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.

Hits: 0

WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. April 16, 2007, 2:30 P.M. E.D.T.:  I spoke to many of the store owners/managers and residents of 180 & 170 East Hartsdale Ave who experienced flood damage. The stores had serious water damage. The power has been shut off.  It’s possible that some of the E Hartsdale businesses will be closed for at least a week.  Some of the stores do not have flood insurance so they may experience major financial hardships. The basements were flooded – causing a significant loss of property.  I have been in touch with Senator Clinton’s regional director and with Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins office, advising them of the problems these merchants are experiencing. I’m hopeful that federal and/or state help can be provided.

Two retaining walls, one behind the stores and a 2^nd behind one of the apartment buildings also collapsed. Residents of 180 & 170 E Hartsdale Ave were evacuated last night and will probably be out of their apartments for at least a week, possibly longer. There was damage to electric and gas equipment.

Some of the residents of 180 & 170 E Hartsdale Ave are seniors, on fixed incomes. Staying in a hotel could be expensive. Although no one has made a request for temporary shelter so that they can find an inexpensive place to live – if you are willing to provide shelter to a flood victim (at no cost), please advise. I’ll forward that information to residents of 180 & 170 East Hartsdale Ave, as they reach out to me for help.  Please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com if you want to help.

The town is currently reviewing all that happened yesterday.  If you have any comments or suggestions please advise. There is always room for improvement.

 

Hits: 0

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. April 16, 2007: County Executive Andrew Spano in assessing the state of Westchester County road conditions, in an interview with News 12 Sunday evening, requested Westchester schools to close today due to the state of flooding on major county roads, and the White Plains City School District has closed as requested.

As of early morning major parkways in the county were closed for much of their length due to flooding conditions.

Hits: 0

WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. April 15, 2007:  In an update received moments ago, County Executive Andy Spano tonight (8:45 p.m.) declared a limited state of emergency for the Sound Shore area of the county. The declaration came after the county conferred with the governor’s office. It will give the county the power to better mobilize help to the flooded areas.

Stay off the roads, not just in the sound shore areas. That’s the message from Westchester officials, as they deal with today’s storm and the accompanying floods.

Westchester’s parkways are all impassable and are generally closed. The storm is coinciding with a period of higher than normal spring tides. Tonight’s high tide combined with surge from storm will cause moderate flooding along the coast.  Tomorrow morning’s high tide at 10:44 am may also have significant coastal flooding.

Many parkways will still be closed tomorrow. County officials are warning residents to make arrangements and plan alternate routes to get to work. Residents should NOT drive through ponds of water.

 

 Here are the conditions at 6 PM:

 

Mamaroneck village: Village officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation for parts of the Orienta section of the village near Long Island Sound.  These include:  Flagler Drive, Orienta Avenue, North James Street, and other areas of the Harbor Heights area.  

 

Mamaroneck town: Town officials have a voluntary evacuation order for some residents living on Hommocks Road, Pryer Manor Road, Dogwood Lane, Premium Point, Wildwood Circle, and Pheasant Run.

 

A shelter, supported by the Red Cross, has been set up at Mamaroneck High School for residents of Mamaroneck Town and Mamaroneck Village.        

 

Rye: An evacuation center has been opened at the Rye Country Day School, with Red Cross support for food and water.

 

Road Closings:

                                               

Cross County Parkway East at the Hutchinson River Parkway

 

Hutchinson River Parkway North and South at East Lincoln Avenue (Pelham/Mount Vernon) 

 

Bronx River Parkway North and South at Sprain Brook Parkway

 

Saw Mill River Parkway at the New York City line, Route 199 to I-87 at

Clarence Ave, both directions.

 

Bronx River Parkway closed: from 233 through Main Street; White Plains

 

Saw Mill River Parkway: closed from exit 7 – 16 (both directions and all ramps)

Saw Mill River Parkway: south bound closed at Elmsford (Rt. 119), north bound will be closed shortly

 

Bronx River Parkway: closed from Sprain Brook Parkway to Main Street in White Plains (both directions and all ramps)

 

Taconic State Parkway: closed at the 1.9 mile marker (between Commerce and Stevens)

 

Hutchinson River Parkway: closed from Exit 7 (US. 1) to Cross County Parkway (both directions and all ramps)

 

WPCNR observes that the Hutchinson River Parkway southbound at the I-684 southbound ramp…is flooded where it passes the Maple Moor Golf Course. Motorists should avoid, as water was a foot to 6 inches deep across three lanes.

 

 

On the Web:

 

Hudson Valley Traffic

http://www.hudsonvalleytraveler.com/perl/WestchesterMapForm.pl

 

 

Hits: 0

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. April 15, 2007: Riverspace, the little theatre rising from the ruins of the defunct Helen Hayes Theatre Company, continues its Phoenix-like rivival with a full schedule of events in Nyack for May. Here is Riverspace’s arts calendar for the coming month:

May/Early June Events at Riverspace Arts in Nyack

A full-scale theatrical production geared to the preschool set, introduces young audiences to the magical world of live theater. The musical features all of the characters that kids know and love from the critically acclaimed Nickelodeon television series “Blue’s Clues”, including Blue, Steve, Mailbox, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, Paprika, Tickety, and of course Blue, to name a few. This 45 minute world premier stage presentation will be performed by the talented students of the Helen Hayes Youth Theatre.

With rave reviews from the NY Times and The Washington Post and straight from her Carnegie Hall debut curated by David Byrne, singer-poet Haale comes to Riverspace. Haale has her own distinctive style of world music, blending diverse influences of the Middle East with 1960’s psychedelic rock and folk creating soundscapes woven through a trance-inducing tapestry of percussion, strings, and shimmering electric guitars.

Tickets:  $15 advance; $20 door

See also: www.haale.com

Chamber Music Brunch at RIverspace Café with The Claremont Trio

Sunday May 13, Noon-2pm

Mother’s Day

The trio, Emily Bruskin, violin; Julia Bruskin, cello; and Donna Kwong, piano, was called “the freshest breath of air in the world of chamber music today” by The Naples Daily News, and Strings Magazine hails them as “deft, exhilarating, and imaginative”. Light brunch fare will be available by Patisserie Didier Dumas. Flowers available by Lynn Aubrey and Chocolates by the Chocolaterie.

Concert Tickets $10, $5  – 12 & under

Advance reservations suggested.

See also: www.claremonttrio.com

Songwriters By The River

Friday May 18, 8pm

Kate Jacobs – www.katejacobsmusic.com

Frankie & Kelly McGrath (Maybe Pete) –www.myspace.com/maybepete (East Rutherford, NJ)

Andy Krikun – www.andykrikun.com (Nyack, NY)

Joe D’Urso www.jdcaravan.com (Park Ridge, NJ)

Fun and engaging family entertainment with award-winning Circle Song music created especially for very young audiences! Join Sukey and The Circle Song Band for an interactive show of song, puppet play, and original and traditional music. See also: www.www.playmovesing.com

Tickets $9 adult, $7 seniors/12 & under

 

 

Bob Dylan’s Birthday Bash Memorial Day Weekend

Dylan Karaoke in the Riverspace Cafe

 Friday, May 25, 8pm

Mary Lee’s Corvette

Saturday May 26, 8pm

“How do you sing a Bob Dylan song in a way that anyone should ever bother listening to? How do you sing it right without imitating him? How do you make it your own? And of course, why should you?” – Mary Lee Kortes

A few years ago, Mary Lee’s Corvette performed the classic Bob Dylan album “Blood on the Tracks”—start to finish—at Arlene’s Grocery, a small club on NYC’s lower east side. The show was serendipitously saved to tape, and released on cd (Bar None Records). Dylan himself liked it so much he added a link to the music on his website. Hear Mary Lee’s Corvette reprise their magical performance live at Riverspace in celebration of Dylan’s birthday.

Tickets: $15, $20 day of show

See also: www.maryleescorvette.com

Tangled Up in Bob

Sunday May 27, 8pm

Tangled Up in Bob is “a sparkling gem of a documentary” (Isis Magazine) from filmmaker Mary Feidt, featuring author Natalie Goldberg in her journey to find the connection between Dylan and the place where he grew up.

 “This intriguing film takes you inside the walls of Bob Dylan’s high school…and once inside, you won’t want to leave.”–Greil Marcus

Tickets: $8, $6 students/seniors

 

5/6, 5/13, 5/20

Tickets: $8; $4 participating musicians

May 2 Volver (Spain)

May 9 Venus (UK)

May 16 Lamerica (Italy)

May 23 Avenue Montaigne (France)

 

Save the Date for these June Events:

Tickets: $9 adult, $7 seniors/12 & under

 

=

Hits: 0

WPCNR White Plains Variety. News Analysis & Comment by Don Hughes. April 14, 2007: The revised copy of the proposed Verizon franchise agreement has been posted on www.WhitePlainsOnline.com.  There are also some comments on  www.WhitePlainsCNR.com. The adjourned public hearing will be continued at the Common Council Special Meeting scheduled for 16 April at 5:00PM.  A vote on the agreement does not  appear on the agenda, so you should still have some additional time to contact council members with your concerns.

The following comments are an update of the comments that I sent out  previously. Comments on the modified Verizon Cable Franchise Agreement:


The new franchise agreement with Verizon is being done in accordance with
Title VI of the Communication Act of 1934;   Article 11 of the New York Public
Service Law;  Title 16, Chapter VIII of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules
and Regulations of the State of New York; and Chapter 4-21 (Multi-Channel
Service Providers) of the White Plains Code.


1)    The term of the franchise is 15 years (page 7).

The agreement is still for 15 years.  The reason given is a feeling that the city
may have less negotiating  ability in the future because of possible new state
and federal legislation, and that it is best to lock in terms now.  It is admitted that
this is a judgment call.  However, given the likelihood of the introduction of
significant new technology in the near future, the franchise should be limited to
the typical 10 years.

2)    They have up to 5 years to provide service to residents, and they are not
required to provide service to businesses (page 8).

No changes to this section, and there is very little that the city can do if they fail
to meet even this extended deadline.

3)    They are required to provide UP TO 3 public access (PEG) channels
(page 10).

Although this was supposed to be changed, it was not.  They should be required
to provide a minimum of three PEG channels with the city able to request up to
two additional.

4)    They are required to pay a PEG Grant of $250,000 paid in installments
over the first three years plus an annual grant of $1/subscriber/month for the first
10 years and $1.25/subscriber/month for the remaining 5 years (page 12). 

The amounts have been adjusted.  However, that Common Council should not
be so cavalier in imposing what amounts to a new tax.  As is indicated below,
these amounts will be passed on to the cable subscribers in addition to their
other charges – in a fashion similar to your phone bills where the taxes can
exceed the charges for services.  This is roughly equivalent to a 0.8% property
tax increase for the typical home.

I believe that PEG grants are critical, but they should be based on the projected
budgets of the cable TV commission, not on the maximum we can get the
vendors to agree to.

Despite promises to the contrary, the agreement still ties the payments to
CableVision´s agreeing to equivalent conditions.


5)    There is still no requirement to continue paying fees in case a new
agreement has not been negotiated before this one expires.  That is why
CableVision is currently no longer paying the city PEG support (page 12).

6)    PEG fees can be billed separately to customers (page 13).

If Verizon is going to list as many items separately as possible in order to keep
the basic fee low, they should be required to include an estimated net monthly
charge including all fees and taxes in all local advertising.

7)    Recovery of audit expenses is limited to $15,000 (page 15).

There was no change here, and this amount should be increased.

8)    Enforcement (page 19)

The maximum penalties are limited to $10,000 a year, and the actual penalties
are trivial.  Thus if Verizon failed to provide service to all of White Plains after 5
years, the penalty is only $100/day.  If Verizon fails to provide PEG access, the
penalty is only $100/day.  The total of all penalties is limited to $10,000/year
(That is about the income from 20 subscribers).  The city can only seek to
revoke the franchise for substantial noncompliance, so it seems that the city has
very limited means to actually enforce this agreement.

9)    Renewal of the agreement is governed by 47 U.S.C. Section 546 which
provides that “any denial of a proposal for renewal that has been submitted in
compliance with subsection (b) of this section shall be based on one or more
adverse findings …” (page 17).

It seems that White Plains will have very little negotiating power concerning
renewals.  The renewal of this franchise should not be a given depending only
on Verizon not having violated any federal and state regulations.  The
agreement should indicate that items such as rates, grants, PEG channels,
programming, and technology might be negotiated even in the face of federal or
state attempts at preemption.

10)    The city gives up all opportunity to regulate customer service (page 23
and Exhibit E).


11)    Free cable service (Exhibit A)

There was little change here.  Calvary was dropped and The German School
and Solomon Schechter School were added.  I still fail to see the rational for
selecting the places to receive free service.

12)    They have up to 180 day to provide PEG access from the Cable TV
Access Commission studios (Exhibit D).

This was reduced from 10 months.  The reasons given for the delay is the
difficulty in obtaining the required equipment.  However, I am sure that it could
be accomplished in 45 days.

13)    61 sections of the White Plains Code that apply to Multi-Channel Service
Providers such as CableVision are waived (Exhibit E).

Corporation Council is providing the Common Council an explanation for each
waived section.

14)    There still has not been provided a clear explanation of possible Federal,
FCC, and State regulations.