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.

Hits: 0

WPCNR CITY CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. August  19, 2003:  In his few months as Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, Mack Carter has taken the word Authority out of the WPHA, and replaced it with the words “heart,” “intelligence,” and “ingenuity.”   As a youth, Mack Carter grew up in the Sumner Projects in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, and he remembers. Monday, at the opening of Coca Cola’s SummerScope 2003 at Highlands Middle School, Mack Carter gave back to 400 youths from White Plains, Mount Vernon and Harlem what he did not have long ago in Brooklyn: a week of instruction, recreation, and career advice in the fields of sports, television production, and entertainment.

In return for Coke placing soda machines in the seven Housing Authority buildings in White Plains at Winbrook, DeKalb and Lake Street,  Carter reached an agreement with Coca Cola to bring  Summerscope , a national entertainment and sports camp program run by the International Association of African-American Music to White Plains.

The program  kicked off Monday at Highlands Middle School.

Carter said he had long hoped that Summerscope, a program in place for 19 years touring the country’s cities, could come to White Plains. Specifically he wanted Coca Cola to bring it to White Plains at a time when youths who were troubled academically could attend it. He said he saw the program introducing them to possibilities for the future at a time when they were finished with summer academic programs. Carter said he and Frank Williams of the city’s Youth Bureau and Timothy Connors, Superintendent of Schools had all worked together to bring the Summerscope program to White Plains and make it happen.

At 9:30, approximately 400 youths began registering for the Monday through Friday program. They were awaiting the appearance of Destiny’s Child star, Kelly Rowland, who was scheduled to appear Monday afternoon. Other stars and celebrities scheduled to appear this week at Highlands were MC Lyte, MTV VJ La La,  Lil’ Mo, Big Tigger of BET’s Rap City, Rhythm & Blues artist Jaheim and Allan Houston of the New York Knickerbockers.

The news conference announcing the program was delayed for approximately 45 minutes, while the several hundred youths waited in their seats, patiently and well-behaved. We were all awaiting the arrival of News 12 crews.  When it did get underway at 10:15, Mayor Joseph Delfino recalled that he attended school in this very building, and that he decided he wanted to do something in government, so he studied what he could about government. He noted that  “Coca Cola is willing to invest in you young people so youave a career. We care about you.” Photo by WPCNR News

The program allows students to choose from three career paths: entertainment where they will meet some of the recording industry stars and star athletes. During the week-long camp, the White Plains, Mount Vernon and Harlem residents gain knowledge of the sports world and the entertainment industry through basketball clinics with pro athletes and coaches and seminars with music executives on breaking into the entertainment industry. After a brief  introduction from camp celebrity leaders, each teen selects either a sports, or entertainment track for the week. The teens attending the White Plains camp at Highlands will have a choice of basketball, television production, and music.

Coca-Cola funds the free camp for some 2,000 teens over the summer. Previously the entourage has staged Summerscope in Baltimore, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Union City, New Jersey, Norfolk, Virginia, Roxbury, Ma., with White Plains and Brooklyn the last two stops.

Carter said he wanted to bring the camp back next year, but different sites are selected for the Summerscope tour each year, according to the Coca Cola representatives.

Carter said he felt it was the White Plains Housing Authority responsibility to improve the quality of life of families living in its buildings, and Summerscope was just one of the efforts he has undertaken to enhance opportunities and life for his “customers” as he calls them.

Carter said the Housing Authority is undertaking a new security program for all seven buildings, consisting of video surveillance cameras, as just one component, and that he would be able to supply more information on the security improvements shortly.

He announced that a new computer lab facility would be incorporated at the White Plains Housing Authority’s new headquarters  being constructed at 225 South Lexington Avenue, for the use of residents and youths. He said the WPHA Headquarters should be completed in about 18 months, and would include a community Tenant Center with auditorium, as just two customer-friendly amenities the WPHA is bringing to its clientele.

Hits: 0

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS STREET. From The Cantatore Campaign. August 14, 2003: White Plains candidate for Westchester County Legislator in the Fifth District, Frank Cantatore, Wednesday called for his opponent William Ryan, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Legislators, to put a stop to a County plan to build a Children’s Museum at Playland. According to Cantatore, the County plan directly competes with an initiative by White Plains to build a Children’s Museum in its downtown and undermines the City’s overall economic development plan.
 “Children’s museums are a fun and exciting way for kids to learn,” said Cantatore. Westchester County needs a Children’s Museum and White Plains is the perfect place for one, with its central location and with all of the new offerings that will be available in the near future; not to mention ample parking and transportation to it from all corners of Westchester.” Cantatore said that he hoped that Ryan would introduce his resolution to the full Board immediately. “The resolution I am proposing is a general statement which simply says that the County government can not use County property to directly compete with local government initiatives”, Cantatore said. “The County was well aware as was Ryan of White Plains intention to attract a Children’s Museum and should not have been offering to lease property at Playland to lure Children’s Museums away from White Plains.”

The Children’s Museum belongs in White Plains”, Cantatore said. “The City of White Plains has been making tremendous progress in its efforts to revitalize the downtown and the Children’s Museum, like the movie theater and retail project, has been an important part of that effort. It is inconceivable to me that Bill Ryan, who is supposed to represent White Plains, has stood by and done nothing to protect the City’s interests.”  

Cantatore called on Ryan to adopt a resolution of the Board of Legislators restricting the County from using County from using Playland to directly compete with the City for a Children’s Museum. “Westchester County is acting like an 800 pound gorilla here, using its substantial resources to stamp out the competition,” Cantatore said. “The County’s role is to provide assistance to local governments, not compete with them.” Cantatore said that establishing a Children’s Museum in White Plains is an important priority and said that as County Legislator, he would work closely with Mayor Delfino to accomplish the City’s goal. According to the Association Children’s Museums, national attendance at children’s museums has boomed in the last decade, as the institutions have become “a new kind of town square”. In the year 2000, 33 million children and families visited a children’s museum in the United States, up from 8 million in 1991. Visiting children range in age from preschoolers to 6^th and 7^th graders at some locations. These museums complement efforts in schools, childcare centers, and homes to enrich the lives and education of children.

Hits: 0

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT . Interview with George Gretsas From the Mayor’s Office. August 12, 2003: Official notice went out from City Hall Tuesday night calling for a Special Meeting of the Common Council Wednesday evening at 6 P.M. naming Starbucks, the Seattle-based coffee brewers chain, as the “vendor of choice” to run the “Open Space Incubator” kiosk in Renaissance Plaza, the water fountain park being built by Louis Cappelli.

Wednesday the council will take the first of two votes on the Letter of Intent to sign an agreement with Starbucks to run the kiosk, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, George Gretsas said tonight, who said the city’s Paul Wood (Economic Development Officer) had worked very hard to bring the popular coffee brewers to the city. Gretsas said the kiosk, to be constructed by Louis Cappelli, the developer of City Center, will cost $575,000 with construction capped at that figure. Gretsas added that the construction cost of the 20 foot by 55 foot building targeted for the corner of Court Street and Main would be capped at the $575,000 figure, with Mr. Cappelli paying any overruns.

The city has raised $260,000 of the $575,000 thanks to a $90,000 grant from Congresswoman Nita Lowey, a $50,000 federal economic development grant secured by Paul Wood, the city’s Economic Development officer, and an additional $75,000 already allocated for the kiosk by the city. The balance of $360,000 will be bonded for, Gretsas said and the terms of the Starbucks “deal,” which was not disclosed “make the project profitable in the first year,” Gretsas reported. Gretsas said the Open Space Incubator concept allows the city to build open space acquisition funds, by paying off the debt service through profitable operation of the kiosk, rather the city simply devoting money to open space, which would not “grow” as fast because of the debt service, he said.

Gretsas said  the bond would cost $50,000 a year for 10 years and would return a profit in the first year.

Hits: 0

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From The Mayor’s Office. August 12, 2003: The Mayor’s Executive Officer George Gretsas announced today that Judge Richard Molea of the New York State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of  the city in the Article 78 action brought by Concerned Citizens for Open Space against the city and New York Presbyterian Hospital last September, after approximately a three month review. (Final papers in the suit were filed at the end of April, 2003.

Mr. Gretsas said the ruling “throws out the suit, though Concerned Citizens for Open Space has the right to appeal.”

Gretsas made no other comment. The suit sought to deny the city’s approval of the Special Permit  paving the way for New York Presbyterian Hospital  to build biomedical research and proton accelerator complex on the grounds that a zoning change was needed. That approval came last August, and CCOS filed their Article 78 suit in September, 2002.

Hits: 0

WPCNR CAMPAIGN TRAIL. From Press Office of Frank Cantatore. August 7, 2003: County Legislative candidate Frank Cantatore (R – White Plains)  called on Legislator William Ryan to stop misusing public funds by distributing taxpayer-financed communications for his own benefit.  Such activity violates the spirit of a key Board of Legislators rule that specifically forbids misuse of taxpayer funds.

“Mr. Ryan must learn that the hard working residents of Westchester County do not struggle to pay their taxes in order support Bill Ryan,” said Cantatore.  “It is clear that he is using taxpayer dollars in a futile attempt to save his re-election campaign.  When the spotlight is on, Mr. Ryan claims to support campaign finance rules, but sadly, when he thinks the people are not watching, he helps himself to taxpayer resources.”

Ryan’s plan to use taxpayer resources for his personal gain was discovered when many citizens, who were upset at Ryan’s misuse of public funds, complained that Ryan and / or his assistants were distributing misleading flyers at various public places around the district including several busy shopping centers in White Plains.  The flyers, produced by Westchester County Board of Legislators staffers, using county resources, featured a dated picture of Ryan and contact information for his legislative office in White Plains.

“Unintentional misuse of public resources for personal gain is bad enough,” Mr. Cantatore continued, “however, Mr. Ryan, with full knowledge that the rules of the Westchester County Board of Legislators specifically prohibits the use of taxpayer resources for personal advancement or gain, has chosen to ignore the rules and thereby hurt the taxpayer, again.”

A rule entitled “Activities Prohibited During Political Campaigns For County Office” adopted by the Board of Legislators in 1998 specifically forbids incumbents who have filed designating petitions for a county office from using county resources to finance, prepare and mail newsletters “for the purpose of communicating Board activities and achievements to residents of such member’s legislative district.”  Ryan voted for the rule.

Mr. Cantatore’s campaign staff has filed a freedom of information request with the Board of Legislators to uncover extent of the misuse of public funds. 

“Ethics and the high public trust that a Legislator must adhere to and protect cannot be conveniently disregarded.  Again, Bill Ryan must learn, apparently the hard way, that the taxpayer’s money is not his own; he should pay back every cent that he misused with money from his campaign and pledge, as I have done, to put the taxpayer first,” Cantatore demanded.

The Cantatore campaign, in contrast to his opponent, has pledged to use only private donations to finance his election effort.  All donations to Mr. Cantatore’s campaign, and related expenses, are open to public review.

“Career politicians too often forget that government was not invented to provide them with a salary, a pension and every perk imaginable; hard earned taxpayer dollars must be diligently protected, unfortunately, sometimes even from elected officials.”  Mr. Cantatore concluded, “when elected, I will protect the public trust and ensure that each and every taxpayer dollar is appropriately spent, or perhaps more importantly, saved and as a first step if elected I will not accept a salary from the county. Those monies I will ask go towards defraying any future tax increases.”