NEWS 12: Lorraine Lopez, ex-Yonkers mayoral aide, gets probation in turkey fund theft

Photo credit: Westchester County District Attorney | Lorraine Lopez, 45, of Yonkers, received probation for stealing more than $5,600 from a Yonkers Thanksgiving Day drive in 2011. 

A former Yonkers mayoral aide avoided jail time Tuesday for stealing thousands of dollars in donations for the poor during the city's annual Thanksgiving charity drive By TIMOTHY O'CONNOR (timothy.oconnor@cablevision.com)

Lorraine Lopez, 45, of Yonkers, faced a maximum sentence of 2 1/3 to 7 years behind bars for third-degree grand larceny, the crime to which she pleaded guilty in June.

Lopez admitted she took more than $5,600 in donations to the drive when she worked as an aide under former Yonkers Mayor Philip A. Amicone.

Lopez, who no longer works for the city, could not be reached for comment after her sentencing this morning in White Plains by Westchester County Court Judge Barbara Zambelli.

Her court-appointed lawyer could not be reached for comment.

It's not clear what Lopez, a former city council member, did with the $5,600 in checks that were donated for the Thanksgiving drive -- an annual city undertaking to provide holiday meals to the poor and indigent.

Nearly $7,000 in donations were received from corporations and businesses around the city -- the bulk of the funds coming from contracting firm Yonkers Contracting.

The theft was discovered in January after Yonkers Contracting contacted the mayor's office to inquire about the drive's success, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore said.

City workers in the administration of the new mayor, Michael Spano, could not find records for the disbursement of more than $5,600 in donations.

The Yonkers Office of Inspector General investigated the matter and turned its findings over to county prosecutors. Lopez was arrested by Yonkers police April 1.

"It is this kind of conduct that erodes the public's trust and confidence in our government," DiFiore said at the time of Lopez's indictment on April 19.

Lopez has already paid back the $5,628 she stole.

PRESS RELEASE: Yonkers Film Office/ Website ReLaunched

MAYOR SPANO RELAUNCHES YONKERS MAYOR’S OFFICE OF FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY 

New Office and Website Provide One-Stop Shop for Film and Photography Production in Yonkers

Posted Date: 9/18/2012

YONKERS, NY – September 18, 2012 – Standing in front of the 32,000 square foot Yonkers Stage, Mayor Mike Spano today officially launched a newly revamped Yonkers Film Office, announcing the Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography (MOFP) and new website,

The MOFP and new website provide a one-stop shop for film and photography in the city, making it quicker and easier than ever for companies to utilize the many diverse and sought after locations Yonkers has to offer.

“We are sending a simple message today – Yonkers is open for filming,” said Mayor Spano. “Yonkers has always been a natural fit for filming and photography with its wide variety of urban and suburban locations just minutes from New York. The revamped film office focuses on enhancing the production experience while maximizing the benefit for our local economy.”

In addition to promoting a more film friendly city with expedited permitting of locations, the Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography is slashing permit fees, including a $500 fee that was previously charged to companies for filming on private property. The MOFP also is waiving the standard $300 fee for filming and photography permits at public locations for the remainder of the year. According to Mayor Spano, the MOFP also is working on a new Yonkers Production Partnership Waiver that will encourage production companies to support Yonkers local economy by waiving the public film permit fee in lieu of the purchase of goods or services from local Yonkers businesses.

“We have film and photography shoots of all sizes at locations in our city nearly every week,” said Mayor Spano who referenced the latest feature film, A Winters Tale, starring Russell Crow, Colin Farrell and William Hurt, which is currently preparing to shoot at the Yonkers Stage. “The Film Industry has had a tremendous economic impact throughout New York State and we want to further that impact here in Yonkers.”

Kenneth Adams, President, CEO & Commissioner of Empire State Development, which oversees the NYS Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, acknowledged Yonkers’ renewed effort to enhance film production in the city.

“We congratulate the City of Yonkers on the relaunch of its Office of Film & Photography and its website,” said Kenneth Adams, President, CEO & Commissioner of Empire State Development, which oversees the NYS Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development. “This is an extremely exciting time for the film and television industry in New York and the production of A Winters Tale in Yonkers is testament to that. Working together with our partners in local government, like the City of Yonkers, we will be better able to attract new investment in the film industry that will create jobs and generate economic opportunity across the state.”

Roger Paradiso, Co-Chairman of Greenwich Street Production which owns and operates Yonkers Stage, thanked Mayor Spano and the Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development for their joint efforts in helping bring new business to the city, as well as property owner Stop & Shop Supermarkets Corporation of America/Ahold USA for their support.

“The Yonkers Stage has had great success attracting some of the biggest productions to our studio and we are very excited about the Mayor’s new efforts to further Yonkers as a central city for film production,” said Paradiso.

Other films that have shot at the Yonkers Stage include Wall Street Two, American Gangster, Hitch, The Manchurian Candidate, Rollerball, I Am Legend, Doubt, The Bounty and Taking Woodstock. Mayor Spano also said the City of Yonkers has also been host to recent television productions including CBS’s The Good Wife, CBS’s Made in Jersey, CBS’sPerson of Interest, CW’s Gossip Girl, as well as productions at City Hall including HBO’sBoardwalk Empire and FX’s White Collar.

The Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography is operated directly out of the Mayor’s Office and has brought tens of thousands of dollars in revenue to the city.

Yonkers RiverFest is Tomorrow!

The 20nth annual Yonkers RiverFest is tomorrow, and features the first opening of the Daylighting project of the Saw Mill River

YoLoGo Contest Entries due Sept 4

Design a logo that will Accompany the Yonkers City Seal (right) and be used on social media sites and in other printed materials.

There's no money or compensation in it, you'll give up your artistic rigthts to your work and allow the City of Yonkers to own it forever, but there's a small amount of glory.  [AMENDED NOTE: after reading the terms in the waiver, I've decided not to apply.  Too onerous for too little.]

Here's what the deal is:

The Mayor (Mike Spano)  is calling on the people of Yonkers for the development of a new City Logo to Accompany the City Seal; a logo that is reflective of the City's rich history, culture and natural beauty. 

• The Yonkers Logo Contest will draw from the artistic roots of Yonkers residents ages 12 and up. 
• All logo designs should be electronically submitted to YoLoGo@yonkersny.gov
• The contest deadline is Tuesday, September 4th at 5 pm. 
• On September 5th, all of the submissions will be available for public viewing on the City of Yonkers Facebook page. 
• The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite design. 
• The top 3 highest vote getters will be selected as finalists and will be presented to the City Council at the October 23rd City Council Meeting during which a winner will be determined. 
• The winning logo will be proudly and prominently displayed on the City's Website and on our social media outlets.

As you can imagine, vulgarity, jokes and already used or copyrighted material are not allowed.

Three dimensional, relief, holographic, motion, or other complex multimedia art is also not acceptable as an entry.