White Plains and Valhalla region

A singing contest—much like “American Idol”—for entertainers 50 years old and over will be held on Friday, Oct. 1 at 12:30 p.m. The event returns this year to where it began, the Theodore D. Young Community Center in Greenburgh.

The contest includes 10 singers competing for the title of 2010 Golden Idol. In contrast to the popular TV show, program judges will remain silent during performances. The audience is encouraged to participate in group sing alongs.

Lunch will also be served prior to the contest at 11:30 a.m. The cost of lunch is $3 for 60 years old and over and $5 for those under 60. For lunch reservations and information, call Senior Citizen Services Coordinator George Coniglio at 914-989-3622 before Sept. 24.

Admission is free and all ages are invited to attend the contest.

A White Plains dentist accused of defrauding her insurance company was taken to jail today, after a judge determined she purposely missed mandatory meetings connected to her criminal case.

Dr. Joanne Baker, (left) who had been free on $10,000 bail, will remain in the Westchester County jail in Valhalla until Oct. 19, when a judge plans to sentence her on charges of third-degree grand larceny and insurance fraud.

Baker, 51, had pleaded guilty to those charges, both felonies, on May 19. She was supposed to be sentenced today. She is now attempting to withdraw her guilty plea, in which she agreed to serve five years probation with 24 weekends in jail and pay nearly $60,000.

Westchester County Judge Barbara Zambelli said Baker, a Scarsdale resident, made no effort to meet with the Westchester County Department of Probation for a pre-sentencing report, which is mandatory for all defendants who plead guilty or are convicted at trial.

Baker’s new attorney, Peter Tilem, said his client spent two weeks in June at Four Winds, a psychiatric treatment hospital in Katonah, and is currently under a doctor’s care and on medication. Despite her condition, Tilem said, “she is taking this very seriously.”

Assistant District Attorney Brian Fitzgerald said probation officers tried to reach Baker from June 22 to Aug. 16, after she was released from Four Winds, but that she ignored their calls while making efforts to regain her state dental license. He accused Baker of trying to thwart the justice system.

Prosecutors accused Baker of running a two-year scam in which she sent phony bills to MetLife and created phony patient medical records and sent copies to the insurance firm, starting in September 2006. Eighteen patients came forward in 2008 to say Baker had billed MetLife for dental work she never provided, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau, MetLife and the District Attorney’s Office investigated the claims, and Baker was arrested Sept. 23, 2008. After her arrest, prosecutors said, investigators found four patients who said Baker sent their insurance company, MetLife, phony bills between December 2008 and February 2009. She was accused of misleading MetLife and trying to prevent patients from reporting her. She was rearrested in April 2009.

Baker, whose office is at 1 Bryant Crescent, agreed to pay $8,900 in restitution to Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and forfeit $50,000 worth of assets in what is known as a stipulation of settlement, according to the county District Attorney’s Office.

Mark Jaffe, who is running for the 89th Assembly District,will be hosting two “meet the candidate” events in the run-up to the primary election. Jaffe is running for the Democratic party line against Thomas Roach, the White Plains Common Council president, in the Tuesday, Sept. 14 primary. Roach already holds the Independence and Working Family lines, and Republican Assemblyman Robert Castelli, who currently serves the 89th, is running on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Jaffe’s next get-together is Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 20 West 44th St. in Manhattan. Refreshments start at 5 p.m., a presentation is scheduled for 6. On Sunday, Sept. 12, he will hold another event at the White Plains Crowne Plaza hotel, 66 Hale Ave. Refreshments at 11 a.m., presentation at noon.

For more information or to RSVP, contact the Jaffe campaign at info@friendsofjaffe.com or 914-357-3299. Jaffe’s campaign website is friendsofjaffe.com.

Republican Assemblyman Robert Castelli had his first bill become law recently.

The legislation, which Castelli fought for since he was a Lewisboro councilman in 2001, authorizes the town of Lewisboro to use some land as a cell tower, enabling improved communication for residents and emergency responders. The bill was signed by Gov. David Paterson on July 30.

“Since coming to Albany four months ago, I have established a strong record of fighting for reform, being a fiscal watchdog for taxpayers, protecting the environment and strengthening homeland security by giving our emergency responders the resources they need,” Castelli said in a press release. “It is only fitting that my first bill to be signed into law will ensure the viability of emergency communications in Northern Westchester for police, fire and emergency services personnel via a cell tower that adheres to smart growth principles, while providing much needed revenue to the town of Lewisboro to ease the burden on local property taxpayers.”

Castelli, of the 89th Assembly District, represents Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, Pound Ridge and White Plains.

After winning in a February special election, he is now running for his first full term in the Assembly this November. Democrat Thomas Roach, the White Plains Common Council president, will be on the ballot on the Independence and Working Families lines. He is running against Harrison Democrat Mark Jaffe for the Democratic line in a Sept. 14 primary.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., discussed the economy, unemployment, dysfunction in Albany and Washington, health care, war, housing and the proposed cultural center and mosque in lower Manhattan, in an Editorial Spotlight interview Thursday. You’ll find the entire interview at www.lohud.com/editorialspotlight; click “on demand” and select the video from the menu.

Here are some selected highlights from our interview.

Gillibrand on government transparency:

The dog days of summer are just about over, but it’s still a dog’s life for White Plains pooches, as White Plains Mayor Adam Bradley invites them to take a dip at the Kitrell Park pool on Sept. 12.

From 10 a.m. to noon, licensed dogs with owners who are at least 16 years old (in people, not dog years) can splash and play in the pool. For free. Dogs must be kept under owner control at all times.

You know your dog is your best friend – now’s a chance to show him (or her) that the feeling is mutual.

For more information, call 914-422-1363. Kitrell Park is located on Fisher Avenue.

The Journal News and LoHud.com wish to hear from candidates vying in local Westchester, Rockland and Putnam races in September and November — including for the state Legislature but excluding statewide and federal offices.

Please send us an e-mail including your full name, home address, daytime phone number and an active e-mail address to elections@lohud.com. In both the subject line and body of the e-mail, be sure to indicate which office you are vying for. The information will be used by our news and opinion staffs to contact and correspond with candidates. Additionally, the e-mail address will be used to send candidates a questionnaire that will form the basis of an online guide for voters.

Avigail Toth, 24, of White Plains practices a dance routine as she rehearses with other contestants for the Miss Westchester/Miss Teen Westchester Pageant at City Center Dance in White Plains this afternoon. Photo by Seth Harrison

The beauty pageant is being held on Sept. 5th at the Westchester Performing Arts Center in White Plains. Look for the story at Lohud.com and in tomorrow’s edition of The Journal News. View more photos from the Miss Westchester/Miss Teen Westchester Pageant rehearsal.

Highview School third-grade teacher Sharon Davenport sorts through class material as she prepares her classroom at the school in Greenburgh Aug. 27, 2010. She was among a few teachers at the school setting up their classrooms for the up coming school year. Davenport, who has been teaching for 24 years, will have 17 students when school begins on September 7th. Follow LoHud.com to view photo galleries, read stories and blog postings from Opening Day in the schools from Westchester, Putnam and Rockland Counties.

The Mental Health Association of Westchester County based in Elmsford seeks volunteers to work with seniors in long-term care facilities.

As part of the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, volunteers advocate for residents in licensed long-term care facilities including nursing homes and assisted-living residences. The association said volunteers help to resolve complaints, monitor quality of life and preserve the dignity of residents in these facilities.

All volunteers complete a 36-hour training to become New York State Certified Ombudsmen.  The free training covers various topics such as understanding the aging process and regulations, and provides the skills needed to work and negotiate with staff caring for the seniors. The next training starts Sept. 14.  Contact Margaret Hadad at 914-345-5900 ext. 298 or at hadadm@mhawestchester.org for information.