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)

Super Developer Will Contribute $$$ to Renovation of WPHS Loucks Field

Posted on July 11, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. July 11, 2006: The Mayor’s Office stated today that Louis Cappelli, “The Super Developer” is going to make a large donation, the amount to be determined at this time, to the City School District towards the planned estimated $6 Million renovation of Loucks Field, the White Plains High School football stadium into a state-of-the-art artificial surface all-purpose 2,500 seat stadium. Geoffrey Thompson, spokesman for Cappelli Enterprises, confirmed exclusively to WPCNR moments “definitely. Something’s in the works.” Thompson said the details of Mr. Cappelli’s support will be announced in two days.

Loucks Field Plan As Shown the Capital Projects Committee in June. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

Louis Cappelli, “The Super Developer” at his 221 Main Ritz-Carlton site in May, 2006. Mr. Cappelli, according to Paul Wood, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, has contributed $12 Million to the City of White Plains in donations to various causes, housing funds, and public service projects since he came to the city. Cappelli is now planning to contribute to renovation the Loucks football stadium at White Plains High School. Photo WPCNR News Archive.

Loucks Field Model, Looking North West. As Displayed on Thanksgiving Day, 2005. Photo, WPCNR Sports Archive.

Loucks Field. March, 2006. Viewed Looking Northeast. Deteriorating Bleachers are shown across the field. Photo, WPCNR Sports Archive.

This afternoon, Paul Wood, Executive Officer for Mayor Joseph Delfino, (a big supporter of WPHS athletics), announced to WPCNR this afternoon that the Mayor had been negotiating with Mr. Cappelli to convince “The Super Developer” to contribute to the renovation of the stadium, and that Mr. Cappelli has agreed to help, the terms of which are being worked out, Wood said.

Recent meetings of the Board of Education Capital Projects Committee have leaned towards executing the Loucks Field renovation, but not going ahead with the Parker Stadium (at Highlands School) renovation. A minority of citizens in the city have been pushing for a renovated Loucks Field (where the national high school track meet, the Loucks Games are hosted annually) in order that the city might host state championships in football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, four sports that would be configured into the artificial turf surface.

The Louis Cappelli contribution confirmed today by the Cappelli organization and City Hall would bring down the cost of the $67 Million bond being considered by the Capital Project Committee, if most of the WPHS field cost were covered by other sources.

Asked if the city was speaking with Martin Ginsburg, the other developer on Main Street building the Pinnacle project, for a similar contribution, Wood said they were not.

The Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors, said he did not know of Mr. Cappelli’s involvement yet in the project, but looked forward to it.

Alexis Express Leaves Station. Mayor Nominates Greer’s Daughter as WPCNR Reports

Posted on July 11, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER NEWS & COMMENTARY. By John F. Bailey July 11, 2006. UPDATED JULY 12, 2006 1:30 A.M. E.D.T. UPDATED July 12, 4:30 P.M. E.D.T.: As reported by WPCNR one week ago, the Mayor’s Office announced yesterday that Mayor Joseph Delfino has nominated Alexis Greer, the daughter of the late Councilman Robert Greer to serve through December 31 in her father’s vacant seat.

According to Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, Ms. Greer will be nominated at the July 20 work session and up for comfirmation for the seat at the August 7 Common Council meeting.

In a late development in this unsettled situation, Councilman Benjamin Boykin advised WPCNR Wednesday afternoon he would be supporting Dennis Power for the interim appointment over Ms. Greer, leaving Councilwoman Rita Malmud with Power’s short-term council fate in her hands, assuming Mr. Hockley, Mayor Delfino and Mr. Bernstein will support Ms Greer, while Councilman Tom Roach has already declared his preference for Mr. Power for the interim appointment. Boykin said the council had not opted for Mr. Power initially out of respect for Mr. Greer.

WPCNR has also learned that the Republican Party of White Plains offered the seat to former Councilman Larry Delgado, but Mr. Delgado declined it, and upon Mr. Delgado’s demurrence, decided to support Ms. Greer out of “respect” for her father.

According to the City of White Plains Charter, “No person shall be elected to a city office in said city unless at the time of his or her election he or she is a resident elector of said city and shall have resided in the city for a least two years prior to his or her election. Whenever any elective officer shall cease to be a resident of said city his or her office shall thereby become vacant.” (Ms. Greer has not been a resident of the city for two years.)

However since, Ms. Greer is “an appointment” it is not addressed in the Charter as to whether “appointees” fall under the same qualifications.

Keith Eddings, Journal News reporter, wrote in The Journal News that Councilpersons Rita Malmud and Arnold Bernstein would not decide whether to support Ms. Greer until the Democrats meet on the matter.

Councilman Benjamin Boykin advised WPCNR Wednesday afternoon he would be supporting Dennis Power for the interim appointment over Ms. Greer, leaving Councilwoman Rita Malmud with Power’s short-term council fate in her hands, assuming Mr. Hockley, Mayor Delfino and Mr. Bernstein will support Ms Greer.

WPCNR notes the Democrats had they wished to nominate Dennis Power for the interim vacant seat termage now through December 31, they could have done so last week when they nominated Mr. Power last Monday to run in a Special Election for the balance of the one year term beginning in January, 2007. Had they decided to do so, they could have annointed Power July 5 of last week.

It was noted at this time last week by WPCNR that the refusal to nominate Mr. Power immediately for the interim termage, was a slap in the face to Mr. Power by his fellow Democrats, and appeared most unusual if they were going to appoint him anyway. It appeared to make no sense not to make both transition moves simultaneously if they were going to do that. The reason given to WPCNR by Paul Schwarz, Mr. Power’s former Campaign Manager, was that the Democrat City Committee did not move Power to the interium seat position was not doen out of respect for Mr. Greer.

Mr. Bernstein and Mr. Hockley have been feuding with Councilpersons Rita Malmud, Benjamin Boykin and Tom Roach ever since Bernstein was not nominated for Common Council President last January (Ms. Malmud arranged support to be nominated in his place). Though Mr. Bernstein denied vehemently to WPCNR Tuesday afternoon that he was feuding with Malmud and Roach, saying they have an amicable relationship.

The most notable evidence of this feud was Mr. Hockley’s shocking critique of Ms. Malmud’s performance on the Common Council over her career done on television last Wednesday evening. It was one of the most bizarre events ever in the seven years WPCNR has been covering the Common Council. Mr. Bernstein did not make any overtures to defend Ms. Malmud’s performance from Mr. Hockley’s zingers.

WPCNR would guess that Ms. Greer already has three votes (the Mayor, Mr. Bernstein, and Mr. Hockley). Mr. Boykin appears to be the swing vote who has to be won over, or for that matter, Ms. Malmud in a dramatic conciliatory gesture could cast the decider putting Ms. Greer in line for five months of a councilperson’s salary, (approximately $14,500), plus benefits.

White Plains Hospital Mourns Dr. Homan and Family

Posted on July 6, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR MILESTONES. Special to WPCNR from White Plains Hospital Center. July 6, 2006: White Plains Hospital Center has released this statement on the death of Dr. Homan and his family in the crash of his plane Wednesday on Block Island:

Dr. Homan was an outstanding surgeon who was affiliated with White Plains Hospital Center since 1981. He was most recently Director of the Bariatric Surgery Program, which he established at the Hospital in 1999. He was instrumental in guiding the program to designation as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Homan also performed the first laparoscopic gall bladder removal in Westchester County in the early 1990s and served as Director of the Hospital’s Department of Surgery from 2000 to 2004.

A 1973 graduate of Cornell University Medical College, Dr. Homan also held a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in surgery from the University of Oxford, England. He completed his surgical residency at the New York Hospital Cornell University Medical Center, where he served as chief resident

Dr. Homan was a highly accomplished surgeon who was beloved by his colleagues and by the patients who came to him from throughout the country. Dr. Valerie Homan, a psychotherapist, worked in her husband’s office and provided the psychological assessment and counseling that are required prior to weight loss surgery. “This is a tremendous loss to both White Plains Hospital Center and the patients whose health and lives were changed as a result of Dr. Homan and the Bariatric Surgery Program,” said Lawrence Kadish, M.D., Executive Vice President/Medical Director at the Hospital. “Bill was a compassionate surgeon with tireless energy devoted to the care of his patients.”

Jon B. Schandler, President and CEO of White Plains Hospital Center, said “Dr. Homan has been an extraordinary surgeon for many years. He will be sorely missed. He was a great friend of our Hospital and the community. Our thoughts are with the entire Homan family during this difficult time.”

Jay S. Lupin, M.D., President of the Medical and Dental Staff of White Plains Hospital Center, added “This represents not only a tremendous loss to the medical staff but to the medical community at large. Bill was a respected and talented clinician.”

The Homan family has been associated with White Plains Hospital Center since the 1950s. Dr. Homan’s father, the late William E. Homan, M.D., was a pediatrician affiliated with White Plains Hospital Center. Betty Homan was an active member of the Hospital’s Auxiliary for many years.

White Plains Hospital Center has established a fund in memory of the Homan family.

PROMINENT WHITE PLAINS DOCTOR KILLED IN PLANE CRASH

Posted on July 6, 2006 by John Bailey

WPCNR SKY WATCH. Special to WPCNR by Peter Katz, Publisher of Aviation Monthly and NTSB Reporter. July 6, 2006: Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to join FAA investigators in examining the wreckage of a Piper model PA-28R-200 airplane piloted by Dr. William P. Homan of 7 Ritchey Place in White Plains. The airplane crashed Wednesday in a wooded area about ½-mile west of the airport at Block Island, Rhode Island, killing all three occupants. They have been identified as Dr. Homan, his wife, and his mother.

Dr. Homan’s practice is located at 170 Maple Avenue in White Plains, and he has been affiliated with White Plains Hospital. He received national recognition as head of a program to provide surgical treatment for obese people.

The airplane had been scheduled to fly from Block Island to Westchester County Airport. The Piper “Arrow,” a single-engine propeller-driven airplane with retractable landing gear, was built in 1970. It has been registered to Dr. Homan since 1989, according to FAA records.

FAA records show that Dr. Homan held a private pilot license for single-engine airplanes and an instrument rating. An instrument rating means that a pilot is qualified to fly an airplane solely by reference to cockpit instruments, in clouds and when there is reduced visibility.

Preliminary information indicates that an instrument flight plan had been filed for the airplane to fly from Block Island to Westchester, with a departure around 12 noon. Although the airplane took off from the airport, preliminary information indicates that the pilot did not contact FAA controllers to activate the flight plan after departure. Since Block Island Airport does not have a control tower, pilots flying under instrument flight rules (IFR) typically receive a clearance for their approved route of flight while on the ground, and then contact controllers at Providence, RI, Approach Control for identification on air traffic control radar once they are airborne.

Weather observed by automated equipment at the Block Island Airport Wednesday at about 11:55 a.m., included visibility of only ¾-mile, a 1,000 foot broken ceiling, and overcast clouds at 2,700 feet above ground level. By 12:15, the weather had somewhat deteriorated, with the overcast cloud deck dropping to 1,000 feet above ground level. By 12:35, the weather had deteriorated even further. The Block Island observation at that time included visibility of ½-mile, broken cloud ceiling 100 feet, overcast ceiling at 1,000 feet, and a thunderstorm in the vicinity.