THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

Whooping Cough — Disease of the 1950s — Returns. 100 Cases So Far. Vax Urged.

Posted on April 14, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR MEDIC. From Mary Landrigan Westchester County Department of Health. April 14, 2004: The Westchester County Department of Health has identified 98 cases of confirmed pertussis (whooping cough) since August, 2003. Although the early cases were seen primarily in northern Westchester communities, cases have now been seen throughout the county. The highest numbers of cases were seen in August thru November. In the following months, the number of cases remained fairly stable, consistent with the seasonal nature of the disease that peaks in late summer or fall. Normally, only five to six cases per year of pertussis are reported in Westchester County.

“Finding these cases is in part the result of a new and better test for pertussis, done by obtaining a swab of the nose and throat areas, which is making it easier to find pertussis cases,” Dr. Lipsman continued. “Nevertheless, our purpose in announcing that we are nearing 100 cases in this outbreak is to encourage all parents to have their children vaccinated, and to ask medical providers to help to identify any possible additional cases of pertussis.”

Many causes can be attributed to this outbreak including:

· an underimmunized population

· increased awareness of the disease

· increased availability of the new test

· and less than perfect effectiveness of the existing vaccine.

“Vaccination is not completely protective against pertussis or whooping cough. Even while appropriately vaccinated individuals can become ill and spread the infection to others, the illness is generally milder in vaccinated individuals,” stated Health Commissioner Joshua Lipsman, MD, MPH.

Dangerous to Infants.

“Also in young infants, pertussis remains a serious disease and can result in death. Five of the nine infants less than six months of age of our current pertussis cases were ill enough to require hospitalization,” added Dr. Lipsman. “Fortunately, they now are all out of danger and recovered at home,” he added.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory system and produces spasms of coughing that usually are accompanied by a characteristic high-pitched whoop. Whooping cough can affect people of any age. Prior to widespread immunization, the disease was a major cause of death in infants and young children. Appropriate immunization can usually prevent the occurrence of this serious disease. Parents and health care providers are urged to assure that children’s pertussis shots are up-to-date.

The cough is characterized by bursts of numerous rapid coughs accompanied by a characteristic whooping sound. Typically, the face becomes red with each cough then light blue. During this stage, there is heavy mucus production and coughing spells may cause vomiting. Pertussis should be considered when vomiting is associated with coughing. Coughing from pertussis typically lasts several weeks but may persist for up to ten weeks. Residents who wish to hear a short recording of the typical cough associated with “whooping cough” may visit our website at www.westchestergov.com/health.

Anyone developing symptoms of pertussis (whooping cough) should see a doctor for appropriate treatment. Prompt treatment can prevent complications and the spread of pertussis to others.

For more information on pertussis, call the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000 or visit www.westchestergov.com/health.

High School Earth Day, April 21

Posted on April 14, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Michelle Schoenfeld. April 14, 2004: White Plains High School’s Advocates for the Earth will hold a program for children in kindergarten through third grade on Earth Day, April 21st, from 4-6 P.M., at the YWCA in White Plains. At this annual event, the High School students will instruct the younger students about recycling, cleaning up their neighborhoods, and local environmental concerns and what they can do about them. There will be arts and crafts, including finger-painting and creating bird feeders, as well as instructional games about recycling. Social Studies teacher Paul Davis is advisor to the group.

The Feiner Report: Sunrise Facility Coming to Greenburgh, too.

Posted on April 14, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR’S PAUL FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. April 14, 2004: This Wednesday the Greenburgh Town Board will vote to enter into an exclusivity agreement with Sunrise Assisted Living and resolution undertaking study as whether the old Town Hall site is unneeded for Town purposes and resolution authorizing the issuance of RFP’s for a real estate appraisal. Copies of the resolution are available via the Town Attorney’s office ([email protected]). The Town Board meeting will be held at 7:15 PM at Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave, Greenburgh.

There will be a free Balanchine centennial celebration at Woodlands High this Saturday, April 17^th at 7:30 PM. Balanchine performed Serenade at the Warburg summer home (currently Woodlands High) in June, 1934. SUNY Purchase Dance Corp will perform. Reservations are required. E mail [email protected] if you are interested in making a reservation but haven’t yet done so. Tickets will be held at the door.

The Town Board will vote on a resolution I introduced urging the State Legislature to increase the minimum wage to $7.10 per hour (the resolution has been approved by other communities including Croton).

We’re voting on a resolution urging the State Legislature to adopt a special law to allow the Town to create a third Justice position and to hold an election for the 3^rd Justice in November, 2004.

And….we’re going to hold a public hearing on the 2004 capital budget and vote on a resolution authorizing RFPs to be sent out re: affordable housing development on Warburton Ave. The town is going to vote to express the town’s intent to convey real property to SHORE for development of 3 units of low income housing at 770 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley (average rent about $400 a month).

PAUL FEINER

Third Quarter Sales Tax Receipts up 8.6% from 02-03 Level.

Posted on April 13, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 13, 2004, UPDATED 12:03 A.M.: Budget Director Anne Reasoner walked the Common Council through the highlights of the 2004-05 budget in a meeting Tuesday evening, and during the course of the meeting reported that the State Office of Taxation and Finance had reported White Plains sales tax receipts for the third quarter ended March 31 to be running 8.6% ahead of the 2002-03 White Plains pace, a very bad year when only $35 Million in Sales Tax was collected.

WHITE PLAINS BY THE NUMBERS: Anne Reasoner, standing, Budget Director, conducting the Overview of the Budget meeting Tuesday evening. Photo by WPCNR News.

Projecting out to the end of the fiscal year in June, Ms. Reasoner told WPCNR she saw no problem in hitting the 37.8 Million sales tax figure that the 2004-05 budget is counting upon to stay on the projected $110.5 Million city budget. She gave no other details, but said, “I see no problem in meeting the $37.8 Million figure.” She said reconciliation with the state would take place over the next week, and she expected no downward revision.

She attributed the March spike in sales tax receipts to what she described as “strong retail sales in March.”

Ms. Reasoner also said that if the 6.5% of Salaries “Pataki Solution” to the $7.9 Million pension fund payments (the major factor behind the 6% budget increase) demanded by Comptroller Allan Hevesi, did not materialize, the extra $3.8 Million needed would be bonded for in 04-05. Payments on that bond, she said, would not be due until 2005-06, at which time the payments would add 2.7% to the tax burden in fiscal 2005-2006 for five years.

Roach Report from Albany: 6.5% of Salaries Limit on Pension Payment is “Dead.”

Councilman Tom Roach voiced the opinion that the 6.5% of Salaries Pataki Proposal to ease the pain of the pension bill is not going to happen.

At best he said, his information from Albany is that the legislature will grant a 6.5% of salary payment to municipalities to ease the pain of the large pension fund payment, but municipalities would have to pay the full pension share amount they owe this year.

In the White Plains case, that is $7.9 Million. Roach said the proposal that is likely to happen, according to his Albany listening post is that White Plains will be allowed to pay $3.8 Million in cash (6.5% of salaries), but be allowed to bond or borrow for the rest. In which case, White Plains would be posting the tax hit until 2005-06.