Sound Shore

I was at the NewRoc Harley Davidson shop today in New Rochelle where they had a bike blessing to open up the season and also for first time rider Leslie Howard from New Rochelle, to experience the ride, as she battles pulmonary fibrosis.

Leslie Howard of New Rochelle, left, who has pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a lung disease with no cure, can’t contain her excitement, as she prepares for her first ride on a Harley Davidson with Armand Gervino of New Rochelle, during the bike blessing that opens the riding season at the NewRoc Harley Davidson in New Rochelle, March 28, 2010. ( Mark Vergari / The Journal News )

Rev. Biju Peter from Blessed Sacrament Church in New Rochelle sprinkles holy water on the bikers as the leave the parking lot, as Jack Meskunas, the owner of the New Roc Harley Davidson and Patti Massa, events coordinator look on during the bike blessing to open the riding season at the NewRoc Harley Davidson in New Rochelle, March 28, 2010. ( Mark Vergari / The Journal News )

Click here for an online photo gallery and check out The Journal News for more of the story.

Mike Poole of Frenji, right, drives on Alex Rosenberg of the New Jersey Roadrunners during the 64th CYP basketball championship at Our Lady of Mercy in Port Chester. Team Frenji won 93-87.

See more photos from the game

Port Chester held a marathon civics lesson today — a primer on the cumulative voting method to be used in village trustee elections. Education is big task here, because this will be unlike any other system in New York.

I’ll have a story in tomorrow’s Journal News about the English and Spanish informational sessions. The Spanish one was better attended and more animated. The first educational forum was Feb. 27, and there are more dates listed here.

Elias Baez, at right, is one of the people assisting in the education effort.

More photos below.

From left, juniors Alma Rangel, 16, and Andrea Tejeda, 16, speak with Hank Shuford, the representative from State University of New York at Albany during the College Fair at New Rochelle High School gym, March 25, 2010 in New Rochelle. The students said they prefer a state school because they are affordable and close to home.

Check out an article about how tuition plays a part in choosing a college in tomorrow’s paper or online at Lohud. Click here to see a gallery of photos from the college fair.

The week began with news that another civil rights lawsuit against the Harrison police department has been dismissed, making it the 12th one to be tossed, withdrawn or end favorably for the department. This one involved allegations of a video camera in the men’s locker room at police headquarters.

We also learned that NYPD officer Robert Salerno of West Harrison survived being shot three times while responding to a domestic dispute in the Bronx.

Rye is already worrying about its budget for next year, we reported on Tuesday, and is hoping to stave off an 11 percent tax hike by making $2 million in cuts.

We attended the Rye-Harrison Spelling Bee Tuesday night and watched 8th grader Sebastian Saavedra win by correcting spelling “crescendo.”

Harrison merchants are not happy now that commercial properties will be charged $500 to $1,200 a year for the town to pick up its trash, we wrote on Wednesday.

The pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in West Harrison has been leading prayers around the bed of the wounded officer, he told us on Wednesday, and shared that Joe and Sherry Salerno are relying on their Catholic faith as their son recovers.

Back to Rye’s bank account, we told readers that the city approved $3.5 million in bonds to free up cash to pay for projects and a real estate deal.

Harrison finally got an official police chief Thursday night with the town board appointing Capt. Anthony Marraccini in a split vote.

The sun shines through the stain glass windows at Mamaroneck United Methodist Church. To see more hidden gems at the church keep an eye out for an upcoming story in the Sound Shore Express.

Cindy Hernandez, 10, gets help with her homework with Lori Kaplan at Mamaroneck Public Library.  The library offers homework help to students grade K-6 after school, with substitute teacher Lori Kaplan.

Salesian High School students won their first round in The Challenge, an academic quiz show on MSG Varsity. The New Rochelle school now faces off against Byram Hills High School in a competition that will air Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Representing Salesian High School will be Liam Flynn, Michael Foti, Fild Kroqi, Gregory Pennamon (team alternate) and William Petrunia (team captain).  The academic advisors are John Juliano and Andrew Tompkins. For more information on The Challenge, including standings, statistics and short contestant bios, is available on www.powertolearn.com.

HARRISON — In a split decision between Democrats and Republicans, the Town Board appointed Capt. Anthony Marraccini to police chief Thursday evening, ending months of contentious public debate.

Read Theresa Juva’s story here.

Laron Norman of Port Chester, right, drives against LaQuinn Shuler of Valhalla in the first game of the WCBCA All-Star game at Purchase College on Thursday. Click here to view more photos from the game.