WESTCHESTER’S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED NEWSPAPERS Vol 56 Number 17 www.RisingMediaGroup.com Friday, April 26, 2019 Free SUNY-CUNY Excelsior Indian Point Sold for Scholarship Back for Year 3 Decommissioning We Have a Surplus of Electricity; Indian Point Already Replaced Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders with Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2017 announcing free SUNY-CUNY tuition for New York State residents. The Indian Point Power Plant in Buchanan, set to close in 2021. By Dan Murphy The Excelsior Scholarship was created The passage of the state budget April 1 also by Cuomo as a tuition-free college program By Dan Murphy is closed in less than three years. included funding for the Excelsior Scholarship, geared toward middle-class New York fami- The news last week that Entergy, owner The sale includes the transfer of the licenses, initiated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2017, and lies who did not have the financial resources of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant in Bu- spent fuel, decommissioning liabilities, and Nu- back for its third year of providing New York to pay for their child’s college and who made chanan, has sold the plant to Holtec International clear Decommissioning Trusts for the three units. students free tuition at SUNY and CUNY col- more that would entitle their child to state and for decommissioning after the plant closes the “The sale of Indian Point to Holtec is expected to leges and universities. Current the yearly tuition federal grants to pay for college. The program last of its three nuclear units in 2021, renews the result in the completion of decommissioning de- at SUNY is $6,870. Continued on Page 8 thought about where will the electrical energy cades sooner than if the site were to remain under needs of Westchester come from once the plant Continued on Page 8 Westchester Congressmembers Coalition Against County On Mueller Report, Impeachment Airport Cites ‘Forever Chemicals’ Mueller is Done, Trump is No Nixon MSNBC host Joy Reid confronted Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney over the suggested Any expansion at the Westchester County Airport seems unlikely. impeachment of President Donald Trump. By Dan Murphy Donald Trump has been vindicated of any crimes Advocates against the expansion of West- a way to collect additional revenue in lieu of Now that the report on Russian interference of collusion or obstruction of justice. chester County Airport held a press conference county property tax increases. in the 2016 election, issued by former FBI Direc- What is unusual, and something we like last week to update the public on its findings Astorino’s proposal was met with oppo- tor Robert Mueller, has been released, the usual to see, is when one member of a political party and to call for additional measures to protect the sition from democrats on the county board on response depends on what side of the political stands up, and speaks out, even if it may mean area’s water supply. several fronts. Many environmental groups, in- aisle you sit, with democrats calling for more they are going against the beliefs and interests of The public debate over the future of the cluding the coalition to Prevent the Westches- information and some still calling for impeach- most of their colleagues. county airport, which has remained basically in- ter County Airport Expansion, opposed any ment, while republicans claim that President Continued on Page 8 tact and untouched over the past three decades, attempts to further infringe on the Kensico Res- began when former County Executive Rob As- ervoir and nearby water supply for county resi- torino proposed a new agreement that called for dents – which they feared from an expansion. Ossining Launches Progressive a new operator and expansion of the airport, as Continued on Page 9 Anti-Littering Campaign Yankees Ban Kate Smith’s Earth Day Festival is April 27 ‘God Bless America’ Ossining is using a new way to get people to keep their community clean. The Village of Ossining’s Downtown De- ed social media promotions on Instagram (@ velopment Fund Council recently launched a LittleBigOssining) and Facebook, and an en- Kate Smith with Babe Ruth. cutting-edge, multi-channel anti-littering cam- gaging website all supporting a single theme: paign that could serve as a model for munici- Tiny actions have a big impact when they are palities throughout the Hudson Valley and be- practiced by everyone. As an extension to the By Dan Murphy Smith version of “God Bless America,” where yond. The announcement was made at a news campaign, the DDFC announced that it will be After the attacks on America on Sept. 11, is has been played ever since Yanks owner conference in Ossining’s Market Square that reaching out to local organizations for the de- 2001, the song “God Bless America” began George Steinbrenner insisted that it be played was attended by local elected officials, busi- sign and creation of an art installation in Mar- playing at many sporting events, most nota- at home games… Until last week, when the ness owners and area residents. ket Square to bring even greater public visibil- bly at Yankee Stadium for the seventh-inning Yankees and several other sports teams in the The eye-catching “Little Big Picture” ity to the campaign. stretch. Originally, the song was sang live by U.S. pulled the Kate Smith version of “God campaign will include colorful street signage, Ossining recently updated its Village Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, but eventually the Bless America” after complaints surfaced that business and property owner brochures, target- Continued on Page 8 Yanks decided to use the popular taped Kate Continued on Page 9 PAGE 2 - NORTH CASTLE RISING - FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019 Girl Scouts Collect 3,000 Meet Author Dani Shapiro Books for United Way April 29 in Harrison Ossining Girl Scouts with some of the 3,000 books they collected, with United Way of Westchester-Putnam staff members. Volunteers from Girl Scouts Heart of the “It’s part of a larger vision to combine Unit- Hudson in Ossining collected 3,000 books and ed Way’s focus on early literacy with the G.I.R.L. helped build reading kits for low-income children power and community service ethic of Girl Scouts as part of the United Way of Westchester and Put- across the Hudson Valley region,” said Octavia nam’s United2Read program. Ford, director of volunteer engagement and part- The program seeks to promote literacy and nerships at Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson. boost grade-level reading among low-income On March 16, the Scouts helped clean and children. Sixty percent of low-income children do repair books, as well as assemble 1,000 reading not have even one children’s book in the home, kits (with three books per kit) for United Way to and only 38 percent of children in Westchester distribute to Head Starts and other preschools in and Putnam are reading at grade level by the end the Ossining community several times throughout of third grade. the year. “Our aim is to generate a relationship to Over the past three years, United Way of reading rather than create a one-time book gifting Westchester and Putnam (UWWP) collected and event,” said United Way of Westchester and Put- distributed nearly 15,000 books that were distrib- nam CEO Alana Sweeny. “We want the families uted to 3,000 underprivileged children, from birth to develop their own library of books that can be to age 5. shared with the children.” UWWP is located at 336 Central Park Ave., To take our impact to a new level, UWWP White Plains. For more information, call 914- developed a partnership with the Girl Scouts 997-6700, or visit www.uwwp.org. Facebook and Heart of the Hudson Council. Twitter (@UnitedWayWP). Latimer Welcomes the New Join the Harrison Public Library for the was in fact not her biological father. There will highlight of its One Book One Community pro- be a thought-provoking discussion, followed by York Streets to Westchester gram this month. a question-and-answer session and book sign- The library has partnered with the Jewish ing. Arena Football Comes to County Center Community Center of Harrison and will pres- The location for this program is the JCC of ent bestselling author Dani Shapiro on Monday, Harrison, 130 Union Ave., Harrison. April 29 at 7 p.m. to discuss her latest work, The Village Bookstore of Pleasantville will “Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity be on-site selling Shapiro’s books. Registration and Love,” which is an account of her recent is required for this program, which is free and revelation that the person she knew as her father open to the public. Members of the New York Streets arena football team, enjoying legendary Walter’s hot dogs at their new home at the Westchester County Center. On the steps of the iconic Westchester County ter, but add to the community and bring a sense Center, County Executive George Latimer recently of pride. “This team isn’t just a business, it’s a welcomed the New York Streets to their new home. family and we are committed always putting our “We want to show them a great Westchester fi nest foot forward,” she said. “Corey and I are so welcome,” he said. “We want the people of this humbled to be the fi rst black owners of a profes- county to come to the games, give the Streets a sional sports team in New York and are so happy home-fi eld advantage, and be able to say ‘We re- Westchester is part of that story.” member when it all started.’” Marsilio added: “Speaking for our coaches Joined by owners Corey and Tamara Gallo- and our players, we are excited to be here and be way, Head Coach Rick Marsilio, National Arena accepted into the community.