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 THE HOMELESS NEWS. By Geoffrey Ruff. © 2006, The White Plains CitizeNetReporter. All rights reserved. January 27, 2006: Geoffrey Ruff, nightly client of the 85 Court Street Homeless Drop-In Shelter in White Plains, continues Part III of his report on what happens to single homeless men who choose to accept Department of Social Services “services” instead of staying in the Drop-In Shelter nightly. 

This report was presented by Mr. Ruff to the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services of Westchester County in a meeting Monday, January 23. (See Parts I & II published previously). Herewith Mr. Ruff’s report, on a typical sequence a homeless person, choosing to cooperate and accept DSS services by participating in a DSS Placement program (readers should be aware, this program is not available unless a homeless person chooses to accept Department of  Social Services “Services”):

Placement

Step III

At this step, the applicant’s status is deemed a resident. He is placed at a determined (Westchester County) Government-Funded Shelter, where within a week, if not less, he starts his “program.”

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The “Program” will consist of  1 of 3, Drug Treatment Program, Mental Health Program, or Work Program. A Shelter Case Worker makes a treatment plan. A majority of the time the resident follows the determination of the Case Worker. If the resident must go to a Drug Treatment Program, it is usually the Drug Treatment Program Case Worker who determines when he will graduate from the facility.

Usually, the D.T. Case Worker says 6 to 9 months, but it is often longer due to lax monitoring, or if any of the requirements, i.e., urinalysis, are broken. But usually the stay is more like 12 months.

The same standards also apply to Mental Health, concentrating on his mental health needs.

When the resident is deemed “Employable,” he usually goes to the Vaughn Glanton Employment Residence. There he is made to work on 1 of  2 crews, that are contracted by the County, the Bronx River Parkway, or Grassland Department of Public Works. This (program) is called “Pride In Work.”

Here, the resident works, and on his off-time, he fills out “Job Contact Sheets,” and is given opportunities for vocational training, which usually, but not always is no use due to his Criminal Felony background.

Exit

Step IV

This process is the Major problem. This step is where the accumulation of numerous breakdowns within the process occur, and fail the resident, and Social Service.

Either the resident, within the course of these Steps, fails to comply with the standards for “whatever reasons” or DSS just isn’t aware of the current needs of the resident.

Some of these reasons could be justified, but the case workers don’t take into reason any Mitigating Factors. They just want to follow the rules. Unfortunately, for the resident, non-compliance will normally, after a few times, send him to the Drop-In Center (85 Court Street) for a minimum of 5 days as a form of punishment. If there are any more compliance problems (with his treatment program), the Resident is sanctioned for 45 days.

Some Residents usually just leave the process to live back on the streets. In the sanction process, all grant funds (benefits, food stamps, money), except for Medicaid, are disabled for the 45 days. This is where the Resident becomes again Homeless, and is once again in the Drop-In, or on the street only to start the process again.

(The Conclusion of Mr. Ruff’s report, (Proposal & Opinion)  appears tomorrow in The CitizeNetReporter. The report was submitted to the Westchester County Commissioner of Social Services Monday, January 23 personally by Mr. Ruff who met with the Commissioner and a Westchester Housing Official to discuss conditions and Volunteers of America consumer attitudes at 85 Court Street.)

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WPCNR HOMELESS NEWS. From Westchester County Department of Communications. (EDITED) January 26, 2006:  With Westchester’s homeless population half the level it was in 1998, County Executive Andy Spano announced today that the WestHab Family Shelter in Elmsford will be closed at a savings of more than $5 million. 

The 46 families still living there will be relocated to other county shelters by March 31. A plan is currently being developed to ensure that the children’s schooling is not disrupted and there will be a continuation of other services. 

By closing this facility and relocating the families, the gross annual savings will be about $5.2 million, of which one-quarter of the money comes directly from county taxpayer dollars. 

 The number of homeless single adults in 1998 was 635. The number of homeless families in 1999 was 839.

As of November 2005, the number of homeless single adults was 333  (first reported by WPCNR  in a story dated January 5, 2006, though the figure given then was 331), and the number of homeless families was 317. This is approximately a 50 percent reduction in homeless people since 1998. 

The WestHab Family Center in Elmsford, on Tarrytown Road, presently has a 48.7 percent vacancy rate in its 103 units.

To accomplish the reduction in homelessness the county has done the following

·        Used all possible tools to prevent homelessness, including special grants to prevent eviction;

·        Collaborated with providers of mental health services to serve this needy population, and moved about 200 of these individuals into permanent housing;

·        Gave rental assistance through a special county-initiated program to families to help them get into permanent housing (families with earned income who were taken off public assistance);

·        Moved 400 families into permanent housing through a state/county program that allowed higher rent subsidies to prevent homelessness; 

·        Continued various job training programs (through welfare to work programs) that helped homeless  individuals get job training and employment.  

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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. January 25, 2006: Consolidated Edison is still compiling the staggering statistics on last week’s “Big Blow in Westchester,” that cut power to 40,000 homes one week ago. Con Edison, according to Chris Olert, official spokesperson for their Media Communications department, Con Edison doubled their repair crews by calling on the mutual aid of out-of-state, and upstate power companies and working the force of “hundreds” (no exact number of men had been exactly determined Tuesday morning) in 8-hours on, 8 hours off. Olert noted that within 24 hours of the storm over 50% of the 40,000 households and customers had had their power restored.

WPCNR learned that as of 4:30 P.M. Thursday afternoon, January 20,  31,000 of the 40,000 customers had been restored according to the Media Communications spokesperson, Joe Petta.

This was mainly accomplished by Con Edison’s bringing in thousands of out-of-state, in-state reinforcements. According to Mr. Olert of Con Edison, giving rough stats on the scope of the repair effort Tuesday morning, Con Ed brought in six companies to aid Con Edison of New York and Con Edison’s Orange & Rockland Division in tackling the massive wind damage caused by last week’s tropical storm conditions.

Olert said crews were brought in from Niagara Mohawk, Wellsback (an electrical contractor from New York City), Hawkeye (another NYC electrical contractor), C.W. Wright from Potomac Electric in Chester, Virginia; Allegheny Power, from Parkersburg, Virginia, which restored a number of White Plains private homes and neighborhoods; and First Energy from Pennsylania and Ohio.

He said this was the worst storm to hit the county since 1997. He passed on the information that all these power companies were paid by Con Edison to come to the county’s rescue, but he did not have a dollar figure on the fees, nor the cost of the damage as of Tuesday morning.

He did not have a break down for the repairs outside companies executed. Olert noted that generally the crews were aided by a Con Edison honcho to take them through the systems.

Olert affirmed that the lines affecting the most customers were restored first, as is always the case. He also noted that the work was slow dangerous work, which often takes the same amount of time in each case, whether you are restoring 2,000 customers or 1 customer.

WPCNR estimates that Allegheny Power, on the scene in White Plains from 10 A.M. Friday morning, January 21 (48 hours after the storm), was repaired over 30 homes in 48 hours in the White Plains area.

Olert said emergency supplemental crews were called in within 24 hours after the start of the storm.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westchester Broadway Theatre’s Allan Gruet. January 23, 2006: Westchester Broadway Theatre  is proud to present for the first time on our stage, a diverse cast of actors, in our own production of Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida.” Like many musical projects today, it can often take years for a musical to actually reach its Broadway opening. “Aida” was no exception.

PYRAMID TRIANGLE! Passion. Desire. Forbidden liaisons twist in torment in the shadows of the Pyramids on the WBT Stage. AIDA opens Thursday at WBT in Elmsford, starring Stephanie Youell as Princess Amneris, left, Eric Sciotto as Radames, and Rozz Morehead-Santos as AIDA, the Nubian Princess. Photo, Courtesy Westchester Broadway Theatre by John Vecchiolla.

The story of “Aida” is based on the tragic legend that inspired Giuseppi Verdi to write his Opera of the same name. Beyond that, the musical has an entirely different sensibility, along with a number of plot changes.

The musical adaptation of “Aida” is a passionate love story that blends perfectly with a contemporary and soaring score by Elton John. Elton is one of our generation’s most talented composers and performers, and “Aida” is a wonderful example of how pop music and musical theatre can be combined to create a powerful theatrical experience.

Some of the more popular songs from the show are “Every Story Is a Love Story,” “My Strongest Suit,” Easy As Life,” Written In the Stars,” “Elaborate Lives,” “Enchantment Passing Through,” “A Step Too Far.”

“Aida” is a story filled with romance, conflict, and rebirth. The musical centers on the strength of love, with all its compelling and healing powers. It transcends class and race, and in the end love can conquer all. Elton’s intention was to simply create the music for a very strong love story between two people who were willing to die for their love.

Rozz-Morehead-Santos as the Nubian Captive, AIDA. Eric Sciotto as her captor, Egyptian,  Radames. Photo, Courtesy Westchester Broadway Theatre by John Vecchiolla

The central character of “Aida” is Nubian princess who is captured by Radames, an Egyptian captain. After a long period of an on-going war with Egypt’s deadly enemy Nubia, Radames is called back to the Egyptian court.

He decides to bring Aida with him as a present to his betrothed, the beautiful Egyptian Princess Amneris, to become one of her personal slaves. During the course of the musical, Radames who is unaware of Aida’s true identity, that of a Nubian princess, proceeds to fall in love with her.

The old Pharaoh is very ill and about to die. Radames has been pledged to the Princess Amneris and their union will ultimately make him the next Pharoah.

The rivalry for Radames affection between the two princesses is the conflict that ultimately causes Amneris to condemn Radames and Aida as traitors.

They are sentenced to death and are buried alive together in a tomb. Aida and Radames pledge to find each other in another world…and somewhere beyond the next bend of the Nile, there is another world, just waiting to be discovered!

Westchester Broadway Theatre’s production will star Rozz Morehead-Santos as Aida, Eric Sciotto as Radames, Stephanie Youell as Amneris, John Schiappa as Zoser, Eric Jackson as Mereb, Carla Woods as Nehebka and J. Bernard Calloway as Amonasro. The Production is Directed & Choreographed by Patricia Wilcox, with Musical Direction by David Andrews Rogers; Set design is by George Puello, Costume design by Gail Baldoni, Hair/Wig Design by Gerard Kelly, Lighting design by Andrew Moser, and sound design by Jon Hatton.

Following “AIDA” will be-

“BARNUM”

MAY 4th,  2006 – JULY 8th,  2006

PRESS NIGHT MAY 11th, 2006

Music by Cy Coleman

Lyrics by Michael Stewart

Book by Mark Bramble

“HOT MIKADO”

JULY13th – SEPTEMBER 9th, 2006

Book & Lyrics Adapted by David Bell

Music Adapted by Rob Bowman

Based on “The Mikado” by W. S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan

“THE FULL MONTY”

SEPTEMBER 14th   – NOVEMBER 18th, 2006

Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek

Book by Terrence McNally

Based on the film written by Simon Beaufoy

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From City School District. January 27, 2006: The White Plains Board of Education will meet with the Annual Budget Committee (ABC) for the tenth consecutive year, as it begins the formal process of preparing the 2006-07 school budget, curently projected at $167.5 Millon.  The ABC is an advisory group which provides input, feedback and suggestions to the District.  President Donna McLaughlin said of the committee, “The Board is pleased and proud that the budget has passed by an overwhelming majority since the inception of the vote, and believes that the ABC has contributed greatly to that success, through its assistance and support.” 

The Committee is comprised of representatives of more than a dozen civic and community organizations and other interested individuals.  The first meeting, on February 8^th, will include an orientation session for new members, as well as background information.  Two additional meetings with the administration and Board of Education members will follow, on February 15^th and March 8^th. 

In past years, the Commitee has suggested areas where the School District could trim the original preliminary budget.

Meetings are held at 7:30 P.M. at Education House, 5 Homeside Lane and will include an overview of the budget as well as discussions of key issues and recommendations.