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The Family Head leads his voting flock to the Turkey Polls (an undisclosed location in downtown White Plains New York USA
Turkeys head to Cast their Votes for the Turkeys of their Choice at the undisclosed Turkey Polls location, Turkeys gobbled that the choices were really hard and there were more turkeys than usual on the ballot
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WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. From the French American School of New York. November 4, 2014:
A spokesman for the French American School of New York has just informed WPCNR that the Gedney Neighborhood Association legal action claiming the City of White Plains environmental review of the French American School of New York plan to build a central campus on the former Ridgeway Country violated the open meetings law has been denied by the courts.
Geof Thompson, spokesman for FASNY issued this statement today:
“We just received the judge’s decision dismissing the only remaining GNA (Gedney Neighborhood Association) claim in their lawsuit against the City of White Plains. As you know, GNS’s other claims were dismissed by the court earlier.
This is an important decision finding that the City did NOT violate the Opening Meetings Law.
One other important note: The decision mentions that FASNY’s counter claim was also dismissed. Please do not interpret this as FASNY having “lost” the case. FASNY merely argued that the remaining claim of GNA was not “ripe” on the merits, and the Court agreed which resulted in FASNY’s position being upheld and as a result, that aspect of the matter was simultaneously dismissed.”
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TODAY: A pile of of logs neatly cutup on a mission of mercy by Victor Torres Landscaping yesterday for a very reasonable price in Haviland Manor awaits the DPW pickup today. Mr. Torres can be reached at 914-738-1538 or at v.torreslandscaping@hotmail.com
Yesterday–After Sunday’s Big Wind.
The city has not yet officially explained its policy involving pickup of felled trees. The Forestry Department of the DPW, explained to WPCNR yesterday that the city would pick up felled limbs and debris left in yards due to Sunday’s gale force winds.
However, the limbs had to be placed at the curb for the city to pick up because the Forestry Department said city workers could not come into the yard to remove the branches “because of insurance issues.
A pile of of logs neatly cutup on a mission of mercy by Victor Torres Landscaping yesterday for a very reasonable price in Haviland Manor awaits the DPW pickup today. Mr. Torres can be reached at 914-738-1538 or at v.torreslandscaping@hotmail.com
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. November 3, 2014:
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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. November 3, 2014:
Twas the night before election day, November 3, and the Common Council was ready to hold a quick, quiet regular Common Council meeting tonight. Absolutely nothing to worry about or pay attention to, right?
However the agenda contains the following significant items:
The Common Council, on the consent agenda is scheduled at this time to approve the zoning request of Urstadt Biddle to allow apartments and a hotel on the White Plains Pavilion Mall. A public hearing was held on this item and the neighborhood association showed no objection to the zoning, however, the site plan is very nebulous at the present time.
Also on the consent agenda is a bond issue for $757,000 to refurbish three fire stations, Stations 2, 4, and 7.
A water rate increase is being put in for WPCNR believes a third straight year. According to the Commissioner of Public Works Nicoletti’s letter of explanation, basic rates would increase 8% and 10% over the last three ranges. Rates for the Excess non-capita schedule would increase 8% over the first six ranges and 10% over the last three ranges. The fee for availability/demand charges would increase by 10%.
Finally, the Tennis Academy reported by WHITE PLAINS WEEK two weeks ago as being on schedule will not open until apparently sometime after January 15., 2015.
Payment of the first year licensing fee will be increased to $125,000 (from $100,000) will be delayed until January, 2016 “to offset the unexpected higher construction expenses resulting from poor soil conditions at Delfino Park and the loss of revenue as a result of the delayed opening caused by the unexpected construction,” according to a letter included in the backup material from the Commissioner of Recreation and Parks, Wayne Bass.
This delay has caused the opening of the facility to be pushed back. The backup material does not give a date when the facility will open specifically in 2015.
Tennis Innovators Academy will pay the city $125,000 for the first year beginning in 2016. They will also enclose two more tennis courts inside the planned bubble for a total of 8. The agreement is extended one year and over the course of the agreement the city will receive an additional $826,647.
The complete agenda is on the city website as well as the backup material from which these nuggets of information were mined.
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WPCNR HOMELAND NEWS. November 3, 2014: If you’re one of the White Plains residents who have trees down in your yard, and wondering if the limbs are from a city tree if the city will come in your yard and remove the limbs, the DPW Department of Forestry advises WPCNR they will not due to insurance issues.
The Forestry Department told WPCNR they will remove fallen limbs and take them away if you get them to the curb, regardless of what tree had limbs taken down by the 50 mile per hour limbs yesterday.
It is unclear due to the extent of tree damage around White Plains, how soon the forestry specialists can get to pruning damaged city trees within owners property but within the distance (believed to be 10 feet), from the curb that makes a tree “city property.”
WPCNR is awaiting a statement from City Hall advising citizens with tree limbs down from city trees (or trees well off the city 10 foot or whatever footage from the curb that defines a city tree on city property).
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WPCNR MAIN STREET. UPDATED November 3, 2014:
A White Plains off-duty fire fighter, Erik Refvik, has been arrested and arraigned in the hospital and charged with driving drunk the wrong way on South Lexington Avenue this morning causing a two-car head-on accident resulting in the death of a woman and injury to another man, also hospitalized early Monday morning between Main Street and Martine Avenue on South Lexington.
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. November 2, 2014:
The following letter (edited for content by WPCNR; in this case, WPCNR has eliminated names of certain individuals and allegations the original letter referred to in a critical manner), was sent to the Mayor of White Plains and the Common Council:
Dear Mayor,
The latest FASNY plan is more of the same. It is a disaster whose increased traffic and density will negatively impact the residential neighborhoods surrounding it. FASNY is failing for an obvious reason. The plan does not and cannot work. It took some time but key City Boards have already come to this realization.
The School Board, Conservation Board and Planning Board all raised serious “global” concerns with this project that normally would have killed it some time ago. In fact, the School Board is firmly on record as stating that the FASNY entrance on North Street would have a “profoundly negative effect” on the safety and welfare of students attending White Plains High School.
WHY is it that the Mayor and some members of the Common Council keep the FASNY application going? They appear to be lost in the weeds!!
Case in point, Beth Smayda has asked for landscaping improvements instead of evaluating the fundamental questions raised by the School Board and Neighborhood Associations.
Or, Councilman John Kirkpatrick asking if Hathaway Lane could be closed only part of the time? How out of touch are they?
We need to ask them some serious questions. Are they fearful of FASNY’s threats of litigation? Are they truly up to the task in this application? The Hathaway Lane closure issue suggests otherwise.
In light of overwhelming resident opposition and the aforementioned Boards’ negative findings, WHY is the Common Council still entertaining this special application? Something is amiss in the manner in which this application is being considered.
Is there pressure from senior state and national Democrats on our all-Democratic Common Council to get this approved?
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…
Brian & Patricia O’Connor
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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Office. November 1, 2014:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that stricter laws to crack down on texting while driving among young and inexperienced motorists go into effect today.
Under the law, new and young drivers convicted of texting-while-driving will have their license suspended for 120 days on the first offense, and revoked for a year if convicted of a second or subsequent offense within six months of reissuance of the license.
“Driving habits are developed early, and we are sending a message that texting while driving is unsafe, unacceptable and downright dangerous,” Governor Cuomo said. “There have been far too many avoidable tragedies due to texting while driving and with these new penalties, we are seeking to change the behavior of young drivers now, and make New York’s roadways safer for all.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10 percent of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. The age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.
Governor Cuomo has made safe driving in New York a priority. From enforcing stricter penalties to keep drivers with a history of alcohol or drug-related offenses off the road, to cracking down on speeding and aggressive drivers, and to establishing special “Texting Zones” along roadways so motorists can pull over and safely use their mobile devices, this administration is actively working to adapt to changing trends and technology to best keep New York’s roadways safe. These efforts have additionally helped the New York Thruway recently experience its safest years in its history.
The increased penalties that take effect today were passed as part of the 2014-2015 Budget.
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WHITE PLAINS WEEK
PETER KATZ AND JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEW
STATE SENATOR GEORGE LATIMER
CANDIDATE FOR THE 37TH NEW YORK STATE SENATE DISTRICT.
See WHITE PLAINS WEEK WITH GEORGE LATIMER as Guest, interviewed on the issues.
AND ON
PEOPLE TO BE HEARD
“WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY HAVE THEIR SAY”
YOU’VE GOT
TERENCE GUERRIER
CANDIDATE FOR COMMON COUNCIL
ON THE ISSUES:
DEVELOPMENT
PARKING
COUNCILMAN RESPONSIBILITY TO BE PROACTIVE
CITY TRANSPARENCY
FASNY
AND MORE
DOWNLOAD BOTH PROGRAMS INSTANTLY NOW AT
www.whiteplainsweek.com
