Week in Review: Tiki Bar Expands, MTA Reduces New Haven Line Service

Rye Patch started the week with news of the . County Executive Rob Astorino approved giving the restaurant an extra 4,500 square feet, even after many Rye residents argued the restaurant was already consuming too much public boardwalk space. In his statement explaining the decision, Astorino said the Tiki Bar has created jobs and supplied much needed revenue to the county in the form of licensing fees. Astorino said his decision was a suitable compromise that would benefit the county and its residents.

Governor Andrew Cuomo , calling for government consolidation and an overhaul in the state's spending habits. Cuomo's budget calls for cost savings by redesigning Medicaid, consolidating state agencies and cuts in state aid to local governments and schools. Our story on Cuomo's budget has generated more than 30 comments from readers. Some expressed approval for Cuomo's plan while others said some of his budget would be unachievable. Assemblyman George Latimer even chimed in on the debate, saying that state lawmakers likely would approve the state's budget on time this year, as opposed to last year when they passed the budget months after the April 1 deadline.

This week Rye Patch also launched a new feature that we're very excited about—Moms Talk. Our first installment posed the question:  Amy Chua's book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, has generated a lot of comments, criticism—and even praise—for her no-holds-barred approach to parenting. A lot of our readers and the members of our  got involved in the discussion. The comments you posted were nuanced, interesting and insightful. We'll be hosting a Moms Talk discussion every Wednesday at 1 p.m., so feel free to join. The invitation is open to not just moms, but all parents, grandparents and anyone else who wants to give their two cents. 

We also did a story on the MTA's changes to New Haven line service. A recent rash of winter snowstorms has crippled the commute for many southern Westchester residents. The and running on a Sunday schedule throughout the weekend to improve the reliability of its service. The changes will be in effect until March 4, so until then commuters likely will have to deal with overcrowded trains and longer commuting times. Let's hope Puxatony Phil was right—six more weeks of winter is all most of us can bear.

Our other stories this week included a report about a , Peter Gerstenzang's, and our picks for.

We've covered lots more this weekend, so feel free to search the site for other engaging stories from the past week. Rye Patch will be your source for everything that is happening in the Rye area, from local government and school board meetings to sports and arts and entertainment.

We'll be doing a "Week in Review" every Sunday, so if you missed anything during the week, we've got you covered. And if you have story ideas, questions or comments, feel free to email me at satta@patch.com to share your thoughts.