Recommended Reading, September 15, 2024

Robert Cox

Sep 15, 2024 — 6 min read

Mountains of Mourne, along the shores of Dundrum Bay, from links at Royal County Down GC in Newcastle, UK.

DUBLIN, IRELAND (September 15, 2024) — Loli and I spent the past few days in the North of Ireland (not “Northern Ireland”) working as accredited DP World Tour volunteers at the Amgen Irish Open at the Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, UK.

I watched as Rory McIlroy made birdie on 17 during my break on Day 2.

The course is spectacular: ranked as the No. 1 course on Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest ranking in each edition in the past decade.

Royal County Down is located in one of the world's most naturally beautiful links settings in the Murlough Nature Reserve. Against the magnificent backdrop of the Mountains of Mourne (Slieve Donard is the tallest), the links course stretches along the shores of Dundrum Bay. Windy to say the least, along with tall grass, small greens, tight pin placements and bunkers all over.

Loli and I started out in Volunteers HQ providing support to the 600 volunteers on site, but on Day 3 we were “promoted” to working unsupervised at the Information Tent (“where’s the nearest loo?” was topped only by “you’re American?” as our most oft-asked questions). We even got a radio to connect with the all-seeing-eye at Event Control.

It was a wonderful experience, which we hope to do again next year when the tournament returns to the K Club in Kildare (much closer to where we live, so no hotel needed).

I had thought I would not have any new reporting while away, but Sustainable Westchester is like a Christmas fruitcake, it never goes away, just gets passed around.

Sustainable Westchester

A longtime reader tipped me off that Somers had not renewed their Westchester Power contract with Sustainable Westchester. I watched their meeting on September 5 and wrote an article.

In watching the Mount Kisco meeting video, which featured the increasingly infamous WP Program Director Dan Welsh, he confirmed that Lewisboro and Mount Kisco had not renewed their Westchester Power contract. I had not heard about Mount Kisco, so watched their June 24 meeting and wrote an article.

Dan Welsh address Mount Kisco Village Board on September 5, 2024

Welsh, also a Lewisboro Councilmember, has become notorious for his frequent pro-HAMAS bloviating on Facebook, and his history of illegal participation in Lewisboro Town Board discussions and votes benefiting Sustainable Westchester, despite a prohibited interest in the organization (he is the most richly compensated employee in the history of Sustainable Westchester).

It appeared to me there was real fear among some elected officials in Mount Kisco, Lewisboro, and Somers to go against Sustainable Westchester. The actions (or lack thereof) of Councilmembers in Mount Kisco and Lewisboro, while welcome, are not exactly what I would describe as Profiles in Courage. Rather than vote down an affirmative resolution to renew their respective Westchester Power contracts, the board’s backed into dropping Westchester Power without explicitly going on the record about it. But, it’s real progress, so I appreciate the outcomes.

On June 24, Mount Kisco simply did not take up an Agenda item on a new Westchester Power contract when 3 of the 5 Councilmembers said they would rather not vote on a resolution to authorize a new contract. The other 2 Councilmembers were silent but went along with the decisions (the pair could have forced a vote had they wanted to do so).

On July 8, Lewisboro voted to table any discussion of a Westchester Power contract for 90 days, pushing consideration and a vote on a new contract past the deadline set by Sustainable Westchester. So, while there is no contract there was also no affirmative resolution voted down by the board either.

On September 5, Somers voted more openly, 3-1 against a new Westchester Power contract, while looking directly at Welsh.

I have created a new list: Sustainable Westchester Body Count which includes an updated list of NO votes on Westchester Power contracts:

2021

Yonkers Councilmember Mike Breen
Yonkers Councilmember Anthony Merante

2024

Lewisboro Councilmember Andrea Rendo
Lewisboro Councilmember Mary Shah
Lewisboro Councilmember Richard Sklarin
New Rochelle Councilmember Albert Tarantino
Rye City Councilmember Bill Henderson
Mount Kisco Mayor J. Michael Cindrich
Mount Kisco Deputy Mayor Theresa Flora
Mount Kisco Councilmember Karen B. Schleimer
Mount Kisco Councilmember Lisa C. Abzun
Mount Kisco Councilmember Angie Guerra
Somers Supervisor Robert Scorrano
Somers Councilmember Anthony J. Cirieco
Somers Councilmember William Faulkner

The biggest news in New Rochelle was undoubtedly the passing of Lenny Paduano. He will be missed. The funeral is Monday.

Arrangements for Hon. Leonard C. Paduano

I received some more NRPD records for Sean Kane, laughed at the video posted by New Rochelle on storm water drainage mitigation, and exposed the hypocrisy of New Rochelle which claims to believe in transparency and engagement with the opt-out only Sustainable Westchester program they have once against foisted on unwitting residents, but they have absolutely buried any information about the Westchester Power program.

Content for Premium Subscribers

New Developments in Criminal Referral of New Rochelle Police Lieutenant

Content for All Paid Subscribers

Why Does New Rochelle Hide its Westchester Power Program from its Residents?

UNSUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER: Mount Kisco Opts Out of Westchester Power Program

UNSUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER: Somers Opts Out of Westchester Power Program

Content for Everyone

Articles from Words in Edgewise, Talk of the Sound and Elsewhere on the Web.

Sustainable Westchester Body Count

New Rochelle Storm Water Drainage Scheme (or Scam?)

Mount Vernon Man Charged in Rye with Selling Stolen Mercedes-Benz on Facebook Marketplace

Veolia Launches New York’s First Water Affordability Program

New Rochelle lawyer disciplined for pattern of misconduct

Port Chester 50-Year-Old Dies In Harley Vs. Mercedes Crash In Somers

Port Chester man pleads guilty in shooting of NYPD cop in Yonkers

Port Chester man who attacked Rye teens sentenced for third sex crime

Suspended New Rochelle police lieutenant seeks disability retirement

Arrangements for Hon. Leonard C. Paduano

Police: FedEx driver robbed in Port Chester; 2 suspects arrested

New Rochelle Police Make Arrest Following Shooting, No Injuries

Wrong-Way Driver on Hutch Charged with Vehicular Manslaughter, DWI

Letter: City Council Making My Private Financial Decisions For Me is ‘Disgraceful’ (Sustainable Westchester)

Germany blocks CO2 vouchers for oil companies over fraud concerns

Music Studio damaged after car hits Hotdog Truck, pushing it into building

Firefighters Extricate Trapped Passenger on I-95 Following Multi-Car Pileup

Links to Sustainable Westchester Articles

Why Upgrade?

Free Accounts are no longer available to new subscribers. Those grandfathered in today who do not upgrade to a paid account by December 31, 2024, will be removed on that day. In the remaining few months, free subscribers will be limited to a weekly email newsletter with links to recommended articles on Talk of the Sound (free), links to articles elsewhere on the web (mostly free but some paywalled content) and the headlines of my Paid and Premium content with a teaser but not the actual articles.

Basic Accounts are just $5 a year with the first month free and include the weekly email newsletter described above, full non-Premium articles, commenting, and access to the archive of non-Premium content.

Premium Accounts are $7 a month or two-months free, with an annual subscription costing $70 instead of $84 — either with the first month free. Premium includes everything and is the best value: all articles in full, the newsletter, commenting, archives, bonus content and more.

I would encourage all Free Account subscribers to upgrade immediately to at least a Basic Account and certainly consider a Premium account, which is the gold standard.