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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It has been approximately 1,983 years since a confluence of bright stars guided three kings to the town of Bethlehem to pay respects to a “newborn king.” This antique set which has been in my family for 75 years or so, commemorates that. Since the day the baby, Jesus, was born in a stable, which was provided as a charity by the owner of the inn in Bethlehem, the baby’s deeds He was to achieve and His philosophy of loving your fellow man and woman that took root in a hostile world that was a world of subjugation, genocide, enslavement, and oppression — with violence.

Religious beliefs aside. Jesus may be the most influential man of all time, considering how his message of concern, respect, and kindness towards your fellow man and woman was unique at the time he lived and spread throughout the world without violence.

We would all do well if when considering how to treat each other, make a decision, what would Jesus do?

I daresay the world would be a much better place. I also should like to point out that Jesus’s message was not follow me and you will have eternal life, though he did say that–his main message was to love one another and be compassionate, helpful, and respectful towards those less fortunate than you.

It made so much sense.

I set it up the display this year because I missed it over the years. Remember it is not what Jesus offered…it was what He did that spread his message around the world without violence.

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Dr. Paul Fried, right shown in a White Plains TV interview on PEOPLE TO BE HEARD, has resigned as White Plains Superintendent of Schools. A new Superintendent is expected to be hired for the 2017-18 School Year.

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey December 24, 2016:

The White Plains City School District announced in the Winter Edition of its Community Links publication Friday that it had begun a search for a new Superintendent of Schools who would replace Dr. Paul Fried, and take over the position from Acting Superintendent, Lawrence W. Smith July 1, 2017.

Community Links announced that Dr. Fried has submitted his resignation to the Board on Monday, December 12, after he had been on medical leave since last May. The nature of his illness was not announced.

Dr. Fried leaves the district after a year and a half. He started with the district on July 1, 2015, and in the short time before he went on medical leave had begun with former Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Jessica O’Donovan, a plan to expand the school district dual language plan for classes in English and Spanish to be expended through fifth grade. He had established a community committee of school personnel and citizens to explore the alternatives he and O’Donovan had developed.

The commitment to expand the dual language instruction was a response to the New York State Education Department Section 154 legislation requiring any district had more than 20% of its students in any grade classified as English Language Learners had to be given a choice of instruction in their own language or a course that gave then some Spanish language based instruction. Dr. Fried acquired permission from the State Education Department last year to delay the decision on how the district would respond to January, 2017. At this point with an Acting Superintendent (Howard W. Smith) in place until June, it is not known if White Plains will proceed with making that decision or not, or whether the State Education Department will extend or modify the requirement of Section 154. Previously Dr. Fried had been Superintendent of Schools in Montville, New Jersey from 2005 to 2014 and Mamaroneck Public School which he left in 2005 for the New Jersey position.

Fried arrived in White Plains in July 2015 as Superintendent, taking over for Interim Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors, who returned to the district in the 2012-13, to replace Dr. Christopher Clouet who took a position with the Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns. Clouet, who was retired from New Haven School Superintendent had succeeded Mr. Connors in July 2009, after Connors officially retired from White Plains after 7 years. Connors had replaced the 12 year Superintendent Saul Yanofsky in 2001.

Dr. Clouet left White Plains as Superintendent  in 2013, and Connors was brought back as Interim Superintendent for two years from 2013-14, 2014-2015, until the district hired Dr. Fried in July, 2015, to replace Connors.

At the time of his resignation, effective January 17 (next month), Fried will have been with the district just a year and a half, but had begun efforts to address the White Plains need to bulwark their commitment to Latino students.

Currently in the 2015-16 school year, the White Plains School District student population is made up of 56% Latino students (3,903), 24% white students (1,714) and 14% Black students (979).

Across the city, according to the 2012 census the city of White Plains population was 63% white; 32% Hispanic and 15% Black.

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WPCNR LETTER TICKER. DECEMBER 23, 2016:

(Editor’s Note: The below letter suggests why perhaps overcrowded, unsafe conditions, known to exist in multi-family houses in White Plains for years, are perpetuated.)

Mr. Bailey:

You briefly discussed illegal housing here (White Plains) with a local minister (Reverend Gary Percesepe on PEOPLE TO BE HEARD).

Owner attitudes might not be illegal but can still be wrong. Waller Avenue has some owners from other countries and one of them was very honest and direct about who he prefers to rent to recently.

A guy from our house went there  to ask about apartment availability and that is when the owner made his (owner’s) tenant preference known. I feel it has to do with owners anxiety that an American might have higher expectations of that owner than his current tenants do.

Maybe he’s never been challenged by them (his present tenants) for repairs there. They (the tenants) are willing to accept what he chooses to provide there.

I only know what the guy here said after he had spoken with him.

Thanks

A Weekly Viewer

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. DECEMBER 21, 2016:

The White Plains Common Council met Tuesday evening in Executive Session to deal with appointments to the White Plains City Court.

Afterwards the Common Council voted to reappoint  Judge Jo Ann Friia to her third 10 year term on the City Court bench.

Judge Friia is also Acting Judge County Court of Westchester since 2013.

She was in private practice from 1984 to 1996 and was appointed by the White Plains Common Council to Judge of the City Court in 1997. She graduated from Pace University Law School, 1979 after graduating New York University in 1976. Judge Friia has served as President of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association, President, New York State City Judges Association, 2013-2015.

Elizabeth Shollenberger, a long time lawyer with a practice specializing in consumer law, was voted by the Common Council to the bench, replacing Judge Barbara Leak who is retiring, the Mayor’s Office reported.

Ms. Shollenberger’s law practice specializes in appeals, litigation, family law, election law, hearings and tenant representation. She was appointed last night to a 10-year term on the City Court through 2027.

Ms. Shollenberger is also the Chair of the White Plains Democratic City Committee, and member of the White Plains Rotary Club.

She was admitted to the New York State Bar, First Department in 1982, the Federal District of New York in 1983 and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 2014. Ms. Shollenberger graduated from Princeton University and received her J.D. degree from Yale Law School.

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