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 KING KOMMENTS By White Plains Common Councilman William King. January 9, 2003: This week a planner in the Westchester County Planning Department wrote Councilman King about nearly being struck by a speeding car at the crossroads of Martine Avenue and Court Street just at the entrance of the Michaelian Building, Westchester County Headquarters. Councilman William King comments:

THE HORROR OF MARTINE & COURT: Buses blocking cars, obscuring pedestrian views make crossing to the Michaelian Building a life-and-death proposition for county employees.
Photo by WPCNR News

I’m sorry to hear about your harrowing near accident. I’m glad to know
you’ve lived to tell about it and that you have brought it immediately
to our Traffic Dept’s attention.

I have previously heard about how this intersection is dangerous. While, to me, it has always looked relatively benign, I have heard complaints and stories about accidents at this intersection.

True, drivers are known to drive too fast on Martine (as well as on parallel Main Street on the other side of the Galleria, as I noticed this morning).

MONSTER BUSES BLOCK PEDESTRIAN VIEW OF ONCOMING CARS as pedestrians cross from Macy’s to County Office Building. Mr. King suggests “Belgian Blocks” be created in the crosswalks.
Photo by WPCNR News

Also true is that there is a busy county bus stop on the northeast corner which complicates auto/bus/pedestrian traffic near the Westchester County Office Building and the busy Galleria Mall.

I would like to make the following recommendations to our city traffic
department and state and county legislative leaders (some are repeats of earlier requests) for which I will follow through.

I urge you to contact the County DOT, Larry Salley and Richard Stiller, about point #3 below or, with your permission, I will also do so myself.

Recommendations

1. Submit a bill to both houses of the state legislature allowing
cities and towns other than New York City to install cameras at traffic
lights to photograph vehicles which run red lights.

– I have read about private companies in other states such as
California which have installed cameras at traffic lights which install
the cameras, photograph violators, send out tickets, collect revenues
and keep a small percentage for themselves.

This would increase public safety while also increasing city revenues as our police cannot be at every intersection all the time. As such, this would require no state or local funding.

2. Install Belgian Block or stamped baumonite at intersections along
Martine and Main Street.

– This will be done shortly at intersections along Mamaroneck Ave.
(with stamped baumonite, I believe) as the last part of the current
phase of the downtown streetscape revitalization program.

This should also be done on Main and Martine, from Westchester Ave. to Bank Street in the downtown and also along Tarrytown Road (Route 119), Central Ave. (Route 100), and Chatterton Parkway and Battle Ave. in the Battle Hill neighborhood (popular shortcuts between Routes 119 and 100, to at least the Greenburgh border.

– Such crosswalks make drivers more aware visually, audibly and
physically, of the potential presence of pedestrians (and bicyclists).

– While Chatterton Parkway and Battle Ave. are used as cut-throughs
through a low density residential neighborhood, Main Street and Martine Ave. are actually a continuation of Route 119 through Downtown White Plains and, as such, are used as cut-through by many motorists who have no intention of stopping in Downtown White Plains, or even slowing down if they can help it.

In some respects these downtown streets resemble higher speed state highways at various times of the day – a scenario for more pedestrian accidents. Many times motorists exceed 30 mph by a good
margin in close proximity to pedestrians.

– This would be an excellent candidate for state DOT “traffic calming”
funding which in the past Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has told me there is (or was) funding. Funding should be requested again now as the legislature will soon be taking up the budget for its next fiscal year
starting April 1, 2003.

3. Consolidate the two bus stops on the northeast and northwest
corners of Martine and Court Street to only the northwest corner of this
intersection next to the Galleria.

– This idea was first mentioned to me by another citizen task force
co-chair during the White Plains comprehensive planning process in the mid-90’s. I believe it has been brought up since and struck down. But this needs to be brought up again.

The number of buses in a day stopping on the northeast corner seems to be equal to or greater than the more spacious and out of the way northwest bus stop. This could be easily changed.

Doubtless there are other suggestions that could be implemented.

Thanks very much for bringing this to my and the city traffic
department’s attention.

– Bill King, White Plains Common Council

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VARIETY. “CinemaScoop” By Harry Genty Waksberg. January 8, 2003:If one were to attempt to compile all the greatest elements of classic gangster and revenge films, the outcome would be something like Martin Scorsese’s oft-called opus, Gangs of New York.
This film, starring the recently resurrected Leonardo DiCaprio, the similarly revived Daniel Day-Lewis, and the versatile Cameron Diaz, focuses on Amsterdam Vallon, an Irish-American.

At a young age, Vallon witnessed his father; “Priest” Vallon, leader of the Irish-American gang “The Dead Rabbits”, played brilliantly, if somewhat fleetingly, by Liam Neeson, being killed in a bloody gang war by William “Bill the Butcher” Cutting (Day-Lewis), leader of the less-recently immigrated American gang, “The Natives.” Fifteen years later, Vallon, now played by DiCaprio, returns to New York to seek revenge and discovers the stranglehold that the Butcher now has on the city.

This film is referred to as the culmination of Scorsese’s work, and if it is, he deserves to be proud. Though the storyline itself is almost paint-by-numbers in its predictability, the audience still feels worried during some of the more dramatic scenes, and receives a good number of jolts.

The movie hearkens back to The Godfather (which I’m sure Scorsese would have killed Coppola to direct) in a sort of “girls-don’t-get-it” rules and regulations of gang warfare approach. This is not meant to imply any sexism, but a typical question for this movie would be, “But he likes the Butcher! Why does he have to kill him?” for which the answer would be, “He has no choice. It is the Rule of Revenge,” or another question, “Why doesn’t he just shoot him in the back? He’d get it over with so much quicker,” for which the answer is, “There are rules that must be followed in acts of war.”

In fact, if one accepts this basic precept, a great number of interesting things are revealed about characters by analyzing when and why they deviate from the rules.

One of the few flaws of this film was that Scorsese felt compelled to include in it politically correct messages which, while meaningful, detracted from the intended storyline. Too much emphasis, for example, was put on the African-American member of the Dead Rabbits, a minor character. There were a few scenes of various people praying, the intent of Scorsese seeming to be to convey that all people are essentially alike and fighting is pointless, but, once again, the scenes seemed to derail the story itself.

Special shout-outs for this movie should be given to John C. Reilly, in his fourth modest role of 2002, including being in the films Chicago, The Good Girl, and The Hours. His performance as “Happy Jack,” wherein his one facial expression is used to convey a plethora of emotions was pulled off brilliantly. Also, though previously unmentioned in this review, among the many historical figures added to this film, Jim Broadbent’s portrayal of Boss Tweed was extremely well done, and he gave a good idea of exactly what was going on in his head.

See this movie as soon as you can. It will keep you jumping in your seat from beginning to end, and the very last image is a thought-provoking comment on New York City and our nation.

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WPCNR STREETS OF WHITE PLAINS. From Council of Neighborhood Associations. January 7, 2003: The White Plains representatives to the New York State Assembly, Honorable Amy Paulin newly reelected Assemblyperson from the 88th District and the newly Honorable Adam Bradley, just sworn in to the New York State Assembly Seat in the 89th District, will join White Plains’ County Legislator Bill Ryan for a joint appearance at the first Council of Neighborhood Association’s meeting next Thursday, January 16, at 7:45 PM at Education House.

The White Plains “Big Three” will be discussing the New York State and Westchester County budgets now in a state of disarry, with the county needing the New York Senate and Assembly to vote a 1% sales tax increase to balance the their budget, and the state needing to meet a budget gap varying between $6 Billion and $10 Billion.

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WPCNR EVENING CITY STAR REPORTER. By John F. Bailey. January 6, 2003: The Common Council voted 6-1 Monday evening, with Councilman Tom Roach demurring, to approve a zoning change crafted and promoted by Planning Commissioner Susan Habel to permit owners to transfer development rights from one non-adjacent property to another they own within the Central Business District.

The council also voted unanimously to permit use of plumbing pipe connection approved statewide, to be brought back into favor in White Plains. They did so despite concerns of local plumbers who questioned its safety. Commissioner of Building Michael Gismondi said the pipe connection method, known as “flexible mechanical joints” is widely used throughout New York State. Sources told WPCNR that the plumbing union and plumbers primarily objected to the lifting of the ban, because they stand to make more money if White Plains continued its ban on the flexible mechanical joints approved Monday evening. Plumbers speaking worried about the safety of the now approved method, despite fact that the pipe fittings are presently the plumbing within Trump
Tower in New York City.

The council was also introduced to the proposed community theatre consultant firm presented by the Mayor’s office to prepare a feasibility study on the theatre’s operation, and to select an operator for the new City Center Community Performing Arts Theatre. The consultant is Webb Management Services Incorporated of New York City, a nationally active firm, which devised the business plan for the Purchasing Performing Arts Center.

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WPCNR MORNING SUN. By John F. Bailey. January 6, 2003: White Plains’ favorite son, Adam Bradley was sworn in as White Plains and Northeast Westchester’s 89th District Assemblyman by Judge JoAnna Friia Sunday afternoon before a celebratory crowd of approximately 250 persons which overflowed the City Council chambers at City Hall.

The Assemblyman told the all-star team of elected officials from county, state, and Washington levels and well-wishers he would work to put in place a more effective evacuation plan for Indian Point and to reform the Rockefeller drug laws.

ADAM BRADLEY BEGINS A NEW CAREER: Judge JoAnna Friia administers the oath of office to White Plains’ Adam Bradley Sunday afternoon in City Hall.
Photo Courtesy of Peter Katz

WPCNR’s correspondent said that the crowd was so large to wish Adam wel,l they formed a “horseshoe ring” of standees surrounding the 80 seats within the council hall. A full compliment of elected officials stood within the council chamber balustrade, with the crowd still spilling out into the rotunda upstairs hall about five-deep.

THE FIRST HURRAH: It was standing room only to see and congratulate the man who ousted 10-year incumbent Assemblyperson Naomi Matusow by 23 votes in the September 10 Democratic primary and handily defeated his Right-to-Life opponent by a 6-1 margin in the November general election to win the seat. Here just after his brief address to the gathering, Assemblyman Bradley accepts handskakes all around.

Photo by WPCNR News

Mayor Joseph Delfino spoke about Adam’s family and praised his parents William and Cheryl Bradley, calling them “pillars of the community for many years.” Mr. Bradley’s parents could not be present due to the illness of Mr. Bradley’s father WPCNR was told.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey spoke briefly, saying she was looking forward to working with Mr. Bradley.

Rita Malmud, speaking to WPCNR, noted that the entire White Plains City Council was present. She also noted that Congresswoman Lowey was there, State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, and County Legislators William Ryan, George Latimer, Tom Abinanti, Vito Pinto, and former Assemblyman Peter Sullivan. Also in attendance were Ron Tocci, Mayor Timothy Idoni of New Rochelle, and Greenburgh Town Supervisor, Paul Feiner.

Ms. Malmud said that Andy Spano, Westchester County Executive was not in attendance, though WPCNR later learned he had been invited to attend, and had not informed the organizers he was not coming or sending a representative.

THE “A” TEAM: Mr. Bradley and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin confer in the rotunda after Mr. Bradley’s swearing in. Ms. Paulin was one of the many elected officials who were with Mr. Bradley on his day.
Photo by WPCNR News

PLANS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH PAULIN: Mr. Bradley told WPCNR he and Ms. Paulin were on the same page on a number of issues and he expected they would be working very closely in Albany.

Photo by WPCNR News

Mr. Bradley, in his remarks, thanked all who had worked for him in his district for their support of him, and said that whenever there is a decision to be made, he will view it in terms of the effect it will have on his constituents and what it means to them.

Bradley named Maureen Allen as his chief of staff for his Assembly office, and Jane Silverman as her assistant, and invited residents to contact his offices with their concerns. Telephone numbers and e-mails have not been established yet.

PASSING THE TORCH: Former Assemblyman from the 89th District, Peter Sullivan who held the seat for 18 years prior to Ms. Matusow’s defeating him in 1992, congratulates Mr. Bradley. Sullivan said he had long respected Adam and his family, that the district had been “poorly represented” since he had left it, and that Mr. Bradley will change that. Sullivan said his son and daughter-in-law had reregistered to vote for Mr. Bradley.
Photo by WPCNR News

A PARTY FOR ABOUT 200 OF ADAM’S CLOSEST FRIENDS: Not all the many guests stayed for the reception in the rotunda after the swearing-in. Mr. Bradley said he had expected about 50 persons to attend the swearing-in and was amazed at the crowd. Greenburgh Town Supervisior Paul Feiner can be seen at lower right.
Photo by WPCNR News

“HELLO, I’M ADAM BRADLEY,” the new Assemblyman will be saying that often when he arrives in Albany Wednesday morning for the first session of the new State Assembly. Here he is shaking hands with one of the many in attendance. Bradley plans to go up to Albany Tuesday evening to start the next chapter of his life. He said he invited Mayor Delfino and officials of Bedford, Chappaqua, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, and Pound Ridge to contact him at any time on issues they want to discuss with him.
Photo by WPCNR News