WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the White Plains Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joseph Ricca, June 16, 2021 :

As you know, Governor Cuomo announced additional changes to the New York State Department of Health’s COVID-19 Guidelines for large scale events (this is the guidance that covers Highlands Move-Up Day and WPHS Commencement).

The text of the guidance is included below this message. We recognize and respect that everyone feels differently with regard to NYSDOH health/safety standards and the WPCSD will continue to do our very best to serve all members within our community and make everyone as comfortable as possible.

Accordingly, there are some important adjustments to the requirements for both Highlands Move-Up and WPHS Commencement.

Please review the following:

1. Masks are strongly encouraged, but not required, for vaccinated individuals.

2. Unvaccinated individuals (adults and children) must wear a mask throughout the event(s).

3. Proof of vaccination/negative test result are no longer required upon entry to the event(s).

4. Physical distancing (seating) will be observed at both Highlands Move-Up and WPHS Commencement.

5. Contact tracing cards are no longer required.

Please note that official updates/reminders/communications from both Highlands and WPHS will be forthcoming via the district’s K12 Alerts System.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s school (Highlands and/or WPHS). Please be reminded that the New York State Department of Health guidelines for PreK-12 school operations has not been modified at this time.

The new guidelines (from the New York State Department of Health) issued today to the White Plains School District:

·     The June 7, 2021 update to the Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction at Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency does not apply to end of academic year celebration events, such as graduations and moving-up ceremonies, which are large, public events that occur outside the scope of in-person academic instruction, scholastic, and extracurricular activities.

·     As announced by Governor Cuomo on June 15, 2021, MOST COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted as 70 percent of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination series. As New York surpassed that threshold, the State’s health guidelines—including social gathering limits, capacity restrictions, social distancing, cleaning and disinfection, health screening, and contact information for tracing—will become optional for most industries, including pre-K-12 education end of year events, provided however there are two exceptions that continue to apply to end of academic year celebrations:

o   Masks are still required for unvaccinated individuals, pursuant to federal CDC guidelines.

o   Large-scale indoor event venues — defined as venues that have an indoor capacity of greater than 5,000 —will still follow the State’s existing health guidance for large events. Specifically, consistent with the State’s implementation of the CDC guidelines, proof of vaccination can be used to eliminate social distancing and remove masks for fully vaccinated individuals. Unvaccinated or unknown vaccination status individuals who are over the age of four must continue to present proof of a recent negative diagnostic COVID-19 test result and wear masks within the venue. However, social distancing can be reduced or eliminated between tested attendees, allowing venues to reach 100 percent capacity in all sections. (See below and linked materials for additional guidance.)

·     Please again note that, notwithstanding that 70 percent of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination series, the Department of Health’s Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction at Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency remains in effect.

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WPCNR GOVERNOR CUOMO’S CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From the Governor’s Press Office. June 16, 2021:

Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity is 0.40%, Lowest in the Country–Record Low for 18 Consecutive Days, Has Declined for 71 Consecutive Days

Additional State-Run Drive Through Testing Sites –including Glen Island in New Rochelle to Close Beginning Friday, June 18

9 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday
    

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo yesterday afternoon updated New Yorkers on the state’s progress combatting COVID-19.  

The Governor announced the demobilizing of additional state-run drive-through COVID-19 testing sites across New York State beginning Friday, June 18. These testing site closures follow historically low positivity rates and an 88 percent decrease in drive-through testing demand from January to May 2021.

“COVID-19 has been the most trying and difficult time in our lives, but New York State is finally moving forward into the future. Vaccination rates are up and COVID numbers are down, and we’re reducing restrictions across the board,” Governor Cuomo said. “We need New Yorkers to continue getting vaccinated, and that’s why we’ve launched a variety of incentives across the state. The pandemic is on the decline, but vaccination is the key to our success and I encourage any New Yorkers who haven’t taken the shot yet to do so right away.”

The state-run drive-through test sites will close as follows:

Friday, June 18

Binghamton – Binghamton University

Binghamton University

Lot ZZ South

Binghamton, NY

Rockland County – Anthony Wayne Rec Area

Anthony Wayne Rec Area

Exit 17 Palisades Parkway

Bear Mountain, New York

Suffolk County – Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University

South P Lot

Stony Brook, New York

Niagara County – Niagara County Community College

Niagara County Community College

3111 Saunders Settlement Road

Sanborn, New York

Friday, June 25

Albany – SUNY Albany

1400 Washington Avenue, Collins Circle

Albany, New York

Queens – Aqueduct Racetrack

Aqueduct Racetrack

110-00 Rockaway Boulevard

Queens, New York

Rochester – Monroe County Community College

Monroe Community College

1000 E. Henrietta Road

Lot G

Rochester, New York

Westchester County – Glen Island Park
350 Weyman Avenue

New Rochelle, New York

Bronx – Bay Plaza

The Mall at Bay Plaza

200 Baychester Avenue

Bronx, New York

 
Today’s data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported – 55,438
• Total Positive – 320
• Percent Positive – 0.58%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 0.40%
• Patient Hospitalization – 650 (+33)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 91
• Patients in ICU – 161 (-2)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation – 88 (-4)
• Total Discharges – 183,801 (+54)
• Deaths – 9
• Total Deaths – 42,882
• Total vaccine doses administered – 20,212,046
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours – 112,891
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days – 597,373
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 67.6%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 60.6%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 70.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 61.6%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 55.9%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 49.6%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 58.0%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 50.3%

Each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

Region	Saturday, June 12, 2021	Sunday, June 13, 2021	Monday, June 14, 2021
Capital Region	0.35%	0.33%	0.33%
Central New York	0.68%	0.64%	0.59%
Finger Lakes	0.65%	0.62%	0.59%
Long Island	0.42%	0.41%	0.41%
Mid-Hudson	0.41%	0.39%	0.38%
Mohawk Valley	0.39%	0.40%	0.41%
New York City	0.39%	0.39%	0.38%
North Country	0.54%	0.58%	0.56%
Southern Tier	0.47%	0.41%	0.41%
Western New York	0.44%	0.38%	0.35%
Statewide	0.42%	0.41%	0.40%

Each New York City borough’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

Borough in NYC	Saturday, June 12, 2021	Sunday, June 13, 2021	Monday, June 14, 2021
Bronx	0.56%	0.54%	0.52%
Kings	0.37%	0.37%	0.36%
New York	0.30%	0.31%	0.30%
Queens	0.34%	0.34%	0.34%
Richmond	0.50%	0.50%	0.50%

Yesterday, 320 New Yorkers tested positive for COVID-19 in New York State, bringing the total to 2,092,599. A geographic breakdown is as follows:
  

County	Total Positive	New Positive
Albany	24,699	3
Allegany	3,555	0
Broome	18,623	4
Cattaraugus	5,720	0
Cayuga	6,337	0
Chautauqua	8,951	0
Chemung	7,761	2
Chenango	3,499	1
Clinton	4,835	0
Columbia	4,064	0
Cortland	3,926	1
Delaware	2,381	2
Dutchess	29,472	2
Erie	89,579	7
Essex	1,593	0
Franklin	2,563	0
Fulton	4,422	1
Genesee	5,435	0
Greene	3,403	0
Hamilton	313	0
Herkimer	5,187	1
Jefferson	6,136	5
Lewis	2,808	0
Livingston	4,520	0
Madison	4,562	0
Monroe	68,976	17
Montgomery	4,254	0
Nassau	183,649	25
Niagara	20,035	2
NYC	937,336	174
Oneida	22,619	5
Onondaga	38,931	3
Ontario	7,406	1
Orange	48,312	4
Orleans	3,118	0
Oswego	7,622	0
Otsego	3,462	1
Putnam	10,606	1
Rensselaer	11,229	1
Rockland	46,944	8
Saratoga	15,364	2
Schenectady	13,202	2
Schoharie	1,692	0
Schuyler	1,075	1
Seneca	2,011	0
St. Lawrence	6,640	3
Steuben	6,952	0
Suffolk	201,036	28
Sullivan	6,673	1
Tioga	3,830	1
Tompkins	4,346	0
Ulster	13,908	1
Warren	3,658	0
Washington	3,162	1
Wayne	5,783	1
Westchester	129,664	7
Wyoming	3,582	1
Yates	1,178	0

Yesterday, 9 New Yorkers died due to COVID-19, bringing the total to 42,882. A geographic breakdown is as follows, by county of residence:

County	New Deaths
Bronx	1
Erie	1
Kings	1
Manhattan	1
Niagara	1
Orange	1
Queens	1
Steuben	1
Westchester	1

All New York State mass vaccination sites are open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first-come, first-serve basis. 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.

Yesterday, 39,435 New Yorkers received their first vaccine dose, and 79,050 completed their vaccine series. A geographic breakdown of New Yorkers who have been vaccinated by region is as follows:

	People with at least one vaccine dose		People with complete vaccine series
Region	Cumulative Total	Increase over past 24 hours	Cumulative Total	Increase over past 24 hours
Capital Region	654315	1941	594281	5213
Central New York	519103	726	472004	3059
Finger Lakes	662790	1579	605339	4641
Long Island	1464254	8461	1290909	18004
Mid-Hudson	1188794	5554	1047006	11802
Mohawk Valley	255663	568	232925	1349
New York City	5133026	17411	4489312	27346
North Country	233613	288	213357	1032
Southern Tier	339141	877	309431	2126
Western New York	716432	2030	632559	4478
Statewide	11167131	39435	9887123	79050

The percentage of New Yorkers 18 and older who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is as follows, divided by region:

Region	Percentage 18+ With At Least One Dose
Long Island	75.3%
Capital Region	74.4%
Mid-Hudson	71.9%
Central New York	70.5%
Western New York	69.5%
Finger Lakes	69.0%
Southern Tier	68.4%
New York City	68.4%
North Country	63.9%
Mohawk Valley	60.6%

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I DO NOT THINK IT IS A GOOD LOCATION AT ALL. THE DMV DOES NOT ENHANCE THE GLAMOUR OF THE WESTCHESTER.  IT IS NO LONGER CENTRAL TO THE DOWNTOWN OR A CONVENIENT BUS ROUTE. YOU HAVE TO DRIVE TO IT. THIS WAS ALL CAUSED BY A UNION PROTESTING THE PREVIOUS PROPOSED LOCATION ON WATER STREET BECAUSE THE NEW CLEANING CONTRACTOR FIRED UNION WORKERS AND THE DMV CHANGED ITS MIND TO MOVE THERE  UNDER POLITICAL PRESSURE—THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BY SHORT-THINKING POLITICIANS AND OWNERS WENT INTO EFFECT AND THE DMV HAS STAYED IN THE WHITE PLAINS MALL DELAYING BY THREE YEARS I THINK NOW THE START OF  JEWEL OF THE WHITE PLAINS MALL DEVELOPMENT IN THE TRANSIT DISTRICT.

DENNIS: WHAT ABOUT THE WHITE PLAINS HOTEL.

JOHN: YOU MEAN THE HOTEL REPLACING THE RITZ? THAT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT SUCCESS, THE NEW OWNERS HAVE COMPLETELY CHANGED THE LOOK, IT IS UP SCALE, WELCOMING WITH GREAT ORIGINAL ART CONSIDERABLY BRIGHTENING UP THE BROWN ELEGANCE INTERIOR OF THE OLD RITZ AND THEY HAVE A COZY NEW COCKTAIL LOUNGE THAT IS SWANK, COSMOPOLOLITAN. IT SHOULD BE VERY POPULAR WITH THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELER AND THE DATING CROWD.

 THIS WEEK, DENNIS I INTERVIEWED DR. JOSEPH RICCA WHITE PLAINS SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS ON THE CLOSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FRIDAY. HE TOLD ME PARENTS ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR CHILDREN TO ATTEND SUMMER SCHOOL IN ADDITION TO THOSE THE SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRING TO GO. HE SAID GRADUATION FOR WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2021 WILL BE HELD OUTDOORS AT LOUCKS FIELD WEDNESDAY JUNE 23RD AND THE HIGHLANDS GRADUATION TUESDAY OCT 22ND   PARENTS HAVE TO HAVE PROOF OF VACCINATION TO ATTEND. THEY WILL BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED.

HE SAID THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL USE THEIR COVID AID TO MAKE HEAT AND VENTILATION IMPROVEMENTS AT ALL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND THE HIGH SCHOOL. THEY WILL AIR CONDITION ALL BUILDINGS INSTALL AIR FILTRATION AND AIR REPLENISHMENT SYSTEMS A FANTASTIC IMPROVEMENT. HE SAID THERE AT THIS TIME WILL BE NO REMOTE LEARNING IN THE FALL, AND IF THERE IS A NEW OUTBREAK OF COVID, THE DISTRICT WILL SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT KIND OF REMOTE LEARNING WHICH WILL NOT BE AS IT WAS THIS YEAR WHEN A TEACHER HAD TO TEACH A CLASS IN FRONT OF HER AND OBSERVE STUDENTS AT HOME ON HIS OR HER COMPUTER. THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID THIS REMOTE LEARNING WAS NOT ADEQUATELY EFFECTIVE.

HE SAID GLASS BARRIERS WOULD BE COMNG DOWN IN SCHOOLS, STUDENTS WOULD HAVE TO WEAR MASKS IN THE SCHOOLS AT THIS TIME AND NEXT FALL UNLESS LATER EVENTS AND DECISIONS ALLOW THE MASKING RULE TO BE RELAXED.

DR. RICCA SAID IN THE FUTURE THE DISTRICT IS GOING TO ADD MORE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS TO THE DISTRICT.

TECHNOLOGY OF WHITE BOARDS WILL BE PHASED OUT IN FAVOR OF TELEVISION SCREENS.

HE REPORTS EVERY STUDENT IN THE WHITE PLAINS SCHOOLS IS EQUIPPED WITH AN I-PAD AND BROADBAND…HE SAID THAT IF A FAMILY DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND, THE DISTRICT WILL PAY THE COST TO EQUIP THAT FAMILY’S HOME WITH BROADBAND.

THE DISTRICT WILL ALSO DO A LEARNING LOSS SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS LOST DURING THE PANDEMIC. HE  SAID ENROLLMENT WAS SLIGHTLY DOWN AND EMPHASIS IN THE FUTURE WOULD BE REPAIR OF EXISTING WHITE PLAINS SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL DISTRICT DEBT IS PAID DOWN BUT NO NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION IS IN SIGHT.

YOU CAN HEAR THAT COMPLETE INTERVIEW THURSDAY NIGHT ON “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD” ON CH 45 FIOS AND CH 76 OPTIMUM.

(SCRIPT PLANNED TO BE BROADCAST THAT WAS NOT AIRED:)

THERE IS A STORM BREWING OVER 701 WESTHESTER OFFICE CAMPUS OFFICE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED. THE COUNCIL OF NEIGHBRHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WANTS A MEETING WITH THE COMMON COUNCIL BUT SO FAR THE MAYOR AND THE COMMON COUNCIL HAVE NOT AGREED TO IT. THAT MATTER WAS MOVED TO JULY FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

THE CITY IS GOING TO REVISE ITS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BUT IT WILL TAKE 5 YEARS TO DO IT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A CONSULTANT MAINLY THROUGH ELECTRONIC INTERFACING AS OUR TRANSIT DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WAS CONDUCTED.  PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT.

THERE WAS A MOVIE PREMIER LAST NIGHT IN WHITE PLAINS AT THE WOLF AND WARRIOR RESTAURANT OF TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE ONLY MOVIE SHOT IN WHITE PLAINS DURING THE PANDEMIC. IT IS THE DEMITASSE PLAYERS PRODUCTION OF “AN EXISTENTIAL DATE” WRITTEN BY FORMER ECONOMICS PROFESSOR RICHARD CIRULLI

THE FILM WAS WELL RECEIVED BY W & W FIRST NIGHTERS LAST NIGHT. IT STARRED LOCAL ACTORS DONNA L. WHITE AND ROBERT ANSBRO WHO NAILED AN INTRIGUING EXISTENTIAL COMEDY PROVIDING SOME INTELLECTUAL HUMOR IN A TIME WHEN EXISTENCE DAY TO DAY IS BEING REEVALUATED AND REVALUED EVERY DAY. THE ENDS WITH A TWIST WORTHY OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK.

IT IS FUNNY WITH HANG-ON-EVERY-WORD CHARM CREATING STIMULATING, SOPHISTICATED INTIMACY – SENDING UP PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENTIALISM THROUGH  VERBAL VOLLIES  OF MS. WHITE AND MR. ANSBRO  MENTALLY TOPPING ONE ANOTHER WITH  BRAINY BANTER , SCINTILLATING ZINGERS EXPOSING REAL EMOTIONS THEY PUT OUT THERE AND EMBRACE THEIR “EXISTENCE.”

  MS. WHITE AFTER APPEARING IN THE ONLY  MOVIE PRODUCTION DURING THE PANDEMIC IN WHITE PLAINS MOVES INTO “THE BIG DREAM” BY ROLLIN JEWETT NEXT WEEK AT THE NEW YORK URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL SHE’LL FIT SMOOTHLY  PLAYING  A THERAPIST—GIRL FRIEND  OF A SHOW BIZ PERSONALITY .  

ACCORDING TO BROADWAY WORLD “THE BIG DREAM” IS ONE OF THE FIRST PLAYS TO BE STAGED IN NEW YORK CITY SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN AT THE  URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL ONE NIGHT ONLY AT THE ABRONS ART CENTER 466 GRAND STREET ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE , NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 7 PM FREE.  BROADWAY WORLD SAYS:

“STAGED IMMERSIVELY, WITH CHARACTERS TAKEN FROM AUDIENCE MEMBERS ITSELF, “THE BIG DREAM” TELLS THE TALE OF JACK, AN ARROGANT STAGE-PIG WHO RECOUNTS HIS JOURNEY OF HOW HE HOOFED AND WHORED HIS WAY ON STAGE AND ON FILM. WITH ONLY THE GOADING OF AN ENIGMATIC THERAPIST (PLAYED BY MS. WHITE)  TO KEEP HIM ON TRACK, JACK GOES IN AND OUT OF REALITY TRYING TO FIND WHO HE REALLY IS … IF HE REALLY IS.” MS. WHITE WILL CERTAINLY FIT RIGHT INTO TO THE THERAPIST JARGON BASED ON HER TURN IN LAST NIGHT’S PREMIER OF “AN EXISTENTIAL DATE”

MR. ANSBRO AS JONATHAN , IS POMPOUS, PONTIFICATING PUNCTILIOUS, A SUPERIOR INTELLECTUALIST CONFIDENT OF HIS CODE OF EXISTENCE SEDUCED BY MS. WHITE’S SEEING THROUGH HIS CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED FAÇADES HE TRULY BELIEVES. SHE CHALLENGES HIM TO LIVE IN THEM .

MR. ANSBRO BRINGS OFF THE SUPERIORITY OF SELF-SATISFACTION AND MS. WHITE SHATTERS HIS SUPERCILIOUS OLYMPUS PERCH WITH HER DISARMING CANDOR. THE FILM IS RAPID-FIRE  CONTEXTUALLY MEANDERING REPARTEE–AN EVER-INTENSE SEDUCTIVE REPOST-FILLED DENOUEMENT MOVED  BY  QUICK CUTS, CLOSEUPS, AND FLATTERING LINGERINGS CHOREOGRAPHED BY VIDEO EDITOR CHRIS CASABURI.

THE EDITING, AS SOCRATES WOULD SAY, MOVES THE DIALECTIC INTENSELY AS THE PRECISELY DELIVERED DIALOGUE IS PACED BY CUT-BY-CUT BY THE ACTORS—ORCHESTRATED WITH A TITILLATING “BED” OF ORIGINAL GUITAR BY DREW CAICO TO ITS IRONIC BLOCKBUSTER ENDING. INTENSELY EXISTENTIAL.

 MR. ANSBRO IS A SHEET METAL WORKER WITH LOCAL 28 IN NEW YORK CITY BY DAY AND ACTOR BY NIGHT WILL NEXT BE SEEN  IN “HEY DAD” BY CAROL MARKS  AN ORIGINAL ONE ACT NEW WORK AT THE AERIE 20/20 FESTIVAL ABOUT A SON AND HIS FIREMAN DAD. SEPTEMBER 10, 17 AND 22^ND IN GARRISON AT THE PHILIPSBURG DEPOT THEATRE. FOLLOW UP WITH THE AERIE 20/20 FESTIVAL FOR MORE. THIS IS JOHN BAILEY ON LOCATION SAYING SEE YOU AT THE WOLF & WARRIOR WHERE “AN ESSENTIAL DATE” WAS FILMED ON AN I-PHONE 11 IN TWO DAYS.

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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today the availability of $105 million in critical arts and cultural funding through the New York State Council on the Arts, including a program to reinvigorate near-term live performances that opens for applications Wednesday. The grants will aid in the arts sector’s multi-year recovery from COVID-19 and spur the revitalization of New York’s creative economy, which fosters $123 billion annually in economic activity and supports more than 500,000 jobs statewide. 

“We must build New York back better than it was before, and part of that process will be strengthening and reinvigorating our state’s creative economy,” Governor Cuomo said. “These grants will pay dividends through the economic activity generated by our creative ecosystem, which will continue to flourish and inspire us as we work together to make New York stronger than ever.”

There will be four rounds of funding, with $20 million already committed to multi-year awards in the first round. Each round is designed to address the most urgent needs of organizations and artists within New York’s nonprofit creative sector. 

• Restart NY: Rapid Live Performance Grants ($10 million): Support will directly address the area of the arts sector hardest hit by COVID-19, and reinvigorate near term, in-person performance opportunities. This funding will prioritize the recovery of New York’s unparalleled performance organizations, venues, artists, and groups. This $10 million opportunity offers both direct support from NYSCA and regrant support through NYSCA’s Partnerships and Statewide Community Regrants program. Grants of $5,000 and $10,000 will be available for eligible performing arts organizations for planned performance programming in 2021. Support provided through the Community Regrants Program, which will focus on reviving performance on a very local level, will be administered by NYSCA partners statewide. The goal of this regrant support is to reach small, local organizations that do not receive direct grants from NYSCA. Round 1 guidelines and portal for direct NYSCA Rapid Live Performance Grants will open on June 16. Application portal will close July 1.  

• Expanded Access to Funding ($15 million): Support will expand NYSCA’s current network of valued regrant partners to reach New York’s vast and diverse community of artists and organizations. Funding will be distributed through NYSCA Partnerships and Statewide Community Regrants. Increased support at the local level will ensure more communities, organizations, and individuals will have access to NYSCA funding. Round 2 guidelines will be posted June 16, 2021. Application portal will open on July 19 and close August 2.

• Organizational and Individual Artist Recovery ($40 million): Support will broaden individual artist assistance and deliver extremely flexible funding for organizations through a streamlined application experience. Grants offered in this round will greatly expand eligibility and encourage new applicants across a wide spectrum of artistic and cultural practices. Priority will be given to applicants that serve historically underrepresented communities. Round 3 guidelines will be posted on June 16. Application portal will open July 19 and close September.

• Capital Funding for the Arts ($20 million): Support will assist organizations in making improvements to address health and safety issues in their spaces and venues among other needs. Any New York State nonprofit arts and culture organization is encouraged to apply. Round 4 guidelines and application portal will open in September. 

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From the Office of the Westchester County District Attorney. June 12, 2021:

A former federal judge will assist the Westchester District Attorney’s Office (WDAO) in its review of two previous police-involved shootings in Westchester that led to the deaths of county residents Danroy Henry and Kenneth Chamberlain, as well as the subsequent handling of these matters by the WDAO, DA Miriam E. Rocah announced Thursday..

Danroy Henry, Jr., known as DJ, was killed on October 17, 2010 when officers shot at Henry’s moving vehicle. He was 20 years old and a student at Pace University.

Kenneth Chamberlain, Sr., a 68-year-old former U.S. Marine who suffered from mental illness, was shot and killed in his home on November 19, 2011, following a confrontation with White Plains police after they responded to an accidental medical alert. At points during the confrontation, Mr. Chamberlain possessed a knife.

In the months following these two incidents, the Henry and Chamberlain shootings were reviewed by WDAO prosecutors who ultimately presented evidence and witnesses to grand juries, whose role was to determine whether that evidence was sufficient to support the criminal charges that prosecutors presented. In both cases, no indictment was returned by the grand juries and the proceedings were automatically sealed by the court.

The current reviews will be conducted internally by designated Assistant District Attorneys and investigators who have been selected for this task by DA Rocah, with the assistance of a team of pro bono attorneys led by John Gleeson, a Debevoise & Plimpton LLP partner who previously served as a U.S. District Judge in the Eastern District of New York and who was also a federal prosecutor.

The pro bono team includes Debevoise & Plimpton LLP counsel Douglas S. Zolkind, a former federal public corruption prosecutor in the Southern District of New York and associates from the firm. Judge Gleeson and Mr. Zolkind have been sworn in as Special Assistant District Attorneys for purposes of the review.

“For the families of Kenneth Chamberlain and DJ Henry, the pain of their loss has not gone away over the past 10 years, nor have the questions they have about why their loved ones were killed,” DA Rocah said. “The Chamberlain and Henry families and many members of the Westchester community have asked me to review the circumstances of the shootings, the investigation and charging decisions by the DA’s Office, and the grand juries’ decision not to return indictments in either case. Today, I am announcing that I will do exactly that.

“Some may ask, why look backwards? The reason is simple: Today, we have appropriately higher expectations have for scrutiny of police encounters with mentally ill and unarmed people and for prosecutors’ responses to such incidents,” DA Rocah added. “The Henry and Chamberlain families and our community have felt strongly that further independent review is needed to heal the open wounds from these shootings. It is in that spirit that this review will be undertaken.

“I want to be very clear: While I have chosen to conduct this review, I am in no way pre-judging the outcome. At this point, I cannot say whether any further action should be taken,” DA Rocah said. “I can say that further action beyond the review will only be taken if the facts and law warrant it. I will make the final determination on what, if any, additional steps are appropriate.”

“Because the District Attorney’s Office played a central role in the original investigation and presentation to the grand juries, I believe that having Judge Gleeson participate in the review and make recommendations to me is the best way to proceed,” DA Rocah said. “Judge Gleeson’s record as a federal judge has earned him widely-held respect and a reputation for fairness and integrity, which I saw firsthand when I served as a law clerk for him many years ago. I am so pleased that he agreed to take on this important task.”