WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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From the Official news release:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the opening of the brand-new, state-of-the-art Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall at LaGuardia Airport, the biggest milestone to date in the airport’s ongoing $8 billion transformation into a unified 21st century facility. The project – one of the largest public private partnerships in aviation history – includes the demolition and replacement of every terminal and concourse except for the historically landmarked Marine Air Terminal.

The spacious, 850,000-square-foot, four-story Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall will provide New York’s travelers with a 21st century airport experience that includes local concessions, large, modern restrooms and a New York-inspired shopping district. The new Arrivals and Departures Hall also showcases permanent public art installations curated by the Public Art Fund, enhancing the passenger experience and underscoring New York’s global position as a beacon for arts and culture.

The new Terminal B will open to the public on Saturday, June 13th and serve American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Air Canada. By virtue of its size, the terminal presents greater opportunities to move passengers more safely and efficiently with improved distancing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, including more space for check-in, security and baggage claim, along with new innovations in contactless technology and an increased focus on cleanliness and disinfection.

“The opening of the new Arrivals and Departures Hall at Terminal B is the biggest milestone to date in the transformation of LaGuardia Airport into a world-class transportation hub that is worthy of New York State,” Governor Cuomo said. “As we continue to upgrade and modernize this airport for the 21st century, this new state-of-the-art hall will offer passengers a unique travel experience with new concessions, traveler amenities and art installations by four of the world’s leading artists, while increasing space for passengers to move more safely and efficiently during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The opening of the new arrivals and departures hall follows the openings of the new Terminal B parking garage in February 2018, the first new gates and concourse in Terminal B in December 2018, and the first new gates and concourse in Terminal C in October 2019.

A New Terminal B Experience

With today’s opening, arriving at and departing from LaGuardia’s Terminal B will be an entirely transformed experience. The new Terminal B departures level is dramatically larger and offers four check-in islands with 75 individual check-in kiosks and a central oversize bag check-in station. There are 16 designated security lanes — three times the space for security checks. Dynamic signage in the TSA queue displays passenger wait times and allows queue zones to be adjusted based on passenger demand.

Security screening at LaGuardia’s new Terminal B now includes three state-of-the-art technology systems to expedite screening while prioritizing the safety of passengers. Checked baggage is screened more efficiently using an Artificial Intelligence-based, robotic assisted convenience system which quickly troubleshoots and diverts high-risk baggage for deeper inspection. Passengers with carry-on baggage will notice a new automated bin sequencing and retrieval system as they go through the TSA check point. New body screening and metal detecting equipment is user friendly, has larger screening areas that eliminate the need to raise arms overhead and features the most advanced imaging technology.

At the arrivals level, nine new large baggage carrousels offer additional space for distancing at baggage pick up.

There are 17 new large bathrooms across the new Arrivals and Departures Hall, featuring touch-free entry, sinks and hand dryers, to create greater opportunities for distancing when compared to the old Central Terminal Building.

Concessions

The terminal is now be home to an outstanding variety of concessions including many familiar businesses that are located in New York. To enable customers to shop and dine while waiting for their flights, concessions are centralized post-security in a main commercial district of the new Arrivals and Departures Hall with 17 best-in-class retail, food and beverage amenities. Local favorites like Eli’s Essentials by New York food legend Eli Zabar, Chef Marc Forgione’s new Mulberry Street restaurant, Junior’s Cheesecake, Brooklyn Diner, Think Coffee, Tony + Benny’s Authentic Brooklyn Pizza, Hill Country, Texas-themed BBQ founded in NYC, NYC Aglow and Bowery Bay Shops offer locals and tourists a taste of New York.

Public Art

The new Arrivals and Departures Hall comes to life through four permanent public art installations commissioned by Public Art Fund in partnership with LaGuardia Gateway Partners. Artists Jeppe Hein, Sabine Hornig, Laura Owens, and Sarah Sze have created four pieces designed specifically for the new facility which speak to the enduring spirit, sense of wonder and vitality that New York embodies.

Cleaning

All areas of the terminal are being cleaned to the highest CDC cleaning standards. High touch surface cleaning teams are on-site and visible by the branded vests they wear. There is digital signage throughout the terminal displaying COVID-19 related safety measures including the face covering requirement, distancing guidance and reminders to wash hands frequently. TSA officers will wear face masks and follow strict procedures about glove use and sanitization when handling passenger baggage. Contactless food ordering and delivery is available using the At Your Gate App.

LGP and the Port Authority continue to test the latest technology to prevent and limit the spread of COVID-19, including testing touchless technology at SITA Check in Counters and UV cleaning technology on escalator handrails.

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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS UPDATE. From Assemblyman David Buchwald. June 10, 2020:

Today our portion of New York State entered Phase 2 of our reopening. This is both a good sign for our economy and is a reflection of the progress we all have made in acting safely to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As businesses and industries start to go back to work in the Mid-Hudson region, as we announced last week, my Coronavirus Update will be be shared with you on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Phase Two Reopening Underway in Westchester With the number of new COVID-19 hospitalizations down and other pandemic control benchmarks met, today Westchester County and our Mid-Hudson Region neighbors entered reopening Phase 2, an important milestone in restarting economic activity.

Phase 2 reopening includes offices, real estate activities, in-store retail, car dealerships, retail rental and repair, commercial building management, outdoor dining and hair salons and barbershops. However, as businesses and industries get back to work, there are new protocols and routines to adjust to.

One Phase 2 requirement that affects every industry is that businesses must remain at or below 50 percent capacity and individuals must social distance whenever possible. For office workers, meetings are discouraged, with tele-and video-conferencing recommended. Also recommended, staggering the arrival and departure times for employees to reduce congestion in lobbies and elevators.

Additionally, an executive order issued by the Governor allows commercial buildings to conduct temperature checks for anyone entering a building.The State of New York has published guidance documents to inform businesses and employees of the rules for the new normal. You can find these reports at: https://forward.ny.gov/phase-two-industries.

For guidance from the State on how to operate outdoor dining go to this link: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/OutdoorTakeoutDeliveryFoodServicesMasterGuidance.pdf.Voters Get More Time to Mail School and Primary Election Ballots

Voters Get More Time to Mail School and Primary Election Ballots

Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued an executive order providing voters participating in this year’s Board of Education elections and school budget votes an extra week to submit ballots by mail. The new deadline for mailed-in ballots to arrive at the school districts is 5 p.m., June 16. Governor Cuomo has also signed legislation (S.8130-D/A.10516-A) extending the deadline to submit absentee ballots until the day of the election. Therefore, to be counted, primary ballots must be postmarked by June 23, the day of the primary election. Details of the elections changes can be found here:https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-legislation-extending-deadline-submit-absentee-ballots-day-election

Limited Attendance High School Graduations Will Be Allowed

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that outdoor, socially distanced graduations of up to 150 people will be allowed beginning June 26, subject to any outbreaks or significant changes in the metrics for COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in a region. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-outdoor-graduations-150-people-will-be-allowed-beginning-june-26th

Houses of Worship Can Begin to Reopen

Phase 2 now includes reopening places of worship, with attendance limited to 25% of the building’s official capacity. Social distancing protocols will have to be followed, which includes wearing masks.

Resources

Remember, the single best place to get answers to coronavirus questions is the New York State coronavirus hotline: (888) 346-3065.The Westchester County COVID-19 information service can be reached by calling 2-1-1.The New York State Mental Health Hotline is: (844) 863-9314.

You can also visit headspace.com/ny which offers a collection of meditation, sleep, and movement exercises to help during these stressful and challenging times.

The New York State Domestic Violence Hotline is (800) 942-6906, or you can text 844-997-2121, or click https://opdv.ny.gov/

The New York State Department of Health also regularly updates information at its coronavirus website: https://health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/

To locate a testing side for COVID-19, click here:  coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-testing

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We are excited to be offering Contactless Curbside Pickup starting next Monday, June 15. This service will be offered Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Every White Plains cardholder can request three items a day and pick them up during those hours. You can borrow books, movies, music, and audiobooks for yourself or your children. Here’s how to get started:

• Call (914) 422-1400. We’ll ask for your name, library card number, phone number, and email.
• Let us know what you are looking for. If you have a specific book or movie, great! If you want us to pick out items for you, let us know the last few books or movies that you really enjoyed. We’ll hang up and start searching.
• Once we have collected your titles, we will call you back to review and to check the items out to you. You will have three days to pick up the material.
• Drive to the Library Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and when you pull in to our cut-out, call (914) 422-1490 and provide your name. Stay in your car, and a library worker will leave your items—bagged and with your name prominently on the exterior—on a table in front of the Library.
• Walking? Just give us a call when you get to the corner of Martine Avenue and Martin Luther King or South Lexington, and we’ll leave your items on the table.
• Retrieve your items and enjoy.
• Please don’t engage our staff in conversation. If you have questions, call (914) 422-1400.
• To return materials, use the book drop on the left of the entrance, open every day 24/7. Please keep the bags—they are reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable.
• We are not accepting book donations at this time.

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WPCNR MONDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING. From the Governor’s Press Office. June 8, 2020;

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the MTA is accelerating construction on $2 billion in capital projects during this period of reduced ridership caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects include:

• Launching the rehabilitation of the F Train’s Rutgers Tube with the contract awarded in July – four years ahead of the original schedule;
• Accelerating 11 ADA stations, including adding 24 new elevators;
• Rehabilitating the 138th Street Grand Concourse Station, which will be completed one month early in October 2020; and
• Accelerating repairs of steel and concrete defects and leaks within the 2/3, 4/5 Train’s Eastern Parkways Line in Brooklyn and shaving 10 months off the project by increasing work up to 25 percent during overnight closures.

Governor Cuomo also announced the launch of the ‘It’s Up to Us, New York’ Campaign on MTA buses and trains and billboards across the region as well as on billboards throughout the state and through an integrated social media campaign to remind New Yorkers to do their part to continue fighting the COVID-19 virus.

The Governor also reminded New Yorkers that masks are mandatory when riding public transportation systems and that New Yorkers should follow all guidelines and protocols when riding, including maintaining social distancing to the extent possible, using hand sanitizer and observing decal guidance.

The Governor also announced that as New York City reopens today, the MTA is continuing to take unprecedented steps to keep riders and workers safe, including cleaning and disinfecting trains and buses daily – the largest and most innovative cleaning effort in its history.

Since May 6th, the MTA has performed 30,000 station cleanings and disinfections and 500,000 subway car cleanings and disinfections. The MTA is also piloting the use of proven UV light technology to clean subway cars and crew facilities.

The Governor also announced the state is deploying over one million masks, as well as 25,000 gallons and 500,000 2-oz. bottles of sanitizer to the MTA for reopening.

“New York City and the MTA are reopening, and today I took a ride on the 7 Train because if the subway isn’t safe for me, then I wouldn’t ask anyone else to go on the subway,” Governor Cuomo said. “The MTA has done phenomenal work – the subway cars are cleaner than they have ever been in my lifetime and they are disinfecting the cars every single day. And during this period of reduced ridership, the MTA has also smartly increased their construction so fewer riders were inconvenienced and accelerated $2 billion in capital projects.”