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

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Allan Gruet. July 12, 2006: Thursday night, Westchester Broadwayt Theatre opens its summer show, the sizzling “HOT MIKADO” is a 1940’s swing-time, gospel-infused version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s  most popular operetta, “The Mikado.” The show will feature a multi-media effect never-before-seen at the premier Westchester venue: giant video screens of the rock concert variety that will repackage the live sensory experience.

The Leads.  Sarah Darling as Yum-Yum, Jay Russell as Ko-Ko,
       and Adam Zelasko as Nanki-Poo

Photo, Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre  By John Vecchiola

“Hot Mikado” is a hilariously funny story about Nanki-Poo, a wandering minstrel (who now plays the trumpet) and his beautiful little sweetheart, Yum-Yum. Yum-Yum, however is engaged to the town executioner, and there is another lady, an aging torch singer named Katisha who is on the trail of boyfriend Nanki-Poo.

The love triangle and all of the complications are what set the tone for this hilariously funny, upbeat production. Try to imagine “Three Little Maids” sung in the style of the Andrew Sisters, or “Alone  and Yet Alive” performed as a torch song, or “Katisha’s Warning” as a gospel number. Comedy and high energy dance numbers are the main features of this modern adaptation.

Director/choreographer David Bell has included many different styles of dance, including jitterbug, tap, swing, and a number of other modern and contemporary dance styles. High-stepping gentlemen take to the stage wearing brightly colored Zoot suits. Gilbert and Sullivan’s nonsensical plot hasn’t changed too much, but the music is definitely updated by Rob Bowman, who is responsible for the musical adaptation and arrangements. The show is a funny and irreverent production that takes nothing seriously, including itself!

“Hot Mikado” offers high-energy entertainment!

The Westchester Broadway Theatre production will star Ted Levy as The Mikado, Jay Russell as Ko-Ko , Michael James Leslie as Pooh-Bah, BJ Crosby as Katisha, Adam Zelasko as Nanki-Poo, Sarah Darling as Yum-Yum, Stephanie Youell as Pitti-Sing, and Kia Lee as Peep-Bo. The entire production is Choreographed and directed by David Bell, with Musical Direction by Joel Gelpe, Costume design by Brian Hemeseth, Set design is by George Puello & Steve Loftus, Lighting design by Andrew Gmoser, and Sound design by Jon Hatton.

For ticket information, contact 914-592-2222, 10 A.M. through the evening, 7 days a week.

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WPCNR WEATHER SCOOP. From National Weather Service. July 12, 2006: After passing to the North of White Plains the tornado reported by the National Weather Service has moved out of the White Plains area and the Tornado Warning has been cancelled. Readers should monitor radio, The Weather Channel, News 12, and of course, WPCNR for the latest conditions during these unstable weather conditions. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 8 P.M. E.D.T.

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WPCNR Stage Door. July 12, 2006:   The White Plains Performing Arts Center had a cumulative deficit of $330,689 as of June 30, 2005, according to a document released by the Internal Revenue Service. The document is the non-profit organization’s Form 990 return which was filed with the IRS in February, 2006. The WPPAC officer signing the report was Theodore Peluso, treasurer of the organization.

According to the document, the Performing Arts Center owed developer Louis Cappelli $100,000 as of the end of the fiscal year. It began the year with loans from Cappelli in the amount of $40,000. By the end of the fiscal year, the loan amount had grown to $100,000. In addition, WPPAC had other loans and a line of credit totaling $171,565 at the end of the fiscal year. A loan from the City of White Plains was for $24,565.

The Form 990 shows that WPPAC spent $6,875 on conferences, conventions and meetings, and that Anthony Stimac, who is listed as being the “executive producer,” was paid $72,837.

WPPAC lost $850 when it conducted a fundraising activity in connection with Kathie Lee Gifford’s off-Broadway show “Under The Bridge.” However, it made $36,253 on its gala (a “Best of Broadway” fashion and performing extravaganza held in the Spring of 2005) and another $21,786 on a golf outing.

City contributes tax payer dollars.

Although the Form 990 does not provide a specific listing or details of the amounts contributed to WPPAC by the City of White Plains, it does report that the organization received $193,000 in donated services and use of facilities. If the $193,000 in services and use of facilities all came from the city, and you add the $100,000 cash payment appropriated by the Common Council towards WPPAC’s expenses, along with Community Development funds (if any), it is likely that the city would have provided between $300,000 and $400,000 for WPPAC during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005. Previously, officials of WPPAC have declined to provide line-by-line details of WPPAC’s expenses and revenues to WPCNR.   

Tony Stimac in presenting to the Common Council in November 2005, requested the Common Council contribute an additional $100,000, and that Mr. Cappelli would match it with a like sum of $100,000, plus other pledges totaling $300,000, which Mr. Stimac said would have the WPPAC breaking even in 2005-2006.

Since no report on 2005-2006 has yet been filed, it cannot be determined at this time if the WPPAC is still carrying the $330,689 deficit it had accrued by the beginning of the 2005-2006 year.

Based on Mr. Stimac’s positive financial prognosis, the City of White Plains Common Council voted in November 27 of 2005 to contribute that $100,000, and on July 5 (last week), approved Mr. Stimac as Executive Producer for the theatre for one more year.  Salary was not disclosed.

According to documents obtained by WPCNR the White Plains Performing Arts Center was burdened through the first 29 months of its existence by paying half the salaries of the managerial staff of the Helen Hayes Theatre Company.  

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER NEWS & COMMENTARY. By John F. Bailey July 11, 2006. UPDATED JULY 12, 2006 1:30 A.M. E.D.T. UPDATED July 12, 4:30 P.M. E.D.T.: As reported by WPCNR one week ago, the Mayor’s Office announced yesterday that Mayor Joseph Delfino has nominated Alexis Greer, the daughter of the late Councilman Robert Greer to serve through December 31 in her father’s vacant seat.

According to Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, Ms. Greer will be nominated at the July 20 work session and up for comfirmation for the seat at the August 7 Common Council meeting.

In a late development in this unsettled situation, Councilman Benjamin Boykin advised WPCNR Wednesday afternoon he would be supporting Dennis Power for the interim appointment over Ms. Greer, leaving Councilwoman Rita Malmud with Power’s short-term council fate in her hands, assuming Mr. Hockley, Mayor Delfino and Mr. Bernstein will support Ms Greer, while Councilman Tom Roach has already declared his preference for Mr. Power for the interim appointment. Boykin said the council had not opted for Mr. Power initially out of respect for Mr. Greer.

WPCNR has also learned that the Republican Party of White Plains offered the seat to former Councilman Larry Delgado, but Mr. Delgado declined it, and upon Mr. Delgado’s demurrence, decided to support Ms. Greer out of “respect” for her father.

According to the City of White Plains Charter, “No person shall be elected to a city office in said city unless at the  time of his or her election he or she is a resident elector of said  city and shall have resided in the city for a least two years prior to  his or her election.  Whenever any elective officer shall cease to be  a resident of said city his or her office shall thereby become vacant.” (Ms. Greer has not been a resident of the city for two years.)

However since, Ms. Greer is “an appointment” it is not addressed in the Charter as to whether “appointees” fall under the same qualifications.

 Keith Eddings, Journal News reporter, wrote in The Journal News that Councilpersons Rita Malmud and Arnold Bernstein would not decide whether to support Ms. Greer until the Democrats meet on the matter.

Councilman Benjamin Boykin advised WPCNR Wednesday afternoon he would be supporting Dennis Power for the interim appointment over Ms. Greer, leaving Councilwoman Rita Malmud with Power’s short-term council fate in her hands, assuming Mr. Hockley, Mayor Delfino and Mr. Bernstein will support Ms Greer.

WPCNR notes the Democrats had they wished to nominate Dennis Power for the interim vacant seat termage now through December 31, they could have done so last week when they nominated Mr. Power last Monday to run in a Special Election for the balance of the one year term beginning in January, 2007. Had they decided to do so, they could have annointed Power July 5 of last week.

It was noted at this time last week by WPCNR that the refusal to nominate Mr. Power immediately for the interim termage, was a slap in the face to Mr. Power by his fellow Democrats, and appeared most unusual if they were going to appoint him anyway. It appeared to make no sense not to make both transition moves simultaneously if they were going to do that. The reason given to WPCNR by Paul Schwarz, Mr. Power’s former Campaign Manager, was that the Democrat City Committee did not move Power to the interium seat position was not doen  out of respect for Mr. Greer.

 Mr. Bernstein and Mr. Hockley have been feuding with Councilpersons Rita Malmud, Benjamin Boykin and Tom Roach ever since Bernstein was not nominated for Common Council President last January (Ms. Malmud arranged support to be nominated in his place). Though Mr. Bernstein denied vehemently to WPCNR Tuesday afternoon that he was feuding with Malmud and Roach, saying they have an amicable relationship.

The most notable evidence of this feud was Mr. Hockley’s shocking critique of Ms. Malmud’s performance on the Common Council over her career done on television last Wednesday evening. It was one of the most bizarre events ever in the seven years WPCNR has been covering the Common Council. Mr. Bernstein did not make any overtures to defend Ms. Malmud’s performance from Mr. Hockley’s zingers.

WPCNR would guess that Ms. Greer already has three votes (the Mayor, Mr. Bernstein, and Mr. Hockley). Mr. Boykin appears to be the swing vote who has to be won over, or for that matter, Ms. Malmud in a dramatic conciliatory gesture could cast the decider putting Ms. Greer in line for  five months of a councilperson’s salary, (approximately $14,500), plus benefits.

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 WPCNR SKY WATCH. Special to WPCNR by Peter Katz, Publisher of Aviation Monthly and NTSB Reporter. July 6, 2006: Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to join FAA investigators in examining the wreckage of a Piper model PA-28R-200 airplane piloted by Dr. William P. Homan of 7 Ritchey Place in White Plains. The airplane crashed Wednesday in a wooded area about ½-mile west of the airport at Block Island, Rhode Island, killing all three occupants. They have been identified as Dr. Homan, his wife, and his mother.

Dr. Homan’s practice is located at 170 Maple Avenue in White Plains, and he has been affiliated with White Plains Hospital. He received national recognition as head of a program to provide surgical treatment for obese people.

 The airplane had been scheduled to fly from Block Island to Westchester County Airport. The Piper “Arrow,” a single-engine propeller-driven airplane with retractable landing gear, was built in 1970. It has been registered to Dr. Homan since 1989, according to FAA records.

 FAA records show that Dr. Homan held a private pilot license for single-engine airplanes and an instrument rating. An instrument rating means that a pilot is qualified to fly an airplane solely by reference to cockpit instruments, in clouds and when there is reduced visibility.

 Preliminary information indicates that an instrument flight plan had been filed for the airplane to fly from Block Island to Westchester, with a departure around 12 noon. Although the airplane took off from the airport, preliminary information indicates that the pilot did not contact FAA controllers to activate the flight plan after departure. Since Block Island Airport does not have a control tower, pilots flying under instrument flight rules (IFR) typically receive a clearance for their approved route of flight while on the ground, and then contact controllers at Providence, RI, Approach Control for identification on air traffic control radar once they are airborne.

 Weather observed by automated equipment at the Block Island Airport Wednesday at about 11:55 a.m., included visibility of only ¾-mile, a 1,000 foot broken ceiling, and overcast clouds at 2,700 feet above ground level.  By 12:15, the weather had somewhat deteriorated, with the overcast cloud deck dropping to 1,000 feet above ground level. By 12:35, the weather had deteriorated even further. The Block Island observation at that time included visibility of ½-mile, broken cloud ceiling 100 feet, overcast ceiling at 1,000 feet, and a thunderstorm in the vicinity.