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.

Hits: 116

Photograph of the Day: Part of the contingent of 64 veterans of World War II at Westchester County Airport this morning who were flown to Washington D.C. as part of Honor Flight ‘s ongoing program to salute World War II veterans for their never-to-be-forgotten service that defeated Nazi Germany

Fred Kimler, Chairman of Honor Flight Hudson Valley, greeted the veterans, with the words,”You delivered peace and gave hope to the world with these four words, “The Americans are here.” Kimler, at the close of the warm, teary and stirring remembrance, concluded asking that the 300 or more persons and hundreds of helpers in the dramatic event never forget to remember these veterans “We owe them everything.”

Crowd of some 300 awaits the arrival of the veterans at Westchester County Airport

The three busloads of World War II vets were preceded by a motorcycle cavalcade of honor made up of veterans, organized by White Plains Carl Albanese on the  motorcycle with the two American Flags.

Here they come! 

Veterans in wheel chairs being helped aboard the U.S. Airways jet that flew them to Washington today to visit the World War II Memorial and enjoy other festivities as a salute to their service.

US AIRWAYS jet carrying the veterans taxis under a “First Flight” water arch salute created by Fairview Fire Department Pumpers. First flights being saluted by an arch of water are an aviation tradition.

The Honor Flight taking off for Washington this morning.

Hits: 524

WPCNR THE POWER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. November 6, 2015:

Customers who currently have an electric company they are happy with can tell their present supplier they do not want to be switched to another, Con Edison told WPCNR today.

Recently, the White Plains Common Council voted to join a consortium of cities and towns that have agreed to allow a group called Sustainable Westchester to negotiate a contract with a series of suppliers or a supplier.

Sustainable Westchester would use the vast number of electric customers in the collection of town and city customers in the Sustainable fold to negotiate, they promise a reduced collective electric contract with an Electric Supply Company or companies for those customers including White Plains electric customers.

The Mayor and council and Sustainable Westchester executives assured this arrangement would save White Plainsers substantially on their electric bills.

Once the contract rate is determined, White Plains would automatically switch residents’ electric supply source to the suppliers chosen by Sustainable Westchester. Customers would have 20 days to notify Sustainable Westchester or the City of White Plains (it is not clear at this time who processes the “opt-outs”)

WPCNR asked Con Edison if residential customers not wishing to be switched at all  from Con Edison could “opt out in advance,”

The answer from Robert McGee of Consolidated Edison Media Relations is “Yes.”

Mr. McGee issued this statement to WPCNR Friday afternoon:

“I have your answer.

If a Con Edison customer decides they do not want to be a part of the Sustainable Westchester initiative, they can instruct Con Edison to place an energy service company (ESCO) ‘block’ on their account.  

Importantly, this block also would preclude a customer from signing up with any energy supply company, whether related to Sustainable Westchester or not.  If a customer subsequently decides to choose another ESCO, they would have to contact Con Edison to remove the block prior to enrolling with the new ESCO.  

Hits: 213

JEN NETROSIO

EBERSOLE RINK NEW FIGURE SKATING SCHOOL DIRECTOR

 INTERVIEWED

ON WPTV’S 

PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

 PREVIEWS EBERSOLE RINK ICE SKATING PROGRAMS

TOURS THE RINK

 TELLS YOU ALL ABOUT 

“THE HAPPY RINK”

SEE HER NOW

 ON www.whiteplainsweek.com

OR

www.wpcommunitymedia.org

Hits: 140

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. NOVEMBER 2, 2015:

I will preface my article by stating it as a message of hope and not one of consternation.  I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have supported my political aspirations over the years.

First of all, it is of little surprise and less of a secret among Republicans and Democrats alike the compromised position of the party today.  It is common knowledge the city is dominated today by a well-educated and organized Democratic Party.  The Republicans are also at a serious disadvantage in regard to voter registration.  Simply stated, they are underfunded, lack the political machinery, and a voter base to engage in a successful election campaign-regardless of the candidates’ education and experience.

The party also has an identity problem resulting in its inability to develop a political platform of its vision in which to launch their candidates’ elections.  For the most part, city voters vote for the party, not the candidate, even if the candidate(s) are amply qualified and well liked.  In its current state, the party is like a flower bud that never blossoms on election day.

Sadly, the city has the fertile ground for its growth though lacks the structure to water the ground of their planted candidates.  It’s one of  the party’s  short comings  and  modus operandi of endorsing candidate(s) at the last moment, failing to give voters the needed time to acquaint themselves with the contenders,  to say the least, a new candidate given only six to eight weeks to campaign is no match for the well-entrenched and experienced incumbents.

This lack of public presence between elections; poor public relations; lack of a coordinated and well thought out vision and being unjustly identified with the  national party that lacks a social consciousness has rendered the party hopeless   in the eyes of its members, leaders, voters and candidates.

Speaking from a personal perspective and experience while running for the Common Council in 2011, I learned the harsh lessons of its political reality.  As a registered Independent running on the Republican Line, I found myself incorrectly labeled too liberal by the Republican, and too conservative by the Democrats.

Regretfully voters will place a candidate in very small box no matter how broad and deep of a thinker they may be.  Republican candidates generally fall into the trap of voter bias.  In hindsight, the 2011 election for the Common Council may have been the high water mark for the party-even in its defeat.  In that election, the candidates did garner a sizeable number of votes establishing a party vanguard that was not properly supported with well-coordinated follow up..  All momentum was lost and community outreach never materialized. .

Since the 2011 election many a fine and talented potential candidate(s) have elected not to run for office again.  Sadly, and to the detriment and loss to the city and the party.

In these changing and difficult socio/economic times, the party is in need of an earnest rebranding  and a new clear vision achieved  to be achieved  by the restructuring of its leadership and ideology.

In closing, White Plains is a great city with a track record to match though it is still in need of new and politically diverse new voices to lead the city to higher levels of achievement.  The party needs to act on the realization and fact if it truly wants to change the politics of the city-it must first transform itself.

Dr. Richard Cirulli

Hits: 323

The City of White Plains has won AAA’s top Platinum Award for the outstanding effectiveness of its traffic safety programs. John Corlett, Director of Public / Government Affairs & Traffic Safety for AAA Northeast, presents the Platinum Award for Community Traffic Safety to White Plains. Accepting the award are (left to right), Deputy Commissioner, Parking and Traffic Division, Thomas J. Soyk; Captain Nicholas Kralik; Sergeant Marco Garced and Anthony Merena, Transportation Engineer during AAA’s 51st annual Traffic Safety Awards luncheon at The Carltun in East Meadow, NY on October 15, 2015. Photo by Marquee Photography The city was one of five Platinum award winners in AAA’s annual Community Traffic Safety Awards Program, which recognizes outstanding communities for their efforts to make the region’s roadways safer for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.The community was honored October 15th during a luncheon ceremony at The Carltun in East Meadow, New York.