WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. By John F. Bailey. October 3, 2007: WPCNR has learned the Department of Motor Vehicles will  appear to be solely responsible for acceptance and verification of documents presented by immigrants seeking licenses (if Governor Spitzer’s policy goes into effect in December), according to a New York State Department of Homeland Security spokesperson. The spokesperson said her department NY Homeland Security would not be involved in the vetting of documents–that responsibility of acceptance and verification was solely up to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

On another aspect of the licensing initiative,  a spokesperson at the United States Department of Homeland Security, in Washington, told WPCNR the super security agency  is working with New York on developing an enhanced New York State Driver’s License that will enable New York residents whether legal or not, to comply with REAL ID Act requirements due to go into affect  January 31, 2009.

WPCNR is awaiting comment from the Department of Motor Vehicles for clarification on both security issues. Earlier today, the Governer’s Press Office would not comment when asked if the Governor’s new licensing of immigrants policy had been developed with Department of Homeland Security input and approval.

 However, their spokesperson could not confirm whether New York had discussed Governor Spitzer’s proposed licensing of immigrants policy with the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier today, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Press Office had no comment when asked if the Governor’s policy had been developed with the Department of Homeland Security input, guidance and expertise.

Linda Keehner, spokesperson for the Washington, D.C.-based  Department of Homeland Security told WPCNR,

 “It (identification) is a topic that is extremely important to us at the department. We have been working with multiple states,  you’ve probably seen our press releases  (that) Washington State, Arizona and Vermont, we’ve all moved forward to work on secure documentation that will be REAL ID ACT compliant and also Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant. We’re actually in the process of working with the State of New York on secure identification in the form of driver’s licenses. So anyone that would have that card would need to have the proper documentation and the certain eligibility requirements for that.”

A spokesperson for the New York State Department of Homeland Security, a New York Department of State office, reporting to the Governor, and not affiliated with the Washington Department of Homeland Security, said she was not aware the Washington DHS was working with the state on such a license.

Keehner, speaking to WPCNR from Washington, said DHS is working with states to create what WPCNR is dubbing “The Super License.” 

 Keehner said “Even though the states have the right to issue their drivers’ licenses, we are working with open arms with any state on WHTI-compliant drivers licenses so they (residents) can easily go back and forth let’s say on northern border to Canada or the United States, going back and forth, while at the same time working on REAL  ID Act compliance which they will have to deal with very shortly.”

 WPCNR asked, what does the Department of Homeland Security feel about the proposed N.Y. Policy, and the possibility of forged documents?

Keehner said, “One of our major initiatives is to make sure of secure documentation, making sure the documents cannot be forged and that identify theft is not a factor. We are working actually with the state of New York on secure driver’s licenses. Though I’m not able to speak to how a state will choose to designate whether or not a driver is eligible to drive on the road, we are concerned about secure documentation.”

I asked, what would make a driver’s license secure in the DHS’s eyes?

Ms. Keehner reffered WPCNR to news releases on the Arizona and Vermont programs for WHIT-compliant driver’s licenses issued last fall.

The Arizona and Vermont Super License

According to the agreement reached between the Department of Homeland Security and Arizona and Vermont, the three states are partnering with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop a super drivers license that “will meet WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative)requirements, provide Arizona/Vermont employers with a secure document that can be used in validating a person’s legal status and align to satisfy future requirements of REAL ID.”

The super drivers license “will serve as another alternative available to U.S. citizens to satisfy Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requirements. DHS announced in June that U.S. and Canadian citizens will need to present either a WHTI compliant document or government-issued photo I.D. and proof of citizenship, such as a driver’s license and birth certificate, beginning on January 31, 2008 for admissibility into the U.S. The department intends to end the routine practice of accepting oral declarations alone at land and sea ports of entry, and also proposes to begin alternative procedures for U.S. and Canadian children at that time.”

The release describes the  new Arizona license being developed as “technologically enhanced….(that) will provide its residents who voluntarily apply and qualify, with a document that is acceptable for use at U.S., land and sea ports. The enhanced driver’s license will be slightly more expensive than a standard Arizona state driver’s license and will require proof of citizenship, identity, and residence.” The state of Arizona will also issue an “Arizona Card” for use in the “work eligibility process.”

The “REAL ID” requirements that the Arizona, Washington State and Vermont programs are intended to meet “are intended to strengthen the underlying document through physical security features and a secure issuance process. Arizona’s new state driver’s license is poised to be one of the nation’s first to comply with REAL ID requirements.”

Working With New York

I asked Keehner, to your knowledge, has New York State gone over the details of what they want to do (in issuing licenses to drivers who can prove residency),with the DHS?

Keehner said, “We are in constant communication on this. Nothing has been finalized. But, we are working with them to try and see how we can potentially move forward in that effort.”

In the effort to license people who live in New York State? I asked

“Correct, that is REAL ID ACT,  and Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative compliant.”

New York State Department of Homeland Security Take 

WPCNR contacted the press office for the State of New York Department of Homeland Security (not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security),  since David Balboni the head of New York Department of Homeland Security  had been quoted in the press as being supportive of the Governor’s suggested driver’s license policy for immigrants.

Amy Bonanno, of the New York State Department of Homeland Security Communications office said that she could not speak for Mr. Balboni, since information had to come from the Governor’s Press Office. Asked about the Department of Homeland Security statement that they were working with New York State to develop WHTI-compliant and a new enhanced driver’s license compliant with the REAL I.D. Act, Ms. Bonanno said she was unaware of it.

It’s the DMV Responsibility to Validate Documents.

Asked if the New York State Department of Homeland Security was going to oversee validation and “check out”  the validity of documents presented by residents seeking a New York State Drivers license, Ms. Bonanno said to her knowledge the New York State Department of Homeland Security was not going to be involved, that validation and acceptance of identification documents would be entirely handled by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

WPCNR has a call into the Department of Motor Vehicle Communications to find out about how the DMV plans to validate the documents presented them by immigrants and persons not citizens,  and which ones will be acceptable to issue driver’s licenses to possible non-citizens, and how that fits into the context of the REAL I.D. act which will require New York and all states to issue a driver’s license meeting standards specified in the REAL ID Act of 2005.

The REAL ID issue though is looming and will be effective after December 31, 2009.

As of that date, “a Federal agency may not accept, for any official purpose, a driver’s license or identification card issued by a state to any person unless the state is meeting the requirements” specified in the Real ID Act. States remain free to also issue non-complying licenses and IDs, so long as these have a unique design and a clear statement that they cannot be accepted for any Federal identification purpose. The federal Transportation Security Administration is responsible for security check-in at airports, so bearers of non-compliant documents would no longer be able to travel on common carrier aircraft without additional screening.

Employers would no longer be able to accept, or ultimately hire, bearers of non-compliant documents for employment^.

Financial institutions would require compliant documents from all customers Bearers of non-compliant documents would be denied financial or banking services^.

The national license/ID standards cover:

   What data must be included on the card;

   What documentation must be presented before a card can be issued; and

   How the states must share their databases.

Data requirements

Each card must include, at a minimum, the person’s full legal name, signature, date of birth, sex, driver’s license or identification card number. It also includes a photograph of the person’s face and the address of principal residence. It is required to have physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication of the document for fraudulent purposes.

It will use common machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements (the details of which are not spelled out, but left to the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation and the states, to regulate).

Documentation required before issuing a license or ID card

Before a card can be issued, the applicant must provide the following documentation^[8]:

  A photo ID, or a non-photo ID that includes full legal name and birthdate.

  Documentation of birthdate.

  Documentation of legal status and Social Security number

  Documentation showing name and principal residence address.

Digital images of each identity document will be stored in each state DMV database.

Linking of license and ID card databases

Each state must agree to share its motor vehicle database with all other states. This database must include, at a minimum, all the data printed on the state drivers’ licenses and ID cards, plus drivers’ histories (including motor vehicle violations, suspensions, and points on licenses). Any state that does not link its database, containing records on all drivers and ID holders, to the database of the other states loses its federal funding.

Traffic violations would be required to be sent to the licensing jurisdiction and be recorded. The licensing jurisdiction would be required to act on the violation according to its own laws such as assigning points and insurance surcharges to the driver not only for violations reported from DLA members but also from non-DLA members as well. The DLA requires member states to treat non-DLA states as if they are DLA members concerning their drivers.

A complete summary of the provisions of the REAL ID Act is available at http://www.ncsl.org/standcomm/sctran/realidsummary05.htm

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Pia Haas, Westchester Broadway Theatre. October 2, 2007: The WBT is bringing back an original WBT “hit” —  a revival of Arthur Kopit/ Maury Yeston’s “PHANTOM” which made its New York Premiere here at WBT in 1992, makes a long-awaited return to the Elmsford  stage opening Thursday October 4th, and runs through February 9th, 2008.  During the 1992 record breaking nine- month run, over 120,000 people attended. Night after night, audiences rose to their feet for the stunning musical thriller.

 “PHANTOM” was written by Arthur Kopit, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston who were the Tony Award winning collaborators for the Broadway Musi­cal “Nine“.  “PHANTOM” is not to be confused with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera“, which is currently running on Broadway. Both shows are based on the same Gaston LeRoux novel, with the Webber extravaganza being more like an opera, compl­etely sung. The Yeston/Kop­it “PHANTOM“ is more of a traditional Broadway Musical with dia­logue and songs throug­hout.

 The show opened here at WBT on July 16th, 1992 to rave reviews. Jacques LeSourd critic from Gannett Suburban Newspapers stated… “There is also a gripping story, richly drawn characters, and music that can break your heart with its beauty… You’ll find none of that in the Broadway ‘Phantom­’…. The rich orches­tra­tions bring to mind ‘Sweeney Todd’ and even the propuls­ive sounds of Philip Glass. This is a score in the grand man­ner“.   Howard Kissel, critic from the New York Daily News said: “The first Genuine Broadway Musical I’ve seen in years and the most genuinely exciting Broadway Musical I’ve seen in years”…”Capturing the genuine ‘Phantom”…” De­spite all its ma­squer­ading, the real thing isn’t on West 44th Street; it’s playing here in Westchester“.  He was referring to the WBT  production of “PHANTOM”!    And now, WBT’s original PHANTOM is coming back with a new Christine for the ages.

Television Phenom Kate Rockwell plays The New Christine.

Photo, Courtesy Westchester Broadway Theatre.

Kate Rockwell, who appeared on the recent hit television reality show, GREASE, YOU”RE THE ONE THAT I WANT, will be wowing audiences at WBT as Christine,  in Maury Yeston & Arthur Kopit’s “PHANTOM“.  Rockwell , the finalist nicknamed “Serious Sandy” on the CBS show, was recognized for her extraordinary vocal prowess. Testing her comic chops, she will star as “young Samantha” in the highly anticipated movie version of “Sex and the City.”  She hails from Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from Baldwin Wallace College. ”Recently, Kate appeared in the musical drama, Tully (In No Particular Order) at the New York Musical Theater Festival, and in the new Tammy Faye Bakker Musical, BIG TENT, at New World Stages. She was seen at North Shore Music Theater playing Sharpay, in one of the first professional productions of “High School Musical“. Other recent roles include Philia in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”, Hope in “Anything Goes“ and April in “Company” at The Carousel Theatre.

The New Phantom..Aaron Ramey.

Photo, Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre

Aaron Ramey will take his turn as Erik (the Phantom). Aaron is a native Clevelander who came to the nation’s attention when he toured as the Beast in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast“. He has appeared on Broadway in “Thoroughly Modern Millie “,The York Theatre Company’s Zorba, (2007 “Musicals in Mufti Series”),  at the Paper Mill Playhouse in “ Miss Saigon“, Los Angeles’  “Annie Get Your Gun“, and as Billy in “Carousel“ in Ohio.

Sandy Rosenberg will play the Opera diva,Carlotta. She has appeared on Broadway in “The Scarlet Pimpernel”, and has toured nationally in “Jekyll & Hyde”, and “Les Misérables”. She has graced regional stages in productions of “Mame’, ‘Funny Girl”, “Paper Moon”,” Phantom”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, and “Cinderella”.

The story revolves around the central character of a man named Erik, (also known as the Phantom) who was born and raised in the cata­combs under the Paris Opera House. Through a series of circum­stances, he takes on as a pupil a young woman named Christ­ine, who has been a street singer. She has a natural talent and a beauti­ful voice, but she lacks the special training to perform in an Opera company.

He agrees to take her on as a student with certain condit­ions, the main one being that she will never see his face. After a lot of hard work she eventually auditions for the company and is not only accepted but is given the oppor­tunity to play a principal part in an Opera. Without realizing it, they fall in love with each other. The rela­tionship becomes obsessive and impossi­ble, leading to a stunning conclusion which can only be experi­enced by attending a perfor­mance here at the Westchester Broadway Theatre. 

The music and the drama of this piece are extraordinary and should not be missed! From our show that was seen by many members of The Alli­ance for Musical Theatre Producers, came scores of productio­ns around the country, some of which are on- going. Also, after seeing our production of “PHANTOM“, RCA Victor produced a CD recording of the show. Many of our cast partici­pated in the recording, including Glory Crampt­on who played Christine, Meg Bussert who played Carlotta, and most of our ensemble. For those of you who have already seen “PHANTOM“ WBT promises a few surprises, and if you have only seen it once, it is definite­ly worth seeing  a second time.

For box office information, contact 914-592-2222, or visit the WBT website at www.broadwaytheatre.com

Back From Beyond! The Phantom Rises Again Thursday evening. Robert Cuccioli and Glory Crampton in the original ’92 WBT production of PHANTOM

Still from the original WBT production of “Phantom,” (1992) Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre

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WPCNR CITY HALL TICKER. From The Mayor’s Office. October 1, 2007: At the conclusion of the Common Council meeting this evening, The Mayor’s office released a statement on the Common Council vote of 5-2 to table the half percent sales tax home rule request on the evening agenda.  In the statement on the sales tax, the Mayor defends the city’s development as productive, and says provisions of the Taylor Act prevent him from making specific projections of the 2008-2009 budget concerning expected wage and benefit increases. The Mayor also accused the Council of playing politics by not allowing the issue to be discussed in public.

Mayor Joseph Delfino. July, 2007.

The statement on the Sales Tax released to night from Mayor Joseph Delfino follows:

Tonight, once again, I was extremely disappointed by the technical maneuvers taken by President Malmud and the four other democrats to quash public discussion of this most important issue.

·       How ironic it is that two of these democrats Boykin and Power run their reelection campaigns on platforms professing to be for “Open Government.”

·       Many members of the public were once again disappointed by the political machinations.

·       I believe we should  have decided tonight to send a unified message to our State representatives in favor of this proposal. I am confident that, hearing a unified message from this body, that our representatives will then do the right thing and fight in Albany for its adoption.

·       To see where we are going, let’s look at where we have been.  The last five years have been very good ones, in terms of building for the future and maintaining a stable tax base. 

·       Without the new development, this City would surely be in dire straights as I’ve witnessed many others in throughout this state.

·       In the six major projects that the City has undertaken, Bank Street, the Ritz Carlton, City Center, the Jefferson Condominiums and Fortunoff,  where new development replaced either vacant stores or vacant land, the total tax revenues, which includes PILOT payments, increased from  $1.8 million to nearly $12 million in total.  The School District alone receives nearly $8 million of this new revenue and the County receives $1.6 million.  The City portion from these projects has increased from $360,000 to more than $2.3 million today. 

·       I shudder to think of what the taxpayers would have paid if it were not for our aggressive redevelopment plan.

·       But that has been off-set by record increases in tax certiores, which alone last year exceeded our budget by more than $2 million. 

·       In addition, White Plains has seen a declining assessment role because the City still does not have its own IDA and because the equalization rate set by the state continues to decline.  And the City has experienced enormous increases in the cost of fuel and energy.

·       In a City of 53,000 residents which, during the day, services between 250,000 and 300,000 visitors, it only makes sense to balance our tax burden in order to provide property tax relief to our residents.

·       IRS analysis has proven that 90% of the more than $10 million that this one half of one cent increase would produce will come from people who live outside the City of White Plains.

·       That $10 million is equivalent to a 30% property tax increase.

·       Some would say that providing a five year outlook is not unreasonable. It’s done in business all the time.  But they don’t understand the difference between what is allowed in the private sector versus what is mandated in municipal finance and governance.

·       75% of our budget is comprised of salaries, the majority of which is union labor, and they do a tremendous job. 

·       I am,as Mayor, charged with the responsibility of negotiating with our unions.  And I will not, in any way, do anything that might invoke possible Taylor Act implications – the law that governs municipal officials with regard to negotiations with labor unions.

·       And I will not predict gloom and doom forecasts that could affect the City’s standing with regard to our Bond Rating or position in financial markets.

·       Some would say, just pick a number, 3% or 4% for wage and benefit increases in order to just throw out a projection.  I won’t – because it’s irresponsible, possibly a violation of the Taylor Act and meaningless to do so anyway.  An arbitrary number is of no use to anyone.

·       You’ve been here the last five years.  You’ve all worked hard on our budgets and I believe we’ve been very successful.  You and I have both endured the annual criticisms of the use of one shots, the sale of city owned land and other ways we’ve had to struggle to close budget deficits.  You must know that the next five years will be every bit as challenging.

·       I want our residents to be the beneficiaries our City’s renaissance.. The half percent sales tax increase will ensure that our residents will receive property tax relief in the amount of at least $10 million annually if we do so.

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WPCNR Record Review Board by  Big Melvin Mead of  Your Sunday Night Rock N Roll Party. October 1, 2007: Suzi The K’s  (K for Katz) Swinging Soiree brought the children of the 60s –  old, young and just born – swarming into Tarrytown Sunday night, turning the Westchester’s treasure of a Theater, the Tarrytown Music Hall into a time machine. A milling, good-natured, packed house grooved, weaved, frugged, and sang along with The Lovin Spoonful and The Grassroots. The icon groups  dazzled practicing hippies, yuppies, peaceniks,  and hipsters in the Westco Productions premier new  Gold Star Series bringing the legendary performers of  our lives to Westchester audiences.

The Spoonful thrilled the crowd with their hits that just kept on coming, beginning with “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?” that got you shifting your shoulders. Photos, Courtesy Westco Productions.

The Grassroots Get The Crowd Up Into the Aisles with Midnight Confessions.

Back were the ripping thrilling guitar riffs from the legends, Steve Boone and Jerry Yester with  the infectious rocking and rolling  Joe Butler — who just has to dance — vocalizing and tambourining and mandolining just having too much fun, backed by the thundering, driving drums of Mike Arturi that echoed out onto Main Street.  

Arturi pounded out a 10-minute drum solo in midshow that was awesome making those skins talk – like a train picking up steam, conjuring lusty tempting rat-a-tat-tat beat with a symbol bed that fascinated and commanded  – by far one of the most amazing drummers I’ve ever heard and a sequence to be seen to be believed.  He’s easily the best drummer since Charlie Watts. And Arturi has played with the best of them on Dick Clark’s Rock and Roll Revival Shows.  Boone’s and Yester’s guitar beats solos and gutbass thrilled the soul, making those guitars sing. It was sensory overload for an old rock and roller.

Spoonful drummer Mike Arturi’s take-no-prisoners backbeats hit those skins so hard, that Grassroots drummer Joe Daugherty had to have a snare stand replaced! That’s how great the big beat was. Today’s drums can’t take the punishment of true pounders like Arturi and Dougherty. Arturi  of the Spoonful and Joe Dougherty of  The Grassroots really know how to laydown a backbeat.

Westco and White Plains’ Own Susan Katz, “Suzie The K” backstage with The Lovin Spoonful, left to right Drummer Mike Arturi, Joe Butler, Jerry Yester and Phil Smith. Interestingly Joe Butler and Ms. Katz’s husband, Peter Katz both graduated from Great Neck High School.  Below Suzi the K clowns with  The Grassroots, left to right, Keyboardist Larry Nelson, Rob Grill, Suzi The K, Drummer Joe Dougherty, and guitarist Dusty Hauvey. Dusty punctuates Rob Grill’s hysterical one-liners during the show with a great Black Power salute.

The two groups mastered their hits — sounding better than the original records —  not losing anything to 40 years on the road were brought together as the premier rock and roll doubleheader concert of the new Westco Productions fall season. Westco brought these consistent hit-after-hit-makers of the 60s, into  the 843-seat  122-year old venue that has hosted the Foys, Al Jolson, the  Cohans and icons of entertainment but it’s never rocked like this. The guitars and solid beats (unheard in today’s music) got into the audiences’ blood  and bodies and made them feel like they used to feel all over again.

One thing the music of  the Lovin Spoonful and the Grassroots did on the top 40 radio of 50 years ago was it was music you related to. The sung in perfect pitch to the young person’s anxieties, feelings, and desperation in the songs they wrote and how they sang them, while their instrumentation made you want to move. And they were especially great live. The audience moved again Sunday night! They sang along, filled in on choruses — it was a love-in!

The TMH was transformed into a reincarnation of the Fillmore East.  Audience heads were bobbing, hands clapping, jean-clad women with those elliptical metal chain belts were back! The bodies were weaving in the aisles – shoulders shifting.  At the he bring-down-the-house conclusion of the Grassroots set, a group of what had to be former Shindig dancers were frugging and monkeying  in the wings of the balcony – including The Man in the Red Nehru Suit dancing in front of the stage.

The Return of The Man in the Red Nehru Suit!

The Spoonful have so many hits to remember and backed by the bodylifting percussion of Arturi they lift you out of your seat. A moving moment was a tribute to the troops stationed in Iraq and an ode to the Vietnam veterans when they sang “Be Home Soon.”  They concluded the show with their sigmature song, “Do You Believe in Magic?” and cruised on out with their encore, a new song called Freeboys — get it! “Freeboys” has monster guitar riffs in it that are just made for cruising down the highway!

After a 30-minute break, the audience was lured back in by The Grassroots’  60s group. These guys Larry Nelson, Dusty Harvey and drummer Joe Dougherty and Rob Grill ambled informally on stage, plucked a few notes and eased into a psychedelically inspired warmup interlude, subtlely raising the audience’s expectations with a most unusual flight into imagination. When Larry Nelson, the Roots keyboard specialist announced, “Now from Los Angeles, recording artists, TheGrassroots” Man it was perfect! The audience was ready.  Bam! They launched into an instantly recognizable hit. In between songs lead singer Rob Grill showed a gift for standup comedy with a series of 60s jokes, spins on masculinity – (occasionally all men feel compelled to utter the assertive epithet “Arrghhh,” ).

Rob Grill, Grassroots, 1968

Rob Grill lead singer of The Grassroots Today. With the group since the late 1960s, he’s still rockin at the top of his game/The Roots played hits I had not heard in years: “Where Were You When I Needed You?” and “Temptation Eyes. “  They brought back those romantic heartbreaks that are with us always. Why were the Roots songs hits? They sang to your experience and soothed wounds saying it was OK to feel that way.

Both groups seemed genuinely thrilled with their reception by the lovin’ crowd. Tarrytown police stationed outside the Music Hall reported the drumming and the music filled the street but could not confirm the old Music Hall was actually moving. It was moving inside, though I guarantee.

The rock doubleheader concept filled the hall and attracted fans of both bands. Westchester can look forward to more of the Westco Gold Star series from Producer Susan Katz.  Next up is The Kingston Trio at Irvington Town Hall October 27, followed on November 17 by another Susie the K Rock and Roll Doubleheader featuring Gary Puckett and The Union Gap and The Association. In the Spring The New Christy Minstrels, The Lettermen and Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals For more, browse www.westcoproductins.org.

Gold Star Series is a pick to click because they give you a great beat,  great songs and you can dance to it.

We await White Plains Suzi the K’s next Swingin’ Soiree! 

By the way, the Tarrytown Music Hall is an example of how historic buildings can be revived and become a center for a community. Once planned to be torn down for a parking lot, a community group, Friends of Tarrytown Music Hall purchased it and has saved this acoustic masterpiece. The friends are presently working towards a historic structures report and a master plan for the entire restoration and expansion of the Music Hall what will include paint and seat restoration and improved public and backstage amenities. For more information on how you can be a part of the theater restoration project or how you can sponsor a series of programs in music, dance, and drama, please call (914) 631-3390, or email info@tarrytownmusichall.org.

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WPCNR’S THE REAL DEAL. By The Wedding Genie. September 29, 2007: It’s hard to imagine that spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a dress can actually end up helping not only someone else but you as well after the wedding is over.  It can if you decide to donate it to a good cause!  This is one of the many options available to brides after the wedding is over and the dress just takes up space in the closet along with a host of memories and good pictures of course. 

Our favorite charity, to which a gown can be donated, bridal, bridesmaid or mother of the bride, is the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation (www.makingmemories.org).  The organization has an arm called Brides Against Breast Cancer (BABC) which accepts donated gowns from brides, retailers and designers and then resells the dresses in order to raise money to grant wishes to terminal breast cancer patients.  Breast cancer is the number one killer of women under 48.  In many cases, the men and women suffering from this illness have young children and their wishes more often than not are to make a happy memory during such a difficult time. 

 Past wishes granted include family vacations to Disney World or Hawaii; video cameras for recorded messages; the opportunity for a child of a parent suffering with breast cancer to meet someone famous; tickets to major sporting events and many others.  These wishes literally provide families with wonderful memories that they can hold on to and hopefully enjoy during a time of such sadness and exhaustion.  The first wish ever granted was to a woman who just wanted to have a family reunion, and although she was not given much time by ALL the doctors, she remains healthy today (this was 7 years ago) – she swears it was the renewed joy she felt by having an opportunity to celebrate her life for a day, rather than focus on her disease, that helped her beat the diagnosis. 

Brides Against Cancer

Brides Against Breast Cancer gives women an opportunity to really help others while getting a tax write off and doing something good with something that brought them so much joy.  Additionally, BABC does “Gown Tours” all over the country – so if you are a bride looking for a dress – there is a gown tour coming to New York city next week (October 4-7).  And, if you have a dress that you want to donate you can either go to www.makingmemories.org for details or bring your dress to the gown tour next week.  For more information on the event please see http://www.brides.com/promo/somethingpink/. 

But, if donating your gown is not the preference, there are two other options.  You can preserve it for yourself or someone else – we recommend doing this right after the wedding – it makes cleaning the dress easier and allows the preservation process to start immediately.  The most cost effective option is online through a company called WedClean http://www.wedclean.net/ and it costs about $129 for the preservation of your dress.  Its simple, time efficient and very reasonably priced.  Two other options where you don’t have to send your dress away to an internet company are J. Scheer & Co. http://www.jscheer.com/, which can be expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for and Hallak Cleaners http://www.hallakcleaners.com/.  Both are extremely reputable and reliable. 

Bridal Dress Exchange.

And of course, the last and often most lucrative third possibility is to sell your dress to another bride.  A new option that just came on the market and which we love so far is Save the Dress http://www.savethedress.com/, a website that allows you to market your dress directly to prospective buyers.  The costs for listing a gown are very reasonable and the process straightforward.  More traditional means for selling a gown include Ebay http://www.ebay.com/, a popular source for brides over the past few years and Craig’s List www.craigslist.org, which is a free site to list on but does not garner as much success as Ebay, even though there are selling and listing fees involved (based on the sale price of the dress).

Reuse

While not a common option, we have also had a few brides re-use their gown by cutting it down to a wearable cocktail dress.  Frankly, this is not one of our favorite options – and if you really wanted to see the dress re-used in your presence, we would highly recommend offering it to a friend or relative, for whom there would be great sentimental value in accepting your wedding gown! 

Whatever you decide to do with your dress we hope your decision brings you as much fulfillment as the dress did on your wedding day!  And to make sure that this is the case, next week’s column will discuss attire for weddings and events– and of course, cover the gown!

Note: Got a question or a comment for the Wedding Genie? Ms. Uyanik will answer your questions. Simply e-mail her at weddinggenie@candgweddings.com