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)

Assemblyman David Buchwald Marries Lara Samet

Posted on March 4, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR MILESTONES.From the Buchwalds. March 4, 2014:

State Assemblyman David Buchwald (D-Westchester) announced his marriage to Ms. Lara Samet on Saturday March 1st at the Tarrytown House Estate in Tarrytown, NY.

Mrs. Buchwald, a litigation attorney at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, is a native of New Jersey and a graduate of Duke University (magna cum laude) and NYU School of Law (cum laude).

Assemblyman Buchwald is a native of Westchester County and a resident of White Plains, where he served on the City’s Common Council for three years prior to his election to the State Assembly in 2012. He represents the towns of Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mt. Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, and Pound Ridge and half of the City of White Plains. Assemblyman Buchwald is a graduate of Yale University, the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and Harvard Law School (cum laude). For the six years prior to serving in the State Assembly, he was an attorney in the tax department at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

“Lara and I are thrilled to be married, and we feel blessed to have shared this special occasion with the people we love” said Assemblyman David Buchwald. “We are partners in every sense of the word, and Lara’s kindness and intelligence make me a better representative for the Westchester communities I serve.”

Their wedding was officiated by Rabbi Alan Silverstein, and was featured in Sunday’s New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/fashion/weddings/lara-samet-and-david-buchwald.html

City Settles 4 year contract with Teamsters through 2015. 2% magic number. City Retirement Health Contribution changed for workers hired after July 1, 2011

Posted on March 2, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. March 2, 2014:

The Common Council will vote Monday evening on whether to approve a negotiated settlement with Local 456 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. There are about 58 teamsters employed by the city.

The settlement provides for no raise in the 2011-12 year, and 2% raises in 12-13,13-14, and 14-15, and creates a new schedule of health care insurance premium contributions by the city for workers hired after July 1, 2011.

Retroactive payments covering the settlements for 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 will be paid from money set aside in the city Reserve for Financing, according to City Corporation Counsel, John Callahan.

The teamsters have been without a contract since July 1, 2011.

The new settlement that still is pending a vote by the union calls for no increase in the 2011-12 year; and 2% increases in step levels in contract years 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15.

Health Care benefits are changed as follows:

For an individual hired after July 1, 1995, and before July 1, 2011 with 20 or more years service, the city will continue to pay 100% of individual and family health care costs after retirement.

For retired individuals with 15-19 years service, the city contribution is cut to 80% of an individual/family health care plan.

For retired employees with 10 to 15 years of service, the city contribution will be 50% for an individual and 35% for a family plan.

For retired employees with less than 10 years service the city will pay no contribution.

The city contribution changes as follows for workers hired after July 1, 2011 the city contributions are changed:

For workers hired after July 1, 2011, after 20 years city service, upon retirement the city will contribute 85% of the health care premiums for individual and family health plans.

For workers with 15 to 19 years city service, upon retirement the city will pay 65% of health care premiums for individual and family.

Workers with 10-15 years of city service, upon retirement, the city will pay 50% of the premium costs for an individual plan and 35% of premiums for family coverage.

Workers with less than 10 years of city service, after retirement: the city will pay no contribution toward health care premiums,

The contract also increases pay $2 an hour for operators of the city new, one-arm side loader garbage trucks.

The complete agreement may be read at www.cityofwhiteplains.com by going to Common Council, clicking on Common Council agenda, and then clicking on Council Backup Agenda, and scrolling down to item 7, once you scroll past the main agenda.

Mass Transit Committee Recommends “Streamlined” Bus Rapid Transit. Now Must Bell Cat. 5 Years Away. WP RAIL STATION 15 YEARS AWAY

Posted on March 1, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR IN TRANSIT. From the Mass Transit Task Force. (Edited)March 1, 2014:
The Governor’s Mass Transit Task Force is recommending a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to be in place when the new bridge is open in 2018. If all the recommendations are implemented, the new BRT system will increase transit ridership by 10,150 people per day in the region, cutting commuter travel times by 20 to 25 percent.

Riders will enjoy a new, clearly branded BRT system with high-quality transit stations that will include passenger amenities such as seating, real-time bus arrival information, Wi-Fi at stations and on board, and protection from the elements. The system will be used to travel between or within both counties on the same vehicles with one fare card, one fare payment system and one identity. This achieves a key objective of the MTTF – to provide travelers with an easy-to-understand, simple-to-use and convenient transit choice to get more drivers out of their cars and to cut congestion.

The MTTF, established at the request of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in December 2012, was tasked with making recommendations that are fiscally viable and meet the transit needs of the region, targeting major residential, commercial and employment corridors.

Short-term Recommendations (Next 5 Years):

New BRT Stations and Vehicles
High-Tech Transit Signal Priority Systems
Simple, Legible Routing
Dedicated Transit Lanes
I-287 Congestion Control: Ramp Metering

Traffic Signal Improvements
Route 59 “Smart Corridor”
White Plains Access and Station Area Study
Corridor Preservation Study
Interchange 10 Reconstruction / South Nyack Study
New I-287/87 Interchange 14X Study
Transportation Demand Management Programs
Transit-Oriented Development
West-of-Hudson Rail Improvements

Mid-term Recommendations (Up to 15 years after NNYB opens)

White Plains Station Redevelopment
Interchange 11 Reconstruction
West-of-Hudson Rail Improvements
In-Line BRT Station at the Palisades Center
New BRT Stations Along the Proposed Routes
Expanded Park and Ride Facilities in Rockland County

Long-term Recommendations (15 Years or more after NNYB opens)

Passenger Service on the West Shore Line
East-West Rail Options (Light Rail or Commuter Rail)

The MTTF met 12 times between late 2012 and early 2014 to develop its transit recommendations. In addition, 18 working sessions were held with local stakeholders to further refine the proposal.

The full Mass Transit Task Force report can be found here: http://www.newnybridge.com/documents/index.html

WHITE PLAINS WEEK: BAILEY KATZ BENERFOFE NEWS BEDLAM on YOUR INTERNET

Posted on February 28, 2014 by John Bailey

The BAILEY.

The KATZ.

The BENEROFE.

The BEDLAM!

WHITE PLAINS WEEK:

This week:

THE BIG CHILL

THE BIG HOLES

THE DOUBLE SHOCK:

EXPENSIVE TENNIS ANYONE?

WHITE PLAINS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FOREVER.

CAN WESTCHESTER’S YOUTH BE SAVED FROM GOING TO BROOKLYN AND MANHATTAN?

INSIDE THE CAMBRIA SUITE HOTEL TO BE ON MAIN STREET

ON YOUR PERSONAL NEWS CHANNEL

www.whiteplainsweek.com

PLUS

YOU’VE GOT

DAVE BUCHWALD

Assemblyman of the 33rd Assembly District, David Buchwald, center, bantering with Peter Katz left, and Jim Benerofe on the set of PEOPLE TO BE HEARD — where People who Have something to say, have their say.

ASSEMBLYMAN AT LARGE

INTERVIEWED ON

PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

on his first year in the Big Albany

see him interviewed at www.whiteplains.com