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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WPCNR PRESS BOX. LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, FEBRUARY 26, 2005: Miami University of Ohio won the Collegiate Competition at the 2005 Synchronized Skating Championships Saturday afternoon with a spendid swing dance program, then narrowly missed sweeping the day, coming in second to the Haydenettes in the Senior Competition bringing the Synchronized Nationals to a close.

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 Festivities got under way with a skating  tribute to the Boston Red Sox, to the tune of “Let’s Get It Started,” where skaters in Red Sox T-shirts enacted a Bosox homer met with good natured groans by the Team Image section.

Staged  by host synchronized skating club, The Colonials there was a program with a message, “The Evolution of a Skater,” where various age groups of skaters from child to adult demonstrated how the discipline and dedication to skating builds character, will, toughness, tenacity, poise, and the ability to get up off the ice and skate.

 The pairs skaters – all local stars this reporter believes — wowed the audience with throw triple salchows, lifts, and acrobatics in dancing spotlights thrilling the assembled parents and Juvenile teams about to skate with possibilities.

Evolution of a Skater

 As the narrator said, after introducing the “Evolution of a Skater,” no other sport prepares a young person more for the challenges of life than figure skating.

 Opening ceremonies featured the parade of the banners of 107 synchronized skating teams from coast-to-coast from Juvenile to Adult Masters, which is really impressive what with 20 skaters on each team , you had at least 2,000 or more skaters on hand for these championships plus parents coaches and entourage. And, there were no ESPN or CNN, or  local television stations to be seen covering these championships. Another example of how women’s sports get no media respect in this country.

Juvies Finest Hour

 At 11, the competition began with the Juvenile ( 11 and Under) competition, the first three teams to skate each encountered at least one fall, it was time for Team Image to take the ice. The girls in green took the ice with confidence and skated strongly cleanly with blocks on like, their 4-spoke wheel  defined and their backward splice lunge dashing. They were the first to skate without a faux pas. All agreed their last skate of the season was their best skate of the season. Congrats are in order to Jillian Baumeister, Alexandra Berliner, Diandra Brennan, Stephanie Damascus, Nicole Dzikas, Adrienne Henderson, Sarah Johnson, River Kynoch, Emma Leary, Abby Leibowitz, Elizabeth Mayhew, Chole McFadyen, Jessica Moh, Katie O’Brien, Izra Serrantes, Ashley Snow, Lauren Snow, Jacqueline Sullivan, and Alexandria Vicente.

 Nicole  Dzikas skated though she had been sick to her stomach most of the previous night, and Adrienne Henderson skated with a broken wrist. As Adrienne told her mom, “skaters skate.”

 The Juvenile division was won by the Chicago Jazz, with the Ice Cubes of the Haydenettes Organization, second, Team Elan of Detroit third and Gems on Ice of Plymouth fourth—despite two falls. Team Image placed 9^th of 12 teams, just behind The Colonials. They were all pleased with their skate and showing since they have never been this close to The Colonials all season.

Juniors Hang In There

 The Team Image Junior Team were scheduled for their short Technical Progam the first part of  the two step Junior competition in the late evening.  The Hockettes, the world’s first synchronized skating team from Ann Arbor Michigan (founded in 1956), skated third and held the lead up until the Chicago Jazz skated last and absolutely aced their skate to take the lead going into the Long program this evening. Team Image skating  14^th, suffered a fall in one of their moving blocks that cost them that element but executed the rest of the way.

 The technical program, as it does in solo figure skating competitions kills you, with the slightest mistake and Thursday evening was no exception.

 Team Image Novice team skates Friday Afternoon, and the Junior team skates their long program Friday evening.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. FEBRUARY 23, 2005: Coach Sue Adams’ White Plains Tigers Women’s Basketball team won their first Sectional Championship in two decades Tuesday evening beating Ossining 54-47 when Elise Bronzo caught fire in the final Tiger 18-3  run in the final six minutes to take the Championship home. The Tigers finished at 21-3 and won it going away at the County Center as it should be.

Bronzo scored six points and made several key blocks to take over the game during the winning run. White Plains got balanced scoring from Liz Flooks with 13, Bronzo with 12,  Kim Adams, 8 and Danica Covington and Jenn OOsher with 7 each. Nina Johnson scored 3, and Angelei Aguirre, 3, in the historic win.

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WPCNR Police Gazette. February 23, 2005, UPDATED 10:15 P.M. E.S.T.: The White Plains Police Department is moving to fill the vacancy for a Criminal Justice Attorney “to conduct special investigations, provide counsel on public safety issues policies and procedures.” The search was announced in an advertisement in last Saturday’s Journal News classified section and resumes are due in to the Commissioner of Public Safety by March 11.

Police Seek Investigations Specialist. Photo by WPCNR News.

Deputy Commissioner David Chong told WPCNR the new candidate will replace Eve Monroe who held the position previously and resigned approximately one year ago. Chong said up until now no one has been doing the duties Ms. Monroe was handling which consisted of analyzing intelligence, liaisoning with Washington, D.C. on possible terrorist threats. “Now, the Commissioner (Dr. Frank Straub) feels there is a need for it,” Chong said. Chong said the one difference is the qualifications is that the candidate now must have a law enforcement background.

Personnel Director Betty Wallace told WPCNR today that the position had only been advertised in The Journal News.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. February 23, 2005: The Comprehensive Plan Review Committee has notified the city’s neighborhood associations and community organizations of the subject matters of its upcoming meetings to take community comment on the City Comprehensive Plan.

The first meeting will be held March 1 in the Common Council Chambers and will focus on the Core area: Main Street and Mamaroneck Avenue down to Post Road,  Hamilton Avenue, Quorropas, Church Street, South Lex, Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard,  better known as the downtown. It will be the only meeting that will call for citizen opinion and comment on the future development of the downtown.

According to the letter from Mary CAvallero and John Martin, Co-Chairs of the committee, the committee purpose is to “determine whether, and to what extent, any elements of the 1997 Comprehensive Plan should be amended to ensure that it remains an effective guide for the community now and into the future.”

The letter reports that each of the four meetings scheduled, beginning with the March 1 discussion of the downtown will begin with “a presentation about what the 1997 Comprehensive Plan states as goals, and what actions ahve been taken toweard achieving those goals. Then there will be a discussion about whether the stated goals are still appropriate or should be amended.

The letter also states that next week every Neighborhood Association will be mailed a copy of the portions of the 1997 Comprehensive Plan which deal with their neighborhood.

The next meeting will be held March 22 and deal with the Close-In Areas, Gateways/Major Corridors within them. On March 29, discussion will center on the Outer Areas, Major Properties and Gateways/Major Corridors within them.  On April 5, 2005 discussion will concern Community Resources and Implementation.

The letter said that after these meetings are held, the Committee will “prepare a report of its findings and recommendations for the Mayor and Common Council.”

The Citizens Plan Committee, the ad hoc group of citizens, who spearheaded the formation of the Mayor’s committee welcomed these opportunities for public comment with a statement sent to committee members this week:

February 23, 2005

Dear Fellow-White Plains Resident,

We wrote to you on February 15^th describing the February 9 th initial meeting of the city’s Comprehensive Plan Review Committee.  At  that meeting the members made clear their commitment to public participation as an important part of the review process which, it is anticipated, will set the goals for the city’s planning program for some years to come.

The Citizens’ Plan Committee is delighted that members of the public will be able to share their interest, concerns and suggestions at these public meetings. For our part, we have shared our November 22, 2004 report and numerous suggestions with the Mayor, Common Council and the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee to consider in the review process.  

A public review meeting will be held on March 1, 2005 at 7:30 pm at City Hall in the Common Council Chambers. These are critical times in White Plains.  It is vital that your voice be heard!

We hope to see you on the 1st.

Sincerely,

Robert H. Levine

(for the)  Citizens’ Plan Committee