FEBRUARY 11–THE FEAR CONTINUES. WHY?

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WPCNR PERSPECTIVES 2026. nEWS & COMMENT By John F. Bailey. February 10, 2026:

 

Reading the findings  discovered in the American Jewish Committee report, State of Antisemitism in America released Monday, is troubling.

 

What is motivating indivuduals to take persons they do not even know,  single them out to haze or attack them, kill them with what only can be described as thrill attacks for the fun of it with as much reason  as fraternity and sorority hazing which recently have killed persons being hazed in this this “movement,” a “fad”,  a crusade, an  inquisition (a religion-led motivated policy aimed at acquiring the wealth of citzens).

 

Whatever motivates these attacks, a President, a politician, self-promoting “influencers,” website-runners today using their platforms with  the aim of raising one religion as superior to another and blame those “non-believers” for the failings of others and incite those to disqualify them as real Americans who must go or be deported, or made to feel unwanted, well it is so anti-American Way, it is a failure of conscience.

 

Whether it is directed at Jewish people, Latinos, immigrants here illegally or otherwise, refugees despised because of their race or origin, it is a hate crime.

 

When will the legal authorities wake up and smell the stench of the people promoting hatred to achieve personal power?

 

Attacks on persons  because of who they are are crimes. They recall the lynchings, the murders of persons of color in the 1960s the 1920s, the Jim Crow era.

 

The attacks on Jewish people are attacks on us all. Ambushes. It takes no talent. Just the element of surprise. They are terrorism itself and should be prosecuted with heavy penalties.

 

This morning the American Jewish Committee report concludes  “the rise of Antisemitism isn having a profound impact on how American Jews live.

 

I would like to amplify and expand that conclusion to remark flat-out that this “rise” has a profound impact on how  ALL AMERICANS live.

 

To quote the American Jewish Committee report:

 

  • More than half (55%) changed their behavior in the past year out of fear of antisemitism, including what to wear, attending events and posting views about Jewish issues online.
  • About one in three (31%) say they were the target of antisemitic incidents. Of those, eight in 10 changed their behavior.
  • Nine in 10 feel less safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. because of antisemitic incidents in the last 12 months as a result of three major attacks on Jews in the past 12 months – the burning of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence, the firebombing of Jews in Boulder, Colo., marching in support of hostages, and the murders of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside an AJC event in Washington, D.C. 
  • Some 73% saw or heard antisemitic content online or on social media or by being personally targeted.
  • More than nine in 10 (93%) believe antisemitism is a serious problem in the U.S., and 86% say it’s increased since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.

 

The pain and destruction and death to a Jewish person,  is the same pain, destruction and death inflicted on any victim.

The same irrevocable loss and message to the immigrant mother whose child is wrenched away to be deported; the same searing ripped-away-forever-reality pain a family  anywhere in America has forever when when someone  commits a mass shooting at a neighborhood school, or when a spouse shoots their husband or wife  and kills their children, or law enforcement authorities kill a protestor or a someone’s child or wife because they can if “justified.”

Every American of all ages across this nation now lives with this daily possibility in parking lots at big supermarkets, in restaurants, in bars, at sport events, and on highways when irresponsible drivers play NASCAR ace on the Sprain, I-684, the Taconic, and on college campus demonstrations.

We are all nervous, We watch for a person to pull a gun. We scan the interior of a restaurant.

I hate attending a performance on Broadway because the theatres are firetraps especially most of the 40 theatres built decades ago.

Who is responsible for this fear?

The persons mostly in offices who feel the phrase “Our hearts and prayers go out to them for their loss,”   They  just mocks the victims’ sorrows.

This phrase which has become a cliché of the rich and powerful and leaderless actually is saying something completely different.

What does it  really mean when people say that?

It means: “Get over it. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It couldn’t be helped. You shouldn’t have been there in the first place. If you had not protested, you would not be dead. We need to move on.

Most of all it means coming from politicians that

“This is too bad, but we are not going to anything to stop it (so get over it)

I would like to hear one politician (wherever the next hate act against Jews, Latinos, African Americans, poor people, homeless people, illegal immigrants, asylum seekers, muslims, Somolis happens do something like this:

Introduce legislation to make a hate crime, an killing, a shooting, a hate speech, resulting in deaths (like January 6)  resulting in injury illegal with an automatic jail sentence without parole in effect throughout the town or city where it was committed.

Please, Free Speech that incites and results in violence is a crime by the person who calls for action against another group or party is not allowed.

This is always defended by those who use the “I didn’t mean anyone to do that. I was just supporting the policy….blah blah”

I have been hearing preposterous apologies from politicos saying this “I didn’t  mean that.”

This shows the rather low intellectual caliber of  those who say things like that.

But you see politicians, when you say a threat, You do mean it. You say what you want to do when you say that.

It also deserves a companion report, from the American Jewish Committee, which they are very qualified to do.

The State of  Acceptance of Equality of People  in America:

I applaud the American Jewish Committee for their  eye-opening report and hope they will expand it to document other groups in the crosshairs of hate in this country and I mean politicians, businesses, Captains of Industry, political groups, activist organizations and what they are saying ripped from the headlines, teir policies  they are quoted on by the dutiful media.

The State of Acceptance of Equality of People in America — A dossier of documentation of what the sowers of hate say, what groups and policies they attack and what they are advocating on their attitudes on equality.

It is long overdue.

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FEBRUARY 11–ICE WARNING!

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WHITE PLAINS SIDEWALKS, WALKS PATHS TO HOMES, APARTMENTS HAVE A COVER OF THIN SOLID ICE THIS MORNING

 

A LIGHT RAIN OVERNIGHT COATED PATHWAYS WITH ICE THAT YOU CANNOT SEE BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR FOOTING.

CITY SPREAD ICE MELT TREATMENTS ON ROADS OVERNIGHT. 

BE CAREFUL GOING OUT TO DRIVEWAYS, CAR AND WALKING!

BLACK ICE MIDDLE OF PICTURE INDICATES THE DRIVEWAY IS A GLADE OF ICE. THE HAZARD: YOU CANNOT SEE IT BEFORE YOU GO FLYING WHEN YOU SLIP AND LOSE YOUR FOOTING.

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FEBRUARY 9–THE BIGGEST CHILL EVER? — WARNING VERY COLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FRIGID NORTHEAST

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FEB 9 8:15 AM

FEBRUARY 8– 7:45 AM  JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT SATURDAY TEMPERATURE WAS DOWN TO ZER0

THE STRONG WINDS SUNDAY STUNG THE FACE IF YOU WENT OUT, DRIED OUT THE SKING AND PENETRATED GLOVES AND BOOTS SWIFTLY NUMBING FINGERS AND TOES NO MATTER HOW THICK YOUR GLOVES OR SHOES WERE. LANDS END JACKETS STOOD UP TO THE WIND AND SCARFS WERE A MUST FOR PROTECTING THE FACE.

SNOW FALL FROM LAST 3 WEEKS’ 2 SNOW STORMS HAS SOLIDIFIED INTO A FROZEN TUNDRA. (Somewhere on the other side of this 15 inch frozen snowfield is a road.

THE RECORD SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES MIXED WITH SALT SPREADING HAVE CRACKED SIDEROADS ALREADY. POTHOLES ELSEWHERE ON NORTH STREET FOR EXAMPLE HAVE CREATED DANGEROUS “TIRE HAZARDS”. THE BIG CHILL 2026 IS SEVERELY COMPROMISING THE CITY’S ROADS. THE DPW WORK IS NOT OVER YET WITH THIS WINTER. IT IS JUST BEGINNING. (Photos WPCNR)

 

 

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FEBRUARY 8–9:35 PM EST—- FLU AND RSV “ELEVATED” IN NORTHEAST

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FEBRUARY 7 1:10 EST– PROPOSAL TO SELL WINE IN GROCERIES– THE REAL OUTCOME

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. FEBRUARY 7, 2026

 

Dear Editor:

We have heard about efforts to add wine in grocery stores in New York for years.

A newweffort is currently circulating in the state legislature and via social media, includling a petition asking consumers to support it. Among the arguments is convenience and one-stop shopping.

However, the whole story is not being told. And consumers will suffer.

As a small independent wine and spirits retailer, I own and run my store. I personally interact with my customers who are also my neighbors. I strive to find unique small production wines and spirits you   don’t see everywhere. I also offer tasting events for my customers and charitable fundraisers for our schools and organizations.

A big box store or grocery chains with 100,000 square feet will buy large brands that produce enough to supply all their stores. That great wine you get from me that only makes 300 cases a year, will be lost, and you will be stuck with only the large mass produced items. Go to Florida to a Publix and you will see what I mean.

The fact is independent retailers are struggling more than ever. Post-COVID, there has been a  huge drop nationwide in alcohol consumption.

The NY State Liquor Authority has such tight restrictions on us as to what we can sell that simply offering other items is not an option. Nor do we have the square footage  to  even consider any other products to sell. Allowing grocery stores to sell wine will be a nail in the coffin  for many small retailers—many of whom are located next to or near supermarkets.

We will simply not be able to handle the additional loss of sales and be forced to close. This will put thousands out of work, including many in the wholesale  business selling smaller production items. And customers will lose their neighborhood wine and liquor shops, forcing them to go to a large grocery store for a mediocre selection of wine.

And forget about buying hard alcohol, like vodka, tequila, bourbon, etc. This proposed bill  is only  for wine. Where will consumers be able to buy spirits once we are out of business? Suddenly the convenience factor is lost and the consumer suffers.

We ask that you contact your state representatives and tell them you do not want to lose your neighbors to big grocery stores, who are already doing tens of million dollars in business, and support your local independent, family-owned  wine and spirits retailers.

Thank you, Stuart Levine,

Owner-Operator,

LeVino Wine Merchants, White Plains NY

(REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION)

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FEBRUARY 7–WHITE PLAINS WEEK THE FEB 6 REPORT ANYTIME ON WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

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SHOCKER OF THE WEEK: COUNCILMAN RICHARD PAYNE RESIGNS  NEW COUNCILMEMBER TO BE NAMED

LARGE GROCERY CHAINS LOBBY FOR RIGHT TO SELL WINE, THEREAT TO SMALL BUSINESS WINE MERCHANTS

JOHN BAILEY PERSPECTIVE ON THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE TWO COUNCIL SEATS COMING THIS FALL

JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK

THIS WEEK EVERY WEEK

FOR 25 YEARS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FEBRUARY 5–5:30 PM BULLETIN: COUNCILMAN RICHARD PAYNE RESIGNS

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL  CHRONICLE-EXAMINER  By John F. Bailey February 5, 2026 UPDATED 9:45 P.M.:

Councilman Richard Payne has resigned from the Common Council  WPCNR  has confirmed.

The resignation was announced January 20, effective February 2 at the Monday monthly Common Council.

This means that another replacement Councilmember must be named and appointed to the Common Council to replace Mr. Payne.

Valarie Simmons was appointed  Councilmember Monday evening and confirmed. Ms. Simmons is required to run in a Special Election in November and win that election to complete the term she began Monday night after being sworn in.

The interim councilmember (whomever they may be) who is appointed to replace Mr. Payne, would also have to face official reelection in that same Special Election Councilwoman Simmons will be in.

This means there may be a four-person contest for the Simmons and Payne replacement (to be named) in November.

Mr. Payne’s seat on the council was empty at the start of  Monday Common Council meeting and no name plate was there.

Mayor Brasch announced Mr. Payne’s resignation in the last two minutes of the meeting.

The March Common Council meeting will be held on Wednesday March 4

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FEBRUARY 5 — SENATOR GILLEBRAND MOVES THE GUARD ACT OUT OF COMMITTEE

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GILLIBRAND STATEMENT ON GUARD ACT PASSING OUT OF COMMITTEE

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, released the following statement on the passage of her legislation, the Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act, out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Today’s committee passage brings us one step closer to giving law enforcement agencies the tools they need to protect seniors from financial frauds and scams.

As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I know how devastating these scams can be for older adults and their families. In the past few years, bad actors have increasingly leveraged technology like artificial intelligence and the blockchain to rob older adults of their hard-earned savings. That is unacceptable.

I am proud to see this legislation move forward, and I will keep working across the aisle to make sure that older Americans are protected from financial exploitation.”

The GUARD Act would allow grantees of several existing federal grant programs to use funds to increase resources and personnel specifically to utilize the blockchain for investigating financial fraud. It would also permit federal law enforcement to assist state and local law enforcement with tracing tools for blockchain technology, bolstering their ability to catch fraudsters who use cryptocurrency to facilitate their crimes.

According to the FBI, seniors lost over $4.8 billion to scammers in 2024, with an average loss of $83,000. Cryptocurrency was used to facilitate the crime in over 30,000 reports of fraud against seniors, resulting in a net loss of about $2.84 billion – over half of the total. Older Americans are by far the most vulnerable and susceptible to cryptocurrency fraud, with over 10,000 more complaints referencing cryptocurrency than any other age group.

Senator Gillibrand has worked to prevent financial fraud throughout her time in office. As ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, she has led the fight to protect seniors from frauds and scamsraised awareness about predatory scammers targeting seniors, and demanded answers from those attempting to cut funding for agencies like the CFPB. She has also introduced legislation such as the National Strategy for Combating Scams Actthe Stop the Scammers Act, the Senior Financial Empowerment Act, and the DO NOT CALL Act, as well as the SNAP Theft Protection Act, the core of which was passed into law in 2022.

The full text of the GUARD Act is available here.

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FEBRUARY 3–4:15 PM EST–VALERIE SIMMONS SWORN IN AS MEMBER OF WHITE PLAINS COM MON COUNCIL

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MAYOR JUSTIN BRASCH OF WHITE PLAINS CONGRATULATES VALERIE SIMMMONS, LONG TIME COMMISSIONER OF THE WHITE PLAINS HOUSING AUTHORITY ON HER BEING SWORN IN TO THE THE COMMON COUNCIL SEAT FORMERLY HELD BY JEN PUJA, WHO WAS ELECTED TO THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS.

Endorsed by the White Plains Democratic City Committee Ms. Simmons was sworn in last night at the February 2 Common Council Meeting.

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FEBRUARY 3 — 11:45 AM EST– SENATOR GILLEBRAND: DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION CONTINUES TO STALL APPROVAL OF GATEWAY TUNNEL UNDER HUDSON

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GILLIBRAND STATEMENT ON GATEWAY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION  

LAWSUIT AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION 

 

New York, NY – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, released the following statement regarding the Gateway Development Commission’s lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking judgment that would release contractually obligated funding for the Hudson Tunnel Gateway Project. 

 

If additional funding does not become available by February 6, 2026, construction of the Hudson Tunnel Project will be forced to pause, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,000 jobs.

The $16 billion project is expected to create approximately 95,000 direct and indirect jobs over the course of the project and would construct a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York City, which over 200,000 people rely upon every day.

 

Through her ranking member position, Senator Gillibrand has repeatedly pushed the U.S. Department of Transportation to complete the reviews and release the federal funding. On numerous occasions, USDOT committed to quick reviews so that reimbursements can move forward.

 

“New Yorkers will not tolerate the Trump administration playing political games with our workers or our economy. Once again, we are forced to rely on the courts to protect our state from the unlawful actions of this administration.   

 

The Hudson Tunnel Gateway Project is already supporting thousands of good-paying union jobs, generating billions of dollars in regional economic activity, and sustaining domestic suppliers and manufacturers. Further political targeting to justify withholding federal funding is inexcusable. These actions put union workers and families across New York and New Jersey at risk and threaten the most critical infrastructure project in the nation.

 

As ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, I secured clear commitments from Transportation Secretary Duffy that he would not cancel grants for major transit capital investment projects, including Gateway. It’s time to make good on that commitment. I am going to fight to ensure that New Yorkers not be treated as political pawns in this administration’s twisted game of chess.”

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