Scarsdale Firefighters Rally to Support Fire Captain Following a Tragic Loss
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Scarsdale Firefighters are asking for your support for the family of Fire Captain Francis Sheehan, who lost both his mother Millie Sheehan and his wife Diana Sheehan in a car accident on Battle Avenue in White Plains on Monday September 16, 2024.
Francis and his wife Diana Sheehan have a 19-month old boy named Kiernan, and Millie had three additional grandchildren, Caiden, Saoirse, and Aisling, from her daughter Christine who are now left without a grandmother. Millie was the wife of Greenburgh Councilman Francis Sheehan who made the following statement on ABC News:
“This is the worst possible nightmare imaginable: we are still in shock. They were wonderful and kind people. Everyone loved them, for good reason. Diana was so much more than a daughter-in-law to us even though that is her legal title. We saw her everyday. They moved next door to us. We are that close a family. We eat together and Millie babysat daily our four grandchildren. Diana loved all our grandkids as her own.”
The accident occurred right after the two women had dropped off two young children at day care.
Firefighters are appealing to the community to support the children. Their note says, “Many have reached out expressing their desire to support this family in their most dire of circumstances. We have set up this fundraiser to help alleviate, and lift, any unforeseen burdens on the family while allowing them the time & space to grieve, heal, and remember. We thank you for your thoughts, prayers, words of encouragement, and support.”
Please click here to make your contribution:
Let the Play Begin in Greenacres
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- Written by Sharon Higgins
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It’s official! Work has been completed on the new playground at Greenacres Elementary School. On the evening of Monday, September 9th a ribbon cutting ceremony was held to mark the event, with representatives from the Village Board, the School Board, Scarsdale’s Superintendent of Schools, Recreation Department, Greenacres Neighborhood Association and NYS Assemblymember, Amy Paulin. It was also well attended by running, laughing, swinging, jumping, climbing toddlers, children and parents, all enjoying the shiny new jungle gyms and swing set installed in the last month.
The former playground had been in need of repair for years, with out of date and broken equipment. The baby swings were taken down years ago after they were determined to be unsafe and replacements for the obsolete equipment could not be purchased.
The playground sits on a small piece of Village-owned land that is adjacent to a school-owned playground, so it was up to the Village to fund the new equipment.
The project was budgeted and delayed for years. After costs rose it became a very expensive proposition to fund it. Greenacres Neighborhood Association President Kristen Cipriano recognized the need and took the project on. She researched available set-ups with playground equipment manufacturers and approached the Village with possible options.
With many different players, the project came together with the School District and the Village Board of Trustees reaching out to Scarsdale’s Assemblymember Amy Paulin. School Board President Suzie Hahn said “The schools and village have worked collaboratively on many projects. I’m grateful we have such a great partnership with the village.” Alexandra Marshall, Acting Village Manager remarked, "the village is filled with gratitude to Amy Paulin's office for their important role in getting this project done.” Ms. Paulin was also delighted to comment on the success of this project. “I am thrilled to see the new Greenacres Playground come to life and am so happy to have been able to secure funding for it from New York State,” said Paulin, who secured $250,000 for the Village of Scarsdale to pay for the playground. “This playground is a testament to Scarsdale being a village that embraces the health and spirit of its parks and its children! I look forward to bringing my granddaughter here to play and seeing the smiles of children as they enjoy this beautiful park in this amazing neighborhood. Thank you to the Village of Scarsdale, the dedicated volunteers of the Greenacres Neighborhood Association and the Scarsdale School district for your collaboration, all which have brought us to this wonderful day.”
The new playground is designed with equipment for both preschoolers (2-5 year olds) as well as elementary (5-12 year old) aged children. This well-equipped playground park with all the bells and whistles, now accommodates a much larger age group from 2-12 years old, making it inviting to so many more playground goers.
Many of the children and their parents were curious and watched in awe as Scarsdale Mayor Justin Arest cut the shiny blue ribbon with very large scissors. Little ones, unfazed by the group of adults, continued happily playing while the ceremony went on. Let the playing begin!
Pictured at top: Left to Right: Brian Gray, Alex Marshall, Kristen Zakierski, Bob Klein, Drew Patrick, Justin Arest, Jeremy Gans, Amy Paulin, Ken Mazer, Ron Schulhof, Karen Brew, Leah Dembitzer, Suzie Hahn, Jeremy Wise
Real Heroes May Not Wear Capes
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Raquel, Arthur, Luca and Leonardo Soares with Scarsdale Mayor Justin ArestA quick response from a 13 year-old Quaker Ridge boy may have saved the life of a young boy at Splash Down Water Park in Fishkill, NY on July 12, 2024.
Luca Soares, who will be entering eighth grade at Scarsdale Middle School in the fall, was at the water park with the Scarsdale Teen Travel Camp. He explained that he was in the Monster Wave Pool, a large pool where waves are sent over the swimmers. Just after a big wave passed him, a small boy grabbed him. The boy was choking and crying and asked for help. He was too small to swim safely in that pool. Soares picked him up, ran out of the pool and searched the crowd for the boy’s family.
His mother appeared and grabbed the young boy and yelled at him, never acknowledging Luca. But it was clear to the Scarsdale camp counselors that Luca had acted heroically.
They shared the story with the Village of Scarsdale who issued a proclamation in Luca’s honor at the August 13 meeting of the Village Board. Luca was presented with the proclamation and his parents Raquel and Leonardo and his younger brother Arthur proudly posed for photos with the Mayor and Village Trustees.
Mr. Bitterman, the Director of the Teen Travel Camp remarked that Luca was humble and nonchalant about his heroism, but many in Village Hall had tears in their eyes as they watched the proceedings.
Here are the words of the proclamation as read by Scarsdale Mayor Justin Arest:
Whereas, Luca Soares, a 13-year-old rising 8th grader in the Choice Program at Scarsdale Middle School, demonstrated exceptional courage and quick thinking, acting as the right person in the right place at the absolute right time to assist a small child in distress; and
Whereas, on Friday, July 12, 2024, at SplashDown Beach Water Park in Fishkill, New York, while enjoying the Monster Wave Pool as part of the Scarsdale Teen Travel Camp, Luca noticed a young child who had been pulled underwater by a wave and had not resurfaced; and
Whereas, without hesitation, Luca acted swiftly and decisively, pulling the child from the water and ensuring the child's safety; and
Whereas, Luca carried the coughing and crying child out of the pool and sought out the child's mother, all the while downplaying his actions and modestly insisting to his camp counselors that he had not done anything special; and
Whereas, Luca's bravery and quick action not only saved the child from potential harm, but also exemplified the core values of responsibility, vigilance, and empathy, setting a powerful example for his peers and community members; and
Whereas, Luca’s quick response and willingness to help a stranger in need exemplify the values of bravery, compassion, and selflessness that our community cherishes and strives to uphold; and
Now, Therefore, I, Justin Arest, Mayor of the Village of Scarsdale, on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the and the entire Scarsdale community, hereby honor and celebrate Luca Soares for his heroic actions, recognizing him as a shining example of the best in our youth. His actions remind us all that real heroes may not wear capes, but are defined by their readiness to act in the service of others; and be it further
Proclaimed, that August 13, 2024, be recognized as Luca Soares Day in the Village of Scarsdale.
The Search for a Village Manager
With the position of Village Manager vacant since the departure of Rob Cole in September 2023, Scarsdale Mayor Justin Arest gave an update on the search for his replacement. According to the Mayor, the Village conducted a nationwide search which yielded 20 potential candidates. Those 20 were narrowed down to a list of four semi-finalists. Two on the list accepted an invitation to come to Scarsdale and meet with trustees and a group of selected residents. However, following the visits, rather than hiring one of the candidates, the Board decided to suspend the search.
Why? Arest said an explanation would be provided in September.
Pool Renovations
And what about the pool? Is the Village any closer to finalizing plans for the renovation and improvement of the aging complex? At the August 13, 2024 meeting of the Village Board, Mayor Arest said that the Village renegotiated their contract with the construction management firm, Hill International and is working with the pool architects, Lothrop. Arest said, “We have begun program development using the data and input received from the community. We will have a more substantive update at our first September board meeting which will include additional ways for residents to stay involved and provide input.”
Arest confirmed that construction is still scheduled to begin following the 2025 summer pool season.
Village Emails and Website
Acting Village Manager Alexandra Marshall explained that on August 9, 2024 all Village email addresses were changed from Scarsdale.com to Scarsdale.gov. She asked residents to check their spam filters for any emails they may have missed. As of October 1 all Village websites will be transitioned from .com to .gov. This will improve security and ensure that users are accessing a secure government website.
Paving
Marshall also informed the public of the following paving projects which will be done overnight.
The Village of Scarsdale is performing overnight paving operations at various locations throughout the Village Center. In an effort to minimize disruption to residents and local businesses, all work will take place between the approximate hours of 7 PM - 5 AM. Please note the below paving schedule is tentative and may fluctuate depending on weather:
• Tuesday, August 13: Paving on Spencer Place, Boniface Circle, and Harwood Court
• Wednesday, August 14: Milling on Popham Road and Chase Road
• Thursday, August 15: Paving on Popham Road and Chase Road
• Sunday, August 19: Paving in the Freightway Parking Lot
• Tuesday, August 21: Paving at Village Hal
Trustee Ken Mazer announced that Tuesday October 1 will be Senior Law Day at Westchester County Center. There will be 50 experienced attorneys who will be available to conduct one on one consultations on senior issues, elder law, social security and more.
Resolutions
The Village Board awarded a contract for pedestrian bridge repairs at Freightway Garage to Southern Industries of Tarrytown, NY.
They signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Scarsdale School District and Scarsdale Family Counseling Service to renew the contract for fiscal year 2024-25 for the Youth Services Project.
They amended the schedule of village wide fees and charges to include 2024-25 fees for site plan review per the amended Village code.
Deardre Nedal was appointed to serve on the Advisory Council on Senior Citizens until April 2026.
Treasurer's Report
Scarsdale Village Treasurer Ann Scaglione provided the following tax report:
As of July 31, 2024 99.49% of the county tax levy was collected and 99.57% of the 2023 school tax levy collected.
As of August 1, 2024, 59% of Village tax levy have been collected.
Father-Son Duo Publishes Second Children's Book
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Stephen Baer, a 1994 graduate of Scarsdale High School and father of three children in Edgewood, has just released his second children's book. Co-authored with his 8-year-old son, Jonas, "The Doghouse" is available on Amazon. The story centers around Sheepdog, who has recently moved into an apartment building filled with other dogs. Eager to make new friends, he hosts a party and invites them all. This heartwarming tale imparts valuable lessons on kindness, friendship, and the joy of connecting with others.
Earlier this year, Baer also co-authored "Catastrophe In The City" with his 11-year-old son. This charming book follows the adventures of Catastrophe, an endlessly curious cat, as he navigates a series of chaotic situations. Through Catastrophe’s innocent perspective, young readers are treated to humorous and engaging scenes of mayhem sparked by his decisions.
In his professional life, Baer is an executive at ELB Learning, a corporate training and development company. His passion for storytelling extends beyond the workplace, as he continually seeks opportunities to share this creative pursuit with his family.
Victim Identified in Fatal Crash at the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center
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(Update from the New Rochelle Police Department)
Here is an update from the New Rochelle Police on the identity of the victim.
(July 17, 2024) The New Rochelle Police have identified the victim in the fatal car crash at the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center on July 13, 2024 as 16 year-old Aidan Galeano of New Rochelle, New York.
According to police, "The vehicle he was driving was travelling eastbound on Wilmot Road at a high rate of speed and veered left of center at 1050 Wilmot Road and into the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center where it collided with a metal light post and concrete footing. He only had a Learner’s Permit according to DMV records," and therefore should not have been driving.
Here's what happened:
On July 13th , 2024, at about 12:02am, New Rochelle Police responded to the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center at 1062 Wilmot Road on a report of a motor vehicle accident. Officers arrived on scene and found a 2019 Honda Accord completely on fire. New Rochelle Firefighters responded and extinguished the flames. The sole occupant in the vehicle was found in the drivers’ seat deceased. New Rochelle Police Accident Investigators responded to the scene for further investigation.
The family of the deceased was notified, and no further information is being released at this time to allow the family to process this tragic event. The investigation is still ongoing. The New Rochelle Police Department extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
(An unofficial report states that the victim was a rising Junior at Iona Prep)
