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)

Adam In Albany: STAR Relief on Way.

Posted on May 26, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR’s Adam In Albany. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam Bradley. May 26, 2003:This year, the Legislature united in a spirit of bipartisanship to create a fair and responsible budget that protects vital services while rejecting what would have been the largest property tax hike ever in New York.

By restoring $1.1 billion of the Governor’s unprecedented cuts to education and rejecting his proposal to freeze the Assembly’s STAR school tax relief program, the Legislature headed off what would have been a catastrophe for New York taxpayers. Property taxes are already too high in Westchester County, and it would be unfair to ask our families, especially seniors, to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden.
Democrats in the Assembly along with Republicans in the Senate put aside political differences to enact a budget that will move our state forward without shifting the burden to local property-taxpayers. The bipartisan coalition further rejected $268.9 million in new fees, fines and assessments, and lowered a tax on nursing homes, saving them $45 million a year.

To build on this tax relief, the Assembly recently passed legislation, which I co-sponsored, to help seniors get the STAR school tax relief they are due. The bill (A.7873) would allow seniors to use their 2002 income tax returns instead of 2001 returns to meet the income requirements for this year’s enhanced STAR program.

This would provide immediate relief for this year’s retiring eligible seniors, who have seen their incomes drop off in the last year. I encourage the Senate to pass this legislation and the governor to sign it into law. This legislation would ensure seniors will receive the STAR property tax relief they deserve.

Retirees have earned the enjoyment and relaxation the retirement years promise. But for many, the loss of a regular paycheck means tightening the household budget, and less ability to shoulder the burden of property taxes. The Assembly’s enhanced STAR program would save eligible Westchester seniors an estimated average of $2,940 a year, savings which can go a long way during these tough times.

Last year, the Assembly fought to raise income eligibility levels for enhanced STAR, providing more seniors with needed tax relief. And this year, we rejected the governor’s proposal to freeze the STAR program altogether. This legislation goes a step further in extending benefits to all eligible seniors, excluded by a costly technicality in current law.

The measure continues my effort to provide tax relief to New York families. This year alone, I made the right choice and voted against $75.7 million in new taxes. Rest assured, I will keep working to protect Westchester families.

ESPN Throws Fast Pitch Fans a Change-Up: To TV Championship on Tape Delay.

Posted on May 26, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR PRESS BOX. by John Bailey. May 26, 2003: The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, better known as ESPN was advertising the Women’s Fast Pitch NCAA Softball Championship Game to be telecast at 4:30 PM Monday, Memorial Day, however, the network for some reason yet to be determined is televising it on Tape Delay. The Telecast according to a recorded message on the ESPN Programming Information Number will be cablecast at 8 PM on Monday.
In the hunt for the Women’s Championship Monday afternoon, my daughter watched two hours of a meaningless ESPN News segment hoping the game would come on. My wife yelled at me to call ESPN, or call someone in town to see when the championship was on.

Meanwhile the talking heads on ESPN News went on and on about Roger Clemens’ meaningless 300th victory; Larry Brown’s latest contract jumping, and the French “Who Cares?” Open. On the annoying ESPN “crawl” the network was advertising “Women’s NCAA Softball, ESPN, 4:30 to 6 PM.” This was an outrage to softball fans, because at no time did the “talking sports idoits” say, the NCAA Softball Championship was going to be shown at 8 PM.

Change-up!

When I called ESPN’s Programming info at 1-860-766-2236 approximately 4:45 PM, the line did not mention anything either, and when I punched up the “blackout” option on hunch they might not be showing it in the New York area, I just heard a long taped message about blackout policy.

Game Being Played!!!

My wife exasperated at the domestic violence ensuing in front of the television set downstairs between father and daughter about where the game was on the gazillion channels ESPN has, went on the NCAA website where to her horror the game between California and UCLA was being recounted via box score and pitch-by-pitch action.

Softball Fans and Girls. Women Everywhere Jobbed by the Geniuses at ESPN

At 5:30 PM I called back the ESPN Information Line, and suddenly a hastily recorded message was heard, explaining that the softball championship was being televised at 8 PM.

Bozos in Bristol Pull Another Heidi

Obviously an overload of calls to Bristol prompted by the absence of the game at 4:30 across the country, had made it necessary for the “Bozos in Bristol” to add the hasily record message.

What a bad job.

On the station’s own live ESPNews program, they were still running the crawl about softball on at 4:30, while their infoline was saying the game was on at 8 PM.

The utter disregard for live telecasting of the championship is another example of the disrespect towards women’s sports. Not only was there no report on ESPNews for TWO HOURS about this being the day of the softball championship, not even a preview, but they never explained when it was going to be on.

For the NCAA to allow the women’s softball championship to be disrespected by ESPN in this manner, is inexcusable.

This is reminiscent of the NBC “Heidi” game back in 1968, when NBC cut out of the last two minutes of the Jets – Raiders game to start “Heidi” on time.

California Prime Time Is No Excuse

The decision to show the championship on tape to, in theory capture the California audience on a holiday, which can be the only possible reason for the tape delay telecast is inexcusable. It is a holiday. It should have been televised live when they said it would be televised.

ESPN has three channels, why not use one to televise the softball championship live?

Feiner Renominated in Greenburgh for Supervisor

Posted on May 23, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR GREENBURGH GAZETTE. May 23, 2003:
Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner won the support of the Greenburgh Democratic Town Committee on Thursday night for a 7th term as Town Supervisor. The Democratic committee held their convention at Greenburgh Town Hall.

During Feiner’s l2 years as Town Supervisor the town has expanded its open space inventory from 224 acres to 600 acres (counting the Taxter Ridge acquisition which is expected to take place later this year). The town’s bond rating has been increased 3 times by Moody’s to the 2nd highest possible rating. And, Greenburgh has received national attention (C SPAN PROFILE) for its innovative open government. THe town recently acquired a new town hall paying 6.9 million dollars for a building that cost over l2 million to build in l992.

The Sea Chase Week 9: RECORD IN SIGHT, GA II HEADS FOR NEW YORK

Posted on May 23, 2003 by John Bailey

WPCNR ADVENTURER’S LOG. By Cynthia Goss. May 22, 2003 / 22°13’N 60°38’W / Atlantic Ocean: – It’s a down-to-the-wire race for the trimaran Great American II and her two crew members as they prepare to finish their Hong Kong to New York sailing record attempt at the Statue of Liberty early next week. The kids at Hommocks School, Larchmont, have been a major inspiration Rich Du Moulin reports.

Thursday, the 53-foot trimaran was south of Bermuda and 1,230 miles from New York as Rich Wilson (Rockport, Mass.) and “Captain Larchmont,” Rich du Moulin (Larchmont, N.Y.) plotted their route through three storm systems blocking their path. The two have been at sea 66 days in their attempt to eclipse the record of 74 days, 14 hours set by the extreme clipper ship Sea Witch in the China tea trade a century-and-a-half ago.

142 Mile Lead, 156 years apart. A 1 Day Sail Lead.

Steering and navigating their boat on alternate four-hour watches, the
two adventurers are matching their progress against the log of the
196-foot square-rigged Sea Witch, renowned in history as one of the
fastest clipper ships ever launched. The modern-day sailors currently
hold a narrow lead over the ghost of the clipper, after trailing several
times during the long, arduous voyage down the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope and up the Atlantic Ocean.

“We’re very, very close in the challenge for the record,” said du
Moulin, in an email from the boat Thursday, transmitted via satellite.

“Yesterday’s analysis showed Great American only 142 miles closer to New York than Sea Witch. That’s less than a day’s sailing, or only 11 hours difference when each of us is at maximum speed – two great sailing vessels, 154 years and 142 miles apart!”

Looking for a Northeast Reach

Skipper Rich Wilson reported that Wednesday night a blade blew off one of the windcharger turbines they use for generating electrical power for navigation and the ship’s autopilots. “We shut it down and pressed ahead, trying to reach favorable northeasterly winds on the north side of an approaching cold front,” he said.

Theading the Wind Needle

The tactical puzzle facing the two sailors requires them to ride the
favorable currents of the Gulf Stream while avoiding any counter current or back-eddies that could bring them to a standstill if the wind goes light. At the same time they must pick their way through the storm
fronts marching up the coast.

Log By Log

Over the last 24 hours Great American covered 200 miles. From the pages of Sea Witch’s log, preserved in the Essex Peabody Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, Captain Robert “Bully” Waterman had a different story as his ship logged only 91 miles. “Blasted light winds from northeast to southeast,” he curtly noted.

Some 360,000 schoolchildren are following the adventure of Great
American II on a daily basis through the sitesALIVE! educational program at www.sitesALIVE.com, part of the sitesALIVE Foundation. Students have been schooled in math, meteorology, the hard lessons of life at sea, and a myriad of topics through the unique Internet-based programs Wilson has created around his record runs across the world’s oceans. Some of these students hope to be in New York when the vessel reaches its final destination early next week.

A Story Book Passage. Adventurer’s Dream Quest

“If you love geography, history and the outdoors, this voyage qualifies
as an adventure,” du Moulin said in his email.

“We have sailed the South China Sea, Java Sea, Indian Ocean, South Atlantic, and North Atlantic. We passed through the Sunda Strait and by Cape Aguhlas and Cape of Good Hope. We saw St. Helena volcano at night and have viewed the great constellations of both hemispheres. There were waterspouts, sea snakes, and a million birds and flying fish. We covered more than 180 degrees of longitude, and 140 degrees of latitude while crossing the equator twice.

Respect for the Ghost Crew

“As the voyage has progressed, my respect for the Sea Witch, Captain
Waterman, and his crew increases steadily. It is simply amazing what
they were able to accomplish with their old technology and lack of
external information about weather!

“The power of the Sea Witch in heavy seas and strong winds is still
awesome, and it was carrying cargo! For me it was essential to have the Sea Witch as a competitor. Without the competitive element, I am not sure I could have handled this long voyage. Every day I look forward to Rich Wilson’s noon position from which I derive a 24-hour comparison with Sea Witch.

Doing it for the Kids at Hommocks School, Larchmont.

“The sitesALIVE educational program is the other great daily incentive
that keeps me motivated. Both of us really enjoy the communications
with the kids through email and the phone calls. I took particular
enjoyment out of the satellite phone call to Hommocks, the local
hometown middle school my four kids attended, that has 240 students
following the Ocean Challenge Live program.”

* * *Tacks and Jibes

FINISH TIMES AND CEREMONIES: To find the latest update on Great American II’s Estimated Time of Arrival in New York, go to:
www.sitesalive.com/finishline

HOW THE PUBLIC CAN FOLLOW GREAT AMERICAN II: The website tracking the voyage of Great American II is http://www.sitesalive.com. Daily position reports and a Captain’s Log are posted on the site so classrooms, students, and families who purchase licenses can follow the progress of the boat. For information, go to
http://www.sitesalive.com/oceanchallengelive/

.
The saga of GAII isl also be published in a number of national,
regional, and local papers, in the Newspaper In Education supplements, and tracked on the AOL@SCHOOL program (keyword: sitesalive).

Great American II’s Newspaper In Education participation is supported by the sitesALIVE Foundation. Established in 2002, the Foundation addresses teacher training in computer technology and funding for
budget-constrained schools. The mission of the foundation is to enhance K-12 education by promoting the use of technology with real-world, real-time content from around the globe.

For a chart showing the relative positions of Great American II and Sea
Witch, go to
http://www.sitesalive.com/ocl/private/03s/pos/ocl3position.html