Independent Report to The Commissioner of Social Services on the Homeless System

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WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By Geoffrey Ruff.  (C) 2005, The CitizeNetReporter. All rights reserved. Part 1 January 25, 2006: My name is Geoffrey Ruff. I am a recipient of the Drop-In Service (at 85 Court Street). I have utilized this service on and off for 7 to 8 years. I arrived here, along with others who reside at the Drop-In seeking help, and assistance.


Hopefully this report will reveal that  Westchester’s Department of Social Services is in dire need of additional and/or change, targeting standards, ethics and protocol in regards to housing the Single Homeless Men and Women, who occupy the Drop-In Center.


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To US, these facts are indeed real, and do, in fact, exist. We do not understand that there are Supervisors who will relay to the Administration of the Department of Social Services that “there are some problems, but things are fine” reports, when, in fact, there are problems within the application process that demand the use of the Drop-In Service.


Hopefully, WE can come to some conclusions where the Homeless, and people who seek temporary assistance here in Westchester, and the Department of Social Service can both see “eye to eye” and benefit from the help and assistance.


Thank you for reading and considering this packet. I hope it is very informative.


THE PROCESS  STEP 1


A Homeless applicant first walks into a district office, fills out an application. More than likely that applicant will have to return to the receptionist a number of times, because of questions on the application they don’t understand or just plain missed.


Once the application is complete, and handed in for review, the application is scrutinized by a caseworker. An hour or so later, the applicant is called to review the application. The process starts to become complicated and discouraging at this point.


The applicant is asked if he/she can verify where they have been staying. If the applicant has been staying on the street with no place of housing, i.e., parkbench, back of a supermarket, woods, cardboard box, or anyplace they can rest, they are asked to produce a document(s) to verify that they frequented these places.


It is hard to impossible to get letters verifying these facts (that they were homeless). The applicant is usually alone, and in no contact, or good standings with citizens to write a letter for him/or her.


If the applicant cannot produce this letter, they are stopped at this point, and given the option to produce a letter, or they cannot be accepted for Social Services. The applicant must now utilize the Drop-In Service, or forges a letter to verify (he is homeless), or is discouraged, and returns to the depressing, and dismal squalor they sought help from.


If the applicant has happened to bed-down in someone’s home, the DSS Caseworker askes for a letter verifying this fact. This can also lead to problems, because usually people who let applicants into their house wish not to create this letter for fear of reprisals terminiating their own housing.


Thus, the case, the applicant stopped at this portion of the process, the Homeless applicant is asked to come back at 2:00 P.M. for placement.


(At this point, I am not sure about the process for Homeless Women, so I will keep the facts on Homeless Single Men).


If the applicant comes back to DSS at 2:00 P.M., they wait until 3:00 or 3:30 and are given a placement sheet communicating that they are housed at the Volunteers of America (VOA) until further notice for assessment.


(Part II of Mr. Ruff’s exclusive report  will appear tomorrow).


 

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Egyptian Epic AIDA Marches Into Westchester Broadway Theatre Jan 26

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westchester Broadway Theatre’s Allan Gruet. January 23, 2006: Westchester Broadway Theatre  is proud to present for the first time on our stage, a diverse cast of actors, in our own production of Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida.” Like many musical projects today, it can often take years for a musical to actually reach its Broadway opening. “Aida” was no exception.



PYRAMID TRIANGLE! Passion. Desire. Forbidden liaisons twist in torment in the shadows of the Pyramids on the WBT Stage. AIDA opens Thursday at WBT in Elmsford, starring Stephanie Youell as Princess Amneris, left, Eric Sciotto as Radames, and Rozz Morehead-Santos as AIDA, the Nubian Princess. Photo, Courtesy Westchester Broadway Theatre by John Vecchiolla.


 



 


The story of “Aida” is based on the tragic legend that inspired Giuseppi Verdi to write his Opera of the same name. Beyond that, the musical has an entirely different sensibility, along with a number of plot changes.


 


The musical adaptation of “Aida” is a passionate love story that blends perfectly with a contemporary and soaring score by Elton John. Elton is one of our generation’s most talented composers and performers, and “Aida” is a wonderful example of how pop music and musical theatre can be combined to create a powerful theatrical experience.


 


Some of the more popular songs from the show are “Every Story Is a Love Story,” “My Strongest Suit,” Easy As Life,” Written In the Stars,” “Elaborate Lives,” “Enchantment Passing Through,” “A Step Too Far.”


 


“Aida” is a story filled with romance, conflict, and rebirth. The musical centers on the strength of love, with all its compelling and healing powers. It transcends class and race, and in the end love can conquer all. Elton’s intention was to simply create the music for a very strong love story between two people who were willing to die for their love.


 



Rozz-Morehead-Santos as the Nubian Captive, AIDA. Eric Sciotto as her captor, Egyptian,  Radames. Photo, Courtesy Westchester Broadway Theatre by John Vecchiolla


 


The central character of “Aida” is Nubian princess who is captured by Radames, an Egyptian captain. After a long period of an on-going war with Egypt’s deadly enemy Nubia, Radames is called back to the Egyptian court.


 


He decides to bring Aida with him as a present to his betrothed, the beautiful Egyptian Princess Amneris, to become one of her personal slaves. During the course of the musical, Radames who is unaware of Aida’s true identity, that of a Nubian princess, proceeds to fall in love with her.


 


The old Pharaoh is very ill and about to die. Radames has been pledged to the Princess Amneris and their union will ultimately make him the next Pharoah.


 


The rivalry for Radames affection between the two princesses is the conflict that ultimately causes Amneris to condemn Radames and Aida as traitors.


 


They are sentenced to death and are buried alive together in a tomb. Aida and Radames pledge to find each other in another world…and somewhere beyond the next bend of the Nile, there is another world, just waiting to be discovered!


 


Westchester Broadway Theatre’s production will star Rozz Morehead-Santos as Aida, Eric Sciotto as Radames, Stephanie Youell as Amneris, John Schiappa as Zoser, Eric Jackson as Mereb, Carla Woods as Nehebka and J. Bernard Calloway as Amonasro. The Production is Directed & Choreographed by Patricia Wilcox, with Musical Direction by David Andrews Rogers; Set design is by George Puello, Costume design by Gail Baldoni, Hair/Wig Design by Gerard Kelly, Lighting design by Andrew Moser, and sound design by Jon Hatton.


 


 


Elton & Tim began working on “Aida” in 1994. Six years later, after a several work shops, out of town tryouts in Atlanta and Chicago, and the release of a concept album featuring major pop stars, “Aida” opened at the Palace Theatre on Broadway in March of 2000. The show ran in New York for over four years, playing 1852 performances, winning four Tony Awards, and the original cast album won a Grammy Award. The U.S National Tour scheduled from April to September of 2002 was extended twice. International productions have been mounted in the Netherlands, Estonia, Japan, and Germany.


 


Following “AIDA” will be-


 


 


 


“BARNUM”


MAY 4th,  2006 – JULY 8th,  2006


PRESS NIGHT MAY 11th, 2006


Music by Cy Coleman


Lyrics by Michael Stewart


Book by Mark Bramble


 


 


“HOT MIKADO”


JULY13th – SEPTEMBER 9th, 2006


Book & Lyrics Adapted by David Bell


Music Adapted by Rob Bowman


Based on “The Mikado” by W. S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan


 


 


 


“THE FULL MONTY”


SEPTEMBER 14th   – NOVEMBER 18th, 2006


Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek


Book by Terrence McNally


Based on the film written by Simon Beaufoy

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Feiner Troubled By Diseased Trees That May Have Escalated Windstorm Damage

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. January 23, 2006: The January 18th wind  storm has created an enormous amount of inconvenience to residents throughout the region and town. Many trees fell, causing power outages.   Businesses within Greenburgh and schools in Greenburgh have also been forced to close down because of the power outages.

 


An excellent suggestion has been made: for the town to sponsor a briefing for residents on diseased trees. How can we, as residents, be proactive? What steps should homeowners take to inspect their trees? What can you do to make trees stronger and healthier? What do you do if you suspect that your neighbor has a diseased tree—but your neighbor doesn’t want to take any proactive action?



At the February 8thh Town Board meeting I will ask that the first half hour of the meeting be devoted to tree safety information. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM at Greenburgh Town Hall. Meetings are televised live on cable. Residents can call in—993-1540. Please e mail me if you have questions that you would like to have answered at this proactive forum: pfeiner@greenburghny.com.


PAUL FEINER

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School Annual Budget Committee Opens Deliberations February 8

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From City School District. January 27, 2006: The White Plains Board of Education will meet with the Annual Budget Committee (ABC) for the tenth consecutive year, as it begins the formal process of preparing the 2006-07 school budget, curently projected at $167.5 Millon.  The ABC is an advisory group which provides input, feedback and suggestions to the District.  President Donna McLaughlin said of the committee, “The Board is pleased and proud that the budget has passed by an overwhelming majority since the inception of the vote, and believes that the ABC has contributed greatly to that success, through its assistance and support.” 

The Committee is comprised of representatives of more than a dozen civic and community organizations and other interested individuals.  The first meeting, on February 8th, will include an orientation session for new members, as well as background information.  Two additional meetings with the administration and Board of Education members will follow, on February 15th and March 8th. 


 


In past years, the Commitee has suggested areas where the School District could trim the original preliminary budget.


 


Meetings are held at 7:30 P.M. at Education House, 5 Homeside Lane and will include an overview of the budget as well as discussions of key issues and recommendations.


 


All of the meetings are open to the public. If you have any questions, please call Michele Schoenfeld, District Clerk, at 422-2071.

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Philip Philippidis Developer of Remote Meter Reading Devices, Passes Away.

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WPCNR OBITUARY. January 22, 2006: Philip A. Philippidis of Kew Gardens, N.Y., a retired electrical engineer and 45-year veteran of Con Edison Inc., died Jan. 18 at the Tropicana Casino  and Resort in Atlantic City, N.J., where he was on vacation.

He was 73.


Mr. Philippidis was born Nov. 6, 1932, in Alexandria, Egypt, to Adamantios and Marie Arathymos Philippidis. The family owned and operated the Plaza movie theater in Alexandria, which specialized in showing first-run American films, as part of a Greek community that flourished in Alexandria for
centuries till the Egyptian Revolution of the 1950s.

He emigrated to the United States in 1959, living briefly in the Bronx and later Astoria, Queens, before moving to Kew Gardens in 1981.

From 1959 until he retired in 2004, Mr. Philippidis held a series of  electrical engineering positions at Con Edison’s headquarters in New York City. During that time, Mr. Philippidis developed and was awarded three U.S.  patents related to the remote reading of data from electric utility meters.
He was a member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE).

Mr. Philippidis received a degree in electrical engineering from Farouk University, now the University of Alexandria.

On March 3, 1956, he married Calliope (Poppy) Angela Papaloizou in Alexandria, Egypt.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Philppidis is survived by his sons, Adam Philippidis of Hicksville, N.Y. and Alex Philippidis of White Plains, N.Y.; and a grandson, Philip James Philippidis of White Plains.

A sister, Ann Georges, died in November 2005.

Arrangements are being handled by the Ballard-Durand Funeral Home in White Plains. A wake will take place Monday from 2-4 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m.

A funeral service is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Greek Orthodox Church of Our Saviour in Rye. Burial will take place at Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye.

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Thank you, West Virginia! Allegheny Power Crew of 28 Powers Up WP

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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. January 22, 2006: A crews numbering 28 men from Allegheny Power of Parkersburg, West Virginia have been in White Plains and surrounding areas since 10 A.M. Friday morning aiding Con Edison repair crews in restoring power to White Plains and the tri-state area. Sunday morning 9 Allegheny Powermen were “restoring primary (electric)” to Gardner Road in the Highlands off Hartsdale Avenue. Last night they were in Saxon Woods.


As of 11:30 A.M. Sunday, Con Edison spokesperson D. Joy Faber reported to WPCNR that 347  Con Ed households were without power in Westchester County, because 200 more outages were created by Saturday evening winds gusting up to 50 Miles per hour. She was working on trying to get an up-to-date White Plains figure.



POWER CONVOY From West Virginia Restoring Gardner Avenue area in Highlands Sunday morning. The crew of 9 has been in White Plains since Friday morning 10 A.M. working with Con Edison to bring White Plains back. The crew and 19 other Allegheny Powermen responded to Con Edison to supplement the Con Ed repair force. Allegheny Power has also helped in Louisiana and Florida recently to supplement local crews, part of a national cooperative effort between power companies to handle catastrophic outages. Photo, WPCNR News



“RESTORING SOME PRIMARY:”Don Springman, left Supervisor of the Allegheny Power Men with Con Edison’s Sam Maratta of Brooklyn Sunday morning at Hartsdale Avenue. Springman told WPCNR Allegheny has restored over 30 White Plains homes in 48 hours since arriving from West Virginia Friday morning . Maratta said Wednesday’s storm did more damage in two hours than anyone can imagine. He said work had to be done carefully and slowly due to the danger. Maratta was supervising the crew taking them “through the ropes.”  Photo, WPCNR News.


 



Typical White Plains Damage on Longview: Tree toppled wire leading into this home on Livingston Avenue: typical of damage all around White Plains caused by Wednesday’s storm. Note wires (presumed not electric) down leading across Longview Ave. in right of picture. Repairs were under way Sunday morning.  Photo, WPCNR News.

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WP Police: All WP Roads Open. 52 Homes Out. County Outage: 1,500. Spano Clueless

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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. January 21, 2006 UPDATED 1:00 P.M. E.S.T. January 21, 2006: As of 11:30 this morning, White Plains Police report there are no roads closed in White Plains due to Wednesday “Tropical Storm,” as it was described by Westchester County Executive Andy Spano.


 The Con Edison Media Relations Office in New York reported to WPCNR that as of 12:30 Saturday morning, 52 White Plains households are still without power. Throughout Westchester County, there are 1,500 households without power.


As of 5 P.M. Friday afternoon, Con Edison advised WPCNR there were 100 homes still without power in the city, and retored power to approximately half of them by this hour.


In a news conference  held by the Westchester County Executive Friday on two hours notice to media, which was not summarized by a news release afterwards (which is standard procedure for the County Executive’s numerous pronunciations to the county)  County Executive Spano expressed the thought that persons being without power for two to three days is unacceptable. 


He is reported as saying Con Edison and New York State Electric & Gas should have done more and should have had more repair crews.


However, had the County Executive, his emergency staff and his communications office contacted the Con Edison Media Relations office, or monitored WPCNR, his staff would have known Con Edison has imported crews from upstate and surrounding areas to supplement their repair force, in a standard mutual aid practice, such was the massive damage.


His staff would have known that for the second time in a week, the Con Edison repair “fleet” was not an adequate force  to handle a massive simultaneous widespread downing of powerlines and trees. Con Edison confirmed to WPCNR that they  imported crews to handle damage from  last Saturday evening’s wind-rain-snow storm, too, and had to bring them back for the Wednesday devastation of Mr. Spano’s county.


Adequate, Con Ed Maintains.


Con Edison assured WPCNR that their number of repair crews were “adequate,” but followed standard practice by supplementing their in-action crews with help from outside the Westchester area due to the “unprecedented” breadth of damage across three counties.


Mr. Spano, and by inference, his entire emergency staff, according to news reports demonstrated obvious  ignorance of how Con Edison operates in massive emergencies.


Had he and his staff phoned a press office, or  read the CitizeNetReporter as repairs were unfolding he would know that Con Edison prioritizes line repair based on numbers of customers serviced by each line down. Based on the County Executive’s reported remarks, he did not appear to know that this was standard Con Edison procedure.


Mayor’s Office Relies on Department of Public Safety, Public Works


The Mayor’s Office of White Plains authorized the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Public Works to issue road closings, dangerous areas of outages, and the status of repairs as the storm unfolded to WPCNR. The Mayor’s Office appeared to be just as much in the dark as their County Executive on the status of the unfolding recovery effort, having only sketchy information Thursday and Friday on where White Plains neighborhoods were out of electricity.


The Mayor’s Office has yet to make an official statement, hold a news conference, or give an official status report on the city. 


City information was distributed to WPCNR by The White Plains Department of Public Safety and the Department of Public Works. Those two departments have reported on traffic and street closing conditions to WPCNR in a timely and responsive manner as best they have been able to, to keep residents abreast of the situation.


 


 


 


 

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Bradley Flays Governor on Shortchanging Westchester Schools

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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. January 21, 2006:  Governor Pataki has seriously threatened the quality of New York schools. His legacy of proposing harmful school aid cuts and devastating tuition hikes is not only irresponsible, it is destructive – and children and property taxpayers end up paying the price.

 


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The Legislature has historically fought to restore the governor’s cuts. Last year, the Legislature rejected the governor’s meager increases to education aid, and enacted an increase of $354 million over what he was proposing.  In fact, schools in the 89th Assembly District received $787,000 more than the governor proposed.  These restorations of state funding once again preserved vital education programs and prevented local property tax increases. 


 


This year, the governor claims to propose an additional $634 million in education funding – but the truth is he doesn’t increase aid for most local schools. Under the governor’s proposed budget, most schools in my Assembly District will actually lose funding, while many others struggle to keep up with the rate of inflation:





      • Byram Hills will lose $90,694; 

      • Katonah Lewisboro will lose $205,162;

      • Valhalla will lose $32,161; and

      • Bedford will lose $108,677

 


The bottom line is that cutting state funding to local schools compromises the quality of our children’s education and leaves local property taxpayers responsible for making up the difference – through higher school taxes. 


 


Governor’s budget increases the cost of a SUNY education


 


An affordable college education has also come under attack by the Pataki administration. A $950 a year hike was adopted in 2002 and tuition has gone up $1,700 since the governor took office. Another increase would make it even harder for students to attend.


 


This year, Pataki has called for a $500 SUNY tuition hike  – and compounds that with automatic tuition hikes each and every year. The governor has also proposed to cut aid under the Tuition Assistance Program for some of our most vulnerable students. Many students from SUNY Purchase have spoken to me about the possibility that they will be forced to end their college education as a result of substantial reductions to TAP.  During his tenure, the governor has consistently constructed road blocks to an affordable higher education. In fact, he has attempted to cut TAP at least eight times. I have always stood up to these wrong choices and successfully fought to restore these drastic budget cuts – this year will be no exception.  The last thing we need to do is create more obstacles to an affordable college education.


 


I am confident that once again the Legislature will come together in a bipartisan fashion to craft an on-time budget that invests in education while providing meaningful tax relief.  This year’s state budget is a chance for the governor to improve the lives of New York’s students and taxpayers – I look forward to working with him in a cooperative fashion to make that a reality. 


 


Adam T. Bradley

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Police Arrest Two Day Burglary Suspects Thursday Afternoon.

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. Special to WPCNR from Inspector Daniel Jackson, White Plains Department of Public Safety. January 20, 2006: The White Plains Police have announced the arrests of two burglary suspects possibly responsible for as many as 19 burglaries in the White Plains area. Inspector Daniel Jackson provides these details to WPCNR in this report:


 


Yesterday afternoon, Police Officer Joseph Meidreich observed two subjects
standing on Lake Street near Canfield. He recognized the subjects from
police flyers of two subjects wanted in connection with a number of
burglaries in White Plains as well as throughout Westchester, Fairfield,
and the Bronx. He called other units who responded and assisted. The
subjects were stopped and subsequently arrested in connection with the
crimes.



They were Serdrick Watson 36 years old from Brooklyn and Erick Cruz 38
years old, also from Brooklyn, the subjects were in the possession of
proceeds from three burglaries that they had just committed on Lake
Street that had not yet been reported.



They have been charged with 5 burglaries in White Plains and may be
responsible for as many as 14. We expect further charges on both. We
have been working with a number of other departments including Yonkers
and New York City on these investigations.



We executed 4 search warrants last night with the other departments and
have recovered a large amount of what we believe is stolen property. We
will now begin the long process of identifying the property and working
with the other departments on resolving as many cases as possible.
Both subjects have long extensive criminal histories. We were fortunate
that the subjects were apprehended before anyone was physically injured.

The subjects will be arraigned in White Plains Court this afternoon.


Inspector Daniel Jackson.


White Plains Department of Public Safety


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Con Ed Restores 800 White Plains Households — 100 Still Without Electricity.

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WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. January 20, 2006: Joe Petta of Consolidated Edison Communications reported this afternoon to WPCNR that of the 1,000 households left powerless in Wednesday’s windstorm, 900 have been restored as of 4:30 P.M. Petta said Con Ed is on target to have the 100 customers still without power to be restored late this evening or by tomorrow morning.


Mr. Petta also stated that countywide, 4,300 customers remained powerless at this hour (4:30 P.M.). 

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