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

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION LEDGER. By John Bailey with information provided by Don Jacks, FEMA, Washington, D.C. July 25, 2003: WPCNR has been faxed a letter sent to Governor George Pataki of New York, Friday, informing the Governor that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has reviewed the Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam County emergency plans and evacuation procedures in the event of an Indian Point radiation leak, and has reached a “determination of reasonable assurance that the off-site preparedness for the Indian Point Energy Center is adequate.”

The letter provided to WPCNR by Don Jacks of FEMA’s office in Washington, D.C., gives the Westchester County and three other county performances during the September 2002 emergency preparedness drills as indication, in their view that the counties are prepared.

The letter also notes that Westchester’s responses to FEMA suggestions since September have improved that preparedness, and gives the Westchester County cooperation as the reason why it can judge the emergency plans adequate. The text of the letter appears in the rest of this report:

Asked to comment on Governor Pataki’s broadcast comment this evening that “The Witt Report is accurate,” Mr. Jacks declined to comment if FEMA considered the report accurate, in which the Witt Report said evacuation plans were inadequate in the face of a fast-breaking terrorist attack.

FEMA executives listed  146 factual errors and flaws, and downright inaccuracies in the Witt Report when first submitted, which are documented in detail in a previous WPCNR report.

To access WPCNR’s article, headlined “Witt-Washed” documenting the Pataki-characterized “accurate” report, do a search on the WPCNR site using the words, “Witt Report Errors.” FEMA executives heaped harsh criticism upon the scholarship and expertise of the Witt Report by FEMA,  and all of their acid invective was published on the Journal News website, and removed within 24 hours after it was posted. Despite the documentation of Witt Report mistakes, Governor George Patak still described the report as “accurate,” today.  The Witt Report cost New York State approximately $850,000.

Jim Steets, Entergy’s spokeskman was heard on broadcast reports praising the decision that he characterized as being based on opinions of persons expert in safety at nuclear plants.

Jacks of FEMA added that some suggestions of the Witt Report had been incorporated by the counties in upgraded emergency plans since September 2002, but did not specify what they were, saying, “We took the Witt Report under advisement and included certain aspects of it.”

Asked what legal means he thought Westchester County could use to prevent the NRC from relicensing the plant, Jacks said he did not know and could not comment on that.

Legal speculators contacted by WPCNR felt that it was a murky issue whether the ruling had to challenged in state courts and then move through the legal system, or if it could be taken directly to federal court.

Jacks was asked what the NRC would do next, and he said FEMA has told the NRC, “we are ready to move ahead.”

Herewith is the text of the letter faxed Governor Pataki Friday announcing the FEMA decision, and provided to WPCNR by Don Jacks of FEMA in Washington:

The Honorable George Pataki

State Capitol

Albany, New York 12224

Dear Governor Pataki:

I am writing to transmit the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) determination of reasonable assurance that the off-site preparedness for the Indian Point Energy Center (Indian Point) is adequate. I also want to outline the additional actions FEMA is prepared to take to help make the region a model of preparedness for the nation.

Basis for Determination

After carefully considering all available information, we have reasonable assurance that appropriate protective measures to protect the health and safety of surrounding communities can be taken and are capable of being implemented in the event of a radiological incident at the Indian Point facility.

Emergency planning for Indian Point is an on-going, cyclical process. In early 2003, FEMA reviewed in detail all of the State and local plans received since the late summer of 2002 and notified the State and local counties of additional improvements needed in the plans. At present, three of the counties – Putnam, Orange, and Rockland – have updated their plans and provided an annotated list of their changes. Westchester County has also updated its plans with the assistance of outside contractors, but Westchester has refused to provide FEMA with a copy of those detailed plan updates. However, Westchester County has demonstrated an adequate level of preparedness by actively exercising their plans and participating in other planning and training events. Our finding is based on the following:

• Our February 21, 2003 letter transmitting the Indian Point 2002 Exercise Report to New York State reported that the September 2002 full-scale exercise of local emergency response plans was successful, with no Deficiencies in the off-site emergency protective measures used.

• In the most recent out-of-sequence demonstrations and drills related to the September 2002 exercise, the State and counties have continued to successfully demonstrate their ability to respond to the scenarios presented.

• In our review it is apparent that the plans from Rockland, Orange and Putnam counties have been further updated since the September 2002 exercise to address: (1) the 2003 Evacuation Time Estimate Studies (ETE), with shadow evacuation estimates; (2) Letters of Agreement between counties and resource providers, such as bus companies; and (3) planning for schoolchildren with appropriate notification and protective action decisions. These plans, including Westchester County’s plan, will be tested in the scheduled exercise in the middle of 2004.

• Although Westchester County has not permitted a detailed review by FEMA of its updated plans the County has worked with Entergy (Indian Point’s operator) to update its plans in response to comments from FEMA, it continues to participate in all drills, and continues to demonstrate its involvement by leading the Four County Nuclear Safety Committee and by attending other training and planning events.

The Future Security of Indian Point

In response to your (Governor Pataki’s) letters concerning the security of Indian Point, FEMA has been working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to ensure that your issues are addressed. To demonstrate our commitment to help the State and affected counties become a model of preparedness for the nation, FEMA and the NRC will work with New York to include a simulated terrorist scenario as part of the next emergency planning exercise for Indian Point currently planned for the middle of 2004. In addition, our regional office in New York will conduct additional training and provide further technical assistance on preparing for and responding to Weapons of Mass Destruction attacks. To fulfill your prior request that FEMA and the NRC review the safety of Indian Point site, FEMA officials are available to meet with you to discuss federal guidance for offsite planning as they relate to potential terrorist threats.

We look forward to close coordination with yhour office to accomplish our mutual goal of assuring that the emergency response plans and preparedness not only continue to be adequate to protect the public health and safety but become a model for the nation. We remain available to meet with your office to further discuss our joint efforts and your suggestions regarding an improved radiological emergency planning process.

Sincerely

R. David Paulison

Director, Preparedness Division

Federal Emergency Management Agency

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. Sterling, Virginia. July 24, 2003: The Brewster Rockets season ended at 9:15 P.M. Wednesday night when a grass-seeking missile three feet off the ground from an Ashburn Virginia Shooting Stars bat smashed into right field through the first base hole sending the tying and winning runs scampering madly across the plate to give the Stars a 3-2 win in the bottom of the seventh, handing the Rockets their second straight tough loss to bring their stay at the PONY Nationals to an end.
 Erin Dommermuth had been dominating, keeping the Stars off balance for 6 and one-third innings before a smash to first base went off the first sackers’ glove and in her scramble for the ball she appeared to reach first ahead of the runner, but no, the umpire signaled safe on a very very very very close play. The Stars had a life. A bad omen.

 Erin went to work on the next hitter, working the count to 2-2 then threw a pitch on the inside corner that the umpire had been calling a strike all night. Not this time. Of course, you knew it would not be this time. There’s something about umpires who in a mistaken effort to give another team a chance, are reluctant to punch out a hitter in the last inning on a third strike. It’s known in the dugouts as “squeezing the pitcher.” With the count 3-2,  Erin walked the hitter on the next pitch. On the next batter, a grounder snared by Meg Johnson at second moved the runners up to second and third, setting the scene for the Vienna Star heroinics.

 On the winning hit, the right fielder’s throw to first to attempt to nab the runner at first and end the game was not in time and the throw to the plate was off, allowing the winning run to score from second.

 Dommermuth had thrown an efficient 84 pitches, striking out three and walking only two. Her blue eyes blazing like sapphires  working in a compact determined rhythm, she had faced just two threats until the fateful seventh in another one of her clutch performances. Her changeup was performing beautifully in the humid Old Dominion twilight setting her up for slices of the corners with a live fastball.

 The final game saw Shane Pais break out of her slump with a solid single  to center to lead off the fourth inning of a scoreless game. She moved to second on Andrea Bondi’s grounder to short, and after Kaleigh Burke and Jess Cundari walked, Amanda Anderson ripped a single up the middle to score Shane with the first Rocket run. Ashburn tied it with a double down the rightfield line and a single in the bottom half.

 That’s the way she stayed until the seventh when Dommermuth walked and was sacrificed to second by Meg Johnson, moved to third on Shane Pais grounder and on a routine fly to center the centerfielder dropped the third out giving the Rockets an ill-fated, 2-1 lead. In the sixth, the Rockets failed to score with the go-ahead run on third and less than 2 out, electing not to send the runner on a fly ball to medium left.

 It was another one of those “character-building games” that the diamond produces to test the heart, will and determination of those who play the game. Rocket bats had been hitting into bad luck the entire long hot day, hitting many shots to deep portions of the outfield finding leather instead of grass. It happens that way at the Nationals.

 In Game two earlier, played at 4:30 P.M. Rocket satellites were caught five times by the North Haven Eclipse (from outside Philadelphia) rightfielder, three of them gapers hit by Melissa Milligram, Nicole Reichert and Angela Bondi that were caught backhanded and over the shoulder by the ballhawk in the right center alley. It was a performance reminiscent of Tommie Agee’s day in the sun against the Orioles in the 1969 World Series. As one Rocket parent noted, “you do that once, you’re lucky, you do that three times, you’re good.”

In that second game, the home plate umpire started the game by rejecting Katy Slingerland’s first pitch because he wasn’t ready. This apparently upset Katy and she could not find her control, walking the bases loaded and promptly walking in a run on the fifth hitter and two more runs on a single down the line and the Rockets found themselves down 3-0. Another run was plated in the third on a screaming line drive double that took off over the left fielder’s glove just as she was coming in on the ball. The runner scored on a single by the next hitter to make it 4-0.

 Ashley Clark and  Burke singled, and were brought home on a two out single by Jessie Cundari to make it 4-2, but that was as close the Rockets got. In the sixth, after an error, the Eclipse rightfielder killed a threat by backhanding a ball at her knees to break the back of a rally, and with two on and two-out Jess Cundari and Katy Slingerhand fanned and popped up to end that threat.

 To begin the seventh, Melissa Milligram blasted when deeeeep into right center. The rightfielder went back, back, back to her right and hauled it in off balance, preventing setting up a rally, and on Nicole Reichert’s drive she raced in to her right and backhanded it. Instead of 4-3 and tying run in scoring position, nobody out, the Rockets were down to their last out which was a liner to the second baseman. The Rockets were one loss from elimination.

 In the first elimination game of the day, the Rockets had a lesson in “tournament gamesmanship.” With Katy Slingerland in the circle, (Kaleigh Burke had  injured her arm slightly, and the Rockets elected to go with Slingerland today), the Rockets got off to a bad break start. A walk, an error, and a steal of third, and a misplayed bunt fielders choice gave the Jersey Tornados a 1-0 lead. And then the stall began.

 The Tornado hitters stepped out of the box frequently. Coaches consulted with the umpires before evey inning and players slowly took the field after every at bat. They pinch ran frequently. It took an hour out of the allotted hour and a half time limit to play three innings, and the Tornados had only a 2-0 lead. What this is known as in Tournament jargon is “shortening the game” which allows you to give the opposition less opportunities at bat. The umpires allowed this charade to continue. The stalling tactics by the Tornados included players not taking their positions in the outfield, taking time to send runners in for the catcher, and consultations with the umpires before every Tornado at bat started. In the fourth inning, the Tornado coach, whom we will call “Mr. Fat Orange T-Shirt” attempted to substitute a batter when he had no substitutes left. Jim Cundari told the plate umpire who had been condoning this bush league tactic for a hour, “He has no substitutes left. He’s just delaying the game.”

Then, “Mr. Fat Orange T-Shirt” mouthed off. Caught in the act, he sneered in a comment that was heard by all the 14 year old girls on the field and fans in the stands “That’s B**LS**T. As if we needed to (delay the game).”

 Did the umpire throw the coach out of the game for unsportsmanlike conduct, like he should have? No. A bad job by this umpiring crew allowing the Tornados to drag out the game, number one, and giving them a warning then condoning obscene language on the field by “Mr. Fat Orange T-Shirt.”

If I’m the homeplate umpire, “Mr. Fat Orange T-Shirt” watches the rest of the game from the parking lot for that little tantrum. The umpire should have.

 Introducing obscenity in the field so all can hear  exhibits a lack of respect for the children who are playing the game, demonstrates no respect for the opponents or the Nationals, (or the purpose of the Nationals, promoting sportsmanship and competition), and shows that this coach does not have the maturity to handle criticism. He got caught, knew it, and had a hissy fit. Not a good thing. He’s a busher.

 Furthermore, by cursing another coach, he disgraced and embarrassed all the parents of the players on his team, and showed all those fourteen year old girls who play for him how not to act in public. He was a disgrace to the PONYS. He also showed absolutely no respect for the young ballplayers. He should grow up before he coaches.

 Here’s why you can’t condone that kind of behavior if you’re an umpire:

 As the fourth inning progressed, the “B.S.” incident upset the Rockets so much, that Katy Slingerland lost her control again, walking two hitters, and giving up a single to make the score 3-0. Things then imploded. A bunt was misplayed, and a bases clearing double made the score 6-0. Erin Dommermuth came in, getting her bearings, she surrendered a pair of singles and a grand slam over the centerfield fence to make it 10-0.

 When the Tornados took the field in the bottom of the inning, they ran out on the field and were quite efficient thereafter. The 10-0 game only lasted five innings. In contrast when the North Haven Eclipse played the Rockets in Game Two, they had a 4-2 lead, after 4, ran out on the field, got into the batter’s box promptly, and the game was completed in regulation in an hour and a half.

The Rockets final day at the nationals began with distribution of the laundry. Laundry was taken care of by Mary Ellen Pais and Gary Milligram who collected both sets of Rocket uniforms Tuesday evening and at 5 A.M. in the morning trekked to the all night Laundromat and washed the Rocket colors. A great job, and one that all the parents for all 255 teams had to do.

Another great kudo has to go to the Loudoun County Recreation and Parks Department. When the Rockets returned from their game Tuesday evening, thunderstorms rolled in  Northern Virginia at 9 PM. The Potomac Lakes softball complex where the tournament was being played received two inches of rain over night. Driving pelting sopping rain. Rain creates mud. A lot of it. Puddles pools and slippery conditions.

 The groundscrews had those field ready to play by 8:30 A.M. White Plains Recreation and Parks take note! Talking to the grounds crews, I learned the guys started at 5:30 A.M., worked 100 bags of “Turfis” into the infields and made the fields ready. The fields were safe and playable. A miracle job by the Loudoun County Guys, who prepare every field after each game through the day, lining it with batters boxes and foul lines and grooming the fields for each set of teams that play down here. They also have a guy who whips a little tractor around the field with precision turning the soft fine dirt infields down here into carpets.

 A final word about the PONY Umpiring. It is not as good as the NSA crews whom yours truly has seen work the last two years at the NSA nationals. General consensus of teams I talked to was that the umpires meant well, but were inconsistent in calling strike zones. Another problem is that the Rockets got the same crew for three games today.

 In a tournament, it may be impossible to avoid and coordinate but more effort should be made to assure that umpires rotate so as not to continually ump the games of one team. Familiarity breeds a history. Another thing, umpires should not fraternize with coaches or anyone on the field when they are doing a game.  It just looks bad. I know they do it to promote good will, but they should not.

 In the major league rule book on umpire conduct, umpire conduct on the field strictly admonishes arbiters to refrain from any interaction or socialization with players, or coaches in their officiating of the game. There are many times when I’m doing a game that I feel like saying nice play or great catch, or great hit. But I do not. There are many times when I feel like joking. But I do not. It compromises you and though you make every call with the best of intentions, if you make small talk with a coach and make a call that advantages his team, well it just looks bad.

 In talking to an umpire, I learned that the umps at the PONYS did at least four to six games a day. Admittedly in your sixth game of the day, you can get a little punchy. They have a tough job.

 Oh, and one last word about umpiring. You have to umpire a game the same way in the last inning as you umped the first. You have to avoid the tendency to do “make-up” calls to “make-up” for missed calls earlier in a game. You have to fight that. And, please, men in blue, have the guts to punch someone out on a third strike in the last inning. Always remember that plate umpire Babe Parilli, called Dale Mitchell out on a third strike to wrap up Don Larsen’s Perfect Game. It was Parilli’s last strike call of his umpiring career, but he called it. Umpires have to eliminate that tendency to squeeze the strike zone in a close game.

A final ode to the parents, the “traveling secretaries:” the travel ball season is over now. No more loyal shouts of “Come on, Kaleigh,” “Good at bat, Ashley,” “Great catch, Shane,” “Nice Hit Melissa,” or any of the pleading shouts that drifted across the many diamonds over this great complex this week. No more packing ice into the coolers, going to the snackbars for the coke, the burger, the salad, and trying to get their pony-tailed players to eat something nutritious in the course of a triple header. No more reaching for the wallet or purse to purchase a t-shirt, softball shorts, or visor.

 No more rehashing games on four hour drives back home from fields deep in some valley somewhere out there in America. No more endlessly tapelooping on missed plays. And players, you won’t be hearing about what you have to do to get better at least until September when it all starts again. The Sarasota Heat, one of the 255 teams down here was 68-23 and their coach was saying the girls were tired and looking for a couple of months off.

 What did the Nationals do for the Rockets? They met a lot of great players. Met new friends. After the tough loss last night, that was climaxed by a flash of lightning just after the game ended, they returned to the hotel, had a swim, ate pizza and enjoyed each other’s silliness. The loss hurt but they had each other. The parents and the coaches, well we were rehashing the games.

But what the Rockets know who go out there between the lines is that the softball diamond is a great crucible that when they stand on it, they learn about heartbreak, unfairness, that they are responsible for their own performance and sometimes no matter how hard you try, it’s not going to be there. However, tonight’s performance is a stepping stone to tomorrow’s. They learn that you just have to keep working at your game to be in the game. They learn who they are, what they are capable of and where they have to go to be better. The game can bring you so low and take you so high. It’s hard that way. It shows people as they really are.

 Being in it  is what matters. Years from now, these Rocket days in the heat and the sun and the dirt will be times to remember. As one 25 year old player told me at a Brakettes clinic last week, she misses tournament ball. She said she loved playing the game. She said she has met so many wonderful people through softball.

As Jim Bouton wrote at the conclusion of “Ball Four,” “You spend half your life gripping a baseball, when it was the other way around all the time.”

Today Thursday is “Getaway Day” as they say in the major leagues. Back to ice rinks and cats and maybe another softball game tonight.

It’s funny how as soon as you leave a diamond, you want to get back on one as soon as possible.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From The Mayor’s Office. July 23, 2003: White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino will formally announce the City’s partnership with Coca-Cola to present Summerscope 2003, a free sports and entertainment camp for underserved children ages 11-17 at the Slater Center on Wednesday, July 23 at 11:00 am. The goal of Summerscope 2003 is to expose teens to career opportunities in either sports or entertainment through workshops taught by professional athletes and industry executives The Mayor will be joined at the podium by representatives of Coca-Cola, IAAAM Foundation, The School District, the Youth Bureau, the White Plains Housing Authority and “Young Steff,” of Jay-Z’s Rock-a-Fella label.White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino will formally announce the City’s partnership with Coca-Cola to present Summerscope 2003, a free sports and entertainment camp for underserved children ages 11-17 at the Slater Center on Wednesday, July 23 at 11:00 am.

The goal of Summerscope 2003 is to expose teens to career opportunities in either sports or entertainment through workshops taught by professional athletes and industry executives The Mayor will be joined at the podium by representatives of Coca-Cola, IAAAM Foundation, The School District, the Youth Bureau, the White Plains Housing Authority and “Young Steff,” of Jay-Z’s Rock-a-Fella label.

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WPCNR TALK OF MARTINE AVENUE. July 23, 2003: Mayor Joseph Delfino and members of the Common Council will hold a public meeting for residents of Martine Avenue and environs to air their concerns and complaints and demands for more reserved parking spaces in the new City Center Parking Garage tentatively set for October, 2003. The meeting open to all will be held in the Common Council Chambers at 7 PM at City Hall

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VARIETY. By John F. Bailey. July 22, 2003: Tony Stimac, Executive Director of the Helen Hayes Theatre Company in Nyack, and his co-producer Jeffrey Rosenstock of Queens Theatre In the Park are about to undertake the challenge of their careers. The duo must produce a fall schedule for the White Plains Performing Arts Center in 70 days with as of Tuesday, July 22, no stage, no lights, no seats, no nothing in place at the big empty space where the theatre is supposed to be created at City Center.

What “S & R Productions” do have is a just-released repertoire of what WPCNR sees as attractive programming scheduled for their own respective theatres, Helen Hayes in Nyack and QTIP in Flushing. Using those schedules as a base, S & R may just pull off a show business “Miracle on Main Street,” should they move some of these productions to the City Center’s WPPAC.

Stimac’s programming lineup at Helen Hayes is classic entertainment with a creative twist, beginning with Jackie Mason’s pre-Broadway premier of Laughing Room Only from September 19 to October 5. Mr. Mason’s show is described on the HHTC website as “a new musical comedy revue.” Could Mr. Mason’s show be eventually performed at the City Center? Mr. Mason’s new vehicle is scheduled for a September 19 to October 5 run at the Helen Hayes in Nyack.  

Stimac follows up Mr. Mason’s entry with The Mancini Project from October 18 to November 2, and it ballyhooed as a “haunting new musical based on the timeless music of Henry Mancini.”

The Music Man,  a revival of the 1950s musical, is the Helen Hayes big holiday show running from November 29 to December 28.

Across the Whitestone Bridge in Flushing, Jeffrey Rosenstock’s Queens Theatre In the Park, after being dark for two months, begins what appears to be an eclectic and intriguing mix of programs, their Latino Cultural Programming Schedule July 30. Mr. Rosenstock presents 15 different performances in two weeks, with a Latino accent, showcasing singers, dance troups, poetry reading in night after night of festive summer fare. QTIP’s website has a spectacular rundown of all 15 performers scheduled.

Rosenstock has scheduled a diverse mix of dance programs: Ailey II, on October 11, DeLunares Danza in November, a flamenco and Spanish dance troup, and in the spring, American Ballet Theatre Studio Ballet is scheduled to perform as well as Dance Brazil, specialists in Afro-Brazil dance with live music.

Mr. R. has programmed  four theatre productions for QTIP: My Cousin’s Wedding, from October 24 to November 2,  a premier of a comedy based on a misdirected wedding invitation; Meshugga-Nuns, from December 5 to 14, a musical revue; a mystery play, Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced, and a revival of the 1970s musical hit, I Love My Wife.

These two lineups offer Rosenstock and Stimac intriguing options for the first six months of White Plains Performing Arts Center program. Could they lure Mr. Mason into one last tune-up before he heads to Broadway in October? Could they schedule performances of any of their productions  either before or after they appear at their own respective theatres? The possibilities are there.

Meanwhile, it is up to Mr. Cappelli’s construction company G. H. Fuller to put up the inside “guts” of the theatre, as designed and “spec’d” by National Amusiments and their architect in 70 days for an October opening as planned.

For more on the productions at Mr. Stimac’s Helen Hayes Theatre Company and Mr. Rosenstock’s Queens Theatre In the Park, go to their websites, www.hhtco.org and www.queenstheatre.org.