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)

Red Cross Blood in White Plains October 3

Posted on September 24, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR Health Herald. From Gina Faustner. September 25, 2003: The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive in White Plains on Friday, October 3rd at the American Red Cross in Westchester from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. at Red Cross headquarters, located at 106 North Broadway in White Plains.

County Safety Commissioner Tackles Westchester Bank Robberies

Posted on September 24, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications (Edited) September 24, 2003: A recent rash of bank robberies in Westchester has prompted the county’s new Commissioner of Public Safety to propose a crime-fighting partnership with police and banks to help prevent robberies and protect the public and bank employees.

Commissioner Thomas Belfiore said part of that strategy is to make it harder to rob banks and easier to catch robbers.

“There has been an alarming increase in the number of bank robberies, and we believe that this strategy will help the banking community deter these crimes. We are also offering some suggestions on how bank employees can provide better and more timely information to help law enforcement with their investigations,’’ said Belfiore.

Following a sensational string of summer bank robberies, Westchester joins communities nationwide that are experiencing an increase in bank robberies. In 2003, bank robberies increased 17 percent nationwide, and 233% in New York City. In Westchester, there were four bank robberies in 2002 compared with 15 to date in 2003 — a nearly 400% increase.

Belfiore wrote six banks suggesting a series of steps they can take to discourage attempted robberies and catch them faster.Belfiore recommended that banks develop a training program for employees as well as create policy on what actions should be taken in the event of a robbery. Banks contacted include CitiBank, JP Morgan Chase, M&T Bank, Bank of New York, Wachovia and HSBC. The Department of Public Safety is in the process of setting up meetings with bank officials.

In the letter, Belfiore recommended that banks:

Provide direct branch telephone numbers to local police and the department of public safety to speed communication in the event of a robbery.

Train employees to trigger alarms and security cameras before suspects leave the bank and call 911 immediately to provide a detailed description of the robbers and the direction of flight.

Limit the amount of currency given. Whenever possible tellers should retain the demand note and minimize contamination of the evidence and crime scene.

Employ security guards, customer service representatives or greeters to address customers as they enter the bank. This practice has been found to deter robberies at some banking institutions.

Establish a cross-institutional e-mail network so banks can communicate electronically about robberies and exchange suspect information.

Check video surveillance systems to ensure proper camera alignment and change film regularly. Consider upgrading video quality. Review bank lighting to make sure it does not interfere with video recording. Make sure at least one camera is located at each entrance and install height markers at all doorways so police can get an estimate of perpetrators’ height.

Place signs prominently indicating that customers will be photographed.

Review floor plans to ensure employee views are unobstructed.

“While the banks may be concerned about the loss of money, I am particularly concerned about protecting the bank employees and the customers,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano. “If we can help employees become more aware of steps they can take to prevent robberies, everyone will be a lot safer.’’

White Plains Hospital Medical Center Can Handle St. Agnes Patient Load

Posted on September 24, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR STREETS OF WHITE PLAINS. September 23, 2003: A spokesman for White Plains Hospital Medical Center said Tuesday, that the WPHMC has geared up to handle the migration of patients who normally would be serviced by St. Agnes Hospital when that facility closes October 10. The White Plains hospital has been expecting it, he said, and expects no problem.

Geoffrey Thompson, speaking for White Plains Hospital Medical Center in a statement said, “They expect to get 5 to 7 additional inpatients per day, 7 to 10 additional emergency room patients per day. They’re very comfortable with those levels of increase, as a result of the St. Agnes closing, and don’t anticipate any problem in handling that. They’ve been anticipating something like this could happen and so that they’re really ready for it, and should be able to easily accommodate that increase in the number of patients.”

Council OK’s 15 year Pilot for So. Kensico Affordable Housing.

Posted on September 24, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. September 24, 2003: The Common Council gave its blessing Wednesday morning to a 15-year Payment In Lieu of Taxes plan for former Councilman Bill Brown’s affordable senior housing project he plans to build on South Kensico Avenue. The extended PILOT, originally for ten years, was created to comply partially with the Federal Housing Administration request for a longer PILOT that endured for the length of the bond on the project (25 years). The new PILOT will be submitted to the F.H.A. to consider today.

Mr. Brown said the project needs F.H.A. approval of the city’s 15-year “compromise” PILOT plan hammered out between Mr. Brown, his partner, and City Corporation Counsel Edward Dunphy and City Accessor Eydie McCarthy. Brown said if the F.H.A. approves the PILOT, he hopes to begin construction on the South Kensico project within the next three months. The letter detailing the PILOT was to go to the Federal Housing Administration this evening, according to Mr. Dunphy.

The meeting convened at approximately 8:10 A.M. Wednesday morning with Joseph Carlucci of the law firm of Cuddy, Feder, Worby explaining to the Council why the new PILOT was needed. He said the F.H.A. had requested a 25 year PILOT to finance the project, instead of the 10-year PILOT originally drawn up for the project with the city.

Carlucci said the city was willing to make a compromise of a 15-year PILOT under several conditions.

In the first two years of the PILOT, he said, the city agreed to a payment reflecting the site on South Kensico as “vacant land,” but the city required a larger payment in the third year of the project, 2006 when the project would be leasing up. Details of the PILOT agreement are not being made available to the media until after the Federal Housing Adminstration has ruled upon it.

Previously, the City Accessor was requesting PILOT payments of over $4,000 a month, and after discussion last month this was eased to a payment Mr. Brown’s organization can live with, which has been hammered out according to Mr. Brown. Asked why he felt it had been such a struggle, Brown said he felt it was more a matter of the city attempting to appear to be “fair” in setting PILOT agreements to other property owners.

Another condition of the 15-year PILOT is that the project has to be totally affordable housing for the life of the bond and even when sold. Mr. Carlucci advised the Common Council that all apartments would only be made available to families or persons earning less than 60% of median income. Brown said in the year the project has been going through approvals, median income in Westchester County has gone from $89,000 a year to $93,000 a year.

Taking 60% of $93,000, this gives you a figure of $55,800, as the income ceiling. Brown said the PILOT was figured on $91,000 as median income, giving the top income earned by a person renting one of these apartments could only reach $54,600 annually, a difference of $1,200, or $100 a month.