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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. February 22, 2004: Saturday the White Plains Firefighters dedicated a somber and touching memorial to the four White Plains firemen who have died in the line of duty serving White Plains. The four heroes of the past are: Sal Galasso, Bernard Callahan, Lt. Christopher Harmon, and Warren Ogburn. The monument speaks for itself.
“No Greater Honor”
Photo by The White Plains Roving Photographer
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One of the pieces of legislation I authored would give municipalities a direct role in reviewing proposed private developments in other communities if they can establish that the development would have a substantial impact on the water or air quality in their locality (A.8672). This would ensure that communities have a say in protecting their environment when their environment is clearly placed at risk by decisions made across their border.
Another piece of legislation would ensure legal standing for those individuals seeking to challenge development which may be harmful to the environment (A.8673).
I also sponsored legislation to help reduce and eliminate the exposure of school children to hazardous substances that may be found in school facilities (A3935). The legislation calls for sampling of school indoor air, water and paint to identify potential problems. This legislation also calls for parental notification in the event an environmental health hazard is detected.
An environmental danger in our own backyard is the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. I don’t have faith in the plant’s assurances that all of us living near it are safe. Serious questions still remain about Indian Point’s evacuation plan should an emergency occur there. Simply, we do not have the roads or infrastructure to have a successful evacuation in an emergency. It is an outrage that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission signed off on it. I will continue to be an outspoken critic on this critically important matter.
Preservation of our environment and protecting our quality of life is of utmost importance. I will continue to fight for the future of Westchester County so that our children can continue enjoying a healthy, beautiful and natural environment.
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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westco Productions Media Relations. February 20, 2004: An extra theater workshop session is being added by Westco Productions, Westchester’s resident professional theater company for young and family audiences. “All of our previously-announced workshops filled up, so we decided to add a fourth session,” said Susan Katz, Executive Director. The additional session will begin on April 10th.
Westco’s theater workshops introduce children ages 5-12 to the excitement of the performing arts through singing, dancing and acting. The children will be rehearsing an original musical show during the Saturday workshop sessions, and putting on a performance at the Rochambeau Theater in White Plains on May 22nd.
There are two age groups: 5-7 years and 8-12 years, limited to no more than 20 children in each age group. The fee for the eight week session is $250. To register or for further details, call Westco at 914-761-7463 or visit www.westcoprods.com.
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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey with Dan Seidel.
Eyewitness to Sewer Flow: First Respondent, Dan Seidel, White Plains attorney, shown at the Common Council work session Wednesday evening. Seidel observed the Main Street sewer flow for himself Friday afternoon. Photo by WPCNR News
Mr. Seidel told WPCNR in a comment: “It’s
Seidel said the DPW crew was checking the sewer flow with a Wier meter, that Seidel described as a black box that is placed in the pipe. He said the DPW workers told him the stream in the pipe was flowing at about 75% of capacity.
This is the third eyewitness account and the first for attribution confirming what midday flow in the Main Street sewer looks like since Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti reported the results of his stick test reporting 75% capacity in September, 2001 and since another eyewitness worker attempting to connect the City Center sanitary sewer connection on August 29, 2003, also said the sewer was running 75% full.
Seidel described the flow of the sewer as fast, and what was obvious to the naked eye, filling two-third to ¾ of the pipe before the Wier meter was placed in the pipe. The D.P.W. workers were doing the flow review on a day when
Mr. Seidel told WPCNR he did not know what the purpose of the flow check was and why the workers were conducting it.
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WPCNR Main Street Journal. February 20, 2004: The Super Developer, Louis Cappelli, explained the interim lull in the construction of the City Center’s South Citadel condominium building for the last two weeks, Wednesday evening. Cappelli said the suspension of activity was his decision because the condominum design configuration was being reengineered and redesigned by a new architect and a new engineering firm he has assigned to the project, now that the south residential building has changed its character from rentals to condominium-ownership.
SOUTH TOWER IDLED. TO RESUME IN 2 WEEKS. Cappelli said he was in the process of applying to the Attorney General for the approval of his prospectus, and felt it made sense to get in the new design paper work for engineering and ownerunit design with the prospectus rather than send in the application incomplete. He attributed the decision to suspending construction in part to the cold weather in late January and the need to get the new interior designs together. He said work would begin again in two weeks, and that the condominium was expected to be ready for occupancy in June 2005. Photo by WPCNR News
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WPCNR COMMON SENSE. From White Plains Historical Society. February 20, 2004: The Historical Society opens historic Jacob Purdy House Sunday from 1 to 3 P.M. on 60 Park Avenue to celebrate the 272nd Anniversary of President George Washington’s Birthday.
21-GUN SALUTE: Typical of traditional Washington’s Birthday celebrations at Purdy House, such as this cloud of gunsmoke from “Redcoats” in October, 2001, there will be a Flag Raising, a Re-Enactment, and tours of the Purdy House. The public can view Washington’s Letters written at the Purdy House when the first Commander-In-Chief stayed at the home in 1776 and 1778. There will be music and refreshments. Admission is Free. For Information and directions call 328-2152. Photo from WPCNR News Archives.
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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. February 20, 2004: Today’s view is of the City Center North Citadel, soon to be renting up, according to the Super Developer, Louis Cappelli. Its rental office is scheduled to open March 15. Its website will be live in two weeks. Advertising is scheduled to break March 1.
“The Road to City Center” By The White Plains Roving Photographer
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WPCNR WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Department of Communications. (Edited) February 19, 2004: County
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The flyers in question, signed “K.K.K.,” are dated Feb. 18 and call for “white people to unite” against the other groups, in particular to kill. It gives a website address.
“This is one of the most despicable things I have ever seen,” said Spano, who earlier this week announced a partnership with the Anti-Defamation League to fight bigotry in the county. As part of the project, police officers from throughout the county took part in a new training program Tuesday that addressed hate crimes and extremism, and specifically looked at how the Internet has encouraged the spread of such propaganda.
“Bigotry has no place in
Spano noted that
“This is a good law that enables police to track these crimes and share information on trends. The county department of Public Safety, as always, is available to assist local police departments in any way it can, including crime scene investigations and fingerprinting. We must continue to work together to stop these crimes of hatred,” Spano said.
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WPCNR PODIUM. By Paul S. Bergins. February 19, 2004: The new White Plains Performing Arts Center will host its first professional classical concert on Thursday, March 4, 2004 at 7:30 P.M. The concert will be given by Westchester’s own world class chamber music organization, Philharmonia Virtuosi, performing selections based on the movie Master and Commander.
Philharmonia Virtuosi, led by its distinguished music director, Richard Kapp, is a Westchester based, world class professional chamber orchestra with a significant catalogue of recordings to its credit.
It is the resident chamber orchestra at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and for the past 25 years has presented an annual series of concerts at SUNY Purchase.
The March 4 concert will be the ensemble’s first concert in the White Plains Performing Arts Center and, to my understanding, the first performance in this wonderful facility by a major professional music organization.
The concert, entitled “Musical Evenings with the Captain” will feature music related to Master and Commander and other historical novels of Patrick O’Brian.
Philharmonia Virtuosi has three recordings based on these books, which have attracted new attention through the film “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”. That movie, as you may know, has just received ten Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and is currently playing at Cinema de Lux.
Philharmonia Virtuosi features Mela and Alexandr Tenenbaum on violins; Dorothy Lawson, cello; Robert Ingliss, oboe; and Richard Kapp on piano.
Tickets are $30 and a strong attendance will serve to establish the Performing Arts Center as an attractive venue for this and other professional music organizations and thus help to assure the long term success of the Center. Tickets may be purchased by calling 914-693-5595.
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WPCNR FOR THE RECORD. From City of White Plains Budget Department. February 19, 2004: For Statistics Aficianados, WPCNR’s exclusive “For the Record” feature herewith presents the complete text of most recent reports on the City of White Plains sales tax receipts through January 31, 2004, as presented by City Budget Director Anne Reasoner Wednesday evening before the Common Council in the budget work sesson Wednesday. First up is the Sales Tax Trend, followed by a closer look at the Sales Tax Trend, followed by the draconian expenditure “hits” and corresponding revenue shortfalls. Document No 1:
The Reasoner Report on Sales Tax Trend for 2003-04. A closer look follows, and the third chart shows key expenditures Photo by WPCNR DocuLab
THE MONTHLY SALES REPORTS THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2004. Photo by WPCNR DocuLab.
THE MAJOR IMPACT EXPENSE INCREASES AND REVENUE SHORTFALLS: Note the ominous “0” adjacent Parking Fines. A number of figures could be added to the left of that zero, depending on Parking Authority and Common Council creativity, to help cut in to the revenue shortfall. Photo by WPCNR DocuLab.