Adam In Albany: Report on the 2006 Legislature.

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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. By Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. July 17, 2006: For the second year in a row, the Legislature passed an on-time budget that will benefit all New Yorkers. The bipartisan budget was negotiated in the open, with joint conference committees and provided a recoprd increase in school aid, including $40.2 million in total aid for the 89th Assembly District, that’s $2.7 million more than last year.


 



 


To ease Westchester’s crushing tax burden, we eliminated the state sales tax on clothing and shoes under $110, created a child tax credit, ended the marriage penalty tax, and capped the sales tax on gasoline. Most importantly, we created a property tax rebate plan, which will return to most Westchester homeowners an average of $532 and senior homeowners eleighible for Enhanced STAR an average of $822.


 


The Assembly and Senate also created the Office of Medicaid Inspector General to uncover and combat fraud and abuse in the state’s Medicaid system. Responsibilities of the office include Medicaid auditing and fraud and abuse prevention. This position will be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor. The legislature also came to agreement on creating five new crimes, including four felonies, to fight Medicaid fraund and help prosecutors do their jobs.


 


Before the legislative session closed, the Assembly and Senate passed several laws to protect the safety of New Yorkers. We enacted landmark laws to toughen drunk driving penalties and created strict penalties for fleeing the police. We also enacted a law to triple the size of the state’s criminal DNA database. The measure will expand the data base to encompass all persons convicted of felonies and 18 key misdemeanors, including petit larceny. We also expanded Megan’s Law to add Level 2 sex offenders to the state’s online sex offender registry and authorize local police authorities to provide information concerning Level 1 offenders to vulnerable populations.


 


The 2006 legislative session was a productive one, but there still is much more that needs to be done. In 6 months, New York will have a new governor, providing a new opportunity to tackle our many difficult challenges with innovation and vigor. I look forward to working with our next governor in a spirit of bipartisan cooperation to move New York forward.

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Cibelli On Ballot. Wood: Alexis Greer Meets Residency Law. Will Challenge Power

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WPCNR Backroom Bulletin. By John F. Bailey. July 14, 2006: In the intriguing fog shrouding the process unfolding as the city considers a successor to deceased Councilman Robert Greer, two new developments surfaced from the murk Thursday.


 



Paul Wood, White Plains Executive Officer. January, 2005. Photo, WPCNR News Archive


 


Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, announced that Cass Cibelli, the White Plains Planning Board member and unsuccessful candidate for County Legislator, has turned in his petitions to the County Board of Elections in a bid to be placed on the November “Special Election” Ballot for the remaining year of Councilman Greer’s term. Wood also said Alexis Greer, Mayor Delfino’s choice to fill Mr. Greer’s term for the next five months through December 31, met eligibility requirements according to the City Charter.  (Greer died of ALS disease June 27, triggering the process by which a special election in November is required by the Charter.)


Wood confirmed the eligibility of Alexis Greer, the deceased Councilman’s daughter, to take her father’s place for the next five months on the Council was in order, saying she was a legal resident of the city for the amount of time required by the Charter, having been a resident for years when she lived with her parents. Wood added Ms. Greer did not have to be a registered voter to be appointed to the Common Council.


 


Wood  noted that Ms. Greer did not have as much baggage as Mr. Power, whom Wood said had “a clear conflict of interest” if he were placed on the council, or ultimately elected to the Council.


 


 


 


 Mr. Power is currently employed by the Westchester County Industrial Developent Agency as an aid to its Director, Sal Carrera. The IDA often does business with the city, and its developers, most notably, Louis Cappelli, the IDA having very quietly granted Mr. Cappelli a $27 Million loan on the construction of the City Center parking garage, without announcing it or sending out a press release.


 


Wood told WPCNR the city would challenge Power’s selection to the council either on an interim basis, and should Mr. Power (with a strong Democrat majority in registered voters), wins the November Special Election against Mr. Cibelli, the city would also challenge any election of Mr. Power on the same conflict of interest issues.


 


Wood said the challenge would be brought to the Ethics Board and through the courts based on the alleged conflict of interest, due to Mr. Power’s conflict  of allegiance to the county in conflict with the needs of the city. (The city is particularly interested in developing its own Industrial Development Agency, and may seek an increase in sales tax, issues in direct conflict with Mr. Power’s duties on the IDA – bringing businesses to Westchester County.)


 


 Wood said that though the City Charter does not spell out the circumstances of Mr. Power’s serving as a conflict of interest, the city Ethics Board had more stringent guidelines that he declined to elaborate upon. Wood saw a scenario where Mr. Power, should he be elected would be declared ineligible to serve on the basis of the conflict and Mr. Cibelli securing the seat by default, even if Cibbelli  should lose the election.

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Photos of the Day: Westchester Twister Shocks Valhalla.

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WPCNR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. July 14, 2006: A tornado watch had been issued as of 3 P.M Wednesday. As of 3:45, that “Watch” turned into a “Tornado Warning” as a funnel cloud moving about 20 miles per hour made its way out from Tarrytown headed for White Plains along Route 119, according to the National Weather Service. Fortunately, it veered slightly North Northeast touching down near the Saw Mill River Parkway, crossing the Parkway  in a northeasterly direction and making its way strewing havoc across a nursery, knocking down one store building and uprouting trees, tossing cars. These photographs show some of the damage and power of this twister: uprooted trees, tossed as if by a giant angry ape, and shredded forest. In one photograph there is a blue car in the midst of woods. No deaths were reported, though businesses along Stephens Road in Valhalla were without power Thursday, and these photographs were taken after cleanup was well under way.



Touchdown on Southbound lanes of Saw Mill River Parkway slightly North of Eastview. Photo, WPCNR News



Looking at the West bank of the Saw Mill River Parkway Thursday. A blue car flipped by the storm can be seen amongst the tossed salad of the forestside near the Parkway. Photo, WPCNR News.



The Tornado continued across the Saw Mill and veered into a nursery and continued to Stevens Road in Valhalla. Photo, WPCNR News



West side of Saw Mill, Trees flicked over like toothpicks. Photo, WPCNR News



The East Side of the Saw Mill Parkway path of the Westchester Tornado. Photo, WPCNR News



Aftermath on Stevens Road, Valhalla. Photo, WPCNR News



Debris during cleanup Thursday afternoon. Photo, WPCNR News

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HOT MIKADO Updates Legendary Gilbert & Sullivan at WBT.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Allan Gruet. July 12, 2006: Thursday night, Westchester Broadwayt Theatre opens its summer show, the sizzling “HOT MIKADO” is a 1940’s swing-time, gospel-infused version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s  most popular operetta, “The Mikado.” The show will feature a multi-media effect never-before-seen at the premier Westchester venue: giant video screens of the rock concert variety that will repackage the live sensory experience.



The Leads.  Sarah Darling as Yum-Yum, Jay Russell as Ko-Ko,
       and Adam Zelasko as Nanki-Poo


Photo, Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre  By John Vecchiola


“Hot Mikado” is a hilariously funny story about Nanki-Poo, a wandering minstrel (who now plays the trumpet) and his beautiful little sweetheart, Yum-Yum. Yum-Yum, however is engaged to the town executioner, and there is another lady, an aging torch singer named Katisha who is on the trail of boyfriend Nanki-Poo.


The love triangle and all of the complications are what set the tone for this hilariously funny, upbeat production. Try to imagine “Three Little Maids” sung in the style of the Andrew Sisters, or “Alone  and Yet Alive” performed as a torch song, or “Katisha’s Warning” as a gospel number. Comedy and high energy dance numbers are the main features of this modern adaptation.


 


Director/choreographer David Bell has included many different styles of dance, including jitterbug, tap, swing, and a number of other modern and contemporary dance styles. High-stepping gentlemen take to the stage wearing brightly colored Zoot suits. Gilbert and Sullivan’s nonsensical plot hasn’t changed too much, but the music is definitely updated by Rob Bowman, who is responsible for the musical adaptation and arrangements. The show is a funny and irreverent production that takes nothing seriously, including itself!


“Hot Mikado” offers high-energy entertainment!


 


The Westchester Broadway Theatre production will star Ted Levy as The Mikado, Jay Russell as Ko-Ko , Michael James Leslie as Pooh-Bah, BJ Crosby as Katisha, Adam Zelasko as Nanki-Poo, Sarah Darling as Yum-Yum, Stephanie Youell as Pitti-Sing, and Kia Lee as Peep-Bo. The entire production is Choreographed and directed by David Bell, with Musical Direction by Joel Gelpe, Costume design by Brian Hemeseth, Set design is by George Puello & Steve Loftus, Lighting design by Andrew Gmoser, and Sound design by Jon Hatton.


 


For ticket information, contact 914-592-2222, 10 A.M. through the evening, 7 days a week.


 


 


 


 

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