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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SUNY and CUNY Will Prepare Plans for Distance Learning

State Will Provide Two Weeks Paid Leave for State Workers Quarantined

New Cases:13 in Westchester, 16 NYC, 9 Nassau 5 in Suffolk County

Business Leaders Implement Different Work Shifts and Telecommuting

$200,000 to Local Food Bank in New Rochelle

WPCNR CORONA VIRUS REPORT. From the Office of the Governor. March 11, 2020:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State will contract with 28 private labs to increase testing capacity for the novel coronavirus. Following a call with the 28 labs, the Governor announced that he has instructed the labs to begin testing immediately as soon as they are ready. The 28 labs are specialized in virology and are routine partners with the New York State Department of Health.

The Governor also announced the State University of New York and the City University of New York will implement plans to maximize distance learning and reduce in-person classes, beginning March 19th, for the remainder of the Spring semester in light of the evolving novel coronavirus situation in New York. 

All campuses will develop plans catered to the campus and curriculum-specific needs while reducing density in the campus environment to help slow possibility for exposures to novel coronavirus. Distance learning and other options will be developed by campuses.  

Governor Cuomo announced the state will guarantee two full weeks of paid leave for all state workers who are subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine as a result of the novel coronavirus. Employees will not have to charge accruals during the time taken off work for quarantine. This will apply to all state employees, regardless of civil service classification, bargaining unit, and regardless of part time or accrual status.

Finally, the Governor also confirmed 43 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 216 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 216 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

Westchester: 121 (13 new)

New York City: 52 (16 new)

Nassau: 28 (9 new)

Suffolk: 6 (5 new)

Rockland: 6

Saratoga: 2

Ulster: 1

“While the risk to New Yorkers remains low, we are taking a number of steps out of an abundance of caution to protect public health including asking SUNY and CUNY to implement strategies to reduce density on campuses for the remainder of the semester,” Governor Cuomo said. 

“At the same time, we’re continuing to prioritize ramping up testing capacity because the more people you identify as having the virus, the better you can contain it. We’re also leading by example and providing paid leave to all state workers who are quarantined as a result of the virus – and we encourage businesses to voluntarily do telecommuting to the extent possible.

Again I want to remind people to keep this in perspective: the facts do not justify the fear in this situation and the facts here should actually reduce anxiety.”

After speaking with business leaders today, Governor Cuomo also announced a new cooperative effort with New York business leaders to voluntarily implement different work shifts and telecommuting in an effort to reduce density.

Additionally, the Governor announced that the New York State Department of Health will grant $200,000 to a local food bank in New Rochelle to help the community as it faces a cluster of positive cases of the novel coronavirus. Nine schools in New Rochelle are currently closed as a result of the containment zone set yesterday, and this funding will help ensure any student or family who relies on free school lunches can continue to access it during this containment effort. 

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WPCNR CORONA VIRUS REPORT From the Office of New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson. March 10, 2019:

The Mayor of New Rochelle, Noam Bramson issued this statement after 2 PM today on Governor Cuomo’s decision to stablish a containment area in that city today. Here is Mr. Bramson’s statement:’

“To mitigate the spread of coronavirus in our community and elsewhere, State public health authorities have established a one-mile containment area from the epicenter of the outbreak within which large gatherings will be prohibited.

This affects several public and private schools, houses of worship, and potentially other large institutions in the Wykagyl area of New Rochelle’s North End.

To emphasize, this is purely a limitation on large gatherings; it is not a quarantine or exclusion zone, and it does not apply to individual residents and families or to individual businesses. We are still collaborating with State authorities to create a complete list of affected facilities and to provide appropriate guidance to them.

Additionally:

The City is assisting in the distribution of hand sanitizer from New York State to large institutions throughout New Rochelle, especially those serving seniors. At present, however, hand sanitizer is not available for the general public.

We are informed that the National Guard will be assisting with logistical and operational challenges in our community, including cleaning and the distribution of meals to students who rely on school lunches and breakfasts at schools that are closed. The Guard will not be engaged in military or Policing functions. The City stands ready to coordinate with and support the Guard’s efforts in any constructive fashion, and has activated our emergency operations center in order to be fully prepared for any requests.

As a reminder: public health experts have been clear that the great majority of those who contract coronavirus will recover without difficulty, and that we can protect ourselves and our families by following common sense public health guidelines.  If you experience symptoms, please consult your doctor or health care provider.

New Rochelle is a strong and resilient community. Although this is a major challenge, we will meet it calmly, with seriousness of purpose, and with support for and from all of our neighbors.

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We are continuing to see the number of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases rise.

The Governor today confirmed 37 additional cases in New York State, bringing the total to 142. 98 of those cases (16 new cases) are in Westchester County.

The City stepped up cleaning and disinfecting at all city buildings and facilities last week and continues to make this a priority.

White Plains Library Foundation 25th Anniversary Gala, which had been scheduled for March 14^th, has been POSTPONED. The Foundation made this decision out of an abundance of caution and concern about the evolving nature of this outbreak.

It bears repeating since we know that many residents are concerned about community spread of COVID-19, specifically in White Plains.

At this time, for privacy and safety reasons, NYS DOH is not providing either municipal or county governments with specific information about where those who have tested positive live. The city, along with the county, is advocating for the state to release additional information.

Residents who are concerned and/or have questions about coronavirus should call the NYS DOH hotline at: 1-888-364-3065. This hotline is staffed 24/7. We urge everyone to continue to practice common sense preventive measures. While there is currently no vaccine to prevent this virus, these simple steps can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

In addition to general guidance provided to the public, NYS has been providing sector-specific guidance to groups such as health care workers and nursing homes. We expect more of this in the coming days. We continue to work with state, county, and local officials to ensure a coordinated response and will continue to update residents on a regular basis. For more information access these trustworthy resources:
NYS DOH:
https://health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/

CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Westchester County DOH:
https://health.westchestergov.com/

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TOO COLD. TOO MANY PULLED MUSCLES . MORE DISABLED PLAYERS AHEAD. POSTPONEMENTS AND DAY-NIGHT DOUBLE HEADERS CERTAIN

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK By “Bull” Allen, March 16, 2020

Hello there, Everbody, this is “Bull” Allen greeting you from the gondola at legendary Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg Florida and I’m drinking hot coffee, instead of a Balentine Ale and puffing away on a White Owl Wallop with frozen fingers.

I have to wonder whatever happened to Florida Spring Training weather down here in the Grapefruit League. In Tampa last week, Suzyn Waldman was in her down parka broadcasting the Yankee game back to New YORK, and commenting on how the temperature was around 60 and how the wind was howling through the Pittsburgh spring training field.

What she was saying was how cold spring training has been in Florida this 2020 exhibition season.

Meanwhile, my heir apparent at the Yankee microphone, John Sterling was commenting on the number of injuries already New York players have experienced.

The cold weather in the Grapefruit League, with the exception of the Judge injury, may have something to do with that.

But, you have not seen anything yet. They are set to open the 2020 season on March 26.

Do you know where they are playing?

Here are the opening sites where games will be played from March 26: New York, Cleveland, Chicago. Milwaukee, Baltimore,  Toronto(Indoor stadium),  Oakland, San Diego, L.A, Seattle, Cincinnati, Tampa, Houston, Arizona.  That is 7 northern sites, subject to the vagaries of late March weather.

Temperatures for afternoon games will on the Opening Day weekend, and the second week of the season will be subject to 40 and 50 degree temperatures if the northern cities are fortunate, or inclimate weather, wind, snow flurries and of course the kind of cold weather that strains pitchers’ arms (hard to get loose), freezes fans, and makes today’s overly in-shape players pull muscles on swings and the assorted tweaks, twinges and pains that cold weather brings.

In New York, I remember a snow out on April 6 many years ago. I remember snow and wet grounds postponements in the middle west. I remember reschedules of day night double headers later in the season as baseball sought to play games rained out, snowed out or colded out in the first two weeks of last season. Does baseball learn? No. They keep moving back the start of the season earlier. The dumbest owners and management in sports.

In the 1950s the baseball season never started until April 15. There was a reason for that. You could not be assured of baseball weather until at least mid April, (and all baseball teams were located above the Mason-Dixon line). The farthest south city was St. Louis.  You could not be assured of baseball weather until mid-April.  Now with  teams in the south there is no reason to schedule games in northern cities.

If you want to start the season on March 26, in the middle of the NCAA basketball tournament hysteria, do it in the south, schedule games in Los Angeles and San Francisco (which have two teams one in each league), San Diego, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Houston, Dallas, maybe St. Louis), and have northern clubs play back to back series in the south and do a southern swing. Do not schedule any northern games. But, nooooooo. Major League baseball is stupid. They do not use the southern venues to put northern teams into climes where they can actually play the games.

Also – could we eliminate night games in March, April and early May or at least start them at twilight (5 PM), to assure some warmth in Daylight Savings Time?

By far the most compelling reason to play the most games in the southern tiers is injuries due to cold weather.

I once worked it out with baseball expanding to 32 teams, (adding Las Vegas), so baseball could play the first two weeks of the season in cities in the southern part of the country, to eliminate the horrid weather situations that exist in the northern part of the country. You simply do interleague play so northern teams play in the southpart of the country, opening in the north on April 10. I suggested it to Bud Selig in the 1990s, then the commissioner, and got a letter back from him. My letter may have been the catalyst for interleague play but sadly the schedule makers have never gotten the obvious message that the weather severely affects the health and interest of fans in the northern climates. Once you sit through a 40 degree opener in Yankee Stadium with snow flurries and winds whipping in out of the northeast, in $100 seats.