Sound Shore

New Rochelle’s Malcolm Allen, left, and Chris Schwarz celebrate after beating Yorktown 21-16 in a Section 1 Class AA football semifinal at New Rochelle.

See more photos of Yorktown at New Rochelle football

Frank Morgenthaler claims to be head of a new group called the Concerned Republicans of Westchester and is calling for Westchester GOP chairman Doug Colety to resign.

Morgenthaler, who is also the campaign manager for Republican congressional candidate Jim Russell, held a news conference outside GOP headquarters in White Plains today and was the only one who spoke. He did not know how many members belong to his new organization, which formed this month, he said.

Russell is running against incumbent Democrat Nita Lowey in the 18th Congressional District. While he will appear on the Republican line on the ballot Tuesday, Russell lost party support after a controversial essay he wrote on race and religion came to light last month.

Morgenthaler accused Colety of supporting Lowey by directing 14 Republicans, including eight district leaders, to collect petition signatures for the Independence Party line for Lowey. He provided copies of the notarized petitions with the Republican names.

“Mr. Colety is not a true Republican,” Morgenthaler said.  “Mr. Colety needs to leave right now.”

He also criticized Colety for initially supporting Paul Wasserman in the race against Lowey. Wasserman is a former Democrat who recently became a Republican.

Colety was not available for comment at GOP headquarters this afternoon.

(Frank Morgenthaler, head of a new group called Concerned Republicans of Westchester, held a news conference on Oct. 29, 2010 and called  for the Westchester GOP chairman to resign. Photo credit: Theresa Juva)

PELHAM MANOR

Wolfs Lane: Burglars stole $20 in quarters from a home during the day Oct. 22. A rear window next to the kitchen back door was smashed and the door ajar when the homeowner came home at 4 p.m.
Secor Lane: A 30-year-old unlicensed driver from Pelham was semi-conscious after striking a tree driving from the Fairway market lot across the street to BJ’s Wholesale Club lot Sunday. She was taken to Sound Shore Medical Center. The woman was ticketed for being an unlicensed operator, police said.
Highbrook Avenue: Four bicycles and an electric motor scooter, totaling $1,350 in value, were stolen from a home’s open garage between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.

Pelham Parkway: Someone stole a man’s car keys from his locker at the Omni Health and Fitness Center around 10 p.m. Monday and used them to enter his vehicle and steal his wallet containing $860 in cash and about $100 in change and credit cards. The Ford Econoline van was parked in the rear lot of 872 Pelham Parkway, behind the club. The keys were found elsewhere in the parking lot.

Monterey Avenue: Two Trek bicycles, worth a total of $1,600, were stolen from a home’s open garage between 1 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday10/24-26.

PELHAM VILLAGE
Washington Avenue: Someone used a Pelham man’s Chase Mastercard information to make $5,700 in unauthorized charges in Brooklyn from Oct. 22 through 24.

Sixth Avenue: A Stamford man was caught driving a stolen motorcycle because his passenger was not wearing a helmet, police said. Police stopped the pair at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and determined that Jude Alcide, 28, had a suspended license as a result of failing to answer summons in New Rochelle and Harrison, they said. A search of the presented registration revealed it was also suspended, and to a different motorcycle, police said. A trace of the vehicle identification number revealed the 2003 motorcycle he was on had been stolen out of New London, Conn., in June 2010. Alcide, of 2 Myano Court, was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a felony, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motorcycle, a misdmeanor, and given ofour tickets. The passenger was ticketed for not wearing a helmet.

The upset special from Thursday’s outbracket games came in Class A, with No. 22 Pearl River beating No. 11 Pelham 4-2 behind a goal and an assist from Giovanni Galvano. Next up is No. 6 Harrison. No. 18. Sleepy Hollow ousted No. 15 Panas 1-0 in A. Next up is No. 2 Somers.

In AA, there was another upset by seed, with No. 20 Poughkeepsie taking out No. 13 Yorktown 1-0. But the Pioneers now have a tough challenge at No. 4 Mahopac Saturday. Gabe Stauber had a big game for No. 16 John Jay-Cross River, with two goals and two assists in a 6-1 win over No. 17 Clarkstown North. The Indians won the right to play at No. 1 Scarsdale Saturday.

And strange as it seemed, defending AA champ Arlington had to survive an outbracket game to get to the first round. The Admirals beat No. 18 Fox Lane 3-0 and will play at No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill Saturday. The Patriots defeated Arlington twice during the regular season.

So now we’ll be curious to see what other teams have upsets in them, especially Saturday in that first round. And will we have another Somers, a low seed that makes a run to the final like last year? Do you have an underdog team in mind that you think can do it?

Now for a different tournament: Rye Country Day, the regular-season Fairchester Athletic Association champ and the 13th-ranked team in the Western New England Prep School Soccer Association, has drawn the No. 4 seed for the NYSAIS tournament. The Wildcats will open at home against No. 5 Collegiate next Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The state final for the independent schools is set for Sunday, Nov. 7.

OK, below are Thursday’s outbracket results and the games that are coming Friday and Saturday: (more…)

The Day of the Dead, that macabre-but-festive tradition from Mexico, will be observed locally with displays and workshops at the Pelham Art Center, New Rochelle Library and Hudson River Museum in Yonkers.

The Pelham center is holding an art workshop Saturday, and the Yonkers museum has a day of events scheduled Sunday. The library’s Dia de Los Muertos display runs Sunday through Nov. 4.

Mexican families pay respects to their ancestors with home altars decorated with marigolds, favorite foods, and fruits. Zafiro Acevedo, who creates the Yonkers exhibit with her mother, Aurelia Fernandez, described the tradition to me as she was setting up two years ago. Here’s more about the celebration and its roots. If you’re looking to create your own celebration at home, here’s what to eat.

(Photo courtesy of New Rochelle Public Library)

This just in: Archbishop Stepinac High School’s award-winning Drama Club will present Arthurs Miller’s “A View from the Bridge” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 and 6 and 3 p.m. Nov. 7 at the school’s Major Bowes Theater, 950 Mamaroneck Road, White Plains.
Tickets are $15 per adult, $10 for senior citizens and children under 12. For details, or group rates, call 914-946-4800, Ext. 243.

The show features students from Stepinac and other local schools, including Maria Regina High School of Hartsdale, Good Counsel Academy of White Plains, The Ursuline School of New Rochelle, White Plains High School, Harrison High School and Blind Brook High School.

“A View from the Bridge” is a two-act play by Arthur Miller set in 1950s New York, in an Italian American neighborhood near the Brooklyn Bridge. Eddie Carbone, the leading character with a character flaw that leads to a tragic ending.
Stepinac High School’s renowned Drama Club has performed a variety of dramatic plays and musicals including Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible;” “Jekyll and Hyde;” “Inherit the Wind” and “Singin’ in the Rain.” In addition, last year, Stepinac was one of 60 schools out of 1,600 invited to represent the United States at the American High School Theatre Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Josh Tenzer, a first-year Special Education Math Teacher, looks on as members of the Chess Club compete, Oct. 20, 2010 in the Port Chester High School library. Tenzer started the club because he believes playing chess can directly contribute to a student’s academic performance. “It makes students smarter by having them think and plan ahead. Students should always think about their next two moves.” He also feels the club builds friendships, school spirit and good sportsmanship. The club, which has attracted nearly 20 students, is funded by the district’s 21st Century After School Programs grant. ( Tania Savayan / The Journal News )

Check the upcoming Express publication for more photos or click here to see a gallery of photos of the Port Chester High School Chess Club.

Just two years after graduating from Rye High School in 1940, Bob Lynch was fighting on the frontlines in World War II. The Army combat rifleman spent 350 in frontline combat, survived being wounded in the leg, and earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

The 87-year-old returned to Rye High School last week to share war stories with history students.

“War is hell,” he told them. “It’s kill or be killed.”

Harrison teachers will get 1.5 to 1.75 percent salary increases, contribute more to their health insurance, and face additional “step” increases under a new 4-year deal with the district.

The contract will save the district $2.4 million in the first two years and slow budget growth in future years, officials said.

Teachers will get 1.75 percent raises for the 2012 and 2013 school year, followed by increases of 1.5 percent for the last two school years.  The contract adds three salary steps, reduces step pay increases, and delays raises for teachers who advance their education.

Teachers will contribute more to their health insurance premiums and pay 15 percent by the 2014 school year.

“We set out to achieve three goals: to maintain academic opportunities for students, to protect taxpayers and (ensure) high quality teaching,” Superintendent Louis Wool wrote in a news release. “These accomplishments occurred as a result of mutual respect and trust among union leadership, the board of education, and the superintendent.”

Comedy Central funnymen Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will host a Rally to Restore Sanity and a March to Keep Fear Alive, respectively, this Saturday at the Washington Mall in D.C. Are you making the hike up to our nation’s capital? Reporter Briggette Sayegh is looking for locals to talk to at the scene. If you would be willing to be interviewed, please e-mail her at bsayegh@lohud.com