City Court Judge Found Too Slow In Reviewing Cases.

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WPCNR Evening News. From NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct Press Office. October 29, 2002:The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct has determined that Roseanna H. Washington, a Judge of the White Plains City Court, Westchester County, should be removed from office.

In a determination dated October 1, 2002, the Commission found that Judge Washington failed to render timely decisions in numerous small claims cases, failed to report the delays to court administrators, and failed to respond to letters from the Commission, which was investigating her conduct.

The Commission found that the judge, who sits part-time and has a caseload of only 75 to 80 small claims matters per year, developed a “significant backlog” of cases after becoming a judge in 1997.

Despite the “active intervention” of her administrative judges and numerous complaints from litigants, the delays continued, even after the judge was on notice that the Commission was looking into the matter. The Commission found that Judge Washington “seriously compounded” her misconduct by filing “false, misleading and incomplete” reports of the delayed cases with court administrators.

The Commission concluded that the judge’s conduct “has demonstrated that she is unable or unwilling to properly carry out the duties of a judge.”

The Commission Proceedings

Judge Washington was served with a formal written complaint dated April 16, 2001, and filed an answer dated May 7, 2001. A hearing was held before a referee, Honorable Janet A. Johnson, in White Plains, New York on September 28, 2001. The referee filed a report with the Commission on March 4, 2002. The parties submitted memoranda with respect to the issues of misconduct and sanctions. Oral argument was held on June 20, 2002.

The Commission filed a determination dated October 1, 2002, in which eight members concurred. Three members, Judge Frederick M. Marshall, Christina Hernandez and Alan J. Pope, Esq., were not present.

Court of Appeals Review Next.

The Commission transmitted its determination to the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, pursuant to Judiciary Law Section 44, subdivi­sion 7.

A judge may either accept the Commission’s determina­tion or, within 30 days from the date he received the determina­tion, make a written request to the Chief Judge for a review of the determina­tion by the Court of Appeals.

Pursuant to Judiciary Law Section 44, subdivision 7, if Judge Washington does not request review by the Court of Appeals, the Court of Appeals will issue an order removing her from office in accordance with the Commission determination. Removal automatically bars a judge from holding judicial office in the future.

If the Commission’s determination is reviewed by the Court of Appeals, the Court may accept the determined sanction, impose a different sanction including admonition, censure or removal, or impose no sanction.

Statistics Relating to Prior Determinations

Since 1978, the Commission has issued a determination of removal in 139 cases, 108 of which involved part-time judges. (More than two-thirds of the judicia­ry in New York State are part-time.) The Commission has censured 207 judges and admonished 190 judges.

The Court of Appeals has reviewed 73 Commission deter­mi­nations. The Court accepted the Commission’s sanctions in 60 cases. Of the remaining 13 cases, two were increased from censure to removal, and eleven were reduced: eight removal determi­nations were modified to censure, two censure determina­tions were modified to admoni­tion, and one censure was rejected and the charges dis­missed.

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Delfino and Spano Create Waterfront Park for White Plains

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WPCNR Afternoon Trib & Post. By John F. Bailey. October 29, 2002 UPDATED 7:30 PM: After a 30-minute circumnavigation “Mayor’s Regatta” tour of St. Mary’s Lake by rowboat, Mayor Joseph Delfino and County Executive Andy Spano signed a $1 a year, 30-year lease with Westchester County to create a waterfront park on the shores of Silver Lake. It was named “Liberty Park” in honor of the September 11 victims of the World Trade Center attack.



STAR OF THE SHOW: Silver Lake, otherwise known as St. Mary’s Lake, being navigated by the “Mayor’s Regatta,” 12 rowboats supplied by Westchester County, commanded by specially trained White Plains Recreation & Parks personnel, setting sail on a circumnavigation of the lake. Here, we note the flotilla of dignataries and media navigating to the North end of Silver Lake Tuesday afternoon.
Photo by WPCNR News




ADMIRAL ANDY AND CAPTAIN JOE ON SILVER LAKE TUESDAY ASSUMING THE LEAD OF THE SILVER LAKE EXPEDITION. The lake described by our guide, Lonnie Sanders, as approximately 20 feet deep at the deepest point with sandbars on the Harrison side, and deeper shores on the White Plains side with a 75 square foot island at the northern end. The waters were tranquil and reflected autumn glory as Mr. Delfino, Mr. Spano, and Councilpersons Robert Greer, Tom Roach, Rita Malmud, Glen Hockley, and Benjamin Boykin were rowed about the lake for approximately 20 minutes.
Photo by WPCNR NEWS


The park is scheduled to open in the Spring for boating, and is open to the public for walking tours and hiking immediately. A citizen’s committee will be formed to discuss and create a preliminary plan for development of the park in the next few weeks, according to Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Arne Abramowitz. He said that environmental courses in the school district would be able to conduct their field trips at the park. He said White Plains would continue with “more landscaping, thinning and clean-up” in the coming weeks. Six to 10 truckloads of wood trail chips were trucked in by the Department of Public Works to prepare the park so far. A “wood-chip trail” has been cut through the first portion of the park North of the former Dellwood Dairy parking lot.

Introducing Liberty Park

During the news conference that followed the cruise, held on the lake’s Western White Plains Shore, the Mayor announced his plans to call the park Liberty Park “in honor,” he said, “of the victims of the terrible tragedy that occurred in our country on September 11th. This peaceful spot is an appropriate one for reflection but it is also a perfect place for us to celebrate life and nature and to enjoy the company of our family and neighbors — the very liberties we most cherish in our lives.”



COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE MAYOR ADDRESSING DIGNATARIES TUESDAY ON THE NEW “WHITE PLAINS WATERFRONT”. Mayor Delfino recalled iceskating on the lake as a boy in White Plains, and dreaming of White Plains someday owning the property. He said “today is my happiest day in 22 years of government.” He thanked Andy Spano for spearing the acquisition of the property by Westchester County in 1989. Mr. Spano laughingly said, “I’m glad I made him (Delfino) happy. He’s been talking to me for years about it.” Spano thank Legislator Bill Ryan for “steering the boat through the (county) legislature.” Mr. Spano and Mr. Delfino signed the lease and unvield a sign for “Liberty Park,” both shaking hands.
Photo by WPCNR NEWS


The Mayor will be forming a September 11th Memorial Committee to establish a permanent memorial in White Plains in recognition of the White Plains residents who perished at the World Trade Center. According to Delfino,

“The committee will be charged with determining what type of memorial is appropriate, where it should be located, and how we can get the community involved to ensure that the memorial gets built.”

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Shay’s Angels: A Sports Story You Won’t See in the Papers.

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WPCNR PRESSBOX. From “Robin” of USA Hockey. October 28, 2002People always say how mean kids can be, never how nice they can be. This will either make you cry, give you cold chills or leave you cold, but it puts life into perspective! A story of some real Angels in the outfield.
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school’s students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question. “Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son Shay cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is God’s plan reflected in my son?”

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. “I believe,” the father answered, “That when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself and it comes in the way people treat that child.”

Then, he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they will let me play?” Shay’s father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. But the father understood that if his son were allowed to play it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging.

Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, “We are losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning.”

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold
the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game.

Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, “Shay, run to first, run to first.”

Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, “Run to second, run to second!”

By the time Shay was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag.

But the right fielder understood what the pitcher’s intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head. Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home.

As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, “Run to third!”

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, “Shay! Run home!” Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero for hitting a “grand slam” and winning the game for his team.

“That day,” said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, “The boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world.”

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Health Depart Fines 24 Vendors for Selling Tobacco to Minors. 3 in White Plains

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WPCNR Police Gazette. From Westchester County Department of Communications. October 28, 2002:The Westchester County Department of Health made public Monday 24 tobacco vendors that have been found guilty of selling tobacco products to minors in Westchester within the past year. The establishments include three in White Plains: NuMart Deli & Grocerciers, 454 Mamaroneck Avenue; Chanandale Grocery, 90 Virginia Road, and Daido/Oriental Supermarket, 522 Mamaroneck Avenue.

“We in Westchester have a zero-tolerance policy toward merchants who violate the law by selling cigarettes and other tobacco products to minors,” County Executive Andy Spano said. “We will continue our aggressive effort to go after them, and pursue all options, including having the tobacco licenses of repeat offenders suspended.”

The Westchester County Department of Health conducts ATUPA enforcement checks at establishments throughout the county. Compliance teams visit delicatessens, stationery stores, tobacco stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, grocery stores, variety stores and bars.

Undercover Kid Sting Teams

The great majority of merchants visited by the “sting teams” are found to be in compliance with the law. Spano praised these merchants, saying, “I commend the owners and managers of these stores for making sure that the law is followed by all their employees.”

The sting operation works like this: a minor, working undercover for the Department of Health, attempts to buy a tobacco product from a merchant’s establishment. Once the minor leaves the establishment, the inspector who witnessed the transaction will either issue a citation to the vendor for selling tobacco to the minor or congratulate the vendor for not selling it.

Anti-Tobacco Crusade

Said Spano, “Each year, tobacco kills more New Yorkers than alcohol, drugs, car accidents, fires, homicide, suicide and AIDS combined. Since 90 percent of all smokers begin smoking before the age of 18, it’s imperative that we discourage smoking at an early age. The ATUPA law keeps the plague of tobacco addiction from trapping children who are too young to make informed decisions about smoking.”

The ATUPA law states that:

 Merchants may sell tobacco only to an individual who demonstrates, with a drivers license or certain other specified photographic identification, that he or she is eighteen years of age or older. Merchants are required to proof any individual who appears to be under 25 years of age.

 All merchants are required to post a sign that reads: “Sale of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, powdered tobacco, or other tobacco products, rolling papers, pipes or herbal cigarettes to persons under eighteen years of age is prohibited by law.” The sign must be printed on a white card in red letters at least one-half inch in height.

 Merchants cannot sell single cigarettes. All cigarettes must be sold in the manufacturer’s packaging.

Penalties

The penalties for violations under the ATUPA law range from a minimum $300 fine up to a maximum $1,500 fine with possible revocation of the establishment’s tobacco license (for up to one year) and lottery license (permanently) for multiple violations occurring within a two-year period. Higher fines are levied for failures to respond to notices of violation.

The following establishment was a third-time ATUPA offender:
 7-Eleven #24485B, 1 South Broadway, Tarrytown. Fined $1500

The following establishments were second-time ATUPA offenders:
 Barca Bros. Supermarket, 772 Palisades Avenue, Yonkers. Fined $1000

 CVS #1134, 360 North Bedford Road, Mount Kisco. Fined $1500

 CVS #2164, 15 Colonial Place, Mount Vernon. Fined $1500

 Drug Mart of Millwood, 230 Saw Mill River Road, Millwood. Fined $1500

 Getty Mini Mart, 719 Bronx River Road, Yonkers. Fined $300

 Hernandez Supermarket, 61 Riverdale Avenue, Yonkers. Fined $300

 NuMart Deli & Groceries, 454 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains. Fined $300

The following establishments were first time offenders:

 A & H Market, 199 1/2 Irving Avenue, Port Chester. Fined $300

 A & P #32-194, Welcher Avenue, Peekskill. Fined $300

 Amoco/ Amoco Oil Company, 108 Yonkers Avenue, Yonkers. Fined $1000

 Bennie’s Colonial Mobil, 80 Bedford Road, Katonah. Fined $300

 Caffe Dello Sport, 95 Gramatan Avenue, Mount Vernon. Fined $300

 Chanandale Grocery, 90 Virginia Road, White Plains. Fined $300

 CVS #353, 23 Mall Walk, Yonkers. Fined $300

 Daido/ Oriental Supermarket, 522 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains. Fined $300

 Deli King, 238 West Lincoln Avenue, Mount Vernon. Fined $300

 Duane Reade #274, 1-15 Central park Avenue, Hartsdale. Fined $1000

 Eudes’s Grocery & Deli, 273 South Broadway, Yonkers. Fined $1000

 Getty/ KFS Auto/ Lincoln Mini Mart, 681 East Lincoln Avenue, Mount Vernon. Fined $300

 Mom’s Cigar’s, Inc., 1119 Central Park Avenue, Scarsdale. Fined $300

 Palisades Grocery, 15 Palisades Avenue, Yonkers. Fined $300

 This N That Deli, 108 Main Street, Irvington. Fined $1000

Since none of the above establishments has had multiple violations within a two-year period, none of these will have its tobacco or lottery licenses revoked.

The crackdown on businesses that violate the state’s Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA) is part of the county government’s ongoing effort to deter underage smoking. Over the past three years, Westchester County has allocated $7.8 million to a variety of anti-smoking programs.

To report an ATUPA violation, or to find out more about the ATUPA law, contact the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000.

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Small Business Endorses Sayegh Over Paulin

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WPCNR NEWSREEL. From the Sayegh Campaign. (EDITED)October 28, 2002: The 26,000 member state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) endorsed Sayegh, citing his score on the NFIB candidate survey. According to NFIB New York State Director Mark Alesse, Tony Sayegh is the small business candidate because of his “first-hand knowledge of the problems facing the state’s small-business owners, their workers and their families.”

The endorsement comes from the NFIB/NY S.A.F.E. Trust, the organization’s political action committee. Prior to making endorsements, the group considers the candidates’ responses on NFIB’s candidate survey that explores issues affecting small business. According to the NFIB, Tony Sayegh voted with the consensus position of their small business members on key issues.

“Tony Sayegh is clearly committed to lowering the tax and regulatory barriers that hamper small business owners’ ability to make payroll, improve wages and benefits and create new jobs for New Yorkers,” Alesse said.

“I am honored to have received the support of the NFIB,” commented Sayegh. “Tough economic times call for tough decisions. As a small business owner, I never had the luxury of raising taxes to make a budget work. I plan to bring that mentality to Albany to help ensure prosperity for all New Yorkers.”

Tony Sayegh is “the kind of intelligent voice for Main Street New York small business that we need in the Legislature,” Alesse said. He also noted that Tony Sayegh has built a reputation as “a strong leader who knows about small business’ problems and who speaks out about what can and should be done legislatively to keep New York’s small business community healthy and growing.”

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Matusow to Pataki: 358 Say Close Indian Point

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WPCNR NEWSREE. From State Assemblyperson Naomi Matusow’s Office. October 28, 2002:Naomi Matusow, Assemblywoman for the 89th Assembly District, today announced that she has sent constituent response cards calling for the closing of Indian Point to Governor Pataki.

“I forwarded to the Governor 284 response cards representing 358 people residing in the 89th Assembly District who share my position that the nuclear facilities at Indian Point should be closed down,” said Matusow. “I wanted to bring to his attention our concern that nuclear energy is inherently dangerous and that our concern cannot be ignored,” she continued.

The cards were distributed in mid-August. While the bulk of the responses were returned by the first of September, Matusow waited a month after receiving the last card to make certain that all responses would be sent to the Governor at the same time.

“Any nuclear incident presents a potential catastrophe impossible to overcome,” Matusow said. “No evacuation plan can address the needs of the people residing or working in the metropolitan area, nor will it provide even the minimum sense of security to which the public is entitled.”

“I urge the Governor to encourage the development of alternative energy sources and to promote a serious conservation program to meet the energy demands of all New Yorkers while making our world a safer place in which to live,” she concluded.

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Working Families Party Denounces Own Judge Candidate

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WPCNR Daily Sun. From Working Families Party Media Office and WPCNR. October 28, 2002:The Working Families Party today condemned in the strongest terms the decision of Mary Smith, WFP nominee for the 9th Judicial District, to accept the nomination of the Right to Life Party.

“Unfortunately, electoral law doesn’t allow us to remove Smith from our line at this point in the process,” said Marvin Allen, Chair of the Working Families Party’s Westchester chapter. “But our supporters should know we are absolutely opposed to her election. People should vote for the rest of our nominees on Row H, but they should vote against Smith.”

Working Families endorsement policy discourages candidates seeking its line from running on the Conservative, Right to Life, Liberal, or Independence Party line, and Judge Smith had pledged not to take the Right to Life line on her signed endorsement questionnaire.

The official Working Families Party Statement of Principles includes ensuring “absolute security” for women’s access to the full range of reproductive services. The Party opposes any legislative restrictions on access to abortion.

A WPCNR reader has written to advise that all Democratic candidates in White Plains running on the Independence Party Lines, were also endorsed by the Working Families Party in the 2001 elections.

WPCNR readers have also pointed out that Thomas Dickerson and James Brands, two other judicial candidates, also are running on the Right to Life line, an endorsement they feel conflicts with any judge’s sworn oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution.

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Ramapo Sleight of Hand and More Beef Rebuff Tigers, 28-6

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 26, 2002: After a gritty first three quarters, two touchdowns in the final quarter lead the No. 1 seeded Ramapo High Gryphons over White Plains Saturday, 28-6, after the Tigers had come back on their first drive of the second half to close within 7-6.



PIGSKIN DETECTIVE: SKID MARKS ARE EVIDENCE OF “IMMACULATE INTERFERENCE” CALL THAT SET UP RAMAPO’S CLINCHING TD: Darrell Mack was matching Ramapo’s receiver heading for the end zone, stride for stride. Both simultaneously lost their footing as skid marks show, on controversial 3rd and 15 pass play that gave Ramapo an automatic first down on the 9, and 4 more cracks at the end zone. Mack, immediately after the yellow flag alighted like a vulture behind the play, was on his knees pleading to the official that he had slipped. The call was big. The Tigers huddle with coaches after the game in the background.
Photo by WPCNR Sports

A controversial “immaculate interference” call when Darrell Mack and Gryphon receiver had clearly slipped on the same soft patch of endzone, gave Ramapo a first down and goal at the 9 to set up the clinching TD.

Turns Tide of the Game after Tigers Had them on the run.

Spencer Ridenhour’s brilliant 21-yard touchdown run around right end and down the sideline and recorded the only 6 points for the Tigers. The Tiger 6 came after they had marched 75 yards in 7 plays to start the second half, and it brought them within 1 point midway through the third stanza.

A facemask penalty (to be fair), set up the Tigers at the Ramapo 42, followed by a perfectly delayed pitch-back play, Mike Devere to Ike Nkuka who scampered to the Ramapo 23, setting the stage for Spencer’s sweep score.

The first half saw the Tigers stop three Ramapo drives inside the red zone, while their offense was stalled by motion penalty after motion penalty. Only one first down was achieved by the Tigers the entire first half, which was plagued with flags against them.

Two Tiger fumbles set up two meaningless late Ramapo touchdowns. The Tiger offense, you sensed, was not the same after the defensive pass interference call prolonged the Ramapo drive.

Quick and Big Is Not Good.

The Ramapo big guys up front were only solved on one drive the entire game when the Tigers used pitch plays to get Spencer Ridenhour and Darrell Mack outside, according to the way one veteran analyst saw the action from the stands. In the first half, hot pursuit and overwhelming pressure by Gryphon rushers nullified Mike Devere’s passing threat, not giving him any time to throw.

The Tigers presented one of their best defensive games of the season, effectively bottling up the Gryphon running attack, bending but not breaking, for three quarters before the Gryphs Ken Adams on counter plays and reverses moved Ramapo 70 yards in 12 plays for their second touchdown. The drive might have been stalled were it not for the “immaculate interference” call, on a pass clearly overthrown. You could see the heart go out of the defense on the next two plays, as they were pushed aside for two consecutive 5-yard gains to put Ramapo ahead for good, 14-6.

In a first half where the Tigers could not, it seemed, run a play without a penalty, it is to their credit and professionalism that they marched down the field at the beginning of the second half and give themselves a chance to win.

The loss effectively ended the Tiger season dropping them to a 4-4 record. Stepinac is next in the traditional White Plains Thanksgiving Day game.

On Sunday it was reported by The Journal News that White Plains will play at Carmel next Saturday in a “consolation game.”

High School Football is not what it used to be. The Ramapo stands were only half full for this contest.

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White Plains Middle School X-Country Girls Win Sectional Crown over 20 Teams

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey October 25, 2002: A season of consistency of performance paid off for Coach John McGee’s White Plains Middle School Cross Country Girls Friday as the nine White Plains Middle School 8th and 7th grade girls outran 20 other teams in Westchester and Rockland Counties Friday at the Rye Sectionals, finishing with 102 points. To Coach McGee’s memory this is the first middle school cross country Sectional Championship White Plains has won. McGee praised the girls as a team with “a lot of talent,” great to coach.



PRELUDE TO SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: At Harrison Tuesday, the White Plains Middle School Cross Country team finished 1-2-3 at Harrison to win their fifth meet of the year. The trio of Jill Gordon, finishing first by 1 second over hard-driving Kaylin Gilmartin-Donohue, is welcomed by Coach John McGee at the finish. Juliana Bailey is third in the distance.
Photo by WPCNR Sports


“Usually, it’s very hard to win a sectional, you usually have one good runner on a team. This year we have three,” He said. That consistency has shown itself all season long with times getting better and better on the part of all the girls. “If the girls stay together they’re going to be great in the years ahead.”

Tiger Pack fills up the top 10

On a good cool day to run, Jill Gordon finished the 1.2 mile course in 9 minutes flat, finishing 5th of 162 girls running. Kaylin “K.K.” Gilmartin-Donohue was sixth, good for first among the seventh grade girls. Juliana Bailey finished 9th in the top 10 of the field of 162 with AkiYoung and Kirsten Smayda, Abby Franco just behind. Corrine Leary, Shir Livine, and Mitalee Chawda, completed the drive for the Sectional title.

McGee said every member of the team contributed to the win, because the win was only by 5 points over Port Chester, which he said was one person. When Port Chester was announced as second, the girls started screaming and jumping up and down, because they knew “White Plains” was the only school name left, meaning they had won the Sectional.

It was Gordon’s second great finish in five days. Gordon won Tuesday’s race in Harrison with a time of 9:07, 1 second better than Kaylin with Juliana third.

The Tiger Trio finished first second and third among the three teams at the Harrison meet. The Middle School Cross Country Boys said they contributed to the girls’ win by “being supportive” at the Sectional, but the finish of the boys teams was not statistically completed by the end of the meet.

The White Plains anchor trio of Jill, “K.K.” and Juliana said they push other every race. Gilmartin-Donohue and Gordon have each individually won cross country meets this season.



WIRE TO WIRE: The White Plains “Traveling Trio” at the start of the Harrison meet Tuesday: L to R., right in the middle, Juliana Bailey, Kaylin “K.K.” Gilmartin-Donohue, and Jill Gordon. The trio lead the race from wire to wire.
Photo by WPCNR Sports

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Fort Hill Players Flawless Art at Rochambeau.

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WPCNR White Plains Variety. Review by John F. Bailey. October 25, 2002:To put on a great show you have to have good material. The Fort Hill Players knew they had a winning show in the comedy of manners, Art, could they deliver the goods to hardened Broadway skeptics?



THE $200G “ALL-WHITE” CESSARANO: THE LEAD IN ART R. J. D Amato, R. Scott Faubel and Larry Reina as Serge, Marc and Ivan, three upwardly mobile sophisticates react to Serge’s new painting (which is all white), dominates the Fort Hill Players exact replica of the stage set for the Broadway version of Art. The all-white painting, (spotlighted), steals the show as a virtuoso player in its own right. It works its magic on you.
Photo by WPCNR Arts


The exquisitely accurate send-up of male bonding by playwright Yasmina Rez comes to life with the three amateur actors’ flawless cueing and playing to one another, bringing forth shocks, and laughs of recognition as the audience recognizes sides of themselves and friends they know.

WPCNR saw last Friday evening’s performance and we have to say that the exquisitely snooty R. J. D’ Amato, the impossibly cynical and judgmental D. Scott Faubel and the nauseatingly obsequious Larry Reina have done a great play “great honors” at Fort Hills Players production, the first Westchester County staging of the 1998 Tony Award-Winning play.

Restricted: Contains “Adult” Language.

Audiences should be warned that the script is seasoned with “realistic” language. The “F” word is used frequently as is the “S-Word.” But the three talented actors and Director Robert Kahn’s seamless timing make the salty syntax work with the script. The writing does not depend on profanity for effect. The 4-letter words, though obtain an eloquence in the elegant way the deftly performing trio deliver these late twentieth century euphemisms that replace more precise words. Every use of the profanity charts new depths of meaning of emotions in these “expletive deleteds.”

Expletives are not gratuitious, because when D. Scott Faubel as Marc in his smug tone describes Serge’s new painting as “S,” for the first time you know exactly what he really means, his precise staccato “t” at the end, drips with disdain.

All about the Ensemble

What makes Art tough on the actors is there is no intermission. The show runs one hour and 30 minutes, demands terrific bonding and attention on the part of the actors, when all three are on the stage, and the men of Art were up to the challenge. Robert Kahn, who directed the show, had his actors spend much time together bonding emotionally off-stage as well as on, and it showed in how hard and how well the show simply flowed between the three men

D Amato the elegant sophisticate to Faubel’s existential rebel, who take care of Ivan

The premise of Art is to explore the tenuous perceptions and mutual needs that bond men (and perhaps women, too). D’Amato’s tall, aesthetic Serge is very smug at having acquired a “Cessarano” for $200,000. Marc punctures this smugness and sophistication of Serge by expressing incredulity at the purchase of a “white” painting in the most belittling way, like some witheringly superior talk show host, pricking Serge’s confidence and sensibilities. As Serge extols the “confluence” of white lines he thinks he sees in the painting, Marc takes the audience into his confidence with marvelous stares of disbelief.

Serge and Marc’s posturings and reactions to each other’s sudden lack of confidence in what they have always come to expect from each other deteriates, the two actors satirize conversations about sports, politics, taste, finance that menfriends have every day. D’Amato delivers petulant hurt at an ever-increasing (and funny sequence) as he tries to explain his purchase to his friend Marc whom he has always shown off as one of his outrageous friends, only Serge is hurt now that Marc has turned his withering judgmental tendencies on him. Yes, we know that is a complex sentence, but this is a complex play that captures the protocol of male social interaction and its unspoken boundaries precisely. Men will laugh at this play, women will learn.

Ivan the Jester
Reaching you with the emotions of a friendship falling apart.

D. Scott Faubel is relentless as Marc, long the attacker who gains satisfaction of having his cynicism appreciated, only to find he is just as hurt when something he believes in is challenged. He and Serge come to blows when Serge, totally ripped that Marc hates his painting complains about the way Marc’s girlfriend waves her hand at cigarette smoke. This is a scene that tellingly and with great “yucks” shows how when we are really mad at someone we can seize on any small item to irritate us. (Any old flaw will do.)

Reina’s pitifully needy Ivan reaches the audience with his alarmed pleading for the two to show some reason (he does not want to lose them as friends.) It’s at this point that the demands of friendship, the point of the play, in WPCNR’s opinion, comfortingly wash over the audience like a caressing Caribbean wave.

Intellectuals watch it!

Along the way to Art’s crisis point, the audience enjoys some witty satire of typical preconceived notions, art analysis, and stereotyped fixtures of the Sotheby-Parke Benet set from psychiatrists to dentists. D’Amato and Faubel’s superb conversational diction lampoons sophisticated banter so they are not only understandable, but natural, too. It reminds me of those Hamptons sundeck conversations with New Yorker readers at sunset, or on an East 83rd street balcony trying to impress a good-looking woman not married to you.

Reina playing the unsophisticated Ivan who perhaps has more reason than either of his superior friends, quietly displays that strength through sacrifice of pride (like a good wife) that eventually brings his two friends to a happy ending, and preserves what he needs: his friends. Reina though not totally the image of the part, too aging a flower child in corduroys for this, I thought, but that is quibbling. He occasionally overmodulated but perhaps that is more real for a crisis of friendship.

Reina’s Ivan is the most difficult part, so easy to overact, but ultimately he hit just-the-right note of pathos, mixed with reason and projection of the alternative to breaking up the friends brings the “odd trio” to higher ground. Reina a lawyer by trade is in the right part. D’Amato and Faubel have all the great lines, but Reina had to carry enough vulnerability to bring the two alpha males to their senses.

Moments to remember in theater

You will love the ultimate act of trust that Serge offers to Marc to close the argument over the painting and knits up the tattered fabric of their long friendship (It is completely silent and involves a magic marker that he offers Faubel to alter the painting.) D’Amato and Faubel get this absolutely right. The silence, the mutual acknowledgement of trust of giving in, giving responsibility is superbly acted.

The last lines sent the audience home with hopefully new perspectives on friendship:

“If I’m who I am because I’m who I am and if you’re who you are because you’re who you are, then I’m who I am and you’re who you are.”

“If , on the other hand, I’m who I am because you’re who you are and if you’re who you are because I’m who I am, then I’m not who I am and you’re not who you are.”

Simple. It’s a man thing, and perhaps a woman thing, too. See Art the way “The Odd Trio” of D’Amato, Faubel and Reina deliver it and you’ll understand.

The Fort Hill Players production is directed by Robert Kahn. Set design, tastefully and strikingly executed by Anthony Fabrizio and Joan Charischak. The just-the-right shade of lighting was created by David Ullman, and executed subtlely with deft hand by Light Board Operator Nancy Weiss. Terry Hanson colorcoordinated actors wardrobes and swathed the onstage chairs in their “distinguishing hues of white.”

Next production coming up is Charlotte’s Web for children, a free performance on November 10 at 2 PM at the White Plains Library.

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