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)

Water Main Bursts in Highlands. Restored by 6:30

Posted on November 20, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR Highlander. November 20, 2006: A watermain burst on Midchester Avenue in the Highlands section of White Plains about two hours ago according to a resident. Midchester Avenue is without water service at this time, and there is flooding in that section. A call to city hall has been put through, but no other details are available. A water main burst at The Westchester on Paulding Street took about twelve hours to restore a few weeks back. The resident reports no hot water or water service.

A resident reports that as of 6:45 PM water service had been restored on Midchester.

Former WPHS Musician Kim Wood Reports on OSU-Michigan Classic.

Posted on November 20, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR Across The Field. Special to WPCNR From Kim Wood, WPHS Class of 05, Clarinetist, University of Michigan Marching Band. November 21, 2006: I was at the game on Saturday and it was quite the experience. Everyone was excited for this game and even that’s an understatement. The atmosphere was so intense in the stadium. I’ve never had to scream so loud just to hear my own voice, which I lost the next day.

The environment of Columbus wasn’t as hostile as I expected it to be — in the past, Ohio State fans have beaten up Michigan fans, etc. There were rude remarks here and there, which is expected, but that’s about it.

The band (driving in 6 coach buses) drove down the notorious High St. on campus — it’s a bunch of sorority/frat houses — and the kids outside of the houses were making signs and taunting us. They didn’t have the guts, however, to do any of that when we were walking into the stadium with our uniforms on. No one was brave enough to.

White Plains own Kim Wood, Sophomore at U ofM and a member of the University of Michigan Marching Band on the sidelines at halftime just before stepping out onto the field for the halftime show, with close friend. Photo, Courtesy, Kim Wood.

Kim Wood, Class of 2005 at White Plains High School, former thirdbaser with the White Plains High Softball Team, and clarinet virtuoso, now a member of the 225-person, University of Michigan Marching Band, seen recently at Michigan Stadium. Kim auditions weekly to see if she will be marching with the big band at Michigan football games. Last week she played her way in to the big game. She is one of 40 clarinetists in the band. This is her report on her experience at the game of the century OSU and Michigan in Columbus. Photo, Courtesy, the Wood family.

We arrived at the stadium well before kickoff as to avoid any sort of problems with fans. When it came time for us to do our pregame, the stadium got very loud. The stadium was full well before the game started, which I guess isn’t surprising becaue of the magnitude of the game.

I’ve never heard booing as loud as I did on Saturday when we ran onto the field for our pregame. Everyone in my section said it was the most tiring pregame they’ve ever done. The entire stadium was booing us from start to finish and it was very hard to hear.

As for the game, it was great. It was a game that any sports fan lives for. It wasn’t one-sided and it was always tense. One minute I was screaming out of joy, the next I was quiet and depressed. We really tested them. After that game, it became even clearer that those two teams really do deserve to be #1 and #2. After the game was over, it seemed like everyone in the stadium rushed the field. It was a great moment, if you’re a buckeye fan. The fans’ presence was really felt that day and they were very impressive. They were loud when they
needed to be.

However, the Wolverines clearly never gave up. To keep the game to a 3-point difference in Ohio Stadium, in that crazy atmosphere, at that level of football is something to be admired. They deserve to be #2 still (which they are) and I (obviously being somewhat biased) feel that no other team deserves to play the Buckeyes in the national championship game. We proved that we have the potential to score against them, which no other team could do. We gave them a run for their money.

As for the band, we had to wait at least an hour for the Buckeye fans to exit the stadium. The exit was, of course, right next to our seating area. We had to sit there and watch them mock us with remarks like “Good luck in Pasadena” and “Michigan sucks”, etc.

The fans (and even the band (who arranged it in the 40s) which I find very unclassy) sing this song called “We don’t give a damn for the whole state of Michigan, we’re from Ohio”. They sing it at every game, so, even when they’re not playing us. The fans enjoyed singing that in front of us as they exited the stadium. They were taking pictures of us as well, probably to remember our sad faces.

It seemed like everyone took a piece of the field with them and raised it over their heads like some sort of trophy. One fan decided to through their piece into our band’s section. The field looked like the moon once everyone left — there were so many empty patches that looked like craters. Finally, we exited the stadium quietly, got on the buses and departed Columbus for Ann Arbor. All things considered, I had the time of my life. The atmosphere in that stadium was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

The game was probably the greatest game I’ve ever seen and I was proud of our football team even though they didn’t completely live up to their name. Both teams/bands are fantastic and have such great tradition. The rivalry between them will always be special and will never die. Hopefully we’ll be meeting again on Jan. 8 in Glendale, AZ.

P.S. Derek Jeter was at the game as well. He was on the Michigan sideline. He was going to go to Michigan with a baseball scholarship but decided to go pro instead. I attached a picture I took with him right before our halftime show.

What Should District Consider in Their Strategic Plan

Posted on November 20, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR CitizeNetReporter Poll. November 20, 2006: The school district is embarking on a $69.6 Million capital improvements project as a result of the October 17 Bond Referendum which was narrowly passed. A consultant is now organizing a series of interactions with the community, the school district administration and the school board to determine district strategic strategies for the next 15 years. WPCNR has identified a number of issues at the right that Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains might want their school district to consider. Please make your choices known by voting your choice of priorities at the right.

Here’s some definitions:

TEST to ID Early Basic Skills, Early Remediation: The district is moving to learn finally longitudinal studies of elementary and middle school achievement test results using BOCES Data Warehouse system. This week students are taking sample math tests to judge their skill levels.The remediation techniques though remain to be seen. The system worked at Ridgeway last year. Is this a priority to you?

SEEK CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP OF PROGRAMS: Should the district enlist the financial help of local businesses in form of grants/services to pay down the cost of academic programs in English, Math, Social Studies, Science.

Efficient Trim of Adminstrative/Academic Staffs: The School District budget is growing at a 7% rate a year without inflation. Should the staff be culled? Studies done examining their efficiency?

INTRODUCE BILINGUAL INSTRUCTION, MINORITY INSTRUCTORS TO ADDRESS HISPANIC GROWTH: The district enrollment is 44% Hispanic as of the figures released last week. Should the district go to English instruction that is bilingual in model to aid Hispanics? Should this be examined?

Examine Salary/Benefit Options, Trim 7% Growth. The largest portion of the budget is made up by salaries with a very generous step and benefit schedule. Should the district renegotiate this with the unions vigorously?

Develop Assessment/Certiorari Drain Attack Plan: The city property assessment roles continue to dwindle and the city continues to approve certiorari settlements with little backbone. Should the school district be more aggressive in fighting these with the city — via imposing creative penalties to recoup certiorari losses.

Return to “Neighborhood Schools” to Trim Bus $$: To achieve integration of schools the School District buses students from one end of the city to the other to its five elementary schools. Should this be reexamined in light of the new demographics where Hispanics lead in population, whites are second and African-Americans third? Is this something the district should consider?

Institute Security Systems/Metal Detectors All Schools: Expensive, but there is no weapons detection or efficient television monitoring systems in the White Plains Schools that we are aware of. Should the district invest in this to eliminate knives, guns, etc. from coming into the schools?

Build Field House/Pool/ Performance Center.: The auditoriums of all the elementary schools and both middle schools are a disgrace. Poor sound systems, dingy, decrepit. The White Plains high Auditorium has hideous site lines no production values — not even a curtain that is used. The White Plains High School Gymnasium is not fan-friendly, the locker rooms are now going to be renovated for an inadequate facility that is poorly secured. Should the district partner for a field house-pool as well as a performance center for the district?

Timing/Strategies for New Elementary, Middle School, H.S. Expansion.: At $38 Million for a new Elementary School at Post Road — the district is looking at two similarly aged buildings: Highlands and Eastview, as well as continued use of Rochambeau and Mamamaroneck Avenue School and George Washington– three similar oldies. The present capital plan not withstanding — the district has to plan to replace these buildings (build one new middleschool for 1,500 students), and replace GW, MAS, and Rochambeau, if they use the logic employed in creating the present capital plan, let alone the overcrowding of the high school (now at 2,000 students–and packed). Is this an issue the school district should plan for now?

Achieve Curriculum Stability: The curriculum for the various academic fields has been tinkered with every year. Resulting in different accents on what you teach each year. Does this concern you

Establish Capital Cost/Financing Review Board: A committee of persons passed judgment on $69.6 Million of capital expenditures which were presented to the public. However the committee consisted of persons for the most part lightweights in construction of schools, buildings and current costs. Should the District establish a standing, independent paid review board of construction experts, engineers and consultants to review future capital plans for accuracy and efficiency. Should a finance committee of similar independent experts also be formed to suggest intelligenct financial strategies to pay for district needs in the best interest of the taxpayers.

Austin Sinks The Dutchmen, 79-77 With a Deadly Devonizer Jumper at Buzzer

Posted on November 19, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR COURTSIDE. SPECIAL TO WPCNR By Wieland Heusler. November 19, 2006: Manhattan College drilled powerhouse Hofstra in overtime Sunday night on a deadly Devon Austin jumper at the buzzer in overtime. This was a tremendous College Basketball game that went to overtime and was won by White Plains High School Product Devon Austin on a jumper with 1.2 seconds left in overtime to give the Jaspers the monumental victory, 79-77. This game was played in Riverdale, NY at Draddy Gym on the campus of Manhattan College.

The Manhattan College Jaspers pulled off a monumental upset of Mid-Major Powerhouse Hofstra of the CAA as Hofstra was the preseason pick to win that Conference. It is a major win for this young and talented team. This will only help in their development as we move toward the MAAC Schedule. Games like this, will help the team’s confidence as they head toward the MAAC Tournament in March.

This is a game where, both teams went at each other until the final whistle. This shows that this Jasper Team can surprise people with this major win over a Mid-Major Powerhouse like Hofstra. Hofstra was the third ranked team in the CollegeInsider.com, Mid-Major Poll up to this game. Both teams shot tremendous percentages from the field and this was a well-played overall game. This win should give the Jaspers some very good credibility when it comes to the College Basketball public in New York City.

The Jaspers had four player in double figures:

Arturo Dubois, led the Jaspers with 23 points, White Plains High School Product Devon Austin had 19 points, Guy Ngarndi had 16 points and Freshmen Christian Jackson had 11 points.

The Jaspers next return to action for game four of their five game homestand against Ivy League School – Princeton on Wednesday 22, 2006 at Draddy Gym at 7:00 PM. Manhattan will look to extend its winning streak to three on Wednesday, November 22, hosting Princeton University at Draddy Gym with the game-time slated for 7:00 p.m to try and extend their winning streak to three games The Jasper team is young, but showed in this game, that they have potential to become a threat in the MAAC Conference. This could be the sleeper team, who people don’t want to play in the MAAC Tournament in March.