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)

Thunder-Boomers Predicted Again for Thursday PM

Posted on June 27, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR WEATHERSCOOP. From National Weather Service. June 27, 2002. 11:30 A.M. E.D.T.: “Weather Central” is again warning the White Plains area to expect strong thunderstorms this afternoon. The 6-hour thunder-front that deluged White Plains with one inch of rain last evening may be back for an encore.
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
905 AM EDT THU JUN 27 2002

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED PART OF THE TRI-STATE AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR LATER TODAY.

A VERY WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS CONTINUES ACROSS THE REGION. AN APPROACHING DISTURBANCE…PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL SET THE STAGE FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE…PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND OR DAMAGING WINDS. THERE WILL ALSO BE THE THREAT OF TORRENTIAL RAINS WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS WHICH COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING.

Council Interviews Police Commish.

Posted on June 25, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR Police Gazzette. June 25, 2002. 8:00 AM. Dr. Frank Straub, the Mayor’s nominee to become the next White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety was interview by the Common Council in Executive Session Monday afternoon.
Dr. Straub was seen leaving City Hall at about 7:10 PM, and Council President Benjamin Boykin told WPCNR that he found Dr. Straub “very impressive.” Councilman Boykin said he could not comment further about the directions of the Executive Session interview with the NYPD Assisstant Commissioner, but Dr. Straub’s appointment would be on the agenda for next Monday’s Common Council meeting.

Not Enough in FEIS:Boykin. Gerrard Advises Set Guidelines in Findings

Posted on June 25, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR Morning Sun. By John F. Bailey. June 25, 2002. 8:00 AM E.D.T. Prior to voting to accept the New York Presbyterian Hospital draft Final Environmental Impact Statement early this morning, Councilpersons Benjamin Boykin and Rita Malmud were strong in their assertion that not enough clarity had been provided by the hospital in their supplmental information provided last Thursday.
Prior to entering into historic Executive Session, Common Council President Benjamin Boykin and Councilperson Rita Malmud said the hospital supplemental information on the nature of research and the number of trees to be destroyed on Site 8 was not detailed enough.

Boykin was blunt, commenting on Section 2 of the supplemental information on the business structure: “I was very clear. I said I wanted to know what it was to be done and who it was to be done with. To be quite frank about it, this doesn’t get the job done. I don’t know what it means. I don’t think this (the FEIS) provides the appropriate information I need.”

Gerrard says detail not needed in FEIS for it to be accepted.

Michael Gerrard, of Arnold & Porter, the environmental law advisor agreed, saying – “This (the Section 2 answer) is not quite adequate.”

However, Gerrard said it was not enough reason to reject the FEIS as incomplete. He suggested instead that it gave the city cause to create “a procedure for the city to review the research,” as the hospital developed potential research projects for the biomedical complex. “This is not needed to be in the FEIS,” Gerrard concluded.

When Councilman Glen Hockley asked for clarification, Gerrard said, that as part of the Findings statement,

“The Common Council shouls set guidelines for what ancillary means, and what research you will allow to go forward.”

Marathon Exec Session Drones Into Sultry Night. Council Accepts FEIS, 6-1

Posted on June 25, 2002 by John Bailey

WPCNR City Evening Star Reporter. By John F. Bailey. June 25, 2002. 12:15 A.M. E.D.T.: The Common Council started deliberating in Executive Session with their environmental attorney, Michael Gerrard, Monday evening at 8:40 PM and at midnight were still at, wrangling over their options. As of midnight, no public vote had been called on the resolution as to whether the Council would accept the New York Presbyterian Hospital Final Environmental Impact Statement.

At 12:10 AM, Tuesday morning, George Gretsas, the Mayor’s Executive Officer, reported to WPCNR that the Common Council had accepted the Final Environmental Impact Statement as complete by a vote of 6 to 1, with Councilman William King abstaining.

FEIS BUSTERS: The usual suspects gather nervously in the Mayor’s Conference Chamber Monday evening to consider with Michael Gerrard the implications and consequences of accepting the New York Presbyterian Hospital draft Final Environmental Impact Statement.
All Photos by WPCNR

In what was billed as the final session of the “Gerrard Talks,” the council got under way with Mr. Gerrard at 7:27 PM, and adjourned to Executive Session at 8:40 PM to get into the hot and heavy issues.

Based on the concerns expressed repeatedly over the first five sessions of the “Gerrard Talks,” WPCNR speculates they were discussing specifically how they could demand more information on the FEIS, and how they could limit the scope and execution of the New York Presbyterian Hospital project, or perhaps deny it all together in their eventual Findings Statement. Obviously after three hours in seclusion with Michael Gerrard, the Council feels comfortable with their options.

Resolution Drawn Up for Public Voting.

The Common Council was required by the Department of Environmental Conservation State Environmental Quality Review regulations to accept as complete or deny as incomplete the Final Environmental Impact Statement by Thursday, June 27. Consequently a 4-page resolution had been drawn up for Council action at the conclusion of the Executive Session for the Council to vote on which they approved at slightly past midnight.

The Resolution concludes, “the Common Council finds that the Final Environmental Impact Statement is adequate and accurate and responds to comments received regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement,”

The Resolution continues, acknowledging that the Council “accepts the FEIS for consideration in making environmental findings.”