Suspect Charged in 2009 Edgemont Home Invasion
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A home invasion on Fort Hill Lane in Edgemont on a snowy day in December 2009 rocked the community. In no ordinary burglary, the residents, a couple in their 60’s, were tied up at knifepoint while the three intruders stole items from the home, including a computer.
Now, two and a half years later, that computer has lead to the arrest of one suspect, currently in jail in Michigan on unrelated charges.
A press release from the Greenburgh Police on May 9, reports that Victor Hernandez, age 26 of 1070 Fox Street in the Bronx has been charged with robbery and burglary in connection with the incident on December 20, 2009.
In a joint investigation conducted by the Westchester County D.A.’s office and the Greenburgh Police, the stolen laptop was found in the Bronx and lead to Hernandez, now in jail in Michigan. An arrest warrant was issued on January 23, 2012 and the suspect was brought back to New York where he was arraigned on May 9, 2012 and is now in Westchester County jail pending a May 29 court date. If convicted, Hernandez faces a maximum of 25 years behind bars.
Students Drive Drunk Without Taking a Sip
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Students of Scarsdale High School were given the opportunity to experience the effects of drunk driving first hand through the use of a “drunk driving simulator” on May 2nd. Sponsored by the Scarsdale Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol, the driving simulator enabled Scarsdale students to experience driving under the influence of varying amounts of alcohol.
To start the process, each student started driving the simulator without any alcohol content. The students were told to acknowledge the speed limit and drive safely, which most kids did without a problem. Progressively, the simulator then exhibited the effects of driving with the legal alcohol limit to drive, .08 blood alcohol content (BAC). Even driving with the legal BAC, students found it detrimental to their driving abilities as Nicole Zucker said, “All my abilities to drive were impaired, especially my vision and judgment. I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like driving with more alcohol in my system.” Students would later find out what it would feel like as the simulator displayed the effects of driving with an illegal BAC. As students attempted to drive with illegal alcohol levels, their ability to drive safely was completely compromised as they could no longer adhere to the speed limit, stay on the right side of the road, or prevent a collision with oncoming traffic.
Drinking and driving is a significant problem. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car 
crashes are the leading cause of death for teens and one of three of those is alcohol related. The NHTSA also reports that one in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime. Hopefully the simulator helped imprint in the students’ minds that driving while under the influence can be life threatening.
“Kids who tried the drunk driving simulator were powerfully affected,” said Joy Brownstein, co-chair Scarsdale Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol. “We are thankful to the Westchester County Police Department for providing us with this important educational tool.”
This article was written by SHS ninth grader Jonny Dorf who is a few years away from getting his driver's license.
Funhouse Family Tag Sale Saturday May 12
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The Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) Spring 2012 New Members will host a “Funhouse Family Tag Sale” on Saturday, May 12 at Wayside Cottage. Early bird admission from 7 am to 9 am is $2 and from 9 am to 2 pm admission is free. In addition to a fantastic selection of gently used items, there will be a bake sale, Mother's Day items and face painting for the kids! Proceeds will support the JLCW.
Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) members continue to promote the literacy, health and welfare of children and families in central Westchester through such programs as the JLCW’s Family Literacy Program, Grace Church Soup Kitchen, Kids in the Kitchen, Back Pack Buddies, and Let’s Save The Earth. (More information about the JLCW’s initiatives and community projects is available on our website www.JLCentralWestchester.org.)
Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) is a nonprofit women’s organization committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Headquartered at historic Wayside Cottage, JLCW has served the communities of Eastchester, Greenburgh, Scarsdale and White Plains for over 65 years. Our approximately 250 active and sustaining members are accomplished collaborators who identify community needs and develop effective and responsive programs to serve those needs. JLCW invites women of all races, religions and national origins who are committed to volunteerism to become a member.
For more information, email jlcw@verizon.net or call (914) 723-6130.
Scarsdale's Sheryl WuDunn Accepts Open Door Award at the 2012 Gourmet Galaxy
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Over 200 attendees toasted Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Service (SFCS) and honoree Sheryl WuDunn at the Gourmet Galaxy at Westchester Country Club on Wednesday May 2, 2012. The much-anticipated evening featured a tempting display of silent auction items contributed by local retailers, restaurants and friends, and food from 29 area restaurants and purveyors who generously donated drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and dessert.
Representatives from a wide swath of the community turned out in support of SFCS and their programs that assist residents of all ages, from families, to teens and senior citizens. We spotted the Mayor, Village Trustees, School Board members, realtors, PTA leaders, SFCS members of the Board of Directors and Gourmet Galaxy Committee in the crowd. Though partially funded by the Village of Scarsdale and the Scarsdale Board of Education, SFCS relies on funding from donations and fundraisers to meet their budget.
A group of hardworking volunteers took on a multitude of tasks to make the evening a success. An impressive array of silent auction items were displayed throughout the room and included jewelry, gift baskets, books, toys, and certificates for restaurant dinners, spa services, tutoring and more. During the cocktail hour, a representative from local brewery Captain Lawrence Brewing Company served free glasses of beer while sushi and hors d’oeuvres were provided by Haiku, Kirari, Kyo Sushi and Sakanaya and Standing Room Only.
Restaurants provided samples from their menus for dinner. We tasted polenta and osso bucco from Caffe Azzurri, Chicken Cacciatore from Lusardis, seared duck from the new Bistro Latino, and meatballs with fried onions from an American Bistro before we were too full to eat more. We heard that the sliders from the Tap House, baklava from Nikos , beef from Benjamin Steakhouse, salmon from Eastchester Fish Gourmet, pasta from Enzo’s, and dumplings from the new Noodle+ on Main Street in White Plains were good too. On hand for dessert were yodels from Lulu Cake Boutique and more sweet treats from La Renaissance, Patisserie Salzburg and Imagine Candy. We couldn’t taste everything but did note that the 808 Bistro, Club Car Café, Pagoda, and Zaza’s also fed the crowd.
The program was brief but informative. Highlighted was The Girls Center, a new program launched this year to build self esteem and empower girls in the Middle School. Tina Henderson and her colleague Lori Albanese both took the podium to describe their progress and thank the group for their support. Henderson said, “we have been entrusted with the town’s daughters, “ and reported that this year, the program included 23 girls who “emerged and grew and found their own voices.” The girls “wrote stories and scripts, did dramatic role play and explored both safe and scary places.”
Geraldine Greene, Executive Director of SFCS introduced Scarsdale’s Sheryl WuDunn and presented her with the Open Door Award for her work to ”illuminate challenges and problems women and girls face worldwide.” She called WuDunn, “ a powerful voice advocating for education and empowerment of women.” She is the co-author of “Half the Sky, Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” which she wrote with her husband, N.Y. Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. The book focuses on the challenges facing women around the globe and the struggle for gender equality. The Kristof’s have three children, two who attend Scarsdale High School and one in college.
Speaking without notes, it was evident that WuDunn is comfortable in front of a crowd. She explained that even though her work focuses on women in remote places, the lessons learned in countries such as Uganda or Kenya can be applied here and the methods we use to help one another in the U.S. can be transported abroad. She encouraged everyone to contribute their time to helping others and to integrate giving into their lives. She believes that charity alone is not enough – instead, she believes we need to find ways to give people livelihoods and empower them to help themselves. Though she said the world’s problems are daunting she told the audience to “build from your own strength,” and “in your little corner you can find a way to make a difference.”
Scarsdale High School Carnival Garners Community Support
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The Scarsdale High School Carnival on Friday and Saturday April 20-21 got a boost from perfect weather, bringing out a wide swath of the community. School Government Advisor, Neil Ginsberg who has organized this effort for years was especially pleased with the results this year.
According to Ginsberg, “When the School Government decided to bring a yearly carnival to Scarsdale for the Spring of 2001, we never thought it would become such a community-wide experience. This tradition has SHS students involved in activities which benefit others. Add to that, having groups of people from the entire Scarsdale community, especially the future SHS students, enjoying a beautiful weekend together in a fun way, and you have a recipe for success. I love watching students from forty clubs, the class governments, and the school government having people work to make sure everything goes smoothly. I also enjoy the small town feeling that permeates the school grounds. Finally, all the groups combined to raise over $25,000 for charities; it doesn't get much better than this.
Here are photos of some of the activities that took place taken by Scarsdale High School student Lindsay LeBoyer.
(Pictured at top: Students sell baked goods and set up a make-your-own cupcake station to raise money for charity)
