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LATIMER…JAMES…COVID…THE ECONOMY…THE RECOVERY …THE SLOWDOWN… AFFORDABLE HOUSING…VACCINATIONS WESTCHESTER AT THE CROSSROADS — and more A REAL NEWSMAN NOT NO HOLDS BARRED ON THE PROGRAM WHERE JOHN MARINO GETS TO HAVE HIS SAY.
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. ByCongressman Mondaire Jones January 6, 2022:
Today, on the one year anniversary of the violent insurrection at the Capitol, Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-NY), a national leader in the fight to protect voting rights and save American democracy, released the following statement reiterating his calls for the Senate to reform the filibuster to advance democracy-saving voting rights legislation.
“A year ago today, just days after being sworn into office, I, along with so many others, nearly died in the violent insurrection at the Capitol. That unprecedented attack is a painful indication of the deep crisis facing our democracy, a crisis that continues to grow more dire by the day.
There can be no doubt that the events of January 6th were inspired by, and designed to promote, the Big Lie of mass voter fraud, which Donald Trump and the GOP have used to justify racist voter suppression laws in states across the country. It was clear then, and is clear now, that the modern-day Republican Party is more interested in preserving the rule of its authoritarian leadership than in preserving our democracy.
That’s why Democrats have spent the last year working to counter the dangerous myth of mass voter fraud and advance legislation to protect the sacred right to vote, including the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, both of which I’m proud to have helped author. But despite the House doing our job and passing multiple pieces of democracy-saving legislation, the Jim Crow filibuster has obstructed any meaningful progress in the Senate.
Unless, at the very least, an exception is made to the filibuster to advance voting rights legislation, our democracy will fall deeper into crisis. Republicans will disenfranchise their way back into power in 2022, and use that power to install their chosen candidate in the White House in 2024, regardless of what the American people say. American democracy as we know it will cease to exist.
This is the reality we face if we fail to meet the urgency of this moment. But we are not powerless to stop it. The future of our nation depends on every Democratic Senator putting country before politics to do what is necessary to save our democracy. Literally nothing is more important.
Having seen firsthand on that fateful day just how fragile our democracy is, I will continue to do everything in my power to save it. With so much at stake, I pray that my colleagues in the Senate will do the same.”
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Meals on Wheels of White Plains volunteers deliver fresh meals to 75 of our neighbors who are unable to shop and cook for themselves. Just as important, they also bring a smile and check on their well-being.
We are currently delivering meals on Mondays and Thursdays from 11:00-1:00, and all the deliveries are to residents of White Plains.
Prior to the pandemic, our volunteers delivered meals in teams of two, but due to covid most of our current volunteers are willing to make deliveries on their own, and all volunteers use their own cars.
A few volunteers deliver with members of their own households, which makes it easier. Some apartment buildings require climbing stairs. Masks are required for all deliveries and we provide hand sanitizer.
If you are interested in learning more about Meals on Wheels of White Plains, please email info@mowwp.org or call our office at 946-6878.
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WPCNR REALTY REALITY. From the Hudson Gateway Realtors Association. (Edited) January 4, 2021:
Residential sales in 2021 in the counties served by OneKey MLS, Inc. reached a historic peak.
Sales slowed in the fourth quarter in all areas served by OneKey MLS except for Bronx County. Arguably, some of the slowdown can be attributed to the dearth of inventory in the counties north of NYC.
Westchester County, with the highest prices in the region, had the smallest percentage increase in median price for the year at 6.1% ($780,000 as compared to $735,000 in 2020) and actually experienced a slight decrease (-0.8%) in median price for the fourth quarter. This may be indicative of price increases beginning to moderate.
Condominium, multi-family (2-4 family), and in Westchester County, co-op sales as well, all outpaced the increases in single-family units and, in most instances, percent of median price increase.
In Westchester County, where co-op sales lagged in 2020, they increased 36.3% to 2,129 units (from 1,562 in 2020).
Affordability is the most prevalent reason for these choices particularly in view of the price increases in single-family dwellings. For many suburban purchasers, condos and co-ops represent a means to build equity to purchase a single-family residence
The breakthrough in The Bronx demonstrates return of buyers to the New York City market.
While the view of the market in terms of units sold and dollar volume is a positive one, it was a frustrating arena for many buyers who lost homes to higher bidders and for realtors dealing with client frustration and disappointment.
Indicators such as days on market were down significantly in all market areas. Homes were selling close to or at list price and above list price as a relatively common event.
Lack of inventory continues to be a problem with no meaningful resolution on the near horizon. With the Fed tightening monetary policy it is expected that mortgage rates will begin a steady rise in 2022.
However, despite these headwinds, the real estate market in the New York City and greater suburban area, including the lower Hudson River Valley, have shown remarkable resiliency in the last year and a half, and we expect a strong real estate market to continue into 2022.
With the exception of the second quarter of 2020, the real estate market has been an anomaly outperforming the economy. Sales and prices have enjoyed a trajectory which is likely unsustainable going forward, however the economy of the Hudson Valley continues to improve and grow more vibrant which bodes well for real estate. It is likely that price increases will moderate and additional product will come on the market which will sustain a strong market in the near term.
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“ 17 DEGREES AND SUNNY AT WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. FIRST CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU DENNIS AND TONNY ON 2-1/2 YEARS ON THE NUMBER 1 LOCAL MORNING MAN AND WOMAN IN WESTCHESTER. IT IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT, GOOD MORNING WESTCHESTER HAS THE UPBEAT BANTER AND PACE THAT GETS WESTCHESTER GOING AND IN A GOOD MOOD NO MATTER HOW BAD THE NEWS IS.
WHITE PLAINS WAS SURPRISED SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS DR. JOSEPH RICCA ADDRESSED THE WHITE PLAINS SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM HIS HOME ON FACE BOOK TELLING PARENTS WHAT THEY COULD EXPECT WHEN THEY SENT THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO WHITE PLAINS SCHOOLS MONDAY.
HE STARTED BY THANKING ALL TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS PARENTS, ASSISTANTS, STAFF FOR WORKING TIRELESSLY TO PREPARE AN IN SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS WORKED THE FIRST 4-1/2 MONTHS OF SCHOOL. 160 STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN TOTAL HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COVID SINCE SCHOOL STARTED SEPTEMBER 9. THAT IS 2% OF THE 8,400 STUDENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF.
HE SAID PARENTS AND CARETAKERS IF THEY WANT THEIR STUDENTS TESTED IN SCHOOL MUST CONTACT THE DISTRICT, HE HAS SENT THEM EMAILS TO TELL THEM OF THIS VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. HE IS ALSO WORKING TOO WITH THE HELP OF THE COUNTY TO IMPLEMENT THE TEST AND STAY PROGRAM IF A CHILD OR A CLASS CAME IN CONTACT WITH A STUDENT TESTING POSITIVE. THEY ARE URGED TO RESPOND VIA THE EMAIL THEY WERE SENT OR CONTACT THEIR CHILD’S SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
HE SAID THERE IS NO OPTION FOR REMOTE LEARNING AT THIS TIME, BUT SHOULD INFECTIONS RISE, THE DISTRICT CAN PIVOT TO REMOTE LEARNING IF NECESSARY. LATE YESTERDAY FIRST DAY OF BACK-TO-SCHOOL WAS GOING WELL IN WHITE PLAINS.
WE HAVE GOOD NEWS IN COVID SPREAD. WESTCHESTER DROPPED IN COVID INFECTIONS 2 STRAIGHT DAYS. THROUGH THE 6 DAYS OF THE HOLIDAY WEEK THROUGH NEW YEARS EVE THE COUNTY RECORDED 23,
WESTCHESTER DECEMBER 31 POSITIVE CASES, DOWN 1,065 CASES FROM PREVIOUS DAY, DECEMBER 30.
The Omicron variant comprised 90% of uploaded sequences from NYS between 12/20/21 and 1/2/22.
Westchester County new positives on Friday numbered 2,242 of 9,608 tested, still 23% of those tested, but 758 below the 3,000 a day level on each of the last 5 days of 2021.
WITH HOSPITALIZATIONS UP TO 444 (COMPARED TO 124 LAST WEEK, AS GEORGE LATIMER STATED THIS MORNING EARLIER ON WVOX, THIS MEANS THE PEOPLE GETTING THE DISEASE MAY BE GETTING SICKER.
THERE WERE 23,327 NEW CASES THROUGH DECEMBER 26 THROUGH DECEMBER 31. THEY COULD INFECT 28,000 PEOPLE AT A 1 PERSON SPREADING IT TO 2 PERSONS RATE.
INFECTIONS 2 WEEKS AGO DECEMBER 12 TO 18 WERE 5,377. DIVIDING THE 444 HOSPITALIZATIONS THIS WEEK BY 5,377 GIVES YOU A HOSPITALIZATION PERCENTAGE OF 8.3% OF THOSE COVID INFECTED PERSONS TWO WEEKS AGO BEING HOSPITALIZED.
AT A 8.3% HOSPITALIZATION RATE, THE 23,327 INFECTED THROUGH LAST FRIDAY FROM DECEMBER 26 THROUGH NEW YEARS EVE MAY PRODUCE 2,000 NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS BY THE SECOND WEEK IN JANUARY.
SO WE NEED TO KEEP MASKING AND BEING CAREFUL. THE 23,000 NEW INFECTIONS THIS WEEK COULD MEAN THOUSANDS OF NEW PERSONS BEING HOSPITALIZED IF THE VICTIMS OF COVID LAST WEEK ARE SICKER BECAUSE MOST ARE NOT VACCINATED.”