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)

High Plains Drifters

Posted on August 28, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR COAST TO COAST. August 28, 2013:

A Trio of Drifters, one a regular WPCNR Correspondent are currently wrapping up a journey by car (not covered wagon) across the Great Plains, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

One traveler has kept a daily logbook on the wonders they have seen moving West and their wonder recalls the feelings Lewis and Clark probably felt when they discovered the sights our trio of drifters encountered the last two weeks.

To read about the wonders of the American West that still inspire today, click on the following link:

http://www.Julianadee.blogspot.com

Governor Announces $15 Million in Community School Grants. Get Your Applications In Now

Posted on August 26, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the Governor’s Press Office Auguat 26, 2013: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today launched the NYS Community Schools initiative, a new statewide program he announced in the 2013 State of the State address that will transform schools in distressed communities into hubs for a wide range of support services for children and their families including health care, counseling, nutrition and job preparation services.

“NYS Community Schools will help give New York students and families a brighter future by
transforming our public schools into community institutions that serve the needs of our neighborhoods,” Governor Cuomo said. “The State is empowering schools in distressed communities to give students extra help through health care services, family counseling, and employment assistance, all of which will strengthen our neighborhoods and give students in those areas additional support, both in and out of the classroom.”

Under NYS Community Schools, approximately 30 schools will be selected in the first
round to receive grants of up to $500,000 each over three years. These grants
will go toward building strong community partnerships that deliver critical
academic, health, extra-curricular and social services primarily in the school
building.

The NYS Council on Children and Families, which comprises of the State’s 12 health, education and human services agencies, in coordination with the State Education Department has
developed a Program Overview and Grant Implementation Plan to describe how NYS Community Schools will be implemented.

To view the plan, go to:

http://ccf.ny.gov/Comm/CommResources/CCF_SED_CommunitySchools_Plan.pdf.

To view the application, go to: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/2013-community-schools-grant-initiative/home.html.

The State Education Department will accept applications until September 18. Participants will be selected at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.

Governor Cuomo first announced the Community Schools initiative during his 2013 State of the State address to support students and families in New York’s neediest neighborhoods. The initiative aims to replicate successful models such as Children’s Aid Society, Cincinnati Community Learning Centers, Harlem Children’s Zone, Say Yes to Education, and Strive Network in distressed communities across New York State.

Community Schools emphasize family engagement and include strong partnerships with
non-profit community-based organizations, local and state government agencies,
higher education institutions, and the philanthropic and business communities.
Their goal is to align programs and services to meet the needs of students and
their families, while avoiding duplication and improving efficiency.

To ensure that existing funds are fully aligned to support the communities selected in the
first round of this program, Governor Cuomo is directing all state agencies to prioritize Community Schools and their partners for related health and social service grants and programs.

The establishment of Community Schools was a key recommendation of Governor Cuomo’s
New NY Education Reform Commission, which found that “by providing the comprehensive supports that students need within the school setting at every stage, we can ensure that our students are on track to be college and career ready.”

Commission Chair Richard (Dick) Parsons said, “Along with my fellow Commission members, I applaud the Governor for taking this important step to implement the Community Schools initiative. This is one of many important recommendations provided by the New NY
Education Reform Commission that the Governor is putting in place. The evidence shows that Community Schools will have a significant impact on student performance and family well-being in distressed communities, and we look forward to their success.”

State Education Commissioner John B. King, Jr. said “The New York State Board of
Regents has a history of advocating for establishing programs for students and
families that provide academic enrichment activities along with a broad array of
student and family development opportunities within their communities. We are
pleased to be partnering with the Governor to foster Community Schools across
the state.”

Irresistible Singel is Oliver! Inspiring Lucy Braid as Nancy! Tugs Heartstrings. Tears You Up. Cheers You Up in Schmaltzy Tasty Concoction

Posted on August 25, 2013 by John Bailey

Starting with the towheaded 7 year old huggable, wonderstruck Oliver, 7 year old Brandon Singel, the audience just loves him to pieces, as he wanders about rough and tumble, desperate and humble Victorian London. That’s John Anthony Lopez as Fagin, the pickpocket boss, on the left, and Todd Ritch on the right as The Artful Dodger.

WPCNR BALCONY OBSERVER. Theatre Review By John F. Bailey August 25:

Standing Ovation Studios, Westchester’s leading incubator and training stage for talented young aspiring thespians, is staging its fourth collaboration with the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford, OLIVER! For two more weeks.

It is a faithful, win-you-over company of energetic young charmers who deliver an emotional musical memory of schmaltz, hope and entertainment for all ages.

The old favorites wind into life in this Tony Award-winning relic, from the company of orphans at Mr. Bumble’s orphanage singing of Food,Glorious Food (when master Singel asks for ‘More” to the little charmer, asking and singing the musical question, Where Is Love when he is turned out into the street by his funeral parlor employer to the pickpocket recruiter, Fagin.

The Artful Dodger (Todd Ritch above)) welcoming Oliver into Fagin’s pickpocket gang with a rambunctious tempo Consider Yourself (One of the Family) Oliver settles you in your seat like an old friend you’re feel comfortable with whom you have not seen in a long time. He’s changed but you love him anyway.

Lucy Braid (at top of picture) leading Oom Pah Pah! above, in her Westchester Broadway Theatre debut as the doomed Nancy, who with Oliver, is the focus of the show and really sparkles.

She loves Bill Sykes, a ruthless criminal whom she loves inexplicably. Braid and Cali LaSpina performing a rollicking It’s a Fine Life get the production rolling, explaining the glamor side of pickpocketing and a ladys’ rolls in the underworld, doing dirty laundry.

Braid’s Nancy starts the second act with smashing version of Oom-Pah-Pah. She further endears herself to the audience by making As Long as He Needs Me an anthem, a lament, a definition of the mystery and affliction of unrequited love any woman who has ever loved a difficult man will identify with. Braid’s stalwart proud heartbreak tears you up the way she wrangles this signature song. You will be reading Ms. Braid’s name in many a playbill in the years to come. Braid shines on her other big song, the tear-jerking song of pathos rendering the definitive song of those without hope that society has cast aside, Who Will Buy?

Act II finds Oliver messing up his first attempt at pickpocketing, being caught by the London Bobbies and remanded to a long lost relative and it looks like our resourceful scamp who appears to let things happen to him with just the right amount of innocent pluck is going to be all right. But the malevolent Bill Sykes is looking for him because Oliver can identify him to the police. Sykes is played over-the-top ugly by Brian Kinsky, with a truly evil sense, scary and gives young audiences an insight into what people who behave badly are really like. Sykes kidnaps Oliver in an attempt to silence him

Nancy intercedes to protect Oliver at her peril and is an appealing heroine.

John Anthony Lopez is a rascally Fagin (the leader of the pickpocket gang) with his big number You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two, a crowd pleaser. Young persons seeing Mr. Lopez’s unseemly worship of money and the way he exploits his pickpockets get a valuable insight into what bad people are really like: they use you under the premise of helping you. Fagin is totally unsympathetic and this is the strength of Mr. Lopez’s performance. Fagin may be cute but even a young mind can see the selfishness in Mr. Lopez’s Fagin.

Mr. Bumble and Widow Corney are a great comedy pair (John Treacy Egan and Regina Singel, above–Oliver’s real life mom) as the very nasty orphanage overseers. Their I Shall Scream is a hoot.

Oliver! Plays through September 8 and is a diversion, deftly brought back by Standing Ovation Studios. Standing Ovation Studios following its game production of In The Heights for WBT has mounted a production that should be a delight and in its winsome company in full stride in its final two weeks.

For information, go to www.BroadwayTheatre.com OR CONTACT 914-592-2268. And you get dinner, too!

Parents Note Content: Threatening physical conflict between the Sykes and Nancy characters. There is some light playful innuendo.There is gunplay

All Photos by John Vecchiola, Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre

Federal Court Stymies Sunrise Suit Against City For Blocking Detox Center Project in Carhart. Appeal Forthcoming

Posted on August 25, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. AUGUST 25, 2013:

On July 10, The U.S. Court of the Southern District of New York dismissed a lawsuit filed by Sunrise Detox Center against the City of White Plains for in effect denying their plan to turn the former Nathan Miller Center in the city Carhart neighborhood into a alcohol and drung detox center.

Gannet reported Sunday the suit was dismissed by Judge Vincent Briccetti on the reasoning that Sunrise had not appealed the City Building Commissioner’s objection to the application to the city Zoning Board and therefore had not exhausted all Sunrise options before going to court.

Gannet reports the attorney for Sunrise has said the company will appeal the decision.