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. | WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.

County Announces “Opportunity Zones” includes White Plains New York USA

Posted on June 26, 2019 by John Bailey

WPCNR WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. June 26, 2019:

Westchester County is on the verge of a potential major real estate and business boom thanks to Opportunity Zones. This federal tax program is projected to spur economic development in the County’s distressed census tracts by offering tax breaks on capital gains to developers who invest and hold assets for at least five years.

There are 12 zones designated in 8 different municipalities in the County. The municipalities are Cortlandt, Mount Pleasant, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Peekskill, Port Chester, White Plains and Yonkers.

The Opportunity Zones incentive is a new community investment tool, established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide.

Opportunity Zones provide tax incentives for investors to re-invest their unrealized capital gains into dedicated Opportunity Funds. With such valuable benefits at stake, property values are rising as investors and developers scope out these nominated areas’ potential.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “My Administration is focused on advancing Westchester’s economy – and to do that best we must take full advantage of all potential avenues afforded to us. The Opportunity Zone program is a perfect example of one of these avenues. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure they have every chance to succeed.”

Since the Zones were released in 2017, the commercial real estate community has been all abuzz looking for investments in the County.

Vince Ferrandino, Principal of Ferrandino & Associates Inc., a planning consulting firm based in Elmsford, has been retained by the County to work with local municipalities to help make these new opportunities work best for them. His firm is also charged with connecting them with eager investors.

“Right now there is incredible opportunity and municipalities can really make this work for them,” said Ferrandino.

For investors who stand to gain in tax breaks, Ferrandino recommends working with a realtor or service that can help identify properties that might not yet be on the market.

“The tax benefits are tremendous, and so many investors are going to want to take advantage of realtors and services – while also lifting up a community in need,” said Ferrandino. He continued, “Ultimately, those who leverage all information have a wider range of properties to consider.”

While office space is always in demand due to the County’s close proximity to New York City, Ferrandino said municipalities also need to focus in on their needs, not just let the developers decide. He recommends forming local committees, holding meetings and surveying the public about what is really needed in the community and then preparing a plan.

“These areas are generally under invested – the developers and the municipalities need to come together and settle on a plan that is best for the community. The municipalities need to be proactive with this anticipated development coming their way,” said Ferrandino.

Bridging the gap between municipalities and developers, Ferrandino said his firm is committed to doing what is best for the community: “Let’s get into the details, beyond just reading the law – we want to show how the County can assist when you, a developer or a municipality, want to help get both sides to achieve what they are looking for.”

Meals on Wheels Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Posted on June 25, 2019 by John Bailey

**New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald presents a proclamation honoring Meals on Wheels of White Plains to Executive Director Susanna Sussman at the organization’s 40**^th anniversary party at the Woman’s Club of White Plains.

Meals on Wheels of White Plains celebrated its 40^th anniversary at the Woman’s Club of White Plains honoring the volunteers and donors who have supported the organization for four decades.

“There is nothing that can match the incredible dedication of our volunteers,” said Susanna Sussman, Executive Director. “They come week after week, year after year to deliver fresh meals to White Plains residents who are unable to shop and cook for themselves.”

Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver hot and cold meals to about 70 clients daily. The meals are individualized to follow prescribed diets.

On hand at the event were many volunteers, some of whom have been helping for over thirty years. Also on hand were a number of donors. “Our donors keep us going,” said board president Paul Schwarz. “Individual contributions, from $5 to $5,000, provide well over 50% of our annual operating budget.”

Meals on Wheels was honored at the event by New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald, as well as by the Westchester County Board of Legislators and White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, who declared Sunday Meals on Wheels day in the city.

Meals on Wheels of White Plains was founded by a small group of citizens, with leadership and inspiration from then County Legislator Carolyn Whittle, who then stayed on MOWWP’s board of directors for its first 20 years. Now living in California and unable to attend, Ms. Whittle sent a message to today’s volunteers, thanking them for helping to carry on the work she had started in 1979.

Looking forward to coming years, Meals on Wheels of White Plains is always happy to welcome new volunteers and new contributors, who can both get more information at 946-6878. As well, anyone needing Meals on Wheels services or information about signing up a client should call that number.

Selection of New City Court Judge Coming in July. Mayor’s Selection Committee Delilberating

Posted on June 25, 2019 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. June 25, 2019:

John Callahan, City Corporation Counsel adised a Special Meeting of the Common Council on the progress of the selection process of a new City Court Judge to replace a retired judge.

Callahan said the city had received 28 applications for the position and that the Mayor’s Selection Committee had interviewed, he believed most of the 28. Now he described the Selection Committee as in the process of evaluating the candidates and discussing pros and cons among members of the committee.

WPCNR asked Mr. Callahan when a selection would be announced, and he said sometime in July. At which time the Common Council would hold a vote whether or not to appoint the nominee.

143 YEARS AGO TODAY. CUSTER SOUGHT GLORY

Posted on June 25, 2019 by John Bailey

WPCNR MILESTONES. By John F. Bailey. June 25, 2018 Reprinted from the WPCNR archive: One hundred forty-three years ago today in the
midsummer sweltering heat of the Dakota Badlands,
Major General George Armstrong Custer and 600 Cavalrymen of the U.S.
Seventh Cavalry were converging to attack a contingent of 2,000 Sioux
and Cheyenne Indians encamped on the Little Big Horn River.

Custer’s troops were in the lead.

S

Sighting the Enemy Custer, whose strength as a commander was
willingness to engage the enemy by surprise has long been criticized by
historians and military experts for disobeying the command of his
superior General Alfred H. Terry, (commander of the Little Big Horn
campaign), who warned Custer to wait until Terry’s forces arrived to join him before Custer launched any attack.

At about 5 PM this afternoon today it was the waning afternoon, 143
years ago, 1876. 225 troopers, Custer, and Mark Kellogg, the Associated
Press correspondent (one of the first “embedded correspondents”) lay
dead strewn across the ridges of the Little Big Horn Valley.

The Indians had so much respect for Reporter Kellogg’s talent, they left
his body alone. To the Sioux, Mr. Kellogg was known as “The Man who
could make paper talk.”

Mr. Kellogg’s foolscap (copy paper) littered the horror of the battlefield.
Kellog was given a mule to ride by General Terry, and rode into battle
with Custer.

That afternoon, 143 years ago today, the superior Indian force had dealt
the American military its most infamous defeat to date, which would be
chronicled again and again.

Custer’s accomplishments as a military commander though have
suffered as a result of this alleged rash and ill-advised attack.

However, the battle is instructive for all who command, (no matter what position of command they hold), to pay attention to their scouting
reports, and above all conduct scouting forays, and to ignore whatever
personal gains might be achieved by a personally attractive course of
action (if you are successful).

Allegedly, Custer had seen a possible victory lead by himself over the
Sioux as a stepping stone to national office.

Instead, he died in action — one of the few U.S. Army Generals to do so.

Few know today, as the statue of General Custer in his hometown of
Monroe, Michigan, says how Custer was instrumental in forcing General Robert E. Lee to surrender by blocking Lee’s retreat at Appomattox in
1865.

Custer’s defeat may have been inevitable but the actions of Major
Reno’s premature breaking off his initial attack on the Indian
encampment, a disastrous premature, cut-and-run retreat, did not help
Custer’s chances.

Reno’s retreat allowed the counterattacking indians to turn all their force on Custer’s force, getting behind him, surrounding Custer and his
command and killing them all within an hour.

Custer’s glory achieved through his death is a sobering reminder every
year for those who ignore facts confronting them, and underestimate
adversaries, and discount adverse conditions.

We should not forget though that Custer was attempting to achieve his
mission. No one can say what really motivated him 143 years ago today
in the early afternoon when he launched his attack.

Second-guessing is the sport of the armchair historians and military
strategists who have the evidence of the result.

Blame is easily distributed. That is the loneliness of command. Combat.
Decisions. Risks. Surprise. They are the stuff that leaders have to deal
with.

On this day, we should look back and remember the courage it took to
engage.

Remember the bravery the Seventh Calvary displayed in defeat (despite
Indian reports of many committing suicide).

Soldiers today demonstrate this courage every day.

We need to admire that courage. I cannot fathom what it takes to be able to be courageous like this. Leading is not for everyone.

SUPREME COURT DECISION LIMITS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS INVOLVING GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS, COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW REPORTS

Posted on June 25, 2019 by John Bailey

WPCNR INFOTELLIGENCE. Special to WPCNR From the Columbia Journalism Review. June 25, 2019:

The Supreme Court stamps on freedom of information
By Jon Allsop

In 2011, the Argus Leader, a newspaper in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was at work on a project about access to food and potential fraud in the food
stamp program, which retailers administer in cooperation with the government.

Jonathan Ellis, a reporter at the paper, requested data from the
Department of Agriculture, which runs the program at the federal level,
under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA. The department said no; the data Ellis requested, it argued, pertained to businesses, and was
confidential.

In response, the Argus Leader sued; it won, and the government decided not to appeal the verdict. But Ellis still did not get the data.

The Food Marketing Institute, an industry group representing retailers,
picked up the case and took it to an appeals court; when that court, too,
upheld the Argus Leader’s request, the group—backed by the US
Chamber of Commerce—escalated its secrecy fight all the way to the
Supreme Court.

The court, which heard arguments in the case in April, issued a ruling yesterday against the Argus Leader.

The Freedom of Information Act has always allowed private government contractors to claim an exemption on confidentiality grounds, but—
under a precedent set in 1974—contractors have had to show that
disclosing the requested information would cause them competitive
harm.

Yesterday, in a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court ruled to make that test
substantially less strict: going forward, contractors will be able to keep
any “commercial and financial information” they give to the government secret at their discretion, as long as the government gave them an
“assurance” that it will remain private.”

As Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in his dissent, the ruling establishes
certain information as “confidential” not because it is legitimately
sensitive, but because those who possess it want to keep it that way.

The ruling, Breyer fears, “will deprive the public of information for
reasons no better than convenience, skittishness, or bureaucratic inertia.”

The Argus Leader—and press-freedom advocates—expressed similar concerns. Cory Myers, the paper’s editorial director, called the verdict
“a massive blow to the public’s right to know how its tax dollars are being spent, and who is benefiting.”

Ellis, who filed the initial FOIA (and co-wrote yesterday’s Argus Leader
piece on the ruling), tweeted that while the Department of Agriculture’s
denial of his request was never legitimate,

“today, six members of the US Supreme Court used it as a vehicle to wipe out more than 40 years of established FOIA precedent.”

Later, Ellis said he was “truly sorry to my colleagues who work to hold
government accountable that my FOIA request was used to undermine
our work. If I could go back in a time machine and change this I would.”

Clearly, none of this is Ellis’s fault.

But experts fear that the court’s ruling will make journalists’ lives more
difficult.

“Businesses in regulated industries will be the main beneficiaries of this decision, while the press and public will have a harder time using the
FOIA to investigate such businesses and their interactions with
government agencies,” Jonathan Peters, a media law professor at the
University of Georgia and CJR’s press freedom correspondent, tells me in an email.

Michael Morisy, founder of MuckRock, a collaborative news site focused on FOIA and transparency, adds that the ruling will be particularly
damaging in a climate of increasing privatization of government services.

“Already, at the state level, we see contractors push the meaning of
confidential trade data to include everything from how much they
charge agencies (and therefore, the public) to the header columns of
spreadsheets that summarize public data,” he tells me in an email.

While this is a federal ruling on a federal law, local reporters will not be
spared the impact.

State governments have their own freedom of information laws which
will not directly be affected by the Supreme Court’s decision.

But reporters such as those at the Argus Leader commonly look at the
local footprint of federal programs. And, as Avi Asher-Schapiro, of the
Committee to Protect Journalists, reported ahead of the Argus Leader
hearing in April, some states lack significant case law around access to
information, and thus often use comparable federal laws as guidance.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court’s decision only adds to the mounting
impediments American journalists face at work. Trump’s anti-press
attacks grab the headlines, but subtler trends like the weakening of
transparency laws may have a deeper impact.

“This decision is of a piece with government efforts nationwide to shield
information and events from public view,” Peters says. “It’s offensive to
the basic idea that our democratic system is based on the will of the
people… The Argus Leader case does even more damage to that idea.”

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY DAY IN WHITE PLAINS NY USA–POLLS OPEN UNTIL 9 PM. FIND POLLING PLACE BY CALLING WHITE PLAINS CITY CLERK 422-1227 OR WESTCHESTER BOARD OF ELECTIONS at 995-2000

Posted on June 25, 2019 by John Bailey

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2019. JUNE 25, 2019:

Registered Democrats choose which 3 Democratic candidates will be on the Democratic line this coming November in the Democratic Primary today. Voting has begun. If unsure of where you vote contact the White Plains City Clerk Office at 422-1227 or call the Westchester Board of Elections at 914-995-2000, or go to https://citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/find-polling-place

On the ballot are Katherine (Kat) Brezler, Nadine Hunt-Robinson, Victoria Presser and Jennifer Puja. Polls are open until 9 PM

FOR RESULTS, go to the Board of Elections website after 9 PM AT www.westchestergov/boe99//

2019
Unofficial Tally of Election Results

Unofficial results will be available beginning shortly after 9 p.m. on
Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The election results contained in this web site are an unofficial tally of election results prepared in accordance with Section 9-126 of the New York State Election Law. Due to multiple transcription of voting machine
numbers involved in preparing the unofficial tally, all results are subject
to error.

Furthermore, in accordance with Section 8-142 of the New York State
Election Law, some of the absentee votes may not be available for
inclusion in the unofficial tally.

On election night, one or more election districts may not report their
results. In addition, some reports may include errors which cannot be
resolved election night.

Official election results will be compiled and
made available by the Westchester County Board of Elections in
accordance with Section 9-214 of the New York State Election Law no later than twenty-five (25) days after the election.

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY DOUBLEHEADER on “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD” SPECIAL: JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CANDIDATES. PRIMARY JUNE 25

Posted on June 22, 2019 by John Bailey

**JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS NADINE HUNT-ROBINSON , JEN PUJA AND VICTORIA PRESSER —COPY AND PASTE THIS URL IN YOUR BROWSER:**

**http://www.wpcommunitymedia.org/people-to-be-heard/04052019-579**

**JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS KAT BREZLER**

**COPY AND PASTE THIS URL IN YOUR BROWSER:**

**http://www.wpcommunitymedia.org/people-to-be-heard/04052019-580**

WHITE PLAINS WEEK OF JUNE 21 ON THE INTERNET NOW ON YOUTUBE AND WHITE PLAINS WEEK DOT COM

Posted on June 22, 2019 by John Bailey

JIM BENEROFE

**wpweek for 6-21 has been posted the youtube link is**

**https://youtu.be/ZQaZx6bWmYg**

**the** **whiteplainsweek.com** **link is**

**http://www.whiteplainsweek.com/**

THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

THE FORUM ANALYSIS

CON ED’S REVENGE — A DRACONIAN DELIVERY CHARGE HIKE AND OUR REPRESENTATIVES SAY NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING.

ASHLY BROWN REPORTS ON THE JOB FAIR

SLOW BREAKING NEWS: ACTIVITY ON ONE WHITE PLAINS HOLE IN THE GROUND!

AND MORE

TONIGHT at 8 on FIOS CH. 45 AND CABLEVISION 76–SEIU 32BJ ON THE COUNTY PROTECTING UNION WORKERS FROM BEING DISMISSED BY OWNERS ARTIFICIALLY LOWERING NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES TO DISMISS UNION EMPLOYEES.

Posted on June 20, 2019 by John Bailey

LENORE FRIEDLAENDER AT THE SEIU 32BJ RALLY LAST WEEK
SHE’S JOHN BAILEY’S GUEST TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE NEW COUNTY LEGISLATION AND UPCOMING SEIU INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH COMMERCIAL BUSINESS OWNERS

JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS
LENORE FRIEDLAENDER
New interview with Assistant to the President of the Service Employees International Union 32BJ on how a new Westchester County Law closes building owners’ loophole, protecting uunion jobs.

**LENORE FRIEDLAENDER FROM AN EARLIER APPEARANCE ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD**

TONIGHT AT 8 ON CABLEVISION CHANNEL 76; FIOS CH. 45 AND ANYTIME ON www.wpcommunitymedia.org (Just scroll on down the Program wall to “People to Be Heard”

Con Ed Seeks 14.5% HIKE IN N.ATURAL GAS DELIVERY RATES. 8.6% INCREASE IN ELECTRIC RATE DELIVERY CHARGE. HEARINGS SET FOR JUNE 25-26

Posted on June 19, 2019 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE POWER STORY. From the New York State Public Service Commission. June 19, 2019:

There will be two sets of Public Service Commission Hearings in Proposed Edison Delivery Charges for Natural Gas and Electricity Delivery on June 25 in Yonkers at the Public Library and June 26 in New York City, the Public Service Commission announced Monday.

The new Con Edison Rates are proposed to take effect January 1, 2020. Consumers should note the rate for actual supply of natural gas and electricity depends on the going rate and demand on the plants supplying the gas and electricity.

The proposed rates, according to Con Ed are as follows:

The Hearings are