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’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. June 7, 2003:New York’s fight against illegal drugs is far from over. Despite our best efforts, drug addiction and drug-related crimes continue to plague our communities. Unfortunately, our approach to combating drugs has not changed much in decades. New York’s antiquated Rockefeller drug laws fail to address the underlying problem of addiction.

Since their enactment in 1973, the Rockefeller drug laws have become infamous for their severe and inflexible mandatory minimum sentences. The law has been criticized as being unnecessarily harsh and counterproductive. Its mandatory sentencing has often led first-time nonviolent drug offenders to receive prison terms longer than murderers and rapists.

In an effort to make the law more effective, the Assembly passed a plan to reform New York’s antiquated Rockefeller drug laws, allowing judges to sentence some non-violent, lower-level offenders to mandatory drug treatment programs as a potential alternative to prison. The plan is expected to save New York $164 million annually, alleviating crowded prisons while cracking down on violent offenders and treating the causes of drug-related crime.

After 30 years, it’s time to acknowledge that mandatory prison sentences do not cure drug addiction. And in terms of reducing crime, research shows that treatment is a much more effective and less costly alternative to incarceration. This measure frees the court to decide the most appropriate sentence – to make the punishment fit the crime.

A 1997 Rand Corporation study that found drug treatment was 15 times more effective than mandatory sentencing in reducing serious crimes committed against people and property by drug offenders. Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman has estimated that graduates of the drug court diversion program operated by the court system commit two-thirds fewer crimes than drug offenders who are simply incarcerated for a period of time.

The Assembly bill (A.7078) would:

• Give judges and prosecutors discretion in recommending drug treatment as a potential alternative to prison;
• Create a new drug-related Class B-II felony for certain lower level sale or possession cases involving relatively small amounts of narcotics; and
• Give judges more flexibility in sentencing individuals on Class B and lower felonies.

New York has achieved great success in reducing crime – especially violent crime – in recent years. We can build on this success by working to eliminate the problem of substance abuse, which lies at the core of most criminal behavior.

Treating the causes of crime

Under these drug law reforms, prosecutors will have the ability to recommend and judges may order certain drug offenders, whose non-violent crimes resulted from drug abuse, to treatment programs as an alternative to a mandatory state prison term.

The plan allows prosecutors to first review whether or not a non-violent drug offender should be diverted from prison to drug treatment. A judge would then make the final determination on whether an offender is placed in mandatory drug treatment as a potential alternative to prison.

Combating drug-related gun violence

Recognizing the deadly connection between the drug trade and firearms, the new legislation imposes a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of possessing a loaded handgun with the intent to use it while selling or attempting to sell drugs. The plan also retains life sentences for drug kingpins who engage in major drug trafficking.

I am confident that reforming the Rockefeller drug laws is a more effective approach to fighting drugs in New York, and urge the Senate and the governor to join the Assembly in the long-overdue effort to reform these harsh and draconian laws. These laws have ruined lives and failed to solve the drug epidemic facing our communities.

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. June 6, 2003: The White Plains Legal Department reports that “all the briefs are in” on the Citizens for Open Space Article 78 lawsuit in Supreme Court to force the Common Council to reexamine their decision to permit New York Presbyterian Hospital to construct a biotech research facility and proton accelerator cancer treatment facility deep within its pristine grounds. The city has filed its “answer” to Attorney Thomas Wyatt’s motion to block the approval based on the approval being a violation of zoning. It is with the judge, and Corporation Counsel Edward Dunphy expects a decision in about two months.

Meanwhile back in Appellate Court in Brooklyn, the Appellate Court received the Attorney General’s rebuttal to Thomas Abinanti’s motion to dismiss the Attorney General’s Quo Warranto action on behalf of deposed councilman Larry Delgado as being filed past the statute of limitations for actions against the state.

Jeffrey Binder, Mr. Delgado’s attorney, lauds the Attorney General’s brief as being quite thorough going back to the 1700s in its summation of cases. Binder said he expects Mr. Hockley to be removed from the Council shortly by Judge Francis Nicolai, pending an expected Appellate Court denial of Abinanti’s motion.

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WPCNR WEATHER SCOOP. From WPCNR Weather. June 5, 2003: The sun officially appeared from behind breaks in the overcast today at 2:33 P.M, and has been shining on the White Plains area for 45 minutes. It was only the third day when the sun has shown in the last 7, after two days of desultory showers and dismal weather.

A spokesman for the sun said that it’s partial appearance would be only brief with a one-day engagement tomorrow.

The National Weather Service still calls for possible showers early this evening, with partly sunny skies called for on Friday with showers likely to return Saturday afternoon.

CHARISMATIC CELEBRITY: The Sun breaks through at 2:33 P.M. in White Plains A spokesman for the sun said that it’s partial appearance would be only brief with a one-day engagement tomorrow.
Photo by WPCNR WeatherScoop

PEONY BASKS IN SUNLIGHT: Sodden White Plains flowers dried themselves out Thursday afternoon after taking only 3 days of sunshine in the last 7, and putting up with 5-1/4 inches of rain in the last week.

Photo by WPCNR WeatherScoop

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WPCNR THE WHITE PLAINS STREET. June 5, 2003: The Republican slate of Frank Cantatore for County Legislator, and Common Council Candidates, Jeffrey Binder, Rosa Munoz, and Tim Sheehan have been awarded the Independence Party line for the November election, giving the Republicans three lines, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Council Challenger Dan Hickey has gotten off to a good start in seeking the 398 signatures needed to get on the September Primary ballot to challenge for a Council nomination.

Elsewhere, petition signing began Tuesday evening, and Republicans canvassing in council challenger Dan Hickey’s neighborhood found that the former Deputy Police Commissioner had acquired significant signature coverage and are taking his candidacy very seriously.

Should Mr. Hickey acquire the 400 signatures needed to primary the three nominated Republican council candidates, and nosed one of them out in the September Primary, any Republican candidate Mr. Hickey defeats would still remain on the ballot on the Conservative and Independence Party lines, with a possibility of further splitting the White Plains vote.

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WHITE PLAINS, NY — May 22, 2003 — Artyarns.com announced today the opening of the Knitting Arts Studio, a new home for the promotion of knitting and the fiber arts. The studio will hold workshops and classes for all levels of fiber artists.

Well-known fiber artist and Artyarns.com co-founder Laurie Kimmelstiel has noted that there is “an upsurge in interest in all crafts, particularly strong in knitting, which has reached epoch proportions throughout the nation.” Co-founder Iris Schreier feels that “the studio will promote the use of natural beautiful fibers because these will result in unique and important handwork.”

The Knitting Arts Studio will offer classes this June in Beginning Knitting, Back to Knitting (for those who have learned to knit in the past but think they’ve forgotten how), Knitting for Baby, Knitting with Sequins, and Knitting with Japanese Yarns. Classes and workshops will emphasize the use of luxury and other unusual and rare fibers such as cashmere, silk and beautiful wools.

Both women have had extensive backgrounds in the fiber arts as both designers and educators. They are currently co-authoring a book on knitting accessories with luxury yarns to be published by Lark Books. Utilizing exquisite yarns, they hope to share and promote their love of the knitted craft to all whom cross their path.

Future class offerings will include Lunch-Hour Knitting for nearby office workers, Crochet, Knitting with Beads, Embroidery, Quilting, Spinning, Knitted Socks, as well as an array of terrific classes for kids including Beginning Knitting (ages 10 and up), Dyeing Yarn with Kool-Aid, workshops for parents and kids together, and great classes for teens to explore their own creativity with the fiber arts. A full listing of the Studio’s summer schedule of workshops will be available on their website: Artyarns.com

The Knitting Arts Studio is located in Suite 703 of the newly renovated Westchester Arts Exchange Building located at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue, at the corner of Martine Avenue and right next door to the new City Center complex. It is convenient to parking and public transportation in the exciting and revived downtown White Plains.

Note: For more information on classes, schedules and to register, log on to Artyarns.com or call The Knitting Arts Studio at 1-914 / 428-0333