White Plains CitizeNetReporter

WPTV will be airing last night’s Special Meeting of the White Plains Common Council every hour on the hour from 10am-6pm today on our government channel. (Cablevision 75/Verizon 47)The video will also be available on the city’s website at cityofwhiteplains.com

The Public Hearing on the proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments relating to the property at 52 North Broadway will continue this coming Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at the White Plains Performing Arts Center, 11 City Place, White Plains at 7:30 p.m. 

Please note the following with regard to the Public Hearing:

• Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
• Please leave enough time to enter, as mandatory temperature screenings will be conducted prior to entering. 
• Facial coverings must be worn at all times. 
• Seating will be limited and will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.

 The Public Hearing will continue via Zoom on Thursday, November 19, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. Any member of the public who did not speak at the November 18, 2020 Public Hearing will be given an opportunity to speak.

Any individual who wishes to speak on November 19 must register by noon on the 19^th, by using the link hereor by telephone at 914-422-1411 (during business hours).

Both Public Hearing sessions will be broadcast live on:

• Optimum channel 76
• FiOS channel 47
• Streamed at:  http://whiteplainsny.swagit.com/live/ 

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. November 17, 2020:

Westchester County Executive George Latimer encourages residents to keep their Thanksgiving celebrations small and as safe as possible this year and to follow the Health Department’s tips for a healthier holiday.

Latimer said: “This is the year to make your Thanksgiving gathering more intimate, and to cherish your immediate family members and traditions. Consider setting time for a virtual visit with distant relatives and friends. If you do invite others to your holiday table, spend some time outdoors and keep the windows open when you’re inside.”

Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD, offered some extra advice to reduce Covid-19 exposure:

• Open the windows — the wider the better and as many as possible — to promote cross-ventilation.
• Run your kitchen exhaust fan.
• Keep guests out of the kitchen.
• Wash or sanitize hands frequently.
• Have your guests wear a mask unless they are eating or drinking.
• Avoid passing platters from person to person.
• Designate one person with gloved hands to serve buffet style from a central location.
• Consider making side dishes in single-serve ramekins and using single service plates and utensils.
• Ask your guests to reduce their contacts and potential exposures for the two weeks prior to their visit.
• Remind your guests to stay home if they have any COVID symptoms or a fever, are awaiting COVID test results, or are under quarantine or isolation orders.
• Have your returning college student limit his or her exposure to others and get tested this week, next week and a day or two before returning home, wear a mask throughout their travel home when around others, whether by plane, train or car, with windows open.
• Invite your guests to wear masks and meet you for a walk, a turkey trot or a hike in a park.

Amler said: “It is especially important to keep uninvited germs out of your holiday meal, so wash your hands thoroughly when you arrive and before you take that first bite. Good hand hygiene can help reduce the risk of flu, Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses.”

Restaurants have taken steps to increase safety, but outdoor dining remains preferable to indoors. When dining out, if you do not see a permit, contact the Health Department to assure the restaurant complies with State and County sanitary codes.

At home, when you remove your fresh or defrosted turkey from the refrigerator, do not wash it — this spreads pathogens onto kitchen surfaces. Fully cook the turkey to kill bacteria that causes foodborne illness. The Health Department recommends holiday hosts and their helpers follow these 10 food safety tips:

• Wash hands and food-contact surfaces with hot water and soap thoroughly and often.
• Thaw turkey in a pan in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for every 5 pounds.
• Keep raw meat, poultry and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
• Use separate cutting boards, plates and utensils when handling raw turkey to avoid cross-contamination.
• Wash items that have touched raw meat with hot water and soap, or place them in a dishwasher.
• Rinse all fruits and vegetables in cool running water and remove surface dirt.
• Cook turkey and stuffing to 165°F, as measured by a food thermometer. Check the turkey’s temperature by inserting the thermometer in three places: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing.
• When preparing the meal, cut down on the amount of fat and sugar in recipes and boost flavor with fresh herbs instead of salt.
• Refrigerate turkey, stuffing and sides within two hours.
• Reheat leftovers to at least at least 165°F before serving. (Check the temperature with a metal probe thermometer.)

For more food preparation safety tips, go

to www.westchestergov.com/health. SDA Meat & Poultry Hotline: 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) USDA-FSIS: Chat live with a food safety specialist in English or Spanish at AskKaren.gov (En Español), 10 a.m.—6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Web-based automated response system available 24/7.

WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. Based on New York State Workbook -Corona Tracker By John F. Bailey. November 16, 2020 UPDATED WITH THE GEORGE LATIMER COVID UPDATE THIS AFTERNOON:

The number of persons tested positive for corona virus through Saturday from last Sunday continues to grow. of 53,065 tested, 2,127 tested positive, a 4.1% infection rate. The Westchester Infection Rate has continued to rise, since mid-September and the increase now pushing 4% on average a week.

The infection rates of last Thursday, Friday and Saturday testings were 4% Thursday, 4.6% Friday and 3.6% Saturday.

AT 2 PM, yesterday’s state testing reported 3.7% of 6,167 persons tested on Sunday revealed 230 more persons tested positive for a total of 2,357 for the 8 Days ended Sunday. (An average of 294 new cases each day for the last 8 days).

In his Covid Briefing at 2 PM, County Executive George Latimer said there was no doubt the second wave had arrived. He said he was reducing by 25% the number of county employees in Westchester Government required to come into offices to help limit the possibilities of infection, and all boards and commissions would meet virtually.

He said if masks were not worn more consistently, “stronger enforcement measures” would be considered, and said it depended on how people follow the face mask, crowding conditions and social distancing requirements.

Asked in the news conference if the county was keeping up with covid tracing protocols, the County Executive said tracing was “stressed” by inability to keep up with the numbers and hampered by persons refusing to cooperate for one reason or another, mainly because of being forced into being tested, testing positive, and having to go into quarantine.

Asked by Peter Katz of the Westchester Business Journal whether the county planned any direct intervention in business operations to prevent workplaces from spreading the covid virus, Mr. Latimer said the intent of the county was to suggest businesses look at things they could do to have less work force in offices and businesses, to urge them to be “proactive” in covid spread prevention, not force them to do it. Mr. Latimer said Governor Cuomo could however demand working place environment changes.

Latimer also told Mr. Katz the county had not heard from the Westchester congressional delegation in Washington of any movement on a new stimulous aid package. Mr. Latimer said “No.” He also said that failure to do so would result in loss of personnel in county and city departments hampering delivery of county and local services

Latimer announced, because of the steady increase in cases, he would now give 2 Covid briefings each week, the next being Thursday at 2 PM.

He supported the hybrid learning model now being employed by most of the 44 school districts, and said it is not possible at this time to have all students return to schools.

The infection rate of persons tested for coronavirus over the last 7 days from Sunday November 8 through Saturday, November 14 before the Sunday numbers were in averaged 4.07% of those tested due to fluctuations in the number of persons tested.

WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. By Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. November 12, 2020: Unfortunately, COVID is raging nationally, setting record numbers of cases and hospitalizations each day. Yesterday, there were 148,302 new COVID cases in the United States—nearly doubling the number from November 1st. The fall surge is here.  1. The NY statewide positivity rate is just below 3 percent. In the micro-cluster focus areas, the positivity rate was 4.86 percent. Excluding these areas, it was 2.53 percent. Of the 162,627 tests reported yesterday, 4,797, or 2.95 percent, were positive. Total hospitalizations were at 1,677. Sadly, we lost 29 New Yorkers to the virus.  2. New York continues to take action to address the micro-cluster across the state. Based on data metrics, Port Chester’s yellow zone will transition to an orange warning zone. We also announced new yellow precautionary zones in Staten Island and Tioga County. The yellow precautionary zone in Steuben County has been removed. Maps of the existing cluster zones are available here.   Yesterday, we announced new actions to slow the spread. Starting tomorrow, Friday, November 13th, any establishment with a state liquor license, including bars and restaurants, must close in-person service daily from 10pm to 5am (this excludes takeout and delivery). Gyms and fitness centers must also close at 10pm. Indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people, also starting tomorrow evening. We have seen that small, indoor gatherings are a major source of spread. Once again, it’s up to what we do. What happens next is a pure consequence of our actions now. I know it has been a long hard time, but these next weeks are going to be crucial and we need people to buckle down to fend off the worst. If there is a time to show that we are New York Tough, it’s now.   To honor our veterans, landmarks across the state, including Niagara Falls, were lit red, white and blue last night.    In just one week, New York has conducted an additional one million tests. To date, New York has conducted over 16 million tests and we continue to lead the nation in testing. Find a testing site near you.   4. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade announced the performers for its virtual celebration. The celebration will be broadcast nationwide this year on Thanksgiving morning but due to the pandemic, there will be no audience. The parade will also forgo the annual procession to avoid large crowds but will feature performances from Dolly Parton, the Muppets, the cast of Hamilton and more.   Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Chris Nikic, 21, became the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman Triathlon. The Special Olympics athlete was recognized by the Guinness World Records upon completing the Ironman Florida race in 16 hours 46 minutes and 9 seconds. “Ironman. Goal set and achieve. Time to set a new and Bigger Goal for 2021,” said Nikic in an Instagram post.  If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here.  Ever Upward, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo