Riverdale 06 27 2013 by Andrew Wolf

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Volume XX • Number 26 • June 27 - July 3, 2013 •

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Don’t drive too fast around P.S. 81

By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER Mayor Bloomberg, state Senator Jeffrey Klein and Department of Transportation Commissioner Jannette Sadik-Khan gave a press conference in the school library at P.S. 81 on Tuesday to announce the passage of long-awaited legislation authorizing the city to install speed-detecting cameras in school zones plagued by dangerously fast drivers. According to a DOT study, the P.S. 81 school zone was found to have the highest speeding rate of all school zones in the borough, so one of the 20 new cameras will be installed at that location. The cameras will capture the license plate numbers of those who speed as they pass. The technology is portable, so drivers whose intention was to slow down only at known recording locations will be out of luck—a camera can turn up in any school zone without notice, Sadik-Khan admonished. “Speeding remains the single biggest contributor to fatal traffic

accidents in the five boroughs,” Bloomberg said. “Anyone who doesn’t think this is a deterrent just hasn’t looked at the numbers.” Neighborhood “slow zones” that call for a 20-miles-per-hour speed limit and aggressive law enforcement for traffic safety violations are other measures that will keep the city safer, he said. Sadik-Khan called the cameras a roadblock to dangerous driving, noting that a DOT study found 96 percent of drivers exceeding the speed limit in the school zone. “If you are hit by a car going 40 miles an hour, there’s a 70 percent chance that you will die. If you are hit by a car going 30 miles an hour, there’s an 80 percent chance that you will live,” Sadik-Khan said. “A difference of 10 miles and hours is the difference between life and death.” Current safety initiatives have resulted in “the safest streets in New York City history,” she said. “We’re confident these speed cameras will drive down those

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, state Senator Jeffrey Klein and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Jannette Sadik-Khan at a press conference at P.S. 81 announcing the installation of a speed camera at that location. numbers of injuries and fatalities even further.” Mayor Bloomberg credited Senator Klein with making the

difference “between getting this bill through and not getting this bill through.” “Jeff Klein should have a big

smile on his face,” Bloomberg said, because lives will be saved as a result of the senator’s persistence. Continued on Page 5

Wave Hill celebrates completion of extensive renovation

Continued on Page 5

From left to right, David Burney, Commissioner of NYC’s Department of Design and Construction; New York City Council Member G. Oliver Koppell; First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris; incoming Wave Hill Board Co-Chair Richard Zinman; outgoing Wave Hill Board Chair Cathy Marks Weinroth; Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Wave Hill President and Executive Director Claudia Bonn; incoming Wave Hill Board Co-Chair Sarah Gund; Geoffrey Gund; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr; Kate Levin, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs.

By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER Mayor Michael Bloomberg was a featured attraction at last week’s lavish Wave Hill House reopening, an invitation-only event to mark the completion of an extensive two-year $9.8 million renovation project—a city, state and private partnership venture. Against a backdrop of bright sunshine, world-class river vistas, spectacular gardens and meticulously tended grounds, a team of khaki-clad staffers welcomed guests into the freshly painted, polished areas of the historic mansion. At least 130 guests, including local dignitaries, sampled bitesize quiches, tiny croissants, smoked salmon hors d’oeuvres, yogurt-granola parfaits and fruit smoothies as they marveled at the indoor and outdoor views. The woody expanse of Armor Hall, with its brand-new sound system, was the venue for ceremonial remarks by Wave Hill executives, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and the mayor, who noted, “In 195 days, I’ll have more time to come here.” Diaz spoke of “rebranding” the borough and investing in cultur-

al institutions such as Wave Hill, a “jewel along the Hudson River.” With the renovation work complete, the institution can resume its treasured cultural programs. The regular Armor Hall concert series will begin again in January, and the ever-popular multi-generational Family Art Project will return to its Sally and Gilbert Karlin Learning Center space. The Café and dining areas are among the expanded amenities redesigned to better accommodate visitors. The 28-acre facility hosts around 135,000 visitors each year, mostly from The Bronx but some from Westchester and Manhattan, according to Mary Weitzman, director of marketing and communications. Free shuttle buses meet Metro-North trains at the Riverdale station and subways at the 242nd Street and Broadway station. Even on Mother’s Day, the most popular visiting day of the year, “You’d never know that there are 1,500 or 1,600 people here. There are so many different places you can go—it doesn’t seem that it’s ever that crowded,” Weitzman said. Continued on Page 5

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Grace Belkin, longtime local District Manager, dies at 82 By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER Grace Belkin, Community Board 8’s district manager for three decades, passed away last Tuesday morning in the Riverdale apartment where she lived for more than 50 years. Belkin served as district manager of CB8 from its inception until her retirement in 2006. Former city councilwoman June Eisland, who chaired CB8 during the 1970s, said Belkin was beloved by board members and staff and by the entire community. “She treated the community as her extended family,” Eisland said, “and the community returned their caring for her in the way that she cared for them.” The two women met as volunteers for the League of Women Voters nearly 50 years ago, when their kids were still in preschool. A “fabulous family person,” Belkin was described by Eisland as the most conscientious, loving mom—and as a wonderful cook. Belkin’s daughter, Eve, and her son, David, attended local public schools, with Eve ending up at Kennedy High and David at Bronx Science. As a career civil servant, Belkin was “extraordinarily hands-on,” a “district manager’s district manager,” Eisland recalled. “She helped to shape the job for the city, working with the administration. District managers came and went during her long tenure, but they called Grace if they wanted guidance. Not just from around The Bronx, but managers from around the city.” Belkin was not the kind of district manager who would just sit in the office, Eisland said. “If there was some disaster or something that needed attention from either state or city departments, Grace said, ‘I’ll pick you up—let’s go look at it. Let’s see exactly who needs to be called and what needs to be done.’” Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was saddened by Belkin’s death. “Grace was always a strong advocate for her community,” he said. “Her decades

Engel urges new legislation on voting rights decision Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-16) is calling for immediate, bipartisan action in Congress to respond to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling along partisan lines to toss Section 4 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The Court said in the ruling that Congress needs to update the provision. Section 4 essentially establishes the rules for states and municipalities to follow to ensure that no racial discrimination in voting practices takes place. Section 5 requires states and municipalities with a prior history of racial discrimination, to obtain permission from the U.S. Department of Justice before making any changes to voting rules or procedures. Without Section 4, Section 5 becomes impossible to enforce. “I call on my colleagues to come together and pass legislation which addresses the Supreme Court’s issues with the Voting Rights Act, and returns the still-needed oversight powers to the federal government. There is still a need for equal access to the polls and adequate representation for every American – no matter the color of their skin, or their national origin. In 2006, Congress voted overwhelmingly in a bipartisan fashion to renew the Voting Rights Act. The world then is not so different from the world today – or the world to come. We should be able to agree, yet again, the right to vote is sacred in our country and must be protected. While the states who once trampled on the rights of African-Americans and other minorities may have improved over time, there is no reason to scrap the checks and balances which have worked for five decades.”

of hard work and tireless advocacy at the community board helped to make the Northwest Bronx a better place to live, and her loss will undoubtedly have a deep effect on the thousands of people whose lives she directly touched during her years of service. On behalf of the people of The Bronx, our prayers go out to her family in their time of mourning.” Grace Belkin leaves her husband, Rupert, who took loving care of her until her death; her daughter, Eve Belkin Bernstein; her son, David Belkin; and four grandchildren. Shiva was observed at the home of Belkin’s son, David, in Rye Brook. The funeral was held last Thursday at Temple Sholom in Greenwich, Connecticut, where her daughter is a congregant.

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By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER The 77-year-old Henry Hudson Bridge is entering a new phase of its three-yearlong makeover. Starting on Wednesday, June 26, the bridge’s center northbound lane will be closed so its aging joints can be rehabilitated. Northbound traffic will be diverted to the left and right lanes until this particular operation is complete—likely at the end of July. At that point, drivers will enjoy the use of all lanes to enter The Bronx during morning and afternoon peak driving hours, but lane closures will be in effect

during non-peak times until the entire job is done this fall. The $32 million project replaced the bridge’s original Depression-era hollow-box curb stringers, deteriorating because they weren’t watertight, with new sub-stringer steel beams. The strengthened support paved the way for joint repair and for the installation of new concrete decking on the upper roadway. “When the project is completed, motorists will have wider, more uniform traffic lanes, a new safety shoulder and brand new energy-efficient roadway lighting that will replicate the bridge’s original

1930s-style lights,” acting facility engineer Thomas Cho said. “We thank motorists for their patience while we complete this important work.” The span connecting Inwood to Riverdale crosses Spuyten Duyvil Creek, a tidal strait that joins the Harlem River with the mighty Hudson. Its graceful steel arch, anchored by an abutment on either shore, supports the weight of its 2,209-foot-long roadway and the nearly 60,000 cars that cross it daily. The Henry Hudson was the longest fixed-arch bridge in the world when it opened in 1936 with only one level to accommodate traffic in both directions. The forward-thinking designers anticipated the need for another level, and the upper roadway opened for northbound travel only a year and a half later.

For 34 years, drivers had to hand over a dime for the scenic interborough passage. They grumbled in 1972 at having to pay an entire quarter for the same trip. But three years later, the price doubled, and the 1980 toll of $.75 increased to $.90 in two years. The toll reached a dollar in 1986 and grew to $1.75 in ten years. With incremental increases every few years since, the current cost of that brief passage over Spuyten Duyvil Creek is $5 cash or $2.44 with E-Z Pass. The Henry Hudson Bridge was a pilot site for the 2012 innovation of cashless tolling. Cameras capture the license plate numbers of vehicles that pass the toll station without an E-ZPass device, and the MTA sends the driver a bill for the $5 retail price.

The nearly $33 million three-year project will rehabilitate the Bronx-bound upper level, replacing bridge decking and the original 1930s-installed steel curb stringers that support the top roadway on either side of the 77-year-old bridge.

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HHudson Bridge rehab continues; more traffic delays expected

Around the schools... Riverdale Country School

The school will host the inaugural EdTechFest, a traveling educational technology festival, on Friday, August 23, and Saturday, August 24. Educators, librarians, technical specialists and administrators are invited to participate. The festival aims to empower learners of ages to “change the world using free, ubiquitous, cutting-edge innovations.” There will be inspirational speakers, handson workshops and networking opportunities. Topics will include Google apps, mobile learning, multimedia learning, blended and online learning, project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, game-based learning, passion-based learning, open source in education, web 2.0, personal learning networks, hackathons, maker faires and unconference sessions. Continental breakfast and lunch will be served. “The EdTechFest is an opportunity to raise your own awareness about what’s possible today, to create a new vision for your own practice, and to expand you own network both locally and globally. It’s your turn to learn!” said Sean Dagony-Clark, Riverdale Country School’s director of academic technology. The early-bird rate of $249 per participant ends on June 30. To register, visit nyc.edtechfest.com.

Manhattan College

The college has launched its Jasper Summer Research Scholars program to fund research grants in various disciplines. Eleven undergraduates are receiving grants this summer for research on topics ranging from improving the design of a brace for elbow-related injuries to shortcomings in educational funding in South Africa. A faculty committee selected five students to receive full awards of $2,800 each and six students to receive supplemental awards of $1,700 each. Awardees were selected on the basis of their research proposals, intellectual pursuits, interest in research, cocurricular achievements and potential for contributions to knowledge. “This is a tremendous opportunity to support valuable and wide-ranging research being done by our students and faculty over the summer,” said Dr. William Clyde, the college’s executive vice president and provost.

Local Scholars

The University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware, has announced that Rachel Schwartz was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2013 semester. To earn this distinction, students must be enrolled full time and maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.33. The university, founded in 1743, is considered one of the most popular in the U.S. with an enrollment of nearly 17,000 undergraduates, 3,700 graduate students and 850 students in

professional and continuing studies. It is a state-assisted land grant, sea grant, Carnegie Research university that offers three associate’s degree programs, 147 bachelor’s degree programs, 119 master’s degree programs with 15 joint degrees, and 54 doctoral programs. The Newark campus is located in a suburban community midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Courses are also offered at the Wilmington campus and at other locations throughout the state, including Dover, Georgetown, Milford and Lewes. Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, has announced that Amber Okin and Katie Boyle were named to the dean’s list for the spring 2013 semester. To be selected for the dean's list, a student must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5. Fairfield, a comprehensive Jesuit university, enrolls more than a thousand graduate students and nearly 4,000 undergraduates in its College of Arts & Science, Dolan School of Business, School of Nursing, School of Engineering, School of General Studies and off-campus programs. Fairfield offers 41 majors, 16 interdisciplinary minors and 60 approved sites for study abroad. At the graduate level, it offers 41 advanced degrees and 26 certificate programs. It is one of 28 U.S. colleges and universities founded by the Society of Jesus in the United States. Major objectives are the integration of programs and activities related to the Jesuit and Catholic mission, an intellectual and spiritual investigation of the Jesuit and Catholic heritage, a link from this heritage to real-world issues, and the offering of an innovative program specifically for students who want to examine their sense of calling and mission in their personal lives and career choices. Siena College in Loudonville, New York, has announced that Samantha Diaz, a psychology major, was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2013 semester. To achieve this distinction, students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5. Diaz was one of 747 dean’s list students this semester. Siena College, founded in 1937, is a Franciscan Catholic institution that advances the ideals of a liberal arts education. It enrolls 3,000 undergraduates on its 176-acre campus located two miles north of Albany. Students can choose from 30 majors, 45 minors and certificate programs and professional programs in teacher preparation, pre-med, pre-law and social work. As a Franciscan community, Siena strives to embody the vision and values of St. Francis of Assisi: faith in a personal and provident God, reverence for all creation, affirmation of the unique worth of each person, delight in diversity, appreciation for beauty, and service with the poor and marginalized.

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Wave Hill House renovation completed there are free outdoor concerts on summer Sunset Wednesdays. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Wave Hill joins other museums across the country in offering free admission to all active-duty military personnel and their immediate families. The public, too, will soon get to celebrate the Wave Hill House reopening during a Target-sponsored weekend of free admission on July 6 and 7. For a list of courses, visiting hours and

Speed cameras at P.S. 81

Continued from Page 1 Klein had visited 81 as recently as Monday, when he was a guest speaker at the fifth-grade graduation ceremony. “At that time, we sent off our young people with what I believe—and I know the mayor believes—is the best public education anywhere,” he said. But “this school has the dubious distinction of having the highest speeding rate of any school in The Bronx,” he added, referring to the traffic passing the Riverdale Avenue site, where “96 percent of the cars that go by the school are speeding.” This law, he said, will have a chilling effect. “I think people are going to think twice before they speed in a school zone, before they kick that accelerator, when they know they’re going to get caught by a speed trap.” An NYPD representative and the leader of Transportation Alternatives made brief statements expressing gratitude for the life-saving legislation. Following their remarks, the mayor, senator and commissioner took questions from the major media representatives who packed the library classroom.

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Continued from Page 1 The free Family Art Project tackles a new activity every weekend, so regulars— including grandparents—return again and again. “That project is all about getting kids outside and inspired by nature, something in the natural world, and then doing something creative,” Weitzman explained. “It’s not a drop-off, it’s for the whole family.” While the New York Botanical Garden offers programs that are “horticulture-centric,” Wave Hill’s classes are “more of an introduction.” The facility employs around 50 people, including seasonal employees like gardeners who work during the summer. The main section of Wave Hill House was built in 1843 as a Greek Revival-style country estate for New York attorney William Lewis Morris. It was purchased two decades later by publisher William Henry Appleton, who favored a Victorian décor and added a third story, a mansard roof and a conservatory. Financier George Walbridge Perkins bought the adjacent Glyndor House in 1895 and later added Wave Hill House to his Riverdale properties, which he leased to friends and family. Bashford Dean, the first curator of arms and armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was a generous tenant during the Perkins ownership—in 1927, he added Armor Hall, a Gothic-style wing, to display his collection. Perkins’ daughter and her family took up residence in the 1930s. She did away with the Victorian detail, added a service wing and fashioned what remains as an English-style country manor house. Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain and Arturo Toscanini were all at one time tenants at Wave Hill. Admission for all is free on Tuesdays, and

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Tribute to poet Countee Cullen at Woodlawn Cemetery

On Saturday June 29, the Woodlawn Conservancy, in partnership with the Poetry Society of America (PSA), will host a public tribute to iconic, black poet Countee Cullen on the grounds of The Woodlawn Cemetery-Cullen’s final resting place. This special tribute will take place steps away from Cullen’s burial site and will include poetry-readings from Collected editor and award-winning poet Major Jackson and poets Rowan Ricardo Phillips and Robin Coste Lewis. The program will also feature original musical performances, inspired by the poems of Countee Cullen, by mezzo-soprano and Broadway performer Alicia Hall Moran. The event is free and open to the public as part of the 2013 PSA National Series,Yet Do I Marvel: Black Iconic Poets of the 20th Century, and marks the occasion of the publication of Countee Cullen: Collected Poems. The program will begin at 3 p.m. on the grounds of The Woodlawn Cemetery, located at Webster Ave & East 233rd St in the Bronx.

TACHS Prep course at RCC

The Riverdale Community Center is offering an intensive TACHS Prep course designed for 8th grade students. The course will meet Monday through Thursday, from 9:45 am to 12:45 pm, starting Monday, July 8th thought Thursday, July 18th. The course will focus on skill reinforcement in Math and English for the parochial high schools’ entrance exam. Test-taking techniques and practice tests will be provided. The fee for the course is $260, plus a $15 registration fee. To register, or for more information, please call 718-796-4724 or 718-796-4882.

Illustrated art lecture at Hebrew Home

Emily O'Leary, Assistant Curator of the Hebrew Home Art Collection, will present an illutrated talk entitled, 'Rediscovering the Hebrew Home's Art Collection: Abstraction in the 1960s,' on Thursday, June 27, at 2:30 p.m. in the Biederman Library at The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, 5901 Palisade Avenue. The talk is being held in conjunction with the exhibition, 'Abstraction in the 1960s: Rediscovered Works from the Permanent Collection' (on view in the Gilbert Pavilion Gallery through July 28). Using the work in the exhibition as a starting point, Ms. O'Leary will explore the variety of ways that artists in the 1960s approached abstraction. Among the artists who will be discussed are those who worked in an ab-

stract expressionist style, such as Lionel Gilbert (American, 1912-2005), Sidney Gross (American, 1921-1969), Lee Hall (American, b. 1934), William McCartin (American, 1905-2003) and Symcho Moszkowicz (Swedish, b. Poland, 1915-1966). Expressionist paintings by Gilbert, Gross, Hall and McCartin incorporate smudged shapes and exploratory color combinations. In contrast, Don David (American, 1906-2006) worked in the hard-edged style typical of his fellow California artists. Saliba Douaihy (Lebanese, 1915-1994) is another artist whose work will be discussed. For more information, call 718-581-1596 or visit http://hebrewhome.org/art.asp.

Riv. Y to offer Cruise to the Bahamas

The Riverdale Y in conjunction with the Washington Heights Y is offering a Cruise to the Bahamas on Sunday, October 13-20, 2013. Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, enjoy a change of scenery and meet new friends as we take to the seas! For older adult members of Riverdale Y. Prices are as follows: Ocean View: $1,299 Double per person; $1,999 Single; Inside Cabin: $999 Double per person, $1,492 Single; Balcony: $1,699 Double per person, $2,292 Single. If you are you interested, please join us on the second floor of the Riverdale Y for an information meeting and after lunch refreshments to register for the trip on Friday, June 28, 1:00 p.m. Non-refundable deposit of $150 due by June 28. Full payment due by July 19th. For more information, please contact Vicki at (718) 5488200 ext. 224 or Sharon ext. 230. The Riverdale Y is located at 5625 Arlington Avenue.

Free summer sports programs in Bronx parks

On July 1st, in parks throughout New York City, City Parks Foundation kicks off its 2013 Summer Sports Program for young people. Throughout the summer, City Parks Foundation provides over 13,000 New York City children free tennis, golf, and track and field instruction including free use of equipment in over 60 locations citywide. This summer, City Parks Foundation's Sports programs will be taking place in Williamsbridge Oval, Woodlawn Park, Haffen Park, St. James Park, Van Cortlandt Park, St. Mary's Park, Mill Pond Park, and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. CityParks Tennis provides free tennis lessons to children, ages six to 16, in more than 35 parks throughout the five boroughs. The program promotes physical fitness while building self-confidence and is designed

to make the sport of tennis freely available to those who want to learn the game in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. CityParks Tennis runs through August 9th and concludes with an exciting tournament for beginners held at the Central Park Tennis Center and the JP Morgan Chase Aces Tournament for intermediates held at Flushing Meadows Tennis Center in mid-August. CityParks Golf presented by René Lacoste Foundation makes it fun and easy for boys and girls, ages six to 16, to learn to play golf. The free golf lessons, and use of equipment, held in public parks and on citywide courses, makes the sport of golf accessible to kids of all skill levels throughout New York City. The emphasis of the program is not only on learning the basics of the sport, but also on developing self-esteem, discipline and sportsmanship. The program gives kids a chance to improve their skills and ultimately try out for the CityParks Intermediate Program and Junior Golf Academy-specialized programs for dedicated young golfers available at the CityParks Junior Golf Center, a facility in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn that also offers programming for new or first-time youth golfers from New York City. CityParks Golf will be held in two sessions, running from July 1st through July 26th and from July 29th through August 23rd. CityParks Track & Field gives New York City kids, ages five to 16, the chance to learn the basics of the sport, from hurdles and relay races, to long jump, shot put and javelin throw. All participating youngsters have the opportunity to display the basic skills learned at the end of the season at an organized track meet held at Icahn Stadium, the world class sports complex

on Randall's Island on August 9th. For more information and a full list of City Parks Foundation's 2013 kids programs, please visit www.CityParksFoundation.org. Founded in 1989, City Parks Foundation (CPF) is the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. CPF works in over 750 parks citywide, presenting a broad range of free arts, sports, and education programs, and empowering citizens to support their parks on a local level. CPF's programs and community building initiatives reach more than 600,000 people each year, contributing to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City. CityParks Tennis presented by Chase: Williamsbridge Oval (208th St. & Bainbridge Ave.), Mon & Wed, 9:00 am-12:00 pm; Woodlawn Park (233rd St. & Jerome Ave.), Tues & Thurs, 9:00 am-12:00 pm; Haffen Park (Hammersley Ave. & Gunther Ave.), Mon & Wed, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm; St. James Park (Morris Ave. and E. 193rd St.), Tues & Thurs, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm;Van Cortlandt Park (246th St. & Broadway), Mon & Wed, 9:00 am-12:00 pm (Intermediates only) Tues & Thurs, 9:00 am-12:00 pm; St. Mary's Park (145th St. &St. Ann's Ave.), Mon & Wed, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm; Pelham Bay Park (Bruckner Blvd. & Middleton Rd.), Tues & Thurs, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm; Mill Pond Park (Gateway Center Blvd. & East 150th St.), Mon & Wed, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm; CityParks Golf presented by René Lacoste Foundation: Pelham Bay Park, Field 4 (Bruckner Blvd. & Middleton Rd.), Tues & Thurs, 9:30 am-10:30 am (6-8 years), 10:30 am-12:00 pm (9-16 years); Haffen Park (Hammersley Ave. & Gunther Ave.), Mon & Wed, 9:30 am-10:30 am (6-8 years), 10:30 am-12:00 pm (9-16 years) CityParks Track & Field: Pelham Bay Park (Middletown & Stadium Aves.), Mon & Wed, 9:30 am-10:30 am (5-7 years), 10:30 am-12:00 pm (8-16 years)

Visit Ferncliff Cemetery from the convenience of your own home.

More families are learning about the timeless elegance, enduring value, and the many options for memorialization at Ferncliff Cemetery – and they are doing that from the convenience of their own homes. They found that by going to ferncliffcemetery.com, they could find information on everything from Ferncliff’s beautiful gardens, peaceful surroundings and magnificent community mausoleums, to the financial and emotional benefits of planning in advance. We also invite to visit us for a personal tour of our park, or feel free to call us at 914/693-4700. Ferncliff – Where Memories Live Forever.

280 - 284 Secor Road • Hartsdale, N.Y. 10530 914/693-4700 • ferncliffcemetery.com

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Thursday, June 27

appointment only. Please call Lynda at 718-549-1212 to make an appointment. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

BABY LAPSIT 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stories, songs, fingerplays, and puppets for babies birth-18 months for parents/caregivers. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

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ART LECTURE 2:30 p.m. Hebrew Home 5901 Palisade Avenue Emily O'Leary will present an illustrated talk entitled, 'Rediscovering the Hebrew Home's Art Collection: Abstraction in the 1960s.' Free to the public. For more information, call 718-581-1596.

Riverdale

CB8 MEETING 7 p.m. Community Board 8 5676 Riverdale Avenue Meeting of the Law, Rules & Ethics Committee of Community Board 8. For more information, call 718-884-3959.

Friday, June 28 Kingsbridge

TEEN SUMMER READING 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Check out the books on this year's summer reading list, meet other teens from the neighborhood, and participate in the first of many raffles we'll be having this summer for COOL and FABULOUS prizes. And yes, refreshments will be served!!! For ages 13 to 18 years. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Saturday, June 29 Kingsbridge

INTERMEDIATE MEDITATION 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Join us for an intermediate meditation class. This session is open to those who've been regularly attending the Wednesday beginners class for a couple of months. Learn to go into a deeper meditation and learn new techniques that will help your spiritual ascent. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Riverdale

SMOOTH JAZZ 2 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Composer, alto saxophonist Libby Richman leads an ensemble that plays original contemporary jazz. Experience sounds, styles and reflections from Classical to the music of today. Feel the rhythms of guitar, bass, and drums. Enjoy a mix of smooth jazz and standards suitable for a summer day. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Sunday, June 30 Riverdale

DINNER DANCE GALA 16:30:00 Riverdale YM-YWHA 5625 Arlington Avenue The Riverdale Y Senior Center will hold a Dinner Dance Gala, a fundraiser, where five individuals will be honored for their proven commitment to the Senior Center. For more information, call 718-548-8200

Monday, July 1 Spuyten Duyvil

KNITTING & CROCHET 11 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street A get-together for knitters & crocheters at all skill levels to work on a current project, and while exchanging information learn new techniques. Registration not required. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Tuesday, July 2 Kingsbridge

INTERNET FOR BEGINNERS 10 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street An introduction to the Internet, including getting connected, using a web browser, and navigating web pages. Learn how to find information online using search engines. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Riverdale

e-READER HELP 11 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Learn how to download free e-books from the New York Public Library. Get help on using your iPad, Kindle or other tablet or e-reader. First come, first served. Tuesdays @ 11:00 a.m. (some exceptions, please check the online calendar or branch calendar) Wednesdays between 2 and 4 p.m. by

BABY STORY TIME 11:30 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Babies from birth to 18 months old and their parents/ caregivers can enjoy great books, lively songs, and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

GADGETS & GIZMOS 2 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Learn about the world and how to solve problems by watching demonstrations and participating in hands-on experiments. Each session explores a simple machine-such as the spring, the gear, and the propeller-and the work it does. Presented by the Children's Museum of Manhattan. For children ages 5 and older. Limited to 25 participants. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Wednesday, July 3 Kingsbridge

TODDLER STORY TIME 11 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stories, songs, fingerplays, flannelboard illustrations for toddlers ages 18-36 month for parents/caregivers. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

GAME ON 1:30 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Got the gaming moves? Show off your skills with the controller and challenge your friends and neighbors to a game of Wii Bowling in the library. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Friday, July 5 Kingsbridge

TEEN SUMMER READING 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Meet new friends and check out new books at the Kingsbridge Library's teen summer reading club. Discuss the books you've read lately, earn virtual badges, and participate in weekly raffles for a chance to win COOL and FABULOUS stuff!!! The teen summer reading club is open to all students who are in (or who are about to enter) 7th - 12th grade. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Saturday, July 6 Kingsbridge

INTERMEDIATE MEDITATION 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Join us for an intermediate meditation class. This session is open to those who've been regularly attending the weekday beginner's class for a couple of months. Learn to go into a deeper meditation and learn new techniques that will help your spiritual ascent. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

READ ALOUD 1 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Rotary Club of Riverdale Read Aloud for children ages 5-12 yrs. old. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

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The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 27, 2013

Come celebrate our expansion and 150th Anniversary with us!

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

School Safety important issue in Traffic and Transportation Committee meeting By Haydee Camacho Increasing safety for pedestrians and drivers was a big topic of discussion at the recent meeting of Community Board 8 Traffic and Transportation meeting held on Tuesday, June 18th. The committee received requests for the committee approval on requests for slow speed zones in North Riverdale and Marble Hill. The slow speed zone in Riverdale would encompass the areas between Palisade Avenue to Riverdale Avenue and 261st Street to 254th Street. Andrew Sandler, Community Affairs Director for Councilman Oliver Koppell discussed the high rate of accidents in the area, including a recent death on 259th and Riverdale Avenue which was attributed to a speeding driver who ran a red light. The area includes several schools--St. Margaret of Cortona, PS 81, SAR and the College of Mount St. Vincent. The measures being requested to reduce speed include the use of speed cameras, repainting faded cross walks and pavement markings, signage and speed bumps. Although speed bumps could not be used on the commercial areas strip of Riverdale Avenue because of the bus traffic, the use of diagonal parking in the area was discussed as an optional measure which could reduce traffic speed. “We’ve written letters and the community board has written letters to the Department of Transportation but nothing has been done in the last several years to make these school areas safer,” said Sandler. The request dovetailed the introduction of legislation for a pilot program to use cameras in school zones. The legislation was introduced by Senator Jeff Klein who had released statistics demonstrating a pattern of dangerous speeding near PS 81 the previous day. On Saturday, June 22nd, the state Senate approved the legislation which will authorizes the use of between 20 and 40 cameras in school zones. Gov. Cuomo is expected to sign the measure. "The results are clear: speeding on Riverdale Avenue is a real threat to the safety of students, teachers and members of the Riverdale community,” said Klein . “Research shows that when people know they might be caught, they slow down. That’s critically important in school zones, where even five miles per hour can make the difference between life and death for a child.” Tony Edwards, Community Liaison for Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez also requested a slow speed zone in Marble Hill. The area includes a series of one-way street. “There are more cars than road,” said Edwards. “Everyone is in a rush. People are in a hurry to get into Manhattan.” He also noted that the BX1 and BX10 buses have been seen using residential streets as a short cut. “They come down 228th street and go down Marble Hill Avenue to 230th Street,” he said.

Dinowitz statement on the Rent Guidelines Board Assemblyman Dinowitz issued the following statement on the Rent Guidelines Board: ‘The Rent Guidelines Board has once again proven itself to be a rubber stamp for apartment building owners. The latest rent increases are excessive, unjustified and exceed the inflation rate. Housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable for the middle class, working people and the less affluent. Most landlords already reap large profits and don’t need a further boost by the Rent Guidelines Board, all of whose members are appointed by the mayor. I hope the next administration proves to be less biased in favor of landlords.’

Andrew J. Ryan, Manhattan College Vice President for Facilities, discussed the college’s plan to ease the loss of parking in the area as construction progresses on its new student center on Waldo Avenue. The college will offer limited public parking for residents in its Broadway parking facility. Individuals using the facility may be required to provide proof of residency on Waldo Avenue and will have to exit the facility by 9 a.m. Marlon Rangel of the Department of Design Construction reported that the 238th Street Water Main Project is on hold pending review of the area sewer system. If the sewers are found to be in good condition, then the project will proceed , he noted.

Thursday, June 27 Katonah

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT 6 p.m. Caramoor's Spanish Courtyard 149 Girdle Ridge Road Verdi was an artist for the large scale. He probably wrote fewer works of short duration or for small forces than any other major composer – but those few include rarely-heard masterpieces. Most of them come from around the time of Aida, when he was developing the amazing harmonic refinements of his “late style”. The String Quartet shows his mastery of classic forms he rarely employed elsewhere; several exquisite sacred works testify to his lifelong fascination with the music of Palestrina. Along with occasional miniatures from other phases of his long career, these promise an evening of rich discovery for even the most devoted Verdian. For more information, call 914-232-1252.

Friday, June 28 Katonah

AFTERNOON TEA 1:30 p.m. Caramoor's Rosen House 149 Girdle Ridge Road Spend a refreshing afternoon at the enchanting Rosen House at Caramoor! Be inspired by the artwork, furniture and statuary, collected by the Rosens on their world travels, with a tour of the Rosen House. Then enjoy the mouth-watering menu of assorted finger sandwiches, delicious scones, incredible desserts and specialty teas. For more information, call 914-232-1252.

Sleepy Hollow

BASEBALL READING 7:30 p.m. Hudson Valley Writers' Center 300 Riverside Drive Featuring Erik Sherman reads from Steve Blass: A Pirate for Life & Jeff Pearlman reads from The Rocket that Fell to Earth. Admission: $5. For more information, call 914-332-5953.

Katonah

CARAMOOR VIRTUOSI 8 p.m. Caramoor's Spanish Courtyard 149 Girdle Ridge Road The Caramoor Virtuosi are in residence this week, appearing in three concerts. For this program, Ed Arron has chosen three rarely-encountered gems, including an unusual quintet arrangement of Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata which previews the performance of this work in its original form on Sunday, by Jennifer Frautschi and Jeewon Park. Completing the program are the concerto-like Pater Noster by Cherubini and the dramatic and brilliant Octet of the Romanian genius, George Enescu. For more information, call 914-232-1252.

Saturday, June 29 Scarsdale

NATURALIST CHOICE 2 p.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road Come join one of our naturalists in a family friendly nature adventure. Will it be frogs or flowers, pond or pine-cones, beetles or Beatles? What wild fun will you have today? Members $5, Non-members $8. For more information, call 914-723-3470.

Rye

REPTILE & AMPHIBIAN 2 p.m. Marshlands Conservancy Route 1 Your children will love looking for frogs, snakes and a full grown snapping turtle. For more information, call 914835-4466.

Sunday, June 30 Somers

DRAGONFLIES 10 a.m. Muscoot Farm Route 100 Join Naturalist Tait Johansson for a close up look at these fascinating creatures. Meet in the Herb Garden then off on a hike to find our “dragons.” Co-sponsored by Bedford Audubon. For more information, call 914-864-7282.

Somers

FARMERS MARKET 10 a.m. Muscoot Farm Route 100 Over 20 vendors will be selling great food, meats, produce, pasta, dressings, pickles, jams, baked goods and more, every Sunday through October. For more information, call 914-864-7282.

Croton-on-Hudson

ARCHAEOLOGY OPEN HOUSE 1 p.m. Croton Point Nature Center Croton Point Avenue Explore the past and work on collections. Sponsored by New York State Archaeological Association Lower Hudson Chapter. For more information, call 914-862-5290.

Board Hearings Lease Terminations Water Leaks Construction Damage Maintenance Fees Pet Issues and other matters

Somers

WALKING TOUR 2 p.m. Lasdon Park Route 35 The horticulturist will take you on an informative walk through a fragrance garden, a synoptic shrub border, and a formal garden. For more information, call 914-864-7268.

Sleepy Hollow

FEATURED CLASS READING 4:30 p.m. Hudson Valley Writers' Center 300 Riverside Drive Students from How to Write Page-Turning Fiction with Joanne Dobson, read from their work. Admission: $5. For more information, call 914-332-5953.

Give us a call

Monday, July 1 Somers

MORNING BIRD WALK 7:30 a.m. Muscoot Farm Route 100 A walk with Anne Swaim of Saw Mill River Audubon. For more info, call 914-864-7282 or visit www.muscootfarm.org.

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Tuesday, July 2 Chappaqua

OUR FOUNDING FARMS 1 p.m. Horace Greeley House 100 King Street The "Our Founding Farms" exhibit traces the Town of New Castle's origins from Native American lands through the farms of the nineteenth century, to the large estates and housing developments that turned New Castle into the community we know today. A focus on several local farms and their products will be featured - Sutton Farm, Chadeayne Farm, Dodge Farm, Brann Farm, Taylor and Annandale Farms and of course the Greeley Farm. Admission by donation. Sponsored by the New Castle Historical Society. For information view the Society's website: www.newcastlehs.org or call (914) 238-4666.

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Wednesday, July 3 Yonkers

BOOK DISCUSSION 1 p.m. Riverfront Library One Larkin Center Join Librarian Jody Maier in a discussion of State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, at the next meeting of the Riverfront Book Club. For more information, call 914-337-1500, ext. 492.

Valhalla

MUSIC FEST & FIREWORKS 6 p.m. Kensico Dam Plaza Bronx River Parkway 6 p.m. Deejay entertainment; 8 p.m. Patriotic music by Benson Scott Band; 9:15 p.m. Fireworks. For info, call 914-328-1542.

Thursday, July 4 Yorktown Hts.

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 10 a.m. Support Connection 40 Triangle Center Support Connection, Inc., a not–for-profit organization that provides free, confidential support services for people affected by breast and ovarian cancer, offers a Breast and Ovarian Cancer Support Group on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Support Connection office, Yorktown Heights, NY. Open to women with breast, ovarian or gynecological cancer. There are many common factors to any cancer diagnosis. Join other women who have been diagnosed as we discuss all stages of diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment. Call Support Connection at 914-962-6402 or 800-532-4290.

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Mt. Vernon

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 10:30 a.m. St. Paul's Church 897 S. Columbus Avenue A traditional July 4th celebration featuring music, speeches, refreshments, reading of the Declaration of Independence, and tolling of the historic St. Paul's church bell - 13 times. Keynote speaker is Professor Lisa Keller of SUNY Purchase. For more information, contact : David Osborn, 914-667-4116.

Katonah

POPS, PATRIOTS & FIREWORKS 8 p.m. Caramoor Center for Music & Arts 149 Girdle Ridge Road The A Train to Harlem: Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and the Harlem Jazz Craze. Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn were joined at the musical hip, (and oh were they "hip") producing great tunes for the Duke Ellington big band at the Cotton Club. Ellington expert Darius de Haas and Manhattan Transfer's Janis Siegel sing and scat their way through the Ellington Songbook. Jamie Bernstein fills in the historical background with little-known stories about Harlem's golden age of jazz. Janis Siegel, vocalist; Darius de Haas, vocalist; Jamie Bernstein, narrator; Westchester Jazz Orchestra; Michael Barrett, conductor. Fireworks Display to Follow the Concert. For info, call 914-232-1252.

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9 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 27, 2013

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512 KAPPOCK ST: Lg 1BR/1Ba EIK, Great 145 EAST 15TH STREET, MANHATTAN: 2 Combined Location – Priced To SELL................ $169,900 Units - 4BR/1Ba 1 Block To Union Sq. ....... $899,900 3840 GREYSTONE AVE: Spacious Jr.4, Lg LR, Alcove Dinning Area, Updated Kitch& Bath............ $169,000 2575 PALISADE AVE: 3BR/2Ba / River & OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2013 1:00 - 2:00 2287 JOHNSON AVE: 2BR /2Ba, View / Top-Of- Palisade Terr-View, Pool, Gym ......... $674,900 555 KAPPOCK ST: Lg 1BR/1Ba Terr, High Floor, Line Appliances – MUST SEE ........... $ 589,900 2287 JOHNSON AVE: 2BR /2Ba, View / Top-Of- Ready To Move In,...JUST LISTED ..... $164,500 Line Appliances – MUST SEE ........... $ 589,900 555 KAPPOCK ST:. Lg 1BR/1Ba-Luxury Bldg, OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2013 3:00 - 4:30 Maint Incl-Elec/Cable/Heat, Pool ..... $159,900 5355 H.H PKWY: 2BR/2Ba & Large Terr, 3400 WAYNE AVENUE: 1 BR /1 Bath, Great Parking Avail, Gym Great Location .. $359,900 5550 FIELDSTON RD: Jr.4 w/Terr – Gorgeous Location, Steps to MONTEFIORE Hosp., #4 Views, Maint Incl Util,Pets OK .......... $164,900 Subway, Ready To Move In .............. $124,900 7 BALINT DR, YONKERS: 2 BR/2Ba w/ Huge Balcony, Upscale Renov. .................. $324,900 3840 GREYSTONE AVE: 2BR/1Ba Marble Kitchen, S/S Appl, OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2013 5:00 - 6:00 PRICE DROP .............$149,900...OWNERS MOVED...WILL SELL 601 KAPPOCK ST: 2BR/2Ba W/ Terrace & 3329 RESERVOIR OVAL WEST – 3 BRs / 2 Bath, Walk Parking Spot...MUST SELL !! ............. $299,900 245 RUMSEY RD: 2BR/2Ba W/Terr..... $149,900 To Montefiore & #4 Train .... $299,000...JUST LISTED 3135 JOHNSON AVE 1 BR / 1 Bath / Terrace - Granite Kitch, 3901 INDEPENDENCE AVE: Renov 1Br/1Ba, OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2013 11:00 - 12:00 Luxury Bldg, Pool, Parking, Storage, Gym,.......... $299,900 Hardwood Fl, Updated Kitchen & Bath ... $149,900 2575 PALISADE AVE: 3BR/2Ba / River & 5610 NETHERLAND AVE, Priced To SELL 1 BR / 1 Bath, 3750 HUDSON MANOR TERR: 2BR/2Ba Renov, Palisade Terr-View, Pool, Gym ......... $674,900 Window Kitch, East Facing, Low Fl..PRICE Renovated, Motivated Seller .. $144,900...JUST LISTED OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2013 12:30 - 1:30 REDUCTION!! ..................................... $274,900 5615 NETHERLAND AVE: BRIGHT & Renov HUGE 3750 HUDSON MANOR TERR: 2BR/2Ba Renov, Window 1BR/1Bath...WILL SELL SOON............... $ 139,900 3901 INDEPENDENCE AVE, 2 BR / 2 Bath w/ Terrace, Kitch, East Facing, Low FL..PRICE REDUCTION!! ....... $274,900 Playground, Great Location... $269,900...JUST LISTED 3400 WAYNE AVENUE: 1 BR /1 Bath, Great Location, Steps to MONTEFIORE Hosp., #4 Subway, Ready To Move In ... $124,900 3725 H.H PKWY: (The BLACKSTONE): 2BR/1.5Ba, OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2013 5:30 - 7:00 145 EAST 15TH STREET, MANHATTAN: 2 Combined Granite EIK And Renov Bath, Shabbat Elevator ... $224,900 125 BRONX RIVER RD: 1BR/1Ba Renov. & Ready To Move In ............................. $124,900 Units - 4BR/1Ba 1 Block To Union Sq. ..... $899,900 555 KAPPOCK ST: Renov 1BR/1Ba, Open Kitch., Maint Incl Util & Cable, Pool..PRICE REDUCTION!! ... $209,900 91 W VAN CORTLANDT AVE: 1BR/1Ba, High HOUSES 601 KAPPOCK ST: 2BR/1Ba Indoor Parking Avail, End Appl...$605...Priced To Sell ...... $124,900 FIELDSTON TERR: Newly Renov, Gorgeous 5BRs, 4.5Baths .............................. $1,100,000 Pool, Doorman...MUST SELL !! .......... $199,900 3225 JOHNSON AVE: Lg 1BR/1Ba Eat-In Window Kitch...JUST LISTED ............. $124,900 91 W VAN CORTLANDT AVE: 2BR/1Bath / Balcony w/ 371 W 254TH ST: Renov Cul-De-Sac Home, 3BR/2Bath, In-Law Apt W/ Sep. Entrance .. $ 974,900 French Doors, Maint $786, DP 10% Priced To Sell... $189,900 2750 JOHNSON AVE: 1BR/1Ba, Low Maint $525, 411 W 261 STREET, Multifamily House w/ Walk-Out Renov 629 KAPPOCK ST: Jr.4 Convt. To 2BR/1Ba, Great Dogs OK............................................ $114,900 Basement, In-Law Apt, 3 BR/1 Bath + 4 BR / 1 Bath ... $899,900 Space, Priced For A Quick Sell ........... $184,900 5 FORDHAM HILL OVAL: Gated Communities, 5808 MOSHOLU AVE, Great Investment Property 3 601 KAPPOCK ST. Great Location, Huge Jr. 4 Convt Renov. 1 BR/1Ba, MUST SELL........... $99,000 Multifamily, Store Front . $674,900...JUST LISTED To 2 BR/ 1 Bath, Parking AVAILABLE ........ $182,490 1 BRONXVILLE RD: Lg. 1Br/1Ba L-Shaped LR, Windowed Kitch & Bath...SHORT SALE ....... $99,900 3840 GREYSTONE AVE: 2BR/1Ba, Renov Kitch 5137 POST ROAD HOUSE: 3BR/1.5Bath, Jacuzzi, Fenced Backyard & Deck 2 Car parking ... $574,900 w/ Island, Dogs OK ........................... $179,000 COMMERCIAL 2114 MAPES AVE, BRONX: MULTIFAMILY ... $459,900 4705 H.H. PKWY: 1BR/1Ba Renov Kitch, HUGE 40-42 WALLER AVE: Combined 13,600 sq.ft., 129-41 134TH ST, QUEENS: Multifamily, 3BR/1Ba + 2BR/1Ba, PRICE DROP !!................. $175,000...WILL SELL ZONED CB -1 ................ $1,199,900 & $899,900 2+Cars Driveway, Basement, Back & Front yard .......... $ 389,900 2550 INDEPENDENCE AVE : Gorgeous River View1BR/1Ba, 145 E 15TH ST: READY MEDICAL PRACTICE AND OWN 2 Blocks To Metro North Station - 24 Min To GC ....... $174,900 THE SPACE - 3 Exam Rm & Reception................ $1,249,900 CONDOS 3050 FAIRFIELD AVE: Large Jr. 4/1 Bath/ Terrace Faces South RENTAL: OTHER LISTINGS ARE NO FEES OR NBA 531 WEST 235TH ST: Penthouse 4BR/3Ba, 3 Balconies, 2 Roof Tops/park spaces ... $1,599,900 & East, Can Be Convt. to 2 BR, ESTATE SALE .......... $174,900 RIVERDALE AVE: 4 BR/2Ba, 2 parking .... $3200 3329 RESERVOIR OVAL WEST – 3 Bedrooms / 2 531 WEST 235TH ST: NEW CONDOS 2-5 BR/2-3 5620 NETHERLAND AVE: 2BR/1Ba, Windowed Bath, 2 Balconies.............................. $449,900 Kitch, Utilities & Parking Space Inclu ... $172,500 Bath Walk To Montefiore & #4 Train ..... $2500 3329 RESERVOIR OVAL WEST – 3 BRs / 2 Bath, Walk 2390 PALISADE AVE Spacious Jr.4 Convt. To 2BR/1Ba, POST RD : 3BR/2Ba ............................... $1,999 To Montefiore & #4 Train ... $299,000... JUST LISTED Gym, pool & steps to Metro North .............. $169,999 3400 WAYNE AVE: 1BR/1Ba..................... $1200 CALL FOR FREE MARKET ANALYSIS & GO TO WWW.REMAXINTHECITY.COM 5355 H.H PKWY: 2BR/2Ba & Large Terr, Parking Avail, Gym Great Location .. $359,900

Space For Rent

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RIVERDALE LOCATION

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Kappock:

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Anita Wolfe

10 Room Brick Cape Cod 4BR, 2.5BA, move-in condition. Lovely bckyd, close to all. Low taxes $5500 $559K

Lg 1BR, lg dining area, great view, great wood flrs, 24hr DM. Ready to go. $239K flex. 718 986-7940 917 817-1111

Partitioned store space.

917-386-3998 Apartment For Sale SKYVIEW

718-796-3135

Studio w/pvt alcove, new cabinets, ceramic tiles thruout, terr w/view. FSDM, health club, pool, prkng & transport.Easy commute to Manhattan.

Co-op For Sale

Must see. $185K Contact: (347) 603-7063

Licensed Real Estate Broker

2550 Independence Ave. 3BR/2Bath Spacious, Top Floor Corner Unit, Terrace.

PRICE REDUCTION $387,000 Doorman, many closets, hardwood floors, gym on premises, just steps to Metro North. Julie Reyes, Licensed Salesperson

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West of Pkwy:

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FIND IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS!

Co-ops for Sale

OPEN HOUSE BY APPT. 2400 Johnson Ave. #5B Sun. 6/30, 2-4 pm. Lg bright 1BR, fully reno, Mint condition, FSB, water/park views, pool, garage. $189K

Call Lois Safian Bellmarc Realty (917) 453-5910

10 building elevator complex

718-543-2746 or

718-549-7766 Apts For Rent Kappock:

3 BR, 2 bath, terrace, river views, drman, beaut renov. .......... $2900

Central Riverdale:

Prewar rental bldg, 4 BR, 2 1/2 baths, renovated, near shopping/ trans ...................................$2900

Central Riverdale:

Prewar rental bldg, 3BR, 2 bth, renov, nr shop/trans ..........$2500

North Riverdale:

2 fam , 3 BR, 2 bath, duplex, beaut renov, shared driveway and backyard ............................$2300

Central Riverdale:

2 BR, renovated, near shopping/ trans ...................................$1900

West of Pkwy:

Rental bldg, Jr 4 with 2nd BR, doorman, near schools & houses of worship .......................... $1500

West of Pkwy:

1 BR, renov, doorman, near shop & transportation ................. $1450

Anita Wolfe Licensed Real Estate Broker

718-796-3135 Make the

Wise

Choice... Advertise in the Riverdale Review Classifieds!

Julie.Reyes@era.com ERA Empire Real Estate

Read the

Riverdale’s Most Widely Circulated Newspaper!

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 27, 2013

POLICY NOTICE:

HOW TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Merchandise Mart

Situation Wanted

All Animal Care and Services Dog walker, cat sitter. No worries for you or your pet For refs and services call Margaret Cortez

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Estates Purchased Antiques • Art • Furniture • Paintings • Modern Sculpture • Collections

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Riverdale’s Most Widely Circulated Newspaper!

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Jewelry & Repair

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Riverdale RiverFest 2013, to take place on Sunday, June 30th from noon to 6:00pm at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, will once again offer rides on famous tall ships and an historic fireboat. The ships will set sail along the Hudson River from a temporary dock as part of the festival’s robust waterfront program. The boats include the sloop Clearwater, symbol of a revitalized Hudson River; the A.J. Meerwald, a two-masted Delaware Bay oyster schooner; and John J. Harvey, one of the most powerful fireboats ever built. The Harvey will provide dramatic demonstrations of its water cannons. The A.J. Meerwald will also make an historic sail from the Hudson Rising Expo festival in downtown Yonkers to RiverFest. In addition to festival-day sails on June

Attorney david i. Bliven

Divorce & Family Court Lawyer Contested & Uncontested Divorce, Custody/Visitation, Child Support/Paternity, Adoptions, Child Abuse/Neglect, Juvenile Delinquency & Family Offense cases.

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Main Office: 445 Hamilton Ave., Ste 607 White Plains, NY

LAw OFFIcES OF NIchOLAS a. Penkovsky, PC Protect Your Business Interests and Creative Works

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law office of Brian l. Charles, PllC 380 Lexington Ave., 17th Floor New York, NY 10168

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30th, sails on the A.J. Meerwald will also be offered at a discounted rate the day before the festival, Saturday, June 29th. All boat rides are by on-line reservation only on the Riverdale RiverFest website, beginning in early June (www.riverdaleriverfest.org). Organizers suggest that people make reservations early, since boat rides were sold out at last year’s RiverFest. The waterfront program will also feature art along the river. Renowned Bronx artist Daniel Hauben, host of the new BronxNet TV show “Art and About,” will display his 22-painting series of Bronx vistas, A Sense of Place. RiverFest organizers promise plenty of fun on land, too, including a variety of exhibits, kid-friendly activities, food for every taste, and a rotating program of live music throughout the afternoon. The festival will feature the final plan for the Hudson River Greenway Link, a proposed walking and biking trail that will connect the

Attorney/Real Estate daniel PadernaCht Attorney at Law

Specializing in the Purchase and Sale of Real Estate Single Family • Coops • Condos • Apt. Bldgs • Call For Free Consultation

718-543-3500

dan@padernachtlaw.com Padernacht Law, P.C.

Video Transfers save your vhs memories • Transfer your special VHS tapes to long-lasting DVDs. • We also transfer from your mini-DVs, photos, LPs, audio cassettes and more.

We treat your memories like they’re ours! Many years experience in video & audio FREE PiCKUP & DELiVERY

Call Rich @ 914-450-2208 www.transfermations.net

existing Hudson River Greenway in Manhattan with the Westchester Greenway in Yonkers. After four years of study, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council and the Friends of the Hudson River Greenway in the Bronx will jointly present the recommended Preferred Alternative for the Greenway Link -as a multi-media presentation. For boat reservations and more information, visit www.riverdaleriverfest.org.

JASA Senior Center announces upcoming activities Celebrate Independence Day with pianist Michael Gaskin on Wed. July 3rd. A festive kosher meal of whole grain spaghetti and beef meat balls will be served at 12:15 PM followed by the program at 1:00 PM. Recommended meal contribution is $2.50 for seniors. M. Gaskin will perform patriotic, Latin and American standards.

Personal Trainer Spin ClaSSeS

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Beautician Services Come to madame P’s Beauty World

Tutoring available in all general subject areas. Grade Levels K-12.

The last old-fashioned hairdresser in The Bronx. We specialize in haircutting, hair care, and provide consultations on haircare and weaving to stimulate hair growth. We do tinting and use all manners of relaxers, including Mizani, Affirm, Fiberguard and Vitale.

(General Education and Special Education, 1-6) • MS in Childhood Education (1-6) • Dual Certification in General Education and Students with Disabilities

We use Wave Nouveau Coiffure. We are still doing care-free curls and press and curl. 25% off for seniors Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Tutoring PROFESSIONAL hOME TUTOR • Certified NYS Teacher in Childhood Education

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home Care all Care living assistanCe serviCes We have your Companion Service needs covered! Medication/Event Reminders Laundry Accompaniment to Appointments Companionship • Meal Preparation Housekeeping Chores

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Suggested event donation is $2.00 for seniors. Refreshments will be served. RSVP to center office 718-549-4700 by July 1st. Esther Ibisch, abstract artist, will present samples of her work on Mon. July 15th at 1:00 PM as part of JASA's Art Salon series. Ms. Ibisch has been painting at the Art Students' League for many years. Celebrate June and July birthdays on Tues. July 23rd with Donna Lopez and Kenneth Gartman: Friends in Song. They will present a lively program of summer musical selections. Kosher chicken breast w/mushroom sauce plus mashed potatoes will be served at 12:15 PM followed by the party at 1:00 PM. Senior meal contribution is $2.50. Recommended event contribution is $2.00. Senior contribution of $3.00 for the meal and $2.00 fee for the event is recommended. Non-senior fee is $5.00 for the meal and $3.00 for the event. Kindly reserve with the center office at 718-549-4700.

Dentist riverdale PediatriC dentistry • Care from infancy through adolescence, and special health care needs • Personalized attention • Preventative treatment for all ages • Flexible hours, Sunday & evening appts DR. LiRAz SPEAR

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Printing Services

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wE cARRY A FULL LINE OF PARTY FAVORS & sCreen Printed or emBroidered items (T-Shirts, Sweats, Boxer Shorts, etc.) Personal and Commercial Stationery GIFT ITEMS & MUCH MORE

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917-667-7153 To advertise in the Professional services Guide Call (718) 543-5200

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 27, 2013

Riverfest 2013 to offer rides on tall ships

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Guest Editorial

Mayor Bloomberg and Cecil B. DeMille: The illusion of Educational Success By MARC EPSTEIN With the seemingly endless waves of education reforms that have been washing over us it’s hard for the average person to pay attention to the claims and counterclaims that make serious discussion all but impossible. But despite a massive PR machine that touts the accomplishments of Mayor Bloomberg, whether or not the education statistics move up or down, a cold bucket of reality gets splashed on the body politic that not even the mayor’s press flacks can explain away. The latest post-industrial information innovation that’s come a cropper is the cutting-edge grading system put in place this year to avoid fraud on end-of-year state Regent’s exams administered each June. The trouble started a few years back, when both the quality of the once rigorous exams eroded, and the grading of them became suspect. Several instances of school administrators who manipulated the grading in order to meet the business model goals established by the mayor and his school’s chief, Joel Klein, were exposed in the tabloids and became something of an embarrassment. So for the first time last year, teachers were sent to grading centers and were given tests to grade from schools not their own and thus bring integrity back to the evaluation process. I participated at one of these pilot programs at Forest Hills High School, and in spite of the overall competence of the administrators, there were a fair number of logistical problems that extended the number of days we had to grade at Forest Hills. One would have thought that the second time around some lessons would have been learned. That was not the case. Instead, a multimillion-dollar contract was given to McGraw-Hill to manage the logistics of an even more ambitious grading program. New York State dropped its contract with McGraw two years ago when their test questions were found to be predictable and flawed. New York City took the “what, me, worry?” approach in signing on with McGraw-Hill this time around since they weren’t writing the tests, just computer scanning them. This year the entire city would be involved and tests were to be computer scanned so that teachers wouldn’t know the names of the students nor the school it came from. So far, so good. But when the time came to scan the exams, nothing worked. Teachers were left at the grading centers with nothing to do. When exams did come through, they could see the names of the students. The teachers were ordered to return to their schools two days in a row. Thousands of students are depending on these test results in order to graduate have been left hanging in the balance. Now teachers have been told that they can come and grade day and night over the entire weekend and get overtime! Perhaps the mayor will pick up the tab? It seems we live in an age when the nuts and bolts of planning and execution are considered passé. That was once the hallmark of public service and public servants like teachers who are much denigrated today. It has been replaced by a generation of governing Mad Men who believe that any idea can be implemented as soon as you can get someone to write the computer program for it. But governing and executing public policy is not, nor will it ever be, simply about having a good idea and a mainframe computer at your disposal. One should never mistake Yul Brynner’s portrayal of Ramses II in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments, for governance, but that’s precisely what the people running the educational reform show have done. When Brynner said, “So let it be written, so let it be done,” he wasn’t really running Egypt. But he did have DeMille and his production crew making sure the extras were in place, the chariots were rolling on cue, and the Red Sea parted when Moses raised his arms. During one famous epic scene in an earlier DeMille movie, the three cameras that were set up to record it were rendered useless by the stampede. Leaving nothing to chance, DeMille had a fourth camera in place far away from the action. When he turned to the cameraman to find out if he got the shot, the cameraman responded, “ready when you are CB.” It’s a pity C.B. DeMille isn’t around to rescue Mayor Bloomberg. (Marc Epstein is a New York City Public School Teacher)

Assemblyman Dinowitz sponsors key legislation By HAYDEE CAMACHO The New York State Assembly passed a flurry of bills this past week prior to ending this session before summer recess. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz sponsored and worked to pass several key pieces of legislation. On June 20th, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Dinowitz, Chair of the Consumer Affairs and Protections Committee, announced passage of the Credit Privacy in Employment Act. The legislation would prohibit employers from making employment decisions based upon an individual’s credit history. “In light of the recent economic downturn, many New Yorkers, through no fault of their own, have less-than-ideal credit histories,” Dinowitz said. “Making or breaking a person’s career based on their credit history puts them at a distinct disadvantage, particularly when one considers that a person’s credit history does not reflect his or her job performance. The Credit Privacy in Employment Act would put an end to this unfair and harmful practice.” The bill would prohibit employers from using information contained in a consumer’s credit report when hiring or making employment decisions, such as compensation, promotion, demotion, termination, or taking employee disciplinary actions. It

Note our new address: 5752 Fieldston Road Bronx, New York 10471 (718) 543-5200 FAX: (718) 543-4206

would also prohibit employers from using such information to set the terms, conditions or privileges of employment. However, employers can still use credit history information if required by state or federal law. The legislation also prohibits an employer’s refusal to hire a job applicant if he or she does not give consent for the obtainment of his or her credit report. Any person injured by a violation of the Credit Privacy in Employment Act would be able to file a complaint with the state Department of Labor and, if upheld, may be granted an award set by the court as well as reasonable attorney’s fees. "Credit reports don't reveal a person's character or willingness to work hard -- Bernie Madoff probably had a great credit report," Russ Haven, New York Public Interest Research Group’s legislative counsel said. "They can, however, be used as a basis to discriminate against women, young people and minority group members whose credit histories reflect an unfair marketplace. And of course, credit reports are notoriously inaccurate and by the time a mistake is cleared up, a job opportunity may be long gone." Dinowitz voted to pass a bill that would restore up to $90 million to the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)

ANDREW WOLF, Editor and Publisher JOEL PAL Production Manager ROBERT NILVA Marketing Director

CECILIA McNALLY Office Manager

STAFF: Robert Lebowitz, Paulette Schneider, Lloyd Ultan, Daniel R. Wolf

to help nonprofits who work with some of New York’s most vulnerable people (A.6692-C). Earlier this year, New York State was ordered to pay back $1.1 billion to the federal government in “overpayments” for services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Through negotiations with the federal government, the state was able to reduce the amount by more than half to $500 million and restored $30 million of $120 million in proposed cuts to OPWDD funding. “The need for OPWDD services is enormous; it’s simply not an area where cuts can be absorbed,” Dinowitz said. “The state has acknowledged and is working to correct the mistakes that have been made in the past, but that’s no reason to penalize the developmentally disabled community, their families and their caretakers.” The passage of the Women’s Equality Act, although passed by the Assembly, is on hold after the New York State Legislature refused to agree on an attached abortion amendment. The bill was passed by the Assembly and contained 10 reforms for women including women’s health and reproductive rights, equal pay, stronger penalties for human trafficking, ending pregnancy discrimination and increased protections for victims of domestic violence. The abortion amendment was intended to allow abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy to women whose health was at risk. “Let’s be 100 percent clear, this measure does not legislate or legitimize the practice known as ‘partial birth abortion, said Dinowitz, who sponsored the bill. “This procedure is still banned throughout the United States. This legislation simply states that women have a right to make their own health care decisions prior to 24 weeks or in cases where a woman’s life is in danger. “

Local parent lauds progressive preschool at Sarah Lawrence College choice for the early grades through high school, the formative years, he contends, are so important that investing in a top preschool or kindergarten is just as important as investing in the right college or university. June grads of the Sarah Lawrence ECC fashioned their own caps and composed their own terse yet heartfelt statements on how it felt to be leaving the program. “I will miss school because I like to do math,” Cassie Huertas revealed, “and I love my teacher Sonna and the school.” They translated their opening sentences into American Sign Language—as a group, they chose to explore the language after their teacher read them a book about Helen Keller.

Riverdalian Cassie Huertas with her graduating class at Sarah Lawrence Early Childhood Center preschool. She’s headed for P.S. 24 this fall.

The Riverdale Y Sunday Market Every Sunday from 9am to 2pm Now until Nov. 24, 2013 at MS/HS 141 in the arcade Independence Ave. & West 237 Street

Natural Organic Local and Fresh Kosher and Non Kosher

Meats • Cheeses • Breads • Produce • Eggs • Baked Goods • Jams, Honey, Maple Syrup • Pickles • Soaps • Organic Sugar & Salt Scrubs and Lotion Candles • Starbucks Coffee - hot or cold • Herbal Organic Iced Tea & Homemade Lemonade

The market is supported by a grant from the UJA. Advertising sponsored by The Riverdale Review

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, June 27, 2013

By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER It’s only 15 minutes away and well worth the trip, according to Riverdalian Joey Huertas, a clinical social worker and filmmaker who’s left no stone unturned in finding the best preschool for his daughter, Ula “Cassie” Huertas. “I was looking to be the best parent I could be, looking at the different options I had to engage my child in higher learning in the future,” he explained. Several years ago he took a class in parenting at Sarah Lawrence College, a prestigious Bronxville school known for its Child Development Institute. When he learned about the college’s on-campus Early Childhood Center—a research lab for students and psychologists—he asked for a tour of the facilities. “I fell in love with this hidden gem,” Huertas said. “It was everything I could imagine for my daughter to begin her education, and also socializing, without any kind of competition.” Cassie, now six, spent three happy years at the Westchester preschool. She and ten peers took part in a song-filled graduation ceremony earlier this month. She’ll be experiencing first grade at her local school, P.S. 24, in the fall. Huertas was attracted to the Sarah Lawrence ECC’s idea that children need to play before engaging in the discipline of homework and the stress of competition. “The school specializes in a philosophy of education through the freedom of play—they’re one of the only schools that do that,” he said. “They educate through play as far as letting the children, in unison, discover things. And then they encourage and nurture that. They have a lot of gardening, and they look for insects, and then they speak about the insects that the children find.” They visit “adventure playgrounds” filled with “loose parts”—like cardboard boxes, string and fabric—that encourage creativity. The kids, as a unit, discover things together, he stressed. The Child Development Institute holds “an underlying belief that children are the makers of their own meaning” and promotes a “progressive perspective” that views each child as “an individual in the social context” and learning as “constructing knowledge through interactions with other people and the physical environment.” They’re also concerned with developing communities that “attend to the interests and needs of children from diverse backgrounds.” Cassie could have stayed in the program for another year, but Huertas said his daughter will now be better served by her own local school because it shares the Sarah Lawrence ECC philosophy. “The public schools in Riverdale are just fantastic,” he said. They’re multicultural places that truly cooperate to “nurture the education of the community.” Huertas was “blown away” when he took the tours for parents of prospective students and was impressed by how the schools serve as support systems, concerned about the best interest of a child regardless of the child’s family circumstances. “Riverdale has a culture of active parenting with a family-oriented atmosphere that inspires local debates about the direction of our children’s education that can only improve our schools,” he said. While public schools may be the best

Thursday, June 27, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. & New York State Senator Jeff Klein invite you to

New York Salutes America

Fireworks Extravaganza

Friday, June 28, 2013 6pm-10 pm @ Orchard Beach rain or shine

parking $7

SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE AVAILABLE BETWEEN PELHAM BAY PARK AND ORCHARD BEACH

A BOARDWALK CELEBRATION! LIVE MUSIC & CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT! FIREWORKS BY

GRUCCI!