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.

New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin joined local officials from the City of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District to announce receipt of a $500,000 New York State Main Street grant for the BID’s Downtown Façade Improvement Program.

Pictured above from left to right are New Rochelle Development Commissioner Michael Freimuth, New Rochelle City Manager Charles B. Strome, Amy Paulin, Monroe College Vice President and BID Board President Marc Jerome, New Rochelle City Council member and BID Board member Albert Tarantino, and several other unidentified BID Board members. Not visible in the photo is BID Executive Director Ralph DiBart. Also on hand was New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson and Council Member-Elect Ivar Hyden among others.

Talk of the Sound reported on the grant and the program behind it last week: New Rochelle BID Awarded $500,000 Grant for Facade Improvement Program

The City of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Business Improvement District will announce next week that the New Rochelle BID has been awarded $500,000 under the New York Main Street Program, a statewide grant program administered by the State's Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR).

New York Main Street provides financial resources and technical assistance to communities to strengthen the economic vitality of the State's traditional Main Streets and neighborhoods. The NY Main Street grant program provides funds from the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) to units of local government, business improvement districts, and other not-for-profit organizations that are committed to revitalizing historic downtowns, mixed-use neighborhood commercial districts, and village centers.

The New Rochelle Walk of Fame, 25 distinctive interpretive stations, commemorating nationally notable individuals* with distinct ties to New Rochelle and their contributions to America has been installed Downtown. This is part of the New Rochelle BID’s ongoing efforts to preserve and promote our history and Downtown where New Rochelle’s past, present and future come together.

The Walk of Fame signs, strategically located in the gardens lining the Library Green pathway were created and funded by former resident and historian Roderick Kennedy Jr., working in partnership with the BID, the New Rochelle Department of Parks and Recreation and City Historian Barbara Davis.