Port Chester Roundup: 07/09/07

Monday, July 9, 2007

Archive 2007 March 5 Port Chester News Wire

Archive 2007 March 5 Rye Brook, Westchester County & Beyond

Archive 2007 March 4 Port Chester News Wire

Eye

Port Chester

Mount Zion Baptist Church

Reverend Jarred H. Feggins invites Port Chester residents to visit his church at 23 Slater Street in Port Chester. The Worship service begins at 10:45 am.

Call (914) 939 - 1653 for more information.

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Happy Birthday Wishes

Grace Bunnell Turns 14 Today

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Archive 2007 March 4 Rye Brook, Westchester County & Beyond

Archive 2007 March 3 Port Chester News Wire

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Happy

Birthday

Wishes

Michael Berlingo

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Archive 2007 March 3 Rye Brook, Westchester County & Beyond

Archive 2007 March 2 Port Chester News Wire

Archive 2007 March 2 Rye Brook, Westchester County & Beyond

The Rye Brook Observer

The S.I. Newhouse School Of Public Communications at Syracuse University reports that Amanda Enowitz and Carrie Schmelkin both made the Dean's list. Amanda majors in Broadcast journalism while Carrie majors in magazine journalism.

Also Lisa Nanus and Leslie Steinberg have also made the Dean's List at Syracuse University College for Visual and Performing Arts. Lisa is majoring in fashion design and Leslie is majoring in retail and consumer studies.

Jillian Blinkoff and Vincent Corvelli have also been named to the Dean's List. They attend Syracuse University College Of Arts And Sciences.

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07/09/07 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
and CESAR RUIZ, :
:
   Plaintiffs, :
:
   v. : 06 Civ. 15173 (SCR)
:
:
VILLAGE OF PORT CHESTER, :
:
   Defendant. :
:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
POST-TRIAL MEMORANDUM OF LAW OF
PLAINTIFF-INTERVENOR CESAR RUIZ

   Patsy D. Gouldborne & Associates, P.C.
   Patsy D. Gouldborne
   Richard St. Paul (RS6388)
   959 East 233
rd
Street
Bronx, New York 10466
(718) 515-7500
Randolph McLaughlin
   RMM2690
   78 North Broadway
   White Plains, N.Y. 10603
   914-422-4340

   Debra S. Cohen
   DSC6430
   470 Mamaroneck Ave.
   Suite 400
   White Plains, N.Y. 10605
   914-478-1623 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preliminary Statement 4
Statement of Facts 5
ARGUMENT 13
PORT CHESTER SHOULD BE ENJOINED FROM CONDUCTING
ELECTIONS FOR THE VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
   ON AN AT-LARGE BASIS. 13
Conclusion 17 3
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Cases:
Goosby v. Town Bd. of Hempstead, 180 F.3d 476 (2d Cir. 1999) passim
NAACP v. City of Niagara Falls, 65 F.3d 1002 (2d Cir. 1995) 14,15
Thornburg v. Gingles, 478 U.S. 30 (1986) passim
Statutes:
42 U.S.C. section 1973 13 4
Preliminary Statement
Plaintiff-Intervenor Cesar Ruiz respectfully submits this memorandum in support
of the issuance of a permanent injunction enjoining the Village of Port Chester from
holding elections for the Village Board of Trustees on an at-large basis. Plaintiff Ruiz
will discuss the evidence adduced at the trial on the merits. Additionally, Plaintiff Ruiz
adopts the findings of fact and conclusions of law contained in the Post Trial
Memorandum of the United States with respect to the proof of plaintiffs’ claim that the
at-large election system in the Village of Port Chester violates section 2 of the Voting
Rights Act.
As more fully discussed below, a review of the facts demonstrates that the at-
large election system has served as an insurmountable impediment to the ability of
Hispanic voters in the Village to nominate and elect candidates of choice. As of July
2006 Hispanic residents were estimated to constitute 27.5 % of the Village of Port
Chester’s voting age population. Despite the significant growth of the Village’s Hispanic
population, ethnically and racially polarized voting patterns in village-wide elections
have prevented Hispanic residents from meaningfully participating in the political
process. Although Hispanic residents such as Plaintiff Cesar Ruiz have shown their
interest and ability to serve the Village as elected officials, no Hispanic has ever been
elected under the present at-large system to a village office. Additionally, only a handful
of Hispanic residents have been appointed to serve on Village boards and
commissions.
The present at-large system has created insurmountable obstacles for Hispanic
residents to elect candidates of their choice and to have their interests and concerns
represented on an equal basis as White residents of the Village. Voting practices and 5
procedures in the conduct of local elections have enhanced the discriminatory effects of
the at-large election system. The procedures used by the political parties to nominate
candidates for the Port Chester Board of Trustees have disadvantaged the selection of
candidates preferred by Hispanic voters. Political campaigns in the Village have been
characterized by overt and subtle racial appeals. The recent Mayoral election, which
took place in the midst of this lawsuit, revealed the underbelly of Port Chester’s
dysfunctional political process where local officials and candidates could be intimidated
into complicity with the dissemination of a flier they acknowledged was “racist” and
“disgusting”. These facts, coupled with the findings and conclusion that the Court
reached in its preliminary injunction decision clearly demonstrate that without the
Court’s intervention, Hispanic voters will not be able to nominate and elect a candidate
of choice under the current at-large election scheme.
Statement of Facts
Plaintiff Ruiz’s experience with the political process
In 2001, Plaintiff Ruiz ran for the office of Village trustee on the Democratic Party
line. During the course of the campaign, Plaintiff Ruiz began to discuss issues he felt
were important to many Hispanic residents in the Village such as the need for affordable
housing, a downtown clinic and more bilinguals in Village offices. Ruiz, PIT., p. 36. After
Plaintiff Ruiz began speaking out on these issues he was instructed to limit his
campaign activities to contacting registered Latino voters. Ruiz, PIT. p. 39. He refused,
and was not given any support by the Democratic Party for the rest of the election.
Ruiz, PIT, p. 40. 6
Former Mayor Gerald Logan testified that he found it “unusual” that during the
2001 election, when he was running for re-election for Mayor as a Republican and
Plaintiff Ruiz was running for a seat on the Board of Trustees as a Democrat, he
observed the Democratic Mayoral candidate and other Democratic trustee candidate
walking around the Village campaigning together but never saw them with Plaintiff Ruiz.
Mr. Logan testified that in his experience “all three candidates would walk together
through neighborhoods, through the buildings, stand in front of the post office, all the
things you did in a campaign.” He therefore found it “strange” to see Plaintiff Ruiz
“walking by himself”. Logan, TT., p. 391-92.
This pattern of exclusion repeated itself in 2006 when, prior to the Court enjoining
the trustee election, a Hispanic candidate, Reverend Ariel Acosta, ran as a Republican
trustee candidate on the slate with Mayoral candidate Domenick Cicatelli and trustee
candidate Bart Didden. Mr. Cicatelli testified that he campaigned door to door with Mr.
Didden but not with Reverend Acosta. Cicatelli,TT, p. 750-751.
Despite receiving the overwhelming support of Latino voters in his 2001 race,
Plaintiff Ruiz placed last in the election. Ruiz, PIT, 43-44. From that point on, Mr. Ruiz
concluded that it would be futile to run again in an “at large” system in part because in
every election “anybody that wins an election wins from the northern districts of 18, 19,
and 25”. Ruiz, PIT, p. 45. This presumption on his part is supported by the fact that
presently almost all of the Village Trustees, and the Mayor, reside within a few blocks of
each other in the northern section of the Village. Pl. Exh. 32; Morrison, TT p.561.
Plaintiff Ruiz does not believe that any Hispanic preferred candidate has a
chance in an “at large” election because “anyone who runs for office as Hispanic, they 7
will get used the same way I was used.” Ruiz, PIT, p. 46. Although the political support
he provided to others was not reciprocated during his own election experience, Plaintiff
Ruiz’s political acumen and credibility, particularly in regard to Port Chester’s Hispanic
voters, continues to be sought after by candidates running for Village office. In 2004, Mr.
Ruiz was asked by Democratic trustee candidate (now Mayor) Dennis Pilla to assist him
with drafting Spanish language fliers and accompanying him on campaign walks in
south and central Port Chester. TT, p. 164-165.
History of Discrimination against Hispanics
The history of racial discrimination towards Hispanics is demonstrated by the
policies, procedures and practices used to implement the voting process on Election
Day. Despite the Village’s significant Hispanic population, most polls had no Spanish
speaking poll worker. Deputy Village Clerk Joan Marino testified that it was not the
practice of the Village to employ Spanish speaking election inspectors. Marino TT, p.
80. It was not until special circumstances presented themselves in the form of this
lawsuit that she was instructed to undertake efforts to identify bilingual inspectors.
Marino TT, p. 97.
Prior to the 2007 election, no efforts were made to determine the percentage of
Hispanic voters in the respective election districts as a consideration for assigning
bilingual poll workers. Marino TT p. 121. Poll inspector Luz Chavisa testified that during
the election of 2002, she was the only person working at the polling place who spoke
Spanish and that her fellow poll workers ignored her all day. Chavista TT, p. 840. 8
Hispanic and non-Hispanic voters were treated differently at the polls both in the
courtesy extended to them by poll workers and requirements imposed upon Hispanic
voters in order to vote. Chavista TT, p. 844-845. Palma TT, p. 136-138, 140-141.
Spanish-speaking voters were required to produce driver’s licenses as photo
identification in order to vote. Chavista TT, p. 847-848, 857-858. Spanish-speaking
voters were turned away when their names did not appear on voter lists while other
voters were allowed to fill out an affidavit ballot. Chavista TT, p. 848- 849, Palma, TT, p.
136-138, 140-141.
Non-Hispanic election poll worker Joanne Villanova recalled that the Election
Day she worked with Ms. Chavista at the polls in 2006 was the only time in fifteen years
she had a Spanish speaking coworker. Villanova TT, p. 923. Ms. Villanova does not
speak Spanish herself. When she was unable to understand a Spanish speaking voter’s
name when they came to vote, she would ask them for identification. Villanova TT, p.
925-926. Since she did not speak Spanish, Ms.Villanova used hand signals to try to
communicate to Spanish speaking voters what she was requiring of them in the way of
identification prior to allowing them to vote. Villanova TT, p. 981. Ms. Villanova noted
that information in the ballot was provided in Spanish, as well as English for the past
few years only after “things came, arose that their people were not being treated
right…”. Villanova TT, p. 928-929.
Village Trustee John Crane, a lifelong resident of Port Chester, testified that he
has had people express to him in “couched” terms their frustration about Hispanic
residents and recalled a particular comment where he was told, “You have to do
something about them people”. Crane TT p. 664-667. 9
Crane grew up in a neighborhood in southern Port Chester identified as District 6
in the government’s illustrative plan. Crane TT, p. 668-670. According to Mr. Crane, the
area’s Caucasian population has declined and the Latino population increased as
“Caucasians that were becoming more affluent …moved to other areas or other
municipalities. Crane TT p. 67-671. In 2004 Mr. Crane joined most of the members of
the Village Board of Trustees when he moved to a neighborhood in the northern in the
northern part of Port Chester, identifiable as District 1 in the government’s illustrative
plan, that is predominantly single family homes occupied by “European” non-Hispanics.
Crane TT, p. 672.
Trustee Crane, along with Trustee Cicatelli and other local officials, has identified
overcrowding and illegal apartments as a major problem in Port Chester. Crane TT, p.
673-673. Overcrowding and illegal apartments are not a problem in the northern part of
District 1 where almost all of the trustees presently live because the homes in that area
are primarily single-family homes. Crane TT, p. 674. One of Mr. Crane’s proposals to
address this problem was to make the rental of an illegal apartment a felony that would
apply to tenants as well as landlords. Crane TT p. 677-678
Village Planning Consultant, and former Village planner, Patrick Cleary, testified
at length regarding conditions in a community he described as the “central core” in the
Village. He described the housing in that part of town as of less quality than other parts
of town and the people living there as “transient”. Cleary TT, p. 810, 820. Cleary’s view
was that “less pride” was taken by “tenants, as well as perhaps landlords” in their
buildings. Mr. Cleary’s conclusion was based on inferences drawn from his
“observations”. Cleary TT, p. 825. He had no actual firsthand knowledge garnered from 10
conversations with local residents that they did not take pride in their building or
neighborhood. Cleary TT, p. 821-825.
Racial Appeals in Political Campaigns
Elections for Mayor and two Village Board of Trustee seats were scheduled to
take place in March 2007. The Republican candidate for Mayor was sitting trustee
Domenick Cicatelli. The Republican trustee candidates were Reverend Ariel Acosta and
Mr. Bart Didden. Didden TT, p. 228. Mr. Didden also serves on the Village’s Planning
Commission, Parking Authority and Alarm Review Board. Didden TT p. 222-223.
Although Mr. Didden was a Republican trustee candidate in March 2007, he was also
interviewed by the Democratic selection committee as a potential nominee for trustee or
Mayor. Didden TT p. 226-227. He ran as a Republican after refusing to run as a trustee
candidate on a slate with Dennis Pilla as the mayoral candidate. Didden TT, p. 226.
As a result of this lawsuit, the Court issued a preliminary injunction staying the
March election for the two Village Board of Trustees seats but allowed the election for
Village Mayor to proceed. Shortly before the election an anonymously authored flier was
sent in the mail to Village voters. The flier began with the statement “Pilla Will Sell Us
Out”. Pl. Exh. 63. Mr. Didden initially denied any responsibility for the flier but after
receiving a subpoena in this action, revealed he was responsible for the flier in
“collaboration” with Trustee John Crane and School Board member Dominic
Bencivenga. Didden TT. p. 247-248, 251, 253. The flier describes Democratic mayoral
candidate Dennis Pilla’s Hispanic campaign manager, Blanca Lopez, as a “super secret
double agent”. Didden TT, p. 266. It stated, “what Blanca cares about is only Hispanic” 11
and asks, “What does Blanca Lopez, the wolf in sheep’s clothing, want for Port
Chester? More affordable housing, more subsidized housing, more Section 8 housing?”.
Didden TT, p. 262,265. The flier observed, “and she is going to get it because Lopez
and Pilla are in bed together on the village affordable housing subcommittee. The wolf
is in the house, thanks to Pilla.” Didden TT, p. 267. The flier describes Plaintiff Cesar
Ruiz as a “hot dog vendor turned political consultant”.
Trustee Crane described Mr. Didden as a “sick person” and the flier as racist, sexist,
disturbing, inappropriate, offensive, disgusting and highly inflammatory. Crane TT p.
631, 634, 641, 681. He believed the flier, if sent, would ruin fellow Republican Domenick
Cicatelli’s chances of getting elected Mayor of Port Chester. Crane TT p. 632,682.Yet,
Mr. Crane did not take steps to stop Mr. Didden from sending the flier, change the flier’s
contents nor alert Mr. Cicatelli or others that it was to be sent out. After the flier was
sent, Trustee Crane “kept Mr. Didden’s confidence” about the flier out of “fear of
retribution”. Crane TT. p. 680-681. Mr. Crane did not reveal Mr. Didden’s authorship of
the flier because “Bart’s a force to be reckoned with”, he wanted to “stay out of his line
of fire” and not “incur the wrath of Bart.” Crane TT, p. 634 -635.
Republican mayoral candidate Domenick Cicatelli sent out 3-4 flyers and mailers
during the 2007 Mayoral election. As during his 2004 campaign, none were in Spanish.
Cicatelli TT, p. 731. This voting rights lawsuit was the subject of materials put out by Mr.
Cicatelli’s campaign. One flier stated, “If Port Chester adopts this plan, it may well be
sued by a disgruntled citizen alleging a violation of their constitutional rights.” Pl. Exh.
70, Cicatelli TT, p. 741. The person referenced in Mr. Cicatelli’s flier was one of the 12
Trustee candidates he supported who ran with him on the Republican slate prior to the
Court’s enjoining of the Trustee election, Bart Didden. TT 743, 749.
In addition to the involvement of Trustee Crane and School Board member
Bencivenga in the “Pilla Will Sell Us Out” flier, there are other examples of Mr. Didden’s
influence on the political process despite his racially polarizing actions and attitudes.
After the March mayoral election, there were two vacancies on the Village Board of
Trustees to be filled by appointment. Despite his awareness of Mr. Didden’s role in the
flier, Trustee John Crane recommended Mr. Didden’s appointment to the Village Board.
Mr. Crane wrote in an e-mail, “If Mr. Branca gets voted on, I will then recommend Mr.
Didden. Why? Because we need people up there that will rebuild the perception of our
party from weak and dysfunctional to strong and organized.” Pl. Exh. 88, Crane TT, p.
649. After Mr. Didden failed to be appointed to the Village Board, he in turn sent an email to approximately twenty five people asking, “Am I the white casualty to the Cesar
Ruiz syndrome?”.Pl’s Exh. 88, Didden TT, p. 231.
The foregoing facts clearly support the Court’s earlier conclusion that a section 2
violation has been established and that the at large election system must be enjoined
permanently. The history of discrimination in both the political process and the electoral
process is evident from the testimony adduced at trial. The ethnic divisions are evident
from the use of a racist flier after this Court had enjoined the trustee election in March,
and the involvement of a current trustee, a school board member, and a candidate for
election to the trustee board in the creation of the flier. 13
ARGUMENT
PORT CHESTER SHOULD BE ENJOINED FROM CONDUCTING
ELECTIONS FOR THE VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON AN AT-LARGE BASIS.
In his Complaint, plaintiff Cesar Ruiz alleges that Port Chester’s at-large system
of electing its Trustees impermissibly dilutes the voting strength of, and has the effect of
discriminating against, Port Chester’s Hispanic voters in violation of Section 2. Section
2 of the Voting Rights Act, as amended, states in part as follows:
(a) No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or
procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision
in a manner which results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any
citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color . . . .
(b) A violation of subsection (a) is established if, based on the totality of
circumstances, it is shown that the political processes leading to
nomination or election in the State or political subdivision are not equally
open to participation by members of a class of citizens protected by
subsection (a) in that its members have less opportunity than other
members of the electorate to participate in the political process and to
elect representatives of their choice. . . .
42 U.S.C. § 1973. The essence of a Section 2 claim is that an “electoral law, practice,
or structure interacts with social and historical conditions to cause an inequality in the
opportunities enjoyed by [minority] and white voters to elect their preferred
representatives.” Thornburg v. Gingles, 478 U.S. 30, 47 (1986).
In Gingles, the Supreme Court held that claims of vote dilution under Section 2
must meet three preconditions:
1. The minority group must be able to demonstrate that it is sufficiently large
and geographically compact to constitute a majority in a single member
district;
2. Second, the minority group must be able to show that it is politically
cohesive;
  3. Third, the minority group must be able to demonstrate that the white
majority votes sufficiently as a bloc to enable it — in the absence of 14
special circumstances, such as the minority candidate running unopposed
– usually to defeat the minority’s preferred candidate.

478 U.S. at 50-51; Goosby v. Town Bd. of Hempstead, 180 F.3d 476, 491 (2d Cir.
1999).
Once the Court determines that the Gingles preconditions are met, it must also
analyze the “totality of circumstances” with reference to the following factors, which
were listed in the Senate Report for the 1982 amendments to the Voting Rights Act:
1 whether there is a history of official discrimination in the political unit;
2 whether voting is racially polarized;
3. whether current electoral mechanisms enhance vote dilution;
4. if there is a candidate slating process, whether access to such a process
   is denied to minorities;
5. the extent to which members of the minority group in question bear the
effects of discrimination in education, employment, and health, that hinder
their ability to participate in the political process;
6. whether racial appeals have formed part of political campaigns; and
7. whether minorities have been elected to public office in the jurisdiction;
Gingles, 478 U.S. at 44-45 (citing S. Rep. No. 417, 97th Cong., 2d Sess. (1982));
Goosby, 180 F.3d at 491. The Gingles Court also noted two other factors in the Senate
Report that plaintiffs may elect to show in some cases: whether elected officials have
failed to respond to minority needs, and whether the policy underlying at-large elections
is tenuous. See Gingles, 478 U.S. at 45; Goosby, 180 F.3d at 491-92.
With respect to the Senate Factors, the Second Circuit clarified that “[t]he list of
factors is neither comprehensive nor exclusive. Rather, in deciding whether section 2
has been violated, courts are to engage in a searching practical evaluation of the past
and present reality.” NAACP v. City of Niagara Falls, 65 F.3d 1002, 1007 (2d Cir.
1995). If the Gingles preconditions are met, however, “[i]t will be only the very unusual
case in which the plaintiff can establish the existence of the three Gingles factors but 15
still have failed to establish a violation of section 2 under a totality of the circumstances.”
Id. at 1020 n.21.
As stated above, Plaintiff Ruiz incorporates by reference the Court’s earlier
findings of fact and conclusions of law regarding the evidence offered at the preliminary
injunction hearing with respect to the Gingles preconditions and the totality of
circumstances test. Plaintiff Ruiz discusses below the additional proof that was offered
at the trial on the merits that provided additional support for the Court’s earlier
conclusions and findings of a Section 2 violation.
The Court in reaching its decision on the government’s motion for a preliminary
injunction concluded that the three Gingles preconditions have been met by the
evidenced adduced at trial. Plaintiff Ruiz will rely on the proof at the preliminary hearing
and on the Court’s earlier findings and discuss below the additional evidence that
supports a section 2 violation under the totality of circumstances test. Plaintiff Ruiz
observes, however, that “it will be only the very unusual case in which the plaintiffs can
establish the existence of the three Gingles factors but have still failed to establish a
violation of § 2 under a totality of the circumstances.” Niagara Falls, 65 F.3d at 1020
n.21 (quotation marks and citation omitted).
  The slating process in Port Chester compromises the ability of Hispanic voters to
elect their candidates of choice (Senate factor # 4). In Port Chester, candidates are
selected by party caucuses rather than political primaries. In 2001, when the
Democratic Party nominated Plaintiff Ruiz , the Party used Mr. Ruiz to attract Hispanic
votes for his running mate, but did not support him in return. The testimony of Mayor
Logan supports that conclusion. As noted above, he never observed Plaintiff Ruiz
campaigning with his running mates as was the common practice in the Village. Plaintiff
Ruiz also believed that he was used to garner support in the Hispanic community, but
that the other candidates did not reciprocate in the white sections of the village. Thus,
the party hierarchy’s control over its caucusing and nominating process has hindered, 16
and will continue to hamper, the ability of minorities and minority-preferred candidates to
be nominated and elected to the office of village trustee.
Additionally, the experience of Hispanic voters at the polls lends further support
to the conclusion that the political processes are not equally open to minority group
participation. Both Ms. Chavista and Mr. Palma testified that that they observed that
Spanish speaking voters were treated differently by election inspectors. Spanishspeaking voters were asked for identification by inspectors and not permitted to vote
when they could not produce the proper form of identification. Ms. Villanova testified
that she had only worked on one occasion with a Spanish speaking inspector, Ms.
Chavista. Ms. Villanova also testified that when she could not communicate with
Spanish speaking voters in their language she used hand signals.
  Elections involving Hispanic candidates have involved racial and ethnic appeals.
The proof is crystal clear that even after this Court reached its conclusion that there was
a Voting Rights Act violation, local officials and members of the Republican Party, and a
candidate for office as trustee, created a racist, sexist, disgusting flier in an effort to
inflame the already polarized electorate against the Democratic candidate for Mayor. It
is clear that they sought to use his affiliation with a Hispanic leader and his campaign
manager, Blanca Lopez, as a weapon to divide the voters on the basis of racist beliefs.
They used wedge issues, such as section 8 and affordable housing concerns, to inflame
the voters. If this is what they will do when the Court is directly involved and monitoring
the process, one need not speculate what will happen if this matter is concluded and
business is allowed to continue under the status quo. While the appeal may not have
been as effective in dividing the voters this time, there is no guarantee what will happen
in the future. If the present system remains in place, the elements who have previously
spewed racial bigotry into the political arena may well be successful in using tactics of
intimidation and retribution to further polarize the people of Port Chester and prevent
Hispanic residents from meaningfully participating in the democratic process. 17
CONCLUSION
In light of the foregoing proof and the evidence adduced at the preliminary
hearing, the Court should issue a permanent injunction enjoining the village from
holding elections under the at-large system.
Dated: Bronx, New York
  July 9, 2007
   Respectfully submitted
   Patsy D. Gouldborne & Associates, P.C.
   Patsy D. Gouldborne
   Richard St. Paul (RS6388)
   959 East 233
rd
Street
Bronx, New York 10466
(718) 515-7500
By: _____________________
   Richard St. Paul (RS6388)

Randolph McLaughlin
   RMM2690
   78 North Broadway
   White Plains, N.Y. 10603
   914-422-4340
   By: ____________________________
   Randolph McLaughlin (RMM2690)

   Debra S. Cohen
   DSC6430
   470 Mamaroneck Ave.
   Suite 400
   White Plains, N.Y. 10605
   914-478-1623
   By: _______________________
   Debra S. Cohen (DSC6430)
   Counsel for Plaintiff Cesar Ruiz

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About Port Chester

History

Wandering tribes of Mohegan Indians were the earliest inhabitants of the area known today as Rye Town and the Village of Port Chester. The first white settlers were a group of enterprising young men and women who came from the English colony of Connecticut in 1660. After land purchases from the Indians, negotiated mostly by Peter Disbrow, they settled on the island of "Manussing," for which they had paid "eight cotes and seven shirts fifteen fathom of womone." Although the land was part of the territory claimed by the Dutch, the defiant colonists drew up a proclamation in 1662 declaring allegiance to Charles of England. Through further treaties with the Indians, their combined holdings soon comprised all of what is now the City of Rye, Town of Rye, Harrison, White Plains and parts of Greenwich, North Castle and Mamaroneck. In 1665 the General Court of Connecticut merged the settlement under the name of Rye, in honor of a prominent family among the early colonists who has come from Rye, England.

For nearly one hundred years, Rye was disputed territory between New York and Connecticut, until finally, in 1788, the New York State legislature officially established the Town of Rye boundaries. The group of settlers moved outward from Manursing Island and eventually developed Peningo Neck (the present business section of the City of Rye) and "Saw Pit" as Port Chester was commonly called then. Saw Pit (also know as Saw Pits and Saw Pit Landing), was named for the saw-mill and boat building shop near the mouth of the Byram River where the community evolved. It was little more than a hamlet until near the Revolutionary War period. But with its good harbor and growing shipbuilding industry, the port became a natural outlet for farm produce from the surrounding countryside.

During the Revolutionary War, Saw Pit was an important military outpost. Both armies vied for possession of the port, and the village was nearly destroyed in the crossfire. In 1776, American General Israel Putnam used the Bush Homestead, in what is now John Lyon Park, as his headquarters. When the clamor of the Revolution settled, the area was rebuilt and its shipping and shipbuilding industries prospered. Before long it had become an important steamboat stop, the eastern "port of Westchester." The name Port Chester was adopted in 1837. On May 4, 1868, Port Chester was incorporated as a village with specified limits within the Town of Rye.

The decline in agriculture and shipping came during the latter half of the 19th century, with the establishment of major railroads. Gradually the community changed from a port and trading center to a manufacturing center. By 1950, Port Chester was among the leading factory towns in the Lower Hudson Valley. Many well-known corporations had headquarters or production centers in the village, including Life Savers, Empire Brush Works, Arnold Bread, Fruit of the Loom and Russell Burdsall Nut & Bolt Co. On evenings and weekends, Port Chester's downtown hummed with vitality, as residents of neighboring towns flocked to the village's stores and restaurants. During the 1970s, most of the factories began to move south or west. Like many other manufacturing communities in the Northeast, Port Chester struggled with a declining economic base. In 1984, Lifesavers shut down its North Main Street factory after 64 years, the last major manufacturer to leave the village.

Since then, Port Chester has revitalized itself with a growing retail and service economy. Port Chester's downtown Restaurant Row is renowned throughout the region, offering cuisine from around the world in dozens of top-rated establishments. "The Waterfront at Port Chester" retail center has brought a multiplex movie theater to the Byram River shore, Costco Shoppers Warehouse, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Super Stop & Shop, Marshall's and several other stores. Port Chester's prodigious industrial growth during the first half of the 20th Century attracted large numbers of European immigrants, primarily from Italy, Germany, Poland and Ireland. Similarly, newcomers from Central and South America and the Caribbean have helped to fuel the village's recent revival. Latino-owned stores and restaurants have helped bring customers of all ethnic groups back to Main Street and Westchester Avenue.

Port Chester Boards And Commissions

Name
Alarm Review Board
Ambulance Corps
Architectural Board of Review
Beautification
Board of Trustees
CDBG Municipal Representative
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee
Ethics Board
Fire Advisory Board
Housing Authority
Industrial Development Agency
Library B/T - 4th Tues
Park Commission
Planning Commission
Recreation Commission
TV- Cable
Taxi Commission
Traffic Commission
Waterfront Commission
Zoning Board

Port Chester Comprehensive Plan

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Resolution establishing Committee (November 26, 2007)
Resolution affirming Committee direction (February 6, 2012)

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) Recommended Comprehensive Plan (March 21, 2012)
Board of Trustees Public Hearing Draft (May 21, 2012)
Board of Trustees Final Draft 11-30-12

RELATED ZONING REGULATION AMENDMENTS AND ZONING MAP
Comprehensive Plan - Part 1 Zoning Code Amendments & Map 061812 Public Hearing
Comprehensive Plan - Part 2 Zoning Code Amendments & Map 061812 Public Hearing
Comprehensive Plan - Part 3 Zoning Code Amendments & Map 061812 Public Hearing
Draft Local Law
Draft Zoning Amendments Explained (July 2012)
Record of Proposed Revisions (August 20, 2012)
Current Zoning Map
Proposed Zoning Map

STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACT (SEQRA)
Notice of Intent to Declare Lead Agency Status
Positive Declaration
Scoping Document
Proposed Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement
DGEIS Presentation
Proposed Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement
SEQR FGEIS Notice of Completion
Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement
SEQR Findings
Adopted SEQR Findings 12-17-2012

RESOLUTIONS
ACCEPTANCE OF DRAFT GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AS COMPLETE AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING THERETO
Acceptance of Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement as Complete 12-03-2012
Adoption of SEQR Findings 12-17-2012
Adoption of Comprehensive Plan 12-17-2012

PUBLIC NOTICES
Comp Plan Public Hearing Notice
DGEIS - Comp plan public hearing notice

ADDITIONAL STUDIES
Route 1 Corridor Study 12-04-2012
Housing Conditions in The Village of Port Chester 12-03-2012
Preliminary Parking Garage Feasibility Analysis
Draft LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM (LWRP) January 2013

Port Chester Overview / General Information

Port Chester is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The village is part of the town of Rye. As of the 2010 census, Port Chester had a population of 28,967. The village name is pronounced with the same emphasis pattern as that of the county which contains it, i.e. PORT ches-ter, not Port CHES-ter.

Port Chester is one of only twelve villages in New York still incorporated under a charter, the other villages having incorporated or re-incorporated under the provisions of Village Law.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km), of which 2.4 square miles (6.2 km) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km), or 5.22%, is water.

History

The Bush-Lyon Homestead, Capitol Theater, Life Savers Building, Putnam and Mellor Engine and Hose Company Firehouse, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Early settlement

In 1660, three settlers from Greenwidge (now Greenwich, Connecticut), Thomas Studwell, John Coe, and Peter Disbrow, arranged to buy Manursing Island and the land near the Byram River from the Mohegan Indians. The land that they bought is now Port Chester. The village was originally known as Saw Pit for the saw pits which were in use during the time. Logs were cut in holes in the ground for wood to be used for shipbuilding. The name of Sawpit was used for the first time in 1732. The village eventually outgrew this name and became Port Chester by incorporating as a village in 1868. When Port Chester was first incorporated, it was considered a major seaport.

In 1665, Sawpit was claimed by both New York and Connecticut. However, the land was given back to the New York Colony by Connecticut in 1683. This struggle over the ownership of Sawpit continued for almost 105 years. In 1788, the Legislature of New York ruled that Sawpit was a part of the town of Rye in New York.

Travel was considered dangerous in the early years of Sawpit as good roads were hard to find. The Boston Post Road, King Street, and Grace Church streets are some of the early migration paths in the Sawpit/Rye settlement. Other roads were usually dirt, which made transportation via water important.

The local waterways, the Byram River and Long Island Sound, were a key part of the growth and development of Sawpit/Port Chester. Early residents took part in boat building, farming, and shell fishing.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 28,967 people, 9,240 households, and 6,348 families residing in the village. The population density was 11,722.5 people per square mile (4,526.1/km²). There were 10,046 housing units at an average density of 4,185.8 per square mile (1,646.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.1% White, 6.5% African American, 0.9% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 24.6% some other race, and 4.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 59.4% of the population.

There were 9,240 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were headed by married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.54.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females there were 110.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.4 males.

At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the village was $45,381, and the median income for a family was $51,025. Males had a median income of $32,848 versus $32,461 for females. The per capita income for the village was $ About 10.1% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.

Port Chester is a more diverse community than many nearby areas.

Neighborhoods

Port Chester is unofficially divided into 7 distinct neighborhoods, located north and south of Westchester Avenue, Port Chester's main east-west street.

North of Westchester Ave.

Brooksville

Tower Hill

Colonial Ridge (Area of Puritan Dr.)

Alden Estate (Area of Quintard Dr.)

Rye Brook (Village in town of Rye)

Washington Park

South of Westchester Ave.

Downtown

The Bowery (South Main St./ Grace Church St. from the square to Midland Ave. including all the streets off of and including Purdy Ave.)

Edgeland (Area served by Midland Ave. and upper Grace Church St.)

Purdy's Grove

Economy

The Life Savers Candy Company operated a factory in Port Chester from 1920 until 1984. The building, now apartments, is one of Port Chester's prominent landmarks.

Port Chester is the home of Hubba's and Texas Chili.

National Collector's Mint is headquartered there.

Transportation

The Port Chester train station provides commuter rail service to Grand Central Terminal in New York City or Stamford and New Haven-Union Station via the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line. The Bee-Line Bus System provides bus service to Port Chester on routes 13, 61, and 76, and CT Transit Stamford Division provides bus service to Port Chester on routes 11A and 11B.

Fire Department

The village of Port Chester is protected by the Port Chester Fire Department(PCFD), established in 1823 and organized in 1868. Paid staff comprise two Engine companies, and volunteer fire companies operate a fleet of five Engines, two Trucks, one Rescue, two Utility Units, one Marine Unit, and three Chief's Vehicles, operating out of 4 Fire Stations. The current Chief of Department is Robert F. Drought.

Below is a list of all fire company and fire station locations in the village of Port Chester:

Fire Headquarters/Harry Howard Hook & Ladder Co. # 1, Reliance Engine & Hose Co. # 1, Fire Patrol and Rescue Co. # 1, Port Chester Fire Department(Paid) - 209 Westchester Ave.

Engine 58(Paid)

Engine 60

Ladder 31

Tower Ladder 2

Rescue 40

Putnam Engine & Hose Co. # 2, Mellor Engine & Hose Co. # 3 - 51 Grace Church St.

Engine 61

Engine 63

Utility 65

Utility 66(Transport Unit)

Marine 40

Mass Decon. Support Unit 2

Washington Engine & Hose Co. # 4, Port Chester Fire Department(Paid) - 464 Westchester Ave.

Engine 59(Paid)

Engine 64

Brooksville Engine & Hose Co. # 5 - 509 Willett Ave.

Engine 62

Education

Within the city's borders, there is one public school district, the Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District, established in 1884. Making it the oldest school district in Westchester County.

Enrollment:

Port Chester Senior High School 1,244

Port Chester Middle School 911

John F. Kennedy Magnet School 650

Thomas Edison Elementary School 620

Park Avenue Elementary School 600

King Street Elementary School 595

At one time the Westchester Fairfield Hebrew Academy (now Carmel Academy) was in Port Chester. It opened in Port Chester in 1997, in rented space.

Port Chester High School history

Port Chester High School was built in 1933 on the grounds of what was once the Port Chester Country Club. The initial stages of planning involved acquiring 23 acres (9.3 ha) of land at a cost of $175,000. The architects, Tooker and Marsh, designed a structure to cost in the vicinity of $1,000,000. Although work began in 1930, occupancy did not take place until February 1932, with the first full graduation exercise taking place in June 1933. The size of the building was in itself astounding. A total of 140,000 square feet (13,000 m) was thought to be adequate. Included was a gymnasium measuring 94 feet (29 m) by 72 feet (22 m), an auditorium seating 1250 persons, 38 classrooms, a library, two study halls, and four shops. A model apartment for the homemaking class, and a student cafeteria and kitchen were also provided. Looking at the exterior, the villagers saw a tower rising 135 feet (41 m) and faced with a clock 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter. An electric master clock synchronizing all individual clocks in the building was also installed. Complete radio equipment and an electric fire alarm system completed the plans. A slate and copper roof accentuated the beauty of the Harvard-type brick exterior. Despite frequent updating such as new lighting systems and advanced equipment, the past lingers charmingly on. The school's motto, inscribed over the entrance doors, is "TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE ARE THE FRUITS OF LEARNING".

Port Chester High School was featured in the 2006 movie My Super Ex-Girlfriend featuring Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson. The school was used for the main characters' high-school scenes, and both the exterior and interior of the school are shown in the movie. The school's distinctive clock tower was also featured on the cover of a recent edition of Robert Cormier's novel "The Chocolate War".

The Port Chester High School's Marching Band has appeared in the movies Spider-Man 3 and Miracle on 34th Street (1994 film) and has performed in the 2003 Orange Bowl as well as the Disney World Festival of Lights. The band has also participated in the 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Legal challenges to Port Chester's electoral system

To enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the United States Department of Justice brought a lawsuit in 2006 to compel the village government to change from an allegedly racially discriminatory at-large electoral system to one that was district-based. This lawsuit would halt the scheduled March 2007 elections until the village develops an acceptable plan. In its December 15, 2006 complaint the Justice Department alleged that, "the current at-large system for electing members of the Port Chester Board of Trustees results in Hispanic citizens having less opportunity than white citizens to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of their choice to the Port Chester Board of Trustees." (United States v. Village of Port Chester 6 Civil 15173) Local Latino activist Cesar Ruiz, NYS Assemblyman Peter Rivera and Angelo Falcón, President of the National Institute for Latino Policy held a news conference on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday (January 15, 2007) to display support for the Justice Department's lawsuit and the need to reform the village's electoral system.

The Village Board of Trustees passed a resolution on December 4, 2006, expressing its disagreement with the Department of Justice's decision that the village must reform its election system, claiming that the problem was not discrimination but rather "apathy" in the Hispanic community. Federal authorities believed that the village's "at large" voting system denied Hispanics representation on the board of trustees and the board of education. According to Reuters, "All voters in town elect each board member, whereas dividing the town into six electoral districts would give Hispanics a majority in at least one of them because they are largely concentrated in one area of town, the suit said." Although Latinos make up 46 percent of Port Chester's population, no Latinos had ever been elected to their Board of Trustees or local school board.

On March 2, 2007, federal court judge Stephen C. Robinson ruled in favor of the Department of Justice and placed an injunction on the March trustee elections scheduled to take place. This ruling did not affect the mayoral election, but it was expected to result in Port Chester being broken down into election districts. Instead, village officials came up with an alternative plan to address the problem by using cumulative voting. This plan was approved by the federal judge on November 6, 2009.

Redevelopment area controversy

In 1999, the Village of Port Chester established a "redevelopment area" and relegated regulatory authority within that area to private developer Gregory Wasser (from G&S Port Chester, LLC), including power to condemn private property. The decision has spawned several lawsuits, including Brody v. Village of Port Chester, and Didden v. Village of Port Chester.

Notable residents and natives

Jon Alpert, reporter and documentary filmmaker

Lex Barker, film actor, famous for playing Tarzan

Nick Bianco, amateur motocross racer

Edson Buddle, Major League Soccer player

Paul Costa, professional football player

Elliot del Borgo, composer

Arnold Diaz, journalist for Fox 5 News

Meaghan Francella, LPGA player

George Gallo, screenwriter and filmmaker

Arnold Gamson, conductor

Rob Ianello, University of Akron football coach

E.L. Konigsburg, author, illustrator, Newbery Award winner

Frank E. "Lank" Leonard, cartoonist and creator of the "Mickey Finn" comic strip

Val Lewton, writer and producer

Ruth Roberts, songwriter

Andre Roy, NHL player

Carl Schmehl, director and producer

Ed Sullivan, entertainer

David Tutera, celebrity wedding planner

Peter J. Vita, holder of the world record for the longest working career as a barber

Port Chester Village Departments

Department	Location
Assessor and Tax Office	10 Pearl St.
Building Department	222 Grace Church Street
Code Enforcement Department	222 Grace Church Street
Department of Public Works	82 Fox Island Road
Fire Department	209 Westchester Ave. (corner Poningo St.)
Justice Court	350 N. Main Street
Mayor	222 Grace Church Street
Planning & Development	222 Grace Church Street
Police Department	350 N. Main Street
Recreation	222 Grace Church Street
Senior Community Center	222 Grace Church Street
Treasurer’s Office	222 Grace Church Street
Village Attorney	222 Grace Church Street
Village Clerk	222 Grace Church Street
Village Manager	222 Grace Church Street

Resources - Important Links

EMERGENCY NUMBERS/UTILITIES
Con Edison
United Water
Cablevision
Verizon

NEW YORK STATE
New York State
Assembly
Senate
Department of Motor Vehicles
State Police
New York State Office of Real Property Services
Airport Emmissions

WESTCHESTER COUNTY
Westchester County Home Page
Library System
Board of Legislators
Department of Public Safety
District Attorney
County Clerk
Board of Elections
Department of Planning
Department of Environmental Facilities
Department of Parks
Geographical Information System (GIS)
Historical Society
Airport Operations

TOWN OF RYE
Town of Rye - Homepage

VILLAGE OF PORT CHESTER
Port Chester Public Library
Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District
Port Chester GIS Data Viewer

TRANSPORTATION
Westchester County Bee-Line Bus System
Westchester County Airport
Amtrak
Metro-North
E-Z Pass
New York State Thruway

HOSPITALS
Blythedale Children's Hospital
Greenwich Hospital
Sound Shore Medical Center of Westchester
Westchester County Medical Center
White Plains Hospital Center

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & MANAGEMENT
New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO)
Westchester County Department of Emergency Services
Westchester County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA Flood
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
American Red Cross

SAFETY AND SECURITY
NYS Division of Criminal Justice
Call before you dig. Dig Safely. New York
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)

SCHOOLS
Port Chester Schools

SENIOR SERVICES
AARP
American Lung Association
Administration on Aging (AoA)
Benefits Checkup
Eldercare Locator
Medicare
Medicare Rights Center
New York State Department of Health
Social Security Online
Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS

U.S. Census Bureau

U.S. Postal Service

Chamber of Commerce

Animal and Shelter Rescue

Pet and Wildlife Services

Resources For News Readers

Resources For Critical Readers

The critical readers of Port Chester Roundup know that when reading, viewing, or listening to any local "mainstream" news report or blog post, the main thing to realize is that truth and objectivity may be partialy obscured or totaly absent.

While local "mainstream" media outlets and blogs often self-righteously proclaimed that only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, is published, the critical reader knows that local news reports in "mainstream" media have three primary purposes: (a) to entice their readers, (b) to be "politically correct" so as not to offend the powers that be, and (c) to lure advertisers by showing the number of docile readers the local publication draws.

Beyond these less than honorable motivations listed above, local "mainstream" reporters, editors and especially publishers are also prone to inject their own personal prejudices and biases, either consciously or unconsciously.

The critical reader should be aware of these potential problems.

The critical reader needs to have many questions in his mind when examining local "mainstream" media items and blog posts.

Many times the vocabulary employed by local "mainstream" journalists and editors is often pejorative and very value laden. Actually, this is an argument in and of itself that there is a bias.

It is up to the critical reader to point this out by means of blog posts and letters to the local "mainstream" newspaper editors and publishers..

There are honest and objective local "Mainstream" journalists, editors and publishers who try and produce a newsppaper that presents all sides of every issue. . However, these local journalists, editors and publishers who have succeed in resisting the pressures to be biased are few and far between.

Many times the critical reader will discover that these local "mainstream" journalists, editors and publishers cave in to pressures, and/or who are prejudiced and nonobjective by nature.

It is therefore up to the critical reader to carefully evaluate and then reject or accept the claims and assertions that are made in any given news story or blog post.

Local "mainstream" journalists, editors and publishers need to make sure they produce well-researched articles that are based on objective description of empirical facts.

One of the goals of Port Chester Roundup is to help these local "Mainstream" journalists, editors and publishers need to strive to convey reality and contribute to enlightenment of Port Chester.

However, the critical reader must understand that journalism which abandons these criteria can be misleading and destructive, pandering to the powers that be rather than courageously and honorably serving truth and justice.

Resources for Letter Writers

Port Chester Roundup publishes email addresses for reporters, editors, and publishers when such addresses are publicly made available.

We encourage our reader to send intelligent, civil, and reasonable emails to these journalists, editors and publishers..

However, a critical reader who sends some correspondence to an email address obtained from this website is, in one sense, representing this blog.

What the writer says, and how it is said, reflects directly on Port Chester in general and on this site in particular.

Local "mainstream" reporters, editors and publishers are interested in deadlines and getting stories written that people will read.

If a critical reader can help them do that, then their contributions will be greatly appreciated.

Remember, good stories are factual and well organized, but they also communicate something of the human spirit.

Likewise, letters to local "mainstream" reporters, editors and publishers, while based on heartfelt convictions, also should be well organized, with points and logic developed in a rational sequence.

Proper grammar, spelling, and capitalization also help the local "mainsteam" reporter, editor or publisher view the received letter as worthy of serious consideration.

Brevity and conciseness are very important, and a long-winded rambling discourse is not likely to be given serious consideration.

For that matter, a "letter" does not even have to be a letter, a single sentence can get a point across.

Nor does a letter have to be for publication or even come from a verifiable source, all it needs to do is provide valid food for thought.

Resources For Blog Comments

More and more local "mainstream" media-sponsored web sites are providing submission forms or links where anyone and everyone can post "comments" on their stories.

Some sites also provide various forums of one typeor another.

However, these forums may require registration.

Many of the comments, suggestions, and cautions That we have provided the critical reader about the submission of comments are very applicable to participation in these forums.

There are no established "standards" for the submission of these comments, and it is necessary and important to very carefully read the instructions, requirements, and limitations for submitting your comments.

Some local "mainstream" newspaper or blog sites may ask for a name, but these are not checked, so there is no need to use your real name if you do not want to..

Other local "mainstream" newspaper or blog sites may allow only a first name, some may permit the inclusions of URL references, links, HTML code, and email addresses, whereas others may not.

When submitting such comments, it is important to "take the high road."

Personal attacks, hatefulness, rash accusations, snide insinuations, misleading assertions, and outright lies are the stock in trade of many posters, but the most effective way to disarm and dismiss these posts is to rise far above such tactics.

Name-calling, abrasiveness, unsupported and insupportable assertions, and otherwise descending to the level of negative posters' inanities not only undermines one's credibility, but reduces the likelihood that one's comments will be accepted and printed.

Submissions should be brief and concise. Two or three short paragraphs is about all that the average reader will assimilate . Be polite, but factual.

Try to deal with reality, and not with far out ideas or wishful thinking.

Take your own concept or idea and address it as thoughtfully, professionally, and concisely as possible.

But first read the existing comments and make sure you are not repeating what someone else has already posted.

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