Cab Calloway Achievement Awards Need Your Help

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. from Piaa Haas, Westchester Broadway Theatre. April 28,2009:On Monday, May 4, 2009, The Westchester Broadway Theatre will again, be hosting the annual Cab Calloway Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2009.  Cab Calloway was a resident of Elmsford, N.Y. for approximately 34 years. His career spanned over six decades and was highlighted by his work on stage, film, television and in the recording industry. The Cab Calloway Lifetime Achievement Awards are meant to honor his commitment to excellence in the performing arts as well as his dedication and support for young, rising talent. It is an honor that the award bears his name.


 


The recipients are recognized for their body of work, dedication and contribution to some aspect of the performing arts in Westchester County. This criterion can cover performers, educators, entrepreneurs, technicians, designers, producers, directors, choreographers, composers, librettists, conductors, actors, dancers, mentors or even individuals who, through their continuous support, have had a positive effect on some aspect of the performing arts in Westchester.  Recipients are chosen by an advisory panel from names submitted by any of the following: The Cab Calloway Foundation, previous recipients of the award, or individuals who know a person worthy of the honor. The awards were established by George Puello in 2001


The special guest presenter will be Lloyd Price (Mr. Personality ). He was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 crowning a career that included over eleven major albums (and  was featured on an additional seventy), numerous television specials, countless tours, and major hit singles such as “PERSONALITY“, “LAWDY MISS CLAWDY” and “STAGGER LEE”


 


Guest appearances by; Barry Liebman, The Westchester Chordsmen, Dorina DiLullo, The Westchester Ballet, Anthony Valbiro, Anthony DeCosta and The Lighthouse Protégé Choral Ensemble. A portion of the evening will be devoted to celebrate the life of MICHAEL TIMMONS, previous recipient of the Cab Calloway lifetime Achievement Award, who died earlier this year.


 


THE 2009 HONOREES ARE:


 


BARBARA SIMONETTI, HAL SIMONETTI AND SUSAN GEFFEN


Founders of The Armonk Players at The North Castle Public Library and Lifelong supporters of the Arts in Westchester.


 


The Armonk Players has been “home” to Barbara Simonetti since its start in 1997. Whether producing, performing, or backstage, she has experienced deep personal satisfaction with a group of actors and crew that has become family. Barbara is a realtor with Houlihan Lawrence in Armonk, has been a town resident for 36 years.


 


Hal Simonetti , Co-Founder, Producer, has built many sets for the Players, Directed 84 Charing Cross Road and was in numerous productions and several staged readingsHal also served on the North Castle Planning Board 


 


Susan Geffen. Co-Founder, Producer, Front of House, President of the Friends of The North Castle Public Library for 1998-2000 and 2004-2008. Susan serves on the North Castle Architectural Review Board and she is a juror for the Armonk Outdoor Art Show.


 


MARGARET MARY PIKE


 


Founder of The Margaret Pike School of Dance in Yonkers. An  Irish Immigrant, She devoted her life to instructing children and adults in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Irish Step Dancing, and Ballroom.


 


ANASTASSIO (STASH) ROSSI


 


Now retired, Doc (Stash) Rossi Was The Choral Director at Westlake High School and the driving force of their Musical Theatre program, contributing his directorial, designing and  technical  skills. He is Associate Director of The Westchester Chordsmen, Director of The Sweet Adelines Chorus (Golden Apple).


 


BETH FRITZ-LOGREA AND JEAN LOGREA


 


Co-Artistic Directors of the  Westchester Ballet Company since 1989 and Co-Directors of the Logrea Dance Academy. Annually, they produce the spectacular Nutcracker at the Westchester County Center.


 


PAULA LAMONT


 


She is an active member of The Harrison Players since 1969. She is a Graduate of the AMERICAN THEATRE WING where she studied with Agnes DeMille and Jose Limon. She is the Director of The Paula Lamont School of Creative Dancing and National President of the Ziegfeld Club.


 


*ELISABETH RAE LAMONT (1907-1996), Will be honored posthumously.  She was a Radio and television personality (ABC: Good Looks And Good Living). She was a member  of  The Ziegfeld Follies and  for nine years served as President  of The Ziegfeld Club. She was the creator of the  Elisabeth Rae Lamont Cosmetic line which was extensively used by prominent Broadway  actors because of it’s quality.


 


* IRMA DENER  (1923-2008) will  be honored posthumously for her lifelong support of the arts in Westchester and in particular for her thirty–five year patronage of THE WESTCHESTER BROADWAY THEATRE.


 


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SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFERS EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVES TO ADMINISTRATORS, CSEA-ERS.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 28,2009: The Board of Education voted to approve “retirement incentives” to entice members of the Administrators and Supervisors Association and the Civil Services Employees Association to accept early retirement in an apparent cost-trimming initiative last night.


 


The outgoing Superintendent of Schools, Timothy P. Connors, told WPCNR said he anticipated 11 CSEA employees would take advantage of the incentives, and he expected 5 administrators would do so. Connors told WPCNR that the incentives, (details of which are being sought by WPCNR from the business office), are being offered in order to avoid layoffs, while achieving cost savings by  promoting on staff employees into vacated retiree positions. Asked the amount of the savings expected, Connors said “we’ll have to see what we have first.”


 


Asked if the positions could just be eliminated, Connors said that may not be an option “depending on their (the position’s) value to the school district.”


 


The head of  the Administrators and Supervisors Association said they could not comment on the incentives, saying that should come from the district.


 


In other Board action last night, the district voted to hire Carmen Soto from the Buffalo City Schools to replace Tom Eaton as House Adminstrator at the White Plains High School.


 


They voted to approve a $78,972.57 certiorari refund to Ridgeway Country Club and approve a downward assessment of that property to $330,000 from its previous assessment of $487,000. The club is currently being offered for sale for $20 Million by Grubb & Ellis, the New York City realtors.

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Deadline looming for New Passport Rules.

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WPCNR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. From the Westchester County Clerk. April28,2009: After a series of delays, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is scheduled to go into effect on June 1, 2009.   “We encourage residents planning a trip across the border and back to let our knowledgeable staff help them apply for a passport, including taking their picture,” began Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni.  “Routine passport applications take only a few minutes to complete and our staff is expert at assisting with more complex cases,” continued Idoni.



Here’s what you need to know about the rules as fully implemented:



Air Travel:  Anyone traveling by air outside of the United States must provide a passport or other accepted travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.


Land and Sea Travel:  Most U.S. citizens must have a passport, passport card or other Homeland Security approved travel document such as a state-issued enhanced drivers’ license to enter or re-enter the United States by land or sea.  The exceptions?  Children under the age of sixteen can still present a birth certificate or other proof of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate.  And there are special rules for students travelling with a school or religious group.


To apply for a passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate and a valid drivers’ license is usually all you need.  But visit WestchesterClerk.com or call 995-3086 for specific requirements.  The fee for an adult passport (age 16 and over) is $100.00 and the fee for a child’s passport (from birth through age 15) is $75.00.  If a passport is needed in fewer than four weeks, an expedite fee of $60.00 per application can be paid in order to decrease the processing time.



Westchester County Clerk Timothy Iodoni, far left, with his County Passport staff, (l to r), Amani Marji, Dora Ulacco, Mary Ferenci, Majid Samameh, Tracy Colavito, and Ana Ramos


 


The Office of the Westchester County Clerk, which serves as an agent for the United States Department of State, processes U.S. passport applications in their office located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.  In addition, passport applications are processed by the County Clerk’s community outreach staff throughout the county.  Please review the Mobile Office calendar on our website, www.westchesterclerk.com, to see where our community outreach staff will appear in the coming weeks.

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Ryan withdraws Item-Pricing KO Bill From Floor. Says It Needs Work

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Betsy Desoye, County Board of Legislators. April 27,2009: Westchester County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-IN-WF, White Plains) announced this afternoon that he will not permit a vote on the item pricing waiver legislation that was due to be acted on at tonight’s meeting of the Board of Legislators.

The proposed legislation would waive retailers’ need to hand-stamp prices on items if the store offered price checking scanners to verify prices, and meet other pricing standards set by the county’s department of consumer protection.


In sending the law back to committee, Ryan said that he is confident more consumer pricing protection can be added with changes to the bill.  


“The legislature and the administration need to work together to develop a stronger consumer pricing protection law for the people of Westchester,” said Ryan. “During these difficult economic times we need to make sure people are fully informed of the prices of their groceries when shopping for their families.  We know the current law isn’t working but we will work to find a better solution to make sure consumers are better protected.”

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Flouting Tradition for Effect Disrespects “The Game,” Angers Ball Gods

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WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Bull Allen. April 27, 2009: In the aftermath of the Yankee Massacre in Fab Fenway this weekend, many will point to the Yankee pitching, the Yankee lack of hitting, poor fielding.


 


 


 


Poppycock!


 



Fenway Park, 1998


 


The real reason the Yankees turned impotent in Back Bay was the YES Network. Once again the disrespect the Bomber management has shown for the game over the last 37 years of Steinbrenner ownership angered the baseball Gods who are ruthless with their retribution to those who would scorn the traditions of the game.





Friday night, the Yankees were cruising with a 4-2 lead. Excellent pitching, good bullpen had stilled the Scarlet Hose howitzers.  Rivera diffused the Saux mini rally in the eight. The Bombers even though they had left a lot of men on base were on the verge of  taking game one, snapping the Saux winning streak and perpetuating the fool’s gold of a three-game winning streak.


 


Going into the bottom of the ninth, Rivera gets one out.


 


Then it happened: The YES Network popped up a graphic that read: “Player of the Game: The Yankee Bullpen” before the game ends.


 


You cannot do that.


 


As anyone who is a ball fan knows, the most treasured axiom in ball, the most sacred tenet is, the game is never over until it’s over. It’s not over until the final out. You’re never out of a game. You keep hitting, the game can last forever.


 


You cannot say a game is over until it’s over.


 


The Gods hate that. The baseball Gods in that Press Box in the sky,  are swift to avenge the hubris of the proud and profane.


 


When Manager Bill Terry of the 1934 World Champion New York Giants was asked by sportswriters at the 34 winter meetings about who he expected would give him trouble in the ’34 season, and was asked about the Brooklyn Dodgers, he replied, “I was just wondering,” said Terry, “whether they were still in the league.”

Going into the last weekend of the 1934 season, the Giants had to play the Brooks. Brooklyn took 2 of 3 costing the Giants the pennant what he thought about Brooklyn. Yes, you guessed it. Brooklyn fans brought banners to the Polo Grounds, with signs saying “Is Brooklyn still in the league?” The Dodgers took the series from New York costing the Giants a second straight pennant


 


And, again, in 2002:


 


In the 2002 World Series, the San Francisco Giants, leading in games 3 to 2 over the Anaheim Angels, had a 5-0 lead in the seventh, nine outs away from a World Series Championship.


 


The series’ momentum changed decisively when Jints’ Manager Dusty Baker removed starter Russ Ortiz and handed him the “game” ball as he left the mound. Moments later, Angel Scott Speizio hit a three-run home run for the Angels, who went on to win the game 6–5. The following night, Anaheim won Game 7, 4–1 to claim the Series.


 


Handing Ortiz the game ball was the mortal sin, signifying to the baseball gods Baker felt the game was over and he was going to win the Series. In one of the most inexplicable rallies of all time, Anaheim rallied and won and went on to win  the series.  The Gods had struck the Giants down for this inexcusable transgression.  It was “The Gods!


 


 


 


In the interest of a few seconds Friday night, YES spat on this shibboleth of the diamond. They kicked dirt on it. (“Look how modern we are!”)


 


Watching the game, I said to myself, they can’t do that. Rivera, as impossible as it seems, is going to fail to close the game.


 


Then it happened.


 


Eerily, after Rivera gets the second out, he goes to 2 strikes on the “final” hitter of the game. Then a base hit. And then, Jason Bay comes up and ties the game with a bomb. The Yanks lose in 11.


 


On Saturday, the Yankees lost a 6 run lead. The bullpen could not get anyone out. On
Sunday the Yankees could not hit. A lost weekend in Beantown.


 


The talk show guys will point to bad pitching, untimely hitting, loss of A-Rod, poor fielding as the reason for the Yankee problems this weekend.


 


 


But we know better—it was the ill-timed YES Network graphic that turned the Yankee pitching staff into the 1930s Phillies pitching staff (the worst pitching staff ever assembled).


 


This is not the first time that Yankee media have stomped on tradition.


 


Their play-by-play man,  delights, in saying smugly, when a pitcher has a no-hitter going,.  He did it again last week, and the pitcher immediately gave up a hit.  When Mel Allen was doing play-by-play, By Saam, Harry Kalas, Court (Howdy I’m Curt) Gowdy, Vin Scully did play-by-play they told you a no-hitter was going on in a way that built suspense: “Raschi has retired nineteen Red Sox in a row.” “No Yankee has reached first base by a walk or otherwise.” “Seventeen in a row retired by Wilhelm.” “Koufax has retired all 21 batters he’s faced.”  That was drama. That was respect for achievement.


 


When Sterling and the hip announcers of today toss off “Brabender has given up no hits through seven,”it just lays there. It is a sad legacy of the “reality and truth” era of the sixties.


 


Looking about this season so far, the chipping away at baseball tradition continues:  We see seats reaching totally unaffordable levels for the entertainment provided.Three tedious blowouts at CitiField this weekend for multibucks? You got to be kidding. Harvey Araton, the sportswriter for The Times, noted this.


 


The Yankees are no longer making comments on whether or not they have sold the gazillion dollar box seats along third, home and first at the nouveau Yankee Stadium. This is very out of character with their radio team that delights in announcing no hitters and picking stars of the game when it’s not over. How about a little candor on those seat sales, Yankees?  


 


The Yankees also feel that people go to a ballgame to eat and spend like $9 for a beer. Are you kidding me? Anyone who spends $9 for a beer in a ballpark is nuts. The problem here is – real fans go to see the game. We actually like seeing the game. Good games.


 


When I go to a game I want my club to win, but in a close one-run game. I do not want to see inferior competition. Though baseball is more balanced than any other professional league, you are beginning to see teams that simply are not competitive like the Nationals. Too many bad games abound around the leagues.


 


Anyway, it remains  to be seen whether the return of Alex Rodriguez will improve Yankee pitching, and hitting. Perhaps A-Rod can pitch. But how  long will the baseball Gods punish the Yankees for putting up that ill-fated graphic Friday night?


 


More to the point, how long before Yankee management dumps Joe Girardi? It is not even May and the Yankees are calling up arms from the minor leagues. Great pitching evaluation in spring training by the pitching coach.


 


Once again Spring Training has been shown to be what it is, an exercise that’s all. Remember Gordon  Windhorn in the 60s?  The new Mickey Mantle the Yankees were touting this spring is hitting.220. The Milkman is back in centerfield.


 


How long will the Mets stick with Jerry Manuel?


 


But, please, Yankeesv appease the gods – no more mentioning there’s a no-hitter going on.


 


No more picking players of the game before it’s over.


 


That would be a start.


 


Respect the game, stop commercializing it.


 


And Bud Selig – could we give you a few tips?


 



  1. Play the World Series and Playoffs in twilight so kids can see the ends of games.
  2. Ban violators of the drug policy for life.
  3. Go to full interleague play so every team plays each other.
  4. Bring back natural doubleheaders to reduce prices.

 


That’s the view from the  affordable upper deck.


 


This is Bull Allen saying so long everybody!

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White Plains County Legislator Bill Ryan on your Property Tax

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By County Legislator William Ryan (5th District, White Plains) April 25,2009:WPCNR has received the following letter from Bill Ryan, Chairman of the County Board of Legislators. Ryan is from White Plains and recently mailed a newsletter to White Plains residents:


 



Chairman of the Board of Legislators, Bill Ryan.


 


Dear John:


 


 I read a copy of your online comments (Article) regarding my recent White Plains newsletter and the County property tax levy.  I certainly appreciate your devoting WPCNR space to these topics, but I think it is important to clarify some misconceptions.


 


Residents of White Plains are rightly concerned about the growing reliance on property taxes to fund government budgets.  They are closely watching the efforts of public officials to keep property taxes at a minimum and to save taxpayer money where possible.


 


In my newsletter I shared some budget facts with my constituents including the County Board’s action to hold the property tax levy increase for the County’s 2009 operating budget to 1.77%. That’s a pretty simple point, and I thought it was unfortunate that you took that 1.77% and misused it in your story to imply that it was the property tax rate increase I was reporting for White Plains.  That wasn’t the case. 


 


Your readers should know that the percentage change in the county-wide tax levy shouldn’t be confused with the county tax rate in effect for them locally. These are two different numbers that mean two different things.


 


And here’s why: Our local tax rate in White Plains will always be higher or lower—will always be different—than the percentage change in the county-wide tax levy.  This is because the local rate depends upon local property values, local assessing practices and the state-determined equalization rate – things over which the county has no control.


 


Something we do have control over is the setting of the county-wide tax levy (the total amount of county property taxes to be collected in Westchester), and that’s why it made perfect sense for me to report that number in my newsletter.


 


John, you suggested that we pay more than our fair share of county taxes in White Plains. Your readers should know that our share today is only 5.6% of the total.


 


Here’s one final fact you should share with your readers: The county budget for 2009 is actually less than the 2008 budget by $1,513,367.  A reduction of over $1.5 million is no small feat in an economic recession where a decline in government revenue comes face-to-face with a rise in the number of people relying on the county for basic needs and services. The county, by law, must provide essential services to people in need. In a tough economy, with more people in need, our expenses go up. So this would seem to be the least likely time when we could cut a budget. But with sensitivity to the burden being shouldered by taxpayers, we were successful at cutting spending where we could while still meeting our service mandate.


 


I hope this provided some clarification to you and your readers.


 


Sincerely,


 


Bill Ryan


 

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County Executive on the State of Westchester

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. April 24, 2009: Westchester County government is strong and in a better position than any other county in the state to meet the challenges ahead, County Executive Andy Spano said Thursday night.

In his annual
State of the County Address, Spano called his government “compassionate, yet fiscally conservative” and talked about the many and continuing steps the government has put in place in advance of the economic downturn to keep it financially stable.

“While our government continues on the right track, too many of our residents are facing the brunt of what this recession has wrought,” he said.

Spano detailed the many things his administration is doing to help residents suffering during the recession, including aggressive efforts to bring federal stimulus money to the county to create jobs; programs to prevent foreclosure; and ongoing efforts to cut county spending while maintaining services. The county has so far obtained about $80 million for a variety of projects including rebuilding roads and bridges, upgrading sewage treatment plants, energy efficiency projects, and encouraging green businesses. These projects will create thousands of jobs and stimulate the local economy.


 




An additional $2.7 million dollars will be used by the county’s One-Stop Employment Center to train the unemployed for jobs in new growth areas such as energy, green business and health care. Other expected stimulus funds include a $28.4 million dollar increase in Medicaid assistance this year (funds that will go solely for property tax relief); $2.3 million to keep renters from becoming homeless and $7.3 million to turn previously foreclosed homes into fair and affordable housing.

Spano stressed that while the nation is going through difficult times, the county has been able to weather the storm and keep tax increases at modest levels through prudent planning.

“Back in February when government after government announced dire news – layoffs, massive cuts in programs and services, high tax increases – we were not among them. And we are not among them now,” he told the Board of Legislators. “…We have always been fiscally conservative. We anticipated a decline in sales tax and mortgage fees so we budgeted accordingly. We continue to tighten our belts, actually spending less in 2009 than we spent in 2008, without eliminating needed services and programs.”

Specifically, the county eliminated $23 million from the budget over two years by cutting in every area, including personnel, overtime, travel, supplies, health benefits and equipment.

This has been done without cutting services “In times of trouble, more people rely on government to help them,” he said. “This is especially true when it comes to the most vulnerable: victims of domestic violence, the very poor and hungry, the frail elderly, children without parents to care for them, young people in trouble and those who need our attention to stay out of trouble.”

Alluding to people who argue that county government should be “rethought” or possibly eliminated, he said, ”We don’t need to rethink county government – we have been thinking all along. But more importantly we have been doing. During the past 12 years, we have taken county government from the equivalent of the Industrial Revolution to a Digital Evolution. We have reinvented county government for a new era. We’ve incorporated technology and green solutions in all our departments. We have reduced, we have modernized, and we have excelled.”

He stated further: “This government has been blamed for high taxes when, in fact, over the last five years, the county property tax has held the line at an average of 2.6 percent, far less than the consumer price index. And at the same time, we have served more people than ever. We created three new vital departments, Senior Programs and Services, Information Technology and Emergency Services; yet, we have 146 fewer employees than when I took office.”

He added, “Keeping our residents safe and protected is the first priority of county government. That means requiring sex offenders to wear GPS tracking bracelets to monitor their whereabouts, protecting women from domestic violence to help them start a new life and combating gang violence by getting illegal guns off the streets.”

“I don’t want to see one more child or young adult fall victim to gun violence. And, I am committed to putting initiatives in place that will make our neighborhoods safer,” Spano said. He noted the new gun shot — more — technology that, at his initiative, the county is buying for Yonkers and Mount Vernon.

In the hour-long speech, broadcast live on News 12, Spano highlighted several upcoming county government sponsored events and initiatives:



  • May 12, a Financial Fitness free seminar designed to help people make wise financial choices. Experts will share information on credit cards, loans, household budgeting, planning for retirement and funding for college education. (Go to westchestergov.com/managing for details.)

  • June 2, a Shared Services Conference for local governments, schools and special districts, so they can explore ways to further take advantage of the many county government services and experts. Offerings are varied and include public works, emergency services, IT, purchasing and more. So far this year, 88 school districts, local governments and special districts are saving millions of dollars by piggybacking on already existing county contracts. (westchestergov.com/sharedservices for more information.)

  • June 19, a Volunteer conference to encourage volunteerism among people of all ages and match them to non-profit groups and governments in need of volunteers.


  • To help local governments update their tax rolls – so that property taxes can be levied in a fair manner – the county government will hire a firm to take aerial and street level photographs of over 200,000 parcels county wide. These photographs will enable assessors to update their data, be better prepared to defend against legal challenges, and place their municipality in a position to minimize the costs of a reassessment. “

County government may seem big and amorphous,” Spano said, “Despite our efforts there still are plenty of people who are clueless about what we do. There will always be those who think there is too much government; that people should fend for themselves. Fewer laws. Less regulation. Of course, it takes just one look at this economy to see where that philosophy has brought us.”

Through visuals the county executive showed the hundreds of ways residents are protected and/or helped by county government programs. Here are some examples:



  • Tracking bracelets are provided for Alzheimer’s patients and children with autism who may wander.
  • Public health nurses travel into unsafe neighborhoods day and night to care for a sick adult or help a mother with a new infant.
  • Health inspectors who ensure the safety of our food conducted nearly 10,000 unannounced inspections at the county’s 3,500 restaurants and others food establishments last year.
  • The police officers get drunk drivers off our parkways (a record 588 people arrested in 2008 for driving under influence of alcohol or drugs).
  • Emergency dispatchers provide immediate assistance to those who call 9-1-1. Round-the-clock dispatchers received and handled more than 90,000 calls for help in 2008.
  • Probation officers monitor the whereabouts of sex offenders.
  • The county trained 22,000 first responders, including firefighters, and marshaled a volunteer army of 200 health care professionals and another 200 emergency volunteers to respond in a natural or manmade disaster.
  • Westchester County is one of the only places in the nation to have a seamless communications system among fire and police departments, emergency medical services, hospitals and the county’s Bee-Line bus system.
  • The county’s Department of Consumer Protection makes sure residents are protected from fraud and from unscrupulous home improvement contractors, obtaining for consumers $833,000 in restitution last year. Inspectors also check for outdated food in supermarkets, among many other things.
  • The Department of Community Mental Health restructured its department to save $1 million this year by developing, among other things, a model program to cut Medicaid costs.
  • Spano’s Global Warming Task force and its successor, the County Climate Change Advisory Council, work to decrease carbon emissions in all sectors of the county: governments, residents, businesses and schools.
  • Playland Amusement Park will now be self-sufficient, saving taxpayers $3.3 million.

Spano’s speech can be summed up this way: “I believe that county government is doing exactly what it should be doing…working for you… Working to improve your lives, working to protect your families, and yes, working to save you tax dollars.”

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County Not Interested in Acquiring Ridgeway Country Club Land.

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WPCNR THE DEVELOPER NEWS. April 23,2009: The Westchester County Department of Communications flatly said the county was not interested in obtaining the Ridgeway Country Club property in White Plains, to preserve the golf course and wetlands, and opening it as a sixth public course. Several years ago the county spent $17 Million and change to build the Hudson Hills Course with county money.


Asked in view of the club’s 120-acres. plus clubhouse  being announced as for sale for $20 Million would the county consider it, to save it from development, subdivision or other uses, Donna Greene, spoksperson for the County Executive, said “No.”

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In 11 Weeks, County Whips Through Law Eliminating Item Pricing in supermarkets .

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WPCNR QUILL & SCANNER. By John F. Bailey. April 23, 2009: Johnny Story missed it. NYPIRG missed it. Consumer Advocates missed it. Your mom missed it. But your grandmother would be hopping mad.


 


And, surprise,  the County Legislature isn’t telling you too much about it. No big press conferences.


 


On the eve of County Executive Andrew Spano’s “economics-oriented” State of the County speech, Item pricing – a landmark of the consumer protection movement,and money-saving tool,  will be done away with at complying supermarkets  accross the county, perhaps within weeks. Why? Because the supermarkets think it will help them and “help consumers.” The County Executive in his press release of January 29, said, and we quote, “My proposal would continue to protect consumers but at the same time reduce the costs to some businesses.”


 


The Westchester County Department of Communications disputed the New York Public Interest Research Group  that the county is eliminating item pricing “under the radar,” due to pressure from a supermarket lobbying group.  A spokesperson for the County Department of  Communications said a news release was sent out January 29 on the bill to be voted on Monday which would, if supermarkets passed a scanner inspection with 98% accuracy, allow those stores to eliminate individual item prices in their stores. The legislation has been sailing along from press release to vote (coming Monday) for11 weeks.


 


The spokesperson, Donna Greene told WPCNR that consumer-available scanners would be available in stores should the law be enacted Monday evening so persons could check individual prices of items, and they would also be able to check scanner price with the shelf prices. The county news release of January 29, 2009, said similar legislation had been enacted in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Erie, Renssalear and St. Lawrence counties.


 


Asked if consumer scanners would be available in stories at each aisle so consumers could check to see if prices scanned matched the shelf prices or circulars, Ms. Greene said the number of scanners was provided for in the law.


 


In a copy of the proposed legislation, the following provisions are made for “consumer scanner availability”:


 


A store under 1,500 square feet – No Consumer Scanner necessary.


Under 3,000 square feet – 1 Consumer Scanner


Between 10,001 and 30,000 square feet – 3  Consumer Scanners


Over 30,001  sq feet –  Minimum of 3 Consumer Scanners and such additional scanners as the (County) Sealer may deem appropriate.


 


The law also states a shelf price for each stock keeping item should be visible to the consumer directly under the item displayed.


 


Asked, if once the establishment has passed a 98%scanner accuracy,  how often the county would reinspect to insure the supermarket accuracy standard was still being maintained, Greene said that depended on the Department of Consumer Affairs.


 


Tracy Shelton, spokesperson for NYPIRG said when NYPIRG testified before the County Board protesting the item pricing law, they called for a mandatory minimum number of reinspections. WPCNR asked Shelton if there was any way a consumer could check to see the price turning up on the scanner and on the shelf were correct, Shelton said the consumer had to rely on shopping circulars or the actual store “Audit List” which supermarket workers use to enter in prices into their scanners.  The law does not appear to require audit lists be conspicuously available in the supermarkets once the law is passed.


 


Shelton said the minimum number of  Consumer-access scanners required by the law  was “ridiculous,” predicting that in a supermarket, consumers would not bother taking one item across a store to one scanner  and waiting in line to scan it. She also pointed out that without item pricing, it becomes harder to total up the amount of money you were about to spend – if you did not have access to a credit card for overruns. “What are you supposed to do, bring “Post-IT” notes?” she sarcastically suggested.


 


Shelton said NYPIRG had no information on how the law was affecting consumers in the counties mentioned in the county news release.


 


Ms. Shelton told WPCNR she was hopeful legislators would table the law so more safeguards and stricter reinspection standards could be built into the law.


 


Shelton said NYPIRG had only become aware of this law about a month ago, and the county legislators NYPIRG had addressed with their concerns were angry that NYPIRG opposed the law, and reversed their original support of some of NYPIRG’s suggestions.


 


Shelton said the county was kowtowing to the suggestion of a spokesperson for the supermarkets, whose name she could not recall.


 


NYPIRG in its “Opposition Sheet” writes,”The law would essentially give supermarkets and other retailers the green light to overprice up to 2% of all store items with impunity. This would enshrine in law that it is acceptable and lawful for retailers to overcharge consumers — potentially tens of thousands of consumers on any given item — so long as no more than two per cent of the store’s items are not incorrectly priced.”


 


Gary Brown, the County Director of Consumer Protection, is quoted in the release as saying, “Our commitment to protecting consumers — and making sure they have full pricing information — remains the same.”


 


In the county overseeing of gasoline prices, the Department of Consumer Protection monitors gasoline prices  in the county, but does not check to see if changes in the gasoline wholesale price are accurately reflected in the price at the pumps the county inspects.


 

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County Seeks to Eliminate Individual Item Pricing in Supermarkets

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WPCNR QUILL & SCANNER. From New York Public Interest Research Group. April 22, 2009 (EDITED): On the morning of County Executive Andrew Spano’s State of the County Speech this evening, the New York Public Interest Research Group has issued a news release urging Westchester to turn aside the county effort to eliminate individual item pricing in supermarkets and other retailers.


Consumer protection organizations Consumers Union and the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) urge Westchester County legislators to reject a proposal to allow the county to waive the requirement that supermarkets and other retailers price each item they sell.  Legislators are considering adopting a waiver system that would allow retailers who show that their cash register scanners are accurate 98% of the time to be relieved of pricing each individual item for the following year.


 


On Monday, April 27, 2009, the Westchester Board of Legislators will vote on a bill that would effectively strip shoppers in Westchester of an important consumer right they have enjoyed for more than 30 years.  Consumers, particularly seniors and low- and moderate-income New Yorkers depend on item pricing laws when they shop.  New Yorkers want to pay the actual price, not play “register roulette” when buying food, clothes, home furnishings other common products.


 


“The proposal that merchants meet scanner accuracy standards is a no brainer—of course retailers should charge customers the right price—that’s a given,” said NYPIRG Consumer Attorney Tracy Shelton.  “And tightening up the requirements for signs and shelf stickers—as the County’s proposal would do—is a great idea.  But these improvements should be done in addition to item pricing, not as a replacement for pricing items individually.”


 


“Consumers are already confronting enough challenges in this tough economy without having to contend with the removal of price labels from individual grocery and retail items,” said Consumers Union Director of Programs Chuck Bell.  “Shoppers want to quickly find out what the prices of individual items are, and track their accuracy at checkout.  We appreciate that Westchester County has experienced significant difficulty achieving full compliance with the current law, but we are not persuaded that the proposed waiver system will advance the interests of consumers in having full and complete price information.”


 


 


 


            The groups pointed out that California regulators recently fined Wal-Mart $1.4 million for repeated cash register scanner errors.  Investigators involved in that case said that consumers were 3 ½ times more likely to be overcharged than undercharged when the price rang up incorrectly.


The groups pointed out the many benefits of item pricing laws, including:


■ Enabling consumers to monitor and verify whether scanners accurately ring up the correct price at the cash register.  Having a price sticker remains the easiest way for a consumer to compare a price at the cash register—without having to memorize the prices of dozens of items (or do percentage calculations on the spot) and recall them at the register.


Allowing consumers to easily tote up the cost of all the items in their shopping cart or basket.  When you’re on a tight budget, this is a great help in shopping. 


Ensuring that consumers, particularly older, infirm or disabled shoppers, do not have to search for a sign or shelf sticker with the price—particularly for items on top or bottom shelves.


Item pricing allows consumers to compare prices on similar products that are located in different parts of the store, for example comparing dry pasta with pasta in the refrigeration case.


The ability to compare the price on newly purchased items to prices on items being replaced at home so consumers can see how much a product has gone up in price, and compare prices between different brands and different retailers. 


 


The groups noted that it is a particularly bad idea to deny consumers valuable shopping information at a time of enormous, widespread financial hardship.  The proposal contains absolutely no guarantee—in fact it’s highly unlikely—that the substantial savings to supermarkets and other retailers will be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices.  When the cost of oil spiked retail prices immediately jumped, yet retail prices haven’t dropped now that gas is down around $2 a gallon.  Thus the cost savings to retailers from waiving the County’s item pricing law will result in higher profits for retailers, but will not result in lower prices for consumers.


 


The groups urged Westchester residents to contact their County Legislators and the County Executive and tell them to say “no” to the plan for item pricing waivers and “yes” to keeping items on local store shelves individually priced.  The groups urged that any scanner accuracy law only be done as an addition to the item pricing law, not as a waiver substitute. 

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