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 STAGE DOOR. Special to WPCNR From the Peekskill Paramount Theatre Board of  Directors. August 15, 2012:

For more than three decades, the PCA has provided our audiences and visitors with a diverse selection of live performances, high quality films and visual art exhibits that have been entertaining and enlightening. This has been possible because of the support of our patrons and the generosity of our members, government, certain arts organizations, businesses and corporate entities.

The Paramount’s revenue comes in two ways…box office sales and contributions of various types. Regardless of how successful box office sales are it is the latter that makes the difference in whether or not the Paramount is successful. The fact is the PCA has experienced a severe drop in contributed income over the past two years which has necessitated an immediate $300,000 fund drive aimed at those who have the closest connection to what goes on at the Paramount theatre…our primary audience, friends and lovers of the Paramount.

With new leadership in place at the theatre for the better part of 9 months, our programming and film presentations have become more successful than they have been in many years. Our theatre operations have never been better and our dedicated staff and hard working enthusiastic volunteers carry out their varied responsibilities in a highly professional manner on a daily basis.

Please take a moment to provide the Paramount with a contribution to assist us in this vitally important fund drive. While buying tickets to one or more of our upcoming shows would be great, contributions to support the institution of the Paramount Center for the Arts is of “paramount” importance. Please stop by the theatre, or mail your contribution to the Paramount Center for the Arts, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill, NY 10566. The quickest, easiest and best way to contribute is to visit our website at www.paramountcenter.org where at the very top of our home page you will find a quick and easy link to make a secure online contribut

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WPCNR Close-In Enquirer. Special to WPCNR from the Carhart Neighborhood Association. August 14, 2012:

The Carhart Neighborhood Association, spearheading the  opposition to the proposed detox center targeted for 37 De Kalb Avenue, former site of a nursing home has gathered some allies in the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations.

 Members of the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Association (WPCNA), representing 14 other areas of White Plains, have spoken out against the proposed center at 37 De Kalb Avenue in  this quiet residential area.

Petitions from every corner of White Plains are being collected including online at www.nodetox.com. Shopkeepers and businesses along Mamaroneck Avenue have shown overwhelmingly support, posting bi-lingual flyers and asking patrons to sign the petition.

According to Diane Markert, transportation coordinator for the White Plains schools, at least 10 school bus stops are in the surrounding location. Safety is the primary concern of neighborhood residents. Besides the school bus stops, several liquor & drug stores are within a few short blocks from the site as well as a string of bars on Mamaroneck Avenue.

Sunrise detox is a voluntary facility and there is nothing to prevent patients from leaving at any time.

The Carhart Association feels there is ” no upside for the city of White Plains and the positive image it has worked hard to maintain to attract new residents and businesses here.”

There is a Common Council Work Session on August 23 on the issue and a public hearing scheduled on the issue September 4.

For further info contact nodetox@gmail.com

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. August 14, 2012:

Only 4 members of the Board of Education were available for Monday evening’s meeting and a vote for financing $48 million in preventive and preservative maintenance on  9  district buildings could not be taken.  A super majority of 5 members needed to be present. Three Preliminary Resolutions showing the board was behind the new bonding, the second in 5 years were passed.

The vote for the Board to approve the financing will take place August 28. Should the board approve it as expected, a referendum will be held October 23 for the voters of the district to approve $48 million in financing.

The $48 Million bond, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler, would result in a .72% property tax increase, a $65 a year increase in the debt service.

The funds from the bonding, if approved will execute maintenance on Eastview School ($8.4 M including roof,masonry,windows, pipes, wi-fi); Ridgeway School ($3.3 Million for roof and Wi-Fi) George Washington School ( $3.2.M, for windows, wall repair and Wi-Fi); Mamaroneck Avenue School ($1.3 Million  for windows, media center and Wi-Fi)), Church Street School ($809,000 for air conditioning, Wi-Fi) Post Road School ($257,000 for Wi-Fi); Rochambeau ($2.9 Million, for HVAC, doors, electric, Wi-Fi) Education House ($492,000 for exterior, Wi-Fi) and the high school ($5.4 Million, $757,000 for corridor windows, HVAC/Gym $488,000, HVAC auditor, little theatre, $1.6 Million), Highlands ($7.2 Million, $2.1M for the roof, $1 M for restrooms, $1 M for Wi-Fi, $578,000 for fire alarms, clocks, Public addresss, security, $575,000, stage, $204,000,  electric, $520,000).

Seiler said work would begin on Eastview next summer, with the rest of the schools completed by the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.

He said it has not been decided yet whether to finance the full amount next year, or break it up into three offerings. He said that once the resolution was passed August 28, the project had to be sent to the State Education Department for approval.

Seiler said that this should hold the district for about 5 to 6 years before any more major maintenance expenditures requiring another capital project is required.

Seiler said all buildings would be equipped with Wi-Fi capability, but the cost of that had been whittled down to $4.2 Million from $6 Million, by paying for some of the equipment of operating budgets.

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From Westchester County’s Empire City Casino. (Edited) August 8, 2012

Legalizing “anything goes” gambling houses across the state could ease New York revenue woes considerably, according figures released by the Empire City Casino this week.

The New York Gaming Association is a bigger winner with a bigger handle than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined without the big time games Nevada and New Jersey have.

NYGA members generated $620 million in tax revenue for New York during the first six months of 2012. By comparison, the Las Vegas Strip and Atlantic City, despite having full-fledged casinos and more combined gaming activity than New York, only generated $329 million for Nevada and New Jersey. That’s approximately $291 million fewer dollars than New York Gaming Association members.

Westchester County’s Casino is doing very well, too. The Yonkers-based casino at Yonkers Raceway generates one third of all education dollars raised through New York State gaming in July.

Empire City Casino had another winning month in July according to recently released data available on the Division of Lottery’s website. Of the nine racetrack casinos statewide, Empire City Casino was responsible for generating $23 Million, nearly one-third of the $71 Million raised for education this month through gaming, in partnership with the New York State Lottery.

In addition to directly funding New York’s public schools, the monthly revenues continue to help keep property taxes down for all New Yorkers by offsetting the cost of education.

“One of every three dollars generated for education this month in gaming was done so right here at Empire City Casino,” said Tim Rooney, Jr. of Empire City. “We have produced well over $1.5 billion dollars for education since opening and we look forward to increasing that support for schools in Yonkers and across this state.”

With seven million visitors a year, Empire City Casino has become a favorite entertainment destination in the tri-state area.

In addition to more than 5,300 slot machines and electronic table games offering roulette, craps, baccarat and sic bo, Empire City has year-round live harness racing, two restaurants, and live entertainment six days a week which includes everything from karaoke, comedy nights, jazz & blues, salsa and great party bands. Their first ever summer concert series, which continues through August, has brought in top tier talent such as Spin Doctors, The Marshall Tucker Band, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, and the Village People.

Currently undergoing a $50 Million expansion slated to open this fall, Empire City will be adding 30,000 square feet of additional gaming space, two new restaurants featuring nearly one hundred beers brewed right here in New York, dueling piano entertainment, antique bowling lanes, and much more.

“Empire City Casino continues to prove its worth and contribution to Yonkers and New York State,” said Mike Spano, Mayor, City of Yonkers. “These dollars generated by Empire City provide one of the greatest sources of educational funding for our students and their future, and we support the Casino’s ongoing development which will serve our schools and our City.”

To put these July revenues for education into perspective: Empire City Casino supported the equivalent of 1,977 teaching jobs in the month of July alone. New York State Department of Labor data indicates that the average monthly salary for elementary and secondary school teachers in New York is approximately $5, 800.

In addition, over $4.5 million was generated to support businesses connected to the racing industry, including family farms, the preservation of open space and over 35,000 jobs in the racing and breeding industry such as veterinarians, breeders, barn managers, trainers etc.

Statewide, the nine racetrack casinos that comprise the New York Gaming Association (NYGA) generated significant funding for education, contributing over $71 million in education aid and supporting over 12,000 teachers’ jobs in July alone.

Last month, NYGA announced that its members have generated nearly double the amount of tax revenue for their home state than Las Vegas Strip and Atlantic City casinos combined, according to statistics covering the first six months of 2012.

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. August 8, 2012:

Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced Wednesday that Lawrence J. Bottone aka “Dr. Hunter” (DOB 05/21/58) of 64 Howard Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut was sentenced today to 10 years in state prison on his May 2012 guilty plea to:

·        six counts of Assault in the Second Degree, class “D” Violent Felonies,

relating to his actions involving six victims.

The defendant lured his young victims posing as a professor and claiming to be “Dr. Hunter,” who falsely pretended to work at Westchester Community College (“WCC”) and the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut.

He offered his victims the opportunity to join a training program to prepare for employment with international security firms. If successfully completed the defendant promised that they would obtain high paying jobs.

Once they agreed to sign up and joined the program —which required them to sign a multiple-page contract and to give their oath of silence as to what would take place in the program—each of the victims were subjected to physical abuse. Some of the defendant’s methods included whippings and beatings while the victims were naked and covered with vegetable oil, and the painful insertion of pins and in one case a scalpel under fingernails.

In May of 2010 one of the defendant’s victims reported the defendant’s criminal conduct to police and an investigation was commenced by the Westchester County Police Department and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

During the investigation Westchester County Police recovered documents related to the crimes and a duffel bag that contained a scalpel, needles, rope, strapping tape, vegetable oil, and dental instruments among other items.

The defendant admitted to whipping 2 victims with ropes, to placing pins underneath another victim’s fingernails, removing another victim’s fingernail with a cuticle cutter and inserting a scalpel underneath a fingernail of another victim.

The defendant was previously convicted of assault in the State of Connecticut in 1997 and as a result was sentenced as a second felony offender.

Second Deputy District Attorney Audrey Stone, Chief of the Special Prosecutions Division, and Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Borden of the Special Prosecutions Division prosecuted the case.