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 SOUTH END TIMES. September 8, 2014:

Geof Thompson, spokesperson for the French American School of New York, after confirming  to WPCNR, that FASNY allowed their postage permit indicia to be used to send a Pro-FASNY mailing brought to them by a group of neighbors in Gedney Farms, has issued a statement this afternoon on reimbursement of the postage, in response to a WPCNR query.

Mr. Thompson wrote WPCNR:

“Mailing cost was under $3000 and FASNY will pay it.  

As I explained in my earlier email and when we spoke, a core group of neighbors drafted and revised the letter which was then sent to supporters who joined the letter. FASNY mailed it for them. Since it arrived in mailboxes Friday an additional 21 neighbors have joined the letter bringing it to 62 neighborhood co-signers.  Each one of them approved the letter and then added their name.  There likely will be more. “

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Archbishop Stepinac High School, White Plains, NY September 8, 2014:

 Classes for the new school year began today for Archbishop Stepinac High School’s Freshman Class consisting of 213 students, representing yet another spike in enrollment that the 66-year-old, all boys school has experienced in recent years.

Since the 2008-2009 school year when the freshman class consisted of 139 students, enrollment has soared 53%.

“Equally significant is that over the same five-year period, the percentage of prospective students who indicated that Stepinac was their first choice also jumped sharply,” said Father Thomas Collins, (Pictured above appearing last September on WHITE PLAINS WEEK, the White Plains TV City News Roundup Show) President. He added, “Back then, 139 students put Stepinac first. This year, 242 made Stepinac number one, representing an astonishing 74% gain.”

The impact of soaring enrollment forced Stepinac this summer to create a wait list for the freshman class as well as hire eight new faculty members.

In explaining the striking difference that five years has made at Stepinac, Father Collins pointed out that today’s freshman class will enjoy several advanced educational and extracurricular features and capabilities that were not available to freshmen in 2008-2009.

They include an all digital textbook library, the first of its kind in the nation; a state-of-the-art computer lab and physics lab; a synthetic turf athletic complex as well as significant enhancements to the school’s Major Bowes Theater and notable building façade, parking lot and grounds improvements.

“As these became a reality, we showcased them at our Open Houses. Over time, word-of mouth—combined with our marketing efforts—sparked increased interest among our target audience of middle-school boys and their parents,” Father Collins explained. “Given our school’s tremendous progress and consistent record of shaping future leaders by providing an outstanding academic education grounded on strong Roman Catholic values and traditions, it comes as no surprise why so many more prospective students and their parents are knocking on our doors.”

Geographically, each of the key areas where Stepinac draws enrollment—the Bronx, lower and Central Westchester— have shown increases over the past five years. But, the school has also been steadily attracting students from northern Westchester, a trend which is expected to continue in the years ahead.

The catalyst that sparked Stepinac’s seemingly overnight enrollment success story was the decision that the Archdiocese of New York made five years ago for 10 of its high schools including Stepinac to become independently chartered. In so doing, each school would be responsible for budgeting, fund raising, marketing and other governance functions associated with running a successful educational institution.

As part of its new independent status, Stepinac created a Board of Trustees comprising prominent alumni and other leaders who have been committed to chart the school’s new future. In 2011, it appointed Father Collins, a Stepinac alum (Class of 1979) as its ninth leader. Previously, he served as Stepinac’s Associate Dean of Students.

“The key to Stepinac’s success has been the tremendous generosity and support of our alumni who have made it possible to raise and invest several millions of dollars to help keep our school at the forefront of secondary education in the region,” Father Collins related. “I cannot imagine how this remarkable story can be told without their fierce loyalty and commitment.”

Sometime later this fall, the school’s new video conference center, located adjacent to the library, will open. It will not only enhance Stepinac’s ability to communicate with its core constituents but it will be used by students to interface with their counterparts in foreign countries, a likely outcome from Stepinac’s recent hosting of students from China.  “A new and exciting chapter in education is happening and Stepinac is proud to help lead the way,” Father Collins stated.

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TONIGHT ON

PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

WESTCHESTER COUNTY’S MOST RELEVANT INTERVIEW PROGRAM

DR. JACK STERN

NEUROSURGEON 

WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER

DR, MIRIAM LEAVITT-FLISSER

PEDIATRICIAN, BRONXVILLE

ON

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IN ACTION IN WESTCHESTER

HOW IT’S CHANGING HEALTH CARE

HOW IT IS AFFECTING PATIENT CARE

HOW IT IS CHANGING DOCTORS’ PRACTICE

HOW TO TREAT A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR

HOW HOSPITALS ARE CHANGING.

IS IT BETTER, IS IT WORSE?

THEIR ANSWERS WILL LIFT YOU RIGHT OUT OF YOUR CHAIR

INTERVIEWED BY JOHN BAILEY AND JIM BENEROFE ON

PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

“WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, HAVE THEIR SAY.”

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAM AT

www.whitepainsweek.com

and see

THIS WEEK’S WHITE PLAINS WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 5 SHOW:

PETER KATZ, JOHN BAILEY AND JIM BENEROFE 

ON THE PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO WESTCHESTER

BUSINESS AS USUAL AT WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL.

LCOR’S 55 BANK STREET 17 STORY RENTALS/RETAIL APPROVED

THE $10 MILLION DAM FIX DECREED BY THE STATE

JOE DILLON ANNOUNCES HE’S RUNNING AGAINST GEORGE LATIMER

THE PLAYLAND STALL BY THE COUNTY EXEC AND BOARD OF LEGISLATORS CONTINUES. NO DEALS IN SIGHT

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WPCNR SOUTHEND TIMES. September 6, 2014:

Two days before perhaps the penultimate French American School of New York public hearing at White Plains High auditorium Monday night, a single page letter signed by 41 residents around the former country club property urges  neighbors accept “that a change in use (of the country club property) is inevitable.”

The letter states, “the time has come to accept that there will be a change and to move forward.”

The letter debunks the notion that the property should be used for housing:

“We have carefuly considered that and have concluded that this would result in losing virtually all of the property other than wetlands and steep slopes to development. It (housing) would add to traffic, burden the local public schools with many more children and would bring no tangible benefit to the community. Whatever taxes would be generated by the residential properties would be more than offset by the increased demands for municipa and school services.”

The letter supports the site plan for the following reasons:

“reduction in the number of students who will attend the school, most of the traffic has been removed from Ridgeway (Avenue), the school buildings have been pulled back from Ridgeway and other property lines, landscaping and buffering have been substantially enhanced, and the overall impacts have been significantly reduced. The plan today is better and far less impactful on the neighborhood thanks to those who have stood up and made their case.”

The letter supports the final open space the site plan provides:

“there is a bit less open space than FASNY had first proposed, but it’s still 78 acres. That’s more than half the property and a lot of that land is very buildable…FASNY says it will put a permanent conservation easement on the open space and maintain and operate it as part of the School, solely at their cost.”

Closing of Hathaway Laner is dismissed  as a casualty of the new site plan, because of the traffic mitigation the closing provides:

“As long as emergency access is maintained, and the City makes sure it will be, we think this actually will lessen the potential for traffic cutting through the adjoining neighborhood streets…any inconvenience it causes is relatively minor while the benefits to lessening cut-through traffic on the adjoining streets is a real plus.”

The letter closes, “We are urging the Mayor and the Common Council to approve the (FASNY application for a )Special Permit: We thank them and the City’s staff and consultants for giving so much time and attention to the future of the Ridgeway CC property, for listening and responsing to the concerns of the surrounding community and for helping to shape the plan into something that should be workable for all. We appreciate the views of all our neighbors and welcome those who so wish to join us in signing this letter or otherwise letting the Mayor and Council know that it’s time to move on and move forward…”

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WPCNR PLAYLAND-GO-ROUND. By John F. Bailey. September 4, 2014 UPDATED 6 P.M.:

In a hearing of the County Legislature Labor, Parks, Planning and Housing Committee reviewing the two private operators as possible operators of Playland today, it became clear the county had a choice of two entirely different approaches,:

One promised more money upfront with a larger park than  the other candidate.

The other  promised an upgrade with many more modern rides, efficient marketing and professional ride management.

Central Amusements International, the saviors of Coney Island Luna Park promised a 7% rent of gross revenues to the county,(similar to their arrangement with the City of New York)  and suggested they would revive attendance to the park up to 850,000, and invest $20 Million in capital improvements mainly in a series of new rides,  overhauling the infrastructure, repairing all the collonades, and replacing machinery of a number of the park’s more ancient rides (some of the machinery dates back to 1985). The also promised a marketing blitz based on their successful repositioning of Luna Park in Coney Island

Central emphasized they had the experience in the New York area, having made Coney Island Luna Park a success despite the disruption of Hurricane Sandy,  and stated with emphasis they were the county’s best choice. They said they would generate about $20 to $30 per attendee…with additional revenue coming from ancillary expenditures at the park.

Standard Amusements,  promised the county more money by far:  a flat $5 Million in revenue a year,  in excess of paying the debt service, and promised a 9.2 Million profit overall, saying that if the eventual handle exceeded that, the county would stand to make more than the $5 Million profit. This would begin (the profit to the county) in the first year of Standard operation.

Standard, which is backed by a hedge fund, also promised a billion dollar endowment to be used exclusively to continue to rehab the Park into the future.  Standard noted they had revamped two amusement parks with water oriented themes.

In the course of the conversation, Standard said they had not toured the Playland Park this summer, while Central Amusements executives had toured the park six times.

One principal of Central noted (when a legislator asked him why he only went on three rides in three hours one evening), he said the attendants at the rides took too long to process the lines  and load the rides. He said this would be vastly improved to accelerate ride revenue if Central took the park over.

Standard said that they expected more appealing restaurants to augment revenues, and draw larger crowds. Do accommodate  admissions of over 1.2 Million, Standard said they would require all of the present parking area, with possible expansion of it, including the possibility of a double-deck of parking.  Standard said they would bring three water oriented attractions to the park possibly around the pool area, and restaurents about the Boardwalk area.

Peter Harckham, Chairman of the Playland review process cautioned  as the hearing began, that no legislation was being considered today.

At the close of the meeting, Central Amusements said in response to Ken Jenkins, the legislator who suggested the two companies could work together to run the park in a mutual arrangement, that they had tried previously to see if there was grounds for working together, but “they could not,” and said Central would not work with Standard, as Jenkins had suggested.

The entire hearing may be viewed at

http://westchestercountyny.iqm2.com/Citizens/SplitView.aspx?Mode=Video&MeetingID=3246&AgendaID=3047&FileFormat=pdf&Format=Agenda&MediaFileFormat=wmv