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. By John Bailey. November 19, 2007 Updated 5:53 PM: Reverend Carter Via of the Presbyterian Church of White Plains announced today three White Plains churches located around the central city core have firmly committed to offer their facilities for a warming shelter for individual homeless persons. Reverend Via said Grace Community Church would staff the shelter and provide security, and also be responsible for the transportation of homeless seeking overnight shelter over the winter nights. The plan depends on Common Council approval for a Special Permit to run the shelter legally. The forecast for this evening is a cold and damp 35 degrees.

The shelter will offer only 19 beds (cots). Via speculated that Grace Community Church may transport the overflow seeking shelter to Yonkers or another location. Asked by WPCNR if the other two churches could not house overflow clients, Via agreed of the sense of that but that logistics would have to be worked out, whether all three churches would be “on call” nightly or not. The churches, he said at this time would host the shelter for two-week periods, with the site rotating to another church, then the third church, and then going back to the first church.

Homeless would gather at a central collection point in the downtown, Via, again speculated, since the sites are on the periphery of the city with only one church walkable from the downtown.

Reverend Via said the shelter was limited to 19 cots because of state laws calling for state oversite of shelters housing more than 19 cots.

The Reverend said one church had approved the shelter Saturday, and he heard positively from the other two locations in the last 48 hours.

Reverend Via said as soon as the White Plains city government approved the plan which now is definite  on locations and how the clients would be handled, he said that funding for the program would come from County Executive Andrew Spano, who in meetings between Rabbit Lester Bronstein and Mr. Spano, had said he was willing to fund a warming shelter in White Plains as long as the city approved of the location (in White Plains).

Reverend Via was seeking to set up a meeting with the Mayor, and the Common Council, he hoped for  Tuesday evening. The Council meets on the Capital Projects Budget tomorrow afternoon, followed by a Special Meeting at 6. The agenda has just been released to the media, and the shelter proposal is not on it at this hour.

Since the 85 Court Street Drop-In Shelter was closed by Westchester County August 5, the homeless single persons who refused to join the Department of Social Services program and observe its rules, have been spending their nights in wooded locations around the city exposed to the elements.

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From White Plains Department of Public Safety. November 19, 2007: Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson confirmed to WPCNR this afternoon that two burglaries occurred in White Plains at the end of last week. One break-in took place on Tuesday, November 13 off Ridgeway and 1 on Thursday, November 15 off Bryant Avenue and North Street, as first reported on White Plains Week Friday evening on Channel 76.

Commissioner Jackson told WPCNR today “We have had several burglaries in the past few weeks (also) in the Rosedale area. Hence, the increased  attention and information to the neighborhood groups. We are asking anyone who sees anything or anyone supicious to call it in to us at 914-422-6111.

Jackson said burglaries for the year were still down 28%.

With people traveling this week in connection with the Thanksgiving holidays, WPCNR reprints these Burglary Prevention Steps issued by the police last week.

BURGLARY PREVENTION TIPS

The White Plains Department of Public Safety

would like to make the following recommendations.

Protect your home while you are out …

• Always keep doors and windows locked – even for a five-minute trip to the store.
  
• Use strong reliable locks such as deadbolts.
  
• An easy and inexpensive way to secure your windows is to drill an angled hole through the top frame of the lower window partially into the frame of the upper window.  Then insert a nail or eyebolt. 
  
• To improve security on sliding glass doors, you can install keyed locking devices or place a piece of wood or a metal bar in the track of the closed door to prevent the door from being opened.
  
• Turn on lights and leave a radio or TV on so it looks like someone is home.

·        Use exterior lighting, especially motion sensor lights.

If you are going out of town for more than a day…

• Call 422-6111 (Police Bureau) and request that your home be checked in your absence.
  
• Get an automatic timer for your lights and consider leaving a radio on. Make it look like someone is home.
  
• Make certain that you arrange to have the mail and newspaper delivery stopped or picked up by a trusted neighbor.
  
• Arrange to have your lawn mowed while you are gone.
  
• If you have an alarm, activate it.
  
• Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway overnight.

.

If you see anything suspicious call the police immediately

911 FOR EMERGENCIES

422-6111 For non-emergencies

422-6256 for anonymous crime tips hotline (recorded)

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. From the Ritz-Carton. November 18, 2007: The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, the area’s only luxury hotel, has announced that it has begun taking reservations. The first guest rooms are being booked for its official public opening day of Thursday, December 20^th and thereafter.

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WPCNR FOR THE RECORD. From the Department of Homeland Security. November 17, 2007: The United States Department of Homeland Security released the following fact sheet last week detailing the tools the DHS is employing to enforce the immigration laws, protect the borders, and identify illegal works. The sheet is reprinted as follows:

Border Security and Immigration Enforcement

 Securing the Border

·        DHS has completed more than 76 miles of pedestrian fence for a total of more than 150 miles of pedestrian fence and 115 miles of vehicle fence on the Southwest border. 

·        DHS plans to build an additional 225 miles of pedestrian fence and 200 miles of vehicle fence.  We expect to have about 670 miles of total pedestrian fence and vehicle fence by the end of 2008. 

·        The Border Patrol now has roughly 15,000 agents and by the end of next year we will have more than 18,300 agents.  This doubles the size of the Border Patrol under President Bush’s leadership.   

·        The National Guard continues to support the Border Patrol under Operation Jump Start.  This partnership has been extremely productive as we work to the build the fence and train Border Patrol agents. 

·        The National Guard has assisted with the apprehension of nearly 124,000 illegal aliens and the seizure of more than 900 vehicles, 250,000 pounds of marijuana, nearly 5,000 pounds of cocaine, and more than $68,000 in currency since the start of Operation Jump Start.

·        DHS saw a more than 20 percent reduction in apprehensions of illegal aliens at the Southern border in Fiscal Year 2007.  This is an indication that there are fewer attempts to cross the border illegally. 

Interior Enforcement

 ·        In Fiscal Year 2007, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 3,563 gang members and their associates.  This includes 1,489 criminal arrests. 

 ·        Under Operation Community Shield ICE has arrested more than 7,655 members and associates of approximately 700 different gangs.  Of those apprehended 2,444 have been charged criminally and 5,211 have been charged with immigration violations and processed for removal. 

·        Over a three month period this summer ICE arrested more than 1,300 violent street gang members and associates in 23 cities across 19 states. 

 ·        ICE has expanded its Criminal Alien Program to identify incarcerated criminal aliens.  In Fiscal Year 2007, ICE identified for removal 164,296 criminals who were incarcerated in federal, state and local facilities. 

 ·        ICE has increased its fugitive operations teams from 15 in 2005 to 75 today.  As a result, the fugitive alien population has plummeted by more than 35,000. 

 ·        ICE continues to increase worksite enforcement operations.  In Fiscal Year 2007, ICE made 863 criminal arrests and 4,077 administrative arrests for a total of 4,940 arrests. 

 ·        In Fiscal Year 2007, DHS obtained more than $30 million in criminal fines, restitutions and civil judgments as a result of worksite enforcement. 

 E-Verify

·        E-Verify is a free and simple to use Web-based system that electronically verifies the employment eligibility of newly hired employees.  For more information on E-Verify visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

 ·        E-Verify works by allowing participating employers to electronically compare employee information taken from the Form I-9 (the paper based employee eligibility verification form used for all new hires) against more than 425 million records in the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) database and more than 60 million records in DHS immigration databases.  Results are returned within seconds.

 ·        Currently, more than 30,000 companies are enrolled in E-Verify.  More than 3.2 million new hires have been processed through E-Verify and usage is growing by roughly 83 percent annually.  The system is currently capable of handling up to 25 million inquiries a year.

 ·        DHS has filed a law suit against Illinois, which passed legislation that prohibits employers in their state from using E-Verify. 

 No-Match Letters

 ·        DHS issued a regulation earlier this year which outlines specific steps an employer should take if they receive a “no-match” letter from the SSA informing them they have an employee whose name and Social Security Number do not match the government records. 

 ·        The regulation sets forth clear guidance for businesses to comply with “no-match” notices and provides a safe harbor for employers who follow the guidance and perform due diligence so they are not found in violation of their legal obligations. 

 ·        The implementation of this regulation has been delayed to lawsuits filed by the ACLU and U.S. Chamber of Commerce preventing DHS from issuing “no-match” letters. 

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WPCNR’S THE REAL DEAL. By The Wedding Jeannie, Jeannie Uyanik. November 17, 2007 (Second Part of a Two-Part Article on “Event Stationary”): First let’s discuss the program you distribute at your “event.”  I give a wide range of advice to my brides on programs.  On one hand, many people don’t read them or they leave them on their seat at the ceremony.  On the other hand, if you’re having a religious ceremony or lots of musicians or attendants, often it’s nice to describe the traditions and point out the participants.  The program is another place where you can get really creative. 

The Pivotal Escort Card vs. Placecard

Once the ceremony is over, it’s time for the reception and depending on its format, you may or may not need the following items.  If you are having a seated affair, guests will need to know which table is theirs. This is usually done through an escort card.  It’s often confused with a place card. The difference: an escort card assigns you to a table; a place card assigns you to a seat at the table. Typically, we recommend using only escort cards.  Often guests get irritated if they are told to sit in a specific seat and it’s one less thing to print if you don’t use them.  Again, there’s a gamut of possibilities.  The most simple and cost effective is a standard tented card.  These can be either done through your calligrapher or through a printer.  We often use a company called www.placecards.com with our clients.

They offer several different papers, inks, and fonts and the pricing is ridiculously reasonable. If you want something with a dramatic flare, you can attach ribbons to your cards and hang them from an arrangement of flowering branches (although this can create difficulty in finding cards).  We’ve also done things like nestling them in wheat grass or placing them across a bed of roses.  Some couples even affix the cards to the wedding favor so people get them early in the night. 

But keep in mind, if you’re having a cocktail hour, your guests will have to hold whatever you’re giving them, so simple is best!  Another way to customize your escort cards is by labeling your tables with names rather than numbers.  Perhaps you and your hubby have traveled the world and want the tables to be names of your favorite cities.  Or perhaps you met in a particular city and you want to incorporate local streets, attractions and restaurants in that area. Again, the sky is the limit and in this case, your creativity isn’t costing you more money!

Once guests know where they are sitting, the will arrive at their table where it’s often nice to have a menu card at each place setting.  Guests are excited to see what will be on the menu!  Although it’s still done, it’s not proper etiquette to give guests a choice of entrée on the wedding invitation; it’s much better to do it at the event on a menu card.  I am a fan of the tea length card which typically measures 4” x 9”.  Its sleek long design comfortably tucks into a folded napkin where a fresh flower can be placed as well.  We’ve had couples include everything from the food to the wines to a special message.  If you’re giving a donation to a charity in lieu of a favor, it’s appropriate to mention it at the bottom.

Another paper product that appears at the wedding is the guestbook. 

Traditionally couples go out and buy a lined book and people sign it during different times in the evening. It can be a daunting and a dull activity….until now.  In recent years, guest books have made major developments.  Many people have started using beautiful art books or a book on the city they are getting married in as their guestbook.  A few companies make pieces of unfired pottery for guests to sign.  The piece is then sent back to the company where it’s fired and glazed to be used a functional piece.  The downside is, if you break it, it’s gone.

There’s also the Polaroid Guestbook that has custom pages that will hold a standard Polaroid picture. It can be expensive since you need to have enough film for every guest to have a picture, but it can be a fun thing to do (although its been done a lot). In keeping up with the “green” movement with weddings, our team has designed a guestbook that uses your positive RSVP cards as its pages.  Couples send in their cards, and we bind them into a beautiful custom book.  It’s a great memento of the wedding and it’s an eco-friendly way to reuse a piece of your stationery.  It’s scheduled to launch this fall.  For updates visit www.candgweddings.com .

Printing Cache

I haven’t touched on one thing that supremely affects the look, feel and cost of your stationery and that is the printing method.  I’ll just touch briefly on each as this topic is extremely vast.  The cheapest way to print is called off-set printing or lithography.  If you have many colors in your invitation or very detailed graphics, this is your best bet.  But many people find it very important for their invitations to have relief, meaning the ink can be felt when you move your finger over it.  There are a couple of options for this:  engraving and thermography. 

Engraving involves a process where a plate is made, which in turn makes it more expensive than thermography.  Thermography, known as the “poor man’s engraving,” is done by dusting wet ink with a powder and then heating it to create the texture. Both give you the same affect and only a trained eye can tell the difference.  The last method I’ll mention is letterpress.  It’s probably my favorite but it comes at a premium.  Actual letterpress machines aren’t produced anymore, so it’s truly an art and a rarity. Letterpress is the opposite of engraving because it produces a negative relief.  The machine literally presses images into the paper.  Recently, we had a bride that had the image of her wedding dress’s lace pressed onto the invitation.  It was spectacular!  A great designer in Chicago named Peggy Lambert produced these.  www.ericksondesign.com

Stationary Creates an Intangible Image

Stationery can be a powerful tool in creating the look of your wedding, why not optimize its power and make consistent and creative choices for every piece.  Creativity doesn’t always mean expensive. There are many companies out there that offer economical invitations that are beautiful. Make sure you touch and feel a sample before you commit.  And one last piece of advice, take your invitation to the post office and have it weighed.  Odd shapes and heavy invitations translate into extra postage.  The USPS puts out a wedding stamp set every year but make sure it’s sufficient for your exact invitation before you buy your stamps and mail your invitations.  

Above all, remember that your stationery should not be stationary, use it to move guests before and at the event

Note: Ms. Uyanik knows all kinds of events! Got a question or a comment for the Wedding Jeannie? Ms. Uyanik will answer your questions. Simply e-mail her at weddinggenie@candgweddings.com