WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,374,995 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—65,000 VISITS A WEEK BY 985,281 VISITORS

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. November 10, 2008:   Within hours of  his being charged in White Plains City Court with four misdemeanor counts of theft of services by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office,  Gary Kriss resigned to take retirement when faced with recommendation of his termination by the Legislative Committee investigating Mr. Kriss alleged actions.

Shortly after 4 P.M. yesterday he following statement was issued to the media by Betsy DeSoye, Director of Communications for the Board:

“Late this afternoon, Mr. Gary Kriss faxed a letter to the Board Chairman resigning from his position at the Westchester County Board of Legislators, effective today.”

No other details were included. Kriss had been under fire for months for purchasing products for his alleged home use and charging them to the county.

Apparently the Board of Legislators was about to pass a resolution recommending Mr. Kriss be terminated from his position. The effect of his resignation on his retirement benefits was not explained, however County Executive Andrew Spano issued this statement before Kriss resigned:

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. From Don Hughes. November 10, 2008: The financial crisis has not only reduced the amount of money available to the organizations that care for the most needy among us, it has increased the number of people needing help.  If you have any household goods that you are not using and that could be put to better use,  please contact one of the two organizations listed below.  All of your donations will go to benefit local families. Pickup is available.  Please note that GCCC also welcomes volunteers.





For more information: http://www.furnituresharehouse.org/

http://www.gracecommunitycenter.org/

—– Furniture Sharehouse —-

Furniture Sharehouse, Westchester´s Furniture Bank, collects donations of
gently used furniture from the public and redistributes it to needy Westchester
families free of charge.  Gently-used furniture of average size is in great
demand.  Besides it being a ‘green’ choice, donors get a receipt for their taxes,
their treasures go to ONLY local people, and DSS dollars can be used for other
purposes.

Their clients include those moving out of homeless shelters; women and children
escaping domestic violence; working families struggling to stay ahead; young
adults aging out of foster care; victims of fires or other disasters.

Clients are referred by a member network of 28 social service agencies,
ensuring that your furniture goes directly to those who need it most.

Since opening in April 2007, they have served over 320 households – over 850
individuals, including 350 children.

Each household receives 5-10 pieces of basic furniture, plus accessories; to
date, they have distributed over 2000 items of furniture worth over $150,000 free
of charge to clients who could never have afforded to purchase it.

They recycle tons of furniture that would otherwise end up in landfills.

They are a NYS Not-for-Profit Corporation and tax-exempt under Section
501(c)(3) so your donations can be deducted from your taxes.

—- Grace Church Community Center —-

A new neighbor, Grace Church Community Center, Inc.(GCCC), recently moved
into the old American Lung Association Building at Exit 6 off the 287. GCCC is a
registered 501 (c) (3) nonprofit social services agency whose mission is to assist
the neediest and most at-risk residents of Westchester County.

Each of GCCC´s programs needs donations of in-kind goods and welcomes
volunteers.  Below are some of the items needed by the programs.  For more
information on how you can donate goods or volunteer your help, please call
Sister Alice Conrad at 949-3098 ext. 100.

Donation Needs:

The Summer Day Camp program needs bathing suits (all sizes including adult),
towels, swim goggles, sunscreen, backpacks and paper cups.  They also need
gift certificates in denominations of $20 and over to be used for Christmas gifts
for homeless children. Gift certificates should be from Modell´s, Sports Authority,
Toys R Us, or Target.  Gift certificates form local food stores in denominations of
$50 are also welcome for distribution to the families of the campers. (914-949-
3098 ext. 100)

The Open Arms Men´s Shelter program welcomes donations for its Bus Token
Fund which enables residents to search for jobs and housing. The shelter also
requires new underwear, socks, pajamas, scarves, gloves, hats and toiletries
from airlines.(914-948-5044)

The Samaritan House Women´s Shelter needs new linens, towels, toiletry items,
nightgowns, bedroom slippers, new underwear, scarves, gloves and hats. (914-
948-3075

The Soup Kitchen needs donations of paper goods such as plates, bowls and
napkins as well as plastic cutlery and cups. In the winter, donations of coats,
sweaters, hats, socks & other warm clothing are welcome. (914-949-3098 ext.
100)

Neighbor’s Home Care Services has need of new or used wheel chairs, walkers
and hospital beds (914-949-3112)

Housing Services needs new linens and towels, non-perishable food items and
cash certificates from local grocery stores in denominations of $50. (914-949-
0925 ext. 3)

Grace Church Community Center, one of the largest social services agencies in
the county, operates nine programs and has been in existence for almost 30
years. The agency´s programs are as follows:

Services for the Homeless and the Hungry:
    Soup Kitchen
    Open Arms shelter for homeless men
    Samaritan House shelter for homeless women
    Project Trust- a daytime shelter for chronically homeless men and women
    Housing Services to prevent homelessness and eviction

Services for Children and Youth:
    Summer Day Camp for homeless and disadvantaged children
    Year-round Mentoring Program for homeless and disadvantaged children

Services for the Elderly and Disabled:
    Neighbors Home Care Services, a licensed home care services agency
    for the elderly and homebound
    Rainbow Outreach- drop-in and referral services for developmentally
    disabled children, adults and their families.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Piaa Haas, Westchester Broadway Theatre. November 9, 2008:

It’s a Wonderful Life, Frank Capra’s classic film has been brought to vibrant theatrical life through the remarkable collaboration of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning librettist & lyricist,  Sheldon Harnick and Grammy and Emmy Award winning Composer, Joe Raposo.  The delightful Musical, A Wonderful Life, faithfully follows the plot of the beloved 1946 film which starred Jimmy Stewart. The film was, in turn, based on a 1938 short story by Philip Van Doren Stern called “The Greatest Gift.”  It opens at Westchester Broadway Theatre November 20 running through February 8.

Frank Capra’s classic film has been brought to vibrant theatrical life through the remarkable collaboration of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning librettist & lyricist,  Sheldon Harnick and Grammy and Emmy Award winning Composer, Joe Raposo.  The delightful Musical, A Wonderful Life, faithfully follows the plot of the beloved 1946 film which starred Jimmy Stewart. The film was, in turn, based on a 1938 short story by Philip Van Doren Stern called “The Greatest Gift.”

Set in 1945, the musical tells the tale of George Bailey, an average Joe, who spends a lifetime sacrificing his own ambitions for the sake of others and continually setting aside his own dreams in order to keep his late father’s building and loan business afloat.  When the greedy banker, Mr. Potter, manufactures a scandal that threatens to send him to jail, George contemplates suicide, and it’s up to a wingless angel named Clarence, coming down from Heaven by order of St. Matthew, to convince him of his own worth. 

A WONDERFUL LIFE was performed for the first time at the University of Michigan in 1986 and had a successful run at Washington, DC’s Arena Stage in 1991. The show continues to be a favorite of regional theatres across the country.

Our production stars Duke Lafoon as George Bailey and Darin DePaul as Angel-wanting-wings, Clarence. Arch nemesis, Mr Potter is played by William McCauley. Juli Robbins will be seen as George’s model wife, Mary Bailey. Featured are Ann-Ngaire Martin (of Chappaqua) as Ma Bailey,  Ryan Foy (of the Vaudeville Foys!) as Harry Bailey, Bob Stoeckle as Tom Bailey,  Jack Hallett as Uncle Billy, PJ Baccari as Ernie, Darrel Blackburn as Bert, Julie Cardia as Mrs Martini & Mrs Hatch, Brian Cooper as Sam Wainwright, and Tara Geisler as Violet Bick.   The ensemble includes; Kendall Kelly, Peter Marinos, Ronnie Nelson, Michael Scibillia, Katie Sina, and Shannon Lea Smith.

The Bailey Children will be played by Sofia Hantzaridis of Tarrytown, Sarah Heinzmann Of Ridgefield, Ct., Sharon Rosenthal of Armonk, Sofia Singer of North Salem and Cosmo Zappoli of Dover Plains      

Richard Stafford, who directed our critically acclaimed BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, GYPSY, THE FULL MONTY and CATS, is the Director and Choreographer, with Jonathan Stahl as Associate Director and Stephen Purdy is the Musical Director.  The winning production team includes Steve Loftus (Set Designer), Andrew Gmoser (Lighting Designer), Jon Hatton (Sound Designer), Gail Baldoni (Costumes) and Victor Lukas (Production Stage Manager).

DUKE LAFOON (George Bailey) is reprising this wonderful role at WBT. He was last seen here in Are We There Yet?  Duke last appeared as Edward in the new musical Ace at Signature Theatre. New York credits include I Love My Wife (Queens Theatre), The Drama Desk nominated production The Audience (Transport Group) and as a singing Bill Clinton in Monica the Musical at MTC. Some favorite regional credits include Father Flynn in Doubt at Barksdale Theatre, Clifford in Sideman with Company of Fools and Ace at The Old Globe. TV/Film: Iron Clads for TNT and as Jack Epps in the CBS miniseries Sally Hemings starring Sam Neill

DARIN DEPAUL (Clarence) Broadway: “Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas”. National Tours: “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “Guys & Dolls”, “Funny Girl”.  Off Broadway: Classical Theatre of Harlem, NYMF.  Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, California Music Circus, Stages St. Louis, Barter Theatre.  Film: “Julie & Julia”, featured voice in “Ice Age”, “Robots” and the short “No Time For Nuts”.  Television:  “Law & Order”, “Miami Vice”, “USA Up All Night”, Nickelodeon’s “Welcome Freshmen.

RICHARD STAFFORD (Director/Choreographer) On Broadway, Mr. Stafford was the choreographer for In My Life (Music Box Theatre), the associate choreographer for Aspects Of Love (Broadhurst Theatre), and dance supervisor for CATS (Winter Garden Theatre) Off-Broadway he was the associate director for Summer’69 (John Houseman Theatre) and associate choreographer for The Middle Of  Nowhere (Astor Place Theatre) National Tours include CATS (director/ choreographer), My Fair Lady (choreographer), Joseph/Dreamcoat (choreographer, starring Debbie Gibson and Patrick Cassidy)-Troika Entertainment.  Mr. Stafford also has extensive Regional credits, including Dreamgirls (North CarolinaTheatre), Director and Choreographer for Singin’ In The Rain, Crazy For You,  Fame,  Swing,  Cats (North Shore Music Theatre), Disney’s Beauty And The Beast (Walnut Street Theatre and Ogunquit Playhouse), The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas (Ogunquit Playhouse starring Sally Struthers),  Grossinger’s (premier, starring Gavin Macleod) and Dodsworth (premier, starring Hal Linden) both at Pittsburgh CLO.  Mr. Stafford won the Barrymore Award for outstanding choreography for La Cage Aux Folles at the Walnut Street Theatre.  He is happy to return to WBT, where he previously directed Gypsy starring Karen Mason, The Full Monty, and CATS.

 TICKETS & INFORMATION

BOX OFF. RESERVATIONS          Call (914)-592-2222. Open every day at 10am.                   

                                                             Closing times vary, depending on show sched­ules.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From the Mayor’s Office. November 9, 2008:  Mayor Joseph M. Delfino and the White Plains Veterans Committee announce details of the Veterans Day Ceremony to be held Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument in the Rural Cemetery on North Broadway.  Beginning at 10:30 a.m., the event will feature the recollections and insights of speaker Dom Blum, survivor of the worst naval disaster in our nation’s history.

Mr. Blum was among the crew of 1,196 on board the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945, when it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea and sank within twelve minutes.  Those sailors who did not go down with the ship were left floating in shark-infested waters with no lifeboats and little food or water until they were spotted by accident four days later.  Mr. Blum was one of the 316 men still alive.

Mayor Delfino thanks the Jewish War Vets Post  #191 for hosting the event and invites all residents and visitors.  “It’s important for all of us to take time out to pay tribute to those who have sacrificed so greatly in the name of freedom and liberty,” he said.           

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. By John F. Bailey. November 5, 2008: Governor David Patterson appeared at a Budget Town Meeting tonight  in White Plains, before a pre-selected audience of 200 prominent officials and key persons at the County Center where he took questions on the state economy and the financial sector revenue crisis. The Governor promised significant pain ahead as the legislature convenes November 18 to address more revenue cuts.

Governor David L. Patterson taping a PBS TV Town Meeting in White Plains Wednesday Night.

The governor said his mandatory 4% Property Tax Cap was still in play, that he had met with the School Superintendents Association and the New York State Teachers, and that they had suggested ways that the property tax cap could work, and that the two groups could see the property tax cap working. The Governor did not elaborate, and in the 15-minute press conference afterwards, there was no question was asked to go into detail on that development.

The governor made clear that if districts were hurt by a 4% property tax cap to the point where their performce would suffer, the governor allowed that the state could help out with more financial aid. He said the purpose of the cap was to force school districts to moderate their spending. He said that districts could choose to submit  budgets taking property taxes  beyond cap limits, that they were not limited to it if voters approved it. He said a Circuit Breaker tax relief program (favored by the Assembly earlier this year,  limiting the amount of property tax based on income, did not address the problem of encouraging school districts to throttle back spending. He said he regretted the state senate had passed a property tax cap because it pressured the Assembly prematurely and inhibited discussion.

In the question and answer session that was videotaped by WNET Channel 13, the governer said he was going to establish an office to respond to inquiries from foreign investors as a way to spur investment in the New York State economy.

In an effort to trim state medical  expenses, he said he and state health organizations were going to work with the federal government to get an increase the reimbursement for Medicare that New York gets from the federal government, currently at 50%. Governor Patterson noted that other states receive as much as 80% reimbursement from the federal government. He reported that New York State contributed some $88 Billion dollars to Washington, and that if the state received just 10% of that in aid, it would eliminate this year’s projected  current budget deficit($2 Billion), and take care of the projected 2009-2010 deficit to boot. 

The governer said that in his address to Washington last week, (he  made a plea for  federal aid for the state due to the dramatic downturn in Wall Street revenue), that considering how much New York State contributed to the federal government, the request was not so much a bailout, as a “handback.”

He said the state had some 300 infrastructure projects “ready to go” across the state, which could be begun with federal help, and hoped that an economic stimulus package would be coming from Washington to be able to start the state on some of those projects under the new Obama administration.

In response to several questions from health and social service organizations concerned about “balancing the budget on the backs of those most in need,” the governor said it was his job to make equitable and fair cuts across the board, and that  he felt terrible about having to do tha  “your conscience bothers you even though you know you’re doing the right thing.”

The government said health care programs at small businesses would be aided by possibly cutting taxes on small businesses. This policy, WPCNR notes, might indicate that property tax reform via means of a establishing a separate tax rate for commercial properties in Westchester County, might certainly be off the table in the governor’s thinking, but WPCNR did not get the opportunity to ask this question of the governor or the bill’s sponsor, Adam Bradley. 

The governor said he hoped to resuscitate the New York economy by attracting more research into more green energy technology at the state’s research campuses.

In a question asked by White Plains attorney Mark Weingarten, asking how the state might spur development in the state, Governor Patterson said that the state has not responded well to foreign inquiries about moving to New York State. He said he would change this by establishing an office to handle and entice foreign investment into the state. He said he was inclined to offer large tax incentives to businesses seeking to relocate in New York given the present shortfall in revenues. He also said he did not want to increase taxes on businesses due to the flight of businesses from the state when this was done in the past.

On the matter of the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement, the Governor said the financing of that project ($16 Billion) was under study, but he would not sell the bridge project to a private entity. He said a committee had been formed to study financing options (a public-private partnership) that would report in January.  He ruled out selling state assets such as highways and bridges.

The governor said he had met with four legislature leaders Wednesday morning at their request to discuss the upcoming November 18 budget trimming session, and he was gratified they had reached out to him to address the current year $1.5 Billion deficit, which the governor felt would end up at $2 Billion. He did not elaborate on the substance of the discussion.

Paul Schwarz of White Plains asked about affordable housing funds availability in the present crisis. The Governor said he has asked state agencies to look into how they can streamline the redtape process of arranging the funding for these projects (municipal and closely held bonds), which has long delayed the start of these projects. (The Kenisco Terrace project in White Plains, and the Horton’s Mill project on Silver Lake were delayed some five years, awaiting finalization of such funding.)

The governor closed the meeting saying that his purpose was to get the state to spend within its revenues to avoid this happening in the future. He said the state could not depend on Wall Street revenue coming back as strongly as in the past (constituting 20% of state revenues).

This was was not a spontaneous meeting. It was initiated by the governor based on a request by Channel 13 WNET in New York for a phone-in program. The Governor’s office suggested a televised town meeting format. Attendees were invited by invitation. Questions were submitted just prior to the taping, written and submitted upon arrival by invited participants to the television show.

 Channel 13 hosts and producers selected from the questions submitted; arranged the order, and called upon the writers of the questions to answer them. Persons coming in off the street in hopes of speaking, were allowed in the conference room when producers found they had enough room.

 The audience included many legislative and local dignataries, including Assemblypersons Adam Bradley, Amy Paulin, Richard Brodsky, Sandra Galef. WPCNR did not notice any representatives from White Plains city government.  The audience was not exclusively Westchester County, either. A similar town meeting format would be held upstate in the near future.