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)

Residents with a yard full of tree on the ground must clear it themselves.

Posted on November 3, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR HOMELAND NEWS. November 3, 2014: If you’re one of the White Plains residents who have trees down in your yard, and wondering if the limbs are from a city tree if the city will come in your yard and remove the limbs, the DPW Department of Forestry advises WPCNR they will not due to insurance issues.

The Forestry Department told WPCNR they will remove fallen limbs and take them away if you get them to the curb, regardless of what tree had limbs taken down by the 50 mile per hour limbs yesterday.

It is unclear due to the extent of tree damage around White Plains, how soon the forestry specialists can get to pruning damaged city trees within owners property but within the distance (believed to be 10 feet), from the curb that makes a tree “city property.”

WPCNR is awaiting a statement from City Hall advising citizens with tree limbs down from city trees (or trees well off the city 10 foot or whatever footage from the curb that defines a city tree on city property).

White Plains Firefighter Arrested, Charged with Driving Drunk, turning Wrong Way onto South Lex, Causing Head-on Crash killing a woman and injuring another man.

Posted on November 3, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR MAIN STREET. UPDATED November 3, 2014:

A White Plains off-duty fire fighter, Erik Refvik, has been arrested and arraigned in the hospital and charged with driving drunk the wrong way on South Lexington Avenue this morning causing a two-car head-on accident resulting in the death of a woman and injury to another man, also hospitalized early Monday morning between Main Street and Martine Avenue on South Lexington.

Is the Common Council Paying Attention?

Posted on November 1, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. November 2, 2014:

The following letter (edited for content by WPCNR; in this case, WPCNR has eliminated names of certain individuals and allegations the original letter referred to in a critical manner), was sent to the Mayor of White Plains and the Common Council:

Dear Mayor,

The latest FASNY plan is more of the same. It is a disaster whose increased traffic and density will negatively impact the residential neighborhoods surrounding it. FASNY is failing for an obvious reason. The plan does not and cannot work. It took some time but key City Boards have already come to this realization.

The School Board, Conservation Board and Planning Board all raised serious “global” concerns with this project that normally would have killed it some time ago. In fact, the School Board is firmly on record as stating that the FASNY entrance on North Street would have a “profoundly negative effect” on the safety and welfare of students attending White Plains High School.

WHY is it that the Mayor and some members of the Common Council keep the FASNY application going? They appear to be lost in the weeds!!

Case in point, Beth Smayda has asked for landscaping improvements instead of evaluating the fundamental questions raised by the School Board and Neighborhood Associations.

Or, Councilman John Kirkpatrick asking if Hathaway Lane could be closed only part of the time? How out of touch are they?

We need to ask them some serious questions. Are they fearful of FASNY’s threats of litigation? Are they truly up to the task in this application? The Hathaway Lane closure issue suggests otherwise.

In light of overwhelming resident opposition and the aforementioned Boards’ negative findings, WHY is the Common Council still entertaining this special application? Something is amiss in the manner in which this application is being considered.

Is there pressure from senior state and national Democrats on our all-Democratic Common Council to get this approved?

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…

Brian & Patricia O’Connor

Tougher Texting While Driving Law Takes Effect Today

Posted on November 1, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Office. November 1, 2014:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that stricter laws to crack down on texting while driving among young and inexperienced motorists go into effect today.

Under the law, new and young drivers convicted of texting-while-driving will have their license suspended for 120 days on the first offense, and revoked for a year if convicted of a second or subsequent offense within six months of reissuance of the license.

“Driving habits are developed early, and we are sending a message that texting while driving is unsafe, unacceptable and downright dangerous,” Governor Cuomo said. “There have been far too many avoidable tragedies due to texting while driving and with these new penalties, we are seeking to change the behavior of young drivers now, and make New York’s roadways safer for all.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10 percent of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. The age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.

Governor Cuomo has made safe driving in New York a priority. From enforcing stricter penalties to keep drivers with a history of alcohol or drug-related offenses off the road, to cracking down on speeding and aggressive drivers, and to establishing special “Texting Zones” along roadways so motorists can pull over and safely use their mobile devices, this administration is actively working to adapt to changing trends and technology to best keep New York’s roadways safe. These efforts have additionally helped the New York Thruway recently experience its safest years in its history.

The increased penalties that take effect today were passed as part of the 2014-2015 Budget.