WPCNR EASTENDER. From Department of Recreation & Parks. June 7, 2005: The annual White Plains fireworks celebration will be held June 30, Thursday evening, with a raindate scheduled for the next evening, July 1. The Celebration is held annually at White Plains High School from approximately 6:30 PM to 10 P.M.
The White Plains July 4 Fireworks, 2004. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.
WPCNR CAMPAIGN 05. June 7, 2005: Dennis Power, the Democrat Candidate for Mayor announced to WPCNR today he will hold a news conference Friday at 1 P.M. at Druss Park in the Highlands to declare formally the themes of his campaign, introduce his “Power Team.”
Meanwhile Cass Cibelli announced today from White Plains City Hall that he will hold his campaign kick-off on
WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. June 7, 2005: The Common Council voted unanimously Monday evening to approve ASB Capital Management to build an 86-Unit Condominium on the Church & Barker corner two blocks north of City Hall. Two neighboring residents, who reside in 40 Barker Avenue said they appreciated how ASB Capital Management worked with them to add more landscaping and restrict entry and egress to the Church Street frontage. The building will be 13 stories high. ASB Capital Management will pay $460,000 into a newly created city housing down payment fund, (created by a resolution on the consent agenda) to satisfy ASB’s obligation to build affordable housing units as part of the project.
Mayor Joseph Delfino Congratulates Joseph Siegel, architect for the Church Street Hamilton Condominiums approved Monday evening. Photo by WPCNR News.
GOIN’ UP: A closer look at the Church Street-facing front of the architect’s rendering. Siegel said the building will have more glass, higher ceilinged apartments, a health spa, a library, and parking entrance and excess at lower right. Photo by WPCNR News
WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. By John F. Bailey. June 7, 2005: A letter from Democratic Mayor Nominee Dennis Power to Democratic City Committee District Leaders, which many received Monday, asking District Leaders for their support at Monday evening’s meeting, would appear to indicate that Mr. Power knew he had the City Committee Nominating Committee nomination for Mayor, two days before Ron Jackson, the “Last Activist,” was interviewed by the Nominating Committee Sunday, June 5.
District leaders received Mr. Power’s letter today, indicating that the Nominating Committee was not giving Mr. Jackson’s avowed candidacy serious consideration when they interviewed him, and, he feels, only him Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Jackson charged to WPCNR Monday evening that the Nominating Committee and the Democratic Party “played” him when they scheduled him for an interview Sunday. It will be recalled as first reported by WPCNR that Mr. Jackson announced he would run for Mayor, when the Nominating Committee informed District Leaders they could find no “qualified” candidate to nominate for Mayor. It was at that point Mr. Jacson said he would run in the best interest of the Democratic Party.
Dennis Power, Democrat Nominee for Mayor, May 2, 2005. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.
The Power Letter: The June 3 date would indicate Mr. Power knew at least Friday, he would be receiving the Nominating Committee endorsement, before Mr. Jackson was interviewed Sunday afternoon. Photo by WPCNR News
The way Mr. Jackson was interviewed, the timing of Mr. Power’s letter, and the way in which Jackson’s candidacy appears to have been dismissed as soon as Mr. Power became available marks the second time in three years that when given the chance to nominate a minority candidate, the Democratic Party has not had the courage to do so, or has not wanted to do so.
In May 2003, Eridania Camacho Quinn was encouraged to run for the council by Democrat leaders, and presented before the Nominating Committee. She was rejected in favor of Arnold Bernstein, and was nominated on the floor of the nominating convention and was defeated.
This year, no one even wanted to run for Mayor because they were afraid of Mayor Delfino’s popularity: Bill Ryan, Rita Malmud, Tom Roach, Benjamin Boykin, Glen Hockley all rejected a run, and did not even volunteer to run against Mayor Joseph Delfino.
When Mr. Jackson did, as first reported by The CitizeNetReporter, suddenly, Mr. Power surfaced to co-opt the Jackson initiative. Mr. Power told WPCNR Sunday evening, it was because of job-related matters uncertainty that he had delayed his decision to run.
In that Camacho Quinn bid for a council seat, Ms. Quinn was dismissed, Nominating Committee members said, because she was unfamiliar with the issues. Mr. Jackson, on the other hand has been in the forefront on the White Plains Housing Authority Headquarters issue, the Juneteenth parade, and in pushing for minority hires on city construction projects. He is not unfamiliar with any issue. He just may not be what the Democratic Party has in mind.
