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 THURSDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING. By John F. Bailey, May 7, 2020:

This morning, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo extend until August 20 the moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent in New York State, and allowed persons unable to pay rent to use their security deposits (with landlords) to draw down against the rent, with ability to pay the security used later.

In the “Q. & A”, Governor Cuomo in response to a question said the state is working for a moratorium on foreclosures of banks on landlords who have protested that nonpayment of rent affects their abilities to pay their mortgages.

He also announced efforts to avoid farmers destroying food for lack of buyers on the face of the accelerated demand Food Banks are facing. He detailed how the state is spending $25 Million to purchase food for Food Banks who are seeing unprecedented demand from persons needing food. He encouraged philanthropic organizations to contact the state to aid the Food Banks in purchasing enough food to feed the growing public demand (up 200% in Westchester alone).

Governor Cuomo said the state’s $25 million Nourish New York Initiative has purchased food and products from more than 2,100 New York farms and provided support to nearly 50 food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries to date.

Within the next week, more than 20,000 households across the state will receive Nourish New York products. First announced by the Governor on April 27th, the Nourish New York Initiative provides relief by purchasing food and products from Upstate farms and directs them to the populations who need them most through New York’s network of food banks. The state is also asking any philanthropies or foundations that would like to help the state’s food banks to contact COVIDPhilanthropies@exec.ny.gov.

The Governor said the coronavirus rates of decline were continuing on all leading indicators of the disease slowdown in infections. He said total hospitalizations was down to 8,600, net hospitalizations were down and the 3-Dqy average was down. Deaths were steady with another 231 New York dead from the virus yesterday. New hospitalizations were down.

He reported  that 27,000 essential employees who were on the front lines were tested for antibodies, and results showed what he called “amazingly good news,” than that of the general population, noting that masks and sanitizers work. The essential workers average 7% infecttions behind the average 14% rate of infections in the general population.

• 6.8 percent of health care workers in Westchester County tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 13.8 percent of the general population in Westchester County
• 12.2 percent of health care workers in New York City tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 19.9 percent of the general population in New York City
• 11.1 percent of health care workers on Long Island tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 11.4 percent of the general population on Long Island

He said the New York Policy would be to prevent deaths as much as possible, and not reopen until deaths had declined well below the 231 a day rate.

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WPCNR TUESDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING. By John F. Bailey. May 5, 2020:

The coronavirus infections continue on the way down, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today, most notably new hospitalizations dropping 50 to  650. The Governor has said previously he would like new hospitalizations to drop to 400-500 before any reopening which he said was going to be a serious possibility after the New York Pause order expires May 15.

The Governor announced New York Subways would shutdown nightly at 1 AM to 5 AM tonight, two days earlier than he predicted last week.  Workers will find transportation available for them at stations, via bus, van, uber or Lyft, free.

Governor Cuomo renewed his call for the congress to pass a funds bill to reimburse states,  like New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states with revenues depleted by economic shutdowns and stay-at-home orders. He said “ You have a national crisis. Nothing iss going to happen unless President Trump has to be the reasonable man here or they will not pass it and he will have failed the nation as a leader. ”

The Governor explored an issue he said is not being discussed about the need to reopening, and that is the cost of human life.  He  argued strongly for a measured, controlled reopening carefully measured as he introduced Monday, pointing out that Washington D.C. is doubling its estimtes of how many Americans will die with the present possibilities of 31 states reopening this week. The governor said the estimate of $60,000 Americans dying was now judged to be going up to 136 million Americans,  The Governor said, “the coronavirus doesn’t kill Democrats and Republicans. It kills Americans.”

He advocated for a new approach to education, announcing that the Bill and Melinda Gates  Foundation was developing a techmology based learning program for New York Education bases on more efficient means to using technology to teach at home.

He announced that the state would be creating some television spots promoting wearing a mask featuring real New Yorkers at the suggestion of his daughter Mariah Cuomo whom the Governor acknowledged has not felt he has been communicating well to get the importance of wearing a mask across to New Yorkers will head up the project. A contest will be staged for 30-second ad submissions featuring mask-wearers. The Governor’s daughter will not be paid.

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WPCNR MILESTONES. May 4, 2020 From his family :

Edward John Ciocca, Deputy Chief of the City of White Plains Fire Department, died May 1, 2020. He was 62. Edward was born April 28, 1958 in White Plains to JoAnn MacDonald Ryan and the late Adelmo Ciocca.

Chief Ciocca was a 35 year veteran and third generation firefighter.  His grandfather, Edward J. MacDonald, was White Plains Fire Chief and later the city’s Commissioner of Public Safety.  His father, Adelmo Ciocca, served as Deputy Chief.

Hired May 1985, Ed was assigned to firefighter Group 4 until his promotion to Lieutenant, September 1991.  He led Fire Prevention for several years and in July 1999, was promoted to Deputy Chief.

Edward was kind to everyone he met. He was a source of strength and inspiration for all who knew him, and his presence lit up every room he entered. He was a principled leader and dedicated public servant.  Edward was a beloved father and son who treasured family and emphasized its importance.  Ed was a sports enthusiast, and an ardent fan of the Oakland Raiders and the Chicago Blackhawks.  He enjoyed attending games with his family.

Besides his mother JoAnn Ryan (William) of White Plains, Edward is survived by his daughter Brianna Ciocca of Elmsford; his partner Maureen Nestor Brown of Ossining; two sisters Kim Treacy (Darren) of Fishkill; and Tracey Bonaro (James) of Clifton Park; and nieces Michelle Carpenito and Alyssa Bonaro, nephews TJ Carpenito and Jarrod Bonaro, and great nephew Christopher Mende.

In lieu of flowers donations to the White Plains Hospital Endo ICU Nursing.

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. May 3, 2020:

 Today, joined by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Delaware Governor John Carney, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, we announced a joint multi-state agreement to develop a regional supply chain for personal protective equipment, other medical equipment and testing. 

Rather than competing state against state for equipment and supplies, we will now coordinate our purchasing power. We will also identify American suppliers, especially suppliers within our states, who can scale to meet the demand. States are strongest and have more buying power when we work together and it’s important that we jointly locate and purchase much-needed supplies. 

Here’s what else you need to know tonight: 

1. The Department of Health will require each hospital to have a 90-day supply of PPE on hand. The Personal Protective Equipment supplies must be able to last for 90 days at the highest rate of use. This common-sense requirement will help ensure our hospital systems are prepared in the event of a potential second wave of the virus. 

2. Reminder, you MUST wear a mask or face covering in public when social distancing cannot be maintained. Reports of crowded parks and public spaces are unacceptable. We need to act responsibly. Warm weather doesn’t mean the rules no longer apply. 

3. The number of hospitalizations continue to fall. Yesterday, total hospitalizations fell to 9,736, showing consistent decline over the past week. However, infections remain high and the virus is still spreading. Visit covid19tracker.health.ny.gov to see the latest data. 

4. Remember to respond to the Census. Every New Yorker can now respond to the Census. Responding to the Census is safe, easy and can be done online from the comfort of your own home. Let’s make sure every New Yorker is counted. Complete the Census today at my2020census.gov. 

Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Albany shop Yamaguchie has shifted from making crafts to making face masks using 3D Printers and other supplies, all on a donation basis. You can go to their shop on Lark Street and pick up a mask and leave a donation — the store uses the donations to buy more material to make more masks. I stopped by the store on Saturday. If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here. 

Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

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WPCNR SATURDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING. By John F. Bailey. May 2, 2020:

“Enforce the mask. The mask is not about your health, it’s about my health. Not wearing a mask is reckless and irresponsible. You don’t have the right to jeopardize human life,” Governor Andrew M. Cuomo stated, saying if local authorities could not enforce mask requirements effectively, the state would help them.

The strongest statement the Governor has made on the masking issue at the close of the reporters’ “Q & A.” today in Corona, Queens, New York City, when asked his reaction to a reporter’s description of a reopening demonstration that was not social distancing and not wearing masks

The Governor said he “got the fact” that people wanted to open and had every right to express their feelings, but “I disagree with that, I’m not going to put a dollar sign on human life.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on a beautiful Saturday morning today told counties, towns,, cities across the state to direct police, officials, supervisors  to “Enforce the Mask,” when persons are appearing in public places without wearing one.

“New Yorkers bent that curve of infection,” Governor Cuomo had said earlier by observing social distancing, wearing masks and being responsible. “They proved the predictions wrong.”

This came at the end of the Governor’s daily briefing at Governor Cuomo said new net Hospitalization Rates were “down a tick,” and new coronavirus infections were 831 from 900, and presented Pat Foye, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Susan Feinberg, Interim President of the MTA who went into cleaning procedures and riding schedules during 1 AM to 5 AM within a week to clean all subway trains overnight to protect essential workers from infection

Mr. Foye said 900 workers will be deployed to disinfect subway cars overnight with sprayed disinfectant on all surfaces.  He said stations would be disinfected with the same cleaning spray with stations continually wiped down on railings and stairways throughout the day. He reported that private cleaning companies were being contracted to beef up the cleaning effort. Foye said the MTA is gathering data from organizations and merchants, deemed essential, on when their workers take the trains during the night hours and where they get on to assure stations are served by the subways in timely stops.

Ms. Feinberg said vans, buses, uber and lyft vehicles would be available for the essential workers during those hours, if there was no train when they would usually take it. It was not clear whether schedules of train stops on the various lines would be accelerated and more frequent, or less.  Ms. Feinberg said information would be available on the MTA websites in a few days.

Questioned on where homeless persons who will be required to leave the train when it comes to the location where it will be cleaned, will be taken, Governor Cuomo said the city has been funded for homeless housing facilities, and it was up to the city to make those decisions where to house them. The governor added that the coronavirus problem has focused on the need to engage the homeless riding the subways to accept help and shelter from the city. “The first step is they have to leave the train.”

In his briefing, the governor said  15,000 antibody tests have been completed and the number of persons who were infected with coronavirus now make up 12.3% of the random persons tested. Breaking down the largest number of persons in New York City—the Bronx was the leading borough. He said hospitals would now be supplying data on the deomographicsl of patients they have helped, cured so the state can isolate professions and patterns to help tamp down the number of new infections.

The Governor did not provide more details on the announcement that all School District budget and elections would be held on June 9, and conducted by absentee ballot.

In a news release, just out, the Governor confirmed 4,663 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 312,977 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 312,977 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows (With metropolitan NY areas in boldface):