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WPCNR STARS AND STRIPES. Contributed by Carl Albanese. Originally published by WPCNR May 30, 2011:
Editor’s Note: Memorial Day weekend is almost always distinguished by melancholy weather conditions. The Memorial Day Weekend weather this weekend continues that traditional a weekend where the weather reflects the tenor of the occasion. Carl Albanese of White Plains wrote this for WPCNR ten years ago. I publish it again with respect.)
Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
“Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.” — General Logan – May 5, 1868
We need to remember with sincere respect those who paid the price for our freedoms; we need to keep in sacred remembrance those who died serving their country. We need to never let them be forgotten. However, over the years the original meaning and spirit of Memorial Day has faded from the public consciousness.
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day.
There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead” (Source: Duke University’s Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920).
While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860’s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868.
It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states.
The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).
It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis’ birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
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COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER WITH DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE KEN JENKINS AT KENSICO DAM TODAY REPORTING MORE POSITIVE PROGRESS ON ROLLING BACK THE CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC IN WESTCHESTER. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAID HIS NEXT REPORT WOULD BE ON JUNE 3, AND HE WOULD CONTINUE REPORTS ON MONDAYS ONLY THEREAFTER BEGINNING JUNE 7. HE ALSO REPORTED HOSPITALIZATIONS DOWN TO 56 FROM 63 THE LAST THREE WEEKS. WPCNR NOTES HOPSPITALIZATION RATE CONTINUES SLOW DECLINE DUE TO HIGHER NUMBER OF PERSONS INFECTED THREE WEEKS AGO — CURRENT INFECTION RATE WOULD RESULT IN 12 TO 14 HOSPITALIZATIONS IN TWO WEEKS.
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“THE OPUS” OFFICIALLY OPENED WITH RIBBON-CUTTING THIS MORNING WITH WHITE PLAINS MAYOR TOM ROACH AND COUNCILMEN JUSTIN BRASCH AND JAMES MARTIN ON HAND AND THE OWNERS OF THE HOTEL FLYING IN FROM ABROAD TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY.
“THE OPUS” TAKES HOTEL ENTRANCES, HOTEL CORRIDORS, AND ACCOMMODATIONS TO A LEVEL NOT SEEN ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY.
IT IS SWANKY WITHOUT BEING SNOOTY, ELEGANCE WITHOUT PRETENSION. THE OPUS IS HOTEL AS THEATER INVITING YOU IN FOR ITS SHOW THAT NEVER STOPS. THE OPUS IS A PLACE TO STAY THAT ENTERTAINS WITH PRESENCE AND PERSONALITY! THE OPUS IS THE PLACE TO COME ON IN AND STAY AWHILE ON BUSINESS, FOR A WEDDING FOR THAT PERSONAL SPECIAL OCCASION. ACCEPTING GUESTS SINCE APRIL 15, 146 ROOMS AND LUXURY SUITES BIG, ROOMY , VIEWY. THEY EVEN ACCEPT PETS! RESERVATIONS GOING FAST IF YOU’RE HEADING TO WESTCHESTER COUNTY USA–IT’S JUST YOUR STYLE!
TELL THE BOSS, YOU WANT THE OPUS. OR BOOK THE BOSS INTO THE OPUS, THEY WILL LOVE IT.
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WPCNR VACCINATION POP-UP REPORT. From Archbishop Stepinac High School May 26, 2021: Stepinac High School in White Plains New York has partnered with Sunshine Pharmacy, to provide an opportunity for people to receive the Pfizer COVID vaccination. You do have to sign up online for the shot. Anyone over the age of 12 may receive the first vaccination.
The pharmacy will administer both shots at a pop- up clinic that will be set up at Stepinac, located at 950 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains.
The first shot will be available from 2 to 6 PM, Tuesday, June 1. The second shot will be given on Tuesday, June 22, at the same time individuals received their first shot.
To sign up to receive the shots at Stepinac, click this following link:
https://hipaa.jotform.com/Sunshinepharmacy/stepinachs20210601
Questions should be addressed to the following individuals:
Nurse Pollard at Stepinac High School (cpollard@stepinac.org)
Or
Mr. Patel, Pharmacy Manager, Sunshine Pharmacy
Phone: 914-607-3939 Cell: 914-262-5339
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WPCNR THE CUOMO CORONAVIRUS VACCINATION PACE REPORT. From the Governor’s Office. May 25, 2021:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state’s vaccination program. 90,710 doses have been administered across the state’s vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and 788,145 doses have been administered statewide over the past seven days.
“We continue to put more shots in arms every single day and urge vaccination as the key to defeating COVID-19 for good, but vaccination rates are dramatically slowing and to continue moving our numbers up, we need to get creative,” Governor Cuomo said. “That’s why we’ve implemented new incentives—including passes at New York State parks, a lottery and transportation tickets—and are opening pop-up sites in locations convenient to New Yorkers. The future is looking up, but there’s a lot of work to be done rebuilding our state after this devastating pandemic, and the more New Yorkers who get vaccinated, the faster we’ll be able to reimagine our society for a new, brighter and more prosperous future.”
All New York State mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first come first serve basis. The walk-in appointments are reserved for first doses only with second doses to be scheduled automatically after administration of the initial shot. In addition, all vaccine providers are encouraged to allow walk-in appointments for eligible New Yorkers. People who would prefer to schedule an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site can do so on the Am I Eligible App or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX. People may also contact their local health department, pharmacy, doctor or hospital to schedule appointments where vaccines are available, or visit vaccines.gov to find information on vaccine appointments near them.
STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN
Total doses administered – 18,528,624
Total doses administered over past 24 hours – 90,710
Total doses administered over past 7 days – 788,145
Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 63.9%
Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 55.2%
Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 52.3%
Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 44.3%
| People with at least one vaccine dose | People with complete vaccine series | |||
| Region | CumulativeTotal | Increase over past24 hours | CumulativeTotal | Increase over past24 hours |
| Capital Region | 618,116 | 2,643 | 531,610 | 2,600 |
| Central New York | 492,722 | 2,169 | 432,601 | 1,740 |
| Finger Lakes | 626,145 | 2,784 | 545,295 | 2,422 |
| Long Island | 1,356,460 | 8,233 | 1,122,901 | 9,909 |
| Mid-Hudson | 1,110,114 | 6,080 | 927,483 | 6,600 |
| Mohawk Valley | 242,236 | 1,133 | 213,979 | 901 |
| New York City | 4,775,642 | 17,106 | 4,012,563 | 20,150 |
| North Country | 221,675 | 1,157 | 199,502 | 749 |
| Southern Tier | 320,805 | 1,287 | 280,945 | 1,436 |
| Western New York | 669,856 | 3,401 | 569,248 | 2,925 |
| Statewide | 10,433,771 | 45,993 | 8,836,127 | 49,432 |
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IT WAS LAST CALL FOR COVID IN WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA LAST
NIGHT, DENNIS AND TONNY.
THE MAYOR OFFICIALLY DECLARED THE COVID THREAT IN SUCH
DECLINE “THAT WE HAVE REACHED A POINT
THAT, WEEK TO WEEK, THERE IS VERY LITTLE TO REPORT.”
WITH 31 ACTIVE CASES IN OUR CITY, DOWN 17 AND AVERAGING
APPROXIMATELY 2 NEW CASES PER DAY.
HE SAID THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, IS TO GET VACCINATED. HE NOTED THE VACCINES ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
AND READILY AVAILABLE ON A WALK-IN BASIS. IN FACT 2 PM TODAY AT HIGHLANDS SCHOOL IN WHITE PLAINS YOU CAN GET VACCINATED OR HAVE YOUR TEEN OVER 12 BE VACCINATED.
THERE IS PRACTICALREASON TO GET VACCINATED, THE MAYOR SAID. IF YOU ARE A COLLEGE STUDENT, MANY COLLEGES, INCLUDING THE ENTIRE SUNY SYSTEM, ARE NOW REQUIRING PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION TO ATTEND IN PERSON. SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS ARE REQUIRING PROOF OF VACCINATION AND THE NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION OR A RECENT NEGATIVE TEST WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
THE MAYOR’S CALLS STARTED MARCH 16, 2020, TO GIVE TIMELY, ACCURATE INFORMATION AS IT BECAME AVAILABLE. FOR THE FIRST MONTH HE SENT OUT MESSAGE EVERY DAY DECLINING TO ONE A DAY AND NOW THE CALLS HAVE ENDED.
HIS SIGNOFF IN HIS LAST CALL WAS A TOUCHING THANK YOU RESIDENTS. HE PREVIOUSLY ENDED EVERY CALL WITH THE MESSAGE “WE ARE STANDING TOGETHER BY STAYING APART”. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR ACTIONS BIG AND SMALL WHICH HELPED US LIVE OUT THOSE WORDS HE SAID– THE END OF “STAYING APART” IS ON THE HORIZON BUT WE WILL ALWAYS STAND TOGETHER BECAUSE THAT’S WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY, MOVING FORWARD AS ONE CITY, ONE WHITE PLAINS.
COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER ANNOUNCED MONDAY AFTERNOON THERE WOULD BE TWO MORE COVID BRIEFINGS FROM HIS OFFICE THIS COMING THURSDAY AND THE LAST ON JUNE 3.
THE SOUTHEND OF TOWN IS MAKING STRONG EFFORT TO DEFEAT THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN TO CONVERT THE 701 WESTCHESTER AVE BUILDING THE ONE WITH THE COMBE SIGN ON IT TO 360 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND SURPRISE, RETAIL. THIS IS THE SECOND SUCH PROPOSAL. 1133 WESTCHESTER
AVENUE HAS A COLLECTION OF ATTACHED TOWN HOUSES NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS CONCEIVED CREATING RESIDENTIAL AND RETAIL USE ON WESTCHESTER AVENUE OFFICE PARKS TO DEAL WITH THE VACANCIES THOSE PROPERTIES WERE EXPERIENCING BEFORE COVID STOPPED THE COUNTY ECONOMY.
THE OBJECTIONS THE ROSEDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE NORTH STREET ASSOCIATIONS(THE AREA I LIVE) ARE INCREASED TRAFFIC DENSITY ALONG WESTCHESTER AVENUE. THEY DISPUTE THE TRAFFIC STUDY
AND SAY IT WILL ADD 611 VEHICLES TO THE CORPORATE Park Drive and
Westchester Park Drive that is estimated to have 1,480 resident vehicles.
The ASSOCIATIONS FEEL IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE CAMPUS OVERLAY ZONING, IT SETS A PRECEDENT FOR ALL
OFFICE PARKS BEHIND WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL. THE HEARING IS JUNE 7
HOWEVER, THE 1133 WESTCHESTER AVENUE PROJECT IS ALREADY A PRECEDENT. THE CITY ALREADY SET IT AND THE COUNCIL HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO APPROVE IT IN MY OPINION.
THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS HAS NO ZONING THAT CANNOT BE CHANGED EVER SINCE THE CITY CENTER AND RITZ CARLTON PROJECTS WERE APPROVED FOR OVER 20 STORIES IN HEIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN.
WHITE PLAINS IS TAKING OFF THE RITZ AND PUTTING ON THE OPUS AT THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THE OPUS HOTEL TOMORROW, THE NEW HOTEL REPLACING THE RITZ CARLTON ON RENAISSANCE SQUARE. THE RITZ
DID NOT RENEW THEIR LEASE IN SEPTEMBER IN THE CAPPELLI ENTERPRISES PROPERTY. AND THE MARRIOT OPUS JUMPED ON IT. IT BRINGS IN 146 GUEST ROOMS AND 38 LUXURY SUITES. IT APPEARS MORE OPPULENT AND
SWANKY IN THE LOBBY.
MEMORIAL DAY IS COMING UP ON DELFINO PARK IN WHITE PLAINS AT 11 AM ON MONDAY MEMORIAL DAY. PLENTY OF ROOM THERE FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND IF IT RAINS IT WILL BE INSIDE AT EBERSOLE RINK
WESTCHESTER INFECTIONS HAVE DECLINED BY 95% SINCE APRIL 1 FROM 400 A DAY TO 18 SUNDAY : SEVEN WEEKS OF THE VACCINES ROLLING BACK THE RELENTLESS COVID SECOND WAVE THAT HAS LASTED 4 MONTHS, RIVALING THE FIRST WAVE IN INTENSITY AND LONGER AND HARDER
TO CONTROL. BUT THE VACCINES AND THE PEOPLE HAVE DONE IT.
MONDAY AFTERNOON, COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER REPORTED 18 NEW PERSONS TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID OF 3,740 TESTED SUNDAY, AN INFECTION RATE OF .0048–LESS THAN HALF A PERCENT. MR. LATIMER SPOKE OF HOW INFECTIONS HAD DECLINED OVER THE LAST 7 WEEKS. THE NUMBER
OF 18 NEW POSITIVES IS THE LOWEST NUMBER OF NEW INFECTIONS TO DATE IN THE SECOND WAVE, NOW ROLLING OUT TO SEA.
THE LAST TIME WESTCHESTER COUNTY HAD 18 POSITIVES WAS ON JULY 18, 2020, WHEN THE COUNTY CHECKED IN WITH 12 INFECTIONS.
NOW AS WE GO INTO THE FIRST OF THE “ANYTHING GOES—ALMOST!” HOLIDAY WEEKENDS ON INCREASED SOCIAL GATHERINGS, RELAXED MASKING RULES AND INCREASED PRIVATE ESTABLISHMENT AUTHORITY TO DECIDE
HOW MANY THEY CAN HAVE IN THEIR ESTABLISHMENT IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF BEHAVIOR WILL CONTINUE TO BE GOOD. BUT VACCINATION IS THE KEY
I PREDICT BASED ON THE PRESENT RATE OF VACCINATIONS THAT WESTCHESTER WILL BE ALMOST FULLY VACCINATED BY JUNE
20. BUT YOU HAVE TO DEFINE WHAT “FULLY VACCINATED IS”—SINCE THERE ARE STILL HALF A MILLION ELIGIBLE PEOPLE LEFT TO GET
SECOND SHOTS.
IN THE MID-HUDSON REGION WITH 1,104,452 PERSONS AS OF THIS MORNING NEEDING 2ND SHOTS IN THE ENTIRE MID-HUDSON REGION AND 50,000 2ND SHOTS BEING ADMINISTERED A WEEK ACROSS THE 7 COUNTIES, WESTCHESTER, DUTCHESS, ORANGE, PUTNAM, ROCKLAND SULLIVAN
AND ULSTER COUNTIES, IT WILL TAKE 20 TO 22 WEEKS TO SECOND VACCINATE THEM ALL PUTTING US ANYWHERE BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER TO GET 2 MILLION OF THE 2.3 MILLION IN THE MID-HUDSON REGION “FULLY VACCINATED.”
SOME ONE IS GOING TO HAVE TELL US WHAT “FULLY VACCINATED” IS BECAUSE UNLESS THE PERSONS NOT GETTING THE
VACCINE, THE CHILDREN UNDER 12 NOT ELIGIBLE, AND THE PERSONS DELAYING IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WILL HAVE 2 MILLION OF 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE VACCINATED IN THE MID-HUDSON REGION.
IT MAY TAKE THE ENTIRE MID-HUDSON
7 COUNTY REGION UNTIL SEPTEMBER OR AS LATE AS DECEMBER DUE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS STILL TO BE VACCINATED
IN ALL THE MID-HUDSON REGION.
THANK YOU DENNIS AND TONNY AND SO LONG FOR NOW.
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Today Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. South wind 7 to 11 mph.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind 6 to 13 mph. (From National Weather Service)
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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From Mayor Tom Roach. May 24, 2021:
Mayor Tom Roach congratulated the City of White Plains with his last Mayor’s Covid Update last night.
The Mayor’s weekly Monday Covid calls, always anticipated eagerly by the citizenry for their candor and inspired encouragement, the Mayor’s most significant communication innovation of his 10 years in office went like this
“There are currently an estimated 31 active cases in our City, down 17 from a week ago. Over the last 7 days, we are averaging approximately 2 new cases per day.
” The Covid-19 numbers continue to move in the right direction. The most important thing you can do to keep yourself safe, if you have not already done so, is to get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe and effective and readily available on a walk-in basis.
Many colleges, including the entire SUNY system, are now requiring proof of full vaccination to attend in person. Sports and entertainment events are also requiring proof of vaccination and it is anticipated that the number of activities that require proof of vaccination or a recent negative test will continue to grow.
We started these calls on March 16, 2020, to disseminate timely, accurate information to our residents as it became available. In the early days of Covid, there was a constant flow of new information as we learned more about the virus. For the first month we called every day, eventually tapering down until we reached one call per week.
Today is the last of those calls as we have reached a point that, week to week, there is very little new information to impart.
From the beginning we closed every call with a statement of commitment, “We are standing together by staying apart”.
I want to thank all of you for your actions big and small which helped us live out those words. The end of “staying apart” is on the horizon but we will always stand together because that’s who we are as a community, moving forward as one city, on White Plains. “
Actualmente hay un estimado de 31 casos activos en nuestra ciudad, 17 menos que hace una semana. Durante los últimos 7 días ha habido un promedio de aproximadamente 2 casos nuevos por día.
Los números de Covid-19 continúan disminuyendo. Lo más importante que puede hacer para mantenerse seguro, si es que aún no lo ha hecho, es vacunarse. Las vacunas son seguras y eficaces y están disponibles sin cita previa. Muchas universidades, incluyendo todas las universidades estatales de Nueva York, están exigiendo un comprobante completo de vacunación para asistir a clases en persona. Los eventos deportivos y de entretenimiento también requieren prueba de vacunación y es de esperar que la cantidad de actividades que requieran prueba de vacunación o una prueba reciente negativa de COVID continúe aumentando.
Estas llamadas comenzaron el 16 de marzo del 2020 con el objetivo de difundir información precisa y oportuna a nuestros residentes a medida que estuviera disponible. Al principio de la pandemia hubo un flujo constante de nueva información a medida que aprendíamos más sobre el virus. Durante el primer mes, lo llamamos todos los días, y finalmente disminuimos las llamadas a una llamada por semana. Hoy es la última llamada que le hacemos, ya que hemos llegado a un punto en el que semana a semana hay muy poca información nueva que podamos compartir con usted.
Desde el principio terminábamos cada llamada diciéndoles que “estábamos más juntos al mantenernos más separados”, ese era nuestro compromiso. Quiero agradecerles a todos ustedes por sus acciones, grandes y pequeñas, que nos ayudaron a hacer esas palabras más reales.
Ya casi llega el momento donde no necesitaremos “permanecer separados” y siempre nos mantendremos juntos porque somos una comunidad unida que avanza como ciudad. Eso es lo que hacemos aquí en White Plains