WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

Hits: 190

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. December 22, 2021:

Dear Friends, The rising number of COVID-19 cases in both Westchester and across the state is extremely concerning. I have been in touch with the Governor’s office, advocating for the distribution of free home test kits, a return to drive-through testing facilities, and to make boosters more readily available. I know that dealing with the surge in cases is of utmost importance to the Governor (who recently announced new funding to help counties deal with their COVID-19 response), and I will continue to keep the community posted as additional pandemic-related information is made available. Meanwhile, the best way to stay safe in the face of this surge is to continue to wear a mask – especially in indoor public spaces – and to get yourself vaccinated and boosted.  If you have not yet been vaccinated, I urge you to do so right away. If you are vaccinated and eligible for a booster, please get it. The vaccine and boosters are widely available at state-run locations and through many pharmacies and health care providers. The Governor also recently announced that 40 pop-up vaccine sites have opened across the state to fight the winter surge.  For those looking for the pediatric Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5-11, the state has opened a pediatric site at Westchester Medical Center’s Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital (please click here to schedule an appointment).  The County will also be holding a clinic for children ages 5-11 to receive their first Pfizer pediatric dose on December 28 from 2:00-6:30 pm. Appointments are necessary and can be made here.

Hits: 3770

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. DECEMBER 21, 2021:

Happy Holidays from the WPCSD!

Yes, as you know, we are still addressing the lingering challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Still – we are winning!

We know that COVID-19 will continue to be a fact of life into the future, and we will not allow that to hinder our progress as we continue to educate our 7,000+ students.  Although as predicted, we are seeing an increase in case numbers, our students are producing excellent results and we are so proud of our school community! \

In collaboration with White Plains Hospital, we are now hosting vaccination clinics for 5-11-year-old students, family members and those in need of initial vaccination.  In fact, one of our first graders was the winner of a full scholarship to any SUNY/CUNY college/university in a statewide lottery of children who are being vaccinated! Imagine that – 1^st grade and our Tiger already has a ‘full ride’ to college!

This has been another complex year.

There can be no doubt that we live in difficult times, and in the interest of continued transparency, we want to share a message with you that we delivered to our school community recently, affecting the safety and security of our children. 

We have experienced two instances of students making threats on social media. 

Although neither of these were a credible danger to our community, we, in conjunction with the White Plains Police Department, will always take any threat seriously and we will intervene immediately. 

We urge you to help us deliver the message that the responsible use of social media is critically important.  Safety and security are our first priorities and disciplinary consequences will be severe. 

These decisions to misuse social media can impact a child’s entire lifetime. Our message to our Tigers can be found HERE. 

You may also be interested in watching a documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” on this topic.  Here’s the link:  https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224

Of course, it’s December and that means college acceptances are starting to roll in.  So far, our students have been admitted to St. John’s University, SUNY Buffalo, Yale University, SUNY Albany, Indiana University, Cornell University, Temple University, Iona College, Penn State and more.  We congratulate our seniors and look forward to learning of more acceptances as we move through the academic year.

Our student athletes are also keeping us #WPProud, with 172 students named Scholar-Athletes for the fall season at the December Board of Education Meeting.   Teams honored include Football, Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country, Field Hockey, Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer, Girls’ Tennis, Girls’ Volleyball, Girls’ Swimming & Diving and Cheerleading.  Several teams won League championships and five swimmers, one diver, and one cross-country runner represented White Plains in the State Championships.  One swimmer placed first and was named All American.  We have a whole lot to be proud of in the WPCSD!

Finally, we wish you a wonderful, safe, and healthy holiday season! As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments and/or concerns!

Respectfully,

Joseph Ricca

Hits: 275

“GOOD MORNING, DENNIS AND TONNY, IT’S FEELING A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS, 25 DEGREES AND CLEAR WITH STARS IN THE SKY AND A FULL MOON THIS MORNING WHEN I GOT UP.

THE COLD REMINDS OF BEING A KID GROWING UP IN PLEASANTVILLE NEW YORK WHEN EVERY CHRISTMAS, BEING A MEMBER OF THE PLEASANTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL MILITARY BAND, IT’S LEADER WILBUR LOCKWOOD ON THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS PULLED TOGETHER VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF THE BAND, I WAS ONE OF THEM TO PLAY AT THE GIANT OLD PINE TREE ON THE CIRCLE AT MANVILLE ROAD TO PROVIDE ACCOMPANIMENT FOR CHURCH CAROLERS SING THE SONGS OF CHRISTMAS. THE NIGHTS WERE ALWAYS CHILLING, AND CAROLERS’ BREATHS FROZE AND DRIFTED UP IN THE NIGHT AIR. MY TROMBONE SLIDE HAD TO BE OILED WITH VASELINE TO PREVENT THE SLIDE FROM FREEZING. LAST NIGHT BROUGHT BACK THOSE MEMORIES.

I EVEN HUNG UP CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON MY SMALL GROVE OF SIX PINE TREES OUTSIDE WHEN BRENDA STARR, MY EDITOR DISCOVERED OLD LIGHTS FROM LAST YEAR— AFTER SHE TOLD ME SHE COULD NOT FIND THEM AND I HAD WENT BACK TO THE HARDWARE STORE TWICE TO GET NEW LIGHT STRINGS FOR THE REAL CHRISTMAS TREE.

NOW TO THE HARD NEWS, DAN SEIDEL, THE CRUSADER FOR TRUTH JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY WITH CLAUDIA JAFFEE RAN OUT THE STRING ON THE FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NEW YORK NEW SCHOOL CAMPUS PLAN AT RIDGEWAY COUNTRY CLUB FORCING FASNY TO SELL THE PROPERTY, BY SUCCESSFULLY PERSUADING THE APPELLATE COURT IN BROOKLYN TO HEAR THE APPEAL.

SEIDELL FILED A STIPULATION OF WITHDRAWAL AS PLAINTIFF APPELLENT ON THE ENVIRONMENT PORTION OF THE APPEAL MONDAY.HE AND JOHN SHEEHAN OF THE GEDNEY ASSOCIATION HAVE SIGNED IT AND MR. SEIDEL FILED IT WITH THE APPELLATE COURT MONDAY. NOW THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS AND THE LAWYERS FOR THE FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NEW YORK MUST ALSO AGREE AND SIGN THE WITHDRAWAL TO END THE APPEAL.

THE CITY AND THE FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL APPEAR TO BE BALKING RIGHT NOW AT SIGNING IT, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NO PLANS TO BUILD THE OLD PROJECT AND A NEW PLANNING PROCESS AND PROPOSAL BY THE NEW OWNER OF THE PROPERTY HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED ALL OVER AGAIN. MR. SEIDEL ARGUES THE ISSUE IS MOOT AND ARGUING THE ENVIRONMENTAL APPEAL (AS WELL AS THE MANDATE RESTRICTION VALIDITY WASTES THE APPELLATE COURT TIME SINCE THE PLAN IS DEAD.

THE ISSUE I BELIEVE IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE GEDNEY ASSOCIATION IS THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MANDATE THAT REQUIRES NO INSTITUTION BE BUILT ON THE PROPERTY DECLARED AS NOT APPLICABLE BY THE APPELLATE COURT. SUCH A DECISION SHOULD THE APPELLATE COURT THROW OUT THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANDATE WOULD MAKE CASE LAW FOR RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT COULD BE DONE ON PROPERTIES EXCHANGING OWNERS NOT APPLYING IN LAND SALES AND LAND USE PROPOSALS EXCEPT ZONING IN THE FUTURE. THAT IS A HUGE ADVANTAGE TO SELLING A PROPERTY.

THE 2ND PART OF THE SUIT, THE MANDATE RESTRICTION VALIDITY, IS STILL IN PLAY BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE GEDNEY ASSOCIATION WHO MAY NOT REALIZE THE APPELLATE COURT COULD THROW OUT DEED RESTRICTIONS OF THE PAST CARRYING CONDITIONS OF TRANSFER OF ANY PROPERTY TO NEW OWNERS THAT COULD HINDER AND AS IN THE CASE OF THE FRENCH AMERICAN SCHOOL OF NEW YORK FRUSTRATE THEIR PLANS AS IT HAS THROUGH 11 YEARS OF LITIGATION. LIKE CHRISTMAS FASNY WILL ALWAYS BE A TRADITION IN WHITE PLAINS.

THERE IS NO BALL DROP IN WHITE PLAINS IN RENAISSANCE SQUARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME. WHETHER IT WILL BE A BALL DROP WITH NO SPECTATORS REMAINS TO BE SEEN. SO FAR NO VIRTUAL BALL DROP HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED BY THE CITY

GREENBURGH HAS OPTED OUT OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA CAFES, BUT APPROVED DISPENSARIES.

THREE TOWNS HAVE OPTED IN, THREE TOWNS HAVE OPTED OUT.. GREENBURGH MADE AN EXTENSIVE EFFORT TO EDUCATE CITIZENS ABOUT THE CANNABIS POSSIBILITIES AND VOTED 4 TO 1 TO APPROVE DISPENSARIES BUT NOT RECREATIONAL CANNABIS CAFES BEFORE THE DECEMBER 31 DEADLINE. IT IS MY INFORMATION THAT THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS IS NOT TAKING UP THE ISSUE BEFORE DECEMBER 31, EFFECTIVELY APPROVING BOTH DISPENSARIES AND CANABIS .

THE CITY HAS NOT RELEASED ANY INFORMATION ON WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED AT SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS. I INTERVIEW PAUL FEINER, SUPERVISOR OF GREENBERG THIS THURSDAY AT 8 ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD ON FIOS CH. 45 AND OPTIMUM CH.76 AND MR. FEINER TELLS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF HOW GREEMBERG CAME TO ITS DECISION.

I ALSO LEARNED ABOUT CHOICE OF NEW YORK, A NON PROFIT ASSOCIATION THAT REACHES OUT TO THE HOMELESS. THE ORGANIZATION BASED IN WHITE PLAINS HELPS 2,500 PERSONS WHO NEED HELP WHOM THEY PLACE IN TEMPORARY RESIDENCES AROUND THE COUNTY AND CONNECT THEM AND SMOOTH THEIR WAY AS THEY TRANSITION OUT OF REHAB, PRISON, OR BECOME HOMELESS FOR OTHER REASONS.

I LEARNED FROM BOB MARRONE OF CHOICE OF NEW YORK, COURTS AND POLICE ORGANIZATIONS ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND THIS PROGRAM. IF YOU ARE A CITIZEN LOOKING FOR AID IN FIND HELP FOR A LOVED ONE DOWN ON THEIR LUCK, AND EMERGING BACK INTO SOCIETY CALL THEM IN WHITE PLAINS AT 914-576-0173 OR VISIT THE WEBSITE AT WWW.CHOICEOFNY.ORG I INTERVIEW MR. MARRONE ON MY PROGRAM, PEOPLE TO BE HEARD NEXT WEEK.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES ABOUT CHRISTMAS, DENNIS?

DENNIS: WELL OUR FAMILY ALL LIVED CLOSE TOGETHER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE VISITED EACH OTHER AT BIG GET TOGETHERS AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT IN MY BOOK”

WELL GREAT BEING WITH YOU TWO THIS YEAR AND HOLIDAY HOLIDAY.”

Hits: 268

WPCNR THE SUNDAY BAILEY. December 19, 2021:

Radio got me through college in the great Middle West.

 Radio was a magic carpet of the airwaves in the night.

 It transported me to ballparks to voices of gravel voiced play-by-playmen  from Pittsburgh or Cleveland, (“You can kiss it Goodbye”)  painting word pictures of marvelous diamonds in the night or “swish swash GOOAAAALLLLLLL!” from ice palaces of the past of the Original 6 like Maple Leaf Gardens with the legendary Foster Hewitt mikeside  on Hockey Night in Canada from the gondola, or Les annunceurs des Les Canadiens from “the Yankee Stadium of hockey, ” the Montreal Forum where broadcasts in French sounded like Rocket Richard swooshing down the ice.

Radio was a sound-track of explorations in sound in the night as I read Russian literature into the night.

It got me up for 8 o’clock classes to the sound of “1230, the new WCOL” out of Columbus with the fresh voiced morning deejay announcing “a memory” and Paul and Paula singing, “Hey Hey Paula.” In the wee hours I might hear Charlie Greer on MusicRadio WABC 77, with his 20-record playlist. There was “The Rock of Chicago” and the Art Roberts Show that I’d pick up at 10 PM; until The Big 8 came on at around 1 AM on a Northwest wind. I’d also pick up Dick Summer on WBZ BOSTON.

But the radio station that thrust me into the future that got me going morning and night blown by wind from (then) snowy Canada from Windsor, Ontario, outside the Motor City, was the king of them all.

“The Big 8”

CKLW

Or to paraphrase the station jingle phonetically, “theAHH BIGGGGG 8! CKAAAAALLLLLLDOUBLE UUUUUUUUUUUUUU DETROIT-WINDSOR”

It was the soundtrack of the night!

It introduced to the Motown Sound we never hear on the East Coast. It was straight out of Detroit and its 50,000 watts blasted the THE HITS, THE NEW SOUNDS,a constant stream of music to drive you through that term paper,  English assignment, or philosophy analysis, from the Canadian Border to New Orleans.

I was reminded of this great station, now sadly a talk radio format, with the New York Times obituary today of the Music Director of this station, a woman named Rosalie Trombly  from the early 1960s through 1982 picked the records played on the Big 8. 

She was renowned for picking future hits and working them into the CKLW playlists. I heard the great sounds of soul for the first time on CKLW, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Miracles (THE BIG 8 was where I first heard “Shop Around,” where I first heard Stevie Wonder, and groups whose records sounded like hits in the first 10 seconds, “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch” and the never-to-be forgotten first 5 seconds of “Satisfaction”.

Ms. Trombley  knew a hit when she heard it.  She was known as the Girl with the Golden Ear.

That was the incredible fascination of The Big 8: you heard new hits and the picks to click. It drove you to the new and made legends of Soul Music in the 60s and the English Sound.

Now today, radio is not the same. It is syndicated, talk oriented. It’s never fresh and highly repetitive.

But Sirius Satellite radio excitement all the way back. Sirius in your car gives you music and your favorites you like the songs that make you happy.  It entertains like The Big 8. The Big 8 was with the student under pressure in the night. It was your friend that fueled your adenaline and kept you wacking the keys to the Motown Sound.

The CKLW music to the max format with limited deejay talk (often only over the record intro) just picked up the tempo of the lonely night in the dorm or fraternity room,  typing on a typewriter . (Today’s student–listen up! You do not know how lucky you are not having to write papers on a typewriter, with having to leave 2 days to type the finished paper over. I still have nightmares like that.)

Sirius Sattelite radio with its Channel 72 50s Gold, 73- 60s Gold 74- BB King Bluesville duplicates that non-stop music format that CKLW pioneered.

CKLW when I was driving back from a football or basketball road game broadcast, kept me awake roaring up I-75 from Athens, or West back to Columbus from Pittsburgh, or back East from Springfield Ohio to Delaware, Ohio.

It was fresh and nostalgic and rocking all the time for you.

Today the horror of syndicated radio that lets local station owners  everywhere sound the same, and save money (with the exception of WVOX  “the BIG 1460” here in Westchester, (where I broadcast Tuesdays for the most exciting 10 minutes of Westchester news on the radio 7:50 to 8:00 AM), has eliminated that driving through the radio of different sounds and in areas around the country. Not to mention defocusing citizens living in those towns on what is happening in their local governments.

I applaud the podcasts and the efforts of  websites to focus on local issues.

They are the journalists filling the lack of local coverage.

Websites and podcasts and zoom casts are coming on, while print, and commercial journalistic websites are failing because they are not getting into the local issues or printing and publishing the facts that must be told for persons to understand what is happening to them.

Back in those CKLW days the stations had local newscasts. (They did not pick up the network radio newscasts, often poorly scripted and unclear today.( All news stations do not explain the issues and waste 10 minutes an hour on weather and traffic without helicopter aerial checks which were far more accurate in the past).

I miss the old. But the very fact you have a person writing on a site such as this means there is hope for media. Hope for better coverage in the future.

And more innovative website programming.

We need it.

Hits: 1954

WPCNR SATURDAY COVID REPORT. From NY Covid Tracker for December 15. Observations by  John Bailey. December 18, 2021:

Westchester County will exceed the highest number of infections in a single day all year that was 1,100 on January 14.

 The state reported 983 new cases Wednesday of 13,814 tested, an infection rate of  7.1% Tested coming down with the rapidly spreading disease.

Of  MidHudson region of seven counties tops 2,055 newly covid infected at midweek with Westchester 983 covid positives almost double the 6 other counties.

On Long Island  Nassau and Suffolk counties, 3,917  were newly reported  infected.

New York City all five boroughs virtually doubled the 9 counties surrounding it with 10,286 Wednesday doubling up the MidHudson and Long Island infections of 5,372.

The infections in Westchester alone on December 1 were 359. Two weeks later on Wednesday the 983 infections mean that those 350 covid positives  spread  covid to 2.7 or 3 other persons, is directly reflected in the 983 figure of new infections at midweek.

Hospitalizations in Westchester were at 125 Monday.  The 359 infected two weeks ago hospitalized only 125, this would mean the disease is not as severe for those 359, but still hospitalization rate of those 359 was 35%.

Extrapolating– if the hospitalization rate, an indicator of the  seriousness of the disease of the 983 reported new cases Wednesday and their hospitalizations do not rise too much more than 35% of the 983, Westchester may see 344 hospitalizations (we presume that is a net figure—covids leaving subtracted from the incoming, that has never been made clear by any authority in the county),  within two weeks at the very least. Those hospitalizations will not come in all in one day, but may come in before the two weeks are up.

 Westchester has 2,700 hospital beds. We could see a runup of 300 hospitalizations a week by the first week of January, if not substantially more.

However, if the county continues to rise infections at 35% a day, we will be filling up hospitalization slots faster and staffs worked harder. That is what the numbers may be telling us.

 The numbers tell us covid is spreading faster at record daily rates the highest since last January.

Office parties around the area are being cancelled showing prudence and concern and I might say  respect for employees and for the potency of the virus now out of control.

As County Executive George Latimer said in his stalwart address Tuesday afternoon, one of the persons  to have tested positive for covid last week, and now isolating in his home, it is imperative persons never vaccinated should get the first shot, their second shot or the booster. Mr. Latimer said he delayed getting his booster and it cost him.

Governor Hochul said Monday, vaccines are the end of this red plague. If you are not vaccinated, or if you are fully vaccinated you need to continue to mask, and social distance, because you may actually have the virus microbes in your nasal cavity and mouth and be breathing it on people you meet, if not masked.

County Executive George Latimer said if you speak to someone face to face for 15 minutes, in that period of time you can transmit the disease microbes to the person you are talking to. If that person is unvaccinated, you have given them: a friend, a business associate, a relative, the one you love, a child you love.