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)

Michael Solomon, 1945-2013

Posted on September 5, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR MILESTONES. From the Ballard-Durand Funeral Home. September 5, 2013:

Michael Abraham Solomon died tragically while on duty in the White Plains YMCA on August 31, 2013. He was 68 years old.

Michael was born in Asmara, Eritrea on August 22, 1945. He is a beloved family man who is survived by his wife Meklite Ayele, son Dawit Solomon, sisters Mizan, Abebech, Menia and brothers Goithiom and Mekonen. His beloved niece Hanna and numerous family members also survive him.

We lost a man with high integrity, principal and humanity. Michael is not only a loss to his families but also to his community. Michael will be missed by his family and his friends. Visiting hours are Friday from 5-9pm at the Ballard-Durand Funeral Home, 2 Maple Avenue at South Broadway, White Plains.

Funeral mass will be at 10:30AM at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Elmsford. Interment will follow in the Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY.

To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Michael Solomon please visit our Sympathy Store.

Medical Examiner Identifies YMCA Murder Suspect, as YMCAResident–Eddie Diop– also Set Fire Killing Himself. Not looking for any other suspects. Funeral Arrangements for Victim

Posted on September 4, 2013 by John Bailey

Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong on the scene of the YMCA murder suicide last Saturday morning.

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. September 4, 2013 UPDATED SEPTEMBER 7,2013:

Six days, after the murder of Michael Solomon, 68, a night watchman on duty at the YMCA front desk last Saturday morning, the 15-year resident of the White Plains YMCA who police stabbed Mr. Solomon to death was identified Friday by the Westchester County Medical Examiner as Eddie Diop, as residents of the Y had originally told WPCNR the morning of the murder, followed by Diop’s suicide.

Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong announced the definitive identification Friday.

Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong gave a statement to WPCNR Tuesday afternoon on the status of the YMCA murder-suicide investigation. Asked about details on what substance ignited the fire the suspect, tentatively identified as Eddie, used to set himself on fire, the Commissioner said the police are awaiting results from the crime lab. He also detailed the extent of damage to the two rooms the suspect set aflame, but declined to release police pictures and the police report is not available as yet. The Commissioner’s written statement:

“We are 95 percent sure that the suspect is the resident of the room that was set
on fire and that he committed suicide. His remains are being studied at the
medical examiners office. We are not actively looking for anyone else as we have
conclusive evidence on who committed the homicide.

The room was set on fire with some sort of flammable material yet to be determined by the crime lab.

The major damage is to two rooms on the third floor with a wall collapse between
the rooms most likely due to the intense heat.

We will not release any name until we are 100 percent clear on the identity. This may take some time.

The displaced residents are back at the YMCA and the City is working with the YMCA to get them back into their private rooms as expeditiously and as safely as possible. ”

Incidentally, Richard Liebson of The Journal News notes that 11 Chinese, Vietnamese and South Korean students visiting White Plains to attend Archbishop Stepinanc High School this year who were being housed at the YMCA Saturday were also displaced and have been staying at Good Counsel Academy and Berkeley College in White Plains since. Liebson reports they and the rest of the students will be back in the Y tomorrow.

Funeral Arrangements Announced by YWCA

Michael was a loved member of our YMCA family for 25 years. We are shocked and saddened by this tragedy our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and YMCA community.

We wante…d to share the funeral arrangements information as well as provide you with a link to Michael’s obituary:

http://www.ballarddurand.com/obituaries/Michael-Solomon2/

Visiting hours are Friday from 5-9PM at the Ballard-Durand Funeral Home, 2 Maple Avenue at South Broadway, White Plains. The funeral mass will be held at 10:30AM Saturday at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Elmsford.

LLOYD TASCH SIGNED BY CITY TO LONG TERM CONTRACT. AFFABLE, EFFECTIVE, ASSESSOR CONTRACTED FOR 6 YEARS

Posted on September 4, 2013 by John Bailey

Lloyd Tasch, at the Common Council meeting last evening where he was approved for a second six-year term as City Assessor.

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. SEPTEMBER 4, 2013:

The White Plains Common Council by unanimous vote retained City Assessor Lloyd Tasch for another six years through 2019 Monday evening.

With Mr. Tasch’s entire department looking on last night, Mayor Tom Roach lauded Lloyd for running his department efficiently and conducting a very difficult job with an unusual sense of humor. Mayor Roach Mr. Tasch joined the city in 2002 as an assistant Assessor, and was chosen Assessor in 2006 (after the departure of Eydie McCarthy to the Town of Greenburgh).

Councilman John Martin, a member of the City Assessment Review Committee commended Mr Tasch for being effective, professional and poised and earning the respect of his colleagues throughout the region.

Mr. Tasch has guided White Plains through a period of all-time record requests for assessment reductions and bleeding assessment rolls and through his efforts at limiting settlements, the White Plains assessment roll increased significantly for the first time in ten years in 2013.

Common Council Will Meet to Consider FASNY-RIDGEWAY FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT State of Completeness September16

Posted on September 1, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. SEPTEMBER 1, 2013:

The White Plains website reported today the scheduling of a Common Council meeting for September 16 at 7 PM at which time they will take up the matter of whether the Draft Final Environmental Impact Statement for the French American School of New York proposed campus on the property they own which was the former Ridgeway Country Club, which the city staff and the Council have been evaluating the last five months, is complete.

The Gedney Association that represents the neighborhood where the school proposes to build a 7-building campus consolidating their separate metropolitan locations onto one campus, requested last week the Common Council open new hearings for public comment on the proposed alternate entrances to the possible campus on Bryant Avenue and North Street, that were evaluated as requested in previous environmental impact statement scoping comment.

The current White Plains Week television show, the city news roundup program with John Bailey, Peter Katz and Jim Benerofe analyzes the possible new entrances submitted in the Draft Final Environmental Impact Statement with pictures of the proposed areas to be affected. You may see that show anytime at

www.whiteplainsweek.com

and see it on television at 7 PM Monday evening on White Plains Public TV on channels 45 (FIOS) and 76(CABLEVISION).