From Rudy to Obama

Written by admin on November 10, 2010. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

Messinger, West Side’s favorite daughter, isn’t slowing down By Sara Dover Ruth Messinger just turned 70, but it’s impossible to tell. The long-time activist, former politician and loyal West Sider continues to be as hard-working and ambitious as ever, and she made it clear that she has “no intention of going anywhere.” “I have two
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Saluting West Side Stars

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in News & Features West Side Spirit, Special Sections, WESTYS

Each year, West Side Spirit, the largest community newspaper on the West Side of Manhattan, pauses to salute dozens of New Yorkers whose accomplishments deserve to be highlighted. We call our civic awards the Westys, which stands for West Side Spirit Thanks You. The requirements to be considered for a Westy are simple. The awards
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A Career in Public Service

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

A lifelong New Yorker, Betsy Gotbaum said she had no intention of going into politics or public service. She learned Spanish and Portuguese, lived in Brazil and became a teacher. Decades later, she can take credit for a wide-ranging and impressive list of accomplishments, including being one of just a handful of women who have
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The Upper West Side’s Cagney

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

When Kathleen O’Reilly graduated from the Police Academy in 1991, she started out in the tough Northern Manhattan precincts. She remembers helping families identify their loved ones with DNA after the Sept. 11 attacks. But during the last three years, she has been in the 24th precinct, which covers the West Side from West 86th
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An Ear to the Ground

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

When Clark Tiger graduated from the police academy in 1991, his class was the second to take part in a new policy that assigned new officers directly to a precinct instead of a borough. Growing up on the West Side, he was fortunate to be placed in the 20th precinct, which covers West 59th Street
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Welcome Home

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

Colleen Jackson has dedicated 30 years of her career to human services, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. For almost 20 of those years, she has worked with the West End Intergenerational Residence, where she is now the executive director. The nonprofit, located on West End Avenue near West 83rd Street, provides housing,
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Shared Worldview

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

When the ceiling of the B’Nai Jeshurun collapsed in 1991, the Jewish congregation was left without a place of worship—until the congregation of the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew offered to share their space. “They worship on Friday night and Saturday and we worship on Sunday, so we thought that might work out
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A Voice for His Neighbors

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

Paul S. Bunten has been a devoted Upper West Side advocate since his Columbia graduate student days, back in the 1980s. “There is no substitute for complete understanding,” he said, “and a neighborhood can only be profoundly understood when the citizens who have created it over many decades of daily life are personally consulted.” Bunten,
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Activism at Every Age

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

Batya Lewton has a loose definition of the word “retirement.” Instead of taking time to enjoy life and relax, she became a full-time community activist. But that is hardly surprising, given her history. In 1986, a negligent landlord didn’t stop her from enjoying her home: she was dubbed “Landlord Buster of the Year” by building
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Keeping Up the Avenue

Written by admin on October 9, 2009. Posted in Special Sections, WESTYS

Richard Emery and Erika Petersen, co-founders of the West End Preservation Society, are not just looking to protect the historic townhouses of West End Avenue, but an entire way of life. “There are a lot of families, and it’s great in the afternoon when they’re out,” Petersen said. “The feel of community is consistent up
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