Taking Shelter:
One Man’s Fight Reflects the Plight of Many
[WINNER SPJ D.C. BEST NON-BREAKING NEWS 2016] James Jones is a fighter: sixty-six years old, legally blind and confined to a wheelchair. The first week of October, he found himself on the street with a single pair of clothes and the few possessions he could fit on his lap.
For the first time in a long time, Jones had no bed to return to that night. His last 15 years without permanent housing had been spent within the gray-and-blue checkered walls of Washington D.C.’s Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), the largest homeless shelter in the D.C. area…MORE
Hidden Homeless Encampment Discovered and Disbanded
{WINNER BEST SERIES SPJ D.C. 2016]
A Foggy Bottom tent community — referred to by advocates as a “secret” encampment, due to how long it had gone unnoticed — was evicted by the District on Oct.18. Such “sweeps” are organized and overseen by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS) as a continuation of procedural clean up efforts that began receiving increased attention from the Bowser Administration in November 2015. The encampment was both out of sight and less than safe — nestled on a grassy island between expressway off-ramps and city streets. Both entangled in groves of trees and bushes and only viewable by motorists zipping by at full speed off of the traffic circle, the encampment was only discovered when the City received a complaint from the public, reported DMHHS representative Ben Link…MORE
A soft island breeze, the smell of sunscreen and fruity drinks, the warm touch of the sun, and a blindfolded young man giving his own mother a sensual massage one beach chair over. This scene, while it sounds like something out of a painfully on-the-nose 30 Rock skit, played out to millions of viewers on MILF Manor, TLC's latest venture into the salacious, joining the ranks of 1000-lb Sisters, Hoarding: Buried Alive, and Seeking Brother Husbands…more
A first birthday party, a meltdown, bathtub playtime, potty training, a first heartbreak — how much is too much to share online about your kids? Digital privacy experts and psychologists have long since offered a bevy of opinions on what is safe and appropriate for the average parent who wants to post the occasional baby photo or prom video to their Facebook friends. But what about when those posts attract thousands of eyes and start making money? Safety remains an obvious issue, but far from the only one. The complicating matters of child labor, a right to privacy, and the distribution of earnings arise in tandem with a rise in follower counts, views, and payouts…more
TikTok, the social media giant that reportedly saw 1 billion monthly users in 2021, is known for incubating and popularizing fast-burning online trends. From the classic music and dancing fads to those with more real-world consequences, TikTok is no stranger to a break-neck content cycle or the controversy that can come with it.
Cue the "Boyfriend Haul" or "Husband Haul," a trend that started gaining traction in early July. In these videos, creators "show off" their significant others, speaking to the camera as if they are reviewing a product after a shopping trip or "haul" and touching on their partner's "features" and "specs”…MORE
Mullets are about as all-American as it gets—at least according to the USA Mullet Championships, a national contest that honors only the best and the bushiest of the iconic hairstyle. Some of this year's finalists from the kids' division have received viral attention thanks to a tweet featuring their entry pictures, and the internet couldn't help but be charmed by the championship's youngest competitors…MORE
Donald Trump's video addressing the mob of supporters who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday was removed from Facebook, YouTube and Twitter a mere hour after being uploaded.
In the pre-recorded clip, Trump told the mob to "go home" and asked for "peace," though he also spent the majority of the minute-long recording falsely claiming the election was "stolen" and tell the occupiers they were "special" and he "loved them."…MORE
TikTok is known for being ahead of pop culture, and recent updates to its terms of use might also be putting it ahead of legislation. The app made waves on Tuesday when it announced a policy banning content that "depicts or promotes Ponzi, multi-level marketing, or pyramid schemes." TikTok called the ban a means to stop users from "exploiting the platform to take advantage of the trust of users and bring about financial or personal harm."…MORE
Like many social media platforms that have become part of the online influencer boom, TikTok, especially in the U.S., has followed the trend of skyrocketing a certain kind of person to fame. These accounts boast hundreds of thousands of fans, such as Charli D'Amelio's famous 100 million follower count, and are often run by young, wealthy, attractive and thin people.
The comments section of many of these accounts, like Charli's, are often full of users lamenting their own appearance in comparison to that of the influencer. Some go so far as to say they "won't be eating dinner" after seeing tight abs and thin tummies doing viral dances on their screens….MORE
Parler, known as the alternative social media platform of the conservative right, is hardly the platform you would expect to call for the GOP's "destruction." With tensions flaring after the presidential election and the Trump administration's subsequent legal battles, the influx of users wasn't unexpected, but the growing anti-Republican sentiment very well might have been.
The "free speech social network" has been flooded with increasing anti-GOP sentiment and calls to destroy the party from within. Far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos posted a promise to "burn the Republican Party to the ground" in early December, saying he was "dedicating the rest of his life to the destruction of the Republican Party."..MORE
Five decades ago, Rosalyn Binday was at a dinner party with her husband. A petit, attractive young woman with fiery red hair and a visibility pregnant belly, Rosalyn was a recent graduate of the fashion institute of technology and married to Ron Binday, a top personal and commercial lines agent at a major insurance company. While mingling and making small talk with the dinner party crowd, someone suggested to Ron he could save some money and write off a room in his Quaker Ridge house, even a car too, if his “cute, little pregnant wife,” as she remembers it, would become a licensed insurance broker.
It was never meant to turn into anything else…MORE
No one was happy when Weight Watchers came for the kids
In August, WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, landed in hot water when it relaunched Kurbo, the app they bought for $3 million, and called it their solution to childhood obesity. The new app, called "Kurbo by WW" is targeted at kids as young as the age of eight, which is not a good look, especially after WW recently faced similar backlash for offering their existing app for teens aged 13-18 for free.
Besides a slew of Twitter users posting their concern disappointment with the company's targeting of children, The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) itself even weighed in on the controversy…READ MORE
“The Wolves,” Sarah DeLappe’s Pulitzer-nominated play, has caught fire since its off-Broadway premiere in 2016. Though not collecting “Hamilton”-style accolades, the all-female show has been picked up at a rapid pace by theaters across the country, with requests for the rights piling in not long after overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics made the 10-person production a quiet success. Jill Abusch, director at The Playgroup Theatre in White Plains, said their requests for the script were denied two times before they were finally able to secure permission to put on their current production, running from Nov. 17 through Nov. 24.
The play tells the story of nine high school girls through their weekly pregame soccer exercises. Set somewhere in suburbia during indoor soccer season, the plot follows the group of high school juniors, identified only by the numbers on their jerseys, as they chat during their warm-ups each Saturday morning, eventually creating characters that are unique and familiar even in spite of their lack of names or pretext….MORE
Café Alaia has been serving the most authentic Italian cuisine around since opening on Garth Road in December 2018. Co-owner Vincenzo Alaia knew he’d serve good food, he just didn’t expect his flagship to be planted in Scarsdale.
An even bigger surprise came Oct. 14 when the 2020 Michelin Guide — one of the most prestigious culinary authorities — bestowed Café Alaia with its prestigious Bib Gourmand distinction for “Inspector’s favorites for good value,” and gave a glowing review that mentioned the cozy decor, pasta and seafood options….MORE
For fans of The Late Late Show with James Corden, the release of the Carpool Karaoke official Bluetooth microphone, The Mic, has probably been announced to you several times through your Facebook ad suggestions. Manufactured by Singing Machine, the mic retails for $59.99 and released to the public on July 2.
I spent years of my life in vocal training, participating in competitions, going to all-state choirs, and eventually paying $50,000 in tuition for a year of music majoring in college. As someone who has since used all of that money and training for one purpose and one purpose alone, and that’s in-car karaoke, I hoped the mic would significantly increase the quality of my experience.
If there’s one thing James Corden’s team knows, it’s marketing, and the packaging in which the microphone arrived was a reflection of that. The white and gold mic came in a slick black package complete with full “Carpool Karaoke” branding and a pamphlet with simple instructions…MORE
The trailer for “We Happy Few” was a dream-come-true to many indie horror gaming fans. The previews featured enticing scenes meeting somewhere between post-apocalyptic and alternative history. The images of zombie-like NPCs wandering around plastered with uncanny, painted smiling masks and the story of arc of some twisted society in which the human condition had somehow gone terribly awry originally presented as more atmospheric horror than adventure action. By all appearances, it looked like the BioShock-inspired spin-off many had been hoping for.
When it finally did release in mid-2018, ripples of mass disappointment at Compulsions’ Games blunder spread in a way reminiscent of the reception of “Hello Neighbor.” People wondered how the developers managed to piss all that Kick Starter money down the drain.
Mixed, and largely negative, reviews abound, when I first started the game, I thought I might actually disagree with them…MORE
Those who admire — or binge watched — the award-winning “Shtisel” series, available on Netflix, won’t want to miss this.
Members of the “Shtisel” cast and writing team will unpack the popular Israeli series in a special event at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. Cast members and co-creators will be present for an evening of discussion, selected clips and a behind-the-scenes look at creating the drama.
“Shtisel” became a surprise hit when it was released on Netflix in December 2018 and has enjoyed international fame since. The series, which follows a traditional Orthodox Jewish family living in Geula, a neighborhood in Jerusalem, premiered in 2013 and has completed two 12-episode seasons as of 2019. Writer Yehonatan Indursky announced in May the series would be renewed for a third season…MORE
Scarsdale might have one of the smaller large school populations in Westchester County, clocking in at around 18,000 residents, but that hasn’t stopped social media from doing its job of reconnecting people who might have lost touch.
The Facebook Group “Scarsdale — Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s” boasts a membership of almost 3,000 followers doing exactly what its title describes — reconnecting a generation.
The group, started by 1981 Scarsdale High School graduate Rich Lieberman, was created in October 2008, but only recently gained the traction that got it to its current size. Originally, Lieberman knew every member of the group personally, but as time passed and friends invited friends and word spread, it became a group almost like a high school reunion — but better…MORE
Former Scarsdale resident Martin Charnin, best known as the creator of seven-time Tony Award-winning Broadway classic “Annie,” died July 6 at the age of 84. The cause of death was a heart attack.
“Annie,” for which Charnin wrote the lyrics and directed, began its Broadway run in 1977 and went on to spawn two Broadway revivals, two films, two stage sequels, and countless cultural references as it became a story recognized around the world. Though Charnin originally conceived of the idea based on a popular 1920s comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” he and writer Thomas Meehan and composer Charles Strouse, created something entirely original that would eventually become ubiquitous with red curly hair and a melody about the sun coming out. Charnin went on to direct 42 productions of "Annie" after its original 2,377 performance Broadway run…MORE
Theater has long been a place that welcomes and represents colorful members of society. Shows like “Hair” and “RENT” brought countercultures front and center and foundations like Broadway Cares addressed issues like the AIDs crisis in a time when the LGBTQ+ community was left largely to suffer alone and in fear.
Indeed, theater has long been known as a home not for the few, but the many.
And yet, the theater industry continues to face criticism for its deficiencies in diversity and inclusion. Though hits like “Hamilton” and “On Your Feet” raised the bar three years ago, an independent study conducted by the Asian American Performers Action Coalition saw a decrease in minority representation in mainstream New York theater in the 2016-17 season…MORE
A few years ago, Scarsdale resident Jocelyn Greenky hit a wall trying to get back on her feet after her software startup went under. Already in her 50s, she needed to find a new gig and, suddenly, she was looking around and seeing very few people looking back.
“I pieced together all these gigs,” said Greenky. “I was calling every human being I knew on earth saying what do you have?”…MORE
Every house has ghosts as long as every family has secrets. This is something Westchester native and author Diana Altman knows well. Her newest novel, “We Never Told,” examines her family’s own truths in a painfully honest way that shows Altman’s ability to craft artful stories in the sweet spot between fantasy and the truth.
“Some things just nag at you and this was one of the naggiest things,” said Altman about the story. “It took me a long time for me to be able to tell anybody about this. Only recently did I tell my cousins.”
Everyone, especially those working in customer service, need a good laugh in the middle of the busy festival season if we hope to keep our jobs and our heads. Pure Theatre took on the challenge of providing this laugh with Andy Livengood’s one-man show “Butcher Stories,” a departure from Pure’s more serious work. Directed by core cast member R.W. Smith, “Butcher Stories” is a kind of catharsis. Each customer interaction portrayed in the show is based on real conversations Livengood has had over 20 years working as a butcher…MORE
The Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra is comprised of about 50 percent newcomers and 50 percent returning players, configured anew each year through a rigorous audition process. This is likely the most competitive festival in the country for young orchestra musicians, and many of the players who get in are conservatory-trained students kicking off their professional careers, according to John Kennedy, the festival’s director of orchestral activities…MORE
The Westminster Choir, long a cornerstone of Spoleto Festival USA, typically gets a good opera workout. The young singers form the choruses needed to present original festival opera productions. But this year, with the Sottile Theatre closed for renovation, an important opera venue is not available and, along with it, opportunities for Westminster choristers to assume a role on the dramatic stage.
Problem solved: A staged production of Joby Talbot’s “Path of Miracles,” a musical pilgrimage about the Camino de Santiago, offered for a second time on Friday, May 31 at the Gaillard Center…MORE
The story of “Salome” is an old one, originally found in the Bible, with a stage adaption penned by Oscar Wilde more than a century ago.
This year’s Spoleto Festival production of “Salome,” directed by Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser, takes a contemporary approach to staging the ancient tale…MORE
For fans of hit The CW comedy series “My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” the name Pete Gardner will conjure images of the beloved bisexual character Darryl Whitefeather. Some residents of Scarsdale, however, might remember Gardner better as the class clown who was sometimes in the ensemble of Scarsdale High musical productions. They might even remember him as the kid on the cover of a local paper when the Scarsdale pool first opened back in 1969.
Before becoming a successful actor and fan-favorite character in a comedy musical, Gardner was just another hometown boy. After graduating from Scarsdale High School in 1982, he went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan before moving upstate to attend Skidmore College. He took 11 months off after graduating to travel to Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal and India, something he says he needed to do to get some life experience under his belt.
On one of the first warm Saturday mornings of spring, Rae’s Institute of Dance was bustling with teens in leotards and tight buns and parents shuffling them in and out. Music from a hip hop class and loud, high pitched chatter could be heard from a studio hidden in the back of the building. Outside, cars pulled into the wet gravel parking lot and the woman at the front desk smiled, looking out the window.
“Here comes Ethan,” she said.
Ethan is 12 years old, full of spunk and very outgoing. His mother, Chelsey Oot, helped him change out of his shoes as he announced to the room that he recently lost a tooth and, yes, the tooth fairy did come.
“This is, like, the sixth tooth he’s lost recently,” said Oot, making knowing eye contact with another parent. “He’s sucking the tooth fairy dry.”..MORE
A space for every type of art.
That’s the concept behind SALTspace, a multi-use performing arts center on Wyoming Street that will host its grand opening celebration Saturday April 13.
Including a 150-seat black box theater, green rooms, storage space, a rehearsal studio, a rentable lobby space and a shared office, SALTspace is designed for what interim director Melissa Gardiner calls “versatility" with the goal of engaging the community and improving the quality of life for people in Syracuse’s Westside neighborhood…MORE
Syracuse Stage and the Near Westside Initiative are partnering to bring a new theatre experience to Central New York youth this summer.
The new Summer Youth Theatre Experience will offer three different programs over four weeks in July and August to students aged 11 through 14. The programs will take place at Syracuse Stage and the newly opened SALTspace performing arts center and allow participants to choose experiences in writing, producing, performing, or all of the above…more
With Broadway-credited artistic director Hunter Foster at the helm, the Redhouse Arts Center plans to take on the theme of family in 2019-2020 season, exploring how its different iterations inform the American and human experience.