Facts of Life

Happy birthday to Anthony Provezano, Jr. of Rye Brook who turns 26 Oct. 8 and to his sister Nicole who will be 27 Oct. 15.

Blind Brook and Port Chester schools will be closed Fri., Oct. 4 in observance of Rosh Hashana. Port Chester schools will also be closed Fri., Oct. 11 in observance of Yom Kippur.

During the month of October, whenever a $3 Give Back Where It Counts Reusable Bag is purchased at the Acme, 261 S. Ridge St., Rye Brook, $1 will be donated to the Friends of Crawford Park.

The next Port Chester High School Marching Band bottle and can recycling collections will be Sun., Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Middle School parking lot on Bowman Avenue, Rye Brook. Collections generally take place on the first and third Sunday of each month. Call 914/200-1464 for updated information.

Mayor Luis Marino is asking Port Chester residents if they are interested in having an evergreen on their property evaluated to be the Village of Port Chester’s 2024 Christmas tree. If you are interested, please contact Mayor Marino’s office by telephone at 914-939-2200 or send an email to Mary Anne Veltri at [email protected] by Nov. 18. The selected tree should stand approximately 21 feet tall to be placed in Liberty Square for the holiday season. The village tree lighting will be held Dec. 5 at 6 p.m.

Westchester County Legislator Nancy Barr was appointed by NYSAC President Ben Boykin to the National Association of Counties (NACo) Human Services and Education Policy Steering Committee. This committee oversees critical matters related to children’s issues, foster care, public assistance, income support, services for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, immigration policy, social services, and education at all levels. Barr, who is in her fourth two-year term as a County Legislator representing District 6, chairs the Human Services Committee and co-chairs the Board’s Families Task Force. She has been a dedicated advocate for Westchester families, introducing legislation aimed at improving public health and safety, advancing environmental sustainability and enhancing access to essential services. Her notable contributions include spearheading initiatives to fight wage theft and ban polystyrene cups and containers, as well as establishing the People with Disabilities Advisory Committee which advises on critical issues affecting individuals with disabilities.

Purchase College has announced the expansion of the SUNY ACE (Advancing Completion through Engagement) Student Success Program. It is a transformative four-year model that has been widely demonstrated to increase student completion rates and narrow opportunity gaps.

The Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library, 1 Haseco Ave., Port Chester, and the United Way of Westchester and Putnam are participating in a Fall Clothing Drive thru Oct. 21. The library will accept donations of winter coats, scarves, hats, gloves, mittens and socks for families in need. For information, call 914/939-6710.

Fall leaf collection in Rye Brook will begin Mon., Oct. 7 and will continue through the third week of December. It is the Village’s goal to provide leaf collection service with a maximum of three weeks between collections at peak periods (weather depending). During the 12- to 13-week program season, highway department employees will travel each street of the Village and collect leaves placed curbside. For equipment to be efficient, leaf piles need to be placed in a row along the curb line, not in the roadway. Please advise your gardeners not to create mounds of leaves at the curb, over storm drains or in the roadway but to create long rows.

A Youth Voter Registration Drive will be held Thurs., Oct. 10, 2-5 p.m. at Carver Center, 400 Westchester Ave., Port Chester. This initiative aims to encourage youth participation in the democratic process by providing accessible opportunities for young people to register to vote. Registration forms will be supplied. To register an individual must be a U.S. resident; 18 years old (or pre-register at 16+); a resident of New York State, Westchester County and their village for at least 30 days prior to the election and not claim the right to vote elsewhere. For additional information, contact Liz Oliveto at [email protected] or go to One Day Youth Voter Registration Drive October 10th (westchesterputnamonestop.com)

Clay Art Center, 40 Beech St., Port Chester, has announced that enrollment is open for their Fall Session B. Weekly clay classes for adults—mornings, afternoons and evenings—will begin Oct. 29 and include pottery wheel throwing, sculpture and handbuilding and are available for all levels. For information and to register, go to www.clayartcenter.org

Congregation K.T.I. is participating again this school year in Food 2 Grown On to provide bags of groceries each weekend and during school vacations to alleviate hunger and food insecurity among elementary-aged children at Edison, Park Avenue and King Street school in Port Chester. Checks made payable to Food 2 Grow On are also welcome and should be mailed c/o the Rotary Club, P.O. Box 26, Port Chester, NY 10573. Food donations requested include healthy cereal, peanut butter (14-16 oz. jars), tuna fish, canned fruit (14-18 oz. size)—store brands are OK. Food donations can be dropped in the box at 48 Meadowlark Rd., Rye Brook or purchased through the Amazon link, Holiday Food Drive 2024. For questions or to arrange a pickup of donations call Leslie at 914/939-8659 or email her at [email protected]

The Town of Rye/Port Chester Republican Committee is looking for party/campaign support. Tasks can be done both in person and virtually and on a part-time/as needed basis.

In addition to the November 2024 elections which include races for Congress, State Senate and Assembly and judicial offices, in March 2025 there will be LOCAL elections and the Committee is currently interviewing for the following:

Mayoral seat (1)

Trustee seat (6)

The process for those elections starts later in 2024 and early in 2025.

Also, there are several openings on various Port Chester boards and commissions. These are excellent ways to get civically involved. Consult [email protected] or ads seeking candidates in the Westmore News.

For further information about running for an elected position, please call: Aldo Vitagliano, GOP Village Chairman, at 914/921-0333.

The Hudson Gateway REALTOR® Foundation, the charitable arm of the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®, recently presented a check for $3,000 to Furniture Sharehouse, located at the Westchester County Airport in W. Harrison. Furniture Sharehouse is Westchester’s only furniture bank and provides gently used, unwanted furniture to economically disadvantaged families and individuals across the county. Clients are referred to Furniture Sharehouse by almost 50 member agencies and include those who are moving from homeless shelters or escaping domestic violence, working families living in extreme poverty, veterans struggling with financial hardship or young adults aging out of foster care.

The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has awarded Purchase College a $500,000 Arts & Technology grant. This grant will help establish TAPROOT—“Technology in the Arts Project: Reinvent, Originate, Open, Transform”—with the overarching goal of fostering an expansive creative culture in which emerging technologies are strategically and intentionally integrated across the arts. Supported activities include 3 cohorts of 4 faculty fellows who will collaborate to build emerging technologies into their courses and teach students how to use those technologies as tools in the creative process. The grant will also support an Interactive Media Arts Computer Lab and an Interactive Media Arts Creation Lab located in the library; introductory faculty peer workshops, course development, grants to support senior projects growing out of TAPROOT work, and an annual symposium also showcasing the work coming out of the TAPROOT project.

The Village of Rye Brook has partnered with Westchester County to offer residents a free cell phone app called RecycleCoach where you can look up your Rye Brook sanitation schedule, view holiday week changes, and receive answers to commonly asked questions such as if a particular item is recyclable. It is a very useful tool, is relatively user-friendly and can be downloaded from the App Store.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has launched the New York Mobile ID, a highly secure digital version of a state-issued driver license, learner permit or ID on a smartphone. The Mobile ID is a voluntary product designed for the convenience and security of New Yorkers and is available to IOS and Android users. Anyone who has a valid, state-issued driver license, learner permit or non-driver ID can download the secure Mobile ID app through Google Play or the App Store.

The Westchester County Clerk's Office is open with extended evening hours for their popular mobile passport services weekdays from 5-8 p.m. at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., White Plains. The U.S. Department of State estimates standard passport processing times at 6 to 8 weeks and expedited at 2-3 weeks, with an additional charge. Remember to bring all necessary documents, like proof of citizenship (birth certificate, consular report of birth abroad, or naturalization certificate) and proof of identity (driver’s license or government-issued ID). For renewal applicants, there are specific guidelines to follow, and for minors under 16, both parents need to be present, unless specific conditions apply. All details and forms are on their website, www.WestchesterClerk.com. Fees: $130 for adults; $100 for minors under 16. Payment is by money order or check payable to the U.S. Department of State, plus a $35 service fee payable to the Westchester County Clerk (credit card, money order, or check). Passport photos are $10 each ($7 for seniors). For questions, call 914/995-3082 during the week or go to the website.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum, located in the footprints of the Twin Towers in NYC, offers free admission exclusively to New Yorkers on the first Monday of each month, providing New Yorkers a special opportunity to see the Museum with one another and to reconnect with the feeling of community and cohesion that blanketed the city and nation in the wake of 9/11. The Memorial can be visited daily 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; the Museum is open Wed.-Mon., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. For regular admission rates, go to https://visit911memorial.org

Westchester County Executive George Latimer has announced the debut of the new Westchester Craft Beverage Trail and free online passport. The trail includes more than 24 distilleries, craft breweries and cideries throughout the region. A free, online passport for users 21 and older allows them to easily sip and savor their way across the County while earning rewards for fun items reflecting Westchester’s craft culture. Learn more at www.visitwestchestercounty.com/things-to-do/dining/craft-beverage/trail/

At Congregation KTI it is a Mitzvah (good deed) moment for all to help feed those in the community who are needy. All food collected in KTI’s ongoing drive is being given to the Salvation Army in Port Chester. Food requested includes cans of tuna, chicken, vegetables, beans and fruit as well as pasta, 10-16 oz. bags/boxes of white rice, snacks, shelf-stable milk, healthy cereals, macaroni and cheese and canned meals like Chef-Boy-r-Dee, chili, etc. The food can be left in bins in Leslie Brandeis Novack's driveway at 48 Meadowlark Rd., Rye Brook.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has designated Free Fishing Days in New York this year. The remaining day is Nov. 11. During these days, the fishing license requirement is waived for freshwater fishing on New York’s waters. The Free Fishing Days program provides a great opportunity for aspiring anglers to try freshwater fishing for the first time or former anglers to reconnect with one of America’s favorite pastimes.