WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

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Put on picnic clothes and come to church July 18 to see the Christian rock group the Circuit Riders play during a rock-and-roll outdoor worship service at Memorial United Methodist Church, followed by an energetic concert and potluck spread in the courtyard. Everyone is invited!

The popular Mamaroneck-based band will perform quieter acoustic worship music during the 10 a.m. outdoor service, even teaching the kids a couple of songs during the children’s moment. When worship is finished, around 11:30 a.m., the courtyard will be transformed into a party atmosphere as the Memorial church family and neighbors enjoy a potluck fest, kids games and fun summer fellowship.

Bring the kids! This crowd favorite offers something for everyone: a little rock and roll and a lot of spirit. The kids love to dance to the Circuit Rider beat and the adults enjoy the unique mix of foot-stomping rock favorites and original, inventive Christian tunes.

Admission is free. The concert caps off Memorial’s “Hero Quest”-theme Vacation Bible School weekend for all ages, which runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The $20 donation includes dinner Friday and lunch Saturday.

The Circuit Riders deliver a ministry of encouragement and love by sharing their faith and love of Christ through music. The band has performed at Playland, the New York City Marathon, Hofstra University, the Emelin Theater, the Mamaroneck Harbor Festival, area churches, schools, and pubs, among other notable venues. The Circuit Riders recently released its second CD, “All Things New.”

MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH – A Welcoming Community
250 Bryant Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
Phone: 914-949-2146
Website: www.memorialmethodist.org
Email: info@memorialmethodist.org

Memorial UMC, a welcoming community, is located on Bryant Avenue between North Street and Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains. Its congregation strives to welcome and respect persons of every race, ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental ability, gender, family status, sexual orientation, age, theology, and economic circumstance. The pastor is Rev. Joseph Agne. Memorial has a diversity of regular cultural offerings, including the “Music at Memorial” series, monthly original plays performed by Innovative Stages, and occasional art shows.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. July 11, 2004: Kaci “22” Clark threw a no-hit, no-run game this evening against the Arizona Heat, catching Tarrah Beyster looking for her 70th strike of the game to get the no-hitter, leading the Heat to a three-game sweep of the Heat over the weekend,2-0. Kaci’s gem followed 4-1 and 4-0 wins by Amanda Scott (9-3) on Friday, and Gina Oaks’ (7-5) 4-0 shutout Satruday night. The Nauts complete the first half of the season at 22-11, 1/2 game behind the Akron Racers, gearing up to take on the speedsters in Akron Thursday night for the second crucial series of the season.

STRIKE 3 ON THE WAY: Kaci Clark delivers her 70th strike to Tarrah Beyster of the Arizona Heat for a called Strike three to clinch her no-hitter, the first in New York-New Jersey Juggernaut history Sunday night. Kaci threw 110 pitches, made a living on the outside corner in handcuffing the Heat. Clark walked 3, struck out 7 and threw 70 balls in spinning the classic, which featured a lot of deep counts. She credited her catcher Courtney Scott, and her teammates for the pitch calling and their support. She said in a YES interview after the game with Jen Royko that what gets her through tough games is heart and wanting to excell. Photo Capture from the YES Network by WPCNR Sports.

TarrahBeyster kept the Nauts off the board until the fifth inning when with runners on first and third and two gone Lindsey Klein took an outside pitch to right field dropping it in front of the Heat rightfielder who did not dive to make the catch and the Nauts had the big run Kaci needed. In the sixth, after Laura Harms singled and moved to second, Germaine Fairchild took another outside pitch to right and lofted it over the rightfielder’s head for the second Naut run.

The Nauts are off for three days for the National Pro Fastpitch All Star break. Seven of the Nauts will be playing on the East All-Stars who are in action against The U.S.A. Olympic Softball Team Tuesday afternoon, and then the East Stars play the West Stars in the National Pro Fastpitch All Star Game Wednesday afternoon in Oklahoma City. The game will be netcast live on Pro Sports Radio.

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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. July 11, 2004: The Assembly recently passed legislation to help safeguard our children and families from sexual predators, including strengthening the Sex Offender Registry Act.

First and foremost, these bills are designed to prevent sexual predators from committing these horrible crimes in the first place. They send a clear message that those who commit these brutal crimes will be punished – severely.

Cracking down on brutal killers           

To protect our communities and punish those who prey on innocent children, I sponsored legislation requiring a mandatory life sentence without parole as the minimum sentence for a person convicted of murdering a child under the age of 14 in the course of committing a felony sex crime against the child (A.11557).

The legislation – which is known as Joan’s Law in memory of Joan D’Alessandro, a New Jersey girl who was sexually assaulted and murdered while delivering Girl Scout cookies – also has Senate approval, and is expected to be signed into law by the governor.

 Hopefully this legislation will help deter these awful crimes, and return a small measure of comfort and security to families and communities who have suffered from the loss of a child.

Preventing child abductions

To improve the Amber Alert Plan, which was created to serve as a quick and ready response to child abductions, I supported legislation the Assembly passed that would allow information about a missing child to be transmitted through e-mail, electronic organizers or mobile phones by service providers who voluntarily agree to send messages (A.11532). The legislation also passed the Senate and awaits the governor’s signature.

The Assembly passed another measure I supported criminalizing the act of luring a child under 14 for the purpose of committing a violent or sexual felony (A.11521).

We must act to protect our children from dangerous predators. These measures do so, and make sure tough penalties are in place for these heinous crimes.

Protecting our community

To strengthen the Sex Offender Registration Act, which requires convicted sex offenders to register with local law enforcement, I worked to pass measures – which have both passed the Senate – that:

·           require the Division of Criminal Justice Services to regularly remind officials in other states that they must tell New York officials when a sex offender moves into this state, and mandating that the DCJS notify sex offenders in New York State that they may have to register in another state if they move (A.11599); and

·           provide a toll-free telephone number for the sex offender registry and allow youth service organizations to perform background checks on up to 20 people per call (A.11590).

The Sex Offender Registry is an important tool in keeping our loved ones safe from sexual predators, and these new measures will make it even more effective by improving access to it, and making sure it’s up to date. I hope the governor will join us by supporting this legislation, which improves the efficiency of the registry.

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WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Fastpitch Johnny. July 9, 2004, Part Three: When the New York Times and the Gannett paper can devote reams of coverage to the boring pro golf tour, the NASCAR circuit, athletes’ steroid problems, soccer, track, gymnastics, as they have done this week, and now the ridiculous coverage of the Greek soccer team (who cares?), and the Tour de France (bicycling racing – now if they bet on the cyclists, that might be a story) —  and print as news the most minor of transactions, it is a major crime against womens sports in the New York area not to cover Juggernaut games.

At least give the scores and the standings. Really.

GORDON’S PANTHERS, In blue,  from Southern California toured and showcased their legendary fastpitch prowness June 24 to 27 in Edison, N.J. Girls who play for the elite fastpitch travel teams of America are hoping the National Pro Fastpitch league survives for their future in the game they love. Photo by WPCNR Sports

Times does not know a Naut from a Knick. But Knicks play far uglier.

WPCNR interviewed the Sports Editor of The New York Times, Tom Jolly, and asked him why the Times was not following Juggernaut games.

Jolly said it was basically a lack of space, with 11 pro sports teams to cover, and the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees and Newark Bears all demanding coverage. He also said he had not been receiving results on the Associated Press wire, and suggested that the Juggernaut get their games and results on the AP wire.

Asked why the Times printed Yankee, Mets, Liberty and Metrostars schedules and ticket information, and not the Nauts, Jolly said he would consider doing so, if informed of the schedule, but again used lack of space as a consideration.

Again, the Juggernaut management claim the Times has been given extensive material on schedules, players, results. Mr. Jolly knows nothing about it. Are you kidding us, New York Times?

WPCNR did not ask if Jolly considered the Nauts a minor league team, which they are definitely not, being the only professional women’s fastpitch softball league, recognized by Major League Baseball.

All the Sports You Least Want to Know About.

The Juggernaut General Manager Richard Perrotty told WPCNR last week that the Juggernaut sends box scores and game recaps to the Associated Press every game, as well as to the New York Times Sports Editor. Results are even sent to a woman reporter at the times.  Whoever is feeding material to Mr. Jolly obviously is making very bad editorial decisions as to what Mr. Jolly sees.

When the New York Times can cover Olympic Gymnastics on their Sports Section front page as they did last  Tuesday, and do a feature on kayaking as they did July 1, I suggest they are out of touch. You can do a story on The Juggernaut after the first third of the season if you had any fairness or sense of sports news.

To Run a National Title IX Story and Ignore Nauts Is Hypocrisy.

Tuesday morning, June 29, the Times Sports Section ran an extensive sports story on Title IX as it applies to high school sports, using a softball player in a visual. The story detailed a number of Title IX suits involving school districts being sued by parents of softball teams for unequal facilities compared to boys baseball.

This compounds the Times felony against fastpitch.

Mr. Jolly, you’re ignoring fastpitch in your own town!

The Title IX article was a typical self-righteous Times article that appears to be so politically correct.

The articles goes on to detail the discrimination against girls (not to mention the manipulation and downright physical abuse of players by overpitching them that is typical of high school softball), across the country.

How About Title IX for the Media.

WPCNR suggests that Title IX should be applied to the men who run the media, too, and for the Times to ignore the National Pro Fastpitch league and the local Nauts as they have is simply wrong.

The attitude towards women in sports is still pretty awful. I daresay that we do not care about the hiring of new coaches at colleges I never heard of in the Times results columns, when National Pro Fastpitch standings and results could be appearing in that space.

Tuesday’s section even has a long critique of ESPN’s telecast of the Arena Football Bowl. They could have done a similar story on the YES telecast of the Juggernaut.

Associated Press: “It’s softball, isn’t It?”

Unfortunately, Mr. Jolly won’t be seeing Juggernaut results on the Associated Press wire any time soon. The AP doesn’t consider softball a sport. The Trenton bureau reporter of the Associated Press told WPCNR they do not cover the Juggernaut results, asked why, he said “well, it’s just softball, isn’t it?”

Tom Canavan, the Newark-based AP Bureau reporter told WPCNR that he was aware of the Juggernaut, but that the decisions as to what was carried on the AP “Agate” sportswire, as he termed it, were made in New York

Terri Taylor, a woman,  is Sports Editor for the Associated Press in New York was contacted by WPCNR and asked for an explanation why the AP was not covering National Pro Fastpitch .

No Demand.

Ms. Taylor told WPCNR Tuesday afternoon, June 29, when asked why the AP wire was not carrying National Pro Fastpitch results, said,

“We don’t have any demand for it. None of our newspapers have shown any interest in it. It would be extremely difficult for us to chase down the results at night. There’s also a lack of space. I just got back from a sports editors convention (in Philadelphia), and the editors said they are even having trouble fitting in women’s basketball coverage.” WPCNR pointed out the Juggernaut had been sending results daily to info@ap.org, and Taylor said she’d be glad to cover them if they sent her the material and said she had to take another call.

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WPCNR Common Council Chronicle-Examiner. July 8, 2004: Glen Hockley is refusing to go quietly and leave the Council as directed by the Attorney General. He won a Temporary Restraining order Thursday  from the Appellate Court in Brooklyn, allowing him to stay on the Common Council another two weeks.

OH WON’T YOU STAY…JUST A LITTLE BIT LONG-GER…PUL-LEASE LET ME STA-AY: Councilman Glen Hockley at one of his characteristic soliloquies at the Common Council in May of this year. Mr. and Mrs. White Plains will have Mr. Hockley around for at least two more weeks as the Appellate Court changed its mind and temporarily blocked his ordered ouster from the Common Council as a demonstrated usurper of Larry Delgado’s seat based on a quo warranto action initiated by the New York State Attorney General. Photo by WPCNR News

QUO WARRANTO WALTZ CONTINUES: The persuasive litigator, Thomas Abinanti, Glen Hockley’s attorney, convinced a clerk at the Appellate Court, Second Department in Brooklyn Thursday afternoon to ask a new judge to grant Glen Hockley a Temporary Restraining Order which would delay Mr. Hockley’s N.Y. Attorney General-ordered  removal from the White Plains Common Council which was rumored, but never officially confirmed to be taking place next week. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

Hockley, sources say, is confident that after arguments on the motion due July 19 before the Appellate Court, he will win a further stay, allowing him to stay on the Common Council indefinitely until his appeal of Judge Nicolai’s decision is decided perhaps in September. But, that will happen only if the Appellate Court expedites the Hockley appeal.

Delgado Attorney: Will go for the Hockley Backpay.

Jeffrey Binder, Larry Delgado’s attorney told WPCNR, that in view of the latest Hockley delaying tactic, and Mr. Hockley’s refusal to leave his seat honorably,  Mr. Delgado has now decided to seek full restitution from Mr. Hockley of all wages and pension contributions Mr. Hockley received during the almost 28 months Hockley has served so far.

Binder said Mr. Hockley can count on it.

Hockley has mounted legal maneuver after legal maneuver to avoid a defining result to the disputed 2001 election when the voting machine jammed in District 18, costing Mr. Delgado a victory, as defined by the Attorney General’s quo warranto investigation recently completed and ruled on by Judge Francis Nicolai ruling Hockley be removed and Delgado instated.

Binder Notes on Latest Ploy

Binder described Abinanti’s argument as convincing the clerk at the Appellate Court that the Hockley request for a jury trial and cross-examination of the 103 sworn affidavitts from citizens who say they voted for Mr. Delgado that November, should be looked on in a new light. Binder said the clerk took argument to a different judge from any who had ruled against granting Hockley the Temporary Restraining Order last week. Last week the Appellates turned down Hockley’s request for a stay flat, 4-0.

Binder acidly said the Abinanti argument casts Judge Nicolai in the role of “usurping” a jury’s role in deciding whether the voters who swore the affidavitts were believable.

The stay was granted at 3:30 Thursday afternoon, according to Mr. Binder.