FBI ARRESTS 10 IN HOME HEALTH AIDE MEDICAID FRAUD BILLING FOR SERVICES NOT RENDERED, KICKBACKS.

Hits: 491

WPCNR FBI WIRE. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (EditedDecember 17, 2020:

Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging

MARIANNA LEVIN, TETYANA GOLYAK, ELENA LOKSHIN, SVITLANA ROHULYA, MARINA ZAK, ALINA KUPTSOVA, MALIHA IJAZ, MAKHINBONU NARZULLAEVA, NATALYA SHVARTS, and INNA GEKELMAN with conspiracy to commit mail, wire and healthcare fraud; substantive counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and healthcare fraud; and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, in connection with a  scheme to fraudulently bill Medicaid for home-health and personal-care services that were not actually rendered. 

In recent years, home-health costs in New York have ballooned.  In or about January 2020, New York’s State budget director announced, in substance and in part, that spending on MLTCs tripled between the 2013 and 2019 fiscal years, representing a $4.8 billion increase.

The 10 defendants worked for 2 Agencies employing approximately 3,000 home-health and personal-care aides (the “Aides”).  Most of the Aides were licensed to provide home-health aide services and personal-care services.

Manhattan Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “These ten defendants allegedly attempted to swindle the managed healthcare system by billing for no-show cases, where aides provided no actual assistance to patients.  Now more than ever, the Medicare system is critical for so many Americans who depend on its services for their well-being. Conduct such as the alleged scheme today not only beleaguers the healthcare system, it unfairly penalizes those who depend on it most – the patients.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

Since in or about 2015, the defendants have been engaged in a widespread fraud scheme through which the defendants defrauded Medicaid for home-health and personal-care services that were not actually rendered. 

At all times relevant to the Indictment, the defendants worked at or were otherwise associated with one of two affiliated licensed homecare service agencies based in Brooklyn, New York (“Agency-1”, “Agency-2”, collectively referred to as the “Agencies”), that provide home-health and personal-care services to patients residing in all five boroughs of New York City and Nassau County. 

Home care is a health service provided in the patient’s home to promote, maintain, or restore health or lessen the effects of illness and disability.  Home care includes personal-care services, administered by Aides, including housekeeping, meal preparation, bathing, toileting, and grooming.

At all times relevant to this Indictment, eligible Medicaid beneficiaries in New York were able to seek government-funded home-health and personal-care services through managed long-term care plans (“MLTCs”).  In turn, MLTCs received Medicaid funding to pay for their beneficiaries’ home-health and personal-care services. 

The Agencies administer home-health and personal-care services to Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in New York MLTCs.  From in or about 2015 to in or about December 2020, Medicaid reimbursed the Agencies hundreds of millions of dollars for home-health and personal-care services. 

A significant portion of the Agencies’ billings were fraudulent. 

In particular, the Agencies billed Medicaid for “no-show” cases in which Aides claimed to be performing home-health or personal-care services when they were not.  At times when Aides falsely claimed to be performing home-health or personal-care services, they in fact, stayed home, ran personal errands, vacationed, and socialized with family and friends. 

For example, on or about September 9, 2017, TETYANA GOLYAK was at a vineyard and winery in New Jersey at a time she claimed to be performing personal-care services for a patient residing in Brooklyn, New York; in or about January 2019, NATALYA SHVARTS was on a Caribbean cruise at a time she claimed to be performing personal-care services for a patient residing in Brooklyn, New York; and, on or about March 1, 2019, MALIHA IJAZ was at a Brooklyn restaurant at a time IJAZ claimed to be performing personal-care services.  These no-show arrangements caused the Agencies to submit false Medicaid claims to MLTCs. 

With no-show cases at the Agencies, an Aide’s fraudulently-obtained wages were often split between the no-show Aide and the no-show patient.  In addition to paying kickbacks to no-show patients, no-show Aides sometimes paid kickbacks to conspirators who referred no-show cases to Aides at the Agencies.   

The defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and healthcare fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of healthcare fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences and minimum sentence in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

*                      *                     *

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York FBI, New York City Police Department, and the Office of Medicaid Inspector General for New York State. 

This case is being handled by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas Folly, Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.       

Aftermath of the Big White: CON EDISON DOES A BETTER JOB OF RESTORING ELECTRIC POWER ACCORDING TO COUNTY EXEC.

Hits: 283

WPCNR WEATHER. December 17, 2020:

At County Executive George Latimer’s Thursday Covid Briefing this afternoon, the County Executive and Deputy County Executive announced Beeline Bus Service had been restored with some changes in schedules especially in the hilly sections of the county like Yonkers. The County Airport was open, subject to carrier delays or cancellations. Metro North was running its normal weekday schedule. The County Executive thanked county and local city and town DPW crews for the efforts through the night dealing with the snowfall.

Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins reported the highest snowfall was reported in Mt. Kisco and Yorktown Heights at 11 inches. Jenkins also advises residents to keep off the roads to allow crews to make them safe with adequate grooming. Jenkins said temperatures would be below freezing this evening with windchills as low as 15 degrees and advised motorists to dress appropriately.

The County Executive said New York State Gas and Electric reported no outages and that as of this afternoon Con Edison reported 11 outages affecting 397 customers. He said currently the customers affected are in Bedford, Buchanan, Cortlandt, Greenburgh, Mt. Kisco, North Castle Peekskill and Yonkers.

The County Executive said Con Edison effort on “restoration much better ” than the Con Ed response to the hurricane in August.

Posted in Uncategorized

WHITE PLAINS SCHOOLS CLOSED TODAY. SIDEWAYS SNOW CONTINUES IN YOUR FACE. 23 AND SNOWY IN WHITE PLAINS NY USA JUST BEFORE DAWN. 6-1/2 – 7-1/2 INCHES FALL in “Drift Effect.” THE REST IS STILL IN THE AIR, MOVING EAST.

Hits: 213

IT WAS A SERGEANT PRESTON OF THE YUKON NIGHT
THE BIG WHITE–6-1/2 INCHES OF IT THAT LANDED
7-1/2 inches in Drift Effect as of 6 AM
ON KING! MUSH YOU HUSKIES!

The promised 12 inches of snow was still blowing sideways as of 6 AM this morning. Schools are closed. How much fell? Press the > on the video above and you’ll see why. It is anybody’s guess because the snow blew sideways with the 20 to 30 mile per hour howling winds keeping the snow moving horizontally stinging the eye. As of midnight there were no reported electrical outages in the Con Edison Westchester area. There were however 55 customers out in Brooklyn NY. The foot of snow predicted may have fallen someplace but not here. My measurement is about 6-1/2-7-1/2 inches as of 6 AM.

Posted in Uncategorized

WESTCHESTER GROWTH IN COVID-INFECTIONS SURGES CONTINUES 25TH STRAIGHT DAY. 6.5% OF WESTCHESTER TESTERS TESTED POSITIVE TUESDAY. LAST 7 DAYS TUESDAY TO TUESDAY AVERAGE OF INFECTIONS: 5.94% 6% POSITIVE RATE IS NOT GOOD.

Hits: 235

POSITIVE COVID-19 TESTS PILE UP. NO SIGN OF LETUP IN THE SPREAD.

THE NY STATE WORKBOOK COVID-19 TRACKER REPORTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THAT WESTCHESTER COUNTY PERSONS TESTING POSITIVE TUESDAY CONTINUED at a 6.5% DAILY POSITIVE TEST INFECTION RATE.

AFTER 9,436 WESTCHESTER TESTS WERE CONDUCTED MONDAY AND 560 TESTED POSITIVE, A 5.9% INFECTION RATE, 8, 417 WERE TESTED TUESDAY AND 549 CAME BACK POSITIVE WITH THE CORONA VIRUS, A 6.5% INFECTION RATE

THE LAST 25 DAYS, NOVEMBER 21 THROUGH TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 13,567 WESTCHESTER-TESTED PERSONS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE.

THIS IS AN AVERAGE OF 542 NEW COVID CASES PER DAY.

THE AVERAGE INFECTION RATE IS 5.4% .

November 21 through December 15, 13,018 WESTCHESTER-TESTED PERSONS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, AN AVERAGE OF 542 NEW CASES, AN AVERAGE INFECTION RATE OF 5.47% THE INFECTION RATE HAS RISEN SHARPLY THE THREE WEEKS SINCE THANKSGIVING.

IN THE LAST 7 DAYS TUESDAY TO TUESDAY, THE INFECTION RATE HAS AVERAGE JUST ABOUT 6%, AVERAGE 5.94%

Posted in Uncategorized

NEW YORKERS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR COVID VACCINE SHOTS.

Hits: 246

 WPCNR GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO COVID REPORT. By Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, December 16, 2020:

 New York State health insurers will be instructed to cover COVID-19 vaccinations. The New York State Department of Financial Services issued a letter to New York-regulated health insurers Wednesday, directing them to immediately cover, without cost-sharing, approved COVID-19 immunizations and administrations. No New Yorker will have to pay a penny to get the vaccine.

As we see hospitalizations climb, remember that what we do collectively influences what happens. New Yorkers can stop a shutdown, New Yorkers can save lives. It depends on what we do.

Right now we need to manage the hospitals, administer the vaccine and slow the spread. With a major winter storm hitting large swaths of the state today, I encourage New Yorkers to stay safe in more ways than one. Please exercise caution, prepare for snow accumulation and keep off the roads unless absolutely necessary.  

Photo of the Day: Even with the world on his shoulders, the Atlas sculpture in Rockefeller Center wears a mask. Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 

1. New York launched a new website about the COVID-19 vaccine with everything you need to know. It provides New Yorkers with a one-stop location for accurate and up to date information on the vaccine, safety, distribution priorities and more. On the site, New Yorkers can find general information about the vaccine, a detailed Frequently Asked Questions section that provides facts about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, and other questions you may have. 

2. The State has identified Regional Vaccination Hubs to develop vaccination networks ahead of Phase 2. These hubs will be led by local hospital systems and will work with community leaders to develop vaccination networks, which will guide vaccination administration for the second phase. Under the state’s plan, the second phase of administrations will focus on essential workers and individuals in the general public who are most at risk.

3. Total COVID hospitalizations climbed to 6,097. Of the 160,947 tests reported yesterday, 9,998, or 6.21 percent, were positive. There were 1,098 patients in ICU yesterday, up 33 from the previous day. Of them, 611 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 95 New Yorkers to the virus. 

4.  The State has received 87,750 total Covid Vaccine doses so far. Yesterday, NYS received 77,025 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. An additional 80,000 Pfizer vaccine doses will arrive in the coming days to start the vaccination program for residents and staff at nursing homes.  

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Michelle Truxel of Dewitt, NY, is spreading holiday cheer to cats and dogs that live in shelters. As part of an effort she has dubbed “Santa Paws,” Truxel collects toys and treats for shelter animals to enjoy on Christmas morning. Recently, she partnered with the Central New York SPCA to help provide a count of how many cats and dogs will be in the shelter around the holidays. To learn more about the animals at the CNY SPCA shelter or donate, click here. Read more about Santa Paws here. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here. 

Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Posted in Uncategorized

3 MT. KISCO SHOPS CHARGED SELLING ALCOHOL & VAPING PRODUCTS TO UNDER-21s

Hits: 261

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. December 16, 2020:

Three Mount Kisco businesses were recently charged with selling alcohol or vaping products to a youth who was under 21 years of age.

Westchester County Police and the Westchester County Department of Health sent the underage youth into multiple stores in Mount Kisco last week at the request of the Village. They conducted compliance checks to ensure that shops that sell beer, tobacco or vaping products were complying with laws that prohibit such sales to persons under 21 years old.

The stores that failed were:

·         Smoking of Chen Inc., (doing business as The Smoking King), 32 Main St, which is charged with selling vaping supplies to a person under age 21, a violation of New York State Public Health Law;

·         Henry’s Deli at 351 Lexington Ave. and Mount Kisco Snacks at 540 Main St., which are charged with selling alcohol to a person under age 21, a violation of the state Alcohol Beverage Control law.

Smoking of Chen was cited for a similar violation in 2019 and Henry’s Deli was charged with selling cigarettes to an underage person in 2019.

“The Village appreciates the continuing enforcement efforts of the Westchester County Police and the Westchester County Department of Health to ensure compliance with regulations prohibiting the sale of tobacco and alcohol to minors. We will advocate to suspend the license for businesses who continue to put the health of and safety of our children at risk,” Mount Kisco Mayor Gina D. Picinich said.

Public Safety Commissioner Thomas A. Gleason said the County Police conduct enforcement and public education in conjunction with its Office of Drug Prevention & Stop-DWI to deter underage persons from using alcohol, tobacco or vaping products.

“We continually conduct these compliance checks and work in partnership with community organizations and the municipalities we serve to encourage young people to make safe and healthy choices,” Gleason said.

Posted in Uncategorized

White Plains Hospital Expects to Receive Covid vaccine “Shortly,” :Mayor Roach

Hits: 404

WPCNR CORONA VIRUS REPORT From Mayor Thomas Roach Monday, DECEMBER 14, 2020:

We received good news Monday, Sandra Lindsey an ICU nurse in Queens New York became the first person in NY to receive the Covid vaccine outside of a clinical trial.

I have been in contact with White Plains Hospital and our local nursing homes all of whom expect to receive the vaccine shortly.

We will let you know when the vaccinations begin.

The CDC is setting the guidelines for distribution and we will keep you apprised as additional groups become eligible. It is anticipated that everyone will be eligible by late March or early April.

White Plains Hospital continues to see an increase in COVID patients. While they are actively monitoring the situation, they continue to perform elective procedures and encourage all community members to go to the hospital if they are in need of emergency care.

The County has advised us that due to technical issues they are unable to provide updated covid numbers at this time (Monday evening). We do expect to receive an update tomorrow (Tuesday) and when we do it will be posted on our website.

It is the beginning of the end, the final battle against the scourge of Covid-19. It is not the time to let down our guard. We must all carry on the adaptive habits we have come to know. It has been repeatedly shown that wearing a mask and regular hand washing can temper the spread of the virus. This has become second nature to most of us and we must focus on continuing to do it for our own good health and the good health of our community. Brighter days are ahead but we still have work to do!

Our next Covid update will be on Monday, December 21 st . Until then remember, we are standing together by staying apart.

El condado nos ha informado que debido a problemas técnicos hoy no podrán mandarnos los números de covid más recientes.  Esperamos recibir los datos más recientes mañana. Los publicaremos en nuestro sitio web tan pronto como los recibamos.

Hoy recibimos buenas noticias. Sandra Lindsey, enfermera de la UCI en Queens, Nueva York, se convirtió hoy en la primera persona en Nueva York en recibir la vacuna contra el COVID.

 He estado hablando con el Hospital de White Plains y nuestros hogares de ancianos locales, los cuales esperan recibir la vacuna dentro de poco. Le avisaremos cuando el proceso de vacunación comience. La CDC está estableciendo pautas para la distribución de las vacunas. Lo mantendremos informado a medida que se expandan los grupos de personas que puedan recibir la vacuna. Se espera que todos puedan recibir la vacuna a fines de marzo o principios de abril.

El hospital de White Plains ha visto un aumento de pacientes con COVID. Mientras monitorean activamente la situación, continúan realizando cirugías rutinarias y sugieren a todos los miembros de la comunidad que vayan al hospital si necesitan atención de emergencia.

Estamos acercándonos al final de esta batalla contra el Covid-19. No es el momento de bajar la guardia. Debemos seguir las pautas que hemos aprendido hasta ahora.  Se ha demostrado repetidamente que usar una mascarilla y lavarse las manos con regularidad puede atenuar la propagación del virus. Esto se ha hecho rutinario para la mayoría de nosotros y debemos concentrarnos en continuar haciéndolo por nuestra propia salud y la buena salud de nuestra comunidad. Se vienen días mejores, ¡pero aún tenemos trabajo por hacer!

Nuestra próxima llamada será el lunes 21 de diciembre. Hasta entonces y que recuerde estamos más juntos al mantenernos más separados.

Posted in Uncategorized

GOVERNOR CUOMO: WE HAVE TO STOP COVID NOW. “Unsustainable Trajectory!” HOSPITALS “OVERWHELMED” BY JANUARY. CORONA VIRUS INEXORABLY SPREADS. MASK UP. DO NOT SOCIALIZE CLOSE. SAVE YOUR STATE.

Hits: 245

WPCNR GOVERNOR CUOMO CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From Governor Amdrew M. Cuomo. December 15, 2020:

Everything we have done from the start of this pandemic has been based on the facts, and the facts are that COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all on the rise across the country.

We are on an unsustainable trajectory and if we don’t act now, hospitals could become overwhelmed in January. 

Right now, New York is focused on growing hospital capacity through our Surge and Flex program and requiring hospital systems to begin working together so they are prepared. As those operations continue, it’s on all of us to be smart, tough, and do what we know stops the spread—socially distance, wear masks and wash our hands.

Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 

1. Total COVID hospitalizations rose to 5,982. Of the 194,188 tests reported yesterday, 10,353, or 5.33 percent, were positive. There were 1,065 patients in ICU yesterday, up 25 from the previous day. Of them, 580 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 128 New Yorkers to the virus.

  2. New York hospitals continue to receive and administer doses of the COVID vaccine. Among them was Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY, which administered doses that arrived today to the first members of its staff. The doses were administered to Upstate employees Kenzo Mukendi, Caprice Hibbler and Suzanne Buck, by Chief Nursing Officer Nancy Page.  3

. The Finger Lakes region, with 725 hospitalizations, has the highest rate of COVID hospitalization by population. Hospitalizations in the Finger Lakes represent 0.06 percent of the region’s population.

Western New York has 520 hospitalizations (0.04 percent of its population);

Central New York has 350 hospitalizations (0.05 percent); Mohawk Valley has 192 hospitalizations (0.04 percent); Long Island has 972 hospitalizations (0.03 percent); the

Mid-Hudson has 735 hospitalizations (0.03 percent);

Capital Region has 288 hospitalizations (0.03 percent);

Southern Tier has 166 hospitalizations (0.03 percent);

New York City has 1,968 hospitalizations (0.02 percent).

North Country, with 56 hospitalizations (0.01 percent), has the lowest rate of hospitalizations due to COVID. 

 4. In the second round of the program, Nourish NY has so far spent $3 million to help New Yorkers in need. Over 2.8 million pounds of raw milk has been turned into dairy products and distributed by food banks, along with 993,000 pounds of produce. Over 1.1 million households in need have received products sourced from New York farms. With food insecurity impacting millions of Americans, we encourage all those in need to visit a food bank or pantry.  

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: A teenager became a hero when she rushed in to save her neighbor from a house fire on Long Island. When flames surrounded a home in Brentwood, New York, 16-year-old Star Grant noticed that one of the residents of the house was missing: 69-year-old Catarina, who lived on the ground floor of the home. Star rushed in and escorted Catarina out of the house unharmed.  

If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here. 

Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo 

MONDAY DEC 14TH WESTCHESTER COVID POSITIVES CONTINUE AT 5.9% DAILY POSITIVE RATE

Hits: 170

THE NY STATE WORKBOOK COVID-19 TRACKER REPORTED THIS AFTERNOON THAT WESTCHESTER COUNTY CONTINUED at a 5.9% DAILY POSITIVE TEST INFECTION RATE.

ON MONDAY 9,436 WESTCHESTER TESTS WERE CONDUCTED AND 560 TESTED POSITIVE (5.9%).

IN THE LAST 24 DAYS, NOVEMBER 21 THROUGH MONDAY DECEMBER 14, 13,018 WESTCHESTER-TESTED PERSONS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE.

AN AVERAGE OF 542 NEW CASES PER DAY.

THE AVERAGE INFECTION RATE IS 5.November 21 through December 14, 13,018 WESTCHESTER-TESTED PERSONS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, AN AVERAGE OF 542 NEW CASES, AN AVERAGE INFECTION RATE OF 5.47%

Posted in Uncategorized

THE WPCNR NEWS TICKER

Hits: 236

JOHN BAILEY’S TUESDAY MORNING COMMENTARY ON WVOX RADIO ON THE DENNIS NARDONE GOOD MORNING WESTCHESTER PROGRAM.

WPCNR NEWS TICKER. John Bailey’s WHITE PLAINS REPORT &COMMENTARY on WVOX RADIO 1460 this morning 7:50 AM every Tuesday on the Dennis Nardone Good Morning Westchester program on WVOX Westchester’s  Number One Rated Station. December 15, 2020:

White Plains revenues in sales taxes and user fees are down 21% in the first five months Common Council President Nadine Hunt-Robinson reported in last week’s meeting the first time in years the council has reported publicly of its financial position.

Councilwoman Hunt-Robinson remarked the city has put a hiring freeze in place not replacing employees who leave. She pointed out the city staged the holiday market last week to help local merchants. 

Mayor Tom Roach reported the council of mayors received word that the state should be getting a stimulus from Washington with distribution handled by the state based on population of the cities and towns.

The city now is crossing its fingers as the  November sales taxes report next week. They may have to look very early about how to cut  city expenses.

White Plains faces a $44 million sales tax handle if we equal the 7 months total November through June. In 2019-2020 the city got $50 million in sales taxes so the administration is going to have to take a harder look, if the November, December figures sharply decline.

I attended a zoom meeting of the Jacob Burns Film Center  Board of Directors last night. They are readying a series of virtual online movies for members of the theater. The theatre is ready with social distancing and reduced seating arrangements in place and complete new air filtration system to pump in fresh air.

The Theatre said they are ready to go but because of the state restrictions on theatres reopening based on each county infection rate of the coronavirus spread, the theatre cannot open.

Directors said that no theatre can open in the county unless the county has a 2% infection rate—which Westchester does not come close to.

 HERE are the latest covid stats: Westchester County through Sunday (with Monday cases reporting today at 3 PM),  has a 5.45% infection rate over the last 23 days to November 21 the county has had 12,962 persons test positive in 22 days  from November 21 through December 13 – that is an average 562 new infections a day.

https://youtu.be/PmXyvHoGwdA
Mayor of Mount Vernon on how her city has enforced social distancing, masking, restaurants, businesses covid protocols at the County Covid briefing (9:47)

Yesterday Mayor Patterson-Howard of Mount Vernon speaking in County Executive George Latimer’s covid briefing told how Mount Vernon has kept off the yellow zone designation by vigorous education and community outreach and enforcement of restaurant rules and business rules through enforcement and fines. Mount Vernon has the lowest infection rate of the major cities. You can see her talk on the White Plains Week Youtube site above. Perhaps it’s time the county adopted rigorous enforcement.

The White Plains Holiday Market on Waller Avenue with 48 heated roofed booths last week through the weekend was successful according to the merchants and local store owners in the booth. Those whom I spoke to said the first wet weekend was slow but crowds were encouraging during the cold weather last week. Saturday and Sunday crowds were out with 50 to 60 persons sifting through on the Saturday and over a 100 early afternoon Sunday when I attended.

Merchants told me they hoped the city will do the Holiday Fair again next year In my opinion the Farmers’ Market the city runs all summer should be moved to this location on Waller. It’s much easier to park on Waller with a garage and the Restaurant Row lot to park in. Think about it.

Posted in Uncategorized