Since last fall the New Rochelle Police Department has quietly begun to put more cops on the street, at least briefly, in certain high crime areas including downtown New Rochelle and the area around Lockwood Avenue and North Avenue.

In a "Park and Walk" patrol, a police officer will leave his vehicle to walk a particular route in a problem area for about 30 minutes. During that time the officer is considered unavailable to respond to calls except in an emergency situation.

The initial response has been positive.

"Any program that provides more visibility in the downtown is a very good idea", said City Council Member Ivar Hyden whose district includes the city center. "I am favor of a police presence in downtown."

Some New Rochelle residents have been calling for a greater police presence in downtown New Rochelle for years including police on foot post and a downtown kiosk.

When CVS came before the New Rochelle Zoning Board of Appeals, the company promised to put up surveillance video cameras outside their location at 222 North Avenue. Had they done so they might have been able to help police identify the vandals who spray painted various walls and doors in downtown New Rochelle over the holiday weekend.

There is now graffiti on the CVS, the carpet store, the wall in the Library parking lot and the New Rochelle library.

Downtown New Rochelle business and property owners participating in the New Rochelle BID Energy Savings Program with Con Edison are collectively saving more than $100,000 annually on their electric bills. They are doing this by reducing their energy consumption by more than 625,000 kilowatt hours, equivalent to more than ninety (90) average households’ annual energy consumption and to almost a million (1,000,000) fewer pounds of CO2 emissions. In addition, they are accomplishing these energy savings while improving the quality of their lighting and extending the life span of their equipment, lowering replacements costs.

For the fourth time in 10 months, Parking Pay Stations in downtown New Rochelle have been rendered inoperable. All three of the pay station machines at the Prospect Street Lot were rendered inoperable. One pay station machine at the library lot was again rendered inoperable in an attack last night. One pay station machine is still out of service since the previous attack in October. Two previous attacks took place in February and May.

The latest attacks come just days after parking fees at downtown lots were doubled from 50 cents an hour to $1.00 an hour suggesting the possibility that the attacks were a response to the increase in parking fees. No signs indicating the change in parking fees were visible at any of the downtown lots.

The cost to taxpayers for the oft-vandalized machines now stands in excess of $50,000...and counting.

New Roc City hosted its Second Annual Ring in the New Year at Noon celebration earlier today. Jimmy Fink of 107.1 The Peak served as the event’s emcee. The event combined traditional New Years activities with face painting, arts and crafts, kiddy rides, magicians, clowns, a martial arts demonstration, games and more.

UPDATE: This event is "sold out". 1,200 people have requested free passes. You can try just showing up but do not expect to be let in.

New Roc City, the 450,000-square-foot entertainment and retail destination, will be hosting its Second Annual Ring in the New Year at Noon celebration on Saturday, December 31 from 10:30a.m. – 12:30p.m. New Roc City, located at 33 Le Count Place in downtown New Rochelle, will be celebrating the entrance into 2012 with a festive morning event designed to provide families with a Times Square-simulated atmosphere. Renowned radio personality Jimmy Fink of 107.1 The Peak will return as the event’s emcee. Geared towards families with children ages 2-10, New Roc City will be the ultimate fun-filled destination for young families to celebrate the New Year. In addition to traditional New Years activities, kids will enjoy face painting, arts and crafts, kiddy rides, magicians, clowns, a martial arts demonstration, games and more.

The other day there was a post announcing a $500,000 matching grant for Facade Improvement. I expressed my point of view which, if you read my posts, essentially points out that this was not exactly great news for the City and why. Perhaps the rather solemn faces of the people on hand indicates some shared values and so I posted and with the lingering question of why a college head is the BID head (yes I know $$$$$) I put it out of my mind.