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)

Common Council to Mull Cappelli 221 Main Street Wandering DFEIS Tonight at 6

Posted on January 14, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. January 15, 2004 UPDATED 12:30 A.M. E.S.T.: A Special Meeting of the Common Council of the City of White Plains has been called for Thursday evening at 6 P.M. in the Common Council Chambers to continue discussion of the highly controversial and elusive Draft Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Cappelli Hotel project.

In the first edition of this story “netted” Wednesday slightly after midnight, Rod Johnson had not returned our call as to when the DFEIS would be available at the Library. On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Johnson, Deputy Commissioner of Planning, called WPCNR to report the correct DFEIS document had been redelivered to the White Plains Public Library reference desk, without the appendices, which he said Thursday night would be delivered to the Library perhaps as early as Friday afternoon.

THE DFEIS VANISHES! AND REAPPEARS! The Reference Desk Clerk at the White Plains Public Library reports that the city whisked the Cappelli Hotel 221 Main Draft Environmental Impact Statement from them Monday afternoon, explaining it was the wrong document. The Clerk said they have not had a DFEIS delivery and it has not been available to the public for 48 hours. WPCNR had discovered Sunday that the DFEIS did not contain the Technical Reports section which were the basis for the conclusions in the main body of the DFEIS. Rod Johnson, the Deputy Commissioner of Planning told WPCNR Thursday afternoon (the 15th) the DFEIS document had been redelivered, with appendices to follow. Photo by WPCNR News

Though by law, the public is entiled to see the Draft Final Environmental Impact Statement with all its accompanying Technical Documents, (as a result of Cappelli Enterprises receiving a copy), the DFEIS has been taken from the Reference Desk of the White Plains Public Library by the city, according to a clerk, when asked for the compendium of corpulent commentary by WPCNR Wednesday afternoon.

WPCNR was told by the reference specialist at the desk Wednesday at about 2 P.M. that an agent of the city collected the DFEIS that had previously been available to the public on request at the Reference Desk. It was retrieved on Monday afternoon because, the clerk said she was told it was not the correct version of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The clerk said there has been no DFEIS available for the public to examine for the last two days, since the city retrieved the incomplete DFEIS.

Another Violation.

A WPCNR reader, environmental lawyer Dan Seidel told WPCNR last Saturday, (WPCNR confirmed this with the Research Desk Sunday), that the DFEIS copy available over the weekend did not contain the Technical Reports.

That same WPCNR reader, Dan Seidel, who “Freedom of Information Act-ed” the city for the DFEIS December 15, and pointed out the city reluctance to circulate the DFEIS at the January 5 Common Council meeting, while delivering on Government Access T.V. a withering overview of DFEIS alleged obscurities and flawed conclusions, wrote us Wednesday evening to confirm what WPCNR discovered in person at the library Wednesday.

Calling All Planners. Calling All Planners.

WPCNR put in a call to Rod Johnson, Deputy Commissioner of Planning for the city, Wednesday afternoon, to ascertain when the complete DFEIS with Technical Documents would be delivered to the library or available in the Planning Department.

As of Wednesday evening, WPCNR had not been informed of when the document will be delivered to the library for citizens to see for themselves the DFEIS conclusions and backup research reports by engineers, the Department of Public Works, and Cappelli Enterprises consultants.

Trailer Fire Smoke Forces 2,000 from County Courthouse.

Posted on January 14, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. January 14, 2004, WRAPUP UPDATE 6:15 P.M. E.S.T. UPDATED January 15, 2004, 9:20 A.M. A heavy smoke fire believed caused in part by an incident involving a heating unit in a 25 by 60 foot headquarters construction trailer being used to command the County Courthouse annex construction project caused an evacuation of an estimated 2,000 persons from the County Courthouse into 8 degree temperatures Wednesday afternoon. The trailer where the fire broke out was situated behind the White Plains Police Headquarters and between the White Plains Public Library and the Courthouse.

CONSTRUCTION TRAILER FIRE FUMES from the smoke, described by an evacuated juror as causing a “heavy, smoky odor in the (courthouse) building” infiltrated the Westchester County Courthouse (white building to left). The estimated (according to a court policeman) 2,000 persons in the building at the time were evacuated by court police. Deputy Police Commissioner David Chong told WPCNR the fire was phoned into 911 by construction personnel in the trailer at 1:30 P.M. He said White Plains FireFighters were on the scene within minutes. The fire was brought under control, according to a police officer on the scene who spoke to WPCNR, approximately 2 P.M. and declared out by approximately 2:15 P.M. There were no injuries to White Plains Fire personnel, according to Chong. The Department responded with 4 engines and 1 truck on the scene along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Fire Chief Richard Lyman upon investigation of the incident told The Journal News construction workers were responsible for starting the fire when they used a propane torch to warm a frozen pipe connected to the trailer bathroom, setting the interior on fire, and were unable to extinguish the blaze with a fire extinguisher and called the Fire Department. This was the view of the fire at 1:30 P.M. from Chatterton Hill. Photo by WPCNR News.

TRAILER IN DISTRESS, 1:45 P.M.: Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety, David Chong, reported on the construction trailer fire, seen here from Martine Avenue, telling WPCNR, “We’re looking for cause and origin now, but it looks to be an accident in the trailer itself, a heating accident with the construction crew (inside the trailer) who turned in the alarm.” The building on the right is the Federal Courthouse on South Lexington Avenue. The building immediately behind the trailor is the County Courthouse annex under construction. The Public Safety Building is to the right, not seen in picture, and the White Plains Public Library is to the left. Photo by WPCNR News.

WHITE PLAINS FIREFIGHTERS ENTER flaming trailer approximately 1:45- 2 P.M. Wednesday afternoon. The billowing smoke obscures the landmark church steeple on South Lexington Avenue. Deputy Police Commissioner Chong told WPCNR the trailer contained highly flammable construction papers and spray paint cans which contributed to the smoky condition. (“Highly flammable,” he said). Chong said the firecrews ran hoses from the street, and the 8 degree temperatures caused the water to “freeze” up on them. WPCNR can attest that the smoke from the fire smelled sharly pungent and noxious, as if chemicals were burning. Photograph was taken from the first floor of the White Plains Public Library. Photo by WPCNR News.

Engulfed Trailer, which was destroyed, according to Fire Chief Richard Lyman, was located inbetween the courthouse annex under construction, (right) and the White Plains Public Library garage stairwell (left). View is shot from the terrace of the White Plains Department of Public Safety. Photo by WPCNR News.

CLOSER VIEW SHOWS WHITE PLAINS FIREFIGHTERS entering South Side of trailer as they bring the smoker under control. Photo by WPCNR News.

JURORS AND LAWYERS AND COURT PERSONNEL CHILLED in the 8 degree temperatures on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, or piled into the White Plains Public Library as they waited approximately an hour and a half in the cold while firefighters fought the smouldering trailer fire. Jurors were told to evacuate at 1:05 P.M. and were on the street by 1:15, one juror said. The County Courthouse WPCNR has learned remained closed for the rest of the day. Photo by WPCNR News

WPFF COMMAND POST: A White Plains Firefighter mans the Badge-and-I.D. Command Post that identifies what firefighters are inside the firescene, and who has come out. Photo by WPCNR News.

FIRE CHIEF RICHARD LYMAN moving into the fire scene. Chief Lyman reported to Deputy Commissioner Chong that the trailer was destroyed, and that there was much paper and spray paint cans inside which contributed to the incident. Photo by WPCNR News.

The White Plains Roving Photographer

Posted on January 14, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR WHITE PLAINS ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. January 13, 2004: Today WPCNR announces a new feature, “The White Plains Photograph of the Day,” that will feature classic, one click in time views of White Plains Today, captured for the world by The White Plains Roving Photographer. Every morning, White Plains CitizeNetReporter readers will be treated to a new view of the city we think is just home. Without further ballyhoo, here is the “White Plains Photo of the Day.”

VANISHING MAIN STREET. Photo by The White Plains Roving Photographer

Resurrection! Chang:Community Leaders Step Forward to Save The Watch

Posted on January 14, 2004 by John Bailey

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. January 13, 2004: Two weeks after Susan Arterian Chang, pioneer publisher of The White Plains Watch, announced to advertisers she was closing the monthly after six years and one month of publishing, (due to a failure to receive sufficient paid subscription support on a 5-month subscription drive), she has informed a business acquaintance that The Watch has received a promise of backing from community leaders, (whom she does not identify), and is hopeful of saving her paper. She “hopes” to publish again soon.

The statement was made by Ms. Chang writing to an acquaintance, Nancy Hantman. Ms. Hartman distributed this statement to Barbara Benjamin, Marc Pollitzer and Rosa Maria Sanchez. That statement, in turn, was circulated to select citizens of White Plains, one of whom was a WPCNR reader who shared it with WPCNR.

In the communication, Ms. Chang announces her paper’s pending comeback from the grave.

In her statement to Ms. Hantman, Ms. Chang confirms she had not received the number of paid subscriptions from the community needed for her to continue the monthly newspaper. She says that community leaders have come together to help her continue the paper financially.

Here is the text of Ms. Chang’s letter of 2:31 P.M. Tuesday to Ms. Hantman of that was circulated publicly by Ms. HantmanTuesday afternoon.

Dear Nancy,

We have some good news. We have received a lot of support since we told our advertisers that there would not be a January issue becaue we hadn’t reached the critical mass we needed in terms of subscribers. In fact, some community leaders have stepped forward to help us keep the paper going and we are now working with them toward that end. I am very hopeful that we will be able to resume publication soon.

However, there will not be a January issue.

It would be very helpful to us if you could spread that word and encourage people who have not yet subscribed to do so. Please let them know how important their subscription is to the continuation of a locally-based, independent press in White Plains. I hope I can call on you if we need more help with our subscription drive.

The statement is signed by Ms. Chang.

Chang Options.

Ms. Chang could not be contacted at the time this story was written for information on who the “angels” are who are bankrolling her paper, or her plans. Specifically, whether The Watch would return to its full citywide distribution or go ahead with its plan to go to the paid subscribers it has generated so far.

Ms. Chang stated to advertisers one week ago that subscriptions would be refunded and advertising contracts remunerated, and the hour being late in the newsroom, WPCNR could not contact Ms. Chang for details on The Watch resurrection and when the monthly would return to the homes of White Plains or its new paid subscribers.

School District Makes Other Plans

Michelle Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education of the White Plains City School District told WPCNR today it was making other arrangements to distribute their newsletter, About Our Schools, by other means other than The White Plains Watch which had previously carried the District public relations newsletter to the 21,576 households of White Plains (the previous controlled circulation of The Watch.)

“We will be making some changes in the newsletter and its distribution and plan to put it (About Our Schools) on our own website,” Ms. Schoenfeld told WPCNR Tuesday afternoon.

WPCNR does not know whether The White Plains Watch circulated About Our Schools as a public service, but the school district, according to Ms. Michelle Schoenfeld today is making arrangements to circulate the district newsletter to residents of the city, which vastly outnumber the new paid circulation of The Watch, said to be less than 1,000 persons.

It could not be determined at this late hour whether the District is seeking to mail all residences in the District, numbering 21,576, or the parents only of children in the district, approximately 6,899.