Bronxville and Scarsdale region

In an editorial, we assess the value of a recent “How Green is My Town?” survey conducted by Grassroots Environmental Education, a regional nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about connections between the environment and human health, and the Pace University Academy for Applied Environmental Studies. The survey, which studied and ranked 45 Westchester communities based on their environmental best practices, is “worthy of attention of communities throughout the Lower Hudson Valley,” we write. The study concluded that six communities — Bronxville, Chappaqua, Katonah, Larchmont, White Plains and Yorktown — were the county’s greenest.

The editorial grew from a Tuesday Editorial Spotlight with Patti and Doug Wood, founders of Grassroots Environmental Education. Take a look at this highlight video from yesterday’s conversation:

To watch a complete version of yesterday’s Editorial Spotlight, click here.

For more on the survey and how local communities fared, see a story in tomorrow’s Express sections of The Journal News.

Reporter Leslie Korngold sent in this report:

Have you noticed the strange sign off the Hutch at North Street, “Win Min Parking”?

Well, according to George Thompson of Cortlandt Manor, the sign, written to hang either end up, is referring to the filming of “Win Win,” a Fox Searchlight movie being filmed in Westchester. The shoots include today at White Plains High School and next week in Eastchester. The story is about a runaway teen, Kyle, a lawyer who coaches high school wrestling and how Kyle turns the coach and the high school team’s lives upside down.

Thompson knows about this because his son, Walter Panas High School sophomore David Thompson, auditioned and won a part in the movie. The 15-year-old plays Kyle’s best friend, Stemler. Both boys are wrestlers and Thompson has a match in the movie. (David is shown, above, in a picture taken by his dad on an earlier film shoot.)

With students on holiday break, David Thompson will spend 12 hours today at White Plains High School, starting at 6:30 a.m.

The movie has been filming in assorted Westchester locations and will continue to do so for another two weeks, said Iris G. Stevens, who facilitated the filming in Westchester on behalf of the county. Confidentiality requirements would not allow her to disclose where Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Melanie Lynskey, and Jeffrey Tambor, principal cast members, will be appearing next, but she did confirm my information that the crew will be in Eastchester April 6.

Leesa Thompson, David’s mother who is on the set with him, said this morning that the crew will be on Long Island in Locust Vallery Thursday.
Thompson will be working on this, his first major film, until May 2.

Thompson wrestled last year for the Walter Panas High School, and before that in middle school. His acting schedule — he does independent films and is frequently used by colleges for their film courses — does not leave im enough time to commit to the team this year.

By the way, Thompson is tutored on the set in order to keep up with his studies, his parents said.

This just in from Eastchester schools:

“Kindergarten registration for the 2010-2011 school year, for children who turn five years of age on or before December 1, 2010, started October 1st.

Screening begins April 17, 2010. Please register as soon as possible. Students will not be placed in a class until all registration
materials are complete.

For an application and a list of items to bring, go to the District web site at www.Eastchester.k12.ny.us  Click on Procedures in the left hand menu and then on School Registration.”

Just received this frm the Village Lutheran Church and Chapel School in Bronxville:

“Bronxville, NY:  Rev. Deric Taylor, the Associate Pastor of Village Lutheran Church in Bronxville, has accepted the Divine Call to serve as Pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Fairlawn, New Jersey.

“The Village Lutheran Church is making plans to honor Pastor Taylor. The beloved pastor will be honored the weekend of May 15 with a special dinner at Lake Isle Country Club and a special service of God Speed at 10 AM on Sunday May 16.

“Taylor will also be will be the featured preacher at the Rite of Confirmation at 10:45 AM on May 23.

“According to Rev. Dr. Robert Hartwell, the church’s Senior Pastor, “Pastor Taylor has been in our community for over 12 years. he and his wife Julie and son Bradly will be missed terribly. However we know that this is exciting time in his life and ministry and wish him God speed and good luck as he begins this new venture.”

“Call the church office at 914-337-0207. Village Lutheran Church is located at 172 White Plains Road, Bronxville, New York, 10708. For more information call 914-337-0207 or www.vlc-ny.org.”

Samantha Sheeber Kellner is the mother of 6-year-old Raphael. When Raphael was six months old, he had a liver transplant. Shortly afterward, the family founded the Scarsdale-based Kellner Family Pediatric Liver Disease Foundation, which hopes to reduce the incidence of pediatric liver disease through research, awareness and education.

Flooding continues to be a problem throughout the Eastchester, Tuckahoe and Bronxville area, with the Bronx River Parkway again closed according to Yonkers police.

Earlier today, a man in his 70s had to be rescued from his truck on the Bronx River Parkway after he headed south onto the closed road from the Scarsdale Road exit and ended up neck-deep in water. Read more on that story here and look for full details in tomorrow’s Journal News.

Photo: Yonkers firefighter Jerry Thompson searches a vehicle for any occupants on the Bronx River Parkway near Palmer Road in Bronxville March 30, 2010. ( Frank Becerra Jr. / The Journal News )

Staff writer Will David reports these roads in Bronxville are closed because of flooding: Paxton Avenue from Palmer to Dewitt avenues, and Milburn Street.

Join us at 1 p.m. Tuesday for an Editorial Spotlight interview with officials from Grassroots Environmental Education, a regional non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the links between common environmental exposures and human health.

Grassroots and Pace University Academy for Applied Environmental Studies worked together to study 43 towns in Westchester from November to March to find out which employ the best environmental practices. Last week, in announcing the results of the study, the groups named Bronxville, Chappaqua, Katonah, Larchmont, White Plains and Yorktown as Westchester’s greenest communities.

To watch the LIVE session, go to www.LoHud.com/editorialspotlight. To submit a question on why your hometown did or didn’t make the cut, and what you can do to improve the local environment, engage the “Cover it live” feature on the right side of the screen.

The Chapel School in Bronxville sent us this fun picture of dinosaur sculptures its second grade students created. Here’s their explanation:

The students of Mrs. Christina Danyluk, and Ms. Amanda Lavoie studied the topics of dinosaurs and recycling, within a new and exciting science curriculum.  As a result, the second graders created dinosaur projects out of recycled materials.

Pterodactyl, Stegosaurus, Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus were made of recycled water bottles, yogurt containers, tin cans, coffee cups, and bottle caps.  Individual dinosaurs were displayed on a cardboard base, which also included a dinosaur environment consisting of trees, rocks, nests, and dinosaur eggs, represented by paper towel rolls, tissue boxes, shredded newspaper, and egg cartons.

The dinosaur unit was completed by a field trip to the Museum of Natural History in New York City, where The Chapel School students engaged in a scavenger hunt. Second graders searched for specific types of dinosaurs, and answered trivia questions based on the extensive dinosaur exhibit offered by the museum on its fourth floor.

What does the Eastchester Italian American Citizens Club do for St. Patrick’s Day? Well as anyone who has lived in a community with a strong Italian and Irish presence knows, they throw a party — after all, St. Joseph’s Day is right around the corner.

Tony Santoliquido of the club sent us this report, and pictures:

The EIACC held their annual Saint Patrick/Saint Joseph party and fund raiser at their Scarsdale club house in the midst of a torrential rain and windstorm earlier this month. All in attendance had a great time even though the power was lost shortly after 7 PM. However, the battery back-up lights, candles and flashlights made for a cozy, comfortable and memorable evening.

As the night progressed, the temporary power supply faded and the party goers were in darkness once again. Rich Stiegleman, owner of the Scarsdale Mobile station in North End, came to the rescue and was gracious enough to provide the batteries and head lamps so that the party could continue during dinner and the subsequent raffle.

Everyone enjoyed the traditional “Italian Style” corn beef and cabbage [with a side order of pasta] and the Saint Joseph pastries made with a choice of whipped or canoli cream. As usual, the Buon Amici Delicatessen on Scarsdale Avenue provided the catering and delicious food.

Later in the evening, a silent auction and drawing was held offering over 30 prizes to the lucky winners. A special thanks goes out to the members and local merchants who donated all of the prizes and made the event a success and to Lucille and Tony Nunno and Connie and Les Vaccaro for organizing the affair.

Vito Pinto and Ralph Rezza, Co-Captains of the I Vincitori [winners] squad, reminded all of the guests that the EIACC will be sponsoring a team and will be participating in the annual “Relay for Life Of Eastchester” event at Concordia College on May 15, 2010 from 6 PM to 6 AM. All were encouraged to sign up and contribute to the fight against cancer.

Anyone wishing to donate and help this cause can contact Vito Pinto [914-961-8264] vpinto97@aol.com
or Ralph Ressa [914-793-6408] rressa@optimum.net .

The Saint Patricks Day celebration continued this past Saturday as the EIACC members marched alongside and with their Irish-American friends at their annual parade. The community event was well attended and a good time was had by all.

Tony also sent along the picture, which shows: “Vito Pinto; Armand Seguso; Tony Santoliquido; Don Pinto; Stephanie Morra in the foreground; Joe Bruno; Pete Telesco and wife; Gerry Mignardi and Tony Nunno in the background”