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  THE DEVELOPER NEWS. From The Mayor’s Office. September 26, 2011 UPDATED SEPTEMBER 27, 2011:

Mayor Tom Roach and White Plains Housing Authority Executive Director Mack Carter  announced Friday that the Housing Authority has secured a $3.5 million grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grant will come through HUD’s Capital Fund Education and Training Community (CFCF) Facilities Program and will be used by the Housing Authority to jump start the transformation of the Winbrook neighborhood in the City. The City of White Plains has also committed to contributing $1.5 million toward the cost of the project.

In a statement from Karen Pasquale, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Wednesday, the project is explained as the first part of the first tower to be built at Winbrook:

“The Community Education Facility is planned for the area of Winbrook near the intersection of South Lexington and Quarropas. No existing structure will need to be knocked down in order to build it. The new structure, which will house the community education center on the lower floors and have residential units on the upper floors, is the first step in the revitalization of the Winbrook neighborhood. The Slater Center is not a part of this HUD grant.”

Calls have been put in to Mack Carter, Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, for more details on how this decision to build a base floOr community center to start a building will affect design and marketing of the project,H mixed income residential project.

John Callahan, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff told WPCNR  Monday evening the city commitment to $1.5 Million was approved at a Common Council Special meeting several months ago when the community center was discussed. Callahan told WPCNR the life of the grant requires design within two years and completion within four years.

Specifically, the grant’s capital funding will be used for the construction of a Community Education Facility that will offer comprehensive, integrated services to help residents of public housing as well as the surrounding community achieve better educational and economic outcomes resulting in long-term economic self-sufficiency. The Winbrook Community Education Facility will provide additional and improved space for the provision of adult education, job/skills training, youth-at-risk and entrepreneurship programs, as well as community-based services through a cadre of strong partners that include City of White Plains Youth Bureau, the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board, the White Plains School District, the Business Council of Westchester, and Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Education Services.

There will be flexible meeting rooms that can also be used as classrooms. A computer lab as well as a culinary arts training space, greenhouse, gallery/exhibit space and administrative offices will be housed in the facility. Design development is expected to begin in 2012 and the building will be in operation by 2015.

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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY By the WPCNR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. September 21, 2011:

Mayor Thomas Roach of White Plains, Council President Benjamin Boykin and Councilman John Martin helped bag groceries at the City Center Shoprite today to focus attention on National Hunger Month and promote Shoprite’s 6-state Partners In Caring promotion that has collected $27 Million since 1999 to aid hunger relief organizations in the six states the store chain is doing business.

Mayor Thomas Roach bagging groceries for customers today at Shoprite. The Mayor said he had never bagged groceries growing up, but had worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant. He attributed his expertise to his wife’s bagging instructions on personal supermarket trips. Roach said he and the other city officials were participating to draw attention to the Shoprite Hunger promotion which encourages patrons of their stores to make cash contributions at the cash registers.

Asked how it was going, Roach said the plastic bags did not stand up like paper bags,making positioning in the plastic bags of purchases more difficult.

White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong with Kemar of Stoprite.Chong said he had never personally bagged groceries but had been well-trained by his wife in the craft. Chong said the Shoprite drive was very successful and the nation needed to focus on the hunger problem in America.

Council President Benjamin Boykin also gave his wife credit  for his bagging expertise.

Jennifer Kline of Shoprite Corporate Communications told WPCNR’s Jimmy Olsen that in honor of National Hunger Action Month, Governors of New Jersey, New York,Connecticut, Pennyslvania,Delaware and Maryland declared today a “Shoprite Partners in Caring Day.” Monetary contributions were being accepted at cash registers that will be donated to community food banks.

Kline said 50 million Americans, including 17 million children suffer from food insecurity. ShopRite Partners in Caring is a year-round, community hunger-fighting charity to raise awareness and inspire action within their local communities through hunger-fighting initiatives. Since 1999, ShopRite Partners In Caring has raised $27 Million for 1,700 charities throughout the Northeast.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Piia Haas. September 20, 2011:

Westchester Broadway Theatre brings back perhaps the most popular musical of the 1950s, My Fair Lady, this week from September 21 to November 27, and a return run from December 28 to January 29. 

Broadway’s Greatest Love Story, based on George Bernard Shaw’s classic play Pygmalion returns. The story revolves around Eliza Doolittle,(Jennifer Babiak) a coarse little peddler of flowers in Covent Garden who agrees to take speech lessons from phonetician Henry Higgins (Tom Galantich) in order to fulfill her dream of working in a flower shop. The musical of their love story is the stuff dreams are made of. Photo, Courtesy WBT by John Vecchiolla

Henry Higgins bets his friend, Colonel Pickering, that he can pass the common girl off as a society lady. Eliza succeeds so well, however, that she outgrows her social station and even and manages to become an indispensable part of Higgins’ life. The
musical features an award-winning score, with hits such as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “Get Me to the Church on Time.”

The original 1956 production of My Fair Lady featured Rex Harrison as Henry
Higgins and Julie Andrews as Eliza.  The production helped define the modern
musical theater. 

MFL opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on March 15, 1956 and enjoyed a run of 2,717 performances, which lasted more than nine years. It won six Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Rex Harrison. The national tour began on March 18, 1957 and ran for several years, and broke box-office records in city after city.

The 1964 film which won several Oscars, including Best Picture, starred Rex
Harrison, Stanley Holloway and Audrey Hepburn.

The WBT production, stars Jennifer Babiak as Eliza Doolittle, Tom Galantich
as Henry Higgins, and William McCauley as Colonel Pickering.  Bill E.
Dietrich will play Eliza’s father, Alfred P. Doolittle, Joe Chisholm will
play Freddy. Kathleen Huber takes on Mrs. Higgins,

The multi-talented ensemble features: Gabriel Beck, Brittany Bohn, Gina
Duci, Glenn Giron, Jordan Grubb, Jennifer Hatzes, Cort Larson, Robin
Lounsbury, Megan Marod, Karen Murphy, J.P. Qualters  Tara Sweeney, Joe
Torello, and Michael Warrell.

The Production is Directed by Charles Repole who had been at the helm for
several WBT productions including I Love you,You’re Perfect, Now Change and
Sugar. Choreography is by Michael Lichtefeld, Set Design is by Steven
Loftus, Costume Design by Gail Baldoni, Lighting Design is by Andrew Gmoser,
Sound Design by Jonathan Hatton. Properties are by Grumpy’s Props, Wigs/Hair
by Gerard Kelly, Production Stage Manager is Victor Lukas and the Assistant
Stage Manager is Ron Rogell.

William McCauley (Colonel Pickering) You may remember him as R.F. Simpson in
“Singin In The Rain” and Mr. Potter in “A Wonderful Life,” Bill returns for
his 10th show for WBT. Named LA Actor of the Week for “Autumn Canticle,” he
was also Scrooge in LA’s musical “Christmas Carol.” He replaced Jerry Orbach
in “Chicago,” playing Billy Flynn for three years. He has played Henry
Higgins, Harold Hill, Daddy Warbucks, and Dick Cheney. Broadway debut in
Zefirelli’s “Saturday Sunday Monday” with Sada Thompson and Eli Wallach. TV:
Tyrone in PBS’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” a year on “Loving,” “Law &
Order: CI,” and “30 Rock.” One of New York’s finest cabaret performers, he
was resident entertainer at the St. Regis Hotel for two years. 

Charles Repole (Director) City Center Encores! Series:  Dubarry Was a Lady
starring Faith Prince and Robert Morse and Call Me Madam starring Tyne Daly.
Broadway: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Lauri Strauss Leukemia Foundation
Benefit at Carnegie Hall starring Regis Philbin, Marvin Hamlisch, Judy
Collins, Anne Reinking and the NY Pops conducted by Skitch Henderson, the
Easter Bonnet Competition at the Palace Theatre and A Salute to Frank
Sinatra at Carnegie Hall.  He conceived and directed Dance! featuring the
works of the Alvin Ailey dance company,  the Martha Graham dance company,
the Cleveland Ballet, David Parsons and Stomp!;   Lyrics And Lyricists 25th
Year Celebration with Angela Lansbury, Rosie O’Donnell, Joel Grey, Beebe
Neuwirth, Jerry Herman, Cy Coleman, Stephen Schwartz and Sheldon Harnick;
Folk Songs USA starring Burl Ives, Pete Seeger, Art Garfunkel and Odetta,
and  Standing Ovations with Tony Randall, Carol Channing, Elaine Strich,
Nell Carter, Leslie Uggams and Donna McKecknie. George M! starring Joel
Grey, Zorba starring Anthony Quinn, Call Me Madam starring Leslie Uggams,
Annie starring Rue McClanahan, The Solid Gold Cadillac starring Charlotte
Rae. The San Antonio Art Festival’s La Pericole starring Angelina Reaux and
Joel Grey. Mr. Repole was nominated for Chicago’s prestigious Joseph
Jefferson Award for A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, He has also
directed many productions for WBT including his first professional directing
job, They’re Playing Our Song , Anything Goes, Sugar and I Love You,You’re
Perfect, Now Change!

For Showtimes, go to www.BroadwayTheatreBlog.com, or call 914-592-2222.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Michele Schoenfeld. September 19, 2011:

Four students from White Plains High School have been selected to participate in the 2011 New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All-State Conference in Rochester, NY, in December.  They were selected from thousands of students across the state, for the most prestigious honor a New York State music student can receive. 

Each student prepared a NYSSMA solo at the highest level of difficulty possible and scored at the highest possible level within their instrument group or voice part. 

            The students are:  Shaina Brady (Violin, String Orchestra), Lauren Gamiel (Double Bass, Symphony Orchestra), Klara Gribetz (Alto, Women’s Chorus) and Jens Sannerud (French Horn,  Symphonic Band).  Their teachers are Penelope Cruz, Kathryn Davis and William Eckfeld.

Gary West, Coordinator of Fine Arts, commented that “White Plains is very proud to have four students chosen from our district.”

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WPCNR NEWS OF THE AIR. Special to WPCNR by Peter Katz, Safety Columnist for “Plane&Pilot” magazine and publisher of “Aviation Monthly” and “NTSB Reporter.” (c) 2011, Peter Katz. All rights reserved..May not be reproduced without permission. September 18, 2011 UPDATED 10:45 P.M. E.D.T. With Photographs of possibly similar 1998 Mustang Incident

Preliminary information indicates nine people were killed and more than 50 others injured when a World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane crashed near the grandstand at the 48th Annual National Championship Air Races, also called the Reno Air Races, on September 16. The event was being held at Reno Stead Airport, Reno, NV.

The NTSB sent a team of investigators to join with FAA investigators already there. The P-51 pilot was among those killed. He was identified as Jimmy Leeward, 74, who was very experienced and known as a Hollywood stunt pilot. The airplane was named “The Galloping Ghost.” It crashed into a box seat area in front of the main grandstand, according to Mike Draper, spokesman for the Reno Air Races.

In a photograph of the airplane while it was still airborne, it appears that all or a portion of the airplane’s left elevator trim tab is missing. If the trim tab did separate, the pilot would have had to deal with severe control forces. It appears as if the fighter plane suddenly pitched upward, rolled inverted and dived toward the ground. This would be consistent with loss of the trim tab. 

 Just prior to crash: If you zoom in and look carefully at the tail section left photo (the airplane is upside down at this point) you’ll see that the trailing edge of the elevator is uneven on one side and the white sky shows through. The uneven area is where the trim tab should be. Compare one side to the other side. Composite photo from MSNBC

Tail Close-up– Note Notch in upper elevator–where trim tab is missing.

In 1998, the left trim tab was lost during the Reno Air Races by a modified P-51 Mustang named “The Voodoo Chile.” shown above in a photo from the “Voodoo Chile” website where its pilot, Bob Hannah described what happened when he lost a trim tab in that race.

The 1998 incident did not lead to a crash but pilot Bob Hannah reported that when the elevator trim tab came off during the race, the airplane pitched up and subjected him to over 10 G’s deceleration and a loss of consciousness. When pilot Hannah regained consciousness, the plane had climbed to over 9,000 feet of altitude. He was able to bring the damaged plane in for a safe landing.

Compare the missing trim tab on Voodoo Chile above (taken in 1998 after pilot Hannah’s incident) and the closeup photo of the tail of last week’s Mustang below:

A G may be thought of as the force or “pull” of gravity upon a body. On the earth, this pull causes the body to have a certain weight. When an elevator, car, or airplane accelerates, slows down, or changes direction, objects and occupants appear to move, be thrown, or centrifuged (they experience an acceleration) in the opposite direction.

These changes, occurring in speeding up (acceleration) or slowing down (deceleration), may be referred to as G’s. There are positive G’s which press on the body, and negative G’s which do the opposite. G forces affect the flow of blood through the body. When the blood flow through the brain is reduced to a certain level, the pilot will lose consciousness. He or she may have jerking, convulsive movements; these have been seen in many subjects of centrifuge studies and in some pilots during actual flight. The pilot will slump in his or her seat.

Possibly, the pilot will fall against the controls, causing the aircraft to enter flight configurations from which it cannot recover even if consciousness is regained. In centrifuge studies, many pilots lost (and regained) consciousness without realizing they had done so.

In a series of studies of pilots in centrifuges, the pilots were unconscious for an average of 15 seconds. Following this, there was an additional 5 to 150 second interval of disorientation. Thus, if there is loss of consciousness due to G forces, there will be a 200 to 300 second (or longer) period during which the pilot is not in control of his or her aircraft.

Investigators will try to determine whether the pilot Jimmy Leeward lost consciousness. He apparently did issue a “mayday” call over the radio, but the timing of that radio transmission in the accident sequence is under investigation.