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)

City Releases Costs of Bengal Tiger Parking Lot. $100,000 per Space.

Posted on November 18, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY CIRCUIT. Special to WPNCR from the Mayor’s Office. November 18, 2011:

The Mayor’s Office has released the costs involved in purchasing and constructing the new Bengal Tiger parking lot at Court Street and East Post Road, to confirm WPCNR’s report stated the cost to be $1.1 Million for land acquisition of the site from the Bengal Tiger owners and $550,000 for construction, for a cost of $91,666 per parking space.

However the cost is actually $100,000 per parking space, according to the Mayor’s Office. Karen Pasquale, Senior Advisor to Mayor Tom Roach furnished the details today:

“Regarding the East Post Road parking lot, the property was acquired for $1,400,000 (approved by the Common Council on December 6, 2010)(Editor’s note during the Adam Bradley administration) and construction costs were approximately $400,000.

This included LED lighting for the lot, multi-space meters, landscaping, new sidewalk, curbing, curb cuts on the two adjacent streets, relocation of the existing bus stop, state-of-the-art storm water treatment system, connection ramp to the existing Court Street lot (not anticipated in the original cost estimates), etc. Some of these were general improvements to the public right-of-way which were done in conjunction with the lot to take advantage of the economies of scale. As you know, the lot is now open and providing a needed service to nearby businesses.

Adam Bradley May Turn Himself in to WP Police for Violating Probation

Posted on November 17, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. Special to WPCNR from Nancy King. November 17, 2011 UPDATED 12:20 A.M.November 18, 2011 UPDATED 2:20 P.M. E.S.T. UPDATED 4:15 P.M. E.S.T. UPDATED 4:35 P.M. E.S.T.:

Nancy King reported Thursday evening that Adam Bradley, after appearing before Judge Susan Capeche Thursday afternoon, may turn himself in to White Plains police Friday morning at for alleged violations of his terms of probation.

Since her report, four hours later WPCNR has learned from Mr. Bradley that his coming to the White Plains Police Department may or may not take place depending on how the matter is handled Friday morning by the White Plains Police. Adam Bradley, speaking to WPCNR at midnight, when asked would neither confirm nor deny that he was committed to go in to the police Friday.

Lucien Chalfen, spokesman for the Westchester District Attorney advised WPCNR Friday afternoon at 4:30 P.M., that at the present time, whether or not Adam Bradley is arrested is up to the White Plains Police. He said he had no knowledge of whether Family Court has asked for Mr. Bradley to be investigated for violating the terms of his probation. He said it is up to the White Plains Police to make the investigation

As of 2:30 P.M., asked for an update on the Adam Bradley situation, Commissioner Chong wrote in a statement,

“Not yet, probably later.”

Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong issued this statement to WPCNR Friday morning:

“As of this writing 0850 AM Friday, the Police Department has not received formal charges, instructions or requests from the District Attorney or the Court to pick up Mr. Bradley.

The Court could, within its own right, ask Mr. Bradley to appear to face any violations of existing court orders or conditions of probation and so could the Department of Probation.

The police would be involved if and when there were any new charges filed or if Mr. Bradley failed to appear as ordered in court. “

Mr. Bradley was convicted December 9,2010 of attempted assault, contempt, and three charges of harassment involving his wife. Mr. Bradley was also subject to an order of protection prohibiting him from seeing his wife, Fumiko Bradley for five years, subject to modification for custody and visitation purposes.

King reported Thursday evening that Bradley was reported by his wife, Fumiko Bradley as having called her by cellphone three times, a violation of Bradley’s term of probation. King reports that Bradley said the calls were made on his cellphone three times in a short period of time and were accidental while exercising. King says that Bradley may face 60 to 90 days in jail.

Mr. Bradley, Mayor of White Plains from January 2010 to February 2011, when he resigned after being convicted of attempted assault on his wife among other charges, was under probation terms forbidding him any contact with his wife.

King says that Fumiko Bradley reported the calls being made to her.

Bengal Tiger Lot Opens.

Posted on November 17, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY CIRCUIT. November 17, 2011:

Mayor Thomas Roach, Councilwoman Beth Smayda and Council President Benjamin Boykin officially opened a new parking lot at the corner of East Post Road and Court Street today just off Mamaroneneck Avenue. The new facility was created on the site of the Bengal Tiger fire that took place in July, 2010, that gutted half a city block.

Bengal Tiger Lot Opens

Mayor Roach said that for now the lot would remain a parking lot, and would not say whether negotiations were taking place between the city and the owners of the vacant building between the new lot and the Court Street city municipal lot. Asked if the building being in the Urban Renewal Area might be acquired by eminent domain, Roach said there were a lot of things the city could do, but did not commit to saying the city wanted to acquire the building.

Council President Benjamin Boykin (L), Mayor Thomas Roach, and Councilwoman Beth Smayda open up the Court Street/East Post Road Lot

At the time when the lot was acquired from the former owners of the Bengal Tiger for $1.1 Million, the city stated that the lot was acquired to prevent a similar situation to that of the old railroad station which for years was known as a “the hole in the ground.”

The city needed parking in that area, Roach said today, and that was why the lot was converted into a parking lot. WPCNR awaits the exact cost of the lot construction from city hall. WPCNR recalls the construction cost to be estimated at $550,000. If that is correct, the cost of the 18 spaces per space (including purchase of the land) is about $91,666.

First Parkers arrive 11:05 A.M.

The lot has 18 parking spaces, (1 handicapped space), and connects with the Court Street lot, making it accessible two ways. Multi-space meter parking is in use in the new lot, and the Court Street lot will be converted to multi-space meters in the future.

New Lot has a cut through to access Court Street Municipal Lot.

Amid Bleak Budget Outlook, Astorino Vows No Tax Hike

Posted on November 15, 2011 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER By Nancy King, WPCNR County Roving Correspondent. November 15, 2011:

County Executive Rob Astorino presented his 2012 Budget Projection this morning. While again making good on his promise of not raising the property taxes of Westchester residents, it comes with a hefty price tag…elimination of jobs.

Astorino explained that although the tax levy of 548 million dollars remained the same as the previous year’s budget, he also offered up that even with reductions made in staffing last year, that the cost of salaries and benefits had risen another 9 million dollars this year.

The County Executive will be reducing the work force by about 360. 150 of those positions will be lost through attrition while the remaining 250 employees will be laid off. It is expected that those layoffs will come from the departments of recreation, and the DPW. No layoffs are currently planned for the Westchester County Police Department of the Department of Corrections.

During the press conference, Mr. Astorino stated that the proposed cuts are in response to the union’s lack of concessions concerning their health care benefits. County workers currently do not contribute to their health care. It was unclear as to whether Mr. Astorino was asking union officials to open their contract now. Their new contract will be negotiated in 2012.`

The upcoming year will also see an increase of $2.00 at county golf courses, the elimination of 24 hour police protection at the County Office Building and the end of a non mandated contract with three community health centers.

Cornell Cooperative Extension lost 990,000 and the Arts Council saw their budget decrease by 750,000.

Astorino is also venturing into the area of public/private partnerships and is seeking private donors to help fund cultural events and the annual Fourth of July fireworks at the Kensico Dam.

Astorino is also asking child care contributions to be increased by 35% for next year.

To preserve the County’s bond rating, Astorino stated very clearly that the fund balance would not be touched thus allowing Westchester to keep it’s Triple A bond rating. This is a bit confusing though since it was reported several months ago that Westchester had been downgraded to a Double A rating.

It was unclear as to whether there has been multiple bond ratings for the county. Mr. Astorino also expects that there will be little or no revenue growth next year as the economic health of the county remains fragile.

Not so surprising was the return of Playland.

While it is alleged that the park is a consistent money loser every year, it now is the home of the controversial Children’s Museum which will pay the county an annual rent of $1.00.

Astorino, who waxed that he has had a difficult 684 days in office is most likely to continue having those difficult days. The Westchester County Board of Legislators must first approve this budget. Last year the CBOL overrode the Astorino administration 240 times. The Board will be holding a public meeting at New Rochelle High School on November 22^nd to discuss it.