rye city review 1-30-2015

RyeCityTHE REVIEWJanuary 30, 2015 | Vol. 3, Number 4 | www.ryecityreview.com

Councilwoman Laura Brett, a Republican and member of the Rye Town Park Commission, which sets policy for the park. She added that the registration program is a pilot project and might need to be revisited if there are any changes in Rye Town Park policy. Brett said there will be an annual fee in the future, which should offset any costs the city would incur from the registration process.

The idea of having off-leash regulations was first brought to the attention of the Rye Town Park Commission in 2011, but the measure was shot down.

But with concerns of dogs

roaming free in Rye Town Park, which is owned and op-erated jointly by Rye Town and Rye City, and several in-cidents of canines attacking park goers making news more recently, the off-leash dog is-sue was revived.

A few months ago, the park commission revisited the idea and approved of a policy change on an interim basis to allow dogs to be off-leash.

Rye Town Supervisor Joe Carvin, a Republican who also chairs the park commission, said members of the commis-sion have been searching for solutions to the off-leash mat-

ter for several years without success.

“We’ve had several instanc-es where people have been bit-ten, so there was a significant level of concern at the com-mission level that somebody could get seriously hurt,” the supervisor said.

He added that the interim policy change that allows for dogs to be off-leash is a good compromise. While the park commission is working along-side the Rye City Council, Carvin said, the commission made its own independent de-

City implements off-leash dog registration

dogs continued on page 8

Chief’s judgment questioned

judgment continued on page 7

By CHRIs eBeRHARtStaff Writer

An assistant fire chief took a leave of absence after dispatch-ing firefighters to at least three calls last summer a week after the alarms were actually called in, the Review has learned.

Richard Barber, the Rye Fire Department’s second as-sistant chief, voluntarily took a leave of absence in mid-September. However, Bar- ber reinstated himself in December but in a dimin-ished role that involves ad-ministrative duties and not firefighting-related activities, according to an email obtained by the Review.

A source with knowledge of the incident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the fire department was re-sponding to an alarm last summer on Elm Place when they received one call af-ter another from Barber dis-patching them to old alarm calls at various locations in Rye.

In less than two minutes, firefighters were sent to the Milton Harbor House, 720 Milton Road, but then rerout-ed to the other side of town headed for Citi Bank, located at 1040 Boston Post Road, before again being redirected to Rye Country Day School, which is located off of Bos-ton Post Road at 3 Grand-view Ave.

Firefighters were never able to make it to a scene before they were redirected by Barber, who serves in his capacity with the fire depart-ment as a volunteer. Barber works professionally as a lawyer with an office on Pur-chase Street.

In the recording, Barber’s vehicle number, Car 2423,

can be heard dispatching En-gine 192 and Ladder 25 to 720 Milton Road. Ladder 25 told 60 Control, a Westches-ter County dispatcher that di-rects local fire departments, it was responding for an “un-known reason.”

On the other end of the radio dispatch, 60 Control appears baffled and says there was no call for 720 Milton Road.

Before Engine 192 and Lad-der 25 reach Milton Harbor House, however, Barber dis-patches fire units, which in-clude engines 191 and 192 and Ladder 25, to a second alarm, which was also old, at Citi Bank.

Ladder 192 asks 60 Control to confirm with Barber if it is reporting to the harbor house or Citi Bank.

But before 60 Control an-swers, Barber directs fire de-partment vehicles to respond to Rye Country Day School, another week-old alarm call dispatched within the past 120 seconds.

“No one had any idea what was going on,” the source said. “You had three rigs with $2 million worth of equipment and how many tons of metal riding around downtown Rye to get to alarms that were weeks old…It’s poor decision making and presents potential dangers for the city.”

Barber and two fire chiefs are responsible for direct-ing the fire department and dispatching units to inci-dents. He is also a member of the Board of Fire Wardens, which is an 11-member, vol-unteer board that oversees operations of the fire department.

Why Barber sent the fire department to several old calls for help and took a subsequent

By jACKson CHenStaff Writer

The city is now implement-ing a new registration program for residents who want their dogs to be off-leash in Rye Town Park as a part of a local law that was recently adopted.

The registration requires residents to complete a sim-ple application, in addition to providing proof that the dog is licensed with the City of Rye and up to date on rabies shots.

Since it’s the city’s first year in introducing the program, there will be no charge for the initial year, according to

Historic?Westchester County survived what was anticipated to be an historic blizzard, earlier this week. Although most communities experienced several inches of snow on the ground, many were thankful that the area wasn’t as treacherous as had been forecasted. For story, see page 6. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

2 • the rye city review • January 30, 2015

Sunday Monday TueSday WedneSday ThurSday Friday SaTurday

1 2

Board of Architectural Review meeting,

7:30 p.m., City Hall

Planning Commission meeting,

7 p.m., City Hall

3 4

Winter Jazz night RHS

5

Parent orientation grade 5

7:30 p.m., RMS

6 7

8 9

Board of Architectural Review meeting


10

Board of Education meeting8 p.m.,

Rye Middle School

11

Rye Golf Club Commission meeting

7 p.m., Whitby Castle

Rye Recreatoion Commission

6:30 p.m., Damiano Recreation

Center

12

Board of Appeals meeting7:30 p.m., City Hall

13 14

15 16

President’s Day observed

City Hall closed

Mid-winter Recess Schools closed

17

Conservation Commission Advisory

Council7 p.m.,

City Hall

18 19

Boat Basin Commission meeting7 p.m.,

City Hall

20 21

22 23

School’s reopen

Board of Architectural Review


24

Board of Education meeting8 p.m.,

Rye Middle School

Planning Commission meeting7 p.m.,

City Hall

25

Landmarks Advisory Committee meeting

7 p.m., City Hall

26

Deer Management Summit7 p.m.,

City Hall

27 28

February 2015Planning ahead...

January 30, 2015 • tHe Rye CIty RevIew • 3

Cuomo proposes student loan relief

By mARIssA Penn Staff Writer

On Jan.18, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a student loan forgiveness program that, if approved, will ease the debt burden of thousands of col-lege graduates from New York State colleges.

Under the proposal, the state would cover two years of loan payments for gradu-ates of public universities who make less than $50,000 a year, continue to live in the state and are enrolled in the federal Pay as You Earn program, ad-ministered to provide relief on student loan payments. Public universities are those that are predominantly funded through public means, such as state government money.

“Student loans are one of the greatest challenges that today’s recent college gradu-ates face when starting their careers—and we must do more to give them a full opportu-nity to succeed,” Cuomo said when announcing his plan. “By alleviating the weight of student loan debt, we can give our recent graduates a better shot at establishing themselves right here in the Empire State.”

According to a report by the Institute for College Access and Success, seven in 10, or 69 percent of graduating seniors from public and private non-profit colleges, are burdened with student loan debt.

In 2013, these borrowers owed, on average, $28,400 in federal and private loans com-bined, which was up two per-cent over 2012 data, according to the Institute for College Ac-cess and Success.

In New York, the aver-age four-year college gradu-ate is saddled with more than $25,000 in student loans, ac-cording to the institute.

The institute also found that recent graduates still face a tougher job market than be-fore the recession, with a 2013 unemployment rate of 7.8 per-cent, as compared with 6.3 percent just on year prior.

Mounting student debt makes it difficult for recent graduates to deal with the ev-eryday costs of living in New York.

Studies from the institute show that students who gradu-ate with debt are less likely to start small businesses or pur-chase a home and the conse-quences of defaulting on stu-dent loans can prevent a per-son from even realizing their goals.

Students who could benefit from Cuomo’s proposed stu-dent debt program were en-thusiastic about the pending legislation.

Derek Rusinek, 22, a SUNY Purchase graduate from East Meadow on Long Island is happy about the proposed leg-islation. He works freelance doing a number of odd jobs,

including audio mixing for a church on Sundays and work-ing for a local farmer’s market during the summer. Rusinek estimates that he makes about $8,500 a year currently. He pays $250 a month in student loans, with some help from his parents, and “can barely afford rent.”

“It would be huge,” he said about the legislation. “I’d be really, really happy if it passed.”

Noelle Tannen, 24, studied music composition and also graduated from SUNY Pur-chase in 2014. On Sundays, she works as a music direc-tor for Oceanside Lutheran Church on Long Island and during the week, she teach-es music to kids at an after-school program in East New York. Tannen lives paycheck to paycheck, taking home about $25,000 a year—$1,800 a month—of which $650 a month goes to renting an apartment with roommates in Brooklyn.

She hasn’t even started pay-ing off her $30,000 in student loans she owes.

“I think if this legislation were enacted it would be a re-ally great step in the right di-rection,” she said. “But I think more should be done in the way that education is treated so that it isn’t more of a business than an education system.”

ContACt: [email protected]

Students at state universities such as SUNY Purchase, pictured, may benefit from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed legislation to relieve student loan debt. File photo


What’s going on...Rye library

E-book help will be of-fered on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:25 p.m. Come by to learn how to download e-books to your tablet or phone. Assistance is available on a first come, first-served basis.

Wainwright House “A consumer’s guide to a green,

energy efficient home”Judith Martin, founder and principal of Green

Home Consulting, LLC, WH Board Trustee, along with guest speakers will educate you on how to live green during a five-week program. Week 1 – Jan. 30: Easy ways to increase energy efficiency.Week 2 – Feb. 6: Various heating, cooling and renewable systems. (i.e. geothermal and solar)Week 3 – Feb. 13: Hot water heating and water purification.Week 4 – Feb. 27: In-door air quality and low chemical exposures.Week 5 – March 6: How to build or renovate a green home.

Fridays at 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Register online at wainwright.org.

“Biomagnetism and your health with Catherine Sweet”

Explore the philosophy and history of Bio-magnetism. Discover how your magnetic “life fields” shift with health and disease. Observe and experience these energy fields as they relate to the neurological plexuses, chakras, kaballah and your physical, emotional, mental and spiri-tual bodies. This event takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 3, starting at 7 p.m. and going until 9 p.m.

“Medicine wheel ceremony with susan wright”

At this ceremonial meeting, you will:Pray for all Beings and pass the talking stick,

providing a safe, powerful space to support each other in our process and soul’s journey. Begin by honoring the Grandmothers/Grandfathers

and our inner elder Explore the medi-cine wheel, all the elements, stages of life, challenges and power

Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Wednesday at noon. Though space

is ot guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send

all items to [email protected].

Express reflections, questions, needs and deep wisdom

Activities may include indigenous crafts and ceremony, meditation, shamanic journey, sacred movement and ceremony.

Saturday, Feb. 7 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. $25 for members; $30 for non-member’s

“Discover your purpose and remove limitations”

All participants receive a free intuitive Soul Portrait sketch from national award-winning in-tuitive artist Linda Richichi. Each class begins with a guided meditation to access your

inner muse. Tap into your own innate sym-bolic visual language that reveals inner wisdom using expressive art develop intuitive skills that assist you in moving past fear and worry leave each class with a work of art depicting your dream life. 3-part workshop series on Sundays at 1 p.m to 5 p.m. Feb. 8: Workshop #1: Abundance clearing money blocksMarch 8: Workshop #2: Love and relation-ships.April 12: Workshop #3: A life or career with purpose workshop.

The cost to attend 1 workshop is $60 for members. $66 for non-member’s.

To attend the entire 3-Part Series, members pay $150, non-members pay $165. For more in-formation go to the website at wainwright.org.

Westchester Jewish Adult Education

Warm your mind in the cold winter months, by joining Westchester Jewish Adult Education for one or more of these exciting classes:

“History of Judaism in America”Five Thursday mornings beginning on Feb.

26, at the Temple Israel Center in White Plains.The Book of Ruth and Song of SongsTwo Wednesday evenings beginning March

18, at 800 Westchester Ave., 5th floor board-room in Rye Brook.

“Jewish cooking: Passover dinner”Tuesday, March 10, at 10 a.m., private home

in Harrison. A program of the Westchester Jew-ish Council, provides exciting opportunities for lifelong learning.

For more information or registration, visit the

Westchester Jewish Council online at waje.org, or call Alice Tenney, director, at 328-7001 ext. 704.

SPRYE events

Sunday, Feb. 8 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Repeat of our popular sing-along with a piano accompanist at home of SPRYE member Isobel Perry, 7 Kirby Lane North in Rye, Event is free.

Tuesday, Feb. 10 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m: Tech workshop with coaching by Rye Youth Council students. Learn the ins and outs of your latest electronic devices. Become proficient in the latest apps and games. Rye T.V. Studios, Rye High School. Free

Friday, Feb. 13 at 9 a.m: Monthly current events discussion/breakfast at Ruby’s Oyster Bar, 45 Purchase St., Rye. Breakfast a la carte.

Wednesday, Feb. 18 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m: Screening of hybrid documentary “Nights”, based on the stories of Scheherazade and co-produced by news/documentary cameraman Anthony Forma, Executive Director Betti Weimersheimer’s husband and Grahame Wein-bren. Refreshments at 3 p.m., program begins at 3:15 p.m. Wainwright House, 260 Stuyvesant Ave., Rye. Free.

Thursday, Feb. 26 at noon: Chinese New Year lunch at local restaurant arranged by SPRYE member Frank Woo. $20

Rye Recreation

“February Vacation Golf Camp”Grades K through 5This camp runs Tuesday and Thursday, Feb.

17 thorugh 19, 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., Osborn Gym.

Fee: $190 residents; $215 Non residentsTGA Premier Junior Golf is bringing the golf

course to you. Children will play games while learning fundamentals, advanced techniques, rules, etiquette, and gain an understanding of all parts of the golf course. Tee it up with TGA and see how much fun playing golf can be. All equipment supplied. Returning students will ad-vance to upper level skills.

“Bugs and Beasts”Grades K through 4Wed, Feb. 18, 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.Program Site: Damiano Recreation CenterFee: $55 resident; $60 non-residentExplore the world of creepy, crawly crea-

tures and the animal kingdom. Learn about habitats, anatomy and life cycles. Investi-gate the fascinating behavior of spiders, ants, bats and owls.

“Mad Science planet rock”Grades K through 4Thu, Feb. 19, 9:30 p.m. through 12:30 p.m.Program Site: Damiano Recreation CenterFee: $55 resident; $60 non-residentWe’ll travel to the center of the earth

and unlock the mysteries of the planet. Then discover the power of weather like hurricanes,tornadoes and thunderstorms. Take home your own U.V. ray detector.

“Dodge Ball Night”Friday, Feb.27 Grades 5 to 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.Grades 7 to 8 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Program site is at the Osborn School gymThe fee is $20 and pre-registration is required.Join Rye Recreation staff for an awesome night

of Dodge Ball. They will be playing and teach-ing several variations of this great game includ-ing Team Dodge-ball, Dr. Dodge-ball, Rescue ball and Bombardment. Don’t miss your chace to learn and play this classic game. Space is limited.

February Mall Walk

Learn the benefits of acupuncture and physi-cal therapy at February Mall walk

Seniors can discover the advantages of acu-puncture and physical therapy on Friday, Feb. 6, at The Westchester in White Plains as part of the Mall Walk program.

Greg X. Gao, a New York State licensed doc-tor of physical therapy and acupuncturist, will discuss how acupuncture can be an effective means of drug-free, natural healing of more than 150 disorders, such as strengthening the immune system, preventing disease, controlling pain and reducing stress. Also discussed will be advanced deep tissue laser therapy, which is a drug-, sur-gery- and pain-free method of pain relief.

The program will begin at 9 a.m. at the Food Court on Level 4. Admission and parking are free for members of the Mall Walk program. Sponsored by Westchester County Parks, this program offers year-round indoor health walk-ing at The Westchester on Tuesdays and Fri-days, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. To join, sign up at the horse fountain plaza near Crate and Bar-rel on retail level two, on Tuesday and Friday mornings during the program. Go to Westches-tergov.com/parks or call 231-4645.

Rye Historical Society

“Happy Birthday George Washington”Children ages 7 to 11 are invited to the

Square House Museum on Wednesday, Feb. 18 from 10 a.m. to noon for a special celebration honoring the 283rd birthday of our first Presi-dent, George Washington.

Fun activities include Presidential games, trivia, crafts and even a birthday cake. The cost for this special program is $15 per child which includes all craft materials and snacks. Reserva-tions are suggested as space is limited and can be made by calling the Rye Historical Society at 967-7588.

The Square House Museum is located at 1 Purchase St. in Rye and is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat-urday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more informa-tion, please call 967-7588 or visit our website at ryehistory.org.


Leave the politics out of abortionTo the Editor,As Americans celebrate and reflect on the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling 42 years ago, I urge Congress

and state legislators to listen to doctors and medical experts who know that legal abortion is safe, and that politicians should not interfere in personal medical decisions.

Despite the fact that abortion is one of the safest medical procedures in the United States and is supported by the majority of Americans, we’re seeing more and more legislation moving forward at both the state and federal level designed to restrict access. As the nation’s leading women’s healthcare provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood knows how dangerous these restrictions are for women, and that’s why we’re urging Congress and state legislators to listen to doctors when it comes to policies that affect women’s health.

Half of all pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended, and four in 10 of these are ended by medi-cally safe, legal abortions. However, the abortion rate in 2011 (the latest year for which national data is avail-able) was the lowest rate since 1973, and much of this decrease is attributable to improved contraception.

Data, including from the Centers for Disease Control, shows that abortion has more than a 99 percent safety record. Studies show women experience major complications less than one percent of the time. In the rare cases when complications do occur, they are similar to those that may occur from miscarriage, which ob-gyns and other physicians treat every day. Abortion has no impact on a woman’s future pregnancies.

Forty-two years after the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Roe v. Wade, significantly more Americans want the landmark abortion decision kept in place rather than overturned. Seventy-eight percent believe abortion should be legal in certain or all circumstances. Rather than approaching access to reproductive healthcare as a divisive “social issue,” many voters recognize that abortion access is connected to women’s financial stability.

For example, more than 80 percent of voters polled in New York and Pennsylvania agree that a woman’s ability to control the timing of her job and family is a fundamental component of women’s equality.

In order to ensure abortion remains safe and legal for future generations, we must replace misinforma-tion with the facts and start having honest conversations about abortion in America today. Here at Planned Parenthood, we are offer abortion services and we ensure that women have accurate information about all of their options. Ultimately, decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy or raise a child must be left to a woman with the counsel of her healthcare provider, her family and her faith.

Reina Schiffrin,President/CEO, Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic

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Please submit via fax to (914) 653-5000 or Town Media Group, C/O Letters to the Editor, 200 William Street, Port Chester, NY 10573.

We do not accept unsolicited Op-Ed submis-sions, film reviews, or food reviews.


Publisher | Howard Sturmanext. 21, [email protected]

Editor-in-Chief | Christian Falconeext. 19, [email protected]

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Staff WritersJohn Brandi, Alina Suriel

Staff PhotographerBobby Begun

ContributorsPeter Lane, Rich Monetti,

Christopher Petrowski

ColumnistsJohn Carey, Laura Slack

Paul Bookbinder, Rye City Council

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THE

REVIEWRyeCity City prepared for harsher storm

By jACKson CHenStaff Writer

Rye residents were ad-vised to stay indoors as Win-ter Storm Juno swept across the northeastern United States, with much less snowfall than predicted.

According to the National Weather Service, Westchester County received an average of around 10 inches of snow with Rye counting approxi-mately 11 inches, which was much less than the forecast-ed 24 inches the county was expecting. The forecasted snowfall prompted Gov. An-drew Cuomo, a Democrat, to declare a state of emergency and issue a statewide trav-el ban, restricting residents from being on the road after 11 p.m. on Monday. The ban was lifted at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning after the amount of snow totaled to less than half of what was expected.

In preparations for the snow, six of the city’s De-partment of Public Works ve-hicles treated the roads with salt on Monday evening and 15 plow trucks began op-erations around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, according to City Engineer Ryan Coyne. Coyne added that the public works department will be remov-ing snow from the central business district on Wednes-day night, after press time, to complete the snow removal operations.

“It was helpful that resi-dents stayed off the roads which allowed the crews to clear the roads without dif-ficulty,” said Assistant City

Manager Eleanor Militana. “While some may be disap-pointed that we did not set a new record, in this case, less is more.”

Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, said emergency weather preparation efforts were well planned out with the Rye City Manager’s office coordi-nating with fire, police and public works.

“The city was very well prepared and luckily the storm that we have been told was coming, did not come,” said the mayor. “We were lucky that we dodged a bullet.”

With such a threatening forecast, City Manager Frank Culross called a special city staff meeting early Monday morning to get in touch with all departments about emer-gency operating protocols. According to Culross, the city was prepared to open an Emergency Operations Center at the police station, if needed.

From left to right, James Newbold, Austin Harvey, Rory Newbold and Andy Newbold enjoy the snow after shoveling their driveway.

DPW empoyees work throughout the day to remove the snow from the streets. Photos/Andrew Dapolite

For alternatives, Culross said the city was ready to provide shelter at the Rye Recreation Center, City Hall or Rye Golf Club, as they all have emer-gency power through backup generators.

“It turned out the storm was a lot gentler for us than it had been forecast, for which we’re grateful,” said Culross.”Part of our planning scenario was we could have people without power, streets blocked if pow-er lines or trees were downed,

but none of that occurred.”The city manager added

that the Locust Avenue Fire-house would be the first choice in operating as an emergency shelter, which also has a back-up power generator.

According to Rye Fire Lt. Kurt Tietjen, the fire depart-ment prepared for the storm by increasing manpower to an estimated 25 firefighters, eight of which were volunteer staff.

Tietjen said the outcome of the storm was great because

the lower amount of snowfall was much easier to deal with.

“It ended up being a 6-inch snowstorm, which we can han-dle on autopilot,” Tietjen said.

The lieutenant added that there were no storm-related calls, but just run-of-the-mill calls about smoke detectors going off.

Rye Police Lt. Robert Falk could not be reached as of press time.


Rye’s City Hall remained open and operated on a limited basis during Winter Storm Juno.

A child sleds down the hill of Rye Town Park after the snowfall.


Cities can speak with var-ious voices. They can speak formally, through ordinanc-es or resolutions. They can speak through actions, such as choosing to enforce or not enforce rules. They can speak by following one or another policy.

Not very often does city speech figure explicitly in judicial decisions. But it happened last month in a case involving our neigh-boring City of New Ro-chelle. The case was writ-ten up in the Dec. 29 is-sue of the New York Law Journal

There is, according to the article, an organization called the United Veter-ans Memorial and Patriotic

Association of the City of New Rochelle. It has cer-tain responsibilities for vet-erans’ affairs in the city. It has been allowed to display flags at the New Rochelle Armory, a city property.

The association chose to display the historic “Gads-den Flag,” showing a rattle-snake and the words “Don’t Tread On Me.” Some felt this stood for the views of a certain faction in current American politics. The flag was taken down, apparently by a majority vote of the City Council, and litigation followed, in the U.S. Dis-trict Court for the Southern District of New York.

The federal judge as-signed to the case said that New Rochelle “has a valid interest in expressing the messages that it chooses through its flagpole, and may decide to avoid speech

that it believes will be per-ceived by some of its con-stituents as divisive. Indeed, because it is the city, not the United Veterans, that is per-ceived as the speaker, the city is the entity account-able for whatever message observers perceive in the Armory’s flags.”

Federal District Judge Cathy Seibel was reported to have also said that, “the government is entitled to say what it wishes and to se-lect the views that it wishes to express.”

Apparently, the undercur-rent here was that the Gads-den Flag is seen by some as linked with the Tea Party. So this precedent would seem to indicate that a city can officially decline to express controversial views on na-tional issues.


Who controls city speech

have a news tip? ContaCt chris eberhart [email protected]

leave of absence remains un-clear, but a second source with knowledge of Barber’s situ-ation said the assistant chief often appeared to arrive at in-cident scenes intoxicated.

Rye City Manager Frank Culross said he was informed of the incident but told the Re-view that it was handled inter-nally and didn’t know the rea-son for the leave of absence.

The fire department is a mix of volunteers and 17 paid firefighters. The department is broken into four groups of four

Sources have told the Rye City Review that the fire department’s Richard Barber, a second assistant chief, has sent firefighters to numerous calls up to a week after they have taken place. File photo

• [11:32 a.m.] Engine 25: “As per [Car] 2423, Engine 192 and Ladder 25 will be responding to 720 Milton Road. Unknown reason.”

• Before reaching the Milton Road call, Barber can be heard in the scanner recording telling Ladder 25 and engines 191 and 192 to respond to Citi Bank.

• Ladder 25: “Message was unclear. Please repeat.”• Barber [Car 2423]: “To Citi Bank. All Rye units to Citi Bank.” • [11:32 a.m.] Ladder 25: “Ladder 25 to 60 control. Ladder 25 will

be responding to Citi Bank.” • [11:32 a.m.] Engine 191: “191 responding to Citi Bank.”• Engine 192: “60 Control...can you confirm with 2423 if I’m

responding to 720 Milton Road or 1040 Boston Post Road.” • Barber [Car 2423]: “To [Engine] 192, go to Rye Country Day School.” • [11:34 a.m.] Ladder 25: “located at Citi Bank”The recording ends with Engine 192 saying it was investigating Rye Country Day School.

RYE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT SCANNER RECORDINGIn the dispatch recording in question, Barber’s vehicle number, Car 2423, can be heard dispatching Engine 192 and Ladder 25 to720 Milton Road. Engine 25 said it was responding. At the other end, 60 Control, a Westchester County dispatcher that directs the local fire departments, said, “Ladder 25, you’re responding to 720 Milton Road for what? We don’t have a call.”

firefighters that work a 24-hour shift with the following 72 hours off duty.

Barber and Rye Fire Chief

Peter Cotter could not be reached for comment as of press time.


judgment from page 1

Park ranger applications being acceptedThe Westchester County

Department of Public Safety is accepting applications for seasonal park rangers to pa-trol county parks this summer. Applications are due by Feb. 20 and are available online at westchestergov.com/ps.

Uniformed park rangers work under the supervision of county police officers to main-tain a safe and enjoyable atmo-sphere in the county’s parks. They assist park users, provide information on park rules and procedures, help in searches for lost children, perform ba-

sic first aid on occasion and make regular security checks of buildings and facilities.

First-time park rangers are paid $14 per hour. Salaries are higher for those who have worked as a ranger for the county before.

To qualify, applicants must be a high school graduate, at least 19 years of age, a U.S. citizen, a resident of Westches-ter County and possess a valid New York State driver’s license by the time of appointment.

Accepted candidates must attend a three-week training

program at the Westchester County Police Academy.

Public Safety Commis-sioner George Longworth said many police officers in West-chester, including himself, had their first exposure to a law en-forcement career by working as a park ranger.

“By receiving police acad-emy training and working un-der the supervision of county police officers, park rangers get a unique view into law en-forcement and the career op-portunities that exist,” Long-worth said. (Submitted)

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Rye City

Official Newspaper

Rye Schools

The council corner

Deputy Mayor Laura Brett

Squeaky wheels

The past few months, the City Council heard an increas-ing number of complaints about rock chipping. The primary source of the com-plaints was from neighbors of a construction site on High-land Road where rock chip-ping began more than seven months ago and stopped only days ago. The chipping did not stop because the developer completed the permitted work. The chipping did not stop be-cause the city enforced a code provision and required work to stop. The chipping stopped because neighbors complained and the developer and his part-ner agreed to stop. Neighbors were able to accomplish both a stop to the chipping and, hope-fully, meaningful change that will prevent this from occur-ring in the future. After hear-ing complaints from the neigh-bors in October, the council formed a subcommittee to look at this issue and propose a solution so this kind of disrup-tion cannot occur in the future.

The rock chipping caused disruption and real harm to families in the neighborhood and I regret that our current code allowed this to continue for so long. The community response, however, demon-strates how advocacy can cre-ate both short term and long term change. Challenges face the city in the coming years that will require an engaged community to reach solutions that work for Rye. Some up-coming projects will need the kind of short-term, vocal ac-tivism we saw related to rock chipping. Other long-term projects will required long-term diligent efforts from the community, that require a more measured advocacy and commitment to finding solu-tions that work for all.

A short-term project that would benefit from broad-

based community advocacy is the removal of rocks and bel-gian blocks in the city’s right of way. Large rocks and bel-gian blocks along city roads serves to protect a homeown-er’s grass at the expense of pe-destrian safety, as pedestrians cannot safely get out of the roadway on our many narrow roads. Last year, after advoca-cy from a local resident, Rye began a pilot project requiring homeowners to remove their rocks along Stuyvesant Ave-nue, as well as portions of Mil-ton Road, Forest and Oakland Beach avenues. Rocks were successfully removed.

We received complaints, however, that we did not re-quire the removal of belgian blocks. While I agree that the belgian blocks pose the same or greater safety hazards, it is also more difficult to remove. I hope that we can tackle the issue of white rocks and bel-gian blocks throughout Rye, but tackling this issue will re-quire short-term advocacy that should provide long-term ben-efits for the community.

Several long-term projects are going to require more sus-tained advocacy, and success-ful advocacy will necessarily involve compromise and pa-tience. The City of Rye is near-ing the end of our New York Rising community engage-ment program. New York Ris-ing, a statewide program that named Rye an eligible com-munity for a $3 million grant, has already required several months of patient advocacy from its committee. This part of the process is just the be-ginning, however, as we have to insure that the meaning-ful projects designated by the committee are completed. The grant is insufficient to imple-ment all the designated flood mitigation projects, yet all the projects are important to in-sure that our community does not suffer the consequences of severe flooding in the future. We will need continued en-

gagement to advocate for the projects and find funding from sources including our county, state and federal governments.

The mayor, in his “State of the City” address, advocated for a new master plan to up-date the 1985 Master Plan. A new master plan requires of the city, significant commu-nity engagement to identify community needs and priori-ties. Our last master plan was reportedly a multi-year effort requiring an engaged commit-tee, years of careful discussion and study. A new master plan will require a similar amount of study and have to balance the interests of constituencies in the community including, long-term residents as well as newcomers, seniors and fami-lies, business owners and resi-dential homeowners.

A master plan will not ad-dress another simmering is-sue—concerns over the size and scale of homes, tree ordi-nances and other local quality of life issues. These quality of life concerns will require long-term study.

A tree ordinance was pro-posed a few years ago. The council did not act upon the proposed ordinance because it was clear an ordinance of this kind needed longer term ad-vocacy and more community consensus.

An action to address size and scale of homes that would required the inclusion of 100 percent of attic space in the calculation of a home’s FAR, floor area ratio, was scaled back two years ago because of arguments that such changes needed greater study.

These projects, flood miti-gation, a new master plan, and other local quality of life is-sues will require careful con-sideration and sustained ad-vocacy. The current council is moving forward on many of these issues, but we can be much more effective and productive with an engaged community.

have a news tip?ContaCt yourloCal reporters

chris eberhart [email protected]

jackson chen [email protected]

marissa penn [email protected]

cision to approve a temporary policy change.

For Rye City, the off-leash regulations are more of a change in the current city code that works in conjunction with the park commission’s policy. Before, the city code did not allow for any dogs to be off-leash, but the local law that was adopted by the council at its Oct. 22 meeting, amended the restrictions.

The amendment allowed owners to let their dogs off their leashes in Rye Town Park from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., but only in the area between the Rye Beach Avenue border and the duck pond situated in the middle of the park. The registration process also specifies that an owner is only allowed a maxi-mum of three off-leash dogs and the dogs must have the reg-istration tags attached to their collars while roaming freely.

dogs from page 1 Owners are also required to not leave their dogs unattended and maintain voice control.

The City of Rye still main-tains the responsibility of en-forcement with the police de-partment and is now trying to get all owners to register their dogs with the clerk’s office.

According to City Clerk Dawn Nodarse, only around four owners, which totaled five dogs, registered their pets to be off-leash for the park. Nodarse said that the low number could be attributed to the winter or the recent intro-duction of the program.

“I’m guessing it will start picking up when there’s more enforcement,” Nodarse said. “I’m sure as word gets out, we’ll get more people com-ing in.”

Likely a cause for the low turnout, many residents had no idea of the new regulations for off-leash dogs.

Candice Riegelhaupt, who

was walking her dog Ollie in Rye Town Park on Wednes-day, had just heard of the off-leash registration program.

“I think some kind of regu-lation or some kind of licens-ing is a good idea,” Riegel-haupt said. “I’d be very sur-prised if anyone who brings their dog here didn’t already have them vaccinated, so I think an additional level isn’t a burden.”

Riegelhaupt said that des-ignating times for owners to walk their dogs off-leash is a step in the right direction. She added that the effect of the registration program would really only be notice-able during the summer since residents rarely use the park in the winter.

Since the program is in a pilot stage, Carvin said the commission will revisit the policy change in April.


The Rye City Clerk’s office is working to register off-leash dogs in accordance with a new law that assigns designated times that owners can have their dogs off-leash in Rye Town Park. Photo/Jackson Chen


Jan. 2Around 1 p.m., police responded to a tractor trailer that was stuck under the bridge on Playland Parkway/Playland Access Drive.

Jan. 4Around 4 p.m., a mother visited the police station and told police her daugh-ter’s bike went missing from in front of the high school/middle school at 2 Parsons St.

Around 11:30 p.m., police received a call from a Forest Avenue residence of a possible burglary. The caller said there were noises downstairs. Police found no one at the scene.

Jan. 6Two license plates went missing from vehicles at a Midland Avenue residence.

Jan. 7Around 1:30 p.m., Rye police responded to a hit and run at Rye Manor on Theall Road.

Jan. 10Around 5 p.m., a Rye resident near the Rye Nature Center on Boston Post Road notified police about a group of teenag-ers who went into the woods with a bag.

Jan. 12 A dog was injured after being struck by a vehicle on Theodore Fremd Avenue.

Jan. 14Police searched the area around Forest Avenue at approximately 6 p.m. after receiving a call about a suspicious man wearing all black lurking around the neighborhood. The man was gone by the time the police arrived at the scene.

At 2 a.m., a deer was struck by a car at the intersection of Boston Post Road and Bradford Avenue.

Jan. 15There were two reports in the early morning hours about gunshots in the Edith Read Sanctuary. Around 7:15 a.m., a caller told police there were six or sev-en gunshots behind his Stonycrest Road home. Roughly one hour later, around 8:20 a.m., police received a report about gunshots within the sanctuary.

Around 1:40 p.m., police received a call about a man, wearing a business suit, driving a child’s go-kart at the intersec-tion of Highland Road and Mendota Avenue. The man was obstructing traffic in the area but was gone by the time police arrived at the scene.

A police car was flagged down by a Row America coach who had a female stu-

dent in the car. The student told police she was approached by a man driving a gold, older style pickup truck around 4 p.m. She said he asked her to show him where Oakland Beach Avenue was but she walked away because she felt alarmed by the man.

Police responded to an accident at the Gulf Station on Boston Post Road around 11:15 p.m. after a Gaskins tanker truck hit a tow truck.

Jan. 16At 11:30 a.m., a Rye resident found a full bag of fireworks in front of a Grace Church Street building and turned them over to the police to be destroyed.

Rye police assisted New York State police at an accident scene on I-287 between exits 10 and 11 around 3 p.m.

Jan. 17A cleaning woman was cleaning a doctor’s office on Purchase Street around 10:17 a.m. when she told police she heard someone in the upstairs office. She told police when she went upstairs, she found the office light was turned on and the door was open. Police searched the area but found no one.

Jan. 18 Just before 1 a.m., police responded to a domestic incident at a La Salle Avenue residence where a father and son were fighting.

Police responded to multiple ice-related incidents during the morning commute. The first came in around 7:20 a.m., when police were notified about an especially slick patch of ice at the intersection of Oakland Beach Avenue and Boston Post Road.

At 7:54 a.m., an elderly woman on Fairlawn Avenue tripped on a patch of ice and fell down her front steps and suffered a broken or dislocated hip.

At 8:32 a.m., the icy conditions caused a vehicle to get stuck in the road at the intersection of Milton Road and Oakland Beach Avenue. Police helped free the vehicle.

At 9:34 a.m., police and an ambulance respond to the Cope Circle area after a person slipped on the ice.

About 10 minutes later, another person slipped on an icy patch on Valleyview Avenue and suffered a head injury.

Jan. 19 The front door alarm at Morgan’s Fish House at 22 Elm Place sounded around 8 a.m., while the restaurant was closed, but police found nothing.

Collected at Rye Police Headquarters on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 11:15 a.m.

Curb the spread of flu in your home

aSK cinDY how

Cindy Inman

During the cold season, the flu is undesirable. Help curb the spread of sickness in your home by targeting your most touched surfaces.

Door knobs and locksEvery time you enter or exit

your home or any individual room, chances are that you’re touching a door knob and/or turning a lock. Any surface that you’re touching constant-ly, without having just washed your hands, is a perfect breed-ing ground for germs.

Light switches and surrounding platesUnless you can “clap on,”

“clap off,” light switches are some of the most touch heavy surfaces in your home.

Cabinet handles and drawer pullsNot only do these surfaces

accumulate germs, they also have a tendency to accumulate sticky, greasy debris due to their locations in kitchens and bathrooms.

Staircase railingsThese surfaces are regularly

touched by hands and possibly other body parts if you choose to slide down them. In other words, never cleaning them equals germ city.

Toilet flushersJust think: you touch the

flusher before you wash your hands, after doing your business.

Faucet handlesYou also touch the faucet

handle in the bathroom before you wash your hands... and then again afterward. If they aren’t cleaned, touching them feeds into a cycle of hand contamination.

Soap pumpsCleaning these will help

to prevent soap scum buildup and the transference of germs, especially if you don’t wash your hands thoroughly after-ward. Also, if you pump out soap for children, an unclean pump will dirty your hands.

TelephonesAn everyday scenario:

touch your phone, scratch an itch, touch your phone, eat, touch your phone, take out the garbage, touch your phone, shield a sneeze, touch your phone, blow your nose and touch your phone again. Enough said.

Computer mice and keyboardsThis category includes

desktops, laptops and tablets. That means not only are these items potentially dirty from activities inside the home, but also have the ability to track in outside germs.

10. Remotes to electronics If you’ve ever cleaned

these before, I’m thorough-ly impressed. On television, I’ve seen people scratch with these items. If life imitates art, please clean these regularly and thoroughly. Even during your hotel stays.

How-to: simple and practi-cal how-to’s are listed on my latest blog post at askcindy-how.com—because all of this matters. Stay warm, stay safe, and stay clean.

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P.O. Box 475 Scarsdale, New York 10583

(914) 513-3283 [email protected]

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January 30, 2015 • tHe Rye CIty RevIew • 11SPORTS

I’ll come right out and say it; just because I think this lat-est Super Bowl controversy is dumb, it doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying the heck out of it.

It’s rare that an on-field scandal makes its way off the sports pages. But even if you have avoided ESPN, sports talk radio and blogs for the past week or so, it’s unlikely that you’ve escaped mention of the ball tampering charges leveled against the New Eng-land Patriots.

Late-night hosts have had a field day. Saturday Night Live took some shots. Even Bill Nye got in on the fun.

Everyone, it seems, is talk-ing about “Deflategate.”

It’s not hard to see why. We are days away from the single biggest sporting event of the year. Tom Brady—the biggest beneficiary of the allegedly

PSI: Phoenixdeflated balls—is one of the nation’s most visible athletes. The Patriots, despite having lost to the Giants in their last two Super Bowl appearances, are still football’s answer to the Yankees.

Which is why it’s great—at least for me—to see them squirm.

Watching the taciturn Bill Belichick mumble his way through press conference an-swers about PSI, or the gold-en-boy Brady admit that the incessant questioning has hurt his feelings, that makes for some good Super Bowl week filler right there.

Do I think the Patriots “cheated?” I sure do.

But do I think it’s a big deal? Do I think they did any-thing that hasn’t been tried by the other 31 teams in the NFL? Not a chance.

The world of sports has a funny way of labeling cheat-ers. In baseball, those players who got caught using perfor-mance-enhancing drugs to

gain an edge over the competi-tion face the possibility of be-ing blackballed from the Hall of Fame. But all-time great pitchers like Gaylord Perry who used to apply foreign sub-stances to the baseball to get it to break in an unpredictable fashion?

That’s just gamesmanship.When the Patriots were ca-

ught videotaping opponents’ coaching signals in 2007, many decried the act as something that violated the integrity of the league. Meanwhile, former punter Ray Guy, who was of-ten accused of filling the balls he kicked with helium just got inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year. He’s the only punter currently in Can-ton, helium or not.

So, what’s going to happen to the Patriots? Likely nothing for the time being. They’ll play on Sunday, probably find some underling to blame things on during the offseason, lose a draft pick or two and maybe pay a fine to the league offices.

“Deflategate” has been the biggest sports story of the past two weeks, but, Sports Editor Mike Smith thinks it’s just a lot of hot air. Photo/Mike Smith

The media will move on to the next story and “Deflat-egate” will be just another footnote in the history of pro-

fessional athletics. That is, unless the Patriots

beat the Seahawks. If that happens, I’ll expect

congressional hearings.

Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports

Follow Mike Smith @LiveMike_Sports stats • recaps • commentary

Follow Mike Smith @ryecityreview for Mike’s live, in-game action updates

To CoVER loCal spoRTs, you nEEd a

LiVE MiKE!

12 • the rye city review • January 30, 2015 SPORTS

Rye Athlete of the Week

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By LAuRen demPseyContributor

With his versatility in be-ing able to successfully com-pete and score team points in numerous events, Thomas Mackey has been a major factor in the success of this year’s swim team, which cur-rently has a record of 6-3.

Teammate Pat MacAuley said that Mackey has been invaluable to the Garnets’ success.

“Thomas is a very talented and hard-working swimmer,” MacAuley said. “He always brings his A-game to meets and charisma to the team. He is a true friend and teammate to all.”

The team is looking for-

ward to the upcoming divi-sionals and sectionals with Thomas being one of its leaders.

“Thomas is a very inte-gral part of the Rye/Blind Brook/Rye Neck Swim & Dive Program,” coach Lara Vivolo said.

An extremely versa-tile swimmer, Thomas has qualified for sectionals in every individual event in-cluding the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke and 100 free-style. Unfortunately, swim-mers can only compete in two events at the Sectional Championships.

Thomas is an Honor Roll student while taking tough

Thomas Mackey

courses such as AP Chemis-try, English Honors and His-tory Honors. Previously run-ning cross country and track, he has decided to focus on swimming year round. When not competing for the school, Thomas swims with the Greenwich Dolphins.

County crowns champsBy mIKe smItHSports Editor

On Jan. 25, the top wrestlers in the area took to Yonkers High School to compete in the first-ever Westchester Coun-ty Championship. Although John Jay walked away with the overall team title, placing 11 wrestlers in the top six, the event served as a showcase for Westchester’s top grapplers.

According to Harrison coach Vin Nicita, the idea to put together a county-only tournament has been in the works for some time.

“[Yonkers coach] Pete Vul-pone and I had been talking about it, so we reached out to everybody,” Nicita said. “Rockland has had its own tournament for years and we wanted to do the same thing, to create a sense of pride in Westchester County.”

Sixteen wrestlers from each weight division were invited to the tournament and seeded

according to their point totals this year.

Host Yonkers placed sec-ond in the tourney, scoring 162 team points, followed by New Rochelle who netted 153 points and led all schools with three first-place finishes.

Jake Shore, 113 pounds, Jordan Wallace, 126 pounds, and Daniel Mendoza, 195 pounds, all finished first for the Huguenots, with Wallace taking home Most Outstand-ing Sophomore honors.

Harrison finished fifth with Frank Barchella taking home the 120-pound title while sev-enth place Mamaroneck was led by reigning section champ Youssif Hemida, who took first in the 220-pound division with a 25 second pinfall win over Scarsdale’s Ethan Raff.

“Youssif went out and did his job, he did what he had to do,” Mamaroneck Tigers coach Dave Colagiovanni said. “He probably only wres-tled for about a minute total.”

Eastchester also had one champion on the day, as Nun-zio Crowley topped Rye’s Jackson Kilgerman and then Mamaroneck’s Roger Ransom in the 170-pound finals, on his way to be being named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Junior.

Crowley has defeated Ran-som twice this year, but the Tigers’ coach believes that an-other showdown between the two could happen in the divi-sional tournament at John Jay High School.

“This was a big matchup for us, not one that we had to win, but one that we had to learn from,” Colagiovanni said about facing Crowley. “We still need a takedown on him, but we are going to watch tapes and we’re going to figure this out.”

With the wrestling post-season about to kick into high gear, one thing that remains certain is that the Westchester County Championships could be a marquee event for area

wrestlers for years to come.“Pete Vulpone runs some re-

ally excellent tournaments and this one was run really well,”

Colagiovanni said. “There are 38 teams in the county and to be able to go out and de-cide who the best teams are,

there’s a lot of good meaning behind this.”


The winners of the first-ever Westchester County Wrestling Championships pose with their titles on Jan. 25 at Yonkers High School. The event showcased several of the top wrestlers in the area. Contributed Photo

Youssif Hemida lifts up an opponent during an early season tournament. Hemida won the 220-pound bracket at the first-ever County Championships on Jan. 25. Photo/Bobby Begun


The benefits of weightlifting for women

Easy ways to start living healthier every day

How to cope with an athletic injury

Lifestyles of Westchester County/January 2015 VoL.17 no.110

INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTYINSI

DE

Health Mind Bodyd Bo&


Consuming excessive amounts of sodium not only affects your health but also may affect your appearance. A diet that’s rich in sodium has long been linked to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease, and stomach cancer. But consuming too much sodium also leads to increased water retention, which can cause weight gain and make men and women appear puffy and bloated. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended daily sodium intake is 1,500 milligrams. But the AHA notes that the average American consumes more than double that amount on a daily basis, and Health Canada asserts that Canadians also eat roughly the same amount of sodium each day as their American counterparts. While sodium is an essential nutrient, the human body does not need a lot of it to reap its benefits. Bread, processed meats and soups are some of the major contributors of dietary sodium, so men, women and even children, who the AHA notes are far more likely to develop high blood pressure as adults if they consume a high-sodium diet as a child, should study packaging on these items to ensure they aren’t overloaded with sodium.

Did you know?

The benefits of weightlifting for women

Many women steer clear of the free-weight areas

inside their gyms, opting instead for treadmills and other cardio machines. Some women may not know how to use weights correctly, while others simply don’t want to add any bulk to their frames.

But research shows that women who adhere to moderate strength-training programs two to three times per week can benefit in a variety of ways.

Burn more calories: Many people exercise to burn calories and shed fat, and weight training is an efficient way for women to do just that. Resistance training is a great way to burn calories, as after a heavy weight-training session, the body continues to use oxygen, which increases a person’s basal metabolic rate. In addition, as you increase lean muscle mass, your body burns even more calories as its muscles contract and it works to repair and build new muscle.

Reverse metabolic decline: Lifting weights can help reverse the natural slowing down of metabolism that begins in middle age. Keeping your body working out and your metabolism elevated for as long as possible can help keep you in top shape.

Build stronger bones: Lifting weights does more than just build muscle. Weightlifting also builds bone density. After menopause, women may lose up to 20 percent of their bone mass, and the United States Surgeon General estimates that, by 2020, half of all Americans could have weak bones due to bone loss. Women can look to weightlifting to help increase bone density and reduce their risk of fracture and osteoporosis.

Reduce risk for heart disease: Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of 5.6 million women worldwide each year.

Women are more likely to get heart disease than cancer. A study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that women who lift weights are less likely to develop heart disease risk factors, such as large waist circumference, high triglycerides, hypertension, and elevated glucose levels. The American Heart Association lists weight training as a healthy form of exercise for those at risk for heart disease.

Combat back pain: Weight training can help strengthen the core muscles of the abdomen and back, which may help alleviate lower back pain. It’s important to use proper form when lifting weights to avoid exacerbating existing back pain or developing new injuries.

Boost mood and combat depression: Lifting weights is not just good for the body, it’s also good for the mind. Women who strength train regularly can improve their feelings of well-being

and may be able to reduce episodes of depression. A study from researchers at Harvard University found that 10 weeks of strength training was effective at reducing symptoms of clinical depression.

Relieve stress: Any form of exercise can help to relieve stress, but according to the 2009 study “Psychological Aspects of Resistance Training,” those who regularly strength train tend to manage stress better and experience fewer adverse reactions to stressful situations than those who do not exercise.

Increase energy levels: Lifting weights can boost mind power and provide a long-term energy boost. Working out in the morning can be an especially effective way to maintain high energy levels throughout the day.

Women should not shy away from lifting weights. In addition to creating a trimmer, healthier body, resistance training offers many other health benefits.


Contrary to popular belief, adopting a healthy lifestyle is not a difficult undertaking. In certain instances, convenience may need to be sacrificed in favor of nutrition, but many people find that living healthy is not nearly as difficult as they assumed it would be when they initially decided to make a change.

When men and women decide they want to start living healthier, many mistakenly assume they must abandon their existing habits entirely and start from scratch. But the following are some easy ways to start living healthier every day.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. One of the best and easiest ways to live healthier is to begin eating more fruits and vegetables. Instead of unhealthy snacks like potato chips and cookies, snack on a piece of fruit, and never sit down to a meal unless you include some

vegetables to go along with the main course. Studies have shown that men and women whose diets are high in fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop certain types of cancers, including cancers of the digestive tract. In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture notes that people whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables have a lower risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.

Slow down your eating routine. Some people may already be eating the right foods, but they may just be eating too much of them. It takes time for your body to let you know it’s had too much to eat, so eating too fast can increase your risk of overeating. While eating, try to limit distractions that can take your attention away from how much you’re eating. If you’re always watching television or checking emails

Easy ways to start living

healthier every day

Including more fruits and vegetables in your diet is an easy and effective way to improve your overall health.

on your phone while eating, try a few days of distraction-free, careful eating, and you may find yourself eating less and feeling more energized after a meal.

Skip the second glass of wine. The much publicized medical benefits of wine are somewhat misleading. According to the Mayo Clinic, when consumed in moderation, red wine can help prevent heart disease. That’s because alcohol and antioxidants found in red wine have been shown to increase levels of high-density lipoprotein, often referred to as “good” cholesterol, and protect against artery damage. But wine also contains sugars that can fatten the liver, and a fatty liver can contribute to a host of serious health problems. If you already drink wine, limit yourself to one glass per day. If you are not a wine drinker, then it’s important to note that many

doctors believe the potential benefits of drinking wine do not outweigh the potentially negative consequences associated with alcohol consumption, which include neurological problems and an increased risk for heart disease.

Get more sleep. Inadequate sleep affects the body in a variety of ways. Many people are aware that one poor night’s sleep is certain to affect their energy

levels the following day, but fewer may know of the link between sleep duration and chronic disease. For example, the Harvard Medical School notes that studies have linked insufficient sleep to type 2 diabetes, as the body’s ability to process glucose can be compromised by poor sleeping habits. Other medical conditions that have been linked to insufficient sleep include obesity, heart disease and mood disorders.

While you might be proud of your ability to function on minimal sleep, the long-term effects of insufficient sleep can be dire, so be sure to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.

Choosing to live healthier does not mean you need to completely overhaul your existing lifestyle. In fact, you can make several easy everyday changes to dramatically improve your overall health.


The benefits of resting between workouts

Working together with a trainer or physical therapist to set realistic recovery goals is one way for athletes to successfully cope with injury.

As any professional athlete can attest, even the most

athletic and physically fit in-dividuals can suffer an injury. Professional athletes typically have highly trained medical personnel at their disposal as they recover from injury, but men and women who don’t draw a paycheck for their athletic exploits have no such luxury, making it far more dif-ficult to recover from and cope with injury.

Each individual body re-sponds to injury in different ways. For example, one person may heal from a hamstring in-jury in as little as a few weeks, while others must endure a healing process that lasts sev-eral months. But no matter how different athletes’ bodies may be, there are coping mecha-nisms every athlete can employ to help deal with the mental toll that injuries can take.

Stay involved. Athletes

who train heavily and de-vote much of their free time to pursuing their sport of choice may feel as though their world has come crash-ing down when they suffer an injury. But even if you cannot compete, you can still stay involved in your sport. If you are physically capable, of-fer to volunteer at sanctioned events, which can help you maintain a connection with your sport and keep abreast of the happenings within that community. If your injury is so limiting that active volun-teering is nearly impossible, you can still attend events and then blog about them af-terward. The important thing is to recognize that, while an injury may prevent you from competing, you can still find other ways to stay involved.

Set realistic recovery goals. Many athletes begin physical therapy or their re-habilitation processes with

a gung-ho attitude, insisting they will return from injury stronger than they were be-fore. While that’s a great at-titude, it’s important that ath-letes temper their enthusiasm for recovery with a dose of reality. Recovery is not over-night, and even the most elite athletes, many of whom are accustomed to their bodies re-sponding in the way they want them to respond, can be dis-couraged if they enter the re-habilitation process with unre-alistic expectations. Work with your physical therapist, phy-sician or trainer to establish realistic recovery goals, using your enthusiasm to meet your short- and long-term recovery goals. Be flexible when setting your recovery goals, as you never know how your body will respond to treatment.

Expect setbacks. Setbacks are an unfortunate reality of recovery for many athletes. Don’t allow yourself to be-

How to cope with an athletic injury

come discouraged if a goal can’t be met because your body is simply not ready or needs to pause in its recov-ery process. A setback can be frustrating, but you can cope with setbacks by writing about them, be it on a blog or in a personal journal. Many athletes have found that writ-

ing down their feelings is an effective way to deal with the frustration of the recovery pro-cess. Keeping a journal or re-covery blog can also help you cope with any future setbacks down the road, as you can look back and see what did or did not help you deal with past obstacles.

Athletic injuries can be thorns in the sides of com-mitted athletes, who may or may not know what to do with themselves when sidelined with significant injuries. But there are various ways for athletes to cope with injuries and make the recovery process less frustrating.

Exercise enthusiasts often find it hard to break from their workout routines, even if that respite is just a single day for ordinary rest and recovery. But athletes who forgo rest will almost certainly suffer the consequences, which can include illness, injury and fatigue. When working out is part of a regular routine, it’s easy for men and women to get in a groove and want to continue that groove by continuing to exercise every day. But periodic rest boasts plenty of benefits that will improve long-term performance and greatly reduce your risk for injury or illness.

Recovery: Muscles need time to recover, so build in at least one day off per week so your body has time to heal. If you are unsure of when to take a day off, try checking your resting heart rate in the morning after a few days off from your workout routine. Take your pulse the moment

you get out of bed, and remember that number going forward. On days when you need to know if your body has recovered, take your resting heart rate once again. If the number is roughly 10 beats higher than it was when you measured after a couple of days off, then your body likely needs more time to recover.

Illness risk: Regular exercise strengthens the immune system, making it easier for the body to fend off colds and other illnesses. But if you overdo it with your workout routine, that exercise starts to have a countereffect on your immune system, weakening it and making you more susceptible to illness. So periodic rest not only helps your muscles recover but also ensures your immune system is not compromised.

Performance: Competitive athletes may think that out-training their opponents gives them an edge, but overdoing it with training regimens

can actually compromise their performance. As you go longer and longer without taking a break from your exercise routine, your body grows increasingly fatigued, and that fatigue will ultimately have an adverse effect on your performance, not to mention greatly increase your risk of injury.

Effectiveness: Rest also helps make workouts more effective. The body needs time to rest and repair after a workout, but this downtime also gives the body time to adapt to exercise. When a body is overloaded, it has no time to adapt, making the workouts less effective. A body that begins a workout rested and free of fatigue has a better chance of benefitting from a workout than one that hasn’t been given the opportunity to rest and recover. By allowing your body time to adapt, you’re increasing the effectiveness of your workouts.

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