WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. December 19, 2005: The City of White Plains is offering free parking at downtown street meters to shoppers parking on the street in the downtown all week long as their holiday present.
City: County Never Told Us of Court Street Shelter. County: We Did.
WPCNR THE HOMELESS NEWS. By John F. Bailey. December 19, 2005: A spokesman for the Mayor’s Office, David Maloney, this morning told the CitizeNetReporter that Westchester County never told the city their plans to house 43 “hardcore homeless” persons at 85 Court Street across Court Street from the County Office Building, beginning January 10.
HEARTBREAK HOTEL Planned for the DSS Building at 85 Court, one block away from City Center (to far right,tall building), across from the County office building to the left and a half block away from senor citizens housing planned for the parking lot in the foreground, and one block from the Cappelli Hotel and Condoplex, center of picture background. Photo, WPCNR News.
The Department of Communications of
Spokesperson David Maloney said Mayor Joseph Delfino, who was in
Mr. Maloney said the city is exploring avenues, (“leaving no stone unturned,” were his words), to prevent the population of “hard core homeless,” from taking up residence nightly at 85 Court, just one and a half blocks from the city’s reviving downtown.
City Concerned
Maloney reaffirmed the city position that the homeless planned to be housed in that shelter are not all from White Plains, as the county contends, that they are all from all over, and should not be housed overnight within the city.
Victoria Hochman the county spokesperson on this issue told WPCNR that the persons are picked up in White Plains and that it made sense to have them stay overnight near the new Day Center for the Homeless being established at 96 East Post Road to be run by Grace Church Community Services.
That
The homeless who now spend the night at the airport shelter that Hochman described as a horrible, dilapidated place, are returned to
No other Location in City Discussed?
Hochman did not know if any other location such as
Asked why the airport shelter population was not housed in the new Valhalla Homeless Shelter opened last week, Hochman said because the airport population were “hardcore homeless” who have refused to participate in programs available to the system such as drug rehabilitation programs, alcohol rehab programs, job training programs, counseling, and therefore did not fit in with the homeless population destined for the Valhalla Shelter who do take advantage of county services.
No Official Named as Responsible.
Hochman was asked who in county government had decided the airport shelter homeless should be overnighted in
Operations of 85 Court
As to operations of the 85 Court Street shelter, Hochman reports that homeless persons in White Plains seeking a bed for the night would still be expected to assemble at South Lexington and Maple Avenues, where they would be put on a bus and bused one block to 85 Court Street where their names would be taken and she believes they are checked to see whether or not they are previous convicted “sex offenders and possibly a criminal record.”
In order to stay the night in 85 Court Street, Hochman said the homeless would have to agree to be locked in, (as they are at the airport facility) put under security, and would not be allowed to leave. In the morning, they would be bused over to the new
Hochman said the homeless may stay past the present
Hochman, told WPCNR the 85 Court facility would only house 43 persons maximum. Asked if there ever was an overflow, Hochman theorized, but could not say for certain, that the overflow would find other facilities around the county to take them in.
Records of the Hardcore Homeless
Asked if the county could check its manifests of persons taken at nightly bus pickups who routinely stay in the County Airport Shelter, Hochman did not know if those manifests were available or used to develop a profile of typical hardcore homeless populations in more detail as to how many had criminal records, how many were drug or alcohol addicted, and other various afflictions. She did not give a figure on how many were picked up nightly. She said the population changed nightly.
Nevertheless, the homeless population to be at 85 Court were described by Ms. Hochman as the vast majority being possibly mentally ill, some developmentally disabled, some drug-addicted, and with criminal backgrounds from being housed overnight (from 10 P.M to sometime after 6 A.M.) in the heart of the White Plains downtown.
The Runup
Hochman reported to WPCNR that the Westchester County Department of Public Safety had discussed the safety concerns and issues concerning locating the homeless at 85 Court Street with the White Plains Department of Public Safety, and that the White Plains Department of Public Safety had told the Mayor’s Office about it. She did not know when the Mayor’s office was notified by the Department of Public Safety. Martin Gleeson, media spokesman for the White Plains Department of Public Safety has been contacted for the Department of Public Safety side of this communication question.
County Legislator Bill Ryan contacted Saturday and again today by WPCNR as to whether he knew about the county plan, has yet to respond.
Thomas Roach, President of the White Plains Common Council had no comment, because he did not know of the situation as of Saturday morning when WPCNR contacted him. “We’ll have to see how it plays out,” Roach said.
Cappelli Enterprises, which is constructing a 4-Star Hotel and condoplex a block and a half away from 85 Court Street has yet to respond with their reaction to the news.
Westchester Broadway Theatre Creates New Holiday CD to Raise Money to Fight AIDS
WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Allan Gruet, Westchester Broadway Theatre. December 18, 2005 (EDITED): Bill Stutler & Bob Funking, producers of the Westchester Broadway Theatre,
have put together a Christmas CD, which is aptly named “Songs of theSeason.” Past and present Stars of WBT productions, along with the musicians, have all donated their time and
talents to make this wonderful CD, that is available at area shopping malls and at the WBT Souvenier Shop at the WBT in Elmsford. The proceeds from the sale of the CD go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
The staff/crew/cast and WBT Carolers open the CD with Jerry Herman’s “We Need a Little Christmas” from “Mame” and close with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The CD includes approximately 23 other seasonal songs performed by past & present stars of WBT as soloists. There are also several duets by Michelle Dawson and Joseph Mahowald performing “Turn Back Through the Pages,” a debut recording from a new musical, “Christmas Memories” by Stan Tucker and Mac Pirkle, while husband and wife team Meredith Patterson and Shonn Wiley sing “Lovers on Christmas Eve” by Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart.
Ken Lundie, musical director and arranger of the last main-stage production “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” has put together a talented cast of singers. He also did the arrangements, the musical direction, and plays the piano (unless otherwise noted). Ken is a one man dynamo!! Mr. Lundie is ably backed by Michael Pearce on bass and Ken Ross on drums. The cast of 2005 WBT production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” along with WBT Carolers Nick Locilento, Kimberly Dawn Neumann, David F. M. Vaughn, and Stephanie Youell perform additional back-up vocals.
The CD can be purchased at any one of our Gift Certificate Booths in the various area Malls: The Palisades Mall, Jefferson Valley Mall, Westchester Mall, Nanuet Mall, Danbury Mall, White Plains Galleria, and the Poughkeepsie Galleria. If you are close to the theatre or attending a performance at WBT during the holidays, you can pick a couple of CD’s up at our Souvenir shop.
CD’s make great Stocking Stuffers!!.
The purchase price is $15.00 plus tax, and the proceeds after production
costs are all being donated to BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS
Past, Present & Future Ebersole Stars Celebrate Annual Holiday Ice Show
WPCNR PRESS BOX. December 18, 2005: The Ebersole Ice Rink Figure Skating School and White Plains Figure Skating Club, many of whom learned to skate at Ebersole a decade ago, combined to entertain family and friends with group performances and individual solos at the traditional Ebersole Holiday Show Saturday afternoon on a beautiful day for ice-skating. Highlights of the Show were the March of the Penguins, Daria and Peter Marinelli, and “The Ebersolettes,” which showed they have a future in synchro skating, and, of course, the traditional visits of Santa and Frosty the Snowman.
The March of the Penguins, the Irrepressible Tots, Opened the Show, Choreographed by Members of White Plains Figure Skating Club. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
Peter and Daria Marinelli, Father, member of Men N Sync, the only Men’s Synchronized Skating Team in the Country, and Daughter Daria of the White Plains Figure Skating Club, a longtime member of the club, skated a Pairs Solo — the Highlight of the Show. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
The “Ebersolettes” Execute a Synchronized Skating Line. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
Jenna Besignano of the White Plains Figure Skating Club in a silky smooth Layback Spin. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
Becky Riss in a Sit-Spin in her Solo Spotlight. Photo, WPCNR Sports
Peter and Daria Marinelli. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
Allison Fuerst Performing Run, Run Rudolph. Photo, WPCNR Sports
Juliana Bailey Wishing Figure Skating Fans a “Happy Holiday ” . Photo, WPCNR Sports.
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Santa and Frosty the Snowman Invited All onto the ice at the finale to finish up the afternoon with the most fun you can have on ice: skating outdoors at Ebersole Ice Rink, White Plains. Photo, WPCNR Sports.