Remove Maher from Public Safety Committee RFK Jr. Criticized By
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WESTCHESTER’S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED NEWSPAPERS Vol 29 Number 21 www.RisingMediaGroup.com Friday, May 24, 2019 Memorial Field Marks Chris Garitee: Remove Maher 10 Years of Closure From Public Safety Committee There is life in the Westchester GOP. Af- Mt. Vernon Dem Primary in 30 Days ter the blue wave crashed down on Westches- ter in the elections of 2017, and with the news that one of four remaining republican county board members will switch parties, young re- publicans are stepping forward to join well- known and popular republican incumbents like Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont and East- chester Supervisor Tony Colavita. Chris Garitee, candidate for the 10th Dis- trict legislative seat, is renewing the call for the removal of Legislator Damon Maher from the Westchester County Public Safety Com- mittee after Maher failed to show up at a May 6 meeting of the Board of Legislators and vote in support of crucial law enforcement funding for Mount Vernon, Yonkers and New Rochelle. On April 29, the Westchester County Board of Legislators Public Safety and Bud- get and Appropriations committees, both of which Maher is a member, met as part of their Republican county board candidate Chris regular scheduled meetings to take up grant Garitee funding from the Edward J. Byrne Memorial tributed directly to the municipal police de- Justice Assistance Grant, which had been ap- partments. Mt. Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas, with Council President Andre Wallace, will face off in a plied for by, and was being awarded to Yon- Maher, who represents Eastchester, Tuck- democratic primary June 25. kers, Mount Vernon and New Rochelle police ahoe and New Rochelle, was present at both By Dan Murphy husband and father. departments. The funding, which involves meetings but refused to vote in favor of the County Legislator Lyndon Williams is a good Williams sadly pointed to a 10-year anniver- no county or taxpayer dollars, comes to the agenda item and instead voted without preju- and decent public servant. Williams, who has sary at Memorial Field, the legendary county track county as pass-through funding and gets dis- Continued on Page 7 served for the past 12 years on the County Board and ballfield where county playoff football games representing Mount Vernon, has been able to stay were played, and a Coke commercial with Mean out of the political soap opera that is Mount Ver- Joe Greene was filmed. It has been 10 years since non democratic politics, maybe because he has a anyone has played or walked on Memorial Field, So Far, So Good at Playland; life outside of politics – as a practicing attorney Continued on Page 9 Long-Term Future Still in Doubt Former Harrison Police Chief Going to Jail Standard Amusements’ vision for new Playland includes removing the pool and replacing it with a dining promenade. By Dan Murphy Dragon Coaster coupled with laughter under the Opening Day at Playland earlier this month warm sunshine was the perfect Saturday at Play- Former Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini saw the highest attendance the park has seen on land Park. I am excited to see attendance continue opening day in seven years. The park welcomed to climb as we roll out more of our promotional By Dan Murphy must have earned more than $5 million during that 8,228 people on opening day, with attendees en- events at Playland this season.” Last week we reported on a Bedford Town time, an usually high amount for a local public ser- joying rides, food, musical entertainment and Kid- The following day, Mother’s Day, saw rain Justice who was arrested and “Tazed” for driving vant and police officer. die Land shows. and lousy weather, which is why many believe the under the influence. This week, another sad story If you combine the millions earned by Mar- “This attendance record shows just how im- park had record attendance the day before; weeks from a well-known family name in the Town of raccini with his generous salary as police chief in portant refreshed marketing, creativity and drive of rains in Westchester prior to Playland opening Harrison, as former Police Chief Anthony Mar- Harrison of $185,000, there appears to be more are when promoting an amusement park,” said had families chomping to get out and have some raccini was sentenced by Federal Judge Kenneth than enough money for him to pay his taxes. Westchester County Executive George Latimer. fun. Karas to 18 months in prison for tax evasion. Marraccini, whose brother Phil served as Har- “The workers at Playland did a fantastic job ready- But the owners of Playland, the taxpayers of In order to defraud, or evade, the federal gov- rison supervisor in the 1990s and who ran against ing the park – it was spotless and colorful and Westchester, will take good news – and good news ernment of $900,000 over six years, that individual Continued on Page 8 adorned with our new mascot Coaster. I thank at the amusement park – however and whenever them for their tireless work. Hearing the roar of the Continued on Page 8 RFK Jr. Criticized by Family For Anti-Vaccination Stances Happy Memorial Day; Never Forget Westchester resident Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to attend anti-vaccination rallies de- spite family objections to his views. By Dan Murphy with members of the Kennedy family who took Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has deep ties to West- RFK Jr. to task for his views against vaccinations. chester County. He raised his kids in Bedford and Two of RFK Jr.’s siblings, Kathleen Kennedy Before you fire up your grills or head out It should be a civic obligation, just as has taught environmental law at Pace University Townsend and Joseph Kennedy II, and RFK Jr.’s to purchase a new mattress, take an hour or so honoring veterans on Veteran’s Day should be. Law School for many years. He is a respected niece Maeve Kennedy McKean, penned the fol- to attend a Memorial Day event Monday, May Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of member of a famous American family, but for lowing op-ed in Politico last week criticizing his 27. Originally known as Decoration Day, the the United States, once said, “Those who have those of us fearful of having our children become anti-vax stand: day is set aside to recognize and remember long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy for- infected with a return of the Measles because of “Americans have every right to be alarmed the brave men and women veterans who gave get in time that men have died to win them.” those who have not been vaccinated, we agree Continued on Page 8 the ultimate sacrifice. Continued on Page 6 PAGE 2 - WESTCHESTER’S MOST iNFLUENTiaL NEWSPAPERS - FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 Tickets Still Available for Cooking Program for Seniors ‘Go Red for Women’ Luncheon At NYP Hudson Valley Hospital Left to right: Westchester County Executive George Latimer, City of Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey, Peekskill Senior Services Site Manager Johnathan Zamora, Vice President of Opera- tions at NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital Angela Gonzalez-Perez, Chef Peter X. Kelly, Vice President of Operations at Feeding Westchester Toby Pidgeon, and City Manager Go Red for Women honorees for 2018. Richard Leins. Tickets are still available for the May 31 cializing in prevention and women and heart The City of Peekskill has announced a new classes. There is no cost to the participants in the Westchester Go Red for Women Luncheon at the health. Prior to her position with Mount Sinai collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian Hud- program. Hilton Westchester. The event features morning Heart, she was director of women’s heart health son Valley Hospital and Feeding Westchester to “NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley education sessions, a health and wellness expo, at Northwell Lenox Hill for 12 years. launch “Cooking for Health,” a community cook- Hospital is pleased to be a part of this important inspiring survivor stories, and a keynote address She is the author of “Dr. Suzanne Stein- ing collaborative for seniors. The program began community initiative with the City of Peekskill by Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist and baum’s Heart Book: Every Woman’s Guide to a April 24 and is held at NewYork-Presbyterian and Feeding Westchester, and is committed to director of Women’s Cardiovascular Prevention, Heart Healthy Life,” teaching all women how to Hudson Valley Hospital’s Chef Peter X. Kelly working collaboratively with community groups Health and Wellness at Mount Sinai Heart in New lead their healthiest lives by living from the heart; Teaching Kitchen. to positively impact overall health in the Hud- York City. Tickets are on sale at http://westches- and “Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally,” with “Cooking for Health” focuses on how se- son Valley,” said Angela Gonzalez-Perez, vice tergored.heart.org. the editors of Prevention. She has been awarded a niors can support their health through good nu- president of operations at NewYork-Presbyterian “There is nothing more powerful than know- New York Times Super Doctor, a Castle and Con- trition and hands-on cooking. Participants – all Hudson Valley Hospital. “The health and well- ing 80 percent of the time, heart disease is pre- nolly Top Doctor for Cardiovascular Disease, and members of the City of Peekskill Senior Nutrition being of the residents in our community is of ut- ventable,” said Steinbaum. “We can change the New York Magazine’s prestigious Best Doctors in Program, a nutritionally at-risk population – will most importance to us and we look forward to statistics surrounding women and heart disease the New York edition.