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WPCNR THE VOTING BOOTH. From The League of Women Voters. September 29, 2006:
The
Dennis POWER —
Cass CIBELLI
10 ROUNDS ON WPGA-TV, OCT. 18 7 PM CHANNEL 75
Cable 75 will rebroadcast the program on the following Wednesdays at 7:30 pm (Oct.25 and Nov 1) and Saturdays (Oct. 28 and Nov.4) at 3:00 pm.
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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. September 29, 2006: An indispensable and loyal public servant in the ideal sense has announced her retirement. Janice Minieri is leaving the post of City Clerk after thirty-five years of service to the city. Ms. Minieri who is responsible for city records, such as marriage licenses, birth certificates, and the City Charter, and dispenses the mysterious Rossetta Stone of city government: the monthly Common Council Agenda and booby-trapped “backup material” while recording faithfully the Common Council proceedings through the years of Urban Renewal, the building of the Galleria, the Westchester, right through to the Renaissance of today.
She has sworn in the legends of City Hall, Alfred Del Vecchio, Mary Ann Keenan, Michael Keating, Mike Coffey, Robert Ruger, Jo Falcone, Rita Malmud, Joseph Delfino, Robert Greer. Ms. Minieri has run an office that has always been polite and efficient in the way it treats the public, and has always treated the distinguished members of the press with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Janice Minieri, City Clerk, Retiring. She is seen at her post at the Common Council, 2001.
A Minieri Moment, consulting with then private citizen, Adam Bradley, prior to swearing Glen Hockley (in background) on March 15, 2002 after the Court of Appeals decided the historic Hockley-Delgado jammed voting machine case.
Janice Minieri, swearing in Councilman Glen Hockley, March 15, 2002.
Photos WPCNR News Archive.
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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Flying Photographer. September 29, 2006: This morning’s photograph is a view of the legendary Hudson River Valley looking South from Poughkeepsie.
The Meandering Hudson River Valley, viewed South from Poughkeepsie, NY. Croton Point is in the top of the pictorial.
Photo by the WPCNR Flying Photographer
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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. September 28, 2006: A few weeks ago, after the Con Ed power outage, I started a lobbying effort urging Con Ed to conduct a study to determine whether it’s feasible to place lines underground. I am pleased that Con Ed has agreed to conduct the study. This is a very positive step – that will enable ratepayers to determine if it makes sense to be proactive. Some residents of Greenburgh have been out of power 5…6…or 7 times this year alone! Many of the power outages happened because of downed trees. If power lines are placed underground we will reduce the potential for severe power outages –like the outages we experienced in 2006.
If Con Ed can’t place wires on every street – all at once—they should consider placing the wires below ground near schools, hospitals, municipal buildings, nursing homes, major business locations.
I have written to Con Ed and am requesting that Greenburgh be one of the areas that are included in the study.
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WPCNR PRESS BOX From David Maloney. The Mayor’s Office. September 28, 2006: The City of White Plains Youth Bureau, Recreation and Parks Department, White Plains Downtown Business Improvement District along with Universal Goju Way of Life is sponsoring a Chess Festival at Renaissance Plaza, Downtown White Plains on Saturday, September 30, from 10 a.m. to 1:00 P.M.
White Plains has become a Chess City for youth and adults with nearly 300 students playing chess in youth programs and chess offered throughout the White Plains School District. White Plains is also home to America’s number one youth Chess Player – Hikaru Nakamura.
The public is invited to attend.
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WPCNR’S THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. September 29, 2006: As the Chairman of Con Edison, Kevin Burk, initiated his appearance at a county sponsored hearing on what Con Edison is planning to improve its future responses and reporting and correcting of power outages, Supervisor Feiner has discovered from his constituents that Con Edison has not gotten Greenburgh all cleaned up of wire conditions:
THIS E MAIL WAS SENT TO CON ED OFFICIALS.
I am writing to report that Con Ed still has downed wires around town from the last storm. Last night, at a Greenburgh Town Board meeting we received complaints about downed wires on
I have been advised that there may be other downed wires around town –and around the county. I request that Con Ed address this problem immediately and also request that you consider taking other appropriate measures to protect children from these downed wires.
PAUL FEINER
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WPCNR SOUTH END TIMES. By John F. Bailey. September 28, 2006: More citizens turned out for a Rosedale Residential Association meeting to protest the plans of the pharmaceutical chain, Walgreen’s, to locate on the site of the old Sports Page restaurant than have ever turned out for any issue in White Plains in WPCNR’s covering six years of White Plains school budgets, city budgets, school bond meetings, New York Presbyterian Hospital issues, or City Center issues.
The three hour meeting featured over 25 speakers, whose numbers were called out as you would in a delicatessen to determine when they would speak. It featured a vow by Cass Cibelli to fight the Walgreen’s proposal from his position on the White Plains Planning Board. Pat Sevcik, the President of the association, advocated for members and those of other neighborhood associations to make known their feelings to the Planning Board and Common Council. Photo, WPCNR News
He told WPCNR he would seek Rosedale Association Executive Board authorization l to tap the $34,000 in what is named the Rosedale Residential Association “Defense Fund” to hire legal counsel to combat the issue. Sevcik also announced representatives from Walgreen’s would present their proposal to the association in a meeting October 11 at
“The next plan is we have a Common Council meeting on the third of October. There is time at that meeting to get up and speak on this subject, so I am encouraging all members of the Association and all residents of the city who oppose this to show up and show their support. The next meeting after that will be the Planning Board meeting on October 10,” Sevcik told WPCNR. “I encourage everyone to show up there as well. It is not a public hearing, but there is strength in numbers regardless. The following night on the 11th (of October we have a presentation given by the Walgreen’s representatives at White Plains High School, to understand really what it is they’re planning on putting in and voice their opinions and ask the hard questions. We’ll continue to sponsor additional meetings as we progress.”
WPCNR asked about legal recourse and tapping the Rosedale Residential Association “Defense Fund”: “Yes, I’ll have to check our constitution a little bit closer on that particular item, but I believe at the very least the executive board needs to approve that. I don’t see necessarily a problem with that (using the funds) at this point. We have to investigate the (legal) situation a little bit more to see what it is we can do. And, tonight, luckily enough, I’m very excited, a lot of people have signed up with pledges. If that continues that will help buffer our defense fund. Any funds not used will be returned. Anything they can afford, $10, $50, a $100. We’ll use everything. Keep tabs on everything.”
Sevcik said Walgreen’s has never indicated to him that they have either signed the lease on the site or purchased the property. “The next step is to determine if (the proposal) is pending approval. I’m not sure if they actually bought it as of yet.”
Sevcik hoped Walgreen’s would consider another site elsewhere in the city.
Asked where he thought the chain might go, he said: “This particular site is not conducive (to Walgreen’s). It’s not appropriate. Not in the spirit of the zoning in that area anyway.
Would legal action be mounted? “Not a sure thing. It looks like it is going that way. If we feel it’s necessary, we’ll do what ever we have to do to make sure that our voice is heard and action is taken, whatever it may be whether it may be political, legal, whatever.”
Sevcik said the Planning Department had not made up its mind: “The jury is somewhat out. On the 19th when this first came up for review, there were several people on the Planning Board who were skeptical. Mr. Cibelli made it very clear to them this was out of character for the area, not within the spirit of the neighborhood zoning district, and a reach for that area. It’s early in the process. There’s going to be another informal review on the 10th.”
What would he like to see on the site? “A lot of different things: a restaurant with a service bar, a family restaurant could probably go in that footprint. Right next door we have a pharmacy, a cleaners, why not continue that row and have other store fronts, a bakery, a florist, a bagel shop, a nail salon, a small office for rent, a café that would truly serve the needs of the neighborhood. I don’t need a mart to sell us milk. I can go to the gas station for that. There’s lots of little things that could be done there to help the neighborhood.”
Councilman Glen Hockley, standing, center advocated Common Council Executive Session to discuss the Walgreen’s proposal. Photo, WPCNR News
From the first speaker who called the Walgreen’s proposal an “outrage,” to Marty Linden who strongly urged the Association to seek legal advice and strategy to thwart the proposal, to Councilman Glen Hockley who said he would call a Common Council Executive Session to explore ways the city could approach the issue, the Walgreen’s proposal was excoriated for 24-hour traffic potential, the possibility of traffic tieups into and out of the drive-in parking lot, light pollution, and alleged violations of the B-1-B-2 zone, that is reserved for “light retail and neighborhood businesses.” The theme that the Walgreen’s proposal would be the beginning of strip malling the south end of
Cibelli characterized the Walgreen’s proposal as “The end of the city in the park,” saying he felt, “I feel as though you’re losing that touch that feeling.” Cibelli said of Walgreen’s proposal before the Planning Board, “their arrogance, lack of vision, befuddled me. It (if approved) is a bad decision, a lack of vision.” Photo, WPCNR News
Another speaker advised the throng that they should beware for he remembered when The Sports Page was undergoing review years ago, and the restaurant said it would be “a restaurant with a small bar, instead, we got a bar with a small restaurant. They lie.”
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WPCNR PRESS BOX. September 28, 2006: Burke’s annual Wheelchair Games will take place on Saturday, Sept. 30, on the Burke campus in White Plains. The Games start at 8:30 a.m. with opening ceremonies and an appearance by Autumn Grant, Miss Wheelchair America. Field events, slalom and table tennis are held in the morning and track events begin at 1 p.m.
This year we are raffling a 2007 Ford Mustang Convertible. The drawing takes place immediately after the award ceremonies end (by 5 p.m.). Only 500 tickets will be sold at $100 each. (A ticket order form is attached for your convenience.)
There also will be appearances by Skerry Jones of WZ100 FM radio, Jay Michaels of WFAS FM, and Ronald McDonald.
It promises to be a day of fun and excitement for all.
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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Flying Photographer. September 28, 2006: Today’s view is of the Hudson River Valley viewed from Poughkeepsie looking North.
Hudson River Valley. North to Albany.
Photo by the WPCNR Flying Photographer
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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. September 27, 2006: Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety, Daniel Jackson has issued this statement to WPCNR, announcing the police have arrested an individual in the Tuesday afternoon shooting incident in the Winbrook area, in which a series of gunshots was reported approximately 4:30 P.M. The Commissioner issued this statement Wednesday evening to WPCNR:
There were no persons shot in the incident yesterday (Tuesday, September 26).
We have arrested 23 year old Chaz Thomas from Manhattan Ave., White Plains for reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon. The fight was originally a street encounter between two other subjects.
Thomas and another suspect exchanged gunfire(5-9) rounds. without hitting anyone. (This incident) is not believed to be gang related at this time.
As for police presence in Winbrook, we have always maintained patrols there and will continue to do so. An officer there on an unrelated call called the incident in as it was happening. We have an ongoing investigation, a number of community people have come forward with information but we are always looking for more witnesses.
WPCNR notes that persons can contact the White Plains Police with information on this incident, with full confidentiality by contacting 422-6111.
Third Shooting in 4 Months.
The incident is the third shooting episode in the Ferris Avenue-Winbrook area in 4 months, and the fourth violent sequence in 7 months in the Ferris-South Lexington Avenue strip.
Louighy D’Haiti, 26, of Ferris Avenue was shot in the abodomen at 1:15 P.M. in the afternoon September 11, and survived the attack after being shot and left in the gutter at Richard and Ferris Avenues. That investigation is ongoing and there have been no arrests.
Kevin Chambliss, 33, Captain of the 1993 White Plains High School Championship Football squad, and employee of the White Plains Youth Bureau, was shot and killed May 22 in front of the apartment building in which he lived on Ferris Avenue in broad daylight.
Jermaine Pelletier, a homeless youth, 20, who lived at the Court Street homeless shelter, was stabbed to death March 27, for disrespecting two other youths who were arrested and charged with his murder. Pelletier’s wearing of a red bandana when he encountered his assailants was cited by police as one reason he was stabbed.