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 CORONAVIRUS MONITOR. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. January 26, 2022:

 As of January 2022, trends from a nearly one-and-a-half year COVID-19 study at all seven Westchester County Wastewater Treatment Plants continue to show decreasing levels. (Below)

This follows trends of active cases in the County as the spread of the Omicron variant wanes.

Latimer said: “As we move past the Omicron variant spike of active COVID-19 cases, these trends are a welcome sign. Data and information are the tools that help guide the decisions of my Administration and I commend the work of the Department of Environmental Facilities on their partnership and efforts on this study.”

SARS-CoV-2 RNA laboratory results from the 24-hour composite collected on January 16, while still showing the presence of COVID-19 in each of the seven sewer sheds, show that those levels in each of the seven sewer sheds have decreased significantly. The decreased levels of copies per capita in all of the sewer sheds is indicating a continued leveling off and a definitive downturn from the previous spike.

Since early in the pandemic, the Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) has partnered with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) to study the wastewater at County treatment plants to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on large urban areas.

DEF Commissioner Vincent Kopicki said: “Our Department has had a great working relationship with NYCDEP on this study to help find answers to the pandemic and allowing us to better serve the public.

The relationship between Westchester County and NYCDEP is a true partnership where both organizations benefit.  The County’s Information Technology department developed the software dashboard to organize and display the results of the sampling, while the Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities takes the weekly samples from our wastewater treatment facilities. NYCDEP performs the lab analysis for all samples.  All of this work is being performed at no additional cost to the Westchester County sewer-shed rate payers.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the White Plains Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joseph Ricca. January 25, 2021 6 P/M. EST:

So that you are aware, this afternoon, the New York State Appellate Court granted an interim stay while the matter regarding the NYS mask mandate in schools is appealed by the State. Accordingly, masking within WPCSD school facilities and on school transportation remains in force and effect.

As we have said from the start of the pandemic, protecting the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff remains of the upmost importance.

As this issue continues to evolve within the courts, we will continue to keep you updated. Thank you, as always, and have a good evening.

Governor Kathy Hochul issued this statement from Albany on the ruling:

“As Governor, my top priority is protecting the people of this state. These measures are critical tools to prevent the spread of COVID-19, make schools and businesses safe, and save lives. I commend the Attorney General for her defense of the health and safety of New Yorkers, and applaud the Appellate Division, Second Department for siding with common sense and granting an interim stay to keep the state’s important masking regulations in place. We will not stop fighting to protect New Yorkers, and we are confident we will continue to prevail.”

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL From Dr. Joseph Ricca, White Plains Superintendent of Schools. January 25, 2021:

First, I apologize in advance for the confusion caused by last night’s announcement that the state mask mandate has been struck down by the Nassau County Supreme Court.

I recognize that this ruling/information, and the legal back and forth, that has followed has been extraordinarily confusing and stressful for our families and our educational community. To be sure, our entire state is contending with these conflicting orders presently.

So that you are aware, this is the present situation in the White Plains City School District.

The White Plains City School District adheres to all New York State laws and regulations pertaining to public schools. 

The State Department of Health, through the Attorney General, has filed a notice of appeal (attached) to the court’s order.

Additionally, the New York State Education Department and our School District Counsel have indicated that the moment the motion was filed, an automatic stay on the lower court’s ruling was put into force and effect until the appellate court hears the State’s appeal.

What does this mean for us?

While we recognize that many community members have different thoughts and feelings regarding masking in schools, and we truly understand and respect these various personal positions, the State’s appeal effectively maintains the State’s masking policy, for the moment.

Accordingly, masking within WPCSD school facilities and on school transportation remains in force and effect. Please be advised that all members of the WPCSD community must continue to follow the State’s requirements until this legal matter is resolved.

Please be advised that this guidance may/will change again quickly. A change in masking requirements in schools could happen at any time.  As always, we will continue to monitor this evolving situation to alert you to any changes to this decision.

Thank you in advance for your patience and again, our apologies for the increased stress on our children, families, and community. A K12 Alert to the entire community is forthcoming.

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