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. | WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.

City Plans Two Remembrances of White Plains Residents Who Died on 9/11

Posted on August 27, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR RECALL. From the White Plains Department of Recreation and Parks. August 29, 2014:

This year, the City of White Plains will remember and honor those who lost their lives and worked to help others on September 11, 2001 in two special ways.
The City of White Plains Personnel Department and the American Red Cross will host a blood drive on Tuesday, September 9th at City Hall, 255 Main Street, 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Donating just one pint of blood can save up to three lives and is a truly meaningful way to give back to our community and our country, and to honor the heroes of 9/11. Participation is open to all. Pre-registration is available at www.redcrossblood.org. Please use sponsor code WPCITYHALL.

The 9/11 Memorial in Liberty Park, White Plains.

On Thursday, September 11th, six American flags will fly from City Hall as homage to the six residents of White Plains who lost their lives on that day in 2001. The Recreation and Parks Department will hold a remembrance service at 8:00 a.m. at Liberty Park on Lake Street, the City’s permanent memorial site for these residents. The ceremony will include the raising of an Operation Freedom flag, wreath laying, prayer and poem reading.
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BROTHER JIMMY’S– STANDARD IN SOUTHERN BARBECUE LANDING AT FORMER BUTTERFIELD 8

Posted on August 26, 2014 by John Bailey

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BROTHER JIMMY’S THE HOT MANHATTAN BARBEQUE HANGOUT WITH NUMEROUS LOCATIONS IN MANHATTAN WILL BE FILLING THE AIR WITH THE IRRESISTIBLE AROMAS OF PULLED PORK, RIBS, AND THE FEEL OF A REAL COLLEGE BAR AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK RUMOR HAS IT AS THEY TAKE OVER THE SPACE WHERE BUTTERFIELD 8 USED TO BE (SHOWN BELOW). IT’S THE BARBEQUE THAT WHITE PLAINS HAS LONG NEEDED. SOUTHERN STYLE

WPCNR DOWNTOWN STRIP. August 26, 2014:

WPCNR has learned that Butterfield 8 undergoing renovations, will be opening next week as a Brother Jimmy’s the downtown Manhattan “go-to-to-meet-up-watch-the-game-and-see-your-buds-from-the-old-alma-ter-place.”

Brother Jimmy’s has announced on its website that they are now hiring for the White Plains location at 147 Mamaroneck Avenue.

University of Michigan alums in New York go to Brother Jimmy’s to catch the Wolverine games, and next weekend — when UM plays Appalacian State to open their season, the U of M Westchester alumni are switching to Lola’s prior to their Brother Jimmy’s opening game next week..

Brother Jimmy’s according to our sources delivers southern barbecue, wings, the fishbowl cocktail with an aligator floating in it…and a conviviality the 20-somethings and 30-somethings love because it approximates the feel of those old college hangouts without the stiff formality of restaurants and without the younger crowd.

BOARD OF LEGISALTORS APPROVES ICE CASINO OPERATOR CONTRACT. KAPLOWITZ CRITICIZES BIEDERMAN $100.000 CONTRACT

Posted on August 25, 2014 by John Bailey

Playland Ice Casino (at far right) on the Boardwalk at Playland last Spring.

CNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators Press Office. (Edited) August 25, 2014:

The Westchester County Board of Legislators voted to approve a 10 year management agreement with Playland Ice Casino LLC, a subsidiary of American Skating Entertainment Centers LLC, to operate the Ice Casino last Thursday. American Skating Entertainment Centers also runs the Westchester Skating Academy in Elmsford.

The newly refurbished ice casino will open in September after the county has taken two years to repair the rink from Hurricane Sandy damage.

According to the management agreement, the new operator of the Ice Casino will “be responsible for all activities and operations of any kind and nature whatsoever conducted within the Ice Casino, including but not limited to learn-to-skate and learn-to-play hockey classes, public skating, in-house ice hockey programs, kids first hockey program, travel and high school hockey, freestyle skating, summer camps, concessions, special events and seasonal activities, and sponsorships.”

Chairman Kaplowitz cited the agreement with American Skating as the model that Westchester County should employ regarding operations of the amusement park.

(Editor’s Note: According to the Journal News, American Skating will pay the county $380.000 in year one, $250,000, year two, and 2% more each year for the next eight years. The contract calls for American Skating to make $640,000 in facilities in the next year and a half.

American Skating will pay the county 25% of revenue over $1.6 Million, the County Department of Communications said to The Journal News,\. The County Department of Communications did not send out a press release on the contract, and the Board of Legislators did not send out this press release until this afternoon, but that release did not includ details of the contract or why the contract with American Skating is a better arrangement. )

“American Skating was chosen through the County Executive’s RFP like the prospective amusement park operators. A focused approach to finding public/private partnership opportunities for each of the parks operations was central to the County Executives plan to mitigate the cost to taxpayers of running the park. The management agreement with American Skating is exactly that type of partnership. I commend the County Executive for the efforts his Administration has made to improve park operations. I think it is time to wrap up the reviews and take action.”

Sustainable Playland Principal’s Contract to Analyze Playland Ops Approved Over Kaplowitz’s Objection.

At the Board of Acquisition and Contracts (A&C) meeting on Thursday, August 21st, Board of Legislators (BOL) Chairman Michael Kaplowitz (D) Somers, voted against a $100,000 contract to hire a consultant, Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corp. (BRV) to analyze the operations of Playland Amusement Park.

The proposal, which will run through November 2014, came from County Executive Rob Astorino. Ultimately the contract was approved by 2-1 vote.

Chairman Kaplowitz said, “I do not support this consulting contract for $100,000 to review Playland’s operations and make recommendations regarding opportunities for management of Playland Park and its facilities. I feel the cost is too high and I also believe that this additional review of Playland will jeopardize our chances of finding an operating partner for the 2015 season.” Kaplowitz noted, “The County Executive has already identified the top three operators for the amusement park through an RFP process. While the County Executive’s top choice Sustainable Playland Incorporated, did not pass muster with the BOL, I believe that the County Executive’s second and third choices to run the park are both promising alternatives.”

The BOL Committee on Labor, Parks, Planning and Housing will be meeting on September 4th with Standard Amusements and Central Amusements International, the runners up in the County Executive’s search for operators of the amusement park. The BOL could vet both of these companies and reach a management agreement in time to hand over operations for next season.

FASNY HEARING MOVED TO WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL on Monday, September 8

Posted on August 25, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR FASNY NEWS. From the Mayor’s Office. August 25, 2014:

The City Clerk announced today that the third concurrent hearings on the French American School of New York application for a Special Permit to build a 5 building campus on the former Ridgeway Country Club and its concurrent hearing on the closure of Hathwa lane will move to the much larger venue, the White Plains High School auditorium on Monday, September 8, beginning at 6:30 P.M. Citizens wishing to speak must sign up at 5 P.M. in the audtorium lobby. Citizens who have already spoken at previous hearings may not speak again.

The change comes after three months of intense lobbying and e-mailing by Gedney Association members who claimed the Common Council Chambers were too small and witnessing the hearings on closed circuit television on screens in the halls of the city hall rotunda was hot, inconvenient and inhibited attendance.

At Long Last, Lyons Place Garage of the 21st Century Opens Today

Posted on August 25, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE PARKING NEWS. From The Mayor’s Office. August 25, 2014:

In March 2013, the City of White Plains acquired the Lyon Place Garage from the Esplanade Assisted Care Facility. The garage had fallen into a state of disrepair and had been closed to the public. Recognizing its importance to shoppers and businesses, the City acquired the garage with the intention of replacing it with a new, state-of-the-art, eight-story parking facility.

The City acquired the property from the Esplanade at no cost in exchange for a 99 year occupancy agreement pursuant to which the Esplanade will have use of 161 parking spaces and pay a pro rata share of operating costs. The City began demolition of the old garage in May 2013 and after demolition proceeded immediately with construction of the new garage.

The project will make a significant contribution to the economic vitality and growth of the Post Road corridor. The new facility will have 619 parking spaces, with 458 spaces available to the public to support the workforce, shoppers, diners, and visitors.

A formal ribbon cutting ceremony will occur in September. Details to follow.

September parking permits for the new garage will go on sale immediately and can be purchased at the Lexington-Grove East garage office (located adjacent to Macy’s at the Galleria). Call the Lexington-Grove East garage office at 422-1392 for details. As in the City’s other garages, the Lyon Place garage will utilize multi-space meters. The multi-space meters accept cash (coins and bills) or credit cards and offer the “pay by cell” option. The “pay by cell” account is connected to your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card. In addition, if you forget how “pay by cell,” the receipt from the multi-space meter provides instructions.

PEOPLE TO BE HEARD NOW ON whiteplainsweek.com or THURSDAY 8 PM CHANNELS 45 AND 76: Master of the White Plains BID Charts New DOWNTOWN Study: Tells What’s Wrong What’s Right on PEOPLE TO BE HEARD

Posted on August 25, 2014 by John Bailey

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Photographs of the Day

Posted on August 25, 2014 by John Bailey

Phantom of the Past: a speedboat Cabin Cruiser from the 20s or 30s Gatsby style slices jauntily through the Hudson River off Cold Spring, NY Sunday. Its rumble and throaty growl evoked confidence, swagger, zing, zip and ginger

Lingering Lily, the latest these daily showcase flowers have ever lasted in summer’s last blush this morning.

Pinebrook Condos — New Affordable Housing Opportunity — Accepting Applications Through September 24

Posted on August 25, 2014 by John Bailey

Pinebrook Condominiums,planned to be built at 2101-2105 Palmer Avenue, Larchmont, due for occupancy in Spring 2015–is now accepting applications for the affordable housing units through September 24.

WPCNR THE HOUSING NEWS. From the Housing Action Council. August 25, 2014:

Families whose incomes are no greater than 80% of median income are invited to apply to purchase any of 51 apartments planned to be opening next spring. Those eligible to apply are single persons with incomes no greater than $58,100; two-person families with incomes no more than $66,400; a family of three, $74,700; four persons, $83,000 and 5 persons, $89,650, according to the Housing Action Council which is handling applications.

Applications for the condos will be accepted through September 24 and selections made by lottery among accepted applications will take place September 30. Applications should be made to the Housing Action Council. For information contact rnoonan@affordablehomes.org

Condominiums rangefromn 750 square feet to 1,630 suare feet all with balconies, individually controlled heat and air-conditioning with covered parking. The buildings are within walking distance of the Larchmont Train Station, Pinebrook Park and to Larchmont shopping.

Rose Noonan of White Plains, Executive Director of the Housing Action Council said “Pinebrook is an exciting opportunity for families of modest means to become homeowners in a community known for its award-winning schools and proximity to major employment centers.”

The 51 condominiums contribute to the 750 homes that Westchester County must provide under its 2009 housing settlement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The builder is Wilder Balter Partners. M & T Bank is the construction lender. Westchester County and New York State provided financial assistance to make these homes available at affordable housing prices.

PLANNING BOARD UNANIMOUSLY VOTES AGAINST CLOSURE OF HATHAWAY LANE

Posted on August 23, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR PLANNING BOARDINGS. From the Gedney Association. August 23, 2014:
After a comprehensive review of the proposed closure of Hathaway Lane (from entrance on Ridgeway to Gedney Esplanade) the Planning Board (7 members) unanimously voted to advise the Common Council that the Planning Board could NOT support the closure of Hathaway Lane.

Their decision is based on the lack of substantial data on the traffic impact of the closure, the adverse effects on the larger community and the health, safety and welfare of the population effected by this proposed action.

QUESTIONS FOR THE ROACH “TRANSPARENT” ADMINISTRATION AT FASNY 11TH HOUR

Posted on August 23, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. August 22, 2014:

Dear Mayor and Common Council,

While there has been much talk in the national media about transparency and openness in government. . .the sad fact is that little has been done at the national, state or local level anywhere so far. The City of White Plains, if our elected leaders so choose, could be a leader here with this FASNY project.

So perhaps the Mayor and Common Council can help inform residents with your thoughts on the following questions:

1. Over our 35 years in White Plains major development projects have been submitted by NY Hospital and Burke Rehabilitation. . .both world-class medical institutions and long-time WP neighbors. . .yet these major projects were rejected because past Common Councils felt they were too big, didn’t fit and would have destroyed Open Space in the City. So now with the FASNY submission. . .Why are the Mayor and Common Council’s focus on the benefits of a school rather than “the impact of the size and nature of the project itself” on the community. . .particularly one that would significantly add traffic, decrease home values and destroy Open Space?

2. If “more students = more Vehicle Trips = more accidents”. . .Who on the Common Council and in the City Administration is more interested in securing approval of the FASNY project for an outside developer. . .than protecting our own school children and senior citizens from greater risk from FASNY’s “tripling” of Vehicle Trips?

3.. If the purposes of the WP zoning code (section 1.5) is to protect the character of neighborhoods. . .Who on the Common Council and in the City Administration is trying to circumvent the existing zoning in our neighborhood and on the old Ridgeway Golf Course. . .to help an outside developer with a “regional school campus” for students that do not live in White Plains?

4. When an applicant of a large project, like FASNY, has a submission under review by the City. . .Do Common Council members and those in the City Administration have a fiduciary responsibility to disclose possible conflicts of interest, if any, including prior business relationships, campaign donations and future promises with this same applicant?

5. If FASNY and City Staff errors, inaccuracies and incompleteness were made in the SEQR Process and Findings particularly on Traffic, Water and our Neighborhood Character and were not corrected in the Site Plan submission. . .When do our outside Common Council members, who are professional business people who know that “facts matter”, take a stand to demand that honest and accurate information be presented to the public and themselves? Or do Council members continue to follow what the Mayor demands you to do or your political party asks of you?

Forgive us for asking these questions. . .however to date the City has conducted a rather lengthy and in our opinion flawed review process. . .leaving residents, including ourselves and we suspect some Council members, with more questions than answers. We find it strange in that we normally read about a City joining together and supporting residents to oppose a large developer. . . except now with this FASNY project what we see is our own City and FASNY working together behind the scenes trying to steamroll residents. Isn’t this a concern for Common Council members particularly if City departments were coerced to provide misleading input and conclusions to the Council?

Has anyone else realized when you look at our national, state and local governments. . .when any of them start to pick winners and losers. . .the only losers turn out to be taxpayers. And with FASNY as a non-profit. . .residents as taxpayers will be paying more for the privilege of having FASNY in our City.

In any case we have to give our congratulations to the village leaders in Mamaroneck who had the courage to stand alongside residents in trying to fight off a developer’s request for a zoning change for the Hampshire Golf Course.

So isn’t this a good time for our Mayor and Common Council to clear the air, provide some transparency to residents, start asking some questions and demanding accurate information from the City Staff and FASNY. . . before the public hearings start again? (September 8)

Looking forward for your information,

We report. . .you decide.

Your Truth Police, Team Rhodes

Marie and Ron Rhodes

22 Robinhood Road