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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. September 24, 2003 UPDATED, September 25, 2003  10:30 P.M.: It was a routine morning for Councilman Glen Hockley. He was driving down Longview Avenue between 7:30 and 8 o’clock Wednesday morning in his light blue Volvo station wagon, when he noticed a woman he knew holding her throat and appearing to be choking on the side walk. He recognized her as Rosalind Keyes, a resident of Winbrook. Within minutes, Mr. Hockley took a hand and did God’s work. He got her into his car and whisked her two long blocks to White Plains Hospital Medical Center. It saved her life.

Councilman Hockley said he visited Ms. Keyes and found that she had apparently been suffering from pneumonia which had congested her lungs to where she could not breath. He said she was O.K. today, and being treated for the illness.

Councilman Glen Hockley

WPCNR File Photo

WPCNR learned about Mr. Hockley’s stepping up to the plate because he arrived late for the special session of the Common Council scheduled for 8 A.M. Wednesday morning.

Mr. Hockley said that Ms. Keyes could not stop choking, and as he helped her into his car, she went into convulsions. He immediately sped to White Plains Hospital Medical Center with Ms. Keyes experiencing seizure and convulsive symptoms, gagging and loss of breath, according to Mr. Hockley.

He said he drove into the White Plains Hospital emergency room parking lot and was met by about 10 emergency room personnel. They at first thought Ms. Keyes was dead, he said, and could not find a pulse.

“They immediately started working on her,” Hockley reports, “and I heard them cry we’ve got her pulse back. I tell you I am really shaken up over this.”

What was a routine morning turned into an event that brought Mr. Hockley together with Ms. Keyes at the moment she needed someone to help. And Mr. Hockley did. Hockley said she appeared to be o.k., when he left the emergency room to head for City Hall. He praised the emergency room workers who instantly moved to his and Ms. Keyes’ aid before a paper form was signed.

“Someone asked me why I didn’t call 911,” Hockley told WPCNR in the City Hall rotunda, “but there was no time. I didn’t think to do that. I had to get her to the hospital.”

WPCNR KING KOMMENTS. By White Plains Councilman William King. September 23, 2003:  Councilman WilIiam King, entering his last three months as a member of the Common Council submits a proposal that would save St. Agnes Hospital. Here is his plan:

Councilman William King

I would like to submit a proposal to bond for $25m for the St. Agnes property if NYPH will agree to exchange their southern 100 acres for St. Agnes.  The proposal would hinge on several things:  

a. NYPH’s willingness to allow the City of White Plains to run a park on the southern 100 acres for at least 100 years;
b. The State Dormitory Authority, which St. Agnes owes $36m, to forgive the other $11m they are owed;
c. St. Agnes/Westchester Medical’s willingness to permit redevelopment of their property for biotech research and the proton beam accelerator proposed by NYPH;
d. White Plains Common Council and state legislature/governor’s approval.

The main hospital buildings on the St. Agnes campus could remain and continue to serve in- and out-patient functions and lodging for those patients and their families who have come for pba treatment as well as other general medical patients.

The 100 acres could be used for all types of uses, passive and active, and could be used as unmatched space for summer day camps.  Buildings remaining along the southern end of the historic oval could be used for needed indoor activity space during inclement weather.

The County and Federal Government would be invited to help the City with bonding and grants.  County and City sales tax revenues from the new Fortunoff’s and City Center could be used to pay off the bonds.

I ask that NYPH and the city administration not reject this proposal out of hand as has been done in the past.  

The example right across the street from NYPH of Fortunoff’s redeveloping an existing vacant site(vacant Saks store) is analogous to the opportunity of redeveloping the St. Agnes property where significant parts of that property will soon be closed on top of other parts of the site which are significantly underutilized.  

The proximity of biotech research activity at St. Agnes to the former Kraft General Foods office space across North Street may also help to stimulate related, safe medically-related usages and leaseup of that building complex.

Councilman William King