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)

State Lowers STAR Exemption. Assessment Discount to Decrease. Effects School Tax

Posted on April 17, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 17, 2008: WPCNR News has learned that the New York State Office of Real Property Services has lowered the STAR exemption statewide effective with the fiscal year. The effect of this is to lower the discount White Plains homeowners receive on their home assessments. The formula has been changed. This will have the effect of lowering your discount, and therefore increasing your school tax, depending on the formula which has just been forwarded to assessors.

WPCNR continues to follow this story to determine the impact on the local school tax, just approved by the White Plains Board of Education.

86 In White Plains Face Mortgage Restructuring Next 4 Months. Mayor Intros WISE

Posted on April 17, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR The Housing News. By John F. Bailey. April 17, 2008: Mayor Joseph Delfino and Geoffrey Anderson, Executive Director of Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. announced a joint program today to provide counseling, budgeting and information to White Plains homeowners faced with the inability to pay their mortgages. In the course of the news conference the Mayor said 86 homeowners, mostly in the Fisher Hill and Battle Hill areas of the city faced renegotiation of subprime mortgages to fixed rate mortgages in the next three months. The program is being called White Plains Initiative to Save Equity. It also calls for the city to furnish a part-time counselor selected by WRO to aid White Plains homeowners exclusively.

Mayor Joseph Delfino of White Plains, with Geoffrey Anderson, left, Executive Director of Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc., left, and to the right, Nicole Aulotta and Cynthia Grillo of Hudson States Bank, announcing the Mayor’s WISE intiative today at City Hall

The program the Mayor said was to help these homeowners, many of whom are afraid of losing their homes and do not know where to turn, by providing information, telling the steps to take to preserve their home, and to help them in talking to their lender. Westchester Residential Opportunities, an organization that has long partnered with the city will provide their councilors who currently serve the North and South ends of the County. The Mayor said the Common Council will be asked to provide $30,000 in funding from the City’s Affordable Housing Assistance Fund for a third parttime counselor for WRO, who would handle White Plains homeowners only.

Mayor Delfino advised the gathering that White Plains homes facing foreclosure in the first quarter of 2008 numbered 28, and that the County Clerk, Timothy Idoni has confirmed that the wrong zip codes were used in figuring the number to be 54, as the County Clerk’s office advised the news media previously. Hudson States Bank which has worked with the White Plains Planning Department in funding rehabilitation of homes in White Plains, will also provide counseling and analysis on an individual case-by-case basis. When asked if the bank would provide bridge loans or financial aid, the Commissioner of Planning said it depended on the individual homeowner’s case.

Residents interested in Westchester Residential Opportunities counseling on mortgage problems they face can contact WRO at 914-668-4424, extension 301, or 428-4507, extension 316.

The Muckraker’s Notebook: The World’s Greatest Detective on the Press.

Posted on April 16, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR MUCKRAKER’S NOTEBOOK. April 16, 2008: It is time to open the Muckraker’s Notebook in these days of obfuscation, defocus and sound bite, it is time to pull up a chair at the cozy flat at 221 Baker Street, enhale the fragrance of the World’s Greatest Detective’s Turkish tobacco as the swirl of pipe smoke filters through the flat. Sipping Mrs. Hudson’s tea, and nibbling on a scone. There in smoking jacket, the World’s Greatest Detective holds forth in comments which intrepid reporters should take to heart:

“The Press, Watson, is a most valuable institution, if you know how to use it.

What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence. The question is, what can you make people believe that you have done?

On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in drawing your inferences.

It is of the highest importance in the art of detection to be able to recognize out of a number of facts which are incidental and which vital. Otherwise your energy and attention must be dissipated instead of being concentrated.

How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?

Any truth is better than indefinite doubt.

Ryan Announces $1.84 Million Funding for Post Road Gateway

Posted on April 15, 2008 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators. April 15, 2008: Chairman of the County Board of Legislators Bill Ryan (D, IN, WF-White Plains) today announced $1.84 million in funding for a major upgrade to Post Road in White Plains – the western “gateway” into the city’s downtown.

The latest work along Post Road will include milling and resurfacing of the asphalt roadway and installation of reflective pavement markings on the roadway from the Scarsdale Village line to Mamaroneck Avenue. The Bond Act, which was approved by the County Board at its last meeting, will also fund the cost of the design, project management and construction.

“In recent years, the County Board has worked to improve the look and condition of the major roads to the downtown,” said Ryan, whose legislative district includes White Plains and Scarsdale. “We’ve ensured that roadway, street-scaping and landscaping are done in a way that beautifies White Plains. So when these jobs are complete, we’ll have nice looking streets that really say ‘welcome to our city’.”

Chairman Ryan said “similar capital infrastructure projects in White Plains, our “city in the park,” have included sidewalk and curb work along Post Road, as well as a grass median for Bryant Avenue substantial improvements to Mamaroneck Avenue and Old Mamaroneck Road. These road improvements are enhanced by outstanding community efforts such as those of the White Plains Beautification Foundation. The Foundation has been of help in designing road upgrade projects and by planting trees and gardens along the “gateways.”