Sound Shore

The books at the book sale in the New Rochelle Public Library were going fast when I stopped by this morning.

People were picking through novels, art books, self-help advice and volumes on baseball and science.

Remember when swarms of Harry Potter fans crowded stores for the midnight releases (more…)

New Rochelle is looking for someone to save the Fourth of July fireworks display.

It would take $75,000.

The city shoots off its pyrotechnics on July 4 itself, unlike many other communities that hold the celebration shortly before or soon after. And New Rochelle uses Grucci fireworks.

But times are tough, and the money for the celebration was cut from the city’s 2012 budget, along with the $60,000 needed for the Memorial Day and Thanksgiving parades.

So now the city has set up a community events fund to restore the events. Already, donors have pitched in the $30,000 for the Memorial Day parade and almost all of the $30,000 needed for the Thanksgiving event.

But the fate of the fireworks hangs in the balance.

“We are grateful for the support of institutions and individuals who have already (more…)

Mamaroneck’s Michael Presley slides safely into second base ahead of the tag by New Rochelle shortstop John Valente during the baseball game at Mamaroneck High School on May 3, 2012.

Mamaroneck’s Connor Bingham crosses the plate to put the team on the board with a 1-0 lead against New Rochelle in the second inning during the baseball game at Mamaroneck High School.

Mamaroneck pitcher Will Hofmann (cq) throws a pitch against New Rochelle during the baseball game at Mamaroneck High School.

New Rochelle pitcher Andrew Zigmont throws a pitch against Mamaroneck during the baseball game at Mamaroneck High School on May 3, 2012. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

Go to LoHud.com for game story from the baseball game between Mamaroneck and New Rochelle at Mamaroneck High School.

Archbishop Stepinac teammates congratulate Christopher Rooney after scoring the go-ahead run against Iona Prep as catcher Cody Polchinski walks by at right during the baseball game at Iona Prep High School in New Rochelle on April 24, 2012. Stepinac beat Iona Prep 4-3 after coming from behind in an extra-inning game. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

See more photos from the Archbishop Stepinac against Iona Prep baseball game at Iona Prep High School in New Rochelle in a photo gallery, and go to LoHud.com or the story.

The Sound Shore Shakespeare Festival in New Rochelle will wrap up tomorrow night (Tuesday) with “Tea and Sonnets,” where you can bring original poetry or prose to read aloud.

You get extra appreciation if you bring a sonnet, but prose and other types of poetry are welcome, too. Whatever you want to read, though, (more…)

NEW ROCHELLE

An $800 black and white Shih Tzu dog was stolen from a city resident’s apartment during a burglary, police said.

The 34-year-old woman left her Franklin Avenue apartment at 3:40 p.m. Friday to pick up her children and when she returned at 8:14 p.m. the dog was missing from the apartment.

Police said the woman may have left her apartment door unlocked.

Nothing else was missing from the apartment.

NEW ROCHELLE

 A 53-year-old New Rochelle woman was mugged by a man who yanked her shoulder bag off her shoulder, police said today.

The woman was walking south on  May Street at 9:40 p.m. Saturday when the mugger approached her from behind, New Rochelle Detective Capt. Joseph Schaller said.

The mugger, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, yanked the bag off of her shoulder, knocking her to the ground, and then escaped with it, Schaller said.

Catholic high school students and staff volunteer time to work on a swing set and playhouse during “Make A Difference Day” at SAIL at Ferncliff Manor, a school for people with developmental disabilities, in Yonkers on April 21, 2012. Students performed community service at various New Rochelle and Yonkers sites throughout the day, representing the New Rochelle Roman Catholic high schools of Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel High School, Iona Preparatory School, Salesian High School and The Ursuline School. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

See more photos from the inaugural “Make A Difference Day” in a photo gallery, and read the story by writer Ernie Garcia at LoHud.com.

Two local candidates for state Senate are speaking out against a proposal to enact a commuter tax on those who work in Manhattan.

Assemblyman George Latimer, D-Rye, and Republican opponent Bob Cohen from New Rochelle are competing to succeed Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer, and they agree on at least one thing. Gannett’s Jon Campbell has this report from Albany.

New artworks inspired by William Shakepeare’s 400-year-old sonnets make up a new exhibit at the Museum of Arts & Culture in New Rochelle.

As part of the Sound Shore Shakespeare Festival the museum will present “The Art of the Sonnet: Visual Works Inspired by the Words of the Bard,” a juried art show of works in a variety of media that opens this week.

The public is invited to the opening reception at 7 p.m. Thursday in the museum, which is in the New Rochelle High School wing at North Avenue and Braemer Avenue.

For the show, museum director Theresa Kump Leghorn said, artists were asked to explore the ways (more…)