Local Entrepreneur Responds to Demand for Quick and Easy Tech Repair
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- Written by Stacie M. Waldman
- Category: The Goods
Do you have an unruly device? Has your phone ever launched itself across the room? Has your iPad ever jumped out of your toddler's hands head-first onto the concrete? Or plunged into the pool for a quick swim? There's no need to dread having to get a broken screen fixed now that uBreakiFix, a local technology repair company, is essentially in our back yard.
uBreakiFix specializes in the repair of small electronics, ranging from iPhones, smartphones, tablets, computers (Mac's & PC's), game consoles and other devices. It offers while-you-wait repair services, a price match guarantee, free diagnostics and a 90-day nationwide warranty.
Seth Berkman, owner of BerkmanTech, an IT support company serving businesses in Westchester, is now the owner of three local uBreakiFix repair shops: Scarsdale, Mamaroneck, and Mt. Kisco. He grew up in Scarsdale in-tune with local tech needs, became aware of the growing demand for a place one could go to get technology fixed without breaking the bank or waiting for ages for service. He knows, for example, that Scarsdale is a community with many families that have small children and considered that when opening his uBreakiFix locations. "We have great waiting areas that are kid-friendly," Berkman said. "We've got magazines that kids love as well as kid-appropriate television shows in our waiting area. But don't get too comfortable...we do our absolute best to fix your device within an hour." There is ample, free parking at the Scarsdale location.
"We have an opportunity every single day to be a hero in a small way," Berkman said. "Our phones hold more than data—they contain our plans, our stories, our networks and our memories. When disaster strikes and all of that very personal data is put at risk, we get to be the ones that 'save the day'. That's how our customers put it. It's really rewarding work."
The Scarsdale team has seen its fair share 
of excitement since it opened in September of 2014. Every repair has a story behind it—though some are crazier than others. In June, uBreakiFix District Manager Jesse Glassberg salvaged a phone that fell from a customer's pocket while on a roller coaster. The phone was smashed and the customer believed it to be completely destroyed; however, in less than 30 minutes, Jesse emerged with a good-as-new phone. The best part? This miraculous repair was all done while the customer waited.
uBreakiFix has saved Americans an estimated $500 million in replacement costs since its inception in 2009 and to date has repaired over one million devices and the brand is only growing. "You'll be impressed with our customer-centric approach and our professional handling of your technology repair," Berkman said. "I'm really proud that I can provide a service like this to people in Scarsdale and beyond. We make it easy and affordable to get your device fixed."
"Our service is backed by a national company, but we are versatile enough to adapt to the needs of local markets where our customers are. We don't operate with a one-size fits all mentality," said David Reiff, Co-Founder and Vice President of uBreakiFix.
This article is sponsored content from uBreakiFix Scarsdale, located at 745 Central Park Ave. Hours are 10 AM-7 PM Monday through Saturday and noon-5 PM on Sundays. You can make an appointment or walk in at any time. Click here for the Scarsdale location.
Greenacres School Turns 100 in Style
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- Written by Toni DiMartino and Midori Im
- Category: The Goods
Greenacres Elementary, Scarsdale's oldest school, celebrated its Diamond Jubilee Gala on Friday, November 20 with a flapper-fabulous themed affair at Mulino's at Lake Isle. The more than 350 guests, which included alumni, principals (past and present), staff, board of education members, PTA presidents (past and present), parents (past and present) and community members, enjoyed a fun-filled evening featuring dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions.
The Jubilee Gala was a culmination of many months of preparation led by two Greenacres mothers (and SHS buddies) Sharon Kass Higgins and Isabel Uchitelle Finegold. They, and their 100th Anniversary Committee, reached out to past parents, students and faculty, not so easy since there was no Facebook or even worldwide web for much of the school's history. Ms. Finegold, who also was a member of the class of '80 at Greenacres, noted that one of the alumni honored was located because he played chess with a former teacher's husband. Commenting on the night, Finegold said, "It was a great evening to celebrate our beloved school turning 100. The community, our alumni and Greenacres staff, past and present, came out in full force to celebrate. The roaring 20's were evident with boas, pearls and fringe".
New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, U.S. Representative Eliot L. Engel and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin were on hand to present congratulatory proclamations.
Among the speakers were Greenacres PTA President Lynn Marvin, Greenacres Principal Sharon Hill, Scarsdale Superintendent of Schools Dr. Thomas Hagerman, Scarsdale Board of Education President Leila Shames Maude and alumni honoree Journalist Alan Schwarz (SHS '86).
The evening's honorees included Greenacres alumni: Broadway music director, Charlie Alterman, SHS '93; Statesman, Woody Bliss, SHS '54; painter/sculptor Nicole Eisenman, SHS '83; lawyer and diplomat, Kenneth I. Juster, SHS '72; founder & CEO, Rob Kissner, SHS '04; editor emerita, Linda Carpenter Leavitt, SHS '64; journalist, Alan Schwarz, SHS '86 and artist, Saya Woolfalk, SHS '97; as well as Greenacres Principals and Greenacres PTA Presidents.
The annual fundraiser enables the PTA to enrich the educational experiences of all Greenacres children by funding programs such as assemblies, technology and STEAM, arts programming, classroom and library enrichment materials, author visits, environmental awareness and much more.
Village Manager Assures Residents that Scarsdale Water Passes the Test
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: The Goods
Is Scarsdale's drinking water supply safe? Residents may be alarmed by a notice that was sent with their most recent water bills advising them that Westchester County District #1 has failed to comply with an EPA mandate to treat the water with ultra-violet light to control the presence of cryptosporidium. The Safe Water Drinking Act required the water district to have the new disinfection measures in place by September 30, 2015 and the district failed to meet the requirements. Therefore the EPA required the Village to include notification with resident's water bills.
Currently surface water taken from the Kensico Reservoir is disinfected with chlorine which inactivates viruses but is not sufficient to treat cryptosporidium. The EPA warns that water that is inadequately treated may contain "disease-causing organisms including bacteria, viruses and parasites which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches.
The EPA warns those who have "severely compromised immune systems," and infants, pregnant women and the elderly to see advice from their health care providers about drinking this water.
In the interim the water district tests the water weekly for the presence of cryptosporidium and giardia and to date they have found that the water is safe to drink.
A copy of the USEPA Tier 2 Violation Notice is available on the Scarsdale website here.
In his state of the Village message to the Scarsdale Forum in November, Mayor Jon Mark discussed the issue and the construction of two ultra violet treatment plans in White Plains which is expected to be completed by 2018.
Here are the Mayor's remarks:
"Separate from the Village water department operations, Water District #1, of which Scarsdale is a part, is required, pursuant to Federal and State regulations, to provide ultra violet treatment of the water to kill certain pathogens. To this end, Water District #1 is currently building two ultra violet treatment plants in White Plains on the 48 inch pipe from the Kensico Reservoir serving the Village. The estimated cost of the two plants is $10 million and the anticipated service operation date sometime in 2018. In the future, if full filtration of the water supply system is required, a treatment plant on New York City Water Board property in Valhalla would be built replacing the aforementioned ultra violet plants. If this project, currently estimated at $100 million, moves forward, it would be funded by the County Water District Tax which is allocated among Scarsdale, White Plains, Mount Vernon and Yonkers residents and will not be part of the Scarsdale water or tax bills."
Residents Debate Group Home Application for Murray Hill
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: The Goods
Representatives from Monte Nido, a company that has applied to run a residential adolescent treatment facility in a private home at 2 Morris Lane in Murray Hill sought to diffuse opposition from community members at a meeting at the Scarsdale Library on Sunday November 15. The meeting was attended by residents and realtors who are concerned about the presence of the facility in their neighborhood. They fear additional traffic, object to a commercial enterprise in their midst and are worried that the group home will cause a depression in the value of surrounding homes in their neighborhood, which borders both Scarsdale and New Rochelle. A realtor said that agents would need to disclose the presence of the facility to prospective buyers of neighboring homes and wondered how that would affect future sales.
Attending on behalf of Monte Nido was Carolyn Costin, who founded Monte Nido in 1996, Dr. Doug Bunnell, the Chief Clinical Officer, CEO Vicki Kroviak and Westchester resident and mother of an anorexic girl, Nancy Turett.
Though local zoning code prevents businesses from opening in residential areas, a NYS law called The Padavan Act requires the Village to treat group homes as single-family residences. Unless the Village can prove they are saturated with group homes or find a comparable alternative site they must allow the facility to open.
Monte Nido claims that the home will be licensed to accommodate eight girls who will be managed by six to eight staff members during the day, and two to three at night. The will be licensed and monitored by the NYS Office of Mental Health and the residents will not attend Scarsdale Schools. They plan to accommodate all cars on the property and do not plan to purchase a vacant lot nearby to build a parking lot. The group promises to be "discreet and private," and when the girls leave the property they will be accompanied by staff members.
Monte Nido is a for-profit enterprise and will pay the $130,000 in property taxes for the home. Fees to stay at the home are said to be $1,000 per day.
Opinions about the application among residents vary widely. A woman who lives near another group home in Scarsdale told us that she never would have known it was there if someone had not told her. Others say that their own daughters could need help and welcomed the applicants. A person who commented on an article on Scarsdale10583 wrote, "I'm struggling to understand how this home will alter the traffic flows in Scarsdale, any more than the myriad construction, contractors and landscapers vehicles are doing now. So that really shouldn't be a concern. And it's hard to fathom how a home like this will SUBSTANTIALLY ALTER the character of the neighborhood – any more than the monstrosity at Five Corners has done. Will the Monte Nido folks significantly alter the home from the exterior, building on to what is existing? If so, then perhaps the assessed value increases and they pay more taxes. Will they pay their tax bill and maintain the property in the manner of the other homes in the neighborhood? I suspect they will. Will the residents and employees adhere to local laws and be good citizens of the village? Again, I suspect they will and will have no greater levels of incidents that that which is found currently across the village."
"We should not dismiss any program that has the potential to treat or assist with issues that cause depression or even suicide – whether in our community or outside. As we have seen too many times, and within the village, it's a growing problem."
"Furthermore, I would believe that if any of the opposition has had a loved one that has dealt with emotional issues similar to those of the girls that will inhabit this home, their objections would be swept away like the fallen leaves so swiftly raked off their property by their landscapers."
Those who oppose the facility are circulating a letter that they are encouraging their neighbors to forward to the Mayor. Here's what it says:
Our Community is in Jeopardy:
Let the Village know OUR residential community is NOT the place for another treatment facility!
If approved, we believe this facility WILL:
• Increase traffic in our neighborhood due to staff, patients, guests and emergency vehicles at all hours of day and night;
• Substantially alter the character of our neighborhood;
• Make our neighborhood less desirable to live in and even potentially reduce property values; and
• Add yet another treatment facility to the Heathcote community (there are already 8 in the immediate area!).
Come to the Land Use meeting on November 24th at 6:30 p.m. to urge the Village to suggest alternate, far more suitable sites in lieu of this utterly untenable location and to explore all issues of public safety connected with this proposal as we understand that some patients treated by Monte Nido have a history of substance abuse or drug addiction.
Monte Nido met little opposition in Irvington when they purchased their first property in Westchester to open another treatment home for people who suffer from anorexia. However, they later filed an application to purchase a second home adjacent to the first in order to expand their capacity. That application spurred opposition from neighbors and Monte Nido withdrew it, saying, they did not want to garner "ill feelings."
It is not clear how and if community views will affect Monte Nido's plans for Scarsdale. Learn more at a meeting of the Law and Land Use Commitees of Scarsdale Village scheduled for Tuesday night November 24 at 6:30 pm at Village Hall.
Below find an FAQ from Monte Nido:
Seniors Celebrate Halloween at SHS
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: The Goods
Kids wait thirteen years to dress up for the Senior Halloween Breakfast at Scarsdale High School – and you can't beat the costumes at the annual event. This year the breakfast was held on Friday October 30th, and the get-ups were as good as any year in recent memory. Though the morning begins at 7:30 am, on this one day it looked like everyone arrived on time.
What did we see? There were two mobs of kangaroos, a band of polar bears, a troupe of ballerinas, an Olympic soccer team, a pack of daffy ducks and a ward of prisoners sporting orange jumpsuits that said "SHS Correctional Facility, Released June 2016." We spotted super heroes and heroines, surfers, cops and robbers, ghost busters and aliens.
The teachers got into it too. Three language teachers were dressed as Coco Chanel, Napoleon Bonaparte and Michael Jackson. The Deans came as a baseball team, sporting "Field of Deans" t-shirts and one faculty member had her head poked through a picture frame and was posing as the Mona Lisa.
Creepiest of all were a group of girls sporting white contact lenses and splattered sheets who perfected the vacant look of zombies – scary stuff!
