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The State of Calvary

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WPCNR QUARTERLY STATE OF LIFE SERIES # 7. News & Comment  By John F. Bailey. March 29, 2023:

It’s  coming.

It is coming up.
It is one week away.
Good Friday.
Let us imagine what it was like.

It is late afternoon now in  the  Jerusalem of 33 A.D. Jesus of Nazereth has died on the cross in between two thieves. The three crosses can be seen on the distant hill.

He died 1,990 years ago on that cross this April 7. There was no CNN, No Fox News, showing live coverage, no internet, no newspapers,radio or television. No Twitter or Facebook. No Instagram,Skype, or Google.

Nevertheless the message of the man who died on Calvary (The Place of the Skull) spread around the world without mass communication.

His followers, twelve of them were so devoted to His message of love and code of behavior they became the first pacifist activists who spread a message the man they called their Lord had preached to them.

He was Jesus of Nazareth.  He had no last name.

Today He is now known all over the world for the message he delivered.

Whether you believe He is the Son of God, or not, He ranks as one of the foremost influences on mankind. More than Plato, more than Socrates, more than any leader or politician, or entertainer whoever lived.

His selfless acts of embracing lepers, the poor, those who sinned were unique.

Such compassion for the downtrodden was unheard of during the time He lived.

It was a time of slavery. No human rights. No care for the sick. When cities were razed and populations slaughtered or enslaved much like the genocides of today. Our world today must feel the same way as it did then.

Jesus of Nazareth introduced a new philosophy that spread throughout the world after His death by crucifixion on this day (maybe, we do not know the exact date), because the community leaders of his own people thought him a threat to their power. And that fear that this simple man was a threat should be a lesson to us all.

If you live by His philosophy of forgiveness you are a person at peace with yourself. If you accept those who are different from you without  fear or prejudice, you are a force for spreading His message of peace towards others and good will.

If you help the poor and the sick because you sympathize with them, you are following His way.

If you stand up for truth, point out what is wrong as He did with the Pharisees. You are doing his will.

If you go about doing good for the sake of doing good, you are following His virtue of selflessness.

Jesus of Nazareth’s message whether divine or a code of how we conduct our lives resonated with millions and it spread.

There is no denying He is one of the great philosophers of the human experience, kin to Socrates, the other giant of antiquity thought.

The above print of “The Return from Calvary” painted by Herbert Schmalz shows the last hours of Jesus of Nazareth’s crucifixation around 33 A.D. on Calvary Hill, “the place of the Skull” outside of Jerusalem late in the day He was crucified.

The description on the print describes the somber scene:

The darkness which was on the earth (during His suffering) is clearing away.

One long, dark cloud is hanging over the city like a pall.

The Virgin Mother, weighted down by fatigue and grief, knowing not wither she goes, is being led up some steps, toward “his own” home, by St. John and Mary Magdalene.

In the distance on the top of Cavalry, you can make out the three crosses.

The grief so eloquently captured by this print depicts the very personal loss all of us endure when someone we love passes away, realizing our loss because of all they did for us.

Jesus of Nazareth was a human being who affects us to this day.

One of the great gifts of this man, Jesus of Nazareth, is the celebration of humanity and capacity to care and feel for others that aids persons whether they believe He was the Son of God or not. Or that you will have eternal life if you believe in him.

His philosophies of care, courage, compassion and benevolent action serve the people who try to do those behaviors well because they leave a great personal satisfaction in the heart, the mind, and the spirit.

You do not have to second guess yourself, when you do what is right, humane, merciful, and serves the less fortunate without superiority with nothing to gain for yourself. And if you do not do what is right, if you weaken, you always regret it and remember when you failed to do right.

The peace of mind of action is the least of the  great gift of Jesus of Nazareth whose death on the cross is marked the Good Friday coming in one week, April 7

If you act as Jesus did, you will be remembered by all you meet fondly and lovingly, and be comforted that you will live in memories of those you have  touched with your love and kindness and caring  for eternity to the end of the age.

His simple teachings have great power. Use them. Implement them.

They give meaning to our mystery of life.

They give meaning and purpose to anyone’s life.

For 1,990 years they have made a violent world a better place.

He died on Good Friday on the cross.

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STATE OF BALL

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WPCNR QUARTERLY STATE OF LIFE SERIES # 6. News & Comment  By John F. Bailey. March 29, 2023:

It’s  coming.

Time to be a kid again

Ball is coming back

This year it really is a brand new ball game.

Pitch Clocks. Batter clocks. Big Bases. No overshifting — and we do not know a lot of the nuances of these new rules. Limiting throws to first. The 10th inning Tiebreaker which I hate.

What if a center moves past straightaway center– is that “offside?” Or after the ball is pitched can the outfielders take off into gaps in anticipation of the direction  the batter is going to  hit to? It may absolutely help outfield defenders. Is a ball called by the umpire, or does the centerfielder have to spend time in a penalty box for an inning and they have to play two outfielders? I shouldn’t have suggested I hope Joe Torre does not see this column!

I have not seen any telecasts of “Exhibition Games” from Florida for the Bombers train and the Metropolitans train, nor heard any radio broadcasts from Florida.

Baseball is the worst sold, worst promoted professional sport. The owners do not promote to young fans. They rely on websites and all sports radio to get their news out. Radio telecasts of Exhibition games on a lazy cold miserable March are like an oasis or were. I guess John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman did some games but at odd times of games. When they break up that play-by-play team it will be a sad day because Waldman is by far the best color commentary on baseball, never gives you cliches like the other announcers.

Look for sponsors on every pitch soon on the radio. “The payoff pitch is brought to you by Republic Bank.” The commercializing of the Yankee radio broadcasts is tough to take. I do not understand how Sterling and Waldman stand it. Sterling is now an easy listening announcer similar to the broadcasters when I was growing Harry Kalas, By Saam, Bob

I loved Exhibition games because it did not matter who won the game. It was for fun for the fans.

But it is a tense time. Baseball is so competitive. Every player is competing and hoping they do not get hurt. The pressure is intense.

The big worry is getting injured and that has happened a lot this spring.

However starting the baseball season on March 31 in the north for the most part is crazy. MLB does a March opener to play nothing but single games. There no more 2 for the price of one doubleheaders scheduled. And when the make-up games come they do it as a day night separate admission doubleheader or the awful twilight-nighter that gets you home at midnight from the Bronx.

You will be playing possibly in snow at the Yankee opener or Met opener. I remember getting snowed out on April 6 in the 1990s when I went to an opener.

And cold means pulled muscles more injuries. Or worse sore arms. Teams do not hit their stride until June when it starts getting really warm.

Now we have very expanded playoffs, getting more like the NBA, NHL and NFL every year.

The trouble is baseball has no form.  The best team over a season can get taken out when three pitchers get hot in a short series.

As the late Commissioner Fay Vincent said baseball is a game that breaks your heart.

Some other observations, I think the games will be just as slow as they ever have due to the pitching changes.

I think strategies have to be invented to play the tie breaker better. Defend third base is the key to snuff the push to hit the ball to right. that gets the runner to third to score on an out. Of course few hitters can hit  specifically to an area.

The larger bases may help stealing but pitchouts will be key after the your throws over twice. You have go  after the first throw over, so they will be ready for that, too.

The stealing will not be as successful as you think. Hit run? Hitters strike out too much to risk a baserunner getting caught by a throw down. Incidently, does the catcher get to throw down to first at will, no limit? Really baseball’s explanations of these rules has been amateurish. They should offer a Free rules guide to fans.

Pitching management is the key. Bullpens are the name of the game now.

No, I no longer love the game. But you never forget your first love. There is nothing like being in the ballpark. The shadows, the sun, the scoreboards. The beer.

As Bogie once said, “It’s my game. A hot dog at the game beats roast beef at The Ritz.”

The State of Ball is always on my mind.

I married Brenda Starr because she sat through a doubleheader (scheduled) in 1970 when the Mets were playing the Big Red Machine. It had rained most of the morning. I said we’ll go to the game any. We go. We pay the usual fortune to park..go up to front row seats in the upper deck just off first. There if 6 inches of water under our seats.

I decide well it’s still raining, so we left and I drove back to Jersey, but a strange force drew me to the radio and I said let’s just see…and Bob Murphy is saying…”Well they are taking the tarp off the field and we’ll be playing.”

I turned the car around and drove us back to Shea. Paid to park again.  Got in our seats by the time it started.

The Mets split two 1-run games.

I figured that I would never meet another woman who would ever do that.

So here is my poem “Opening Day” I wrote many years ago for all you fans out there

OPENING DAY is better than Christmas Day,
When you look out  and know they’ll play,
Dreary gray or brilliant spring sunray
Opening Day means The Big Show is back today.

Decades past, Opening Day for fanatics starved,
Eager for  sharp crack of ash on horsehide carved;
Pennants snapping in northwest winds
Top ramparts of inviting walls arches  and sculpted friezes wistfully escarped. 

Fans lucky to get away with ducats
Marvel at flannels sharp whites pristine,
To play in the warm zephyrs in NY blazened caps,
Dashing specks of white warmup on the greenest green.

Motor cars pant in  traffic jams on the Deegan,
DowYawkey Way, on 35th and Shields or Waveland’s jam.
The first glimpse of storied Park,
The place where ball is played, where ghosts of Ted, Babe, Duke
Mel, Spahnie, Whitey, Mickey, Willie, Yaz, Minnie and Sandy lark.

Pay a fortune to park, pass stogie smoking old men
at the same gates for a hundred years,

Now out into the street 

You go, aroma of roasting chestnuts, pungent cigars sweet,

Cries of “scorecard heah” “programs,heah” shout out, neath light towers to heaven.

Fans in cap and uniform, little boys and girls gawk in awe hoping to make the Anthem
Never seeing such sheer walls, topped with the legend “GameToday 1:30 PM.”

Clutching slim cardboard tix to Section 14 Upper Deck up to the turnstiles
Festooned with souvenirs more dear as diamonds, beyond, the lure of endless aisles.

Into  press of crowd, grizzled usher,

RIPS YOUR TICKET.
Turnstile turns, clicks, and into the cathedral of ball you go
Into the rotunda greeted with magic signs dazzling the senses —
UPPER LEVELS SECTIONS 1 to 39, 2 to 40

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Hawkers shout –Voices of Flatbush — colorful books in hand

“Yeabook heah,” “Dodger Yearbook here,” “Hot dog, heah,”
Assail  ears! Up ramps you climb to the sign “NEXT HOMESTAND”

Walking the catwalk,sliver of blue is first look of the magic sphere
Into the sunlight splaying the vast rake of the mighty stand.

Below are baseball knights of the diamond in white hues
Cavorting, snapping throws across immaculate red clay
As majestic fungo bats — CRACK! send white spheres soaring to filling bleachers a mile away,
Bunting flutter from the deck rails red, white and true blues.

Old Glory furls on  highest pole in centerfield
Colorful signage deliver the manly flavor of the only real game,
GILLETTE To Look Sharp, The Red Sox use Lifeboy, Schaefer It’s A Hit
Hey, Neighbor Have a Gansett, White Owl Cigars, Hit Sign Win Suit

From old friendly walls, to Gladys Gooding on the organ
Comfy old green scoreboard display
Today’s games in the bigs BETTER THAN CNN
CHI CLE BOS DET, CHI STL, NY WAS make you king for a day.
Two Bits for a scorecard, usher wipes your seat, ballpark fills your heart.

Penciling lineup 42 2B, 1 SS, 14 1B, 4 CF, 39 C, 6 RF, 23 LF 19 3B 36 P

Smell of beer, peanuts and pretzels.

Nippy air, warm rays sink into face feels nice,

Starters wheel,deal, kicking high on sidelines fueling expectancy

Men in blue, arms folded solemnly conduct the home plate regimen
Casey, Ralph , Walter, Joe,Sparky exchange lineup cards and knowing
Ground rules by heart, go over them for ritual’s sake.
Bob Shepard “The Voice of God” entones “Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to Yankee Stadium.”

“Please rise for the playing of our national anthem,”
Nancy Faust at organ note by note renders baseball’s theme song
Rising on the breeze, uniting do-rag and ball cap,
Fedora, ponytail and bouffant in the spirit of the great game.

Grass is never greener on opening days
Strikes are louder, long drives electrify alleys
Beers with whiter than white high creamy heads, Taste crisp cold mellow best brew you drink all year

Smashes laser through short in the gap in raucous rallies

Magicians without wands start 6-4-3s, (if you’re scoring at home)

Backhand sure hits losing their caps

“Oh what a play”s crackle on WGN with “CUBS WIN!”‘S

Jack and Mel, Vince, Red, Curt and Murph , Gussie, Marty, John and Suzyn , Ernie, The Gunner, are back at mikes turning mundane days

Into joy with a ninth inning elixir and “happy recaps”

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The Great Pete Rose, “Charlie Hustle” at the Plate,1975, Wrigley Field (Photo by John Bailey)

Thunderous ROARS AWARD the 2-out winner again creating big kids’ grins.

 

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STATE OF LIVING

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WPCNR QUARTERLY STATE OF LIFE SERIES # 5. News & Comment  By John F. Bailey. March 28, 2023:

I remember her to this day from when I was in Junior High School in Pleasantville.

She was a young woman from India, I believe or Pakistan. She always held her head down. She always was being teased by the girls.

I felt so sorry for her. But did I speak to her. Did I try to show her some courtesy or respect. I did not. I wanted to, but she never spoke her big brown eyes always widened in fear when the teacher called on her. When people came up to her she shyed away  turned her head.

I wonder how her life turned out.

What a brave young person she was handling those Pleasantville students all staring at her and poking fun at her.

That was the days when Pleasantville only had one black family living in Pleasantville and he was Sidney Portier the actor.

In viewing the “We Are White Plains” exhibit at the high school last Friday showing persons we know in White Plains dressed as we never see them in shabby clothes, athletic wear and wearing stern expressions it hit home to me the artist Bayete’ Ross Smith concept of showing people differently not having them smile. The exhibit shows us our real insecurities.

When I see a person coming at us, big, in a cap, bearded in a big coat. I at least am a little worried and I give them an ” excuse me” with a smile, which I don’t always do, but is my way of being civil. The exhibit at White Plains High explains to me how hard it is to get along with other people, because we have impression absorbed over the years that we fall back on.

When my parents used to drive me into the city and my father always took the Triboro Bridge down the FDR and turned onto 125 Street exit to avoid traffic, he would tell me to lock door, as we were entering Harlem.

The mindsets you get young you carry with you.

However  if you are a person of low income, a person just starting a marriage, just out of school, the county does not really care about your survival.

You cannot find an affordable apartment. You cannot save enough down payment for a house. You are cheated with low salaries. You are used as interns, the modern word for “slave.”

Mara Gay’s latest editorial in the New York Times Thursday was another “tell it like it is” editorial that took the New York State Legislature apart on their pompous rejection of Governor Hochul’s Housing Compact.

Her point was nothing has changed and how the leaders of this state, its towns and cities do not wake up and smell the coffee.

The poor, especial minorities, immigrants,young persons people we hope will lead us into the future we treat very badly. Even when organizations try and help it can be a patronizing experience, in my opinion.

Because nothing has changed in 73 years from the 1950s. Now it is not just minorities who are discriminated against and exploited it is youth and people trying to grow their careers, start families, the dreams they are taught to have but they cannot afford it.

This is part of a script for White Plains Week–it is written in all caps and I apologize.

THE STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY MUST THINK GOVERNOR HOCHUL IS A REPUBLICAN THE WAY THEY GUTTED HER PROPOSALS FOR NO TAX INCREASES, TRASHED HER HOUSING COMPACT PLAN AND JUST RAISED TAXES ON UPPER INCOMES.  IS THIS THE REPUBLICAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MOONLIGHTING IN ALBANY THIS WEEK?

WELL GOVERNOR HOCHUL WAS NOT HAPPY SHE SENT OUT FLYERS TO VOTERS ASKING FOR THEM TO TELL STATE SENATORS AND ASSEMBLY PERSONS TO SUPPORT HER BUDGET. 

SHE HAS BEEN EMBARRASSED TWICE NOW BY THE STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY LOVING  THEIR POWER. REJECTION OF THE COURT OF APPEALS JUSTICE AND NOW THIS KILL  OF A LONG NEEDED FOCUS ON GETTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILT IN AREAS QUICKLY NOW WHEN IT’S REALLY NEEDED THAT TOWNS AND VILLAGES – (YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE)HAVE USED SANCROSANCT ZONINGS TO DENY PROJECTS THEY DON’T WANT.

WHY? TO PRESERVE COMMUNITY CHARACTER. THESE VERY ATTITUDES DOCUMENTED BY MARA GAY IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ON THE OP PAGE TWO WEEKS AGO SHOW THAT THOSE RESTRICTIVE, ANTI MULTI FAMILY HOUSING TOWNS HAVE NEITHER CHARACTER, RESPONSIBITYITY OR RESPECT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMUTE FROM THE OUTLYING COUNTIES TO NEW YORK CITY TO WORK.

FOR THAT MATTER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS BEEN JAWBONING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IGNORED DOING SOMETHING TOUGH ABOUT IT FOR 20 YEARS NOW 10% of a building for affordable units is nothing. Lip service. Politicians will tell you it’s a start.

But you know what they never finish what they start.

COME ON!  AS WARNER WOLF WOULD SAY,

THE SENATE IS GOING TO GIVE $500 MILLION  IN MONETARY INCENTIVES TO THE SWANKY TOWNS  INSURING THEIR SUPPORT IN THE ELECTIONS TO COME FROM THE AREAS THAT NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 

THEY GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO DESIGN THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENTS? THAT IS A JOKE.

THE MONEY WILL BE CHEWED UP IN STUDIES, TASK FORCES, LOCAL  CONSULTANTS  IT WILL DRAG ON TAKE YEARS. ONCE AGAIN THIS IS BRAIN-DEAD ANALYSIS BY THE SENATE.

THE TOWNS ARE GOING TO STUDY WHAT’S NEEDED? REALLY.

THEY HAVE NOT DONE THAT IN WHAT 73 YEARS.

THE MONEY — HOW DOES STATE SENATE HOUSING PROBLEM SOLVERS “PLANNERS” SAY HOW THE $500 MILLION MUST BE USED BY A COMMUNITY.

DO THEY GET IT UPFRONT? OR BASED ON A LONG DRAWN OUT DISCUSSED PROPOSAL?

THEY PROBABLY HAVEN’T THOUGHT THAT OUT YET. BECAUSE THEY HAVE TROUBLE WITH THINKING.

 AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A GO-TO-WHEN-THERE’S AN ELECTION ISSUE FOR THEM, NOT A “WE ARE GOING TO BUILD IT ISSUE”  

 

Does anyone remember the Westchester County HOUSING ASSESSMENT ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO?

I DO.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S STUDY CONCLUDED THAT 11,703 WERE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE OVERCROWDED, OR HOMELESS AS WELL AS NON-WESTCHESTER RESIDENTS.

OVER ALL THE  NEED THE COUNTY’S OWN STUDY SAID THE REAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEED IS 82,451 UNITS IN ONE COUNTY!

WHAT? WHAT MUST IT BE THE HOUSING NEED ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE?

GOVERNOR HOCHUL WANTED TO BUILD 800,000 UNITS AND STARTED FINALLY THE CONVERSATION AND NOW THE LEGISLATURE THINKS IT CAN SOLVE IT WITH SEED MONEY THAT THE TOWNS WILL USE AT THEIR LEISURE…NO CONDITIONS…WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS?

THE STATE LEGISLATURE WANTS TO SPEND $500 MILLION NO STRINGS ATTACHED!

MORE PORK BARREL MONEY FOR STATUS QUO LEADERS IN TOWNS THAT HAVE IGNORED NEEDS OF THE OTHER HALF FOR YEARS.

 

OH—COUNTY EXECUTIVE LATIMER’S STUDY ALSO RECOMMENDED JUST WHAT MUCH OF GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S  HOUSING COMPACT WANTED TO DO

 AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKSHOPS FOR PUBLIC

 FUND  TUITION FOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS IN HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD WORKS AMERICA

2 YEAR UPDATES OF EXITING AFFORDABLE HOUSING INVENTORY TRACK ALL HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS OVER 10 UNITS

CAPTURE FORECLOSURES AS EVICTION PREVENTION STRATEGY

PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MUNICIPALITIES TO DRAFT MODEL ZONING ORDINANCES FOR ACCESSOR DWELLING UNITS

REUSE OF UNDER UTILIZED PROPERTY

HOUSING COMPACT BETWEEN COUNTY & MUNICIPALITIES (SOUND FAMILIAR)

NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES USING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT DATA (AGAIN SOUNDS FAMILIAR)

EXPAND ANTI EVICTION PROGRAMS 

PRE-DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OPTIONS—FUNDING FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT HOUSING AGENCIES  FOR PRE DEVELOPMENT COSTS FOR PRESERVATION AND CONSTRUCTION

AND  FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO START THOSE PROGRAMS.

 

I THINK THE STATE SENATE NEEDS TO PAY THE COUNTY A CONSULTING FEE FOR FOLLOWING MR. LATIMER’S STUDY SUGGESTIONS AND GOVERNOR HOCHUL, TOO.

 

HOWEVER I DO NOT UNDERSTAND MR. LATIMER SAYING HE BELIEVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IMPLEMENTATION HAS TO BE LEFT TO THE TOWNS AND MUNICIPALITIES TO DECIDE.

DESPITE WESTCHESTER’S WHOLESOME ATMOSPHERE.

THE HISTORY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF THEY HAVE NOT DONE IT.

THEY WON’T DO IT.

THE REPUBLICAN MR. ASTORINO FOUGHT HUD ON IT AND WON AND NOW THE DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING THE GOVERNOR OVER THIS ZONING OVERRIDE  BY DOING SO THEY ARE SUPPORTING  EXCLUSIONARY HOUSING.

OVERRIDING IS THE NAME OF THE GAME OVERRIDING THE YOUNG, THE UNDERPAID, THE STRIVING, THE DOWN ON THEIR LUCK WHO JUST WANT A HOME OR APARTMENT OF THEIR OWN SAFE SECURE AND NOT COSTING THEM $2,000 A MONTH OR $3,000 A MONTH FOR A LITTLE BOX

 

IT’S DISGUSTING HOW THE DEMOCRATS ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO MAKE THE GOVERNOR POSITION ONE OF A STATE MANAGER. THEY SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHAT THEY WISH FOR BECAUSE THEY WHO WOULD BE GOVERNOR NEXT WILL SEE THE FOOLISHNESS OF THIS ASSEMBLY-STATE SENATE DOES WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THE DEMOCRATS ARE DUPLICATING THE CHARADE OF GOVERNING GOING DOWN IN WASHINGTON D.C.– 

WHERE NO WANTS TO COMPROMISE.  NO ONE THINKS THE LITTLE GUYS LIVING DAY TO DAY WORKING TWO JOBS OR THE SINGLE MOM JUST WANTING A SAFE CLEAN TO LIVE.

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE THE BOSS AND DO WHAT THEY WANT WITHOUT THINKING OF THE EFFECT ON THE STATE OF LIFE.

I wish when I was in a position to speak to Marianne  that I had. Because I did not know howl

Our leaders have to be fearless and not be the go-fors  of the prejudiced, the privileged, and the power brokers.

The leaders of the last 73 years have condoned the redlining foreclosing, high mortgage down payments, and poorly maintained properties.

It’s worse than ever now.

The leaders up there do not have consciences!

Mine still bothers me when I think about Marianne.

 

 

 

 

 

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STATE OF EVIL

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WPCNR QUARTERLY STATE OF LIFE SERIES # 4. News & Comment  By John F. Bailey. March 27, 2023:

I am writing this after the Friday White Plains Week report.

When I finished that report and was having cocktail hour with Brenda Starr, she mentioned a covid article on page 2 of the  morning New York Times how the paper are changing the way they report the numbers on covid.

Their reason,  I quote:

“The New York Times is ending its Covid data gathering operation. The Times will continue to publish its Covid tracking pages for the United States, only now they will be based on the latest information available from the federal government, not The Times’s data set.”

The Times remarks they will concentrate on hospitalizations, deaths from the virus, but  will update them weekly, not daily. The Times also states “the data from state and local sources is reported less frequently and less reliably. The comprehensive, real-time reporting that the Times hjas prioritized is no longer possible.”

I applaud this effort to concentrate on hospitalizations to gauge the  ongoing impact of this disease.

Hospitalizations have been played down in information in Westchester County and the Mud-Hudson region.  And unless you have the patience of a season dataset analyst using the New York State Department of Health daily record of hospitalizations that shows what hospitals are getting hit with hospitalizations, you do not get a true picture of the chilling amount of persons being hospitalized for covid the last 2 and 1/2  months

White Plains Hospital Medical Center in the last 3 weeks back to March 1 shows that since march is a go-to place for many covid sufferers 58% of admissions to White Plains hospital beds are for Covid.    Through the 21st of March there were 172 persons admitted to White Plains Hospital and 102 were being treated for covid. These were not Emergency Room walk-ins and walkouts after treatment . Other hospitals around Westchester are not experiencing this consistent stream of Covid traffic.

The Times decision to drill deeper into hospitalizations around counties and their hospitals is a good one.

However when this new policy of once a week data desemination from the Center for Disease Control which has declared ambiguous messages in the past, and now we are going to get less of it from the CDC? How does that improve matters?

The government data mills grind out economic indicators weekly. One week it is up and one week they are down and the government, Wall Street, consumers moan. Politicians claim we must do something.

Meanwhile as the Times observes in Covid there is a deterioration of time on-the-money data.

When facts fail to be considered important by bureaucrats of large agencies, there is a tendency to dilute the value of facts.

The Times is troubled by this deterioration of quality timely Covid data. So is the noted epidemiologist, Dr. Katelyn Jetelina whose news letter has opened my eyes to a lot of not is not being interelated when the should be.

I have long decried Westchester County suspending the county community by community daily infections map When they did that about 6 months it was a real loss because the media lost a measuring tool that at the time it was suspended was showing all communities in county with daily new cases of the disease. We had that and now we don’t

The evil that creates situations is the tendency to portray matters in a positive manner, particularly if you are governing them. Happy economy, happy recreation, there’s no security problems –those positives keep the people from panicking or being  conservative in their contributions to society: keeping the economy going by spending comes to mind. Covid killed us for 3 years. Now we may be letting it back in by not paying attention enough to what it is doing.

The hospitalizations data for the facilities in Westchester New York City, Nassau and Suffolk and the Mid-Hudson region  is very revealing.

On March 21, the 7 counties in the Mid Hudson Region was 104 in one day which is 3,126 possible cases hospitalized in a month from now.

What is needed is knowledge on how hospital staffs are being impacted. Are nurses leaving in droves. Are doctors retiring. Is there a shortage of medicine to treat covid? The people in our 7 counties in the Hudson region are getting sick with covid. How are the logistics of treating holding up and of course who is getting it.

School reporting on their positive covid cases is a must. Schools must be more candid on their illness management and extend of it. Last year White Plains Hospital had 25% of students, teachers, administrations  come down with covid. We have no idea of that now.

That is just making it easy to hide, if you want to hide, how the schools, businesses and the people in those venues what the covid situation and hoping it all blow over.

Today the state of evil is willfully ignoring reality.

 

 

 

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STATE OF THE STATE

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The State of the State

WPCNR QUARTERLY STATE OF LIFE SERIES # 3. News & Comment  By John F. Bailey. March 26, 2023:

The state government has us in their hands and they are being very careless with us.

They have bad hands as they say in the dugouts.

They never make a play in the clutch.

They are afraid of getting their expensive suits dirty.

I have just seen in the last year the most irresponsible, partisan, unprincipled management of state affairs and actions by the leadership of the State Senate and State Assembly I can remember since the three-men-in-a-room days of past.

The Democratic Party decided last year  just decided they would take away seats held by Republicans in central New York by  redrawing  election districts in Westchester County to get rid of first term congressman who defeated previous long serving Congressman who had been defeated in primaries.

They gerrymandered districts and did not obey the law requiring the  new districts be submitted for approval by the proper committee. Republicans gerrymandered out of districts sued. Democrats lost, they took it to the Appellate court in the region and boom they lost again, then it went up to the Court of Appeals and Governor Cuomo-appointed Chief Justice ruled against the Democrats, too.

How stupid were they in doing this under the present Democratic Leadership?

Very stupid—6-lost-seats-to-Republicans-in November-stupid.

Those Republicans that won in NY turned over the house of Representatives to the Republicans in this new about-to-do-nothing Congress for the next two years.

The defeats cost Westchester Mondaire Jones, (now out of politics), when Sean Maloney carved up his district to kick Mondaire Jones out of it and run himself for what he thought was safer seat.

Instead Republican Mike Lawler defeated Mr. Maloney, who is now in political limbo. And Mr. Lawler is a New York political factor now.

But that is not the only stupid, illegal thing the Democrats did. Their “abuse” of power also cost us Carolyn Maloney, also gerrymandered out of congress.

Though Governor Hochul defeated Lee Zelden for Governor, the Democrats now have turned on her for their own political gains shooting to make her a one term governor.

The State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins is aiming for that gubernatorial nomination in 2024.

Assemblyman Heastie may be eyeing it, too. So might other State Senators (Shelley Mayer)  or possible County Executives out of a job i n 2024.

The Democrats and Republicans in Albany are refusing to pass Governor Hochul’s Housing Compact.

After the Democrats stripped Governor Cuomo of his epaulets by taking away his control of calling a state of emergency over covid, in an effort to lift covid restrictions which the people wanted.

Mr. Cuomo immediately did lift all restrictions which opened up society and let covid infections rise for 3 months into July 2022 giving us 10,000 infections in July. (Thanks to the vaccines, this rise has been cut down to where it has lowered for 13 straight weeks in August, heading for a 14th.)

The State Senators and Assembly persons were out to sweep Cuomo out of their way by  keeping the right to declare a State Emergency for themselves.

This move they threw on Cuomo while he was accused of sexual harassment of women who worked for him, took away a very important responsibility from all future governors.

This is not a good thing.

The State Senate and State Assembly cannot make decisions when decisions have to be made if a decision that should be made would possibly cost them votes.

None of them up there will vote to shut down the state if covid gains more momentum. (It already has momentum.)  Shutting down the towns, ruling for masking, demanding schools report cases as Mr. Cuomo did, can you really see them doing that? This might be unpopular.

That is why we were so lucky when covid hit that Governor Cuomo took action. You may not like Governor Cuomo but he saved this state by his actions on Covid.  Both houses of the state legislature hated him for that took positions that opposed it when it was not their decision.

Now they have that power. Will they use it if the covid tide rolls back in?

Look at the huge discrepancies between new covid cases (quite low by official dissemination of results, while hospitalizations across the 7 counties are running 2,539 two weeks into March. Latest hospitalizations are indicating we may get 4,000 hospitalizations (actual admission to the hospitals, not emergency room walk-ins and walk-outs).

Westchester daily cases as reported are significantly lower than actual cases being discovered. Does this mean escalation of infections? Well now they have to decide that. Governor Hochul’s hands are tied by inability to declare an State of Health Emergency herself unless the state houses support it.

Do you think anyone in Albany wants to do that?

The game in Albany among the Democratically controlled houses is “Get Hochul.”

Senator Stewart-Cousins signaled  so eagerly and prematurely with totally no class. She declared the Hochul sisterhood with her Democratic Controlled State Senate  was over when she pulled another fast one.

When it was clear Governor Hochul’s nominee for Chief Justice of the New York Court of Appeals was unacceptable to the Democrats living in their own hubris of righteousness,  she acted.

She had the votes from Republicans to confirm him, State Senator Stewart-Cousins added three Democrats to the Senate Judiciary Committee and Judge Hector LaSalle, head of the Appellate Court, 2nd Department, was defeated.

He would have been the first Hispanic Chief Justice.

By the way, the Appellate Court second department was the court that declared Adam Bradley did not get a fair trial in his  trial on charges brought by his wife.  This decision by the 2nd Department paved the way for a retrial that cleared Bradley. The very same court also threw out the Judge Lefkowitz decision allowing the French American School to build, thus finally defeating that project that the City of White Plains had fought to get through the courts for 11 years.

The Second Department stopped it.

Then Governor Hochul in submitting the budget two weeks ago offered the Housing Compact attempting to create 800,000 units of affordable housing across the state. It also set goals of 3% increase in affordable housing building for downstate Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk and the 6 counties in the Mid-Hudson region.

When the leaders of towns, villages and cities screamed about upholding the “quality” of their community, and overriding their zoning laws, true to form, Hochul was seen as vulnerable.

For 23 years since I’ve been doing this website I have heard Democrats talk about affordable housing, workforce housing.

When a bill is submitted that would do something about it they kill it.

Instead of setting quotas they want to pay communities to build their own and see what happens, leaving zoning intact. They are attacking her daily on the budget providing more money for schools, refusing to revise the bail law.

Do we see a pattern here?

There is.

The Democrats now are taking the position Robert Astorino the former County Executive when the Department of Housing and Urban Development sued Westchester  for not using community funds for building  affordable housing. HUD withheld the funds.

The Democrats fully supported HUD on that issue which dragged on for 11 years until the Trump administration took over. The suit was settled when in making a  submission of an 11th  analysis of zoning practices  that  the Monitor approved.

The Journal News reported the settlement this way:  (Approved)Version 11 was that Westchester removed many of its most antagonistic statements that resisted any link between zoning and demographics. For example, this line in the 10th AI about the Village of Port Chester got zapped in the 11th: “…there is no pattern between where minority populations live and zoning for multi-family housing.”

Now the Democrats are taking the position against  the Housing Compact essentially letting local zoning which has denied apartments, high rise, townhouse types of construction in certain toney communities (and you know who they are).

Governor Hochul sent out a flyer to voters this week urging them to contact the Senators and Assembly to pass her budget. She has not yet submitted a new Chief Justice candidate.

Meanwhile court is short one judge. After the denial of Judge LaSalle by the State Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate as a whole, (at Hochul’s insistence) it be put to a vote of the whole State Senate.

The court cannot hear cases effectively.

Pay attention Mr. and Mrs. And Ms. White Plains and Westchester the politicians smile and say they care and they understand your complaints. They may listen and nod “Yes” but they aren’t really. It is all about power and their personal growth in politics they care about.

With these type of people acting as they have the last three years, the state problems will be tentatively dealt with. We can expect no hard decisions from this gang and it is not a party it is a gang. They deceive, set you up and ruin you.

The antitdote to this is to realize that politicians only need you on election day.

They are fast talkers, old or young they are old smoothies. So believable, so righteous. Sincere. They look you in the eye and they can tell you anything and you believe them.

That is a talent. They are actors. They have been doing it for a long time. They know all the lines that work by heart.

Your job is to pay attention on the local level.

But I can write the truth for 20 years as I have done and the same things keep happening, and the same things we wanted 23 years ago we still do not have.

Affordable housing?  Try getting it now, throwing money at towns won’t do it. Developers do not love building affordable housing. They’d rather buy out of the commitment as they do in White Plains.

More money for  housing for the disabled? More homes for the growing disabled population?

Investigation of medicare-medicaid fraud by hospitals? Does not happen.

Bail reform without thinking it through? That has happened

Oversight of school district malfeasance and mismanagement? Never happens often.

But make no mistake, those legislators up their in both Senate and Assembly do not have it –the ability to make decisions that will solve problems.

They do have the ability to yes to policies that preserve the status quo and their seat or aid lobbyists’ clients. That they do without hesitation and a twinge of conscience.

How though, getting back to the Housing Compact delivery to the Albany Legislation Morgue in the Hudson River, will any town in the communities of suburban Westchester ever be able to have affordable starter homes, condos, co-ops in the present Westchester zoning? it is as restrictive as it was in the 1950s

73 years ago.

 

 

 

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State of the City

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State of the City

WPCNR QUARTERLY STATE OF LIFE SERIES # 2: STATE OF THE CITY . News & Comment by John F. Bailey. March 25, 2023:

The times they are-a-changin’ in White Plains New York USA.

They are always changing.

White Plains has changed every 50 years.

From the sleepy grand boulevards with elegant large single family houses the first 10 years of the twentieth century to tearing down of those homes and turning them into business buildings, movie houses by the 20s and 30s. Building out to the residential north and south and east in the 1950’s . Then came doing away with the old Senator Hotel and rooming houses and the old train station with urban renewal in the 1960s.

Westchester One  set the pace,  leading to the  building of the Galleria in the 70s, followed by the elimination of the old department stores, Macy’s then Alexander’s and A &S in the 1990s . A new train station finally replaced the hole in the ground left by the old station. Then came The Westchester Mall after much argument. Apartments were built on Bank Street. The Gateway One was built.

Now in the first 23 years of the 21st Century the city is in a long period of high rise building 40 story towers in downtown. The future started rising in 2001 when the City Center was first proposed bringing another upscale mall, movies back to downtown, followed by the concept of “connected or adjacent” zoning “finesse” which lead to the Ritz Carlton Renaissance Square condominiums and the concept of “mixed-use” development of residential buildings rising high with retail

Still the developments keep on coming:

Redesign of the 440 Hamilton and separate residential building (not completed yet). Tearing down of the Westchester Pavilion for a new mixed-used apartment and retail delayed by the recession of 2008 through the present day. We are still waiting for the design changes on that new hole in the ground.  The Saks Fifth Avenue store was torn down and Fortunoff’s built another retail, business mall.  The Crowne Plaza had appeared close by.

The White Plains Mall was sold and a new development, Hamilton Green has finally begun construction with excavation.

The Mitchell has just opened. The Gateway II apartments and mixed retail is going up very close to 20 stories now and could be finished and open by the end of  this year. We  still await the apartments now under construction at the old Esplanade being converted to apartments.

The apartments across from the Westchester are show signs of site preparation. The Waterstone assisted living residence has opened on Bloomingdale Road. Grid Properties sold their property between Maple Avenue and Post Road and White Plains Hospital is planning another hospital to be built on that property, no concrete plans yet presented. Two apartment buildings were opened on Maple up the road from Fortunoffs.

How has this changed the city? A lot.

What does city leadership have to consider? More than ever.

First, the city is heavy with traffic now. Before developments are finished.

We have a very real rush hour now with cars backing up  bumper to bumper on Main Street going into the city. Talk about congestion pricing!

There is heavy traffic on North Broadway south into the city in the mornings and going out in the evenings. There is big time backups coming into the city from the East in the A.M. and out the P.M. Up from the South on Mamaroneck Avenue the traffic is zipping and trying to judge whether they can get through the yellow without getting caught in a photo violation of the red light rule at the Bryant and Mamaroneck intersection.

The traffic is complicated throughout the day by construction work on the roads possibly connected with building as well as needed maintenance.

Pedestrians are a problem because there are a lot of jaywalkers crossing the street that drivers must watch for. I tell you jaywalking (crossing in the middle of the block) and looking at cellphones while walking instead of watching for traffic is the new way to walk around White Plains New York USA. The pedestrians also cross in the striped cross walk against the light. However the timing  on countdown lights seconds before the light changes is a terrific feature of the city traffic system.

The building has been amping up literally for the last two years. As you can tell, from the by no means complete rundown of approved projects not yet going up and starting to go up, we have yet to see the full impact of traffic when the new residents start adding their cars to the mix of traffic.

Take it from me the notion the new residents  are not going to have cars is a fantasy. If you believe the electric car predictions we need a lot of recharging stations we do not have now!

The city needs to be looking at how it  brings relief to the growing traffic congestion now, before it turns into gridlock when The Mitchells, the Hamilton Greens, the Gateway IIs  start to fill up with tenants and that’s just two more building chock full of people with cars.

Should roads be widened in the downtown? (I don’t see how.)

Should there be express lanes out on Main and Hamilton in the rush hours? Bring on the traffic consultants nowwwwwwwwwww.

The city and Common Council need to start a bunch of task forces and studies—A traffic in-flow and outflow study, a study of pedestrian enforcement before some jaywalker miscalculates Crossing gates in the roadways at lighted intersections– time for thinking out of the box.. A trolley system study to get folks from the high rises to the train station. I think about 15 years ago, the city did do a trolley study for about $160,000 but it was never made public.

And while it enters my mind those bus only lines really jammy up the traffic because Main, Mamaroneck Ave and Hamilton Avenue are too narrow.

Development is going non-stop in White Plains.

As George Gretsas once said, a town that does not develop, dies.

Right now development is looked on as the future of White Plains. It may make the city survive but it might strangle us too.

Another mixed use project: the new Galleria development is being contemplated. No site plan has been officially submitted. Peter Katz of the Westchester County Business Journal  reported  in Monday issue, the Mayor is not interested in discussing with Pacific Retail Partners until they come in with a request for a zoning change.

The Mayor also told Mr. Katz that the city owns the parking garage and expected to be paid for the garage. This city stance is interesting. Usually the city goes along with whatever a developer wants, they get: height, parking capacity. This will be a huge project that will afflict the traffic flow into and out of the city for at least 5 years, once they start it. The question is when they will get approval to raze the existing ruin of the Galleria that will be closed March 31.

The White Plains Hospital expansion, on the other hand is  receiving utmost cooperation from the White Plains city government in developing its latest project.  But…but….but it also deserves real traffic scrutiny, Maple and Post Road and South Lex are main routes out to the south side of town. The traffic situation is lousy in the mornings at the Dickstein Center and City Garage that the city built for the hospital.

The drivers dropping  off patients  in traffic lanes on Maple for the new office complex are rear-enders waiting to happen – and to charge for parking there is an outrage. In Greenwich Hospital, you get valet parking free. The traffic patterns in that development the hospital wants is another mess if they do not pay attention at city hall .

In real estate, White Plains remains a very attractive place to live because of the low real estate taxes and the school system. However as County Legislator Benjamin Boykin said in this week’s People to Be Heard interview, the county is still trying to get small businesses back to full strength. The legislator is worried that the economy is iffy.

Nowhere is it more iffy for people buying real estate, selling real estate, and representing real estated.Real Estate is flopping around on the dock because the banks are folding.

As residents in White Plains know, people want to buy their houses. Realtors want White Plains homeowners to put their homes on the market because the realtors need inventory, more houses to sell so prices can come down within reach of the first time buyers, and the moving-on-uppers.

The seller if he or she put their home, condo, co-op or two family home up for sale, can they get their price they planned on?

With this latest big time bank failures in the billions last week, compounded by the  8% inflation rate, first time buyers are getting mortgage rates that literally kill their ability to buy. You have to put 20% down on a 30 year mortgage. On a $400,000 home, that’s $100,000 down. Those of us who put middle market homes are already seeing prices escalate on those.

The median market price of Westchester  homes in the third quarter was $872,000 driven by the higher priced properties which have had to come down in their prices.

Homeowners now have to think seriously about fixing up conditions that may easily force them to lower their price to sell, allowing for repairs future homeowner might have to do. (It is a negotiation. If the owner invests to make his or her  home acceptable,  will they get their investment in repairs back?) Living in White Plains you will sell your home fast if you lower the price, but can you afford to do so?

The schools continue to have  a good reputation. The student body is very diverse. The atmosphere is good there. The school budget at a 1.9% increase up for approval May 18,is not a problem, increasing the average $650,000 single family house taxes $200. However the rise in the budget would not have been possible without the massive school aid freed up by the state legislators–made possible by covid aid.

If the County and City are afflicted with another covid sixth wave this summer (what happened last year) there may be some serious budget problems in 2024-25 school year. The enrollment is declining, but as Brenda Starr always tells me you cannot cut budgets year to year and deliver the same service (or academic atmosphere) in any organization.

Politics: the city will again be controlled this fall by an all Democratic Common Council, since the Republican Party has not announced any candidates yet.

What this Common Council has to do is develop the ability to ask questions of developers, examine the plans they present in the light of ancillary effects on the city and make changes. Each site plan in the ever flowing White Plains Development Pipeline, not yet submitted has to be viewed more in relation to the  environment it is going to affect. Impacts count!

The city solar project placements should continue. The panels on roofs of city owned buildings and availability of incentives to put solar on privately buildings built or  not built yet – should have been pushed for that Every new project should be put to the task.

The Common Council should explore utility prices with Con Edison and Westchester Power, and the Public Service Commission and the New York Independent Systems Operator. They need to find out the reasons behind why Westchester Power was forced to pay a higher rate than Con Edison, with Escos unable to compete with a lower bid. No one else is doing this. We should. This was a move to prevent consortium purchasing of electric power which has really hurt Con ED

This really hurt a Westchester Power-city like White Plains which by participation made it work. If I were on the council I would have asked to have the power establishment of New York State explain. The Escos and the power giant operated as a monopoly in restraint of trade which is against the law.

On another pressing environmental issue coming on the week when the U.N. said we have 10 years to save the world from climate change,  I would explore the advantages of requiring existing Houses and new houses to be built in White Plains should use geo-thermal units, and I suggest this to The  Mayor and Council should explore this, perhaps subsidize it.

Have I left anything out. I am sure I have forgotten something.  If I have overlooked an issue in the city I have missed and is important to you, write me at wpcnr@aol.com.

Your opinion counts.

Use it.

This is the second in the States of Life Series of First Quarter Reports where the White Plains, Westchester, New York Stage, the Mid-Hudson Regions are, in coping with their lives, expectations of government, things to watch for, situations to be alarmed about. You might call the States of Life series a reality report. You may not agree that what I write is true real or what, but my observations are put forth in your best interests to sort out your personal priorities always moving forward and draw out your own personal opinions which can be forwarded to wpcnr@aol.com.

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BAIL THAT MAKES SENSE: GOVERNOR HOCHUL ON CRIME IN NEW YORK. HIGHLIGHTS SAFETY INVESTMENTS, NEED FOR COMMON SENSE BAIL POLICYAND REFORMS IN 2024 BUDGET

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Common-Sense Bail Proposal to Eliminate Confusion in Conflicting Laws and Hold Repeat Offenders and Violent Criminals Accountable   

Governor Kathy Hochul Wednesday announced new statewide crime data and highlighted the need for public safety investments and reforms included in her Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

During a speech at the Capitol, the Governor outlined her $491.9 million investment in proven strategies to address and prevent gun crime and violence, reduce recidivism, and help the criminal justice system continue to rebound from pandemic-era disruptions.

Shooting incidents with injury declined 17 percent in New York City and 15 percent in the 20 communities that report gun violence data to the state when comparing last year to 2021, and those incidents continued to decline in early 2023.

The number of reported murders declined 11 percent statewide in last year, with 94 fewer individuals killed, and while overall index crime increased 21 percent, those numbers are nowhere near those seen in three decades ago. Governor Hochul also made the case for her common-sense proposal to remove the “least restrictive” standard the state’s bail law, which is key to restoring judicial discretion and holding accountable those who continually reoffend and commit violent crimes.     

New Yorkers deserve a criminal justice system that prioritizes both safety and justice,” Governor Hochul said. Protecting New Yorkers is my number one priority, which is why my budget proposal includes record-level investments and proven strategies to ensure my administration can do just that. We are working overtime to fight crime across our state and are moving in the right direction but won’t stop until every New Yorker can live in safety.”   

Governor Hochul also reiterated the need for her common-sense bail proposal to eliminate any confusion in the law.  It would build upon other revisions made to the law since it took effect on January 1, 2020, which also focused on making sure that judges have discretion to set bail for those accused of serious crimes and repeat offenses.     

On one hand, the law limits judges to making pretrial determinations based solely on the “least restrictive means” necessary to ensure a defendant’s return to court.

On the other hand, the law also directs judges to consider a range of other factors when setting bail. This results in finger-pointing and confusion when defendants commit additional crimes of violence.

 Governor Hochul’s proposal restores a judge’s discretion to consider factors already included in the law and make the appropriate individualized determination. 

Governor Hochul highlighted her comprehensive criminal justice platform, additional crime trends that show progress achieved to date and improvements that still need to occur to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the system.

 

 Shooting incidents with injury continue to decline this year, with 55 fewer people (-34 percent) shot in the 20 communities that report gun violence data to the state and participate in the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative and 44 fewer individuals (-21 percent) wounded by gunfire in New York City, as of March 12, 2023. Overall index crime increased 21 percent: violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault), 10 percent, and property crime (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft), 24 percent, during the same timeframe.      

   

Key criminal justice system metrics have not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, when New York State experienced an all-time low in reported crime after seven consecutive years of declines.

 

Misdemeanor and felony arrests increased in 2022 but are still tracking lower than numbers reported by police agencies from 2017 through 2019.

At the same time, the state’s courts resolved fewer cases last year: 118,378 dispositions reported when compared to dispositions that occurred annually from 2017 through 2019.      

  

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Equity and fairness are two pillars of the criminal justice system that are vital to ensure it is working effectively for all New Yorkers. Everyone who calls New York home should be able to rest assured that the system is continually improving to keep us safe. I am thankful for Governor Hochul’s support and partnership in our commitment to true justice and safety for all.”  

   

Governor Hochul’s budget proposal doubles down on programs that have proven successful, investing $337 million$110 million increase from FY 2023 budget, which contained the largest investment in public safety funding in a generation. The FY 2024 proposal includes:     

 

  • $84.1 million for youth employment programs, of which $37 million is for programs in Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) jurisdictions.     
  • $70 million for communities to respond to the aftermath of gun violence, of which $50 million is for community capital needs.       
  • $36.4 million for the Gun Involved Elimination (GIVE) initiative.     
  • $31.1 million for crime reduction, youth justice, and gang prevention programs.     
  • $25.9 million for State Police Community Stabilization Units (CSUs), increasing the number of these units from 16 to 25.     
  • $25 million for the SNUG Street Outreach program.     
  • $18 million for the state-supported Crime Analysis Center network, including the establishment of a new center in New York City, bringing the number of centers statewide to 11.     

The Executive Budget proposal also includes significant funding to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the criminal justice system:  

  • $52 million in aid to prosecution funding for all 62 district attorneys’ offices.     
  • $40 million to funding to support discovery reform implementation.     
  • $31.4 million for alternatives to incarceration programs.     
  • $20 million for pretrial services. 
  • $11.5 million for 20 County Re-entry Task Forces, which help individuals reintegrate to their communities after serving prison sentences.     

Taken together, these investments fund a comprehensive plan that address all facets of the system. 

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has taken actions to strengthen New York State’s gun violence prevention laws by banning ghost guns, large capacity magazines and body armor; expanding bail eligibility for gun crimes; raising the age to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21; and launching the first-in-the-nation Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns, which met again in mid-March, among other initiatives.     

  

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State of Covid

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WPCNR QUARTERLY STATE OF LIFE SERIES # 1: STATE OF COVID. News & Comment by John F. Bailey. March 24, 2023:

The State of Covid will now be whatever our leaders say it is.

Because they who control the reports of covid spread or decline will now be only reporting results once a week on Fridays.

This is not a good development.

Those of you who make my weekly Covid Surveillance Reports developed from the daily trends of the communities in Westchester, Orange, Rockland, Dutchess, Ulster, Putnam and Sullivan Counties (the seven counties in the Mid-Hudson region) reported by the New York State Covid-19 Covid Tracker will not be worried any more or encouraged by lower numbers of new covid infections. You will understand whatever the state chooses to tell you.

Why?  Any figures  they will tell you will not reflect in real time the resurgence of the disease or the continued “diminution” of the disease. (What a lovely word! Diminution presents a very comforting feeling to the person who reads or hears it.

Once a week the authorities will analyze a week results, and who knows if they will level with us as to the real extend of the spread.

Why should they?

Because they have softened the real picture for a year and a half.

The state computerized data collection formats used the very questionable method of  the Center for Disease breaking down the number of new cases reported per county by increments of 100,000 of population.

In order to know how many infections you have in a day, I the reporter, and you the person concerned about statistics must know the population of your county to know how many infections of covid are really happening a day.

Then multiply that out by week and 4 weeks of a month. The state could very easily report the infections by total population automatically without leaving us out here in queryland to do the math.

What this format has done is provide a false sense the disease is not as spreading a lot each day.

 

But unless you multiply it out according to 100,000 increments of population, the growth of cases is being  reported with an error factor of as much as 50%.

Now the State  as the Center for Disease Control announced a month previously,  said Friday statistics are not going to be issued by the major stat providers. (I guess they are tired.)

This announcement by the state coincided with President Biden announcing the State of Emergency would end May 11.

Now Governor Hochul and the legislature currently controls covid policy and the right to announce a covid state of emergency  again if needed.

To refresh your memory, the  State Senators and Assemblypersons  took this away from the Governor’s office during the sunset of the former governor (Andrew Cuomo).  Now the senators and assemblypersons are now following suit.

The Governor’s updates on covid released to the press via email  have basically stayed the same issuing new statistics based on the former day, sometimes on time and sometimes not — now are going to issue the stats for a week on new covid cases beginning this  week. The day-by-day results will be on the New York State Covid Tracker dailyl

However the state is also looking at relaxing the amount of reporting hospitals have to provide on covid cases coming in, admissions.

It is unclear how detailed or curtailed the hospitalization figures will be. The statkeepers in the hospitals do not for the most part do hot treat patients.

I see no reason why that cannot still be reported the same way it is now. Hospitalizations broken down by daily covid cases compared to total hospitalization admissions.

My concern may be way off base, but the hospitalization stats you can get by hospital off the New York State Health Department Hospitalization site are hard to get a true picture because they are tough for the non-technical person to  even access a hospital without knowing the hospital code. The hospitalization numbers are very difficult to access comparative information fast. (Perhaps that’s why few media report them in a comparative way that actually means something.)

Since the March 17 statistics came out, here is where Westchester County stands:

First the good news that the present daily statistics put out ended March 17

Westchester county had 35 positives if 1,211 tested 2.7%. The county over 7 days average 3.6 new cases a day per 100,000 population.

Westchester has completed a 13th week of decline in new covid cases with 175 cases compared to 254 last week. 989 for the 2 weeks and 3 days of March so far..

However, not so fast. At 3.6 new cases per 100,000 population a day over 7 days, you have to multiply that by 23.26 the number of 100,000 uncrements in Westchester population (1,040,000) to get the true daily figure.

The true daily number of cases for 1 day is 90 a day. Which is 634 for a week and over the month of March would give us 2,559 new cases in the month.

Perhaps this explains the high number of hospitalizations the 7 counties are experiencing the first three weeks of March

According to the report statistics on the hospitalizations graph for the Mid-Husdson Region of the 7 counties this is the hospitalizations were for the counties which have a total population of :

The population of the 7 counties in the Mid-Hudson Region is 2,326,000. That means there are 23.26 segments of 100,000 in the 7 county population. Multiply that daily figure of new covid patients hospitalized in 7 counties (55.56  per 100,000 people, you get 129 hospitalized patients with covid  being hospitalized in 1 day March 16 in the 7 counties as of March 13.

Hospitalizations for  17 days in March for all 7 counties look like this:

MARCH   COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS  ICU INTUBATED  COVID/DAY/100KPop    DAY/WEEK/MONTH

 

17                  117                              11                            5.56               129  /905 /3,621

16                 129                               10                           5.56                 129  /905/3,621

15                 128                                14                           5.51                128  /897/3,588

14                 129                                13                           5.56                129  /905/3,621

13                  137                               15                           5.9                  137  /960/3,842

10                  136                                12                           5.86                136  /954/3,816

9                  145                                  7                           6.24                145 /1,015/4063

8                  147                                  7                           6.33                147/1,029/4,116

7                  153                                 11                           7                    162/1,139/4,558

6                  151                                 11                            6.50              151/1,058/4,233

3                 147                                  15                            6.33               147/1029/4116

2                 155                                  15                            6.68               155/1,087/4,350

1                  178                                 12                            7.67               178/1,246/4,984

FEB 28         164                                  13                           7.06               164/1,149/4,598

The above chart shows you what the probable hospitalizations will be across 7 Mid-Hudson Counties for the month of March– approximately 4,500 if the current average covid hospitalizations for covid continue

The hospitalizations for covid as you can see are going down  from 164  as of February 28 to 129 last Friday..110but not by much. The average for the 7 counties for the 13 days is 144 for the 7 counties  the new infections a day give you 1,015 infections a day, 4,000 cases in the month.

This covid is out there and we need to be aware.

How does this affect White Plains Hospital Center?

WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL SITUATION

However, in White Plains alone, in the 30 days since February 15, White Plains Hospital Center has admitted 329 patients and 130 (40% of those admitted) were admitted for treatment of covid.

In the last week, White Plains has  Hospital has seen some slowdown. Of  68 admissions, 42 were admitted for treatment of covid (62% of admissions) from March 8 to 15. March 1st through March 8, 42 persons of the 72 admitted (62%) were for treatment of covid.

Westchester County had 2,906 cases lab verified positive with covid in the month of February. But why all the hospitalizations across the 7 counties?

I worry there are just more covid positive persons out there who of antigen tested saw they were positive but have not  gone to get lab verified becaus they need to work, need to take care of children and covid makes them sick and they eventually get so sick they have to have go to the hospital for treatment. This is just a hunch.

Significantly there is no data now telling the true nature of our covid situation.

If the state is thinking seriously about cutting data from the hospitals because they think it is no longer needed how with the State Senators and Assembly persons and county health officials decide if covid is under control or not.

We need more data not less.

If I was a health administrator I would demand, no, WANT to know:

  1. How long each covid infected person is now staying in the hospital.
  2. How many are reinfectees, so we can judge how many will come  back. (They have to be coming back now)
  3. How many have long covid
  4. How much additional medications to they need.
  5. Do our hospitals have enough medication to take in these persons so sick they need to be admitted to the hospital at a 40% rate of admissions a day?
  6. We should stop worrrying bout keeping empty beds and worry about and find out aggressively what the disease is doing. Are we seeing new variants?
  7.  The schools should be told to report new cases of covid, flu so we can see how the new laissez fair State Education Department you do not have to report cases of covid policy is working out. We do not know. Let me repeat that, we do not know.
  8. The disease roared back last July with 10,000 new cases in a month, and here after almost 7-1/2 months later we still seeing new cases over 7 counties at a 4,000 a month pace, what if this happens again, only on a larger scale, what will the leadership do?
  9. Vaccine boosters for the fall, will county residents have to pay for them? The public is not getting their full compliment of shots when they are free. It is not their fault. They have been told it’s O.K. with no reason except hopeful optimism. If covid throws a 6th wave at us by summer, somebody has to think about how they are going to get the unvaccinated and not completely vaccinated vaccinated.
  10. Restrictions have been completely relaxed. Leaders say we are getting back to a new normal. We’re told all about the wonderful things being done in Albany in the budget. Could do a little thinking about the covid situation please.

Thinking is something the leaders in Albany and Counties and cities and towns should do more of.

 

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GREENBURGH MOVES AHEAD ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE 4 CORNERS

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Geenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. March 23, 2023:

At Tuesday’s Greenburgh Town Board work session the Greenburgh Town Board spent some time meeting with our Albany lobbyist, John Emrick. We discussed seeking state funding to help the town implement one of Governor Kathy Hochul’s goals: more housing (including affordable housing) near train stations.

The 4 corners in Hartsdale (East Hartsdale Ave, Central Ave, West Hartsdale Ave)  would be an excellent location for mixed use housing. But, we will need state financial help creating turning lanes and safety improvements on West and East Hartsdale Ave (to reduce traffic congestion) and will also need state funding to address flooding conditions on Central Ave.

Because housing near train stations is such a high priority for the Governor, we believe that this is a perfect opportunity to seek help from Albany.  The discussion with John Emrick can be watched on the link below (first topic on work session agenda).

This is a link to the Hartsdale Neighbors Association posting about the four corners in Hartsdale: a nice history of community efforts to create mixed use housing at this site.

https://hartsdaleneighbors.org/wp/4corners/

https://greenburghny.new.swagit.com/videos/222432

The Greenburgh Town Board also supports a county grant that will help us move the 4 corner redevelopment initiative forward.

 Westchester County has a Downtown Improvement Grant (if chosen the County provides a Consultant no cost to carryout market studies which we would use to focus on the redevelopment potential of Four Corners; if chosen the grant also provides $250,000 for use following the market studies – this is envisioned as funding for a consultant to prepare Zoning Code language to enable redevelopment at Four Corners).
2.       A resolution approving a NYSDOT contractor to rent the Town owned site on West Hartsdale Avenue for a monthly fee for 3-6 months. This contractor will be carrying out a NYSDOT project to update the traffic signal and make new ADA compliant curb ramps at each 4C intersection.
 PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
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BOOSTERS. DO YOU NEED A SPRING COVID BOOSTER? NEW ANALYSIS BY YOUR LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST

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