YMA Lady Eagles Never Quit Flying High at Ridge Hill MLK Poetry
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WESTCHESTER’S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED NEWSPAPERS PRESORT-STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID White Plains, NY Permit #7164 Vol 111 Number 8 www.RisingMediaGroup.com Friday, February 19, 2016 YMA Lady Eagles Never Quit Flying High at Ridge Hill Taking off for a flight at iFLY at Ridge Hill. Mayor Mike Spano, Council President Liam Ridge Hill and get the iFly experience. Members of the YMA Lady Eagles basketball team with coach Elie Moise. McClaughlin and several city and state officials “We’re excited that iFLY chose Yonkers as gathered last week at Ridge Hill in Yonkers to cel- the place to expand its international business and ebrate the grand opening of iFLY, a new state-of- we know that Ridge Hill is a great partner in doing By Phil Foley Molly O’Reiley and Jazmin Garcia. The rest of the-art indoor skydiving experience. iFLY in Yon- so,” said Spano. “Ridge Hill demonstrates its com- We start our weekly Yonkers High School the roster included three juniors, Ciara Walsh, kers is one of only 11 iFLY locations in the nation mitment to our city and contributes to making Yon- sports wrap-up with a story submitted by a Nashey Padilla and Taneja Hendricks; Sophia and 37 in the world. kers the ideal place to live, work, play – and fly.” member of the Yonkers Montessori Academy Rascona is the lone sophomore. Our freshmen iFLY is open to everyone. No special skills iFLY uses a vertical wind tunnel to allow family: included Ashley Soto, Jaeliana Quiñones and are required, and almost anyone over the age of guests to safely float on a cushion of air, mimick- The Lady Eagles of Yonkers Montessori Abigal Brennan; and lastly our eighth-graders 3 can safely experience the sensation of free fall ing the sensation of a freefall from an airplane. The Academy were a young group with four se- were Mackayla Scarlett, and Vjollca Kastrati. without having to jump out of an airplane. So, the experience is open to virtually everyone and no niors – Captain Alexis Lugo, Megan Matos, Continued on Page 10 next time you’re feeling adventurous, head over to special skills are required. St. Joseph’s Family Center: Proposed Colonial Heights Care from ‘Birth to Earth’ Mosque Before Landmarks Board A Patient-Centered Medical Home The home at 2 Grandview Boulevard, the proposed location for a mosque. Photo by Bayan Baker. Dr. Craig Orvieto with staff at St. Joseph’s Family Health Center. Photo by Bayan Baker. By Dan Murphy Also last year, the Colonial Heights Association A proposal to build a mosque at the location applied to the Yonkers Landmarks Preservation By Andrew Tobia of off-site facilities over the years. These facili- of a home at 2 Grandview Boulevard in the Co- Board to request that the home be deemed a his- Since its founding in 1888, more than 120 ties are strategically located throughout Yon- lonial Heights neighborhood is currently before toric landmark. years ago, Saint Joseph’s Medical Center has kers, Westchester Country and the Bronx to the Yonkers Landmarks Board for review. The application has been making its way worked to provide the community with com- offer easier access to both general and special- Last year, a Muslim group, The Islamic Com- through the process, and the Landmarks Board is prehensive medical care performed by people ized health care to a wider demographic. munity Center of Mid-Westchester, purchased expected to render its decision next month. The who truly care. A Growing Mission the home for $750,000, with the goal of turning Yonkers City Council would then have to vote on More than this, Saint Joseph’s strives to One of these off-site facilities is the Saint the home into a Masjid, or mosque, for worship. Continued on Page 7 provide care to as many people as possible. To Joseph’s Family Health Center. Located at 81 S. that end, Saint Joseph’s has opened a number Continued on Page 6 MLK Poetry Contest Classroom in Pakistan Winners Announced Named After Yonkers Rotarian East Yonkers Rotary’s International Projects Chairman Shaw Latif, left, with Sen. Letsen, Congratulations to the three winners of the the contest’s winners. founder of the East Yonkers Rotary Club. Yonkers Martin Luther King Jr. Day poetry con- This year’s theme was “Hallowed Grounds: test, which honors the life and legacy of one of Sites of the Civil Rights Movement” and asked The joy on the faces of the 300 children of years, but he was also founder of the Rotary Club the world’s greatest activists for social change. Yonkers students to reflect on why it is impor- The Mazin Academy in Pakistan was clearly vis- of East Yonkers in 1958. The club, in paying trib- Fifth-grader Angelica Lopez-Tucker of PEARLS tant to preserve the memory of the locations – ible – all of them excited to have a new classroom ute to its honored founder, decided to sponsor the Hawthorne School, seventh-grader Mantasha Montgomery, Selma and so many others – that in their school, thanks to the Rotary Club of Yon- building of a new classroom for disadvantaged Khan of Yonkers Middle/High School, and helped change America. One student from each kers-East Yonkers. Parents and students partici- children. By providing opportunities for con- 11th-grader Kayla Casanova of Roosevelt High of the Yonkers elementary, middle and high pated in a recent unveiling of a plaque naming the tinuing their education, the club said it hoped it School were selected by Mayor Mike Spano as Continued on Page 9 new “Roy Letsen Classroom.” would build responsible adults who would in turn Letsen is known to many in the area. Not help raise succeeding generations from poverty. only was he a New York State senator for many Continued on Page 9 Read the Poems on Page 9 PAGE 2 - YONKERS RISING - FRIDay, FEBRUary 19, 2016 Two Women Awarded Riverfront Gallery By Alamo Drafthouse Presents ‘Finding Form’ Works of art from the “Finding Form” exhibit on display at the Riverfront Library Art Gallery. Gail Baxter, third left, and Catherine Lederer Plaskett were honored at Alamo Drafthouse last week, with former Council President Chuck Lesnick, right. Photo by Donna Davis. The Alamo Drafthouse in Yonkers presented In the category of education in low- and mod- two “Hammer and Chisel Down” awards, cre- erate-income areas, an award was given to Gail ated by Alamo in conjunction with the opening Baxter, chairperson of the Yonkers African-Ameri- of Michael Moore’s new movie “Where to Invade can Advisory Board and retired parent coordinator Next,” on Feb. 12. Referencing social justice is- in the Yonkers Public Schools. sues addressed by the film, these awards were de- In the category of women’s rights, an award signed to honor two distinguished individuals who, was given to Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, executive in their own unique and courageous way, “are mak- director of WCLA Choice Matters, an advocacy ing America a better place for all.” group for reproductive rights. The awards were presented in two of the cat- For more information, visit http://drafthouse. egories examined in depth by Michael Moore: com/yonkers. Volunteer reporters and The Yonkers Riverfront Gallery, located on ing art and architecture and has also studied with the fourth floor of the Yonkers Public Library at 1 renowned painters Carlo Maria Mariani and John photographers wanted: If you are an Larkin Plaza, will feature works by Clayton Cal- Foote. He uses the finest materials when creating vert, Parker Calvert and Ricardo Arango through his works and is a proponent of all kinds of mixed April 2, with an opening reception Feb. 25 from media. His paintings, sculptures and installations apsiring journalist or photographer 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. capture moments in time that are characteristic of The show was curated by Haifa Bint-Kadi, his experiences. and want to see you name in print, director of the Riverfront Gallery. Each artist ex- Parker Calvert’s photographs document vari- plores composition, color and subject matter in a ous aspects of New York City and combines an ex- different way. ploration into sources of light and how these lights contact us at risingmediagroup.com. Clayton Calvert’s paintings are indicative of interact with the city. He finds varying ways these the environments in which they are created. He of- can be captured as he creates his fantastic images. High school interns are also ten abstracts his subjects in an effort to capture the He is continuously fascinated by the ever-evolving essential elements. skyline, and the city has changed drastically during Clayton is a painter, sculptor and installation his lifetime. The subjects at times are hardly rec- welcome for this summer. artist. His practice explores the relationship be- ognizable because of Calvert’s deliberate camera tween representation and abstraction as he contem- movement, light manipulation and varying techni- plates his subjects. He has lived in Rome study- Continued on Page 8 Come See Our New Look! • Fabulous Selection • Great New Offers • New Doctor • State-of-the-Art Equipment • Under New Management Complete Pairs of Eye Eyeglasses E Exam $ * FP TOZ ** for LPED $ 99 PECFD EDFCZP 2 FELOPZD 19 89 DEFPOTC LEFODPCT With Offers Fashion Frames FDPLTCEO PEZOLCPTD Single-Vision Lenses Cross County Shopping Center 5570 Xavier Drive, Yonkers 914.968.6600 SterlingOptical.com Fashion for everyone We now accept most insurance plans, including OptumHealth, GHI, Medicaid, Affinity, WellCare, Hudson Health, Aetna, EyeMed, UFT, Local 1199, Transit Workers and more! See now, pay later ✔ 6-12 months’ financing available †From select group with single-vision lenses.