Marching for University of Michigan–WPHS’s Kim Wood–Headed for the Rose Bowl

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. Interview with Kim Wood, University of Michigan Marching Band & WPHS Graduate. D ecember 2, 2006 UPDATED December 4, 2006: The University of Michigan is going to the Rose Bowl.  So is their crack marching band. Here, Kim Wood of the WPHS Class of 05, who gave us her impressions of the Ohio State Michigan game experience, gives her insights as to what it’s like marching with the Big Band, which prepares for each game just as much as the football team, learning complex formations, new each week.



KIM WOOD, WPHS GRAD at Michigan Stadium — “The Big House”


 One of the real flaws of network halftime coverage is they no longer show halftime shows, cutting away to sports wrapup shows which are sponsored. It is a shame, especially when you hear Ms. Wood describe some of the University of Michigan spectaculars when she discussed her band experience at the U of M with WPCNR:


Wood, a clarinetist, has performed in every halftime show for the U of M marching band this band of approximate 300 students. Kim Wood graduated with the White Plains High School Class of 2005, is a member of the Big Blue Marching Band. A few weeks ago she gave us an insight into her football marching season and performing every halftime show, which is something when you realize she has to audition for her slot on Saturday:


 “It’s really a great experience. Every week, the Performance Block is set. The Performance Block is the 235 people that march for Pregame and then a few more are added to that who march for halftime. Every week the Rank Leaders have to challenge a certain amount of people in each rank. If you’re challenged, you have to do the marching audition on Friday to try to stay in the block. 


Wood says it is very stressful – performing the music and the formation: “One line goes (marches and plays) at a time – challenging on pregame marching and halftime marching. On Monday you find out if you made the Performance Block.”


WPCNR, corresponding with Ms. Wood from the U of M campus, asked to tell us about the band: “There are 368 people in the band, including the flags, the twirlers, and the Drum Major. There are 40 clarinets, and I am the 13th chair.”


 WPCNR asked about what they performed at the various halftimes of the year:


 “For the Ohio State game, we did a Led Zeppelin Show, consisting of Rock and Roll/The Ocean as one song, Black Dog/Kashmir as another, and Stairway to Heaven as the last. There were no real noticeable formations for that show, we did curves and diagonal lines.


          The shows where we created unique formations were the Wisconsin game Michael Jackson Show, where we made a script MJ with a fedora on top of it, like his fedora in the smooth criminal video. Then we formed a bunch of 10 big squares as shown in the Billie Jean video where he jumps on the sidewalk and it lights up.


         Our flags ran to each square and lit up the squares with the flags as our Drum Major ran to each square and acted as Michael Jackson.


          The show wrapped up to “Bad” like the graffiti in the “Bad” video. For “Thriller” we made 3 tombstones with the initials of the 3 teams we had beaten so far. Then we all zombie-walked over to our next spot and did a dance of Michael Jackson Dances.”


At the Iowa game, the band created a “march” show. Wood reports the band performed Berlioz’s March to the Scaffold/ Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis, John Williams’ March from 1941, National Emblem and The Stars and Stripes Forever: “We did very straight marching for this show to represent military marching, no curve formations or anything. It was all precise and straight. We opened an American Flag on the field at the end of The Stars and Stripes Forever.”


 


The Ball State Game was impressive for the band’s formations: “We did a theme song show with the music from Mission Impossible/Knight Rider/Hawaii 5-0/and the A-Team as one number, and Dynasty/I Dream of Jeannie/and Gilligan’s Island as another, and the Star Trek theme as the last.


      “We formed the M:I symbol. We formed Kit (the car in Knight Rider) and rotated the wheels, a big wave for Hawaii 5-0, and A-T-E-A-M for the A-Team. We created the bottle for I Dream of Jeannie and a ship that crashed onto a rock for Gilligan’s Island. Finally, we formed the Starfleet Symbol for Star Trek with Patrick Stewart (who played a latter day Dr. Spock) conducting the band.”


       Wood explained that Patrick Stewart was on campus as artist in-residency in Ann Arbor with the Royal Shakespeare Company. “Our Band Director got Stewart to come conduct us at the game for the Star Trek theme. He came to one of our practices as well and told us that he had been taking conducting lessons from the director of music at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was very excited, honored, and happy to be there and everyone loved it.”

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Kensico Terrace Grant Quietly Turns Into a “Loan”

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. December 1, 2006: When the Westchester County Business Journal “For the Record” section reported that Kensico Terrace, the senior housing project being slowly built by former Democrat Councilman Bill Brown and his partner, James Bason reported that the City of White Plains had made a $848,497 loan to Kensico Terrace, filed in the County Clerk office November  9.  Coincidently this “loan” is the amount of the grant the Common Council approved for Brown’s senior housing development November 1, 2005.



WPCNR contacted the Mayor’s Office and asked if this is additional money to the grant already approved, or whether the grant is a lone. David Maloney told WPCNR by telephone Thursday that the was a grant, not a loan and that I should not believe everything I read.


 


WPCNR retrieved the documents from the County Clerk office Thursday afternoon and according to the official filing recording the $848,497 loan, filed November 9, 2006, “The lender (City of White Plains) agrees to loan to the Borrower (Kensico Terrace) the principal sum of Eight Hundred Forty Eight Thousand Four Hundred Ninety Seven and 00/100 Dollars.” And the documents further state, “In consideration of the Loan, the Borrower has executed a promissory note (the “Note”) and the Borrower and County of Westchester Industrial Development Agency have executed a mortgage (the “Mortgage”) each in the principal amount of Eight Hundred Forty Eight Thousand Four Hundred Ninety Seven and 00/100 Dollars, which Mortgage secures the Note and covers the Project and the Property.


 


There was no payment schedule of the mortgage,  or a copy of the promissory note included in the documents describing the loan WPCNR examined Thursday afternoon in the County Clerk’s office.


 


The document on Page 9 of the agreement between White Plains and Kensico Terrace states that “The Lender (City of White Plains) agrees that for payment of the Note and performance of the covenants and obligations of the Borrower contained herein, it will look solely to the Mortgaged Property defined in the Mortgage and such other collateral, if any, as may nor or hereafter be given to secure payment of the Note, and no other property or assets of the Borrower shall be subject to levy, execution or other enforcement procedures of any kind or character.”


 


This paragraph appears to mean the city has no recourse for repayment of the loan, should Kensico Terrace default on the bond other than sale of the assets of the actual Kensico Terrace building when it is complete. Kensico Terrace was originally scheduled to be completed in September 2006 and has just recently resumed construction after a series of sporadic flurries of activity.


 


One of the advantages of the grant now being a Loan is the city can count it as an asset. Whether or not they are actually doing that, WPCNR is unable to determine since the Mayor’s Office said it is not a loan earlier Thursday.

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“Seek Line” Drills Pawling, 5-1. Encarnacao Conroy Sigona Create 4 of 5 Goals.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By “Red Light” Bailey. December 1, 2006: For the first two minutes and 40 seconds of this game there was end to end action. Charlie Pavarini put an end to that.


 



 


Number 14,  Charlie Pavarini’s slick conversion flying in off left wing and taking a laser, stick-to-the-blade pass from Ryan McGee to Charlie from behind the goal set him up real nice about 15 feet out. He nailed it,  beating  the Pawling tender high left and tight inside with a forehander at 4:18 of the First Period  at Ebersole Rink Thursday night to start a workmanlike 5-1 Tiger win. Here Pavarini has lofted the puck behind the Pawling goaltender into the left side of the net. Ryan McGee who created the goal is just behind the goal line. Then the “Seek Line” of Phil Sigona, Tim Conroy and Rui Encarnacao took over the ice. Photo, WPCNR Sports


 





With the Tigers on the Power Play after a foolish “Hit From Behind” Pawling penalty, at 5:36 in, Phil Sigona took an errant shot from Rui Encarnacao on left wing in the far corner. Phil tentatively skated in along the goal line with no defenseman picking him up and took on the goaltender at point blank range. Phil savagely jammed the rubber in on the right side of the net through the tender’s pads between the legs, for a 2-0 lead 1 minute and 28 seconds later at 7:46 of the First.


 


The Tigers got careless at the 11:06 of the period and allowed Pawling’s Kevin Gaughran swooping in on right wing after taking a cross-ice pass from Bill Vitro to beat Mike Camberari off balance to make it 2-1 with 3:54 to go in the period.


 



 


With Pawling slowing down because of the furious pace, Rui Encarnarcao received a pass from Phil Sigona(Number 8) from the left hand corner behind the goal taking the feed about 30 feet out. Rui skated across ice above the circles, uncontested and fired his whip forehander at waist level past goaltender Schwartz to Schwartz’s right who appeared handcuffed by the hummer. Looking at this shot, Rui (Number 9) is about to fire the black laser and the goaltender appears screened by his own defenseman. Photo, WPCNR Sports


 


 


There was 1:57 to go in the period and it ended that way, 3-1 White Plains. Mike Cambareri’s goal-tending was outstanding in the First Period especially in the first two minutes and the last 7, making 4 very difficult saves to start the game on close-in shots caused by ill-advised cross ice passes and clearing attempts that did not clear.


 


In the second period, Pawling’s attack was consistently stymied by better positioning by the WP defensemen, Fairhurst, McCarrick and the relentless forechecking of White Plains forwards.  Pawling managed only 5 shots on goal. Meanwhile White Plains pressed the action on three power plays with the Orange and Black converting on power play number 3 with Tim Conroy sweeping in a loose puck to the left of the new Pawling goaltender, Andy Bardua.


 



 


The Mucker Mops Up! After Pawling’s Andy Bardua had made the initial save, Conroy’s work behind the net to set up an initial shot from the goaltender’s right by Encarnarcao, leading to the bound off the goalies pads and Conroy poking and badgering and whacking, swept it in for a 4-1  White Plains lead with 5:51 to go in the second period. It broke open the game. Rui Encarnacao celebrates! Conroy (12) just behind Pawling defenseman celebrate the hardwork. The puck is just to the left of the goaltender’s extended leg. Photo, WPCNR Sports


 


The third period saw the Tigers ice it early when Rui Encarnarcao notched his second goal of the night on assists from Conroy and Steve McCarrick just 2 minutes and 24 seconds into the period to make it 5-1. Rui’s second goal was very much like his First Period score, a blast from out front between the circles.


 



Mike Cambareri padding aside a point blanker from the right wing in the Third Period. Photo, WPCNR Sports


 



Cambareri sticks away another in the Third Period. (Seen through the scarred, scratched, and badly-in-need-of-replacing rinkside glass.) Photo, WPCNR Sports


 


 


 


Tiger Paws: The “Seek Line,” so dubbed by WPCNR because they “seek out” the puck, and it is a play on Phil Sigona’s name, had a great hockey night. Encarnarcao’s 2 goals gives him 6 for the season with 5 assists, Tim Conroy’s goal and assist gives him 2 goals for the season, plus 8 assists, and Phil Sigona’s goal and assist gives him 7 for the season with 3 assits… Mike Cambareri made 24 saves, Pawling’s two goaltenders handled 39 shots…Charlie Pavarini who got things started notched goal number 2 for his season…White Plains moves to 4-1. Next home game is Thursday night on Ebersole Ice, 5:15 P.M.


 


The WPCNR Stars of the Game are the three members of the Seek Line:  No 1, Rui Encarnarcao, Number  2, Tim Conroy and Star No. 3, Phil Sigona — the line that works for each other, scores together.


 

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3 Stepinac Students – 1 a Football Player, Accused of Robbing Companion Student

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. December 1, 2006 UPDATED December 4, 2006 11:30 P.M. EST: Chief James Bradley of the White Plains Department of Public Safety reported today to WPCNR that a 15 year old student accompanied by his parent (to police headquarters) that he was a victim of a robbery on the #60 bus (which picks up in front of Stepinac High School on Mamaroneck Avenue) the day before Thanksgiving Day. One of the victim’s 3 alleged assailants all from Stepinac starred for Stepinac in the Turkey Bowl the next day.


 


Chief Bradley said the student victim left the Stepinac school Wednesday, November 22 at 11:00 A.M.  as part of early dismissal that day. The Chief reports to WPCNR “while en route to his destination his IPOD and cellphone were taken by three other students through intimidation and physical force. The victim was able to provide sufficient information to the investigating detectives for identifications of all three defendents.”


 


Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson, commenting to WPCNR today said identification issues were the reason arrests could not have been made sooner.


 





 


The Chief did not say whether the identities of the accused assailants were known to police last Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving Day.


 


One of the students was identified by The Journal News as Rashaad Slowley, of Mount Vernon,  the halfback for the Stepinac High School football team who on the following day after he was identified as an alleged participant in the robbery, played and lead Stepinac to victory in the Turkey Bowl Game. Slowley, 16, and fellow students at Stepinac, according to the Journal News account, Andrew Ricketts, 16, of Hartsdale, and  Viktorr Gaba, 17 of Greenburgh were arrested Monday and charged with second-degree robbery, a felony, and third-degree assault, a misdemeanor.


 


WPCNR has issued a followup question with the police why – if the alleged assailants were identified Wednesday – were they not arrested until five days later according to the Journal News report. Deputy Commissioner of Daniel Jackson told WPCNR Monday afternoon at Police Headquarters that there were some “identification issues” that could not be resolved that Wednesday evening, and that the police would not have delayed the arrests for a football game.


 


WPCNR asked Deputy Commissioner Daniel Jackson why the bus driver did not immediately report the violent incident to the police – his dispatcher – or the Westchester County Police. Mr. Jackson wrote WPCNR I should check with the County Department of Transportation for the bus driver protocol when a violent incident is taking place on a county bus.


 

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White Plains Little League for 2007 Registration is Open for Biz Online, Inperso

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. November 30, 2006: It’s sign up time for White Plains Little League for the 2007 Spring Season for baseball and softball. Children born between May 1, 1991 and December 31, 2001 are eligible to play. Parents can sign their young players up online at www.whiteplainslittleleague.com, or by filling out a Registration at the Department of Recreation and Parks, or by mailing in a Registration to the White Plains Little League. Cost is $85 for a children 5 to 8 years of age and $110 for children 9 to 15. In-person registration will be held January 6, 2007 from 9 AM to 1. However the vast majority of registrants find it much more convenient to register on line where you can pay by Mastercard or Visa. Registrants after January 15 will be assessed a late fee. The site also contains a calendar of events. 


Little League Action at Gedney Field, April, 2004. Photo, WPCNR Sports Archive.

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White Plains Pollutes Bronx River with Raw Sewage. AG Office Extracts Fine

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS UNDERGROUND. From The Attorney General Press Office. November 28, 2006: In a news release yesterday, the Office of the  New York State Attorney General  and the Department of Environmental Conservation disclosed White Plains has been polluting the Bronx River with raw sewage (“fecal coliforms”) from its stormwater drains for an unspecified period of time, and that the City has agreed to pay $56,832 into an escrow account set aside by the state for cleanup of the Bronx River in other areas not under any state mandates for cleanup.  The city has, according to the settlement,  agreed to construct sewer improvements, including, but not limited to eliminating “cross-connections,” (where sanitary sewer content leak into stormsewer lines) and private connections, to eliminate the pollution at city expense by May 1, 2007.


The city may apply for reimbursement for the cost of the sewer construction needed from the escrow fund, but it is not guaranteed.  Agreements with other cities and villages polluting were announced as well.  The city also agrees to undertake a four year monitoring program to assure the sewage leakage has been eliminated. The details from the Attorney General Press Release:


 


“Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today (November 28)  announced agreements with four Westchester County municipalities to stop discharging raw sewage into the Bronx River from their storm sewers.


The cities of White Plains and Mount Vernon, the Town of Greenburgh, and the Village of Scarsdale have agreed to eliminate such discharges by May 1, 2007, and to monitor their storm sewers to prevent future discharges. In addition, the municipalities together will spend more than $150,000 to upgrade their stormwater systems, and pay civil penalties.


“I commend the communities who signed these agreements for doing their part to help reclaim the Bronx River and transform it from an abused waterway into a prized public resource,” said Attorney General Spitzer.


DEC Commissioner Sheehan said: “New York State has made significant progress in protecting and enhancing water quality by enforcing against polluters. The agreements announced today with four Bronx River watershed communities will further DEC’s efforts to protect and improve important natural resources in our urban areas.”


The agreements announced today mark continued progress in the Attorney General’s Bronx River Watershed Initiative aimed at reducing pollution of the 24-mile river that flows through Westchester and Bronx Counties.


The Attorney General’s Office provided notice to the municipalities of violations for sewage discharges on August 1, 2005. Since then, the four communities have investigated and eliminated sewage discharges from some of their sewer pipes, but other discharges have continued.


The settlement agreements are the culmination of months of negotiations to ensure that the remaining sewage discharges are identified and halted, and that the municipalities pay penalties and fund projects to reduce stormwater pollution. DEC referred the violations to the Attorney General’s Office and assisted in the investigations.


The discharge of untreated sewage to the river endangers human health and the environment and violates a variety of state and federal health and environmental laws. Discharges from the storm sewers of these municipalities, while small in comparison to those by the City of Yonkers which is subject to a court order to eliminate its pollution, contribute to health risks for river users. Hundreds of members of the public, including children, regularly boat, swim and fish in the river each year.


In addition to eliminating their sewage discharges, under today’s agreements:


• The Town of Greenburgh will invest $16,524 in stormwater pollution reduction projects and pay a penalty of $1,836;
• The City of Mount Vernon will pay a penalty of $5,400;
• The Village of Scarsdale will invest $78,975 in stormwater pollution reduction projects and pay a penalty of $8,775; and
• The City of White Plains will invest $56,852 in stormwater pollution reduction projects and pay a penalty of $6,318.


Previous settlements have been reached with the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Gardens, which have fully implemented measures to cut off their pollution of the Bronx River. Last month, the Attorney General reached an agreement with Yonkers Raceway to eliminate its sewage discharges into the river. In addition, the Attorney General’s Office obtained a court order in 2004, on behalf of the state and DEC, requiring the City of Yonkers to stop discharging untreated sewage to the Bronx River. Investigations of other Bronx River polluters continue.


Once cleanups under the Attorney General’s settlements and its lawsuit against the City of Yonkers are fully implemented, most of the Bronx River is expected to achieve compliance with water quality standards, thereby minimizing the health dangers to river users. Large reductions in stormwater pollution are expected as well.


The agreements with the four municipalities were negotiated by Assistant Attorney General Philip Bein and Environmental Scientist Patricia Primi of the Environmental Protection Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Peter Lehner, with assistance provided by DEC staff.”


For a transcript of the agreement between the city and the Attorney General’s Office, go to http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2006/nov/WhitePlainsAOD.pdf

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2nd Cleaning Fluid Contamination Found in City– at The Pinn. DEC Mulls Cleanup

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. November 28, 2006: The site of The Pinnacle on Main Street, the 171-unit condoplex planned by the Ginsburg Development Corporation is polluted with an undetermined amount of cleaning fluid, delaying the start of that complex indefinitely.


 


Ginsburg Development Corporation is negotiating with the Department of Environmental Conservation to determine the extent of the contamination and whether it has to be cleaned out before ground is  broken, according to a story filed by Alex Philippidis in the Westchester County Business Journal Tuesday.


The White Plains Common Council should be intrigued. The Council gave The Pinnacle a stay of the date when Ginsburg Development  has to post a guarantee to construct 52 units of affordable housing, 24 of which are to fulfill Louis Cappelli’s affordable housing unit requirement in exchange for approval to build the Ritz-Carlton Westchester down the street. The extension by the Common Council  to provide GDC more time  to cobble state and county  financing together for the affordable housing piece.


 


The Westchester County Business Journal’s Alex Philippidis broke the pollution story today, in his report on the November 16 meeting of the Westchester County Board of Realtors. At the meeting,  Andrew Maniglia, Vice President of Development for Ginsburg Development Corporation,  revealed to the realtors that the land where The Pinnacle, the Main Street condoplex scheduled to go up this spring across from City Hall is contaminated with cleaning fluid dumped on the site in previous years.


 


Maniglia said Ginsburg Development is negotiating with the Department of Environmental Conservation to determine what the amount of the contamination perchloroethylene , a cleaning fluid, is and whether the company needs to remediate the deposit.



 


Maniglia reported Ginsburg Development has been in talks with the DEC to receive funding from the DEC “brown site cleanup fund” that has recently changed fund eligibility requirements so builders of condominums could use it to clean up their sites.


 


The pesky deposit of cleaning fluid creates a timing problem for Ginsburg Development Corporation.


 


The developer received an extension from the White Plains Common Council for it to get its financing together for the 52-unit  affordable housing component of the project. That extension when The Pinnacle has to file a guarantee with the city that the affordable housing will be built expires in April, 2007.


 


Ginsburg Development Corporation agreed with Cappelli Enterprises to build the affordable housing units Cappelli Enterprises is charged with building as part of its 221 Main Ritz-Carlton Westchester project. The Common Council has staunchly maintained that unless the Ritz-Carlton affordable housing “share” is guaranteed to be built, the council would withhold a Certificate of Occupancy for the Ritz-Carlton, scheduled to open in ten months (September, 2007). With no ground broken, which the Pinnacle people had promised two months ago, it is virtually impossible to have any affordable housing units built by September 2007, let alone open.


 


Mr. Philippidis’ story may be read at http://www.westchestercbj.com/archive/112706/1127060003.php


To refresh your memory on the Council extension of the Guaranty Agreement, read the WPCNR report on this extenstion at http://wpcnr.com/article5145.html


 


 


The “Pinnacle Perch”  is the second contamination of cleaning fluid revealed in the city this year, the other, a contamination of trichloroethylene (TECs) having been exposed by WPCNR to be harbored deep beneath the surface of the city dump for the last 35 years, apparently condoned by the Department of Environmental Conservation.


 


Currently the City of White Plains is conducting sensitive talks and determining procedures with the DEC as to whether that TEC deposit in the dump needs to be remediated. New Wells have been drilled based on the determination of a DEC hydrologist and test results are being awaited to gauge the current state of TEC contamination under the dump. The city has committed $1 Million so far to clean up the compost area in hopes of keeping that operation going. The DEC awaits tests on that contamination.


 


 

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Greenburgh Supervisor Warns of Hospital Closings.

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner (EDITED). November 28, 2006: More pressure will be placed on the White Plains Hospital Center Emergency Room if state plans for hospital closings are carried out. (The White Plains Emergency Room now has waits of hours for walk-in minimum trauma patients). Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner reports:


Residents of the river villages must work hard to save our health care facilities. Two major health care centers in Hastings and Dobbs Ferry are in danger of being closed. Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry and Andrus Retirement Nursing Home in Hastings could be forced out of business if a state commission charged with reorganizing NY’s health care system gets its way.


  The Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry has served our community since 1893 when the first hospital at Dobbs Ferry was built. This hospital has provided outstanding personalized care to many residents of the River Villages. This hospital is loved by many patients – because of the individualized attention received. Unlike larger medical centers – patients are treated like family and neighbors by the staff and medical professionals.  The hospital provides patients with high quality care.


  The Greenburgh Police Department has used the hospital. In 1997 we expanded our area’s emergency ambulance program. A police office who is a trained paramedic is brought to the scene of every serious emergency ambulance call. Many patients who live in the River Villages are brought to the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry. Countless lives have been saved as a result of the outstanding medical attention given to the patients.


  The State Panel is also recommending that Andrus on Hudson close down their nursing home and convert the nursing home into an independent living center.  The nursing home provides important medical services to the frail elderly and meets an important community need.


  If these two important medical centers are forced to close the quality of medical care in our community will be impacted. I have advised the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry and Andrus of my interest in working with them on an aggressive lobbying initiative to reverse the recommendations of the state panel.


  It’s my hope that the entire Westchester delegation to the NY State Legislature will work hard to save the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry and Andrus on Hudson Nursing home.


 

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County Leads State Counties in AIDS Cases. Offers Free HIV Testing at 85 Court S

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WPCNR PERSONAL. From County Legislator Judy Myers. (Edited) November 28, 2006: Dr. Joshua Lipsman, Commissioner of The County Department of Health informed the County Board Family, Health and Human Services Committee last week in a series of meetings that  Westchester County has the highest number of AIDS cases among the state’s 57 counties,  and the fourth highest HIV case rate out of all of the counties in New York, outside of New York City. In response, the County Board of Legislators passed a resolution urging all residents to be tested for AIDS without charge Friday in White Plains.



County Legislator Judy Myers (D,I,WF- Larchmont), Chair of the Family, Health and Human Services Committee, encourages county residents to get an HIV test — which will be offerred without charge at the County Office Building in White Plains at 85 Court Street 9:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.   Through testing, she said, research shows that risky behavior and the possible spread of the disease can be reduced by 50% if HIV infection is discovered, life saving medications can be administered early, when treatment is more effective and contagion can be lowered. WPCNR Photo Capture from Westchestergov.com


 


The free, confidential HIV tests will be available this Friday, December 1, World AIDS Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in front of the County Office Building at 85 Court Street in White Plains. This initiative is available free of charge to the public in an effort to raise awareness of the benefits of early detection of HIV. Given the high number of AIDS and HIV cases in Westchester County, the county wants to encourage our residents to act responsibly and get themselves tested to prevent the further spread of this incurable disease.


 


The free HIV tests will be provided by the mobile HIV testing unit from the Westchester Medical Center, in their 56 foot Winnebago.  The tests are conducted with an oral swab, and the results are available in twenty minutes. Personal information and test results will be confidential. Due to this new form of oral testing there is no need to draw blood, making it easier for those who fear needles to get the test, and it allows for faster results.


 


Legislator Myers introduced the following resolution which was passed by the Board of Legislators Monday evening:


World AIDS Day Resolution


December 1, 2006


 


 


Whereas,


Of the 57 counties in New York State, excluding New York City, Westchester County has the 2nd highest AIDS case rate, the 4th highest HIV case rate and the most people living with HIV and AIDS in New York State; and


 


Whereas,


Nationwide, there are an estimated 1.2 million Americans living with HIV and AIDS, 25% of whom are unaware that they are HIV-infected and may be spreading the virus unknowingly; and


 


Whereas,


Testing for HIV is a life-saving action that individuals can take to learn about their HIV status, to increase awareness and to reduce the conduct of behaviors that are conducive to transmission of the virus, and to seek medical treatment that can help prolong and increase the quality of life among infected persons; and


 


Whereas,


HIV and AIDS continue to have devastating consequences for the health, well-being and quality of life of infected individuals and affected communities worldwide and in our communities in Westchester County; now therefore be it


 


Resolved,


That the Westchester County Board of Legislators recognizes this 1st day of December 2006 as World AIDS Day in Westchester County in order to raise awareness of the impact of HIV and AIDS in Westchester communities, in New York State and worldwide; and be it further


 


Resolved,


That the Board urges all residents of Westchester County to get the test for HIV to help stem the tide of the HIV epidemic in our communities.


 

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DOT Chimpanzees Strike Again! DOT Drills Exit 8W Ramp White Plains Tosses,Turns

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WPCNR BUMPER-TO-BUMPER. By Clark Kent. Special From The Daily Planet. November 28, 2006: So Lois Lane was tossing and turning last night in the Fortress of Solitude in the White Plains southend, “where all is quiet, the yards are big, and the children pass their state achievements,” turns and asks me, “Superman? What’s that drilling?” “With your superhearing, I can’t believe you don’t hear that.”


I opened the window and sure enough, there was a rat-a-tat-tat rumble, pound, scraping sound in the direction of I-287 North of the WPCNR headquarters. “Sounds like the DOT is at it again, Lois, this is a job for Superman.”


 



Why You Couldn’t Get to Sleep Last Night: “Concrete Compression” on the infamous I-287 Entrance Westbound entry ramp in White Plains. The giant dentist’s drill onthe backhoe was pounding the cavities out of the ramp at 12 midnight. The chimpanzees that plan the scheduling at the Department of Transportation have struck White Plains again. Photo, WPCNR News


Checking with White Plains Police Headquarters, the desk told me, “We know of no construction going on. I’ll give you the DOT.” The WPPD deskmate calls the the DOT which picks up in Albany and they ring the night supervisor, the phone just rings and rings. Finally I call back the White Plains Police to make an official complaint: “I want to make an official complaint about the noise coming from I-287.” The White Plains Police say that is the Westchester County Police jurisdiction. She gives me the Westchester County Police.


Their Westchester County Police desk man gives me the Westchester County Police Dispatcher. She checks it out while I am on hold. She reports: “The DOT has permission from the (DOT) engineers to do some concrete compression on I-287. They are scheduled to be doing it until 1:30 A.M. They have permission from the DOT Engineers. We’re getting a lot of other complaints”


This sounds like a job for Superman, I think, so I take to the night about 11 o’clock, and head for I-287 off Exit 8-A where the construction might be. Making several passes over I-287, I drive under the overpass right by The Westchester Mall (in White Plains). Note to the White Plains Police: Exit 8A is in White Plains.



Those Who Drill By Night — Don’t Have to Sleep at Night. The DOT Boys Pound away on the I-287 Overpass at midnight in White Plains, keep a good portion of the city awake. Photo, WPCNR News


As I drive under the underpass, I notice a backhoe on the ramp and suddenly  see it’s menacing arm DRILL the overpass, creating a shuddering RAT-A-TAT-TAT creating sparks and a thundering, echoing catastrphic sound and shaking above my automobile. I had located the midnight driller that could be heard all over the southend of town. We thought it might be a Stepinac prank. But no, it was the good old DOT carrying out another well-thought out plan.


As of  12:30 the drilling has started again. It’s louder than blasting which they do during the day, which I have never heard.


Citizens inconvenienced by this night rumbling (that can be heard 2 miles away through closed windows), according to the Westchester County Police  should contact the “Head of Traffic, Division of Traffic of the Department of Transportation” and tell them this is ridiculous and they should not schedule “concrete compression” from 10 P.M. to 1:30 A.M.


One again, those same chimpanzees in the DOT Engineering Department who gave you the stop sign entrance onto I287 for three months, where you had to make a full stop and enter 60 MPH traffic have created an avoidable inconvenience (the cacaphonous drilling) that is keeping not only Lois Lane up tonight, but every commuter who is a light sleeper in North White Plains, the White Plains Downtown and the White Plains Southend, not to mention Valhalla and Harrison.


I can hardly wait until they start working on the new Tappan Zee Bridge and giving us a new I-287, after they finish the I-287 they are working on now. Hey, Eliot, put all the Democrats who want jobs in the DOT on January 1 — they couldn’t do any worse — or could they? You’d be doing New York a favor.

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