WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,826,065 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—73,578 VISITS A WEEK BY 1,111,506 VISITORS

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WPCNR DAILY SUN. Special to WPCNR By E. Hezi, The Yonkers Tribune. October 8, 2002:The monotonous internal clock
ticked toward 6:30 P.M. last night, yet the rally called for by the
Worker Families Party had not yet formed, when a contingent of
healthcare workers of Service Employee International Union (SEIU) of
Union 1199 of Hudson Valley, ignited the crowd into a welcome cheer.

Clad in crisp purple colored T-shirts emblazoned with gold lettering,
the healthcare workers increased the attendance of respondents to over fifty energized and determined people who engulfed the entranceway of the 148 Martine Avenue office building.
The participants came to beseech Westchester County Legislators to sign their pledge: “I pledge to support the living wage because I believe all workers should be allowed to live in dignity. The workers, their families and all of Westchester deserve a living wage.”

Debra Smith, Westchester Family Services employee alighted the steps to the entranceway and when reaching the platform before the actual entranceway into the building addressed the crowd in order to “introduce my favorite County Legislator, Andrea Stewart-Cousins,” to the spontaneous applause of those present.

Westchester County Legislator Andrea Stewart-Cousins praised the crowd for their righteous and committed struggle to have legislation passed to witness their over one-year effort for the “Living Wage,” and pledged her passionate resolve upon their behalf. The crowd seemed to hang onto every word she uttered in her brief appearance, as she was required to return to the continuing caucus in session prior to the formal meeting of the Westchester County Legislators that night. Taking a “magic-marker like” pen to the oversized 36 inches by 64 inches “pledge” written on contact paper, Ms. Stewart-Cousins became the first to sign the pledge.

Latimer Supports Bill.

Fellow Westchester County Legislator George Latimer also came from on-going caucus discussions to briefly address the crowd stating, “What you are expressing and demonstrating for is right. I hope to celebrate victory with you in the near future.” Mr. George Latimer also signed the pledge.

Seven Seen Sign

One by one, Westchester County Legislators extracted themselves from caucus discussion to address the rally and to append their names to “the pledge” of support. In no specific order, but rather a listing of undersigners, the following committed their signatures: Westchester County Legislators Richard G. Wishnie, Thomas Abinanti, Bill Ryan, Martin Ragowsky, Jose Alvarado. (The reader must be fully aware that this reporter had to depart the rally before other Westchester County Legislators could be seen to append their signatures to “the pledge” yet I was not there to witness it. In all, this reporter was witness to the first seven signatories.)

Assemblyperson Pre-Elect Signs.

Adam Bradley helped to victory by the efforts of the Workers Family Party made a specific effort to praise the crowd and to hear him pledge his continued effort upon their behalf. He too, was called to a previous function in Mt. Kisco. His name was appended to those signatories
previously mentioned.

This reporter departed the rally for the Westchester County Legislators’
meeting called for 7:00 P.M.

The Living Wage Bill Endorsed by the SEIU would require that contractors with Westchester County on jobs of $25,000 or more would have to pay workers $11.50 an hour with health benefits or $13 an hour without health benefits. The law would also include businesses receiving county tax abatements, loans and aid over $25,000.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 7, 2002: The White Plains Middle School Cross Country Girls Team won a school medley Cross Country Meet Friday in Rye, with 5 White Plains girls finishing in the top 20, topping Sleepy Hollow, Rye, Mount Vernon, John Jay.

WHITE PLAINS TRIO STRONG TO THE FINISH: Jill Gordon, Kaylin Gilmartin-Donohue, and Juliana Bailey ( Right to left, all in white) heading down the chute at the finish of Friday’s Middle School Cross Country Meet at Rye High. The girls were three of White Plains 5 top 20 finishers in the meet, providing the margin of victory on the 1.2 mile course. Aquina Young and Kristin Smayda, also were White Plains top 20 finishers for the team win. The girls and boys run again today in Mamaroneck.
Photo by WPCNR Sports
Asked about strategy in running a cross country race, WPCNR was told by one White Plains runner that each runner attempts to set a pace at the beginning of the race that they can maintain, reaching back for that finishing burst at the close.
Coach John McGee stresses to his charges that they are not running against others, they are running against their own previous times, course-to-course, year-to-year.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. From News Reports. October 6, 2002: White Plains improved its record to 3-2 Saturday afternoon, with a 27-6 win over Lincoln High in Yonkers. Three touchdowns in the second quarter overcame a first quarter Lincoln lead. Spencer Ridenhour scored the Tigers first touchdown. Darrell Mack ran 51 yards to set up another score, and caught a 35 yard touchdown strike from Mike Devere for another. The Tigers play Mount Vernon next Saturday at Parker Stadium.

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WPCNR ZONING BOARD BULLETIN GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. October 3, 2002: The White Plains Zoning Board of Appeals
has stopped the Walworth Avenue Group Home project, revoking a Building Permit issued by the City Building Department.

The Zoning Board cited that there was no provision in the White Plains Zoning Code defining a family community residence where not one of the owners was living there as their full time residence Wednesday night, as grounds for revoking the permit. The permit had previously been issued by the city Building Department for renovation of 139 Walworth Avenue by the Westchester Jewish Board of Family & Children Services for a residence by some ten teenagers previously in foster care.

The Zoning Board ruled on an appeal by the Walworth Avenue Neighbors Committee to revoke the permit. The action has stopped the project.

Work Grinds to Hault

A “Stop Work Order” was issued by the Building Department. The WJBFCS said in a statement today that they were reviewing the decision and had no comment. Cecelia Bikkal, Chairperson of the Zoning Board of Appeals, said, when asked if the WJBCFS could appeal to the Zoning Board, the WJBFCS could mount an Article 78 action in Supreme Court to overturn the decision.

Bikkal said the Zoning Board decision hinged on the “definition of family.” She said that there was no case law precedent which upheld a community group home residence as being a family residence when a principal was not living there full time.

Asked how the Westchester Jewish Board of Childrens and Family Services was able to operate a group home of similar child residents in the Eastview area, Bikkal said that originally she had been under the understanding that there was a fulltime supervisor living in the Eastview area when that home was in operation. However, she said when she asked WJBCFS representatives Wednesday evening if there was a full time resident supervisior at that defunct home, she said she was told “No.”

The Building Department had originally issued the permit because state law has long held that you cannot deny a group home. Cynthia Ryan of Walworth Avenue challenged the permit on several grounds, primarily on the definition of family residence as it appears in the Zoning Code.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. October 3, 2002: Hola Westchester is the county’s latest effort to reach out to the growing Hispanic/Latino community and provide helpful information. Published by the Westchester County Office for Hispanic Affairs, the free full-color quarterly newsletter is printed in both Spanish and English and distributed by agencies countywide.
“Too many people – simply because of language barriers – are kept from getting what they need to provide for their families and enjoy the same quality of life we are all entitled to,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “Publishing a newsletter in Spanish gives us a direct line into this community. We can show just how many programs and services are available through government as well as private agencies.”

Hola Westchester will showcase various efforts throughout the county and provide practical information about educational programs, advocacy efforts, health issues, and business and social service programs.

The first issue (Fall/Winter 2002) gives a round-up of the county’s outreach efforts, such as community health fairs and educational workshops. The publication also contains a full page of information on how to take advantage of helpful programs and services such as free health insurance for children, ESL classes, health screenings, counseling services, low bus fares, and more. Most include phone numbers to get Spanish-speaking assistance.

A special feature introduces Martha Lopez, the head of the Office for Hispanic Affairs who helps constituents find the government services they need, and Adelita Davis, who translates governmental materials into Spanish for the county.

Copies of the newsletter are available from Martha Lopez, Office for Hispanic Affairs, (914) 995-2476.