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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JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS CIPPI HARTE, (LEFT)DIRECTOR DOROT WESTCHESTER AND CYNTHIA SAMWICK, DOROT VOLUNTEER FOR DOROT ON THE FREE PROGRAMS DOROT WESTCHESTER PROVIDES

COMPANIONSHIP, FRIENDSHIP, EDUCATION, ACITIVITIES AND SELF IMPROVEMENT TO OVER 300 PERSONS IN WESTCHESTER.

START THE NEW YEAR WITH A NEW START FOR THOSE WHO JUST NEED A HELPING HAND SOMEONE TO BE A FRIEND, COMPANION, LIGHTEN LIFE’S CARES FOR A WHILE

PERSONS WHO NEED HELP IN THE SEASON OF LIGHT

FIND OUT HOW A DOROT VOLUNTEER IS THE PERFECT GIFT FOR SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY THAAT NEEDS A REGULAR FRIEND THEY CAN COUNT ON AND COUNT ON SEEING REGULARLY

MS. HARTE AND MS. SAMWICK SHOW YOU HOW THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OF DOROT CAN HELP FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES WITH THE COMPASSION, EXPERTISE AND TRAINING OF A DOROT VOLUNTEER

BRIGHTEN UP THE HOLIDAYS
MAKE THE NEW YEAR REALLY NEW WITH THE GIFT OF A DOROT VOLUNTEER’S COMPANIONSHIP, A FREE SPECIAL SERVICE TO A PERSON SPECIAL TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

SEE IT ANYTIME BY GOING TO WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG. SCROLL DOWN THE “PROGRAM WALL” TO “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD” CLICK AND WATCH

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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. Based on New York State Covid Tracker and Governor Hochul Advisory. December 9, 2021 UPDATED WITH WPCNR CHART 1 PM EST;

138,694 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours    

40 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday     

6 More Omicron Cases Confirmed in NYC

WESTCHESTER NEW POSITIVES MONDAY: 395 TEST POSITIVE OF 11,350 TESTED, 3.6%. 1,146 NEW COVID CASES IN MIDHUDSON REGION.

Governor Hochul’s Report:

New Yorkers looking to schedule vaccine appointments for 5-11-year-old children are encouraged to contact their child’s pediatrician, family physician, county health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health centers, or pharmacies that may be administering the vaccine for this age group. Parents and guardians can visit vaccines.gov, text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. Make sure that the provider offers the Pfizer-BioNTechCOVID-19 vaccine, as the other COVID-19 vaccines are not yet authorized for this age group. 

Governor Kathy Hochul Wednesday updated New Yorkers on the state’s progress combating COVID-19.    

“Let us all continue to get vaccinated, get the booster shot, and encourage our family members and fellow New Yorkers to do the same,” Governor Hochul said. “We know the tools to limit the spread and prevent serious illness from the COVID-19 virus, let’s use them. The vaccine is safe, effective, and our best hope for moving past this pandemic. We will get through this together.”

Today’s data is summarized briefly below:  

• Test Results Reported – 230,412
• Total Positive – 9,833
• Percent Positive – 4.27%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 4.75%
• Patient Hospitalization – 3,489 (+88)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 536
• Patients in ICU – 633 (+2)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation – 352 (+0)
• Total Discharges – 218,409 (+427)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 40 
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 46,903
  
  The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.  
• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC – 59,689
  
  This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.  

• Total vaccine doses administered – 30,759,134
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours – 138,694
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days – 881,149
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 86.5%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 78.8%  
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 91.9% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 81.2%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 74.9%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 67.4%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 79.5%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 69.2% 

Each region’s 7-day average of cases per 100K population is as follows 

Region	Sunday, December 5, 2021	Monday, December 6, 2021	Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Capital Region	70.43	71.74	69.37
Central New York	71.05	71.62	71.57
Finger Lakes	79.16	79.84	76.86
Long Island	55.11	58.25	59.66
Mid-Hudson	40.99	41.68	42.85
Mohawk Valley	83.34	83.87	85.25
New York City	24.44	25.69	26.99
North Country	77.91	76.48	75.35
Southern Tier	77.97	81.58	80.90
Western New York	88.58	86.75	82.47
Statewide	47.51	48.69	48.96

Each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:    

Region	Sunday, December 5, 2021	Monday, December 6, 2021	Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Capital Region	7.45%	7.52%	7.03%
Central New York	8.01%	7.93%	7.78%
Finger Lakes	10.29%	10.14%	9.58%
Long Island	5.89%	5.98%	6.04%
Mid-Hudson	4.50%	4.63%	4.63%
Mohawk Valley	8.41%	8.29%	8.38%
New York City	2.26%	2.35%	2.35%
North Country	8.81%	8.58%	8.27%
Southern Tier	5.95%	6.01%	6.00%
Western New York	11.22%	11.12%	10.66%
Statewide	4.82%	4.87%	4.75%

Each New York City borough’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:    

Borough in NYC	Sunday, December 5, 2021	Monday, December 6, 2021	Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Bronx	2.25%	2.36%	2.39%
Kings	2.14%	2.28%	2.32%
New York	1.57%	1.62%	1.60%
Queens	2.85%	2.90%	2.89%
Richmond	3.83%	3.81%	3.88%

Yesterday, 9,833 New Yorkers tested positive for COVID-19 in New York State, bringing the total compiled by HERDS to 2,779,313. A geographic breakdown is as follows:  
    

County	Total Positive	New Positive	Number of Omicron Cases Confirmed Statewide: 14*
Albany	35,729	143	–
Allegany	6,348	22	–
Broome	29,358	128	1
Cattaraugus	10,514	54	–
Cayuga	10,149	45	–
Chautauqua	15,864	89	–
Chemung	13,460	79	–
Chenango	5,880	36	–
Clinton	8,503	34	–
Columbia	6,023	53	–
Cortland	6,308	28	–
Delaware	4,761	42	–
Dutchess	39,072	174	–
Erie	130,859	638	–
Essex	3,151	32	–
Franklin	5,790	44	–
Fulton	8,198	41	–
Genesee	9,135	71	–
Greene	5,172	29	–
Hamilton	533	2	–
Herkimer	8,838	95	–
Jefferson	12,022	91	–
Lewis	4,395	26	–
Livingston	7,603	35	–
Madison	7,789	68	–
Monroe	101,904	470	–
Montgomery	7,569	50	–
Nassau	232,051	769	–
Niagara	30,247	158	–
NYC	1,151,058	2,590	13
Oneida	34,638	212	2
Onondaga	62,018	339	–
Ontario	12,377	67	–
Orange	64,019	258	–
Orleans	5,870	46	–
Oswego	14,943	88	–
Otsego	5,769	65	–
Putnam	13,508	71	–
Rensselaer	18,322	93	–
Rockland	56,362	100	–
Saratoga	26,181	154	–
Schenectady	20,125	92	–
Schoharie	2,938	34	–
Schuyler	2,058	10	–
Seneca	3,468	12	–
St. Lawrence	13,603	108	–
Steuben	13,264	89	–
Suffolk	262,900	1,017	3
Sullivan	10,084	72	–
Tioga	6,699	55	–
Tompkins	7,773	32	–
Ulster	19,752	76	–
Warren	7,770	39	–
Washington	7,190	56	–
Wayne	10,921	59	–
Westchester	150,743	395	1
Wyoming	5,628	45	–
Yates	2,107	13	–

* These case counts represent those known cases that have been confirmed by a state approved laboratory, and do not fully represent the total cases likely in the population.

Yesterday, 40 New Yorkers died due to COVID-19, bringing the total to 46,903. A geographic breakdown is as follows, by county of residence:    

Deaths by County of Residence
County	New Deaths
Bronx	1
Chautauqua	1
Chemung	3
Delaware	1
Dutchess	1
Erie	8
Essex	1
Kings	3
Livingston	1
Madison	1
Manhattan	1
Monroe	2
Oneida	1
Onondaga	2
Orange	1
Queens	3
Rensselaer	1
Saratoga	2
Schenectady	1
St. Lawrence	1
Suffolk	1
Ulster	1
Warren	1
Wyoming	1

All New York State mass vaccination sites are open to eligible New Yorkers aged 5 and older, with walk-in vaccination available at all sites on a first-come, first-serve basis for people aged 12 and older. Information on which sites require appointments for children in the 5-11 age group is available on our website. People who prefer to make an  appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site can do so on the Am I Eligible App or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX. People may also contact their local health department, pharmacy, doctor or hospital to schedule appointments where vaccines are available, or visit vaccines.gov to find information on vaccine appointments near them. 

New Yorkers looking to schedule vaccine appointments for 5-11-year-old children are encouraged to contact their child’s pediatrician, family physician, county health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health centers, or pharmacies that may be administering the vaccine for this age group. Parents and guardians can visit vaccines.gov, text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. Make sure that the provider offers the Pfizer-BioNTechCOVID-19 vaccine, as the other COVID-19 vaccines are not yet authorized for this age group. 

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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS UPDATE. By John F. Bailey. December 7, 2021:

The day after County Executive George Latimer’s Covid Monday news conference, the county learned of the first overly contagious Omicron Covid Varient case, a 13 year old boy. The County Executive issued this statement Tuesday at 5:30 PM:

“Earlier this afternoon we were informed that there is a confirmed case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in Westchester County. The positive case is in a 13-year-old Westchester County resident.  We are concerned about this discovery, and are closely monitoring the situation.  With the new variant circulating, the best way we can protect our families and ourselves is by being vaccinated, and by getting a booster shot if you are eligible.

“Additionally, I have officially signed the State of Emergency Executive Order for Westchester County.  I am taking this action to combat the Delta and Omicron COVID variants.  There is currently a public health threat, I know it has been many months, I know you are tired but we – together – must take action to be better prepared to fight COVID and the new variants.”

In his news conference on Covid Monday the County Executive stated his administration was preparing a 5-step plan which would be implemented when key indicators of covid infections and hospitalizations were reached. He did not apply and new requirements for Westchester County. He said that 84 new hospitalizations were reported in Westchester, up from 52 a week ago, a 61% increase in hospitalizations. He presented this chart :

The County Executive said that the county was formulating a Five Step plan of actions to take if hospitalizations continued to rise. The first step pictured above is triggered by rising to 100 hospitalizations. He said the next steps would involve restrictions. Tuesday morning on WVOX Radio ‘s Dennis and Tonny’s Good Morning Westchester, he said that with hospitalizations “rising towards 100, the county is declaring a state of emergency.”

He stressed in his covid briefing the county was “nowhere near” the infections of previous weeks, and noted the low death rates over the last year, shown below as evidence the county was not in serious danger of overburdening county hospitals. He said the 93% vaccinated population with at least one shot was definitely a factor in reducing hospitalizations saying that 57% of hospitalized patients were unvaccinated, and the rest were either presumed unvaccinated, or had preexisting health conditions.

Susan Fox, President, CEO of White Plains Hospital appeared at the invitation of the County Executive to address the Governor’s suggestion for hospitals to not accept elective surgeries.

She said that the hospital realizes it has to maintain a balance between being ready for Covid patients and serving the needs of the public. She said her staff is burned out from treating covid, but presently, only 15 patients are being treated for Covid at White Plains Hospital and only 1 is in the ICU unit. She gave the impression the hospital was not at the point where they would cancel elective surgeries which Governor Kathy Hochul suggested last week.

The County Executive answering a question by John Gordon of News 12 in the news conference about reopening the County Center as a vaccination center (it has been closed for vaccinations since November 14), said he was looking at that but did not give a reason why.

Mr. Latimer had a lot of issues he wanted to stress, which meant he had no time all the statistics that would indicate how good the public response is to the need to be vaccinated.

The County Executive did not give a count of how the vaccination shot administrations were going since the Westchester Medical Center took over that responsibility for the region. We were not told whether vaccinations were up in frequency or down as he used to do when the County Center, the Yonkers Armory and the Health Department on Court Street in White Plains were punching out shots to long lines in August. Pharmacy shot totals were not addressed. School vaccinations response trends were not given in detail.

When WPCNR asked the County Department of Communications for the figures on Westchester Medical Center vaccinations for children under 12, and those adultsnover 18, they recommended WPCNR go to the Westchester Medical Center press office.

WPCNR awaits a call back from Andrew LaGuardia, media spokesperson for Westchester Medical Center for an explanation of number of first shots, second shots and boosters administered and volume of children under 12 getting shots since November 14 when the Westchester Medical Center took over administering shots in the county. Such figures would provide a better picture of the public response to the county urging they get their vaccinations over the last two monthsl

WPCNR also asked Mr. LaGuardia if Westchester Medical Center was already taking in overflows of patients from surrounding counties in the the Mid-Hudson region where there are not as many hospitals as Westchester. Infections have been racing up the last two weeks in Orange County, Rockland County, Ulster County and Dutchess.

The climb in the MidHudson region continued Sunday and Long Island shows no signs of stopping and no detailed hospitalization numbers have been issued by the state.

On Sunday, December 5 the New York State Covid Tracker showed Westchester County infections leading the Mid-Hudson region with 280 unfortunate new positives testing with covid of 6,401 tested, 4.4%. Orange County had 152, Dutchess, 106, Rockland 96, Ulster, 52, Putnam 36. Sullivan,28.

Nassau and Suffolk county positives continue to astound.

On Sunday, Nassau produced 759 positives, a 6.6% infection rate on 11,422 tested. Suffolk found 932 positives of 12,383, 7.5%. No figures given for Nassau and Suffolk hospitalizations.

The MidHudson Region of 7 counties and Nassau and Suffolk counties totaled 2,441 new infections Sunday. The New York City five boroughs has 2,159. Sunday marked the 20th day in the last 25 days that the 9 suburban counties had more new persons coming down with covid than all of New York City.

Beware.

At the conclusion of the news conference Monday, Mr. Latimer admonished the audience with these words about getting vaccinated:

“Get it!”

He said at the conclusion of the press queries that he expected covid is going to be with us forever and that people needed to rise to the occasion and live with covid by being thoughtful (of others), practicing self-discipline, and perseverance.

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Out of the Sun

The Arizona engulfed, December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor

Out of the sun they came

Birds of death blazened with red suns raining fiery havoc on Battleship Row.

One by one, ruthless planes dove, destroyed to their nation’s shame.

Thunderous explosions scattered fiery death on Sunday dawn’s glow.

Flames belched from hull of stricken Arizona, America’s pride,

Hicham Field pilots raced to planes to defend

Their birds crippled on ground by Zeros’ glide

Gunners in turrets on ships floundering filled skies with flack’s din.

In search of carriers, marauders could not find

Ruthlessly strafed and bombed leaving Pearl

In smoking ruin. Ships sunk, burning as raiders flew back into dawn’s Sun

The day of infamy had been ignited in the Zeros’ swirl.

The Attack Begins 8 AM December 7, 1941

As America listened a world away,  somber FDR

Spoke of  this day that will live in infamy.

America must never forget its  Pearl Harbor Scar

When an unsuspecting America slept in complacency.

To the 2,403 perishing that day under merciless bombs

Hails of bullets,  terror of torpedos out of nowhere

America must remember forces against our freedoms

Relentlessly work always to surprise with deadly bombs’ glare.

Vigilence is the price of freedom always to be defended

By dark forces in far off places we have offended.

Against those who would destroy our republic from within

The answer is not curtailing freedom at home rather it to champion.

The USS Arizona lies in Pearl’s waters, bleeding the lives

Of her men through the eerie eternal slick marking the rusting hulk.

Beneath Pearl’s waters, the blood of free people oozes from the shadowy bulk,

Bleeding forever, freedom’s spirit living forever in lost lives remembered.

She never rests.

Note: The Pearl Harbor attack started 80 years ago today 2 PM Eastern Standard Time. The aftermath is dramatically depicted at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm

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WPCNR SUNDAY REVIEW. Cinema by John F. Bailey. December 5, 2021:

Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani the woman who murdered Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) after he divorces her ascends to another level.

She is powerful, emotional, dominates, builds the evil of her character believably through the movie. Oscar on the way for Lady Gaga! But she won’t get it because she’s too good. Too self-made. An original.

The irony of HOG: it does not glamorize the celebrity world. It explodes the myth the rich and famous are better than you and me. The behavior of all the main characters in this movie is not admirable or inspiring in any way. The story is true to life at the very wobbly top.

The House of Gucci is the world of “The Little Foxes,” the play by Lillian Hellman. Everybody wants what you have and love turns to ashes through greed, jealousy and clasping and retaining power. Instead of love being for another person, the love turns into loving yourself. Ego sickeningly trumps common sense and concern for where your choices are taking you as young lovers turn into old enemies.

HOG’S real mission is accomplished: laying out there not too subtlely how shallow, self-centered the rich & powerful are. The characters have no class the way they treat each other, no compassion. They are weak, ruthless when threatened.

Each of the fashion moguls of Gucci stops at nothing to advance themselves at the expense of others.

Al Pacino as the uncle Aldo in the New York Gucci store is terrific. Jefffrey Irons is the essence of the patriarch, Rudolfo Gucci:  he has been aged to a bitter vintage: no feeling, no body,  no compassion or love. It’s all about him. Irons plays Rudolfo for the vampire he is, sucking the life out of people.

The funeral scene as he lays in his coffin is great. Because no one is mourning his death.

The humor in this movie is doubled-edged to show desperation and how sensitive these weak people are and insecure despite their power.

 Lady Gaga  becomes more secure throughout and the appeal of the world of the rich and famous gets to her. Her character transformation is a tour de force. More big roles coming for her.

One consistent flaw in movies today is the absolutely poor audio. This one is particular poorly presented.

The audio I heard even with hearing aids, is too base treble. Actors swallow and clip their lines. They whisper and II defy you to hear what is said.  The audio is either a fault of the voice coaches, or the audio or the recording systems or the theater you hear the sound track.  

The Italian accents are very difficult to understand in all the actors. You get the gist through the body language, dripping, chilly, passionate, stifling, infuriating ruthless, thick lust and acid flows like lava through the script. Like “The Godfather,” a horribly inarticulate movie you understand what’s happening through attitude.

Gaga with gestures and her emotional command works up believably to murder, makes women admire her and men, too. Men like strong women.  But do they really? You will find yourself asking that question.

You do not cross Lady Gaga. She sells this movie. She is right at the top, not over it.

 Director Ridley Scott’s treatment of the assassination of  Lady Gaga’s husband  Maurizio is solid, ruthless and shows what murder is, a ruthless taking of a human life.

This is a long movie, but it seems short because the changes in Lady Gaga’s growth and how Driver’s neglect of her are ominous. Driver does a subtle truly ugly portrayal of how Gaga’s efforts to help him fester a smouldering resentment for damaging his ego leading to divorce.

Even though you know the end, you stay because the relationship slowly cracking and love dying and being rejected fascinates.

The way that Gaga encourages Maurizio to be someone he is not to protect him while advancing herself in the House of  Gucci is deftly done, but also turns his ego against her.

Very instructive. Driver and Gaga are Rags to Riches to Ruin. They ruin each other. They love what the other is which destroys the foundation of the love for the other.

A love story turns into a horror story.