clowning residents hire attorney around for to ﬁ ght cell ... · vol. 9 no. 43 thursday, december...

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018VOL. 9 NO. 43

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE 31

CLASSIFIEDS 30

GOVERNMENT AT WORK 18

LEISURE 29

MAHOPAC MUSINGS 2

OPINION 10

SPORTS 23Mahopac Falls FD

kicks o� the holidays. pg 19-20

TREE LIGHTING

Visit TapIntoMahopac.net for the latest news.

PHOTO: DEENA BELL

BY BOB DUMAS EDITOR

Banding together, some Mahopac residents have hired an attorney to help them prevent a 180-foot cell tower from being erected in their neighbor-hood.

Danbury-based Homeland Towers has two applications before the Plan-ning Board. One would build a tower on residential property on Dixon Road and a second would build at 254 Cro-ton Falls Road, property owned by Richard Diehl.

Talks are underway to move the Dixon Road tower from private prop-erty to nearby town property in or near McDonough Park, likely leaving the Croton Falls Road residents alone in the � ght.

Last � ursday (Dec. 6), about two dozen homeowners from the Croton Falls Road area met at the home of Bob Buckley, who lives on Eleanor Drive. Town Supervisor Ken Schmitt was on hand to observe.

Buckley, who has led the charge against the tower plans, said that if the Croton Falls Road tower were built, it

would be a blight on the view from his backyard. He created a Facebook page dedicated to providing information on the cell tower plans and to keeping residents up to date on the application process.

Ron Leviner, who lives on nearby Stacey Lane, helped lead the search for an attorney who specializes in cell tow-er issues. He said he knows the town has to take a broader view of the issue, so it was important to � nd someone to represent the neighborhood’s interests.

“� e town has to do what is right for the town,” Leviner said. “But for the people who are personally a� ected, we wanted to have an expert who has dealt with these situations before—someone who is dedicated to helping just us. Not because we think the town isn’t look-ing out for us, but because they have a broader purview. � is is an attorney who has been in a lot of battles with cell tower companies.”

Leviner said it was important to have a lawyer who knew his or her way around cell tower issues and related

Residents hire attorney to fi ght cell tower plan

Croton Falls Road homeowners gear up for legal battle

Clowning around for

a causeTen-year-old Vincent

Christiano is hoisted in the air by Space Jam, aka Leon Sewell, dur-ing the Harlem Wizards fundraising game against Mahopac school faculty on Nov. 30. � e Wiz-ards brought their unique brand of basketball com-edy to town to help raise money for Mahopac High School’s boys and girls basketball programs. For more photos, see the center spread on pages 16 and 17.

SEE CELL TOWER PAGE 8

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MAHOPAC MUSINGS

The StaffEDITORIAL TEAM

BOB DUMAS

EDITOR: [email protected]

GABRIELLE BILIK

SPORTS EDITOR: [email protected]

ADVERTISING TEAMCORINNE STANTON

[email protected]

LISA KAIN

[email protected]

PAUL FORHAN

[email protected]

JENNIFER CONNELLY

[email protected]

NANCY SORBELLA

[email protected]

BRUCE HELLER

[email protected]

PRODUCTION TEAM

TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL

PRODUCTION MANAGER

DESIGNER/PHOTOGRAPHER

[email protected]

GABRIELLE BILIK

ASST PRODUCTION MANAGER 914-214-4285

[email protected]

EXECUTIVE TEAMBRETT FREEMAN

PUBLISHER: [email protected]

SHELLEY KILCOYNE

VP OF SALES: 845-621-1116

[email protected]

DeadlinesMAHOPAC NEWS DEADLINE

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PAGE 2 – MAHOPAC NEWS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

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First Presbyterian Church Services

� e First Presbyterian Church of Mahopac holiday service sched-ule:

Dec. 24, Christmas Eve services5 p.m. Family Christmas Eve

Service, featuring the Handbell Choir

7:30 p.m. Candlelight Christ-mas Eve Service, featuring the

Handbell Choir and the beauti-ful voices of the First Presbyterian Choir

Regular Sunday service, 10 a.m.Visitors welcomed regardless

of religious background. Any-one looking for a church home is invited to visit with us during the holidays and anytime. First Presbyterian Church is located at 411 Route 6N (at Secor Road) in Mahopac. For more information, call 845-628-2365 or email [email protected]. You can also

visit mahopacchurch.org or Face-book at First Presbyterian Church, Mahopac.

Mahopac Library Events

Light Bite Book GroupMonday/Wednesday, Dec. 17, 19,

1 p.m. Join us at the Light Bite Book Group which meets on the third Monday or third Wednesday of each month. New members are always welcome. � e December read is “� e Story of Arthur Tru-luv” by Elizabeth Berg; pick up a copy at the library circulation desk.

Library Board of TrusteesWednesday, Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m.

Mahopac Public Library Board of Trustees meeting.� e public is welcome to attend. For more in-formation visit www.mahopacli-brary.org, and click the ‘About Us’ link.

Foreign Film Screening � ursday, Dec. 20, 6:30 p.m.

“� e Man Who Invented Christ-mas,” a ¤ lm from England. “� e Man Who Invented Christmas” tells of the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and other classic characters from “A Christ-mas Carol.” � e ¤ lm shows how Charles Dickens mixed real-life inspiration with his vivid imagina-tion to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale. Rat-ed PG; screened in English. Reg-istration requested; register online at www.mahopaclibrary.org, or call 845-628-2009, ext. 100.

Crafts at Koehler Center

Come join us at the Mahopac Koehler Center, 180 Route 6, and have fun creating decorations or gifts. Crafts class takes place every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. call Mary White at 845-808-1734 with any questions.

Toys for TotsDonate a new unwrapped toy to

help less fortunate children experi-ence the joy of the holiday season. Bring donations to the Putnam County Sheri© ’s Department, 3 County Center, in Carmel, by Dec. 13. For more info, go to Toysfor-Tots.org.

Senior Entertainers Sought� e Retired Senior Volun-

teer Program (RSVP) is seek-ing volunteers to use their voice and dance skills for entertaining in nursing and veteran homes in he area. � e group practiced every Monday at 11 a.m. at the Mahopac Friendship Center. Call Mary White at 845-808-1734.

SEE MUSINGS PAGE 21

Your NeighborYour NeighborMAHOPAC NEWS – PAGE 3THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

BY BOB DUMASEDITOR

Since she joined the Girl Scouts back in � rst grade, Gabrielle Lama has always had her sights set on earning the Gold Award—the highest honor a Girl Scout can obtain.

“I looked up to the other girls and wanted to be like them and have an impact on the community,” she said.

� e 16-year-old Mahopac High School junior found a way to do just that. � e project she envisioned to earn her Gold Award was the creation of a butter� y garden at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary in Newtown, Conn. � e sanctuary was started in memory of Catherine Violet Hubbard, a 6-year-old victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy on Dec. 14, 2012.

Gabrielle’s father, Julian, is friends with Matt Hubbard, Catherine’s dad. “Matt and his wife, Jenny, wanted to commemorate [Catherine’s] legacy with an animal sanctuary,”

Gabrielle said. “She was always kind to animals, and her favorite animal was the butter� y.”� e whole process actually began several years ago with Gabrielle’s Silver Award project, which began

the butter� y concept at the animal sanctuary. She decided to have a butter� y-themed bench custom made and placed along a sanctuary trail.

“I thought something I could do to beautify [the sanctuary] was to make something butter� y-related; something that was purple-shaded,” she said. “I could incorporate it and make a bench where visitors could re� ect or take a look around like Catherine would have.”

To raise money for the bench, Gabrielle held a bake sale at St. John the Evangelist Church. But after the bench builders heard what Gabrielle was trying to do, they were in awe of Catherine’s story and decided to donate the bench.

“So, it didn’t cost me anything,” she said. “We placed it right next to the bridal path that runs through the sanctuary.”

So, when it came time to begin work on her Gold Award project, continuing the work at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary seemed like the natural thing to do. After all, she already had money saved up from not having to pay for the butter� y bench.

“I was talking to [Catherine’s] mom and we thought it would be nice to have a garden and a way to attract butter� ies,” Gabrielle said. “� ere was no other option—we decided I would build it and plant it, so others could learn about butter� ies.”

Gabrielle said although she never had the opportunity to meet Catherine, she feels that by doing this project, she’s gotten to know her.

“She would capture butter� ies and tell them she was kind and ask them to come back with more but-ter� ies, which is what I hope happens with the garden,” Gabrielle said. “I learned a lot about her and maybe people can learn a lot about themselves [at the butter� y garden] and maybe touched by Catherine in some way, which I think would be pretty cool.”

Gabrielle raised more money for the butter� y garden by holding a second bake sale at St. John’s. She then set to work on creating the garden. She planned the design with the help of the University of Con-necticut Landscape Architecture faculty and students.

“I wanted to make sure I had enough money because I wanted ev-

erything to be natural and wanted to use indigenous plants,” she said. “UConn gave

me the recommendations and showed me the di� erent steps that go into it. I didn’t realize

The butterfl y effectGabrielle Lama’s Gold Award project pays

tribute to Sandy Hook victim

Gabrielle Lama and her just-planted butterfl y garden

The butterfl y bench that earned Gabrielle her Silver Award.PHOTOS COURTESY OF GABRIELLE LAMA

SEE BUTTERFLY PAGE 4

MAHOPAC NEWS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

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how much went into it. I really owe a lot to UConn.”

Gabrielle also worked closely with an educator at the sanctu-ary named Henryk who will be the one to take visiting students through the garden and teach them about the myriad types of milkweed growing there what it does for the butteries and how it supports their migration.

� e garden has since been of-� cially designated a Monarch Butter� y Waystation, which, if everything goes as planned, visi-tors will be able to check out next summer as the various strains of milkweed (all di� erent colors) begin to bloom.

� e Sanctuary is located in the heart of Newtown at the end of Old Farm Road, spread over 34 acres. Visitors are welcome to explore the extensive hiking and equestrian trails or have a picnic at the pavilion. It’s open dusk to dawn.

� e goal is for the sanctuary to one day accept animals to come live there but it’s not ready to do that just yet.

“� ey are still in the process of developing the sanctuary; they still need some permits,” Gabrielle said. “� ey have refurbished a barn there. � e vision is to take in stray animals that are indigenous to Connecticut, so it’s a natural experience and a place

where kids can go to learn about wildlife and teach people how to care for them.”

Gabrielle will receive her Gold Award at a cer-emony in March. In the meantime, she encourages people to learn more about the sanctuary by visiting cvhfoundation.org.

BUTTERFLYFROM PAGE 3

Matt Hubbard, Catherine’s father, and Gabrielle’s cousin, Cara Galli (pink coat), helped plant the butterfl y garden.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GABRIELLE LAMA

MAHOPAC NEWS – PAGE 5THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

Every year, the Mahopac Italian American Club (IAC) picks a local charity for which to raise money. In 2018, the IAC chose United for the Troops, a Mahopac-based organization that sends care packages to American troops stationed overseas.

� is year, the IAC raised $9,200, including $5,000 from club member Nicole Cristofaro, whose orga-nization she works with contributed the money anonymously.

During its Dec. 5 meeting, the club presented the checks to Jim and Patricia Rathschmidt, founders of United for the Troops.

IAC supports United for the Troops

From left, Nicole Cristofaro, Patricia and James Rathschmidt of United for the Troops, IAC President Giulio Cefaloni, IAC Vice President Joseph FierroPHOTO: BOB DUMAS

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To advertise in Mahopac News, call Brett Freeman at 845-208-8151 or email [email protected].

� e Mahopac Central School District administration and Board of Education invites the community to participate in a brief survey for input for its capital project planning.

District residents can access the online survey at www.surveymon-key.com/r/MahopacSchools now through Friday, Dec. 14.

Over the past several years, the Board of Education, administra-tion and teachers have sought to improve and expand upon the academic programs o� ered to Mahopac students. Now, the dis-trict must also focus on the com-munity’s investment in the school buildings to support its students for college and career readiness.

Accordingly, the administration, the Board of Education is working on developing a tax-neutral capital project that provides strong and safe schools. � e plan supports an edu-

cational facility plan that serves as a clear re� ection of our community’s commitment to high-quality schools, including security and safety initia-tives, infrastructure needs, such as:

• STEAM and science instruc-tional upgrades

• Music and performing arts up-grades

• Renovating libraries to multi-media centers

• Safety and security improve-ments

• Athletic � elds and facilities“We encourage the community

to take the survey as everyone’s input is invaluable,” said Harvey Sotland, assistant superintendent of business. “We will use the � nd-ings to help guide our planning process,”

For more information regarding, go to www.mahopac.k12.ny.us/bond or call 845-628-3415 ext. 10560.

Schools seek community input on capital project plan

� e electronic waste drop-o� station at 33 McAlpin Ave., Ma-hopac, will be suspended until further notice. � e last day the e-waste container will be available is Saturday, Dec. 22 (weather permitting).

� e Putnam County Department of Health is in the process of seeking a new vendor to provide e-waste service to the residents of Putnam County and the town of Carmel.

For additional information, contact the Putnam County Depart-ment of Health at 845-808-1390.

E-waste drop off suspended

� e Carmel Town Board is looking for an interested and quali� ed person to � ll a vacancy on the Planning Board.

� ose interested should send a letter of interest and resume to the supervisor’s o� ce no later than Dec., 28.

Mail to: Supervisor Kenneth Schmitt, Carmel Town Hall, 60 McAlpin Ave, Mahopac, NY 10541—or fax to 845 628-6836, or email to [email protected].

Town looks to fi ll Planning Board vacancy

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Entrées

Crossroads Deli can help you with the Holidays!

Side DishesGreen Bean Casserole - $30

Mashed Potatoes - $30

Mashed Sweet Potatoes - $30

Fried Cauliflower - $30

Rutabaga, Carrot, Celery, Medley - $25

Glazed Carrots - $25

New England Clam Chowder - $9.95 Qt

Italian Wedding Soup - $8.95 Qt

Butternut Squash Soup - $8.95 Qt

Roasted Brussels Sprouts - $35

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes - $25

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Braised Red Cabbage - $30

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We also have a full selection of hot foods, wedges & appetizersWe also have a full selection of hot foods, wedges & appetizersWe also have a full selection of hot foods, wedges & appetizersWe also have a full selection of hot foods, wedges & appetizers

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Judge � omas Scuccimarra, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 70, has an-nounced that he will be retiring.

Scuccimarra served as a Put-nam County judge from 1986 to 2000. He has served as a judge on the New York State Court of Claims for the past 17 years.

Scuccimarra has been a member of the judiciary for 33 years and has presided over � ve di� erent courts in the State of New York. He served as the town justice for the Philip-stown from 1985 to 2000; was acting village justice for the vil-lage of Cold Spring from 1984 to 2000 and acting justice for Nelsonville, as well as a Putnam County judge.

In March 2000, he was nom-inated by Gov. George Pataki to � ll a vacancy on the Putnam County Court and thereafter served as a “multi-hat” county court judge presiding over fam-ily, criminal and surrogate court matters until Dec. 31, 2000. On April 24, 2001, Scuccimar-ra was nominated by Pataki to become a Judge of the Court of Claims, and he was con� rmed by the New York State Senate on May 8, 2001. On June 20, 2006 he was reappointed by Pataki to a nine-year term on the Court of Claims. On June 17, 2015, he was reappointed to a nine-ear term by Gov. An-drew Cuomo.

In addition to his own as-signment to the White Plains District of the Court of Claims, Scuccimarra volunteered to cover other districts as need-ed because of judicial vacan-cies or con� icts. As a result, he has presided over trials in Hauppauge, Long Island, and has been a part of the New York City District assignment wheel for many years.

He served as president of the Peekskill City Bar Association in 1984 and as president of the Putnam County Magistrate’s

Association from 1989 to 1992. He was one of the original members of the Town of Phil-ipstown’s Conservation Advi-sory Counsel and was on the Board of Trustees of the But-ter� eld Memorial Hospital in Cold Spring. In 1999, he was appointed by the State Supreme Court Appellate Division as a mediator in the settlement of attorney/client disputes.

He serves on the Ninth Ju-dicial District Committee to Promote Gender Fairness in the courts and served on the Board of Directors of the White Plains Bar Association and the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County. He is a member of the New York State Magistrate’s Association and the New York State Bar Association.

Thomas Scuccimarra, former Putnam County judge, retires

Judge Thomas Scuccimarra

Holiday Orders

Beef (Angus)• Cracked Pepper Filet Mignon• Filet Mignon (Plain or Marinated)• Eye Round Roast Beef• Standing Rib Roast• Shell Roast• Top Round Roast (Silver Tip)

Veal• Roast (Plain or Seasoned)• Osso Bucco (Veal Shanks)• Rack of Veal• Loin of Veal (Chops) Regular Cut or Double Chop for Stuffing• Veal for Spedini

Pork• Fresh Ham (Plain or Seasoned)• Boneless Loin Roast (Plain or Seasoned)• Broccoli Rabe Stuffed Loin Roast• Spinach and Prosciutto Loin Roast• Crown of Pork (Plain or Stuffed)

Hams• Spiral Hams• Smoked Hams (Bone or Boneless)

Lamb (American)• Frenched Crown of Lamb• Leg of Lamb (Plain or Seasoned)• Loin of Lamb (Plain or Seasoned)• Whole Baby Lamb• Butterflied Leg of Lamb

Seafood• Lobster Tails • Shrimp • Calamari• Crab Cakes . Baccala Salad. Seafood Salad

Chef Specialties• Stuffed Fillet of Sole (Crabmeat)• Salmon (Lemon Caper or Warm

Butter Sauce)• Baked Clams ($12.99 Dz)

Zuppe de Pesce• Lobster • Shrimp • Calamari• Scallops • Clams

Specialty Items• Farm Fresh - Killed Turkey• Murray’s Whole Chicken• Capons • Ducks • Quails • Rabbits

Special Holiday Necessities• Large & Small Antipastos• Shrimp Platters • Cheese Platters• Gift Baskets • Pre-paid A&S Gift Cards

Homemade Sauces• Marinara • Meat • Vodka • Filetto• Bolognese • Pesto • Clam (White or Red)

Desserts• Store Made Strufoli (Honey Balls)• Store Made Cannolis

HOLIDAY HOURS:Friday, Dec. 21st- 8:30am to 6:30pm Saturday, Dec. 22nd- 8:30am to 9pm

Sunday, Dec. 23rd- 8:30am to Midnight Monday, Dec. 24th- 8:30am to 5pm

Tuesday, Dec. 25th- CLOSED Wednesday Dec. 26th -8:30 am to 6:30pm

Thursday-Sat, Dec 27th-29th8:30am to 6:30pm

Sunday, Dec. 30th - 8:30am to 9pm Monday, Dec. 31st -8:30am to 6pm

Tuesday, Jan. 1st - CLOSED

Thank you for shoppingA&S Pork Store & Fine Foods.We wish our customers a very

joyful holiday season! Best wishes for a happy, healthy & peaceful New Year. God Bless America.

Hot & Cold Catering3’ to 6’ Wedges • Platters • Appetizers

3665 Hill Blvd., Jefferson Valley, NY 10535

914.243.9608 FX:914.243.9613 www.asfinefoodsjv.com



We are now taking holiday orders, so please place your holiday orders early. Christmas orders need to be placed by December 20th and New Year’s orders need to be placed by December 29th.

We offer a full range of quality meats, cut and prepared to order. Check out our full roasts and specialty meat menus below.

Let A&S make your holiday gatherings extra special with the finest meats and catering. Pick up our full catering menu or visit us at our website at www.asfinefoodsjv.com.

We have gift baskets available or gift cards tailored to your needs and budgets.

We an now taking holiday orders, so please place your holiday orders early. Christmasorders need to be placed by December 20th and New Year’s orders need to be placed by

December 29th. We o� er a full range of quality meats, cut and prepared to order. Checkout our full roasts and specialty meat menus below. Let A&S make your holiday

glltherings extra special with the � nest meats and catering. Pick up our fullcatering menu or visit us at our website at www.as� nefoodsjv.com. We have

gi� baskets available or gi� cards tailored to your needs and budgets.

Holiday Orders


Veal• Roast (Plain or Seasoned)• Osso Bosco (Veal Shanks)• Rack ofVeal• Loin of Veal (Chops) RegularCut or Double Chop for Stuffi ng• Veal for Spiedini

Pork• Fresh Ham (Plain or Seasoned)• Boneless Loin Roast(Plain or Seasoned)• Broccoli Rabe Stuffed Loin Roast

·• Spinach and Prosciutto Loin Roast• Crown of Pork (Plain or Stuffed)

Hams• Spiral Hams (Halves or Whole)• Smoked Hams (Bone or Boneless)

Lamb (American)• Frenched Crown of Lamb• Leg of Lamb (Plain or Seasoned)• Loin of Lamb (Plain or Seasoned)• Whole Baby Lamb• Butterfl ied Leg of Lamb

Seafood• Lobster Tails • Shrimp • Calamari• Crab Cakes . Bacala Salad. Seafood Salad







Desserts• Store Made Strufoli (Honey Balls)

HOLIDAY HOURS:



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We an now taking holiday orders, so please place your holiday orders early. Christmasorders need to be placed by December 20th and New Year’s orders need to be placed by

December 29th. We o� er a full range of quality meats, cut and prepared to order. Checkout our full roasts and specialty meat menus below. Let A&S make your holiday

glltherings extra special with the � nest meats and catering. Pick up our fullcatering menu or visit us at our website at www.as� nefoodsjv.com. We have

gi� baskets available or gi� cards tailored to your needs and budgets.

Holiday Orders


Veal• Roast (Plain or Seasoned)• Osso Bosco (Veal Shanks)• Rack ofVeal• Loin of Veal (Chops) RegularCut or Double Chop for Stuffi ng• Veal for Spiedini

Pork• Fresh Ham (Plain or Seasoned)• Boneless Loin Roast(Plain or Seasoned)• Broccoli Rabe Stuffed Loin Roast

·• Spinach and Prosciutto Loin Roast• Crown of Pork (Plain or Stuffed)

Hams• Spiral Hams (Halves or Whole)• Smoked Hams (Bone or Boneless)

Lamb (American)• Frenched Crown of Lamb• Leg of Lamb (Plain or Seasoned)• Loin of Lamb (Plain or Seasoned)• Whole Baby Lamb• Butterfl ied Leg of Lamb

Seafood• Lobster Tails • Shrimp • Calamari• Crab Cakes . Bacala Salad. Seafood Salad







Desserts• Store Made Strufoli (Honey Balls)

HOLIDAY HOURS:



914-243-9608 FX:914.243.9613

SPEND $35 AND

GET$5 OFF



SPEND $35 AND

GET$5 OFF


Offer expires 12/31/2017Offer Expires 12/31/18 Offer Expires 12/31/18

Editorial SubmissionsPress releases and photos should be submitted to Mahopac News by the Thursday before the next publication date. Submissons can be emailed to [email protected] or mail it to Mahopac News, Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like your photo returned.


litigation, because the wireless companies have an army of legal experts with plenty of experience � ghting such battles.

“We are up against people who do this for a living and after talking to [our] law-yer, from my perspective we are kind of evening the odds. As part of [the law-yer’s] business, he thinks about cell tower placement all the time, especially from the point of view of people who are against a cell tower in their neighborhood. He’s done that so many times.”

Leviner and Buckley declined to name the attorney, saying he has gone up against Homeland in the past and did not want to give Homeland an advantage.

Buckley made it clear that he and his neighbors are not opposed to cell towers per se—they know there’s a need—but they don’t want them in residential neigh-borhoods. Buckley said he believes that Homeland hasn’t looked hard enough for alternative locations.

Buckley noted that federal law makes it di� cult for local municipalities to reject cell tower applications but said it can be

done if the right arguments are made.“If the Planning Board denies [the ap-

plication] based on emotions or they slip up [in making the decision], if they reject it and the language is in there incorrectly, we will lose on appeal,” he said. “We need to make sure we do A, B and C. [� e Croton Falls Road residents’ attorney] has won 75 percent of his cases and he said the cases he loses are a result of mis-takes in the [application] denial process by the Planning Board or the Zoning Board. How the Planning Board denies it and the language that they use [is very important].”

Leviner said the attorney gave the resi-dents some “homework” that will help him prepare his arguments and could even help the town and planning boards should they have to go to court. Leviner said the at-torney wants personal letters written by residents explaining why the tower would be a detriment to their neighborhood, as well as letters from local real estate agents testifying that a tower would lower prop-erty values in the area.

“[� e attorney wants] letters written by nearby property owners that talk about the impact from their personal points of

view, which are admissable as evidence,” Leviner said. “You [can] build a great case with so many good arguments that essen-tially the cell-tower companies say there are easier ways to get this done.”

Jennifer Simon said she’d be more than happy to write a letter.

“We purposely moved here from the city. I’m not a city girl. We purposely chose a wooded lot,” she said. “[Cell tow-ers] were actually a consideration for us when we bought the property. How far away were we from cell towers? How far away were we from major highways? I wanted to be away from those things. � e aesthetics are very important, but the other thing is they are going to have to cut down a lot of trees in order to do the construction. Not only is that aestheti-cally a problem, it’s an environmental problem, too. � e more vegetation they take away, the bigger the erosion prob-lem. � at concerns me.”

Leviner asked the group to approach real estate agents they knew to see if they would write a letter.

“Get as many letters as you can get from local real estate brokers saying, ‘I’ve been a licensed real estate broker for X

number of years and active in this area, and in my professional opinion the val-ue of homes near the cell tower will go down X percent,’” he said. “[Homeland] has evidence that cell towers help home values. � ey have studies. Who knows if they are really fair. We need to help the town, if it comes to litigation, to counter that argument. And to do that, you need local experience.”

Buckley said he believes a 180-foot-tall tower isn’t really needed, but it was pro-posed that way so Homeland could later reduce the height and be able to say it was willing to compromise.

Simon agreed.“It is what they do in corporate com-

pliance,” she said. “It’s so they can come down and say it was a compromise. � at’s what you do—make it look like you com-promised.”

“� ey are showing no respect for our laws. � ey just want to save money,” Buckley added. “We have to raise some red � ags. It’s up to us.”

Buckley said it was important for ev-eryone to attend the public hearing on the application and he would let residents know once it’s scheduled.

CELL TOWERFROM PAGE 1

‘For the people who are personally a� ected, we wanted to have an expert who has dealt with these situations before...’ - Ron Leviner

Mahopac Resident

2019


A Pawling man was sen-tenced last week to 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 years in state prison for stealing money from cemeter-ies that he worked for, includ-ing one in Carmel and two in Mahopac.

Putnam County District At-torney Robert Tendy said Rob-ert Bauer will also have to pay restitution in the amount of $195,850.

Bauer, who had been the superintendent of Raymond Hill Cemetery in the hamlet of Carmel from approximately mid-2010 to mid-2015, was convicted of second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, and two counts of � rst-degree falsifying business records.

Bauer had submitted invoices and was reimbursed for more than $160,000 of work that he did not perform and materials he did not purchase.

Additionally, during the in-vestigation, New York State Police and Putnam County

District Attorney’s O� ce un-covered evidence that Bauer had stolen from other cemeter-ies for which he was employed and vendors with which he had done business. Consequently, Bauer was separately charged with those o� enses and on Oct. 19 he pleaded guilty to three ad-ditional counts of third-degree grand larceny, and one count of fourth-degree grand larceny, admitting that he stole from Union Valley Cemetery and Ballard Barrett Cemetery, both in Mahopac, Putnam County Monuments and Bulldog Con-

crete. � ree of the thefts oc-curred during the same time as his theft from Raymond Hill, while the fourth occurred the weekend before his trial began.

Due to the scope of Bauer’s

theft against the Raymond Hill Cemetery, as well as the addi-tional crimes that he pleaded guilty to, the District Attorney’s O� ce argued to County Judge Larry Schwartz that Bauer de-

served a sentence of four to 12 years in state prison. At sen-tencing, Schwartz described Bauer as a “brazen thief.”

Pawling man gets jail time for theft

Robert Bauer

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OFFERING CREDIT AND NON-CREDIT CLASSES The Peekskill Extension is one of Northern Westchester and Putnam County’s vital resources and is located in downtown Peekskill at North Division Street. This Center offers 3-credit courses in all areas and has specialized facilities that support the digital arts and film. The Center also offers a non-credit certificate and related courses in User Experience (UX) Design and now, this spring, in 3D animation, as well as ESL and other student services. Learn in a cutting-edge environment equipped with a Maker Space outfitted with 3D printing.

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Stole money from local cemeteries

OpinionOpinion


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One of my favorite trips is to take the ferry—with a couple of grand-children in tow—to Staten Island

(which, by the way is free). We sit near the bow of the boat enjoying the breeze, and on the starboard side, not only to relish the warmth of the sun, but to appreciate the inspiring view, as we pass within several hundred yards of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

My eyesight is not great, so I usually bring along a small set of binoculars strapped to my belt, and a backpack full of “healthy” snacks for the kids.

As we approach Lady Liberty, I pull out my � eld glasses and adjust them, so we can see the � ner points of the statue and read the words, inscribed in bronze, on the pedestal:

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Remarkably, each time I see those words, I stir with emotion and need to take a moment or two before I can comfortably discuss their meaning. I measure my words carefully.

I explain that the statue was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States, in 1886. � e � gure on top of the base is a robed Roman goddess, Libertas (Liberty). She holds a torch above her head with her right hand, and in her left hand is a tablet etched with the Roman numerals of the date this country established its nationhood and declared its independence from Great Brit-ain—July 4, 1776. A broken chain is at her feet; one can imagine her striding forward.

� e statue has long been a welcoming sight to millions of immigrants arriving from overseas. Even today, as planes � y over New York, passengers stretch their necks to catch a glimpse of Lady Liberty, knowing that this enormous copper monument, situated in the middle of New York Harbor, is an iconic representation of America’s great-ness, signifying that the poor, disadvantaged, and unfortunate of other nations are forever welcome in this country.

� e inscription was written by Emma Lazarus, an American poet, and installed in 1903, 15 years after her death. Her ancestors came from Portugal, long before the Ameri-can Revolution, and were among the � rst

Jewish emigrants to the United States. Laza-rus became interested in her Jewish heritage after she heard of the Russian pogroms—the

wanton killing of thousands upon thousands of defense-less Jews. As a result of this anti-Semitic violence, destitute Jews emigrated from Russian, with Lazarus acting as a strong advocate on their behalf.

Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic

increase in the number of unaccompanied children and families crossing the U.S./Mex-ico border, � eeing violence and government brutishness. � ey are coming from the North-ern Triangle of Central America—Guatema-lans, Hondurans, and El Salvadorans—people who have been experiencing a terrifying level of violence that’s been rising rapidly since the late 2000s. Government weakness and corruption, along with American collusion, have allowed numerous armed and vicious groups to thrive. Street gangs, drug cartels, and organized crime syndicates fed by an insatiable demand in the U.S. for cheap labor and illicit drugs have contributed to this wave of unmitigated savagery.

Nowadays, more than half the people caught by the Border Patrol are children or families seeking asylum; up over 300 percent since 2013. (It’s been reported that up to 75 percent have at least one relative already in this country.)

Imagine how untenable conditions must be when hundreds and hundreds of families, desperate to save their children’s lives, feel they have no choice but to take them or send them alone on this long, hazardous journey north, with just the clothes on their back. Making it to the U.S., for them, appears to be the best of a bad set of choices, especially considering the high risk of being beaten, robbed, kidnapped, sexually assaulted, or even murdered along the way.

� ese children and families should be treated as victims of con� ict and thus be granted asylum. Too much indi§ erence and sel� shness has been shown regarding their plight. Watching the anger and venom that spews forth on Fox News, listening to it repeated at the gym, or standing in line at the supermarket, or from neighbors in my community—it’s appalling.

Is this the America we aspire to? Aren’t we the richest and most powerful nation in the world? Why are we fearful of 700 lost souls now camped on our southern border?

‘…huddled masses yearning to breathe free’

BERNIE KOSBERG

HERE AND NOW!

Some folks, sadly, live in a per-petual state of fear and believe some form of danger lurks around every corner. I am not sure what initially instilled such a mindset in them, but I do know that social media, the 24-hour cable-news cycle and many politicians (the Brown People are coming to get you!) exacerbate and exploit that fear.

I remember last year, when neighboring Yorktown was contem-plating a project that would expand its walking trails and bike paths throughout town, some residents showed up at the Town Board meeting to speak out against the idea. � ese trails, they argued, would attract transients who would then jump the fence and break into their homes and steal their children!

Well, OK, I thought, those must be fun households to grow up in. It’s helicopter parenting, except the helicopter is a medevac.

It’s the age-old contemplation of perception vs. reality. Reality, and your perceptions of reality are often two di§ erent things. You’re smart to recognize that sometimes your per-ceptions can’t be trusted and must be examined … even challenged. Professor Steven Pinker recently pointed that out in an article for Time Magazine. He noted that measurable statistics about life in the 21st century show people overall are living longer, are healthier, better fed, richer and safer than ever before. � ose are the undeniable facts.

Yet, the average person’s opinion of the state of the world is much more pessimistic and worried. What’s going on here? Why are people drawing conclusions that are the exact opposite of the facts?

For example, Mahopac recently had a mini-crime spree. Someone passed a counterfeit $100 bill at a local gift shop, and then, a few days later, the video game store right next door was robbed at gunpoint.

We wrote those stories, as any com-munity newspaper would, but with a slightly bemused attitude: “Oh, look. Mahopac had a crime.” Neither made the front page, but when we linked the

store robbery article to our Facebook page, all hell broke loose.

“Can’t feel safe anywhere…anymore!” one anguished lady bemoaned.

“I’m scared to leave my house!” decried another lost soul.

I don’t know how to console these women. It’s

the ol’ perception vs. reality. � e women perceive that Mahopac is a crime-ridden hell hole where no one is safe. � e reality is that crime is actually rare here. In fact, the website NewYorkupstate.com ranks Carmel as the seventh safest town in New York. In 2016, according to the FBI, there were � ve “violent” crimes here—four of them aggravated assault. � ere were 16 burglaries. � at’s in a town with a population of just under 35,000. It’s not exactly the south side of Chicago.

Now, if you really want to have your perception of living in ominous circumstances meet reality, just get in your car and drive around. I am not talking about the risk you take getting smushed by some dipwad who is texting while driving. I’m talking about the seemingly end-less supply of psychotics who will threaten and menace you—maybe even cause you bodily harm—be-cause of some perceived notion of inconsideration on the roadway. Yes… road rage. It’s still out there and it’s getting weirder.

It seems every day there is a news report of some sort of altercation on our nation’s highways and byways. Here are just a few recent ones:

• A pediatric dentist was arrested after a road-rage shooting in a Newnan, Ga., parking lot involv-ing the suspect, her husband and another couple. � e dentist said she was baited into the altercation when the driver of the other car spewed racial slurs at her.

• A 36-year-old man, Horace Williams, became involved in a Nov. 27 road altercation with another driver that ended tragically on Sweetwater Road in Chula Vista, Calif. Williams and 60-year-old

Perception vs. reality

BOBDUMAS

OUT OF MY HEAD

SEE DUMAS PAGE 14


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Being in the landscaping business for many years, I hired dozens of work-

ers. Sometimes I � red them. Sometimes they � red me. After a while, I came to realize that it was best not to get too involved in the lives of my workers, their problems. But with Pedro it was di� erent. I came to love him as if he were my brother.

He used to come to work in the morning singing Spanish folk songs. In a work environ-ment there’s always this macho thing. You know, who can lift the heaviest log, tests of strength. One time, Pedro and I were � ll-ing wheelbarrows with topsoil. Naturally, I kept an eye on his, not wanting to be outdone. Before I had a chance to lift my wheelbarrow, Pedro began shoveling some of its contents into his.

I was in my 50s, not the man I once was, and Pedro knew it.

He had a young son, and a daughter on the way. He wanted all the work he could get. It worked out well. I was slow-ing down and sometimes asked Pedro to work by himself.

“You take a siesta now,” Pedro would say after lunch.

I paid Pedro what he was worth. But he always seemed overly grateful. When he worked alone, while I was sitting in the shade enjoying la dolce vita, it only seemed fair to give him a few extra bucks. His eyes would actually � ll with tears.

When he found out he was having a daughter, the subject of names came up frequently. A name can add beauty to person. And a person can add beauty to a name.

“How about Sophia?” I asked.He thought it was too ethnic. “Maybe Rita, then?”Pedro liked that name and

said he would ask his wife what she thought.

She didn’t like Rita. But Pedro had an idea that they both agreed on: � ey wanted me to be their daughter’s godfather.

I was stunned. A lot of thoughts went through my mind, not all of them positive in nature. But I soon felt honored. � is time it was I whose eyes � lled with tears.

� ey named their daughter Clara. Soon after she was born, Pedro moved his family to North Carolina. Whenever I drive to Florida, I stop at Pedro’s for a day or two to see Clara.

I guess it was around the time she turned 4 that she became for me a real person. Suddenly, she looked at me with these big

� e sun is coming through the window

Shelter dogs make better giftsTo the editor,

Now that the holiday season is upon us, many people think a puppy would make a good gift. What most forget is that puppies require a lot of time, energy, money, and many pet store puppies come from sick and neglected puppy mills.

Nearly eight million companion animals enter U.S. shelters each year, half of which are sadly killed. � is is a staggering number of in-nocent lives lost, with millions more spending many years, if not their entire lives in a small cage hoping to be adopted.

Instead of buying an expensive and high-maintenance puppy as a gift, visit your local animal shelter in order to � nd one. � ese loving dogs have already been spayed/neutered, are up-to-date on vaccina-tions, and microchipped.

We are fortunate in Westchester and Putnam counties to have ter-ri� c animal shelters. One of which is the Putnam Humane Society in Carmel. � e most intelligent, friendly, and loving dogs I have ever met were adopted. Shelter pets want nothing more than to be in a loving home, where they will be a terri� c new family member.

So, instead of buying a puppy this holiday season, please share your love and home with a dog who desperately needs it. Visit your local shelter, volunteer to walk a dog, and always choose to adopt.

Steve Reid Professional dog trainer

Somers

LETTERS

LORENZOGARO

OF HUMANINTEREST

SEE GARO PAGE 14

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I am a scarf person, but I am married to a non-scarf person. Conversely,

my husband is a hat person, and I am not a hat person. He says scarves are itchy and make him look like he has no chin. I say hats ruin my hair and make my head look like a bowling ball. So, whenever it gets cold out, he tells me to put on a hat and I tell him to put on a scarf and we both ignore each other.

It’s truly amazing we’ve stayed married for as long as we have.

We’d been going through this routine for many, many years, and then, suddenly, one day my husband had a major wardrobe breakthrough.

“I’ve had a scar-piphany,” he declared.

“A what?”“A scar-piphany,” he said.

“It’s like an epiphany but it’s about scarves.”

I put the back of my hand to his forehead to make sure he wasn’t ill and then asked him if he had been sni ng glue.

“No, seriously,” he said. “All these years I’ve avoided wear-ing scarves because I couldn’t wear them in a way that was comfortable.”

“I know,” I said. “Itchy, and no chin.”

“Right,” he said. “But I was in a store today and the salesman showed me a really

soft scarf that wasn’t itchy and then… this is the important part… he showed me the per-fect way to tie it.”

“Which is…” I wondered.“You always told me to

wrap it. He said, don’t wrap it. You have to loop it and pull it through!” He demonstrated with his new scarf and then looked at me like he was the � rst caveman who’d discovered � re.

I stared at him for a minute. I wondered which was the more boring conversation I’d ever had in my life; � e time I talked to two other moms about the best cleaning wipes, or this conversation about scarves.

I’d say it was a tie. (no pun intended).

“I’m so happy for you,” I said dryly.

“Now that we’ve solved my scarf problem, I think we should � nd a hat that works for you,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. I had never met a hat that didn’t make me look like Yoda (but with-out the big pointy ears). � e problem for me was two-fold. I have very short hair and a very round face. � e hair is the only thing that helps my face look less round. So, when I cover the hair… blammo. I’m Yoda. And then, when the hat comes o� , my hair is so � attened out and staticky that I need a dryer sheet to rub over my head to get it under control.

Now, I’m not so vain that I will go out in in sub-freezing weather without a hat. But when I do, I make sure that everyone who sees me post-hat wearing, understands that

I did it under duress and I don’t normally look like a mannequin with plastic hair glued to her head.

� en one night, it was super cold so my husband wore a hat and his new best friend, his looped scarf. I wore my wrapped scarf and one of my hated hats. When we got to

the restaurant I pulled o� my hat and my hair rose to the sky in one big staticky swoop.

“I hate hats.” I scowled.“You do actually look a little

like a Chia Pet right now,” my husband admitted.

I narrowed my eyes at him.“Take o� your scarf,” I said.

“I have another use for it.”

“What?”“I’m going to strangle you

with it.”

Become a fan of Lost in Suburbia on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LostinSuburbiaFanPage/ and on twitter at www.twitter.com/tracybeckerman

Tying one on

TRACY BECKERMAN

LOST INSUBURBIA


Rickey Smith were in a road-rage chase, police said, with liquids thrown and screaming from vehicle to vehicle. When they � nally stopped, police said, Smith got out of his truck and fatally stabbed Williams, a father of � ve, multiple times while he was still in sitting in his van.

• An Idaho Falls man was arrested in October for pointing a gun at another driver. Kristo er Jensen, 40, forced the driver behind him to pull over, exited

his car and began yelling and pounding on the other driver’s window. � e victim told police Jensen had been driving erratically. After he pounded on her windows, she said, Jensen returned to his car and pulled out a handgun. She said it looked like Jensen put a round in the chamber before pointing the gun at her. � e victim was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, reporting events as they hap-pened. She drove away, then waited at another intersection until police arrived.

But the road-rage incident you all might be most familiar with happened

last month on I-684. A dude name Rod-erick Davis was driving his kid to school in White Plains when he encountered a tra� c jam near the Hardscrabble Road exit in North Salem. Somehow, he man-aged to sideswipe an oil truck. He got out of his vehicle brandishing a machete and confronted the truck driver. Video shows Davis whacking the machete against the side of the oil truck so hard it shatters and then the two men start grappling and fall to the ground.

� e � rst question here is: Who the hell carries a machete around with them

in his car?� e second is: Didn’t he see that

hundreds of other people were sitting there in their cars watching him and his machete commit a crime?

No Father of the Year Award for you this year, Roderick!

So, if you really want to stay in lockstep with reality, the moral of the story here is to stay in relatively crime-free Mahopac and avoid getting in your car. Hitchhike or use a taxi, I guess. And if you take a taxi, don’t o er to pay the driver with a $100 bill. If he’s smart, he won’t accept it.

DUMASFROM PAGE 10

inquisitive eyes: “Who are you?” Not knowing what to give

Clara, I asked Pedro. “Fairy-tales,” he said. “You can read to her. She loves stories.”

She listened with stunning thoughtfulness. Sometimes I’d conjure up a story of my own. Writing these columns is noth-ing as compared to the pressure I felt, her eyes so wise and burn-ing with curiosity, when Clara asked me to tell her a story.

Clara is 12, already! � is year, I brought her one of my col-umns to read. She took it to her room, closed the door and came out 30 minutes later.

“I know what I want to be,” she said, looking me in the eye. “A writer.”

It didn’t surprise me in the least, given Clara’s love for sto-ries and words.

“If you want to be a writer,” I said, “then you have to start writing.”

“About what?”“Anything. Write about

breakfast, how you felt this morning.”

Clara got to work that very day. She came to the dinner table with her notebook and a pen, placing down her fork at times to write a word or two.

When I peeked at her writing, I noticed it was loaded with cross-outs. “Good,” I thought. “She’s editing herself.”

Clara refused to tell me what she was writing. I would have to wait until the next day. Never have I experienced anticipation as keenly, not even opening a new book by a favorite author, as when Clara handed me her notebook.

� e title of her story, “A Mo-ment of Terror,” took me aback. How could someone so young have the capability to come up with so striking a name for a story? � e answer appeared over and over in what I read.

� e story was about her grandmother having to be sud-denly rushed to the hospital be-cause of a nose bleed. I noticed the empathy with which she wrote about her mother: “Mom-my’s face is always so sad when she peels potatoes.” Twice she’d seen a halo over her grandma’s head. And then the ending, with her grandmother home safe and sound, Clara ran to her bedroom the next morning.

“Grandma,” she cried. “Wake up, the sun is coming through the window!”

At dinner I said, “Pedro, you have writer in the family.”

Everyone seemed surprised, except for Clara and me.

GAROFROM PAGE 12

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Dear Dr. Linda,Just got our daughter’s PSAT scores.

� ey’re 1100 total. We all feel horrible because she’s worked so hard, has taken honors and AP courses and her GPA is a 96. She’s president of the class and is on the varsity basketball team. Her older brother went to Yale and her sister is at Princeton. She’s always followed in their footsteps and now feels she’s a failure and stupid. She had a total meltdown when she saw her scores. I must admit that we did too. Where do we go from here?

Sally and Greg

Dear Sally and Greg,I think you need to step back, take a

deep breath and count your blessings. If she has a GPA of 96 after taking honors and AP courses, is president of her class and is on the varsity basketball team, plenty of schools would accept her in a minute. So, accept who she is—not the fantasy of who you want her to be—and once she’s over her disappointment, here’s what I think you need to do:

One of the most important things you can teach your daughter is that if things don’t go as she planned, no matter how much time and e� ort she put into it and no matter how disappointed she is, reality is reality and needs to be faced. If she can truly say that she did the best she could on the test and 1100 was the result, then she needs to examine her options (and

there are many) and move on.

When most people hear that they have to face reality, they usually respond by saying, “You don’t understand. You don’t know how I feel.” And that is true. No one can put themselves in her shoes. But people who have realistic positive self-esteem do bounce back. If she’s having trouble or has had trouble regrouping, she may need to see someone professionally. � e same goes for you both.

Once she has accepted what happened, she needs to realize that her scores are for the PSAT. � e colleges never see those scores. � ey only look at the SATs or ACTs. Have her get some help to prepare for both exams. She can take a course or meet with a private tutor. Some kids do better on the SATs while others do better on the ACTs.

After she takes these exams in the spring, she can start looking for schools that � t her GPA, SATs, ACTs, extracur-ricular activities, her personality and her goals. If she ends up going to a school that she didn’t want to go to for some reason other than her friends or siblings went somewhere else, she can always transfer.

Be sure that your daughter knows that you are not devastated over her scores. If you are, be sure that it’s not because you

think her scores are a re� ection on you. If you’re upset because you thought that she be-longs in certain schools, and the college exams are preventing her from being accepted, then you need to regroup

and realize that she’s her own person—not her brother or sister or you. � e most important thing is that she prepares for a profession that she enjoys. College only lasts for four years. It’s what you do with the degree you earn after you’re out.

Be sure you keep an open mind as you work through the college process to � nd the college that matches your daughter’s

needs. As with everything in life, keep college in perspective and don’t become obsessed with particular colleges. Work with her to apply to colleges with varying requirements for acceptance. Consider other colleges that you might not have thought about or have ruled out because of some irrelevant characteristic (like it’s a state school, not a private university). � e perfect college for your daughter as a whole person is, in the end, the only “good college.”

Dr. Linda

Dr. Linda is co-author of “Why Bad Grades Happen to Good Kids,” and director of Strong Learning Tutoring and SAT/ACT Test Prep. Send your questions to [email protected].

Reconsider what you think is the ‘perfect’ college

DR. LINDASILBERT

STRONGLEARNING

PAGE 16 MAHOPAC NEWS – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018


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Space Jam Sewell shows off his skills.

.Lukas Gaspar, 8, gets his shirt autographed by

Broadway, aka Eric Jones.

Olivia Conlin and Sophia Bauer work selling 50/50

raffl e tickets.

Team Mahopac

A few of the Wizards pose for a picture with the kids.

Loonatik, aka Lloyd Clinton,

runs away with Auston Road teacher Kelly

McCoy.

A-Train, aka Arnold Bernard, messes with Mahopac Middle School teacher Lorraine Lavery.

PHOTOS: DEENA BELL

Space Jam Sewell shows off his skills.

The Harlem Wizards came to town on Nov. 30 to help raise funds for Mahopac High School’s boys and girls basketball programs. Founded in 1963, the Wizards play the kind of co-

medic basketball that brings a smile to hoop fans of all ages. The Wizards took on a squad made up of Mahopac school faculty members and administrators and then hung out to

sign autographs and take pictures with the fans. There were plenty of Wizards T-shirts and souvenirs on hand so kids could take home some memories of a fun night out.

Harlem Wizards spin their magic at MHSThe Harlem Wizards came to town on Nov. 30 to help raise funds for Mahopac High School’s boys and girls basketball The Harlem Wizards came to town on Nov. 30 to help raise funds for Mahopac High School’s boys and girls basketball The Harlem Wizards came to town on Nov. 30 to help raise

programs. Founded in 1963, the Wizards play the kind of co-funds for Mahopac High School’s boys and girls basketball programs. Founded in 1963, the Wizards play the kind of co-funds for Mahopac High School’s boys and girls basketball Dylan Tavelinsky,

9, feels his way around for prizes as the crowd lets him know if he is

hot or cold.

A-Train, aka Arnold Bernard, messes with Mahopac Middle School teacher Lorraine Lavery.


BY BOB DUMASEDITOR

Joe Vogliazzo, a 50-year-plus member of the Mahopac Italian American Club, celebrated his 95th birthday last week and the club marked the occa-sion at its Dec. 5 meeting with a cake.

Vogliazzo is a World War II veteran and he regaled some IAC members with tales of some of his exploits during the war.

He was 18 years old when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.“I was so angry, so I enlisted,” he said. “I wanted to � ght the Japanese.”

But he never got the chance. Instead of being sent to the Paci� c � eater, he shipped out for Europe, a member of the � ird Army crossing the At-lantic on the Queen Mary, along with 15,000 other troops, and landed in Scotland. He eventually made his way to France and then Germany, ulti-mately serving under Gen. George Patton before being discharged after a little more than three years of � ghting.

WWII vet Joe Vogliazzo marks 95th birthday

Joe Vogliazzo at the Italian American Club in Mahopac, celebrating his 95th birthday

PHOTO: BOB DUMAS

Here is a list of meetings and other events in the coming weeks for the town of Carmel government and the Mahopac School District. Times are subject to change.

CARMEL TOWN BOARDWednesday, Dec. 19Meeting starts at 7 p.m.,

Town Hall, 60 McAlpin Ave., Mahopac

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS (ZBA)

� ursday, Dec. 27Meetings start at 7:30 p.m.,


PLANNING BOARDWednesday, Jan. 2Meeting starts at 7 p.m.,


BOARD OF EDUCATION� ursday, Dec. 20Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m.;

Falls School, 100 Myrtle Ave., Mahopac Falls

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Mahopac Falls FD kicks off the holiday seasonCookie

decorating was part

of the festivities.

PHOTOS: TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL

� e Mahopac Falls Fire Department held its annual tree-lighting festivities Fri-day, Nov. 30, which featured a visit from St. Nick.

With cookies and re-freshments at the ready, people were welcomed to the � rehouse o� Route 6N with the sound of sirens in the distance meaning that Santa was indeed keeping his promise to stop by. Pull-ing up on a � retruck, Santa bid hello to all the children who were waiting to get their handmade wish lists delivered to the jolly old elf himself.

Santa � ipped the switch bringing to life the tree and the many light displays that keep people coming back to the Falls year after year.

� e members of the Ma-hopac Falls Volunteer Fire Department would like to thank all who came out to support them and enjoy the festivities.


Brianna Cucuta, 5, with the letter she will mail to Santa.

MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 20Four-year old Davey Andrade,

loves his cookies.Katherine Kennedy gets ready to send her letter to Santa

The great Hungarian violinist and violin teacher Leopold Auer once said, “Practice with your fingers and you need all day. Practice with your mind and you will do as much in one-and-a-half hours.” Maestro Auer never had to compete with a Netflix-watch-ing binge or a group of friends impatient to group up in “Call of Duty.” For students in Northern Westchester who are attending some of the country’s top col-lege preparatory schools, there is the added competition for time and attention from a challenging curriculum. Christopher Melito is director of the concert band at Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, which teaches a full slate of AP courses as well as college-cred-ited classes from Iona, St John’s and SUNY Albany. How does

he keep music practice from playing second fiddle to college prep? "In a perfect world, the students would be practicing at least a half-hour a day. That doesn't happen because every-body is busy.” Melito points out that learn-ing how to practice efficiently is an important part of learning to play, period. Part of a young musician’s practice time is ac-tually learning the best ways to practice. For senior Michael Ab-bamont, from Goldens Bridge, who is co-captain of the Ken-nedy concert band and has been playing trumpet since fourth grade, hitting the horn goes hand in glove with hitting the books. “I try to do my schoolwork first, but if I am on a rough patch, sometimes I just have to step away from it, so my trum-

pet is a good way to get away for an hour or an hour-and-a-half, and then come back with a fresh mindset.” In the eyes of many music educators and student musicians, the best practice isn’t practice at all. They don’t call it “playing” an instrument for nothing. “The schoolwork really comes first,” said the other Kennedy co-captain, senior Liam Flynn, from Pawling. “The saxophone is something I enjoy playing, so it’s not a chore.” Fly-nn told us he tries to play sixty to ninety minutes a night. Gauging the length of one night’s music session may be missing the mark when it comes to what makes for genuinely ef-fective practice. Experts concur that focus and frequent practice are more beneficial than a long practice session. Taking the cue from Melito’s recommendation,

practicing thirty minutes a day for five days will produce much better and faster results than practicing two-and-a-half hours one day a week. None of this is taking into account time spent playing in the classroom. For aggressive arts programs like Kennedy’s, that can be another 40 minutes a day, five days a week. “I am with the band every day, so I can teach that same les-son all week,” Melito said. “We also use a platform called Smart-Music which lets me write an exercise on my computer, and I can load it into SmartMusic, and the kids play it into SmartMusic and get graded. That would be their homework.” Maestro Auer may not have had the latest music education software, but it turns out he wasn’t too far off the mark.

How Much Music Practice Should A High School Student Have?by Rich Kirby

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Mila Gaur, 2, is ready for the holiday season with her Christmas attire.PHOTO: EMRIN LCLAIR


Did you know?25 percent of people who have back pain suffer from SI joint dysfunction, not a spinal problem.

Q: What is the SI Joint?A: The full name is the sacroiliac (sa-krō-’i-lē-,ak) joint, and there are two of them, one on either side of your tailbone. They connect the triangular bone at the base of your spine, called the sacrum, with the iliac bone of your pelvis. The SI joints are the keystone of the body, or the center of gravity. Their job is to support and transmit the weight of your upper body to your legs and pelvis.

Q: How Does the SI Joint Cause Pain?A: SI joint dysfunction occurs when the ligaments of either joint are injured or worn away. This can cause pain in your butt as well as in your lower back, groin, thigh and side. Most people with SI joint dysfunction experience severe pain when they get up from a seated position, then feel better when they walk.

Q: What Causes SI Joint Dysfunction? A: Osteoarthritis, rheumatologic and auto-immune diseases, traumatic injuries and pregnancy can cause SI joint dysfunction. And some people get it after they’ve had surgeries such as hip replacement or spinal fusion.

Q: How Does the Doctor Diagnose SI Joint Dysfunction? A: Since most back pain is caused by a spinal problem, the doctor �rst rules out the spine by doing imaging

like X-rays and MRIs. There are also physical exam maneuvers that can pinpoint trouble in the SI joint.

Q: How Is SI Joint Dysfunction Treated?A: Physical therapy, weight loss, trunk-strengthening exercises like yoga or Pilates, and anti-in�ammatory medicines are the �rst lines of treatment. If these don’t help, doctors inject a steroid and local anesthetic into the joint, a procedure called SI joint injection. If there is still no improvement, doctors perform a minimally invasive surgery called SI joint fusion. Titanium implants are inserted across the sacroiliac joint through a 3-cm incision to lock the joint in place so it can’t move anymore. The surgery takes about an hour and is done under general anesthesia at Northern Westchester Hospital. For the �rst three weeks after surgery, patients walk with crutches or a walker. After six weeks, they resume normal activities.

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Brittany Pucha, Oscar Pucha and their son, Gianluca, 10 months, anticipate the lighting of the Christmas treePHOTO: EMRIN LECLAIR

PHOTO: EMRIN LECLAIRAshley Scrobola is feeling festive wearing her Santa hat

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19


The Buehl brothers pose with Santa.

MAHOPAC MUSINGS MAHOPAC NEWS – PAGE 21THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

MUSINGSFROM PAGE 2

Boy Scout Troop Weekly Meeting

Troop 1 of Mahopac invites all boys 10 years and older (� fth grade and up) to see what Scouting is all about at Lakeview Elementary School, from 7-9 p.m. We meet every Tuesday that school is in ses-sion. No previous Scouting experi-ence is required! You do not have to be a Cub Scout to become a Boy Scout. For questions, contact Scout Master Joe Link 914-760-2574 or [email protected].

Reads at Reed� e Reads at Reed Book Club

will meet Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. to discuss the book “My Abso-lute Darling” by Gabriel Tallent. � e meeting will be held at Reed Memorial Library, 1733 Route 6, Carmel. Contact 845-225-2439 with any questions.

Computer Classes for Seniors

� e Putnam County Comput-er Learning Center for Seniors holds registration the � rst � urs-day of every month from 9:30-11 a.m. for computer classes at the William Koehler Senior Center,

180 Route 6 in Mahopac. In all, there are 13 di¢ erent computer classes, including genealogy, basic computer, tablets and phones. A free drop-in session is o¢ ered ev-ery Friday afternoon from 12:30-2:30 p.m. for help with phones and tablets. A description of the classes can be found at: www.put-namrsvp.com/clc/. Registration must be in person. For more info, call Judy Kolt at 845-277-5422.

Senior Citizens of Mahopac

� e Senior Citizens of the Ma-hopac Inc. are celebrating 50 years as an organization and are looking for members. � ey meet the third Saturday of the month at the Wil-liam Koehler Center, Route 6, Ma-hopac, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dues are $10 per year. For more infor-mation, contact Tina Capizola at 845-628-9184.

Volunteer Drivers Needed

Can you spare a little time to make a di¢ erence in the life of an older adult? RideConnect, a pro-gram of Family Services of West-chester, is an information, refer-ral and volunteer transportation program for adults ages 60-plus who can no longer drive. We seek volunteer drivers who are willing

to provide occasional rides to our older adult neighbors. � ese rides enable our clients to remain active in their communities and to con-tinue to lead ful� lling lives. Rides are typically to medical and dental

appointments, grocery shopping and other errands. Give the gift of mobility and independence. No minimum commitment. Match trips to your schedule. Rides can be set up by phone or on-line.

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Mahopac Public Library has received a Spotlight Award in recognition of its lead-ership in the � eld of Emerging Technol-ogy.

� e 2018 Spotlight Awards, distributed by the Mid-Hudson Library System, were given to 14 libraries that have invested in programming, equipment and redesigned spaces to help connect residents with information and experiences related to emerging technology.

Some of the library’s recent accom-plishments include providing a secure network for Mahopac Central School dis-tricts students to automatically connect to their Chromebooks; partnering with In-stant360 to provide imaging for a virtual 360 tour of the library that is accessible on Google Street view and hosting a Virtual and Augmented Reality Vacation day. In addition, a digital library card application for Mahopac residents ages 14 through adult, and Spanish language resources, are now accessible through the home page of the Library website.

Mahopac residents can use their Li-brary card to access Lynda.com, a premier online learning resource o� ering more

than 6,000 courses, taught by industry experts, covering technical skills, creative techniques, business strategies, and more. LyndaLibrary o� ers videos that can be watched in small, easy-to-manage chunks; you can return to the lessons at your con-venience. Log on at home (with your card and pin) or at the library.

� e library also subscribes to Kanopy, an online source for over 30,000 � lms that can be streamed for free, on your preferred device, with your Mahopac Library card. Hundreds of new � lms are added each month, and the selections include Inde-pendent Spirit Award winners, documen-taries, classic � lms, world cinema, holiday movies, great courses, shorts, and healthy living � lms.

� e Library continues to promote lit-eracy and life-long learning through these and other technologies, and to facilitate easy access to online collections and re-sources. Michele Capozzella, library di-rector and CEO, said he is proud of the accomplishments of the Emerging Tech-nologies sta� as they continue to advance library science and service to meet the changing needs of the community.

Mahopac Library wins Spotlight Award for

technology Every year the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 1080, with the help of the Ladies Auxiliary and the American Legion members, prepare and serve � anksgiv-ing dinner for the 12 residents at the Vincent Leibell Veterans home in Carmel.

� is year, the Sons prepared and served a deep-fried turkey with all the trimmings, all donated by the Sons and Ladies Auxiliary. Dessert was donated by the Patterson American Legion Post 1542. Each resident, in addition to dinner, received a gift bag with a gift card and scratch-o� lottery tickets.

Legion member Bill Duschanek’s grandchildren, Madeline and Michael, made decorative placemats and wooden helicopters for each of the residents, which were well-received.

Legion treats vets to Thanksgiving dinner

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOU LOGOZIOVolunteers from Sons of the American Legion, Ladies Auxiliary, and American Legion serve a Thanksgiving dinner they prepared to the vets at Vincent Leibell Veterans Home.


SportsSports

BY SKIP PEARLMANCONTRIBUTING WRITER

� e Mahopac gymnastics team got o� to a strong start to the win-ter season last week, defeating Os-sining, 156.3-135.1, last � ursday, Dec. 6, and performing well Sat-urday Dec. 8, at the 39th annual Shaker Invitational in Albany.

At the Shaker Invitational, sophomore Jamison Castrataro took second in vault and the un-even bars, 12th in beam, ninth in � oor exercise, and � nished third in the all-around.

Junior Chloe Lee took a third in uneven bars, a third on beam, and placed sixth in the all-around.

Eighth-grader Lia Graap � n-ished fourth on bars, � fth in � oor ex, and 11th in the all-around. Nicole Giannetta was 11th in the � oor exercise, seventh-grader Alessia Gristina � nished 14th on the vault, and freshman Juliette LeBlanc � nished 12th on the un-even bars.

“Shaker is always a qual-ity tournament, and the girls did well,” Mahopac coach Vin Col-lins said. “Jamison had a good meet for us, she was impressive, picking up where she left o� last year. Lee had a very solid all-around competition. Uneven bars, beam were strong events, and it was another good day for her. Lia also did a good job. She had a very nice � oor routine.

“Nicole is a diamond in the rough,” the coach added. “She’ll come on and have a nice year for us. It’s her turn to step to the forefront. Alessia—we’re expect-ing some nice things from her. She likes to increase her di� culty level, and it could be a nice year for her. And we’re expecting nice things from Juliette as well, on the bars and vault.”

Collins said he likes what he’s seen so far from this year‘s team.

“Every team is di� erent, we

Gymnasts open season with two strong performances

SEE GYMNASTICS PAGE 24

Lia Graap performs the second of her two vault passes

Jameson Castrataro

performs her fl oor routine.

Nicole Gianetta performs her fl oor routine.


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graduated a number of seniors,” Collins said. “ is year‘s team is looking to step up, they’re look-ing to qualify for sectionals and divisionals as a team, as well as qualifying as many individuals as we can.

“ is is a good looking group, with good potential,” he added. “If they can improve just a little with each performance they’re going to have a good season.

In the team’s win over Ossin-ing, Castrataro placed � rst in vault, second on bars, beam and oor ex, and was � rst in the all-around. Lee was � rst on uneven bars, third on beam, fourth in oor ex and vault, and second in the all-around.

e Indians were scheduled to compete at Brewster Dec. 13 at 4:30 p.m., and host Clarkstown on Monday, Dec.17 at 5 p.m. at the Lakeview Elementary School.

GYMNASTICSFROM PAGE 23

Chloe Lee does a split leap during her fl oor routine.

HOTOS: TABITHA PEARSON MARSHALL

Kaylie Ann Hammond starts her beam routine

SPORTS MAHOPAC NEWS – PAGE 25THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

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� e Mahopac ice hockey team continued its early season onslaught last week, easily defeating Cortlandt and twice crushing New Rochelle to improve to 6–0 overall.

Sunday night at the Brewster Ice Arena, the Indians, helped by an early major penalty by Cortlandt, steamrolled the merged Lakeland/Hen Hud/Haldane squad, 12-3.

“It was a game we thought we had a good chance to win, and our guys came out ready,” Mahopac coach Tim Donaghy said. “We took a check from behind early; they got a � ve-minute major penalty. And we really made them pay. We got three goals out of that, and it changed the momentum of the game. � at got our guys energized.”

Nick Bricker had four goals and one assist, Brian O’Shea had two goals and an assist and T.J. McKee had two goals and three assists to lead the Indians.

Saturday night, Dec. 8, at the Brewster Ice Arena, the Indians rolled over New Rochelle, 7-1.

McKee scored twice and added a pair of assists, O’Shea,

John Dundon and Bricker each went one and one and Jordan Donatone and Mike Sottile each scored.

Logan MacDougall had 18

saves in goal for Mahopac.� e prior Monday at the Ice

Hutch, the Indians again had no problem with New Rochelle, winning 10–1.

McKee had a hat-trick and added three assists, O’Shea had four goals and two assists and Jon Bosio, Bricker and Dan Schum each had one goal.

MacDougall stopped 18 shots on goal for the Indians. “Our goalie has de� nitely been changing games for us,” Donaghy said. “He’s been playing really well all season.”

Donaghy said he likes the way the team has approached the season so far—taking nothing for granted, and focusing on the big picture.

“It all comes down to practice,” the coach said. “We push the pace in practice and no one is satis� ed yet. Our goal is to go deep in the section and our kids are focused on the big picture. � at’s what they keep talking about. � ey’re all working their butts o� .”

Mahopac was scheduled to take on Carmel on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Brewster Ice Arena and Horace Greeley Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. at Brewster.

Indians skate to sixth straight win

T.J. McKee controls in traffi c

PHOTOS: DEENA BELL

John Dundon calls for the puck at net.



Mahopac girls picked up their � rst victory of the basketball sea-son last � ursday, Dec. 6, beating Beacon, 66–34, in the � rst round of the Panas tournament.

Unable to � nish the deal, how-ever, the Indians fell to the host-ing Panthers, 44-38, in Saturday’s

tournament championship game.Caitlyn O’Boyle led the Indi-

ans (1-4) with 14 points and Mia Klammer added 13.

“We had a bad fourth quarter,” Mahopac coach Chuck Scozza-fava said. “We had opportunities, especially with put-backs, but we couldn’t get them to drop. In the � rst half we played well, in the third we were still good...but the

fourth was rough.”Klammer and O’Boyle were

named to the All-Tournament team.

In Mahopac’s win over Beacon, Klammer led the way with 19 points, Shannon Becker added 14 and O’Boyle had 13.

“We had balanced scoring, and eight players in the scoring col-umn,” Scozzafava said. “Beacon

did not shoot well. It was good to see our girls play the way they should. It was a good game for us.”

� e previous Tuesday, Dec. 4, the Indians dropped a 51–48 de-cision at New Rochelle.

Mahopac dug itself out of a hole, but couldn’t tie the game in the fourth.

“We didn’t have enough to come back,” the coach said. “We went on a 20–9 run in the third, and had multiple opportunities to tie it in the fourth, but we didn’t

get it. I was very happy with the way the girls hung tough. � ey hit shots at the end.”

Scozzafava said the team is getting better with each game.

“We are a work in progress,” he said. “We keep getting better, we have three freshmen coming o� the bench, and we have to get used to playing with each other, and playing smarter.”

Mahopac was scheduled to play � ursday, Dec. 13, and Sat-urday, Dec. 15, at the Somers tournament.

Indians top Beacon, but fall to Panas in tourney fi nal

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� e Mahopac varsi-tyboys basketball team picked up its rst win of the season Saturday (Dec. 8), defeating Brewster, 62–60, in the consolation round of the Walter Panas tournament.

Reahl Allen had 17 points and Matt McMa-hon added 15 to lead the Indians.

Mahopac (1-2) hoped to play in the champion-ship game but dropped a tough, 60-57, decision to Lakeland in the Friday ‘s Dec. 7 tournament opener.

Indians coach Matt Simone said his team let an opportunity slip away and needed to play better with a lead.

“We were de nitely up-set that we lost the rst game to Lakeland,” Simone said. “We felt like we let it get away. We were up 15-3 in the rst quarter, and in the early third we had a 10- or 12-point lead. So that was not a good loss.

“In both games, we built leads, but the bigger issue is that we are having trouble playing with the lead,” the coach added. “It’s part mental and part inexperience. We need to learn to play better with a lead. Turnovers were also an issue against Lakeland, it’s de -nitely tough when you turn the ball over.”

McMahon, who was named to the All-Tournament team, led Mahopac with 14 points and Tim Cegielski added 13.

“McMahon played well, Al-len also played really well against Brewster,” Simone said. “He sparked us in the second half. Jon Cosentino, a sophomore, also did a good job taking care of the ball and Nick Burtt gave us rebound-ing and a spark.”

Mahopac also dropped an 82-57 decision at Mount Vernon the Dec. 4.

McMahon had 13 points and Simon Shkoza added 10 to lead Mahopac.

“It was a 3-point game in the third quarter,” Simone said. “We were prepared, and we competed extremely well. We didn’t back down and we played hard the entire game. We lost, but I was happy with the e� ort against one of the section’s best programs.”

Mahopac was scheduled to play in the Somers tournament, beginning Friday. � e tourna-ment continues Saturday, Dec. 14 with championship and consola-tion games.

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Continuing to perform well last week, the Mahopac High School wrestling team placed second at Saturday’s Yorktown Dual Meet Tournament after winning four of its � ve matches.

Mahopac, now 13-2 in dual meets this season, defeated Lakeland/Panas, Clarkstown North, Our Lady of Lourdes and Yorktown. � e Indians’ only loss came at the hands of tour-nament champion Westhamp-ton Beach, 45–36.

“It was a good performance for

our team,” Indians coach Dennis DiSanto said. “We’ve been wres-tling well. It was good to wrestle against Westhampton. It’s good to battle teams you know will challenge you. � e kids wrestled intensely against them and it came down to one match being the di� erence. But as a team we

continue to do well.”Four Mahopac wrestlers—ju-

nior 145-pounder Tyler Roa, senior 285-pounder Mike Harney, senior 160-pounder Charlie Nicosia and freshman 106-pounder Angelo Cen-trone—went 5–0 at the tourna-ment.

Aidan Muldoon went 4-1 at 113 pounds and Mike Rivera (220) and Londrim Hasanramaj (195) each went 3-1.

Mahopac also defeated Roy C. Ketcham of Wappingers Falls

(64-12) and New Rochelle (49-22) Dec. 7 in the Section 1 Du-als.

“New Rochelle was seeded � fth and we were 13, so it was a big win for us,” DiSanto said. “� ey are a solid team, so it was de� nitely a boost for our team.”

� e Indians advanced to this week’s quarter� nals, which were scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 11. With a win, Mahopac would advance to the � nal four and wrestle � ursday, Dec. 13, at a site and time to be announced.

Indians pin down second at Yorktown tournament

Mahopac’s Frank Casagrande, left, battles Yorktown’s Christian Sinagra Saturday at Yorktown.

Brock Fitzpatrick of Mahopac, top, controls Yorktown’s Dom Sanfardino at 152 pounds.

PHOTOS: SKIP PEARLMANMahopac’s Tyler Roa, right, defeated Joe Martinaj of Yorktown at Saturday’s meet.

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CLASSIFIEDSPAGE 30 – MAHOPAC NEWS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

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BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE MAHOPAC NEWS – PAGE 31THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018

Lic. RE Associate Broker

3 Heritage 202 Center, Somers, NY 10589Toll Free: (800) 981-7093 Cell: (914) [email protected]

Grace Vinciguerra

Licensed Real Estate BrokerEach Office Independently Owned and Operated

Has been ranked among the NATION’S top agents on the REAL Trends list of

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Classic Realty

The Greater Mahopac -Carmel Chamber of Commerce

Would Like to Thank all Members and Wish them

a Very Happy & Healthy

Holiday Season

Like everyone, you want to retire comfortably – without worrying about running out of money.

And that’s why you should consider every available source of income for your retirement years. One such source might be a � xed annuity – but is it right for you?

A � xed annuity is an insurance product that can provide you with an income stream you can’t outlive, al-though payments also can be structured to end after a certain number of years. Your principal and interest rate are guaranteed, based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing company, and the interest you earn is tax-deferred and will compound annually until you begin taking income.

� ese features are certainly attrac-tive, but, even so, before you invest in an annuity, you will need to ask yourself some key questions, including these:

• What other sources of guaranteed income will I have available? One way to evaluate the value of an annuity is

to determine what other guaranteed income you might have available during retirement. If you � nd that Social Security and any other sources of assured income, such as a pension, are enough to cover all or most of your essential living expenses, then you may not need any additional guaranteed income from an annuity. However, if these other guaranteed income streams aren’t enough to meet your cost of living, then you might want to invest some of your assets in an annuity.

• How much of my retirement funds should I consider putting into an an-nuity?

You’ll need to determine the por-tion of your diversi� ed portfolio that a � xed annuity should occupy, taking into account the nature of this investment – speci� cally, it’s a � xed-rate, income-producing vehicle. � is means you’ll

want a certain percentage of your port-folio in stocks, another in bonds, and

still another percent-age in the guaranteed income from an annu-ity. � e exact percent-ages will depend on your age, proximity to retirement, risk toler-ance and other factors.

• What are the issues I might want

to discuss with a � nancial professional before investing in an annuity? As men-tioned above, you will need to deter-mine if, and how, an annuity meets your needs and how it � ts into your portfo-lio. A � nancial professional can evalu-ate your situation and help you answer these questions, as well as inform you about other issues related to an annuity. For example, if you decide to tap in to your annuity earlier than planned, you probably will incur surrender charges. � ese charges decline each year, usually reaching zero after seven years. Fur-

thermore, di� erent annuities come with di� erent fees, so a � nancial professional can help determine what options would best suit your needs.

You’ll also need to be aware that while the interest you earn is tax-deferred, it isn’t tax-free. You will be taxed at your ordinary income tax rate once you start taking withdrawals, and withdrawals prior to age 59-1/2 may be subject to a 10 percent federal tax penalty. So, you’ll want to consult with your tax advisor before withdrawing from your annuity.

A � xed annuity could be a valuable asset during your retirement years. But, at the same time, it’s a big investment – so get the help you need to determine if you’re making the right choice.

� is article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Tom Casey is a licensed securities adviser associated with Edward Jones, located at 163 Route 6 in Mahopac. He can be reached directly at 845-621-8647.

Questions to ask when considering an annuity

TOMCASEY

GUEST CORNER

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

Contact UsMahopac News is located at Bailey Court, 334 Route 202, Unit C1S, Somers, NY 10589. You can contact us at 845-208-0774 or email [email protected].


YO R K TO W N B R O K E R AG E 70 3 E A S T M A I N S T R E E T ( R O U T E 6 & 6 N ) , J E F F E R S O N VA L L E Y | 9 1 4. 9 6 2 .4 9 0 0

Source: HGMLS and Houlihan Lawrence Transaction Database, 1/1/17-11/30/17 and 1/1/18-11/30/18, single family homes sold by office, Mahopac school district

S A L E P R I C E TO L I S T P R I C E I S D O W N

-1.7% As of 11/30/18, the sale price to list price percentage was 98.24% compared to 99.94% on 11/30/17

TO TA L C LO S E D S A L E S A R E U P

11.4% There were 263 single family home sales as of 11/30/18, up from 236 sales the same time last year.

There were 66 pending sales as of 11/30/18 as compared to 64 pending sales 11/30/17.3.1%

P E N D I N G S A L E S A R E U P

4%P R I C E S A R E U P

Median sales price as of 11/30/18 was $390,000 as compared to $375,000 on 11/30/17.

S TAY I N G LO C A L

6% More buyers decided to stay local in 2018 as compared to 2017.

SINGLE FAMILY SALESMahopac Market Update

Contact us to discuss what the numbers mean and your real estate goals. 914.962.4900

Now is a great time to sell.

clowning residents hire attorney around for to ﬁ ght cell ... · vol. 9 no. 43 thursday, december...

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