Stroke will take place at Somers High School on Primrose Street. Registration starts at 9 a.m.; event will start at 10 a.m. The Somers Lions Club is sponsoring this event.

The walk will end at Reis Park  with a brunch/lunch under the pavilion. The Somers Lions Club is sponsoring the event.

To  participate in this walk, there is a minimum donation of $25 which can be paid to the website (below) or by check/cash on the day of the event, or sent to PO Box 46 Baldwin Place, N.Y. 10505. Make checks payable to National Stroke Association.

For more information or to register, go to  the event website or on the Facebook page.

UPDATE: We’ve corrected the Facebook link.

Here’s the announcement from the county with prevention suggestions for residents:

2012 WEST NILE VIRUS PREVENTION EFFORTS TO BEGIN MONDAY

To eliminate breeding sites for mosquitoes that can carry West Nile Virus, the Westchester County Department of Health will begin its annual West Nile Virus prevention efforts by checking catch basins throughout the county for standing water and applying larvicide as needed starting Monday, May 7.

Health department larviciding teams will begin in New Rochelle, Yonkers and Mount Vernon, evaluating and treating as needed all catch basins on county and municipal roads throughout the county over the next few months. More →

Somers’ Kevin Cousin, left, stays ahead of Mahopac’s Johnny Astrologo during the boys lacrosse game at Somers High School on May 3, 2012. (Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News)

See more photos from the boys lacrosse game between Somers and Mahopac at Somers High School in a photo gallery, and go to LoHud.com for the story.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino has blocked the Board of Legislators’ attempt to take back some control over the subsidized child care program.

He vetoed a bill Friday that would have required the Social Services commissioner to get the board’s approval before asking the state to approve a change in the family share for those receiving subsidized child care.

“In what has become an unfortunate and familiar pattern, your Honorable Board once again overreaches and attempts to exert power and control, without the requisite legal authority,” Astorino said in his veto message.

The board passed the bill after the Astorino administration moved at the beginning of April to increase the parent share from 20 percent of income above the poverty line to 35 percent of income, saying the program has a funding shortfall and that the change will allow more families to stay in the program. A comment period required before the state can approve the change ends May 14.

Legislators questioned the administration’s numbers and asked for a chance to transfer funds if necessary to fill any funding gap. Parents, they said, can’t afford the change. The administration said the change had to be done immediately to fill the gap.

Democratic Legislator Alfreda Williams said the veto reflected a lack of concern for working people.

“It’s very disappointing and really unfair and shameful,” she said.

Click here for a story on the move to raise the parent share.

Property owners in the Pleasantville School District would pay a 1.8 percent tax rate increase under a $45 million budget proposed for next year.

The Board of Education and district officials have proposed a spending plan for 2012-13 which represents a 1 percent increase over the current budget, or $500,000 more.

About $420,000 of that extra spending would pay for employee benefits and state-mandated retirement system payments.

If passed by a majority of district voters on May 15, next year’s budget would carry a tax rate of $1,361.89 per $1,000 of assessed property value, or $24.15 more than the current rate of $1,337.74.

A homeowner with a house assessed at the Mount Pleasant town average of $8,000 would pay $10,895 next year, or $193 more.

A public hearing is planned for Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Library Media Center of the high school at 60 Romer Ave.

See a photo gallery of Fox Lane vs. North Rockland baseball

Fox Lane’s Sarena Malsin, left, won the 2000-meter steeplechase and Clarkstown South’s Kelly Longarino finished second at the Gold Rush track and field meet at Clarkstown South.

See more photos of the Gold Rush track and field meet at Clarkstown South

The Katonah Village Library has lots of library volunteers—to help with the annual book sale, to regularly check book shelves and to volunteer during Sunday hours.

But now the library is beginning a bonafide Friends of the Library group and its first meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 30 at the library.1” src=”http://northernwestchester.lohudblogs.com/files/2012/04/kvl1-300×188.gif” alt=”” width=”300” height=”188” />

“With this new group we hope to add new volunteers and recognize several groups of volunteers that already help the library through its many programs,” reads the press release from the library.  “Please come and meet these wonderful friends of your library and consider becoming a volunteer.”

The library is at 26 Bedford Road.