I love this photo of the New Rochelle High School and White Plains High School football teams pitching in together to combat hunger. White Plains Mayor Tom Roach and I dropped by the offices of Feeding Westchester in Elmsford to cheer them on. About a fifth of our county’s residents are food insecure — a … Continue reading Teaming Up to End Hunger
When I read Jon Meacham’s excellent biography of George H.W. Bush, I was struck by the genuine love of country and deep commitment to public service that characterized the former President’s entire life. I did not share his politics or give him my vote, but President Bush’s achievements on the world stage, his instinct for … Continue reading George H.W. Bush, Rest in Peace
As usual, John Oliver seems to get at the truth of things more effectively than the “real” news. His funny/chilling/important piece on authoritarianism is must-watch.
Amazon will be splitting their second national headquarters between two locations: Arlington, VA and Long Island City in Queens — and that’s very good news for New Rochelle. Why? When Penn Access is completed in a few years, Metro-North’s New Haven line will pass directly through Long Island City en route to Penn Station. And … Continue reading Amazon HQ2 Announcement is Good News for New Rochelle
I am trying to sort through my feelings about yesterday’s election. Elation? Disappointment? Relief? I guess some combination of the three, with relief in the top spot. On the plus side (if you’re a Democrat like me): • Democrats prevailed in the most important contest by winning a convincing majority in the House of Representatives. … Continue reading The Blue Wave(let?)
Every election is important, and there are plenty of good, normal reasons for voting tomorrow: the experiences and skills of the candidates, the competing priorities of the parties, the policy alternatives that will impact lives throughout our state, nation, and world. But this year, of course, there’s more. Much more. These are not normal times, … Continue reading Vote!
As we all struggle to make sense of the horrific events in Pittsburgh, it is important not only to condemn murderous violence, but also to act with compassion, decency, and goodness. A friend who volunteers with HIAS, the venerable refugee resettlement agency, posted some particularly moving comments, and I quote him in full below. Love … Continue reading Overcoming Hate
With the open enrollment period for health insurance set to begin on November 1st, Westchester County is stepping up to help everyone get insured. Here’s more information from the County: Free assistance is available to help individuals and small businesses enroll or renew their health coverage with NY State of Health, the official health plan … Continue reading Get Insured – Open Enrollment Begins November 1
With Assemblywoman Amy Paulin taking the lead, a bipartisan group of state, county, municipal, and school officials have joined together to defend the tax deductibility of charitable contributions. This is a matter of urgent importance to taxpayers in our region, in light of recent changes in federal tax law that sharply limit state and local … Continue reading Fairness for Taxpayers
The latest dreadful report on climate change from the UN makes for deeply depressing reading, so this is an important moment to remind ourselves that positive, effective climate action is still possible, provided we have the will. Here’s a good local example . . . A couple of years ago, New Rochelle joined about 20 … Continue reading New Rochelle vs. Climate Change
