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 POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. April 14, 2006: Police Chief James Bradley, with Commissioners Straub, Jennings and Jackson absent, introduced Lieutenant Kevin Christopher, Commander of the Department of Public Safety North Area, Lieutenant Elizabeth Seit, Commander of the South Area and Captain Paul Lundin, Commander of the Central Business District to the Council of Neighborhood Associations Tuesday evening at the CAN monthly meeting.

 

 

Chief James  Bradley, foreground with Assistant Chief Anne FitzSimmons, to his right said reorganization of the Police Department into three distinct areas of responsibility with officers Lt. Kevin Christopher, (far left,) Lt. Elizabeth Seit(second from left) and Captain Paul Lundin (far right), with Sergeant Wade Hardy (his Executive Officer) directly accountable for dealing with situations in their three “precincts” was an effort to bring the concept of “community policing” to White Plains. Bradley encouraged Neighborhood organizations and residents to contact the three “Commanders” directly with any matters of concern. “There is nothing you can’t tell us that we are not interested in,” Bradley assured  some 15 Neighborhood association representatives. Photo, WPCNR News.

Bradley explained that Christopher, Seit and Lundin would, using intelligence communicated from the neighborhoods would be responsible for addressing concerns in their areas, and ordering in the Public Safety “assets” they feel best suited to address and neutralize any threats, conditions, or concerns of the neighborhoods. “They would be coordinating all efforts of the department (in their areas),” Bradley said.

 

From Bradley’s remarks it became clear that the  Detectives, Patrol, Traffic, the Neighborhood Crime Unit, Narcotics would remain as independent teams of specialists, much as they are now, not under direct control of the Commanders, but to be called in by the Commanders as needed and operate at their direction. There would be at this time no dividing up force assets evenly among the three districts.

 

To Come to Neighborhood Associations 

 

Chief Bradley said the three commanders would be attending neighborhood association meetings regularly to increase police availability and two-way communication between neighborhoods and the police. Bradley said crime was down an additional 20%, and by developing a more two-way communication between residents and police, the department’s new organization would reduce crime stats even more.

 

“They (the commanders) are all respeonsible to know what’s going on in their area and how we can bring our resources to bare (on the problems),” Chief Bradley explained. He said they would be at all neighborhood association meetings (“They’ll always be there, hearing what’s going on. Each part of the city will have its own advocate (Commander).”)

 

The Chief noted that the Commanders will now be able to address problems in their areas faster. “We have a lot of trust in our commanders, and now (they can act) without having to run to my office all the time. They will know the resources available to you and plug it in.”

 

The Commanders were introduced, but did not address the Council of Neighborhood Associations on the state of their districts as they perceived them at the present time, or  any situations presently affecting the North Area, South Area and Central Business District.

 

The Three Precincts. Photo, WPCNR News.

 

Who Ya Gonna Call?

 

 

South Area constituents living in neighborhoods South of Maple Avenue, West of Bank Street and South of the Bronx River Parkway  may contact Lieutenant Elizabeth Seit, Commander of the South Area at 914-422-6258, or by e-mail via eseit@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

 

Central Business District residents and business owners ( South of Hamilton Avenue, East of Bank Street, North of Maple Avenue and West of Broadway, and East along Westchester Avenue to the NY Hospital property), may contact the CBD Commander, Captain Paul Lundin at 914-422-6220, or via e-mail, plundin@ci.white-plains.ny.us. Lundin’s executive officer,Sergeant Wade Hardy may also be reached at 422-6220, or by e-mail at whardy@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

 

North Area residents and businesses, including neighborhoods North of Hamilton Avenue, the Bronx River Parkway and North-Northeast of Broadway,  may reach their area Commander, Lieutenant Kevin Christopher at 914-422-6258 (a temporary number), or on e-mail at kchristopher@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

 

Assistant Chief Anne FitzSimmons who supervises the three Commanders, may be reached at  914-422-6258, or by e-mail at afitzsimmons@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

 

 Commissioner of Public Safety Dr. Frank Straub, First Deputy Commissioner Dr. Charles Jennings, and Deputy Commissioner Daniel Jackson, did not attend the meeting, though they were expected to be in attendance by the CNA.

 

Scanner Chatter

 

The neighborhood association representatives in attendance did not express any crime concerns, but did raise these questions

 

Bradley, taking general questions from the audience noted that shoplifting was the number one crime in the city, primarily due to the fact that the city has 2 million square feet of retail space.

 

He said in response to a question on teen drinking that the police periodically conduct sting operations at stores suspected of selling alcoholic beverages

to teens, and cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office on joint operations of that kind. He also said the police make “plainclothes” visits to establishments on a random and targeted basis. The Chief did not address police response to teenage drinking parties in residences.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westchester Arts Council April 11, 2006: There is more to dance than just movement and music.  That’s the message the Tappan Zee Dance Group will convey during their cutting edge performance Tappan Zee DANCES on Saturday April 29 at 7pm. The Grand Banking Room at the Westchester Arts Council’s Arts Exchange, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, will be the setting for this performance featuring two unique dance companies, WABI and Rhymutation. Tickets are only $10 and may be purchased by calling (914) 428-4220 x223, or by mailing in an order form which can be downloaded at www.westarts.com.

 

WABI and Rhymutation share in common a penchant for stretching the boundaries of dance. WABI is a dance theater company devoted to storytelling through movement, known for combining various styles of dance with the art of telling a tale.  Rhymutation explores rhythm and tap, combining them with other performing art forms.  Tappan Zee Dance Group faculty member Stephanie Larriere is a founding member of this new and exciting group of dancers. The two-hour long performance on the evening of April 29 will give each group the opportunity to showcase their signature interpretations of the art of dance.

Tappan Zee Dance Group (TZDG) is a non-profit organization offering dance training, studio space, and production services for dancers. The teaching faculty consists of 13 instructor/choreographers, and classes are offered to children, teens, and adults in ballet, jazz, modern dance, rhythm tap, theatre jazz and pre-ballet for children beginning at age three.

Students at the Tappan Zee Dance Group have many opportunities to perform—including the annual Spring Student Dance Performance. Tappan Zee Dance Group community outreach programs include dance residencies at community centers, collaborations with local public schools, and a scholarship program supporting both children and adult dance students. Tappan Zee Dance Group also provides working space for a number of independent choreographers and dancers.     

 Tappan Zee DANCES is part of the Arts Council’s LIVE @ the Arts Exchange series, an exciting and eclectic line-up of performances running from January through June of 2006.  The LIVE series is generously funded by a grant from State Senator Nicholas Spano, and is additionally supported by media sponsors The Journal News, Westchester Magazine, El Aguila, WFAS and the White Plains Times.

Throughout LIVE the Westchester Arts Council is collaborating with and showcasing the extraordinary work of some of our best local performers and cultural organizations in the spectacularly renovated Grand Banking Room space. Tickets for the majority of events are $10, ensuring that LIVE @ the Arts Exchange is accessible to all. A complete schedule of events is available on the Westchester Arts Council’s website www.westarts.com or by calling 914-428-4220.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Ann Brady, PPAC. April 11, 2006:   The Purchase Repertory Theatre presents Howard Richardson and William Berney’s haunting tale Dark of the Moon, April 28-May 6 at The Performing Arts Center. Benard Cummings directs the play. Tickets are $20, $10 for seniors. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 914-251-6200.

 

Purchase College, State University of New York, is located at 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY.

Dark of the Moon tells the story of “witch boy” John and his doomed love for the mortal girl. The story unfolds through haunting atmosphere and vivid imagery. Set in the Smoky Mountains and based on the haunting folk ballad of “Barbara Allen,” Dark of the Moon blends an earthy realism of mountain language and folk music with fantasy and witchcraft.

Benard Cummings has directed Flyin’ West and The Three Sisters for the Purchase Repertory Theatre. Cummings has acted in regional theatre across the United States including Yale Rep, Arena Stage, Goodman Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre of D.C. and the Hartford Stage. He has also appeared on television in One Life to Live, New York Undercover and Law and Order. His plays have been produced in New York City, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, Fort Worth and St. Louis.

The Purchase Repertory Theatre features students from the School of the Arts, Conservatory of Theatre Arts and Film at Purchase College. For more information, call 914-251-6830.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. By Johnny Broadway. April 10, 2006; UPDATED With More Pix 4:45 P.M. E.D.T. NEW PIX added April 11, 2006 4:45 P.M. E.D.T.: White Plains own Westco Productions and the White Plains Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Committee and 9 other patrons, practitioners, sorcerers and angels of the local arts  received  the coveted “Stars” at the posh luncheon extravaganza thrown by the Westchester Arts Council Arts Award 2006 celebration Wednesday, as over 500 patrons of the arts filled 53 Tables at Rye Town Hilton ballroom at $50 a ticket to celebrate the people who “make a difference.”

As Frank Ingrasciotta, an actor receiving a “Star” for working with Greenburgh youngsters in film, said, as to why he acts and works with the children, “They make me feel like I make a difference.” The Winners of the “Stars” make a difference!

First Lady of Westchester Theater, Westco Productions Susan Katz of White Plains, shown  receiving her “Star” for creating Westco Productions as a summer program in 1980 and growing it to where it stages 17 productions a year, bringing the sunshine of performing and magic of the theatre into children’s lives. Here, she receives her “Star” from Chairman of the County Board of Legislators, Bill Ryan, as the debonair Tony Aiello, WCBS-TV News Anchor looks on. Photo by WPCNR ArtsCam.

The Pied Piper of Sculpture: Eli Schonberger Chair of the White Plains Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Committee, accepts with Mayor Joseph Delfino, “America’s Favorite Mayor of  All the Arts,” receiving their “Star” for reintroducing sculpture as a cityscape in Westchester County. Mr. Schonberger worked to bring an exhibition of sixteen sculptures to grace White Plains Library Plaza. Photo, by WPCNR ArtsCam

 

 

Everybody Loves the Arts! Yours truly arrived just before luncheon to find the glamorous, the glitzy, the glib, the  “Who is Somebody of Westchesta” elbow to elbow,  schmoozing over cheese and cocktails, catching up on the arts, the deals, and the gossip. Everywhere I turned I  saw the powerful, the connected, the savvy and the suave tightly, tentatively navigating very crowded cocktail and conversation space. Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

The photo ops were many, the Westchester celebs select! On hand were a who’s who of County power groups: Andy Spano and his sidemen: The Legislators:  Bill Ryan, Ursula Lamotte, Marty Rogowsky, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Will Stevens, Lois Bronz, Tom Abinanti. There was Pat Keegan representing Representative Nita Lowey,  WP Commissioner of Recreation and Parks Arne Abramowitz, Mack Carter of the Housing Authority, Frank Williams of the Youth Bureau, Assemblyman Adam Bradley and a lot of very caring, generous persons who believe in the arts.

 

Susan Katz, left, with WCBS-TV’s Tony Aiello, Liz Aiello, and Michael Barrett of Caramoor, schmoozing. Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam. 

 

 

 

After a half-hour of patter while enjoying open bar and cheese and crackers the distinguished guests drifted into the grand ballroom to fill 53 tables to lunch. What awaited them was a culinary one-time only trendy tour for the tastebuds  precisely prepared flakey but willowly and slender filet of chilled poached salmon, irresistibly, indolently posed seductively on a culinary stage of coquettish mixed greens and jewels of succulent artichoke hearts. It was a gourmand’s match,  garnished with choice of delicately gleaming dressings, playing with a piquant, palate-pleasing finale:  slivers of orange on chilled custard torte to engage the tastebuds of the most discerning with a mellow cup of Rye Town Hilton coffee. Not exactly the bacon cheeseburger, fries and malted this repawta has for lunch, but hey, this was the Westchester Arts Council!

 

The Queen of the arts, herself, Janet T. Langsam, Executive Director of the Arts Council hostessed her own event with easygoing poise and cordiality which created an air of intimacy and support throughout the adoring artsy throng. Ms. Langsam saluted the Westchester lawmakers on hand for the luncheon for “doing the right thing for the arts.” Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

As one presenter, Jan Adelson of Adelson Galleries remarked, “No one does it better (fundraising and networking than Janet Langsam).” 

 

Ms. Langsam got off the best line of the afternoon, too, in searching for a piece of script, at one point, she smoothly quipped, “I seem to have lost Page 10,” which brought down the house, with hearty guffaws and uneasy laughter, depending on your political affiliation.

 

Ms. Langsam turned proceedings over to that smooth talkin’ guy, (described as “What a guy,” by Ms. Langsam), the genial Tony Aiello, Channel 2’s Westchester Correspondent. What an emcee!

 

Mr. Aiello glibbed and glided a verbal softshoe pattering masterfully through the 11 presentations with panache,  interesting, articulate and smooth, getting in plugs, and introductions at exactly the right moment without awkwardness. He’s really good at emceeing, better than most celebrity hosts I’ve seen. Channel 2 should give him a talk show if he does not already have one.  The Academy Awards are next, Mr. Aiello.

 

Two of Mr. Aiello’s colleagues in broadcast news, News 12 alumna,  Mary Calvi, and Scarsdale High’s Jim Rosenfeld also presented, having that unique gift of making the audience feel at ease in their presence, giving importance credibility and honor to the “Stars.” The running joke was the WCBS 2 News personalities had to promise to give future reports on Katie Couric’s great CBS Anchor adventure.

Mayor Joseph Delfino, center with WCBS-TV’s gracious Mary Calvi, the News12 Newscaster who went to the big time,  accepting Star  award on behalf of the White Plains Sculpture Committee.  Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

The “Stars” were awarded one after another with slide show montages on the big projection screen behind Ms. Langsam’s arts pulpit, giving graphic evidence of each “Star” winner’s endeavors in the Westchester arts, managerial skills and dedication to creating excellence in performance and cultural venues. One of the wonderful things about Ms. Langsam’s Star Awards are they familiarize persons with art experiences who do not know of them.

 

 

Bill Ryan, (left)  Chair of the Board of County Legislators, presented  the Arts Organization Award to “The First Lady of White Plains Theatre,” Susan Katz, and Steven Sledzik, President, Westco Productions Board of Trustees, saying that Ms. Katz’s Westco Productions was such a great entertainment for kids, the family, but more than an entertainment that it introduced children to a lifelong love of theatre, while bringing out their poise by acting themselves. Mr. Ryan was particularly complimentary of Ms. Katz’s work ethic, her tireless energy and commitment to involving children in theatre magic. Photo, Courtesy, Westchester Arts Council, by Ben Hider

 

 

Ms. Katz in accepting the award, thanked everyone who had worked long and hard to make Westco a success. She thanked her Board, and the county  and the Arts Council for their support and announced her little theatre company would pass the  the 600,000 mark in total attendance when she opens her fall 2006 season. She said the little company has honored its contributors by never incurring a deficit in its 26 year history. Westco mounts 17 separate productions a year divided between professional productions and childrens workshop productions all around Westchester County.

 

 

 

Hey, That’s My Kid! Mrs. Katz’s father, Sonny Katz, the City Marshall of White Plains since 1663,  looked on. May every parent know the pride the senior Katz must have felt. Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

 

 

Mayor Joseph Delfino, (Center), accepted the White Plains Sculpture Committee “Star” (Committee members surrounded the Mayor on the dais) and extolled how Eli Schonberger had come to him with the idea for the Scuplture Garden (opened in October, 2004), and how “there’s nothing we cannot do if we work together.” The Mayor also noted that Westchester County through Andy Spano is adding to the White Plains sculpture “collection,” with its sculpture in place at the Westchester County Courthouse that is getting sculpture noticed. Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

Mr. Schonberger (fourth from right in above photo), returned the bouquet saying how it never would have happened without the Mayor’s help, either. Schonberger announced that White Plains will be receiving more sculptures to grace North Broadway in Tibbetts Park under the Sculpture Committee’s ongoing effort to bring the grace of street sculpture to White Plains.

 

Eli Schonberger holds his “Star”, with the rest of the White Plains Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Committee. Mayor Delfino is shown with Mary Calvi, of WCBS-TV, third and fourth from right.  Photo, Courtesy, Westchester Arts Council, by Ben Hider.

 

A very happy Westco Board of Directors sits with Susan Katz. Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

Scarsdale’s Favorite Anchorman, Jim Rosenfield of WCBS-TV presents his “Star” to Frank Ingrasciotta. Mr. Ingrasciotta told the audience of a little girl who took a film class of his in Greenburgh in which the children reenacted a slave’s escape. He told how the little girl said to him after her acting part that she had been afraid to do it, but in learning about the slave’s escape, she felt she was not afraid to be on stage any more. Mr. Ingrasciotta said it was a moment that told him that what he does “makes a difference.” Photo, Courtesy, Westchester Arts Council, by Ben Hider.

 

 

The Winners of this year’s Westchester Arts Council “Stars”: For Arts Patron:  Helio Fred Garcia of Chappaqua  (not pictured), President of the Neuberger Museum of Art, Matthew Lifflander (not pictured)and Onyx Orton Lifflander  of Hastings-on-Hudson (second from left, front row) for being on the Board of the Hudson River Museum; For Artist, Melvin Sparks of Mount Vernon, (back row. far right) the rhythm and blues guitarist, creator of 9 solo albums and 150 recordings; for Arts Organization, Caramoor Center for the Arts, Katonah,  Michael Barrett, backrow, extreme left  and Susan Katz of White Plains, (front, center)Westco Productions;  For Education: Frank Ingrasciotta, of Greenburgh,   Arts Educator in film back row, second from right; and Yvonne Pollack of Katonah (back row, second from left), of the New Castle Art Center, founder of Katonah Museum of Art Education program, and member of the Jacob Burns Film Center’s Educational Advisory Board;  Carol Walker, of Purchase  Dean of the Purchase College’s Conservatory of Dance (front row, extreme right); For Community Arts, Anthony Fazio of Harrison, founder of The Harrison Friends of the Opera, (front row, extreme left) and Eli Schonberger, front row, second from right, White Plains Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Committee.  Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

A recurring theme among the acceptances speeches by the awardees was how their parents had originally introduced them to the arts.

 

Artist receiving his “Star,” Mel Sparks of Mount Vernon played a  finger-snapping, head bobbing, very “way cool” set with songstress Nikki Armstrong. Photo, WPCNR ArtsCam

 

The event was sponsored by The Journal News and Hudson United Bank that is changing its name to Bank North in a hot new financial item megadeal. Look for the new green logo. Now, if only someone would buy The Journal News and put me in charge of it.  Calling Katie Couric!

 

None of this would have been possible without Ms. Langsam’s One and Two Star Sponsors: Jan and Warren Adelson, Entergy Nuclear Northeast and Pace University. Patron Tables were taken by A & A Maintenance, A. Uzzo & Company, Tony Aiello WCBS-TV, Citigroup Private Bank, Entergy Nuclear Northeast, Judith & Anthony Evnin, Jacob Burns Foundation, MasterCard International, Pace University, PepsiCo, Inc., Deborah Simon and Jacqueline Adler Walker.

 

The 2006 Arts Award Panelists selecting the 2006 winners were Geneive Brown-Metzger, Aaron Flagg, Dare Thompson and Lucille Werlinich.  The 2006 Arts Award Committee was chaired by Mr. Aiello, Tom Donovan, Publisher of The Journal News, Kenneth Gould, Emily Grant, Hannah Shmerler and Fran Singer.

 

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WPCNR ODD LOTS. April 10, 2006: A spokesperson for Pulte Construction, would-be developers of 71 luxury condominiums at 10 Windsor Place told WPCNR today, the company “is not going to build it.” Windsor Terrace was approved with much fanfare to a development group which included the builders of Clayton Park, which cleared the property (after site plan approval by the Council).The original developers sold the property  to Pulte Homes for $6 Million according to a The Journal News report, and now Pulte is pulling out and selling it again The Journal News reports.

 

Eyesore across from Eastview School:  10 Windsor Terrace joins the Hamilton Avenue and Church Street vacant lot (across from the site where Avalon Bay plans to build), as another White Plains lot in limbo. Projects approved for these two sites have been abandoned after Common Council approval. The Church and Hamilton lot has already been sold once, and now there is an uncomfirmed report that the new owner has sold it again. Photo, WPCNR

Ten Windsor Place becomes the second site plan approved by the Common Council in the last three years to stall out. The Hamilton project on Church and Barker has been sold once and now is reported up for sale again. The Journal News report said that Pulte Homes has a buyer for the property, based on a spokesperson’s e-mail to a neighbor in the area, George Curtis.

Keith Eddings, the Journal News reporter, notes in his story today that Pulte is asking the Common Council to approval an extension of the site plan.

A lot with an approved site plan is more valuable and can fetch a higher price on the real estate market.

There is a third site plan that has been approved by the Council and extended three times that is the New York Presbyterian Hospital biotech/proton accelerator project, which is still awaiting a council decision as to whether to extend for a fourth time. Nothing has been done on that project for four years from the time it was approved in 2002.