There is a Farmer's Market on Fridays at the New Rochelle Library Green through November 15th. The hours are from 8:00am to 3:00pm.

Today there were gorgeous vegetables, happy crowds, and a busy marketplace. Besides the Indian corn, tomatoes, eggplant, cabbage, zucchini and other vegetables, there were freshly made pickles, homemade breads, nuts and coffees.

Here are three quick shots before my battery gave way --

The corn (6 ears for $2) was yellow and white, sweet and delicious, and it alone was worth a trip to the center of town for some quick and healthy shopping.

Enjoy!

John A Caldararo, 50, a Senior Buildings Inspector for the City of New Rochelle plead guilty Tuesday to DWI. Caldararo is required to pay fines, fees and surcharges totaling $895 and undertake court-mandated treatment for convicted drinking drivers. As part his sentence, Caldararo's drivers license was revoked.

UPDATE: John Caldararo is also the President of the New Rochelle City Civil Service Employees Association President

Caldararo was arrested on the Southern State Parkway in Suffolk County on Saturday July 24, 2010 at 7:40 PM. He was charged with two misdemeanor counts -- Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Level Above .08 Of 1%, Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated and an infraction -- equipment violation for not having required safety glass on the vehicle.

Court records indicate that Caldararo had a blood alcohol content of 0.40 -- five times the legal limit of 0.08 to be considered "intoxicated" in New York State.

Speaking on his radio show today City Manager Chuck Strome told Bob Marrone that there would be a special election on November 2nd to fill the District 3 Seat recently vacated after the unexpected death of Jim Stowe. On the "In The City" show on WVOX, Strome said he could not speak to the politics but he could speak to the process -- that the City Council could appoint someone to fill the seat from today until November but that the final year of the term would be filled through a special election.

Based on a review of the City Charter, the legal basis for Strome's statement is unclear.

New Rochelle City Charter Section 8. Vacancies

Section 8. Vacancies. [Repealed by Local Law No. 1-1966 (February 9, 1966).]

Section 92.9

The lie that parents, taxpayers and the community at large will be told as students come back to school in the fall is that the State tests are "new", "unfair", "not representative", "purposely designed to confuse", and otherwise dismissed or discounted. Don't believe it. Instead, the NYSED has finally created a test and scored it based on standards that approach national standards as indicated by the National Assessment of National Progress (NAEP), a national test which randomly tests students at all levels on a variety of metrics from every state.

The truth is in the chart above (provided by NYSED).

In an effort to convince the public that students are learning in our public schools, the State Officer of Assessment has worked very hard to make very easy tests. The result, a sharp deviation from the national norm indicated in the chart above; otherwise known as grade inflation.

New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin says she is looking forward to receiving a request made by the three Republican New Rochelle City Council members for a home bill concerning the New Rochelle IDA.

"The request is a little preliminary," said Paulin. "Except for emergency measures, the State Assembly is not resuming session until January but I am always interested in reform."

The home rule request comes in the wake of a scathing audit by the New York State comptroller that found a complete lack of process and accountability at the controversial city agency.

"I think IDA's across the state need reform," said Paulin, a consistent advocate for greater accountability and transparency in government.