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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WPCNR HEALTH ALERT. From the Westchester County Department of Health. March 1, 2018:

The Westchester County Department of Health is alerting residents that a coyote has attacked people and pets in the vicinity of Kent Ave, Overlook Drive and Clarewood Drive in Hastings-on-Hudson and the Homefield section of Yonkers. 

These attacks occurred on Wednesday evening and Thursday; the coyote has not been captured.

Due to its aggressive behavior, the coyote is believed to be rabid.  The Health Department is notifying residents in the area to not approach the animal, to contact police if they see it and to take precautions with pets.

“Stay alert and closely supervise children and pets when outside,” said Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD. “If you observe this coyote, do not approach it and make sure to contact local police immediately.”

Unusual behavior may be the first sign of rabies in an animal. A rabid animal may become either abnormally aggressive or unusually tame. It may lose fear of people and become excited and irritable, or appear particularly passive and lethargic. Staggering and frothing at the mouth are sometimes noted.

Residents who see a stray or wild animal acting strangely should avoid contact with the animal and alert local authorities to avoid possible exposure to rabies. Residents are also advised to keep their trash can lids securely sealed and avoid leaving pet food outdoors.

Any physical contact with a wild or unfamiliar animal should be reported to a health care provider. All animal bites or contacts with animals suspected of having rabies must be reported to the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000, 24 hours a day.

Keeping pet rabies vaccinations up to date is also important for protection against rabies. New York State law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies and receive regular booster shots.  For more information, go to www.westchestergov.com/health or call the RABIES INFOLINE at (914) 813-5010.

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor, Paul Feiner. February 18, 2018, linked internetcast used with permission of Mr. Feiner and WVOX Radio:

I interviewed the first African American to integrate the Ardsley schools— Ron Cook— way back in 1965 on WVOX two weeks ago, February 16, 10 AM to 11 AM on WVOX today. I spoke with Ron via telephone from South Carolina, where he is living now and the family where he stayed while he lived in Ardsley, spoke to Ron and me  in the WVOX Studio.  A link to the interview is below .

https://youtu.be/Vhc7JZ28xOA

During African American History month—and every month—we can’t just take the evolution of our community for granted.Mr. Cook was the first African American 15 year old who attended the Ardsley schools –way back in 1965.

He moved from his home in Charleston, SC, never saw snow before his move to Greenburgh.

He was welcomed by a great foster family, Elaine Finsilver and her daughter Jane. Jane (Right) and Elaine participated in the the interview  with Mr. Cook in the WVOX Studios (above)

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PLAYLAND READYING FOR ITS 89TH SEASON

COUNTY REBUILD OF “SANDY” DAMAGE TO BOARDWALK NEARS COMPLETION FOR OPENING IN MAY IN RECORD TIME

APPLY FOR SUMMER EMPLOYMENT MARCH 10

WPCNR PLAYLAND-GO-ROUND. Pictures and supplemental reporting by WPCNR, and from Benjamin Boykin, Westchester County Legislator, District 5 (White Plains). February 28, 2018: Westchester County has almost completed the rebuild of the Hurricane Sandy devastation of the Playland Boardwalk the 89 year old iconic amusement park.  WPCNR believes Playland is the last amusement attraction of its era still operating in the country. Despite a cold, inclement lousy winter for construction the County is on the verge of opening the damaged boardwalk and having it ready for opening day in late May. The new construction includes a concrete buttressed boardwalk, a wider walk just being completed at this time with railings yet to be installed. The construction was begun last fall. With the status of Standard Amusements willingness to take over Playland in a lease arrangement in limbo pending resolution of a City of Rye lawsuit demanding right of the final approval for any changes to Playland (located in the City of Rye), the county will run Playland again this season. The Playland lease to Standard Amusements is also under review by the new County Executive, George Latimer. But, the park is getting ready for the multitudes it has welcomed for 88 years. Chairman of  the County Board of Legislators Benjamin Boykin announced this week that Westchester County invites job-seekers of all ages to the Playland Job Fair, Saturday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. On-the-spot interviews will be conducted at this event for the first 300 candidates to arrive. Positions to be filled include cashiers, ride operators, lifeguards, EMTs, mechanics, custodial staff, I.T. technician and graphic designer. Playland’s seasonal employment runs from April through September. Although no prior experience is required for most positions, prospective employees should have a positive attitude, enthusiasm, good communication skills and the ability to work a flexible schedule. Applicants must be a minimum of 16 years of age. Some positions require applicants to be a minimum of 18 years of age. Applicants under age 18 who plan to complete their application prior to the job fair must have the form signed by a parent or guardian to be considered for an interview. Those under 18 who wish to complete their application onsite at the job fair must bring a parent or guardian to the event to sign the form in order for an interview to take place.Eligible applicants who may wish to enroll for direct deposit must bring a voided blank check or a bank-issued direct deposit setup form that includes routing number and account number printed on the document. To apply during the job fair, bring a completed application, a valid photo identification, Social Security card plus contact information for three references. Applications can be obtained by calling (914) 813-7010, or at PlaylandPark.org, where an application can be downloaded or submitted online.

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Old Miami Stadium, 1972–site of many a spring training game, in the haze of memory

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK BY “BULL” ALLEN. February 25, 2018:

“Hello there everybody, this is Mel Allen greeting you from the gondola at Al Lang Field in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida  along with The Scooter, Phil Rizzuto for the first  Yankee baseball of the spring, brought to you by White Owl Cigars, Ballantine Beer, The Crisp Refresher and Winston–Winston Tastes Good Like a Cigarette Should. The umpires are gathering at home plate with Managers Casey Stengel and Fred Hutchinson of the St. Louis Cardinals for the first home plate meeting of the year. Now with the starting lineups, I’m a rooter for the Scooter, Phil Rizzutto.”

I was 11 years old when I first started listening to baseball on the radio on weekend radio broadcasts in the spring of 1957, when “The babbling brook of baseball,” Mel Allen was the Voice of the Yankees.

The hearty greeting with southern hospitality in his voice and his former Yankee partner, Phil Rizzutto with his edgy city accent just made you feel instantly good.

The buzz and banter of the crowd in the background of the broadcast,  the distinct, gregarious lazy sounds of the spring training fans. The “hope” just shone through your radio or on the car radio as you went on errands  with Dad or Mom, and they were not ball fans. But they let you listen.  They did not let you listen to WMCA or 77 WABC the rock and roll stations in the car, it was always WOR, but they let me listen to The Yankee on WINS 1010.

Maybe it was raining and dreary like this weekend, or cold and the ground white with snow, exhibition baseball was the first harbinger of spring. You knew with the crack of the bat. The “knock” of the ball in Yogi’s glove, the “lookout!” when the foul  ball came back to the press box.It sounded so good again.

It came along  just in time like an amazing throw to the plate amplified by Phil’s “Holy Cow!” the first “Holy Cow” of the new season.

The good thing was the games did not matter. But when you were a kid, they still did. Your team winning was important,when they won you were happy. When Grim or Byrne  or Whitey lost a lead you were still sad.

You wondered if a kid like Gordon Windhorn would stick with the club when he was tearing up the spring in 1958. Baseball stirred  up your hope, the best emotion you can feel short of love and winning and doing the best you could do, fair and square.

But, the best of spring baseball on the radio was, it was only an exhibition game. If your team lost, and often I’d listen to entire exhibition games, it did not hurt as much. The spring training game lazy pace relaxed.

Broadcasters painted a Monet in your mind of green grass, sail boats on Tampa Bay, a chatter crowd, and players doing running in the outfield (“the pitchers getting their windsprints in,  had to duck on that liner”).

When you worried about your homework, a romance not working out, there was always baseball to love. It always loves you back.

(One of the reasons, I married my  wife was she sat through both ends of a doubleheader after driving to the ballpark twice when the Mets waited two hours to get a big gate in the till for a Cincinnati Reds doubleheader in 1969. She could also keep a score card.)

The balls and strikes calls, the drama of whether the rookie trying to make the rotation, like Jason Montgomery in today’s Yankee game reminded you of how nervous baseball is. It’s not what you did last year or yesterday, it’s the next pitch, the next smash, bearing down always.

Getting back in  baseball rhythm—something ballgame broadcasts do for you—especially in spring broadcasts, you learn much more about inside baseball, how players feel, what players did over the winter (they work out), and it rouses you out of worrying about situations you cannot control.

I want to thank John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman for their broadcast today. Those two who have been doing Yankee broadcasts for forty years, brought back that old feeling.

Sterling particularly sounded like an old comfortable friend today his deep tones blending with mix of the game and the play-by-play and talking baseball with Ms. Waldman—I learn something new about the game everytime I listen to them.

I liked Sterling’s description of a fly to left (“High fly ball to shallow left field, he comes in and makes the catch. one away”) You could see the high sky sun flash off the picketman’s shades.

Baseball is here just in time.

The Crisp Refresher…smooth and delicious…precisely right.

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Madeleine Zevon of White Plains Appears on White Plains Television PEOPLE TO BE HEARD discussing the advantages of the New York Health Plan Bill–a unique program needing one vote in the State Senate to go to the Governor.

WPCNR Health Intelligence. By John F. Bailey. February 21, 2018:

There’s a bill in the New York State Legislature that no one knows about.

The bill would slash NY residents and businesses  health care costs, preserve and enhance health care availability, lower cost of prescription drugs, speed payments to health providers, hospitals and doctors, and do away with dealing with insurance companies.

It was one vote away from passing the New York State Senate this year.

It is the New York Health Bill (A.4738(Gottfried)/S.4840(Rivera) that according to Madeleine Zevon of White Plains, State Chair of the League of Women Voters Health Committee would cover 100% of New York’s population with no co-pays, deductibles, or premiums. There would be no more private insurance companies.

But no one other than its sponsors knows about it. I didn’t. There (to my knowledge), has been no in-depth coverage of this plan by major media.

When Ms. Zevon told me all about it I was shocked that this bill has not been more widely examined by the “news” media.

Ms. Zevon will tell you all about it on how it can work for New Yorkers  Saturday evening on the next People To Be Heard at 7 PM Westchester County-wide on Verizon Fios Channel 45 and in White Plains city limits on Altice-Cablevision Channel 76. You may also see it on the internet at www.wpcommunitymedia.org.

She will tell you through charts and figures in clear, eye-opening logic that it will lift you right out of your chair.

You will see how New Yorkers will be covered for all medically necessary services: primary and preventive care, specialists, hospitals, mental health, substance abuse, dental, vision hearing, drugs and medical equipment.

It would be funded by a progressive tax on payroll and unearned income (non-wage), capital gains, dividends and interest.

The bill would save a net $45 Billion a year.

That’s worth writing again just to let it sink in on you.

The bill would save a net $45 Billion a year

It would save $71 Billion by eliminating high administrative costs and lowering drug and medical equipment prices.

The cost of covering everyone in New York would be $26 Billion.  According to a study by Gerald Friedman,Chair of Economics of the University of Massachusetts, by subtracting $26 Billion from the $71 Billion in savings, the net savings would be $45 Billion.

That is an average of $2,200 in savings per person a year.

Why would this bill be good for businesses?

It would, Ms. Zevon says, because businesses would no longer have to buy health coverage for their employees. This would attract businesses to New York State.

Westchester County could eliminate the $276,094,418 it pays in county real estate taxes for Medicaid.

(Wouldn’t that be nice? All county executives would love this. This could happen after the state obtains a waiver available through the Affordable Care Act to roll Medicare and Medicaid funds into one fund.)

To see how all this can work, watch People To Be Heard tomorrow evening where Ms. Zevon talks you through it.

You can also see her explanation in person on Wednesday, March 1 at the White Plains Public Library at 7 PM where she will tell  you more about the bill and Assemblyman Richard Gottlieb, sponsor of the bill will present this bill.

Where is the bill at? It  passed the Assembly 94-46 in November.  In the State Senate there are 31 co-sponsors, one vote short of a majority.