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 MAIN STREET JOURNAL. January 19, 2013 UPDATED 11:40 A.M. E.S.T.:

The Gannett Journal News has removed names and addresses of Westchester County and Rockland County gun permit holders from its website, first published December 23, 2012.

The publisher of the paper, Janet Hasson, in a letter to Journal News readers, defended the paper decision to publish names and addresses of gunowners, and explained why the paper took the names and addresses down.

The overall map still is shown on the Journal News website, but unlike the previous version, you cannot telescope in on a community, and see, street-by-street where gun permitholders are in residence on the street. The map is now simply a maze of red dots.

Previously, in the White Plains area, the map could be viewed to pinpoint every home on every street in White Plains where a gun permit for a pistol was registered. WPCNR counted up approximately 600 gun permit holders across White Plains, about 2% of 31,000 Registered voters, which is consistent with the Westchester County proportion (17,000 gun permit holders for pistols only, out of a one million population–1.7%)

Earlier this week, January 15,  Hasson received a strong letter from the Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino, who called on the paper to “take the map down,” because it endangered residents who held gun permits. (The paper did not publish Mr. Astorino’s letter, but you can see that letter elsewhere on WPCNR at http://www.whiteplainscnr.com/admin.php?op=EditStory&sid=9446

Reacting to the map take-down today, County Executive Robert P. Astorino issued this statement to media:

“From the moment the Journal News published the gun owners map, it put law-abiding citizens, including judges, police officers and victims of domestic violence, at risk. I had asked the publisher to take down the map as a matter of public safety and common sense. Though four weeks too late, I am glad to see the Journal News has finally done the right thing and taken the map down.”

Within the last week, two gun permitholders’ homes have been burglarized, one in each county. In one on Davis Avenue in White Plains, merchandise and cash was taken, according to White Plains police, and a gun locker showed signs of being tampered with. In another such burglary in Clarkstown in Rockland County, weapons were taken by thieves.

The letter from Hasson, does not mention whether the two burglaries had any influence in the decision, or whether there was  corporate pressure from Gannett executives to remove the map.

Here is the text of Ms. Hasson’s letter published explaining the paper decision to publish the map originally and the reason for the take-down which occurred late Friday afternoon:

To our readers:

In the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings, The Journal News thought the community should know where gun permit holders in their community were, in part to give parents an opportunity make careful decisions about their children’s safety.

The Journal News mapped the public database of permit holders, placing a dot on the address of every permit holder in Westchester and Rockland counties and providing the name and street address of each holder. The dots conveyed a powerful message: gun permit holders are everywhere in our counties.

But public reaction to the posting of names and street addresses was swift and divided. Many in the community expressed their gratitude for The Journal News’ decision to make the information available, but permit holders were outraged at what they considered to be an invasion of privacy. Gun owners from across the country vocally conveyed their anger and accused The Journal News of having exposed permit holders and non-permit holders alike to the risk of burglaries and other crimes. Hundreds of threats were made to Journal News staffers.

So intense was the opposition to our publication of the names and addresses that legislation passed earlier this week in Albany included a provision allowing permit holders to request confidentiality and imposing a 120-day moratorium on the release of permit holder data.

Today The Journal News has removed the permit data from lohud.com. Our decision to do so is not a concession to critics that no value was served by the posting of the map in the first place. On the contrary, we’ve heard from too many grateful community members to consider our decision to post information contained in the public record to have been a mistake. Nor is our decision made because we were intimidated by those who threatened the safety of our staffers. We know our business is a controversial one, and we do not cower.

But the database has been public for 27 days and we believe those who wanted to view it have done so already. As well, with the passage of time, the data will become outdated and inaccurate.

Equally important, the legislature has weighed in on the issue and representatives of residents from across the state have said that some New Yorkers who hold gun permits should have the right to keep that information private. As a news organization, we are constantly defending the public’s right to know. Consequently we do not endorse the way the legislature has chosen to limit public access to gun permit data. The statute is very broad and allows anyone who meets certain criteria within qualifying categories to keep their permit information private. When the moratorium concludes, far fewer permit holders will be identifiable, and those who want to know which houses on their block may have guns will not be able to get that information. But we are not deaf to voices who have said that new rules should be set for gun permit data.

Make no mistake, The Journal News will continue to report aggressively on gun ownership. We will continue to pursue our request for data from Putnam County, and will closely analyze the data for Westchester and Rockland counties when it once again becomes publicly available. And we will keep a snapshot of our map — with all its red dots — on our website to remind the community that guns are a fact of life we should never forget.

Sincerely,

Janet Hasson

President and Publisher

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WPCNR HEALTH WATCH. From Caren Halbfinger, Westchester County Department of Health. January 18, 2013:

County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced today that the Westchester County Department of Health will offer free flu shots to residents on Thursday, Jan. 24 , from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.

“With so much demand for the flu shot right now, some doctors and pharmacists are having a hard time keeping up ,” Astorino said. “By offering free flu shots, we aim to help those residents who have not yet gotten vaccinated.’’

The county has 1,000 doses which can be given to adults and children ages 9 and up. Residents are strongly encouraged to register in advance for the flu clinic at www.health. ny.gov/Go2Clinic. Those without internet access can call (914) 995-7425, weekdays, starting Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“It’s important for everyone six months and older to get a flu shot every year,” said Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD. “We hope residents will take advantage of this opportunity, because flu season can last well into the spring. It’s also equally important to wash your hands frequently, to avoid sick people and to stay home when you are sick. Most people will recover on their own from the flu with no need to go to an emergency room or the doctor.”

Residents can also visit the health department website to find providers and pharmacies who are giving flu shots. Physicians can call the health department if they have excess vaccine to share with other providers or if they are willing to give vaccines to people who are not their patients.

The flu shot is safe and provides protection against the three strains of the flu that are circulating this season.

To prevent spreading the flu, cough or sneeze into your elbow and wash your hands often with soap and water. If you do get a respiratory infection, stay home until 24 hours after your fever subsides, to avoid spreading your germs. Clean surfaces you touch frequently, such as doorknobs, water faucets, refrigerator handles and telephones. Get plenty of rest, exercise and eat healthy food.

For more information, visit www.westchestergov.com/health, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/wchealthdept, follow us on Twitter @wchealthdept or call us at (914) 813-5000.

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Press Office. January 15, 2013:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed into law the NY SAFE Act (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act) that will give New York State the toughest gun laws in the nation. The legislation includes provisions to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons and potentially dangerous mental health patients, and ban high capacity magazines and assault weapons.

Under the legislation, New York will be the first state in the nation to ban any magazine that can hold more than seven rounds and run instant background checks on all ammunition purchases at the time of sale.

The legislation will allow authorities to track ammunition purchases in real time to alert law enforcement to high volume buys, and will include a statewide standard requiring recertification of pistol permits every five years.

The legislation also closes a private sale loophole to ensure all gun purchases are subject to a background check, and toughens criminal penalties on those who use illegal guns.

“The new law will limit gun violence through common sense, reasonable reforms that include addressing the risks posed by mentally ill people who have access to guns and banning high capacity magazines and lethal assault weapons,” Governor Cuomo said. “This legislation is not about hunters, sportsmen, or legal owners who use their guns appropriately. It is about reducing gun violence and making New York a safer place to live. I thank leadership of both the Assembly and Senate for their action on this important legislation.”

Key provisions of the NY SAFE Act include:

Mental Health Alert: Under the legislation, mental health professionals will be required to report to local mental health officials when there is reason to believe a patient is likely to engage in conduct that will cause serious harm to themselves or others. This information will then be crosschecked against the new comprehensive, and regularly updated, gun registration database. If the patient possesses a gun, the license will be suspended and law enforcement will be authorized to remove the person’s firearm.

Tougher assault weapons ban: The legislation outlines a stricter definition of assault weapons, and implements an immediate ban of defined assault weapons. Under the stricter definitions, semi-automatic pistols and rifles with detachable magazines and one military style feature will be considered assault weapons. Semi-automatic shotguns with one military style feature will also be considered assault weapons.

Assault weapons possessed before the effective date must be registered within a year and recertified every five years. Owners of grandfathered assault weapons may only sell out of state or through an in state federal firearms licensee. Under the legislation, the Bushmaster used in the Newtown, Connecticut shooting will be illegal.

Stronger regulations on ammunition: Under the legislation, New York will have the strongest ban on high capacity magazines in the country, with a limit on capacity of seven rounds, down from the current limit of ten. The legislation includes a ban on possession of pre-1994 high capacity magazines, and will require owners to sell the banned magazines out of state within one year. Existing ten round magazines can be grandfathered in, but may only be loaded with 7 rounds.

To track high-volume ammunition purchasers, the legislation will make New York the first state in the nation to track ammo purchases in real time. All dealers in ammunition must be registered with the State Police, and each sale will require both a state background check and transmission of a record of the sale to State Police, so as to enable alerts of high volume purchases. Ammunition records will be purged within a year of submission.

Dealers must report any loss of inventory. The legislation will also include a ban on direct internet sales of ammunition. Ammunition ordered over the internet must be delivered in a face-to-face transaction with a firearms dealer and the purchaser will be subject to the state background check. The Aurora shooter reportedly amassed 6000 rounds through direct online purchases.

Statewide recertification of handguns and assault weapons: The legislation will require individuals who have a handgun license or have registered an assault weapon in New York State to recertify every five years through their county of residence. With this more accurate information, the state will establish an electronic gun permit database that may be run against other databases containing the names of people who will be disqualified from possessing firearms, including those with criminal convictions, involuntary commitments, and those subject to orders of protection, as well as death records.

Universal Background Checks – closing the private sales loophole: The legislation will require all gun transfers between private parties, except immediate family, to be conducted through a federal firearms licensee, subject to a subject to a federal National Instant Criminal Background Check.

Webster Provision: Under the legislation, murder of a first responder who is engaged in his or her duties will become a Class A-1 felony, with a mandatory penalty of life in prison without parole. This provision was created to honor the memory of Lt. Mike Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka who were victims of a fatal shooting in Webster, New York, on December 24, 2012.

Extending and Strengthening Kendra’s Law: Kendra’s law will be extended for two years – through 2017 – and the period of mandatory outpatient treatment will be extended from 6 months to one year. In addition a review will be required before a mentally ill inmate is released.

Protecting Families: When a judge issues an order of protection and finds a substantial risk that the individual subjected to the order will use a gun against the person protected by the order, the judge is required to the surrender of the weapon.

Safe Storage: To better ensure that guns are kept inaccessible to those who are barred from possessing them, the legislation requires safe storage of firearms in households where individuals live who have been convicted of a crime, involuntarily committed, or are subject to an order of protection. Existing state law already requires that all guns sold at retail in the state be sold with a gun lock.

Keeps Guns Out of Schools: Under the legislation, the penalty for possession of a firearm on school grounds or a school bus will be increased from a misdemeanor to a Class E Felony.

The state’s SAVE Act (Safe Schools Against Violence in Education) requires school districts to develop school safety plans including evacuation, dismissal, community response, and alerting family, law enforcement and other schools in the area in the event of a violent incident or other emergency.

The legislation will allow school districts to submit their school safety plans to a newly created New York State School Safety Improvement Team, consisting of representatives from state agencies with relevant expertise (e.g. DHSES, State Police, DCJS), which will review plans and assist localities in developing plans.

Some designated safety system improvements will be eligible for enhanced re-imbursement under the state’s School Building Aid formula. New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers and Syracuse will be exempted.

Tougher penalties for illegal gun use: The legislation establishes tougher penalties for those who use illegal guns as well as measures to help combat gang violence. Tougher penalties under the legislation include:

· Possession of an unloaded gun will be raised from a misdemeanor to a Class E felony.
· Recklessly injuring a child by a firearm will become a Class D felony
· The purchase of a gun for someone the buyer knows to be disqualified because of a conviction of a crime, an involuntary commitment or other disqualifier, will be raised to a Class D felony from a misdemeanor. This also raised to a class D felony the sale or transfer of a firearm to an individual known to be prohibited from possessing a gun.
· Tougher penalties to permit more effective gang prosecutions, allowing a prosecutor to ask for 25 to life (previously was just 15 years) for an entire group when a gang is involved in murder.
· Using or carrying a firearm during drug trafficking or a violent felony will include a 5 year mandatory minimum sentence if the gun is loaded and a 3½ year mandatory minimum if unloaded. (The Court could impose a lower sentence in drug trafficking cases depending on mitigating factors).
· Sharing a gun with an individual who is not authorized to possess a gun and commits a crime will constitute criminal facilitation.

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From NY Assembly District 93 Assemblyman David Buchwald. January 15, 2013 UPDATED 10:45 P.M. E.S.T.:

Assemblyman David Buchwald helped passed the landmark New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013 (NY SAFE ACT), just passed early Tuesday afternoon, supported by Governor Cuomo. Governor Cuomo signed the bill into law in late afternoon.

In light of recent acts of gun violence in our state and around the country, this legislation gives New York State the most comprehensive set of gun laws in the nation, Mr. Buchwald reports:

Assemblyman Buchwald

Comprehensive Gun-Safety Measures

The Assembly’s legislation would strengthen New York’s existing assault weapons ban. In addition, clips with the capacity to hold more than 7 rounds can no longer be sold in the state. There would also be a grandfather clause for current owners of legal semi-automatic weapons, provided they register those weapons with the state police, renew the registration every 5 years, and undergo a background check.

WPCNR asked Mr. Buchwald via E-mail how would the provisions of the bill be newly enforced, implemented, and whether there is a procedure set in place to execute the law. He issued this comment:

In addition, the bill will:

• Revoke and/or suspend the gun license of an individual upon issuance of an order of protection by a court of law;

• Establish a statewide database of handgun licenses to enable the state police to crosscheck the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to determine if any current licensees have been legally disqualified from possessing firearms under federal law;

• Create statewide standards for handgun-license applications;

• Require mental-health professionals to report to law enforcement when they believe a person receiving mental-health services is a danger to themselves or others. Those who possess a firearm license would have their license revoked or suspended and be required to surrender their firearms;

• Allow schools to qualify for reimbursement building aid assistance if they choose to add electronic systems and hardened doors to increase safety;

• Update the New York gun licensing statute to ensure those prohibited from possessing firearms on the federal level are not granted a gun license from the state;

• Require re-certification of gun licenses on a 5-year cycle to include current name, date of birth, current address and the make, model, serial number and caliber of all firearms possessed;

• Allow counties to keep the names and address of gun licensees confidential under certain circumstances;

• Require all private sales of firearms, shotguns and rifles to be made through a licensed gun dealer to ensure that a proper background check is performed, unless the sale is between immediate family members; and

* Require owners of firearms to safely store such weapons if he/she resides with a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm under certain provisions of federal law.

“When I ran for office, one of my top priorities was ensuring the safety of our families and our community,” said Assemblyman David Buchwald (D-Westchester). “As we’ve seen in recent tragedies, the consequences of dangerous weapons falling into the wrong hands are too great to ignore.”

“These new gun-safety measures will severely inhibit dangerous criminals from gaining access to firearms, expand truly universal background checks on guns and ammunition, and ban dangerous assault weapons,” Buchwald concluded. “I will continue to do everything in my power to make sure our community in Westchester is a safe place to raise a family. I am proud of the work we did in the legislature today.”

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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From the Governor’s Press Office. January 15, 2013:

Governor Andrew Cuomo issued this statement today, pleading with the U.S. Congress to pass the long-awaited aid bill for New York to move ahead with Hurricane Sandy recovery:

“It has been 78 days since New York State suffered the worst natural disaster in its history. Sandy destroyed or severely damaged almost 19,000 homes and apartments. Over 42,000 impacted businesses are still waiting for financial assistance.

And nearly three months later, over 15,000 New Yorkers still cannot return to the places they call home; every day of delay makes it harder for them to believe they ever will. Our residents have been trying to rebuild their lives and they have been waiting for Washington D.C. to act.

“New Yorkers have suffered through a disaster unlike any our nation has ever seen, and it has been regrettably matched by the most disappointing response by Congress that any state has ever seen. This has now been taken to a new level of dysfunction. In ten short days, victims of Hurricane Katrina received nearly $52 billion of much-needed aid. After Hurricane Gustav, it took 17 days for residents in the impacted region to get $20 billion of relief.

These states and their residents didn’t have to wait nearly this long for the help they deserved, and neither should New Yorkers. If Congress wants to show us that they will live up to the commitments they made when they saw how we were suffering, they need to pass this bill today.”