Yorktown and Cortlandt region

This is a posting courtesy of reporter Leslie Korngold concerning a film being shot in White Plains featuring Cortlandt Manor teen, David Thompson:

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 that is being filmed in Westchester, today at White Plains High School. The story is about a run-away teen, Kyle, a lawyer who coaches high school wrestling and how Kyle turns the coach and the high school team’s lives upside down.

George 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.

Despite the holiday today, Thompson will be in school, White Plains High School that is, for 12 hours, 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 independents and is frequently used by colleges for their film courses, does not leave him 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.

Photo 1) David Thompson on set of a college film production

Photo 2) David Thompson wrestling for Panas last year.

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.

Sarah Forth of Croton walks along a parking lot in Cortlandt March 30, 2010 with her daughter Jillian, 18 months, and her twin sons Alex in blue and Charlie, 3 1/2.

They spent part of a rainy afternoon at the Barnes and Noble bookstore. Click here to see more photographs from our area. ( Joe Larese / The Journal News )

For the second straight year, jobs are on the line in the proposed school budget.

Superintendent Ralph Napolitano laid out an $89.9 million spending plan for 2010-11 that would cut 43 staff positions, including 27 layoffs. With enrollment declining, a school closing and class sizes projected to hold constant, Napolitano says the cuts are necessary.

If approved, the budget would raise the tax rate by 1.5 percent and raise spending by $83,000 or 0.09 percent. The proposal anticipates a $1.4 million cut in state aid.

In addition to shuttering French Hill Elementary School in the hopes of leasing it to an outside tenant, Napolitano’s budget also eyes savings by eliminating modified sports. That would save about $75,000 alone.

Click here for district information the budget

On April 10, Ossining is hosting family events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and the 20th annual Stash the Trash Day. Read the town’s release below:

What better way to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and the 20th Annual Stash the Trash than to work with your family and friends to help keep Ossining beautiful?  Or to join your neighbors in a fun, educational Earth Day celebration at the beautiful Louis B. Engel Waterfront Park?

Featured events of the day, which have been organized by the Town/Village Green Ossining Committee include:

Stash the Trash:  Meet at 9am at the Joseph G Community Center, 95 Broadway; the Ossining Historical Society at Croton Avenue, or the Jug Tavern, 74 Revolutionary Road to get your assigned clean up territory, gloves and bags.  This year, biodegradable garbage bags

Earth Day 40 Celebration:  11am-4pm: Come to Louis B. Engel Waterfront Park for a fun and educational day with your family, featuring music, children’s activities and information about how to save money by reducing your carbon footprint. Special events throughout the day!

There are still limited vendor spaces available for those who have green business ventures.

For more information, go to www.greenossining.org, or contact Catherine Borgia at cborgia@townofossining.com, 914-762-6001, or 914-262-8873.

Jessica Yanqui, 21, of Ossining with her daughter, Nube, works as a part-time assistant to the office manager at the Ossining Children’s Center in Ossining.  Yanqui, who receives Title 20 subsidies from the county, stands to lose her daycare support as a result of the cutbacks being proposed by Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino. Yanqui is currently trying to complete her masters in teaching so that she can be a biology teacher. She is a student teacher at Valhalla High School and works part time at the Center.  At the center close to 90 percent of the children attending receive support from the county.  For more on this story read my colleague Hannan Adely upcoming article here on LoHud.com.

David Rambo has big plans for Yorktown’s water districts.

The town’s newly appointed water distribution superintendent is calling for a hefty investment in infrastructure to curb water loss and streamline billing.

By year’s end, Rambo foresees the town moving forward on replacing residential water meters with models that could be read from the street by a staffer in a passing vehicle. Decades-old meters that are even just 95 percent accurate cost the town thousands of dollars daily, he said.

“We pay a premium for treated water,” said Rambo, who was appointed March 23. “You wanted to make sure you’re recouped for that.”

Named acting water superintendent in January, Rambo succeeded former Director of Labor Operations Eric DiBartolo, whose position was eliminated. The vote was 4-1, with Councilman Nick Bianco complaining he hadn’t had a chance to interview Rambo.

Bianco has since done so and voted for the permanent appointment.

Unofficial Mayor Trish Carucci of Ossining took her family for an outing to the city, catching a show, a meal and a bit of shopping.

It seems to be a common observation from any Westchester native, if you grew up here, the city that never sleeps seemed so far, far away….and then we woke up.

Saturday – March 27, 2010

“Mom, calm down!” my 16 year-old daughter Sarah reminds me. “You are not at a rock concert”

Oh, but I was. The minute the curtain opened at the St. James Theater, at 246th W. 44th Street , and the cast began the 90 minute rock and roll musical of American Idiot, my legs began to shake, the problem was no one else was rockin’, so I had to “calm down”, and just take it all in.

The Town of Ossining Democratic Committee is looking for candidates for the November elections. The following press release was sent out this morning:

(March 30, 2010) Ossining Town Democratic Committee chair Thomasina Laidley-Brown has issued a call for candidates who seek the Democratic nomination in the November 2010 election for the following positions:
Town Councilman, Town of Ossining
Mayor, Village of Ossining
Trustee, Village of Ossining (2 seats)

Interested candidates should send letters of intent and resumes to: Thomasina Laidley Brown, Ossining Town Democratic Committee, 28 State Street, Ossining, NY, 10562. Letters are due by the end of business on April 12, 2010.

Any registered Democrat who is interested in becoming involved with the local committee is encouraged to attend the next monthly meeting, to be held on Monday, April 19 at 8pm at the Joseph G Caputo Community Center, 95 Broadway, Ossining.

For more information contact Thomasina Laidley Brown at 914-914-1543.

Miguel Aponte of Peekskill holds a 20 inch long striped bass he caught while fishing in foggy conditons on Fleischmann Pier in Peekskill March 29, 2010.

“Lots of fog, but no rain since early this morning,” Aponte said.” I’m not complaining, it’s been great.” Click here to see more photographs from our area. ( Joe Larese / The Journal News )