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WPCNR PRESS BOX. March 3, 2004: The Mount Vernon Knights and the White Plains Tigers played cat and mouse for three quarters before the Knights pulled away in the 4th stanza to defeat the Tigers for the Section I Championship at the County Center Wednesday afternoon, 65-51.
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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. By Sunset Boulevard .
A PRETTY GIRL IS LIKE A MELODY: “Candy” from Fashion Avenue models a Valentino pale lemon jersey dress from the Mary Jane Denzer collection Monday evening as Fashion Avenue took over “The Center.” Photo by WPCNR FashionCam.
Angels of the White Plains Performing Arts Center threw their dollar support solidly behind the theatre ingénue again Monday evening as WPPAC raised the curtain on its first spring lineup of productions. The WPPAC Spring season launches with three prominent
Fashionistas Turn Out.
Paying $100 a ducat for champagne reception and show, theatre and girl watchers of White Plains sipped champagne in fluted glasses, sampled the visually appealing salmon and liver pate hors d’oeuvres and succulent goodies catered by Blue restaurant and their creator of simple elegance, Chef Pat Kelly in the curtain raiser on the balcony.
WHITE PLAINS FINEST: About 150-200 professionally attired women and sharp, cleanly pressed suits could be seen chatting each other up on the theatre concourse of the
Models on Madison Ave Step Out.
Dressed to Thrill began with one-man piano man, Henry Aronson at the keyboard doing a springtime riff, who introduced local
Mr. Holmes welcomed the 200 patrons (seats were filled up the middle with the last 6 rows and far and near sides vacant) and introduced
Gaston Returns
Michals in cutaway black tails and open-necked white shirt, was a little Tom Jones, a little Robert Goulet, a little Steve Lawrence, but in that unmistakably winning Michals style he warmed his edgy emotional mellow tones into getting the audience in the mood for style rendering Where Is the Girl? From The Pimpernel. Michals played Gaston and The Beast in the Broadway production of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast.
The Michals Broadway charisma whet enthusiasts’ appetite for looking at beautiful women. The queens of fashion from Madison Ave made their individual turns with panache and presence, long, long legs in spike heeled pumps, their graceful body lines articulating White Plains’ Mary Jane Denzer’s luscious gowns, making splendid statements with pulchritude to music.
Just Like Bryant Park Fashion Week
Leading off in pairs walking in opposite directions in an X-shaped, spotlit path stately sashaying in the dual spotlights, duplicated in closeup in live video screens, was the cool and statuesque Aussie Blonde, Kylie Cappelli, (Mrs. Louis), in a Roberto Cavalli black jersey halter with open-laced sides, and “Cammy” in Valentino white linen corset dress with chiffon capelet sleeve.
Leading Ladies of White Plains standing up highly favorably to the supermodels onstage were Kylie Cappelli, Felicia Finley and Monica Meadows, the actresses, and well-known betterhalf of Westchester’s acting couple, Paulette Scholtman.
They were joined by supermodels: Cammy, Candy, Dori, Krista, Margie, Melissa, Michelle, Liz, Lonna and Sherry.
High fashion comes to
Mrs. Cappelli and her ethereal entourage marched with indulgence and confidence across stage, up aisles among the patrons to display the “Denzer daring” up close and personal, complimented by Mr. Holmes’ engaging patter.
LONG COOL WOMAN IN THE RED DRESS HAS IT ALL: “Melissa” in a red crepe-back-satin halter dress from John Galliano on the runway at WPPAC with Henry Aronson working keyboards. Photo by WPCNR FashionCam.
Midway in the one-of-a-kind program, two ladies, Monica Meadows (star of the upcoming Fashion), and Felicia Finley, star of Aida at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company, graced the audience with two songs giving the “credit cards” in the audience a break.
Kathleen Gunn, Executive Director of the White Plains Downtown Business Improvement District, said of the show, “I loved it, and thought the show was great. It was a high caliber event. I thought I was in
A striking universe of 48 outfits you do not want to know the prices of were showcased by the striking Monday night “chorus line,” the average cost of the outfits being $4,000 and up. Ms. Gunn’s favorite was Cammy modeling the Valentino yellow print jersey side-slit gown.
Tony Stimac, director of the show, an expert at pulling together these one-of-a-kind events, said the show had sold 320 tickets as of Monday, and Wednesday morning said it had raised $30,000 for the theatre. Tony knows everybody, and has the persuasive ability to pick up the phone and, say, “we’re doing a show, we’d love to have you, you want to be in it?” and the stars come out. White Plains citizens should watch for the next one. They are something else.
Mingling with the Newsmakers
Yours truly, Sunset B., working the crowd got the word from a mingling Louis Cappelli that he has signed Office Max to occupy a portion of the City Center, to join coming signed partners, the Atlanta Bread Factory, Applebee’s, Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, Filene’s Basement, Legal Seafood, Target and Zanaro’s to augment his City Center showplace on Main Street.
The Super Developer said he only had 25,000 more square feet of space to sell at the
THE SUPER DEVELOPER AND THE SUPER MODELS: The Super Developer, City Center impressario, Louis Cappelli, right, was on the scene at showtime. He is chatting with Gary Blum, left, President and Chief Creative Officerof The Laurus Group of Harrison, who told WPCNR his company has been appointed the advertising agency for the White Plains Performing Arts Center. Photo by WPCNR FashionCam
Blum said he was commissioned at the end of last week to prepare posters, marketing materials, identify markets, and handle direct response and possible direct mail campaigns for promoting attendance at the theater. Presently, he said the assignments are being executed on a project-by-project basis. He pointed to the new posters hanging in the lobby as some of his first efforts. He said local television and print ads were a possibility.
Asked if he would be handling Helen Hayes Theatre Company and Queens Theater in the Park, two of the
Local movers and shakers who sponsored the event were of course, Mary Jane Denzer, Fortunoff, Shalz Cadillac, Papa-Razzi, Blue, and Trotters.
Local Musical Groups test the
Three outstanding local organizations present classic contemporary movie music, including a classical performance by young musicians and local Arab-American musicians presenting performances that will demonstrate the full acoustical range of the White Plains Performing Arts Center.
Tomorrow evening, Westchester’s Philharmonia Virtuosi will perform music from “Master and Commander” March 4 at 7:30 P.M. Philharmonia Virtuosi will feature Mela Tenenbaum on violin; Alexandr Tenenbaum on violin; Dortothy Lawson, cello; Robert Igliss, oboe; and Richard Kapp on piano. For tickets, priced from $30, children under 18, free, may be purchased at 914-693-5595.
Philarmonia Virtuosi will be followed into City Center stage by the Music Conservatory of Westchester Mentoring Orchestra, under direction of Anthony Aibel on Friday night for an O-T-O performance at 8 P.M. Tickets are $5, and my be purchased at 914-761-3900.
Ali Hamideh, a long-time member of the Arab community in
Comedy and Song and Dance Return.
Next Tuesday evening, bigtime Broadway entertainment returns with Joseph Bologna and Renee Taylor starring in the comedy, It Had to Be You, beginning March 9 at
It Had to Be You is followed by the Stimac-Pippin-Brown musical, Fashion, debuting Saturday, March 20 at 8, followed by a Sunday Matinee at 2 on the 21st. Fashion runs at “The Center” on March 23 at 7, then March 24, 25, 26,27, and April 1,2,3 at 8 P.M, with matinees at 2 on March 28, 31, and April 4.
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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. March 3, 2004: With temperatures rising into the balmy mid-sixties and the January-February snowcover melted, exhibition baseball about to begin, and fields finally drying up, a father and his children started tuning up for the new season at Delfino Park in the sunset last night.
SWING, BATTER, SWING By the White Plains Roving Photographer.
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WPCNR CLUBHOUSE. From Westchester County Department of Communications. March 3, 2004: Saying golf on public courses should be both affordable and accessible, County Executive Andy Spano has announced changes to the county’s E-Z Reserve Golf at the five county-owned golf courses, including Maple Moor Golf Course in White Plains.
Using the E-Z Reserve system, Westchester residents with a valid park pass can reserve a regular tee time for their foursome on Saturdays and Sundays for a 25 week golf season, from April 17 through October 3, by paying a flat non-refundable fee of $250 per person in advance for each foursome.
Applications for limited E-Z Reserve times will be accepted at each county golf course on Saturday, March 13, for Saturday tee times, and on Sunday, March 14, for Sunday tee times, beginning at 8 a.m. each day.
“We created the E-Z Reserve System to make golfing more convenient, but we also wanted to make sure that it remained affordable to the general public,’’ said Spano. “That’s why we’ve adapted the system so that golfers don’t have to pay upfront.’’
Spano said when the county started E-Z Reserve last year golfers were happy at being able to reserve tee times for the season, but some had concerns about paying for those times up front.
“Now they have the best of both worlds: A reserve system so they don’t have to call every week, and a pay-as-you-go system for those who can’t afford to pay all at once,’’ he said.
Under the revised policy, when a golfer cancels a weekly reservation at least 36 hours in advance, a greens fee is not required. If the golfer does not cancel the reservation and fails to show up, the golfer will be charged the $27 greens fee unless the county can re-sell the time slot.
The E-Z Reserve program is available only to Westchester residents with a valid Park Pass. Only one tee-time will be allotted per group per day. At least one member of the group must sign up in person. Park passes can be renewed at that time. All golfers must have a valid park pass by the first date of play.
The five Westchester County-owned golf courses are Mohansic in Yorktown Heights; Maple Moor in White Plains; Saxon Woods in Scarsdale; and Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake, both in Yonkers. As Dunwoodie is scheduled for construction at the end of the summer, its E-Z reserve program will be prorated for 20 weeks with a reservation fee of $200.
For more information about method of purchase and specific program details on the E-Z Reserve program or to download an application, log on to www.westchestergov.com/parks, or call the County Parks Department at (914) 864-7011.
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WPCNR HEALTH MAINTENANCE OBSERVER. From Somnia, Inc. March 3, 2004: Metro Screening and Somnia have joined forces to raise public awareness about the need for colon screening to aid early detection and prevention of colon cancer during March, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. To learn more or locate a doctor, call 877-MD-SCOPE or go to www.metroscreening.com.
Colon cancer is 90 percent curable when detected early. Despite these favorable odds, it remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the
The focus of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is to highlight that colon screening can save lives. It is advisable for people over the age of 50 to have a colonoscopy screening every 10 years. For people with a history of colon cancer in their family, physicians may recommend that patients start getting checked earlier.
Why do patients delay colon screening? Most fear that the procedure will be painful. Many are not aware of the benefit of early screening – how detection and removal of polyps before they become cancerous can save patients from further health complications. With the use of anesthesia administered by an anesthesiologist, colonoscopy can be rendered pain-free. As Medicare and most commercial insurance carriers cover the cost of colon screening, colorectal cancer prevention is easy for patients physically and financially.
“Most people put off scheduling a colonoscopy because they are afraid it will be uncomfortable, even if they understand the importance of screening,” explained
About Metro Screening
Metro Screening is a free service that puts patients in touch with gastroenterologists in their area who perform pain-free colonoscopies. Through its physician network, Metro Screening enables people to schedule a colonoscopy quickly and easily, without a long wait for an appointment. To learn more or locate a doctor, call 877-MD-SCOPE or go to www.metroscreening.com.
About Somnia, Inc.
Somnia provides comprehensive anesthesia services to office-based surgical practices and ambulatory surgery centers. The company is a management service organization based in
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The first concert, free of charge, is dedicated to the Italian American community in the Hudson Valley and will be held on Saturday, April 3rd at SUNY PURCHASE RECITAL HALL in Westchester at 7:30 pm, Purchase, New York.
The second concert will be held on April 4th at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center at
For any additional information or to reserve tickets please call
Sandy Auriti – Italian Academy Foundation, (914) 699-2020 ext 128 or
E mail: S.Auriti@CINN.com
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WPCNR MAIN STREET DAILY. From John Martin. March 2, 2004:The White Plains St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee announced the selection of the honorees for this year’s parade at a reception attended by over 200 guests at Vintage Restaurant in downtown
St. PATRICK’S DAY HONOREE: The 2004 Grand Marshal is Mary Ann Meegan, according to Parade Committee Chair John Martin. Mary Ann has long been active in Irish-American groups in Westchester County, having served as past president of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 17 of White Plains. Mrs. Meegan has been a member of the White Plains St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee since 1998. Photo Courtesy, St. Patrick’s Day Parade Commitee.
Aides to the Grand Marshal were announced as William Bertram, Timothy Connors, Mary Cuff, John Donahue, Anne Fitzsimmons and Dorothy Walsh. Mr. Bertram recently retired as a White Plains Police Lieutenant and Timothy Connors is the White Plains Superintendent of Schools. Mary Cuff is the Treasurer of the Women’s Club of White Plains and John Donahue is a White Plains Fire Department Lieutenant. Anne Fitzsimmons is a Captain in the White Plains Police Department and Dorothy Walsh was instrumental in the foundation of a joint Our Lady of Sorrows – Great Hunger Foundation program to adopt families in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
In addition to this year’s honorees, the 2003 Grand Marshal, Joseph Davidson, was presented with a commemorative Grand Marshal’s tricolor sash.
Chairman Martin also announced that this year’s parade, on March 13th, will have 17 bands, the largest contingent since the parade’s inception, as well as several floats and many community groups.
For more information, call Parade Committee Chairman John Martin at (914) 686-0239 or the White Plains Downtown B.I.D. at (914) 328-5166.
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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. March 2, 2004: The Public Hearing on the 221 Main Street project WPCNR refers to as the Cappelli Hotel, was closed last night by the Common Council, and then they approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the project. The public is being given 10 days to comment and address their remarks in writing to White Plains Common Council c/o City Clerk, 255 Main Street, White Plains, NY 10601. Comments are due by 5 P.M. March 12.
Only two persons spoke at the public hearing, Mark Edelman, speaking for the Business Improvement District, who praised the project for its design, preservation of the Bar Building, and benefits.
Dan Seidel, the only other speaker, urged the council to create a Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement to address the issues of sewage flow, water district issues, and he again pleaded with the city to build a new 27″ Main Street sewer line, otherwise, he pointed out, every new project on Main Street in the future would have to build its own direct connect. He alleged the figures provided for City Center on gallons of sewage averages were wrong, and if the two projects, City Center and 221 Main are to be considered contiguous, the estimates provided the council needed to be more closely examined.
He noted the Planning Department thinks 300 Mamaroneck Avenue (the JPI Jeferson project) connects to the Mamaroneck sewage treatment plant, while the Department of Public Works reports it connects to the Main Street sewer which would add to the effluent the Main Street sewer is expected to handle. “Which is it?” he asked.
Seidel also called for exploratory archeological diggings on the 221 Main Parking Lot area, since nothing had been built on it for 200 years.
Councilperson Rita Malmud speaking after the Council closed the hearing said that Louis Cappelli would pay the total cost of the direct connect Nicoletti Bypass sewer planned to carry the Cappelli Hotel effluent to the Main sewer line to Yonkers. She said the 20% reduction in size of the project was a big improvement on the project, as was the increase in open space by the mass reduction. Malmud noted that a lot of work had to be done, and that design of the project would be finalized during the site plan process.
Glen Hockley noted that development was an important part of the revitalization of the city, saying that without the development so far we would not have an increase in jobs in the city that is not the case nationwide. He also noted that the new development so far has meant increased funds for the school district.
Councilperson Benjamin Boykin echoed Ms. Malmud’s comments about reduced density making the project acceptable, and asked Louis Cappelli for “a signature building” at the design stage now in process.
Robert Greer requested a rooftop restaurant at the hotel in addition to his remarking that he too, was troubled when he first saw the project by its size and density, though Mr. Greer actually did say at the time Mr. Cappelli first presented the original two buildings, “What’s there not to like?” and encouraged more height.
Council President Tom Roach applauded development as a means of making White Plains a better city.
Councilperson Arnold Bernstein said he was impressed by the hard work and energy of his colleagues and the city as the project was moved to this point.
Mayor Delfino noted at the close of the hearing that his was not a development administration, but an administration that was trying to make White Plains better.
The project could be approved at the April Common Council meeting or by May at the latest.
In other action, the refurbishment of two pumper trucks for the fire department was approved; the site plan of the White Plains Housing Authority Headquarters was extended, with Glen Hockley saying he and Executive Director Mack Carter had agreed to work together to equip Winbrook buildings with video security.
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey
$1.4 MILLION CUT…BUT — Assistant Superintendent for Business for the City School District, Terrance Schruers reported Monday evening that the city announced their assessments on commercial and residential property had dropped $3, 218,000 year-to-year (after adjustment for Payment in Lieu of Taxes increases), resulting, Schruers said in a 3.3% increase in the school tax rate, moving it to 8.45%, or $30 more per $1,000 of accessed valuation. Photo by WPCNR News.
This erosion of assessments requires an increase in the tax rate from the 6.9% of 2003-04 to 8.45% for the school year of 2004-05 to maintain district revenues.
This means, Schruers said, a $30 increase per $1,000 of assessed valuation for the average homeowner. The revenue drop requires a raise from a tax rate of $349.03 in 2003-04 to $378.54/$1,000 of assessed valuation,
To put this into perspective for the resident, if you have a home assessed at $15,000 of assessed valuation, you would pay an additional $30 per thousand, (actually $29.51) or about $450 more in school taxes in 04-05, or a total of $5,670, up from $5,235 this year.
This situation has been created because the total assessments, according to the city’s figures supplied, have dropped from $316,196,649 to $304,718,459, according to the City Accessor Eydie McCarthy’s estimated figures provided to the School District.
Meanwhile, Budget Trimmed $1.4 Million to $143,910,784.
Mr. Schruers preceded the sobering assessment figures with details on $1.4 Million in cuts in the proposed 2004-05 School Budget trimming the budget from $145,340,666 to $143,910,784.
The $1.4 Million in cuts trimmed the total budget increase to 6.89%, a $9,278,152 increase over the 2003-2004 budget of $134,632,632.
Schruers reported $675,000 was reduced in salaries, by transferring grant money to cover increases, and through savings achieved in retirements, in which personnel would be hired at lower salaries. Another $80,000 in salaries was saved in transferring of grant monies, and $130,000 was achieved through new retirement announcements, for a total of $885,000 in savings on salary by finding alternate funding sources and personnel management dexterity.
The other approximate $500,000 in savings was executed through cuts, equipment cutbacks, and transfer of last year’s monies not spent in key budget categories.
Details of the cuts will be discussed at the Wednesday evening final meeting of the Annual Budget Committee at
GRANTS FULLY USED. NO PROGRAMS CUT. Superintendent of Schools Tim Connors said that prior to his coming to the district, the tendency of the district was to horde grant money not used in the current year for the next year. He has instructed that administrators use all grant money received in the current year and to look at ways grant money can be used to fund operations in keeping with the spirit of the actual grants. He told WPCNR that no programs are being curtailed or eliminated by any transference of grant moneys to trim the 04-05 budget. Photo by WPCNR News.
Second straight year Assessments have eroded.
After a long decline in assessments from a high of $440 Million assessed values in 1988, assessments stabilized at $320 Million in 1999, where they remained until 2002-03, when they declined to $316 Million, and now again in 2004, they have dropped to $304.7 Million.
Schruers said the $14,078,000 drop in assessments this year was primarily due to tax certioraris on commercial properties, the city reported.
Mr. Schruers said the city reported $14,078,000 consisted of certioraris over a two year period with $2,569,716 occurring in 2003 due to a Special Franchise Assessment set by the state “too late to be recorded on the 2003 assessment role,” according to the city figures.
In 2004, there was a $399,488 Special Franchise settlement, again “set by the state.” However a total of $7,826,275 in certioraris were substracted in 2003-04 involving the following business properties, a growing trend as Mr. Schruers has noted to the School Board at recent Annual Budget Committee meetings.
The business properties receiving certiorari judgments are:
Saint Agnes Hospital ($374,625), 777 Westchester Avenue ($300,000), 701 Westchester Avenue ($150,000), 707/709 Westchester Avenue ($591,000), 925/1025 Westchester Avenue ($391,000), 360 Hamilton Avenue ($972,050), 440 Hamilton Avenue ($1,551,500), 400 Hamilton Avenue ($1,624,100), 60 South Broadway ($268,000), Nordstrom’s ($1,204,000), and 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue ($400,000).
JPI to Pay $70,000 more in Taxes.
The JPI reduction, WPCNR has learned from a reader who questioned this, is a result of JPI coming off the tax roll and their PILOT “kicking in.” this year. Contrary to the impression the City School District handout gave, JPI has not had their PILOT reduced. (This anomaly of JPI reducing by $275,000 and contributing $345,000 on the same sheets handed out by the City School District Monday evening, means that JPI will contribute a net of $70,000 MORE to the tax roll this year, not $345,000 more, as they School District handout Monday indicated.)
$1,010,000 in Major Assessment Increases
The following businesses had their assessments raised in 2004:
PILOTs Grow by 78.5%; bring Additional $4,856,650 to District. Louis Cappelli to the Rescue.
The city reports that the School District can expect Payments in Lieu of Taxes increasing in 2004 with PILOT payments from the following properties, growing by the corresponding amounts, Clayton Park, $75,750, Fortunoff, $1,200,000, Reckson, $80,050, Bank Street Commons, $578,400, JPI $345,000, Cappelli, $2,469,050, 333 Westchester Avenue, $8,400.
The
“That’s not what we like to hear,” Schreuers sadly commented on the 8.45% rate.
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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. From District 89 Assemblyman Adam Bradley. (Edited) March 2, 2004: Assemblyman Adam Bradley (D-White Plains) announced that a measure he sponsored increasing the state’s minimum wage to $7.10 an hour was passed by the Assembly (A.9710). The bill now must be passed by the State Senate and signed by Governor George Pataki to become law.
“Creating a livable wage will go a long way toward helping our neighbors who work hard to put food on their families’ tables,” Bradley said. “This legislation reflects my strong belief that hard-working New Yorkers should be fairly rewarded.”
The legislation would increase the state minimum wage to $6.00 per hour on October 1, 2004; $6.75 an hour on July 1, 2005; and $7.10 on January 1, 2006. Currently, food service workers receiving tips have a minimum wage of $3.30 per hour. That would rise to $3.90 an hour on October 1, 2004; $4.40 per hour on July 1, 2005; and $4.65 an hour on January 1, 2006.
A full-time minimum wage worker earns only $10,712. Our neighboring states like Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island all have higher minimum wages than New York. In New York we have not raised the minimum wage since March of 2000.
Other provisions of the bill would permit an employee advocate to bring wage and hour complaints on behalf of mistreated workers, and ensure that the state labor commissioner has access to wage and hour records when investigating alleged violations.
“Our state’s antiquated minimum wage of $5.15 an hour has been an embarrassment to the New Yorkers who work in some of the toughest jobs,” Bradley said. “Families need an increased minimum wage to help make ends meet. I urge the Senate and the governor to join the Assembly in improving the lives of hard-working New Yorkers.”