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Charlie Booth Emceeing Martin Luther King Day event at Crowne Plaza Hotel in January. Mr. Booth is moving on from the Slater Center. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.
Weekly News Roundup: Students Wrists Slapped; Cappelli A.H. Initiative.
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WPCNR
Saint Patrick’s Day 25 Sit in Corner…
Approximately 25 Students detained by White Plains Police at the
Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors stated to WPCNR News that alcohol was found on the premises where the “party” was to take place but there “was no proof that any student had been drinking.” The students he said were not arrested and were disciplined according to the School Code of Conduct for cutting class and leaving campus during the school day without permission. He said the party had been discovered by observations of Sergeant Howard Tribble, the White Plains Police School Liaison officer who directed the interdiction of the planned party that was to have taken place.
The Cappelli-Ginsburg News…
In the Common Council work session Wednesday, Louis Cappelli, of Cappelli Enterprises elaborated on his plans for building affordable housing at
Cappelli explained his proposal for 240 Main Street where he would build 24 affordable housing units (either rental or condominium) as being his only way to assure he fulfilled his obligation to the Council provide affordable housing without leaving the issue unresolved.
Ginsburg proposed building his Pinnacle condo tower to 290 feet (opposed by Mr. Cappelli), and offered the Common Council 16 affordable housing units in exchange.
Community Development Funds Down
Also in the work session, Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel announced the city’s Community Development Block Grants funding was reduced by HUD from 1,103,000 to $1,036,000 ( lower by $67,000) for the coming budget year in 2005-2006. The amount of that set aside for “Public Services,” was $266,000, (which would include the salaries of several building inspectors paid out of community development funds). Ms. Habel said this would result in cutting public service agencies grants across the board and the city faced tough decisions.
Theatre Expense Shift.
WPCNR has also learned that the salary of Kathy Davisson, Theatre Manager for the White Plains Performing Arts Center has been moved into the city’s Community Development budget.
Comprehensive Plan Review Committee Receives Little Direction.
The second meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee took place and featured much complaint about committee communication, but little statements of “vision” from about 60 attendees as to what they would like to see in the “close-in” transition neighborhoods adjacent to the downtown. Salient points made by citizens were the need to look at areas of the city as a whole, and not go on a project-by-project basis. Committee Co-Chair John Martin said when asked if the Review Committee could be expected to make visionary statements about how the city should develop, said “That’s a fair statement.” The next meeting of the Review Committee, open to the public will be Tuesday March 29, at
Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti announced plans to install a 12-inch water main into Martine Avenue between North Broadway and Mamaroneck Avenue (adjacent the City Center), beginning approximately April 1. (Not a April Fool’s Joke). He also announced a 12-inch water main would also be installed on
Gedney Grille Closed.
Public Relations Agency Off and Running for Schools.
The
Taxi Service Sharply Criticised: Rude, Self-Centered, Not Consumer Friendly
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WPCNR MR. AND MRS. AND MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. March 28, 2005: WPCNR has received another complaint about the White Plains Taxi situation, critiquing driver attitudes and policies. Here is that comment, filed today:
Dear Editor,
I would like to bring your attention once again to the poor taxi service available in White Plains. The local taxis will not take reservations for local rides, insisting that the customer call them 20 minutes in advance of their need for a taxi and hope that one will be available. Unlike other cities, one cannot hail a cab when one is needed in the moment. So we cannot plan ahead nor can we hope to spontaneously get a cab.
This is a huge waste of time when one needs to go from one place to another. Today my car was in use by someone else (we have a one car family) and I needed to travel to an appointment on Bloomingdale Road. The ride is very short. I could walk, but it was raining. In order to accomplish this trip, I was asked to wait in front of my building for 20 minutes, hoping for a called-for cab to take me on a 5 minute trip. And then, to get home, I would need to repeat this process.
I would like to either add a reservation requirement to the taxi customer bill of rights or permit cabs to be hailed within White Plains to make rides more available.
I agree with your other writers that the cabs are, without exception, rude. One can only assert the bill of rights by being very assertive, sometimes to the point of unpleasantness. I admit I have often done this, out of accumulated frustration about drivers picking their customers as though there were a velvet rope in front of their cab and refusing to give a private ride without an argument.
Thank you for your time and attention in reading this post.
Sincerely,
Diane
White Plains, NY
Team formed to Walk for Bob Greer in ALS Walk, June 12
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WPCNR PRESS BOX. From Susan Katz, “White Plains Walks for Bob,” March 26, 2005: A “team” honoring White Plains stricken City Father, Robert Greer, of the Common Council, has been formed to participate at the annual Walk to d feet ALS on Sunday morning, June 12 at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers. Greer, one of the nicest, most accessible, thoughtful and responsive officials in
WPCNR Photograph of the Day
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WPCNR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. March 25, 2005: The White Plains skyline is enhanced by the glitter and the glitz of Trump Tower at City Center rising on the left in the overcast Friday. The exterior has all its glass installed and with its platinum-rich crown graces the skyline. Louis Cappelli, the Super Developer, builder, reports the Trump Tower has contracted for 208 of its 212 luxury condominium residences with 4 more units left to be sold, while The Loft Building at City Center has 2 left to be sold.
Windows on Westchester: The Trump Tower at City Center Friday, looking West. Photo by the WPCNR Roving Photographer.
461 in North End Lose Power — as Squirrel Trips High Voltage Fuses.
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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. March 25, 2005, UPDATED 1: 30 P.M. E.S.T.: Power has been restored to the Church Street area in White Plains’ North End. White Plains Police confirmed to WPCNR moments ago “a wide area” of White Plains lost power this morning.
Chris Olert, a spokesman for Con Edison told The CitizeNetReporter, that 461 homes lost power as of 9:48 A.M. this morning in the Church Street North End area of White Plains, when a squirrel crossed several high voltage lines on Church Street, tripping fuses resulting in the loss of power. Olert said the fuses were replaced and power was restored by 11:05 A.M. Power, he said was out for 1 hour and 17 minutes.
The incident was not caused by a collision with a telephone pole as residents had said. The fate of the squirrel is unknown.
Natasha is Coming to Town. NY’s Best Shortstop Visits Little Leagues, Fast-Pitch
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WPCNR PRESS BOX. Special to WPCNR From The Juggernaut. April 2, 2005: The newest member of the Juggernaut, 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, Natasha Watley, will be participating in grassroots community events on the weekend of April 9th & 10th in
The NY-NJ Juggernaut will be opening ticket sales and Season Ticket sales for their new season shortly. They open the 2005 National Pro Fastpitch Season with Venezuela’s International Team, Thursday night, June 2 with 4 games against the Venezuelan All-Stars. The Nauts, New England Riptide, Akron Racers, Texas Thunder, Chicago Bandits and Arizona Heat of the NPF schedule will be playing International teams in games that count in the standings.
Newest Naut Natasha Whately, four-time first team All-American shortstop from UCLA, arguably the best leadoff hitter in the game, will be visiting various softball enthused towns to conduct basic skills clinics over the two days she will be in the Juggernaut market. Photo, Courtesy, NY-NJ Juggernaut.
Natasha and Trena will also be conducting a three hour basic skills clinic on April 10th presented by the Jersey Nightmare Fastpitch Organization at CB Lambs Field in
Miss Congeneality Plays City Center De Lux
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WPCNR SCREEN GEMS. From National Amusements. March 25, 2005: WPCNR as a weekly public service presents the schedule for White Plains movies at the City Center De Lux. Miss Congeniality 2 and Guess Who are the premiers this weekend. Here’s the schedule — simply print out and keep handy on your refrigerator door:
MISS CONGENIALITY 2: Armed and Fabulous — Sandra Bullock returns as FBI agent/beauty pageant contestant, Gracie Hart, in this comedy sequel which once again co-stars the always smarmy William Shatner. Rated PG-13
OPENS NATIONWIDE, FRIDAY, March 25th
GUESS WHO — Bernie Mac plays a proud father who feels no man is good enough for his beautiful daughter. He envisions her future husband being a cross between Denzel Washington, Colin Powell and Tiger Woods. To his dismay, he discovers her actual boyfriend is, well, VERY MUCH like Ashton Kutcher. Rated PG-13
The lineup for Easter Week.
Friday, March 25, 2005 Hits: 0 WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. March 24, 2005: Thomas J. Abinanti, the attorney for former deposed Councilman Glen Hockley who attended Wednesday evening’s Common Council Work Session at City Hall, has released a statement nine days after the Appellate Court, Second Department, issued a ruling on Mr. Hockley’s appeal for a jury trial on the jammed voting matter. Abinanti takes issue with the decision, and remarks that they are still considering how to proceed: Hockley Attorney Statement: The Appellate Division, Second Department, has issued a decision on Glen Hockley’s appeal of Westchester Supreme Court’s order removing him from the White Plains Common Council summarily without a trial. The Appellate Division found that Westchester Supreme Court was wrong to consider summary judgment without giving Hockley the opportunity he sought to take depositions. The Appellate Division reopened discovery, gave Hockley until June 30 to conduct depositions and stayed his appeal until both sides submit additional legal papers 30 days thereafter. The Appellate Division decision is both gratifying and perplexing. Thomas J. Abinanti Attorney for Glen Hockley Hits: 0 WPCNR METRO MEDIA. From the Office of State Assemblyman George Latimer. March 23, 2005: State Assemblyman GEORGE LATIMER (Dem, 91st A.D.) takes to the airwaves at local radio station WVOX 1460 AM for a weekly talk and call-in program tomorrow called “The Assembly Report”, which airs every Friday from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (PG-13) –10:05 pm;12:35 am. ;
Guess Who (PG-13) –1:35;4:25;7:15;10:00 pm;12:25 am. ;
The Pacifier (PG) –12:00;2:15;4:35;6:50;9:10;11:25 pm. ;
Hostage (R) –1:40;4:50;7:20;9:55 pm;12:25 am. ;
Guess Who **(PG-13) –1:05;3:45;6:45;9:20;11:55 pm. ;
Hitch (PG-13) –1:30;4:20;6:55;9:35 pm;12:10 am. ;
Robots: The IMAX Experience (PG) –12:15;2:30;4:45;7:10;9:15;11:30 pm. ;
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous **(PG-13) –1:15;4:10;7:00;9:50 pm;12:20 am. ;
Be Cool (PG-13) –1:10;4:15;7:25;10:10 pm;12:45 am. ;
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (PG-13) –1:45;4:40;7:30;10:15 pm;12:40 am. ;
The Ring Two (PG-13) –1:20;4:00;6:40;7:05;9:15;9:40;11:50 pm;12:10 am. ;
The Ring Two **(PG-13) –12:40;3:25;6:10;8:50;11:20 pm. ;
Ice Princess (G) –1:00;3:15;5:35;8:00;10:20 pm;12:30 am. ;
Robots (PG) –12:45;1:25;3:00;4:05;5:15;7:35 pm. ;
Million Dollar Baby (PG-13) –12:25;3:20;6:30;9:25 pm;12:15 am. ;
Saturday, March 26, 2005
The Ring Two **(PG-13) –12:40;3:25;6:10;8:50;11:20 pm. ;
The Ring Two (PG-13) –1:20;4:00;6:40;7:05;9:15;9:40;11:50 pm;12:10 am. ;
Ice Princess (G) –1:00;3:15;5:35;8:00;10:20 pm;12:30 am. ;
Guess Who **(PG-13) –1:05;3:45;6:45;9:20;11:55 pm. ;
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous **(PG-13) –1:15;4:10;7:00;9:50 pm;12:20 am. ;
Be Cool (PG-13) –1:10;4:15;7:25;10:10 pm;12:45 am. ;
Hitch (PG-13) –1:30;4:20;6:55;9:35 pm;12:10 am. ;
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (PG-13) –1:45;4:40;7:30;10:15 pm;12:40 am. ;
Robots (PG) –12:45;1:25;3:00;4:05;5:15;7:35 pm. ;
The Pacifier (PG) –12:00;2:15;4:35;6:50;9:10;11:25 pm. ;
Robots: The IMAX Experience (PG) –12:15;2:30;4:45;7:10;9:15;11:30 pm. ;
Hostage (R) –1:40;4:50;7:20;9:55 pm;12:25 am. ;
Guess Who (PG-13) –1:35;4:25;7:15;10:00 pm;12:25 am. ;
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (PG-13) –10:05 pm;12:35 am. ;
Million Dollar Baby (PG-13) –12:25;3:20;6:30;9:25 pm;12:15 am. ;
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (PG-13) –10:05 pm. ;
Hostage (R) –1:40;4:50;7:20;9:55 pm. ;
Guess Who **(PG-13) –1:05;3:45;6:45;9:20 pm. ;
Robots: The IMAX Experience (PG) –12:15;2:30;4:45;7:10;9:15 pm. ;
The Pacifier (PG) –12:00;2:15;4:35;6:50;9:10 pm. ;
Guess Who (PG-13) –1:35;4:25;7:15;10:00 pm. ;
Hitch (PG-13) –1:30;4:20;6:55;9:35 pm. ;
Robots (PG) –12:45;1:25;3:00;4:05;5:15;7:35 pm. ;
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous **(PG-13) –1:15;4:10;7:00;9:50 pm. ;
Be Cool (PG-13) –1:10;4:15;7:25;10:10 pm. ;
The Ring Two **(PG-13) –12:40;3:25;6:10;8:50 pm. ;
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (PG-13) –1:45;4:40;7:30;10:15 pm. ;
Ice Princess (G) –1:00;3:15;5:35;
Posted in Uncategorized
Hockley Attorney Issues Statement on Deposition Decision: Still Thinking
By finding that Mr. Hockley “should have been given an opportunity” to take the depositions of the principal witnesses against him, the Appellate Division stood up for fundamental fairness and vindicated the position we have maintained since December, 2003, when Westchester Supreme summarily prohibited us from taking those depositions.
But the Appellate Division failed to follow its own legal ruling to its logical conclusion: that Mr. Hockley must be restored to office. In so doing, the Appellate Division has abandoned long-standing legal precedent which dictates that summary judgment must be reversed when granted without the losing party having had proper discovery Instead, in a determination which it admitted was “unique,” the Appellate Division left summary judgment in place– and Mr. Hockley out of office– pending the completion of depositions. It’s a decision reminiscent of the “Sentence first– verdict afterwards” of Alice in Wonderland.
The disputed election was held in November 2001. The Attorney General commenced this lawsuit to overturn Mr. Hockley’s certified victory in December 2002. After the Appellate Division decided in late 2003 that the commencement was still timely, we were prepared to take the depositions that the Appellate Division now confirms we had the right to take. But it is now fifteen and a half months later, with only seven and a half months before the next election for Common Council. The Court’s proposed four-and-a half month delay hardly seems designed to promote a fair and timely resolution of the case.
We will carefully consider whether the procedure laid out by the Court makes any sense at this late date or if there are alternatives available to Mr. Hockley.
Radio Latimer: Assemblyman Talks Albany on WVOX 1460 1 P.M.
Latimer, who has appeared on WVOX over the last 20 years, launched the program in early March, and provides an opening update on news from the week in Albany. Invited each week are guests from one of the seven communities that comprise the 91st Assembly District, for a discussion of key local issues. Callers are then welcomed to call-in to ask questions of Latimer and/or the guests.
To date, Assemblyman Latimer has interviewed the Rye Brook Village Administrator Chris Bradbury; two Larchmont Village Trustees Anne McAndrews and Marlene Kolbert; and Mamaroneck Village Trustee Tom Murphy. Upcoming guests will focus on Rye City, Port Chester, Mamaroneck
Town and New Rochelle.
“I’m pleased to be on the air every week”, Latimer noted. “It’s one more way to keep in touch with the people I represent”. Latimer hosted a call-in program for 4 years during his tenure as Chairman of the
Westchester County Board of Legislators, from 1998-2001.
The studio line for callers to the program is 636-0110. For more information, contact Assemblyman Latimer’s office at 777-3832.