The lohud Boys Lacrosse Player of the Week poll spotlights the players who had a headline-worthy impact on the previous week Review what our finalists got done in between the lines then vote for the player who had the biggest impact Wednesday and then announce the winner on social media Previous winners: Dakota Bourgie (Putnam Valley); James Devine (North Rockland); David Hundzynski (Pleasantville); Jacob Burack (Harrison) Beating cancer: Lakeland three-sport headliner Oban Rader has scripted one heck of a comeback story The junior attackman reached 200 career points during a 20-6 win over Dobbs Ferry putting five goals and seven assists in the book He also had six goals and two assists in a 17-4 win over Albertus Magnus and six goals and eight assists in a 16-3 win over Tuckahoe RyeThe senior attackman delivered three goals and one assist in an 18-6 win over Scarsdale one goal and four assists in a 17-5 win over Pelham and one goal and nine assists in a 16-8 win over Mountain Lakes SomersThe senior attackman and midfielder elevated finishing with seven goals and four assists in a 20-6 win over Greeley then added five goals and five assists in a 19-8 win over Lakeland/Panas BriarcliffThe freshman attackman had four goals and three assists in a 16-0 win over Port Chester then got one goal and four assists against Hen Hud before the game was suspended after the first quarter due to weather The junior midfielder is usually the player who makes the pass right before the pass that leads to a goal but he scored once in a 15-0 win over White Plains and got two goals and four assists in a 14-5 win over Yorktown The senior midfielder had four goals and one assist in an 8-3 win over White Plains two goals and one assist in an 11-5 win over Arlington and five goals in a 15-9 win over rival North Rockland NanuetThe senior long stick midfielder came up with two goals three assists and 28 ground balls in a 19-3 win over Hastings six assists and 23 ground balls in a 21-5 win over Ardsley and got one goal one assists and set a career high with 25 ground balls in a 15-5 loss to Nyack The senior FOGO went 13-for 21 at the faceoff dot in an 8-3 loss against Suffern and went 15 for 19 in a 15-0 loss against Mamaroneck Mike Dougherty covers boys lacrosse for The Journal News/lohud With site preparation work already underway White Plains Hospital on May 5 held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new 10-story 475,000 square foot building that will include a new emergency room The Expansion facility is expected to open in January of 2028 said that discussions have been underway with White Plains regarding a new parking garage for about 2,000 cars that would be situated on the north side of Post Road and would have a pedestrian bridge connecting to the hospital The parcel where the new building will be constructed had been occupied by the hospital’s garage and commercial buildings fronting on S The hospital expansion also is expected to involve demolition of the existing medical office building at 170 Maple Ave The city has closed a portion of Davis Avenue north of the hospital’s entrance driveway the section of Davis Avenue leading up to the driveway was renamed Divney Way in honor of engineer ad planner Michael Divney who in 2010 had been named chairman of the hospital’s Board of Directors The new building will feature 240 single-bedded patient rooms as the hospital moves to make all of its patient rooms single occupancy The hospital would be equipped with 436 total licensed beds The new emergency room would be more than twice the size of the current emergency department The current emergency room handles about 80,000 patients a year but was designed for half that number There would be new operating rooms and a new main lobby in the building The fourth floor of the new building would be dedicated to housing mechanical and air-handling equipment in a 24-foot-high space immediately above the new operating rooms chairman of the hospital’s Board of Directors “Demand for our services continues to grow which is why this expansion is so important Patents see our commitment to quality and know they’re receiving the best care here .Our laser focus on quality has been validated by many national organizations.” Fox said she received permission to reveal some details about the parking garage that is being planned While noting that the old hospital garage had to be torn down to make way for the new building and that an at-grade parking lot has been constructed Fox said that discussions have been underway with city officials including Mayor Tom Roach and Corporation Counsel John Callahan for a new garage on the north side of Post Road that would connect to the hospital by a pedestrian bridge It would offer about 2,000 spaces for hospital staff and users of the hospital “Everybody wants to know about parking,” Fox said “So important to our work force is to be able to get here So important to our patients is to be able to get here conveniently and we have had a parking shortage for the entire time that I’ve been here.” Fox thanked everyone who has been working to help make a new garage a reality and she expressed a hope that it could be open by November 2027 She said that the hospital now has a 20well positioned in the community as part of Montefiore This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access. and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" CNN (CNN) — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday while receiving the John F CNN (CNN) — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday while receiving the John.. Trending Westchester Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates After a flurry of community concern and speculation authorities are clearing the air about recent federal law enforcement activity near a Westchester County church and stressing that no immigration raids took place The federal activity centered around the area of the St The concerns resulted from activity observed by residents near St Bernard’s Church in White Plains on Thursday that involved federal agencies executing several warrants White Plains Public Safety said in an announcement on Friday "The area was used by federal law enforcement agencies as a staging ground for the execution of several federal warrants none of which were immigration-related," the department explained adding that they received numerous inquiries on Thursday Officials also emphasized that residents were not in any danger during the operation Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation authorities said they were unable to disclose details while the operation was in progress No further details about the nature of the warrants or the agencies involved have been released at this time Operation Prom has partnered with Westchester County to host a free prom attire giveaway for high school seniors in the county the tradition continued with Operation Prom's Formal Wear Giveaway at the Westchester County Center in White Plains Founded in 2005 by entrepreneur, activist and Yonkers native Noel D'Allacco, the Operation Prom National Network, Inc. is a nonprofit that collects and distributes free formal wear so that every high school senior can attend their prom regardless of their financial circumstances shoes and accessories were available for free to Westchester high school seniors who brought a school ID or report card with them Check out some of the photos from Operation Prom's Formal Giveaway storytellers Vienna Carroll and Keith Johnston created theatrical performances based on the lives of fictional characters from The Hills of West Harrison Westchester County’s biggest Black community in the mid-1800s Both are now aghast that Stoney Hill Cemetery the historic burial grounds for the African Americans who lived in The Hills is under threat by Mount Hope AME Zion Church which has put up for sale five of the cemetery site’s six acres is seeking $1.5 million for three building lots with the church preserving one acre for a memorial garden who developed the sketches while artists in residence at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers focused on The Hills’ involvement in the Civil War That’s when 36 of 52 able-bodied African American men from the community enlisted in the Union army after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863 Thirteen of them are buried at Stoney Hill Johnston said it was wrong for the church to liquidate most of the cemetery land which was part of property given to enslaved people freed by Quakers at the Purchase Meeting House in the late 1770s who will perform May 10 at the Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site in Yonkers “The Hills was a safe haven for the formerly enslaved people where our ancestors created beautiful structures and systems We need to hang on to every bit of what we can hang on to.” Carroll and Johnston are among a few African Americans in the region who have criticized Mount Hope AME for putting up for sale almost all of the six-acre cemetery site which is listed on the national and state registers of historic places While many of the graves are clustered along the African American Heritage Trail off Buckout Road historic preservationists say there's a good chance that burials were done throughout the six-acre site The muted response comes in stark contrast to the highly publicized uproar in 1999 and 2000 when the church unsuccessfully fought to gain clear title to the land after the town of Harrison claimed it was the rightful owner of the abandoned cemetery Harrison officials remain mum on the status of town's claim to ownership a quarter-century ago “It’s the indifference that’s alarming,” said Barbara Edwards who chairs Westchester County’s African American Advisory Board “There needs to be a groundswell of voices.”   The cemetery sale was discussed at the advisory board’s April meeting Edwards said she was disappointed that the church wants to cash in the historic cemetery lands “They seem more focused on greed than reverence,” she said Carroll said many in Westchester’s political and religious leadership have turned their backs to the historic African American burial ground in West Harrison “They aren’t good shepherds of the history of that land,” said Carroll who will perform on May 13 at The Bitter End in Greenwich Village “It needs to be made clear to them how vital it is to preserve that history They just want to speak about it as a real estate deal.” pastor of Mount Hope African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church who had earlier maintained the internments would not be disturbed The pastor who oversees 25 AME Zion churches in the Westchester region of Greater Centennial AME Zion Church in Mount Vernon Though Westchester County never owned the cemetery property in 2022 the county Board of Legislators approved granting a "quit claim" deed to Mount Hope AME Zion which county officials said was intended to clear up the title legislators were told by Smith and an historian who wrote about The Hills that granting the deed would help preserve the six-acre historic cemetery site There was no mention that the church wanted to sell most of it for a high-priced subdivision declined to say whether he knew about the church’s development intentions when he promoted the county’s quit claim deed transfer to the church Quit claim deeds are legal documents used to transfer property ownership from one party to another without any guarantees about who has the title or ownership which had considering buying the land in 1925 for its Silver Lake Preserve park so the deed gave up any interest others might think it had Boykin is among six African Americans on the 17-member Board of Legislators I recently reached out to Boykin and the five others said they were deferring to Boykin because the cemetery lies in his district The others declined comment or did not respond to the inquiry “We are following his lead,” said Woodson-Samuels citing his role as president of the influential New York State Association of Counties Boykin said that Mount Hope AME Zion was the rightful heir to the historic cemetery land He noted its ties to the long-defunct Asbury Colored People’s Church which had a chapel near many of the fieldstones that serve as unmarked gravestones The church’s foundation still stands in ruins It’s the same church with a different name.” the first African American to hold the post Jenkins said he'd take a look at the matter while county spokeswoman Catherine Cioffi said Westchester acknowledged "the deep legacy this land holds and remains committed to supporting efforts that preserve and protect sites of cultural and historic importance.” The Jenkins administration has yet to identify what efforts it supports to preserve and protect the Stoney Hill Cemetery Westchester document said graves could be across the six-acre siteThe county’s application for the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 stated there were at least 200 burials in the cemetery many of which were beyond the quarter-acre set aside for the burial area in the 1800s It stated there could be several hundred graves throughout the six-acre site said he would not object to the church selling part of the land Digging foundations in the rocky landscape and installing septic fields could disturb wide swathes of land “I wouldn’t object to the church’s selling part of the six-plus acres for good money to be used to further its mission of glorifying God by helping those in need,” he said “But I do hope the church is also doing the work that was the thrust of the historic ‘pitch’ to us on the board at time including identifying all the burial sites making sure any development of the property leaves those sites undisturbed and providing new markers from the VA for the deceased Union soldiers.” Carroll called the proposed sale “a travesty.”  She was concerned that the internments were not just in the one-acre area where many of the burials were clustered “I really wish there was more research done to find out how much of this area is sacred ground and where the bones are buried,” said Carroll “I can’t imagine you want to build your pool and your luxury home on top of the bones of people.”   said that the land in West Harrison was given to the enslaved people freed by the Quakers in the late 1770s following the signing of the Declaration of Independence He said the land in the community that would come to be know as the Hills was given as reparations for decades of enslavement He said many of the freed African Americans were given back pay for their years of servitude Close said the marketing of the cemetery lands has stunned many of the Purchase Quakers who supported Mount Hope’s bid to take clear title to the land in the late 1990s “We supported giving the land back to the White Plains church For them to sell that property blows my mind.”   Sign up for Wilson's weekly newsletter for insights into his Tax Watch columns David McKay Wilson writes about tax issues and government accountability. Follow him on Twitter @davidmckay415 or email him at dwilson3@lohud.com The views expressed here are the author's own An Open mic session host by Devah and Torre Devah and Torre have been crafting & recording songs in a blend of styles for over 20 years performing originals & unique versions of the cover tunes they grew up listening to Tuesday, 7:30 pmTarrytown-Sleepy Hollow, NY Jaana Narsipur is a New-York based jazz vocalist who performs her unique arrangements of classic swing and soul-jazz with inflections of groove and blues Jaana has performed in the city at Fine and Rare and The Flatiron Room in Midtown and in the weekly series Jazz Nites at Pangea in the East Village Jaana has performed at many local favorites like Alvin & Friends and a sold out house right here at Jazz on Main Jaana released her debut album "Better Than Anything," a tribute to the bebop and hard bop masters Bob Dorough and Horace Silver Australian-born Andrew Swift is a talented multi instrumentalist playing both guitar and drums in many jazz Andrew has shared the stage with veterans and newcomers alike in venues ranging from the jazz clubs of New York City He is also an accomplished gaudio engineer and mastering for independent and label releases some of which have charted within the top 20 on the US JazzWeek charts Andrew taught audio production at Manhattanville College for eight years 2025 at 2:37 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A Danbury woman was fatally injured while walking in White Plains on April 21 woman suffered fatal injuries after being hit by a truck while she was walking in White Plains The accident happened Monday around 1:05 p.m according to White Plains Police Chief Joseph P Police identified the pedestrian as Stacie Baumgartner when she was struck by a vehicle travelling southbound on N Baumgartner was rushed to Westchester Medical Center The 29-year-old driver of the truck remained on scene and police said he has been cooperative with investigators Castelli said the investigation is still ongoing as of Wednesday the intersection where the accident happened is multi-lane while Cemetery Road is a one way street westbound Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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At NYU Langone Medical Associates—White Plains NYU Langone Orthopedics—Westchester provides comprehensive orthopedic care to White Plains residents We deliver multispecialty care in one convenient location We partner with you and your family to develop a customized treatment plan that includes the latest medicines and lifestyle modifications to improve your health Doctors at our practice provide expert multispecialty care Review our forms for new and existing NYU Langone patients Get information to help you prepare and learn what to expect By: 8:00 am on March 1 A formal review by The White Plains Common Council began earlier this month for plans to construct a 14-story residential building at 23-29 Quarropas in White Plains Designed by SLCE Architects and developed by HANAC and Monadnock Development the structure will serve as the new home for the LOFT Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center The building will yield 141 affordable rental apartments dedicated to low-income senior citizens approximately 7,400 square feet of office and clinic space for the organization and parking for 47 vehicles at-grade and in a garage below street level The property is alternately addressed as 112-122 Court Street and is located at the southwestern corner of Court and Quarropas Streets The main rendering above depicts a rectangular massing with a red brick and dark metal façade and a grid of large windows Below is the former iteration of the project The new tower will be divided into two leasehold condominium units with one unit to be exclusively used by the LOFT and the other unit for the residential component The total parking requirement was originally set at 72 spaces The 25 unused parking spots would be paid as a fee to the city of White Plains Congressman George Latimer stated in a news conference in June 2022 that the residential inventory for the new building will not be exclusively for members of the LGBTQ+ community the facility will nevertheless become the first housing complex in Westchester County planned to be officially supportive LGBTQ+ residents executive director of The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center and White Plains Mayor Tom Roach were among the notable attendees of the conference The LOFT is currently headquartered at 252 Bryant Avenue and intends to relocate and expand its operations putting it in closer proximity to the downtown area transportation network The two developers currently hold a 65-year lease for the 0.55-acre property consisting of four tax lots owned by Westchester County at 23-29 Quarropas Street and 112-122 Court Street and have the ability to extend the lease under the condition of maintaining the affordability housing program at the new building They will also be responsible for the long-term ownership once the building is completed An anticipated completion date for 23-29 Quarropas Street has yet to be formalized Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews Just because the building is planned for low-income seniors White Plains & all future residents deserve better What is going to be the cost of the studios or three bedrooms I didn’t even know if they’re going to be offered the audit will assess whether they are good or bad: Thanks ga('send', 'event', 'beautyofblock', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Standard_336x280-100-2.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ADVERTISEMENT ga('send', 'event', 'PCRichards Builders Division', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PCR_Beko_Compact_YIMB_336x280.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ga('send', 'event', 'yimby+', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image.png', { nonInteraction: true }); Follow on Instagram var sb_instagram_js_options = {"font_method":"svg","placeholder":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/instagram-feed\/img\/placeholder.png","resized_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sb-instagram-feed-images\/","ajax_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"}; © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY® LLC YIMBY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF NIKOLAI FEDAK / NEW YORK YIMBY LLC The Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) in a May 1 letter to Congressman George Latimer of New York’s 16th Congressional District has reaffirmed his position that the agency does not need space to hold hearings in White Plains SSA is set to close its White Pains Hearing Office at 75 S Dudek had previously rejected efforts by Latimer Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of the 17th Congressional District County Executive Ken Jenkins and others to convince him to keep the office open so that people in Westchester and the nearby Hudson Valley could continue to have in-person hearings to try to obtain benefits to which they believe they’re entitled without having to travel long distances While not addressing the reported backlog of 2,000 unresolved cases at the White Plains Hearing Office “We will continue to provide the option of a virtual hearing by audio (telephone) and online video which is selected by over 83 percent of our claimants who receive service from the White Plains Hearing Office.” Dudek did not explain that video or telephone hearings were not necessarily favored by people for their hearings but that SSA has been trying to increase the number of virtual hearings for some time His letter to Latimer did not explain that new rules published in the Federal Register in August of last year empowered SSA to order that hearings be conducted by video or telephone rather than in-person individuals have 30 days to go through a specified process in order to try to switch to an in-person hearing SSA has published several pages of instructions for claimants to follow in order to participate in a virtual hearing including specifying technical equipment that’s needed Many people seeking to claim their Social Security benefits might not have access to the needed equipment and might lack needed technical expertise Dudek again dismissed an offer from Westchester County to make county space available for SSA to use as a new White Plains Hearing Office we procure and manage our space requirements through the General Services Administration (GSA) To discuss offers of County-owned facilities—as you suggest in your most recent letter—please contact Michael Gerber GSA Regional Commissioner for the Northeast and Caribbean Region at michael.gerber@gsa.gov,” Dudek said In response to Dudek’s latest rejection “I am deeply disappointed by the response I received from Acting Commissioner Dudek I am frustrated on behalf of my elderly and disabled constituents It is clear that this administration has no intention of helping Americans receive benefits they have earned Westchester residents will have to travel to New Haven … or downtown Manhattan to fight for their rights Using county space would have saved the federal government money and maintained services here in White Plains This really is unconscionable and shows how little regard President Trump and his administration have for everyday Americans; we deserve better.” “It’s clear that no matter how reasonable the offer the Social Security Administration simply doesn’t want a hearing office here in Westchester County,” Jenkins said “This isn’t about politics or party lines — this is about our parents and most vulnerable friends and neighbors being left with no access to Social Security services when there is a problem The reality is that traveling to another hearing office an hour or more away to another county or even another state is a privilege For those who find travel difficult or impossible they are being completely shut out by the Social Security Administration Westchester is the largest County in the Hudson Valley and should have a hearing office.” A White Plains man's alcoholism cost him his wife and two young children Now it has landed him in prison for 16 years to life brutal beating of an acquaintance in White Plains Diaz beat and kicked 38-year-old Otoniel Guzman Desdicho more than 30 times during a confrontation on East Post Road an assault caught on video from two separate angles attended the sentencing from Virginia and told Westchester Judge Maurice Dean Williams that the family was seeking justice for her brother She said his three daughters were left without the father who supported them and her own father was devastated after having to bury his son and wife within a few months of each other Diaz was convicted of the murder charge in February after the jury found he had intentionally killed the 38-year-old Desdicho They rejected his lawyer's claim that it was a fight between two intoxicated friends in which his client had not intended to kill the victim Both men were drunk when they met up that night near South Lexington Avenue The fight began a few minutes later when Diaz shoved and punched Desdicho who pushed back and knocked Diaz onto the ground in the street Diaz straddled the larger Desdicho and knocked him out with a series of punches to the head He then dragged the larger man onto the sidewalk where he kicked him in the head repeatedly even as a bystander tried to get him to stop Diaz then walked away but was taken into custody minutes later around the corner on South Lexington Avenue after White Plains police responded to 911 calls Jare Diaz testified he was drunk and could not remember hitting Otoniel Guzman Desdicho in White PlainsDiaz testified at the trial that his wife had left him because he drank too much and took their two children with her He said he and his father were friends with Desdicho and he had no reason to want to hurt him But he insisted he could not remember anything about the fight even after frequently being shown the videos He faced at least 15 years to life in prison Assistant District Attorney Daniel Flecha urged Williams to send Diaz to prison for more than 20 years to life "For no reason at all the defendant initiated this violence," Flecha told the judge "There was no provocation and he had every opportunity to leave and stop But defense lawyer Angelo MacDonald sought the minimum sentence saying Diaz never should have been convicted of murder respectful young man who had never before been in legal trouble and should not be punished harshly for the worst 15 to 20 seconds of his life This was a fight between two people," MacDonald told the judge Diaz appeared to wipe back tears as he read a prepared statement in Spanish asking for forgiveness and saying he wanted to tell Desdicho's family that he "didn't attempt to take Otoniel's life and I know I would never have tried to take his life away or anyone else's." Williams said there was no doubt Diaz's drinking had led to the killing but that the jury had found he still was able to form the intent to kill He acknowledged Diaz may have faced a troubled upbringing but that did not negate the senseless and vicious killing he had committed The Barnes & Noble White Plains location at the City Center is closing April 20 confirmed the closing but said customers would be able to visit other locations in Scarsdale Despite the anticipated closing of the White Plains location and several others across the country Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt announced the company expects to open over 60 new bookstores in 2025 Of interest: Party City announced it will close all stores. Where to find them in Westchester, Rockland Barnes & Noble said it plans to open five new locations in February alone For more information on open store locations in the Lower Hudson Valley, visit the Barnes & Noble website. Officials in Westchester County recently made an offer to the federal government in a last-ditch attempt to save the Social Security hearing office in White Plains The office is slated to close at the end of May due to issues with its lease and efforts by the Trump Administration to cut spending nationwide Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins says he's offered to move the hearing office into a county-owned location in White Plains Jenkins says he hasn't received a call back "We haven't heard anything back from the federal government," says Jenkins we're working with both of our Congressional representatives They're working together to make sure the federal government was aware that the county had offered to host them but it was still space that could be utilized by the time we get to May...We're always ready to hear from the federal government but we have not heard anything from them." You mentioned that this wouldn't be free space But it would save the government money compared to what it currently has we have to charge based on the state law — we just couldn't give them the space for free But the space that we were first considering was at the county center And certainly we'd work with the federal government to outfit the space as it needed We had an incubator program down there as well we think the space could be perfectly utilized It's centrally located in Westchester County and has available parking and all those kind of roadways — whether it's the Bronx River Parkway both the express buses that go across to Rockland County as well as our regular Bee-Line bus system it sounds like the landlord wanted the government office to be moved at the end of their lease in May are there any locations that you're eyeing In White Plains we have four county office buildings and we certainly would provide an opportunity for the federal government to look at all of those things We wanted to start with offering that specific space but we also have the spaces on Court Street and some other spaces that we have available in White Plains alone and we have several dozen buildings throughout Westchester County if those don't match up they're the hearing office — and there's a very limited amount of people that have a base in their current office here in White Plains We're happy to continue to work with them to do this so there's a bit of time to help make sure that it could be outfitted appropriately But we're open and willing to work with our federal government to make sure we have convenience for Westchester [County] and surrounding areas that use the White Plains office instead of them being inconvenienced by going to New Haven but I just wanted to ask: Why is this hub so important because administrative hearings take place when someone is denied benefits or when there's additional services that they would like to have and there's been a rejection or declination of those services These hearing offices provide that in-person space for people to be able to take their case up and to be able to work with the federal government and Social Security Administration and trying to navigate through the various agencies — in this case And everyone is not [comfortable] enough to be on a video conference to do that having this in-person opportunity that's been here for decades to be able to work and have that here in Westchester County We want to do everything possible to assist and make sure that our constituents in Westchester County can be able to continue to receive the services that they have earned and deserve Be one of the first to know what's coming up on WAMC See additional subscription options With the Social Security Administration in turmoil in Washington local leaders have yet to hear what's next for the agency’s seven-county hearing office in White Plains that’s slated for closure in May It comes as the agency’s acting director resigned after she objected to a request by Elon Musk who is leading the Trump administration’s attack on the federal administrative state "It's an access-to-justice issue," said Mary Ellen O'Connor a Larchmont-based attorney whose clients often appear in the White Plains SSA hearing office "This is going to have a major impact in the metro New York City area and give pause to attorneys having to handle hearings so far away On Friday, Feb. 14, US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, announced the closure but has yet to hear what the agency has planned to address what comes next which holds hearings for applicants for Social Security Disability benefits The website for Musk's Department of Government Efficiency lists savings of $162,689 for removing 16,632 square feet of office space at the White Plains Social Security Administration office in its real estate "Wall of Receipts." It states the lease termination notice was sent on Jan the Rockland County Social Security offices has been closed since June 2024 and Mid-Hudson Valley members of Congress will hold a press conference on Feb 19 to denounce the planned closure of the Poughkeepsie Social Security office More: Gillibrand wants answers on planned closure of White Plains Social Security regional office I visited the White Plains hearing office on Tuesday located on the second floor of 75 South Broadway in White Plains It's a building that houses regional offices for the New York state Worker’s Compensation Board the state Department of Homes and Community Renewal and the headquarters for the nonprofit housing organization At the door of the Social Security hearing office a security guard said there was no one in the office to speak with the press The hearing offices handles cases brought by disabled individuals who dispute denials of their requests for benefits O'Connor said the process of obtaining such benefits can take up to three years "These are benefits they earned through their payroll taxes." Calls and emails to the Social Security Administration in Washington over the past several days were not returned whose district includes the city of White Plains feared that closure of the White Plains hearing office could force long drives for those seeking a hearing The nearest hearing office would be 161st Street in the Bronx Other offices within one to two hours drive are located in Albany or New Haven “At a time when the current administration is carelessly slashing government services closing the Social Security hearing office in White Plains will force those seeking benefits to travel long distances — as far away as New Haven and Albany — to fight for their rights,” said Latimer a freshman sworn in at the beginning of January said he is reaching out to federal officials to see what can be done to establish a new hearing office in the region The office handled hearings for a seven-county region that comprises Westchester Of interest: Lawler, Latimer favor study of Social Security's future as fund faces depletion by 2033 the West Nyack regional office closed in Rockland County Mike Lawler at the time saying it was slated to reopen in September 2024 Lawler said Tuesday that renovations were delayed and only began in December He said he has yet to hear when the office will reopen 18 before the Westchester County Board of Legislators said he learned that the federal government’s lease at 75 South Broadway will expire at the end of May with a new lease yet to be nailed down to serve the Hudson Valley region Lawler's press spokesman sent a screenshot of an undated email from the Social Security Administration's regional communications director which notes that the final decision to close the office was made in December 2024 in the final month of Biden administration and it’s idiotic not to get a new lease within Westchester “The level of incompetence in getting services to people is significant.” He said he’s working with the Trump administration to find another site for the regional hearing office to better serve those in the region who depend on Social Security benefits “They shouldn’t have to go to the South Bronx or Albany to get service,” Lawler said “We will do everything we can to open in another location.” called on the Social Security Administration to explain the proposed closure of its downtown White Plains office where an estimated 2,000 disputes remain pending before the agency said the planned closure of the office on May 31 could inconvenience Social Security recipients in the seven-county Hudson Valley who for many years have come to the office at 75 South Broadway in White Plains to resolve disputes The counties served by the office are Westchester The White Plains office handles dispute hearings from local offices in Middletown “As the only hearing office in the lower Hudson Valley region it’s closure will negatively impact thousands of constituents who reside in these seven counties,” said Gillibrand in the letter to Acting Social Security Commissioner Michelle King beneficiaries will be required to travel between 24 and 135 miles to be serviced by the closest office in New  York City Her letter stated that a backlog of 2,000 cases in White Plains means it can take as long as eight months to have one’s case be heard Emails and phone messages to Social Security Administration media contacts in New York City and Washington More: Lawler, Latimer favor study of Social Security's future as fund faces depletion by 2033 Gillibrand's concerns arise as Trump has moved to cut the size of the federal workforce in the early days of his second term “I am also concerned about the employees who work at this location,” said Gillibrand “At a time when President Trump is trying to gut the federal workforce this closure would affect the staff who strive every day to provide the American people with high-quality service.” Gillibrand said the closure of the White Plains office dovetails with the agency’s transition to fewer services provided in-person or by phone and more through the Social Service administration website Gillibrand asks what additional funding would be needed to find another site for the region’s hearing office She also asked King whether the closure of the White Plains office was related to the administration’s actions to cut down on leased space across the country More: Mike Lawler wants to keep Social Security solvent, but won't say how he'll pay for it “Did the administration’s directive to the General Services Administration to revoke all leases for federal offices nationwide have an impact on SSA’s decision to close the White Plains hearing office?” she asked “Does the administration have plans to close additional SSA offices?” By: 7:30 am on February 11 Demolition is complete for a new ten-story expansion of White Plains Hospital at 41 East Post Road in White Plains the 475,000-square-foot project will rise from the site of a former multistory parking garage and will increase the hospital’s bed capacity from 292 to 436 The expansion will also add ten more operating suites and more than double the size of the Emergency Department by 25,000 square feet The site is bound by East Post Road to the north The renderings show the façade comprised of floor-to-ceiling windows and light gray cementitious paneling with a short podium along East Post Road New tree-lined sidewalks will surround the new wing and signage will be displayed on opposite ends of the tenth floor below the flat roof parapet The plan calls for about half of Davis Road to be removed to accommodate the hospital expansion as well as the addition of a redesigned motor entrance and new landscaping The revamped entrance would require the eventual demolition of a five-story structure and an L-shaped surface-level parking lot at 170 Maple Avenue which sits directly in front of the main doors to White Plains Hospital The small property has been home to members of White Plains Hospital Physician Associates and will be transferred either to 222 Westchester Avenue or to White Plains Hospital Physician Associates Eastchester on the main floor of a former Lord & Taylor store at 750 White Plains Post Road Below is a screenshot from a promotional video showing the new H-shaped structure and the overall medical complex which includes the new entrance enabled by the razing of 170 Maple Street in 2026 Aerial perspective of the new expansion of White Plains Hospital The hospital’s new rooms will be able to be used for medical and will have space for visiting family members Each will sit adjacent to a nursing station The facility will also include a pediatric emergency department Construction is estimated to cost $750 million $500 million of this total is financed and the rest is being sourced from revenue and philanthropy The new expansion of the White Plains Hospital is expected to be completed and open in early 2028 White Plains Hospital became associated with Montefiore years ago This network has been expanding in the Bronx and areas to the north I don’t see any mention of increased parking which is essential in White Plains Most private hospitals choose to use this type of glass color and there will be a sign posted on the building as well: Thanks and rescuers will have to work harder: Thanks While there's no official word from anyone in White Plains there is a notice on the White Plains Public Safety Facebook page — as well as signage on Main Street in White Plains — warning drivers that Hamilton Avenue between North Broadway and Dr Lights, camera, local: 'Dexter Resurrection' films in Yonkers. The city has drawn other big shoots According to a Facebook post on Cape May Scanner in mid-January Reddit users were abuzz about filming on Pelham Road earlier in the week No definitive answer on what that was about Got news about filming near you? Or details about a restaurant opening or closing? Email JRMuchnick@gannett.com Finding a nook of Westchester County to build in has historically been both difficult and lucrative from which many residents commute into New York City has opened parts of itself up to developers in recent years some are becoming skeptical of adding too much to the pipeline investors and brokers said at Bisnow’s Westchester State of the Market event there are thousands of units coming online The uncertainty is very hard to underwrite.” Since late 2021, 12,500 new residential units have come to the market throughout Westchester County. Another 15,000 are being built, according to a 2024 report by RM Friedland. The vast majority of that development — approximately 9,400 units delivered and 13,000 under construction — are in the four largest cities in the county: New Rochelle, White Plains, Yonkers and Mount Vernon “There are more four and five-star units in White Plains that were absorbed in the last five years than existed in 2018,” Webster Bank Senior Managing Director Michael Vitale said A decade ago, New Rochelle, which is just 20 miles north of Manhattan, approved a zoning plan that permitted construction of up to 12M SF of new development From 2017 through 2021, New Rochelle added housing at more than double the rate of the U.S., according to research by The Pew Charitable Trusts whereas the rest of the country experienced a 31% increase You would have thought we were burning down the city.”  “A lot of groups that bought before that supply was finished lost money,” Simonelli said inflation has helped slow the pipeline and limit oversupply “This is probably the first time I'm going to say the rising interest rates were good in my business,” Simonelli said who primarily develops in New Jersey but has recently expanded to Westchester argued that undersupply in New York City will drive more demand to its northern suburb “I go and develop where I think there are strong fundamentals,” Hodara said onstage “There is demand in the whole Westchester area.” saying that other areas of the country are both easier to build in and have more interest both from residents and lenders “We do sometimes tell ourselves stories about ourselves that aren't helpful We have to be honest and also aware of what's happening around the country,” Gertman said ‘Where would you want to invest as a multifamily developer for the next 10 years?’ 9.9 out of 10 people would not choose this region.” Other parts of Westchester County remain adamantly opposed to new development housing supply is aging and what exists doesn't service the current needs of residents “There's a lot of red tape because there's a lot of municipalities on top of each other,” Vitale said You are subscribed to the Bisnow New York Newsletter or click here to copy link to clipboard We will email you a link to reset your password Upcoming regulations in the European Union require us to show this pop-up and ask you to agree to keep using Bisnow.com We want to take 15 seconds to tell you what's going on: A man will spend over a decade in state prison for the brutal unprovoked beating death of a man he knew in Westchester April 25 to 16 years to life for the beating death of 38-year-old Otoniel Guzman-Desdicho in 2022 Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced on Monday As previously reported by Daily Voice while walking near the Westchester County Courthouse punching and kicking Guzman-Desdicho in the head more than 30 times The attack left Guzman-Desdicho "lifeless and unrecognizable" on the pavement He was rushed to Westchester Medical Center Diaz was convicted of second-degree murder Cacace called the attack "depraved and unprovoked."  "Otoniel Guzman-Desdicho should still be alive today," Cacace continued "I hope this significant sentence helps provide them with a measure of closure."  The case was investigated by the White Plains Police Department and prosecuted by Bureau Chief Daniel Flecha and Assistant District Attorney Brianna Ciuffi of the Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau The Trump administration has no intention of opening a new Social Security hearing office in the seven-county Hudson Valley region once its White Plains office shutters its doors at the end of May which handles disputes over Social Security Disability claims Social Security Administration spokesman Mark Hinkle said that the General Services Administration informed the agency that the landlord at 75 South Broadway declined to renew its lease There’s no search underway for a new space despite pleas from New York federal legislators “There are no plans to replace the White Plains office,” said Hinkle “Judges and staff will be reassigned to other local hearing offices and those hearing offices will process the pending caseload.” He said the vast majority of cases are currently handled with online video or audio hearings The Social Security Administration announcement came as Rep Kirsten Gillibrand have reached out to the Social Security Administration in hopes of finding a site for a new Hudson Valley regional office Lawler spokesman Nate Soule said that Lawler was working hard to convince the Social Security Administration to change its mind “Congressman Lawler has been working furiously behind the scenes with the Trump administration to keep this critical office in the Hudson Valley open,” said Soule he will hold a press conference to raise awareness and highlight all the work being done by federal and local partners to keep this critical office open.”   Soule said the press conference was postponed as the Congressman plans a bipartisan press event The nearest SSA hearing offices are in the Bronx Claiming credit for the closure is the Trump Administration's Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk. The agency's website lists savings of $162,689 for removing 16,632 square feet of office space at the White Plains Social Security Administration office in its real estate "Wall of Receipts." It states the lease termination notice was sent on Jan More: Social Security office closure in White Plains 'an access to justice issue,' says attorney This latest closure appears to be part of an overall retrenchment in Social Security offices in the region The Rockland County Social Security office has been closed since June 2024 Mid-Hudson Valley members of Congress held a press conference on Feb Mary Ellen O’Conner, who represents individuals in Social Security Disability applications from offices in Larchmont and New York City said about 85% of her clients have their hearings online ‒ these sessions ramped up during the COVID pandemic She said that’s easier for many of her disabled clients It also helps make the Social Security Administration’s hearing system more efficient allowing the assignment of judges from other parts of the country to handle for virtual hearings in New York have computers that would allow them to access the online hearings so they sometimes do the virtual hearings at the White Plains office using the Social Security Administration’s computers they may come to O’Connor’s office to use her system But she said some clients challenge Social Security rulings without attorneys And some of them prefer to have their cases heard “Now it seems like the government is playing politics with people’s lives These are real people with real disabilities who are hurting both from their illness or injury WHITE PLAINS — Martine Avenue was closed off between the White Plains Library and Galleria parking garage for hours Tuesday Feb 11 as emergency personnel responded to the site of an underground gas explosion White Plains Police Commissioner David Chong said the explosion was caused by a backed-up gas sewer said an electric feeder opened automatically and exploded because of a smoking manhole on the street between Martine Avenue and S Chong said there was no internal damage to the sewer system or injuries to any nearby residents but Quiroz confirmed that the White Plains City Courthouse and other nearby buildings were evacuated because of initial high carbon monoxide levels coming from the manhole "ConEdison is on location now and will continue to monitor CO levels for safety," Quiroz said in a statement to The Journal News/lohud Chong said there were no other threats to the area as of 12:30 p.m Witnesses reported the explosion on Martine Avenue near the White Plains City Court building around 10:45 a.m along with a fire truck and four Con Ed trucks a large hole in the ground at a section of the bike lane that runs alongside Martine Avenue could be observed right outside the City Department of Public Safety at the corner of Martine and South Lexington avenues "It sounded like a gunshot" said John William who was a block away headed to the library to teach English at the time of the explosion "I felt the building shake," said librarian Julia Rae Hodenfield A message to library staff said the explosion happened at about 10:15 a.m which prompted an evacuation at the library due to concerns regarding the building's proximity to the gas line that runs under Martine Avenue The library was able to reopen at 11:50 a.m Martine Avenue had been reopened to traffic White Plains Mayor Tom Roach plans to forgo another bid for the office he has held for 14 years and run instead this year for Westchester County clerk to succeed the retiring Tim Idoni Roach announced his election plans on Wednesday touting stable finances and a litany of gains in the city of 61,000 that he will continue to lead until his latest four-year term expires in December He's a White Plains native who was first elected mayor in 2011 after 10 years as a city council member "We have added services for our residents and visitors invested in our police and fire departments and introduced new and innovative technologies to make it easier for our residents to access city services," Roach said in a statement "Our downtown is thriving and our train station has been transformed We have stayed under the tax cap in every budget."  plans to run in November for the office that Idoni will vacate after 20 years in that post The county clerk manages Westchester's land and court records issues pistol licenses and holds naturalization ceremonies an attorney who serves on White Plains' six-member has announced he'll run for mayor to succeed Roach Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by more than 3 to 1 in White Plains White Plains, the county seat of Westchester, has undergone a housing boom in the last decade with as many as 7,000 new units expected before it ends, most of them apartments in the city's downtown area Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network Declan Farrell and Brian Mahon together announced the selection of Cardinal Dolan as the Grand Marshal in addition to the parade's traditional aides County Mayo and a longtime White Plains resident has been chosen as a "Special Aide to the Grand Marshal." up-to-date news and views from Irish America "Rising Lad and Lassie." They represent the under 30 age group Elizabeth Doherty DiLullo and Caroline Molloy "The White Plains Parade celebrates the contributions of the Irish people to humankind through their rich culture and music This year’s event will feature 20 marching bands over 12 floats and numerous community groups and organizations," stated parade organizers in their release The official Parade Installation took place on February 27 The parade itself kicks off at 12 noon Saturday from the intersection of Mamaroneck Avenue and Old Mamaroneck Road in the Westchester County city The parade continues down Mamaroneck Avenue to Main Street where it makes a right-hand turn and passes in front of City Hall The parade ends after City Hall at EJ Conroy Drive The parade route is just under a mile and takes about one hour to complete and will not be canceled unless weather conditions are unsafe Marchers are asked to to gather at about 11:15 am to be lined up in the appropriate divisions. The Line of March and other details will be posted on the website www.wpsaintpatricksdayparade.com Cardinal Dolan's journey from Manhattan to White Plains will be a short one far shorter than his recent trip to Ireland which ended up as something of a marathon New Jersey on February 13 aboard United flight 23 to Dublin had flown past Newfoundland when a medical emergency on board forced the pilots to turn the plane around and land in St Bad weather kept the cardinal and his fellow passengers on the ground for four days before he was able to return to New York Ireland would have to wait for another day for his eminence Dolan presided over Mass and delivered a sermon at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist Galway 1-17; Mayo 1-15 Galway won the battle but only time will tell if they win the war they joined the great side of 1963-66 who won four C.. Leinster 34; Northampton 37 Leo Cullen put up a great defense of his Leinster side following this shock defeat on home soil - had his charges perfo.. Pic of Day: It was a good day for sailing out of Dun Laoghaire Harbor and into the waters of Dublin Bay Developed and maintained by Soundlining Shoppers can expect a full weekend of festivities along with limited time offers The festivities will kick off with a traditional Japanese Taiko drum performance at 9:50 a.m followed by doors officially opening at 10 a.m Additional performances will be held at 1 p.m More: What do retailers look for when it comes to leasing new space? Ask The Westchester mall The first 200 customers in line will receive a free UNIQLO knot bag filled with a gift as well as an ITO EN Black Milk tea and a baked treat Those who make an in-store purchase of $99 and above and are also among the first 200 customers to do so will receive a free stainless steel bottle Early birds will also be able to view the new Henri Matisse UT collection ahead of the official launch on March 24 In other UNIQLO Westchester news, as part of a newly established partnership with Feeding America, the team volunteered with Feeding Westchester ahead of their store opening The company is also getting involved in the community by promoting its in-store clothing collection program RE.UNIQLO collects gently used UNIQLO clothing and donates them to people experiencing homelessness through the NYC Department of Homeless Services which is modeled after the Japanese values of simplicity opened its first store in Hiroshima in 1984 There are now more than 2,500 stores worldwide Local business: What's going on with Galleria? Document reveals details, potential adverse impacts A big year for The WestchesterThis is a big year for The Westchester. The mall, which was built on a site that was once occupied by luxury department store B. Altman & Company, celebrates its 30th anniversary March 22. The festivities begin with a nostalgic celebration (and free refreshments) from noon to 3 p.m. featuring a timeline look back at the mall's history and a showcase of "What's Old is New Again" retailer fashion trends Shoppers can also take advantage of the Receipts & Rewards program where guests can qualify for a $30 gift card by spending $300 or more at a combination of participating retailers including Aerie Shoppers can also share memories from the past 30 years through words or images for a chance to win a prize pack valued at $559 and Louis Vuitton have long called The Westchester home and notable names are part of what makes the mall such a prime location for retailers and restaurants according to the mall's general manager Richard Ranges Recent tenant additions, as previously reported by The Journal News/lohud, have been touted as a sign that the mall remains an attractive retail space option for businesses. other recent openings include Gregory's Coffee Lohud's Helu Wang contributed to this report.