WPCNR WESTCHESTER CITIZEN ADVOCATE. From WP Form. February 21, 2003:The Westchester area’s peace march this Saturday Feb 22 has been cancelled due to forecast of heavy rain.
Routine: White Plains DPW Tames “The Great White”
WPCNR WEATHERSCOOP. By John F. Bailey. February 18, 2003: The City of White Plains was open for business at rush hour Tuesday morning taming the 15-1/2 to 18 inches of snow overnight. Roads at daybreak were clear in most neighborhoods, navigable and parking lots accessible. Motorists should use caution on turning into traffic at intersections due to high piles of snow on the corners.
The Cross Westchester Expressway was cleared with all three lanes wideopen. Motorists entering at entrances to I-287 should be aware the high piles of snow block your views of oncoming traffic in the right lane. Motorists should avoid traveling the far right lanes in both directions due to other cars attempting to enter the expressway. Roadbeds were cleared to the concrete and very little slush remained.
WeatherScoop: Snow Winning. 14 to 18 Inches as of 4 PM. Triple Bypass?
WPCNR WEATHER SCOOP. From National Weather Service. February 17, 2003: As of 4 PM Monday, the President’s Day Snow Storm had deposited from 14 to 18 inches of snow on White Plains with up to 18 inches on some flat terrain. Drifts up to 4 feet swirled into shovelled driveways, and built up on second story eves by whistling winds that were abating by late afternoon. City plows had hit most outer neighborhoods twice, but the snow kept on coming in, with a triple bypass needed. Roads into and out of neighborhoods were passable but traction tricky and slick. As of 5:30 PM, the edge of the storm to the West had passed over the New Jersey, Pennsylvania border. The complete National Weather Service Forecast predicts an end to the action by late afternoon-early evening. Here is the forecast:
AFTER TWO PLOWINGS by 4 PM, roads continued to take on snow at the rate of an inch an hour. Homes required two complete shovelings in 8 hours. Plowed Roads are slippery due to mix of sleet/snow at this hour.
Photo by WPCNR WeatherCam
…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DOWNGRADED THE BLIZZARD WARNING TO A WINTER STORM WARNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING…
FIND THAT ROAD: The view of Havilands Lane at 4:30 PM. Motorists are able to move out thanks to two plowings making outer neighborhood roads passable. The snowfall rate of an inch an hour is keeping city plow crews in a backtrack situation. View is from the WPCNR NewsCenter.
Photo by WPCNR WeatherCam
SNOW WILL TAPER OFF TO PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW THIS AFTERNOON FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. THIS SNOW WILL POSSIBLY MIX WITH SLEET…ESPECIALLY NEAR THE COAST. STRONG WINDS WILL STILL GUST TO NEAR 40 MPH AT TIMES…VISIBILITIES BELOW 1/4 OF A MILE ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE WIDESPREAD. WHILE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER
EXPECTED…DRIVING CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
A FEW INCHES OF ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION ARE STILL POSSIBLE… ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT…WHERE THE STEADY SNOW WILL LINGER THE LONGEST. TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BY THE TIME THIS STORM WINDS DOWN THIS EVENING SHOULD RANGE FOR THE MOST PART BETWEEN 1 1/2 AND 2 FEET.
WPCNR CINEMASCOOP: Harry Avery’s Oscar Picks
WPCNR WHITE PLAINS VARIETY. CINEMASCOOP by Film Buff Harry Avery. February 16, 2003: WPCNR’s film critic, Harry Avery has been digesting the films of the 02-03 season and weighs in with his picks for Oscar winners. May we have the envelope, please?
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Daniel Day-Lewis in “Gangs of New York” (Miramax)
–Having been coaxed out of being a cobbler in Italy specially for this role, Day-Lewis did a brilliant job and deserves the Oscar-not that it’s hard to outshine the accents of DiCaprio and Diaz.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
John C. Reilly in “Chicago” (Miramax)
–This was the Year of John C. Reilly, giving him four movies, three with noticeable roles (Chicago, Gangs, and The Hours). He deserves this for a lifetime of unrecognition.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Kathy Bates in “About Schmidt” (New Line)
–Outshining the great Jack Nicholson is no easy task, but Bates pulls it off in her own classic style.
Best animated feature film of the year
“Lilo & Stitch” (Buena Vista)
–Despite the big names in “Ice Age” and Matt Damon in “Spirit”, this movie was both heartwarming and entertaining–something the whole family could enjoy together.
Best documentary feature
“Bowling for Columbine” (United Artists and Alliance Atlantis) Michael Moore and Michael Donovan
–In his long-awaited Oscar nomination, Michael Moore shines in this brilliant, hard-hitting, and occasionally tear-jerking look and gun control and teen violence.
Achievement in film editing
“Chicago” (Miramax) Martin Walsh
–It’s not easy to convert an audience-pandering musical into a fantasy-inpiring movie, but Walsh pulls this off brilliantly.
Achievement in makeup
“Frida” (Miramax) John Jackson and Beatrice De Alba
–If just for making one of the most beautiful actresses of our time into the unibrow-ed Frida Kahlo.
Achievement in music in connection with motion pictures (Original score)
“Catch Me If You Can” (DreamWorks) John Williams
–The man is a god amongst men in composing.
Achievement in music in connection with motion pictures (Original song)
“Lose Yourself” from “8 Mile” (Universal) Music by Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto Lyric by Eminem
–An unlikely winner, but one has to imagine that the oft-violent Eminem would not be invited to such a red carpet event unless he had a purpose.
Best motion picture of the year
“Chicago” (Miramax) A Producer Circle Co., Zadan/Meron Production
Martin Richards, Producer
–How the Two Towers got in here, I’ll never know, but this movie is possibly one of the greatest stage adaptations of our time. Far outshining “Moulin Rouge” this movie has it all.
Achievement in sound/Achievement in sound editing
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, (New Line) Michael Hedges and Hammond Peek; Ethan Van der Ryn and Michael Hopkins (New Line)
–Two Towers, though not one of the best films of the year, absolutely deserves technical awards galore.
Achievement in visual effects
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook (New Line) and Alex Funke
–This widescreen extravaganza was just as gripping and visually enticing, if not more so, as its predecessor.
Screenplay based on material previously produced or published
“Adaptation” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman
–Goes without saying that this brilliant and original adaptation (an oxymoron not heard often) should win. The only question is if an honorary award will be given in memory of Charlie Kaufman’s fictional brother, Donald.
Screenplay written directly for the screen
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (IFC/Gold Circle Films) Written by Nia Vardalos
–Comedies are infrequently at best nominated in this category, or indeed in most categories, but aren’t the Oscars about making dreams come true?
–Harry Avery