Sound Shore

Village elections are approaching: March 20. In Pelham Manor, Trustees Neal Schwarzfeld and Louis Annunziata are running unopposed for re-election. They are endorsed by both major parties as well as the Manor Party. Trustee terms are for two years, unpaid. There are no referenda on the ballot.

And in the village of Pelham, incumbent Democrats Paul McGoldrick and Joe Marty as well as newcomer Adam Kagen are running unopposed for three seats on the village’s Board of Trustees. Kagen will replace Theresa Mohan, who is not seeking re-election. Trustees receive a $2,000 annual stipend and serve two-year terms. There are no referenda on the ballot.

Joseph Longobardi, principal of Pelham Middle School, will retire in June after a 39-year-long career in education. He was hired as the district’s first special education teacher and went on to hold several administrative positions before being appointed Middle School principal in 1992. District Superintendent Dennis Lauro described him as “an outstanding educator and a wonderful leader.” Longobardi said, “I feel extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to be part of this community for all these years.”

Mamaroneck, Pelham, Harrison and New Rochelle have all had reports of armed robberies in recent weeks near local train stations. Rye police sent out an alert today telling residents to be on the lookout, though no such incident has been reported there.

Theresa Juva-Brown reports on LoHud.com today:

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Police are warning commuters to watch out for an armed mugger who robbed two men, injuring one of them, in separate incidents as they walked from the Mamaroneck and Harrison train stations on Thursday.

A 59-year-old Mamaroneck village man told police he was walking from the Metro-North train station at 8 p.m. near Stanley Avenue when a man came up behind him with a gun and demanded his property. The robber fled on foot with undisclosed property.

An hour later, as a man walked from the train station near South Road and the Interstate 95 bridge in Harrison, he was struck in the head with a blunt object. The mugger then took his cell phone at gunpoint. The victim was taken to White Plains Hospital with a head injury.

Investigators believe the two incidents are connected and said the robber may have taken the train between robberies.

The suspect is approximately 5 feet 10 and weighs 180 to 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and a light-colored bandanna or mask. He was carrying a silver or black handgun, police said.

Anyone with information should call Harrison police at 914-967-5111, Ext. 1, or Mamaroneck village police at 914-825-8541.

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Crime Stoppers had an alert earlier this month:

Police were sent out on an accident at Highbrook Avenue in Pelham Manor near the train station about 8 a.m. today. Details were scarce, but people driving in the area should consider alternate routes.

UPDATE: Police report the accident is cleared and traffic has resumed its normal patterns. (9:27 a.m.)

Pelham’s Maddie Curto, upper right, jumps up above her teammates as they celebrate their win against Eastchester during the Section 1 Class B volleyball final at John Jay High School in Cross River on Nov. 5, 2011. Pelham swept Eastchester for the title. ( Xavier Mascareñas / The Journal News )

See more photos from the Pelham and Eastchester Section 1 Class B championship volleyball game at John Jay High School in Cross River in a photo gallery, and go to LoHud.com for the story.

The Pelham Art Center is hosting a free “All Age Art Workshop” on Saturday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. to celebrate the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos).

“In the Mexican culture, death is addressed through many cultural and religious rituals. The indigenous people of Mexico, as well as many modern Mexicans believe that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives – to eat, drink and be merry.  In Mexican tradition, this is a day to remember the dead and to celebrate by preparing special foods in honor of those who have departed. On this day the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decorations of flowers and “calaveras,” skeletons and skulls made of candy. To celebrate, families make altars and place offerings of food, candles, incense, yellow marigolds (known as “cempazuchitl”) and most importantly, photographs and mementos of the departed soul are placed on the altar.”

The workshop will be led by folk artists Zafiro Romero-Acevedo and her mother Aurelia Fernandez Marure. Participants will create vibrant memorial altars with Mexican paper crafts and art materials provided by the Art Center. After the workshop, there will be a performance by Telpochcalli Traditional Mexican Performing Arts and Theater in the courtyard.

The Pelham Art Center is at 155 Fifth Avenue, Pelham. For more information call 914-738-2525 or email info@pelhamartcenter.org

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.

Businesses, synagogues and churches will be accepting donations of new and gently used children’s clothing next month as part of The Sharing Shelf’s “Back-to-School in Style” campaign.

The New Rochelle-based volunteer group is seeking donations of long- and short-sleeved shirts, jeans, pants, sweats, sweaters, sweatshirts, fall jackets and winter coats, as well as new and lightly used basic fall and winter shoes, including sneakers, rain boots and snow boots.

“There is an acute demand for clothing in sizes 5T through youth XL (14) as well as a need for boys’ jeans in all sizes,” said Deborah Blatt, director of The Sharing Shelf.

The group is also seeking donations of new underwear, new socks and diapers.

Businesses participating as drop-off locations are:

• Kidville, 777 Post Rd., Scarsdale, Sept. 1 – 30

• Healthy Fit for women, 1000 E. Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck, Sept. 1 – 30

• PM Pediatrics, 620 E. Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck, Sept. 9 – 11

• Vision of Tomorrow, 132 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont, Sept. 9 – 11

• One2one Bodyscapes, 516 W. Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck, Sept. 9 – 11

• Sound Shore Indoor Tennis 303 Boston Post Rd., Port Chester, Sept. 20 – 27

Clothing is also being collected at:

• Temple Israel of New Rochelle, 1000 Pinebrook Blvd., New Rochelle, Sept. 1 – 14

• Huguenot Memorial Church, 901 Pelhamdale Ave., Pelham Manor, Sept. 6 – 30

• Larchmont Avenue Church, 60 Forest Park Ave., Larchmont, Sept.  9 – 11

• Larchmont Temple, 75 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont, Sept. 12 – 24

To learn more about the clothing drive, call (914) 937-2320 ext. 148 or email thesharingshelf@fsw.org.

Sound Shore and Lower Hudson Valley residents, this is what your neighborhood looks like from space:

(Photo by Ron Garan)

Astronaut Ron Garan, who was born in Yonkers, is now floating high above Earth, orbiting the planet aboard the International Space Station. He’s been doing all sorts of things, from working with space robots to chatting with reporters about missing Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit. He’s also been snapping a lot of photos, including the one above, and posting them to his TwitPic account. Amazing stuff. Happy browsing.

Garan is due back in September. Safe travels, sir.

Thirty-five cars in just over three hours.

That, police said, is the tally for two young men who allegedly helped themselves to the contents of dozens of unlocked cars in Pelham Manor early Thursday morning.

John Manfredie, 18, of Pelham Manor, and Julian Horrabian, 19, of Yonkers, were arrested at 3:20 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Oak Lane and Clay Avenue.

According to police, the two men were found with $169 in coins and $40 in paper bills; numerous cell phones, iPods and GPS units;  a laptop computer; and credit cards. They had made their way across town, authorities said, targeting unlocked cars in driveways and in front of homes.

The pair face multiple charges, including petit larceny, trespassing and a felony count of criminal possession of a credit card. Additionally, Manfredie was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Horrabian was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a credit card and fourth-degree grand larceny, both felonies.

Manfredie has two felony convictions on his record and Horrabian was previously arrested on a violation-level marijuana charge.

Pelham Manor Police Chief Al Mosiello said men’s spree began around midnight. He said police believe the two stole belongings from another five cars earlier in the week. “I would advise all residents to lock their doors,” Mosiello said. “They look for unlocked doors and help themselves.”