WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. December 7, 2007 UPDATED 5:35 P.M. E.S.T.: County Executive Andrew Spano, according to the Mayor’s Office, could not attend a meeting with the Common Council and the Mayor and the White Plains clergy prepared to run a Warming Shelter in White Plains. The meeting was tentatively scheduled for Wednesday to settle the issue of where and who would operate and fund the proposed Warming Shelter for the drifting homeless outside the county Department of Social Services system who continue to sleep in doorways, in the woods, and around White Plains in sub freezing temperatures. The Mayor sent this urgent letter to Mr. Spano today. Donna Greene of the Westchester County Department of Communications said that the County Executive would be responding to the Mayor’s letter.

The Honorable Andrew J. Spano
Westchester County Executive
900 Michaelian Office Building
148 Martine Avenue
White Plains, NY 10601

Dear Mr. Spano:

I was disappointed that you could not attend an Open Public Meeting that I tentatively had scheduled for Wednesday, December 5th with the City of White Plains Common Council to address the issue of the non-conforming housing population that has been without shelter since the closing of the 85 Court Street facility in White Plains.  As you are aware, this situation is of deep concern to me, the Council, many clergy and others in our community.  The situation is obviously now exacerbated as temperatures continue to drop.

As the Council and I are anxious to address this situation as soon as possible in a public forum, in lieu of your attendance, would you be kind enough to respond expeditiously to advise what, if any plans the County has, or is considering implementing, to address this grave issue.   It would be of tremendous help to us, as the policy makers of the City of White Plains, to have this information as soon as possible.

Thank you for your timely attention to this matter.

                            Very Truly Yours,


                            Joseph M. Delfino
                            Mayor, City of White Plains

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WPCNR DEVELOPERS DAILY. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. December 6, 2007: The Common Council which published a lengthy letter in the White Plains Times three months ago stating their unequivocal opposition to the Delfino Administration Request for Qualifications from developers issued last August in an effort to upgrade the White Plains Railroad station area has reversed itself. Today, WPCNR has learned the council will review Requests for Qualifications submissions from four developers next week, who responded to the RFQ. Prior to the election, the Council said they would not review any proposals or qualifications generated by the RFQ

Then

On Monday, at 6 PM in the Mayor’s Conference Room the Council will hear a presentation from Archstone Smith/Tishman-Speyer and Reckson, a firm that (as WPCNR first reported last month) has developed a preliminary plan which Reckson had showed to three members of the Council of Neighborhood Associations in October. Those persons were Candyce Corcoran, Bob Myerson and  Marc Politzer, who each greeted the plan with enthusiasm.  

On Thursday, December 20 at  6 PM at the regular work session, the Council will hear from two other suitors, Rex Corporation and Albanese Development Corporation/Starwood Capital Group (the hotel organization).

In September, four members of the council had published a flat rejection of any interest in following through on any developers or development plans generated by the Delfino Administration Request for Qualifications.  They rejected the Mayor’s vision for developing the station. Now they are willing to see visions. In September the four (Councilpersons Malmud, Boykin, Power and Roach) wrote:

“ We serve notice that we do not support the RFQ recently released by the mayor’s office through the commissioner of planning and will avail ourselves of all measures at our disposal to bring this ill-considered proposal to a quick end.” and that any proposals should have “input from our residents is what is required.”

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WPCNR MONEY NEWS. From Morton’s Steakhouse. December 6, 2007: Thirty-eight-year-old Raymond “Ray” Steadman, a waiter at Morton’s The Steakhouse in White Plains, is accustomed to being around millionaires, Lottery millionaires that is.  

“Just a couple of years ago, I was right behind someone who bought a $1,000,000 winner that could have been mine,” said Steadman (center of picture,holding blowup check. “I’m also good friends with Jimmy Morey who won $2,000,000 on a (Instant Millions) scratch off back in 2002. Now it’s my turn to take home the $1,000,000 check.”

Steadman’s days as a “bridesmaid” ended on November 28, 2007 when he purchased a top-prize winning Merry Money instant ticket along with his coffee and newspaper at the Lakeside Market on Lake Drive in Lake Peekskill – the very store where his late father once purchased his weekly Lotto tickets.

“My father played the Lottery for many years,” said Steadman. “I am sure he had a hand in this. I just wish he was here to enjoy it with me, but I’m sure he’s watching.”

Steadman said despite his $1,000,000 windfall, he plans to continue working at Morton’s The Steakhouse because he enjoys “the people, the benefits and, of course, the tips.”

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WPCNR RINKSIDE. December 6, 2007: The Skyliners, the  Westchester, NY, NJ and Conneticut’s Junior Synchronized Skating Eastern Champions debuted their short and long competition programs to shivering skating fans at The Pond in Bryant Park last night, in an exhibition skate with Georgian Pairs Skaters Isbella Tobias and Otar Japaridze and  members of the Ice Theater of New York, after contributing to the Marines annual Toys for Tots

The Skyliners Reach for the Sky at Bryant Park’s “Pond” last night.

The Skyliners Introduce the Show to Proud Mary, Kicking high in sync! Next Stop, Radio City Music Hall.

Skating to “Proud Mary” and a Queen medley, the girls, aged 14 to 19 from the tri-state area smoothly negotiated elaborate ladders, lines, wheels, intersections and spread eagles on a crisp windy night to the delight of the crowd. The exhibition was paired with the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots program, at which the girls donated twenty Skyliner Bears for needy children.

`The team, sponsored by the Windy Hill Skating Club in Greenwich and The Skating Club of New York and managed by Larry Rosen of the Athlete’s Foot in White Plains, is gearing up for the Junior World Qualifier Competition in Fraser , Michigan outside metropolitan Detroit  January 11 to 13. The team has also been chosen by United States Figure Skating to represent the U.S.A. competing in the Zagreb Snowflakes Competition in Croatia in March.

5 Skate into College Programs

Five Skyliners from last year’s Junior  Eastern Regional Championship Team have won slots on collegiate Synchronized Skating Team programs, two at Miami University,  two at The University of Michigan and one at Syracuse University. A member of this year’s team will attend the University of Wisconsin where she also plans to synchro skate.

For more on The Skyliners, go to www.skylinerssynchro.com.

The Skyliners set the tone for the show with their introductory performance to Proud  Mary, setting the stage for a performance by  Yuna Makayasu, the 12 year old 2008 Middle Atlantic Juvenile Figure Skating Champion. Ms. Makayasu is coached by Skyliners Coach, Josh Babb.

Aidan Daley-Hynes, Suzanne McDonald and Tyrrell Gene of  the Ice Theater troop skated to “Heart” 

Next to perform were the marvelous new pairs couple, skating together just 8 months,  the former New York City Ballet dancer, 16 year old Isabella Tobias and 19 year old Otar Japaridze.

Isabella Tobias and Otar Japaridze are international ice dancers representing the Republic of Georgia.  Their partnership began in April 2007.   For the 2007- 2008 season they will compete on the Junior Grand Prix Circuit in Germany and Great Britain, and at the Junior World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.  They train 5 hours a day, 6 days a week, in Princeton, New Jersey. 

Their coaches are two-time Olympic Champion Evgeny Platov and five-time National Champion and Olympian Judy Blumberg.  Isabella, 16, lives in Manhattan.  She attended George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet for 7 years and performed with the New York City Ballet.  With her previous skating partner she was a medalist at the United States Junior National Championships.  Otar, 19, is from Tbilisi, Georgia.  He relocated to the United States in April 2007 and lives in Princeton, NJ.  With his previous skating partner he competed at the Junior World Championships in 2006 and 2007.

The Skyliners end Proud Mary with their signature move…the Spread Eagle Wheel.

The Skyliners Say Good Night. Today that had to be seventeen-something and back in class again.

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE.. From the Department of Homeland Security. December 5, 2007: Yesterday the U.S. Justice Department filed an appeal on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security seeking to lift an injunction preventing the DHS “No-Match” rule from going into effect in California. The injunction was granted based on a suit by the American Civil Liberties Union. Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security issued this statement today explaining the effects of the “No-Match” law:

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the injunction against the No-Match Rule in San Francisco, Calif.

 I believe that the No-Match Rule is a major step forward in preventing employment of illegal migrants. Contrary to the ACLU’s incorrect statements, the rule is not harmful to legal workers. DHS is not abandoning it.

Employers receive a No-Match letter from the Social Security Administration when an employee’s name does not match the social security number it has on file. Sometimes there is an innocent explanation for this discrepancy, such as a clerical error. But sometimes the discrepancy reflects the fact that the employee in question is an illegal alien. When employers receive such No-Match letters, they are on notice that the employees in question may not be authorized to work.  

Under our No-Match Rule, no employer should terminate an employee based upon a no-match letter alone. But no employer should ignore such a letter or the discrepancy it reveals. The No-Match Rule gives employers and employees 90 days – a full three months – to correct the discrepancy.  

If the mismatch is a clerical error, that is a good opportunity to correct the mistake. When the mismatch shows fraud, however, appropriate steps should be taken. Businesses that follow the procedures in the rule will have a safe harbor from enforcement action.  Those that ignore no-match letters place themselves at obvious risk and invite suspicion that they are knowingly employing workers who are here illegally.  

Far from abandoning the No-Match Rule, we are pressing ahead by taking the district court’s order to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. At the same time, we will soon issue a supplement to the rule that specifically addresses the three grounds on which the district court based its injunction. By pursuing these two paths simultaneously, my aim is to get a resolution as quickly as possible so we can move the No-Match Rule forward and provide honest employers with the guidance they need.

The ACLU’s lawsuit has put this vital protection on hold. That is bad for immigration enforcement and bad for America’s law-abiding employers and their legal workers. The only real beneficiaries of the ACLU’s strategy are employers who would rather close their eyes to cheap and profitable illegal labor than obey the laws of our country.