WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER 3,826,065 VISITS IN ONE YEAR—73,578 VISITS A WEEK BY 1,111,506 VISITORS

Hits: 0

WPCNR PRESS BOX. By Chris Kulk, Coach White Plains Explosion 14-Unders. August 7, 2003: The sport of girl’s fastpitch softball is one of the fastest growing sports in area.  Interest in the sport has lead to the organization of the White Plains Girls Softball Association, which now sponsors three summer fastpitch teams.  The White Plains Explosion.  14 & Under, 12 & Under and 10 & Under age groups.           

2003 WHITE PLAINS EXPLOSION 14-U

Left to Right: Christine Portillo, Juliana Bailey, Jill Gordon, Tracy Avery, Jen Gilch, Molly Gottshal, Kailey Meccia, Lauren Kroutil, Lisa Tompkins, and Laura Cedrone. Madalyn Petralia, not pictured. The team won 12 out of 16 games this summer.

Photo by WPCNR Sports

The Explosion is a select travel fastpitch team playing other teams as far north as  East Fishkill and south as Bronx.  The players are selected from the best White Plains female athletes during tryouts in the fall.  The selected girls each have a strong commitment to learning the game of fastpitch softball. They commit to playing approximately 18 games starting the last week of June and lasting until the end of July.  The Fastpitch season is resumed again in the fall for an extra six weeks when the Explosion teams enter fall leagues.  Fall fastpitch adds another 12 games as the teams compete in weekly Sunday double headers.

          The Explosion teams, now in their second year have found their success in the philosophy of teaching fastpitch fundamentals in a positive atmosphere through competitive play.    The teams limit the number of players accepted on the team in order to ensure a maximum amount of playing time for each of the girls.

          The interest in the sport has driven demand for softball clinics.  Ted O’Donnell White Plains High varsity softball coach has filled that demand over the years by offering both pitching and skills clinics to White Plains girls 4^th grade and up.  Ted O’Donnell’s  White Plains Fastpitch  also sponsors it own team.  The White Plains Stix.  The Stix are a 16 U tournament level travel team traveling weekends throughout the tri-state region  The Stix end each season by traveling to a week long National tournament, this year held in North Carolina.

          .  The White Plains business community has reached out with financial support to make this a big success.  Many thanks to Stephen Sules State Farm Insurance, Kent Plumbing Supply, Dooley Macs Pub, Smith Barney, Remodeling Consultants, Klhar Glass, Frank Gambelli of City Line Deli, White Plains Firefighters, Statewide Title Insurance, and Radel Corp. all off of which gave freely to support girls fastpitch softball in White Plains. 

          Girls interested in softball clinics or playing for the White Plains Explosion can contact the organization via email WP.Explosion@verizon.net

Hits: 0

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VARIETY. From Rick Ammirato, The Mayor’s Office. August 6, 2003: Mayor Joseph Delfino today announced the appointment of the White Plains Performing Arts Center’s (WPPAC) Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is charged with getting the organization and operation of the Center up and running, and will be expanded to include more members in the future. The Mayor will also be appointing a Citizens Advisory Committee for the Center later this year.

Mayor Delfino, shown at a Common Council Meeting last spring, said,  “The formation of this highly distinguished board is the true beginning of the City’s quest to make the WPPAC the pre-eminent cultural institution in the County,” Mayor Delfino said. “Each of our board members is extremely successful professionally and is very active in the community. They bring a wealth of skills and experiences to the Center.” File Photo by WPCNR News

 The appointees are:

·        Louis R. Cappelli, founder of Cappelli Enterprises and Summit Aviation, Chairman and CEO of George A. Fuller Construction Company. Mr. Cappelli is also a founding member of the Westchester Partnership for Economic Development, a past trustee of the Browning School, a Founding Director of the March of Dimes Real Estate Breakfast, and a sponsor of the Westchester County New York Philharmonic Concert. He also established the Louis R. Cappelli Foundation in 2000, which funds grants to organizations devoted to at risk children.
·      

  Louis Fortunoff, Executive Vice President of Fortunoff Fine Jewelry and a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Fortunoff serves on the Executive Committee of the National Retail Federations’ Board of Directors. He also serves as a board member of the Fifth Avenue Association and the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District, the NYC Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Association for a Better Long Island, and the New Jersey Retail Merchants Association.
·        

Peter Gisondi, Sr., founder of Peter Gisondi & Co., Inc. Mr. Gisondi is past President of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of Westchester County, past President of the Dry Wall, Painting and Taping Employers Association of Suburban New York. He is presently a member of the White Plains Chamber of Commerce, the Building Trade Employers Association of Westchester and Putnam Counties, the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Fairfield County, Inc.
·        

Thomas Hales, Chairman, President and CEO of Union State Bank. Mr. Hales is also a board member of the New York State Banking Board, the Independent Community Bankers Association and past President of the Independent Community Bankers Association of New York State. Mr. Hales has been a major force in establishing the Children’s Hospital and Trauma Center, at Westchester Medical Center.

·        Patricia Keegan, District Director for Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey. Ms. Keegan is a former Adjunct Professor of Journalism at Iona College and Pace University. Ms. Keegan was also the Director of Communications for the New York State Education Department.
·        

Jeffrey Rosenstock, Executive Director of the WPPAC. Mr. Rosenstock is also the Executive Director of Queens Theatre in the Park, former Producing Director of Theatre by the Sea in Portsmouth, NH, former General Manager of Theatre By the Sea (summer stock theatre) in Matunuck, RI, partnered in the theatre management firm ITC and the former Director of the Charles Ives Center. Mr. Rosenstock currently serves as a panelist for the New York State Council on the Arts, a panelist for the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and is a guest lecturer at NYU and Brooklyn College.
·        

Eli Schonberger, former Vice President at PACE advertising. Mr. Schonberger is an extremely active member of the White Plains community. He has chaired various committees and is currently a member of the White Plains Recreation Advisory Committee.
·        

Tony Stimac, Executive Producer of the WPPAC. Mr. Stimac is the founder, Executive Producer and Artistic Director of the Helen Hayes Theatre Company, founder and former Executive Director of Musical Theatre Works, and Managing Director of the John Drew Theatre East Hampton. Mr. Stimac is also a founding board member of the National Alliance for Musical Theater and served in the Challenge Panel for the Opera/Musical Theater Program at the National Endowment for the Arts.
·       

 Chauncey L. Walker, head of the Transactional Department at Cuddy, Feder & Worby LLP. Mr. Walker is also President of the White Plains Rotary, Vice President of the American Lung Associations of New York State and of the Hudson Valley, and serves on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of White Plains. Mr. Walker is an Adjunct Professor at Pace Law School.
MAYOR APPOINTS WHITE PLAINS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FOUNDING BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Hits: 0

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. August 5, 2003 UPDATED WITH PHOTOS 4:30 P.M. E.D.T.: The Common Council approved the Louis Cappelli proposal to build light retail, a health club, including pool and tennis corrects to the rooftop of the new City Center Garage Monday evening by a vote of 6 to 1 with Councilman Thomas Roach voting against because he thought the proposal had been made without adequate time to answer all the questions about how the project would work within the complex. Super Developer Louis Cappelli vowed publicly the rooftop construction on the City Center Garage would not prevent the garage from opening October 15 in time for the opening of the City Center.

“Mamaroneck and Main was not a 24-hour city, that was my charge.” Louis Cappelli told the Common Council last night, saying,  the City Center project, “will not be complete without 221 Main.” Photo by WPCNR News

The Cappelli-Bland Westin Hotel as visualized from the corner of Court & Main. Photo by WPCNR News

The public hearing to consider the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Super Developer’s proposal to build “the Cappelli-Bland Hotel”  35-story hotel and office complex on the former Halpern property on Main Street between Church and Court Street was opened.

Four members of the public voiced opinions on the project. Two in favor and two against. Carl Barrera, a resident of the Highlands spoke in favor of the project. Alan Teck and Barbara Benjamin expressed strong concerns about the aggravation of traffic and air pollution levels they predicted would be forthcoming should the council approve the project. Steve Connors expressed concern that the Bar Building had historical significance. (The Planning Board and Design Review Board has endorsed condemning to open up more space along Main Street, showcasing Grace Church.)

The Proposed Cappelli Bland Westin as viewed from across the street at Fountain Plaza.

Photo by WPCNR News

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Louis Cappelli said he was actively pursuing negotiations to acquire the Bar Building and indicated it was only a matter of time before he did acquire the former home of the Westchester Bar Assocation (from which the building gets its name). Mr. Cappelli was magnanimously gracious in his public pronouncements last night, complimenting White Plains as being the city all others in Westchester are trying to be like because of the city’s “vision.” Cappelli noted that New Rochelle has followed the White Plains lead by approving a second hotel and retail complex that Mr. Cappelli is to build to build on the success of his New Roc City complex.

The drive-in entrance to the Cappelli Bland Westin off the proposed Court Street extension as shown before the Common Council last night.

Photo by WPCNR

The Common Council approved funding mechanisms for the White Plains Performing Arts Center in another resolution, and city sources said a news conference would be held this week introducing the new Trustee and Advisory Boards to the theater. WPCNR has also learned that the show for opening night has already been selected and is in development at the present time. Louis Cappelli told WPCNR the theater would open shortly after November 1, that he could not give an exact date.

The Council approved Ann Bernstein as a represenative of the Common Council to the White Plains Business Improvement District by a vote of 6 to 1, with the Mayor dissenting because Ms. Bernstein, the realtor, was no longer a resident of White Plains.

Peter Russo, Senior Code Enforcement Officer of the Department of Building was honored as Employee of the Month for his work in enforcing kitchen fire codes across the city. Photo by WPCNR News.

Major fireworks of the evening occurred during the Citizens to Be Heard  segment. About 15 residents of the Highlands turned out to protest the impending purchase of 129 Longview Avenue by the Association of Halfway Houses organization, which proposes to house rehabilitating citizens there. The disabilities of the residents have not been revealed yet.

Hits: 0

WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. By John F. Bailey. August 1, 2003: James Payne, believed by many party insiders to be on his way to being elected Chairman of the White Plains Democratic Party at last night’s Democratic City Commitee meeting has rejected the position. A leading Democratic personality told WPCNR that “Mr. Payne has chosen to stand down for the good of the Democratic Party.”

WPCNR’s impeccable source said he was personally dissappointed that Payne had “stood down”, but had no other comment. He said the Nominating Committee was going to entertain applications from other candidates and would make a recommendation of a new leader September 4.

Elizabeth Schollenberger and Robert Hoch had been named as two other candidates being considered for the position before Mr. Payne was recommended by Dennis Power, Acting Chair. Power himself chose not to continue on in that position after Assemblyman Adam Bradley announced that he, Bradley, would no longer serve as Chairperson.

No reason was given by Mr. Payne for his decision, other than “for the good of the party,” from our source.

 Robert Greer and a leading Democratic “activist” had fully expected Mr. Payne to assume the Chair as late as Thursday afternoon. Mr. Payne was reported by a Journal News article two weeks ago to have not filed New York State and New York City tax returns on time for three years in the mid-80s. Payne was considered favorable to Mr. Bradley, and a source of the tax return story has not been named.

Hits: 0

WPCNR ADAM IN ALBANY By Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley of the 89th Assembly District. July 31, 2003:  Sexual assault is a brutal crime that leaves permanent scars on victims and can traumatize anyone at anytime. If we can prevent one more assault from occurring, help one more victim heal or take one more predator off the street, we will have made a difference.

During this legislative session, I worked to pass a bill that gives more protections and support to victims of sexual assault by strengthening the Sexual Assault Reform Act of 2000 (A.9116). The legislation was passed by both the Senate and Assembly and is awaiting the governor’s signature.

Lending victims a helping hand

The bill creates a Sexual Assault Forensic Payment Program so that victims dealing with an emotional, disturbing and traumatic time in their lives won’t have to deal with bureaucratic paperwork such as insurance forms and information, and ensures that health care providers will keep providing invaluable services to victims in need.

The last thing a sexual assault victim should be forced to do is deal with mountains of paperwork. More importantly, we shouldn’t make a victims inability to pay a barrier to getting the kind of medical attention they need.

Cracking down on sexual assault

To send the message that sexual assault is wrong no matter what the relationship between abuser and victim, the legislation eliminates circumstances under which a defendant could inappropriately use marriage as a defense against rape or other sexual assault charges.

Marriage does not give someone license to sexually assault a spouse. In tightening up these laws, abused spouses will have a greater ability to get out of horrific situations.

The bill also strengthens the statutes dealing with forcible touching and persistent sexual abuse, and SARA also ensures that those who are repeat misdemeanor sexual offenders can be pursued as felons. In addition, the SARA agreement expands the list of crimes that would fall under persistent sexual abuse, and sets tough penalties.

Preventing date rape

The 2000 SARA bill made it a felony to knowingly administer a controlled-drug to an unknowing person to incapacitate, and then sexually assault them. The new amendments to SARA enhance the date rape drug penalties, include prescription medications as date rape drugs when used to incapacitate a victim, and increase felony penalties for the possession or sale of GHB – perhaps the most notorious and dangerous date rape drug.

It’s time sexual predators were dealt with as severely as their crimes. By toughening up New York’s laws to deter sexual predators and better protect victims of sexual assault, we can all feel safer.