Hudson Valley Uncensored

Navigating the Baby Formula Shortage Crisis with Dr. Rodd Stein

Halston Media — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 03:30:00 -0400

Joining Brett Freeman on the show today is Dr. Rodd Stein. Dr. Stein is a pediatrician with Northern Westchester Hospital, and is a graduate of the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. Today, Dr. Stein discusses the baby formula shortage being experienced nationally and offers his expertise on what nursing mothers can do to keep their babies healthy in the midst of this crisis.

Dr. Stein explains the current situation with the baby formula shortage and how he has seen less cases locally. He strongly advises that mothers should not attempt to create their own formulas by following online recipes. He also offers his recommendation that nursing mothers who are struggling to get formula should try breastfeeding and seek resources from both their pediatricians and local hospitals. Listen in today to access valuable advice from a trusted professional regarding this extremely important topic.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

The impact of the present baby formula shortage crisis
Why mothers should not attempt creating their own formulas
Resources for struggling mothers who are nursing
The warning signs of malnutrition in babies

Quotes:

“Moms are struggling to obtain baby formula.”

“The Academy of Pediatrics says don't make your own formula, we have enough resources and things we can do to help keep your baby healthy, without you having to make formula based on recipes online.”

“The other thing they say not to do is to try and stretch out your formula by diluting what you have. That's a definite 'no'. It can lead to electrolyte imbalances in your baby, which can lead to really severe health issues.”

“Allergies to breast milk are not very common. There are babies who will have problems with breast milk, but that's usually because they have a milk sensitivity.”

Show Links:

Halston Media Group website

05/26/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Thu, 26 May 2022 03:30:00 -0400

On this week’s episode of Hudson Valley Uncensored, host Brett Freeman is joined by regulars Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, plus Carol Reif, managing director of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and reporters Whit Anderson, Gino De Angelis, and Sophia Caselnova. First up, Marschhauser reports on the Board of Education elections in Lakeland, Yorktown, and Katonah Lewisboro. As predicted, the incumbents reigned supreme, despite challenges from grassroots groups who disapprove of what the board has been doing. In response, Marschhauser and Freeman discuss the incumbents’ power as representatives of stability and the status quo. Dumas also has an update on the school board elections in Mahopac, where there was some controversy with anti-vaxxers but which ended with a win for the more moderate candidates. The bigger news in Dumas’ area is that the Manhattan school budget failed to pass by eight votes. The school district can put it back up, but if they end up going to austerity, they may have to cut programs, including sports and after-school activities. Dumas is also looking into an unconfirmed story about a sexual assault at a business in Carmel, with the police making an arrest over the weekend.

North Salem and Somers have also been holding school board elections, and Reif reports on the results there. She also mentions that the Somers Record will be covering career day at Lincoln Hall and reports that Quantico Elementary School’s principal will be retiring, triggering a year of transition as the district’s superintendent is also retiring in 2023. Reif then reports that the HyGrade in Croton Falls—a revamped deli/grocery store that will serve food, coffee, and beer—may finally be opening in a couple of weeks. There’s also a contentious story coming out of Mount Kisco over a cell tower that may or may not be sited in Leonard Park—the town’s only park—with people questioning if this will actually benefit people who own cell phones in the area. Next, Anderson jumps in with more school board voting from Bedford, where the three incumbents whose terms were ending chose not to run again. Anderson suggests that’s not a coincidence but is likely because of the special education scandal that’s been going on. In addition, Bedford’s school budget got overwhelmingly approved along with two bonds. De Angelis then has a story from the Lewisboro Planning Board about a subdivision development in Vista that’s been frequently delayed. There was a point of contention about letting it go to a public hearing, but this was outvoted, and it will be discussed in the next meeting on June 15. Caselnova then reports that Yorktown Town Board is working with the local food alliance to launch a baby formula drive in response to the widespread shortages, and Reif mentions the Westchester Formula Finders, an organization that searches for baby formula and lets people know where they can access it. Finally, in last week’s episode, the group teased a story about a big business shutting down in Somers; this week, they reveal that the business is The Mexican Shack, a jewelry and gift store run by Somers icon Steve Delzio, which will be closing after forty-seven years of business.

Episode Highlights:

Joining Brett today are two editors from the Halston Media team—Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times. Also present are Carol Reif, managing director of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and reporters Whit Anderson, Gino De Angelis, and Sophia Caselnova.
Marschhauser reports on the Board of Education elections in Lakeland, Yorktown, and Katonah Lewisboro, where, as predicted, the incumbents reigned supreme. This despite facing challenges from grassroots groups who disapprove of what the school board has been doing, including those who are ardently opposed to Critical Race Theory. In response, Marschhauser and Freeman discuss the incumbents’ power as representatives of stability and the status quo.
Dumas also has an update on the school board elections in Mahopac, where there was some controversy with anti-vaxxers but which ended with a win for the more moderate candidates.
However, the bigger news in Dumas’ area is that the Manhattan school budget failed to pass by eight votes. The school district can put it back up, having lost by so little, but if they end up going to austerity, they may have to cut programs, including sports and after-school activities. Dumas suggests that the vote may have been more the result of discontent among voters regarding taxes rather than the proposed increase itself.
Dumas is also looking into an unconfirmed story about a sexual assault at a business in Carmel, with the police making an arrest over the weekend.
North Salem and Somers have also been holding school board elections, and Reif reports on the results there, with North Salem avoiding controversy while Somers had a bit more of a contest despite being mostly free of politicking.
Reif also mentions that the Somers Record will be covering career day at Lincoln Hall, where representatives from different careers come in to talk to the kids about what they might want to do after school. She also reports that the Principal of Quantico Elementary School in North Salem, Mary Johnson, will be retiring, triggering a year of transition as the district’s superintendent, Dr. Freeston, is also going to be retiring in 2023.
Freeman takes a moment to praise Reif for this kind of story, which is vital to community journalism and deserves its space as much as the controversial stuff.
Reif also reports that the HyGrade in Croton Falls may finally be opening in as soon as two weeks. This revitalization of a former deli/grocery store will serve food, coffee, and beer and sits next to Parker Mercantile, the artisan general store that had its soft opening earlier in May.
There’s also a contentious story coming out of Mount Kisco over a cell tower that may or may not be sited in Leonard Park. Reif explains that it’s a complicated issue, and people are coming out of the woodwork to discuss it at village board meetings (at least seven at the last one, all of whom were against the tower). Some have been questioning if this will actually benefit people who own cell phones in the area, especially because Leonard Park is the only park in Mount Kisco.
Anderson jumps in with more school board voting from Bedford, where the three incumbents whose terms were ending chose not to run again. Anderson suggests that’s not a coincidence but is likely because of the special education scandal that’s been going on, meaning the three new board members are going to be entering a firestorm.
In addition, Bedford’s school budget got overwhelmingly approved along with two bonds.
In Somers, meanwhile, playoffs have started, and Anderson’s spent the week covering baseball and lacrosse games, promising a full sports section next week.
Next, De Angelis has a story from the Lewisboro Planning Board regarding a subdivision development in Vista that’s been delayed a lot. There was a point of contention about letting it go to a public hearing regarding where the water system should be plugged in, with two members of the board claiming that the public wouldn’t care that much and shouldn’t have that much input into it. However, they were outvoted, and it’s going to a public hearing in the next meeting on June 15.
De Angelis also reports that the Lakeland school board is certifying their voting results. Freeman points out that it’ll be interesting to see whether members of the two factions will be present and how the school board will incorporate the community feedback they’ve been getting.
Caselnova shares that Yorktown Town Board is working with the local food alliance to launch a baby formula drive in response to the widespread shortages. It will run until May 31, and you can donate at the town hall in Yorktown, St. Mary’s on Route Six and Mohegan Lake, or the First Presbyterian at the corner of 132 and 202. They’ll accept anything that people may have on their shelves, even if it’s recently expired.
Reif jumps in to mention the Westchester Formula Finders, an organization that searches for baby formula and lets people know where they can access it. The group then discuss the reasons behind the formula shortage.
In last week’s episode, the group teased a story about a big business shutting down in Somers. This week, it was officially revealed that the business is The Mexican Shack, a jewelry and gift store run by Somers icon Steve Delzio, which will be closing after forty-seven years of business.

Quotes:

“In Lakeland, the most contentious one of mine, where we had twelve candidates, we had two grassroots groups, factions ideologically opposed, you know, both thought the school board wasn’t doing a good enough job. And the incumbents reigned supreme.”

“People like stability in their schools, especially because it’s the value of their homes. A lot of people move to Yorktown and Lakeland because of their school standing. And, you know, this controversy at school board meetings, and I think they say, ‘Oh boy, you know, if people don’t want to come to our schools, that’s gonna hurt my home value.’ And I really think that plays a factor.”

“The ironic thing of it all, for me, anyway, was that it wasn’t an outlandish budget in that the proposed tax increase was less than 1%. It was like 0.7%. But people still voted it down anyway. I think it was more just like, people are just… if you read social media leading up to it, you got that there was a discontent amongst the district, just people are just tired of taxes.”

“That’s what community journalism is all about. You know, we kind of touch on some of the controversial stuff, but then we don’t disappear. We’re back for something like a career fair. And I think it’s wonderful that you’re doing that.”

“People love their cellphones, but they do not like cell towers.”

“How do they move this community forward? Without the divisiveness with, you know, incorporating some of the feedback they’ve heard? So I’m curious to see if the competing factions who lost show up tonight, and what their presence is moving forward at these meetings, if it’ll remain the same.”

“I don’t think it’s a wealth thing. I think, regardless of your level of affluence, moms and dads rely on formula. Even, you know, certainly even breastfeeding moms still rely on formula to help supplement the baby.”

“I’d love to have my dad on this show because he has a very strong opinion about what’s going on with baby formula.”

“That just sort of brings up a question—should we not be doing this regionally and finding out where in our areas there might be something like what she mentioned, you know, go to this church, go to this food pantry. Just saying, it seems like it’s a regional thing.”

“When I got engaged, I couldn’t afford that much. And in the year 2022, I still can’t afford that much. But Steve did a really nice job with doing a little enhancement with Lauren’s engagement ring. Very inexpensively, he did something where he kind of raised the stone and just made it look a little bit prettier than it was. So you know, Steve does magic with things.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

05/18/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Wed, 18 May 2022 03:30:00 -0400

On this week’s episode of Hudson Valley Uncensored, host Brett Freeman is joined by regulars Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News; and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, plus reporters Gino De Angelis, Whit Anderson, Sophia Caselnova, and Tom Bartley. The episode kicks off with an announcement about Halston Media’s new monthly publication, The Mount Kisco Bedford Times. Its coverage area includes Mount Kisco, Bedford, and Pound Ridge, and its first issue, out May 19, will cover the local fire departments’ new chiefs, Martha Stewart’s tag sale, and a community forum with Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. Then, in more Bedford news, we hear about a scandal involving photos of special ed students, the proposed budget for the next school year, and the Oak Ridge water treatment plant’s funding to expand its filtration system. Bartley also reports that Bedford is having second thoughts about opting out of allowing retail outlets to sell marijuana and discusses the reasons behind this U-turn.

Next, Caselnova jumps in with some Yorktown news, including the town board’s decision to invest $1.2 million in the community center and theater, the Relay for Life, and plans to build a haunted house property in the back of the JV mall. Marschhauser then takes the Yorktown baton to report on a lawsuit involving an attempt to stop property development on the former Soundview Prep School site. He also covers the school board elections, which have gotten pretty intense with disagreements over how the board handled the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion movement. Meanwhile, Dumas has a story about violin scammers in Mahopac—fake violinists who use pre-recorded music to cheat money out of passers-by—and some sad news about pets being abandoned now that people are returning to normal life post-pandemic. He also covers a heartwarming story about the late Judge James Reitz, a Mahopac icon, having a courtroom in Putnam Country Court named in his honor. And finally, we squeeze in some North Salem and Somers Town news, with Walogorsky reporting that Board of Education elections are happening there too and hinting at a mysterious story involving the retirement of a long-standing business that could be big news for local residents.

Episode Highlights:

Joining today are three editors from the Halston Media team— Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News; and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times.
Also present for this episode are reporters Gino De Angelis, Whit Anderson, Sophia Caselnova, and Tom Bartley.
On May 19, Halston Media is launching a new monthly publication called The Mount Kisco Bedford Times. Its coverage area includes Mount Kisco, Bedford, and Pound Ridge, and its first issue will include stories on the local fire departments’ new chiefs, Martha Stewart’s tag sale, and a community forum with Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney.
Richard Gere has sold his house in Pound Ridge for a large amount of money, so he will be leaving the Pound Ridge Community… but he’s moved to North Salem, so there’ll be no escaping Halston Media!
A major story has been happening in the Bedford Central school district involving photos of special ed students in the high school boys’ bathroom that were then distributed among the student body and on social media. The students’ parents were furious at the district’s response and are now going after the board, while the police are investigating and the district’s hiring a third party to investigate the incident at the administration.
Also in the Bedford area, there’s a proposed budget for the next school year that will be voted on May 17. This will include a universal pre-K program that the board just accepted the money for, but in order to move forward with it, there’s a lot of other logistics that need to be figured out.
Sean Patrick Maloney officially announced the Oak Ridge water treatment plant is getting $1.8 million to expand its filtration system in order to deal with elevated levels of chemical contaminant PFAS. The new system is expected to take two to three years to be put in.
May 21 will be Katonah’s 125th celebration of moving from Old Katonah to New Katonah. The residents of Old Katonah decided that rather than giving up their homes when New York City was going to flood them to make way for the Muscoot Reservoir, they would move them to the area now known as New Katonah.
Bartley reports that Bedford is having second thoughts about its decision to opt out of allowing local retail outlets to sell marijuana. They want to allow residents the chance to protest it and force a town-wide permissive referendum in November. There are three reasons behind this: 1) social justice—poor people and people of color have been penalized more than others by this law; 2) economics—marijuana outlets bring traffic to the town, which could benefit other merchants; 3) sales tax—Bedford would get a thirteen percent cut on sales tax on marijuana, so there’s the potential for huge revenues.
Caselnova has several stories happening in Yorktown, including the town board’s decision to invest $1.2 million in the community center and the Yorktown Stage Theater. She also reports on the Relay for Life happening Friday and plans to build a haunted house property in the back of the JV mall, including a haunted mansion, haunted toy store, and haunted hospital.
Marschhauser continues the Yorktown news with a story he’s covering about a lawsuit involving the overlay zones Yorktown approved last year. Overlay zones encourage mixed-use development by relaxing density and bulk requirements—in layman’s terms, buildings on this land can be bigger and have a larger footprint than they would under the normal zoning map.
One of the proposed developments was for 148 units on the former Soundview Prep School site, including a mix of townhouses, condos, and an apartment building, mostly senior housing. There have been objections from the start that this project would ruin this bucolic property, and a lawsuit has now been filed seeking to overturn the town board’s decision to approve these overlay zones, in effect killing the Underhill Soundview project.
Town Supervisor Matt Slater spoke to Marschhauser, stating that this is a baseless lawsuit that will cost the town money and that its organizers are standing in the way of progress. Marschhauser is working on getting a statement from the group that filed the lawsuit, which was formed by Trish Sullivan-Rothberg, who previously ran unsuccessfully for town council.
It’s school board election week in Yorktown and Lakeland, where there are a lot of grassroots candidates challenging the incumbents. The candidates have split into three factions, including two groups called “Lakeland Rise” and “United for Lakeland,” which respectively support and oppose the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion movement.
Dumas has been covering a story involving violin scammers in Mahopac—fake violinists who use electronic violins and pre-recorded music to convince people to give them money. Technically, they’re not doing anything illegal, but some store owners are irritated by their customers getting scammed and want a Buyer Beware story out there.
Dumas is also working on a profile about two dogs who have been slow to be adopted, which has a sad but interesting backstory. During the pandemic, adoptions went through the roof as isolated and lonely people got pets to keep them company. But now that people are getting back to normal life, the SPCA is having trouble getting pets adopted because people already have them, or worse, are either giving their pets back or just abandoning them.
Judge James Reitz, who passed away a couple of years ago, was an icon in Mahopac. He started the drug court in Putnam County, which gives drug offenders a chance to go to rehab rather than jail, which has been a remarkable success and used as a template by communities all across the country. Courtroom number 301 in the Putnam County Court will now be named after him, becoming the Judge James Reitz Courtroom.
Walogorsky reports that the Board of Education elections are also happening in North Salem and Somers. He also hints at another story in Somers with a long-standing business about to announce a retirement, but everybody will have to wait for May 19 to find out about it!

Quotes:

“It’s very exciting, it’s the proverbial rollercoaster feeling of starting up a new newspaper. This is actually the second time in my career that I’ve been part of a new publication launching. So it’s, you know, it’s definitely equal parts exciting and terrifying.”

“People know about Halston and what we do, and I think they’re generally excited to, you know, to have us be part of the communities, which is awesome to see.”

“I heard we made an enemy of David Letterman. That’s just, that’s not good.”

“We don’t seek out controversy. We don’t go on fishing expeditions. I know there’s some media outlets who go on fishing expeditions, trying to find controversial stories to talk about. That’s never been our approach. But at the same time, we don’t avoid controversy either. You know, I think it’s wrong to avoid controversy. Because when you avoid controversy, you’re not serving all the constituents in town.”

“There’s a very diverse crowd of people who seek out marijuana. And I’ll also tell you from my interview there, people choose that in lieu of narcotics. You know, people have pain management that they have to worry about. So anyway, I personally think—I know you’re the reporter, so you can’t give your opinion—I personally think Bedford is doing the right thing there.”

“This fall, they’re trying to build a haunted house property in the back of the JV mall in the parking lot. So it’s gonna be like a three-part thing. They’re gonna have a haunted mansion, a haunted toy store, and a haunted hospital. And it’s gonna be like, this big thing where you kind of walk through, but it’s all live. So it’s all actors, like, touching you, and coming up in your ear and being really creepy. But the town seemed pretty excited about that.”

“I don’t know if anyone follows Lakeland, but it kind of devolved into chaos a little bit. You know, accusations of racial epithets hurled at the superintendent and assistant superintendent, just a lot of shouting matches, things like that. It kind of got out of control. So they’re running because they just think the current board didn’t do a good enough job.”

“People tend to like controversy, free school board stuff, you know, they like to maintain the status quo. I think a lot of people, most people, avoid the noise of it and say, ‘Well, you know, my child’s getting a good education, I’m happy with the way things are run, so I vote for the school board budget, and I vote for the incumbents,’ it’s usually been the way it goes.”

“You know, when I hear austerity budget, I feel like I want to play the violin here. And I mean, it’s still an enormous budget, you know, and people’s taxes are still pretty damn high.”

“If you google it, you’ll see videos of these guys being confronted by real violin players who come up and go, ‘Hey, yeah, let’s jam. Let’s play together.’ And of course, the other people, the scammers can’t do anything. The problem is, technically, they’re not doing anything illegal. I mean, if you want to donate to a guy who’s doing karaoke violin, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“They could take the dog or the cat or whatever and bring it to the shelter and turn it back in. But what a lot of them are doing is just taking them out to some random neighborhood and letting them loose.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

03/28/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup and Dr. Paul Strombom on Colorectal Cancer Awareness

Halston Media — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Editorial Roundup and Dr. Paul Strombom on Colorectal Cancer Awareness

This week on Hudson Valley Uncensored, Brett Freeman has an interview with colon and rectal surgeon Dr. Paul Strombom from Phelps Hospital to talk about Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Then, later on in the episode, he also is joined by regulars Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times.

First up, Freeman is joined by Dr. Paul Strombom to discuss colorectal cancer and the importance of getting regular screenings. They start out by discussing the increase in colon cancer rates in the under-50s and the simultaneous decrease in the over-65s. Dr. Strombom says that there’s no obvious reason for the increase in younger patients, though diet and environment may be factors, but the decrease in older patients is down to better screening and the ability to remove pre-cancerous polyps during colonoscopies. He then reassures listeners that the colonoscopy process isn’t so bad (though the bowel prep process is a different matter) and that it’s the best way to prevent colon cancer, along with a healthy diet and quitting smoking. Freeman brings up the question of symptoms, and Dr. Strombom points out that many patients have no symptoms, which is why regular screening is so important in order to catch any problems early. He also addresses the higher rate of colon cancer in African Americans and explains that access to regular screening is a factor in this problem. The discussion then moves to what happens after a colonoscopy, Dr. Strombom explaining that polyps are sent to the pathologist to be tested and that the type and number of them will determine the regularity of your repeat colonoscopies, which can be anything from ten years to three months. And finally, they return to screenings, with Dr. Strombom explaining that while colonoscopy is the best type, there are other, less invasive procedures available, and the most important thing is to attend your annual screening of whatever type.

Following the interview ,Walogorsky has the big news out of Somers Town that Bill Faulkner is throwing his hat into the ring and running for Congress in the 16th District this fall. He’ll be taking on Jamal Bowman, who’s also going to be primarying Vedat Gashi, and Dumas joins in to say that he just interviewed a very confident Gashi, who took some shots at Bowman’s alignment with the Democratic Party’s views. In response, Freeman brings up the issue of President Biden’s stance on energy independence and says he’d be curious to see whether self-proclaimed “Biden Democrat” Gashi agrees with the President or not. Moving on, Marschhauser reports on some progress in Yorktown’s project to bring sewers to 315 homes, which had been held up by the county’s refusal to release funds for the project unless Yorktown signed up for the affordable housing code it repealed in 2016. After a six-month logjam, the county now seems to have backed off from its demand following the federal government’s recent approval of $1.2 million for the sewer project. Dumas then reports on a controversial change to Mahopac’s town board meetings, Supervisor Carrazi having decided to scrap the new business public comment sessions, causing upset among town members. Finally, Marschhauser and Walogorsky close this section of the episode with a roundup of what’s happening in their areas, including the opening of a new supermarket, a march in support of Ukraine, and the beginning of spring sports season.

Episode Highlights:

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, which aims to bring awareness of colon cancer and encourage people to get screened when necessary.
Rates of colorectal cancer are increasing among the under-50s but decreasing in people over 65. Dr. Strombom says there’s no official explanation for the increase in younger patients, though diet or environmental exposure may be involved. However, the decrease in older patients is due to better screening and the ability to not only diagnose colon cancer with a colonoscopy but also remove the polyps that can turn into colon cancer in the future.
The recommendation now is to start getting colonoscopies at age forty-five instead of fifty, as previously recommended.
Dr. Strombom explains that the actual colonoscopy process itself is not too bad—most people get some sedation and just take a thirty-minute nap—but admits the bowel prep is unavoidably unpleasant!
A healthy and balanced diet plays a role in decreasing the risk of any medical problems, including colon cancer, while smoking increases your risk. In the end, though, Dr. Strombom states that screening is the best thing that can be done to prevent colon cancer.
Some colon cancer patients may see a change in the quality of their bowel movements—possibly they’ve gotten thinner or more frequent—and some people have bleeding. Unfortunately, many patients have no symptoms at all, so it’s important to get screened and catch the cancer early, as these symptoms may indicate a more advanced cancer, which could be more difficult to cure.
African Americans have higher incidence rates and death rates from colon cancer, which is likely a multifactorial problem, including environmental factors and access to screening. There are several pushes to increase screening within the African American community to try to prevent these cancers from arising.
For those looking to donate money to support colorectal cancer patients, Dr. Strombom recommends the American Cancer Society, which has several great programs, including support for patients going through diagnosis and help with patient transport.
When polyps are removed during a colonoscopy, they’re sent to the pathologist for identification as either benign or pre-cancerous. If you have a bunch of non-benign polyps, that potentially changes the frequency of colonoscopies after your first one. Colonoscopies are not a one-and-done treatment; they’re something that continue up to the age of eighty.
Following a healthy colonoscopy, most people would usually get their next one in ten years, possibly seven if the quality is unsure. Once you start finding polyps, the frequency increases to every five years, possibly more if there are a lot of polyps. If there are so many polyps they can’t be removed in one treatment, you may have a repeat in three-to-six months with a longer time blocked out for the procedure.
When you have a diagnosis of colon cancer, you’ll receive some staging to see how advanced the cancer is, which usually consists of a CAT scan of your chest, abdomen, and pelvis, and then some bloodwork. If the cancer hasn’t spread anywhere else in your body, then the first treatment is surgery, which is potentially curative on its own.
Dr. Strombom points out that there are less invasive forms of screening out there for those who are hesitant about getting a colonoscopy and that getting annual screening done is the most important thing. However, he does say that colonoscopy is the best type of screening they have because they can remove polyps right there and then.

On today’s episode are three editors from the Halston Media team—Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News.
Walogorsky starts off with the big news out of Somers that Bill Faulkner has announced he’ll be throwing his hat in the ring and running for Congress in the 16th District this fall. He’s got the Republican and Conservative endorsements and will be looking to take on Jamal Bowman, the Democratic incumbent who’s also going to be primarying Vedat Gashi.
Dumas jumps in on this story to report that he just interviewed Gashi, who was very confident that the district’s in his favor and took some shots against Bowman, suggesting his views aren’t aligned with the Democratic Party.
Freeman also brings up Jen Psaki’s response to criticism of President Biden’s stance on energy independence and says that he’d be curious to hear more about what Faulkner and Gashi have to say on this issue and whether Gashi, who described himself as a “Biden Democrat,” agrees with the President’s approach.
Marschhauser reports that, in 2021, Yorktown was looking to move forward on a project to bring sewers to 315 homes and approached the county to access a ten million dollar fund set aside for this project. However, the county would only release those funds if Yorktown adopts the affordable housing code it repealed in 2016. A six-month stalemate ensued, but it looks like the county has now backed off, and Yorktown will be getting that ten million fund.
Marschhauser says that the federal government’s recent approval of $1.2 million for the sewer project has been cited as breaking the logjam. He quotes County Executive George Latimer as stating that protecting safe drinking water through the sewer project is too important to be used as leverage.
Mahopac News’ front-page story this week was on a change to town board meetings. Previously, there would be two public comment sessions, one for agenda items and one for new business, at which people could come up to the podium and talk. Dumas reports that Town Supervisor Michael Cazzari has now decided to scrap the new business sessions, which has provoked complaints, including by former Town Councilman Mike Borelli.
Marschhauser gives a quick update on news from his area, including Bedford welcoming a new branch of DeCicco & Sons on March 25, the Silver Jubilee celebration for Support Connection—a non-profit supporting those affected by breast and ovarian cancer—in Yorktown on April 1, and the beginning of spring sports season.
Walogorsky tells us about a March for Peace for Ukraine happening in North Salem on Sunday, March 27.
He also mentions that he’s excited about sports season, with the Tigers opening up lacrosse season on March 26.

Quotes:

“This is our month to encourage people to get out and do their screenings as necessary, and just bring a little bit awareness to colon cancer, and make sure people are getting the right care.”

“One of the good things about colon cancer screening is that not only can you diagnose colon cancer by getting a colonoscopy, but you can actually improve it by removing the polyps that are the little growths that can turn into a colon cancer in the future.”

“I think the thing that most people probably dread or fear the most is the bowel prep itself, which is a little unpleasant. You’re drinking a bunch of liquids to make you go to the bathroom, and just most of the day on the toilet can be unpleasant. There’s not really any way around it, unfortunately, because we do have your colon as cleaned out as possible so that we can see these little growths and take them out and prevent them from turning into something more concerning.”

“A lot of patients won’t have any symptoms at all. And that’s why we want to catch these early because if you are having symptoms, it may mean some more advanced cancer. It may be more difficult to cure.”

“If you have a bunch of polyps that are the kind that we worry about, that potentially changes the frequency of colonoscopies after your first one. The point is colonoscopy’s not a one-and-done, and you’re free for the rest of your life. It’s something that we continue to do, really up until the age of eighty.”

“When you have a diagnosis of colon cancer, we do some staging, meaning we check to see how advanced the colon cancer is. And that usually consists of a CAT scan of your chest, abdomen, and pelvis, and then some blood work. And if it hasn’t shown, spread anywhere else in your body, then the first treatment really is surgery, and that’s potentially curative on its own.”

“There are several other types of screening out there, especially for people who are hesitant about getting a colonoscopy. I’d still say the colonoscopy is the best that we have because we can remove the polyps that we find at the time. But in the end, it’s important to just get annual screening.”

“He took some shots at Bowman, doesn’t think his views are aligned to the Democratic Party. He cited his vote against Biden’s infrastructure bill, his vote against relief to the Ukraine, his constant use of the defund the police movement, which Vedat says he does not support.”

“He called himself a centrist Democrat, kind of like a Biden Democrat.”

“It’s interesting that Vedat Gashi said he’s a centrist Democrat, like Joe Biden, because I do feel like Joe Biden has kind of gone to the left. I mean, he spent much of his career, I think, in the center, but kind of gone left as a president. So I’m curious what that means.”

“More than a decade ago, the New York City DEP set aside ten million for this project. The county controls the allocation of this fund. So now herein lies the disputes, you know, the town said, 'Okay, we want that ten million bucks to, you know, bring sewers to Yorktown.' And the county said, 'Well, great, adopt that affordable housing code, and we can talk.'”

“I don’t think they were necessarily aware of that business being tied up over this affordable housing fee when they approved the money. I think it was just they saw this as an infrastructure project. And they were putting money toward it. I don’t think they’re necessarily taking sides in the affordable housing debate.”

“I guess Supervisor Cazzari’s position is that people can contact him and the town board members directly, you know, via email or phone calls. And so it doesn’t need to be raised at a meeting.”

“Under Schmidt’s administration, these things could spiral out of control, and there was some circus-like atmosphere. And Cazzari is trying to control that. But, you know, some people aren’t happy with this particular approach.”

“It’s spring sports season. You know, I love spring sports. I love being outside, getting the fresh air, and, you know, attending some lacrosse games or whatnot.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

13/14/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 03:30:00 -0400

On this week’s episode of Hudson Valley Uncensored, host Brett Freeman is joined by some new guests—Jessica Einterz, reporter for The Katonah Lewisboro Times and Yorktown News, and Whit Anderson, reporter for The Somers Record and North Salem News. Also joining them are regulars Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News; and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times.

New reporter Einterz starts us off with a story she’s working on about the rise in gas prices, and the group discusses the impact on local businesses and families as well as how politics always finds its way into such discussions. Then we have a slew of positive local news, starting with Halston Media’s very own Corinne Stanton winning the Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year and Somers resident Steve Wilson climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the second time, this time after donating one of his kidneys. Meanwhile, Walogorsky reports on two local groups in Salem collecting medical supplies for Ukraine, and Einterz tells us about her interview with a food truck owner who uses a community-minded pay-what-you-want business model.

Turning to more dramatic news, Anderson reports on Somers resident Vicenzo Fidanza, who was arrested on March 1 by the New York State Police for multiple felony drug and weapons charges. Included in Fidanza’s cache was over twenty pounds of cocaine and over 1,500 grams of amphetamines, and he was in possession of an AK-47; he was denied bail and remains in custody. The group then moves on to politics, with Matt Slater’s confirmation that he is seeking the assembly nomination for District 94 and Vedat Gashi officially announcing that he’s running for Congress, as well as rumors that Michael Grace is running for Lieutenant Governor. Walogorsky then follows up on a story about a brick being thrown through the window of the State Trooper barracks in Somers and the helicopter chase that followed, resulting in the arrest of a nineteen-year-old who is now facing second-degree criminal mischief charges. And we finish up with a preview of Walogorsky’s upcoming interview with a MasterChef Junior contestant from South Salem and a discussion of whether Gordon Ramsay yells at kids or if he keeps his temper just for adults.

Episode Highlights:

Two new Halston Media staff join today’s roundup—Jessica Einterz, reporter for The Katonah Lewisboro Times and Yorktown News, and Whit Anderson, reporter for The Somers Record and North Salem News.
Also present today are three editors from the Halston Media team—Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News.
Einterz has been working on a story about the rise in gas prices, and the group discusses the impact of this on shipping prices, grocery prices, and businesses and families.
For the first time in two years, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns to Mahopac on Sunday, March 13. It’s the third-largest St Patrick’s Day parade in the state of New York, and this year’s Grand Marshall is Eddie McDowell from Atlanta Southeast.
Mahopac News’ own Corinne Stanton, one of our sales executives, has been named Business Person of the Year by the Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce. Mahopac News will be doing a feature on Corinne this week, for which Bob will be interviewing Michael Celestino, CEO of the Chamber, to get the scoop on why they chose her.
Four years ago, a Somers resident called Steve Wilson climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Two years ago, he donated a kidney to a stranger in a completely selfless act. On March 10, Walogorsky reports, Mr. Wilson made it back to the top of Kilimanjaro as part of a group called The Kidney Donor Athletes, who aim to prove you can donate a kidney and still live a very active, healthy life.
Two local groups in North Salem—the North Salem Ambulance Corps and Animal Embassy (an environmental education group)—have joined forces for a drive to collect medical supplies to aid Ukraine.
A story that recently blew up on the Halston Facebook page was Einterz’s interview with Lyle Puente, owner of Put Some Meat on Your Bones food truck in the Jefferson Valley area. Lyle runs his business on a pay-what-you-want model, which means people who may not be able to pay so much don’t have to worry about being judged when they come to the truck. Lyle admits people take advantage of this and that he makes only about fifty percent of what he should, but he cares more about helping the community than making a profit.
Anderson reports on the explosive story of forty-year-old Somers resident Vicenzo Fidanza, who was arrested on March 1 by the New York State Police for multiple felony drug and weapons charges. Some of the drugs found included over twenty pounds of cocaine and over 1,500 grams of amphetamines, while Fidanza had an AK-47 with him. Fidenza’s attorney requested in court that he not be remanded for his violation of parole, but that was denied, so he remains in custody.
Off the back of this, the group discusses search and seizure rights for those on probation and the drug problem in the Somers community.
Marschhauser jumps in with a report on Matt Slater’s confirmation that he is seeking the assembly nomination for District 94. Slater is currently the Town Supervisor for Yorktown, a job he started in January 2020—he says he wasn’t planning on seeking higher office so soon, but with Kevin Byrne vacating that seat, the timing was just right for him to go for it.
The group then discuss their opinions on Matt Slater and the potential impact his role change might have on the Republican Board, especially after the chaos in Bedford last year when Chris Burdick was elected to the Assembly.
Vedat Gashi officially confirmed that he’s running for Congress in the 16th Congressional District against Jamal Bowman. Meanwhile, rumor has it that former Yorktown Supervisor Michael Grace is running for Lieutenant Governor alongside Rob Astorino, the longshot candidate for the Republican nomination.
Walogorsky follows up on the story from February about a brick being thrown through the window of the State Trooper barracks in Somers, ending up with a helicopter pursuit through the town. The perpetrator turned out to be a nineteen-year-old who was arrested and is now facing second-degree criminal mischief charges.
Walogorsky will be interviewing a little boy named McLean, who’s from South Salem and is going to be on MasterChef Junior.

Quotes:

“We’ve tried to gauge reactions from our Facebook page. But unfortunately, all the comments so far are inappropriate or just F Joe Biden, which isn’t something we can really publish.”

“She worked hard for our clients. She worked hard for the business community. She’s been volunteering for the Mahopac Chamber for many years. And, you know, so it’s definitely well-deserved.”

“Very cool thing coming out of Somers: gentleman named Steve Wilson, four years ago, Mr. Wilson climbed Mount Kilimanjaro out in Africa. Two years ago, he donated a kidney to a complete stranger, just, you know, selfless act, just the right thing to do and everything. And actually, this morning, Thursday, March 10, he is back at the summit of Kilimanjaro.”

“I just think it’s great that even on like a hyper-local focus, there are still people putting in the effort to try to help out with what’s going on over there.”

“He has admitted that people do take advantage of it. And that he makes about fifty percent what he actually should, but he doesn’t care about the profit. He just cares about helping the community.”

“I’ve known Lyle for years now. I did actually a story on him four or five years ago. My wife recommended him, and that’s where I learned all this crazy stuff about him. You know, my favorite fact is that he was in the music video for The Weeknd ‘In the Night.’ He was, yeah, he was in the entertainment business as like, you know, a snake handler for Madonna.”

“It’s just a little jarring to see somebody, I’m sure, being frog-marched off in handcuffs.”

“I personally like Matt Slater more as a politician than when he worked for politicians. You know, I think when he worked for, you know, when he was an employee of Senator Murphy, you know… Let me put it this way. He definitely was a good employee in the sense that he advocated for his boss.”

“Usually, when you hear about, you know, helicopter chases, it raises some eyebrows.”

“I’m just saying I got as many angles as I could of a boarded-up door.”

“This guy is allegedly a special kind of stupid because if you’re gonna commit vandalism against the State Trooper barracks, they’re gonna, you know, be pretty motivated to find out who did it.”

“I’ve never watched the adult version of this show. Is this the one where, like, Gordon Ramsay screams at you? He’s very nice to kids. But I didn’t imagine he would be screaming at the children.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

New York State Senator Pete Harckham

Halston Media — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Today, host Brett Freeman is joined by a very special guest, Senator Pete Harckham of the 40th Senate district in the state of New York. The Senator is here to answer questions on topics ranging from bail reform to his bill on ADUs to redistricting in NYC. Joining Brett in asking the questions are Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News. Our first question is on bail reform and the pushback it’s been getting. Senator Harckham responds that the bail reform bill does need to be revised—in fact, he was one of those leading the fight to revise it—but we also need to address the root causes of violence and help all communities to develop the determinants of safe communities, like access to employment and world-class healthcare. The discussion then turns to the Senator’s bill on Accessory Dwelling Units and his goal to use ADUs as a low-impact way of addressing the lack of affordable housing in areas like Northern Westchester. Walogorsky then asks about the rise in opioid overdoses during the pandemic and what the Senator, in his role as Chairman of the Committee of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, thinks about the legalization of marijuana in New York State. Senator Harckham responds that the opioid crisis is down to many factors, including the stress of the pandemic and the presence of fentanyl in the drug chain, and says that one of the key factors in dealing with the crisis is the regulation of recovery houses. He also speaks on the thinking behind the legalization of marijuana and where the revenue from it will go.

Next, Marschhauser has a question about the state of the New York economy and the spate of big-box retailers leaving vacancies when they go bust, and the Senator discusses the changes in retail as a result of the growth in delivery services and online stores, suggesting that while mom-and-pop stores will likely survive, the era of big-footprint retail may be over. The conversation then moves to the rise in energy prices, with the Senator outlining legislation he’s drafting to ensure energy customers aren’t hit with huge, unexpected bills, as well as the decommissioning of the Indian Point nuclear plant and the future for nuclear energy in New York State. Dumas then brings up the issue of redistricting in NYC, and Senator Harckham explains the reasons behind the changes and the impact they will have on his own district. And finally, the Senator addresses the controversial move to include race as one of the criteria for COVID therapeutics, stating that while there is a need to reassure the black and brown communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic that they will not be forgotten, there is no rationing being implemented and no shortage of therapeutics in New York State.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join today’s roundup: Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News.
Senator Harckham was elected to the New York State Senate in November 2018 and represents several different towns in Hudson Valley, including the towns of Beekman, Pawling, Carmel, Patterson, and Southeast.
There’s been some pushback on bail reform from people in law enforcement, among others. Senator Harckham agrees that the first version of bail reform was not perfect—in fact, he was one of the people who led the fight to revise it—and points out that we really need to address the root causes of violence, including the easy proliferation of guns and the starvation of the behavioral and mental health systems.
Senator Harckham also points out some of the determinants of safe communities, including great schools with robust after-school programs, access to employment, great transportation, and world-class healthcare.
Senator Harckham’s bill regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) was removed from Governor Kathy Hochul’s local budget, but the Senator tells us that’s a good thing because it removes the time-crunch and allows him to ensure the bill is done right.
He says that the ADU bill is a low-impact way of addressing the situation where many people, including seniors, young people, and members of the workforce can’t afford to live in areas like Northern Westchester by creating affordable housing.
One option is to grandfather in the good ADU laws from communities like Bedford, North Castle, and Lewisboro. Senator Harckham also says he’ll be looking at incentives for municipalities, as well as a minimum floor that they would need to meet.
Senator Harckham is the Chairman of the Committee of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, and Walogorsky asks what’s next for his work in that role, including his thoughts on marijuana being legal in the state of New York and the rise in opioid overdoses during the pandemic.
The Senator says several factors are to blame for the rise in overdoses, including the stress and isolation of the pandemic and the presence of fentanyl in the drug supply. He says that a big part of the response needs to be about harm reduction and getting people into treatment, which will be helped by increased budgets for harm reduction and workforce retention.
Another big part of dealing with the drug crisis will be regulation for recovery houses. Senator Harckham points out that there are many very good recovery houses with peer and therapeutic support, but others are horrendous flophouses where drug use is rampant. So the aim is to set standards for existing recovery houses to get certified so that families and patients know that they’re somewhere with a minimum threshold of safety.
Some data shows that states where cannabis has been legalized have seen a precipitous drop in opioid use and overdoses. Dumas asks the Senator if he’s hoping to see the same thing in New York and how far we are from the infrastructure for dispensaries and so on taking hold.
In terms of dispensaries for adult personal use, the Senator thinks we’re a year or two away. He also points out that the thinking behind the legalization was not to create a new marketplace but to take an illegal one and make it legal, tax it, and use the revenue for public goods.
The revenue from the legalization of marijuana will go to places like Oasis, economic redevelopment efforts and communities impacted by the war on drugs, and education in the general fund.
Marschhauser turns to the local level, asking the Senator about the state of the economy in New York and particularly about the spate of big-box retailers going out of business or moving to new towns and leaving big vacancies behind them while building and planning officials struggle to find retailers to move into them.
Senator Harckham mentions the $800 million direct grant program from New York State—based on his law—to support small businesses but also points out that mainstream businesses need foot traffic to survive, which has dropped in a world where you can get anything delivered. He speculates that while the mom-and-pop stores on Main Street can survive, our economy has changed in a way that may not support the kind of big retail we’ve been used to seeing.
He also returns to the idea of affordable housing and points out that the lack of it is linked to the lack of foot traffic in brick-and-mortar stores.
Senator Harckham will be at the food drive for St. Luke’s Food Pantry on Saturday the 26th, and he takes the opportunity to point out that the pandemic exposed the food insecurity in our communities.
The Senator is drafting legislation to ensure that utility companies give their customers a thirty-day heads up that any commodities-related price spike is coming and give them an easy way to amortize that cost over twelve months, so they’re not hit with a huge, unexpected bill.
On the subject of the closure of the Indian Point nuclear plant, the Senator explains that this was down to a combination of Entergy’s decision to close their entire nuclear portfolio and the plant’s request for a new water permit that would have sucked millions of gallons of water from the Hudson River.
The decommissioning work is now being done by Holtec, watched over by a decommissioning oversight board of local elected officials, statewide elected officials, and relevant state agencies. This board has the ability to take action if something unsafe occurs, and it meets quarterly to discuss issues with the community.
Regarding the future of nuclear power in New York State, Senator Harckham says that while he’s not opposed to it, the challenge is that there is no place to get rid of the fuel. This means that places like the village of Buchanan will be nuclear waste repositories in perpetuity, which may discourage developers from using the sites left behind after decommissioning.
There are two proposals for cables to come down the Hudson, one for clean energy from upstate New York and the other for hydropower from Canada, both of which would help to take some of the dirtier power plants in NYC offline, providing clean energy and improving the air at the same time.
Dumas asks about the redistricting in NYC, and the Senator points out that the reason behind it is that all districts have to be the same size, so two new Senate districts were required as a result of the shift in population from upstate to downstate. His district will be shifting from the 40th to the 42nd but will be kind of a wash in terms of demographics, losing some communities but picking up others.
Regarding the controversial move to include race as one of the criteria for COVID therapeutics, Senator Harckham says that this came from a statement by the New York State Health Commissioner. Her point was to ensure that the black and brown communities disproportionately impacted by COVID would not be forgotten.
However, he points out that there is no rationing going on and that there’s plenty of medication available to go around New York State.
After the interview, the group discusses the Senator’s responses and goes into more detail on redistricting.

Quotes:

“You know, most people agree that people shouldn’t languish in jail today due to economic reasons. But I know there’s been some pushback from people in law enforcement and, you know, other government officials and just, you know, people in general in New York State.”

“There’s no question, in our major cities or urban centers, we have a spike in violent crime. And that’s all across the nation, whether it’s Democratically led, Republican-led, bail reform, no bail reform, that’s a national trend, dealing with the pandemic, the easy access to guns, unemployment of tens of thousands of young men with really no clear direction or path forward.”

“More people out on bail are reoffending than people out on their own recognizance, and part of that is because the people out on their own recognizance are accused of nonviolent offenses, and folks out on bail could be accused of violent offenses.”

“There’s discussion about whether judges should have a dangerousness standard. The problem with that is the courts in New York, unlike other places in the country, have ruled that they can’t use a dangerousness standard because that is racially biased.”

“Really, what we need to do is address the root causes of violence. It’s the easy proliferation of guns, it’s ten years of the former administration starving our behavioral health system and our mental health system, you know, these ghastly assaults on the subway. You know, those are folks who should be in hospitals, not roaming the subways, harming themselves or other folks.”

“We have great schools with robust after-school programs, we have access to employment, great transportation, great health care, world-class health care. So these are the determinants of safe communities. And these are the supports that we need to help other communities have so they can be safe as well.”

“Our seniors on fixed incomes can’t afford to stay in their homes. Our young people can’t afford to move back to the communities they grew up in. Our workforce cannot afford to live in the towns in which they work.”

“One death is too many, you know, and it’s a combination of factors. It’s the stressors of the pandemic, the isolation, the economic dislocation, the loss of loved ones, all those stressors and strains are having people medicate or go back to self-medication.”

“The last ten years, the human resources sector had been starved in New York State, and they can’t recruit and retain qualified staff because folks can make more working in fast food rather than dealing with our most vulnerable patients.”

“On the recovery side, we need more supports in terms of things like transportation, for folks to have a more holistic recovery experience. Not just getting to a treatment appointment, but to a job, grocery shopping, drop their kids at childcare, all these things that contribute, as well as safe and supportive housing,”

“What we would be looking to do is set standards for the recovery houses that exist. You know, what makes a safe and successful recovery house, if you meet these standards, you will be certified by New York State. So, therefore, families and patients will know that at least it’s met a minimal threshold of safety that they can feel confident sending their loved one there.”

“I’ve said before, I’m in long-term recovery myself. I don’t advocate people use any substance that’s mood-altering, but people choose to do that on their own. And so, legalizing marijuana wasn’t so much about creating a new marketplace. It was about taking an illegal marketplace, making it legal and taxing it and using that revenue for public goods.”

“I think as our economy changes, retail has fundamentally changed. You know, I think we can still stay in kind of our mom and pop shops on Main Streets and our local restaurants, but I think some of that big retail that we were used to seeing may be changing to a degree, and we’ve got to find a way to change with it.”

“One of the unfortunate byproducts of the pandemic was it exposed the great food insecurity in our communities. You know, we think of Northern Westchester as an affluent place, but food insecurity was always present. And the pandemic has really exacerbated that.”

“One of the things that we did last year is we negotiated with the former Governor to create a decommissioning oversight board of local elected officials, statewide elected officials, relevant state agencies to actually oversee the decommissioning. Because while its purview is in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, quite frankly, nobody really trusts the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

“Once Holtec decommissions the plant, what that means is all of the buildings will be gone. Essentially, they return that to a vacant lot, there are one or two buildings they are going to leave up, but if somebody wants to do economic development there, you know, you’ve got this pristine spot on the Hudson River. But you know, is a Hotel Marina complex going to go in there when you have 125 spent casks, you know, sitting on the property?”

“We needed to add two new senate districts in New York City because the population shifted from upstate to downstate. So we added two new districts in the city. So that pushed everything out.”

“I think these dialogues are important, and community newspapers are so important. Because you’re actually covering the news that really impacts folks’ lives. And we know just how much noise there is on social media coming from both sides of the spectrum. And so community newspapers letting folks know what’s going on in their communities is just so valuable and important.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

02/24/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, join host Brett Freeman for today’s weekly editorial roundup.

The episode starts with some sad news about a fire in Heritage Hills which resulted in the death of a woman and her dog and a discussion about keeping safe and helping out in the wake of disasters. Marschhauser then reports on the long-running problems Lakeland School Board has been having, which culminated in a very rowdy and hostile meeting this week over, amongst other things, the possibility of introducing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Curriculum. Dumas joins in with a rundown of Mahopac’s issues with its school board over vaccine mandates, and the guys discuss the possibility of virtue signaling in pandemic-related decisions.

Moving on, Dumas reports on the infighting caused by Kevin Byrne running for and subsequently receiving the Conservative nomination for the Putnam County Executive, a messy situation involving the GOP chairman and accusations of dishonesty and disloyalty. Then Walogorsky briefly discusses the debate in Somers over the Board of Education’s decision on mask mandates before Marschhauser brings up the rise in electric bills, leading to a discussion about the impact of inflation on all industries, including newspapers with the cost of paper going through the roof. And finally, the group discusses the redistricting in Yorktown and the potential opening it gives for more moderate Democrats to throw their hat in the ring.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join today’s roundup—Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News.
Walogorsky reports on the February 16 fire in Heritage Hills that resulted in the death of a woman and her dog and caused heavy fire and smoke damage.
The guys discuss Brett’s big tree (which is actually outside Bob’s house).
The Lakeland School Board held a very rowdy meeting this week, the latest in a line of similar meet-ups over the last year. The Board is exploring the controversial DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) curriculum and has met with hostility from some attendees, culminating in some alleged aggressive behavior at this meeting and accusations of harassment following it.
Marschhauser discusses the difficulty of reporting on incidents when all the information is secondhand.
Mahopac is also having some issues with its School Board—its meeting on February 17 was scheduled to include a presentation by the Ad Hoc Committee, made up of board and community members, on their advocacy plan for local control. They’re calling for transparency in the metrics that the Department of Health in Albany uses to make decisions about issues like vaccine mandates.
Putnam County ended its vaccination and testing sites last week, and there’s some commentary about such moves being motivated by the proximity to an election year and the people who were for vaccine mandates realizing they were on a losing proposition.
Kevin Byrne is not running for the State Assembly again, but he is running for the Putnam County Executive, which has caused a lot of infighting in the Republican committee. Byrne was allegedly not GOP chairman Tony Scannapieco’s first choice for the role, and Scannapieco has made allegations of disloyalty and dishonesty against Byrne. Despite this, Byrne received the Conservative nomination on February 16.
Bob and Brett discuss the ethics of politicians investigating each other’s backgrounds.
Mask mandates are still a topic of conversation for the Somers Board of Education, with some people wanting the Board to defy Albany and go against the mandates. Both districts will be re-evaluating after the winter break, but it looks like masks will still be required on transportation and during contact sports.
Marschhauser reports on the rises in electric bills, with a lot of local town boards putting together a resolution against requests for another rate hike, which would be 11% for electricity and 18% for gas. The town also held a rally at Jefferson Village last week, where most of the residents are seniors who use electric heat.
Inflation is hitting the news industry, too, with the cost of paper going through the roof last year and the price of newspapers rising as a result. Brett’s also been scrambling to find a paper vendor for the new coupon magazine after their original printer couldn’t get their hands on the right paper.
Following the redistricting that’s likely to be approved by Albany, it looks like there’ll be an opening in District 17 for some more moderate Democrats. Already with his hat in the ring is Vedat Gashi, a county legislator who lives in Yorktown Heights, who’s likely going to primary Jamaal Bowen, who has lost some favor with Democrats after voting against the Build Back Better Plan.

Quotes:

“God forbid there’s ever, like, a tornado or something like that, or a big storm of trees going down in Heritage Hills. Definitely. I don’t know. I get nervous with some of that stuff.”

“You have a tree next to your house, I think is probably like, the biggest tree I’ve seen in Westchester or in the Hudson Valley. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger tree in Hudson Valley than next to your house.”

“I remember I sat in a Somers Town Board Meeting when they debated, like, these fire codes and what builders are required to use and stuff like that. And you know, this is why this stuff’s important.”

“I’ll tell you, the Lakeland School Board, it seems to be ground zero on a local level for the larger cultural debates taking place throughout the United States.”

“The School Board President, Adam Kaufman, says, like, ‘Listen, if you guys can’t behave yourself, we’re going to stop the comment.’ And then that prompts somebody in the back of the audience to say, ‘How very German of you’ to Adam Kaufman, who is a Jewish man.”

“It’s really challenging to report on this because, you know, I’m not saying this didn’t happen. This very well could have happened to them. But it’s kind of this difficult thing about what, what’s the threshold for publishing an allegation? And that’s really, that’s the challenge I’m facing.”

“I do think there’s good people on both sides of these debates that have good intentions. And it stinks when a couple people really spoil that for other people who are honest.”

“I have to ask you a question with this committee that’s been created. Is it a little bit of virtue signaling to constituents?”

“It might be something there, a pacifier that they’re using to placate their critics that they haven’t done anything. This sounds like a committee that would have been more useful two months ago.”

“The commentary, you know, kind of reading is that things are magically changing, not necessarily because the pandemic has necessarily gotten better, but because we’re getting closer to an election year. And the people who were for mandates realized they were kind of on a losing proposition with that.”

“Who knows what goes on, you know, in the smoke-filled back rooms?”

“I just think the back and forth is just kind of unseemly. But I think the average person doesn’t care and thinks it’s ridiculous.”

“As someone who paid just nine hundred bucks for an oil delivery, I’ll tell you, it’s not a picnic having heating oil either right now.”

“Purchasing paper right now, I mean, from what I’ve been told from printers, it’s almost like, you know, putting money in the stock market.”

“All of a sudden, Yorktown is going to be represented by a down-county guy who maybe his policies might be seen as a little too progressive for Northern Westchester. So that looks like it’s opening an opportunity for some more moderate Democrats.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

02/14/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, join host Brett Freeman for this weekly editorial roundup.

Marschhauser kicks off by discussing the new state law coming into effect that's upset some people in town. The law provides that if a residence is built on any property, even if it's in a commercial zone, that residential unit is allowed to build an accessory dwelling unit. According to Yorktown Planning Director John Tegeder, an accessory dwelling unit is a mother-daughter type of home that can be either be a legalized apartment in the basement, something like that in a garage, or you can build an actual different structure on the property.

Walogorsky then touches upon the electricity and heating bill issue. He mentions how electricity prices have gone up considerably to even more than 100%, 75%, 80% from one month to the next. He articulates how people are understandably distraught, trying to reach out to their local government, going all the way up the chain, and eventually ending up at the newspaper trying to figure out exactly what's going on with this. Walogorsky shares that it seems like it's a matter of supply and demand and that this is out of electricity companies' hands.

Marschhauser lightens up the conversation with the story of middle school speech pathologist Jenn Sparano, a Pleasantville resident who appeared on and won her game of Wheel Of Fortune. He then goes on to share the heartfelt story of the passing of Jenn's 99-year-old grandma, who had encouraged her to go on the show.

Dumas covers the story of singer Amanda Eppolito, who is a 20118 Mahopac High School graduate. He comments on how Mahopac has developed a reputation for producing music stars, and Amanda Eppolito is the latest one to join the club. He mentions other stars also from Mahopac: Amanda Ayala from The Voice who just had a number one charting single on the independent pop charts, and Holly Block, who wrote and starred in a Broadway musical that is now award-nominated. Amanda Eppolito has moved to Nashville, the songwriting capital of the world, where she just dropped her debut album on January 28th called The Show Must Go On. It's available on all the typical online streaming platforms from iTunes to Spotify.

Other stories they touch upon include the conviction of a 51-year-old drunk driver responsible for the death of two people, a local business owner being featured in a Super Bowl Ad, Los Angeles Rams Equipment Director Brendan Berger, budgets and state aid, and the American Rescue Plan.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join today's roundup
Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
Details of an upcoming state law that allows accessory dwelling units to be added to a residential or even commercial unit
The rising cost of heating and electricity, up to more than 75%, is adding to challenging times for people on a fixed income
The inflation problem and how it hurts senior citizens more than any other part of the population because they are on fixed incomes
The switch to solar and commercial solar plans
The heartfelt story behind middle school speech pathologist Jenn Sparano's win in Wheel of Fortune and the passing of her grandma
The verdict of a drunk truck driver in Somers who caused the death of two people
Details of a local small business owner making it in a Super Bowl ad
The story of Brendan Berger, Equipment Director for the Los Angeles Rams
Encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion in NFL ticket pricing
Amanda Eppolito, the latest music star coming out of Mahopac, following in the footsteps of Amanda Ayala and Holly Block
Highlights of the budget season for the school district in Mahopac
The ongoing debate going on how the American Rescue Plan Money should be divvied up

Quotes:

"The towns want control over their own zoning codes and sometimes the state and the federal government says we know better than you."

"That was part of what he's saying. He's like, 'They don't know our communities. How can a one-size-fits-all law work like this?' Because they don't know the character of our community. They just don't."

"That's the problem with inflation. Inflation definitely hurts senior citizens more than any other part of the population. Because if people are in their retirement years and on fixed incomes, I'm assuming that social security doesn't go up with inflation."

"No matter what you did, if you use the same amount of electricity, you're paying a lot more."

"I'm looking at the whole commodity prices. Coffee is at 92%, heating is up 64%.”

"I think the problem, too, is that people felt sandbagged by this, that they had no idea this was coming. And then all of a sudden, you get this bill that's double or more than double and everything."

"One of the most common refrains I saw on social media was everyone saying, 'I wasn't thinking of going solar, but now I definitely am.' So I think a lot of people are looking at putting solar on their roof now."

"You can join a community solar plan and not put panels on your roof, and you still get savings every month. I think that that's why they're building all these solar farms. So I think it's just a matter of getting on that list somehow."

"The government always encourages everyone to go hybrid and electric vehicles. So I'm assuming charging your Tesla now is going to be a little bit more expensive."

"If the NFL wants to really embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, they should lower the prices of their tickets to make it so that people who are not super wealthy can also afford to go."

Links:

Halston Media Group website

01/24/2022 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 03:30:00 -0400

Walogorsky kicks off the discussion by explaining a possible real estate development in Baldwin Place by Urstadt Biddle Properties. In this development, everyone shopping at HomeGoods will be relocated to Mohegan Lake, with another larger retail store coming. Urstadt Biddle Properties are proposing a new apartment building that would be 5 stories with 160-units of affordable living apartments. Walogorsky mentions everyone is negative about this development and explains their concerns.

Marschhauser then shifts the discussion to the overlay districts which are basically rezoned properties in downtown Yorktown Heights. He explains that these were rezoned to encourage mixed-use developments, giving the developers the ability to build more prominent, taller buildings, promote walkability, and hold a certain aesthetic standard. He elaborates on the specific properties getting rezoned and explains the excitement among the people of Yorktown regarding this rezoning.

Dumas discusses a jaw-dropping story of a theft that happened on January 18. A babysitter, elementary school teacher, and JV volleyball coach in Somer Central School District was arrested for stealing money from his employer's home [Nicole Borelli Stern]. Dumas details that Nicole caught him on camera in real-time rummaging through a purse and stealing $1,250. Dumas reports that more than $50,000 in cash and jewelry was missing over the past six months, and initially, they suspected somebody else. Michael Yoder, the babysitter, has been charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree only for the money stolen out of the purse, with investigations of all the other missing money ongoing. Dumas also relays that Stern's pet pig might have eaten some of the money that fell on the floor during the robbery when he rummaged through the purse.

Dumas then discusses a cause for concern regarding pollution in the Downtown Business District in Mahopac caused by dry cleaning waste seeping into the water table. He reports that the Department of Environmental Conservation has discovered chemicals in drinking well water above accepted limitations. A heating oil tank has been found buried in the ground behind a chamber building that had leaked petroleum into the ground, causing damage worth about $20,000.

More stories in this roundup include a car discovered floating off the shore of Lake Mahopac, nepotism and the selection criteria in town council positions, former Yorktown Highway Superintendent Eric DiBartolo's guilty plea to petty larceny, and the race for county executive.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join today's roundup
Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
Possible real estate development in Baldwin Place and the main concerns
The traffic problem with such real estate developments
Comparison of this development with the Kmart building in Mahopac two years ago
Details of the overlay districts, the rezoned properties in downtown Yorktown Heights
Theft story where Nicole Borelli Stern's (daughter former town councilman Mike Borelli) babysitter was arrested for stealing money out of her home
Pollution in the Downtown Business District in Mahopac caused by dry cleaning waste seeping into the water table and the discovery of chemicals in drinking well water above accepted limitations
Details of an empty car discovered floating off the shore of Lake Mahopac
Nepotism concerns around a new supervisor in town, Mike Desirae, the former police chief. Everybody was worried about issues of nepotism that his wife had been hired as a senior accountant in the town's accounting department
In Bedford, Ellen Calves appointed Kate Galligan as her Deputy in one of her first decisions. And Kate Galligan is a former Bedford councilwoman who resigned last year to join the staff of Kitley Covill, a former Westchester County Legislator
Similar incident in Lewisboro. Peter Parsons, the former Lewisboro Town Supervisor, had long-named Leo Masterson, the town's Comptroller, as his Deputy. Last year, he named Tony Gonzales, his Deputy's councilman, to prep him for the job. Tony ran and won the supervisor job this year. And then Tony, now back as Lewisboro's supervisor, appointed Leo Masterson as his Deputy again
Eric DiBartolo's guilty plea to stealing about $15,000 worth of merchandise from the Home Depot in the Cortlandt town center. Eric pleaded guilty to petty larceny, a lesser crime, which was a slap on the wrist compared to the standard penalty for the crime's gravity
The race for county executive

Quotes

"If you do put a residential property in there, you do get a boost to property taxes, sales taxes, the other merchants that are in the area. I don't know how I personally would feel about living in an apartment building where you're walking out into retail parking."

"They're trying to do their best to make it more walkable and to have more people living in the downtown area."

"Yorktown is interesting because, like Somers, it's actually like a ton of state roads in their downtown area.”

"With the overlay districts being approved, the floodgates have been opened. We're going to see a lot of developments."

"Triangle center has been rumored to be taking advantage of these overlay zones. Who knows what's in store there? But like I said, the development floodgates are open, and it should be a very busy year in 2022 for Yorktown."

"He was arrested in front of her and her children. And she said she felt stabbed in the heart because he was a close family friend, and she felt betrayal like you would not believe."

"I don't know why somebody would think, stealing $1,200, somebody wouldn't notice that was missing. If somebody stole $5 from my wallet, I would notice that it was missing."

"In fairness to the person, he or she might have left the scene of the accident because they were freezing cold and they wanted to get warm."

"But one thing I wasn't aware of—and I guess it's because it's not the town code; it's a state law—that supervisors can appoint somebody to the deputy supervisor position who isn't an elected official, and this has been happening with frequency since January 1."

"The Speaker of the House does not have to be a congressperson. The Speaker of the House can actually be whoever the majority of the House members choose."

"I'd be curious if a town clerk could ever be appointed as a deputy supervisor."

Links:

Halston Media Group website

12/13/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, join host Brett Freeman for today’s weekly editorial roundup. Walogorsky begins by talking about Illuminate Somers, a tour of the town’s holiday lights and decorations, and then the guys discuss other local festive attractions. Elsewhere, Somers’ library is appealing for funds for upgrades, and Walogorsky highlights The Friends of Karen, a North Salem organization that supports children facing life-threatening illnesses. They also discuss the news that North Salem and Yorktown have been working on their budgets, with North Salem approving a 2% tax increase and some of Yorktown’s residents questioning the town’s spending on communications.

Next, Marschhauser discusses Bedford’s resolution against gas-powered leaf blowers and their public hearings on whether or not to opt out of marijuana dispensaries, both of which result in lively discussions. There’s then a brief diversion on the subject of Taco Bell vs. Chipotle, before Marschhauser brings up his love-hate relationship with PR people and whether their value outweighs their potential to create propaganda. Finally, things wrap up with some lighter news, with profiles of local residents who have had recent successes, from clean beauty expert Indie Lee to several locals who have won roles in touring productions of Broadway shows (and a brief discussion of the guys’ Broadway faves!).

Episode Highlights:

● Two editors from the Halston Media team join today's roundup - Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times.

● Our main pack editor, Bob Dumars, is out this week, having spent some time in hospital (good news, he’s on his way home as of December 9).

● Walogorsky starts us off with the news that Illuminate Somers, a tour of the town’s holiday lights and decorations, is back on Friday, December 17, with prizes and awards!

● Other recommendations for festive community fun include light displays in Carmel and Walnut Hill Church in Bethel, Connecticut.

● Somers’ library is appealing for funds for upgrades, including a generator that would allow them to take in people in the event of a disaster.

● Walogorsky also gives a shout-out to The Friends of Karen, a North Salem organization founded in 1978, which is devoted to helping children and their families who are facing life-threatening illnesses, providing support for around 600 children a year.

● The Friends of Karen covers a large area, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island, and all throughout the Hudson Valley, and they never turn anybody away.

● They have two important programs running over the holidays – first, “Adopt-A-Family,” where you can buy gifts for children from their wish lists; and second, the Year End Appeal, their big fundraising program which takes donations as small as a gift card and as big as sponsoring a program.

● North Salem approved an $11.5 million budget for next year, with a 2% tax increase for everybody but a 10% bump in pay for the town’s police officers and half a million dollars for the School House Theater, which will house the new senior and activity center and some local theater.

● Bedford is about to pass a resolution that will ban gas-powered leaf blowers town-wide for residential and commercial uses, taking effect on January 1, 2024. So if you need a new leaf blower, don’t buy gas.

● The guys discuss whether laws like this actually have a beneficial impact on the environment, or is it picking on the little guy instead of dealing with the real issues?

● Bedford’s been holding a public hearing on whether or not they should opt out of marijuana dispensaries (having already rejected consumption lounges). The turnout was apparently overwhelmingly against marijuana, but the issue is subject to a permissive referendum, which means if enough people in the municipality decide they want to make it a ballot issue, they can.

● Lewisboro also had a permissive referendum recently on the sale of a vacant piece of land, which got enough signatures to make it a ballot issue, but instead of validating the ballot, the town decided to walk back their original decision.

● Marschhauser makes the point that the communities voting against marijuana tend to be predominantly white, whereas the ones considering it are not.

● Taco Bell vs. Chipotle.

● Yorktown’s also been working on its budget, with some people questioning the town’s spending of $60,000 on communications firm Thompson & Bender.

● Marschhauser’s love-hate relationship with press secretaries and PR people.

● The Katana-Lewisboro Times profiled clean beauty entrepreneur Indie Lee this week, who created her own range of clean beauty products after being diagnosed with cancer and advised by her doctors that it might be the result of the products she was putting on her skin.

● Also profiled are some local residents who have won parts in the touring productions of major musicals Hadestown and Fiddler on the Roof (and the guys discuss their favorite Broadway shows).

Quotes:

“I had a great conversation last week with the executive director and one of the board members for The Friends of Karen. Which, if anybody’s not familiar, it’s been around since 1978, it’s based out in North Salem, and the whole organization is devoted to helping children and their families who are facing life-threatening illnesses.”

“My first question was, well, do people who own gas-powered leaf blowers, will they be grandfathered in? And he said, nope, just a total ban. You can’t use it. If you use it, it’s an offense. It’s a town code violation.”

“If you use a battery-powered leaf blower, you know, you have to plug that thing in. And you know that energy’s coming from somewhere when you charge a battery.”

“Bedford can’t just shut itself off from the rest of the planet. And the United States can’t shut itself off from the rest of the planet either.”

“I mean, in certain cases like that, you got to have a little common sense. You’ve got to understand how things look. And I think that’s a big part of governing.”

“I can really imagine a really tasteful marijuana dispensary, right? That’s upscale and could attract people to other shopping in Daytona and other parts of Bedford.”

“You have to address the elephant in the room is that the communities that are voting against it seem to be very predominantly white, and the communities that are considering it or are allowing it are more urban communities.”

“That Taco Bell was eventually approved, by the way, so this undesirable will be eating a spicy potato taco.”

“Well, I love salsa fresca, I’m a salsa fresca guy.”

“Unfortunately for the town, it doesn’t get a lot of headlines when they hold the line on spending. It gets a lot of headlines when they shoot up 10%.”

“We put in the sweat equity, and they’re sitting at home and they get, unfortunately, they get the story too. That has happened to me a couple of times, and that never gets any less annoying.”

“There is something to be said about building a brand. And you can do that through kind of relentless positivity, which is kind of these press releases, and it makes your town seem like this wonderful place.”

“Sometimes you feel compelled to always have a hard news story on the front page. But every once in a while, you know, a nice feature is really what a hometown newspaper is all about.”

“I will never stop using Old Spice.”

“It’s like all of our towns have a little Broadway love here.”

“The Greatest Showman, my family, we probably watch that movie like once a month.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

12/06/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, join host Brett Freeman for today's weekly editorial roundup. Dumas begins by talking about goose culling at the Mahopac Lakes, describing how geese poop over the area and create health hazards, especially on the beachfront, and explains the different methods of reducing the goose population. He also notes that some people, like Town Councilwoman Suzanne McDonough, oppose the practice, calling it animal cruelty. Dumas then reports on the proposed downtown revitalization project, and the Mahopac Fire Department Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Santa's Visit on Friday, December 3rd, 2021.

Marschhauser describes his pursuit of a story with a South Salem resident, Pamela Schoenberg, who appeared and went far in the TV show/competition Jeopardy, and recalls other people from Hudson Valley who featured in popular TV shows like Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, and Man v. Food. He also details the December 2nd Bedford Playhouse event, a special invite-only screening of the film Jockey, which soon comes out in theaters, and advises that he will have an interview and Q&A with Clifton Collins Jr., an Academy Award-nominated actor starring in the film.

The group ends by discussing solar farms being developed in residential areas, the law that approved this on large properties, and the practice of cutting trees for solar farms.

Episode Highlights:

● Two editors from the Halston Media team join today's roundup - Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News.

● Dumas reports on the goose culling practice in the Mahopac Lakes.

● The health hazards created by geese in the Mahopac Lakes.

● Methods of reducing goose populations.

● Opposition to the goose culling from Town Councilwoman Suzanne McDonough and other people labeling the practice animal cruelty.

● Butchered geese sent to homeless shelters for food.

● The proposed downtown revitalization project will have three working drawings, including the new municipal parking lot next to Tompkins Mahopac bank, the Swan Cove Park, and new sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting, and diagonal parking in the business district.

● Park sidewalks will be wider and more crosswalks so it's not so dangerous to go from one side of the road to the other.

● The Mahopac Fire Department Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Santa's Visit on Friday, December 3rd, 2021.

● Putnam County Business Council grant awards.

● Brian’s pursuit of a story with a South Salem resident, Pamela Schoenberg, who appeared and went far in the TV show/competition Jeopardy.

● Pamela went up against a really great champion who had won nine days in a row and gave her a run for her money.

● Other people from the community on Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, and Man v. Food.

● Brian will be moderating a Q&A at the Bedford Playhouse on Thursday, December 2nd.

● The December 2nd Bedford Playhouse event is a special invite-only screening of the film Jockey that comes out in theaters very soon.

● Brian highlights that he will have an interview and Q&A of Clifton Collins Jr., an Academy Award-nominated actor starring in Jockey.

● Clifton Collins Jr.’s movies and achievements.

● There are seven or eight solar farms proposed for all over Yorktown on both sides of the reservoir and all four corners of town.

● Tree cutting for solar farms.

● The law concerning solar farms in Yorktown.

Quotes

"They don't remove the egg. They just flip them over, and that's enough to keep them from hatching."

"Now there are some people that are opposed to geese culling, because you know, animal cruelty and all that. But it's also cruel to the humans who might have to endure the aftermath of what they do."

"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you're right or wrong because they're the ones in the two-ton vehicle."

"So the whole idea is to narrow the road through there with wider sidewalks and put in bigger crosswalks. The ones now there are just like six feet wide. They're gonna make them bigger, brighter, and it'll also be more aesthetically pleasing."

"He was like the best player ever on Wheel of Fortune. He was just ridiculous. He would solve puzzles in three seconds, just without any letters on the board."

"I consider myself a wordsmith, but I'm terrible at puzzle games."

"I know nothing about sports. Most likely, they would have a sports category if I were on. I've been told by people that it's a pretty safe bet if you just make every one of your answers the Yankees, chances are you'll get something right."

"The people in our community are no strangers to me on game shows. I think this is the first one since I've been here that we've had someone on Jeopardy."

"I love Denzel, but he always kind of plays Denzel in every movie. This guy really is just every different movie, and he's a totally different character."

"Jockey is definitely a dark horse contender for some awards this season."

"If he is nominated, he would only be the fifth Latino actor ever nominated in the 95-year history of the Academy Awards.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

11/29/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, are back again this week to join host Brett Freeman for the weekly editorial roundup. Brian starts things off by delving into the fallout from the use of a racial slur by a Republican district leader, as well as some holiday activities taking place in Yorktown and surrounding area.

Tom goes on to share some town budgeting and Schoolhouse Theatre news, some upcoming community events, and the State Championship football game. Bob then chimes in with information regarding parent protests, a potentially politically motivated investigation into the Election Commissioner, and the dedication of a bench to a developmentally delayed gentleman. He also reveals details regarding some upcoming events, and reviews the declaration by a local Assemblyman that he is not seeking reelection.

Finishing up with the story of a well deserved induction into the New York State Veteran’s Hall of Fame, Brett and the gang offer their valuable perspective on all these topics and so much more as they provide yet another informative and thought provoking roundup here today.

Episode Highlights:

● Three editors from the Halston Media team join today's roundup

● Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News

● Marschhauser begins with the fallout of the Republican district leader and Councilman Vishnu Patel in Yorktown.

● The annual Turkey trot that takes place Thanksgiving morning benefits local food pantries through Senator Murphy

● The menorah lighting was organized by the Chabad of Yorktown at the Jack DeVito Veterans Memorial Field.

● The menorah and Christmas tree lighting in Katana & at Lewisboro.

● The Candy Cane runs, where the fire departments go around handing out Candy Canes in different neighborhoods.

● The return of Yorktown's holiday electric Lights Parade.

● In North Salem, the public hearing regarding the tentative budget for the town of $11.4 million this year, representing a 12% increase over the current budget.

● The budget also incorporated a 3% pay increase for town employees, and the health insurance costs went up by a little over 12%.

● The budget appropriated $500,000 for repairs and renovations to the Schoolhouse Theater, which was acquired by the town of North Salem recently and is to be used as a senior center and community use.

● The Schoolhouse Theater is partnering up with the Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden putting on a performance of a play called ‘Canticle’.

● The Elephant Hotel that's hosting Santa and his elves, and then the town Christmas tree lighting

● The Tuskers football team is one game away from the State Championship

● A fascinating story about parent protests

● The other big story is an investigation into a Republican Election Commissioner by a Putnam County sheriff regarding possession of a forged instrument.

● The contentious race for Putnam County Sheriff

● Ken Schmidt heading the dedication of a bench to a developmentally disabled gentleman

● Mahopac school district’s first live performance concert in 16 months.

● In Sycamore Park, the Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring their annual holiday with Santa Claus.

● In the hamlet of Carmel is a big event with the bleeding of the trees along Guerlain night avenues.

● An Assemblyman who does not intend to seek reelection.

Quotes

"You stand on Commerce Street in New Yorktown, and you watch all these floats come by… and they really go all out in the way they design them.”

"So, you get a 3% increase in your pay, but you're also paying, I think they said that health insurance costs went up by a little over 12% this year."

"To symbolize that, all the protesters were asked to bring a pair of shoes to the protest, and the shoes are going to be set up outside the school as if they are walking away from the school. And each pair of shoes have a little personal note about their position."

"The people I talked to said they weren't anti-vaccination. They were anti-mandate, and they wanted me to make that… distinction. The woman who organized it asked to remain anonymous because she feared that her son who's in the high school would be harassed if it got out that she was the one organizing."

"If the mandate does come to fruition before the end of the year or into fruition in 2022, I think it would be among the biggest stories of our five towns."

"One thing he pointed out, which I thought was interesting, was that his fear is that the virus is going to continue to mutate."

"I have friends and whatnot who are very, very reluctant to get vaccinated themselves or expose their children to it. And I have a lot of sympathy. I think that people who are really pushing the vaccines, I think that they have chosen the wrong methods to convince people."

"A person is guilty of third-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument if it is forged with the intent to defraud or deceive."

"So the town wanted to do something for him and his family. And they had this beautiful bench designed and crafted and installed in the area of Chamber Park. And the way they have the bench positioned was chosen specifically so when somebody sits on it, they get the view."

"And they all like to point out that no matter what the weather, if it was five below zero and snowing out or 90 degrees on a muggy August day, how he was always out there with the same smile sweeping away, doing this job."

"It's kind of funny. You see these pictures of these kids playing their horns and whatnot. They have the masks they're wearing down around the chin to blow into their instrument. Yeah, it's just so weird and surreal seeing that. And then, as soon as they're done with the song, boom, pop, up goes the mask again."

"We'll have him reflect back on his 14 years. He navigated the town through some difficult times, especially in 2008 when the recession hit, and they were having to bust the tax cap left and right just because they basically had no choice."

"He had like a triple bypass where they had to crack open the chest. He calls it being a member of the zipper club because you have that scar down the front of your chest that looks like a zipper.”

"John Burgess has lived his life out loud. It's a good way to describe what he's done. So we'll have a nice article about John's induction into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame."

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Exploring Current Events and So Much More with Business Owner, Jonathan Schneider

Halston Media — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Jonathan Schneider is a local business owner, the name of which, due to its strict compliance department’s regulations, cannot be shared here today. He also happens to be Brett’s best friend, a fact that is clearly evident as, together, they engage in a lively conversation that covers a vast array of topics in this latest episode of Hudson Valley Uncensored.

Everything from the history of the press to current events such as the Rittenhouse trial to the Black Lives Matter movement are discussed in this wide ranging conversation. Jonathan and Brett also delve into the topics of media, religion, the January 6 Capitol attack, woke culture, cryptocurrencies, and the latest tax system legislation, among many others. A thought provoking conversation between two highly knowledgeable individuals, delivered with the ease and openness that one only finds between the very best of friends, today’s episode is as entertaining as it is informative - one you definitely don’t want to miss.

Episode Highlights:

· Brett Freeman and Jonathan talk about media as the most unregulated industry in America protected by the First Amendment above the right to bear arms.

· Highlights and examples of mutual respect between the British and American soldiers that acted nobly, from the TV show Turn which is about the spy network of George Washington.

· The Kyle Rittenhouse case and its contrast with George Floyd and Black Lives Matter.

· In an article about Kyle Rittenhouse, Tucker Carlson writes, "Where is the governor? He was under too much political pressure to protect his own people. Talk about cowardly, blaming a 17-year old who shows up because the city his dad lives in is on fire and wants to do something. He shouldn't have been there in the first place. He shouldn't have had to have been there. The adults should have been there. They're the cowards."

· The difference between Christians and messianic Jews; lessons and relevance of the New Testament.

· Jonathan shares a story about an email filled with misinformation from a veteran organization.

· Highlights from the January 6 United States Capitol attack trials.

· Scrutinizing the police shooting, or rather murder, of Daniel Shaver.

· The issue of harmful discretion. Creating a powerful movement through open discussion where people understand different points of view, upbringings, experiences in life.

· The likelihood of being put down for being a rioter in Putnam County.

· The '90s was the beginning of PCU (Politically Correct University).

· The evolution of the woke culture and its influence.

· The media as journalists, community cheerleaders, and salespeople.

· Gun violence as reported by the media.

· Analyzing the high rate of inflation in the country, its outcomes, and workarounds.

· Outlook on cryptocurrencies and NFTs (non-fungible tokens) in today's economy.

· Prediction for when people can no longer claim a tax refund for getting their credits from the child tax credit ahead of time.

· The nightmare of claiming the Rebate Recovery Credit (RRC).

Quotes

"I don't remember when I was a kid growing up, but I always feel like I heard my father talk about Walter Cronkite, and this is the nightly news. And it was really just about an unbiased projection of what was happening in the world at the time, trying to be as unopinionated as he could be while just delivering facts."

"It's one of those situations where you think how crazy the situation must have been where you literally had brothers who were torn. ‘Am I for this independent nation that we're going to try to make, or am I really for this colonization that we were really brought here to do from Britain?’"

"I'm going to talk about the judge. From what he said right off the bat is, 'You can't label these three adults who were shot with firearms at close range; you can't call them victims. You can call them rioters. You can call them protesters.' I think he said, 'You could call them looters, but you cannot call them victims in this case.'"

"Bad people shouldn't die because people do stupid things."

"For every action, there's a reaction. I don't believe that violence is the reaction, but violence, unfortunately, is sometimes the way that everything happens."

"When someone's house is burning, you don't say, 'All houses matter.' You say, 'That one house is burning; that house matters.'”

“America was founded on being that melting pot, being able to assimilate, appreciate, and keep our individual cultures yet mesh into what is supposed to be the beautiful net of freedom of America.”

“You should feel an energy through that religion that makes you feel better, that makes you feel more in tune, that makes you want to be better, and maybe help people be better.”

“This is what we're fed with. It's like information overload, but it's not even factual information. There's so much stuff that we're being fed that unless you really look it up and you fact check it, and you cross-reference, you have to do so much research.”

“Is it ridiculous that you have governors of states and mayors of cities that say, ‘Police let this be an anti-law zone.’”

“The Capitol Building takes on more symbolism and more importance over, I think, any physical property.”

“Every national riot that we've been seeing has been stemmed from situations where one or multiple people have had bad discretion.”

“I'm hoping that Black Lives Matter doesn't support riots and vandalism and attempted anarchy. I hope it’s a more powerful movement through open discussion where people can at least understand differences, different points of view, different upbringings, and different experiences in life.”

“If you're a rioter in Putnam County, you're going to be put down pretty damn quickly.”

“I believe that the beauty that we have here in this area is, if you are a protester, you will be given the courtesy of protection at your organized events.”

“The appropriate way that we need to address this is with community policing, where we work together as a group of humans who have a collective goal for the betterment of the area that we're working in or live.”

“I don't want people to get canceled. I don't want movements to cancel out opinions. I'm good with movements canceling out horribly racist and opinions that are based on fiction and things that are actually dividing.”

“Because I think your avenue of media, no offense really, you guys tiptoe around things in the end. You want to keep good relations, and you want to be able to continue to maintain a good publication that exists that glorifies the area that you represent in your publication.”

“Everyone in media is a good salesperson because they have to get the story.”

“Never blame someone else for your own decisions.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

11/15/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, join host Brett Freeman for today’s weekly editorial roundup. Walogorsky begins with a recap of several Veterans Day events that were held in North Salem and Somers. He talks about the recent release of both town budgets, the latest in local sports, and shares a feel-good story involving a woman who gave birth at home unexpectedly with the help of Westchester emergency responders.

Next Marschhauser gives an update on Yorktown sports and the development of a new restaurant in Katonah. He breaks down the very troubling story of GOP district leader Tom Pomposello directing a racist slur toward Councilman Vishnu Patel on election night. The group talks in great detail about potential fallout from this incident, whether it speaks to a larger issue at hand, and Marschhauser reflects on how the story has been picked up nationally.

Finally, Dumas discusses upcoming vaccination clinics for children between the ages of 5 and 11 in Putnam County and touches on recent traffic safety issues in Mahopac.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join today’s roundup
Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
Walogorsky begins with Veterans Day events in North Salem and Somers
North Salem and Somers town budgets, 0% home tax increase, update on local sports
Feel-good story about a woman who went into labor and gave birth at home in Somers - Mom and Baby were recently reunited with the Westchester emergency responders who helped with the delivery
Marschhauser gives an update on Yorktown sports and the development of a new restaurant in Katonah
Updating zoning codes to help encourage business
Troubling story about GOP district leader Tom Pomposello directing a racist slur toward Councilman Vishnu Patel on election night
The Town Board collectively decided to end its partnership with Pomposello’s non-profit organization, CCM of Westchester, which runs the five-day Feast of San Gennaro every September
This story has been picked up nationally and not all of the facts have been represented properly
Dumas discusses upcoming vaccination clinics for children ages 5 to 11
Traffic safety issues in the Danbury area

Quotes

“For Somers, there was actually a 0% tax increase, which is good for the taxpayers.”

“The baby was coming, so members from our Westchester Emergency Services responded, and a local state trooper, and they actually had to deliver the baby at home in Somers.”

“They're going to repurpose that old firehouse building and it's got this cool distinct look.”

“When you see the video and you hear it, it takes your breath away a little bit. The way he says it. It's just filled with such anger toward [Councilman Vishnu Patel].”

“I got my statements from the Republicans. Obviously, they were disgusted.”

“I got my story up the next morning. I didn't wait for publication. I said, This is just something people ought to know. And I think when you have something like that, you don't wait, you don't time it. You just say, Here it is.”

“Yes, [Tom Pomposello] did sound contrite. One thing he kept coming back to, and he said it multiple times, I'm not trying to make excuses - I do not remember saying it.”

“Obviously, from my perspective, if you drink and then say something racist, you're probably a little racist.”

“It's not like he made an off-color joke. He said it with a little disdain and hatred. He said he was gone - That motherf-cker, he's gone. It was not a joke. It was more hate than anything.”

“It’s good and bad when that happens. You wish your town would go viral for different reasons.”

“I never once questioned whether I should report it.”

“A common refrain I've heard from people critical of the Republicans in Yorktown is that Pomposello felt comfortable in that room saying a slur, meaning that he felt it was a safe place for his racism.”

“The fact that he doesn't remember it, in some respects, probably means he might say this more often than we think. It doesn't register as unique in his mind to say something so horrible.”

“I do wish national news was a little more responsible sometimes when they do these stories on our small towns.”

“I think most of the medical community is on board with [vaccination for children], both locally and nationwide. Whether parents want to step up or not, it's their choice.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

11/08/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 03:30:00 -0400

On today’s editorial roundup, Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, join host Brett Freeman to discuss the exciting results of November 2’s election, voter trends in the Hudson Valley, and how these compared to national outcomes. The group also looks into Democratic/Republican breakdowns across municipalities, the tendency for people to vote based on personality in local politics, and how the pandemic may have affected voting this year.

Finally, you’ll hear about a special commemorative event being held in Somers for Veterans Day on November 11, and Dumas tells the panel about his upcoming interview with singer-songwriter Amanda Ayala, a Westchester native whose career has taken off since performing a memorable rendition of “Mississippi Queen” on Season 9 of The Voice.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join today’s roundup
Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
November 2 election results and Democratic/Republican trends
Tendency for people to vote based on personality in local politics
Yorktown will be governed by an all Republican town board beginning January 1
North Salem election was uneventful with all contenders running unopposed
Somers was a much more competitive race
Early voting among Democrats versus Republicans
Veterans Day Parade being held in Somers
Upcoming feature on local singer-songwriter Amanda Ayala, who competed on Season 9 of The Voice

Quotes

“In some towns, there is a pretty big Democratic/Republican gap in towns like Yorktown...But you're starting to notice in a lot of these towns, there were just a ton of unaffiliated voters.”

“Lewisboro has 4000 Democrats, 2500 Republicans, and then another 2700 non affiliated voters.”

“The town council race was just incredibly close. The top three candidates were all within 100 votes of each other.”

“I think people voted kind of on personality.”

“I thought Langley, being the incumbent and having run a pretty tight ship, would win, but he got only got 43% of the vote. McConville got 57%, so it was a pretty decisive victory.”

“Bedford was a clean democratic sweep. It wasn't that close.”

“I don't know how much pull Matt Damon has with the Bedford voters - apparently not very much.”

“Yorktown, starting on January 1, will be governed by an all Republican town board, 5-0.”

“Republicans for one reason or another were better at winning over those non-affiliated voters.”

“Some people put in 40 hours a week for this part-time job. And some people put in five hours a week and work that one night.”

“It's interesting to note that just because you're a Republican, you don't necessarily vote in lockstep all the time.”

“[Sergio Esposito’s] style of campaigning - he was very, very careful to try to appeal to everybody.”

“My election season was A Tale of Two Towns.”

“If you look at the early voting numbers for Somers, all three Democratic candidates had very big turnouts for the early voting.”

“Somers is the only municipality in Westchester that has more registered Republicans than registered Democrats, but only by 111.”

“I was surprised because [Bob] Langley had a fairly successful four years. Crime was down. But it was very clear that the county legislature, which holds a lot of sway, did not like dealing with him. And so I think people just went along with that.”

“It's very cool - Amanda [Ayala] - we can say that we did cover her while she was in middle school, which is really quite incredible. And to know she's gotten this far… All of us certainly wish her the best of luck.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

11/01/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Reporter Nick Trujillo of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times joins Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, as well as Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, for this week’s editorial roundup with host Brett Freeman. Trujillo begins with the sudden and tragic loss of Emily Rose Storm, who died by suicide on October 10. Trujillo also talks about the “Festival for Our Future,” which was held at the Lewisboro Town Park, and gives an update on the 2022 budget for Yorktown, as well as the appointment of new assistant superintendent in Lakeland, Dr. Tracy Norman.

Next Walogorsky tells the panel about a possible new business development in Somers as well as the mixed responses this proposal is receiving from residents, then touches on a number of fundraising events being held in North Salem. The show concludes as Dumas breaks down preliminary budgets put forth in Carmel, the recent revitalization of the Fairways & Gateway Summit project, and how the pandemic has affected home designs for builders and architects moving forward.

Episode Highlights:

Reporter Nick Trujillo of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, as well as Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, join today’s weekly editorial roundup to discuss current news and headlines
Sudden and tragic death of Emily Rose Storm, a transgender first responder who called the Katonah-Lewisboro area home and was formerly known as Nicholas Arthur Kapla
A GoFundMe campaign initiated by Emily’s sister, Valerie Kaplan, has raised over $43,000
You can also support Emily’s family by contributing to the Trevor Project
“Festival for Our Future” was held in Lewisboro on October 23
Yorktown 2022 Budget update
Appointment of new assistant superintendent in Lakeland, Dr. Tracy Norman
Possible new Tractor Supply Co. in Somers and mixed responses from residents
Fundraisers in North Salem
Carmel budget update, tax rates
Real estate inventory has dried up, revitalizing old housing projects like the Fairways & Gateway Summit
More people are working from home, which builders and architects are now factoring into their designs and plans
Supply chain crisis and its impact on pricing, availability

Quotes

“[Valerie Kaplan] wanted to celebrate Emily's life and her legacy. It seemed like they were so loved in the community, and the outpouring of support they got was really, really touching.”

“[The Festival for Our Future] seems like a cool celebration and just a chance for members of the Lewisboro community to come out and show support for these issues.”

“People like the small town rustic aesthetic of Somers. They don't want it to become strip malls.”

“I think that this can be a good thing for the community. And it does seem like there are more people in favor of it than against it.”

“The people in North Salem have been very, very busy with fundraising.”

“Just from speaking with people that have moved, especially to Somers...they always say that they were attracted by the school district.”

“Can't homeowners decide for themselves which contractor they want to use?”

“It's a weird budget. It's a good news/bad news kind of thing.”

“It looks like this thing is moving forward after sitting there dead for almost two decades.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

10/25/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, join today’s editorial roundup to discuss local news and headlines in the Hudson Valley with host Brett Freeman. They begin with the latest on upcoming town elections in great detail, the most controversial and heated races, as well as the dangers of having one-party dominance in local government.

Next Walogorsky details several grant applications taking place in North Salem to help with upgrades and infrastructure improvements, and Marschhauser discusses a possible new age-restricted development in Yorktown. The panel talks about housing and rental cost issues in the area, and finally, they agree that we could use a resurgence of good old fashioned skating rinks and bowling alleys in this day and age.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join the show today to discuss current news and headlines
Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record
Town elections and early voting
Election Day is November 2; early voting is available from October 23 to 31
Democratic versus Republican make-up in local towns
Value of having both parties involved
Race for Putnam County Sheriff has become heated and nasty at times with incumbent Bob Langley fending off challenger Kevin McConville
Tax rate breakdown and possible drop
North Salem races are completely uncontested, whereas Somers elections are much more eventful
Information on early voting can be found here
Somers is applying for a Community Development Block Grant to help with upgrades and infrastructure improvements
Flooding issues in the Peach Lake area of North Salem
Tractor trailer accident in North Salem
Marschhauser discusses proposed new developments in Yorktown
Senior population in Yorktown has increased by 18% from 2000 to 2020, while the age group 25 to 34 has decreased by 15%
Cost of housing and rentals are both increasing
Old Dutch Mill is now an abandoned windmill structure, and there is a proposed new development there as well

Quotes

“Shockingly, the town that is usually the political hotbed of the ones that I cover has been Yorktown. In years past, a lot of mudslinging. A lot of fighting. This year has been pretty quiet actually.”

“It's been kind of wild to see over the last few weeks, how we go from one to two letters to the editor per week, to this most recent issue, I had 18.”

“I, for one, am very excited for it to end. It gets a little muddy around this time of year.”

“I think it's never healthy to have an all one-party board in our towns. And I actually think it does a disservice to the party that's in power because they can get kind of lazy.”

“[Bob Langley] is the incumbent, so he has the advantage. I have a gut feeling that he's going to win, but my gut isn't always right.”

“In North Salem, everything is completely uncontested for this election.”

“In North Salem there's been some discussion as the residents of Peach Lake, and the surrounding area, Peace Gardens...flooding has been a very big issue for a long time.”

“People are starting to get a little anxious to get this problem solved.”

“They are proposing to build a 136 age-restricted development near the Yorktown/Courtland border.”

“The senior population in Yorktown has increased by 18% from 2000 to 2020. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 range has decreased by 15%.”

“It's cool when you have a little neat architecture like that. I think it really helps give character to the town.”

“There's nothing better than spending the afternoon at a bowling alley, on a Sunday, just drinking some beer.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

10/18/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 03:30:00 -0400

On today’s editorial roundup, Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, join host Brett Freeman to discuss the early retirement of Mahopac School District Superintendent, Anthony DiCarlo, the release of a private conversation recorded between Putnam County Sheriff Bob Langley and Carmel Town Supervisor Kenneth Schmitt, and this year’s local budget season. You’ll hear about upcoming Halloween events in the area, and Walogorsky gives listeners an update on the collaboration between North Salem and Somers regarding infrastructure and future development.

Next Marschhauser touches on his latest controversial stories, including the sudden resignation of Lakeland School Superintendent, Brendon Lyons, his interim replacement,

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join the show today to discuss current news and headlines
Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News; Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; and Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record
Mahopac School District Superintendent Anthony DiCarlo’s early retirement
Private conversation released between Putnam County Sheriff Robert Langley and Carmel Town Supervisor Kenneth Schmitt
This year’s local budget season
Halloween events in Mahopac (Trunk or Treat, Halloween party, and Harvest Festival at Sycamore Park)
Updates to infrastructure for North Salem, Somers, and Croton Falls
Sewer expansions and sports stories in North Salem and Somers
Upcoming celebrity wedding in North Salem
Lakeland superintendent, Brendon Lyons’ sudden resignation
Dr. Karen Gagliardi voted in as interim superintendent of the Lakeland Central School District

Quotes

“[Mahopac School District Superintendent Anthony DiCarlo] had some medical issues earlier in the year where he missed about a month. And that combined with all the stress of dealing with running a school district during the pandemic, I think just piled up on him.”

“Apparently, about a month ago, a private conversation between Carmel Supervisor Ken Schmitt, and [Putnam County Sheriff Robert] Langley, was recorded by the sheriff's department, and then that recording not too long after ended up on social media.”

“It turns out he broke no law. I talked to the DA about this, and you're allowed to do that as long as one party, and this is state law, as long as one party knows it's being recorded.”

“[Kevin McConville] has tried to make this a huge issue. And I'm not sure how much traction it’s gaining.”

“We got a bunch of Halloween events coming up. There's the Trunk or Treat that the MSA cheerleaders put on. That’ll be Friday night. The Mahopac senior citizens are having a big Halloween party. And then of course, at the end of the month, the Parks and Rec’s Harvest Festival at Sycamore Park, which has a costume parade.”

“One of the big issues with what's going on in Croton Falls is that there's a lot of talk about traffic flow, signage, turning the old train depot...into a center for the arts. So a lot of good things that have the potential to expand the community and move it forward.”

“That's why this story - I'm enjoying it because it encompasses a lot of different things in both communities.”

“I was in talks with all the coaches over the summer. And I know that they were putting in a lot of summer training. So it's nice to see the payoff. They're very proud of all the teams.”

“In reporting it's very easy to know the who, what, when and where - those are very easy to report. The why is always difficult to find out.”

“School boards are tight lipped. They don't want to make the job less attractive to other candidates - trashing a superintendent or saying something about the superintendent on the way out. And Lyons doesn't want to say anything about the district. He'd rather just move on.”

“The first thing on everybody's mind was, Okay, this guy was making a quarter million a year. He's not going to leave all that money on the table voluntarily.”

“Lakeland is looking to move on - the buzzword they keep saying is, Moving Lakeland forward. They're not saying forward from what exactly, but they want to move Lakeland forward.”

“For right now they're letting Dr. Karen Gagliardi earn the job before they see if they want to search for permanent replacements.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

10/10/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Joining today’s editorial roundup are Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and Carol Reif, reporter for The Somers Record and North Salem News. They discuss the story of Lakeland Superintendent Brendan Lyons’ recent resignation, vandalism in North Salem, future planning for Croton Falls, and Reif breaks down every twist and turn of her recent celebrity interview. You’ll also hear an update on varsity sports in Somers, nationwide supply shortages, and how these have trickled down locally.

Episode Highlights:

Host Brett Freeman is joined by Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, and Carol Reif, reporter for The Somers Record
Lakeland Superintendent, Brendan Lyons, recently resigned
Vandalism in North Salem
Future of Croton Falls and upcoming planning
Apple picking in North Salem brings on additional traffic, but also questions around infrastructure
Reif shares her story of a recent celebrity interview
Varsity teams in Somers have had a great year
Nationwide supply shortages have trickled down to Somers as demonstrated by bus driver shortages

Quotes

“I was still quite a bit taken aback by [Brendan Lyons’] resignation just because his words and actions didn't seem like those of a man who was ready to give up the fight and walk away.”

“School districts have always been weird when it comes to transparency for the most part… I always believed in tackling issues head on. That's my style of transparency.”

“They are going to be developing a master plan and a capital projects plan, and looking for community input about what gets you excited, about what the future could hold for Croton Falls.”

“We're in the middle of apple picking season, which always brings a lot of revenue, but it also brings a lot of problems into North Salem with traffic and people looking for places to eat.”

“Carol has been chasing this story down through every twist and turn and I feel like every time we would talk about it, there would be a different development.”

“The majority of the varsity teams in Somers have been having a very good year.”

“If [bus drivers] found another gig while you couldn't be driving for the school district, maybe you're just sticking with that.”

“One of the things that might be problematic is they might have to combine routes and they’ll have to put more kids on the school buses.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

10/04/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Today’s editorial roundup features Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times. Dumas and Marschhauser join host Brett Freeman to discuss local news and headlines, beginning with the story of Con Ed moving some electrical wires underground in Yorktown, as well as an upcoming project to bring sewers to 315 homes in the area. Marschhauser also talks about the ongoing debate regarding the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative in the Lakeland School District, and celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Support Connection organization, which provides emotional, social and educational support to women, their families, and friends affected by breast and ovarian cancer.

Dumas discusses his new profile on Carmel resident Joe Cunningham, who has developed a new app that connects contractors and customers together called “Got Work”. You’ll also hear about some exciting events that are returning to Mahopac-Carmel following the pandemic, updates and improvements being made to Croton Falls, a small hamlet in the town of North Salem, and a poll for Somers residents to make their voices heard on plans for wireless infrastructure. The show ends with a more detailed conversation about the equity versus equality debate in Lakeland, and how we can navigate this discussion in a respectful, civilized manner at the local level.

Episode Highlights:

Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, and Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, join this week’s editorial roundup
They begin with a story about Con Ed moving some electrical wires underground in Yorktown
Yorktown is also bringing sewers to 315 local homes
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team in Lakeland - some argue this is Critical Race Theory in disguise
Freeman commends Marschhauser on his impartial commitment to covering these issues at the local level
25th anniversary of Support Connection organization, which provides breast and ovarian cancer support
They’re having a “Walk Wherever You Are” fundraiser on Sunday, October 3
Dumas shares the story of USA Drains in Carmel, NY, owned by Joe Cunningham
Cunningham developed an app called “Got Work”
The pandemic has pushed forward a lot of innovation and is changing certain things for the better
Mahopac-Carmel Annual Street Fair is returning after being cancelled last year
TYathalon for the Ty Louis Campbell Foundation has also returned this year
“Back the Blue” police prayer walk in support of law enforcement
“Psycho Circus” haunted house event is a fun, free Halloween attraction
Plans for Croton Falls, NY, a small hamlet in the town of North Salem
Celebrate Somers event also returned this year
Somers residents have until Oct. 13 to make their voices heard on wireless infrastructure
Marschhauser provides further information on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative in Lakeland School District
Engaging in this debate in a respectful, civilized manner

Quotes

“When everyone loses power for a week, they see the same comments every time - Why don't they bury the power lines? It’s an easy solution.”

“It's just very, very expensive. Yorktown is bringing sewers to 315 homes. That's costing them $14 million.”

“There's just a serious distrust issue between the Lakeland School Board and the Lakeland administration.”

“[Support Connection is] mainly women. They also do provide support to husbands and spouses of people who have been diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer. So it's a crucial, needed service. Because when people are diagnosed with these horrible diseases, it's incredibly scary.”

“They have peer counselors provided free of charge, who have all been diagnosed with the disease themselves.”

“Obviously a lot of people attending - the vulnerable population...you don't want to put them in any unnecessary risk. So as much as I think everyone would like to see each other and gather and have a very beautiful supportive ceremony at FDR Park, maybe we wait another year and see. Take it from there.”

“Right now, there's nothing really out there like [Got Work] that will customize the customer and contractor together.”

“I think the innovation happening, especially during this pandemic - a lot of things are changing for the better.”

“Most people are just there to show their support for police.”

“They've already started building and putting it together. It's called Psycho Circus. They have lots of insane clowns. They have animatronics. They have actors… It's free. They put it on and they draw a big crowd every year.”

“[Lakeland] defined it as continuing to support a safe, welcoming and inclusive climate, with a strong emphasis on anti-racism, anti-bias, anti-bullying, character education, civic engagement, student leadership, and family engagement.”

“In some ways, I think people are kind of addicted to this fight.”

“These are important topics that I wish we could debate in a more civil manner than what we've been seeing.”

“I think there's a way to navigate within that language and say, Okay, well, if this is what we're trying to achieve, how do we then achieve it in a way that doesn't harm anybody?”

“That's it - you have to kind of adapt. That's unfortunately - if things aren't the way you want them to be, then you have to learn how to navigate that environment.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

09/27/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Weekly Editorial Roundup

Returning on this week’s editorial roundup is Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News. Today Bob joins Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, as well as Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, to give listeners a health update after his recent 16-day stay in the hospital due to a diabetic foot ulcer. Dumas talks about the outpouring of support and well wishes he has received, and host Brett Freeman shares some of the latest news out of Mahopac, including the heartwarming story of the community rallying behind a Fulmar Road third-grader who was recently diagnosed with aplastic anemia.

Walogorsky offers some exciting personal news, then touches on the upcoming elections in Somers and North Salem, and provides details on an ongoing larceny investigation in Somers. Marschhauser talks about his unique baseball collection, a possible hybrid model for Town Hall meetings in Yorktown and Katonah, and his interview with a local family who will be appearing on “Family Feud.” Walogorsky shares information on the GoFundMe pages that have been set up for the families of Christine Camarra and Dawn Herbert, and Dumas discusses the “Back the Blue” walk in support of Putnam police officers, as well as the Mahopac Street Fair.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join the show today to discuss current news and headlines, including Bob Dumas of Mahopac News, who has just recently returned after a stay in the hospital
Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, also join this week’s editorial roundup
Dumas shares the story of his emergency surgery due to a diabetic foot ulcer that had become infected, as well as the outpouring of support and well wishes he has received from the Mahopac community
Heartwarming story of the Mahopac community rallying around Olivia Cipollone, who was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a very rare blood disorder
Former columnist of the “Ask Shana” advice column tragically died of complications related to a hysterectomy surgery
Congratulations to Walogorsky, who’s getting married on September 25
Upcoming elections in Somers and North Salem
New York State Police are asking the public to help them identify a "subject" as part of a larceny investigation in Somers
Marschhauser and his wife have set out to see all 30 major league baseball stadiums, and have collected baseballs from each one
Possible hybrid model for Town Hall meetings in Yorktown and Katonah, where some council members can participate over Zoom if they do not want to be masked
Poor traffic planning around fast food restaurants
Marschhauser spoke with the Bonitatibus family from Yorktown, who will appear on the new season of "Family Feud" on October 11
GoFundMe pages have been set up for the families of Christina Camarra and Dawn Herbert
The “Back the Blue” walk to support police officers is taking place on Sunday, September 26
Mahopac Street Festival is on October 3 from 11am-5pm
Supply shortages following business closures at the beginning of the pandemic

Quotes

‘I didn't put the two and two together, I started suffering from fever and chills and aches and pains and loss of appetite. So right away, [COVID is] what you think of...even though I've been vaccinated. But as it turns out, it was the infection that was causing all that stuff.”

“[Bernie Kosberg] has been there for me, along with a bunch of other people - too numerous to mention here - that have rallied around me, which has just been amazing. And it's great to know that people appreciate the paper out there.”

“After 37 years I am finally getting married. A little late to the wedding party. It took me a little while to find the right one, but I'm getting married on Saturday September 25.”

“Anybody from Somers knows that we have contested elections. The town supervisor position is up for grabs, as well as two seats on the town board. So we'll have interviews with all of those candidates.”

“About four or five years ago now my wife and I made the decision to see all 30 major league baseball stadiums around the US.”

“Part of the reason we did this wasn't just because we're big baseball fans. That was one of the things that bonded us - it was - but it also just gives us a chance to see parts of the country we never would have visited before.”

“Going forward, it's not out of the realm of possibility for them to do this sort of hybrid model where they allow residents to continue participating via Zoom.”

“I think in trying not to disenfranchise those people, I think the town is going to consider a hybrid model going forward. But for now it's been left up to each individual board how they want to proceed whether in person or via Zoom.”

“Taco Bell in Mohegan Lake is actually implementing something called ‘line busters,’ to move it along. So if you have a really backed up drive-thru line, they will actually have employees come out, meet you, and then take your order before you get up to the window.”

“The outpouring of support from the Somers community for these two families has really been inspiring.”

“That's the beauty of community journalism and being able to help the town like that.”

“The [Mahopac] Chamber of Commerce wants to extend the invitation to come out and have a day of fun outside. And enjoy, get to know some of the local businesses and the various services that are available in this town that people otherwise might not know about.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

09/20/2021 Weekly Editorial Roundup

Halston Media — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 03:30:00 -0400

On this week's editorial roundup, host Brett Freeman welcomes two new voices from our Halston Media team: Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times reporter, Nick Trujillo; and our Director of Client Content and Marketing, as well as our Business and Special Sections editor, Vim Wilkinson. Trujillo and Wilkinson join the show along with Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record, to discuss what they’re currently working on and which stories they’re most excited about moving forward.

Wilkinson begins with some of her hyperlocal Special Sections and Business features, and Walogorsky gives an update on some fun events and fundraisers happening in the Somers community. Walogorsky offers his sincere condolences to the families of Dawn Herbert, Christine Camarra, and Michael Bonelli Jr. And you’ll hear about the return of North Salem’s Homecoming on September 25. Freeman gives an update on local news in Mahopac, including the passing of Howard Beyersky. Next, Trujillo touches on the American Ultimate Disk League playoffs at the Granite Knolls Sports Complex, and offers his thoughts on reintroducing Ultimate Frisbee to Yorktown. He also talks about a new tattoo parlor opening in Yorktown, “Bee Inked,” and shares the fascinating life story of owner Gianna Caranfa.

Today’s episode also includes a COVID-19 update in the Lakeland Central School District, information about Yorktown’s latest efforts to help with the climate crisis, a conversation about the affordable housing debate in Yorktown and Westchester, and a discussion about Yorktown’s upcoming Town Council election.

Episode Highlights:

Nick Trujillo and Vim Wilkinson join the show today, along with Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times, and Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record
Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News, is currently in the hospital due to complications related to diabetes, and we wish him a speedy recovery
Wilkinson begins with information on the Special Sections Fall Guide, including apple picking at beautiful local farms
The hyperlocal focus of these Special Sections is top priority
Part of Wilkinson’s role is dealing with businesses, marketing, and bringing interesting content about businesses to readers
For example, a new baker has moved to Somers, and she is very passionate about clean eating - she will be launching a new column about having a Zero Waste kitchen
Wilkinson and Walogorsky recently met for the first time in person after only working together remotely at a 5k fundraising event for the Somers Library Foundation
Walogorsky offers his sincere condolences to the families of Dawn Herbert and Christine Camarra
Somers will have a “Big Bang” Fireworks Show at Reis Park on September 18, 2021
There will also be a “Celebrate Somers” street fair on September 25, 2021
Several kids in North Salem started a lemonade stand to raise funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in honor of 9/11
Also in North Salem, Walogorsky pays tribute to Michael Bonelli Jr., who passed away on September 7, 2021
North Salem Homecoming will take place on September 25, 2021
Freeman gives an update on local news in Mahopac, including the passing of Howard Beyersky
The Mahopac Street Fair will be held on October 3, 2021
Trujillo discusses his story about the American Ultimate Disk League playoffs and how they were displaced by Hurricane Ida
Re-introducing Ultimate Frisbee to Yorktown
‘Bee Inked’ is a new tattoo parlor in Yorktown, owned by Gianna Caranfa
In Lakeland Central School District, 10 students tested positive for COVID-19 across all school buildings
Yorktown Town Board meeting on September 14 introduced two new energy efficiency programs: Community Solar and Grid Rewards
Yorktown Boy Scout Troop 165 is looking for a new charter
There’s a local effort in Yorktown to allow alcohol use in specific parks to help the Parks and Recreation Department
Marschhauser speaks about his story on the affordable housing debate in Yorktown and Westchester
Freeman finds Town Supervisor, Matthew Slater’s style of governing interesting and surprising
Katonah’s sidewalks were recently paved with asphalt instead of concrete, which drew complaints
Information about Yorktown’s upcoming Town Council election

Quotes

“I've been really trying to understand about our communities and the need for hyperlocal information. It's gotten a lot of good reviews. And what I try to do is provide relevant information.”

“It's so fortunate that we have these beautiful farms and orchards here.”

“I actually got to see [Vim] run, dominate and compete in the 5k. And it was a great day. It was a nice way to go out and meet people. And it was exciting to meet Vim for the first time in person.”

“We do have some very exciting things happening in the Somers community.”

“On Saturday, September 25, will be our North Salem Homecoming. So everybody should come out and support their Tigers.”

“It just seemed like such a great event for Granite Knolls - great use of the space. All the players said they love the park. Their coach described the setting as epic, which is very cool.”

“[Ultimate Frisbee] is such a great sport to get people active. It's very easy to play. You only need a disc and a field and bodies. And then you're all set.”

“[Bee Inked owner Gianna Caranfa] has a crazy life story. She had a stem tumor discovered in her brain when she was two-years-old, on her second birthday, and was saved by Dr. Fred Epstein, who is kind of famous for inventing the surgery that saved her life.”

“She got the idea to open her own tattoo shop where there's private rooms. She said she set it up to make it feel like you're in your living room.”

“She spends the whole day with people. She makes it just as a relaxing experience as possible to give them the best tattoo possible. They draw the tattoo together, she makes sure that both parties are happy with the outcome. She can offer a range of different styles.”

“That’s what’s wonderful about community journalism, is you really get to know the people behind some of the stuff that you see.”

“At this time, there's no plans for a remote option [in Lakeland Central School District]. And they weren't worried about the COVID outbreak… It's inevitable that quarantines will happen and they handle them the best they can. They're so well prepared, as you have to be when you have the lives of a thousand children in your building.”

“The state of New York has very aggressive climate goals, as they should. They're trying to get to a 70% reduction in emissions...in fossil fuel use by 2030, and trying to be carbon emission free by 2040. So this is a way to chip in.”

“I know the county probably doesn't want to seem weak. And I know the town doesn't want to be held hostage. So it's kind of a, Who's going to blink first?”

“Matt [Slater] is very smart. He is not the type of person to have a war of words in the press.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Counterterrorism with Retired FBI Agent Neil Herman

Halston Media — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Neil Herman is a retired FBI agent and was one of the lead investigators involved with US counterterrorism operations after the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993. He worked for the FBI from 1974 until his retirement in July of 1998, and he is currently a resident of Somers. Today Herman joins host Brett Freeman to discuss the many incidents of international and domestic terrorism that he investigated over the course of his distinguished career with the FBI. He begins with a detailed timeline of terrorism cases he worked in New York City through the 1970s to the 1990s, including the Unabomber investigation, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988, and the murder of Meir Kahane in 1990. He then recounts the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, and explains how this ultimately led to the tragedy of 9/11.

Herman shares his own personal experience of watching the events of September 11, 2001 unfold on television, and his initial hunch that al-Qaeda was responsible. He speaks about the toll that terrorism investigations can take on both victims and agents, and explains why cooperation between local, federal, and international law enforcement is so essential when working these cases. Freeman asks Herman what mistakes our federal government made leading up to 9/11, how he feels about current events in Afghanistan and having unvetted refugees in our country, and how he became one of the first in America to learn who Osama bin Laden was. Herman offers his perspective on whether the Patriot Act has been used in excess, our position in Guantanamo Bay, and what lies ahead for the future of terrorism in America. He reflects on the cyclical nature of international and domestic terrorism, and shares his concerns about declining support toward law enforcement, as well as misinformation being perpetuated on social media.

Finally, you’ll hear about the great personal sacrifices made by Herman’s family throughout his career, the invaluable relationships he developed during his time as an agent, and how his early experience in journalism school helped him transition to his post with the FBI. Herman concludes with what he loves most about living in Somers, and explains why moving there was one of the best decisions he ever made for himself and his family following his retirement from law enforcement.

Episode Highlights:

Today’s guest is retired FBI agent and Somers resident Neil Herman
Herman joined the FBI in 1971, became a Special Agent in 1973, and was transferred to New York in 1974
This is when the modern age of international and domestic terrorism began (Summer Olympics in Munich, Puerto Rican Independence Movement, LaGuardia Airport Bombing, car bomb at Dupont Circle, Croatian Movement)
Weather Underground Task Force was formed under Ken Walton and Bob McGuire in May 1980; this was responsible for investigating domestic and international acts of terrorism
The Weather Underground terrorist group, in conjunction with the Black Liberation Army, killed a Brinks security guard and two police officers on October 20, 1981
Herman was involved with investigations such as the Unabomber case, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988, the murder of Meir Kahane in 1990, and the first World Trade Center bombing on February 26, 1993
The first World Trade Center bombing in 1993 set the tone for what became of international terrorism around the world
Several defendants fled the country - each extradition had to be coordinated through the Justice Department
Ramzi Yosef was one of the main perpetrators in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
The most significant bridge between the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and 9/11 was the Bojinka Plot, which was a large-scale, three-phase terrorist attack planned by Ramzi Yousef and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed for January 1995
Herman was also involved with the TWA Flight 800 case, in which a Boeing 747-100 exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996
The final conclusion was that there was a center fuel tank explosion, which was not caused by a bomb
The 1990s concluded with a series of bombings in East Africa in 1998 - there was a massive investigation by the FBI with East African governments overseas because of the connection to ongoing cases in New York
On September 11, 2001, Herman was in Somers and watched the tragedy unfold on television
An act of terrorism itself only takes a split second, but the resulting investigation takes many, many years to develop
It generally takes a toll on the agents and investigators - it becomes very personal for them
It was always important to Herman to deal with victims’ families with sensitivity and understanding for what they had been through
Agents who work international or domestic terrorism cases have specialized expertise in that area
Cooperation between local, federal, and international government agencies is also essential
Herman acknowledges that leading up to 9/11, there was a breakdown in communication between various agencies, but these events took place over a very long period of time
In a free society, it’s difficult to prevent these kinds of acts from happening
Domestic terrorism is not a new phenomena - when extreme groups become violent and take on government officials, combined with current political polarization, it’s a perfect storm
Our role in Afghanistan is complicated and really started to evolve in 2001
Refugees need to be properly vetted or that can create other problems
Herman believes the world of terrorism has moved around all over the world
With terrorism, it’s crucial to stay ahead of the process and prevent these acts from happening before the bombs go off
Herman was among the first in America to learn who Osama bin Laden was
There were events and warning signs leading up to 9/11 - it did not just happen in a vacuum
One of the defendants involved in 9/11 fled to Iraq and has never been located - he was likely killed
There will always be people who believe the US overextended the Patriot Act following 9/11 - Herman acknowledges that it is a very complicated situation and he cannot say definitively whether it was right or wrong
He has grave reservations about the continuation of our position in Guantanamo Bay
Declassifying information needs to be part of the process so that victims and the American people know the extent of what truly happened with these crimes
General area of terrorism is cyclical - the public became skeptical of political officials following Watergate and guidelines were put in place after many felt the government had overreached
Herman believes domestic terrorism is an issue in our society, and law enforcement needs to be equipped with the resources, manpower, and will of the American people to effectively prevent these acts of terrorism from happening
He feels removing support for law enforcement is reckless
When Herman was in the FBI, politics was never part of the discussion - they were only concerned with upholding justice and performing their responsibilities
Social media can be concerning in terms of spreading misinformation
In journalism, you’re taught to get the facts right the first time, and this due diligence just isn’t happening in the world of social media today
There is a great deal of personal sacrifice when you take the oath to protect your country - Herman took his oath seriously
He received several awards throughout his career, but the personal relationships he made were just as important
Herman had important connections with presidents through the Secret Service
He went to the University of Missouri Journalism School; he had never considered a career in law enforcement
There was a big push for FBI agents in 1970, and he applied, not knowing where it would take him
There were actually a lot of parallels between journalism and working in the FBI - he was able to transfer the skills he learned in journalism school to his career in law enforcement
Herman lives in Somers, NY and has close family in the area
He is an avid reader
He tells the story of attending a 9-hour long baseball game with his father when he first moved to New York, and how it showed him how busy and unique New York City was
Somers has been a bucolic haven from the hustle and bustle of New York City

Quotes

“When I came to New York in 1974, the early remnants of what became the modern age of international and domestic terrorism began in the early 1970s, primarily, at the Summer Olympics in Munich, when 12 Israeli athletes were murdered.”

“The LaGuardia Airport bombing in 1975, which took the lives of 13 people - still an unsolved bombing. Individuals placed the device at LaGuardia Airport. At that time it was the largest incident of terrorism in America.”

“The real beginning of what led up to become the 9/11 tragedy was the first World Trade Center bombing, February 26 1993. It was an act of international terrorism in America… It really set the tone for the future of what became international terrorism around the world.”

“In my opinion, the most significant bridge between what happened in 1993 and 9/11 was the case that we investigated called the Bojinka Plot.”

“The [TWA Flight 800] tragedy occurred over Long Island in the early morning hours of July 17. 240 people lost their lives, many of them young students, teenagers. They were on their way from New York to Paris. The plane had come in that afternoon from Athens, Greece. It was probably the most massive investigation at that time in FBI history.”

“The Bureau concluded that it was a tragedy involving an electrical field probe that caused the explosion.”

“It's a sobering day, on the 20th anniversary [of 9/11], to see the tragedy unfold over a long number of years and many incidents leading up to that event.”

“It's almost as if the case takes on a life of itself, in that there are multiple trials, multiple defendants. Oftentimes, the defendants nowadays, are spread out all over the world.”

“It becomes a very personal thing for the people that work these cases.”

“Here was a woman that had all the means in the world. And yet, she had just lost the real jewel of her life. And I remember after leaving, she turned to me at the end of the interview, and she said, Agent Herman, what is it that you can do now for me - you could find the people that did this.”

“I'm proud of what the FBI and law enforcement has been able to do over the years in dealing with these tragedies, because it really is a lifetime of tragedy.”

“These investigations are broken down into areas of expertise. You have domestic/international terrorism, you have organized crime investigations, you have violent crimes investigations, you have counterintelligence investigations, espionage.”

“These cases have to be very specialized. And you have to have the ability to conduct extensive crime scenes, with multiple agencies over many days. And there has to be a great partnership between the local state and federal law enforcement community, as well as dealing with these foreign governments in all corners of the world, regardless of their allies.”

“You can stop 99 out of 100 acts of terrorism, but it's the one act that you let get through that is what is going to be looked at.”

“Domestic terrorism is not a new phenomena in this country. It takes on different shapes, groups change their name, whether they represent the extreme left or the extreme right.”

“Once they become violent, and they take on institutions and governments and elected officials - throw that into the melting pot with the polarization in our political process. It's combustible. And it's a perfect storm, which you see happening not only in America, but really all over the world.”

“[Refugees] have to be vetted, and they have to be properly screened or that can create other problems… It is a long, ongoing process that has to be done. And it has to be done thoroughly and effectively to protect our own homeland.”

“The reality is these groups, it's sort of like cancer, it's like a disease. They metastasize, whether it's in small countries all over Africa, or Europe, or even from within our own borders, you have to be vigilant.”

“The best way to combat these events is to prevent them from ever, ever, ever actually happening.”

“Again, these were all events that led up to 9/11. It wasn't as if 9/11 just happened in a vacuum by itself on that day. And there were warning signals.”

“I have some grave reservations about the continuation of our position in Guantanamo Bay.”

“There comes a point where these hard decisions have to be made, whether you agree with them or not.”

“It also includes declassifying information - that all has to be part of the process. These things can be hidden for so long. And if they continue to be hidden or not brought to the attention of the American people, no one will ever know what really did happen to the extent that they should.”

“I do believe that the the general area of terrorism is cyclical. It's ironic the way some things sort of come full circle in life.”

“What I see in America today, in a world that’s so polarized - the politics that I see that they're trying to restrict what law enforcement can effectively do, does concern me that the rubber band is being stretched too far.”

“I do believe that domestic terrorism is an issue in our society now that has to be carefully looked at. And law enforcement has to have the resources, the manpower, and the will of the American people to effectively prevent these acts of terrorism that we see and could see in the very near future.”

“When I was an FBI agent, it's funny, we never talked about politics.”

“It's combustible - with misinformation and violence, and word of mouth, and you don't know what's factual and what's not.”

“I always took the oath seriously. It's something that I tried to uphold. And there are regrets. My family, as with most law enforcement, had to make great sacrifices. And it was a commitment that I took seriously.”

“I was just as proud of the relationships - more than the awards and the accolades.”

“When I left [journalism school] in 1970, I never really considered going into something like the FBI.”

“There are a lot of similarities, more than you would think, between journalism and doing a job like being an FBI agent… There were similarities that I was able to use my skills being taught in journalism that I could apply to being an agent.”

“Living in Northern Westchester was one of the big facets of my life that played a big role because it gave me an escape from the city, from the stress of the job.”

“It was one of my better decisions for my family to live and grow up and live in a place like Somers because it is a nice, bucolic suburb of the city.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

09/06/2021 Weekly Editor Roundup

Halston Media — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 03:30:00 -0400

They begin by discussing the recent flooding around Lake Mahopac, local events being planned to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and a moving military tribute held by the Yorktown Lions Club. They review upcoming plans to reduce rush hour congestion on Route 684, as indicated by the New York State Department of Transportation. Walogorsky shares an exciting development regarding The Schoolhouse Theater in North Salem, and Marschhauser shares an update on the January 2021 arrest of former Yorktown highway superintendent and former Chamber of Commerce president, Eric DiBartolo.

Next, Dumas talks about his personal experience contracting COVID this past week, and moving forward as he finishes up his 14-day quarantine. He also touches on his upcoming story about three Mahopac and Carmel heroes who helped with the Rescue and Recovery on 9/11, and what the 20th anniversary means to them. You’ll hear about local efforts to reduce the stigma around opioid addiction and overdose, and today’s conversation wraps up with a preview of our editors’ fantastic stories to come.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join the show today to discuss current news and headlines
Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
Flooding around Lake Mahopac
Local events to commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001
Yorktown Lions Club tribute to the 13 soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan
Department of Transportation plans to ease rush hour traffic on Route 684
Enormous cost of road projects and repaving
The town of North Salem has officially voted to take ownership of The Schoolhouse Theater
Update on Eric DiBartolo arrest in January 2021
Dumas has worked through several health issues through the pandemic, most recently COVID
In addition to the symptoms that come along with COVID, the virus has also exacerbated pre-existing health issues
Dumas contracted COVID despite being vaccinated, and he is thankful that he only developed a mild case of it
Many firemen and policemen in Carmel and Mahopac assisted with the Ground Zero Rescue and Recovery on 9/11
The 20th anniversary is bringing up emotional memories for them
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day
Drug Crisis in Our Backyard aims to remove the stigma around opioid addiction and overdose
Volunteer Ambulance Corps is finally able to recruit new volunteers as COVID restrictions are gradually lifted
In getting ready to re-open, the Par 3 Golf Course in Yorktown clear cut an estimated 80 trees without permit or approval from the Conservation Board
This has slowed down construction significantly
Residents and gold enthusiasts are excited for the golf course to open

Quotes

“That area floods every time there is a significant rainstorm, of course. The engineers plan on fixing that and repairing that.”

“The New York State Department of Transportation concluded its study which was many, many months in the making. They concluded that the best option to ease rush hour congestion [on Route 684] would be to add a fourth lane for rush hour traffic, but it's not a permanent lane in both directions. This would be kind of a flexible lane.”

“It just shows you how expensive all these projects are. I mean, we are doing stuff nationwide down, though - stuff that needs to be done. But it's mind-blowing how much this stuff costs.”

“This is one of those awesome situations where it's going to be a very big win for everybody. I know that the town board is excited about it.”

“[Former Yorktown highway superintendent and former Chamber of Commerce president, Eric DiBartolo] is accused of stealing about $15,000 worth of merchandise in the Home Depot in Cortland. He allegedly worked in concert with an employee to do this skipping scam where he would bring his items to the cash register. The guy would scan only one or two of the items in the full cart, and he would walk out with the rest.”

“It's been a week since [COVID] hit me. And this is the first day in maybe a week that I felt semi-normal.”

“I did not lose a sense of smell and taste. But I did lose my appetite. I just was not interested in eating.”

“We have three different folks - two of them are from Mahopac, one’s from Carmel. I think our readers are really going to enjoy hearing their stories about what these heroes basically did in the wake of the 9/11 attack.”

“The whole idea was to remove the stigma [of opioid addiction]. People understand that this is a health issue, not a moral issue.”

“People can be very cruel on social media. And I feel like if you can't say something face-to-face with someone and have a real conversation, don't say it on social media either.”

“They don't view it as a sacrifice. They view it as something they get to do, not have to do. And I think that's really important for people to understand.”

“I think a lot of people - they want to go play on this golf course. But if it's covered in water, you can’t.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

08/30/21 Weekly Editor Roundup

Halston Media — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 03:30:00 -0400

On this week's editorial roundup, host Brett Freeman welcomes back our Halston Media newspaper editors: Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News. They discuss local news and headlines, beginning with several special events to memorialize the upcoming 20th anniversary of 9/11. They offer updates on mask and vaccine mandates in their respective school districts, Walogorsky makes an exciting announcement for North Salem internet users, and Marschhauser speaks to the struggle that many small businesses are facing to recruit new employees. Marschhauser puts out a call to action for more local contributors to his newspapers, and Walogorsky pitches an enticing idea for a new monthly column.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join the show today to discuss current news and headlines
Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News and The Katonah Lewisboro Times; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
Local events to memorialize the 20th anniversary of 9/11
Putnam County Youth Court Program is one of 25 organizations in the country being honored on September 11
Yorktown has unveiled a memorial mural done by local artist Christopher Rios
Mask and vaccine mandates in local school districts
If children are masked and stay three feet apart, they will not need to quarantine if they come into contact with another student who has COVID but is asymptomatic
Walogorsky shares that 5G is coming to North Salem
Marschhauser is working on a piece about businesses not being able to recruit new employees
Lewisboro has issued an emergency order that people must wear a mask inside public places - but it mostly falls on small businesses to enforce this
Marschhauser is also looking for more local contributors to give his publications more local flavor

Quotes

“Anthony DiCarlo, the superintendent, has already indicated that they will obey mandates simply because if they didn't, and somebody got very sick or died from [COVID], they could be held liable.”

“I think that's the main reason they really want the masks, is it affects the quarantine.”

“[North Salem] is going to be going with the mandate from the new governor...it's going to be required masking for all students K through 12, as well as faculty. And staff will either have to be vaccinated, or they're going to have to submit to weekly testing.”

“Basically, the way 5G works is that you need to have more antennas and towers. And the more of those you have, the better connectivity you have, which allows more people access to 5G.”

“I have a feeling if you asked people, Do they want 5G in their town? The answer will be yes. Do they want it in their backyard? Probably no.”

“I think everyone should work those jobs. I worked retail, I worked in a grocery store, I worked as a delivery driver. I think they build character.”

“For the most part, it's really on small businesses if they want to enforce [mask mandates], if they want to crack down on it and try to force their customers to put them on. That's the way it's going to be. I don't think you're going to see police officers standing outside of grocery stores, making sure people have their masks on. That's not going to happen.”

“It's really hard to get neighbors to write a weekly column about issues that are happening in the town.”

“People are already ranting on Facebook. Just send it to me instead and we'll publish it in the paper.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Weekly Editor Roundup

Halston Media — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 03:30:00 -0400

On today’s episode, host Brett Freeman welcomes back our Halston Media newspaper editors: Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News. They join the podcast to discuss the week’s biggest local headlines, beginning with an update on marijuana dispensaries in Yorktown. Marschhauser explains that despite the town board voting to opt out of marijuana dispensaries, there was a local petition to overturn this decision, which has since shifted focus elsewhere. Walogorsky and Dumas also talk about their local Board of Education meetings regarding masks for students and faculty for the upcoming school year, with Freeman offering his perspective as a parent. Finally, Marschhauser, Walogorsky, and Dumas conclude today’s roundup with the most notable stories happening in their respective towns this week, as well as what they’ve got percolating for next time, and share the positive feedback they’re received from readers who appreciate the hyper-local focus of our publications.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join the show today to discuss current news and headlines
Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
Marschhauser begins with an update on marijuana dispensaries in Yorktown, and a local petition to overturn the town board's vote to opt out
There may be other northern Westchester communities who are more open to this possibility - potentially Bedford, Newcastle and Peekskill
Recreational dispensaries will probably show up first in facilities that are currently offering medicinal marijuana
There was huge interest in Bob Dumas’ podcast episode about his marijuana arrest
Walogorsky provides an update on the latest Somers Board of Education meeting regarding masks for students and faculty for the upcoming school year
At least one person had to be removed from the meeting by the police department
Dumas shares what happened at a similar Board of Education meeting in Mahopac
One parent was frustrated that remote learning is not being offered for students who do not want to wear a mask at school
We are fast approaching the beginning of the school year and big decisions have yet to be made
Freeman shares his perspective as a parent
Marschhauser talks about the abrupt closure of a winery at St. George, which operated in Mohegan Lake on Route 6 for over ten years
Readers appreciate the hyper-local focus of our papers
North Salem story about four of nine siblings who were all pregnant at the same time during the pandemic
Freeman warns listeners about a scam targeting Halston Media
Dumas gives an update on an ongoing issue regarding a county police patrol boat being pulled off of Lake Mahopac

Quotes

“This is a town board that is vehemently opposed to this - they voted 5-0 to opt out. They made it very clear they do not want dispensaries in town.”

“In doing research, there's only a handful of Northern Westchester communities that have not yet opted out - Bedford, Newcastle and Peekskill are definitely among them.”

“Somers Board of Education [meeting] - it was a lively one, actually. It required the presence of several members of the Somers Police Department just to keep everybody in order.”

“There was one parent who got up and mentioned that...these masks that we’re wearing don't do anything and we need N95 masks.”

“We're coming right down to the wire with the decisions to be made about a lot of things. So I think that's where a lot of the apprehension and the anger is coming from - we're so close [to the start of school]. And we don't really necessarily know yet.”

“When it comes to Yorktown, the other big story is the winery at St. George, which has operated in Mohegan Lake on Route 6 for about 10 years… It just abruptly closed a couple of weeks ago, leaving a lot of people confused.”

“We've heard from many people that the hyper-local focus of our papers, the granularity of it, is what they appreciate.”

“You can actually look at the actual email address. So if you click on the ‘From,’ and look at the actual email address, if it's not familiar, then it's definitely a scam.”

“It's amazing how people react without actually reading the story.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Former New York State Assemblyman and Former State Senator Greg Ball

Halston Media — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Joining the show today is former New York State Assemblyman and former State Senator Greg Ball. Ball represented the towns in our newspaper coverage area, Mahopac, Somers, Yorktown, North Salem, Katonah, Lewisboro, and other surrounding towns, from 2007 to 2014, before moving to Fredericksburg, Texas and embracing family life on the farm. Today he speaks with host Brett Freeman about his time in politics, where his journey has taken him since leaving New York State, and how entrepreneurship has pushed him to grow. He shares his appreciation for small business owners, offers his perspective on the difference between doing business in Texas versus New York State, and tells Freeman about his farm and upcoming winery. You’ll also hear Ball’s opinions regarding our country’s handling of COVID, the current political and racial divisions in America, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent resignation, as well as illegal immigration. Finally, Ball details his decision to leave politics behind him and concludes with his plans for the future.

Episode Highlights:

Today’s guest is former New York State Assemblyman and former State Senator Greg Ball
Ball represented the 40th Senate District, comprised of all of Putnam County, northern Westchester County, and eastern Dutchess County from 2007 to 2014
He has since moved to Texas, where he has started a family, launched a business, and hosts polo tournaments
Ball recently opened a seafood restaurant called Martini’s
Doing business in Texas versus New York State
Small business owners have to pass on costs of increased taxes and fees - this creates an environment where you only have the very rich and the very poor
Taxes, regulations, and fees are much more expensive and stringent in New York, making Texas a much easier environment to do business
Ball operates a working farm with several different types of animals and an upcoming winery
Ball’s current thoughts about how we as a country have handled COVID
He also shares his opinion about the critical race theory debate and feels that there is racism on both sides in this country
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s resignation
Illegal immigration concerns in America
Ball’s decision to leave politics and his plans for the future

Quotes

“It's been a tremendous journey after leaving the People's Republic of New York State.”

“I started with nothing. I came here - people probably wouldn't believe it, but I was probably $300,000 in debt and got in my truck with my dog and...drove to Texas and had no clue what I was going to do. And where I am today - it's been a huge sacrifice and tons of work. And we're not out of the woods yet. But I continue to push and grow and push and grow.”

“I have so much more respect now for small business owners and what they put up with every day.”

“Highly driven, successful people are going to push forward no matter what.”

“I believe that you can treat people like adults, you can treat small business owners like adults, you can treat superintendents of schools like adults. Governments should trust the people, people should not trust the government. And the people were completely capable of instituting best practices throughout this without running a nanny state and dividing the country into essential and non-essential.”

“[The pandemic] showed how willing the American people, including in the great state of Texas, how willing people are to give up their liberty.”

“You could have allowed businesses to do what they do best, which is they could have been the frontline of defense, to protect their customers and protect their employees.”

“We have a deeply divided country. It was bad in the 90s. It was bad in the 2000s. It was bad when I was in politics. But the division that we have now, either by partisanship or by race, is disgusting.”

“There's no honest conversation about race in America. There’s no honest conversation about class in America. It's a very disheartening thing. We're a deeply divided country.”

“There's a reason why I got out of politics. And it's the best decision I ever made. But politics needs good people in there.”

“Politics is just dripping in toxicity today.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Weekly Roundup with Our Halston Media Editors

Halston Media — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 03:30:00 -0400

On today’s episode, host Brett Freeman welcomes back three editors from our Halston Media newspapers: Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News. They join the podcast to discuss the week’s biggest national and local headlines, beginning with Governor Cuomo’s resignation following numerous allegations of sexual harassment. They offer their predictions for what might happen next, and whether Governor Cuomo will be indicted. You’ll also hear an update on mask mandates within local school districts and statewide, and Dumas details a rather eventful encounter he had while receiving his second COVID-19 vaccination. Finally, Marschhauser, Walogorsky, and Dumas tell Freeman what’s been going on in their respective towns this week, and give listeners a preview of the exciting stories they’re working on next.

Episode Highlights:

Three editors from the Halston Media team join the show today to discuss current news and headlines
Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
After their conversation on the podcast last week, they were all very surprised that Governor Cuomo actually resigned
Internal politics going on within the Democratic party of New York state
Mask mandates within different school districts and the state as a whole
Some believe future Governor Kathleen Hochul will issue a statewide mask mandate
Bob Dumas shares an eventful experience he had while receiving his second COVID-19 vaccination
Nothing has been officially decided regarding mask mandates for North Salem athletics
Marschhauser is working on a story with regards to a global semiconductor shortage that’s affecting car dealerships massively
The used car market is on fire right now
Walogorsky shares an update on the Vox Restaurant story in North Salem
Dumas discusses a recent town board meeting in Mahopac

Quotes

“Last episode, I said that Cuomo wasn't going to resign, and he resigned a few days later.”

“I think we're all kind of scrambling because nobody thought that he was actually really going to step down over this. So I feel like we're kind of in uncharted territory.”

“When it's partisan split down party lines, usually these things drag out, but he had so much pressure from his own party. I think that's ultimately what resulted in what we saw last week.”

“Listen, I'm sympathetic without a doubt to people who have hesitation [about the vaccine]. I personally believe it’s a personal choice. But to hear someone say that it's going to turn you into a zombie and it's about population control, I think that's crazy as well.”

“The kids had to wear masks while walking to the soccer field. But once playing, they can take their masks off, which makes absolutely no sense. Because if you're going to spread it - they're breathing on top of each other as they're kicking the ball.”

“As far as North Salem goes, there was a statement for this week in the weekly message from our principal, Vince DiGrandi, from the [North Salem] Middle School/High School. And he said that they're currently, as of now, planning on following the CDC regulations - that all teachers and staff and students will need to be masked. But also in the same message said that they'll be waiting for updates.”

“There is a car shortage at the moment, or more specifically, a semiconductor shortage, just globally that's affecting car dealerships massively.”

“Everything is based on these superconductors, these tiny nanometer chips affecting these two, three ton vehicles. A lot of [the cars] are built and ready to go, but they just don't have the chip. So they can't drive them off the lot, they can't sell them. So it's a big problem for a lot of car dealerships.”

“The used car market is on fire right now.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

New York State Assemblyman Kevin M. Byrne

Halston Media — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Today’s guest is Assemblyman Kevin M. Byrne of the 94th District in the state of New York. Byrne resides in Mahopac with his wife, Briana. He is a Republican, and in 2018 he was one of the five state legislators with the highest rating by the Conservative Party of New York. Byrne joins host Brett Freeman to discuss the recent resignation of Governor Andrew Cuomo, why he feels it’s important for the impeachment investigation to move forward, and he offers his thoughts on why other scandals surrounding Governor Cuomo have largely been ignored by the media. Freeman asks Byrne about New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ statement in response to the 11 women who were reportedly harassed by Governor Cuomo, and Byrne shares his legislative priorities for the remainder of his term.

On this episode, you’ll also hear about Byrne’s goals to make New York a more affordable place to live, with more economic opportunities for all demographics and businesses. He also goes into his decision to get vaccinated for COVID-19, why he does not believe in shaming or ridiculing people who may feel otherwise, and the long-term physical and social consequences we may see unfold as a result of the pandemic. Finally, Byrne discusses Lieutenant Governor Kathleen C. Hochul’s historical appointment as the first female governor of New York state, and moving on to the next chapter following Governor Cuomo's departure.

Episode Highlights:

Today’s guest is Assemblyman Kevin M. Byrne of the 94th District in the state of New York; Byrne is a Republican
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation on August 10, following numerous allegations of sexual harassment
Impeachment process will still move forward as it has already been initiated and Byrne believes taxpayers deserve to learn the findings of the investigation
The investigation also includes a number of other matters (e.g., Cumo’s nursing home scandal and how COVID-19 was handled in adult care facilities), and the public has a right to know what is found
A conviction by the State Senate would mean that Cuomo could not run for office in the state of New York in the future
This January, there was a report from the Attorney General which confirmed that the Governor’s Office and Department of Health underreported nursing home deaths by not including nursing home residents that contracted the virus in a nursing home and died in a hospital
It’s important to have accurate statistics on COVID-19 so that we can identify problem areas and create better policy to handle the virus
Byrne also holds that Governor Cuomo developed a $5.1 million book deal using state resources
He feels that Governor Cuomo’s sexual allegations received more attention in the media than his other scandals simply because sex sells
Byrne is committed to following through to achieve full accountability
He offers his thoughts on Lindsey Boylan’s December 2020 tweet regarding sexual harassment that took place in 2018 and what led Governor Cuomo to finally resign
New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ statement in response to the 11 women who were reportedly harassed by Governor Cuomo
Byrne feels we will not be able to get anything done politically if we allow this culture of corruption to continue
He wants to make New York a more affordable place to live with plenty of economic opportunities for all demographics, and “grow our pie” by being more welcoming to businesses
Byrne supports vaccines and feels they’re important, but does not believe in shaming people who feel otherwise - doing this will not persuade them, it will do the opposite
You can read his op-ed, “Why I Got Vaccinated” here
He feels parents should be able to decide what’s best for their family, and he opposes a vaccine mandate
He does not think masks necessarily need to be mandated in schools
There will be major social and physical ramifications for children and adults alike following COVID
Lieutenant Governor Kathleen C. Hochul will be the first female governor of New York State

Quotes

“We've already committed significant state dollars and resources to this impeachment investigation. They hired a law firm to do a concurrent investigation. And I have been very vocal in that. I want to see what those findings are. I want to see what their recommendations are. You paid for it as taxpayers, and you deserve to know what's in it.”

“It's very important because when we're looking at the measurement to see, How can we craft better policy? How can we respond better to this virus? You need to know where the problems are, and it was spreading like wildfire - the governor's own words.”

“And why are people...the media, and all these politicians commenting on the sexual misconduct allegations, more than anything else? I hate to say this, but I think it's the truth on social media and in the media in general - I think sex sells, and sadly, seniors that are deceased didn't get enough attention.”

“I'm committed to following through so we get true and full accountability.”

“[Lindsey Boylan] came out, and [Governor Cuomo’s] office leaked out her personnel files to victim-shame and attack her.”

“It wasn't until [NY State Attorney General Letitia James] came out with her other report last week, on the sexual misconduct allegations - that completely supercharged everything. That got to the point where the governor couldn't shoot this through. He had the President of the United States, Joe Biden, calling on him to resign. You had the neighboring Democratic governors, the state Democratic Party Chair, the entire New York congressional delegation, Republican and Democrats, calling on him to resign. It was over. Even Bill Maher called him to resign.”

“The reality is, we're not going to be able to get anything done, politically speaking...so long as we allow this culture of corruption to continue.”

“For me, I try to make New York a more affordable place to live with more economic opportunities. Far too many of our young people, and quite frankly, our seniors, they retire and leave New York.”

“When we talk about welcoming your business, and businesses, and job creators, that also brings in your tax revenues. You can grow that pie. It's not just about cutting services short. We’ve got to weed out the waste and abuse and the unnecessary spending, and we also can grow our pie by being more friendly towards business.”

“I support vaccines. I think they’re a life saving technology. And there's a reason why I got vaccinated.”

“I don't want to marginalize people who think differently. If people are vaccine-hesitant, ridiculing them and shaming them in public will not get them to come to your side and get the vaccine - it will do quite the opposite.”

“I feel like the nucleus for society really should be family, your core is family.”

“I think it's going to be an improvement and I think [Lieutenant Governor Kathleen C. Hochul] will help us move the chapter forward.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Bridging the Political Divide with Randy Freeman

Halston Media — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 03:30:00 -0400

At the top of today’s episode, host Brett Freeman welcomes three editors from our Halston Media newspapers: Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News. They discuss the recent downfall of Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the calls for him to resign following numerous allegations of sexual harrassment and sexual assault. You’ll hear their thoughts and opinions as they deliberate about extreme accountability, particularly in the Me Too era, how Governor Cuomo might move forward either by way of resignation or impeachment, and avoiding a “mob justice” mentality as these allegations have not yet stood trial or conviction at this point. Marschhauser, Walogorsky, and Dumas chat about local headlines, share the biggest stories from their respective papers this week, and give listeners a sneak peek at what they’re working on next.

Next, our host speaks with today’s guest, Randy Freeman. Freeman is one of two New York State coordinators for the nonprofit organization Braver Angels, whose mission is to bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic. Freeman is a practicing psychotherapist with her MSW and LCSW, and has moderated many red/blue workshops, and she co-hosts monthly moderator calls. She joins the show today to discuss how her background as a marriage counsellor made her a perfect fit for Braver Angels, how she applies the principles from her therapy practice to today’s political divide, and explains the importance of accepting one another’s differences to move forward together as a country. Freeman breaks down the history of polarization in the United States, and how social media has exacerbated this issue. She also offers her perspective on how to have political debates in a civilized, respectful manner, the power of allowing each side to have a voice, and why it’s actually necessary that we not agree on everything as a society.

To learn more about Freeman’s work to help red and blue individuals find common ground and depolarize American politics, visit BraverAngels.org or contact her directly at RFreeman@BraverAngels.org. Thanks for listening.

Episode Highlights:

Today’s show begins with a conversation with three editors from the Halston Media team: Brian Marschhauser, editor of Yorktown News; Tom Walogorsky, editor of North Salem News and The Somers Record; and Bob Dumas, editor of Mahopac News
They discuss the recent downfall of Governor Andrew Cuomo and what we can learn from this turn of events
Host Brett Freeman poses the question of whether Governor Cuomo felt so insulated from the media, that he was immune from the effects of the Me Too Movement
Governor Cuomo does not plan to resign; Marschhauser breaks down the impeachment process
New York State Senator Pete Harckham called for Governor Cuomu to resign, as well as anyone on his staff who was involved in the unlawful retaliation and coverup of the crisis
This is one of Governor Cuomo’s closest allies in the State Senate
We live in an era of the Me Too Movement and extreme accountability
It’s important to avoid mob justice - everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and these are still allegations that have not yet stood trial or conviction at this time
Other politicians have been accused of terrible things in the past, and continued on unscathed
Marschhauser feels that Governor Cuomo may go this route as he knows people’s attention spans will wane
Freeman agrees and feels Governor Cuomo may even pursue reelection (and win)
Dumas points out that this is a story as old as time - powerful men using their influence in an untoward fashion; he feels Governor Cuomo should resign so we can move forward with the business of governing New York
Marschhauser’s found dog story in Yorktown
The Katonah Village Library is in need of funds to remain open on weekends
The Somers Record story about the Marvelous Elephant Hotel
Mahopac News story about Putnam County’s concerning increases in COVID cases
Marschhauser, Walogorsky, and Dumas chat with Freeman about mask mandates, movie theatre reopenings, and the recent passing of Barbara Whitman, a trustee to the Somers Historical Society, due to an accident on Route 100
High school sports will be returning to their normal format
Next, guest Randy Freeman joins the show
Freeman is one of two New York State coordinators for the nonprofit organization Braver Angels, whose mission is to bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic
Freeman is a practicing psychotherapist with her MSW and LCSW
She works with individuals and couples
Freeman works on stopping the cycle of blame
She focuses on the emotional needs of each person, their expectations of their partner, and the development of each individual in their relationship
Full disclosure: Randy Freeman is host Brett Freeman’s mother
She was drawn to Braver Angels to help bridge the political divide and demonization in this country
She uses principles from marriage counselling to the political situation
Co-founder Bill Doherty is also a therapist
They offer workshops and facilitate debates between individuals who have different views politically
One-to-one conversations help people to see that we’re all human with stories, and that helps soften the discussion
Freeman explains that we need to accept and use our differences to move forward as a country
Most of us want this country to work and divorce really is not an option
Braver Angels is hoping to recruit more individuals who lean more to the political right
Freeman is hoping to do a workshop on being Red in a Blue environment
History of polarization in the United States
The big difference now is that social media allows you to surround yourself with people who share the same viewpoint
RealClearPolitics.com presents the best arguments from both the left and the right on various topics each day
Both the left and right tend to minimize violence and riots that took place on their own side
The name “Braver Angels” was inspired by one of Abraham Lincoln’s speeches
They want people to find the better angels of their nature to work together
Freeman has learned that politics is deeply personal for people, but at the end of the day, we share many of the same goals and values as human beings
No human being fits perfectly into one political party over the other
If issues like vaccination become partisan, you get locked into your viewpoint and feel less open to other possibilities
Braver Angels offers a Family and Politics workshop
If people feel heard, then they’re more willing to listen to others
Censorship can make people feel like their voice is being shut down, which automatically makes them feel defensive and less open to other opinions
Demonization of each political party goes beyond Trump
We don’t have to agree on everything, and in fact, it’s important the we have different opinions so we can keep each other in check - we need each other
Filibuster protects minority rights and keeps the pendulum in the middle

Quotes

“I haven't seen one statement yet calling for Cuomo not to resign. They've been pretty uniform that they want him to resign. And if he won't resign, they will go forward with an impeachment proceeding.”

“[New York State Senator Pete Harckham] said, The report released by the New York State Attorney General finds Governor Cuomo sexually harassed numerous women, which violates state and federal law. He must resign immediately. Those on his staff involved in the unlawful retaliation and coverup of the crisis must also resign.”

“I think that there has to be accountability. And me personally, I believe in holding our elected officials to a higher standard, no matter what level that they're at.”

“I just want to point out, these are, right now, allegations. That's all they are. There's not been a trial. There's been no jury, there's been no conviction. Obviously this is horrible politically for Governor Cuomo. And if these allegations are true, I mean, it's pretty despicable.”

“I personally don't think he will resign. I think he's been pretty defiant. Part of me thinks he might even be gearing up for another reelection campaign. You know, without getting too political, I think he's seen other politicians accused of terrible things just go on to continue unscathed. And I think he probably sees that for himself.”

“It's a story as old as time - powerful men using their influence in an untoward fashion.”

“Brian, I think that your prediction is the most accurate. The governor thinks that people have short attention spans, which I think is totally accurate. And I'll go a step further than what Brian said - I actually think he could get reelected.”

“That's totally what led me to [Braver Angels]. I was very upset quite a few years before 2016 with the kind of rancor that was going on in this country, and the demonization, the stereotyping and all the kinds of things that went on. And it just reminded me of what goes on between couples who are angry at each other.”

“One of the founders [of Braver Angels], Bill Doherty, is a marriage and family therapist, and a professor at the University of Minnesota… He has put together a bunch of workshops based on marriage therapy techniques that we use. I've seen it in use, and it's quite effective.”

“Our belief, very strongly, is that if our country is to move forward, and if we are going to get anything done in this country, we have to get along in enough of a way to compromise - not even necessarily compromise - but to accept that we have differences and maybe use our differences to move forward.”

“If [a couple] disagreed so vehemently that nothing got done, it hurts the children. It's the same thing with the country - if we disagree so vehemently that neither side is going to bend at all, nothing is going to get done. And it's going to hurt the people of this country.”

“I think most of us want this country to work.”

“What you discover is that people on both sides have really legitimate points to make. And they're worth listening to.”

“That's one of the things that Braver Angels does - nobody feels like a horrible human being. Again, you can be a Trump supporter, you can be a far left Bernie Sanders Liberal. And we're really listening to each other. Nobody's calling you a jerk. Nobody's telling you you're stupid, or you don't know what you're talking about. We really want to hear what people have to say. And we want to respect people as human beings.”

“Lincoln was asking people to find the better angels of their nature, to try to work things out. It wasn't so successful back then - what followed was the Civil War. And we don't want a civil war. We really want to find the better angels of our nature, all of our natures, to try to work together.”

“I think I've learned about politics. It's deeply personal for a lot of people.”

“When you have a voice, then you're willing to listen to the other voice. But the minute that you're shut down, you get back in your corner.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Braver Angels website

Randy Freeman’s email address: RFreeman@BraverAngels.org

Recreational Cannabis with Mahopac News Editor Bob Dumas

Halston Media — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Today’s guest is the editor of Mahopac News, Bob Dumas. Dumas has been with Halston Media for over six and a half years, and as you’ll hear, he is not just an employee, but also a good friend. He is truly dedicated to the town of Carmel, NY, and today he joins host Brett Freeman for an in-depth interview to discuss his life story and share his thoughts on local news and events. Dumas and Freeman talk about the current debate to allow marijuana dispensaries in Carmel, his past arrest for growing cannabis in 2002, and how serving 30 days in jail impacted his life, career, and finances moving forward. Dumas shares which books helped him through this difficult period, how he arrived in the field of journalism, and the events that led him to Mahopac News.

Dumas offers his perspective on the troubling history of marijuana in this country, often targeting minorities and being vilified by authorities. He explains why he feels marijuana is not harmful, addictive, or a gateway drug to other substances. You’ll also hear his thoughts on how to regulate cannabis effectively, how it has helped him cope with various medical issues, and the many ways Carmel could actually benefit from legalizing recreational cannabis. Finally, Dumas and Freeman talk about the stigma still surrounding the consumption of marijuana, how this might evolve as it becomes legal, and how we can discuss differing opinions on this controversial topic in a calm and respectful way.

Insightful, funny, and entertaining, today’s conversation highlights the importance of persevering through life’s difficult moments, and shows us how evolving laws and cultural attitudes can sometimes shed new light on past mistakes.

Episode Highlights:

Bob Dumas loves the collaborative energy of working together in an office and missed that during the pandemic; however, working from home has been a blessing in disguise in dealing with his health issues
He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in April and underwent bypass surgery last month
Dumas’s thoughts on allowing marijuana dispensaries in Carmel, NY
He was arrested and charged with three felonies for growing cannabis in August 2002, but this was ultimately dropped to one felony charge of conspiracy to maintain a grow house
Dumas was sentenced to 30 days in jail
He was able to serve this time over the weekends, and had to attend counselling afterward
His parents also passed away during this time
He was eventually fired as well - all because of an activity that is legal today
Dumas is a voracious reader and turned to books while serving time in jail
He particularly enjoyed The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Dumas was also involved with a frozen yogurt business in LA, but it was unfortunately put out of business due to an earthquake, mudslides, and the Rodney King riots
These negatively affected the economy and many accounts were lost
Dumas also had some success working as a screenwriter with his partner
From there he moved to journalism
His felony conviction destroyed him financially and led to other challenges
History of marijuana in this country and Dumas’s feelings on whether it is harmful or addictive
He feels that it is not addictive, will not cause withdrawal, and it is not a gateway drug
In terms of legalizing cannabis, you don’t want to tax it so heavily that people then turn to the black market for cheaper options
Marijuana has helped Dumas cope with various health issues related to Diabetes
When you go to marijuana dispensaries, you will see a cross-section of customers as it helps people of all demographics and backgrounds - it is not a criminal drug
This could help bring tourism and vibrant energy to Carmel, NY
Everyone reacts to marijuana in different ways
Although Dumas supports dispensaries, he is not in favor of consumption sites
Cannabis is still categorized as a Schedule I drug, along with heroin, cocaine, and crystal meth
Dumas is in favor of legislation to re-categorize it to Schedule III, which would lift many barriers and restrictions
There is still a stigma around consuming cannabis
Dumas is petitioning to overturn his criminal conviction in LA
Marijuana is not without its issues, but Dumas feels it is not worth sending people to jail and ruining their lives over

Quotes

“I got into this business many years ago, and one of the reasons that drew me in is, I'm a people person. I like interacting with people. And I like collaboration and teamwork.”

“We're doing the best we can under the hand that was dealt us.”

“I faced three felony charges, one of them was conspiracy to maintain a grow house, which is something that I didn't even know existed, the other one was theft of services… And then also possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. So those are the three big felonies.”

“That's a cliche way for the law enforcement to track down some of these grow houses. They see these high electric bills.”

“As they investigated more, they saw that I really did have a more diminished role. And we were able to reduce the charges to just a single felony charge of conspiracy to maintain a grow house. So I ended up being sentenced to 30 days in jail.”

“You wouldn't believe how much it costs to be arrested.”

“I was the only one in the counseling group there for marijuana. Everybody else was there for cocaine, heroin, crystal meth… And so they kind of made fun of me.”

“It was during this period that I lost both my parents, both my parents passed away. So I had a lot of bad things happen to me all at the same time.”

“Recreational cannabis was made legal two years after I moved away from California.”

“It's kind of funny, because all my fellow cell mates were amazed that I was such a reader. I was the only one who came in there with a stack of books.”

“We started this yogurt business. And it was great for about three or four years. We were making money… Then a whole bunch of stuff happened at the same time. We had an earthquake, we had the Rodney King riots, we had mudslides. We had a lot of things that impacted the local economy, knocking a lot of businesses out of business.”

“So I dove right back into the journalism game. And it was great because that job helped me network and I made a lot of Northern Westchester, Putnam County connections there. And a lot of people from that job still know me today.”

“I had this great financial net under me - lost all that. So I ended up living paycheck to paycheck… That's impacted me ever since. I've never had the financial security that I once had, all because I was growing a plant that the government didn't want me to grow.”

“I take full responsibility for what happened to me, I made all the decisions. Yeah, there were bad people in my life that were pushing me in certain ways, but it would have been easy enough for me to say no.”

“These people are just living a life that's been filled with misinformation and they're still buying into this whole ‘reefer madness’ thing.”

“Marijuana is a lot like alcohol in that pretty much everybody reacts differently.”

“It wasn't marijuana that devastated my life. It was the law.”

“If people want to talk to me about it on an intellectual, calm level, I'm more than willing to. Are there issues, are there problems? Sure. But that's no reason to make it illegal and lock up people and ruin their lives over it.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

The Importance of Civility with Jonathan Schneider [UPDATED]

Halston Media — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 03:30:00 -0400

On today’s episode, host Brett Freeman welcomes Jonathan Schneider of Mahopac, NY. Before beginning his career as an accountant, Schneider was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, instructing Marines in hand-to-hand combat before leaving for overseas combat zones. He did a tour in Iraq in 2003 and returned to Mahopac when his military duty concluded. Schneider and Freeman have been friends for many years and even share a birthday. Schneider has a heart of gold, the sincerity of a Boy Scout, the bravery of a Marine, and he’s the only politician you’ll find who picks up trash without any cameras nearby.

Today Schneider joins Freeman to discuss his professional trajectory, beginning with his service in the military and aspirations to join the NYPD before sustaining injury in Iraq in 2003. From there, he joined Schneider Financial Group, Ltd. He talks about the trying times following his injury, and struggling as nothing was going according to plan. He tells Freeman about finding his true strength through life’s difficult moments, and using them as an opportunity to re-evaluate his priorities. Schneider answers questions about his softer side, his journey through parenthood, and the importance of civility, even in moments of conflict or misunderstanding. He shares his experience taking horticultural classes following his father’s passing, and moving offices for a fresh start.

Schneider recounts the experience of helping many businesses through the COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020, and discusses the huge professional and personal challenges people have had to juggle during the pandemic, as well as the possible long-term repercussions yet to unfold in the business world, such as inflation, factory closures, and worker shortages. He offers his perspective on the future of automation across all industries, changes to the government, and the war of economics and race in our country. Freeman asks Schneider about his position to allow marijuana dispensaries in the town of Carmel, NY, as well as his passion for serving veterans, starting his own non-profit organization, and whether he sees a future in politics. Finally, they chat about Schneider’s admiration for Elon Musk, Teslas, and engineering, and where he believes forward-thinking leaders like Musk, Sir Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos are going to take the future of humanity.

Episode Highlights:

Jonathan Schneider is the managing partner in Schneider Financial Group, Ltd.
He is passionate about discussing differences of opinions and learning about new beliefs or facts he has never been exposed to before
He tries to listen twice as much as he speaks
After his freshman year of college, he joined the military
He intended to complete police academy training with the NYPD as well, but his unit for the Marine Corps Reserves was activated after September 11, 2001
He was deployed overseas to Iraq in 2003, and sustained an injury while training
This put an end to both his military and NYPD careers
He was living in North California at the time, and decided to return to New York to join his father’s Accounting practice
The first few months after his injury were quite tough, and he struggled as nothing was going according to plan
Schneider feels that it’s during these difficult times in life that you’re able to find true strength and reevaluate your priorities - trying times make us who we are
He met Billy Joel during Fleet Week in Manhattan in 2002
They had a great conversation over drinks and even got to discuss Billy Joel’s song, “Goodnight Saigon”
Schneider is a “tough guy,” but he also has plenty of softer traits, with a heart of gold and infinite patience, particularly in his journey through parenthood
Self-reflection has been very important
He realized early on that not losing his temper would make him a much better parent and serve him well in other areas of his life
Schneider and Freeman discuss an incident when Freeman’s newspaper published an unflattering headline about Schneider, which was a quote from a political opponent
They have since moved past it and Freeman has publicly apologized on numerous occasions
Schneider appreciates when people can take accountability for their actions and admit when they had him wrong
He tries to offer civility even to those who have said poor things about him in the past
After his father, Alan Schneider, passed away, he took horticultural classes at the New York Botanical Gardens and moved his office for a fresh start
Schneider was instrumental in helping Freeman’s business when New York shut down due to the pandemic in March 2020
There has been a huge pivot in the business world, as well as personally, as people juggled working from home while turning their kitchen into a classroom for their children
We have yet to see how the pandemic will affect businesses long-term, but indicators of inflation and rising costs are already apparent (e.g., groceries, gasoline, construction supplies)
There are also worker shortages directly related to COVID and factory shutdowns
We’re also seeing a great deal of poaching of employees across industries as people opt to work wherever they can get the highest level of compensation, and aren’t necessarily loyal to their company
Schneider predicts that we’ll see much more automation and AI in the business industry moving forward, which will free us up for more theological pursuits
He also thinks we’ll see systematic changes in the government and guaranteed income
We are facing a war of economics and a war of race, with limited options for the Have Nots to become the Haves
History shows us that we cannot exist in a utopian society
We can learn so much from how we have both advanced as a society, and how we have destroyed ourselves as a society in the past
Schneider is a proponent for allowing marijuana dispensaries in the town of Carmel, NY
This would allow for parameters to be put in place and reduce tax burdens for constituents
Schneider is passionate about working with veterans and is very involved with Toys for Tots
When Schneider returned from Iraq, the average number of veterans who committed suicide per day was 21 - it has now risen to 22
Mental health, opiod abuse, alcohol abuse, suicide, homelessness, joblessness are all big issues for veterans
Schneider’s nonprofit, Humble Vets, started with a focus on addressing homelessness and vocational training, and is now pivoting to encompass a full quality of life spectrum
He believes America is the greatest country in the world and leaves the door open to all opportunities in the future, whether they be political or otherwise
Schneider is fascinated by Elon Musk, Teslas, and engineering
He loves the Tesla Model S and feels it’s the best vehicle out there
He feels that Elon Musk, Sir Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos are the kind of leaders who are going to lead us to the future of humanity

Quotes:

“I find it actually one of the most enlightening parts of my life, being able to discuss differences of opinion whether I believe them or not. I think it's always nice to have a background of other people's ideas and beliefs and listen to facts that I've never been exposed to before.”

“If I have any intelligent conversation to add, I will try. But typically I try to listen twice as much as I speak.”

“My intention was that I would make a career out of both the NYPD and doing reserves with the Marines, but then, the events of September 11 had transpired, and shortly thereafter, my unit for the Marines was activated. I wasn't able to complete the police academy for the NYPD. And when I was overseas, in Iraq in 2003, I had sustained injury while training. And that pretty much ended my military career and the career with the NYPD.”

“It was pretty tough. For the first few months where I wasn't able to do much, it was definitely a difficult part of my life, and I definitely struggled with a lot of different demons at that point. And for that transitional period, trying to figure out where I was, and where I was going, it was tough.”

“But I think in those more difficult times a life is where you find true strength, and then you're able to figure out who you really are, and try to reevaluate what your priorities are and how you live life and, more importantly, who you live life around.”

“It has definitely been a journey in parenthood. It's not what we would consider our ‘traditional family’. I was blessed to be able to have our oldest daughter ask me to be her dad, instead of just being born into me being her dad, which is still the greatest thing.”

“I think that there have always been struggles. And I'll tell you, it was probably one of the hardest things that I've had to do was self-reflection.”

“I figured from that point forward, just if I could not lose my temper, then I could be a lot better parent. And it's worked out well, with a lot of other things.”

“It wasn't your paper that ever accused me of anything. It was a quote from someone. You know, I've never held it against you.”

“One of the biggest things that we get back to is civility. And I try to do that even to the people who may have said poor things about me.”

“I think when we just start throwing out accusations and things that could be hurtful, or if we start to lose our temper, or we start to yell and raise our voice, it may be - it loses the effectiveness of the intent.”

“At that point, it was like, I believe you and I can see the writing on the wall. We had started talking about this (COVID shutdown) isn't going to be for two weeks. This is going to be massive.”

“It was definitely a time where trying to keep factual information coming. Real time was difficult, because a lot of things were under speculation about what was going to happen, how things were going to happen. All in all, it was more about just keeping people informed on what they could do, and trying to be as transparent of the process as possible.”

“The big question always comes to, Okay, what happens to the value of our dollar? Do we get the same amount of goods for what we're spending?”

“I think unfortunately, a lot of the indicators of inflation have already hit us.”

“I think if you look at what a lot of our concerns are, when you talk about the specific point of our supply chain, I think a lot of that is directly related to COVID. From the onset, whether it was a complete shutdown of factories, to where we are now where there's a shortage that we have in truck drivers to get deliveries to final destinations. I think across many different industries that deal with any products having to do with plastic, metals, or wood, you will find that there is such a high demand for a very short supply.”

“It's going to be difficult, I think, when a lot of our subsidies run out. And [if] these normal costs that we have for our food or our energy remain fixed at this higher level, it's going to be difficult to sustain. And I'm not sure how it's going to play out in the long run.”

“There's definitely been employee poaching. I think that a lot of people also don't see loyalty to companies like they see loyalty to themselves. So if they're going to be offered an opportunity to get a higher amount of compensation in another company, they're going to probably at least evaluate that before they make a decision.”

“A lot of times, I think the best employees are the ones that love the environment that they're in, the culture that they're in, they know that they're respected, they know that they are treated with at least gratitude for what they offer - what they bring to the team. And when I think everybody is on a platform where they work together, it's easy to retain.”

“I don't believe that America was ever founded on anything for equal outcomes. I think America has always been founded on equal opportunity.”

“It's unfortunate, I think, more than anything in our country, we have a war of economics and a war of race. I think what we have is, the people who are the Have Nots don't have a way of becoming the Haves.”

“I think we have to really concentrate more on the equal opportunity. I think that's the key.”

“Can human beings exist in a utopian society? I don't think we can right now. The history of the world has proven that does not work. I think that's what we should be teaching more than anything, is the history of the world and how we have been able to advance societies and how we've been destroying ourselves as societies, and learn from there. Let's start thinking about that.”

“I heard Danbury, CT will be referred to as the Mecca of Cannabis… I have to say, I believe that what I've seen Danbury do over the past 10 years, I think there's been a lot of really amazing stuff that they've put into the news, how they've creatively tried to revitalize their city.”

“We were able to actually hand out toys to some recipients. And it was just one of the most amazing feelings to be able to give that kind of joy to a kid who normally wouldn't have it. And just such a simple token of a toy means the world to some people. So it was really great to get involved there.”

“Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, suicide, homelessness, joblessness, are all big issues for veterans.”

“The nonprofit started off where it was going to really address homelessness and vocational training. We were going to be concentrating on building small homes, Tiny Homes, and then to get training for veterans in the trades, for electricians, plumbing, carpentry, so that they could take what they learn and then bring it to their own life in the future.”

“In life, I always leave every avenue that I can think of open. I never know where my future is going to bring me to. I never know what day will be my last. So I kind of just live every day to its fullest. And I try to make sure that I appreciate the present for what it is. The future, I leave open at all times.”

“No matter who is in charge at the time for our system, America is still the greatest country in the world.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Continuing Our Conversation About COVID-19 Vaccinations with Naturopathic Physician Dr. Eli Morales

Halston Media — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Dr. Eli Morales is a licensed naturopathic physician who trained at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. He seeks to empower his patients to activate their body’s natural ability to heal through nutrition, herbs, hydrotherapy, and homeopathy. Before becoming a doctor he was an elementary school teacher because he was drawn to teaching children about the world around them. Now, as a doctor, he combines his teaching skills and medical training to guide patients through the journey of health. One of the six principles of naturopathic medicine is Docere, which is Latin for “to teach.” Educating patients is at the center of his practice.

Dr. Morales is part of the team at the Integrative Natural Medicine Clinic at SOPHIA Natural Health Center. He joins the show today to discuss how their team of specialists integrate Chinese medicine with Western medicine to create natural solutions and health plans for their patients. He talks about helping people protect themselves and treat viruses using conventional and natural methods, and offers his insights as a naturopathic physician as we continue last week’s conversation regarding whether or not children should be vaccinated for COVID-19. Dr. Morales addresses questions about the vaccine affecting fertility and hormones for pre-teens, the risks of developing myocarditis as a side effect for young men, and the long-term physiological effects of being vaccinated. His position is to help educate people with the information available, and he encourages parents to consider the many physical, mental, and social factors involved as they make their own decision about whether or not to vaccinate themselves and their children. Dr. Morales also reminds listeners of the important lifestyle changes we can make to stay healthy, including eating a well-balanced, colorful diet, getting plenty of exercise and sleep, and avoiding sugar.

As we continue this ongoing conversation, Dr. Morales offers yet another perspective about how you can protect yourself and your children during the pandemic, as well as which variables to consider as you make your decision about whether or not to vaccinate against COVID-19.

Episode Highlights:

Dr. Eli Morales is part of the team at the Integrative Natural Medicine Clinic at SOPHIA Natural Health Center, led by Dr. Kenneth Hoffman (Doctor of Acupuncture)
Their practice can be reached at 203-740-9300
They are a branch of specialists, and they integrate Chinese medicine with Western medicine to create natural solutions and health plans for their clients
Dr. Morales primarily focuses on Lyme Disease, digestive health, cardiovascular disease, and hormone imbalance
He uses Western lab work to confirm the findings of Chinese medicine practitioners
A lot of people get better when they work together with this integrative approach
Dr. Morales is heavy on nutrition, lifestyle, sleep, and toxins from the environment
Once he has addressed nutrition, he works up a therapeutic ladder and first recommends herbs, supplements, and exercise, followed by physical medicine and chiropractic components
Their office urges people to take precautions to protect themselves against COVID-19 (wash your hands, cover your cough), but not to panic about the virus
They consider themselves a good resource in helping people protect themselves and treat viruses with the best that Western medicine has to offer, both conventionally and naturally
Their position is to educate their clients with the information available, and let them decide whether to get vaccinated for COVID-19 or not
Many clients report that their primary care provider simply tells them to get vaccinated and does not answer their questions or concerns, creating a hostile atmosphere and making them feel more hesitant about the vaccine
Our survey on whether listeners planned to vaccinate their children was evenly split
Primary concerns were that vaccine would affect hormones or fertility, specifically for girls, or cause inflammation of the heart
Dr. Morales feels that the question of how the vaccine might affect pre-teens’ changing hormones is a legitimate concern, and would feel hesitant to vaccinate a 12-year-old until that is addressed
Some young men have developed myocarditis after receiving the vaccine
It’s important to look at the data to determine the true risk, and decide whether you want to take that risk
With regards to whether the risk is greater for children to get vaccinated versus not getting vaccinated, Dr. Morales points out that there is also a social and mental health aspect to not getting vaccinated, which needs to be considered as you make your decision
Dr. Morales feels that the long-term physiological risks associated with the vaccine for both adults and children were not studied long enough and remain unclear
He would like to see more data regarding how the vaccine affects the developing mind, body and immune system long-term
Dr. Morales does not have a definitive answer as there are so many factors for parents to consider as they look at the risks versus benefits socially, mentally, physically
His focus is on educating his patients, and providing as much information as possible, so that they can make their own decision
Regarding carbon dioxide levels for children wearing masks, Dr. Morales share that his daughter wore a mask to school all year and seemed okay, but he would like to see the data
Kids might find the straps irritating to their ears or feel that it affects their asthma
Getting away from COVID-19, children need to be exposed to germs to a certain extent as this teaches their immune system to function properly
To stay healthy, kids and adults should eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, and avoid sugar
Vitamins D and C are also very important, as well as quality sleep and exercise
People at greatest risk for coronavirus tend to have comorbidities, such as obesity or Type II Diabetes, which can be avoided with healthy lifestyle habits
General recommendation is to exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days per week, but you can also include intermittent exercise to feel the positive effects as well

Quotes:

“Once we have nutrition down, then I talk about lifestyle - How's your sleep? What behaviors could we change around there? How's your water intake? And then we go up what we call a therapeutic ladder. I might recommend herbs, supplementation, and exercise.”

“We were seeing a lot of people doing the panic buying in the beginning of the pandemic, where you're buying all the toilet paper, and being extra, extra cautious… It was our opinion at that time that yes, this is something serious, and people are getting very ill. But we, as a clinic, can help you, can help support your body to fend off viruses to help protect you.”

“We still consider ourselves a good resource for information on how to treat viruses, on how to protect yourself with the best that Western medicine has to offer - that's conventionally and natural as well.”

“What they found during the year was when children were getting ill, contracting the virus, and there was a positive case, it was often very mild, and there was a decreased chance of them actually passing it on to others. Now, that isn't to say that there were cases of kids becoming very ill… That's always a concern. There is a small population where that is a concern. So do we need to protect everyone? Or just really identify children who are vulnerable and protect them? That's a very difficult question for me to answer, but public health officials are working on that.”

“Our position is to educate our patient base as best we can with the information that's out there, that we have access to. And so we let patients make their own decision about whether to get vaccinated or not. We don't recommend it, we don't not recommend it either.”

“If your goal is to have someone be vaccinated, give them all the information and let them make their own decision. If you give them more information, and then you're hostile, they're going to make a decision more quickly to say, Well, I'm not going to do this.”

“We have seen in younger males in particular, that there is a condition called myocarditis that is developing with the vaccines, particularly with the mRNA vaccine. And I actually don't know why that is, I haven't looked into the physiology of that. And I also think it's a legitimate concern. I think if you're concerned about it, you should look at the studies or get some information about how frequent it is… So it's important to actually get to understand what the true risk is.”

“I'm sure it's out there - how many vaccines were given to kids, or particularly to young men between the ages of 12 and 40, and how many of them had myocarditis. It might actually be very low, and you can really look at, Well, my risk is low, I will take that risk. Or it might be high enough that you're nervous, and you just avoid that particular vaccine or vaccines altogether.”

“This last question is difficult because, you know, what are all the risks of getting vaccinated and not getting vaccinated? And it's not just whether you're going to get sick or not, or even get a side effect from the vaccine, because there's also social risks. There’s mental health risks to not getting vaccinated. I think that needs to be considered when you're looking at trying to do a risk/benefit analysis, particularly around teens or around older elementary school age - If you don't vaccinate, what kind of social life will be available to your family and to your teens?”

“What are the actual physiological risks [of the vaccine]? We really don't know, they haven't been studied long enough in this population. And in fact, they weren't studied ,, in my opinion, long enough in adult populations. And we're hoping that the long-term risk will be low - we really don't know. It's been less than a year. And that's scary to me, particularly with children, particularly with children who are developing an immune system, or under five years old. And I would be very nervous to vaccinate at this moment with any kind of trial.”

“So I'd want a lot of questions answered, a lot of data behind, How’s the mechanism affecting the developing body, the developing mind, the developing immune system?”

“It's a scary world right now for everyone, especially parents who are trying to make a decision, and weigh the risks versus benefits socially, mentally, physically, for their families. And I don't know the answer.”

“They need to be exposed [to germs and bacteria] because it teaches the immune system how to function properly… In the developed world, there's a lot more allergies, asthma, eczema, these are all the types of immune responses that come along when there isn't a lot of exposure - as much exposure - to bacteria and viruses in general.”

“I do think it's important to expose children to disease, particularly viruses… I can't say that for COVID-19 in particular - I think that's a very controversial statement at this moment. But other benign known viruses and bacteria, I think it's a healthy thing.”

“To stay healthy, eat a well-balanced diet, a very colorful plate in all five colors of the rainbow, mostly fruits and vegetables, a small amount of protein, and avoid sugar.”

“The greatest risks for the coronavirus are those with comorbidities, which are other conditions that are actually lifestyle conditions - obesity and diabetes, Type II in particular. These are conditions of over-eating, particularly carbohydrates. And that can all be avoided. And then you have a greater blockade against viruses getting in and replicating and hurting you.”

“The general recommendation for cardiovascular health is 30 minutes a day of cardiovascular exercise, at least five days a week.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Integrative Natural Medicine at SOPHIA Natural Health Center website

COVID-19 Vaccination for Children with Pediatrics Specialist Dr. Maryann Buetti-Sgouros

Halston Media — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Today’s guest is Dr. Maryann Buetti-Sgouros, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, NY, which is part of the Northwell Health System. Dr. Buetti-Sgouros is a Pediatrics specialist and has over 28 years of experience in the medical field. She graduated from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical School in 1993, and currently practices with Westchester Health, also affiliated with Northwell Health, at 36 Smith Avenue in Mount Kisco. Her patient office can be reached at (914) 666-6655 for anyone looking for a new pediatrician for their children. In the interest of full disclosure for our listeners, Northern Westchester Hospital is a valued advertiser with five of our Halston Media publications, but we believe that they are a trusted institution in the Hudson Valley regardless of their status as a client.

Dr. Buetti-Sgouros joins the show to discuss the topic of whether to vaccinate our children for COVID-19. She explains how messenger RNA vaccines work to help our bodies produce antibodies, why she feels these vaccinations are beneficial and safe not only for children, but for their families and the community as a whole, and addresses the idea that children do not need to be vaccinated because are often asymptomatic. She explains that these children can still transmit the virus to older adults, and some children do develop multi-inflammatory systemic disease, similar to Kawasaki Disease, due to COVID-19. Because of this dangerous potential outcome, Dr. Buetti-Sgouros feels strongly that children should get vaccinated so as to avoid this risk. She shares her concerns about the long haul effects for young people who develop COVID-19, why she feels the vaccine does not affect fertility, and urges parents to consider vaccinating their children so that they can travel and return to school, camp, and other social activities with their peers, as this is a crucial aspect of their mental health, particularly for children with special needs. Dr. Buetti-Sgouros details her experience contracting COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic, and reminds listeners of the powerful role that vaccines have played in eradicating tragic diseases and deadly infections of the past.

Episode Highlights:

Today’s guest is Dr. Buetti-Sgouros, a Pediatrics specialist with over 28 years of experience in the medical field
She graduated from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical School in 1993
She practices with Westchester Health, also affiliated with Northwell Health at 36 Smith Avenue in Mount Kisco
Her patient office can be reached at 914-666-6655 for anyone looking for a new pediatrician for their children
For full disclosure to our listeners, Northern Westchester Hospital is a valued advertiser with five of our Halston Media publications
They have been a valued client for many years, but regardless of their status as a client, we believe that Northern Westchester Hospital is a trusted institution in the Hudson Valley
Dr. Buetti-Sgouros joins the show today to make a compelling case for vaccinating our children for COVID-19
In a survey posed to 70 listeners in our Facebook group, 32 listeners planned to vaccinate their children for COVID-19, while 27 did not
Reasons for vaccinating were largely to protect against COVID-19 and to allow their children to participate in activities and travel
Reasons against vaccinating included fear over long-term effects, they were not worried about COVID-19 affecting their child
Research on the vaccine is being done in sequential stages
Ages 12 and older have been approved at this point, and studies have now begun on younger children
Scientists are varying the quantity of messenger RNA to see how low a level they can administer and still get an adequate response that will protect younger children
Dr. Buetti-Sgouros likes to focus on better nutrition or lifestyle choices before prescribing medicine or antibiotics, so her recommendation to vaccinate children is a strong endorsement based on the fact that she truly believes it will benefit not only the child, but their family and the community at large as well
Pfizer and Moderna are currently doing the most research on vaccines for children
She breaks down how messenger RNA vaccines work and why she has no concerns about this vaccination method
Vaccine gives the message to cells to produce antibodies, which prevent our bodies from developing full blown infections
There’s a large variation in how people present symptoms of COVID-19
Children are often asymptomatic, but spread the virus to other family members who become very sick and may need to be hospitalized
One of the main reasons pediatricians recommend to vaccinate children is because of their ability to spread the virus to adults
Anyone who is around children knows how easily they can spread germs
Parents who feel their children will not get particularly sick with this virus should remember that it’s not just about the individual - it’s about protecting older family members and the community at large
The death rate of children with COVID-19 is very small - about %0.08 of all cases as compared to 15% in the general population
But the risk is then how many people they transmit it to
Dr. Buetti-Sgouros’s experience contracting COVID-19 while treating her patients
Research is still unclear about whether having COVID-19 antibodies is enough to provide natural immunity, especially against variants
Antibody levels can be very inconsistent
Study at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway found that more than half of young people with mild Covid-19 infections experienced Long Covid
Most concerning long haul symptom is loss of taste and smell, which can be a safety risk
Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart, which can be caused by many things, including viruses
Myocarditis caused by the coronavirus can be mild or severe
Side effects of any vaccine are mild versions of the virus itself, which is why some young people were experiencing mild Myocarditis
Some children do develop severe symptoms or multi-inflammatory systemic disease that looks like Kawasaki Disease due to COVID-19
Because of this potential outcome, Dr. Buetti-Sgouros feels strongly that children should get vaccinated as this is a risk she wouldn’t want to take
Delta variant of the virus appears to be much more contagious, but people who are vaccinated will not be hospitalized or develop severe symptoms
Dr. Buetti-Sgouros feels that children should be vaccinated in order to travel or participate in activities as they could still transmit the virus even if they are asymptomatic
Northern Westchester Hospital treats children with COVID-19 according to CDC guidelines
Vaccinating your child will prevent disease from spreading to older adults or auto-immune compromised individuals, and will ensure your child does not develop multi-system inflammatory disease, lose their sense of smell, or experience brain fog and lack of clarity
Children should be pre-screened before school or camp activities, and masks are highly encouraged as well
Not long ago, pneumococcal diseases like pertussis were very prevalent, and babies would be sent to the hospital with fevers and lethargy on a regular basis
These horrible diseases and their tragic outcomes have largely been eradicated due to the development of vaccines
Having a healthy lifestyle can also protect us against developing severe symptoms of COVID-19
Beyond the risk of infection, vaccinating your child will also ensure that they are able to participate in school and activities again, which is crucial for their mental health and has suffered tremendously since the pandemic began
Kids need to be with other kids
Special needs children have also had an extremely difficult time during the pandemic without their support or access to mental health services

Quotes:

“What's happening is the research is being done in stages. They're getting volunteers and then giving the vaccination and then checking for the immune response. So it all happens in sequential order. So right now 12 and over was approved at this stage of the game. However, studies are still being done in the younger ages.”

“There's a study going on between ages 6 to 12. And then they're doing studies in the younger children, where they're varying the quantity of the messenger RNA to see how low a level can you give, and still get an adequate response that will protect the child.”

“Years ago, when it came to the influenza vaccine, there was a different dose for the younger child.”

“As a pediatrician, anybody who knows me knows it is pretty hard to get me to give something to a child. I hate giving out antibiotics. I like to give out better lifestyle advice about nutrition and good habits. So for me to be recommending something like a vaccination, it has to be because I truly feel that the research has been done to benefit not only the child, but the child's family and the community at large.”

“Messenger RNA...gives a message to a cell. It gives it essentially the recipe, the instructions on what to do next. When the right cell gets that information, it will then produce the outcome, which is - the body itself creates the protein, which the body then recognizes as spike protein and then creates antibodies against the spike protein.”

“If the spike protein is blocked, the cells can't get the viral particles.”

“There's a big variation in how people present with coronavirus infection. We see in a lot of the small children they're essentially asymptomatic… The problem then became, other people in the household were getting sick. Some that had more robust inflammatory reactions were actually getting particularly sick.”

“We had babies that didn't look particularly ill and then grandparents were ending up in the hospital. It’s that variation in presentation that is so concerning to those of us who practice Pediatrics.”

“I understand so many parents are concerned because they think that their children might not get particularly sick with this virus, but it goes beyond just the individual. It also goes to the community.”

“It's a very small death rate, but for each one of those children that has the coronavirus, the risk is how many people that they transmitted it to.”

“It's that transmission with somebody asymptomatic, who doesn't realize they have this, spreads it to the next person. That's the concern.”

“There are some kids that got the multi-inflammatory systemic disease that looked like...Kawasaki Disease. So because that is a potential outcome, I feel strongly that the kids should be getting the vaccination, because that's a risk I wouldn't want to take.”

“There is a concern that [delta variant] will be the most predominant strain in the United States. And you have to remember, people who are vaccinated will not get severe COVID due to delta. Even if you got the older vaccines that are not specific against the delta variant, you will not be hospitalized nor will you get a severe disease from the coronavirus if you get delta.”

“Messenger RNA never goes into the nucleus. So it's never going to go into a cell where it can be spread and passed on. It's not possible for it to get into that cell line...It's not going to be able to go into your ovaries, it's not going to go into your testes, it's not going to affect your germline. It should not be affecting your hormones. ”

“The fact that nobody that has the vaccine is being hospitalized and placed on a ventilator, I think is crucial… Why would you want to risk the potential of being a statistic and getting hospitalized, especially now that the delta variant appears to be more catchy and more severe? So if I had to pick one reason to get [the vaccine], it would be so you do not become a casualty.”

“These vaccinations, these therapies are put into place to try to prevent the tragedies that occurred in the past.”

“Something as simple as losing weight and taking better care of ourselves would also decrease the likelihood of having severe COVID.”

“I think having the vaccination so that all kids will be able to participate fully in school and activities is very important. Even if you're not worried so much about the physical likelihood of your child having severe COVID infection. If it comes to the point where schools mandate that you cannot participate without getting that vaccination, my God, I would hate for your child to be that kid that's not participating. Kids need to be with other kids. It goes beyond just the physical health. The mental health needs it.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Barking at the Moon with Humor Columnist Tracy Beckerman

Halston Media — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Tracy Beckerman is an award-winning author, speaker, and syndicated humor columnist who has appeared on numerous TV shows, including NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, CBS Sunday Morning, and Good Day New York. Her honors for writing include the prestigious Writer’s Guild of America award, a CLIO, an International Film and Television award, and a New York Emmy. Beckerman has been voted “America’s Top Blogger” by The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television, has won a National Society of Newspaper Columnists award for humor writing, and was the Global Humor Award Winner of the coveted Erma Bombeck Writing Competition.

Beckerman joins the show today to discuss her latest book, Barking at the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble, and what led her to write it. She shares the story of getting a dog so that her kids could grow up with that great childhood experience, and how it made her slow down and appreciate life in a new way. She talks about learning to cherish small moments with her family, and how writing her column, Lost in Suburbia, helped her find the joy and humor in parenting. She answers questions about the upbeat tone of her writing, dealing with isolation during the pandemic, what dogs bring to our lives as humans, and what we can learn from our furry friends. You’ll also hear hilarious stories about her dog, Riley, what it was like to come together as a family to say goodbye to him, and how life with her new dog, Monty, is different as an empty nester. Beckerman ends by explaining the touching inspiration behind her latest book title, and encourages listeners to find the humor through all of life’s ups and downs.

Episode Highlights:

Beckerman’s books include Lost in Suburbia - A Momoir and Rebel Without a Minivan
Her latest book is Barking at the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble
She thought it would be a good idea to get a dog so her kids could grow up with that experience
The dog ended up being “Dogzilla” and tore the house apart
Barking at the Moon became a good bridge book between Lost in Suburbia and her upcoming book, Lost in Midlife
Her dog, Riley, slowed things down and made her appreciate the here and now
Life with children is hectic, but it goes by quickly
She moved to the suburbs and left her high-powered career in television, and felt lost
She lost her sense of identity and became depressed
Writing about experiences with her kids helped her find the humor in it, and embrace the joy of parenting
Her column is upbeat and silly
Her book takes on a similar tone, and she takes great joy in being able to give people laughter through her writing, especially during the pandemic
Not being able to see her loved ones during the pandemic has been very difficult
Her dog kept her company, made her laugh, and motivated her to get outside
Dogs bring so much joy to our lives as humans, and they are loyal to a fault
Beckerman shares the funniest stories about her dog, Riley
They came together as a family to say goodbye to him
It was a good opportunity to support her children through a difficult experience
Having a dog as an empty nester versus when her kids were living at home
The touching story behind the title “Barking at the Moon”

Quotes:

“We thought it would be a good idea for the kids to have a dog growing up because it was a great experience for us.”

“We ended up with this dog that was like Dogzilla.The dog was just absolutely nuts, and tore our house apart. But, you know, in a very loving way.”

“This was a really great bridge book between the two to talk about that sweet spot when you're raising children from the time that they're 5 until 15 or 17.”

“Something about having the dog slowed things down, and made me realize that I really need to stop and smell the fire hydrant, and appreciate what we had right then and not wish it away too fast.”

“[Having pets] added a great deal of chaos to the house, which we already had, because we had two kids, but it was a joyous chaos. So I think there's a lot of fun in that kind of hectic time of your life.”

“That's how Lost in Suburbia was born, because I was literally lost. I just did not know what my identity was anymore without the city and the job. And I kind of was really depressed. I had yet to discover the joy in parenting. It just felt like such a burden. And I feel horrible saying that, but it was just true.”

“I found the humor in it. And it brought so much more joy to the parenting experience.”

“To not see everybody for over a year was really difficult.”

“There's a reason so many people went out and got dogs during the pandemic. It was for that warmth and that comfort, that companionship, and the joy of the silly things that dogs do.”

“I think that there's really something special about dogs and our relationship with dogs… They’re just loyal to a fault.”

“After we lost Riley, I was sitting with my husband out on the porch, and I was staring at the stars and the moon. And I said, I feel like barking at the moon in Riley's honor. And my husband said to me, Do you know what barking at the moon means? ...It actually means trying to do something in vain. So whatever it is that you're trying to do, and it's not going to happen. You're barking at the moon. And I realized that it was sort of an appropriate analogy, because here I was trying to stop time, not have the dog die, not have the kids get older and move out. And I was really barking at the moon because you can't do that.”

“I definitely recommend dogs as pets, because they're wonderful companions, and they definitely enhance life. We're always looking for ways to make things happier, and better, and shinier, and having a dog seems to do that.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Tracy Beckerman website

The Beauty and Awe of Faith with Pastor Brian McIntyre

Halston Media — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Pastor Brian McIntyre is one of Brett’s spiritual and intellectual mentors. He is the lead pastor at Lakeview Community Church in Carmel, NY, where Brett has called home from the moment he became a Christian. Pastor Brian grew up in Mahopac, NY. After graduating from Messiah College in 1991 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, he had no intention of being in full-time ministry, but agreed to help out with the youth group at his home church. That introduction to ministry led to a passion to invest deeply in the lives of teenagers – something his future wife Diane shared, who he met at a Youth for Christ banquet. Brian served as the youth minister at First Baptist Church of Brewster from 1995 to 1999, and then attended Alliance Theological Seminary where he graduated with a Masters of Divinity in 2002. From there he connected with the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination and started working on Lakeview Community Church with their backing and support. Brian and Diane have 4 wonderful children, and they live in Carmel.

Brett welcomes Pastor Brian to the show to discuss the process of “planting” his own church, the decision to combine his passions for faith and entrepreneurship, as well as the evolution of the Lakeview Community Church from a small living room gathering to two large church buildings. Pastor Brian explains Lakeview’s more casual, contemporary expressions of faith, their formula for growth, and the purpose of their “life groups.” He talks about using prayer when deciding on the direction of Lakeview, opening his heart to God’s voice, treating every area of life as sacred, and the importance of authenticity. Brett asks Pastor Brian about welcoming members back to the congregation after COVID, the gift of being able to gather safely together in person, the innate human desire to worship, and why it’s so important to direct that yearning toward God. They have a fascinating conversation about the role of politics and social justice in our mission as Christians, and Pastor Brian shares his thoughts on the Book of Revelation, as well as his favorite Bible translations, authors, movies, and music.

Episode Highlights:

The feeling of awe for an artistic masterpiece is similar to what Brett feels about his spirituality
Brett shares his thoughts on faith and the crucial role it plays in his life
Pastor Brian felt called to begin his own church, which combined his passions for faith and entrepreneurship
This was the most challenging endeavor Pastor Brian has ever taken on
Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) provided a great deal of training, mentoring, and guidance
‘Majoring in the majors’ and theological distinctions within the Christian faith
CMA aims to bring people of different denominations together to seek God in a deeper work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, as well as to fulfill the ‘Great Commission’ of taking the gospel message to the ends of the earth
The evolution of Lakeview Community Church from humble beginnings in a living room to two large church buildings
Nine out of ten church “plants” fail, so the odds were not in their favor
Their current facility was actually donated, and their congregation was also gifted a second building
They decided to remove the pews in favor of a much more contemporary space, which reflects their more casual expression of faith
Lakeview’s formula for growth
Their life groups encourage small groups to get together and talk over coffee, share what they’re going through, and how God can help them through life’s challenges
They encourage people to come as they are
Prayer is an essential element in determining the direction of the church
God is always speaking to us, and we need to open our hearts to be filled with His words
Every part of life is sacred, even going grocery shopping, cooking, exercising
Pastor Brian is very open about his faults and shortcomings
It’s ideal to worship together physically once it’s safe to do so, rather than streaming a service
It’s a gift to gather together and be able to participate in person
Human beings are wired to worship
Social justice as Christians
If we are looking for a perfect church, none of us would qualify
People will offend and disagree, but this is an opportunity to practice forgiveness and achieve a deeper level of connection with one another
The Book of Revelation
Pastor Brian’s favorite Bible translations, worship songs, authors, music, and movies
Lakeview will be moving to a new facility this summer, and their focus will be coming back together and being a positive presence in the community

Quotes:

“I want to believe that there’s something greater in life. I want to believe that there’s a totally benevolent higher power. I have an innate yearning for transcendence. I have a yearning for a savior.”

“We were just really looking for a newer, fresher expression of how to practice the Christian faith.”

“Ministry does not fall into the very well-defined boundaries of a nine-to-five kind of job.”

“[The Christian Missionary Alliance] actually started with people from all different denominations coming together just for two reasons: To seek God in a deeper work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, as well as to fulfill what's called the Great Commission of taking the gospel message to the ends of the earth.”

“There were very many seasons where we weren't sure how long this was going to last. Statistics show that church plants, which is the name for what we were doing, planting a church - that nine out of ten of them fail.”

“We just took about a week and we fasted and prayed and really wrestled through that decision. We came out of it saying, Okay, we're going to take this gift. But we weren't sure whether we were actually wanting to move into a very traditional building with pews.”

“I always say we built the church with a Bible in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.”

“The idea is that coffee is sort of the beverage of conversation. And the more conversations that can happen, the more people can open up about what's going on in their lives, about the challenges they're going through, and the difference that God makes in that.”

“It's just a great way of building relationships and doing life together.”

“We kind of have this understanding that God has a plan, that God has put us here for a purpose. Both corporately and people individually, there's a plan that God has.”

“For me, exercise is a great way for me to process, for me to pray. I do a lot of thinking and wrestle through decisions that I have to make.”

“Authenticity is an important part of my core value system in terms of how ministry works.”

“For Lakeview, our church being so relationally oriented, the people are the best part. And so when 60% of the people aren't there, it creates a different vibe on a Sunday morning. There's not that same atmosphere there.”

“When you miss it, you see how much community matters and how much that connection matters.”

“Church isn’t a spectator sport.”

“There's some fascinating narratives in [the Book of Revelation’s] storylines about power structures and politics, and weakness and strength. I think there's some gold there. It just takes some mining.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Lakeview Community Church website

Jennifer Maher, Chief Operating Officer of J. Philip Real Estate

Halston Media — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Jennifer Maher is the Chief Operating Officer of J. Philip Real Estate. She is the founder of the Business Council of Putnam County, and former Board Chair of the Great Mahopac Carmel Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she is a mom, wife, grandmother to Zendaya, business coach, sunset chaser, real estate dragon slayer, and self-described beach bum. Today she joins Brett to discuss how she fits all these roles into her life, her prolific social media presence, passion for helping others, and involvement with politics. Jennifer breaks down how her friendships with elected officials previously landed her in hot water, how she overcame scrutiny to advance the business community in Putnam County, and what she has learned from past mistakes.

Jennifer shares her moving story of redemption after a troubled past with drugs and illegal activity, and she reminds listeners that everyone deserves a second chance. She explains how she got into the real estate industry, her professional goals to grow her business and become a national coach, and current market trends in New York State and Putnam County. Jennifer discusses her biggest challenges during the pandemic, seeking political common ground, her involvement with Buddhism, and her best advice for new entrepreneurs. This fascinating conversation is sure to inspire, and serves as an important reminder that no one is born successful. We all make mistakes and face challenges, but as Jennifer points out, as long as you get up every day and give it your all, you can achieve beyond achievable.

Episode Highlights:

Her morning routine and squeezing in most of her productivity before the day has even begun
Networking and recharging as an introvert
Jennifer’s social anxiety and having control over her surroundings
Her social media presence and connecting with others
Her passion for helping people and her goal to become a national life coach
Her involvement with politics and friendships with elected officials, including former New York State Senator, Greg Ball
This got her into trouble, but she overcame scrutiny to help advance the business community in Putnam County
Learning from past mistakes
Using connections to bring more success to her business and help more people as a result
Her troubled past and turning things around after having her eldest daughter, Olivia
No one is born successful - everyone has to work at it and will make mistakes along the way
Her previous experience in the restaurant industry and why she left to pursue her career in the real estate industry
She loves being her own boss and having a flexible schedule
Her focus is on building the company and becoming a national coach
She works primarily in Commercial real estate
Jennifer’s biggest personal and professional challenges during the pandemic
For Jennifer, moments of fear are moments of motivation
Seeking common ground with people politically
Two people with opposite opinions can both be right
Her involvement with Buddhism
Jennifer’s plans to become a business coach and advice for entrepreneurs
The Miracle Equation by Hal Elrod
How she met her husband, Chris
Her plans for the next 5-10 years

Quotes:

“If something is working perfectly - a system, a business, an operation, whatever - then I don’t need to be in control. But if I feel that control is needed, then yeah, I’m a crazy control freak.”

“I enjoy helping people with whatever they need help with. It’s one of my life’s purposes. My passion is to help people.”

“I don’t want to have to live my life under scrutiny.”

“Maybe I didn’t always have the best agenda, and I think it’s okay to admit that as a human being.”

”There’s ways to get your point across, and you don’t have to piss off people to do that.”

“It's difficult because somebody could have the right intentions. And if they don't go about things the right way, they won't get the results that they're looking for.”

“The more successful I will become, the more people that I will help.”

“My eldest daughter, Olivia, really saved my life. So when I came into Putnam County, I was one hot mess. And I got my real estate license while I was pregnant with Olivia, and that was it. I never turned back. That's how I wound up here.”

“People look at successful people, and they think that they were born successful. But sometimes people have to really work at it. And they make mistakes along the way.”

“I have to work at it almost every day. It does not come easy for me. And nothing really has ever come easy for me.”

“I'm definitely not cut out for having a boss... So that was probably my biggest motivating factor is, What can I do where I'm in charge?”

“My focus is really growing the company to be a billion dollar company. And then my focus is to become a national coach.”

“The bottom line is, as a business owner, regardless of your politics, you have to realize that you're in a divided world.”

“I'm meant for this type of scenario. My business partner calls me a ‘wartime leader.’ I've been through so much shit in my life, that I have this like, All right, Bring it on, what's next? [attitude].”

“I had moments of fear. But moments of fear, for me, are moments of motivation.”

“I'm naturally always seeking balance. It drives my friends and family crazy, because I'm always playing the Devil's Advocate, and I never really fully take one side.”

“If you're not a person of color, or if you don't have children of color, I'm pretty sure that you're not the right person to decide whether or not there was a race issue in Putnam County.”

“I think a lot of the stuff that people cry and whine about, complain about is bullshit, but I don't think everything is.”

“That's the thing about reading religion, it really can resonate differently at different times.”

“Buddhism has been the thing that eliminated my anxiety, eliminated my depression, eliminated that extreme addictive personality, and has taught me how to have healthy relationships and taught me how to practice perfect love and taught me to enjoy everything.”

“As long as you get up every day, give it your all. Everything will always be okay. And beyond that, you can achieve beyond achievable.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

J. Philip Real Estate website

Jennifer Maher Twitter

Addiction And The Opioid Epidemic With Susan Salomone

Halston Media — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Susan Salomone is the cofounder and Executive Director of Drug Crisis In Our Backyard, which was founded after the tragic loss of her son, Justin, to a heroin overdose. Susan was born and raised in New York State. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education, Masters Degree in Counseling, and Masters Degree in Supervision at esteemed New York State universities. She has recently received her credential as a Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC). Susan was appointed to Governor Cuomo’s Heroin Task Force, is a member of the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Insurance and Provider Workgroup, and she has also received the Senate 2015 Award for Woman of Distinction. Susan is currently a family coach working individually and leading support groups for families struggling with the effects of addiction.

Today Susan joins Brett to discuss her son, Justin’s past with addiction, and founding her organization after his tragic overdose in 2012. She talks about risk factors for addiction, increased awareness of the opioid crisis over the past decade, and how the pandemic has led to more overdose deaths. Susan breaks down her criticism of the McKinsey Opioid Settlement in New York State, and Brett asks whether advocates have perhaps gone too far and are preventing people who are really in pain from accessing the relief they need. Susan explains why she is against the legalization of recreational marijuana and dispensaries, but a proponent for the decriminalization of marijuana. And she tells Brett about embracing the support of family, friends, and other like-minded organizations to push through tragedy and help others who are suffering from addiction.

Episode Highlights:

Her son, Justin’s past with drug addiction and his heroin overdose
Early lack of understanding around how addictive opioids were
Heroin education, treatment, and recovery
Reasons people may be prone to addiction, including genetic factors, the age you start using drugs, and level of family support
How she would have done things differently to help Justin, knowing what she knows now about addiction
Increased awareness of the opioid crisis and Susan’s brave decision to write about her family’s experience
How COVID has led to more overdose deaths due to treatment center closures, increased isolation, and not being able to assess people’s condition in person
Susan’s criticism of the McKinsey Opioid Settlement in New York State
Brett’s experience processing applications for Oxycontin as a data entry clerk at 18 years old, and mistakenly believing he was helping people in need
Some people are truly in pain and need medication
Doctors need to be diligent in their education and understanding about addiction
Susan’s stance against legalizing recreational marijuana
However, she believes marijuana should be decriminalized
Dr. Kevin Sabet and his books, Reefer Sanity and Smokescreen - he is against legalization of recreational marijuana and believes the tobacco industry is behind this movement
Concerns about opting out of local dispensaries fueling the black market
Having emotional support from family and friends to push through tragedy
Embracing other organizations who raise drug addiction awareness

Quotes:

“I would say that 90% of people on the planet didn't understand how addictive these drugs were, the opiods, Percocet, Vicodin. And they were being prescribed like candy. If you had a backache, you could get it. So many people were prescribed into addiction.”

“He got addicted at 25 years old. He started using heroin because he could no longer support his habit.”

“We found out that about 75% of the people that get clean, get clean without treatment. So without formal treatment, without going inpatient… Many people do get clean without going through that.”

“It is a lifelong disease, but it really depends on the person. If they need to continue having therapy around it, and if they continue to need medication around it - some people need medication for life.”

“The younger you start, the more chances you’re going to have of having an addiction problem because of the development of the brain.”

“Families who have lost loved ones, I think felt ashamed and they hid it from the public.”

“What was done, was the money that the state usually gives to Oasis for treatment prevention and recovery services was decreased by 21 million [dollars].”

“I think that some people are in tremendous pain and they need the medication. So we need the discretion of the doctors to say, Well, this person needs the medication.”

“Doctors need to be diligent in understanding addiction, which they aren’t… They don’t get many hours of education in addiction.”

“I think that they were just giving out pills for any reason, just to get people out of the office. Give them these pills. This will take care of it. And that has a lot to do with the marketing that was being done by Purdue Pharma and the other culprits involved.”

“I work with families that have children that are addicted to usually stronger drugs than marijuana. And a hundred percent of them either started with marijuana or alcohol.”

“I'm afraid of people being stoned, going to work, getting in cars. I mean, that's going to happen. Not to mention the kids.”

“I have a lot of friends around me that help. The work isn't done, but there are other groups coming up to help.”

“So spreading the wealth, so to speak, is a way to take it off my shoulders, because it is a heavy load.”

Links:

Halston Media Group website

Drug Crisis In Our Backyard website

Trailer

Halston Media — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 03:30:00 -0400

Hudson Valley Uncensored, hosted by Brett Freeman, highlights and discusses topics without fear. We explore ideas that are outside mainstream conventional thinking, with a particular focus on current events. We aim to interview local individuals from the Hudson Valley, New York, with unique perspectives on life. We ask the questions that others won’t.