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.

TONIGHT AT 7 ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD, CH. 45 FIOS, CH. 76 ALTICE-CABLEVISION AND ON THE INTERNET: THE MAN WHO IS THERE WHEN THEY ARE NOT –JIM KILLORAN..On THE INTERNET AT www.wpcommunitymedia.org

Posted on January 4, 2018 by John Bailey

JOHN BAILEY

INTERVIEWS

WHITE PLAINS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’S

JIM KILLORAN.

of HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

AND ON WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

ANY TIME.

AND TONIGHT AT 7 ON

VERIZON FIOS CH. 45 COUNTYWIDE

AND

ON WHITE PLAINS ALTICE-CABLEVISION CH. 76

Heating Problems Main Cause of Winter Fires, Chief Lyman Observes. COLD WAVE COMPLICATES FIGHTING FIRES

Posted on January 3, 2018 by John Bailey

WPCNR PUBLIC SAFETY ROUNDUP. January 3, 2018:

White Plains Fire Chief, Richard Lyman provided details on the Sunday fire at 16-18 Park Avenue (shown as it looked today at noon), that took White Plains firefighters five hours to bring under control. Chief Lyman issued this statement:

“The fire at 16-18 Park Avenue is still under investigation to determine the cause. The fire was called in at 12:10 pm and was called under control at 5:30 pm.

“Cold weather complicates fighting a fire making it more difficult to extinguish. Water used to put the fire out freezes on the ground, ladders, roofs, firefighters and other surfaces creating a tough work environment.

“Hoselines and fire nozzles can freeze rendering the lines inoperable. Low temperatures and wind chill can cause hyperthermia and frostbite. Despite the difficult work environment the crews did a fantastic job under the circumstances.

Attached are two fact sheets from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) regarding home heating fires and Fire Overview in the US.

Home heating fires are the second leading cause of fires in the US.

Cooking is the number one cause annually.

However during the months of December, January and February heating is the leading cause of fires.

Charts from the National Fire Protection Association

Photos of the Day: County Executive Latimer Signs Executive Order Banning Gun Shows on County-Owned Property. Board of Legislators Says they Will Move to Legislate the Ban in Perpetuity

Posted on January 2, 2018 by John Bailey

COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER ARRIVES AT COUNTY CENTER FOR NEWS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING BANNING OF GUN SHOWS ON ALL WESTCHESTER COUNTY-OWNED PROPERTY. GUNSHOWS ARE STILL PERMITTED TO BE STAGE IN PRIVATELY OWNED FACILITIES.

“Westchester County government should not be in the business of advancing the sale of weapons and other items often sold at gun shows – plain and simple,” said Latimer. “This is not a restriction on gun shows in the entire county, but rather just on public land.”

Text from the Executive Order states that “WHEREAS, reactional County facilities always serve our residents best when used for sporting events, concerts, trade shows, and educational opportunities for our youth. Gun shows are not what taxpayer financed property should be used for.”

DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE KEN JENKINS SAID HE WAS PLEASED THAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ECHOED THE LEGISLATION HE INTRODUCED IN 2016, TO BAN GUN SHOWS WHICH WAS VETOED BY FORMER COUNTY EXECUTIVE ROBERT ASTORINO. ASTORINO HAD REINSTATED GUN SHOWS, RESCINDING THE ORIGINAL BAN PUT INTO EFFECT BY COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANDY SPANO IN 1999 AFTER THE COLUMBINE SHOOTING.

WHITE PLAINS DISTRICT 5 COUNTY LEGISLATOR BENJAMIN BOYKIN, SAID THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS WOULD INTRODUCE LEGISLATION ASSURING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER WOULD BECOME COUNTY LAW “IN PERPETUITY.”

VARIOUS COUNTY LEGISLATORS EACH SPOKE ON THE MENACE OF GUN VIOLENCE IN THEIR DISTRICTS AND PRAISED THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AS RETURNING TO “WESTCHESTER VALUES.”

MR. LATIMER SAID BANNING GUNSHOWS WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS STRONGLY SUPPORTED, NOTING HIS WINNING 57% OF THE VOTE COMPARED TO 43% FOR HIS OPPONENT, MR. ASTORINO, AND HE, LATIMER WAS FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THAT PROMISE.

HE ADDED THAT THE GUN SHOW HELD LAST JANUARY IN THE COUNTY CENTER CONTAINED CONFEDERACY MEMORABILIA AND NAZI PUBLICATIONS WHICH HAD SPARKED WIDESPREAD CRITICISM OF THE GUN SHOW.

George Latimer Sworn in as County Executive. Signs Request for State Comptroller Review of County Budget

Posted on January 1, 2018 by John Bailey

George Latimer is sworn in as Westchester County Executive Monday afternoon by Judge Gretchen Walsh. For a video of the swearing in go to this YouTube link below, or copy and post in your browser. Photos,Video Special to WPCNR by Peter Katz.

https://youtu.be/LOOKAFZhYDE

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. January 1, 2018:

With the overarching themes of the day being transparency and restoration, newly sworn-in County Executive George Latimer issued a series of “day one” actions that signal an administration focused on giving the people of Westchester their County back. Actions included:

Sending a formal request to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to perform a full and open fiscal review of policies and procedures.
Issuing an Executive Order removing the names and likeness of the County Executives from all County signage.
The issuance of the “Good Neighbor” policy to better involve municipalities in decisions that impact their communities.
The formation of a task force aimed at revisiting shared-services in the County.
The announcement of the #MyWestchester social media campaign aimed at celebrating the County.
The announcement of his two-week intensive “Tour of Change.”

As one of his first official actions, County Executive Latimer signs a request to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to do an audit of the Westchester County Budget. Photo Special to WPCNR by Peter Katz

On the fiscal review, Latimer said this is the most pressing issue:

“This will help pull back the curtain and show just exactly where we are. We have a long road ahead of us – together – and to get on that road we need to know exactly where we are going. I look forward to working with the Comptroller and the people of Westchester on analyzing the results of the review and where we need to go next.”

As for removing the names and likeness of the County Executives from all signage, Latimer said this applies to all directional, informational and promotional signs and applies to all County elected officials.

The only exception would be for the office building where one is based. Latimer said he is simply giving the County back to the people.

“These parks were here long before I came into office and will be enjoyed by residents long after I leave,” said Latimer, “Westchester’s natural beauty does not belong to one person. Westchester residents don’t care who gets credit for a project or who was in office when it happened, they just want to know that the needed work is done and that’s exactly how I intend to operate.”

Under the “Good Neighbor” policy, the County would be required to make a formal presentation of any significant proposed action on county land at a regularly scheduled, televised meeting of the local governing body (City Council, Town Board or Village Board).

The locality would have 60 days before the action would be implemented, to allow for a local public forum to gather public input from residents. Then the locality would submit a memo of support, neutrality, or opposition to the action before the county acts.

“Government is for the people, by the people – and that means including all stakeholders in its decision making. This policy will not only lead to greater cooperation but also to more successful projects thanks to the input from residents who they will impact most.” said Latimer.

Also affecting municipalities will be the issue of shared services.

Last year, Governor Cuomo announced an action plan for County governments to assemble the municipalities that make it up to create shared-services plans that will show real savings to the taxpayers.

For a County of its size, the plan formulated by Westchester lacked the originality – and savings – that other smaller counties came up with. Latimer is focused on the formation of a task force aimed at revisiting just how much local Westchester governments can share services.

“It’s on us in government to find ways to deliver the services all Westchester residents rely on- while doing it in the most cost-effective manner possible,” said Latimer. “To do this, all of us need to get back to the table and examine where we can consolidate without diminishing.”

Lastly, County Executive Latimer announced a social media campaign aimed at showing the world just who we are in Westchester County.

The #MyWestchester campaign asks residents – from all over the County – to share images, videos, and anecdotes about what makes them proud to call Westchester home.

“Westchester is home to so many wonderful people, businesses, parks, waterways and a whole host of other things that make it such an ideal destination for folks to live, work, visit and raise a family here. This is a way to show our pride. Keep an eye out for some of my posts, and I will be sure to share some favorites. Westchester is a special place and we are eager to show it off.”

Today, the oath and the series of announcements concluded with Latimer announcing his two-week “Tour of Change” Campaign where he will be making announcements on issues discussed in his campaign all over the County.

Hope for a Gentler Kinder Classier Year of Being Better, Achieving More and Keeping the American Dream Foremost in Our Hearts

Posted on January 1, 2018 by John Bailey

A New Year to Work With and Work on Ourselves

The Crisp New Year emerged with the morning sun out of the east this morning, giving all everywhere the gift of a new day, a new year to introspect, reconstruct, and refurbish our psyches and spirits and fortify our hearts to brush up our selfosphere and mental environment and continue to build our own personal dialectic of living.

2018 will be a hardworking year to attempt to repair the shambles of the spirit during the most bitter year in memory.

Bask in the crisp freshness and spirit of this first new day and begin the work of making ourselves better, burying the sorrow, smiling at our memories and seizing the tiller, setting sails and steering through the chop of life tacking against the wind, always sailing to the sun, drifting through the nights ahead to reflect on what we achieved during the day, where each of us could have done better and appreciating the uniqueness of every individual.

Did we do well today? How can we do better tomorrow? Are we proud of what we did today? Did we do good? If you do good, you sleep the satisfying sleep that “knits up the raveled sleeve of care.”

Cast off!

Set the sails and launch yourself on the sunlit sea. The snow-covered prairie. The vibrant metropolis.

It is your world, your year, your year to do good.

WHITE PLAINS HOLDS ITS BALL DROP IN 10 DEGREE WEATHER. CROWD SWELLS ABOUT 11:30 PM. Ball Drops. Everybody Goes Home.

Posted on January 1, 2018 by John Bailey

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. January 1, 2017:

When festivities began with music entertainment at 10 PM Sunday evening, New Year’s Eve in White Plains ,about 25 persons were jumping up and down to the music.

Within the next hour it had grown to about 100 persons. By midnight, balldrop time, about a block from Main Street up past Martine Avenue from the live television feed was filled with people which from our television vantage point was impossible to estimate accurately.

Perhaps many had weathered the 10 degree weather inside the restaurants and came out for the bitter end of 2017.

It was the coldest night I can remember for this festivity that has been going on since 2003.

2017, a bitter year ended on a bitter note.

The telecast from Times Square on CNN hosted by Andy Cohenand Anderson Cooper was devoid of excitement. There was no chemistry between the two hosts who had no idea it seemed what was going on. They made no comments about the size of the crowd which was very silent and decidedly unfestive. Of course this had to be the weather. There was a lot of jumping up and down down there, too.

This pairing of Cooper and Cohen was a fiasco. There was no sweeping shots of the crowd. There was no comment on whether the crowd was down in size from previous years. Jokes ran into bad taste late in the broadcast with comments about Tom Cruise’s anatomy. Please.

The ball dropped with a colorful tasteless blaze of color from the Times Tower much like the tasteless year we just experienced.

Governor Cuomo Announces minimum wage,family leave policies

Posted on December 31, 2017 by John Bailey

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. December 31, 2017: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the second increase toward a statewide $15 per hour minimum wage and the launch of the nation’s strongest paid family leave policy.

In 2016, the Governor signed landmark legislation to restore economic parity and social justice to working families in New York State. Building on seven years of championing progressive policies for New York, the Governor’s paid family leave policy is the strongest and most comprehensive package in the country and will help employees maintain financial stability, and the minimum wage increase will reestablish economic justice and fairness across the state.

“New York has made major strides in the fight for economic equality, social justice and workers’ rights and with the rollout of this historic minimum wage increase and the strongest paid family leave program in the country, we continue to protect the wallets of middle class New Yorkers,” Governor Cuomo said. “New York believes in a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work and no family member should have to choose between caring for a loved one or losing their job – this victory will help restore fairness and equality to working families across New York.”

Middle Class Tax Cut

Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York continues to reduce state taxes to record lows for middle-class New Yorkers. These new lower state tax rates will save middle-class taxpayers nearly $6.6 billion in just the first four years, and annual savings are projected to reach $4.2 billion and benefit six million filers by 2025.

As the new rates phase in, they will be the state’s lowest middle-class tax rates in more than 70 years. In New York City, taxpayers will see an average state tax cut of $235 in 2018 and an average state tax cut of $653 when fully phased in in 2025.

Paid Family Leave

Beginning tomorrow, January 1, 2018, New York State will begin the strongest, most progressive and most comprehensive paid family leave policy in the nation.

New Yorkers will be allowed to take job-protected paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a loved one with a serious health condition or help relieve family pressures when a loved one is called to active military service abroad. When fully phased in, New Yorkers will be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid time off.

Those eligible for paid family leave include:

Parents during the first 12 months following birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child;

Caretakers for a sick spouse, domestic partner, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandchild;
Employees with a spouse, child, domestic partner or parent who has been notified of an order of active military service abroad.

Full-time employees with a regular schedule of 20 or more hours per week will be eligible for Paid Family Leave after 26 consecutive weeks of employment. Part-time employees with a regular schedule of less than 20 hours per week can apply for Paid Family Leave after working 175 days for their employer.

Additional information on New York State’s Paid Family Leave law, along with numerous resources for employers and workers, can be found on the Paid Family Leave website. The public is also encouraged to call the Paid Family Leave helpline at (844) 337-6303 with any questions. More details are available here.

$15 Minimum Wage

Minimum wage increases are calculated based on where an individual works, by industry, and, in some cases, the size business. It is estimated that more than 2.3 million people will be positively impacted by the increase in the minimum wage statewide.

Today, December 31, 2017, the minimum wage rates in New York City will increase to:

LOCATION	MINIMUM WAGE
NYC – Large Employers (of 11 or more)	$13.00
NYC – Small Employers (10 or less)	$12.00
NYC (Fast Food Workers)	$13.50

To help inform businesses and employees, the New York State Department of Labor has several tools available on its website.

Other resources available include:

Minimum Wage FAQs that answer many of the most common questions;
The Minimum Wage Lookup tool lets employees check the minimum cash wage they must be paid by their employers; and
The Minimum Wage Information Request Form lets employees ask additional questions that are not already answered on the Department’s website and allows organizations to request a live presentation or webinar about the scheduled increases.

Updated minimum wage posters for 2018 can be found at: