WESTCHESTER’S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED NEWSPAPERS PRESORT-STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID White Plains, NY Permit #7164 Vol 113 Number 24 www.RisingMediaGroup.com Friday, June 14, 2019 MGM Resorts Awards 2,000 Affordable Housing Units Scholarships to YPS Seniors Built & Restored Under Spano MGM scholarship recipients with President and COO of Empire City Casino Uri Clinton, and Touring renovation work at Walsh Homes are, from left, MHACY Executive Director Joseph YPS Superintendent Dr. Edwin Quezada. Shuldiner, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, and MHACY Executive Director Carlos Laboy. MGM Resorts has announced the creation the students selected as 2019 MGM Resorts One of the biggest concerns of voters in now finally embarking on the rehabbing and of the MGM Resorts Scholars Initiative benefit- Scholars. Yonkers, Westchester and New York State is revitalization of more than 1,700 municipal ing graduates of Yonkers Public Schools. On Nine graduating seniors, one from each affordable housing. Over the past eight years, housing units,” he said in 2017. “This rehabili- June 7, Uri Clinton, president and chief operat- of the Yonkers public high schools, including under the leadership of Mayor Mike Spano, the tation program is the first major renovation of ing officer of Empire City Casino by MGM Re- VIVE/Pathways to Success, were each awarded city has been able to create hundreds of new these units since the city began building them sorts, was joined by Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano a $2,500 scholarship by MGM Resorts to be affordable housing units and has spent more shortly after World War II. So I think it’s ap- and Superintendent of Yonkers Public Schools used toward college tuition and related expens- than $250 million restoring almost 2,000 units propriate to say, it’s about time. And In 2013, Dr. Edwin Quezada as he formally announced Continued on Page 7 of existing affordable housing. together we passed the city’s first Workforce Two years ago, Spano announced that the Housing Ordinance, ensuring we are provid- City of Yonkers would begin its most ambi- ing quality and affordable housing for working tious affordable housing restoration in its his- families, young people and seniors.” Yonkers Holds D-Day Tribute tory. “After five years of negotiations, we are Continued on Page 7 ‘The Sky Was Raining Bullets’ Robertson Seeks to Return to City Council By Dan Murphy Residents in the third City Council district, which runs from northwest to southwest Yonkers and into Park Hill, will see a familiar name in the June 25 Democratic primary; former City Coun- cilman Dennis Robertson is seeking to return to the board where he served from 2004 to 2007. Robertson seeks at “part two” on the council because he said he wants to continue his almost 30 years of community service to the people of Yonkers, and continue the progress made under Mayor Mike Spano. Robertson, who ran for mayor in 2007 against Phil Amicone, was considering another run for mayor last year. But after the council Photo by Ed Whitman. WWII veteran Frank Fortuna, left, with Mayor Mike Spano at a D-Day approved an extension of term limits, which al- ceremony, with the names of five from Yonkers who were lost June 6, 1944. lowed Spano to run for a third term (Robertson also supported the extension), Robertson sup- By Dan Murphy Hayes Jr., Sgt. John Henwood, 2nd Lt. John Cle- ported Spano’s re-election and was approached On June 6, the 75th anniversary of D-Day, ments Jr,. and Pvt. Robert Kendrick. by Yonkers Democrats to run for his old council City Council candidate Dennis Robertson the City of Yonkers and Mayor Mike Spano paid Dina Pace-Shackelford, granddaughter of seat after the current councilman in the third dis- The Yonkers Democratic Party has en- tribute to five Yonkers heroes who were killed in Yonkers D-Day U.S. Army veteran William Ta- trict, Michael Sabatino, announced he would not dorsed Robertson, but two other democrats are action on D-Day in the Battle of Normandy. An gliaferri, delivered an emotional address about run for again. running against him in the primary. Despite the outdoor ceremony was held at City Hall with re- her grandfather, who passed away three years “I would have supported Councilman Saba- fact that Robertson’s petitions were challenged tired Supreme Court Justice Peter Rosato as mas- ago. She recounted that he said about D-Day, tino if he decided to run, but I saw an opportunity (a judge ruled that Robertson did collect more ter of ceremonies. “The sky was raining bullets.” to help the mayor move the city forward by serv- than enough valid democratic signatures to get The five U.S. Army veterans who lost their Frank Fortuna, 93, a Yonkers U.S. Navy ing on the council, and after I was drafted into on the ballot), he did not challenge the petitions lives were Lt. Richard Detwyler, Pvt. James Continued on Page 6 running, I am excited to use my experience in of either one of his challengers, Tasha Diaz and government and in the community on the council Subomi Macaulay, because, “I think everybody again,” said Robertson. Continued on Page 6 Yonkers Celebrates Pride With Flag Raising & Festival YAAHC King & Queen Celebrate Juneteenth Weekend Photo by Donna Davis. Members of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board and Pride event From left are Parade King Jason Garcia, Co-Grand Marshal LaMont Badru, Mayor Mike organizers. Spano, Co-Grand Marshal Carol Blakney, and Parade Queen Iyanna Gordon. Photo by Athena Dent. By Dan Murphy This marks the 50th anniversary of the start The Yonkers African American Historic green to represent the land – was raised above The City of Yonkers held its second annual of the modern LGBT civil rights movement, Committee continued a 40-plus-year tradition in City Hall. Pride Weekend last week, which included a flag and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Yonkers by hosting its annual “Juneteenth” Afri- Education symposiums and a youth night raising ceremony, kickoff party and festival June Stonewall Uprising of 1969 – when police ac- can heritage celebration June 7 through 9. was held June 8, and on June 9, the parade along 8. Yonkers Pride was celebrated during LGBTQ tion against the Stonewall Inn, a gathering place On June 7, the Pan African flag, which fea- Warburton Avenue was held followed by the Pride Month, which was recognized by West- for gay men in Greenwich Village, galvanized tures three colors – black for the people of the festival. The parade was led by YAAHC senior chester County and across the country. African Diaspora, red for the blood that was shed member Gladys Skinner, who was holding the Continued on Page 8 for slavery and continues to be shed today, and Continued on Page 8 PAGE 2 - YONKERS RISING - FRIDay, JUNE 14, 2019 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY Tuesday June 25th Please support endorsed Democratic Candidate ROBERT PRISCO for WESTCHESTER COUNTY COURT JUDGE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: - Westchester County Assistant District Attorney for 32 years - Chief of Local Criminal Courts and Grand Jury Division - Chief of Major Case Bureau - Deputy Chief of Homicide Bureau - Tried to verdict: murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, burglary, assault and weapons possession cases. - Violent Felony Coordinator - Mental Health Court Coordinator - Member of Criminal Justice Advisory Board - Member of the Raise the Age Committee EDUCATION: - Albany Law School, Juris Doctor, 1986 - Villanova University, B.A. Economics, 1983 BAR ADMISSIONS: - New York State - U.S. District Court, Southern District of NY ENDORSED BY: - Westchester County Democratic Committee - Hudson Valley Stonewall Democrats (LGBTQ) - Westchester Hispanic Democrats - Westchester Hispanic Law Enforcement Association - Westchester Probation Officers Association - IAFF Local 628, Yonkers Firefighters Union - Yonkers Uniformed Fire Officers Association - Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body (AFL-CIO) - Building & Construction Trades Council of Westchester and Putnam - MPACnow (Mediterranean Political Action Committee) - Rated 100% Pro-Choice by WCLA-Choice Matters VOTE June 25th 1A 2A 3A 4A Paid for by Somers Democratic Town Committee PRISCO4COUNTY.COM Paid for by Prisco for County FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2019 - YONKERS RISING - PAGE 3 YPIE Scholars Present Reluctantly, I Will Vote for Science Research Projects Mike Spano on Primary Day By Eric Schoen on his reversal on the term It was a little over a limits issue after his practi- year ago, Mayor Mike Spa- cally swearing to me that he no and I were at a public would not support it. event and I asked him if he When I chatted with was going to support either Spano over an informal spur the end of term limits for of the moment drink at Star- elected offi cials in Yonkers bucks a few weeks ago, he or increasing the terms of said to me, “Eric, you have offi ce beyond two four-year been around a long time and terms. know where all the bones He said to me than that are buried.” He also said to he was not going to increase me several years ago that terms for elected offi cials in when I criticized his ad- Yonkers. “Eric, you of any- ministration in this column, one know what a tough job sometimes it is warranted. mayor of Yonkers is,” he So we both, besides be- said. “Two terms is enough. ing friends for years, know The job consumes your life. where we are coming from. I would never support end- Eric Schoen My issues with Spano YPIE Scholars from across the Yonkers public high schools presented their science research ing or increasing the number and areas I hope he works projects at the second annual YPIE Regeneron Symposium. of terms for elected offi cials.