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 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.

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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.

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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.

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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From Rick Amiratto, The Mayor’s Office. July 31, 2003: Get ready!  Get ready!  The Gumbusters are coming! ! !
White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino will arrive in downtown White Plains on Thursday, July 31, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. with the Gumbusters, who will make their debut outside of 100 Mamaroneck Avenue. The Gumbusters will be armed and ready with special high tech weaponry and will begin their new assignment, which is sure to amaze and astonish — ridding White Plains sidewalks of carelessly discarded chewing gum.

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. From Paul Wood, The Mayor’s Office. UPDATED 7:30 A.M., July 30, 2003: The City of White Plains is “puzzled” by the withdrawal of the Jewish Board of Family and Childrens Services lawsuit against the Zoning Board, and has not had any contact with the Board as to their intentions regarding the 139 Walworth Avenue home they originally intended to turn into a group home for troubled teens.

In an interview last night, George Gretsas, the Mayor’s Executive Officer said as of last night the city had received no new application from the Board regarding the property, had no contact, and had received no notification of what their intentions are at this time.

 The Jewish Board of  Family and Children’s Services in a statement Tuesday announced that they are moving forward with their plans for 139 Walworth Avenue, but has chosen not to clarify what they mean by that.

The Mayor’s office announced  that the Jewish Board of Family and Childrens Services has withdrawn its lawsuit filed against the White Plains Zoning Board of Appeals late Monday when the Zoning Board revoked the Building Permit issued by the White Plains Building Department enabling renovation of the 139 Walworth Avenue home to house troubled teenagers.

Tuesday, the Jewish Board faxed this statement to WPCNR: “We chose not to continue to pursue the Article 78 lawsuit related to the property at 139 Walworth Avenue in White Plains as we were able to resolve the concerns raised at the hearing of the White Plains Zoning Board. Accordingly, we are committed to moving forward with our plans to provide vital services to people in need.”

 A JBFCS contact would not say whether or not the home would proceed and suggested we e-mail the Board spokesperson our question.

The Fisher Hill Neighborhood protested conversion of the home to a group home on the grounds that it was not going to be a family living situation, with different supervisors coming and going over a 24 hour day. The neighborhood also feared the teenagers would be a threat to the neighborhood’s security. They filed a protest with the Zoning Board of Appeals to overturn the Building Permit and the Zoning Board agreed with their arguments. Upon which the Jewish Board of Family and Childrens Services sued the Zoning Board.