WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.
The League of Women Voters of Westchester County Education Foundation announced today that it will sponsor a virtual Candidates Forum for candidates in the Democratic Party Primary Election for Westchester District Attorney.
The virtual forum is scheduled for Thursday May 28, 2020 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The two candidates in the primary are Mimi Rocah and Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr.
As it is neither practical nor prudent for participants to be co-located for this event, the League will use the cloud-based video conferencing application Zoom and participants will join from their chosen remote locations.
The Forum will be live-streamed and also be recorded for subsequent viewing on the county and local League of Women Voters’ websites through Primary Election Day, June 23. The League is soliciting questions from the public to be posed to the candidates.
“The League’s Candidates Forums provide residents with the opportunity to hear from all candidates on important issues in a calm, respectful, nonpartisan environment that encourages civil discourse,” says League of Women Voters of Westchester President Marylou Green. “We are particularly pleased to bring the candidates together virtually, as options for interaction between candidates and voters are greatly curtailed at this time.”
WPCNR MONDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO BRIEFING. By John F. Bailey. May 18, 2020:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced he is corona virus negative this morning, after is televised coronavirus test yesterday. He said he “had a nice sense of relief. It is a peace of mind.” He emphasized this is a good reason to take the test and encouraged everyone nervous (about symptoms) to get a test and 700 locations around the state.
BUFFALO TO REOPEN.
He announced the state was shipping 329,000 testing kits to
nursing homes across the state to enable them to test employees twice a week. He
has cleared NY labs to handle 35,000 test analyses a week expected from the
nursing homes.
He pointed out that if you test an employee on a Monday and test them again in a week they could infect persons for 6 days if the employee contracted the virus the day after they were tested. He noted that nursing homes have been complaining about testing employees twice a week, saying to him, “No other state requires us to test twice a week.” The Governor said, “It is necessary. You can’t have it both ways.” (There were 106 new deaths from coronavirus in New York State Sunday, the governor reported. Hospitals accounted for 83 deaths; Nursing Homes, 23.)
The governor announced that two experts were going to be analyzing
the numbers produced by New York regions around the state. They are Dr. Samir
Bhatt, Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London whose College had the most
accurate statistical model the state used during the onset of the coronavirus
outbreak. The second consultant is Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and
Policy, University of Minnesota.
Dr. Bhatt commented from London, by telephone.
“You have controlled the coronavirus,” Dr. Bhatt said in a brief interview from London.
Governor Cuomo said: “Dr. Osterholm is a nationwide expert in this field and he has agreed to review our data, what we’re doing, what’s happening, and to advise us as to how our progress looks on the numbers. I want to thank him very much. We to have Dr. Samir Bhatt, Senior Lecturer at Imperial College, who has agreed to serve as an advisor to the State of New York. Dr. Bhatt is the senior lecturer in geostatistics at the Imperial College in London. Geostatistics is not my field of endeavor. I never heard of geostatistics before, doctor. That’s why we need you to advise us, Dr. Bhatt, because I know nothing about geostatistics. But Dr. Bhatt is joining us, I want to thank him very much. The Imperial College in London, we have had a number of projection models that were done early on by a number of very prestigious universities.
And we’ve been watching all these projection models since this started. As you know, many of the models were not 100 percent accurate because they couldn’t calculate the effect of the social participation and what people actually did to change the curve. And in a State like New York, what the people did dramatically changed that curve so it affected the projections. But, the Imperial College model, as we’ve been following this for weeks, was the best, most accurate model.”
Governor Cuomo announced judges and staff will return to courthouses in 30 Upstate Counties starting this week.
In remarks on the New York Reopenings in progress, Governor Cuomo said the success of the reopening “is not a political option. The 30 Counties reopening have to monitor the impact with the numbers and new infections:
70% of hospital beds must be available
70% ICU bed per hospital
30 tests per 1,000 residents
30 tracers in place per 100,000 residents
1:1 Infection Rate must not be exceeded
The governor called the reopening guidelines ‘a liberation in that it an exercise in science and math. What we do today determines how we ‘re going to stay there.
During the “Q & A,” the governor said the 3-day moving average on the Guidelines for opening (and staying open) is hard and fast, you can not exceed the 3-day moving average. He also said the Hospitalization rate is a lagging indicator, stressing the more important benchmark which is the new infection rate.
The governor said he encouraged, basketball, hockey and baseball professional leagues to resume and start seasons without fans in the arenas and stands, if they could make it work financially, saying “the state will help you,” without defining “help.”
The Governor said it is popular to say, “I think you should reopen slower. What is behind ‘I think.’ You say I think you should reopen faster. What is behind ‘I think.’ Let’s keep our opinions out of it. Let’s keep it on the numbers.”
Governor Cuomo gives Reopening Regions and New Yorkers a peptalk: “COME BACK BETTER.”
WPCNR SUNDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO BRIEFING. By John F.
Bailey. May 17, 2020:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo asked more New Yorkers to get
coronavirus tests today, who think they might have symptoms, and added anyone
who might be returning to work in upstate reopenings to get tested. The reason
is to help to control the spread of the virus after reopening and because the
state is currently performing 5,000 tests a day when it has the capacity to
perform 15,000 at some 700 sites across the state.
The Governor announced that the Western New York Region and
the Capitol Regions would be reopened next as soon as the correct number of
tracing personnel were hired and trained. The Capito Region has hired 383 and
needs to hire another 166. Western New York has hired 521, needs 35. The
Governor said they expected to get tracers in place “within a few days”
The Governor encouraged persons to pay attention to their mental health and the stress the 78 days of shut down and aanxiety of taken on them mentally, encouraging them to call the mental health hotline, 1-844-863-9314, and to visit a new website, www.howareyoureally.org, started by a niece of the Governor’s to help persons face how they are really feeling about all the stress. The Governor showed charts show how over 30% of Americans nationwide (in the first edition of this article WPCNR wrote NYers, WPCNR regrets the error), have expressed mental difficulties in dealing with the stress.
In the “Q. & A.,” the Governor was asked about summer
camps being allowed. The Governor said the spread of pediatric- Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome
is a factor in allowing how camps open and under what conditions. Dr. Howard
Zucker said there were over 120 cases now. The Governor said he fears there are
a lot more. The issue of summer camps opening at all is being delayed at the
present time.
Melissa DaRossa, Secretary to the Governor said the state is
now dealing with possible fraud and double payment issues on the question of
unemployment checks. The Governor said the backlog is “done.”
In the question of justice for families whose nursing home
loved ones had died, the Governor said the received the best care possible, and
that there was not a way to tell who to prosecute in alleged negligence.
The Governor at the close of his briefing showed how simply
testing for the coronavirus was by being tested on camera during the briefing.
He said if he tested positive he would not be back tomorrow.
WPCNR Saturday Governor Andrew Cuomo CoronaVirus Brief. (UPDATE):
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo confirmed 2,419 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 348,232 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 348,232 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows (Mid-Hudson Regions in BOLD FACE :
WPCNR SATURDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING. By John F. Bailey. May 16, 2020:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today cleared Westchester County and Suffolk County Hospitals to begin scheduling elective surgery and ambulatory care patients because their capacity ratios to handle corononavirus patients had been met.
In response to incise questioning by Jesse McKinley of The New York Times in the “Q. & A.,” Governor Cuomo confirmed that all 5 regions that were cleared for reopening have tracing personnel now in place to track the contacts of covid-19 diagnosed individuals social contacts. The Governor said no region could open without in-place tracers ready to go. (FYI: Westchester County this week advertised for persons wanting to be tracers).
The Governor said 157 persons died yesterday from Coronavirus in New York State, up from yesterday. He said new hospitalized cases had declined. The coronavirus infections curve continued its slow decline, saying “Spikes (in fections) rise quickly, resolve slowly.”
He provided no new information on the spread of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome (PMSIS) that was up to 119 cases affecting children from 1 to 21, whom have had coronavirus exposure and show antibodies to corona. In yesterday’s briefing he cautioned on PMSIS:
“You know with this virus, I just want to say on a personal level, and I want to make sure everybody understands this – -the facts here have been changing and the facts have only been getting more negative. This started that it was only going to attack vulnerable people, seniors, people with co-morbidities.
I was speaking to a doctor today about a young person who passed away of a stroke, from Covid. No underlying conditions, nothing else. It was a stroke. No respiratory illness. Well, what happened? Well apparently, the virus can affect the heart, and the liver, and other organs besides the lungs, and we didn’t know that.
Children weren’t going to be infected. Accept now we’re studying 100 cases where children are in fact affected by the virus and some of them very serious. And that 100 cases, I’ll wager that’s going to only go up and it’s going to be much more widespread than anyone thinks. So, the amount of personal responsibility here to keep oneself safe, to keep one’s family safe, I cannot stress highly enough, do not underestimate this virus and do not play with this virus.”
He announced that New York Horse Racing could resume June 1 without spectators, at New York racetracks .
He cleared car racing at Watkins Glen.
He said he anticipated no more lockdowns, but that regions choosing to reopen that have been cleared would have to watch for “spikes.”
The Governor said he expected numbers of infections to increase but had no arbitrary figure as to how much percentage would have to increase before regions had to make adjustments, saying it depends on the population of the region and the locations in the regions where “spikes” in infections were increasing.
He said he realized people are restless: “Everybdy wants to come out. It’s how they react when they come out. You’ll see some increase in numbers but not see a spike. It’s still relying on what we do. So be smart. Be diligent.”
He in a direct plea to the U.S. Senate considering the relief bill for the states passed by the House of Representatives Friday, said “Try to be great in this moment.” (and pass the bill).
He said in a “Q. & A” question regaring the New York State Legislature, that he would not cut the budget until Congress had made its position clear on relief for the states. The governor said that the legislature would have to take up the question of what to cut out of the state budget which faces a $61 Billion “hole.”
“There will be fights,” the Governor said.
The Governor previously announced that the state will allow elective outpatient treatments to resume in counties and hospitals without significant risk of COVID-19 surge in the near term, and a total of 49 counties can now resume elective surgeries:
Albany
Herkimer
Rensselaer
Allegany
Jefferson
Saratoga
Broome
Lewis
Schenectady
Cattaraugus
Livingston
Schoharie
Cayuga
Madison
Schuyler
Chautauqua
Monroe
St. Lawrence
Chemung
Montgomery
Steuben
Chenango
Niagara
Suffolk
Clinton
Oneida
Sullivan
Columbia
Onondaga
Tompkins
Cortland
Ontario
Ulster
Delaware
Orange
Warren
Dutchess
Orleans
Wayne
Essex
Oswego
Westchester
Franklin
Otsego
Wyoming
Fulton
Putnam
Yates
Genesee
The Governor called on the U.S. Senate to pass the coronavirus relief bill that was passed by the House last night. The bill includes $500 billion for states and $375 billion for locals; Medicaid funding for the most vulnerable; increased SNAP food assistance; 100 percent FEMA federal assistance; funding for testing; and repeals SALT to help states most affected by COVID-19.
THE SUPER GOVERNOR OPENS UPSTATE UP DOWNSTATE HAS THE BLUESWESTCHESTER AND MID-HUDSON DRAGGING THEIR FEET, LEAVING THEIR MASKS AT HOME WHY MID-HUDSON IS NOT WORTHY.JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS — 20TH YEAR OF REPORTING TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY…PENETRATING, THOUGHTFUL, ANALYTICAL, DISTURBING
MEMORIAL DAY THIS YEAR IS ON MAY 25. STATE BEACHES IN NY WILL BE OPEN MAY 22.GOVERNOR CUOMO AND GOVERNORS OF NJ, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE OPEN BEACHES WITH REGULATIONS. REGULATIONS IN FORCE APPEAR AT CLOSE OF ABOVE VIDEO.LOCAL GOVERNMENT OWNED BEACHES MUST NOTIFY STATE THEY WANT TO OPEN BY MAY 20, AND MUST OBEY STATE RESTRICTIONS.
PRESIDENTIAL, CONGRESSIONAL, STATE & LOCAL PRIMARIES – JUNE 23
Voting in Person
Early voting for the June 23 primary elections will take place from Saturday, June 13 through Sunday, June 21, throughout the county. (Polling sites to be determined.)
Primary Election Day – June 23, 2020, polling sites will be open throughout the county for in-person voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Polling sites to be determined.)
If you wish to vote by absentee ballot here is what you need to know:
Requesting an Absentee Ballot Application
All eligible voters will be mailed applications to request absentee ballots for the June 23, 2020 primary elections (both the presidential primary and congressional/state/local primary elections). These mailings will include a postage paid return envelope. Voters should start to receive applications in the mail starting May 15. (If you do not receive one by June 1 call the Board of Elections at (914) 995-5285.)
If you previously submitted an absentee ballot application between January and April 2020 for the presidential primary scheduled for April 28, the Board of Elections may have already sent you one ballot for the presidential primary; they will send you a second ballot for the congressional/state/local primary elections.
If you discarded the April 28 presidential primary absentee ballot and would like to request a replacement for the June 23 presidential primary election, please contact the Board of Elections.
Filling out and Filing the Absentee Ballot Application
In filling out the application for the absentee ballot, check “Temporary Illness” in Box 1; and
Select “Primary Election” in Box 2 to receive ballots for the presidential primary and for the congressional, state, and local primary elections.
Absentee ballot applications must be received by the Board of Elections (BOE), and no later than Tuesday, June 16 in order for ballots to be received by voters in time for the elections.
Voting by Absentee Ballot and Important Deadlines
Once the Board of Elections has processed your application, the BOE will mail you two absentee ballots for both the presidential primary and the congressional, state, and local primaries.
Included with your absentee ballots will be a postage paid return envelope. Absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before June 22, 2020 and must be received by the Board of Elections no later than Tuesday, June 30; or
The absentee ballots can also can be hand delivered up to 9 p.m. June 23, 2020 to the Board of Elections located at 25 Quarropas Street, White Plains, NY 10601.
Voter Registration Deadlines for the June 23 Primary Elections
Voter registration forms must submitted to the Board of Elections at 25 Quarropas Street, White Plains, NY 10601. Those applications must be postmarked or delivered in person by Thursday, May 29.
AMID ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES FIFTH REGION HITS BENCHMARK TO BEGIN REOPENING MAY 15TH
Central New York Joins North Country, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions, Which Have Met the Seven Metrics Required to Begin Reopening After NYS on Pause Orders Expire on May 15th
Business Guidance for Phase One of the State’s Reopening Plan is Available Here
Initial $3 Million in Grants Available to Businesses to Manufacture Emergency Medical Supplies and Equipment
Announces President Trump has Expedited $3.9 Billion in Funding for the MTA at the Request of the Governor
Confirms 2,390 Additional Coronavirus Cases in New York State – Bringing Statewide Total to 343,051; New Cases in 45 Counties
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that as of today, Central New York has met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening plan when NYS on PAUSE orders expire on May 15th, joining the North Country, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions.
If the trend continues, these five regions can begin opening businesses for phase one, which includes construction; manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pickup and drop-off or in-store pickup; and agriculture, forestry and fishing. Business guidance for phase one of the state’s reopening plan is available here. A guide to the state’s “NY Forward Reopening” Plan is available here. The state’s regional monitoring dashboard is available here.
The Governor also announced an initial $3 million in grants are available to businesses to manufacture emergency medical supplies and equipment. Companies interested in growing or starting a medical supply business should go to www.esd.ny.gov.
Governor Cuomo also announced that President Trump has expedited $3.9 billion in funding for the MTA at the request of the Governor.
“All the arrows are pointed in the right direction and now the question becomes focused on reopening – people have to get back to work and the state needs an economy – but we have to make sure we don’t reopen too soon,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are doing this in a calibrated way and monitoring the data, facts and metrics every single day and using the lessons we’ve learned from others who have already gone through this. And right now, based on our criteria we have five regions that are poised to reopen beginning tomorrow, and as they start to reopen certain businesses we will continue to monitor the level of activity and make sure it doesn’t create a second wave of this virus.”
Finally, the Governor confirmed 2,390 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 343,051 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 343,051 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows (MIDHUDSON REGION COUNTIES IN BOLD FACE):
WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. May 14, 2020:
A resident of Battle Hill informs WPCNR that
“Battle Hill was hit hard last night 5-13-20. Larcenies from UNLOCKED vehicles. Many neighbors have (surveillance) cameras so that is helping police. Please lock your car doors at night! Police are asking if you were targeted last night please call 4226111 non-emergency WPPD.”
WPCNR is awaiting details from the White Plains Police.
The White Plains Police have this observation on their website:
There have been recent car larcenies from unlocked vehicles in private driveways within our city and our neighboring jurisdictions. This has become not only a local crime issue, but one that extends throughout the country.
The White Plains Police actively seek to detect, deter and arrest persons involved in these crimes. For all the police effort, the single most effective way to not become a victim of this crime is to lock all the doors of your vehicles. It is as simple as that.
Please help the Police Department fight crime. – Lock your cars and do your honest best to safeguard all of your belongings in and around your residence.
