WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER TOPS 5 MILLION VISITS IN A YEAR! 5,566,746 VISITS IN ONE YEAR BY 1,769,260 VISITORS 7,631 VISITORS A DAY! IN AUGUST, 247,700 VISITORS MADE 684,903 VISITS (22,830 DAILY)

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POLITCO reported Tuesday that State Attorney General Leticia James in a news conference this morning said she found

all 11 women accusing the Governor of sexually harrassing incidents towards them “credible.” She announced the ivestigators’ report found Governor Andrew Cuomo engaged in “inappropriate touching,” and “offensive and sexual” comments .

“I am inspired by all the brave women who came forward, but more importantly, I believe them, and I thank them for their bravery, ” the Attorney General said.

Governor Cuomo denied the incidents again in a news conference this afternoon, saying these will be “settled in a court of law.” He said he would not resign at this time.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins issued this statement:

“This report highlights unacceptable behavior by Governor Cuomo and his administration. As I said when these disturbing allegations first came to light, the Governor must resign for the good of the state. Now that the investigation is complete and the allegations have been sustained, it should be clear to everyone that he can no longer serve as Governor,”

Assemblyman Chris Burdick of the 93rd Assembly District also called for the Governor’s resignation moments ago

“The Attorney General’s report, following a thorough and impartial review by independent investigators of the allegations against Governor Cuomo, determined that he sexually harassed multiple women, violating state and federal laws. These findings are both credible and disturbing. Such behavior would be inappropriate for anyone, but that it was committed by the state’s Chief Executive makes it absolutely inexcusable. I commend all those who came forward to share their stories, and I applaud them for their bravery. No one should be subjected to a culture of harassment, toxicity and retaliation. The Governor must resign immediately.

If the Governor refuses to resign, as a member of the Assembly I call on the Assembly Judiciary Committee to immediately introduce articles of impeachment and for the full Assembly to adopt them.”

Westchester County Executive George Latimer issued this statement: “The Attorney General’s findings are clear and compelling.  The Governor must resign.  The patterns of sexually harassing, intimidating and inappropriate behavior towards women cannot be tolerated.”

The Westchester County Board of Legislators issued this statement:

“The conclusion of independent investigators, as described in the report released Tuesday by Attorney General Letitia James, that “the Governor engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York State law,” makes it untenable for him to remain in the position of the highest authority in New York.

We cannot tolerate sexual harassment, intimidation and retaliation in any workplace, let alone in the State’s Executive Chamber. We call on Governor Cuomo to resign immediately, and if necessary, for the State Legislature to take appropriate action; and we commend the women who came forward to speak with investigators for their courage.”

The New York Congressional Delegation, Senators Gillebrand and Schumer and Congressman Mondaire Jones followed up on their March reaction to the charges and now the finding:

“As we have said before, the reported actions of the Governor were profoundly disturbing, inappropriate and completely unacceptable. Today’s report from the New York State Attorney General substantiated and corroborated the allegations of the brave women who came forward to share their stories — and we commend the women for doing so.

“The New York State Attorney General has conducted an independent, thorough and professional investigation that found the Governor violated state and federal law, had a pattern of sexually harassing current and former employees, retaliated against at least one of the accusers and created a hostile work environment.

“No elected official is above the law. The people of New York deserve better leadership in the governor’s office. We continue to believe that the Governor should resign.”

Congressman Mondaire Jones of the Congressional District 17 interviewed on CNN issued this statement:

New York State Attorney General Tish James’ report that found Governor Cuomo sexually harassed current and former New York State employees and violated state and federal law, Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-NY) reiterated his call for the Governor to resign in an interview on CNN’s Inside Politics with John King. 

The full interview can be found here. 

In another development yesterday, Hezi Aris, Editor of The Yonkers Tribune reported that James has closed her investigation, saying it is up to the courts and the state legislature to decide how to move forward. He also suggests the political landscape has been turned upside down and that Hillary Clinton has become the front runner for governor in certain circles. Here is his analysis (reprinted with permission):

Attorney General Letitia James has released a long-awaited report outlining her office’s investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The report under the aegis of attorneys Anne Clark and Joon Kim confirmed the accounts by women who had already come forward and included new information and accounts from additional women, including a state trooper in Cuomo’s protective detail.

James advised that investigators Clark and Kim had interviewed 179 people, 11 complainants and reviewed 74,000 pieces of evidence, including audio files, documents, images and texts.

James office advised the conclusion of the investigation concluded the investigation. She said it is now up to local prosecutors, police departments, as well as legislators to determine future conduct and ramifications gathered.

James said, “I am inspired by all the brave women who came forward, more importantly I believe them.”

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, has previously called for Cuomo to step down. “The Governor must resign for the good of the state,” concluded Stewart-Cousins.

Read the NYS Attorney General’s Report 

NYS AG James is expected to be pushed out of the running (for governor) eclipsed by none other than former First Lady Hillary Clinton, diminishing the prospects for Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano’s game plan because he was contemplating a run for NYS Lieutenant Governor under Letitia James. James’ prospects are unlikely with the prowess of Clinton climbing to the forefront.

NYS Republican Gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino is likely to evaporate because of Hillary Clinton’s climb to the top eclipsing all other by name recognition and financial capacity.

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WPCNR VAX REPORT. By John F. Bailey, based on the New York Covid-19 VACCINATION TRACKER. August 2, 2021:

Westchester County effort to vaccinate more Westchester citizens against coronavirus reports 6,298 total vaccinations were given since last Thursday (July 29) through Sunday, August 1.

The number of Westchester residents now with two doses of the Covid Vaccine, (making them fully vaccinated) is reported as 598,235 compared with last Thursday morning (595,240), indicates 2,997 received second shots.

Persons receiving first shots over the last three days (now with first dose of the vaccine) rose from 649,898 to 653,829.

In the last 4 weeks, vaccinations have averaged 7,000 a week (first and second shots).

The over the week total 6,298 is an increase in interest getting the shots and perhaps will see more persons coming in for shots to perhaps double the 7,000 shots a week of the previous three weeks.

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WPCNR COVID BULLETIN. By John F. Bailey based on Saturday Covid Testing from the New York State Covid Tracker. August 1, 2021:

The last week in July saw the highest number infections at the highest rate of infection since mid-April when the virus was being stopped in a period of 3 weeks.

That is a memory.

Today’s Sunday figures will he out tomorrow afternoon. But the lower number of tests on Saturday isued this afternoon showed the highest infection rate we have seen since Westchester was being overwhelmed with the second wave in Late February, when the county is averaging 3-1/2 to 4 % new infections.

The relentless rise in the numbers of new infections since last Sunday July 25, , 7 days ago–showed the infection rate (number of positives for persons tested) rising as number of persons tested rose. When a small test quantity showed a 2.9% infection yesterday on Saturday, it means that even if higher test numbers say today or Monday may show less infection rate, the number of new infections may go up at a greater rate due to the higher test universe. Not a happy thought.

But that is what we are seeing in the last 7 days: From 68 new infections last Sunday, we doubled the number of infections a day to new infections averaging over 100 a day–and more when higher testing quantities were administered: Look at the last four days:

As testing went up in midweek, so did the new positives, 129 on Wednesday the 28th; 140 on the 29th, 156 on Friday, and on a testing universe of 1319 less tests on Saturday, still 137 were still double the number of positives shown in a similar test quantity a on Saturday July 24 (4,538) when 74 tested positive, just 1.6%

. Yesterday on Saturday when 4,689 were tested, 137 persons were found to be positive, a 2.9% infection rate, almost double that test of Saturday one week ago.

Comparing our number of positives as being less than positive trend in past, should give no comfort when Westchester is seeing spreads in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and White Plains and up county, too in Peekskill, Cortlandt.

The sense of relief of covid being over has lead to behavior and official false confidence in lifting restrictions that has in one week driven Westchester way past the safe infection rate of 1/2 % positive Westchester had seen in May and June.

The spread is in part, is due to the July Independence Day Weekend, where the party spirit, the beaches, parks, and relaxed restaurant restrictions, and to much social closer distancing apparently has blunted the effect of the vaccines and exposed the unvaccinated to new infections.

This is all happening in just 6 days, one month before schools are supposed to start.

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A slight chance of showers between noon and 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 77. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tonight A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.

Monday Sunny, with a high near 79. Northwest wind around 9 mph.

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WPCNR HEALTH HEADLINER . From the Westchester County Department of Health. July 31, 2021:

The Westchester County Health Department announced that this season’s first two batches of mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus in Westchester were detected in Mount Vernon. The areas surrounding the positive mosquito batches were inspected Friday by the Health Department, and nearby catch basins that held standing water were treated to protect against further mosquito breeding nearby.

To date, these are the first positives out of 105 batches of mosquitos collected from 11 locations throughout Westchester that were tested for West Nile Virus by the New York State Department of Health. New York City announced on July 22 that it had detected West Nile Virus in mosquitos in all five boroughs. Last year, five Westchester batches of mosquitoes had West Nile Virus out of 190 submitted for testing, with the virus first detected in mosquitoes collected on July 23.