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 MAIN STREET. UPDATED November 3, 2014:

A White Plains off-duty fire fighter, Erik Refvik, has been arrested and arraigned in the hospital and charged with driving drunk the wrong way on South Lexington Avenue this morning causing a two-car head-on accident resulting in the death of a woman and injury to another man, also hospitalized early Monday morning between Main Street and Martine Avenue on South Lexington.

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Office. November 1, 2014:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that stricter laws to crack down on texting while driving among young and inexperienced motorists go into effect today.

Under the law, new and young drivers convicted of texting-while-driving will have their license suspended for 120 days on the first offense, and revoked for a year if convicted of a second or subsequent offense within six months of reissuance of the license.

“Driving habits are developed early, and we are sending a message that texting while driving is unsafe, unacceptable and downright dangerous,” Governor Cuomo said. “There have been far too many avoidable tragedies due to texting while driving and with these new penalties, we are seeking to change the behavior of young drivers now, and make New York’s roadways safer for all.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10 percent of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. The age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.

Governor Cuomo has made safe driving in New York a priority. From enforcing stricter penalties to keep drivers with a history of alcohol or drug-related offenses off the road, to cracking down on speeding and aggressive drivers, and to establishing special “Texting Zones” along roadways so motorists can pull over and safely use their mobile devices, this administration is actively working to adapt to changing trends and technology to best keep New York’s roadways safe. These efforts have additionally helped the New York Thruway recently experience its safest years in its history.

The increased penalties that take effect today were passed as part of the 2014-2015 Budget.

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Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino drops a ceremonial puck between Manhattan College hockey players at the reopening of the Playland Ice Casino Thursday

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER From the Westchester County Department of Communications. (EDITED) October 31, 2014 UPDATED WITH KAY PARKER COMMENTS 8:15 A.M.:

Surrounded by skaters and hockey players, Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino threw down a ceremonial puck on center ice Thursday to mark the reopening of the famed Ice Casino at Playland, which had to be closed after suffering severe damage from Superstorm Sandy two years ago to the day.

Other announcements about the further re-invention of Playland included the information that  a review of current park operations and future opportunities will be completed by Dan Biederman, “later this fall.”

Mr. Biederman, is an internationally recognized leader in urban and public space management, whose accomplishments include the restoration of Bryant Park in New York City.  (Editor’s note: Mr. Biederman is also the former principal advisor to Sustainable Playland, the organization previously the Astorino choice to develop Playland which opted to withdraw their application to run the amusement park. )

County Legislator Kay Parker of Rye said the repairs took too long and should be speeded up: “Two years after damage incurred from Superstorm Sandy, the entire north boardwalk is still closed to the public and fenced off because it is still in a state of destruction, which is unacceptable,” said Parker. “The Administration has tried to characterize the necessary repair work at Playland as being ‘ahead of schedule,’ but other municipalities, including New York City, have fixed and renovated their storm-ruined structures long ago.”

Parker visited Playland earlier this week, and the wrecked remnants of the boardwalk are clearly visible, she said, with much of the torn apart planking yet to be removed. Contracts to make the repairs have not even been put out to bid.

“The Administration has simply put a fence around the damaged boardwalk,” Parker said, adding that county residents wanting to visit Playland and stroll along the boardwalk up to the Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary have to detour through the parking lot.

A good deal of regular maintenance of Playland, like painting and paving work, is not being completed on an annual basis either, Parker also noted, giving the park a sense of general deterioration.

“I think it’s shameful that County Executive Astorino would talk about preserving Playland and modernizing its facilities on one side of the park while clearly neglecting the park as a whole,” Parker said. “A short walk from his photo-op today the boardwalk is still in shambles. While I’m pleased that residents will finally able to skate once again at the Ice Casino, the reality here is that this project is 365 days late and nearly two million dollars of anticipated revenue short.”

The Ice Casino is now being operated as Playland Ice under an agreement with American Skating, the largest independent owner/operator of ice rinks in the United States. The 10-year agreement with American Skating, which includes an option to renew for an additional 10 years, included an upfront payment of $300,000 this year; a base payment  of $250,000 commencing in 2015, which will increase by 2% each year thereafter; utilities and maintenance payments of $425,000 annually; and 25 percent of the gross revenue above $1.6 million annually.

Rob Astorino (at podium) is joined by Shane Coppola, Chairman and CEO of American Skating Entertainment Centers; Jon Strauss, President of Manhattanville Colle; Mike Richter, legendary former goaltender for the New York Rangers; members of the Men’s and Women’s hockey team from Manhattanville College; and local youth hockey players and figure skaters.

“Our Ice Casino at Playland is like a great athlete,” Astorino said. “When it gets knocked down, it gets up and comes back stronger than ever. Now with our new partner, American Skating Entertainment Centers, joining us, slap shots, double axles, triple toeloops, thrills, spills and lots of family fun will be here at the Ice Casino for many years to come.”

On the evening of October 29 and into the morning of October 30, 2012, Superstorm Sandy tore up the East Coast leaving billions of dollars of damage in its wake. Playland Park and the Ice Casino, which sit right on the Long Island Sound in Rye, were hit hard. Now with a $4.9 million renovation project complete, the 85-year old Ice Casino is once again open to the public and its renowned Art Deco architecture, distinguished by a high-vaulted roof with crisscrossing wooden beams, has been fully preserved.

“Our vision for the Ice Casino is the same as our vision for Playland,” Astorino said. “Preserve the best traditions and modernize the facilities and attractions so the park can have a strong future both in terms of fun and finances. Teaming up with American Skating – a great Westchester company and one of the leading ice rink operators in the United States – helps us do just that.”

As the new operator, American Skating will invest $640,000 of its money into the building over the next 18 months for capital improvements. This money will go largely toward refurbishing and modernizing the interior with upgraded floors, lighting, electronics, bathrooms, locker rooms and guest services areas.

“We are honored to play a role in the vision to re-invent Playland,” said Shane Coppola, chairman and CEO of American Skating Entertainment Centers. “American Skating is committed to making Playland a world-class destination for figure skating and hockey programs by providing outstanding customer service, improving operating efficiencies, and making significant investments to upgrade our iconic facility.  We are excited to be working with some of the most successful hockey and skating programs in New York.”

One of those programs is the men’s and women’s hockey teams from Manhattanville College, whose players were on hand for the reopening of the rink and arena.

Other returning groups and teams include the Westchester Dragons/Mariners, Rye Rangers, New Rochelle Lightning, Hockey North America, Rye Figure Skating Club, Westchester Vipers, HVHL Mite League, Rye High School, Fordham Prep, Nates Euro Hockey, Rye Town Titans and the synchronized skating team based in Westchester County, Team Image.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the New York Civil Liberties Union. (EDITED)October 30, 2014:

The New York Civil Liberties Union today released findings from a review of approximately 20 percent of New York State school districts revealing that the majority of those districts may be unlawfully barring the enrollment of immigrant students.

The survey comes on the heels of a statewide study by the NYCLU in 2010 which found that one-in-five school districts were putting up illegal barriers to immigrant youth. After recent allegations that a Long Island school district was preventing dozens of Latino children from receiving an education, the NYCLU reviewed the policies of the 139 offending school districts and found many are still out of compliance with the law.

Editor’s Note: The White Plains Acting Superintendent of Schools, Timothy P. Connors, stated today that the White Plains City School District is currently educating 3 “unaccompanied (by adults across the border)” children in White Plains schools at the present time

Today’s survey demonstrates that the State Education Department (SED) has failed to enforce its own guidelines regarding immigrant student enrollment, despite being aware of the problems for years.

“All children have an equal right to a public school education, regardless of their immigration status,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “The NYCLU has presented data to the State Education Department for years showing that many districts across the state are discriminating against immigrant children and preventing them from enrolling in schools. It’s shocking that the SED has not acted sooner or more decisively to guarantee the right of all New York children to an education.”

The Supreme Court in 1982 ruled that states violate the 14th Amendment when they deny undocumented children the same educational opportunity that they provide to citizens.

New York State Education Law further guarantees a free public education to youth older than 5 and younger than 21 who have not earned a high school diploma.

Though state schools may inquire about a student’s age and address, they break the law if they ask about a student or parent’s immigration status, require birth certificates as proof of a child’s age or otherwise impose requirements that would chill a student’s willingness to engage with the school.

In New York State, many immigrant children are unable to attend school despite efforts by their relatives and parents to enroll them because of onerous and likely unlawful immigration barriers. The NYCLU’s findings show that:

• 73 school districts, including 25 in the New York City metro area with high immigrant populations, require birth certificates for enrollment. Nineteen of those school districts specify they require the “original” birth certificate.
• 22 school districts, including 13 districts in the New York City metro area, ask for students’ date of entry into the United States at enrollment.
• 16 school districts require a student’s immigration status for enrollment.
• 10 school districts require social security cards for enrollment.
• Six districts ask students whether they are a “migrant worker” at enrollment.
• Nine school districts ask students whether or not they are U.S. citizens in enrollment.
• Unnecessarily restrictive proof of residence requirements – which can be an impossible barrier for an immigrant family – was pervasive across all districts. 

The NYCLU issued a letter this week to the SED and state attorney general urging the creation of a model universal enrollment form and list of permissible evidentiary documents, a recommendation that the NYCLU first made in 2010 after its report found enrollment barriers in one-in-five of the state’s 694 districts.

Last week, following media reports that more than 30 Latino students in Hempstead had been signing in for attendance a few times each week, only to be told to return home, the state attorney general’s office and the SED announced they would conduct a compliance review of school district enrollment policies for undocumented students to examine whether students are being denied their constitutional right to an education.

“While  the state attorney general’s office and the SED are taking the right steps by promising to undertake a compliance review, the fact of the matter is that the SED has known for years that nearly 20 percent of its districts are preventing immigrant students from enrolling in schools,” said NYCLU Advocacy Director Johanna Miller. “Requiring proof of a child’s immigration status in order to register for school creates an impermissible barrier to an education. No child should be deprived of an education while we’re waiting for the SED to act.”

See a model school enrollment policy, the list of offending schools and the NYCLU’s letter at http://www.nyclu.org/news/nyclu-survey-ny-school-districts-illegally-denying-education-immigrant-children.

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WPCNR WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. OCTOBER 29, 2014:

The Office of the Westchester County Clerk reported one thousand seven hundred and thirty eight (1,738) foreclosure actions started between January 1^st and September 30^th of this year, as compared with two thousand forty two (2,042) during the same period last year.

Five hundred and sixty (560) foreclosure judgments have been entered in the first three quarters of 2014, in comparison to two hundred and thirty three (233) entered during the first three quarters of 2013.

“While a drop in new actions is a hopeful sign that the Westchester foreclosure crisis is slowing, far too many foreclosure actions still end in a judgment of foreclosure,” reported Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni who serves as Clerk of the Westchester County Supreme Court where foreclosure actions are heard.