THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

Legal Services Stages Annual Fundraiser March 26 Honoring Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr.,Boies, Schiller & Flexner and Catherine Marsh

Posted on February 25, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. February 25, 2015:

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley will hold its 2015 “Equal Access to Justice” Dinner on Thursday, March 26, at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, in White Plains, NY.

The event will honor “Access to Justice” Awardees Hon. Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. of DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr LLP, and the law firm of BOIES, SCHILLER & FLEXNER LLP.

This year’s “Advocate for Justice” Award will be given to the Westchester Community Foundation and its Executive Director Catherine Marsh.

The annual 2015 “Equal Access to Justice” Dinner will be co-chaired by Courtney R. Rockett, Esq., Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP and Frances Pantaleo, Esq., Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP.

Honorary Co-Chairs include Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino; New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin; Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore; and Michael Kaplowitz, Chair, Westchester County Legislature.

HONOREES

Former Westchester Surrogate Judge Hon. Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. will be honored for his distinguished judicial career and service as Co-Chair of the Ninth Judicial District’s Pro Bono Committee. In January, Judge Scarpino stepped down to join the law firm of DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP.
One of the nation’s premier ”powerhouse” law firms, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP is Legal Services of the Hudson Valley’s leading corporate supporter and one of its most active Pro Bono participants. Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP regularly serves as lead counsel in cases addressing some of the most important legal issues of our day.
The Westchester Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Westchester by connecting donors to critical, local needs. Executive Director since 1999, Catherine Marsh will retire in June, having overseen the Foundation’s growth to one of the largest funders of non-profits in the county.
“The work we do each day provides free legal services to those who can’t afford an attorney. Our staff handles more than 12,000 cases a year – saving children from neglect, protecting survivors of domestic violence, defending seniors against abuse, serving veterans on the home front, and keeping families in their homes,” said Legal Services of the Hudson Valley CEO, Barbara Finkelstein. “With enough funding to meet demand, we could serve thousands more and close the “Justice Gap” right here in our own community.” For online event purchases go to www.lshv.org, or contact Jenna Donnellan at [email protected]/914)761-7111.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN? Sought by White Plains Police as Suspect in Tourneau Saturday Robbery. Enhanced Video of suspect. Look carefully. If you’ve seen him Call Police IN CONFIDENCE

Posted on February 24, 2015 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. Special to WPCNR from the White Plains Department of Public Safety. February 24, 2015 9:30 P.M. E.S.T.:

White Plains police tonight issued newly enhanced video snaps of the Saturday afternoon robbery in progress at the Tourneau store in The Westchester Mall. Police request persons who recognize this individual or know of his whereabouts to contact White Plains Police confidentially at 914-422-6256 , 24 hours a day.

To recap the Saturday afternoon incident, police said “at approximately 1230 PM a male black, described as approximately 40 years of age, wearing dark clothing, a dark knit hat with brim, longish dread locks hair, and mirrored sunglasses entered the Tourneau jewelry store located inside the Westchester Mall.

The suspect proceeded to a sales person and asked if he could look at Rolex Watches. The sales person opened a display case to show the suspect a watch, at which time the suspect displays what appears to be a handgun and a bag and demanded the watches inside the display case.

The suspect fled with 8 watches with a value of approximately $160,000 according to Tourneau.

Photograph of the Day–A Very Cold NYC

Posted on February 24, 2015 by John Bailey

New York City 1 PM E.S.T. from Hoboken, showing the iceflows in the Hudsaon River and the glorious skyline with the Empire State Building. From Brenda Starr of The Flash,

EXCLUSIVE! NTSB RELEASES PRELIMINARY REPORT ON FEB 3 METRO NORTH VALHALLA TRAIN-CAR CRASH. TIME LINE AND UNFOLDING OF THE ACCIDENT.

Posted on February 23, 2015 by John Bailey

NTSB Safety Team (in orange uniforms) investigates the aftermath of the Metro North passenger train and car crash that happened on Tuesday evening, February 3, on the day after the accident. (Official NTSB photograph released with today’s Preliminary Report)

WPCNR INVESTIGATIONS EXCLUSIVE! Special to WPCNR By Peter Katz. February 23, 2015:

The National Transportation Safety Board this afternoon released its preliminary report on the Metro-North acciodent in Valhalla in which six people were killed.

This states the facts as developed so far by investigators.

The investigation is continuing, and a final report including analysis and the Safety Board’s conclusion as to what was the probable cause of the accident likely will not be ready until at least the fall, and maybe beyond that time frame.

Here is what the report says:

On February 3, 2015, at 6:26 pm eastern standard time, northbound Metro-North Railroad passenger train no. 659 struck a 2011 Mercedes Benz ML350 sports utility vehicle (SUV) at the Commerce Street highway rail grade crossing, DOT ID 529902V, at milepost 26.6 on the Metro-North Railroad Harlem line in Valhalla, New York.

An estimated 650 passengers were aboard the train at the time of the accident of which an estimated 20 passengers were in the lead car. The driver of the SUV and five passengers on the train were killed.

This highway-rail grade crossing was comprised of gates and warning lights that activate to warn motorists of an oncoming train. Train no. 659 consisted of eight electrically powered M-7 railcars. The collision resulted in a fire which consumed the SUV and lead railcar, MN 4333.The SUV was stopped on the railroad tracks in the highway-rail grade crossing and was positioned in an easterly direction when the railroad crossing gates moved to the closed position. Witnesses reported the driver of the SUV as being stopped in the crossing prior to the gates lowering.When the gate lowered it struck the rear portion of the SUV after which the driver exited the SUV, looked at the back of the SUV, then got back in the SUV, drove forward (east), and was struck by the train.The track speed in the area of the accident was 60 mph. Based on the NTSB’s preliminary review of the train’s event recorder data, the train was travelling at 58 mph prior to emergency braking and the horn was operated in accordance with operating rules on the approach to the crossing.The recorder indicated that the engineer activated the emergency brakes about 300 feet before the collision after observing what he characterized as, “a vehicle partially fouling the crossing”. Event recorder data indicated that in the 4 seconds after initiation of emergency braking the train slowed to 49 mph at which time it impacted the SUV.

The train and the SUV continued northbound resulting in the damage of the electrified third rail on the west side of the track. The third rail detached, pierced the SUV, and then entered the railcar in two locations from the underside at the aft end of the left side passenger doorway.

The train and SUV came to rest about 650 feet from the point of collision. An estimated 480 feet of third rail was damaged. Twelve sections of the third rail, each 39 feet long, were found inside the first passenger railcar.

The NTSB will conduct a metallurgical examination of some of the third rail. Samples from the interior of the lead train car will also be examined by NTSB investigators for compliance with fire protection standards.

The weather at the time of the accident was reported to be 20˚F and with light wind, clear skies, and good visibility. Damage was estimated by the Metro-North Railroad at $3.7 million.

The parties to the investigation include the Federal Railroad Administration, Metro-North Railroad, the Association of Commuter Rail Employees, the Town of Mount Pleasant, and the New York Public Transportation Safety Board.