Who put 3 Big Time Newsmen into that little bitty tomato can?
Peter Katz, Jim Benerofe and John Bailey, Westchester’s Number 1 Newsteam celebrate Westchester’s Car Free Day by carpooling together all three in one of the White Plains Week show’s news patrol vehicles.
Did you carpool today or take the bus to try it out, go to www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus to check out the Beeline collection that’s right for your route. It’s such a pleasure to take the county bus and leave the driving to them.
KEN JENKINS
DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE
SAT NIGHT ON
PEOPLE TO BE HEARD
ON
THE NEXT STEPS IN BRINGING IN MORE MINORITIES AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES FOR COUNTY BUSINESS AND PRIVATE BUSINESSES
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DIRECTORY OF MINORITY-WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES
LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD
THE NEXT BIG EFFORT IN NOVEMBER
TUNE IN ON www.wpcommunitymedia.org
ANY TIME
OR WATCH AT 7
ALTICE WHITE PLAINS CH. 76
VERIZON FIOS COUNTYWIDE CH. 45
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. (Edited) September 20, 2018:
Westchester County Executive George Latimer is asking that all drivers leave their cars at home on Friday, September 21 in celebration of “Car Free Day” in the Hudson Valley. The event, sponsored by the County Department of Public Works and Transportations SMART Commute Program, is designed to encourage alternatives to single occupant driving, such as the use of mass transit, carpooling, biking or walking to your destination.
Latimer said: “I know we are all in the habit of getting into our cars to drive to work each day. But on Car Free Day, I am asking that you try to find one small way celebrate sustainable transportation. Ride to work with a colleague, or take a walk to your local deli or coffee shop instead of using your car. For the first annual Hudson Valley Car Free Day in 2017 more than 1500 commuters traveled sustainably, and we are hoping for an even greater turnout this year.”
White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, who rode a Lime Bike to the press conference, discussed different ways the City of White Plains is embracing sustainable travel.
Roach said: “We are working very hard to increase pedestrian and bicycle activity throughout the city. We brought Lime Bike in and you can see those bikes all over the city. You can see the personal bikes in the bike racks. People riding bikes to the train station every day. There are a lot of people who walk to the train station every day. And many of the building we are putting up are transit-oriented, and we’re hoping that people won’t even need their cars.”
In an after press conference interview, Mayor Roach told the CitizeNetReporter at this point there are no plans for a cross county bus service improvement as part of the county bus rapid transit system that Mr. Latimer said should go into effect in 30 to 60 days.
Mr. Roach also said that the exclusive bus lanes planned for Route 119 were not going to be buses only that they would be shared with cars with buses having the ability to turn redlights to green electronically to speed the traffic flow. Roach said the idea of exclusive bus lanes has been at this time eliminated because there is no room on 119 to include them.
Asked about locations of new promised bus stations in the various communities along Route 119 (Tarrytown Road), Mayor Roach said the engineers are still discussing the locations in White Plains and other key communities along the route.
511NYRideshare Program Manager Heliana Verónica Higbie said: “511NY Rideshare is thrilled to partner Westchester County Government to promote sustainable transportation this Car Free Day. We applaud Westchester County’s efforts to make the County more bike, pedestrian and transit accessible, and for encouraging residents to try a more environmentally friendly commute.”
The Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation is also using Car Free Day to highlight the County’s Smart Commute Program, which provides information to increase the use of mass transit alternatives.
Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation Hugh Greechan said: “There are a lot of ways that Westchester County commuters can reduce their carbon footprints, and Car Free Day is just one example. We have made several enhancements to the Bee-Line Bus System this fall, including adding service to various routes where ridership is strong and the demand is high. Commuters and seniors can also apply for reduced fare MetroCards.”
Join the SMART Commute team for Car Free Day in Mount Vernon’s Petrillo Plaza on Friday, September 21 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stop by to learn more about how to travel sustainably by using the Bee-Line Bus System. Pick up a system map or bus schedule, enter to win a free 2-Trip MetroCard and enjoy complimentary refreshments provided by local businesses. Ultimate Juices and Edible Arrangements, both of Mount Vernon, will be providing free samples throughout the event, and Lowe’s of Yonkers has graciously donated turf to prove that there are “greener” ways to use your parking spot.
The MetroCard van will be making a special appearance at the Car Free Day event from 3 to 5 p.m. The van is a “one-stop shop” and is equipped to assist bus riders with all of their MetroCard business. Riders will be able to buy a regular MetroCard, apply for a Reduced-Fare MetroCard if they are 65 and older or have qualifying disabilities, and refill their existing MetroCards. MetroCard is the automated regional fare collection system managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Help make Car Free Day 2018 a great success, take the pledge to go car free on 9/21. For Bee-Line Bus information visit www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus or call the Bee-Line customer service center at (914) 813-7777, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Automated information is available 24 hours a day.
WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-EXAMINER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. September 18, 2018 UPDATED 9/19:
In a unanimous vote, municipal leaders from all across Westchester County voted to approve the Latimer Administration’s “Update on the Westchester County Shared Services and Taxpayer Savings Plan.” The revised plan was submitted to the NYS Division of the Budget on September 14, 2018.
The 2018 plan, which includes eight new proposals on top of the one proposal from the 2017 plan, would begin in 2019 with matching funds made available by New York State in 2020.
The updated plan projects $7.5 million in 2019 savings, $9.3 million in 2020 savings, and $27 million in recurring savings which will benefit taxpayers, make government services and operations more efficient and enable the County and municipalities to receive state matching funds.
After three public hearings, input from local officials and outreach to a variety of stakeholders including labor and school district officials, the Shared Services Panel, which includes the Mayor/Supervisor of each municipality in Westchester County, voted unanimously (35-0 of the leaders who attended the vote, with 11 county leaders not present for the vote according to the detailed Amended Westchester County Shared Services and Taxpayer Savings Plan issued to the press) to approve the 2018 County-wide Shared Services plan.
The Leaders and principals who were absent for the vote were from the City of Mount Vernon, City of New Rochelle, City of Peekskill, Pelham, Rye, Yorktown, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Sleepy Hollow, Blind Brook-Rye School District, Yonkers Board of Education.
Those cities, towns and villages and school districts voting in favor of the plan who approved it were City of Rye, City of White Plains, City of Yonkers, Bedford, Cortlandt, Eastchester, Greenburgh, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mamaroneck, Mount Kisco, Mount Pleasant, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Ossining, Pelham, Pelham Manor,Pleasantville, Port Chester, Rye Brook, Scarsdale,Tarrytown, Tuckahoe, Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association, Edgemont School District
WPCNR VOTEAMERICA From Madeleine Zevon September 18, 2018:
The League of Women Voters of White Plains will be participating in National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), a nationwide, nonpartisan effort to register thousands of voters on Tuesday, September 25th.
The League will assist voters to register or update their registration if they have moved. October 12th is the last day to register or update your registration in New York. To volunteer go to the League’s NVRD volunteer signup site: https://bit.ly./2Qt6x5D .
We will be at the following locations:
Berkeley College 11 AM – 1 PM and
5 PM – 7 PM
College of Westchester 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Manhattanville College 12 noon – 2 PM and
6 PM – 8 PM
“This election is important, and every eligible American deserves
to weigh in,” said Stephen Cohen, President of the League of
Women Voters of White Plains. “Voter registration is the key to
helping shape the future of our country. We want to make sure
everybody who wants the opportunity to vote on Election Day,
has their registration up to date by October 12th.
To register to vote in New York State, you must have either a verifiable New York State driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
If you do not have either of these, and you are registering for the first time by mail, you may provide a copy of one of the following:
If you do not provide identification with this form, you will be asked for it the first time you vote. Forms of current and valid photo identification include but are not limited to:
WPCNR MILESTONES. From the White Plains High School Hall of Fame. September 18. 2018:
Four White Plains High School graduates have been selected for induction into the school’s Hall of Fame this fall.
The Hall of Fame pays tribute to White Plains High School alumni/ae who have distinguished themselves in their chosen careers and/or have significantly and positively impacted the lives of others.
The 2018 inductees are: Frank A. Bruni ’53, prominent businessman and community leader, Steven Baruch ’56, award-winning Broadway theatre producer, Lena Anderson ’65, President of the White Plains-Greenburgh Chapter of the NAACP, Richard Schlesinger ’72, award-winning broadcast journalist.
The honorees will visit the High School on Thursday, October 25 and will meet with students during the day. The Induction Ceremony will take place in the Media Center at 3pm and will be followed by a reception. The public is invited.
Profiles of the Inductees
FRANK A. BRUNI, Class of 1953 –For more than 50 years, Mr. Bruni has been a prominent community leader of many local organizations including the White Plains Hospital, the White Plains YMCA and the White Plains Board of Education.
STEVEN BARUCH, Class of 1956 – Mr. Baruch has produced more than 80 Broadway shows including Driving Miss Daisy, The Producers, Angels in America and Hairspray for which he has won multiple Tony Awards.
LENA ANDERSON-LEE, Class of 1965 – A former educator at Woodlands High School for more than 30 years, Ms. Anderson-Lee is President of the White Plains-Greenburgh Chapter of the NAACP.
RICHARD SCHLESINGER, Class of 1972 – As a broadcast journalist, Mr. Schlesinger has covered many high profile world events for CBS News for more than 30 years and has won 10 Emmy Awards.
This is the nineteenth class of distinguished alumni/ae selected since the Hall of Fame was established in 1996, bringing the total number of inductees to 82. It is estimated that more than 30,000 students have graduated from White Plains High School in its 122 years of continuous operation.
The inductees were selected by a committee of representatives of civic and school groups from nominations submitted by the public. New nominations are welcomed each year.
WHITE PLAINS WEEK ON THE WEEK OF 9/11
ON YOUTUBE AND WWW.WHITEPLAINSWEEK.COM
and www.wpcommunitymedia.org
VOLUNTEERS LIKE LISA ORLOFF WHO WERE THERE REMEMBER
BOB MORRONE OF WVOX RADIO
AND JIM BENEROFE
REFLECT ON THE 9/11 MEMORY AND LEGACY
GOVERNOR CUOMO ROLLS TO PRIMARY VICTORY
ALESSANDRA BIAGGI SWEEPS OUT JEFFREY KLEIN IN THE BRONX
ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS CLOSES OUT VIRGINIA PEREZ
COMPLETE PRIMARY ANALYSIS
THE NEW TAPPAN ZEE EAST BRIDGE OPENS FINALLY. WE’LL SHOW TRAFFIC TO PROVE IT.
AND THE SEIU 32BJ UNION VOTES TO STRIKE AT END OF THE MONTH
JOHN BAILEY INTERVIEWS A VOLUNTEER WHO WAS THERE ON 9/11/01
LISA ORLOFF
FOUNDER OF
WORLDCARES
ON PREPARING YOUR COMMUNITY
TO FURNISH VOLUNTEERS IN THE AFTERMATH OF DISASTER
7 PM on FIOS CH. 45 AND ALTICE CH. 76
AND ANYTIME ON
www.wpcommunitymedia.org
(Scroll down the www.wpcommunitymedia.org VIDEO WALL to White Plains Week–People to be Heard and Click)
WPCNR PRIMARY PRIMER. By John F. Bailey. September 14, 2018:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo rolled up close to the 70% margin he wanted to solidify his positioning for the Presidential in 2020 Thursday, leading Cynthia Nixon, his celebrity challenger 66% to 34% of the vote as of 10 PM Tuesday evening.
His Lieutenant Governor pick Kathy Hochul outlasted her challenger and Letitia James, the New York Public Advocate — endorsed by Governor Cuomo — defeated Zhypher Teachout, Sean Patrick Maloney and Lecia Eve to seize the Attorney General nomination.
The Cuomo candidate James’ margin over the popular Teachout, despite the New York Times endorsement appears to underline the feeling among Democrats that Mr.Cuomo is doing a great job.
Meanwhile in the challenge of Westchester County Legislator Virginia Perez brought against State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins there was no contest. Cousins with 81% of the vote counted, lead Ms. Perez, 19,382 to 4,272. Ms. Stewart Cousins is unopposed for the State Senate District 35 Seat in November.
Big upset of the night is Alessandra Biaggi’s defeat of maverick Democrat Jeff Klein in the State Senate 34th district. Klein was the fence-straddling Democrat who lead the independent Democrats. Biaggi faces Kenneth Woffort, a lawyer in November.
David Carlucci, in the Rockland Westchester with a big turnout in Rockland defeated Julie Goldberg in a close contest. However he faces the popular Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoff on the Republican Ticket in November. No cakewalk for Mr. Carlucci.
Counts were hard to come by on the local news outlets tonight.
The only inside coverage with numbers was by News 12 who had reporters at the headquarters and they had the early returns on the lesser races first. Perhaps their best coverage they have done on a primary.
WPCNR REALTY REALITY. From the Service Employees International Union 32BJ September 13, 2018:
In a packed meeting hall at the Westchester County Center, between 600 and 700 superintendents, porters, handypersons and other residential building workers from all over the Hudson Valley raised “Yes!” cards high and their voices higher to authorize a strike if a fair agreement on a new contract is not reached by September 30.
The contract is an agreement between the workers’ union, 32BJ SEIU, and the employers and building owners that provides for family health insurance, retirement, fair wages and basic rights on the job.
Since August 15, a committee of elected workers and 32BJ officers has been bargaining with representatives of the Building and Realty Institute of Westchester and the Mid-Hudson Region Inc. (BRI), but talks have failed to move forward.
If the union calls a strike, it would be the first strike in more than 30 years for the 1,400 residential building workers at 500 apartment buildings, co-ops and condominiums across the region.
“We will stand strong for all the things that make it possible to live and work in the expensive Hudson Valley: affordable health care, retirement security, and a sensible raise so our families can keep up with the cost of living,” said 32BJ President Hector Figueroa to the enthusiastic crowd. ”
“Our jobs demand stability,” said Eric Thompson, a superintendent in Mt. Kisco and member of the bargaining committee.
“Those of us who’ve been around know that the most common element that can end your stability is a sickness or injury. My wife had to face months of cancer treatment recently, and I had to take medication that would have ruined us financially. The benefits we have allowed me to continue on the job providing service to all the residents of my building. They’re essential for our families and the well-being of our communities.”
Local elected officials and officers from supportive labor organizations joined the members of 32BJ, who turned out in such large numbers that a second room had to be opened to accommodate the overflow.
“Your work is vital for the well being of one of the densest suburban areas in the United States, to keep our economy thriving and our communities close-knit,” Westchester County Executive George Latimer said. “You help your tenants 24/7, and I am here to say that we stand behind you as seek to negotiate a fair contract.”
“I support your fight for a fair contract,” echoed New York State Shelley Mayer, who represents Yonkers. “The work you do is vital for the well-being of Yonkers, of White Plains, of New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, in Scarsdale and Hartsdale, all across this region. I am here to say that I and other elected officials in the Hudson Valley will never take the importance of collective bargaining for granted .”
“Residential building workers provide a vital service to a hundred thousand residents in the Hudson Valley,” said Tom Carey, President of the Westchester-Putnam Central Labor Body. “Hudson Valley labor supports your fight for a fair contract, and if you are forced to strike, you can count on us for solidarity.”