“Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper” NQUIRER · As a designer, Brett Johnson has al-ways been...

“Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper”

http://www.mvinquirer.com

Volume 8, Number 7 July 2014Serving the news and information needs of Mount Vernon, NY – “A City That Believes”

Complimentary

T H E MO U N T V ER NO N

INQUIRER “The People’s Newspaper”

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After a tough, long winter that besieged Mount Vernon with record setting snowfall, Mount Vernonites were looking for-

ward to the 2014 start of the Summer Breeze Concert Series. As in 2013, the Summer Breeze Concert Series got off to a terrific start Wednesday night, June 18th, on City Hall Plaza, with Mike Phil-lips electrifying a large crowd with an-other one of his magical performances. The event was attended by a festive and eager crowd who arrived early in order to secure upfront seats.

This year’s Summer Breeze Concert Series was coordinated by Sheryl Brown Lee-Fox who was asked to return again this season due to her outstanding work last year. Sheryl replaced longtime Mount Vernon resident and former NFL player, Dillard Boone, after he passed.

To the surprise of many, the Master of Ceremonies for this year’s opening con-cert was Brother Arthur Muhammad, who

O n Thursday, June 12th, the gym at the Mount Vernon Boys & Girls Club was packed with young men interested in meet-

ing and listening to Bret Johnson, son of BET co-founders Robert L. Johnson, chairman of the RLJ Companies, and Shelia C. Johnson, CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts and chair of the Board of Governors of Parsons, the New School for Design in New York City.

When introduced by the club’s director, Lowes Moore, the crowd of strictly boys gave Johnson a long and rousing ap-plause.

The 23-year-old founder and creative director of the Bethesda, Maryland-based Brett Johnson Collection is taking en-

Mike Phillips electrifying the large crowd that attended the kick off of the 2014 Summer Breeze Concert Series

Bret Johnson speaking to the large group of boys at the Mt. Vernon Boys & Girls Club

FEATURES Mike Phillips kicks off Summer Breeze Concert with

magical performance

Bret Johnson holds ‘Entrepreneur Session’ at Mount Vernon

Boys & Girls Club

Many attend Hartley Park playground re-opening ceremony

Page 6

Mariano Rivera attends Mt. Vernon press conference on Brush Park baseball field

Page 8

Mount Vernon native lands “Dream” opportunity to

report in ParisPage 7

Mount Vernon named one of nation’s best cities for women in

the workforce Page 11

Story by Joe Parisi

Story by Joe Parisi



www.mvinquirer.com2 l July 2014



www.mvinquirer.com 3 l July 2014




is better known as Mount Vernon’s leading DJ. He did an excellent job and was en-thusiastically received by the large crowd.

Before Phillips’ introduction, the crowd was treated to the sensational singing of Chris Envy who received a rousing ap-plause from the music savvy crowd. Also, on the agenda before Phillips’ per-formance, was Abashi Ben Reuben who mesmerized the crowd with his drum.

When introduced to the crowd by Broth-er Arthur, Mayor Davis received a long applause from the crowd. After a brief speech, he introduced two Mount Vernon High School graduating students and their family members who were being honored. The first to be introduced was Rolanda Watson whose academic excellence at Mount Vernon High School resulted in her receiving several college scholarship of-fers. The mayor presented her with several awards.

Then the mayor introduced David Pińa who also excelled academically during his four years at Mount Vernon High School, especially as a baseball player.

After a photo op, each of the students addressed the crowd to much applause.

Following the speeches, Brother Arthur introduced Phillips to the rapidly growing crowd which was patiently waiting to hear him play. Phillips received a thunderous and long applause as he approached the makeshift stage area. As he addressed the audience, he fondly spoke about what it was like growing up in Mount Vernon, and how he desperately seeks to reach out to today’s youth.

As Phillips started playing, electricity flowed throughout the City Hall Plaza area and, the crowd gave him a standing ova-tion.

When it appeared that Phillips was fin-ished with his performance, the audience

Part of the large crowd that enjoyed the kick off of the Summer Breeze Concert Series

Chris Envy impressed many with his singing

Brother Arthur Muhammad acted as the MC

A group photo was taken after awards were presented to Rolanda Watson and David Pińa

Abashi Ben Reuben (r) mesmerizing the crowd with his drum

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asked for more, and he obliged them by continuing to play while walking through the crowd of admirers. When he was done, a throng of admirers surrounded Phillips with their cameras for close up photos of him. He also signed endless autographs before he departed.

As Ben Gordon, Phillips is a Mount Ver-

non native who continually gives back to the community. His emergence as a sax-ophonist marked the beginning of a new, exciting chapter in the jazz music scene several years ago. Due to a rare combina-tion of youthful exuberance and seasoned craftsmanship, Mike has already taken his position among the leaders in his field.

He became interested in music at a young age, and had his first professional opportunity at The Wartburg on Lincoln Avenue when he was just 10 years old. When he was 16, and still a student at the Mount Vernon High School, Phillips was playing in New York City with top musi-cians. Besides recording his own music,

Phillips has played with jazz, R&B, and even rap artists over the years, has toured with Stevie Wonder, and was handpicked by Prince to play with him on tour.

Thanks to Mike Phillips, the 2014 Sum-mer Breeze Concert Series in Mount Ver-non began an incredibly successful start once again.




Founded in 2004 by JOSEPH A. PARISI AND LUISA PARISI

Published by

The Mount Vernon InquirerP.O. Box 458

Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0458 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.mvinquirer.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITORReaders are encouraged to send us letters expressing their viewpoints on any issue. Letters should not contain inflammatory or provoca-tive language and will be subject to editorial review. Please keep your letters brief and not to exceed 300 words. Your name and address must be included, but will be withheld upon request.

SUGGESTED NEWS ITEMSWe welcome all suggestions con-cerning news we should cover in our newspaper. Please call the Editor with suggestions at (914)665-7004.

EditorJoe Parisi

Assistant EditorLiz Olsson

News Reportes / WritersJoe Parisi, Chief Reporter

James Fair Debra Smith

Sales and AdvertisingDarryl Walker, Director

Graphic DesignAshley Covelli Cheryl Parisi

Member




trepreneurial cues from, and following in some powerhouse footsteps, his billion-aire parents. Johnson’s goal, and that of his parents, is to show young African-American males how to start their own business.

Johnson’s collection of men’s apparel and footwear includes fashion sneak-ers, polo shirts and T-shirts, and outer-wear that were crafted in Florence, Italy. His outerwear includes recognizable tai-lored fashions like classic pea coats, but also caters to the more creative customer with items like a quilted leather hoodie, wool and leather vests, and biker jackets. Prices range from $225 to $300 for low-top and high-top sneakers, and $500 to $1,675 for jackets.

As a designer, Brett Johnson has al-ways been passionate about fashion, sports, and entertainment. He has worked with Italian automaker Ferrari, one of the world’s most iconic brands. While most first-time designers have their garments made in China, Johnson’s manufacturers are found in Italy and New York-based G-III Apparel.

He started working with long-time family friend Morris Goldfarb, chairman and CEO of G-III Apparel, about three years ago when he began building his collection. He was referred to an Italian outerwear firm by his mother who also has a line of scarves produced in factories throughout Italy.

“I honestly think that’s where you get the best quality,” Johnson told the large audience of male kids. “China’s good at copying, but Italians are the best with their hands, materials, and fabrics. You name it - they do it the best.”

As for offering advice to other aspiring designers, Johnson stressed the impor-tance of picking manufacturing and busi-ness partners carefully - people you can work with and who will help ensure you’re comfortable with the relationships, both financially and personally.

“The idea is to select someone you can trust, who will not take advantage of your ideas or vision, and will be a part of what

Lowes Moore preparing to introduce Bret Johnson to the large crowd of young boys

Kids filing into the gym to hear Bret Johnson talk

you are trying to build,” he said.At the end of the session, many kids

asked Johnson endless questions, and

also sought his autograph.

WJCS Parent Management Training summer session begins July 8

WJCS is offering a summer 10-ses-sion evidence-based parent manage-

ment training group for parents of children with a developmental disability or with an autistic spec-trum disorder. The group will meet on Tuesday and Thursday morn-ings from 9:30 - 11:00 AM for five weeks from July 8th to August 7th.

Interested parents should con-tact Norma Litman, LCSW, pro-

gram supervisor, as soon as possible for more information or to schedule an assessment. Norma can be reached at 914-949-6761 x408 or [email protected]. The Westchester Jewish Community Services is located at 141 North Central Avenue, Hartsdale.

PMT, developed by Dr. Alan Kaz-din at Yale Child Study Center, has been shown to be effective in de-creasing oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior. PMT trains

parents to manage their child’s be-havioral problems in the home and at school.

Parents will learn new ways to understand their child’s behavior and to practice skills and tech-niques for effectively handling problem behaviors. Parents are active participants in this group including role plays and weekly homework assignments (e.g. be-havior charts).




Soon after the ribbon cutting officially opened the playground, children immediately started using the play stations

Many attend Hartley Park playground re-opening ceremony

On Thursday, May 29th, many flocked to Hartley Park in Mount Vernon to attend a rib-bon cutting ceremony that of-

ficially opened the city’s only all-access playground which was recently renovated at a cost of over $250,000. The playground is located off of Gramatan and Lincoln Av-enues.

The event was sponsored by the Mount Vernon Recreation Department and many children, along with city officials and elect-ed officials were in attendance, including Mayor Ernest D. Davis who cut the cer-emonial ribbon.

“We are so happy that there is finally a place for our disabled children to go and have fun,” said Mayor Ernest D. Davis.

“With the wonderful programming we al-ready have for our disabled youth, the playground will make their outdoor play experiences so much better.”

Play equipment and safety surfaces ac-commodate children of all abilities includ-ing wheelchair access, and is open to all children aged 2 through 12. The scope of the work involved landscaping and ma-sonry work which meets ADA compliance.

The renovation and upgrade was made possible through funding secured through Community Block Grant and HUD fund-ing.

For additional information contact Rec-reation Commissioner Darren Morton at 914-665-3420.

The ground throughout the park is specially padded to protect children against injuries when they fall

“We spent over $250.000 to renovate this park, so you need to take care of it,” Mayor Davis told the children during the ceremony

WCC and MasterCard officials pictured at a recent meeting

WCC and Mastercard team up to support entrepreneurship for new Americans

Responding to the changing demo-graphics and economic opportu-nities in the country, Westchester Community College has launched

a new pilot program to help encourage business development for new Ameri-cans. Supported by a philanthropic grant from the MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth, Entrepreneurship for New Ameri-cans is a pilot program that will offer immi-grant entrepreneurs workshops on topics ranging from understanding legal aspects of starting a business, access to credit, English language through the college’s English Language Institute, and more.

Data compiled by the Kauffman Index shows that immigrant business develop-ment rose sharply in 2010 and continues to rise, with Latino and Asian immigrant business start-ups growing the fastest. However, immigrants face numerous bar-riers to starting a business, from access to credit, to language and cultural differenc-es. There are limited resources available in Westchester County that meet the needs of immigrant entrepreneurs, and West-chester Community College’s Gateway

to Entrepreneurship program (G2E) has a unique opportunity to offer programming that fills this gap.

“At MasterCard, we are committed to connecting people and communities with opportunity and believe in the power of en-trepreneurship as a path to full financial in-clusion. We are excited to partner with the college on this pilot program,” says Patri-cia Devereux, executive director, Master-Card Global Philanthropy.

The G2E program is dedicated to sup-porting entrepreneurial education through-out the college and our community. Through its collaborations with partners in both the public and private sectors, G2E is a resource hub for entrepreneurial devel-opment at all stages, facilitating programs that respond to entrepreneurs’ needs and contributing to a vibrant local economy.

“Westchester Community College has always been about accessibility. We are committed to student success, academic excellence, workforce development, eco-nomic development, and lifelong learning,” says Dr. John F. M. Flynn, Westchester Community College interim president.

“Partnerships in our community with busi-ness leaders, neighborhood non-profits, and other organizations serving our di-verse populations, have played a vital role in achieving these goals, and we are proud to have the MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth supporting this impor-

tant initiative,” he adds. For more information on the college’s

G2E program, please visit the college’s website at http://www.sunywcc.edu.




Jalesa Tucker

Mount Vernon native lands “Dream” opportunity to report

in Paris

Jalesa Tucker, a 22 year old student and Mount Vernon native, has been selected as the 2014 Student Fel-low for the Pulitzer Crisis Reporting

Center. Tucker’s a very busy college stu-dent who splits her time between hitting the books as a communications major at City College, interning for the renowned PR firm (the Terrie Williams Agency), work-ing at Abercrombie & Fitch, and hanging out with friends in Mount Vernon. As this year’s student fellow, Tucker had the op-portunity to choose anywhere in the world to do her international reporting, so she selected to cover the discrimination of the Roma in Paris. Amid trip planning, work, and finals, Tucker slowed down long enough to chat about Paris, her win, and what’s next.

Congratulations on your win, how does it feel to be the 2014 Student Fellow?

“Thank you so much. I learned I won the student fellowship via email, right before my journalism class. Learning I’ve won has been surreal; I feel so grateful.”

What is the Pulitzer Center Campus Consortium Fellowship?

“The Pulitzer Center teams up with par-ticipating colleges and allows students to apply for a student fellowship. As a stu-dent fellow, you receive a grant of up to $2000 and are able to fly anywhere in the world, to report internationally on issues you find pressing. By the end of this proj-ect I will have submitted two in-depth arti-cles for the Pulitzer center, another article for the Viking News (Westchester Com-munity College paper), and a slideshow for the Pulitzer Center website.”

What subject are you reporting on and why?

“I decided to report on the discrimina-tion and deportation of the Roma in Paris. Around the time I had heard about this opportunity, my French friend had told me about two teenagers who were es-corted off a school bus by the police and later deported along with their families. I thought this was outrageous and, though the story received widespread attention, I

felt solutions-based stories were lacking. Roma are travelers who face systematic oppression and discrimination in their na-tive countries making it nearly impossible for them to advance. Abroad, Roma face the same discrimination that make it dif-ficult to find jobs or secure decent homes for their families. As an African-American, I can relate.

What was the process like to apply and how long did it take?

“Applying for a student fellowship was surprisingly simple. I filled out the applica-tion. It included a 250-word statement on an issue I was interested in and a break-down of how I planned to use the grant. I also submitted three samples of my work, and included three people willing to rec-ommend me for the fellowship. I applied in late February and found out I was a finalist in April. As a finalist, I went to WCC (West-chester Community College) to pitch my idea in front of Nathalie Applewhite, the managing director for the Pulitzer center and five other finalists.”

What did you learn from this experi-ence?

“The truth is, I almost talked myself out of applying in the first place. At the time, I thought of all the reasons I wouldn’t win; like the fact that I don’t speak French and have never traveled outside of the coun-try. All of my reasons seem silly now but I’ve learned that if you focus on all the rea-sons you can’t do something and cannot muster up the courage to try, then you will never achieve anything. “

What do you hope people will get from this project?

“The most exciting thing about telling stories using multimedia is that it crosses platforms and can be told differently de-pending on the medium. For my stories to reach diverse audiences is the most ex-citing thing about this venture. I hope my stories strike a chord and inspire people to not only empathize, but to take action and come up with creative solutions to deal with this issue. “

WJCS Parent-Child Home Program sponsors Summer Fun

in the Park 2014 program

Westchester Jewish Commu-nity Services’ Parent-Child Home Program sponsors Summer Fun in the Park

2014, a seven-week playgroup for adults and children, under five years, in Hartley Park, Mount Vernon. The program sup-ports parents as their child’s first and most important teacher in preparing children for school success.

This year’s theme, Animals, will include activities such as water play, music and story time, as well as arts and crafts and special guests. The program is run in col-laboration with the City of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation De-partment, and the Mount Vernon Public Library.

“Studies have shown that summer is

a critical time for reinforcing concepts learned during the academic year. In the first few years of life, there is an enormous amount of brain growth and learning. Our program is helping these preschoolers stay on-track in maintaining readiness for what’s ahead,” said Patrice Cuddy, director of the WJCS Parent-Child Home Program. “We encourage Mount Vernon families to take full advantage of this op-portunity to enjoy fun-filled and enriched morning playtime with their toddlers.”

The Hartley Park Summer Program is free for families and child care providers, and will be held on Tuesday and Wednes-day mornings from 10:00 – 12:00 noon, June 17th – July 3th0. For additional infor-mation, contact Ingrid Bentil, at [email protected], or 914-949-7699 x 407.

Coming soon to Mount VernonWESTCHESTER SWAP SHOP &WESTCHESTER MARKET NY

A Designer Resale & Consignment WarehouseFurniture, Clothes, Household and Consignment!

VENDORS WANTED - FAX YOUR REQUEST TO 914.556.2679

Representative Engel announces $2.9M in Title 1 Funding for Mount Vernon

School District

Congressman Eliot Engel an-nounced that the Mount Ver-non City School District will receive over $2.9 million in

funding from the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that children from low-income families meet the state’s academic standards.

The funding was made available through Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Ele-mentary and Secondary Education Act.

“Fewer investments yield a higher rate of return than education, but chil-dren from disadvantaged households often face obstacles which hamper their academic progress. Title I funding seeks to overcome those barriers.”

“As a former school teacher, I know the value that this assistance will bring to our classrooms. Mount Vernon stu-dents will benefit from increased re-sources, and local schools will be able to better meet the needs of all their stu-dents, thanks to this funding.”




Mariano Rivera speaking during the press conference

The beautifully refurbished field #2 at Brush Park

Students displaying letters that spelled “Brush Park”

Officials and two little league players during a photo op with Rivera at the end of the press conference

Leaving the hotdogs and apple pie for others, Chevrolet is out to revive baseball in commu-nities around the country by

awarding winners of its “Diamonds & Dreams” program with refurbished baseball facilities.

“Every young person wants and de-serves a ‘dream’ baseball diamond, and we offer them a chance to get one,” said Phil Caruso, Chevrolet na-tional promotions manager. “From the back yards to the big leagues, Chev-rolet is committed to community and youth baseball and giving back to where our customers live, work and play.”

Mount Vernon was recently awarded a $50,000.00 grant by Chevrolet, en-

abling the city to convert field #2 at Brush Park into a so called ‘dream’ baseball diamond. The improvements include new infield turf, along with new clay throughout the entire infield area – as well as the pitcher’s mound. Re-pairs to the outfield turf were also in-cluded as an added bonus.

The exceptional refurbishing of the field was done by Ripken Design and FIELDS, Inc. – selected for the fourth consecutive year to participate in ‘Chevrolet’s “Diamonds and Dreams’ field renovation promotion. In partner-ship with Scotts Miracle-Gro and Ma-jor League Baseball, Ripken Design and FIELDS are currently refurbishing baseball fields throughout the country.

A press conference had been sched-

Mariano Rivera attends Mount Vernon press conference on newly refurbished Brush Park

baseball field

uled to take place at Brush Park on Thursday, May 5th, to dedicate the field in honor of former New York Yan-kees legendary relief pitcher, Mariano Rivera. But due to rain, the event took place at the City Hall Council Cham-bers.

The well attended press conference included city officials, representatives of Major League Baseball, Chevrolet, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), and the New York Yankees.

Highlighting the press conference was Mariano Rivera who was disap-pointed the event had to be held in-doors due to rain.

Also in attendance, was the head of

Mount Vernon Babe Ruth/RBI, Rich Sauerhaft, and a large group of stu-dents from Cecil Parker Elementary School.

“I really hope that this newly im-proved field will benefit all the kids that love to play baseball in Mount Vernon. I say this because we did not have a baseball field in my town when I was growing up,” said Rivera as he ad-dressed the large crowd.

At the end of the press conference, members of the press and kids in the audience rushed toward Rivera during a photo op with the future Hall of Fame pitching sensation.




Amani students in a group photo with the food they cooked in the foreground

(l to r) Roberta Apuzzo, Bruce Tanner, Jared Apuzzo and Debra Stern

Debra Stern (r) and her students washing pots and pans

A Mount Vernon soup kitchen, known as Community Service Associates, Inc., located in the basement of Sacred Heart

Church, has been serving the hungry and homeless within Mount Vernon and its surroundings for nearly 30 years. Amaz-ingly, the soup kitchen only functions with a staff of two people – the director, Rober-ta Apuzzo, and her son, Jared, who acts as the assistant director, and relies heavily on volunteers.

“We are more than just a “soup kitch-en”. We offer a safe environment where people can gather and socialize. We pro-vide counseling to anyone in need and refer clients to a variety of other services in the community,” according to Apuzzo. “Fortunately, our volunteers have grown in numbers throughout the years. We have almost 700 individuals who come through our doors annually to serve and be part of our vital services.”

On Thursday, June 5th, a group of stu-dents from Amani Public Charter School, Mount Vernon’s only charter school, led

by the school’s director, Debra Stern, vol-unteered to work at the soup kitchen after school.

As the students arrived at the soup kitchen to perform their highly anticipated community service, they were greeted by Apuzzo and shown around the large facil-ity. Then each student was provided with instructions on what was expected of them.

The students were broken up into teams, with some washing dishes and others do-ing actual cooking, all under the supervi-sion of Bruce Tanner who is the chef at their school.

As people started to arrive at the soup kitchen to eat, some of the students, with big smiles on their faces, proudly served the food they had cooked – chicken pot pie. Many of the hungry people gave the students a ‘thumbs up’ after sampling the food.

It was a rewarding experience for the students, and most of them are looking forward to returning in the near future.

Amani Charter School students perform community service at Mount Vernon soup kitchen

Mount Vernon awarded planning commendation for Senior Citizen Housing Floating Overlay Zone

Mayor Ernest D. Davis an-nounced, today, that the city of Mount Vernon has been awarded commendation for

the Senior Citizen Housing Floating Over-lay Zone from the Westchester County Municipal Planning Federation. The com-mendation is the highest achievable plan-ning award. Out of the 45 municipalities within Westchester County, three were given this prestigious award which includ-ed the City of Mount Vernon. According to Westchester County Municipal Plan-ning Federation, planning achievement awards are designed to acknowledge

municipalities for outstanding planning ef-forts that contribute to the enhancement and growth of Westchester County.

“We are so pleased to be recognized by the Westchester County Municipal Plan-ning Federation for our work here in the city of Mount Vernon. The county, the region, the state, and the world for that matter, should expect to see further good work through sound planning in the imme-diate future,” said Mayor Ernest D. Davis.

In December of 2013, the city of Mount Vernon adopted a Senior Citizen Housing Floating Overlay Zone to bring the city’s existing Senior Citizen Housing Zoning

Ordinance into conformity with the city’s proposed comprehensive plan. Accord-ingly, the primary objectives include: cre-ate larger commercial floor area space which will attract more ‘high-end’ stores and provide greater commercial ameni-ties within the city; add environmentally sustainable design features into the city’s Zoning Ordinance, such as the use of so-lar panels; preserve neighborhood char-acter by implementing contextual zoning which will maintain the city’s pre-existing urban fabric; and align the city’s zon-ing code with current national, state, and county population trends.

According to the Planning Administrator of the Department of Planning and Com-munity Development, William Long, “This senior citizen housing ordinance provides a great opportunity to foster the orderly growth and development of the city while enhancing the city’s tax base.”

Senior housing developers seeking to construct in the city now have a clearly identified path to development. With this ordinance complete, the city is continuing to review and streamline other ordinances to allow development to occur in an or-derly fashion.




(l to r) Noelle Hanson, Marisol Mallory, James Lasser, Yudelkis Cueva, and Naiya Rookwood

Milestone School hosts 35th Annual Recital and Graduation Ceremony

The Milestone School hosted its 35th Annual Recital and Gradua-tion Ceremony on Saturday, June 7th, at Saunders High School in

Yonkers. One-hundred-and-sixty stu-dents from Milestone’s Youngest Step-pingstones graduates, twos through fourth grade, came out to put on another phenomenal show.

Special congratulations go to The Mile-stone School Graduating Class of 2014: Yudelkis Cueva, Noelle Hanson, James Lasser, Marisol Mallory, and Naiya Rook-wood. Yudelkis, Noelle and Naiya will be attending School of the Holy Child in Rye this fall. James and Marisol will be head-ing to Good Counsel Academy in White Plains.

State Senate passes Klein bill extending critical foreclosure protections for homeowners

Senate Majority Coalition Leader Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx/Westches-ter) announced that the State Senate voted 56 - 1 in favor of his

legislation that would extend vital foreclo-sure prevention measures and homeown-er protections for an additional five years beyond the February 2015 expiration date. These protections include extending the requirement for lenders to provide 90-day notice of foreclosure and mandatory settlement conferences for all home loans. An expiration of these protections would have meant that tens of thousands of New York homeowners in pre-foreclosure were in serious danger of losing their homes. The State Assembly passed the legislation on June 2nd. The legislation now awaits New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s sig-

nature to become law. The legislation (S. 7119/A.9354) will

extend portions of Senator Klein’s 2009 comprehensive foreclosure legislation aimed at protecting homeowners and preserving property values in communi-ties stricken with high rates of foreclosure in the wake of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. In a press conference highlighting the importance of this legislation last Fri-day, Senator Klein called for the continu-ing need for these protections, citing the disproportionate impact of foreclosure on minority communities, with 80% of New York City residents in pre-foreclosure liv-ing in majority-minority neighborhoods.

Jeff Klein said, “With nearly 30,000 New York City homeowners currently facing foreclosure, the extension of foreclosure notifications and settlement conferences are critical to keeping the vast major-ity of these homeowners in their homes. And this protection doesn’t just help indi-vidual homeowners – it helps entire com-munities. Foreclosures continue to be a major problem in the Bronx and across New York. They take a toll on entire neigh-borhoods and can destroy otherwise safe, beautiful areas. With an extension of these protections, we can continue to keep nearly 90% of homeowners in their homes. I am proud that Assemblywoman Weinstein and I have successfully cham-pioned these solid protections through both houses of the legislature.”

The Assembly bill was sponsored by Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair, As-semblywoman Helene E. Weinstein (D-Brooklyn).

Westchester Rent Guidelines Board passes 2014/2015

rent increases

A fter a series of friction-filled hear-ings and meetings, on June 23rd the Westchester Rent Guide-lines Board (WRGB) approved

modest rent increases for leases renewing between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015. The WRGB approved rent in-creases of 1.5% for one-year lease renew-als, and 2.5% for two-year lease renewals; no minimum increases were approved for apartments with rents of less than $500/month.

The series of public hearings com-menced before a packed house in the City Council Chambers at Mount Vernon City Hall on June 2nd, with additional hearings in Yonkers and White Plains on June 3rd and 9th, respectively. At the Mount Vernon hearing, most of the at-

tendees who signed up to speak made remarks on behalf of tenants. Numerous people spoke about many tenants being ’cost-burdened’, which means someone paying more than 30% of his/her income for housing. Several tenants who testified said that they spent from 50% to 70% of their incomes on rent. Tenants also cited limited rental stock, high unemployment, aggressive eviction tactics by landlords, unnecessary apartment improvements on vacant apartments, and landlords’ poor response to tenants’ repair requests, as reasons for the passage of 0% or low rent increases.

Conversely, most of the people who spoke at the White Plains meeting made remarks on behalf of owners. Many own-ers and their advocates held up signs and

By Tamara Stewart

Continued on page 26

Grand opening celebration of ‘Value Store It’ on Columbus Avenue

T he public is invited to join the Mount Vernon Chamber of Com-merce in a grand opening cel-ebration of Mount Vernon’s new

state-of-the-art self-storage facility, Value Store It, on July 17th, at 3PM. The event will begin at 3PM, so arrive early since there will be food, refreshments, and free giveaways.

Self-storage is used by nearly 1 out of 10 American households to store their ex-cess goods. Self-storage consists of rent-ing a storage unit from a storage facility. When renting self-storage you must take your goods down to the facility and unload them into your unit.

The Mount Vernon Value Store It Self Storage is a privately owned self- storage company based in Miami, Florida. They offer a safe and clean place for residen-tial and business customers to store their belongings. The Value Store It facility is managed by a professional staff that is trained to meet your needs and expecta-tions. Their knowledge of storage and the local area make them a reliable source for questions regarding storage, truck rentals, moving services, packing supplies, and communities serviced.

For additional information, please call 914-663-1990.




Regarding 42 West Broad Street, Mixed Use

Development Project

Mount Vernon has allowed adult porn establishment to grow

A s a 10-year Mount Vernon resi-dent, and in the context of my past service as the citizen Board Member of the Mount Vernon

Urban Renewal Agency, I hereby wish to (a) express my wholehearted support of the prospective 42 West Broad Street project and (b) strongly encourage the City Council to grant the Alexander Develop-ment Group the special permit required to move forward with this endeavor.

Having met recently with the develop-ers, architects, and planners who would ultimately see this development to fruition, I became strongly convinced of 42 West Broad Street’s feasibility and viability. What’s more, several of my friends and neighbors have also conveyed their en-thusiasm for this type of development for the Fleetwood section of our city. Clearly the suggestion of a potential Fleetwood renaissance is beginning to take hold throughout Mount Vernon.

My specific rationale for endorsing this project is twofold…

First and foremost, enabling a significant mixed-use development in Fleetwood will result in immediate and long-term eco-nomic vitality and prosperity for residents and merchants alike. With the lingering effects of the Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 not entirely behind us, it is impera-tive that existing and prospective shops gain entrée to a larger pool of disposable income-generating residents with multiple

needs for goods and services. Barring this scenario, businesses will continue to grow insolvent or, worse yet, shut their doors, all the while enabling the neighboring villages of Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Eastchester, and Pelham to continue reaping the benefits of sales tax receipts to the detriment of the City of Mount Vernon.

Secondly, the infrastructural reinvest-ment that will directly coincide with the 42 West Broad Street project is yet another compelling reason for my decision to sup-port the Alexander Development Group in its quest to secure City Council approval. The project calls for a direct takeover and complete overhaul of the parking garage, a dilapidated structure that has been under-utilized for far too many years, not to men-tion an eyesore to residents and visitors alike. The project will thankfully address this blight-in-the-making and, thereby, begin to contribute to the refurbishment of a major section of Fleetwood’s com-mercial district. In short, building a sturdy and aesthetically impressive structure in a highly visible and pedestrian-friendly area will transform Fleetwood into the ‘com-mercial cornerstone’ of Mount Vernon’s north side and complement the other in-frastructural improvements currently un-derway in other sections.

Sean McIntyre35 Rockridge RoadMount Vernon, NY [email protected]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I applaud Raquel M. Bennett for address-ing this elephant in the room (Sue’s Rendezvous van). I too have noticed the Sue’s Rendezvous van all around

the south side of Mount Vernon. I am an avid walker, and during my walks through-out Mount Vernon - east, west, north and south - I have noticed the van parked in residential and commercial areas.

I too am appalled by the way the city of Mount Vernon has allowed this adult porn establishment to flourish at such a fast rate, and so big.

It is a shame that the biggest adult en-tertainment in Mount Vernon is the porn industry. I guess that when they got rid of porn on 42nd street, they decided to

relocate it to Mount Vernon. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against the club, its owner, or its patrons. But why is it that, in order for adults to have some form of en-tertainment in Mount Vernon, they have to go to a strip club? It saddens me that this is the only attractive entertainment facility in Mount Vernon for adults.

Kudos to you Mount Vernon, for show-ing its residents, especially its youth, what is important to its officials - I wonder whose hand is being greased?

The south side is filled with churches and a big strip club. So we, the residents, have two choices – either go to church or a strip club.

Anne-Marie Rouse

Mount Vernon named one of nation’s best cities for women in the workforce

More and more women are joining the workforce and becoming the primary breadwinners in their fami-

lies these days. So consumer advocacy site NerdWallet set out to find the plac-es with the best conditions for women in the workforce. Mount Vernon was ranked 11th among small cities.

NerdWallet considered the following factors for the study:

· Median women’s salary, adjusted by the cost of living

· Gender pay gap· Population growth Since 1967, the percentage of the

U.S. workforce comprised of women has increased from 29 percent to near-ly 50 percent. In 1960, only one in ten American mothers was the sole or pri-mary family breadwinner, compared to four out of every ten mothers in 2011.

To take a closer look at the cites that

have the best characteristics to support women in the workforce, NerdWallet crunched the numbers to analyze the following factors:

· Women’s earnings: they looked at the median salary for female full-time, year-round workers in each city and included the median gross rent as a proxy to gauge cost of liv-ing.

· Income equality: they calculated women’s pay as a percentage of men’s pay to measure the level of income equality in each city.

· Population growth: to assess long-term growth potential in each place, they included recent population growth.

They broke down their list of 522 cit-ies into large, medium-sized and small cities to find various types of places for women in the workforce.




NYS Tax Department’s Fraud Prevention Program wins

national recognition

T he New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has been recognized with a national tech-nology award for its aggressive

identification of fraudulent tax returns.The Federation of Tax Administrators

(FTA) announced that the Department earned the 2014 FTA Award for Technol-ogy for its ‘two- pronged’ fraud prevention strategy – the ability to marry state-of-the-art technology with highly trained person-nel, improving audit results and saving taxpayers millions of dollars in the pro-cess.

The FTA, organized in 1937 as a nonprofit organization, counts among its members the taxation and revenue departments of the 50 states, as well as District of Colum-bia, New York City and Philadelphia. Its mission is to improve the standards and methods of tax administration.

The award was presented June 11th at

the FTA’s Annual Meeting in Saint Peters-burg, Florida.

“We thank the FTA for recognizing our efforts to detect and prevent fraud,” said Commissioner Thomas H. Mattox. “It re-flects our continuing focus on ensuring timely payment of legitimate tax refunds, while stopping questionable refunds from being paid.”

New York is a leader among states in the use of business analytics, having de-veloped advanced applications to auto-matically review - prior to issuing refunds - each of the 10 million personal income tax returns it receives annually. As a re-sult, in 2013 alone, more than 255,000 inappropriate refunds were stopped, to-taling more than $413 million.

Building on that success, the Depart-ment established the Fraud Analysis and Selection Team (FAST) which leverages business analytics to stop large-scale, premeditated tax fraud schemes. Since its formation in late 2011, FAST has un-covered more than a thousand distinct fraudulent refund schemes.

For example, as a result of the team’s investigation, the Department audited more than 5,000 returns filed by a Bronx tax preparer and stopped, or recovered, more than $6 million in fraudulent refunds claimed on those returns. In his guilty plea, the preparer, Joseph Barrios, Jr., agreed to incarceration at Rikers Island.

In less than three years, at a cost of only $600,000, FAST has saved taxpayers from footing the bill for more than $150 million in fraudulent refunds.

Jacene Thomas, chair (l) with her committee members prior to bringing down the tent due to dangerous weather

Mount Vernon Relay For Life cancelled due to heavy rain

and lightning

T he Mount Vernon Relay For Life scheduled for Friday, June 13th, was canceled due to extreme weather conditions – a first. While

this event normally goes on rain or shine, the organizing community staff felt that the persistent inclement weather, which involved dangerous thunder and lightning, was not safe for participants, survivors, volunteers, donors, or spectators.

“Safety was a concern, since aside from the thunder and lightning, the rain kept coming down relentlessly at the 7 PM start of the event. Therefore, we could not, in good conscience, bring team captains, participants, families and cancer survivors onto a site that was not safe for a com-munity event,” explained Jacene Thomas,

Relay For Life chair.“Rescheduling the event has its chal-

lenges because it takes months to orga-nize. Entertainers who volunteer their time are not necessarily available for an alter-native date. Many donations of items like food spoil, and there are too many logis-tical costs associated with it to hold the event on a different day,” added Thomas.

Thomas, like the captain of a ship, was the last person to leave the Mount Vernon High School Track and Field site with her team of committee members. “I am very disappointed since so much effort went into getting this year’s event organized,” said Thomas. “But we are already looking ahead to next year’s event.”

Mount Vernon Public Library adding new reading room

The Mount Vernon Lions Club is pleased to announce the dedica-tion of the new reading area for the Mount Vernon Public Library

at 28 South First Avenue. The new reading area is located in a qui-

et part of the Main Circulation room of the library where it benefits from the usually sunny south, facing windows. The area is dedicated to the sight impaired and is ad-jacent to stacks of large print books and periodicals. There is a new carpet, four upholstered chairs, and end tables with lamps.

The Lions Clubs are a worldwide orga-nization that has tasked itself with sight conservation and projects to aid the blind. In addition to the reading area, the Mount Vernon club has committed to an annual donation for the large print books for the library.

The dedication will be on Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at 6:00 PM.

Children displaying their work to parents

Boys & Girls Club celebrates success of stem program with

family night celebration

What started out with a won-derful field trip to New York City during Super Bowl Weekend, ended with a fam-

ily celebration at the Boys & Girls Club on

June 11th. Twenty club members proud-ly displayed their work for parents, club staff, and ten staff members from pro-gram sponsor, Time Warner Cable.

The youth not only displayed their ex-periments, but they were also able to fully explain the concepts behind the experi-ments.

Time Warner Cable and Boys & Girls Clubs of America provided a $10K grant to allow Boys & Girls Club of Mount Ver-non to implement the STEM Program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). The program participants took great pride in showing what they have learned and have a renewed zest for learning and understanding subjects that are often intimidating for our youth.

Karen La Cava, director of Community Relations at Time Warner Cable said, “It is clear that the staff and children have fully embraced this program. They not only successfully conducted the experiments, but they were able to fully explain why and how the experiments work.”




A dministration, faculty, fam-ily, and friends gathered in the Mount Vernon High School au-ditorium to recognize seniors on

Monday, June 16th at the Mount Vernon High School Senior Awards Convoca-tion. Awards were given to seniors who achieved exceptional academic success and outstanding athletic accomplish-ments, as well as seniors with unique leadership qualities and community ser-vice work.

The evening started with a selection of songs sung by the Mount Vernon Royal Knights and by the Mount Vernon Gospel Knights. Shortly after their performance, senior award recipients processed into the auditorium and onto the stage. Once on stage, Senior Class President Jessica Bolan led the auditorium in the pledge of allegiance, followed by Stephanie Lopez, senior member of the Mount Vernon Royal Knights, who sang the National Anthem.

After the alma mater was sung by an alumna of the high school, Mount Vernon High School Principal Ronald Gonzalez greeted the senior awards recipients. Prin-cipal Gonzalez expressed joy and humility at seeing these seniors achieve so much in their four years of high school. Addition-ally, he told them of his expectations for them becoming leaders in Mount Vernon and in the nation.

“Having a Mount Vernon education means you can teach people a thing or two,” Principal Gonzalez said.

Principal Gonzalez advised seniors to never let the fear of failure stop them from chasing after their dreams, and to contin-ue being life-long learners.

Before the awards were given out, As-sistant Principal Dr. Cassandra Hyacinthe

gave her advice to the seniors and intro-duced the remarks portion of the program. Interim-Superintendent of Schools Judith Johnson, City Council President of Mount Vernon Roberta Appuzo, and Mount Ver-non Board of Education President Leon-ard Sarvar congratulated the seniors and left them with words of wisdom.

“I hope you’ve learned to be creative,” Council President Appuzo said.

After a special tribute to philanthropist Patricia Lanza, Convocation Committee Chairwoman Linda Gordon, and Senior Counselor Representative Peggy Williams announced the awards.

In closing, Principal Gonzalez thanked all those involved in running the awards ceremony, and once again wished the se-niors the best in their future endeavors.

Participants in a group photo with Ruth Warwick at the end of the session

Psychotherapist Ruth Warwick, LCSW-R

Mount Vernon Family Ties of Westchester sponsors mental

health discussion forum

Working out and eating the right foods can help keep the body physically healthy. However, keeping the mind

healthy can need more work than taking a jog, or than eating fruits and vegetables can offer.

On Thursday, June 12, psychotherapist Ruth Warwick, LCSW-R hosted a discus-sion forum on the effects of mental health on the mind, body, and spirit at the Mount Vernon Family Ties of Westchester, Inc. This talk was sponsored by Family Ties, which seeks to create and foster a mental-ly, physically, and socially healthy environ-ment by offering resources for individuals and families.

Warwick works with special needs chil-dren, families, and couples at the Haven Counseling Center using an integrated approach of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Behavior Modification. Warwick used her skills in solution-oriented therapy to have a discussion with the audience about

how to live a more mentally healthy life. “I like to try to help people out of their

problems with solutions,” Warwick said. Warwick started out her discussion with

an activity. She handed out 13 index cards to the audience. Each person read out a word such as patience, hope, or security. Then the crowd, led by Warwick, would discuss what each word meant for their life, and concrete ways to go about having trust, feeling secure, or being healthy.

The audience responded well to Ruth Warwick’s approach to discussing mental health. There were no gaps or pauses in this discussion, but conversation, as the audience readily talked about roadblocks in their lives to experience love.

“People don’t use love as love,” a wom-an said. “People don’t express love like it should be.”

After wrapping up with the activity, War-wick ended the discussion by giving tips for dealing with anger, and foods that can boost mental health.

by Taylor Michael by Taylor Michael

Some of the many seniors who achieved exceptional academic success and outstanding athletic accomplishments

Principal Gonzalez addressing the seniors

Mount Vernon High School seniors told to follow

their dreams




Mayor Davis has as-signed Commissioner Anthony Bove with the responsibility of bring-

ing Memorial Field back to life by using available city resources and grant funding. Funds that were forthcoming from the county have

Memorial Field: What’s Going On?By Janelle Allbritton, MPH


Workers using a jackhammer to break up a rock

been delayed, the mayor has ex-plained, but remarkable progress continues nonetheless.

From the street, it is impossible to see the work that has been completed underground, but the observant passers-by may note that the clubhouse has been de-molished (to be replaced by a new one nearly three times larger), and the grounds are regularly cleared of brush and debris. Memorial Field looks much the same from the street view, but it definitely is not.

Retainer walls are in place on all four corners. Brush and trees have been cleared and either converted into mulch for use on the grounds, or added to the landscape to pro-vide structural support for em-bankments.

Trenches were dug to house the electrical and water lines which have been installed and covered over. The entire tennis court area

has been cleared of the piles of rocks and other debris, including hundreds of tennis balls.

“The work so far has been most-ly underground,” Bove explains. “You have to lay a solid foundation first; a reliable infrastructure that is done right the first time. Mistakes can be very expensive to correct.”

In the coming weeks, the work will be more visible above ground. On the day of this writing, June 20, 2014, workers nearly finished jack-hammering a space into a white rock embankment to house the motor that will maintain the in-flated enclosure over the six tennis courts. Others weed-whacked the entire field where the running track will encircle a football field. Chris Piarulli and his crew from public works arrived to begin installing the energy efficient lighting.

Piarulli explained, “I believe that we are the first city to commit to going green as much as possible













Prayer booth ladies

Oneness Rehoboth Apostolic Church 15th Annual Community

Health and Education Fair

On Saturday, June 21, 2014, the Oneness Rehoboth Apostolic Church (ORAC) hosted its fif-teenth annual community health

and education fair in conjunction with its semi-monthly food and clothing distribu-tion.

Loren Bartley, the director of Women’s Programs, was in charge of coordinating the various teams to make the event a great success.

The Greeting Team welcomed guests at the gate with canvas goody bags which were silkscreened with the church’s logo,








Jim and Annie’s Natural Food Column

Direct from the sunny island of Vieques, PR

Why spinach is a great natural source of iron,

vitamin K and phytochemicals

Researchers are telling us that spinach, in all its varieties, is one of the most nutritious ‘regular’ foods in existence. One only needs to look at its bright, vibrant leaves to understand that this annual flower-ing plant, which is native to central and southwestern Asia, is brimming with all the essential nutrients that the body needs for maintenance and growth.

This article takes a closer look at the health benefits of spinach. Most of these benefits relate to cooked spinach, since spinach is a rare example of a vegetable that actu-ally becomes more nutritious when it is boiled or steamed. This is be-cause the cooking process helps break down spinach’s large levels of oxalic acid, a natural acid that is known to hinder the absorption rate of several nutrients present in the vegetable, like calcium and iron.

An excellent source of vitamin K and iron -

Although it might not contain as much vitamin K as its fellow ‘super green’ kale, spinach still remains one of the world’s greatest sources of this important blood-boosting nutrient: 889 micrograms, or 1,111 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI), per cup to be exact. Vitamin K performs a number of im-portant roles in the body, such as facilitating cell growth and helping to build bone, but its best-known function is aiding blood clot forma-tion. This is the reason why wine fortified with spinach juice was giv-en to French soldiers in World War I who were suffering from hemor-rhages -- the vitamin K in the juice helped prevent excessive bleeding.

One cup of cooked spinach also contains 6.4 milligrams of iron, which is 36 percent of the RDI. An essential macro mineral, iron is widely known for its role in hemo-globin formation, but it also helps maintain brain, endocrine, meta-bolic and immune function. Iron-rich whole foods like spinach are, of course, much better sources of the

mineral than synthetic tablets. The darker the leaves of the spinach plant, the more iron it contains.

Rich in cancer-fighting phyto-chemicals -

Spinach contains high concentra-tions of carotenoids, saponins, and flavanoids which are phytochemi-cals that are found almost exclu-sively in plant-based food sources. According to a May 2007 study published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, phytochemi-cals aid the “detoxification and en-hanced excretion of carcinogens, the suppression of inflammatory processes such as cyclooxygen-ase-2 expression, inhibition of mito-sis and the induction of apoptosis at various stages in the progression and promotion of cancer.” For this reason, the American Institute for Cancer Research includes spinach on its list of the best cancer-fighting foods.

Contains vision-boosting carot-enoids –

Certain carotenoids found in spinach, such as lutein and zeaxan-thin, are macular pigments that are proven to help treat deteriorating eyesight. Research compiled by the Macular Society shows that lutein and zeaxanthin function as antioxi-dants in the macula, helping to de-stroy any free radicals in it. Since free radicals are a primary cause of macular degeneration, eating more leafy green vegetables like spinach, which are the best natural sources of carotenoids, will directly benefit one’s long-term eye health.

Cooked spinach is also rich in vitamins C and E, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and man-ganese. Deficiencies in some of these essential minerals, most no-tably magnesium, are even more common than iron deficiencies. Eating more spinach and other leafy green vegetables, like kale and broccoli, can correct many of the deficiencies that can compromise one’s standard of living.


contained a water bottle, a flyer promot-ing upcoming events, and more informa-tion about the church and its programs. Guests also each received numbered raf-fle tickets for a lucky prize drawing later in the day. Some vendors collected names and provided prizes for separate drawings throughout the afternoon.

The Kitchen Operations Team prepared a delicious brown stew chicken with sides of veggies and rice and beans. These boxed lunches were offered to everyone free of charge.

The Hospitality Team, led by Marcia McKenzie, gave newcomers a tour includ-ing the classrooms, kitchen, and sanctu-ary while answering questions along the way.

The Men’s Ministry took charge of secu-rity and parking.

A live radio broadcast helped to promote the event in real time. Real Deal Radio’s Nolan Martin was a most charming Mas-ter of Ceremonies. Dean Harvey, one of the six divisional leaders, announced the

raffle prize winners and presented prizes to the children who had won the top prizes in Bible Quiz competitions. To watch video of one of the happy winners, check out the links online at www.mvinquirer.com.

Reverend Arthur Thomas has been the senior pastor for over 30 years. His ex-cellent financial stewardship is part of his leadership. He doesn’t believe in saddling the church with debt, so the properties were cash-paid and are owned free and clear. Funds are focused on operational and community outreach expenses.

Through this good stewardship, the church has purchased the vacant lot across the street and will break ground for a community service center which will house the feeding program (every third Friday). The Pantry Ministry welcomes the community every 2nd and 4th Sunday and provides food and clothing.

To support these ministries with your donations, please see the contact www.oracministries.org or call Glasmin Brown at 914-663-8208.

Bible quiz champion brings home the trophy

Kids enjoying the fair




JAFA’S POETS CORNER REMEMBERS MAYA ANGELOU

IN MEMORY OF MAYA (1928-2014)(The world of writers and all humanity have experienced the loss of an irre-placeable voice! She was not only a brilliant spokesper-son for the African-American commu-nity but a model for what the individual human being can accomplish in the face of adversity.)Author: Jerry BeckerTuckahoe resident

like a phoenix did she rise,Glowing embers of a fire bird coalesc-ing, glowing, white hot, Shimmering, iridescent lyricism sprung,Verse pouring from a young voice long numbed,Violation, humiliation, subjugation, discrimination, This is all she knew,Yet she grew (And still I rise),Not enough to keep the weakly flutter-ing thing caged, No bars could contain the rage,Upon colossal wings she rose, The heavens watched in awe,We watched her instrument soar:First, the dancer taking flight, Then gliding upon her verse,Thermals of thought reaching higher, Immortality in sight,Watching your spirit take leave, we grieve,The poet who wrote: “Your pulse upon the morning”, Still you rise the silent, frightened child transmuted, Alchemy into aureate splendor of a President’s poet,

Once, there was a caged bird who could not sing, Now a fire bird commands the heavens,Eternal lines writ amongst the stars now ring.

IN HER OWN WORDS‘Still I Rise’ by Maya AngelouYou may write me down in historyWith your bitter, twisted lies,You may trod me in the very dirtBut still, like dust, I’ll rise.Does my sassiness upset you?Why are you beset with gloom?‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wellsPumping in my living room.Just like moons and like suns,With the certainty of tides,Just like hopes springing high,Still I’ll rise.Did you want to see me broken?Bowed head and lowered eyes?Shoulders falling down like teardrops.Weakened by my soulful cries.Does my haughtiness offend you?Don’t you take it awful hard‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold minesDiggin’ in my own back yard.You may shoot me with your words,You may cut me with your eyes,You may kill me with your hatefulness,But still, like air, I’ll rise.Does my sexiness upset you?Does it come as a surpriseThat I dance like I’ve got diamondsAt the meeting of my thighs?Out of the huts of history’s shameI riseUp from a past that’s rooted in painI riseI’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.Leaving behind nights of terror and fearI riseInto a daybreak that’s wondrously clearI riseBringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,I am the dream and the hope of the slave.I riseI riseI rise.

TO OUR READERS & SUPPORTERSFrom the editor (jAFa)

This year JAFa’s Poets Corner celebrates its 7th year. We are still the longest, continuously running, poetry column

in any local area monthly publication. We have reached this milestone because of you, the community, who have so

generously supported us. THANK YOU! Please email your poems to [email protected] or

mail a (typed copy please) to James Fair, 153 South 5th Ave., Apt 6B, Mount Vernon, NY 10550

jaFa’s Poets Corner2007 - PRESENT

Poems Submitted by Our Readers Edited by jaFa (James Fair)

How to keep your child’s brain stimulated

over the summer

Over the last two years, I have written many columns in the Inquir-er. I have received

very positive feedback from some members of the commu-nity, so I know that someone is reading these columns. I offer this information because of my deep concern for our children and their success in life. I know that we all must work together to do our part to help our chil-dren achieve.

Our long awaited summer has arrived, ten weeks of relaxation, fun, and enjoying what the sum-mer has to offer. But during this wonderful vacation, there are some activities that children can be involved in to make sure that their little brains are stimulated and they are learning in a way that can be fun. This is particu-larly important for children who have learning issues. These ten weeks can mean a significant loss of information. So what can you do?

My first suggestion is to go to the library and gather sev-eral books that interest your children. The librarians are very knowledgeable and can help you select books that are appro-priate and interesting to them. Ask the librarians about summer events. When children spend time with other children listening to stories that are read by a pro-fessional, they hear the music of the words and the drama of the adventure. They also participate in the group activities that follow the reading. They hear ques-tions other children are asking which may encourage them to ask their own questions. Now they are working together in a

group, thinking, questioning, re-sponding, and learning.

Set some time for reading at home. Read to your children. Let them hear your voice as you bring them into the lives of the characters, their emotions, and adventures. This is one way we can encourage our children to read and develop a love for reading. When our children can read, they have power!

I know that it is very difficult for some children to get back into academics in September when they have spent the lazy days of summer just hang-ing out. It would be very ben-eficial for parents to plan ahead to keep minds active. Gather some materials that you may have at home, e.g., math flash cards, alphabet cards, phonics and math workbooks, pencils, pens, paper, and crayons. This way you won’t have to search for materials when you need them. Set a little time during the week to “play school”. It doesn’t have to be each day, but if you want your children to retain their skills, it is important to schedule some consistent time to reinforce their knowledge. This will make a big difference when your children return to school in September.

Parents may be thinking, “I don’t have the time. I work. I come home, cook dinner. I’m tired.” I understand. As a fos-ter parent who worked full time it wasn’t easy to find the time, but I did it. This was my respon-sibility. However, if we continue to give that automatic response, “I don’t have time,” then I ask this question, “What about the children?”

EDUCATION COLUMNBy Diane Fulves, M.A., M.Ed.,

Director, EMPOWERING OUR PARENTSEmail: [email protected]




(l to r) Lawrence Weschler, Dr. John Howard and Nicholas Leman

Pelham Picture House commemorates

Mickey Schwerner

During the early 1960s, a 24-year-old Jewish man from the suburbs of New York City was not stereotypically

thought to be a part of the fight for voting equality in the south. However, Pelham resident, Michael “Mickey” Schwerner, changed that when he, Andrew Goodman, and James Earl Chaney were murdered on June 21 1964 in Meridian, Mississippi.

“The Freedom Summer effort drew national attention after black Missis-sippian James Chaney, 21, and two white New Yorkers, Andrew Goodman, 20, and Michael Schwerner, 24, went missing,” Lindsay Knecht said in a PBS Newshour article.

The Pelham Picture House honored these men for their sacrifices and com-memorated the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer by previewing the new American Experience PBS docu-mentary, Freedom Summer, on June 22.

The documentary followed from its in-ception to its completion the 10 weeks in 1964 called Freedom Summer. This project, which the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee led, brought in around 1000 college students from no-table universities to various cities and towns in Mississippi to fight for the right for African-Americans to vote.

After the documentary preview, Law-rence Weschler, director emeritus of the

New York Institute for the Humanities at New York University, led a panel dis-cussion of the film. Nicholas Lemann, former dean, and Henry R. Luce, pro-fessor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and Dr. John Howard, former dean of the Divi-sion of Social Sciences and assistant vice president of Academic Affairs at State University of New York, Purchase College, sat on the panel.

The discussion focused on the effect of Freedom Summer on the Civil Rights Movement. Specifically, the panel spent a significant time discussing how hav-ing white volunteers working on voter registration in Mississippi could change voting rights for the nation.

“Freedom Summer, with the involve-ment of white volunteers, the sons and daughters of decent people, gave the volunteers and their families an under-standing of the realities of the south,” Dr. Howard said.

To conclude the panel discussion, members of the audience were able to ask the panelists questions about Free-dom Summer and the fight for voter equality or to talk about memories they had of Mickey Schwerner.

This screening is only one of sev-eral events for the town of Pelham’s yearlong commemoration of Michael Schwerner and the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer.

‘Ask the Pharmacist’Mark Rauchwerger

Circle Rx Pharmacy120 Gramatan Ave, Mt Vernon

914-665-5555

Question:

Answer:

I’ve had fibromyalgia for the last eight years, and I take Lyrica, Hydrocodone and citalopram for medicine. My local pharmacist said those are used to treat pain and

depression but I want to make sure with you. And also, I’d like to know what natural alternatives I have. S.D., Gainesville, Florida

Fibromyalgia affects millions of people worldwide. In latin, the term describes pain in the muscles and fibrous tissue.”

The muscle pain and tender points can become rather painful, and sometimes disabling but I be-lieve there is an underlying cause, perhaps infection, nutrient deficien-cies, mitochondrial dysfunction, the drug mugging effect of medicines and more. I’ll elaborate shortly, but you asked me to confirm the uses of your medicines.

The Lyrica (pregabalin) is used to soothe nerve pain and can make you drowsy. So can the hydrocodo-ne which is used to reduce a pain chemical called “Substance P” and the citalopram (Celexa) is classified as an antidepressant but that’s not necessarily how it’s being used. Sure, it lifts a brain neurotransmitter called serotonin, which improves mood and reduces pain. Antide-pressants that improve levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine may be even more effective. My point is this class of drugs is often used to relieve pain, not necessar-ily for depression. All three require prescription.

The following are some known causes for muscle pain and if you can find out the cause you can address it. With the help of a con-scientious practitioner and state-of-the-art blood tests, find out if you have:

- Infections: Pathogens known as EBV, CMV and HSV are known to hide in the body and cause

muscle pain. Some cause chicken pox and shingles. Lyme disease, Bartonella, Babesia, Hepatitis C, coxsackie and par-vovirus may cause terrible mus-cle pain.

- Magnesium deficiency: This causes widespread muscle pain. This nutrient is depleted by coffee, and “The Pill,” certain menopause medications, ant-acids, acid blockers, steroids and 200 other drugs! Taking high-quality magnesium sup-plements along with malice acid (derived from green apples) can support muscle health.

- Selenium deficiency: This can cause thyroid disease as well as muscle pain. Improving se-lenium can reduce thyroid an-tibodies and support immune system health.

- CoQ10 deficiency: Over 300 drugs are drug muggers, among them statin cholesterol reducing medications. When you are CoQ10 deficient, your muscles can spasm, become weak and hurt badly. There are more causes (and solutions) so if you’d like to receive a more comprehensive version of this week’s column, please come to my website and sign up for my free newsletter, I’ll email it to you next week. The take home mes-sage today is that fibromyalgia may be correctable if you find out what the underlying cause is, so don’t resign yourself.

by Taylor Michael




Golfers getting ready to compete at the first hole

Mayor Davis’ popular annual golf outing took place at the beau-tiful Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester, New York, and the

dinner was held at the highly impressive Surf Club in New Rochelle, NY. Fortunate-ly, this year, the weather was spectacular, unlike the last outing. The event was a to-tal success.

Thanks to a gorgeous sunny day, there was a turnout of close to 100 players who enjoyed each other’s company playing golf – some coming from outside New York.

Some familiar faces on the course in-cluded Terrence Horton, Serapher Conn-Halevi, Floyd Myers, Reginald Lafayette, and many other notable individuals from

Great weather helps Mayor Davis’ 15th Annual Golf Outing be a huge success

Mount Vernon and beyond. Numerous sponsors representing area

businesses, organizations, and individuals participated in this year’s outing, helping to make the event a tremendous success.

After a wonderful day of golf, the play-ers all went home to refresh and returned to the Surf Club in New Rochelle to par-ticipate in a fabulous cocktail hour and dinner, along with a trophy presentation

ceremony for the top players in the tour-nament. The dinner event attracted nearly 300 guests – a record.

Music entertainment was provided by Brother Arthur Muhammad who seems to be developing a strong demand for his services as a DJ these days.

The Mistress of Ceremonies was the late Jim Gleason’s daughter, Caithlin Gleason, co-chair, who was accompanied at the





podium by Mount Vernon Water Commis-sioner Anthony Bove, whose water de-partment provided Westchester County’s best in taste last year.

This year’s record setting dinner-dance attracted many of Davis’ strongest sup-porters all dressed impeccably for the event.

Based on the number of guests that attended the event, it appears that Da-

vis’ popularity as mayor of Mount Vernon continues to mushroom. When he was reelected in 2011, there was a media on-slaught against him, coupled with a fed-eral grand jury investigation that had many of his strong supporters concerned.

Speeches were kept to a minimum be-fore the dinner was served. One of the speakers, who never fails to humor the crowd, was Reginald Lafayette who said,


“Mayor Davis is like good wine, since he is aging perfectly as Mount Vernon’s mayor.”

When called to the podium, Mayor Davis looking relaxed and high spirited, and received a thunderous ovation from the capacity crowd of supporters. His speech was lengthy, as he emphasized

that Mount Vernon is moving forward in a positive way – especially with record set-ting development taking place.

At the end of the speeches, awards were presented to the day’s best golfers, followed by non-stop dancing.




(l to r) David Gentner, Rev. Dr. Dale G. Gatz, Yvonne K. Gatz, and Edger J. Myers

Edward Wagner, Rev. Dr. Robert Ribno, Bishop, MNYS, ELCA, Rev. Maruh Drege, and Molly Blanke

(l to r) Messiah and Winniie Allah, and Floyd and Robin Myers

Jazz in June: A Wartburg Celebra-tion of Arts and Music, the second annual gala fundraiser for Wart-burg, a leading adult care com-

munity in Westchester, NY, raised nearly $135,000 on June 10, 2014. The event was held at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, NY, and drew 275 guests and 19 sponsors to honor the Reverend Dr. Dale G. Gatz and Ms. Yvonne K. Gatz, Wartburg’s former president and first lady.

The featured entertainer was the award-winning singer/songwriter/musician Kate Davis who has performed at Kennedy Center, the Blue Note, and Lincoln Center. She was named as one of MTV’s 2014 “15 Fresh Females Who Will Rule Pop”.

“This year’s gala was a special eve-ning for all guests, honorees, and spon-sors and was an immense fundraising success,” said David J. Gentner, president and CEO. “These general purpose funds will help Wartburg improve and expand

its adult day care and home health care services, assisted and independent living programs, as well as our nursing home programs for the senior citizens of West-chester County and beyond.”

Dr. Gatz served as Wartburg’s president and chief executive officer from 1991-2004. This period of Wartburg history saw the rapid expansion of facilities on its his-toric campus, including the Henry G. and Jeannette A. Waltemade Health Care Cen-ter, a three-story, state-of-the-art skilled nursing facility and rehabilitation center; and the construction of Meadowview As-sisted Living.

Yvonne K. Gatz served the Wartburg community beside her husband with a distinct display of inspiration and com-passion for all, especially enjoying volun-teering for a story-telling group. She was also a member of the Wartburg Ladies Auxiliary.

“We are delighted to honor Reverend

Wartburg’s Second Annual Gala Event raises $135,000

Dr. Gatz,” said Reverend Amandus Derr, Wartburg board chair and member of the Jazz in June Steering Committee. “His leadership at the turn of the century helped to fashion the Wartburg that we know today.”

Major sponsors for Jazz in June 2014 were Lecesse Construction, Morgan Stan-ley, Lutheran Services New York Alliance, Mintz Levin PC, Morrison Senior Living, and Patient Care Associates.




The winning runners posing with their medals

The Mount Vernon Boys track team traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina to compete in the 2014 Outdoor New Balance Na-

tionals. The team competed against ath-letes from all over the United States, as well as Canada. Mount Vernon won the 800 Medley Relay in a U.S.A. leading time

Mount Vernon Boy’s Track and Field members become National Champions

of 1:30.05. The team broke the Section 1, Westchester County, and Mount Vernon High School records. They just missed the New York State Record of 1:29.94.

The team consisted of Shaquille Dacres (Sophomore), Robert Romney (Junior), Cody Housen (Junior) and Rai Benjamin (Junior).

From four square miles, four young men

came together and became NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!- as well as ALL-AMER-ICANS!!! These young men have repre-sented the city of Mount Vernon well.

This wouldn’t have been possible with-out the continued support from so many Mount Vernonites. It really does take a vil-lage to impact Mount Vernon’s youth.

argued that the increased costs of fuel, water, taxes, and insurance justified the passage of rent increases in the 4% to 6% range. Owners also railed against tenants who are paying be-low-market rents, and argued that the board should pass substantial mini-mum increases that would bring these low rents closer to market rate.

At the June 16th meeting, the two tenant and the two owner representa-tives on the WRBG made impassioned arguments to their colleagues in an attempt to sway the five public repre-sentatives. Tenant representatives Em-ma-Jean Loftin Woods and Genevieve Roche presented moving anecdotal, as well as compelling statistical, evi-dence in favor of a rent freeze. On the owner side, Carol Kope and Kenneth Finger claimed that increased costs

and reduced profits were preventing landlords from making needed repairs and improvements, and causing small building owners to sell their buildings and leave the business.

The 1.5% one-year, and 2.5% two-year lease renewals represent a compromise suggested by public representative Eddie Mae Barnes. For tenants who have to pay for their own heat and/or hot water, the 2014/2015 guidelines are 1.2% for one-year, and 2% for two-year leases. The New York City Rent Guidelines Board (NYCRGB) also approved its 2014/2015 guide-lines on June 23rd. Despite hopes of an historic rent freeze, the NYCRGB passed modest increases of 1% on one-year, and 2.75% on two-year lease renewals.





Jim Killoran (c) and volunteers busy transforming a garbage strewnlot into a beautiful community garden

Volunteers hard at work at the empty lot located on the corner of Mount Vernon Avenue and McQuesten Parkway

Habitat for Humanity continues to make a difference in Mt. Vernon

Habitat for Humanity of Westches-ter is an organization of thou-sands of volunteers who seek to eliminate poverty and home-

lessness throughout Westchester County, and to make decent, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and public action. Throughout the years, Habitat for Human-ity of Westchester has focused heavily within the city of Mount Vernon in many

ways. Currently, Jim Killoran, CEO & Execu-

tive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Westchester, along with several dedicated volunteers, are transforming an empty lot on the corner of Mount Vernon Avenue and McQuesten Parkway into a beautiful community garden. Killoran likes to refer to the area as a gateway to Mount Ver-non from Yonkers, and the neighborhood

needs to be beautified.“There are thousands of people in this

immediate area, with a great train station nearby, so this gateway into Mount Ver-non needs to look its best. Furthermore, it is good for business as drivers come into Mount Vernon and see a beautiful and thriving community,” said Killoran, while working very hard alongside his volun-teers at the once garbage strewn lot.

Many of the organization’s volunteers are high school students participating in internships; therefore, now that summer is upon us, volunteers are needed daily in their warehouse and office.

For more information contact Jim Killor-an, Executive Director of Habitat of West-chester, via email: [email protected]

Workers engaged in mulching


on a project like this, including the lighting.” The fixtures and bulbs used on Memorial Field will save the city money for many years to come.

The Dream Team is key to the Memorial Field project. Drawn from the Parks and Recreation department, these personnel are committed to making prog-ress every day. One of them was born and raised in the house that overlooks the ten-nis courts and calls Memorial Field his ‘back yard’. Another played soccer on this field, and is grateful that his young chil-dren will soon know the joy of playing here too.

Memorial Field’s renaissance

Commissioner Anthony Bove

will be a vital shift in the qual-ity of life for the Mount Vernon community and beyond. It is designed and built to attract some of the best talent in the country, if not the world.

Video documentation of some progress since February, 2014 is already posted on You-Tube. More video and photos will be regularly posted to help Mount Vernonites track the dream as it comes to life. (Sub-scribe to www.youtube.com/tftnyc or search on YouTube for TFTNYC Memorial Field 2014.)




The 2014 graduating class at the Friendship for Tots Daycare The teachers were honored with flowers

A student receiving her diploma This year’s class ‘Valedictorian’ was Rebecca Alves

Huge turnout for 2014 Friendship for Tots Daycare Graduation Ceremony

Ten graduates of Friendship for Tots Daycare were honored in ceremonies on June 20th as they prepared to enter kindergarten

this fall.The graduation ceremony was a huge

success and was attended by well over 100 people consisting of parents, family members, and friends.

The Mistress of Ceremonies was Audrey Thomas.

As the graduates marched in, many par-ents were moved by the occasion – and some were noticeably wiping away tears.

The ceremony commenced with a ‘Wel-come Address’ by Richard Williams, a stu-dent, followed by the entire class singing.

Two special guests spoke during the ceremony - Kevin M. McGuire, Westches-ter County Commissioner of Social Ser-vices; and Gertrude Karabas, Assistant Superintendent for Accountability and

Grants for the Mount Vernon City School District.

This year’s class ‘Valedictorian’ was Re-becca Alves, who did an excellent job ad-dressing the large audience at her tender age.

The Class of 2014 included Rebecca Alves, Eva Bucknor, Giulia DeCarvalho, Elias Dos Reis, Sarae Green, Zoe Harris, Sebastian Perpepai, Vinicius Santana, An-iyah Williams, and Richard Williams.

Closing remarks came from Bishop C.N. Edwers, followed by a reception for the students and guests in the Agape Ball-room.

Friendship for Tots, a daycare located at 261 E. Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon, NY, where Friendship Worship Center is located, opened under humble beginnings on May 3, 2010, and has grown impres-sively ever since.

New Mount Vernon Public Library Board of Trustees faced with cronyism firestorm!

Members of the new Mount Ver-non Public Library Board of Trustees met Monday night, June 23rd, to vote on the hiring

of an Assistant Library Director. Despite this being a special meeting of the board, the Trustee Conference Room was over-flowing with concerned citizens.

Regrettably, the new board has gotten

off to a bumpy start since the relatively new Library Director, Carolyn Karwoski, put out a request for an Assistant Library Director and decided to select a candidate by the name of Yelena Klompus, a Rus-sian native who was born and educated in Russia, and worked with Karwoski at the Ferguson Library in Stamford for the past 15 years as a Reference Librarian.

It appears that the board senses that more research has to be done on Karwos-ki’s choice, along with whether or not civil service law has been violated, since they decided to adjourn the meeting without taking a vote on the matter.

The many in attendance left the meeting relieved knowing that the board had acted responsibly and professionally by not tak-

ing a vote, along with seeking more details on the selection process and whether or not laws were violated.

Karwoski’s decision to select Klompus is an outrageous case of blatant cronyism since she went through the legal motions of putting out a request for a qualified can-didate, knowing all along that her choice was her buddy of 15 years at the Ferguson

EDITORIAL





Hundreds of kids attend yearly carnival at Friendship Worship Center

Kids accompanied by parents, some wearing bathing suits, are shown enjoying the carnival

The weather was beautiful and it helped attract hundreds of kids to the Friendship Worship Center annual carnival on Saturday, June

21, 2014.The festive event is sponsored ev-

ery year by Friendship for Tots, a popu-

lar daycare located on the premises of Friendship Worship Center located at 261 Lincoln Avenue.

Families that attended were offered discounts to all the exciting rides which included Flying Dragon, Whirly Bird, He-licopter, and more. Kids also enjoyed the

Library board members discussing the issue concerning the hiring of an As-sistant Library Director


Library in Stamford. The community is outraged over Kar-

woski’s actions since she cleverly failed to interview a woman, Tamara Stewart, a black woman who is more than qualified for the position.

Stewart is not only a Mount Vernonite and familiar with the peculiarities of this community, but she is a well-educated and accomplished black librarian who is more than qualified to step into a position of leadership at the library. I can’t com-prehend how a woman with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish, a Master’s degree in Library Science, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration can be ignored for said position.

Stewart’s vocal activism on behalf of the library over the past few years has made her the face of the library to many in this community, and to see her passed over has not gone over well with Mount Verno-

nites.The board needs to take a closer look

at Klompus’ credentials and qualifications since it appears she was clearly selected by Karwoski due to her long standing friendship with her, and not because she was the best qualified candidate.

There is no doubt that Karwoski has done a superb job as director until now, but the board needs to have the courage to say “no” to her on her Assistant Library Director selection.

The Mount Vernon Public Library is starting a new chapter in its existence, with a new board, relatively new director, and a new budget. It would be a shame if they decide to repeat the same old story of overlooking qualified local candidates, and just put a new cover on an old book.

Joe ParisiEditor

traditional cotton candy, games, face painting, clowns, and prizes.

As in previous years, the fair also hosted a number of food vendors that served a variety of food that touched the taste buds of all those who attended.

“The idea of the yearly festival is to pro-vide affordable fun for Mount Vernon fami-lies in a safe environment at the start of summer. It is our way of giving back to the community,” said Bishop Collie N. Edw-ers, pastor of Friendship Worship Center.




(l to r) Sung-Su Cho, Leeda Kang, Mayor Davis, Simon Kang and Terrence Horton

(l to r) Terrence Horton, Maureen Walker, Sung-Su Cho, Simon and Leeda Kang

(l to r) Terrence Horton, Simon Kang, Sung-Su Cho, George Brown and Leeda Kang

Mr. Sung-Su Cho, CEO of Soosung Electronics, based in Gwangju, South Korea, trav-eled 7,000 miles to attend a

special meeting with Mayor Ernest D. Da-vis on June 25th, and to inspect sites suit-able for the establishment of a distribution hub and showroom for the LED lights he

manufactures. When Cho walked into the mayor’s of-

fice he received a strong embrace from the mayor, since they both established a good friendship with each other during the mayor’s recent visit to Gwangju, South Korea. Cho was accompanied by his chief engineer, Simon Kang and his wife, Leeda,

CEO of Soosung Electronics in South Korea meets with Mayor Davis

who accompanied the small Mount Ver-non delegation that recently traveled to South Korea.

During their meeting at City Hall with Mayor Davis, the mayor summoned a city lawyer to attend the meeting so he could assist the city in finalizing the final neces-sary steps prior to the City Council vot-ing on the replacement of the city’s street lights with LED lights. This historic meet-ing is a culmination of the unprecedented international trade agreement signed be-tween Soosung Electronics and Mount Vernon-based Sentinel Technology Ser-vices International, Inc., led by Terrence Horton.

According to the trade agreement, which is backed by the city of Gwangju, Soosung Electronics, is poised to estab-lish a state-of-the-art northeast distribu-tion hub and showroom; an educational learning center for advanced green tech-nologies; and develop shared commerce between Gwangju, South Korea and the city of Mount Vernon. This signed histori-cal agreement will help produce, not only badly needed jobs for Mount Vernon’s

unemployed, but it will also help the city save millions of dollars in energy costs since super efficient LED lights will be in-stalled throughout the city.

Several desirable sites for the distribu-tion hub and showroom were looked at by Cho and his entourage during his brief stay.

Of paramount importance is the fact that, once the City Council votes favor-ably to have the city street lights replaced, this will produce immediate high paying jobs for the unemployed. Some of the ap-prenticeship workers will receive immedi-ate on-the-job training and skills that will shape their future for the rest of their lives.

Mount Vernon is already starting to reap the rewards from the recently signed Friendship Agreement and International Trade Agreement between the two munic-ipalities, which will begin an era of cultural and technological exchange with unprec-edented benefits for the city. As a result, the city is now poised to be the epicenter of green research, technology and sci-ence in the State of New York.

Members of the Step Up! Program

Twenty-three young men were se-lected by their school counselor and Step Up! Program Coordi-nator to participate in the “Yes I

Can” workshop held at A. B. Davis Middle School, on June 4, 2014. Wayne Wood-ury, Step Up! Program coordinator, and D. Small, school counselor hoped that the young men would be influenced by the workshop moderated by motivation-al speaker and founder of DreamSong, Shaun Derik.

The group learned about making posi-tive changes in their life and having their voices heard in a positive way. Derik fas-cinated the young men with a strong mes-sage using multiple thought provoking exercises that challenged them to think inside and outside of the box. His focus on the importance of going to school, and

actually participating, would be essential in accomplishing their goals and dreams. This was emphasized by his energetic de-livery and personal story which he shared with the young men.

Mr. Derik encouraged youth to find mentors that would follow through and be a constant in their lives, stating, “Our consistency will break their inconsisten-cy”. As a positive role model, and as if to practice what he preached, Derik told the young men that he would come back to follow up on their progress in the fall.

“Our young men need positive role models like Shaun Derik. He has come to Mount Vernon on a number of occa-sions and, each time he comes, he con-nects with the youth,” said Mayor Ernest D. Davis. “We need more men like him that are here in the community to spend some

Youth Bureau Step Up! Program partners With A.B. Davis “Yes I Can” workshop

time with our children.”As a speaker, Shaun Derik has been

captivating audiences all across the coun-try with his unconventional delivery. In his acclaimed presentation, DREAMSONG, Mr. Derik uses the metaphor - life is a song - as he teaches participants to pay atten-tion to the music playing in their heads, to be mindful of nega-tive influences, and how we treat oth-ers. Just like the components of a successful produc-tion, this presenta-tion challenges you to learn, practice, and perform posi-tive habits. “Shaun Derik has a way of

pulling his audience in. When he tells his story, you see that the young people are relating to what he’s saying and it’s won-derful,” stated Dena Williams, deputy di-rector.

For additional information contact the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau at 914-665-2344.




High-needs students more likely to graduate from charter schools

Graduation data released recently shows New York charter schools are again out-performing the statewide averages for all but

one group of disadvantaged students. Black and Hispanic students, students with disabilities, and economically disad-vantaged students were all more likely to graduate from charter high schools than their counterparts in district schools. The

only deviation was among limited English proficient students, where charter schools were 7 points below the state average.

Charter school graduation rates are also increasing at a faster rate than the statewide average, growing five points since last year compared to the statewide growth of 1 point. Since 2009, charter school graduation rates have improved by 23 points while the state average has risen

by only three.Northeast Charter Schools President

Bill Phillips said, “We are pleased but not surprised by these numbers. New York State’s charter schools can provide an excellent option for all students, regard-less of their needs. It is our hope that all children in the state get the education and extra attention they need to graduate high school.”

“There is also room for improvement which is why we’re puzzled that the As-sembly refuses to vote on the Charter

School Students with Special Needs Act. This bill would allow charters to create innovative collaborative classrooms to serve ELL and special education students. It has passed the Senate multiple times, but special interest groups have blocked it in the Assembly year after year.”

The average graduation rates for char-ters in the state’s biggest cities -New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany - are all higher than their local school districts.




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