Tigers’ Kelly O’Neil Is Belting for Holy Cross — a 4-Year Starter

WPCNR View from the Upper Deck. April 13, 2008: White Plains Varsity Softball Coach Ted O’Donnell took a busman’s holiday Friday to see one of his former players, Kelly O’Neil, a first sacker for Holy Cross, play against Army at West Point. Here is his report on Ms. O’Neill’s afternoon:




Once Upon a Time on O’Donnell’s Bluff: On  the sunsplashed diamond, Kelly O’Neil held down first for the great Tiger “Three-Peat” softball teams of the early 2000s. Five years ago, this week, it is April 16, 2003:  Kelly O’Neil crouches at first, Kim Wood at third, as Tara Pollard pitches a no-hit, no run perfect game at Yorktown.  Yorktown sent 21 batters up and 21 went down.  Photo by WPCNR Sports



Kelly O’Neil Batting for the Holy Cross Crusaders


 



Kelly O’Neil, Holy Cross First Sacker


I went to West Point today to watch Holy Cross play Army in a Patriot League doubleheader. Kelly  O’Neil (WPHS ’04, captain 2-time Journal News 1st Team All-County All-Star) is in her senior year at Holy Cross and a 2 year captain.


She is the starting 1st baseman and bats 4th in the order. Army and Holy Cross split with Army taking the 1st game 4-2 and HC the 2nd 11-4. Kelly went 2 for 3 in the 1st game with a single and a stand-up double that hit the top of the fence in CF (210ft) and bounced back into play.



In the 2nd game, she went 3 for 3 with a walk and HBP. She had another double and also whacked a tremendous 2-run HR that bounced off the light pole in LF. It broke a 4-4 tie giving HC the lead for good. It also tied Kelly for the HC career record for home runs. The game ended with Kelly making a great catch on a line drive by Army’s clean-up hitter. Kelly is well and really enjoying her final season. She has been a starter since freshman year. Nice job Kelly O.


It should be noted that Coach O’Donnell’s ‘2008 White Plains Softball Team, edged Yonkers 1-0 Friday and are 2-1 on the new season. Lauren Sputo pitched the shutout and fanned 10. The 2008 Tigers play North Rockland Tuesday afternoon at White Plains at 4:30.

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Fire Dept Inspections to Get Technical Upgrade with $19G Grant

WPCNR CITY HALL TICKER. From The Mayor’s Office. April 11, 2008: White Plains-based Preferred Services Group and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company are awarding the White Plains Fire Department a $19,000 grant, earmarked for use by the White Plains Public Safety Bureau of Fire.  The Bureau of Fire will use these funds to purchase seven Panasonic Toughbook® latop computers and six portable printers to conduct building inspections, create fire pre-plans and improve the record keeping capabilities of the department.  In 2006, the two companies awarded a $9,000 grant to the Department for the “Jaws of Life” rescue tool and smoke detectors to strengthen their Residential Public Education/Smoke Detector Program.

 

 


 

“One of the most important services this department provides citizens and business owners of White Plains is the fire safety inspections we conduct on all properties,” stated Richard Lyman, White Plains Fire Chief.  “Unfortunately, as the city continues to grow, it becomes much harder for our inspection crews to handle their full workload.  These laptops and printers will greatly enhance our crews’ capabilities, allowing them to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.  This, ultimately, will help make White Plains safer.”

 

“I’m very grateful to Preferred Services Group and the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company for awarding our outstanding Public Safety Bureau of Fire with this much needed equipment,” said White Plains Mayor Joseph M. Delfino.  “These two generous companies demonstrate the best of corporate responsibility and community relations.”

 

Executives from Preferred Services Group and Fireman’s Fund will formally present the grant to Mayor Delfino, Public Safety Commissioner Frank G. Straub, PhD., Chief Lyman and other local officials at a City Hall ceremony April 30.

 

The Toughbook computers as well as the printers will enable the department to: track inspections more efficiently, obtain on-site access of inspection history of various properties, print forms at the inspection site, and transfer data immediately to the office.  In addition, the computers can store critical data used during emergency response operations, including street and hydrant locations, incident management reports and the location of hazardous materials. 

 

“Just like having high-level emergency response to fires is critical for safety, so is having a true focus on fire prevention,” said Ken Murray, vice president of sales & marketing for Preferred Services Group.  “The White Plains Public Safety Bureau of Fire has a true commitment to fire prevention and this grant will support their field workers efforts.”

 

The grant package is part of a nationwide program called Fireman’s Fund Heritage® which is funded by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company.  Since 2004, Fireman’s Fund has issued over 900 grants totaling more than $17 million to fire departments across the country for needed equipment, training and educational tools.  Independent insurance agencies/brokers that sell Fireman’s Fund products, like Preferred Services Group, are able to direct these grants to support fire stations in their communities.

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Judy Higgins to be Honored as Citizen Extraordinaire by Historical Society

WPCNR LAURELS & LEGENDS. April 13, 2008: The White Plains Historical Society cordially invites all members of the community to their 19th Annual Dinner on May 1 (Reception 6pm; Dinner 6:30pm) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 60 Hale Avenue in White Plains.  Dr. Judith Higgins will be honored as the society’s Citizen Extraordinaire.  Guest Speaker Roger Panetta, Visiting Professor of History at Fordham University and Curator of Fordham University Libraries’ Hudson River Collection, will discuss the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Tercentennial Celebration.  

The White Plains Historical Society cordially invites all members of the community to their 19th Annual Dinner on May 1 (Reception 6pm; Dinner 6:30pm) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 60 Hale Avenue in White Plains.  Dr. Judith Higgins will be honored as the society’s Citizen Extraordinaire.  Guest Speaker Roger Panetta, Visiting Professor of History at Fordham University and Curator of Fordham University Libraries’ Hudson River Collection, will discuss the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Tercentennial Celebration.  

 

The White Plains Historical Society was founded in 1983 as the successor to the Battle of White Plains Monument Committee, the White Plains Historical Society promotes the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge about history, past and present, of the City of White Plains.  It particularly focuses on the preservation of historic buildings, sites, monuments, and cemeteries; and to promote public interest, awareness and to generate pride in our historic heritage.

 

 Roger Panetta is a Visiting Professor of History at Fordham University, Curator of Fordham University Libraries’ Hudson River Collection, and an Adjunct Curator for History at the Hudson River Museum.  Prior to that, Dr. Panetta was Professor and Chair of History at Marymount College. 

 

In addition to his university appointments he is an affiliated faculty with The Beacon Institute for the Study of Rivers and Estuaries and a Visiting Fellow in a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Center for Humanities.  Dr. Panetta’s publications have focused on the history and culture of the Hudson River Valley, including his co-authorship of the 1996 book The Hudson: An Illustrated Guide to the Living River.   He also was the contributing editor for Westchester: The American Suburb, the 2006 companion to the exhibit of the same name, which he curated at the Hudson River Museum. 

 

Dr. Panetta appeared in Bill Moyer’s TV documentary, America‘s First River as a feature narrator in 1999.   He has published articles on the history of Sing Sing, and curated several exhibits at the Hudson River Museum including The Croton Aqueduct, The Railroad in the Making of Westchester, Boats of the Hudson, and Black Migration to Westchester.

 

 Tickets are $40+ per person.  Please RSVP by April 26.  Call 914-328-1776 or 914-287-0772 or visit http://www.whiteplainshistory.org/
 

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White Plains Office Vacancy Rate was 11.9% In First Quarter

WPCNR DOWNTOWN DAILY. From Cushman & Wakefield. April 11, 2008: Vacancy rates in the White Plains CBD registered at 11.9%, up a full percentage point in the first quarter year over year. Much of the increase was a result of vacancies at Westchester One at 44 S. Broadway, which accounts for 50 percent of the vacancies in the city’s business district. Direct average rents last quarter in the White Plains CBD were $34.57 per square foot (psf), significantly higher than $30.29 psf reported a year ago, due to some office properties that are commanding in excess of $40 psf.


 


The news comes in a report released by Cushman & Wakefield Friday in its first quarter 2008 report for the Westchester County commercial real estate market indicating the market remained stable but slowed in terms of leasing activity, with a slight rise in vacancy rates and negative absorption. Direct average rents were up countywide.


 


Overall  county vacancy rates totaled more than 4.3 million square feet (msf) or a 15.3% rate, which was up from 14.4% at year-end 2007 and down from 15.6% one year ago.  Class-A overall vacancy rates registered at 17.6%, up from 16.6% at year-end 2007 and down from 17.8% one year ago.


 


 


Leasing activity totaled 348,074 sf, down from 507,574 sf last quarter and 395,995 sf same time last year.


 


Major deals that closed during the first quarter included APS Healthcare which leased 44,082 sf at Westchester One in White Plains; SAC Capital which leased 30,406 sf at 5 International Drive in Rye Brook; and Merrill Lynch which leased 26,131 sf at 2 International Drive in Rye Brook.


 


Overall absorption totaled negative 399,947 sf, down from positive 66,822 sf last quarter and 44,787 sf same time last year.


 


“Unlike certain markets across the country that are home to a high percentage of companies in the financial services sector, Westchester County will remain stable due to the assorted mix of businesses based here ,” said Jim Fagan, senior managing director and branch manager for Cushman & Wakefield’s Westchester and Fairfield County region.


 


Direct average rent countywide was up 4.6% year over year in the first quarter, to $31.40 psf, up from $31.38 psf last quarter and $30.02 psf one year ago.  Class-A rents registered at $31.92 psf, down slightly from $31.96 psf last quarter and up from $31.19 psf one year ago.


 


Rents are predicted to remain stable throughout the year, but tenant concessions are likely to increase as landlords recognize that opportunities to lease space will be flat. Countywide, the commercial leasing market is expected to slow in comparison to recent years, but activity will remain steady. The national credit crunch significantly slowed the investment sales market in the first quarter, with the number of buildings traded off from a year ago.


 

“Despite a national office market slowdown, we see stable pricing for both rental rates and building pricing over the next quarter or so before they start to escalate again,” Mr. Fagan said.  “There has been some cooling off, so are now in a mode of sustainable and more moderate growth

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