JAN 27— SPECIAL ELECTION for COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR REMAINDER OF LATIMER TERM… KEN JENKINS OR CHRISTINE CULTI. FEB 11

Posted on January 27, 2025 by John Bailey

Editor’s Note: The election will pit two choices, interim appointed County Executive Democrat Kenneth Jenkins against Republican Candidate Christine Sculti, (former Chief Advisor to Robert Astorino)

en Español

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

On February 11, 2025 a Special Election will be held in Westchester County to vote for a County Executive to serve the remainder of the current unexpired term, which runs through the end of 2025. On Election Day, February 11, 2025, polls will be open from 6am to 9pm.

In-person Early Voting will be available for this Special Election, beginning on Saturday, February 1, 2025 and running through Sunday, February 9, 2025.

Westchester County works hard to encourage and protect your right to vote as a United States citizen. From the county’s Board of Elections webpage, you can find your ballot and polling place, register to vote and learn about how to request an early mail/absentee ballot.

For your convenience, below please find details for Early Voting.

Sincerely,

Ben Boykin
Legislator, 5th District

Early Voting Days and Hours:

DATE	TIME
Saturday, February 1, 2025	10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Sunday, February 2, 2025	10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Monday, February 3, 2025	8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Tuesday, February 4, 2025	12 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025	8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Thursday, February 6, 2025	12 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Friday, February 7, 2025	8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Saturday, February 8, 2025	10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Sunday, February 9, 2025	10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

You can vote at any of the twenty-five (25) designated Early Voting sites throughout the County. These Early Voting centers are listed below:

LOCATION	STREET ADDRESS	CITY
Croton Municipal Building	1 Van Wyck Street	Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Eastchester Public Library	11 Oakridge Place	Eastchester, NY 10709
Greenburgh Town Hall	177 Hillside Avenue	White Plains, NY 10607
Hastings on Hudson Public Library	7 Maple Avenue	Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706
St. Gregory The Great Church	215 Halstead Avenue	Harrison, NY 10528
Mamaroneck Town Center	740 W. Boston Post Road	Mamaroneck, NY 10543
Mt. Kisco Public Library	100 E. Main Street	Mt. Kisco, NY 10549
Mt. Pleasant Community Center	125 Lozza Drive	Valhalla, NY 10595
Joseph G. Caputo Community Center	95 Broadway	Ossining, NY 10562
Pound Ridge Town House	179 Westchester Avenue	Pound Ridge, NY 10576
Rye Brook Firehouse	940 King Street	Rye Brook, NY 10573
Somers Town House	335 Route 202	Somers, NY 10589
Jefferson Village Annex	3500 Hill Boulevard	Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
Yorktown Cultural Center	1974 Commerce Street	Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
Doles Center	250 S. 6th Avenue	Mt. Vernon, NY 10550
Mt. Vernon City Hall	1 Roosevelt Square	Mt. Vernon, NY 10550
New Rochelle City Hall Annex	90 Beaufort Place	New Rochelle, NY 10801
New Rochelle United Methodist Church	1200 North Avenue	New Rochelle, NY 10804
Peekskill Lincoln Depot Visitor Center	10 S. Water Street	Peekskill, NY 10566
Peekskill Nutrition Center – Neighborhood Center	4 Nelson Avenue	Peekskill, NY 10566
Rye City-Resurrection-Early Childhood Education Center	88 Milton Road	Rye, NY 10580
Westchester County Board of Elections	25 Quarropas Street	White Plains, NY 10601
Grinton I. Will Library	1500 Central Park Avenue	Yonkers, NY 10710
Nodine Hill Community Center	140 Fillmore Street	Yonkers, NY 10701
Yonkers Riverfront Library	One Larkin Center	Yonkers, NY 10701

For more information, visit citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/ or contact the Westchester County Board of Elections at (914) 995-5700.

en Español

Queridos Amigos y Vecinos,

El 11 de Febrero de 2025 se llevará a cabo una Elección Especial en el Condado de Westchester para votar por un Ejecutivo del Condado que servirá el resto del mandato actual no expirado, el cual se extiende hasta finales de 2025. El Día de las Elecciones, 11 de Febrero de 2025, las urnas estarán abiertas desde las 6 a. m. hasta las 9 p. m.

La Votación Anticipada en persona estará disponible para esta Elección Especial, comenzando el Sábado 1 de Febrero de 2025 y extendiéndose hasta el Domingo 9 de Febrero de 2025.

El Condado de Westchester trabaja arduamente para fomentar y proteger su derecho al voto como ciudadano de los Estados Unidos. Desde la página web de la Junta Electoral del condado, puede encontrar su boleta y lugar de votación, registrarse para votar y obtener información sobre cómo solicitar una boleta de votación anticipada por correo/ausente.

Para su conveniencia, a continuación, encontrará los detalles sobre la Votación Anticipada.

Atentamente,

Ben Boykin
Legislator, 5th District

JAN 27– A WEEK OF CHAOS IN PUBLIC HEALTH

Posted on January 27, 2025 by John Bailey

The truth is, there’s a lot we don’t know yet.

Dr. Katelyn Jetelina

Reprinted with permission

It’s been a week—a week of confusion, chaos, and concern. The new U.S. administration wasted no time hitting the pause button on almost everything in public health: communications, data, hiring, traveling. Positions are being removed, chairs rearranged, and there have been some… aggressive… emails.

A federal senior advisor told me, “Welcome to the away game.” In other words, the landscape has shifted—we are on a different playing field, with different refs. Shock, aggression, and swiftness appear to be strategic tactics only hyper-driven by a record of questioning the role of science and public health.

But, as unsettling as this feels, now is the time to stay steady. Public health world: Do not destabilize. The health of 330 million Americans depends on it.

Chaos and uncertainty in the world of public health

When an administration changes, it’s not unusual to reassess programs and shift priorities. It’s also not unusual to pause communications while leaders find their footing. The Health and Human Services is enormous; a pause happened during the Biden and Obama transitions, for example.

However, the scope of a pause ordered this week is unusual. For example, CDC’s scientific publication, MMWR, wasn’t published yesterday. It was the first time in 70 years this has happened, and it included three discoveries on the H5N1 (bird flu) outbreak—an active biosecurity threat to Americans. Also, every Friday, CDC updates its respiratory virus data on external dashboards. Today, only a small subset of data is being released.

Here’s what’s unfolded so far:

All communications from HHS have been paused until Feb. 1, including all data updates on the website, CDC’s MMWR, HANs (emergency alerts), an meetings with partners. (Since the original announcement, some data has been released, so there is progress on this front and it’s changing by the minute.)
NIH study sections—which determine which research projects at academic institutions get funded—have been canceled, and travel has been paused. An NIH email suggests that all scientific presentations may now require review by a presidential appointee. (This is highly unusual. And this poor person reviewing presentations is going to get so bored.)
Key gatherings like the National Vaccine Advisory Committee and the Presidential Advisory Council for Combating Antibiotic Resistance have been called off.
HHS is searching for DEIA programs and threatening anyone who disguises them. They are asking for people to report colleagues.

160 colleagues from the National Security Council were sent home, leaving gaps in areas like emerging biological threats and medical preparedness.

The big question is… why?

Some measures could be a sign of a transition or just a general lack of knowledge of what these agencies actually do. We’re also seeing a leadership gap in critical agencies, like CDC, where an interim director was just announced yesterday, but still no Chief of Staff has been named.

But other moves could certainly be deliberate, signaling a value shift. It’s more than unsettling when scientists receive emails asking them to report colleagues or have their work micromanaged. And it’s easy to assume, especially given the first Trump administration, that these are signs of something bigger to come around control of information flow.

The truth is it’s likely a combination, but we don’t know yet.

Why this matters

These changes are deeply personal for those on the front lines. Entire teams are on administrative leave, and researchers face uncertainty about the future of their work. Epidemiologists ready to release critical public data have been paused. The uncertainty surrounding future research grants is unnerving for researchers, given that universities rely on those grants to support students, faculty, and innovation.

This doesn’t just affect careers; it impacts the systems that keep our communities healthy and safe.

Emerging threats don’t wait: Pausing public health communications and research means delays in responding to emerging threats, like H5N1.
Economic impact: Public health protects more than health—it safeguards our economy. Disruptions in systems can ripple across industries, as we’ve already seen with avian flu and egg prices.

Staying grounded

I’m already overwhelmed. And it’s only been 5 days. But public health has weathered challenges before, and while the road ahead may be uncertain, there are reasons to stay focused:

This is a marathon, not a sprint. Burnout won’t help anyone. I’m pacing myself for the long game. Stay steady.
We aren’t alone. Public health doesn’t operate in isolation. Powerful counterbalances exist and are strategically playing in the background, whether we like it or not. The NIH has academic institutions to push back. The FDA has counterbalances in the pharma and food industry. The CDC has insurance companies and health systems. Bureaucracy is slow for a reason: it avoids whiplash.
Public health is local. A strong national leadership is needed to help drive the ship and see the big picture of what is going on, but much of the groundwork of public health is still functioning. These teams remain vital anchors for our communities.
Science wins. Ignoring public health has consequences—resurgent diseases, overwhelmed hospitals, and unmet needs. Reality always catches up, and the importance of public health will become undeniable.
Be strategic. Attention and political capital are as scarce as financial resources. Right now, we’re only hearing from the top. After this week of shock and awe, we have to leave room for more nuanced conversations with the reasonable voices in the new administration who share the values of caring for the health of all Americans. It’s in those conversations that critical decisions about our health system will be determined.

Bottom line

This is a moment of uncertainty, but public health has always been about more than federal leadership. It’s about the local communities, the health workers, and the scientists who step forward when systems falter. There are a lot of unknowns, but what we do know is that public health is needed today, tomorrow, and every day after that.

Stay steady, stay engaged, and keep your eye on the ball. The health of 330 million Americans depends on it.

Love, YLE

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist. YLE reaches more than 305,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below:

JAN 27–RYE COUNTRY DAY HOSTS POWERFUL TRAVELING EXHIBIT ON THE HOLOCAUST, ANTISEMITISM AND BUILDING COMMUNITY

Posted on January 27, 2025 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. JANUARY 27, 2025

Exhibit Opens tODAY as World Marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27

Rye, NY ––In an era where Holocaust education is facing a troubling decline and antisemitism is soaring, Rye Country Day School (RCDS) is taking a proactive approach to ensure this vital history is not forgotten.

RCDS is hosting Common Circles’ traveling exhibit called “We are RCDS: Bridging, Belonging, & Building Community, an innovative and interactive program that uses art, technology, and storytelling to teach about the Holocaust, antisemitism, community and the importance of finding our shared humanity.

The current exhibit, on view by appointment to the public, conceived and designed by Marla Felton and Sue Spiegel of the non-profit Common Circles and developed in partnership with the USC Shoah Foundation, RCDS and American Jewish Committee (AJC), is open at RCDS through May and will then be available travel to other schools.

This initiative comes at a critical time. Antisemitism has reached record levels in the U.S., especially after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel. The State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report from AJC found nine in 10 American Jews believe antisemitism is a problem in this country and that 87% believe it has worsened in the last five years. In addition, 46% of American Jews altered their behavior—such as not wearing a Star of David in public or sharing their views online about Israel—out of fear of antisemitism.

The 2022 AJC antisemitism report asked members of the general public about the Holocaust and found the majority of those surveyed knew about when the Holocaust occurred and that 6 million Jews were killed. But only 26 percent reported visiting a Holocaust museum.

“When it comes to the Holocaust, there is no such thing as too much education,” AJC Westchester/Fairfield Director Myra Clark-Siegel said. “By fostering understanding, respect, and connection, this exhibit underscores the importance of remembering the lessons of the Holocaust and applying them to build a more compassionate and inclusive future.”

RCDS’s effort exemplifies this commitment by engaging students, educators, and families with a transformative educational experience.

The “We are RCDS: Bridging, Belonging & Building Community” traveling exhibit, which is customized for individual communities, is divided into two parts, each offering a unique perspective:

Part 1: Bridging, Belonging, & Building Community

Through a combination of art, photography, and optical illusions, the first part of the exhibit explores the layers of identity within the RCDS community. It emphasizes the need to understand different perspectives shaped by individual life experiences and fosters respectful dialogue. Visitors are encouraged to listen to each other’s stories, find connection, recognize their shared humanity, and celebrate differences while discovering commonalities.

Part 2: “Voices Against Hate: Lessons from the Holocaust” — Holocaust Education and Combating Antisemitism

The second part focuses on Holocaust education, featuring Interactive Biographies** from the USC Shoah Foundation. Visitors hear firsthand accounts from a Holocaust survivor and a Jewish American liberator, connecting with their experiences in a deeply personal way. This section also provides information on the Jewish community, as well as tools to define, recognize, and combat antisemitism, empowering participants to stand against hate in all its forms. Local stories of survivors and liberators from the community are also highlighted.

Marla Felton, founder of Common Circles, said, “COVID, already overfilled curricula, and lack of funding does not make school trips to museums easy, so we decided to bring the museum experience to the schools themselves.”

Sue Spiegel, Common Circles’ creative director, believes that, “the ‘We Are Rye Country Day” experience is a nonconfrontational and creative way to delve into our varied identities and start to learn more about one another.”

Dr. Meredith deChabert, RCDS Assistant Head of School, was a driving force in bringing the exhibit to RCDS. She says: “When you see the exhibit in person and your mood immediately begins to lift, you know. When you hear the unbridled excitement of students of all ages as they see images of the adults in their community, you know. When your colleagues, who are all busy and short on time just linger in the space soaking it all in, you know. Immediately you know that what binds us as a community is personal — rooted in identity, authentic representation, and feeling a sense of belonging.”

“Common Circles is a wonderful initiative that dovetails with our active approach to building awareness and educating our community about antisemitism and other forms of hate, Head of School Randall Dunn said. “This work is critical, as we strive for a more inclusive, connected world. We Are RCDS is a beautiful, thought-provoking celebration of the range of identities in our community.”

As Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel once said, “When you hear a witness, you become a witness.” RCDS, in partnership with Common Circles and AJC, is ensuring that every member of its community—students, teachers, and families—has the opportunity to become a witness to history.

For more information about the exhibit and its future locations, please contact marla@commoncircles.org.

Common Circles is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to making a difference in our world by utilizing research-based interactive and immersive technological experiences to improve inter-group relations, reduce bias and antisemitism, increase empathy, and encourage action and changed behaviors in our communities.

JAN 27: OUTBREAK NORTHEAST: FLU ON RISE IN NY NEW JERSEY. BIRD FLU THREAT REAL. NYC “EMERGENCY ROOM” DISEASE ADMISSIONS REPORT DELAYED.

Posted on January 27, 2025 by John Bailey

Outbreak Outlook – Northeast – Jan 27

Jan 27

READ IN APP

Welcome to the Northeast edition of Outbreak Outlook! It is only available to paid subscribers. If you wish to become a paid subscriber and access region-specific information, please click the Subscribe now button below. Thanks for reading! -Caitlin

Respiratory Diseases

ILI

As I wrote in the National edition, the Trump administration’s pause on health communications interrupted flu data, specifically outpatient influenza-like illness.

To close the gap, I visited all 50 websites of the state health departments, and gathered what I could.

At the national level, flu defied my expectations by resurging after two consecutive weeks of improvement.

Unfortunately, the Northeast is affected by this trend, with New Jersey and New York seeing increases in influenza-like illness. New Jersey and Connecticut also saw marked increases in emergency department visits, suggesting the region is seeing a second peak.

In New York City, hospitalizations are fairly low and stable. Still, the city continues to report 1-2 deaths from Covid-19 each day.

Northeast Outpatient ILI %

Create interactive, responsive & beautiful charts — no code required.

New Jersey leads the region with ED visits at 8.0% (up sharply from 6.0%, a 32% increase). New York shows elevated activity with ED visits at 5.2% (up from 4.3%) and the region’s highest hospitalization rate at 9.1 per 100,000 (up from 8.0), with ILI visits at 3.7%. Pennsylvania reports increasing ED visits at 4.4% (up from 3.4%).

Connecticut shows significant increases with ED visits at 5.7% (up from 3.7%, a 53% increase) and hospitalizations at 7.4 per 100,000 (down from 9.5). Massachusetts reports ED visits at 5.2% (up from 3.6%), with ILI visits at 6.9%. Rhode Island shows lower but increasing ED visits at 3.4% (up from 2.7%).

New Hampshire reports ED visits at 5.2% (up from 4.3%). Vermont shows moderate activity with ED visits at 3.3% (up from 2.4%), with ILI visits at 2.8%. Maine maintains the region’s lowest ED visit rate at 2.1% (virtually unchanged from 2.1%), with ILI visits at 3.7%.

I could not find updated information for New York City. The city’s next report will be published here, but I’m not sure when it will become available.

COVID-19

Indicators are mixed in the Northeast. Wastewater activity is high in most states, and hospitalizations are elevated, but ED visits remain minimal.

Wastewater activity is moderate after declining dramatically in the Northeast, dropping by half in the past two weeks. However, right now the regional average obscures a more complicated state-level picture.

Source: CDC

While wastewater activity is minimal and stable in New York, it is high or very high everywhere else.

In Massachusetts, activity is very high and held roughly stable this past week. Activity is high and increasing in New Jersey. In contrast, activity is decreasing, but still at very high levels in Maine and at high levels in Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. (Data are limited for Pennsylvania and New Hampshire).

Severe illness is mixed: ED visits are minimal, but hospitalizations are elevated. ED visits are minimal and decreasing across much of the Northeast. ED visits have decreased from 3 to 1.8% in the past couple weeks in New Hampshire and from 3.1% to 1.4% in Maine. ED visits are minimal and decreasing in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Connecticut is the only state that reported a (slight) increase in ED visits this past week, up to 1.7% (low).

Hospitalizations are elevated in the Northeast, with most states hold fairly steady between 4 to 6.5 hospitalizations per 100,000 people. The exception is Pennsylvania, where hospitalizations are very high (12.3) and increasing.

In New York City, hospitalizations are fairly low and stable. Still, the city continues to report 1-2 deaths from Covid-19 each day.

Source: CDC

In better news, hospitalizations decreased substantially in Massachusetts, from 9 to 5.6.

RSV

Activity is moderate to low across the region, with most states seeing a decrease in the percent of ED visits for RSV. I expect continued decline in the weeks ahead, though it’s worth noting that activity remains elevated compared to the off-season.

Stomach Bugs

Nothing new reported this week due to the Trump Administration’s pause on health communications. Given how high rates were last week, I expect norovirus to still be very active this week. Keep washing those hands.

Food recalls

The following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items:

New:

Nothing new. Two recalls not related to food contamination were posted, so this is not due to lack of reporting.

Previously reported:

Casa Mamita frozen chicken and cheese taquitos (more info)
Wicklow Gold Cheddar Cheeses (more info)
Blue Ridge Beef Kitten mix [for Cats] (more info). While not for human consumption, humans may be infected with Salmonella if they do not adequately wash their hands or contaminated surfaces after handling the product.
Marketside Broccoli Florets (more info)
Connie’s Thin Crust Cheese Frozen Pizzas (more info)
If you have food allergies, you may wish to review these FDA safety alerts and USDA alerts for foods with undeclared allergens.

In other news–BIRD FLU SPREADS TO NY, MASSACHUSETTS.

New York’s Crescent Duck Farm, the last commercial duck farm on Long Island, culled its entire 100,000-bird flock and the laying off of 47 staff members following an outbreak of H5N1.
The farm, a fourth-generation family business since 1908, supplies nearly 4% of the nation’s duck meat and is known for its high-quality birds. Despite strict biosecurity measures, the virus breached the facility, prompting a months-long sanitization process and quarantine. Thousands of duck eggs will be sanitized and hatched offsite to potentially rebuild the flock.
D.W. Field Park in Brockton, Massachusetts has closed due to a potential bird flu outbreak, following reports of dead geese and swans at Upper Porter Pond. This closure comes days after 60 birds were found dead at Billington Sea in Plymouth, about 20 miles away. Park officials have urged the public not to touch injured or deceased birds. Testing to confirm bird flu could take up to a week, with no timeline yet for reopening.

JAN. 25 — STANDARD AMUSEMENTS RESPONDS ON PLAYLAND DEPARTURE WITH STATEMENT

Posted on January 25, 2025 by John Bailey

“For over a decade, we have tirelessly worked to revitalize Playland and restore it as a special place for residents and visitors for generations to come. We are proud of the progress we made towards achieving our vision, including improving rides and attractions, engaging local artists to enhance the park with their creativity, establishing new traditions through robust community programming, launching a seasonal ferry service, and much more to create dynamic opportunities and memorable experiences for our community.

But, fully realizing our vision required the County to meet the construction obligations necessary to complete improvements to the park. Despite spending over $150 million of taxpayer money— already surpassing their $125 million budget intended to cover completion of the entire project—the County has proven incapable and is nowhere near done. Accordingly, our contract, negotiated over the course of nearly a year with the assistance of a federal judge, was carefully structured with contractual deadlines for construction to ensure our extensive renovation plan stayed on track. And, in the event the County failed to meet those deadlines, the contract contained a detailed formula outlining precisely what the County would owe Standard Amusements in these exact circumstances.

The County, by its own admission, failed to meet those deadlines, over and over again, despite our consistent flexibility and patience, including a blanket one-year extension on all of their project deadlines. Our contract lays out plainly that we are entitled to terminate the agreement and the amount of damages that are due.

Nevertheless, upon receiving formal notice of termination this week, the County is ignoring these simple truths and opting to pursue two failed strategies we know all too well from our past legal battle: (1) inventing Standard Amusements defaults to muddy the waters in the eyes of the public; and (2) intentionally misrepresenting our agreement to cover up their own breaches. This strategy failed miserably years ago when their dishonest claims were rejected in court, and cost Westchester taxpayers nearly $10 million in legal fees. Sadly, the County seems determined to go down this ill-advised path again.

Regarding our contract, the wording is clear. Legislator Parker may say this is a “marriage made in hell”—but the fact is we have a prenup.

As for the future of Playland, the outlook is uncertain and deeply concerning. We want the park to have a successful season in 2025 and beyond. To that end, since November, we have made every effort to work with the County to unwind our relationship in an orderly and responsible way. These offers have thus far been ignored. It is not apparent to us how the County, after squandering the months we have afforded them, will be ready to open Playland for the start of the season.

We sincerely hope—for the sake of Westchester County residents and visitors, our 48 employees, and ultimately the taxpayer—that the County changes its attitude and decides to prioritize the park and stops wasting time and money trying to spin and misdirect the public.”

Andrew Merrill, Anne Hart
Prosek Partners for Standard Amusements
Pro-standardamusements@prosek.com

JAN 25–SYCAMORE LANE BUDDHIST TEMPLE PROPOSAL: TROUBLING COMMUNICATIONS

Posted on January 25, 2025 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. January 25, 2025:

(Editor’s Note: A Special Meeting of the Common Council to hear a presentation on 1 Sycamore Lane Buddist Temple proposal, off Rosedale Avenue will take place Monday evening 6:30 PM at City Hall.)

Other problems in the south end question building department akin to

the cannabis dispensary saga

From: Rosedale Residential Association

P.O. Box 199, White Plains, New York, 10605

To: White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach

The Common Council of White Plains

Date: January 24, 2025

Subject: 1 Sycamore Lane Development Proposal

Dear Mayor Roach and Members of the White Plains Common Council,

As you are aware, concerned residents of the Rosedale neighborhood have appeared before either the Common Council or the Zoning Board of Appeals on a continuous basis since May of 2024 to express their concern over the proposal to develop 1 Sycamore Lane into a Buddhist Temple Campus.

On August 7, 2024 the ZBA held its first public hearing regarding their request to obtain several variances for wetlands setbacks, parking, setback and structure height. In response to the development proposal, on August 23, 2024, residents of the Rosedale neighborhood filed an appeal of the City’s Building Department’s interpretation of the City’s Code as it relates to the number and scope of the required variances.

At the ZBA public hearing on September 4, 2024, the attorney representing the 1 Sycamore applicant represented that the applicant intended to file a revised plan for its campus within the next couple of weeks. Inasmuch as the plans would be changing, it was agreed between the ZBA and the counsel for the Rosedale Neighborhood’s interest that the appeal application would be adjourned until the revised plans were submitted and the concerned neighbors had an opportunity to review the revised plans.

Weeks turned into months and we didn’t see any new plans. So, in September, October and December 2024 we made FOIL requests for the entire file regarding the 1 Sycamore Lane application. On December 30th, in response to a call requesting the status of the plans from a Sycamore Lane resident to the ZBA secretary, the secretary informed the resident that no new plans had been submitted.

On January 7th, one day before the January 8th ZBA hearing, we received a response to the FOIL requests. What we discovered was both shocking and disturbing. For starters, we learned that revised plans WERE filed with the City on at least THREE separate occasions, September 26, October 28 and November 1. HOWEVER, none of the plans were provided to us in response to the FOIL request. It was only after we brought this to the attention of the ZBA that they were sent to us, two days after the January 8th ZBA hearing.

Besides the failure to disclose the three plan submissions, we were appalled to read in a communication from counsel for the 1 Sycamore Lane applicant to the Deputy Building Commissioner that he was aware that the City intended to stand by its “previously issued interpretations and application of the White Plains Code.” That email is dated September 19, 2024, just 27 days after our appeal was filed. We ultimately did receive a formal decision from the City at 5:00 PM on January 8th, two hours before the scheduled ZBA hearing. Of note, earlier in the day on January 8th we received an email from the ZBA secretary reminding us that our appeal application was on the agenda for that night. We never received such an email for our prior appearances. Despite the fact that we had not received the plans and despite the fact that we received the City’s position regarding our appeal just moments prior to the hearing, it appeared that the ZBA was ready to rule on our appeal. We ultimately convinced the ZBA to adjourn our application until we could review the plans and the position taken by the City’s Building Department.

We believe there are some very serious problems within your Building Department. Why would they not provide us with copies of the plans in response to a FOIL request? As you are aware, failure to comply with a FOIL request can expose the City to significant damages. Why would the opposition attorney know the City’s position with regard to our appeal and we were not told of the decision some three months later, just a couple of hours before the Building Department wanted the ZBA to make a ruling?

As a result of the above we have serious concerns as to how the City will fairly review the application to develop this property. Among others, are questions of collusion, bias and transparency.

This proposal is best described as trying to place a square peg into a round hole. The property is located in a R1-30 zoning district which does allow for religious facilities. In fact, the Unitarian Church is situated on the opposite side of Sycamore Lane. The use of this property as a Buddhist Temple is not our concern. Our concerns are the environmental impact and the impact on the character of the neighborhood.

We encourage each of you to visit the site to understand what we are referring to. This 4 acre site is bisected by a bucolic stream that feeds directly into the Mamaroneck River. As you are keenly aware, during storm events, the residents downstream of this body of water are continuously flooded. And, it’s not just your constituents, but our neighbors in Harrison, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale and Rye are catastrophically impacted as well. Both the Town of Harrison and Village of Mamaroneck have submitted to the ZBA letters of opposition to this proposal. Of the 4 acres, approximately 3 acres are either wetlands or in the wetlands buffer. This proposal, if allowed to be built, places a parking lot, an ancillary “tea house/souvenir shop” and a 12,000 – 9,000 SF temple (which includes dormitory style bedrooms for visiting worshipers) all within the wetland buffer (Including one structure within 5’ of the stream). Additionally, and significantly, the proposal calls for the erection of a 30’ tall pagoda to be placed atop an environmentally protected rock outcropping. The Building Department noted that this site is “Environmentally Sensitive” and hence requires Planning Board approval.

Recognizing the importance of protecting environmentally sensitive locations and the City’s wetlands, as recently as 6 months ago you enacted a law to provide further protections against this exact type of encroachment into the wetlands and the wetlands buffer. This proposal will be the first (or one of the first) tests as to whether the City actually cares about environmentally sensitive lands or if it was just giving lip service to appease certain constituents.

While we continue to dispute the Building Department’s code interpretation and believe that the applicant’s proposal requires more than 10 significant area and use variances, the Building Department in its denial letter recognized 4 required variances, 3 of which exceed the requirement by more than 50%. In other words, these are not just minor variances. It’s as if the applicant totally disregards the existing zoning!

The applicant would have the City believe that it wants to develop this property with over 15,000 SF of buildings to accommodate no more than 12 monks and a once-a-year celebration with 50 visitors. In order to meet their needs, they require the City to grant a significant parking variance (They claim they need a variance of 36 spots) and they need the City to agree to totally disregard the wetlands protection law that it so recently enacted.

We can’t think of a worse scenario for the use of this property. If this applicant wants to use this property for a Buddhist Temple, we will welcome them as neighbors. Just don’t allow them to destroy our sacred wetlands and the character of our neighborhood. Grant them permission to build in conformity with the existing zoning and environmental laws of the City. No one is interested in infringing upon their rights to practice their religion, but it can’t be achieved by taking away our rights and our property. This property can be used to accommodate a Buddhist Temple, just not as the current proposal desires.

Thank you for hearing our concerns regarding the impact of this proposal and the handling of the applications before the ZBA.

Very truly yours,

Rosedale Residential Association

Anthony Fiorenza, President

Shawn Woodford, Vice President

Sara Bergman, Secretary

Angie Shaver, Treasurer

John Cherico, Board Member

Jeanene D’Ambrosio, Board Member

Laurie Halstead, Board Member

Carolyn Kennedy, Board Member

Jeremy Arcus Goldberg, Board Member

Mike Sanchez, Board Member

Charles Lederman, Board Member

Chris Barry, Board Member

Jolie DeLaCruz, Board Member

Gregory Fitch, Board Member

Ariel Jamil, Board Member

TONIGHT AT 7:30: WHITE PLAINS WEEK THE JAN 24 REPORT WITH JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS–FIOS CH. 45. OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 76 AND WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

Posted on January 24, 2025 by John Bailey

STANDARD AMUSEMENTS DECLINES TO RUN PLAYLAND THIS YEAR. FUTURE OF PARK IN DOUBT

HOUSING HARD TO AFFORD. INTEREST RATES NOT GOING DOWN. PRICES STAYING HIGH

WESTCHESTER D.A CHARGES FORMER OFFICIALS OF GREENBURGH-

GRAHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR ALLEGDLY MIS APPROPRIATING $50,000

EMERGENCY VISITS FOR COVID STILL ON RISE IN NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY

CITY GRANTS PERMIT FOR CANNABIS DISPENSARY IN ROSEDALE NEIGHBORHOOD. ROSEDALE STUNNED. DID NOT KNOW

CONGRESSMAN LATIMER REPORTS WHAT COMMITTEES HE WILL BE ON IN THE HOUSE

WITH JOHN BAILEY AND THE NEWS

EVERY WEEK ON WHITE PLAINS WEEK

FOR 24 YEARS,

SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7: BENJAMIN BOYKIN ON “PEOPLE TO BE HEARD” HEAD OF NEW YORK ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES–ON ISSUES THE STATE FACES FIOS 45 AND OPTIMUN CH 76 AND WWW.WPCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

Posted on January 23, 2025 by John Bailey

en Español

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

On Tuesday, January 21st, I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Psychology Partners Group’s new offices in downtown White Plains. Learn more

Below, you’ll find my weekly update, which includes information on the following:

Economic Strength and Fiscal Responsibility
Upcoming Board of Legislators’ Meeting
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Lunar New Year

Thank you for taking the time to read it!

Sincerely,

Ben Boykin
Legislator, 5th District

Economic Strength and Fiscal Responsibility

This month, Westchester County achieved significant recognition for its fiscal strength and financial management. Ours became the only county in New York State to be awarded S&P Global’s highest bond rating of AAA. On the same day, Fitch reaffirmed the County’s AAA credit rating—both reflecting the County’s robust economy, strategic budgeting, and strong financial reserves.

Moody’s Investors Service also upgraded the County’s financial outlook from stable to positive in January while affirming its Aa1 issuer and debt ratings. These ratings highlight the County’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and its ability to continue investing in community programs and infrastructure without compromising financial stability. This strong financial foundation positions Westchester for continued economic growth and secure future investments.

Join Us for the Next Board of Legislators’ Meeting

The Board of Legislators invites you to participate in our upcoming meeting on Monday, January 27, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. This is your opportunity to provide valuable input on matters that affect our community.

To watch the live stream of the meeting, visit the Meeting Calendar section on our website. Navigate to the video column and click on “in progress.” If you wish to speak or share comments, please follow our Speaker Participation Instructions

JAN 23– FLASH! STANDARD AMUSEMENTS WANTS TO END ITS MANAGEMENT OF PLAYLAND; COUNTY REJECTS TERMINATION NOTICE

Posted on January 23, 2025 by John Bailey

by Peter Katz

SPECIAL TO WPCNR FROM WESTCHESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION. JANUARY 23, 2024

Standard Amusements, the company that has been operating the Playland Amusement Park in Rye under a contract with the park’s owner Westchester County, has sent the county a notice that it is terminating its 30-year contract to manage the park.

Standard just finished its third summer season in charge of Playland. The notice was in the form of a letter to the county dated Jan. 21.

Standard alleged that the county breached their contract. The county, in a Jan. 22 letter to Standard signed by County Attorney John Nonna, rejected Standard’s termination and took the position that the county has not breached the contract as Standard claimed.

A separate letter dated Jan. 21 to Standard from County Parks Commissioner Kathleen O’Connor also took the position that the county did not breach the contract with Standard. However, O’Connor took the position that it is Standard that has breached the Playland Management Agreement

“First, throughout the 2024 season, the Manager has consistently had a significant number of rides closed on any given day of operation,” O’Connor said. “For example, during the ride safety audit in June, it was observed on back-to-back weekends that anywhere from 8 to 19 rides (out of approximately 40) were not operated during times Playland was open to the public. Whether these closures were due to maintenance issues or understaffing, it violates the Manager’s obligations to ‘operate’ and ‘maintain’ the Park in accordance with industry standards.”

O’Connor also referred to Standard’s maintenance and inspection practices, saying in part, “the County’s ride safety audit revealed that the Manager had insufficient maintenance staff to perform standard ride maintenance and inspections, even excluding maintenance of the rides that were closed. This violates the Manager’s obligation ‘maintain and repair Playland Park in accordance with standard industry practices.’”

O’Connor also alleged that Standard as of Jan. 21 had not paid the management fee it owes the county from 2023. She said that Standard must make the payment immediately and also cure within 30 days the deficiencies the county says breach the contract.

Standard began managing Playland after reaching a settlement with the administration of former County Executive George Latimer. Standard and the county had been at odds in court over the management agreement that Standard received when former County Executive Rob Astorino was in office. To settle the dispute with the county, a new management contract was negotiated. It was approved by the county’s Board of Legislators in 2021.

O’Connor said that in conversations with Nicholas Singer, who heads Standard Amusements, and in the company’s Jan. 21 letter to the county, it was made plain that Standard did not intend to be managing the amusement park in 2025.

JAN 22- GREENBURGH-GRAHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS ARRAIGNED ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION CHARGES BY WESTCHESTER DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND STATE COMPTROLLER. $50,000 ALLEDGED STOLEN FOR PERSON USES

Posted on January 22, 2025 by John Bailey

DISGRACED TOP OFFICIALS AT SCHOOL FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS ARRAIGNED ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION CHARGES

Over $50,000 of school money is alleged to have been spent on personal items such as jewelry and luxury handbags.

Westchester District Attorney Susan Cacace

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace and New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced that two former officials at the Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District, which serves at-risk students from kindergarten to 12^th grade, were arraigned today on an indictment charging them with multiple public corruption offenses.

Oliver Levy, the district’s former superintendent, and Surendra Kumar, a former security system specialist, were arraigned Wednesday morning before Westchester County Court Judge Anne Bianchi on the charges of Second-Degree and Third-Degree Grand Larceny as Crimes of Public Corruption, Second-Degree and Third-Degree Grand Larceny, and Corrupting the Government in the Second and Third Degrees.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

D.A. Cacace said: “Any theft of public funds represents a fundamental breach of public trust. That breach is amplified when the allegations concern an institution serving our most vulnerable. The funds in this case that were allegedly diverted to the defendants could have been used for student achievement. My office will work diligently to ensure that the students and parents at Greenburgh-Graham are made whole.”

Comptroller DiNapoli said: “School administrators allegedly stealing from students they are supposed to serve is reprehensible. My thanks to the Westchester County District Attorney’s office for partnering with my office and continuing to pursue justice in this case and holding these individuals accountable.”

As alleged in the felony complaint, Mr. Levy, who began as a teaching assistant in 2008 and was promoted to superintendent in 2018, aided, abetted, and acted in concert with Mr. Kumar, then a security system specialist, to purchase 168 gift cards between July 2018 and June 2022.

Instead of spending the full sum of these funds on school-related expenses, the defendants are accused of diverting over $50,000 from the gift cards to personal expenses, such as jewelry, luxury handbags, private school fees for relatives, and veterinary services.

Mr. Levy, 55, of Stony Point, and Mr. Kumar, 48, of Yonkers, were arrested in May 2024 by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. They have been released on their own recognizance. None of the charges are bail-eligible.

The top charge, Second-Degree Grand Larceny as a Crime of Public Corruption, carries a maximum potential sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.

The investigation was conducted by the Office of the New York State Comptroller and the Economic Crimes and Public Integrity Units of the Westchester District Attorney’s Criminal Investigators Squad.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sheila Horgan.