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 FBI WIRE. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation. March 2, 2022:

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Miriam E. Rocah, Westchester County District Attorney, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and John Mueller, the Commissioner of the Yonkers Police Department (“YPD”), announced today that JONATHAN RIVERA and DILICIA AGUIRRE-ORELLANA were charged with production and receipt and distribution of child pornography. 

AGUIRRE-ORELLANA was also charged with possession of child pornography. RIVERA was arrested on or about February 26 in Manhattan, and will be presented today in federal court in White Plains. 

AGUIRRE-ORELLANA was arrested on or about February 22 in Yonkers, presented on local charges on or about February 23, and detained; she will be presented on the federal charges at a later date.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Allegedly at the behest of Jonathan Rivera, Dilicia Aguirre-Orellana is accused of one of the most heinous acts imaginable – the sexual assault of prepubescent children – including the sexual abuse and video recording of her four-year-old son. The harm that child sex abuse can inflict on the most innocent of victims is something no child should bear. We believe there may be more victims of these alleged crimes, and implore anyone who may have information helpful to law enforcement to please call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said:  “The level of depravity alleged in the charges filed today against Mr. Rivera are nearly unfathomable.  The FBI and our partners remain committed to bringing to justice all those who would seek to harm our society’s most vulnerable members.  We are asking anyone with information about Mr. Rivera or his alleged activity to contact us at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.”

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah said:  

“Crimes committed against children, especially ones perpetrated by a parent or caretaker, are deeply disturbing and those who prey upon and sexually exploit children will be aggressively prosecuted. As alleged in this case, Dilicia Aguirre-Orellana sexually violated and exploited her own child in unspeakable ways.

This case shows how law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels can work together to protect the most vulnerable victims. My office is proud to have partnered with the Yonkers Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on this remarkable collaborative effort which put an end to the alleged abuse of a young victim, and will help any other potential victims come forward.”  

YPD Commissioner John Mueller said: “It is at the core of every law enforcement officer to protect the vulnerable and innocent, most of all children. We must hold these alleged criminals accountable to the maximum extent of the law for the abuse they inflicted on the smallest members of our society; the Yonkers Police will always continue to put victims first. I am grateful for the sustained multi-agency collaboration on the County, State, and Federal levels that ensures safe communities in Westchester and the City of Yonkers, and applaud the efforts of the investigators and attorneys who worked this case.”

 According to the Complaint[1] filed on February 28, 2022, in White Plains federal court:

In or about December 2021, RIVERA communicated online with AGUIRRE-ORELLANA and persuaded AGUIRRE-ORELLANA to make videos of herself performing sex acts on her four-year-old child (“Victim-1”).  At RIVERA’s direction, AGUIRRE-ORELLANA made videos of herself touching Victim’s genitals and herself performing oral sex on Victim-1, and sent them to RIVERA over a social media messaging application.   In conversations with law enforcement, RIVERA stated that he engaged in similar conversations with other women online.  RIVERA may have used various social media platforms to communicate with victims, including WhatsApp, Badoo, Telegram, and Facebook.  The usernames of some of RIVERA’s various accounts include:

Jriv3ra718

Jriv3ra11

Jaid3nrivera718

Thebrimbrothers

Jano59fifty

Nathan

On or about February 23, 2022, AGUIRRE-ORELLANA was charged in Westchester County with sexual abuse in the first degree and criminal sexual act in the first degree.  The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office will be prosecuting these charges.

Anyone who may have encountered JONATHAN RIVERA (or someone who may have been using the social media usernames identified above), is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

*                *                *

RIVERA, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.  The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

AGUIRRE-ORELLANA, 22, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with one count of production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and one count of possession of child pornography involving images of a minor who had not yet attained the age of 12, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the FBI Westchester Safe Streets Task Force which includes Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, US Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Westchester County PD, Westchester County DA’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Rockland County DA’s Office, the NYPD and the Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Peekskill, Greenburgh, New Rochelle, White Plains, Clarkstown and Ramapo Police Departments.  This investigation is ongoing.

 This case began as an investigation in the YPD Special Victim’s Unit, working jointly with the Special Prosecutions Division Child Abuse Bureau of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, including Bureau Chief Christine Hatfield and Acting Deputy Bureau Chief Owein Levin.  The federal prosecution is being handled by the White Plains Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Simon is in charge of the prosecution.  

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. From Gedney Association March 2, 2022:

The City of White Plains is requesting your input for the Comprehensive Plan Update! Please visit ONE White Plains and click on Participate. Here you can review the Draft Vision Statement and Planning Goals that were based on feedback collected during Phase I of the Plan update. Participants can add comments and give a thumbs up or down to comments left by other participants. Outlined below is the Vision Statement of the Board. The Gedney Association along with White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations continue to urge the Common Council to reestablish the Committee Structure that was used in 1998, and institute a rezoning moratorium during the Comprehensive planning process. Please email us with any questions. The Gedney Association

Comprehensive Plan Process Recommendations:  Reestablish Committee Structure used in 1998 Update;Committees of a minimum of 8-10 persons focusing on a specific area;Committees shall report to a Management Committee;Management Committee shall summarize recommendations flowing from each Committee and report to Common Council;Initiate a Moratorium on any rezonings until completion of Plan update.  Gedney Farms Vision Statement Pertaining to Gedney Farms: Preservation of low-density single-family zoning;Preservation of historic character of Gedney Farms;Encourage Open Space Preservation;Protection of Area Watercourses and Wetlands resources;Preserve natural areas that provide flood protection;Reduce cut-through traffic;Preserve R-30 single family zoning on golf course properties;Consider and manage flood risk; analyze properties at risk such as former FASNY property and other areas such as Gedney Park Drive. Pertaining to South End of City:Protect low-density single-family zoning;Prohibit cut-through traffic on local streets;Prohibit multi-family apartments on existing low-density office parks;Limit retail to community related needs and limit to existing local retail centers;Maintain requisite fire and police services and consider future needs. Pertaining to City-Wide Issues: Protect the delicate balance between Downtown and surrounding single-family neighborhoods;Consider impacts and limits on City Infrastructure (i.e. schools, sewers, roads, traffic congestion, fire & police services and parks and recreation services;Return to lower height restrictions of residential and office properties in Downtown zoning;Limit multi-family housing to Downtown;Assess the decreasing role of retail facilities Downtown;An Open Space Plan should be a key component of a revised Master Plan;Examine the decline and changes of the office market downtown.

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THE MASKLIFT AHEAD: WESTCHESTER HAS LOWEST COVID POSITIVES IN WEEK IN 8 MONTHS—597 FROM  FEB 20 TO 27, 85 NEW PERSONS TESTING POSITIVE A DAY. 1,208 NEW CASES TWO WEEKS AGO INFECTED  597 PEOPLE LAST WEEK, 50% Spread Rate

WPCNR CORONA VIRUS MONITOR. From the New York State Covid Tracker and School Covid Case Report. Analysis and Commentary by John F. Bailey:

Westchester County had its most effective week in containing covid since the week of July 11 to 17  when just after Westchester began its resurgence of Covid’s second wave that built in a huge December surge in cases with masking in place.

The Saturday covid figure for Westchester County in yesterday from the state recorded 55 new persons testing positive bringing the total for the week of February 20 to 27 to 597 new cases or  85 new cases a day.

When you look at the infections two weeks ago from February 6 to 12 there were 1,208 persons in Westchester County who tested positive, who two weeks later have spread the virus to  597 other people. This means positives in the last two weeks spread the disease to 50% more people (597 divided by 1,208 is .49 –50% each infecting half a person).

The hospitalizations reported yesterday by County Executive George Latimer as of Monday was 85 down from  677 a month ago. So this tells us people may be getting infected with covid but getting less sick.

Now the one factor that schools opening tomorrow without a state-required masking mandate have to be wary of is how many students will be sent back to school not wearing masks. Or those with masks, not keeping them in place correctly.

In the case of the White Plains Schools we have track record provided by the State School Covid Report. (Similar records are available for every school district. ) They are instructive.

According to the February 28 State Schools Covid Report White Plains schools saw 1,738 students, teachers and administrators–  22% of  the district 7,964 universe of 6,792 students, 699 teachers and 473 staff  employees since September when students, teachers administrators were masked, socially distancing, teachers, administrators 80% vaccinated or more, In 6 months of school in a highly covid-protective environment, you had 1,738 covid positives or 289 a month, 72 a week.

The number of students testing positive in 6 months through February 28 is 1,412 of 6,792 (21%). A total of 985 elementary students tested positive. In Middle School, 173 tested positive and in the high school, 254.

Teachers who tested positive numbered 179. Staff testing positive totaled 147.

What that tells us is that masking did a lot to limit infections, but still infections persisted.  It might be argued that there might have been a lot more if there was no masking;

Going ahead, Superintendent of Schools Joseph Ricca and the school reopening committee have to decide if they can without violating state directives whatever they may be, what protocols to keep according to Department of Health regulations.

Testing, for example there has to be a lot more to see the effects of the socialization the next 6 weeks of socializing March, 4 full weeks of school to see whether or not infections are on the upswing quickly or confirm that spread of the disease is at least even with the present rate. The schools in White Plains will have to test more The school only tested 66 Monday.

The 22% infections over the first 6 months even in a community-supportive environment indicates this  policy of masklifting by the state is a gamble to please the public and do what so many parents want. It has not worked in the last 4 waves.

The last time the leaders in Albany and the then governor opened this up, covid started up again in July and has not let up even with masking.

Westchester has covid at low tide again.

The White Plains School District has made masks “optional.”  The schools will respect parents’ decisions on whether to send their students in with masks or without.

Human behavior is the key to keeping covid where it is and continue its decline.

If we do not behave responsibly in the way we recreate, socialize, shop, eat out, attend events, and celebrate in this spring socializing season coming up a 5^th wave will happen. That’s the history of this Red Plague.

Westchester has stopped covid four times, each time relaxing and letting Covid come back again. Let us keep it stopped with responsible behavior.

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WPCNR COVID MONITOR. From the NYS Covid Tracker. Analysis by John F. Bailey. February 28, 2022:

The only good news I have for you this morning is that Westchester County continues to walk back covid numbers to the under 100 per day level seen in mid-July, eight months ago.

Through 6 days, Sunday February 20 through Friday February 25, Westchester was reported by the state as finding 542 new persons coming down with Covid for the week, 90 per day, with 70 persons testing positive Friday. The Saturday figures completing the week should be out this afternoon.

Across the 7-County Mid Hudson region including Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Rockland, Putnam, and Sullivan Counties, approximately 1,363 persons were founded to be tested positive. Nassau and Suffolk Counties continued to average over 100 cases per day.

In comparison with New York City 5 boroughs, the 9 Counties surrounding New York City reported 362 new cases of covid, compared to New York boroughs total of 681.

Now the New York metropolitan area returns to normal at the conclusion of the winter school vacation, and resumption of socializing and 4 full weeks of school in March.

Below are the totals for Friday as well as the 15 most covid active areas in Westchester County as of Thursday.