Restaurants That Survived COVID Say NO to Food Trucks
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WESTCHESTER’S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED NEWSPAPERS PRESORT-STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID White Plains, NY Permit #7164 Westchester Rising Yonkerstimes.com www.RisingMediaGroup.com Friday April 16, 2021 State Budget Passes: $2 Excluded Workers Fund, Mobile SportsBetting, $3 B More in Vaccines Open to Anyone 18 Years or Older Education, $2.4 B in Renters-Mortgage Aid at WCC Site-J&J Vaccines Suspended County Executive George Latimer, announcing at a recent COVID update that NYS residents 18 years or older can get the Vaccine at WCC As of April 13, The First Dose Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic at West- chester Community College will be open to NYS residents 18 years of age On April 7, Westchester State Senator and Majority Leader Andrea or older. The Moderna vaccine will be given. Stewart-Cousins, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced a record breaking $212 Billion dollar budget has some- Reserve your appointment here https://health.westchestergov.com/ thing for almost everyone, with large increases in education aid, rent and mortgage relief, legalizing mobile sports better and a $2 Billion fund for And New York State has declared that effective April 6, all New York- excluded workers. ers 16 years and older became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. “New York State approached this year’s budget with many challenges Persons under 18 years of age will need parental consent and to register at and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” Senate Majority Leader Andrea a site offering the Pfizer vaccine. At this time, the Moderna and Johnson Stewart-Cousins said. “Working and middle-class taxpayers will receive and Johnson vaccines were only approved for those 18 years of age and the relief they desperately need, while the wealthiest New Yorkers will older. help their neighbors. This budget makes New York better for all. In the Use the Am I Eligible app to determine eligibility before register- remaining months of session, the Senate Majority will continue to deliver ing. The NY State COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline, 1(833) NYS-4-VAX, results that are reflective of our progressive values and priorities.” (833)-697-4829 is also open for scheduling vaccination appointments at “New York was ambushed early and hit hardest by COVID, devas- state operated clinics for eligible New Yorkers. To find clinics offering tating our economy and requiring urgent and unprecedented emergency Pfizer and other COVID-19 vaccine please visit Vaccine Finder. spending to manage the pandemic,” Cuomo said. “Thanks to the State’s Also, the Westchester County Department of Health announced that it strong fiscal management and relentless pursuit to secure the federal sup- has suspended use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine pending port that the pandemic demanded, we not only balanced our budget, we further safety information after the CDC and FDA recommended a halt in are also making historic investments to reimagine, rebuild and renew New the use out of an abundance of caution. York in the aftermath of the worst health and economic crisis in a cen- All appointments for Johnson & Johnson vaccines today at New York tury.” State mass vaccination sites will be honored by the State with the Pfizer Other parts of the budget deal include, $2.4 billion for child care, $1 vaccine. The County vaccination locations and field vaccinators will be billion for small business recovery, a $3 Billion increase in education aid, utilizing the Moderna vaccine until further notice. $15 per month hi-speed internet for qualifying low-income families. The While the CDC and the FDA have reported that six people who re- State has also partnered with Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation ceived the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine developed a rare blood to launch ConnectED NY, an emergency fund to provide approximately clotting disorder within about three weeks of vaccination, it is important to remember that any adverse events related to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine ‘appear to be extremely rare.’ It is not known if the blood clotting continued on pg 7- continued on pg 7- Restaurants That Survived _____________________________________________________________ COVID Say NO to Food Trucks I Lost My Mom to COVID, So Did 570,000 Americans and 50,000 New Yorkers Yorktown Diner owner Nick Karkambasis, with a petition opposing new licenses for Food Trucks Frank Spotorno, right, and his mom Rosa Spotorno, who died from COVID By Dan Murphy Westchester Resident Frank Spotorno is one of more than 2,408 West- A plan to bring a number of Food Truck’s into the Town of Yorktown chester residents, 50,000 New Yorkers, and 570,000 Americans who have has been met with opposition, and a petition is circulating and has been lost a loved one to COVID. Like all of the friends and families who have signed by several hundred Yorktown residents who want to support and suffered the loss and pain, they would like closer. preserve the restaurants and dining establishments that have survived CO- Spotorno has asked for answers about where the Coronavirus originated, VID, and are still in business. and is calling on our elected officials in Washington to demand answers Several restaurants including the Yorktown Diner and Maria’s Pizza, from the Chinese Communist Party, CCP. “If it came from a lab, then tell and other food establishments like 7-Eleven and local delis, started the pe- us, so that the world can work together to prevent another pandemic,” writes tition and are are opposed to adding any food trucks to town. At least five Spotorno on page 8. food trucks are already in business in town; next to Town Hall, next to the Spotorno has also called on Upstate New York to become a PPE and town track -old 6th grade school, and three at the JV Mall. generic drug manufacturing center, and will be traveling across the state this Both the Yorktown Diner and Maria’s Pizza are dining landmarks in summer to gauge support. town. New residents, and those of us who grew up in Yorktown enjoy hav- Finally, Spotorno urges all New Yorkers to stand up against HATE being ing these longtime businesses around and are happy to support them with made against Asian-Americans. “Asian-Americans have nothing to do our business. But after a year of COVID, both business are worried that a with COVID-19 and the spread of it in our country. number of food trucks in and around town will hurt their longtime dining landmarks. LEAVE THEM ALONE! The petition reads—In Opposition to Licensing Food Truck Vendors in the Town of Yorktown We the undersigned, hereby state our opposition to allowing the issuance more on page 8- continued on pg 7- _____________________________________________________________ PAGE 2 - WESTCHESTER RISING - FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 Westchester Native Pasquale A Toy Store in New Rochelle That Survived Palumbo Wins on Jeopardy COVID and Gave Back tohte Community White Plains native and Hawthorne resident Pasquale Palumbo Congratulations to Hawthorne native Pasquale Palumbo, who ap- peared on Jeopardy and won an episode on April 8. Palumbo, 45, attended White Plains High School and is a former coach of the White Plains HS State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, left, at TP Toys football team. with owner Kemesha Salmon Palumbo talked football with the guest host of Jeopardy, Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Palumbo joked that he and Rogers Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins presented the presti- shared a football connection. “I both played and coached high school foot- gious New York State Senate Empire Award to TP Toys And Accessories ball at White Plains High. My head coach Mark Santa-Donato was coached Inc. in New Rochelle on April 9 for owner Kemesha Salmon’s selfless efforts to give back to children at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. by Ralph Friedgen Sr., who was coached by Colonel Red Blake up at West The State Senate’s highest honor for businesses recognizes those who not Point who had Vince Lombardi on his coaching staff at the time.” only give back, but businesses who demonstrate exceptional leadership Palumbo won $6,799 on his first night and lost on his second night, and contribute significantly to a community’s quality of life. TP Toys And Accessories Inc. owner Kemesha Salmon said, “I am but all of Westchester and his friends from WPHS congratulated him on honored to have been chosen by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart- social media. On that show, all three contestants got the final question Cousins to be the recipient of the New York State Senate Empire Award. incorrect. The Question? Name two of the three national capitals in South One of the things I value and admire about Senator Stewart-Cousins is America that have more than 10 million people. that throughout her elected career she’s been so in touch with the com- munity. Recognizing our little store for the role we play just shows how Palumbo was supposed to play on Jeopardy in 2020 but COVID committed she is to seeing that we all thrive. Although I’m the one being cancelled most travel across the country. And the legendary host Alex recognized today, I did not pave this way alone. Thanks to the generosity Trebek passed away in November of 2020, and another scheduled appear- of my community members, we’ve been able to create a more cohesive ance was delayed because of a snowstorm in New York. community, one that works together to lift each other.” New Rochelle, the epicenter of the pandemic in Westchester County Finally, the show that Jeopardy lovers watched on April 8 was taped was put into mandatory lockdown last year, and with schools closed, TP on February 17.