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)

ASA National Women’s Softball Championship at Stratford, CT. Continues

Posted on August 16, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR PRESSBOX. August 17, 2002:The Stratford Brakettes with four of the nation’s top softball pitchers take on a field of 13 teams from around the nation this weekend in the ASA National Softball Championships in Stratford, Connecticut.

In last night’s opening action, the Brakettes defeated the Iowa Dynasty 5-2, behind Cat Osterman and play the Adirondack Ice Saturday afternoon at 5:30 PM at DeLuca Field. For all of last night’s results, go to www.brakettes.com, and click-on “brackets.”

LONG TALL LEFTY, Cat Osterman, of the Stratford Brakettes, is just one of the top windmill pitchers you’ll see in action beginning this evening in Stratford Connecticut’s, DeLuca Hall of Fame Field as the ASA National Softball Championships get underway with 14 women’s teams from around the nation. She is shown pitching a shutout against the Adirondack Ice last week. The Brakettes won the Northeast Seaboard Women’s Fastpitch League Championship last weekend.
PHOTO BY WPCNR

The championships will feature the now 74-1, (no, that is not a misprint), Stratford Brakettes against a field that includes the California Hurricanes, featuring some of the top players from southern California, the St. Louis Saints, Iowa Dynasties, Celina(Ohio) Suns, and Elite Force from Illinois.

DeLuca is reached by traveling to Exit 30 on the Connecticut Thruway, exiting to Lordship Boulevard, following it to the Cricket Hot Dog Stand, making a left, and you’re right at the ballpark. In action tonight are the California Hurricanes in Game 1 at 6:30 PM, and the Stratford Brakettes in Game 2 at 8:30 PM. Admission is $6 for the elite doubleheader. Action continues all weekend long with the Championship Monday evening.

Fisher Hill Group Home Opponents Ask Zoning Board to Reverse Building Permit

Posted on August 15, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR Evening City Star Reporter. By John F. Bailey. August 15, 2002: The Walworth Avenue Neighbors Committee has launched a legal effort to prevent the Jewish Board of Family & Children’s Services from converting 139 Walworth Avenue into a foster home for teenagers from broken homes. It has asked the White Plains Zoning Board of Appeals to deny the Building Permit issued by the City Building Department to the JBFCS to prepare the home for occupancy by 10 teenagers.
Their complaint is scheduled to be heard at the September 4 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.

In the appeal, filed with the city August 9, the neighborhood organization asks the Zoning Board of Appeals to revoke the Building Permit on the grounds that the Jewish Board of Family & Children’s Services needed to acquire a Special Permit Zoning Variance, or undergo a siting review process, provided for under the state mental hygiene law, and that “the Building Department exceeded its authority,” in granting the permit.

The complaint, in addition, asks the Zoning Board to revoke the Building Permit on the grounds that “the proposed operation of this facility is not remotely similar to a natural family, nor to the state-created families described in the relevant caselaw.”

The brief explains: “there will be no house parents in residence at 139 Walworth, ” and that, “no adult staff would reside there even part-time. Instead, the staff would come and go from the site, and a single staff member will be on the premises during the night shift between 11 PM and 7 AM.”

As a result, the argument contends, “This staffing arrangement does not meet the definition of “family” under Section 2.4 of the White Plains zoning ordinance,” which describes a family as a person who is a relative or a householder caring for a reasonable number of children, likely to be found in a biologically unitary family.

The appeal contends that a Siting and Review Process under the Mental Hygiene Law was required before a Building Permit could have been granted. The brief cites two case rulings in 1978 and 1984 supporting their position.

City Hall Denies JPI In Process of Selling 300 Mamaroneck Property.

Posted on August 15, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR Evening City Star Reporter. By John F. Bailey. August 15, 2002: George Gretsas, Executive Officer for the City of White Plains, denied today that JPI, developers of The Jefferson at White Plains was in the process of “shopping the property” as has been rumored about the city in recent weeks by Highlands residents.
Gretsas maintained that JPI has told the city the property is not for sale and that they were still in the process of selecting a new general contractor. He said that JPI had assured the city that as soon as a new contractor was signed, the project which has not seen any activity for approximately three months, would resume.

Rumors of the creation of a second “hole-in-the-ground” at 300 Mamaroneck Avenue as a result of JPI’s dispute with their former contractor, were discounted by city hall sources, as were other rumors that height was being added to the project, and that there were natural geological factors(rocky subsurface) necessitating a change in the design of the project.

A city hall source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that it was their understanding that JPI had invested too much money in the project to pull out of the endeavor at this point, and were committed to the apartment complex.

Paul Crisalli, local spokesman for JPI, was contacted for confirmation of JPI’s intentions, but as of Thursday evening, had not contacted WPCNR.

Jennifer Schaffer Moves Up to Commish of Mental Health. Friedman Retires.

Posted on August 15, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From Westchester Department of Communications. August 15, 2002.:Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Schaffer will take over as head of the county’s community mental health department when Commissioner Steven Friedman retires on Aug. 26, County Executive Andy Spano announced today.
Schaffer, who has served as deputy commissioner for 12 years, said she is eager to take on her new responsibilities and hopes to see the department offer even more innovative treatment and rehabilitation programs in coming years.

“Under Steve Friedman’s leadership, Westchester County has established an extensive array of services for mentally ill, mentally retarded, developmentally disabled and chemically abusing persons,” Schaffer said. “I’m very excited to have the opportunity to continue to develop and work with this service system that is among the best anywhere in the country.”

Spano extended his congratulations to Schaffer as he expressed appreciation to Friedman for his efforts in creating a compassionate yet efficient department that shows how much can be accomplished with strong planning and determination.

“During his tenure, we were able to build a system of services that is helping people throughout the county lead a higher quality of life,” Spano said. “I can think of no one more qualified than Dr. Schaffer to take over that role and continue the progress that’s already well underway.”

Friedman said that when he first joined the Department of Community Mental Health in 1973, he never thought he would stay for 29 years. Serving as commissioner for the last fourteen years, he noted that the final years have been the best.

“Our system of services has grown, changed and adapted to the changing needs and expectations of Westchester’s residents,” he said. “The system understands its responsibility to first serve those most in need. I am very proud of what we have all accomplished through the cooperative efforts of county government, the offices of the state Department of Mental Hygiene, voluntary providers, families and consumers.”

Friedman said he applauded Spano’s decision to have Schaffer take over as commissioner.

Schaffer, a Briarcliff Manor resident, has been deputy commissioner since 1990. She previously served as executive director of the Middletown Psychiatric Center and deputy director of a state Office of Mental Health regional office that included six state-run psychiatric centers. With a PhD in Applied Research in Psychology, she is also a clinical assistant professor of psychology at New York Medical College.

“Her vast experience with the Office of Mental Health, Middletown Psychiatric Center and as deputy commissioner of our department provide her with unique and tested skills,” Friedman said.

Westchester’s community mental health department has long been recognized for its innovative approaches to providing services. The department runs four state licensed outpatient clinics, helps homeless adults in the shelter system, operates alternative to incarceration programs and develops and coordinates programs and services for children, adolescents, adults and their families affected by alcohol and substance abuse, mental illness, mental retardation and developmental disabilities.