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)

STEPINAC INTRODUCES 2 NEW LEARNING SPACES TO GIVE STUDENTS SKILLS THEY WILL NEED TO BECOME GLOBALLY COMPETIVE

Posted on May 5, 2021 by John Bailey

ENTRANCE TO THE NEW STEAM CENTER ONE OF TWO NEW LEARNING SPACES
ARCHBISHOP STEPINAC HIGH SCHOOL WILL INTRODUCE IN SEPTEMBER
All Illustrations, courtesy Michael Molinelli, AIA LEED ap NCARB
Molinelli Architects

New STEAM Center, Finance Center and Additional Classrooms of the Future Continue Stepinac’s Leadership in Secondary Education

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. Special to WPCNR from Archbishop Stepinac High School. May 5, 2021:

Continuing its leadership in secondary education to provide students with the skills they will need to become globally competitive at college and in their future careers, Stepinac High School today announced the start of a new round of creating innovative learning spaces typically available at college, not a high school.

The highlights of what Stepinac President Fr. Thomas Collins (Class of ’79) (left) described as “bold, visionary and technologically advanced initiatives to help assure the post-secondary success of our students “include a STEAM Center, Finance Center as well as two additional cutting-edge classrooms modeled after Columbia University learning spaces that Stepinac introduced in the fall of 2019

.The latest chapter in Stepinac’s pioneering learning capabilities, which have been recognized by Rice University as a ‘model for high school education in America,” has already started with design and planning. Construction is scheduled to start later this spring and will be completed for the start of the new school year in September 2021.

The STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Center will boast a state-of-the-art Makerspace with a visual arts design studio where “students will be encouraged to tap into their creativity and try something new,” explained Principal Paul Carty.

Located on the first floor adjacent to the science wing, the new facility comprising 2,200 square feet will also house professional industrial equipment and the latest technology that “will expose students to real-world experiences in engineering, architecture and design and prepare them to pursue opportunities in these disciplines if they choose,” added Carty.

The 1,500-square-foot Finance Center, which will be located on the second floor adjacent to the library, will also “represent another Stepinac first in curriculum innovation,” said Frank Portanova (Class of ’93), Vice Principal of Curriculum and Academic Studies. “This unique space will be devoted to teaching professional literacy in finance at a college level.”

A distinctive Wall Street atmosphere will be created featuring LED ticker displays in real time, an essential tool used daily by newsrooms, financial wealth management firms, and university business school finance labs.

In addition, the new lab will allow for the integration of the Bloomberg Terminal and Bloomberg Market Concepts into the curriculum. Accordingly, students will then graduate with a Bloomberg certificate. Portanova noted: “This will certainly be a boon to their college resumes and transcripts and show Stepinac’s continued commitment to our mission of bringing the real world into our classrooms.”

Building on the success of Stepinac’s new classrooms of the future, which were well received in 2019 by students and faculty, Stepinac will create two more non-traditional, 21^st century learning spaces. The additions will “expand our advanced learning environment that, unlike anything else in the region, prepares students for what they will expect when they go to college and into their chosen career or industry,” Carty explained.

The classrooms will be equipped with numerous touch-interactive displays with high performance front-facing speakers, and numerous inputs for all video formats as well as built-in browser, white boarding, and wireless sharing without requiring a computer. The rooms will also feature moveable premier Steelcase furniture that will allow students to collaborate better, concentrate better, experiment better, and learn better.

Stepinac’s other groundbreaking initiatives to develop a cutting-edge, technology enabled high school include the first-of-its-kind all-digital textbook library, the blended curriculum (each course has one-of-a-kind technology platforms), the Honors Academy which has become a model for an effective small personal learning program for academically top-achieving students and the Entrepreneurship Program elective that was launched in the fall 2020.

“We take enormous pride in Stepinac’s preeminence in curriculum innovation and technological advances, the critical underpinnings to a successful 21^st century high school education that will continue Stepinac’s tradition of shaping our students to become tomorrow’s leaders in their professions and in their communities.,” Father Collins said.

5GALERT on NEW WHITE PLAINS TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORDINANCE PASSED MONDAY. City Must Continue to Step Up

Posted on May 5, 2021 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. From 5GALERT WESTCHESTER May 5, 2021, UPDATED Ma 7, 2021:
At the May 3 Common Council meeting, our elected officials passed amendments to the White Plains Telecom Code, which was last visited in 1997 before 5G close-proximity cell installations were on the landscape.

This action was in response to 1,000 plus residents petitioning the City to enact a protective ordinance limiting the placement of powerful 5G antennas near homes, schools, and play areas. The outcome of the meeting did not approach the bar that residents envisioned.

“Several necessary, tangential improvements were made to the code,” says Ruth F. Moss, Director of the local group, 5GAlert Westchester. “But unfortunately, not one provision will actually stem the onward march of 24/7 millimeter waves into our neighborhoods. We all love technology, but these antennas, which are effectively mini-cell towers, are just too unsafe and too high-powered. The City has to step up and grab hold of its Congressional powers to regulate.”

Improvements to the code include emissions testing, pre-notification to nearby residents, and increased fees for telecom carriers. Other provisions that purportedly restrict installations are surrounded by loopholes for the telecoms. “We’ll be watching the City to see how they enforce these new more restrictive measures,” says resident Elitsa Golab.

“It’s not coming to White Plains by itself. It’s coming with hazardous antennas, possibly right on your own front lawn,” says Moss. “Time and time again, when people are informed of that unpleasant fact, their interest in 5G goes rapidly down.”

“We have fiber optic cable in this town,” notes longtime resident, Sal Gagliano. “And that does the job just fine.”

Three Common Council members have asked that the topic be revisited every six months. This will allow residents to press for stronger provisions and the City to consider new federal legislation that may emerge.
“White Plains already has 100 of these mini-cell towers in White Plains and that’s enough,” states resident Deborah Fontana. “There is a radiating antenna on the front lawn of a home two blocks away from me. Small children live there and the mother is beside herself.”

Mayor Tom Roach commented, “it’s a start.” … And we agree. but now the City must step up.

JOHN BAILEY ON WVOX THIS MORNING: TELECOMMUNICATIONS REVISED ORDINANCE APPROVED.7-0

Posted on May 4, 2021 by John Bailey

JOHN BAILEY THE CITIZENETREPORTER WHITE PLAINS REPORT –
-TRANSCRIPT OF THIS MORNING’S SEGMENT ON THE DENNIS AND TONNY GOOD MORNING WESTCHESTER PROGRAM
ON WVOX 1460 HEARD TUESDAYS AT 7:50 A.M.

“GOOD MORNING FROM WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA WHERE ITS 54 OVERCAST WPNCR DEGREES.

THE WHITE PLAINS COMMON COUNCIL TIGHTENED UP ITS TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORDINANCE GOVERING INSTALLATION OF NEW CELL TOWERS IN THE CITY BY A VOTE OF 7-0. THE ORDINANCE WAS REVISED IN LIGHT OF VERIZON EFFORTS TO INSTALL HIGH INTENSITY 5G T

THE NEW ORDINANCE ALLOWS THE CITY TO HIRE TECHNICAL EXPERTS TO CHECK WHETHER A NEW INSTALLATION OF A CELLPHONE TOWER IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH FCC RADITION REQUIREMENTS. IT ASSURES RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY WILL BE NOTIFIED IF AN ADDITIONAL CELLTOWER IS PLANNED TO BE INSTALLED NEAR THEM VIA THE CITY WEBSITE. THE CITY ESTABLISHES A PRIORITY CITING OF ADDITIONAL CELLTOWER INSTALLATIONS CONSIDERING PLACEMENT ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY FIRST, BUSINESS DISTRICT SECOND AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS LAST.

THE MAYOR SAID FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS DENYING INSTALLATIONS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DETERMINED THAT THEY WANTED TECHNOLOGICAL GROWTH IN PREVIOUS FCC POLICY. THE MAYOR SAID THE CITY WAS UNABLE BY FEDERAL LAW TO DENYING INSTALLATION OF A CELLTOWER ON GROUNDS IT WAS AS A DANGER TO PUBLIC HEALTH. COUNCILWOMAN NADINE HUNT-ROBINSON SAID THE NEW ORDINANCE CONTAINED A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO CHUT DOWN THE CELLTOWER IF IT IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE, AND THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENS, HUNT-ROBINSON SAID IT WOULD MAKE THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT VOID. COUNCILMAN JUSTIN BRASCH SAID THE CITY WILL REVIEW CHANGES AND LEGAL DECISIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW EVERY SIX MONTHS, INDICATING THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE ADJUSTED BASED ON FINDINGS. COUNCILWOMAN JENNIFER PUJA SAID SHE HAD LISTENED TO THE MANY ACTIVISTS WHO HAD PROTESTED THE INVASION OF THE 5G TOWERS, AND WAS VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

PREVIOUSLY THE ORDINANCE WAS CRITICISED BY 5GWESTCHESTER AS BEING TOO VAGUE AND NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH.

ON THE COVID SITUATION THE MAYOR DELIVERED A VERY POSITIVE MESSAGE ON COVID.

There are currently an estimated 139 active cases in our City, down 55 from a week ago. Over the last 7 days we are averaging 7 new cases per day. Case numbers are continuing to decline in our area, which is good news for all of us.

And here’s some more good news: According to the CDC, New York has the highest number of adults fully vaccinated among all the large states. YOU contributed to this, White Plains. We are doing very well and now have to focus on those who may be hesitant to get the vaccine. One way to do that is to ensure the vaccine is widely available and easily accessible.

ON HOSPITIZATIONS FOR COVID, WPCNR HAS DETERMINED BY COMPARING POSTIVE CASES OF TWO WEEKS AGO TO THE 116 HOSPITALIZATIONS OF COVID PATIENTS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT THE HOSPITALIZATION RATE IS HOLDING AT 3% — WHICH MEANS THAT PERSONS GETTING THE DISEASE THREE WEEKS WOULD RESULT IN ABOUT 120 HOSPITALIZATIONS IN 10 DAYS AND THE HOSPITALIZATIONS WERE RIGHT ON THAT FIGURE, 116. SO PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING SICK FROM IT.

THE ESPLANADE LAST NIGHT FILED FOR AN EXTENSION AND APPROVAL OF A NEW SITE PLAN FOR THEIR APARTMRENT COMPLEX REBUILD.

THERE WILL BE A ZOOM MEETING HELD BY THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MAY 11 FOR CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE WHITE PLAINS SCHOOL BOARD THERE IS ONE CHALLENGER FOR THE THREE INCUMBENTS…

Mayor Gives Weekly Covid Report

Posted on May 3, 2021 by John Bailey

WPCNR MAYOR’S CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From Mayor Tom Roach Weekly Telepone Message. May 3, 2021:

The State has announced that mass vaccination sites, including the County Center here in White Plains and the Yonkers Armory, are now open to any eligible New Yorker age 16 and older for vaccinations on a walk-in basis.

The walk-in appointments are reserved for first doses only. Second dose appointments will be scheduled automatically after administration of the first dose.

If you prefer to schedule your appointment, there are a number of locations in White Plains that can accommodate you. For further information, go to the city website, cityofwhiteplains.com, or call our White Plains COVID Angels at (914) 422-1378 Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm for assistance.

Another way to combat vaccine hesitancy is to give residents an opportunity to talk to medical professionals about their concerns. This Friday, May 7 th, at 4:30 pm I’ll be joining El Centro Hispano and White Plains Hospital for a Facebook live discussion about the COVID-19 vaccine. The purpose of this session is to answer any questions you may have about the vaccine. The discussion will be held in English and Spanish. If you are uncertain as to whether you should get the vaccine, I encourage you to participate. Just go to El Centro Hispano’s Facebook page, El Centro Hispano Inc.

Remember, choosing to be vaccinated protects you, your family, and our community. Additionally, it will speed your return to normal activities. Getting vaccinated is Free and it will allow you to do the things you love to do with greater confidence, like seeing a ball game, going to religious services, a restaurant, or a concert. In some cases proof of vaccination or a recent negative test will be required to attend group events. More than 100 colleges and universities have already announced that proof of vaccination will be a requirement for students returning to campus in the fall. Now is the time to check getting the shot off of your list. All three of the vaccines authorized for use in the United States are safe and effective.

Our next call is on Monday, May 10th. Until then remember, we’re standing together by staying apart.