DRAGON COASTER RIDES AGAIN! COUNTY EXECUTIVE ASTORINO OPENS PLAYLAND. PROMISES 5 NEW RIDES IN 2 YEARS. LEGISLATOR PARKER SAYS POOL WILL BE RETAINED AND STANDARD AMUSEMENTS ACCEPTS THAT.WILL LOCATE CATERING FACILITY ELSEWHERE IN PARK

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WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE ROBERT P. ASTORINO ARRIVES ON RECONDITIONED 1927 PLAYLAND FIRE TRUCK TO BEGIN THE PLAYLAND OPENING DAY RIBBON CUTTING SATURDAY

WPCNR PLAYLAND GO-ROUND. By John F. Bailey.May 21, 2017:

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The County Executive is introduced by Kathleen O’Connor, Deputy Commissioner of Recreation and Parks. Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett is at left.  Mr. Astorino, speaking for about a minute, said today marked the start of the Playland of the Future,in two years five new rides were going to be installed by the county partner, Standard Amusements, which was not represented on the dais.  On display was the preliminary plan for development of the park (shown in last picture)

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CROWD SURGES IN TO ENJOY THE RIDES AS COUNTY EXECUTIVE ASTORINO COMPLETES CUTTING THE RIBBON TO OPEN THE 2017 SEASON. Hundreds of paying customers showed up under threatening skies for the opening, including busloads and groups of invited guests.

 

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County Legislator Kay Parker told WPCNR the timetable for Standard Amusements and its first payment to the county to accept the management of the Park, (a $60 MILLION upgrade with Standard investing $30 Million and the County, $30 Million) in partnership with Westchester County is December 31. She noted that the pool/ catering facility matter Ms. Parker told WPCNR that Standard Amusements informed the County Parks Recreation Committee May 1 that the Standard was agreeable to moving the planned catering facility Standard wants to build to another location in the park, and would not object to the county keeping the pool. Parker said the only hurdle left holding up Standard Amusements concluding accepting the agreement with the County to clear before concluding the Standard Amusements-Westchester County partnership is the City of Rye possible of appeal of the  court decision denying the city “standing,” to determine final alterations to the park. Parker told WPCNR she did not know at this time whether City of Rye was preparing an appeal. She said Rye had six months to file. She said the County Legislature had allocated $10 Million to refurbish the Playland pool.

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Squeals and shrieks and the roar of steel on steel drifted across the Playland landscape as the 1929 Dragon Coaster thrilled a new generation of thrill-seekers.

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THE PLAYLAND EXPRESS AT KIDDIELAND was packed as WPCNR’s favorite ride was back on schedule.

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WHITE PLAINS WEEK FRIDAY MAY 19 PROGRAM ON THE INTERNET NOW

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WHITE PLAINS WEEK for 5-19 has been posted. The YouTube link is
 
 
The Whiteplainsweek.com link is
 
JOHN BAILEY AND PETER KATZ
ON
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THE WHITE PLAINS SCHOOL BUDGET LANDSLIDE APPROVAL
IMPACT ON YOUR PROPERTY TAXES
GOVERNOR CUOMO ON THE $20 BILLION DOLLAR HOUSING PLAN
6-JACK HARRINGTON
JACK HARRINGTON REMEMBRANCE
THE FCC NET NEUTRALITY POLICY DOOMS INDEPENDENT WEBSITES
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PLAYLAND OPENING
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SANDROS RUSSO PLAYS PERCY GRAINGER MUSIC AT HISTORIC GRAINGER HOUSE LANDMARK DEDICATION
TRUMP THE PRESIDENT CONTINUES
THE HINDENBURG DISASTER REMEMBERED
ROGER AILES — THE MAN WHO CHANGED TELEVISION NEWS
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Governor Cuomo Signs Bill Starting Spending of $20 Billion for Affordable Housing Statewide

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Governor Cuomo Announces Historic Funding to Combat Homelessness

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Press Office. (Edited)May 20, 2017:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Thursday launched a landmark $20 billion, five-year plan to combat homelessness and advance the construction of affordable housing in New York State.

The action plan is made possible by the release of $2.5 billion in capital funding delivered in the FY 2018 Budget which will create and preserve more than 110,000 units of affordable and 6,000 units of supportive housing over the next five years. This marks the largest investment in the creation and preservation of affordable housing and efforts to end homelessness in the history of New York.

“This legislation is a major step forward for New York as we strengthen our efforts to combat homelessness and expand access to quality, affordable housing for our most vulnerable men, women and children,” Governor Cuomo said. “By making significant investments in rehabilitating, preserving and constructing safe and affordable housing, we will open doors for low-income residents and support hard-working New Yorkers in every region of the state.”

The new legislation provides $2.5 billion in funding to advance the Governor’s $20 billion, multi-year homelessness and affordable housing plan.

To add critical supply to the state’s stock of affordable housing, the plan commits $10 billion to create and preserve more than 110,000 units across the state, including approximately 12,000 units created through the newly enacted “Affordable New York” program formerly known as 421-a.

The plan also includes a $10 billion landmark commitment to create 6,000 new supportive housing beds, including $7.5 billion to end the homelessness crisis and support housing programs, rental subsidies and other shelter costs in New York City and across the state.

By making significant investments in rehabilitating, preserving and constructing safe and affordable housing, we will open doors for low-income residents and support hard-working New Yorkers in every region of the state.

This historic investment offers a transformational blueprint to address the diversity of housing needs in New York, strengthen protections for tenants, and create new opportunities for low-to-moderate income households. The capital funding delivered in the FY 2018 Budget includes:

Supportive Housing: $950 million for the construction or operation of at least 6,000 supportive housing units throughout the state.
New Construction: $472 million for new construction or adaptive reuse of rental housing affordable to households that earn up to 60 percent of area median income.
New York City Housing Authority: $200 million for projects and improvements related at housing developments owned or operated by NYCHA.
NYC 100% Affordable: $100 million for the construction and preservation of 100 percent affordable units in New York City.
Senior Housing: $125 million for developing or rehabilitating affordable housing targeted to low-income seniors, aged 60 and above.
Rural and Urban Community Investment Fund: $45 million for mixed-use affordable housing developments that may include retail, commercial or community development components.
Middle Income Housing: $150 million for new construction, adaptive reuse, or reconstruction of rental housing affordable to households that earn between 60 percent and 130 percent of AMI.
Affordable Housing Preservation: $146 million for substantial or moderate rehabilitation of existing affordable multi-family rental housing currently under a regulatory agreement.
Mitchell-Lama Rehabilitation: $75 million to preserve and improve Mitchell-Lama properties throughout the State.
Public Housing: $125 million for substantial or moderate rehabilitation and/or the demolition and replacement through new construction of public housing authority developments outside of New York City.
Small Building Construction: $62.5 million for rehabilitation and/or the demolition and replacement through new construction of buildings of 5 to 40 units.
Home Ownership: $41.5 million for promoting home ownership among families of low and moderate income and stimulating the development, stabilization, and preservation of New York communities.
Mobile and Manufactured Homes: $13 million for mobile and manufactured home programs.
Main Street Programs: $10 million for stimulating reinvestment in properties located within mixed-use commercial districts located in urban, small town, and rural areas of the state.

Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative

In addition, the FY 2018 Budget continues the Governor’s commitment to provide supportive housing resources and services to address vulnerable populations experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Launched in 2017, ESSHI is a five-year program designed to fund the service and operating costs of at least 6,000 units of permanent supportive housing and to better coordinate resources from multiple-state agencies allowing more dynamic programming and quicker implementation.

Services offered through this initiative include employment and training opportunities, parenting education, counseling, independent living skills training, primary healthcare, substance use disorder treatment and mental health care, child care, and benefits advocacy are examples of what is provided to supportive housing tenants.

In 2016, New York set a record for financing the creation or preservation of more than 17,000 affordable homes and apartments and was the number one bond issuer in the nation with $2.8 billion issued. New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s Unified Funding housing round awarded more than $122 million for affordable housing in urban, suburban, and rural areas of New York. The awards are set to build or preserve nearly 2,000 affordable apartments and leverage more than $450 million in public and private resources.


 

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WP VOTERS PASS 2017-18 SCHOOL BUDGET WITH 85% VOTING YES TO $214 MILLION BUDGET. ELLER, STEIN VOTED NEW TERMS UNOPPOSED.

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IT WAS 9:25 PM TUESDAY EVENING WHEN MICHELE SCHOENFELD, CLERK TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION POSTED THE FINAL TOTALS FOR TUESDAY’S WHITE PLAINS SCHOOL BUDGET ELECTION. TURNOUT WAS HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR AND THE MARGIN OF 86% OF THE VOTERS APPROVING THE BUDGET THIS YEAR WAS THE HIGHEST IN 17 YEARS.

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS for White Plains Schools:

 

Budget Vote:      Yes – 823

                              No  –  130

                                                  86.4% Yes Vote

 

Candidates:         Rosemarie Eller – 816

                              Randy Stein        –  799

 

 

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HEY MOM!

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(This is for all you Moms out there. We know what you go through!)

“HEY MOM!”

Hey Mom– Bring me two waters so I’m set?

Where’s my underarmor? And my visor?

Are my tights washed? My skates are dull.

Hey Mom, can you call the advisor?

Hey Mom,  I wasn’t yelling at you.

I didn’t mean to! You were yelling at me!

You never let me do anything my friends do

Hey Mom, would you chill, lighten up, just do!

Hey Mom, I don’t like the way this looks for the prom –

I don’t like the color, how could you think this was me?

I just can’t wear this, it’s this, it’s that it’s…Oh, Mom!?! 

 

Hey Mom, I’ve been studying all morning getting knowledge.

Can’t I go out, I’ll be back by ten?

But, I know the material, gone over it again and again.

Oh, Mom – I hate my life! I can hardly wait until college.

 

Hey Mom – But I did call and let you know

Don’t you understand, I couldn’t call at that time.

No, you can’t not let me go – it’s a great band

Oh, Mom – I hate you! You never understand!

Hey, Mom, please don’t embarrass me at the game

By screaming so loud, it’s just so tacky

But, hey mom, I like that you’re over there in the stand

Watching me play, you know that don’t you Mom, you understand?

 

Hey Mom, can you get me to the rink

At 5 – I know you have to take off from work early?

Thanks, Mom, I’m so sorry but the team has a special thing

I have to be there, thanks Mom – I love you—really.

 

Hey, Mom, please when you pick me up at the dorm

Don’t come inside. Just wait outside, call me on the cell

I’ll be right down — it’s the norm.

Don’t ring the bell!

 

Hey, Mom, I’ve read the classifieds

There are no jobs, I can’t make all those calls.

Well, OK, I guess  I can send that resume you made for me (sigh).

OK, I’m lost, where’s the post office, down Lexington to what?

Hey Mom, well I’m bringing my friends by,

Don’t let Dad embarrass me with his jokes, OK?

I’ll just die if he’s silly again — you won’t let him do that?

You’ll talk to him about that?

All right, Mom I’ll take that extra course.

But I’ve just been going to school for months it never ends!

Can’t I have a little vacation, I don’t know what’s worse

Can’t I spend a little time with my friends?

 

You do like him Mom?

Oh, I hoped you would.

Yes, I really do

I am so glad you do too!

Hey Mom, can you take care of the kids this weekend?

We’re going to Vermont with a friend.

And Mom, the cats get kibble in morning and meat at night,

We love you mom, sorry for the short notice, talk to you tonight.

 

Hey Mom, I’m sorry I can’t see you Mother’s Day.

Are you all right, what will you be doing today?

Going to a play – great – you know we love you in every way?

Though we may not show it you’re always with us

even when you’re away.

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WHITE PLAINS WEEK THE MAY 12 SHOW ON THE INTERNET NOW.

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THE

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LINE UP

PETER KATZ, JOHN BAILEY, JIM BENEROFE

WHITE PLAINS WEEK  for 5-12 IS ON the youtube link 
 
 
The whiteplainsweek.com link is —
 
 

ON

OUT WITH THE OLD WHITE PLAINS IN WITH THE NEW

HEROIN BUST  AFTERMATH–NOT WHAT MEDIA HAD INDICATED

SCHOOL BOARD INKS DR. JOSEPH RICCA FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR 4 YEARS

SCHOOL BUDGET VOTE COMIN UP TUESDAY

THE EMBARRASSING WHITE PLAINS MIDDLE SCHOOL OPT-OUT RATE FROM THE MATH TESTS

WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE SUES GOVERNOR ON INDIAN POINT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW –VIDEO!

LATIMER

 ANOTHER QUIET WEEK IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL–

PETER KATZ REPORTS ON

TRUMP THE PRESIDENT

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THIS WEEK ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD–AARON WOODIN — PERSONAL COMPUTER SECURITY EXPERT–ON THE STATE OF PERSONAL COMPUTER EXPERT ON THE INTERNET NOW.

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JOHN BAILEY, AARON WOODIN, PRESIDENT PC VENTURES and JIM BENEROFE. Photo by “RKO” Keith Baker, White Plains Television

WESTCHESTER COUNTY’S MOST RELEVANT AND TIMELY INTERVIEW PROGRAM

YOU’VE GOT

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AARON WOODIN

WHITE PLAINS COMPUTER TROUBLESHOOTER FOR 15 YEARS

ON

THE STATE OF THE PERSONAL COMPUTER WORLD TODAY

YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER SECURITY

CONTEMPORARY COMPUTER SCAMS TO BE AWARE

THE SIGNS YOUR COMPUTER IS ABOUT TO CRASH

WHEN YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BACKING UP, OR PURCHASING NEW COMPUTER

THE SMARTPHONE JUNGLE WHAT’S AHEAD?

WHAT ABOUT THOSE OPERATING SYSTEMS?

SHOULD YOU ACCEPT EVERY UPDATE?

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INTERVIEWED BY JOHN BAILEY AND JIM BENEROFE

ON THE INTERNET, 

www.wpcommunitymedia.org

(GO TO WHITE PLAINS WEEK PEOPLE TO BE HEARD ON THE PROGRAM LIST)

 

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Latimer’s the One by a Country Mile. Democrats Count Votes Slowly. Latimer Overwhelming Choice after 48 Hours of Counting

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2017. From State Senator George Latimer’s Office. May 17, 2017:
Vowing to restore the focus of the office of Westchester County Executive on the needs of families after years of statewide politicking and poor fiscal choices by incumbent Republican Rob Astorino, Democratic New York State Senator George Latimer (D – Port Chester) secured his party’s nomination to run against Astorino in the November general election.
The victory culminates weeks of coalition-building among the dozens of municipal Democratic Committees countywide that formed the base of Latimer’s formidable results, which were tallied in a post-convention meeting this afternoon.
“I am honored and humbled to accept the Democratic nomination for Westchester County Executive,” said State Senator George Latimer. “I want to thank county Democratic leaders, members of the various local committees and our entire coalition of supporters for their hard work and their trust in me as we move forward to victory in November.
“We have a County Executive who is more concerned with pushing Donald Trump’s divisive agenda and furthering his own statewide political career than working for the people of Westchester. We have an opportunity to end Rob Astorino’s disastrous leadership and restore opportunity and prosperity to our county. I will build on our growing coalition to bring new voices and new ideas into the process, and be a County Executive that serves the people, and not the other way around.”
News of Latimer’s victory came this afternoon following a vote tally by party officials at the Westchester County Democratic Committee headquarters in White Plains. Party leaders had initially gathered in the city Wednesday night at the Westchester County Center for a convention to vote to nominate a candidate for the County Executive and other political posts. However, delays in the voting process for local judicial seats pushed the County Executive vote well into the night, prompting officials to postpone the vote count to Friday.
In terms of weighted votes, Latimer received 51,443 to Jenkins’ 20,585.5, giving the State Senator a substantial 71.42% of the total tally. Latimer ran the board across large swaths of the county, picking up 100% of the vote for the committees out of Bedford, Harrison, Mamaroneck, North Castle, Pound Ridge, Rye Town, Scarsdale, Rye City, and North Salem.
The State Senator also achieved a solid victory in many of the county’s cities, picking up 74% in New Rochelle, 81% in White Plains, and 75% in Peekskill.
Most notably, Latimer’s final tally included a strong showing in Yonkers, where Jenkins was heavily favored to win. In the end, Latimer held his opponent to a narrow loss of 55% to 45%.
This final count demonstrated deep, countywide support for Latimer, who got into the race late but mounted an aggressive and successful campaign to gather support among the county’s 45 local Democratic committees. This earned Latimer the support of a dozen committees and numerous local elected officials. The extent of this support was evident as party leaders stood to nominate Latimer’s candidacy at the convention.
“I’ve seen George in action fighting for the people in our communities. He has shown his kindness and warmth to everyone he meets. He is the leader needed to make Westchester County government reflect the needs of everyone, and not just the wealthy or powerful,” said Bianca Lopez, Port Chester District Leader in nominating Latimer.
“George Latimer’s vision for Westchester includes a county government that is here to work for all our residents and will advance the progressive values that really make up Westchester,” said David Imamura, former chair of Irvington Democratic Committee, who seconded Lopez’s nomination.
In his address to the convention, Latimer declared his intentions to work towards unifying the party going into the November election. This, Latimer noted, would be crucial in leading the party to victory in a race in which Democrats hold a 2-to-1 advantage in voter registration over Astorino and county Republicans.
At the same time, Astorino faces mounting pressure over the policies of Donald Trump, and criticism from Latimer and Democrats for his inattention to county needs as a past and possibly future gubernatorial candidate.
Latimer also took the time to address the likely primary challenge Jenkins is expected to mount. In an email message sent by the Jenkins campaign in the hours leading up to the convention, Jenkins Campaign Manager Joe Montalto told supporters that the candidate would follow “tradition in participating in the convention,” but ultimately intended to break with what he considered the tradition of having the party nominee face a Republican challenger in the general election. Latimer praised the work of convention delegates and welcomed the challenge as an opportunity to strengthen the party.
“The convention process isn’t just pageantry; I’m grateful for the Democratic leaders who come together from every corner of the county to voice their thoughts on how to lead this party forward and build a better, stronger future for the whole county,” said Latimer.
“My opponent plans to continue through the primary, and that’s a good thing. Primaries make our party stronger by giving voters choices and encouraging the best candidate to step forward and lead our party to victory. I fully intend to be that candidate, and I look forward to making the case to voters in the coming months.”
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Department of Home Security Statement on Ransomeware

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WPCNR COMPUTER SECURITY. May 12, 2017:

The Department of Homeland Security is aware of reports of ransomware known as WannaCry affecting multiple global entities.  Ransomware is a type of malicious software that infects a computer and restricts users’ access to it until a ransom is paid to unlock it.  Microsoft released a patch in March that addresses this specific vulnerability, and installing this patch will help secure your systems from the threat. Individual users are often the first line of defense against this and other threats, and we encourage all Americans to update your operating systems and implement vigorous cybersecurity practices at home, work, and school.  These practices include:

  • Update your systems to include the latest patches and software updates.
  • Do not click on or download unfamiliar links or files in emails.
  • Back up your data to prevent possible loss, whether you are at a home, work, or school computer.

We are actively sharing information related to this event and stand ready to lend technical support and assistance as needed to our partners, both in the United States and internationally.  DHS has a cadre of cybersecurity professionals that can provide expertise and support to critical infrastructure entities.

DHS also leads the federal government’s efforts to protect civilian executive branch agency systems and networks. In partnership with each agency’s Chief Information Officer we are ensuring our own networks are protected against the threat.

For more information, DHS has previously released information on best practices to address ransomware. That information is available on our website at https://www.us-cert.gov/security-publications/Ransomware.

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No White Plume of Smoke from the County Center! County Democrat Convention Fails to Count Votes for County Executive. Tally Expected Friday

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WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2017. By John F. Bailey. May 11, 2017:

A delegate to the Westchester Democratic Party Nominating Convention at the County Center Wednesday night blamed a disorganized procedure for counting votes for several court nominations Wednesday evening for a convention that failed to nominate a candidate for County Executive.

He said “I was very disappointed in the way the convention was run. There were delays in counting the votes using laptops.

When the two County Executive candidates were nominated (County Legislator Ken Jenkins and State Senator George Latimer) the applause in the hall was overwhelming for Mr. Latimer compared to the reaction when Mr. Jenkins was nominated. I expect he will be the nominee.”

Our delegate continued describing Mr. Jenkins nominating speech as centered on his intent to run a primary against his contender for the nomination if he lost the nomination to Mr. Latimer.

The delegate described Mr. Latimer’s speech as respectful of Mr. Jenkins, and based on “values.” He said Latimer raised the theme that County Executive Robert Astorino had not governed with the values that county government mission was to help the poor, the sick, and persons who needed help.

 

 

 

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