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’S VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Baseball Bailey. February 7, 2007: The Milwaukee Braves workhorse righthander, Lew Burdette died at age 80 yesterday. The alleged master of the spitball, the slider, and incomparable pitch selection and impeccable control won three games in the 1957 series to lead the Milwaukee Braves to their only World Series win over the New York Yankees.

 

No. 33 00 Selva Lewis Burdette of the Milwaukee Braves early 1950s

He and Warren Spahn were the most feared National League 1-2 pitching duo who kept the Braves contending for eight years from 1955 through 1963. I saw Lew Burdette pitch in the 1957 Series and his offspeed pitches and control kept the Yankee free-swingers off-balance. Lew pitched a perfect game against the Phillies. He won 203 games in the bigs with 144 losses, a winning percentage of .585. He won twenty games twice and completed 158 of his 373 starts (more than half). I loved his snakey, smooth leisurely pitching motion. Lew Burdette was a “money pitcher.”  Here is an ode to Lew and his buddy, Warren Spahn.

Spahn and Burdette and Forget

By Baseball Bailey

 

Over sixteen years the Bravos Duo discoursed,

Throwing off the high red mounds of rolling greenswards

In friendly confines of ball’s legendary yards

Baseball Sidekicks, Spahnie the Southpaw and Lou the workhorse.

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Lou the kid righty, joined the wily lefty

Took their starts in front of the jurybox faithful

Off the windy Charles in empty stands

Then going west, grew and gave joy to Milwaukee fans.

 

The mighty Brooklyns: Duke Jackie and Gil

The Redlegs’ Big Klu, Frank,Wally and Bell

Flailed at Spahnie’s hooks with flair

Beat into dirt Lou’s dropping doozies

Belt to knee out of midair.

 

Warren the Elegant and Burdette the Fidget,

Pranksters of clubhouse and fast friend

Swashbuckled the distance, disdaining gadget

No pitch counts for them, always there at game’s end.

 

Inseparable slayers of Bronx Bombers

Bringing joy to burghers on Wisconsin Avenue

In Yankee Stadium’s grandstand shadow those faithful Octobers

The wily Burdette, taking Spahn’s turn, New Yorkers would not forget

 

After Covington’s miracle backhand catch in foul line sun

 Of Little Bobby Shantz’s shot, Lou’s lanky, herky jerky finesse

Quieted Bomber bats in blue haze shadow foretelling the Yanks were done

Lou’s snake arm, slow stretch, induced grounder & pop and Casey was helpless.

 

The Burdette fadeway delivery.

 

Into Game 5 before County Stadium faithful’s enthrall

Into the breech Burdette the Magician cast his spell

On Enos, Gil, Moose andYogi. Adcock’s 6th frame single beat Ford’s best

1-0  in the Wisconsin sun. Bombers beat into dirt, Lou’s pitches blessed.

 

With his  pitching mate felled by flu and fate

Once more in Game 7, the redheaded workhorse kept his date with fate.

Taking Stadium mound in the House that Ruth Built on 2 days rest

Once more improbably, no Bomber touched plate, he shut out the best.

 

 

Burdette, Yankee Killer, of lazy stretch and leisurely leg kick

Had matched Brecheen of Cardinal lore and Coveleskie the Indian

Winning three games in the Fall Classic

Bringing joy to Milwaukee hearts and Yankee dynasty to oblivion.

 

Looking down through the blue cigar haze in the upper deck of memory,

I see his broad-stooped shoulders still — red bill on blue cap

His Calvary Captain eyes squint into the shadows of the plate, leaning for Del’s sign

His giant figure unwinding in the dazzle of the autumn rays of history

In hue of blue smoke, bending in sweeping stretch and snakearm snap.

 

Returning to mound he fidgets, licks fingertips, adjusts cap and bends again to toil

Slider, spitter, sinker catching corner or knee yelled by Conlon or Shylak

Bombers beating grounders  to Johnny, Eddie and  Red,

Pops to Wes, Hank and Andy.

 White zeros sliding in place on scoreboard black.

Innings dwindling down as the great Burdette bows his back.

 

Then to another night in the distance in Milwaukee when

The Workhorse and  hapless Haddix matched 13 straight Innings

Of scoreless ball. Til Adcock’s homer broke up The Kitten’s 36-in-a-row gem.

Described by some as the greatest game ever pitched of the Millenium.

 

Ye throwers of today: look back to the Diamonds Gone By

Days when the offerings of  Spahn, Burdette and forget

Haunted the sluggers of the golden 50s with guile, guts and style

When Spahnie and Lou stalked from the mound without regret.

 

The wily Burdette has left the mound for the last time in this mortal dance

Joining Spahnie on the Lord’s Staff, with Carl and Walter, Early and Matty

We keepers of the game watching in the stadium of remembrance yet

 See him pitching still in the shadows of autumn when

 It was Spahn and Burdette and Forget.

 

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. February 6, 2007 UPDATED 3:42 PM: The New York Presbyterian Hospital is now open to all options for its vacant land in the heart of White Plains and is looking for ideas, according to an official statement released by the Hospital this afternoon. Geoffrey Thompson released the following NYPH reaction to the council-kill of its proton accelerator-bio lab project last night to WPCNR today:

“New York Presbyterian Hospital is disappointed by the White Plains Common Council’s 4-3 vote against renewal of the permit to create new laboratory and medical facilities at its Westchester Division campus.  The Hospital will now review all options regarding possible future uses of the property.”  

 

 

The “former” Proton Accelerator-BioLab Site  (previously the NYPH golf range)  Freed up for “other options” by Council Kill Vote last night demonstrated by TheCitizeNetReporter in May, 2002.  Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

The Proton-Accelerator and Biomedical Lab project (awaiting construction to begin for 5 years)  died early this morning at 12:15 AM, when the Common Council voted 4-3 to “take it off life support,” in the words of Councilman Benjamin Boykin. Rita Malmud, Thomas Roach and Dennis Power all voted not to extend the hospital extension request, with Mayor Delfino, Arnold Bernstein and Glen Hockley voting to extend. The four councilpersons voting to deny cited the hospital lack of appearance to inform the council on the future of the project as being the main reason for not granting the extension. Ms. Malmud called their reluctance to discuss the status of the project “a farce.” 

In an instant replay of the decision to sell Railside properties one year ago, the Council voted 4-3 to sell lots on Railside Avenue, with Councilman Benjamin Boykin casting the deciding vote to resell the lots to Voss Builders (who had purchased one lot previously)  for $1.7 Million. Mayor Delfino, Councilmen Hockley and Bernstein joined Mr. Boykin in reselling the properties against an impassioned parade of persons who pleaded, cried and emotionally tried to sway the council not to sell the lands a second time. Their efforts were ignored.

Corporate Counsel Edward Dunphy defended the right of the city to resell the land without public bidding as being a discretionary right of the city real estate committee according to the charter.

The Mayor blamed the withdrawal of previous buyers on the press, though Executive Officer Paul Wood said Monday afternoon that the buyers withdrew because the city refused to test the land for toxicity (due to possible contamination from the TCE-contaminated dump adjacent the property).

In other action, the North Street Community hearing was held open until the next council meeting on March 5. Developer Alfred Caiola repeated his stance that North Street Community has done all it can do to downsize the project. Opposition continued from Wyndham Close the neighborhood closest to the former St. Agnes Hospital development, with numerous persons continuing the rallying cry that the 332-unit condominium senior citizen project was “too high, too big, too dense.” Several citizens — Robert Stackpole, Dan Seidel, Marc Pollitzer — warned the city that created a Senior zone on the property was setting a dangerous precedent. Paul Bergens speaking for the North Street Community rendered the opinion that the ordinance creating the district was a one-time piece of legislation that, unlike a Special Permit, did not retain the same precedent-setting possibilities of granting a Special Permit.

The Bank Street lot reclassification of the commuter lots paving the way for a reported $16 million plus city land deal with LCOR was not opened and held over until March 5

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. February 5, 2007: On this evening’s agenda an ordinance approving the sale of  lots 5,7,9,15,16, 17 and 19 on Railside Avenue is a resale of these lots to Voss Builders Corporation for $1,755,000.  Paul Wood, Executive Officer of the city of White Plains explained the resale matter developed when the former high bidders on the property, concerned by rumors the land was toxic, asked the city to test the lots they had agreed to buy to determine if the land was contaminated. The  Gedney Dump,  adjacent to the properties for sale has bwwn determined by the Department of Environmental Conservation as been contaminated by TCEs (industrial cleaning fluids). 

Wood said the city felt the land was not contaminated and refused to do the tests asked. Wood said this prompted the former buyers to back out of the deal. Wood said the city then went back to the two buyers still willing to purchase the land. The city negotiated the deal with Voss Builders, he said because that builder had already been assured the land they had was all right. The other buyer, Wood said, required a clause in the contract protecting the buyer in case the land should eventually be found to be contaminated. The city refused to do so, Wood said, and the buyer backed out.

Wood said the total sum to be realized from the land deal was $1.755 Million plus $400,000 and $345,995 from the sale of the first two lots for a total of $2,500,995, about $400,000 less than the original sale would have realized.

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WPCNR POLL. February 5, 2007: The Strategic Core Planning Group will begin deliberations at a “retreat” at the Crowne Plaza Hotel this Wednesday (continuing through Friday) behind closed doors. The Committee was announced  last Thursday by the Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors and conists of  13 members of the public, two Board of Education members and one former Board member, and 13 employees of the school district. It was announced last week by the Superintendent that the meetings would be closed to the general public and the press in order “that people could express their feelings openly.” 

According to the school newsletter describing the Strategic Planning Process, “members of the core planning committee will participate in a three-day retreat, where they will be gin to develop a draft of the district’s Strategic Plan. Actions will then be formed to develop plans to achieve the goals set forth in the Strategic Plan. At the conclusion of this process, the committee’s recommendations will go to the Board of Education for review and adoption.”

The questions to Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains in today’s new poll: Should the Public and Press be allowed to observe the sessions? Should the public be allowed in, and the Press barred? Should the public be allowed in and allowed comment from the floor? Or the public allowed in without ability to comment?  Vote at the right.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communication. February 5, 2007 (EDITED, Pic added)UPDATED 2:15 PM EST UPDATED February 7, 2007 3:05 PM:  The County Executive Andy Spano announced Tuesday that this shelter location has been withdrawn  See more recent story for details. Previously, County Executive Andy Spano announced Monday that the drop-in center located at 85 Court Street in White Plains which gives homeless people a place to sleep at night will be relocated as quickly as possible to a new facility to be built at the County’s Department of Public Safety. The decision came after a series of productive meetings Spano has had with Common Council President Rita Malmud, Councilmen Thomas Roach and Benjamin Boykin and Board of Legislators Chair Bill Ryan, who represents White Plains.

 

Donna Greene, Assistant communications Director advised WPCNR that the overflow of homeless persons that have swelled the population housed nightly at 85 Court Street, (the County Executive said 80 persons have been showing up lately attempting to use the shelter) have been housed elsewhere.

 

Asked when the new facility is expected to be opened, Ms. Greene issued this statement:  “There is no specific into on time frame of new building. We are the early stages.”

 

Volunteers of America Vans turning into 85 Court Street Driveway whisking White Plains “hardcore homeless” two blocks to 85 Court Street on shelter Opening Night January 16, 2006. The present procedure will continue indefinitely until the new $2 Million facility is built. No target date for completion was given by the County in today’s sketchy announcement.Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

 

“As everyone knows by now, this drop-in center was always considered temporary. We have tried to find other locations since the beginning of last year. I am pleased that we have come up with another county site that is more appropriate to handle our homeless population. The current drop-in serves a maximum of 43 men, and right now we are picking up about 80,” said Spano.

 

Spano thanked the White Plains committee headed by Malmud as well as Board of Legislators Chair Bill Ryan for working productively with him. “They came to us and let us know their concerns.  We heard what they had to say and we listened.”

 

            Board of Legislators Chairman Bill Ryan said, “We have decided on a plan of action that satisfies both city and county interests.  The homeless on the streets of White Plains need to be sheltered at night.  The county wants to help with that. The drop-in center in the basement of 85 Court Street is too small and was only meant to be used temporarily.  We will now build a permanent drop-in center, on a secure site in a less populated area that can handle the larger number of homeless requiring overnight shelter.”

 

Common Council President Malmud said, “I want to thank County Executive Spano for meeting and really listening to our concerns. While Councilman Dennis Power did not attend, he contributed greatly in helping think things through to a successful conclusion. 

                                                 

           Malmud added, “White Plains has always been willing to help those in need. Despite the closing of the shelter at 85 Court Street, we will continue to have other housing for the homeless in White Plains.  At a time when some shelters in Westchester have closed, we are glad that this temporary but additional White Plains shelter is being relocated to a much better site in the county and that those in need will be carefully provided for.”

Councilman Benjamin Boykin stated, “I am pleased that working in a collaborative partnership with County Executive Andy Spano, Chairman of the County Board of Legislators William Ryan and my fellow White Plains Democratic Councilmen Rita Malmud, Thomas Roach and Dennis Power, the county is going to relocate the homeless shelter located at 85 Court Street to a building outside of White Plains that will benefit the entire county by providing this fragile population with a facility in an appropriate location. The meetings with our elected county government officials over the last several months have resolved a difficult issue for the residents of White Plains.”

Councilman Thomas Roach said, “We appreciated the opportunity to meet with the County Executive to express our concern that White Plains was carrying more than its share of a countywide responsibility. By having these discussions, we were able to take politics out of the equation and achieve a positive result.’’

 Spano said besides understanding the concerns of White Plains the move was needed because the county was finding it difficult to handle the overflow. Spano reiterated what has been previously said and shown to be true: that the drop-in has posed no safety concerns for White Plains residents.  Nothing but the location has changed. Those homeless who continue to gather at the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. will be transported by vans to the new site at county police headquarters in Hawthorne. They will stay there overnight and then be brought back to White Plains in the morning as has been done for 20 years. Once in White Plains, the men will be taken to Project Trust, a program begun last year which helps the homeless during the day and encourages them to enter the regular shelter system for assistance and services.

The process will begin immediately and construction will begin as soon as possible to create the new facility. The site is the old police impound lot which is vacant space.  It is a secure site, on police grounds, and secluded from neighborhoods and commercial establishments. The Department of Public Safety is located off the Saw Mill River Parkway and there are no homes in the vicinity. The homeless will follow the same procedure used in White Plains.

                                                               

If someone wants to leave at night, they will be transported back to White Plains where they were picked up, and the White Plains police will be informed. Once a person leaves, he will not be allowed back in the drop-in. No one will be allowed to wander around the Hawthorne location, and only the homeless currently picked up in White Plains will be transported.

The cost of the building the facility is estimated to be about $2 million and funding has been included in the Department of Social Services operating budget since 2006 in the hope of finding another space.

Anticipating a possible negative response from the Town of Mount Pleasant, Spano said, “This is about  the safest and most secure spot in the county. It is right next to police headquarters. The people in Mount Pleasant should not be concerned. It will not affect them or their quality of life. What it will be doing is giving  the homeless a better place to spend the night to keep safe and warm.’’

He added, “We are under no obligation to create a drop-in shelter, but it’s the safest and most humane thing to do for everyone.”