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OCTOBER 29: JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH ON THE GREAT CRASH. IT HAPPENED 96 YEARS AGO
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From Wikipedia
The Great Crash, 1929 is a book written by John Kenneth Galbraith and published in 1955. It is an economic history of the lead-up to the Wall Street crash of 1929. The book argues that the 1929 stock market crash was precipitated by rampant speculation in the stock market, that the common denominator of all speculative episodes is the belief of participants that they can become rich without work[1] and that the tendency towards recurrent speculative orgy serves no useful purpose, but rather is deeply damaging to an economy.[2] It was Galbraith’s belief that a good knowledge of what happened in 1929 was the best safeguard against its recurrence.[3]
The idea for the book
Galbraith wrote the book during a break from working on the manuscript of what would become The Affluent Society. Galbraith was asked by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. if he would write the definitive work on the Great Depression that he would then use as a reference source for his own intended work on Roosevelt. Galbraith chose to concentrate on the days that ushered in the depression. “I never enjoyed writing a book more; indeed, it is the only one I remember in no sense as a labor but as a joy.”[4]
Galbraith received much praise for his work, including his humorous observations of human behavior during the speculative stock market bubble and subsequent crash.[5]
The publication of the book, which was one of Galbraith’s first bestsellers, coincided with the 25th anniversary of the crash, at a time when it and the Great Depression that followed were still raw memories – and stock price levels were only then recovering to pre-crash levels. Galbraith considered it the useful task of the historian to keep fresh the memory of such crashes, the fading of which he correlates with their re-occurrence.[2]
The speculative bubble “PREAMBLE TO DISASTER”
The Florida land boom of the 1920s established the mood “and the conviction that God intended the American middle classes to be rich,” a sentiment so strong that it survived the ensuing crash of property prices.[6]
In the early 1920s, yields of common stocks were favorable and prices low.
In the final six months of 1924, prices began to rise and continued through 1925, from 106 in May 1924 stock prices rose to 181 by December 1925.[7]
After a couple of short downturns during 1926, prices began to increase in earnest throughout 1927, the year in which conventional wisdom saw the seeds of what became the Great Crash sown. Following Britain’s return to the Gold Standard, and subsequent foreign exchange crises, there followed an exodus of gold from Europe to the United States.
EASING INTEREST RATES A COSTLY ERROR
In the spring of 1927, Montagu Norman and other governors of European Banks asked the Federal Reserve to ease their monetary policy and they agreed, reducing the rediscount rate from 4 to 3.5%, a move that Lionel Robbins described as resulting “in one of the most costly errors committed by it or any other banking system in the last 75 years”.
The funds released by the Fed became available to invest in the stock market and “from that date, according to all the evidence, the situation got completely out of control”.[8]
Galbraith disagreed with this simplistic analysis by arguing that the availability of money in the past was no sure recipe for a bubble in common stocks and that prices could still be regarded as a true valuation of the stock at the end of 1927.
It is early in 1928 that the “escape into make believe” started in earnest, when the market began to rise by large vaulting leaps rather than steady increments.
Prominent investors, such as Harrison Williams, the proponent of both the Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge Trust, were described by Professor Dice as “having vision for the future and boundless hope and optimism” and not “hampered by the heavy armour of tradition”.[9]
On 12 March, the volume of trading had reached 3,875,910 shares, an all-time high. By 20 June, 5,052,790 shares were traded in a falling market that many prematurely thought signalled the end of the bull market.[10] Prices rose once more and after the election of Hoover, with a “victory boom” resulting in an all-time record trading of 6,641,250 shares in a rising market (16 November).
Overall, the market rose during the year from 245 to 331 which was accompanied by a phenomenal increase in trading on margin,[11] which relieved the buyer from putting up the full purchase price of the stock by using the securities as collateral for a loan.
The buyer obtained full benefit of ownership in rising stock valuation, but the loan amount remained the same. People swarmed to buy stock on margin.
In the early 1920s, brokers’ loans used to finance purchases on margin averaged 1–1.5 billion but by November 1928 had reached six billion.
By the end of 1928, the interest on such loans was yielding 12% to lenders which led to a flood of gold converging on Wall St. from all over the world to fuel the purchase of stocks on margin.[12]
Aftermath of the crash
In the wake of Black Tuesday, London newspapers reported that ruined speculators were throwing themselves from windows but Galbraith asserts there was no substance to these claims of widespread suicides.[13] Embezzlement now came to the fore.
During the bubble, there was a net increase of what Galbraith calls “psychic wealth”; the person being robbed was unaware of their loss whilst the embezzler was materially improved. With the bursting of the bubble, accounts were now more closely scrutinized and reports of defaulting employees became a daily occurrence after the first week of the crash.
The looting of the Union Industrial Bank became the most spectacular embezzlement of the period. Unknown to each other, several of the bank’s officers began making away with funds for speculation. Over a period of time, they became aware of each other’s activities and unable to expose each other entered into a cooperative venture which in time came to include all of the principal officers of the bank. They took a short position just as the market “soared into the blue yonder of the summer sky”; so costly was this to the group that they took a long position just before the crash and this was to prove a mortal blow.[14]
The influence of the Wall Street crash on the Great Depression
Contrary to what had been Wall Street’s perceived tendency in playing down its influence, Galbraith asserted the important contribution of the 1929 crash on the Great Depression which followed:[15] causing a contraction of demand for goods, destroying for a time the normal means of investment and lending, arresting economic growth and causing financial hardship which alienated many from the economic system. [2] Galbraith further argues that the Great Depression was caused by a mixture of five main weaknesses:
First, an imbalance in the income distribution. Galbraith asserts that “the 5 per cent of the population with the highest incomes in that year [1929] received approximately one third of all personal income.” Personal income in the form of rents, dividends, and interest of the well-to-do was approximately twice as much as in the period following the Second World War, leaving the economy dependent on a high level of investment and luxury consumer spending, and vulnerable to the stock market crash.[16]
Second, problems in the structure of corporations. Most specifically, he cites newly formed investment entities of the era (such as holding companies and investment trusts) as contributing to a deflationary spiral, due in no small part to their high reliance on leverage. Dividends paid the interest on the bonds in the holding companies, and when these were interrupted, the structure collapsed. “It would be hard to imagine a corporate system better designed to continue and accentuate a deflationary cycle.” Also, “The fact was that American enterprise in the twenties had opened its hospitable arms to an exceptional number of promoters, grafters, swindlers, impostors, and frauds. This, in the long history of such activities, was a kind of flood tide of corporate larceny.”[16]
Third, the bad banking structure. The weakness was manifest in the large number of units working independently. As one failed, pressure was applied to another, leading to a domino effect accelerated by increasing unemployment and lower incomes.[17]
Fourth, foreign trade imbalances. During World War I, the US became a creditor nation, exporting more than it imported. High tariffs on imports contributed to this imbalance. Subsequent defaults by foreign governments led to a decline in exports, which was especially hard on farmers.
And finally, “the poor state of economic intelligence.” Galbraith says that the “economists and those who offered economic counsel in the late twenties and early thirties were almost uniquely perverse” and that “the burden of reputable economic advice was invariably on the side of measures that would make things worse.”[18]
Prospects for recurrence
Galbraith was of the opinion that the Great Crash had burned itself so deeply into the national consciousness that America had been spared another bubble up to the present time (1954).;[19] however he thought the chances of another speculative orgy which characterized the 1929 crash as rather good as he felt the American people remained susceptible to the conviction that unlimited rewards were to be had and that they individually were meant to share in it. He considered the sense of responsibility in the financial community for the wider community as a whole as not being small but “nearly nil”.[20] Even though government powers were available to prevent a recurrence of a bubble their use was not attractive or politically expedient since an election is in the offing even on the day after an election.[21]
Reception and popular culture
In 2008 and 2009, Jim Cramer took to waving John Kenneth Galbraith’s book,[22] and praising it on his show Mad Money. He has been struck by the similarities between the crash described by Galbraith and the crash occurring in the Late 2000s recession.[23]
OCTOBER 29 — 96 YEARS AGO THE GREAT CRASH HAPPENED TODAY
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from The History Channel.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 occurred on Friday, October 29, 1929, when Wall Street investors traded some 16 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange in a single day. Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors. In the aftermath of that event, sometimes called “Black Tuesday,” America and the rest of the industrialized world spiraled downward into the Great Depression, the deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western industrialized world up to that time.
What Caused the 1929 Stock Market Crash?
Among the other causes of the stock market crash of 1929 were low wages, the proliferation of debt, a struggling agricultural sector and an excess of large bank loans that could not be liquidated.
Black Tuesday
By then, production had already declined and unemployment had risen, leaving stocks in great excess of their real value.Messengers from brokerage houses crowd around a hard-to-obtain newspaper after the first Wall Street stock market crash on October 24, 1929.
. Overall, however, prices continued to drop as the country slumped into the Great Depression.
Stock prices began to decline in September and early October 1929, and on October 18 a big drop in stock prices began. Panic soon set in, and on October 24, Black Thursday, a record 12,894,650 shares were traded. Investment companies and leading bankers attempted to stabilize the market by buying up great blocks of stock, producing a moderate rally on Friday.
On Monday, however, the storm broke anew, and the market went into free fall. Black Monday was followed by Black Tuesday—October 29, 1929—during which stock prices collapsed completely and 16,410,030 shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange in a single day.
Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors, and stock tickers ran hours behind because the machinery could not handle the tremendous volume of trading.
Effects of the 1929 Stock Market Crash: The Great Depression
After October 29, 1929, stock prices had nowhere to go but up, so there was considerable recovery during succeeding weeks. Overall, however, prices continued to drop as the United States slumped into the Great Depression, and by 1932 stocks were worth only about 20 percent of their value in the summer of 1929.
The stock market crash of 1929 was not the sole cause of the Great Depression, but it did act to accelerate the global economic collapse which it was also a symptom.
Stock prices continued to drop through 1932 when the Dow Jones Industrial Average—a widely-used benchmark for blue-chip stocks in the United States—closed at 41.22, its lowest value of the 20th century, 89 percent below its peak.
OCTOBER 29 — GOVERNOR HOCHUL ON THE HUNGER SNAP CRISIS
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STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL
“Three million New Yorkers are set to lose food assistance this Saturday as the Trump Administration unlawfully withholds emergency funding. We are staring down a public health crisis that puts one million children and over 600,000 older adults lives at risk because Republicans in Washington are refusing to do their jobs and the Trump Administration is hellbent on letting Americans suffer the consequences.
“New York will not sit idly by when lives are on the line. We’re proud to assist the Office of the Attorney General in joining 24 other states in suing the Trump Administration, demanding the release of emergency funds so families can continue to put food on the table through this government shutdown.
“For weeks, my office has been sounding the alarm over the impact of the GOP shutdown on New Yorkers’ access to critical programs like SNAP. Yesterday, we fast-tracked $30 million in emergency food assistance funding that will support over 16 million meals. As I’ve been clear, no state can backfill this essential federal program but I am committed to doing everything in my power to hold the Trump Administration accountable and ensure New Yorkers do not go hungry.”
OCTOBER 28—– TOMORROW WEDNESDAY, OCT 29 FEEDING WESTCHESTER AND COUNTY TO HOST EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO FEDERAL AIRPORT EMPLOYEES
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Powered by Stop & Shop
WHAT: Feeding Westchester, in partnership with Westchester County, will host an emergency food distribution at Westchester County Airport for federal airport employees affected by the government shutdown
WHEN: Wednesday, October 29
Distribution continues until 1:00pm to allow on-duty staff to pick up a shelf stable food box
WHERE: Westchester County Airport, 240 Airport Road, White Plains, NY
WHO:
- Ken Jenkins, Westchester County Executive
- Tami Wilson, Chief Operating Officer, Feeding Westchester
- Daniel Wolk, External Communications Manager, Stop & Shop
Supported by a $10,000 donation from Stop & Shop, the distribution will provide food boxes for approximately 110 federal airport employees. Leaders from Feeding Westchester and Westchester County will be on site during the press window to greet workers and assist with distribution.
Dropoff boxes are available at three airport locations for residents who would like to donate food to federal airport employees: Million Air FBO, Atlantic West FBO, Atlantic East FBO
(FBO = Fixed Based Operations)
OCTOBER 28 — TAX RELIEF PASSED FOR CITIZENS WITH FLOOD LOSSES
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. October 28, 2025:
Greenburgh first in state to implement law
The Greenburgh Town Board adopted legislation at our last Town Board meeting that would help victims of storms and other disasters obtain tax relief if they experienced significant property losses.
The NYS Legislature and Governor authorized local governments in NYS to adopt this legislation which was originally proposed by the Town of Greenburgh after Hurricane Ida left some residents homeless.
We worked hard to get the legislation approved and are grateful to Senator Cousins and Assemblywoman Shimsky for introducing the legislation and to the Governor for signing the legislation into law.
Greenburgh is the first community in NYS that plans to implement this authorization to help victims of natural disasters including flooding.
Sadly, some residents of Hurricane Ida are still homeless—three years after the Hurricane impacted Greenburgh.
This recently approved law allows a property tax exemption to residential property owners whose property has been damaged by a major or local disaster declared by the President, Governor or me on or after January 1, 2020, such as fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, epidemics, etc. Typically, a homeowner has one shot a year to have their taxes reduced, but this law applies all year round.
To be eligible, an owner must submit a timely application with the Assessor’s Office and have damages equal to or greater to 50% of the improved value of the property.
The Town will exempt upwards of $10,000 per year of Town taxes for timely completed and accepted applications. An owner must submit an application within 90 days of a disaster which occurs after the enactment of this law, or must file within 90 days of the enactment of this law if the disaster occurred prior to enactment.
Please read the entire law for the specifics here:
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
OCTOBER 27– ROSEDALE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALLEGED CITY NEGLECT OF PARKING GARAGE INSPECTIONS
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER, From the Rosedale Residents Association. October 27, 2025:
Rosedale Residential Association
PO Box 199
White Plains, New York 10605
Date: Monday, October 27, 2025
Mayor Thomas M. Roach, City of White Plains
Victoria Presser, Council President, White Plains Common Council
Justin Brasch, Council Member, White Plains Common Council
Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, Council Member, White Plains Common Council
John M. Martin, Council Member, White Plains Common Council
Jennifer Puja, Council Member, White Plains Common Council
Richard Payne, Council Member, White Plains Common Council
John Callahan, Council Member, White Plains Common Council
Damon Amadio, Building Commissioner, City of White Plains
Christopher Gomez, Planning Commissioner, City of White Plains
David Chong, Public Safety Commissioner, City of White Plains
City of White Plains
255 Main Street
White Plains, NY 10601
Subject: Demand for Accountability Regarding Lapsed Parking Garage Inspections
Dear Mayor Roach, Members of the Common Council, Commissioners of the City of White Plains,
The Rosedale Residential Association (RRA) writes to submit a formal complaint and express deep concern and disappointment over the City’s failure to ensure compliance with state-mandated parking garage inspections, as revealed by the recent CBS News investigation.
(https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/white-plains-parking-garage-inspection-reports/)
According to that report, forty privately owned parking garages in White Plains have not filed the required structural inspection reports, despite a 2018 state law requiring inspections every three years by qualified engineers. Even more troubling, the owner of the recently collapsed (WESTCHESTER ONE) parking garage reportedly failed to file inspection reports in 2019, 2022, or 2025—without any enforcement action or follow-up from the City’s Building Department.
Areas of Concern
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Failure to Enforce State Law
The City of White Plains bears responsibility for ensuring that all parking structures comply with the inspection schedule required by state law. The failure to detect and address repeated non-compliance over multiple cycles represents a serious lapse in municipal oversight. -
Negligent Oversight and Communication
As reported, after a 2018 notification and a single follow-up in 2022, “no other mailed correspondence” was issued by the Building Department to property owners. This lack of consistent enforcement and follow-through is unacceptable given the potential risks to public safety. -
Public Safety Risks
The partial collapse described in the CBS News report—destroying numerous vehicles and compromising the structure’s integrity—could easily have resulted in loss of life. Residents across White Plains deserve immediate assurance that no other garages pose a similar hazard. -
Lack of Transparency
When CBS News directly asked whether the Building Department “dropped the ball,” City officials declined to answer. This absence of accountability only heightens residents’ concerns and undermines public confidence.
The RRA’s Call for Action
In the interest of public safety and responsible governance, the Rosedale Residential Association calls on the City of White Plains to:
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Issue a Public Report identifying all parking garages currently out of compliance, including the dates of their last inspection reports, current safety status, and any enforcement actions in progress.
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Provide an Explanation detailing how these failures occurred, including any procedural, staffing, or oversight deficiencies that contributed.
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Present an Action Plan within 7 days specifying how:
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All garages will be brought into full compliance;
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Unsafe or uninspected structures will be immediately closed or repaired; and
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Monitoring and enforcement mechanisms will be strengthened and sustained.
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Commit to Transparency through quarterly public compliance reports and a dedicated Building Department contact for resident inquiries about structural safety concerns.
Closing
White Plains residents expect and deserve proactive, accountable governance. The City’s apparent failure to enforce a basic public safety requirement is a grave breach of trust. The Rosedale Residential Association and community demand clear answers, corrective action, and a transparent plan to ensure this does not happen again.
We urge the Common Council to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves and to provide a detailed public response outlining the City’s immediate steps toward accountability and reform. All individuals who are responsible for this total lack of compliance with the law must be held accountable for this failure.
Respectfully,
Anthony Fiorenza
President, Rosedale Residential Association
Shawn Woodford,
Vice President, Rosedale Residential Association
RRA Board of Directors
Sara Bergman , Secretary
Angie Shaver, Treasurer
Jeanene D’Ambrosio, Board Member
Laurie Halstead, Board Member
Carolyn Kennedy, Board Member
Mike Sanchez, Board Member
Jolie DeLaCruz, Board Member
Gregory Fitch, Board Member
Ariel Jamil, Board Member
OCTOBER 27– SPECIAL WORK SESSION ALERT: SALE OF LAND TO LCOR FOR GALLERIA CITY PROJECT, TRANSITION TO TRANSIT DISTRICT ON AGENDA
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NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LYONS PLACE ON TAP
WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CLARION-LEDGER. NEWS & COMMENT BY JOHN F. BAILEY:
At 6:30 PM THE White Plains Common Council will see a new affordable housing apartment building planned for Lyons Place.
There will also be a consideration of legislation making 100 Main Street, the former Galleria now closed and awaiting building of a residential, retail, affordable housing and possible intergenerational community center for all ages. The transfer to transit district status would presumably allow the Galleria City owners to develop other vacant sites owned by the city (such as four lots adjacent the Metro North Station) at the present time in the future without a special permit.
The new White Plains Hospital garage design will be presented
The council will also discuss the sale of land to the Galleria City project.
It has long been known the developers of The Galleria City project have desired to buy the present city owned garage from the city to construct the project.
In a scheduled Executive Session, the Council will discuss the terms of sale of real property to the Galleria developers.
To date a site plan of exactly what the city council and present administration of the city has considered as acceptable for the scope of the project is in the works, perhaps it will appear tonight.
Presumably if the city garage is the property under consideration to be sold, we should learn the terms this evening, if the city after meeting approves whatever conditions it considers acceptable for the sale.
Previously there have been no disclosures from the city on the conditions the city considers acceptable for sale of the garage coveted by the developer of Galleria City and what they will do with it.
Should whatever sale of land to the Galleria City Developer be tentatively accepted by the Common Council tonight. The city may hold a public hearing on the sale, or may not. An approval could come as soon as next Monday, November 3, the eve of Election Day next Tuesday.
This pure speculation at this point, but if the Galleria City proposal is planned to be approved by the city by end of the current Mayor’s term, they have two months to do that.
The strategy of the current administration appears to get the Galleria decision done, so the new Mayor whomever he may be, Justin Brasch or Leonard Lolis, could not interfere with an approved project, or could not change it too much.
An Environmental Review presumably would have to be done very quickly to get the largest project in Westchester County history since the original Galleria in 1980..
However, several circumstances that behoove the city and the next Mayor of the city to conduct thorough review as to long term feasibility of the project and effects, which I have mentioned clearly as a concerned reporter are:
Capacity of the White Plains Main Street Sewer network.
Is anybody else worried about this the way I am?
No.
With 4 new residential buildings on Hamilton Green plus the County affordable housing apartments on the Board of Elections site, the former Berkeley site on Court Street, the number of residents being added by whatever the new improved Galleria City plan includes the sewer system has to be ready to take the New Effluence.
No one in the public least of all the press, has seen the finished site plan, eagerly awaitrd unless of course the city in its wisdom feels it has a good plan worked out acceptable in their opinion.
There are going to be 15,000 persons living in that downtown residential strip in 5 to 10 years.
There were 56,000 persons living in White Plains in 2007 the year The Ritz-Carlton and condominiums were finished. Currently there are 59,000 living in the city.
If 15,000 persons will be living in White Plains the majority in that downtown strip in 5 years, that is a 27% increase in population from what the sewer system handled 18 years ago.
Has the sewer capacity been upgraded for 27% more capacity since that time when 4 buildings filled it up? Can the present web of conduits have the capacity to accommodate “The New Effluence.”
It would behoove the council and the present Mayor, or the New Mayor to have the Commissioner of Public Works inspect present sewer resiliency and capacity and plans to take on “The New Effluent” and how much more gallonage it can wrangle.
The previous Commissioner of Public Works, 20 years ago took a yard stick and checked the sewer before final approvals of the Ritz Carlton, and found it was topping off.
rRght up to the top of the pipe on Main Street.
He said he could approve the construction without a new sewer bypass pipe from the Ritz Carlton and its condominium towers.
“The Ritz Carlton Bypass” solved the problem and carried away the new efflunce and prevented the city from serious losses as well as national embarrassment.
I am just saying to new Councilpersons and the new Mayor to look at this closely.
Get a big stick and see what the sewer is running now. Note the connections. In buildings opening now and going up now, have ancillary sewer pipes connecting been planned strategically without contributing substantially to overtaxing the existing line
The old Common Council should ask such questions.
It is now or never.
Or cross your fingers.
The new Mayor if the sewer assurances made by envirommental consultants assure you the infrastructure can handle it, trust them but verify or regret.
REPLACEMENT PARKING FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PARKING PLACES LOST.
Will the garage if sold, be demolished straightway? Parking is supposed to be built underground in the new Galleria.
However if it is demolished last, it would be very good for the persons who use it for parking every day now.
If it is demolished partially or fully, the the city has to provide or the developer has to provide alternative parking during the course of the comstruction.
Well perhaps this will be told us tonight.
Pull up a chair as Vin Scully would say and watch another Work Session it is where the action is tonight. Take notes!
Here’s your Scorecard
COMMON COUNCIL
AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING
OCTOBER 27, 2025
6:30 PM
ROLL CALL: City Clerk
PRESENTATION:
1. Proposed amendment to a site plan pertaining to property known as 1 Lyon Place
and 10 Lyon Place.
2. Proposed development of the East Post Road Parking Garage by the White Plains
Hospital Center, 34 EPR LLC and East Post Road LLC.
3. Communication and presentation from the Commissioner of Planning on the
proposed zoning amendment to create a new “Transit Development2 (TD-2)
District” affecting real property known as 100 Main Street, White Plains, New York
ITEM FOR INFORMATION:
4. Communication from the Mayor regarding the appointment of members to the
Judicial Review Committee
MOTION;
5. Motion to enter executive session to discuss the proposed sale of real property.
OCTOBER 25–THE LATIMER LETTER FROM WASHINGTON
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Dear Neighbor,
There is no good news to report on what is happening in Washington with the shutdown. It has been a frustrating few weeks with Republican Speaker Mike Johnson cancelling House votes and committee action and has yet to call members of Congress back to DC. My Democratic colleagues and I are fighting to prevent ACA premiums from skyrocketing. Our request is simple. Open up bipartisan negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. Stop trying to force a Republican-only plan that cuts needed services.
People in NY have already started receiving premium notices for 2026. Have you received one? Let me know here: https://forms.gle/YFXmEMrbnynSo7ZJ8 |
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Our offices in Westchester, the Bronx, and Washington, DC remain open and working for you during this government shutdown. My colleagues and I are ready to negotiate the end of the shutdown at a moment’s notice. To that end, I have been back to DC several times this month, asking for our Republican colleagues to get back to DC and reopen the government. Last week we held a press conference on the House steps, hearing stories from Americans about what increased healthcare premiums would mean to them. |
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At Home: Westchester and the Bronx |
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When I haven’t been in DC, I have been attending events in the district. In Co-op City on Tuesday, I joined Senator Jamaal Bailey’s Senior Walk, where I spoke about the importance of programs that promote the health and wellness of senior citizens. Thank you to Senator Bailey for holding the event and for his work advocating for seniors in our district. |
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Yesterday I attended the White Plains High School Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca. It was an honor to recognize the recipients and the importance of local, state and federal partnerships to fund our schools and programs. The inductees are a credit to the White Plains schools and the continued investment in education. |
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Additionally, my staff attended the Westchester County Diverse Ability Job and Resource Fair on Tuesday and provided information to attendees who may need assistance with the VA, IRS, and Social Security. It is always great to partner with the County on this impactful event. |
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During these weeks, I have also attended civic club meetings, block parties, PTA meetings, and more in every corner of the Congressional District from Tarrytown to Yonkers, Port Chester to Edenwald. |
Stay in Touch |
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Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Twitter/X and YouTube to stay up-to-date on what I am working on. If this newsletter was sent to you by someone else, you can sign up for it here: https://latimer.house.gov/contact/newsletter-subscribe
As always, reach out to my offices with concerns or questions. We are here to serve you!
More soon. |
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Sincerely, |
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Rep. George Latimer Member of Congress |
OCTOBER 25–FOUR OUTSTANDING WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (October 23, 2025) —The White Plains City School District proudly honored four outstanding alumni Thursday afternoon at the induction ceremony for the White Plains High School Hall of Fame – recognizing graduates who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields and made meaningful contributions to society.
FOUR TO THE HALL! Daniel Slepian, Jonette Mines, Susan Altman, Carl Austin (L to R) Photo courtesy White Plains High School
Real estate executive Carl Austin, ’58; WPHS social studies teacher Susan Altman, ’64; Juneteenth Heritage Committee leader Jonette Mines, ’78; and award-winning journalist Daniel Slepian, ’88, were celebrated in the Media Center as the 22nd class of honorees since the Hall of Fame was established in 1996.
The Hall of Fame, which now includes 94 alumni among the school’s more than 40,000 graduates over its 129-year history, celebrates individuals who have achieved professional distinction and made a positive impact in their communities.
Honorees are chosen from public nominations by a selection committee representing civic and school organizations.
Principal Emerly Martinez kicked off the event by noting how special it is to be selected to the Hall of Fame. (Photo courtesy White Plains High School)
“So to be one of the 94 Hall of Fame members is, indeed, a very rare and special honor,” he told a crowd that included previous honorees, elected officials and guests. “Over the years, our Hall of Fame members have distinguished themselves in a wide variety of fields – authors and musicians, doctors, public servants, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, educators, athletes and outstanding community leaders,” he said.
“However, they all have one thing in common: they have benefited from the wisdom, patience, advice and support of the talented men and women who are working as teachers, coaches, counselors, administrators and staff here at White Plains High School,” Mr. Martinez said.
Amy Geiger, a member of the class of 1964 and the co-chair of the Hall of Fame Steering Committee, introduced the presenters – Jim Bruni, Sue Brumer, Lena Anderson and Zotica Medina – who, in turn, highlighted the many achievements of the inductees and welcomed them to the podium.
As president of the White Plains Juneteenth Heritage Committee, Ms. Mines has revitalized Juneteenth celebrations throughout Westchester and Rockland counties. Her dedication to community service extends through leadership roles with the White Plains/Greenburgh NAACP, Bethel Baptist Church and various groups that promote equality and cultural awareness.
“I love White Plains. … I have always been active in White Plains, starting out as a young child in the YWCA Big Sisters Little Sisters program, which is now our Assistance With a Purpose program,” Ms. Mines said.
“I’m greatly appreciative of all the love and support and encouragement I received from my family, church family and community. It warms my heart to see so many of you here,” she added.
A prominent real estate adviser, Mr. Austin has played a major role in shaping the commercial landscape of Westchester County. He has been responsible for dozens of office buildings, corporate headquarters, office parks and hotels throughout the region. In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Austin has served on numerous community boards, including White Plains Hospital and the Westchester County Association.
“There are many forces that shape our young lives. For me, two stand out – first is encouragement. Parents fundamental, teachers essential. White Plains High School has been a source of encouragement for generations of students,” he said.
“Second is passion. What excites? What do we want to do? Love to do? That is a journey we must start when young. Try out our thoughts. Test, reject. Try again. The journey is worth it. White Plains High School was my safe place to begin,” Mr. Austin said.
A beloved and innovative educator, Ms. Altman taught at White Plains High School for more than 30 years. She organized school-wide forums and conferences on issues such as gender, diversity and the environment, and has helped students broaden their horizons by leading exchange programs with schools in China.
She said that becoming a teacher was “absolutely the right decision.” In fact, she was even a member of the Future Teachers Club while a student.
“I was what I would probably call an out-of-the-box teacher with different ideas. I couldn’t have done any of this without administrative and collegial support, and many of my colleagues are here in support, and I so appreciate their support throughout my whole career,” Ms. Altman said.
She went on to recount the many experiences that made her time at WPHS so memorable and rewarding – so much so that she feels like she actually graduated in 2013, the year of her retirement.
“For example, I did a re-enactment of the tennis courtroom from the French Revolution on the tennis court! And then, we had a birthday party for the Statue of Liberty in 1964, where many students partook in eating cake that was baked for 100 students by the cafeteria staff,” she said.
Ms. Altman, who was a cheerleader and a member of the student legislature, also spoke about the success of the trip to China in 2005 that resulted in the unique sister-school relationship with the Suzhou High School in and a student exchange program that lasted 10 years until the country limited visits.
Ms. Altman also expressed her pride in teaching a human rights elective course that led to a Human Rights club and a Human Rights week that featured a concert by famed musician and social activist Pete Seeger.
An award-winning journalist, Mr. Slepian serves as an investigative producer at NBC News, where he has spent nearly 30 years with “Dateline NBC.” His work has led to the cracking of cold cases and the exoneration of the wrongly convicted, among other notable achievements in his illustrious career.
He called WPHS “the place that changed my life.”
“I was walking around these hallways and was thinking, ‘Who is the teacher that I liked the most?’ With all due respect to Ms. Altman,” Mr. Slepian said, eliciting loud laughter.
The journalist also mentioned his long career at NBC News, during which Dateline debuted its first ever podcast with him in 2019, when he led an eight-episode series, “13 Alibis,” about his probe into a vexing murder case in which an innocent man was eventually cleared.
.“I have been a bit of a renegade in the News Division at NBC … the percolation period for some of my stories is anywhere from six months to 25 years – no joke,” he said. “My book, ‘The Sing Sing Files,’ is about my 20-plus journey that helped free six innocent men from Sing Sing”
He said he traces his journalistic fervor to his days at WPHS, which he said changed his life.
“People often look away in society from people who are not like them,” said Mr. Slepian, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the recipient of four Edward R. Murrow Awards.
“This place allowed me to challenge my beliefs.The differences were not barriers – they became bridges to my future. There is no way to separate the person that I am now from the seeds that were planted in this building,” he said.
At the conclusion, Dr. Joseph Ricca, Superintendent of Schools, mentioned how special it is to be a member of the WPHS Hall of Fame.
“It’s a really special honor I can never achieve, no matter what I do,” he joked. “And, you know, what I hear constantly, in recounting the experiences of White Place High School, is the opportunity that the school community and the greater community provide.”
“And I’m very happy to report to you today that we continue, that we continue to expand opportunities for our children and for their families,” he said.
In a statement earlier, Dr. Ricca wrote:
“These four remarkable individuals exemplify the spirit of excellence, leadership and service that defines our White Plains graduates.
“So many exceptional students pass through our halls each year, yet only a small portion of them are able to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame — less than 100 inductees in almost 30 years,” he wrote.
“Your commitment to your profession, community and service to others is commendable and deserves to be celebrated. Thank you for being role models for White Plains students every day, showing them that they too can do the extraordinary,” Dr. Ricca added.
The inductees met earlier with students during class sessions to share stories and insights from their careers.
Deya Allen and Nela Older, two seniors who are co-presidents of the Student Government Organization, shared a few thoughts of what it meant to them to have met the honorees.