Mayor’s Problem Taker-Awayers Show 1-story Housing HQ & Park for Winbrook

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. September 25, 2002: A new plan for a one-story offices and community room complex for a new White Plains Housing Authority headquarters was introduced last night at the Common Council Work Session.



NEW HEADQUARTERS CONCEPT for the Housing Authority is to be presented to Winbrook residents and the Housing Authority Board for their reactions and input and design suggestions in the next few weeks. The 4,000 square foot one floor structure would be constructed onto unused grounds on the north side of 225 Martin Luther King Boulevard, (shown upper right) preserving 3/4 of the green to the East of Bethel Baptist Church (shown at lower left of site plan) and doing away with the three-story office building previously planned for the Fischer Court green (upper left) site.
Photo by WPCNR


A task force chaired by Albert Moroni, the Executive Director of the Parking Authority, working with the Housing Authority, Windbrook neighbors, and the city’s Building, Planning and Traffic Commissioners gathered suggestions and mulled ideas over the last three months.

The team, in cooperation with Mack Carter, new Executive Director of the Housing Authority, has produced a new design for a scaled down White Plains Housing Authority Headquarters, designed by Bernard Arnold, the Housing Authority architect which will be presented to the residents of Winbrook and the board of the Housing Authority for their input, suggestions and reactions.



BLUEPRINT FOR PROGRESS suggests a one-story building addition, which, according to Susan Habel, will provide a larger community room (in center) of addition, with offices and interview rooms on the perimeter of the “Vestpocket Office Building,” as Habel described it. She says residents will be deeply involved in deciding allocation of space in the interior. The building has not been costed out yet, and will be paid for by HUD (Housing & Urban Development)
Photo by WPCNR


In a news conference afterwards, Ms. Habel said that Mack Carter, newly appointed Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, likes the concept. George Gretsas, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, said that the concept had to be approved by the Housing Autthority Board of Directors, which is headed by Larry Sallee, the Chairman of the Housing Authority. The White Plains Housing Authority has sued the city in an Article 78 action over the Common Council refusal to consider the previously proposed 3-story structure planned to take up the entire Fisher Court Green. The suit is still in play at this time.



OVERVIEW OF WINBROOK COMPLEX showing location of proposed one-story headquarters and new park proposal. The faint red letter “B” indicates Bethel Baptist Church, the red letter “P” is site of a proposed grassy park to be designed to specifications of the residents by the designer of the city’s new streetcapes, (John Imbiano of Imbiano-Quigley) from Community Development Funds, estimated to be about $50,000. The building site is to the right of the “P,” to the right of the yellow and black lines. Martin Luther King, Junior Boulevard is on the far right of your picture.
Photo by WPCNR




SITE OF NEW MINI-CENTRAL PARK AT WINBROOK WITH GRASS, planned as part of the new headquarters addition, should it be accepted in principle by the Housing Authority. The view is from immediately in back of 225 Martin Luther King Boulevard.

City Photo


Common Council members Benjamin Boykin, Glen Hockley and Tom Roach all expressed admiration of the plan, subject to the opinions of the citizens who reside in Winbrook. Councilwoman Rita Malmud said she liked the concept, but strongly cautioned that it was subject to Winbrook input.

Mr. Boykin congratulated the staff “for putting their thinking caps on.”

Mayor Delfino, who organized the task force after neighborhood opposition surfaced last spring and appointed Moroni the task of being the facilitator, said, “My whip is worn out.”

Boykin added the proviso that “the tenants have to say what they want (in the building and the new park).”

George Gretsas, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, said in an impromtu Q&A session afterwards that the one-story headquarters and park was a concept at this stage that had to be bought into by both the tenants of Winbrook and the Housing Authority.

Windbrook Activist Impressed

Ron Jackson, former resident of Winbrook, and longtime critic of the Housing Authority position on siting a headquarters on the property, kept nodding his head with approval as the project was explained. Afterwards he said, “I’ll do everything I can as an activist to support this project.”

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Fort Hill Players Present Tony comedy, Art in October, Mark 65th Annivers

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VARIETY. From The Fort Hill Players. September 25, 2002: The Tony Award Best Play, and Oliver Award Winner for Best Comedy, Art will be the premier Fort Hill Players presentation beginning its October run at Rochambeau School Friday night, October 11, with curtain going up at 8 PM.

Art answers the question: How can a painting shatter a friendship? Hysterically.

The Fort Hill Players present Westchester’s premier production of “Art,” Yasmina Reza’s delightfully fresh and witty comedy in which three longtime friends wrestle over their differing impressions of a rather simple canvas and end up deconstructing their relationship.
The results are hilarious.

The show is directed by Robert Kahn, and features D. Scott Faubel, R.J. D’Amato and Larry Reina as the three leads, Marc, Serge, and Yvan.

The New York Post called Art “Widly funny, naughtily provocative.” The London Independent noted, “Anyone who is looking for a play that is funny, sophisticated, stylish, stimulating and moving should so to ART”
Juried Art Show before curtain.

White Plains theatre aficionados may also attend a juried Art Show ½ hour before curtain time. Tickets are available now for presentations on Saturday, October 12 at 2 PM and 8 PM, Friday, October 18 and 25 at 8, and Saturdays October 19 and 26 at 2 and 8. Seats are scaled at $14 for adults, $12 for Students and Seniors, and a Dinner Theatre Package where you can dine at Gedney Grille and see the show for just $44 is being featured again this season.

Winter and Spring Shows Announced

The Winter production will present a third original music revue, More Than Music, an original book with a story line that blends favorite songs of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s into a story with revue format. The Fort Hill Players likes to call these productions “new musical with songs you know.” The Players’ previous two experiments in original revues, (most recently,Harmony on the Seain 2002) with popular songs from different eras were fun to do for the cast, and attracted a wide audience.

In the Spring, Fort Hill will present the Tom Stoppard play, The Real Thing.

For more information on complete season subscriptions, and the productions, go to the Fort Hill Players website at FortHillPlayers.com.

Oldest running Westchester Theatre Group

Since the demise of the Chappaqua Drama Group, Fort Hill Players is now the longest running community theatre group in the county, performing in front of the footlights for 65 years.

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Former Assistant to Commissioner Reported to Sue City.

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WPCNR EVENING CITY STAR. By John F. Bailey. September 24, 2002:Dorothy Brennan, previously Assistant to the Commissioner of Public Safety, whose job was eliminated in the recent reorganization of the Department of Public Safety is suing the city, reportedly over the loss of her position.

The city expects, WPCNR has learned, to be served her lawsuit within the next day or so, and until that time, the Mayor’s Office, according to Paul Wood, City Hall Spokesman, is under the impression that she is suing alleging that the elimination of her job is “in retaliation” for a settlement she won from the city in the 1990s when she sued the city for discrimination.

The Mayor’s Office, in reaction to the forthcoming suit, according to Mr. Wood, released this statement to WPCNR:

“These charges are outrageous and totally untrue. Everyone expected that after thirty years there would be some organizational changes in the Department (of Public Safety), and that the new Commissioner (Dr. Frank Straub), would be pursuing new administratitive initiatives.

That is why this restructuring plan was unanimously approved by the Mayor (Joseph Delfino) and the Common Council and the city is very excited with the team the Commissioner (Dr. Straub) has selected.”

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Naomi Matusow Concedes. Will Not Contest Result.

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WPCNR 5 O’CLOCK LIGHTNING NEWS LEADER. From the Naomi Matusow Press Office. September 24, 2002: Naomi Matusow, in a statement released Tuesday afternoon moments ago, has conceded the 89th Assembly Primary to Adam Bradley.



TEN YEAR INCUMBENT BIDS FAREWELL. Naomi Matusow today conceded defeat in the 89th Assembly District Democratic Primary. She will complete her term in Albany, serving through the end of the year, at which time, Adam Bradley, of White Plains, should he win the November 5 election, against the Right to Life Party candidate, will take over her seat. Ms. Matusow is shown at the Board of Elections last Wednesday afternoon during the examination and counting of the absentee/affidavit ballots that determined the election. Her concession statement follows:
Photo by WPCNR


Ms. Matusow, in a statement released to the media said,

“The primary election is over. The margin was 22 votes.

While there are numerous voting irregularities that would likely narrow the margin, they would not, in my opinion, be sufficient to alter the outcome.

I have called Mr. Bradley and offered my congratulations.

Those who supported me throughout this campaign and the post-election activity have my heartfelt thanks.

I remain committed to the political process and the Democratic Party. I intend to work hard for the success of the McCall/Mehiel/Hevissi/Spitzer
ticket and to remain active in the areas of public policy and Democratic politics.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my ten years in the New York State Assembly and take pride in the many good things that I have accomplished for the people in my district, Westchester County and the state of New York.

I thank everyone whose efforts and support over the years has given me the opportunity to serve.”

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Pesky West Nile Mosquitoes Still Around Til First Frost.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. (Edited) September 24, 2002: The Westchester County Department of Health has received notification from the New York State Department of Health that there has been one more mosquito pool and six more birds found in Westchester County that have tested positive for West Nile virus.
The mosquito pool was collected in Yonkers on September 13.

Two birds were found in Rye and one each were found in Yonkers, Greenburgh, Hastings-on-Hudson and Harrison. The birds were found on August 9 and 11. No spraying is planned at this time.

41 Mosquito Pools Test Positive to Date.

With the addition of this new positive mosquito pool, a total of 41 mosquito pools from Westchester have tested positive for the virus this year. To date, out of 643 mosquito pools submitted for testing, 633 have been tested for West Nile virus, of which 592 have tested negative.

128 Infected Birds.

With the addition of these six birds, a total of 46 dead birds from Westchester have tested positive for the virus this year. To date, out of 3,496 dead birds reported to the Health Department and 189 submitted for testing, 128 birds have been tested for West Nile virus, of which 82 have tested negative.

One Victim.

There has been one human case of West Nile virus reported in Westchester County this year.

Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Lipsman again urged residents to take personal protection measures against mosquito bites while in their homes and when spending time outdoors. “It is particularly important that residents remain vigilant in their efforts to reduce their risk of West Nile virus infection until the first sustained frost because there is still risk from mosquitoes during this time,” said Dr. Lipsman.

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Matusow’s “Irregularities” May Be Normal Irregularities.

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WPCNR Afternoon Trib & Post. By John F. Bailey. September 24, 2002: An election machine inspector Tuesday told WPCNR that differences between the number of registered voters signing in to vote at a polling place and the total amount of votes recorded on an election machine are normal occurrences every election.



PROTECTIVE COUNTERS, an example of which is shown here are (located at the top of one of the White Plains voting machines used September 5) at the heart of Naomi Matusow’s protest that more votes are recorded on Assembly District 89 machines than there were registered voters. An Election Inspector calls this normal.
Photo by WPCNR


The issue is alive because Naomi Matusow in a television appearance yesterday, said, “The machine count has more votes on the machines than can be accounted for by the poll rosters.” Because of this discrepancy, Ms. Matusow, who trails her primary challenger, Adam Bradley by 23 votes, is calling for a new primary.

Mr. Bradley, in his television appearance, said “The charges were without merit.”

An election inspector who determined that the voting machine in dispute in the Larry Delgado-Glen Hockley election case last year in White Plains was jammed, explained how such differences may occur:

He said there are two counters on each machine. The top counter is called the “Protective Counter,” which is never set back to zero, and contains the number of votes recorded on the election machine during the lifetime of the machine. He said that this total is recorded on an official envelope prior to the start of any election day voting, then when the polls close, the new total on the Protective Counter is recorded.

A Double Check Prevents Run-ups

He said the Protective Counter number showing at the start of voting is then subtracted from the new Protective Counter Number showing at the close of the polls. The new number should equal the number of votes showing on the lower counter on the voting machine, the “Public Counter.” The Public Counter, our inspector said, is set back to zero at the start of the Election Day, and records each vote cast that day.



THE PUBLIC COUNTER is the official record of votes cast that day, according to WPCNR’s election machine consultant. It is set to zero before the start of the day’s voting and each voter from either party is recorded.
Photo by WPCNR


The Public Counters on all machines in the 89th Assembly District recorded both Republican and Democratic voters that day. The inspector said what might account for the difference between signed-in voters at the poll check-in desks, and votes registered on the machine would be persons not voting in an Assembly race, for example, accounting for a discrepancy between number of votes registered in the Assembly race and the number of total votes on the machine. He also noted a difference can occur when the Protective Counter number is written down incorrectly at the beginning of the election day.

Reading errors do occur.

Reading off a number from a machine incorrectly either before the polls open or after they close is not uncommon, our expert said. WPCNR noted two instances of numbers being read off incorrectly when I observed the recanvass in White Plains last Tuesday. Each time the read-off error was caught by representatives from both the Bradley and Matusow camps, one read-off error would have cost Mr. Bradley 100 votes.

According to the WPCNR court observer yesterday, Ms. Matusow’s attorney was making the case that there were differences between Protective Counter Counts and signed-in voters across all towns, including Pound Ridge and North Castle, and not just White Plains, a difference of 76 votes across an estimated 100 voting machines.

Unceremonious Bumps Bump the Numbers?

Clerks have told WPCNR that when machines are returned from polling places, occasionally counters are nudged and move up a notch, when machines are loaded onto trucks and moved back to storage. This also could account for 1 and 2 vote differences in the “Protective Counter” which should show up on the recanvass, increasing the total voter count. In fact, this was mentioned during the actual recanvass of the White Plains machines on September 17, one week ago, when just such a discrepancy between a Protective Counter Number and a Public Counter was noted by the recanvassers. The Election Inspector said the Public Count was the official count and it matched what was recorded out of the machine on Election Night on the various lines.

This exchange between Election Inspectors September 17 observed by WPCNR is standard procedure. According to our Election Inspector consultant, the “Public Counter” on the bottom is the official record, and any differences caused by transportation of the machine would be highlighted in the recanvass. There were no differences between Public Counter numbers and recanvass results which across all towns in the 89th District except in one case: the 9th and 13th districts in White Plains.

“Protective Counter” counts held up in all towns, North and South in the 89th District except on one machine in White Plains, where Mr. Bradley was found to receive 145 votes to Ms. Matusow’s 35 in the 9th and 13th Election Districts that enabled him to overtake Ms. Matusow.

Back to the Numbers

Both contestants and the Board of Elections will go over the numbers Tuesday and Wednesday and report back to Judge Orazio Bellantoni in Supreme Court Thursday morning.

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Riverkeeper Whistle Blower Critiques FEMA DRILLS

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WPCNR Morning Sun. From Riverkeeper Press Office. (Edited)September 24, 2002:Speaking in White Plains, the day before the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA) conducted a test of their Indian Point evacuation plan today, Riverkeeper and a group of elected officials raised concerns regarding weaknesses of the program.
Speaking at the press conference was Doug Harnett, national security
campaign director at the Government Accountability Project.

“We have had scores of whistleblowers come forward that worked in
nuclear weapons and energy facilities, in FEMA, the NRC and other
agencies to expose the lack of preparedness, and the absurdly contrived nature of the exercises that are used to reassure the public,” Doug Hartnett said. “Since September 11, the Government Accountability Project has had a dramatic increase in whistleblowers from nuclear facilities across the country. They have been warning their supervisors for years, but after the terrorist attacks, they simply could no longer allow the threats to be ignored or downplayed.”

Local Whistle Blower Speaks.

According to federal whistleblower Linda Lewis, an eight-year veteran
emergency programs specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the REP program and drills fail to protect public health and safety.

“In total, the problems with radiological emergency preparedness and
evaluation describe a public safety program that has lost credibility,”
said Linda Lewis, who in 1998 was an evaluator assigned to the Rockland County Emergency Operations Center during an Indian Point drill.

No Evaluator Feedback?

Linda Lewis’s overarching concern is that in numerous situations FEMA and other federal agencies have failed to incorporate evaluator feedback on REP drills over the years.

Several of Linda Lewis’ specific concerns regarding REP drills and plans are that they:

* Fail to adequately address the needs of unsupervised children,
which includes “latchkey” or “self care” children.

o This poses a dilemma in certain fast-breaking scenarios, for
instance when a radiological emergency occurs when children have
returned home from school in the afternoon and are without adult
supervision, because their parents are still at work.

o The REP plan allows for early dismissal or cancellation of
school activities in the event that an emergency is anticipated or
underway.

o Emergency booklets, if available to a child, are not written for
a young child’s reading level. Although NUREG-0654 requires state and local authorities to have plans to evacuate other special populations with similar needs, children who lack adult supervision for part of the day are excluded from consideration. The REP program requires preparedness to consider the needs of children only when they are physically in school. Moreover, exercise scenarios rarely, if ever, occur in the late afternoon or summer, the times when children are most likely to be home alone.

o According to the Westchester and Putnam chapter of United Way,
in their Issues and Resources Assessment, there is a “lack of accessible and affordable childcare.” This suggests that many children are unsupervised at times.

* Fail to adequately address how visitors or even local people, who
are away from home, would know the evacuation routes.

* Fail to adequately address protective actions for the “ingestion
zone.”
The Cow Factor Alleged Not Configured

The Ingestion Zone goes out to 50 miles. It’s the area within
which people could be at risk if they eat or drink contaminated food or
water. Contamination occurs when airborne radioactive materials come to rest on crops, pasture, gardens, lakes and rivers. For example, people can be affected if they drink milk from a cow that ate contaminated grass. Over, 11,000 dairy cows exist in New York state counties within a 50-mile radius of Indian Point. According to new data from the USDA (updated January 1, 2002):

* Orange County has 8000 Dairy Cows

* Dutchess County has 2500 Dairy Cows

* Ulster County has 600 Dairy Cows

* Westchester, Rockland, Putnam Counties has 100 Dairy Cows

Dramatizes Deficiencies

“Today’s event illustrates the grave concerns that experts and citizens
alike have about the effectiveness of Indian Point’s evacuation plan,”
Alex Matthiessen, executive director of Riverkeeper told reporters.

“Our message to Governor Pataki and other top elected officials like
Senators Schumer and Clinton is simple and clear — this evacuation plan doesn’t work and it’s a travesty to continue allowing Indian Point to operate without a plan in place that would protect millions of New
Yorkers from the horror of a nuclear accident. The writing is on the
wall. It’s time to shut Indian Point down.”

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White Plains East End Changes Day-by-Day

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS PICTURE NEWSPAPER. Photos by John F. Bailey. September 24, 2002:



SLEEK WESTCHESTER ONE STOP N SHOP GARAGE RISES behind Key Cadillac on Westchester Avenue, across from The Westchester Mall on the Westchester Avenue gateway to the city.



THE GOOD SHIP FORTUNOFF TAKES SHAPE at anchor on the corner of Bloomingdale Road and Maple Avenue.

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Matusow Concerned About Irregularities. Judge Asks BOE to Match Numbers

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WPCNR EVENING CITY STAR REPORTER. From a WPCNR Court Observer. September 23, 2002: Naomi Matusow expressed concern about “irregularities” in the total persons recorded as voting in the September 5 primary and the number of registered voters signing in a cross-section of election districts in Assembly District 89, in proceedings at Supreme Court in White Plains Monday.

As a result, Judge Orazio Ballantoni, according to the WPCNR observer asked for a third comparison of signed in voters and registered voters at the Board of Elections to be completed by Thursday. No winner was officially declared in the close election between Ms. Matusow and Adam Bradley, though Mr. Bradley picked up one more vote, an emergency ballot, increasing his margin to 23 votes.

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Scarsdale to Take Up Nursing Home/Senior Housing at Saxon Woods Thursday

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WPCNR NEWSREEL. September 23, 2002.: The Scarsdale Planning Board will meet Thursday evening at Scarsdale Town Hall, and may approve the senior housing complex proposed by REALM, Inc. for the wooded property adjacent to the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester property off Saxon Woods Road.

White Plains has opposed the project and approval may set up a court battle between the two communities, since access to the property, as well as water supply, must be obtained from the City of White Plains, which has gone on record as being unwilling to grant road access off Saxon Woods Road.

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