Paulin Kill Bill Solution to Pet Shelter OverCrowding: Perk up and purr or Else!

 


 


WPCNR BLACK COFFEE. News & Comment Special to WPCNR from Westchester County Roving Correspondent, Nancy King. February 16, 2012:


Elected officials do some loopy things during a campaign cycle.  One of the strangest to date has been Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s introduction of Bill AO5449.  In essence ,Paulin has partnered up with the ASPCA to sponsor this bill also known as the “Quick Kill Bill”. 



Nancy King


 The gist of this bill gives animal shelters the opportunity to euthanize any animal that shelter workers determine to be in “psychological pain”. In my phylum as human, though it is indeed a higher order, I (along with all other humans) probably suffer a fair amount of psychological pain multiple times during the course of our day.  Would Assemblywoman Paulin suggest that because we feel fear during our days causing us to “snap” at others, or that if we were to recoil at touch we’re not worth saving.  Well this is what her bill implies to companion animals.


Animal shelter workers who by definition are probably the lowest paid and most poorly recognized employees on earth will now in addition to cleaning, medicating, neutering, training and adopting out animals, have to determine whether or not an animal is in enough psychological pain to  be euthanized.  What this really sounds like is that Mrs. Paulin has heard the cry that shelters are overcrowded and this is her idea of a quick solution to alleviate the crowding. 


Of course, Bill AO5449 has got more than Mrs. Paulin behind it.  The ASPCA, the same organization that floods our airwaves with pictures of mournful looking pets is also supporting this bill.   Faced with chronic overcrowding at their shelters and dwindling donations during this economic downturn, this bill affords the ASPCA the decision to euthanize animals without the guilt that goes along with it while maintaining their bottom financial line.  As an added bonus, they’ll continue to run those heartwrenching ads begging for donations while precious little of that money goes for actual shelter care.  As with all non-profits, you can bet your hard earned donations are going towards the salaries of those in charge.


Which bring us to the question as to why Assemblywoman Paulinwould  give one thought to overcrowded shelters.  More than likely, a constituent in her affluent district probably had a feral animal spray some perfectly manicured shrubbery.  With perhaps a promise of a hefty campaign donation or two, from the sprayee, a bill that could possibly cut down on kitty vagrancy and hygiene was born. That’s how things normally work in politics, you ultimately get what you pay for and more than likely this is the case.  On the other hand, partnering up with the ASPCA was one of those partnerships that makes you scratch your head while saying  WTH.  


Why would a large well known organization be doing forming a partnership with a lowly stateAssemblywoman?  More than likely trying to rehabilitate their image and justify their support of last year’s Oreo’s Law (re-named CAARA) where they openly euthanized a dog deemed to be in “psychological pain” even though a variety of rescue organizations offered to take the dog.


Animal rescue is just one of those polarizing topics that folks could debate forever.  For sure, Americans love their pets but there is no doubt a problem with overcrowded shelters and unlicensed rescue groups.  Bill AO5449 dismisses many shelter’s and rescue groups in the same manner it dismisses the lives of animals.


By using a conquer and divide method of bill introduction, AO5449 would have pitted rescues against one another by preventing them from sharing animals and resources.  However on February 15th, 2012, the bill passed the Ag committee and was headed to the Codes Committee when Chair Brooklyn Assemblyman Joe Lentrol  got involved and saw the bill for the waste of legislative time that it is. 


Sadly enough though, Speaker Sheldon Silver could push this bill through no matter what a waste of legislative time it is.  Amy Paulin is a rising star in Westchester County and her name has been bandied about as the Democratic challenger against Rob Astorino.  Something tells me that she has lost the animal lovers votes already.

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The Hissy-Fits Begin at the Michaelian

WPCNR BLACK COFFEE. By WPCNR WESTCHESTER COUNTY ROVING CORRESPONDENT, NANCY KING. February 14, 2012:


It is safe to say that County Executive Rob Astorino did not get his New Year’s wish of having a more bi-partisan legislative branch.  Having broken the super-majority the Democrats still hold the majority on the eighth floor.  On Monday night it was apparent that things haven’t changed a damn bit with Democrats voting against the County  Executive five out of eight times.


At question were appointments that the County Executive had proposed for the purpose of overseeing volunteer citizen committees.  The committees in question are as follows: The Housing Opportunity Commission ,Deferred Compensation Board, the Human Rights  Commission, The Fair Housing Board,  and the African-American Advancement Board.    The dozen or so nominees were primarily Republican supporters of the County Executive but they are all volunteers.  There isn’t a single appointee that was to receive any sort of salary or stipend for serving on any one of those committees.


 


As each name was read and a vote was taken, the Democratic side of the board continually voted against those nominated.  Republican legislator  JimMaisano stated during the proceeding  that he has “never seen such partisan and destructive antics from a group of legislators as now are witnessing from the Democratics on the board”.  It was hoped after reaching a historic compromise on the budget, that these two sides of the CBoL would be able to work with one another in a more bi-partisan manner.


We can expect  contentious meetings from the CBoL for the rest of the legislative session as Mr. Astorino appears to be in full campaign mode while we still await a final declaration of candidacy from Chairman of the Board, Ken Jenkins. 


 

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Buchwald Tapped by Pound Ridge, Harrison Dems in Bid to Face Castelli




WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2012. From the David Buchwald Campaign. February 14, 2012 UPDATED February 16, 2012:


The local Democratic parties in Harrison and Pound Ridge provided (White Plains Councilman)David Buchwald with substantial back-to-back wins in his campaign to be the New York State Assemblyman for much of northeastern Westchester.


The Harrison Democratic Committee voted 17 to 1 to endorse Buchwald over the weekend and the Pound Ridge Democratic Committee endorsed him unanimously last night. The votes follow the White Plains Democratic City Committee’s decision to enthusiastically endorse Buchwald by a vote of 67 to 1. In each case the low vote getter was Mr. Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, a lawyer who recently moved to White Plains following his failure 18 months ago to receive the Democratic Party nomination for the State Assembly in Astoria, Queens.


Frei-Pearson earlier in the week was reported to have won the endorsement of the Bedford Democratic Committee.


David Buchwald also gained the support of a former challenger. Dr. Clifford Gevirtz, a Harrison anesthesiologist who had been seeking the Democratic nomination for the Assembly seat and who withdrew prior to the Harrison vote, said “I support David Buchwald because he is a proven vote getter who has the right policies on economic development, the environment and transportation. He will represent not just Harrison but the entire Assembly District with a true sense of caring about people and providing them a government they can be proud of.” David Buchwald remarked that he was honored to have Dr. Gevirtz’s endorsement and would be campaigning with him in Harrison.


Roslyn Stone-Pollock, Chairwoman of the Democratic Party in Pound Ridge said, “David’s strong credentials coupled with his commitment to our Westchester community made him an excellent choice. He understands the issues that are important to us in Pound Ridge and has the background and experience to best represent us in Albany. David’s work on the White Plains Common Council, the Metro-North advisory board and in the community were important factors in our decision.”


 


Buchwald hopes to win the Democratic Party’s nomination to take on incumbent Republican Robert Castelli in the renumbered 93rd State Assembly District, which includes Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge and half of White Plains.

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BIG RIVER Explores Slavery, Roots of Black Music Thru Mark Twain’s 1850s South



WPCNR ON THE AISLE. Theatrical Review by John F. Bailey. February 13, 2012:


 


BIG RIVER, a spirited, rousing Family Theatre Company production staged at Westchester Broadway Theatre was recognized by a host of Westchester County leaders on its premier week as WBT’s giveback to the community to celebrate Black History Month. The leaders were on hand to salute WBT owners and producers Bob Funking and Bill Stutler for turning over the theatre in February for the first time to present a production keyed to celebrate Black History Month.’



County Executive Robert Astorino and County Leaders Thank Westchester Broadway Theatre for creating the first Black History Month production, Big River, produced by the local family theatre group, Family Theatre Company.WPCNR Photo


 



The Family Theatre Company Cast of BIG RIVER playing through February 26 — musical black history! Production Photos by Jordan Matter


Fittingly they chose John Fanelli the longtime major domo and pioneer of theatre programs for youth in the county at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, John Fanelli, (since then he has founded the educational Times Square Group theatre in New York, the Lighthouse Youth Theatre, and now the Family Theatre Company. The FTC production of the rolling,endearing Big River is based on Samuel Clemens breakthrough classics, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin.




 It treats the grim issue of slavery in America (as do Clemens’ novels)  with a precise touch, not too harsh for the children and not too soft for the adults while showcasing some of the brightest young performers around the County. It plays for two more weeks at the WBT, and provides a diverse, funny, and rollicking entertainment experience that starts slowly an  gathers dignity, joy, and mightiness like the Mississippi itself.



 



The eager Anthony Malchar (right) carries the precocious role of Huck Finn, the runaway, aided by his michievous pal, the silly and naive Todd Ritch (left) as Tom Sawyer,  the lads entertain the audience and will amuse youngsters with their shenanigans, and sense of adventure. With his innocence and sense of self-preservation to get away from his threatening father, Huck sets off with Jim, a freed slave, down the Mississippi and the friendship that grows between the two, as does Huck’s sense of right and wrong, send a valuable lesson that will not be lost to the young, nor the old.


Perhaps no other novels of the nineteenth century said more about in the inhumanity of slavery than Clemens’ (writing under the greatest nom de plume of all time, Mark Twain)two books, and said it in such a way that made the conclusion that slavery was wrong inevitable to whomever read them. Clemens would have won a Pulitzer prize if they gave them away then. Big River delivers the jolt.



Fatye Francis playing Jim belting out Free at Last in the Grand Finale


Highlight performer of the evening is FaTye Francis as Jim whose presence dominates the stageand belies his age and his  ringing voice lifts the roof  to the Heavens. He is easily the most commanding black voice I have heard in musical theatre in some time. (But then there are not many black leading men in Broadway Musical Theatre are there? I do not see many. Tell me I’m wrong.)


FaTaye is a star-to-be. He  gives the role of Jim the runaway salve, intelligence, dignity, and  gravitas that Clemens’ books do not. In the Huckleberry Finn novel, Jim is portrayed as somewhat dependent on Huck. In Big River, Jim trusts Huck not to betray him, but is suspicious and presents a portrait of the runaway slave that is not stereotypical, hut his own man. FaTye makes Jim the hero of this show through his sheer force of will and magnificent voice. We’ll be seeing him on Broadway, I predict. He is worth going to see and hear!


The choreography in the hour and a half first act portraying slaves in the field uniquely captures the sweat of working in the hot southern sun while in one striking metaphor shows how the rhythm of the fields found its way into the rhythms of early Black music in “Waitin for the Light to Shine.”


Later in the first act, the role of the church that made life livable for many black slaves (as if I knew anything about that), is captured with electrifying emotion when we first hear and see the amazing soprano of Jasmine Knight singing the spiritual, “The Crossing.”  Her voice will send chills up your spine during a recreation of a old church service. It is a rouser!


Ms. Knight is also featured in the second act singling Waitin for the Light to Shine. This young lady is a star of the future. You will not forget her voice. It is a voice from Heaven that fills your heart, and makes you want to look for Billy Graham.


One of the most touching scenes occurs  when two conmen that Huck and Jim meet up with attempt to swindle Susan Wilkes out of her inheritance, and as a result her slaves have to sold and families split up. Their walk up on the  auction block, the way the amateur actors convey the doom of parting from family is heart-rending. This is easily the hardest scene in the play and it is very moving.


Tom and Huck save the day by duping the two conmen, the King and The Duke (played deliciously deviously by August Abatecola andJoey Sanzaro) when Tom realizes Susan Wilkes (played most innocently and virtuously by Melanie Burg who sings You Oughta Be Here With Me)


For a production that features many youth of the area,  delivering at once flawlessly, (with pretty good articulation for young actors and actresses), a historical perspective on America’s shame of slavery, an era of youth innocence, and the strong roots of Black music in America, Big River is a satisfying first production in the first of many Westchester Broadway Black History Month productions in Februaries to come.



Anthony Malcar as Huck with FaTye as Jim


 


BIG RIVER plays February 15 and 16 at 11:15 A.M.; The 17th and 18th at 6:15 P.M.; the 19th at 11:15 A.M. and 5:15 P.M.; the 23rd at 11:15 A.M. and  6:15 P.M.; the 24th at 6:15 P.M.; the 25th at 6:15 P.M. and closes Sunday the 26th with an 11:15 A.M. performance. For more information go to www.broadwaytheatre.com, www.facebook.com/BigRiverMusical . Or call the WBT at 914-592-2268

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