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)

State Sets Hearing on Revamping of How Disabled Services Will Be Delivered

Posted on January 8, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR ADVOCATE. From Edward Spaustra, Richmond Community Services. January 8, 2013:

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilitiies has announced a hearing on the Statewide Comprehensive Plan (for improving the delivery of services to the disabled) This hearing will be held at six locations statewide on Friday January 18, from 12:30 to 4 P.M., and will be conducted as a live video-conference with Commissioner Courtney Burke, who will be in attendance at the Schenectady location.

OPWDD intends to utilize the ideas, suggestions, and comments received through this public hearing to improve services and supports in New York State. OPWDD urges self-advocates, family members of people with developmental disabilities, providers, advocates, and other interested parties to participate in the hearing.

The Statewide Comprehensive Plan for Services reflects OPWDD’s mission and vision statement. It sets forth plans for implementing a transformational (italics, WPCNR) agenda for supporting people with developmental disabilities to enjoy meaningful relationships with friends, family, and others in their lives; experience personal health and growth; live in the home of their choice; and fully participate in their communities.

REGISTRATION

Registration to attend the public hearing is required. Please call the regional contact person to register, as conference room space is limited. When you register, please indicate whether you are planning to attend only, or attend as a speaker. Speakers must limit their comments to three (3) minutes and bring three (3) copies of their testimony. Locations and contacts for registration are listed BY CLICKING READ MORE…

Written testimony may also be submitted to:

Ray Pierce

OPWDD

44 Holland Avenue

Albany, NY 12229

Or via email at [email protected]

A video presentation of the hearing may be viewed online at www.opwdd.ny.gov following the event.

For general information about the public hearing, please contact OPWDD’s Bureau of Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement:

Phone: (518) 473-9697

Fax: (518) 473-0054

To register for the hearing and to reserve a spot to give testimony, obtain more information or directions to the hearing location, or to arrange for a special accommodation, please call the regional contact person for the hearing location at the telephone number listed below.

Video Conference Locations and Contact Information

Kingston, NY

Taconic DDSO

521 Boices Lane, Kingston, NY 12401

VC Room

Contact: Garry Krom at (845) 877-6821 Ext. 3451

Long Island, NY

Long Island DDSO

415 A Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY 11788

Multi-Purpose Conference Room

Contact: Stephanie Chatman at (631) 434-6136

New York City

NYCRO/Metro New York DDSO

75 Morton Street, New York, NY 10014

Activities Center, 1^st Floor

Contact: Lou Mazzella at (212) 229-3601

Rochester

Finger Lakes DDSO/Monroe Developmental Center

620 Westfall Road, Rochester, NY 14620

Room 25 Leaf

Contact: Rebecca Scott at (585) 241-5766

Schenectady

Capital District DDSO

500 Balltown Road, Schenectady, NY 12304

Building 3, Conference Room 2

Contact: Karen Francisco at (518) 370-7429

Syracuse, NY

Central NY DDSO

187 Northern Concourse, North Syracuse, NY 13212

Regional Training Center

Contact: Sandy Smith at (315) 473-6371

Police Swear In 5 New Recruits Replacing Retirees, Personnel Who Have Left.

Posted on January 7, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. January 7, 2012:

Police Swear-In New Recruits (f rom foreground): Eduardo Salas, Anthony Magnotta, Jason Ramirez, Ryan Wiley, and John FitzSimmons. Officer FitzSimmons is the son of Assistant Police Chief, Anne FitzSimmon. (Photos, Courtesy, White Plains Department of Public Safety)

The White Plains Department of Public Safety held a swearing-in ceremony Friday welcoming five new recruits to the police force at Public Safety Headquarters.

According to Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong, shown giving badge to new recruit, Eduardo Salas, with Mayor Thomas Roach looking on : “These Officers are replacement officers for ones that have retired or left. The Department strength has not been increased.”

Kirkpatrick Nominated, Installed. Replaces Buchwald On Council.

Posted on January 7, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey January 7, 2012 UPDATED 8:15 P.M.:

This evening in a light agenda, the Common Council nominated and voted John Kirkpatrick to succeed David Buchwald on the Common Council. Mr. Buchwald won election to the New York State Assembly for the 93rd Assembly District. According to the City Charter, the Council nominates a sucessor to any seat left vacant for any reason.

John Kirkpatrick, a member of the Oxman, Tullis, Kirkpatrick and Whyatt law firm, has been observed attending two recent Common Council Special meetings, but not representing any of the issues coming up, however he appeared to be taking notes. Mr. Kirkpatrick told me when I asked him if he was going to be nominated said, “The Council hasn’t voted yet.”

Members of the Common Council WPCNR has spoken to have indicated that no vote had been taken on who was to succeed Mr. Buchwald on the council and they did not say who was being considered.

Tonight the Council nominated Kirkpatrick and approved him. Mr. Kirkpatrick will have to contend for the former Buchwald seat in the November city elections, where Mayor Roach will run for his first full term as Mayor, Councilwoman Smayda will run if she chooses for a second term, and John Martin will run for a full four year term if he decides to do so.

Sources had told WPCNR as early as a week ago that Mr. Kirkpatrick (far left, above in leather jacket) was going to be nominated tonight.

Two other individuals were possible candidates, WPCNR has learned, but Kirkpatrick was the only man following council events as shown by the photo above of Mr. Kirkpatrick following the action at last Wednesday’s Council Special Session.

Kirkpatrick announced that his firm, Oxman, Tullis, Kirkpatrick & Whyatt would not take any business in the city of White Plains, preventing any conflict of interest on Mr. Kirkpatrick’s part.

Kirkpatrick also announced after assuming his seat in Mr. Buchwald’s former chair, that he would recuse himself in the matter of the Pepe motors item (Item 78, White Plains Cadillac) that was on the agenda, since Pepe was once a client of his.

The Mayor announced comment on the Sunrise Detox Center matter planned for 37 DeKalb Avenue would be accepted up until January 22. In a related matter on the agenda, Sunrise submitted a letter claiming that real estate values had not declined at two other detox sites the company runs in Florida and New Jersey, to rebut DeKalb neighbors’ concerns that their property values would decline with a detox center in the neighborhood.

A public hearing was scheduled to air the city plan to make White Plains commercial property owners (with the exception of co-ops) eligible for loans for energy saving improvements to their property at attractive rates from the state.

WPHS’S THE ROAR BEST LITERARY HIGH SCHOOL MAGAZINE NATIONWIDE.

Posted on January 4, 2013 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Michele Schoenfeld. January 4, 2013:

“Roar,” White Plains High School’s literary magazine for 2012 was awarded First Place for

overall merit in the American Scholastic Press Association’s annual competition. Editors-in-Chief

were Kailey Zitaner and Eero Talo, members of the class of 2012.

An Outstanding Section Award was given to current senior Linnea Kataja, for her artwork,“Faith, Love, Hope.”

Teacher Brendan Donegan was Advisor to the 2012 publication.