WPCNR WEATHER SCOOP. July 19, 2006, UPDATED 6:07 P.M.E.D.T.: David Maloney, spokesperson for the Mayor's Office as White Plains copes with Wednesday evening's weather event that swept havoc and destruction through the Highlands, Saxon Woods, and Gedney Farms reports that Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti has promised all roads will be open by tomorrow morning. Maloney said over 100 streets in White Plains had been made impassable by trees and fallen wires, and that Nicoletti reports just 27 locations remain to be cleared. Maloney also reports that North Street closed all day has opened as of 4 P.M.

As of 6 P.M., Con Edison spokesperson, Elizabeth Clark said the number of customers without electricity in White Plains stood at "a little over 5,000," down from the 5,561 figure an hour ago. A Con Edision Press Spokesperson as of 4:30 P.M. told WPCNR that 5,561 customers in White Plains are without power at this time. (As of midnight last night, Con Ed had only reported 85 without power, but obviously that was before all reports came in. The 5,561 figure is the first figure for White Plains issued since that time.)

Victoria Hochman of the County Department of Communications told WPCNR there are no cooling centers or relief centers set up for victims without power in the county at this time. The City of White Plains as of this hour has not set up any such centers either, according to Melissa Lopez of the Mayor's Office.

"The areas that are going to be worked on all night tonight will be Gedney Farms and the Highlands. The streets that are now open (as of 4 P.M.) are: Mamaroneck Avenue, Rosedale, Bryant, Ridgeway, North Street and Old Mamaroneck is open" Maloney said at 4 P.M. 

"The problem is of all the locations because they were the hardest hit, the Highlands and Gedney Farms, you have power lines tangling in with the fallen trees. Con Ed and DPW still have joint crews going out. Con Ed cuts the power and DPW is going to continue this with bucket trucks and ground crews and so they'll be working on that all night, " Maloney explained. Maloney said the city will also be clearing all the debris out of the streets "so they  can get in."

Asked about what the number of outages in White Plains  was, Maloney said, "I still don't have that from Con Ed. I did speak to Buddy (Nicoletti) and he mapped out the pattern on how they'll clear this. He's working with Con Ed now, he just had a meeting with them. But I don't have numbers on the outages yet. I'll still work on it. Just so we're clear on this."

Shortly after Mr. Maloney told us this, WPCNR recontacted Con Edison and received the report that 5,561 customers were without power.

Maloney said, "the weather service has been in contact with Buddy, and they are reviewing aerially White Plains, doing a survey from the air, and the NOAA, the federal weather service, they're going to make a determination (what thestorm was) in a few days, apparently."

County thanks Con Ed for their performance.

In a news release from the Westchester County Department of Communications, County Executive Andy Spano thanked Con Ed for their response (though Con Ed has not recontacted WPCNR with updated exact numbers of White Plains customers without power, despite repeated requests through the day -- and has not informed White Plains how many are without power.

The county news release fed the media at approximately 3 P.M. stated:

·        The county has been in touch with municipalities to set up “cooling centers” as needed, and to deal with other emergencies.