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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County. May 5, 2007: Local governments, schools and certain non-profits affected by the April 15 Nor’easter can learn more about how to apply for FEMA storm recovery aid at one of two special briefings organized by Westchester County.

Two briefings will be held on Thursday, May 10 in the Little Theater on the second floor of the Westchester County Center, 198 Central Avenue, White Plains. The public can attend one of two briefings: one at 9 am or a second at 1 p.m.  During the meetings, representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will discuss the application process, and allow participants to submit Requests for Public Assistance – the first step in receiving aid.

Public Assistance grants from the FEMA can be used to reimburse eligible emergency work such as overtime and debris removal, as well as, the repair of damaged public facilities not covered by insurance. Certain private non-profits that provide governmental services are also eligible. FEMA funds 75 percent of costs. Gov. Elliot Spitzer announced today that the state will pick up all of the 25 percent not reimbursed by the federal government. 

“We all know that this storm was very costly, not just for local residents and business owners, but also for governments, schools and non profit organizations,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “It is very important that applicants for public assistance attend one of these meetings and learn about the process.”

Anthony W. Sutton, commissioner of the county’s Department of Emergency Services, said county officials have been reaching out to local governments, schools and non-profit organizations, to inform them about these meetings

 “It is very important that local governments, schools and non-profit organizations learn about the program and apply for aid,” said Sutton. “This is money that can help repair public buildings and protect them from future flood damage.”                                          

On Thursday, FEMA announced that public assistance was approved for 12 counties affected by the April 15 Nor’easter. They are: Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Schoharie, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester.                                                   
             In addition, three new counties are eligible for Individual Assistance: Albany, Dutchess and the borough of Staten Island (Richmond County) in New York City.

The announcement came after President Bush signed a major disaster declaration for New York State on April 24. That declaration triggered disaster assistance for individuals in Orange, Rockland, and Westchester counties.

Further information will also be posted on the county’s website at www.westchestergov.com.

For more information, visit www.fema.gov

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WPCNR HIGHLIGHT REEL. May 4, 2007: Rishawn Johnson, the White Plains High center and big man extraordinaire signed a letter of intent to attend Canisius College in the MAC conference for a full 4-year basketball scholarship today. Mr. Johnson, with his parents and grandmother and teammates looking on is the third White Plains High basketball player to be awarded a four year Division Scholarship this year. The others are Liz Flooks and Kim Adams, who joined Mr. Johnson on his big day. The scholarship is the 12th full ride NCAAA Division I scholarship to be earned by White Plains athletes in five years.

Rishawn Johnson, hands over the pen to his Dad, Richard Johnson, reenacting Rishawn’s acceptance of the Canisius Scholarship. His Mom, Lisa, is at left. Mr. Johnson’s teammates and friends spoke eloquently of how hard he worked to improve his game and academics and his ability to comport himself and overcome adversity. It was a happy day. Rishawn’s Dad said he taught Rishawn how to play  at the age of 5 and spent most of the last dozen years taking him everywhere to play and improve his game. Rishawn told WPCNR he plans to study computer engineering at Canisius — that he liked the fit on the campus — and that was why he chose the school.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westco Productions. May 3, 2007: Two seniors, Helen Hess and Kirsten Smayda, from White Plains High School have been selected as the first recipients of “Sonny Katz Scholarship Fund” awards from Westco Productions, the White Plains-based non-profit professional theater company. The awards will be presented on Sunday, June 10, at noon, during the organization’s First Annual Awards Brunch at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains.

                                                                 Helen Hess, String Virtuoso

Kirsten Smayda, Divine Voice

Ms. Hess, (Left) and Ms. Smayda, right,  plan to pursue college-level studies in the performing arts. Each will receive $1,000 to use in order to further their studies. The scholarship awards will be presented by New York State Assemblyman Adam Bradley and New York State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer. The award recipients were chosen through an application process which included talent auditions judged by performing arts professionals. Photos, Courtesy Westco Productions.

The scholarship fund is named in honor of Seymour “Sonny” Katz, who was a founding Board Member of Westco. Sonny is well-known throughout Westchester County for his more than 35-years of service as City Marshall for the City of White Plains, a position he still holds. Photo, Courtesty Westco Productions

Kirsten Smayda is a senior at White Plains High School, where she has been involved in five musical theater productions, with lead roles in three of them. She performs with the school’s Symphony Orchestra, Choir, Mixed Ensemble, and Honors String Ensemble. She owes much of her musical talent to Claudia White, her voice teacher of four years, and Rebecca Eckfeld, her violin teacher of ten years. Kirsten plans to major in vocal performance at Syracuse University.

Helen Hess has studied violin and viola with Rebecca Eckfeld. A senior at White Plains High School, she is concertmistress of the Symphony Orchestra and  performs with the musical “pit” orchestra and the Honors String Ensemble. Helen has performed with the Greater Westchester Youth Orchestras, in Area-All State Orchestras, and with the chamber music group YNOS. Helen will be pursuing a degree in viola performance at Boston Conservatory.

Co-chairs of the Awards Brunch are Westco Board Members Sarina Russell and William Van Vlack.

Members of the community are invited to attend the event, which will feature the Crowne Plaza’s renowned all-you-can-eat Sunday Brunch of more than 200 culinary delights. Tickets are $50, and can be obtained by contacting Westco Productions at (914) 761-7463. Proceeds benefit the scholarship fund, and are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For information about Westco and it’s programs visit their web site at www.westcoproductions.org.

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WPCNR THE SEWER REPORT. By John F. Bailey. May 2, 2007: In a document circulated to the Beverly Road area, obtained by WPCNR, a resident of  Beverly Road is attempting to organize other neighbors in the Beverly- Albermarle Road area victimized by sewerage backups April 15 to seek a solution to the fears of another effluent backup on the next heavy rainstorm.  

The document reports the City Department of Public Works told them the county was responsible because the county sanitary sewer line was too small to handle the city volume. This would appear to mean that the city has known its sewerage pipe is too big, and the county knows it too, according County Commissioner of Environmental Facilities, Anthony Landi in an interview with WPCNR last week.

The resident reports in the document that their basement was filled April 15 to a depth of 3-1/2 feet of sewage, causing a loss of everything in their basement including their furnace.

The surprise is they also report this is not the first time it has happened. They experienced a sewerage back up in the March 2, 2007, heavy rain at which time the city first advised them the county line was too small for the city pipe leading into it. Yet, the city made no fix of the problem, and neither did the county.

To date city hall has not responded to WPCNR questions as to what the city and the county are going do to fix the Beverly Road sewer situation. 

The White Plains Common Council  nor the Mayor’s Office has not publicly shown any interest or concern or sought any accountability from the county or the public works department of either county or city on how to deal with the Beverly Road- Albermarle Road sewer situation so it does not happen again.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. May 1, 2007:   Low-income renters who lost their homes to flooding from the April 15 storm may be eligible for preference on a list to receive assistance from the federal government’s Section 8 subsidized-housing program.

           Westchester County has been notified that the Department of Housing and Community Renewal, which runs the program, is taking applications to put storm victims on the fast track for housing vouchers that would help them to relocate. Applications can be obtained at any one of three FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers in the county:

·        Eastchester Public Library, 11 Oakridge Place, Eastchester

·        .New Rochelle Emergency Operations Center, 90 Beaufort Place.

·        The Senior Nutrition Community Center at the Mamaroneck Town Center, 740 W. Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck.

             “We are being told that those who are eligible will be given preference on the list,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano. “We are hoping that this will help people to relocate more quickly and give them the advantage they need to find housing in a very difficult market.’’

                    It’s all part of Westchester County’s efforts to help people connect to the resources they need to rebuild their lives.
                Business owners can also receive extra help at a new disaster recovery center geared specifically to businesses that opened today at the Mamaroneck Village Offices at 123 Mamaroneck Ave., in Mamaroneck. The center is open from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. There business owners can get help in applying for low-interest loans.
         Westchester County has also organized two meetings to help small business owners apply for low interest loans to recover from the storm. The final meeting will be held tomorrow (Wednesday, May 2) from 1 to 3 p.m.
at Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave., Greenburgh.

            Homeowners and renters can get help at these disaster recovery centers: The hours for all centers are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week.

·        Eastchester Public Library, 11 Oakridge Place, Eastchester

·        .New Rochelle Emergency Operations Center, 90 Beaufort Place.

·        The Senior Nutrition Community Center at the Mamaroneck Town Center, 740 W. Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck.

             According to FEMA, 2,415 Westchester residents have registered for FEMA assistance for storm damage.  Disaster Recovery Centers in Westchester received a total of 548 visitors: 347 in Mamaroneck, 95 in Eastchester and 106 in New Rochelle.

            FEMA reported that $1.55 million in grants so far have been approved in Westchester, Rockland and Orange counties. Of those, 652 households have received $1.5 million in either temporary housing assistance or emergency essential repairs. Seventy-four households have been approved for $51,000 for other assistance such as medical, dental, transportation, storage and clothing costs.