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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The Governor today confirmed 103 additional COVID-19 cases in New York State, bringing the total to 524.  172 of those cases (14 new cases) are in Westchester County. Coronavirus is now present in 16 NY counties and New York City.  We have not received an updated White Plains number from the County as of today. We will share an update with you as soon as we receive it. 
The State is expecting the number of cases to continue to rise in the foreseeable future and is moving aggressively to increase its testing capacity.

 If you are experiencing symptoms associated with coronavirus, please call either the White Plains Hospital Hotline at (914) 681-2900 or the NYS Dept of Health Hotline at 1-888-364-3065. Professional staff will screen you over the phone by asking you a series of questions and assess your need for testing.

 
Out of an abundance of caution, the White Plains Public Library will be closed to the public starting tomorrow, Sunday, March 15th. We will be sharing more information about how you can use our virtual services in the days to come. In the meantime, we have a robust e-book and e-audio collection available, as well as many resources for streaming media, including Kanopy, an excellent film collection.

As many of you have heard, the White Plains School District has decided to close on Monday and Tuesday March 16 & 17. The district will use up 2 snow days for this closure.

This decision was reached after consultation with NY State officials and the State Education Dept. The school closure is consistent with the model of social distancing that has been recommended by public health professionals.

Dr. Ricca expects that further guidance from the state will be forthcoming next week. Dr. Ricca and I have been speaking and coordinating regularly during this crisis and I support the decision he has made.

In connection with the school closure, the White Plains Youth Bureau will also be closed on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Social Distancing & Reducing Density to Prevent Spread of COVID-19:Earlier this week, the Governor announced measures aimed at further containing the spread of the virus by prohibiting gatherings of 500 or more people and requiring that gatherings of less than 500 people reduce their capacity by 50% effective March 13, 2020 at 5:00 PM.

The Governor did not put an end date on these restrictions, but said the state is re-evaluating daily.

The state is advising businesses around the state to think about ways in which they can “reduce density” through options such as telecommuting and shift changes if possible. Reducing density (that is, reducing the number and type of situations that bring a large number of people together in close quarters), along with increasing testing capacity, is a top priority of the state as a means of stopping the spread of the virus.

Looking for More Information?In an effort to keep these updates to a manageable length, we have posted two new items under the heading “Latest News” on the home page of the City website, www.cityofwhiteplains.com.

These items focus on: 1) Prevention information, including reliable links for public health information, and 2) City Program/Event/Meeting changes due to coronavirus.  These two pages are being updated regularly.
    For coronavirus prevention information, please visit this link on the City of White Plains website.    For information on changes to city programs and events due to coronavirus, please visit this link on the City of White  Plains website.
Thank you,Mayor Tom Roach

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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. MARCH 14, 2029:

Andrea Johnston, Chief Operating Officer of Open Table, the national restaurant reservation service reports on the effects of the coronavirus nationwide on the restaurant industry:

“Our thoughts are with you as we all work to navigate this challenging time. As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to make headlines, even the best-laid plans are up for last-minute changes. Those changes are hitting restaurants hard as they struggle with the effects of reduced travel and government calls to avoid large gatherings. 

Looking at comprehensive data from restaurants on our platform — across online reservations, phone reservations, and walk-ins — we note sharp declines over the last week.

In the United States and United Kingdom, we see a 20 percent reduction in total seated diners vs. last year.

Mexico and Canada are down 15 to 17 percent.

At the city level, diners are down approximately 45 percent in Seattle, 40 percent in San Francisco, 30 percent in New York, and 25 percent in London, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

(All declines cited here are on a year-over-year basis.)

For more insights on the state of the restaurant industry, click here.

To support the restaurants we all love, we’d like to share a few simple things you can do to help your favorite restaurants weather this storm:

1. If you have a change of plans, please let the restaurant know as soon as possible so they can plan accordingly. Even cancelling the same day is better than not showing up.
2. Order take-out or delivery. It gives the restaurant business and keeps you well fed. Many restaurants that don’t usually offer these options are making exceptions.
3. Re-book for a future date—it will give everyone something to look forward to.
4. Consider purchasing restaurant gift cards if they’re offered.
5. Tip generously if you can afford it. Tipped workers are some of the first to suffer in times of economic distress.

Everyone’s health and safety are our first concern. We urge everyone to stay informed (the Centers for Disease Control regularly updates their site) and to take the recommended precautions. If you have questions or concerns about a reservation, ask the restaurant about their specific practices. 

I hope all of you stay safe and healthy. 

Andrea Johnston

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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From the Governor’s Press Office (Edited) and News Teleconference, and WPCNR reporting. March 14, 2020:

Governor Cuomo confirmed 100 additional cases of novel coronavirus, since Friday, bringing the statewide total to 524 confirmed cases in New York State.

Of the 524 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, included were 213 in New York City, including the first death in the state, (an 82 year-old hospitalized woman with emphysema ) and 172 total in Westchester County . The geographic breakdown is as follows:

Albany County: 3 (1 new)

Broome County: 1

Delaware County: 1

Dutchess County: 3

Herkimer County: 1

Monroe County: 2

Nassau County: 68 (17 new)

New York City: 213 (59 new)

Orange County: 6 (3 new)

Rockland County: 10 (1 new)

Saratoga: 3

Schenectady: 1

Suffolk County: 33 (3 new)

Tioga County: 1 (1 new)

Tompkins County: 1 (1 new)

Ulster County: 5

Westchester County: 172 (14 new)

During telephone questions from reporters. the Governor said the Quarantine of 36 persons associated with the Temple Israel exposure to the virus would have their mandatory quarantines ended today.

Additionally, Governor Cuomo said he will sign an Executive Order today to help relieve the economic impact of COVID-19 on workers and assure school aid for schools that have been directed to close.

As part of the Governor’s Executive Order, the state will waive the 7-day waiting period for workers in shared work programs to claim unemployment insurance for those that have been put out of work by COVID-19.

The Executive Order will also eliminate the aid penalty for schools directed to close by state or local officials or those closed under a state or local declaration of emergency that do not meet 180-day requirements if they are unable to make up school days.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the State Department of Financial Services will require insurance companies to waive co-pays for telehealth visits. This action will encourage New Yorkers to seek medical attention from their homes rather than visit a hospital or doctor’s office — ultimately reducing strain on the healthcare system and preventing further spread of the virus.

The Governor also authorized the State to open a drive-through mobile testing facility on Long Island in the coming week. This follows the success of the New Rochelle mobile testing center, which opened yesterday and serviced 150 cars and tested 263 people, exceeding the initial goal of testing 200 people in the first day. Once fully operational, the New Rochelle facility will be able to test up to 500 people per day. Drive-through mobile testing facilities help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people. 

The addition of a mobile testing facility on Long Island is part of the State’s initiative to replicate the New Rochelle Mobile Testing Center model at other locations, helping allow the state to run at least 6,000 tests per day starting next week — six times the state’s target goal when this outbreak first came to New York. This is on top of the testing that will be conducted at the 28 public and private labs across the state and the out of state labs that New York is already contracting with. All of this is a result of the proactive steps taken by Governor Cuomo and the Department of Health to get as many New Yorkers tested as possible.

“As the novel coronavirus continues to spread and the number of positive cases increases, we are encouraging New Yorkers to use tele-medicine if they are sick and we will set up a new drive-through mobile testing facility on Long Island to help keep people out of emergency rooms and reduce the strain on our healthcare system,” Governor Cuomo said. 

“The more tests we do, the higher the number of positive cases we will see — so we need to keep that context in mind when we see these numbers continuing to go up. And we will continue to communicate the facts, because the facts and the information defeat the fear and anxiety in this situation.”

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The presence of novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Westchester County reminds us of the importance of taking care of ourselves and one another, as we come together to experience the magic of live entertainment at the WPPAC.

After numerous discussions with the City of White Plains & Westchester County officials, and with an abundance of caution, we have made the difficult decision to suspend and reschedule all of our upcoming special events and Mainstage performances for the next several weeks.  We have joined our colleagues of Broadway, Performing Arts Center @ Purchase College, Carnegie Hall, the NBA, the NHL, MLB, the PGA Tour, Seattle 5^th Avenue Theatre, The Metropolitan Opera, and many other arts organization which hold events for audiences greater than 250 persons. In making this decision we have put the health and well-being of our wonderful patrons, artists and staff at the forefront.

We are in the process of reorganizing our 2020 calendar to accommodate these rescheduled performances.  The new dates are as follows: 

·         The Spouse Whisperer: May 21 at 8pm

·         Mainstage production of Side Show: October 9 -25 

·         John Lloyd Young Jukebox Hero: November 7 or 14 (final date will be announced next week upon artist confirmation) 

Questions about tickets to any upcoming event please email boxoffice@wppac.com for assistance. In order to provide the best service we are suggesting that everyone email us in the event it becomes necessary to restrict staffing our box office. All of our staff can monitor emails and our ticketing system remotely.

We thank our patrons for their patience and understanding and wish the best of health to them, their family and friends during this challenging time.

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westchester Broadway Theatre. March 13, 2020. 2;45 pm edt:

WESTCHESTER BROADWAY THEATRE CLOSED BY MANDATE

The Westchester Broadway theatre has been mandated by the office of the Governor of New York State to close our doors effective 5 PM, March 13.  We will be closed a minimum of four weeks.

Our current show, All Shook Up is being postponed to a date yet to be determined.

In reaction to the coronavirus, all efforts are being made to slow the spread by limiting the number of people congregating in one place.  The safety and well-being of our patrons, actors, musicians and our entire staff is our first priority.

We should not be thinking of ways to protect the theatre but thinking of ways to protect our fellow humans.  Our health must come first.  Please follow all the health professional’s advice; wash your hands often, disinfect all surfaces, sneeze into tissue, avoid touching your face and shaking hands with others.

If you have already purchased tickets for any of our shows, between March 13 thru April 14, 2020, a credit will be put into your account – when we reopen you can use that credit to purchase tickets to any show you’d like.  We will also include a free drink….and together we’ll all toast a return to normalcy.

Our box office will be available by phone (914)592-2222 ONLY for limited days & hours yet to be determined.  As this is a rapidly evolving situation, we will continue to keep you updated but encourage you to check our websitewww.broadwaytheatre.com  for all updates.

Thank you for your continued support and stay well.

WBT Management and Staff