The End

Somers Spectator Is Logging Off

We began the Somers Spectator because the Town of Somers, NY had no local newspaper and we wanted a central source of news and information about our hometown.  Our tag line in the masthead stated our reason for being: “Because Somers Has No Local Newspaper Of Its Own.”  We were pleasantly surprised as our readership grew.  In the last 30 days, the Somers Spectator had nearly 3000 page views.

However, Somers, NY now has two local newspapers -- the digital daily, The Daily Somers and the print weekly, The Somers Record. These are professional organizations that have publishers, editors and reporters.  We welcome them!

With two real newspapers in town, it is time to retire the Somers Spectator.  We thank our readers and supporters.  We enjoyed the experience.

Sincerely

Somers Spectator

Newspapers Covering Somers, NY

Newspapers

Daily Somers
Somers Records [not on web]
LoHud.com - Somers
NCNLocal.com - Somers
Northern Westchester Examiner 

Two From SHS Accepted To Summer School of Orchestral Studies

Jemmin Chang and Alicia Wu from Somers High School in Somers, NY were accepted to the prestigious New York Summer School for the Arts, according to the June 2011 edition of the Trumpeter published by the Somers High School PTSA.  The two teens will be rehearse with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Saratoga Center for the Performing Arts this summer.  “This is the first time a Somers student has been accepted for this honor, and this year we have two!” says the Trumpeter.  

The online Trumpeter is available here. 

The examiner.com for Albany, NY in a January 21, 2011 article described the program as follows: 

The New York State Summer School of Orchestral Studies is accepting 115 New York State High School students to study and rehearse with the Philadelphia Orchestra in residence at Saratoga Performing Arts Center under the artistic direction of Russell Stanger. Students will have the opportunity to work side by side with first-chair members with the chance to work for four weeks, coached in small groups and in sectional rehearsals, performing repertoire while attending elective classes in the history, literature and theory of music. The orchestra program is co-sponsored by the New York State School Music Association, The Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Auditions will be held at 10 different locations throughout the state, student must audition successfully in order to become a member or alternate. 

LINKS:

http://www.somersptacouncil.org/SHS/Newsletters/SHSJune11.pdf

http://www.examiner.com/arts-education-in-albany/new-york-state-summer-school-of-the-arts-education-funding-cuts

Are Grads Ready For College? NYS Grades Somers High School

Only 60% of Somers High School grads are "college-ready", even though over ninety percent graduate. Those are some of the findings in the June 14 report issued by the NYS Board of Regents.  Somers beats the state-wide average by a huge margin, but its college readiness percent is in the bottom half of public schools in Westchester County.  Seven high schools in Westchester County scored over 80% on the college-readiness standard.  Locally, Carmel High School is at 60%, Fox Lane, 69%, John Jay, 78% and North Salem, 78%. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City said of that city’s rates:  “There is no percent under 100 percent that we are satisfied with.”

According to the Board of Regents, "Students who graduate high school – but do so with a score below 80 on a math Regents exam and below 75 on the English exam – are likely to require remediation in college." 

This standard -- percent of students scoring at least 75 on English and 80 on math Regent exams -- was once referred to as the "college and career ready" graduation rate.  The Board's new terminology -- perhaps designed not to offend school boards but to keep parents and taxpayers in the dark -- is “ELA/Math APM” with APM meaning "aspirational performance measure".  

The Board of Regents press release of June 14 is here.

Data for Westchester County schools is tabulated by LoHud.com here.  State-wide data and by schools is available at the NYSED web site under Graduation Rate Data - June 14, 2011

Read the following news stories: June 14 in the New York Times, College-Readiness Low Among State Graduates, Data Show and June 14 in LoHud.com, N.Y. graduates not ready for college, according to new state standards.

See our earlier posts on this topic, Are Grads Ready For College? Somers High School Report Card - English Regents Exam [March 15, 2011] and Are Grads Ready For College? Somers High School Report Card - Math Regents Exam [March 30, 2011].

LINKS:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/pressRelease/20110614/GradRatesRelease-FINAL.2011.pdf

http://www.lohud.com/assets/htm/BH175618614.HTM

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/pressRelease/20110614/home.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/nyregion/37-of-new-york-graduates-meet-college-readiness-standard.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=sharonotterman&adxnnlx=1308421962-fqboLcW2IT/+7Akbx3nLRw

http://www.LoHud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011106150340

http://somersspectator.blogspot.com/2011/03/somers-high-school-report-card-english.html

http://somersspectator.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-grads-ready-for-college-somers-high.html

Somers Pepsi Workers Give Back to Community

From the Harrison Patch.  Pepsi Beverages Company [based in Somers, NY] is holding its fourth annual Gives Back Days Wednesday and Thursday, when Pepsi employees will volunteer at more than 20 charitable organizations in Westchester and Putnam counties and Connecticut.  
Joe Coussan, a spokesperson for PBC, said that approximately 500 employees will participate in various volunteer activities over the next two days.


Pepsi Beverages Company, the bottling division of PepsiCo, renewed its lease at its Somers headquarters in January, and Coussan said that has made this year's event even more pertinent.

Read the June 15, 2011 Harrison Patch story, Somers Pepsi Workers Give Back to Community.


LINKS:
http://harrison.patch.com/articles/somers-pepsi-workers-give-back-to-community

Antlers' Silberman Interviewed In Pitchfork

Peter Silberman, the founder of and creative force behind the indie band the Antlers, grew up in Somers, NY.  This week he is interviewed in Pitchfork for its 5-10-15-20  feature.  To read about the music Silberman, age 25, loved at five-year interval points in his life, check out  5-10-15-20: The Antlers' Peter Silberman in Pitchfork.

LINKS:

http://pitchfork.com/news/42860-5-10-15-20-the-antlers-peter-silberman/

Muscoot Farm Wins Heritage Advocate Award

Muscoot Farm on Route 100 in Somers, NY has received a Heritage Advocate Award, sponsored by Heritage Preservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  The institution will receive $3,750 in recognition of outstanding projects that educated the public about the risks faced by collections and the importance of appropriate care to protect these treasures.  

Muscoot Farm was originally a "Gentleman's Farm" founded by Ferdinand T. Hopkins in 1880 and operated as a dairy farm until Westchester County acquired the property in the late 1960s. Today, Muscoot Farm is a Westchester County Park that strives to preserve and interpret its agrarian past. Visitors may stroll through the original barns, visit with the animals, participate in educational programs or hike the many miles of trails. Admission is free to individuals and families.

For more information, see the Muscoot Farm web site.

LINKS:

http://www.muscootfarm.org/

Megan Doyle And Matt Carroll: One Of A Kind High School Seniors

Hats off to Matt Carroll and Megan Doyle, high school seniors at Somers High School.  They are two of 36 high school students in the Tri-County area featured for their “inspiring stories” in a series of articles in LoHud.com.  

Somers senior Matt Carroll is a skier and former football player who is very active in the community. Carroll works with developmentally disabled students at the high school; coaches in the Special Olympics; serves as a volunteer firefighter; and builds houses for Habitat for Humanity. 

Somers High School student Megan Doyle is partially deaf but has overcome her disability to inspire dozens of students through deaf education. As part of the district's WISE senior internship program, Megan uses sign language to mentor others, including developmentally disabled kids and preschool kids. Megan will major in Deaf Education and specialize in Autism at Radford University. 

Read the June 9 LoHud.com story, Matt Carroll, Somers High School.

Read the June 9 LoHud.com story, Megan Doyle, Somers High School.

Profiles and photos of all 36 senior are here.

LINKS:

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110612/ENTERTAINMENT/106120335/Matt-Carroll-Somers-High-School

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110612/ENTERTAINMENT/106120331/Megan-Doyle-Somers-High-School

http://www.lohud.com/section/ENTERTAINMENT&template=theme&theme=xgrads&keywords=standoutgraduates&title=Standout%20High%20School%20Graduates

IBM is 100

IBM is celebrating its 100th anniversary this week, having been incorporated in the state of New York on June 16, 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company. 

Although its corporate headquarters are in Armonk, the I.M. Pei designed office complex in Somers, NY is a significant part of its corporate empire and an important local presence in terms of jobs, local economic impact and community services.  

Two stories in LoHud.com on Sunday highlight the company’s corporate history and its launch of the computer revolution but say little about its local impact or history.  However, one article notes that since 2003, IBM employees have logged more than 199,000 hours of volunteer time in Westchester County.  

Not everyone is celebrating as layoffs are planned, notes a May story in the Poughkeepsie Journal and LoHud.com.  In the last few years, IBM has shed thousands of U.S. jobs, with many going to other countries, according to an article in WRAL Tech Wire. 

Read the LoHud.com stories, IBM's risks, research changed the world and IBM changed the world, then changed with it. The WRALtech wire story is New global union calls for IBM to 'respect' workers' rights.

LINKS:

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110612/NEWS01/106120384/IBM-changed-world-then-changed-it?odyssey=mod|lateststories

http://www.LoHud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011106120383

http://wraltechwire.com/business/tech_wire/news/blogpost/9712730/

Candella Systems Receives LEED Award From Green Building Council

Lighting company Candella Systems in Somers, NY, was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.  State Assemblyman Steve Katz presented the certification plaque June 3 at the company’s headquarters on Route 202, according to a June 10, Westfair Online report. Candella Systems develops and installs energy-efficient commercial and industrial lighting systems and employs about 40 persons. In addition to the Somers headquarters, it has satellite offices in Georgia and Puerto Rico.  

LINKS:
http://westfaironline.com/2011/14046-politics-and-policy-8/
http://www.candelasystems.com/lighting/index.php

Aging Actors On Stage in Somers

From the Daily Somers:
“We’re a theater group like no other,” said John Gee, president of the Heritage Hills Community Theater in Somers. “Our community is unique. The average age of our actors is late 70’s.”
Heritage Hills began in the 1970‘s as a development for “over-50’s.” Although the criterion no longer applies, many residents are retirees.
The group performs twice a year. The current play is “Morning’s At Seven,” produced on Broadway three times beginning in 1939. The Heritage Hills production proves that the play is still charming and relevant. The story of four midwestern sisters who are neighbors has garnered nearly two dozen theater awards over the years.



Read the complete story posted on June 11 in the Daily Somers, Aging Actors Fulfill Dreams on Stage in Somers.



LINKS:
http://www.thedailysomers.com/news/aging-actors-fulfill-dreams-stage-somers

Fake Letter And Email Dispute Dogs Senator Ball

Staff to State Senator Greg Ball, whose 40th District includes Somers, NY, are embroiled in a controversy about an alleged doctored thank you note and fake email addresses, according to news reports.  A June 9 Lewisboro Ledger editorial does not mince words, saying the staff members involved are liars and bullies:

If you were thinking of re-electing state Senator Greg Ball, 40th District, to a second term next fall, think again.

Rumored to be something of a bully behind closed doors, the Republican state senator’s office clearly followed his lead over the past week when it tried to push around a South Salem resident following some questionable practices the office employed in handling her letter that praised the senator for helping her daughter.

The Ledger, and other news organizations, were sent a letter supposedly from Robyn Fields for print that heaped praise on the senator. After it was published, Ms. Fields and her husband, Robert, were understandably appalled to see such personal medical information about their daughter in print. It was then that The Ledger discovered the senator’s office created an e-mail account in Ms. Fields’ name from which to send the letter to newspapers to make it appear legitimate. Making matters worse for Sen. Ball’s office, the Fieldses adamantly and repeatedly denied ever giving permission for the senator to have the letter sent to the press.

Soon after, Sen. Ball and two of his staffers called and apologized to the Fieldses for having the letter sent out. And that could have been the end of it.

But that’s not Sen. Ball’s style. Rather then admitting any fault, the senator’s office fought back, releasing multiple statements contradicting the Fieldses’ claims. They said they had permission to both send the letter and create an e-mail address in her name.
Their side of the story seemed dubious from the start — and even more so after seeing how distraught Ms. Fields was by having her daughter brought into this situation. 
*  *  *
Surely, the higher-ups at Sen. Ball’s office and the senator himself would privately admit defeat, fire or at least suspend a staffer to take the fall for this one, issue an apologetic statement and move on, right? But no, they continued the fight — amazingly even after it was revealed that a taped phone conversation had a staffer admit multiple times that the senator’s office did not have permission from the Fieldses to do anything with the letter and badgered them to retract their comments from the press in order to “suppress the story,” a request, the staffer said, that came from Sen. Ball himself.
* * *

------------
Read the full editorial at LewisboroLedger.com, Editorial: Foul Ball. A story is in the Southeast-Brewster Patch, Ball Staffer Responds to Letter and Fake Email Dispute and in a blog of the New York Daily News, Report: State Sen. Greg Ball's Office Created Fake Constituent Email Accounts: UPDATED x 2.

LINKS:
http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/lewisboroledger/opinion/columns/96071-editorial-foul-ball.html

http://southeast.patch.com/articles/ball-staffer-responds-to-letter-and-fake-email-dispute
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/06/report-state-sen-greg-balls-office-created-fake-constituent-email-accounts-upd

State Senator Ball To Address Town Board

The Town Board of Somers, NY meets Thursday June 9 for a regular meeting.  State Senator Greg Ball will address the Town Board.  He is expected to update the Town on issues in the state capitol.  
Senator Ball's staff is currently embroiled in controversy regarding a doctored thank you note and fake email addresses, as reported in LoHud.com and the LewisboroLedger.com.  As is typical, the apparent cover up is worse than the alleged misconduct.  


See the complete agenda here. A portion is below.

II. ROLL CALL: 

 Senator Greg Ball  

III. PUBLIC HEARING:   

1 - Chapter 77 of the Code: Building Unsafe -  

      continuation. 

2.  Proposed revision of §150-13M Expiration of  

      Conditions Approval of the Town Code to  

      comport with NYS Law 

LINKS:
http://www.LoHud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011106070318
http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/lewisboroledger/news/localnews/95894-sen-balls-chief-of-staff-makes-statements-despite-evidence-to-the-contrary-regarding-letter-controversy.html
http://www.somersny.com/Pages/SomersNY_TownBoardAgendas/tbagenda6-9-11.pdf

Somers Relay For Life A Great Success

From the ExaminerNews.com:  The Somers, NY community came out in droves to the inaugural Relay for Life held at Somers Middle School last night [June 3].  Hundreds attended and raised more than $100,000 for the American Cancer Society, a total that obliterated the targeted $50,000 goal.  Read more in the June 4 story by Faith Ann Butcher in the ExaminerNews.com,Inaugural Somers Relay for Life a Success.

LINKS: http://www.theexaminernews.com/2011/06/inaugural-somers-relay-for-life-a-success/

Ground Breaking For New St. Joseph's Church In Somers

Artistic rendering of the the St. Joseph's Parish complex,which
 will include church, social hall and priests' residences

Pastor Monsignor James R. Moore officially broke ground for the new St. Joseph's Catholic Church last Tuesday, May 31.  Bishop Dominick Lagonegro D.D., Episcopal Vicar of Northern Westchester and Putnam, blessed the grounds.  The new church will be located on Plumbrook Road, on the campus of Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, NY.  Fifty members of the community, including priests, parishioners, and town officials attended the ceremony, according to a news story at NCNLocal.com.  That news site also reports that the fate of the old St. Joseph's church in Croton Falls is still undetermined. Seating in the new church will accommodate 800 people. The existing building holds 199. 


For more on the ground breaking and the new buildings as well as photos, see the updated June 3 story by Kathleen Fitzpatrick Maffetone in NCNLocal.com, Ground breaking and blessing for new St. Joseph's Church.
The artistic rendering of the new church is from the June 2009 newsletter at the web site of DCAK-MSA  Architecture 

LINKS:
http://ncnlocal.com/ncnlocal_living/living_articles/article_ca0e173c-8c8d-11e0-a710-001cc4c002e0.html
http://www.DCAK-MSA.com/
http://sas-inc.net/Sacredartstudio/june2009.1.htm

SEPTA’s Second Annual Awards Ceremony

The Somers Special Education PTA (“SEPTA”) will hold its Second Annual Awards Ceremony on Wednesday June 8th at the Somers Intermediate School. SEPTA will honor Patricia Sheehy and Theresa Reda with Awards of Excellence and Merit. In addition,the organizations plans to celebrate the careers of Doris Smith and George Ferrigno with recognition awards . Details are below or email SEPTA at SEPTA@SomersPTACouncil.org. 

"Stephanie Day" At King Kone On Sunday

King Kone is raising money for the Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Fund on Sunday June 5th. According to the Facebook post linked at King Kone: 

King Kone is having their 2nd annual benefit day for Stephanie's mission. All proceeds from that day will help support and fulfill the foundation. Please come and show your support for this great cause!


As many recall, Stephanie Crispinelli, a 19 year-old college sophomore from Somers, NY, was in Haiti helping orphans when she died in the earthquake on January 12, 2010.  Her mission lives on through the Stephanie Crispinelli Humanitarian Fund. Its Facebook page is here.  Ms. Crispinelli worked at King Kone the summer before she died. 


See our January 2011 post, Teen's Death in Haiti Remembered; Her Mission Lives On.

LINKS:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174168675974437
http://www.facebook.com/pages/King-Kone-Somers-NY/113407982013779
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stephanie-Crispinelli-Humanitarian-Fund/125526410818169

Somers Rotary Inspires High School Writers From Inner-City And Suburbia

A book launch party was held last week at Somers High School, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Somers, NY.  The book -- On My Mind 2011 --  brings together the writings of suburban and inner-city high school students.  Somers and Kennedy Catholic High School students participate as well as a Rockland County suburban school.  This year the three inner-city high schools are from the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens. The student writers celebrated together at the book launch.   
The New York Times raved about the writing and the concept in the project’s first year, saying: 

Still, when a busload of kids and parents from Brooklyn head for the green glades of northern Westchester tonight to celebrate a collection of writing by high school students from Brooklyn and Westchester, they'll also celebrate a great idea that goes far beyond words on a page. And even if their separate planets, 50 miles and many galaxies apart, fully align for only one night, that's one more than most of them would ever have experienced without it.
The collection, ''On My Mind: Student Writings from Somers and Brooklyn, New York,'' bears the unlikely imprint of the Rotary Club of Somers ... . The club wanted to do a project about literacy, and what began as a local effort with Somers High School and John F. Kennedy Catholic High School soon came to include [two schools] in Brooklyn ... .  And before long, a modest idea turned into a handsome book and quite a remarkable effort to bridge the void between poor and rich, urban and suburban, in a way that almost never occurs.
The book is available for purchase by mail for a suggested donation of $11 (postage included) by writing to:
The Somers Rotary Foundation
PO Box 561 
Somers, NY 10589
The web site for the Rotary Club in Somers is here.  See On My Mind 2011 book launch photos.   


Read the New York Times story, Our Towns; Worlds Apart, But Bound In Softcover.  A blog post by Barbara Nackman about the 2011 project and book launch party is at LoHud.com at Somers Rotary publishes student writings.


LINKS:
http://somersrotary.club.officelive.com/default.aspx
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D03E7D71F3EF932A05756C0A9609C8B63
http://northernwestchester.lohudblogs.com/2011/06/01/somers-rotary-publishes-student-writings/

Isaac Shelby: Somers High School Valedictorian

For Somers High School valedictorian Isaac Shelby Valedictorian: "It's not about me." His speech is not yet ready but he wants it to be about the "250 of us who have gone through 12 years of school together. We've all had unique experiences. I want to take some of those and share them," according the story in the Daily Somers.  The article has this as its lead paragraphs:

Somers High School Valedictorian Isaac Shelby loves learning -- both as a verb and a noun. 

Isaac described his father as a computer geek and his mother as a professional tutor. "They taught me that learning is fun," he said. Between the influence of his parents and the great teachers he encountered at Somers High, he has come to treasure both the experience of learning and the information he accumulates along the way.  

Read the entire June 1 story by Katherine Pacchiana in the Daily Somers digital newspaper, Somers Valedictorian: "It's not about me."

LINKS:
http://www.thedailysomers.com/schools/somers-valedictorian-its-not-about-me

Library Events In June

In addition to teen and kids activities, the Library in Somers, NY has events for adults in June.  Here are listings from the June online newsletter.  Most notable is the annual meeting of the Friends of the Somers Library on June 18th, which features a talk by murder mystery author, Evelyn David. Check the Somers Library web site for current info or call the Library at 914-232-5717.

►One-on-One Computer Class for Adults. By appointment only. Learn how to use the mouse, learn basic Internet skills, or learn how to use Email.    ►June 6 from 9:00am - 3:00pm. AARP Defensive Driving Course. $12 for AARP members (write membership number on check), $14 for non-members. Call library to register. Your check confirms your registration.   ►June 12 at 2:00pm. Sunday Concert Series Featuring Dmitri Kolesnik. Russian bassist/composer Dmitri Kolesnik is a promising talent who is well-versed in both hard bop and post-bop, and is a firm fixture on the jazz scene in New York.Sponsored by the Friends of Somers Library. ►June 18 at 1:00pm. Annual Friends of Somers Library Meeting. Join us for light refreshments and a special visit by local author Evelyn David. Evelyn is the author of Murder Off the Books and Murder Takes the Cake, as well as the Brianna Sullivan e-book mysteries.       ►June 20 at 6:00pm. Roth IRA: Using Your Retirement Accounts to Maximize Your Income. Learn about traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and Roth Conversions as well as other retirement accounts. Find out about the rules and restrictions for retirement accounts as well as how to invest the accounts and plans for withdrawals. Presented by Larry Luxenberg.

LINKS:

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs007/1102662661497/archive/1105465697055.html

The Daily Somers Is Online

The Daily Somers, an online newspaper, started publishing yesterday, a day ahead of the announced date of June 1.  The web site is www.thedailysomers.com.   The publisher Main Street Connect ("MSC") recently rolled out online sites for 12 towns in Westchester County, down from the 31 announced in March. Since 2010, MSC has online sites for 10 towns in Fairfield County, CT.


LINKS:
http://www.thedailysomers.com/

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King Kone: One Of The Best For Ice Cream

 Once again, King Kone in Somers, NY makes the grade as one of the area's Top Ice Cream Shops, according to the Bedford-Katonah Patch.  Here's the scoop: 

Best Road-Side Shops
King Kone (109 Route 100, Katonah).  Opened since 1953, King Kone offers its customers a big dose of nostalgia along with a choice of 18 hand-dipped flavors, frozen yogurt, milk shakes, and vanilla and chocolate soft serve. 


Read the Patch story by Ali Jackson-Jolley, The Frozen Scoop: The Best Ice Cream Shops.  King Kone earned best of Northern Westchester in 2010 in the Small Bites blog of LoHud.com.  See our blog post from August 2010, King Kone -- Best of Northern Westchester.



LINKS:
http://bedford.patch.com/articles/the-frozen-scoop-the-best-ice-cream-shops#comments