THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

 

 WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. By John F. Bailey. November 10,2009: County Executive-Elect Rob Astorino announced this morning he is establishing a series of “subcommittees” by next Monday to analyze operations of all Westchester County Government Departments, possibly leading to a plan for downsizing within the next seven weeks.

County Executive-Elect Rob Astorino beginning his meeting with his new Transition Team at Westchester One Wednesday morning.

 

 

 

Astorino said he expected after the Subcommittee written reports were submitted, that decisions would then be made by him and his transition team as to how many executives, workers, and who would stay and who would go, and what departments might be contracted, meaning that county employees not under contract, or any job-security assurance can expect notice of their fate in mid-December. Astorino added he’d be being briefed by the HUD Adminstrator on the county housing obligation to build $60 Million of affordable housing Thursday.

 

These sub-committees  will submit written reports back to him by December 10, (after reviewing what the departments do, who is doing what in them) and recommend what departments would be cut back, consolidated, or remain as is in the new county administration. They would also be responsible for recruiting “top talent” to go to work for the new administration.

 

Astorino said that he and his team are working with the outgoing administration (describing them as “cooperative”), to determine who is under contract, where positions are protected and other factors that would affect downsizing decisions. Astorino said downsizing was an obvious mandate resulting from the voters’ overwhelming choice in last week’s election.”The people of Westchester voted for change last Tuesday, and it is our duty to deliver it.”

 

He said that administrators doing their jobs well and who believe in this philosophy may indeed remain in his administration.

 

Astorino said he would be establishing a website within the next week, for volunteers who wished to serve on these analytical subcommittees, as well as applying for positions.

 

The subcommittees, Astorino said which would be supervised by his transition team he announced today. He added that he expected to convene a task force on downsizing county government after he took office the first of the year.  He said he would be announcing major members of his new team before December 10^th, perhaps as early as next week.

 

Astorino ran the news conference today,convening his new Transition Team which would be conducting the analysis of County government via the subcommittees they will establish, and introduced the distinguished group to the media.

 

They are:

 

Kevin Plunkett, (right) partner in the law firm of DelBello, Donnellan, Weingarten Wise & Wiederkerhr, White Plains, a major legal influence in the county who chairs the Team. Ale Frederico, Vice President (left) – Team Leader, TD Bank Government Banking, who participates on the Board of Directors of White Plains Hospital Center, Chair of the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and founding Board member of 100 Hispanic Leaders.

 

 

Kay Carsky, (far right) former member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators for 19 years, when she represented Yonkers.

 

 

Wiley Harrison, (Left) Chairperson of the Board of the Thomas H. Slater Center, President of Your Business LLC, a financial services firm, and who also serves as Treasurer of the Business Council of Westchester. He is seen with Robert Elliot, Mayor of Croton-on-Hudson from 1991 to 2005 and former President of the New York State Conference of Mayors and the Westchester Municipal Officials Association.

 

 

 Thomas F. Eagan (right) former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York from 1996 to 2007, who was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority from 1985 to 1992, and Harry J. Wilson, (left)  recently Senior Advisor to the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, where he was one of four leaders of the working team that arranged the restructurings of General Motors and Chrysler. Now described as a private investor, Wilson has worked at Silver Point Capital, The Blackstone Group and Goldman, Sachs.

 

 

 

 

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Kathleen Davisson, White Plains Performing Arts Center. November 9,2009 (EDITED):  The White Plains Performing Arts Center announced its winter season today in a news release today.  The sixth season  begins December 4, highlighted December 11 through December 13 with the debut of We are Lights, ‘Tis the Seaons and More, an original review featuring Tony Award Winner, Melba Moore (Purlie, Hair, Les Miz), Kevin Earley (A Tale of Two Cities), Marsha Waterbury (Mamma Mia, Days of Our Lives), Celina Carvajal (Tarzan), Kathy Deitch (Wicked), and more.

 

In addition to the holiday show, the theatre will present a selection of holiday entertainments: On December 4, Mistletunes, featuring Squeaky & Clean, a rock and roll group playing and celebrating different cultural holiday traditions.Twas the Night Before Christmas  is a musical review of the Santa classic, presented December 5 The Calpulli Mexican Dance Company performs a colorful dance extravaganza on January 31.

 

The Westchester Philharmonic Holiday Brass Quintet performs the first of four concerts December 6 playing baroque to pops to seasonal holiday favorites.

 

The lineup for the rest of the 09-10 season:

 

 ‘Tis the Season and More,” “a scripted and choreographed Holiday concert:  is a “jubilant, upscale celerbration of the Holidays.” In addition to Ms. Moore, Mr. Earley and Ms. Waterbury, Ms. Deitch and Ms Carvajal, the production features a cast of Broadway, film and television greats:  Liz Larson (Hairspray), Jodie Langel (Les Miz),Jana Robbins (Gypsy),Cindy Robinson (Peter Pan) and the talented Craig Laurie, Chase Matthews and Elizabeth Torres.

Returning to the White Plains theatre for “Tis the Season,” are WPPAC favorite performers Cris Groenendaal, Carlos Lopez and Nick Wyman, who will host.  Under the direction of Walter Winston O’Neil and music director Kim Douglas Steiner, the four performances run from Friday, December 11 through Sunday, December 13.  An opportunity for local performers to join the Broadway stars on stage will be offered through auditions to be held at the Theatre later this month. 

 “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, the beloved children’s story, will be presented in American Sign Language and spoken English on April 24^th  by a cast of deaf and hearing performers. 

 The second in a series of Westchester Philharmonic Concerts will be performed on Sunday, February 28^th, when the Philharmonic’s string quartet will chase away the winter blues with music of Mendelssohn and Haydn.  

The Westchester Phil’s series concludes on Sunday, March 28^th, with jazz music led by renowned Philharmonic percussionist Jim Saporito.  The trio will perform selections from The Great American Songbook and jazz originals from their new CD.

Other offerings in the Broadway concert series include:  “Mancini and Moonlight” starring Edward Watts and Jenn Gambetese (Tarzan and All Shook Up) on Saturday, February 13.

“Musicals That Rock” is a must see for audiences who enjoy contemporary musical theatre presented by a star studded cast of Broadway veterans on Friday March 12 through Sunday, March 14.

 Fascinating Gershwin celebrates the music of George and Ira Gershwin with the incredible pianist Joseph Joubert, the stunning soprano Rosena Hill (last seen on the WPPAC White Plains stage in Ragtime) joined by baritone Nathaniel Stampley (The Lion King, The Color Purple) on Sunday, April 25. 

Rogers and Hammerstein Celebration is presented on Sunday, May 9^th, starring Teri Dale Hansen (The Boys from Syracuse) and Nat Chandler (The Scarlet Pimpernel). 

The final concert of the season, Today’s Broadway celebrates current Broadway musicals performed by stars of contemporary shows including Leah Hocking (Billy Elliott), Sarah Uriarte Berry (The Light in the Piazza) and Norm Lewis (The Little Mermaid) on Saturday, June 12th.

 Forbidden Hollywood, a hilarious spoof of film classics in the vein of Forbidden Broadway”, runs on Saturday, May 15^th.

The White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC) sixth Winter/Spring season produced by the White Plains Performing Arts Center Foundation will be presented at its White Plains theatre, located on the third level of the City Center complex in downtown White Plains.  The productions appeal to a wide audience of children, families, serious music lovers and fans of the most beloved Broadway performers, shows, composers and lyricists.

 For further information about these events, updated cast listings and additional productions being added to the season schedule, visit www.wppac.com  or call 914-328-1600.