WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 13, 2003: White Plains reeled off its sixth consecutive victory of the season before reunion members of the Class of ’53 (another undefeated White Plains football team) in an admiring throng of about 500 fans at the old Parker bowl on a football-perfect Satuday. The Big Tiger Band was there playing “Mr. Touchdown.” The Grandstand Offensive Coordinators were there. The politicians were working the stands. The catlike White Plains defense worked Saunders.

 

CONVOY! Spencer Ridenhour (33), left, and Peter McGill(52) clear an alley for  # 32 Ryan Smalls’ 20 yard duking and jiving pickup to the Saunders’ 28 in Tigers’ first series Saturday afternoon, setting up the Tigers’ first score. Photo by WPCNR Sports.

They watched the tenacious big and quick Tigers defensive specialists stymie Saunders series after series, setting up the Tiger offense with three great opportunities. Spencer Ridenhour “the Rough Rider Tiger” converted three touchdowns (46 touchdowns in his career), leading White Plains to a 21-3 lead at the half. This was a close game until midway in the second quarter when a Sean McLaughlin interception set up the third TD.

 

6 Plays to go 48 yards.

 

Saunders, electing to receive, almost got a first down on their first series, by Gabe Robles trapped the halfback in the backfield on 3^rd and 2. Saunders punted into the 10 mile an hour southwesterly wind. Mike Lane caught it at the 50, and White Plains took over at the 48. After A Devere Missile overshot Sean McLaughlin at the 5, Devere handed to Ryan Smalls on a sweep to the left following a convoy of pulling blockers. Plenty of alley was ahead. Smalls faked two tacklers out of their cleats at the 35, picking up an extra 7 yards to the Saunders 28.

 

The coordinated charge of the White Plains “Blocking Tigers” of  John Corretti, Mike Della Posta, Peter McGill, Jason Indelicato and Gabe Robles cleared out the Saunders line to spring Spencer Ridenhour for 7 yards to the 19. Paul Scotman picked up the first down on the next play to the 18.

 

On the next play, Devere handed off to Ridenhour with his usual below the waist, concealing slip-it-to-them-sly style and Ridenhour burst off left tackle to daylight, hauling the freight to the 2 yard line for first and goal. Devere handed it again to Ridenhour for the touchdown, and Spencer had recorded his 44^th career White Plains touchdown, adding to his record as the White Plains leading touchdown maker of all time. He was to get two more in the first half. Pablo Siaba, “The New Toe” converted it was 7-0, Tigers with 8:30 to go in the first quarter.

 

A Field Goal.

 

Saunders, after being stopped, recovered a Tiger fumble at the WP 28, when Devere lost the handle and the ball came loose and was bobbled back to the 28. A penalty for a late on White Plains set up Saunders with a first down on the White Plains 10, and the Tigers stiffened. Saunders quarterback fumbled and fell on it for no gain. Jaon Indelicato caught the quarterback in the back field for a 4 yard loss. Gabriel Robles and Ryan Smalls hounded and hogtied the Saunders quarterback at the 16 on 3^rd down.

 

Then  Terrell Barner the Saudners QB attempted a field goal of about 25 yards. It was up, and it was good. This was a stunning thing to see. It was the first time in watching 45 years of high school football that this reporter has ever seen a field goal kicked. The score made it 7-3 with 3 minutes to go, first quarter. Saunders tried what appeared to be an onside squib kick and Peter McGill caught a line drive at his knees to fall on it at midfield It was a great play by a special teams member.

 

On first down, Ridenhour rushed to the 50. Devere got rid of a pass on the next play, and Spencer rushed for 4 years. It was 4^th and 2 at the Saunders 46, and White Plains went for it. Ridenhour again, off tackle DOWN to the Saunders 37, at which point the quarter ended.

 

FUMBOOL! Evan McGuire on turf wrestles the ball from the Saunders Quarter to recover a fumble at the Blue Devil 7 yard line in the second quarter. Aother Tiger signals first down. Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

McGuire Paws and Mauls – FUMBOOOL!

 

At the opening minutes of the second quarter, Ridenhour carried the ball 7 times getting White Plains down to the Saunders 7, where Saunders stopped him and took over on downs with 8 minutes left in the half. So far it was still a close game at 7-3. That was about to change.

 

On second down and 7 from the Saunders 10, QB Barner attempted to pass. Saunders line was overwhelmed with “Mr. Tiger Paws,” Evan McGuire swooping in like Jim Katcavage. As Evan took Barner down, he stripped the ball and fell on it alongside Barner to set the Tigers up inside the Blue Devils’ 10.

 

Gleefully the Tigers took over and brutally punched it in. Ridenhour ploughed offtackle to the 2, and jammed it in on the next play for the touchdown. It was 14-3, White Plains with Siaba’s conversion with 6:30 to go in the half. It demoralized Saunders.

 

McLaughlin Up the Ladder for a Pick.

 

Saunders, desperate to get back into took over after the kickoff at their 20. They tried a pitch back which shifted the Tigers momentarily to the right, but Jason Indelicato in on the trailing back, kicked his gears into 5^th and caught the trailer from behind throwing him down for a loss to the 19, saving a big gain.

 

Then came the gamebreaker.

 

Barner dropped back, was pressured and whipped a pass on a line down the near sideline, on a throwaway attempt. Sean McLaughlin at cornerback launched himself in the air two hands high, snared it on a line with two hands for an electrifying interception.

 

Landing on his feet, McLaughlin eluded one tackler lit out for daylight and cruised to the Saunders 26 for a first down and 10, putting the offense in business.

 

 

DEVERE TO MCGUIRE ON A WIRE TO THE 7: On first and goal, Devere returned to his timing specialty, hitting Evan McGuire inbetween two defenders. McGuire, after getting the pass waist high has spun and been tackled at the 7. Mike took his two step drop and coolly hit Evan at the 7 yard line for a 19-yard gain. Devere has just followed-through with his on-a-line pass. “Mr. Quality” is just behind # 51, Peter McGill and Gabe Robles (72)/ Photo by WPCNR Sports.

 

NUMBER 46: It is second and goal at the Saunders 2. Spencer Ridenhour “33” has just taken the handoff from Mike Devere (15), gotten a spring block from Number 27 Raeshone Foote, and he’s rumbling for Touchdown Number 46 of his career to make the score 20-3. Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

A handoff to Spencer and Mr. Touchdown took it to the 2, then for a change of pace, Spencer eased around left end for the clinching 6. Pablo Siaba split the uprights to make it 21-3 White Plains at halftime. All was right in White Plains at halftime.

 

In the second half, White Plains added three more touchdowns. Kevin Avery auditioning for the future threw a 50 yard touchdown pass to Mike Lane – watch for that combination next year, they are both Juniors.  Ryan Smalls scored a touchdown, and Connor Lantier, another Junior intercepted a pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown.

 

“Mr. Elegance:” Devere Style: It’s not the speed, it’s the deception.

 

Mike Devere’s ability to execute handoffs with sleight-of-hand, keeping the defense from seeing the ball, is a terrific talent. With the White Plains line standing firm, Devere is given that extra second to set running plays up by freezing the defense. His low handoffs, delivered often at thigh level, hiding the ball with his body from the eyes of both the left and right sides of the defense, give Spencer Ridenhour, Ike Nduka, Ryan Smalls, and Paul Scotman that extra degree of stealth that springs them.

 

Devere is cool under pressure in the pocket that is rigorously set up and defended. The last two weeks his long passes have suffered because of windy conditions, but his ability to zip the ball in over the middle, as he did to Evan McGuire Saturday as well as go long make him a versatile threat ready to strike short or long. He is the complete package.

 

Mr. Quality

 

He addresses his position with a sense of responsibility, poise and leadership, always remaining calm in times of stress. Never showing emotion. He reminds me of Bobby Layne of the old Detroit Lions who handed off to a runner a lot like Spencer Ridenhour, (Howard Hopalong Cassidy, the Lions’ bread-and-butter halfback). Layne was always his most dangerous when a play had to be made. He stood in the pocket and would take a creaming. But, he never came out. He lead by always being there.  That’s what Devere does. His concentration is admirable. There are very few busted plays or missed assignments on the Tigers this season, and that is a tribute to the leadership in the huddle.

 

An effective running game is set up by deception which is practiced by the quarterback. It turns 3 yards into 5, 5 yards into 15. The execution and timing, coordination and camaraderie Devere and his backs have demonstrated this season has just been a great tribute to individual concentration and timing by the whole gang.

 

IN THE BOWL: Another White Plains Footbal Saturday Began with the White Plains High School Marching Band getting the big crowd in the mood with “Mr. Touchdown.” Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

William Ryan, County Legislator, was at the game Saturday afternoon, and took the time to offer his prediction from a former quarterback’s perspective. Ryan said that as a former quarterback for Peekskill High School, it was his feeling that White Plains would crush Saunders throughout the course of the afternoon. Various candidates for political office were working the stands, meeting voters.

 

 

MOMENTS TO REMEMBER: WPHS Alumbi from the Class of 1953 rememembered old times and savored memories in the old Parker Bowl. Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

The highlight in the stands was the nostalgia and sense of White Plains tradition that emanated from the Class of 1953 alumni, some of them members of the undefeated 1953 White Plains High School football team. They mingled, swapped stories and greeted old friends. An atmosphere of great continuity was inspired by their presence. Wearing name tags showing their yearbook pictures, they all moved with confidence, and took what I observed to be a sense of great pleasure at being back at the old Parker bowl again. It was such a nice thing for the School to set up.

 

They reminisced a little about Coach Glenn Loucks’ team that year, and enjoyed the football action, the autumn tradition that makes football at this venue in this place a very special experience.

HAPPY DAYS FOR THE TIGER MASCOT! Photo by WPCNR Sports

 

 

 

 

 

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WPCNR On the Aisle By John F. Bailey. October 11, 2003: The Fort Hill Players recreated Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple as good as it gets on the community theatre level Friday evening when D. Scott Faubel and Larry Reina created an Oscar and Felix all their own at the FHP revival of the Broadway comedy standard Friday night at  White Plains’ “Roch-sie,” The Rochambeau School.

APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE: Cast takes Bows before steady kudos and whistles of appreciation for their tour de force. Left to right, Edward Herman (Roy), Bill Russell (Murray), D.Scott Faubel (without his trademark cap as Oscar), Larry Reina (Felix) bowing, and the delightful comic duo, Maria Falck and Brona Crehan, simply fabulous as The Pigeon Sisters. Photo by WPCNR Stage Door

There was nothing “standard” about this opening night performance as the comedy duo de force of Faubel as the lout sportswriter Oscar and the mincing, magnificently annoying Reina as the fastidious Felix Unger cascaded the classic Simonisms with timing and finesse. The “Odd” but perfectly matched actors packed their styles with the emotion of real persons, becoming the characters everyone knows in a thoroughly charming winning way. The duo played off each other in the same brilliant way they handled Art in that FHP production last season.

 

Attention to Directorial Detail

 

Jim Brownold’s direction poured the actors into their characters, making them stay in character, choreographing the stage traffic to the extent that the audience feels as if they are peering into an apartment and seeing incompatibility incomparably incarnated on stage by the company.

 

Reina  played his Felix in classic Tony Randall-mode, assuming an uncanny similarity to the actor renowned for creating the TV Felix in the long running sitcom derived from the same show. Reina was a little stiff in the Opening Act I, playing the pathos and emotions of the suddenly homeless Felix too quickly. He seeks solace with his poker buddies.  The buds are  worried about Felix’s wheareabouts, after they learn his wife Francis has kicked him out.

 

Mr. Reina got more into Felix soon, however, warming nicely and took over  the vintage, still-funny-after-all-these-years material masterfully in Acts II & III.

 

OSCAR’S APARTMENT at “The Roc-sie” Photo by WPCNR Stage Door

 

The first act is a tough one demanding him to set Felix’s emotional state, character, and vulnerability while exhibiting his selfish streak all at once. In Act II, Reina’s manifestations of Felix’s shoulder pain, his stuffed ears, are when he really gets going and lets loose for laughs. The first Act has a lot for Reina  to lay on the audience quickly and he succeeded gamely Friday feeling it out and he’ll only get better.

 

Faubel’s Oscar Madison is a different, emotionally real Oscar. Faubel’s Oscar seemed more human than either the Matthau or Klugman versions who I always felt were playing Oscar Madison for the lines and the laughs and failed to deliver the affection and friendship bonds that Faubel showcased in the role Friday evening.

 

Laughs and Sensitivity in the Audience.

 

The major blowup between Oscar and Felix in Act III was well-done for the first time through, Faubel almost overplaying, but bringing out the pathos of a friend having to push a friend away reluctantly that I felt.

 

Faubel is terrific at delivering withering invective. He is snide, biting, sarcastic, brutally insulting and slices up Felix with the fine daggers of Simon’s wit. His Oscar throwing Felix out of the apartment is funny and sad all at once, playing the audience between two extremes.

 

The audience responded with great laughter  but ruefully, feeling the serious emotional irony of the quarrel. It was anguish among the great laughs, and just about right.

 

Born to Brood

 

Faubel, playing Oscar Madison,  has a great knack for playing brooding, self-centered, selfish personalities. He affects the lazy unkempt, undisciplined Oscarisms comfortably, starting a little slowly, too but getting more comfortable with the bombast and exasperation escalation the Oscar role demands, and seems to relish every reposte.  He brings it right up to the “ overplay” and stops, a great knack, time and again during the segment when Felix’s sense of neatness had finally driven Oscar to a major crisis in their relationship.

 

The Felix that Reina delivers in Acts II & III is so much like the Tony Randall we know and love in the role, that Reina is to be commended for his imitation. He is perfectly built for it, wears the ridiculous short sleeve white shirts, and seersucker suits popular on Madison Avenue in the 1960s with supercilious aplomb. He is Tony Randall. But he puts a lot of Larry Reina in him, too.  

 

 

THE GHOSTS OF PRODUCTIONS PAST  Haunted the mahogony, domed old theatre at Rochambeau School Friday evening,lighting up with the premier of Fort Hill Players 66th season in White Plains. Rochambeau’s old chandeliers, plaster-perfect acoustics practiced their old footlight magic. Photo by WPCNR Stage Door

 

Reina in the London Broil scene when Oscar is late for a dinner, dominates the laughs with his hurt, sensitive face, feminine mannerisms and poutish manner. A lot is demanded of Reina and he delivers the classics: the nervousness with the Pigeon Sisters who come to dinner, he plays well and makes a man watching recoil, because I remember that shyness around women, too. Reina’s Felix nails that scene with the Pigeon Sisters.

 

Crehan and Falck as Pigeon Sisters Steal Show.

 

Favorites of the audience were the splendidly comic Brona Crehan the Irish import, as Gwendolyn Pigeon, and Maria Falck as her sister Cecily in Act II, Scene II. Both actresses affect English accents in superb high coquetry and deliver the silly giddy lines in ways that come through to the audience.

 

The ladies camp up 1965 styles just the way this reviewer remembers, Crehan the more voluptuous of the two affecting a bee-hive Mary Tyler Moore “bouffant-do” and the diminutive sexy Ms. Falck sporting the long streaming “fall” look, and white go-go boots that whisked this reporter back in time. I knew girls like that way back when.

 

These ladies are born-to-be-comics and Brownold has brought them out. You’ll love their giddiness, not overplayed, you’ll chuckle at their coy double entendres, (so typical of dating in the 60s), with Ms. Falck having the slight comic edge because she has the best punch lines. Reina and Faubel and the two ladies bring off this very key dinner scene very believably. You feel the chemistry between the four.

Cameos in Lobby Showcase

 

You sense with awkwardness the girls’ uncomfortableness with Felix (how I remember dates like that!), and Felix’s ability to move the girls’ tears, a very hard scene to get right, was done gamely by the ladies and Mr. Reina. It will play better and better.

 

Ms. Crehan and Ms. Falck act like sisters and seem very sisterly, intuitive in their perception of what each other is feeling towards Felix and Oscar. Crehan’s high falooting flirting is just under over the top, about right, and Ms. Falck’s snooty seductiveness is attractive, funny, giddy, all those things that 60s career gals were. The pair have great chemistry, just like Reina and Faubel. Hopefully we’ll see the two again.

 

Chemistry Chemistry Chemistry

 

The interconnection of all the actors, really hard to get in community theatre, has to be commended. Kudos to Director Jim Brownold for pulling together emotions and laughs and a lesson about friendship, too.

 

That chemistry touch is particularly noticeable in the ensemble of poker players.

The play opens with a poker game scene on the boys’ Friday night.  The boys execute typical NY poker player banter with the team work of a double play combination, warming up the audience nicely in Act I . Bill Russell is Murray the Cop, Edward Herman as Roy, Bert Gould as Speed in the fedora, Mitch Broder as Vinnie. On Opening night the repartee conjured up a bygone era of 40 years ago when men actually did get together for poker nights.

 

The group interacts well, gets the timing of the jokes down, and rarely step on each others’ lines, as they comment on Oscar Madison’s cuisine (“This is either new cheese or very old meat”) , or empathize with Felix’s guilt (“It takes two to make a rotten marriage”).

 

Bill Russell as Murray the Policeman emulates Danny DeVito in style and delivery and picks off the first big laughs with his Bronxy delivery, among the poker players with his policeman’s worry  lines delivered loudly so you don’t miss them. Mitch Broder as Vinnie who is ahead on his winnings and keeps checking the time, has the best running lines.

 

Great Material Gamely Gallantly Acted

 

The Fort Hill Players leave it all on the stage in this one. They work terribly hard but display I felt effortless choreography, body language, and enunciation of some very fastmoving dialogue that ebbs and flows in highs lows and roars. Tremendous mental effort is involved especially by leads Faubel and Reina. They feel it. You feel it.

 

Go. You will love hearing the old lines you remember from this comedy. You’ll enjoy the old premise. You’ll see a play up close and personal where the actors cannot hide and showcase well.

 

Precise Production.

 

The set by Anthony Fabrizio is the most elaborate creations I have seen yet from Fort Hill Players. It is comfortably done with a “period touch” from the circular endtables, the overstuffed loveseat, the collapsible cardtable chairs (my grandmother had those), to the television with the rabbit ears. It had all the trappings of a New York apartment on the Upper West Side in the mid-60s.

 

The musical interlude leading into the show and between acts featured favorites of those simpler times: Hot Diggity by Perry Como, Green Door by Jim Lowe,  Que Sera Sera by Doris Day, Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant, to name a few.

 

The audience of about 75 persons, ranging from senior citizens to high school students was genuinely appreciative with long applause, whistles of appreciation, and a lot of laughs. Laughs moved throughout the evening of theatre, and it wasn’t just Simon’s classic script, it was the way the lines were delivered, the believability of Faubel and Reina, and the connected feel of the supporting cast.

 

The Odd Couple continues its engagement at “The Roch-sie,” Rochambeau School, in White Plains with a Saturday matinee today at 2 PM, and a Saturday evening performance at 8.

Photo by WPCNR Stage Door

 

The run continues Fridays at 8 on October 17 and October 24, and Saturdays at 8, October 18 and October 25. Tickets are $15, $12 for Seniors and Students, $6 for children under 12. For parents think of taking the children, there is no profanity in this play. The Box Office can be reached at 914-309-7278. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. From Arne Abramowitz, WP Recreation & Parks. October 10, 2003: Department of Public Works located the source of the White Plains Ebersole Rink ice surface leak this week causing them the delaying of  today’s scheduled opening.

 

Commissioner Arne Abramowitz advised WPCNR Friday that workers isolated the leak Wednesday in the concrete slab, cut through the slab, working late Wednesday evening and Thursday, and have repaired the leaky pipe. He said the ice-making system is now  back on, cooling and operating, chilling the concrete slab. Abramowitz said the system would be cold enough to make ice by Monday and reports the rink is scheduled to open Monday, October 20.

 

Asked if the rink system could have been checked out before the ice was originally made, Abramowitz said it was impossible to tell if the rink system is functioning properly until it starts up and makes ice.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Susan Katz, Westco Productions. October 9, 2003: Westco Productions, Westchester’s resident professional theater company for young and family audiences, will honor one of its founding Board Members and City activist Josephine (Jo) Falcone on October 25, 2003 at “An Evening In Italy with Jo.”

JO’S TURN: Former Tigerette, All-Around City Cheerleader, Jo Falcone, (far right), will be next in line for honors in White Plains. Ms. Falcone is shown at right at Robert Ruger’s 90th Birthday Bash last November at the Crowne Plaza. Susan Katz, Mistress of Ceremonies is at left with “Mr. White Plains” Robert Ruger. Photo by WPCNR News.

The gala evening will include cocktails, dinner and dancing with a silent auction and raffle will take place at Graziella’s Ballroom on South Broadway on October 25, 2003. For reservations and more information, call Westco at 914-761-7463.

Josephine (Jo) Falcone was born and raised in White Plains. Jo worked in the White Plains School District as a teacher assistant and taught after-school programs in twirling and tap dancing. Her greatest love was her position of Director/Coach of the Bengalettes and Tigerettes – a 125-girl marching squad which performed at the football games.

A community activist, Jo has served on numerous City Boards and Commissions and was twice elected to the White Plains Board of Education, serving as its President in 1987.

Jo was elected to the White Plains Common Council in 1995. She was one of the founding Board Members of Westco Productions and is President-Elect of the White Plains Rotary Club. She is a member of The Glenn D. Loucks Track & Field Games and has chaired these games for25 years. She is presently Manager of Century 21 Wolff in White Plains and has been married to Joe Falcone for 45 years with four children and ten grandchildren!!

Westco Productions has been Westchester’s resident professional theater company for young and family audiences for the past 24 years. Westco’s mission is to foster and promote knowledge, understanding and appreciation of live theater for all audiences with special emphasis on productions and presentations for families and youth as well as community based workshops and hospital touring programs. Westco has presented over 165 fully-staged productions at such venues as the Rochambeau Theater in White Plains, the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford, the Irvington Town Hall Theatre and the Antrim Playhouse in Suffern playing to over 500,000 audience members.

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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam Bradley. October 9, 2003: Medicaid has increasingly placed a serious financial burden on Westchester taxpayers. To help ease that burden, my colleagues and I in the Assembly plan to forgive $7.3 million in Medicaid-related debt that Westchester County owes the state – primarily for rehabilitation services provided to residents of certified community residences.

 

The Assembly and Senate recently reached a bi-partisan agreement on providing this much-needed relief. The Assembly plans to pass this legislation on Wednesday to relieve counties across New York of $172 million in previously owed Medicaid debt. For Westchester County, the Medicaid relief will mean a savings of over $7.3 million.

 

While the legislation is one small step in reducing the Medicaid burden on local taxpayers, there is still more to be done.

 

We have an obligation to provide citizens with access to quality health care. Too often, devastating health care cuts are pushed in the name of ‘reform.’ We must do everything we can to ease the fiscal burden on local taxpayers without the false choice of cutting costs by eliminating health care for the must vulnerable among us.