Sound Shore

Sarah Brown of New Rochelle and her son Marshall, 2, were among those taking part in a drum circle in front of the New Rochelle library today. Photo by Seth Harrison

The drum circle was part of the two-day ArtsFest in New Rochelle. Artfest featured over 20 venues that offered exhibits, music, performances, food, and a “culture trolley” that traveled to all the venues. Look for additional photos at Lohud.com and in tomorrow’s edition of The Journal News.

The Friends of the Larchmont Public Library invites community members to sign up for its first-ever “Scarecrow Festival” Saturday, Oct. 22. All ages are welcome. Participants who register will receive a life-size metal scarecrow frame to decorate for display on the library lawn the day of the Rag-a-Muffin Parade, Oct. 22. Registration forms with information on costs and other details are available at the library, 121 Larchmont Ave., or online.

The Mamaroneck schools just put this email out:

We just received the information below from the Village of Larchmont Police Department and thought this would be a good time to remind everyone to continue to speak with your children about safety issues as they walk to and from school.

PRESS RELEASE – 23 September 2011 The Larchmont Police Department is investigating a report of an attempted luring of a child. A ten-year-old male reported that on Thursday, September 22, 2011 at approximately 3:15 pm, while walking home from school, on Boston Post Road in the vicinity of Bonnet Ave, he was approached by an adult male suspect. The male suspect attempted to entice the youth into a vehicle. When the youth refused, the suspect continued walking on Boston Post Road and may have proceeded onto Chatsworth Ave. The youth was unharmed and continued to his destination and contacted his parents. The incident is currently under investigation and the description of the suspect, excluding for the fact that he is a white male, is general in nature and without remarkable features; further, no vehicle was observed by the youth. This information is being disseminated to the public to generate awareness. If you were in the area of Boston Post Road in the vicinity of Bonnet Ave at the time of the reported instance, call the Larchmont Police Department Detective Division at (914)834-1000.

Harrison residents could soon have a dozen more computers and other amenities at their disposal under a new expansion plan by the Harrison Public Library Foundation.

Steve Hicks, an officer with the foundation, addressed the Town Board Thursday about the library’s future.

Citing recent expansions in Mamaroneck and other neighboring communities, Hicks noted that libraries are no longer just about books – it’s becoming mainly about computers and community programs.

“Visitors to our library from 2007 to 2010 increased by almost 14 percent,” he said.

Now, the Harrison library has eight computers at its downtown branch, but foundation members want to increase that to at least 20. The computers could be based in separate rooms within the building on Bruce Avenue, Hicks said. The local library also has a branch in West Harrison on Madison Street, but Hicks said the foundation will first address the needs downtown.

Ultimately, he said, the expansion plans depend on how much money the foundation raises.

They’ll be hosting a kick-off event at the Bruce Avenue branch at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. An architect for the foundation will present different options for the building, Hicks said.

To RSVP, respond to RSVP@HarrisonPLF.org or call (914) 835-0324. For more information visit www.harrisonplf.org.

The Children’s Hope Chest is a local, non-profit organization founded in Purchase that works to relieve parents’ stress of buying new backpacks and school supplies, healthy after-school snacks, warm winter coats and holiday gifts for their children through eight partner agencies.

On Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. there will be a Children’s Hope Chest Fall Festival Fundraiser and carnival at Willow Ridge Country Club in Harrison. The event will have typical carnival activities and food including bouncy castles, games and lots of cotton candy and popcorn. There also will be “give back projects” including:

• Decorating and assembling after-school snack bags filled with healthy food which will be donated to The Port Chester Carver Center’s After-School Program

• Decorating pumpkins for children and teens in institutionalized foster care at The Pleasantville Cottage School and Edenwald Center in Pleasantville

• Decorating picture frames for children living with a life-threatening illness, affiliated with Friends of Karen in Purdys, NY.

Additionally, anyone bringing a box of breakfast cereal to the event for donation to a local food pantry will receive one free raffle ticket.

Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.childrenshopechest.com or at the door. Prices are $30 per adult and $15 per child.

LMC-TV held summer workshops for local teens ages 12-17 to learn writing, acting and editing, and the results will be screened tonight at LMC-TV’s Studio One at the Palmer Building of Mamaroneck High School from 7-9pm.

Here’s a description of the films:
• In a sensitive look at the injustices suffered by this much maligned group, “Zombie PSA” has zombies explain in their own words their plight. Watch this short film and you will never look at a zombie the same again!

• ”Dancing Through Time”: H.G. Wells meets “Discomania” in this plot twisting nod to the 70’s music genre. Imagine being lost in time and the only way to get back to the 21st Century (assuming you would want to) is to dance, dance, dance!

Light snacks and refreshments will be served; the event is free and open to the public.

Via the Mamaroneck schools:

Mamaroneck High School senior Mark Alexander has been awarded a National Institutes of Health Travel Award to present his research entitled “Culture negative prematurity is associated with decreased placental taurine independent of the clinical indication for preterm birth” at the International Federation of Placenta Associations (IFPA) meeting in association with the European Placenta Group (EPG). The meeting was being held this week in Geilo, Norway with investigators from all continents.  Mark is the youngest recipient ever of this award, which was granted based on the high quality of his scientific abstract.

Mark has been participating in the Original Science Research program at MHS since his freshman year. “Mr. Garbarino set me on my initial path and gave me all of the tools to explore science more deeply,” said Alexander.  “I am excited and nervous for this trip.  I look forward to the feedback I will get and hope to see people look at my project and tell me I’m heading in the right direction for future research.”

Top researchers from around the world will serve on the panel of judges critiquing Mark’s poster presentation.  Mark is the only high school student presenting at the meeting.

The JCC of Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale is holding its fourth annual look inside the college admissions process with a special discussion set for 7:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 18.

The discussion, moderated by Mamaroneck-based college admissions consultant Betsy F. Woolf,  features deans from several top colleges and universities and is designed for parents and students interested in finding out how college admission decisions are made. This year’s guest speakers represent Binghamton University, Swarthmore College, Syracuse University, Union College, the University of Chicago and Vanderbilt University.

Advice includes how to make a student’s application stand out; the impact on today’s economy on college admissions; how grades, connections, athletics, interviews, essays and scores are weighed; and the difference between a well-rounded student and a well-rounded class.

Pre-registration is required. Pre-registration and information is available at www.jccmw.org.

The JCC is at 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale.

Port Chester Trustee Sam Terenzi will never be accused of holding back his opinions, and he is particularly animated on the subject of affordable housing. Today, a comment on an online news story about Rye Brook’s approach to affordable housing prompted an objection from a local political party leader.

Gary Stracuzzi, Democratic chair in Rye Town (which envelops both Rye Brook and Port Chester), sent a press release criticizing Terenzi’s comment on Patch. Terenzi laments that Rye Brook is proposing affordable housing in a neighborhood where children attend Port Chester schools rather than the Blind Brook district (which covers most of Rye Brook):

It never ceases to amaze me how a these liberals in Rye Brook who want you to believe they are champions of the underclass as long is the underclass don’t show up in their neighborhood. The entire Village was formed to protect the pristine nature of their school districts. God bless them, if you can afford to pay the taxes then your kid will have the benefits of a better education. But don’t think you are bullshitting anybody with a half a brain that your community is opened to the great unwashed. You know what let them all come to Port Chester we will take care of them, we will educate them and we will show them what it takes to make it in the real world not in that bubble sanitized existence called Rye Brook.

Terenzi’s accounting firm has a $40,800-a-year contract to assist the Rye town comptroller with monthly financial reports, audits, the processing of checks and budget preparation. Stracuzzi wants Republican Town Supervisor Joseph Carvin to cancel the contract.

Some political context:  Stracuzzi and Terenzi are on opposite sides in the town supervisor race between Carvin and challenger Rico Dos Anjos. Stracuzzi and a Conservative faction are backing Dos Anjos, while Terenzi and another Conservative faction are backing Carvin. The incumbent won the Conservative ballot line in a primary; Dos Anjos has the Democratic line in November.

Stracuzzi says he takes issue with the fact that Terenzi “does not put Rye Brook leaders or the community of Rye Brook in a favorable light.” But Terenzi said today he isn’t backing down; his contention is that Rye Brook deliberately locates its subsidized housing developments in that part of town — at the Port Chester border and within the Port Chester school district.

The housing commentary came up in an online discussion about the Rye Brook home where a shooting and attempted robbery occurred over the weekend. The house has been cited for housing violations.

Residents of the Highlands at Rye, a 99-unit apartment building in Rye whose lower floors flooded in Tropical Storm Irene, are still prohibited from returning to their apartments. During the storm, a fuel-oil tank ruptured and leaked as much as 2,000 gallons of fuel. The Westchester County Health Department said Thursday that tests showed “elevated levels of oil-related compounds that were released into the air.” Tenants have been staying in area hotels since the storm, at the expense of the building’s owners, R.A. Cohen and Associates, Inc. The company is scrambling to make arrangements for 28 residents whose hotel reservations are set to expire Friday. The Health Department will continue to oversee air-quality testing to determine when the residents can return to the building.