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)

Mayor Called three Councilpersons: Smayda, Roach, Lecouna

Posted on April 10, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 10, 2010: Councilwoman Beth Smayda returned a WPCNR inquiry Saturday afternoon and confirmed that Mayor Adam Bradley had telephone her, Councilperson Milagros Lecouna, and Council President Tom Roach Friday. She did not know if he had telephoned Councilman Buchwald, (who has said the Mayor had not called him), Benjamin Boykin and Dennis Power.

Smayda said the Mayor explained to her that “Obviously, he and (his legal)counsel have to look at a lot of strategies and potential things that can happen (in court) Monday and asked that before we take any steps to wait until Monday.”

Asked if a press conference calling on the Mayor to resign, was ever considered being held Friday, Ms. Smayda told Smayda the councilpersons , “were trying to consider and evaluate all courses of action. We are trying to do what is right for the city. As you know, the council is limited in actions it can take (towards removing the Mayor), based on the charter.”

Ms. Smayda said the Council would be holding the Special Meeting on the city budget, previously scheduled Monday evening at 6:30 as scheduled. She wanted WPCNR to assure the city, the council continues to discuss and consider the budget problem the city faces, and members of the council have had discussions with staff and department heads on the budget. The city faces a 19% property tax increase in the Budget Director’s submitted 2010-11 Proposed Budget, as Mayor Bradley described it at last Monday’s Common Council meeting.

Roach: Common Council Is Not Declaring Position on Bradley Situation Until Mon.

Posted on April 10, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 10, 2010 UPDATED 2:35 P.M. E.D.T.: Thomas M. Roach, President of the White Plains Common Council told WPCNR Saturday morning the official position of the Common Council at this time was that it was reserving comment on its position regarding the Mayor Bradley situation until after the Mayor’s court appearance Monday.

John Callahan, Mayor Bradley’s Chief of Staff, in a written statement, Saturday afternoon indicated there were no plans that he knows of for the Mayor and the Common Council to hold a joint news conference after the Mayor’s (scheduled) court appearance Monday, writing:

“I am not aware of any plans for a joint press conference. If the Mayor holds a press conference, you will be notified.

I directed the e-mail you sent me earlier today to Antoinette Biordi. If the Mayor has a response, she will get back to you.

Mr. Roach, asked earlier Saturday, if he would serve as interim Mayor if Mayor Bradley resigned from his position or took a leave of absence as allowed in the Charter, Roach said “Of course, if that becomes necessary. This is not a political opportunity for me. This is a tragedy.”

Roach said the council never seriously discussed having a news conference Friday calling for Mayor Adam Bradley’s resignation.

Roach said, if they had, the media would have been notified of the plans and (if any, subsequent) cancellation.

Councilman David Buchwald told WPCNR this morning that Mayor Bradley had not called him Friday asking him to withhold any action on holding a press conference until after he (Bradley) had made a decision. Mr. Buchwald said he had no knowledge of other councilpersons having been called by the Mayor.

Mr. Buchwald asked WPCNR to clarify this statement further Saturday afternoon, saying “I do know they (some) were called, I have no knowledge of how many, or any knowledge or specificity of what they were told (by Mayor Bradley).”

Members of the Common Council Benjamin Boykin, Milagros Lecouna, Dennis Power and have not, as yet returned WPCNR calls to comment on whether the council was split on the issue of asking Mr. Bradley to resign, or whether they were united that Mr. Bradley should resign — or whether the Mayor was seriously considering resignation.

Mr. Bradley’s court appearance is scheduled for Monday in Domestic Violence court, to take up his charge of Third Degree Assault and five other charges involving alledged incidents with his wife.

Curric Chief, WPHS Principal to Retire; 38 Retirements Total

Posted on April 9, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. April 9, 2010: White Plains High School will be seeking a new Principal over the summer, as Ivan Toper, Principal for six years, after replacing Christine Robbins in 2004 has announced his retirement. Also retiring is Asssitant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Margaret Dwyer, who has in the last three years been responsible for overseeing a sharp upgrade in middle school test scores. Dwyer has been with the district since 2002.

Also retiring are 6 Office and Custodial workers; 5 Teaching Assistants, and 23 full-time teachers and leaving are 2 Teaching Assistants.

The flurry of retirements are apparently the result of a retirement incentive program approved by the White Plains Teachers Association as part of the newly negotiated and approved extension of their contract through 2012. The contract extension and negotiation of it was not revealed to the public until it was approved by the Board of Education.

The retiring teachers are:

Carolyn Blatt, ESOL Teacher, WPHS,

Margot Brown-Ronin, Special Education Teacher, WPHS

Robert Costabile, Reading Teacher, WPHS

Ellen Epstein, Elementary Teacher, Ridgeway

Marilyn Gomez, Elementary Teacher, Ridgeway

Christine Herzog, Reading Teacher, Middle School, Highlands

Dorothy Holloway, School Counselor, WPHS

Jonathan Hotchkiss, Math Teacher, Middle School, Highlands

Harriette Ketover, Health Teacher, Middle School, Highlands

Mary Marquis, Elementary Teacher, Post Road

James McGuire, English Teacher, Alternative & Supplemental Programs

Joseph Mian, Math Teacher, WPHS

William Miro, Music Teacher, District-wide

Dennis O’Brien, Social Studies Teacher, WPHS

Claire Oram, Reading Teacher, Ridgeway

Judith Phillips, Special Education Teacher, Ridgeway

Edward Potoma, Science Teacher, Alternative & Supplemental Programs

Patricia Quintano, Elementary Education Teacher, Ridgeway

Randi Sack, Elementary Education Teacher, George Washington

Linda Shulman, Elementary Education Teacher, Post Road

Frederick J. Singleton, Social Studies Teacher, Alternative & Supplemental Programs

Joan Traber, Elementary Education Teacher, Ridgeway

Janet Warmbir, English Teacher, Alternative & Supplemental Programs

WHITE PLAINS LEADS COUNTY IN CENSUS RESPONSE.

Posted on April 9, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. Special to WPCNR from Susan Habel, Commissioner of Planning. April 9, 2010: As of today, the national response rate is 65%, WHITE PLAINS is 63%, Westchester County is 61% and New York State is 59%.

Asked by WPCNR if she had any handle on how White Plains response would affect aid from the federal government, Ms. Habel issued this statement:

“It’s too early to tell because it is subject to total appropriations.

Right now I am concerned about making sure that whatever the size of the pie, we get the biggest piece possible, and that means the best Census returns possible.

I am very impressed with the work of our community organizations and many of our neighborhoods in getting out the response. We have about a month to go and need to make sure everyone we can reach has filed their questionnaire.”