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 regal Hot Cross Bun from The Kneaded Bread in Port Chester, NY,USA–a Palm Sunday Must-Eat!

REMEMBER THE OLD NURSERY RHYME?

Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns
One a penny
Two a penny
Hot cross buns
If you have no daughters give them to your sons
One a penny
Two a penny
Hot cross buns
…
Hot cross buns

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Thousands Fill Post Road School Field Waiting to March for Our Lives in White Plains NY USA at 1 PM today

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES STEPS OFF AT 1:20 PM

CROWD WPCNR ESTIMATES AS 7,000- PASSING WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER STRETCHING BACK FILLING POST ROAD FROM CURB TO CURB–THEY CHANTED STERNLY

“NO MORE GUNS. AM I NEXT?”

DOWN DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BOULEVARD THEY COME

HEADING TO THE COURTHOUSE

THE PROCESSION TURNS INTO THE COURTHOUSE SQUARE STRETCHING ALL THE WAY BACK UP MLK BOULEVARD AND BACK TO AFTER WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL ON POST ROAD.

CROWD FILLS SQUARE AND MLK BOULEVARD IN THE SPIRIT OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR WHOSE STATUE IT SEEMED WAS READY TO SPEAK

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Director of Communications, County Board of Legislators. (Edited, with reporting by WPCNR)March 22, 2018:

The Westchester County Board of Legislators will be undertaking a review of the County’s contract with Standard Amusements to manage the Playland amusement park in Rye.

“Public-private partnerships are designed to be a win for both parties. The public-private partnership with Standard Amusements to manage Playland has steadily shifted the burden to the public,” said Legislator Catherine Parker, the Board’s Majority Leader (ABOVE) and representative of the district where Playland is located.

Parker, who has called on the Latimer administration to terminate the agreement, continued,

“Given the stated County obligation of tens of millions of dollars for capital improvements in the contract, that we know is significantly higher, the mechanism to recoup those investments is not in the agreement. The goal to unburden the public was negotiated away under the last administration, with substantive changes since the BOL vote in 2016. I look forward to hearing what the new administration has learned related to the management of Playland since taking office.” 

The contract between the County and Standard Amusements was signed in 2016 by former County Executive Rob Astorino (Shown above opening Playland for the season  that year).  New County Executive George Latimer has said that his administration would be looking at the Playland agreement with “a fresh set of eyes.”

(Editor’s Note:) WPCNR reported Wednesday the agreement has been in place since 2016, but is presently being held up (for two years) by a City of Rye lawsuit that is being appealed by the City of Rye, after being rejected by the New York State Supreme Court.

The suit challenged the county for the right of the  City of Rye to have final approval of any changes Standard Amusements or the County wanted to make to the park.

Standard Amusements has  said in the past to the Astorino administration, that it has not made the first payment due from Standard  as part of the agreement to accept the lease, because Standard wants to await the outcome of the Rye suit.

Wednesday morning, City of Rye Town Attorney, Kristen Wilson confirmed to WPCNR that the City of Rye appeal “has been perfected and has been filed for a little while.”

So the lawsuit is still “in play.”

The Westchester County Board of Legislators will be undertaking a review of the County’s contract with Standard Amusements to

The Board’s own review of the contract will be undertaken by the committees on Budget and Appropriations; Law and Major Contracts; Parks, Planning and Economic Development; and Public Works.

Legislator Lyndon Williams, chair of the Committee on Law & Major Contracts, explained the role of the Committee in connection with the agreement, saying, the committee “will assess whether there has been legal compliance with the terms and conditions on the contract approved by the Board of Legislators; and if not, what are the ramifications of such non-compliance.”

Williams continued, “This 30-year long-term contract has significant economic effect on County taxpayers, with the County and Standard’s commitments of $60 million. Given the major delays and changes occurring after the Board of Legislators approval, it is important that the Committee exercise its oversight fact-gathering function at this stage before reaching any conclusions and before recommending any action.”

Catherine Borgia, chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, said, the committee, “will be conducting a rigorous financial review of Playland in order to make sure the decisions we make about the park are what is best for the taxpayers of Westchester. We are happy to work with the administration and the other legislative committees to make sure we are creating the best future for Playland Park.”

MaryJane Shimsky, chair of the Committee on Public Works, said, “Capital repairs and upgrades must be done, no matter who runs the park; at the same time, the promises that Standard and the County made to each other regarding which projects were to be done, in what order, and when those projects were to be scheduled, were extensive and fraught with potential for complications. I look forward to working with the new administration, the Law Department and all stakeholders to perform a thorough reexamination of all relevant issues, to insure that the result works in the best interest of the County and of all people who use and love Playland.”

(Editor’s Note:) There was no mention in the Board of Legislators news release what  part of the Standard Amusements contractual agreement was not approved by the Board of Legislators, as Ms. Parker alledged in the Board announcement of Ms. Parker’s news conference today.

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WPCNR THE POWER STORY. From Westchester County Legislator, Benjamin Boykin, District 5:

Another snow storm is upon us while we’re still recovering from the Nor’easters earlier this month.

We at the Westchester County Board of Legislators held a public meeting with Con Ed and NYSEG on Monday which we intend to be the first of several to address the companies’ ongoing problems with storm preparedness, response, coordination with local officials and communications with customers.  Storms will come and outages may happen, but Westchester residents must be better served when they do.

While it will take time for Con Ed and NYSEG to address all the concerns raised by legislators there are some things residents can do today to help with recovery from outages.

You may have seen or heard that anyone without power can make a claim online for spoiled food, or other items.

Although the utilities are not obligated to offer such reimbursements in cases of storm-related outages, Con Ed has issued a statement saying they will be issuing a credit “voluntarily” for certain losses from winter storms Quinn and Riley and I have attached their statement, which includes limits for reimbursement, and the claim form links.

NYSEG, when asked directly about reimbursements in Monday’s committee meeting, reiterated that they do not have to reimburse any customers, but are considering whether they will.  I am attaching the claim form link for NYSEG as well and am hopeful they will “voluntarily” reimburse customers for losses.

Please note that there is a time limit for submission of claims.

Both utilities said that you should receive an automatic acknowledgment upon submission of a claim, and if you did not receive that acknowledgement you should resubmit.  If you still do not receive an acknowledgment then please contact me.

We are going to continue to press the utilities on staffing levels, better communications and software upgrades, and upgrades in hardware and response times.  Please let me know if you wish to have your questions presented

For the ConEd Reimbursement Form click here.

For the NYSEG Reimbursement Form click here.

To watch the video from Monday’s meeting click here.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. March 19, 2018:

Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed the bi-partisan Immigrant Protection Act flanked by law enforcement, immigration advocates, legislators and Westchester County residents.

The measure, which passed the Board of Legislators on March 12, aims to increase trust and cooperation between all Westchester residents and law enforcement.

 Latimer said: “The Board of Legislators came together in a bi-partisan way, with the assistance of law enforcement and immigration advocates alike, to craft a law which fully complies with federal law while offering humane peace of mind to our immigrant brothers and sisters. This law makes all Westchester residents safer by increasing trust between communities and allowing Westchester law enforcement officials to focus on their job – not the federal governments.”

The Immigrant Protection Act outlines what information County law enforcement will require from those they interact with and how this information is shared with all levels of law enforcement.

The Act holds that:

• Detainees must be made aware of various immigration status issues;
• Detainees may not be held without a criminal warrant;
• County agencies and employees shall not perform the duties of Federal Immigration Authorities, engage in the enforcement of federal immigration law, or accept requests by Federal Immigration Authorities to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

The measure is supported by the County Departments of Public Safety, Corrections and Probation.

A study done by the University of Illinois at Chicago entitled “Insecure Communities: Latino Perceptions of Police Involvement in Immigration Enforcement,” found that 45 percent of Latinos stated that they are less likely to voluntarily offer information about crimes, and 45 percent are less likely to report a crime because they are afraid the police will ask them or people they know about their immigration status.

Additionally, fear of police contact is not confined to immigrants. For example, 28 percent of US-born Latinos said they are less likely to contact police officers if they have been the victim of a crime because they fear that police officers will use this interaction as an opportunity to inquire into their immigration status or that of people they know.

 Acting Department of Public Safety Commissioner Martin McGlynn said: “Our job is to keep Westchester residents safe – regardless of their background. This law, which will enable a greater level of trust between our officers and the large immigrant population in our communities, will make our job easier. Increased cooperation between residents and our officers helps make our County safer for everyone.”

 Department of Corrections Commissioner Joe Spano said: “This law enables us to do our job, coordinate with all authorities and build a stronger relationship with Westchester residents. That is a win on all fronts. Our Department has, and always will, treat everyone we encounter with the same level of dignity and respect.”

Department of Probation Commissioner Rocco Pozzi said: “Westchester County law enforcement officials, including my Department, stand behind this law because it is the right thing to do for our community. The Immigrant Protection Act allows us to do our job and maintain the level of respect and trust needed for us to effectively interact with all Westchester residents.”

Westchester County Police Benevolent Association President Mike Hagan said: “Our officers appreciate the conversations that we were a part of during the drafting of this law. The input we had in this thorough process allowed for a measure that will allow us to do what we are tasked to do while ensuring the safety of Westchester County residents.”

President of the Westchester Superior Officers Association Bruce Donnelly said: “I appreciate the Board of Legislators extending an invitation for Westchester County Corrections Superior Officers Association to be part of the conversation on this important topic; the safety of all residents living and working in the County is of the utmost importance.”

Chair of the Board of Legislators Ben Boykin said: “It is wonderful to see our new County Executive George Latimer signing into law this common-sense measure which protects the safety and security of all Westchester residents.  It’s important for people to know that this does not make Westchester a ‘sanctuary’ County. In fact, it requires that County law enforcement complies with all state and federal laws. This law ensures that people living peacefully and productively in our communities can continue to contribute to the life in Westchester, without fear of reaching out to law enforcement when they have been victimized.”

Westchester County Legislator Catherine Borgia said: “Thank you County Executive Latimer, for reaffirming Westchester’s values as a welcoming community that believes in equal justice for all by signing the Immigration Protection Act. Thank you to the many hundreds of activists, stakeholders, and residents who partnered with us to pass this legislation.”

Westchester County Legislator Virginia Perez said: “As a Hispanic immigrant, this is an emotional moment for me; it’s also a historic moment for Westchester. The Immigrant Protection Act delivers on our values, making Westchester the welcoming place we want it to be for hard working immigrant families who have come here in pursuit of the American Dream.  But it also delivers the safety and security we want for all residents by lifting the cloud of fear that keeps immigrants from reaching out to County officials if they’ve been victims of a crime or if they have information about a crime.”

Director of Consumer Protection, and former County Legislator, Jim Maisano said: “The Immigrant Protection Act is a good law which went through an extensive drafting process. The law received input from both sides of the aisle, law enforcement, immigration advocates and Westchester residents who all had the same goal in mind – to make Westchester County safer for everyone. I am proud to stand here today after our many months of hard work.”

Neighbors Link Executive Director Carola Otero Bracco said: “Neighbors Link considers the Immigrant Protection Act to be a crucial element for the safety of the entire community, and we are deeply gratified that the Westchester County Legislature has passed this measure. This is a stronger and more durable bill thanks to hard work of so many, in particular, Legislator Catherine Borgia. We congratulate Westchester County Executive George Latimer for signing this historic legislation – the first legislation of its kind in Westchester County. We are proud to stand with the coalition of supporters and advocates who made it happen. It is a step forward in acknowledging that Westchester County represents welcoming communities that are strengthened by the richness of our diversity.”