Bishop Collie Nathan Edwers sitting at his desk at Friendship Worship Center in Mount Vernon

     When Bishop Collie Nathan Edwers, pastor of Friendship Worship Center in Mount Vernon walks the streets of Mount Vernon, those who don't know him are intimidated by his size, since he is built like an NFL linebacker. But those that know him say he is a gentle giant, with a constant big smile on his face.
     Bishop Edwers has been very visible throughout the City of Mount Vernon in the last few months, since he has tossed his hat in the ring and is running for a seat as a Mount Vernon City Councilman.
     The Bishop was born in Newark, NJ to the late Bishop Collie Edwers and Mother Dorothy Edwers. He is the third child in a family of seven children. Affectionately known as Nathan, he was reared in the quiet suburban community of North Edison, NJ. He was baptized by his father, and preached his first official sermon after obtaining his license to preach at the age of sixteen.
     He was educated in the Edison School System until his parents relocated to Metuchen, NJ during his junior year of high school and graduated there.
     The Bishop was called to pastor his first church, Calvary U.F.W Baptist Church in Brooklyn at twenty-two. More

09-30-09
White Plains, NY
Music Conservatory of Westchester Turns 80 with a Birthday Celebration on October 3
Kick-Off Event Marks Beginning of Special Anniversary Programming

09-22-09
Mt. Vernon, NY
Breaking News
MOUNT VERNON NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER FIGHTS TO SAVE W.I.C PROGRAM

We received notification on September 15, 2009 that the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) does not intend to renew the contract with the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center (MTVNHC) to continue on-site W.I.C. services at our three FQHC sites located in Mount Vernon, Southwest Yonkers and Greenburgh/White Plains, after 35 years of operation.  Instead, we must transition our patients to another vendor.  It is our understanding that the new vendor will be Sound Shore Medical Center in New Rochelle.      According to Mr. Tim Mooney, Director of Supplemental Food Programs, the decision was not based on experience or quality of services provided, but rather on vendors who proposed to serve a larger population.  It is our understanding that the vendor selected proposes to serve Mount Vernon, Yonkers and Greenburgh, both areas we have always served. More

09-21-09
Hartsdale, NY
EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE AT HARTSDALE TO HOLD INFORMATION SESSION
    Empire State College, of the State University of New York, will hold public information session(s) about its associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs at its Hartsdale location, 200 North Central Avenue, Hartsdale on:   

09-21-09
White Plains. NY
Do you have good basic furniture you don’t want any more? 

    Westchester County Government is teaming up with Furniture Sharehouse to recycle unwanted furniture that is in good condition, keeping it out of the waste stream and donating it directly to needy Westchester families free of charge to help make a house a home.
     A Furniture Collection Drive will be held at the county’s Glen Island Park on Saturday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Only basic home furniture in GOOD CONDITION will be accepted, so before you load up your car, go to www.furnituresharehouse.org  to make sure your furniture can be accepted for donation, and to get hours and directions. 

09-21-09
Mt. Vernon, NY
Letter to the Editor
Helena R. Edwards
"My critics will not silence me or force me to move from Mt. Vernon"

My comments regarding the increased murders in Mount Vernon have made me the subject of many who are uncomfortable with what I have to say.  Dale Carnegie in his book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” said basically that people don’t like to hear the truth.  Even the most heinous murderer when interviewed will tell you that he or she is a good person and there is no possible way to convince him or her that he or she is a murderer.  I suppose truth telling is my disability and as such, I don’t expect to have any friends.  I am hoping for a

 Albany, NY
Special Report
Four leading NY private equity firms to adopt code of conduct and eliminate pay-to-play

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced that four leading private equity firms, HM Capital Partners I (“HM Capital”), Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (“Levine Leichtman”), Access Capital Partners (“Access”), and Falconhead Capital (“Falconhead”) have adopted Cuomo’s Public Pension Fund Reform Code of Conduct to reform the public pension fund system and to end pay-to-play practices nationwide.  Under the terms of the agreements announced today, the firms will return over $4.5 million associated with New York State Common Retirement Fund (“CRF”) investments. These funds will be returned to the CRF for the benefit of the pension holders.      “With seven firms now having signed our Code of Conduct, momentum is building in the industry to make our Code the national standard to eliminate

09-20-09
White Plains, NY
Letter to the Editor
Damon K. Jones
True Community-Based Policing is the Core for a Better Community for All

In a post 9-11 world, the police have become more militarized in operation and thinking. The new police exist in the U.S. as a paramilitary force, the role of protect and serve is to preserve the system just as it is and do the bidding of the power elite. Any other analysis of the role of police is just romanticized nonsense.      Community-based policing is both a philosophy (a way of thinking) and an organizational strategy (a means to carry out that philosophy) that allows the police and community to work together in new ways to solve problems of crime, disorder and safety. It rests on two core elements: changing the methods and practice of the police and taking steps to establish a real working relationship between the police and the community they claim to protect and serve.

09-19-09
Fraud Alert
Unclaimed funds fraud alert
    Citizens are cautioned to be leery of any person or business claiming to be able to recover unclaimed money, for a fee.  Getting calls or e-mails telling the potential victim that they have unclaimed wealth is a common scam.
     Occasionally, a person or organization loses track of money or personal property due to unclaimed bank accounts, unpaid insurance policies, unreturned utility and rent deposits, undelivered dividends and shares of stock, uncashed checks, and forgotten bank deposits. 
     In New York, banks, investment companies, insurance companies and utilities are required to surrender inactive accounts to the state.  Information is maintained on the State Comptroller’s website at www.osc.state.ny.us.  You can also call, toll free, 800-221-9311.
     The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators maintains a list of every state’s unclaimed property program, at www.unclaimed.org. 

09-19-09
White Plains, NY



AFFILIATED POLICE ASSOCIATIONS OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY ENDORSE DISTRICT ATTORNEY JANET DIFIORE 
     Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore's re-election bid got another significant boost from law enforcement today with the endorsement of the Affiliated Police Associations of Westchester County. In a letter dated today, the organization's Legislative Chairman, Robert Buckley, explained, "You have proven yourself to be tough on crime and we believe you are the best person to serve as District Attorney for the residents of Westchester County."
     The APA is made up of 53 different, individual law enforcement organizations in Westchester.
     Said DiFiore, "I want to thank the APA and each of its members for their vote of confidence in my ability to continue to lead the important work of the Westchester County District Attorney's Office over the next four years. I appreciate the outstanding and courageous work of the thousands of men and women who are on the front-lines everyday, working to make Westchester safe and secure for all of our families."

09-19-09 #8
Mt. Vernon, NY
Pennington Elementary School in Mt. Vernon receives Blue Ribbon Award
Award recognizes excellent schools throughout the 50 states

09-19-09
Albany, NY
9/11 workers to get the benefits  

     Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D/WF-Yonkers) and Assemblyman Mike Spano (D/C/WF-Yonkers) announced that Governor Paterson signed “Jimmy Nolan’s Law,” extending the time that 9/11 workers can file compensation claims for injuries suffered from participating in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery or cleanup operations.
     “This legislation was crucial for hundreds of men and women who sacrificed their time and health at Ground Zero to help others during the aftermath of our nation’s most horrific attacks in recent history”, said Stewart-Cousins.  “His signing now during this 9/11 commemorative period reaffirms his and all New Yorkers’ gratitude for the selfless acts of countless individuals during and after the tragic events of 9/11.”
     “I would like to thank the governor for signing ‘Jimmy Nolan’s Law’ to ensure that New York takes care of the thousands of brave individuals who worked at Ground Zero,” Spano said. “Eight years after the World Trade Center attacks, the heroes who risked their lives to help our nation through its darkest hour will finally get the compensation they deserve.”
     Jimmy Nolan’s Law” allows an additional one-year period for eligible workers to file claims to receive workers’ compensation. Under current law a worker has only 90 days to file a claim, but numerous “second wave” 9/11 victims – those who were affected by the hazardous dust and debris in the aftermath of the attacks– showed symptoms long after the 90-day time restriction.
     The law is named after second wave 9/11 victim Jimmy Nolan, a carpenter from Yonkers and father of three. He was working in construction at NYU when he heard about the World Trade Center attacks and immediately rushed to Ground Zero to provide any assistance he could.  He slept at the World Trade Center site for three weeks, and now suffers from wood and skin allergies as well as respiratory problems. He spends $200 a month on medications for these conditions.

09-19-09
White Plains, NY
ArtsWestchester Announces NEA Grant for new Latin American Community Initiative  
Fall Concert Series at Cimarron Cultural Café in Mt. Vernon Planned   

    
On November 7th, Café Dorado, a band which performs traditional music of Colombia, will perform at the Cimarron Cultural Café as a component of ArtsWestchester’s Latin American Community Initiative.

     ArtsWestchester has received a two-year $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for an exciting new project called the Latin American Community (Latino Arts) Initiative. The project will support, present, and publicize the wealth of Caribbean, Central, and South American arts being practiced in Westchester and the lower Hudson Valley. Two important goals of the initiative are: 1) to encourage collaborations between artists and grassroots organizations and 2) to present folk traditions in different regions of Westchester County.
     While ArtsWestchester’s Folk Arts Programming has long been supported by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the new NEA grant will enable ArtsWestchester to expand its programming for Westchester’s vibrant and growing Latin American community.  The Latino Arts Initiative kicks off this fall with a series of concerts featuring the music of Latin America at the Cimarron Cultural Café, 156 South Fourth Avenue in Mt. Vernon. Under the management of Dominican Americans Juan Santana and Maria Cedano, the Cimarron Cultural Café is a grass roots venue for Latin American music, poetry readings, and visual art.  
     The fall concert series will emphasize the African influences of Latin American music. Afro-Colombian, Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Dominican, and Afro-Cuban musicians will be featured at Cimarron Cultural Café in Mt. Vernon between September and the end of December 2009.
     The concerts will be held on Saturday evenings from 8-10 p.m. (see full concert schedule below). For more information, visit the Cimarron Cultural Café at www.cimarronculturalcafe.net or call (914) 668-1313. For more information about ArtsWestchester’s Folk Arts Program visit www.artswestchester.org or call (914) 428-4220 x 232.
     Additional components of this initiative include an exhibition of Latin American artists at ArtsWestchester’s headquarters, the Arts Exchange in downtown White Plains in the spring of 2010, as well as future concerts in Peekskill, Port Chester and possibly Mt. Kisco next year.  All concerts are supported by ArtsWestchester’s Latin American Community.

09-18-09
NYC
Public Announcement
Are you unemployed? The Department of Veterans Affairs in NYC is hiring!

   
Click here to view details about some positions

09-18-09
Editor's Note
We have compiled a long list of precious resources to help working Westchester families make ends meet

     NY State offers many resources to help working families make ends meet. We have compiled a one stop shop for finding those services, with links to information about nutrition programs, tax filing assistance, job placement services, and more. I encourage all Westchester residents to review these pages and learn about the programs that New York State has to offer. More

09-18-09
Albany, NY
Special Report
ONE YEAR LATER, GOVERNOR PATERSON LEADS EFFORTS TO PROTECT UNEMPLOYED NEW YORKERS AND GET THEM BACK TO WORK
Financial Services Workers Eligible for $11 Million in Grants to Fund Job-Training

     Governor David A. Paterson announced the availability of federal funding to assist unemployed New Yorkers, particularly those in the financial services sector crippled by the economic downturn. The $11 million National Emergency Grant (NEG), awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor, covers the tuition costs of job-training courses available at education and career centers. The funds support those in need of a competitive edge or in pursuit of a new career, retaining the intellectual capital critical to the New Economy.  More

Newly installed NYSAC President-Elect Chairman Bill Ryan and NYSAC President Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli.

     Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman William J. Ryan (D, WFP-White Plains) was installed as 2009-2010 President-elect of the New York State Association of Counties during NYSAC’s Annual Conference, held this week, in Saratoga Springs.  A former NYSAC board director-at-large, Ryan was first elected to NYSAC’s executive committee in 2007.  Ryan is slated to serve as NYSAC President from 2010 through 2011.  “It’s an honor to serve in this capacity,” said Chairman Ryan.  “NYS needs to recognize that its partnership with counties is critical to ensuring service delivery to our residents.  I am eager to work with my colleagues in leadership to help county officials across New York State by finding new ways to operate efficiently and economically.” More

09-18-09
White Plains, NY
SPANO APPLAUDS NEW LAW PROTECTING CAMPERS
New law closes a loophole in camp monitoring

Westchester County Executive Andy Spano congratulated Gov. David Paterson and the State Legislature today for enacting a new law that will help the county protect thousands more summer day campers in Westchester.      The new law, which was proposed by the county in its 2009 legislative package, closes a loophole that kept the county’s Health Department from inspecting day camps where more than half of the activities are indoors.

09-18-09
Millwood, NY
Food Bank for Westchester Named Beneficiary of Concorde Cares! Campaign
Contributions to help feed hungry in Westchester County

     Despite its affluent image, Westchester County is facing a growing number of residents who lack food security. The Food Bank for Westchester, a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating hunger in Westchester County, aids in hunger relief efforts by channeling public and private donations into food delivery services to area agencies. It is proud to be the recipient of contributions from a new campaign spearheaded by the Concorde Group, Concorde Cares!.
     Approximately 200,000 adults and children are at risk of hunger or hungry in Westchester County, with working adults as the largest segment. Furthermore, approximately 83,000 Westchester residents are living on an income at or below the federal poverty level, according to 2005 U.S. Census data. The "working poor" and hungry poor do not have adequate income for living expenses and food. The goal of the Food Bank for Westchester is to provide food assistance to those who need it. More

09-18-09
Irvington, NY
Legendary folk music icon Arlo Guthrie appearing at Irvington Town Hall Theater on Sunday, October 11

Legendary folk music icon Arlo Guthrie is embarking on an epic trek across North America alongside three generations of Guthries for the "Guthrie Family Rides Again" tour, which makes its way to Irvington Town Hall Theater on Sunday, October 11, 2009. To commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock, Arlo Guthrie just released a recently discovered lost tape from 1969, titled Arlo Guthrie: Tales of '69 (Rising Son Records, 8/18/09).   Ticket Info: (914) 591-6602 Showtime: 7:30 pm

09-17-09
White Plains, NY
RX Success: Dare to b a Doctor conference
Think about becoming a doctor . . . you can do it!

   
     The Dare to be a Doctor Mentoring Program seeks to pair health care professionals interested in becoming mentors, with minority students interested in pursuing careers in medicine and health care in general.
     This mentoring program is an expansion of a similar program that was developed based on the findings of the 2005 Blue Ribbon Task Force on Health Care Disparities. County Executive Andy Spano created the task force to explore health care disparities in Westchester. A key recommendation from these findings was to increase the number of minority physicians and health professionals in the county. A logical response was to create mentoring program targeted to minority students. You can read more about the findings in Health Disparities among Blacks in Westchester: A Snapshot Report .
     The RX Success: Dare to b a Doctor conference, held last Oct. 18, received an overwhelming response from minority students. It drew 550 students and over 200 parents to the County Center. Over 45 online participants viewed the event live via Webcast. Of these online participants one was at community center and another a local school. You can view the entire conference on Westchester TV starting with the Dare to be a Doctor Introduction.
     If you're an African American or Hispanic medical professional interested in dedicating some of your time to a motivated and interested student, we encourage you to sign up to become a mentor.
     Students are encouraged to submit their e-mail address to receive future information about the Dare to be a Doctor Mentoring Program. Students will also be notified of future forums with health care professionals or on selected topics relating to the medical field.

09-17-09
Albany, NY
GOV. PATERSON ANNOUNCES PUBLIC-PRIVATE AGREEMENT THAT WILL KEEP CANON USA HEADQUARTERS IN NY STATE
Canon to Build New Headquarters on Long Island; Project Will Save 1,200 Jobs, Create Hundreds of New Ones

         Canon U.S.A. President and CEO Joe Adachi (r), shaking hands with Gov. Paterson

     Governor David A. Paterson today announced that Canon U.S.A. will build its new headquarters in Melville, keeping one of the biggest electronics and imaging manufacturers in the world on Long Island and ensuring that more than 2,000 New York jobs will be created or retained over the next several years. The Governor was joined by State and local elected officials to make the announcement today at Canon U.S.A.’s current headquarters in Lake Success.
     “I am pleased to announce that Canon U.S.A. is staying in New York,” Governor Paterson said. “The work undertaken in the company’s new state-of-the-art facility will not only provide long-term economic security for thousands of New Yorkers, it will also create jobs for many still struggling to climb out from under the current economic crisis. These will be New Economy jobs, focused on cutting edge products and 21st century technology.”
     Last month, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Empire State Development Corp. struck the deal with Canon U.S.A. that cemented the move. NYSDOT will add one lane each to the service roads between exits 48 and 49 off the Long Island Expressway in order to mitigate traffic concerns. NYSDOT has allocated $8 million for the road construction, and that money will help put people to work right away.
     A leading provider of consumer, business-to-business and industrial digital imaging solutions, Canon U.S.A. currently employs approximately 1,200 people in its Lake Success facility and expects to employ approximately 2,000 within 10 years at its new headquarters in Melville. The $636 million headquarters facility will be built to satisfy LEED green building standards.

09-17-09
Albany, NY
GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES RICHARD FIFE WILL SERVE AS CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR 2010 GUBERNATORIAL

Governor David A. Paterson today announced that Richard Fife, a veteran of New York Democratic campaigns and politics, has been named campaign manager of his 2010 gubernatorial effort.      Fife, a lifelong New Yorker, brings over thirty years of Democratic campaign management and political consulting experience to Governor Paterson's effort.  In his most recent capacity as President of RJF Communications, Inc., he served as a senior New York advisor to the Presidential campaign for Barack Obama, where he was closely involved in delegate, grassroots, and media activities across the state.  He served as an Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and a New York member of the Electoral College. More

09-17-09+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++``
Mt. Vernon, NY
Committee to Elect Nichelle A. Johnson
VOTING MACHINES BEING RECANVASSED; NICHELLE A. JOHNSON HAS NOT CONCEDED
    There is only a 136 vote margin between Nichelle A. Johnson and Helen Blackwood. 
     Voting machines have been stored and locked. They will remain under watch by the Mount Vernon Police Department until recanvassing begins on Monday. Paper ballots will be counted on Wednesday.
     Nichelle A. Johnson has not conceded. It's definitely not over yet!

09-17-09
Mt. Vernon, NY
Letter to the Editor
Helena R. Edwards
Open Letter To All Westchester Elected Official to Help REDUCE the Senseless Violence in Mount Vernon
Another Mt. Vernon youth succumbs to gunshot wounds

In a recent article, I mentioned that the District Attorney, Janet DiFiore, stated that overall crime in Westchester had been reduced under her watch by 13 percent, but the murders in Mount Vernon seemed to have been increased by 100 percent.  Statistics can be made to say whatever a skilled analyst wants them to say.  So to understand the underlying meaning of these statistics, one must ask himself or herself a few questions:  What sample has been used?  What was the size of the sample?  And you probably would want to know who conducted the .

09-17-09  #9
Valhalla, NY
Boxing legend Acunto inspires students as head coach of boxing at Westchester Community College in Valhalla
Mt. Vernon resident Steve Acunto was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1988

    
Steve Acunto, pictured second from left, standing by a boxing showcase with Westchester Community College staff members.

     Westchester Community College in Valhalla has been offering a course in boxing for 30 years, led by legendary boxing head coach, Steve Acunto, a longtime Mount Vernon resident.
     When new students commence class every year at the college, many are surprised to learn that the college offers boxing instruction for those interested in improving their conditioning through boxing.
     For many years, Westchester Community College in Valhalla was the only college in existence offering a boxing class for credit, developed and taught by Acunto since the very beginning.
     Although students are no longer granted credit for attending the boxing class, the college continues to support the program, and the class is still part of the college's athletic curriculum.
     Acunto has also taught pugilism at Fairfield University, Concordia College and at Sarah Lawrence College, at YMCA´s and Purchase Community House. In addition, he has traveled the country conducting hundreds of clinics and seminars on the "sweet science" of boxing. More

09-17-09
Washington, DC
U. S. Senator Gillibrand details plan to combat financial fraud targeting seniors

    
                                                 U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

     To combat fraud and protect seniors, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand unveiled her plan to crack down on financial fraud against seniors, increase penalties on those scamming seniors, increase awareness of criminal tactics, and hold workshops across New York on financial literacy to empower seniors to protect themselves and their life savings.  A new report from Senator Gillibrand’s office estimates that over half a million New York seniors fall victim to consumer fraud each year.
     “Seniors have spent a lifetime saving and preparing for the golden years, and they deserve financial security and peace of mind,” Senator Gillibrand said. “But far too many seniors are being lured into bad investments, and getting scammed by criminals out of their savings and benefits.
     A new report from Senator Gillibrand estimates that approximately half a million New York seniors have fallen victim to consumer fraud – losing approximately $180 million. More