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)

Explosion Night! White Plains Travel Teams Celebrate Conclusion of Second Season

Posted on July 31, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. July 31, 2003: The White Plains Explosion Girls Fast Pitch Softball organization, founded by Chris Kulk, hosted the 12-and-under and 10-and-under travel teams from Harrison in a Twilight-Night doubleheader Wednesday evening complete with Mayor Joseph Delfino throwing out the first pitch between games. About 300 children, parents and fans ringed Gille Field throughout the evening, seeing two great, well-played ballgames featuring great sportsmanship and commaraderie between the two softball powerhouses in Westchester County. Hot Dogs and Hamburgers and sodas provided by the parents, and music between the innings with pregame introductions of the players made it big league! Mayor Joseph Delfino

Mayor Joseph Defino was at the Game, staying for the entire second game and cheering the Fastpitch Munchkins On. (Photo by WPCNR Sports)

The 14-and-under White Plains Explosion team which pioneered a travel team for White Plains last year, completed their season in Chappaqua earlier in the evening and came on down to route their “younger sisters” on. White Plains 12-unders withstood a furious Harrison rally to win the first game, and the amazing Harrison 10-and-unders came back to take the nightcap with outstanding pitching and fielding. It was a celebration of fastpitch! White Plains Explosion 12-Unders In Action at Gille Field

White Plains Fastpitch Munchkins In Action at Gille II Wednesday Night. Photo by WPCNR Sports

White Plains Explosion Shuts Out Chappaqua

Fastpitch Twilight: White Plains Explosion 14-unders shutting out Chappaqua Heat in Chappaqua, 7-0 in the 7th Wednesday Night It was 3-0 going to the seventh thanks to a RIBBIE single by Lisa Tompkins and hit-behind-the-runner ground out by Michelle Portillo and an 80-pitch performance by Juliana Bailey. Bailey was aided by sparkeling plays by Lauren Kroutil, Kaileigh Mecia and Jen Gilch and outstanding first base play by Lisa Tompkins and Molly Gottshall in throwing the whitewash. The Explosion closedheir season and finishing with a 12-4 Record. Photo by WPCNR Sports

Adam In Albany: Legislature Expands Protection In Cases of Sexual Assault

Posted on July 31, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR ADAM IN ALBANY By Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley of the 89th Assembly District. July 31, 2003: Sexual assault is a brutal crime that leaves permanent scars on victims and can traumatize anyone at anytime. If we can prevent one more assault from occurring, help one more victim heal or take one more predator off the street, we will have made a difference.

During this legislative session, I worked to pass a bill that gives more protections and support to victims of sexual assault by strengthening the Sexual Assault Reform Act of 2000 (A.9116). The legislation was passed by both the Senate and Assembly and is awaiting the governor’s signature.

Lending victims a helping hand

The bill creates a Sexual Assault Forensic Payment Program so that victims dealing with an emotional, disturbing and traumatic time in their lives won’t have to deal with bureaucratic paperwork such as insurance forms and information, and ensures that health care providers will keep providing invaluable services to victims in need.

The last thing a sexual assault victim should be forced to do is deal with mountains of paperwork. More importantly, we shouldn’t make a victims inability to pay a barrier to getting the kind of medical attention they need.

Cracking down on sexual assault

To send the message that sexual assault is wrong no matter what the relationship between abuser and victim, the legislation eliminates circumstances under which a defendant could inappropriately use marriage as a defense against rape or other sexual assault charges.

Marriage does not give someone license to sexually assault a spouse. In tightening up these laws, abused spouses will have a greater ability to get out of horrific situations.

The bill also strengthens the statutes dealing with forcible touching and persistent sexual abuse, and SARA also ensures that those who are repeat misdemeanor sexual offenders can be pursued as felons. In addition, the SARA agreement expands the list of crimes that would fall under persistent sexual abuse, and sets tough penalties.

Preventing date rape

The 2000 SARA bill made it a felony to knowingly administer a controlled-drug to an unknowing person to incapacitate, and then sexually assault them. The new amendments to SARA enhance the date rape drug penalties, include prescription medications as date rape drugs when used to incapacitate a victim, and increase felony penalties for the possession or sale of GHB – perhaps the most notorious and dangerous date rape drug.

It’s time sexual predators were dealt with as severely as their crimes. By toughening up New York’s laws to deter sexual predators and better protect victims of sexual assault, we can all feel safer.

County Welcomes Brewster’s Belfiore of the NYPD As Public Safety “Go-to-Guy”

Posted on July 31, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. July 31, 2003: A former high-ranking NYPD official who was head of security operations for Major League Baseball will become Westchester County’s new Commissioner of Public Safety.

Thomas Belfiore, 46, is currently head of the New York City office of SafirRosetti, a security consulting and business intelligence firm. He is a 20-year NYC police veteran who last held the rank of Deputy Chief and Commanding Officer in the First Deputy Commissioner’s Office.

“He’s a world-class guy for a world-class county,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano in announcing Belfiore’s appointment at a press conference on Wednesday.

Spano added, “My overriding goal as County Executive is to protect the public. Tom Belfiore comes with the knowledge and experience to do just that. He has had a wide range of leadership positions in the NYPD. He is knowledgeable in security and anti-terrorism measures. He has extensive administrative and policy-making experience. We could not have asked for a better fit.’’

Belfiore, who starts work Aug. 25 in the $147,552 a year job, will replace former Commissioner Louis D’Aliso as head of the 280-member department.

Belfiore said he was honored to be chosen to lead a department which has had a reputation for service, professionalism and integrity, and he thanked the County Executive for this opportunity.

“I promise to serve the people of Westchester County and do all I can to ensure their safety and security in these challenging times,’’ he said. “I also look forward to working with the Board of Legislators, the District Attorney and county commissioners as well as every local police chief and the outstanding men and women of the Department of Public Safety.’’

During his 20 years in the NYPD, Belfiore held leadership positions in training, patrol, internal investigations, administration and policy making. He was commanding officer of the NYPD Police Academy, precinct commander and commanding officer of a joint internal investigations task force. He was also in charge of the NYPD’s “Compstat and Trafficstat” units, which analyze traffic and crime statistics to devise creative policing solutions.

As Commanding Officer of the New York City Police Academy, he was instrumental in updating training and curriculum including introducing a more hands-on approach to firearms and tactical patrol training.

His experience at the NYC police academy will be a major plus for Westchester, which, under Spano’s leadership, has already expanded the types of training available to recruits and other police departments.

“My intention is to use my experience to build on what is already being offered at the police academy,’’ said Belfiore.

As Commanding Officer of the 19^th Precinct in New York City’s upper East Side, Belfiore’s team of nearly 300 uniformed officers and civilians were responsible for providing police services to more than 200,000 people. During his tenure, there was a significant drop in felony crimes and an enhanced quality of life.

In January of 2001, Belfiore retired from the NYPD to become Director of Security Operations for Major League Baseball where he worked to help baseball beef up security at its stadiums to deal with post 9-11 realities. The following year, he joined his former commissioner at the NYPD, Howard Safir, as head of the New York City Office of SafirRosetti as a security and anti-terrorism consultant to private industry.

“His experience can only enhance our anti-terrorism efforts, and help us to improve our state of preparedness,’’ said Spano.

Spano praised Belfiore not only for his professionalism, but for his bravery.

“This is a man who on seven occasions has received department recognition for acts of bravery and intelligent policing,’’ said the County Executive. “We are proud to have him on board.’’

Belfiore was chosen from among several candidates in a nationwide search to replace Commissioner D’Aliso who retired May 26 after seven years as commissioner.

Belfiore has a bachelor’s degree in police science and a master’s degree in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He lives in Brewster with his wife, Dana, and their two children, Blaise and Mark.

Stand by for Gumbusters! Mayor Delfino Introduces Gum Squad Today

Posted on July 30, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. From Rick Amiratto, The Mayor’s Office. July 31, 2003: Get ready! Get ready! The Gumbusters are coming! ! !
White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino will arrive in downtown White Plains on Thursday, July 31, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. with the Gumbusters, who will make their debut outside of 100 Mamaroneck Avenue. The Gumbusters will be armed and ready with special high tech weaponry and will begin their new assignment, which is sure to amaze and astonish — ridding White Plains sidewalks of carelessly discarded chewing gum.