Scheming Developer Leaves Footprints in Scarsdale
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The arrest of a developer Michael D’Alessio for defrauding investors has impacted several properties in Scarsdale. In August 2018, Michael D’Alessio, 53, was arrested for misappropriating investors funds intended for development projects in New York, Westchester and the Hamptons. Neighbors in Scarsdale would not be familiar with his name, as the projects here were all owned by LLC’s and did not reveal the names of the investors.
However, it turns out that D’Alessio was the owner of 15 and 17 Circle Road, a 1.3 acre property where there is now a partially finished home and an empty lot, both that hung in the balance for years. The developer demolished the 1920’s home at 17 Circle Road in October 2013 and built a 4,375 square foot home that remains unfinished today. He intended to build another large house at 15 Circle Road but never broke ground there.
D’Alessio declared bankruptcy in 2018 and as a result both properties were auctioned by Maltz Auctions in November, 2018. The empty lot at 15 Circle Road sold for $845,000 while the sale of 17 Circle Road has not yet closed and the price has not been made public.
This week we learned that D’Alessio was also the investor who contracted to purchase the Scarsdale Historical Society property at 937 Post Road. According to Society President Randy Guggenheimer, the deal was made two years ago, before D’Alessio’s troubles emerged. Guggenheimer says “We signed our deal 2 years ago and had to get all of our approvals. While we were waiting this whole deal unfolded.”
15 and 17 Circle Roads were auctioned in November, 2018.
D’Alessio, who was just one of the investors in 937 Post Road LLC, who intended to purchase the property for $1.06 million and subdivide the .7 acre property into 3 lots. The sale called for preservation of the façade of the Cudner Hyatt House. However, when the Attorney General learned of D’Alessio’s misdeeds, they withdrew consent for the contract and the property is now back on the market for $975,000.
In November 2018 D’Alessio pled guilty to wire fraud. According U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, "In typical Ponzi-like fashion, D'Alessio co-mingled over $58 million of investor funds and used them to cash out early investors, cover debts, and pay his own personal gambling debts," Berman said in a statement. "When D'Alessio eventually went into bankruptcy, he perpetrated yet another fraud by trying to conceal assets." He will be sentenced in March.
Paper and Cardboard: What Can (and Cannot) Be Recycled and Why
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- Written by Conservation Advisory Council
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Sometimes it’s hard to know if a paper or cardboard item is ok for recycling. Junk mail? Glossy magazines? Facial tissues? Milk cartons? Gift wrap? What if it has glitter all over it?
Fortunately, the vast majority of the paper and cardboard that we use on a daily basis can be recycled. Generally, as long as it’s not lined with a plastic film, coated with wax, or covered in embellishments like glitter, velvet or foil, it’s accepted. Labels, plastic windows, staples and a little tape are ok to include.
Here’s an overview of what is (and isn’t) accepted, followed by explanations:
Accepted Paper
Non-Accepted Items And How To Dispose Of Them:
Hardcover books, paperbacks: Donate; recycle only ripped out pages; or trash
Paper towels/napkins/tissues: Food scrap recycling or trash
Wax or parchment paper: Food scrap recycling or trash
Coffee/drink cups: Trash
Coated, leak-proof paper plates: Trash
Giftwrap laminated with plastic film or embellished with metallics, glitter, velvet, etc: Trash [Note: regular, plain paper-only gift wrap is fine to recycle.]
Photograph paper: Trash
Accepted Cardboard
All cardboard (any color). Some tape is ok, but please remove excessive tape.
Non-Accepted Items And How To Dispose Of Them:
Soiled pizza boxes: Place soiled part with food scraps or trash, recycle clean part
Coated paper take-out containers (e.g., take-out boxes with metal handles for rice): Trash
Refrigerated milk and juice cartons: Place with commingled recycling
Styrofoam packaging: Remove from recyclable boxes and put in trash
Plastic/Bubble Wrap: Remove from recyclable boxes & bring to store recycling bin or trash
Why Staples, Plastic Windows, And Some Tape Are Ok:
Paper mills turn recycled paper and cardboard into new paper and cardboard products, so generally, they want just paper and cardboard and nothing else. However, they have equipment to filter out some foreign items including staples, paper clips, tape, labels, and plastic windows in mail. It’s always better to remove these and other contaminants, if possible.
Why The Following Items Are Not Accepted:
The following contain too much unwanted non-paper components like plastic or glue, or are “end of life” papers which have already been recycled the maximum number of times:
Coffee/Drink Cups: These cups are lined with a thin plastic film to make them leak-proof and 30% of these “paper” cups is actually plastic. Unfortunately, the paper cannot be separated easily from the plastic lining so these lined cups (and coated paper plates) must go in the trash.
Beverage Cartons: These items go in commingled recycling with plastics, glass and metals, even though they look like paper. Milk/juice cartons, juice boxes and ice cream tubs are lined with a plastic film to make them leak-proof. However, unlike coffee/drink cups, paper mills can remove plastic linings from beverage cartons so these cartons can go in commingled recycling.
Books: Paperback and hardcover books can’t be recycled because of the glue used in the binding. Books should be donated or the pages may be ripped out and put into paper recycling. The binding and cover go in the trash. Phone Books are an exception and go in paper recycling.
Glossy Gift Bags: Gift bags and greeting cards that are very glossy, or are covered with embellishments, are laminated with a plastic film which cannot be separated from the paper.
Food-Soiled Pizza Boxes: A little oil is ok, but paper is highly porous. Heavy oil or food residue is hard to remove from paper, so the soiled part (and wax paper liner) must be placed in food scrap recycling or the trash.
Paper Towels, Napkins, Tissues: These items are typically made with recycled paper that has already been recycled the maximum number of times and cannot be further recycled into new paper. They can be placed in food scrap recycling as long as there are no cleaning fluids or other chemicals on them, or in the trash.
Wax/Parchment Paper: These are coated with wax and silicone, respectively, which cannot be separated from the paper. Recycle with food scraps or place in the trash.
Additional Recycling Resources:
Scarsdale Recycling Guide:
Scarsdale Sanitation: publicworks@scarsdale.com or 914.722.1294 (Mon-Sat, 8am-3pm)
Westchester County Recycling Helpline: 914.813.5425 (Mon-Sun, 9am-7pm)
Email the CAC here
Scarsdale’s Annual Holiday and Tree Lighting Ceremony - Friday, November 30, 5-7pm
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The annual Light the ‘Dale holiday and tree lighting will be held in Boniface Circle in Scarsdale Village, on Friday, November 30, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. This year’s event promises to be even bigger and better than last year’s. There will be singers, food and lights plus Santa arriving in style on the fire truck and hot chocolate courtesy of Lange’s.
The event will once again entertain and delight the entire family. Come listen to and sing along with the Hoff Barthelson Holiday Carolers and SHS a capella group For Good Measure, as they perform holiday favorites. Santa will visit until 7:00 pm, so children will have plenty of time to share their gift list with him. Children will also have the opportunity to create a holiday craft. This year Sew Happy will offer children the chance to make a snowman themed finger puppet.
Parents can submit their kids’ names for the opportunity to light the tree and menorah. Just send an email to lightthedale@gmail.com and include your child’s name, school and age. At 5:30 pm, Mayor Dan Hochvert will pick one lucky winner to flip the switch! Give your kids a chance to create a magical moment! With the Village’s purchase of even more new lights, the tree promises to look magnificent. And, again, Westchester Reform Temple will share its glorious menorah.
Plan on having dinner too. Mediterranean Mexican, short rib chili, chicken soup, hamburgers and hot dogs
will all be available for purchase thanks to Scarsdale’s own Popojito.
Light the ‘Dale is sponsored by Scarsdale Village, the Scarsdale Business Alliance, The Acceleration Project, and many fabulous Scarsdale residents. The Light the ‘Dale Committee includes TAP members Jane Veron, Amy Nadasdi, Dalya Khan and Vanessa Siderow; community volunteers Abby Sroka, Gabrielle Wise, Beth Altschuler, Simone Kestelman, and ML Perlman; as well as Village Parks and Recreation, Municipal Services and the Village Manager’s Office. Special thanks to the Scarsdale Fire Department for the ride for Santa.
View from the Sideline: The Media’s Contribution to our Polarized Society
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- Written by David Stafford
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I’m a 19+ year resident of Scarsdale, the General Counsel of a well-known education publisher, and happily married with three kids who have (mostly) completed their journeys through the Scarsdale public schools. I’m a big sports fan, a news junkie and a political moderate. I’m opinionated but in a way that is hopefully not too obnoxious for those who have the pleasure of my company. I enjoy reading and listening to other peoples’ opinions, even those with which I disagree, and believe that an informed citizenry, and respectful debate by people on the issues of the day, are the pillar of a healthy democracy.
This leads to a lament. Nowadays in the age of Trump, US society has become polarized to the point that cordial conversation among those with differing opinions has become difficult. The days of extended family engaging in respectful disagreements about the state of affairs in Washington, DC exist no longer. No doubt Trump is a precipitating polarizing figure, but another cause is the news media. As the late, great New York senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once famously said in response to statements by a political opponent, “You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.” And that’s the problem. The facts as reported in the US news media these days often depend on which media source we choose. To cite a recent example, according to the New York Times, on Sunday, November 25 the US Border Patrol used tear gas to turn away dozens of Mexicans asylum seekers who appeared at the US-Mexico border fence. The Times characterized the incident as an unjustified and disproportionate response by the Border Patrol agents against dozens of innocent Mexican citizens who had legitimate claims of asylum in the US. It was a straightforward, cruel overreaction by the Trump-sympathizing agents, right? Perhaps.
But the Wall Street Journal had a different take. The Journal reported that the asylum seekers resorted to violence and broke down barriers, hurling rocks at the US Border Patrol agents who used tear gas to disburse a hostile mob and protect themselves from harm. I have no idea what the actual facts were, but the point is, how can reasonable people, one for whom the NY Times is her source of news, and the other who reads the WSJ, have an intelligent discussion about the incident? There are many other examples, such as what occurs whenever a severe storm or other extreme weather occurs somewhere in the world. Is the event attributable to anthropogenic climate change, or not? According to the New York Times, the answer usually seems to be yes. The Journal tends to disagree. Similar issues exist with television media, with Fox News providing a hard right wing view of virtually every issue and going out of its way to demonize the motivations of Democrats and those with liberal leanings. And it’s a two way street; CNN and MSNBC do the same in the context of Republicans and conservatives. And then there’s social media, which exacerbates the problem by providing a forum for unchecked, ill-informed and extremist views that can and do influence peoples’ points of view, especially those seeking information from their poltical echo chamber.
The media situation is feeding the polarization that is infecting our discourse and undermining our democracy. What’s needed is a middle ground, trusted, objective source of news and analysis. Where is that middle ground? I cannot find it. Perhaps the situation will straighten out after Trump leaves office and we elect a President who makes it his or her priority to unite the country and soften the edges of our discourse. But in the meantime we’re stuck in an unhealthy situation for our democracy. I close by referencing the encomiums being expressed in response to this past weekend’s passing of George Herbert Walker Bush. When he was President, Mr. Bush was not, as I recall, a consensus builder. He was sometimes controversial, but in a way that now seems quaint. Through the present lens of history, he is recognized as a fundamentally decent, honest, American hero who was motivated entirely by a sense of public service and was committed to serving the best interest of the country. The question is, if our next President has similar characteristics – and we can only hope - will the news media reform and take a more moderate approach to news coverage and analysis so that we all form our opinions off the same set of facts? Or is there no turning back from where we are now? Sadly, I suspect it’s the latter.
David Stafford is General Counsel of McGraw-Hill Education, a graduate of Columbia University and Cornell Law School. He grew up on Long Island. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the company.
Volunteers Needed to Serve Meals On Wheels
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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For 40 years Scarsdale Meals on Wheels has been delivering meals to residents in the Scarsdale area. They serve meals to anyone regardless of age or income. Their clients may be homebound due to injury or illness. Others are recently released from the hospital or rehab. Still others simply cannot provide adequate meals for themselves or would prefer not to cook their own meals. Whatever the reason, Scarsdale Meals on Wheels has been there to help these Scarsdale area residents remain independent in their homes.
Each year, they deliver more than 6,500 meals. These nutritious meals meet the dietary standards of the Westchester County Department of Health. While most of their clients pay a low fee for each meal, subsidies are sometimes available for those in need.
The key to their success is our volunteers. Most come from the local community - young moms to retirees and everyone in between. These volunteers contribute about 2 hours a week to assist their neighbors. The daily visit from Meals on Wheels is not only pleasant and sociable for the client and the volunteer, but is also an excellent “early warning system” if a client should need help. Meals on Wheels volunteers can be alert to any change in a client’s condition and can notify the appropriate contact person if needed.
In addition to meals, they remember clients on their birthdays with plants and deliver cheer at the end of the year with a holiday plant. Occasionally, local businesses provide baskets or treats for the clients around Thanksgiving or New Year’s. This is a nice gesture for those not sharing the holidays with family or friends. All of this is greatly appreciated.
Scarsdale Meals on Wheels requires the financial support of the community and the commitment of the volunteers who offer their time to make deliveries. They are grateful for this continuing support and always welcome new faces and additional helping hands. The program is truly a community effort - neighbors helping neighbors. Meals on Wheels is honored to be part of the Scarsdale community and hopes to continue serving the area for many years to come.
For information, to make a contribution, to join as a volunteer or to make a referral, please call 914-723-4342 or visit their website here.
