Body of Missing Garth Road Woman Found in Bronx River
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After an extensive four-day search, the body of Catherine "Kay" Cotter, an 88 year-old Garth Road woman, was found in the Bronx River on Friday May 31. Cotter, who was the mother of John Cotter of Greenacres and aunt of Nancy Brady of Crane Berkeley, suffered from dementia and wandered out of the Garth Road apartment where she lived with her son early Tuesday morning. Though witnesses reported seeing her walking on the shoulder of the parkway that morning, an extensive search of the area yielded no results until Friday afternoon. The search team used all-terrain vehicles, K-9 units and a helicopter with friends and family scouring the area on foot.
According to the family, late Friday afternoon, the Eastchester Police found Mrs. Cotter's body in the Bronx River, "near where she was last seen opposite the Leewood tunnel on the parkway. It appears that she may have fallen or was hit by a car and was thrown to the river below the roadway. In all likelihood this occurred in the first hours after she left her home on Tuesday. As hard as this is to hear, there is some consolation in knowing that she probably has not been suffering for the last few days. 
Her intention was to return "Home" and it seems she has done that."
Police report that a volunteer found Cotter's signature hat off the Bronx River Parkway by Leewood Drive around 4 pm. The volunteer alerted police and an Eastchester officer spotted the body in the water. Though the area had been searched earlier, dry weather over the past few days dropped the water level in the river and made it easier to find the missing woman.
In an email the family thanked the community for their "help, kind thoughts, words and prayers."
Search On for Missing Garth Road Senior
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Scarsdale residents John Cotter and Nancy Brady are asking for your help in the search for Catherine "Kay "Cotter who has been missing since Tuesday morning 5/28. Catherine, age 88, lives in the Buckingham at 253 Garth Road and suffers from dementia. Early Tuesday morning she left her apartment and was last seen walking south on the shoulder of the Bronx River Parkway. The missing woman has a thin build and was wearing gray pants, a red shirt, a gray sweater and a tan baseball hat. Mrs. Cotter is the mother of John Cotter of Greenacres and the aunt of Nancy Brady of Crane Berkeley.
Her family, as well as the Eastchester and Westchester County Police and K-9 teams have spent the last two days searching the path along the Bronx River Parkway, the Strathmore area, Leewood Golf Course and Crestwood where she lived for 35 years. They have been out day and night and even gone into the river to look for her. Flyers have been posted along Garth Road and they have canvassed shop owners. Cotter is familiar with the path along the Bronx River. Scarsdale Village and Garth Road and takes daily walks in the area.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Eastchester Police Department immediately at 914-961-3464. 
Callers may remain anonymous.
Three Elected to Scarsdale Board of Education
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Though voters turned down the proposed 2013-14 Scarsdale School budget on May 21 they did give the nod to the three school board candidates on the ballot. Current School Board Vice President Suzanne Seiden was re-elected to a second three-year term with 2,318 votes and new board members William Natbony and Lelia Shames Maude were welcomed to the seven-member board with 2,270 votes for Natbony and 2,315 votes for Shames. These counts do not include absentee ballots and write-in votes. Traditionally the Board Vice President serves as Board President the following year, however it is too early to know whether or not Seiden will lead the Board next year.
The two new board members will replace Board President Elizabeth Guggenheimer and former two-year Board President Jill Spieler in June. However, both Guggenheimer and Spieler will remain on the Board through June and will be involved in the process of proposing a revised budget by June 3 to be voted on by June 18.
With some calling for the Board to drain more of the existing reserves to fund the revised 2013-14, next year's school board may have an even harder time formulating a budget. The state shows no signs of repealing the tax cap, easing mandates or instituting pension reform -- and all of these factors will continue to play a pivotal role in local discussions.
Scarsdale Students See Legislators in Action in Albany
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From April 17 to April 21, three Scarsdale High School students joined their peers in Albany to participate in Students Inside Albany ("SIA"), the League of Women Voters of New York State's ("LWVNYS") primary training program for students. Juniors Veronica Dickson and Jake Schechner and senior Harris Gurny were selected by the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale ("LWVS") to represent their chapter. Students interested in attending were asked to fill out an application explaining why they were interested in attending the program and what they thought they would bring to the table, as well as providing a teacher recommendation. Applications were then submitted anonymously to an impartial judge, who selected Dickson, Gurny, and Schechner to attend.
The students were able to observe the Assembly and Senate in session, as well as to shadow their local representatives and meet with lobbyists and media representatives. According to LWVNYS, the program is intended to immerse students in the process by which public policy is proposed, enacted and changed in New York State, as well as to educate them as to how they can influence and affect the process.
The students were unanimous in their enthusiasm for the program. "SIA allowed me to learn about my candidates, thus humanizing them and making them real-life representatives rather than just names on a ballot," said Gurny. He continued, "One integral part of government I wasn't previously aware of is the role of lobbyists. Both my legislators met with lobbyists while I shadowed them, and it was interesting to see how they interacted with one another."
Schechner especially enjoyed the time spent with State Senator William Larkin. Said Schechner, "We sat in on a meeting with the Donate Life organization and the Senator. This was one of the greatest parts of the trip, because the meeting consisted of several people who were alive because of an organ donor, telling their stories." He also appreciated accompanying the Senator to the Senate floor to see the Senate in session.
Dickson also mentioned time spent with the representatives as being a highlight of the trip, and said the program was "fascinating and so varied...Truly, this is a wonderful trip and I would recommend it to future applicants without a doubt."
Laura Ladd Bierman, Executive Director of LWVNYS, described some of the activities in which the students partook. "On (the first day), the students had a tour of the state Capitol and heard about whose faces are on those engraved stones and the secret of the fireplaces in the Senate Chambers. League Legislative Director, Barbara Bartoletti, then provided them with the do's and don'ts of lobbying the legislators – how to approach them, make your arguments and be persuasive. Assemblymembers Pat Fahy and James Tedisco then joined the group to allow all students to roleplay. Students were able to approach the legislators and lobby them on an issue of the student's choice. The legislators were wonderful to engage with the students in this activity," said Bierman. Other activities included a short mock session in the Assembly Chambers; a talk with students by Robyn Ringler, Capital District Leader of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, about the role of an individual in making change happen; a tour of the Chambers of the Court of Appeals along with a lesson on the different levels of the judiciary in New York State; and a discussion about the process of running for office, led by Assemblymember Tony Jordan.
Including the 3 representatives of LWVS, 55 students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, from 37 local leagues attended Students Inside Albany. The LWVNYS believes that educating and empowering the youth of our country is vital to maintaining a strong democracy. Through the League's Education Foundation, the State League and many local leagues, including the Scarsdale chapter, operate programs that provide students with the information, motivation and skills to become informed voters and engaged citizens.
At the behest of state league representatives, the Scarsdale students introduced the other SIA students to the LWVS youth program Presidential Pursuit. Presidential Pursuit is a fast paced, fun, and educational game designed to impart civic knowledge to middle school-aged children. In October 2012, LWVS volunteers brought the game into in all seventh grade Social Studies classes in Scarsdale Middle School.
The LWVS Education Foundation provided most of the funding necessary to send the three students to SIA, with costs covered by the LWVNYS Education Foundation as well. For those interested in attending SIA next year, or for more information on LWVS, including youth programs and the Education Foundation, go to the newly revamped LWVS website at www.LWVS.org, or contact Susie Rush at srush76@gmail.com.
Vote YES for the Scarsdale Schools Budget
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This letter was submitted by Scarsdale resident David Brodsky: Dear Scarsdale 10583.com: After months of study and open hearings, the Board of Education is proposing a capital and expense budget that is made up of many many individual items designed to meet the values and educational needs of our community. One such individual item, the proposal to add about $325,000 to the capital budget for a new wellness center, has been the subject of several letters about the forthcoming vote on the school budget, which this year requires a 60% vote to pass because the proposed budget exceeds the NYS Tax Cap by 0.55%.
In my view, a new wellness center is consistent with our Village's values and needs because it will be vital to installing lifelong habits in our students of health knowledge and fitness. But, even if one disagrees with my opinion, don't let disagreement over one $325,000 item defeat a $145 budget. Especially because, with or without the new wellness center, the budget would still exceed the NYS tax cap, because capital expenses like the wellness center are not counted toward the cap.
So why is the cap exceeded? Because, despite the Board's consistent efforts to find economies wherever they can, including keeping growth for programs and services in our seven schools to only 0.57% increase, they cannot control NY State mandated increases in the retirement systems that amount to almost 2% of the new budget and, unlike the capital budget, count directly against the tax cap. So, in the real world, the wellness center argument is a red herring.
On the merits, a vote of yes on May 21 is vital for our community.
1. Like me, many readers of this letter fall into the category of "empty nesters," where the focus of your lives no longer revolves around what is being built in the high school, or what courses are being offered, or when holidays fall in the Scarsdale School calendar. But there's one issue that should resonate with all of you: Scarsdale is known nationally for its schools, it has always been extremely attractive to live here because of its schools, and our property values have been consistently high over the years because of its schools.
2. The District's school budget growth of 2.47% is the third lowest in 30 years. As mentioned above, the largest portion of this growth – 1.9% -- is due to NY State mandated increases in the retirement systems that we have no control over.
3. Funding for education program improvements, while reduced in this budget, keeps our curriculum at the forefront of education practices and focused on innovation for the future – all of which are well-regarded worldwide. Meantime, the District and Board will continue to monitor the student/teacher ratios at SHS to maintain the low class size that is so important for student success.
So, vote YES on May 21 from 7 am to 9 pm at the Middle School. Ask others, including your out-of-home children, still registered to vote in NY, to vote YES. And hold your head high with Scarsdale Pride when we pass this budget.
David M. Brodsky
