THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

MASKS NOT REQUIRED OUTDOORS ON WPCSD SCHOOL GROUNDS: THOUGH “STRONGLY RECOMMENDED” BY WP SCHOOLS REOPENING COMMITTEE

Posted on June 8, 2021 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From White Plains City School District Superintendent of Schools, Joseph Ricca. June 8, 2021:

At this morning’s Special White Plains City School District (WPCSD) Reopening Committee Meeting, the Committee approved the following modification of the WPCSD’s Reopening Plan to include the modifications promulgated by the New York State Department of Health (Master Guidance attached), in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendations for outdoor mask/facial covering requirements:

Beginning Thursday, June 10, 2021, while strongly encouraged, masks/facial coverings will no longer be required outdoors on WPCSD grounds for all members of the WPCSD community (children & adults) (this modification covers ALL outdoor activities as described in the NYSDoH guidelines).

This modification does not change any other aspect/requirement of the health/safety standards in the WPCSD Reopening Plan.

The full WPCSD Reopening Committee meeting is available for review here: https://youtu.be/1g6L2X28Rvs

JOHN BAILEY’S WHITE PLAINS REPORT TRANSCRIPT THIS MORNING ON THE “DENNIS & TONNY GOOD MORNING WESTCHESTER” SHOW ON WVOX 1460

Posted on June 8, 2021 by John Bailey

JOHN BAILEY THE CIIZENETREPORTER
IS HEARD TUESDAYS 7:50 AM WITH THE NICEST TWO PEOPLE ON THE RADIO “DENNIS AND TONNY ON GOOD MORNING WESTCHESTER” ON WVOX AM 1460

“THE WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL TOOK UP THE 701 WESTCHESTER CAMPUS OFFICE SPECIAL PERMIT REQUEST LAST NIGHT AMIST A GROWING COMMUNITY CONCERN ABOUT BUILDING 350 APARTMENTS ON THE SITE OF THE 701 OFFICE BUILDING . CITIZENS SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT FOR THE EXCESS TRAFFIC , ABOUT 1500 MORE CARS A DAY, THEY SAY. A HEARING THAT LASTED MORE THAN 2 HOURS.

THE WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL TOOK UP THE 701 WESTCHESTER CAMPUS OFFICE SPECIAL PERMIT REQUEST LAST NIGHT AMIST A GROWING COMMUNITY CONCERN ABOUT BUILDING 350 APARTMENTS ON THE SITE OF THE 701 OFFICE BUILDING . CITIZENS SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT FOR THE EXCESS TRAFFIC , ABOUT 1500 MORE CARS A DAY, THEY SAY. A HEARING THAT LASTED MORE THAN 2 HOURS.

THE COMMISSIONER OF PLANNING PRESENTED HIS STRUCTURE FOR APPROACHING UPDATING THE WHITE PLAINS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AT 10:15 PM. DENNIS DOES HARRISON HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? THE WHITE PLAINS PLAN HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2011 DESPITE 10 MIXED USE APARTMENT PROJECTS BEING APPROVED. ONE OBSERVER WHO WAITED TO HEAR MR. GOMEZ COMMENTED THE PLAN WAS “A GOOD START,” THE NEXT STEP IS A POSSIBLE MEETING BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THREE COUNCIL PERSONS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.

THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY RESIDENTS GOING INTO THE MEETING ARE ENCROACHMENT ON THE OUTER NEIGHBORHOODS, EVER INCREASING TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE DOWNTOWN AND WHETHER THE ENVISIONED RETAIL SPACES BEING FILLED UP – WHICH DUE TO COVID ARE NOT BEING FILLED UP. CITIZENS WANT TO INFLUENCE THEIR VISION OF THE CITY WHICH HAS UNTIL NOW FOCUSED ON PRESERVING THE SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL DONUT AROUND THE WHITE PLAINS DOWNTOWN AND NOT MUCH CONCERN ABOT ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN. THE OPEN SPACE ISSUES OF 20 YEARS AGO DOWNTOWN HAVE LONG BEEN FORGOTTEN AND CEASE TO BE AN ISSUE THAT GALVANIZES THE PUBLIC . THE HEARING WAS CONTINUED TO JULY 6.

THE WHITE PLAINS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN FUNDED WITH $50,000 TO BRING IN A TRAINED EXPLOSIVE SNIFFING CANINE OFFICER TO HAVE MORE IMMEDIATE TIMELY ACCESS TO ASCERTAINING WHETHER BUILDINGS MAY HAVE HIDDEN EXPLOSIVES IN THEM. PREVIOUSLY THE CITY HAD TO RELY ON COUNTY POLICE EXPLOSIVE-DETECTING CANINES.

THE COUNTY COVID INFECTION RATE CONTINUED AVERAGING A HALF PERCENT INFECTION RATE FROM THE DAY BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY MAY30 THROUGH SUNDAY JUNE 6. DURING THE LAST WEEK 120 PERSONS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID, JUST 17 AVERAGE NEW COVID POSITIVE PERSONS A DAY OF A TOTAL OF 38,665 TESTED. THE INFECTION RATE FOR THE WEEK CONTINUES SLASHED DOWN FROM 400 INFECTIONS A DAY APRIL 1 TO 17 A DAY A DECLINE OF 94% IN INFECTIONS. THIS BY MY CALCULATIONS HAVE CUT HOSPITALIZATIONS DOWN TO 2% FROM THE 3.5% THE COUNTY HAD BEEN AVERAGING ACCOUNTING FOR JUST 37 HOSPITALIZATIONS LAST WEEK.WELL BELOW THE EXPECTED HOSPITALIZATION RATE BASED ON THE INFECTIONS TO WEEKS AGO.

WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL OPENED ITS CENTER FOR ADVANCED MEDICINE AND SURGERY ON LONGVIEW AVENUE AND MAPLE. SUSAN FOX WELCOMING WELL OVER A 100 INVITEES TO THE OPENING, PRAISED THE MONTIFIORE- WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL STAFF FOR THEIR HANDLING THE HIGH NUMBER OF COVID CASES AT THIS TIME A YEAR AGO—AS OF LAST WEEK WHITE PLAINS HAD 9 PATIENTS WITH COVID AND A YEAR AGO, 88% OF WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL WAS FILLED WITH COVID PATIENTS . MONTIFIORE HOSPITAL PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THE MONTIFIORE CARDIAC SURGERY TEAM WOULD BE JOINING THE WHITE PLAINS CENTER TO TREAT PATIENTS SOMETIME LATER THIS YEAR

THE WHITE PLAINS OUTDOOR ARTS FESTIVAL ATTRACTED HUNDREDS TO TIBBETTS PARK ON NORTH BROADWAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH AT LEAST 200 TO 300 PEOPLE STROLLING THROUGH THE 80 VENDOR SHOW.

I WAS LISTENING TO YOUR TRAFFIC REPORT JUST BEFORE COMING ON THE AIR TALKING ABOUT THE BRUCKNER EXPRESSWAY AND THE MAJOR DEEGAN “SOLID” WITH TRAFFIC. THE REASON IS THE EXTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION ON THE BRUCKNER EXPRESSWAY AND THE DEEGAN WHICH HAS CREATED EXTENSIVE DELAYS DAILY. I DROVE INTO THE CITY ONE WEEK AGO LEAVING FOR 3^RD STREET IN GREENWICH VILLAGE THE BRUCKNER AND THE TRIBORO BRIDGE AND FDR FROM WHITE PLAINS. IT TOOK ME 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES—ONE HOUR LONGER THAN USUAL . IT IS LIKE RUSH HOUR ALL DAY DRIVING INTO NYC.TALK ABOUT CONGRESTION PRICING, THIS IS CONGESTED DRIVING. AND YOU KNOW WHAT—NO POLICE SUPERVISE THE LANE SQUEEZEDOWNS—ALLOW AT LEAST AN HOUR TO ANY DRIVE INTO THE CITY. RUSH HOUR IS ALL DAY NOW.

I WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK! 7:50 AM TUESDAYS ON WVOX.ORG OR WVOX 1460 AM“

CDC: MASKS SHOULD STILL BE WORN IN SCHOOLS, CITING VAST NUMBERS OF CHILDREN UNDER 16 TO 12 HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED: SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. GOVERNOR CONFIRMS

Posted on June 7, 2021 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From White Plains Schools Superintendent, Dr. Joseph Ricca. June 7, 2021:

Dr, Joseph Ricca informed the White Plains School District this morning that students should continue to wear masks to school “for now” saying that in a news conference today the Center for Diseas Control was to announce a ruling that because the vast majority of students under age 16 to 12 had not been vaccinated yet, the masks in schools protocol would remain in effect.

AT 1:45 PM, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued this statement:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that school districts can choose to lift the requirement that their students must wear masks outdoors. Guidance on mask use indoors remains in place. This change aligns New York State’s guidance on schools with CDC guidance on summer camps, where even unvaccinated students are not currently required to wear masks outdoors.

“The numbers show that the risk of transmission by children is extremely low, especially in this state, which has an extremely low positivity rate. We spoke with the CDC, and since they’re not going to change their guidance for several weeks in New York State, we’re going to modify the CDC guidance and allow schools to choose no mask outside for children,” Governor Cuomo said. “We’ll leave that up to the local school district and we spoke to the CDC, which has no objection. It’s very important that people understand the logic between these decisions and that they’re rational and based on the science and the data. We have a disconnect right now between the school guidance and the camp guidance, and it’s important to rectify it because if people don’t think the rules are logical, then they’re not going to want to follow the rules.”

On May 24, Governor Cuomo announced that based on the current COVID trajectory, all New York State schools will reopen for full in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year beginning in September.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that school districts can choose to lift the requirement that their students must wear masks outdoors. Guidance on mask use indoors remains in place. This change aligns New York State’s guidance on schools with CDC guidance on summer camps, where even unvaccinated students are not currently required to wear masks outdoors.

“We’ll leave that up to the local school district and we spoke to the CDC, which has no objection. It’s very important that people understand the logic between these decisions and that they’re rational and based on the science and the data.

We have a disconnect right now between the school guidance and the camp guidance, and it’s important to rectify it because if people don’t think the rules are logical, then they’re not going to want to follow the rules.”

KEEP MASKING GOING TO WHITE PLAINS SCHOOLS MONDAY! DISTRICT MASK POLICY STILL IN EFFECT. SUPERINTENDENT RICCA CLARIFIES WHITE PLAINS SCHOOL DISTRICT MASK POLICY In Aftermath of State Health Department Request of CDC for Mask Relaxation Policy Friday

Posted on June 6, 2021 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By White Plains Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Ricca. June 6, 2021:

Dear WPCSD Community Members:

As you know, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, sent a letter (attached) to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) late Friday indicating the State of New York’s desire to modify the present mask requirements in public schools and align them with the present requirements for summer camps (masks strongly encouraged, but not required).

In that letter, Dr. Zucker indicated that unless CDC objected, NYSDOH would shift the present guidelines beginning tomorrow, June 7, 2021.

As of this writing, the guidelines have NOT been adjusted and the school district has not received any updates from NYSDOH.

Accordingly, there is no change to the mask guidelines/requirements at the present time. Masks continue to be required in all WPCSD facilities in accordance with State guidelines and our Reopening Plan.

If/when guidance is changed, the district will follow the State Reopening guidelines and bring the amended NYSDOH guidelines to the WPCSD Reopening Committee for review and consideration (as required by Executive Order) prior to changing any aspects of the WPCSD Reopening Plan. Following the Committee’s review, any recommended changes to district health/safety protocol will be communicated to our community immediately.

Throughout the pandemic, the WPCSD has worked hard to communicate with all community members whenever a shift in State policy/guidelines arises. We will continue to do so. Additionally, the district has observed all requirements and recommendations from the NYSDOH.

Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility as we continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic together. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Have a nice afternoon and stay #WPProud!

Respectfully,

Joseph Ricca