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)

D-Day was 64 Years Ago Today.

Posted on June 6, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR MILESTONES. June 6, 2008:

Sixty-four years ago this morning, thousands of troops stormed the beaches in Normandy, France in the largest invasion in history. The bloody assault against a heavily defended coastline, involving incredible courage and sacrifice by allied troops, landing craft, paratroops, signalled the beginning of the end of the Third Reich and the regime of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany.

The quiet beaches of Normandy today, and the rows of white crosses in cemetaries around the little town bear silent vigil to the sacrifice of those brave men and women who fought, died, and triumphed this day 59 years ago today.

We can in no way, or through no motion picture know what any veteran experienced. The veterans who still are with us do not like to talk about their combat experiences. And they do not. One veteran of D-Day, asked what he thought of Saving Private Ryan and the realism of it, said the real D-Day was worse. However, veterans we have interviewed remark that they think of their combat experience every day. It is always with them.

It is inconceivable to me that I could ever be able to do what these men and women did. I would like to hope I could. However, the veterans have. They left ordinary lives as office workers, factory workers, farmers, accountants, and what have you and were able to go to war and “rise to the occasion,” or as they say today, “step it up to the next level.” The highest level.

Few of them are left now. But today their sacrifice should be remembered.

Yorktown Closes Out Tigers as Fastpitch Season Ends

Posted on June 5, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR Sports. June 5, 2008: This just in from Yorktown. Yorktown High bats did in the White Plains Tigers today, with explosive hitting, while the Tigers failed to solve the Huskers pitcher. Yorktown moves into the Section 1 Class AA Final against the winner of the Arlington-North Rockland tilt. This will be the opportunity for a second consecutive Section 1 Title for the Huskers

White Plains finished at 14-9 on the season, after catching Scarsdale for a share of the League 1-A Championship. With only two seniors graduating the Tigers can look forward to a bright 2009.

Selection of Tappan Zee Bridge Rapid Transit Combo Delayed for Weeks

Posted on June 5, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE NEWS. June 5, 2008: The Project Director of the Tappan Zee Bridge/I-287 Corridor Project, charged with the evaluation and recommendation of the best solution to replace the aging Tappan Zee Bridge, told WPCNR today that a decision on the best transit alternatives to replace the 49 year-old bridge (undergoing repairs as needed) will be delayed “for weeks.”

Mr. Anderson (shown here at a February 2008 meeting, said his people were checking figures going over alternatives and their data and were not as far along as they had hoped in coming to a final recommendation (on transit mode selected for the bridge makeover – commuter rail, bus rapid transit, light rail). He gave no reason for the delay. He said no decision had been made.

Originally in February, Anderson had said a final decision on how to replace the aging bridge with a combination of transit possibilities was going to be made in May.

Details of Implementation Not Considered at this Time

Two weeks ago, Anderson told Don Hughes of the North Broadway Civic Association (who has been following this issue), that reconstructing the current bridge to accommodate commuter rail did not make sense because, Hughes recalls, the bridge foundations would have to be rebuilt, and it would be cost-prohibitive if commuter rail connection with Metro North at Tarrytown was desired.

Hughes also said Mr. Anderson told him that a decision on the bridge transit option combination would be made without considering or worrying about the execution of “the details” (location of stations, I-287 lane construction) of accommodating the transit options (commuter rail, bus rapid transit, or light rail) on the Westchester I-287 corridor.

Anderson, Hughes told WPCNR said those “details” would be worked out once the transit alternatives had been selected. Anderson indicated to Hughes a number of alternatives and combinations of commuter rail, light rail and bus rapid transit had surfaced and, they had decided to make the rapid transit decision first as to what would be accommodated on any new bridge.

Presently no decision on the transit combination has been made, Mr. Anderson told WPCNR today, and he had no timetable as to when a decision would be made.

The Schedule

In February a timeline called for “Announcing Preferred Transit Modes” in May 2008, with “Final Alternatives in Draft Environmental Impact Statement” to be promulgated by the end of June, with an Open House scheduled for June. From what Mr. Anderson said today, the schedule is delayed indefinitely.

In February, documents presented at the series of Scoping Sessions on the Tappan Zee Corridor project indicated a final preferred alternative would be arrived at late 2009.

The identity of the Preferred Alternative was to be announced in May 2009, with Draft Environmental Impact Statement published in June 2009, with hearings on the DEIS extending to 2010. The publishing of the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the “Preferred Alternative” was to happen in February, 2010 with a decision to be made April, 2010.

NY’s 1ST Black Governor, David Patterson to Lead WP Juneteenth Parade

Posted on June 4, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. June 4, 2008: Mayor Joseph Delfino of White Plains announced the 2008 fourth annual Juneteenth Parade commemorating the date of June 19, 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas first learned of the freeing of the slaves by President Abraham Lincoln, and proudly announced that New York’s new Governor David A. Patterson had accepted an invitation to be Grand Marshall of the White Plains celebration of diversity on June 14.

Governor David A. Patterson, New York State’s First Black Governor will be the Grand Marshal of the June 14 Juneteenth Parade in White Plains. Photo, The Governor’s Press Office

Mayor Delfino, surrounded by the parade sponsors remarked that the Junteenth commemoration was the only parade honoring the June 19 date in New York State, and that was one of the reasons the Governor had decided to honor White Plains. Left to right, Debra Wall, Entergy, Councilman Benjamin Boykin, Jennifer Fernandez, Entergy; John Buckner, Verizon, Janet Langsum of the Westchester Arts Council, and Bernie Thombs, speaking for Coca Cola.

White Plains corporate angels — Verizon, Entergy, Coca Cola and the Westchester Arts Council — contributed $27,500 to sponsor the parade, Mayor Delfino said the Juneteenth Parade was another great day in White Plains that celebrates the freeing of the slaves during the Civil War.

He described White Plains as “a place where you can come here, work hard and pursue your dreams and make a better life for your family. White Plains greatest strength is its diversity, and Juneteenth is a celebration of African-American tradition, education and achievement….what makes us great is that people have respect for each other, and we should never lose sight of the importance of respect for each other.”

Verizon’s John Buckner presented a check for $15,000; Entergy, $7,500; the Westchester Arts Council, $2,500, and Coca Cola, $2,500.

The Mayor said he hoped to arrange some event with the Governor, but he did not know if the Governor’s appearance would entail additional activities featuring the Governor in White Plains, media opportunities, or other events. The Mayor said he would be attempting with the Governor’s office to arrange additional events, if possible.

The concept of the Juneteenth Parade was originally suggested by the late activist, Ron Jackson, Daryll Jenkins, and Councilman Glen Hockley.

According to Daryll Jenkins of the Juneteenth Committee Governor Patterson was invited by Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Debra Clay to be the parade Grand Marshall. Ms. Clay is a member of the Juneteenth Committee that works to stage the parade the last three years.

The Juneteenth Committee, 2008, organizers of the Juneteenth Parade.