Sound Shore

LARCHMONT — James Dashner’s novel “The Maze Runner” will be discussed at the Larchmont Public Library young-adult book club’s first meeting of the summer at 7 p.m. Monday, July 11, at 121 Larchmont Ave. This season, the club for teens ages 13 to 16 will also discuss Rachel Ward’s “Numbers” (Aug. 1) and Robert Cormier’s “After the First Death” (Aug. 15). Copies of the books will be available in the reference room three weeks before each meeting. No registration is required. Pizza will be served.

MAMARONECK — A Mamaroneck family is suing the school district in federal court, accusing it of failing to meet its dyslexic son’s needs and giving misleading reports about his progress.

“They were negligent,” the boy’s mother, Susan Hynes, said. “They should have known they weren’t capable of handling somebody as severely disabled as him and told us that he wasn’t progressing.”

Hynes wants the district to foot the bill for her son Ian’s education at an upstate private school that charges $53,000 a year. But the districts has refused, saying it can handle the boy’s needs.

The family’s complaint, which is pending in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeks unspecified damages and full tuition reimbursement for Ian’s time at The Gow School in South Wales. (Read the district’s legal response.)

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NEW ROCHELLE

A 20-year-old Mamaroneck man was attacked by 10 men who punched him several times then took his wallet and $300 cell phone, New Rochelle police said.

The victim told police he was near 219 North Ave. when the group attacked him at 12:28 a.m. today. The man suffered a bump on the right side of the head and a scraped elbow, police Capt. Joseph Schaller said.

Police learned of the robbery when they were sent to 219 North Ave. on a report of a fight. None of the attackers were captured. The victim refused medical attention. It was not known if there was any money in the victim’s wallet, police said.

It’s Thursday. We’re inching closer to the long holiday weekend. Here’s a glance at opinion content published today:

Greg Ball and gay marriage: Editorial
We comment on the political mechanics and arm-twisting that led to the state Senate’s 33-29 vote to legalize same-sex marriage in New York. In particular, we assess state Sen. Greg Ball, R-Patterson, who, as The New York Times reported, sought campaigning assistance from high-profile Republican conservatives, including former Vice President Dick Cheney. We write:

… Ball explained himself in an email, the blog reported: “As far as Cheney, we suggested the need to have nationally prominent conservatives ready to support moderate Republicans willing to support either civil unions or marriage equality, in tough primaries. Hopefully they listened, because some of these voting yes are going to have a tough re-election fight.”

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A divided Port Chester school board voted tonight to hire Edward Kliszus, superintendent in Hackensack, N.J., to take the district’s top post over the next three years. The salary and terms were not immediately disclosed. (Update: The contract calls for a $217,150 annual salary with no benefits.)

Board members had considered three finalists as it sought a replacement for Donald Carlisle, who left his contract early, Jan. 29. Thomas Elliott led the district on an interim basis.

In casting votes, the board divided sharply between the choice of an outside administrator who had served in various districts and an internal candidate with 39 years in Port Chester, Assistant Superintendent Frank Fanelli. The third finalist was outgoing Ardsley Superintendent Charles Khoury.

Board President Jim Taylor said the changing landscape in testing and staff evaluation pointed to the need for a versatile candidate who had managed in “times of uncertainty.” He said hiring internally had been successful in Port Chester, but was not a sustainable strategy:

I am concerned that as long as we continue to view ourselves as a small village, a mom and pop operation where the mayor can be the justice of the peace and the head of the drug store, we won’t move forward. This is an $80 million  operation, it has to be operated professionally and I think this is an opportunity for us to strengthen, not replace, our operations.

Board member Carolee Brakewood noted that Kliszus has a degree from New York University and has been superintendent in three districts. She said he had thrived in ethnically diverse settings. Blanca Lopez also cast a vote in favor.

The two veteran members of the board, Jim Dreves and Anne Capeci, strongly objected to the decision to pass over Fanelli, who is hailed for his success in winning grants to support components of education and after-school programs. Dreves said the board’s choice, combined with the departure of Taylor and the arrival of a new board member, Bob Johnson, meant that it was “not going to be a happy ride”:

Mr. Fanelli has worked tirelessly for 40 years. He’s got ribbons on his sleeves that most people don’t have. … He’s proven his worth in every single way. … I think we are making a very big mistake in not recognizing his value, and rewarding that value with the superintendency. And because of that I need to vote no.

In the wake of the 66-count indictment of Department of Public Works employee Richard Fevang, several city officials issued written statements about the case on Wednesday. Excerpts of some of these statements will appear in a story in Thursday’s edition of The Journal News. Below are those statements in full. In some cases, minor grammatical mistakes have been corrected, though no words have been added or removed. The statements appear after the jump. …

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Dr. Richard Garvey, chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Sound Shore Medical Center, in New Rochelle, earned high honors from the American Red Cross for his work in Haiti.

Garvey, who has offices in Bronxville and New York City as well as Sound Shore, went to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake that all but destroyed the country’s cities and killed and injured thousands. He provided medical help on the ground and has since been raising funds for relief efforts.

The Red Cross named him a “Community Hero” and gave him the “Spirit of the Red Cross” award.

“The Board of Governors, administration and staff join me in commending Dr. Garvey on his caring and compassion and for making a difference in the lives of so many,” Sound Shore President and CEO John R. Spicer said. “Not only did he answer the immediate need of a country suffering unimaginable hardships, but he has continues to work on their behalf. Richard Garvey is deserving of the designation, Community Hero, and I congratulate him.”

(Photo provided.)

The New Rochelle Humane Society is looking for animal-related vendors (not vendors related to animals, but vendors who sell merchandise or services that have to do with animals) to participate in their annual dog wash on Sunday, July 17, at 70 Portman Road, in New Rochelle. It’s not just a day for dogs. There will be face-painting, games and magic shows and a clown. The New Rochelle Police Department will demonstrate its K-9 capabilities and the Mobile Vet Squad’s veterinary hospital on wheels will be open for tours. For more information, contact Beverly Press at (914) 632-2925 or events@newrochellehumanesociety.org.

A house near the Rye waterfront caught fire this afternoon.
No one was injured in the blaze at 697 Forest Ave., but emergency personnel from various Sound Shore communities responded and Con Ed workers cut power to the area by Bird Lane so firefighters could put the house fire out, police said.
Smoke was first spotted around 3 p.m. by security officials at Rye Town Park, who called it in to police. The park is two blocks north of Bird Lane.
“I thought it was the condominiums right here,” said Stephen Kimmons, a park employee. “I checked it out and it was further down. I saw smoke and flames.”
Police closed down Forrest Avenue by the Bird Lane intersection and were redirecting traffic to the side streets around the area.
Neighbors had gathered around the area as emergency workers closed it off.
Around 4 p.m., a man in a suit came running down the street shouting, “I’m the owner. I’m the owner.”

Rockland County’s Ronald Steiner, who does public relations for the New York Grand Lodge of Masons, keeps us posted on significant events.

He let us know that New City’s the Right Worshipful Federico Larrinaga is the newest grand chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Masons of the State of New York.

Larrinaga is a longtime member of Athelstane Lodge 839 F&AM in Pearl River. He was presented with his commission during an investiture ceremony conducted by Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons Vincent Libone before some 900 Masons and guests this past weekend in Utica.
Larrinaga holds the rank of major with the Salvation Army, which his wife Marie also serves as a chaplain. Both served at ground zero for many months during and after the 9/11 disaster at the World Trade Center.  As grand chaplain, Larrinaga will be assisting in offering prayer and service to Masons and Masonic Lodges throughout the state when called upon at Masonic and other public ceremonies, meetings and functions.