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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WPNCR PRESS BOX. By “Edge” Bailey. January 13, 2007: Could the Skyliners, New York-New Jersey and Connecticut’s synchronized skating team come through with a fourth great skate in a row under pressure of skating with the best woman skater in the country, the Olympic Silver Medalist – the divine Sasha Cohen?

 

 

It was a Skyliners’ Night to Remember: Sasha (Cohen), the reigning United States Women’s Champion (in red)  and The Skyliners hanging out at The Pond in Bryant Park  right after the show. Photo by Kelsey Loveday.

 

 

The Skyliners Opening “The Sasha Show”  at The Pond  in Bryant Park, NYC, Tuesday. Photo, WPCNR Sports

 

That was the question at least the parents’ minds (The Skyliners skate with icewater in their veins)  when The Pond, the cheery, fashionable rink at Bryant Park invited The Skyliners back to perform on their ice for the Skyliners’ second public exhibition skate there in a month.

The Skyliners arriving at Grand Central Terminal.

 

All 16 Skyliners spent a full day in school,  arriving by train or “chaufeurred  limo” (parent-driven) from all over the metro area to meet at 42^nd Street and Bryant Park at 4:30 for their 7:15 skate. When they arrived, they encountered the diminutive delight of the great white ice stage,  Sasha Cohen, practicing her routine.

 

Sasha Performing her Ena Bauer practicing up for her 7:30 Skate. Photos, WPCNR Sports

 

Skyliners warmup with their “Skyline” of the Empire State Building and the Bryant Park Hotel as their set.

 

But to call Sasha Cohen’s programs routines is like calling Sarah Brightman’s performances songs. Sasha performs sublimely, demonstrating body control and human flight more than any ballerina or dancer ever could

 

The Skyliners to a lady watched and watched.

 

There the champion was, performing 90 degree spirals (leg above the head) you could not believe: double axels about 5 feet off the ice, Russian Splits 10 feet in the air, and the dread Sasha swoon spiral with confidence and smoothness. She was concentrating intensely. There was religious silence across the rink as public skaters young and old who had stopped skating for Ms. Cohen to work out, watched the champion. Polite applause—respect with wonder —  greeted Sasha’s every execution. It seemed as if the rink crowd was observing a religious ceremony.

 

The Skyliners Do Homework, Waiting to Take the Ice at the 7:15 Show — Just like Champions on Ice

 

Well, The Skyliners watched “The Little Champ” up close. Perhaps watching the incomparable Cohen fly across the ice – smooth out her moves —  work at a nuance to get it right was responsible for the great skate the Skyliners put on when they took the ice to introduce the star pairs, Putnam and Wirtz, and the Supreme Sasha. Though interviews with individual Skyliners said skating with Sasha on the same ice did not make them skate better, they still skated to show they belonged. The Skyliners are professional that way.

 

Skyliners begin their Proud Mary skate.

 

The Skyliner performance was not that of teens skating to get things started, but a powerful prelude to the three stars to come, displaying all the elements that make synchronized skating exciting, dangerous, impressive and the highest demand of  teamwork in sports.

 

Coming at you in the shadow of the New York Public Library.

 

Check out that footwork as Skyliners skate backwards like Rockettes on Ice.

 

The Skyliners moving in their “Block” all bending the right leg and on their deep edges at a good 10 miles an hour.

 

The Skyliners received the invitation to keynote the show featuring America’s best lady skater on the strength of their flawless trooper performances at The Pond live on the Japan Fuji Network in 2005, last month’s holiday show, their skate in Albany at the Spitzer Inauguration and their 4^th place finish in the Junior World Qualifier last Saturday. The young ladies turned in a hot, fast, spectacular skate to Tina Turner’s Rolling on the River

 

Rolling on the River: Skyliners coolly with attitude, ” Spread Eagle”  to a stop setting the ice stage for the Canadian Pairs Bronze Medalists and Ms. Cohen. The Skyliner choreography is  the only Synchronized Skating team  to execute a finish like this one:  Coach Babb’s daring high speed to slow, coming to a full controlled stop at the end of their Short program in the Junior division.

 

Take a Bow Girls!

 

Cheers, shrieks, sustained applause of a minute echoed across ice when The Skyliners smoothly executed their clever full spread eagle stop (with all 16 skaters in 40 degree spread eagle backward leans, ending their 2-1/2 minute program. For the fourth week in a row, The Skyliners had stepped up — at The Pond in December, at the Spitzer Inauguration, at the Colonial Classic rising to 4th in the nation — and again Tuesday night.

 

 They stunned the audience of about 1,000 hanging on the sideboards 15-deep,  with their 45 degree angle sharp edges, confident speed, speedy circles and block spirals,  precise footwork and close-in formations entered at 15-20 miles per hour. Josh Babb, their coach was very complimentary of The Skyliners, saying it was their best performance of the Proud Mary program to date.

 

 

 

The high school skaters aged 14 to 19, captured the attention 15-deep around-the rink audience.  Sustained applause and whoops greeted the spectacular, 16 spread-eagle conclusion of The Skyliners number. Skyliner Coach Josh Babb was ecstatic about the teens turning in another “step up” performance worthy of introducing Canadian Bronze Medal Pairs Champions, Elizabeth Putnam and Sean Krantz who burst on the ice and started flying.

 

Canadian Bronze Pairs Medalists, Elizabeth Putnam and SeanWirtz, skating to Sing Sing Sing, executing a Pair Combination Spin below.

 

 

 

Putnam & Wirtz spiraling.

 

 

Then it was time for Sasha Cohen to wow New York. In a silky smooth performance, the moves Sasha is famous for — unfolded in flawless symetry.

 

Sasha Cohen in her ultimate spiral.

 

Air Sasha Becomes Airborne! Faster than the speed of light. Photo by Kelsey Loveday

 

Ms. Cohen–Silk on Ice — Showing her incredible mastery,  executing the Catch Foot Spin. Photo by Kelsey Loveday

 

Saying So long to the Crowd. Ms. Cohen leads Putnam and Wirtz and The Skyliners in a skatearound at the conclusion of the ice show. For one night in their lives, The Skyliners enjoyed the thrill of a Champion on Ice.

 

The Skyliners are on a 16-20 hour a week practice schedule sharpening up their splices, closing up their blocs, straightening their lines, honing their footwork, this, on top of their school work, preparing for the Eastern Synchronized Skating Junior Championship in Providence, Rhode Island, coming up  January 26 and 27.

 

The Skyliners, by virtue of finishing 4^th in the World Qualifier last Saturday in Lowell, Massachussetts gained the distinction of being introduced as “Second Alternate” (Team Braemar of Minnesota is the first alternate) to replace one of the teams in the World Championships in England in March – if for some reason The Chicago Jazz and The Colonials cannot compete.

 

The Skyliners have come a long way, baby, this season —  all the way to 4th ranking nationally, and are skating four days a week in preparation for the Easterns coming up,  to move on up. In skating, there is no limit on how good you can get. It’s up to you.

 

 

Racing to catch the 8:22 back to White Plains where tomorrow morning they’ll be “Sweet Sixteen and back in class again. “

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WPCNR’S THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. January 12, 2007: My office received a disturbing call from Kim Conklin of the Department of State. Last year Senator Nick Spano awarded the town $126,000 for a generator and a music lab at the Theodore Young Community Center. In November the Senator lost his re-election campaign. What happened? We were advised that all grants that were awarded in 2006 by the Senator’s office prior to the election were withdrawn.

The town relied on receiving this grant to fund both programs.  Two years ago – immediately after the Senate election was disputed – I received a call from a non profit organization in Ardsley that had received a substantial pre-election day grant from the Senator. The grant was in jeopardy. After the election was certified the grant was awarded.

This is politics at its worst. This highlights the need to reform the way Albany does business. I am hopeful that Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins office will be able to help. I am confident that she will be an important voice for government reform.

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WPCNR NORTH BROADWAY BEACON-SENTINEL. By John F. Bailey. January 11, 2007: Lively jawboning by Councilpersons Rita Malmud, Tom Roach (who lives in the North Broadway area), Benjamin Boykin and Arnold Bernstein swayed the North Broadway Civic Association away from endorsing  a zoning variance requested by a developer that would allow him to convert 35 Orchard Street to office use. The property formerly the home of the American Lung Association was purchased recently for $800,000 by the developer, Angelo Monaco.  

Location of American Lung Association house that is proposed to be turned into a commercial office. The developer has promised upgrading the reported deteriorated building and $10,000 of landscaping for Orchard Street. Google Capture by WPCNR.

Rita Malmud said this was the first time in her seventeen years on the Common Council that any neighborhood had supported turning residential property into commercial property, noting it was a “slippery slope,”  that could set precedent throughout the city for similar conversions. Benjamin Boykin echoed Councilperson Malmud’s sentiments, remembering how the council had voted down a similar rezoning on North Broadway adjacent a bank several months ago. Arnold Bernstein, the Councilman, voiced his concern for maintaining the quality of the neighborhoods.

Tom Roach, who lives in the immediate area was most concerned, calling the request for a variance before the ZBA “an end run,” noting that the developer going to the Zoning Board of Appeals without endorsement from the neighbors would have to prove he had not created a “self-handicapping situation,” as well as being subject to the ZBA’s challenge to grant a variance with the least impact on the neighborhood.  

Beil said the committee that had reviewed the developer’s proposal felt that the property was deteriorated and by allowing the variance with a prohibition on medical use, the neighborhood would be improved. Beil said the committee was afraid of what might happen to the property if it was simply rented to a residential tenant.  Beil attempted to call the vote, but after the Councilmembers spoke strongly against the variance approval, the auditorium of about 35 residents seemed very cool to the idea. Beil said at the close of the discussion, the Board and the committee would look more into the issue and not decision would be made that evening. Photo, WPCNR News

 

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Legislator Bill Ryan’s Office. January 11, 2007: Westchester County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-I-WF, White Plains) appointed County Legislator Vito Pinto (D-I-WF, Eastchester) Chair of the Board’s Legislation Committee, effective January 10.  Pinto has given up his current position as Majority Whip to assume the position. He replaces Legislation Committee Chair County Legislator Clinton I. Young, Jr. (D-I, Mt. Vernon) who was elected the Board’s Vice Chair at Monday’s Board meeting.

“We have a great deal of important work ahead but right now, the most pressing task at hand is the legislative package we’re putting together to bring to Albany,”  said Pinto. “We have many important issues on the table, including significant public safety measures as well as several initiatives that would lead toward critically needed property tax relief. I’m hopeful that with the new governor, we will have a very productive year.”

Pinto, a Tuckahoe native, was the first Democrat to be elected by the 10th District. Prior to his election as County Legislator in 1997, Mr. Pinto served on the Tuckahoe Village Board from 1983-1985 and the Eastchester Town Council from 1985-1997. He enjoyed a 32-year career in education, retiring from the Tuckahoe School District in June 2002.

During his tenure on the Board, Pinto has chaired the Committee on County Officers and Departments, the Public Works Committee and the Parks Committee.  A Vietnam War veteran, he is an outspoken advocate for veterans’ issues. He’s a staunch supporter of issues related to senior citizens, youth, the disabled, the County’s parks and public safety. Pinto sponsored legislation to keep guns out of the hands of kids and has successfully urged the County to upgrade its emergency response services. He is the Board’s liaison to the Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board.

Legislator Pinto is a 1958 graduate of Tuckahoe High School. He earned his BS Degree in Industrial Arts Education from SUNY Oswego and a Masters in Guidance and Counseling from New York University.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. January 10, 2008: The Board of Education got its first look at Assistant Superintendent for Business Fred Seiler’s Preliminary Budget of 2007-2008 expenses which topped out at $182.2 Million (a 9.8% increase – including projected salaries).

 

Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors remarked to the television audience that since The CitizeNetReporter was present and would probably write a story, that it should be pointed out that this figure was expected to and may go down to only a 5% increase or $174 Million.

 

The School Budget is on track to top the $200 Million mark in 2008-2009, and definitely by 2009-2010, even at a 5% rate of growth.

 

 

The Major Increase is in “Other Expenses,” and $8 Million of that is in a one time payment of $8 Million in new certiorari refunds expected in 2007-2008. Seiler notes that if the district bonds that amount the budget could dip to $175 Million. Photo, WPCNR News

The pattern duplicates the Preliminary Budget of last year which came in at $15 Million over 2005-2006 when it checked in at over $169 Million and was trimmed to $165.8M.  The 2007-2008 Preliminary Budget is coming in $16 million over the present budget ($165.9M).

 

Projected into the future, at a flat 10% a year increase the budget will top $200 Million in 2008-2009 two years from now – barring any new programs and new capital construction. If the school district trims the increase in expenditures to 5% a year the $200 Million threshold will be breached in 2009-2010.

 

An estimate of the tax rate is not possible because the amount of assessibles in the city has not been determined yet. Decline in assessibles has contributed to school district and city budget woes the last few years.

 

To Bond for Certioraris or Not to Bond.

 

Seiler said that the main driver of the budget was his proposed strategy of paying an expected $8 Million certiorari bill in 07-08 out of the budget instead of bonding for the expected refund as the district is doing in the current budget.

 

Seiler told WPCNR Wednesday that if the Board of Education changes its mind and decides they would bond for the $8 Million (or possibly more, Seiler said), that the budget would drop from $182.2 Million to about $175M.  The Seiler strategy of paying certioraris out of pocket instead of pushing them out over five years echoes a recommendation of Richard Hecht in regard to the bonding of the Capital Project, in which he recommended paying debt off sooner rather than later.

 

On the matter of District Salaries, Seiler is projecting an increase of 3.2% over the entire district. Seiler said the 3.2% ($96 Million figure ballpark) does take into account expected teacher contract increases. Seiler said that it should not be taken to mean that teacher salaries would be held to a 3.2% increase. Seiler reports negotiations will begin in earnest in two months, but he expected the total salaries in the district not to increase more than the 3.2%.

 

Debt service increase Projected at 30.26%

 

The Preliminary Budget, (not shown on projection slides to the audience), shows the Debt Service increasing from $5.9 Million to $7.7 Million.

 

Seiler said that includes the new bonding for  $8 Million in certioraris in the 06-07 budget plus $1.7 Million in debt service expected for the first year of the Capital Project (Athletic Fields and High School Renovations). 

 

Seiler said that in 2008-2009, another $1.7 Million would come on board for the second portion of the $66 Million Bond, followed by a third $1.7 Million or more debt service increase in 2009-2010 when the third $20 Million chunk of the bond is planned to be floated. That is, assuming 5% interest rates and the present School District Bond Rating.  

 

Seiler noted to the audience that the Board of Education could choose to ease the impact on the year-to-year budget by opting to bond the new $8 Million in Certiorari expected by the School District in the year 2007-2008. That would increase the debt service slightly, while taking $8 Million out of the “Other Expenses” budget.

 

Seiler said he expected Utilities to decrease 27% because original projections expected them to be higher, and there would be less payments for tuition (sending students out of district)

 

Transportation is going to increase 9.54%. The Board voted an additional $164,000 for Transportation this evening to provide for Middle School busing.

 

An estimate of revenues was not provided.