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)

Downtown Music at Grace Launches 25th Season

Posted on September 24, 2012 by John Bailey

WPCNR MUSIC. From Paul Bergins of Downtown Music at Grace. September 24, 2012:

The popular Downtown Music series at historic Grace Episcopal Church in White Plains will begin its 25^th season of concerts at 12:10 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3, with a program featuring flutist Harold Jones and pianists Svetlana Gorokhovich and Irena Portenko playing music Debussy, Ravel and Prokofiev.

Its 25^th Anniversary Concerto Celebration planned for Sunday, April 7, will bring together the young prize winners of the New York International Piano Competition with members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra to perform concertos of Mozart and Beethoven.

Yen Yu Chen and Kate Liu, who will be soloists for the concertos, are both students at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. Already winning competitions and making a name for themselves, Downtown Music is delighted to introduce them to the New York area.

October 3 is the opening event in a series which offers world-class music each Wednesday at noon, several Thursday evening Jazz concerts, and five Sunday afternoon musical events. The Wednesday and Thursday programs are free; tickets for the Sunday events range from $15-$25.

Downtown Music’s schedule of weekly concerts is unique in central Westchester. The programs offer residents the opportunity to relieve the stresses of the day as they listen to world-class performances of fine music in a beautiful setting.

“The 2012-2013 season promises to continue the mixture of innovation and excellence which our friends have come to expect from Downtown Music,” said Timothy Lewis, artistic and managing director.

In addition to Downtown Music’s signature Wednesday lunchtime programs, the 25^th season will feature:

A Family Friendly Concert, Sunday, November 4. WQXR radio personality Robert Sherman, will narrate “Peter and the Wolf” of Sergei Prokofiev. “This promises to be a fantastic concert,” said Mr. Lewis. “Bob Sherman has been a good friend to Downtown Music, and he will be joined by members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for a program which also includes a symphony written by Mozart when he was 14 years old, the beautiful Sigfried Idyll of Richard Wagner, and the premiere of a piece for orchestra and narrator commissioned by Mr. Sherman. Dina Pruzhansky, who is writing the music, is a Russian-Israeli composer based in New York. Her music has been premiered at the Jerusalem Music Academy and the Blumenthal Music Hall in Tel Aviv.”

Highlights of the spring season include: Abdoulaye Diabate and his band, Super Manden on Sunday, March 3. Traditional African instruments will be featured in a program which explores the unique musical heritage of West Africa, and its songs which recount history, genealogy, and praise of patrons.

The Thursday night Jazz events are presented in partnership with the Manhattan School of Music, one of the first conservatories in the U.S. to acknowledge to prime importance of Jazz as an art form. Details of these and all other Downtown Music programs are available at www.DTMusic.org or by calling 914-949-0384.

Heavy Traffic Expected for Microsoft & Columbus Day Simul Events @ WPHS

Posted on September 23, 2012 by John Bailey

WPCNR ENTERTAINMENT NEWS. By John F. Bailey. September 24, 2012 UPDATED Sepetember 27, 2012 5 P.M. E.D.T.:

The White Plains Department of Public Safety is working closely with Microsoft Corporation for Microsoft’s free concert Saturday night presenting Lenny Kravitz.

Wristbands allowing free admission to the concert may only be acquired beginning Friday at 10 A.M. at the new Microsoft store opening in The Westchester Mall that day. NeitherTickets or wristbands will not be available or sold for entry to the concert Saturday evening. The concert staging area is located on the lacrosse/soccer field closest to the Bryant Avenue entrance to White Plains High School.

The concert is being held simultaneously with Columbus Day events adjacent to the concert area at the upper field behind White Plains High School at 7 P.M. Saturday night.

Persons are advised that Admission to the open air concert by Mr Kravitz is limited exclusively to those who pick up wrist bands at the opening of the new Microsoft store in The Westchester the previous day, Friday, September 29, beginning at 10 A.M.

The concert according to Supertintendent of Schools, Dr. Christopher Clouet is free, and Microsoft is paying the school district a rental fee for the field. It will not be held at the Loucks field, Clouet told WPCNR.

Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong advised WPCNR Sunday the city is ready for the dual events:

“Public Safety as well as all City Agencies have worked closely the past few weeks with the promoters of this event.

Public Safety has handled events this size and larger, examples would be New Years Eve, the Independence Day Fireworks, Saint Patrick’s Day parade, and the Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl.

There will be a sufficient detail of Officers assigned to the event for Traffic and Crowd control.

The events organizers have hired a large (private) security force that will work in coordination with Public Safety.

Only persons with tickets (wrist bands) will be allowed into the concert and private security will manage the screening of concert attendees. We expect that the event will be a success and we also expect the concert attendees to be well behaved.

We would like to announce that traffic is anticipated to be heavy in the area around the High School before, during and after the concert. People can expect some traffic delays so if you do not have business in the area of the High School on Saturday evening, we recommend that you choose an alternative travel route.

The Columbus festival will also be taking place at the other end of the High School complex during the same times as the concert.

The Department of Public Safety will be well staffed and prepared for these events.”

Microsoft Celebrates Westchester Mall Store Opening with Kravitz Concert at WPHS

Posted on September 23, 2012 by John Bailey

WPCNR BIG BEAT. From Microsoft Corporation. September 23, 2012:

Microsoft Corporation will celebrate its big grand opening at the Westchester Mall Friday with a Lennie Kravitz concert at White Plains High School. The concert is also part of activities of the city’s Christopher Columbus Celebration next weekend. The details on how you can score admissions to the concert and the after concert meet-and-greet are at

http://content.microsoftstore.com/store/detail/White-Plains-NY?WT.mc_id=pointitsem_retailNSO_detail_dContentGoogle&tid=cruLo0rCj&cid=757if99307&pcrid=19090850311&pkw=&pmt=&WT.srch=1&WT.term=&WT.campaign=dContent+CT+-+Microsoft+Store&WT.content=ruLo0rCj&WT.source=google&WT.medium=cpc

Police Talk Distraught Young Man off Longview Garage Ledge 9 Floors UP

Posted on September 22, 2012 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. September 21, 2012:

White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety, David Chong reports that a team of White Plains police officers succeeded in convincing a 27 year old man threatening to commit suicide to come off the ninth floor ledge of the Longwood Avenue Parking Garage Friday morning about 7:30 A.M. Officers.

Commissioner Chong said the officers will be honored. He reports to WPCNR:

Friday at approximately 0756 AM. WP 911 began to receive calls that a young man was sitting on the 9th. story ledge of the parking structure at Longview and Maple. Police units arrived within seconds and found a despondent, 27 year old male, a White Plains resident threatening to jump. Patrol Sergeant Kevin Farrelly, Police Officer Robert Riley, and specially trained Emergency Services Police Officer’s, Robert Demodna and Edward Gordon immediately assessed the situation and as trained, calmly, working as a team, engaged the individual who was extremely emotional, in conversation. After about 30 minutes, the officers were able to convince the individual that they cared for him and that they would get him help. The individual agreed to climb back over the ledge and into the custody of the Officers. He was then taken to a local area hospital to be treated. He will not be charged.

The officers did a tremendous job in a very highly stressful situation and clearly saved the life of this young man. As Commissioner, I am very proud of this Police Department.

Mayor Thomas Roach said that ” he continues to be impressed by the job the Police Officer’s do daily” and also extended his gratitude to the Officers directly involved.

The officers will all be submitted for department citations.