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BLOWING OF LEAVES WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION LEAF BLOWERS BAN LIFTED STARTING OCT 15 THROUGH DECEMBER 15

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The White Plains Common Council voted 4-3 Monday evening, to modify the city’s ban on gas-powered leaf blowers all year long, the original leaf blower law.

Beginning October 15 residents and businesses will be allowed through the fall season through the end of November to use gas powered leaf blowers. Previously, they were banned throughout the year, which according to residents’ observations of violations was widely ignored by groundskeeping businesses servicing neighbors, residents themselves themselves and even the White Plains DPW using gas blowers to clean up the July fireworks night with authorization, the Mayor said. The school district has also been alleged to use gas leaf blowers

As a result of numerous videos and pictures submitted by residents to the Mayor’s office and councilpersons documating violations, the Common Council discussed the situation among themselves and Councilperson John Martin “crafted” a compromise ordinance, eliminating the ban of gas-powered leaf blowers beginning October 15 THROUGH DECEMBER 15,

in the video replay of Monday’s meeting, Councilpersons Martin, Jennifer Puja, Nadine Hunt-Robinson,and  robert Paine voted to amend and allow the the fall use of gas blowers. Mayor Roach, Councilperson Brasch,  Councilperson  Victoria Presser voted against weakening the law.

All 7 councilpersons had extensive comments and those may be viewed on the city website at

http://whiteplainsny.swagit.com/play/10032023-520

and select item 4 on the program

Mayor Roach speaks for  20 minutes on why he voted against the law.

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THE SCIENCE STORY BEHIND THE COVID 19 VACCINE AND KARIKO’ AND WEISSMAN’S NOBEL PRIZE

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NEW! INTRODUCING “THIS WEEK IN OUTBREAKS: THE NORTHEAST EDITION” FROM DR. CAITLIN RIVERS

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Editor’s Note from John Bailey, The White Plains CitizeNetReporter: Good morning! Today introduces a new timely addition to White Plains CitizeNetReporter. Dr. Caitlin Rivers of Johns Hopkins University, who publishes Force of Infection, is introducing a new regional edition of her newsletter which zeros in on the numbers up close and personal in the northeast. WPCNR is a paid subscriber of this new source of clarity on covid as the New York metropolitan area is matching last September covid cases and enters the fall season when last year new infections lead to thousands of infections last January. This Week in Outbreaks is published for the first time today and is reprinted with permission.

Genevieve McCracken

19 mins ago

Thank you so much for this! I was so excited to see your newsletter, for the north east region, in my inbox this morning. Your work is so valuable. So thankful for you.

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The Last Game

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“GLORY DAYS” PASS YOU BY

WPCNR View from the Upper Deck By “Bull” Allen. October 1, 2023 UPDATED OCTOBER 3, 12 NOON::

Hello there, Everybody!

This is Bull Allen and this is the last day of the baseball season. I’m greeting you from the mezzanine Press Box of the Old Big Ball Park as the Old Redhead used to call it, behind the PIX microphone.

The old Yankee Stadium went out to 461 feet to three monuments that were in play and 301 down the line in left and 296 down the rightfield line. The yard swiftly curved out deep to an immense cow pasture of outfield to the leftfield bull pen  to 457 feet in left center and dead center 461 feet, then cut sharply back  in front of the majestic bleachers to 357 feet in dead right in front of the Yankee Bullpen down to 344 feet and short  four foot wall over to the 296 foot foul pole

New York was in 9 World Series in  the 1950s, and games were started  at 1 PM in New York and the left field in the stadium became a blinding sun field as the regal shadows of the sharp-raked grandstand caused the sun sinking around 3 PM  early  to make it very tough for leftfielders and centerfielders to pick up the ball. I saw Norm Siebern, the Yankee leftfielder lose two balls in the sun in the 4th game of the 1958 World Series to give Milwaukee 3 runs in and give Warren Spahn a 3-0 shutout. It was brutal.

Nowadays most playoff and World Series games are played at night for television. No longer does the sun play like a 10th player at the new Yankee Stadium

The series was played in 70 degree weather, too. Kids listened to the last innings on transistor radios at their desks if teachers were tolerant.

With expanded playoffs and the expensive lineups fielded by the Yankees and Metropolitans, they were picked to win at least a playoff spot.

Neither did.

I am greeting you from the sun splashed diamond in The Bronx. No game today. No games until next April, except of course, for the baseball playoffs, 12 teams going through 162 games to get to the World Series, with the possibility that a 6th place finisher could make it to the World Series.

Neither New York team made the playoffs—how I hate that word – and some profound changes in the way the game was played under the new rules in the interest of speeding up the game — just might have had something to do with that.

The Yankees almost finished below .500 for the first time in 30 years, Going on a 7-0 burst to assure a .500 season. The irony is they had been able to do one 10 game winning streak earlier in September they would have nosed out Toronto for a playoff spot.

Watching up here in the Mel Allen Memorial WPIX Television booth looking at the empty  autumn splashed park of memory, I remember the pall of the 1965 season when the Yankees of the early 60s collapsed in 1965 under the managership of Johnny Keane, who replaced Yogi Berra. The Yankees went 77-85 that year, sixth in a 10-team league.  But even then, the team never gave up. Mantle played hurt.  This year something happened. The game had changed: hitters had to learn to hit faster because the pitches were coming faster every 20 seconds. Hitters did not have time to think.

They lost Judge to an injury because the Dodger Stadium did not pad their rightfield bullpen fence.

This took the fear out of the lineup.

But the hitting was not there all season, even before Judge was carrying the team. Funny thing is, I figure having Judge in the lineup at his 2022 62 homer season form would have won them 10 more games at least which would have given the Yankees 92 wins, enough to make the playoffs.

Aaron Boone could not motivate this team for any kind of a “stretch drive.” (Remember 1978? The Yanks were 14 out in early August. Bob Lemon replaced Billy Martin as manager, and the Yankees caught the Red Sox.

But for some reason there was no urgency in the last three months of the season. This is a problem.

But the Bronx Bombers management cannot just say we’ll be all right next year with Judge at his old best.

When Joe D hurt his heel in 1948, he returned in mid-1949. However His homers dropped by half in his final 3 seasons. 1950-1953.

I think the new pitching rules hurt the Yankee free-swinging hitters because pitchers pitched faster and  the hitters did not have the time to adjust as to what pitch was coming next, making good pitches better, causing “GUESS SWINGS.”

Think of it:

In 5 pitches if the pitcher throws  every 20 seconds, the hitter has less than 2 minutes in the box. In the past hitters could call time,  get set and think. This season the Yankees struck out a lot, left too many on base or did not situational-hit or even try to hit the ball behind the runner either by bunt, hit and run, or  hitting to the right or left side. They had big problems getting sacrifice flies when they needed them. The manager, Aaron Boone never played for building a run, waiting for the power hitters to homer. They did, not enough with runners on base.

The other problem the Yankees had was starting pitchers going more than 5 innings.

Gerrit Cole was the only pitcher who consistently approached that standard, including  a complete game shutout, 2-0.

With “lift them early or too late” Aaron Boone, the Manager created a pitching nightmare for his bullpen. With half a game starters departing in the 4th, 5th or maybe beginning in the 6th , he needed four to 5 pitchers from the bullpen every day.

Manager Boone used a squad of relievers who were notoriously sketchy and unreliable in their appearances. The bullpen was either very very good, or very very bad.  Aaron Boone’s pitching management wore out the bullpen, and Yankee failure to add a starter  or two who could pitch via a trade before the trade deadline, I believe lost the playoff spot..

How do you fix the Yankees to contend next season and score more runs, and give up less?

The infield defense has to be improved. The team did not make plays in the clutch especially in the crucial extra innings sudden death situation.

Manager Boone just played Extra innings straightway. He did not walk a hitter with the inning starting with the go-ahead runner at second base  which forces the team to bunt to move the runner, and if they do not bunt you have a shot at a double play. If he does not want to take chance for a double ball he needs to hang up the runner between 2nd and third and protect third base. he Yankees were hideously unsuccessful in extra inning games, 9-10. That’s 10 games right there and you’re in the playoffs.

The batting strategies Aaron Boone used were few. Not enough bunts, hit and runs, more stolen base attempts. The hitters got worse and worse all season long, striking out dismally when runners were in scoring position.

The Yankees cannot “wait til next year” to get better starting pitchers, more consistent starting pitching and relievers who can start innings with the bases empty and not walk people, and not throw first pitch fastballs.

They need to develop their better minor league starters into 2nd starting pitchers who come in in the sixth and start pitching well with the bases empty, that’s what starters learn to do. That could replace the bullpen committee inconsistency which cost us a lot of ball games.

The closer and setup men cannot come in every day—they tire as they showed so often this season. This is bad pitching management.

Younger hitters have to be developed to be contact hitters able to connect with men on the bases.

Looking over to Queens at Citi Field where the Mets faded in June and never got brighter.

They too were hurt by by non performance by their hitters and bitterly mediocre performances by Verlander and Scherzer.

I have a hunch that those two control pitchers who relied on making the hitters wait and had to pitch faster.

I believe this  pitch and pitch again in 20 seconds, affected their abiliy to throw the pitches they wanted both in pitch selection and ability to throw their “out” pitches as accurately  due to the pitch clock making their deliveries hurried. Speeding up the interval between their pitches may have hurt their arms just a tad reducing their effectiveness and control. Whatever they were not the pitchers they were. On the other hand the pitchers were “fast-pitching” the hitters and keeping them off-balance, affecting the free swingers greatly.

The Mets had an inconsistent defense in their infield which cost them a lot of games due to errors, not knowing game situations, throwing to the wrong base, and outfielders throwing behind the runner allowing an extra base, not hitting the cutoff man.

There was also a lot of poor base running by the Mets, killing rallies.

For that matter the Mets big boppers did not bop under the new 20 seconds to pitch rule. I believe two teams, Yankees and Mets loaded with veteran power hitters experiencing the same inabilities to hit with the power and ability to connect striking out so much it was stunning, is no coincidence.

I think both teams need new managers, and younger players used  to the 20 seconds game with better pitchers.

This managerial change is being brought to you by the Mets: Buck Showalter, Met manager relieved today by Met management, saying Mr. Showalter’s contract would not be renewed. The Met players left the dugout and gave him a standing ovation when Buck walked up to homeplate with the lineups.

Out in Kansas City, where it is 90 degrees and sunny there is no word whether this is the last game for Aaron Boone out in Kansas City where the Yankees will keep him on.  They lost 5-2, to finish 82-80. Had the Yankees played better and won 10 more games in July and August they make the playoffs at 92 and 70.

July and August were a dismal, very un Yankee performance by players, front office and the manager and the owner.

 

The younger players coming up  are faster and better defensively especially in the outfield. Speed in the outfield is very essential for both clubs—as well as good hands and heads on the infields.

The pitching coaches have to be better. Pitching effectively is not just pitch counts. Until the Yankees and Mets develop 5 pitchers who can start and deliver 7 innings, they will not improve.

Here is my take on the new rules:

The Extra Inning runner on second I detest. It is not needed because the pitching is so thin.

The anti-shift rule is making outfield play better and once the pitch is thrown infielders can shift run where they expect the ball to be hit. They just need to be faster.

Attendance is up according to my colleague, John Vorperian. So the rules are here to stay.

But ballplayers are smart. They are already adjusting.

Now if only commercials during radio broadcasts can be limited only between innings, and not every in-inning event be followed by a ”brought to you by tagline.”

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SHOW UP, AMERICANS!

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WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By John F. Bailey. September 30, 2023 UPDATED 12:15 A.M. OCTOBER 1, 2023  (SEE CLOSE OF THIS COLUMN):

What if the Republicans gave a Shut Down and nobody shut down?

All this media hand-wringing over the Republican “Shut Down” has a solution that is really quite simple.

The persons who work for the U.S. Government, even if they do not get checks should just do something all real Americans do, white, Latino, Black, Muslim, Irish, Jews, no matter where  or who you are or where you’re from, we show up.

Show up !

Like the workers in New York  did the last 24 hours in New York State! Getting things going again despite 8 inches of rain. Keep your money for migrant relief Biden Administration! New York State got its city and state back functioning within 24 hours despite hurricane rainfall.

New York State will take care of it.  If our county and city and state officials stop playing politics and open shelters for migrants in vacant buildings, government facilities airports and sports arenas across the state. New York can just do it!

Governor Hochul’s rallying the state for a tremendous effort to keep NEW YORK GOING in the storm with no name is a testimony to government public service workers. Its police, road crews, hospitals, and citizens who acted responsibly during the flood yesterday performed with distinction! Thank you men and women of the New York State Government.)

Now, it is time to show up again, U.S. Government Workers!

Do not let the Republicans do this to you.

They aren’t firing you.

So if you show up, they have to pay you wages. Perhaps a bonus (that would frost them)

Mount a court case if they do not pay you (with damages—let’s see how the feckless Supreme Court rules on that one)

Government workers can put the Republicans in their place, shaming the worst government representatives including the other party ever to go to congress, throwing a peaceful normal day as usual would throw banana cream pies in the faces of the “Shut Down’s Clowns”

Just go to work even though you will not be paid.

Keep the planes flying. Go in sort the mail and keep delivering.

Perhaps even our Senators and Congresspersons who still get paid even, (even though they  never show up to do any work that must be done except talk about what must be done and not do it) What a lazy bunch of sloppy thinkers.

Just go in to the Pentagon, the FAA, Defense Department, airports, TSA, FEMA, IRS (let’s audit the Republicans while they are not at work), Justice Department (charge the Trumpicans in court delaying  tactics with contempt—I am serious—and the Supreme Court justices are not in session, what will they do, defy their Trumpican bosses and deny the contempt charges?

Yes, keep the Smithsonian Institute open.. the monuments, honor the founders, Lincoln, Washington.

Keep the CDC functioning that keeps America healthy and vaccinated. Go to work at Department of Social Security and keep those social security checks coming and what about this: Those of in heading up Social Security can raise the social security to the rate of inflation that has hurt social security ability to provide for Americans on Social Security. Let the Supreme Court deny it. They’ll never do that.

The question is, will the President not be working since supposedly he is shut down, too?

Well the President should go into work and issue a series of Executive Orders, since now congress is not in charge. (Is it ever?)

He should:

  1. Declare State of Emergency and call  the shutdown illegal.
  2. Declare kids affected by DACA legal residents.
  3. Declare student loans all forgiven due to the effect on the economy of the shutdown on the students’ ability to make a living.
  4. Declare migrants awaiting status OK to work to replace workers who do not show up to work.
  5. Declare automatic Rise in the debt ceiling to avoid a U.S. default. And,
  6. As part of this Republican Shut Down it has created a national emergency and to ease the impact on the American people, Prices are frozen for 6 months on gas, electricity, oil, food and interest rates lowered to 1% to get housing moving again. (Don’t laugh at price controls, they got us through World War II)

He could do that.

The President on his own time, since congress washed its hands of the Shut Down issue, could take these issues and decide them.

The Supreme Court hacks would if they chose to rule against this use of Executive Orders “during a national emergency” would also remove them from any president elected in the future who would  take way repressive reactive executive orders.

In one fell swoop, the Republicans would be hoisted on their own irresponsible petard. How dumb can they be? How anti-American.

So, government workers, Show Up.

Carry signs saying “We want to keep America Open! OPEN THE DOORS”

Work to keep the U.S. Government functioning smoothly.

The only thing about government that doesn’t work is congress.

You help all Americans if you do go in to work in spite of the shutdown.

You  put the congress in its place.

You remind them congress works for us.

You, We pay your salary.

You tell  tell them you, congress  are here to  help, not hurt. Not hate.

Not here to give businesses carte blanche to hurt consumers for company profits. Not here to let robber barons kill millions of Americans with drugs they know kill. Not here to promote medical industry fraud with inflated Medicare and Medicaid bills and  insurance companies reimbursements, and of course crooked investment practices.

Just thinking, what if they gave the shutdown, and workers showed up any way because they believed in the importance of their jobs, believed in America, and still do.

Show up, backbone of America.

You the workers who make the country work.

The shutdown shows the contempt congress has for you.

So show them up, you the people who make America and its government work, show the Congress that does not work, who really works.

This just in 4:50 P.M. EDT FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Flash! CONGRESS ACTS!!!!  Within two hours of my writing this column, (probably no cause or effect)  the House of Representatives  came to its senses, passed the House Bill compromise with the Senate, funding the government and postponing shutting down the government for 45 days. So we should be saved from the media hysteria over shutting down the government until at least the week before Thanksgiving. 

MIDNIGHT BULLETIN:12:15 A.M. EDT.OCT 1, 2023: The Senate voted 88-9 on Saturday night to pass a short-term bill to keep the government open, averting a shutdown at the last minute after a dramatic turnaround in the waning hours.

The bill passed the House earlier by a substantial bipartisan vote of 335-91, and President Joe Biden signed it into law late Saturday night. No one explained why this could not have been done two months ago, to this reporter’s knowledge.

 

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GOVERNOR HOCHUL EMERGENCY UPDATE: ALL MTA RAIL RUNNING

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GOVERNOR HOCHUL UPDATES NEW YORKERS FOLLOWING HISTORIC RAINFALL EVENT

 

MTA Running Full Service Across its Transportation Network Saturday After Crews Clear Flooding Conditions Following Historic Rainfall in Metropolitan Region

State of Emergency Remains in Effect for New York City, Long Island, and Mid-Hudson Region Following Excessive Rainfall Over 24-Hour Period

 

More Than Nine Inches of Rainfall in Nassau County; Six to Eight Inches of Rain Reported in Parts of New York City; More Than Six Inches of Rain Reported in Westchester County

 

Flood Warning Continues Through 12 P.M. Saturday for Bronx and Westchester Counties

 

New Yorkers Urged to Use Caution Until Flood Warnings Are Lifted and Avoid Walking or Driving Through Standing Floodwater

 

Governor Kathy Hochul, with Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, today provided a storm update to New Yorkers as the band of heavy rain that caused flash flooding in parts of downstate moved eastward out of the state overnight. Although light showers may move back into the area throughout this morning and early this afternoon, rainfall amounts today should bring no additional flood threat. 

Governor Hochul declared a State of Emergency for all of New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson region as heavy rain continued to fall throughout Friday. More than nine inches of rain was officially reported in Nassau County, and rainfall totals exceeding eight inches were reported in Queens. The deluge of rain was the wettest calendar day on record since 1948 at John F. Kennedy Airport and brought flash flooding conditions across the region. Flash flooding caused numerous storm-related travel and transit impacts since overnight Thursday into Friday when the rain first began. 

“We’ve seen a whole lot of rain fall in a very short period of time, which caused many issues related to transportation and power, but the good news is that the storm will pass, and we should see some clearing of waterways today and tonight,” Governor Hochul said. “I urge everyone to continue practicing safety as floodwaters recede and take extra care when traveling.”

A flood warning remains in effect for the Bronx and Westchester County through noon Saturday due to the continued threat of flash flooding in those areas. State agencies continue to provide support to local governments as needed.

  

In addition to the Flood Warning for Bronx and Westchester until noon today, Coastal Flood Advisories are in effect. Minor coastal flooding is still possible late this morning through early tomorrow during periods of high tide with up to a foot of inundation in the coastal areas of Long Island, Westchester, and New York City. For a complete listing of weather alerts and forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website at alerts.weather.gov. New Yorkers are encouraged to sign up for NY Alert, the State’s free emergency alert system, at alert.ny.gov. County-by-county emergency information can be pushed by text or email.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Our amazing bus operators kept more than three thousand buses moving New Yorkers through the storm and, despite the deluge, subway workers were able to maintain significant operations and to quickly restore full service. I’m thankful that commuter rail riders were able to get home last night, even in the face of widespread washouts, and grateful to the governor for the State’s consistent support throughout this crisis.”

 

Additional State Agency Response

 

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

At Governor Hochul’s direction, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services activated the State Emergency Operations Center to actively monitor storm conditions in real-time and support local governments’ requests for assistance. The State Office of Fire Prevention and Control activated its Fire Operations Center to deploy flood rescue teams to both Nassau County and Westchester County to assist with flood emergency response.Twelve pumps from DHSES stockpile were deployed on Friday to New York City for pre-staging, and another six pumps from DHSES stockpile were deployed Friday to LaGuardia to support the pump-out of its fuel yard.

 

New York State Department of Transportation
Ahead of the storm, Department of Transportation forces were actively clearing storm drains and gutters to make sure water continues to flow. Crews are now actively patrolling roads downstate and monitoring flood conditions, clearing downed trees and waiting for flood conditions to subside.

 

Flooding is occurring on roads throughout New York City.

  • In the Hudson Valley there are the following closures:
  • Bronx River Parkway Both Directions, at Palmer Avenue, Yonkers
  • Bronx River Parkway Both Directions, at Exit 21 – NY 119 – Tarrytown Road; Chatterton Avenue, White Plains
  • Sprain Brook State Parkway Both Directions, between START ROUTE Sprain Brook State Parkway and Exit – NY 100, Eastchester
  • Bronx River Parkway Northbound, at Cross County Parkway, Mount Vernon
  • Sprain Brook State Parkway Northbound, at Jackson Avenue, Greenburgh
  • NY 117 Both Directions, at Old House Lane, New Castle
  • Saw Mill River Parkway Both Directions, between I-287; Ramp and Exit 20 – I-87, Greenburgh

 

On Long Island there are the following closures:

  • All roads remain open
  • Northern State Parkway eastbound at Meadowbrook State Parkway – left lane flooded, DOT on site
  • Long Island Expressway North Service Road near Lakeville Road – all lanes flooded, but passable.
  • Southern State Parkway westbound near the Cross Island Parkway/Belt Parkway interchange – left and center lanes flooded, DOT on site
  • Tree removed from Wantagh State Parkway northbound at Sunrise Highway
  • Wantagh State Parkway and Bay Parkway – flooding cleared
  • Ramp from Crooked Hill Road to northbound Sagtikos State Parkway – flooding cleared; DOT on site and pumping

 

Monitor 511 for the latest road conditions in your area.

 

Metropolitan Transportation Authority 
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is closely monitoring weather conditions to ensure safe, reliable service. MTA employees will be poised to respond to any weather-related issues.

 

Full service was operating on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 42 St Shuttle, A, C, E, F, G B, D, Q, M, J and L by 9:00 p.m. on Friday night. The N line resumed full service at approximately 5:40 a.m., after crews worked through the night to address flooding conditions on the line in Brooklyn. Franklin Shuttle resumed full service at 6:25 a.m.

 

Limited service out of Grand Central Terminal on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines was restored towards the end of the Friday evening rush hour. Service to and from the terminal was suspended during the afternoon hours due to extreme flooding the Mott Haven section of the Bronx, impacting all three lines. Metro-North was able to restore full service on the New Haven Line by 6:00 p.m. Friday. Full service resumed on the Hudson and Harlem lines shortly after 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 30.

 

New York City Bus maintained full service, with isolated detours, through the duration of the storm.  

The Long Island Rail Raid restored service on the Far Rockaway Branch and Long Beach Branch at approximately 10:00 p.m. Friday following suspensions during the afternoon due to flooding conditions. All other branches operated on or close to schedule, with scattered delays in the evening due to the weather. 

  

Customers are encouraged to check new.mta.info for the latest service updates, and to use caution while navigating the system. Customers should also sign up for real-time service alerts via text or email. These alerts are also available via the MTA’s apps: MYmta and TrainTime.

Thruway Authority

Thruway Authority staff continues to assist partner agencies and neighboring communities impacted by flooding in Westchester County. The Thruway Authority’s New York Division is staffed and will remain engaged in storm response for the duration of the event.

New York State Police

State Police is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with partners in DHSES, NYSTA, DOT and other agencies. Additional personnel are focusing efforts on highways and other flood-prone areas. There is a 6-member flood rescue team equipped with an Airboat & Rigid Inflatable Boat deployed in Westchester County that is checking submerged vehicles in New Rochelle.

 

Another flood rescue team is en route to Westchester to replace the current team there at 3:00 pm and we have a 3rd team preparing for deployment.

 

Department of Public Service

New York’s utilities have approximately 5,500 workers available to engage in damage assessment, response, repair, and restoration efforts across New York State for this event. Agency staff will track utilities’ work throughout the event and ensure utilities shift appropriate staffing to regions that experience the greatest impact.

 

1,800 customers in the downstate region are currently without power due to heavy rain. Damage assessment, repair and restoration crews from the utility companies are working to minimize and repair any impacts to energy sector infrastructure, and the Department of Public Service is in direct contact with utility operations leadership and tracking utility response and restoration efforts.

 

Flash Flooding Safety Tips

  • Never attempt to drive on a flooded road. Turn around and go another way.
  • If water begins to rise rapidly around you in your car, abandon the vehicle immediately.
  • Do not underestimate the power of fast-moving water. Two feet of fast-moving flood water will float your car, and water moving at two miles per hour can sweep cars off a road or bridge.

 

For more information on personal preparedness and how to stay safe during severe weather, visit: dhses.ny.gov/safety-and-prevention.

 

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STATEMENT ON U.S. FOSSIL FUELS POLICY AS NYC FLOODS

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On Friday Sept 29th, Fridays for Future New York City, one of the main organizers of the March to End Fossil Fuels, released the following statement in response to the state of emergency in New York and President Biden’s announcement of a five-year plan:

75,000 people marched less than two weeks ago in the now flooded streets of New York City demanding President Biden end fossil fuels.

Days later, President Biden and Secretary Kerry were forbidden from speaking at a UN Climate Ambition Summit due to the Administration’s fossil fuel expansion plans.

Yet, today, while our streets are flooding, the Biden Administration, ignoring the calls of millions of people, of science, and his own promises, issued plans for three new massive offshore oil and gas lease sales over the next five years.

Daliah Gressel, 18, of Fridays For Future NYC and an organizer for The March To End Fossil Fuels said

 “The largest city in the United States is flooding. As New Yorkers, our lives and studies have been interrupted today by dangerous, historic flash flooding and we cannot stand for it. Yet, Biden, ignoring the calls of over 75,000 people that marched to end fossil fuels two weeks ago, is planning even more fossil fuel projects. He is advancing deadly fossil fuel expansion, sacrificing a safe and livable future for our communities on the very same day every New Yorker is being affected by historic flooding.”

(Credit: (1) Xiye Bastida, X, (2) Emma Cassidy, Survival Media Agency, (3) @RandomHeroWX, X)

In addition to 800+ organizations and individuals, over 30 members of Congress joined with marchers in asking the Biden Administration for no new leases in the five-year plan, including several ranking members. Both Representatives Jayapal and Tlaib and Representative Pallone led letters.

While the Biden Administration has claimed their hands are tied due to the Inflation Reduction Act which they supported, an Oceana report shows that the Administration can still meet its wind energy goals and avoid new fossil fuel leasing. A separate report demonstrates that the U.S. can meet its energy needs many times over by building only on already-developed and degraded land.

New leases would lock the United States, already by far the top oil and gas producer in the world, into decades more of fossil fuel production incompatible with climate goals and exacerbating both environmental and climate injustice from the floods we’re seeing today to direct health impacts and spill risks from offshore drilling. We need to phase out all fossil fuel production on our federal lands and waters by 2030, and the science has zero tolerance for new approvals.

We cannot keep the Earth at a temperature of 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels without phasing out fossil fuels, and if we keep going like this, the life-threatening disasters, like we’re experiencing today in New York, will just keep getting worse.

As Lead Organizer Helen Mancini, 16, said at the March To End Fossil Fuels rally last week “this summer alone, New York City’s skies turned orange, Libya is flooded, Maui has burned and countless people died from heat and extreme weather.” Mancini said today’s historic rainfall is another example of this. “This is the world Biden and his peers have left for us. But this is not the world we are going to accept.”

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WHITE PLAINS WEEK BLACK COFFEE SATURDAY MORNING AT 8:30 AM SEPT 29 REPORT: REACTION! “THE DISTRICT GALLERIA LANDS AND IMPRESSES” FIOS CH 45. OPTIMUM WP CH 76 & WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

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WHITE PLAINS CONFRONTS THE FUTURE: IMPRESSIONS! REACTIONS! UNPRECEDENTED INVOLVEMENT OF THE COUNCIL. THE MOST “BEYOND AMBITIOUS” PROJECT WHITE PLAINS AND WESTCHESTER HAVE SEEN– $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR PACKAGE– SPECTACULAR, BOLD SIGNATURE UNDERTAKING PROPOSED! EYE-POPPING EXCLUSIVE VIDEO. WOULD PUT WHITE PLAINS INTO THE FUTURE.

 

“WE CAN WORK IT OUT” MARK WEINGARTEN PRCP PRESENTER WITH  LOUIS CAPPELLI, LEFT ASSURES COUNCIL. WHITE PLAINS MAYOR SAYS IT IS JUST CONCEPT AT THIS TIME, BUT LIKES THE OPEN SPACE.

GEORGE LATIMER ON 2 NEW SCAMS SWEEPING WESTCHESTER COUNTY, DUTCHESS, PUTNAM AIMED TO STEAL YOUR MONEY AND STOP YOU FROM VOTING

WHERE’S OUR MONEY, JOE? MILLIONS GO OUT BORDER AND MIDWEST STATES FOR MIGRANT RELIEF, ZERO SO FAR FOR THE TEEMING 100,000 MIGRANTS IN NEW YORK — WHERE IS THE OUTCRY FROM STATE OFFICIALS?

WOMEN DO YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS? PASS THE NEW YORK STATE ERA AMENDMENT IN 2024

JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS

EVERY WEEK ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK FOR 22 YEARS

TONIGHT

 

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YOUR LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST OBSERVES: VACCINE ROLLOUTS ARE A MESS TODAY

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