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The Great Blackout of 2003

Posted on August 30, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR BOOK CHAT. From First Books Library. August 30, 2003: Force Recon units are part of the U.S. Marine Corps. We conduct raids, do enemy captures, and collect intelligence. We perform other special operations, too. One of these dark ops is covert surveillance of our national security, to expose the mind set in Washington that tolerates acts of domestic terrorism like the “Great Blackout of 2003” that just happened.

Now you can read all about it, in “Behold Leviathan,” this first ever public disclosure of our activities stateside … a document which clearly predicts events like the “power failure” in the NorthEast that left 20 million people without electricity on August 15th, 2003.

About the Author

William Clark was 21st in his class at the U.S. Naval Academy, and later received the Army’s highest peacetime award for turning in a cache of drug users and dealers at White Sands Missile Range; the military’s highest security installation. Clark is a licensed Professional Engineer in several engineering disciplines, and has a MSE in Celestial Mechanics. He is considered an international expert in energy conservation, having published many technical papers, and two textbooks with McGraw-Hill, Retrofitting for Energy Conservation and Electrical Design Guide for Commercial Buildings He is quite knowledgeable in all aspects of major power distribution systems. Fundamentally there are two problems: the electrical distribution system and total neglect of the principles of energy conservation. Why has nobody in authority mentioned the latter? That is what “Behold Leviathan” is all about.

Women for John Kerry Breakfast.

Posted on August 30, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR WESTCHESTER ROUNDUP. From Women for John Kerry. August 30, 2003: On Friday, September 19 there will be a Women for John Kerry Breakfast at the Grand Hyatt at Grand Central Station. Doors open at 7:30 am with the program scheduled to be completed by 9:00 am. Eight women from Westchester are on the Host Committee: Judith Coyne of Pelham Manor, Betty Cotton of Scarsdale, Helene Godin of Hastings on the Hudson, Michelle Jennings of Pelham, Jennifer Ryan Safsel of Pelham Manor, Catherine Sameuals of Larchmont, Mary Jean Tully of Armonk, and Kate Weingarten of Mamaroneck.

Westchester Women for John Kerry organized 52 women to attend the last Women for John Kerry luncheon and hope to bring more to the breakfast. “Women are concerned about the direction this country is headed in. Federal budget cuts to the states impacts public education, jobs, and even national security. In Westchester, women worry about homeland security not only in nearby New York City, but in and around Indian Point. Women want more than a message sent to Washington and with John Kerry they feel they have a real shot at sending a new President to Washington.” states Jennifer Ryan Safsel the Westchester volunteer contact for John Kerry.

Individual tickets to the event are $150. To attend the upcoming breakfast or any other New York events for John Kerry for President, log onto www.johnkerry.com/events/fund_raising.html or contact Jennifer Ryan Safsel at (914) 738-7108 or Maureen McManus at (212) 213 -0220

Westco Seeking

Posted on August 27, 2003 by John Bailey

Westco Productions, a professional theater company based in White Plains, will be auditioning children ages 8-10 to play munchkins in their upcoming production of the MGM movie “The Wizard of Oz.” Rehearsals in White Plains begin October 18, 2003. Performances at the Westchester Broadway Theatre on November 1st & 8th with possible extension. Children should have musical theater experience and be no taller than 4’10”. Auditions will be held at the Westchester Broadway Theatre on Saturday, September 20, 2003 beginning at 11:00 am. Those interested in auditioning should send a picture and resume to: Westco Productions, 9 Romar Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605. You will be called to attend auditions.

Westco Auditions for 2003-04 Season

Posted on August 27, 2003 by John Bailey

Westco Productions, a professional theater company based in White Plains, is holding auditions for its 2003-04 season of Theatre For Young Audiences. Productions are held at the Rochambeau Theater in White Plains, the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford and the Antrim Playhouse in Suffern. Two productions tour for a two-month period. TYA and/or musical theater experience a must. Performances are weekdays and Saturdays. Rehearsals are for one week. There is rehearsal and performance pay. Auditions will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2003 beginning at 10:00 am at the Westchester Broadway Theatre. Sign up sheet will be at theater upon arrival. Send picture and resume to: Westco Productions, 9 Romar Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605. You will be contacted to attend auditions.

Fortunoff’s Grand Opening September 17

Posted on August 22, 2003 by John Bailey

Invitation to a Fortunoff’s Affair

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS STREET. August 22, 2003: Invitations have gone out to White Plains elitists and elegantes, to the grand Fortunoff’s Opening on Wednesday, September 17, at the Fortunoffs at the new Number 1 Maple Avenue and Bloomingdale Road. The reception will begin at 10:00 A.M. followed by a Ribbon Cutting at 11:00 A.M.

The classy invitation, arriving in a glassene envelope, containing a die cut “F” arrived Thursday in the mailboxes of White Plains “rich, powerful and famous”.

The Opening at Fortunoffs will be preceded on September 9, by the Grand Opending of the Cheesecake Factory as the new White Plains begins to take shape this fall.

REAL SIMPLE SAYS — GET ORGANIZED WHITE PLAINS

Posted on August 20, 2003 by John Bailey

REAL SIMPLE magazine’s Get Organized America
Turning White Plains’ Clutter into Cash for People in Need

If you’ve been looking for the right motivation to clean out that cluttered closet, messy basement or overstocked garage, REAL SIMPLE magazine has just the excuse – REAL SIMPLE magazine’s Get Organized America. The citywide campaign will encourage people to clean up their homes to benefit a worthwhile cause – Family Services of Westchester (FSW).

From September 2 through October 2, REAL SIMPLE magazine’s Get Organized America program encourages White Plains residents to sort through their problem closets and rooms and bring donations to designated drop-off points. For people who can’t drop-off donations, a fleet of Volkswagen Touareg luxury SUV’s will make house calls for pick-ups.

REAL SIMPLE magazine’s Celebrate Getting Organized event will be on October 11, 2003 from 10 am-4 pm on Court Street between Main Street and Martine Avenue (adjacent to The Galleria) in downtown White Plains. The event will feature a tag sale of the donated items, plus activities for the entire family including an entertainment stage, games, food and much more. All of the proceeds will be donated to the White Plains Center of FSW to renovate the client services rooms.

REAL SIMPLE magazine’s Get Organized America, will also teach people how to organize like a pro at a series of free organizational seminars sponsored by The Container Store, MasterCard, Volkswagen, Palm Inc. and Martex. The seminars will be at 360 Hamilton Avenue in White Plains.

Sep. 6 @ 9 am-10:30 am — Closet organization
Sep. 13 @ 9 am-10:30 am — Making the most of your linen closet
Sep. 20 @ 9 am-10:30 am — Organizing your finances

“Real Simple Get Organized’ America encourages community-wide participation and furthers our goal of bringing neighbors together for a good cause. The City is happy to participate and I urge all White Plains residents and businesses to pitch in and make this a huge success for Family Services of Westchester,” said the city’s Mayor Joseph Delfino.”

To learn more about REAL SIMPLE magazine’s Get Organized America, the free seminars, to schedule a pick-up, or find out the location of the nearest drop-point, call 1-866-4-DECLUTTER or visit the web site at www.getorganizedamerica.com.

Parent-Child Home Program Program Open To Families In White Plains

Posted on August 20, 2003 by John Bailey

The Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP) of Westchester Jewish Community Services is seeking eligible families in Greenburgh, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Port Chester and White Plains to participate in this free in home preschool program. PCHP promotes the joy of learning with children 18 months to 4 years and supports parents as their children’s first and most important teacher.

PCHP serves families challenged by limited income, low levels of education and/or language barriers. In home sessions with the parent and child, the Home Visitor emphasizes verbal interaction and learning through play and using carefully chosen books and toys, which are provided to families at no cost. The half-hour sessions are held twice weekly. Essential to the program is respect for the privacy and ethnic and cultural heritage of all families.

In the past 31 years, nearly 2,600 Westchester children have participated in the program. For further information call Program Director Patrice Cuddy at 949-7699, X324.

Housing Authority With a Heart: Mack Carter Brings Summerscope to White Plains

Posted on August 19, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. August 19, 2003: In his few months as Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, Mack Carter has taken the word Authority out of the WPHA, and replaced it with the words “heart,” “intelligence,” and “ingenuity.” As a youth, Mack Carter grew up in the Sumner Projects in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, and he remembers. Monday, at the opening of Coca Cola’s SummerScope 2003 at Highlands Middle School, Mack Carter gave back to 400 youths from White Plains, Mount Vernon and Harlem what he did not have long ago in Brooklyn: a week of instruction, recreation, and career advice in the fields of sports, television production, and entertainment.

In return for Coke placing soda machines in the seven Housing Authority buildings in White Plains at Winbrook, DeKalb and Lake Street, Carter reached an agreement with Coca Cola to bring Summerscope , a national entertainment and sports camp program run by the International Association of African-American Music to White Plains.

The program kicked off Monday at Highlands Middle School.

Carter said he had long hoped that Summerscope, a program in place for 19 years touring the country’s cities, could come to White Plains. Specifically he wanted Coca Cola to bring it to White Plains at a time when youths who were troubled academically could attend it. He said he saw the program introducing them to possibilities for the future at a time when they were finished with summer academic programs. Carter said he and Frank Williams of the city’s Youth Bureau and Timothy Connors, Superintendent of Schools had all worked together to bring the Summerscope program to White Plains and make it happen.

At 9:30, approximately 400 youths began registering for the Monday through Friday program. They were awaiting the appearance of Destiny’s Child star, Kelly Rowland, who was scheduled to appear Monday afternoon. Other stars and celebrities scheduled to appear this week at Highlands were MC Lyte, MTV VJ La La, Lil’ Mo, Big Tigger of BET’s Rap City, Rhythm & Blues artist Jaheim and Allan Houston of the New York Knickerbockers.

The news conference announcing the program was delayed for approximately 45 minutes, while the several hundred youths waited in their seats, patiently and well-behaved. We were all awaiting the arrival of News 12 crews. When it did get underway at 10:15, Mayor Joseph Delfino recalled that he attended school in this very building, and that he decided he wanted to do something in government, so he studied what he could about government. He noted that “Coca Cola is willing to invest in you young people so youave a career. We care about you.” Photo by WPCNR News

The program allows students to choose from three career paths: entertainment where they will meet some of the recording industry stars and star athletes. During the week-long camp, the White Plains, Mount Vernon and Harlem residents gain knowledge of the sports world and the entertainment industry through basketball clinics with pro athletes and coaches and seminars with music executives on breaking into the entertainment industry. After a brief introduction from camp celebrity leaders, each teen selects either a sports, or entertainment track for the week. The teens attending the White Plains camp at Highlands will have a choice of basketball, television production, and music.

Coca-Cola funds the free camp for some 2,000 teens over the summer. Previously the entourage has staged Summerscope in Baltimore, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Union City, New Jersey, Norfolk, Virginia, Roxbury, Ma., with White Plains and Brooklyn the last two stops.

Carter said he wanted to bring the camp back next year, but different sites are selected for the Summerscope tour each year, according to the Coca Cola representatives.

Carter said he felt it was the White Plains Housing Authority responsibility to improve the quality of life of families living in its buildings, and Summerscope was just one of the efforts he has undertaken to enhance opportunities and life for his “customers” as he calls them.

Carter said the Housing Authority is undertaking a new security program for all seven buildings, consisting of video surveillance cameras, as just one component, and that he would be able to supply more information on the security improvements shortly.

He announced that a new computer lab facility would be incorporated at the White Plains Housing Authority’s new headquarters being constructed at 225 South Lexington Avenue, for the use of residents and youths. He said the WPHA Headquarters should be completed in about 18 months, and would include a community Tenant Center with auditorium, as just two customer-friendly amenities the WPHA is bringing to its clientele.

Albany Voting System Task Force Setup Flawed. Bradley Seeks Reform

Posted on August 16, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. August 16, 2003: Florida’s dysfunctional voting system took center stage during the November 2000 presidential elections and ultimately led to a new federal law to overhaul the nation’s voting standards. Like other states, New York is in the process of reforming the way its citizens vote. Our election system relies on antiquated procedures and equipment. In fact, the two companies that manufactured the machines we’ve used for the last 60 years have stopped making them and now even replacement parts are scarce.

It’s time we streamline the voting process and restore voters’ confidence in the system. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) gives New York that opportunity by providing federal aid to modernize the election process. Unfortunately, the state Task Force responsible for bringing this reform drafted a short-sighted plan that leaves our state unprepared for this important restructuring.

HAVA is supposed to help states create a uniform, computerized voter registration list and assist states with establishing standardized, electronic voting machines. In order to receive federal funds, each state must design a plan, pass enabling legislation, and appropriate state funds. The process must also include citizen participation and public review. While the Task Force’s draft plan meets the bare minimum requirements, it does not provide an adequate level of detail on several key issues.

Voting machine standards

The Task Force’s plan vaguely states that New York will undertake a statewide effort to replace lever voting machines currently used in all counties. But the plan offers no further detail of the machine selection process, how they will be phased in by January 1, 2006, or whether or not the new machines will be uniform statewide. The plan alludes to accommodating the needs of the disabled community, but falls short of ensuring statewide compliance and accessibility. I firmly believe that voting machines must be uniform statewide and that there must be accessibility for the disabled. The task force’s plan must address these issues.

The plan also needs to address how poll workers and voters will be educated on using the new machines. After all, the first time many voters are going to see them will be during the next presidential election and that could be disastrous if voters don’t know what to expect. The plan’s ambiguity in machine selection and poll training denies the public its opportunity and right to provide meaningful input addressing these issues.

Implementing a statewide voter registration list

The plan fails to describe how the centralized registered voter list will become available to county election officials. Other than the Department of Motor Vehicles, the plan does not list any databases that will be used to lessen the need for voter identification at the polls.

This plan misses the opportunity to include detail on how these databases will be selected and how agreements for access can be reached. Again, by not including this in the draft the public can not fully judge if it achieves its goal.

Developing a comprehensive statewide training program

The Task Force’s plan needs to provide further information about how the voter outreach and education campaign will be implemented. There is no detail on how it will be developed, what the costs will be, or how the information will be distributed to the public. This campaign should be developed with the help of community organizations, state associations, election officials and literacy experts.

The Assembly addressed some of these problems by approving a package of legislation that ensures New York’s compliance with the Help America Vote Act. The package would:

· consolidate election operations at the county level to ensure elections are run consistently, and polling places are adequately staffed with well-trained workers (A.8833);

· create a computerized, centralized, interactive statewide voter registration list with proper privacy protections easing confusion at the polls, ensuring that voters get in and out of the polls quickly, and helping crackdown on voter fraud (A.8842);

· ban punch card ballots and encourage counties to adopt a single type of electronic voting machine that will be accessible to all citizens – including persons with disabilities and voters with limited English proficiency – and easily audited in order to assure voter confidence (A.8847);

· provide instructions for paper ballots to avoid over-votes and ensure voters are aware of their right to a replacement ballot (A.8831); and

· require a posting at each poll site of information relating to voting, the ballot and voter rights (A.8840).

We want a system that works for the voters. It’s time we end the confusion at polling places, increase voter turnout and empower all New Yorkers to participate in the process.

Elections are the lifeblood of our democracy, but they are meaningless without public trust. HAVA offers New York state the opportunity to increase voter participation and modernize the voting process. It’s the Task Force’s responsibility to provide the specific detail needed to bring 21^st century technology to the public and ensure the integrity of our elections.

Cantatore Chides Ryan on Childrens Museum Rivalry

Posted on August 14, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS STREET. From The Cantatore Campaign. August 14, 2003: White Plains candidate for Westchester County Legislator in the Fifth District, Frank Cantatore, Wednesday called for his opponent William Ryan, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Legislators, to put a stop to a County plan to build a Children’s Museum at Playland. According to Cantatore, the County plan directly competes with an initiative by White Plains to build a Children’s Museum in its downtown and undermines the City’s overall economic development plan.
“Children’s museums are a fun and exciting way for kids to learn,” said Cantatore. Westchester County needs a Children’s Museum and White Plains is the perfect place for one, with its central location and with all of the new offerings that will be available in the near future; not to mention ample parking and transportation to it from all corners of Westchester.” Cantatore said that he hoped that Ryan would introduce his resolution to the full Board immediately. “The resolution I am proposing is a general statement which simply says that the County government can not use County property to directly compete with local government initiatives”, Cantatore said. “The County was well aware as was Ryan of White Plains intention to attract a Children’s Museum and should not have been offering to lease property at Playland to lure Children’s Museums away from White Plains.”

The Children’s Museum belongs in White Plains”, Cantatore said. “The City of White Plains has been making tremendous progress in its efforts to revitalize the downtown and the Children’s Museum, like the movie theater and retail project, has been an important part of that effort. It is inconceivable to me that Bill Ryan, who is supposed to represent White Plains, has stood by and done nothing to protect the City’s interests.”

Cantatore called on Ryan to adopt a resolution of the Board of Legislators restricting the County from using County from using Playland to directly compete with the City for a Children’s Museum. “Westchester County is acting like an 800 pound gorilla here, using its substantial resources to stamp out the competition,” Cantatore said. “The County’s role is to provide assistance to local governments, not compete with them.” Cantatore said that establishing a Children’s Museum in White Plains is an important priority and said that as County Legislator, he would work closely with Mayor Delfino to accomplish the City’s goal. According to the Association Children’s Museums, national attendance at children’s museums has boomed in the last decade, as the institutions have become “a new kind of town square”. In the year 2000, 33 million children and families visited a children’s museum in the United States, up from 8 million in 1991. Visiting children range in age from preschoolers to 6^th and 7^th graders at some locations. These museums complement efforts in schools, childcare centers, and homes to enrich the lives and education of children.