Free! Elena Sassower, The White Plains 1 Comes Home Today.

  WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. From Center for Judicial Accountability. (Edited)December 22, 2004:  As exclusively reported for the last six months only by The White Plains CitizeNetReporter,  the jail term of  White Plains own Elena Ruth Sassower, Coordinator and Cofounder of the Center for Judicial Accountability in the city, ends Thursday.


She returns home to White Plains today upon her scheduled release from spending six months in the District of Columbia Jail at 1901 E Street, SE Washington DC. for conviction of a non-violent, non-felony “Disruption of Congress” charge. Ms. Sassower has been in jail since June 28.



BREAK OUT THE YELLOW RIBBONS. Elena Sassower comes home today. Photo, Courtesy, Center for Judicial Accountability.


The charge was based on Ms. Sassower’s 23-word question posed on the adjournment of a May 22, 2003 Senate Judiciary Committee Public Hearing, which upon utterance caused Chairman of the Committee Saxby Chambliss to direct DC Capitol Police to arrest her.


 


That question was:   Mr. Chairman, there is citizen opposition to Judge Wesley based on his documented corruption as a New York Court of Appeals judge. May I testify?”


 


To the Dungeon With Her.


 


Ms. Sassower was removed from the Meeting Room, handcuffed, arrested, and incarcerated incommunicado for 21 hours before she was brought before a Magistrate, charged with “Disruption of Congress.”


 


Sassower was there that day to protest the appointment of Judge Wesley, one of five judicial nominees of President Bush, whose nominations were before the Senate Judiciary Committee.


 


Wesley’s was a lifetime appointment to a federal judgeship on the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which reviews federal district court appeals, including from New York. All five were recommended for confirmation at a two hour hearing dubbed by the Center for Judicial Accountability as a  “rubber stamp” hearing.


 


Ms. Sassower’s voice was  the lone voice expressed in intended opposition.


 


Doris L. Sassower, Cofounder and Director of the Center, says of her daughter’s prison stay, “It’s a police state mentality that would permit a law-abiding public advocate like Elena to be arrested here in America, convicted, and jailed for six months for respectfully asking to testify in opposition to proposed governmental action at a Congressional public hearing. That’s what the First Amendment was designed to protect. Such facts required dismissal of the criminal case.”


 


George McDermott, a citizens’ rights activist, former Congressional candidate, and member of the press, who attended Ms. Sassower’s trial, said he “never saw anything so unfair in my life” and “could not believe he was in an American courtroom.”


 


 The internationally known D.C. law firm of Lewin & Lewin is representing Ms. Sassower pro bono and will be filing an appeal from her conviction in the D.C. Court of Appeals.   


Only two other newspapers in the country reported on Ms. Sassower’s plight  after the CitizeNetReporter. 


One was The Philadelphia Inquirer. Reporters were discouraged by the jail from interviewing Ms. Sassower. Major television network news departments ignored the story.


The New York Times only recently did a story and reported the sequence of the incident incorrectly, with a tone that said in effect, Ms. Sassower had it coming because she was such a gadfly.

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400 Feet And Rising! Mr. C Talks 2 Spires at 221; Will Build Affordable Housing

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. December 22, 2004, UPDATED WITH EXCLUSIVE FOTOS, 12:30 A.M. E.S.T.: As reported earlier today by WPCNR,  Louis Cappelli introduced a dramatic redesign for his 221 Main Street Hotel & Condoplex to the Common Council Wednesday evening. He proposed cutting the proposal back to 2, taller spires, eliminating the office building/headquarters component. The twin spires would still together house 290 condominium units, above a 175-room luxury hotel, and office suite combination.



THE BIG SHOW: Louis Cappelli Introduces “The New 221 Main Hotel-Condoplex,” Calling for towers to soar to 399 feet above Main Street. Photo by WPCNR News.


Mr. Cappelli proposed raising the heights  of the twins  from 350 feet to 399 feet above Main Street to provide more appealing “view corridors” and 35% more  separation between the two. 





Cappelli announced he was prepared to begin the project in the third week in January by demolitioning the Bar Building annex, which has one tenant left in it. The new design at this time appears to be headed to the Common Council as a site plan amendment.


 



IN WITH THE NEW. OUT WITH THE OLD: Mr.Cappelli began his presentation contrasting the new design (left) with the former three-tower setup at the right. The Bar Building is at the lower right of the New model and the old model. On the easel in background is the affordable housing Mr. Cappelli proposes for the 189 Main Street property he has just acquired where he offers to build 41 units of “affordable housing” in return for the Common Council agreeing to the new 399 foot height of the new twin spires. Photo by WPCNR News.



THE NEW MAIN STREET VIEW LOOKING DUE EAST DOWN MAIN: Mr. Cappelli showcased this computerized graphic showing “The New 221 Main” in perspective with the City Center (right) down Main Street. He said that the City Center is on slightly higher elevation enabling the twin spires to appear only 25 feet higher than the City Center rather than 49 feet.  The white building in the center of your picture is the Bar Building. Photo by WPCNR News.


Louis Cappelli, Developer of Affordable Housing


The Super Developer, rapidly acquiring a reputation also as “The Super Donor,” sweetened the proposal by offering a unique way to satisfy his obligation to either build or donote money to the city affordable housing fund to satisfy the obigation he has to provide  6% of his units as affordable housing.


He said he had acquired the building across Court Street, 189 Main Street where Western Union has an office, (scene of a fire three weeks ago).



AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON MAIN at new Court Street Extension. You are looking at Mr. Cappelli’s 41-units of housing, a 7-story complex he proposes from your table at Starbucks.The Bar Building is behind the tree. Photo by WPCNR News.


If Cappelli can purchase the building next to 189 Main, he will build 41 units of affordable housing for approximately $10 Million, instead of paying $1.3 Million to the city. The affordable housing marketing position would be up to the Common Council to choose whether it be rental or condo.


If he could not purchase the second building next to the Western Union Building, (for which he said he was in negotiations), he’d build the balance of the 41 affordable housing units on the Donut Nook/Main Street Bookstore/ Deli site on 240 Main Street at City Place.


This fallback location to build affordable housing would effectively kill The Pinnacle project. 


Goodbye Office Building.


Cappelli said he would reduce the office component to 150,000 square feet from 310,000 square feet, previously planned for the “office headquarters” that was to be the third building of the 890,000 square feet he has to develop on 221. The Office headquarters portion would be folded in to the second 400 foot tower.



THE STAR: The New 221 Main, as seen looking East North East.  Bar Building would be at lower right, but is not part of the model. The spire on the left would contain 110,000 square feet of office, then transform to condominiums. The 175-suite Cappelli Hotel is located on the panoramic facade connecting the two spires. Photo by WPCNR News.


The Council Loves It.


The Common Council, with the exception of Mr. Delgado, was enthusiastic over the design and the affordable housing component proposed by Cappelli, and did not appear at all horrified by the proposed escalation in height of the towers.


Mr.Greer liked the height, and elicited the fact that the 35% more open space was “in the air.” Ms. Malmud reserved judgment on a number of issues, but said she liked the affordable housing on the Court Street corridor. Mr. Bernstein liked it because the reduction of the business piece reduced traffic impact. He also was cheered by the introduction of tangible affordable housing units.  Mr. Delgado reserved judgment, but suggested loosening up White Plains building codes to allow Mr.Cappelli to use more of the spires height to advantage.


Mr. Boykin wanted more affordable units from Mr. Cappelli, noting Cappelli would make more money from the higher-in-the-sky expanded condo suites. Cappelli pointed out he was going to take a $5 Million bath on building the affordable units, far more than if he would pay  if he paid the waiver fee of $1.3 Million. Boykin did not voice any strong objection to the escalated height.


 Mr. Roach was strong for the tangible affordable units that Mr. Cappelli was offering. No objection was voiced at all about the height change. Mayor Joseph Delfino had no comment, but presided with his benign presence.


Too Close together.


Mr. Cappelli said he had been looking at changing the project because of the foreshortened “view corridors” of the present 221 design. Now, he felt with changing the project to two towers, he had created 35% more open space above the 25% of open space the previous plan provided. Asked where the open space was, Cappelli, noted that it was “in the air” not on the ground.


Ginsburg Development Aghast.


The proposal to take the Nook-Book-Deli property at 240 Main on the East side of City Place, and take it “affordable,” (if Mr. Cappelli could not acquire the second building adjacent 189 Main, from the proposed hotel entrance, brought ashen looks to the faces of representatives of the Ginsburg Development Corporation observing.


They need that Cappelli-owned site along side City Place to build their 280-foot high ediface, The Pinnacle.


 



RUMBLE IN THE ROTUNDA: Bill Null, attorney for the Ginsburg Development Corporation, partially hidden, makes a point with Louis Cappelli, right, discussing the finer points of realty negotiation. Susan Elan, Reporter takes notes as the positions are stated.  Photo by WPCNR News.


A tense, heated discussion between Mr. Cappelli and the Ginsburg contingent ensued on the Rotunda after the presentation, exploring the issue.


Mr. Cappelli ended the informal Rotunda negotiation with the Ginsburgians, encouraging the Ginsburg party to ask the Common Council to condemn his(Cappelli’s) 240 Main Street property. (“Why don’t you?” were his words. 



 Cappelli said he simply wanted the Ginsburg organization to lower its spire 40 feet to bring it down to the 235 foot level  and they could build the building. However lowering the spire kills the design concept of the building in the Ginsburg camp’s opinion.


We’re not selling. I’m Not Buying.


WPCNR asked the Ginsburg contingent if they would consider selling their parcel and their rights to the A & P site to Mr. Cappelli, they said “No.” Mr. Cappelli denied interest in purchasing the Ginsburg property and helping them out of their dilemma. The Ginsburg attorney, William Null said the 240 Main Street propert was still in litigation.


But the announced detente between Mr. Cappelli and Martin Ginsburg of little more than a month ago to coexist appeared to be history, now that 240 Main Street, the lynchpin of their project, is in jeopardy of being snatched away forever, or at least until Mr. Ginsburg finds some legal leverage on either the Common Council or through the courts.


Views on the Big Night.



LOOKING NORTH ON MAIN STREET FROM HEAD OF MAMARONECK AVENUE. Photo by WPCNR News.



THE VIEW LOOKING WEST FROM GRACE CHURCH. Photo by WPCNR News.



Sense of Euphoria Drifted Engulfed the Mayor’s Office after Mr. Cappelli presented his show. Reporter collars Mark Weingarten, center and “The Busiest Building Commissioner in America,” Mike Gismondi. Photo by WPCNR News.

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Police Confirm 14 Lexus Headlight Thefts in Last Month. 3 Last Night.

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. December 22, 2004, UPDATED 12:20 P.M. E.S.T.: Inspector Daniel Jackson, spokesman for the White Plains Department of Public Safety confirmed to WPCNR that there have been a series of Lexus headlight thefts in White Plains parking garages and out of driveways in the last month. Jackson said the computer chip the thieves seek is only found on the Lexus 300 Series SUV model. To date, Jackson reports fourteen such thefts within the city limits, but says to his knowledge there have been over 100 such thefts countywide. “We first noticed this when the county crime analysis unit spotted the trend.”


A local body shop owner in White Plains noted to WPCNR that the headlights once removed or with the module taken out are “destroyed, they’re useless.” He also related that usually you cannot remove the headlights without bending or altering the fender housing the headlight console, The fender he said, if severely damanged, could cost the owner up to $10,000 to replace.


 The body man opined that usually the thieves use the computer chips to install headlights on their own cars. He said resale was not usually why the headlights were stolen. “They usaully want the modules for their own cars,” he said.


 


 


Jackson said the police department has notified LEXUS 300S  SUV owners in White Plains by flyer to be aware of the problem. He urges owners parking their cars overnight to garage their vehicles, and if they hear any suspicious noises from their driveway, to contact the police and they will investigate.


Lure of the Fast and Furious


The lure of the headlights for thieves, Jackson said is “a module or chip on the back of the Lexus headlight that allows you to install Xenon headlights in any vehicle, like a Honda civic. It’s the lure of the fast and furious hot cars.”


Jackson described Xenon headlights as “the really bright white ones you see on the road.”


WPCNR notes that Xenon Lights also come in varying colors of blue, red and green and work on a burning gas mechanism that produced a fierce brightness.


He said that thieves have taken entire  LEXUS headlights and sometimes just the modules, because, he said the module is easy to “pop out.” Asked why the tinkering with the headlights does not set off anti-theft devices, Jackson said, that unless a hood is opened or a door opened, removal of the headlight does not generate enough movement to set off the typical anti-theft device.


Another problem for police is that the computer modules being taken do not have serial numbers on them, which causes prosecution difficulties, in Mr. Jackson’s opinion. “They are expensive for the owner to replace,” Jackson said.


Residences and Garages Targets


To date, Jackson said, none of the thefts in White Plains have found owners surprising theives removing headlights.


Jackson said an arrest was made in Greenwhich of one perpetrator stealing a Lexus headlight, but that obviously did not deter Tuesday evening’s thefts in the city.


Thefts have occurred in the City Center, the TransCenter and the Hamilton Avenue garage.


DOT Traffic Law Violation.


Jackson, in the course of the interview said that xenon headlights are not legal on all vehicles in New York and if installed could result in a vehicle being out of compliance with the Department of Transporation law.


 

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Lexus Head Light Thieves Stalk City Garages, Leave Lexuses Lightless. 6 Or MORE

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter & Operatives. December 21, 2004, UPDATED December 22, 2004 10:45 A.M. : White Plains Police are investigating a series of six or possibly more incidents involving the vandalism or theft of Lexus auto headlights from vehicles parked in city garages that have taken place over the last four weeks.


 


According to our sources who got this information from a police officer investigating the thefts, a number of Lexus automobiles equipped with the rotating headlights (which rotate in synchronization as the vehicle is turned left and right) had the headlights removed in three different city locations: the City Center garage, the White Plains Railroad Station Transcenter, and the Hamilton Avenue garage Tuesday evening. WPCNR has attempted to confirm this latest round of incidents reported as having taken place last night, and is awaiting the police version on this ongoing headlight theft situation. However the official number of thefts to date we have been unable to confirm at this time.


 


Our correspondent, familiar with the situation,  says police tell them this is a current trend and has happened in the City Center garage twice, once in the Hamilton Avenue Garage and twice in the Transcenter. The first City Center Garage incident occurred about two weeks ago when a construction worker reported finding a pair of headlights apparently thrown into bed of his pickup truck. Our source at the City Center Garage said, it appeared that the perpetrator might have been surprised and thrown the headlights into the truck to ditch the evidence. Or, it may be the chip that is contained in the headlights was removed.


 


Another source speaking on condition of anonymity said that the Lexus headlights contain a computer chip which is very valuable on the resale market. “The Lexus headlights are very easy to pop out, and remove the chip, and they can resell the chips to parts guys for $600 to $700.”

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