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WEATHER ALERT FROM WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPT. OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, HEAVY RAIN, FLOODING WINDS 20MPH GUSTS TO 30 TO 40
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WESTCHESTER COUNTY WEATHER ALERT
(White Plains, NY) – The Westchester County Department of Emergency Services is monitoring heavy rains and strong wind gusts predicted to persist in our area. Already saturated grounds combined with forceful wind gusts could cause downed trees, power lines and power outages. ConEdison is currently reporting customer outages; please check their website for the most up-to-date numbers and locations. If you have trouble with your electric service or want to report a downed power line, call ConEdison at 1-800-752-6633.
Residents should expect road closures and should be especially mindful of the Bronx River Parkway and Saw Mill River Parkway. The Westchester County Department of Public Safety reminds residents not to drive around road barriers. Additionally, coastal flooding is possible in the Sound Shore communities as well as along the Hudson River.
As with all storms, charge all cell phones, and have flashlights and extra batteries ready and accessible. In an emergency, always call 9-1-1.
(EDITOR’S ACTUALITY: THESE WERE THE CONDITIONS AT 5 P.M. WINDS AT 20 WITH GUSTS TO 30 AND 50 MPH WIND HOWLING OUT OF THE EAST AND PELTING, STINGING RAIN IN THE FACE AND YOU COULD NOT WALK AGAINST THE WIND IT WAS PUSHING YOU BACK, BACK, BACK. (VIDEO ACTUALITY BY WPCNR. CLICK ARROW TO SEE THE FEEL)
COUNTY SALES DOWN 10% IN JAN. FEB. CARRYOVER DEFICIT REACHES $38 MILLION
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WHITE PLAINS SALES DOLLARS EVEN WITH LAST YEAR: RECORD $56 MILLION IN SALES TAX REVENUE POSSIBLE.
WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. Statistics from New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Observation & Analysis by John F. Bailey. April 3, 2024:
Westchester County sales tax receipts continued soft on revenue of $132,039,180 the first two months of 2024, down 10% $14,649,682 from the first 2 months of 2023, when the county received $146.7 million.
The trend added to the Westchester County sales tax decline (it ended 2023 with), at a $23.7 million shortfall in projected sales tax receipts. The continued decline unless spending increases robustly raises the sales tax gap growing monthly to $38 Million.
If this trend continues, the county deficit they ended 2023 with — $23.7 Million dollars below projected sales tax revenue in 2023, could significantly increase.
The county collected $70,697,235 in January 2024 according the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance. In January a year ago, the County collected $79,248,711 (when inflation was running 8 to 9%).
The 2024 February number is $67,440,451 compared to January 2024 handle of $70.697,235. That’s still down 4.6% in a month.
If Westchester sales do not increase sharply the next 10 months it will be hard to make up $38 Million in 10 months. The county needs to increase sales revenues $10 million a month to get back to even in the current sales tax.
The current softness, running about $70 Million monthly if revenues do not increase will end up at $840 MILLION, around $100 million short.
The county to ask for a sales tax increase from the state of 15% and use fund balance for the rest, leaving the county in fiscal balance in 2025. This is the lowest start to the fiscal year I have seen since I have been following the sales tax barometer.
Can the county use their fund balance to make up deficit? Can more Governor Hochul help bail out the county? Can the county place a 35% surcharge beginning next month to cover the ballooning deficit. Can spending be slashed 35%.
Right now $840 million is the projected sales tax revenues if sales taxes continue flat and the carry over deficit has to be met. Or perhaps a budgeting finesse can balance the budget. Or we can cross our fingers and hope Westchester residents open their wallets.
Meanwhile on the other side of town
White Plains sales tax revenues have caught up and are on the way to a $56.7 Million sales tax revenue bonanza– all time high.
After 8 months of the White Plains 2023-24 fiscal year, White Plains is at $38,051,172 in sales tax revenues, virtually even with the first 8 months of the previous year, 2022-23 when the city collected $38,185,211…only 1/3 of a percent lower.
If White Plains continues to hit the numbers from last spring in March April, May and June, the city will receive $18,572,365 in tax receipts which will top previous highs in sales tax revenues bringing in $56.7 million
COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER’S EARTH MONTH BRIEFING AND STATE BUDGET UPDATE
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AVIAN FLU ANALYSIS- LOW RISK FOR SPREADING. FROM DR. JETELINA AND DR. RIVERS
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Si quiere leer la versión en español, pulse aquí.
Avian flu: Birds, cows, and now a human
What do we know? What do we not know?
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There has been much in the news about dairy cows in Texas getting sick with avian influenza, and now a human is sick. Here is what we know, what we don’t know, and what this may (or may not) mean.
The avian flu timeline is accelerating
The version of bird flu, or avian flu, that is making the news has existed for over 20 years. We even have a name for it—highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A(H5N1), or HPAI for short. In birds, it’s highly contagious and deadly.
While it can infect humans (usually when a human has direct contact with a bird through, for example, hunting), the virus has never been able to spread efficiently among humans.
But the more this virus jumps from animal to animal or human, the more chance it has to mutate to infect humans. And things have been heating up lately:
- Birds experienced an infection lull from 2016 to 2022.
- Beginning in 2022, the U.S. experienced the largest and longest outbreak in U.S. history among birds, first among wild birds and then domesticated birds, like commercial chickens. These outbreaks caused eggs to be expensive and harder to find.
- Then, we started detecting avian flu in mammals worldwide—seals, bears, mountain lions, and foxes, just to name a few.
This brings us to today
Last week, officials announced that HPAI infections had been detected in cows on several dairy farms across five states. We then learned that cows in other states got sick once transported from the original farm, suggesting cow-to-cow transmission. This marks the first HPAI infection in cows in the United States.
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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Yesterday, news was released that a person in Texas was infected with HPAI after working closely with the cows.
What we know
- Lab scientists analyzed the virus that infected the cows and found:
- It’s the same exact virus that is infecting birds, which suggests it jumped from bird to cow.
- We are very familiar with this virus. So much so that we know where it would need to mutate to spread better from human to human. Based on preliminary analysis, the virus has not mutated in a key spot, which is great news.
- The person infected had very mild symptoms—eye inflammation—and is on antiviral medication. This is good news, as the few cases of human HPAI on record have tended to be severe.
- A cow isn’t a pig, which is great news. Pigs are dangerous hosts for HPAI because they have avian and human receptors. They are known as “mixing vessels” for influenza viruses. As far as we know, this is not the case for cows.
- We have well-established flu vaccine pipelines and some stockpiled materials to make a matching human vaccine quickly, if necessary. We also have antivirals that can help prevent infection and severe illness.
What we do not know
Three main questions scientists are trying to answer:
- Did the virus mutate to become better adapted to cows? This will require more studies, which are already underway.
- Where else is it? Only a few farms are affected right now. However, viruses spread. The impact on milk supply and prices in the future is unclear.
- Is the virus able to transmit onward from here? It would not be surprising if there were more human cases in people who had direct contact with cows. What we don’t know is if the virus will be able to transmit onward to other humans. For example, in the latest case, we don’t know if any of the person’s contacts became infected. Epidemiologists will closely track this.
Is there any risk to me today?
At this point, the risk to the average person is close to nil unless you’re working with wild animals, birds, or cows.
While this virus impacts the milk supply of individual cows, milk in our grocery stores is still safe to drink. Milk from sick cows is not allowed to enter the commercial supply, and milk is pasteurized—a major safety step in which milk is heated to kill pathogens, including influenza viruses.
Raw milk is unlikely to be safe, and it’s definitely not recommended anyway due to other health risks.
Bottom line
Public health eyes have been on this HPAI sucker for decades, and avian flu is finding more mammals around us. This is unsettling, but scientists continue to pay close attention. In the meantime, it may be smart to implement lessons learned from the Covid-19 emergency quickly. The time to prepare is now.
Love, YLEs (Katelyn and Caitlin)
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District 92 | News You Can Use
Happy Easter! To all celebrating, I send wishes for a holiday filled with blessings, joyous community, and the beauty of springtime. Please note that, due to last weekend’s rain, many of our community Easter egg hunts and activities were rescheduled to this Saturday. These events are generally limited to local residents, so please check your village or town website or social media for details.
Presidential Primary Election Last Day to Vote: Tuesday, April 2
Early voting in the 2024 Presidential Primary will finish on Saturday, March 30. There is no early voting on Easter Sunday, March 31. Westchester County residents can cast their ballots at any of 24 early voting centers. For a schedule, list of locations, and other information, visit Early Voting 2024 at the Westchester County Board of Elections. Presidential Primary Day is Tuesday, April 2. The polls will be open from 6 AM to 9 PM. Voters can confirm their polling place here. Please note that, in New York State, only registered Democratic and Republican voters are eligible to vote in their respective party’s presidential primary. For all other voting information, visit the Westchester County Board of Elections.
Green Energy Milestone
As we continue to make progress toward the State’s Climate Act goals, the New York Independent System Operator reported on Monday that New York recently set new records for hourly wind and solar generation. Wind power facilities generated 2,176 megawatts during the 1 PM hour on Saturday, March 9 and served 12% of system load. Behind-the-meter and front-of-the-meter solar resources generated 3,832 megawatts during the 12 PM hour on Tuesday, March 12 and served 21% of system load. One megawatt is approximately the amount of electricity required to supply 800 to 1,000 homes.
Move Over Law Takes Effect
Help keep our roadways safe! With the new Move Over Law, drivers are now required to slow down or move over when any vehicle is stopped on the side of the road. Formerly covering emergency, hazard, highway, and towing vehicles, this law has been expanded to apply to all vehicles. Learn more here.
Preventing Insurance Charges The Assembly has passed legislation that would require auto insurers provide supplemental spousal liability insurance to insured drivers that have a spouse (A.9407). This bill is intended to ensure that only those that need such coverage would automatically receive it. In addition, it gives any insured driver the option to purchase supplemental spousal liability insurance coverage upon written request and requires insurers to notify insureds upon policy issuance, renewal, or amendment about the inclusion or availability of supplemental spousal liability coverage.
HEAP Extended through April 12
Governor Hochul has announced a second round of the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) — with applications accepted through April 12. New Yorkers who have used up their regular and first emergency benefits may apply. HEAP, which is overseen by the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance, is federally funded and can help eligible New Yorkers heat and cool their homes. Learn more and apply for HEAP here.
Railroad Accessibility Survey
The MTA is committed to increasing the accessibility of its system and would like to hear directly from residents on their priorities as they use our railroads. Please take ten minutes to complete the Spring 2024 Railroad Accessibility Survey. The feedback gathered will inform how MTA programs and initiatives can be improved for its ridership. Take the MTA Spring 2024 Railroad Accessibility Survey here.
NYMTC Online Public Forums The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) invites you to join a series of Online Public Forums where you can share your insights on critical transportation issues, needs, and opportunities in the areas of freight, active transportation, and accessibility services with regional transportation experts. Information shared during these 90-minute interactive virtual forums will be collected and used in the update of Moving Forward 2055, the next Regional Transportation Plan for New York City, Long Island, and Lower Hudson Valley. Listed below are the topics, dates, and meeting links. Visit NYMTC’s movingforward2055.org for updates and to learn more. Moving Freight – NYMTC Regional Freight Forum A conversation with regional experts and participants on how trends in manufacturing, cargo delivery, and consumer behavior could impact the region’s transportation system and change personal and business transportation needs. Click to join: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 3:00–4:30 PM or 7:00–8:30 PM. Moving Actively – NYMTC Regional Active Transportation Forum A conversation with regional experts and participants on active transportation (biking, walking, or rolling) trends, priority projects, and gaps in safe connections for all users. Click to join: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 3:00–4:30 PM or 7:00–8:30 PM. Moving Accessibly – NYMTC Regional Human Services Transportation Forum A conversation with regional experts and participants on mobility needs for human services transportation, healthcare transportation access, and transportation for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Click to join: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 3:00–4:30 PM or 7:00–8:30 PM.
Westchester County The Westchester County Department of Planning is crafting its Consolidated Plan, a five-year plan to assess affordable housing needs and development goals in the 31 municipalities that make up the Urban County Consortium. The Plan defines strategies to address housing, community development needs, and current market conditions for all of the municipalities in the Urban County Consortium. Once completed, the plan helps to inform the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on how federal funding should be allocated through the CDBG, HOME, and ESG programs over the next five years. To ensure the success of the next Consolidated Plan, the Westchester County Planning Department is seeking community input from residents, business owners, nonprofits, and public housing authorities through online surveys. The communities that make up the Westchester Urban County Consortium are: Ardsley, Bedford, Briarcliff Manor, Bronxville, Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Greenburgh, Hasting-on-Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, Lewisboro, Mamaroneck Town, Mamaroneck Village, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Salem, Ossining Town, Ossining Village, Peekskill, Pelham Village, Pleasantville, Port Chester, Rye Brook, Rye Town, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Tuckahoe, and Yorktown. Complete a survey as a community resident Complete a survey as a stakeholder
Fair & Affordable Rental Housing Last Call: Applications Due April 2
In late Spring 2024, 79 residential units and 8 affordable rental units will be ready for occupancy at the newly constructed Pleasantville Lofts. The affordable units are available by lottery to households at or below 80% of Westchester County’s Area Median Income adjusted by household size. The Pleasantville Lofts affordable units include one studio, five one-bedroom and two two-bedroom units. Utilities are not included in the rent. Applications are due April 2, 2024. Qualified applicants will be placed in a lottery, which will be held in the weeks following the application deadline. Applications received after the deadline will be added to a waitlist. To apply online or to download an application, brochure, or additional information, visit Housing Action Council at www.housingactioncouncil.org, email at hac@affordablehomes.org, or call 914-332-4144.
Upcoming Job Fairs
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NOROVIRUS COMES BACK. COVID INFECTIONS, HOSPITALIZATIONS AT 9-MONTH LOW
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Welcome to the Northeast edition of Outbreak Outlook! It is only available to paid subscribers. If you wish to become a paid subscriber and access region-specific information, please click the Subscribe now button below. Thanks for reading! -Caitlin (REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION) Respiratory DiseasesILIWe are getting closer and closer to the end of flu season, with influenza and influenza-like illness accounting for a smaller proportion of outpatient visits (down to 3.4%), emergency department visits, and hospitalizations in most of the Northeast. Northeast Region: ILI Activity
Percent of doctors visits for ILI symptoms
 The proportion of outpatient visits for ILI either remained stable or decreased slightly in every state in the Northeast this past week. Most states in the region – including Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont – now report quite low rates of outpatient visits for ILI (<2%). In contrast, rates are still relatively high in New Jersey, where 4.9% of all outpatients were for ILI. Northeast Region: Change in ILI Activity
Percent of doctors visits for ILI symptoms
 Emergency department visits for influenza decreased in all states in the region (except New Hampshire, which did not report data). In addition, hospitalization rates for influenza are low across the Northeast, and continued to decline moderately or substantially in every state in the region this past week. COVID-19Another week of good news on the Covid-19 front. Wastewater data have declined to levels we haven’t seen since last July, and appear to be leveling off somewhat in the Northeast. The rate of new weekly hospitalizations is also quite low, down to nearly 2 per 100,000. Northeast Region: New COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Average rate per 100,000 population
 Hospitalization rates for Covid-19 are low, with equal to or less than 3 new hospital admissions per 100,000 population in every state in the region. The rate is declining or stable across most of the Northeast. New hospital admissions for Covid-19 declined substantially (24-42%) in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Rates remained stable in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. Although hospitalization rates increased moderately in Maine (+17%) and substantially in Vermont (+22%), they remained under 3 new admissions per 100,000 population in both. Northeast Region: Change in New COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Weekly new hospitalizations per 100,000
 Similarly, no states reported increases, and most states reported moderate declines in the proportion of emergency department visits for Covid-19, including New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. More substantial declines were reported in Maine, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. (EDITOR’S NOTE: AT WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL,IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS MARCH 15 TO MARCH 26: WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL ADMITTED 63 PERSONS TO BEDS, AND 33 AFTER ADMISSION WERE FOUND TO HAVE COVID, (52%). WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL ON MARCH 26 REPORTED OF A TOTAL OF 312 ACUTE CARE BEDS AND 271 OF THEM WERE OCCUPIED (86%). OF 20 I.C.U. UNITS,6 WERE EMPTY, 14 OCCUPIED. THE HOSPITAL IS VERY BUSY AND HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS. WITH COVID CASES IN ADMITTED PATIENTS RUNNING 50% OF PERSONS FOUND POSITIVE AFTER ADMISSION. (NY STATE DAILY HOSPITALIZATIONS TRACKER) Stomach BugsI was hopeful that norovirus activity had peaked in the Northeast, but that’s not the case. Test positivity was back up again this week, rising to 14.3%, up from 14.0% last week. I do expect the region will turn the corner in the weeks ahead, but unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet. Northeast Region: Norovirus Activity
Test Positivity, Percentage
 Food recallsThe following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items: New
Previously reported:
In other news
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TRADITION OF EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE RETURNS TO WHITE PLAINS NY USA
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH GREETS THE SUNRISE THE MESSAGE OF EASTER
WPCNR SUNRISE. By John F. Bailey. Easter Sunday March 31, 2024:
I have missed it for two years. The Easter Sunrise Service at First Baptist Church.
When I was a kid in the 1950s, I used to play in an ensemble at the Flag Hill sunrise service which gave a magnificent view of the sunrise looking East. Our high school band group played “Christ is Today,” and a host of other hymns for the citizens who would troop up to the hill.
This morning about 40 persons appeared trudging in to the grounds of the church at 6 AM Easter Morning as the sun warmed up for its appearance with its glow of orange on the eastern horizon for its big day: Easter Sunday morning.
Rarely is the sun ever brighter on this morning of mornings. It is the Star. This morning the sun never missed a cue. In celebrating the literal and figurative return of the sun to the dawn as the halfmoon descended into the receding night, the sun dazzled its majesty casting hope across the land and the congregations of two churches combined to celebrate the day of hope.
I have broken up the segments of the service into 4 sections s that deliver first in English from Reverend Frank Fraley of First Baptist Church and Reverend Ever Magana speaking in Spanish
REVEREND FRANK FRALEY LEFT OPENS THE SUNRISE SERVICE THIS MORNING WITH REVEREND EVER MAGANA . IN THE SECOND VIDEO, THE TWO MINISTERS SPEAK ON THE MEANING OF THE SUNRISE (VIDEO BY WPCNR)
THE MEANING OF EASTER (VIDEO BY WPCNR)
The Daffodils had their moment in the sun, stretching out in full Easter Glory, they once again show their doughty grit enduring the coldest wettest windiest March I have seen, maybe not statistically, but the plants once again are coming back strong. Toughest plants in town.
This morning sunrise service was the first sunrise service at First Baptis for Reverend Fraley as Pastor of First Baptist Church since taking the pulpit last year.
It was also the First Sunrise Service and service for him at First Baptist for Reverend Magana who has participated in many sunrise services in New York City at the 102nd Street walkway which he told me gives a magnificent view of the sunrise looking East. It was the first official service for Reverend Magana, too at the church who starts his position as Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church tomorrow.
Reverend Fraley was ecstatic “to see the sun shining on so many happy faces this morning.”
REVEREND FRALEY WELCOMES HIS NEW ASSOCIATE PASTOR REVEREND EVER MAGANA
TONIGHT: HEZI ARIS JOURNALIST, REPORTER, NEWS MEDIA PIONEER INTERVIEWED BY JOHN BAILEY ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD AT 7 PM EDT
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MR. ARIS, A REPORTER FOR 23 YEARS IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, THE FIRST LOCAL NEWS WEBSITE FOUNDER INTERVIEWED PREVIOUSLY TALKS ABOUT JOURNALISM TODAY, WHAT’S RIGHT WITH IT WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT, POLITICS, TRUTH AND THE STATE OF WHERE JOURNALISM IS TODAY IN THIS INTERVIEW GRANTED LAST FALL.
SEE IT TONIGHT ON WHITE PLAINS TV’S “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD” AT 7 ON FIOS CH 45 AND IN WHITE PLAINS OPTIMUM CHANNEL 76
HOT CROSS BUNS — AN EASTER TRADITION!
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This Hot Cross Bun, (I ate this morning) is from The Kneaded Bread Port Chester, NY USA on Main Street.
“Hot Cross Buns” Lyrics
Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One ha’ penny, two ha’ penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One ha’ penny,
Two ha’ penny,
Hot Cross Buns!
REMEMBER?