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.

Hits: 0

WPCNR Main Street Journal. November 12, 2003: It was bright, shiny and new, a relic from 1957, and it opened Wednesday at noon on Court Street, right across from Macy’s, the second new restaurant to open in three weeks in White Plains (DG’s was the other).

Lifesize posters of James Dean and Elvis welcomed this relic of the rock ‘n roll era into a shiny whitewalled, checkerboard floored, red stooled, stainless steel grill that you could bring your best girl or best old girl for an old-fashioned malted, ice cream soda, sundae, where the hamburgers sizzle on an open grill night and day.  A WPCNR READER  visited it on  Saturday and filed this report: “Visited the restaurant on Saturday. Dano & Vicki Weisse have worked very hard to make this a family friendly restaurant. The egg cremes remind me of the Bronx (not only Brooklyn) where I grew up. It is a wonderful new addition to White Plains.”
Photo by WPCNR StreetCam

A CHEESEBURGER AND AN EGG CREME PLEASE: Dano and Vicki Weisse brought the Brooklyn malt shoppe of the 1950s back to life in downtown White Plains, opening Brooklyn’s Famous Sub Shop & Pasta  on Court for lunch on Wednesday. It’s right around the corner from the Bagel Emporium. Open from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M., it replicates the ambience and spirit of Dano’s grandfather’s soda shoppe in good old Brooklyn U.S.A. of long ago. Dano said they were swamped at lunch and were very enthusiastic. Photo by WPCNR StreetCam

MALT SHOP MAVENS REMEMBER: Twin Brothers Stanley and Warren Livington, born and raised in White Plains were enjoying what else, a burger and fries, and sodas. Stanley recalled that the new malt shoppe reminded him very much of Daddy Michaels’  malt shoppe that used to be on Main Street in White Plains 40 years ago, and they loved the ambience. Photo by WPCNR StreetCam

The “juke joint,” as these places used to be known as, has jukeboxes on the wall, has high ceilings, and an old-fashioned stainless steel soda fountain. It’s easily the most unique and brightest, and affordable little restaurant in White Plains. Photo by WPCNR StreetCam

You can get egg crèmes (one of Brooklyn’s favorite convections), milk shakes, ice cream sodas, pasta, burgers, and reminisce. Take your best girl. The place does not serve alcoholic beverages, and has the potential to be a real family hangout.  Now we suggest Friday night record hops! (Paging Hock The Jock– Councilman Glen Hockley, who, in another life was a rock ‘n roll dj).

VIEWS OF BROOKLYN’S FAMOUS SUB Shop & PASTA

A FLATBUSH DOUBLE MALTED and make it snappy. Photo by WPCNR STREETCAM

REMINISCENT OF THE PAINTING, “BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS,” Brooklyn’s Famous Sub Shop & Pasta  is your old after-school hangout brought back to life. Photo by WPCNR StreetCam

Hits: 0

    WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By Assembly District 89 Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. November 11, 2003:  Americans will pause this Veteran’s Day to honor the sacrifice, strength and service of our veterans. With so many of our troops overseas, this year’s observances take on added significance. Today, troops from our community are deployed in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and these brave individuals deserve to be recognized, along with all veterans, on Veterans Day.

      Although we now celebrate November 11 as Veterans Day, it originated as Armistice Day – the anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1954, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day to recognize all United States veterans.

      The Assembly salutes every generation of New Yorkers who have worn a uniform to defend us. In honor of these courageous men and women, I have supported legislation to guarantee that they are rewarded for their service to this country.

      Recently, I sponsored the Military/Patriot Enhanced Recognition, Incentive, and Tribute (MERIT) plan (Ch. 106 of 2003). This plan goes the extra mile to help the families of the 1.3 million New York residents who have served in the military by providing them with the means to contact family members who are currently serving, offers free undergraduate tuition to the families of those killed or disabled in the line of duty, and up to $6,000 in funeral expenses for those killed in combat.

      Additional help is provided directly to veterans through Operation Recognition, which grants high school diplomas to veterans who left school before graduation to serve during World War II and the Korean War. I support Operation Recognition because I believe that the experiences and skills attained during combat are unparalleled and should be formally recognized.

      The Assembly passed numerous other laws to assist our veterans, including:

·        a full tax exemption for seriously disabled vets (Ch. 179 of 2002);

·        extending the eligibility for admission to New York State Veterans’ Nursing Homes to include military personnel who served between times of war (Ch. 455 of 2002); and,

·        extending a law allowing recovery damages for injuries caused by Agent Orange to 131,000 Vietnam veterans (Ch. 88 of the laws of 2002).

      For information on veterans benefits, contact the United States Veterans Regional Office at (800) 827-1000, or my district office at (914) 686-7335.

      For more than 200 years, citizens of this country when called upon, have answered our needs. Veteran’s day is a time to thank them for their service and sacrifice.

Hits: 0

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. November 10, 2003: The Renaissance Plaza Fountain a big hit with lunchtime and morning crowds in “The Biggest Little Small Town in America” weathered its first cold snap Sunday evening as temperatures dipped to 27 degrees.  Though the cold did not affect fountain operation, it did have an effect: icing conditions. White Plains Police barriered off the fountain sidewalk and plaza this morning and rocksalt was administered to melt a veneer of ice that police found dangerous enough to barricade to prevent pedestrians from treading across the ice. By noon Monday the plaza sidewalk had been reopened. A call to City Hall to ascertain any future management of the icing risk has not been returned.

RENAISSANCE FOUNTAIN, MONDAY MORNING. 11:A.M.: Rock salt has melted the ice formed from fountain splash back overnight. Photo by WPCNR News.

Hits: 0

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. By John F. Bailey. November 8, 2003, UPDATED WITH MORE FOTOS, 9 P.M. E.S.T: White Plains finally got its community theatre Saturday afternoon, some sixty-five years since vaudeville faded from the old RKO Keiths, as Mayor Joseph Delfino and Commissioner of  Planning Susan Habel, Impresarios Jeffrey Rosenstock and Tony Stimac proudly welcomed children of all ages to the opening performance of The Flying Karamazovs. Overnight, HRH Construction, under the supervision of Steve Feinstein performed a miracle and presented White Plains with a perfect little jewel in its City Center crown.

LIGHT THE LIGHTS! WE GOT NOTHING TO DO BUT HIT THE HEIGHTS! INTRODUCING THE WHITE PLAINS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER: The classy little theatre on City Place takes a bow! The stage of the White Plains Performing Arts Center as it awaited the Flying Karamazov Brothers at 10 minutes before festivities got under way Saturday afternoon. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

A crowd very close to capacity saw the first performance in an immaculate venue that was luxurious, stylish, inviting, and intimate all-at-once. Its elegant rake of seating gives a perspective of the stage giving you the feel of a theatre, the intimacy of theatre-in-the round, and there is no bad seat. Even from the top row, you have a great view of the doings on stage. It will be a venue performers will want to play, a house people will want to go to. 

“THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR COMING:” Mayor Joseph Delfino of White Plains personally thanked opening matinee theatre-goers for supporting the theatre as each came in to be escorted to the plush dark blue seats. The Mayor, a salesperson in his early career, personally demonstrated to WPCNR the softness of the seats installed in the theatre, the legroom, and the luxury features of a high headrest and the added advantage that each of the seats recline. The Mayor was ebullient as the theatre passed its smoke purge test Friday evening. Construction officially ended about 2:30 A.M Saturday morning. Cleaners finished their job about noon on Saturday. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

VIEW OF THE INTERIOR OF THE 417-Seat Theatre: All Views are virtually straight-on. Seats are separated nicely. The only glitch on opening afternoon was that the restrooms were not working, due to a blockage, but that was expected to be fixed midway through the performance. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

PLUSH CARPET, THICK, PADDED AND TREADSTEADY WITH FOOTLIGHTS: The classy touch of footlights in the aisles invites you to your seat. The carpet you walk on is very thick, enveloping you in a feeling of poshnessity, elevating the viewer, and inviting them, no matter how old into a growing sense of awe of the magic that a real theater evokes, informing them they have entered a new realm where magic happens, belief is suspended and where the possibilities and achievements of the human condition are celebrated. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

IMPRESARIO Jeffrey Rosenstock takes the stage and welcomes all to the historic matinee, he is standing in front of the Brothers Karamazov set. Rosenstock thanked all who came for being a part of history, said the Arts Center would strive to be a home to local performing groups, and introduced Mayor Joseph Delfino. The sound system Mr. Rosenstock was using was crisp, in perfect reproduction, with a very mellow, state-of-sound feel to it. It sounded as if Mr. Rosenstock was  at your side speaking directly to you. Though WPCNR could not judge the acoustics of the theatre, the reverbs of the sound baffles on the walls (the bronzish-yellow squares) seem to “wrap” the sound around you. I believe performers will like using it. They can speak or sing right to the audience with every inflection and articulation reproduced with all the effect with which they deliver it. Photo by WPCNR StageCam

HERE’S JOE: Mayor Joseph Delfino, speaking extemporaneously in his naturally welcoming and sincere style, thanked HRH Construction’s  Steve Feinstein “for a tremendous job” in completing the theatre, Mr. Stimac and Mr. Rosenstock, and theatre and city staff for making the dream real, and National Amusements for donating the 417 seats. He welcomed the audience and noted the gift of the Terrence McCormack family of White Plains who donated antique theatre seats that once stood silent audience in the old White Plains RKO Keith’s on Main Street. The Mayor noted these seats had viewed thousands of great acts of the past and the movies from Hollywood’s golden age when they were in the old RKO Keith’s theatre. The seats are red burgundy leather with blue velvet backs  with gold etching on the borders and now hold a place of honor in the foyer of the theatre. They were restored beautifully, Kathy Davisson said, by the Planning Department personality, Ray Frederick. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

COMING UP THE ESCALATOR TO THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

A LITTLE HOLLYWOOD IN WHITE PLAINS: Crowd meets Rugrats personalities at entrance to the theatre Saturday afternoon. Massive lobby will hold overflow crowds. The management of the Performing Arts Center had been worried about possible union picketing, as it is not yet a union house, however Actors Equity and the International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees have amicably agreed not to picket the opening, giving the new theatre time to build a following, capitalize, and organize WPCNR has learned. I.A.T.S.E. Local One, the theatrical stage employees union, is reported by sources to be willing to have White Plains Performing Arts Center pilot an apprentice program in which the union would provide employees at rates lower than prevailing wages as a means to help the community theatre, while helping new workers acquire their union membership. The unions reportedly will attempt to work out a mutually workable agreement with the theatre management in April. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

A BRIGHT AND WELCOMING LOBBY: Not overly ornate, muted, tasteful and ready to be garnished with art, statuary or what have you. Tony Stimac, in suit is just to the right of the open door in the extreme right of this picture. Kathy Davisson, Theatre Manger is third from left, in dark suit, white turtleneck, as crowd mills in the cozy lobby. The vast rotunda of the City Center balcony will easily handle overflow crowds. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

Jeffrey Rosenstock at entrance to the proscenium. Melody Hockley, at right takes tickets. Photo by WPCNR StageCam

THE GALLERY: Slightly to the left of Mr. Rosenstock is the gallery area which will be used for receptions and art exhibitions. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

CONCIERGE DESK welcomes the crowd, which came early. Seating was orderly, crowd well-behaved and they seemed truly awestruck by the height of the theatre and its majestic sweep.  Kathy Davisson noted to WPCNR early Saturday evening that the crowd really enjoyed the Flying Karamazov Brothers show, whom Ms. Davisson described as putting a terrific effort into the show that enthralled the audience. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

LEADING MAN: Steve Feinstein, Project Superintendent for HRH Construction, the mastro of the 24 hour a day 7 days a week effort that got the theatre done in time for Saturday’s opening. Mr. Feinstein oversaw the construction of the theatre, that was finally complete in the wee hours Saturday morning. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW BEING SOLD: The Performing Arts Center first patrons this afternoon were provided with full-color brochures offering “subscriptions” two for the price of 1 to the WPPAC’s first play series which will produce Ambassador Satch, December 6 to 21; Fashion, an original musical comedy by Tony Stimac, WPPAC’s Producing Director, from March 20 to April 4, 2004, My Cousin’s Wedding, a comedy from May 1 to 16, 2004. Purchasing a subscription prior to November 16, will earn patrons a 15% discount off the Special Events coming up,  Valerier Harper’s one-woman show, All Under Heaven,  November 16-19, and Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna in It Had to Be Your, March 9 to 14. For information, call 1-888-977-2250. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

MAYOR DELFINO & COMMISSIONER OF PLANNING, SUSAN HABEL welcomed the patrons. Ms. Habel is wearing a scarf made for her by her daughter two years ago. The scarf IS silk-screened in a show business motif. Ms. Habel told WPCNR her daughter said, “You can wear it at the opening.” And on Saturday matinee, Ms. Habel did just that. Ms. Habel said there were some color changes she felt might be made to the theatre, but she was all smiles. Photo by WPCNR StageCam.

AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THE WHITE PLAINS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER: The Theatre from midway up the aisle. Photo by WPCNR StageCam

Hits: 0

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westco Productions Communications & Public Affairs. November 5, 2003: Westco is accepting registrations for its Creative Theater Workshops for children ages 5-11.  The workshops introduce children to the excitement of the performing arts through singing, dancing and acting.  No experience is necessary and everyone gets a part in the show.

The winter workshop entitled “Give Our Regards To Broadway II” begins on January 3rd with the performance on February 21st.  The spring workshop entitled “Peter Pan” begins on February 28th with the performance on April 3rd. 

Rehearsals are held on Saturdays and there are three dress rehearsals the week of the show.  The performances are held at the Rochambeau Theater in White Plains.

There are a limited number of applications accepted for each workshop.  The fee is $250 per child per workshop.  For further information and a registration form visit Westco’s website at www.westcoprods.com or call Westco at 914-761-7463.