Street Renamed for 9/11 Hero Neill Tyndal State Senate Passes Child
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WESTCHESTER’S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED NEWSPAPERS PRESORT-STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID White Plains, NY Permit #7164 Vol 113 Number 6 www.RisingMediaGroup.com Friday, February 8, 2019 Street Renamed for Yonkers Politics: New Names & 9/11 Hero Neill Tyndal Old Faves for Council, Mayor Democrat Ivy Reeves and Republican Adam Rodriguez are two candidates interested in running for mayor. By Dan Murphy In the race for Yonkers mayor, Mayor Mike Photo by Donna Davis. The renamed Yonkers street corner. Additional photos are on page 9. The decision by democratic leaders in Al- Spano has not formally announced, but as one bany to move up the state political calendar has Yonkers political insider told us, “If he doesn’t The City of Yonkers remembered one of time, enjoyed boating with his children, as well made it incumbent on those who want to run run for mayor, I’ll jump off the Mario Cuomo its own this week as Yonkers Firefighter Neill as riding his motorcycle. for office to decide now, resulting in a few de- Bridge.” Spano, a democrat, could face oppo- Tyndal had a street renamed in his honor, at the Mayor Mike Spano, City Councilman John cisions by some familiar names not to run for sition from a progressive democrat who could corner of New Avenue and Scott Avenue. Tyndal Rubbo, Council Majority Leader Michael Saba- re-election or to get back into politics, and some have the support of the indivisible Yonkers died in 2017 after battling a 9/11-related illness. tino, Council Minority Leader Mike Breen, and new names seem to be readying a race for City group. He was 48 years old. members of the Yonkers Fire Department joined Council and mayor in 2019. Tyndal was born in the Bronx on Feb. 5, to unveil the new street sign, which reads, “Fire- Continued on Page 8 1969. He was the son of Neill Sr. and Mary fighter Neill S. Tyndal Jr. Way.” Jane, husband of Rosemarie (nee McNeill), fa- Rubbo, who represents the district in which ther of Matthew and Neill, brother of Anthony Tyndal lived, sponsored the renaming that was and John (and his wife, Catalina) and uncle of approved by the council in December. At the Angela, Jacqueline, Anthony Jr., John Michael, recent event he recognized Tyndal’s wife, sons, State Senate Passes Jayden and Sophia. The Tyndal family came out parents and brothers who were on hand. to remember and honor Neill, who, in his free Continued on Page 9 Child Victims Act Justice for Those Who Prey on Children Yonkers Idol 2019 Has Begun One of Yonkers’ most popular events has begun with auditions for the Yonkers Idol and Yonkers Junior Idol competition for 2019, held last week at the Nodine Hill Community Cen- ter. A number of young Yonkers aspiring per- formers showed up for the Idol auditions for those between age 15 and 19, and for the Junior Idol auditions for those between the age of 10 and 14. One notable contestant this year is Amara Valerio, who was the 2014 Yonkers Junior Idol and has returned to compete for the Yonkers Idol crown this year. This year’s Idol judges will have to make some difficult choices, as the performers were ready with their favorite songs – and performed their best. The winners will hold the title for a year State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins advocates for passage of the Child Victims Act. and win $1,000, courtesy of the Untermyer By Dan Murphy tions for victims of child sexual abuse. Performing Arts Council Teresa Fund. The title The State Senate, led by Majority Leader The Child Victims Act will raise the crimi- also provides performance opportunities for Andrea Stewart-Cousins from Westchester, con- nal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse various City of Yonkers ceremonies and events. tinues to pass legislation that members ran on crimes by five years and raise the civil statute Photo by Shane Samuels. The 2014 Junior last November and address items that were con- of limitations for causes of action brought by Idol winner, Amara Valerio, is back to sistently blocked by the former republican State someone seeking redress for physical, psycho- audition for Yonkers Idol. Additional photos Senate majority. Last week, it was the Child logical or other injury caused by child sexual are on page 10. Victims Act, which reforms the statute of limita- Continued on Page 8 YPS Graduation Rates Happy 100th Birthday, Remain Strong Stanley Coates 86% of Class of ’18 Graduated on Time On Jan. 30, the New York State Education percent, and our students with disabilities at- Department released its 2018 graduation data. tained a 58 percent rate. “Once again, it is my pleasure to report “These subgroups achieved higher on-time that Yonkers Public Schools’ graduation rate is graduation rates than all other large urban com- 86 percent with our August graduates and our munities in New York,” continued Quezada. students surpassed the statewide August rate of “Similarly, on-time graduation rates for black 83 percent,” saidt Yonkers Board of Education students is 79.6 percent and for Hispanic stu- President the Rev. Steve Lopez. “The trustees dents it is 85.6 percent; they also surpassed all commend the outstanding work of our Superin- large urban communities. This trend continues tendent Dr. (Edwin) Quezada, his instructional through the work that we do to ensure our stu- team, school administrators, teachers and, most dents remain in school. Yonkers’ dropout rate importantly, the diligent effort of our students.” for the 2014 cohort was 3 percent, as compared “I am extremely proud of the work that is to 6 percent for New York State.” being accomplished in our high schools,” said “We are proud our Yonkers Public Schools Quezada. “Yonkers outperforms urban school students continue to achieve despite the chronic districts across the state and our students’ on- underfunding to education by New York State,” time graduation rate is aligned with the state- said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “While it wide average. It is the August on-time gradu- seems we’ve reached our capacity of success, I ation rate which truly reveals that our students can only imagine what our students could ac- continue to demonstrate they are on the positive complish if our district was provided the fund- path toward graduation, as well as college and ing they so desperately need and deserve. I con- career readiness. gratulate the dedication of the Yonkers Board of Friends and family celebrate the 100th birthday of Sgt Stanley Coates. “By giving our students an additional two Trustees, the superintendent and the wonderful months of support to achieve graduation require- administration, staff and teachers who commit Family and friends of Stanley Coates gath- sia, Libya, Italy, and Greece, where he was part ments, they make significant progress. Yonkers’ themselves each day to the successes of our ered Jan. 19 to celebrate his 100th birthday. of the British Army’s North African Campaign. on-time graduation rate was able to increase by schools and who work tirelessly to ensure our Coates was born in England on Jan. 19, During this time he met his wife, Gloria, when 6 percentage points to 86 percent from June to students reach their fullest potential.” 1919. As a teenager, he left school and worked the Germans left Greece. August. Even more impressive is how this extra Overall graduation numbers for YPS show on the railroad at the age of 14, as a locomo- Coates came to the United States in 1954, time escalates achievement for our subgroups the 86 percent graduation rate unchanged, grad- tive. Coates joined the British Army in 1939 and and he and Gloria lived in New York City until resulting in graduation rate increases. Yonkers’ uating 1,559 students in the class of 2018 – 3 fought in World War II, where he served from they moved to Yonkers to raise their five chil- English language learners graduation rate is 56 Continued on Page 8 1939 to 1945 as a sergeant. He traveled to Tuni- Continued on Page 8 PAGE 2 - YONKERS RISING - FRIDay, FEBRUary 8, 2019 Westchester Holocaust Hudson River Museum Survivor Visits City Hall February Events Photo by Robert Kalfus. Holocaust survivor Betty Migdol with Rabbi Mendy Huwitz of the Greyston Jewish Center Chabad of Yonkers, Council President Mike Khader and members of the Yonkers City Council. By Robert Kalfus that there was nothing left for her in Ruscova, Oscar Florianus Bluemner’s “Moon Radiance,” 1927. In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, she went with three of her surviving cousins to a Yonkers resident and holocaust survivor Betty displaced persons camp in Germany, where she The Hudson River Museum is currently of astronomers goes on an expedition to the Migdol was recently honored by the Yonkers stayed for 16 months. featuring a major examination of the moon as moon. Then, in Fritz Lang’s 1929 “Woman in City Council, and President Mike Khader who In 1947, she was able to cross the Atlantic it relates to the story of the American nocturne. the Moon” (Frau im Mond), a tenacious scien- remarked that “Betty Migdol worked at the Al- Ocean to come to New York, where her new life This month’s featured exhibition is “The Color tist blasts off for the moon in hopes of finding exandor’s and the Caldor stores on Yonkers Av- began. A few weeks later she met Harry Migdol of the Moon: Lunar Painting in American Art,” riches. Tickets are $10. enue, which are long gone, but Betty Migdol is and they married in 1949, had two daughters, on view through May 12.